by Viola Grace
If her arm wasn’t completely numb, she would have slapped herself in the face. She lifted and turned her head. “I did. Now I have damage.”
“I see. Those are blade marks.” The captain was staring at her. In person, the purple of his skin was striking.
“Yeah, there is blaster scarring, too, which you might see when I roll over. So, you might want to avert your eyes at that point.” She swallowed.
“I have seen damage before.”
She nodded. “Right. Of course. I am sorry to have intruded on your stress relief.”
“I believe I should be apologizing. It seems that your need was far greater than ours.”
She blushed. “It isn’t a problem. I will be out of here as soon as Fennor has me mobile again.”
He leaned up on his elbows. “You had a day planned here?”
“Yes.”
“Then, enjoy it. We can stay out of your way.”
She looked at Gemb, who was working on the captain. He gave her a smile and a nod.
“Um, sure. If you don’t mind. That would be helpful.”
Fennor came back with the deep-heating rub, and he got back to work.
She placed her face through the cut-out in the bed, and she grunted, moaned, and groaned with every bit of therapeutic handling.
“Okay, Styra, roll over.” Fennor moved between her and the captain and held up the sheet so she could roll away from the intense silver gaze.
She flopped into position, and he tucked the sheet over her, and he started working on her arm.
The captain’s side of the room was silent. It was as if Gemb wasn’t able to work any of the tissue under the skin.
“So, are you and your ship staying long?” She glanced at him.
“A few more days. We are awaiting a personnel transfer.”
That made sense. It was common enough on Blue Station. They were in a great position for folk to come together from around the nearest six star systems.
Fennor tugged her sheet down and draped a shorter sheet across her breasts while he worked on the mess that had been made of her abdomen.
He was leaning up to look. “You took a point-blank blast to the torso.”
She nodded. “I am aware of it.”
“The scars are pale. How old were you?”
She grimaced. “Six. Raider attack. Out of a ship with two hundred people, I was one of nine survivors.” She anticipated his questions. “We floated into a shipping lane, and from there, I was brought to the med center here. I grew up on this station.”
He was shocked. “The station master raised you?”
“More or less. He hired a nanny for me and told me he would take it out of my future earnings.” She smiled. “I have a very thorough and strange education.”
“I see. I did not realize that Mr. Blue was so generous as to take in humans.”
She grunted as Fennor hit the knot that kept her from standing straight most days. Sweat appeared on her forehead, and she shook as she fought the urge to punch her therapist and run for it.
“You are in pain.” The captain’s voice was tense.
She gritted her teeth and nodded. “Yeah, there are issues with muscle attachments in the wrong place. They tighten up over time, and since I have been busy with work, I have left it too long. The price I pay for easy motion.”
Fennor muttered, “Almost done.”
The twang of the freed tendon was a bolt of pain that she wasn’t expecting. She shrieked, and tears ran from her eyes.
She sobbed for a minute, and Fennor went on to her legs, and then, he covered her up, patted her shoulder, and said, “Take the time you need.”
She nodded and slowly let the aches and pains become her body again. She swallowed and glanced at the captain, he was on his back now, and his expression was completely appalled.
She wrapped the sheet around her and waddled over to where she had her robe. She slid her arms into it and let the sheet drop. She returned the sheet to the bed and bowed toward the captain. “I am sorry for disturbing your time. Thank you for your patience.”
She left via the back door and headed for the sauna. She changed her robe for a wrap as she heard masculine voices coming from the sauna.
When she opened the door, the six men went silent, so she chuckled. “Apologies. As you were.”
She found a corner and sat as comfortably as she was able, slumping down onto the seat with her hands loose in her lap. She kept her eyes closed, and gradually the voices resumed their discussion of the trip to the entertainment center. Apparently, they had all had a very good time. They didn’t remember much except thrills, danger, and then satisfaction, but that was the effect of the center. No one remembered how the adventures turned out, except for folks like herself who had to remain cognizant of everything before and after. There were only a handful of women on the station who had that training, but she was one of them.
When they started speculating on the adventure that the captain had had, she kept herself as still as possible. Apparently, he had come out of it energized with a smile on his face that both intrigued and chilled them. He tended to wear that expression when he was trying to out-think an opponent.
She suddenly wasn’t getting the benefit from the sauna that she thought she would get. The hot tub held far more appeal.
She quietly got up and slipped out of the sauna, turned toward the hot tub, and froze. There was a wall in the way, and it was breathing.
She looked up and met his curious expression. “Excuse me, please.”
“Where are you going?”
She smiled. “Just a hot soak. The jets might be kinder to me than passive heat.”
He paused and nodded. “I will accompany you.”
Styra’s eyes went wide. “It is not necessary. You... your men... um... I have nothing.”
He smiled, and a low chuckle emerged. “Good. It is settled. Which way do we go?”
She nodded toward the hall behind him, and he turned sideways so she could lead the way.
