Table of Contents

Dedications
Immortal Becoming
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
Shadow Revealed
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Shadowed Magic
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Fire's Touch
Mayan Lover
About the Author
Glossary of Terms
 The Enlightened Species
Box Set
Immortal Becoming Book One
Shadow Revealed Book Two
Shadowed Magic Novella 2.5
By
Wendy S. Hales
AMAZON KINDLE EDITION
PUBLISHED BY
Wendy S. Hales
www.wendyshales.com
 The Enlightened Species © 2012 Wendy S. Hales
Immortal Becoming © 2012 Wendy S. Hales
Shadow Revealed © 2012 Wendy S. Hales
Shadowed Magic © 2012 Wendy S. Hales
All rights reserved
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 Dedications
Immortal Becoming
For Larraine, my personal angel:
you made my dreams possible
Shadow Revealed
For Grandma Vera:
Grandma, you taught me so much. Held me while I cried rejoiced in my
triumphs. Found me when I was lost and refused to let me deny my worth.
Your belief in me helped me learn to believe in myself. Your spirit talks to
me as I type this. I love you more than words can convey … and I miss you
everyday.
Shadowed Magic
This book is for my best friend, my hero, my sister: Patty.
It’s not avoiding it’s overcoming adversity that defines our character.
Thank you for teaching me that.
Immortal Becoming
The Enlightened Species
Book One

By
Wendy S. Hales
 Chapter One
This is going to hurt. Pulling into the parking lot of the academy, Jess
could feel her mental barriers being pounded by densely populated
emotions. She’d be lucky if she didn’t end up in a seizure after being
exposed to this much psychic stimuli.
After two anti anxiety pills and twenty minutes of breathing meditation in
the parking lot, Jess was ready to give it a shot. “How’d I let Eric talk me
into this?” she grumbled to herself for the thousandth time since last night,
when she had finally caved to her foster brother’s incessant hounding. He
had taught this class himself numerous times before he actually joined the
police academy. Why couldn’t he teach it now that he was in the academy?
Seemed to her that this entire group of cadets should already be black belts
with Eric in their ranks.
Speak of the devil. “Jess, you made it. Only fifteen minutes late.” Eric
ran up to meet her. “I didn’t mention to my instructors that I saw you pull
into the lot twenty minutes ago.”
“I can leave if I’ve missed the class,” she said sarcastically, half turning
back toward her Jeep. She would give anything to be able to jump in that
beautiful new Jeep. Her first splurge ever, a reward for working her ass off
and living on Ramen noodles for the last five years. She had been able to
pay off the small business loan she’d taken out to buy her half interest in
The Ryu, so she deserved it. Even if it meant another year of Ramen and
working morning till, well, morning to pay for it. At least she was
accustomed to that life, or lack of life, depending on your perspective.
“Oh hell no, you are not getting out of this. You promised.” Eric pointed
at her, adding a pout guaranteed to always make her cave. “Besides, I can’t
wait to see all those instructors in there bitching about you being late and
getting their asses handed to them, not to mention the fact that you can help
me impress one of the lady cadets. She may be off limits now, but after
graduation, I am so going for that. The girl is hawt.”
Eric had come along way from the scrawny, freckled, red-headed dork he
had been when his mother had taken Jess in as a foster kid. He was
overconfident, with big blue eyes and perfectly placed freckles on skin that
could somehow still tan. At six foot two and a lean one-ninety-five, he had
his pick of girls. They’d hovered around him non-stop since high school.
The only thing remaining of that eleven-year-old kid was the red hair,
currently cut military short for the academy, making him look more
youthful than twenty-one.
Whatever had possessed Ellen Reed to bring a teenage girl straight out of
juvie into her single-parent home, Jess still couldn’t understand. Her love
and loyalty to both Ellen and Eric were fierce. They were two of only four
people in the world for whom Jess would go into a public setting, ever. This
class was a testament to that. She could already feel the effects of all of the
emotions of the people at the academy. In through the nose, out through the
mouth, she reminded herself, breathing slowly.
“There are only twelve cadets and three instructors, Jess. Is it too many
people?” Eric asked. His blue eyes reflected genuine concern as he watched
her practice her breathing exercises.
She shook her head without pausing from the rhythmic breathing. She
didn’t bother telling him that the class did not adequately account for the
full number of emotions and psychic stimuli that were attacking her. Her
range of sensitivity was expanding and becoming more acute lately, another
thing she’d kept to herself. She had no intention of worrying Eric or Ellen
any more than they already where about her anomalies.
She could still see the horrified look on Ellen’s face during Eric’s high
school graduation, when Jess had been overwhelmed. The psychic overload
of an auditorium full of people created a squeezing pressure in her head.
She thought it would explode. Instead she’d dropped into a seizure. Ellen
had insisted that they take her to the hospital.
Once there the continued psychic bombardment had made matters worse.
The doctors ran test after test. X-rays, MRIs, EEGs, everything they could
think of with no results and no lessening of the pain. Jess cried in agony.
Ellen and Eric cried with her in fear. Finally the doctors shrugged and sent
her home with a sedative and an anti-anxiety prescription. They diagnosed
her with complicated migraines, which she figured was the medical
equivalent of saying they had no F-ing clue. Turned out that the anti-anxiety
meds did help her manage some of the symptoms. Go fig.
That day had bonded the three of them even tighter as a family. Ellen and
Eric had always known that Jess hated to be around a lot of people, but that
day Jess finally confided in them about how much pain she endured and
how she had learned to block herself from most of the effects when small
numbers of people were around her. No matter what she did, too many
people overwhelmed her defenses. Even Ellen and Eric could cause her
some discomfort when their emotions ran high. That was rare and a pain
that she would gladly accept to be a part of their lives.
Today she had agreed to face the pain and teach this class simply for the
opportunity to see the happiness and pride shining out of her brother’s eyes.
To marvel at the knowledge that his pride was in her.
“So is there a particular instructor you would like me to single out for
this ass-handing you mentioned?” She forced a small grin for her brother’s
benefit and was rewarded with a glint of mischief in Eric’s eyes. He
wiggled his eyebrows up and down, eliciting a snorted laugh from Jess.
“Officer Denbow,” he said. “He got the better of me in one of the classes
I taught last year. Now that he’s my instructor, he gloats over me like a
conquering Viking. I don’t think he wanted me to teach this class as his
cadet. Deep down the dick knows he got lucky and doesn’t want to be
spanked by me.”
Jess’s very first student had been Eric. She hadn’t even realized at the
time that she was teaching him. She only remembered him come home after
school crying. The kids were teasing him about his freckles and red hair.
Jess had hugged him until he had cried himself out, and then she took him
into the back yard and started teaching him the first martial arts techniques
she had learned when she had been a few years younger than he had been.
She was ten when she’d begun watching through the window of the Ryu
at the classes being taught inside. Then she would race home and secretly
practice everything she saw until she could do it perfectly. Those early
moves where the first she’d shared with Eric.
Entering the gym, Jess braced herself against the psychic onslaught,
wincing against a wave that didn’t come.
Amazing. Maybe the drugs worked better today, she thought.
“Shield yourself, female.” A deep male voice resonated against her mind.
Jess gasped and looked around. Everyone in the room seemed to be
intently listening to the police officer in the front of the class teaching about
the proper use of pepper spray.
“Who are you?” Jess asked. She had not spoken telepathically to anyone
since her mother’s death. After fifteen years it felt clumsy. She sought the
direction of the link the way she had with her mother when they had gotten
separated in any way.
“Are you asking me specifically? Or anyone within hearing distance of
your shotgun telepathy?” The deep rich timbres of his voice created shivers
in her.
Jess identified the mental link to the sole man seated on the top row of
bleachers overlooking the gymnasium. He was leaning forward on his seat,
resting his forearms on his thighs, his fingers interlocked. He looked to be
completely relaxed in faded jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, intently listening
to the “pepper spray is not to be played with” monotone lecture going on in
the front of the class. Stunned, she stared at the image of male perfection.
He glanced over at her, giving her just a brief acknowledgment.
“Would you like me to shield your thoughts for you? It’s Jess, right? I am
not sure my protégé needs to hear how ‘hot’ you think I am.” There was a
hint of laughter in his voice. He was right. She did think he was pretty hot.
Think? Hell, he was hot, really hot, change-her-panties kinda hot.
Protégé? His comment sunk in slowly. Jess looked over the room again,
noticing one of the women in Eric’s class looking her right in the eye with a
smirk on her face. The woman winked.
“Oh my god, she can hear what I am thinking too?” Jess’s hand went to
her mouth in wonder and embarrassment. Good thing they were both adults.
She could probably go to jail for youth corruption, with the mouth-watering
thoughts Bleacher Boy elicited in her.
“Beauty, everyone within your telepathic sound waves can hear what
you’re thinking.” He was openly laughing at her now. Beneath his laugh she
could hear the soft mental giggle of the girl seated with her class in front of
the instructor.
Changing the subject before her brain could do a “fantasy take one”
starring Bleacher Boy (and choosing to ignore the humor at her expense),
she asked about her other pressing curiosity. “Are you the reason I’m not
feeling the effects of all these people this close to me?”
“I am not quite shielding you. I simply turned down your volume,
muffling a little. You were broadcasting your discomfort and fear all the
way from the parking lot. Anyone with even rudimentary empathic function
would have been curled in a ball weeping before you even entered the
room.” His tone seemed apologetic and somewhat defensive at having
buffered her from the pain she usually endured. All Jess felt was relieved
appreciation. She really didn’t like the idea that these two strangers were
reading her mind, however. “Jess, we aren’t reading your thoughts. You are
broadcasting them.”
“Well, whatever the reason, you are helping me with the muffling. It’s
making this less … difficult. I appreciate it. If you are still willing to help
me, then yes, I would like it very much if you would shield me.” Annoyed
and not sure why she felt she needed to let him off the guilt hook he seemed
to be swinging from, she accepted his offer.
The girl in the class snapped her head around and stared at her in shock.
What? Accepting help was a sin now? Geez, Jess’s family thought she was
too stubborn and independent for her own good.
“Seriously? Most would consider what I have already done rude,
boorish, and socially unacceptable. Why am I only sensing grudging
appreciation from you? Well, that and … hmmmmm.” Jess rolled her eyes.
Like he didn’t already know he was gorgeous.
“I will shield you on one condition: Before you leave, you explain why
you are unwilling or unable to do this for yourself and how you have
survived without this knowledge.” All humor and wonder had left his voice.
He sounded almost angry or fearful. Not at her necessarily, more like on her
behalf.
“Deal.” She agreed without hesitation. Instantly silence and peace
descended on her mind, which relaxed against the constant bombardment
for the first time she could remember since childhood. All those years she
had thought she was blocking most of it out, not realizing how little relief
she was able to obtain.
“Oh God, this is better then chocolate-chip cookie-dough ice cream,” she
sent him in gratitude. A half-smile graced his perfect features, the first and
only indication he’d given of the conversation that had been happening
between them.
“The rest of the afternoon will be dedicated to learning self defense and
the basics of martial arts. I am aware that some of you have experience in
both. I have been assured that your instructor for this section of training is
able to keep it challenging for every level.” The look monotone-man gave
her over the heads of the cadets was highly skeptical. In comparison, the
“you just friggin wait, jackass” grin on Eric’s face more than made up for
any offense she might have felt at the officer’s obvious lack of faith in her
ability. “Please welcome Sensei Jess Reed.”
All eyes turned to Jess. Eric whooped, whistled, and clapped like an
idiot, making Jess laugh. She rose to her full, imposing five foot two inches
and strode her one hundred and ten pound body to the front of the class, her
waist-length, rod-straight blond hair swinging from a high ponytail with
each step. She knew she looked about as threatening as a piñata in a batting
cage.
Reaching the front of the class, she squared her shoulders and released a
deep, centering breath. She felt rather than heard the sharp intake of breath
from Bleacher Boy when she mentally/spiritually reached within. Feeling
her inner self awaken, she turned to face the class. One by one she made
direct eye contact with each student before her. One by one the students
began to squirm under the pressure of her gold-shot green eyes. Even Eric,
who had been under her tutelage for a decade and knew what to expect,
couldn’t help but feel the pressure of Jess when she took control of
whatever it is she put her mind to. Today it was these cadets, and that
included Eric. The only one who seemed resistant to her visual sweep was
the protégé-girl. She grinned, giving Jess a nod of respect. Once she was
sure she had the attention of every cadet, Jess smiled, looking forward to
this class more than she could have ever imagined, thanks to whatever the
Bleacher Boy was doing to “shield” her.
“Before we begin, I would like to demonstrate some of the techniques
that you will need to be able to perform for completion of this portion of
your academy training.” She motioned to the three officers leaning on the
wall, watching her. “If one of you seasoned officers could join me for this.”
As expected, the one who came off the wall and strode toward her had the
name Denbow on his T-shirt. Confident, six feet tall, and solid, Officer
Denbow was the perfect candidate to gain the class’s respect. He was
already disregarding her abilities due to her physical presence. One of her
greatest advantages was her ability to seem non-threatening to her
opponent.
“Thank you Officer Denbow.” She motioned to his shirt as her name
reference. He nodded. “Shall we begin with a full frontal attack?” This time
he smirked and nodded.
 They faced each other. Jess gave him a full low bow of respect, despite it
being unearned by Denbow at this point. He humored her with a half bow,
almost mocking.
“HOI!” She marked go. Denbow came at her with a half-hearted attempt
to grab her around the waist. Jess moved with grace, turning left into his
lunge and connecting the heel of her hand into the pressure point inside his
elbow, a move that caused his entire arm to go numb elbow to fingertips.
Continuing her leftward momentum, she connected her elbow to the
pressure point just under his ear with just enough force to tilt his center of
gravity, leaving him balanced on his left foot. She finished her turn with a
palm-heel jab into the center of his ribcage, sending him to the mat with the
propulsion of a locomotive.
Denbow’s expression of shock quickly gave way to look of
embarrassment and a hint of respect. When Jess put a hand out to help him
rise from the mat, he gave her a sheepish smile, shaking his left hand in an
attempt to restore feeling to the fingers. “Okay,” Denbow stated with a
chuckle. “Never underestimate your opponent. Lesson learned.” Yeah right,
like he meant to do that.
“How about we try another one. This time treat me like I’m a cracked-out
perpetrator. Dangerous. Not your ninety-year-old Auntie, hmmm?” Jess
innocently batted her eyelashes at Officer Denbow, who bowed low and
respectfully to her. They went through several more demonstrations. Jess
used simple maneuvers to send Denbow to the mat with every type of
attack.
Eric had kept his expression carefully neutral throughout the
demonstrations, which didn’t fool Jess. She knew he was jumping up and
down inside every time the officer had gone down. Eric gave her a private
thumb-up as soon as she released Denbow to rejoin the two officers leaning
against the wall.
“Anyone who has no experience in the maneuvers Officer Denbow and I
demonstrated, please line up on my left. Anyone who has some martial arts
training and just wants to practice and have some fun before testing, line up
on my right. And anyone who feels they can pass off this portion of training
with no instruction from me, please stand in the center of the mat. One of
the officers here will test and pass or fail you right now. Once you pass you
will be helping your fellow cadets achieve the same goal. Remember, boys
and girls, the people in this room will someday be your partners and
backup. Getting everyone to the best they can be is in everyone’s interest.”
She waited as the class divided up into the individual’s idea of ability before
continuing.
Eric quickly passed off his test and began to teach the others right
alongside of her. By the end of the class, three other cadets had also passed
off the class and were helping her to teach the others, including Bleacher
Boy’s protégé . Who she’d learned was named Jerika. It turned out Jerika
was damn near as good at mixed arts as Jess herself.
Graceful and beautiful, Jerika was probably the one Eric had the hots for.
If being Bleacher Boy’s protégé included being his lover, Eric didn’t stand a
chance against that level of yummy. The idea of Jerika being Bleacher
Boy’s lover filled her with jealously. What was wrong with her? He was not
the kind of guy who would show an interest in her anyway. Her best friend
Aymee attracted men like him, not her. She wouldn’t know what to do with
one if she did catch his attention.
When Officer Denbow announced that the class was over, Jess was
amazed that four hours had passed so quickly. She didn’t even have a
headache. Usually after half this much time around this many people she
would feel psychically and emotionally exhausted, practically collapsing.
Now that the class was over, she was looking forward to asking Bleacher
Boy how he was shielding her and whether he would teach her to do it
herself. Beg him if need be. She was not looking forward to the questions
she was sure he would want her to answer.
“That was fun!” Eric bounded up to her and lifted her in the air in a bear
hug.
“You seriously need a shower.” Jess laughed, and Eric set her back on her
feet. Was that growling she was hearing? What the hell?
“Some of the cadets are going to Hooters. Wanna come?” He asked.
“Tempting. I think I’ll go with a ‘hell no’ on that.” Not like he really
thought she would say yes. “You should go.” She realized Eric was thinking
he was going to have to be with her for the night to get her through the
backlash of the class. “I’m really doing well this time. I’m fine,
surprisingly.”
“Really?” Eric looked hopeful.
 “Really. This wasn’t bad at all.” Actually it was great. No way Eric
would believe that.
“I would like to go.” He held a finger up. “One call and I’ll be there. You
know that.” His guarded hopefulness made her wonder how often he had
sacrificed things to care for her when thing got bad.
“No worries. Go. Have fun. I promise to call you if I need you.” Eric
grinned, kissed her cheek, and trotted off to the shower.
“Meet me in the parking lot and I will answer your questions,” she
projected as she packed her bag, sighing. Time for the inevitable. She didn’t
want to talk here, plus the idea of being alone with him filled her with
anticipation and a longing she could barely comprehend. What was she
thinking? She didn’t even know his name. Alone? With him? Hell yes. She
was afraid, curious, and seriously turned on. Her fear was irritating. The
other two feelings were, okay, unfamiliar but good. Her friend Aymee’s
prediction was right. There was a man out there who struck her fancy.
About damn time.
“Pull it together, girl. You act like you’re in heat, for God’s sake,” Jess
reprimanded herself below her breath.
“Already out here waiting,” came his immediate reply. She looked at the
bleachers. Sure enough, they where empty. She hadn’t even seen him leave.
“Of course you are. You probably have an ‘S’ tattoo on your chest too.”
She continued the conversation with herself, shoving her towel into her
duffel bag.
Jess jogged out to the parking lot, not surprised to see him leaning
against her Jeep. He was taller than she had realized at about six foot three,
with long, lean, well-defined muscles beneath his jeans and T-shirt. In the
waning sunlight, his hair appeared darker, with auburn highlights. What
captured her attention was the deep forest-green of his eyes, the color
darkening the closer she came. A kaleidoscope of brown specks clustered in
the center.
She studied him. He gave her a cocky grin. She was pretty sure he was
reading every thought in her head, and yes, she thought he was even sexier
up close, the bastard. It didn’t change the fact that he knew her name, what
she drove, probably her weight and favorite color, all without her telling
him, and she still didn’t even know his name.
 “You can stop shielding me or whatever you are doing now,” she
grumbled, knowing she should feel grateful for his help. Instead she felt
uncomfortable with him having so much knowledge about her. She hated
that he was aware of her weakness when it came to psychic overload.
“I haven’t been shielding you for awhile now.” He shrugged, following
her around to the driver’s side of her car, holding out his had for her keys.
She blinked up at him.
“You are not driving my Jeep! Where do you think you are going with
me anyway?” She tossed her bag into the back seat “What do you mean you
aren’t shielding me? I would be in agony if you weren’t.” Turning to face
him, she shot one question after another at him. A dam of curiosity burst
through her. Pointing her finger at his chest, she interrogated him. “What
did you do to make it better? Can you teach me how? Why did you call
Jerika your protégé?” Hands on her hips, she had backed him several steps
away from the door of the Jeep. “What is a protégé? Why are you watching
her? How come the officers let you be there at all?” She hoped that last bit
didn’t sound quite so jealous and petty to him as it did to her. Jerika was
none of her business.
“Whoa, damn female. The deal was I shield your psyche, and you answer
a few questions. What the hell?” Holding up both hands defensively, he was
laughing at her again, a deep, sexy sound. Her first reaction was to purr and
rub up against him like a cat. She felt the blush rising up her neck to redden
her face.
“Sorry. Sorry, I know … I just, wow. Today was such a great day. I don’t
hurt, at all. I can’t remember not being in some sort of psychic pain. At least
… not since my mom. I guess I’m just excited.” She chewed her bottom lip,
thinking. Was excited too forward a term? ”Could you at least tell me your
name?”
“If I can drive?” He was grinning at her again.
She was so sick of being his private little joke, his arrogant attitude
instantly spiraled her to pissed-off. Grateful to feel something empowering
rather than the awkwardness he seemed to bring out of her, she pounced.
“You seriously expect me to hand over my keys and get into the car with
you? Without even knowing your name? Really?”
His grin only widened. “You, Beauty, can definitely take care of yourself.
Don’t even pretend to be afraid of me. I’ve watched you kick ass all day.”
There was admiration underlying the amusement in his gaze.
“Not being afraid of you does not mean being stupid. If you don’t want to
tell me your name, then we can stand right here … safely and in front of a
police academy. While you ask me whatever it is you seem to think you
want to know.” Still irritated at him, she retraced the few steps back to the
side of the Jeep. “Of course, if you really aren’t shielding me, then maybe
the deal is off anyway.” Spinning her keys to make loud snapping sounds
into her palm, she pretended to consider whether she should leave.
“I really was beginning to like being called Bleacher Boy.” He sighed.
“My name is Shanley Einar. You and I both know that we are not going to
be able to speak freely here.” He held his hand out for her keys again. “You
already knew my name the same way I knew yours. Call me Shane.”
