Determinant -Guardians of Vesturon [3] (15 page)

I pulled away to gaze upon her passion filled face and my breath caught in my throat. Her lips were swollen from crying and kissing, and her face was flushed with desire. I had never seen her look more lovely.

“Sweet Deity you are beautiful!”

I saw her swallow and her throat was working to say something. She finally said, “Rykerian, I want to…you know. I want to be with you.”

I slid one hand down to her hip and said, “You are with me. I am here and I am not going anywhere.”

“That’s not what I meant. I want to…I want us to…you know. I’ve never been with a boy before and I want my first time to be with you.” Her long, pale, eyelashes fluttered over her eyes, shielding them from me.

She wants to be with me!
I felt my heart surge with joy at her words as a smile burst upon my face. I placed her hand over my heart so she could feel it beneath her fingers. “Ahh, I see. I would love nothing more, but I am afraid I am not allowed to do that. On Vesturon, we all swear to uphold that until we are unified or married as you say here on Earth.”

She raised her brow and asked, “Seriously?”

I nodded. “I am afraid so. We take a vow of celibacy.”

“What? Celibacy? You’re joking?”

“No, I am not joking. I wish I was.”

“So you’ve never…?”

I shook my head saying, “Never.”

She cocked her head and her eyes drilled into mine. I think she was gauging whether I spoke the truth. I did not want her to feel thus, so I opened my mind. I took her hands into mine and looked into her eyes. Her eyes immediately softened and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She leaned in and ever so gently touched her lips to mine.

“It would be my luck! I finally find the one I want to…well, you know, and I find out he’s taken a vow of celibacy!” she exclaimed as she rolled her eyes.

“Is that a bad thing?” I muttered.

She snorted, “No, unless you are feeling frustrated, like I am right now.”

“So, are you saying that you are disappointed?”

“Well, yeah! How can I not be? Rykerian, you are the first boy I’ve ever kissed much less want to
be
with. How can I not be disappointed?”

My heart tripped in my chest. I was unsure of her comment. I closed my eyes before whispering, “I do not ever want to disappoint you.”

“Please open your eyes,” she pleaded.

I lifted mine to hers and she gently said, “
You
don’t disappoint me. Your rule about, well you know, is what disappoints me.” The corners of her mouth turned up.

“I see. It has a strong purpose though. On Vesturon we mate for life. Divorce does not exist. We take this vow very seriously,” I murmured.

“Tell me something. You all seem so honorable. What do you think happened with my mom? I mean, how could she have ended up being raped by one of you?”

“I cannot say. As I said earlier, there are bad Vesturions as much as there are bad humans. The only thing I can deduce is that somehow their paths crossed. Are you sure of your father…or the man you know as your father?”

She nodded, “He was totally different with Tommy and Sarah, my little brother and sister. So I am sure he is not my biological father.”

“What of your mother’s background?”

“She is from Charleston, South Carolina but she didn’t have a close relationship with her parents. She never spoke of them and I only remember meeting them once.”

“Hmm. She must have encountered a Vesturion at some point. And you are nineteen years of age?” She nodded and I continued, “Do you know anything of her background? Did she go to college or leave Charleston for any reason?”

“She went to Clemson University in South Carolina, but she never finished because she got pregnant. That’s all I know.”

“Hmm. Do you want to know who he is January? We can trace your lineage. It is a relatively easy thing to do on Vesturon.”

“I don’t know.”

“You do not have to make a decision now. When you are ready, you can tell me. If you do not ever want to know, that is fine too.” A random thought popped into my head. Thinking she was in need of a change of scenery, I asked, “Would you care to go for a ride?”

When we reached the garage, I headed for the bay that contained the speedsters. I placed a helmet upon her head and wrapped her in a cloak I had carried from the house.

“Up you go,” I said, assisting her on the seat.

Her mouth formed an O and she cocked her head. “What
is
this thing?”

“It is called a speedster. You will see how it operates momentarily.”

