“Interesting fellow.” Karia tried to grin, but the headache pulsed through her whole body. Torin rose and brought Karia with him, scooping her up and placing her in the bed.

  “We’ll talk another time. I will come to visit from time to time. Bela will be in shortly to give you some head potion. It will help you sleep. There is food near the sleeping pod if you are hungry”

  Then abruptly he left the bed a small whirring sound reminded her the field had been reanimated she laid there listening until she could hear his heavy footfall no longer. Karia sat up slowly.

  “Well, it’s time to play fast and loose with my digestive system, it seems,” Karia remarked, looking at the strange food.

  Torin headed for the Meeting Room. He needed a good tall glass of Chandrin. He met Bri’aque instead, sitting at the large meeting table obviously knowing him well enough that he knew this is where Torin would head first.

  “Don’t start,” Torin bit out, heading for the liquor station.

  Bri’aque waited until he downed a full glass before he started. “So is that how we’re treating and interrogating prisoners now? Wiping away their tears.” Bri’aque could barely keep his voice from quivering in laughter.

  “She was upset.” Torin poured another glass before he sat across from his First in Command.

  “So was the prisoner accused and indicted for selling babies to the Cannibal People on Planet Resas, but you had his head chopped off anyway.”

  “This is different.” Torin sipped more slowly—he could feel the heavenly effects of the strong liquor taking effect.

  “Because she is beautiful and you find fancy with her?”

  “No, because she has no idea where she is or what she was doing. She is just as confused by all this as we are.”

  “So she says. Has she been real forthcoming about why they were on Lathaeon in the first place?”

  “No,” Torin grumbled, conceding the fact that Bri’aque had a point. Still, there was no denying she was frightened and confused.

  “Do you believe her friend is a danger as well?”

  “I cannot say. But precautions will be taken as a measure.”

  “She attacked you.” Bri’aque let the statement hang in the air. They both knew what it meant. As First in Command, he was first and foremost responsible for the safety of the First Son.

  “She was not aware of it,” Torin said quietly, setting his tawny stare against Bri’aque’s onyx one.

  “The laws do not interpret. They are clear. Anyone who attacks the Family of the First Order is given an automatic death penalty. I understand she does not know our ways, however…” Bri’aque let it float.

  “You and I are the only ones aware of what she has done. I set the tape to erase as soon as I showed it to her. As far as the House knows, she is imprisoned only because we do not know of her and are merely taking security measures. No one will question it.”

  “As you wish. However, I must remind you, as your longest friend, your father hired me to see to your safety. If she should pose a threat to you again, my memory might not be so faulty.”

  “I understand, and I appreciate your concern but we will figure out and correct what is wrong with her.”

  “Why do you want to? More than that, what if we cannot?”

  “It is my sacred duty to help all those who seek it,” Torin answered. He stood, letting the chair legs scrape the floor viciously. With a curt nod, he left a contemplating Bri’aque to watch his departure.

  The head potion helped alleviate her headache but she was in no way somnolent. So she lay there on her back, staring at the white ceiling and wondering about things that kept pushing itself to the surface. Her father. He was responsible for this, she knew without a doubt. She had no doubt that whatsoever he had done was done out of love. However, his methods were always questionable. Her being on the voyage alone was proof enough.

  Only the smartest, most beautiful, healthy had been chosen to repopulate on another planet. Earth had been dying fast. Life could no longer be sustained on a planet riddled with its own fallout from nuclear war. Her father, a scientist, had been chosen to secretly find another planet to send the best humanity had left to offer. It was top secret to say the least. If the opposing side were smart, they would have done the same.

