“Agreed. Can I walk you to the transport?” Kalis asked. “Just to be certain you’re safe—you have to walk right past the Unmated Males area on the way out of here,” he pointed out. “I don’t want you to have to go that way alone.”
“Oh, well…sure.” Jillian shrugged. She’d never had any trouble with walking past the area—which was forbidden for single females to enter—before, but it was nice that Kalis wanted to look out for her.
They walked through the parkland in the center of the Mother Ship, which was now flooded with artificial moonlight. The green sun at the center of the ship, which provided immense amounts of power, was powered down on “low”, making a soft silvery glow that looked beautiful on the grass and trees.
“I never knew the Mother Ship could be so beautiful,” Kalis rumbled, looking around as they walked.
“It really is nice,” Jillian admitted. “I never thought I could be happy living on a spaceship—I thought I would feel cooped up or claustrophobic—but the Mother Ship is so huge, I forget I’m inside a ship half the time.”
“It’s easy to forget,” Kalis agreed. “I heard about it all my life. Never thought I’d live here, though.”
“I, uh, hope you’ll be happy here,” Jillian offered, a bit awkwardly. “I know it’s probably a big change from living in the Buy-All-Sell-All.”
“Of course I’ll be happy here,” Kalis rumbled, looking down at her. “You’re here, little Mistress.”
Jillian’s heart started pounding but she tried to remain professional.
“Kalis, you really can’t say things like that,” she reproved him sternly. “I’m your boss now. And I know your, er, previous bosses—Mistresses—have expected you to do…a lot of things for them. But for me, you only have to show up on time and do a great job in the kitchen. Anything else would be inappropriate to, ah, say the least.”
“I see.” He nodded thoughtfully. “All right—I’ll be respectful of your wishes. Just know that I’m here if you need me…in any way,” he added.
They had reached the transport at this point—it was a tram that ran all around the vast Mother Ship, making it easier to get around the enormous space. Though there was a tram already waiting for passengers at the station, Jillian found she was reluctant to board it.
“Thank you,” she breathed, looking up at the big Kindred.
“You’re welcome,” Kalis rumbled, catching her eyes with his own.
For a long moment, they just gazed at each other. Jillian caught herself wishing he would cup her cheek again, and lean in to kiss her, as he almost had in the kitchen before Commander Sylvan had interrupted them. But she knew that would be inappropriate and taking things way too fast—which was a mistake she was determined not to repeat.
“Well…goodnight,” she said softly, unable to drag her eyes away from his silver-green gaze.
“Goodnight, Jillian,” he murmured in that deep, soft voice of his.
Jillian got the feeling that he wanted to touch her and she knew she wanted to touch him too…wanted to lean against his broad chest and feel him enfold her in those hard, muscular arms again and take her mouth with his…
No, I can’t! I have to keep some distance, she told herself sternly. Forcing herself to tear her eyes away from his, she nodded and smiled once more.
“Good night. See you at work tomorrow.”
“Goodnight,” he murmured again, watching as she boarded the tram. His own guest suite was much closer to Pat-ar—he only had to walk a little way to get to it, as he had told Jillian. So she got aboard alone and gave him an awkward little wave.
Kalis returned the gesture and she could feel his eyes on her until the tram was out of sight.
33
It had been a long two days and Jillian was dead tired by the time she finally got into her suite—a comfortably furnished apartment with a single bedroom and a well-outfitted kitchen she used to test new recipes. But no matter how tired she was, she always had to take a shower before she went to bed—no exceptions. Otherwise the scents of the food she’d been cooking all night would be in her hair and on her skin until morning and she didn’t like that.
With a sigh, she stripped out of her Chef’s whites and black trousers and dumped the clothes in the laundry hamper. Then she stepped into the fresher—which was what the Kindred called their bathrooms—and turned the shower on full-blast.
It wasn’t until she stepped under the rushing water and looked down at herself that Jillian noticed what looked like hundreds of tiny red pin-pricks covering her skin from her collarbones down to her mid-thighs.
