by Reagan Woods
Skylan motioned to Darvan that he’d like a private audience when they had the opportunity. Darvan nodded his consent, wondering what the Commander had to report. Whatever it was, he obviously didn’t want to share with the warriors under his command.
“I see what you’re saying,” Calyx answered Arianna enthusiastically, seemingly oblivious to the byplay. “There is a possibility that several flawed crystals placed together could degrade at the same rate over time causing an exploitable weakness. It would be very difficult to place the crystals in the appropriate positions in the manufacturing process, though,” he frowned, perplexed.
“I agree. Placing a “hidden door”, so to speak, in an active field, in a useful position, without alerting anyone to its presence is risky and unlikely. You need to look for the precipitating event,” she said calmly.
Calyx’s eyes grew round, his mouth opened and closed several times. “You mean…?”
“Your enemies have a free pass to come and go at will through any of your energy fields if they know the trigger that corrupts the crystals or interrupts the energy flow.”
“That is a disturbing possibility,” Darvan smoothly took control of the discussion. There was much more to Arianna than even he realized and he wasn’t sure he wanted that known throughout the ranks. “Calyx, I’d like you to contact the Explorer and ask them to send down a team of engineers to evaluate the situation. Silex, please alert the other camps to our suspicions. Domik, please escort Arianna to last meal in the commissary. Afterwards, take her to my field quarters.”
He watched Arianna follow meekly behind the mammoth warrior until they were out of ear shot.
“Young Calyx seemed quite taken with Arianna,” Darvan chuckled.
“He’s unused to being around females. We’ve been watching one of the young females attempt to attract his attention every time he comes in from a guard shift or a recovery mission,” Skylan shook his head in bewilderment.
“Earthers are definitely different from Corians,” Darvan agreed. “How is the recovery of the escaped Earthers progressing?”
“That’s what I wanted to speak with you about. We have one female left to track down. However, something puzzling has happened. I’m afraid it’s not good.”
“Report,” Darvan ordered tersely. A shiver of foreboding tried to work its way down his spine but he mastered the urge.
“Domik came across a free Earth male during yesterday’s hunt. He brought the male to intake and wrote up his report. The male was not in our system and Domik thought it peculiar that the male didn’t try to flee. Just the opposite, in fact, Domik said it seemed as though the male was waiting to be found and brought in. The situation nagged at Domik so he decided to question the male as a follow-up. When Domik located the male, he was asking a group of females about one called Arianna Wellingcourt. Apparently, he is quite desperate to speak with her.”
“Do you know the male’s name?” Darvan’s mind raced but he projected calm. He’d told her the truth, he would never give her up.
“He gave us only the name Peter,” Skylan answered. “There is something else you need to know: Peter did not appear on our scans or show himself until after you had com’d to make arrangements for your visit.”
“I don’t believe in coincidence.”
“Nor do I, but I find it hard to believe that a group of rogue Earthers could have intercepted and deciphered our communications.”
“I agree but it’s clear that someone has done just that.”
“First, Jorkan tries to take her. Now, this Earther conveniently shows himself the first time she’s back on Earth...”
“Let’s set up a meeting and see what he wants with her,” Darvan decided. “But we’ll do it on our own time-frame.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Arianna stood in the bleak field quarters waiting for Darvan to join her. Her hulking guard, Domik, waited outside. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was the alien she’d ineffectively pistol whipped the night she’d been captured. In the intervening months, she’d convinced herself that those Corians hadn’t been nearly as big and bad as she remembered. Her memory hadn’t done them justice.
Domik, like Darvan, was an eight footer, but he outweighed Darvan by at least a hundred pounds. The sunshades he perpetually wore gave him a dangerous, Terminator-like air. His bald head showed deep brown stripes and blotches that stretched across what she could see of his tan, square face. He moved lightly for such a beast of a male, his steps completely noiseless no matter what surface he traversed. She’d never stood a chance of staying free against such stealth.
She’d seen several other Earthers during dinner though none that she knew. Domik’s looming presence had discouraged her from trying to speak with any of them. She’d been the recipient of a few curious stares but none had approached her either. Perhaps he was upset by his assignment to babysit her, or else, he did extremely scary all the time. One way or the other, he was one big, intimidating alien.
The camp was laid out in concentric circles. Large fields and livestock were just inside the energy field. The CORANOS barracks were the next ring, followed by a large green space that looked like an exercise yard. Next came the administrative offices separated by another green space from the Earther barracks. The inner circle was comprised of a building that housed a supply stall with shoes and clothes in Earther sizes, a cafeteria and small medical clinic.
She felt like she’d walked for miles once they’d reached the General’s quarters on the other side of the camp from where they’d started. But she was grateful for the opportunity to see so much of the space. The other Earthers she glimpsed appeared clean and healthy. Everyone had clothing and shoes suited to the task they were performing. While they appeared to be working hard in the fields and gardens, they weren’t being abused.
