ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1)

by Marilyn Campbell

  "Except for the last couple weeks, I'd say I hadn't thought of anything else for forty years."

  Keeping her back to him, she donned her robe and rose. "I'm moving back to my apartment tomorrow." It only hurt a little, like a small dagger piercing her heart. "In fact, the best thing for everyone would be if you just sent me back to California. Then you wouldn't be tempted anymore."

  Rom couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was out of the bed and forcing her to look at him in a heartbeat. "Why would you say such a thing? You can't leave me. No one hates politics that much."

  Aster felt her resolve crumbling beneath his crushed expression. "I have to, Rom. You've been protecting me all week. I found out tonight what's being said about us. They think you've gone crazy or I've bewitched you. You'll lose the appointment if I stay here with you. I won't be responsible for ruining your career."

  "Aster, I'll repeat what I said. You can't leave. Look at what happened to me last night. But it's not only me now. What do you think happened to you tonight in the garden? That was hardly normal Aster behavior. I can only assume the stress Victor caused and your admitting how you feel about me triggered it. I don't know all the answers or how it's possible, but it's happening to you too, even though you're a Terran. I can assure you that the fever won't stop building now that it's begun.

  "Medical could treat you as well by desensitizing your skin and reducing the pain. But they can't end the burning. I've discussed our situation with the doctor. He assured me there's no biological reason a Terran couldn't survive the joining ceremony. He's positive it's a Noronian myth created to keep the race pure. As far as your sanity, I told him about your intelligence and what happened in the pyramid. He thought there's an excellent chance you could adapt to the mental union in time. Now that you've begun to burn, I'm sure we were meant to join. There are no more reasons to put it off."

  "You're confusing me." Aster knew she had to fight him, no matter how logical he made it sound, for his own good.

  "The first time you spoke, when you arrived in Innerworld, and I held you in my arms, you said, 'I know you. You've been in my dreams before.' I remember your exact words."

  "I had dreamt about you or someone who looked like you. It was why you made me so nervous."

  "Don't you see? It was me. Our souls hung in limbo until we found each other."

  Rom hugged Aster closely, running his hand along her spine. He supposed her hesitation could be due to fear. He had to convince her she had no more choice in the matter than he did. "You don't need to be frightened, shalla. I believe what the doctor said. You can talk to him if you want. And I even thought of a way for you to practice mental control to prepare for the joining."

  "I'd know your every thought?" Aster asked.

  "At the same time I do. And feel whatever I feel. It will be easier for me at first because I've been trained to control my mind. I would be able to close off your thoughts when I needed to concentrate on something else. Eventually, I'm sure you would be able to do the same," Rom said hopefully.

  "And, in the meantime," she deduced, "I'd also know the exact moment you stopped loving me. The precise second you began to resent what I'd done to you and your career. You're not thinking clearly, Rom. There's no way you'll get that appointment if you're joined with me. In my country, a politician's wife can ruin him if the press uncovers some dark secret about her. She influences her husband's thinking and they aren't even sharing a brain. Take the blinders off, Rom. They will never allow someone they consider an inferior being to share the most important position in this colony."

  "I've considered that. We'll present our case to the Tribunal. They know what happens to a Noronian during his mating time. It's not something we choose and they should take that into consideration. If we guaranteed not to produce offspring, that might satisfy them.

  "If that fails, I'll give it up. The only ambition I have now is to be joined with you. If they want me for governor, fine. If they want me for supply station collector, that's fine too. However, if they want me to forget about you, they'd have to reprogram me. If we have to, we'll find another world to live in where they can't rule us. We could go to your world. I'm familiar with the political situation there."

  "My world?" Aster asked in disbelief. "Where you could be the first alien to run for city council? Where you might live to the ripe old age of eighty instead of one hundred fifty? Now you're being ridiculous as well as naive."

  "You think so?" Rom was getting angry with her rational answers. "Go ahead and move back to your apartment. What are you going to do when the burning starts again and I'm on the other side of town? Attack a passing stranger?"

  Aster gasped.

  "It won't help you know. No one will put out the fire for you but me."

  "Stop it! We're not the only two people involved here. I've accepted the fact that I'm helpless to do anything more for my world as long as I'm here. But you're still an integral member of your world. You've achieved so much for the Terrans in Innerworld and I know in my heart that one day you'll accomplish wonderful things for the people on Earth too. I would love to be at your side when that happens but my being with you now will eliminate that possibility. All the things we've both worked for—"

  "Don't you dare use this conversation to start in on your precious environmental issues again. In less than a year, there may not even be a planet Earth for you to crusade for!"

  Aster froze. "What did you say?"

  Rom heard his own words echoing in his head. How could he have let that slip?

  "Oh, my God," Aster whispered as she backed away from him. "It hasn't just been this mating fever or your concerns about your career. There's more, isn't there? You've kept something horrible from me, haven't you?"

  "I couldn't tell you."

  "Don't tell me—it's forbidden! Well, damn it, I'm forbidden too, but that didn't stop you from having me!"

  He touched her shoulder but she jerked away. "Aster—"

  "No, don't touch me. Don't look at me with those eyes. Don't... love me." She took a deep breath. "Rom, you just proved yourself wrong. Your career is still the most important thing to you."

