Ariella peered at the Medical Supreme across the Central Hospital meeting room. She wished she could hear what the doctors were saying. According to Supreme Walter, she’d be cured within the hour—just as soon as he finished a procedure. Dr. Lu stood next to him, looking stern and slightly irritated. Next to them, Sebastjan crossed his arms as he listened to everything his father said. Since she wasn’t a doctor with medical clearance, Ariella had not been allowed into the conversation.
When Sebastjan glanced at her, he gave her a small, comforting smile. She returned the look, lifting her hand in acknowledgement. It seemed like an eternity before they motioned her to come over. She did, crossing the distance until she stood across from Sebastjan.
“You have to take a trip through the portal. Arrangements have been made with a plane we have trade agreements with,” Sebastjan said.
“I’m being traded?” Ariella gasped.
“No, don’t be ridiculous,” the Medical Supreme said. “Dr. Lu, leave us.” Dr. Lu nodded his head and stepped out of the room. “I designed what you have to dissipate if you were to use Divinity’s portal. It’s the only way to get rid of what you have.”
Ariella stiffened. The way the man said it, so matter-of-fact, so unapologetic. She frowned. “So no one would know what you did if I managed to run away to a plane you don’t control.”
“I liked you better before I married you to my son,” Supreme Walter stated.
“But she’s right, isn’t she?” Sebastjan frowned. “If she’s going, then I’m going though the portal too.”
“You can’t,” Ariella denied. “I don’t trust him.” She turned to the Medical Supreme. “I don’t trust you.”
“Like I would abandon my only son on a primitive plane with a bunch of barbarians.” Supreme Walter eyed her as if she were a stupid girl.
I really hate you, she thought, but kept quiet.
“Dr. Lu knows we are going. The blue mineral water is too important to this plane to risk ruining a trade agreement with Staria. If we don’t come back, Staria will be blamed and our people will demand we take action.” Sebastjan took Ariella by the arm. “We’re ready. We’ll go, make the trade, and be back.”
“I’ll have them dial the gate,” Supreme Walter said.
“No, I’ll get the coordinates from Dr. Lu. I’ll dial it myself.” Sebastjan led Ariella from the meeting room.
* * *
Ariella watched as Sebastian turned dials and pressed buttons on the inter-dimensional portal’s consul. Behind them, the square arch of the Divinity portal looked innocuous, like some badly chosen piece of decoration thrust against the wall. A blue glow filled the room, directed at the arch. The arch hid a complex configuration of liquid crystals, electrical currents, mirrors and vacuums. When activated, it was held in check by the wavelength of a specific blue light, which kept the portal inactive. Should the light change, a dimensional shift would occur taking whoever stood on the platform to a new parallel universe.
“Are you nervous? You said you’ve never dimension traveled before.” Ariella stroked his arm.
“No. I am fine,” he said. Twelve turn dials indicated the color coding, including intensity and saturation.
“I remember the stories people used to tell of the portals. I was so scared the first time I stepped through. Apparently, in the early days, before they made these destination platforms, travel was a haphazard affair and many of the testers died by materializing inside solid objects. Now Divinity sends out microscopic probes to new planes first.”
When all the dials were all set, the blue shifted into a brilliant red light. Sebastjan grinned. “Maybe a little nervous. I’m happy you will be cured and excited to see what another world looks like.”
“What do you think your father would do if we never come back?” Ariella asked, chuckling. “Have you ever thought about it? Just going to a new dimension and never coming back here?”
Sebastjan didn’t answer. He took her hand and walked toward the platform. The closer they got, the more the light lured them in. Suddenly, the strong gravitational field pulled her off her feet, tearing her hand from his and hurling her toward the back of the platform.
Ariella, knowing what was to come, tucked her arms in and closed her eyes tight. The concentrated red light burned her flesh and every cell in her body felt as if it had turned to lead. She couldn’t move, even as her body was pulled apart on a molecular level. Seconds later, the sensations stopped and her body was dropped onto a hard surface with a heavy thud.
Coughing, she automatically rolled to the side. Sebastjan nearly landed on top of her. All around them, the blue glow shone. Ariella searched her surroundings. They were in cavelike clearing. The stone walls were etched with the tool marks made to carve them. A domed arch with a back and two side walls covered the platform. Every Divinity portal had a different look to it, but the main construct remained the same.
