Zsilvia gave a short laugh and nodded, turning back to the road in front of them.
"Oh," she said, "What about blood flow?"
"We were thinking about these locked people and how they haven't moved or breathed or done anything since the Covra froze them in place. That got us thinking about their hearts. If their hearts aren't beating, then the blood isn't flowing through their bodies."
"So? Maybe their hearts stopped at the same time as the rest of their bodies and the blood just kind of settled where it was."
Zsilvia watched George shake his head insistently.
"No. If the blood had just stopped while it was still going through their veins, it would have pooled at the bottoms of their limbs like it does with a corpse. There would be dark discoloration along the bottoms of their arms and in their legs, and even some swelling." He shook his head again, his eyes fixed on the road in front of him as though he could see what he was talking about hovering in the air above the road. "No. The men would have mentioned something like that and they didn't. That means that it isn't just their hearts that stopped, it's everything. Their blood locked, too."
"What does that mean, though?"
"We think that perhaps if we can get their blood flowing again, it would unlock their entire bodies."
"That's amazing," Zsilvia told him, stunned that they would come up with something that complex, "Do you have any idea how you would be able to do that?"
"Not yet. Since the Denynso don't use the same technology as the people of Earth we can't use the same things that we would use there, so Zuri, Samira, and I are trying to come up with alternative ways to use the same basic principles but with the resources available to us here."
"What about Eden?"
"Her scientific background is mostly plants and animal life. She is going through some of her notes and researching as much as she can to see if there may be anything that she can think of that is applicable. She did mention that there are several animals and bugs on Earth that she has researched that use a very similar attack method to immobilize their prey before eating them. The difference, though, is that the victims of those creatures maintain their brainwaves and heartbeat while in their locked state."
They had arrived at George's cabin and Zsilvia stopped. There was a tense moment as they looked at each other, their eyes melding with such intensity it was as if the rest of the world around them had completely faded away. Zsilvia felt herself falling into George again, her heart, mind, and body magnetizing to him so that she felt like she couldn't step away. He stepped slightly closer to her and their breath lingered, blending between them and tracing down her body. His fingers lifted and she felt them gently stroke down the side of her face. It was a tender, cautious touch, yet it made her body shiver.
George stepped forward again until the heat radiating off of both of their bodies grew. He leaned toward her slightly, brushing his lips against hers. She had seen him beautifully bare and held his tempting erection in her hand, yet that kiss, the first that he had given her, took her breath away. He lifted his mouth away from hers just slightly and their eyes opened so that they looked at each other. His seemed to search hers, gauging her reaction to his touch. When she didn't move away from him, he placed his hands on her hips and held her steady while he dipped his head to kiss her again.
This time he kissed her with greater intensity, his mouth pressing down into hers and his tongue touching the inside of her lips to coax them open. The taste of him touched her tongue and made her even hungrier for him, but the pressure of his fingers on her hips made her hesitate. As she pulled back, the pressure released, but his mouth didn't move from hers. Zsilvia relaxed into the kiss, allowing the need for him to take over the thoughts that were flooding her mind.
When the kiss ended, George moved his lips from hers to her ear.
"Can I see you tomorrow?" he whispered.
His breath felt hot against her neck and her body clenched in response as if searching for him.
"Yes," she said.
Though she had expected him to ask her to come inside with him then, there was something in the question that was even more thrilling and she felt breathless answering him.
"Good," he replied.
He kissed her a final time and then walked into the house, wishing her goodnight just before closing the door. Zsilvia walked home with a smile on her lips that was unlike anything she had experienced in as long as she could remember. She couldn’t wait until the next day when she could see George again. Perhaps if she fought herself hard enough, she would finally get through the horrible thoughts and be able to enjoy the mate she thought she would never have the opportunity to have.
Chapter Seven
Zsilvia sat in the bath letting the warm water soothe her. She had coiled her hair on top of her head but the tendrils that hung around her neck curled with the steam rising off of the surface of the bath. She filled her palms with lavender soap and stroked them over her body. The feeling made her think of George and she let her eyes drift closed as she imagined that the touch was coming from his hands. The herbal smell coming from the soap only seemed to intensify the desire that built low in her belly as she thought of him and she took a deeper breath to draw it in.
Her hand drifted lower on her body and she let it sweep over her hipbones. Cupping one hand over her breast, she let the other slip lower so that it dipped between her thighs and into her folds. The sensation made her back arch and her lips part as it drew a gasp from deep in her lungs. Images of George formed behind her eyes and she focused on him, remembering him peeling away his shirt and releasing the button on his pants to allow her to touch him. The thoughts of him moved to the way that he kissed her, his lips brushing hers tenderly. She imagined that same sensation moving along her body, tracing a trail down her neck and onto her chest.
