Dangerous Lovers (171 page)

The two of them bathed her with their healing power and after a long while, she began to come around.

Naroo quietly slipped out, while Jurek watched Liasare as her eyes opened at last.

“I’m not dead, am I?” she weakly asked.

He shook his head. “What happened?” he asked, his voice gruff with emotion.

“I touched you as you flashed out,” her voice was hoarse and her throat felt like saw dust.

“Christ Liasare. Why would you do that?” he asked, a pained expression in his eyes.

“I didn’t know you were going to leave. I was going to smack you for being such an asshat, but you left at the same time. You didn’t know I touched you, did you?”

“No, I can’t feel it if I’m in my energy form. Shit! So you were lying here like this all night?” he asked, incredulously.

“Yeah, I thought I was ...” she swallowed, trying to relieve the constriction in her throat as tears rained down her cheeks. Jurek reached for her when her words stopped him. “Please don’t. I can’t bear for you to touch me right now. I,” a lump the size of an egg had stubbornly lodged in her throat and her heart felt like it was fracturing into a million tiny pieces. “I think I need to gather my wits about me,” she said woodenly. She absently rubbed her chest in an effort to make the pain go away.

Jurek stepped away for a minute. Liasare pulled her shirt over her hand and wiped her tears away. She felt physically and mentally beaten.

“Here,” Jurek said, handing her a glass of water.

Reaching out, she took the glass and her fingers brushed against his, sending a current of heat down her hand and arm. She jerked in reaction and spilled the contents of the glass down the front of her shirt. Bursting into tears, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the window seat, where he held her as she sobbed.

When at last he felt the storm had passed, without uttering a word, he moved her from his lap and set her on the seat. Walking to the transmuter, he ordered something to eat and drink. Carrying it to her, he set the tray down and went to fetch a blanket to wrap around her. Once done, he began to feed her. He had ordered some wine and he made her drink two glasses. When she was finished with the second, he returned the tray for disposal.

When he rejoined her she said, “Thank you.”

“For what? For nearly killing you and having the good grace to save you and feed you?”

“I ... I ...” she stammered. She didn’t how to respond to him.

“You don’t have to respond Liasare.” He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, trying the ease the tension within them.

“You didn’t know I touched you. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“It doesn’t matter. I nearly killed you. If I hadn’t returned to Lare-Stell, you could have died.”

It was true, and it frightened her. He frightened her. His power frightened her. Everything about him frightened her. But what frightened her the most was the way he made her feel. She wanted him like she’d never wanted anything in her life. She had tried to deny it. She had tried to avoid the truth, but it was there all the same. She was attracted to him like a moth to a flame and she was afraid to admit what else she was feeling for him. He always said he’d be the one to save her life, but now she wasn’t so sure of that. It didn’t matter though. She wanted to be as close to him as she could and she’d take him however she could. She wanted to touch him, his face, his hair, his mouth, his skin ... all of him or just a part. Whatever he was willing to share with her. She’d take it. If he’d only allow touching, well she’d settle for it. He was in her blood, running through her veins like that current she felt whenever they touched. He was the heat in her body ... the beating of her heart ... and she felt him everywhere in her.

Liasare lifted her eyes to see him watching her. Unable to stop herself, she put her arms around him and said, “I don’t know the why’s of all of this, but there is something between us Jurek. I can’t deny this anymore. You can if you want and that’s fine. I’ll settle for whatever you want to dole out, but right now, what I want is to kiss you, like I’ve never kissed you before. So if you’re going to stop me, you’d better do it now.”

Not another word passed between them before Jurek’s lips claimed hers in a kiss that rocked her world. Everything that had gone wrong between them over the last two days was forgotten as his velvety tongue danced with hers and discovered new ways of pleasing her. She became bolder, as she learned more about the art of kissing, again mimicking him and pleasing him as she did so. She ran her tongue along his lips, teasing and biting them, while he coaxed her along, asking for more and more. His tongue blazed a trail of heat from her ear to her shoulder, and circled her pulse point, making her beg for more. He focused on all her erogenous zones bringing her to orgasm, while she marveled that they still hadn’t even had sex.

“I want you Jurek. I know you’ve said no, but I’m asking again.”

“Liasare, there’s something you need to know. My power may be dangerous if we make love. A transfer of power between us can take place and if that happens, I’m afraid it could put you at risk of being harmed.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure I can adequately explain it other than when I fully unite with you or when our bodies join together, my power can take over and if your body isn’t accepting of it, it can harm you. After what just happened to you, I’m afraid of hurting you further.” He ran his fingers through her hair, tucking a stray piece behind her ear.

“Is there any way to test it?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“What about your past relationships with other women?”

“I’d rather not talk about that Liasare,” he said, shifting his eyes away.

“Hey, Jurek, I’m not asking because I want to know what went on between the two of you, I want to know if the women involved got injured.”

He nodded, saying, “Oh, I see, and no. None of them did. You, however, seem to be an anomaly. You are extremely sensitive to the presence of a Praestani. Do you recall the first time you saw me in that club? You shouldn’t have been able to detect my presence. Yet, you knew I was there. I saw you squirming around on your seat. I was muted to the max, Liasare. There’s something different about you. We are somehow drawn to each other. And I agree with you. You and I are connected some way. That’s why I also believe you play a part in the prophecy.”

“Does this mean you’re not even willing to try? Is there no one we can ask?”

Jurek snorted, “We don’t have sex therapists on Praestan, or physicians for that matter. We don’t suffer from illnesses. We
heal
Liasare.”

