Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lilly heard Ronan’s deep voice imploring her to wake up, telling her that everything would be all right. Lilly wanted to ignore his insistent voice and slip back into sleep, she was so tired and so sore. Everything seemed to hurt from her hair to her toes, but she felt a hand close over hers instantly knowing it was Ronan’s and she forced herself awake.

Lilly cautiously opened her eyes and saw Ronan’s handsome face looking down at her, his silver-grey eyes troubled, his normally clean-shaven face covered in dark stubble.

“Lilly thank the moons.” Ronan leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

“What happened?” Lilly asked and frowned when her voice came out as a whispered croak; she licked her dry lips and saw Ronan frown.

“Wait drink this.” Ronan slid a hand under her back then held a glass to her lips and helped her drink something sweet and cold that tasted a bit like ginger ale. “Is that better?”

Lilly nodded and tried again. “What happened?” She looked around to see she was in the med center again and judging from the low light it was late at night.

“You don’t remember?” Ronan inquired.

Lily frowned as her fuzzy memory began to come back; she had been discovered and taken to the master’s office. He’d made her strip and then he’d said he was going to sleep with her, then he’d bit her, and then all she remembered was pain.

“The master bit me, and there was pain and everything went black,” Lilly murmured.

“Aye, he bit you and envenomated you trying to calm you so that he could couple with you, but you had a violent reaction to his venom.” Ronan dragged his fingers through his long hair as he searched for the right words to say. “Your biology is similar to that of my people, so Arnal gave you the same antidote he would give a Gilesean, it was perhaps eighty percent effective. It saved your life but your body still had a bad reaction to the venom and your kidney’s shut down twice. Arnal had to use the bio bed to save you, but again as the bed thinks you are Gilesean it could not heal you a hundred percent. You have been unconscious and feverish for two days.”

“Two days, but the master, what am I going to do he knows what I look like?” Lily felt tears threaten. She lifted her left hand and felt a painful pinch only then realizing she had an I.V in.

“Shh, please don’t weep all will be well. While you were ill the master was afraid you were dying, he sold you to me. I own you now, no male but I shall be allowed to touch you. You are also no longer a cleaner; all you have to do is keep repairing the machines.” Ronan caught Lilly’s small hand in his and pressed it against his cheek.

“You own me, but how?” Lily was both pleased and afraid that Ronan owned her that she would be spared from becoming a sex slave.

“It was Tyrell’s suggestion; he likes you and did not want to see you ill-used or forced to be a sex slave either.” Ronan pressed a kiss to Lilly’s hand. “I am sorry Lilly, I promised to protect you, and instead I have endangered your life and revealed your secret, but I vow no male shall ever touch you but me and that I will do everything I can to protect you.”

Before Lilly could answer there was a soft whooshing sound and a door opened to the far right and Arnal shuffled into the room rubbing his eyes.

“Ah, you’re awake at last,” Arnal said as he walked over to Lilly and scanned her vitals on the screen behind her. “Everything looks good though you are still a bit dehydrated it seems. How do you feel?”

Lilly licked her dry lips and forced a smile. “Sore and hungry.”

“Not surprising you went into convulsions as the venom attacked your muscles, while the bio bed healed most of the cellular damage you suffered it was not a hundred percent effective. Your body will still need several days to recover and for your muscles to finish healing on their own. Do you think you can eat?”

“Yes, I’m starving,” Lilly replied she was ravenous as well as thirsty.

“I shall find a guard to let me into the kitchen,” Ronan said rising from the chair.

“No need there is a small kitchen at the end of the hall with a refrigerator stocked with fruit and bread,” Arnal said.

“I shall bring both.” Ronan gave Lilly a smile and then hurried away.

“He has rarely left your side since you became ill; he only left when he was forced to. He seems to care for you greatly.” Arnal turned to the small table beside Lilly’s bed and picked up a piece of gauze, he then pulled the IV from her hand and pressed the gauze over the puncture it had left. Lilly winced at the less-than-gentle bedside manner from the old healer as her hand burned.

“He has even been sleeping on the floor next to you; if you were wise you would accept what he has to offer,” Arnal said lifting the gauze quickly to see if the wound was still bleeding, then replacing it with a bandage.

“I don’t understand,” Lilly replied, while flattered at Ronan’s attention she was afraid to trust him with her heart.

