CollisionWithParadise (13 page)

She wasn’t left alone with her frustrated thoughts for long. The
door
irised open again. She’d had enough of his abuse and was about to demand he release her with an explanation. But it wasn’t Azaes who entered the room. It was another Eosian, a young and totally naked one. He displayed no sign of shame or self-consciousness, Genevieve noted. She, on the other hand, felt her face redden as she confirmed that Azaes’s endowment was not unique.

“I am Diaprepes,” he spoke the English words without translating in her mind. “And you’re name is Genevieve, isn’t it?”

She couldn’t help a gratified smile at hearing someone speak directly to her in English. “Yes,” she said eagerly, making an effort to keep her eyes from roaming down his magnificent muscular body. “It is.”

“I’m Azaes’s younger brother,” he said affably. “He says you are now healthy. You have been in a healing trance under his care for several beld-cycles, eh, a month of your Earth days.” He shrugged at her look of dismay, then continued, “You are well enough to leave the
zoch
and join us for the evening meal if you like.”

She assumed the
zoch
was this living bed that imprisoned her. “How do I get out of it?” she asked.

Diaprepes smiled as he would to a child. “You simply stroke it and think it open.”

“Oh.” Sure, like that was obvious, she thought wryly. “Thanks. Eh, where would I find some clothes?”

“Azaes told me you might wish to wear something. We are not in the habit of wearing clothes, except in ceremonies,” he said with a naïve smile. “There.” He pointed to what looked like a cupboard. “My brother said you could use one of his
Sthanu
robes that he wears for Circle ceremonies.”

“Let me guess,” she said with a crooked smile. “I open it by stroking it.”

“No,” he said with a frown of slight impatience, like this was all too simple and she was a dunce. “You tap it.”

“Oh, of course.”
How silly of me!
she thought to herself. “Thanks.”

He backed away toward the door and nodded to her. “I will let you dress in privacy. When you are ready to eat, I will be waiting outside.”

She watched him wave his arm for the door to iris open. Then, with a sigh, she stroked the living bed. Instantly, it rolled back and she leapt out, feeling very free. Azaes had done an impeccable job of healing her wounds, Genevieve thought as she inspected herself. There were no scars or bruises. She’d apparently made a complete recovery.

She found a deep purple robe made of light, almost transparent material that felt like soft cotton and smelled fresh. It was large on her
—
the sleeves hung over her hands and the robe itself dangled down to her ankles. After a thorough search, she realized that there were no fasteners to close the robe. Of course, she thought glumly, it wasn’t made to cover the body, but to display a decorative colour as part of a ceremony.

A pair of sandals about her size lay on floor of the cupboard. She decided against putting them on, being very accustomed to walking in bare feet. Then she realized there was nothing left to do but to open the door and face her hosts, captors, whatever they were.

Chapter Thirteen

As promised, Diaprepes was waiting for her when she emerged from her room. The hall she had entered looked to be some sort of place meant for social gatherings. There were tables and chairs that looked as though they’d sprouted from the floor. It was obvious that she was in a large “house”. Probably Azaes’s house.

Diaprepes gave her a bright smile, looking her up and down in unabashed admiration. “Azaes told me you were tall for a human female.” She was still a full head shorter than he was, Genevieve thought. Diaprepes pointed to another large room. “Come,” he said. “There are some people anxious to meet you.”

She followed Diaprepes into the other room, which, as she’d surmised, was a large dining room occupied by ten or so Eosians, all seated at a long organic table with plates of food laid before them. They all turned with interest to watch her enter. And they were all quite naked, except for Azaes, who wore a robe like hers but left open, revealing everything.

He shared the head of the table with a very attractive and naked female Eosian. Genevieve couldn’t help letting her gaze stray to the exotic beauty and survey her critically. The woman’s body was slim, though with ample breasts, like the other female Eosians, and she sat erect and proud like a queen. A sister, perhaps? No, a consort, a lover. Or even a wife! Oh, God! she thought suddenly, feeling her face heat. No wonder he’d considered her earlier seduction attempt so abominable.

Azaes rose to his feet, apparently quite unconcerned that everyone at the table, including Genevieve, could now observe his well-hung cock. She blushed, much to her frustration, and felt ridiculously self-conscious at being the only one dressed in the room.

With a calm, but stern face, Azaes indicated for Genevieve to take a seat at the far side. Diaprepes sat next to her, much to her relief. In the very short time they’d talked, she already considered him her friend, her only friend in this foreign place.

Genevieve walked to her assigned place, hugging her robe closed. Besides Azaes and his well-endowed female companion, the others were an assortment of men and women of varying age and weight. Based on this group, she decided that the Eosians were an attractive species, despite having no hair, and generally not over-weight. Their pleasing features and perfectly shaped heads gave them a clean and civilized look. Despite the fact that she alone was dressed, she felt like a barbarian.

As she took her seat, Genevieve felt them all still watching her, except Azaes. She wasn’t sure which bothered her more, the stares of all these strangers or Azaes ignoring her as he sat down and leaned over to speak to the woman beside him. He made no attempt to introduce Genevieve to her audience, or them to her, which she thought odd and ill-mannered.

Diaprepes leaned over to explain the food on her plate, signaling the others to return to theirs, and Genevieve began to breathe again.

“It’s called
buma
,” Diaprepes said, pointing to what looked like slimy pale spaghetti drowning in globs of green jelly. “This delicacy is only obtainable twice a year when the
buiuma
inverts itself.”

She began to feel very sick and swallowed several times. “Inverts itself?”

“Yes,” he smiled quite cheerfully. “It is the inside of the
buiuma
’s digestive tract, which sloughs off during the
kelm
, our
other
wet season,” he said with a self-amused smile. “
Buma
is very nutritious and highly sought by our gourmets, who must travel great distances, at some danger to themselves, to find these shy creatures.”

