GABRIEL (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 4) Read online

She bristled at his reference to her parents. "And you..." she glared at his hand until he released her, "are a brute. If you manhandle me once more, I will call security."

  His mouth dropped open in shock. "Manhandle? You are not only rude, you're unbalanced. Perhaps I shall have something to say about who heads up this trip."

  Shara paused, not certain whether he really might have a say in the matter and attempted to regroup. "I apologize if I've been... rude, but I dislike being interrupted when I'm in the middle of a difficult calculation. I will be glad to discuss the trip with you at another time, when I'm not so busy."

  Gabriel studied her for a second, then apparently decided it was the best he could do. "Fine. How about first thing tomorrow morning... before you get involved in another difficult calculation?"

  Even though she heard the sarcasm dripping from his words, Shara nodded in agreement. "Meet me for breakfast in the dining room downstairs at oh-eight-hundred."

  Gabriel nodded in return, aware that she had made a point of giving him an order rather than a suggestion. As he left the lab and headed out of the building, he shook off the uneasy feeling he had had from the moment he heard about the venture. Before he approached Shara, he had asked several people about her. Regarding her work, she received the highest praise—brilliant, devoted, obsessive. Descriptions of her personality were less flattering—humorless, cool, antisocial.

  Naturally, with warnings like that, he had been prepared for the worst upon meeting her. And maybe that had caused him to be on the offensive... but a "brute"? He had never committed a violent act on a woman in his life. Unless one counted the Kesian female who had decided he would make an excellent main course for her dinner.

  All in all, he had to admit he'd handled the situation badly but he would have the chance to correct his error tomorrow. Rumors abounded about the purpose of the trip but the consensus was that she was the one behind it. Being the Co-Governors' daughter practically ensured her having her own way in the matter... if she got the approval of the Tribunal.

  A trip back in time could be the apex of his career. And, for that opportunity of a lifetime, it appeared to be vital that he gain Shara's approval. It had been a long time since he had tried to court a woman's favor.

  The problem was, although Shara looked like a woman—and a beautiful, well-formed one at that—she hadn't reacted to him the way most women did, with soft smiles and inviting glances. He knew what those women wanted from him and, when he chose, he gave it to them. Having spent most of his life on the fringes of civilization, he hadn't the slightest idea what else might influence a woman like Shara.

  Perhaps his assistant, Ferrine, could give him some advice.

  * * *

  Shara switched off her monitor and set her work aside for the day. Gabriel Drumayne, professor, procurer and general nuisance, had broken her train of thought and she couldn't seem to get it back on track. He had been right about her being rude, not that she would ever admit it to him.

  She never liked being interrupted but it was much more than that. With one look at his handsome face, and the smile that said he knew just how good he looked, her self-defense mechanism had kicked in. From previous experience, she should be immune to attractive, self-confident men. But since she wasn't, rudeness usually sent them on their way and protected her from her own weakness.

  They say a woman never forgets her first love but Shara wished she could. Like the professor, her first love had had fair coloring and broad shoulders, and she had fallen so fast she never wondered whether he felt the same. She gave him her heart and her virginity, two things her Terran mother had convinced her should not be given lightly.

  Shara had always understood that her mother's sense of morality was not the norm in Innerworld. The average Noronian accepted coupling as a pleasurable physical experience that did not require any emotional entanglement. At the Indulgence Center, a sexual encounter was just one of a long list of entertainments available. Yet Shara had felt more comfortable adopting her mother's more reserved attitude toward intimacy.

  She had mistakenly believed her first young man had wanted more from her than a biological release, but even that would not have been as bad as what he had really wanted. After they made love, he let her know how disappointed he was with her. He had thought sex with a mixed-breed would be a unique experience, yet, not only was she not unique, she wasn't even skilled.

  It had taken Shara a long time after that to let any man get close to her. The fear that they were interested in her only as a freak of nature was always with her. She thought she had become adept at interpreting men's ulterior motives. But one day another man slipped under her guard. Although this one had dark hair and eyes, he was still extraordinarily handsome. Her instincts insisted he was interested in her as a woman, not a breed, and she fell again, a lot slower, but the landing was familiar.

  Her second experience at love proved that her instincts were never to be trusted again. True, this one didn't care that she was of mixed blood but his attraction to her still had to do with her parentage. He was politically ambitious, and once Romulus helped him get a position he desired, his devotion to Shara dwindled rapidly.

  It was bad enough that Gabriel Drumayne had interrupted her and was so gorgeous he made her insides flutter, but when he made a reference to her parents, he committed his third and most serious offense. Shara had always made sure that her accomplishments were her own rather than due to her parents' influence and she was extremely sensitive about it.

  Recalling why she automatically reacted to the professor the way she did relieved her of any guilt for her poor manners, but it didn't remove the problem. She had agreed to talk to him tomorrow morning. Considering his position, he probably carried as much influence as she did to recommend who went on the trip. And considering the way she felt about history, a historian would be a logical choice for the companion she promised to take along.

