The minute she stopped touching him, the flaring along his spine died down to a dull murmur and the intense desire he’d been feeling eased up as well. T’zaren breathed a silent sigh of relief. Though he knew the little blondecouldn’tbe his S’rentha, his body persisted in acting as if shewas, which made being close to her damn difficult.
“I’m sorry.” The blonde female was looking at him with uncertainty now. “I, er, didn’t mean to offend you.”
“No offense taken,” T’zaren said stiffly. “It’s just not correct or acceptable for a female to kneel before a male in that way.”
Or to laugh and joke as she did so, though he couldn’t help remembering her smile. It wasn’t at all proper, but itdidmake her even more beautiful. Also, she got a little dent in one cheek when she smiled or laughed—T’zaren thought humans called it a ‘dimple’—that made her look positively adorable, damn her!
But aS’renthawasn’tsupposedto be adorable. She was meant to be imposing and stern, he reminded himself—a goddess to be worshiped, not a source of amusement. Why did his body insist on acting like the little blonde was the one for him when she was so clearly exactly the wrong type?
Now she was looking at him with raised eyebrows.
“Not proper for a female to kneel before a male? I think I know some human men who might disagree with you there,” she said dryly.
“Then they are wrong,” T’zaren said firmly. “A male may kneel before a female, but never the other way around.”
“All right, well—I didn’t mean to ‘kneel before you’. I just tripped.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry about that—I got kind of excited, wanting to thank you for saving my life last night.”
“No thanks are necessary,” T’zaren said stiffly. “I would do no less for any female I saw fall into the river.” He looked down at the high heels on her feet, frowning. “Though if I may offer some advice, perhaps you would not have so much trouble with tripping if you wore less ridiculous footwear.”
Instead of getting offended, one corner of her mouth quirked up, showing that little dimple he’d noticed earlier.
“So you’re a good swimmeranda fashion expert, I see,” she said playfully. “What else do you do for fun besides saving clumsy women from drowning and critiquing their clothing choices?”
T’zaren realized she was teasing him—another thing a true S’rentha would never do. His frown deepened.
“I am a warrior,” he said. “I drill daily with my fellow Monstrum. We must be ready to fight the Darklings if they attack again.”
She looked him up and down, frankly appraising.
“Hmm…I definitely believe that you ‘drill daily.’ Yourmuscleshave muscles. That’s a compliment by the way… T’zaren, isn’t it?” she asked, looking up at him quizzically.
The sound of his name on her lush lips sent another flare of heat down his spine, even though she wasn’t directly touching him this time. T’zaren fought with himself grimly to keep from reacting to the sudden heat as he nodded.
“Yes, I am T’zaren of the Stri’vor Monstrum,” he said in a rather choked voice. “But…I do not know your name.”
Chief Commander Rarev, who had been watching them silently from behind his desk, cleared his throat.
“T’zaren, this is Dr. Lucille Heartwood. She has an advanced degree in Geology, which is why I asked her here today.”
“You have not yet told me why you want me here as well,” T’zaren said. He knew he ought to be looking at his Commanding Officer when he spoke to him, but somehow his eyes were still trained on the little blonde.
For her part, Dr, Lucille Heartwood was staring right back at him, her honey-colored eyes holding his own effortlessly. Her pupils were round instead of slits like his own, T’zaren noticed. But that only seemed to make her more lovely—everythingabout her was round and curvy—a fact which he definitely shouldnotbe noticing.
Commander Rarev cleared his throat again.
“You can be seated if you’re ready,” he remarked. “I have some very serious business to discuss with both of you and I hope you’re prepared to hear it.”
SEVEN
LUCY
Lucy dragged her eyes away from the big Monstrum’s and finally looked at Commander Rarev.
“Er, yes. My friend Iyanna said you wanted to see me because I’m a Geologist?” she asked, finally seating herself on the available chair across from his desk.
Beside her, T’zaren was sitting back down as well. Whatwasit about him, she wondered, studying him from the corner of her eye. He had gone all stiff when she’d accidentally fallen into his lap—his whole body going rigid.
And I do mean hiswholebody,she thought. She’d felt his sudden hard-on through the tight black leather trousers he was wearing. It had been pressing against her breasts.