6/2/2002 Title: Outbreak of Fear Chapter: 8 Author: Squeezynz@free.net.nz Universe: Land of the Giants Rating: R, for adult situations but nothing graphic. Archive: sure, just let me know where. Feedback: craved and drooled over. Spoilers: nary a one Disclaimer: blame those lovely people that brought this world to life...they inspired me and keep on inspiring me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valerie gasped in wonder and walked further into the bedroom, dodging round Mark, who stood rooted to the spot. They were standing in a large, formal bedroom, complete with kingsize four-poster bed. The room was decorated in shades of pale green and gold, with white furniture and fittings. It was a room fit for a queen, with sculptured carpets echoing the colour scheme and a chandelier hanging in the centre of the ceiling. Valerie stood under it and twirled around, laughing in sheer delight at the whimsical nature of fate. " Can you believe this room ?" she cried, coming to rest on the edge of the bed, bouncing to test it's springs. Mark stood there surveying their accommodations and the obvious delight on Valerie's face. He grinned broadly. " It sure beats a sandy cave," " Oh Mark, its....its..." " What ?" Mark asked, surprised to see Valerie put her hands over her face in distress. He quickly came and sat next to her on the bed, pulling her into his embrace as she quietly sobbed into her hands. " Shhh its all right, we're safe, we have a beautiful bedroom, all to ourselves and we're in one piece, mostly," Mark soothed as Valerie hiccups and wiped her eyes. " I'm..sorry...I don't know what came over me, its all been so fraught this last week, I guess its just a reaction to everything," " Hey, its okay, we're all tired out. Why don't I go downstairs and get some of that water and bring it up to the bathroom, we could sure use a chance to freshen up," " I would dearly love to get rid of some of this dust and grime," Valerie said, wiping the wetness of her face and leaving a smear of dirt behind. Mark got up and left the room, returned a few minutes later to report that both Steve and Dan were sleeping like babies in their own rooms. Valerie pulled back the covers of the bed to find soft linen sheets and downy pillows. She left the bed and went to the ornate, white and gilt wardrobe, up against the far wall. The door catch opened easily and she found herself looking at a collection of dolls clothes hanging on tiny wooden hangers. Amazed she pulled out a couple of the clothes and found even a negligee that would have made her girlfriends back on Earth just green with envy. It was made of a silky material that shimmered in the light of the chandelier, the colour a soft, powder blue. Valerie held it too her and twirled around, letting the fabric whirl around her. She went and lay the two piece on the bed and returned to see what else was hidden in the cupboard. She found, in the drawers at the bottom, a collection of shirts, some plain, some dressy, mostly white and cream. Valerie pulled one out and held it away to see if it would be big enough for Mark to wear. It seemed about right so it joined the negligee on the bed. Other drawers revealed more items of clothing, enough to outfit their entire group. She heard Mark returning and shut the cupboard door. The sound of water pouring brought her to the doorway of the bathroom to see Mark emptying a container of water into the sink. He turned when he heard her and gave her a broad grin. " Ready when you are, Val," he said, sweeping a hand towards the sink. " Come and see what I found, Mark, we don't have to wear these dirty clothes tonight, and the bed has sheets," Valerie's last comment made Mark smile even wider, trust Val to find true happiness in clean sheets. Valerie pulled him into the bedroom and showed him the shirt she'd found and the other clothes in the wardrobe. She pulled the negligee behind her back, wanting to surprise him after she'd cleaned up. Mark pretended to not notice her subterfuge and told her to go use the water, but to leave some for him. Valerie grinned and tripped out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Mark only shook his head and turned to survey the room. He had already decided that, after seeing their accommodation for the night, that this was the chance he'd been waiting for to cement his relationship with Valerie. The setting was too perfect to be ignored and if Valerie's reaction was any indication, she had reached the same conclusion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The bathroom was equipped with soft towels that more than made up for the cold water and lack of a hot bath. After stripping off her dusty blouse, skirt and underwear, she gave herself as good a wash as the limited facilities and small bar of soap allowed. After towelling off Valerie put on the soft nightdress and silky over robe, twirling in front of the small mirror to try and see the effect. If this didn't give Mark the right idea, she was just not trying. Valerie giggled to herself, feeling just a touch nervous. Not that she doubted Mark for one moment, it was just the whole unreality of the situation getting to her. She took one last look in the bathroom mirror, wishing she had a decent brush, and turned to leave. Mark was standing by the window, staring out at the dark attic beyond. Valerie put down the pack and pile of her clothes and gave a gentle cough. Mark swung round and saw her standing just inside the doorway, a nervous smile tilting her lips. He drank in her changed appearance. This was a Valerie he could very easily get greedy for, soft and very beautiful, her hair a cloud around her face, the negligee clinging to her full figure. He came over to where she stood, taking hold of one of her hands and bringing it up to his lips to kiss. Valerie's eyes followed his hand and focused intently on his lips as they caressed the tips of her fingers. " You look very lovely," he told her, locking his eyes with hers and drowning in their blue depths. They stayed there, gazing