“How do they find them?” Genevieve quipped rhetorically, eyes rolling, “From their slime trail?” She had an extremely unsavory impression of a giant slug. Then, realizing that all the other guests were watching her, Genevieve swallowed hard, thinking she must not offend Azaes and his guests. She intrepidly took some of the noodle-like intestine and jelly onto her fork and brought it slowly to her mouth.

It actually smelled good, like roast chicken. Forcing down thoughts of vomiting, Genevieve slipped the slimy food into her mouth and chewed. To her surprise, aside from the slimy texture, the
buma
was actually delicious. It tasted like a combination of oyster and chicken, spiced with something like pepper and chile.

Diaprepes laughed. “You are very brave to eat it,” he said still grinning with amusement. “Most Eosians wouldn’t touch the stuff!”

She stopped mid-chew, suddenly feeling sick again. Why, the little rat! She flashed him an annoyed look. Diaprepes smirked, very pleased with himself.

She’d no doubt passed some kind of test, probably for idiocy, she thought, chewing down the remainder of the
buma
with difficulty as everyone returned to their own meal, conversing in their foreign language. Diaprepes blithely continued in English, “Everyone you see here belongs to the sacred
Sthanu
Circle, a group of twelve councilors selected from their untainted genetic makeup, who basically make the important decisions of our society through consensus.”

“Like our world government,” Genevieve said, nodding. Not really, she amended in her mind. Government officials on Earth were not in the habit of being chosen by genetics, nor deciding through consensus. She wondered what
untainted genetic makeup
meant. Turning to face Diaprepes directly, she asked, “Are you one too?”

“A
Sthanu
?” Diaprepes said with a nervous giggle. “No, not yet. As Azaes’s younger brother, I serve as…” he contemplated for a moment, obviously looking for an English equivalent to an Eosian term, “a kind of backup to Azaes, who is destined to lead the
Sthanu
Circle along with Shiva. He is destined to become the
Sthanu
’s
kushu
and she its
kusha
. Together they will direct all that is important on Eos. The power to veto will belong to them.”

Genevieve remained silent and wondered if the woman beside Azaes was Shiva. Genevieve’s gaze kept drifting involuntarily to Azaes and the woman beside him as Diaprepes prattled on about the food and the décor. She must be, Genevieve decided, noting the woman’s confident demeanor.

As she looked to where Diaprepes had pointed his finger to a sculpture in the corner of the room, she caught Azaes looking at her, and blushed, much to her great frustration.

“Shiva is his intended,” Diaprepes explained as Genevieve’s eyes drifted of their own accord back to the couple, now bowing their heads together in low discourse. “Isn’t she beautiful?” he ended dreamily, his face expressing open rapture.

Genevieve blushed suddenly as if caught peeking at two lovers under a tree, and straightened to look the other way, clearing her suddenly dry throat. “Intended?”

“Shiva and Azaes are to be married next spring. She is, of course a
Sthanu,
but her genes are one of the purest. She’s expected to fulfill her role as
kusha
very skillfully. We are anticipating a good match and worthy heirs to join the circle for a wonderful age.”

She choked on the peach-like fruit she’d just bitten into and fell into a fit of coughing, much to her embarrassment. Excellent genes. Worthy heirs. Where was love in all this? Perhaps for someone like Azaes, that didn’t enter into things, thought Genevieve as she fought to calm both her mind and her rebellious throat. Why did it all bother her? Suddenly angry with herself she commanded herself to stop blushing, and failed miserably as she caught Azaes glancing in her direction again with a frown. It wasn’t as though she was in any way interested in that arrogant bastard. Clearing her throat, she asked, “What do you mean by pure genes? Don’t all
Sthanu
get chosen because of their untainted genes?”

Diaprepes smiled like a teacher to a favourite pupil. “Yes, but untainted genetic makeup varies within the selected high caste, particularly in the matter of purity,” Diaprepes explained, though not very clearly, Genevieve concluded. As she opened her mouth to speak, he anticipated her question: “By
pure
we mean discernibly containing the noble spark of divinity we inherited from the Epoptes when they first conceived us thousands of years ago.”

Genevieve fought from glancing at Shiva at this incredible statement. The spark of a god? “How do you know?”

Diaprepes had just shoveled in a huge pile of what looked like red mashed potatoes into his mouth and hastened to swallow before answering: “She is a
shape-shifter
, just like my brother is a
soul-drifter
. These are very rare and divine abilities, handed down genetically from the Epoptes themselves.”

Silenced by astonishment, Genevieve didn’t dare ask what a
shape-shifter
or a
soul-drifter
was and it was a long time before she dared look in their direction.

When dinner came to a close, Diaprepes escorted Genevieve back to her room. The dinner had lingered into the evening, yet it remained quite light outside still. Obviously, Eosian days were longer than her Earth days. As Diaprepes turned to go, showing her his magnificent backside and firm buttocks, she beckoned him, “Please, Diaprepes, can you stay awhile to talk? I have so many questions, and your brother has been rather laconic.”

He turned and smiled, as if totally understanding and nodded, entering her chamber. So, perhaps Azaes’s taciturn nature wasn’t just for her benefit, she concluded. He came by it naturally.

She instructed the door to shut and took in a long inhale as she turned back to face Azaes’s younger brother. She decided to be blunt: “Am I a prisoner, Diaprepes?”

He made a face of sudden consternation. “Oh, no, Genevieve!” he expostulated, muscular body stirring with nervous restlessness. He possessed a slighter build than his older brother, but it was equally magnificent, with firm stomach and well-muscled chest and arms. “You are our honoured guest.”