by Marly Chance
Chapter 9
“You want me to dowhat with your brother tomorrow?” Her voice was strangled with disbelief.
They were sitting in the living room after supper or “evemeal” as he called it. They were casually talking and the conversation had drifted to Tair. Leaning cozily against his side, listening to the mellow sounds drifting from the machine hidden in the wall to her right, Sharon had no clue he was about to toss a conversational grenade her way. She moved out of his arms and turned around to look at him.
He knew he looked like he was headed for a funeral.He had been dreading this conversation for so long.He winced and said, “I will explain…”
“Explain?” she interrupted. “Yeah, that would be good. Because I could have sworn you just told me I’m supposed to get it on with your brother.” Her voice was rising.Surely he hadn’t meant what she thought he meant.
He looked confused. He was familiar with most human slang, but her words made no sense. “I’m not sure of your meaning.”
“Let me clarify then. Did you just tell me that you’re going to try to force me to have sex with Tair?” Her eyes locked on his face, hoping for some sign of disagreement.
His expression cleared. He looked appalled. “That is not what I said.” Slowly enunciating his words, he said, “You will be linking with my brother.”
Now it was her turn to look confused. “I don’t understand.”
Likentooka deep breathas hegathered his patience for the battle ahead. He should have told her last night as he had planned, but he had procrastinated, not wanting to disrupt their harmony. He could no longer wait. “These are dangerous times, Sharon. Believe me, I see that as a guardian every day. I have protected you from harm so far, but I will not always be with you. You are linked with me through our merging, but Shimerian law and custom require at least one other link. If you were in distress, I would know it and come to your aid. But, the second link with a close friend or family member is to ensure that someone else is available as well.”
She cautiously nodded her head. “I can understand the theory, but I’m not merging with Tair.”
His eyes went hard. “No, you will not merge with Tair.”
“What do you mean by linking then?” She was calming down. He wasn’t talking about her having sex with Tair. Maybe this wasn’t as bad as she thought.
“He will link to you mentally. Think of it as a pathway from your mind to his.”
“You mean he’ll be in my head, too?” She was not having two guys traipsing around her thoughts whenever they wanted. Liken was bad enough.
“Not really,sherree. His mind will pierce the shield I have built for you and leave an opening for him like a doorway.” His voice was reassuring. He was glad to see her calming.
She didn’t really like the idea of a doorway in her head. “Can anybody walk in?”
“No, only Tair and, of course, me.”
She mulled it over. “Can he walk in anytime he wants and just know what I’m thinking?”
Again, he answered in that reasonable tone. “He would only travel the link if you were in distress,sherree. Tair is trustworthy. He will not spy on your private thoughts. He will hear when you broadcast loudly, but otherwise your thoughts are safe.” They would be even safer when he taught her to broadcast less openly, but the process would take time.
She couldn’t shake her unease. She liked Tair. She could even understand having a second hotline installed as a backup for emergencies. She didn’t like the thought of giving anyone access to her mind. She didn’t have any choice with Liken. It was too late. They were already merged. Linking with Tair, however, was still within her power to choose. Another thought occurred. “Why did you say tomorrow? Were you just suggesting we get it over with then?”
Liken’s mouth firmed. “Tomorrow is the tenth day of our knowing period. Merging and linking must be complete by the end of that day. It is the law.”
She looked indignant. “Screw the law.”
He felt his temper begin to stir, but held it back. “Again, it is there for your protection, Sharon. Females on this planet are cherished and protected above all else.”
“From what? This place is peaceful. It’s not exactly a hotbed of crime. I don’t understand what I’m supposed to be protected against!” She was trying to sort through the confusion.
In a careful voice he told her. “When we merged, I built a shield to protect you. It is not invincible. But when Tair layers his strength over mine, you will be safe from nearly anyone. There is evil on this planet, just as evil exists on your own. The difference is that on my planet, an evil man can use his mind to cause harm. He can literally probe into the minds of others. If they fight him, he can cause a great deal of damage. When I probe someone who is unwilling, I do it with great skill and care. I do not cause harm. I care whether I hurt or kill someone.”
His mouth was grim. “You cannot even imagine what occurs when a criminal attempts a merge on an unwilling female. She will fight him because it is instinctive. When I merged with you, as a human you had absolutely no defenses. You were not able to struggle and I was careful to cause no damage. Now that I have put defenses in place for you by building a shield, for someone to try to force a merge…”
His voice trailed off as if he didn’t even want to contemplate it. “It would take a lot to break my shielding. If it broke, you might survive, but the damage would be terrible. By adding Tair’s shielding to mine, we increase the odds that it would never happen.”
He paused, drew a deep breath, and continued. “I would see you protected to the greatest degree possible. Adding Tair’s shielding to mine is necessary,sherree.”
Sharon nodded her head in understanding, but she wasn’t completely sure that it was really necessary. This mental shielding business was bizarre.
To make sure she understood his point, he gave her an example. “What if I put a piece of cloth over a peach? I could take a needle and it would take only a pinprick through the cloth to get to the peach.”
