Something about joining always left her hair a matted mess, and being with her so-called life partner multiple times that morning had taken a toll on her normally luscious locks. She programmed the style machine, positioned herself underneath the egg-shaped helmet and closed her eyes as the automatic brushes and combs worked their magic.
By all counts, Hallan could make the perfect life partner if one wanted a professional, tall, magnificent male with black hair the color of the universe and amber eyes. What she felt under her fingertips that morning was even more impressive when she actually got to see him. Every part of him was large, strong and hard, and the male could perform. Even sitting there, her core heated at replaying how his passion took over and he slammed into her, filling her as her climax encompassed her.
The only issue was she didn’t want a life partner, refused to adhere to the schedules, lists and obligations where there was a time for everything including joining. Oh, she got him to put his guard down for a few moments, but even the promise of more releases any way he wanted to have her didn’t stop the male from insisting they leave the bedchamber and start their day.
Above all else before these eight days were over, she had to figure out a way to see her family unit. What had they done to her? They put her in a position where she couldn’t say anything to her male or risk everything. An arranged partnership was one thing, acceptable and even desired. However, a forced partnership was something else entirely, frowned upon and disgraceful for all those involved.
The style machine finished and a knock on the bath chamber door jolted her out of her thoughts. “Yes.”
“It’s time to get started,” Hallan called to her.
Until she figured out her next move, she would have to go through the motions. She stood, ran her fingers through her freshly created waves, exposed a bit more of her chest and opened the door.
In a matching set of lounging attire, Hallan stood there. His gaze traveled over her and he lifted his eyebrows.
“Do you think this fits all right?” She stepped forward, took his hands and placed them on her breasts. Perhaps she could distract him away from all these limitations.
“I think it is perfect.” He cupped her breast then took her hand. “Are you ready?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to inspect my outfit?” She had to give it one more try.
What she wanted was for him to wrap his arm around her waist, pull her closer, give her one of those kisses again, forget about what they had to do, and play with her.
“You are a distracted one.” With a chuckle he tightened the sash around her waist then pulled a small clear cube out of his pocket. “We will join again this evening, the schedule allows for it.”
She groaned at the sight of the hated time blocks, little computer components that fit into the master system of their home. They organized everything. A simple look inside would give the user everything from schedules to information to reminders. They kept Tempore on task.
“Your parents informed me your blocks were lost in a tragic household accident.” As if he were presenting her with more jewels, he pulled another block out his pocket and handed it to her. “I purchased you a new set when I upgraded the system. Now our blocks will merge together seamlessly.”
In her palm the cube lit up, glowing yellow.
“How did you live without yours?” He put his arm around her and guided her out of the bath chamber.
“I managed.” She closed her fist around the hated thing, letting the corners gouge her flesh. Need she tell him that her blocks broke when she smashed them and used the shards for her latest art project? The piece was hidden in her parents’ home. Tempore didn’t take kindly to her type of art, creation with no limits, not made in a specified amount of time.
They entered the main room and she glanced around. If nothing else, her parents chose well for her. The male had funds—their quarters were outfitted in the latest furnishings in the on point colors. This season it was jewel tones, and the entire room was done up in rich reds, blues and gold.
“I’ve been told you are a decorator. If there is anything you would like to change you are welcome to do so,” he told her.
“All right.” She nodded and assessed the art. The same expensive and sought after geometrics and photographs graced his walls as those of the more upscale families. What would happen if she told him she was really an artist, the kind that created, didn’t have a computer generate her art from her thoughts for her? She was considered a pure waste of time.
He put his hand on the small of her back and led her to the meal preparation room. Again, all the newest gadgets greeted her, yet her stomach still tightened. Throughout the universe it seemed to be the female’s job to prepare the food and with the task came more counted minutes and seconds.
“Well, we need to merge our schedules.” He took his red glowing cube and placed it against her.
An orange light radiated from the two blocks and when she gazed inside, Hallan’s list was in her cube.
“You can see I leave for my employment at eight sharp. I prefer to eat thirty five minutes before I depart.” He reached over and turned the cube to one side. “I already input my preferred items. I would rather take my mid-day meal with me rather than eat out unless you can get the time to connect with me. We will schedule those meetings.”
Every life partner had those meetings. Mid-day meals at a bistro located mid-way between their work places for exactly forty-five minutes. When she went out she could pick out the couples, not only by their cuffs and their cubes, but their perfunctory kisses before they turned and parted, knowing later that night the time to join would be upon then and like it or not they would be together.
“As you add your items they will be in my cube.” He kissed her cheek. “They will synch together.”
