The Crystal Singer Omnibus by Anne McCaffrey

Author:Anne McCaffrey [McCaffrey, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Music, Adult, Adventure, Young Adult
ISBN: 0552147621
Google: M6jCJV2DHncC
Amazon: 0552147621
Publisher: Corgi
Published: 1999-10-01T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

A light, almost tender, finger touch on her shoulder, just where the star-knife had sliced her flesh, roused Killashandra from the velvet darkness of the deepest sleep she had ever enjoyed. She felt weightless, relaxed. Despite her having led an uninhibited private life, Killashandra was inexplicably possessed by shyness, a curious reluctance to face Lars. She didn’t want to face him, or the world, quite yet.

Then she heard the barest ripple of laughter in the tenor voice of her lover.

“I didn’t want to wake up either, Carrigana …”

Loath to perpetuate any lies between them, she almost corrected the misnomer but she found it too difficult to overcome the physical languor that gripped her body. And an explanation of her name would lead to so many more, any of which might fracture the stunning memory of the previous night.

“I’ve … never …” He broke off, his finger tracing other scar lines on her forearms—crystal scar (and how could she explain those at this point in a magical interlude)—down to her hands where his strong tapered fingers fit in between hers. “I don’t know what you did to me, Carrigana. I’ve … never … had a love experience like that before.” A rueful laugh that cracked because he couldn’t keep it soft enough to match his whisper. “I know that when a man’s been troubled, a normal reaction is to seek sexual relief from a woman—any woman. But you weren’t just ‘any woman’ last night, Carrigana. You were … incredible. Please open your eyes so that I can see you believe what I’m saying—because it is true!”

Killashandra could not have ignored the plea, the sincerity, the soul sound in his voice. She opened her eyes. His were inches away and she was gripped by an overpowering surge of love, affection, sensuality, empathy, and compassion for this incredible and talented young man. Relief was mirrored in the very clear blue of his eyes: a morning-lagoon-in-sunlight clear blue, as vivid as the sea could sometimes be. Relief and the sudden welling up of tears. With the shuddering sigh that rippled down his body, so close to hers, he dropped his head to the point of her shoulder, just above the knife-scar. When, at length, he confessed that he had caused it, she would willingly forgive him. Just as she was willing to forgive him her abduction, for whatever marvelous reason he might submit. After last night, how could she deny him anything? Perhaps last night had been such a unique combination of emotional unheavals that a repetition was unlikely. The prospect made her smile.

As if he sensed her responses—he had certainly sensed them last night—he lifted his head again, anxious eyes searching her face. She saw that he was not unscathed, for his lower lip was red and puffy as he tried to echo her smile.

Then she chuckled, tracing the line of his mouth with an apologetic finger.

“I don’t think I can ever forget last night happened, Lars Dahl.” Would she ever find adequate words to record this on her personal file at Ballybran? She let her finger drop to his jaw.

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