Holding her gaze, he willed her to take his next words seriously. “Now what if I take a metal bowl and place it over that same peach? It would take a sharp hammer and considerable force to punch through the metal. But if the hammer punched through, you know what would happen to the peach.”
She looked sick. “I see what you mean.” There was no missing that imagery. “So between you and Tair, nobody’s gonna get through.”
He hoped she was right. “There are no guarantees,sherree. Tair and I are both very strong shielders. It would be nearly impossible. I cannot lie and tell you it could not happen. I can only say that we would probably all three die in such a case.”
His words struck right into her heart. He would protect her with his life. Tair would protect her with his life. Her chest tightened with the thought. In a desperate attempt to lighten the moment, she blurted out, “Who says guys can’t commit?”
He let out a startled laugh. For a moment there, he had been mortally afraid she was going to cry or something equally as terrifying. With tremendous relief, he said, “Indeed, we poor males are often judged most unfairly.” He winked.
She laughed, too. Regaining her composure, she became serious again. “Alright, I’ll link with Tair. What exactly do we need to do tomorrow?”
He was past the first obstacle but he knew her agreement was not secure. Bracing himself for the explosion, he said calmly, “At the point of your orgasm, while we are merged, he will link with you.” He waited in silence for her to work it out.
Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “That’s bizarre. Why the point of orgasm?” She still hadn’t considered the rest of his statement.
“At the point of orgasm,sherree, you are most vulnerable. You are out of control, unable to think. Your senses and the power of our minds merging will overwhelm you. There is no chance you will try to fight him.”
“Couldn’t he just link with me in my sleep?”she suggested hopefully.It seemed more logical and less bizarre.
“I cannot merge with you when you are sleeping without sleeping myself. Tair will need my help to get past my shielding. Besides, you might awaken and try to fight him.” The tension of waiting was killing him.
“But how will he know the exact point of orgasm?” A sudden thought crossed her mind but she couldn’t believe it.
Very calmly, speaking softly, Liken said. “Because he will be with us.”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head in automatic denial. “With us?!” Her heart began pounding and she felt lightheaded. “What do you mean with us?!”
“He will be in the room with us. Once I have merged with you, he will be touching you. He will wait and then link with you when you come.” His voice was firm.The expected explosion occurred immediately.
“No way!I can’t believe this! I can’t believe you would even go along with this!” Her voice began to get shrill. “One minute you tell me you and Tair would die trying to protect me. The next minute you casually announce that the three of us…”
Her voice broke and tears were a burning pressure behind her eyes. She jumped up from the couch and turned her back on him. Staring at the wall, she tried to regain some control.
Liken felt his chest tighten at the anguish in her voice. He opened his mouth to speak, but she seemed to sense it and held her hand up. It was as if by throwing her hand up, she could ward off his words. He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. He couldn’t handle the thought of reducing her to tears. He waited for her to speak.
After a minute, her shoulders straightened and she turned to face him again. Her eyes were dry chips of ice, but her voice was even colder. “I’m not fucking your brother.” Each word was spaced with emphasis.
The welling emotion in Liken’s chest turned to fury in an instant. “I did not ask you to fuck my brother.”
Her voice was like a bullet. “Then what do you mean he’ll be there during sex. How will he be touching me?” Crushing cynicism filled her tone.
His voice was harsh. “Most of the time, he will be across the room. After I merge with you, he will press his body along yours.”
“No. I won’t be any part of this.” She spoke absolutely. “I’ll take my chances. No link.” She started pacing, her movements echoing her inner agitation.
Liken stood up and towered over her, stopping her in mid-stride.Any last bit of patience he had was gone. “You will do it. Tair will build you a better shield.”
“He can build a better mousetrap if he wants to,” she shot back, “but he’s not doing it in my head.”
He grabbed her arms and glared down at her. “There will be no sex between you since that is your will. But, body contact is necessary.” He felt like shaking her, but didn’t.
She raised a rebellious face upward. “Oh right.” Her voice was sharp enough to cut glass. “He’ll just be watching us and rubbing against me while we fuck. I don’t know why I thought that was sexual.”
His jaw was so tight it would probably lock permanently. “Enough. You will do as you are told.” His tone was final.
She gave a laugh of disbelief. “That’s it?! I’ll do as I’m told?!” She thought that maybe her head would blow off from sheer temper. “Listen, big guy, you merged with the wrong gal. I’m not a child you can order around.”
His voice was ruthless. “You will obey me in this. It is for your protection.”
The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. “I won’t obey you in anything, but especially not this. What are you going to do tomorrow, rape me?” Her voice turned ugly. “Will Tair watch that too?”
He turned loose of her abruptly. His voice was colder than she’d ever heard it. “I am done with this. I will be back later when you have regained your reason.”
He turned and headed for the door. Hitting the button nearly hard enough to leave an impression in the wall, he swung past the sliding door and turned back. His voice was mocking. “Your trust is quite touching, Sharon. Your resourcefulness is impressive as well. You have found yet another way to run.”
