Once on the platform, she turned her attention toward the source of the light beam. It hurt her eyes, but she knew behind it would be the control booth’s window where technicians would be manning the controls and the politicians in charge of this secret project would be looking down at them.
“Prepare for portal travel,” the controller announced.
“See you on the other side, Doc,” Linnea said softly.
The light began to change color, shifting into a pale green. Cecilia’s flesh tingled, tightening as if being pulled away from the bone. She braced herself, knowing that portal travel was reported to hurt. Nerves bunched in her stomach and she held her breath. The humming grew louder. She closed her eyes to the bright light.
Heat burned her flesh and she felt heavy, but she didn’t move. Cecilia would have screamed, but she had no voice. Her body pulled apart at a molecular level. Then, as quickly as it started, it stopped. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Linnea collapsed on the floor next to her, coughing as she dropped her papers.
Cecilia took several deep breaths, not bothering to get up as she looked around. A sweet scent filled the air, subtle and not exactly unpleasant, but different. Blue light shone on them, not looking as bright as the one on their side of the portal. A loud alarm sounded, blaring over them.
“So loud!” Linnea said, her voice lifting as she covered her ears.
“Sterilization commencing,” a male voice announced, louder than the alarm. When she looked, she didn’t see anyone. “Please stand and move away from the platform.”
Linnea gathered the papers and pushed to her feet. Reaching down, she pulled Cecilia up by her arm.
“Please stand and move away from the platform,” the voice repeated, even louder.
“I think that’s us,” Linnea yelled over the alarm. Both women obeyed. Linnea didn’t let go of her and Cecilia found that, for the moment, she was grateful to not be alone. The room was constructed of shiny metal—from the floors to the walls to the ceilings. A shield slid down from the ceiling, blocking the platform. They both turned, startled, watching it.
“Welcome, dignitaries from New Order Society, Dimensional Plane 303, to Central Hospital and Optimal Health Centre in the City of Asclepius, Country of Chiron, Dimensional Plane 187. We are now scanning you for foreign dimensional parasites and viruses. Please do not move until scanning is complete.” A series of lights followed the male’s orders, flashing over them. The alarms stopped, leaving her ears ringing. “Sterilization complete. Please state your clearance code.”
“Dr. Cecilia Markos,” she answered. “New Order Society dignitary.”
“This is tedious,” Linnea muttered. “I hope they don’t all talk that loud.”
“Voice recognition accepted. Please move to the orange door.” The door was actually metallic gray with a series of numbers and letter written in orange across the front. It opened automatically.
“It’s only for a couple of months,” Cecilia said under her breath. She led the way through the door, forcing herself to be brave.
“Yeah,” Linnea answered, “but two months of what?”
Chapter Two
Gerard walked through the secured halls of the Central Hospital and Optimal Health Centre building toward the Divinity portal hidden within. Studying his electronic clipboard, he checked over the visitors’ sterilization scans results before signing off on them to let the visiting doctors inside the main complex. This assignment was more like a child-watching mission, but he didn’t care. He’d lied when he told Sebastjan he was summonsed to meet the dignitaries. The truth was he’d volunteered. How could he resist the opportunity to meet off-plane visitors?
The overhead alarm would continue to buzz until he signed his name. Doing so quickly, he relaxed as the buzzing stopped. He hurried through the metallic gray corridors of the hospital. It looked like an endless maze with only the orange lettering on the walls to give directions. Any unauthorized visitors would be lost.
“It’s only for a couple of months.”
Glancing up, he started to smile. The look faltered.
“Yeah, but two months of what?”
He glanced back down to the clipboard to gather his wits. His information didn’t say anything about the doctors being pretty. The slightly shorter woman carried a stack of papers. Her shoulder-length, black hair was streaked with dark purple and matched the strange shade of her purplish-grey eyes. Gerard wondered if it was a genetic anomaly or common for her people. But then, as he studied the other woman, all thoughts stopped. She was tall and proud with just a hint of disdain and fear in her voice as she’d spoken.