She realized she did. When he said his name, she realized she already
knew it. She had known it from the minute he spoke to her. The keys
slipped from her hand into his, and she pivoted to walk back around the
Jeep, taking a seat on the passenger side. Shane stood at the driver’s open
door, holding her hard-won keys. He stared at her a few moments, then
climbed into the driver’s seat, adjusting it to fit his long legs.
“Where to?” he asked, starting the motor.
 Chapter Two
Shane had listened to Jess’s heartfelt prayer in the parking lot, her sweet
voice telepathically begging to get through the class without collapsing. She
had been worried about disappointing someone named Eric. Shane had felt
an irrational need to kill Eric until her thoughts had shown him to be her
brother.
When she’d stepped into the gym and he had gotten his first look at her,
he felt as if his entire universe had shifted its axis. Its new rotation would be
her. He’d been incapable of taking his eyes off her. When she reached into
her psychic energy resources to take command of the class, he’d nearly
come off his seat. She was powerful, a leader by nature. How could she not
know how to shield? Such a simple thing.
Shane had every intention of taking advantage of the access Jess had
unwittingly given him when she’d asked him to psychically shield her.
Once that access was granted, however, he found himself swimming in the
unfamiliar territory of wanting to protect her, even from his own curiosity.
Once he had ascertained that she was not pretending to be vulnerable, that
she truly had no knowledge of her abilities or from where they came, he’d
suppressed the urge to riffle through her memories and secrets. Instead he’d
placed a subliminal trigger within her mind containing the knowledge of
how to shield herself. Jess’s subconscious had immediately put the
knowledge to use. Her innate ability to shield herself was already there. He
had simply shown her mind how to apply it. As expected, her mind had
instantly shut him out. More important, she was protected from anyone else
who might have wanted to use that vulnerability for malicious intent. How
she could have survived undiscovered was a mystery that he looked forward
to solving.
Her presence needed to be brought to the attention of the Symbiosis Of
Species Council, yet he found he was oddly reluctant to make her presence
known to them just yet. Jerika had consented to give him twenty-four hours
before she would force his hand to present Jess. Perhaps they already knew
of Jess. Was he being tested by the council to see if he would turn her over
to them?
 She was of warrior descent, of that he was sure. Why was she alone?
Why was she so psychically vulnerable? Why did she seem completely
unaware of what he was? Hell, of what she was, for that matter? These were
the questions he should be asking. Instead, all he could think about was the
way the sun shined through her long lashes to leave a shadow on her cheek.
How her long blond hair cascaded around her shoulders when she released
it from the elastic ponytail. The way her tongue peeked out to moisten her
full lower lip. The hint of her curves under the loose-fitting GI she wore.
Oh yeah, this female was a complete distraction.
He could feel the energy pulses of her working her shielding ability.
Pulses that should have been imperceptible even as inexperienced as she
was. Was she using more energy than necessary to achieve the shield, or
was he just far more attuned to her than he should be?
Off on off on. Breathing in out in out. It was hard for him to not smile.
Foreign as shielding was to her, she was mastering it quicker than any youth
he had ever seen, not that he had spent much time amongst children. And
Jess was far from a child. He could see her concentrating, and he wished he
hadn’t been so rash in his self-expulsion from her mind. Watching her
process this from the inside would definitely have been fascinating.
“This is amazing,” she finally said.
“Yes, I released the innate knowledge you already had rather than
holding the shield for you.”
“I’m not sure why I didn’t know I could do this. It seems so simple.” The
slight lifting of her lips was more reward than any he’d ever received.
“Have to admit, I was pretty surprised you were unable to shield.” He
quirked an eyebrow at her. She seemed unaware of her effect on him. “At
first I thought you were just trying to be annoying.”
“So are you telling me that everyone knows how to do this except me? I
call bullshit. I have been sent to the hospital from pain, I take medications
to help. All I needed to do was this? Why wouldn’t someone teach me
before now?” she demanded. “Why didn’t the doctors know what was
wrong with me?”
“That is one of the many things I would like to know. Wait, did you say
you have been to a hospital? Like, a regular hospital?” Hospitals and other
services where monitored so that people like Jess didn’t fall through the
cracks. Those systems had failed in Jess’s case. If they’d failed her, how
many others could be out there? Her lack of knowledge could have gotten
her killed. His chest tightened at the thought of her hurting. The pain she
must have needlessly endured all these years!
“Is there any other kind?” She was watching him, and Shane worked to
rein in his thoughts. He didn’t want to scare her. “Great, a crazy guy is
driving my brand-new Jeep. That’s just perfect. Lemme guess. You go to
the Vet.” He could tell she was trying to alleviate her sudden discomfort
with humor. “Figures. The one time I throw my stranger-danger manual in
the toilet, I wind up with a crazy guy. Where are you taking me anyway?”
She was trying to sound casual and flippant, But Shane knew her empathy
was responding to his flare of anger.
“I thought about hitting the local Hooters. I changed my mind when I
heard the cops where going to be there. They could seriously hamper my
kidnapping scheme.” He winked at her, grateful to see her relax a little.
Hopefully she wouldn’t think he was nuts after all.
“Yeah, that’s what I heard too. We should definitely avoid them. They
may rescue me, can’t have that.” Fates, he enjoyed her quick mind.
“It is obvious we both have a lot of questions for each other. Where could
we go where you would feel comfortable and we could still speak freely?”
He wanted to drive her straight to his place, but he knew he was pushing
her comfort levels just being in her car. The decision had to be hers if he
wanted her to trust him. And he did. Her trust was crucial.
“Are you married?”
“No.” Her out-of-the-blue question caught him off guard, and he snort-
laughed his answer.
“Gay?” Jess was peering at him through slit lids. He could see the gold
star that surrounded her pupil expanding.
“Nope.” She was building up to something. He could feel it.
“A stalker with a mother complex?” An outrageous comment meant to
disarm before the true question is revealed. He recognized the questioning
technique. Was she knowingly doing it? Or was it another thing that came
to her so naturally that she wasn’t even aware of the uniqueness?
“Definitely not.” He answered, preparing himself for … breath held.
She got to the question she needed to ask and hesitated. Shane felt her
mind probe at his, seeking the truth. He wasn’t sure if she was aware of this
either. He only knew that the next question would determine everything for
her. He pulled the Jeep over to the shoulder of the road and stopped, then
turned in his seat to face her. Gently placing his fingers beneath her chin, he
lifted until her gaze connected with his.
“Ask me.” He dropped his shield just enough for her to probe his
response and determine his honesty. She deserved whatever truth she
wanted.
“Am I safe with you?” He felt her push against his mind, her eyes
widened, and he knew she found what she sought. He might not be the best
male, but he believed in honor. He would never harm an innocent. In
allowing her to see that, he could not hide from her the true threat he was to
her. He desired her. He heard her quick intake of breath and watched the
expanding of the gold starburst in her green eyes in response. She wanted
him too.
“You are as safe with me as you wish to be, Jess.” It was the best
reassurance he could give her; it was honest.
She must have been satisfied with his answer. She withdrew from his
mind and released a long sigh, indicating she had made a decision. “Take
me to your place. I need a shower.” She turned to look out the windshield.
He lifted his eyebrows in question. He hadn’t expected her to consent so
readily. He thought she would want to go somewhere semi-public for a
while first, like a coffee shop or a restaurant. It was everything he could do
not to let loose a triumphant roar. He signaled and pulled back into traffic.
 Chapter Three
They rode in silence out of the city limits. Jess gazed out the window as
the sun set over the desert around Mesa. A small voice inside her reminded
her that she should be concerned about driving into the desert with a
relative stranger. For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to fear Shane
in any way. Wonder about him. Check. Curious about whatever he could
tell her about herself. Check. Attracted to him. Triple check. No fear
whatsoever.
The desert sped by. The sky turned from pink to deep red-orange. They
were about ten miles outside of the city before Shane slowed and turned
onto a side road. The first mile was dirt and rutted, but eventually they
reached a paved road with asphalt the exact shade of red as the surrounding
sand. It even changed hue to match the surrounding desert sand perfectly. If
you didn’t know what to look for, you wouldn’t even see the hardened road
winding through the sand into the bottom of a blind canyon.
Jess was about to ask if the canyon flooded in the flash storms that Mesa
was known for when the road leveled off onto an elevated stretch of flat
pavement. The road looked like a suspended bridge over the canyon, which
continued to drop off on either side. Invisible from above until you were
actually upon it, it was an amazing sight. She wished she weren’t so
exhausted so she could study it more closely.
They went under a natural overhang that was easily thirty feet high,
extending fifty feet from end to end. When they exited on the opposite side,
it was as if they had left the desert behind. The interior of the canyon was
lush and green.
They began to pass dwellings that didn’t look like the typical stucco
homes of Mesa. The driveways cut off from the main road, venturing off
into the canyon face, where doorways and windows were cut straight into
the canyon wall. She could see shadows of people behind curtains. Clearly
the doorways led to single-family-type homes. Stacked and staggered, the
dwelling rose to encompass the entire face of the canyon walls. The
entryways had balcony-like platforms overlooking the road and the canyon
itself. Jess didn’t see any stairs or external elevators that would permit
access to the higher homes. There must be some sort of infrastructure
within the rock. The architect was genius.
Catching the sounds of music or laughter from within the dwellings told
her this was some sort of community. How could she have lived in Mesa
her whole life and not known it was here? Above the glow of lights, she
could hear the beating wings of birds of prey, hunting in the night nearby.
What an amazing place.
Below the dwelling, a concave section was cut in, displaying row after
row of newer vehicles. Most were Hummers and Jeeps, popular among
people who enjoyed exploring the desert. It was one of the main reasons she
had bought one. There were also four-wheeled ATVs and every kind of
motorcycle, from Bullet Bikes and Harleys to dirt bikes. A lower section
revealed a line of standard cars, BMWs and Mercedes. She was sure she
even saw a couple of Lamborghinis. Why would people who could afford
these types of vehicles choose to live in small homes cut out of a solid rock
ravine?
She couldn’t turn her head fast enough to take it all in before they drove
under another natural overhang that was far closer to the top of the Jeep and
much shorter, emerging at a large natural pool about one hundred feet in
diameter. A sheer vertical cliff stretched up at least two hundred feet on
three sides. A waterfall cascaded down the cliff and pounded into the pool.
The crashing water created a cool mist in the desert heat.
“How deep is that?” Jess asked, awed by the power of the falls. From the
lack of continuing ripples, she guessed it was deep.
Shane shrugged. “About five hundred feet at the falls and following the
road. It inclines from there to the shore on the other side.”
The canyon opened to the left side of the pool for as far as she could see
in the shape of a bowl. They made a sharp turn as the road curved to the
right. Winding between the outer edge of the lake and a sheer cliff, the road
seemed to float along the surface of the lake, flowing along the natural
shapes of the two geographical wonders, meandering toward the roar of the
waterfall and beyond. Shane navigated the Jeep behind the fall of the water.
Jess held her breath, her heart pounding.
She could only stare in amazement. The backside of the falls was lit by
an incandescent glow coming from some light source. Illuminating the heart
of the waterfall, it gave the misty spray a soft glow.
 At the opposite side if the falls a large park stretched out, where Jess
could see the calm lake shore Shane had mentioned. They drove deeper into
the canyon. The light from the illuminated lake had faded, leaving them in
the full dark of night. All that penetrated the darkness were the lights
coming from the dwelling windows and the Jeep’s headlights on the road.
“What is this place?” she asked in wonder. This wasn’t something she had
ever seen on any real-estate pamphlet.
“My home,” Shane answered. “I live in a single unit, located off of the
parking levels.”
“These are kind of like Ancient Puebloan dwellings? Are you a Pueblo
Indian, Shane? Is this some sort of a modern reservation?” It would explain
why they weren’t known or sold on the regular market. The few tribes that
had remained in this area were known to have prospered with the casinos
and other attractions they had built on the edged of the different
reservations. Prospered to this level? Wow.
“A reservation is one way of looking at it, I suppose, but we are not
Indians.” Shane carefully pulled the Jeep into a spot within the concave
cutout along the cave face, parking next to a Harley Soft Tail in mint
condition. A quick image of Shane’s long legs straddling that bike popped
into her head, and she nearly moaned out loud at the thought.
Shane shut off the engine. Jess was immediately plunged into complete
darkness and felt a moment of panic. The driver’s side door opened,
lighting up the dome light and Shane’s smile. He slid out, shutting the door
and returning her to the impenetrable darkness. She’d never been afraid of
the dark, but this wasn’t like a normal dark. It was different from any dark
she had ever encountered, tomb-like. She felt suffocated. How could Shane
even see to walk around the Jeep? Inexplicably her eyes began to make out
shapes in the dark. She wasn’t even sure if it was real or if her mind has
playing tricks on her. When Shane opened Jess’s car door, her pupils shrunk
to normal under the dome light.
She couldn’t hide the relief that little glow of light gave her. Shane must
have noticed. Grinning, he flipped the wheel of a lighter he must have
fished out of his pocket and held it up, leading the way to a solid rock wall.
The stones appeared to shift in the flickering light. Not possible. They must
have walked into a blind entrance into the wall.
 Lights came on from behind odd-shaped crystals placed into the walls.
The room was larger than she would have guessed, modern in a male kind
of way. Below each of the crystal lights were displays of different antique
weapons. In the center of the room sat a leather loveseat, two matching
leather chairs, and a table set with a detailed chess set. Across from that,
countering the medieval motif, was a La-Z-Boy recliner facing a giant flat-
screen TV, securely mounted into the stone of the wall. On either end of the
room were arched openings. One led into what appeared to be a kitchen or
dining area. In the other she could make out the edge of a massive bed. Jess
had images of Shane lying in the rumpled bedding. Yum.
“I left my bag in the Jeep.” She turned to head back the way she came in.
“I’ll grab it.” Shane stopped her, and this time she could clearly see the
stone in the wall slide away, revealing the opening they had entered
through. Sure her mouth was gaping open, she peered around it to watch
Shane jog to the side of the Jeep and reach in to grab her bag. He walked
back into the room and the stone slid back, sealing the wall as if it had
never been.
“How did you do that?” This was beyond weird. Did she fall into the
twilight zone?
Shane turned his head, following her line of sight at the stone entrance.
“We have much to discuss. You haven’t f … er … eaten anything. Why
don’t you take that shower and I will find something for us to eat.” He
seemed unsure of himself for the first time since she’d met him. Maybe he
needed a minute to collect himself. She knew she sure as shit did.
Relieved when he deflected an answer that might just send her into a full-
blown panic attack, Jess agreed. “That would be good. Where is the
bathroom?” Jess glanced around.
Shane pointed to the perfectly normal door across the room, framed into
a rock wall and centered between the arched entries.
“Thank you, baby Jesus. A door that makes sense.” She headed toward it,
and then turned back to Shane. “It’s not going to be dark with spiders or
anything, right?” She shuddered.
Shane chuckled. “Not at all. You will find it quite modern and
comfortable. There are robes hanging on the door. It will illuminate as soon
as you enter.” Of course it would, no light switches required, no reason to
deviate from weirdness now. She didn’t even see a power outlet. Good thing
she had hair that didn’t require a blowout to lay straight.
Jess opened the door and stood just inside as the crystals lit. She looked
back at Shane, opening her mouth to speak. Was the light going to go off
and plunge her back into that darkness again? Forget it. She snapped her
mouth shut again, giving herself a shake of her head, and stepped slowly
into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
Whistling, Jess took a moment to appreciate the lifestyles of the rock-
dweller rich and famous bathroom. There was a giant shower cut into the
stone with three different showerheads aimed into the center. A clear, no
frills shower curtain guided the water to a drain in the floor. Fluffy towels
sat folded on the shelf located between the shower and the heaven-on-earth,
oversized tub submerged into the bathroom floor next to it. A separate door
behind the tub led to a completely normal toilet and sink in your basic white
porcelain.
She glanced from the shower to the bath, biting her lip in indecision. Her
eye caught on the basket of soaps, shampoos, and … yes! Bubble bath and
bath salts. Reaching for a knob that wasn’t there, her hand passed over a
sensor and the water turned on immediately, filling the tub with perfect-
temperature water. Okay.
Her questions floated away the second she slid into the bath. Heaven. She
had found heaven in the twilight zone.
****
Maybe bringing Jess here wasn’t such a good idea after all, Shane
thought as he listened to the bath start up. All he could imagine was Jess
undressing, unveiling the curves that had barely been hinted at in her GI,
stepping naked into his tub.
He was cracking up. He was hard as the walls surrounding them,
groaning as he adjusted the bulge behind his zipper. Being uncomfortably
aroused had been his perpetual state since the second she walked into the
gym. Her scent was already mingling with his in the confines of his
quarters. He could even smell her beneath the vanilla bubble bath she must
be using. It was a gentle, sweet smell, like oleander flowers; the sweet,
exotic fragrance complimented her. She was more beautiful and probably
just as toxic as that particular flower, too.
 He hadn’t even considered how she would react to the differences
between his world and hers. Never gave a thought to the psychic and kinetic
energies his kind used to operate simple things like entryways and
illuminations. Maybe he should have taken her to a coffee shop first. At
least she wasn’t the screaming type, thank the Fates. The fact that she
currently lounged … naked … in his tub rather than running blind into the
night was a good sign. Right? What was he going to do with her? Several
images popped into his mind, none of which were appropriate.
He stomped into the kitchen, knowing there was nothing except fresh
ground coffee. After looking in the cupboards anyway, he drew her scent
deep into his lungs before porting himself to the community mess hall.
Thanking his luck that the kitchens were empty this time of night, he
grabbed a package of crackers and some sliced cheese. The container of
strawberries, bottle of water and red wine were an afterthought. Debating
briefly, he grabbed a couple of pints of blood from the stock. Better to be
safe than sorry.
 Chapter Four
“Moira,” Jess called.
“I was wondering when you’d show up.” Moira’s room appeared around
Jess. Moira was laying on a pink floral chaise lounge, the décor perfectly
matched with the cream colored walls, further complimented by dark
mahogany tables scattered about the room. Jess took the pink floral chair
sitting across one of the tables between her and her Aunt. Her special drink
was full and waiting for her, as always, when she arrived. Nothing much
ever changed in her “Moira Dreams.”
“Where have you been keeping yourself, girl?” Moira asked, watching
Jess down her drink in one gulp. “You should have come sooner. You
wouldn’t be so thirsty.”
“I know, things have been crazy, and I haven’t been sleeping well.” Jess
set the cup back down on the table. Jess and Moira had been meeting this
way since the day her mother was killed.
It was the last conversation she had with her mother. Jess had been out in
the yard, playing on her tree swing. She loved that tree swing and would
stay out on it past sunset if her mother would let her. She had heard her
mother and father arguing, so she was covering her ears when her mother’s
voice called to her telepathically.
“Jessica sweet.”
“Yes, mother,” Jess replied
“Honey, mommy’s been hurt.” Jess jumped down and began to run for
the house.
“Stop!” Her mother’s mental command stopped Jess in her tracks. “I
need you to come with me.”
Jess felt a dizzy, spinning sensation, the same sensation she felt every
time she returned to her Aunt Moira. She must have crumpled to the
ground, unconscious. Then her mother was beside her in the dream. She
took Jess’s hand and suddenly they where in the same room she now stood
in. Moira and her mother began to cry and hug. Jess had never met Moira,
didn’t even know her mother had a sister, let alone that they where twins.
Sometimes she wondered if Aunt Moira was really her mother’s imaginary
friend/sister who had been passed down to Jess.
 “Oh, Fates,” Moira had cried. “They’ve killed you!” It was then that
Jess noticed that her mother had blood pouring from her neck.
“Mommmmmyyy!” Jess had begun to cry, and Moira looked at her. Jess
would never forget the look on her aunt’s face in that moment. Her eyes
reflected a combination of surprise and sorrow.
“Please,” her mother had said in a weak voice. “Please take care of my
Jessica, Moira. She is an innocent. I want her to live a normal life.”
“Of course.” Moira knelt down, tears streaming down her face, pulling a
crying Jess into her arms. “I am your Aunt Moira, Jessica. I will always be
here for you. Whenever you need me, you just need to make a big wish for
me. Think really, really hard about this room while you go to sleep, and you
will come right back here in your dreams, okay?” Sniffling, Jess had
nodded.
She’d felt dizzy and spinning again, finding herself standing right outside
her back door. Running into the house, she saw her mother laying in a pool
of blood with her neck slit, her father kneeling beside her, holding a bloody
knife.
“Mother!” She ran to her mother’s other side and touched her mother’s
cheek, feeling a tearing sensation in her chest, like someone had removed
an organ, followed by an empty hollowing in her mind. Her mother was
dead. Jess looked up into her father’s vacant stare and knew that she was
alone in the world, except for Aunt Moira.
Jess had come to Aunt Moira almost every night after that. They had
cried together, both mourning the woman they had loved more than any
other in the world. Eventually she visited less and less often, until the year
she turned thirteen, when Jess had gotten very ill. That was when Moira
had begun giving her the special drink. Whenever Jess went without it for
more than a day or two, she could feel herself getting ill again.
It had been more than two days since she had visited her Aunt. She was
feeling the effect of her drink re-energizing her.
“I needed that.” Jess sighed.
“So where have you been? I was very worried. I thought something might
have happened to you.” Moira was watching her intently.
“Nothing to be worried about. Eric talked me into teaching a class a
couple of days ago. I was nervous and couldn’t sleep the night before. Shit,
I fell asleep in the bath. I’ll be back to tell you everything later.”
 “Damn it, Jess. WAIT!” Moira called out.
She heard Moira calling to her. She could hear Shane calling to her too.