  Perhaps there was some quirk in his personality that would justify her refusing to accept him. Maybe he was really a brute after all. She realized he had had a distinct advantage over her at their first meeting because he had gotten information about her beforehand. In order to take away that advantage, she would have to find out a little about him. Within minutes, she located a friend who was glad to introduce her to the professor's assistant, Ferrine.

  * * *

  "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice, Ferrine," Shara said, smiling across the table at the tiny female with the elfin ears and bright orange hair.

  Ferrine twitched her speckled nose and smiled back. "I've been wanting to try this new dinery but my mate's been away and I didn't feel like coming alone. You didn't have to bribe me with a meal though."

  Shara's smile faded. "It wasn't—"

  "Oh, don't worry. I'm joking. Your friend Kiku told me you wanted to get some background on my chief and I figure that's only fair, since he was checking on you first. Don't get me wrong. I'm loyal to Gabriel, but there are times when I have to do what I think will be best for him. You know he spends most of his time journeying, don't you?"

  "Actually, I don't know much more than his name and title." And that he's annoying and egotistical, she added to herself.

  "Well, let's see. In spite of the title professor, he spends very little time lecturing and only a bit of his time procuring antiquities. His primary function—and his life's passion—is researching primitive civilizations. He's compiled a number of monographs on the subject. From time to time on his journeys, he comes across a valuable artifact and acquires it for Norona. Because of the remote places some of these research journeys take him, he's often without human company for months at a time. But it doesn't seem to bother him. Even when he's here, if he's involved in a project, he's liable to forget there are people around. Sometimes I have to remind him to eat and sleep."

  "So he's a loner and dedicated to his career." Shara couldn't find fault with that.

  Ferrine nodded. "He's not shy or introverted. He just do
esn't go out of his way to encourage relationships. Of course, the way he looks, he's never had to encourage female relationships anyway. Women tend to overlook his lack of interest and readjust their schedules to suit him. As far as I can tell, the only thing he gets excited about is his work. Personally, I can't imagine making love to a man whose mind is off in another time or place but I guess there's no accounting for taste." She noted the slight flush on Shara's cheekbones and added, "You really confused him today."

  Shara's eyebrows lifted a notch. "I beg your pardon?"

  "I don't know what happened when he went to see you but he came back and asked me what I thought he should do to make himself more acceptable to you. Knowing Gabriel, I assumed he meant in a working sense, not personally."

  "Uh, yes, he intends to work with me on a project," Shara said, trying not to care that he might not be as sure of himself as he had appeared.

  "And again, knowing Gabriel, he probably forgot certain amenities like saying hello or excuse me, or introducing himself."

  "Well..."

  "Believe me, I know," Ferrine said with a laugh. "But I'm used to him. Truly, he's not inconsiderate. It's just that his mind is sometimes miles ahead of his mouth. When he's not distracted by a project, he's quite pleasant and actually fun to be around. He really seemed anxious to get along with you."

  Shara gave a noncommittal shrug, realizing she had been hoping for some negative information and wound up talking to the professor's one-woman support team instead.

  "Listen," Ferrine said, leaning closer and lowering her voice. "He wouldn't want me to tell you this but it's not as much of a secret as he likes to believe, and it might help you to give him a little more leeway, as far as his behavior is concerned."

  Shara tilted her head expectantly. A secret about the professor could be just what she needed.

  "He was born in Parson's Colony."

  That simple sentence told Shara more than enough to fill her with panic. She thanked Ferrine for her time and returned to her lab, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of the experiment that had taken place at Parson's.

  Although it was not widely publicized, as a geneticist she had studied the few details recorded. Six couples with exceptionally developed mental abilities had formed a group family in which no one spoke aloud. All communication was by thought and all minds were always open to the others, the theory being that together they would form a dynamic mental union.

  Most Noronians were trained to communicate mentally by pressing two fingers to another's temple and concentrating. Despite having a Terran mother, Shara had been born with a few exceptional mental abilities. Though she couldn't discern another's thoughts without making physical contact, she could send specific thoughts or simple instructions, usually without the receiver being aware of it.

  She had several other extraordinary skills besides that, but only her immediate family knew about them. The curious attention she drew by being a mixed-breed was bad enough. She didn't want her special skills being talked about as well.

  However, those abilities could be useless against someone from Parson's. The professor could have the power to manipulate her to do whatever he wanted. Although she had no problem blocking an average intrusion, such as her brother had occasionally attempted, she had no way of knowing if her mind was strong enough to hold off a more talented trespasser. She would just have to keep her guard up around the professor at all times.

  Her reasons for making sure he did not accompany her had now doubled. But she thought it would be best to let him think she was being cooperative while staying a step ahead of him.

  The next morning she arrived in the dining room precisely at 0800 prepared to pretend she was open-minded. By 0900 she headed to her lab, more annoyed with the self-centered boor than before. He had not shown up, nor canceled their appointment.

  Her morning took another downward turn when she received notice that a highly skilled research assistant had chosen to work in another department rather than accept her more generous offer. This had happened before, during the years she ran the genetics research lab in Innerworld, but only once did the prospective employee let it be known that Shara's questionable breeding had affected his decision. After that, she always wondered about the true reasons when she lost a qualified employee or when a choice assignment was passed on to a geneticist on Norona.