He leaned wearily against the doorway. Bitterness was carved into his face. “You forget – I know your fantasies. I was at the table with Tair last night when certain images ran through your mind. You grew wet at the thought. Deny it to me if you must, but be honest with yourself. The thought of my brother in the room with us scares you, but you are not as outraged as you pretend.”
He stared at her for a minute, but she made no response. He turned and walked down the pathway. The door slid shut in his wake.
His words had struck her like a blow. Sinking to the ground, she tried to calm down. As she wrapped her arms around herself in unconscious comfort, she felt numb with grief. Hurt was a living thing in her chest. He didn’t love her. You couldn’t have love without respect. He thought she would obey him like a child. She could only gasp in outrage. He thought it was okay for Tair to be with them. It was at that moment she realized she could feel his hurt and anger pressing upon hers. It was flowing between them, abenefit of merging,causing magnified grief. Wiping a hand across her face wearily, she wondered how things could have gone so wrong so fast. Cosmic Destiny. It sucked.
Chapter 10
Tair opened the door of his home, to find a seething Liken on his doorstep. He spoke in Shimerian.“Enter, brother. I could feel your anger raging at me all the way from your dwelling.”
Liken walked past him and Tair pushed the button, sliding the door into place. Turning around, he leaned against it, and watched his brother storm into the living room. Walking to a button on the wall, Liken pressed it and removed a bottle oflerj. Bringing it to his mouth, he took a healthy swallow.
Tair winced. The potency of the alcoholic drink was well known. He could attest to it himself. Liken must have scorched his insides with that big a swallow.
Moving to join his brother in the living room, he sat down on the couch. Liken paced with the bottle still in his hand. In the voice of someone trying to sooth a wild animal, Tair said,“Liken, you and Sharon are both broadcasting at an alarming level.” He rubbed his hand across his aching forehead.
Liken really looked at his brother for the first time. There were lines of stress in Tair’s face and there was dull pain in his eyes. Knowing his own face looked worse, he felt guilty nonetheless.“My apologies, Tair.” He made a visible effort to calm down.
“You and Sharon are building the hurt and anger between you, Liken. You need to pull back from her for a time. It is dangerous.”Tair hated to see his brother in such shape. The voice of reason was definitely needed here.
With a nod of assent, Liken worked on withdrawing and blocking Sharon as much as he could. He could not sever himself from her completely but he could block her out for a time. They both needed it. He knew Tair was right.
Tair gave him a tired smile of approval.“I am glad you see reason. You need to put your emotions aside, brother, and begin thinking instead.”
Liken felt another wave of anger move through him, but he focused on getting it under control.“I suppose you know what was said.”
Tair’s voice was wry.“I could not help knowing. It was practically an assault.” He felt sorry for both of them. The angry words and feelings from their argument made him feel raw and unhappy.
Liken felt guilty again.“We had no right to so abuse you, Tair. I can only say that we are newly merged and we will learn better control with time. Again, my apologies.”
Tair waived them aside.“There is no need, Liken. I am much more concerned with what has happened. Why is she so resistant?”He couldn’t understand why Sharon would be so against such a natural thing.
Liken knew Sharon very well, perhaps even better than she knew herself.“There are many reasons. She is afraid, uncomfortable with her growing sexuality. She doesn’t completely trust me. She was raised in a culture very different from our own. She viewed you being in the room as a desire on my part to share her. It doesn’t reconcile with her idea of love.”
Ta
ir shook his head.“Those are all things that can be handled with reassurances and patience. We are a very sexual culture, but possessive as well. You need to get her to understand that my linking with her is not a betrayal. It is customary. As a matter of fact, it is necessary. She judges it an infidelity and assumes you do not care for her. You must show her she is wrong.”
Liken collapsed into the chair across from Tair and took another swig from the bottle.“Easily said, brother. How can I make her understand? I tried reasoning, I tried ordering, and still she refuses to trust me. She pulls back from me.”
He slouched down and laid his head on the back of the chair.“She fights me for every inch of progress. I think I can hold her and then she slides out of my arms and runs from me again. It is maddening.”
“So it is just your pride aching.”Tair’s voice was suspiciously smooth.
“Of course.”Liken’s voice was firm, but he was rubbing his hand over his chest unconsciously.“She is merely a woman, pactmate or no. I grow sick of rejection.”
In nodding agreement, Tair gave a half smile. “So, do not worry, brother. In a few days, you can file incompatible. You will never see her again. The portal to Earth is always open. There are many females there besides her. Not another pactmate for you like her, but there will be females who are not so impossible.”
Liken’s head came up. He heard the goading tone in his brother’s voice but ignored it. His voice rose as he agreed,“That is right! I do not need this chaos. Who needs her?!”
Tair sat waiting silently. It wouldn’t be long, he was sure. The room was quiet until the silence was broken by Liken’s sigh.His voice full of misery, Liken said,“I do.She is mine and I am not giving her up.”
Tair sat forward and grinned.“Okay, brother. Then you will keep her.” His face turned serious as he said,“What you have tried has not worked. It is time to stop trying and start doing. You have never backed from a challenge before.”
