Dominated By Desire (9 page)

Now all she had to do was wait for Storm to come get her and the waiting was the most difficult. Her uniforms were so much easier to deal with, blending in the background was more her style.

She rubbed her head. The headache was back and she hadn’t had time to go by the medical center. Heather wondered if she had enough time to sneak down there real quick when the doors opened and he strode in.

Her heart skipped a beat. He wore clothing close to the dress she wore.

Form fitting, showing off his muscles, he looked wonderful. The family crest emblazoned on the material.

“We don’t look like much of a target, do we?” she asked.

“I know and I hate putting you in this much danger.”

“I’m used to being shot at.” She tried to fluff the fabric barely covering her once more. “It’s the weird looks and the rules that will get the best of me tonight.”

He offered her his arm. “Are you ready?”

“And if I said no?” She took his arm.

“I’d have to drag you out there in my usual style.” He placed his other hand on top of hers.

“That’s what I thought, and having your people see this end...” She touched her butt then her face. “Before they see this end, is not what I had in mind.”

“They will love you no matter what.”

“We’ll see.” She took a deep breath as they walked through the doors and down the hall.

“Have you grown? You’re not hitting me in my navel anymore.”

“I’m six foot two! And wearing four inch heels.” She lifted one foot to show the shoe off. “Something I’m not use to so I just might break my neck in the process.”

“You might be tall for a human, but when the average height for Vespian women is six foot eight you will be considered petite.”

“Even in four inch heels?”

“You plan on wearing them all the time?” there was a glint in his eye she recognized. The man had a one track mind.

“Probably not.” She rubbed her head. The dull throb had blossomed into a real pain. “Can we stop by the medlab?”

“Problem?”

“My headache is still bothering me.” She gave him a soft smile. “Not to worry. The removal of the device has given me headaches for up to a week so this isn’t anything out of the ordinary.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

****

She had spent hours with her mate’s sister learning the in and outs of what she should and shouldn’t do. Standing in a receiving line for several hours in four inch heels should have been on the top of the list. Her feet hated it. Storm was to her left and his sister was to her right.

Heather nodded and smiled, remembering to keep her hands to herself.

Trying to remember everything had her afraid to do anything. She found either Storm or his sister would prompt her when she made a minor misstep so she hadn’t made a fool of herself yet.

She did a mental jump for joy when she saw the end of the line. Now maybe she could get off her feet for a second. It took several toasts and one rather lengthy speech by the head elder and the commander-in-chief before Heather finally got to sit down.

Drinks were poured and people started talking amongst themselves.

She found many looking at her. Not used to being the center of attention she wanted it to stop. She tightened her grip on Storm’s hand.

“Problem?” Storm placed his other hand on top of Heather’s.

“Sorry.” She released her death grip and gave him an apologetic smile.

“Just not use to all this attention. Why couldn’t we get a table in the back somewhere?”

“Because this way we both have to be on our best behavior. If we were in the back I’d find a way to get out of here so we could be alone.” He gave her a quick kiss. “And we’re a target, remember?” He touched the crest resting between her breasts, which sent shivers through her when he trailed his fingers against the soft tissue exposed there.

“How can I forget when I have everyone staring at me like I’m a specimen on display at the zoo?”

“I can give them a different reason to stare if you wish.” He gave her a wink as he ran a finger down her throat.

It brought a blush to her cheeks and a comment from his sister. “Do we have to separate you two?”

“I am talking to Heather, not you.” He gave his sister a cold stare before he turned his focus solely to his mate.

A bowl of fruit was placed in front of Heather who stared at it in shock.

“Good Lord, they brought the biggest cut of all the fruits.” She looked at Storm’s sister. “Thought you said to pick the smallest one.”

“All you have to do is offer Storm a piece. He knows what to do.”

“With my mouth?” Heather found the idea a bit intimate for her in such a public setting.

“With your mouth.”

