Sheba shifted in her sleep. The light blanket covering her waist had wrapped itself around her legs. Unconsciously, she pushed at it to free her immobilized legs, and it fell free to the floor. She shivered as the warmth from the blanket began to evaporate. Unwilling to wake, she reached out to Apollo, intent on snuggling closer to him for warmth, but her searching hand found only emptiness. Confused, Sheba cracked open her eyes. The space next to her was empty.
As if the klaxon had gone off, she sat bolt upright in the bed as her sleep-fogged mind tried to think. Her eyes scanned the empty room. With trepidation she hastened from the bed and almost ran into the bathing facility, but he was not there either. He was gone. He had left without waking her, without talking to her. He had left - again.
Sheba sat heavily down on the end of the bed. She felt crushed. She had finally been shown her heart's desire, and before she could even look at it, it had been snatched away from her. Tears began to cloud her vision. Why? Why wouldn't he let her in? If he truly, had he would not have left like this. He would not have snuck out, afraid to face her. She reached down, picked up the blanket, and wrapped herself in it as if she could hide behind it. Did he regret last night? Was he ashamed of what they had shared? Maybe she should have stopped him, insisted on discussing their relationship; that had been what she had come for. His reaction had been unexpected and unplanned, and she had been as unable to fight the flood of desire as he had been.
A tear fell and landed on the hand that was holding the blanket to her. She stared at it and watched as it slowly flowed down across the back of her hand, to finally drop off and hit the floor. This was wrong. Why was she sitting here like some twit-headed Virgo? She was not going to cry. The daughter of the Legendary Commander Cain would not sit in a darkened room crying.
Her pride flared up from the smoldering coals of her soul and erupted into a virtual firestorm. She was not going to let him do this do her. Who did he think he was dealing with? How dare he treat her like this! Sheba threw the blanket from herself as hard as she could. She would not hide. Fire burned in her eyes as she meticulously gathered up her clothing, fastening each bit with absolute decisiveness, each movement growing fiercer as her anger flowed through her.
At last she stood in front of the mirror as she adjusted her jacket. She was Sheba, daughter of Cain, and she was done pleading. She had begged for every scrape of affection from him. No more. Either he would acknowledge their relationship or she would let him go. She would not beg him to love her.
The pain her thoughts caused robbed her of her breath as she ignored the tears that threatened. If he could not do this of his own volition then she would not stay around where she was not wanted.
Hurt and pride-stung, she straighten her shoulders, as she strengthened her resolve. Quickly, before she could think about it, she left his quarters.
As if the klaxon had gone off, she sat bolt upright in the bed as her sleep-fogged mind tried to think. Her eyes scanned the empty room. With trepidation she hastened from the bed and almost ran into the bathing facility, but he was not there either. He was gone. He had left without waking her, without talking to her. He had left - again.
Sheba sat heavily down on the end of the bed. She felt crushed. She had finally been shown her heart's desire, and before she could even look at it, it had been snatched away from her. Tears began to cloud her vision. Why? Why wouldn't he let her in? If he truly, had he would not have left like this. He would not have snuck out, afraid to face her. She reached down, picked up the blanket, and wrapped herself in it as if she could hide behind it. Did he regret last night? Was he ashamed of what they had shared? Maybe she should have stopped him, insisted on discussing their relationship; that had been what she had come for. His reaction had been unexpected and unplanned, and she had been as unable to fight the flood of desire as he had been.
A tear fell and landed on the hand that was holding the blanket to her. She stared at it and watched as it slowly flowed down across the back of her hand, to finally drop off and hit the floor. This was wrong. Why was she sitting here like some twit-headed Virgo? She was not going to cry. The daughter of the Legendary Commander Cain would not sit in a darkened room crying.
Her pride flared up from the smoldering coals of her soul and erupted into a virtual firestorm. She was not going to let him do this do her. Who did he think he was dealing with? How dare he treat her like this! Sheba threw the blanket from herself as hard as she could. She would not hide. Fire burned in her eyes as she meticulously gathered up her clothing, fastening each bit with absolute decisiveness, each movement growing fiercer as her anger flowed through her.
At last she stood in front of the mirror as she adjusted her jacket. She was Sheba, daughter of Cain, and she was done pleading. She had begged for every scrape of affection from him. No more. Either he would acknowledge their relationship or she would let him go. She would not beg him to love her.
The pain her thoughts caused robbed her of her breath as she ignored the tears that threatened. If he could not do this of his own volition then she would not stay around where she was not wanted.
Hurt and pride-stung, she straighten her shoulders, as she strengthened her resolve. Quickly, before she could think about it, she left his quarters.