[Atlantean's Quest 01] The Arrival (16 page)

Rachel stopped dead, pulling Eros to a halt beside her.

“What is it, my Queen?”

“I..I..I’m naked.”

“You are properly clothed.”

“I can’t go down there like this. People will see my…” Rachel indicated her pierced nipples. “And my…” She pointed down.

Eros laughed. The sound rumbled through her, vibrating the golden hoops. She bit her lip against the sensation.

“It will be fine, my Queen.”

She squeezed his arm. “You don’t understand. I can’t go down there without my clothes.”

“Your old clothing is disrespectful in the eyes of the Atlantean people.” He turned to face her, his expression serious, as he reached out to gently clutch her arms. “Their feelings would be hurt. You don’t want that, do you?”

Rachel shook her head. This was a no-win situation. She didn’t want to hurt anyone, certainly not these people who had been so accepting of her presence. But she didn’t want to appear almost naked in public. She took a couple of deep breaths, letting them out slowly. Rachel thought of Jac, then squared her shoulders and raised her chin.

Eros smiled and guided her to the transport basket. “I really must meet this woman you call Jac.”

He lowered the transport with care, whispering sweet words in praise of Rachel’s beauty all the way to the ground. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to bask in the husky timber of his voice, until they safely reached the earthen floor.

“Thank you for the kind words,” she said a second before a blush stole over her cheeks.

Eros had trouble tearing his eyes from Rachel’s loveliness. “I speak only the truth, my Queen.”

She touched his arm tentatively and wrapped her small fingers around his wrist. He placed his hand on top of hers once more. Everything about her felt right. She held her chin high, despite her embarrassment over the prospect of walking through his village naked.

Eros shook his head. The people of this planet had strange ideas about what constituted decency. They were more concerned about proper attire than feeding their people. That was just one of the many reasons he had to get the Atlanteans off planet Earth.

Eros assisted Rachel from the transport. They walked along the perimeter of the camp. He introduced her to the women who were preparing tomorrow night’s feast. They were all bare-breasted. Two of the women had been pierced through the nipples, while the third, Cassandra had none. Rachel made a mental note to ask Eros what significance the hoops held in the tribe.

All wore the same kind of long skirt that Rachel had on, but the colors were all different. Three sets of aqua eyes stared at her tentatively. Rachel smiled and shook hands with all the ladies, instantly liking them all, but feeling an immediate bond with Cassandra. Her discomfort fell away as the women of Atlantis embraced her with warmth, sisterly love, and compassion.

After a few moments Eros took her arm once more, and the women turned back to their work. Eros guided Rachel toward the seer’s home. They were crossing the final trail when Ares stepped from the jungle blocking the path. Rachel jumped, pressing her body against Eros’s wide back in an attempt to hide.
Speak of the devil.

“All is well, my Queen.” Eros grinned at the warrior before him as he spoke to Rachel. “This is my friend, Ares.”

Rachel peeked out from behind Eros’s waist. She knew who he was. The dark hunter was more intimidating up close than the bogeyman would be. Rachel stared into those piercing eyes, quivering under their intensity. She could feel the heat in her face all the way to her toes. Ares’s dark male beauty was breathtaking, but the air of danger surrounding him managed to frighten her anyway.

Hair as black as the grim reaper’s cape hung down his back, so straight that it looked as if someone had ironed it. His body, corded with muscle, appeared well worn, with a few scattered scars. It struck Rachel that he was the only Atlantean she’d seen with scars, but the fact seemed oddly fitting. His jade colored eyes sparkled like the finest emeralds. A blade of a nose ran sharply down his striking face. Rachel could feel the leashed power within his large frame, coiled tight and ready to spring free at any moment.

“Come out from behind me so that Ares can give you a proper greeting.”

Rachel made a tentative move to her right. She was out from behind Eros, but still a step or two back. She held out her hand. Ares just stared at it for a few seconds, then raised his eyes to Eros.

’Tis her people’s custom to shake hands when they meet,
Eros said telepathically.

But that is not a proper greeting. What would you have me do?

