Talent For Trouble Read online

  “You deserve finery, Jana, and all the kindness we can give you. You’ve had a hard time with the Wizards and still have a long road of recovery ahead, but you need to know you’re safe here with us. Safe, and welcome and treasured.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her trembling lips then pulled back as if it were the hardest thing he’d ever done. “Now, go try that on and let me bask in my largesse.” He patted her butt lightly before settling on her bed and stretching his arms up to rest behind his head as he leaned back against the richly padded headboard.

  She turned on shaky legs for the huge bathroom he had shown her earlier. And it was a real bathroom, with running water and a huge sunken tub, big enough for two. Having spent much of her time aboard ship, she wasn’t used to bathing with water or having this much room in which to do it. This was a luxury she could all too easily come to require.

  With a smile, she tugged off the hated hospital jumpsuit and pulled on the shimmering creation in blue. While it had never before been her favorite color, she was coming to appreciate the way this shade of almost-turquoise set off her eyes. The color made her come alive and lit her complexion as well as complementing and somewhat downplaying the sparkling gems that were now part of her very skin.

  She looked damn good, and she knew it. It was an odd sensation. She had never before dressed to please a man, let alone herself. She was nervous about facing Darak and what she might see in his eyes. True, she was the older sister, but little Jeri seemed to know way more about pleasing a man than Jana ever would. Then again, she had never wanted to please a man—and wasn’t sure she did now. She didn’t want to have sex with anyone ever again, but she wanted Darak’s approval. No, she needed his approval. Somehow, his opinion had become all-important to her, regardless of whether she could ever consider having sex with him or any other man. It wasn’t about sex. It was about acceptance and… caring.

  The very thought was mind boggling, but there it was. She wanted Darak to care for her…as she was coming to care for him. Amazing. She had not realized until this very moment that she was coming to feel something other than gratefulness to the big lug. True, he’d healed her and saved her life back on the Circe when she’d been so wounded, but she didn’t remember much of that. She had been unconscious most of the time. But all those weeks in the hospital with him as her only visitor must have endeared him to her in some way without her even being aware of it.

  Well, it couldn’t continue. She had never cared for the opinion of a man—not since leaving home at least—and she wouldn’t start now. Darak could say whatever he liked about her outfit, and it wouldn’t matter in the least to her. She refused to let it.

  That thought firmly in mind, she held her head high as she left the bathroom. He hadn’t moved from his indolent pose on her spacious bed, and his eyes fairly caught fire when he saw her move into the room. He let out a low whistle of appreciation.

  “You’re stunning, Jana. Absolutely gorgeous.”

  * * *

  With the confidence that Darak’s reaction had given her, it was somewhat easier to walk on her stubbornly shaky legs into the formal dining area to meet the family. Darak was at her side, ready to catch her if she fell. It made it easier to walk on her own, just knowing he was there. His warm presence at her side also gave her courage to face this larger than expected group of strangers who all eyed her so assessingly.

  “Don’t let them scare you. They all defer to Micah and Jeri now, even if some of the old timers grumble about it.”

  “You’re a rogue, Darak.” Her whisper was meant for his ears alone, but the beautiful older woman who approached her seemed to have heard. She smiled widely.

  “I have often despaired that my only son will always be a rogue, dama. I’m Darak’s mother, Delila.” She was taller than Jana and leaned down to kiss her cheek in welcome as Jana blushed.

  “Forgive me, Lady Delila. I was only…”

  “Speaking the truth?” Delila laughed gaily as she hugged her grown son briefly before turning back to Jana. “Darak is a rogue, a rake and a scoundrel, and I couldn’t love him more. It’s good that you have his number already. He won’t be able to pull any tricks on you.” The older woman winked audaciously at her. Delila tucked Jana’s hand into her arm and guided her forward.

  “I love you, too, Mother.” Darak’s droll reply made both women laugh as he followed close behind them.