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed aloud, staring down at herself. “What in the world?”
Hastily, she turned off the water and reached for a towel. Stepping out of the shower, she dried herself off quickly and then went to stand in front of the 3-D viewer mounted at the far end of the bathroom.
The tiny red pinpricks looked almost like some kind of a rash, she thought, examining her naked skin in the viewer. But they were only on the front of her body and the palms of her hands—there was nothing on her sides and back or her face, thank goodness.
“What in the world?” Jillian muttered again, surveying herself from side-to- side and front-to-back in the 3-D viewer. “What could have caused this?”
Then, suddenly, she remembered what Kalis had said about the Nebrian’s spines and the way Ambassador Ha’choo Bless’u’s short, prickly hairs had dug into her unmercifully while she was locked in the alien’s embrace. Could this rash-type thing be the result? And why hadn’t she felt or seen it earlier?
Whatever the reason she’d missed it, she was seeing it now and it definitely hurt. Her skin felt tight and dry and painful—almost as though she had a severe sunburn. And every second the pain seemed to get worse as the pinprick rash that covered the front of her body got redder and redder.
Jillian stared at her worsening state in dismay. Had the water in the shower activated the compounds from the Nebrian ambassador’s spines? Or was this just some kind of delayed reaction? She had no idea—just like she had no idea what she was going to do.
Should she go to the Med Center? But would they know how to treat this? Was there some kind of cream or ointment that could neutralize the poison from the alien ambassador’s spines?
You know who seems to know all about the Nebrians and their spines? Kalis, whispered a little voice in her head. Why don’t you call him and see if he can tell you what to do about this? It would be better than getting dressed and dragging yourself down to the Med Center in the middle of the night.
Which was true, Jillian thought. After yesterday, she’d had enough of the Med Center. She found her Think-me and put the thin golden wire around her temples. Then she concentrated on the big Kindred, thinking about how much she wanted to talk to him.
In just a few moments, she felt a line of communication open and Kalis was there.
“Yes, little Mistress?” His mental voice was as deep as his physical one, Jillian thought. “What can I do for you?”
“Um…” Now that she had him on the “line,” Jillian found it difficult to explain her problem. Thought communication was different—more intimate—than speaking out loud. She had often wondered if using the Think-me was how it felt to be bonded to a Kindred warrior and share a permanent mental and emotional link with him.
“It’s not unlike having a bond, but the Think-me doesn’t convey emotion or go nearly as deep as a bond,” she heard Kalis answer her thought. “But is that really what you called me about, Mistress?”
“Oh, er—no. No, I didn’t mean for you to hear that at all,” Jillian sent hastily, feeling like an idiot. She’d better get to the point quickly before she betrayed herself with some other, forbidden thoughts she didn’t want the big Kindred to “hear.”
As if on cue, the mental image of the erotic massage he’d given her the day before popped into her head. The way his big, warm hands had felt caressing and massaging her body…
“Do you want me to
come give you a massage?” Kalis asked. His mental voice was warm and interested. “It would be my pleasure, Mistress.”
“No, no—that’s not it either!” Jillian exclaimed, frustrated at herself and her traitor brain that kept digging up things she didn’t want the big Kindred to see and then showing them to him. “I need your advice about the Nebrian spines,” she sent quickly, before more X-rated images could rise to the top of her head.
“Nebrian spines? What about them?” She could hear the frown of confusion in his tone.
“I think they got me after all. I mean, everywhere the ambassador touched me, is all red and painful and itchy! I didn’t notice until I went to take a shower and then—“
“The water activated the venom from the spines,” Kalis finished for her. “Yes, I’ve seen this problem before, Mistress.”
“Well can you tell me what to do about it?” Jillian demanded. “I mean, is there some kind of cream or ointment I can use?”
“There’s plinkum salve.” Kalis sounded doubtful. “It will neutralize the pain and itching—”
“Perfect,” Jillian interrupted him.