I leaped up in front of her and instructed her to hold tightly to me. Her arms came around me and she hugged herself to me. I gave her arm a squeeze and tapped a few buttons and the speedster came to life. I programmed it for a tour around the national park and up we went. While we were lifting in the air, I instructed her to communicate with me telepathically.

“I’m not sure I can.”

“Yes, you can. Whatever you want to say, just tell me with your thoughts. You are doing it right now. The more you do it, the better at it you will become.”

“Okay, can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear!”

I took her around the highest mountains, Mt. LeConte, Mt. Guyot and Clingman’s Dome. We zoomed over the majestic peaks and vales, soared above cascading waterfalls and over rushing streams and came to rest on my favorite mountaintop near the Compound. Throughout the trip I heard her constant intake of breath and multiple “oohs” and “ahhs” and I felt myself smiling in response.

As I climbed off the vehicle, I uttered, “Well?”

She yanked off her helmet and I was treated to a dazzling grin.

“That was…incredible…awesome! I’ve never seen anything like it!” she exclaimed.

I lifted her up and she threw her arms around me and gave me a loud smack on the cheek. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That was wonderful!”

January’s excitement was contagious and I had caught it. I beamed.

Her arms were still wrapped tightly around me and I was returning her embrace. Before either one of us could stop it, we found ourselves locked in a kiss that took my breath away. She ran her tongue along my lips, exploring my mouth, and I mimicked her actions, tasting of her sweetness. I felt her fingers twist in my hair and I was like putty in her hands. I leaned away from her so I could look into her eyes. With the pads of my thumbs, I massaged tiny circles on her cheeks.

“You are so lovely, with your eyes bright with excitement and your cheeks rosy from the cool mountain air. What am I going to do with you January?”

“What do you want to do with me?” she breathed. I was shocked by her question. I hadn’t expected that and there was only one thing I wanted to do with her, but I was afraid if I told her, she would run away, frightened by the seriousness of my thoughts.

“Don’t look so wary Rykerian. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” My actions were betraying me.

“January, if I told you what I truly wanted to do with you, I fear that you would run away from me, never to return,” I confessed.
What possessed you to say a thing like that?

“Never. You would never frighten me,” she said with conviction.

“What happened to that ghost of a female that was so unsure of herself only a day ago?” I wondered aloud.

“This may sound quite weird, but I’ve never trusted anyone before. I trust you Rykerian. It has been liberating in a sense.” She beamed at me again. Her smile warmed my heart and soothed my ragged soul. I had observed my ghost female for several months now, not ever daring to get close to her. And here she was, smiling and kissing me, and asking what I wanted to do with her. Do I dare tell her? My conscience screamed that it was too early, but once the idea took root, it began to blossom and I couldn’t control myself.

“Promise?” I whispered.

Her face screwed up with confusion. “Huh?”

“Promise me you will not run away. Promise me I will not frighten you off with my words,” I pleaded.

“Rykerian, you have only been kind to me. I’ve lived in some pretty bad circumstances so why would I run from you when you’ve been nothing but kind?”

“Because you have unwittingly stolen my heart and it would be a simple thing for you to crush it.”
There, I said it.

“I…you…what did you just say?”

“Most assuredly you heard me correctly, but to reiterate, you have stolen my heart January. Somehow, my heart has become yours…your possession to do with as you please. As I told you before, my soul has chosen yours. Where my soul goes, my heart follows. It no longer belongs to me, but to you. What I am most desirous of is to have you by my side always and forever.”
Well, you definitely did it now! You deserve whatever she decides to dish out.

“Rykerian, I don’t quite know what to say. This is a bit fast, isn’t it?”

“For humans, I suppose it is, but not for Vesturions. May I ask you something?” When she nodded, I carried on, “Do you feel any kind of attraction toward me? I do not speak of my looks. I speak of something deeper, like a magnetism or an electrical current?”

“Yes,” she muttered without hesitation.

One simple word and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest with joy. My smile was radiant. I felt myself glowing, from inside out.

