by S. E. Smith
Together, they moved as one. When Kella reached the part that she was having difficulty with, Ash took over, guiding her through the moves. Her breath caught and he could sense her excitement. He stepped back and to the side when she finished the kata.
Kella smiled and moved into position. They both bowed before they began doing the kata over again. Almost half an hour passed before Kella laughed and twirled to face him. Her face glowed with delight.
“I have never felt so much power within my body and mind before. It was as if… as if I was one with the energy around me,” Kella said excitedly before the smile on her lips faded.
Ash stepped closer and lifted his hand to run his fingers down her cheek. His gaze swept over her face and he had an uncontrollable urge to kiss her. He slid his hand down to her chin and tilted her head back so that he could look into her eyes.
“You are beautiful when you laugh,” he murmured, brushing his thumb along her lower lip.
“It is the first time I ever remember doing that,” she admitted in a soft voice.
Ash frowned in confusion. “Doing what?”
“Laughing,” she replied.
Ash stared at Kella in disbelief. The words told him a lot about what her life must have been like growing up. His life had been filled with laughter. Sure, there had been some bad days, but his grandmother had a wicked sense of humor and believed that laughter was a positive healer for both your physical body and your mental soul. He couldn’t imagine a life of never seeing the bright side of things.
“Well, I think you have a lot of catching up to do,” he teased before his eyes grew dark with desire. “I really want to kiss you, Kella.”
She raised an eyebrow and her lips curved in amusement. “You do? How much is the ‘really want to’ worth to you?” she quipped.
It took a second for Ash to realize she was teasing him. He chuckled softly and stepped closer to her, sliding his hand along her cheek to the back of her neck. He paused a breath away from her lips.
“How about you tell me?” he retorted in a low voice before he captured her lips.
“I would rather show you,” she murmured with a mischievous smile.
Ash released a hissing breath when her hand slid down the front of his body. Damn, but he loved a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to take it – in this case him. Reaching down, he grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it off. Tonight was going to be a long, long night – in the most pleasurable ways if he had his way.
Kella blinked the next morning. Her hand stretched out along her bed. Ash was gone. Sitting up, she pulled the covers around her and glanced around. A smile curved her lips when she saw the tray with fresh fruit, bread, cheeses, and a covered drink on the small table.
Sliding out of bed, she walked across to the ‘bathroom’ as Ash called it. Taking a quick shower and dressing, Kella sat down at the table and pulled the cover off the drink before lifting it to her lips to take a sip. Her gaze moved over the table. There were two plates. Something told her Ash would be back.
She thought of their night together. He had made her feel beautiful. The things he did to her left her breathless one moment and on fire the next. Her lips curved up when she remembered doing the same to him.
She might not have had the experience, but she wasn’t shy about learning new things. He taught her how to pleasure him and in return, she found joy in discovering her own desires. The biggest thing Kella learned last night was that her mentor was wrong. There are some things, some people in this world, who should be treasured, and Ash was one of them.
“You’re awake!” Ash said, pushing the door open with his foot before kicking it closed behind him.
Kella rose from her chair and looked at him with a bemused expression when she saw the amount of food on the second tray he was carrying. He walked across the room, an intense look of concentration on his face as he tried not to spill anything. It took a moment to realize there was a brilliant flower in the center of the tray.
“Are you planning on eating the flower as well?” she asked, reaching over and picking it up.
Ash scowled at her. “No, it is for you,” he said with a grin. “I know you get hungry. I was planning on serving you breakfast in bed, but now that you are up, we can eat at the table.”
“Breakfast in bed?” she asked, glancing at the unmade bed and then the tray.
“It sounds great, but it is hard as hell to eat without making a mess and there is nothing worse than trying to sleep in a pile of crumbs,” he said.
It was Kella’s turn to scowl. “You have done this for other women?” she asked, lifting the flower to her nose and sniffing it.
Ash nodded. “I tried to do it whenever I was home for my grandmother. It was a running joke between us. I was about seven when I brought it to her one Saturday morning. I burned the toast, under-cooked the eggs, and had a bowl of cereal filled to the top. We sat in the middle of her bed and ate it all,” he replied, placing the tray on the table. “I’m a better cook now.”
Kella chuckled when she saw the prepared food. “You did not make that,” she said, sliding back into her chair.
“Nope, but I carried it all the way from the kitchens,” Ash declared.
Kella looked at the bounty of food. Her stomach growled in appreciation of his efforts. It all looked fabulous. She felt the strange burning in her eyes and nose. Her gaze moved to the flower in her hand – and the burning intensified.
“Why did you do this?” she asked, looking up at him.
The easy grin on his face faded to be replaced by an intense expression. He studied her face for several long seconds before he reached his right hand across the table. Kella frowned at the gesture before she placed her hand in his.
“Because you deserve it and I wanted to. Last night was incredible, Kella. I hope you felt it too. I… I’m very attracted to you,” he admitted.
