Gideon by Jacquelyn Frank Page A

her.
    “No,” he responded absently to her question. “I do not know,” he corrected himself, taking one more step back away from her.
    “Gideon, you are worrying me,” she said in a soft pitch that was all but breathless.
    “It is... unintentional, I assure you. Everything seems to be fine so far. I have only just begun the intensive scan.”

    “Then why did you stop?”
    Why indeed? He could hardly explain to her what he did not understand himself. But he was an Ancient member of this mighty race, the only one of his kind.
    Certainly he could absorb or circumvent these minor anomalies until it was time to include them in his final analysis. He was more convinced than ever that there was more happening to Legna than met the immediate eye. The solution, however, would not be as easy to discern as he had originally thought.
    “I needed a moment to refocus,” he explained at last. “I am ready to resume.”
    “Okay,” she said carefully, sounding as though she had not been completely convinced by his explanation.
    However, she obediently began to turn back around.
    “No.” He stopped her, a hand on her shoulder.
    “Remain facing me.”
    She complied, tossing her hair back over her shoulder so he would not have to move it for her. She did not close her eyes again, this time watching him closely. He flexed the fingers of both hands and then reached for her. This time his target was her waist. His palms slid over the silk of her gown, curving around her hips. Legna was not thin in any human sense of the word. She was a proud display of grand, graceful height and extremely feminine curves. She was fit, just muscular enough to make her quite strong, yet sculpted with a womanly definition. Humans who knew Demon females socially, not realizing they were of a differing species, often referred to them as goddesses or Amazons.
    Gideon was able to understand why quite easily. Legna would cast a shadow over any female of any race.
    He realized he was allowing himself to be distracted and shook his head gently to refocus himself.
    He fixed his eyes on the track his hands were following, from hips into the distinct curve of her waist, up to the spread of her rib cage. Instantly, he could visualize her internal organs. He scanned them thoroughly, finding the anatomy to be as clean and healthy as those of any Demon of her youthful age. Apparently, though her abilities had aged before her time, her body had not joined them. There was an aberrant condition that struck the occasional Demon, causing them to age faster than they should. Gideon was grateful this was not the case with Legna. It was one of the few diseases that could kill a Demon. The medics had not been able to break down the causes of it, and so could not prepare a solution as yet. Luckily, there had not been a case of it in 103 years.
    He slid his hands back down the path they had just traveled, moving closer to her as he spread his fingers and palms over her hips. Legna gasped softly, her body jerking unexpectedly. Instinctively, Gideon held her tightly, not wanting to break the deep connection he was forming.
    “Be still,” he murmured.
    “Forgive me... ” she said, the uneasiness of her voice lost on him.
    Gideon was quickly checking through her muscular structure and then weaving very gently into the complexities of her reproductive system. Suddenly Legna cried out again, her hands hitting his chest and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, her entire body trembling from head to toe. This time Gideon gave the reaction his full attention. He looked into her wide eyes, the pupils dilating as he watched. Her mouth formed a soft, silent circle of surprise.
    “What are you doing?” she asked, her breath falling short and quick.
    “Nothing,” he insisted, his expression reflecting his baffled thoughts. “Merely continuing the exam. What are you feeling?”
    Legna couldn"t put the sensation into words. Her entire body felt as if it were pooling with liquid fire,