Klingon Hearts 07 Blaze - Sudden Insight Read online

  "Why not?" That intrigued her. She would have thought it was something he always did.

  "I've never felt the desire to, I guess. It's enough to know their bodies, I don't need to know their minds."

  You were reading my thoughts.

  It had been years since she tried this and she realized, sadly, that their link must be gone because he didn't answer.

  "Go to sleep, Blaze," he said quietly, kissing the top of her head. It wasn't long before she did. Her last thought, as sleep took her, was the realization that his heart was beating in time with hers.

  Lucas stoked her hair until he felt her breathing become slow and steady. Her words still echoed in his head. You were reading my thoughts. She was right, he had been and hadn't even realized it. The admission shook him to his very core. He -never- allowed himself to join with a woman's mind when they were together. Everything about it always felt so patently wrong.

  So why did it happen with K'Leena so easily?

  *****

  "Lucas! Get your ass out of bed, we need to...." Mike Burns stopped dead in his tracks in the doorway of Lucas' bedroom after he flicked on the light.

  You couldn't mistake the woman curled up in Lucas' arms. They lay spooned together, her face turned into the crook of his arm, legs entwined. Her nightgown was bunched up around her hips, leaving very little of her body to his imagination, but it was the red-gold hair streaming over Lucas' arm that was unmistakably K'Leena's. Mike had never met another woman with hair quite that color. The hand that had been resting possessively over her flat stomach moved to grab the blanket. Lucas glared at his best friend and yanked up the covers that she'd kicked off earlier. Mike grinned and shrugged, he might as well look, he was pretty sure Lucas was never going to share.

  "I'll be right out," Lucas whispered tersely, gesturing for Mike to leave.

  She stirred, "Lucas?"

  "Shhhhh...go back to sleep, I'll be right back," he brushed a kiss across her temple and slid out of bed.

  Lucas grabbed his robe and pulled it on. Mike was waiting for him on the couch, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

  "This better be important, Mike."

  "Didn't mean to -interrupt- you or anything."

  Lucas gritted his teeth. "It's not what you think...," he began, then paused and smiled sardonically. "Well, maybe it is, but that's not any of your business. What was so important that you had to wake my ass up at oh two hundred?"

  "Admiral LaForge has moved up the schedule. We leave in three days...."

  *****

  Consolation

  Tom Paris sat alone in his Ready Room. The Enterprise just received a priority message from Earth. K'Leena had been injured. She might not live and they might not make it home in time to say goodbye.

  Was this the price he would pay for Caldik Prime?

  With a heavy sigh, he rose from his chair. How do you tell a child's mother she may never see her again?

  "Paris to Torres."

  --Torres, here.--

  "B'Elanna, get someone to relieve you and meet me in our quarters."

  What's wrong? her mind touched his and he blocked her, it was something he'd learned to do over the years.

  "Just meet me back home, okay?"

  --Acknowledged, Torres, out.--

  Down in Engineering, fear ran rampant through her. Tom only blocked her when something was really wrong. She left her domain with nary a glance and only a quick order to her second in command to take over until further notice. She had the feeling she might not be back for a while.

  *****

  Tom was packing when she came into their room. Throwing things into a bag without even looking.

  "What?" she demanded.

  He stopped and walked over to her. "There's been an accident," he began gently. "K'Leena was injured, we have to return to Earth...."

  "How bad?" B'Elanna tried to stay calm.

  "Bad...we're taking the yacht, even at top speeds, a shuttle might not make it back in time...."

  "Kahless...no!"

  Tom gathered her in his arms. She trembled in shock, clinging to him desperately.

  "I'll get you there. She'll be all right," he didn't know if he was trying to convince himself or her.

  She pulled away suddenly, shaking herself visibly. "We don't have time for this."

  With a calm she didn't feel she finished packing.

  Ten minutes later they walked out of the turbo-lift to find Harry and Seven waiting for them at the hatch of the yacht.

  "I'll hold down the fort, Captain," Harry said quietly.

  "I know you will. We'll let you know when we know something more," Tom told him.

  B'Elanna hugged Seven tightly.

  "She will be all right," Seven stated with certainty. Over the years B'Elanna had gotten to know this woman so well. What sounded like a cold unfeeling conclusion, was really a declaration of utter and total faith that her God-daughter would be okay. "Tell her, her Aunt Ani loves her."

  "I will," B'Elanna promised.

  *****

  The trip back to Earth was dragging on. B'Elanna paced around the Captain's Yacht furiously. Stopping occasionally to check their position or tweak the engines in a futile attempt to increase their speed. Finally Tom couldn't take it anymore.

  "Enough!" he yelled. "Either stop pacing and sit still, or I'm going to sedate you!"

  "You and who else?" she shot back. Sedate her? not a chance.

