Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

J anet finally decided it was time to get out of the water and climbed reluctantly out of the pool. Sabrost followed her, his scales smooth and shiny once more. Her gaze traveled down to where his cock – his kalu – had disappeared into his body. It was hard to believe that he could conceal such an impressive length.

A pleasant shiver traveled down her spine as she remembered that wide girth stretching her open. She had never felt something quite so amazing – or overwhelming. She could still feel a faint, pleasant ache between her thighs, but she wondered if it would have been more intense if they hadn't been in the healing pool. We'll just have to try it somewhere else next time, she thought with a pulse of excitement.

Sabrost shot her a questioning glance, and she blushed as she turned to look for her clothes. Her discarded blanket was crumpled in a dirty heap next to the pool, and she gave it a disgusted look.

"You don't suppose the magic pool heals fabric as well, do you?" She was only half kidding.

"Try it," he suggested.

She shrugged and swirled the material through the steaming water. When she pulled it out, the rips were still present but the blanket itself was shiny silver once again.

"At least it's clean." And only slightly damp, she realized as she wrapped it around herself.

"You do not need a covering," Sabrost assured her, his eyes gleaming as he watched the damp cloth mold itself to her slight curves.

"I know, but I prefer one."

"Then you shall have one."

It was a sweet, if unrealistic, promise, and she patted his chest. "Now what?"

"You should rest. I will inspect the area."

She wasn't really tired, her body still filled with the pleasant afterglow of their encounter in the pool, but she nodded.

"All right. Just let me know if you find a McDonald's," she added with a teasing smile.

"McDonald's?"

"It's a restaurant on Earth."

"Ah. You are hungry. I am not caring for you properly."

He looked so appalled that she hurried to reassure him.

"I'm fine. I was just kidding."

"I will hunt." Ignoring her protest, he stalked away.

"I wonder what he thinks he can hunt in here," she said to Tinkerbell as the bird fluttered over to land on her shoulder. "Still, if anyone can find something to eat, Sabrost can."

Now that she was dressed, she fastened her belt back around her waist. Keeping a reassuring grip on the hilt of her knife, she decided to do a little exploring of her own while she waited. On their trip to the hot springs, they had skirted the labyrinth of stone slabs that occupied the center of the cavern. She really wanted to find out more about them.

As she approached, she realized that seeing them from a distance hadn't given her a true understanding of their size. Each slab reached several feet above her head. They were encrusted with the same material that made up the stalagmites, but it did little to disguise the fact that they were laid out in straight lines.

She skirted along the edge until she reached a wide opening, leading towards the center of the cavern. Her heart started to beat a little faster as she turned into the corridor, but there had been no signs of life and she was absolutely sure that Sabrost would come to rescue if she called for him.

"Don't be a baby," she muttered to herself as she entered.

At one time the entire area might have been covered, but any roofing was long gone. More openings led off of the central pathway, but she decided not to explore them. She only paused at each one to inspect what lay beyond.

"I don't think people lived here," she said thoughtfully to Tinkerbell.

"Why not?"

Sabrost's voice made her jump as he appeared behind her.

"The way it's laid out. It's more like these were offices. Or…"

"Laboratories," he finished.

"Exactly. But why would you have an underground laboratory?"

"You might if you were working on something dangerous," he said grimly.

"Do you think it's still dangerous?"

He hesitated, then shook his head reluctantly. "It is unlikely. I think it has been empty for many, many years."

In mutual accord, they turned to walk back towards the entry, but Sabrost paused at the last opening off of the corridor. The enclosed space was relatively small and there were no other passageways leading out of it. A broad ledge stretched across the far wall. He walked over and ran his hand along the surface, then sighed.

"Moss."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Merely that I have seen enough to last me a lifetime. But it will be more comfortable than the bare rock. We should rest here."

"All right." She followed him over to the ledge and ran her own hand across the moss. It was a deep orange, almost indistinguishable from the rock, but it felt soft and lush beneath her fingers.

"Wait here while I bring you McDonald's," he said with a smile, then vanished through the open doorway.

He returned moments later with a long thin fish that bore a disturbing resemblance to a snake. What was it with this planet and snake creatures?

"I am afraid there is no fuel for a fire," he said apologetically as he borrowed her knife and began to clean the fish.

She did her best to hide her dismay, even though the thought of eating raw fish made her stomach churn.

Sushi , she told herself. Pretend it's sushi .

She still had to force herself not to gag when he handed her a small piece of almost translucent flesh. She reluctantly took a tiny bite, but it was not as bad as she had feared, with only a faint salty taste. Her stomach growled, and she ate the rest without hesitation.