Eros shrugged.
Shake her hand, then give her a proper Atlantean greeting. But before you do, did the seer speak with you?

Ares nodded, then shifted uncomfortably.

Eros smiled, but mentioned nothing about his friend’s obvious change in demeanor.
What have you learned of the Professor?

I have found some of his tracks, along with many dead bodies on the trail. At first all appeared to be accidental, but after careful examination I realized they’d all been murdered. He is concealing his deeds. The group has divided. The Professor appears to have headed back to the original campsite but he’s covering his tracks well. His trail has all but disappeared. If you wish, I could try to pick it up again and follow him.

Eros shook his head.
I’ve sent new orders to the seer. I take it you’ve spoken with Ariel and you’ll leave directly after the mating ceremony?

For a second Ares’s muscles tensed and something flashed in his eyes. He looked as if he were about to argue or protest, but then with a kind of feigned resignation he relaxed and nodded instead.

The Queen misses her friends
, Eros added.
In her mind she’s convinced they will come.

I will do as I’m commanded, as always.

One last thing, my friend, beware of the one known as Jac. From the Queen’s memories, I’d wish the blonde demon on no man.

Ares’s jade orbs glinted, but he said nothing.

Rachel knew they were having a conversation. Men just didn’t stare at each other in silence, unless they were getting ready to fight. And there didn’t seem to be any reason for that to happen. She wanted to ask what they were discussing but decided against it. If they’d been in New York she’d have guessed sports, but what in the hell kind of Atlantean sport could they be discussing…vine climbing? Rachel snorted.

She was about to drop her hand when with lightning speed Ares grasped her palm, dwarfing it in his own. He shook it a couple of times then let go. Rachel was grateful that he’d been quick. The man overwhelmed her.
Whoever he is mated to must be a really strong woman.

Rachel tried to hide her uneasiness by keeping her hands glued to her sides. She felt extremely exposed in her Atlantean clothing. It didn’t help that Ares’s eyes kept perusing her, settling more than once upon her nipples. She blushed deeper.

She was about to turn away when Ares dropped to his knees before her. Rachel looked to Eros for guidance. Her head whipped around and she gasped as Ares clasped his hands on her hips.

Rachel shot Eros a pointed stare. “What is he doing?”

Her mouth dropped open as Ares leaned forward. The second his lips made contact, Rachel’s body responded of its own volition. Her nipples beaded and tightened under Ares’s firm lips.

Rachel’s skin heated as his strong, callused fingers held her firm. Her body quivered as he placed another kiss on the opposite nipple, giving a quick flick of his tongue to her gold ring before pulling back. Rachel’s channel flooded. Ares inhaled. The smile he shot her was devastating. He
knew
exactly how he’d affected her.

Damn my traitorous body
.

Rachel had the urge to wipe that smug grin right off Ares’s darkly handsome face. Before she could tell him exactly what she thought of him and his outlandish behavior, Ares spoke, answering the question she’d forgotten she’d asked.

“I am paying proper respect to my new Queen.”

Rachel planted her hands on her hips and glared at Eros. “Are you going to let him get away with that?”

“But of course. He pays you proper respect.” He shrugged. “If he did not, then there would be a problem.”

She didn’t miss the wink Eros sent Ares. “But he kissed me on—on—my breasts.”

“That is the Atlantean way of proper greeting and a show of respect.”

“The women didn’t kiss me there.”

Eros grinned in an all-too-male-pleased-with-himself sort of way. “’Tis how the men of our species show respect to the women.”

Rachel tried to sound calm when she asked the question, but her voice came out wispy and pinched. “Do you kiss the women like that?”

“The new Queen is jealous. A good sign, my King.” Ares rose with a full-blown grin across his face.

She stomped her foot. “I am
not
jealous.”

“I have upset you, my Queen. For that I am truly sorry. It has been a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to seeing more of you,” his eyes wandered over her body in appreciation, “at the feast tomorrow night.”

Ares turned away and strode off into the jungle before Rachel could say another word.

“What did he mean by that?”

Eros’s innocent expression didn’t fool her one bit. “What?”

“When he said he looked forward to seeing
more
of me tomorrow night?”

