Ariella's Keeper (Divinity Healers)

by Pillow Michelle M.

  “I’ll have the maids go through them and make us a list. Perhaps a few generic messages will suffice for the bulk of them.” Ariella lifted her hand, suppressing a yawn.

  The Medical Supreme said farewell to the last guest. Before he could turn to them, Ariella had turned to the stairs and was walking toward the bedrooms.

  “Ariella, won’t you join us?” his father asked.

  “I should begin organizing the gifts,” she answered, stiffly turning. Sebastjan watched her carefully, noting how her eyes didn’t look directly at the Medical Supreme. He had a feeling it was more than respect that kept her from the man’s company. “I wouldn’t want to be remiss in my duties and you have so very many friends.”

  “Of course,” Supreme Walter agreed. “Very well.”

  Ariella glanced at Sebastjan, briefly meeting his eyes before turning to rush away. He wasn’t sure whether to be frightened or amused by her quick handling of his father. As he’d suspected before, the woman appeared to be much smarter than the pleasant expression on her face would have people believe.

  “I told you, societal perfection,” his father said. “She knows her duty.”

  Or perhaps her reaction was merely societal training.

  Sebastjan watched his father walk away. There was more going on here than he’d been told. He’d bet his medical license on it.

  * * *

  Ariella waited for her husband to come to her and rescue her from the endless opening of packages. She was obliged to watch, even if she didn’t do the unwrapping herself. Over a dozen maids worked, several opening, others carting out the garbage to be picked up for incineration, another keeping record. Fine cotton scarves, marble figurines, linen robes, money—all of it beautiful and elegant and rich. But Ariella knew it to be more of a testament to her father-by-marriage and her husband than to herself.

  Looking at the door, she willed Sebastjan to come for her. He didn’t and she was not saved from her duty.

  “From Dr. Darcin, an urn,” one of the maids announced.

  Ariella sighed, turning her attention from the door. She folded her hands in her lap and nodded her head in acknowledgment.

  * * *

  It took two and a half days to go through the gifts, another to record the messages necessary, two seconds to send them all out, and still another day to have them packaged and sent to Sebastjan’s home at a faraway research facility. Just the idea of that facility gave Ariella cause for excitement. Finally, she would be free of her mansion prison.

  Only one thing worried her. Sebastjan had not come to her as he had their wedding night. He was polite when they spoke, let her walk through doorways first and even made her laugh a few times. But she always felt as if he was watching her, waiting, searching, wondering. Several times she wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but refrained. Her favorite part of the day came when they were alone outside in the garden for her afternoon walk. Though glass containers covered all of the greenery, the air was fresh and the company handsome.

  “This was my mother’s favorite plant,” he said, pointing at a small leafy bush. “She used to say it was the sturdiest of plants, the quiet ones, that truly made the garden. They were the ones you could depend on.”

  “She sounds like a wise woman,” Ariella had answered.

  “She used to sneak me into the garden boxes to touch the trees. My father found out and that is why all the doors now have locks. My mother hated my father and he hated her because he could not control her.”

  “But I am sure she loved you if she wished for you to see nature,” Ariella assured him.

  He didn’t look comforted. “She was committed to five weeks in a mental care facility for having tried to kill me with plant allergens. She was not the same when she returned.”

  Ariella had no answers for that.

  Each night, as she lay in bed, Ariella thought of what had happened between them on the wedding night. When he touched her, her skin had been on fire. She wanted to feel the flames again, the tense rise and trembling fall.

  It was with that thought she slipped from her chambers into the dimness of the hall. Her feet whispered over the stone. The wall monitors detected her, turning on to light her way as they let her know her heart was racing a little too fast and her breathing had become hitched.

  Coming to Sebastjan’s door, she tried to hesitate and catch her breath, but the sensors didn’t give her a chance. The door opened automatically, like a veil passing over her vision to reveal his bed. Her eyes found him easily in the dim light. He lay on his side, his back to her, bare, strong. The long line of his spine led from the shock of black hair to the tight curve of his ass.

  “Sebastjan?” she whispered to see if he would awaken. He stirred, slowly coming around to look at her with sleepy blue eyes. Ariella tugged at the string holding her new robe closed. The wedding gift slithered off her shoulders. Sebastjan instantly pushed up, his gaze going to her naked breasts. Light caressed his naked flesh, contrasting the hard lines of his muscles. The limp member between his thighs stirred, straightening with interest.

  Ariella had thought of this moment a lot, of what she would do and say. Words failed her and she found it hard to move when he looked at her with those smoldering eyes. She slowly stepped toward the bed. Her knee hit the mattress. Sebastjan didn’t move.

  “Sans Ariella,” he said, the tone like an acknowledgement, but his look made it feel more like a game.

  “Doctor,” she answered, her voice not as strong as she would have liked. She lifted her knee, placing it on the bed to slowly climb on.

  “How may I be of service?” he inquired.

  Ariella leaned forward and lifted her second leg onto the bed. “I thought I might be of service to you.” She felt heat rising over her features but didn’t back away. She sat back on her legs. Ariella’s flesh tingled and she felt the gathering moisture between her thighs. “You have not been to see me and I thought perhaps…” Her voice failed.