“That is the Vesturion in you feeling my soul touching yours. Our souls have met January, and they determine where our hearts go. I believe your heart will be with mine soon.”

Her brow was furrowed again and her mouth opened and closed several times. She was confused, of that I was certain. She stepped back from me and twisted her fingers together. My heart clenched with fear, as I was not sure where her thoughts were taking her.

“Please talk to me January. I do not want you to be afraid of what I have just told you.”

She lifted her eyes to mine and her uncertainty was reflected in them. “I don’t know what to say. I am flattered that you feel this way on one hand, but on the other, my mind is screaming that this is too soon. Rykerian, you’re the first boy I’ve ever kissed. No other boy has even given me a second look. Not that I would have encouraged it or anything. I was always too busy for anything like that, but I wasn’t blind to the way boys looked at and treated me.” I opened my mouth to interrupt her…to tell her how lovely she was, but she held out her hand halting me.

“Please, let me finish before I lose my nerve. Then you show up, swooping down like an angel from heaven, rescuing me from certain death, when that’s what I had been praying for. My life had become such a tattered mess that I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to die; it was that bad. When I first saw you, I really did think you were an angel. You carry this glow about you…even now I can see it.”

“My aura. That is my aura, January. As a Vesturion, your eyes have the ability to detect it.”

She shook her head as though she were trying to dislodge something. “Then there’s this whole Vesturion thing. Not to mention everything else…Maddie, my bio-dad, everything. And then you take me on the ride of my life. I’m still in awe over it. Now here we are, you telling me we are soul mates and all. When I asked you that question, I thought you were going to tell me you wanted to have sex with me. Instead, if I heard you correctly, you just declared your love for me! I…I’m so confused!”

I reached for her saying, “January…”

“No! Please, I can’t think straight when I’m in your arms. I need to figure all this out,” she cried out, dropping to the ground and hugging her legs with her arms. I leaned back on the speedster, stretching my legs out and crossing my arms. I wanted to relieve her of her troubled mind but I also understood her confusion. I gave her the space she needed and watched her.

Sweet
Deity she is lovely. When she wrinkles up her brow, I want to kiss the little creases that form. And her mouth…her lovely lips scrunch up in cadence with her brow. It makes me want to taste them. Her fidgeting hands, twisting and turning… I want those fingers dancing across my torso again!

As my frustrations over not being able to touch or comfort her mounted, I pushed away from the speedster and began to pace. I raked my hands through my hair and struggled with the varying thoughts pouring through my mind. My feet carried me to the place on the mountaintop that afforded the magnificent views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as they lay in splendor before me. I stood there, my body tense with emotion. Suddenly, I felt hands wind their way up my back and come to rest upon my shoulders. Her fingers began to sink into my muscles, massaging out the stress.

“Don’t be so tense Rykerian. You whole body looks like a piece of wood.”

“Ahh, that feels divine.” Her deft fingers were melting away the tension. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensations she was producing in me. When I could stand no more, I reached up and grabbed one of her wrists and spun around. I did it with Speed and she gasped when she found herself in my arms.

“Is this okay?” I inquired.

“More than okay. It’s wonderful. I do love being in your arms.” My heart was dancing again yet her mercurial moods were puzzling to me.

“Ms. St. Davis, your ever-changing moods will be the death of me!”

“I don’t know what you mean, Mr.…I don’t even remember your last name!” she huffed.

My body shook with laughter. “It is Yarrister. May I present myself? My name is Rykerian Tevva Yarrister and pleased I am to meet you.”

She had joined me in laughter and suddenly we fell silent our eyes locked on each other’s. “I believe what you tell me Rykerian Tevva Yarrister, but I am still in shock over everything that has happened. I can’t promise you much, but I can promise I won’t run away,” she breathed. “Will that be enough for now?”

“It will have to be because if you run away, I will have to chase you and beg you to return to me,” I admitted and I closed my eyes, not able to bear the thought of that.