Arianna had an overwhelming feeling of relief at seeing so many of her people relatively unscathed. She’d had visions of work camps like those in Nazi-era Europe. Her fears appeared to have been unfounded. Of course, speaking with a few Earthers would go a long way towards setting her mind completely at ease, but she wasn’t sure that would happen.
Tan cubes that resembled medium sized shipping crates were stacked about the room. She couldn’t figure out how to open the cubes and they didn’t look like a comfortable surface on which to rest. The space was being used for storage, leading her to believe Darvan wasn’t there often. She found a small cot tucked away in a dark corner, just waiting to be unfolded. Little more than a hammock set in a frame, it still beat sitting on the hard floor.
Why didn’t any of the rooms Darvan occupied ever have windows? The artificial lighting was easier on her eyes than fluorescent lighting but it was still a pale substitute for good old sunshine. If he was really serious about this whole mating business, they were going to have to negotiate on windows and décor. She was sick of looking at tans, beiges and shades of khaki.
Her train of thought brought her up short. Was she really considering giving into his ultimatum? She’d like to think of it as a proposal, but Darvan wasn’t the sort to ask for anything. He’d made it clear that he wanted her, and he took what he wanted, consequences be damned. If she were honest with herself, that was one of the things she liked about him. He didn’t dither about, he made decisions and he followed through.
Could they find love or would it simply be a relationship based on sexual chemistry and convenience? Their attraction was a living, nearly combustible thing – now. Surely their chemistry would fade, leaving….what in its place? They had a small measure of respect between them, but she felt like it was given grudgingly on his part. That wouldn’t do long-term. She needed to be his partner, not his servant. Otherwise, there was little point, beyond potentially helping other Earthers, in pursuing some fictitious bonding. She’d just be his servant with another title.
Today, he’d treated her with respect in front of his warriors. He’d brought her here, knowing it was what she wanted. Really, Darvan did more
than meet her needs, in his way.
And his tenderness…he was always tender with her. From that first morning when her emotions had been scraped so raw by her dream of Priya and Peter, he’d apologized for upsetting her and done his best to make amends. She wasn’t so foolish to believe that their life together would be perfect, but she decided to keep an open mind.
∞ ∞ ∞
The mattress she lay on smelled deliciously spicy….and it was breathing. Coming fully awake, Arianna realized she was sprawled across the hard plane of Darvan’s muscular chest. Yesterday’s dragging exhaustion was completely gone. She’d slept like the dead. Careful not to wake him, she swiveled her head to take in their surroundings. The boring beige walls and floors indicated they hadn’t left the work camp where she’d fallen asleep. Inhaling deeply, she became certain they were still on Earth. The air was fresh and clean without the recycled staleness of air on the Victory.
Her eyes were drawn back to Darvan like a magnet to metal. He lay on the camp cot with one strong arm bent behind his head for a pillow. She fought the urge to lean up and trace the line of his bicep with her tongue. He looked yummy. Edible.
His other arm wrapped around her, large hand possessively cupping her bottom. Her body flushed with heat as she realized she was naked beneath the thin blanket….and he was naked beneath her. His arousal pulsed steadily, the long, thick stalk fit snugly between her thighs and curled around to nestle securely between her cheeks. Her core clenched involuntarily, moisture flooding her channel. Breasts becoming achy and heavy, she couldn’t resist the urge to drag the hardened tips through the light sprinkling of hair on his chest.
The copper of his irises glinted beneath slitted, darkly fringed eyelids. That he didn’t stop her was enough encouragement for Arianna. She levered forward, one arm pressing into his solid pec to hold her weight. She gained enough space between their bodies to place him exactly where she wanted him. She’d never been the instigator of sexual activity with any man. The fact that Darvan encouraged her to take matters into her own hands made her feel brazen and powerful. He made her feel sexy.
Fingers gripping her hip lightly, he steadied her while she slowly impaled herself on him. The gradual stretch and slide of him filling her emptiness felt divine. Rocking him deep within her, she chased the crashing waves of pleasure. He lifted her with both hands and began to arch up, driving his thick, hard shaft into her welcoming body. With every forceful stroke, he sawed across that spot inside. One clever finger massaged her clit in circles timed with his thrusting hips.
Feeling wanton, she gave complete control over to him. She massaged her aching breasts, rolling and pinching the nipples firmly. The wave of pleasure built and built until she was forced to shut her eyes against the brilliant flash. She was swept away in the tumult of color and sound that swamped her senses. Crying out, she threw her head back and clenched his pistoning cock with her internal muscles. In response, he drove himself deeper and clutched her hips to his own, grinding. With a shout, he released into her.
Breathing hard, brought his forehead gently to rest against hers.
“If I’d known how you’d react to sleeping on one of these cots, I’d have had one sent to our quarters long ago,” he panted, voice gritty and knowing.
Flipping them so that she lay on her back he hovered, lips tantalizingly close, over her.
“It’s definitely not the cot,” she purred her satisfaction, stretching up to savor his parted lips in a slow, thorough kiss.
Still lodged deep inside of her, he began moving once more in a leisurely rhythm.
“Again?” she gasped against his mouth, unsure if she could tolerate such shattering pleasure so quickly after her orgasm.