It’s only for a couple of months.
Clearly she didn’t look forward to this assignment. Gerard found himself fascinated. Though, if he were completely honest with himself, he’d admit that his fascination also had to do with the fact that this off-world woman caused a sudden surge of hormones to run rampant through his body. He shifted his hips, glad that the standard-issue facility uniform, a long, blue coat with red trim, hid his growing erection.
Knowing he had to get his wits about him, and fast, he cleared his throat. “Welcome…” Gerard hesitated, suddenly unable to remember their names. The tall one looked directly at him. Her brunette hair was pulled away from her face, giving him a clear view of her blue eyes. Her clothes were a strange style, but that was to be expected considering her origins. “Welcome, doctors.”
“I’m the doctor, Dr. Cecilia Markos,” the object of his sudden attentions answered tersely. Her hard tone only served to pique his interest more. She motioned to the woman with the papers. “This is my assistant, Linnea Nel.”
Linnea gave a rueful smile at the other woman’s introduction.
“Welcome, Dr. Markos, Sans Nel,” Gerard amended.
“Thank you,” Linnea answered. Cecilia nodded once.
“I am Dr. Gerard Fauchet. I will be your guide while you’re on our plane. Anything you need, all you have to do is ask.” He motioned to the papers. “Would you like me to carry that for you?”
“No, I’ve got it.” Linnea glanced at Cecilia and added wryly, “I am the assistant, after all.”
“We don’t work with parchment, but I can have one of the doctors scan your documents into a clipboard if you like.” He lifted his electronic clipboard to indicate the device he was talking about. “In fact, I understand supplies are waiting for us at the assigned research facility.”
“You mean,” Cecilia glanced around. “We will not be working here? Near the portal?”
“Afraid we might keep you here against your will?” Gerard teased. Cecilia didn’t appear to appreciate his humor. He let the playful smile fall from his lips. In a more businesslike manner he stated, “Please, follow me.”
* * *
Cecilia tried to smile, but the more nervous she became, the harder it was for her to act pleasant. All around her was a parallel world. It was not lost on her how impossible it would be to just run home and pretend none of this ever happened. Now this stranger—someone who until recently she would have said was the figment of an overactive imagination—wanted to take her away from the portal? What was she doing here? Was she crazy to agree to this? No one from her world ever stayed away so long.
Dr. Gerard Fauchet made her nervous. She wasn’t sure about the way he looked at her. It was almost too familiar, too friendly, too interested. And she wasn’t sure about the way his attention made her feel. How could she maintain a sense of professionalism if the man in charge of showing her around stared at her like she was already naked and in his bed? This wasn’t the first time a man in power tried to play that game, and like the others she would quickly put him in his place. Only here, he wouldn’t need her to sign consent to be in his bed. Or did he? She wasn’t sure what their laws were. They were civilized doctors. It was entirely possible plane 187 would require informed consent before Dr. Fauchet could act on his leering expressions.
Oh, but what if he didn’t have to? What
if he could do what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted? Her breathing deepened.
Concentrate, she thought, anti-chaos, anti-chaos, anti-chaos…
She took another deep breath, proud of herself for maintaining control.
So why, exactly, was she looking at his ass while he walked?
Cecilia’s eyes darted up to his back. Next to her Linnea chuckled knowingly, or in a way Cecilia translated to be knowingly. She took a deep breath, almost choking on the sweet air freshener the hospital utilized.
“Doctor?” Gerard inquired at her cough. He looked at his clipboard and then at her.
Cecilia touched her chest lightly. “I am still adapting to the air.”
He arched a brow and she found the expression slightly infuriating.
“It smells like we’re walking near a confectionary,” Linnea observed. “The air is very sweet.”
“That is the air-filtering sterilizer,” Gerard said. “The air is continuously tested for abnormalities and purified. You have nothing to fear here. We haven’t had a serious illness for, well, some would argue for centuries now, depending on your particular definition of serious.” He gestured absently toward the ceiling. “I am told that after a time you will become accustomed to the scent. We tried modifying the formula to be unscented, but it lost two-point-three percent potency.”
