by C. Baely
“Well, not really,” Sara said evasively, but then she realized this was a good opportunity to ask some of her questions since he seemed more approachable. “I would like to know why you lied to me.”
“Lied?” Archail gasped, sounding surprised. “What did I lie to you about?”
“Well, two things.” Sara tried to remain calm as she laid out her accusations. “The first time was when you said we would not be the last females to come here.”
Archail seemed more amused than embarrassed by her statement. “And what was the second lie?”
“You told me you would let the women die if I didn’t choose to live, which was also a lie.” Sara emphasized the last few words, unable to hide her vexation at his calmness.
“Well, I won’t deny it, Sara,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Sara’s mouth dropped open at his confession. She hadn’t expected it to be this easy.
“So why did you do it? Why did you lie?” She finally recovered from her initial shock.
“You are an infuriating woman, little one. Let me try to explain.” Archail smiled calmly.
“The first lie was because you provoked me, which is not easy for anyone to do, by the way.” He paused to stare steadily into her eyes. His smile faded as he became serious again, and he continued his explanation. “As for the second, I lied because you are one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever laid eyes upon. Your spirit is powerful, and you are one of the most courageous females I have ever seen. I could not allow you to slip away into death.”
Sara stared back into his eyes with astonishment. She had never expected to hear him speak with so much emotion, and she was lost for words when he stood up before her.
“But now I have to go and speak with Dar.”
Sara felt a sting of disappointment, and surprising even herself, she called out to him. “Archail?” He paused at the sound of his name and turned to look at her, a glimpse of hope passing through his eyes. “I was wrong about you.”
Archail raised his brows and smiled down at her. “Wrong about what, little one?”
“About you killing the women that came before us.”
Archail sighed. “It makes no difference, little one. It really does not matter. For all you know, I may be the monster you initially thought I was.”
Sara was puzzled by his words, and she was ready to ask him what he meant, but before she could inquire further, he spoke again. “Will you come to lunch?”
“I don’t know. It’s still early, and I’m not hungry. ” She looked out over the pool. “I think I’ll stay here for a little while longer.”
* * *
It was almost late afternoon when Sara stood up and walked out to the balcony. From there she could see three moons shining in the sky, shedding their bright light onto the gardens below.
She had stayed at the pool until she felt hungry. When she left for the dining room, she’d felt light and hopeful inside at the prospect of finding Archail there and maybe having another conversation with him. She really wanted to get to know him better, but when she reached the dining room, much to her disappointment, she found it empty. She had eaten alone without really tasting any of the food, wondering instead where Archail could be and why he wasn’t there.
As time went by, Sara had explored the palladium. She found the kitchen first, but Toria was busy doing her chores, so Sara left immediately rather than disturb the young Pradorian female. Another room seemed to function as a kind of library. There were seats in the middle of the room that were very comfortable, almost as soft as the bed she’d slept on last night. Around the room, shelves were carved into walls and reached as high as the ceiling. The shelves were filled with all manner of books about different worlds and cultures unknown to her. Sara examined a few at random to see if she could read them, but the strange alien writing was indecipherable to her.
After leaving the library and closing the door behind her, Sara followed the corridor around. It led her toward another door, and on opening it, she found another bedroom. It was not quite as large as the one she was staying in, but it was certainly comfortable. The room was decorated in a style similar to Archail’s bedroom, and it also had a bathroom en suite with the same comforts. She moved on, farther down the corridor, and found another door, but when she tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge. She pushed and pulled hard, using all her weight, but still the door didn’t move. Why was this door locked, when all the others in the palladium were not?
As time passed, she managed to find two more spare rooms and a big sitting room that looked as though it wasn’t used often.
Still not feeling hungry, Sara decided to skip dinner, so she didn’t head back to the dining room. After pondering her options, she finally decided to take another bath while she could be alone.
She didn’t realize it had grown dark outside. And when she came out of the bathroom covered in a long towel, she saw the light of the rising moons entering the softly lit room. When she went to the balcony, she stood there a while, watching the majestic scenery outside.
* * *
Archail had gone to Dar’s home to talk with him. He wanted to discuss what Irina had mentioned earlier regarding her findings with this new plant her team was working on. They agreed that since there was nothing definitive yet, they would allow the ceremony to take place with the Earth women, although Dar suggested they should postpone mating with them until after making them immortal.
Archail, thinking of Sara, replied that he would leave that decision up to him and his warriors. Dar had just started to speak when Orora appeared, wearing one of their traditional dresses. She still acted shyly, but she was not as scared as she was the last time he saw her. She hesitantly inquired about Sara, and Archail reassured her that her friend was being very well cared for. Archail then said his goodbyes and left.
He stopped at every house where the Earth females were kept to inform his warriors of his decision. He also wanted to ensure all the women were well.
