CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

A few minutes later, one of the Dominants shoved in Miss Parker along with a box containing enough food, drink, and other material to last at least a month, and sealed the door behind her.

"You will have up to one month," he said, "Gino's mate will care for the infants." . "One month for what?" asked Jarod and then Miss Parker walked over to him and kissed him, a rather deep and possessive kiss.

They were only there a week, but it reminded Jarod of the first time those months ago in that Centre house, when Miss Parker raped him. He tried to get loose but the handcuffs were of the unbreakable kind. When she tired of forcing him, she would fall asleep on him out of exhaustion. The morning she would take a damp cloth and wipe the sweat from his body, give him something to eat or drink, and then the whole procedure would begin again.

The Dominants had built a toilet in the corner of the cave and placed a bedpan that Miss Parker brought to the bed.

They aren't going to let me up, thought Jarod, We don't think like them. What is the purpose of all this?

The bed was adjustable, and by the third day of the week, someone had let in some flowers and chocolates. Jarod assumed they were there for the benefit of Miss Parker, but they both enjoyed them.

On the fifth day, things started to get on fire. He felt an urge to strangle her. He also noticed that in spite of his murderous desires, nothing below the waist cooperated and he no longer had to wait for that "she wants me" signal.

The sixth day was the same, with the murderous intent dying down. Miss Parker had a bottle of wine and two glasses. It was hard to enjoy it with his handcuffs. He rather suspected who had supplied them.

"We have been here six days, five hours, three minutes, and two seconds. Too long. Get these handcuffs off!" said Jarod.

"I haven't the key and besides I don't want to. I have a very long memory and I hated all those tricks you played on me through those years. Payback time, slave." She whispered in his ear as she climbed on top.

They wanted to their species to procreate and Miss Parker to survive. What they did not know was he could not kill her. Jarod with the instinct of a Dominant, knew that Miss Parker had conceived on the fourth day, two hours, twenty minutes, and five seconds after they locked them in the cave. There had to be another reason, perhaps to do with the Column. That, however, was not right. He would have been with the men chipping the designs into the stone. Miss Parker brought him back to reality. It took two minutes, none of the preliminary touching and she felt no pain when they joined.

On the seventh day, one of his captors removed the handcuffs, and took Miss Parker to one side. Jarod could not see them and besides he wanted to get out of there, but they stopped him.

Miss Parker appeared out of the shadows with his clothes and the other Dominant nodded and left.

"Whatever it was," she said as Jarod put on his trousers, "you passed."

When he looked down, he understood.

Miss Parker no longer had to order Jarod, "hurry and get into bed, I want you in me," for Jarod no longer felt he had to ask permission.

After the Merging, they gave Miss Parker and Jarod a feast of sliced beef and salsa over tortillas, avocado salad, rich chocolate cake and the chamomile tea the Dominants had learned to enjoy in Mexico. One of Lambourni's daughters brought in some chicken stuffed tortellini. Someone supplied lime sherbet and pina colada ice cream along with a bottle of rosé. Miss Parker was quite stuffed, but Jarod could have eaten a double portion, the Dominants having a higher metabolic rate than homo sapiens. Lambourni seemed rather occupied as he adjusted Jarod's control with the slowness of the appropriate ceremony common among the Dominants. It was no longer on 'kill.' There was now no need.

Jarod felt if anyone tried to harm Miss Parker, he would kill them. He still had that murderous feeling the Dominants inherited, that cold calculating five-minute sense, that ability to sense human feelings and emotions. He felt he had not changed, but every time he looked at Miss Parker, he wanted her, or at least that part of his body did.

Lambourni enjoyed a cup of tea. "I might as well give the reason for the Merging. By shortening the preliminary period, and eliminating the pain, we assure that we will procreate. Oh Raines wants to see me in his office."

"Whatever for? Is he going to announce his retirement?" asked Jarod making a slashing motion across his throat.

"I have no idea," he lied, "but will find out. I have been busy investigating a certain matter and now is the time." He motioned to the door that opened. The Packrats were there and they held Jarod's laptop.