She reached for the spinning dizzy sensation, willing her mind to wake up.
The minute Shane had ported back into his kitchen, he knew something
was off. He couldn’t sense her presence; Jess was gone. He knocked on the
bathroom door.
“Jess.” He knocked louder. “Jess!” he yelled, twisting the door open and
lunging into the bathroom. Her discarded GI was thrown on the bathroom
floor, her bag lying just inside the door. The tub was full of steaming
bubbles, but no Jess. He ran into the bedroom, calling, “Jess,” but heard
only silence.
Fates, what if she had panicked and left after all? Could she have figured
out how to send her psychic energy into the entry and leave that quickly?
He opened the stone entry, but the Jeep was still there.
“I’m sorry, were you calling me?” Her sweet voice came from behind
him. He jerked his head around and looked into the open bathroom door.
Her head was leaned back to rest on the back of the tub she was submerged
in. “I must have fallen asleep.” Her sexy, sleepy voice soothed him with
relief.
“You were gone. I checked the bathroom and you where not there.” He
couldn’t help the accusation in his voice. She’d scared the hell out of him,
and fear was not an emotion he was familiar with. Nor was the incredible
sense of loss he could not understand.
“I was right here.” She was looking at him like he was nuts again.
“Where the hell would I go?”
His relief and fear rapidly turned into irritation and anger. Was she
serious? “Just tell me where you went.” Stomping into the bathroom, Shane
stood in front of her bath with his arms folded across his chest. He wanted
to shake her … until he looked into her eyes.
There was no denying the desire he saw there. The green had been
completely engulfed by the gold starburst. Her eyes were so bright they
were nearly glowing. His body’s response was immediate. He couldn’t
breathe. Holy hell, he had to get out of there. He started to turn and walk
out, but the siren that was Jess began to slowly rise out of the tub,
captivating him, anchoring him in place.
 Shane stood motionless. Inch by inch Jess’s luscious body lifted. Full,
beautiful breasts broke the surface of the water, dripping bubbles off the
pearl–tipped, tiny pink nipples, begging to be licked and suckled. Her toned
stomach accented by a small diamond bellybutton ring that sparkled at him.
His eyes followed the bubbles down as her body continued to rise up. Her
narrow waist gave way to the flare of her hips. Shane swallowed hard. The
water released its veiling of the sweet, hairless juncture between her thighs.
Behind his jeans he was throbbing, painfully, from just the sight of her.
Her oleander scent, driven by her desire, was a powerfully intoxicating
aphrodisiac. He couldn’t halt his dentes sliding into his mouth in
anticipation of her taste. Every breath he took inflamed his lust. His control
rapidly unraveled in a way it never had before.
His eyes traveled back up the wonder of her. She was still staring him
straight in the eyes. Standing her full height left everything below mid thigh
hidden beneath the water line. He was fully aware that his erection,
straining for freedom against his jeans, was perfectly level with her full lips.
Her eyes were nearly pure gold in her passion. It became clear to him that
she was an innocent or very nearly so as she stood before him biting her
bottom lip. After her brazen show, she seemed unsure of how to proceed.
Her hesitation was both the saving grace of his control and a curse. Shane
had never wanted a female more than he did Jess. If he was right about why
they felt drawn to each other, she would be the only female he’d ever want
for the rest of his immortal life. They both stood stock-still, starring into
each other’s eyes, each silently daring the other to take the next step and
neither doing it. The standoff seemed to last for eternity.
****
Jess knew her dreams where just dreams, so Shane’s freak-out confused
her. She had not left the bath. She must have been sleeping pretty soundly
to have not heard him enter the room. When he had stomped in, crossing his
arms and demanding answers, her first though had been to rip him a new
asshole for being so arrogant and stupid.
Until she had perused his jean-clad thighs, fully appreciating the man
standing before her. She had allowed her eyes to continue up, hesitating for
a moment to note the not insignificant bulge in the front of his worn denim
jeans. His hips were narrow. She could see just the hint of his tight abs
pressed up against his T-shirt. His arms folded across his chest emphasized
their definition and pulled his shirt tight against his chest, accentuating his
broad shoulders. He had a stubborn set to his jaw. If the desired effect he
was seeking was intimidation, he was sorely falling short. His lips were
almost too sensual to be masculine below an aristocratic nose. Her gaze
reached his eyes, and her breath exploded from her lungs. He was
magnificent. Her body ached, for what she didn’t know, but even in the tub
she felt her own juices flood her sex.
Allowing free rein to the unfamiliar wanton feelings he stirred in her, she
stood before him naked. Hoping for what? She wasn’t sure, certainly not the
tick in his clenched jaw. His lack of response was … mortifying.
Jess dropped her gaze first, suddenly self-conscious, embarrassed, and
exposed. She had never felt want before, but she had felt rejection. This
stung just as it should, she supposed. She had offered herself to him and he
hadn’t even said anything, offered anything. He hadn’t shown any emotion
at all. She could feel the blush rising up her cheeks. Why was he just
standing there like that?
“Do you mind?” she asked. Thankfully, her voice still worked despite her
suddenly dry mouth. She nodded at the towels still sitting on the shelf
behind him. He didn’t move, just continued to stare down at her. She finally
looked up at his face again. There was an emotion, fleeting. It looked like
regret, but perhaps it was disgust or, worse, pity. She quickly dropped her
eyes back down.
He forced her to reach past him for a towel, which brought her breast into
contact with his thigh just above the knee. He sucked in a swift breath,
jumping away from the contact as if she’d burned him. He finally stepped
away from the bath and out of the room. Tears sprang into Jess’s eyes, and
she was grateful that he had shut the door behind him when he left.
She couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down her face at her shame and
humiliation. Had she completely misread everything? It wasn’t as if she had
a lot of experience, or any experience. Maybe what she thought was
attraction to her was simply his curiosity about her. He had been a perfect
gentleman. He must have really brought her here to talk. She had no doubt
that meant he wanted to question her about the anomalies he had seen from
her at the academy. He had never done anything to indicate that he would
welcome her throwing herself at him like it was prom night. He was
probably horrified at her forwardness.
Jess took a few moments to steel her resolve. She availed herself of one
of the plush robes that hung on the door hooks. Taking a deep, shaky breath,
she gathered her battered pride, lifted her chin, and squared her shoulders.
Then she opened the door and walked into the living area.
 Chapter Five
There was nothing in the world Shane wanted more than to sink into
Jess’s warm, silken flesh. Her innocent siren song in the bath had called to
him as no other had ever called to him. The unexplained dentes punching
into his mouth had tied his hands as well as his tongue. That moment
represented the closest Shane had ever come to losing control. She was
breathtaking. Perfect.
All it would have taken for her to break his tenuous control in that
moment would have been a word or a touch. He wouldn’t have been unable
to restrain the beast he’d barely held at bay. He knew that if he had not
stepped out of that room when he did, if he had lost control and taken her
then and there, he would have terrified her. That was the best outcome he
could have hoped for. Seeing her pain at his assumed rejection had torn him
apart inside. He had been unable to even offer her a word of comfort with
his dentes fully erupted.
Using his last ounce of common sense he’d, stiffly left the room, shutting
the door behind him. Full of self-recrimination, he sat down on the couch
with his head in his hands, using every ounce of his not insignificant will to
refrain from returning to her and carrying her into the bedroom. Slowly
dying inside at the sound of her quietly crying behind the door.
It was there he still sat with his head in his hands as she strode out of the
bathroom wearing one of his robes. Jess snatched up the remote from the
chess table as she plopped into his recliner and turned on the TV, which she
quickly muted. Nonchalantly flipping through the stations, her actions
reflected carefree defiance. The red-rimmed eyes in her beautiful face
showed the truth; he had hurt her.
“Jess, this is not what you think,” Shane began, still holding his face in
his hands. His dentes had retracted while he’d been waiting, but now that
she was in the room they were on the cusp of erupting again. “There is
much we don’t know about each other.”
Jess rolled her eyes at him. “Save the ‘we don’t know each other well
enough’ speech. I’m sorry about what happened in there. You interrupted a
great dream I was having about Matthew McConaughey. I must have
thought I was still dreaming for a minute.”
 WTF? “Who is Matthew McConaughey?” His eyes clashed with hers.
She was lying, he knew it, but that didn’t stop him from feeling the sharp
stab of jealously. How could she pull the thought of another man into her
mind after what had just nearly happened between them?
Jess waved the remote at him like he was dense. “I know you watch TV.”
Ah. He got it. She wanted him to think he had interrupted some fantasy
with an actor. His relief was palatable. He would not have to kill this
Matthew McConaughey after all. Her nonchalance was her way of pleading
with him to let her keep her pride. Making a great effort to keep a serious
expression and not show her his amusement, he conceded. “I will try to be
more careful and make sure you are awake from now on.” He was unable to
contain his chuckle when Jess rolled her eyes at him again.
“What where you really dreaming about?” It had occurred to Shane while
he was waiting for her to come out of the bath that she may not realize that
she was traveling through space; porting might not be something she was
doing consciously. Like her probing him for his intent earlier in the Jeep,
she was oblivious to what her mind was doing, what it was capable of.
Jess let out a long sigh, turned off the TV, and tossed the remote onto the
chair across from him. She came over to sit on the love seat next to him,
tucking her legs underneath her, and he was awarded a quick view of her
knees, calves, and feet before they disappeared beneath her. It was the only
part of her that he had been unable to see below the water line of her bubble
bath. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep that glimpse
from returning him to the uncontrollable beast he had almost become
moments earlier. His dentes were throbbing, but thankfully he was able to
keep them from erupting into his mouth this time.
She sat close enough that he could feel the heat coming off her freshly
bathed body. He was forced to stand and adjust himself behind his jeans
again, and a blush colored her cheeks before she looked away. Shane smiled
internally at Jess’s reaction. He sat back down, uncomfortably hard, but he
was no longer being pinched. Did she still think he had rejected her? No
matter. She wouldn’t be able to believe that for much longer—there was no
way in hell he would be able to deny her a second time. His only hope was
that she didn’t try to seduce him again until after he’d had a chance to
explain a few things to her. Once she knew his true form, he prayed to the
fates she would still want him. Right now he needed to know where she had
gone.
****
Jess saw what Shane did with his obvious erection. Her friend Aymee
had once told her that men could get hard when the wind blew on them; it
didn’t mean anything. Her pride kicked in, forcing her to turn away before
doing anything else stupid. Like she didn’t already know she had thrown
herself at him, a total stranger. He wasn’t even attracted to her, even if he
did have an erection.
“I have an aunt,” she began. “She lives in my dreams. That sounds crazy,
I know.” Jess was watching her hands as her fingers fumbled with the
material of the robe in her lap. “When my mother was killed, I had a dream
that she took me to my aunt. It’s my last memory of her. Since that day, I
see my dream aunt almost every time I sleep.” Jess waited for him to laugh
at her, tell her she was crazy. When he remained silent, she met his eyes.
Shane was watching her intently. “Jess, you are more than dreaming of
your aunt. You’re using psychic energy to transport your body to wherever
she is. She is real. When you are with her, it is no different than you and I in
this room. Have you ever touched her or hugged her?”
Jess nodded, expecting him to shout “April Fools!” at any moment.
Shane closely watched her for a reaction. The urge to reject whatever he
was about to tell her battled against her need to know the truth. Something
inside her had always sensed there was more to the world than the accepted
norm. Her anomalies were proof of that. She had abnormal strength and
speed, added to the psychic abilities she spent so much time trying to deny
and downplay even to herself. She wanted the answers, but she was also
afraid, instinctively aware that her life would be forever changed by what
she would learn.
Her fear was justified. Every time her life had taken sudden turns in the
past, it had always been infused with pain and terror. Jess realized she was
biting her bottom lip. Shane grinned, patiently waiting for her to take the
next step in the conversation. It was time to find out the truth behind all of
the strange inclinations she had. Her sensitivities had always indicated there
was something just outside of her grasp. So many times she’d felt urgency
for something she couldn’t identify. This was her chance to find out why.
Somehow she had stumbled onto the path of her destiny, she could feel it.
Letting loose a fortifying breath, she braced herself to face her fear of the
unknown. “Why did you reject me, Shane?”
He stared at her a moment longer before letting out a deep sigh of his
own. “I am not a male that fits to the form of what you know, Jess. It would
be wrong of me to … accept the gift of you without you knowing my true
form. I did not reject you. I would never reject you. I desire you more than I
have ever desired anyone. The only thing that held me back was my fear of
scaring you. You are sheltered and innocent, oblivious to my kind.” His
desire for her was shining in his darkened eyes, lending her courage and
confidence.
He used words like male, true form, my kind. What did that mean?
“What kind of male are you?” she quietly asked. The conversation had
reached the point of no return, the point where you know that what you are
about to hear will change you for all time. The play of his shoulder muscles
when he leaned over, unlaced, and pulled off the military boots he wore
pushed any remaining reservations she had out the window.
“It would be easier if I showed you.” He rose from his seat and began to
undress.
Her timing might be off, but she needed to share with him an idea of just
how and why she was innocent, a fact he might be unaware of after her tub
demonstration. “I should warn you, I killed the last man I saw naked.”
Though it was true, she wasn’t sure how to broach the subject or why she
wanted—no, needed—to tell him what she normally kept close to the vest.
Shane merely raised an eyebrow at her confession, continuing to remove
his clothes. Her breath caught in her throat. He stood before her completely,
gloriously naked with an odd, vulnerable expression on his handsome face.
Could he be afraid of rejection from her? She gave him what she hoped was
an encouraging smile, biting her bottom lip as her eyes began to travel
down the length of his body.
He was everything she had expected him to be from seeing him in cloths.
More perfect than any man she had ever seen on TV or in magazines. Like
her, he was completely without body or pubic hair, which was a surprise.
The sight of his erection held her attention. The bulge in his jeans had not
done justice to the size of him. It was intimidating, caused butterflies in her
belly, and for the second time moisture rushed to her sex. She could feel
herself start to pant, drawing in the taste of the musky scent of his desire,
like spicy cider. It made her mouth water.
Returning her gaze to his face, she saw that his eyes had gone darker,
lustful, his body tensed. Why? “You don’t have body hair.” She shrugged.
“Neither do I. The doctors told me that some people don’t. It’s perfectly
normal. What is different that I should be noticing?” She had not seen many
naked men, never studied one like this, granted. Any she had inadvertently
seen Shane certainly put to shame. He put the ones she imagined in her
wildest fantasies to shame. Was he uncomfortable being hairless? Was it an
insecure hang-up? She just wanted to run her hand over his smooth skin,
use her fingers to trace the defined muscles beneath.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said telepathically. “I will never hurt you, Jess. You
know I won’t.” She nodded in acknowledgment and Shane smiled at her.
When the fangs his canines had turned into came into view, she swallowed
hard.
Okay. That was more than an insecure hang up. “Are you a vampire? Are
they real? Is that your kind?” She asked, hearing a slight tremor to her voice
and hoping he wouldn’t be offended by it.
“Not vampire. To my knowledge they do not exist. We believe that we are
the source of their myth, in addition to many others.” She noted that he was
watching her pulse as he spoke in her mind.
“Do you want my blood?” A surprising shiver of desire ran through her
at the thought.
“Oh, yes.” He continued speaking telepathically while groaning out loud.
His erection jerked slightly, drawing her attention to it again. “You have the
sweetest smell. The scent of your desire is intoxicating. You can trust that I
will never take anything from you that you are unwilling to give freely. To
do that would violate the code of my people and turn me into one of those
that I have vowed to protect against.” She felt some disappointment at the
idea that he wouldn’t bite her with those fangs.
She nodded at that, her eyes taking another leisurely stroll up and down
his physique, subconsciously licking her lips. “Is this all you need to show
me? Are the fangs and the want of blood the only difference?” Her voice
sounded husky even to herself. If anything the fangs were making her
hotter. Shane shook his head, turning his back to her, raising his arms
straight out from his body, hands palm up, the muscles of his shoulders
flexed.
At first she just saw a hard, defined, perfectly yummy back. Jess tried to
focus; he wanted her to notice something out of the norm, not fixate on the
things that made her womb clench and her nipples harden. Reminding
herself to be objective, she looked closer. The muscles on either side of his
spine appeared larger and more defined. There was a thin flap in the shape
of a T, the horizontal line following the shape of the bottom of his shoulder
blade. The vertical line went downward, following the edge of the heavy
spinal muscles, reaching what would be the waistband of a pair of jeans,
had he been wearing any. She began to get distracted again.
The flaps began to lift, and from beneath them emerged two long, thin
arms. Each appendage had a small thumb and two fingers, fisting open and
closed. Four elbow-like joints unbent as they released from the muscles and
skin flaps where they had been hidden and protected. They extended from
his body at least a foot further than his arms. Once fully extended, the two
appendages separated from each other, revealing a thin delicate,
shimmering membrane stretching between them and finishing when there
where two fully formed wings coming from his back. Then he turned
around once again to face her, wings flapping slowly to demonstrate flight
motions.
His ears began moving independently of each other in a controlled way.
Shane pivoted them backward at a forty-five degree angle. The outer shell
of his ear lifted from his head, similar to what she had seen from horses
when they heard something behind them, or a cat twisting one ear back
while the other remained forward.
“What are you?” She whispered under her breath. He heard her question
anyway.
“I am of the species Volaticus. It means ‘winged man.’ My race is Elven.
We are ninety eight percent genetic kin to Homo Sapien … Human. The two
percent differentiates my kind from them as drastically as the two percent
differs them from apes.”
His answer didn’t surprise her. He could have called himself a
snuffaluppogus and she probably wouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t
what he called himself that was amazing, it was that he existed at all. Her
fear had given way to incredulous, excited curiosity the second she saw the
back flaps.
“Elven. Like fairies and elves in the North Pole?” She was trying to wrap
her brain around everything she was seeing and hearing. She felt like
jumping up and down, clapping her hands. Like she was watching a magic
show.
There was humor in his voice “We are most likely the source of those
myths, too. Our other two close genetic kin species also make up some of
the human myths. Human kind does like to take small grains of truth and
embellish it into something altogether different.” He spoke of humans with
affection and tolerance in his tone, like they were beloved friends or
children.
“Aren’t you supposed to have pointy ears?” She was trying to remember
anything she may have heard about Elves. She could come up with a cute
blonde guy who had played an elf archer in some movie she watched once.
What was the name of that movie? She couldn’t remember, but she
distinctly remembered he had pointed ears.
“I am loving your enthusiasm, Jess, but we are not elves and I am not an
elf. We are Elven. I am Elven. It is singular and plural.” Jess could tell
Shane was finally starting to relax. She was sure he had been afraid she
would freak or something. His voice resounded in her mind with humor and
relief. “No, we don’t have pointy ears. Our hearing is directional. We can
hear great distances in the direction that we aim our hearing. At some point
someone utilized the term ‘point’ rather than ‘direct’ or ‘aim.’ Over time
the ‘point’ terminology was taken literally: ‘pointy ears.’” He laughed,
“That is how myths and legends are made.”
“Well, that’s just plain stupid. If you know that the myths and legends are
wrong, why doesn’t ‘your kind’ correct the errors?” Seemed like a simple
solution to her.
Shane took on a much more serious tone. “Jess, you are taking all of this
rather well. You are amazingly smart and resilient. This is the first time I
have ever explained our existence to anyone. There are stories of Elven who
have, and most entail screaming, fainting, weeping, and uncontrollable fear.
Humans sometimes even urinate on themselves. Those are the good stories.
Many times the two races of the Volaticus species have been forced to
explain after having been captured under torture. Humans treat us like a
science project at this point of their evolution. They are a fear-driven
species. They believe the solution is to destroy anything they don’t
understand. They are not advanced enough at this time to understand us.”
She was sure he wasn’t giving the human race enough credit. Most
people were good, but she bit her lip. This wasn’t the time to start a political
debate with him. There were far more intimate things she wanted with him
right now.
“May I touch you?” she asked hesitantly. “Not like a lover,” she
corrected quickly, wincing. He probably thought she was pathetic at this
point. He’d said he desired her. Was he being truthful in that?
Shane lifted his chin, fully extending his wings for her. “Of course.” He
had a slight lisp from the fangs.
 Chapter Six
When Jess had added, ‘Not like a lover’ to the end of her request, the
disappointment he had felt had been immense. He’d known that once she
saw him in true form there was a chance she might no longer find him
attractive. She had no basis for comparison outside of the human form, but
hearing it confirmed by her was disheartening.
Biting her bottom lip, she stood and walked toward him, peering up at
him when she reached the middle of his chest. Her diminutive height didn’t
detract from how much power she wielded. Having watched her fighting
ability earlier, Shane knew that although she was immensely talented and
strong, she was no match for him physically. Her ultimate power lay in her
effect on him. Her effortless challenge to the control he had always had
over himself. The unfamiliar protective and possessive feeling she brought
out in him. He was well aware that at this moment, this tiny female before
him held all of the power dynamic between them. He prayed to the fates she
didn’t realize it and crush him.
“Volaticus.” She stopped within an inch of making contact with his
straining erection. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain perfectly
still for her exploration when every cell in his being cried out for him to
take her.
She reached up and lightly touched his dentes. There was no way she
could have known they were an erogenous zone to the Elven. He gave an
involuntary, swift intake of breath as her gentle touch generated a tremor
that raced through his body.
“Do they hurt?” She withdrew her hand, concern in her voice. Unable to
speak, Shane could only give her a slight shake of his head in response.
Again she bit her bottom lip, a habit of hers he found endearing. He would
give anything to bite her lip for her, if she’d let him. She reached out her
hand to his dentes a second time, and he could feel them stretch for her in
return. Shane pulled his mouth back from her, running his tongue over the
surface of them.
