Wray (6 page)

“What would you like to know?” he asked
softly, looking down at her.

“I don’t know.” Yawning, she discovered she
was suddenly exhausted and laid her head on his chest, listening to
the strong beat of his heart, for some reason it comforted her.
“How can you understand all those hissing and clicking sounds the
Ganglians make?”

“I know the language of every species in the
known Universes. You will also, now that I have placed the educator
on you.”

“You did what?” Kim asked, raising tired eyes
to his.

“While the repair unit worked I placed what
we call an educator over your eyes. It causes no harm.” He quickly
reassured her. “It only teaches you so you can understand and speak
to other species.”

“Speak to them?”

“Yes, right now you are speaking Tornian, but
if you were speaking to a Ganglian you would speak Ganglian.”

“I…” Kim’s voice trailed off as she realized
what was coming out of her mouth were growls, not words.

“It is commonly done throughout the Universes
and allows different species to communicate.”

“But you said you
learned
the
languages.”

“I have learned many of them, but there are
still some that I needed the educator for.” Wray didn’t tell her
he’d only used it once, for educators could be corrupted, making
the person who used them do things they never would otherwise. It
was against Tornian law, but that didn’t mean there weren’t those
who would attempt it. It was why Wray trusted only Grim to program
his when it was needed. He knew Grim would never harm him.

“But… “ before she could ask her next
question, another yawn caught her off guard.

“Rest
,
Kim.” Wray
told her gently. “We will talk more once you are rested."

Nodding sleepily
,
Kim closed her eyes.

Wray let his eyes brush over Kim’s delicate
features while she slept. She was the most beautiful creature he
had ever seen and yet she seemed surprised when he'd told her so.
He thought Adana was beautiful and she had been, in the Tornian
way. She had been tall, coming to his shoulder and had kept her
long black hair pulled away from her face, revealing the strength
of her features and breadth of her frame. It was something Tornian
males appreciated for it meant the female was able to withstand a
Joining with the larger male.

Kim was not large, she was more the size of a
young male just before he started his warrior training and yet she
survived a Ganglian attack, something few could do, including
Tornian females. How long had the Ganglians held her? His mind
claimed that it couldn’t have been more than a day, but in his
heart… she had been so severely bruised, so damaged… The closest
planet to where they found the Ganglian ship was two days from
Pontus and this planet she called Earth, he had never heard of it,
which meant it wasn't in a known galaxy.

She had been concerned with
his
well-being, a male, when her only concern should have been for her
own. She shared her food. Refused to take more unless he did. Why
would she do this? Did she not realize females were more important
than males? Was it not so on Earth?

Kim… such an unusual name, such an unusual
female. His word had been enough for her when he told her the
Ganglians were dead,
Wray’s
word, not the Emperor's. Wray
shook his head; he did not understand her… she was just so
different from any female he had known and not only in size and
color but in spirit. She fought him when she had first woken,
defending herself. Had she done the same against the Ganglians? Was
that why her injuries had been so severe? She wouldn’t have been
able to stop a Ganglian, a Tornian either, for both were stronger
and larger than she was, but he could picture her trying to, could
see her refusing to submit. It would have caused the Ganglians to
attack even more brutally, just to see how much pain they could
inflict before she cried out.

Carefully, so he wouldn’t disturb her, he
sank his fingers into the soft curls that framed her face, enjoying
the way they clung to him. They did this when he’d removed the
excess water from them after he cleansed her. They wrapped
sensually around his fingers as if they enjoyed his touch.

Following one long tendril down, he found her
delicate hand, resting trustingly on his chest and lifted it to his
cheek. She willingly touched him with this very hand, caressing his
cheek when she was at her weakest as if the contact had soothed
her. Tilting his head slightly, he closed his eyes, letting her
touch sooth
e
him.

He’d never had someone willingly touch him
like this before. A touch that meant
he
mattered, not as an
Emperor, but as a male. Adana had never touched him like that. She
only touched him during Joinings and only when it benefited her
release. When they were done, she would return to her chambers. She
would never have allowed him to hold her like this.