He then decided to visit his sister’s home and get an update on her research. Her report was not what he expected, but it left him with a sense of hope for his people. At the same time, though, a cold feeling crept inside him as he thought of how this would affect his relationship with Sara. Archail shook his head, doubting his own sanity, as he thought of using the word relationship to describe what he had with his little captive. He reminded himself there was no future for them, but why did that thought bother him so much?
With the question causing turmoil in his mind, he headed back to the palladium. He sat in the dining room for a while, trying to decide what he would do once the ceremony was completed. Would he give her more time, or would he claim her as he had yearned to do for the past few days? He decided he would leave it to chance. If she refused him that night, he would accept it and give her time, but if she didn’t… He felt the yearning rise within him at the prospect of claiming her as his own.
He left the dining room and decisively headed toward his bedroom at a steady pace, but when he opened the door and saw her lying in bed, he immediately stilled. Her hair was spread around her rosy face and her body was open, almost inviting him. The towel around her had dropped to one side, leaving one of her soft thighs exposed. She seemed in a deep sleep, because her breathing was steady and soft.
Archail immediately felt his body responding to her as his erection grew painfully. He silently approached the bed, keeping his eyes on her, almost hypnotized by her soft beauty. He knew he shouldn’t do anything to her, but then a whisper in his mind told him there were ways to satisfy her without causing any harm. To touch her and taste her couldn’t be wrong, he convinced himself. He couldn’t resist the temptation as he lay down in bed, slowly moving closer to her. She moved gently in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent, and he waited patiently for her to settle down.
His fingers reached out and pulled softly at the towel, opening it carefully on both sides and exposing her lower body to him. A sharp breath cau
ght in his throat as he watched her flat belly rise softly then lower. Between her white thighs, her soft woman’s center invited him to touch her and give her pleasure. He lowered himself and leaned his head over the smooth skin of her belly. He placed soft kisses on it, slowly licking his way down and making small circles with his tongue as he took his time tasting her. To his satisfaction, she moaned softly and parted her legs slightly, inviting him to continue.
He rose to his knees and, moving carefully between her parted legs, he bent down again and slowly placed his hands on each side of her spread thighs. As he leaned lower to taste her red bud center, her scent drew him closer and closer until he could no longer stand it. He licked her gently, slowly tasting her. She rewarded him by lifting her lower body lightly to allow him easier access. His heart rejoiced at her response, driving him to continue as he feverishly tasted her. Her sweet scent made him want more, and his tongue grew bolder and entered her soft wet entrance, coaxing her to give him another response. Sara was moaning now, and her breath came out in gasps. He found the most sensitive part of her, moved his tongue around her soft arousing skin, and felt her respond, urging him to go faster, as she moved beneath him.
Archail could hear her moaning and felt her body tense and shake under his hands as she climaxed and called out his name.
“Oh yes, Archail!”
His heart almost broke from happiness at her response. He rose to see her face, wanting to kiss her and tell her how much he craved her. He so needed to make love to her. He smiled as he looked down at her, only to be amazed when he realized that her response was all a dream because she still gasped softly for air in a state of sleep.
* * *
Sara was dreaming a beautiful dream of her and Archail being together. They were laughing, and then he came nearer and kissed her in ways he hadn’t done before. Her body rose under him in response and urged him to go on and on. She could feel his tongue licking her body, and the sensation of losing herself grew so strong that she felt like calling out his name. She didn’t want this dream to end as she felt herself drift to higher places, lost in his leading touch.
Sara awoke with the strong feeling of a woman who had reached completion. The intensity of her feelings confused her. She looked around, trying to focus on clearing the haze from her eyes. She could still remember her dream, and her body tensed with the intensity of the memory. She turned on her side, trying to dismiss the thought, and saw Archail lying with his back to her, sleeping quietly.
“Could it have been real?” She tried to understand why her lower body felt suddenly cool. Looking down, she saw she was completely naked. She froze when she felt the excessive moisture between her thighs and the sensitivity of her skin below. Sara closed her eyes and tried to remember what she had felt in her dream. She remembered he had a strong hold on her thighs as he opened her more for his… Oh, that horrible man. Her anger rose at the realization of what he had done.
She turned to look at him again, and acting from pure instinct, she started pounding his big back with her small fists. His response came as he very calmly turned around and looked deep into her eyes.
“What did you do to me?” She struggled against the urge to punch him in his handsome face.
He kept staring at her as he rested on his elbow, turning fully toward her. “Nothing you did not want me to do.”
“So, you’re not denying it. How could you take advantage of me while I slept?” She burned with rage at his attitude.
“You seemed willing enough, little one. I did nothing other than what you asked me to do.” He remained still as he spoke calmly.
“I… I didn’t ask you to do anything!” Tension built slowly in her belly.
“Oh, yes you did, little one.” His voice grew more confident.
“I was asleep!” She fought to push away the memories of her response to his touch.
Archail moved slightly closer, sounding more serious. “You asked me with your body, Sara, not to stop.”
“I didn’t know what was happening. I was asleep!” She tried desperately to deny what he said.
