Maliuth: The Reborn (7 page)

All of the council members sat straight at hearing Maliuth declare that
she was more than a healer.

“Explain.” Lairial requested.

“She is more than a healer. What The Elder is not telling you is that
Alea caused the wounds she was requested to heal.”

Instead of looking relieved, they all looked at her horrified. “You
caused the damage?” Lairial asked her. “We thought that the injuries had
occurred during the fight between Maliuth and Drace.”

“Not all of it.” She admitted. “When threatened with separation from
Maliuth by the Oracles, I accidentally burned one of them, and set another on
fire.”

“Burned—?”

She broke in to add, “Oh…and in the interest of full disclosure, I think the
Oracle named Jerr was the first one I burned. That was an accident too. He
tried to apply perfume…” her voice trailed off in embarrassment. The council
members were looking at her like she had grown a forked tail and was jabbing at
them with a pitchfork.

“Alea is more than a healer.” Maliuth spoke firmly, “Her abilities go
beyond what the Oracle or The Elder can help her with. Since she would be
constantly threatened by them, being contained in the Oracle Temple might get
it burned down.” His voice ended on a note of amusement.

“Does her power come from this kissing thing she does?” Lisil asked.

Alea was beginning to wonder if he didn’t have this planets version of
dementia. All eyes turned to him.

“What are you talking about?” Valav finally broke down and addressed him.

“At the beginning of our meeting, when you were accusing Maliuth of going
through with the mating ceremony against The Elder’s wishes…Alea said she
instigated the whole thing when she kissed him. Those are her words. When I
inquired what kissing was, she said she put her mouth on his.” With a satisfied
grunt at the look of interest on the other council member’s faces he finished,
“I want to know exactly what ‘kissing’ is and if her powers stem from this
act.”

 
Alea felt her face flame with
embarrassment that he thought kissing was some supernatural act. “Kissing isn’t
something that gives me special powers! Before I was Reborn, the planet I was
on people kissed as a way to show affection.” She looked at Maliuth and noticed
his mouth was twitching.

Clearing his throat he said, “Kissing can also cause intense desire if
the person who puts their mouth on you happens to be your mate.” He gave her a
warm look and she melted further into his side.

“Show me this kissing.” Lisil said impatiently, “I want to see for myself
that there isn’t anything more to it than you are saying.”

Maliuth sighed and turned to pull her into his arms. “I’m not sure that
kissing is supposed to happen in public, but if it will put you at ease, we
will comply.”

Alea was not a big fan of public displays of affection. To get over her
nerves she kept her eyes locked on Maliuth. When he leaned toward her, she went
on tiptoe to meet him. Her hands went to his shoulders to steady herself. His
lips brushed against hers in the softest touch. With the second pass, he
pressed his lips more firmly against hers. On a sigh, she gave him the
opportunity to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept along the seam of her lips.
Their heads angled to the right, their mouths meshed more firmly, and their
tongues played along lips and teeth.

“I think we get the idea.” Lairial broke in, “That will be enough.”

Maliuth groaned quietly against her lips and she noticed her hands were
no longer on his shoulders but tangled in the hair at his neck. He was holding
her against him and judging by the hard bulge pressed into her stomach she knew
why he didn’t move to face the council. Laughing softly she leaned back just a
bit to look into his eyes.

“At lease I didn’t play with your ears.” She teased, “Then we might have
really given the council a show.”

“You have no idea.” His voice was husky, “We can continue this when we
get home.”

“There is something I want to try.” She hinted and he trembled against
her.

“I do not think I can take anything else and at the same time I cannot
wait.” His voice had gotten deeper if that was possible.

“Oh, you can take it.” Alea’s voice dipped lower.

“If we can get back to the meeting.” The Elder was obviously unhappy with
the way the discussion was going.

“I think we need a display of her abilities.” Lisil interrupted The
Elder. “I want to see that she can control her actions. I do not want to worry
that she will burn down the whole forest in a fit of pique at Maliuth.”

“There is no way for her to prove that.” Maliuth began.

“If she is afraid for you, would she be able to control her ability?” Valav
was looking at The Elder with triumph and Alea felt her heart sink. They
thought that they could prove she was dangerous. Which she very well might be.

Before she could muster any logical argument, Valav snapped his fingers
and pointed at Maliuth. There was a whistling sound and she turned to her mate.
He was falling where he stood, an arrow protruding from his chest. She gaped in
horror as the blood poured down his body. She hurried to push him backward to
make sure he didn’t land on his front.