  His breathing visibly deepened and his member lifted and firmed. He lay back on the bed. “After…” he paused, studying her, “after our wedding night I thought it best to give you space.”

  “Space?”

  “To wait for you to come to me. I know that I did not behave, that I did not take care of you as I should have. Had I known you were a maiden, I would have been…better.”

  “Better? You mean the pleasure we felt could be better?” She arched a brow in surprise. His lips parted, but no sound came out. Ariella blushed. “That did not come out right. It was too forward. That is not how I meant to say…”

  “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

  She opened her mouth, but couldn’t think of anything clever to say.

  “An examination, perhaps?” he prompted, rolling slowly onto his stomach. “With your consent, of course.”

  It took her a moment to realize he meant for her to play the doctor and he her patient. She smiled, nodded and reached to touch him. Shaking fingers met warm, hard flesh. She followed the length of his back, pressing along his spine. Mesmerized, she cupped his ass, massaging the cheeks. He groaned, his hips flexing into the bed. Ariella explored his legs before coming back to his hips. Every time she worked her fingers, he groaned and thrust his arousal into the bed.

  “Mmm.” He turned back around, faster than before, to rest on his back.

  She drew her hand over his chest, following the valleys of his muscles. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. She traced her way down the center of his stomach, following the dark trail of hair leading to his cock. Before reaching the imposing shaft, she changed course, moving back up to his neck.

  Ariella touched his silky black hair, caressed his cheek and traced his firm lips. He opened his mouth, sucking her fingers against his tongue. He moaned, loud and deep.

  “I ache for you,” he whispered seconds before he opened his eyes in surprise, as if he hadn’t meant to speak.

  “Would you like me to relieve that ache?” she asked, wrappi
ng her fingers around his cock.

  Sebastjan reached for her breasts, massaging them in his palms. “Very much.”

  He urged her to come over him. She let go of his shaft, moving to straddle his thighs. He caressed everywhere he could reach, letting her take the lead. Ariella rubbed her sex against him, getting used to the feel. When she didn’t move to take him inside her, he lifted her up by the hips and flipped her onto her back. He threaded his legs between hers, parting her thighs.

  Then his lips met hers, sweet and easy. Gentleness poured into her from that kiss. It took her by surprise. Against her mouth, he whispered, “You set the pace. I will do it however you wish. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  His cock brushed against her pussy. He took her slowly, groaning as he rocked into her. Sebastjan continued to kiss her, tracing her lips with his tongue, distracting her senses. Her eyes drifted closed. She held onto his neck, kneading the muscles she found there. He took her in shallow thrusts, his hips working in small circles. Despite his offer, Ariella simply enjoyed the pace he set, letting him slide in and out. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

  Tension built and she eagerly awaited the finale. The excitement made her pant into his mouth. When he thrust, she pushed up harder than before and was rewarded with a jolt of sensations. And then it happened, a complete explosion of the senses. Her body shook as tremors racked over her. His release joined hers. For a long moment, he stayed frozen above her, breath held.

  Sebastjan rolled next to her, his arm touching hers. “I’m glad you came to me. I’ve been waiting for you every night.”

  “I think you put too much guilt on yourself for the wedding night,” Ariella said. “The pain was really nothing to the bone pain I grew up with. I know people here like to treat me like I’m a delicate piece of silk, but I’m not.”

  “Mmm,” Sebastjan moaned, reaching for her. He palmed a breast. “Are you sure? Your skin feels like silk.”

  She reached for his hand, touching it briefly before touching her shoulder. “It wasn’t always. I used to have these scars everywhere. There was a long one across my shoulder. One of my sisters hit me with a ritual candlestick.”

  “I’m sorry you lost them.”

  “I was told it was quick.” Even though she’d started the subject, she didn’t want to talk about that. Not right now.

  As if sensing her desire to change the topic, he said, “I know we are supposed to leave in a week, but I’d rather go sooner. I find it hard to breathe here. Would you mind?”

  Ariella couldn’t stop the grin from coming over her features. “I would really like that.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, why are you here? What happened to your family?”

  Ariella stiffened, her smile fading. Perhaps he hadn’t read her mind in that regard. “I told you. They were murdered on my plane. I was here, so I survived.”

  “We don’t have murder,” Sebastjan said. “What reason would someone have to do that?”

  “There was a rebellion between the two ruling houses. My father represented the House of the Goddesses. The House of Gods attacked and killed him and my older sisters.”

  “Why?”

  “It was discovered that my sisters were not pure. Vessels of the goddesses are meant to be pure. And the most ironic part of it all was that it was the sons of the gods who took their maidenhoods.” She sighed, dropping her hand from where his fingers lightly rubbed her breast. “It all feels so far away. I was only supposed to be here for a few weeks. My bones were fragile. They broke all the time despite the precautions everyone took. That is how I got most of my scars. When Divinity Corporation came seeking to copy our sacred texts for inter-dimensional analysis and comparison, they offered to bring me here in return. I never saw my family again. Divinity brought pictures of the aftermath as well as a faithful servant to tell me the news. I couldn’t go back. I don’t know any other planes and had nothing to trade with Divinity to take me anyway.”