Sebastjan pushed up. “Ariella? How are you? How do you feel?”
Ariella gave a weak laugh and moaned, “Ow. I hate that part.”
“I didn’t imagine portal travel would be so painful.” He took a deep breath and felt along his limbs as if checking to be sure they were still intact.
“It gets more bearable with time,” came a woman’s voice, “or perhaps we just get used to it.”
Sebastjan helped Ariella to her feet.
“Welcome to Battlewar Castle. I’m Lady Lilith of Firewall. I will be your contact while you are here.” Lady Lilith smiled. Her straight blonde hair fell freely about her shoulders and she had kind blue eyes. The tight fit of her white corset outlined her waist and hips, showcasing a generous amount of cleavage. Long skirts billowed around her legs, the dark crimson a stark contrast to the white. Ariella tried not to stare. “You must be new to portal travel. Though, if I recall correctly from my visits to plane 187, not many of your people have stepped through the portal. You usually have people brought to you. I am honored you would come.”
Behind the woman, a bodyguard stood, his arms crossed in a protective gesture. He was a burly figure, dressed in a hard leather jerkin and dark breeches. Metal diamonds plated the leather, creating a symmetrical pattern over his thick chest.
“I am Dr. Sebastjan Walter and this is my wife, Ariella,” Sebastjan said. “We are honored you would have us for your guests.”
“Married?” Lilith looked Ariella over. “That’s probably for the best. Single women tend to get claimed rather quickly around here.”
“Yes, I’m married,” Ariella confirmed, inching closer to her husband.
“Walter, you say?” Lilith arched a brow. “As in Medical Supreme Walter?”
“The same,” Sebastjan acknowledged. “He is my father.”
“Will there be more of you?” Lilith glanced at the platform. “The Medical Supreme usually travels with at least a dozen armed men when he leaves your capital city—or so I’ve been informed.”
Sebastjan led Ariella forward into the cave. Her legs shook nervously. All she had seen was a cave, a woman and one guard and she could still tell this world was going to be unlike any she’d ever dreamed of seeing. Sebastjan said, “No. We come alone. No guards. Your intentions in negotiation have never been hostile. When we knew you as Divinity Analyst Sans Lilith Grian, you always treated us fairly. I’m sure we’ll be able to negotiate for the supplies you need.”
Though hardly tense, Lilith seemed to relax at his words. She motioned toward a stairwell. “Please, follow me.”
They walked through mazelike corridors of blue-gray stone. Torches burned from their places on the wall. Ariella breathed deeply, loving the smell of stone and fire. The ever so subtle hint of dust tickled her nose.
Lady Lilith brought them to a large dining area. Bright light came from a large fireplace along a far side of the room. Woven tapestries lined the walls in strips of material, showcasing coats of arms and various symbols.
A few warrior men sat at the tables, whispering amongst themselves. Though gruff in appearance, most of them looked recently bathed. Some wore lightweight tunics, others leather jerkins like the guards, others light chainmail and pieces of armor, and still others wore no shirt at all. Big metal goblets had been set before them, next to matching pitchers. She’d thought the guards were scary, but some of these men were practically gigantic. Muscles bulged, littered with puckered scars and tattooed designs.
When Lilith saw Ariella looking around, she said, “Battlewar Castle may look rough, but that is to be expected from a fortress designed by men constantly at war. Hopefully though, that will change now that this plane has found some peace. That is why there aren’t too many warriors here now. They’ve all gone home to their families. As you can see, this plane is fairly rustic when compared to 187, but I assure you, you have nothing to fear.”
“Oh, I’m not frightened. It reminds me of home in some ways. More so than 187.” Ariella took another deep breath. “Smells like it too.”
“You are not from 187?” Lilith asked.
“No, but it’s my home now.” Ariella refused to say more and Lilith didn’t ask. Sebastjan’s hand slid across her back in reassurance.
“Please join me at the high table. We can go over the details and, considering everything goes well, there will be a celebration tonight in honor of a successful negotiation.” Lilith smiled. “We at Staria love any reason to celebrate.”
* * *
“How are you feeling? It’s been six hours,” Sebastjan touched his wife’s arm. He knew he was concerned without reason. She smiled brightly at him, her cheeks flushed, her laugh warm, her eyes bright.
