Unexpected hero, p.5
Unexpected Hero, page 5
Soith blinked. “Wow. That’s some self-control you have there.”
“Her mind is perfect. It fits mine, and her body is soft, and she smells sweet. When she looks at me with those big eyes... I was lost the day I met her.” He continued to massage her scalp as she had fallen asleep on a wave of happiness when he flexed his fingers against her.
Soith frowned. “Are you sure you want her? She seems a bit of a project.”
“Yes, but it will be worth it in the end. She has strength and a lot of power once we can get her to use it.” He smiled at her. “That will come with time.”
Aldrun frowned. “She was raped?”
“All indicators are yes, and she has warned me that she wakes up screaming, so the inference is there.” He stifled his rage. “It will delay things but not by much. She finds me handsome, so that is a good start, and she speaks manual, which already endeared her to a lot of the population while we were at the hospital.”
Soith chuckled. “Yeah, a few of the folks at headquarters were shocked when she came out. She looks so small next to you until the cleavage and curves become apparent. At that point, it is very evident that she suits you.”
Aldrun smiled. “There were the inevitable sobbing girls, but I assure you that we will take care of them.”
Mekked chuckled, and Misty stirred. “I had better put her in her room and get her settled. I need to contact that therapist and make a few more arrangements for her. Then, we have to head out to check out a foundering freighter.”
Soith looked at the little Terran. “You are just going to leave her?”
“Hazda and Kekkari will take care of her. Her original files are being transferred to Hazda, and she is going to know everything in very short order.” He sighed. “She will be settling in while we are gone, and I am going to hate to miss it.”
Aldrun laughed. “So, you are going to be in a terrible mood. Got it.”
Soith smiled. “Then, put the missus to bed and make your arrangements. Delaying won’t do you any good, and if you get it all done, you can see her before we leave tomorrow.”
Mekked snorted and moved his hands to carry her, standing up and walking up to his bedroom, settling her on her side of the bed after he slipped her dress off and flicked off her shoes.
She snuggled down into the soft bedding and the pillow on the firm mattress. He pressed his lips to her forehead and headed down to the main level to order her a unit, get the therapist to make house calls, and make sure that Hazda was working on the wardrobe and documentation.
He smiled as he sent the requisition for the music files. If she wanted music, she would have music.
When he lay down on the opposite side of the bed, she scooted over to press against him. He blinked in surprise, but her mind was still sleeping. She was cool, and he was warm.
He held her lightly and murmured, “I hope this doesn’t upset you.”
She buried her nose against his chest, and he jumped at the cool pressure before laughing ruefully. So, he had a pet. Now how long until he had a mate?
* * * *
In the dimness near dawn, she felt soft kisses on her skin, and she reached out to find a man with a unique texture. This wasn’t anything familiar or terrifying. He felt wonderful. His skin was like hot, thick leather with a smooth finish.
“Misty, I have to leave now. I will be away for a few days, but Hazda and Kekkari will care for you. Wake up when you like. If they need you, they will come to wake you.”
She turned her face up and looked into the shining shadows of his eyes. “You have to go?”
He smiled. “Just a day or two. There is a freighter that needs emergency repairs, so we have to escort a crew up to it and get them home again. Routine. My duties are not very glamorous.”
Misty nodded. “Okay. Be safe.”
“For you, I will. What do you want to do when I get back? Eat at a restaurant, go to a concert?”
She blurted out, “Could you teach me to swim?”
He paused. “You can’t swim?”
“No. I sink. I never learned what to do.”
He stroked her cheek. “I can teach you. You need to relax and trust. I will do the rest.”
He kissed her lips, and she leaned into him, sighing softly as her sleepy body warmed to his touch. He groaned. “I have to leave.”
She nodded and returned to the flat pillow. “See you when you get back.”
He looked at her, lifted the sheet, and covered her. “Get some rest. You are going to need it.”
She chuckled and blushed at the wicked sound out of her throat. It was rather like taunting a bear that had a business meeting. Eventually, it would leave the meeting hungry, and it knew where to find her.
He growled at her and left the room.
She burrowed onto the spot where he had been sleeping and inhaled. He smelled really good. She wrapped herself in his scent and returned to sleep.
* * * *
Mekked sat at the controls as they lifted off.
Soith muttered, “You are quiet. I thought you would be crowing this morning.”
Mekked glanced at him. “I have a warm, sleepy woman in my bed who wants nothing more than to burrow into my side, torturing me all night. I am far too tired to crow.” He smiled. “But at the same time, I am charged up like never before.”
“Why?”
“Because every time I moved away, she came to me and pressed against me. She doesn’t have an aversion to me on reflex. Also, curling up against me makes her happy, so I feed off that.” He smiled as they left the troposphere. “It was like eating dessert all night.”
Soith chuckled. “Sounds fun and frustrating.”
“I believe that is what I have signed up for.” Mekked was smug. “I wonder if this is how my father felt when he met my mother.”
Aldrun came in at that moment and chuckled. “I think your mother felt a bit of panic when Vecchin got a hold of her.”
