“I thought you would be pleased. With the threat…” He didn’t come to her, barely looked at her.
She searched his face, trying to bring froth the man she’d made love to in the forest. “I’m confused. One moment it’s not safe to go. The next moment we have two weeks.”
Gerard tensed, as if he didn’t know what to say.
“You are right. My going is logical.” Her brain agreed, but her heart didn’t feel the same. “I should be grateful. What changed?”
“One of your politicians tried to renegotiate the terms of your agreement when we offered to extend your visit.”
“Shinclus,” Cecilia concluded, frowning. The man had a lot of power and even more lack of tactfulness.
“With our plane’s current situation and the political climate between our worlds, it was deemed best that we send you home with the hope of trying again in the future.”
“The future,” she repeated. “So after two weeks, I may never see you again.” Cecilia didn’t bother to hide the tears entering her eyes. Her nose burned with the desire to cry. She closed the distance between them. “What if I want to stay the four?”
“You want to stay now?” He finally met her eyes.
“No. Yes. No.” She lifted her arms helplessly. “I don’t know. I miss my home. I miss my friends. I miss the food and the music. I miss color. Everyone here dresses the same and has the same hair and same smell.”
His eyes softened.
“But you’re here,” she whispered. “If you could come with me…”
“That’s not possible. No medical database is allowed to leave here. With what I know, it would never be allowed.” He pulled her closer. “We’ll figure something out.”
“It’s not like we can send communications to each other or visit each other on work breaks.” She pushed weakly at his chest. “I told you from the beginning this couldn’t go anywhere, that it couldn’t mean anything. There will be this invisible wall between us, keeping us apart. We will spend our entire lives waiting on the whims of our politicians that I can someday come back.”
“You would wait?”
“What do you think love is?” Cecilia responded, her voice rising. “You think I’ll just go home through the portal and it will all go away?”
“Doctor.”
Cecilia stiffened, startled by Linnea’s intrusion. “What!” she answered, a little too harshly.
Linnea’s face hardened. She stood in the doorway.
“What is it?” Cecilia said, softer, trying to amend her tone.
“Dr. Swift sent me to inform you we’re leaving the facility in the morning.” Linnea’s voice was flat and emotionless.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you.” Cecilia looked helplessly at the woman then Gerard. “I’m overwhelmed at the moment.”
Linnea appeared cautious, but her expression did lighten. “I understand.” She nodded once and left them alone.
“Cecilia.” Gerard pulled her into his arms. The tight muscles of his chest pressed into her. She shivered, taking in his comfort. She didn’t want to leave him. “I love you. I don’t have answers for the rest, but I love you.”
I love you. There was nothing more to say beyond that. Words would not change their reality.
“Spend the night with me,” she said, forgetting all about trying to find something useful for her plane. “You’ll leave with me tomorrow, won’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll stay with you every second I can.”
Cecilia took his hand, not caring who saw them as she led him out of the laboratory into the hall. Her steps quickened. She pulled him into her room not wanting to waste a single moment. Barely waiting for the door to close, she kissed him. She poured everything she had into that kiss, holding nothing back.
Passion always simmered beneath the surface, and now it raged between them. A feeling of desperation and sadness filled her. She tried to grab on to the moment, but felt it slipping past. Soon they were naked and his hands were on her body, urging her to her back. They made love slowly, savoring what they could.
As they climaxed in unison, his cock deep inside her, she whispered, “I love you, Gerard.” What else could she say?
Chapter Nine
The transport stopped before Central Hospital. Cecilia lifted her head from Gerard’s shoulder. For the majority of the transport ride they’d worked on compiling the research of each individual scientist on the virus. Even though all the records simply referred to the patient as Infected Subject One, Cecilia knew it was the Medical Supreme. Subject Two and Subject Three were part of his medical staff who had been working closely with him.
Cecilia didn’t readily move to get out. “I don’t think I can help you with any of this. You have some of the best medical minds on any plane of existence. I feel stupid compared to your doctors.”
“I don’t know why you say that. You comprehend much more than most dignitaries who visit.” He kissed her cheek. “Our system is not the fairest. You come, are given very little information and training, and then are sent home. Very few planes have left after one short dignitary mission with anything valuable. What you’ve done has set the tone for future dealings. That makes your time here a success.”
“On my plane I can read something and I instantly understand it and can apply it practically. Here, I feel like someone handed me cave markings.” She closed her eyes briefly as he kissed her cheek again. The transport door slid open, as if the unit wanted them out so it could go along its way.
“We have to hurry.” Sam appeared at their open door.
“Hurry?” Gerard repeated, surprised.
“Dr. Lu informed me unofficially that the Medical Supreme has changed his mind. He’s not letting them go home.” Sam gestured for Cecilia’s hand to help her down. “We must hurry and get you home before I receive the order and the portal room is sealed shut indefinitely.”
“Changed his mind? Again?” Gerard shook his head. “But…”
“There is no time.” Sam practically pulled Cecilia from the transport. She stumbled. Gerard was right behind her, grabbing hold of her arm to steady her. As they walked, Sam continued, “It appears airborne. If the Supreme’s staff is infected, the incubation period is short. We would see more cases outside of quarantine. Now is the only chance you have. Once that order comes through—”
“What about Linnea?”