“You and he are biologically compatible; our home world was attacked many years ago by a biological weapon. It decimated the planet killing seventy percent of the population and leaving the surviving females weak and infertile. You would make an excellent mate for him.” Arnal said stepping back to check the readings above her head again as Ronan stepped through the door carrying a tray full of fruit and bread.

“What were you talking about?” Ronan demanded as he set the tray on a small rolling table and then pushed it next to Lilly’s bed.

“I told her that you are both biologically compatible, that our world was lacking females. That she would make you an excellent mate. She is highly intelligent, has superior eyesight and reflexes, and would give you strong children.” Arnal shrugged. “Now I’m going back to bed. In the morning you should be well enough to leave, light duties for the next few days till your strength returns, and you will need extra protein. I shall let the kitchen and Captain Tyrell know.” Then Arnal turned and shuffled away scratching his stomach and yawning.

Ronan hooked his chair with his foot and dragged it up to the table as he offered a bowl filled with cut-up pieces of yellow and pink fruit to Lilly as well as a piece of flatbread.

“Thank you is what Arnal said true, was your world attacked?” Lilly asked as Ronan helped her to a sitting position and then handed her a plastic fork.

“Yes, my world has been battling another race of bipedal insectoids for generations; they are ruthless and breed far faster than my people, we call them the Reapers because of the carnage they cause. But the Gileseans have many allies who fought beside us; we were pushing them back out of our section of space when they launched unmanned probes into our solar system. The probes were very small and fast-moving and got through our defense fields and hit the planet. The probes carried a plague, what we called the Phage.”

“I’m sorry, they sound like the beings that attacked my world and took me captive.” Lilly took a nibble of the bread afraid to eat too fast despite the fact she was ravenous.

“They are probably the same; the Reapers seek out new worlds to ravage for metals and materials, they take the inhabitants and either make them slaves or eat them,” Ronan replied taking a bite of bread.

Lilly nearly dropped her bowl of fruit. “You mean they might have eaten my friends, my teachers even my coworkers.”

Ronan cursed himself for a fool, Lilly had nearly died and now he’d told her that her family had likely been eaten. “I’m sorry, I spoke without thinking. The ship that took you was probably a scout ship seeking only to grab as many slaves as possible and then flee.” Ronan forced a smile. “But I am off the subject the Reapers could not defeat my people in battle so they sent the Blight to try and destroy us. They nearly did, our scientists managed to find a vaccine for the Blight but not before it had ravaged our world. Most of our females died the remaining were sickly and weak and infertile. The others and I were on a battleship scouting for a planet with compatible females that would be willing to come home with us as brides. Our long-range scanners detected a planet with hominid life forms and a breathable atmosphere. ”

“And you and the others were ordered to investigate,” Lilly added as she cautiously chewed on a piece of yellow fruit that tasted a lot like pineapple.

Ronan hated lying to Lilly but he could not tell her the truth that he had made the fateful decision against the advice of his commander to take out a scout ship and go investigate on his own.

“Yes, we went out in a small scout ship with plans to rendezvous with the battleship after we investigated the readings. But on the way to the planet, we were hit with a massive solar flare; the radiation from the flare weakened our shields and knocked our navigation computer out. While we were trying to compensate we were attacked by two ships, they targeted our communication array and propulsion. We crash-landed on the planet we had wanted to investigate and were captured by Hyperion slavers.”

“That’s how you ended up here?” Lilly took a cautious bite of some dark red fruit that tasted like a peach and felt her stomach rebel. She handed the bowl back to Ronan and pushed back the sheet covering her legs.

“Yes, aren’t you hungry?” Ronan demanded setting the bowl of fruit down on the table as Lilly moved to get off the bed.

“I can’t eat anymore, could you help me to the bathroom I need to wash up?” Lilly turned and swung her legs over the side of the bed then slid to the floor, quickly regretting her rash actions as her legs buckled.

Ronan was instantly by her side slipping his arm about her waist and helping her stand.

“I can carry you,” Ronan said.

“No, I need to get my blood moving.” Lilly protested though she was grateful for Ronan’s steel-like arm around her.

“As you wish,” Ronan replied supporting Lilly as she made her way slowly across the dimly lit med ward to the bathroom door. When they reached the door Ronan opened it for Lilly and then flipped on the light before slowly releasing her with a questioning look.

