Jupiter's Rising, page 22
“Call him off!” She squealed in pain.
I giggled, “Wren, I’m safe!”
I sent him waves of calm. He looked up at me with a mouthful of Jones’s pants clinging to his teeth. Seeing I was safe, he spit them out, harrumphed, and marched off to the house. I laughed, seeing my friend’s disgruntled face. Her eyes widened and her lips curled up. I was jostled around and found myself back in the air.
“Tell me I’m not strong!” She bellowed manically.
“Jones! Put me down!”
She laughed, letting me go. I screamed until her arms collected me again in the air. My face was inches from hers and my breath was coming fast. I squeezed my arms around her shoulders tightly, terrified of falling and breaking something.
“That’s not funny,” I told her heatedly.
Her dark brown eyes shimmered, “Weren’t you begging for this a few nights ago? You wanted to see how strong I was. Did I prove it to you?”
Her words sent shivers down my spine, “Please set me down, nicely.”
She complied, bending, and putting my feet safely on the ground. It took me only a second to find my footing and I stepped safely out of her arms. I glared at her, following Wren down the street haughtily.
“I don’t count, remember, I’m all bones now,” I hollered over my shoulder.
“Oh, I’m coming for you!” She teased boomingly.
Squealing, I raced down the road and ran into our fence. Wren mewed from the top. I pushed through the gate and into my yurt, laughing wildly. Jones barreled in, laughing just as hard.
“You want to play this game?” Her voice was low and sultry.
I cleared my throat and plastered a kind smile on my face, “I’d rather play nurse. Go prop that leg up.”
I gestured for her to take a seat before sliding into my bathroom and finding the first aid kit. I gasped when I walked out. Jones was sitting in tight boxers. The blue shorts clung to her muscled thighs.
I raised my eyebrows, “A simple ankle bite and you thought it necessary to take off your pants?”
She shrugged, “You needed to witness the full horror your little monster did!”
Wren hissed at her before going back to lazily licking his paws, “He’s not monster-sized yet,” I told her confidently.
She rolled her eyes and gestured to her leg, “He licked it, but I’m still bleeding here woman.”
I sat on the pillowed floor and examined her bite wound. Surprisingly, the cuts were deeper than I had suspected they would be. Silently, I sent Wren a good job and a mental scratch behind his ears. He returned the mental celebration with a strong purr.
I opened the iodine pads and carefully started wiping away the cuts, “Ahh, that burns,” Jones gasped painfully.
I pressed on, unapologetically. When it was as clean as I could get it, I found the antibiotic pen. Before I popped off the needle, I grinned up at her.
“This might sting too,” I teased as I quickly jabbed the pen into her ankle and released the antibiotics.
“Arg! You weren’t kidding,” came her bellowing retort.
“It’s what you get for showing off. Now, let me slap a large band-aid on this. Keep it clean and dry or it will get infected. It’s deeper than I thought it would be,” I told her earnestly.
“Yeah, I tried telling you it hurt,” she grumbled as I slapped the sticky cover on over her wound.
I stood, laughing, “You can put your pants back on now...”
I turned my back, tossing the wrappings in the trash and cleaning up the kit. When I returned from washing my hands in the bathroom, she was still relaxed in her boxer shorts. I crossed my arms as I leaned against the bathroom door.
“Weren’t you getting dressed?”
She grinned, making her dark eyes lighter, “I thought you needed a visual reminder to know how gorgeous I am.”
I chuckled, “Isn’t there a rule about handlers flirting with their charges?”
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in an ‘oh’ shape before she shook her head, “Nope. Haven’t heard one. I can understand that absorbing all this gloriousness can be challenging though. Plus, you keep it warm in here.”
She hobbled up and slipped into her pants. I did my best to not stare. She does have a nice body. Stop, Reyna! You are in love with someone else. Even if that someone else is in love with someone who isn’t... me.
“I can keep them off...” her voice had gone sultry again.
