He growled. Why couldn't he have fallen for one of his own kind? It would have been simpler.
Yet he couldn't truthfully even think of sharing the same intimacies with any other female apart from Tera. Yes, once he could have. Not so long ago he'd diddled with the best of them. The Felys females were no slouches when it came to sex, but the mating ... the true mating was something he only desired with a certain blue eyed female of Argon descent.
So what are you going to do about it? Sit here and stew? Continue to ignore your pathetic hard-on, you poor excuse of a ham-handed Felys?
Nope, it was time to get educated. And there was only one man who could answer his questions. He just hoped Wylin wouldn't try to rip his head from his shoulders when he found out that he'd been diddling with Tera.
Illam bared his teeth. Just let him try. Just—oh crap. There was the protection thing. Ah well. Sighing, he sighed, stood up determinedly, gave himself a vigorous shake, and strode across to the house where Wylin and Tera were staying.
The sun shone down brightly from above, the morning warm and carrying the scent of flowers.
And of Tera. He very nearly swung around mid-stride to head towards the healers’ hut instead, where the seductive smell of Tera was calling to him, but with an irritated twitch of his ears, he manfully continued onwards.
If he wanted to diddle or anything else with Tera, he had to have answers to give her, and himself. She'd been totally honest with him last night, and as a male, her potential mate, and her lover, he had to do the same.
By Delcat, why couldn't diddling be less problematic?
Walking around to the back of the house, he entered the kitchen through the back door.
Wylin looked up from where he was pouring a cup of hot una. “Thanks for knocking."
"Don't mention it.” Hooking out a chair with his foot, Illam kicked it around and sat down, straddling it and folding his arms across the backrest. “I need to talk to you."
"Really?” The Argon bodyguard didn't seem surprised. Calmly he added a splash of milk to his cup. “Did you come from the healers’ hut?"
"No."
"You're fortunate to catch me here. I came back to get a hot drink before ambling off to collect food samples with Denyon."
"I saw you come back here.” Illam raised one brow. “How come you're actually leaving Tera alone? You normally stick to her like mud to a blanket."
"She's really busy collecting data, and I'm helping her out. Besides, Denyon says the food storage facility isn't far. And Tera's safe with your people. In any case,” Wylin's knowing gaze slid up to meet Illam's, “She's under your protection, too."
Illam rubbed his chin and eyed the bodyguard, trying to determine how much he suspected—or knew. “Oh?"
Wylin added a generous portion of sugar to the hot brew in the mug. “You know, Illam, Tera is like a sister to me. We grew up together. Anyone hurts her, and I'll personally rip their head off."
Oh great. Not one to beat around the bush, Illam asked bluntly, “Are you trying to tell me something?"
Hooking out a chair with his own foot, Wylin sat down and leaned back, stretching his legs out beneath the table. He regarded Illam steadily. “You and Tera are having sex."
Yeah, I wish. I haven't got that far yet. “Tera told you?” Illam didn't like that thought.
"What, you thought I slept while she went out canoodling with you? I'm her bodyguard, I know her movements, even when she thinks I don't. I watched until she got safely to your house, then I went back to bed."
"Then you went to sleep."
"Then I heard you yowling like a lycat on hot coals and figured Tera had done something to you,” Wylin replied frankly.
Illam sheepishly rubbed the side of his hand behind one ear.
"I didn't go to sleep until I heard her come back into her room.” Wylin took a careful sip of the hot una and watched Illam over the brim of the mug.
"And yet you haven't ripped my head off,” Illam muttered.
"Be sure, if you hurt Tera it will be my reaction."
"I'm surprised you're taking this so well.” Illam tried to gauge the Argon's thoughts, but the man was an expert in maintaining a stoic expression.
"Tera warned me off interfering in her love life.” Wylin shrugged. “She's a grown wench, she knows her own mind, makes her own decisions. Her decision to have an affair with you, that's her business. My business is ensuring her safety until we get back to Argon.” Wylin's eyes remained blank. “But I'm sure you didn't come here to confess to having relations with my friend."
