by Opal Carew
And then my three nib-nibs came scampering up my leg and onto my shoulder, chattering in my ear.
“Hey, you guys,” I said, breaking the kiss at last. “Bad timing.”
“No.” Sarden smiled grimly. “Perfect timing. They’re right—we have no time for this now. We have to find Sellah before she goes back to Eloim.”
Well, so much for the red-hot reunion. I was a little disappointed but I could see his point. We did need to catch up with Sellah and make sure she was all right. Plus, what was I doing getting all hot and heavy with Sarden? We hadn’t made any promises to each other. In fact, as far as I knew, I was still headed back to Earth when this was all over.
Nodding at Sarden, I stepped away from him and turned my attention to my chattering nib-nibs.
“Hey guys,” I murmured. “Good job! You saved me again. I’m so glad I didn’t let you get eaten.”
From the corner of my eye I saw Sarden and Grav talking about the fastest way to contact Sellah. I was glad I was going to see my new friend again but I couldn’t help wondering what, if anything, was between me and her brother.
Sarden
I kept watching Zoe from the corner of my eye as I talked to Grav. I was still a little pissed off at him for killing Doloroso. But I understood—a little, anyway. In addition to being half Vorn, like me, Grav was also half Braxian. They’re extremely protective when it comes to females.
But even his Braxian instincts couldn’t account for such a violent reaction—he’d just completely lost it. I felt the same way, of course—Doloroso deserved to die for the pain and trauma he’d put Zoe through. But I had wanted to question him first and Grav’s actions had made that impossible.
I sighed—well, maybe my old friend couldn’t help himself. I at least had some Eloim to temper my Vorn blood. But a combination of Vorn and Braxian was a volatile mix. Of the Twelve Peoples, the Brax were probably the only ones more feared than the Vorn. They were hot tempered and prone to impulsive violence—which was probably the reason Grav had ended up in Triple Max Security when we were younger. Obviously he had taken a protective view of Zoe, much the same way he had been protective of his ward, Teeny.
Speaking of Teeny, I asked him if he wanted to go back to ward her now that we had found Zoe and knew that Sellah was all right, but he shook his head.
“Her grandfather went a little crazy when I brought her back to his ship—says he’s taking her straight to an all-female convent planet. No males allowed—not even a Protector.” He didn’t look very happy about it.
“You worried?” I asked. “You think she’ll be safe?”
“Safe enough. It’s in a hidden system.”
“And the pirates that took her?” I raised an eyebrow. Grav knew what I meant.
“They didn’t…violate her,” he said in a low voice. “Scared her fuckin’ plenty but didn’t lay a finger on her that way. She told me before I brought her back to her grandfather’s ship.”
“Good.” I felt a surge of relief. I had been too wrapped up in my own troubles and worries about Zoe and Sellah to consider his young ward much, but I well remembered the tears in her eyes when we first saw her at Tazaxx’s compound. I was glad her innocence hadn’t been stripped from her.
“I’m still gonna kill them,” Grav said conversationally but his eyes—those Braxian eyes which I knew could see spectrums of light others of the Twelve Peoples could only dream of—were still filled with banked rage. “Them and Tazaxx both.”
“He’s on my list too—along with Hurxx,” I reminded him. “Will you come back with me to Eloim and help me settle that debt first?”
“Sure.” He shrugged, his big shoulders rolling. “There’s no time-limit on a blood debt. I can hunt those other fuckers after your business is seen to. Speaking of seeing to something…or someone…” He cut his eyes to Zoe, who was staying well away from Doloroso’s body and talking quietly to her nib-nibs.
“What?” I asked, frowning.
“She’s the one for you, Sarden,” he said simply. “Goddess knows I wish I could find a female that wanted to wake up to this ugly mug every morning.” He gestured at his face. “Not many want to pledge their lives to a half-breed who’s a convicted murderer. But you did it—you found your fated mate.”
