pulled Marissa to him, gathering her up to carry her to the bed. Tenderly he laid her down and lowered himself beside her, cradling Marissa's tremor-wracked form next to his, fiercely quenching the fires that still raged within his own body. Fires that burned for her, stirring needs that, for a time more, must remain unrequited. As the nocte crept on, through starlit blackness to graying sol rise, Brace remained with her, soothing away her tears, softly murmuring her name.
Marissa opened her tear-swollen eyes to gaze upon a glorious sol. Sun streamed in through the window to puddle in golden brilliance on the floor. An awareness of the city, already awake and bustling, grew with each staccato burst of sound. She moved, arching like some feline in a languorous stretchand felt a body next to hers. Marissa froze.
Memories of last nocte, of hot desire and fevered caresses, rose to mingle and then clash with the shameful recollection of her tears. She'd never allowed herself such an indulgence since that sol of her banishment. Not even all the times she'd suffered deprivation or injury, not even when she'd learned of Candra's abduction. Yet, last nocte, in the arms of a male no less, they'd flowed with the most disconcerting ease.
Had it happened because she'd pent them up so tightly all these cycles? Or was the cause more insidious, and due to the seductive powers of a male over a female?
Marissa turned toward Brace, determined to confront him and conquer at last the debilitating doubts. He slept on, relaxed and unguarded in his slumber. In spite of her resolve to remain indifferent, Marissa's heart softened.
She lifted a hand to his face and, with a gentle fingertip, examined him. The bruises had all but faded. The swelling had disappeared. His features were once again etched in sharp, striking relief.
There was an arrogant jut to his finely chiseled chin and jaw. His well-shaped lips were full and sensual. A hard, ruthless face to be sure, aggressively virile and, Marissa admitted with a small shiver, outrageously handsome as well.
Why hadn't she noticed that before? Had she been too engrossed with the demands of her quest, or had she managed to deny the disturbing realization until now?
Yet another memory insinuated itself into her mind. Brace, holding her last nocte in the strong embrace of his arms. The warmth of his powerful body, the soothing sound of his voice as he endlessly murmured her name. She'd felt so safe, so comfortedso very wanted.
Fear shuddered through Marissa. Brace Ardane's growing effect upon her was more than she'd ever bargained for, an effect that would surely only increase with time and close contact. After last nocte, she'd be blind as well as stupid not to realize that.
And now there was the added burden of forcing him to come along on the quest. There was no other recourse. When her tears had ended their lovemaking, she had failed to pay his price.
Well, she could always sedate him into submission, Marissa consoled herself. She'd search out those drugs this very morn. In the meanwhile, she would shield her heart against himuntil the sol she led him to his doom.
Hot tears once again filled her eyes. Angrily Marissa wiped them away. No more. No more! She rolled off the bed and strode to the window.
The narrow, winding streets and alleyways of the ancient city of Tutela spread out before her, crowded with throngs of people going about their business. Below her, shops, filled to overflowing with exotic wares from all over the Imperium, burst with colorful variety. The trading at each was fierce and heavy.
Tutela, Marissa mused, remembering a girlhood lesson on the video tutor, was one of the Imperium's major crossroad cities with its famous trade center and large transport station. A transport station she must soon use, once she'd ascertained Ferox's whereabouts.
Again Marissa turned inward, opening herself to any sound, any stirringand called to Candra. As before, there was no
Marissa opened her tear-swollen eyes to gaze upon a glorious sol. Sun streamed in through the window to puddle in golden brilliance on the floor. An awareness of the city, already awake and bustling, grew with each staccato burst of sound. She moved, arching like some feline in a languorous stretchand felt a body next to hers. Marissa froze.
Memories of last nocte, of hot desire and fevered caresses, rose to mingle and then clash with the shameful recollection of her tears. She'd never allowed herself such an indulgence since that sol of her banishment. Not even all the times she'd suffered deprivation or injury, not even when she'd learned of Candra's abduction. Yet, last nocte, in the arms of a male no less, they'd flowed with the most disconcerting ease.
Had it happened because she'd pent them up so tightly all these cycles? Or was the cause more insidious, and due to the seductive powers of a male over a female?
Marissa turned toward Brace, determined to confront him and conquer at last the debilitating doubts. He slept on, relaxed and unguarded in his slumber. In spite of her resolve to remain indifferent, Marissa's heart softened.
She lifted a hand to his face and, with a gentle fingertip, examined him. The bruises had all but faded. The swelling had disappeared. His features were once again etched in sharp, striking relief.
There was an arrogant jut to his finely chiseled chin and jaw. His well-shaped lips were full and sensual. A hard, ruthless face to be sure, aggressively virile and, Marissa admitted with a small shiver, outrageously handsome as well.
Why hadn't she noticed that before? Had she been too engrossed with the demands of her quest, or had she managed to deny the disturbing realization until now?
Yet another memory insinuated itself into her mind. Brace, holding her last nocte in the strong embrace of his arms. The warmth of his powerful body, the soothing sound of his voice as he endlessly murmured her name. She'd felt so safe, so comfortedso very wanted.
Fear shuddered through Marissa. Brace Ardane's growing effect upon her was more than she'd ever bargained for, an effect that would surely only increase with time and close contact. After last nocte, she'd be blind as well as stupid not to realize that.
And now there was the added burden of forcing him to come along on the quest. There was no other recourse. When her tears had ended their lovemaking, she had failed to pay his price.
Well, she could always sedate him into submission, Marissa consoled herself. She'd search out those drugs this very morn. In the meanwhile, she would shield her heart against himuntil the sol she led him to his doom.
Hot tears once again filled her eyes. Angrily Marissa wiped them away. No more. No more! She rolled off the bed and strode to the window.
The narrow, winding streets and alleyways of the ancient city of Tutela spread out before her, crowded with throngs of people going about their business. Below her, shops, filled to overflowing with exotic wares from all over the Imperium, burst with colorful variety. The trading at each was fierce and heavy.
Tutela, Marissa mused, remembering a girlhood lesson on the video tutor, was one of the Imperium's major crossroad cities with its famous trade center and large transport station. A transport station she must soon use, once she'd ascertained Ferox's whereabouts.
Again Marissa turned inward, opening herself to any sound, any stirringand called to Candra. As before, there was no
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