Mekked grinned. “Yeah, you haven’t actually talked to her. She felt a lot of panic. The flying fuck took off with her and got her away from the water, so she couldn’t get away.”
“You talk about the overseer like that?” Aldrun blinked.
“Yeah. He’s a great father, but he knows that she is the best thing that ever happened to him. He also knows that he is a bit of a bully. Hmrain are very aware of what they are. Father saw what he wanted, and he took it and kept it safe until he figured out a way to convince her that he was her destiny.”
Soith chuckled. “Did the fact that he owned the planet they were on sway her?”
“No, he was very good with his hands and learned manual to court her. Sound above the water hurts her ears.” Mekked shrugged. “Well, it used to.”
Aldrun nodded. “The repair team is settled and ready. We hope to make this fast.”
“Make it good. Fast is dangerous.”
Soith smiled. “Don’t you want to get back to Misty?”
“Not if the price is innocent lives. She would be appalled.” He smiled slightly. She had a fat streak of morality that was going to mean he always had a judging audience when he acted. He could deal with that. She would be a terror when she could stand on her own two feet.
Aldrun chuckled. “Then, we shall make sure the technicians have what they need and do the necessary heavy lifting to get you back to your patient seduction of Misty.”
Mekked sighed. “She is doing the seducing. She just doesn’t know it.”
Soith snorted. “She knows it.”
* * * *
The light was bright when Misty stretched and looked around. Hazda was sitting in a chair near the foot of the bed. “Hello, Misty.”
Misty sat up with the sheet held to her chest. “Hey, Hazda. How late did I sleep?”
“Kekkari is about to serve lunch.”
“Oh. Is it all right if I wear the dress from yesterday?”
Hazda grinned. “Sure. It is in the cleaning unit in the bathing room. Once you have cleaned yourself, we can have lunch, and then your therapist will be arriving.”
Misty was wrapping the sheet around herself. “My what?”
“Therapist. Have you met a Vecchin therapist before?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Well, they are schooled to desensitize you to your memories. You still have them, but your logical mind and instincts agree that they can’t hurt you.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“But none of this happens if you don’t get up and get dressed, so I am leaving.” Hazda grinned. “Lunch in half an hour.”
Hazda left, and Misty dropped the sheet and bolted for the bathroom. The dress was in the cleaner, and after necessities were taken care of, she climbed in the shower and let the light take off oils and dirt. It looked like there was a water option, but she didn’t have time.
She pulled the dress on, tightened the ties to fit it, and checked it out in the mirror. She looked okay, but she had to do something with her hair. It hung in a shiny wave down her back, but ladies on Vecchin did fancier stuff with their hair.
She just wanted to blend in, so she would be less noticeable.
In the bedroom, bots were making the bed, and she found her shoes next to the closet.
She put on the shoes and left the bedroom, looking around, and then she headed downstairs, heading toward the dining room. When she found it empty, she walked over to the kitchen and poked her head around the corner.
Kekkari grinned. “There’s the little princess.”
She huffed and walked into the room, seeing Hazda sitting with three tablets and humming to herself as she went between the three.
“Your therapist will be here an hour after lunch, but Kekkari isn’t going to let you go play psychosis until you have something to eat.”
The casual table that Hazda was seated at was soon playing host to a table setting and a spectacular salad with a pot of kio sitting and waiting for her. She sipped at the tart plant juice and swallowed. It was a cross between aloe vera and orange juice, and it was always served warm. She had gotten used to it.
She sat and ate the meal with efficient bites, and when the food was gone and she put the fork down Kekkari looked at her. “You didn’t taste it, did you?”
Misty looked down and felt a wave of guilt. “No. I am nervous about the therapist. I am sorry.”
He sighed. “It’s fine. I guess you only slow down when Mekked is with you. I will have to ask him to help you enjoy your food.”
She blushed. “I... am sorry.” She felt tears pressing at her eyes, but she held them back.
Hazda sighed. “Kekkari, he said that you weren’t to tease her. She’s in an uproar, and she wasn’t treated kindly since arriving on Vecchin. She’s delicate, so let her just get by, and enjoying her new surroundings will come with time.”
Kekkari looked at Misty, and he crouched next to her. “I am sorry. We are all having so much fun with this that we forget that you aren’t swept away by the romance of it all.”
Misty blinked. “Romance? There isn’t really much of that. I am a match; now I am here. The idea of fun is a bit of a stretch. I eat to live.”
Kekkari touched her hand. “No room for enjoyment?”
“Not yet. That will come in time, I think. I haven’t had much opportunity for that in my life to date. There was always something else to do.”
Kekkari looked shocked. “Not even on your own world, before the destruction?”
“No. I don’t think I have had fun since I was six.” She looked to Hazda. “Where should I wait for the therapist?”
“Mekked said you could use his study, but one of the day rooms is available if you like.” Hazda smiled. “The gardens here are very extensive and have been manicured into the Vecchin mark. It is fun to walk them.”
“Do you bear the mark?”
“Of course. Hip to hip. My brother has it around each bicep.”
Misty drank her kio and nodded. “So, where am I waiting?”
