Passion Light (17 page)

That was when she realized how much he really cared for her. It had always been there, but she had only just seen it.

They simply looked at each other for a while, paying attention to what really mattered to them and ignoring everything else.

Finally they stood and straightened their clothing and Evan put the mattress back.

“We were talking about the opening,” he said. He had to think a moment to get back on track. “Can it be seen in daylight?”

“It can be seen in daylight if a guard is in the right spot,” she explained. “This opening is low in a drainage ditch. We never manage to get enough water here for a full-fledged moat except when we get a lot of rain. It comes out next to the compost pile on the east side of the castle.”

“Is there any type of concealment on the outside,” he asked.

“There are blueberries, raspberries and black berries planted along with a few fruit trees. The thorny bushes discourage most people besides us gardeners. They are all netted to protect them from birds and radiation, which provides more cover. Uncle’s guards are very aware of their more prestigious positions and avoid any agricultural chores as beneath their dignity.”

Evan did the grunt and nod thing again. “Their false pride will help us. I need to go out and meet with my people or I could send Brian. If we came in through the tunnels we could save our mental powers for the fighting. It would be a good strategy.”

“What if you asked Uncle to let them come inside?” Isabelle asked. “It seems kind of rude that he didn’t allow them as guests at the wedding.”

“I asked him, but he declined on the grounds that my people were fine outside,” Evan said. “He really doesn’t trust me…and rightly so. We are plotting to take your home away from him.”

“I worry Uncle is plotting against us, too,” Isabelle said. “Angela’s death did something to him and he blames me. I don’t know what he might do.”

“Let’s get back,” Evan suggested. “I can feel him plotting, though he seems conflicted and undecided. We need to see what he’s doing.”

Chapter 18

They detoured by Uncle’s room but he was not there. The bloody bed and Angela’s body had been removed, but as yet no new furnishings had been put in place.

“I wonder if he will continue to use this room. The bloodstains may never come out of the floor. The bed and the mattress are probably ruined,” Isabelle observed.

Evan nodded and grunted his agreement. It was fairly difficult for him to adjust to all the talking out loud. Though Terrans could reproduce any language pretty easily, they often communicated within their own culture telepathically. Though their telepathic skills also made learning other languages and styles of communication relatively easy, too, it was easier for him now that Isabelle was beginning to tune into his thoughts.

“Let’s look into the other rooms and see if we can locate him,” Evan suggested.

They wandered through the tunnel peeking into the rooms as they came to them. They happened to catch Glory and Brian making love again. They watched as she tied him to the bed and then blindfolded him. He was completely naked and aroused. Glory took a feather from her bedside table and began to run it over his body. He was shorter than Evan, but well built and muscular. His body was lean, but still heavily muscled. He shivered as Glory touched him and writhed some, too, but he didn’t look unhappy.

“How much does he weigh?” Isabelle whispered to Evan, as they watched. Isabelle was enjoying looking at the couple together. Brian was very dark and Glory was blond and generously proportioned with a small waist and curvy breasts and hips.

“He is about 250 pounds, as you measure weight. I weigh close to 300. A man who is very active as we are in our culture can weigh quite a lot and still look lean, especially as tall as we are,” Evan replied.

Isabelle was aroused watching the couple. She felt heat between her legs and her breasts felt itchy and too big for her underwear.

Evan seemed to sense it. He reached around her and rubbed her through her clothing, first just her breasts and then her crotch. “I want my clothing off,” Isabelle said.

Evan picked her up and carried her to her room where they stripped off their clothing and fell on each other like barbarians. He leaned into the wall next to the door, wrapped her in his arms and pulled her tight to his aroused body kissing her deeply. She clung to him just as tightly and fell into arousal more acute than she had ever experienced.

She needed more. She raised one knee until her center rubbed at his package right where she needed him…almost.

He ran a hand down her other leg and pulled it up until she could lock both legs around his waist. He turned so that she was braced against the wall. She helped him guide his hard organ to her soaked entrance he sank into her to his balls. She cried out in relief as he went right where she wanted him.

He began to move, plunging into her and giving her all she wanted, in and out like a well-oiled machine. At the same time he managed to get his thumb in just the right position to stimulate her clit. In just moments she felt her orgasm building. “I’m going to come,” she gasped.

“Me, too,” Evan growled. His lips were pulled back in a grimace with the effort he was exerting to wait for her.

Then Isabelle screamed as she came. He went with her and the air turned golden all around them. They both had their eyes closed but they could still see it. Neither had ever felt anything like it. It was a cataclysm of almost magical pleasure…or maybe it really was magic. They could both sense it. Her legs fell limp and he braced one arm under her butt to hold her.

