Chapter 45

Alja returned to the physical plane and opened her eyes. The sun had set already. It had been almost a day now since everything had changed between her and Kaleb. And she hadn't even slept since. After Delenko's request they'd returned to the Krychek HQ right away. Now she was still in her office having been busy with shield counseling all day long. The insecurity among Kaleb's staff was obvious from the amount of requests she'd had. But when her last client had left and she hadn't heard from Kaleb, she'd decided to search the Net for a while.

She hadn't been surfing far. Just sweeping through some chatrooms and news pools, interested in how much of last night's events had spread among the populace. Of course it wasn't much. There were only hushed, whispered rumors of the ripples in the Net being caused by a confrontation between the Councilors but no one had bothered to give an official statement yet. Among the other races that might have been surprising. Not among the Psy. They'd been drilled, or –if one was honest – scared into total obedience to the Council. No one even dared to ask for an explanation. Not so soon anyway.

But then she'd stumbled across something striking after all: Pure Psy's spokesman had announced that the organization had been attacked by the infamous rebel everyone knew only as the Ghost. So that was who Kaleb had blamed it on. How had he even known what traces to leave? And just for a moment that made her uneasy. She had seen Kaleb's power, so vast it was blinding. But the Arrows had been charged with hunting the Ghost. So Alja had gotten quite a bit of information on him and she knew the rebel was so volatile and so insidious that probably not even Kaleb would want to make an enemy of him lightly. Still he'd seemed almost casual about it. Oh hell, they really needed to talk.

Just as she thought it, she felt the telepathic knock. Heard Kaleb's mental voice crystal clear the moment she'd answered. Are you ready to 'port out? Time to go home.

'Home'. It sounded strange. He'd probably just said it out of habit but it made a warm, bubbly feeling spring to life in her stomach. I'm ready.

She allowed the teleport and a moment later she found herself in Kaleb's study where they'd been only this morning. But obviously she was alone. She whirled around when she heard something thudding lightly on the floor behind her. Felt a draft of air across her whole body while she moved, registered a pile of black on the carpet.

Something was off.

Before she could even react, Kaleb appeared right in front of her. But immediately took a step back and looked at her with a strange satisfaction in his eyes. Only then she looked down herself and realized what he'd done. She couldn't hold back a startled cry. "You teleported me out of my clothes!" she exclaimed utterly surprised. Of course it was possible: Once she retracted her shields to be teleported, they only protected her body from disintegration. The Tk could reach right up to her skin but not further. She'd never thought it necessary to include her clothing – until now.

"I knew there must be some flexibility in this!" Kaleb stated triumphantly, followed be a low male chuckle. The sound of it stunned Alja for a moment. Added to the light, natural smile that filled his already gorgeous face it made the bubbly feeling inside her grow even stronger and let her forget all about the loop hole in her shield work. Because right now Alja thought she might have glimpsed the boy Kaleb had never been allowed to be. And she was mesmerized by the view of him so at ease.

She felt her heart overflow with warmth as she realized he was playing with her, joking. Whatever she'd been expecting this was not it. But it was thrilling. None of them had ever played before. And suddenly there was so much more to explore, so much more to live for.

Kaleb saw Alja's expression turn to a very mischievous kind of dangerous right before it formed a mask of seriousness that almost matched that of her Arrow persona.

"Do you think this is funny?" Yes, he actually did, he realized. But her voice sounded more like when she acted as a human now. Kaleb just couldn't read her properly. Then suddenly it occurred to him that maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to trick her with the teleport. This was probably no appropriate behavior at all. Then again that was why he'd done it. He didn't have to be the Psy kind of appropriate with her. Or did he? He felt heat rise to his cheeks. A new emotion flickered awake: Embarrassment. But that would be an illogical emotion, wouldn't it? He thought.

Now it was Alja's turn to chuckle.

He understood in an instant. "Wait… You projected?" He stepped towards her, the effect of her projection fading as he detected it. Or maybe she let it.

"You cheat. I cheat." A smile that was pure provocation cracked her face.

"Fair point. But why would you make me feel this? Do you not want me to touch you?" He closed the distance between them and lightly ran his hands up from her waist until they just brushed the sides of her breasts. "Like this." To his satisfaction she shuddered and leaned into his touch instantly. He stroked down to her hips with just his fingers, let his thumbs brush over her hipbones. "Or like this?" He deliberately kept his touch light, avoided more sensitive areas. It only made her press herself closer to him. Just as he'd intended. It was one of the first things he'd learned about Alja: She didn't like the light, fleeting touches. Her body immediately demanded more, needed the intense sensations. Probably because she was just as starved as he was. Hell, he was using up a lot of his willpower to keep himself from simply crushing her divine body against his and claim every deliciously soft part of her with his hands and mouth. But somehow he managed, because he wanted to play right now. They might have a few precious hours to themselves and he wanted them both to be able to forget the chaos around them for as long as possible. So he kept his hands at her hips and brushed his thumbs over the silky, sensitive skin below her hipbones again. She gave a little cry of protest, when he didn't let her come closer. Oh yes, he loved that she wanted him close just as badly as he wanted her!

Arrogant man! Alja thought a little frustrated. He was teasing her and pushing her at the same time. Taking whatever he wanted, just as he was used to. And he knew he could. Because, how could she resist, when she wanted nothing more than to give him all he could ask for and probably more. Oh those damned, teasing touches. Electrifying heat rushed from his fingers right down to the juncture of her thighs. Minutes ago she'd longed to talk to him so badly, but now she could only think about how to make him stop teasing and touch her for real. Well, talking could probably wait just a little longer after all. And she had learned one or two things about Kaleb too: If he liked looking at her naked body, he'd get his view…

Instead of clinging closer to him she took a few steps backwards until she felt the cool surface of his desk touch the backs of her thighs. Then with a deep breath she pushed herself up onto it until she could place he feet on the shining surface as well, her legs spread wide. "So what's next boss? You gonna take me on your office desk?" she said in her most provocative human tone.