She turned to him, once more admiring his looks. Normally she preferred males from other planets, as they were more free and easy, but nothing compared to a true Tempore man with his rugged sharp features. She pressed her body to his. “I think we already accomplished that task.”
“What are you trying to do?” He gave her another kiss, letting his lips linger.
“Let me show you.” Knowing he liked it when she kissed him, she opened her mouth and let their tongues touch.
Between them his erection grew. If she could get him back in the bedchamber before their time, they may have a chance, and she could avoid scandal, maybe at last she could comply with her family’s wishes.
As fast as he embraced her, he was as fast letting go. “Amsen.”
All right she could play this game. “Yes, Hallan.”
“Is it your fertile time?” He raised his eyebrows.
She backed up. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s on my list to ask you. I didn’t account for your fertile time, it is my error, but if it is, and we want to start having offspring we will have to adjust the schedule.” With a sigh, he stared down into his cube. “Honestly, we should wait until after the Merging Time to start as is tradition, and we need time to plan our Union Ceremony.”
Offspring? Fertile time? Merging time? She stared at him. That’s all she needed, a little one with only more time constraints.
“Actually, I am glad you brought this up. It is the perfect transition into our conversation time.” Continuing on as if they were having a normal talk, he took her over to the seating area. “When do you want to make time for offspring?”
For a moment, she considered her answer. “Do you think that’s something to make time for? Or do you think it’s something that should just happen?” History showed way back when that not everything was planned for. Then the great famine happened and the only way they survived was by putting a time to everything. Sure enough, over the years they thrived and everyone swore timekeeping was the key to life.
Hallan tilted his head a little crinkle formed between his eyebrows.
Considering he wasn’t laughing at her, she took a breath. “Hallan
, I need to ask you something.”
He leaned in. “I want you to know you can ask me anything.”
“Can I ask you anything at any time?” She had to know if he would understand what she asked.
“You’re my life partner.” His voice became low.
“Was it time for you to get a life partner?” Over and over she was told those words.
“You know the answer to that.” He pulled her closer. “Is that what you wanted to ask me? Now is the time.”
She huffed and turned away. “I suppose what I wanted to ask you was if we had to have a time for everything.”
He opened his mouth, but before he answered both their cubes vibrated in unison.
Instantly, his focus went to the little block. “It’s time we begin planning the Union Ceremony. I want us to have the best of everything.” He stood and held his hand out to her.
“Hallan.” Rather than take the offering, she crossed her arms.
“I’ve upset you.” He kneeled down in front of her.
How did she explain he didn’t upset her, but this situation upset her? Did she take a chance, tell him the nature of their union and disgrace both of them? How far did she let this go? “I need to tell you something. We have to make time for it.”
“I already know.” Now a smile took over his face.
Her heart seized. He knew this was forced and yet he still went through with it? What kind of sick male did she have? She shot up and scanned the area for an exit route.
“Amsen.” He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “There is no shame.”
She balled her hand in a fist and spun toward him. “What?”
“I know you are a Seren cycle late in partnering.” He gave her a soft kiss. “I know you couldn’t choose a life partner and that’s why your parents arranged it.”
Relief made her weak and she fell into Hallan’s arms. “You knew I was a cycle late and you still chose me as your life partner?” Normally, she would be at the bottom of the list of eligible partners. What happened that he wanted her?
“Of course.” He hooked his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up to his. “And for the record, should you need to ask me anything that can’t wait for our designated time, you ask me.”
She shut her eyes. In no way could she go on with this charade. “Hallan, I need to visit my family.”
He shook his head. “Now is not the time.”
How would she get him to agree? Leaving their residence during the Merging Time was frowned upon. “I’m asking you to make the time.”
4
Against his better judgment, Hallan allowed them to break the Merging Time and guided his suspendcraft to Amsen’s family unit’s home and lowered it to the ground. “Amsen.” He clutched the control wand.
“Thank you for doing this.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“We did not inform your family of our visit. They are not expecting us and we are taking up others’ time.” No partner of his could behave this way, yet he was the one who transported her here without a plan, without a schedule, without knowing what would happen next.
Instead of waiting for him to help her out, she slid the panel back and exited the vehicle. No sooner was she at the home’s entrance than the door opened and she disappeared inside.
He left his suspendcraft and walked inside like this was any visit, stopping when he spotted her father.
“Less than one Tempore revolution and she’s here?” The man lifted his chin and motioned for him to come inside. His tone sounded almost as if he expected them.
“It is not a permanent situation.” Hallan nodded. Though showing up unannounced was considered bad form, a quick glance around told them that her parents weren’t at all surprised by the company. On the table in the sitting room was a platter of fresh fruits and breads as well as a bottle of ale and three fine goblets. Three? He glanced over at her father. Perhaps they did interrupt some sort of gathering.
