by Viola Grace
“Do you have enough for two?”
Snickering, she handed him the second pack and a spare prong.
“Did you foresee this as well?”
She sighed and leaned back in her collapsible chair with a smile. “Ah, a tale as old as time. A woman walks alone down a hallway and the male who wants her chases her down, getting a meal and time alone in one heroic move.”
He leaned forward and ate a bite of the pack. “Ah, that story. Yes, the Oefric have one similar to that. Of course, what we do when we catch her is not for a children’s tale.”
The suggestive note in his voice was not lost on her, but she hunkered forward and ate her meal in silence.
He ate faster than she did, and he asked, “How long were you in the dark?”
“Honestly? About three hours. I sort of enjoyed the silence after a while.” She finished her ration pack and flicked it into the fire.
“Why couldn’t you get out?” He followed suit, and the wrapper curled up before flitting away in the heat.
“I had difficulty finding the door trigger at first, and once I did find it, I found the darkness freeing.”
“Why?”
She slouched back in her chair. “Why do you want to know?”
The fire warmed her feet. The peculiar structure of her suit let her wiggle her feet in the open-toed sandal foot.
“I want to know everything about you.”
“That is not covered in my attraction to darkness.”
“I will take what I can get.” Nothven grinned.
Mae laughed. “Fine. Every day, everything that I look at has a weird echo around it. All the possibilities that will come to pass the moment that I touch them are in each object, each wall, every switch. In the darkness, I was able to remain in the dark and not see anything. It was amazing.”
He stared at her for a moment. “Will you come to dinner with me tomorrow?”
The abrupt change of topic made her blink. “What?”
“I have a formal dinner with the colony administration tomorrow night. I would like you to accompany me.”
It was a cliché, but she looked down at her bodysuit. “I don’t have anything to wear.” Mae mentally smacked herself. “Sorry, barring that, I am on assignment to guard the team here. I can’t just go swanning off for dinner.”
“I believe that I could arrange something with the professor. He seems to be rather keen to have an Oefric here, and that is something that I can arrange.”
“So, there won’t be a problem at this formal gathering if I show up in my bodysuit?” She lifted her brows.
“I can manage something on that front as well. So, if I cover all of your bases, will you join me?”
The image in her mind was completely her imagination, and it started her heart pounding at the very idea of him covering her bases. She reached up to stroke her hair and jerked her hand back when she heard his chortle.
Mae looked at him, really looked at him. She took in the white strands of his hair, the silvery eyes, the pointed ear tips, sinful mouth and the sharp blade of the nose that combined into a face that held her captive. The strong cheekbones and jawline didn’t hurt either.
“Agent Lassiter, why do you fight the attraction between us? I am simply curious, because your body will not let you hold out much longer.”
She looked at him and met his crystal gaze with her own. “Do you want the truthful answer or something a little more evasive?”
“The truth, please.” He sat leaning forward, his arms resting on his knees.
“The moment that we first met, my senses went into overload. I knew in that moment that you and I would end up together, but I had no idea when that would happen.”
“What did you see?”
She skipped the reference to her limbs wrapped around him as she knelt on him and he held her hips in his hands. “I saw you but not as you were.”
Mae got to her feet and walked over to him. “There was something missing.”
She knelt in front of him and lifted her hand, tracing gently over his scars. “This was missing. I know how deep and how far those scars go, Nothven. Would you like me to continue?”
He reached out and gripped her shoulders, kissing her with a savagery that she met with equal fervour.
She wrapped his hair in her hands and kept him pressed to her while she let the heat in her blood boil over.
He finally pushed her back. “Damn it, Maeryn. Not here.”
Stunned, she blinked and sat back on her heels. Mae traced his lips with shaking fingers and smiled weakly. “I told you that the timing wasn’t right.”
“We have no privacy, and you are still on duty. I will speak with the professor and a skimmer will pick you up tomorrow to bring you into the city.” He stroked her hair back from her forehead and gave her a quick kiss before he got to his feet.
Mae got up and walked to the edge of the cliff face. The night wind caressed her skin and cooled it slightly. “Idiot. Why did you tease him like that?”
Hands settled on her hips and a large, warm body was pressed against her. “Yes, why did you tease me like that?”
She shivered. “I suppose that I was tired of being the only one with those images in my mind. I have quite a bit of self-control, but it is wearing a bit thin.”
He stroked a hand down to the armoured plate over her belly and reversed the direction. “Tomorrow at noon, a skimmer will come for you. It will drop off one historian and two guards then pick you up and take you into the city where you will be delivered to a seamstress who will locate everything you require.”
She grimaced. “It sounds like you have it all planned.”
Nothven pressed a kiss to her neck that sent her up on her toes. “Is that a problem?”
She shivered. “Nope. Not at all. See you tomorrow night.”
He hugged her and let out a sigh as he released her. “Tomorrow night.”
She watched him descend the steep steps carved in the side of the cliff and tried to smother the grin on her lips. She turned and faced the three Tuulor archaeologists.
“Oh, hello.”