  Delila introduced Jana to Darak’s father, a strongly built older man who looked a lot like his son with the same dark hair and twinkling eyes. He surprised her by greeting her with a kiss on the lips, which was repeated by nearly everyone in the room. She soon realized this was the normal greeting among these people, so different from the traditions of her own world.

  Jana’s head spun with all the names of the people she met. She saw the marked resemblance when Delila introduced Micah’s parents and his sisters before finally seating Jana next to Jeri and moving to take her own seat between her son and husband. Darak was on Jana’s other side, so his mother was only one seat away. Jeri, of course, sat beside her husband, and his family was next to him around the large table. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, and soon, conversation was flying as food was served in a seemingly never-ending stream from the kitchens.

  Everything was just a bit overwhelming for her, but Darak was at her side, silently clasping her hand beneath the table when she felt particularly uncomfortable. Somehow, he always knew and took a moment to calm her with his strong and steady touch. Jeri did her best to make Jana feel comfortable, explaining all she could about the people and traditions of this strange new world and amusing her with stories about the assembled family.

  She could tell they were all curious about her, but they were respectful of her, as well. None intruded or asked difficult questions. All seemed to want to make her feel welcome, though being in the center of such a large family was something she had never before experienced.

  It was something she had always wanted. She could remember dimly the boisterous family dinners with her own mother and father, and little Jeri of course. They’d had a small family, but a happy one, and the horses had always been there, an extension of the family unit.

  “Darak told me you brought the horses to these lands, Jeri.”

  Jeri leaned close, as if sharing a secret. “They are wonderful, Jana. They want to meet you.”

  “You can still talk to them?” Jana’s voice was soft with wonder. Her little sister’s gift was something she had always admired.

  Jeri beamed. “More than ever. It was the horses that saved me on Mithrak. They hid me, and when they were sold off, I stowed away with them in the hold of the transport ship.”

  “Stars! Jeri, that was dangerous.”

  “It would have been worse to stay on Mithrak. You were long gone, and they knew I was hiding there somewhere. It was the only way.” She shrugged. “It worked out. I ended up on Pantur with the Hill Tribes and worked with them as a horsetamer. That’s how Micah found me.” She tugged her husband’s hand close, stroking his fingers with her own as he continued his conversation with his mother. The easy affection between them brought a pang of something like longing to Jana’s heart as she watched.

  “I thought Pantur was a psi null world.”

  Jeri nodded. “A perfect place to hide.”

  “But you would have stood out, even shielded.”

  “Not Jeri,” Darak put in from her side. “She’s the only Talent I’ve ever seen who can shield null.”

  Jana’s eyes widened. “Truly?”

  Jeri just nodded, blushing slightly. “I learned to do it out of necessity. That’s why the Wizards could never find me.”

  “Amazing.” Jana sighed and sat back, unable to eat another bite of the sumptuous meal.

  “Would you like to meet the herd tomorrow afternoon?”

  Jana thought about it for a moment. The horses were the last connection to her childhood. Perhaps they could bring her some measure of the peace that was eludin
g her. Slowly, she nodded.

  “I think I’d like that.”

  A short time later, Darak deposited her in her suite, her legs having given out less than halfway to her rooms. He laid her gently on the bed, comming a maidservant to help her out of the blue confection and into an equally lovely sleeping gown he had pulled from her dresser. Before the servant arrived, he took his leave, draping the gown over the foot of her bed.

  He seemed infinitely more gentle with her than he’d ever been before, and she didn’t quite understand why, but was thankful for it. After the upheaval of the day, she couldn’t have handled his usual roguish charm. He left her with a peck on the cheek and a promise that he was just down the hall if she needed him.

  Her mind lingered on his thoughtfulness as she drifted off to sleep. Never had a man treated her so kindly and with so little encouragement. He knew full well by now that she would not agree to sex with him or any man, so he couldn’t be after that. She guessed he could get sex from just about any woman he wanted simply by smiling at them and crooking his finger. Yet, what was it that caused him to be so kind to her? What was in it for him? She had no idea, but the thought plagued her. It just didn’t make sense.

