by Shae Mills
Then she turned sideways and smiled, elated with her firm, flat tummy and curvaceous hips. She noted that she was not muscular like Iceanean woman, but then she wasn't Iceanean. Chelan wondered momentarily if the men she had met actually found her appealing, or if Dar had merely said that to make her feel better. After all, they were probably more attracted to their own kind, and from what Chelan had seen of Marri, Chelan did not exactly fit the mold. She shook her head. It didn't matter. She was pleased with her looks for the first time in her life, and that was what counted.
She continued to turn. Her legs were long and slender, her buttocks round and perfect, her waist small and shapely. Her thick, gold-brown hair now just brushed the top of her toned bottom, and Chelan loved the feel of it as it caressed her back.
She faced the mirror for one last appraisal before picking up the towel and walking back to the table to replace it. Suddenly, she froze. What had once been a bare counter now held a neatly folded white garment. She clutched the towel to her breasts and swung around to the entrance of the room, but saw no one.
"Jesus," she mumbled, catching her breath. She quickly wrapped the towel around her and turned back to the table. She tentatively touched the shiny white fabric; its hand was that of silk. She lifted it, the supple material straightening and glistening in the light. At some angles it displayed a subtle and amazing iridescence.
Chelan was rendered breathless by its beauty. Even though it looked and felt like fine silk, it was warm to her touch and almost seemed to have a life of its own. Its weave was so delicate and elegant Chelan could barely see it. It was almost weightless, and ever so soft.
Is it for me? she wondered. She stepped back from the table and let it unravel to its full length. She turned abruptly again, checking for unwelcome guests, but saw and heard no one. Slowly, she returned to the mirrors and held the garment up to her body. White was definitely one of her colors, as it complimented her rosy skin and her dark eyes.
Chelan took one more cursory glance around and then let her towel fall. Quickly she pulled the dress over her head and let it flow over her body. It had narrow straps that led to a low, rounded neckline that revealed just a small amount of her pretty cleavage, the stretchiness of the fabric hugging her firm breasts and shapely figure. From her hips, it dropped straight down, just brushing the floor. Chelan turned. Each side of the dress was split to her upper thigh, and the back was cut low in a smooth arc.
She faced the mirror once again, and when she moved the gown flowed about her in liquid splendor, its stunning form surprising even her critical eye. She looked like she was ready for Hollywood's red carpet. The only thing she was a bit self-conscious about was how exposed she felt about her erect nipples, but drawing her long, silken tresses forward took care of that. She ran her hands over her hips, loving the feel of her new feminine body under the gown's caress.
"A beauty, for a beauty," came the deep, quiet voice.
Chelan whirled around and found Dar standing at the entrance, his eyes intent upon her as they ran the length of her exquisite body. She clutched at her throat as she caught her breath. "You scared the life out of me," she uttered in a strained whisper.
"I'm sorry." He took a step into the light of the room. He placed one hand up into the entry way and leaned against it.
Chelan could tell that he had been working out as his naked upper body was covered with moisture, and his normally feathered hair hung limply about his face and shoulders. "Have you been outside the whole time?" Chelan asked, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
"I was in the workout area when you walked past for your shower." He noticed her blushing, and he grinned. "Don't worry, I didn't peek... much."
Chelan fidgeted with the gown. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
"It should be I who thanks you," Dar began, "for wearing it, and for adding such beauty to this stark and barren ship."
Chelan smiled demurely, gazing back into his azure eyes. Then rousing herself from his spell, she walked up to him and placed her hands on his chest. Slowly, she rose on her toes and kissed the side of his face.
"What was that for?" he asked softly.
She kept her palms on his chest, feeling his powerful heartbeat below them. "For taking care of me, and for making me feel welcome in your domain," she murmured.
He pushed off from the wall and placed his hands on either side of her face. Raising her mouth to his, he kissed her simply and gently. His eyes opened the same time as hers, and he whispered back to her. "It's the least I can do for you, my pretty lady."