The emphasis was a blatant reminder that Wylin would take offense on Tera's behalf if Illam did anything to her. Anything bad, that was.
"You're right,” Illam said. “And seeing as how you're being so honest and straightforward, that gives me the right to be the same."
"I'd expect nothing less."
"I want Tera."
Wylin paused in the act of taking another sip of una. “You've had her."
"No, I want Tera in the way a male wants a female."
"Like I said, you've done that already. What's the problem?"
Could the man really be that dumb? Illam searched for the right words. “I want to mate with her."
"Are we having a communication problem here?"
"No. Yes.” Illam shoved a hand through his hair. “What I'm trying to say is ... I l ... I lo..."
No help whatsoever, Wylin waited. Illam struggled to say things he wouldn't normally say to another male. In his species, it wasn't necessary. It was automatically known upon revealing of the nature-mated.
Wylin raised his mug. “Do you want a drink?"
"Oh Delcat, yes!"
While Wylin busied himself making another mug of hot una, Illam decided to address the main issue of his coming to Wylin, and ploughed on gamely.
"Tera says there can be no relationship between us unless I know and accept her beliefs and culture."
"So what don't you know and don't accept?” Wylin gestured to the milk jug. “Milk? Sugar?"
"I like my una very milky and sweet."
Wylin gave a small grin as he poured the milk into the mug.
"What?” Illam frowned. “Yes, I know. Felines like milk, and so do feline-like species. What of it?"
"It's interesting, that's all. I like wenches with spit and fire. That's a Wylin thing. What of that?” Wylin placed the mug before Illam and sat down again.
"What are you trying to get at?"
"You're very quick to take offense where none is meant. You're lucky Tera hasn't ripped your head off instead."
She damned near sucked it off. Illam felt a stirring in his loins at the thought and immediately tried to squash the memory. For sure, Wylin was referring to the head on Illam's shoulders, not the other one.
"So what do you want to know?” Wylin queried.
"Huh? Oh.” Illam tapped the side of the mug and studied the other man. “I've heard that Argons have been known to use sex as a weapon."
"A weapon?” Wylin raised his eyebrows.
"It's not true?"
"Yes, it is true. At times. We've been known to drive enemies insane with sexual frustration.” Wylin shrugged. “We've used sex for vengeance. To get answers."
Illam frowned.
"Other times, we just shoot,” Wylin added blandly.
"Why sex?"
"Because we're good at it. We excel at it.” Wylin stated it calmly, with no hint of boasting. “We're sexual. We attract outworlders, and if we can use sex to get answers in dire circumstances, we will."
"Isn't that degrading for you?"
"No."
"Have you done it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's not something we've had to do for years. Well, there was one time with a certain warrior wench, and another time not so long ago, there was Kiile's prisoner...” Wylin grinned faintly.
"You think it's funny?” Illam raised his brows.
"It sort of
backfired on Kiile,” Wylin explained. “He wed his enemy."
"Huh?"
"Well, his enemy's assassin."
"Katina?"
"That's the one.” Wylin grin widened. “You'll have to ask him yourself."
"But—"
"That's his story, not mine. Though it's no secret on Argon.” Wylin ran his finger around the rim of the mug. “Anyway, to get back to your question. The answer is yes, sex was used as a weapon. Sometimes it wasn't sex, sometimes it was sexual frustration, which can be a worse punishment."
"I couldn't imagine having sex with someone, regardless if I hated them or not. Not if I already had a mate."
"A wife? Oh, the married Argons never did it. They might have helped with a few caresses here and there, but the main sex was something kept for the singles.” Wylin shrugged. “Besides, the wenches and the men both did it."
"The females had sex with the enemy?” Illam was horrified.
"Rarely. They excelled more at driving a man insane. Sexual arousal and denial, over and over and over again, can do strange things to a man—and a wench."