The man shrugged, strolled across the room to a shelving unit holding the finer dining pieces and took another goblet. “We were expecting her, not you.” He placed the goblet along with the others.
“Perhaps it was my idea to pay my newest family members a visit.” Right as he crossed his arms, Amsen’s cry echoed from the other room.
Both males turned toward the noise where Amsen dashed out across the room, skidded to a halt, looked between him and her father, then ran through another doorway at the other end of the room.
Before Hallan could say a word, Amsen’s mother mimicked her daughter’s actions and vanished through the same doorway.
For a few ghastly seconds the two males stood staring, causing Hallan to shift his weight from one foot to the other.
“Would you care for some ale?” Sr. Dadelon took his place on the seating and filled two of the goblets.
“Indeed.” Without looking directly at her father Hallan sat and grabbed the drink. “Just so you are aware, I know about Amsen.”
“She told you?” Sr. Dadelon scooted forward and grabbed a handful of the fruit meant to complement the ale.
Rather than reveal his information he took a sip of the drink and sat back.
“Well, if she told you, I have something you can take this back to your residence.” Her father stood, went to another room, and returned holding a huge square art piece that appeared to be made of crystals. “Amsen made this. She is an artist.”
“Artist?” He ran his hand through his hair. His partner had lied to him not once but twice. “You mean decorator, correct?”
“She goes through the motions of being a decorator, but actually she insists on being hands on with her art,” Sr. Dadelon explained.
“I assume that this art is the reason she was a year late in becoming joined?” He leaned in and studied her work. Upon closer inspection he realized the crystals were actually time blocks that had been smashed. Was this the horrible accident that befell her blocks? Another lie.
“We already discussed that,” her father said.
“Is there more?” He entered this arranged marriage under the knowledge he was getting a partner who may have been a bit off on her timing, but the untruths seemed to pile up on each other. They hadn’t even known each other long enough for him to be able to discern if lying was her norm or an anomaly. He wanted a partner, one to share his life with, not one where he had to wonder every second if she was real.
“I take it by now you figured out my offspring is not too fond of time,” her father said.
He answered with a nod. Everything his partner said told him she wanted to buck the system and not be concerned with seconds, minutes, hours or Tempore revolutions. All morning she tried to distract him with joining, with anything other than accomplishing their tasks. What else was she hiding?
The male sat back and crossed his legs. “She will learn that there is a time and place for everything. We chose you because you are a strong man, rigid and regimented. You need to put her in line.”
Hallan polished off his drink, and being that he was now family, helped himself to some more. If his partner wanted to be an artist, there were plenty of jobs that didn’t involve destroying time blocks, that didn’t involve wasting time. They chose him because he was available.
“Instead, we find you here only a short time after your pledging ceremony. We aren’t supposed to see or hear from you for eight days.” Her father hardened his tone. “How many of your tasks have you accomplished?”
Along with the drink he took some fruit and pastries, not realizing until the sweet treat hit his mouth how famished he had become. No wonder. They hadn’t had their early meal yet and it was way past time.
“Let me guess, there were no meals prepared, no discussion of a Union Ceremony, only her trying to lure you to do anything else than what needed to be done.” Her father refilled his glass. “You need to get my offspring under control. It was part of the vows you took less than one revolution ago. We discussed
you would be in charge, get her to be on time. It is your duty.”
Again, he filled his mouth. More than once he tried to get Amsen on track only to fail.
“There is an order to things for a reason. You’re not even supposed to be here,” her father reminded him.
With no retort he sat and ground his teeth together. Together they sat wasting time in silence when he should be with his partner in their Merging Time. It was time to get Amsen under control.
5
The moment Hallan pulled his suspendcraft up to her family unit’s home, Amsen’s chest tightened. Part of her didn’t know what she was doing here, but the bigger part needed to confront her parents, ask why they put her in such a situation, and why had they dragged Hallan into the mess?
The craft lowered to the ground. “Amsen.” Hallan’s voice came out tight and tense.
In Hallan’s residence she thought they might have a chance, but then the damn cube vibrated, it literally was a time block to everything good. Her life was controlled by cubes and by males, but somehow she won a small victory when she convinced him to take her to her home during their Merging Time. The fact he gave in made her emotions toggle between hope and despair. “Thank you for doing this.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“We did not inform your family of our visit. They are not expecting us and we are taking up others’ time,” he growled.
No one was every pleased with her. She could do no right. Rather than waiting for him to help her out, she slid the panel of the suspendcraft open and ran toward her home, or her old home, she didn’t know what anymore.
The door opened and she dashed past her father, noticing they already set up for her arrival.
Married. Wait! What? Page 27