Torkel's Chosen (6 page)

Torkel took a wild
guess. “Computers and communicators?”

“In a nutshell.”

He frowned at the
odd phrasing. “Nutshell?”

Faye shook her
hair over her shoulder and the feminine gesture entranced Torkel. She must have
noted his confusion. “It means in basic terms.”

Which brought
Torkel to the next order of business. He rose to his feet and helped her up.
“If possible, I will see if there is a similar job on Enotia that will fulfill
you if you have the need to stay occupied.”

Torkel hadn’t
expected to make the offer but the words came naturally and her excitement made
it worth it.

“I’d love that.
I’m not used to being idle. ”

Faye bent to
retrieve the tray but he caught her hand in his instead. “Later. I’d like to
take you to Dr. Maku this morning.”

“I’m fine.” She
showed him her arm. Last night he’d had to roll the sleeves of his shirt almost
to her elbows but she’d been insistent on wearing it. It looked cute on her. “The
medical technology here is amazing.”

No bruises marred
her pink and gold skin. Torkel ran a blunt fingertip down her arm and paused at
her elbow when the flesh pebbled. “Axan was wrong to touch you in violence. He
shamed his father, Naine, and will pay a hefty fine.”

Though, Torkel
would have loved to have taught the man a lesson with his fists.

“No doctor needed,
right?”

She looked
anxious.  Torkel reminded himself of his purpose. “We’re not seeing him for
your injury. You need to receive the language transplant. It should have been
done last night but considering your condition it wasn’t wise.”

Faye placed her
palm over her face and moaned. “I’m never living that down am I?”

Torkel entwined
his fingers with hers for the sheer pleasure of touching her. He tugged and led
her back inside. His shirt fluttered around her thighs and Torkel’s arousal
returned. He thought he’d satisfied himself with her last night but his desire
left him slowing down to eye her shapely rear.

When they reached
the bedroom, he spun her in his arms and pulled her flush with his bare chest.
“No one will make fun of you.”

She struggled
briefly before placing her hands on his shoulders. “I feel like there’s so much
for me to learn.”

“I will help you,
Chosen.” Torkel vowed to do anything to keep her happy. If anyone upset her
they’d meet Jutak justice.

Chapter 8

Dr. Maku spoke little
during the procedure to implant her with a language translator. Faye had
initially been leery of having a device surgically placed into her ear canals
where an electronic transmitter would connect to her brain. His demonstration
on the computer monitor hadn’t helped much but Faye gave in when he threatened
to sedate her.

“All done. You
should understand everything someone says no matter the language.”

“Just like that?”
She couldn’t help if her tone carried doubt.

He raised a blond
brow. “Do you understand me?”

“Of course.”

“Then it worked.” Dr.
Maku rolled his eyes and started to arrange all of his equipment back in the
case on a rolling cart.

Faye supposed even
aliens could be sarcastic. Torkel had escorted her to another floor in the
building where he resided and left her with the doctor in a health clinic of
some sort. After a threatening glare from the doctor, he promised to wait for
her right outside.

Her gaze bounced
around the sterile room. Most of the equipment looked odd and she recognized
none of it. Then again she wasn’t a medical expert. In addition to the bed she
sat on, there were two other narrow bunks. An assistant worked on a computer
screen behind an enclosed glass wall but paid them no attention.

“Do you need
anything else from me?” Faye eased off the table and got to her feet. Her
tennis made squeaking sounds as she followed him back to the front of his
clinic. She’d changed into jeans and a long-sleeved cotton pullover though she
planned to keep Torkel’s shirt for sleeping unless he asked for it back.

“I took blood
samples to start an electronic file on you since I’ve never worked on a human
before. Torkel is adamant we prepare in case you have a medical emergency.”

He didn’t sound
pleased but Faye couldn’t quite tell. They entered the waiting area and Torkel’s
eyes brightened when he spotted her.

“Did it work?”

Faye shrugged. “I
think so.”

“It will translate
unless a word has no equivalent,” Dr. Maku chimed in.

Torkel nodded and
shook the doctor’s hand. “Thank you, friend.”

“She’s easier than
patching any of you up.”

Torkel curved his
arm around her shoulder and they left together. “I want to take you to spend
time with my team. I’m with them a lot and want you to be comfortable around
them.”

Faye appreciated
his efforts. She’d enjoyed meeting them from her hazy memories. She snuck a
quick glance at Torkel. He focused on leading her down the hall. She had her
whole life to adapt to a new world and a new husband. He still wore the black
pants but had added a black pullover shirt with long sleeves. She wished his
arms were bare for another view of the sleek skin she’d touch the night before.

He opened the door
to a different room. Training equipment identified it as a gym of some sort. Without
the odor. Only a few shirtless men were present in the room similar dressed in
black pants. They turned in their direction and Faye’s eyes widened. If she was
back home she’d make a calendar of these Enotian men and sell them for
millions.