“What’s your point?” I shifted uncomfortably. I could still feel Zoe’s soft, small form pressed against mine. I still wanted her with an urgent intensity which made it hard to think. She was so close—and her mouth was so sweet. Her body so warm and willing. But what if she’d only been kissing me back out of gratitude? What if she still wanted to go back to Earth?
“You found her,” Grav repeated softly. “And I know you still have a lot of shit to deal with but just…don’t lose her again. Okay?”
“I’ll try not to.” I sighed. It had seemed so simple when we first walked in the door, when Grav had pulled Doloroso away and Zoe had run to my arms. Why did things have to get complicated again?
“Talk to her,” Grav insisted. “Once we get back to your ship and find Sellah, talk to her.”
“I will,” I promised.
And I would too…I just wasn’t sure what she would say back.
Part V
Chapter 24
Zoe
“So what’s going on between you and my brother?” Sellah asked.
We were sitting on the silver hoverbed in my room, nibbling on some Eloim snacks Al had whipped up for us while Sarden and Grav and Uncle Tellum talked in the other room.
After connecting with Sellah and putting our ships in synchronous orbit, it had been decided the next order of business was to go back to Eloim and find a way to expose Hurxx and get Sellah back on the throne. How exactly, no one was sure. But the general feeling was that we needed to sleep on it and decide the next day. Everyone was bone tired—me included. Still, we weren’t quite ready to part yet, which was how Sellah had ended up with me, asking awkward questions.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I mean, I thought I knew—or had an idea when he and Grav first rescued me from Count Creepy. He grabbed me in his arms and started talking about how he’d thought he lost me and how my eyes were so blue—”
“Wait a minute—what?” Sellah looked at me as though I’d said something shocking.
“What do you mean what?” I asked her. “What did I say?”
“You said he talked about the color of your eyes. Can he see them?”
“What do you mean? Of course he can see them,” I said, frowning. “But it’s just because I’m a La-ti-zal.” I rubbed my neck, where the inhibitor collar had been. It had left some scratches which still stung. “It’s weird though—he was talking about the color of my eyes while I was still wearing that damn collar. Wouldn’t you think that would have inhibited my, uh, powers enough to keep him from seeing colors?”
“Sarden doesn’t see color when he touches you because of your powers, Zoe…” Sellah leaned forward and pressed my hand. “Don’t you know most males with Vorn DNA don’t see in color until they meet the female they’re supposed to be with? He sees colors when he’s with you because you two are meant to be.”
“Meant to be? Meant to be what?” I asked, feeling my stomach do a little flip.
“Meant to be mated—bonded although I don’t know how that’s possible. Most half-breeds aren’t enough of one DNA or the other to form a bond with a female. It’s one reason most of them never settle down. How can you be sure of the male you’re with if you can’t bond with him?” She shrugged and popped another Eloim snack—which looked like gray paste on a pink cracker—into her mouth.
“Um…sorry to sound ignorant about all this but what exactly does bonded mean?” I asked. “I mean, do you just feel really close to that person or—”
“No, no—it’s an actual, physical connection between a male and female,” Sellah assured me. “You’re able to feel each other’s emotions when you concentrate—some closely bonded couples are even able to send and receive thoughts.”
>
“Seriously?” I shook my head. “Sorry but that just sounds weird—we don’t have anything like it on Earth.”
“It’s not weird, it’s wonderful.” She sighed. “I’ve always dreamed of finding my fated mate—the one male in the galaxy I’m meant to bond with. After I finished my schooling, of course.” She made a face. “Instead I have to go back and rule Eloim—if we can find a way to get rid of Hurxx, that is.”
“You really don’t want to rule, huh?” I asked.
Sellah shook her head. “It’s a pain in the behind, believe me. I mean, it might not be so bad if you had someone you trusted and cared for beside you on the throne. But, well, I never felt any trust for Hurxx and I knew he didn’t care for me either, not even in a proper familial way. He just wanted me out of the way.”