Evan staggered away from the wall with her still in his arms and managed to walk to the bed. He turned as he fell on it and landed with her on top, still connected.

They slept in each other’s arms for a while, but finally Evan woke and reminded her of their task. “We still need to find your uncle,” he said.

Isabelle groaned sleepily and agreed. Evan could do it all day if she could take him that many times. Right at the moment she was a bit sore. They got out of the bed. She walked stiffly to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked different as though marriage had changed her in some fundamental way. Her hair was shiny and loose. Her skin looked clear and beautiful and she looked a bit more muscular, too. Evan ran cold water onto a washcloth and brought it to her. 

“Do you want to wash up yourself or do you want me to attend you,” he asked.

‘Now there’s a shocker,’ she thought. Aloud she said, “I can handle it, but thank you.”

He nodded and looked to his own washing then they dressed and again headed for the tunnels.

As they entered the tunnels he said, “You do look different, you know. You have bloomed as many women do after they are mated. Your womanly beauty is coming out since we have been together. You are exquisite and I’m sure many people, especially men will notice.”

Isabelle said, “I have no interest in attracting the notice of a bunch of scummy men.”

“I know,” Evan said, “But they will see you blooming and notice anyway, but you and I are together and they will dream of what they missed or failed to appreciate or discern. It is the way of men. They want what they can’t have.”

It was sort of neat to be ‘blooming’ whatever that meant, but Isabelle had other concerns.

Chapter 19

They didn’t find Uncle until they looked through spy holes into the great hall. Uncle and the priest sat together before a group of men loyal to him. They were discussing a punishment for the woman already judged a witch, Isabelle the castle manager.

“What are they doing?” Isabelle asked.

“Something really bad,” Evan growled. “We have two alternatives. We, you and I and my people need to leave immediately…or we need to take this place from your uncle. He plans to have you killed. I KNOW that’s what he plans for you. He will not allow any opposition to what he wants. He wants revenge.”

“But I didn’t do anything to Angela. She was sick when she got here,” Isabelle said.

That fact doesn’t matter to your uncle,” Evan said. “He doesn’t want to take responsibility for what happened to Angela so that means someone else must…like you. You have run out of time. We must act and immediately. I…we can prevent him from hurting you and intend to do so. What do Earthlings do to women designated ‘Witches’ traditionally?”

“They usually burn them at the stake,” Isabelle said. “Some cultures stone them, but they are usually not cultures of European descent. All of them blame women if things don’t happen the way they want or plan. It’s the old patriarchal religion thing. Everything bad comes from women.”

“This is very bad,” Evan said. “This planet will never prosper until they learn to respect women and the Goddess again. It’s a very primitive thing for people to do. It must be motivated by fear, yet I know you would not deliberately set out to harm someone short of self defense.”

Isabelle was annoyed and badly frightened and showed it, saying, “Oh, right. I’ll just run down there and let them know. I’m sure it will change their minds and they will not kill me. Give me a break. Uncle always gets his way when he starts thinking of ways to entertain the troops in some salacious manner. You cannot even imagine how primitive some people here are. They would probably buy tickets to watch me burn.”

She started to cry. It was so unfair. She was exhausted from working herself to death for years…mostly for the man who was planning to kill her. She had also tried to protect many of the locals who were defenseless. Of course, Uncle had not included any of them, the people who loved her and depended on her, on his tribunal. All the people who disliked her were there and eager to see the end of her…and make money selling tickets to those who wanted to watch, too.

Evan simply picked her up and wished her and some of his people including Brian some distance away to a cave they had selected for just such an event. They were and always had been in communication through the mind connection with Evan.

“I think it might help you to understand what we can do…all of us together,” indicating her and the others with a circular motion of his large and capable looking hand.

She rarely gave in to her emotions as she did when she saw what Uncle was doing. It hurt her…perhaps irrationally. He didn’t really care for her, she knew, but sometimes people cling to what they know and hope for far too long against all evidence. She plucked a handkerchief out of a pocket and mopped up her face and turned her attention to Evan.

“In this kind of situation we would normally communicate without speaking, but as a courtesy to my wife we will go the verbal route and map out a strategy to oust her slimy uncle from power. We need suggestions from the group for how to get the job done. We also need some healing for this planet and other issues that have been an unfortunate result of the disasters the rulers have brought here,” Evan finished.

A very tall and well-armed woman stepped forward and spoke.