“No. I told you, the Medical Supreme would never allow it.”
“You’re not going to…” She hesitated, trying not to give in to the thread of fear curling insider her. “Are you bringing me out here because I refused to stay longer?”
“What?” He turned sharply. His hands lifted and he jerked the helmet off his head. “You honestly think I am capable of hurting you?”
“Gerard!” Cecilia rushed forward, her heart hammering in her chest. “What are you doing? Your helmet!” She grabbed to take it from him. The gloves made her hands clumsy as she tried to lift it up over his head. “Try not to breathe.”
Gerard laughed. He snatched the helmet from her hands. “I’m rather partial to breathing.”
Cecilia stared at him, confused.
His laugh faded and he gave her an endearing look. “Trust me.” Gerard reached for her head. She pulled back. “Cecilia, trust me.”
Slowly, she nodded. He unfastened her helmet and pulled it off her head. She took a deep breath as the cool air hit her. It felt nice and fresh, more like home. The scent of trees filled her nose. She pulled at the neck of her suit, craving the feel of air on her skin. The sweet sterilizer couldn’t be detected in nature, but she knew it permeated her body. She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her face.
“Why would you lock yourselves away from this?” she asked.
“Fear does many things to people. When I was a child there were still a few people who were unafraid of nature and walked in parks without the protective gear. One year the pollen count was high and set off allergies. A few people who didn’t walk outside were made sick by those who did. The Medical Supreme ordered new nature protocols and it became illegal to breathe unsanitized air.”
“I’m breaking the law right now?” Cecilia wasn’t sure why the idea didn’t terrify her as much as it should have. “Won’t the orderkeepers come for us?”
He placed their helmets on the ground and began shrugging out of his protective suit. “You have nothing to fear.”
“But there can be no society without control.” The mantra sounded a bit hollow when she said it. “I am sure the Medical Supreme understands this and enacted the anti-chaos protocols for the good of society.”
“I will tell you a secret if you promise not to repeat it.” He waited for her nod of agreement. “The Medical Supreme has some of the worst allergies I have ever seen. He was one of the few affected by the secondary pollen exposure. Instead of inconveniencing himself with daily injections, he changed medical protocol.”
“He is that sort of politician.” Cecilia frowned. “This is why we are suddenly trapped? Something happened to the Medical Supreme that he does not like and everyone must now bend to his whim despite the chaos it causes.”
“I never said it was the Medical Supreme who was sick.” The surprise in his voice at her astuteness confirmed just that.
“It’s an easy deduction even if your expression did not give you away. Considering what he did over allergies, I’m not surprised he closed down a portal for whatever this new thing is that he’s contracted, especially if he thinks off-plane dignitaries are to blame for bringing it.” Logic did not give her comfort. “Gerard, he’s not going to let us go home, is he? He’s blocking the portal.”
“No,” he assured her. He set his suit on the ground next to the helmets. “The portal is too important to this plane. They might make the travel protocols more stringent, but they will never cut off portal travel completely. I promise you, you will see your home world again. We have some of the best minds working on a cure. You just might go home later than planned.”
“I want to see the medical reports. If my going home is contingent on discovering what this is, I deserve a chance to help.” She glanced at his hands as he reached for her suit. He unfastened the shoulders to help her out of it. It didn’t completely register what he was doing as she was more concentrated on her predicament. “Depending on what this is, it could take months, years, to understand it.”
The weight of the suit slid off her shoulders and she stepped out of it. Gerard motioned around them. “I thought you might like to get out of the biosphacility. Normally, I would have offered you a tour before now, but this crisis has me occupied.”
“I want to help,” she repeated emphatically.
“I already asked for permission, but at this point it is probably too late to stop you. I’ve seen the number of documents you’ve had your assistant access on your behalf. You must really have a grasp on our medical knowledge by now. However, I must ask you to keep your suspicions about the Medical Supreme to yourself.”
