Collecting (3 page)

He had his shark-like grin in place once again.
“
Good.
”

Morro looked at him with concern.
“
Rivvin?
”

“
Be quiet, Morro. If you have an objection, raise it privately.
”
Rivvin
’
s voice was flat.

Morro shrugged and continued to eat.

Emharo turned to Weelar,
“
Thank you for your excellent managing of the ingredients. The food was wonderful.
”

Everyone immediately followed that train of conversation, and soon, Weelar
’
s pale skin was turning lavender from the praise.

Em exhaled and took a gulp of the wine.

Conversation turned to the research, into the uses of renewable products and the exclusive discoveries that were unable to be synthesized. Em didn
’
t bother chipping into the conversation, she simply sat and nursed her wine while the biologists, chef and her parents spoke.

The urge to do something took over, so she whispered to her mother,
“
May I be excused? The nocturnal plankton is blooming.
”

“
Yes, dear. Please be careful.
”
Her mother leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Em got to her feet with relief.
“
Please excuse me.
”

The three men of the Nine rose to their feet as she exited, and she could feel Rivvin
’
s gaze on her back. Fortunately, she would soon be underwater and he was stuck being a guest.

* * * *

Rivvin watched the relieved set to Emharo’s shoulders and smiled inwardly. He looked to her mother, “May I ask where she is off to?”

“
There is a phosphorescent plankton bloom out in the bay, and she wants to gather samples. She is taking the boat, I hope.
”
Dr. Emaline Baker smiled hopefully.

“
You can
’
t keep her in, can you?
”
He was beginning to realize that whatever Emharo
’
s talent was it was part compulsion.

Emaline shook her head.
“
No. She would always leave in the middle of the night and come back with what she felt was needed for the next day. It got to the point where we would simply give her a list to collect before she went to bed so that we could generally control where she went.
”

“
Would you excuse me to accompany her?
”

Emaline looked at him with hope.
“
Would you? That would relieve my mind.
”

Morro frowned at him.
“
Rivvin, what are you up to?
”

Rivvin sighed,
“
What nature intended. You will understand when it strikes you, Morro. I will see you after I return.
”

Rivvin got to his feet, bowed to those sitting at the table and quickly moved to follow his lady down to the dock. If he gave her the chance, she would be free of him, and with their bond so tenuous, he needed to strengthen it as quickly as he could. The chemical bond he had formed with her would only last another two days. If he didn
’
t press his suit, she would be lost to him.

He jumped in the boat next to her, and she shrieked in surprise.
“
What are you doing here?
”

“
Accompanying you on what I am sure will be a matter of biological interest.
”
He meant his biology, but it was not necessary for him to inform her. Rivvin was sure she would figure it out soon enough.

Chapter Four

Em paused. “I will have to go back to the habitat.”

Rivvin cocked his head, his dark eyes unreadable.
“
Why?
”

“
I don
’
t usually bring a suit for night dives, and today was no different.
”

His teeth flashed in the darkness,
“
I don
’
t mind if you don
’
t. My swim wrap is in the guest quarters.
”

She snorted.
“
I don
’
t mind. Skinny dipping for science, why not?
”

She freed the mooring rope and turned back to the engine.

He sat as she activated the small propeller and the boat eased into the dark water.
“
Do you often go out at night?
”

She shrugged.
“
Many of the samples my parents want are night blooming. We are trying to grow planktons and lichen to light pathways and give passive evening light for larger buildings in the city.
”

“
You have an affinity for the sea?
”

She smiled as she listened to the waves against the hull.
“
I suppose I do. I know the habits of the animals, the signs if they are going to flee or attack.
”

“
Have you been damaged?
”

“
Of course. One can
’
t go into a living ocean and not face danger every time. I have had my share of bites and scars, but I also have access to the very compounds that will mitigate the damage.
”

They glided out into the centre of the bay, the large glow under the surface indication that they were in the right place.
“
Can you drop that rock?
”

Rivvin followed her gesture and lifted the rock easily, dropping the makeshift anchor into the softly lapping waves.

Em took a deep breath and stripped out of her shoes, trousers and, finally, she untied the sash that held her shirt closed. She unpinned her hair and let it cascade down as a partial covering before tying her knife to her leg.

Rivvin was completely nude, and unless the Nine had a completely different physiology, he was interested in her lack of clothing. Hopefully, the cool water would chill his interest.

Before she could change her mind, she slipped the shirt from her shoulders and dove into the water. The light of the plankton attracted her, confirmed by whatever it was that showed her what she needed. Talent, instinct, intuition, whatever it was, she knew what she needed when she saw it.

She assessed her surroundings for a moment before turning toward the surface.

Rivvin stopped her from returning to the air, and instead, he pressed his lips to hers.

She clutched his shoulders for balance and felt his chest swell as he exhaled into her. Oxygen came to her through his mouth, and she quickly plugged her nose shut as he breathed into her.

Able to continue, she broke free of him and noted his smug smile. It may have been a sneaky way to get a kiss in, but it was effective.

