GALLANT (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 3) (23 page)

"And Aster? When you caught up with me you weren't wearing the patch then either."

"Yes. I knew that was one person you would follow. I only saw her once so I wasn't sure I could duplicate her face or voice well enough to fool you."

"Hmmph. So that's why she didn't turn around. I know I'm taking this a little off the track but how
did
you catch me so easily?"

He shook his head. "I almost didn't. Mar-Dot signaled me just as I was boarding the shuttle to take me to the Consociation headquarters. Fortunately, you weren't aware that their telepathic abilities are strong enough to send messages."

"I should have guessed. I've met plenty of people with extrasensory powers and some of them have that ability. I've never known anyone that can do what you do though. You said a doctor examined you. What did he come up with?"

"The physical examination proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was humanoid, but not Noronian, or from any other advanced civilization. Physiologically and psychologically, I was a primitive, except for my power to create illusions. After weighing all the facts, he came up with the only solution possible."

When he hesitated to continue, she rapidly reviewed all the hints he had given her to date and came up with a shocking conclusion. Her head bobbed up again. "You're an
Illusian?"

"It would seem so." He didn't force her to lie down again but neither did he meet her gaze. The meadow faded, leaving the facility chamber looking as it normally did.

"But how? You said Illusia had a barrier around it that no one could penetrate."

"That's what everyone thinks. But if I am of Illusian descent and I was found on Norona, how did I get there? Am I a throwback from a mating that occurred four centuries ago or did someone manage to remove me from Illusia when I was a baby? And why only me? Considering my mission, my presence on Norona could be a vital clue. If I
was
smuggled out then the document could have been also, meaning it is legitimate and important. Unfortunately, I can't share my knowledge with anyone."

"I don't understand."

"My foster parents and the doctor agreed that if anyone found out about my existence, I would be exiled without being given a chance to prove that I could behave in a civilized manner. The patch prevented me from accidentally revealing my secret ability. My parents dyed the white streaks in my hair and trained me to control my emotions in public. But I could never forget what I was hiding. The hatred and fear of Illusians is very widespread. I could still be exiled today simply because of my genetic makeup. Mar-Dot, and now you, are the only others who know the truth."

"Holy stars. That's why you're so worried about hurting me. You actually believe all those things you were told about the Illusians are true about yourself."

He turned his unsmiling face to hers. "I believe it because all those things are true." His voice was charged with hostility. "You have no idea what I'm capable of. I am
constantly
at war with this primitive nature of mine. But I had been doing a formidable job of keeping my secret... until I ran up against you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that, in spite of all my training and good intentions, you make me act like a barbarian. For whatever reason, you bring out the worst in me."

Not able to lie still another second, she pulled them both up into sitting positions and held his hands tightly as she spoke. "Isn't it possible that I bring out the
best
in you instead? Holding in all your emotions is unhealthy. Maybe you were fated to meet me before you burst at the seams. Tell me this. Have you held yourself back in any way when we've had sex?"

"No, but—"

"No buts. I realize there are women who prefer lukewarm men, just like there are people who prefer vanilla ice cream. Maybe that's the only kind of woman you've encountered but I've never been with a man who excited me more or satisfied me better than you do. You have definitely not
hurt
me. And I don't believe for one second that you really could, not physically anyway. Of course, there's always the possibility that I'm a barbarian too. That might explain a lot of things."

Gallant laughed out loud. "I've said it before and I'll probably say it again. You are the most exasperating female I have ever known. I've been agonizing over your figuring out what I am for days. Then here I was, fully prepared for you to be repulsed by my confession and what do you do? You compliment me on my performance as a barbarian."

"It's called being truthful. Are you convinced that I'm not disgusted by your genetic heritage or afraid of you—either in or out of bed?"

His slow grin said it all.

"Good. Please note how well being honest works and use that method of communicating in the future... at least with me. I assure you we'll do a lot less fighting that way."

He pulled her back down to the floor and rolled her beneath him. "Well, there's fighting... and there's
fighting."

She stopped him just before their lips met. "Wait a minute. I just remembered something. What happened to your appointment?"

He lifted himself partially away from her and frowned. "Actually, it was very odd. Before I went looking for you, I made a quick call to Josep, my contact at the Consociation, to tell him I'd be delayed. I was told he had left Norona this morning on an emergency. I can't figure out why he didn't send me a message in time to save me the trip."

"Maybe the emergency was such a big deal that he forgot about your appointment."

"Maybe. The last few times I've spoken to him, he's forgotten something."

"How old is he?"

"I don't know. He looks ancient. Why?"

"When Terrans age, they sometimes lose their memories."

"That can't be it. Josep is from the planet Gilliad. They are a gentle people known for the fact that their intelligence increases throughout their lives, which might be as long as a thousand years. In fact, there are Gilliad representatives to the Consociation who personally recall the Illusian invasion. Josep is the only one among them that wants to see a change in the current policy. From what I've heard though, he's slowly bringing them around to his way of thinking."