“My assistant?” She frowned, confused. “I don’t have Linnea access documents for me. She does a few logs. I assume she’s spending most of her days reading fiction novels.”
“We don’t have pretend novels,” he said. “I have heard of such things being popular on other planes, but here if you write fiction it is punishable by death, since faking research results is a grave offense. Our records show she’s accessed several medical documents.”
Cecilia wasn’t sure what to say. “But…she’s not a doctor.”
“Should we be worried? You don’t think she’s doing something with the information, do you?”
“No. I don’t think she…” Cecilia frowned. She didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t know what the truth was. “Linnea and I only met for this assignment. My people would not send someone they did not think would act as a dignitary should.”
A bird call sounded over them. Gerard glanced to the trees and smiled. “Come explore with me. I brought you out here to relax, not discuss politics.”
“Relax?” The concept was strange. “We’re in the middle of a medical crisis and you want me to relax?”
“Nothing can be done at this moment.” Gerard reached his hand out. “Walk with me. Let me show you there are things on this plane beyond laboratories and sterile rooms.”
* * *
Gerard had told Cecilia too much. She knew about the Medical Supreme. He told her there was a chance she could work on the medical crisis. Dr. Swift hadn’t given permission for it yet. But how could he deny her? How could he lie to her? He was in love with her.
Gerard stopped walking. The sounds of the forest echoed around them. None of the scientists would be out collecting today. The solitude helped to clear his thoughts and focus his emotions. His heart beat faster in his chest. He was in love with her.
“What is it? Gerard?” Cecilia touched him. The press of her fingers to his arm was like shot of the best illegal pleasure drugs.
“I would have to check my levels with a monitor to prove it to you, but I am certain.” He covered her hand with his.
“Certain—?”
“I love you, Cecilia. I am in love with you. I—”
“You love me?” She cut off his decree. “This isn’t logical. We don’t even exist on each other’s worlds. I shouldn’t even be here. Sometimes I question my own sanity in believing that alternate realities exist.”
“Yet here you are,” he countered.
“This is too chaotic.” She shook her head even as she leaned closer to him. “There is too much going on. I keep expecting a doctor to wake me from a dream. That is the only explanation for how I feel for you, for how I’ve fallen…”
“Fallen?” he prompted.
“Fallen…into your…bed so easily,” she finished weakly.
“Fallen in love with me,” he corrected. “Say it. Say you love me. Admit it. I know what I feel can’t just be one sided. You love me. I know you do.”
“Gerard.” Again she shook her head in denial. A small part of him twinged in agony at the gesture, but he didn’t give up hope.
“If you really think this is a dream then what is the harm in admitting the truth?” He cupped her face with both hands, drawing her mouth close to his. Against her lips, he whispered, “I love you, Cecilia.”
“This can’t work,” she protested.
“It’s illogical and chaotic.”
“I love you.”
“It makes no sense. It can’t go anywhere.”
“I love you,” he shouted enthusiastically.
Her eyes shut. “I love you, too, Gerard. It makes no sense, but I love you too.”
He closed the distance between them, kissing her with all the passion in his heart. Nothing else mattered. The future was uncertain. He didn’t know how they would make it work. All he knew was that he loved her, wanted her, needed her. For the rest of his life he would never regret any of it. Cecilia completed him. She was what he’d been searching for his whole life.
He wanted to tell her as much, but her kiss kept his lips against hers. The taste of her brushed over his tongue. Hands roamed over his body, pulling at his clothes. He let her undress him, eager to explore her yet again. No matter how often he held her, he would never tire of making love to his woman.
Mine.
The reality of her filled his heart. He knew he’d forced her to say the words, but she meant them. He saw the love in her expression even as she tried to fight it.
“This is chaos,” she said against his mouth, still kissing him.
