Arak's Love: A World Beyond Book 2 (11 page)

 “Well kiddies, I think I’m done after that display.” Joni eyed them with an arched brow and slid a purchase filled bag on her shoulder. “Time to go.”

Arak brushed back the loose, blonde curls about Sylvie’s face. “We will finish this another time.”

Chapter 12

In the evening, Faye invited everyone to her place for a good old fashion get together, Earth style. Sylvie admitted to being anxious about an opportunity to travel without any of the Jutaks escorting her and Joni. The trip to the Jutak facility proved uneventful, pushing her spirits from nervous to downright giddy. They devoured the food Faye ordered from the kitchens and drinks poured freely, all among the company of new found friends.

If someone had told Sylvie she’d have the potential of lifelong friendships with other women by joining the Singles Program she would have hocked all of her possessions and signed up sooner. They were well into the night and she’d reached her limit two drinks ago. Sylvie’s gaze drifted around the room at the women present. Her bestest friend Joni, the endearing Faye and now Lissi.

Lissi’s Chosen led the Jutaks on Team Three. She was also Torkel’s younger sister though the two looked nothing alike. Lissi exhibited the delicate beauty of a typical Enotian woman while Torkel was a dark-haired, dark eyed man whose larger than life presence dominated when he entered a room.

“This was easier in my teens,” Joni announced as she balanced a cup on top of her head, arms spread wide. The empty cup wobbled and tipped off her red hair, falling to the floor.

Faye scooped the cup from the floor and filled it from a large container with the drink she’d introduced them to. “Soku is a better use for this anyway.”

Joni accepted her overflowing cup and took a healthy swallow before announcing in a slurred voice. “You, dear lady, are correct.”

From her seat on the floor, leaning back against the sofa, Sylvie sipped her drink slower. Faye had warned that the drink to energize tired Enotian citizens would act as alcohol on their metabolism. Sylvie didn’t care. She liked the fuzzy feeling and it was nice to have a long awaited girls’ night out.

“Are all females from Earth this fun?” Lissi asked, blue eyes shining.

Faye stretched out on her stomach on the floor and raised her cup of soku high to keep from spilling as she answered Lissi’s question. “I think one could say with certainty that Earth girls have more fun but Enotian girls have…” She paused as if losing her train of thought then a wide smile stretched her lips. “Enotian girls have Enotian guys.”

Lissi squinted at the ceiling from her position on her back before a knowing smile crossed her own face. “Yes, we have Chosens and Earth doesn’t have enough men.”

Faye shifted to her side and faced Sylvie, palm to cheek. “Are you and Arak together?”

Sylvie choked then sputtered. She set her half finished drink to the side. “What?”

Joni laughed and joined them on the floor, legs crisscrossed. “I think she likes him.”

Sylvie shot her friend a glare. “I do like him. We’re friends.”

Lissi rolled to her stomach, her gauzy, yellow dress fluttering around slim legs, and propped her chin on her combined fists. “Arak is the quiet one but with a core of steel.”

Her words fell into silence and all of them stared. Lissi flushed and took a hasty sip of her drink. Faye had mixed Enotian liquor with the soku and the blonde had a bigger buzz than all of them combined. Sylvie bit back a smile. Lissi sober was a sweetheart. Lissi drunk was downright adorable.

“Yes, well. We’re not dating or anything. Friends,” Sylvie emphasized.

Faye cleared her throat. “I guess you know all the men fairly well, huh Lissi?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Lissi hummed under her breath and twirled a strand of blond hair. “Rydak and I have been together for a while now. Jaron plays a lot but he works hard. Faruk can be distant and Kyele—”

They waited for her to say more but Lissi seemed lost in counting the threads in the carpet.

“Torkel always warns me to have a care around Team Three,” Faye said.

Other than Bane, Sylvie had never officially met anyone from Team Three. She knew Arak worked with Team One under Jaron and Kyele worked with Team Two under Faruk. The other names and guys blended together.

Lissi blinked. “Really? The entire Unit is always polite and nice to me.”

