Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (29 page)

Ara wanted to have a go at him for using her
first name but she had told him to. Annoyed with herself, she tried
to shove her way past. “I have something I need to do!”

He stood in the way. “Ara. Please go back to
bed, or I will wake Terance.”

She fumed then and stormed quietly back into
her room.

Ara had tried sneaking out a few times to
investigate her enemy but nothing worked, her guards were doing
their job so it was hard to complain. If she had thought about her
rebelliousness and desire to do something dangerous, she may have
concluded it was because she kept hearing that Caleb was with this
woman and or that woman. She could barely be civil if she met him,
or them, at a club. He kept promising her nothing was happening,
that his father, the king, arranged the outings. Outings? Is that
what they were calling it now? But as soon as she saw him in the
flesh she forgave him.

One day, when she and Sacha were both on
holidays, she was venting at home about Caleb.

“Ara, you’re not being rational.”

“I know.”

Sacha sighed. “Why does it get to you?”

“I don’t know!” I love him.

“Just try to have fun and ignore him.”

“But he’s back on Saratoga. We go to the same
clubs—” She groaned.

“Are you in love with him?” Sacha touched her
cheek fondly. Sacha’s long, blonde hair was falling over her
shoulders and her green eyes were bright.

Ara laughed and then cried, nodding.

Sacha hugged her. “Hey, you never cry
anymore.”

But Ara did over Caleb. “Why couldn’t I just
be happy for him?”

“When, sweetie?”

“At his Virgo. I’m so embarrassed that I
walked out.”

“I’m sure there are other things to talk
about than that!” Sacha screwed up her face then. “It was ages
ago.”

“Only thirty years ago! He was so happy and I
spoilt it.”

“Did he talk to you about it?”

“No, why would he?”

Sacha sighed. “It’s not up to you all the
time, Ara. You take a lot of stuff on board. Why not talk to
him?”

Ara cringed at the thought. “I look nothing
like his Virgo choice. Blonde, curvy but petite and cute. And she
had boobs!” They all had boobs.

“Ah.” That Sacha could understand. “Meg’s
comment still bites, huh? I know you feel your body is less
feminine but you draw males, Ara. Just not always the ones you
want.”

Ara laughed with her and touched the blonde
hair. “How’s the beauty business?”

“I’m popular with the queens now, which has
brought in more business. I have a team, like a quick emergency
response team, would you believe, that attends to “royal
emergencies”. Recently, I’ve had queries from the kings too.” Since
opening her own business, Sacha had found more work than what she
wanted. They heard drumming from below while talking.

“Good grief,” Ara grumbled. “Gralten’s home
and been drumming every day for hours. Without Ash or Henry here he
gets bored.”

“Let’s compliment him on his piano audition;
he’ll want to show off.”

Laughing, they headed down to his studio that
was really one of the car parks under the homestead converted into
a drumming room.

Ara went for a walk later while the weather
was still warm and after Gralten returned to mindless drumming. He
called it “Free Spirit”. She couldn’t walk fast enough. Caleb was
still helping Bel with his investigation into the Dressian Gates
while Ara was working from the other end. She’d have reason to call
him, but what would she say? She had to apologize so she tried to
call him but he didn’t answer so she had to leave a message.

She opted to go down to the ranges, towards
the coast along the ridgeline, when she heard someone call her. She
turned and saw Caleb running down the slope she just skidded down.
As usual, her breath caught seeing he was wearing a tight, dark
brown shirt and blue jeans. His hair was tied back and she couldn’t
see if he had a braid. He skidded to a halt, tiny stones tumbling
before him, and then when he hit the grass he slipped right on to
his arse. They started laughing and he held out his hand. When Ara
held out hers he pulled her down onto the wet grass and as she
squealed he flipped them over and pinned her arms over her
head.

“Now, what do you want?” His ice green eyes
were darker than usual. He was pressing into her.

Her body was responding.

C. You drive me crazy, Ara

She felt tongue-tied. He grinned.

C. This is talking

A. I—

C. Share how you are feeling

She tried to wiggle away, feeling the wet
grass soak into the thin material of her pants and top, but he held
tight. He’d enjoyed her movements and her body tingled
everywhere.

