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. Maybe I m afraid. Dalton rolled over so that they were face-to-face. Afraid? What if I do try and I can t? Does that mean that we really aren tin love? Oh, Zig. Dalton pulled him to his side, cradling him so tightlyhe felt crushed. I love you.I m crazy in love with you.And I knowyou are with me.If this is that kind of torment for you, then nevermind. Zig clung to Dalton s shoulders, loving his strength and the wayhe accepted without judging.Comforting slowly turned to seduction,and then Dalton was above him, his touches tender but powerful.They rose only to eat and clean up, and then they were back in bed.Each night, Zigog tried to move the golden ball.He did thiswithout making Dalton aware of what he was doing, but he feltDalton knew.Still, Dalton didn t pressure him.If it would happen itwould.But Zigog couldn t help but feel that their love wasn t true ifhe couldn t regain the power he d had long ago.As much as he toldhimself he was placing too much belief in the outrageous claimsabout Earthlings, there was still a part of Zigog that believed the faultlay with himself.Zigog feared he didn t love Dalton enough.Despite the fact he struggled to let that ridiculous thought go, hesimply couldn t.Dalton didn t know he felt that way because Zigogrefused to tell him.But the longer he struggled to make his latenttelekinesis become more powerful and failed, the more he becameconvinced there was something wrong with the depth of his love forDalton.When he returned one night and discovered that the golden ballwas gone, he looked for it without trying to be obvious. I threw it away. Dalton was on the bed.One long leg wasdraped over the edge while the other was bent on top of the mattress. Bound by Temptation 119Without seeming to be aware, Dalton had placed himself in acomplicated fractal pose. Why did you throw it away? Because all you do is glare at it and think there s somethingwrong with our relationship. Dalton closed the book he d beenporing over and stood.He was bare.Zigog loved the way he movedso casually when he was nude.Now that Vegoth had shifted in hercomplicated orbit yet again, heat had come to the prime city. That s not what I ve been doing. Yes.It is. Dalton pulled Zigog into his arms and kissed hishead. I want you to stop torturing yourself.I wish to God I d neverbrought it up. Ultimately, Zigog had let go of his need to reclaim his old ability.But somehow, the idea that he wasn t as fully in love with Dalton ashe could be haunted him.All that changed the night of his birthday.Due to the complicated orbit of his planet around dual suns,tracking time on Vegoth was enormously complex.Still, he knewwhen the time came round again because Ramir and Tanjin wereworking diligently to make the celebration even more spectacularthan it had been before.Zigog sensed that part of their fervor was dueto what had happened the last time, but he understood and allowedthem to do as they pleased.The main room was decorated even more excessively than ever,and Zigog made a grand entrance.But Dalton wasn t in attendance.Zigog worried that he had been put off by the excess, but then he sawthe golden cage hanging high above.He realized that Ramir andTanjin had wanted to repeat the success of the prior celebration.Howthey d gotten Dalton back in the cage was a mystery.Still, he waswilling to go along because he did so enjoy being the center ofattention despite the fact he knew Dalton would upstage him just ashe had before.Zigog didn t mind.Finally, after a long battle with himself, he realized there was 120 Anitra Lynn McLeodnothing wrong with the depth of his love for Dalton.The only personwho had ever questioned his intensity was himself.Dalton believed inZigog with a fierceness that was a little scary and a whole lot ofwonderful.Just as they had at the last celebration, Zigog entered late andstrode to his throne.The only difference this time was that he wasfully dressed.It was a clear sign that he wasn t interested in addingmore to his cluster.Zigog was happy to be with Dalton.They neededno other.When he settled upon his throne and called for his gifts, hetook the time to honestly appreciate everything he was given.And then the golden cage was lowered from the ceiling.Zigog s heart pounded as he waited for the reveal of his chosen.Would Dalton be fully dressed or bare? Since Dalton knew whatbeing mostly bare signified the desire to attract additional partnersto their cluster Zigog was certain he would be dressed.However,there was a part of him that wouldn t be surprised to find Daltondressed just as he had been at the last celebration.Dalton seemed totake endless delight defying the standard conventions.As the golden cage slowly lowered, Zigog s heart raced.Anticipation pushed him to the edge of his throne.At the periphery ofhis awareness, the members of his court also seemed to hold theirbreath.All gazes were riveted with curiosity and expectation.When the first chain snapped, Zigog shot to his feet.A screamwas trapped in his chest, unable to be set free because he suddenlyhad no breath.However, members of his court screamed, filling inwhere he was silent.Another chain snapped, tumbling the cage to theside, showing that Dalton was inside.He was dressed exactly as hehad been during the last celebration, but the shifting cage hadslammed him against the bars, knocking him unconscious.Another burst of terror from the crowd made Zigog desperate todo something, but what could he do? The cage was so far above thestone floor.There were two more chains another snapped,prompting several courtiers to collapse from shock. Bound by Temptation 121And then something sparked in Zigog.He would not stand idly byand watch the man he loved plunge to his death.Summoning everyshred of desire he had, Zigog focused on the cage and imagined amassive hand reach out and cradle it.When the final chain broke, thecage didn t fall.Zigog held it in his invisible hand, gently bringing itdown to the floor where he released his mental hold.He ran to the cage and yanked the door open.Dalton was pressedagainst the bars, his eyes blinking, his confusion obvious.Rushing tohis side, Zigog dropped to his knees and pulled him into his arms.Hisrelief was so great he burst into tears.And then Dalton was holdingon to him, kissing him, thanking him, and all Zigog could do wasrealize the profound depth of his love. 122 Anitra Lynn McLeodEpilogue Okay, enough! Dalton shoved his robe back down. Stoplevitating all my clothes. You wanted me to embrace my abilities. Well, yeah. You believed in me so much you rigged the cage to fall. Yes, but You can t get upset now that I m a fully functioning telekineticcreature. Had I known you were going to use your abilities for such pervythings as exposing my junk every chance you got, I never would havedevised such a dangerous stunt
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