Wray’s thoughts were pulled from memories of
Adana when Kim’s thumb moved slightly, caressing his cheek, opening
his eyes, he found drowsy green ones staring up into his.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kim had been pulled from sleep when Wray
picked up her hand. She watched in stunned silence when he'd held
it against his cheek. His eyes had been filled with such longing
and need before they closed as if no one had ever touched him that
way before which made no sense. He was gorgeous, alien or
not
,
and she couldn't think of any woman
that wouldn't want to touch him. Wouldn't want to be touched by
him.

Gently she runs her thumb along his cheek,
wanting to ease whatever bothered him. When his eyes had slowly
opened, instead of longing she saw… regret.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“I did not mean to wake you.” Wray told her,
his voice thick with emotion. He just needed her touch. When her
thumb moved to caress his bottom lip, his body instantly remembered
what it had felt like when he had cleansed her. He knew that if she
continued his body’s reaction would cause her to fear him again and
that he couldn’t stand. Carefully, he pulled her hand away. “I am
sorry.”

Kim stared at him in confusion for several
seconds. She thought he enjoyed her touch, after all, he was the
one who put her hand on his cheek. Why had he suddenly pulled it
away? Her eyes widened as the truth suddenly hit her. Oh God! Of
course! Quickly she looked away from him, desperately blinking away
the tears that filled her eyes.

Stinky bastard… he knew what stinky bastard
had done to her... knew that he had… no
,
she wouldn't go there. He had told her he’d been enraged when he’d
found her that they had killed the Ganglians because of what they'd
done to her and promised it wouldn’t happen again, but that didn’t
mean
he
longed for her touch. Why would he? Why would anyone
after what had happened to her. What she saw was his longing for it
to never have happened. He was a good man… male and he deserved
someone better than
her
.

“No," she said, her voice thick with unshed
tears. "It’s my fault.” Carefully, she slid out of his arms and
moved towards the entrance between the caves. She wanted to leave,
wanted to run away, just as she always did but she couldn't. She
wouldn't. She'd told Jen in that phone call that she had grown up
that she had changed and it was time to prove it. Wray had been
nothing but caring and understanding since she had woken. He saved
her from the Ganglians. He had saved her when they crashed. She
couldn’t repay that kindness by expecting him to see her as
something more than what she was. A victim. She couldn't change
what had happened to her, but she’d be damned if she let it break
her. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Wray.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Wray's eyes followed Kim as she moved away
from him. He had seen the tears she’d tried to hide as she slid
from his arms. Why had he done it? Had he really become so selfish,
so spoiled as Emperor that he would put
his
wants and needs
before those of a female? And not just any female, but Kim?

Somehow, in a very short time
,
she had become precious to him. Her strength and
courage combine
d
with her gentleness and
caring had worked its way into his heart in a way no one else ever
had.

“Please
,
Kim. I am
sorry.” He said, holding out his arms. “I will not touch you like
that again. Please, I don’t want you to become chilled, you need
never fear me.”

“I’m fine and I don’t, fear you that is.”
Still, she couldn't make herself move towards him. “But I do
understand what you are saying. I wouldn’t want to touch me either
if I were you.”

Wray frowned at her words. Of course, he
wanted to touch her, she was beautiful and soft and... why would
she think he wouldn’t? “I do not understand.”

The small smile she gave him was
heartbreakin
g
in its acceptance. “I do, so
it’s okay.” She looked around the cave and realized it was bigger
than she thought. “You said we were on Pontus?”

“We are.” Wray let his arms slowly fall to
his sides, watching her carefully as she looked anywhere but at
him. “It is a small mining planet on the edge of the Kaliszian
Empire. Tell me what you meant by my not wanting to touch you.”

“Kaliszians… are they like the Ganglians?”
she said instead.