  "That's not true." He let out a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed, his face in his hands.

  The slump of his shoulders told Aster all she needed to know. He had been fighting a battle all alone and he was sick to death of it. She sat down next to him and touched his cheek. "I'm sorry. That was unfair. I don't even know what I'm saying anymore."

  "It was never a matter of not trusting you. I just didn't want you to worry when there was probably no reason."

  "And now there is?"

  "I don't know." Without any consideration as to whether he was betraying his position, Rom shared the facts and his concerns about the approaching planetoid. "If the emissary is not found within the next week, drastic measures will have to be taken. It will be up to the governor to make the final decision but it looks like we'll have no choice but aggressive interference."

  "Imminent danger—that was what you called it before. I promise not to worry until you tell me to, if you'll promise not to keep anything else from me. I don't want you to bear the burdens of our relationship along with the problems of the world. At least let me share the load."

  Rom pulled her into his arms. "Agreed. But your talk of leaving isn't helping my state of mind. I'll make you a deal. I won't pressure you about our joining, if you'll stay with me one more week. If tonight was a false alarm and you don't feel anything like that again, you can go. I won't stop you."

  An idea had occurred to him that would bring her around without any more words. All he had to do was not make love to her until she reached a feverish pitch again. He had gotten his first treatment this morning and would go back for another tomorrow. Meanwhile, he was absolutely certain she would not last more than a couple days without his help.

  Aster couldn't imagine what had changed his attitude so drastically but she agreed to his terms. She felt better knowi
ng she had another week before she had to give him up.

  As it turned out, Rom's estimate was excessive. Less than twenty-four hours later, the distress in her eyes was so terrible, he took pity on her and did not make her beg for him to make love to her as he had planned.

  The separation was not mentioned again.

  Chapter 14

  Aster had the next day off but convinced Rom to go into the office, telling him that Cherry was coming to visit. She regretted lying to him but knew he would forgive her when he got the surprise she had planned for him. As soon as his car pulled out of the driveway, she headed for the Arena.

  The only person in the lobby of the castle was a man dressed in black, with his back to her. He had the most gorgeous hair she had ever seen—honey-blond with streaks of light brown and gold, flowing to his shoulders in thick waves. She would have thought it was a woman if not for his body. A few inches shorter than Rom, he was still tall and muscular in a lean, sinewy way.

  "Excuse me," Aster said as she approached him. "Do you work here?"

  "Among other things," the man answered cryptically in a resonant voice that seemed to stroke her physically. When he turned to face her, she was momentarily speechless. He was more than simply an attractive man. The sensuous quality of his luminous, gold-topaz eyes would have been intriguing enough but the black pupils within were marquis-shaped and reflected her own face like twin mirrors. His incredible hair and strange cat's eyes made Aster think of a beautiful tamed lion.

  "Might I be of service?" When he spoke this time, she picked up an accent similar to a Scottish brogue. She explained what she was looking for.

  The leonine man pondered her request for a moment before answering. "A gift for Chief Romulus... an item he would treasure. I believe I can help you with that. Follow me."

  He took her to a room behind one of the playing fields and removed a sword from a leather case. Aster held out both hands to accept the long weapon. The hilt was of ornately carved black pearl and the steel gleamed from attentive polishing. The only evidence that it was not new was a small nick in one side of the blade.

  "It's magnificent," Aster said, honestly impressed.

  The man was blatantly enamored with the piece himself as his fingers caressed the metal. "A few weeks back, the chief was victorious in a difficult match with the Black Knight. This is his opponent's sword. Here you see the damage Romulus inflicted. He would recognize it, I am sure."

  "Would the Black Knight be willing to sell it to me?"

  "It would be impossible to price. The Black Knight has great admiration for Chief Romulus. He would gladly offer this sword as a gift for the Blue Knight."

  Aster could hardly believe her ears. Nothing could have been more perfect. "I can't thank you enough. He'll love it. You didn't tell me your name. Would Romulus know you?"

  "My name is Falcon. He is acquainted with me, in a way. Enjoy the giving." He replaced the sword in its case and handed it to Aster.

  She had assured Rom she would not go to the Indulgence Center for lessons on how to please him but she had not made any such promise about doing some research at home.

  An hour later, with flushed cheeks and an insistent pulsing between her thighs, she turned the viewer off. She was anxious to try every technique she had learned on Romulus. But since she had to wait, she got her private party started with a call to his personal vidcom.

  "Chief Romulus here."

  "Aster Mackenzie here," she said, imitating his deep voice. "Are you alone?"

  "What?"

  "Is anyone in your office, like Tarla?"

  "No, why?"

  "Go close your door."

  "Aster! What's this about?"

  "I won't tell you until you close your office door. And lock it if you can."

  "This is crazy. All right, I'm locking my door." Rom got up from his chair and closed the door. He turned around to find himself facing Aster, or rather her holographic image, wearing only a black lace teddy. His jaw dropped in both shock and admiration.