Joni rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Every one of those men know better than to cause you so much as a frown.”

A crease appeared between Lissi’s arched brows. “That’s not true. I don’t think. Maybe.”

Faye covered her mouth but humor danced in her eyes.

“It’s very true,” Joni continued. “Your brother is the head of the Jutak warriors based here and your Chosen is one scary fuck who never removes his leather gloves.”

“Hot leather gloves though,” Faye chimed in.

“Absolutely,” Joni agreed.

Sylvie’s curiosity roused. Why didn’t Rydak remove his gloves? Were his hands deformed?

Lissi waved her hand in an airy motion and wobbled. Her face planted onto the carpet but she popped up before any of them could help. Wisps of blond hair stuck to her forehead. “Enotians born of the original five families are sensitives. The gloves create a filter to keep him from picking up on the thoughts and emotions of those he touches.”

Sylvie couldn’t help blurting, “He’s a psychic?”

Lissi sucked her teeth and tried to touch her nose with her tongue. “I guess.”

Faye peered at her closer. “Doesn’t that bother you? That he could know your every thought?”

Sylvie didn’t think that would be a good thing either. Lissi giggled and her eyes bugged. “I have a secret.”

They all leaned forward, making no effort to hide their interest.

“Rydak can’t read me and sometimes it drives him mad.” As she burst into peels of laughter Lissi’s empty cup fell from her hand.

Faye snickered and soon all of them lay stretched on the floor unable to stop laughing more than Lissi’s words warranted. They were still laughing when Torkel, Arak and Kyele entered Faye’s home followed by a man with ice-gray eyes and a blond ponytail. For some reason his appearance started the laughter again so Sylvie laughed along.

“Hello, Sylvie.”

Tears streamed down Sylvie’s face as she met Arak’s glowing blue eyes. “Hi, Arak.”

A grin split his face. He really was too handsome, the familiar black uniform hugging his sleek frame in all the right places.

Torkel came over and lifted his prone Chosen from the floor. “I don’t have to ask if you enjoyed yourself.”

Faye leaned up and kissed his chin. “Hey.”

Torkel’s smile beamed forth. “Hey.”

Arak knelt at Sylvie’s side and helped her to her feet. “So this is hanging?”

Sylvie stumbled into his side as the room swirled and Arak picked her up without hesitation. “I’m fine. I can walk.”

“Allow me to carry you. For the safety of others.” A thread of humor laced his words.

Sylvie tried to puzzle his remark through the alcoholic fog. She was sure he’d just insulted her but the thoughts wouldn’t align. A light snore from the floor drew their gaze downward. Lissi lay curled up, arms under her head as she slept.

Torkel cast an indulgent grin in his sister’s direction. “You’ll have to carry her home, Rydak. I don’t think Lissi’s waking any time soon.”

The blond man with the long hair moved from the entrance. This gift to the visual senses was Lissi’s? Rydak approached his slumbering Chosen, stunning Sylvie with his beauty. He went to one knee and brushed the hair back from her face. When Rydak glanced up, he looked from Faye to Joni then Sylvie. “She had fun?”

His hands continued to stroke through Lissi’s hair, the black gloves appeared obscene against the brilliant curls. Faye was busy nibbling on Torkel’s jaw line and Joni was in a stare off against Kyele, who’d yet to come closer. Sylvie stared at Rydak, impressed by his ability to wear his shoulder-length blond hair in a pony tail without looking the least bit feminine. In fact, he appeared down right intimidating with a touch of unworldly beauty.

Sylvie swallowed. No man should be that gorgeous. “Lissi had the best time. You’re very lucky, she’s beautiful inside and out.”

Rydak lifted Lissi without awakening her. Sylvie admired the brief flare of passion in the steel-gray gaze as he held his Chosen close to his heart. Their eyes met across Lissi’s blonde head.

“She is and I am.” Rydak tipped his head in her direction and strode from the room.

Joni managed to get to her feet. “I think this means the party’s over.”

Sylvie struggled to get down but Arak’s hold tightened. “I don’t believe you’re fit to take the hover car.”