  The next day, she felt much better, her legs starting the day, at least, fully functional. Jeri bounded into her room after a perfunctory knock with the same youthful enthusiasm she’d had when they were girls. She bounced on the edge of the huge bed until Jana threw a pillow at her, and they both giggled. Jeri found an outfit suitable for riding in the magical wardrobe. It seemed Darak had forgotten nothing when it came to dressing her for all occasions.

  Jana went to the bathroom to change at Jeri’s urging and came out dressed in sleek dark blue that complemented her hair.

  “We’re not visiting the herd until this afternoon, but you look lovely in that outfit, Jan.”

  “It’s good for riding, but it seems like it could be worn for other occasions, as well.”

  Jeri nodded as she smoothed the collar in back. “It’s a versatile design. I had one made almost exactly like this a few weeks ago.” She smiled archly. “Now, I know where Darak ordered at least part of your wardrobe from, the sneaky man. He really outfitted you well, Jan. I’m amazed at what he managed to get for you in such a short time. He must’ve begun ordering this collection when you first arrived in the hospital.” Jeri shook her head in wonder. “Who knew the man had such good taste?”

  After a private breakfast with her sister, Jana was escorted to a small, sunny chamber that overlooked the extensive gardens on the south side of the compound. A gray bearded old man sat there, waiting for her, it seemed. Jeri pushed her into the room in front of her when she slowed, a patient smile on her face.

  “Jana, this is Master Toombs. He is the mind healer we talked about yesterday. Micah and I asked him to come see you.”

  Jana nodded grimly. “I know it must be done, but you should understand that I’m not looking forward to this.” She addressed the older man directly.

  He stood politely, smiling benevolently at the two women. “Dama, that is a healthy attitude, and I value your honesty with both me and yourself. You have already taken the first step.”

  “Thank you for coming, Master Toombs. I know this was short notice.”

  He turned to Jeri, gifting her with a wide smile. “Sha Jeri, I am glad to be of service to you in any way. You have only to comm me. Any time.”

  Jana realized in that moment that being a Sha apparently had some benefits if Mage Masters jumped to your beck and call. But her little sister seemed to be handling her new celebrity status well, still grounded and humble. She was a good kid who had grown into a remarkable woman. Jana squeezed her hand as Jeri took her leave.

  “I love you, Jana.”

  “I love you, too, little sis.”

  The session wasn’t easy, but it was a good start. The Mage Master with the incredibly strong mind healing Talent was calm and gentle when examining her worst memories, non-judgmental and kind. Mind healing wasn’t just his Talent; she could easily tell it was his calling. He helped her remember and put behind her just a few of the many horrific things that had been done to her under the collective’s control. They would require many more sessions like this one before all the trauma was dealt with, but already she felt freer than she had just an hour before.

  She left the older man with a smile and a deep nod of thanks and respect. She knew he already appreciated the satisfaction she felt with the work they had done that morning. He was, after all, a Mage Master with the ability to delve into her deepest thoughts and memories.

  “How did it go?”

  She shouldn’t have been surprised to find Darak waiting on the other side of the door for her, but he startled her nonetheless. She closed her eyes briefly, still facing the door, to collect her thoughts, then turned toward him.

  “It went well.” She began to walk, and he fell into step beside her. “I’m meeting with him again tomorrow morning and for the next week, at least.”

  “Toombs is a good man. One of the most revered of all Mage Masters.”

  She could hear respect and even a little awe in his voice. “Aren’t you also a Mage Master?”

  Darak surprised her by laughing. “Yeah, I guess I am, but it’s still so new, I don’t really feel as if I’m even close to his league. I jumped right past Mage from Dominar, so I feel a little like I cheated.”

  She knew his great leap in strength was because of her. When the crystal in her control scepter had exploded, the wash of residual power had affected all the crew of the Circe in unexpected ways. She felt a bit like it was her fault, still.

