by Mikayla Lane
Jess tried a little of everything and was just as surprised as Amun when she finished the potatoes and a slice of the bread.
When Amun tried to put everything away when they were done, Jess nervously spoke.
“Can I please keep the rest of the bread and the fruit for later?”
She flushed in embarrassment as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She hated to say anything, but the thought of him throwing all of that good food away really bothered her; it was more food than she normally had in a week. A part of her knew that they weren’t going to starve her, but so many years of not having enough to eat made her a little paranoid anyway.
“I don’t see any reason why you can’t. In fact, I think it would be a good idea to keep a bowl of fresh fruit in here and maybe some high-protein pouches. I’ll get those ordered and brought in. You have to promise to eat as much of it as you can, but nothing within two hours of a regular meal. Deal?”
Amun watched the relief wash over her beautiful face and wished he had thought of this sooner. He should have known that she’d have some hoarding issues after what she’d been through. It was one of the many problems the computer had calculated that she might have after her abuse. He would have to keep that in mind and make sure all of her things were kept in an abundant supply; pretty sure she’d already hoarded some of her new clothes and the body cleansers.
“Thank you Amun! Very much! You’ve been so very wonderful to me.” Jess was able to stop herself from throwing her arms around him this time, but not by much.
“I want to get you well, Jess. I’ll do whatever you need to get you well.” Amun flushed with embarrassment when he realized he’d said too much. He shouldn’t say things like that to her; he just couldn’t help but make sure she knew how much he cared.
“I bet all of your patients appreciate how much care you take with them.” Jess said softly, taking the fruit and bread out of his hands and putting them back on the table to give her something to do with her hands. The air in the room was suddenly thick with… what she didn’t know; however, she could feel the change in the room, and it made her nervous and excited at the same time.
Amun could tell from the look of confusion on her face that he was too intense with her and scrambled to put her back at ease, forcing himself to laugh lightly.
“Other than Cari and the girls, you’re the only other female I’ve ever had the opportunity to treat. Trust me the men do not think I am as nice as you females do.”
Jess grinned at the picture she’d created in her head of Amun playing with Cari’s baby girls. She could easily believe that he had charmed them as well. She remembered her mother telling her that her father had been as wonderful as Amun was being. A part of her was sure that if it wasn’t for those memories, she would never believe he was real, that a male could be that nice.
“How about we get back to the computer and see if we can have you learning on it by yourself before dinner?” Amun suggested to ease the tension in the room and his own impulses to hold her.
“I would really like that. Thank you.” Jess sat down in front of the comm and waited as Amun sat beside her and resumed their lesson.
It wasn’t long before Amun had her laughing and giggling and learning how to navigate the comm system so that she could learn not only about the things on Earth, but on Valendra as well. She paid particular attention to the information on the Sibiox, so she could learn more about Gibly. She was fascinated when she found out that they were considered to be a dangerous predator on Valendra.
“Why are they thought to be a dangerous predator? Gibly is so sweet, there’s no way he could be dangerous right?”
“Until Cari was able to communicate with Gibly, we had assumed that they were just an animal species native to our planet. We really had no idea that they were not only a sentient species but an empathic one as well. We are learning more about them every day, and the information in the comm will most likely change the more we learn.” Amun explained patiently.
“The collar that you made for him is going to make it much easier for us to learn. We’ve been trying to find a way to directly communicate with them for months now.”
He was genuinely surprised and pleased at how intelligent and articulate Jess was for a girl who had been in captivity and kept from the world. Her quick mind had absorbed the information on how to work the comm much more rapidly than he had expected. And her few questions had been carefully thought out, well-spoken and had shown a high level of comprehension.
He had found himself enchanted by her innocence, her quick mind and the shy way in which she tried to show her sense of humor. She had an easy smile for him when he would gently tease her that charmed him more every time he saw it.
He had also noticed that she had been much less fearful when he touched her; which he couldn’t stop himself from doing often. The feeling he got when he touched her, he could barely define. His entire body came alive; as if the cells themselves were being charged and reaching out to hers.
She was so engrossed in the comm she never even looked up when he left his arm over the back of her chair; his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. Leaving it there, he used his other hand to begin running scans on himself. The findings were so surprising; he ran them several more times before he could comprehend what it meant.
He continued to run more scans until his comm reminded him it was time for Jess to have dinner. He considered taking her to the dining room but quickly discarded the idea. He wasn’t worried about whether or not she would be able to handle being around that many male crew members; he was more worried about his reaction to that many males being around her. The more he touched her, was around her; the more possessive and aggressive he was becoming of her.
He called the dining hall and ordered their evening meal to be brought again and then turned to watch her for a few minutes. Her fingers flew quickly across the comm screen, pulling up Earth information and discarding it so fast he wasn’t sure if she could read it.
“How is it, I can read now?” Jess asked, as if reading his mind. From the scans, he’d seen so far; he wasn’t sure if she actually could or not.
