“For what?” Ynyr asked.
“Rebecca was the first female taken from Earth. Callen acquired her and it seems after he did, he refused to leave the Searcher, choosing instead to guard the females. Because of this Luuken was chosen to replace him. Abby was the first female he brought back. Rebecca was sleeping when Luuken brought her in. When she woke Luuken was loosening Abby’s coverings.”
“What!” Both males exclaimed!
“Rebecca started screaming, by the time Callen responded to her screams Luuken was shaking Abby and asking her questions. Callen saw nothing wrong and Rebecca said nothing. But from then on one or the other of them was always awake so they could protect each other.”
“Do you think she knows?” Oryon asked quietly wishing Luuken were alive so he could end him. No one touched a female like that, especially not one that belongs to his family.
“I don’t know,” Isis told Oryon before her gaze returned to Ynyr, “and I would never ask but do you understand now Ynyr? I do not wish to belittle you or make you think less of yourself, but there is nothing in your life that will be as brave as what Abby has already done. She is a small female but she has more courage, more strength than any I have ever met and that includes Queen Lisa. She has put her faith, her hope, her trust and her love in these hands,” Isis gripped Ynyr’s hands large strong hands and squeezed. ”She did it blindly Ynyr. Are you brave enough to do the same?
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Abby shoved her head under the hot, pounding water of the cleansing stall and hoped it would block her thoughts as the steam blocked her from the outside world. After several moments she pulled her head out of the stream and took a much needed breath. She needed to be thinking not burying her head in the sand, or in this case a shower stream. Hiding did no good. That was a lesson she would never forget.
Giving herself some time to calm and to gather her thoughts, she reached for what she had learned was cleansing gel and began to rub it over her body. The sweet scent of vanilla and musk quickly filled the room. At least that was what it reminded Abby of, it was one of her favorite scents on Earth. She would skimp and save to be able to purchase a bottle of the scented lotion at the high end lingerie store near campus. She wondered what it was called here.
Running her hands over her body, she felt the little aches she still had from Joining with Ynyr. Closing her eyes, Abby lets herself remember how wonderful it had been to be in Ynyr’s arms. She had spent nearly six months with Lance and yet for all his experience and skill he had never excited her even half as much as Ynyr had last night with his honest touches and responses.
Yes, there had been some misunderstandings, but they had worked through them by talking. Lisa had told them misunderstandings were going to occur, that they could cause harm when none was intended. Was that what had just happened? Abby made herself take a hard, cold look at what had really happened, what had been said and how they both had reacted.
Ynyr had not said he didn’t want to take her to Etruria, but that he couldn’t because it was too dangerous. She knew he was concerned with her safety, even here with something as simple as a trunk being delivered to their resting chamber without his knowledge. He took it as a possible threat. All his life he had been taught that a female would never consider him, let alone stay with him, if he could not protect her. It was why no Tornian female would Join with Grim because he had been injured. But that was no longer true, thanks to Lisa and her refusal to leave Grim.
It would not be true for Ynyr either, not if Abby had any say in the matter… but would she? How could she? If she wasn’t at his side? But she also forced herself to understand his fear, for that was what it was, fear, for her. So much changed in his life in just a few short hours and he had to be reeling.
Abby waved a hand to shut off the water and stepped out the cleansing stall quickly wrapping a towel around her sopping hair and then another around her body. Could she really have any idea of the pressure he was under? Of what he was going through? Of the thousands of decisions he needed to make?
She was still so new to this world that what seemed normal or unimportant to her, weren’t to him, take the trim on the covering she wanted to wear. She looked at the gown she had dropped on the counter. She looked at it and all she saw was a beautiful gown. Ynyr looked at it and saw her telling everyone she was still under ‘Grim’s’ protection, not his, that she trusted Grim. Not him.
She needed to show them her trust was in Ynyr… unsheathing her blade she went to work.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ynyr thought about what his mother had told him as he walked back to their chamber. Did his Abby remember what Luuken had tried to do? Did he dare ask? Was that why she had reacted so strongly to his words? He had not meant to insult her by calling her his female. It was what all Tornian males called the female they were lucky enough to attract.
But Abby wasn’t like Tornian females she was… Abby.
Unique.
Special.
His.
Yet he had treated her like one of them. Would she let him explain? Forgive him? Last night had been the most amazing night of his life. Yes, there had been misunderstandings, but they had worked through them. They would work through this too, for he would not lose her.
Entering their chamber, he froze at what he found. Abby was standing before one of the windows, the warm light of the sun flickering through the damp strands she was brushing. Yet it was what she was wearing that stopped him for she wore the gown she had been so excited about but it was minus its trim. How had she accomplished this?
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Abby spun around at the sound of the door opening, tensing until she saw it was Ynyr.
“Hi,” she said, taking a hesitant step towards him. “I…’
Ynyr could not take her hesitancy and quickly moved to her pulling her into his arms. She should never hesitate to move towards him, should never fear that he would rebuke her. If this is the harm his words had caused he had to correct it.
“I’m sorry,” they said in unison, then gave the other an embarrassed smile.