Tinkerbell had devoured the organs of the fish with equal enthusiasm, and now he trilled sleepily and fluttered up to the top of the wall. Janet found herself yawning as well.

"You should rest," Sabrost urged.

"Aren't you going to join me?"

"I should inspect the cavern."

"I don't think it's going anywhere," she said dryly. "And I would rest more easily if you were here with me."

It was true, but it wasn't the only reason she wanted him to stay with her. Despite the healing power of the water, he still looked tired. She shuddered as she remembered how damaged his back had looked before they entered the pool.

"Please, Sabrost."

"Very well. I will dispose of the remains and return."

He took the fish bones and disappeared as she laid down on the moss-covered ledge. It was not exactly a foam mattress, but it was the most comfortable bed she'd had since she arrived on this planet. Aside from Sabrost, of course, she thought as he returned and lifted her into his arms. She nestled down against him, breathing in his familiar cinnamon scent, but she didn't immediately fall asleep. Her thoughts kept returning to the previous occupants.

"Who do you think they were?" she asked softly, but there was no response. Sabrost's chest moved rhythmically as he breathed deeply, and she realized he was asleep. A few minutes later, she followed him.

When she awoke, Sabrost was still sleeping. She felt remarkably well and energetic, but he had been hurt a lot worse than she had. Perhaps he needed more time to recover.

She watched him sleep, studying the features that no longer seemed strange to her. Beloved features, she thought, then caught her breath.

She couldn't possibly have fallen in love with a golden scaled alien. Could she?

His head tossed in his sleep, distracting her. He must be having a bad dream. She stroked her hand lightly across his chest.

"Shh, Sabrost. I'm here."

His body stilled and he smiled, his eyes still closed.

"Thank you, Tetlana."

Tetlana? Who the hell was that? The searing sense of betrayal that went through her was a thousand times worse than when she had discovered Rick with his bimbo.

Because she hadn't really cared for Rick, she realized. Not the way she cared for Sabrost. And here he was calling her by another woman's name!

Stop it , she told herself fiercely. You don't know that. Ask him .

As if he felt her watching him, those strange dark eyes opened, and he smiled up at her. Not at all like a male with a guilty conscience.

"Who's Tetlana?" she blurted out.

"You know of the Malatar? The… Goddess?"

Relief rushed over her.

"No. But you spoke her name in your sleep."

"Ah." He smiled ruefully. "Since I was dedicated to Her, I have prayed so often that perhaps it continues in my sleep."

"What does that mean? Dedicated?"

"I became a novitiate at Her monastery on Lisko."

"A monastery? You're a priest? I seduced a priest?"

At the expression of horror on Janet's face, Sabrost rushed to reassure her.

"No," he said quickly. "I had not completed my… training."

And to be honest, he had never had a true vocation. He had always tried to follow the Word of Tetlana, but he had never intended to be ordained.

The youngest son in his family was always dedicated to the Goddess, and indeed his brother Dostral had seemed eminently suited for the role. Even as a child he had been quiet and contemplative, more prone to thought than action, and clearly devout.

The accident had happened the day after Sabrost's eighteenth birthday. He had been in his room packing, preparing to leave for the flight academy, when his father had appeared at the door, his face pale and stern.

"I am not late yet, Father," Sabrost had protested.

"There has been an accident."

"An accident? Not Mother?"

"No." His father's spines flared. "It was Dostral."

Sabrost collapsed on the bed. He was not close to his brother, partially because of the number of years between them, and partially because he had always known Dostral would be going to serve the Goddess.

"But he's so young. What happened?"

"A sand viper appeared while the children next door were playing. Dostral intervened to save the youngest, but he was bitten instead."

The sand viper's bite was usually fatal even for a fully-grown adult. His small brother would not have stood a chance.

"The Goddess was merciful. He died instantly," his father continued. He looked at Sabrost, then looked away. "It seems Tetlana requires much from our family."

Still shocked by the news, it had taken a moment for the words to sink in.

"You cannot mean…"

"The youngest son of the House of Ihmiset belongs to the Goddess. You know this. You must take his place."

"But…"

"It is your duty," his father said firmly, still not looking at him.

A chill swept over Sabrost as he felt the distance growing between them.

"You will not need any of that." His father gestured at the half-packed bag. "Tetlana provides for her servants."

Two hours later, he was on a ship headed for Lisko, leaving everything he had known behind. He had never seen his family again.

And after ten years at the Temple, he had ended up here. The Goddess moved in mysterious ways. Perhaps She had never intended for him to become a priest after all. Instead, She had given him this precious female to protect. He vowed he would not fail either of them.