Kekkari nodded. “The day room? It’s this way.”
Misty got up and followed him to the day room. There were couches, chairs, a tablet sitting on a table, and windows all around. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It felt calm.
“Mekked’s mother enjoyed this room. She said it felt like she was sitting in an ocean of light. She found it comforting, and I am guessing that Hazda knew you needed comfort.”
“She seems highly intuitive.”
Misty went to stand at the window, and she pressed her hand against the glass. The tints of Vecchin were not what she had grown up with, but after nearly five years, she was used to them. Pinks, reds, and silver were in every plant, rock, and tree.
The gardens were lovely. Pathways, wildflowers, and low walls curved through the space, not controlling nature, but giving it easy access to the soil that made it thrive.
Misty settled on the couch and stared out the window. She was still watching the flying mammals in the trees when there was a soft knock at the door. She turned her head and smiled. “Come in.”
The woman who was standing there was one of Kekkari’s people. The woman was surprised. “You are Mekked’s mate?”
“Currently, I am his contracted consort, but I am not on active duty yet.”
“Ah, that is where I come in.”
Misty got to her feet and looked at the elegant cat-woman. “Apparently. While I can control my physical responses, my emotions are all over the place, and they leak out. He can feel them, and it must be a little creepy.”
“I am Dr. Remak. Dr. Ledeen is my associate, but we agreed I might be a better fit for you.”
“Oh. Why?”
“Because Ledeen is male, and your type of trauma can make males feel a little irritated and helpless.”
“Ah. Would you like to have a seat? I’m Misty.”
They touched hands in a contact with no grip, and at the doctor’s urging, they had a seat.
“I have been told that you have a lock that will make you pass out, so we are going to do this the way your people do for now. I will monitor your situation with my own empathy and make notes on topics that require our accelerated version of treatment when we have access to it.”
She smiled. “So, tell me about your experiences with men.”
Misty inhaled. “It started when I was a child, and my mother started selling me to men for favours and groceries. It continued throughout my life.”
Dr. Remak’s eyes widened. “Holy stars. Tell me about the first time.”
Misty nodded and started to talk.
Chapter Six
Dr. Remak looked exhausted. Kekkari offered them dinner and a drink, and the good doctor took it.
Misty felt guilty for putting all that on the good doctor, but she felt lighter for getting it out. Her mother and sister could not be prosecuted here on Vecchin, but it was nice to know someone believed her.
They sat at the dinner table and shared the evening meal while the doctor kept looking at Misty and sniffling.
Finally, Misty asked, “Dr. Remak, did I break you?”
The doctor blinked and was being hit by waves of concern from Misty. During the session, she learned how to broadcast via trial and error. “Um, no, but you have had quite the journey to get here.”
Misty nodded. “That is an understatement.”
“How are you sane?” The question was blunt.
Misty was honest. “No idea. I just found things to make me happy, I guess. I didn’t tell folks what those things were, but I kept them going. Here, I liked the sunsets. It was my favourite thing when I arrived, and I looked forward to each one.”
Kekkari got nervous. “Should we be talking about it like this?”
Misty shrugged. “She is just talking about me as I am, not anything regarding our conversations. I had had therapy before when no one was looking.”
Hazda asked, “Why did no one have to be looking?”
Misty sighed, “Because the ones who betrayed my trust were the ones closest to me. They didn’t want me to get help, but I arranged it with the school when I was growing up, and they kept my secret but watched the house closely. Fortunately, after that point, it was harder for them to keep using me as the teachers and school were watching all the time. I have always been able to get out of horrible situations, but I have to go through the horror first.” She chuckled. “I really wish that the horror could skip and just go to warm and fuzzy for a while.”
Hazda chuckled. “Ask Mekked. I am sure he will be eager to give you whatever you want.”
Misty blushed. “We already negotiated what I want and what he wants. That part was pretty clear. Do you know how long they will be gone?”
Hazda checked her tablet. “It looks like the repairs will take a few days. They will be back before the weekend.”
Misty nodded. “Right. So, Dr. Remak. How much more of my chatter can you take?”
Dr. Remak gestured, and Kekkari filled her wineglass. “I will be here as long as you need me, and if we have to do it this way, we have to do it this way. I will ask Overseer Mekked if he will authorize a mind healer to remove the block.”
Misty chuckled. “I am sorry that you have to be exposed to it. It isn’t pleasant.”
Hazda smiled. “Why did you learn manual, Misty?”
“Oh, there is a version of it on Earth, so I asked to learn it when the family group was bonded here.”
“They requested a distant location.”
“They did. I don’t have degrees or secondary studies, so manual labour was what I was suited to. The café had applied for a bondservant, and I fit the requirements.” She smiled.
Hazda looked at her with a considering expression. “What did you do for fun?”
“Um, when I was alone and I could relax... I put on headphones, and I danced. For that moment, the world didn’t exist, and I was alone. It wasn’t graceful, but it was fun, and I felt so much better afterward.” She shrugged and waved her hand at her body. “I made this my universe, and parts of that universe were fun.”