“No.” Wray rose and slowly moved towards her.
“Now answer my question.”

“Then what are they like?” Kim asked, taking
a step back before she stopped herself. She was done backing
away.

Slowly Wray advanced on her, not stopping
until their bodies were nearly touching. His eyes searched her
upturned face for the slightest hint of fear. Instead, she stuck
her chin out so stubbornly that it nearly made him smile. She was
such a brave little thing.

“You will explain what you meant by me not
wanting to touch you.” He demanded again in a tone every warrior
obeyed.

Kim just looked at him. She didn’t want to
explain. Didn’t want to hear him say that he only tolerated
touching her that it was something he would have done for anyone.
Wray had come to mean a great deal to her, despite everything that
had happened to her, she found she enjoyed his touch. She needed
it. It made her feel whole again, safe; if he took that away from
her… it might be what finally broke her.

“Please
,
Kim.”
Wray's voice dropped as his eyes searched hers.

It was the ‘please’ that did it. Somehow, Kim
knew he didn’t say it often and because he had now, she found she
couldn’t deny him.

“I just meant I understand why you wouldn’t
want to touch me. After what the Ganglians…” Kim never got to
finish her sentence as she was lifted off her feet and pulled
against a heaving male chest.

Wray couldn’t believe the rage that filled
him when he realized she thought he didn’t want to touch her…
thought he didn’t want her to touch him… all because the Ganglians
had. Pulling her off her feet, he growled out angrily.

“You think I do not desire your touch!” He
lowered his face so they were nose to nose. “That I would not
welcome
anything
you would be willing to give me?”

“But you said… “ she started.

“That I was sorry I woke you when you needed
rest.” He ground out. “Sorry, I let my desire to touch you, to feel
your touch on me, interfere with what
you
needed.”

Kim searched his stormy gray eyes, trying to
decide if she could believe him, but found her answer in a
different body part when her thigh brushed against the bulge
between his legs. Pressing against it slightly, she felt it
grow.

“Kim…” Wray growled warningly.

“I… it really doesn’t bother you that…”

“Of course it bothers me!” Wray growled, his
eyes flaring. “It enrages me that your male did not protect you,
that you were harmed, but it does not affect my desire for
you.”

“I… I don’t have a male.” She admitted and
slowly ran her fingers along his wide shoulders watching as the
heat in his eyes turned into smolder
ing
embers. “You really don’t mind my touch.” She whispered in
amazement.

“Mind…” Wray wanted to roar his satisfaction
that no male had claimed her. Instead, a low growl vibrated through
his chest as he told her the truth. “I crave it.”

Encouraged by his words Kim let her hands
slowly travel across his chest, learning every bulge, every
crevice, discovering that his skin was not only hot, but also
smooth and silky.

“Kim…” Wray groaned.

“Yes
,
Wray?” she
asked, looking up at him through her lashes.

“You must stop… you are… “

“I am what?”

“You are testing my control and you must
not.”

“Why?” Innocent green eyes met his.

Wray’s gaze became fierce as he pulled her
further up his body. “Because I want nothing more at this moment
than to Join with you and you are still recovering. I will not risk
harming you.”

"Join..." Kim searched her mind trying to
understand his meaning. When she finally did, she stiffened, her
eyes widened in fear and she started to tremble. She couldn’t…
she….

Wray saw her fear. How could she not be after
what she had endured? “Calm, little one.” He said gently, “I would
never force myself on you.”

“I…” Kim closed her eyes, swallowing hard, “I
know that. I…” but her voice still quivered.

“Shh…” Wray pulled her close, hoping it would
comfort her. “It will be okay
,
Kim.”

“I’m sorry.” She said as tears filled her
eyes again. “I can’t seem to stop crying.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for
,
little one.” Wray carefully shifted, cradling her in
his arms. “You are strong and you have survived much, but now you
need to rest and heal.” Sitting he arranged her across his lap once
more. “Rest, little one
,
and know that no
harm will come to you.”