“Not this time. Share.” He pressed into her
mind. Her body tensed and she glared at him. “Come on, Ara. You’re
a Pure-Gen, you can block me.” He pressed further and her barriers
crumbled under him. His eyes darkened more and he kissed her, his
mind reaching into hers.

C. That’s what I thought

She found his kissing seared into her mind
and body. She arched up and he met her thrusts, kissing her neck
and lips. He pushed her over the edge with his erotic feelings and
he cried out at the same time. Her mind was completely erratic.

“Ara—” He kissed her neck. “Ara … I shouldn’t
have done that.” He lifted his head. “Are you alright?”

She nodded and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry,
Caleb.”

He opened his fingers and hers interlaced.
“Why, Baby?”

“Your Virgo.” Her voice was low and sounded
miserable.

He laughed and kissed her again. He murmured
into her neck. “Ara, that was a long time ago … but if you knew how
turned on I was that you were there and when I saw how angry you
were, I knew you loved me still.”

Turned on! Cretin. “Monkey—”

He was kissing her again and he released her
hands. He raised himself and stood up, helping her to stand. He
plucked out the grass from her hair. Then he started unlacing the
top she was wearing. “I like this top on you.”

“Then why are you taking it off?”

“I just want to look at you.”

But as he began to slide the top down off her
shoulders, his fingers lightly tracing her skin while kissing her
neck—
beep
—he cursed. “I have to take that. I’ve put in for
my apprenticeship.”

She slid her top back over her shoulders,
enjoying the sun on her skin, as he talked. She noted the
concentration on the pale, narrow face, the expressions of
annoyance and the way he kept flicking his eyes over to her and her
body. Sighing, she re-laced the top.

He sighed and put his Voice away. “I have to
get back.”

They held hands and walked back to her home.
They took the longer route up to the ridgeline that flattened and
widened to the gentle hills before the land grew rugged again.
There were few trees here but lots of flowering shrubs. Several
birds squawked at them as they walked too close to their nest.
Caleb drew her away.

“Paranoid, Monkey?”

He flashed her a grin. “A little.”

“Just think, I could change your name to
‘Bird Monkey’,” she teased.

“No thanks, Ara. Monkey is good.”

They headed for the base of the house where
the long, open-style garage below the terraced house dug into the
hillside; it was quiet. She breathed out in relief, no drumming.
They walked past the closed off section that was now Gralten’s
music room and Ara saw Caleb’s new vehicle peeking out from behind
Dad’s tractor, which she was supposed to be working on. The tractor
was parked in front of the tool shed filled with Dad’s special
tools so it too was under the homestead close to the steps that ran
up the side. There was a large turning section for vehicles and
around that grass leading to wild grasses then woodlands. The
driveway was long and meandered between lines of trees. As they
walked around the tractor, Ara eyed off the new, sleek, dark blue
vehicle. She ran her hand over it. “Nice.”

“You like it?” Caleb seemed surprised.

“Sure do.”

“Come on, I’ll take you for a ride.” He
opened her door but then leaned in and pulled out a small bag of
cloths. “Clean up?”

She took one but he glanced around up the
steps and towards the barn. He had in mind to clean each other.
Pressed against his new vehicle she tried to tell him she was
scratching the surface with the little studs on her loose pants,
until his fingers hit the spot. Ara leaned her head back as he
kissed her neck, and undid her top. He suckled at her nipple and
returned to her lips. They reversed positions, Ara happily making
Caleb lose himself standing in the open, alternating between the
worry of getting caught and losing all thought at the critical
time.

After he recovered, he lifted her to kiss her
but then grinned when she pointed out the scratches on his car. He
shrugged. “War wounds.”

She squeezed his arm. “War my arse.”

By the end, she was laughing with him and
they got in for a joy ride. He seemed happy and teased her. “I
didn’t know you liked modern vehicles.”

