2-Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl

Author:S. L. Viehl
Language: vie
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Speculative Fiction, Women Physicians, Space Opera, Fiction, Science Fiction, American, Torin, Science fiction, Life on other planets, General, Cherijo (Fictitious Character)
Publisher: ROC
Published: 2000-07-28T06:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER TWELVE

She Who Preserves

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I checked in with Medical, made my rounds, and spoke to Squilyp and Adaola. Explaining things was impossible. It didn’t matter. From the sympathetic looks I got, it already appeared to be public knowledge. I asked Squilyp to assist the nurses until I got back. He was polite and pretended to believe my invented excuse.

I went to my quarters. Signaled the Captain. Made a few final preparations.

This time I caught a functioning gyrlift and returned to level twenty-seven. The two guards were conspicuously absent. Instructions had been left on the outer display on how to let myself into the detainment area.

Xonea was still standing in the same place I’d left him. His eyes, widened as he saw me walk in. I guessed he had counted on me not coming back. He was in for a few more surprises.

“Cherijo.”

“Xonea.” I pressed a few keys on the display panel, which deactivated the barrier-locking mechanism. “Are you ready to do this?”

He smiled as I entered the cell and secured the barrier once more. “You speak as though preparing to perform a medical procedure.”

“Surgery is a lot more fun.”

“Perhaps.” He walked toward me. Two enormous hands descended to rest lightly on my shoulders. “Perhaps not.” He bent forward and brushed his lips against the top of my head. “I am honored.”

“Uh-huh.” I didn’t want to do this. It made me remember when Kao had Chosen me. Aka the happiest day of my life. “How's your stomach?”

He ignored that and stroked my hair. “I will not hurt you, Cherijo.”

“Your ClanBrother said the same thing to me.” A single tear spilled from my lashes. Oh, for God’s sake, I didn't want to start crying now. I wanted to be clinical. Detached. On another vessel a thousand light years from the Sunlace. “All right.” I took a deep breath. “Xonea Torin, I Choose you.”

“Cherijo.” His thumb rubbed away the small droplet. “Look at me.”

I did. His fingers released the clasp on my vocollar, and lifted it from my neck. He did the same with his, and dropped them to the deck.

“Bad move,” I said. “How are you going to understand what I’m saying when I tell you I'm not going to have sex with you?”

“Sher-ee-shoh,” Xonea said, carefully wrapping his fluid Jorenian palate around the guttural syllables. He was speaking Terran. “Ahyee lahv hyoo.” He touched my lips with his fingers. “Ahyee-huv ol-hways lahvduh hyoo.”

He’d learned enough of my own language to tell me this. Because there was no word for “love” in Jorenian.

My first sexual experience had been with Kao, immediately after he’d Chosen me. Since that night, I hadn't been intimate with anyone except Duncan Reever, and that had been under duress. Now I had Chosen Xonea, who was expecting a wedding night.

I needed to work on my relationships with men.

Something cool and metallic encircled my neck. Xonea was replacing our vocollars. His fingers went on to work my braid loose, then released the warrior’s knot in his hair.

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