  Three hours later, Gabriel finally appeared in the lab. This time he stood quietly beside her until she looked up at him.

  The explicitly graphic directions she had intended to deliver if she ever saw him again slipped away. It was impossible to curse at an angel. The way the light caught in his blond curls even gave the impression of a halo. She decided to let him have the first word, because she fully intended to have the last.

  Rather than speak, he handed her a brown leather pouch. Shara glanced suspiciously at the small bag then back at him.

  "It's for you," he said, loosening the drawstring at the top of the pouch.

  Turning the bag upside down, Shara shook the contents onto her worktable. A gray, crescent-shaped stone about two inches long fell out with a thud. "You're giving me a rock?"

  Gabriel frowned and shook his head at her. "That's not a rock. That's the foreclaw of an Umerian trenchrat." When she still looked skeptical, he explained. "In ancient times on Norona, if one person offended another, it was customary for the one to offer the other a gift that held sentimental meaning for the giver."

  "Let me get this straight. This... thing... has sentimental value to you?"

  "Very much so! It saved my life. I was on the planet Umer when I accidentally met the gaze of one of the amazons there. It isn't that I didn't know better, mind you, but she caught me by surprise. Before I could blink, she had me half entranced. Let me tell you, if that trenchrat hadn't attacked me right then, I might never have escaped. I killed the beast but this claw broke off in my back. I've had it for years."

  Shara wondered if he could be making up the story. The thing still looked like a rock to her. But Ferrine had said his journeys took him to distant places on a regular basis, so his tale could be true. And she had heard of the hypnotic powers of certain Umerian females. Just as she had heard that some men went there hoping to be forced into their exotic brand of captivity.

  "I could show you the scar," Gabriel said seriously. "I never had it repaired."

  She tensed at the thought of his removing his shirt for her to inspect his back. "No. That's not necessary. I was just thinking about your story. I've never been anywhere but Innerworld and Norona."

  "Then you are probably in need of this adventure you're planning. Oh, I almost forgot. I apologize for missing our appointment this morning. I'm afraid I started translating an ancient Terran scroll last night and failed to note the time until a half hour ago."

  "You mean you haven't been to sleep yet?" Shara asked, remembering what Ferrine had said about his forgetfulness. More than likely, it was Ferrine's suggestion that he apologize.

  "No. I'll catch up with it later. I always do. Since I missed our breakfast appointment, would it be possible to have our discussion over lunch?" Rather than attempting to sway her with the boyish grin and dimple ploy, his expression remained sincere.

  She preferred not to have the discussion at all but she reminded herself that it would behoove her to play along. "That would be satisfactory." After putting the claw and pouch into her desk drawer, she gave her computer instructions to run a program while she was gone.

  Neither spoke until they had ordered a meal then Gabriel got right to the point. "As I understand it, you have a time-travel device in your possession and substantiating evidence to justify its use. Do you have a good case?"

  "Excellent." Shara had already decided to fill him in on the situation. It would not be that difficult for him to find out on his own anyway and she wanted him to believe she was accepting him.

  Meanwhile, she stayed alert for any attempt on his part to touch her mind.

  He paid c
lose attention as she told of Lantana's insistence that she go back in time to prevent one rebel from being sent to Terra. By the time their meal arrived, he knew as much as she did about the reason for the trip.

  "And what about the device? It won't matter what you intend to do if you can't operate it."

  Her study of the tempometer was still a secret but she didn't dare lie. "I think I'll be able to manage. Once approval comes through of course."

  "Of course." Gabriel couldn't prove she was withholding something but the irises of her eyes had changed color twice since they sat down. They started out a soft brown-green hazel, but turned bright emerald green as she talked about Lantana's appearance and her plan to go back in time. Then, just as suddenly, when he asked about the time device, they darkened to a dull shade of olive.

  Not for the first time, Gabriel thanked the heavens that he had not inherited the emotionally reactive irises common to so many Noronians. Of course, without that trait, the Code of Honesty would be difficult to enforce. But he had never seen a pair of eyes in which the changes were as drastic as Shara's.

  He decided it was time to terminate the preliminaries and state his objective. "I understand why you want to make the trip, and it makes sense that you should be the geneticist to go. But, as I told you yesterday, I believe a historian should participate in the venture and that I should be that historian."

  "I've given that some thought, Professor, and—"

  "Gabriel. The title is an honor but not necessary."

  Not necessary for him perhaps, Shara thought, but she preferred to keep familiarities to a minimum. "As I was saying, I have come to the conclusion that a historian would be a logical addition to the team. Since history is out of my area of expertise, I would leave it to the Tribunal to select the individual best qualified."

  His eyes narrowed at her implication that it would not necessarily be him. "And I'm telling you, there is no one more qualified than I. The moment I heard the rumor, my mind was made up that I would be part of this. The research would be invaluable to my text. But now, after hearing exactly what you plan to do, I realize there is more at stake here than my work."