“Ares will be part of the ceremony. ’Tis nothing.” Eros shrugged, but she noticed he avoided eye contact while answering her.

Suspicion sank into her gut, taking up permanent residence. Rachel didn’t believe Ares’s involvement in the ceremony was nothing. It certainly didn’t feel like nothing. She crossed her arms over her chest. She’d let it go for now, but she wasn’t about to forget it. She enjoyed being out of the hut and in the fresh, albeit muggy air.

Rachel would have never thought that walking around topless in a see-through skirt would be erotic, but it was. The brush of the material against her bare pussy, the slight movement the rings in her nipples made when she inhaled, all wreaked havoc on her sensitive skin. There was a certain freedom that came with nudity, and despite her misgivings she found the whole thing titillating. She’d had to stop a couple of times for fear she’d orgasm right on the trail.

Her eyes strayed to Eros’s lean form. His legs flexed as he walked, splitting into corded muscles. His loincloth separated with each long stride, exposing glimpses of his tight, rounded ass. She watched his biceps curl and flex as he pointed out different buildings and their functions in the encampment.

A thin sheen of sweat coated his body, giving him a golden glow. His musky scent surrounded her, enticing, luring and subtly inviting her to touch his hard form. Rachel’s mouth went dry and she coughed. All of her thoughts turned carnal in Eros’s presence.

“Tell me about Atlantis,” she asked, trying to ignore her body’s animal urges.

“In the beginning, Atlantis was no different than other warring nations. As technology grew, so did the peace movement among the people.” Eros paused at the edge of the jungle to pick an orchid growing on one of the trees. He handed the bloom to Rachel. “We realized that with new developments came greater dangers, so the sages took precautions to prevent disaster. But it was too late…”

“Why?” Rachel spun the stem of the bloom in her hand, before inhaling the sweet intoxicating fragrance.

“The damage had been done to the environment.”

“What happened?”

“My people weren’t from Earth, but from Zaron. We colonized Atlantis many millennia ago. When a few of the wiser sages realized Atlantis was in danger, they met to devise a transport system to return us to our home planet.”

Eros took a deep breath, as if gathering strength to continue. “They developed an advanced technology out of fire-crystals. These held such awesome power that several of the sages feared they could not be controlled.” Eros watched a pair of monkeys playing in the trees. The tension stretched his body into a tight cord, making each breath labored. Rachel waited, giving him the time needed to continue.

Finally he turned to face her, his gaze softening. “The transport succeeded and many of our people made it off the planet. But before the sages could transport the remaining Atlanteans, a volcano erupted, causing a tidal wave to bury our continent beneath the sea.”

“I’m sorry, Eros.” Rachel put her hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

“So many deaths.” Eros’s gaze clouded. He still stood in front of her, but in his mind he was a million miles away reliving the horror. “So much screaming.” His body flinched and his sensuous mouth twisted into a bitter slash. “My parents sent me, along with all the other children they could find, through the portal with the four remaining fire-crystals and the stone symbols. But with the collapse came a malfunction in the machine. We ended up here in this jungle.”

She squeezed his hand in silent support. “Can I see the ruins?”

Eros led Rachel from the village. They walked for about ten minutes in comfortable silence. Rachel caught glimpses of parrots in the trees. Monkeys chattered as they swung from branch to branch, their playful cries sounding like noisy, excited children at recess.

The jungle smelled green and alive. Rachel never knew the earth had such a strong distinctive odor. She hadn’t slowed down long enough in New York to notice. Every once in a while the air shifted and she caught the scent of Eros, his skin a tempting aphrodisiac to her senses.

The path narrowed, becoming dense with overgrown vegetation. Leaves brushed Rachel’s bare skin, sending delicious shivers down her spine. Sunlight dappled her face and arms. The weight of the gold hoops was just enough to tease the nerve endings in her nipples, causing them to pebble and ache.

Rachel lifted the edge of the skirt to step over vines. The material brushed over her thighs and gooseflesh rose on her legs. Her eyes darted to Eros’s big hands, then across his smooth, glistening, broad back. It didn’t take long for her imagination to kick into high gear.