“Oh, yes. Again,” his velvety, smirking lips feathered teasing kisses across her cheek. He nuzzled and gently pushed with his mouth until she arched her neck, giving him the access he wanted. Running his moist, open mouth under her jaw, planting light kisses up to her ear, he elaborated, “For once, we don’t have any place to be until after mid-meal.”
“Well, we should definitely take advantage of this little vacation,” she said breathlessly, reaching to glide her fingertips over the ridges of his flexed shoulders.
She tested the firmness of every beautiful muscle within her reach. Along the path from his shoulders to where he so gently thrust into her, she discovered spots that made him smile and others that made him moan. The relaxed joy in his face was one memory that she never wanted to forget.
He brought her to fulfillment twice more before giving in to his need again. They lay panting, legs tangled together, bodies facing one another on the stingy cot.
She gave him a shy smile, reaching up to gently cup his face in her hand, “Good morning.”
“Very good morning,” he covered her hand with his own, turning it to place a kiss on her palm.
“I think we better clean up.”
His face turned stony, the tenderness from moments ago wiped completely away. She thought she caught a glimpse of hurt in his eyes but it was quickly replaced by determination.
“You will not wash my scent from your body.” And the autocratic General Darvan was back.
“Um…Darvan, I really need to relieve myself. And, in case you didn’t notice, we reek of sex. I mean I’m certain people will take one whiff of us and know what we’ve been up to,” she blushed furiously at the thought.
“That is as it should be.” She was getting better at reading him and he was definitely gratified by the idea.
“I’m going to have to wash some of it off,” she insisted, frustrated and unable to believe he was being so obtuse.
“Unacceptable.”
“Are you going to carry me around all day?”
“Why would you ask me that?” he looked genuinely confused.
“Because if you expect me to walk anyplace, I need to wash. My thighs are practically glued together,” she was mortified that she needed to spell this out for him. When he came, he came a lot.
“You may use the water closet and the sonishower.” He gestured to the far corner where an inconspicuous door led to a bathing room. “Do not bathe my seed from within you,” he commanded, seemingly satisfied with this great compromise.
“I really don’t think I can have children, Darvan,” she said it gently, trying to help him understand.
“If not, at least we will have tried,” he dismissed her concern.
When she returned, he stood and stretched his magnificent body, momentarily knocking all thought from her head. He could be an ass but he was one well-built ass. Speaking of ass…he approached a hidden panel in the wall to retrieve their freshly laundered clothes, giving her a fantastic view of his chiseled back side. She stifled a giggle, not only did the General have the best glutes she’d ever seen, he had two fantastic dimples in his muscular low-back.
“Let’s eat and then we will tour the compound,” he handed her pants and tunic over, turning so quickly that he caught her staring at his perfect bum.
“Really?” she ignored his knowing grin, hurrying to shimmy into her clothes. She was delighted at the prospect of spending the day out of the confines of the boring field quarters, and she felt encouraged that he was making an effort to spend time with her.
“Yes, really,” he laughed at her excited primping.
“This could be better than a real date,” she laughed.
“A what?” he ushered her from the room, offering his hand.
She grasped his palm and smiled up at him, following his lead through the deserted hall. She’d noticed yesterday that the paved paths through the base crossed from one section to the next through buildings and outdoor spaces like the spokes on a bicycle tire. He tugged her out into the sunny, deserted exercise yard the Corians used. There was a small fountain set in a raised stone every few hundred yards to break up the training areas and provide the warriors with water, “You know, when two people like one another and want to get to know one another better they make so
cial appointments to spend time together or to participate in an activity together. A date.”
His eyes narrowed in thought, he stopped, bringing her to a stand-still in the shade of the low building on the paved walk-way, and waited for her to face him, “What kind of activities?”
“Oh, you know, like a meal or a film. It’s been so many years since I’ve been on one…Sometimes it might be a sporting event if both people are fans…” she trailed off, noting his confusion.
“We have had many meals together,” his handsome face wearing a doubtful frown, he waited for her to explain.
“Correct but none of those meals was, really, a date. We were in your…home, I guess. Not that you can’t have dates at home, you can, but…usually one person isn’t the other’s…servant. Under normal circumstances, the two people approach the situation as equals who are considering engaging in a relationship.” The subject of dating was more of a minefield than she’d realized. She made a silent promise to think things through better before she voiced them in the future.
“We will have this date and you will tell me more,” Darvan seemed quite happy with himself for coming up with this solution.
She hated to burst his bubble, but… “I think you’re supposed to ask the other person if they’d like to accompany you on a date. Today would be a fantastic day for a picnic,” she hinted.
“Picnic?”
“You pack your food up and carry it to a nice outdoor location to eat,” she explained. “Sometimes you might bring a blanket and spread it on a lawn, like this one,” she pointed to one of the green fields.
“We still have quite a bit of time before the Engineering Team Leader is scheduled to give his report,” he considered. “You will have this picnic with me today and educate me about dating?” it came out as more of a command than a question.