Letting the thoughts of George's mouth guide her, Zsilvia let her fingers play along her nipples, imagining him take them between his lips and teasing them with his tongue. As her hand continued to stroke between her thighs, venturing upward to focus on the hypersensitive pearl of flesh at the top, she thought of him touching her, exploring her body the way that she had his. She thought of the coarse hair on his chest, imagining what it would feel like pressed against the bare skin of her naked body, rubbing against her as his body moved over hers.
Suddenly Zsilvia's body contracted and she cried out against the force of the climax that tore through her. The washes rushed over her, the spasms making her wish even more that he was buried inside her so that he could feel her body responding so intensely to him. Finally it eased and she relaxed down into the water, allowing it to calm her.
The next day Zsilvia walked to George's house, the smile on her face was soft and secretive, hiding the satisfaction still coursing through her. She longed for the first moment of seeing him, and when he stepped out of the house she saw he held a similar smile. Even if she imagined that smile, the thought made her tremble and she had to struggle to control herself.
"Are we still on for tonight after we leave Ciyrs'?" he asked, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her waist.
"Absolutely," she said.
George kissed the tip of her nose and they started together toward the shop. As soon as they got to the corner of the road in front of the shop, however, they saw the other women coming out. Zuri was in front, the look on her face drawn and tense.
"Is something wrong?" George asked, starting to jog toward them.
"Creia said that he just got communication from another shuttle saying they will be arriving in a few minutes."
"Another shuttle?" Zsilvia asked, "Did you know that there was someone else coming?"
"No," Zuri answered, "and neither did Creia. He doesn't seem too happy about it, but he says that it is an official university shuttle so he is going to allow it to land and he will figure out what to do from there. He wants us to be there when the shuttle arrives, though."
G
eorge and Zsilvia joined the women and they rushed toward the front of the compound. The shuttle had already landed by the time that they got to the landing platform, and there was a sense of tension and nervousness among the group as they stared at the door waiting for it to open so that they could see who may be arriving unexpectedly. Finally the door hissed and slid out of the way. The captain stepped out followed by the flight attendant. A moment later a woman appeared at the door and out of the corner of her eye Zsilvia saw a broad smile break across George's face. He stepped away from her and rushed up the steps onto the platform to the woman.
"Ivy!" he cried happily, "I didn't think you were going to be able to come!"
The slim blond woman grinned at George and leapt into his arms, giving him a tight hug.
"I know!" she exclaimed, "I didn't think that I would be able to, either, but I moved some stuff around and hopped on the next shuttle that was available."
George stepped back and took both of Ivy's hands in his. Zsilvia's heart felt like it was shattering. She watched him stare into the young woman's face, the smile on his face only seeming to get bigger with each passing moment. Who was this woman and why did he seem so excited to see her? Was it possible that it was wife? She hadn't seen a wedding band on his hand and he hadn't mentioned a woman in his life on Earth, but she knew from stories she had heard that that didn't always mean that there wasn't a woman around, just that the man was choosing not to mention it.
She sank back into the back of the group. She didn't want to see any more. Not caring any longer who might notice, she turned and ran away from the loading platform toward the meeting hall. She needed to get away from everything that was happening. More than that, she needed to get to Creia before the group of women and George did. They would arrive for the traditional greeting for the woman who he called Ivy and Zsilvia wanted the opportunity to talk with him first so that she could request to be removed from her position as his guard and protector.
"Absolutely not, Zsilvia."
Her heart sank even lower than she could have imagined and she took an imploring step toward the king.
"Please, sir. I don't think I can handle any more of this responsibility, especially with this new arrival. It seems that George and this woman know each other quite well and I do not want to be put into the position of guarding both of them."
"This woman's sudden and unexpected appearance is even more reason why I need you to remain in your position," Creia said, "All of us need to be vigilant now and aware of any potential threats. Though the shuttle is from the university and they tell me that she was originally scheduled to come with George, I do not want to take any chances. You will remain in your position, and I will assign one of the others to this new woman."
"Yes, sir."
Zsilvia felt completely defeated. She didn't know how she was going to overcome this. The thought of not only having to continue to be around George was difficult enough, but having to be around him while also having to watch him with that woman was more than she could bear. She was just stepping back away from the platform when the group walked through the door. They were talking animatedly, but the sound of Creia's booming voice silenced them instantly.
"Please approach the platform."
Ivy walked toward them and Zsilvia felt even more of a pang within her. The woman was young and incredibly beautiful. Her hair was not bright and yellowish like Zuri's. It was paler and shimmery as it stretched nearly to her narrow waist. Though she was taller than the other human women except for Zuri and Samira, she was very delicate looking. Small, precise features, pale eyes, and long, slim limbs made her look fragile but in a precious, treasured way rather than with a sickly or damaged hint like Leia and Elianna had when they first encountered them.
"Hello. I'm Ivy," she said brightly.
Creia's face did not change. Instead, he leaned slightly forward toward her, his eyes evaluating her for several long seconds.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"I'm here to be part of the exchange program with the university," she said, sounding slightly confused, "I am George's research assistant."
