Wray was surprised by her question and her interest. Their females would only care about being provided for not how it was provided. “No. Pontus has very fertile soil. It was once a paradise filled with life and the plants to support it. Now there is only a very small area that still supports life.”
“The great infection changed that? Like it changed the Ganglians?”
“Yes, it caused the majority of the planet life here and on every other Kaliszian planet to die. Plants from other worlds were brought in, but none survived.”
“But why?”
“Because the Goddess does not allow it. It is her way of withholding her blessing of life from the Kaliszians.”
“The Goddess… blessing...” Kim whispered, frowning as her mind filtering back to her dream. It had been a dream… right?
“Yes, she is the Goddess of all life and she is unhappy with us.”
“You mean with the Ganglians and the Kaliszians.”
“And with the Tornians.” Wray admitted.
“I don’t understand. If she is the Goddess of all life, why would she prevent it?”
“Because of something that happened over five hundred years ago.”
“What happened?” she asked curiously.
Sighing heavily, Wray looked at her. He didn’t want to tell her. Especially after what happened to her at the hands of the Ganglians but he would not lie to her. “Finish your bar, Kim, and I will tell you.”
Looking down Kim was shocked to discover she had only taken one bite. Quickly she finished it, then nodded her thanks when Wray handed her the water to wash it down. Looking at him, she waited for Wray to begin.
“Ancient legends tell of how Tornian Warriors once saved the Goddess from being forced to Join with the lower God Daco when he stole her from her mate. To thank the warriors she promised them that for every warrior born, there would be one special female created specifically for him, a mate. That she would Join with him and only him, completing the warrior as he completed her. Together they would discover what was truly important and would have it for the rest of their lives.”
“That sounds like marriage on Earth.”
“Marriage?”
“It’s what we call it when two people fall in love and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.”
“That is what the Goddess once promised.”
Kim tilted her head slightly at Wray’s words. “You make it sound as if she no longer promises that.”
“She doesn’t. Not since Emperor Lucan.”
“What did he do?”
Wray just looked into her clear green eyes that for the first time held no fear, no pain, or wariness. It would change once she learned what one of his people had done.
“Wray?” Kim looked at him and saw his hesitation. What could one male have done, so many years ago, that still affected so many?
“Since the beginning of recorded time, House Berto ruled Tornian and the Tornian Empire. Their warriors were the first to respond to the Goddess’ plea for help.”
“And?”
“Over five hundred years ago Lucan Berto was Emperor and he….” Wray found his throat tightening.
“He what, Wray?” Kim whispered and found her hand suddenly on his arm, trying to reassure him. The eyes that looked at her suddenly made her unsure she wanted to know.
“He raped his young females, Kim.”
Kim paled and jerked her hand away from him as if burned. “He….” She found she couldn’t speak as her throat thickened and her eyes filled with tears. What had happened to her had been awful... terrible... but to have a father do that. It was the worst form of betrayal, the destruction of the most-basic trust. A father always protected his children, he cared for them, he never harmed them.
"For his crimes the Emperor was executed and his family stripped of their right to ever rule the Tornian Empire again. The Assembly of Lords convened and Wyck Vasteri of House Vasteri was chosen as Emperor."
“Tell me they made him suffer.” The fierceness of Kim’s tone surprised Wray, as did the hardness that filled her wet eyes. “Emperor Lucan, tell me his death was slow and painful, that they made him suffer as much as his females did.”
“They did.” Wray assured her and saw a new side of Kim, one that was more warrior than female. She would punish Lucan herself if he were here.
“Good,” Kim nodded. “It couldn’t have been enough. It could never have been enough.”
“No, it couldn’t have.” Wray agreed and was silent for several minutes before continuing. “It was believed that our punishment would appease the Goddess… we were wrong.” He said tiredly.
“What did she do to the Tornians?” Kim found it hurt to see him so disheartened.
“She made it so more and more males were presented.” He told her quietly.
Kim looked at him, trying to understand why that was such a bad thing. A man… male on Earth always seemed to want a son.
“Males now outnumber females, two hundred to one.”
“What?” Kim quickly did the math, at two hundred to one she would have been one of only two girls in their graduating class.
“The Goddess decided that since we didn’t appreciate her gift of life she would remove what presented it. She did it slowly. So we would suffer the way the Emperor’s females had.”
“The great infection."
"Yes," Wray nodded, "and it spread throughout the known universes, affecting every species differently, but its effects have devastated the Tornians, Ganglians and Kaliszians."
“Why them?”
“One of the Emperor’s closest friends was a Ganglian. He guarded the door and watched while the females were abused. So the Goddess punished them all by only allowing them to find their release while inflicting great pain.” Wray instantly wanted to pull back his words. He hadn’t meant to remind her of what had happened to her with the telling of his story, but he saw that he had.
“Yeah, I discovered that.” Kim hugged her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them tried to block out the pain the Ganglians had caused.
“I am sorry, Kim, I never meant….”
“Finish it.” She demanded hoarsely, closing her eyes.