“Careful.” He cautioned her telepathically. She swallowed hard but
nodded. He leaned his head down slightly and opened his jaw wide to give
her access.
 She lightly touched the points. “They feel the same as regular teeth to my
fingers.” Her expression was full of wonder. Whatever fear he’d seen from
her earlier was gone. “They move! I saw a program one time that showed
how a snake could pull its prey into it’s body by the fangs. They kind of
move like that.”
“The dentes muscles are very developed. They control the ability to erupt
and retract. We can also lock our jaws.” Like the rest of his body, he could
feel the sanguindente muscles trembling with the strain of control he was
exercising. When her eyes met his, she must have realized that her effect on
him was both agony and ecstasy. She must have felt empowered to know
that he was not unaffected by her after all.
Jess leaned until her lips were centimeters from Shane’s. “Can I touch
them with my tongue?” The warmth of her breath mingled with his.
He hesitated, his heart already pounding adrenaline into him, stuttered,
his mouth watering. His Adam’s apple bounced up and down the way the
rest of him wanted to at her proposal. She didn’t wait for his answer. The tip
of her tiny pink tongue slipped out to gingerly touch the surface of his
dente. Shane groaned loudly, his eyes falling closed, enduring a few of her
tentative licks before she withdrew her tongue from him and smiled.
“They aren’t hard like teeth … or soft, either. More like cartilage. Really
sharp cartilage.” Shane was still swimming in a sea of oral sensation. “What
are they called?”
“Sanguindentes. It means ‘blood teeth.’ Or simply dentes.” He could hear
the strain in his voice, even telepathically. The female was pushing his
limits of control. “We require very little human blood to survive. When we
are active, a pint will last us several days. We may require more if we are
injured or use excessive amounts of energy. Even then, we never require
enough to drain a human. Most now days obtain our sustenance from
bagged blood, donated by humans. We use what is considered tainted, or
drink what remains after the platelets humans need are removed.”
“Like the Red Cross?” Her eyes widened.
Shane nodded. “The Red Cross is a Volaticus organization. One of many
symbiotic ways of aiding humanity while still obtaining what our bodies
require. A human hemophiliac with a single nosebleed can go through more
blood than an Elven would require for a month. By ensuring that there is
blood on hand for human use whenever and wherever they have need, we
try to give back.”
“The Red Cross does more than just blood. They help with more than
that.” She worded it as statement, not a question.
“Yes.” Shane answered anyway, hoping that by talking facts he could tear
his mind away from the sweet oleander smell of her, away from the
knowledge that the bowknot at the waist of the robe she wore was the only
barrier between his naked flesh and hers.
“So if you help humanity, why hide from humanity?” Jess’s honest
question revealed how sheltered her life had been up to this point.
“One day humanity will reach the evolutionary point of tapping into their
psychic energy. Their ‘enlightening.’ Then they will be able to accept
knowing that there are other enlightened species sharing space with them.
Until then, they will view our differences as a threat.” Shane shrugged
He could see her trying to digest the information. He’d already explained
to her that humanity still leaned toward the tenancy to try to destroy that
which they didn’t understand. He was sure her own anomalies had made her
feel somewhat ostracized in her life. She had a compassionate and
understanding nature. That same nature made her incapable of conceiving
that not all of humanity was as amazing as her. He could feel himself falling
deeper under her spell.
“Doesn’t that bother you? That you live in secret?” Jess leapt to a wrong
presumption.
“We don’t live in secret, Beauty. We enable humanity to exist blissfully
unaware of our existence, for the most part. We are out here. Everywhere.
Living amongst humans as equals is relatively new thinking. The last few
thousand years it has become more and more common. We have our own
communities and societies too. Nests like this one.” Shane didn’t want to
romanticize Elven for her; she needed to know the bad too. “Not all
Volaticus are good people either. Not all have embraced this thinking. There
are those among my kind who are rebelling against living a symbiotic
lifestyle. Rogues, who wish to go back to the days when we preyed on
humans, subjugated and lorded over them like gods. Some are just plain
bad.” Her eyes widened. He wasn’t sure if she was reacting to what he was
saying or the sound of his voice. The gold of her eyes proclaimed it was the
latter.
 “There are also those who kill at the vein of another enlightened species.
They are called Morsdente … ‘death teeth.’ No matter how enlightened a
species becomes there will always be evil found in their numbers, those so
abhorrent that warriors hunt them, like me. ” He unintentionally leaned
toward her as he spoke.
She placed one of her hands on each of his ears, effectively holding his
face between her palms. Her mouth was so close to his that he could feel
her breath across his lips, his dentes throbbing for her to lick them again,
his cock throbbing for the same. Even his ears were pushing against her
hands, trying to get closer to her. She continued her dubious study of him,
seemly oblivious to his state.
“Why are you speaking telepathically to me when I’m right here?” she
whispered, running her hands from his ears, down his neck, across his
shoulder, and down his arms. Stepping back, he could see her taking in the
full view of his body. Again her gaze lingered on his erection. She slowly
circled around him, continuing her perusal until she stood directly behind
him.
Shane released the breath he had been holding and lifted his face up
toward the ceiling, letting his eyes fall closed. He clenched his fists in an
effort to hold still for her inspection. Did she not realize what she was doing
to him? He wasn’t sure how much more he was going to be able to endure.
She was rapidly sending him over the edge into rapture—something he
didn’t even know could be achieved when a female was not in estrus heat.
He drew a deep breath of her oleander scent into his lungs just to further
torture himself. She definitely wasn’t in estrus. She was making him crazy
just the same. Could she really doubt his desire for her? His control was
being tested, but just being near her, he admitted to himself, made it worth
this sweet agony and more.
“I am speaking to you in this way because it is difficult to speak when my
dentes are fully erupted.” In truth he liked the intimacy of speaking with
her telepathically
****
Jess visually took in the rear view of Shane, and what a rear. His ass
should be molded and placed on display at the Smithsonian. She could
picture it with a golden plaque declaring it “the greatest work of art in the
history of the world.” Topping his well-formed thighs, it was accentuated
by his narrow hips. She wanted to cup his ass cheeks with a compulsion that
nearly had her doing just that. Instead she forced her eyes to rise up to
where his wings attached into either side of his spine muscles.
He was holding himself so still for her that it made her smile. She
wondered what it would take to knock him out of his statue routine and ran
her fingers along one of the lower limbs holding the wing membrane. Shane
groaned, warming her blood. She’d already realized that he meant what
he’d said. He had left her in the tub out of honor, not a lack of desire,
making him even more perfect.
“Can’t you make your fangs disappear now?” They made him sexier and
harder to resist. Nothing he had shown her had detracted from her attraction
to him. In fact it intensified it. Shane grabbed her using the small thumb and
fingers at the end of the winged limbs. “Hey!”
“Sorry.” Shane spoke aloud, letting her hear the full extent of his lisp
“The dentes, fingers and … other parts of me seem to have a mind of their
own right now.”
Was that an invitation? Jess’s felt her chest tighten at the potential sexual
innuendo. Unsure of how to respond, she instead asked, “So you can fly?”
“Yes.” His dentes caused the “s” to have a slight “th” sound.
“Could you fly if you were carrying me?” Running her fingers across the
thin membrane, she realized just how delicate but strong the wings were.
The membrane was paper-thin, the limbs less than an inch in diameter
“Perhaps. How much do you weigh?” He was teasing her, and she
playfully slapped at his limb fingers. “Ouch,” he said, pretending she had
wounded him. “Yeah, I can.” He let the wing drop as if broken. “What did
you hit me for? I was being nice and sweet, holding still for you and
everything.” He was pouting. Well, as much as you can pout with fangs in
the way. She really liked this playful side of him. He made her laugh.
“Can you put them away?” she requested, wondering if his wings were
going to have the same determination to remain as his fangs his erection
apparently did. Shane retracted them so fast that they seemed to have
vanished to her.
“Wow.” Jess was unable to conceive of what he’d just done. His back
looked normal … No, normal wasn’t the right term. Human. She had to
look closely to see the back flaps. Then she was sure she only spotted them
because she already knew they where there.
Unable to resist, she slid her finger under one of the flaps. Shane jerked,
the first movement he had made since she began checking him out. She
jumped back, startled.
“That tickles,” he snapped, a concerned look halting his smile, followed
swiftly by what she could only describe as defeated acceptance. Damn, he
must have thought he’d scared her. Not in what he’d done, in what he was.
How had their roles reversed? Now that she was pretty sure he was attracted
to her, he was behaving like he thought she no longer was.
“Really?” Using her favorite tool, she went after the flaps again. For the
first time she didn’t regulate her speed to appear normal. They zoomed
from one side of the room to the other with her trying to tickle him and him
lunging away to avoid her fingers. He launched himself into the La-Z-Boy,
effectively denying her access to his ticklish flaps. Her momentum put her
squarely into his lap, both of them laughing.
Shane’s arms enfolded her. Her laughter faded off she wrapped her arms
around his neck and laid her head down on his shoulder. She felt feminine
in his arms. Nestling against his chest, she was amazed at how natural it felt
with him holding her. Then her brain registered his erection against her
bottom.
“So let me guess. We are not allowed to be attracted to each other.” Her
voice caught, trying not to cry. That would be her luck, to finally meet a
guy she was attracted to. One that didn’t make her head hurt, literally. He
would be forbidden fruit.
Shane rubbed her cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his
touch warm and gentle against her skin. She lifted her face to meet his eyes.
“Jess, I needed you to see me in true form before allowing myself to even
fathom the idea that you might offer me such a gift as loving you would
be,” he assured her. “That was the only reason I resisted you in the bath.”
His eyes darkened to a near black again. “We live very long lives, and
walking away from you in the bath was the most difficult thing I have ever
done.” He let the full depth of his desire for her show in his eyes. “Wait.
That’s not true. Standing here, refraining from throwing you over my
shoulder and cave-manning you into the bedroom: That was the most
difficult thing I have ever done. The bath is the close second. ”
 Jess tried for a tentative smile. Thankfully, that was all the
encouragement he needed to capture her lips. She sighed softly at his gentle
kiss. “So do you? Want to be with me?” Her hand behind his neck came up
and she ran her fingers into his hair.
“More than you know.” Shane’s lack of hesitation was encouraging, and
the huskiness of his voice had her shivering in anticipation.
“What’s stopping you?” Jess felt awkward. How did Aymee do this?
How do you seduce a man, er, male? All she knew how to do was be her
blunt, unsophisticated self. “All the questions we both still have will wait. I
want this. I want you. I don’t want to wait anymore.” She looked at him
with what she hoped reflected the need she was feeling. For what she could
not name, but she knew he would be able to relieve it.
“You’re sure.” Shane asked, lisping from the eruption of his fangs. Her
flesh warmed to the stark desire she could see in his dark eyes. Jess touched
her lips to his in answer, and he captured them, licking and nibbling at
them. She was instantly swamped in sensation. Helpless, she opened to him.
Without hesitation he plundered the depths of her mouth, tangoing with her
tongue, and she matched his passion with her own.
Shane released the tie of her robe. His warm hand slid up her ribcage and
cupped her breast in his hand, his thumb skimming her nipple. It tightened
and ached under his attention. Her womb clenched, and she felt a warm
rush as her sex flooded with moisture. Her mind turned off while her body
turned on. She forgot about everything except Shane and how he was
making her feel.
She felt his fangs touching her lips and tongue. She pressed her tongue to
the point, causing it to puncture, and the coppery taste of her blood filled
her mouth. Shane stopped the kiss, placing his forehead against hers.
“What I would give to take your blood.” He took a deep, shaky breath.
“We can’t share that yet. There are very specific guidelines that should be
observed in the sharing of blood from the vein. Especially since we both are
… psychic.” He looked deeply into her eyes. “There are implications to
blood sharing that I have yet to explain to you.” His look held hope and
promise.
“Oh.” Only his ministrations on her breast kept her from withdrawing. “I
didn’t realize.” She hadn’t meant to commit a faux pas. He shifted her on
his lap and sucked her nipple into the heat of his mouth, flicking it with his
tongue and scraping across it with his fang. All reason left her in the swamp
of sensation he released in her.
Her hands in his hair, she arched her breasts into his mouth. His hands
cupped the curve of her buttocks and he stood, lifting her in his arms as if
she weighed no more that a feather. Her legs came around his waist. Blindly
he carried her to the edge of the bed, releasing her breast to capture her lips
again. Jess surrendered her grip in his hair long enough to shimmy her
shoulders, letting the robe slide from her body. She sunk into the bedding,
loving Shane’s weight pressing her deep into the luxurious mattress. The
bedding released his scent, swallowing any reserves she might have still
had.
Breaking the kiss, he rose up to look down at her. Laid out and open to
his inspection, she felt like an offering. He seemed to be fascinated with her
diamond belly-button ring.
“Do you have protection?” She bit hard into her bottom lip, wishing she
would have thought to ask him to stop at a convenience store after they left
the academy.
Shane drew a deep breath into his lungs. His eyes fell closed, looking like
he’d just taken a bite of the best cheesecake ever. “You are not fertile at this
time, and Elven are immune from all disease. However, I would be happy to
procure a … condom, is it? If it would make you more comfortable.” Jess
chewed her lip for a moment longer. He’d already displayed more honor
than any man she had ever even heard of.
“No, I believe you.” She surrendered and Shane leaned in, nibbling at her
lips. Jess moaned, giving him access to plunder her mouth with his own.
She returned the kiss, pouring every ounce of her desire to pleasure him
into it. She was breathless when he released her lips to lay a trail of kisses
across her cheek to her ear and down her neck. She heard his groan, feeling
his fang scrap against the pulse at her throat.
Her body was on fire, burning hotter under the trail of his hands and his
mouth. She cried out, feeling him gather one of her breasts into his hand,
gently tweaking the nipple between his thumb and fingers. His other hand
teased across her abdomen, her muscles bunched beneath it, and halted in
silent question when he reached the soft flesh just above her clitoris. She
answered by raising her hips slightly.
 Gasping a cry, Shane’s fingers slid lightly over her sensitive bud, giving
it just a moment of attention before he slid the finger into the heat of her
folds. He gently swirled the finger within her in an attempt to loosen her
tight grip on it. His thumb tapped out a soft dance against her tender bundle
of nerves. Her body yearned, reaching for relief to the overwhelming
sensations, arching into his mouth when it replaced his hand at her breast.
He slowly slid a second finger into her tight channel.
She felt a humming vibration within her, and her womb clenched under
the pressure. Thrashing her head, her fingers digging into Shane’s scalp at
her breast, she shattered into a million pieces. Wave after wave of pleasure
crashed over her, dragging her gasping under it again and again, continuing
even as she felt him withdraw his fingers from her still pulsing vagina.
She was still riding the wave when she felt the head of Shane’s erection
at her entrance. Tenderly, he started to enter her inch by inch. He was large.
She looked into his beautiful face. His teeth were clenched in agony, his
breathing labored, his fists knotted into the sheet on either side of her head.
Her body reluctantly stretched to accommodate his. He looked to be in as
much pain or more than she. She willed herself to relax, focusing on her
breathing, appreciating the gentleness Shane was exhibiting while he
worked to ease himself into her tight body. She was glad she’d saved this
rite of passage for him.
She felt a sharp pinch when he made contact with the evidence of her
virginity. Shane halted at the barrier, meeting her golden gaze with the
darkest green, nearly black color of his. Shining with a silent apology,
Shane pounded through to his hilt with a hard thrust, tearing her innocence
in one final plunge. She screamed out in pain, hearing a painful grunt from
Shane too.
Shane held himself buried within her. Jess’s body slowly adjusted to his
girth. She could feel his heart beat frantically where their chests where
touching. She hated the tears running down her face.
“Relax for me, Beauty. I will bring you pleasure.” He kissed her deeply,
beginning a slow, rocking rhythm inside her. She began to match his
rocking pace, meeting his passion with her own. “Great Fates, you are so
soft, tight, and wet. Perfect. Like a silk glove created for me alone.” His
words rumbled through her, stoking the fire inside of her hotter.
 The slow rocking gave way to faster and harder pounding. Jess could
hear herself calling out to him for more in complete abandon. Her pressures
built, rising to a peak, gathering within her like the wildest storm she had
ever experienced. She swore she even heard thunder. The reverberations
were drowned out by the combined sounds of their lovemaking. She
shattered again, her body’s response more powerful than the first time. She
cried out with it, “Shane … OH GOD!” Her vaginal walls gripped,
squeezing, and still he pounded into her over and over, intensifying her
release.
Suddenly Shane threw his head back, giving Jess a view of his taut face.
Fangs filled his mouth. His neck muscles strained. He released a deafening
roar, his seed jetting deep inside of her, sending her still pulsing, gripping
vagina into a fresh bought of spasm. He collapsed against her, their
breathing heavy, their bodies glistening with sweat. The room was saturated
with the combined scents of their passion.
Jess felt a bubbling giddiness. She couldn’t stop the grin. Feeling like
she’d drunk too much champagne, she giggled, which quickly turned into
an uncontrollable laughing fit. Shane lifted his weight from her, looking at
her as if she were the crazy one for a change. At least he was smiling at her
outburst. Tears rolled down her face and she curled up in the ache of her
belly muscles, riding it out till her laughter trailed off, leaving her sniffling.
Still smiling, Shane wiping the tears from her cheek.
“That was weird.” Jess had no idea what to say, completely baffled by
her reaction.
“Good thing I am not the insecure type.” Shane pulled her into his arms.
She playfully slapped against his chest. “You know what I meant.”
 Chapter Seven
Shane laughed, holding Jess against him tightly. “I know. Sometimes
sexual and emotional releases go hand in hand. At least that is what I have
heard.” He rubbed his chin against the top of her head, luxuriating in the
softness of her hair and the warmth of her body against his. “My brother,
Gregor, told me he knows his mate Teya is happy when she bursts into
tears, which seemed like an oxymoron to me at the time. I think I get it a
little better now.” He felt her smile into his chest as she snuggled deeper
into his side. She was his destiny; he knew it in an instinctive and primal
way. It shouldn’t be possible, but it was.
He had felt her pleasure rebounding. Her fragile shield had dropped away
during her first orgasm. He was grateful to have been able to share the pain
of his penetration, to truly appreciate the gift he had just been given by this
exceptional creature.
“You dropped your shields, Beauty,” Shane confided. “That in and of
itself was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.” She sucked in
her breath. He felt her shield rise immediately. Expected though it was, he
felt some disappointment at the expulsion. “Did you expect it to be so
painful?”
She shifted, placing her arms crisscrossed on his chest with her chin on
her wrists, and looked into his eyes. Her hair fanned out across his
abdomen. She took his breath away.
“I thought it would hurt worse.” She released a long sigh, and then went
silently contemplative. “Remember when I mentioned that I killed the last
man I saw naked?” He nodded, instinctively knowing she needed to reveal
this secret in her own way and time. He held a lock of her hair between his
fingers, rubbing its softness between his thumb and forefinger, waiting for
her to continue.
“Well,” she began, but her voice cracked and she softly cleared her throat
before continuing. “I was ten years old when my mom … when she died.”
Her expression reflected some of the horror she’d witnessed. His empathic
nature was partially blocked by her shields. He wanted to ask how her
mother had died and a million other questions to help him solve the puzzle
of Jess, yet he knew she needed to do this her own way. He smothered his
curiosity, relaxed, and let her unfold for him.
“Ok, I need to just say this so … shit … here goes.” She sat up, holding
the sheet to her breasts, with her back to him so he was unable to see her
face. He reached out to rub her back. His heart leapt with the small distance
she’d put between them. He needed to touch her, to feel connected to her
even if she felt she couldn’t face him while she confided her secrets.
She took a deep, bracing breath. “My father killed my mother. I walked
in right after he had done it. He still had the knife in his hand, her blood
dripping off the tip. They say he snapped somehow. When they took him
away, he went willingly, moved when directed. They say he has never
spoken again. When I became an adult I thought about going to see him in
the mental hospital, but I never did. I changed my name instead and
distanced myself from him even further. I was grateful they put him in a
hospital.”
Her voice shook but she continued on. “I was just a little girl. I was
supposed to testify at his hearing. When they declared him incompetent, I
was off the hook.” She paused, her guilt so powerful he could feel it
through the shields.
A few more moments of silence passed before she spoke again. “I went
into the foster system after that. The first home they placed me into was a
few blocks away from the Ryu.” She glanced over her shoulder at him to
add. “That is the name of my martial arts school.” Wondering how alone
she must have felt then, he nodded. The officers had announced her
credentials prior to her arrival. They had stated she was the sensei and
owner of one of the most premier martial-arts studios in the state.
Jess gave him a small smile that did not reach her eyes before turning
away again. “Every day after school I would stop and watch the classes
being taught by Sensei Yamamoto, Jirou is his name. His brother was
Shihan, and Aymee’s father. Anyway, I would watch. Then I would go
home and practice what I saw until I could do it just like they did. I wanted
to mimic the teachers, not the students.”
He could hear some pride in her voice, and he grinned at the mental
image of her as a little girl making karate chops in her yard. “The
Yamamotos must have noticed my attention. One day they invited me into
the class for a free lesson.” Her love of these instructors seeped into her
tone. “The first time they asked I ran away, but eventually I found the
courage to go in. They ohhh’d and ahhh’d at all I had learned from them
without ever taking a class. They made an agreement with the foster parents
I was placed with at the time, that if I would practice at least two hours
outside of class every day, they would give me a full scholarship for
lessons. They were aware that I was already practicing for hours without
any incentive at all. I knew it for the gift it truly was, and I made sure to
practice at least twice as long.”