Kella tilted her head and studied him in return. Last night was more than incredible – if there was such a thing. Unable to express the feelings raging inside her, Kella squeezed his hand and pulled back, lifting the flower to her nose again.
“I want to have more nights like last night,” she murmured, not looking at him.
His low chuckle told her that he heard her statement. “Well, if you want more nights like last night, I’d better feed you,” he replied.
Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. They both laughed. Kella placed the flower down next to her plate and began to fill it with all the delicious looking food.
“I would like to learn more about your self-defense moves. There are many that are similar to what I have learned, but others that are different. The way you execute them is also very different,” she said around a mouthful of food.
“You were doing a few things I wouldn’t mind learning either,” Ash replied. “I’d like to find out if Kubo has discovered any new information.”
“I will need to check on my freighter,” Kella said. “I paid a young boy to watch over it. I do not imagine he is still there.”
The spork in Ash’s hand froze halfway to his mouth. “It is too dangerous for you to go above ground,” he warned. “I’ll ask Kubo if he can send someone to check on it.”
Kella opened her mouth to protest, but the glimmer of warning in his eyes and the realization that he was correct in his assessment of the danger silenced her. She was not used to this type of behavior. It shouldn’t matter that it was dangerous. She would move in the shadows of the city anyway. Her ability to change her appearance was definitely a strategy in her favor.
“By the way, how did you do that yesterday?” Ash asked, leaning forward.
Kella blinked in surprise. “How did I do what?” she asked.
Ash waved his hand in a circle while pointing it at her. “You know, change your skin color. One minute you were dark green, the next you looked like all the other Torrians with the red skin and tattoo lines,” he replied.
“It is one of the reason
s Tallei chose me as her pupil. I can change my appearance. It makes me a… It allows me to blend in so I can move among other species easier. If anyone looks hard enough, they will see I am different, but most only look at the obvious,” Kella explained with a shrugged.
Ash grinned. “That is really amazing,” he said.
Kella smiled and lowered her gaze. She did not lie to him – she was just not completely honest. It was one of the reasons that Tallei chose her and it did help her blend in. She used it as a way to get closer to her targets or to avoid capture. For now, she would listen, learn, and enjoy her time with Ash – for as long as she could before he discovered who and what she really was.
16
Two days later, the feel of Kella’s body stiffening and the sound of the door scraping on the floor alerted Ash to the fact they were no longer alone. His fingers closed over Kella’s when her hand moved to the blade she had hidden between the wall and the mattress. Lifting his head, he peered over her shoulder.
“Father says you both must come to the great hall,” Natta stated from the doorway.
Ash threaded his fingers through Kella’s and nodded. “Tell him we’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said.
Natta tilted her head and stared at the two of them for a moment before she shook her head and turned on her heel. She glanced over her shoulder once more before she closed the door behind her. Only when she was gone did he feel Kella’s body relax.
“Note to self, make sure I announce myself before I enter a room with you in it,” Ash chuckled, releasing her hand and leaning up so he could gaze down at her. “Good morning, beautiful.”
Kella’s eyes twinkled with mischief. Ash should have known she was up to something when her other hand curled over his right buttock and she squeezed it. A low curse escaped him when his body immediately responded.
“You will greet me each morning with that phrase, in addition to the breakfast on a tray. I like it,” she said.
“Darling, if we had more than ten minutes, I’d be greeting you another way,” Ash swore, dropping a quick kiss to her lips.
“I would like that very much as well. You are very different from the men who came to Tallei’s bar, Ash. I am very grateful for that,” Kella replied, lifting her free hand to touch his face.
“I’ll take that as a compliment. We’d better get moving or we’ll both end up standing in front of that old man in our birthday suits. I don’t care what anyone says, I still don’t believe he is as blind as he acts,” Ash dryly commented before he kissed the tip of her nose, pulled away, and slid off the other side of the bed.
“I was wondering if he was,” Kella remarked, throwing the covers back and sliding out of the bed as well.
Ash turned in time to see Kella walk across the room to pick up the clothing that was cleaned for her. He bit back a groan of frustration. His body was on full alert now that he broke his celibacy. Why couldn’t they both be marooned on a tropical desert island with five star service – the kind with the little colorful umbrellas and a queen size hammock between two palm trees?
“Ash… Ash…. Are you well?” Kella asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ash blinked. It took him a minute to realize he was just standing there, naked as the day he was born, with a goofy grin on his face. He nodded and walked over to pick his clothes up from the floor that he discarded the night before. He stepped into his trousers, pulled them up, and fastened them so they would not fall off before tugging his shirt over his head. He really should just move the few items he had from his room into Kella’s since that is where he’d spent his last two nights.
“I need to stop by my room for some real clothes,” he said.
“I will meet you in the great room,” Kella replied.
“Sounds good,” Ash said, walking by her and dropping a quick, hard kiss to her lips. “Good morning, beautiful.”
He ran his hand over the curve of her buttock before he continued out the door. A happy grin curved his lips when he heard her muttered curse behind him. The icy reserve was definitely melted and he planned to keep it that way.