Turning her gaze from where she looked over the hall of Starian people, Ariella leaned over to kiss him. “I’m well. I promise. Now, try your drink. You wouldn’t want to be rude.”
Sebastjan looked at the goblet before him. He liked to think he was open-minded and didn’t live in fear, but having been raised on a sterile planet, with sustenance that was specifically designed for him, he found himself apprehensive to try what the Starians put before them.
At Ariella’s playfully challenging gaze, he lifted the goblet to his lips and sipped. The sweet flavor was strange, like nothing he’d ever had before, and though completely different he couldn’t help sipping again.
“You look like a child who was just given his first sweet.” Ariella laughed.
Sebastjan took another drink. The hall erupted into a crescendo of good-natured laughter and cheering, though he hardly thought the merriment directed at his bravery in tasting the foreign drink. The men who filled the large area were boisterous and loud and covered in primitive black markings and scars. The women danced and laughed and teased. He’d never seen any gathering of people so happy. A raw, potent energy radiated from them—expressed in male posturing, female temptations and an unapologetically open sexuality.
“Mm,” Ariella whispered against his ear. “I’m proud of you. That couldn’t have been easy for you to try a drink from here.”
As the heat from her lips brushed against him, Sebastjan took a deep breath. Lust threaded through his veins, emanating from the drink in his stomach, filtering through his limbs, filling his cock. A few of the couples in the crowd kissed passionately and, though he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure, he thought he’d seen a couple of women slip beneath the tables to pleasure their men.
“I see you’re not like your father in many ways,” Lilith said, joining them. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes glistened with an inner mischief. Sebastjan stiffened, glad the table hid his arousal. “He never partakes of our foods.”
A giant of a man sat next to Lilith. He snorted at her comment but didn’t speak. Dark hair framed his face in thick waves, not so long as to touch his shoulders. His eyes were a hard brown, until he looked at Lilith. Then they softened.
Sebastjan relaxed and smiled. Feeling strangely calm, he said, “My father and I agree on very little.”
Lady Lilith knew a lot about his homeworld, having been there several times before her present assignment on Staria. The few times he’d met with her, he found her likable and easy to talk to. She had been a great source of information about this new plane and was the whole reason trade had been set up between Staria and Chiron in the first place.
“May I present my husband, Lord Sorin of Firewall,” Lilith said, gesturing to the big man next to her.
“Welcome,” Sorin said, nodding. Like the other men, his manners and voice were gruff. He exuded an almost violent charm, as if at any moment he’d jump up from his seat and begin to fight. Looking at the man’s fists, Sebastjan knew he’d be deadly.
“I’ve ordered rooms readied for you, should you decide to stay,” Lilith said, leaning forward to look at Ariella. “You are most welcome. I’d be happy to show you around the city market tomorrow. You might enjoy it.”
“Can we?” Ariella asked him. Sebastjan saw her excitement and nodded. Her hand brushed his leg. At that moment, he’d give her almost anything.
Have you ever thought about it? Just going to a new dimension and never coming back here? Her words echoed through him. In that moment, if she were to ask him to leave everything behind for her, he’d say yes.
“Wonderful!” Lilith announced. She continued to speak, but Sebastjan couldn’t think past the hand resting on his thigh.
* * *
Ariella grinned, knowing she had to look like a drunken fool but unable to help it. The heady liquor affected her body. Even the meal of warm bread, seasoned meats and delicious cheeses couldn’t counteract the effects of the alcohol. She wasn’t sure she wanted it to. Staria wasn’t exactly home, but it was strong and primal and the exact opposite of Chiron.
Somewhere in the hall a woman screamed playfully. The sound was followed by a sharp rise in male laughter. Lilith paused in her conversation with her husband. It was clear to all she was in love with the man.
Ariella turned her gaze to Sebastjan. “I like being here. It’s almost like my visit to Asclepius never happened.”
“I’m glad it did,” Sebastjan answered. His eyes had a slight glaze to them. Fingers slid onto her thigh, massaging the muscle. “If you never visited my world, we wouldn’t be here now.” His hand moved to her hip. “We never would have met.” He touched her waist, drawing her against his side. “I think to never have met you would have been a sad thing indeed.”