Wray closed the distance between them, but stopped just short of touching her. He hated that his careless words had caused her pain. All of this was common knowledge for a Tornian, but he had forgotten that it wasn’t for her. “A Kaliszian discovered what was happening, but instead of stopping it, he used that knowledge to work out a new trade treaty with the Emperor, trading their excess food supplies for his silence. That is why nearly every food bearing plant in their Universe has become extinct. They must now rely on the Tornian Empire to feed their people.”
“Why do you help them? Why don’t you treat them as you do the Ganglians?” Kim whispered.
Wray strained to hear her words and found he was ashamed of the reason. “Because we need their energy crystals and the jewels our females demand for Joining.”
Opening her eyes, Kim found Wray had slid across the blanket to her side, his eyes full of concern and regret. She could feel how much he hurt for her and somehow it helped drive back the worst of the pain. Turning her head to the side, she tried to understand everything he had told her.
Centuries ago, a man had raped his daughters. He had been punished and died for his crimes, but the repercussions were still being felt by his people and by her, because he was the reason she had been raped. She wanted to be strong about this, wanted to rise above what had happened to her, but she just couldn’t and her tears started to flow. It was too much, too soon, too fresh... maybe it always would be.
Wray watched helplessly as the tears Kim had so bravely fought to hold back, overflowed her beautiful green eyes and he could feel her pain as if it were his own. “Kim…” was all he said and opened his arms.
Kim found herself diving into the comfort and safety Wray offered. She felt like she was breaking into a million pieces and she didn’t
know how to stop it. Didn’t know how to put herself back together. “I’m sorry.” She whispered against his chest.
“You have nothing to be sorry for Kim. You have every right to cry.” He encouraged not knowing where his words were coming from. When Adana had become upset, he had been grateful she secluded herself in her rooms. But not with Kim, with Kim he wanted to be there for her, wanted to comfort her, hold her and make everything right. “I am here, Kim, you cry all you want. I have you and you are safe.” He promised as he gently rocked her.
Wray didn’t know how long he sat there rocking her, absorbing her pain as her tears ran down his chest. All he knew was it seemed like a lifetime before her sobs lessened and the tears ceased. When he felt her go lax in his arms, he looked down and found she’d fallen into an exhausted sleep.
Chapter Five
Kim just shook her head as her parents waltzed around the kitchen to their favorite Neil Diamond song. This always happened, no matter where they were, no matter what they were doing, when they heard this song, they danced. Her parents were such goofs.
"What are you smirking at over there, Kimmy?" her father asked as he dipped her mother.
"You two.” She said, sitting on a stool by the island. “How many years have you been doing this?"
"Close to thirty years," he replied, "It was the first song your mom and I ever danced to."
"At the fall dance our freshman year." Her mother said, smiling up her father. "You cut in on Jerry Thomas."
"Damn straight, that guy had two left feet. I had to save your pretty toes."
"My hero." she gushed as he twirled her.
“Always, babe.”
The image merged into Jen and Todd dancing at their wedding. They looked so happy, so in love with Jen in her white mermaid-wedding gown and Todd in his white fitted tuxedo. Soon her parents joined them on the dance floor and they danced.
Kim moved to the floor to join them, her date following close behind, but when she turned, it wasn’t John who held her hand. It was stinky bastard.
“No!” she screamed ripping her hand away, but he just hissed at her, laughing as his claws shredded her dress and he threw her to the ground. Turning to her family for help, she found them gone, replaced by two little girls with the saddest eyes.
"No one ever helps you." The older one said.
"They just lie and use you." The younger one continued.
"You can't trust any of them." They said together.
“No!” Kim screamed again. She refused to go through this again. Either she killed stinky bastard or he killed her. Reaching up, she clawed at his eyes.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“Kim!” Wray pulled her hands from his face, not feeling the sting of the nails raking his cheek, his entire being focused on her. “Kim! Stop!” he said, pinning her hands to his chest. “Wake up!” he said giving her a shake. “Wake up now, Kim!” he ordered.
The eyes that snapped open at his command were wild, unseeing and full of fear. It made his heart ache to see her like this. “I am here, Kim.” He whispered to her. “Me. Wray. Just me. Come back to me, little one.” He pleaded and watched as she blinked and her eyes slowly began to focus.
“Wray?” she asked instinctively looking to him.
“Yes, little one. It’s me. You are safe. My vow.” He said it as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, rocking her. Goddess she scared him.
"What happened?" she mumbled into his chest.
"You had a nightmare, little one."
“A nightmare?" she frowned at him, then it all came rushing back to her and she started to tremble. "I was dreaming about my sister’s wedding... Everyone was dancing, mom and dad, Jen and Todd. I was going out to join them, but when I turned it wasn’t John beside me, it was stinky bastard.”
“He’s dead, Kim. He can’t hurt you anymore.” He told her running a reassuring hand up and down her back.
“He laughed at me, Wray,” tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him. “As he ripped my dress off, he laughed and there was no one there to stop him.”