  But her father had cheated. He had sent her instead of a more viable subject. She was beautiful, yes, and highly intelligent, but she was also born with a rare disease that only gave her a few more years to live. She had accepted her fate, but one day her father sent for her, had her live in the lab while he treated her. Made her womb, which had been ravaged by disease, viable. It was all in vain, she had argued with him, what good was being able to have a child when she wouldn’t be able to raise it, she would either die from the disease or from the waste on the planet that was killing everyone. But her father had said a miracle had happened. He had ‘found’ a way to make her stronger and she, being one with a strong penchant for survival, had wanted to live and never questioned it.

  Dutifully, she took the medicine and the shots, she felt herself grow stronger and still she turned a blind eye. She knew whatever he was doing was not legal, let alone ethical. But he had seen to it that she was given a spot on the ship and the government, owing her father greatly for the work he had done for them, complied.

  She felt almost guilty now, even questioning her father’s intentions. But it left to be said that whatever he had done was having some serious negative side effects. She rolled over, trying to block the image of her attacking Torin. He was royalty, she knew that much. There had to be laws sanctioned against assassins. Would they kill her? She shuddered thinking how ironic it would be that her greatest fear had been dying on Earth and then Lathaeon as Torin called it, only to die on the planet of the man who rescued her.

  If she really looked closely, she would see that she was attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? He had the strangest, most beautiful hair she had ever seen. And he was gorgeous to boot. But he was not for her. He wasn’t even human, she was sure of it. But then again, she just found out she wasn’t as human as she thought herself to be. She would have to tell him everything. Even if it meant telling him she had no home to go to.

  Karia didn’t like the idea of putting so much power in his hands. He could do anything to her and there would be no one to oppose him. No one to punish him should he hurt her. Earth was gone. She’d seen it blown apart after she and the others barely took off. They barely cleared the violent waves as the planet exploded. Both sides would not concede and blew the planet apart, with her father on it. She had cried a good long time, even though her father told her not to. She missed him still.

  The days following she was kept in the room with the detainment field. Bela came daily to check her vitals and give her a change of clothing. Though Bela tried to appear indifferent to her, she could tell the servant liked her, as evidenced by the candy she often left with her food. Bela called it “sweet food” and the name was fitting. She was allowed rest room privileges but only with the accompaniment of a guard. It was embarrassing but she understood. Bela brought her books, and for the first time, Karia let surface the one nagging question that ate at her.

  “Bela,” she asked the plump servant who sat in the chair across from her, sewing. “How is it that when I first heard the voices of Torin and Bri’aque, I could not understand but I do now and I can read your language? It was so natural until I realized this is not English.”

  “Oh, little human woman, it’s the implant, of course.” Bela answered in her usual voice as if Karia were a dimwitted child.

  “What implant?” Karia asked carefully. Not wanting Bela to catch a whiff of her curiosity, for Bela would clam up if she thought she was giving away privileged information. But if Karia appeared bored and asked nonchalantly, Bela was an open book.

  “The First had it implanted when you first came to us.” She examined the garment before she continued, “He said it would be easier to do it then than later, most new citizens hate the sight of the little buggers.”

  “Is that what you call them?” Karia laughed falsely, trying to make Bela think it was just a casual conversation.

  “Yeah, as most do. They are unpleasant-looking with all those legs and eyes, but they do the job. Painless but still no one wants to know a thing like that is in them. They’re nasty fellows when fully grown.” Bela smiled to herself, obviously pleased at her work. “I’ll be back if you need anything just push the button in the floor as usual.”

  Bela left an irritated and curious Karia behind. All those legs and eyes. The statement alone grossed her out. She would have to wait until Torin came to see her , as he usually did after he was done with whatever important stuff the prince of all federated planets did. She tapped her bare feet. All those legs and eyes? He had some living parasite implanted in her brain. God forbid, what if it wasn’t in her brain? What if they inserted it via…

  “Hello Karia.” Torin greeted her almost cheerfully.

  “Hello, First,” she responded sweetly. She could see by his expression that he knew her well enough now to know that when she called him that she was irritated.

  “What is it now?”

