The girl dipped her head and left. Veronica let herself sink back into the water, holding her breath while she dunked her head beneath the surface. It smelled wonderful, completely unidentifiable. It was subtle, resinous maybe, like cedar. Even the texture of the water had changed. It felt like velvet against her skin, a full softness that wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, letting her body sink below the surface, let herself drift into sleep.
Chapter Ten
She woke slowly, totally aware of where she was, her mind clear. She was in the bath in Taso’s rooms, the water cooled slightly, but it still cradled her, cocooned her in warmth and comfort. With a resigned sigh, she realized she was going to have to get out eventually. Just a few more minutes, maybe. Then her stomach rumbled, and that was it.
Water sloshed on the floor as she got out, and she trailed drops over the floor as she reached for a towel. It turned out to be more like a blanket and she wrapped it around her. Instantly she was dry. With a tentative gesture, she patted her hair. It took a little longer, but within minutes her long hair was dry.
From the pile of clothing, she took the few pieces out, laid them on a bench, and tried to decide what went where. There was something that looked like a sleeveless dress, in pale green, with ties at the shoulders, and a long-sleeved tunic that she thought went over the top, in dark gray, that fastened at the front. There was also a strip of fabric she assumed she could tie her hair with. The fabric was fine, silky against her bare skin, and it didn’t seem like there was any definitive size to anything. Each piece fell about her in soft folds. Everything shimmered, catching the soft light coming in the high window. Quickly she tied the strip of fabric around her hair, making a loose tail.
For a minute she didn’t want to leave the bathroom. It seemed enough space to have gotten used to, a room she was comfortable in. Out there was a whole bunch of new that she had to deal with, new people, new surroundings, including Taso as a leader. Taso as a man in his own surroundings. In his element.
But she couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever. This was a different world, utterly and completely. And it was going to be her home…whether she liked it or not.
So she took a deep breath and, opened the door. The girl who’d brought her the clothes was sitting on one of the benches, but she stood up as soon as she saw Veronica.
“Have you been waiting all this time? I’m so sorry...”
The girl bowed. “No worries, I’ve been instructed to wait. It is what I do. I am Iria. If you are ready, I am to take you to Taso.”
“Okay. Sure.”
The girl frowned slight. “You are ready?”
Veronica nodded. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Iria opened another door in the room. Veronica hadn’t noticed the number of doors that were set in the walls. There had to be at least six. Iria tipped her head and Veronica followed her through the opening.
The journey this time was short, just down a short hall, and through an open door. Taso was standing at a wall of windows, looking down. When he heard her, he turned, his expression softening.
“Max.” His eyes traveled over her, and a frown creased his forehead. She looked down at her clothes, baffled.
“Did I put this on wrong? I wasn’t sure...”
“No. It’s on correctly. It’s just...” He looked past her shoulder, and Veronica realized Iria was standing behind her. “You are dismissed.” Iria nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. His gaze moved back to Veronica, a shadow crossing over his eyes.
“It’s on correctly.” He walked toward her, then around her, hands clasped behind his back. It was clear he’d had a bath as well. There were damp curls of hair resting against his forehead, and his face was clean-shaven. He was close enough that she could smell what must be his equivalent of cologne; something spicy, rich, also smelling vaguely of pine, or cedar. Very intoxicating.
The clothes he wore were of the same type of fabric as hers, loose pants and a tunic, a chain of beaten silver around his neck. He looked regal and imposing, and for a minute she was unsure of him all over again. And a little afraid.
“I have not seen these clothes in a long time. They belonged to my mate.” He reached out, fingering the edge of her tunic. His voice dropped, just above a whisper. “This was her favorite.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I can wear something else...”
His eyes met hers, his eyes distant for a moment, but then he smiled. “No. Please. I enjoy seeing them...again.” He took her hand. “Come. Let’s eat. I can hear your stomach making noises from here.”
He led her through another set of doors into a room with a small table set for two, placed in front of the windows. The room had a brutal beauty, hard-edged stone softened by the table set with cream-colored linen, and white plates. The windows here were covered thick curtains of deep green, pulled back with silver ties to show the small leaded panes. The feeling she was in some time-warped medieval castle came rushing back to her, but this was no knight in shining armor standing beside her. This wasn’t Earth, it was an alien planet. And this man was Taso.
“Sit. Please.” He pulled out a chair, a thick carved wooden thing. She sat, happy it came with a thick cushion.
“Did you enjoy your bath? You look refreshed.”
“It was pretty amazing. Whatever the stuff was that Iria poured in was like magic.”
Taso poured glasses of pale green liquid. She took an experimental sip. “Water?”
“Yes.” One eyebrow rose in suppressed amusement. “Your water is not like this?”
“Our water is clear, not green. From a distance, it looks blue.” It tasted like water, sort of, only it was...more. There definitely was something more to it than just water. “But this is something else. And I didn’t need to use any soap to get clean. How did that happen?”
“In the bath, the minerals Iria added create an environment that cleans as well as restores. You do not have anything like that on Earth?”