“The first night you were here, while I was working on your healing; I went ahead and implanted a translator in you. I didn’t want you to be at a disadvantage if you hadn’t been able to learn our language. It can be a little intimidating to have people talking around you, and you can’t understand them.”
Amun watched her reaction closely to see if she’d be angry at him for doing so without her permission, and wasn’t really surprised when she just nodded her head before turning back to the comm.
He was a little worried about her lack of concern regarding her own well-being. Although he’d like to think it was because she trusted him; sadly, he knew that wasn’t the case.
She had never had any control over anything that had happened to her since her captivity and most likely had no idea that she could refuse anything or ask questions about her treatment.
The situation tore at him. He wanted her to learn that it was alright to make decisions regarding her life now, but didn’t want to take a chance that she would refuse any of her treatments. He wanted her whole first; he needed her whole. He didn’t ever want those scars and injuries to distort her ability to make impartial decisions regarding her health.
The risks she took so far in order to help rescue others, the way she’d trusted that creature to cut her throat… he swallowed the lump in his throat that he got every time he thought about that. He wasn’t sure if a part of her wasn’t suicidal, and it scared the hell out of him.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the arrival of their dinner. He accepted the tray and rushed the crew member back out of the door, not liking the way he tried to stare at Jess.
She hadn’t even taken her eyes off the comm when the man walked in the room, so Amun went ahead and set the table for dinner before interrupting her.
“Jess, let’s eat, then we can go back to
the comm when we’re done.”
Jess took the hand Amun held out for her and let him lead her to the table. She was surprised at how easily she’d accepted leaning on him when she walked now. No one had ever helped her before; she had always done everything on her own. However, now she looked forward to feeling his large, warm hand in her own, his strong, hard body pressed gently into hers. She almost felt like she belonged there, beside him. She shook herself out of her fanciful thoughts.
She knew better than to think that a man as wonderful as he would be interested in her. She sat quickly and waited until he was seated across from her before picking at the food on her plate; embarrassed that she would even think he could like her as something more than a patient.
She couldn’t figure out why everyone was being so nice to her or what they expected of her. Cari had explained what mates were. But she didn’t have anyone, and neither did all of those men on the ship… she was too terrified to finish the thought.
“Is something wrong with the food? Do you not like it?” Amun asked with concern. He knew it wasn’t the food since she hadn’t even eaten any yet.
“No, I’m sure it’s fine.” Jess took a small bite of the potatoes, barely tasting them as the thoughts ran through her head.
“What is supposed to happen to me now?” She didn't mean to blurt that out. She had no idea why she said it, but now that she had she wanted the answer.
“What do you mean, Jess? Right now, the only thing you need to worry about is healing and getting well again.” Amun wasn’t sure where her thoughts were taking her, but he could tell this was important to her.
“I mean after I’m healed. Where do I fit in? Where will I help? Will I be trained to fight, or to cook or clean? I’m really good at cooking and cleaning, and I don’t mind working hard and learning.” Jess stared at her plate and pushed another mound of potatoes around with her fork; too embarrassed to look at Amun.
It took a moment for what she said to sink in, but when it did, he wanted to explode with fury; n at her, but at himself and the situation. He should have explained things to her sooner.
He fought for control and when he felt calmer, he walked over to her chair. Turning her chair around, he squatted down in front of her, so they would be eye level when he spoke.
He took one small hand in his and used his other hand to gently tilt her chin up until he could look into her beautiful blue eyes.
“Jess, no one here will ever hurt you. I would never allow it. On our planet, the females usually take care of their homes, go to school or create things. Of course, they cook and clean, but on the ship that isn’t really necessary as the ships are designed differently. But you aren’t expected to do anything Jess. Ever.” Amun was surprised at how calm he sounded when he felt like he was shaking with rage on the inside.
Her face turned an even darker pink when she realized her mistake. The unexpected pain that stabbed her in the chest caused her to jerk from his grasp. She stood up so abruptly he fell backwards on the floor to avoid knocking her over.
“Jess, what’s wrong?” Amun sat on his ass and pulled his legs out of her way as she started to walk away from him. He waited until he could get up without knocking her over before pushing to his feet and following her.
“Jess, talk to me. Tell me what I said that upset you so much.” He knew it had to have been something he said, but he didn’t know what.
She walked over to her bed and tried to climb up on her own. He gently grabbed her arm to help her up when she turned around and tried to push him away. The tears swimming in her eyes and flowing freely down her cheeks were his undoing.
He picked her up into his arms and sat her in his lap; easily pinning her arms against his chest when she continued to try to push at him. He loosened his hold when she seemed to collapse into him sobbing quietly. What the hell had just happened?
