Passions of New Pompeii (11 page)

“Good evening, Elaina,” the computer greeted
as various menu graphics segmented the large monitor. “Are you
enjoying your stay?”

She ignored the preprogrammed pleasantries
and activated a search engine with a hand gesture. She needed to
start with something he could relate to and expand his horizons
from there. “Would you like to see an aerial view of New Pompeii?”
He was so fascinated by the menu graphics he didn’t respond. “Image
search. Show me a satellite view of New Pompeii.”

The requested image appeared in the middle of
the monitor, but the shot was so wide it looked like a meaningless
collection of vaguely geometric shapes. “Zoom in on the arena until
I say stop.” The image became more detailed until the arena and the
buildings surrounding it became obvious. “Stop.” The image
stabilized and she looked at Theos.

“Is that…” He reached for the screen,
transfixed by the image.

“That’s what the arena looks like from the
sky.” She motioned to the complex adjacent to the arena. “This is
your
ludus
. See the training yard and the barracks.”

“How is this done?”

“You remember the skyships, right?” He
nodded. “Well there are machines called satellites that sail in
circles around Fedoros. They send us images and allow us to
communicate with people who are in other parts of the world.”

It was clear from his expression that he
didn’t grasp the concept, but he nodded again. “Can you show me
what lies beyond the barrier?”

“Would you like to see where I live?”

“Very much.” She entered her address and
watched his face as the computer shuffled the arena to the upper
right position and supplied an aerial view of her house. He touched
the screen again, determined to feel as well as see. “You live
alone in this place?”

“I do. Would you like to see the inside?”

He looked at her and frowned. “These
sat-tell-lights can see through walls?”

Thermo-imaging and biological scans could
wait until he’d accepted simple photography. “I can activate my
security system. The cameras are already on the inside of my
house.” It took a moment to navigate through the security portals,
but various images of her house soon filled the screen. “This is my
kitchen and this is where I sleep.”

He stared at the monitor with a mixture of
awe and suspicion. “I sensed that Max was telling the truth, but I
couldn’t imagine how it was possible.”

“We have machines that can do just about
anything.”

“And you create these machines?” His dark
gaze shifted from the screen and bore into hers.

“Well, I don’t personally. But yes, Fedorans
create the machines.”

After a long pause, Theos shook his head and
muttered. “I have been such a fool.”

“This is enough for now.” She logged off and
told the computer to hibernate. “I don’t want to overwhelm you.
Let’s go finish our wine.”

“Max also said that your people ‘seeded’ my
world. Is this true?”

Animosity radiated off him in waves. Elaina
wasn’t sure how to answer. He obviously resented the idea. “I’m not
a scientist, Theos. I know there have been many missions to other
planets and I know Earth is one of them, but I don’t know the
details. I wasn’t involved in any of it.”

“Was your husband?”

The truth would hurt. There was no way around
it. But she refused to join the throngs who had deceived and
manipulated him. “Vito was a member of the royal family. One of his
responsibilities was to visit the colonies and each planet the
Fedorans seeded. Then he’d report back on the progress since the
last visit.”

“Did he just report on what he found, or did
he recommend action?”

“To my knowledge he did nothing more than
report.”

Characteristic perceptiveness narrowed his
gaze. “Meaning you suspect he was involved in more?”

She suspected Vito of so many things. She’d
finally had to just let it go. He was dead and she had to move on
with her life, for the sake of her son, if not herself. “I have no
proof, but I think there may have been times when they infiltrated
societies and guided them in directions they would not have
otherwise gone.”

“To what end?”

“To protect them from a misfortune they
didn’t understand or a danger they were not seeing. Vito was not a
vindictive man, but he was willing to take chances with the lives
of others when he should have focused on his own decisions.”

Theos made a noncommittal sound then said,
“If you can speak with people who are far away, you should contact
your son.”

She hesitated. Laetif had warned her that the
founders could monitor communications at any time. Elaina wanted to
believe Mikko wouldn’t spy on her, but she knew Prince Tarhee would
have no qualms with invading her privacy.