"Oh.” Distaste filled Illam. “So it's not unheard of for Argon men to rape a female enemy?"
"Rape? No, it was arousing them over and over, always abstaining from the actual act itself, until they screamed for sexual release. If those doing the information extraction decided to give them that release after getting the information, then they finished the act. Otherwise, they could leave her unsatisfied."
Illam digested the information in silence. Taking a swallow of the hot una, he wondered if Tera could do something like that. Arouse a man repeatedly and eventually leave him insane. Could she be so...
"We don't see it as any crueler than other races who physically torture by pulling out nails, flaying the skin off a prisoner, using pincers on the flesh, branding them, whipping, or burning. In some ways, it's kinder,” Wylin said. “No blood is spilled, no bruises left. Physically they are whole. Mentally ... well, that depends on the nature of the crime. I don't hide the fact that we're ruthless when the occasion calls for it. How far our sexual torture goes, if you want to call it that, depends on the crime and those involved."
In an odd way, Illam could understand that. He'd heard of some nightmare inducing tortures administered to captives, especially in the Outlaw Sector. The stories from there were bloody and horrific.
"And were slaves treated the same way?” he wondered aloud.
Wylin set his mug on the table and regarded Illam steadily. “Argon hasn't kept slaves since Lysie's ancestor was bought by Kiile's ancestor, the then leader of Argon. As you know, they fell in love and wed but she died not long after. He followed within a short time of a broken heart. What you don't know is that when he fell in love with her he had slavery banned. All slavery. We had banned slavery before a lot of the planets who now belong to the Intergalactic Peace Council. We were one of the first. Slavery is abhorred on our planet, and by our people. And it was the love of a Felys and an Argon who showed us how wrong slavery is. It's history, and we'll never agree to slavery again. That's one thing you need to get straight in your head, Illam,” Wylin continued, a thread of steel in his voice. “Many races were, and still are, enslaved. Captured outlaws are able to be sold as slaves. It's a fact, one you and I might not like, but a fact nonetheless. Just as it's fact that slavery on Argon was abolished well over a hundred years ago. It's time you, and whoever else may still resent us, realize that you can't keep dragging up the past. It's time to move on."
Illam took a thoughtful swallow of una. Grappling with this new way of looking at things, he needed time to sort through the information.
"And get this, Illam.” Wylin leaned forward, linking his hands on the table. “For a time there a Felys wench ruled Argon beside her Argon husband. A Felys ruled on Argon. She had an equal say, equal rights. A slave who assisted in having slavery abolished, who saw a new future for her species, who embraced her life and learned to love and have tolerance again. Maybe that's something you Felys need to take on board and consider.” He motioned to the mug in Illam's hand. “Want another drink?"
"Uh ... no.” Trying to absorb the startling new thoughts whirling around in his head, Illam said, “I didn't know. I never thought about it like that."
"Why would you? None of the Felys ever asked us. Feel free to search the Chronicles of Argon, it's all there for everyone to read.” Wylin leaned back in his chair again. “Anything else you want to know?"
"I think I've enough to mull over right now.” Illam shook his head. “You've given me several things to think about. I—no, wait, there is one more thing. Tera mentioned that she'd suffered heartache once before. What happened?"
Wylin sighed. “That's for her to tell you."
"But you know."
"I do. It was a horrendous, nightmarish time for her. But that's all I'm saying.” Wylin met his gaze steadily. “But if she ever tells you, Illam, you'll know that she trusts you implicitly."
Illam thought of Tera talking so seriously to him.
Wylin made to stand up, but Illam suddenly remembered something else. “Wait up."
A mixture of amusement and patience on his face, Wylin sat back down again. “Yes?"
"I need to know how the Argons have sex."
That did startle Wylin. “Pardon?"
"We wait for a sign of submission to properly mate. Have sex,” he added, seeing the slight confusion on Wylin's face. When Wylin nodded his understanding, Illam continued, “I'm afraid there's a bit of a communication problem between Tera and me about this submission and domination thing."
