Hearts of Ishira (Hearts of Ishira Saga) (17 page)

“And this is accepted?” Hunter asked, seeming anxious about her answer. Ri shook her head. She wondered at his keen disappointment.

“Not where we’re from,” she admitted. “But the region we lived in was a highly religious area. Not everyone believes the same way, but for the most part, people don’t go against the grain, or they end up being ostracized. If they do live an alternate lifestyle, such as homosexuality or polygamy, they tend to do so very quietly, so that their family and friends don’t find out. It’s really sad.”

Hunter sensed that she was hiding something, but it had to do with her personal beliefs, not those of her society. He could feel her frustration with the situation back on her world and realized that she was one of the advocates for letting people love who they wished. His respect and liking for her went up a notch. He added ‘personal beliefs’ to the growing list of things he wished to go into detail about when he was able to sit down and talk to her at length. For now, he sighed, disappointed, but not really surprised to hear about her peoples’ traditions.

On many worlds, the accepted practice was one man, one woman. Even on Thorsan, his home world, such had been the case in the private sector and the more densely populated areas, where there was not a shortage of either sex or the danger of losing a spouse in the next battle. But there had been no laws against anyone marrying, as long as they were considered of legal age and sound mind to make such a decision. Things had changed in the last several decades, as far as people marrying, but that was out of growing necessity, not law. Shaking himself from the downward spiral into his people’s tragic past, Hunter mentally shut the thought down. Remembering what they were talking about, he shook himself and went on.

“Our colonization directive states that we eventually mate, if we’re able, to build numbers to sustain the colony. Do you think that your women would entertain the idea of that? Not immediately, as I said earlier, but perhaps at some point in the future?”

Bev and Ri looked at each other, then nodded.

“Yes, I believe they will,” Ri said aloud, for the benefit of those who couldn’t read her mind. “Given time to get used to your… alieness, to adapt to our new situation. But I’d suggest that the men be ready, in case some of the more forward-thinking girls decide to adapt early. Your guys are rather well-built and handsome. That tends to go a long way with young women on our world.”

She grinned ruefully, sending Hunter a wistful thought about them getting together. He sensed that she was not going to let such a thing happen, for some reason that she was hiding from him. Something had changed in her mind since their chat this afternoon, and she was closing more of herself off from him, though he sensed that he wasn’t the reason. He was determined, though, to bring her back to him. Hopefully very soon.

“I would like to say something, too,” Chelsea said shyly, then almost shook when Hunter’s direct gaze lit on her. She cleared her throat. “I um… well, Bev and I aren’t too badly hurt, and most of the girls down in the hall aren’t, either. I don’t think that any of us are up for moving mountains in the next few days, but we were all in college back home. None of us are used to just sitting around. Is there any way we can help out? Take some of the burden of our being here from your guys?”

Hunter nodded thoughtfully, his eyes showing his appreciation of her offer. He spoke to his men, who all agreed quickly.

“I do not see why not,” he finally said, smiling at Chelsea. He nodded his head toward his security officer. “Mors is in charge of the duty roster. Perhaps Chelsea can make a list of the ladies’ talents and skills, and the girls can be introduced to the teams that specialize in those areas.” He smiled warmly at Chelsea, then nodded to Ri. “That kind of interaction will also help, quite a bit, with bringing the neuro-trans online more quickly.””

Ri translated all of it for Chelsea and Bev as Hunter spoke, and Chelsea sent a shy glance at the warrior Hunter had indicated. The man could not seem to take his eyes off of the dark-skinned young woman, as though he’d never seen such a color and was deeply fascinated by it. Ri held back a chuckle, sensing that Chelsea wasn’t exactly unaffected by the brawny warrior’s interest. Or physique. She grinned at her new friend, winking encouragement.

When she turned her head back to ask Hunter a question, Ri suddenly felt incredibly lightheaded. She felt herself slipping to the side, and the throbbing in her head returned in a nauseating rush. Hunter’s gaze locked on her face, his concern showing as Bev and Chelsea shored her up between them and Jace immediately moved to check on her.

“If there aren’t any other questions for now,” Hunter said quickly, “I think we should adjourn. We all need some rest. The men will need to get an early start on the dorm tomorrow, and I have a feeling the ladies have had enough excitement for one day. I would take it as a personal favor, however, if we could all try to save any more crises for tomorrow, please.”

Everyone laughed when that was translated.

Though the meeting was officially over, the men and women lingered, asking Ri to translate for them as they made plans for meeting the next day, for getting the women together with teams of like interest. But Hunter broke them up and sent them on their way, realizing that Ri would try to help them communicate for as long as she possibly could. Though she fought it with everything she had in her, Ri became overly tired quickly, and her pain level was starting to affect Hunter’s thought processes.

Trey and Mors escorted Bev and Chelsea back to the main hall so that they could discuss the meeting with the other women. Hunter spoke with Jace for a moment, then left to check with a few team leaders about situating and guarding the women for the night. He threw one last, lingering look toward the little commander as he left, smiling gently at her when he caught her eye. She smiled wearily back at him. He silently promised to return before she went to sleep.

Jace hurried to Arianna’s side as soon as the med center quieted once more, to check on her. Once he was assured that her vital signs were fine, he gave her another pain-killer, checked her leg then sat on her bed, at her hip.

“You are doing fine,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile. “But it has been a long day for you and your girls. I’d like for you to stay as still as you can at least until tomorrow. Do you need to relieve yourself?”

Ri blushed and nodded. He quickly disconnected the IVs then swept her blankets off and picked her up, carefully, to carry her over to the small bathroom near the computer station. He stood her on her good foot then stepped out to give her privacy. When she was done, he carried her back to her bed. He was so matter-of-fact and professional about it that she had little time to be embarrassed. When he got her back to her bed, he sat her on the edge and stood in front of her.