“It was my fault Abby.”
“No Ynyr. It was not.”
“It was!” He began to argue back only to have Abby put gentle fingers over his lips.
“Maybe it was both our fault.” She told him with understanding eyes.
“Perhaps,” he said as he kissed her fingers. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Abby had to blink rapidly to hold back the tears that suddenly tried to fill her eyes. “I know and I never meant to make what you had to do more difficult.”
“You haven’t Abby. You have made me realize how important what I am about to do truly is. How special. Yet none of that will matter if you are not at my side.”
“What?” Abby couldn’t hide her shock.
“I cannot go to Etruria and do what I need to do without you.” His eyes searched hers. “Not after last night. It would be mean nothing.”
“Ynyr…”
“I did not mean to insult you by calling you my female.” Ynyr expected her to stiffen in his arms, but instead she gave him a soft, understanding smile.
“I know and I should not have reacted that way.” Abby told him. “It is how Tornian males refer to… well all females.”
“It is, but you are not all females, Abby. You are mine. My Lady. My Abby.”
“Do you really feel that way Ynyr?” Abby found herself asking, her insecurity and doubt showing. “It’s alright if you don’t you know. I would rather have your truth than have you just try to please me.”
“You believe I would tell you an untruth?” Ynyr’s head jerked back as if he had been struck.
“It is what Tornian males do to appease their females isn’t it?”
“Perhaps, but you are not a female!” He told her anger. “You are a Lady! My Lady!”
“What does that mean Ynyr?” Abby asked not intimidated by his anger. She needed to know. “To you?”
/> “It means,” he said, giving her a little shake, “you are going to Etruria with me. It means you are going to be resting with me every night, in our chamber. It means you are going to be an integral part in the building of our House. It means…”
The rest of Ynyr’s words were cut off as Abby jumped into his arms, silencing him with a kiss. Ynyr’s arms immediately wrapped around her, pulling her close as he fisted one hand in her hair, deepening the kiss.
Abby sunk into the kiss, she couldn’t believe he was taking her with him. She had really thought he was going to send her to Betelgeuse. She hadn’t given him enough credit for understanding what she needed. She would have to make sure she did the same for him. Ripping her mouth from his she gazed into his dark eyes.
“You’re sure?” Her eyes searched his. “I want to be with you, but I don’t want to cause you more problems.”
“You won’t Abby, but I also need you to understand that you will not have the same freedoms that the Queen or the Empress do… not yet.” He cut off the protest, he saw in her eyes. “They are both in secure Houses, with males that can be trusted. Etruria is not that… not yet, but it will be. My vow, one day you will be able to travel freely in our House.”
Abby’s eyes searched Ynyr’s and saw his truth there. “That is good enough for me Ynyr.” Stretching up she kissed him again.
Ynyr growled as he ripped his mouth from his Abby’s. He wanted to take her to bed. He wanted to sink into her soft giving flesh and feel her release around his shaft. He wanted to hear her cries of pleasure that he knew only he could give her but he could not. They needed to leave. Looking down into her flushed face, the arousal he saw in her eyes nearly had him changing his mind.
“We need to leave,” he told her gruffly.
“What?” Abby frowned, trying to understand what he was saying.
“All the males are waiting for us in the loading area to leave for Etruria.”
“Now? Today?” Abby pulled slightly away from Ynyr, the desire, leaving her eyes. She hadn’t realized they would need to leave so quickly.
“Yes.” Ynyr let her slip out of his hold as she stepped back.
“Give me a couple minutes to fix my hair and find my shoes and I’ll be ready.” Abby turned and rushed into the bathroom where she knew she had kicked her shoes off before her shower.
Ynyr watched Abby leave in shock. He had expected her to tell him she needed more time, that the males could wait. It was what a Tornian female would do, she would need days to prepare for a journey, not just a few minutes. Another difference he had not realized.
“Ready!” Abby told him returning to the room.
Ynyr gave her a startled look, then let his gaze travel over her. He saw her shoes were on her feet and her hair was pulled tightly back from her face and tied with what looked like a piece of material before it flowed down her back. It made her beautiful blue eyes stand out even more in her heart shaped face and drew the gaze down her long, graceful neck to her bountiful breasts that were only hinted at by the cut of her covering. How had she managed to look even more beautiful so quickly?
He frowned at her covering, it was no longer trimmed in violet. Their conversation had distracted him from asking, now he needed to know. “What have you done to your covering?” He reached out to run a finger long her shoulder that was now devoid of color.
“I removed House Luanda’s color. It was actually really easy once I got started. I used my blade to cut several of the stitches, then realized Caitir made it to be removable, which is really brilliant when you think about it. That way, when a female chooses a male she doesn’t have to redo her entire wardrobe, just change the trim color. Once you have chosen ours I’ll sew it permanently in.”
“You know how to do this?” Ynyr couldn’t hide his shock, Tornian females didn’t. At least he didn’t think they did.
“Yeah, my mom taught me. I’m not nearly as talented as Caitir but I get by. I like doing decorative needlework more. I used to buy plain items from the discount rack and embellish them. I would then sell them at flea markets for five times what they originally cost. It got me through some really tight times after my family died.”
