Wray (10 page)

"But that doesn't mean..."

"She
always
leaves, Kim." He told her
softly. “Except for the Empress, she must remain with the Emperor,
ensuring his bloodline.”

“Even a mother?”

“Yes.”

"Because she has no feelings for the male or
her offspring." Kim replied, suddenly understanding what Wray had
been trying to tell her and her heart ached for him. To have never
known a mother's loving touch, she couldn't imagine it. Even when
she’d been horrible, she'd always known her mother loved her and
would be there for her.

"Yes." Wray nodded.

"I'm sorry
,
Wray."
Reaching up, she cupped his cheek in her hand. "It shouldn't be
like that. Two people should Join because they love each other.
They should care
for
each other and take care
of
each
other. They should be loyal and honest and
want
to spend the
rest of their lives together, not go looking for someone else.
Offspring should be a natural extension of that love, not the
reason for it."

"And this is what your manno and mother
had?"

"Yes." Kim's eyes went a little sad as she
remembered. "They were always so happy together, at just being
together. They'd fight sometimes, disagree, but they never went to
bed angry with each other." At his sharp look, she corrected.
"Rested. They never rested together angry."

"They rested together? In the same bed. At
night?"

"Yes. Don't you?" she frowned, thinking of
him holding her while she rested.

"No. Once a male and female have finished
Joining the female returns to her chamber until it is time to Join
again."

"Why don't you rest together?"

“Because a female prefers the safety of her
rooms. It makes her feel safe and protected. She would never risk
herself by resting with a male."

“Why are they so fearful of you?” Kim didn’t
understand it. Wray had been nothing but caring and gentle with
her.

“Because of Emperor Lucan.”

“But that was over five hundred years
ago
,
Wray! You’re not him!”

“We are not." Wray was relieved that she of
all people understood that. "We would die to protect
them
,
Kim, but still they fear us. One
would never consider the needs of the male before her own, not even
her own offspring's. One would never have thought of my hunger. She
would never have thought to tend to my cheek as you have. I would
never have been allowed to hold her like this.” He told
her
,
tightening his arms around Kim,
bringing her body closer to his as they continued to move.

As Wray spoke, Kim began to realize what
Lucan's betrayal had really done to the Tornian people. It had
destroyed more than the lives of two innocent young
girls
. I
t had destroyed the basic trust
that must exist between a male and female for them to truly love
one another and because of that, the Tornian people were dying.

'You will be my new beginning...'
the
melodic voice whispered through Kim's mind, startling her so much
she jumped. It hadn’t been a dream!

"What’s wrong
,
Kim?"
Wray asked.

"I... nothing." How did you tell someone you
heard a Goddess in your head? What did it mean,
'she would be
the beginning'
?
T
he beginning of what? As she thought about it, she
suddenly realized something more important... they were dancing!
While they talked, Wray had taken over and slowly moved them around
the chamber.

"We're dancing!" She exclaimed beaming up at
him as her arms
tightened
around his
neck.

"Is that what we are doing?" Wray asked
gruffly as her full breasts brush
ed
against his chest.

"Yes, usually there's music but otherwise,
yeah... Mom and
D
ad used to dance all the
time. It used to embarrass the hell out of me, but now…”

“But now?” Wray asked, ducking his head to
catch her eye.

“Now I understand why they enjoyed it so
much. To be held like this by someone….” Kim found herself fumbling
again.

“Tell me
,
Kim.” Wray
ordered softly, slowing his feet until they were barely moving.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim looked up at Wray, he stared down at her
so intently, here was a male she could trust, could rely on. When
she was a young girl, she’d told her mother how when she grew up,
she was going to marry someone just like her dad and he would be
her perfect hero. Her mom had laughed for a moment, then turned
serious telling her that no one was perfect, not even her father
and that if she expected perfection she was setting herself up for
disappointment. Kim hadn’t understood then, but she did now.

Wray wasn’t perfect. He was sometimes gruff
and overbearing and he seemed very used to getting his way. Still,
he is gentle and understanding with her. He cared for her, someone
he hadn’t known, the best he could under difficult circumstances.
He wasn’t the ‘perfect’ hero she’d told her mom she wanted, but she
realized Wray was ‘perfect’ for her, flaws and all. Now she just
needed to be as brave as Warrior had been and tell him.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“By someone I could love.” She told him
softly.

Wray felt his entire being still at Kim’s
softly spoken words. She had strong feelings for him… thought she
could love him. Love, it was something a male was never given.
Suddenly his universe was filled with song and the weight he had
been carrying around for so long lightened.

“I feel the same
,
Kim.” He told her, lowering his forehead to hers. “I do not know
what I would do without you now that I’ve found you.”

“Well, I have no plans on going anywhere
without you, so you have nothing to worry about.” Kim told him
sinking her fingers into his hair caressing his scalp.

“Goddess
,
Kim
,
that feels good.” Wray groaned
enjoying the feel of her nails lightly scraping his scalp until
they suddenly stilled. “What is wrong
,
Kim?” He asked, pulling back slightly and was shocked to see a hint
of fear in her eyes. “Kim?”

“I won’t be
,
will
I?” she asked as the terrifying thought suddenly struck her. “When
we get back to your ship, I won’t be forced to go anywhere without
you
,
will I? They can’t take me from
you?”

“No!” Wray immediately denied and lifted her
until they were eye to eye, so she could see his truth. “No one can
ever take you from me without your permission
,
Kim. It is
always
the female’s choice on who
she will Join with.”

“Okay.” She said, nodding jerkily relieved to
know they would not be separated.

“Our Joining is not going to be like other
Joinings
,
Kim.” Wray watched her carefully
making sure that did not upset her
. A
s
Empress
,
she would never be allowed to
leave him, but he was speaking to her as Wray, a male, not the
Emperor.