“I’m all right; I’ll be out in a bit.” Lilly gave him a weary smile then stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

Ronan stood staring at the closed door as relief and fatigue washed over him in equal measure. The others had called him foolish for keeping a visual at Lilly’s side but he couldn’t bear to leave her. Not just because he felt guilty that she’d been injured and nearly died because of him but because she was his friend and more. He was friends with his men, in fact, his friendship with them had grown stronger since they’d all been captured, but he was also friends with Lilly. It was odd to be friends with a female, especially one he lusted after. But he could not deny she was his friend and hopefully more soon. He had enjoyed talking with her before he’d known what she looked like; he’d been impressed with her bravery and kindness in such a horrible place. He wondered if all Earthlings were as kind as Lilly or if was she unique among her people.

Ronan walked back to the table and quickly devoured the uneaten food he’d brought, while he preferred meat he’d learned that one didn’t waste food in this pest hole that he was now living in. Ronan collected the empty plates and carried them to the end of the hall placing them in a sink in the tiny kitchen, and then he returned to the med center and stood outside the closed bathroom door. He frowned how long had she been in there, had she fainted, or was she simply getting clean?

“Lilly are you well?” He asked before knocking on the door.

The door opened and Lilly stood there her pale face pink from obvious scrubbing and wisps of damp hair framing her face. “I’m sorry I was trying to get clean and I was looking at this.” Lilly pulled aside the loose light blue gown she was wearing to reveal two puckered red puncture wounds on her shoulder.

Ronan pushed damp tendrils of hair back from her face before gently tracing the wound with his forefinger before pulling back up her gown. “It looks fierce I know, but Arnal said it will heal soon and leave no scar. The bio bed did what it could to heal you, but your physiology is slightly different than that of a Gilesean.” Ronan replied. “Even if it left a scar I would think you lovely, now can you walk or should I carry you?”

“Perhaps just this once you could carry me.” Lilly was now shaking with exhaustion as her legs felt like they’d turned to jelly and it was taking all her strength just to remain standing.

Ronan didn’t say anything he simply bent to slip his arms about Lilly and whisk her off her feet as if she weighed nothing. With a gasp Lilly slipped her arm about Ronan’s neck as he picked her up and carried her the short distance back to her bed.

“Now try to sleep you shall need your strength,” Ronan said stepping back and reaching for Lilly’s blanket to cover her up.

“You could sleep with me, like that night in my hut. The bed is wide enough, and the floor is hard and cold.” Lilly caught Ronan’s hand with both of hers. “And besides I’m cold.”

“If you are sure, you are still healing.” Ronan knew his men would think he was mad or had gone soft for asking such a question, by the moons they already thought he was soft for being here with Lilly now but he didn’t care, all that mattered was Lilly. If he had the choice of holding her all night long or sleeping on the floor or on one of the hard cots alone he would be a fool to say no.

“We aren’t going to you know, fool around. I just want to be near you, unless you’d rather not.” Lilly said knowing she looked horrible, with ratty tangled hair and pasty skin.

“Foolish female,” Ronan dragged off his shirt and threw it to his chair then toed off his ankle boots before easing into the bed beside Lilly.

Lilly gave Ronan a nervous smile then gave him a quick kiss on his cheek that earned her a grin in response. Lily eased down on the bed and then turned on her side feeling Ronan slide down behind her, he dragged the thin sheet and blanket over both of them before slipping his arm about her waist and pulling her against him.

Lilly eased back against Ronan and despite everything felt safe and content.

“You make me feel safe, I know it’s silly that at any moment the master could step in or one of the guards and drag us away but despite that, at this moment I feel safe and it’s because of you. I want you to know that I care for you, more than I should considering everything but I can’t help it.” Lilly slipped her hand around Ronan’s fingers giving them a squeeze, his hand was over twice as big as hers, in fact, he dwarfed her in size but he was always so gentle with her, it was one of the reasons she loved him. She hadn’t wanted to fall hopelessly in love with Ronan but she couldn’t help it his friendship and kindness had made her horrible life bearable, and when she was with him she felt more like her old self and he gave her hope and happiness. “In fact I love you.”

Ronan felt his chest tighten as Lilly declared she cared for him. He did not know what love meant but it had to be important judging by how she had snuggled closer to him and had taken his hand in hers.

“My translator does not understand the word love will you explain it to me,” Ronan asked tightening his hold on Lilly and feeling her relax against him.

“Oh, it means to care for someone more than yourself, that you place their happiness and safety above your own, that you miss them when they are not with you and would do anything to keep them save and so much more,” Lilly replied and a moment later felt Ronan place a kiss to the back of her head.