“You’ll have to stay in front of me, near the
wall. He will not only be able to hear me, he’ll be able to see me.
If anyone finds out I brought you in here, I would be severely
punished.” He moved out of camera range and watched the screen
expectantly. She logged back in and activated a comlink.
“Person-to-person, Elaina Xyell requesting an audience with Prince
Feztis Olla.” Theos looked at her in confusion and she knew she’d
have to explain the difference in their names. She put her finger
to her lips and shook her head. His impatient glower assured her
he’d stay quiet.

The link connected, but Rachel, one of Fez’s
caregivers, appeared instead of the boy. “He’s already gone to bed,
Elaina. What time will you try tomorrow? I’ll make sure he’s
available to take your com.”

Her heart sank and Elaina couldn’t
manufacture a smile. “I’m not sure. Tomorrow is bound to be crazy.
What time would be best?”

“He studies before the evening meal. Why
don’t you try between three and five o’clock? I’ll tell his tutors
to expect your com.”

“Thanks, Rachel. Have a nice evening.”

Theos stepped away from the wall as soon as
the monitor blinked off. “That woman cares for your son?”

“She is one of a team who is responsible for
him.”

Theos nodded, his expression tense and
thoughtful. Elaina checked to make sure everything was secure and
then led him from the combooth. After securing the door, she
crossed to the bed and refilled their wineglasses.

“How primitive we must seem to you.” He took
the cup from her hand but wouldn’t meet her gaze. “How
amusing.”

“Your civilization is less technologically
advanced. There is no denying that. But Pompeii was part of the
Roman Empire, one of the most sophisticated societies ever
known.”

“Why does your son’s name differ from
yours?”

She hadn’t thought he’d let that slide. “If a
widow keeps her husband’s name it means she has no interest in
finding a new husband. I would eventually like to remarry, so I
reverted to my maiden name.”

“But you have found no man to rekindle your
interest?” His gaze drifted back to hers, dark and challenging.

“None of the men who pursued me were
interested in me. They all wanted to control my son.”

“Untrue.” He brushed his fingertips from her
shoulder to her elbow. “I did not even know you had a son.”

“Are you asking me to marry you?” She
chuckled.

His expression grew intensely serious and he
set his wineglass aside. “Slaves are not allowed to marry. But if I
could choose a wife, she would be someone just like you. Someone
intelligent and principled, brave and passionate.”

The praise was unexpected and flattering. She
started to thank him but found emotion constricting her throat. He
took her cup from her suddenly shaky hand and set it beside his on
the nightstand.

“I did not mean to upset you.” He moved the
tray to the floor then pulled her close as he turned to face her.
“If we only have this night, I mean to savor ever moment.”

“I’m not sure what the future holds, but
there is no reason we can’t—”

He shook his head and touched her lips with
his index finger. “There are infinite reasons, but we have
tonight.”

She didn’t want to just have one night with
him. She wanted the fairytale, the happily ever after. She closed
her eyes and fought back a surge of frustration. Fairytales were
bullshit. She’d found that out the hard way.

You married a prince and there was nothing
happy about the ending. Why not take it one night at a time?

His lips pressed against her forehead then
the corners of her eyes. “If you do not banish the sadness from
your eyes, I will be forced to employ drastic measures.”

“Drastic measures?” His tone was so
melodramatic she couldn’t help but smile. “Now I’m curious.”

“And you are destined to remain so. Sit
down.”

She indulged in a semi-playful glare as she
obeyed. He moved with lethal grace, utterly at home without
clothing. He didn’t go far, only to the corner of the massive bed.
His broad back prevented her from seeing exactly what he was doing,
but the rustling of the filmy curtains indicated his target. He
returned with the long, narrow tieback and a dark, sexual
smile.

“Close your eyes.”

Her heart fluttered and her stomach tensed.
“I don’t want to be blindfolded.”

“I trust you with my life, you trust me with
your body. That is our bargain. Now close your eyes.”