She could feel the wall of heat that he radiated at her back and part of her relaxed. He had already seen the damage, and she hadn’t yet run into the man who would take on the twisted-up mess than she lived in. She was a curiosity, which wasn’t flattering, but it made for a solid base when dealing with folks naked.
She made it to the hot tub area, walked to a chair, and slipped off her robe, walking to the tub and slowly climbing down the steps before looking at the captain. He shed his own robe and stepped into the tub, settling down next to her before smiling and leaning back.
“So, why don’t you put your scars on your virtual presence?”
She had been relaxing in the warm water, and she froze, turning to meet his bright and amused gaze. She swallowed and thought about answering him when his eyes flared red.
Oh, shit.
Chapter Three
“What do you mean?” Ignorance seemed the best way to go.
He explained. “When you were wearing the gown, there was no trace of scarring, and you moved easily. Why don’t you wear yourself in the scenarios?”
She trembled and tried to keep calm. “I take the form of my best day. I don’t wear the scars because I have a whole limb to compare. I move easily because three days from now, when the bruising subsides, I will have a few days without pain, and I remember how that feels because it feels good. That is who I want to be in the scenarios, so that is who I am.”
He moved closer to her. “Why did you wear the dress for him?”
Styra watched his eyes flicker in colour. “Um, in the scenarios, drakes have to be confronted by maidens or princesses. The computer has clothing on file for me for each scenario.”
“And for my portion of the scenario? No additional clothing was required?”
She smiled. “The bodysuit was close enough to armor for the computer. For you, the kiss was the most important part.”
He had moved so c
lose that if she shifted her arm, he would be touching her. She slumped down in the water so that the churning of the surface hid her.
“Was it?”
He leaned down to kiss her, and his lips were millimeters away when he raised his head, and a frightening expression came over his features, his eyes crimson.
She sat up and looked in the direction he was focused on. Oh, it was his men.
She elbowed him under the water. He blinked and straightened. “What was that for?”
“You looked like you were going to start breathing fire.”
They finished talking, and his men joined them. Well, they almost joined them. The captain glared at them and jerked his head, so his men chose a separate hot tub, far down the chamber.
Styra frowned at him. “You didn’t have to do that. I can leave.”
“The heat is an important part of your therapy, yes?”
She drew the answer out. “Yeessss?”
“Then, you shall remain here until you have what you need, and I will keep you company.”
Her laugh rang out. “You don’t exactly inspire relaxation.”
His expression was hurt. “Why not?”
“You are just...” She waved a wet hand at him. “You. Intimidating as hell.”
“It is useful in most situations.” He frowned.
“I am sure. It is just not very relaxing.”
He scowled at her and then seemed to come to a decision. He picked her up and seated her across his lap before kissing her.
What the fuck?
She held her breath as his tongue teased at hers, and when she opened her lips slightly, he slid in. He tasted just like he did in the scenario. She shivered, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, and the other cupped her jaw. His grip was delicate, but she knew that if she tried to get away, she would be in for a bit of an issue.
The conversation from the other tub had ceased, but she focused on the taste of the captain in real life and the feel of the heat from his skin to hers.
She pressed her hand to his chest and felt the very slow and heavy thud of his heart.
He continued the slow kiss for what could have been minutes or could have been hours, all she knew was that her lips were humming and tingling when he raised his head. He smiled slowly. “Still intimidated?”
“Um... that isn’t the word for it.”
He turned her so that her back was pressed against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her under the water.
“What do you normally do around the station?” He whispered it in her ear.
She swallowed. Normally, she would spend the day after a massage in bed, but she wasn’t going to say that. “I go and watch a vid, go to the gym—but I did that this morning—or go to dinner.”
“Hmm. Will you go to dinner with me?”
He waited.
“Uh, yes?”
He chuckled. “You don’t sound confident.”
“I am not. Unless I am in the scenarios, confidence is not my strong suit.”
She looked in the water at the contrast between his dark purple skin and her pearl white. Mr. Blue had told her that she was human but damaged. She didn’t quite believe him because all of the humans that she knew didn’t glow softly in the dark. Mr. Blue had also told her that she wasn’t compatible with any of the races that visited the station, including humans. It was a bit of a contradiction that didn’t really matter. Her body was too jacked-up for more than a quick glance anyway. Wait, so why is he...
She shifted slightly, and his erection was definitely against her back. From his vantage point, he could see the worst of the damage. Apparently, for him, it was not a turn-off.
Her body was in shock at the possibility that his attraction presented. Her body was going to ache like hell tomorrow, so she had one day to do something. Maybe.
“How long is your ship going to be here?”
“Three or four days. Why?” His whisper was hot in her ear.
She couldn’t say it. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I think it does, but I will not press you.”
She held up her hands. “I had better get out. I am getting all pruney.”
His arms didn’t release her. “I don’t want you to go.”