“Maliuth.” She whispered horrified. “No.” With her hands on his face she
was about to heal him when she was wrenched away.

“You did not think it would be that easy did you?” The Elder held her
tightly against him. Her agonized gaze went to Maliuth bleeding on the ground
to The Elder holding her.

“Let me go!” She struggled in vain and could feel her anger building.

“Your mate is dying on the ground. What are you going to do?” The Elder
was laughing at her struggles. “Are you going to burn me?” The fire was
building in her blood. If she got angry and used fire to get out of his hold
they would think she couldn’t control herself. If she didn’t do anything
Maliuth would bleed to death. Before she lost control, it came to her. Some good
old fashioned Earth self-defense.

Swinging her arms down and back, she surprised The Elder enough to break
free. “I don’t need fire to defend myself against you.” Spinning to face him,
she took her fist and hit his solar plexus knocking the wind out of him. “That
is for threatening me.” Raising her foot, she stomped down on his instep, which
bent him over further. “That is for making me come to this meeting.” Using her fist,
she punched him as hard as she could in the nose, then swung her other arm and hit
him in the groin. “That is for ruining my day.” For good measure while he was
bent over she cupped her hands and slapped him against both ears. Over his
agonized groan she yelled, “That is for shooting my mate. If I can’t save him,
I’ll be back to use fire on you.”

Hurrying over to Maliuth, she shakily pulled the arrow from his chest.
She would need it gone to heal him anyway. “Maliuth…you better not leave me on
this planet alone.” Tears were coursing down her face. “I came through the shadow
for you…stay with me.” Putting her hands on his face, she poured all of her
ability into healing the man she loved.

As soon as she touched him, she was in the void. Maliuth was there
waiting patiently.

“Hello my love. It took you long enough.” He smiled and held out his
arms.

Running to him, she trailed one hand over his handsome face, “It took
me…” she was stunned silent.

“Long enough.” He repeated. Holding her more firmly into his embrace, he
tucked her head under his chin.

“Maliuth. You were shot…with an arrow!” She was struggling to look into
his face but he held her too tightly against him.

“I know.” He sighed, “I was expecting something like that.” He finally
pulled back to look into her face. “Are you okay? Did you burn anything too
badly?”

“I didn’t use fire at all!” She glared at him, “I used old fashioned
Earth defense methods. How could you be so calm about this?” Running her hands
over his chest she saw there wasn’t any wound here in the void. “You were
shot!” Her hands were shaking and she kept repeating herself but she figured it
was the shock.

“Yes my love. I was shot but I am not dead.” Together they started to
fade.

“They are not dead.” Alea heard the voice but was too weak to move. “Did
you have to have him shot in the chest?” The speaker was very angry and she
struggled to regain consciousness.

“It is not like I can tell the shooter where to aim. When the directive
is given to shoot, they shoot.” She recognized Valav’s voice.

“You idiot. You almost killed the First Prime of Abondiel. That would
have had the whole kingdom after our heads. Not to mention the King, his son
and the rest of Maliuth’s family.”

“It didn’t come to that did it?” Alea was beginning to dislike this
Councilman Valav. “Now we know that the female can control herself under
extreme duress—”

“Extreme duress!” This voice belonged to Lisil. “You shot her mate. If
she had burned the whole council chambers down it would have been justified.”

“Well she didn’t. She used great restraint.” Valav sounded bored and Alea
was beginning to wish she had used fire on someone in particular.

“Your affiliation with The Elder was almost the ruin of us today.”

“You don’t seem to mind the favors when it suits you.” Valav drawled out.

“The female will be allowed to remain in mate status with Maliuth. She
can choose to train with the Oracle or not as she wishes. Not that I think she
will let any of them anywhere near her, and I wouldn’t blame her. There will be
no argument from you.” Lairial spoke firmly into the silence. “Someone bring
the First Prime a new shirt.” He yelled and Alea was finally able to open her
eyes.

She was draped over Maliuth and she saw that his shirt was a mess, but
his wound was completely healed.

“Maliuth.” She whispered leaning over him. “Wake up.” She gently shook his
shoulder and he groaned dramatically.

“Can a male that has just been killed not rest for a little longer?”
Opening his eyes, he looked up at her. “It is not every day that you are saved
from the void by a sexy black-haired nymph!” His eyes were twinkling merrily at
her.

“Maliuth…” she leaned closer.

“Yes?” he waited breathlessly.

“You can get off the floor now.” They were interrupted by the councilmen,
“We have a new shirt for you Maliuth.”

