ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1) (24 page)

Rom touched a panel on the wall and water rushed into a circular whirlpool tub. He removed his shirt then his pants. Aster stood mesmerized by his striptease.

His eyes turned brown as they raked over her. Aster swiftly discarded her clothes, amazed at how quickly her body responded to a simple look.

By the time Rom was helping her up the steps, the water reached the proper level, shut itself off and the jets activated. The hot bubbling water soothed their muscles without cooling their ardor.

Rom reached for Aster but she gave him a tiny buss on the mouth and pulled away.

"What do you call that?" he asked in disbelief.

"I'm just giving back what I got from you outside."

"Yes, but I knew what I had waiting inside." He splashed a handful of water into her face. Playfully, she pushed both palms through the water to drench him, only to get a thorough dunking in return.

"Uncle!" she cried.

Rom looked at her curiously. "Uncle?"

"It's a saying, like, you win or I give."

"Well, since I won, what will you give me?"

Aster tapped her index finger against her chin. "Gee, I don't have anything with me at the moment."

"That's not quite true. You have the only thing I do want at the moment." His mouth claimed hers before another word could be exchanged.

The next week hurried by in a rose-colored haze. During the day, Aster plunged into her on-the-job training at the Economics Center. At night she reveled in their lovers' games, eager to become all Rom would ever hunger for.

Rom returned to his usual unexcelled efficiency with one major change. His recent impatience and intolerance for errors had been miraculously moderated.

Everyone in the Administration Building had heard about their chief holding hands with the new Terran female in the cafeteria at lunch by five o'clock on Tuesday. By Wednesday, Aster became the recipient of knowing smiles or curious stares wherever she went.

Although no one would say anything to his face, Rom knew there was malicious gossip as well. He hoped to postpone the day when Aster would become aware of it too.

Much to Rom's relief, Victor reported to work at the Rehabilitation Clinic where he could be observed and remain far from Aster.

On Friday afternoon Rom had a meeting with Outerworld Monitor Control regarding the lack of progress on Operation Palomar. Although a backup team had been sent out to assist the tracker, Emissary K66 had not yet been located. Also, nothing had been picked up to indicate that Outerworld's scientists were aware of any impending danger. In four weeks, the situation would reach the critical stage.

When Rom let her know he expected to be late, Aster went home ahead of him.

Several hours later Aster heard his car door shut and put down the book she was reading. As she got out of her chair, the front door flew open, crashing against the wall. Rom hesitated in the doorway until he located her then entered, slamming the door shut behind him.

He looked awful. His hair was a mess, perspiration stained his shirt, three long bloody gashes marred his left forearm. But the worst was his eyes. The whites were blood-red and the pupils were so dilated no color could be seen.

"Good Lord, Rom! What—"

He came at her, grabbing a handful of her hair to yank her head back. His mouth crushed hers in a bruising kiss. He smelled like a beast and the sound that came out of his throat was more animal than human.

"I must... have you...
now!
"

The tremendous heat radiating from his body made her feel like she was trapped in an oven. She could barely breathe, he held her so tightly. With much more calm than she felt, she said, "All right, but let's go upstairs and clean you up first."

"No... can't... wait." His words were barely intelligible.

He was sick, that much was obvious. Aster didn't struggle as he pushed her down on the floor and flipped up her skirt. She flinched once when he ripped her panties and tore open his slacks. Other than that, she lay still as he plunged savagely into her. A primal scream filled the room then he collapsed.

Immediately, his skin cooled against hers. He hadn't hurt her, nor had he actually raped her, since she was always willing to make love to him, but this was something else entirely. Aster felt his chest shake and realized he was sobbing.

"I'm so sorry," he choked out. "I know that was the worst thing I could do to you. I had no idea how bad it could get. I'll get help. Tomorrow. I promise." He rolled away from her onto his back with his arm covering his eyes.

"Rom? What happened? What do you mean you'll get help? What's wrong?" Aster sat up and pulled his arm away from his face. His eyes were damp but back to normal.

Quietly, he said, "I thought I could control it. I swear that won't happen again." Straightening his clothes, he sat up and brought her fingers to his lips. "Please forgive me. I never meant to frighten you again." His gaze remained on her hands.

"Rom, I don't know what you're talking about. What frightens me is knowing you aren't well and I don't understand." She turned his hands over in hers. "There's blood under your fingernails. You scratched yourself, didn't you?" He looked away from her. "Don't deny it. I've seen you scratching your skin all week. You said it was nothing. But there is something very wrong." Aster pressed her palms to his cheeks and forced him to face her. "Talk to me, damn it!"

Rom groaned. "Something happens to Noronians' bodies when our mating time comes. It's been building up in me for weeks before you arrived. When I touched you that first time, it was like throwing a match on dry kindling. It feels like my blood is boiling and biting insects are crawling all over my flesh. I didn't even realize I'd cut myself tonight.

"The only time the fever cools is when I'm inside you, but it doesn't last for long. I had a very stressful couple of hours tonight, trying to deal with a critical situation. I guess I gave so much concentration to that problem that I lost what control I had over my body." He paused and inhaled deeply. "Only a Noronian female should have triggered my mating time. Shalla literally means soul's mate. It doesn't make sense, but that's what you are to me and I can't do anything about it."

