Captives of New Pompeii (5 page)

Trepidation chilled her blood and fueled the
discomfort churning inside her mind. Would he see this as an
invitation? She wasn’t trying to seduce him. She just needed a
fresh memory so she could push out the old. “All I want is a kiss.
You must stop after you’ve kissed me.”

With his hand still pressed to the side of
her face, he wrapped his other arm around her waist. “All you ever
have to do is tell me to stop and I’ll stop.” He brushed her lips
with his and smiled into her eyes. “Remember? I will never hurt
you.”

Then his lips settled over hers in a slow,
melting kiss. She grasped the front of his shirt and moved her head
to the side, fitting their mouths more closely together. His tongue
teased the inside of her lips, announcing his intention before he
pushed fully into her mouth. She moaned and pushed her tongue
across his, mimicking his movements.

Their mouths slid and pressed then
repositioned. She drew his breath into her lungs, memorizing his
scent as his taste rolled across her tongue. She had stolen kisses
as a giggling girl, but they had been nothing like this.

She felt restless and needy, hot
and…sensual. She wanted to rub against him and feel his naked body
pressing over her, pushing into her. This was desire. She wanted
Aiden—there was no doubt about it.

“Are you adequately distracted?” he
whispered against her kiss-swollen lips.

Unable to stop herself, she touched her
tingling lips. “Yes.”

“Do you want me to stop?” Challenge threaded
through his warm tone and it gave her the strength she needed to
step back, out of his embrace.

“My life is seldom about what I want. We
need to stop for the good of my people.”

He took her hand and led her out of the
cargo bay. “And how does neglecting your emotional and physical
needs serve your people?”

They had entered the lift, so she waited for
her body to adjust to the sudden ascent before she answered. “My
dreams and impressions are a valuable gift. In exchange, Venus asks
that I abstain from carnal pleasures.”

“Are you allowed to pleasure yourself or is
that forbidden as well?”

Heat blossomed on her cheeks and crawled
across her chest. “Such things are discouraged.”

“Are you a virgin?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Have you ever had an orgasm?”

She was not familiar with the word, but she
was smart enough to ascertain its meaning. He was talking about the
pleasure a man felt when he released his seed. Did this mean women
received a similar sensation? She had certainly felt nothing but
disgust and— No! She was not going to think about Perion. That was
how this entire incident had started.

“No need to answer. It’s obvious you don’t
know what I’m talking about.”

“I know what you are talking about.” The
door slid open and they stepped out into the corridor.

“Having sex is a natural biological
function, like any other. I don’t understand why—”

“That is all it means to you?” She gaped. “A
biological function? Your stomach rumbles, so you eat. Your
mentula
hardens so you find a willing
cunnus
to shove
it into?”

His brow arched and then he laughed. “My
Latin infusion didn’t cover some of those words, but I’m pretty
sure I can guess their meaning. When my cock gets hard, I prefer
that the pussy I shove it into belongs to someone I care about. But
I don’t believe the act requires undying love.”

“I would not know,” she reminded. “I just
hope my sacrifice has meant more than going without an occasional
meal.” She stormed off down the corridor in what she hoped was the
right direction. He was a few steps behind, so her display was
mostly for principle. How could something she had spent years
coveting mean so little to him? Especially when his kiss left her
aching for more?

She rounded a corner and collided with a
beautiful blonde woman. The blonde instinctively grabbed her arms,
keeping them both from toppling to the floor. Images inundated
Felicia’s mind in a nauseating rush. She closed her eyes against
the deluge, but the vision came that much faster.

The blonde bent over a bed, a tall
dark-haired man behind her. The man held her breasts as he thrust
into her. Felicia had seen people lost in passion before. The
temples were filled with harlots. This scene was different. The
woman’s features contorted with emotion, pleasure, guilt and
regret. She wanted the man who possessed her body, but something
about the coupling was bringing her emotional pain.

“Are you all right?” The stranger gave
Felicia a little shake. Felicia didn’t understand the woman’s
words. She spoke in a language Felicia didn’t know. Yet Felicia’s
gift translated the meaning directly to her mind.

