applepie

[I]It was a very productive day. I made it through all of my previous sections to correct typos, and I also finished an entire chapter. Enjoy chapter 13:) It is kind of long, but I think it turned out well.

Meg[/I]

Chapter 13

The sky was darkening with the approaching night. Arabella knew that it would not be the same pitch black darkness like on some of the worlds she had visited, but it was soothing all the same. Night time had always been her favorite time of day. The calming darkness would smooth over the harshness of the day, and she would often relax with Vern. When the sun sank below the horizon, it became their time to forget about all that was going on around them. They spent many nights in the company of one another. Many of their coworkers thought that the time was spent diligently working. They were incorrect, and much of the time was just spent watching movies and eating food at the office. Both Vern and Arabella had viewed the office as a second home. It was not uncomfortable for them to spend much of their free time together there sitting on the plush couch in Vern’s office. It was not hard to understand why much of the office thought that they were involved in a romantic relationship. Arabella had lost count of the times that they’d been discovered, cuddled in each other’s arms, by people coming into work early in the mornings.

Arabella’s thought of the virile man at her side. She had no illusions that any relationship with Allarick would not be the platonic one that she shared with Vern. Vern offered comfort, protection, and security. Allarick was trying to offer all of these things, but he appealed to her senses in a way that no man had ever done before. She feared that she may already be half in love with him. It would be impossible for her to keep her emotions under control around this man. She had admitted to herself he previous evening that there was something about Allarick that seemed to draw her to him. It was as if her heart and body were trying to tell her something that her mind refused to accept. Her time with Philomina had only made things worse by forcing her to admire Allarick. She had been convinced he was cold and uncaring. That was not the picture painted by his vivacious sister.

Philomina had spent the afternoon rambling on about her brother’s great characteristics. She had told all about her brother’s plans to make the people of their world more equal, and she was sure to tell of his fight to improve the lot of their lowest class. The only people from home that could be compared to the servant class were the slaves that she had read about in history classes. The servants here had no rights, and they were often sold between households. There were no laws to protect them from harm, and it seemed that no one would think it odd if one were killed by someone in a fit of anger. Allarick was working to change that. He hoped to give them the right to own personal property, to mate with another of their own choosing, and to offer protection from those who would harm people weaker than themselves. She had also gone on at length about how he had been so supportive and caring after the death of his parents. It was unusual for her to still be living in her brother’s house at her age, but Allarick had given her permission to look for a mating based on love and trust.

“He will never admit it,” Philomina had confided, “but my beloved brother will not rest easy unless I can have the same type of mating as our parents. They were very in love and entirely devoted to one another. I think he will not accept anything less for me.”

Arabella could feel the tension in the arm she held, but she thought that it was a result of Allarick’s continued dissatisfaction with her offer to explain her presence. She scoffed, how could she be so drawn to a man who would not even look at her? She had been so lost in her own thoughts that she was completely unaware of the looks that Allarick kept casting her from the corner of his eyes. A smoldering heat seemed to burn there, and it was only through the most rigid self discipline that he was keeping reign of his passions. He had been focusing upon his own tumultuous thoughts and feelings.

He was aware that he did not know much of anything about Arabella, but he was unable to deny the desire that she sparked within him. Allarick had been determined to keep his distance. Regardless of his resolve, he had still invited her into the gardens for a walk. Allarick had wanted to alleviate the pain he had put into her eyes with his sharp words during the meal, but he also wanted to get to know the beautiful woman that held his so enthralled. Her happiness while she was under his care was as much his concern as her personal safety. He knew that there was no possibility for a relationship between them. He was forbidden a mate by his position, and he refused to dishonor Arabella by offering a relationship with no mating. He could not allow himself to become too attached or else he was bound to hurt both of them.

It was not only the shame that their passion may bring upon them that was a danger. Allarick had seen the way that Phelon had tried to goad him during the meal. First he had deliberately defied him by questioning Arabella about her past. He hadn’t stopped there, however. Phelon had gone on to spend much of the meal leering at Arabella in a manner that promised her harm. Allarick had been unable to miss the viciousness in Phelon’s gaze even as there was a heat in his eyes that said he also wished to possess her. He would not allow for that to happen to Arabella. He had heard the tales of what had happened to some of the lower class women that Phelon had bedded. The man was a monster; one young girl had actually died from a beating he had given her. Lianna was the only woman he knew that was safe from her mate’s cruelty, and it was suspected that it was because she had her own mean streak. If he were to allow himself to feel too strongly about Arabella, she was bound to be used against him as a pawn in someone’s intrigue. Phelon was not the only one with a grudge against Allarick. He was also losing some favor with the other lords because of his determination to grant rights to those of the lower classes.

Arabella tripped over a small root in their path. The jarring movement as she caught her balance threw her against Allarick’s side, and it brought them both crashing back to reality. Allarick’s arms had come around her waist to steady her, and her face was tucked into his chest. Both of their breaths sucked in at the suddenly overwhelming contact. Allarick nuzzled her head and inhaled the flowery fragrance of her hair. Quickly, Arabella pulled away and turned her back. She was trying to hide the shock of her reaction to such simple contact. The man had only steadied her from falling, and that didn’t warrant the shortness of breath she experienced as her heart began to hammer too quickly.