I risked a glance back to her fully covered body a meter in front of me and I quietly murmured, “What was that thing you said about sometimes being alone isn’t as lonely...”
She brushed a stray curl off my forehead, “You never have to be lonely with me here.”
My mouth felt dry. Her breath was steady, even, slow. Mine was ragged and sharp. I can’t deny how beautiful she is. I searched her eyes before noticing her full lips. Her tongue licked them slowly and I forced my gaze back up to her brown orbs. She’s my handler. This would complicate things.
Jones interrupted my thoughts pleasantly, “Well, I’ll be back in a few hours, and we can head back out to the farms.”
Snapping out of my lusty and guilt-stricken thoughts, I groaned, “Again?”
“Don’t worry, we’re cleaning up the seed bags. We’ll be in air conditioning with minimal smells!” She informed me happily.
I grinned, “Thank the ‘Way! I don’t think my body could handle it again tonight.”
My friend’s eyes scraped over my body, “Despite your loose clothes, you are regaining weight fairly quickly.”
Self-consciously, I felt my cheeks, “Yeah, I look a little less shriveled vegetable-like.”
“Ha, that’s one word for it, for sure. You’re looking great, Lyon,” she told me with her usual lust-free confidence.
I was happy to see she had been right several hours later when we were sorting through the bags for recycling. Before depositing me to clean up for the night Jones had me grab my omnitab. She tapped the screen and informed me that Praveena had sent me homework. I fell asleep reading about meditation styles and affirmations while failing miserably at figuring out ‘myself’.
Chapter Ten | Kisses
Nassar had us studying the dramatic climb of the monarchy’s overreaching control for the last two weeks. We had been put in groups to discuss and then debate in front of the entire class which were some of the most controlling rules. Our group had settled on the constant control of scientific and engineering advancement. When the monarchy determined the allotted research completed was the most beneficial for them, they swooped in and stopped all progress. They claimed they had more funds and approvals to continue to enhance the studies. Technically, it was true but only because they controlled every investor. Additionally, when the monarchy took over the research, the projects went on ice, disappeared, or only advanced with their royal armies in mind and not for the benefit of the citizens.
While an interesting class, it continued to prove that the control of the monarchy was harmful to the citizens it was sworn to protect. I can see why the monarchy fell. I shook the thoughts away as I waited outside the building patiently for Jones.
“I see all those farm workouts with my cuz have been doing you some good,” a sweet voice murmured.
I tried to keep the heat in my chest from rushing to my cheeks, “Hello Faz.”
“Good to see you again. Was it Renna?” She coyly asked me.
“Reyna,” I said, confident she remembered my name and that this was only an excuse to talk to me.
“Right, so, Reyna... you comin’ out tonight?” She leaned her arm on the wall beside me.
I plastered a wide smile on my face as I turned to face the seraphic woman, “Would you miss me if I didn’t?”
I kept my voice sweet, channeling my inner Jordain. It had the desired effect. Faz’s deep amber-brown eyes, but not the right brown, relaxed. Her playful smile turned sultry.
“I have for the last two weekends now. You wouldn’t want me pining away for you all night long would you, sweet cheeks?” She asked me in a much lower voice.
I kept the cloyingly sweet girly tone while I ran a hand through my bouncing curls for effect, “Hmmm... I think I’ll have to consider it.”
I turned away, pretending to be deep in thought. She laughed and a warm hand cupped my chin, dragging it back toward her. I sucked in a breath, dying inside while trying not to recall the last woman who had done this to me. Faz’s eyes were deep pools inviting me to get lost. The brown irises were shrinking as her dark pupils consumed them. I’m in trouble here. I slowly exhaled, dropping my eyes to our feet.
“Don’t do that sweetie,” her voice was hauntingly chilling as a reminder of someone else’s flooded my memories.
“Yo, Reyna!” Jones called, interrupting our heated moment.
Faz pulled away, showing me a pouted lip. I took in thin gasps of air, clearing the strong smell of smokey pears with a touch of something sweeter. The fresh oxygen cleared my foggy mind but didn’t calm my heart. Wren mumbled grumpily at my feet, and I did my best to slow my heart rate.