He took a moment to soak in her beauty, his thumbs caressing her petal-soft cheeks. His heart thudded against his chest, and he knew that he could not restrain himself. He tasted her lips again, lingering in a moment of ecstasy. Then he nuzzled her gently. "I only hope that someday, you will let me give to you the kind of physical pleasure that a beauty like you deserves." Dar's eyes searched hers for her acceptance. But finally, she gave him his answer by averting her gaze. Dar drew her into him, his arms gently squeezing her against him.
"You must be angry with me," she muttered.
"No," he said softly. "But I do think that you are loyal to your heart to a fault."
"What do you mean?"
Dar smiled down at her. "In my world, you can give your heart and your soul to a man, being his mate and his lover for as much of the time as possible. But when he leaves you, or when you are alone, there is nothing wrong with seeking physical pleasure from others."
Chelan shuddered. "I'm not ready for that," she said apologetically. "That is not my way."
"I know," he acknowledged warmly. "And I can wait until it is your way."
His light demeanor put her at ease with him, but not with herself. Her Earth-imposed boundaries of right and wrong were greying, and with that lack of definition her confusion surrounding these men and her feelings for them was mounting. But confounding her emotions further was her never-ending struggle with her past. It was all almost too much to handle.
Dar released his hold on her and stepped back. "But remember, I may not be able to wait too long," he added with a twinge of humor. His smile intensified, and he turned toward the shower.
Chelan had not seen Dar in what seemed to be an eternity, and now she realized just how dearly she had missed his company. She watched his powerfully controlled motions as he bent down and removed the four knives from his boot sheaths.
Chelan stepped up to him and looked at the weapons. This was the first time that the true implications of his career struck her. She summoned forth all her courage. "Have you ever killed a man with your bare hands?"
Dar hesitated momentarily. Then he placed the lethal blades carefully on the table. "Would it bother you if I said yes?"
Chelan vacillated. She already knew the answer. He was bred and built to kill. It was as simple as that. He was a human war machine, and every muscle in his body and every weapon that he packed was testament to that. In Chelan's mind, the question should have been how many had he killed, not if he had. "No," she finally answered, and only then did she notice how rigidly he had been holding himself. "Does it ever bother you?"
Dar took a deep breath. "Sometimes, but rarely."
Chelan felt an unanticipated twinge of fear course through her bones. "Korba was supposed to kill me," she stated as calmly as she could.
Dar did not react.
She looked back at the knives. "If I had been brought here to begin with, would you have..." her voice trailed off.
Dar was totally unprepared for the intensity of the emotion that hit him. He rebelled at the thoughts and the images that surged unbidden into his disciplined mind. He looked down at the floor and placed one hand on his hip. He knew her eyes were upon him, and he finally looked back at her. For the first time he could remember, he felt wholly disquieted as he stared down at her pretty neck, the neck he would have slit without a moment's hesitation, the neck he stormed at Korba for saving.
Chelan sensed the torment she was pu
tting him through, and she knew that she was not being fair. She stepped up to him, threading her hands around his neck and burying her face in his hair. "I'm sorry," she offered.
Dar felt the emotional daggers recede from his flesh, but only partially. He wrapped his strong arms around her as he immersed himself in her sweetness, his thoughts tumbling.
Chelan withdrew from him slightly. "I'm sorry, Dar. That was cruel." She ran her fingers through his beautiful mane, her eyes riveted to his in apology.
As he drank in her beauty he realized just how many rules had been broken in the past by so many to allow her to remain alive. And because of those broken rules, he now embraced her within his arms, her presence indelibly etched into his soul. It could have all been so different. One millisecond, one flash of a blade, and she could have been gone.
His chest once again constricted as images of her death cartwheeled through his thoughts. The reality staggered him. He was not used to such intense feeling assailing him. This was not normal. This was not him.
