Alien Romance: Arcturus Mates Complete Series (Book 1 - 9): Scifi Alien Abduction Romance (Alien Invasion Romance, Alien Romance) (27 page)

"How...how? It just disappeared."

"The same way I brought you here. Universal Research, the building, is here on Rama, just as you are. We can break down atoms and reconstruct them in another place."

Mary was horrified. She pulled away. She had been deconstructed, molecules broken into atoms, broken into tiny electrical impulses. A shiver ran down her spine.

She looked at Ac'von. He looked so...normal. Well, normal from a human perspective. All the parts...as far as she knew. And all of them very attractive. But inside he was a demanding, destructive being. A building, a human body deconstructed and then put back together again. It was unimaginable.

Ac'von saw her shiver. He placed his hand on her arm. Then reached up to touch her hair. His fingers combed her red curls. Mary felt new shivers and a tingling in her groin. She decided to lead the conversation back to Ri'son.

"So this Ri'son is back on Rama and he hates you because you destroyed his project? Is that right?"

Evening was falling. Mary could just make out the shapes of the trees in the garden. Stars were beginning to appear in the dark sky. She wondered which one of them was the sun, the marker for where Earth was. She felt far away.

Ac'von pulled his hand away. "Yes, but I never thought he would go so far. The Combat."

Mary sensed he was not just upset but sad. She reached out to touch his tense jaw. "Why are you sad? I can understand angry, but sad I don't understand."

Ac'von sighed. "Do you see those stars out there? From Earth you can barely see our galaxy, but we are old and we have traditions. For centuries our traditions, The Way, have kept this planet stable. People accept the rules. No one feels they are treated unjustly. The system works.

When Ri'son challenged me in the call for Examination, he really challenged The Way. If he wins, the planet will fall into chaos. All of our traditions will be challenged. He wants power at any cost, even the destruction of our society."

For the first time since all of this had happened, Mary saw him in a different light. He cared about something other than himself. He cared about the entire planet, all the people. He cared about lives being led in security and peace. Of course, he was commanding, he was used to being in charge.

He had put an end to the unethical research and saved Earth from whatever plan Ri'son had devised. And now he wanted to save his planet. A tiny thought poked at the back of her mind: maybe she could like him. She admired his caring. He had a sense of nobility in being the leader. He wanted to do the right thing.

She looked at him again. Tall, strong, handsome and a sense of right. She was forming a new picture of her...abductor...No! She couldn't think about marriage. She did have another question.

"Is your life in danger?"

"You saw what happened in the arena today. But that's not the big issue. The important point is the stability of our beautiful home. Ri'son is...what do you call it on Earth? A megalomaniac. He wants everything his way. He does not accept failure. If I die, all will be lost. My life is not as important as The Way. I accept the traditions. I do not accept destruction."

His arms reached out to pull Mary close to him. She felt the strength of his hands as he grazed her back. "My Ac'ver. If I die you will be alone. Once pledge to the king, there is no option but empty widowhood. You will be an untouchable, unwed, widow."

The entire day seemed to implode inside Mary. Awaking in a strange place, Ac'von's declarations of marriage, the cheers of the crowd, the maiming and gore of The Combat, and, now, the bleak picture of a life without Ac'von if Ri'son won The Combat. She couldn't stop the tears...or the sobs.

Ac'von moved. He cradled her against him. She felt comfort as his arms held her close. He tilted her head, gently wiping her tears with his fingertips. It was the sweetest thing she could remember a man ever doing. No words. Gentle action.

He bent and pressed his lips to her cheek, kissing the tears as they fell. Mary felt her core warm. Then his sensuous lips pressed softly against hers. She pressed her lips against his and then parted them running the tip of her tongue against his lips, tasting his mouth.

He opened his lips letting her taste him. She felt her nipples harden against her black garment pressing his firm pectorals. She felt lightning bolts course through her body.

He pulled his head away. "My Ac'ver. Queen of Rama," he whispered.

"Not yet," Mary answered. But, her sense of it all had changed. "Not yet."

The dark sky sparkled with stars. A wind rustled the trees in the garden. Lights sparkled in the buildings of the city. Mary took in a deep breath. His kiss had stopped her crying.

The doors from the hallway opened. Tu'ver called into the dark. "Ac'von, we must have a meeting. The Arbiter is here with us. Come inside. We need to discuss Ri'son's examination."

Ac'von rose. His hands reached out to help Mary up. "Join us. It will be your first official function. Responsibility is more than appearing before the crowds. Responsibility is making right decisions. A leader's first call is to lead."

Mary's body rebelled. Exhaustion spread through her limbs. She wanted to go to bed and sleep. Sleep for a long, long time. Ac'von pulled her close. "A queen is not a crown. A queen is inspiration to the people."

Cherryvale and the down-to-earth simple life was very far away. She looked back at the stars as if she could tell which one was the sun. Then she followed Ac'von to the meeting.

CHAPTER FIVE

They
all went into the elevator, which went down, but not as far as the tunnel. Mary decided that she lived in a palace, the seat of the rulers and the place of government all in one. When the elevator doors opened, they entered a spacious room. The walls were embedded with more mosaics, but these were patterns created in gold and black.

A large round table, perhaps twenty feet across, surrounded by high-backed chairs dominated the center of the room. One chair was larger and higher than the others. Tu'von sat there. The others scattered around the table.

Mary sat next to Ac'von. She felt completely out of her element. At the same time, she felt honored that he had asked her to be part of this meeting.

"This Examination challenge must be stopped," Tu'von said gruffly.

Tu'ver looked lovingly at Ac'von. He pretended to ignore her glance.