“I apologize for my familiarity. You are still upset with me for my rudeness during the meal,” Allarick’s eyes dropped as he tried to hide his own disappointment at being denied the feel of her in his arms. “I will leave you to your walk. I’m sorry to have disturbed you with an unwanted offer for a walk. Your anger is justified and it was unfair of me to expect you to walk with me.”

“What?” Arabella looked at Allarick as if he had lost his mind. Her expressive eyes were wide with the confusion she felt. “For what reason would I be angry with you? You had every right to speak to me as you did. I know that you did not wish for anything to be revealed about my coming from another planet, and I was about to reveal that secret. My pride was bruised by your tone, but why would I still be hurt over something so minor?”

“You pulled away from me as if you could not bear to have me touch you. If you are not angry with me, then why did you act as if I had burned you with my hands?”

“I was…,” Arabella’s voice trailed off. She could not admit to someone who was basically a stranger that the reason she had pulled away from him was that his touch ignited her senses. Simply having his arms around her had made her heart jump like she was a teenager with her first crush. That was not something that she could admit to Allarick, so she shifted her eyes from his searing gaze and maintained an embarrassed silence. “I was startled,” she finally said. It was only a partial lie. She only hoped that he believed her to be surprised by her fall, and, with luck, he would not know that it was her reaction to his close proximity that had made her jump.

“I apologize then for scaring you,” Allarick looked relieved that she was not angry at his touch, “I only wished to keep you from falling. The roots in the garden can make it treacherous at night. I would not wish for you to be harmed simply because I wished to spend some time in your company.” The last sentence had slipped out before he could stop it. Now it was his turn to have his brow bones kissed with the bronze of embarrassment. He was trying to keep distant, and it would be impossible to do so if he continued to spout his thoughts in such a careless manner.

Rather than explain his comment, Allarick grasped Arabella’s arm and threaded it through his own again. He began to walk further down the path heading towards the waterfall and pool they had visited earlier in the day. The night sky caused the spray of the falling water to appear as a rainbow mist against the darkness of the water. He wanted to share the beauty of his favorite spot with Arabella, and maybe he could take some time to calm his traitorous body. His nerves seemed to come alive as if lightening were moving through him at the brief contact of their bare hands touching one another.

They approached the small clearing around the waterfall. Arabella’s excited exclamation was all the thanks for his small gift that Allarick required.

“It is beautiful! I would not think that there would be enough light to paint such colors.”

“You are pleased to have come out with me then,” Allarick queried. It seemed that he desired a little more than her excitement he thought ashamedly. He needed Arabella to tell him that she was pleased to be there with him. He didn’t want to know that she was just pleased to be there. He desired to hear that she was happy that it was him who had accompanied her.

“I am pleased that you brought me here,” Arabella admitted honestly. She had turned to Allarick, and she hugged him in gratitude for being so thoughtful to share something so lovely with her.

She didn’t know the small leap his heart experienced at her words, and the even bigger one he experienced when she stepped into his arms. They were such simple words, but they filled him with joy at being able to please her. Allarick engulfed Arabella in his arms like he was afraid she would disappear if he moved too quickly. She leaned back in the shelter of his embrace and tipped her face towards his.

“Thank you for being so sweet. I don’t think anyone has ever shared something like this with me before.”

Allarick looked into her eyes, and he found that he was unable to resist his own impulses. She looked so temptingly kissable that he ducked his head and softly pressed his lips to hers. It had been years since he had last kissed another in a manner that was more than a peck on the cheek. To have his lips pressed to hers was pleasant, but the way that Arabella’s eyes slid shut and her lips yielded to him was his undoing. It may have been a long time since he had kissed a woman, but he had not forgotten how to do it properly. Allarick’s hand fisted in the dark tangle of curls, and he pulled Arabella’s head back to give him better access. His other arm pulled her more firmly against him, and he ravished her with his mouth.

A small puff of air escaped Arabella as Allarick lowered his mouth to hers. She could see him coming into kiss her, but rather than retreat she could only stand there spellbound by the longing in his eyes. Never had someone radiated such a need for companionship and comfort as the man before her did. Rather than fight, she yielded beneath him. When he demanded entrance to her mouth with his tongue it was granted and she returned his caresses with her own. She was overrun with the intoxicating feel of his arms around her and his mouth above hers, but then the spell was broken.

A soft cough came from the path behind them, and Allarick pulled away abruptly. They turned to see who the intruder was, and found Nechemya shuffling uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“My Syine, you are needed inside immediately. There are problems with one of the guests. It seems that Lord Phelon has struck the young girl assigned to ready his room for slumber.” Nechemya cast an apologetic look at Arabella.

“See my guest back to her chamber, and be sure that all she wants is granted,” Allarick's gaze had already returned to the arrogant mast that characterized the Syine. The only thing that reminded Arabella of the man who had kissed her was a flicker of burning heat still within his eyes, “I’ll see to our guest.” Allarick strode from the gardens at a brisk pace. Anger made his strides lose their typical grace and replaced it with the stiffness of barely constrained rage.

“I will show you to your room, my lady,” Nechemya offered. The apology was still in his eyes, but there was also worry for his master there as well.

“Please, call me Arabella. I can’t get used to being referred to as ‘my lady’.”

“As you wish,” Nechemya bowed deeply, “Please follow me… Arabella,” He had used her name, but he still hesitated at the use of such a familiar address. Regardless, Arabella followed him to her chamber where she assured him that she had no further needs for the evening.