I’m continuing the story of Willem and Torrey, whose
love for each other makes for an uneasy fit in an alien society. This week the
prompts were: Then put your money
where your mouth is or “Walk a mile in my shoes” or use: week, together, book
or “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch” or “He/she could
talk the horns off a billy goat” or use: jump, live, game or “Failure is not an
option” or “welcome back to the age of jive!” I used one of the picture prompts this
week.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sealed in Stone #23
Other kisses had commanded Torrey, nomari kisses
cold with purpose, hopeful but bestowed and returned like currency. Willem’s
kiss was effortless and devastating. The sear of Willem’s lips laid Torrey open
and left him wanton, a begging, needful thing. The moons of their estrangement
vanished. The mere touch of Willem’s fingers through Torrey’s thin silk sleeves
awakened his skin. And what was happening below, swelling and pushing between
them, shaft to heated shaft, threatened to explode.
Torrey pushed away and gulped for air.
“Willem, not now—”
“I’m not going to screw you right here.” Despite the
words, Willem’s voice sounded ragged, thick with desire. His pupils were so
dilated his brown eyes looked nearly black. Only one word could describe what
Torrey saw in them. Lust. But more
than that…
“No, but I want you to. Willem, you don’t know, this
isn’t you or me.” Torrey glanced over at the women standing in a knot nearby,
no longer talking about knapping or fault lines. All four were staring at him,
at both of them. He could only imagine what they thought. “Cyrrhi’s entering
her phase. I never respond to women, ever, but I’m responding to her, and… it’s
not a good thing, for Willem to be here. Not him, not any of you.”
Lena stepped forth, placing herself in front of the
others. “You think we don’t know that? We track the Queen’s phases, you know.
Any smart crew takes leave at this time. No kumbh sends people in unless
there’s a damn good reason.”
Because
She wants it. That would matter even when the nom was
quiet. But now, when its Queen was in phase, pheromones infiltrating every pore
of Her subjects, human and nomari alike, what Cyrrhi wanted was the only force
driving the nom. Her dominant chemistry as Queen dictated every other queen’s
phase, and the swelling of urges no human could control.
“I’m going to talk to her, to Cyrrhi. I’ll tell her
having you here makes me unhappy—”
“The hell you will,” snapped Lena. “Think about it,
Chosen. She’s in phase? Well, if that’s
the case She’s not listening to you or anyone—”
Sovesa chose that moment to return, her lanky body
filling the opening of the passage leading to the pleasure room. “Is this female
disrespecting you, Chosen?”
“No.” Few nomari queens possessed enough knowledge
of human or their language to distinguish between disrespect and a
disagreement.
Sovesa grunted. “She awaits. All of you, come with
me. She wishes the male unveiled.”
Torrey saw Willem tense. He knew the body beneath
the veils so well he could envision the corded muscles, the coiled energy in
Willem’s thighs and tight belly. He could smell
him, a heady perfume of human maleness and arousal. “It’s all right,” he told his
friend, and gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “She’s just curious
about you.”
“What did you tell her?” Willem removed the layers
of veils to reveal what he wore underneath: a fine cotton tunic embroidered
with threadwork of gold and wormskin pants of exceptional workmanship. Jayn’s
choices for certain: Willem looked like a proper kumbhson.
“Not much,” Torrey said as they walked along the
corridor. “But she knows. I think she knew before she ever chose me.” Unfortunately,
speaking of Cyrrhi in the familiar did not remove the fist of unease tightening
about his heart.
* * * *
All Willem had hoped for was to see Torrey, and he’d
hoped for that with all the passion in his soul. He hadn’t even thought about
the nomari Queen and he didn’t have a shred of desire to see her, not even
curiosity. She had taken Torrey from him and that was all he needed to know. He
hadn’t thought about how he would deal with her because in his mind he’d never
imagined he and the nomari ruler would ever meet.
Now Cyrrhi measured him through large faintly
inhuman eyes, her face a mask he could not decipher. Jayn had never taught him
how to do that. A crown fashioned
from gilded worm jaws and teeth gleamed atop the long fall of her bright hair,
and the gown that draped her body was of red so deep it seemed to clothe her
curves in blood. One of his lessons reminded him that red was the nomari
nuptial color, a dominance signal favored by queens during oestrus.
Sovesa bowed deeply. They all bowed, Torrey too, and
Willem followed the other humans’ example, kneeling and placing his forehead on
the floor. Lena clamped her hand over his wrist and hissed, “Stay down” when
Torrey rose and he moved to follow. Willem lifted just his head to see the
Queen had extended her hand and Torrey ascended the steps to take it.
A fireball of jealousy exploded through his veins
and it was all he could do to keep it hidden behind his eyes.
What he felt mattered for nothing. His Torrey,
heartsworn and unforgettable, belonged to another.
Willem fought to listen to Cyrrhi’s polite reception
of the crew. Nomari was not a tongue he’d perfected. Her inflections eluded his
understanding and he watched instead the way her six slender fingers played
with Torrey’s, splayed against them, curling over Torrey’s five human ones—and
how Torrey allowed it, passively, like a good Chosen must.
No one might speak to Her unless she asked.
“This male cannot be housed with the females. He
will wish to copulate with them and they with him, at the risk of their health.”
Willem grasped the Queen was talking about him,
though Her warm gaze fixed on Torrey. The way they looked into each other’s
eyes, the heat between them, even if it was born of the pheromones in her scent
and touch, ignited longing in him also. Willem burned just as brightly, and
wanted Torrey more. The Queen’s voice vibrated like music.
“I would house him gently, my Chosen. He will room
with you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more fun,
free fiction use the links below to visit the blogs of these other Wednesday
Briefers.
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I knew she knew and I knew she cared, what I don't know is what she plans. She obviously has something in mind.
ReplyDeleteA crown fashioned from gilded worm jaws and teeth --- I think I'll stick to diamonds and rubies. lol
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