“Remove your hands,” Aiden suggested in the
same language, his tall form suddenly behind Felicia. “I think
that’s what triggered the vision.”

“She’s having a vision.” The blonde snatched
her hands back and Aiden wrapped his arms around Felicia as her
knees buckled. “Who is she?”

“My assistant.” He swung her up into his
arms. Felicia’s head swam sickeningly and she groaned. “Her name is
Felicia.” He switched back to Latin and his gaze filled with
concern. “Do you need to lie down? Where shall I take you?”

If they went to his bedchamber, she was
afraid he would “take” her before the night was through. His
embrace felt too natural and it was far too easy to imagine herself
in his bed. “I need food. I feel weak.”

“The Thrax brothers have that effect on
women,” the stranger said in perfect Latin. “I am Laetif Xyell. I’m
sorry I startled you.”

“My head is clearing. Aiden, you may put me
down.”

Laetif smiled and moved up beside them. “I
don’t think he wants to put you down. You look rather sweet there
in his arms. Now, where are we headed? I want to hear about this
vision? Was I in it?” Felicia felt her cheeks flame and Laetif
laughed. “I see. You’re going to tell me every detail. And I do
mean
every
detail.”

Aiden wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.
Of all the people they could have run into, Laetif Xyell was the
worst. Caleb was going to kill him! He’d still been reeling from
Felicia’s bizarre behavior in the shuttle bay and their semi-risqué
conversation or he might have chosen a more secluded corridor.

“So, how long have you worked for the good
doctor?” Laetif asked in Fedoros.

Felicia looked at him with panic in her
eyes. She obviously knew Laetif was trying to talk to her. “Felicia
doesn’t speak Fedoros, Madame Xyell. She has trouble with the
language infuser. It gives her terrible headaches.”

“Then how did she learn Latin?” Laetif
sauntered along beside them, suspicion gleaming in her bright blue
eyes. Caleb was right. She was physically stunning. Aiden had yet
to make up his mind about her character. The fact she had married
Xyell was a massive obstacle.

“There was no choice,” he told her. “We had
to risk it. She’s no good to me if she can’t do her job.”

Laetif snickered. “Somehow I doubt that.”
She effortlessly switched to Latin as she went on. “Are you two
lovers?”

“Not yet,” Aiden said. Felicia gasped and he
laughed. “The lady thinks it unwise to become emotionally entangled
with her employer.”

“The lady is wise.” Laetif smiled at
Felicia. “However, no one ever accused me of being wise. I was
Mikko’s personal assistant for two years before he asked me to
marry him. That’s how we met.”

Felicia cocked her head, confusion furrowing
her brow. “You agree that it is unwise to become intimate with your
superiors and yet that is how you met your husband. Do you regret
your choice in mates?”

Laetif glanced at Aiden, her expression
reflecting both amusement and surprise. “She doesn’t miss much,
does she?”

“Please accept my apology. I am often too
bold.”

“I have no problem with your candor. I felt
like I’d won the lottery when Mikko asked me to marry him. Many
girls like me become rich men’s mistresses, but very few become
their wives.”

“Girls like you?”

Aiden squeezed Felicia and shook his
head.

“It’s all right, Doctor Thrax. I really
don’t mind.”

Shit! She’d called him doctor again. She’d
been speaking Fedoros when she did it the first time, so he was
relatively sure Felicia hadn’t understood. Her clear blue gaze
snapped to his now and her eyebrow shot even higher. “
Doctor
Thrax?” she whispered.

“Later.”

“My father is a Fedoros councilman, but my
mother was his mistress, not his wife. I was raised with just
enough wealth and privilege to know how utterly miserable I was
without it. I knew Mikko was attracted to tall blonde women, so I
put myself in his path.”

They reached the entrance to the mess hall.
Not wanting to embarrass Felicia if the room was no longer empty,
he set her down before triggering the door. As he feared, people
had started to trickle in for the evening meal. He led the women to
a table in the back corner of the room where they would draw the
least attention. He glanced around the room as the women continued
to converse. Attempting to avoid attention was futile while flanked
by two gorgeous blondes.