“No illness for so long?” Cecilia questioned. She gave a meaningful look to Linnea. The woman’s face was a blank mask. Then, realizing that maybe she expected too much of a reaction from a non-conformist semi-criminal, Cecilia turned her attention back to Gerard. She watched the shift of his shoulders beneath the lab coat. It was a subtle movement, but she found herself staring at the hypnotic play of muscles. “That is quite the accomplishment.”
He glanced back at them. “Indeed.”
Gerard led them through the hall, turning several times until Cecilia gave up trying to remember their path. Monitors on the wall showed their life signs as they passed, very similar to the scanners on her home plane. Only, instead of reporting a picture ID, it reported heartbeats and temperatures. Her heart was beating a little fast.
When he stopped, Gerard turned his attention to her. His voice was low as he observed, “Your lidec levels are elevated. Would you like me to alleviate your…” he paused, “symptoms?”
The way he said the word “symptoms”, all low and warm, caused a sudden shock of pleasure to spread through her stomach. It radiated over her pussy and thighs. His eyes seemed to smolder with intent. Lidec? Symptoms? Did that mean her arousal? Was he propositioning her? Did the monitors reveal her interest in him?
“Ah, Dr. Fauchet.” The abrupt sound cut into her thoughts and directed her attention to the older man coming down the hall. By the self-satisfied look on his face, she assumed him to be the man in charge.
“Dr. Markos, Sans Nel, may I present Medical Supreme Walter, his son Dr. Sebastjan Walter and Dr. Walter’s wife, Sans Ariella.”
“Doctor,” the Medical Supreme acknowledged, glancing only briefly at Linnea. He had a smooth, youthful look to him that contrasted the intelligence in his blue eyes. A foreshadowing of gray salted the black hair at his temples.
“Welcome,” Dr. Walter said. Ariella nodded.
“And this is the hospital coordinator, Dr. Lu,” Gerard finished. Dr. Lu stayed back behind the others and she didn’t get a good look at him.
“Welcome to Asclepius,” the Medical Supreme said. “We look forward to a mutual exchange of knowledge. I have chosen Dr. Fauchet to be your guide. He will remain at your side. Should you need anything, please speak directly to him or to Dr. Swift. I will be unable to attend you at the research facility. I am a very busy man, after all.”
Cecilia began to answer, but the Medical Supreme cut her off.
“Here he is!” The Medical Supreme lifted his hand, motioning behind them. “May I present the esteemed Dr. Swift, Director of Central Hospital.”
Dr. Swift nodded at the visitors. His gaze lingered on Linnea’s hair a long moment but his expression gave nothing away.
“It is good to meet you, doctors,” Cecilia said.
“Dr. Markos,” Dr. Swift acknowledged. Behind him Sebastjan slipped away with his wife. The quiet Dr. Lu soon followed. Cecilia thought their abrupt departure odd, but chose to ignore the obvious plane custom. “I’ve ordered your transport readied. Your belongings have already been loaded. Dr. Fauchet will show you where to go. I must attend to a few matters here but will join you later at the facility.”
“Sans Nel has parchment to be transferred to a clipboard. Perhaps she should work here and arrive later with you when she is finished?” Gerard suggested.
Dr. Swift didn’t spare Linnea a look as he nodded. “Very well. Sans Nel, follow me. I will show you where you can work.”
“Where did my son…?” The Medical Supreme began to question, glancing around. Then, as a severe frown crossed his features, he said, “Excuse me. I have urgent business to attend to.”
Before Cecilia fully realized the implications of what was happening around her, she found herself alone with Gerard. He smiled at her, a playful, almost achingly seductive look. There was an ease to his mannerisms that took her by surprise and didn’t seem to fit with the others she’d just met.
“You’re very pretty,” Gerard said.
