32. Phoebe

32

PHOEBE

P hoebe was trying to be okay—she really was. But her nipples were throbbing and her nerves were shot. She'd been sure for a while there that she and her mentor were going to die. It looked like Thruck was going to kill her and Sirex both. Thank goodness the Emperor had come out with his flaming sword to save them at the last minute! It was amazing how different he had looked when he was no longer an old man—his dull platinum skin had been a dazzling silver and his snow-white beard had turned to gold.

Maybe that's why they call him "The Shining One," she thought as she soaped herself and watched as the warm water sluiced over her body and ran down the reclamation drain.

They were finally aboard the long-range shuttle and Sirex was getting the ship ready for lift off. But the very first thing Phoebe had done when they got into the ship was to make a B-line for the bathroom—or the "fresher" as the Kindred called it. She'd let Sirex think she had an urgent need to pee when the truth was what she really wanted was to get The Goddess's Finger out of herself.

It was amazing that it hadn't fallen out before, she thought, as she finished rinsing herself. But it had stayed inside her even when her legs were spread while she was tied to the X shaped cross. Indeed, she'd been a little apprehensive about getting it out. But the minute she made an effort to remove it in the shower, it came out with no problem at all—it was almost like it knew she was safe and it didn't have to hide anymore. Which made no sense—it was an inanimate object, after all. Still, that was the thought in Phoebe's head as she washed it off thoroughly and dried it with a towel.

A moment later she was drying herself as well and then—thank goodness!—putting on some normal clothes. Well, trying to, anyway. She found that she couldn't stand to button the blouse she put on along with her plain black slacks—her nipples were still too sensitive.

Feeling self-conscious, she pulled the soft silk blouse around herself loosely and just let it hang open. Then, holding The Goddess's Finger wrapped in a towel, she made her way to the front of the ship.

"Are you ready for departure?" Sirex asked as she settled into the passenger seat.

" More than ready," Phoebe assured him. "I can't wait to get away from this fucked up planet!"

"My sentiments exactly," he growled. "I'll tell Commander Sylvan that he can send someone else after The Finger of the Goddess. Or else I'll come back later myself and ask the Emperor for it—he owes us something for the way you saved him."

"Oh, er, he already gave it to me." Phoebe hadn't wanted to reveal this earlier—she was kind of embarrassed about where she'd hidden the crystal. Now she pulled out the towel and unfolded it, showing him The Finger of the Goddess.

"He did?" Sirex asked, staring down at the crystal in surprise. "But how? When? I didn't see him give it to you."

"He gave it to me back in the bedroom—after I untied him and pulled the age-drip needle out of his arm," Phoebe explained as she folded the towel and tucked The Goddess's Finger away again.

"He did?" Sirex asked again. "But where did you put it? You were completely naked when I found you."

"I know." Phoebe nodded. "I, er, hid it in a safe place."

"A safe place? What does that mean?" he demanded, frowning. "Please tell me you didn't touch it with your bare skin! You know that Commander Sylvan told us it was extremely dangerous for a female to touch The Finger of the Goddess directly."

"I know, but I didn't have any choice," Phoebe protested. "Besides, it didn't hurt me—I feel fine." Which was true—other than some lingering tingling where the crystal had been, she felt absolutely normal.

"That was dangerous!" Sirex growled, frowning. "You shouldn't have risked yourself! And you still haven't told me where you hid it."

"I told you, someplace safe," Phoebe protested. She shivered. "Thank goodness you came back when you did! You don't know the awful things they wanted to do to me."

Just the thought of the terrible suggestions for torture and rape that had been thrown at her made her feel slightly ill. She had an idea she was going to need some therapy after they got back to the Mother Ship. The scene in the Grand Salon had been traumatic and she still hadn't really had time to process it yet.

Sirex's eyes softened.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there sooner! My gallumpher wanted to mate with another gallumpher in midair and I had a difficult time getting back to the palace."

"Well, at least you got back just in time," Phoebe told him.

His eyes dropped to her open blouse and a look of guilt and self-recrimination came over his face.

"Not quite. Phoebe, I'm so sorry I was forced to pierce your nipples. Will you let me see them?"

Feeling slightly self-conscious even though he'd seen her naked so much the past few days, Phoebe pulled open her blouse. The small silver rings that pierced her nipples gleamed against her brown skin in the light from the ship's control board.

"They're still too sore to touch," she admitted. "That's why I can't button my shirt."

"I can heal you…if you want me to," he offered.

Phoebe bit her lip.

"With…with your essence, you mean?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I'll understand if you don't want me to. After I hurt you so badly?—"

"You only did that because you had to!" Phoebe interrupted.

He shook his head, his face growing grim.

"No excuses. I still did it."

"Yes, but?—"

"I know we're nothing but coworkers again—just agents working on the same case," he went on. "And I know it is inappropriate to ask to suck your nipples. But I really do think I could heal them if you'd let me do it—if you'd let me touch you just one last time."