“But you know there’s no danger beyond the
barrier. Max convinced you you’re not going to die.”

“And I have proved worthy of your trust thus
far,” he stubbornly countered. “You have nothing to fear.”

She squirmed, clutching the sheet to her
chest. “I’m not afraid. I just don’t like being blindfolded.”

“You will like this. I promise.” He held out
the tieback with both hands, obviously unwilling to relent.

With an exasperated sigh, she tucked her hair
behind her ears and closed her eyes. The tieback was sheer, like
the curtains. The pressure kept her eyelids closed while allowing
light to filter through. The effect was less disconcerting than she
had expected. She began to relax and absorb what her body was
telling her.

“Did your husband blindfold you, or is your
discomfort not related to a sexual situation?”

She licked her lips then smiled. “I’ve never
actually been blindfolded. There are a lot of things people
describe as pleasurable that I can’t imagine finding arousing.”

He touched her shoulders, thumbs skimming
across her collar bones. “Such as?”

A nervous laugh escaped her. “As if I’d list
them now.” His touch danced across her chest, caressing her breasts
where they swelled into view above the bath sheet. Soft and light,
his fingertips barely made contact with her skin. She waited for
him to unwind the makeshift garment or tease her nipples through
the thin material. Instead, he moved away. She heard the faint
scrape of wood against wood. Was he rummaging through the
nightstand? “What are you doing?”

“Exploring the amenities.”

Each VIP domicile was supposed to be supplied
with a wide variety of “authentic” sexual enhancements. From
leather restraints to ivory dildos, each item was meticulously
reproduced to simulate the era. Elaina shivered as she imagined
what Theos was selecting for her. Would he tie her to the bed or
restrain her between the bedposts? Why did she presume he would
bind her?

“Take off the sheet and kneel in the middle
of the bed.”

She unwound the sheet and let it whisper down
her body. Her skin tingled and her nipples tightened, begging for
his touch or his lips. He’d been on her left when he opened the
nightstand, but she wasn’t sure where he was now. For such a large
man, he was incredibly light on his feet.

As if to prove her point, he touched her
right shoulder and she started, turning her head toward him with a
soft gasp. “Is there a reason you are still standing?”

“This is strange. It’s hard to establish my
bearings.”

He guided her hand to the mattress. “Climb
on.”

Amused by his impatience, she crawled to the
middle of the bed and arranged herself on her knees, legs pressed
together. She was relatively sure she was facing the foot of the
bed, but it really was disconcerting not to be able to see.

“Spread your legs. I want to be able to see
your pussy at all times.”

His voice sounded gruff and commanding, a
combination her body was beginning to recognize as a prelude to
pleasure. She eased her knees apart, her thighs tense and
resistant. Modesty and restraint had been drummed into her at every
turn. A proper lady was cool and composed, never spontaneous or
brazen. And expectations had only escalated when she’d caught the
eye of a prince. The mattress dipped and swayed as Theos joined her
on the bed. Vito was dead. She could be as scandalous as she wanted
and no one would care.

“What are you thinking about?” He drew a line
from the base of her throat to her navel.

“I was a well-behaved daughter then a proper
wife, and it brought me disappointment and betrayal. I want to be
outrageous. I want to sample all those pleasures good girls don’t
dare.”

He cupped her breasts, his thumbs stroking
over her nipples. “I think I can help you with that. Turn around.”
She wasn’t sure what he had in mind, but that was part of the fun.
Remaining on her knees, she turned to face the railed headboard. At
least she thought that’s how she was positioned. He pressed against
her back and guided her hands to the bottom rail of the headboard,
which forced her to rest on her forearms. “Do not let go of the
rail or I will punish you. And you will not enjoy the punishment.”
The dark edge in his tone warned her that he meant every word.

His hands took their time on their way back
up her body. He squeezed her arms and rubbed her shoulders then
dipped down and caressed her breasts. “So soft and warm. I will
never tire of how these feel in my hands.” He rolled her nipples
between his thumb and forefingers, working the tender buds into
tight little peaks. “And so responsive.”