"You don't say?” Wylin looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or scratch his head in bewilderment.
"If you start laughing, I'll be the one doing the head ripping,” Illam growled. “I'm trying to figure out what to do to get started with her."
"Started? It sounded like she finished you off last night.” Wylin smirked.
This kind of thing Illam could handle. It was exactly the kind of response he'd get from his friends. He relaxed, feeling on more familiar ground with the teasing. “Smart-arsed bugger. You're such a sex god, you should have no problem telling me what you do."
"If you think I'm going to give you a blow-by-blow account of my sex life, you've got another think coming."
"Tell me about submission and domination in your society."
"Depends if you're into cuffs, scarves, restraints like that. Other things. Sexual exploration and experimentation."
"I know about that stuff.” Illam snorted. “It's fun with the right female. But I don't understand what Tera was getting at."
"I bet she was having trouble following you, too."
"Ha-ha, very funny.” Pursing his lips, Illam tried to recall the conversation of the previous night. “Oh yeah. She asked me if we, meaning the Felys, made love in the heat of the moment, and of course we do, but she seemed confused when I said we waited for a show of submission.” Illam looked at Wylin. “We don't force our mates."
"So how do you know when a wench is ready?"
"During the heat phase, she rolls onto her stomach. Submissive."
"And during non-heat times?"
"We know when she's ready."
"How?"
"Well ... we just know."
"Smell? What? You've got to give me something here, Illam. I'm wading in unknown waters. Work with me, man."
"The look in her eyes. The scent of her. It's knowing when she's ready to mate."
"Ah.” Wylin rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “And the wench is always submissive? She does what you tell her?"
"Jocat, no! She can be dominant or submissive."
"You're confusing me here."
"The submission is a sign that she's ready to be mounted. It can be fleeting, just a flicker of the eyes, a soft word, anything. It's instinctive on our part. Once we have that sign, we mate. It's our way of knowing she's ready."
"Instinct, huh?"
"Yes."
"And she doesn't have to be submissive during the mating? In the non-heat phase, I mean."
"No."
Wylin grinned. “I'll explain it to Tera, shall I? In a roundabout way of introducing the topic, of course, without mentioning you."
Relief swept through Illam. “You know what I mean?"
"Illam, it's quite simple. Your instinct to know she's submissive, is our own instinct of knowing when our lover is ready. Simple."
Illam did a mental head slap. He might have been able to do diddling last night if he'd known that he and Tera were saying the same thing in two totally different ways. Duh.
Well, there was also the little matter of the Argon's views on sexual torture, and his own one-eyed view of slavery and the Argons.
"Thanks, Wylin.” Illam stood up and looked gravely at the Argon. “I've got a lot to think about."
"Anytime. The happiness of Tera is all that concerns me right now.” Wylin also stood and took the mugs to the sink, where he rinsed them and placed them on the draining board. “Just remember one thing, Illam."
"Yeah?"
"Heartache equals head ripping."
"Gotcha."
* * * *
The Cave
They tapped into the object, their different talents setting it aglow. Bringing it to life. The glow it emitted was soft. Pretty. And oh, so deceiving. Life and death so intimately entwined. Where one started the other finished, and vice versa.
She started to weep, but she didn't falter. It was too late now. What was set in motion was not going to be undone.
And so it was set in the stone and lifted high, its glow piercing the darkness of the cave. A glow that promised life and delivered death.
* * * *
Denyon entered the healers’ hut. “Are you ready to head back to the scout ship and relay to Sarcan the information you've gathered so far?"
Tera picked up the data collector and stood up. “I certainly am. You're taking me?"
"Yes. Is there anything else?” He looked at the containers behind her. “Those?"
"The specimens stored in there are to be taken back to Argon for Father to study more when we get back."
Love's Beguiling Healer Page 23