“What’s up cuz?” Faz said innocently to Jones as she approached.
“Nothing. What’s got you hanging out with students?” Jones sounded irritated.
“I had to pick up the little man,” she pointed to a boy hanging out in a large circle of younger kids.
“Right, well, I hate to break up the party, but Reyna and I have somewhere to be,” gingerly, my handler grasped my arm and walked me past Faz.
“See you later, ladies,” Faz told me with those brown eyes fixed directly on me.
Once we were out of sight Jones let go of my triceps, “Thanks,” I mumbled.
“Are you gay?” She asked me pointedly.
Caught off guard, I forced a chuckle out, “Are you?”
She rolled her eyes, “Obviously!”
My laugh stopped, “Oh, I see.”
I had expected her to turn down the road to go back to my house, but we turned in the opposite direction, “Am I going to work early today?”
“It’s Friday,” she snapped.
“Okay...” the words floated slowly out of my mouth.
She sighed angrily, “You have to give your updates for Stacia.”
My stomach churned with acid, “I forgot.”
“You dodged my question,” she pestered.
I tried the same trick I’d done with Faz and made my voice sound sweet, “Why... do you have the hots for me, Jones? Want to put those strong muscles to use lifting me again?” I teased her by gently rubbing my fingers over her biceps.
She stopped sharply, turning to face me. Her face was only inches from me. While she was shorter than me, she made herself swell, almost matching my height. Her hand cupped my face, not under my chin like Faz had, but gently caressing my jaw.
“And if I told you yes?” She breathed.
Damnit, how did Jordain manage this shit? My breath hitched as her warm smell covered my body. My hands turned to ice and my arms trembled.
I exhaled an airy breath, “But you’re not woman enough to make a move, are you?”
She let my face go and I was shocked by the cold air sweeping over me. She stomped away. Not sure I won the battle. Either I pissed her off or I just told her to make a move. Do I want her to make a move? I shook my head before walking quickly to catch up with her. I’m not sure I do.
It only took a few more minutes to reach Stacia’s office. My handler stormed up the steps without making sure I was following. I’m always the good little soldier though, aren’t I? I berated myself as her anger consumed me. I found my steps almost as heavy as hers. After another minute of angry silence, we were outside her mother’s office. My stomach dropped. I tried to hold on to the anger, it was easier than the roiling anxiety and fear threatening to consume me.
Jones pounded on the door, and I willed myself to take her anger into my body. Strangely, I watched as she rolled her shoulders back, releasing the tension. As her body calmed, mine became flooded. When the General opened her door, I was seething with the emotional rollercoaster. My captor was standing in front of me with her hair pulled tightly into a large poof. Her grey-streaked brown coils rested flatteringly at the crown of her head.
“Yes, come in,” her deep voice rumbled over me.
When the tingles of fear rose from her voice inside my body, the anger absorbed it. The tremors that would have enveloped me before were instead swallowed by the rage monster broiling inside of me. Before I stepped in, Jones grabbed my wrist. The snake inside tried to snap at her, but she distracted me by pointedly looking down at Wren.
Beautiful eyes met mine as he stared up at me from my feet and gave me a soft, “Meow.”
Releasing a trickle air out of my lungs, I felt some of my anger run with it, “Why don’t you go... explore? Outside, that is?” I asked him.
He rubbed himself against my legs before mewing his approval. As he pranced away, I felt some more anger leave me. Carefully, I walked inside the barren office.
“Your creature cost us a hefty penny with Master Elmswire,” the General informed me.
“Take it out of my Militia check then,” I snapped.
A rough laugh echoed, “Even your little check couldn’t pay for an Amewula.”
“Well, remind your farmer that had I not shown up he’d have been burying that one. So, what you should be paying for is the labor it would have taken to bury or cremate the little guy,” I told her just as haughtily.