“It was not real, Kim.”
“They said no one would ever help me. That they would just lie to me and use me. That I couldn’t trust anyone.”
“Who said that?” he demanded angrily. No one told lies to his Kim.
“Lucan’s daughters. They just stood there,” her eyes pleading with him to help her understand, “watching. They said no one would ever help me.”
“They were wrong, Kim.” He denied, instantly realizing that some evil had tried to poison her mind. He didn’t know how or why and he didn’t care. He wouldn’t allow it. “I am here. I’ll help you.”
"I..." she trembled as she looked at him, trying to shake off the fear that gripped her. She knew this male, knew he would never hurt her. How? She wasn’t sure, but she knew it the same way she’d known that Warrior wouldn’t hurt her. Some things were just known. Something didn’t want her to believe in him, didn’t want her to trust him. Why?
“You need rest, Kim.” Wray told her.
“I don’t want to sleep. I… oh my God, what happened to your face?” she asked finally seeing the angry red streaks that ran down one cheek.
“It is nothing, little one.” He pulled her more firmly into his embrace. “You can rest. I will be here.”
“Stop that.” She said and reached up to grip his chin. Forcing his face to the side, she inspected the marks, then gasped when she realized they perfectly matched her fingers.
"It's alright, Kim." Wray said gently, pulling his chin away.
"I did that to you…" she whispered, her eyes filling again.
"You were dreaming. You did not mean to, I know this, little one." Wray needed her to know he didn't blame her that it was okay. He also wanted to take that devastated look from her face. "You are very strong when you are upset, little one." He found himself trying to tease a smile out of her. "I will have to remember that in the future."
"It's not funny, Wray." Her eyes flew to his beautiful gray ones. "I was trying to scratch stinky bastard's eyes out."
"And you would have. But I am not him." He told her wanting to make sure she knew he would never harm her like that.
"I know that." Kim said in a putout voice. "You're nothing like stinky bastard. You're not anything like Lucan either."
"You truly believe that?" he asked softly, a strange feeling starting to grow in his chest.
"I do," she looked up at him and wanted him to know the rest. "I trust you, Wray."
"You trust me..." the feeling expanded. She trusted him. Kim trusted him. Wray. Because of his actions, not because of his title.
"Of course, I do," she looked up into his amazing eyes and gave him a slight smile. "Now what have you got in that bag I can use on your face?"
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“You have cold and hot water?” Kim didn’t try to hide her shock as she looked at Wray.
Wray just nodded as he led her deeper into the chamber. She'd refused to listen to him when he'd assured her he was fine. Instead, she rose and searched the bag, haphazardly tossing things out, including the locator beacon. When she found nothing she felt would be useful except a sealed cloth she'd become angry, demanding to know what idiot had packed an emergency bag with no bandages or disinfectant.
Wray had wondered the same thing, for while the portable repair unit would have easily repaired his cheek there still should have been other medical supplies in case it had been damaged. Something was very wrong with this pack and once they returned to the Searcher, he planned to have all of them inspected.
When she went to wet a rag and found it still sealed, she growled her frustration. It had been the most arousing sound Wray had ever heard.
“Is it very deep?” Kim asked, pulling his attention back to him. “Could I bath and wash away….” Kim asked as she slowed her rapid approach to the pool and looked down at her hands. Her pale, healed, clean hands. There was no dirt under her
nails, no blood and she knew they had been bloody before. Taking a deep breath, she realized she didn’t smell either.
How could she have missed something like that?
Slowly she turned to Wray, who suddenly looked uncomfortable. “That repair unit of yours… it cleans a person too?” she asked, hoping she was wrong.
“No.” Wray told her honestly and watched her eyes darken before she turned back to the pool.
“So how did I get clean?” She whispered.
“I cleansed you…” Wray answered quietly, “in the pool.”
“You… while I was….” She stuttered.
“I couldn’t leave you like that, Kim. Once I discovered what your natural skin tone was, I had to cleanse you. I didn’t want…” he trailed off.
“Didn’t want what?”
“For you to wake and find yourself still covered in Ganglian filth.”
“So you washed it away.”
“Yes.”
Walking over to the pool Kim carefully stuck in her toe, testing its temperature, then stepped in so the water lapped around her ankles. Wray had bathed her. He removed her shirt, carried her into this water and touched her… everywhere. Wray touched her and she hadn’t even known it. He removed all evidence of her attack. She looked down at the faint scars that still crisscrossed her fingers, at least as much as he could.
She should be upset with him, furious. He had no right to touch her like that. Not without her permission. No one did.
Tipping her head back, she let her gaze travel over the luciferins that clung to the ceiling. They were so beautiful and yet fragile. They survived in harsh conditions by using what they were given and driving away the darkness. They really were amazing. At her thought, they seemed to sparkle brighter for a moment.
Could she be like them? Could she survive what had happened to her and not let it defeat her? Could she take what she was given and thrive on it? She made herself really think about what Wray had done and compare it to what would have happened to her on Earth.