Jess struggled to pull herself together, amazed at how much she hurt inside in places she thought had long ago died. She never thought she’d long for that numbness again. Why would it hurt so much when she barely knew this man? Why did she care so much what he thought of her? She had no answers, but she did know how to protect herself from this kind of pain. She’d had years to perfect hiding from it.
She could even understand why he had said what he said; she knew she would never be good enough for anyone after being nothing more than a Relian whore. He had been so kind she had forgotten what she was; she just didn't expect the reminder to hurt so much. It was a mistake she wouldn’t make again.
Chapter Six
It had been two moon cycles since that disastrous dinner, and Amun was still struggling to figure out what had gone wrong. Everyone thought he was crazy, but he knew damn well that he watched her erect an emotional and psychological wall between them.
She almost seemed normal, and to everyone else she seemed to be the same. But he could tell that she was different now. She was colder and more distant, and although unfailingly polite and friendly her heart no longer seemed to be in anything anymore. Except getting well.
The new bones in her legs were only put in last night, two-days ahead of schedule, and she was already struggling to walk on them. She’d been at it for more than an hour now and showed no sign of taking a break even, though he knew she had to be getting tired and sore. Her muscles weren’t used to working around bones that were set correctly and would require some retraining and reshaping.
Her healing ability seemed to increase since dinner that night; the scans had even shown low level activity in what he termed as the 'gifted' part of her brain. However, there hadn’t been another incident of her creating something spontaneously so he wasn’t too concerned about that.
He’d tried to talk to her about it, but she lied and told him there was nothing wrong. No matter what he had tried, nothing had gotten through to her.
“We need you and Jess in the conference room, my friend.” Scaden said startling Amun.
“What’s going on?”
“Reven wants to contact Julou.” Scaden left Amun to get Jess.
“Jess, Reven is in the conference room and would like to talk to you about setting up the meeting with Julou. You need to take a break anyway.” Jealousy flared when he saw her eyes light up at the mention of Julou’s name. He tamped it down enough to gently take her hand to help her out of MedLab and into the conference room down the corridor.
After helping Jess into a chair, Amun took the one next to her and waited for the meeting to be over with. Jess had to be exhausted by now, and he wanted her to eat something and get some rest.
“Jess, as you know, I have decided to meet with your friend Julou to discuss an alliance. Can you tell us how we are to contact him?” Ivint asked gently. She had almost looked like a completely different female when she had walked into the room. She looked like she had already put on weight, and the haunted look was no longer in her eyes, replaced with… he couldn’t put his finger on what it was... wounded maybe?
“I have to call him from an Earth phone.” Jess said, easily telling the truth.
“If you give me the number I’ll call it later from the planet and set up the meeting.” Reven suggested.
“No, I have to be the one to make the call. If I don’t call he won’t trust you.” Jess knew she had to convince them to let her make the call.
“Jess, we can’t get one of their cell phones to work up here, and I don’t know if you can go back to the planet in your condition.” Reven tried to figure out a way around the girl going to the planet to make the phone call. He was going to have enough problems trying to keep Ivint safe; he really didn’t want to have to worry about the female as well.
“I have to be the one to make the call. I’m sorry. I don’t think he realized you were going to take me aboard a ship in space. He didn’t tell me what to do if you did.” Jess said by way of apology when Reven cursed.
“Amun, is she safe to travel?” Ivint asked.
“Not unless I go with her. With the n
ew bones in her legs, she needs constant monitoring to ensure the bones take properly.” Amun stared at Jess’s shocked face while he lied. He knew for a fact that she was lying so that she could get back to the planet. What he didn’t know was why. Nevertheless, he was going with her and would find out.
Jess quickly hid her shock at Amun’s blatant lie; just this morning he had told her that she was almost in perfect shape and once her muscles and bones settled she would be perfect. Now he was making it sound like something could go wrong at any moment.
He knew she was lying and was making sure he was going with her. She didn’t know how he’d figured it out, or even how she knew for certain that he was lying. However, she did know and was going to have to alter her plans if he was going to the planet as well.
She wasn’t going to delude herself into thinking that he cared that much about her, other than to make sure she didn’t ruin all the work; he'd done trying to heal her. She couldn’t blame him for that; he’d worked really hard to heal her. However, she couldn’t afford to keep living in a dream world and had to face what she had to do. Turning back around to wait for Reven to speak, she chose to ignore Amun.
“Alright, we’ll get it set up tonight. Get your rest; we’ll leave first thing in the morning.” Reven said with a frustrated sigh. He wasn’t going to kid himself that he’d be able to get rid of her when she made that call. The way his luck was going, she was going to be with them longer than he preferred.
It was bad enough that Ivint had ordered that Gibly would go as well because he’d been having a fit since he was moved to the Draconia with the other women. Although he liked the creature, he didn’t think there was a place for him on a mission like this. Hell, there was no place for the injured female either, but Ivint didn’t want to listen to him.
“Yes, sir.” Jess said before standing to leave the room.