Her anger rolled off her, threatening to drag me back under. I took it from her easily. Watching the tension releasing from her hands soothed me. She sighed, flopping down in her chair.
“Well, I suppose I can remind him of that. And the several days of free labor he received from you in return. Perhaps you are right, little Lyon,” her lips curled in anticipation.
Each Friday, she did this trick, and each time, my body recoiled, sucking inward and away from her. I stood coolly, feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped behind my back. The anger pulsed through my body, threatening to consume my mind. My thoughts blurred with images of things I wished I could do to this woman. A small voice played in my memories. A story of Stacia being kind and doing everything to keep a woman she didn’t know alive. I wonder if a sick part of her believes she was doing the same thing for me.
I tried to let the anger out slowly. In my mind, I imagined it as a color of hazy red fog and pushed it out of my hands. After a minute, the anger was much more bearable. Wren’s purr resounded happily in my mind as a cheery congratulations.
When Stacia realized I wasn’t playing her game, she moved on, “I have an update for you to provide.”
She typed a few commands on her keyboard before standing and walking away. Sitting, I stared at the screen, reading my script. My eyes flashed to Jones, not her foster mother’s. She wanted me to read this?
I thought about getting up and walking out when she cleared her throat, “Let me remind you, Lyon,” she punched out my name slowly, “Your freedom is dependent on these updates. You will read them exactly how I’ve written them.”
My hate-filled eyes found hers, “How did she find the last three updates I sent? Was she satisfied?”
I was baiting her. Annoyance snapped into her eyes. Her jaw tightened along with a fist. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
“You’re writing a script that sounds nothing like me. Perhaps because you tortured an innocent woman and learned nothing about her. When you turned me into your pawn, you didn’t think that my commander would know how I give updates. That’s fine, Florus. I’ll read your script.”
I hit the record button and turned my eyes to the screen before she could interrupt me; I used the same sickly-sweet version of my voice, “Hello, Lieutenant Colonel! I am pleased you’re satisfied with my messages. My update this week is to discuss the civil unrest stirring on the gas giants, most specifically on Saturn. From what I have been able to learn, it is clear they are perturbed by the restriction of Militia laws with our communities, more specifically the communities who have been forced to these planets. I hope my update is satisfactory and you are well.”
I stopped the video and hit send. My heart thundered as I read Dan’Trell’s name on the screen. The monster churning inside me turned the pain into pure fire. I stood and found myself back in the comfortable pose I’d been in before.
“I hope my update pleases you, General,” I kept the fake voice up for her.
She snarled, “Dismissed. Jones, stay a moment. Lyon can wait for her companion on the front steps.”
I walked out and heard the door slam behind me. I should go and call Wren at the front. I really should. Instead, I stayed and put my ear on the door.
“I thought you bought her makeup?” Stacia snapped.
“I did and she’s wearing it,” Jones revealed cautiously.
The General barely waited for her daughter to finish speaking, “Her face is still too thin. Is she eating?”
“Yes, she’s eating, and Francis gave her a booster with her nanites to help,” Jones scoffed out, clearly annoyed at this line of questioning.
“Francis did what?” Came the immediate rough reply.
Jones sighed, “Francis invented a metabolic nanite that Reyna sprinkles on top of her food and it helps her body store the excess carbohydrates and fat back into her body. It will help her recover in months instead of years. It’s working as quickly as it can.”
“You will go to Francis and have her double up on the dosage requirements. And the next time she comes here she needs to be in a full face of make-up,” demanded Stacia.
Jones coughed, “The Colonels didn’t like her last few videos?”
Stacia scoffed, “It’s just Stewart I deal with. She dialed back immediately last time and demanded to see her direct report. She kept me on the line for thirty minutes detailing how we were in breach of our Militia contract. She demanded to talk to you as well. Aren’t you happy I kept you out of that?”
I walked away with a pounding heart. The anger I had borrowed from Stacia had drained away during their conversation. Instead, my mind wandered to the what ifs.