  “What’s a little bugger? Or better yet what does ‘all those legs and eyes’ mean to you?” She smiled hugely though she didn’t feel it. She was getting very angry.

  “I see Bela’s been talking again.” He cleared his throat and sat in the chair Bela had vacated. “Well, little one, there’s no way you would have understood us, and I didn’t want you more frightened when you woke up, so I ordered the Dausas Implant to help you along.”

  “Mmm Hhmm, and what exactly is the Dausas Implant and how is it administered?”

  Torin loosened his shirt. Black hair like that on his head peeked through.

  “It’s a creature found in one region of this planet. When born they, er ah, have the capacity to absorb any information given them. Of course they usually get it from their parents, but if you get them when they first hatch, you can feed them any information.”

  “Keep going.” Karia sat on the bed, feeling weird that some creature was living inside of her.

  “They have the capacity to transfer the information to the first living tissue they encounter, in your case, brain tissue.” He scratched his arm idly, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. “We fed it our language, written and oral, and it was transferred to you. Rest assured, after all information was transferred, we removed it.”

  “So there’s nothing living in me?”

  “Oh course not. Is that what you thought?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”

  “They are not the most attractive creatures. In fact, I find them downright repulsive-looking but they serve a grand purpose. I thought if you knew you had an implant, you would want to see the creature, and you would have an, ah, episode.”

  “Like the one that landed me in here?” Karia supplied for him. Torin nodded slowly. “I appreciate your concern.”

  Torin nodded slowly “Though I must say, Karia, I did not imagine it would be quite as dramatic.” He grinned and her heart stopped just long enough for her to chastise herself for acting like a child with her first crush.

  But she did appreciate his thoughtfulness. Really, she did. She wasn’t sure how she would have taken it.

  “ Would you like to keep learning the game of chess?.” Karia changed the subject, she had been teaching him games from Earth when he came to visit her. In return, he took her on short walks around the House.

  “Not today, Karia. Our scientists here have been working on your blood, and we believe we know that intense feelings trigger the Gauran gene. However, we are still puzzled about the state we found you in. They want to run more tests on you. We can access memories and find out what happened.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ in there somewhere. Please just be honest with me, Torin.”

  “They will have to put you to sleep. We have a Dream Walker coming, she can help.”

  “What’s a Dream Walker?”

  “Blessed they are. They can walk in others’ dreams. They can recall the nightmares you have had. Nightmares are often made up of real events being replayed. It can be the link we need to determine what has happened to you here and possibly on your home planet.”

  “And if I refuse to have someone traipsing around in my most private dreams?”

  “You will be transferred to a wing where you will never be able to roam free.” Torin’s tawny gaze practically pleaded with her to consent.

  “I’m supposed to be dead, aren’t I?” Karia guessed and knew she hit her aim true when he tore his gaze from her. “That’s the penalty here, isn’t it? I attacked you; I should be dead.” she said to herself. “Why are you keeping me alive?”

  “Because it is my duty—” Torin began but Karia interrupted him

  “I am not one of your people. I am not even from your galaxy.”

  “But you are here now, and therefore, my responsibility.”

  “Thank you.”

  Torin shook his head and rose. He activated the button that lowered the field and crossed the black lines. He stood a hair’s breadth in front of her. “Would you like to see the wonders of my home, Karia?” He was close, his body heat enveloped her.

  “I’ve seen the whole house, haven’t I?” Karia answered breathlessly. This close to her, he affected her more than she would ever admit. She could smell him. The manly scent of him. She could see the glossy hairs on his chest. Then she made the mistake of looking up to his golden gaze and was stuck. With a will of their own, her hands found their way to his multicolored black hair. So soft, so unreal.

  He was bending to kiss her. His lips, so firm and soft-looking at the same time, met hers and she moaned. She didn’t know who tasted whom first, but she found her tongue tasting his. They both deepened the kiss as if starved. His large hands played in the curls around her shoulders before he pulled her closer, pressing her body tightly against his. He moved against her slowly at first, letting her feel the effect she had on him.