“She wanted to finish up some logs at the biosphacility and asked that we go ahead. She took a later transport and will be along in a couple hours. It’s just you. You can’t wait for her. You have to go now.” Sam glanced at Gerard, giving him a strange look she didn’t understand. He didn’t give her much time to think but her first instinct was to protest. Two weeks was bad enough, but now it looked as if she had two minutes. She stopped walking. Sam continued on, talking as if they followed him.
“Gerard…” She shook her head. “This can’t—”
“Gerard,” Sam insisted.
Gerard leaned closer to her, lowering his voice. “This is your chance. If you go now, you can go home. Who knows when you’ll have another opportunity? Things are uncertain here. I don’t want your health at risk. If you go now, I’ll know you’re safe.”
“What if I never see you again? They keep taking time away from us. How can the Medical Supreme do this? He can’t keep changing his mind.” She needed time to think and logic and decide. How could she when they were pushing her through the portal?
A beep sounded.
“The official notice,” Sam said, looking at the monitor. “They know we’re here. I can’t wait too long to read it.”
“I can’t ask you to stay,” Gerard said to her, almost desperate. “I know how important your world is to you. This world is not safe, not right now.”
She felt as if her heart was breaking. “Come with me.”
“I need special permission.” Gerard looked helplessly at Sam. She didn’t care if the other doctor listened.
“Come anyway.” Her hear
t beat faster. “I don’t care about the anti-chaos laws. I’ll deal with my politicians.”
“There is no more time.” Sam reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out a syringe. “This will boost your immune system just in case, but it will also make you tired.” He jabbed it in her arm before she could protest. “You must go now. For the sake of both our planes. Your world will be upset if we keep their doctor.”
“But, Lin—” Cecilia swayed as the medicine fogged her mind, unable to voice her concern over Linnea.
“I’ll take care of her. I promise.” Then to Gerard, he said, “You can’t go, no matter how you want to. You don’t have permission and your plane needs you here. The virus…”
Sam kept talking, but Cecilia didn’t hear the rest. The man made sense, but she wanted to find something to say to protest the words. Her head swam with the shot he’d given her and the rush of emotion churning inside her body.
Family, life, world or Gerard?
Cecilia opened her mouth to say she wanted to stay but no words came out. She again swayed on her feet.
“The medicine might be strong. Linnea mentioned how much the inter-dimensional travel hurt their particular biology. This will make it easier on her. Help her,” Sam insisted. “Go.”
Gerard took her arm and rushed her toward the portal door. Her feet stumbled but she managed to stay upright. Everything was happening too fast.
Sam stayed back. When she looked down the hall, she saw the man answering the monitor summons.
Gerard walked her into the portal room. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“Ask me to stay,” she whispered. Her head swam. The words were slurred.
“I can’t do that. I know how much your home means to you.” He went to a control panel and began pushing buttons.
“Ask anyway.” She felt her lips move, but she didn’t hear the words. Her vision became very narrow and focused. She stared at Gerard, not wanting to leave him. She willed him to understand her thoughts, as she tried to hold on to them.
“I promise. As soon as I can, I will petition to have you brought back here. I love you, Cecilia. I will never forget you. I will wait.” Gerard kissed her with a sense of urgency. She could tell by his body’s response he wanted to do more, but they were out of time. He walked her to the platform. Her legs weakened and she sat on the floor. He let her go. She tried to grab on to him. Gerard pried her hands from his wrist and stepped back toward the door. “There is so much I want to say to you. I’ll wait forever.”
Cecilia reached for him but couldn’t move. Tears came down her face. “Please,” she mouthed.
They were out of time. Four weeks became two became none, all within the course of a day. She felt her heart breaking. That combined with the medicine made her incapable of speaking or moving. She begged him with her eyes to make time stop. There had to be a way.
He reached his hand behind him for the door. If she had known she was leaving, she would have said more in the transport. The blue light became brighter. The moment before it blinded her, she saw Sam join Gerard through the crack in the door. The burning in her flesh as she was ripped through the portal was nothing compared to the pain in her chest. Whatever Sam had given her helped the bone-shattering, muscle-disintegrating pain of portal travel, but it left her limp.
The portal tore her apart and put her back together. She fell to her stomach and didn’t try to move. Her head swam, part from stunned grief, part from the shot she’d been given. The cool floor pressed to her cheek and a hot tear slipped over her face.
“Identify yourself.”
She drew her head up to look at the control booth. Cecilia took several deep breaths. This was her world, but it felt surreal. She weakly lifted her hand in the green light, trying to block its brightness.
“Dr. Markos?”
She didn’t recognize the voice. Feet shuffled toward her as the light dimmed. She was surrounded by private orderkeepers. Someone grabbed her foot and pulled off her shoe. She heard her identification number being read and a voice confirming her identity.
“Get her up,” someone ordered.
“What happened to you?” another asked.