A bit of relief moved through her, but Zsilvia wouldn't let herself feel completely at ease about George again. Her being his research assistant did not excuse the friendly greeting or the way that she had smiled at him. Eden spoke of being a research assistant as well and that had always come with suggestions and indecent proposals that were never fulfilled because of the disdain she felt for the researcher who eventually became her boss as she moved up through the ranks within the company. Perhaps the same kinds of feelings existed for George and instead of rejecting them, Ivy had returned them. This wasn't something she was likely to share with the king within the first few seconds of meeting him.
"I was not aware that you were coming until the captain contacted me to let me know that you were about to land. I do not appreciate being in the dark about these things. It is my job to protect and control this compound and when I am left unaware of what is happening, I am not able to do that properly."
"I'm sorry," Ivy said, her voice sounding confused and slightly hurt.
"If I may, sir," George said, stepping forward toward the king.
"Yes?" the king said, looking up at him.
"When I was selected to be a part of this program, I asked that Ivy come along with me. She has been my assistant for several years now and she knows how I work. I knew that having her here would make the process of getting my research done as well as teaching whatever classes I would have the opportunity to teach much easier and more efficient. Prior arrangements, however, made it so that she was unable to come along with me on my voyage here. I had expressed my regret about that and it seems that when her schedule opened, Ivy made the decision to join me here."
"I assumed that because there was an available shuttle and I was supposed to come with him in the first place that it wouldn't cause a problem."
Creia seemed unmoved.
"I should have been informed of this decision before you left the university. The compound is at a tense and vulnerable state right now and it is not acceptable for us to have situations like this occur because someone chooses not to communicate professionally."
Ivy hung her head and Zsilvia fought off the urge to feel slightly satisfied.
"I apologize, sir," George said, "I take full responsibility for this situation. I should have been clearer with her about my instructions."
Creia looked at George and his expression softened just slightly.
"I appreciate your nobility," the king said, "and I understand how important professional relationships such as this one can be to the success of a project. If you are willing to vouch for her, I will allow her to stay, but only with the understanding that she is to do nothing and go nowhere without express permission." He turned his attention back to Ivy, "Zuri will be responsible for you. You are to go nowhere without her, and do nothing that she does not explain to you."
"Thank you," Ivy said softly.
As the group turned to walk out of the meeting hall, George tried to catch Zsilvia's eye, but she looked away. She might not have been permitted to leave her role as his guard and protector, but that did not mean that she had to be alone with him or make any personal connection with him until the time came that she was able to get out of those responsibilities.
Chapter Eight
"Is there anything else that you can tell me about her?"
Ero was sitting across the bedroom from Rain, Zuri's field notebook balanced on his lap as he jotted down everything that Lynx told him about the woman. Lynx glanced over at Rain and patted her leg through the blanket. He had come to know that if he touched her through the blanket he was able to have contact with her without it immediately flashing him to the last moments of her wakefulness. He thought through everything he knew about her, including the fact that she was human. He hadn't shared that with Ero and he was still struggling with whether he should
. For some reason he was still having a difficult time divulging that bit of information to him. He couldn't explain it, but he was still compelled to hold that detail about her inside himself and not share it.
"Lynx?" Ero asked, breaking him out of his thoughts, "Is there anything else that you can tell me about her? Anything that might help us understand her better?"
Lynx thought for another long second. Finally he stood and closed the bedroom door. He took a breath and met Ero's eyes.
"You can't tell anybody else what I'm about to tell you. No one. Not until Pyra comes back."
"Alright."
Lynx looked over at Rain. He rested his hand on her leg protectively and then looked back at Ero.
"She's human," he said.
He felt like he had to force the words out of his body and as they came out he knew that he was not going to be able to take them back. Ero looked shocked and he turned his gaze from Lynx to Rain.
"Human?" he asked.
"Yeah. I found out the first time I saw her." He reached into his bag and took out the picture of her that he carried around with him, "Look at the back."
Ero read the inscription that had told Lynx that Rain, and presumably everyone else in the settlement, had been from Earth. His eyes were wide when they lifted back to Lynx.
"I thought that humans had never made contact with Uoria before the first came to the compound."
"I did, too."
"Why didn't you tell anybody about this?"
Ero's tone was accusatory and Lynx snatched the picture back from his hand, holding it protectively and looking into the image of Rain's face when she was awake and smiling.
"Do you see how you're reacting to finding out? And your mate is human. Imagine how some of the warriors who don't think that the Denynso should have any contact with humans at all would react to finding out that there has been a settlement of humans on the planet for more than a century without anyone knowing. I was afraid that if I told anyone, no one would want to help me save them anymore."
Alien Romance Box Set: Uoria Mates II Complete Series (Books 1 - 10): A Sci-fi Alien Warrior Invasion Abduction Romance Page 26