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"Arco, what's wrong?" Lorinda asked, hugging her boyfriend.
"I don't know," Arco whispered. "I can't explain."
"Does your shoulder still hurt?"
"Yes. But it's nothing compared to the pain he feels." Arco massaged his shoulder, thoughtful. "You know, I never saw anyone like that."
"Me neither." Lorinda shivered against him. "He scares me."
"He scares you?" Arco squeezed her. "You shouldn't fear him," he said caressing her hair.
"He attacked you," she said with a pout.
"He wasn't in control," he replied. "Don't hate him, it's not his fault if he's like this. And don't fear him, he won't hurt you."
"Fine." She nestled against him to hide her frown.
"Nothing bad happened," he insisted.
"I think it's dangerous to keep him here," she retorted. "He's a gladiator and he's crazy!"
"He's not crazy and he didn't choose to be a gladiator," he replied. "Anyway, you can leave anytime. He's staying."
"That's not what I meant," she grumbled. "I didn't want... didn't think..."
"Forget it," he said, holding her. "Forget he exists, all right? You won't see him again."
He pulled away from her to look her in the eyes. She nodded. He smiled and kissed her, holding her tight. But he wasn't smiling anymore.
***
"Hello brother. Am I disturbing you?" Arco sat on the edge of Vorus's desk without waiting for a reply. "What are you doing?"
"I'm thinking," Vorus answered. "We can't keep Moreno here."
"Why not? He's free, and this is our home."
"I know." Vorus stood and started pacing his office. "But he needs medical assistance. I don't want to throw him out, I want him to heal, then he can come back here."
Arco sighed. He was hoping to be able to save Moreno himself, but Vorus was right. They needed the help of pros.
Vorus had stopped by the window and looked outside in the garden. Moreno was talking and laughing with Oretta and Wanda.
"Look at him," Vorus said. "Now he's fine. He laughs, he's cheerful and normal. But his seizures are so sudden that it's impossible to foresee them coming. We can't keep sedating him every time it happens, we must find a cure. And there's no house doctor here."
"What can we do?" Arco asked, frowning in worry. He'd joined his brother and stared at Moreno's happiness.
"I don't know," Vorus answered, thoughtful. "Going back to town with them means locking them in the penthouse, lest their owner sees them and claims them."
They watched in silence for a moment.
"Don't you think Wanda likes Moreno a lot?" Arco asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes." Vorus smiled. "I'm glad she found someone real to concentrate upon."
"Well, Zaphadin is real, except apparently he's an asshole." Arco shrugged. "I think Wanda prefers virtual lovers – or men who won't touch her anyway."
"Arco..." Vorus chided. "You never understood anything, did you?"
"About what?"
"Wanda. She's a telepath. That's why it's so hard for her to have a relationship with anyone. Same with Lyssa. It took her ages to find a boyfriend and she had to move to the Sire planet!"
"Oh." Puzzled, Arco stared at his brother. That explained a lot. "So you think Wanda can read Moreno's mind?"
"I think so. Although there probably isn't much left with any sanity. Must be tough to be able to see what he's been through. Unless it's too muddled to be clear..."
"But then... she's even better than a doctor," Arco said. "Why don't we send her with Moreno and Oretta to the chalet? Moreno is never violent towards women and having two sweet nurses might help, don't you think?"
Vorus glanced at him and pondered. "Fine," he said quickly. "Let's see if Wanda is up to it."
***
Wanda went back to her town apartment to pack more things for a longer stay. She liked the idea of the little chalet in the mountains, away from everything. It had been a men's retreat when her parents were alive – Dad would go there with Vorus and Arco while she went to Aunt Gisella with her mother. She'd considered moving there herself, since her brothers seemed to prefer town or country life, but now Vorus suggested she take Moreno there.
Wanda wasn't sure she could help the runaway slave. Moreno's mind was still quite confused and full of shadows, so not even she could see the seizures coming. But she noticed that she had some power over him – her mind could soothe his if she could touch him. That wasn't anything she'd experienced before, so she wondered if it was telepathy or some other form of empathy that allowed her to heal with her mind – at least the non-physical wounds.
Before heading for the mountains, she stared at her room one more time and thought about Feliks. I'm twenty-two, I can't keep living on dreams, she thought, biting her lower lip. Moreno was real, but also traumatized, she couldn't expect him to be gentle if they managed to get naked together. She suspected at the moment he was also quite impotent, but that was one more reason to learn something about men before trying to heal him.
She went to the club where Feliks worked, determined to get rid of her virginity. They told her Feliks had time off, but she managed to reach his room anyway.
"Look who's here," he greeted her with a sad smile. "How come you decided to see me again?"
"I wanted to apologize. I've been rude. And I do need your services. But I'm leaving town for I don't know how long in the morning, so I was wondering if you could do some extra work tonight. I'm willing to pay."
"Do I smell a love interest in your life, Lady Wanda?" he asked, leaning on the window pane. He wore only pants and Wanda compared his bare chest to Moreno's.
"It's complicated," she said, averting her eyes. "If you're unwilling to do it, please point me to one of your colleagues who is working tonight."
"I'd never pass up the opportunity to please you," he replied. He went to sit on the bed and offered his hand.
After a brief hesitation, she took it and sat next to him.
"I know you've never seen a naked man before, therefore I'll let you start," he said, pulling her closer.
"Actually I have." She smiled briefly at the memory of Moreno's bath. "But I still know nothing about sex. You will have to teach me."
"As you wish." He grinned and caressed her hair. Wanda tried to relax in his embrace, but it wasn't easy. He let her explore his body, guiding her to his hot spots. And then he touched her and caressed her with his fingers and his lips, sending shivers down her spine.
She closed her eyes and imagined Moreno was with her.