Page 25 of Infala: Claimed By Rivals
“Yeah, about that. What exactly does that mean?”
A cool sensation washed over her body, tingling slightly as it moved from head to toe.
“Hey, what’s that?”
“The scan you requested. I will display results for you.”
An image appeared in mid-air, the outline of her body, minus clothing, her tattoos standing out faintly against the uniform color of her skin displayed. Everything looked normal enough to her eyes, but the AI was far more thorough than human eyes could ever be.
“You have received some extremely powerful pigment here,” the machine said, highlighting where Nijello had touched up her ink. “The pigment has spread a bit, though mostly not visible to the naked eye. However, I detect traces accumulating in other tattoos on your body.”
“What does that mean?”
“It appears to be benign. The pigment merely seems to preferentially bind to areas you have already had marked. I’ve never seen this before, but it does not appear to be a cause for concern.”
It wasn’t exactly soothing news, but it wasn’t bad either. “Thanks. I was a little worried.”
“It is my pleasure to help. Now, to answer your other query. The purge process is already underway, having begun the moment you stepped inside. The fragrance you smell is an ionizing mist designed to cleanse your sinuses and lungs entirely of any foreign matter, no matter how minute. In addition, a mild vibratory field has been applied to your body. It is subtle, and not noticeable, but by morning every last molecule of your skin will be clean as a newborn. Then there is the spectral sterilization. Nothing damaging, but rathera custom-tuned light wash that will stimulate your cellular regeneration systems and boost your mitochondrial energy processing for maximum efficiency. That is the purge.”
“Gee, is that all?” Olivia joked.
“Did you expect more?”
“I was kidding. So, what do I do now?”
“You do not have to do anything. Relax, enjoy the food provided you if you so desire. All of these systems are working regardless of what you are doing, and by morning the purge will be complete.”
Olivia liked the sound of that. “Well, then, I guess I’ll relax, have a snack and try to get to sleep early.”
“I can assist in that, if you wish. Sleep enhancement is one of my basic wellbeing protocols.”
“Seriously? Great. Lemme grab a bite first and chill a bit, and then we’ll give it a go.”
Olivia did just that, and, to her delight, when she woke the following morning, she had not only slept through the night, but her body felt amazing, as if she had just hit a sauna, ice bath, steam room and hyperbaric oxygen chamber all at the same time. And her skin? It felt better than after any spa day she’d ever had.
She had just finished a delightful breakfast of native fruits and their version of a pancake-like bread, but this was both sweet yet also savory, with an unidentifiable hint of spices she had never tasted before.
Her domicile’s AI informed her that it was standard fare among the Maldonians, but after her purge everything would taste much more intense. Partly because her tastebuds were cleansed, but also because the restorative flush and rejuvenation of her sinuses made her much more sensitive to smells for a brief period. Something she became acutely aware of when Arkness appeared at her door.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, opening it but not inviting him inside. His scent suddenly seemed much stronger today. A little intoxicating, even.
“I have been tasked by Zoldana to bring you to her.”
“Where’s Yanna?”
“I do not know. But I can assure you, I am more than up for the task.”
The way he said it, she felt he was implying far more than the mere ability to guide her to the overseer’s building. Then there was the shifting of the bulge in his trousers, substantial enough she could see it with just her peripheral vision as she fought hard not to look down and stare directly at it. Just like the sun during an eclipse, some things one simply did not look at. At least, not like this.
“Give me a minute, I’ll be right out,” she said, shaking off the warm tingle in her belly. A sensation threatening to spread lower, and in a most pleasant way.
“I will be here,” he replied, an amused grin on his full lips.
Olivia was already dressed but made him wait several minutes anyway before stepping out to join him. “I’m ready.”
“So I see. Please, follow me.”
Arkness gently linked her arm through his and walked her from the building. The way he did it was so smooth, so natural, she almost didn’t realize he’d done it. But the jolt her body felt from the contact, combined with the subtle but very enticing smell of the man, made his proximity border on distracting.