“Not really. I mean, we have soap for getting clean, we have things to add to the bath to make us feel better.” She started to say something else, to elaborate, but then she started to giggle. Taso frowned, watching her carefully. The giggles continued and she shook her head, managing to squeak out an apology.
“It’s just...there are so many things that are the same, but that are so very different. It’s going to take me forever to figure everything out. Simple things...” She held up her glass. “Even here water isn’t water. Air probably isn’t air.” Her giggles faded away, but by then Taso was smiling.
“Yes. The same, but different.” He looked at his glass of water, then raised his eyes to meet hers. “And you and I. The same. But different.”
She nodded. Taso reached for a bowl, spooned out a mixture that looked like vegetables onto her plate. It smelled good and her stomach rumbled in agreement. She picked up a utensil that looked like a fork, but with only two prongs. It was hard to resist the urge to sniff the food before she took a bite, but she managed to spear a piece of something green that looked like broccoli. It tasted sweet, not at all like what she expected. But it was very good. She found Taso looking at her expectantly, and she nodded. Until then, she hadn’t realized the tension he held in his shoulders. It touched her somehow, that he would be worried if she liked the food.
He filled her plate with more strange looking food. She tasted each new addition to her plate, found most of it very good. Some of it was so foreign she could only chew and swallow and move on to something else. Taso sat back, watching her eat. After a while she realized he wasn’t eating. She swallowed a mouthful of food.
“Aren’t you hungry? You must be starving.”
“I like seeing you eat. I knew I would.” He took a drink of water. “Women who enjoy their food...it’s a pleasure to watch.”
Embarrassment washed over her and put down her fork. “It’s not the most ladylike thing to watch, I suppose. I’m used to eating by myself.”
“You said you have no one that you left behind. Does that mean there never was anyone?”
She shook her head. “No. No one...no one serious. I’ve been on dates, sure, but they never went beyond just a few.”
“I cannot believe any man on your planet would not find you so desirable that he wouldn’t want to lock you in a room and ravish you.”
She choked a little bit on her food, reaching for her water glass. Taso was there, filling it. When she lifted her hand she saw it was shaking. He watched her, that look of concern back.
“Have I said something that upset you? I did not...”
“No. It’s not that. I mean...no one has ever said anything like that to me before. Or said it, and actually meant it. It’s...it’s a pretty bold thing to say, considering.”
“Considering? Considering what?”
“Considering you don’t know me very well…if at all.”
A frown creased his brow. “But I do know you.” He stood up, taking a few steps to stand beside her. “You still do not see what I see. You are a beautiful woman… a champion, a fighter…someone who will never back down when the path of life gets filled with troubles. It’s true that I don’t want my mate fighting on the battlefield, but I do want a mate who will fight through hard times with me, by my side as my equal. I know that’s who you are. So, yes…I know you because my spirit has known yours long before we met.”
Suddenly, he knelt beside her, taking her hand in his. There was something bright and hard burning in his eyes, a look that frightened her just a little, but a look that lit something inside of her, a heat that burned in her chest.
“You are strong and beautiful and you are the woman I would give my life for. You are the woman I want for my mate.” He squeezed her hand, so hard she winced. “I want you...more than any woman I have ever known.”
“I don’t...know what to say.” She heard his words, but they didn’t register. It still seemed wrong, like a cosmic joke. That somehow he’d turn out to be like everyone else, all the other men. There were no knights in shining armor in castles, sweeping women off their feet, giving them riches and making them their wives. That didn’t exist in her world, but then she wasn’t in her world anymore.
“You don’t need to say anything, Max. Nothing...” He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “You just need to be the woman you are. That, for me, is enough.”
She let him pull her to her feet. His hands slid up to rest on her upper arms, his fingers barely touching her. Then his grip tightened, until he was pulling her up, almost on her toes, eyes searching her face.
“Will you let me love you? I can do that, even if you don’t love me in return.”
She thought it might be possible, maybe, in another time or place. This was an alien world torn by wars...he was an alien...a shifter...
“I can try.” Her words took her by surprise, but as she heard them, she knew they were true. “I can try...if you’re patient with me.”
His brow smoothed out, and his eyes stopped searching hers, apparently finding whatever he needed, either in her expression or her words.
“I can wait, as long as you need.” He leaned forward, and she tilted her head, waiting for his kiss, but he stopped, lips a heartbeat away from hers, pulling back to look into her eyes.
“I can still make love to you, can I not?” His lips curved into a smile and she saw amusement in his eyes. “I would not want to deprive myself—or you—of that pleasure.”
She reached up, fingers moving over his face, down to his lips, tracing the sensual curve of his lower lip. “I think we can still make love...” The word felt strange on her lips, but she liked the sound. She smiled. “...love. Yeah, we can still do that.”
He smiled as he lowered his head, lips meeting hers. The kiss was that of a man claiming possession; she felt that clearly. And somehow, with Taso, it was alright. She reached up, winding her fingers through his hair, loving the thick texture, the waves beneath her fingers.
They stood, locked in an embrace, the kiss all-consuming. Passion and arousal ran through her, so strong she could feel it in her toes as they curled against the carpet. She’d never been kissed like this, ever, and in that moment she thought she was the happiest she’d ever been.