“But it will also stain your skin a permanent, bright purple for at least five solar years.”
“What? But I don’t want purple skin!” Jillian protested. “Won’t this, uh, venom eventually wear off on its own?
“Sure.” Kalis sounded like he was shrugging. “If you don’t mind waiting a solar year for it to work its way out of your system.”
“So my choices are unbearable pain for a whole year or purple skin for five years? That’s awful!”
“There is one other choice.” Kalis sounded reluctant to mention it.
“Really? What? Tell me!” Jillian sent eagerly.
“You may not like it,” Kalis sent carefully. “But if you’ll let me, I can heal you, Mistress.”
“You? How? Not by turning into that massive, uh, bear-thing you turn into, right?” she sent anxiously.
“Well, I would be channeling my other form’s healing powers, but no, I wouldn’t have to actually change forms—not for something as simple as a Nebrian spine rash,” Kalis sent.
“Okay, good.” Jillian breathed a mental sigh of relief. “Then would you mind coming over to my place and, uh, helping me out? I’m in a lot of pain here!”
“It would be my pleasure to heal you, Jillian,” he replied, in that deep, soft voice that somehow felt like someone caressing her bare skin with the softest fur. “Just give me the location of your suite and I’ll come over at once.”
“Thank you!” Jillian sent him some directions and she felt a mental nod coming from his end.
“Be right there.” And then he broke the connection.
34
Kalis wondered, as he took the tram over to Jillian’s suite, if she would be so willing to let him heal her once she found out exactly what the process entailed. It was apt to get rather…intimate. Especially considering the places the spines had scratched her.
He could tell—by the thoughts she had inadvertently sent him—that she wanted him sexually. But he could also tell that she didn’t want to admit that to herself. She seemed to have some kind of reluctance about getting close to him and he didn’t think it was all because of his Ursus. There was some other reason too—maybe something to do with her past?
Kalis didn’t know what it was, but he hoped to find out. Maybe if he knew why she was reluctant to become involved with him, he could ease her fears and bring her closer.
It doesn’t matter how close you bring her if she’s never willing to meet your Ursus, whispered a pessimistic little voice in his head.
Kalis tried to push it away, but he knew it was true. Until the curvy little female met and tamed his other half, any bonding between them was impossible. And right now, she was scared to death of the gigantic beast that lived inside him.
Patience, Kalis told himself. You’ve been waiting for her for two years—a little more time won’t make any difference. There’s no need for her to meet your Ursus tonight. Right now you have to concentrate on getting her to let you heal her before the venom gets any deeper into her skin.
He just hoped Jillian would understand and accept what he had to do in order to get that done…
35
The knock on her door came not a moment too soon. The red rash caused by the Nebrian ambassador’s spines was becoming unbearable. In fact, it hurt so much Jillian could barely stand the touch of the light silk robe she’d wrapped around herself—even though it was pretty much the softest thing she owned.
The minute her suite door slid open, she beckoned the big Kindred inside.
“Come in, come in!”
Kalis nodded and stepped through the door, which promptly slid shut behind him. He had apparently been getting ready for bed as well, because he had on a pair of long, black sleep trousers and a short-sleeved shirt that matched, which showed off his muscular arms.
“All right, Mistress—let’s see what we’re dealing with,” he rumbled, as Jillian led him into the living area.
“What—you want me to take off my robe?” Jillian clutched the collar of the robe to her chest and winced as the silky fabric slid across her inflamed skin.
“How can I heal you if you don’t show me where you need to be healed?” Kalis asked reasonably. He seated himself on the overstuffed, Kindred-sized loveseat in front of the fireplace, which was currently turned on the low, no heat setting, so that it only emitted a warm golden glow.
“I guess that makes sense…” But still, she kept the robe on, unable to make herself open it or take it off.
“I saw you naked yesterday, Jillian,” Kalis reminded her gently.
