The dim lighting of Frau Evelyn Albrecht's quarters cast a muted glow, illuminating the room just enough to see the scattered tools and work diagrams on her table. Frau grimaced as she tried to apply the salve on her wound, her fingers trembling from the sting. Her tank top was pulled up, revealing the angry welts of red and purple around her ribs.
Without warning, the door slid open. Rurik's imposing figure filled the entrance, his crimson eyes immediately locking onto Frau's exposed skin. The air in the room grew palpably thicker, both of them acutely aware of the palpable tension between them.
"You require my aid?" His deep voice was unusually soft, filled with a rare tenderness.
Frau smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Wouldn't you like that?" she teased, even as she turned slightly to allow him better access to her injury.
Rurik stepped closer, the distance between them rapidly shrinking. Taking the jar from her, his fingers brushed against hers, sending shivers down her spine. "You're playing a dangerous game, Frau."
She grinned, feigning innocence. "Whatever do you mean?" All the while, her thoughts raced, vividly imagining his hands elsewhere, memories of their past encounters flashing before her eyes.
He dipped his fingers into the salve, and the cold sensation as he applied it to her wound caused her to inhale sharply. She could feel the waves of his psychic influence, attempting to calm her, but she resisted, allowing her mind to wander to the more daring of places. She bit her lip, suppressing a moan, knowing full well he'd pick up on her every thought.
Rurik's eyes darkened, burning with a fiery intensity. "You're enjoying this," he stated, his voice husky.
She laughed softly. "You have no idea." Her breathing became more ragged as he continued to treat her wound, her playful mental images becoming bolder.
The dim glow of her room accentuated the bronze sheen of her skin and the dark, playful depths of her brown eyes.
Rurik's piercing red eyes didn't miss a detail as he approached, a jar of ointment in hand. Frau feigned a wince, the sting of her injuries blending seamlessly with the warmth of Rurik's close proximity.
"I believe you missed a spot," she teased, guiding his hand with the ointment to another part of her injury.
As Rurik carefully applied the salve, he could feel the psychic waves emanating from Frau. Every mental image she conjured, every sly, suggestive thought was shared with him. Images of the two of them, entwined in intimate embrace, sent heat coursing through his veins.
"I'm merely checking your injuries," he stated, his voice firm yet laced with underlying tension.
She smirked, "Is that all you're doing?"
He paused for a moment, glancing at her. "That's what you asked for, isn't it?"
Frau's chuckle was soft, almost a whisper against the palpable silence. "You always give me what I ask for, Admiral."
Rurik's fingers paused on her skin, lingering just a moment longer than necessary, as he locked eyes with Frau. "And what exactly are you asking for now?"
She bit her lip, lifting her shirt a bit higher, revealing more of her lean, muscled physique, and more than a little of the side of her breast, her eyes never leaving his. "Just... helping with my wounds."
Rurik leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. "Be careful with your thoughts, Frau. You might get more than you bargained for."
She grinned, relishing the electrifying tension between them. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
Her deep brown eyes met his seething red pearls, holding them with a challenging glint. As the ointment cooled her skin, the thoughts she projected grew more heated, more vivid. Rurik was caught in their spell, feeling every imagined caress, every stolen kiss. Her psychic tease was deliberate, and she reveled in the power she held over him in that moment.
Rurik leaned in closer, his voice a low growl. "You play a dangerous game."
Frau smirked, her voice dripping with honeyed innocence. "Who's playing?"
The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in, as if trying to contain the explosive tension between them. Every second felt like an eternity, and in that stretched-out moment, the lines between reality and imagination blurred, leaving both wondering just how far this game would go.
The atmosphere between them was so charged, the room's very air felt thick, like an impending storm. Frau's fingers, deft and nimble from years of intricate mechanical work, moved towards Rurik, grazing his armored chest. The cold, hard black metal seemed out of place against her warm, soft touch.
She locked her gaze with his, the challenge evident in her eyes. Wordlessly, she began to find and release the clasps and seals of his armor, each piece falling away with a metallic thud. Rurik stood still, allowing her this intimacy. Every piece she removed revealed more of his mysterious alien physique, the hard ridges of his muscles, and the scars of countless battles.
Each piece dropped was a new discovery, a revelation, an unspoken trust. Frau's heart raced, partly from the thrill of the unfamiliar and partly from the realization that the formidable Admiral was letting his guard down, making himself vulnerable before her. It was a level of intimacy neither had expected.
Once his chest plate fell, she ran her fingers over his exposed torso, tracing the contours, feeling the strange texture of his skin. Her fingers stumbled upon an old battle scar, a long jagged mark that hinted at a deadly encounter.
Rurik's voice rumbled, breaking the silence, "That was from the uprising on Titan."