To be with him like this felt like a compromise, and act of weakness. Allowing him to seduce her in this place gilded with gold and silver, on a bed with the finest satin sheets, surrounded by classical paintings. Roidon back to his supremely confident self. Never a doubt in his mind that he would have her like this, receptive to his every move. But she wanted to be closer to him just to know for certain it was really him, that her Roidon was back.
Afterwards, Raiya still had her doubts. She even told him, she told him because she knew he could read those doubts.
‘I once slept with a woman who turned out to be an alien,’ Roidon told her. ‘She only mentioned it the following morning. Had me fooled completely, she looked very human to me. False advertising should be crime in any context.’
This actually made Raiya laugh for a few seconds. What he told had genuinely troubled him, she could tell. She said, ‘So even aliens find you irresistible. You must have felt used.’
‘I did. She was only after my sperm.’
‘How awful for you,’ she mused.
‘I know what it’s like to be manipulated, Raiya. But I also know what it’s like to want someone so bad to be prepared to manipulate in ways that many people would consider immoral.’
‘I should hope you do.’
‘Really I should have apologised to you for how I got you here. But since I have no regrets about it, an apology would seem false.’
She turned to him and smiled. ‘Roidon, I can honestly say I have never met anyone quite like you.’
‘And that’s why you love me is it not?’
‘Well, it’s not for your humility.’
‘Perish the thought!’
Roidon sat up abruptly and pressed two fingers to his temple. He
looked like he was deep in thought.
‘What is it?’ Raiya asked.
‘I’m sorry, I have to go now.’ It looked as if he had received a message through some kind of neural implant.
‘They are calling you?’
‘Raiya, you will need to get dressed now.’
‘What---’ Someone was entering their bedroom. ‘Oh no, surely not.’ The words coming out unbidden. Just the sight of him – that tall looming figure, like a ghost from the past she thought had finally been exorcised.
On seeing her reaction, Roidon turned to face the man who looked uncannily like Ebon Standford, and said, ‘You could have given us a bit longer, a few more minutes would not be too much to ask?’
Standford ignored Roidon and instead answered Raiya’s unasked question. ‘How is it I am alive, you are wondering. Well, Dr Fortenski, as you have witnessed more than once, losing one’s body – or even one’s mind – is no barrier to being returned fully formed.’
Raiya now fixed her glare at Roidon, who had got off the bed and was gathering the remains of his clothes. ‘You deceiving bastard, Roidon.’ Yet her words had more a tone of resignation than anger. ‘Trying to make me feel any of this was genuine,’ she continued, ‘that you are genuine. Well, I want you to know that I was never entirely convinced. A man like you is always playing a strategy. You think I ever would have come with you if I had a choice?’
‘Maybe not, but the last thing I wanted was to coerce you. And strategy or no, it doesn’t lessen how I feel about you.’
‘You felt you wanted one last fuck. Well now I truly am.’
Standford stepped towards her. ‘Now please, we don’t have time for this lover’s tiff. There is work to be done.’
Raiya was shaking her head. Roidon looked uncharacteristically ashen-faced. ‘Standford,’ she said. ‘What else could you possibly need from me? You’ve already had my mind scanned.’
‘An update would be useful; Roidon’s memories had provided a wealth of technical data, but you have some useful knowledge of our friend Torbin. And your detainment here will serve as vital leverage.’
‘They won’t stop because of my capture.’
‘Your friend Torbin is an extremely determined man, Raiya, and quite an obsessive. I don’t need to tell you about the power of obsession, or that of one man’s love.’
***