Cecilia opened her mouth to answer, but no sound readily came out.
“Are you with someone? Married? Taken? Do you have such customs on your plane?” he questioned.
“Ah, no, I’m not taken,” Cecilia managed, not sure she should answer such a personal question but unable to think of anything else to say.
“Brilliant. I’m pleased to hear it.” His smile didn’t fade. And was it just her imagination, or was he leaning closer? The thoughts racing through her mind were anything but anti-chaotic.
Cecilia watched his lips move as he said something more but she didn’t pay attention to the words that came out. The sweet smell or sanitized air was temporarily overwhelmed by the scent of his body. He smelled clean, fresh, not like the cleansers on her plane, but exotic and new. She found herself breathing deeply. With each inhale she shivered, and with each exhale she found her senses focused more fully upon him.
“Dr. Markos?” Gerard inquired, arching a brow. “Are you ready?”
“Ready?” she repeated. What had he been saying? For the life of her she didn’t know. All she could think about was kissing him without permission. She cleared her throat and forced her eyes away from him. “Yes, yes, of course I am ready to leave.”
* * *
Cecilia stepped slowly toward a box-shaped vehicle Gerard called a transport. It hovered over the ground outside the hospital. She took her time as she glanced over the carved stone landscape. The streets, sidewalks and buildings seemed connected by one smooth formation of rock. Statues rose up from the ground, their stiff lines and symmetrical features just as clean and orderly as their surroundings. Aside from the small plants encased in large glass boxes, they were the only visible pieces of life in the area.
The Central Hospital and Optimal Health Centre dominated the street like a centerpiece. Thick columns and oversized stone arches were mimicked by the smaller buildings. The outside architecture was nothing like the metal corridors within.
Gerard waited for her by the transport door. As she approached, he held out his hand, offering to help her up. Instead of steadying her when she placed a hand in his, he tugged her off balance. Cecilia fell toward him, landing against his chest. She blinked in surprise, gasping.
Warm lips found hers, pressing hard against her mouth. The kiss took her by surprise and she didn’t pull away. Her knees weakened. Gerard held her to his chest. Firm muscles pressed into her softer breasts, making her very aware of the intimate moment. Heat filled her, radiating down her stomach and thighs.
Cecilia moaned softly, her lips moving of their own accord to accept his inappropriate embrace. In the back of her mind a thought whispered that this
couldn’t be happening, that it couldn’t be real, that she wanted it too much and was delusional. He answered the movement of her mouth, deepening the kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth, gliding between her lips and teeth. She knew she should pull away, but part of her wanted to see what he’d do next.
Gerard’s hands slid down to the small of her back and he turned, pressing her against the transport. The solid feel against her back and the sudden thick arousal hitting her stomach caused her senses to come crashing back to reality. Gasping, she ripped her face away and pushed against his chest. His hand was lodged against her ass, frozen in a squeeze. For a moment, he didn’t move as confused eyes stared into hers.
“Doctor!” she hissed in warning, keeping the word low. Drawing up her hand, she slapped his cheek, not so hard as to leave an imprint but enough to snap him to his senses. The action came from years of living in anti-chaos. It was how she was supposed to react to such a presumption. Had he done that on the city street back home, they would have both been arrested. He let go and she pushed harder, forcing him to stumble back. The ache of withdrawal hit her like a cold rush of air. She shivered, resisting the urge to rub her arms. “What do you...? It is not…” she hesitated. “I am unfamiliar with your plane’s customs, but you are taking liberties I am not willing to give. In my reality we have certain customs that must be followed to avoid any chaos or confusion. I certainly did not sign a consent form for your advances before coming here.”
Cecilia hoped her words sounded properly diplomatic, even if the tone did not. Gerard’s expression lost its playfulness. Slightly under his breath, he mumbled, “I am unfamiliar with your plane’s customs, but generally if a woman is not interested she does not kiss a man back.”
Seducing Cecilia (Divinity Healers) Page 2