“It’s not?” Her eyes searched his.

“No. Our Joining will be forever.”

“Oh
,
Wray….” Kim
whispered, wrapping her arms around his head, she kissed him to let
him know she agreed.

Wray went absolutely still as Kim pressed her
lips to his. What was this? “Kim?” he questioned his lips barely
moving against hers.

Kim pulled back slightly, looked at Wray and
saw she had confused him again. “Kissing isn’t something Tornians
do either, huh?”

“Kissing…”

“Yes, what I just did, putting my lips to
yours.”

“This is something you do on Earth?”

“Yes, quite often actually.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s another way of expressing your
feelings,” she said, giving him an amused smile, “and because it
also feels really good.”

“Show me.” Wray ordered, lowering his lips
back to hers, but before they could touch a loud beeping sound had
him jerking his head away.

“What is that?” She asked, looking around the
chamber.

“It is the locator beacon. I activated it as
soon as we reached the cave.”

“What’s it for?”

“It lets my people know where we are and that
we are okay. I need to respond to it, Kim.”

“Oh.” Disappointed, Kim loosened the grip as
Wray lowered her to the ground, but instead of releasing her, he
pulled her close and led her back to the outer chamber.

Kim watched silently from ‘their’ rock, as
Wray pushed a series of buttons on the thin rectangular shaped box
she’d carelessly tossed aside in her search for medical
supplies.

“Did I damage it?” She asked, chewing on her
bottom lip.

“No
,
little one.”
Wray looked up from the locator and seeing her concern ran a
soothing hand down her cheek. “I am just letting them know we are
still well.” He told her
,
entering the
last code to tell Veron just that and he set it aside.

“Are they coming for us now?” She asked,
still chewing on her lip.

“No
,
little one.
They will not be able to come until the storm ceases.”

“Good.”

“Good?” Wray gave her a confused look. It
made no sense to him. Once Veron found them, he would be able to
take her to the Searcher where Yakar could scan her and make sure
she was truly healed. She would be able to rest in a comfortable
bed, have plenty to eat. Why would she not want them to come?

“Yeah…” Kim felt her cheeks start to heat at
his confused look.

“Kim?” Wray kneeled at her side. “Why don’t
you want my people to come for us?”

“It’s not that I
never
what them to
come, it’s just…” she trailed off and finding she couldn’t look at
him anymore, she looked at her hands.

“Just what
,
Kim?”
Cupping the side of her face Wray brought her gaze back to him.
“Tell me.”

Kim gazed into Wray’s warm gray eyes for
several moments, then finally admitted. “I’m just not sure I’m
ready to deal with other people yet. I like it here… with you, I
feel safe. I know you probably think it’s silly, but I’m not ready
to deal with the outside world yet.”

Wray scooped her up off the rock and into his
arms. “I do not think it is silly
,
Kim.
You have survived much. Have shown great strength
.
Y
ou need
ing
time before dealing with more people is not
silly.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’d probably like to get
back.”

“No,” he quickly denied, tipping her face up
to his, “what I’d like is for you to show me more kissing.”

“Really?” She asked hopefully.

“Yes
,
little one.
Show me kissing.” Shifting
,
Wray’s hands
encircled her waist and lifted her so she straddled his lap, then
lifted her so they were face-to-face and chest-to-chest.

“Wray!” Kim let out a startled cry laughing
as he lifted her.
She g
ripped his
shoulders
as
she steadied herself.

“Is this the proper position?” He
asked
,
his eyes moving across her face
taking in her sparkling eyes before settling on her lips.

“Yes,” she whispered softly, then slowly
leaned in, lightly kissing first one corner of his mouth then the
other.

“Kim…” he growled at her teasing.

“Shhh,” she hushed moistening her lips before
pressing them firmly against Wray’s. When his lips parted, she
slipped her tongue into his mouth and gasped as Wray’s unique
flavor exploded over her tongue. He was spicy and bold and so what
she wanted. Groaning, her fingers dug into his shoulders as her
tongue search
ed
for his.

Kim couldn’t believe how good Wray tasted.
The only other boy she’d ever kissed was John and Wray so wasn’t a
boy. Here in his arms she knew she was safe. Here, she knew she was
cared for and protected. It gave her the courage she needed to let
her feelings guide her.

Slowly she rubbed her breasts against his
chest and felt them tighten in pleasure. Her hips moved against his
hard lower abs and felt his shaft grow between her legs. It should
have frightened her, but this was Wray. Shifting in his arms, she
moved in for another taste.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Wray ordered himself to remain absolutely
still as Kim pressed her lips to his. He would let her lead him in
this thing called kissing. He wasn’t sure what was expected of him
so when his lips parted, he had meant to close them, but then her
tongue had slipped inside and his universe exploded.

Wray found himself lost in the heaven that
was Kim’s mouth. He was the Emperor, the ruler of his people. How
was it possible that he had not known such pleasure existed? She
tasted sweeter than the wild endary berry he so loved, but just as
wild and just as rare. She was strong and fragile, fierce and oh so
his! When she moved in his arms, rubbing her lush breasts against
his chest
,
he felt his shaft swell
uncomfortably in the constraints of his pants.

Feeling her shift, he fisted her hair in one
hand, tilted her head back and claimed her mouth as his. The Serai
never trained a male to pleasure a female this way and yet he knew
he was pleasuring Kim.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim wrapped her arms around Wray’s head as he
took control of the kiss. For a male who claimed to never have
kissed before he was a fast learner. She groaned when his tongue
invaded her mouth to claim every part of it before wrapping around
her tongue to suck it into his.

She felt like she was coming alive for the
very first time, every nerve ending tingled, every muscle
tightened. Ripping her mouth away, she cried out his name as she
gasped for breath.