  “And we fixed you.” Sebastjan drew his fingertip down her arm. He sounded so certain of the fact. They all did on this plane, as if they could cure everything—even death by old age. But the truth was, they had only managed to prolong life, not find the cure for the ultimate death.

  “The Medical Supreme fixed my bones and took away my physical scars,” she corrected. “He instituted my health regimen.”

  Suddenly, Sebastjan sat up on the bed. He turned to study her. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, touching the side of her face, he asked, “Is that why you agreed to this? Gratitude?”

  Gratitude? Ariella suppressed the urge to laugh, though she felt no humor in the idea. It wasn’t gratitude. She hadn’t even agreed. Not really. Still, as she looked at him, for all his newness to her, she couldn’t help but think there could be more between them. He had a brooding quality to him. It shone in his eyes, as if he was trapped in the same cage she was in. Still, after less than a week, she didn’t know him well enough to trust him.

  Closing her eyes, she said the only truth she could, “I am grateful to no longer carry the sickness I had when coming here.”

  Chapter Four

  “If you know what is best for you, you will make him stay another week,” Supreme Walter said without preamble as Ariella walked through the door.

  “How do you propose I do that?” She stopped just inside the room, not approaching the desk.

  “Tell him you wish to stay,” Supreme Walter answered, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

  “But I don’t,” she said. Her warden raised a brow at her tone. “I never did.”

  “Such gratitude,” he muttered.

  “I’m really beginning to hate that word, gratitude. What should I feel gratitude for? My family being killed? Being held prisoner? Being on an alternate reality that is nothing like my real home? Saved only to be poisoned? Forced to marry? Forced to smile? Forced to…?” Ariella didn’t know why, now, out of all the time she’d had these thoughts, that she allowed them to spill out of her mouth. She shrugged helplessly. “Sure. I’m grateful.”

  “I see my son is having an effect on you. I had rather hoped you would have had an effect on him.” Supreme Walter stood. “Regardless. If you leave before the week is up, I won’t give you the cure. If you tell my son, I won’t give you the cure. I will have this my way. Do you really want to give up the rest of your life to deny me one week.”

  “One week? What’s to stop you from—”

  “If you don’t stop talking and leave my office this instant, I won’t give you the cure.” His words were low, hard, and she saw the arrogance in every nuance of his expression.

  “Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep,” she answered. So what if he didn’t give her the cure. Sometimes she thought it might be better if he didn’t.

  “What was that?” he demanded.

  “I said, I’ll talk to him.” Her words were faint as she backed away from the hateful man.

  “See that you do.”

  * * *

  Sebastjan frowned at his wife, wondering at the sudden change in her demeanor. The night before, he’d felt as if they’d connected. They’d stayed up all night, talking, laughing, whispering, kissing. They even came together in the morning, finding sleepy release.

  “You wish to stay?” Sebastjan sighed heavily. “I thought we discussed this.”

  “Your father insists,” Ariella answered, as if that should have made a difference to him. “It is only for a week.”

  “Then it will be two weeks, then three. I know how the man works.” Sebastjan frowned. “No. I’m leaving. We’re leaving.”

  She refused to look at him, instead turning to stare at the hallway monitor. “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “What does my father have on you?” Sebastjan reached for her face, but she pulled away from him.

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “What can you tell me?” He re
ached for her again, this time forcing her to meet his eyes.

  Still she looked past his shoulder. “Nothing that pertains to this.”

  “You’re my wife, but your loyalty belongs to him.” Sebastjan let her go. “I should have known there was more to this arrangement than what I was seeing.” He sighed heavily, correcting himself, “I did know. I just didn’t want to think about it.”

  “Sebastjan.” The plea in her voice managed to stop him from walking away. “I want…I’m sorry I can’t tell you.”

  When he looked in her eyes, something inside of him wanted to believe her, to trust her and help her. But all he really knew about her was that she came from tragedy to his home plane and married him because his father wanted it. “Fine. If you wish it, we will stay one more week. No more.”

  * * *

  “One week. That is all,” Sebastjan informed his father sternly. “Any more than that and I will be shirking my duties.”

  Ariella hated the pleased look on Walter’s face as Sebastjan told him of their plans to stay. She took a quick bite of her food, hurrying to finish it so she could be excused.

  Medical Supreme Walter didn’t comment on his son’s statement. “Have you finished your communications, Ariella?”

  “Almost.”

  “Father,” Sebastjan said, standing. “Excuse us.”

  Walter nodded. “Check your monitor. I’ve posted a schedule for this week for you.”

  Ariella pushed up from her seat and followed Sebastjan from the room. When they were alone, he said, “You looked like you wanted out of there as fast as I.”

  “I want out of this house,” she admitted. “But if we go out the side door to the gardens he’ll see the door alarm and will most likely join us.”