by Viola Grace
The song in her head was soothing, and after she had wandered in the gardens, she followed it back to the beach. The water had changed its mood. The waves crashed and twisted against the shore.
She was drawn to the water again. Zel couldn’t figure out the instinct that forced her to walk into the waves, but she stopped with the water at mid-thigh and closed her eyes as it surged around her.
She couldn’t say how long she stood in the water, but when she felt it lapping at her navel, she turned to walk back the shore. The move was a mistake. Her legs were numb; she stumbled and went under. Her instincts for self-preservation were rusty, but she fought her way back to the surface in order to gasp before the water pulled her under again.
Cold panic, she fought to the surface again and breathed in, looking at the shore in the distance. She was being swept out to sea.
The pull of the current hauled her under again, but instead of being swept in a swirl of confusion, hands caught her and held her, lifting her to the surface.
She was pulled back into the air, and she gasped, coughing up the water she had swallowed. Her rescuer swam easily through the water, bringing her back to the shore in a matter of minutes.
She was pinned against his chest and couldn’t see him, but when he lifted her from the water and carried her to the beach, she noted that the arm holding her was pale blue.
Her rescuer didn’t pause to set her down; he carried her across the beach, up the steps and into her house.
He knew where he was going. That much was certain.
She was still coughing and couldn’t ask who he was, but the bots ignored him as he walked into the medical office and set her on the exam bed, moving the scanner over her with practiced gestures.
She stared at him. He was tall, that was certain. His skin was pale blue all over and darker blue around his mouth, nose and eyes. His hair was silky black, and it cascaded down his back between the huge blue and silver wings. The rest of him was taut, lithe muscle.
He was also completely naked, but his interest in her seemed confined to watching the scanner do its job.
His navy-blue eyes and lips were tense until the scan chirped that she was perfectly healthy. At that point, he looked angry.
“What did you think you were doing?” His voice boomed and rumbled in the small room.
She frowned. “I was called to the water, but I lost track of the tides and was pulled under.”
His wings flexed and his hands opened and closed. “Can you even swim?”
Zel blinked. “Of course. Well, I can in a pool. I have never been near the ocean before. I underestimated the force of the currents.”
He exhaled and ran a webbed hand over his face. “Well, that is something. Your child is still in place, your body is healthy and you need some hot tea but otherwise are perfectly fine.”
She sat up, still soaked but recovering. “Who are you?”
He laughed and bowed low. “Rad Ahku of the Drai.”
She inclined her head from her perch on the exam bed. “Zelia of Terra.”
“I am aware.” The smile on his face changed him from terrifying to extremely attractive.
“If you are a Drai, is this your home?”
“I have offered it to you and our offspring.”
She blushed. “So the child I am carrying is yours?”
“Yes.”
“And this house is yours?”
He shrugged. “I created it for my mate and child. I can settle for it sheltering my child.”
She swallowed. “So, you don’t have a...mate?”
He chuckled. “No, and no other woman will be in this home while you live. It is yours for your lifetime.”
Zel looked down at her wet dress and blushed. “If you are here, I should move into one of the smaller bedrooms.”
“No!”
She flinched back and slipped off the opposite side of the bed. “Um. I think it would be a good idea. This is your house. I don’t want to be where I am not wanted.”
Zel turned and headed out the door and up the stairs to the bedroom. She needed some dry clothing before she could think of what to do next.
From the moment she had set foot in the house, she had known it didn’t belong to her. It was too good to be true.
She stripped off her wet dress and went looking for alternate clothing. She found a red, sleeveless tunic and some tights. With the clothes over her arm, she headed to the bathroom and took a solar shower.
When she emerged from her sanctuary, she was dressed, her hair was combed over one shoulder and she was ready to figure out what to do next.
Rad was leaning on one shoulder in the doorway to the master bedroom. “I am not moving in.”
She bit her lip. “This is your home.”
“This has never been my home. My home is out in the open ocean, but that was never going to work with a family. My child will grow up under this roof. It is my honour to provide it for you.”
Zel blinked and ran her hands down her thighs. “I don’t want to be in the way.”
“The bots were programmed for you. The gardens are for you. You are not in the way; you are the purpose of this place.” He smiled.
“I thought it was for your mate.”
“I thought so, too, but you do not wish a mate and you do wish a child, so I will take what I can get.”
Part of Zel’s mind said that he was giving in too easily but another part mumbled something about cows and free milk. He would have the child that he obviously wanted and his lifespan was centuries longer than hers. He would have their child to himself soon enough.
She nodded and cautiously walked toward the doorway. “Thank you for the place to live. It is exceptionally lovely.”
He inclined his head. “I do wish to address your lack of ability in the ocean. You need to learn how to take care of yourself in open water.”
“I’m pretty sure that I am good for a while.”