He held her hand and pulled her down toward the base of the vegetation. She quickly worked and cut a dozen strands of the stuff, hauling it toward the surface.

Rivvin took it from her and moved swiftly through the water.

She kicked gently back to the surface, exhaling as she went.

Inches from the surface, Rivvin caught her again and breathed for her. This time, she relaxed into it and held tightly to him as he gave her the air she craved.

He held her with barely an inch between their bodies as they tumbled along with the current. When he began to swim them back toward the boat, she lifted her head, a stream of bubbles coming out of her mouth. She saw the predator a moment before Rivvin did.

Em went limp and immobile while Rivvin went on the offensive. He swam toward the beast, and to her astonishment, in the dim light of the plankton, she could see spikes emerge from his forearms.

He slashed at the predator, and the predator
’
s head flipped around, sending a tendril of blood through the water. Whatever was in Rivvin
’
s spikes, the predator slowed and fluttered slowly toward the sea floor.

Em went into action. She swam to Rivvin and grabbed his uninjured arm, swimming with him back to the boat. More predators were only a minute away and getting out of the water was the best idea for both of them.

She climbed the ladder into the boat and held her arm out for him. He waved her off and made his way out of the water just as the huge bulk of an even larger beast cruised below them.

Rivvin sat and looked at the wound on his arm.
“
It isn
’
t bad.
”

Em was already looking through her very personal med kit.
“
It isn
’
t bad, but if you want to hit the water tomorrow, it needs to be tended to. Hold still and stop poking it.
”

He prodded gently at it one more time.
“
I heal quickly.
”

She took out a powder and sprinkled it on the wound.
“
This will speed the healing even more then.
”

He wrinkled his nose.
“
It stinks.
”

She laughed.
“
I am aware of that. The smell belongs to the protein, so when you can no longer smell it, it has fully absorbed.
”

She set the powder aside and looked at the wound.
“
Do you mind if I wrap it?
”

“
If you stay unclothed, you can carve me off piece by piece and I will sit here quietly.
”
His tone was low.

A blush scorched her cheeks.
“
You just had to mention that, didn
’
t you?
”

She quickly went and slipped into her shirt, tying the sash in place.

“
You were really so worried that you tended me before your modesty?
”
He reached out and touched her cheek.

“
Bleeding in this water is rarely a good idea.
”

“
I can see that. The water under us is teeming with predators. How do you normally manage?
”

She shrugged,
“
I normally hide in the plankton for as long as I can then swim to the surface with as controlled a motion as I can manage.
”

“
How did you see it before it was there?
”

She knew what he meant.
“
Everything down there has its own colour, even you. The colours tell me if something is friendly or not, toxic or not.
”

Em put a wrap on his cut and a light sniff told her that it was almost complete.

He pulled his trousers on, to her relief, and she did the same. She left off her shoes as the boat was covered with plankton and the shoes would get in the way.

Rivvin sat next to her and asked,
“
What colour am I?
”

“
Electric blue.
”

“
What does that mean?
”

Em bit her lip.
“
I don
’
t know. I have never seen anything that colour before. Will you be taking a boat out tomorrow?
”

Rivvin nodded.
“
Yes, it is being delivered by shuttle tomorrow morning. If you would care to assist, we are looking for shoals of fish suitable for consumption but not rare.
”

She thought about it.
“
Does the size of the fish matter?
”

“
They should be no more than four metres long. We are looking for larger meat fish with the option to eat them raw.
”

Em nodded.
“
I know a few places where there are likely gatherings of suitable fish. You plan to tag them and then take the whole shoal?
”

He nodded.
“
That is the plan.
”

She grinned and took the helm once again.
“
Well, we have our target vegetation for this evening. Back to the lab with it.
”

His skin seemed to slough off the saltwater, but hers was itching.
“
And a shower.
”

He blinked.
“
You bathe after swimming in the sea?
”

“
My skin doesn
’
t do what yours does. It gets dry and flaky if I don
’
t wash the salt off, but I have a place for that when I don
’
t want to wake my parents.
”

“
Is it nearby?
”

She chuckled.
“
Well, since you don
’
t need it, allow me to have this one little secret.
”

He didn
’
t look happy about that while he slipped his shirt on over the bandage.
“
You didn
’
t ask about my spikes.
”

“
I thought you would mention them as you felt it appropriate. They are normal for your folk?
”

He cocked his head.
“
Not really, they come out when our mate is in danger and at no other time.
”

She blinked.
“
Are you saying…
”

“
That I would like to begin a courtship with a union with you as the goal, but I will need clues as to how to do it within your traditions.
”

Em was stunned.
“
A mate? You want me as your mate?
”

He smiled at her, a slow and wicked smile.
“
I believe that you will exhaust me, run me a merry chase, run out and do whatever you feel to be right at any given time, and still, my body is called to yours.
”

Chapter Five

Emharo tied off the boat while Rivvin collected their harvest. “Have you not experimented on samples of this before?”