“You set out to become his mistress, but he
was more honorable than you expected?”

Laetif laughed. “You obviously don’t know
Mikko. My husband is a ruthless bastard who does nothing that
doesn’t benefit him.”

The bitterness in her tone drew Aiden’s full
attention. “Then why did he marry you?”

“My father offered him an obscene dowry for
‘making me respectable’. It was a financial transaction, plain and
simple.” She shrugged it off, but pain lingered in her gaze.
“Enough about me. Tell me about you. Have you always had
visions?”

Again Felicia looked to him for assistance.
She was obviously not accustomed to lying. How refreshing. “She’s
had prophetic visions since she was a child. That’s actually what
brought us together. Six years ago she participated in a sleep
study I was conducting in the hopes of debunking psychic dreams.
Instead of being able to prove she was a fraud, she proved to me
that she is a prophet. She’s really quite remarkable. We’ve been
working together ever since. She’s too eager to believe and I’m too
damn jaded, so we balance each other out.”

“But you don’t sleep together? You have
incredible chemistry. I can feel the heat from here.” She winked at
him. “What are you waiting for? Seduce her!”

“I cannot be seduced,” Felicia insisted.

They both laughed. “Anyone can be seduced,”
Laetif told her.

“You misunderstood my meaning. If I
surrender to my desire for Aiden, I would lose my gifts. These
forces can only flow through a pure vessel.”

“You’re a virgin?” Laetif’s eyes widened and
she rested her chin on her hand. “You poor thing. I would die
without sex.”

“I did not say I was a virgin. But I must
keep my mind and body—”

“If the power didn’t leave you after you
fucked the first time, why are you so convinced it will leave you
now?”

Felicia scooted to the edge of her chair and
her eyes were unusually bright. Was she fighting back tears?

“Madame Xyell, she obviously doesn’t want to
talk about it.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Felicia whispered, and
a tear escaped the corner of her eye.

Aiden scooted closer to her on one side and
Laetif did the same on the other. They reached for her hands at
exactly the same time and each ended up with one.

“I’m sorry, Felicia.” Laetif beat him to the
line. “Here I am running my mouth and you’re traumatized. Did you
know the man who raped you?”

“She doesn’t want to talk about it.” Aiden
glared at her, damn the consequences. Being his employer’s wife
didn’t give her the right to torment the passengers.

“She needs to talk about it.” Aiden looked
closer and saw only compassion in Laetif’s eyes. “Let it out,
sweetheart. How long have you been holding this in?”

Felicia shifter her chair, putting her back
to the room, and spoke in a soft, anguished tone that tore at
Aiden’s heart. “I not only knew him, but he was my mentor and
spiritual guide.”

“Another fucking priest,” Laetif sneered in
Fedoros. “Are they lecherous in every culture?”

“Power corrupts,” he responded. “Regardless
of its supposed source.”

“Not all priests are bad. Just as not all
doctors take advantage of their patients.” Felicia waited for the
comment to sink in before she returned her gaze to Laetif. “I was
not this priest’s only victim. He convinced us that our goddess
gave him permission to take his pleasure with us. He told us that
it was allowed because we all served the goddess, that our coupling
was a form of worship.”

“How nice for him.” Laetif shook her head.
“Was he punished for taking advantage of you and the others?”

“As I matured and grew more comfortable in
my power, I realized he was a charlatan. I tried to run him off,
but he has powerful friends who protected him and his position in
the temple. I warned each and every novice to avoid him, and we
learned to stay out of each other’s paths.”

A long, strained silence followed. Aiden
seethed, wondering if the bastard was down in the cargo bay.
Felicia looked decidedly uncomfortable, and Laetif was plotting
something. He hadn’t known her long, but already he could spot that
calculative expression.

“You need to go get us some food,” Laetif
told him, her gaze settling on Felicia.

“I don’t think so. What are you
thinking?”

“I need to have a conversation with your
assistant and you’re not invited.”

“Anything you want to say, you can say in
front of me.”

“Not gonna happen.” She shooed him with her
long, sculpted nails. “Run along. And give us at least fifteen
minutes.”