“I need to check your ribs,” he told her earnestly. “I will have to unwrap your bindings. I know it has only been a few hours, but I want to be sure that all the additional movement in the shower didn’t do any more damage.”

“The scanner?” she asked weakly, wondering if she could take another bout of embarrassment after the day she’d had. Jace shook his head.

“We’ve used it so much today already, the solar energy cells are depleted. I won’t be able to use it again until this storm passes and the energy stores are at capacity once more.”

That sounded plausible. She guessed. She nodded, feeling her cheeks heat. She may be in pain, but he was an incredibly handsome man and she was still remembering the ‘movement earlier’ in the shower, and how his hands had wreaked such havoc on her body. The shame she felt at being attracted to both him and Hunter was almost overwhelming. What kind of person was she, to find two strangers, alien beings, so sexy? He distracted her when he started undressing her.

He eased the medical gown from her shoulders to lie around her waist. He started unwrapping her chest, leaning fairly close to gently remove the binding cloth from around her back. At his sudden nearness, Ri took a surprised breath and was surrounded by his unique scent. It was just as nice as Hunter’s, but different. And it affected her much the same way. Excitement and attraction for him hit her like a ton of bricks. She sucked in a breath at the realization. What the hell was wrong with her, that she was finding these men so stimulating? She was hurt, Jace was her doctor. That should be the end of it. But when his knuckle accidentally brushed over her nipple as he unwrapped her, she barely restrained herself from crying out at the feeling.

He stilled, staring at her nipple, then sent a shocked look at her.

“Arianna,” he said softly, questioningly. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“What?” she grumbled.

“Did that hurt?”

“I… no,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “No, it didn’t.”

“Then why is it swelling? Did you perhaps get stung by one of the forest insects? Did we miss a mite earlier?”

She did look up at him then, surprise in her eyes.

“I don’t think so,” she said absently. His brow was furrowed as he looked at her nipple intently. As he watched, it tightened a bit more and her chest became as red as her face. Jace’s eyes snapped to hers.

“Is it arousal?” he asked, stunned. She groaned and hid her face again. His body hardened in a painful rush.

Jace felt a bubble of mirth and masculine pride swelling in him. Earlier, in the shower, he had discounted her reaction to Hunter’s touch, knowing from a biological standpoint that the right touch could stimulate anyone, whether they were attracted to the person or not. He had figured that Hunter’s grasp had been hard enough to cause the reaction, trying to keep hold of her breasts. And the adrenaline boost in her system at the time would have heightened her arousal. It was perfectly normal, and he had tried not to take it personally when her body reacted to him, as well. But now… the adrenaline had had time to wear off, and he had barely grazed her flesh. He could tell that she was attracted to his brother, but now he had to wonder… was she, indeed, attracted to him
and
Hunter? How interesting…

He was still staring at her breast.

“Your women don’t have nipples?” she finally snapped, glaring at him.

“Of course they do,” Jace said with a shrug and a grin. “But they are not as sensitive as yours seem to be.”

With a great force of will, Jace continued unwrapping her breasts, trying very hard to regain a professional mien. What he really wanted to do, though, was drop the bindings and see just how sensitive those pretty dusky nipples were. He wanted to explore them, see if they were as velvety soft as they looked. Thorsani women had tougher skin there, out of necessity. Oh, they were still erogenous areas, but not as… delicate as Arianna’s were proving to be.

Arianna moaned again, her chest and face coloring even more. Jace was growing rather fond of that particular shade of pink. He was also growing rather hard. Well, that was uncomfortable. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d become aroused when dealing with a patient, even when he’d had female patients. It unsettled him and intrigued him at the same time.

“What is it?” he asked, purposely leaning forward more than necessary to bring the bindings from around her back. Her breath huffed out against his neck surprising him with his own immediate physical reaction. His warrior’s training held him in good stead. He betrayed nothing of his feelings, but what he wanted to do was lay her back across her bed and very gently, and thoroughly, explore every part of her, see if she was as sensitive and aroused now as she had been in the shower. If she was too sensitive to the touch of his hands, he would be happy to use his lips and tongue to do the exploring. He heard the tiny groan she emitted, and worried that he’d hurt her somehow. When he backed up enough to see her face, she was looking at him with a bit of embarrassment and quite a bit of wry amusement. He gave her a questioning look.

“You know I’m a Reader, right?” she asked ruefully. He straightened, looking at her with dawning chagrin. She nodded when his face went up in flames. “Yeah, so, um… I saw that mental image. I didn’t mean to, but you’re kind of broadcasting.”

“I apologize if my interest in you has embarrassed you,” Jace said sincerely, though with a somewhat wicked grin. “I was just startled, and my physician’s brain wants to know more about your physiology.”

“Oh,” she sighed, seeming almost disappointed in his answer.

“Not your species,” he said, shrugging with candor, “But you in particular.”

She stared at him, stunned. He reached up to trail a knuckle gently over her cheek, down to her jaw. “You are a beautiful woman, even when injured. If you are this responsive when hurt and still in a bit of shock, I can only imagine how you will react when healthy. It makes me hard, hot, and more than a little eager to get you healed, so I can court you, if you will allow it.”

She blinked. He was so open about it! He finally got all of the bindings off and carefully inspected the ribs on her left side.

“Well, the bruising is extensive, but nothing alarming, as far as I can tell. You need to let me or one of the other medics know if your pain level increases or there is new pain,” he told her sternly. She nodded, dropping her eyes once more as he started wrapping her torso again.

“The women are settled and secure,” Hunter’s voice sounded from behind her, and Arianna’s head snapped up. Oh no. No, no, no. Not both of them! “I think that once Arianna is able to… ahhh…Master Jace, do you need help with that?”