Joni tried to walk the long way around Kyele in an effort to avoid him but tripped on Lissi’s cup and fell toward the floor. Sylvie cried out but Kyele moved in a blur and had her friend in his arms before any of them could react.

“I might need help getting home.”  After the announcement, Joni’s head lolled on Kyele’s black covered shoulder, eyes rolling back as she passed out.

Kyele’s panicked green stare hit Sylvie, his scar twitching. “Is she alright?”

He made no effort to hide his worry for Joni. Sylvie nodded and immediately regretted the motion when her head started to pound. Arak nuzzled the top of her head and she allowed her weight to relax into his hold. Warmth along with drowsiness seeped into her pores. “She’ll be fine in the morning minus the hangover.”

***

Arak carried Sylvie to his place as she sang some song in a low voice about rain and kittens. Holding back a smile was almost impossible as he shouldered open his bedroom door.

“Hey!” She jerked upright, fingers falling from his hair she’d been stroking. “This isn’t where I live.”

“You nor Joni are fit to drive. In the morning you can return home unless this hangover is more serious than you expect.” Arak stumbled over the unfamiliar word she’d used for Joni’s condition in the morning. Plus, he had no desire to take her home when he could have her close.

Sylvie’s gaze traveled around his room. The bed took up most of the floor space, several green covered pillows lay scattered about. His discarded uniform rested on the only chair in the room with a pair of spare boots from the night before neatly lined underneath. A communicator set near his bed on a small table in case the unit needed to reach him without his ear comm.

Sylvie sighed. “It smells like you.”

Arak chuckled and toed off his boots before laying her on his bed. She fell back instantly, arms splayed amidst the green covers.

“I trust this isn’t a bad thing?”

He unbuttoned his shirt quickly, unable to take his eyes off the delectable image she presented. The red flowing dress twisted about her hips as she curled on her side to face him, lids half lowered. Her position provided him a peek at the matching red underwear she wore underneath. He growled and hurried to remove his pants.

“Nope.” Before Arak could decipher the strange word she continued. “You don’t wear underwear either. Faye warned us. How come?”

Arak palmed his erection, his hard length throbbing. He didn’t wear anything to sleep and immediately dismissed the idea of trying. Smiling, he walked toward the bed and placed one knee on the edge. “Comfort. My cat doesn’t like restrictive clothing.”

“Are you sleeping with me?”

No surprise in the question just mild curiosity. Arak held in his grin as he slid beneath the covers. Soku never did this to Enotians but the effect on the Earth women was always amusing.

“Yes. Is that alright?”

Her lids drifted closed and he worried she’d fallen asleep.

“Yes.” Her lashes fluttered and once again presented him with eyes of brightest blue.

Sylvie rubbed a hang along his sheet covered thigh then moved over to make room for him unaware that her touch had the hair at his neck standing on end. That one brief contact had Arak groaning as he inched closer. His hand flicked the sensor, dousing the room in darkness and pulling the covers up higher to hide his erection.

“This is nice,” she stated. Her hand returned to his hair, petting him. “You’re soft.”

Arak muffled his chuckle at this side of her. Leaning on one forearm, he decided to see how much he could get out of her. Hopefully her answers would help him get passed the remaining barrier between them. “Tell me about yourself, Sylvie.”

“Hmm.” Her fingers moved from his hair to trail along his temple, then to his ear where she teased the sensitive points. “Like what?”

Arak knew nothing about her background other than she journeyed from Earth in search of a male to spend her life with. “Did you leave family behind?”

“Hmm. My mother but she and I don’t get along well. We’re as different from one another as possible and she never understood why I wanted to apply for the Singles Program. I know my father but we only corresponded a handful of times in my life.”

He captured her wandering hands and lowered them to the bed to avoid any chance of distraction. “Tell me about your time with the Marenians.”

Sylvie stiffened and Arak glided his hand up and down her arm.

“I didn’t like it.”

“I know.” He continued touching her, thumb rubbing at the crease between her elbow. Every stroke intended to soothe. “I need to know what happened.”