Gerard pulled back to study her face. Her lids fell heavy over her eyes, as if she was entranced. Her moist lips parted as she gasped for breath. For a moment, he couldn’t move. She was so beautiful. The texture of her full lips captured his notice. He reached to run a finger over the bottom length. They were warm from the kiss.
Her fingers tapped along his arms. The scent of nature surrounded them. He loved the outdoors, but not as much as he loved her. Heat filled him, centering in his loins. Every part of him focused on her. Before he realized what he was doing, he had her stripped of her clothing.
When she was naked, standing before him, he took a step back. He quickly rid himself of his remaining clothing. She smiled at him, letting him look at her. Spots of sunlight came through the trees. The sterile suits and clothes littered the forest floor. A breeze whipped over them, rustling the leaves and chilling the skin. She shivered, her nipples budding.
His cock tightened and he shifted his weight. Lifting his hand, he beckoned her to him. She came willingly. Their fingers threaded together as he led her deeper into the trees to a patch of softer grass. His desire for her only increased.
He kneeled on the grass, taking her with him. When he lay on his back so she could straddle his waist, she came over him with sunlight dancing around her. He liked this position. It freed his hands to roam the length of her body. Soft skin and supple flesh pressed to his.
Cecilia ran her hands over his chest to his neck. She cupped his face tenderly as her body lifted to take his cock inside. They came together, making love in the gently sanctuary of the forest. Gerard could never remember being so happy.
Cecilia tensed, her pussy tightening along his shaft. He answered the call of her body, finding his release in unison with hers. Afterwards she lay on his chest. Her breath tickled his neck. Gerard became aware of a rock digging into his ass but he didn’t dare move and break the tranquility of the moment.
Chapter Eight
“You’re limping.” Sam frowned, eyeing Gerard.
“It’s nothing. I’ll take care of it.” Gerard resisted the urge to rub his bruised ass. He’d managed to hide the injury from Cecilia when they walked inside. He’d thought he was alone when Dr. Swift joined him from a side office.
Sam automatically started leading Gerard to an exam room. When they were alone, he motioned Gerard to pull down his pants. “I spoke with Dr. Lu. He had a meeting with Dimensional Plane 303’s politicians. They are not happy with the change in plans and threatened to inform Divinity Corporation if their dignitaries are not returned on schedule. The Medical Supreme neglected to inform us of an Anti-Chaos treaty he signed with them. We have no choice. Health risk or not, we have to send the women back in two weeks.”
“Two?” Gerard stiffened. His heart beat hard. Just moments before he’d had an indefinite amount of time. “They were not scheduled to originally leave for almost four weeks.”
“Apparently the fact we even requested an extension for their dignitaries has given 303’s Politician Shinclus the idea that he has negotiating power. He has started making demands.”
“Negotiation power? Why? Because we want to give them more information? You figure he’d be grateful.”
“The Medical Supreme authorized some personal trades so he thinks he can make demands.”
Gerard frowned, thinking of all the artifacts the Medical Supreme had in his home. He’d admired them on many occasions. “Politician Shinclus thinks he has power over us based on a few cultural artifacts the Medical Supreme wants to decorate his home with?”
“I don’t understand the politician’s reasoning. It must be a 303 cultural trait. Dr. Lu is handling the situation, but it’s been decided to end their stay as soon as possible.” Sam reached to the medical panel and filled a syringe. He jabbed it in the middle of Gerard’s sore muscle. The bruise began to heal as the medicine repaired the muscle tissue beneath it. Sam continued, “It is the only power play we have to show 303 we’re in control.”
“Surely the Medical Supreme will not allow…” Gerard pulled up his pants and turned to face Sam.
“The Medical Supreme is the one who ordered it. Lu convinced him to give us two weeks. He reluctantly agreed.” Sam didn’t look happy about the news. Why would he? They locked down the portal for a reason.
“We need more time. What if it spreads?” Gerard shook his head. “We can’t risk infecting another plane.”
“The Medical Supreme has spoken.”
