Chapter 12
TWELVE
Cali awoke slowly. She stretched along the softest sheets she’d felt in her life and snuggled into the most comfortable bed she’d ever lain on. Maybe they could just stay here for the day. She wanted more of him, anyway.
Her hand slid out, reaching for the big, warm body that had been wrapped around her when she fell asleep.
Only a head-shaped depression on the pillow beside her remained.
She opened her eyes and found herself alone in the wildly comfortable bed, which was now solid black.
The room was dark, but she could make out the silver gilt on the high ceiling.
Her body felt relaxed, a little sore, and a little…
sticky. The night with Niir wasn’t a dream.
It was the real thing, and she needed to bathe.
She sat up as Niir emerged from the washroom, gloriously nude. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of her.
“Hello, Calinae.” Moisture glistened on his bare skin. “How are you?”
She smiled, a little bashfully. What did one say to the male who just pounded you full of orgasms and reduced you to a gelatinous pile of need? “I’m fine. You?”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you sore?”
“A little.” Her cheeks reddened. “I was going to take a bath.”
He swept an arm toward the room he just vacated. “I set it up for you.”
“You did? Thank you.” She rose, pulling the sheet over her body.
Niir strode to her and gently tugged it from her fingers. He brushed his lips along the curve of her ear, over her cheek, then kissed her deeply. “Do not hide your beauty from me, Calinae,” he murmured. He cupped the back of her head in one wide hand and kissed her again.
Ah, he was good at that. Her body sank against his. His other hand squeezed her bottom. He groaned into her mouth, then set her away with a light swat to the backside. “Go. Take your bath before I take you again.”
Cali wouldn’t mind it. That one kiss had made her wet for him again, but he appeared to have a businesslike mood on. After all that they had discussed, she knew things were going to be rocky for a bit.
She bathed in the steaming mix of water and scented healing oil. Five people could have fit in the tub, or rather, pool, which was carved straight out of the crystal that made up the entire structure of the station. Niir had put the case of clothes that Anna had packed for her in the washroom.
After she dried off, she went through it to find something to wear. Nothing was like the simple, practical clothing they were given at their settlement. She had three outfits to choose from.
It was two choices too many. She looked from garment to garment, unsure what to put on.
Eventually, she picked the thing that looked easiest to move in, which was a flowing tunic in vibrant gold that matched her eyes and a pair of tight pants in shimmery bronze.
No heels this time, thankfully. The outfit came with soft gold slippers.
Back in the sitting room, a generous spread of food was laid out on the table. Niir was dressed and his case was packed and sitting near the door. Cali sat down to eat and looked up at him. “We’re leaving?”
“Yes, are you disappointed?”
She shook her head and took another bite. “I will miss that bed, but nothing else. I like the ship better, honestly. It’s pretty here, it’s just…”
He smiled. “Not real?”
“Exactly.”
“I knew I liked you,” he said, taking something off one of the trays and popping it in his mouth. “You will like Virilia, my home planet. We are set to return there after this mission is complete.”
Cali went still. “What will happen when Warlord Mek-la learns of my betrayal?”
His brows rose. “You consider it betrayal, when you were the one misled and lied to?”
“It doesn’t matter how I see it. He will see it as betrayal and want revenge.”
Niir sighed, nodding in agreement. “We will come up with something.”
That did not sound like much of a plan. Cali frowned and knotted her fingers together. “If I don’t go to him, you and your crew will have a target on you. I don’t want anyone to be in danger because of me.”
“We are used to being in danger,” he said. “One way or another, we will get you and your cousins to Virilia, or wherever you choose to go.”
She stood up, food forgotten. “We—I am not used to having choices about anything. I could barely pick out this outfit.” Ah, there was the hard, miserable truth.
“I mean nothing. We were given one set of clothes. One meal to eat. Work schedules were set every day. We complied with them or our rations were reduced. We were told that our futures were chosen for us, but I was the only one who knew what it was.”
“You know why, right?” he asked.
She nodded, angry with herself for never questioning her circumstances and furious with the Sislus for preparing them for a lifetime of servitude. But then, they were never meant to have lives of their own. They never knew anything different.
“You were groomed for perfect compliance.” Niir stepped forward and took her hands in his. “But you are your own person. You chose me, didn’t you?” he asked with a half-smile.
She looked up at him, tears blurring her vision. “Maybe. I had convinced myself that I was in love with the warlord.” She swallowed hard. “That I had to be. My survival depended on it.”
Niir folded her into his strong embrace. He smelled of the oil soap in the washroom and clean male. “That is not love.”
“Promise me you won’t risk your life for mine,” she said against his chest.
He tilted her head up and placed a soft kiss to her lips. “I can’t promise you that.”
“Please.” She squeezed his arms.
“I have risked my life for much less, Calinae.” He brushed his lips over her frowning brow. “And I would risk far more than my life to save yours.”
No one had ever said a thing like that to her. It devastated her and thrilled her and rendered her pathetically speechless.
Fortunately, she didn’t need to flounder for long. Niir’s v-link chose that moment to chime in his ear. He winced and tapped it, listening to the message. “We need to leave.”