Chapter 3 #2
Ellard watched Gweneth from the corner of his eye as he guided the ship toward Narenda. She’d handled herself well in the crisis, and he still couldn’t believe they’d escaped the debris field alive.
He loosened his grip on his knee, the prick of claws into his flesh doing little to still the clamor taking place within his body. That kiss.
Gweneth sat in her seat, her fingers flicking buttons as she attempted to reach someone on Narenda.
“Ah,” she said, the sound carrying a wealth of satisfaction. “Narenda, please come in. This is the Gallant from Viros.”
A face appeared on their communications screen. A dark and handsome man. Ellard disliked him immediately.
“Gallant, I read you, but I can’t see you.”
Gweneth popped under the panel, and he heard the rumble of her muttering along with a word that sounded suspiciously like “sexy beast”, but no.
He couldn’t have heard right. Without warning, she emerged from beneath the panel, and he noticed a smear of grease on her cheek.
It highlighted her high cheekbones and pouty lips.
Ellard muttered a curse and wrenched his gaze away from temptation. He failed to understand why this particular woman wormed under his skin and bothered him. That kiss… A shiver rippled through him as he recalled her soft curves pressing against his chest, her lips moving against his…
“Can you see me now?” Gweneth asked.
“I certainly can,” the dark-haired man said. “I never realized our visitors included a woman.”
“I’m Gweneth Swithin, and I’m traveling with Ellard Tetsu. I’m sorry we’re late. Our ship suffered mechanical problems. They’re fixed now, and I believe we should arrive on the morrow.”
“Excellent,” the man purred. “I am Gryffnn Drake, brother to the chieftain.”
Ellard caught the narrowing of the man’s gaze and the shift of his pupils. A dragon shifter. Ellard hated the way the male eyed Gweneth like his next dinner.
“We’re looking forward to visiting your planet,” Gweneth said in her melodic tones. “Will your chieftain still be available to meet with us?”
“Yes, of course. We welcome the chance to trade beyond our borders.”
A feline snarl burst from Ellard, and his claws dug into his thigh. The dragon wanted to meet Gweneth. That was clear from his drool and his oozing sexuality.
“Problem?” Gryffnn asked, one dark brow arching.
“My pilot requires his dinner.” Gweneth smiled sweetly at Gryffnn. “He gets cranky if his blood sugar is low.”
Another growl escaped before he could contain his feline. The woman would drive him to madness, and his cat disliked this Gryffnn character and his flirtation with Gweneth.
“You had better make sure he eats then. My brother will interpret his growls as rudeness.” Gryffnn’s eyes shifted even farther to dragon. “I look forward to the morrow. Over and out.”
Ellard growled without restraint as the male’s visage blinked off the communications screen. “I dislike that man.”
“Control yourself. We’re not going to achieve our objective with you grunting and growling all over the place.
This is important to me, Ellard. This is my idea, and I want my new home to prosper.
Ry and Camryn, and the rest of the Indy crew feel the same.
Most of us have never had a permanent home before, and we want to fit in. ”
Ellard stared at her impassioned face, and guilt slithered through him. She thought of her friends and of others—strangers—who would look down on her because she couldn’t shift. He thought of himself.
“I’m sorry.” He tried not to choke on the words. “My feline is rattled and unsettled because of the sabotage. You’re right. This is an important mission. I promise I’ll do my best to help you.”
Gweneth gave a clipped nod and released her safety harness. “Would you mind if I take the first rest break? I’ll bring you something to eat before I retire.”
“You don’t have to wait on me.”
“I know. I’m getting myself something to eat, and it will be no trouble to prepare food for you at the same time.”
“Thank you.” He turned back to the navigational equipment, scanning and rescanning the instruments even though he knew the ship was flying in the right direction now.
Although the Gallant limped at half-pace after colliding with pieces of debris, he felt confident they would make their destination on the morrow.
Whether he’d arrive with all his hair intact was another matter since he couldn’t stop thinking about Gweneth and her kisses.
Surely she wouldn’t expect him to kiss her tomorrow?
His feline shoved a growl past his restraint, and Ellard groaned in sympathy. The woman had thrown him off balance and had his feline in a tempest.
Back at the castle, it had been easier to ignore her. But here…here on the Gallant, the tighter quarters offered no escape from her determination, her force-of-nature personality, her beauty.
“I brought soup.” Gweneth appeared, following the silent float table that bore his meal. “I’ll set my comp pad alarm for three parts of a cycle. You should have some rest too. I know how to fly the ship, and you’re close if I have any difficulties.”