foolishly at each other, until Valerie shook herself slightly and laughed softly. " I left the water for you, there's a dry towel as well " she told him, bemused. " I'll be as quick as I can," Mark replied, letting go of her hand and bending down to pick up the backpack. They didn't break eye contact until he shut the door behind him. Valerie turned and hugged herself, "this is it" she whispered. She turned and approached the bed, pulling the coverlet back and folding down the sheet. Feeling inexplicably nervous she paced over to the window and back. Finally realising how silly she was being, " this is Mark after all," she chastised herself, and went to sit on the edge of the bed. Leaning back on the pillows she looked up at the canopy over the bed. The underside of the cover was just as intricate and delicate as the rest of the room, it depicted a scene of a sylvan paradise, complete with exotic blooms and fantastic creatures. She was still gazing at the beautiful tapestry when Mark returned. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and regarded the man before her. Mark had shaved as well as washed, his hair still damp and swept off his forehead. He was wearing the clean shirt, the sleeves rolled up and the top buttons undone, untucked from his waistband, and had obviously made an attempt to clean his dark trousers as well. He put the pack down next to Valerie's pile of clothes and deposited his shoes there as well. That was when Valerie noticed he was barefoot. A small thrill of anticipation wormed its way down her spine. The man was positively edible. While Valerie drank her fill of Mark's clean appearance, Mark was returning the compliment. He was soaking up the vision of Valerie draped on the bed in the soft, blue negligee like some exotic flower with her flaming hair springing in soft waves around her face. The blue of her eyes seemed more vivid and seemed to mesmerise him as he slowly approached the bed. Valerie held out a hand to pull him closer. He took it and sat down next to her, their gaze never wavering. " You look beautiful," he murmured, stroking the back of his fingers down her soft cheek. Valerie turned her face into his hand, closing her eyes. Her fingers entwined with his other hand and pulled him closer. Her parted lips presented an irresistible temptation that Mark decided to sample. Her eyes opened as he lowered himself slowly down to meet her. He paused a fraction away from touching her lips with his. They stayed that way, a million emotions passing between them as their eye's spoke to each other, then Valerie's lashes swept down and Mark closed the gap between them, gently caressing her soft lips with his warm mouth. The kiss was simple but searing, Mark deepening the kiss as Valerie wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down to lay with her, her soft flesh yielding to his. The embrace lasted for long minutes, hands and lips conveying what words were simply inadequate to do. Eventually they came up for air but stayed locked together, arms entwined, exchanging soft kisses and loving looks. " I should go a switch off the lights," Mark murmured, between kisses. " If you insist..." Valerie replied, punctuating her words with kisses to his lips, nose and chin, nuzzling the smooth, freshly shaved skin. " You're not going to make it easy for me, are you," Mark laughed, pulling away from Valerie's persistent mouth. Valerie fell back against the pillows, pouting up at him, but softened it with a smile. " Hurry back, I'll be waiting," she said, archly. Mark laughed again and leaned back, getting up off the bed and walking to the door. He paused there, one hand on the half open door as he turned to take one last look at the woman on the bed. " Shoo " Valerie flapped a hand at him, and Mark grinned. " Back before you miss me," he quipped, ducking when a pillow came sailing in his direction. He hurried down the stairs, deciding to leave the downstairs lights on to guide anyone who got up later on. Then he sprinted up the stairs and turned the upper lights off, plunging the hall into darkness. His eye's quickly became used to the half light and he returned to the bedroom and shut the door. He could just make out the bed and the shape of Valerie on the covers. Padding over to the opposite side he sat down and started to undo the buttons on his shirt. He was half way down the row of buttons when he felt the bed shift and a warm hand found his shoulder and reached around the front to undo the rest of the buttons. " Let me help you with that," she murmured next to his ear, her warm breath sending a shiver down his spine. After the buttons were done Valerie helped pull his shirt off, bearing his chest and shoulders to her hands and mouth. Valerie kissed a path from the back of his neck to his collar bone, leaving a trail of fire across his skin. " I think you are wearing far too many clothes," Valerie's voice whispered against his shoulder blade, as her warm fingers danced over his chest and down his arms. Mark felt a corresponding warmth spreading through his body and he twisted to trap Valerie's hands and stop the slow torture. She squealed as his body trapped her on the mattress, his mouth capturing her lips in a passionate embrace. They rolled and tussled on the covers, fighting for supremacy as the kisses became less co-ordinated and more intimate. They pulled back slightly, gasping at the heat generated by their kisses, the passion between them almost palpable. " I love you," Mark breathed, pushing Valerie's tousled hair off her flushed face. " I love you too, so much," Valerie whispered, her fingers dancing over his face, smoothing his forehead and tracing the line of his eyebrows and cheekbones, " I will always love you." They lay there, panting, feeling themselves on the brink of something momentous. Then, as if by an unspoken agreement, they both pulled the other into a tight hug, heart to beating heart, winding their arms around each other in an unbreakable embrace. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~