“We’ll get you back,” I promised her. “And then maybe you can find someone you trust more.”
“I wish it could be Sarden,” she said sadly. “But I don’t think he’ll agree to even ask the Council’s approval. He always felt so hated by my father and grandfather because of his Vorn blood and appearance. When they sent him off to Vorn 6 as a young male to spend time with his second family, I know he was glad to go. At least there he fit in a little more. I always missed him though.”
“He must have come back to visit you sometimes,” I said. “Or you two wouldn’t have stayed so close.”
“Oh yes—he came back regularly to see me. He was very protective.” She pressed my hand again. “He’ll be protective of you too, Zoe—if you’ll let him.”
“I don’t know if…if he wants me like that,” I said awkwardly. I couldn’t help remembering the passionate kiss we’d shared when he first rescued me from Doloroso, but what if that was just a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing?
“I think he does,” Sellah said quietly. “I’ve never seen him look at a female the way he looks at you. Please, Zoe…just give him a chance. I’d love to have you as my sister.”
“I—” I started to say but then Al whizzed into the room, his lantern-eye blinking rapidly.
“My lady Sellah, your guardian, Lord Tellum has asked me to tell you he is retiring to his ship for the night. He wants to know where do you wish to sleep? Here or on his vessel?”
“You can stay here tonight, if you want,” I offered her. “I think Grav has the other spare room but you can share with me. The bed is roomy enough.”
“Well…” Sellah bit her lip but just then the door slid open and I saw Sarden standing there.
“Zoe,” he said in a low voice. “Can I talk to you?”
“Of course you can—we were just saying good night.” Sellah jumped off the hoverbed and leaned over to give me an affectionate nuzzle. Apparently the Eloim people rubbed noses together the same way we might kiss a friend on the cheek back on Earth.
“Sellah…” I began but she shook her head and grinned. “I’m going to stay the night on Uncle Tellum’s ship—he has more room than you do here. And besides…you two need your privacy.”
“Privacy?” Al, who was still hovering on the end of his long, snaky silver neck, sounded confused. “Why would Master Sarden and Lady Zoe need privacy?”
“Come with me,” Sellah said, motioning to the A.L. “And I’ll tell you.”
She led Al out of the room, stopping to rub noses with Sarden before she left and the door slid shut behind them.
Leaving the two of us alone.
Chapter 25
Zoe
“I want to talk to you about the future,” Sarden said, apparently deciding to skip the small talk and get right to the point.
“The future…right,” I echoed, sitting up straighter on the silver beanbag hoverbed. I was wearing another one of his dress shirts, since I hadn’t had time to get Al to synthesize me anything else, and I couldn’t stand that damn Slave Leia costume for one more minute. I still had scratches on my poor boobs from where the metal bra had rubbed me the wrong way when Doloroso yanked on it.
“I promised to take you back to Earth,” he continued and my heart just sank.
“Yes. Yes, you did,” I said, trying not to sound as disappointed as I felt. Clearly Sellah had been wrong, we weren’t meant to be. The kiss I’d shared with Sarden when he found me had just been a spur-of-the-moment thing—he didn’t really want me the way I wanted him.
“Of course you did. So…when do we go?” I asked brightly, trying to sound eager and cheerful when I actually wanted to cry.
“Oh, well…” He seemed taken aback by my cheerfulness but I was damned if I would show him how I really felt. I wasn’t going to grovel if he didn’t want me. “I, er, really need to see to getting Sellah back on the throne of Eloim first.” His golden eyes gleamed. “And Hurxx needs to be punished.”
I shivered, glad I wasn’t the evil Hurxx who was shortly going to have seven feet of angry Vorn on his tail.
“Of course,” I said, as casually as I could. “I completely understand. And I don’t mind, you know, hanging around a little while longer. Just until you can get the job done.”
“So…you don’t mind not going back to Earth immediately?” Was there relief in his voice? I couldn’t be sure—maybe I was imagining it.
“No, no—that’s fine,” I assured him. “I understand you have business to take care of.”