Professor Thop came to her side. “I can’t believe you are the mate-to-be of one of the Harrings.”
Minski was almost flapping with excitement. “And you are going to the mayor’s annual gathering. It is too much.”
Wellor looked vaguely upset. “How long have you known him?”
Mae turned and watched the skimmer lights recede in the distance. She really wanted to be with him right now. “I don’t know about the gathering, but I have been assured I will be properly attired, and I have known Commander Harring for two and a half years.”
Wellor nodded as if the information was acceptable.
Minski snuggled up to her on her left side, Wellor her right and Professor Thop quizzed her for hours on how she knew Commander Harring and what her plans were for the future.
By the time Maeryn was in her bedroll for the night, she had worked up an excellent case of anxiety about the following day, which was hilarious for a woman who could see her own future. Somehow, she just couldn’t get a firm grip on what happened next.
Chapter Six
Mae was up, washed, dressed and fed before any of the Tuulor were stirring. Her nerves were up in arms, and she paced at the opening to the site from dawn until noon. The sight of the skimmer caused a ball of lead in her stomach.
She let out a piercing whistle to bring the Tuulor to the entrance.
It was just like Commander Harring had said—one historian and two guards made the hike up the narrow stone steps and the guards saluted her as they relieved her of duty.
The skimmer driver smiled and greeted her before aiming the vehicle for the city.
“Do you know where you are dumping me?” Mae blurted it out before she could stop herself.
“I am taking you to the address that Commander Harring instructed me to take you to. There is someone waiting to assist you in the rest of your preparations.”<
br />
She grimaced. “So, you know about that too?”
“It is fairly common knowledge that Commander Harring has not had interest in any of the females around here no matter how much they put themselves in his path. That you are obviously in Agent of the Enforcers uniform and he ordered me to take you to a dressmaker means that he intends for you to accompany him this evening to the formal dinner for the colony administrators. The other guess is that as you are also an Enforcer of sorts, and you and he have met before causing his withdrawal from the idea of mating to an Oefric, because he has had you in mind the entire time he has been on Creyar.”
Mae was shocked and embarrassed.
The driver chuckled and gave her a kind glance. “We are a new colony. Most folk here are a little obsessed with mating and growing our population.”
“I see. I have met Commander Harring before, but it was during the course of our duties. I am sure that this is just a standard first date.”
The pilot grinned. “If you say so.”
Mae stroked her hands down the familiar contours of her suit. “I don’t know what the problem is with my suit.”
“It isn’t quite appropriate for the type of event you are going to be attending. Trust me, when you see the other females there, you will be glad Commander Harring arranged this.”
They dropped altitude and joined the traffic moving through the streets.
The pilot pulled in in front of a shop with a very discreet sign. “This is where we part company. They will be waiting for you inside. Good day to you and good luck.”
She exited the skimmer and walked into the shop without looking back. The moment that she entered the shop, a plethora of possibilities ran through her mind.
A young woman perked up and smiled as she took in the uniform. “Agent Lassiter?”
“Please, call me Maeryn.”
“I am Dotha Harring, Nothven’s cousin. He has ordered me to get you everything possible to make you feel at home and in place.”
Mae’s lips quirked. “You take orders?”
Dotha grinned, “When it involves a makeover and a day at the spa, yes I do.”
“We have a spa day as well?”
“Why not, it is on Nothven.” Dotha chuckled.
The shopkeeper was waiting calmly without any indication of rush. “Good afternoon, ladies. How may I help you?”
Dotha smiled. “This charming woman has a date for the social event of the season. She is attending the dinner tonight and the uniform she is wearing is all she currently has.”
Mae blushed. “That is stating it rather baldly. I came to Creyar on business. This is my business attire.”
The woman smiled. “It is a lovely uniform. Bio engineered for you?”
Mae nodded, startled that the woman could recognize it. “Yes. It’s designed to take impact.”
“Lovely composition too but not appropriate for the dinner. I think something in this range for the evening.” The proprietor steered them to the back of the store and her assistant took front of house.
Six mannequins stood in a semi-circle, and they were all wearing very risqué outfits.
“What do you think?” The proprietor smiled.
“Let’s find out.” Mae walked to the first one and closed her eyes.
The Mayor’s mate was angry, and it had to do with the fact that they were wearing the same gown of gold silk.
Mae shook her head and said, “No. The mayor’s mate is wearing this one. She is highly competitive.”
The proprietor frowned. “This is an exclusive design.”
Dotha looked between them. “Rehani, I think you should take it as the truth and see if your assistant has been working on the side.”
The woman frowned. “You can rest assured that I will look into that, now, what about the others?”
Mae touched them all, “This one has a loose seam that will blow if I bow. This one will cause a fight between Nothven and an unmated male. This one is fine, but it isn’t really my colour.”
She skipped over the one that may be fine for Oefric but was too minimalist for her and settled on the silk wrap with the flowing skirt attached to a jewelled belt. It left three inches of her midriff exposed, and Nothven enjoyed seeing her in the Enforcer black and silver. “This is the one.”
Rehani smiled, “Do I want to know what you just did there?”
