by Megan Alban
She waited, the cold of the floor seeping through the socks she’d found. Not the most attractive footwear, but she really couldn’t keep traipsing about in heels. She’d break something, and she was pretty sure that was decidedly unsexy.
But… was anything she did going to appeal to him? For all she knew, the females of his species were all seven foot tall warrior goddesses. Heck, for all she knew, he wasn’t interested in females.
Her shoulders slumped and she turned away.
His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, and when she turned to face him, she fought down a smile.
His jaw was tight, eyes focused on the curve of her neck. He ran his hand softly over her arm, stroking her through the fabric, then he pulled away as if he’d been burned.
“What were you looking for?”
Her tongue darted out, moistening suddenly dry lips. She wrenched her attention away from the feel of his hand on her arm, a craving to feel him against her bare skin. “I didn’t know if you were ready for breakfast. Or,” she shrugged, “whatever meal time it is.”
She pointed back up the tube. “I may not be able to do… whatever it is you’re doing, but I’m a pretty good cook.”
He smiled and started to pack away the tools. “Probably not a bad skill, but I’m afraid there’s not much use for it.” He stood and headed down the hall. “I’m a terrible cook, so I tend to mostly stock just basic food packs.”
She shuddered, but hurried to catch up to him. “Not like the orange brick?”
He paused, looked back at her. “Orange brick?”
“On the ship, they tried to feed me a compressed block of... something. I don’t know, but it was pretty awful. Like the worst granola bar you could imagine.”
He shifted the tools to his other arm so he had a free hand to guide her through the maze of corridors. “No orange bricks here, promise.”
Suddenly the passage opened into a spacious room. A set of furniture clustered to one side, looking forebodingly like dentists’ chairs. Across the back wall was a long length of counter, with shelving and cabinets above and below.
Her eyes widened. “I didn’t even know this was here.”
He flashed a grin at her, white teeth dazzling against his golden skin. “You’ve only been on board for a day. I’ll give you a pass on this one.”
He led the way to the back wall while she looked around. “So much space. Is there anyone else on board?”
Kordiss shook his head. “Nope, whole thing is mine. Bought her from a family operation on the cheap. Keeps me busy with repairs, but I’m never bored.”
He reached into a lower cabinet and brought out a small silver cube, about half the size of a shoebox. He handed it to her and pointed at one corner. “See the tab there?” A bit of the foil had been folded over the top. Sharla ran her fingers over the seam. Seriously, this was dinner?
“If you give that a tug, the whole thing will heat to cook the contents."
That sounded either totally promising – no pans, no stove top to clean when things boiled over, no recipes to shop for – or totally a disaster. TV dinners, every night, forever?
He frowned. “Of course we'll have to figure out what you eat, but if the Nargest could do it, so can we.”
Sharla gave the tab a tentative pull. Immediately the container heated in her hands. She yelped and dropped it quickly on the counter. Staring at her already reddening palms she gasped as tears came unbidden to her eyes.
“I didn't think, it was just so fast…”
She heard herself talking, stuttering as she stared at the blisters forming on her hands. The pain was overwhelming, pushing everything aside, leaving room only for the shrieks of her nerves.
“Damn, damn, damn,” muttered Kordiss. He whirled to another cabinet, yanking it open and grabbing something she couldn’t see. He slammed a long black case to the counter and rummaged through it.
“Shhh, sweetie. It's going to be okay. Hold on, hold on.” He took her hand delicately in his own and waved over her damaged skin something that looked like a barcode reader.
Sharla started shaking as shock set in. The wave of light from the device soothed her hands, and she watched in amazement as the damage reversed, blisters receding, the angry red fading away. But still, her mind refused to stop shrieking in pain.
5
Kordiss finished his work with the healing gun and put it on the counter as Sharla’s knees collapsed. He scooped her up and held her close to his chest, fighting to ignore how soft and warm she felt pressed against him.
He brought her over to the stim chair, but when he started to place her in it she whimpered and nuzzled closer into him. His gut tightened as he considered what to do.
“Honey, it's just a way for you to relax while getting over the shock.”
Sharla's arms tightened around his neck. He sighed, and gingerly lowered them both into the chair, her frame still nestled in his lap.
“Do you have these on your planet?” He asked, knowing the answer was likely not but hoping to distract her. She shook her head against him but then cracked an eye open, curious. "What is it?”
“It's for viewing stims, like moving pictures that tell stories.” He frowned, unable to come up with a better description.
"Oh, like movies. Sure, we have movies.” She grinned up at him and he could feel her muscles beginning to soften. “Earth isn’t a complete backwater. Well, maybe it is compared to this, but we’re not too bad.”
He smiled back at her. “Then let's just put this on and let you relax while your hands finish healing.” He reached to the side of the reclined chair and pulled out a mesh cap.
Sharla eyed it with suspicion. “Maybe movie wasn’t the right analogy. What's that for?”
He paused. “It's to watch the stim, the movie, as it plays in your mind.”
