Loving a Stranger Read online

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  The ride back through the fold in space and on to the Mother Ship was a quiet one. Baird was sitting up front, piloting and Reeve was riding in the back with Nallah. He wished she would say something—anything at all. She was so quiet—her big golden eyes as wide as saucers above the thick black veil she wore.

  Reeve thought about asking her to take it off but he knew she was shy about showing her face to strange men. And unfortunately, now that he was out of her husband’s body, he fell directly into that category.

  Stranger—I’m still a stranger to her, he thought to himself. How could he get past that? How could he bring her closer, help her get to know him again?

  “I know how confusing this must be for you, Nallah—me showing up in your husband’s body,” he said in a low voice, breaking the silence between them. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you before. I wanted to. I tried to but…”

  “But I thought you were a Hallorook,” Nallah whispered faintly. Her eyes got even bigger as she looked at him. “Are you?”

  “No—no, nothing like that,” Reeve said quickly. “I’m what’s known as an M-switch Kindred. I can inhabit the bodies of other males for a time—in Harryx’s case it was quite a long time because he was in a coma when I entered his body. Well, until he woke up, anyway.” He grimaced. “I’m so sorry about that, baby. I got back to you as fast as I could. Did…did he hurt you?”

  Involuntarily Nallah’s hand went to her black veil but then she seemed to realize what she was doing and snatched it down again. Clenching her fingers together in her lap, she shook her head.

  Reeve frowned. Something was going on—was she holding out on him? Had that bastard Harryx hurt her after all? He’d been right on top of her when Reeve had come bursting into the room, blocking Reeve’s view of the diminutive little female. Had he raped her again?

  The thought made Reeve feel sick. Had he not been in time? What had Harryx done before he could get back to Hascion Five to stop him? It had looked like he was about to stab Nallah with that damn three-bladed knife but she didn’t appear wounded anywhere.

  “Sweetheart,” he said gently. “Are you…are you sure he didn’t hurt you? You can tell me, you know—you can tell me anything. I just want to help you.”

  Nallah’s eyes got, if possible, even wider and she shook her head quickly.

  “No, oh my…Reeve,” she ended lamely. “Please, I am fine.”

  It was clear to Reeve that she was about as far from “fine” as anyone could get but he didn’t want to upset her so he didn’t push it. They would take things slowly for a little while and maybe after they got back to the Mother Ship he could have Commander Sylvan examine her. Or no—she was wary of strange males and for a good reason. On Hascion Five strange males often meant “punishment” and danger.

  He could try to find her a female doctor, of course, but since most of the Kindred were male, there weren’t many aboard. Just a few who had been mated to Kindred warriors and had come up to the Mother Ship to practice the art of healing there.

  Reeve frowned—hadn’t he heard that the Mother Ship had a Tolleg surgeon on board? Maybe Nallah would have an easier time talking to him than to a male or female doctor. Maybe he could ask Commander Sylvan to arrange to have the Tolleg examine her.

  We’ll have to take things slowly, he told himself. She needs to get to know me all over again—the real me, not the male who was pretending to be her husband. And killing Harryx is going to take an emotional toll on her. It’s going to be a little while before she feels safe.

  He felt his heart swell as he looked at her small form in the seat beside him. He just wanted to heal her—to protect her and let her know nothing bad was ever going to happen again—not while he was there to stop it.

  “Hey,” he said, reaching over to squeeze her arm reassuringly with his good hand. “Hey, sweetheart, it’s going to be all right. I won’t let anything bad happen to you—I promise.”

  “Thank you.” Her eyes flicked up to his but flitted away again before they could lock gazes. Reeve felt the tension thrumming through her small body and wished he could take her in his arms and comfort her. But he could tell such physical closeness wasn’t what she wanted right now.

  Take it easy, he told himself. Take things slow. It’s going to take some time.

  But how much time? Would Nallah ever trust him again now that he was in his true form?

  It was a question Reeve had no answer to.

  * * * * *

  “Did he hurt you? Are you all right?”

  The questions still rang in Nallah’s mind, making her feel nearly lightheaded with panic.

  “Are you hurt? Did he…are you…what did he…”

  Nallah tried to push the questions away and concentrate on the huge white spaceship, which looked like a small moon itself, coming up fast in the viewscreen.

  The scars on her cheeks, so neatly hidden by her long, black veil, throbbed in time to her heartbeat. When she’d agreed to come with the stranger—with Reeve—she had somehow forgotten all about them—about the way Harryx had marked her for life.

  Of course the stranger never would have wanted you if he knew about your face—about how Harryx ruined your beauty as his final act of vengeance before you killed him, whispered a little voice in her head. What are you going to do when he finds out?

  Nallah didn’t know—could she simply keep wearing her veil? Maybe she could claim that she must not be seen without it by anyone but her husband. Of course, Reeve had seen her without it before but he had been in Harryx’s body at the time—that didn’t count, did it? The ruse might buy her a little time, anyway.

  But what about when he inevitably found out? What if he demanded to see her face? What could she do then and what would Reeve do when he saw the ugly marks of the shrive upon her formerly smooth and lovely cheeks?

  He thinks he’s getting a pretty new wife—instead he’s got an ugly monster. You fooled him, Nallah, whispered that little voice. You tricked him and when he finds out there’s going to be hell to pay.

  Would he take her back to Hascion Five? Nallah wondered. Or would he do something worse to her? What was the penalty for a female lying to a male aboard the huge white spaceship he was taking her to? What would become of her once Reeve saw her face?

  He won’t want you anymore, that’s for sure, whispered the voice. He’ll want to get rid of you—he’ll probably punish you for your deception.

  But how would he punish her? Nallah felt she couldn’t bear it if he treated her as Harryx used to when he was angry at her for something. If he put her on the bed on all fours and forced himself inside her…

  No! She tried to push the fear away but it wouldn’t go. After all, what could Reeve do to her that she didn’t deserve? She had killed her husband and deceived the man who wanted her for his new wife. Such crimes must be punished somehow…the only question was when her luck would run out and her punishment would descend upon her.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  “I’m telling you, she’s barely said a word to me and it’s been two days.” Reeve sighed and put his head in his hands. He was in the med center for a mandatory check up ordered by Commander Sylvan, who wanted to be certain his prolonged absence from his own body hadn’t had any detrimental effects. But it was Olivia he was talking to as she took his vitals. Somehow she was easier to confide in than Commander Sylvan, no matter how understanding the other male was.

  Olivia tsked sympathetically.

  “Didn’t you say she thinks she killed her husband? That’s a lot to get over, Reeve. She probably needs some counseling.”

  “I do think she needs some kind of medical attention,” Reeve admitted in a low voice. “I’m afraid that bastard Harryx hurt her somehow before I could get back to her. But she won’t tell me anything about it.”

  “You think he raped her again?” Olivia asked in a low voice.

  “I don’t know.” Reeve ran a hand over his face and winced at t