  "Hello, shallar," Aster teased in a breathy voice. "I have a surprise for you." Slowly, she lowered the straps until her pointed nipples peeked over the top of the teddy up. "You'll have to come home to get the rest of it," she whispered then vanished.

  Romulus leaned heavily against the door. Was that the same woman who once believed she was frigid? He had practically climaxed just watching her. No treatment could hold back the fever after a teaser like that.

  Aster smiled after she turned off her transmission. She could imagine Rom's reaction. Tonight she would return some of the pleasure he had given her.

  No more than five minutes passed when she heard his car door thud. How in the world had he gotten there so fast?

  Anxious to continue his seduction, she hurried to open the door. "Welcome—"

  Victor! Aster quickly pushed the door back but Victor moved faster. His fingers clamped on the door's edge and prevented her from getting it fully closed.

  He applied his greater strength and put an end to the skirmish by relaxing his pressure then slamming his full weight against the wood.

  The blow knocked Aster backward. On her knees, she scurried toward escape. The door crashed shut in her face, just as the heel of his boot collided with her jaw. Aster's neck snapped back and her body followed like a marionette's.

  She opened and closed her eyes several times in an attempt to reorient herself. Her mouth tasted of blood and her jaw throbbed painfully. As she raised her hand to assess the damage, Victor pressed the point of a long, razor-thin knife into her cheekbone.

  "Freeze, bitch," he snarled, "unless you want to lose one of those pretty eyes."

  "What do you want?" Aster murmured through clenched teeth.

  "Come now, Miss Mackenzie, I didn't take you for a stupid woman. However, since you just let me know you were expecting the big shot at the door, I guess we don't have time for any fun before we go. Your alien freak will be slightly delayed I'm afraid. I borrowed his car for our convenience."

  Aster had been clinging to the fact that Rom would be bursting through the door any second to rescue her.

  "I need your assistance with a small matter. I thought you might not do so willingly, so I took an added precaution. Your friend, Cherry, is in my protective custody. You will come along quietly or I will kill her... again."

  He lowered the blade to slash one of her straps. Aster whimpered as a trickle of blood ran down from her shoulder. She tried to cover herself and watched the knife bite the back of her hand.

  "I told you not to move. The next time you disobey me you will be half-blind. I'll take you either way but your protector might not appreciate my artwork."

  She would not cry. If she could keep her wits, she might come out of this alive—again. "Where is Cherry? I'll do whatever you want. Just let her go."

  "You don't need to know where she is. You will have to accept my word that she will be released if you behave. Now stand up slowly and get a piece of paper to write a note. He'll be coming along to fetch you soon enough. I only want to delay the meeting a bit longer.

  "I am a very lucky man, you know. I thought it might be weeks before I'd catch you alone. I could hardly believe it when I got the call this morning. What's the matter, bitch? Somebody at his office a better lay than you?"

  It took a moment for his words to sink in. He had an accomplice. Someone who had been watching her and Romulus was reporting to Victor. It had not mattered at all that he was far away at the Clinic.

  "What do you want me to write?"

  "Tell him you went out to run an errand."

  "Can I tell him I borrowed his car? He loves that car more than me. He'll be very upset when he discovers it's gone."

  "Yeah, that's a good idea. I knew you could be cooperative, with the right incentive." He twisted the knife in front of her face.

  Aster tried to ignore the bloody cuts and the fierce pain in her jaw. As she composed the note, she told herself Rom would know something was
very wrong.

  R—Sorry I left you stranded. I needed the car to run an errand. You know how I love to drive it every chance I get.—A

  "Okay?"

  "Yeah. Let's go."

  "Can't I get dressed first?"

  "No more time. Move."

  Just then the vidcom began to beep. Aster turned toward it but was brought up short as Victor grabbed her wrist and twisted it up her back. Shooting pain tore into her shoulder.

  "Let it go," he ordered, giving her arm a yank and shoving her out the door. The insistent beeping continued behind them.

  Victor again credited his good luck when no one noticed him pushing the half-naked bitch into the car. He snapped handcuff-like clamps on her wrists behind her back and stuck a piece of wide adhesive tape across her mouth. Another longer strip bound her ankles.

  "Can't stand a broad talking while I'm driving," he said with a snicker at his own joke.

  Aster closed her eyes against the reality of what was happening to her. Rom! Hear me. I need you.

  Victor leered at her breasts straining against the see-through material. The side with the severed strap barely covered her nipple. He pulled the sheer material the rest of the way down and cruelly pinched her flesh.

  She couldn't stop the painful moan that escaped her throat. But as he proceeded to grope the naked breast, the taste of bile was worse than the pain.

  "I've seen your big tits before, bitch, so you don't need to be shy with me." In answer to her furrowed brow, he replied, "I caught your act in the garden the other night. Interesting dialogue, although a bit corny for my taste. I have plans to thank you for the entertainment later." He stopped kneading her exposed breast to squeeze the growing bulge between his legs.

  Rom! Find me!

  * * *

  "Thanks for the lift, Falcon. I really appreciate it. Let me know if you have any luck tracking my commuter." Rom was bewildered by the missing car. He was more upset by how it may have interfered with Aster's surprise. He had called to let her know about the inconvenience but she hadn't answered, which seemed very odd also.