“Nonsense. We live at the edge of the open water. You need to be confident that you can survive if you are pulled into the surf again.”
She shivered at the look in his eyes. If she didn’t know better, he was planning on pulling her under right there and then.
“I am sure that I can practice on my own somewhere. There has to be a section of beach nearby that is more sheltered than this cove.”
Rad cocked his head. “There is indeed. You cannot reach it on foot, but I could definitely give you lessons there.”
“I don’t want to intrude on your schedule.”
He snorted. “The monks have the mineral extraction well in hand.”
“The ones who live in the interior?”
“Precisely.”
“Why isn’t there anyone else on this world?”
He chuckled. “Because I bought it and the three next to it. The people of my world were moving to interdict our space, and I am an abnormality, even among my own. There was the whisper of an idea to leave, and I did. I was urged to sleep until a mate presented herself in my vicinity, and I did, for the most part. I woke and tended to my world, keeping invaders from making a home here and inviting the Remyik order to set up housekeeping. They acted as watchers and woke me when there was an issue to deal with.”
“But, why monks?”
“They have both sexes but restrict breeding. Their population does not grow.”
That made a certain amount of sense. If he didn’t want his world overrun while he slept, a group that didn’t have an interest in expanding was key.
She eased past him and into the hallway, heading for the study. His even footfalls were right behind her.
When she entered the study, he followed her in.
She turned and looked up at him, trying to meet his dark gaze. “Um, why are you following me?”
“You have not answered me.” He smiled.
She thought seriously and cocked her head. “About the swimming?”
&nb
sp; “Yes.”
“I think I might want to avoid the water for a few days.”
“Nonsense. You need to learn to master your environment. I will come for you at dawn tomorrow when the surf is still.” He took one of her hands, lifted it to his lips and the kiss he pressed to her knuckles sent a shockwave through her limbs.
She could feel her heart pounding in her throat as he departed.
Her neat plan for herself had just taken a very dramatic turn.
Chapter Five
Rad was true to his word. At dawn the next morning, his hand on her shoulder woke her.
She clutched the bedding to her chest and squeaked. “Um, I need a minute.”
He looked from her to the bed and back again. “Why are you clinging to the edge to sleep? You have the entire bed to roll around in.”
She remained still. “I am used to sleeping in a small space. I also want to keep it simple for the bots to make the bed.”
A bot rolled up with her robe. Zel cleared her throat. “Could you turn around? I need to get dressed and attend to brushing my teeth.”
He smirked and turned, extending his wings to give her more privacy.
She scooted out of the bed and pulled the robe on, pattering to the bathroom and attending to morning functions while her brain tried to start.
Zel had never had a man in her bedroom in the morning, that he was standing next to her completely nude had also been very distracting. Yesterday, he had been concerned for her wellbeing; today, he had been enjoying the view.
When she was ready to face him, she settled the robe into place again and headed into the bedroom.
He was seated at the dressing table with his wings dragging on the floor behind him. “Are you ready to swim?”
She looked at the bot that normally selected her wardrobe. “I don’t know what I should wear.”
“Nothing. There is no need for concealment. Clothing will only get in the way while you swim.”
Public nudity was not something she was prepared for.
He chuckled. “You are already carrying my child; there can’t be any additional importuning that I could manage. I promise not to push any advantage.”
Zel blinked in surprise. “Oh. I suppose that will be fine.”
She walked out the balcony door, and he caught her the moment she was outside.
He lifted her in his arms. “You do not wake up easily, do you?”
She wrinkled her nose. “It must have something to do with the changes I underwent in the tank. I have always been able to stay awake as long as I liked and wake up immediately, but that is just another in a long list of changes that I have gone through or that have gone through me.”
He nodded. “Remember to breathe.”
She didn’t have a chance to ask him what he meant. He stepped to the edge of the balcony, stepped onto the rail and dropped off.
It was her second squeak of the day, and she closed her eyes tightly, turning toward Rad as the steady beat of his wings took them out and away from the house, in the direction of the swelling dawn.
When she was used to the heavy beat, she looked cautiously around and watched the sand and water meeting far below. They were flying up the coast, and when they reached a small, sheltered cove with a visible sandbar across it, he descended to the sand.
“So, you just run around naked all the time?” It sounded judgemental, and it probably was.
He chuckled. “I rarely spend time in this form. In the other, there is no need for clothing.”
She nodded. It made sense. “Of course. Sorry. It is a cultural difference I will just have to get used to.”
His grin was infectious. “There is no reason for you to wear anything during the day, either. Your body is exceptionally well constructed. There is no need for concealment.”
“Actually, heat loss is an issue for me. I do find things rather cold in the evenings. Clothing helps that small matter.” She shivered and her skin pebbled.
“Are you cold?” He seemed surprised.