"It is The Way," said The Arbiter, his cherubic form dwarfed by the high-back chair. "To make an exception does two things. One, it shows weakness from the rulers. The people will feel that their new king will be a coward."

"My son is no coward," Tu'von growled.

"The second, and more important point is that The Way will be broken. Once an exception is made, the entire fiber weakens. A precedent is set to offer many reasons to bend The Way. The moral fiber of all of Rama will turn rotten in the center."

"The Way must prevail," Ac'von stated.

Everyone at the table, except Mary, nodded their heads.

"Is there any recourse?" Tu'ver asked. Her voice trembled. Mary sensed the mother was close to tears. She wasn't far from tears herself. She was very tired. So much had happened since the beginning of the day. S

he'd run a gamut of emotions from completely confused, to a swelling pride at the cheers, Ac'von's deep kiss had set her on fire, and no she was looking at a possible lonely life as an untouchable widow without even being married.

No one spoke.

The Arbiter rustled in his seat. "There is the choice of weapons."

Tu'von spoke. "What difference would that make? He is a giant trained in military arts."

Mary asked, "May I speak?"

They all turned to her startled.

The Arbiter answered, "Ac'ver, yes, you may speak." He gave her an encouraging smile.

Ac'von looked at her in wonder. His almond eyes, opened wide and then he nodded.

"I've learned that before any bout, the more you know and analyze your opponent, the better you can fight. What are Ri'son's strengths?"

"Big, blond, brute," Tu'ver moaned.

"Large and strong," Tu'von stated. "He wins almost every bout."

"Strong and crafty," The Arbiter stated.

Mary listened but heard the same thing stated different ways.

"What are his weaknesses?" Mary asked.

Silence.

Finally Ac'von looked at her with kindness and spoke. "Ac'ver, here on Rama we aren't just divided into colors. Each color represents a clan, a tribe. On Earth you might call them guilds. We are Blacks. We are rulers. We cultivate knowledge, strategy, thinking, decision making. Ri'son is Red.

The Reds are warriors. They are doers. Some of them, like Ri'son, have leadership skills. You experienced him on Earth. As a leader he is manipulative and condescending. Here he is the finest fighting warrior on the planet."

Mary countered, "Everyone has weaknesses...even Ri'son. How long until the next Combat?"

The Arbiter answered, "Seven days."

"Then I suggest that we make a plan. You are rulers, surely you have spies in every...guild...color."

Tu'von looked startled. Tu'ver nodded her head. The Arbiter nodded his head and looked at Mary with a new respect. Ac'von looked at her knowing she had more.

"For the next week...six days have your spies report on everything Ri'son does, especially how he fights with weapons. We're thinking swords, right? Does he leave his left open? Does he protect his back? Is his sword always high to swing down on an opponent leaving his lower quadrants open?"

Ac'von nodded in agreement.

"As soon as the reports start coming in Ac'von must practice building skills in the way to take advantage of the weaknesses. Everyone has weakness, patterns that have made them successful but leave openings for an opponent...even Ri'son."

Ac'von's eyes sparkled. He looked pleased. "That is a good plan. I can win with this strategy. Does everyone agree?" Without waiting for an answer he continued, "Arbiter notify the spies. Now let's retire."

Everyone rose. They filed out of the room. The Arbiter went down a hallway, probably to notify the spies. The rest of them entered the elevator and went to the top.

When the elevator doors opened, Tu'von bid them goodnight and strode down the hall. Tu'ver looked at Mary with approval. "My daughter, you are a strategist. Sleep well!"

Ac'von took her hand and led Mary not to her room. They entered a room much like her's but larger. The window was hung with similar find, gold drapes, still open to the night view. The city lights sparkled under a dark sky. Where Mary's room was striped in gold and black, this room was decorated with black and gold alternating triangles.

Ac'von took her in his arms, lifted her off the floor and spun around. "I knew I made the right choice. Every male needs his right mate."

Mary felt the power of his arms and shoulders as he twirled her through the air. She felt lightheaded as waves of pleasure flowed through her. She realized she had nothing underneath the black dress.

Ac'von set her down. "You will rule Rama with me. Here, in my room, we are male and female. Every man knows that the woman is in charge." He stepped back, flexing the muscles in his chest and arms. "Tell me what you want."

Mary looked at his body, every inch the ideal male. She didn't love him. From what she'd learned in one day he was smart, diplomatic, and gorgeous. But that was all.

"Ac'von, if what you say is true, this is what I want. Take me to my room."

Disappointment flashed across his chiseled face. The lids of his almond eyes, blinked. Then, his face composed.

"As you wish," he said. The swooped her up off the ground into his arms, strode across the room, opened a side door, stalked through carrying Mary like a small child, and lay her down on the bed.

"What! Our rooms connect?" Mary said, breathless from the twirling and swooping. She had never been carried to a bed...any bed. It was so...masculine. And so...romantic. On earth she would have torn off her clothes for almost any man who would do that. But then, on Earth, no one had.

"Oh, yes," Ac'von said. "They are very connected. In fact," he reached to the side of Mary's bed. "...They are connected." As he spoke the dividing wall separated in the middle. Both parts receded into the wall. "This is the children's room."

Mary, after all that had happened today, was still surprised. The large room went from outside wall to outside wall. It was enormous.

She saw Ac'von's huge bed on the opposite side. She looked up at him, towering over her bed with his massive frame. Low lights outlined every feature of his magnificent body.

He sat down on the bed next to Mary. "Ac'ver, my queen. You are so lovely." He reached down and lifted the crown away from the pillow. "You don't need this now. Your radiance is crown enough in this room."