Her voice caught and Shane prepared himself. He could sense what
would follow was going to be bad. “My first foster parents were an older
couple. When I was thirteen I became ill. I would bleed from my ears, my
nose, sometimes even my eyes. I began menstruating, but it wasn’t normal.
I bled for months on end. I was weak and sometimes needed help to even
get to the bathroom.” She was whispering. Shane directed his hearing so
that he could catch every word.
“My medical needs were just too much for them; they were too old to
care for me at that level. I was placed into a new home with younger
parents. In that home there were two other girls and me. I remember the
girls being quiet and withdrawn. I wish I wouldn’t have been so wrapped up
in my own pain, but I was. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong
with me, just that I always had too much iron in my body.” Shane’s hand
paused at her back. Holy shit, she was iron-rich. How did she survive
constant iron poisoning without knowledge or help?
Jess was so wrapped up in the past, she didn’t notice Shane’s reaction. “I
hadn’t gone to my dream aunt for awhile. See, when my mother first died I
went to her every night. Then I started to deal with my mother’s death, and
I avoided her. She and my mother were twins, and seeing the face of my
mother every night just became too painful, emotionally. One night I was
hurting so badly, bleeding from everywhere. I hadn’t done any martial arts
for several months. I was in a new home away from the school and the
parents that I knew. I went to Moira one night in my dream to tell her
goodbye. I was sure I was dying, even looking forward to it.” She took
another deep, jagged breath.
“Moira knew what was wrong with me. She told me about psychic
overload, but she didn’t know how to help me deal with it. She assured me I
could find a way to manage it, just like my mother had. She had such faith
in me. She also knew about high iron. She has high iron too. She made me a
special drink every night for a week. I began to recover. I still get that drink
from her. I had it tonight when I fell asleep in the bath.” Shane had noticed
the improvement of her coloring after her bath. He had simply attributed it
to the steam, heat, and desire.
“Once I was stronger I began to find ways to keep my headaches and
psychic overload at bay. Mostly I just became a loner, distancing myself
from everyone as much as possible. I wanted to go back to martial arts, but
the new parents wouldn’t allow it. Well, Steve the fath … man wouldn’t
allow it.” She finished with a shudder.
Instead of her answering any of Shane’s questions, Jess was multiplying
them with every word she spoke, but he remained silent and resumed
rubbing her back lightly. She subtly pulled away from his touch. Rejected,
he let his hand fall into his lap.
Tension radiated off of her. “I would sneak away to attend the Ryu,
taking the bus as often as I could. Steve found out and was waiting for me
when I got home one day. We were the only one there. He pulled his belt
from his pants, telling me I needed a spanking. He pulled down my jeans
and panties, and bent me over the end of the table. He swung the belt, but
instead of it striking me, he rubbed it across my bare butt like a caress. Then
he told me to get dressed and get to my room. I was grounded, and he said I
should thank him for deciding not to paddle me.” Her voice became steely
and crisp. In her anger, Jess was drawing energy to herself. Incredible.
“That night after dinner I got really sleepy, so I went right to bed.
Sometime in the night I woke up. I was naked, and Steve was on top of me
trying to … penetrate me. I remember feeling a tearing sensation. It was
that tearing that woke me up. I don’t remember the details very clearly. He
had drugged my meal to make me compliant. The police report said I
crushed his larynx and forced the particles of his nose. which I’d shattered,
into his brain. They have no idea which of the injuries occurred first; both
were fatal blows. I killed him. It was my fourteenth birthday.” She looked
over her shoulder again. Shane was sure she was trying to gauge his
reaction.
Shane let out a sigh. “So let me guess. The other two girls didn’t get
away with their innocence.” He tried to remain as calm as possible after her
confession. Tears sprang into her eyes and she shook her head. “Are you
sorry you killed him?”
Again she shook her head. “I am,” Shane said. Jess lifted her chin in
defiance. “I would have loved to kill the piece of shit myself,” he finished,
and instantly the tension drained out of her. Her face became a mask of
relief. The tears she been holding at bay began to fall down her cheeks, and
a grateful smile touched her lips. What did she have to be grateful to him
for? She was the amazing one.
“Whew.” A visible shiver went through her. “The juvenile Court ruled it
self-defense. By the time that was determined, I had already spent eighteen
months in a youth detention facility—juvie. Surprisingly, that didn’t turn
out to be such a bad thing. When everything had happened, I was so afraid
that Sensei would be disappointed in me for using his training to kill. For a
while after I got locked up, I refused to do any martial arts. I just focused on
school. I finished my freshman, sophomore, and most of my junior year of
high school in that eighteen months.” Her voice had lightened. He was
grateful that she had the worst of what she wanted to share over with.
“One day during gym class, the officer in charge announced that we had
a self-defense instructor coming to class. It was Jirou. He volunteered his
time once a week for the rest of the time I was there. He told me what I did
was exactly what I’d been trained for. He was proud of me. He even tried to
petition the state to have me placed with him. Single men can only foster
boys, so they denied him.” Her eyes shone with love and gratitude for her
mentor. Shane could relate. He shared a similar love and respect for his
mentor, Gilgamesh.
“Ellen, that’s Eric’s mom,” she clarified. “She worked at juvie. Her job
was housekeeping and the meal hall mostly. They let the staff take the self-
defense classes if they wanted to, so she did. That was how she met Jirou.”
A sweet smile graced Jess’s face. “They fell in love. When I was released,
she took me in. Shihan Yamamoto, Aymee’s dad, had gotten cancer. He died
before I was released; Aymee inherited her father’s part of the business.
Aymee and I have been friends since my first class. Once I had finished
business school and secured a loan, I bought Jirou’s half. Ellen and Jirou
married right after Eric turned eighteen. They are in Japan now, helping
with Jirou’s aging father. I miss them.”
 He couldn’t take the separation between any longer. Grabbing her arm,
he tugged her around and back into his arms. He wondering how many
people, if any, she’d ever shared that with. Pretty damn sure it wasn’t many.
As Jess cried softly against his chest, all he could do was hold her, making
what he hoped were soothing words into her hair. When she was spent, he
lifted her chin to peer into her eyes, letting her see his understanding. He
didn’t give her pity. She didn’t need or want pity.
“Remind me to never piss you off,” he jested, trying to acknowledge her
strength and determination without being patronizing. Pleased to see some
of the shadows lift from her eyes, he returned her half smile.
“Never piss me off.” She leaned into him for a kiss, which he gave her
without a moment’s hesitation. His blood began to heat, and he felt her
hands exploring his chest and abs. A trail of fire burned everywhere she
touched. She was working her way downward. Shane nearly exploded when
her hand wrapped around his engorged shaft. The siren swallowed his groan
with her kiss. He could tell she was feeling empowered. Lying back, he
relinquished control of the encounter to her. After everything she’d told
him, she needed this.
Gritting his teeth, holding the release she’d incited the second she
touched him, he watched her. Rising, she straddled him and slid over him,
hot and sweet. Her hands balanced on his chest, she rode him quick and
hard. Their voices combined in pleasure.
****
Moira had stomped out her front door after Jess had ported away. She
had been trying since Jess’s twenty-fifth birthday to find a way to talk to her
about coming to visit for a long period of time. Maybe actually come to
Italy and stay with her. The time just never seemed right. Either she had
things that interfered, or Jess would talk about something coming up in her
life. Inside she knew that was complete bullshit. She was afraid to tell Jess
everything she needed to. Afraid that Jess would hate her once she found
out Moira was the reason Marja was dead. She missed her sister so much.
The tears again began to fall. She reminded herself to remain calm.
She had never told Jess she wasn’t a dream. Jess was too smart. She
would demand to know why Moira hadn’t aged. Why hadn’t Moira come
and gotten her when she was a child? Why hadn’t Moira helped her deal
with her psychic overload? Those didn’t come close to the things she was
afraid to explain. She’d tried to justify her reluctance with the idea that
Marja wanted Jess to live a normal life for as long as she could. She had
made that very clear.
That justification didn’t hold up once Jess turned twenty-five. At this age,
Jess could Become or enter into her first estrus heat at any time. Oh, hell,
what if that was happening right then? What if it was estrus in the presence
of an Elven? Was Jess Becoming?
She had failed her sister. Kicking a bucket outside her door, she watched
it fly three hundred yards to slam into the side of her greenhouse. It didn’t
sooth her conscience in the least. She again reminded herself to STAY
CALM. According to her sources, her time might have run out. Jess might
have come to the attention of the Elven. If she was harmed, it would be all
Moira’s fault. Again she was failing her sister. She was responsible for
every terrible thing that had ever happened to her sister. Now her reluctance
to face her culpability in the horrors her sister had to face in their life, not
once but twice, might have resulted in the breaking of her final promise to
Marja.
She had gotten the strength and speed of their kind, but Marja had
received the psychic abilities, and because of that Moira’s hands were tied.
She had no choice but to either wait for Jess to return, or do the one thing
she had never wanted to do: reveal herself to her sources, see if they would
be willing to help her make direct contact with Jess. Their involvement in
making that contact would be very dangerous for Jess, Moira, and the
sources.
Returning to her living room, she threw herself into the chair Jess had
recently vacated, chewing on her thumbnail, a habit she had been unable to
break after centuries of trying. She decided to wait one more day in hopes
that Jess would come back in her sleep tonight. Maybe Jess was safe.
Maybe Moira had it wrong. Maybe whatever medication it was that Jess
was taking was the reason Jess had not been significantly affected by the
class she’d taught today. Jess’s history, though, would indicate that this long
an exposure to that level of stimuli should have all but incapacitated her.
That she “seemed fine” did not bode well.
She would not give Jess her CPT drink until after she had at least
confessed that she was more than a dream. Nearly blinded by her own tears,
Moira stumbled to her office. Opening the hermetically sealed cabinet, she
ran her fingers lovingly across her grandmother’s diaries. Her decision was
made. She would give them to Jess, together with a transcript.
Moira had hoped the Elven would never find out about Jess. If they had,
however, Jess might need the help of her great grandmother’s contacts. If
Jess refused to listen or believe what Moira needed to tell her, Moira would
offer her the diaries to take with her so that at least Jess would have them
and could read about her origins.
Firing up her satellite link, Moira logged onto her computer. She ran
through her normal sweeps and scans, answered a few emails, and
monitored a couple of support groups.
There was a new request for membership in her in-box. Pulling it up, she
read through the post. The writer was asking for information on
spiritualism. She’d had an out-of-body experience, yada yada. What peaked
her interest to schedule a web interview herself was the girl’s age—twenty-
four—and what wasn’t being said. No reference to this being a new
experience, or that it was felt “all her life” either. Usually those inquiries
ended up being simply a wannabe pagan, someone looking for an excuse to
run around naked in the moonlight or have a séance.
There were many, however, who had need to be in groups, supporting
each other while protected by the anonymity afforded them by Moira’s
encryption skills. The sites were completely impenetrable to hackers and
available by invitation only. An invitation that was only procured once
Moira had full background checks and history.
There where Hulven, Elven/Human hybrids, within her network. Most
members were Heredity, those humans whose immune system did not kill
foreign species’ sperm. Only they could give birth to Hulven offspring.
Both types of members were being hunted. Moira’s mission was to ensure
that if any found a way to her, she would do anything she could to protect
them. She managed underground networks, creating layers of identities and
societies for the people to hide within. All from her little farm using her
computer.
She was preoccupied with the one person whose protection was the most
paramount. Where was Jess?
She sent out an auto-response to the inquirer with a time for an interview,
allowing the virus inlaid into the response forty-eight hours to search for
any flags within the recipient’s system. She added instructions for how to
receive the transmission when the time came. Leaning back in her chair, she
returned to chewing her thumbnail.
****
“We got it!” The shout came across the office from one of the many live
feed monitors on the wall. Fualth looked up from the file he had been
thumbing through to see the image of a Hulven male, located in the Haitian
nest, air punching and bouncing like a prizefighter. A female was looking at
the prizefighter’s computer screen. “I don’t friggin’ believe it. You
portrayed yourself as female.” She looked over her shoulder at her partner.
“Nice! You need to call it in.”
His attention captured, Fualth watched the male lift a receiver. Glanced
down to another screen to see the corresponding call connect to the Elven
Leader in Haiti’s nest. The two spoke for several minutes while Fualth
observed them from his office in Maine. There were hundreds of monitors
on the walls, monitoring his organization all over the world. All of them
had voice stress analyzers so that moments like this were brought to his
attention instantly.
The leader clicked on his keyboard, setting remote view to the screen
under discussion. He hung up, leaned back in his chair, and ran his hand
through his hair before reaching into his pocket and coming up with a
familiar sat phone. The corresponding phone seated on Fualth’s desk began
ringing. Seven minutes had elapsed.
“Talk to me, Frank.” A younger-generation Elven, the Haitian leader had
a modern name. Fualth was currently using the name James Dalton Mason.
Over the centuries he’d learned to use names that were interchangeable. It
both created and saved the confusion of multiple aliases. Mason, James,
Jimmy, JD, Dalton, even Mase worked with this one.
“Mr. Mason, we believe we may have made a preliminary contact with
the host of a server used to support and aid many of the targets we seek,”
Frank began to explain. Could it be? Fualth feared to hope.
“Which server would that be?” he asked, feigning mild interest.
“The Elusive,” Frank stated.
“And you think it’s her because …?” It had long ago been determined
that the Elusive was female from the few pieced-together snippets collected
from her groups and members. On the extremely rare occasions that they
had been able to infiltrate one of her secured sites.
Twenty-five years he’d sought the female. Her sites were buried under
layers and layers of algorithms and constantly changing random IPs. The
longest contact to his knowledge had been sixty seconds. That had been the
closest they had ever gotten to her. What was supposed to get him to a
beginning point of one of her underground railroads had turned into a
bloodbath. The woman he had encountered had immediately slit her own
throat while a human male watched, forcing Fualth to place a hurried
psychic patch over his mind. Probably turned the poor bastard into a
vegetable. That had been fifteen years ago.
Frank explained that the auto-response had set up the interview for the
next day. Fualth only half-listened until Frank began to explain the complex
structure of the simple message and the behavior of the response within the
computer system. Buried deep into the response was a Trojan that deleted
all history of her response and the original inquiry within five minutes of
having opened the reply. That was one of the Elusive’s many skills. If the
inquirer were a fraud, they wouldn’t have the original email to reference in
any way.
“How would you like to handle the interview?” Frank asked, aware that
chances were fifty-fifty they would lose the lead rather than gain any
advantage. If the virus she’d sent detected one wrong thing in the computer
memory, one wrong inflection in the vocals of the presenter, any kind of red
flag, all trace would be wiped out completely.
“I will be bringing someone with me. A female decoy, who should be
able to imitate the type of individual who would make access.” He
pondered for a moment before adding, “You should also make available any
individual you have under your leadership who you feel could bring us the
advantage with the Elusive. I will consider all suggestions.”
“There are a few who would appreciate being considered for the task,”
Frank replied. Fualth knew he would be grateful that his members’
contribution to this contact wasn’t being minimized or overlooked.
A few strokes on his own computer and he informed Frank, “My arrival
time is confirmed for 3:00. That should give us time to select the candidate
and plot a course.” A slow smile spread across Fualth’s face. “Please
convey my congratulations to your staff members. Good work, Frank.”
 “Thank you, sir. I will be sure to let them know you appreciate them.”
The monitors showed Frank standing in the computer room surrounded by
not just the two involved but a half-dozen more members of the team. They
were thumbs-upping and high-fiving one another as Ed spoke. “We will
have everything ready for your arrival.”
Fualth disconnected. Unable to contain his smile, Fualth hit the intercom
button. “Pack a bikini, Sofia. We’re headed to Haiti.”
“Yes, sir,” came the immediate response of a well-trained Hulven
assistant. No hassles, no questions. She was also psychically strong and
blood-bonded to him. This situation was not something he would entrust to
an unknown. He would need to know that whoever would be interviewing
with the Elusive was truly loyal. A loyalty like that would require a bond
that most would be reluctant to offer.
Speaking of bonds. Fualth telepathically reached for his mentor. “My
liege.” He waited for a response. His mentor, Osiris, had the ability to
shield from even the most powerful of bonds. Fualth wondered if even a
bloodmate would be able to fully connect to the ghost. Osiris could shield
and shadow himself so completely, he could be standing in front of you and
you wouldn’t know.
“Yes, Fualth,” came the eventual reply.
“I believe we may have a line on the Elusive, sire.” Fualth informed him
in the most direct way possible, telepathically forwarding the memory of
his exchange with Haiti to Osiris.
After another moment Osiris commented, “You have the situation well in
hand. However, keep me informed of your findings in this. I am pleased,
Fualth.”
Then the connection was broken. Fualth preened under the rare autonomy
he was being given in attempting to acquire this female.
 Chapter Eight
“Jess.” Lying on his back, holding her in his arms, running his fingers up
and down her arm, Shane hated to wake her from the few hours of sleep
she’d fallen into after they’d made love.
“Hmmm.” Her voice purred. She was curled into his side with her head
on his shoulder, the full length of her heat pressed against him. She fit
perfectly, felt perfect.
“We should talk before you return to Moira.” He was stunned at the
return of the liquid fire she easily turned his body into. He needed to talk to
her, but his body wanted to do other things with her.
“I have to concentrate on her as I fall to sleep to go to her.” She lifted her
head and leaned over, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth, pulling a
groan from him. Her eye’s mischievous, she said, “She’s not really on my
mind right now.”
Shane marveled at his reaction to this woman. He had expected his lust to
be satisfied after having had her. No such luck. If anything she was drawing
him to her even more. He felt like he was touching the edge of a Jess
cyclone, believing he was in control, only to find she was spinning him
faster and faster, pulling him in until she owned his soul. That thought
should have given him pause, but looking into her emerald green eyes,
studying the many points of the gold starburst pattern within, he felt like he
was coming home.
“So you believe in your ability to physically travel using psychic
energy?” Her easy acceptance was too good to be true.
“The drink does help me in the real world. I am still skeptical—you
could be crazy. I’m hoping that I don’t have to admit to myself that I just
had a gruntfest with a nutball.” She rolled onto her back beside him.
He turned onto his side, rising onto his elbow to peer down on her silly
smile lighting up the room. “Gruntfest? You have got to be kidding me.
That is how you refer to this?” Her outrageousness made him laugh.
“That’s what my best friend Aymee calls it,” she admitted, reaching up to
cup his face in her palm. “I’m not sure it’s an adequate term for the last few
hours. Is it always like this?”
 “I have to admit, it’s never been like this before for me. I’ve never felt
this type of connection to anyone before.” His chuckles drifted off in his
sincerity. Was that really him saying something so sappy? She still gave
him a look full of tentative hope laced with just the perfect amount of
skepticism. Usually he appreciated a female whose heart wasn’t attached to
her sex. Fates knew he’d had his share of females who got clingy after a
single orgasm. He preferred someone sexually confident, though confidence
didn’t always guarantee that an emotional attachment didn’t develop,
resulting in the inevitably distasteful teary scenes. With Jess he longed to
see love there.
“I did note you didn’t deny the nutball part.” She wiggled her finger at
him. She seemed just as uncomfortable with the direction of the
conversation as he was.
He leaned in for another kiss, but the rumble of her stomach drew him up
short. She blushed adorably. “Did I mention I’m starving?” She batted her
eyelashes at him with an innocent, toothy smile, making him laugh again.
He snatched up the robe she had shrugged from her body earlier. Tying the
sash, he trotted off to the kitchen, where he’d abandoned her snack earlier.
****
Jess watched Shane leave the room, his defined calves visible below the
hem of the robe. Throwing her arm over her face as soon as he was a safe
distance from her, she thought, I am in so much trouble here. She had
thought, coming into this, that she would finally have one of Aymee’s
infamous “ten-day true-love flings with a hot gruntfest” to share with her
overly social best friend and business partner, naively thinking she would
finally have an experience to share.
That would have been just too freaking easy. Sure as shit, karma kicked
her right in the girl parts. Literally. What she was feeling bordered on
obsession rather than Aymee’s form of amusement. No, she was going to be
the pathetic loser who fell for the guy who popped her cherry. Left with a
broken heart. It didn’t help that he was saying stupid sappy shit to her, all of
which she craved to hear. Nor that she felt like she could tell him
everything. And freaking had, damn it! Why couldn’t he just say something
guyish, like, “Thanks, Babe, that ROCKED.” Or something equally lame.
She vowed to not turn this into an emotional quagmire, feigning
nonchalance when she heard him returning.
“Holy henna, I was about to send out search and rescue,” she accused
when he brought in a tray of food in one hand and a bottle of water in the
other, presenting it to her while bowing, like it was an offering to the gods.
She peered at the items on the tray and gave a mock snort. “What, no
grapes? Where are my fan wavers?” He threw the bottle of water at her,
which she caught, giggling. “Hey, you started it. Did you really think I’d
say no to a sex slave bringing me food? If you’re into being submissive,
I’ve heard ropes and handcuffs are fun.”
“Oh, yes, definitely going on the to-do list.” He laughed, his eyes getting
darker. “I’m thinking you’re the one who needs the restraints. Hell, that
may be the only way I ever get the upper hand with you. Your sense of
humor is almost as addictive as your oleander scent and honey taste.”
Setting down the plate, he grabbed her squirming feet, pulling her weight to
the end of the bed. He bowed down to her in earnest, this time worshiping
the sweet folds of her core. She could get used to this kind of bedside
manner.
****
Showered and dressed, Shane walked into the kitchen, listening to Jess
hum an unfamiliar song from the bathroom. He smiled and measured out
the coffee, adding water and turning on the maker. He felt the shift of
energy from the entry of the kitchen.