“I do. Thank you for understanding.” He sighed. “Well, I guess we should get some rest.”
“Yes, I’m exhausted.” I rubbed the back of my neck tiredly, trying to ease the tension I felt. “I, uh…ouch!” That last part was because I had rubbed over one of the scratches the damn inhibitor collar had left on my throat.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Sarden was at my side in an instant.
“Nothing. Just…that stupid collar they slapped on me at the auction,” I said. “It was really tight and it left some marks.”
“Where? Let me see?” Sarden was already lifting the heavy curtain of my hair to examine the pale column of my throat. Luckily he didn’t have any nib-nibs to contend with. All three of them were tucked snugly away in the soft, little bed Al had thoughtfully made for them in the corner of my room.
I felt a familiar tingle go through me as his skin touched mine and my breath started speeding up.
“On the sides, mostly,” I said, trying not to sound too breathy. “It just really…really hurts.”
“Let me heal you.” He pulled back for a moment to look into my eyes. “Let me take away your pain and erase the marks from your skin, Zoe.”
“Well…” My heart was pounding now. I was pretty sure he wasn’t talking about using the fizzing blue liquid he’d had me dip my feet in earlier. He meant he wanted to heal me with his tongue. “I mean, sure,” I said, trying to sound normal and failing completely “If…if you want to.”
He stroked my cheek gently, his eyes half-lidded.
“I want to, sweetheart. I want to very much.”
“All right.” I tilted my head for him and brushed my hair out of the way, baring my throat. “Go…go ahead.”
I didn’t have to ask him twice. With a soft growl, Sarden leaned forward and cradled my head in one large hand. I felt his hot breath on my neck and then he was licking me…his hot, wet tongue sliding sensuously over my tender flesh, making me bite back the moan of pure desire that rose to my lips.
I clenched my hands in my lap as he went on and on—kissing and licking the sensitive column of my throat. First the right side and then the tender nape just under my hairline. My nipples were so hard they hurt and my pussy was more than wet. God, how could he do this to me, just by licking me?
“Sarden…” I gasped as he moved to the left side and began healing the marks left by the collar there. “How…why…”
“You’re wounded. I must heal you.” He pulled apart the shirt I was wearing as a dress, pulling the top down around my shoulders to bare my throat even more. His hot mouth was so slow…so gentle and yet so insistent. I felt like I might catch on fire from the need he stirred in
me. He must be done healing me by now but still he didn’t stop. It was as though he couldn’t get enough of me.
But just as I was getting almost light-headed with desire, he did stop.
“Wh-what?” My eyelids fluttered open and I realized I had been half-dazed by his erotic healing.
“Your throat isn’t the only place you’re hurt.” Sarden was frowning with concern and I saw he was looking at the creamy slopes of my breasts, which were marked with angry-looking red scratches from the metal bra of the Slave Leia outfit.
“Oh, yeah…” I tried to laugh casually but couldn’t quite manage it. “Um, that stupid metal top I was wearing with my outfit. Doloroso grabbed the back of it and yanked when I was trying to get away from him and it cut me.”
A low growl rose in his broad chest and his eyes flashed molten gold.
“That bastard. Grav shouldn’t have killed him—I wanted to do it myself.”
“The main thing is that he’s gone,” I reminded him. “Which is good, because he had some really crazy ideas.”
“He hurt you.” Sarden traced one of the long, red scratches that ran down the inside slope of my right breast. “I wanted to make him pay.”
“It’s too…too late for that,” I said, my voice coming out soft and breathless. “But you can still heal me. If you want to, I mean.”
“Of course I want to.” He looked at me seriously. “I want to make all your pain go away, Zoe. But do you mind letting me lick and suck your breasts?”
A surge of desire went through me so strongly I had to squeeze my thighs together and bite my lip. But still, I tried to keep my voice casual.
“Sure. I mean…that’s o-okay,” I said, only stumbling on the words a little bit.