Archail’s voice grew colder. “Look me in the eyes, Sara, and deny that you felt every touch of my lips, every stroke of my tongue. Look me in the eyes and deny that you called my name as you reached completion.”
“No!” she yelled, but a sensation of helplessness was crippling her.
He moved so fast that she was taken completely by surprise when he grabbed her shoulders and leaned over her. He then spoke a clear warning. “Stop denying what we both know is true, Sara.”
She stared for a mere moment into his dark yellow eyes and thought she saw a flash of desperation in them, but his face then became a hard mask once again. She wondered if maybe she had imagined it as she averted her eyes, feeling too weak to deny his accusation.
Archail released her and turned away once more.
The night passed slowly for Sara as she tried hard to go back to sleep in the echoing silence.
Chapter 12
The sun had long since risen over the horizon, and Irina was busy preparing her leather satchel for travel, packing the tubes and other medical apparatus that lay on the table next to her bag.
When she heard steps behind her, she turned, curious to see who it was.
“Dar!” she exclaimed in surprise.
Dar looked thoughtful, and even a little troubled, as he entered the room. “Hello, Irina.” He looked around the room to ensure they were alone.
“What may I do for you?” asked Irina, somewhat suspicious of her brother’s second-in-command. She sensed from his posture that his visit would not be a pleasant one.
“I believe we need to talk.” He seemed as uncomfortable as Irina was.
Irina nodded as she moved toward her sitting room and gestured for Dar to take the seat opposite. He followed but seemed to hesitate for a minute before sitting down. “Well, what is it, Dar?” she inquired, feeling a little impatient with his lengthy silences.
“I heard about your findings. Your brother informed me yesterday.”
“Yes, we are very close to finding the solution. I will take two Pradorian life mates with me to test the results.”
“I was instructed by your brother to not inform the council.” He regarded her carefully.
“The council should certainly be informed if the results are positive.” She paused for a minute. “But I have to agree with Archail on this.”
“Irina, there is more to this.” He looked at her distantly now, as if he was on official business. “I asked Archail if we should postpone mating with the females for a while, at least until you return with the results, but his answer was noncommittal.” Dar’s face was unreadable and his tone serious.
“I don’t see any reason to be worried. Archail is strong-willed.” Irina recalled her brother’s expression when he had watched Sara leave the dining room the day before.
“I have received reports from some of the warriors that the ancient scent of the Earth females is too strong. Some have even already consummated their unions with them because they were unable to resist,” Dar concluded, the concern clear in his voice.
“I see,” said Irina, seemingly amused.
“This could prove to be a serious problem for Archail,” Dar continued, trying to convey some importance to Irina.
“Why? Have they been marked?”
“Two already have.” Dar watched her thoughtfully.
“That is impressive. Two life mates within such a short period when it usually takes years,” she said with astonishment.
“You understand my concern now?”
Irina gazed at Dar curiously, and her intrigue was so great that she had to ask, “What about you, Dar?”
He paused for a long moment before answering. “I have experienced the same effect, so I now keep her safely away.” His face clouded.
Irina laughed at his admittance, unable to suppress her reaction. When she saw his expression grow darker, though, she tried to cont
rol herself. “How is it possible you did not notice this effect with the first females?”
“If you recall, their health had already deteriorated when they arrived here. Their scent was weak and sickly,” he answered, trying to make his point. “We applied the immortality serum to try to save them, but it was too late.”
“Do you believe this is also influencing Archail?”
“Yes.” He looked her straight in the eye.
“How can you be sure?”
“I saw him almost mating with her seven days after she arrived.”
“That doesn’t sound like Archail at all.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Dar agreed coldly.
Irina nearly flinched as she averted her gaze before bringing it back with renewed confidence, or was it denial? “What you saw could have simply been some toying between two adults.”
“Irina, I know what I saw with my own eyes, and you know that if he cannot leave her when the time comes, there will be trouble with the council. Archail has agreed, and he cannot back out now.” Dar remained serious and thoughtful. “He has been acting like a lunatic around this female. He does not allow anyone to touch her, and he does not allow anyone to speak to her without his permission. He is acting as if she is his life mate, but he has not even mated with her yet, which he has no right to do. That was not part of his agreement.” Dar sounded almost desperate for answers.
Her mouth opened then closed while she considered her words before finally speaking. “Well, I would not worry too much if I were you. Archail always does what is right, even if it is not in his own best interest.”
Dar looked at her and lifted a brow. “She ran away two days after her arrival, and Archail acted like a crazed beast when he found out.” He paused for a minute. “He had the chance to let her go and be done with her, but not only did he fight two shredders to bring her back, he also tended her night and day, feeding her and even cleaning her.” He again looked Irina. “When I suggested allowing one of the other women to take care of her, he almost bit my head off.” Dar looked sincerely troubled by his recollections. Finally, shaking his head as if in resignation, he said, “I have not reported anything of this, even though he was supposed to be just an observer in all this.”