“Hey, Jerky.” He addressed Jerika without glancing over his shoulder.
“You want coffee?”
“Absolutely.” She went to the cupboard to grab mugs. “So we need two
or three?” her ear shifted slightly back toward the humming coming from
Jess. “I’ll take that as three.” She grinned.
Shane grunted but couldn’t hide the curving at the corner of his lips as he
remembered watching the gold star engulf the green of Jess eyes as her lids
slowly closed in ecstasy; her head falling back as she moaned long, giving
him a clear view of the twin dimples in the roof of her mouth, the site of her
saguindentes developing; her legs coming together, nearly crushing his
skull when she crested her orgasm. Good thing he wasn’t human.
 “So that is what you wanted the twenty four hours for. You’re such a dirt
bag,” Jerika teased. “I’ll have you know that if the council finds out that I
omitted her from this month’s progress report, I am throwing your ass to the
wolves.”
It was dumb luck that they met Jess on the very day of the month that
Jerika was required to report to the council on her progress within her
chosen field of human integration.
All young Elven were required to live in the human realm full-time for a
period of not less than ten years during their lifetime. Some chose to live
human for longer periods. They were still required to change identities and
demographics at regular intervals. Most that chose that were the youth or
unmated.
Jerika was a first-timer. Shane was her mentor. He was also her great-
uncle. Shane had gone to her self-defense course at the academy to help her
keep her strength in check. There was a risk that Jerika would’ve been
unable to maintain the human facade.
“Is that coffee I smell?” Shane held out a second mug to Jess. Pausing
before the rim reached her full lips, she noticed Jerika. “Hi. You’re Jerika,
right?” A blush colored her cheeks.
“Yeah. Do I get to call you Jess or Sensei?” Jerika teased lightly. Shane
saw Jess visibly relax. She smiled back at his protégé.
“Jess is good.” Jess leaned against the counter, blowing the coffee softly.
Her eyes met Shane’s over the rim. The intensity in his gaze brought an
entirely different blush to her cheeks.
“I am so freakin’ glad that you have learned to shield at least. I do not
want to know what just went through your head.” Jerika rolled her eyes at
Shane. “Anywho, last night at Hooters the others ordered buffalo wings. I
didn’t wanna seem stupid, so I didn’t ask anyone. What are buffalo wings?
Is there some weird animal out there I don’t know about?”
“How old are you?” Jess asked.
Shane busted out laughing at Jerika’s question. It took him a minute to
realize the significance of what Jess had just asked.
Handing Shane her empty mug, frowning at him laughing at her, Jerika
answered Jess. “Fifty two. I’m a newbie. This is my first integration.”
Jess’s jaw dropped. Shane was immediately silenced. Jerika looked back
and forth between the two of them, wondering what had just happened.
“Didn’t you tell her!”
It should have occurred to him that Jess would recognize Jerika’s lack of
maturity. Though Jerika appeared to be the same age as Eric, she had fought
like she had been doing it a lot longer and would naturally make Jess
curious.
“Of course I did,” Shane defended himself not taking his eyes from a
self-composing Jess. “Just not all the details.” He prayed the resilience Jess
had displayed last night would serve her now.
“So you’re Elven too?” He couldn’t detect a tremor in Jess’s voice. He
knew she was still shaken. He removed the half-empty mug from her
trembling hand, silently wishing Jerika would leave.
“Yup. I can fly like the wind.” Jerika defused the discomfort effortlessly.
“So you gonna answer me about the buffalo wings or what?”
“It’s just what they call chicken wings cooked in a type of BBQ sauce.”
Jess answered her distractedly, her mind clearly no longer in the
conversation.
“Really?” Jerika turned to walk into the living room, rolling her eyes.
“For such a smart species, that seems pretty stupid to me.”
“Should I be offended on behalf of the human race?” Shane could tell
Jess was trying for a joke. He winced and waited for the inevitable.
Jerika cocked her head at Jess. “I guess you could if you were human.”
Son of a bitch. That was not how he’d hoped this conversation would go
down. Shane interceded, herding Jerika toward the door. “Good use of
youthful slang this morning,” Shane complimented. “Now get out.”
“Didn’t get enough last night. Fine, I’m going already. Oh, by the way,
Jess. Your brother tttooottalllyy wants me.” Jerika vanished just before she
reached the door.
Shane turned back to Jess, who again was gaping, this time at the spot
Jerika had just occupied.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” She turned to Shane. The look on her face
caused his chest to tighten in fear. Too many emotions where battling for
supremacy on her beautiful face.
“You want to sit down?” Shane took a seat on the sofa, patting the spot
next to him.
She took one of the chairs opposite him instead. How badly had he
fucked this up? She wouldn’t even sit next to him. He could see her rising
terror.
“She vanished, Shane. Poof. Gone. How did she do that?” Her voice had
risen in pitch.
Shane determined the only way through this was going to be brutal
honesty. “She didn’t vanish, Jess. She ported. The same way you have been
doing for years in your dreams.” He paused to let his words sink in.
“Okay, then explain to me how she could be fifty-two years old.” She
was steeling herself. Shane was grateful.
“Elven mature slower than you did. They mature slower than humans
too. There are two different races in the Volaticus species. Elven, like me,
and Hulven, which is what you are, Beauty.”
“Jesus. How much weird shit is out there?” she half-joked, a deflection
mechanism Shane was quickly becoming familiar with. He could see her
heart pounding in the vein in her neck. Her shield was unstable. She was
shaken. She hadn’t attempted to run … yet.
Giving her an encouraging smile, he continued. “You are a hybrid
between Elven and human. Have you ever heard of a liger—half tiger, half
lion?” She nodded hesitantly. “One of your parents was full Elven, and the
other would have to be either a Hulven, like you,” adding emphasis so she
could get used to the term, “or one of the rare human females who has the
genetics to be able to breed with an Elven male. We call them Heredity.”
“Holy shit, I really am a freak of nature.” Tears sprung into her eyes.
“You are prefect, damn it. You ever say anything like that again and I will
put you over my knee and spank your sweet little ass till you like it. You
understand me?” Shane’s dentes had erupted. How could she even think
such a thing? She was the greatest gift ever created.
Jess swallowed audibly, lifting her chin and squaring her shoulders. He
sat in awe, watching her fortify herself. Freak of nature she’d called herself.
Never. She was a force of nature.
“That Hulven thing is not possible. I knew both of my parents. My
mother was like me. She and I could telepathically communicate for as long
as I can remember. My father, no way.” She was shaking her head, trying to
dismiss the idea.
Shane glanced at her hands, which were wringing in her lap, the only
outward sign of her agitation. He’d known this argument would come up. “I
have been thinking on that. I don’t think the man you know is your
biological father.” Using the vulnerability of her shield, he tried to hedge
the probability into her mind.
“Stop that!” she snapped, responding to his mental prod and not liking it.
Her shield solidified, shutting him out. “God, just give me a minute.” She
stood and marched to the stone entry. “Open it,” she demanded.
He emphasized the pulse of kinetic energy, letting her feel the sensation
of the surge. The stone slid forward and to the side slightly.
“Just send a mental command, it opens.” Shane said.
She looked back at the door and it moved slightly at her wordless
command. She gave a soft intake of breath. “Holy shit,” she muttered under
her breath. She started to walk out and then turned back. “I’m sorry. This
isn’t about you. I can call you later if you want me to, but I gotta go.” Her
eyes were tormented.
Shane longed to pull her into his arms. To rage against the emotional
distance that formed between them. She wasn’t a prisoner. He had to let her
leave. Still he hesitated, silently pleading with her to stay. She turned to
walk out.
She shouldn’t have learned of her racial heritage that way. I am such an
asshole, he thought, dying inside. Every cell screamed to possess, to
protect, and to make her accept him. The stone softly closed behind her,
under her command this time. He merely let out the breath he had been
holding, finally doing what he should have done before now: He ported
himself to the residence of his mentor.
 Chapter Nine
Peter and Lucy, the two operators who had made the initial contact with
the Elusive, where given the honor of accompanying Frank and his assistant
Michael to meet Fualth and Sofia’s plane. Once the introductions were
complete, Fualth bestowed the sufficient atta-boy’s to the operators. The
group filed into a waiting limousine. Surrounded by four black SUVs
loaded with armed guards, the group headed to the dock to be transferred by
boat to the unmapped Haitian Island, where the Haitian nest lived and
worked.
“We have kept the knowledge of your visit to those present and the other
six operators who make up Peter and Lucy’s team,” Frank informed him.
Each of the ten computer data teams consisted of eight personnel rotating
through twenty-four-hour shifts. They generally became close-knit groups,
as was desired. This particular group had three females and five males. All
Hulven. It was expected that the group would be apprised of the situation as
a unit, rather than trying to divide loyalties.
It was already evident that Lucy was one of Frank’s candidates for the
interview from the competitive sneer she kept sending Sofia. Always the
consummate professional, Sofia behaved perfectly, seeming oblivious to the
other woman’s disdain.
“I should like to meet them all, of course.” As was proper. He was all
about proper. Grinning, Fualth watched the sun rise through the tinted
windows. “A potential interviewer must be prepared to establish a blood
bond to me. If we obtain a location to port to, I much prefer following the
blood signature of a trusted bond than a geographic.” Feigning oblivion to
the look traded between Lucy and Peter at his announcement, he continued
to stare out the window.
****
Shane manifested at the top of the knoll overlooking the very obstacle
course where he had been ran over the coals as a youth. He found the tyrant
bullhorning in the center of a bunch of young Elven and a few Hulven
tiredly lifting huge slabs of concrete. A fond smile crept across his lips.
“Ya gonna stand there gawkin’ or ya gonna get ya ass down here and
show these younguns a thing or two?” Even from the distance that would
have gone unnoticed by most, Gilgamesh had been aware of Shane’s
arrival. He was one of the most powerful Elven Shane knew. “Ya know I
recommended ya ta mentor Jerika. Knew ya wouldn’t be able ta say no ta
her. Heard she’s doing real well. Ya should know ya’ll probably get a couple
of these newbies too.”
“I served my time in ‘Meshy-Hell,’ so I guess I’ll just watch this time.”
He referred to the play on Gilgamesh’s name and adopted moniker for the
advanced training and human integration campus. Attending human
integration was required for Volaticus youth growing up in the Symbiosis of
Species Council. Gil was commandant of the campus. The training taught
the youths to control their innate impulses. The majority of first-time
integrators went into the Red Cross. Some would elect Peace Corp,
paramedic, fire fighting, or police, like Jerika. Regardless, they would need
to be comfortable in extreme situations, oftentimes exposed to blood, all the
while working side by side with humans without giving away their true
natures. The course was self-paced, with an average time for completion of
three to four years. Some finished in as few as two or as many as five.
Shane ported to stand directly behind Gil, taking note of how long it took
the different newbies to realize his presence. The fastest was a young
female who’d been looking at the exact spot he’d manifested. The longest
time was a heavily muscled male who was in the process of lifting a nine-
hundred-pound block of concrete. He had been behind the fifteen-second
curve by three additional seconds.
“So ya come ta spar?” Gil sounded hopeful. He loved to spar against a
competent opponent.
“No, wish I was. I need some help. I think I have met my … mate … she
may even be my bloodmate, and she’s Hulven,” he blurted out. Gil held his
hand up to stop him.
“Wait.” Gil looked at the group around them. “Ev‘ryone get outta here.
Ya get an unscheduled break. Say: ‘Thank Ya Shane.’”
Together the group said, “Thank you, Shane,” with all sorts of
enthusiasm.
Within seconds the group had skidaddled, probably afraid Gil would call
them back, telling them they were suckers to think that he was really going
to give them a break. Followed by hours of hell.
 “Talk ta me.” By mutual unspoken agreement, they both turned to
wander toward the swimming ponds, a natural sound barrier.
Shane relayed the gist of what had transpired over the past day, omitting
intimate details and protecting Jess’s confidences. He did admit to giving
Jerika a direct order to not include anything in her report about Jess, except
that she was the self-defense instructor. Gil chuckled and nodded.
“Bloodmatin’s were always rich in rule breakin’ and drama, back when
they were common,” Gil mumbled, shaking his head. “Ya do realize a true
bloodmating hasna been documented in centuries, right? A Hulven and an
Elven? Never. I think my parent wouda told me.” Since both of Gil’s
parents were involved heavily in the SOSC, Shane was sure Gil would
know.
“I don’t know what to say, Gil. I can’t explain how I feel.” Shane
shrugged.
“Ya actually let her leave, huh.” Gil asked. Shane nodded, feeling
miserable. “Ya are a tough bastard.” He shook his head with a smirk. “First
thing first, lemme get a look at the pistol that has whooped your ass. See if
we canna convince her ta take ya ta her aunt.”
“I don’t think she wants to see me. I really fucked this up, Gil. She’s
exceptionally resilient, amazingly intelligent. Determined in a way I’ve
only ever dreamed of being. The way she looked at me when she left … I
think she may fear me now. Fear us.” He’d never felt so defeated in his life.
“If that gal’s your bloodmate, trust me, she’ll be wantin’ ta see ya.” Gil
clasped his hand to Shane’s shoulder, infusing him with confidence. “Just
lemme get the giant ov’r there ta take ov’r the class.”
When Gil returned, Shane sent his energy seeking her blood signature,
using only the small drop of blood he’d gotten while kissing her. Once he
found her, he felt an instant sense of relief and a burst of joy just because
she was in the universe. Berating himself as the sap he was, he held her
blood signature and then tagged Gil’s, carrying them both to her location,
hoping he didn’t land them in a wall.
****
Jess sat in the parking lot of the Ryu, leaning her forehead against the
steering wheel, dreading going in. She knew she needed to. If the thirty
missed calls on her phone, which had been forgotten on the floorboard,
gave any indication, she had some ’splainin’ to do to Eric and Aymee.
“Shitshitshitshitshit!” she shouted. Jumping out of the Jeep and slamming
the door, she trotted across the lot to the employee entrance.
“I have called them all … Yes, and the police … She has to be gone
twenty-four hours for them to take a report, but they don’t have her Jeep
involved in any accidents. … I have a class waiting to start right now, but if
I don’t hear from her in—” Aymee turned when the door shut. Jess entered
their combined offices and set her purse on her desk. It was obvious she
was talking to Ellen. Good thing Jess walked in when she did or her foster
mother would have called in the National guard.
Aymee glared at her as if her apparent health was unacceptable. “She just
walked in. … I have no idea, but I guarantee that is the first question I am
asking. … Yeah, call you back … Hey, let Eric know she’s alive, at least
until I kill her myself. … You too, bye.” The phone slammed forcefully into
the cradle.
“You don’t look dead, so this had better be good.” Aymee crossed her
arms over her chest, leaning on her desk with her feet crossed in front of
her. Aymee was classically beautiful, with thick black hair and almond-
shaped eyes reflecting her Japanese father, and the striking blue eyes and
lithe build of her English mother. At five foot eight inches, Aymee towered
over Jess by a full six inches.
“How many times have you gone MIA?” Jess leaned on her desk,
mirroring Aymee’s pose with slight defiance.
“I don’t have the Miss Dependable shit going on either,” Aymee pointed
out.
“Didn’t you just say you have a class waiting for you?” She tried another
attempt to throw the pit bull of her best friend off the bone of her life.
“You either spill your guts, or I walk out of here and leave you to that
class of pimply faced, overemotional teenagers.” Aymee stood, striding the
distance between them, bent in the middle with her nose two inches from
Jess’s face.
“Fine.” Feeling her face warm with a blush. She and Aymee talked about
everything to do with guys. Granted, it was Aymee who’d done most the
talking. Still, there hadn’t ever been any awkwardness. “I met a guy and
went to his place,” she blurted out.
 Aymee blinked twice in stunned silence. “SHUT. UP. SHUT. UP. Tell me
everything.” She sat on the opposite edge of Jess’s desk, settling in for a
story. Jess couldn’t help but smile at Aymee’s enthusiasm.
She was about to share a little to satisfy Aymee’s curiosity—Lord knew
she could use a “wakeup, sista” lecture about now—when a ripple of energy
directly behind her drew her attention, followed by a second one. “Don’t
you have a class?” she repeated, distractedly, as her heart jumped with
anticipation.
“Crap.” Aymee jumped up, heading for the door. “When I get back, I
want to know every detail. Don’t even think about holding out on me, not
after the night you put me through, worried out of my damn mind. All the
while your getting your UH HUH on. Not even a phone call.” Aymee’s
voice trailed off the further she got down the hall toward the classrooms,
bitching the entire way.
Once she was sure Aymee was safely away, she turned to the empty
space between her chair and the wall. “What are you doing here, Shane?”
Shane stepped the final way through the port. “You knew I was here.” He
had phrased it as a statement, not a question. Wearing the same jeans and
gray T-shirt he had put on this morning the military boots from last night,
and a smirk on his face, he was a tempting sight.
She wanted to launch herself into his arms and beg him to love her till all
the confusion went away, but she walked over and closed the door that
Aymee had just walked out of before turning to face him. Leaning her back
against the closed door and crossing her arms under her breasts, Jess
noticed Shane focus in on them. She knew he was seeing her nipples harden
against the material, responding to his visual attention. Her breath hitched
in her throat, and the points of his fangs came into view.
The appearance of another man, er, male beside Shane cut off the
intensity. “I gotta say, I love this place,” came a melodic voice while his
body solidified
Jess straightened, remaining in front of the door. She had thought that
Shane had Jerika with him, since the second energy ripple was less
noticeable than Shane’s. In fact, if she hadn’t already felt Shane’s, she
might have missed the second ripple entirely. So the manifestation of the
handsome male was unexpected and a little intimidating.
 He was several inches shorter than Shane, with arms the size of tree
trucks crossed over his bare chest. His skin was the deep tan of a Native
American, and his waist-length hair was so dark brown, it was almost black,
hanging braided down his back and tied at the end with a leather thong.
Leather pants hugged large, muscular thighs that would make any body-
builder green with envy. He was not someone you wanted to run into in a
dark alley, even if he did have smiling doe-brown eyes and a friendly
expression. No doubt this male could be deadly if riled.
It was obvious that Shane deferred to this man in some manner from the
look of respect in Shane’s eyes when he began the introductions.
“Jess, I’d like you to meet my mentor, Gilgamesh.” Shane’s deep voice
flowed over her like a caress, and a shiver ran through her.
“Aw hell, ya haven’t needed a mentor in centuries. Friend is more
accurate now.” The male strode toward her, stretching out his hand to shake
hers. “Call me Gil.” Standing directly in front of her expectantly, he waited
for her to grasp his hand. Her mind in chaos, she could only stare stupidly at
it. “Yer ev’n prettier than I expected. And listenin’ to him go on an’ on
about yer beauty, I expected a lot.”
His friendly nature and patience finally broke through her stunned
resistance. She reached out to shake his hand. “J … Jess Reed.” He politely
ignored her obvious stutter.
Holding her hand for a moment longer than necessary, he leaned toward
her and whispered conspiratorially in her ear. “Betcha feel like ya fell in a
rabbit hole, ehh, Alice?” That brought a slight smile to her face. Gil stepped
back, releasing her hand. What was that growling?
“Ya’ll have ta forgive my friend here if he bumbled with ya some. Ya see,
apparently you cause all the blood in his body to re-locate. Turned my five-
hundred-year-old friend here into a prepubescent, hormonal idiot, ya did.”
Walking around her office while he spoke, he stopped here and there to look
at pictures or pull down and read different awards. He even read her
business license.
She glanced to Shane, still standing in exactly the same spot and position.
He was watching her intently though his fangs had retracted. She looked
back to Gil, who had made a full sweep of her office. The male talked about
things completely foreign to her as if they were commonplace.
Contradictory to how surreal that should feel to her, it was soothing
listening to him. She even found herself relaxing in the charm he emanated.
“Now dunna ya get me wrong, lil Jess,” Gil continued. “Shane here could
use some loosenin’ up, control freak that he is. Seein’ him blusterin’ and
blunderin’ is pretty humorous, really.” He emphasized his point with a
chuckle. “I wanted ta make sure fer myself that ya dinna think us all
linguistically stunted adolescents like Jerky Girl, or raptured boneheads like
this one.” He thumbed in Shane’s direction.
Considering Gil spoke with the terrible combination of an Irish brogue
and a Texas drawl, him calling Jerika linguistically stunted was something
she couldn’t decide whether to take seriously or not.
“N-n-n-no,” she began, then cleared her throat. Giving Shane another
quick glance, she turned back to Gil. “No, I don’t think that at all,” she
defended. “Jerika reminds me of my little brother. He’s my foster brother.
Not like you, er, us. I mean he’s normal … human,” she quickly clarified,
cringing, not wanting them to suspect Eric of being something other than
human.
“Well, I hope the boy ain’t normal. Normal’s overrated in any species.
Dunna ya worry. We wonna hold his bein’ human against him.”
Appreciating Gil’s easygoing response to what probably sounded insulting,
Jess released a sigh of relief.
“Let me try that one again. Jerika reminds me of the girls Eric used to
bring around when he was in high school. Finding out she’s fifty-two …
threw me somewhat.” Jess had stepped in front of Shane in a classic
defensive position. She didn’t realize what she’d done until she noticed the
look of amusement Gil and Shane shared over the top of her head. Men.
****
Shane lifted his hands and placed them on Jess’s shoulders, lightly
massaging away the irritation coursing through her. Listening to her, wow,
defending him? According to her, he was tender, understanding, kind,
gentle—pretty much a fucking saint. He could feel his head expanding at
her every word. By the time she was through, it was all he could do not to
blow on his fingernails and rub them on his shirt. All the while Gil listened
to her intently, leaning back in the chair he had commandeered from one of
the desks, his hands linked behind his head.
