Where Nothing Ill Can Dwell

Chapter 14 - Miranda

I touched my lips and tried to recreate the sensations Ferdinand evoked when he kissed me. Was it the pressure he used? The soft, teasing nibbles? The perfect balance between moisture and dryness that kept his lips from being too scratchy or too slimy? No matter how I tried to dissect the kiss, I still couldn't come up with that special combination of factors that resulted in the thrill that had raced through my body when he kissed me.

And of course, being inexperienced as I was, I probably acted like a complete idiot when he did kiss me. I mean, what kind of girl became paralyzed with shock when a cute guy kissed her? And then, I probably made things worse when I tried to kiss him back because I had no clue what I was doing. All I knew was that I wanted more.

Thankfully, he'd been willing to teach me. I followed the movements of his lips, sinking deeper and deeper into the pleasure of his kiss until he finally pulled away. For a few brief moments, I contemplated staying there with him to explore the planes of his body while our lips were joined. I couldn't think of a better way to pass the storm than lying next to him, secure in his arms.

But he sent me away.

It was the one thing that troubled me about everything. I mean, I thought he liked me. And I was pretty sure he enjoyed kissing me, which was why his attempts to end things and send me away were so confusing. Why deny yourself something you desired?

Unless, of course, he really was here as a spy, like my mother implied.

Once again, the male member of my species both fascinated and frustrated me, but for more than just his outward appearance. His mind was just as intriguing, and until I fully understood his motives, I needed to watch myself in his presence and not lose my head.

Even for another kiss.

The storm only lasted through the night, and by the time the sun peeked over the ridge and painted the clouds pink and orange with its golden rays, a calm serenity had settled over the land. The air was crisp and clean, washed by the wind and rain, leaving only the scents of wet earth and fresh grass behind. As the day warmed up, the sweet scent of flowers would mingle with them, tempered by the toastiness of sunbaked stone.

I loved this place after a storm. Everything felt new and alive, and I breathed it in as I stepped outside. Ferdinand had yet to emerge from his shelter, and the path to Caliban's cave revealed no new tracks, to or from. A distant clanging from the hangar told me Mom was busy working on her latest invention. I was alone to go about my business.

With Pooka tight on my heels, I darted to the back of the complex where a field of robot-tended crops flourished. Only Mom and I knew about the secret garden. She'd kept the small patch of land out front for Caliban to tend in an attempt to keep him busy and now was doing the same with Ferdinand. In truth, we didn't need either of them to farm. Mom's robots planted and watered and weeded everything for us, and the garden supplied both food for our consumption and fibers for the clothes I wore. We even had a well on site, making trips to the spring unnecessary. But Mom insisted we keep everything hidden behind a locked gate and wall. I entered my code and pressed my hand against the pad before I gathered what I needed for breakfast and returned to our kitchen.

Soon, I was sprinkling fresh, ripe berries over a steaming bowl of cooked cereal for Ferdinand. After all, if Mom was making him do physical labor, he needed to eat. I carried the food outside to him, fully aware that I was looking for any excuse I could find to speak to him, to get to know him better, to be near him and maybe experience another kiss. But those tempting thoughts were tempered when I saw the collar around his neck. He was still Mom's prisoner, and he knew nothing of the other ships. Guilt slowed my steps and erased the joy that had been in my heart when I left the kitchen.