"One last time," Phoebe echoed, feeling sad. Of course the mission was over now and she and Sirex were nothing but coworkers, just as he had said.

"Will you let me?" he asked. "Or would you prefer to heal on your own, naturally?"

"That would take way too long," Phoebe said. "I think…I think I'd rather you healed me, Sir."

"Very well. Come here—scoot to the edge of your seat."

Phoebe did as he asked, turning and scooting to the edge of the passenger seat. Sirex slid out of the pilot's chair and knelt on the floor in front of her.

Gently, he palmed her large breasts, examining the silver rings in her tight peaks.

"Do you want to take them out?" he asked, looking up to meet her eyes. "If you do, I can heal you afterwards. But if I heal you with them in, I'm afraid they might be permanent."

Phoebe bit her lip. Did she want to try and take the rings out? Or should she keep them?

She thought of how intimate she and her mentor had gotten during this mission…remembered the intense delight she'd had in submitting to him and the ultimate pleasure of him touching her. Even if she couldn't remember everything they'd done together, she could never forget the way he'd held her in his arms…the time he had spanked her…the way he had mapped her breasts and pussy for the three-point harness and made her come so hard…

No, she didn't want to remove the rings, she thought. She wanted to keep them in—to help her remember how close she'd come to happiness before it slipped away.

"Phoebe?" he rumbled and she realized she'd been silent too long.

"Sorry." She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. "I'll keep them in."

"Really?" Sirex looked surprised.

" Really ," Phoebe said firmly. "They'll be like a souvenir—something to remember our time together," she added softly.

A look of regret passed over his face.

"Yes, the only thing we'll have is memories. Though I'm sure you'll want to forget in time."

"Some things don't bear remembering," Phoebe admitted. "I'll probably go to therapy once we get back to the Mother Ship. But there are some things about this mission I never want to forget."

"I feel the same way," he murmured. "Very well, if you're sure, I'll go ahead and heal you."

"Please do."

Phoebe bit her lip as she watched him take her throbbing right nipple into his mouth. She was almost wincing in anticipation of the pain—she was incredibly sore!

But the next minute her apprehension turned to relief as he bathed her wounded peak with his tongue. The cooling essence eased the sharp ache and she could almost feel the piercing healing as the pain faded.

She had closed her eyes when Sirex had started the healing but now she opened them. She was about to thank him or say how much better she felt…but she found that he was looking up at her as he healed her.

Their eyes caught and held and Phoebe felt her heart beginning to pound. While he was holding her gaze with his, Sirex continued to circle her nipple with his tongue which by now was throbbing for a whole different reason.

The faint tingling she'd had ever since she had removed The Finger of the Goddess from inside her began to intensify. As Sirex switched to the other nipple, still holding her eyes with his, the tingling got even stronger and spread to her clit, which was soon aching for release. Phoebe could feel herself getting wet and hot. She shifted in her seat, pressing her thighs together tightly to try and stop the erotic sensations.

Just as she was thinking she was going to come just from having Sirex suck her nipples, he pulled back at last, releasing her tight tip.

"Better now?" he murmured.

"I…I think so," Phoebe said breathlessly.

"Does this hurt?" Cupping her breasts again, he thumbed her nipples very lightly.

Phoebe had to bite back a moan.

"No, it doesn't hurt," she said. "Though…I think having the rings in them makes…makes them more sensitive," she added, nodding down at the silver rings in her nipples.

"They're beautiful," Sirex rumbled softly. "Thank you for allowing me to heal you."

"Thank you for offering," Phoebe said. She wanted to say something—maybe suggest that he should try healing her somewhere else…but then she remembered how he had pointed out they were just coworkers now that the mission was over. So she just said, "Thank you," again, rather lamely.

"You're welcome." His face grew serious. "I'm sorry I had to wound you in the first place. I want you to know, I took no pleasure in hurting you, Phoebe."

"Of course you didn't!" she exclaimed, frowning. "You're not a sadist like that bastard, Thruck!"

"But I am still a Broken One—and I always will be. This mission taught me that."

"You're not a Broken One!" she protested. "You never?—"

"Please, Phoebe. I know what I am. But I don't wish to talk about it any further." He rose to his feet and slid back into the pilot's seat. "Are you ready for take off?"

Phoebe wasn't sure what to say. Her nipples were still tight with desire and her pussy was aching and tingling, but it seemed that Sirex had moved them firmly back into the coworkers category.

"I guess so," she said, not sure what else to say.

He cast a sidelong glance at her.

"You might want to button your blouse. As soon as we fold space, we'll be back at the Mother Ship."

"Oh right—of course." Phoebe hastily pulled her silk shirt closed and buttoned it. But she could still see the outlines of her nipples and the silver rings that pierced them through the thin silk…just as she could still feel Sirex's hot mouth on her aching peaks.

God, how was she ever going to get over this mission…or get over her mentor, whom she had fallen even more deeply in love with, although she knew now that she could never have him?