 Realizing that Gil had worked Jess to turn to his defense while not
making himself out to be a bad guy either, Shane regretted not asking his
friend for help talking to Jess in the first place. Not that he would want to
change a second of the time he’d spent with her. He just wished he’d known
how to alleviate her fear and confusion.
“So lemme get this straight. Yer tellin’ me I donna need ta take him out
an’ kick the dog snot outta him?” Gil teased lightly. Shane felt Jess’s
shoulders relax. She shook her head, reaching up to lay her hand over his.
Gil gave Shane an “I told you so” look.
“Since you mentioned ‘linguistically challenged,’ where exactly do you
get your accent?” Jess asked. Shane wondered if Gil would give her the
truth considering it took four hundred years before he’d gotten a true
answer out of the sarcastic bastard.
Gil glanced up Shane with a smirk. “Usually I give folks an annoyed
look an’ say ‘what accent?’. Truth is I started doin’ it as a kid ta piss off my
prim ’n’ proper mother. After awhile it just kinda stuck. So now you tell
me, lil Jess, what comes next?”
Damn, Shane thought to himself, he actually told her the truth.
“Well.” Jess shrugged. Turning partially toward Shane and laying her
head against his chest, she sighed. “If I am part Elven … Hulven, or
whatever, the only one I have left is my dream aunt. There is my father, but
from what I know he has never spoken or shown any cognitive thought
process since he killed my mother.” She paused to chew on her bottom lip
in thought. “You said I could do that poofing thing you do, right?” She
looked up at Shane, and the trust in her eyes made him feel like his chest
would explode. He could only manage a nod. “How?”
“Must say I like that terminology,” Gil piped in, chuckling. “Lil Jess,
how ’bout you an’ Shane come to my place where ya can practice poofing
later? Might be a smarter idea.” Then he was gone. Just like that. What the
hell?
“Give up the deets, Woman.” Aymee came to a quick halt at the sight of
Jess and Shane wrapped around each other. Looking Shane from head to
toe, she raised an eyebrow at Jess. “Okay, you are completely forgiven for
last night … boom chicka wawa.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down
in jest, making Shane laugh and Jess giggle.
 “You must be Aymee.” Shane reached out to shake Aymee’s hand, never
releasing his hold on Jess against his chest. He had no intention of letting
her go anytime soon. Forever sounded far enough away.
 Chapter Ten
“She just walked in.” Aymee
“Where has she been all night?” Ellen
“I have no idea, but I guarantee that is the first question I am asking.”
Aymee
“Well thank goodness she’s alright.” Ellen
“Yeah call you back. Hey let Eric know she is alive, at least until I kill
her myself.” Aymee
“Yes, I will call him right now. Give her our love, thank you and we love
you too, Aymee” Ellen
“You too, bye.” Aymee
Moira waited until after Amyee and Ellen had both disconnected before
releasing her line tap with a sigh of relief. It was helpful that Ellen hated
cell phones and avoided them whenever possible, since Moira couldn’t
listen in on those. She could follow call logs, but not content.
She had already known the minute Jess had pulled up in the Ryu parking
lot. Jess and Aymee had installed a camera system right after they had gone
into partnership. The interior cameras were closed circuit, so once Jess
entered the building, Moira couldn’t see her. The external ones, however,
were cordless, and she had been able to infiltrate the signals. Using them,
she’d watched Jess pull into the parking lot. Now that she knew Jess was
safe, she felt the adrenalin drain out of her body. Stretching, she realized she
hadn’t left her computer banks in hours. Setting all the alert chimes for the
different continual scans, Moira logged off. Picking up the empty plate,
brought to her earlier by Jorie, she smiled, remembering the conversation.
“You didn’t come to breakfast or lunch,” Jorie had accused, “so I brought
you a snack.”
Taking the plate from Jorie, Moira told her of her worries for Jess. Moira
had to keep some secrets from Jorie, though she tried to keep them to a
minimum. So far she’d never had to lie to a direct question.
At times it was hard for Moira to reconcile the differences between Jorie
and Jess. Conceived within weeks of each other, they couldn’t be more
different. Jess, being Hulven, had matured physically, emotionally, and
mentally at the rate of a human. Jorie, a full Elven, was at twenty-six years
old the age equivalent of a human thirteen-year-old just starting into
puberty.
The differences didn’t stop there. Jess had taken more of her and Marja’s
coloring and appearance, thankfully, since Moira had no idea who Jess’s
father was. She felt a fresh wave of guilt for what Marja had endured.
Like her father Napoleon, Jorie’s hair was brown with soft, bouncy curls.
She kept it shoulder length. Jorie liked to call the length long enough for a
pony and short enough to not be a pain in the ass. Moira smiled at that
analogy. Long, dark lashes surrounded the pale blue of her eyes, matching
neither Moira nor Napoleon. She was never without a smile and a giggle.
Her body was showing the beginning signs of the adult she would grow to
be, and it was already apparent that Jorie would be far taller than Jess had
grown to be.
“IF YOU LIKED IT THEN YOU SHOULDA PUT A RING ON IT!” Her
daughter singing at the top of her lungs and the smell of fresh marinara
simmering drew Moira into the kitchen. The sight of Jorie shaking her
booty while holding up one oven-mitted hand, pointing at it with the other,
was classic.
“Having fun?” She shouted over the blaring music.
“MOM!” Jorie’s smile, so happy at seeing Moira, it made Moira feel bad
for having neglected Jorie all day. She made a point to never schedule
anything that would interfere with at least having meals with Jorie. They
also spent several hours every day working the farm, training, and
furthering Jorie’s education. “Come dance with me!” Grabbing her hand,
Jorie dragged Moira into the kitchen.
They danced and laughed together through the rest of the song, then
Moira reached over and turned down the volume while Jorie used the mitts
to drain the noodles into the waiting colander. Jorie finished putting dinner
on the table while Moira poured a glass of CPT, the homeopathic
combination of orange juice for calcium, almonds for phosphorus, and
grape seeds for tannins that naturally blocked her body’s iron production.
She put a cup of blood from her earlier letting into the microwave to heat
for Jorie.
“You must have found Jess?” Jorie asked, taking her cup out of the
microwave and downing it in one swallow.
 “She is at the Ryu. I still have no idea why she went off the grid. I’m just
relieved she’s back. Hopefully she will be coming soon; this is a long wait
for her between drinks.” Moira held up her own CPT in reference. Jorie
curled her nose in distaste. The same drink that kept her cousin from iron
poisoning would kill iron-deficient Jorie or any other Elven.
“Maybe she met a boy.” There was curiosity in Jorie’s tone. For Jorie’s
own protection, Moira had been forced to keep her fairly isolated. They had
boarders, usually women in hiding who would come to stay with them, but
very few ended up permanent residents on their farm. Only those willing to
truly disappear ever stayed around long.
Many were here such a short period of time that Jorie wasn’t even aware
of their coming and going. Nor were the visitors allowed to know
geographically where they were. Unlike the permanent societies within the
network, Moira’s did not offer any form of social outlet. Only one visitor
had ever had a child Jorie’s age. Moira had made sure to create a secure
network just for Jorie and Nathan. To stay in contact, they liked to play
games or just talk. Jorie’s direct link to Nathan was the only computer in the
house that had an outgoing web cam.
Nathan and his mom Sara were still in hiding. Moira had created their
new identities and helped them get a society established on a small strip of
land in Montana. Sara helped Moira with her support groups and served the
underground railroad in America. Many in hiding lived in Sara’s
community, which even had schooling for the children.
“Maybe.” Moira’s voice trailed off, her exhaustion getting to her. “What
did you do today?”
In her animated way, Jorie told her how she had done both her and
Moira’s farm chores, “’cuz I knew you’d be tired.” She had also beat
Nathan at all three games of Black Ops before he’d “wimped out” and gone
to bed. She hated being eight hours ahead of him.
Despite her sleep-deprived haze, Moira was able to enjoy her daughter
throughout dinner and cleaning up, or so she’d thought. Right after they
were done with dishes, Jorie told her to go to bed before she fell over.
Hands on her unrounded hips, Jorie was trying to look very grown up, and
Moira’s heart swelled with love and pride. She hugged Jorie and stumbled
her way to her room for a few hours of much-needed shut eye.
 ****
Shane spent the next hour, while Jess was teaching a class, in the best-
friend inquisition. He must have passed, because Aymee told him that it was
okay with her if he wanted to date Jess. He wondered if she’d let him bond
with Jess for eternity.
With her cheeks flushed from teaching, Jess seemed really happy. He
couldn’t imagine how she had done this her whole life without being able to
protect herself. She must have been overwhelmed by human emotions
bombarding her psychic empathic nature. Just to get an idea of what she
had dealt with, he’d attempted to drop his own shield while watching the
end of her class. He’d been painfully forced to raise it after only a few
minutes each try. He knew it was Jess’s driven, stubborn determination that
had carried her for years. She was going to be a handful. Smiling, he
couldn’t wait.
He had bought one of the school’s logo GIs from Aymee. He liked having
Jess’s logo on his chest. Barefoot, he walked to the center of the mat in her
classroom, faced her, and bowed.
“You looking to get your ass handed to you?” she teased, exaggerating
the sway of her hips, the gold expanding in her eyes. “You’re an old man.”
It was her first reference to Gil’s disclosure of his age. “With a mighty fine
ass.” She strode to within a breath of his chest. “What if I damage you?”
Reaching around him, she grabbed his buttock, holding eye contact as
she slowly ran the fingers of her other hand from his navel up his chest
toward his neck. Shane failed to notice her casually hooking one of his legs
with hers until the heel of her hand dug into the ball of his hip. She pushed
against her forearm. She’d manipulated him to be in full contact across his
sternum and clavicle, and then she raising her hooked foot into the back of
his knee. Shane went down like a sack of flour.
Stunned, he exclaimed, “You cheated.” She slowly circled him lying on
the mat, still exaggerating her hip swing.
“Who, itty bitty little me? I need every advantage I can get against big
bad boys like you.” Her voice dripped false innocence.
He reached out using his Elven speed, which luckily she wasn’t prepared
for. He caught her behind the leg, bringing her down beside him, and rolled
his body above hers, pinning her arms above her head.
 “Still think you’re all that?” he asked, his lips a breath away from hers.
“Absolutely.” She wiggled her body against his obvious arousal. He had
her pinned to the mat, but she still held all the power. Groaning, he closed
the distance, capturing her lips in a searing kiss that left them both
breathless.
Aymee popped her head in. “Hey, just thought I’d warn you. Eric’s paced
a hole in the office. You got some ruffled feathers to smooth, sista.”
“This sucks,” Jess muttered. Shane grinned down at her. Being on the
outside looking in, he could see why her family and friends were worried.
On the other hand, he also understood Jess’s annoyance. They did seem to
treat her with kid gloves. Couldn’t they see that she was hardly fragile?
Hell, she could take out the whole place if she wanted to.
“I’m sure Eric will be fine.” He looked down into her eyes and rubbed
her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Want me to come with you to talk
to him?” Debating, she bit her bottom lip before shaking her head. “Alright,
how about if I go pick up some lunch then?” That would give him time to
feed, too. Jumping up, he held his hand out to help her stand.
“Oh, there’s a chicken place a few block away that is just to die for.” Jess
brightened just at the mention of food. The place she was talking about was
two blocks from the Red Cross center. That would work out perfectly. “I’ll
call it in.”
 Chapter Eleven
Enlil awoke groggy. He must have been dormant for a while, and his
physical hunger was beginning to make its presence known already. How
long had it been this time? In the last few unmemorable centuries, he had
spent much of the time to ground since the murder of his beloved Etana. He
missed her so much. No matter how much he wanted to be a part of his
people, his son’s life, and the hunt for her killer, ultimately the pain of her
loss would cripple him and he would be forced to return to ground for a
time. Most gave up their life when a bloodmate died. Only the desire for
vengeance and his fear of breaking the bond to his twin kept him from
doing just that.
He remembered how the high ones had breathed a sigh of relief when he
and Etana had found each other. She had been entirely too good for him.
She was from a long line of respected land producers. The farms of her
family were known for working in harmony with nature even before it was
understood how they came to be that way.
He was a wild warrior, going wherever there was battle, never staying in
one place. Against all odds they had found each other. She had given him a
sense of balance, stability, and love. She had made him want to be as good a
male as she believed him to be.
Etana had been full of vision, compassion, and hope. To her, colonizing
was about learning to appreciate the land, its people, and its animals so they
could get the most out of a harvest. She was his wonder and his world while
she lived.
When she’d died at the hands of a Morsdente, she had been pregnant
with their second child. His pain had been so great, Enlil had misused his
abilities and created a storm that flooded and nearly destroyed her entire
beloved colony. Others before him had exposed their true form to an
occasional human, but his demonstration was the first one to have a written
account. It had taken the combined efforts of Sargon, Ninlil, his own son
Ediku, and the entire warrior community to arrest his rampage.
Most Elven of the time still regarded humans as nothing more than
chattel, or slaves, a subjugate species to be used for manual labor, a blood
source, and occasionally physical pleasures. Etana was adamant about
teaching the colony language skills and was a prominent advocate of
mutualism between the species. She believed that Elven had a duty to aid
humans and other species in reaching their potential. Because she taught
humans to read and write, his grief-induced tantrum was forever
misinterpreted in a written account, and the legends and myths began. Until
the High Ones determined that the myths and legends where inevitable,
regardless of Enlil’s actions, he’d been punished.
Etana’s ideal helped in creating a symbiotic format that became the
Symbiosis of Species Council. A political structure whose main purpose
was to understand, appreciate, and protect the planet’s species and
individual habitats. Unifying in peace all known enlightened species,
together with the interests of the pre-enlightened human species, the council
combined their strengths for the greater good.
Enlil lay there waiting to feel the familiar sense of loss overwhelm him.
Perhaps it was tempered by that sense of urgency that was holding him
tenaciously, or perhaps the unimaginable had happened and time had finally
eased the constant ache in his chest that had been like a companion to him.
He felt a touch of guilt at his lack of pain, and his immediate inclination
was to return his body to a dormant state. That feeling was followed by the
drive to find and kill the Morsdente who had taken her from him.
He felt a breeze on his face and a change of air pressure, and then he was
pulled from his location. Very few individuals remained who held that level
of power or the audacity. Without opening his eyes, he could tell he was not
within the Oracles and High Ones Council Chambers or the SOSC. That left
—deep breath in—yep, the hint of freesia. His sister, Ninlil, was forever
prodding and pushing him through their bond.
“What’s wrong, Ninlil?” he growled at her, sitting upright. His voice was
rough from lack of use. “Because you had better be on the brink of death to
yank our bond like this.” He felt a goblet pressed into his hand, and he
smelled the rich, metallic-laced, fruity liquid it contained. His dentes slid
into his watering mouth and he brought the cup to his lips, taking care not
to gouge himself with the fingernails that had grown unattended during his
dormancy. He couldn’t suppress the moan that escaped him as the blood
slid down his throat and into his emaciated stomach.
Only when he’d finished the blood-wine did he open his eyes to look
upon the worried face of his beloved twin. She was chewing her bottom lip
the way she always had when there was much on her mind. Her dentes were
retracted even though she was surrounded by the residual scent of the blood
wine, so she was well fed and healthy. Ninlil offered him a second goblet of
blood-wine, which he took and began to sip, waiting for her to answer his
question.
She finally sighed. “Can’t I just miss my brother?” He raised an eyebrow
at her in response. “You look like shit, you know.” Wrinkling her nose at
him, she reached up with a nervous hand to unnecessarily smooth her
perfectly coiffed, light-red hair. Hers was a color one shade deeper red than
his strawberry blonde. She regarded him with eyes that matched his own,
the exact shade of emerald green with a gold starburst pattern that
encompassed the pupil.
“Look who’s picked up the modern American slang.” He smirked.
She sent him a single finger gesture. “Picked up more than the slang.”
Her voice had a naturally soothing, calming cadence to it. She had a gift for
being able to temper strong emotions using only her voice. He’d watched
her drain battle rage out of an enemy by simply humming.
“You hooked up with their forms of plumbing? A long bath sounds pretty
good about now.” He took in her clothing “I take it we are in a human
dwelling.” She nodded. “So, running, heated water? Or do I need to have it
pulled?”
“You have been asleep for awhile.” She pointed at a door. “Through
there. You’ll figure everything out.” Grinning, she added, “I’ll send up
clean cloths and bandages.” Ninlil handed him an electronic device. “Here,
bring yourself up to speed with the world while you’re at it. In answer to
your question, I pulled you here at the request of Gilgamesh. He would
never make that request of me if it weren’t important. He wants us to meet
him at his home as soon as we can.” She smoothed her perfect hair again. “I
will be going as soon as I arrange those items for you, so join us, please.”
He shakily stood and headed to the door she’d indicated, then turned and
asked, “Are you still the human advocate to the Symbiosis of Species
Council in the Americas?”
She nodded. He was about to ask about his son Ediku and Etana’s
Morsdente killer. She must have bond-known his intent, because her brow
furrowed and she shook her head in response. With a deep, sad sigh, he shut
the bathroom door.
 His son was still not integrating into the SOSC—his mother’s dream—
nor had her killer been caught. He’d hoped that when Ninlil had called to
him, he would finally get to face her killer.
He’d never forgiven himself for the selfishness he had demonstrated that
fateful day. Death by Morsdente was a horrible way to die. Using fangs to
kill, Morsdente tapped into the victims’ psychic energy, stealing it. The
energy could not survive outside its rightful body forever and would only
enhance the Morsdente for a short time. Stronger energies would live
longer, retaining some level of awareness. By the time he had been freed
from his forced dormancy punishment, the trail of the Morsdente had long
grown cold. Short of death, no one knew how long the thread of energy
from a victim would remain cognitive.
How long was her beautiful spirit trapped inside a monster? And what of
their unborn child? Shaking off the tormenting thought, he focused on
figuring out the electronic device Nin had left him while the giant bath
filled with steaming water.
****
“Eric, my baby brudder.” Jess hugged Eric’s stiff frame, despite his anger
at her. She held the hug, feeling his irritation at her grow, making her grin.
Once he was good and pissed, she pulled away just enough to tickle him.
“Stop that!” He wiggled away from her. “I am really mad at you!” He
swatted at her tickling fingers, and she finally stopped tormenting him,
“What the hell. You just fucking vanish off the planet for hours, scare the
shit out of everyone. Then you act like nothing’s wrong.” He was not going
to let her off the hook at all.
Signing in resignation, she sat at her desk. He took Aymee’s chair. “I met
someone,” she began.
Eric cut her off. “No, you didn’t. You may be able to pull that shit with
Aymee, but I know you better. You can barely stand to be around mom and
me when we argue over a Scrabble word. So don’t even try that with me.
Where were you, really? If you had to check yourself into the hospital
because of that class yesterday and then didn’t even call me, I swear I will
call and demand Mom come home right fucking now!” Eric’s jaw was
clenched, reflecting his fear, disguised as anger.
 Feeling badly for having worried Eric this much, Jess was also getting
angry herself. Is it so unbelievable that maybe, just maybe, Jess may have
had one normal moment? Well, relatively speaking, and omitting the whole
Elven/Volaticus thing … whatever. Okay, fine, not normal then, but
intimate.
“Fuck you, Eric,” she snapped back, causing Eric’s eyes to widen in the
face of her almost-never-seen anger. “I didn’t go to the hospital. I told you
yesterday I felt fine. I didn’t call you because I didn’t need you. God, get
over yourself. Last night wasn’t about you.” Standing with her hands in fists
at her sides, she was almost shaking in her anger. “I did meet someone and I
liked him a lot, enough to go home with him, and thank you labia lord, I
happily tossed away the twenty-six fucking years of virginity I’ve been
packing around. That’s it. That’s all. Your big sister was behaving like an
adult. If you’ve got a problem with that, keep it to yourself!”
“AAAHHHEMMMMM.” Aymee cleared her throat from where she’d
come into the room behind Jess. “I’m just gonna shut this door, since the
eight-year-olds in the class next door don’t need the four-letter-word
education.” It was obviously everything Aymee could do not to bust out
laughing.
Jess turned back to Eric, all anger having been drained out of her at
Aymee’s announcement. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Eric, but it
sure wasn’t the shit-eating grin he was sporting.
“I’m a dick,” he stated matter of factly, smiling even bigger at the
comment.
“Yes, you are.” She half-grinned back at him.
“So do I get to meet this guy, or are you going to turn into a man-eater
like Aymee?” The familiar joke between Eric and Aymee about their shared
interest in promiscuity, aimed at Jess, made her laugh. Aymee called Eric a
He-Hore. They both truly enjoyed their sexualities. Either of them could
disappear for entire weekends and no one thought anything of it.
“He ran to grab us all some lunch.” Jess could feel herself blush in the
face of her brother’s obvious joy at her deflowering. “He was at the
academy yesterday, in the bleachers.”
Eric gave her a confused shake of his head. “I didn’t notice anyone in the
bleachers.” Then he gave her an annoyed look. “Why is he hanging out
here? Doesn’t he have a job?” He switched from friend and brother to
overprotective father again.
“He wouldn’t have been able to see me, Beauty. Only you and Jerika.”
Shane’s voice stopped her from giving Eric hell about being an unobservant
cop.
“Are you eavesdropping on my conversation?” Jess asked, trying to
figure out how to deal with Eric, who was looking at her as if she was now
hallucinating about the guy in the bleachers. Or worse, he was going to ask
what Shane did for a living. She had no clue. She really was acting out of
character.
“Tell him I was only there for a second just before he took his test and
then we met in the parking lot after. He was too busy focusing on his test to
notice someone popping through the bleachers,” Shane recommended.
