Page 15 of Alien Knight Steals the Bride

Chapter Seven

Torrin retrieved the cylinder holding the maju paste. Cracking the lid open, he showed Juliette the opalescent mixture. “This is made by crushing maju stones into a paste when the energy is nearly depleted. Maju water, on the other hand, is made by submerging new stones in mineral water for a short period of time, which creates a healing elixir. When the stones are removed the water can be stored for future use.”

“And your markings? How does that work?” Juliette asked again, fascinated. She’d always been a very curious person, wanting to know how things worked. “Why not use the water instead of the paste?”

Settling them more comfortably on the bed for a longer discussion, he did his best to describe the Caldorian tradition. “For some reason, only the paste works for that. I am a fighter, not a scientist. If you are truly interested in this topic, we can do some research in the ancient archives. As for lighting our markings, we do so when we want others to know that we are no longer available. This also gives the couple a chance to touch one another, learn their bodies, become attuned to their desires,” he said, lightly brushing his fingers across the delicate skin of her cheek.

“Oh,” she nodded. “I get it. Kind of lets everybody know what’s up. Like wearing your boyfriend’s clothes.”

Torrin grinned wolfishly, “I am not familiar with this custom, but I’m eager to try it. I would very much like to see you wearing only my clothing to ‘let others know what’s up’. Or better yet, bind yourself to me and there will be no need for you to wear any clothing at all, ever again,” he added, waggling his eyebrows up and down.

Juliette laughed, playfully swatting his arm. “In your dreams, buddy.”

Torrin sighed dramatically to make her laugh again, his tone deep and full of heat as he agreed. “Indeed. But I digress. For the moment, let’s stick to the maju paste. The lighting effect is not permanent. It even has mild healing properties. I noticed your cheek was already healed when I woke. I assumed Doctor Jorvin directed you to use the paste on yourself?”

“Uh, no, not exactly,” she blushed. “The other man with the doctor told me to give you the maju water, but to get rid of the paste. He said it could be contaminated and that I shouldn’t touch it. I was busy trying to save you and actually forgot all about it until you mentioned it.”

“The other man?” asked Torrin warily. “His name is Falden.” He hesitated over his next choice of words, not wanting to mislead her, yet unable to tell her about the Lumerian Knights. He would tell her what he could. “Falden is the commander of our battalion. He decided to lead my unit when I joined up. Said I was young and reckless and, therefore, needed a babysitter. I’d already proven I was faster than everyone else, and I worked harder than the others to get even better; long hours every night after the rest of my unit had gone to sleep, but he still insisted on watching over me for years. He can be a bit of an ass when he thinks I’m not listening, and he may look young but he’s older than dirt.”

Torrin cracked his neck from side to side, his mouth quirking with amusement as he thought about Falden’s very stern admonishments when he’d first found the Lumerian Knights, determined to join their elite fighting force. Become part of the team. Falden had turned him away. Tested his resolve for months. If he were totally honest, the man had slowly taken the place of the father he’d never known. Torrin’s trust and faith in him was absolute. “I’m sure he only told you not to touch the paste because you’re from Earth. I don’t think maju paste has ever been used on a human. He was just being overly careful, as usual.”

Torrin frowned, rubbing his jaw. “If you didn’t use the maju paste, how did you heal the bruises on your cheek so quickly?”

“Oh. Well,” she hedged, “you see, when I was trying to get the maju water into the IV bag that I found in the emergency medical supplies, I accidentally splashed some on my face.” Juliette squeezed her eyes shut before adding, “And into my mouth. But only a few drops. No harm, no foul, right? I’ve been monitoring all my vitals. I haven’t noticed any adverse effects, at least none in the short term.”

“A welcome and fortuitous accident, then. Maju water is much stronger than the paste. If you felt nothing from the water, then the paste should be no problem. Do you agree to the wager, then? If I can tell you ten things about yourself, will you participate in this tradition?” Torrin’s tone turned formal. All playfulness vanished as he formally asked, “Will you light my markings, Juliette Rosen?”