  "B'Elanna," Tom growled threateningly.

  "I -can't- just sit here!" she raged in frustration. "I -need- to do something! Kahless, I'm going insane!"

  B'Elanna struck the edge of a console with the heal of her fist. Tom came up from behind her and grabbed her hands, crossing over her stomach to hold her close to his chest. A sob caught in the back of her throat.

  "Shhhh...I know...I know," he comforted and the soft words were too much for her. She finally broke, wailing in agony, turning in his arms, grasping at him for support.

  Her mouth found his out of sheer desperation and need. She didn't want to think anymore, just feel. He kissed her back, distracting her, comforting her...and himself. Hands tangled as they undressed each other between heated kisses and tender caresses. They didn't even bother finding the bed. Tom just sank to his knees and drew her onto him, holding her fiercely as they moved together, wearing each other out in the heat of their passion.

  *****

  When the Paris' reached Starfleet Medical, Will and Deanna were waiting for them.

  "How is she?" B'Elanna asked, hugging her friend.

  "Holding her own," Deanna told her. "Lucas is with her, they will only allow one of us at a time, but I can't get him to leave her side. He's been there from the start."

  "I want to see her," B'Elanna demanded.

  "I'll take you." Deanna put her arm around her friend and led her down the hall.

  B'Elanna entered her daughter's hospital room with trepidation. Lucas was sitting next to her bed, holding her hand in his. He turned when the door opened.

  "B'Elanna," he said softly. "She's doing better, they're more optimistic than yesterday." He didn't want to tell her that they still wouldn't guarantee her recovery. It was enough that she was still here.

  "Your mother is worried about you, Lucas," B'Elanna told him, taking in his haggard appearance.

  "I'm fine," he dismissed her concern.

  "Why don't you go out and reassure her, I'll sit with K'Leena."

  He hesitated for a split second then stood up.

  "I won't be long," he said quietly.

  *****

  K'Leena woke slowly and groaned softly, everything hurt. What the hell happened? Then it came back to her. The training maneuvers. Her cadet not following procedure. Yelling at him to roll right and then....

  "Hey," gentle reassurance eased her tension. She opened her eyes and met his worried gaze. Lucas looked like hell.

  "You don't look so good, Captain Proton," she whispered hoarsely, her throat dry and scratchy. Lu
cas helped her drink some water.

  "Yeah, you don't look so hot yourself, Blaze. How do you feel?"

  "Sore."

  "I bet."

  "So tired," she couldn't keep her eyes opened anymore.

  "Shhh...go back to sleep, you need to rest." He stroked her hair gently.

  "Don't go...."

  "I won't."

  *****

  The light brush against her lips was enough to wake her. She opened her eyes, moonlight filtered though the window. Lucas was standing next her bed then, an instant later, he was gone. Confused, she called out his name and reached for where he'd just been standing. That's when she noticed the chain wrapped around her fingers. It was the little gold coin he'd given her so many years earlier. With shaking hands she fastened it around her neck and a tear slipped down her cheek.

  Be careful.

  She knew he couldn't hear her anymore, but she felt better anyway. Closing her eyes again she gasped aloud when it happened.

  I will.

  *****

  Action

  "Aunt Kathryn, Uncle Chakotay!" K'Leena rushed to them as soon as she spotted them, she hadn't seen them in more than two years. She was engulfed in a huge bear hug.

  "It's been too long, mouse, you have to come to see us more often," Chakotay told her.

  "I know, I promise...how are you two doing?" They looked wonderful, you'd never know they were approaching eighty.

  "Getting older," her aunt said with a wry grin. "I hear you've been promoted, -Commander Paris-, congratulations."

  "Thanks, it came with the new assignment."

  "The Time Bound project?" Kathryn asked. It still amazed her that Tom's daughter was chosen for this project. Temporal Mechanics were never his strong suit, but B'Elanna always did have a good grasp of them.

  "Yeah, the first leap is next month. It's been fascinating. I can't wait to...."

  "You're the new pilot for Time Bound?" Lucas interrupted them. He'd just gotten back to Earth yesterday and hadn't talked to her yet.

  The tone of his voice rankled K'Leena. Not so much as a 'Hello', either. Since when did she answer to -him-?

  "That's me," she said airily, meeting his annoyed gaze with defiance.

  "We need to talk," he ground out, grabbing her arm and propelling her away from the party.

  Chakotay and Kathryn exchanged amused looks. "Remind you of anybody we used to know?" he asked her and she laughed out loud.

  *****

  "When did you accept this new assignment?" Lucas demanded to know.

  "About eight weeks ago, not that it's any of your business." She really didn't like his high-handed attitude, who did he think he was?

  "I don't like this, K'Leena," he told her honestly. "Jumping around in time is dangerous."