Torkel didn’t let
her slow down, pulling her along with him. “My Chosen is going to spend time
with us.”

“You may want to
rethink that.” Jaron pointed behind them.

An older couple
came in the room behind them. The woman had the delicate blonde beauty Faye had
envied in her teens until she’d embraced her curves and size. Standing next to
Torkel didn’t hurt either. His height and brawny frame increased her feelings
of femininity.

“Maman, what are
you doing here?”

“Torkel.” The
woman spread her arms wide and bumped Faye when she hugged Torkel.

He patted her back
awkwardly and leaned back. “I said I would call.”

The man joined
their small circle. “Apologies Torkel but she wouldn’t wait. She insisted we
arrive first thing.”

Torkel smiled and
waved at Faye. “Faye it would please me to introduce my maman and papan. Shaya
and her Chosen, Marlin Alonson.”

The man’s blond
hair had dustings of silver. The small lines at the corners of his blue eyes
hinted that the smile on his face stayed often.

“Welcome to our
family.” He bowed his head at Faye but the woman reached out and pulled Faye to
her.

Tears glistened in
her eyes as she squeezed Faye’s cheeks. “You make us so happy.”

“Thank you. I
think.” Was the only response she could come up with.

Marlin wrapped his
arm around Shaya’s shoulders. “I’m sorry if we interrupted your bonding phase
with our son.”

Their son. Faye
studied the couple closer. Both of them had blond hair and blue eyes though
Shaya’s were lighter than the man who stood but inches taller than her. Marlin,
while slender, still had a sturdy frame but Shaya’s lean beauty looked as if a
mild wind would tip her over.

Torkel pulled Faye
to him. His arms curved around her waist as he rested his chin on the top of
her head. “Faye is my Chosen. She’s from Earth as I mentioned last night.”

He’d already
talked about her to his parents. A weight shifted on her shoulders and Faye
leaned into Torkel. She liked being close to him. His arms tightened as if he
read her mind.

Shaya pressed a
fist to her mouth and a tear trembled on her blonde lashes. “Thank you, Faye.”

The profuse
appreciation made her feel awkward.

Torkel
straightened but maintained his position behind her. “Why have you come out
this early? I would have brought Faye to the home to meet the family.”

Shaya’s lips
pressed tight and the tears dried instantly. “Axan has lodged a formal
complaint about the presentation.”

Marlin’s brow
creased. “He’s not taking this well at all for some reason. Be on your guard
with that one until this is handled by the Commission.”

Faye was stuck on
one phrase. ‘Formal complaint.’  “What formal complaint? They can’t make me not
choose Torkel can they?”

Torkel squeezed
her waist and stepped away. “I haven’t checked the communicator but if the
complaint is approved they will send me notice.”

The men in the
room ceased their training and focused on them. The ones she remembered from
the night before all wore varying frowns. Their reactions revealed the depth of
their concern for their friend and team member. Faye didn’t question her own
concern. They’d been together for one night but already her heart knew she
wanted this man. Wanted to let the small flame inside her soul grow into a
bonfire with all the feelings that could grow between them.

Jaron came over
and answered her. “They can’t but they can disqualify him and you’d have to
attend another presentation for a Chosen.”

Torkel glared then
softened the look when he spoke to Faye. “It won’t come to that. Axan is
reaching. He’s spoiled and unused to being told no.” He turned her fully to
face him and cupped her jaw. “We haven’t built a connection yet but I’m asking
you to trust me.”

Her throat
tightened. His request was simple and anything but at the same time. Faye
thought of her childhood dreams. Her fantasies of a family life. Those memories
helped guide her as she stared into pleading liquid-brown eyes. “I trust you,
Torkel.”

His mouth hitched
in the corner, revealing a deep groove in one masculine cheek. “Thank you.”

Faye’s heart
fluttered. A dimple. His already devastating appearance didn’t need a dimple.

His mother clapped,
disrupting the moment. “I can’t wait to tell your sister Lissi.”

Torkel groaned and
hugged Faye to his chest. It seemed her husband was very affectionate. “Lissi
is a menace, maman.” Humor threaded his voice.

“She tried calling
earlier and left you a message. I’ll tell her that your papan and I stopped for
a visit. We’ll leave now since Marlin made me promise we wouldn’t overstay our
welcome.”

Torkel’s hands
lingered on Faye’s shoulders with a slight caress before releasing her. He
hugged his maman and clapped his papan’s shoulder. “I’ll bring Faye to the home
after we’ve had time together.”

His parents
included Faye in their farewell and left after a cheery wave toward the others.

Geile and Gregir
walked over. “If you want to skip sparring with the long sticks Gregir and I
will work with Jaron and Arak. We’ll understand if you decline.”