Sharla's eyes widened. “How do you know that would even work on me?" A little creepy, sure but the idea of a movie inside her mind sounded kind of interesting.
She felt Kordiss shrug beneath her. “Seems likely, since the translation patch the Nargest put on you is working. Our minds can't be that different.” He started to slide out from under her. “You stay here, and I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”
Sharla shook her head. “Why don't you stay and watch the movie with me,” she asked, and then felt a bit self-conscious. He'd been fixing something on the ship when she'd interrupted him. Probably he didn't really want to be playing babysitter to someone who burned herself in the kitchen right away. Her shoulders slumped. “But I'm sure you have other things to do.”
Kordiss frowned. Even in pain she had seemed so bright and curious, so enthusiastic for this new world she found herself in. What had happened to so quickly dampen her spirit?
"Things are never completely finished on this ship,” he smiled and then reached for a second cap.
He smoothed the mesh over her hair, enjoying the look of delight on her face as it conformed to the shape of her head. He slid the second cap on his own.
“What would you like to watch?”
She gazed up at him and shook her head. “I can’t imagine what the options would even be. Pick something relaxing that we’ll both enjoy.”
Kordiss thought briefly, then decided. It would be perfect. He tapped the command arm of the chair, trying to ignore the feeling stirring in him as she snuggled into him, eyes closed.
Now that he wasn’t worried about her injury, the silken skin of her arms around his neck was driving him wild. A glance down showed the curve of her breast peeking out from the front of his tunic. It had never been one of his favorites, the cut too tight across his shoulders, but now that she’d worn it, he couldn’t imagine discarding it.
He stiffened at the thought. Where had that come from? He was supposed to be rescuing her, not taking advantage of her innocence. She flashed a look up at him, and he felt the weight of her trust lash against him.
“Everything alright?”
“Of course,”
he kept his hand from stroking her hair. “Finishing touches on the program. Just close your eyes and let your mind relax.”
Kordiss closed his own eyes, and the familiar tingle of the cap signaled the activation of the routine. He took a deep breath and looked around.
Home.
The ralishia trees towered above him, reaching into the swirling mist. The sound of water lapping the lake shore unraveled all his stress.
Sharla stayed in his arms, eyes tightly closed. He stood her gently on the forest floor and whispered, “Open your eyes.”
Sharla gazed about, eyes open with wonder. “It's beautiful here.” She took quick steps towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist in a quick hug. “This is wonderful, but,” she laughed, “where are we?”
Kordiss’ throat tightened as he looked down at her. A strand of hair fell across her face, and he brushed it away, painfully aware of how her skin felt under his fingers. "This is my home."
He took her hand and led her towards the lake shore. The trees opened up before them to reveal the green crystalline waters of Lake Varnoss.
He thought for a moment, and to their left a low padded bench appeared.
Her hand tightened in his. “I think we have different kind of movies at home.” She smiled up at him. “But this is lovely.”
She curled up into the sofa tucking her feet under her.
Kordiss frowned. Was she cold? He didn’t even know if this was the sort of place that she would enjoy, hadn’t thought about it, hadn’t weighed all the variables. Damn it, this is why he refused to get involved with other people most of the time. Too confusing.
“Just relax here for a little bit while your hands finish healing.”
She looked up at him and frowned. “Is everything all right? You sounded angry.” She looked around. “I can’t imagine anything here upsetting you,” she cocked an eyebrow. “So, I guess that leaves me.”
He ran a hand through his hair and sat on the bench next to her. Confusing. Complicated. “I don’t spend a lot of time with people, that’s all. Everything’s fine.”
Her eyebrow remained raised slightly, but she didn’t ask any more questions.
“How long will your ship fly herself? If it were up to me, I think I would spend all day in here, but that really wouldn’t get anything done in the real world, would it.”
He laughed. “It wouldn’t matter much. Only a few seconds have passed in the real world. Our brains work at such fast speeds that it can feel like you’re spending hours inside the stim, and reality only minutes will have passed.” He dropped into the sofa next to her. “It’s one of the reasons that stimtech is so popular. Your brain stores this as a memory anyway no matter how long it takes. It feels real, and you get all the benefits of an adventure, or relaxation…”
“I don’t think I need any additional adventure right now,” she smiled, a bit too brightly.
He lightly touched her on the shoulder. She’d snapped back so quickly it was easy to forget that a day ago she had been captured. Trapped. Ready to be given, no, sold to some piece of scum. His belly tightened at the thought and he fought down a low growl
She leaned into his touch, and he began to stroke her shoulder. “That feels good.” She paused. “Everything we do here feels real, and doesn’t take any time?”
He nodded, and she pivoted on the sofa to face him more squarely. “And I never did really say thank you for saving me.”
His hands stilled on her shoulder, his eyes searching over her face. It seemed she had some meaning there.