Ellard nodded agreement since it beat arguing.
His feline registered her retreat, listening until her footsteps entered the sleeping chamber.
His shoulders slumped in relief. Anything to get her away from him, to give himself a chance to think, to regroup.
Maybe he’d contact Jarlath and plead for advice.
He didn’t trust his thoughts or emotions anymore, not after Mareeka and Marjo.
Betrayal.
No. He couldn’t compare this situation with Gweneth. She was young, not far into womanhood, and she didn’t seek to overthrow the House of the Cat.
Ellard commed Jarlath and prayed his friend would answer. A sleepy Keira came on screen, her brown hair tousled, the cheeks of her pale green face flushed with a darker green, and her lips swollen. An equally disheveled Jarlath popped into view beside her, his chest bare.
Ellard groaned. “I’m sorry. I’ve interrupted. I’ll call another time.”
“It’s all right,” Keira said.
“What do you want?” Jarlath growled. His friend refrained from using the same niceties as his mate.
“I…” Ellard swallowed and wished he’d thought twice before contacting his friend.
Keira cocked her head, reminding him of her crow status with the birdlike movement. “Did you want to speak with Jarlath alone?”
“I did, but I’ve changed my mind,” Ellard blurted when Keira started to back away. “I…I’m confused.”
Jarlath and Keira stared at him, and why shouldn’t they? He’d never admitted to anything like this before.
“Gweneth?” Keira asked with a smile that held a healthy serving of amusement.
“Yes! I kissed her, and I don’t want to do that again.” He rubbed his hands over his face and tried again. “I mean, I do, but I shouldn’t.”
“What does Gweneth say?” Keira asked.
At least she’d reined in her laughter. Jarlath didn’t even try, his chuckle unrestrained.
“I’m glad I amuse you.”
“Gweneth is a confident young woman. If she hated your kisses, she’d tell you so,” Keira told him. “Has she refused?”
Ellard sighed. “She expects me to kiss her every day.”
Keira’s grin widened, her eyes sparkling in echo of the humor. “Then why do you have a problem?”
“Why would she want to kiss me? No one else does,” he added miserably. Talk about embarrassing. Difficult to admit the truth. “I seldom compare well with the other single feline males.”
“Not true,” Jarlath barked. “You are worth double those useless nits.”
“Jarlath, that isn’t what Ellard means. He’s worried about his appearance and the fact he has lost his arm.”
“He’s a hero,” Jarlath said bluntly. “If Gweneth and the other women don’t recognize that fact, then they are dense.”
Keira’s gaze took on a crow sharpness. “I doubt Gweneth is toying with you, Ellard. She is a beautiful woman.”
“My point,” he blurted. “Yet she made a bet with me, and now that she’s won, she expects me to kiss her every day.”
“Clever girl,” Keira said. “She’s managing you nicely.”
“I don’t want to be managed,” Ellard snapped.
“You need to think about what you do want.” Keira ignored his testy tone. “What about your feline? Does he want her?”
Ellard slumped. “Yes.”
“Did your feline want Marjo and Mareeka?”
“I thought he did, but…” He shrugged in helplessness.
Keira sighed. “None of that was your fault, Ellard. You have a big heart. You’re loyal and true to your friends. Would you like my advice?”
He nodded, each of his muscles tensing as he waited.
“Give Gweneth her kiss every day. Enjoy spending the cycles with her and being away from the prying eyes at the castle. Take each cycle one at a time instead of worrying about the future. Relax for once and think of yourself instead of duty to Jarlath and the other royals. Treat this assignment as a holiday away from your responsibilities. Do you understand what I’m suggesting? ”
Give Gweneth her kiss every day.
He shuddered while his feline issued a purr.
“What if I want more than kisses?”
“Remember what I suggested about taking each cycle one at a time?”
“Yes,” Ellard said.
Jarlath smiled at him, and this time, his grin lacked any joke-at-your-expense humor. This smile held approval, something pleasant and reassuring, and Ellard felt the tension in his shoulders shifting.
“Keira is right. One cycle at a time,” Jarlath agreed. “Use this journey to get to know her, the things she likes and enjoys. Trust your feline to steer you in the right direction. What do you have to lose? At the very least, you’ll make another friend.”
Ellard nodded again. “Thank you.”
He thought about their advice during his cycle portions alone. One cycle at a time. He could do that. Break his fears into manageable slices. A workable plan. His only plan. He just hoped it didn’t come back to bite him in the arse.