  She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him in the long hall. “I’ve come to think that things happen as they do for a reason. It’s the only way I can accept all that was done to me. I like to think that the Wizards got me so they’d leave Jeri free, and look how that ended up. She’s grown to be a fierce woman with more power than I ever could have imagined and a husband who loves her deeply.”

  “I’m glad you realize that.” Darak looked uncomfortable for a short moment. “Micah loves her more than life. I love her, too, but not in the same way. I’ve never loved any woman like that.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I love her for what she did for my cousin and the joy she’s brought to all of us. He was so unhappy before he found her. She’s brought renewed meaning to his life. She’s given hope to all the Council worlds and freedom to you, as well as several hundred others who were once under the control of the collective. She is an amazing woman, and in you, I see her origins. You can be just as amazing, Jana, but you have to heal first.”

  He turned away, leaving her stunned. She’d read such passion in his eyes, such caring, such hope. All for her. It left her shaky, and this time, it wasn’t from any weakness in her muscles, but from sheer emotional awe.

  She followed as he led down the hall toward a small dining room where they would meet Jeri and Micah for an early lunch before going down to see the horses. They came around a corner, and Jana stopped dead in her tracks.

  Two young men were there, naked, their hard cocks inside the same small maidservant who had helped Jana so meekly into her nightgown the night before. Shill was her name, she recalled, but she didn’t know the two young men, and she barely recognized the look of ecstasy on the young maid’s face as she urged her lovers to move harder and deeper inside her ass and pussy. One driving in while the other pulled out, over and over.

  Darak moved to stand beside Jana, sliding his arm around her shoulders, pinning her in place when she would have retreated. She was forced to watch, but truly, she couldn’t take her eyes off the scene down the corridor. It was obvious the whole thing was consensual, totally unlike any of her own sexual encounters. The maid was begging for the men to take her, to make her come. It was obvious she wanted every moment of this.

  “Do you like what you see?” Darak breathed in her ear, his arm holding her captive. “Have you ever thought of having two men a
t once?”

  Jana shook her head almost violently.

  “Not even when you realized Micah and I shared your sister, much as Kirt and Whelan are doing with Shill now? Don’t tell me you didn’t wonder what she felt, what we felt. I won’t believe you.”

  “I don’t want that. I don’t want any man.” She shivered, and he pulled her back against his chest.

  “I’m sorry, baby.” He turned her in his arms and hugged her close, hiding her eyes in his muscled chest. “I know you don’t think you want to ever have sex again, but you will. One day, you will. And, on that day, I want you to think of me. I want it to be me, Jana. I want to be the man inside you—the man you want inside you. I want to be the man to give you pleasure like you’ve never had before.”

  It was all too much for Jana. Her whole body trembled as the maid screamed in orgasm behind her. She heard two male groans, and then, Darak swung her up into his arms, carrying her past the threesome and on into another hall, away from where they’d meant to go.

  “What about lunch?” She made a token protest, though, in truth, she was too shaken to even think about eating or making light conversation with her sister and Micah.

  “We’ve got time, yet.”

  Darak’s voice was gruff as he shouldered open a large door, moving swiftly until she felt a soft surface beneath her back. She looked around and realized immediately that she was in a bedroom, and the soft surface was a huge, darkly draped bed. It was a masculine room, probably Darak’s own, she realized in one corner of her mind.

  “Why did you bring me here?”

  “Do you like the room?” Darak was seated near her, but not touching as he casually unfastened his shirt. Her eyes grew wide as his hard muscled chest came into view between the parting cloth. “Burgundy has always been one of my favorite colors, though, just recently, I’ve formed a fondness for blue.”

  Her mouth went dry as his eyes sizzled a path from the blue jewels in her face, down her neck and over the myriad stones they both knew sparkled in the skin over her breasts and lower. She blinked, trying to focus, but that only brought his masculine perfection into sharper focus as he shrugged out of his shirt. He sat there, facing her, still as a statue in every way but for his eyes. They met hers with gentle patience, a hint of longing and something she could have sworn was caring, but didn’t quite dare believe.