“Only the parts of me that aren’t touching you.” She shivered again. “Don’t worry, I warm up when I either exercise or eat.”
“Then, the lesson had better get underway. First, I will need to assess your skills, and from there, we will work on technique, followed by lung capacity.”
“Just like that?”
“This comes naturally for me, but for you, it is a skill. First, we will see how you can already move, and then, we will refine the technique. It will be tiring, but I will feel better about your chances for survival here. Put yourself in my hands.”
She nodded. “Fine, but only because your hands are warm.”
Rad laughed. “I promise to help you warm up after the workout. Come on.”
He set her on her feet and walked her into the surf. The first lesson was about to begin.
To her surprise, the water wasn’t as cold as it had been the day before. “This water is warmer.”
“There is a volcanic undercurrent nearby. It heats the cove to a temperature more suitable for you.”
Zel blinked. “You picked this place for me?”
“Of course, it has the right sheltering structure and the warmer waters that deter larger predators as well as encourage more timid wildlife to shelter here. It is a safe place to learn some of the fish of the oceans.”
She was knee deep in the water when she saw brightly coloured flashes under the surface. They were apparently coming to greet the largest predator on the planet. She just happened to be next to him.
“We will begin with breathing.” He grinned and pulled her deeper as the lesson began.
She demonstrated that she could swim perfectly fine in still water. When he told her to hold her breath and he pulled her under, she realised how deep they had managed to go.
He held her under the water, and she held her breath, staring into his eyes. She managed to relax, and the spent air seeped from her lungs with slow bubbles rising to the surface. She kept her gaze locked to his, and when she finally couldn’t manage it anymore, she kicked at his hands beginning the fight to free herself.
He didn’t let go.
She felt her lungs ache, her heart pound, and she got angry at the grip he had on her. Zel bent forward and clawed at his hands, and when that didn’t work, she went for his eyes. That got the reaction that she wanted, and she headed for the surface.
It was further than she imagined, and the spots that had teased her eyes grew larger and larger until she blacked out.
She was sitting in the sun. Rad had her on his lap, and he was untangling her hair with his fingers.
“I apologise. I pushed you too hard. You do have a very good basic ability to swim, so that is good. We will just have to work on your lung capacity.” He seemed very chipper.
Zel nodded. “Right, but not today.”
“No. I will fly you back to the house. You can rest and relax for the rest of the day.”
She sighed and stared up at him. “You tried to drown me.”
Rad blinked. “I was testing your limits. I did not realise that you had already reached them. You didn’t give any normal signs.”
She made a face. “That is my skill. I can follow instructions forever unless it endangers me.”
“Your skill?”
“Obedience. It only goes so far, and then, I snap, as you saw.” She reached up and stroked the gouges she had made in his cheek.
“I will heal. It is less than I deserve.”
She couldn’t argue with that.
“Do you have any questions?”
“Yes, if you have been here so long, where did the med scanners come from?”
He got to his feet and flexed his wings slightly. “I designed them while I was still on Drai. It seemed only right to sell some of the patents to support myself.”
Realisation dawned. “That is how you could buy a planet.”
“And the moons and
other uninhabited worlds in this system.”
She smiled. “Any questions on your part?”
He ran his fingers over her ribs and the marks on her arm. “What made these?”
“A shotgun. It is a projectile that fires small metal pellets in order to have a wider strike radius.”
Rad looked a little angry. “How did this happen?”
“I distracted a man and robbed him of his intended target.”
“What happened to him?”
“He was arrested after he was treated for second-degree burns.”
Rad’s face twitched as if he was struggling with control. He nodded tightly and bent his knees before pushing down with his wings. A few wobbly wingbeats took them higher, and then, his pace evened out as wind was scooped and propelled away.
The wind blew over her damp hair, and she shivered as he flew them back to the house. She definitely needed a solar shower and a change of clothing.
Once she was dressed, she felt better, if exhausted. The bots made clicking noises of concern and wrapped her in a dress, shawl and boots. Apparently, she was registering a little on the cool side.
In the living space on the main floor, she sat curled up in a couch while the bots brought her endless rounds of hot tea.
Rad sat on a chair that appeared designed for him, but then, it probably was. “The bots like you.”
She twitched her lips in a smile. “I am glad. I was afraid that they took offense to my singing along.”
“Singing?” He took a teacup and saucer from one of the bots.
“More of an off-key humming, but I have been crooning along with the music in my head.”
She sipped at the tea and sighed happily as the warmth spread through her.
“You have been hearing music?”
Zel narrowed her eyes. “I know it is you singing or, rather, synching my mind to yours. I read the Drai dossier.”
He raised his brows. “Is it?”
She snorted. “Of course. Unless you have put another Drai somewhere on this world; in which case, I think my getting naked swimming lessons from you is a little crass.”