She found him staring at her mouth intently, just waiting to swoop in and take his prize. With nervous fingers she pulled out a smallish chunk of pineapple and stuck it between her teeth. The moment she titled her head up toward his, his lips were on hers. Storm sucked the fruit from between her lips, chomped it once and swallowed before he swept his tongue into her mouth.

The sweetness of the fruit still lingered, adding to the heady sensation of their tongues dancing together. She forgot they were in a crowd with thousands of eyes on them. His hand caressed her jaw, then her throat.

Someone cleared their throat.

Storm broke the kiss, but his breathing was labored like hers and he rested his forehead against hers, trying to gain control.

Heather was grateful he was having as much trouble with his composure as she was. She didn’t want the kiss to end.

“If you two could behave yourselves for a moment they’ll serve the food.” Storm’s sister shook her head. “At least the audience liked it.”

“Is your sister always this annoying?” Heather found she could breathe normally now.

“Yes.” He gave her another quick but heated kiss. “We’ll pick this up later.”“Whose idea was it to do the fruit thing anyway?” she cut a glance to her mate’s sister who suddenly tried to look very innocent.

“Blame the elders. It was their request.”

The rest of the meal was pretty tame. Heather found it hard to eat with so many focusing on her and Storm. Once the plates were cleared, Storm stood and offered her his arm.

“You going to deny me the chance to get to know your mate?” a soft female voice sounded to his right.

“Of course not.” He turned to Heather. “This is the leader of our society and my mother.”

“Mother? You couldn’t have mentioned that a little earlier?” Heather gripped his arm hard. She felt like crawling into a hole somewhere after the way she had made comments about this leader to both Storm and his sister.

“Come. Sit. I’d like to get to know you better.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Heather sank into the seat Storm had just vacated.

“So formal.” She picked up her glass. “You can call me, Mother.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Heather felt the blood drain from her face. What did she know? What should she admit to? No one prepared her for this.

“Why are you so frightened?” She placed her hand on Heather’s left wrist. “So I see the rumors are true.”

“I’m not sure I understand.” What did she do now?

“You and Storm have gone through the mating ceremony.”

“Oh, that.” That mating ceremony seemed to be the main topic of conversation with these people. First his sister and now his mother. “Yes, we’ve already been reprimanded once, but in our defense your son was trying to prepare me for the real one. How were we to know that strange little man would be there?”

“That strange little man is my brother.”

“Oh.” Heather felt her shoulders hunch a bit. “I’m really making a mess of this, aren’t I?”

“You’re doing fine. You’re honest and I like that. You aren’t trying too hard to get in my good graces. That’s always good.” She picked up her glass and toasted her son who stood a few feet in front of the dais watching them.

“And my son seems quite smitten with you.”

“I’m the newest toy that he can’t get enough of.”

“Really?” She smiled at that one. “Is the new toy complaining?” How could she answer that? “No. Just being honest again.”

“Then let’s change the subject, shall we?” She touched Heather’s arm again, drawing her gaze. “I’m sure you have questions? Like why you were picked for this assignment over other candidates?”

“It had crossed my mind.” And was a question she never thought she’d get an answer to.

“We had several criteria. One of course was the candidate had to be female and in a certain age bracket. That took about half the candidates out.

Another thing we looked at was military training. That was a must.”

“Why?” So far everything made perfect sense.

“When you were told you were to marry my son, what did you do?”

“Filed a complaint.”

“But you did what was expected of you, correct?” The woman smiled at her comment.

“Of course. It’s my duty.” Heather understood what she meant.

“That thinned the list down more.” She took another sip of her drink.

“Now let me ask if you realized that you probably will never step foot on Earth again once you leave with us.”

“Hadn’t really given it much thought.”

“Exactly.” She smiled. “Another criteria. You are an orphan. No family ties to keep you here. We will be all the family you’ll need. We also wanted someone who knew how to defend herself. Our race is an aggressive one and a timid woman wouldn’t fit into our society. I have read your dossier.