She chuckled. “I am just going back to the sauna now that it is quiet.”
He touched her chin with a wet hand and turned her head toward him. “One more kiss.”
He leaned over her, and his lips met hers in a kiss that sent waves of heat tearing through her. She clutched the hand cupping her jaw and met his tongue with her own but with less twisting dexterity. She was gasping and moaning, her body was throbbing, and he had only had contact with her mouth. When he raised his head, his eyes were red, and his smile was smug.
“Now, you can go.”
She didn’t want to say that she wasn’t sure her legs would carry her, but she turned her head away from him and made her way to the steps by a force of will. She got out of the water, toweled off as if she didn’t have an audience, and then, she slipped on her robe again and walked down the hall to the sauna room.
She stopped at the water dispenser and drank a few cups before heading into the sauna.
Once she was alone inside, she took off her robe and sat on it, shivering as her body slowly came down from its sensitization. She stretched her body out on the bench and groaned. Styra wanted to punch something.
She had waited years for someone compatible to come along, and now, if she took advantage, she would only have him for a few days! So, was she better off with ignoring the attraction that seemed to be reciprocal, or should she just wrap herself around him and go for it?
She growled and kicked her feet flat against the bench. Yes, it was a tantrum, but she definitely deserved the opportunity to pitch a fit.
She panted and sat back up, draping the robe over her shoulders. She leaned back and let the heat do its job for twenty minutes before she put her arms through the sleeves and headed to the tepid shower.
She scrubbed, exfoliated, and stood under the spray with her hands braced against the wall.
Styra turned to see the captain watching her. The red of his gaze gave her a general idea of where his thoughts had been roaming. She sighed. “That is very creepy.”
He shrugged. “I just left the hot tub and was headed for a shower myself. Are all the facilities here, unisex?”
She nodded. “Yes. They just have a stringent no sex in public policy. They enforce it.”
“So, that is why you are just standing there?” He cocked his head.
Fuck! She headed for the towel rack and wrapped one of the sheets around her. “To be honest, it really hasn’t been an issue before.”
He grinned. “Local men must be idiots.”
“No. They are not compatible.” She clapped her hand over her mouth, turned, and headed for a fresh robe.
She put on the robe and tied the sash a moment before she was certain he was right behind her.
“Compatible?”
“Just something Mr. Blue used to tell me.” She swallowed. “Please, excuse me.” She ducked away from him and headed for the snack area. All of these extra calories burned were making her hungry.
She was the only person in the snack area. She ordered her meal, a few beverages, and then she went to have a seat with the star scape spinning above her. One of the staff members came up to her with the drink order and assured her that her meal would be out in a few minutes.
She sipped at her tea and then surrendered to what her body was demanding. She curled her right arm up against her body and draped it across her breasts, hanging onto her left side while she sipped her tea. It looked odd, but it was comfortable and kept her muscles from tightening up again.
She looked up at the stars and smiled. All her life in space and she had never travelled beyond the confines of the station.
She heard the men laughing and chatting with each other as t
hey paused and placed their meal orders. She glanced over at them, and the captain wasn’t with them.
The crew came over to the table next to hers, and as they pulled out their chairs, they bowed and said, “Ma’am.”
She chuckled. She was younger than all of them, but she felt immeasurably older. “Where did he go?”
The men looked at each other, and one said, “He had to take a meeting.”
She smiled, and one of the men asked, “Ma’am, do you work at the entertainment center?”
She chuckled. “Only when things go wrong.”
They looked at each other, and one of them said, “Then, where did you meet Captain Yr-el?”
Styra shrugged, and she was frank. “I met him in his scenario. Things went wrong.”
Chapter Four
Yr-el glared at the other drake. “Mbrak, what the hell did you do?”
Mbrak smiled slightly. “What do you mean?”
He walked toward the full drake with menace. “You could have healed the damage to Styra easily.”
“No, only if I took her as mate. She and I are not compatible, so I simply made sure she had the maximum amount of medical care at our disposal.”
Yr-el growled. “What do you mean, not compatible?”
Mbrak sighed. “I mean that five generations ago, I fathered a child with a human, and it became her ancestor. It was when I was young and stupid, but she is my offspring, a few generations removed.”
“Why didn’t you get her a mate who could help her before this?” Yr-el was slightly less enraged at the obvious years of pain that his female had been through.
Mbrak snorted. “I have been trying. Do you know how hard it is to find a drake descendant with enough energy to heal someone with as much damage as she has? Half her organs are missing for the love of the first egg!”
“So, you lured me here?”
Mbrak grinned with bared teeth. “I did. Oh, there is still a personnel exchange for your empire, I just made sure that they were a little late and you were already here.”
“What if I had a mate already?”
Mbrak snorted. “I did my homework. Don’t be so outraged. I did what was necessary for my blood kin. Some of the others here are in the same situation, but they are in good health.”