"Please... forgive me," Chelan whispered. But still he did not move. Chelan's trembling hands flew to her mouth. Suddenly, she was afraid of the tangible beast before her, his silence causing terror to seize her. Maybe he was contemplating the unthinkable.
Her mind raced for ways to save herself. Then in flawless Iceanean, she implored softly. "Please, Dar, please forgive me. I love you so much." His eyes snapped to hers. "I never meant to hurt you. You have cared for me so well. Please don't spurn me."
Chelan had stunned him for the second time in as many minutes. To hear her speak his tongue, and to speak it so beautifully, moved him beyond words. Dar took her shaking hands in his. He drew her into him. "I could never turn you away, Chelan," he uttered softly in his own language. "I love you, also."
Suddenly, the Warlord inhaled sharply, his revelation astonishing him. He did love her, and he was at a loss as to how he had succumbed to such a powerful emotion so easily. He looked down at her with a renewed fascination. Their lips met, and Dar's embrace of her instantly became feverish. His hands traversed the length of her slim back, and he pressed her into him protectively.
Chelan hugged him frantically, afraid to ever let him go. She felt as though she was cocooned in a warm sea of unfettered love, treading water and barely keeping her head above the tide of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Her heart danced.
Dar's hands continued to stroke her, his touch now that of reverence. Then he looked down into her languid eyes. "Come with me," he breathed.
"Where?"
Dar nuzzled into her neck, kissing her, tasting her, nipping her. "I want to bathe with you."
Chelan stiffened. She pressed her eyes closed against the swirling vortex of uncertainty that threatened her equilibrium. "I..." she uttered weakly.
Dar cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing her lips. "Let me share myself with you."
Chelan quailed as she stared into his azure eyes, overwhelmed by the intensity she saw within them. "I..." She stuttered, her knees threatening to give way. "I can't... I won't..."
Dar kissed her hard, his lips instantly parting hers, his tongue exploring eagerly. Chelan moaned, her resolve weakening.
Dar pulled back again and rested his forehead against hers, his chest rising and falling deeply. "I won't take you," he rumbled, his voice heavy with need.
Chelan's hands clasped his wrists, the intensity of her grip mirroring the struggle within her mind.
Suddenly, he spoke again, his gruff voice startling her. "Answer me, Chelan."
Chelan's grip loosened, and her hands fanned over his forearms and up his bulging biceps. His fingers brushed along the side of her face, taming the tendrils of hair that dared to lag. "I will not take you," he repeated. "You have absolute control over everything." He hesitated, his voice once again dropping to a whisper. "And a no at any time halts all."
Chelan's eyes darted to the shower and then back to the giant gripping her. She carefully processed all his words and then swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes," she croaked, her voice barely audible.
She saw his eyes close almost as if with relief. But when he looked back at her the blue flame of desire within them caused her to cringe.
Dar pulled her up straight. "Be sure," he stated in a low command.
Chelan chewed at her lip as she contemplated all that was being offered to her. She felt as though she was almost drugged, a lethal combination of euphoria and anticipation mixed with worry and tempered by fear. "You cannot expect... I mean, I've never..."
He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "In my world, no is no when spoken at any time."
Chelan could feel his emotions leaching from his body, saturating her with strength and assurance, fortifying her belief in his words. "Yes," she breathed.
At her utterance of acceptance, he dropped to one knee in front of her. He ran his hands from her ankles to her knees and halted. Chelan gasped at his touch and looked down at him in wide-eyed abashment. Dar's eyes penetrated hers as his body began to ascend hers with powerful, liquid grace. His hands traced up under her dress and over her silky thighs, raising the material effortlessly with his stroke.
Chelan felt a small sense of relief from the fact that his eyes remained on hers, but she shuddered as his hands slowly traced over her hips and waist. She swallowed hard. She was committed now, and she prayed that she could endure her decision, her unsteady stance once again threatening to give way.