You stand up for your beliefs.”

Sometimes at the cost of something else.

“There was one more thing. Children.”

Heather knew this was coming. She couldn’t have children. She was sterile.

Chapter 6

“We know you’re sterile.” She placed her hand on Heather’s again. “So is my son. I feared if the woman chosen for him was fertile and found out they would never have children, she might stray to have that child.”

“How would they stray? He keeps a very short leash.” Heather looked at Storm who hadn’t moved since they started talking. She didn’t mean it the way it came out but his mother didn’t seemed to be fazed by her comment.

His mom chuckled instead. “Look at him. He seems so forlorn there.”

“One more question and we can put him out of his misery.” Heather watched him fidget while he waited for them to finish talking. “Why didn’t he tell me his mother was the leader of the planet?”

“He has been trained to only give out information when he feels it is pertinent.”

“The need to know basis.” Heather nodded, understanding the military way. “But it would have been nice having a little notice.”

“Did you feel a little broadsided?”

Heather nodded.

“He also might have thought it would have overwhelmed you.”

“I’m not a child.” She probably sounded a little petulant but she couldn’t help it.

“True, but our society is so different from yours. You have only scratched the surface.” She stood when Storm joined them.

Heather hadn’t seen him move. She felt the heat of his hand on her elbow as he helped her to her feet and steered her away from his mother.

How had he known the audience was over? Did she miss some subtle hint?

“So, did the two of you have a good talk?” His voice held a hint of something she had never heard from him before. Was that a touch of fear?

“We sure did.” She gave him her brightest smile. “Thank you for telling me she is your mother before I met her. It really made it easy for me.”

“Oh, that.” He gave her an apologetic smile. “Guess it slipped my mind.”

“Sure it did.” She walked beside him, thinking about all she had learned.

Her silence must have worried him.

“You mad?”

“No.” She patted his arm. She was adjusting to his way of thinking quickly. Part of her understood why he did it. She could have bolted at any moment with everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours. He didn’t want to say the one thing that would send her over the edge. “Just thinking. Your mother explained how I was chosen to be your wife. I can see the logic yet I feel there was something she wanted to tell me but felt she couldn’t.”

“Mother comes across that way sometimes. It comes with the job.” He wrapped his arm around her. “Would you care to get some fresh air?”

“That would be great, but this place is pretty packed.” She looked up at him. “Don’t expect to find some little out of the way corner.”

“Even if I had it guarded just in case we could sneak away?” He stole a quick kiss then got them as far as the doors before someone called him. He growled at the intrusion. “Wait right here. I promise I won’t be long.” She was amazed he left her alone. No sister to babysit or guards surrounding her like she was something delicate. It was kind of nice.

Enjoying the fresh air, she stepped out onto the patio, hoping to feel the breeze stir her hair. She hadn’t been allowed any leisure time in days.

As she kept to herself, enjoying the quiet moment, she found a young man kneeling at her feet. One of the pleasurers. How he found her, she wasn’t sure. Her sister-in-law had passed the word she didn’t want to be approached and all had obeyed, but this one.

It took her a second or two to remember the proper gesture for no. She used the signal and tried to step away, but he blocked her way again. She sighed. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Why did she have to get the one who didn’t get the memo?

“Does the word no not register for you or do you want a beating?” Perhaps the words would penetrate where the proper gestures wouldn’t. She moved once again, but this time when he blocked her he grabbed her and tried to drag her to a secluded spot. In seconds he was a heap at her feet.

One palm to the nose broke it, allowing blood to gush everywhere and then she finished defending herself with a knee to the groin. That should end any other thoughts of trying to molest her.

“No means no.” His groan brought security. Where were they when all this was transpiring? “Get him out of here before Storm sees him.” She dusted her hands and sought to fix her dress which had gotten a little out of shape in the scuffle, but she realized she couldn’t do it without a mirror.