“I know…” She could feel her cheeks getting hot. “It’s just…I was drugged by the stuff in the massage oil at the time. And now I’m not, which makes it a lot harder to let you, er, see me.”
“Are you afraid to show me your body because you think I’ll try something?” Kalis arched an eyebrow at her. “Because I give you my word as a Kindred, I won’t. Won’t do anything you don’t want me to, little Mistress.”
“It’s not that…” Jillian sighed. “I’m just…not as young as I used to be.”
“So? Neither am I,” he pointed out. “You think I’ll find you any less beautiful because of that? Because I don’t, Jillian,” he murmured, his eyes going suddenly half-lidded. “I think you’re fucking gorgeous. But that’s beside the point—right now, I just want to see what I’m working with so I can heal you.”
His words made her feel better…and made her heart beat faster at the same time. Gathering her courage, Jillian nodded.
“Well…all right.” Biting her lip, she opened the robe, exposing herself to the big Kindred.
Kalis sat forward on the couch and gave a low whistle.
“Whew—those spines really did a number on you! Did they get your back, too?”
“No, just my front, where she…er he, was pressing me against him,” Jillian said. “Oh, and my hands.” She closed the robe again and showed the big Kindred her reddened palms and fingers. They were painful, but not quite as bad as the rest of her body for some reason.
“Hmmm.” He nodded. “Yeah, you’ve got a pretty bad case of venom poisoning, I’d say.”
“Yes, but you said you could heal me. Can you?” Jillian asked. She knew she sounded impatient but this really hurt, damn it!
“I can,” Kalis said, nodding. “But I’m not sure you’ll like how I do it.”
“What? What do you mean? How do you do it? I mean, how can you heal me?” Jillian demanded.
He didn’t answer in words. Instead, he leaned forward and took her right hand in both of his. Bringing her hand to his face, he licked a long, slow trail from the heel of her hand all the way up to her fingertips.
At the first touch of his tongue, Jillian gasped and tried to jerk away. But the big Kindred wouldn’t let her. He held her gently but firmly and continued licking her palm and hand until he had finish
ed the whole thing. Then he let her go and sat back on the couch, apparently waiting for her reaction.
Jillian wasn’t sure what to say.
“Why…why did you do that? You…”
Her voice trailed off as she examined her hand…which was now completely healed. All traces of redness and swelling were gone. Aside from being slightly damp, her right hand was completely normal.
She was healed—he had healed her. By licking her.
“What…” she said in a low voice. “The actual fuck? How did you do that?”
Kalis gave her an easy grin.
“Used the healing power of my other form—the same way I used his strength when I shaved off pieces of thaelite for the soup. He does come in handy, sometimes.”
“I, uh, guess so.” Jillian was still staring fixedly at her newly healed hand. She compared it with her left palm, which was still red and so swollen it now hurt to even bend her fingers.
“Here, little Mistress—let me take care of that for you.”
Casually, Kalis took her left hand and bathed it with his tongue, just as he had done for the right. Then he released her and sat back on the couch again.
“This is amazing…” Jillian stared down at her healed hands. “Can you do this for anyone? Did you do it for your old Mistress? The one who dealt with Nebrians all the time?”
He shook his head.
“I can only heal a female I’m attuned to. I’ve never been attuned to any of my Mistresses—that’s why I knew about the alternative forms of healing for Nebrian venom poisoning. My old Mistress chose to use the salve that turns your skin purple, by the way,” he added. “For the next five years, everything she wore was purple, to match it. It kind of became her signature color.” He shrugged.
“So…” Jillian cleared her throat. “In order to heal the, uh rest of me, you’d have to…to…”
“To lick you all over your soft, luscious body,” Kalis said, matter-of-factly, and his eyes had gone half-lidded again, indicating that he didn’t mind the idea at all. “But in case you’re worried, I swear that licking you is all I would do,” he went on, when Jillian couldn’t seem to find any words. “This is just about healing you, Mistress. Not…anything else.”
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