“I love them … now.” It was so quiet inside,
and the dark greys and blue finishing appealed to her. She ran her
hand over part of the dash. Caleb played with a panel and found
some music that appealed to her and turned it up so they were both
bopping their heads. Caleb was drumming on the steering wheel. For
some reason that drumming didn’t bug her as much. “Won’t be too
long until humans are enjoying the luxuries of driving.”

“I like the horse and cart, it’s
romantic.”

Caleb snorted with amusement. “Sure, Ara.
That’s why you are pawing my car.”

She snatched her hand back. “I’m
tactile.”

“That wasn’t a complaint.” He leaned his head
closer to the dash. “I’m sure that … what was that?”

She frowned at him looking at the dash,
thinking she’d done something wrong.

“The car was enjoying the caresses and wants
Fyr’Lahlia?” He cocked his head.

Ara laughed. “Idiot.”

Caleb parked down the road and was about to
turn around. “Are you sure you will be over three hundred for
Virgo?”

“That’s what the Cardinal Unit has
recorded.”

“Hmmmm.”

“What?”

He shrugged and tapped the wheel but Ara’s
eyes moved down to his legs, tight in the pants. She felt a
tightening in her loins at the sight of him, even his arms turned
her on as he bunched up the arms of his shirt, his muscles flexing
under the skin.

“I think you are ready now.”

She considered this. “I’m not sure.”

“Then, Baby, that’s all that counts. Tell me
about your interest in vehicles, which ones?”

To Ara, Caleb seemed somehow older than he
was. He’d been away a lot more and maybe his new life was maturing
him. “Land, sea, air, space—I’ve designed several. Tekko and I even
make models and remote controlled miniatures.”

A shadow crossed his face but he smiled
reassuringly at her and then turned the car around. “I’d like to
see them one day.” They chatted as they drove back to the
homestead, Mum now close to where they had made out; they glanced
at each other and started laughing. Caleb’s Voice beeped. He swore.
“Impatient bastards.”

Feeling a little shy, she said, “I made
something for you.”

His eyes lit up and he looked around.

“There’s something I want to do and say when
I give it to you.” She smiled as she said this, and made sure she
looked into his eyes.

Caleb’s interest was piqued and he nodded.
“Alright.” He kissed her but asked a little nervously, “Do you
still love me?”

“I do. And you?” She was as nervous.

“I love you still.”

Grinning at each other like loons made them
both laugh softly. He hugged her one more time. She waved him off,
feeling excitement at the prospect of giving him something that
would mean a step up in their relationship if he accepted. After he
disappeared around the bend, his arm out and waving to her, she
headed up.

Sacha was waiting just inside the back door
and, before Ara could comment on Sacha’s new look, apparently busy
while Ara had been out, she said, “Well, I see talking helped.”

She laughed. “Yeah, talking.”

Sacha circled her arm around Ara’s waist.
“Let’s have some ice cream and you can tell all.”

Ara burst out laughing. “Did Tricia tell you
about the ice cream thing?”

“Maybe—” The sounds of laughter interrupted
them.

Dad came through to wave them over to the
kitchen bench. He glanced at Sacha who was currently sporting
short, red hair, still wearing green contacts though, and no
makeup. They sat on stools while Terance leaned on the counter. His
dark eyes were alight with something. “What will you two have for
lunch? It’s my treat.”

Ara grinned and gave him her order. She then
said, “You look happy over something, Dad.”

“I am.” He went to the cooler. “There’s an
opening at the Saratoga Wildlife Park—”

Ara squealed like a kid and jumped off the
stool. She ran around to hug him.

He laughed and patted her back. “It’s only an
interview but I think they’ll take you on, if you want the job.
It’s less skills training and more mucking out. You know the drill,
start at the—”

“Bottom and work to the top. I know.”

Ara walked back around, smiling at Sacha.

“Lion tamer, Ara.” She attempted to make a
whip cracking noise but she accidently spat saliva making Dad laugh
at her. “Dad!”

When he managed to stop himself from
laughing, he said, “Not quite yet, Sach. But if Ara enjoys the
work, there are other opportunities down the path.” He pulled out
the bread, baked the day before, and some cheeses. “You’ll be
working in a different department but we can get together for some
lunches.”