“You created beautiful things, then had to sell them to survive?” He had not realized she had struggled to survive on Earth. She had never told him any of this during their talks.
“I wasn’t destitute if that’s what you mean. Without resources.” She corrected when she saw his confusion. “I had the college fund mom and dad had set up for me and there was some money left over from their estate after the medical and funeral bills were paid but I still needed to supplement it if I wanted it to last. That’s why I worked so many jobs and made things to sell.”
Ynyr’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open by the time Abby finished speaking. Especially when she just shrugged her shoulders as if what she had done was insignificant. It wasn’t. It was amazing. His Lady was amazing. “Once we choose our House color we will find someone to place it on all your coverings for you.”
“But…”
“That way you can concentrate on…” he struggled with the word, “embellish them.”
“Embellishing,” Abby corrected gently touched that he had listened and understood what she had been saying. She shouldn’t have been surprised, Ynyr always seemed to understand her or at least he tried to.
“Embellishing,” he repeated slowly, “if that is what pleases you most.”
“It does.” Reaching up, she gripped his neck, pulling his lips down to her for a quick kiss. “Thank you.”
“I will always try to please you Abby, you just need to tell me what you need.”
Abby gazed deeply into Ynyr’s warm brown eyes and could see how serious he was. He wanted to give her everything she needed. “All I need is you Ynyr. Everything else is well… just ‘things’ that don’t matter.”
“Goddess Abby…” Ynyr rested his forehead against hers, unable to express what her words meant to him. How they made him feel. To be the only thing she felt she needed when he was willing to give her all the universes had to offer. It humbled him while at the same time it made him feel invincible. Goddess what a feeling.
“My Lord?”
Spinning around Ynyr blocked Abby as he drew his sword, pointing it towards the male in the doorway.
“My Lord?” Korin immediately stepped back, bowing his head, confronted with his Lord’s rage.
“Korin!” Ynyr sheathed his sword. “What are you doing here?”
“My Lord, the males are growing restless. I came to see how much longer it would be before we left.”
“We will leave as soon as my Lady is ready,” Ynyr growled at Korin.
“Your Lady is going with us?” Ynyr took a shocked step back.
“Yes.”
“Where else would I be going Korin?” Abby asked as she moved to Ynyr’s side.
“I…” Korin looked from her to Ynyr who was frowning down at Abby and waited for his permission to speak to his Lady. He had seen how Grim had allowed it but would Ynyr?
“What?” She asked, looking from Korin to Ynyr.
“You not only addressed Korin directly, but you used his name.”
“So?” It was Abby’s turn to frown. “How else am I supposed to address him?”
“You aren’t supposed to.” Ynyr told her.
“I am going to speak to our males Ynyr.” Abby’s eyes hardened as she looked at him. “It is the only way to show them that our House is going to be nothing like Bertos’ was. So you need to tell me the best way to address them. Korin is your second,” her eyes turned to Korin. “What is the proper way for me to address him, to show that I respect his position? Warrior Korin? Captain Korin?”
Ynyr silently looked down at Abby and found he did not like the thought of her speaking to other males. They would take it that she wished to Join with them.
“I am yours and only yours Ynyr.” Abby gently squeezed his arm. “You are the only male I want to Join
with and that won’t change no matter who I talk to and what they think.”
“It is what they will think.” Ynyr told her quietly.
“At first, but I will make sure they understand that I am their Lord’s female,”
“Lady!” Ynyr instantly corrected. “You are my Lady and any male that doesn’t understand and respect that will meet my sword.” Ynyr’s eyes went to Korin, who bowed his head, acknowledging he understood.
“Lady.” Abby repeated.
Ynyr’s gaze returned to hers and saw the happiness it gave her when he said that. “You will address Korin and any male you meet by their title, Korin is Captain Korin.”
“Alright.” Abby’s gaze returned to Korin. “So Captain Korin, to answer your question. I will be going to Etruria with my Lord and we will be leaving as soon as someone loads my things.” She gestured to the trunk behind her.
“I will see to it immediately, my Lady!” Bowing Korin left.
Chapter Ten
Abby sat quietly next to Ynyr, her fingers gripping the armrests of her chair as the ship took off. It was a weird sensation going straight up instead of forward for takeoff. She had questioned Ynyr about it when she had first seen the ship. It was a long, shiny cigar shaped cylinder stretching out along the ground that resembled an airplane, but it had no wings. Ynyr had given her a strange look when she had asked where they were. He told her they would extend once they reached a certain altitude, then the ship would move forward.
“What is wrong, Abby?” Ynyr asked gently prying her fingers from the armrest to enfold them with his. Flying was so common for them that he had not considered that it might bother her.
“Nothing,” she told him, but her nails continued to dig into his hand. “It’s just a strange sensation, kind of like being on a carnival ride. Our plane’s wings are always extended… for this one’s not to be…”
“They are stationary?” Ynyr asked, trying to distract her while being curious at the same time.
“Yes, at least the ones I ever flew in. They also can only go forward.”