Taso broke the kiss, then pulled her against him, arms around her body. For a moment he rested his head on her shoulder, face turned into the mass of her hair. She heard him inhale, then breath out a deep sigh.
“You smell like...” His voice broke. “You smell very good.”
She set a finger under his chin, lifting his face to hers. “Kiss me again. Convince me why I should love you.”
His eyes met hers, the fire in the dark depths making her blink in surprise. “I would be very happy to convince you...of anything you have doubts about.”
He straightened, took her hand, eyes still locked with her and led her to another door. He pushed it open with his foot, and beyond, she saw the outlines of a bed. Even though she knew exactly where he was taking her, the sight of the big bed, draped in white netting and with white linens, made her hammering heart beat faster.
“It is humble, but it is mine.” The door closed behind her and he was pulling her not very gently toward the bed. “And it will be yours.”
“Oh...” For a minute she was confused. “Wait. You want me to sleep with you? Here?”
“Does the room not please you?” He glanced around as if seeing it for the first time. His brows drew together. “It is rather masculine. I can change...”
“I don’t mean that. I meant...you expect me to live with you? Sleep with you here?”
When he looked back at her, she saw the darkness in his eyes, the veiled expression of hurt. She reached up, touched his cheek.
“I didn’t mean...” She let her hand trail down to his neck, fingering the silver chain at his neck. “I’ve never lived with anyone before, other than my parents. It would be...difficult, maybe?”
The dark look in his eyes receded. “Ah, then that is what is bothering you. It is not me that you object to?”
On some level she thought she should be, but being this close to him, to his warmth, that heady scent...her thoughts were scattered. “You were going to convince me of something?”
He nodded, then lowered his head. He nipped her lower lips between his teeth, sucking it briefly. It bordered on the edge of pain, but then he let go to flick his tongue over her lip. She let her lips fall open and his tongue slipped further into her mouth as he lips met hers. His tongue was firm, mobile, exploring the recesses of her mouth, flirting and teasing against hers. She responded, her tongue following his as he drew hers into his mouth.
She was dizzy with arousal, her body moving against Taso’s even if her mind said this was going too fast. His hands had come between them, working the fastenings on her tunic. In the back of her mind she realized he must have done this countless times with...
“Do not think of her. I do not. You are in my heart now. She is only in my mind, a memory.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, not that she really had one. He’d undone the fastenings of the tunic, and she shrugged out of it. The dress was easier to undo, the simple ties coming undone in seconds. It swirled down in a puddle of fabric around her feet. Reaching behind her with a deft movement, he pulled the fabric out of her hair.
She stood naked while he took a step back from her, his fingers moving to the fastenings on his tunic, watched as it fell to the floor. The silver necklace rested against his skin, catching the light. She’d never been with a man who made getting undressed such a sensual event. She swallowed hard as he reached for the drawstring on his pants. Beneath the loose fabric she could see his erection, pushing against the cloth.
She was staring and face flushing, she blinked, managing to pull her gaze back to his. He was looking at her with smoldering eyes, completely and unadulterated desire flashing in them. No man had ever looked at her like this, not even remotely like this. It was just as intoxi
cating as his cologne, now mixing with the deep musk of his own personal scent.
His eyes never left hers as he pulled the drawstring loose, and let his pants fall to the floor. Every instinct told her to keep her eyes on his, but some deeper, base desire drew her eyes down, over his broad chest, past the silver necklace, lower still, eyes drawn like a magnet to steel.
“What you see gives you pleasure?”
She licked her lips, her mouth gone suddenly dry. “Yes...” Her words came out as barely a whisper. Swallowing hard, she tried again. “Yes. Yes, it gives me great pleasure.”
It was then that she realized his eyes were no longer locked with hers, that his gaze was traveling over her body, lingering at her breasts and hips, and then lower. It was as if the heat from his eyes left a trail on her skin, then set a fire inside at the place where he was looking at now. Something about how he looked at her made her weak in the knees, as if she’d run too many laps without enough water. Right now it felt good, a feeling she could get used to, very quickly.
“Come...” He held out one hand, and she took it. He pulled her forward quickly, spinning her so that she hit the edge of the bed with the backs of her thighs. With a squeak of surprise, she landed on her back on the bed. Taso stood for a moment as she lay on the white linen, her breath catching in her throat. From here, each flat plane of muscle was outlined in the light from the window, the ripples of muscle on his stomach...the pale skin of the scars on his chest.
She parted her lips, trying to say something, anything, but all her words were stuck somewhere in her head, jumbled and confused in the flood of arousal that looking at Taso had sent rushing through her.
The only thing she could do was let her thighs fall open, tell him with her body that she wanted him, how badly she wanted him.
The mattress dipped under his weight as he knelt on the bed between her knees. She reached for him, and he lowered himself down onto her, her arms wrapping around him, her legs coming up. The soft skin of her thighs brushed against the taut muscles of his hips, then higher, past the gentle curve to his waist.
Dark Side Of The Moon (BBW Paranormal Were-Bear Shifter Sci-Fi Romance) Page 11