Aster considered what he was telling her. "If I were Noronian, what would you do?"

"We would have already joined, long before the fever progressed this far."

"Then we should join," Aster concluded without hesitation.

"We can't. It's prohibited for a Noronian and Terran to join. No one has ever had any reason to dispute that law. Aside from that though, I have no idea what it would do to you. You could go insane, maybe even die. What good would it do for me to get rid of the fever and lose you in the process?

"You see, joining is the mating of the body, the soul and the mind. After the joining ceremony, two people are two bodies sharing one mind and their spiritual energies combine to form an unbreakable bond. Even if the bodies separate, their minds are permanently linked and the souls are mated for eternity. I have no doubt you are my soul's mate but you aren't suffering the same symptoms. I will not risk your physical or mental stability to satisfy my need."

"But maybe I'd be okay. Remember the pyramid? You said I was special, that a Terran usually can't make the separation. Is there any way around the law?"

"No. Even if there was, I won't take the chance of hurting you."

"So, does that mean we have to spend the rest of our lives in bed to keep Dr. Jekyll from turning into Mr. Hyde? Not that I would object to that mind you." Aster smiled at him reassuringly.

Rom leaned over and kissed her softly. "Thank you. I needed to see your smile again. At any rate, I'm afraid even that won't be enough soon. I'll go to Medical tomorrow. There must be something they can do for me." He had not gone before this because he had imagined the reaction he would get. A Noronian getting his fever over a Terran would be shocking enough. But his position would almost assure it becoming big news. After tonight, however, he had to get help regardless of the repercussions or next time he might really harm Aster.

"Shallar," Aster said, trying out the masculine form of the word. "Why don't we go upstairs? I think my temperature is beginning to rise."

Chapter 13

"I have some information I thought might be of interest to you." Edward's shrill voice identified the caller.

"Yes?" Victor replied cautiously.

"A friend of yours filed a change of address form."

"Why should that be of interest to me?"

"Because the new address belongs to someone with, shall we say, special privileges," Edward answered.

"Let's have it."

"Not over the phone. Come into the city tonight—to the dance. I will see you there."

This was it, the last piece of the plan. Each day Victor had behaved like a model employee. By night, however, he roamed the vacant rooms and offices scouring for bits of information that could be of use to him in escaping this hellhole. He studied very closely the laboratory where José had been reprogrammed. His genius appreciated the technology involved and his cunning considered how he could employ it to his benefit. He had also gleaned everything he needed to learn about how the various security measures were managed... and circumvented. The naiveté and open-book policies of the Innerworlders was definitely going to be to his advantage.

The only information he could not find was the route back to Outerworld. He only knew that Romulus had his ticket.

* * *

"I have no idea what to wear. Help me."

Rom stepped behind Aster and wound his arms under her breasts. "Always glad to be of service," he murmured, nosing her hair away from her neck.

"You know if you start that again we'll never get to this dance of yours." Her words lacked conviction as she hugged his arms more tightly around her. "As much as I'd like to stay home with you, you already convinced me of how important it is that we go tonight. The last thing I want is to be so late that everyone thinks I'm trying to make a grand entrance. I feel conspicuous enough as it is."

"All right, as you say, Uncle." He moved a chair in front of the vidcom viewer and pulled her down onto his lap. "Let's pick something out that will make all the men wonder what I see in such a frumpy woman."

"I'd rather pick something out that will leave all my competition crying in their beer... or whatever the beverage of choice is there."

Aster finally chose a dark purple dress with a flared skirt and a modest bodice with spaghetti straps. Rom whistled as she twirled around and he caught her in his embrace.

"This is going to be a very long night!"

The Dance Hall was already crowded by the time they arrived. Rom made his way past friends and acquaintances with Aster on his arm. His pride was obvious as he introduced her, taking time to tell her a little about each person as they moved along.

Aster smiled and shook hands, savoring every envious glance and ignoring the disapproving stares. Her happiness could not be ruined by a few narrow-minded people.

To Aster's delight, there was a live band playing a vaguely familiar American song from the forties. Three women singers decked out in the costume and hairdos of the period and a bandleader, who could have been Tommy Dorsey, completed the picture.

The band broke into "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" and several couples ran onto the dance floor. Aster clapped her hands excitedly when she saw the wildly acrobatic contortions of the young people in the center of the room. "They're doing the jitterbug!" She raised her voice. "I love this music!"

"Some time ago a musician got interested in the sound when he was watching an Outerworld video transmission. He found a group of other musicians who were also interested in recreating the songs and dances. The Dance Hall opened up as a big party for their friends and then became popular. Look, there's Cherry." Rom guided Aster around the edge of the dance floor.

Cherry beamed at them as they approached. "It's about time you found your way over here. I observed the entrance of the
royal couple
and decided to wait until the rest of your lowly subjects kissed your ring." Rom's scowl could not discourage her teasing. "I hear you're up for king or something."