Juliette met his gaze, trying to see through the outer façade that all people have to some degree, looking for a deeper truth. He was an honorable man. She wanted him, there was no doubt about that. Taking part in his traditions would create an intimacy she wasn’t sure she could handle. Or want. Did she? Her heart gave a pang. Could she trust him? Did she want what he was offering? She rubbed at the sudden pain in her temples.

Torrin covered her hands with his, massaging the pain away. “You are overthinking this. Trust your instincts.”

She gave a short laugh. “No. My instincts are telling me to jump in and worry about tomorrow later. That kind of thinking usually gets me into trouble.”

“Forget the wager then. I only want you to know how I see you. Decide for yourself about the maju paste. You risked your life on Mora Five, a very dangerous planet, to save me. I know that you could have left me for dead and gone home. If I haven’t said it before, thank you.”

“You saved me first, remember?” she protested, absurdly pleased by his recognition and thanks. “I couldn’t let you die. What kind of person would that make me?”

“Exactly. What kind of person? Many would have left without a backward glance, let alone risk their own lives. But you’re right. You couldn’t let me die because you are an amazing, beautiful woman on the inside and out. Because you cared about a stranger, willing to put my needs before your own.”

“Well, I’m a nurse,” she argued. “That’s what we do.”

Torrin ran his fingers through his hair, trying to hide his amusement. She was very stubborn. He probably shouldn’t include that one on the list he was giving her, even if he found the trait adorable in her. She was a bit prickly. “Yes. Butwhyare you a nurse? You have courage. Honor. Integrity. You want to help people. You’re resourceful, smart, and you already said you’re good at finding things.”

“Okay,” she nodded in agreement, her head tilting to the side. “So we’ve established I’m an amazing person,” she laughed self-consciously. “What about you, then? I still don’t know anything about you.”

“Don’t you?” he asked, his hazel eyes intensifying, as if seeing into her soul.

Juliette shifted, matching his intensity. Thinking back to their escape from the Vilitos ship, her gaze narrowed, concentrating on the memory. “You were already escaping on your own, weren’t you? You could have left me there. And the Targo. You were almost free. You were on your way out.”

His only response was a slight nod. He could see the way she was processing information, analyzing her memories. He couldn’t wait to spend his life with this woman. She fascinated him. Challenged him. She was his equal in every way. Something shifted inside him. Elemental. Primal. He needed to claim her soon. Make her his forever. Come deep inside her. He was on fire for her.

Juliette’s pulse quickened. He was looking at her like he wanted to devour her. Like a predator, she the prey. She flushed with desire, suddenly reminded that beneath the sarong she was naked. Desire shot straight to her feminine core, throbbing with renewed intensity. She wanted him. What was she waiting for? “I hope you don’t mind. I asked Doctor Jorvin about you. He told me you’d been on that ship for months. That must have been horrible. Are you really okay now?”

Torrin couldn’t help himself. He had to get closer to her. He sat on the bed and lifted her up to straddle him. He pulled her in close, snug against his hard erection. The friction was torture, he was so hard, but he didn’t care. He wanted her closer. Needed to bury himself inside her. He didn’t want to think about the Vilitos. Didn’t want to relive the torture, but if that was what she needed in order to trust him, he would share every gruesome detail. “I’d been waiting for them to make a mistake. Enduring. Planning. Resisting. All I needed was for one of them to come in alone.”

Juliette swallowed, knowing the answer to her next question, but needing to hear him tell her. “What did you do?”

“I killed him. Just like I killed those other guards who stood between us and freedom,” he added frankly. “My missions always carry risk. I’m part of a team. A very specialized team. We go where we’re needed. Sometimes together, sometimes alone. I need you to be okay with that,” he said, running his hands along the curves of her body, kneading her tight muscles. “Tell me what I need to do to convince you.”

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