“Why are you back?” She recognized Shinclus over a speaker.
It was one voice she was compelled by a lifetime of law-abiding to answer. “They sent me.” It wasn’t much of an answer, but it was all she could manage in her drugged state. Someone repeated her words louder.
“And the other one?” Shinclus asked.
Cecilia shook her head.
“Just as well. Linnea Nel is untraceable,” Shinclus said, giving no more concern to Linnea. “Someone help Dr. Markos to her feet. Call the government groomer and get her presentable before anyone sees her and she makes the news for not being sanitary. She looks terrible. Make sure the groomer wears protective gear. Then get her into quarantine and have her health checked.”
* * *
Gerard stared at the door, unable to move. His hand shook, and he pressed it against the metal. He imagined he could feel the exact second she was pulled through the portal to her home world.
“I’m sorry. There was no time.” Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “The order came through. If I had waited, she wouldn’t have been able to leave at all. You told me how important it was to you that you didn’t force her to stay.”
“I didn’t get to say all I needed to.” Gerard felt as if he were dying. How could he live on the hope of maybe seeing her again when losing her hurt so badly?
“You did what you had to.” Sam sighed. “I’m under orders to lock down the portal. We should go.”
Gerard started to answer but saw Linnea stumbling down the hall. “I thought you said Sans Nel missed the transport.”
“I…” Sam tried to lie. Gerard saw it on his face. The man looked to the floor.
“You trapped her here. You made me give up Cecilia and you trapped Linnea?” Gerard balled his fists. Anger built in him and he struck out, pushing Sam in the chest. The man fell back into the wall and didn’t fight back.
“What is...?” Linnea’s voice was weak.
“I had to,” Sam whispered.
“I love her!” Gerard yelled. “Look at me. We just sent the most vital part of who I am through that portal.” He pointed at a nearby monitor to his readings. It dinged several times demanding he take a shot to calm himself. “Look!”
Sam glanced behind to Linnea as she stumbled closer. “Then go. Take your chances. Go. Follow her. Just go. I’ll say you were sent as a dignitary. I’ll say it was to maintain peace.” Sam reached for the wall and grabbed a clipboard. He handed it to Gerard along with a medical unit from his lab coat. “These will help ease your way with the 303 politicians once you get there.”
Gerard didn’t think. His rage turned instantly to excitement and fear. What if Cecilia didn’t want him to follow her? What if her plane rejected him? Feared him? Locked him away? It didn’t matter. He would risk any punishment for her.
“I’ll take Linnea,” Gerard said, making a move to help the woman.
Sam grabbed his arm and shook his head in denial. “No. That’s the deal. She stays. She will be invaluable to helping stop this disease. Now go. They’ll be watching to make sure this section is sealed. If I don’t do it, they’ll do it for me offsite.”
“But…” Gerard frowned. He read the man’s expression. Linnea would be safe. “Thank you.”
“We’ll meet again,” Sam assured him. “As soon as this is all over I’ll send word.”
“Good luck.” Gerard pushed through the door and into his future.
“You too.”
Chapter Ten
Cecilia stared at the quarantine wall, through the clear plastic, to the man at the other side. She’d given her accounting of what had happened. They only asked once about Linnea, seeming less concerned about the woman’s fate than the lack of medical knowledge Cecilia brought back with her.
&nb
sp; “It has been two weeks. Why are you keeping me in here?” She didn’t bother to keep the commanding tone out of her voice.
Dr. Tregeo looked up from his paper and frowned. She hated looking at him directly. Though he looked nothing like Gerard, Tregeo’s eyes were brown. Gerard had brown eyes. Beautiful, deep, soulful brown eyes. The memory of them hurt her deep inside. She missed him. At night she fought the urge to cry out for him.
“As I have explained before, you will be released when we are satisfied we know everything that happened,” Tregeo said.
Cecilia refused to talk about Gerard. It was none of their concern and she wouldn’t sully the memory of him by having them write his name in their records as her lover. Whenever a new mission came up, if it came up, that would keep her name off the return list.
“I don’t know what else I can tell you. The food was bland. They all wore the same color. The air smelled so sweet from sanitizer, it can be hard to breathe. They are dealing with an unknown virus of unknown origin. It is quarantined, but they ended all missions until further notice. The Medical Supreme is a very cautious man. I only met him once, but he—”
“You have told us all that,” Tregeo interrupted. “Numerous times.”
“Then what else do you want?” Cecilia leapt to her feet and yelled.
Tregeo jumped at the chaotic display and dropped his papers. She saw he’d been drawing a very poor likeness of her and not taking notes.
“What is going on?” she demanded.
Tregeo rushed away from her, hurrying down the corridor. Cecilia gave a small laugh. She pressed her head to the plastic and watched him disappear from her line of sight.
* * *
“You’re a very lucky lady.”
Cecilia opened her eyes to look at Politician Shinclus standing opposite her quarantine wall.
“Lucky?” It wasn’t the sarcastic comment she wanted to make. She wanted to reference her fine accommodations and offer to trade places with him.
Seducing Cecilia (Divinity Healers) Page 8