“Well, you have your answer then. If anything happens to me, heal me!”

“Damn you’re persistent!” he laughed.

“No, I’m sexually frustrated because you’ve put me off for too long!”

He pulled her shirt off and stared at her. “If you think you’re frustrated, you ought to be in my pants.”

“I’ve said it before, I’d love to be in your pants, but every time I try, you stop me. Please. I never thought it would come to the point where I had to beg a man. Damn you Jurek!”

“Apart from what we just discussed, we have more than our share of unfinished business between us Liasare,” he said pointedly.

She nodded. “That doesn’t make me want you any less.”

He slid his hands beneath the hem of her shirt and brushed his thumbs across her breasts, instantly causing that current to race through her body and make it hum in arousal. When she felt her body’s response, she put her hands over his and she stopped him. “Are we going to take this to the next step, or are we both going to remain two frustrated people that get pissed off at each other for stupid stuff?”

Wrapping his hands in her hair, he drew her into him and put his mouth on hers, cutting off her words. Running his tongue along her lips, he spoke softly into her mouth, murmuring, “You drive a hard bargain, Liasare. Are you sure you won’t have any regrets about this?”

Right as she began to respond to him, Naroo’s face filled the viewing screen. “My lord, please accept my apologies for the interruption, but we’ve just been scanned by a Xanthian probe, only this one has very unusual markings and its origins are different from the others.”

Jurek swore under his breath, and turned to the screen.

“Thank you Naroo. Did you strip the data?”

“Yes, my lord. What would you like me to replace it with Wile E. Coyote or Elmer Fudd?”

“Your choice Naroo. Make sure you program its next destination as its home base and give them enough time to get data for about five minutes of either Wile E. or Elmer before the damn thing self-destructs. Add a little extra fire power on it, will you?”

“As you wish my lord.”

Turning back to Liasare, Jurek said, “Sorry for the detour love, but get dressed. We have some business to attend to.”

Chapter Seventeen

Naroo and Ludo were evaluating the data from the probe when Jurek and Liasare popped into the security center.

“Naroo, prepare to relocate Lare-Stell. I don’t want to take any risks where LSE is involved. We have disrupted too many Xanthian plans and the last thing I want is for them to uncover the existence of Lare-Stell.”

“On it, my lord.”

Liasare was poking around the station, trying to figure out what was going on. The last thing she wanted was to be kept in the dark and right now they were communicating on various levels...verbal, mental, and physical and she was having problems tracking.

Jurek finally noticed and motioned for her to come to him. “Normally when we get probed, they are simple bots that scan space and record whatever they come into contact with. We strip them of the data they have stored and then Tak came up with the idea to replace it with the Roadrunner or Bugs Bunny cartoons. Just another way for Tak to frustrate the Xanthians. This bot was different and Ludo is analyzing it now.”

“My lord, there is some disturbing information on the probe. It would appear the Xanthians are seeking a place to set up a colony of sorts. There is also data here referring to their army of minions.”

Liasare was at Ludo’s side before he could utter another word. “Go on,” she urged.

There isn’t much else, but there is a mention of ‘dark creatures.’”

Jurek’s brow creased and Liasare had a sense of uneasiness come over her, quickly followed by the inability to breathe. For a long moment, the choking sensation seized her, until Jurek, noticing her discomfort, placed his hand on her forehead, and eased her discomfort. Looking at him wide-eyed, she blurted out, “Jurek, will you take me to Vesturon? I need to talk with January and Rykerian about Tommy and all of this. This thing with the Xanthians and their minions is starting to freak me out.” Her eyes darted about as she thought about what had been happening, not quite knowing what to say.

“Tell me. What is it?” he asked.

“This whole thing is nuts! I need answers and they know something. I can feel it.” She shook her head and rubbed the place between her eyes.

Jurek eyed her warily. He wasn’t too keen on getting in the middle of whatever was going to happen between Liasare and January. “When would you like to go?”

“Now if we can.”

He let out his breath, thinking he understood where Liasare was coming from.

“Ludo, hit me with anything you find out of the ordinary.” Looking at Liasare, Jurek decided, “I may regret this in the morning, but...” his voice trailed off as he put his arm around her.

She stopped him before he had a chance to shift them to energy. “Wait! I want to change my clothes first.”

He lifted his brows, wondering where this was headed.

“I don’t want them to get derailed by my lack of scars. That would be the first thing January would notice and that’s not what we’re going there for.”

“I understand.”

He flashed them to her quarters and waited while she quickly changed into a long sleeved shirt that hid her arms and covered her neck. Pulling on a pair of boots, she was now ready and they popped off of Lare-Stell.

Chapter Eighteen

The Planet Vesturon

Jurek and Liasare materialized in the main hall of the Yarrister residence when the two youngest children of Rykerian and January came flying around the corner screaming and laughing. Not expecting anyone to be standing there, they both skidded to a halt. When they saw who it was, they screeched, “Aunt Sarah, Uncle Jurek,” and flew into Jurek and Sarah’s arms. The adults picked the two children up and tickled them, causing them both to erupt in a series of giggles.

“What in the world?”

Liasare spun around to see January standing there. The grin fled from her face, as did the laughter emanating from her.

As far as sisters went, the two women looked like night and day. January was petite with hair that was an unusual mix of silver and gold and eyes that were ice blue. Liasare had a good six inches in height on her and the contrast in their hair and eyes made them look like complete opposites.