“He’s sick.” Gerard lowered his voice. “He may not be in the best position to make that decision.”
Sam held up his hand, stopping Gerard from saying more. Already the words bordered on treason. “We have no medical proof of that.”
“Sam, please.” Gerard’s eyes fell. He took a deep breath. “I can’t send her back. Not yet. Don’t ask me to.”
“I suspected there may be more to you two when I saw the dirt on your back.” Sam gave a long sigh. “Are you petitioning to have her stay as your wife?”
Gerard hadn’t thought of that. “She doesn’t want to stay. She is very attached to her home. As much as I care for her, I can’t force her to stay with me. She may come to resent me if I did. I need more time to convince her to love this place or to find a way to go with her.”
“You know the Medical Supreme would never agree to letting you go. With your knowledge, it would be seen as a medical database walking through the portal.” Sam went to the monitor and scrolled through Gerard’s medical readings. “You really do love her.”
“I don’t need the monitor to tell me that.” Gerard gave a soft chuckle, but he wasn’t really amused.
“I did,” Sam answered. “We have two weeks. I feel for your plight, but our first order of business will be to find out how this disease is spread and how it mutates. If we can prove that it’s contagious we can override the Medical Supreme’s order and keep them here.”
As much as Gerard wanted more time with Cecilia, he couldn’t wish their mystery illness to be highly contagious. He loved her, but he didn’t want her harmed. A war waged inside him, selfish desires against moral duty. Duty won. It had to. “And if not, at least then I will know she’s safe.”
* * *
Cecilia wasn’t sure what to think. She stood alone in her room, feeling as if her body were spinning in circles even as she remained still. Nothing made sense. A lifetime of anti-chaos warned her against falling in love with a man who didn’t exist on her plane of reality. But it was too late. She had. She’d fallen in love with Gerard.
Her logical mind tried to analyze the situation, desperately wanting to reason how it happened. He was kind; she saw that in how he talked to others. He was smart. He made her laugh and smile, and somehow convinced her to break the law of her host plane and m
ake love in the forest. He made her heart beat faster and her head forget everything she’d ever known to be true. He was chaos and she loved it, loved him.
She hadn’t meant for any of it to happen. Cecilia was keenly aware of the job she was sent to do. In that she was failing. The pressure of it dampened her mood. She doubted the politicians would accept, “My apologies, I didn’t manage to bring anything of real value back from a medically advanced plane, but I had some great sex and fell in love. Thank you for trusting me to take the trip. It was fun.”
Then there was the little fact that she might not be going home any time soon. The idea of it didn’t terrify her as it had before, but she knew she didn’t want to live in the world that was so narrowly focused. She missed her mandatory grooming appointments and non-work days having breakfast with friends in the trollypark. She missed workout wheels, watching panel debates, clothes without layers, and the smell of non-sanitized air. And she most definitely missed not having to listen to an irritating wall monitor ding, forcing her to take yet another shot in her neck.
With a low growl, she went to the wall and took the syringe. Not bothering to look at the doses, she stuck it in her neck and recycled the injector. She did not want to do that for the rest of her life.
Cecilia knew she should go to her laboratory and get to work, but she couldn’t force herself to leave the room. What did it matter? She was trapped on this plane until they developed a cure. It wasn’t as if she understood half of what she read of their records anyway. For a smart woman, with an intelligence level to be proud of on her world, she felt completely useless and stupid on this one.
“At least I have time to figure this out,” she told herself.
* * *
“What do you mean two weeks?” Cecilia was very aware she’d spent most of the day cursing the fact she was going to be trapped on a different level of reality. She had tried to focus on reading the files she’d been given access too, but her mind had wandered. Linnea was nowhere to be found, and Cecilia was actually glad for it. Now, as Gerard told her she was going home early, she wasn’t ready to leave. “We were scheduled for four more.”
Seducing Cecilia (Divinity Healers) Page 7