Dar sensed her trepidation, but his desire to consume her was ardent, and as long as she did not resist, he would press on. His hands continued their journey up her powdery skin, stopping momentarily at the edges of her breasts while he caught his breath. She could no longer look at him, but she raised her trembling arms in response to his pressure, and he continued.
Then, in one indulgent motion, he removed the silken gown and cast it aside. He watched her immediately cover her breasts in shyness while suppressing a cry of anxiety at her exposure. He moved his hands to her shoulders, pulling her into the security of his body and the shelter it provided. Finally, with time, her breathing eased, and she released herself, her arms reaching around his waist and holding him tightly.
Dar held her warm, soft body close for a long time. He stroked her lustrous hair, and he wondered if this was really happening. She was becoming his, and now he had to walk the fine line of control between his rampant desire to take her completely and his understanding of her need to progress slowly.
With both hands, he traced up her shoulders to her neck and pushed her back just enough so he could taste her lips once again. When she responded, his caresses became more aggressive, and his tongue boldly explored her warm, honeyed mouth.
Chelan was melting, and she ran her hands up his smooth chest. With that move, she felt his touch leave her body, his lips still holding her attention. She detected some subtle body motions as his muscles rippled, but nothing more. Then his arms encircled her, one hand flattening out over her upper back at the base of her neck, the other just above her buttocks, and he pressed her firmly into him. Her eyes opened wide in surprise as she felt his total nakedness against her. She instantly drew away from his mouth to catch her breath.
Dar smiled down at her, his large hands smoothing over her flesh along her arms and to her hands. There, he raised them to his lips and kissed her fingertips tenderly. Then he moved quickly, scooping her from the floor as though she were a feather. Chelan grabbed him tightly about the neck, pressing close to him, covering as much of herself as she could. He walked with ease to the shower and let her legs slip from his grasp as he lowered her slowly before him. He hit the water panel, and the ceiling of the large stall came to life with raindrops. He held her about the waist for a long time, absorbing her beauty with his eyes, his skin, and his heart.
Suddenly, he frowned as he reached for her arm. She was coated with goosebumps, and he peered back at her. "Why didn't you tell me the water was too cold for you?"
He did not wait for her answer but turned to adjust the temperature. Chelan grabbed him by the arm. "No," she blurted anxiously, feeling horribly exposed by his departure.
Dar watched as she once again hugged her breasts in shyness. But he turned away and raised the water temperature ever so slightly. Then he returned to her and slowly reached for her arms, gently coaxing them from their defensive position.
Chelan's skin reddened, and she closed her eyes in embarrassment. But Dar was persistent. He was going to break her of her prudishness one way or another. Stubbornly, he held her arms at her sides, watching her quake before him.
Finally, his gaze left her face and travelled down her familiar slender neck to her shapely breasts. He was spellbound by her sexual fullness, her dark pink nipples accentuated by her flesh's response to the cool water. A deep throaty groan erupted from his lips as the visual stimulus sent a piercing lance of heat through his loins.
Chelan opened her eyes just in time to see him descending upon her. She took a deep breath and held it, her self-consciousness nearly overwhelming her. Dar released her arms and held her waist as he knelt down on one knee before her. He lovingly kissed her neck, her shoulder, her breast, and finally her nipple. Chelan gasped, throwing her head back in a surprised response to his lips. Her breath caught, and her inner thighs felt slippery moist.
Dar withdrew and looked in awe at her voluptuous bounty. He gently cupped her breasts in his hands, and they yielded so beautifully to his light pressure. He held his breath as he drew his fingers over her hard nipples and manipulated them tenderly.
Chelan was instantly awash in ecstasy, her body drowning in foreign feelings and emotions. She looked down at him and ran her hands through his long, wet hair. She moaned and reflexively drew his head into her. Dar responded immediately, taking her nipple into his mouth and drawing in as much of her breast as he could. He sucked her strongly while his tongue flickered over the sensitive tip. With his fingers, he teased and twisted her other nipple ever so exquisitely, tugging and kneading her, torturing her expertly.