Whistling a popular tune from back home, he broke into a jog. His body and mind were humming. This new life may not be so bad after all, he thought as he ran back to his quarters to change.
Kella stepped out of her room and began walking down the passage to meet with Ash and Kubo. Her footsteps slowed when she saw the Torrian female who entered her room a short while ago standing at the end of the corridor watching her. Lifting her head, she looked back at the woman with an unwavering stare.
Natta straightened when Kella drew even with her. Kella didn’t slow down. She also didn’t miss the flash of irritation on the other woman’s face.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Natta stated.
Kella shrugged. “So does your father. He is your leader; I will listen to what he has to say,” she replied, ignoring the other woman when she stopped.
“Do you really think you are good enough for a Knight of the Gallant Order?” Natta suddenly asked.
Kella slowed to a stop and turned to face the other woman. Her fingers moved to the grip of her laser pistol. She didn’t miss the other woman’s wary step back or the fact that she fingered her own weapon by her side. Kella saw the intricately carved cylinder. Her lips tightened.
“That is not your concern, Torrian. It matters not whether you think I am good enough or not,” Kella replied, staring the other woman down.
“He will just use you and toss you aside when he knows what you are,” Natta retorted.
Kella relaxed her shoulders and allowed a mocking smile to curve her lips. “What makes you think he doesn’t already know?” she asked.
A flicker of doubt crossed Natta’s face. Satisfied that she had won this small battle, Kella turned on her heel and strode away. Natta didn’t see the doubt or apprehension swirling through Kella, nor did the woman see the knife Kella had drawn in case she needed it.
Kella refused to allow Natta or anyone else to see the pain the other woman’s words caused her. Was this what Tallei meant when she said caring for something would make her weak? Deep down, Kella knew that Ash didn’t really know who, or what, she was. It was obvious from his words. She knew that if she didn’t tell him, someone else would, but she couldn’t bear it if he looked at her with the same distrust, fear, and disgust that many of the others did.
The Turbinta were good enough to kill for other species, but they were considered expendable after they were no longer needed. Tallei told her as much. Their code was to live for the kill, collect the credits and stay alive long enough to become a mentor.
Suddenly, none of that sounded good – or right – any longer. It seemed as if everything that Kella had ever known was a lie. The world was not a bad place; well, not all of it. There were good people in it. People like Abeni and Noma and Kubo and… Ash. There were things that were funny and things that were beautiful.
And things that were incredible, Kella thought, thinking of the night before as she entered the large dining hall.
Kubo sat over to the side on one of the plush couches. He held his long walking stick in his hands. For the first time, Kella studied the old man’s face. She realized that the lines on it told a story.
Walking closer, she analyzed his face and learned bits and pieces about his life. There were wrinkles by the corner of his eyes and his mouth that told her he had laughed and smiled a lot. Yet, he also had lines across his brow and under his eyes as if he had felt great sorrow or worry.
“You study me as if you are unsure of your welcome, Kella of the Turbinta,” Kubo said in a gentle tone.
“How did you know it was me?” Kella asked curiously.
“You walk very quietly, much differently than many of the others here who stomp their feet to make sure I do not step on them,” Kubo chuckled in response.
Kubo patted the seat next to him and waited for her to sit down. Kella glanced around the open dining area. There were only a handful of pe
ople in the room. She noticed that one or more would look in their direction before glancing away.
“They care about you. They are afraid I will harm you,” she murmured.
“Yes,” Kubo acknowledged.
Kella stiffened and sat up straighter. “I won’t,” she said.
Kubo reached over and patted her hand. “I know you won’t, child. Regardless of what you may have been taught, your heart is still pure,” he murmured.
Kella looked down at the hand covering hers. An unfamiliar burning made her eyes ache. She blinked to clear it, but the burning continued. Curling her fingers into a fist, she willed the strange feeling to go away.
“How can you be sure? Tallei said…,” Kella’s voice faded when she saw Ash entering the room.
Kubo patted Kella’s hand again. “Your mentor picked the wrong pupil when she stole you away, Kella. Your people are kind and gentle, but they are also fiercely protective of their own. Tallei hoped to train that out of you, but she failed,” he said.
“You know who my people are?” Kella whispered, staring at Kubo in shock.
“Yes.”
Kella blinked, forcing her gaze away from Kubo’s serene face. She glanced at Ash. Natta was walking beside him. His face looked taut and there was a hint of anger on it. Kella quickly glanced down. If Natta told Ash about her – about what a Turbinta really was – she would slit the woman’s throat in her sleep.
Her hands trembled. She wasn’t ready to deal with Ash looking at her the way the others did, not yet; especially after what happened between them last night. The burning was back in her eyes, this time stronger than before.
She drew in a deep breath when she felt the cushion next to her sink down. It wasn’t until a strong, dark hand curled around hers that she looked up in surprise. Ash winked at her and pulled her hand up to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it.