“Not really, it’s a hobby of mine.” She smiled brightly. “May I try it on?”
The designer got busy, and in no time, Mae had been shucked of her Enforcer uniform and the dress was in place. Rehani admired her handiwork. “I hate to sound immodest, but it looks like it was made for you.”
Dotha sighed. “Damn, I hoped it would take longer.”
Mae tried to cheer her up. “I still need shoes?”
Rehani lifted a set of black and silver heeled sandals. “Sorry.”
Dotha shook her head. “You are trying to kill all my fun.”
Mae smiled. “Maybe you can have another spa treatment?”
Dotha brightened. “That’s true. I just have one question. What are those markings on your abdomen?”
She looked down at the exposed skin. “Oh, that is my tattoo. It is a marking designed to indicate that I am Terran, and therefore, it is illegal to possess me or kill me.”
“Oh, so your job is dangerous.” Dotha blinked.
“More or less. Sometimes more, sometimes less.” Mae laughed. “So, me back in my shell and off to the next stop?”
Dotha chuckled. “You read my mind.”
As she was stripped and resumed her suit, Dotha rattled off a list of spa treatments that simply had to be done. With their day firmly set in Dotha’s mind, Mae’s didn’t have to do anything.
Chapter Seven
Her hair was in her standard braids along her skull, turning into loose waves down past her shoulders, but the beads on the ends had been changed to match her evening wear.
Her nails also sported black and silver, as did her eye makeup. When she left the spa and salon, she was coordinated from head to toe with her bodysuit in Dotha’s care.
“Oh, I forgot to give this to you. Nothven would have my head if you showed up without it.”
An elegant silver skimmer was Dotha’s personal conveyance, and she fished around in a compartment, producing a box with a flourish. “Aha!”
Curious, Mae opened the box and looked with confusion at the object inside until understanding rippled through her. Giggles broke out as she put in the hooks that allowed the goblets to swing gently against her neck, and she then slipped the necklace with the hanging goblets around her neck.
“I don’t understand the significance, but if you find it funny, it is obviously a joke between you two.”
Mae grinned. “It hearkens back to the first time I met him.”
Dotha raised her hands. “I don’t want to know, we are going to be late if we don’t get going.”
As Mae took her seat, Dotha triggered a bubble over the skimmer. “I don’t want to mess up your hair, though that is a really practical hairdo.”
Mae chuckled as they left the boutique area of the new city and headed for a huge building on the outer rim of the habitation.
Dotha sighed. “I hope one day I am invited to this party, but until that day, I will have to be satisfied living vicariously through you.”
The light had turned to a pinkish purple as the sunlight began its daily march. The building Dotha stopped at looked far older than the colony was. Dotha pulled into the rotunda and a doorman assisted Mae out of the skimmer. “Agent Lassiter, Commander Harring is waiting inside.”
She inclined her head and walked into the building, head high and shoulders bare. The moment she saw Nothven in his black silk shirt and tight trousers, she could feel the heat in his gaze.
His stride was purposeful as he approached her. “You look…”
She fought a shiver as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Thank you. I feel good as well. Your cou
sin is quite the enthusiast for all things spa related.”
Nothven smiled. “She really is. Did you have fun with her?”
Mae nodded. “It was the first girl’s day out I have had in a very long time. Certainly the first time I have ever received a four-armed massage.”
He turned and tucked her hand around his arm. “Well, let me introduce you around.”
She fixed a smile on her face, and for the next hour and a half, she allowed herself to be introduced to every mated male of standing in the entire community.
The mayor’s wife was indeed wearing the Rehani knock-off. She complimented the mayor’s wife on the gown, and the woman smiled, “It’s an original Rehani.”
Apparently, Dotha had set her up with the best designer on Creyar. “As is this. She takes such pride in her work. She fitted it to me personally. I have rarely experienced such friendly service as I have on Creyar.”
The mayor’s wife got a suspicious glint in her eye and nodded with a smile. “Yes, it is. I must remember to send her a thank you note.”
Mae smiled brightly, putting her dumb and pretty face into action. It was a bit of a strain, but she managed it.
When the mayor’s wife, Lianna, pointed at her necklace and raised a brow, Maeryn fought a smirk. “Oh, this? Nothven gave it to me to commemorate our first assignment together.”
He was off to one side speaking with the mayor, and he looked up when she said his name. His smile was slow, and it made her wish that the evening were over.
“That is so romantic. What does it symbolize?”
She bit her lip at the memory. “Technically, it symbolizes a lot of wine.”
Lianna edged close to her. “Really? Was it romantic?”
Flashes of waiting for Obnalik to get completely wasted so that his bladder would eventually demand draining in order to get them out of that hole came back to her. “Oh, yes, very romantic.”
The mayor kept looking at her with a peculiar recognition in his eyes, as if he couldn’t quite place her. Finally, he walked up to her. “Agent Lassiter, have you ever been on the Cheevan home world?”
“No, your Honour. Why?”
“You are the exact image of the newest Cheevan goddess. I have the statue in my study, if you and Nothven would care to have a look.”