“We need to get off the floor.” She teased and giving him a quick kiss,
pushed up off the floor and held out her hand. Not that she would be much help
with his larger size. A couple of the council members went behind him once he
was on his knees and helped him to his feet.

“I hope you know that we did not authorize for you to be shot in the
chest.” Lairial hurried to assure Maliuth.

“We only agreed to test your mate in her healing ability. It was our
mistake not to specify to Valav where to have you shot.” Lisil agreed.

Maliuth ignored them and held his hand out for the extra shirt they had
offered. Taking his old one off and throwing it away, it didn’t take long to
get the new one buttoned. Eyeing The Elder still moaning and rolling around on
the ground he burst out laughing. “We are done here.”

Taking her hand, he hurried toward the doors. Lairial called out after them,
“We can fill you in on the details of our decision at the next consortium. Alea
will be allowed to stay as your mate…”

Maliuth just waved over his head at the group and kept walking. Once
outside he kept moving, past his parents and friends. Alea heard the startled
exclamation from his mother, ‘Is that blood on your dress?”

Then they were out the doors and onto the nearest platform. Alea didn’t
understand his silence and worried as they walked that she had made him angry
somehow. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to talk at all during the meeting and had
gotten him shot for nothing.
Yeah, that
might make someone angry. Getting shot in the chest with an arrow
.

“Maliuth…” Alea turned and saw that they had a group following them. “Is
that blood on your mate’s dress?” His father asked, slightly out of breath in
his attempts to keep up.

Maliuth didn’t seem inclined to answer so Alea called out, “I was tested
by the council to see if I could control my abilities. They shot Maliuth with
an arrow and I had to defend myself against The Elder. Which I did without
using fire and then healed Maliuth before it was too late.”

“That was not sanctioned for this meeting.” Galan yelled from behind
Maliuth’s father. “I will let father know.”

“No.” Maliuth broke his silence, “Your father will hear of it eventually,
but I do not want you to worry yourself with it.” Before his friend could argue
he turned at the platform they were on. “It is not worth it Galan. The council
have their results and the end conclusion is that Alea is allowed to stay my
mate. That is all that matters.” Looking over his shoulder and then back, he
grabbed her up into his arms. “Now if you do not mind. I have a few days off
from my duties and I would rather spend them in our home...” when the others
moved to follow, he emphasized, “with Alea…in private.” He practically ran
across the bridge and threw the door open.

Alea heard surprised exclamations from his friends and family. “What has
gotten into him?”

 
“What could he possibly want to do
in private? I could have sworn they got that out of their system yesterday?” The
door closed and whatever was being said was muffled.

Alea couldn’t hide her shocked expression as Maliuth took the stairs two at
a time with her still in his arms. “Maliuth…” she had to know. “What did your
father mean just now? About us getting it out of our system yesterday?”

They had entered the bedroom and Maliuth didn’t stop until he reached the
bed. Taking her dress in both hands, he ripped it from hem to neckline, and
then pulled it out of the way. “Couples usually only engage in lovemaking for
reproduction. Once a year, for one day unit is normal.”

Alea was stunned. “Males don’t have sexual interaction with females
outside of the purpose of reproduction?”
 
She couldn’t stop her muttered exclamation. “Couples normally only have
sex
once a year
?” He gently took the
edges of the dress off her arms and then urged her hips up so he could pull it
off the bed to drop it on the floor. Kicking it away, he drank his fill of her
naked body as she sat on the bed.

“Yes. I do not know what is different with you. It might be the kissing,
or your body chemistry. I cannot seem to keep my hands off of you. Does it
bother you that I desire you so often?” His eyes had turned into liquid pools
and his voice was dark with need. “You are officially mine Alea. I want nothing
to come between us now.”

“Of course I’m happy that you desire me.” She had been about to throw a
fit when he said they would only have sex once a year. Then she had almost
laughed in relief when he said he desired her more often. She might settle for
once a week when she was old and gray maybe, but never only once a year!

Alea moved to kneel on the bed, her hands grabbing the edges of his
shirt. Giving a swift tug, she was happy when the fastenings went flying and
his shirt was open to the waist. “Now there is nothing between us.” She laughed
huskily and leaned forward to place feverish kisses on his bare chest. When his
nipples hardened, she delighted in nipping at them with her teeth. Looking up
at him she teased, “We finally made it to a bed. We really should put it to
good use.”

Instead of answering Maliuth pounced on her, his hard frame pressing her
into the mattress. For the next three days, they managed to put the bed to very
good use.