“I like this word of yours, we have a word like it gradh, but it includes the desire to be intimate with another. I want you to know that since I found you in your hut and we were together I have not had intercourse with another female. I could not for in my hearts I knew it was wrong.” Ronan replied thinking at how angry his clients had been when he’d refused to recreate with the females they had chosen. But he hadn’t cared; instead, he’d shown the males how to pleasure the females and told them how to be better lovers, earning him his fee and fat tips.

Lilly rolled onto her back to look up at Ronan both happy and confused by his declaration. “But how, I know you have been called to the Dome every day.”

“True, but I have convinced most of the males requesting my company to talk and drink with me, those that have desired me to recreate with a female I have managed to entertain them by instructing them instead on how to pleasure a female by only using their hands. All have been happy thus far.” Ronan leaned on his palm as he looked down into Lilly’s sweet face. “You have become so precious to me Lilly. I left my world to try and find females to save my race, females that would be compatible with my people and could bear us children. I cursed the day I was captured and sold into slavery, but no longer for it brought me you. You are everything I could want in a wife and more, you are brave and kind. You are also strong perhaps the strongest being I have ever met.”

Lilly felt tears threaten and shook her head. “But I’m not strong; I’m terrified all the time.”

“Which just proves my point. You were ripped from your world and have not only survived on your own on an alien world but made a friend that you protect and made a home out of a deserted hut. Despite your fear you go into the wastelands to bring back machines to repair to help everyone, you also ventured to the ruined city to help me by bringing back a navigation console, you have risked being beaten to send messages for me. No, you are the bravest person I have ever met. I would be honored if you would be my wife Lilly MacTaggert of Earth. I vow that I shall care for you always, that I shall never place another female before you, and that I shall do everything in my power to protect you and care for you till the day I die. Will you be mine Lilly?”

Lilly wasn’t sure she’d heard Ronan correctly at first. “You wish to marry me, but you can have any woman you wanted.”

“I have found the woman I want, the woman that I wish to spend the rest of my days with. To me you are beautiful beyond compare, your pale skin and fire hair make me smile and fill me with desire, your smile and sparkling eyes warm my hearts and your voice is music to my ears. I know that I can’t live without you by my side. Will you be my wife; we shall not always be here in this pest hole. One day we shall be free and I would take you home so we could start a life together, I will give you anything you desire.” Ronan saw tears come to Lilly’s eyes and then she nodded.

“Yes, I would be honored to marry you; you are the kindest, handsomest man I have ever met and wherever you are shall be my home,” Lilly replied.

Lilly brushed Ronan’s long black hair back from his face and earned a wicked smile in response.

“On my world when a man asks a female to marry him he gives her a special medallion that can be broken in half if the female accepts his offer she breaks it in half and each wears half of the medallion till the wedding day. On the wedding day, another medallion that represents the couple is brought by the female, it is broken in two and each takes a half and the newly broken medallion is fused with the old one-two form two new medallions. The pieces are met to represent the separate lives that are now fused into one new life.” Ronan brushed a kiss against Lilly’s lips. “If it was within my power I would give you such a medallion so everyone would know that you were mine and I was yours.”

“That is a wonderful tradition on my world the man gives the woman a ring with a precious stone in it, and on their wedding day they exchange rings to symbolize their unity,” Lilly said and saw Ronan nod.

“Tis also a good tradition too, now rest so you can heal.” Ronan wanted nothing more than to make love to Lilly but she was still weak and in pain. He wanted their first time together to be amazing and one Lilly would never forget or regret.

Lilly gave Ronan a smile before rolling on her side and pressing closer against Ronan enjoying his warmth and comfort. A moment later she felt him settle behind her and slip an arm about her waist as he snuggled tight against her.

“On your world who officiates at the wedding?” Ronan asked.

“A holy person or a judge,” Lilly replied sleepily feeling Ronan pull the blanket about her.

“Tis good to know now rest,” Ronan replied pressing against Lilly enjoying the feel of her small soft body pressed against his. She felt so right in his arms as if he’d been missing part of himself till now. His men, especially Rugger would likely be angry if they knew how much he cared for Lilly, if they knew he had asked her to be his wife. He would keep that information to himself, for now, it wouldn’t be safe for either of them if it was known they were more than lovers, more than friends.

Ronan pressed a kiss to the back of Lilly’s head as sleep claimed him, he would find a way to protect her and then take her home and make her his wife. He would show the others how valuable and intelligent she was that she was more than his equal and worthy of being his wife, but for now all that mattered was keeping her safe and finding a way to freedom.