Page 11 of Alpha's Embrace
“I didn’t realize--” He stumbled over the words. “That maybe you shouldn’t be here.”
No one had ever said such words to me. It excited me. It also scared me a little for where else should I be?
“I suffer the Sylph Burn,” I said. “As you probably well know, it can cause unpredictable chemical responses in the body. I have a perfect behavioral record, but I am still a Sylph. Your Grace, until I am of age and fit to rule, I cannot leave my chamber. It’s for the safety of all, including myself.”
“Who has told you this?” he asked.
“The last king—uh, chief of this great land. He spoke to me briefly two years ago.”
“Hmm. I found no record of that.”
“Probably because he had no clue where to categorize me in the files. I remember him being very uncomfortable with me, not like you, Your Grace, with your well mannered bearing. He wanted to drug me and take away my Wifi and not allow me to learn more, but some of the nurses came together on my behalf. I will always be grateful to them for helping him change his mind.”
“But your record says you are medicated.”
“It does? Well, unless it’s put into my food, I know of no medications that I receive.”
“Are you uncomfortable in your condition right now?”
“Are you referring to the Burn? Yes, it hurts. But there is no medication that is entirely effective against that for Sylphs, right?”
He nodded once.
“I’ve read that we have a tolerance against such sedatives. Cedric, however, is on medicine and he still needs constant orgasms just to soothe his misery. The medicines don’t really help. The alternative would be to drug us into unconscious stupors.”
“I meant, well, are you uncomfortable in other ways? Are your needs met?” He bounced a little on my couch—my bed. “Is this bed comfortable for you? And you are wearing only a thin jumpsuit, yet it’s very cold outside. Do you have no other clothing?”
“I don’t feel the cold, Your Grace. And my bed is luxurious and all mine. Do you see I have two pillows? We are partners. Companions, my bed and I. Plus, I am grateful to have my tablet and the TV screen in the wall.”
I saw by the way his lips curved up at only the edges in a tentative smile that he was not quite as thrilled by all this as I was.
“Plus, there is a heating duct over there, see?” I pointed to the vent above the door frame. “It runs often at night. That’s good for Cedric who often can’t stand anything, even clothing and blankets, touching his skin. But truly, we Sylphs don’t feel the cold like regular people.”
“I see.” Geo’s eyes glanced about the room. He looked at the tablet he’d taken from my childhood nurse, Prado, who was waiting in the hall.
“Your profile here seems incomplete. Has anyone ever recommended a therapist?”
“Oh yes! I saw one once. I think I was twelve or so? I can’t quite remember. But he decided I was not in need of more sessions at the time.”
“I do see that in your records. But nothing since?”
“No, sir. Any doctor I have seen has recommended I need no extra benefits. I am not ill like the others.”
“And no one has ever suggested that maybe you should have more time in the yard, or even help out for a few hours a day around the colony, since you are obviously able?”
“No. I am no trouble at all so nothing is ever said. And help out? I would probably unnerve the servants.” However, the idea sounded good. I was often so bored.
Geo took a deep breath. The wrinkle between his eyebrows made him look so unhappy. But so handsome. I thought all beings were handsome, but this man was so smooth and fine he made my pulse race. And his hair. So straight and smooth with those dangles by his temples. If I touched his hair I thought it might feel like ribbon. I didn’t get much chance to touch ribbon, but when I was a child I had a toy bear with a pink ribbon around its neck and I remembered stroking it over and over. The textile sensation calmed me; there was something safe about it, and about the pink tone which eased gently into my mind like caring, like peace.
I didn’t know where that bear was. With another child now, maybe. I hoped so. I had not been allowed to bring the bear with me when I’d been transferred to my own domain. All children’s toys were left in the children’s area with the babies and toddlers. I was six when they moved me.
I blinked at the memory, my eyes warm.
“What were you thinking just now?” Geo asked.
“Oh, well!” I smiled and the blurriness of the room and Geo faded as my eyes cooled. “A bear I had when I was small. So long ago.”
“A bear?”