  "Well, then it's a good thing -you're- not the pilot here, isn't it?"

  "I don't suppose the fact that I have a really bad feeling about this is going to make any difference. Is it?"

  "Not in the slightest. You're just worrying unnecessarily. It's a simple time jump, what could go wrong?"

  "Anything...everything, that's the problem, you don't -know- what could go wrong!"

  "What is the matter with you?!" she asked, incredulously. "This is ridiculous! This is -my- life and -my- career, I make the decisions."

  "It's too dangerous."

  "And your job is 'safe'?"

  "Of course it is, I'm just a consultant," he told her.

  "Yeah, and I'm just a shuttle pilot."

  *****

  K'Leena prowled around her father's darkened office looking for the PADD. She knew it was here somewhere. It was late, everyone was asleep, except her. As long as she was up she figured she'd get a little work done, but her PADD was not to be found.

  Damn Lucas for getting to her like this anyway. She felt his eyes on her all day. Every time she turned around he was looking at her, or touching her. A hand on the small of her back. A soft touch to her arm. Fingers tracing little circles on her knee. By the time the she ended up in his arms while they sat at the bonfire listening to the old Voyager stories, she felt like her entire body was a bundle of overstimulated nerves. She had shivered, just once, and instead of handing her a blanket or something, Lucas sat down behind her and pulled her into his arms.

  "Better?" he asked in a whisper, his lips lightly brushing against her ear. She just nodded, too stunned to say anything. That he was doing this in front of their entire family was too much to take in. What was he up to?

  For the love of Kahless, why did it bother her so much?

  "Lose something?" he asked quietly, not wanting to startle her. It didn't work. She jumped and spun around, her arm raised to strike. If not for his fast reflexes she would have caught him a glancing blow. "Settle down, it's just me."

  "For crying out loud, Lucas!" she whispered fiercely. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" Blue eyes flashed with anger...and something more.

  His hand held her wrist in a firm grip. The tension arced between them like electricity and he pulled her closer.

  Lucas had been unable to keep his eyes off her all day. Or his hands. When she allowed him to hold her during the storytelling, it took every bit of will power he possessed not to let his hands stray. At one point, he hadn't even realized he was stroking her hip with his thumb until she stiffened in his arms. The emotions she was projecting almost overwhelmed him. If they had been alone, he would have taken her right there.

  His other arm slid around her waist and drew her against him. She felt too good. It had been months since he was this close to her. He held her firm with his hand flat against the small of her back, fingers warming the cool satin of her nightgown.

  She watched in fascination as his head lowered. When his mouth touched hers there was an electric like shock that ran up her spine. This had been coming all day.

  Lucas lost any control he had the minute their lips met. He kissed her with all the pent up passion in him, overloading her senses. It was fierce and intense. Out of control to the point of violence.

  How she ended up on the floor with him on top of her, she would never know. Her grasp of reality was almost completely gone at that point. The heat and desire was so sudden and all consuming she couldn't control it if she wanted to. And she didn't. Lucas' hands touched her under the nightgown, exploring every curve. His mouth closed over one satin clad nipple. She gasped and arched into him. One hand traveled lower as he paid homage to her breasts. Over her flat stomach to the center of her passion. Softly, tentatively he stroked her. She was scalding hot and so wet.

  "'Leena?" his voice was thick with desire as he whispered into her ear. The unspoken question hung between them for an endless moment--both frozen, waiting for her answer, then she brushed her lips across his.

  "Yes...."

  He found the hem of her gown and drew it up and over her head, quickly shed his own nightclothes, then he settled between her legs once again, almost losing it completely at the feel of her under him. He groaned and ground his hips, kissing her fiercely. She stiffened abruptly when he pushed slightly at her entrance with the tip of his manhood. He had no intention of joining with her yet, but she didn't know that. Pulling up to his elbows, he looked down on her and gently brushed the hair back off her face. You didn't need to be a telepath to know she was scared.

  "Easy..." Lucas soothed her with another deep kiss that left her breathless. "I'm not going to do anything other than touch you right now, okay?" He smiled when she relaxed a little. "It's going to hurt this first time...you know that, right?"

  She nodded, looking away in embarrassment, but he brought her gaze back to his.

  "Don't...don't ever be embarrassed like that with me. You can tell me anything. If you don't like something...or if you do, I want to know, all right? No secrets, no pretenses, no games. That's not who we are...trust me, I'll be gentle with you."

  She looked up at him, overwhelmed by the emotions in her. She never thought he would be such a tender lover.
<
br />   "Good friends always make the best lovers," he told her softly.

  Awareness came crashing down on her like a tidal wave at the words. Friends...not mates. Kahless, how could she have been so naive? He never told her he loved her, just that he -wanted- her.