  Her hands traveled from his hair to his chest to his back, she wanted to touch all of him. And he seemed intent on the same mission. His hands tore through the gauzy material Bela seemed to make all her clothes from. His hand found her small breast, her nipple peaked, begging for his attention. Torin tore his mouth from her and dipped his head farther as he tilted her slightly back to lave at her breast. Torin’s head swam and he drank in her scent. She tasted sweet. He wanted more. His breathing became more ragged as hers did.

  Material tearing echoed in the nearly vacant room. Karia began to fill it with her soft moans. Torin pulled her to the bed almost roughly in his haste, but she wasn’t complaining. She fell atop of him. Briefly, she looked down at him and spread his shirt further apart, reveling in the field of soft sparse chest hair. She leaned down to kiss each of his well-developed pecs. Then she returned the favor of tasting him; she ran her tongue around his nipple.

  He hissed, she smiled. She kissed his neck, sucking on it, then lightly biting it. If possible, he grew harder under her. He ground against her, holding her small waist immobile. She threw her head back and moaned. He pulled her closer so that he could nuzzle her neck.

  That’s when Karia felt it. Vibrations. Wave after delicious wave. His whole body seemed to vibrate, causing the most erotic sensations in the most sensitive places. Her nipples protruded even more. She pressed her breasts against his chest and felt the vibrations go through her nipples. She ground her pelvis against him, seeking the release the vibrations stoked.

  “You’re vibrating.” She moaned, lost in the sensations. It was a good heartbeat or two before she found herself being roughly pulled off and pushed to the other side of the bed.

  “What?” Her mind was dazed and full of passion. “What’s wrong?”

  Torin looked deeply disturbed. Aroused but disturbed.

  “I shouldn’t… We shouldn’t have…My intention was to take you on a trip outside the House walls. I am sorry, Karia. I hope you do not think I was trying to take advantage of you.”

  It was so hard, he was so hard…but he had to stop this.

  “I didn’t think that at all. Don’t be silly.” Karia stood up and reached out to touch him.

  Torin stepped back as if trying to avoid a rattlesnake. It couldn’t be… She couldn’t be… He barely let the thought escape before he snapped it firmly in a box of denial and shut the lid. Tight.

  “That’s not a good road to pursue, Karia. I think we both should take a moment—”

  “You don’t want me?” Karia was hurt, he could see it. “If you didn’t want me, you should have stopped this at go!” She squinted, now she was just plain irritated. He could hear it in her voice. He could not make her understand, not when he didn’t want to even believe it.

  “I do. Yes, but let’s not complicate the investigation right now, when it’s over…”

  He couldn’t finish. The scent of her was intoxicating him worse than any finely made Chandrin. Her skin dared him to touch it, caress it, kiss it. Already his cock was demanding she grind against him again. Her anger only accented her beauty. He was drowning in her aura. He had to leave her presence. He backed out of the perimeter and reset the field.

  “I promise I’ll take you outside the walls later.” He turned on his heel and left Karia.

  She sat on the bed, looking after him. Perhaps she reasoned he remembered she was part beast and she repulsed him. She felt a turning in her chest. He had hurt her. She needed to stop this foolishness and get to the matter at hand. She shook her head. This would not do. If Brietta were alive, as he said, they needed to get out of here. Away from tall, gorgeous, golden- eyed men.

  She looked around the room; the black line glared at her and made a mockery of her bravery. She flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. There had to be a way out. She sat up and listened to the almost silent hum. It had to be coming from somewhere. And there it was. The vent, circulating air, about four feet high above her bed. It hummed its invitation. It looked to be a tight squeeze, but then again, she was quite small. She looked at the door, then back at the vent. It had to be worth it. She did not leave Earth just to be held prisoner by that Neanderthal. Here goes nothing, she whispered to herself and climbed onto the bed.

 

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