"Good for him."

"You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yep. I told you before that I thought it was totally unfair to judge the Illusians purely on past history. Now that I know one personally, I'm even more convinced that their reputations are probably much worse than they are for real."

He gave her a quick kiss. "I'm beginning to think you're a hopeless optimist."

"An optimist—yes. Hopeless—never. In fact, I'm hoping something right now."

His hand clamped onto her hip and pulled her to him. "I think I can accommodate."

"Close, but no cigar." She laughed at his dumbfounded expression. "Although I admit my body was hoping for a rematch, my mind was actually hoping for something along a different line."

"Oh?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Now that we've worked out your problem, I was hoping we could work out mine." His expression grew ominous but she ignored the warning. "I accept the fact that you can't afford the time it would take to return me to Earth but at least you could take me back to Norona."

Chapter 12

Gallant tensed. His confession may not have repulsed her as he had expected it would, but she was still anxious to get away from him. As before, while he held her quietly in his arms, his imagination had run straight to thoughts of forever. Those thoughts had started to crystallize when she seemed to understand. But her request to be returned swiftly brought everything back into a realistic perspective.

"Gallant? Are you afraid I'd tell someone about you? I swear I wouldn't."

He rolled away from her and sat up. "There are those who could discover what you know without your telling them. Besides, you're still in need of my protection, whether you want it or not."

Cherry slowly rose to her knees. "Protection? Or captivity? You said the condition to my getting an honest explanation was that I stay in your arms. You didn't warn me that hearing that explanation would strip me of my freedom."

"It's only temporary," he said with a frown. "Until I can discover the truth about the Illusians."

"And what if you never do?" Her voice rose a few decibels. "You can't keep me chained to you forever."

The truth of her words forced him to turn away from her.

"I see." Cherry reached for her jumpsuit and pulled it on. "How silly of me to think we'd made some progress. You just can't deal honestly no matter what."

One glance at her face let him know that endless days of gnawing tension and unsatisfied desires loomed ahead. He watched her walk to the door before he knew what he had to say. "Wait. Please." She turned to him and crossed her arms. "At least hear me out before you condemn me."

She walked over to the chair where his black outfit lay in a heap. Tossing his clothes to him, she sat down and said, "Put these on and I'll listen."

The awareness that his body could disturb her, in spite of her annoyance with him, made him feel somewhat better about his own mixed feelings.

As soon as he was dressed, she motioned for him to take the other chair. "Shoot."

"It wouldn't do any good to take you back to Norona. I couldn't get you on a ship without the proper authority and I know if I try to explain the situation to anyone to get that authority, you stand a good chance of being incarcerated there. At least as long as I keep you with me, I know you're safe. No matter what you think of me, I will not ignore the fact that I am responsible for your safety."

"For the rest of my life?"

He almost said yes before his common sense kicked in. "Of course not. I'll return you to Terra as soon as I can."

"But not in time for me to audition for Theodophilus. And maybe not even in time to be with Aster for her daughter's birth."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Just not sorry enough to do anything about it."

"That's not true." Rubbing his chin, an idea occurred to him. "I can't change the child's birth date, but I should be able to do something to make up for your missing the audition."

Cherry's eyes widened and she leaned forward. "Go on."

"Certain privileges come with my employment. I'm sure it would be possible to convince Theodophilus to hold a private audition for you after my assignment is completed. Wherever in the galaxy he is at the time, I give you my word, I'll take you there."

She cocked her head at him. "You're not just saying that to make life with me more peaceful?"

Leaning back and stretching his long legs out in front of him, he gave her a dismayed look. "I'm trying to play by your rules but I don't see the point in being honest if you're going to question everything I say."

Cherry bounced up from the chair and walked the width of the chamber several times before coming back to stand over him. "Okay, let me get this straight. You're going to be truthful with me from now on, and whenever this mission of yours is over, you'll help me get an audition with Theodophilus."

He nodded. "What about the fact that I know your secret?"

He shrugged. "Taking risks is part of my life. If I give you what you want though, you won't have any reason to betray me. Besides, if I can prove the Illusians have changed, it will no longer be necessary for me to hide what I am."

"I almost hate to admit it but you're making sense."

"Truce?"

She started to offer her hand then withdrew it. "I have one more condition before I agree to peaceful coexistence."

He didn't think it would be very diplomatic of him to remind her that she was in no position to negotiate, so he simply raised an eyebrow at her.

"I can't just sit around on this ship, twiddling my thumbs, while you go off in search of the truth. Let me work with you, like on Zoenid—only better informed."

"Cherry—"

"Don't say no. I need to keep busy, but I also
want
to be involved. Please?"

He shook his head with a sigh. "I have no idea what kind of situation we're heading into. Lore is supposed to be uninhabited because of the poisonous mist that surrounds it. But from what Frezlo said, something must be there. I had a good reason for taking you with me to Zoenid and I had believed I could adequately protect you then. Of course," he added with a grin, "I had no idea
someone
was going to take my cheats out of my vest."