She broke the sudden tension with another smile. “Tell me something about your people? Or your planet?” She twisted a lock of hair around a finger, and the urge to run his own hands through the silken mass flooded through his veins. “It’s crazy that I’ve been to space, but never seen another world. Or talked to anyone but you.”
Her brow scrunched up. “And I’ve been meaning to ask, how are we talking?”
Kordiss shrugged. “I’d assume the Nargest inserted a basic translator device while they were examining you. Not the best way to get someone to learn a language, but fast and efficient. It takes the sound waves that you’re actually hearing, and rearranges them into words your brain already knows.”
“So, I’m not actually speaking, whatever your language is? Or the grey guys?”
“Nope. You’re speaking whatever language you already knew. The chip would have been programmed with four or five of the standard galactic tongues.” He looked away. “It would have increased your price, to make sure you would understand orders.”
She flushed. “But then, how do you understand me?”
He flicked an ear. “Scouts on duty for your planet had implants to receive what looked like the most common languages. It was a gamble, but seems to be working.”
Sharla shuddered. What if she’d been taken from a country the Nargest hadn’t had a language programmed for? As alone as she’d felt the last few days, she’d have been even more terrified if she and Kordiss hadn’t been able to talk. She lifted her chin and forced a smile. “Well, there goes my new career plan of becoming a world famous translator.”
He grinned. “Probably not going to work out, no.” His smile faded a bit. “If it bothers you that the device was put in without your consent, we can remove it before you go back.”
She shook her head. “If it’s not hurting anything, I’d like to keep it. It’ll be like a souvenir.”
His lips twisted up to the side. “Usually I think you take souvenirs from a trip to you enjoyed taking.”
She grinned back at him. “Maybe, but just think of all the things I know about the world now, that I never would have guessed before.” She was quiet for a few moments. “But there's a whole lot of things that I still don't know about without the...” she waved her hands in the general direction of space. “Well, the everything. I don't know anything about you, or your people. Do you always hang out, ready to rescue damsels in distress?”
He laughed. “Not really, no.”
“So before we get back to earth,” she called “why don't you tell me just a little about what's out there?” She looked up at him, chewing on her lip in her nervousness. “Maybe even start with telling me a little about yourself, your family.”
He looked confused. “Like what?”
She tried to look innocent. “Well, for starters, are you married?”
“Only to this ship, you should see the payments. Besides, what woman would want to spend her life out here on the fringe with me?”
Victory! she thought. Not married, and did like women after all.
“What about your family? Do they like what you do? Back home, families seem to press their children into finding mates as quickly as possible.
He grinned again. “Oh yes, I hear all the time about extension of the line. It's a little more complicated for us than I understand it is on your planet, there are rules depending on your caste and your level, but more and more people are ignoring it and doing what they want to. After all it's a big universe, who exactly is going to stop us?”
Sharla smiled to herself. Who indeed.
She swung her leg over the side of the bench so that she straddled it, and inched closed to him.
His eyes widened. “What are you doing?”
“Saying thank you.” Another few inches closer to him. She could feel his heat, the arousal radiating from him, and her own body responded, her core turning liquid.
His jaw clenched. “You don’t need to do that.”
“I know.” She placed one hand on his chest, could feel his heart beat through the fabric of his tunic. “That’s why I want to.”
He moved his hand to her wrist, held her immobile. “We should stop. You should stop.”
Sharla’s mind was caught by the image of his massive hand wrapped around her own. He could have crushed her. Could have done anything with her, from the moment he’d crashed into her cell. Instead he’d protected her, cared for her…She ran her free
hand down the side of his face, traced the line of his jaw. His eyes widened, and his breathing went ragged.
“Are you sure you want me to?”
He closed his eyes as he fought for control. “You can’t want your first time to be with a stranger, someone not even of your own kind,” he whispered through clenched teeth.
“You’ve never hurt me, you’ve cared for me, made me safe.” Sharla stilled her hand and flattened her voice. “If they catch us, can you promise that whoever they sell me to will treat me as well?”
His eyes flew open, rage burning through him. “They’re not going to get the chance.”
She wrapped her arm around his neck, urging him down to meet her lips.
“Sharla, don’t start this if you’re not sure.”
She could barely hear the words over the pounding of her heart. “I have never been more sure of anything in my life.” She brushed her lips over his. “Please.”
With that one whispered word it was if all his control broke. He kissed her, and any thought of other men, other limp kisses she’d known, were swept aside. His hand cupped the back of her head, holding her to him, but it didn’t need to be. His passion was like oxygen, like food and drink and everything she’d ever needed. She tightened her arms around his neck and embraced his assault on her senses. His tongue flicked over the seam of her lips, and she opened to his demand. He pulled her closer to him, and only when she sagged in his arms, overcome by his need, did he relinquish his grasp.
He lay her back on the bench, devouring her with his eyes while she panted, squirming under his attention. His hands lightly traced the contours of her chest and lightning ran through her at his touch.
She moaned, too lost in pleasure to feel shame. No one, nothing had ever made her feel like this.
