Author's Note: I really don't have much to say...except...I am really, really trying to stick to my Jan 1 deadline for this...but as you all can clearly see, I am struggling! This chapter is tame, but the next one is a doozy. So I suggest everyone reread the latter Chapters of Degeneration and the Mind Meld in Absolution...you can guess what's coming next! Thank you all for bearing with me. To Aphrodite, the beta with the most-est. Tea and Atana. Love ya'll!
The Prince: Ascension
Chapter 21
She had only seen this particular Vulcan female once- but once had certainly been enough. Nyota knew who she was. Spock's bond-mate.
She took a step back, watching the Vulcan warily.
"What do you want? Why am I here? And why have you betrayed the federation! They saved you!"
T'Pring snorted and looked at her human counterpart – the one who had stolen what was hers. Suddenly she stepped forward to the cell bars and gave a menacing glare.
"Saved me? SAVED ME? You and your federation left me to die! You, human- you are important to what I want. I will save the federation. I will restore Vulcan. And you- you will make it so," she hissed through the bars.
Nyota was confused. What was this female talking about? Save the federation by saving Vulcan? It made no sense…
And staring into the heated gaze of T'Pring, Nyota realized- she was out of her Vulcan mind.
II
Spock awoke again in a cold, damp room. But this time, he was no longer in a cell.
Above him, bright lights shone down, almost blinding in their intensity. Instinctively he closed his inner eyelid to block the glare. He tested out his limbs- realizing he was seated in a chair. His hands and feet were bound. Straining and twisting against the metal rods that held him, he realized he could not break free.
They had knocked him out- again. Quickly he did an analysis of the situation. It was obvious T'Pring had escaped Vulcan's destruction- but why was she working with the Romulans and what did she want with him?
He heard the scraping sounds of metal on metal, and somewhere behind him a door opened.
The click-click-click of lighter footsteps again entered his periphery and soon enough, she was again in his line of sight.
This was a different T'Pring than the one he had left on Vulcan. She had been restored to her former beauty- dark hair shining against the skintight body suit she now wore- Romulan in design, no doubt.
The black suit clung to each curve and her feet were clad in thigh-high boots.
Most males would have found her appealing. Spock was not amongst them. He felt disgusted.
She stood in front of him now, legs apart, hands on her hips- staring down at him- her face a perfect Vulcan mask.
He was not fooled.
"T'Pring," he hissed through clenched teeth.
"What do you want? Surely you know that whatever your cause, this is a fruitless effort." He was growing angry with her- his ex-wife.
Slowly, a smile spread over her face and she moved towards him. He could feel the heat radiating from her body as she crept closer. He could smell her arousal and he felt himself grimace involuntarily as she lowered herself onto his lap, raising one hand to caress his face.
He tightened his mental shields against her.
She did something unexpected- and to his utter disgust.
Bringing her face close to his…her lips just brushing…she….
Licked.
III
He reacted negatively, bucking in the chair so that she was dumped unceremoniously onto the ground. She sprang up quickly- eyes wild and angry.
He matched her heated gaze with just as much fire.
She moved towards him, again raising her hand and this time backhanding him across the face.
He didn't even twitch.
Un-Vulcan thoughts raced through his mind. The human expletive for a female dog being one of the more prominent ones.
"You dare reject me, Spock? You are in no position to reject anything! You left me to rot as chattel in the bowls of the citadel! Disgraced! While you cavort openly with that human whore! You are mine! MINE! And you will be again!"
Spock looked at her wild gaze- she was truly mad. He spoke his next words calmly. Coldly. The heat of anger slowly building…
"No, T'Pring. Or have you forgotten so quickly? It was you who rejected me. It was you who declared our bond dead. It was you who cavorted freely. Do you believe I was unaware of your actions? Staffin? Stalinal? Stonn? Surely you do not believe me ignorant of your ways. You forget that I know your thoughts. You want nothing but wealth and power- you desire nothing else. I have rejected you once- and I do so again."
"You are wrong, S'Haile."
She spat back. Once again she advanced on him. But this time, she did not mount him. Instead, she leaned in close- her face inches away from his. Her voice was a muted whisper.
"I wish to bring honor to your clan. You will have me. Together we will rebuild the honored House of Surak and bring an heir unto Vulcan. I am your bond-mate still."
He felt a wave of nausea hit as she reached out to touch his temple and he quickly realized what she trying to do- he focused all his mental faculties. He would not allow this- could not allow it…
"My thoughts to your thoughts…"
His mind screamed. No! And they were locked in a mental battle- T'Pring trying to force her way in. But he was stronger.
She was searching for something that was not there- a bond that had extinguished itself many, many years ago.
Instantly his mind filled with thoughts of Nyota. How she looked the first time he'd seen her. The way she smiled…
The way she made him feel…whole, accepted…loved…
With effort, he sent a mental shock wave that expelled T'Pring from the edges of his mind- and sent her reeling. She looked dazed, shocked, and visibly angry.
"You reject me for that human?! Very well. If you will not join with me willingly- it will be by force. You will watch your human die, Spock. Either way. You will have me. You have no choice."
She spun around on her heel and stalked towards the doorway, slamming it hard- the sound echoing loudly in his ears.
For the first time since this situation had begun- he was afraid. Not for himself- but for the woman he loved.