And that was it. Kaleb couldn't help the low gasping sound that escaped his throat as his jaw dropped of its own volition. When he managed to get his eyes up to Alja's face, he expected her provocative grin again. But she gave him a questioning, almost insecure look, her full lower lip caught between her teeth. And as if that wasn't enough, a faint tint of red rose to her cheeks as if she only just got conscious of how openly sexual her posture was. The view made heat blaze all through his body.

"It's a joke." She smiled a little warily. "Having sex in an office is a human and changeling cliché." But before she could explain any more he was right in front of her, hands placed on the desk right below her knees. Blocking her from taking a less exposed position.

"No, that's not a joke. That's looking for trouble, Arrow!" He almost growled but he put on a very dangerous smile that let her know exactly what kind of trouble he meant.

Maybe they truly weren't so different from the other species after all, Kaleb thought. He'd dreamt this particular fantasy before he even fully broke Silence. He had also half expected that the horrible memory of how it had ended in his nightmare would put a damper on this perfect moment with Alja. But reality left no room for the negative aspects of that dream. He could feel her shields steady and unyielding. The flowing motion rippling just a little stronger than usual.

"Hm, I don't know how I could possibly get in any more trouble than I'm already in," Alja teased on. "Three Councilors are trying to kill me and one obviously thinks he can do wha…mh!" He silenced her with a kiss this time. He obviously needed to work a little harder to keep her thoughts off their situation. Good thing he loved a challenge.

"Mh, yes, good thought. Let's see what else I can do to give you more … trouble," he mumbled against her lips before he laid a trail of sucking, biting kisses down her neck towards her breasts. Her teasing mood turned into a raw sensual hunger within seconds. And she couldn't help the needy little sounds that escaped her as he worked his way further down.

Kaleb could feel Alja's hunger shaking her frame, making her move impatiently under his teasing mouth. He smiled against her skin, then he curved his hands around her hips to hold her in place. It proved necessary as soon as he licked out with his tongue, tracing a little line from her hipbones downwards. He deliberately chose the same spot that had made her react when he' stroked it with his thumbs earlier. And when he continued downwards and let his tongue slip through the silken folds of her he had to dig his fingers into her buttocks hard to keep her from wriggling away from the intensity of pleasure. But her deep moans told him she liked that even better. What he wasn't prepared for was his own reaction. He'd never thought he'd be this aroused just by touching her, tasting her. If he wasn't careful, he'd be done playing soon, intoxicated by her scent and taste.

Little shocks of pleasure rippled through Alja's body as Kaleb devoured her. She wanted to hold him closer to her but couldn't move one of the hands she needed to brace herself on the desk. So she slipped her feet off its surface and over Kaleb's shoulders. To her luck he didn't tease this time. Instead he sucked a little harder at the sensitive little nub between her wet folds. Every single action of his was focused solely on wringing every ounce of pleasure Alja had in her from her body. And just as the sensation built to blinding he let his tongue circle around her entrance, lapping her up with a satisfied "Mhh…" The low guttural sound finally did it: Electricity exploded from the point where Kaleb had put his mouth on her and raced through her body so hard her arms buckled and she dropped backwards barely able to land on her elbows to prop herself up. But just when she thought the pleasure would start to ebb away, he stroked his tongue inside her, making another wave of lightning fire up her nerves and ripping a soft scream from her lungs.

Kaleb was close to the edge himself as Alja went limp against his hands and mouth. He let his lips turn soft, his kisses less demanding as he made his way back up her body. He breathed deep to calm himself down a little and blew his breath softly over Alja's heated skin to ease her down too. He pulled her close and held her up as she slipped off the desk into his arms. Of course he'd been ready to take her on his desk from the moment she'd awoken the image in his mind. But when she gave him a heavy-lidded smile, her eyes glowing with that strange warmth that touched him deep inside, he realized he wanted her in an even more private space. He needed to claim her in his bed, the place where dreams of her had tortured him every night since that first dream.

As soon as her limbs didn't feel like jelly anymore Alja busied herself with unbuttoning Kaleb's shirt. "You're totally overdressed Sir," she teased. Then she saw the raw hunger in the magnificent depths of his eyes. Of course he wouldn't be even as temporarily satisfied as she was right now. Very temporarily she learned the moment his lips touched hers again. Tasting herself on his lips made her own hunger come alive again quickly. So she didn't care as he started to walk them both out of the room and was already unbuckling his belt as he maneuvered her through the door of his study. He half pushed half carried her across an empty hallway and into another almost empty gray room. Then the backs of her knees hit something soft and then she was dropped into a silky dream of midnight blue that felt vaguely familiar. But she couldn't really concentrate because Kaleb's hands and mouth were all over her. So she just gave into sensation, wrapped herself around him, only letting go long enough to help him get rid of his clothing.

It was an easy, playful loving. Everything was new for them. And in a way that made it easier. There was no shame between them. They just explored each other's bodies, learning what they liked in the process. And maybe it helped that they both had the scientific curiosity, that kept even the most Silent of their race motivated.

At some point Alja noticed that Kaleb didn't let go the way he had during their first unexpected union. Somehow he managed to retain some control and that bothered her a little. Maybe it just hurt her pride, that he could make her lose control so easily while she obviously didn't do the same to him. But maybe it went deeper… Then again she knew enough about human relationships that she was not supposed to complain if her lover had enough self-restraint to turn her into an incoherent heap of satisfied woman before he gave into his own pleasure.