Torkel sighed and
arched a brow in her direction. Faye could tell by the eager light in his eyes
that he wanted to. “Is it okay if I watch?”

He relaxed and a
broad grin spread over his face, teasing her with the dimple again. “Of course
you can.” He waved a large hand. “Sit anywhere. This is the training room where
we hone our skills. We have a strict workout schedule that everyone follows. As
Unit Leader I was listed on today’s roster before…”

Before he was
Chosen
she mentally added. Faye made a shooing motion with her hands. She
had no desire to guilt him into remaining at her side. “I’ll cheer for you.”

He flushed but
removed his shirt and handed it to her. Now she understood the drawstring pants
and bare feet. He followed the brothers to a sectioned-off mat area and Arak
moved over to stand beside Torkel. Each man hefted a long wooden stick from the
rack mounted on the wall. The slender rods were golden in color and at least
five foot in length.

She wasn’t sure
what she expected but it wasn’t for them to break into teams of two on two with
Jaron on the sidelines to judge. The brothers worked together against Torkel
and Arak. Similar to martial arts but faster, they attacked and lunged at one
another but worked in coordination with their designated partner. At one point
Arak back flipped across the mat and came up behind Geile, who promptly struck
with the long stick. Faye winced when he spun on his heels but Torkel lunged
forward, using his stick as a spring board and kicked out. Gregir flipped over
Torkel’s head and landed on his feet between the men.

Sweat soon dripped
from each of them but Faye only had eyes for Torkel. The flex and pull of his
body as he bent and stretched. The drawstring pants allowed him a freedom of
motion she wouldn’t have expected. She sighed loudly at the way the fabric
clung at the crotch when he performed a split to prevent being beaned on the
head by Gregir.

Torkel glanced in
her direction at the noise, chest rising from exertion. A bead of sweat
traveled from the crease of his collarbone, down his chest to cling for a
minute before following the hollows of his abs and finally disappeared beneath
the waist of his pants. She licked her lips and shifted on the couch. The
material twitched and expanded. An already snug fit became tighter.

“Time,” Torkel
said and rose to his feet with a groan.

Faye met his stare
head on.

“Continue without
me.” He tossed the stick behind him without glancing back to see if anyone
would catch it.

Fortunately, Arak
snagged it mid-air with a smug grin. Torkel prowled toward her, the determined
light in his eyes instantly making her wet. Faye climbed from the sofa just as
Torkel reached her and swung her up in his arms. Her hands grasped for his damp
shoulders.

“Torkel, your
practice” she thought to protest.

“My Chosen needs
me.” His voice grated in her ear and Faye relaxed.

She had no desire
to pretend she didn’t want to tear the pants off of him. With her teeth. The
thought left her smiling.

***

Torkel lowered
himself over Faye’s naked body. It had been an easy matter to remove her odd
clothing. He’d kicked his training pants to the side and now stared at the rich
bounty displayed in front of him.

“I could almost smell
your lust across the room.”

Her head shifted
across the pillow as she eyed him. “Should I apologize to your men for taking
you away?”

She didn’t look
remorseful. She looked amused.

Torkel battled a
grin. Her amusement chipped at his heart. Having a Chosen had added benefits he
had not considered. He didn’t laugh with the females he’d sex shared with in
the past. “The only person you need apologize to is me. You distracted me.”

She licked her
lips and lifted her hands to cup his face. “How should I apologize? Maybe a lap
dance.”

He frowned. They
both had implanted translators to understand various languages but the
translations were literal. Like now. He couldn’t understand how dancing from
her lap would be a reward. “Lap dance? Explain, please.”

Her hands slid
from his face to his hair where she tugged lightly. “I don’t think so. I prefer
to show you. Another time.”

Torkel groaned at
her smug look. He had the feeling she planned to torture him with some Earth
custom. Shaking his head, he dislodged her teasing hands. His lips kissed the
caramel tips of her breasts until she quivered. Sliding down, he mouthed the
curve of her belly, his tongue licking slowly.

“Torkel, please.”

“I’m going to
please you, Faye.” He nipped her inner right thigh, causing her leg to twitch.
“I’m going to please you while I feed on the delicious nectar that pours from
your body.”

She cursed and
squirmed beneath him.

“Spread your legs
wider, Chosen.” He waited as her legs parted. “More. Spread them wide enough I
don’t miss a single spot.”

Faye groaned and
her legs slid until her heels hit the edges of his bed. Torkel grabbed her
thighs with satisfaction and held them there as he lowered his mouth to the wet
folds. As soon as his lips dipped into her honey, she jerked. The sound she made
was full of female hunger. Hunger he intended to satisfy.

He tongued her
moist center. She was wet. She was sweet. She was everything he wanted. Torkel
plunged his tongue deeper and tasted her honey as it dripped from her. He
groaned as the rich taste of her filled his mouth.