Sebastjan turned to Lilith, whispering to the woman. Within moments, a guard was leading them through the passageways toward a private sleeping chamber complete with trunk, large fur-covered bed and a disturbing amount of weaponry hanging on the wall. A fire burned in a fireplace, heating the room and casting it with flickering orange light.
“This place.” Sebastjan looked around. “It’s like a child’s tale from school. I feel like I’ve stepped into a book.”
“I felt like that the first time I went through the portals,” Ariella admitted. She pulled on this shirt, drawing him near. “I walked around, feeling as if nothing was real or that I’d stepped into some sort of strange underground society on my world instead being in a Divinity facility.”
“Oh, I definitely feel as if this world is real.” He grinned, stroking her cheek. “Very real, and soft, and pretty and—”
Ariella laughed, cutting him off. “And perhaps a little drunk?”
“Perhaps a little. I’ve never felt quite like this from the liquor on our plane.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Though, that could be because at the first sign of any fun, the medical systems alert us to take a shot of correction medication.” Before she could again speak, he kissed her. He rocked his hips against her, letting her feel the unmistakable ache of his desire. When he stopped, he held her close. “I’ve never felt quite like this around any other woman.”
He placed his hands on the small of her back, rubbing in circles. Desire wound through her body, unfurling from her stomach. Ariella ran her fingers into his hair. She tasted the sweet tang of liquor on his tongue when they kissed. She wanted him desperately, wanted to feel him inside her. His kisses became aggressive as he nipped at her mouth, drawing her bottom lip between his teeth.
A weight had lifted from her the moment they stepped through the portal and her mood only continued to lighten the longer they stayed in Battlewar Castle. Moaning weakly, she turned her mouth from his and took a deep breath.
“Let’s never leave,” Ariella whispered. “Let’s stay here and make love every night. You can be a lord and I a lady. We’ll get a castle. I’ll wear tight, corseted dresses. You’ll tend to battle wounds and heal scars.”
“You have no idea how tempting that is right now.” Sebastjan nuzzled her throat, devouring her with deep, passionate kisses. He traced his tongue along her jawline to her ear, where he nipped the lobe. His hard breath resounded in her ear. “You taste sweet.”
Her heart beat wildly. Before she realized what was happening, he had her undressed. Sebastjan tossed her clothes aside and began working on his own.
Ariella crawled onto the large bed. The fur tickled in all the right ways. She stretched her arms over her head, lengthening her body. Sebastjan watched with eager eyes. The second his shirt hit the floor, he crawled onto the bed and stretched out next to her.
“Don’t move,” he said, drawing the back of his hand along the valley of her breasts. His touch whispered over her flesh, sweeping over her stomach and legs, circling her knees, traveling between her parted thighs before making the trip back up her body.
Ariella squirmed restlessly against the bed. Sebastjan moved to settle between her knees. She reached for him, stroking his hair as he placed tiny kisses against her inner thighs.
“So soft and smooth,” he said, licking the tender flesh were leg met pussy. Ariella tensed as he blew lightly against the sensitive bud of her sex. He took his time, drawing out the pleasure until she begged him to finish it. He slipped a finger inside her, wiggling and stroking her pussy.
She clutched at his shoulders, pulling him up. He kissed a breast on his way past, before bringing his cock to the slick folds of her sex. A light sheen of sweat covered them, causing the fur to stick to her back. Sebastjan entered her hard and sure. She gasped at the wondrous sensations.
The world seemed to spin around them. Sensations flooded through her, propelled on by the thrusting of their bodies, the soft pants of her voice and the harder grunts of his. Suddenly, she came, tensing as pleasure rippled over her. His release met hers in loud, primitive awareness.
Sebastjan rolled onto the mattress next to her. Ariella watched him close his eyes and take a deep, steadying breath. She placed her hand on his chest to feel the fast beat of his heart and he instantly covered it with his own. She wanted to breathe him in for the rest of her life. She wanted to live in that moment forever, surrounded by the stone of castle walls, lightheaded from a combination of drink and sex.
“I think I love you, Ariella,” he whispered.
She smiled, watching to see if he’d open his eyes and say more. He didn’t, but that didn’t lessen her pleasure at his admission. “I think I love you too, Sebastjan.”