Before she could feed Eric the lie, Shane walked into the office. The
aroma of chicken and fixings emanating from the bag he placed on her desk
had her belly rumbling. Leaning in for a quick kiss, he teased, “You have
the noisiest stomach, Beauty.” His easy reference to one of her quirks made
Eric relax somewhat. He was still eyeballing Shane like he was something
stuck to the heel of his shoe. Shane kept a teasing look focused on Jess,
feigning oblivion to Eric animosity.
Jess reached into the bag to retrieve her order and the one she’d placed
for Shane. She handing the rest of the contents to Eric. “Didn’t know what
you would want. I ordered you chicken and dumplings— it’s one of those.
The other one is Aymee’s.”
“Don’t put my food anywhere near that Hoover.” Aymee bounded in and
snatched the bag out of Eric’s hand. “Get outta my chair, He-Hore.” Taking
her meal out of the bag, she handed the remaining entree to Eric.
Shane grabbed two of the folding chairs leaning on the wall, handing one
to Eric. “You must be Jess’s little brother. Name’s Shane Einar.” He shook
Eric’s hand as soon as they both had set their chairs down between the two
girls’ desks.
“Eric Reed.” Returning the handshake, Eric puffed up his chest. “Jess
said you met at the academy. Are you on the force?” He talked like a good
cop but stared at him like a bad cop. Jess nearly laughed, choking on a bite
of her chicken. Eric glared over at her.
 “Nope. Ranger. Twelfth Regiment. I just stopped in at the academy to say
hi to friends. I was cutting through the gym and saw your sister and stopped
to watch for a minute. I think you were testing out. Nice moves, man.”
Shane pointed at him with the fork he’d just picked up.
Eric beamed. “Thanks. Rangers, huh?” Shane nodded with a mouth full
of food. “Bad ass.” One compliment and Eric was suddenly Shane’s buddy.
Typical.
“I thought so too, until your sister spanked me.” Shane offered after he’d
swallowed.
Aymee and Jess glanced at each other, rolling their eyes.
“She’s hard on an ego that way.” Eric chuckled while Shane nodded, and
then thankfully they both shut up to focus on their meals.
****
Shane took in a deep breath, scenting the change in Jess chemistry. The
smell of her rising iron level was like a call to feed for him. It was
everything he could do to appear normal in front of Eric and Aymee. He
had always prided himself on his control, but it still remained absent in the
presence of Jess. Hell, he still had yet to spend a single minute around her
when he didn’t have a raging hard-on.
Jess started to sway slightly in her chair, and he knew he had to act.
She’d told him that her aunt alleviated her symptoms. He had no idea how
often she required her aunt’s special drink, and he wondered if she had ever
been blood-let. He could take her to the Red Cross and have her donate.
How would he explain that? Did he even have time? She was dropping fast.
“Jess, your blood iron is rising.” He telepathically sent the comment.
“I know. I shouldn’t have ordered this for lunch. With everything going
on, I should not be eating meat. I wasn’t thinking.” There was a slur to her
voice even telepathically.
“What do you usually do in this situation, Beauty?” His concern for her
was rising by the moment. He also wasn’t sure how much longer he could
keep his response to her condition at bay.
“I haven’t been this bad in a long time.” She was fading. “It usually
doesn’t come on like this.”
“Does your aunt blood-let you?” He asked, already rising to gather her
up, bringing Eric’s and Aymee’s attention to what was happening.
 Eric said, “Oh shit. I think she’s going to seize.” Did her brother not
recognize the difference between psychic overload and iron poisoning? Eric
raced over to Jess’s desk, dumping the contents of her purse out. “Here, her
anti-anxiety pills. This must be the delayed backlash of last night’s class.”
He held out a bottle to Shane.
“Are you alright, Jess?” Aymee asked, her concern evident.
Nodding, Shane took the offered bottle from Eric. Jess’s eyes fluttered
shut, and a stream of blood let go from her nose and mouth just as Shane
got his arms under her, lifting her. Keeping his back to Eric and Aymee so
they wouldn’t see that his dentes had exploded into his mouth, he headed
for the door. Shutting Eric and Aymee in, he used kinetic energy to hold it
closed as they tried frantically to open it and follow him, and then he
headed for the exit. Eric and Amyee called to him from the other side trying
desperately to open the door.
“GIL.” He appealed to the blood-bond he had with his mentor for the
first time in his life.
“S’up, Shane,” came the calm, soothing, immediate response.
Shane sent Gil a complete memory of the last few moments. Less than a
second passed. “Got it. Already here. Quick scrub and fill and I’ll meet ya
at my place.”
Shane let go of his kinetic hold on the door, comfortable in the
knowledge that Gil had things well in hand. Exiting the building, he took a
quick look around before lifting Jess’s neck to his dentes. Sinking them into
the pounding artery, he drew in the rich flavor of her blood. Before he could
fully surrender to the ecstasy of his first direct host feeding in well over a
hundred years, magnified a thousand-fold by her iron levels, he gathered
her energy with his own. He boosted his energy to port them both to the
foyer of Gil’s estate.
Safe, he dropped to his knees, Jess cradled in his arms. Everything male
in him filled with primal possessiveness. BLOODMATE. He’d had his
suspicions before, but now he knew. She was more than a mating; she was
his bloodmate. Their body chemistry was a perfect match. He had bound
himself to his bloodmate without her consent, knowledge, or reciprocation.
So much for his promise to never take from her anything she didn’t offer. If
she rejected him now, he would spend the rest of his existence incomplete.
Yet he justified what he had done with the thought that, with her life at
stake, taking her blood was the right answer.
“Shanley.” A soothing, calm female voice came from behind him. He
heard a low growl before he realized it was coming from him. The female
softly chuckled from behind him, no fear of him whatsoever. “Ahh, when
Sargon bonded me, he went completely feral for a full century.” Her voice
calmed him somewhat, a gift she shared with her son.
His mind connected her voice to her name. Ninlil. Not only was she Gil’s
mother, she was also one of the SOSC representatives for the Americas.
Sargon, her bloodmate, was Gil’s father and the Warrior Council Leader for
the North American Continent. He could feel the power of the female. She
would not take Jess from him. He heard himself growl again.
 Chapter Twelve
Jorie heard the chirp of one of her mother’s alerts. Taking a quick peek,
she saw her mother was still sleeping soundly. She ducked into her mother’s
office and saw that the chimed screen was the view from a camera
overlooking the parking lot of her cousin’s Ryu. Jess’s jeep was still on the
screen, and she could see nothing to alarm her mother over.
A familiar longing came over her at the thought of Jess. She wished her
mother would let her meet her cousin. Jess didn’t know about what they
were yet. Her mom was afraid meeting Jorie would create too many
questions, but she promised someday soon. Sometimes Jorie got tired of
waiting.
It was her job to let her mom know when she felt Jess’s energy coming
through, indicating that Jess was coming for a visit. Jess didn’t know how
to mask her energy, so it was easy for Jorie to know. Then she had to hide,
but she always listened in. Jess talked about shopping and fighting and her
new Jeep. Jorie wanted to go shopping. Her mother made her train in
courses. She wondered if that was like fighting. She reeaalllyy wanted to
learn to drive that Jeep. She wished she could grow up as fast as Jess did.
She worried for Jess. Mother had told her that she was lucky. She was
born with her dentes, her wings, and her ears. They all came natural to her.
Jess would be getting all that stuff soon, but it would hurt for her. It would
all develop over like a week or two, and Jess wouldn’t know how to fly or
nothing. Mother told her that Jess would need Jorie to help her when that
day came. Until then, Jorie and her mom had to let Jess enjoy her humanity
for as long as she could.
Softly closing the door behind her, Jorie tiptoed back to the living room
and her book without disturbing her mother.
****
“BLOODMATE!” Jess woke with a start to the sound of Shane’s voice
shouting that word over and over in her mind. He sounded like he was in
agony, and she wanted to comfort him.
“Shane?” Opening her eyes, she sat up in a strange bed, looking around a
strange room. It was luxurious, the way she imagined a four-star hotel
would be. Not that she’d actually been in one.
 Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, she realized someone had
removed her GI and left her in her tank top and boy shorts. Making another
visual sweep of the room, this time looking for her clothes, she saw a
familiar face.
“Where are we, Aunt Moira?” She breathed a sign of relief. “Did you see
a man with me? His name is Shane.” She stood up, stretching. Weird, but
she felt fantastic. She was sure she’d been sick. “Thanks for the drink, by
the way. I feel great.” Moira just watched her. Jess figured she was still
waiting for her answer from earlier when Jess had left in such a rush. “I
know you thought I’d be back before now. So much has happened. I don’t
even know where to start.”
Then Jess noticed the differences in Moira. Her eyes, although the right
colors, held a gentle kindness within their depths, more like her mother’s
than the cunning intelligence that burned in Moira’s. Her hair was a light
red, not the deep red of Moira’s hair. Neither did Moira have the lithe build
of the woman before her.
All the hair on Jess’s neck stood up on end. She was scared of the strange
power emanating from the woman. Feeling the anxiety attack coming on,
she knew her mind had taken on one shock too many in such a short period
of time. She tried taking a deep breath. “Who are you?”
“BLOODMATE!” She grabbed both sides of her head at the agony and
volume of Shane’s shouting. Where was he? Why was he yelling? Why was
he hurting? “Where is Shane?” Her question whispered past her lips. Her
head was about to explode.
Instinctively she reached in to her inner self, her point of power, the thing
she worked so hard to deny. Digging deep, she drew herself into that
strength. The strange, red-headed clone woman rose from her seat, holding
her hands up in a defensive pose. She was speaking, but Jess couldn’t hear
her over Shane’s shout of “Bloodmatebloodmatebloodmate” over and over
in her mind, matching the pounding of her heart. Beneath Shane’s voice and
the pounding was a hum of vibration getting louder and louder in her head.
“SHANE!” she screamed out telepathically, picturing him in her mind,
every detail, every nuance. Clinging, grasping, she pulled his image to her
until she could feel his essence as her own. Reaching up as if she were
wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she felt an electrical charge
under her skin followed by the dizzy spinning from her dreams. Visualizing
herself pressing her body tightly against his, she smelled his scent, then felt
the warmth of his body as she manifested in exactly the position against
him she’d pictured in her mind.
His arms came around her in a fierce embrace. She laid her head against
his chest, refusing to open her eyes, trembling from the power she had just
invoked. His yell immediately stopped and he sighed in her mind, “Mine.”
Just like that, the world was right again. Confusion didn’t matter when she
was safe in Shane’s arms and he held her trembling body tightly against
him. The pain and noise in her mind fell silent and her heart rate slowly
returned to normal.
“Great Fates.” An unfamiliar male voice spoke from behind her. She felt
an energy ripple and was sure it was the red-head porting into the room.
“Has she ever been to this room before?” said another voice. This one
had a deep, booming timbre.
“Nope.” At least she recognized Gil’s voice.
“It took you forever to be able to call our bond the way she just did.” The
female’s voice, soothing and calm, reminded her of Gil’s
“Right back at ya, luv,” responded the deep, booming-timbre voice again
“From what I gather, she dinna even think she could port, let alone do
what she just did. Ain’t their bond one-sided?” Gil asked. What was he
talking about?
“Bloodmate. Hmmmm. Mine.” Shane voice, now content with her in his
arms, nearly purred in her mind.
“Yes, well, I don’t think separating them was a wise course of action.”
The female’s voice. She sounded weaker, and less power radiated off of her
now. She wasn’t sure how, but Jess knew she was the cause.
****
“What is a bloodmate?” Jess’s soft voice came from within the cocoon of
Shane’s arms. Shane shifted, his hold not letting go, and placed a gentle kiss
on the top of her head. He sat back down into the chair behind him,
marveling at the innate power of his bloodmate.
One minute he had been sitting there fighting the call to go her and finish
his claim. The next he was standing with all of her lush curves pressed
against him, wearing nothing but a tank top and boy shorts. Someone
placed a throw over them once he was seated. He was too focused on the
warm bundle in his arms to give much notice.
He’d drunk enough of her blood to bring her iron levels to a safe level,
and then some. Once he’d finally been able to regain enough control to
release her limp form to Nin for care, it had taken everything in him not to
tear the house apart to find her and finish what he’d started.
He’d done his best to contribute to the discussion between Gil and Enlil
about Jess. How could she be of their bloodline without their knowledge?
Enlil’s son Ediku was being called, though he had yet to show up. There
was some sort of strain between him and the rest of the family. Enlil had
just been preparing to port to Ediku when Jess had made her appearance.
Through her blood singing in his veins, he’d felt her draw on her energy
and the energy that surrounded everything and everybody in her immediate
vicinity. That was a truly rare talent. He looked up to meet the gaze of one
the bearers of that talent, Enlil. He saw what it was that Gil had been trying
to explain to his feral bloodmate-raptured mind: Jess was related to this
family. Somehow, someway. There was no denying it. Enlil was Jess with
male features. His hair had a hint of red in the blonde strands, but his eyes
were undeniable.
His gaze then shifted to Ninlil, currently being supported by the strong
arms of her mate. Weakened from Jess’s unexpected energy draw off of her,
Ninlil shouldn’t have been able to port. The fact that she could was a tribute
either to her abilities or to her bond to Sargon.
Shane was fairly certain that Ninlil, being Enlil’s twin, could have
shielded herself from Jess’s attack. Probably even turned it on Jess and
killed her with it. Instead of anger, Ninlil’s eye’s showed compassion and
understanding. Her eyes were also a dead ringer for Jess’s.
“I donna know how yer channelin’ that off so fast, Uncle En. That’s some
nice ass-savin,’ that is.” Gil broke the sudden silence that descended after
Jess’s question.
Shane noticed for the first time that although Gil’s eyes were brown like
his father’s, he did have a smaller version of the star shape within his iris,
like his Mother, Uncle … and Jess.
Thunder sounded overhead. Somehow Enlil was drawing the excess
energy that still clung to Jess off her, redirecting it into the atmosphere and
causing a storm. Jess lifted her head, looking up at the sound of the
thunder.”Oh, shit! Ohshitohshit. I’m making this storm, aren’t I?” she said,
taking in the occupants in the room for the first time.
Enlil answered, “It is your energy. I am siphoning it off you, sending it
into the atmosphere.”
“You can do that?” Her incredulous tone caused Enlil to grin. Shane
squeezed her tighter.
“You will be able to as well. It just takes time. This is the first time I have
ever directed someone else’s gift. Besides my great grandfather, you are the
first I have ever met who shared this gift. It may be hard for you to control
right now.” Enlil gentle tone with Jess filled Shane with appreciation for the
male.
Shane could see that Enlil’s eyes were glowing. How was Jess dealing
with that? He heard her swallow hard and felt her nod against his chest.
“You will master it, as I am sure you have mastered everything in your
life. If that demonstration is anything to go by, your gift will be more
powerful than even mine.” Leaning toward her, Enlil took a deep breath of
Jess’s scent before adding, “Once you Become.” Shane’s appreciation grew
when Enlil smiled at Jess with pride. Her blood running through him
expressed the longing she felt at seeing that look on Enlil face. He could
sense how much she wanted to belong.
Gil barked out a laugh. “Ah, lil Jess, ya do bring some much needed
excitement. I thought seein’ Shane’s gappin’ piehole was humorous. That
look on my mother’s face when she ‘poofed’—priceless.” Shane shot him a
look that should have melted him to cinders but only succeeding in making
him laugh harder. Jess buried her face deeper into his chest.
“‘Poofed’?” Ninlil chuckled. “Gilgamesh, sometimes you say the
damnedest things.”
Shane felt Jess turn her head to look at Ninlil and Sargon. He tried to
imagine how all this must seem to Jess. Sargon was obviously Gil’s father.
Where Gil’s arms resembled tree trucks, his were sides of beef. Not quite as
tall as Shane, he was taller than his son by a few inches. He also had a
Native American look, but his nearly black hair was crop-cut military style,
accentuating the mass that was his neck. “Welcome to the family.” Sargon’s
deep, rich voice resonated kindness. His smile was warm and genuine,
welcoming.
 Shane squeezed Jess, a reminder that she was safe in Shane’s arms, when
Ninlil leaned towards her.
“I am so sorry.” Jess’s voice trembled with tears, breaking Shane’s heart.
Jess hadn’t meant to sap Ninlil. It was an accident. He knew her family
realized that. That didn’t keep her from feeling bad about it.
“Don’t be.” Ninlil’s voice was soothing. “En used to do that when we
were kids. I learned to shield against it young. You caught me by surprise.
In more ways than one.” She shrugged dismissively. “I should have told
you I wasn’t this Moira you thought I was. It’s just you look so much like
our mother. You wear your hair longer. That is the only difference I can
see.” She looked closer at Jess. “What about you, En?”
With a look of pride, hope, and a tinge of sadness that seemed to be part
of him, Enlil squatted down before Jess, taking in her features. There was
no way Jess could continue to question her genealogy after taking a hard
look at the male.
“Wow.” Jess whispered. Enlil smiled kindly at her. Having looked his fill,
he straightened and stood directly to the side of his sister. “Her face looks a
lot like mother. Her figure and her hands are Etana’s. I can see why you
were dumbfounded, Nin.” He smiled down at Jess.
“Thought ta be the greatest political mind ever got dumfounded. Good
thing she donna have ta fund-raise, huh,” Gil cracked at his mother.
“You are such a shit.” That word coming from Ninlil made the whole
room chuckle.
“I’ll never get used to her swearing.” Enlil shook his head, his love for
his twin sister apparent.
“Makes a baby boy proud,” Gil said and received an eye roll from his
mother. “I’d like ya ta meet my mother, Ninlil,” he said. Smiling, Ninlil
reached out to shake Jess’s hand, not seeming offended at all that Jess had
failed to stand for the introduction. “My father, Sargon.” Sargon held out
his giant hand, and Jess placed her hand in his. He leaned in and laid a
gentle kiss on her knuckles, then grinned when Shane couldn’t stop himself
from growling. Jess peered over her shoulder, looking at him in question,
raising an eyebrow in classic WTF position. All he could do was shrug.
Ninlil cut her son off, taking over the introductions. “This is my big
brother—well, by seven minutes—Enlil.” Taking Jess’s hand in both of his,
Enlil squatted down to eye level with her again.
 “Are you my father?” Jess asked quietly. Enlil slowly shook his head,
and Shane felt her disappointment like it was his own. Two days ago, the
only father she knew, she wanted nothing to do with. Yet here she was
feeling disappointed that this kind Elven in front of her was telling her he
wasn’t it.
“You are my descendant. Granddaughter, possibly great-granddaughter.
We won’t have far to look. My mate and I only had one child.” There was
the flash of sadness again. “Let’s start with something easy.” Jess nodded.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six,” Jess answered, then proceeded to answer a long series of
questions. Shane knew she was tiring. He knew every time one of their
questions sent her mind spinning, especially when she found out that
Hulvens could have life spans nearly as long as Elven, since both Hulvens
and Elvens were considered Volaticus species.
When she told them about her mother’s death, curiously Nin and Gil had
shown great sympathy for the man Jess had thought was her father all this
time.
Moira was the biggest surprise. Turned out Nin and Enlil where the only
known Elven twins ever. No one had ever heard of Hulven twins. Nin and
Enlil had a few anomalies because of their twin bond, which were still
being studied and documented. They were very interested in finding out the
effects of being twins on Marja and Moira.
Although it had only been a few hours, Shane felt that Jess had talked
forever. He knew she was full of questions herself, but she seemed to have
resigned herself to waiting for the answers. Except one.
“What is a bloodmate?” It was the same question she had started with.
Everyone looked to Shane. He’d remained mostly silent this entire time.
Jess wrapped her arms around his neck, her beautiful eyes pleading with
him. “Please tell me.” Not like he could deny her anything
Shane looked to Gil. “Go on up ta your old room,” Gil instructed. “We’ll
have some food sent up in a bit.”
Nodding his thanks, Shane stood, still carrying Jess covered by the
blanket. He couldn’t bear to be distant enough for her to walk on her own
two feet. Heading toward the stairs, he wondered if Jess realized the cause
of his silence. His dentes had not retracted in all the time they had been
with her family. He smiled at the implications of Jess’s family. She would
never be alone in the world again, plus they were a powerful lot. She may
not understand that value yet. He knew she was the prodigal daughter, and
those people would lay down their lives for her.
 Chapter Thirteen
Moira woke feeling less then herself. Even after several hours of sleep,
she could feel the stress of the last few days deep in her bones. Her body’s
reaction to stress or exhaustion was to produce more iron. She’d certainly
had her share of stress of late. Jess going off-grid had not helped. There was
also the constant internal battle she waged to keep any unpleasant emotions
bottled up tight. The inability to emotionally release came at a price.
Since her Becoming she not only needed the CPT and diet control, she
also needed to be bled. That was a benefit to her daughter’s needs as well.
Jorie had never known a moment of iron weakness, a battle that Moira had
watched Marja go through. Drinking a glass of the iron-inhibiting drink, she
hooked the IV to her arm and lay down, letting gravity drain her excess iron
into the waiting bag. Her memories took her back to that time.
Their mother, Marjorie, was covered in weeping boils and was racked
with a cough, her throat swollen up. So was much of the village they lived
in.
Right after that, Moira and Marja developed different maladies. Neither
of the girls had boils or a cough at all. Moira couldn’t stop bleeding from
her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, even in her urine and vaginally. Marja seemed
to be wasting away, dehydrating to dust. Dumb luck or divine intervention
saved them. Moira got Marja a drink of water, and a few drops of her blood
fell into the water. Marja became stronger after drinking it.
Luckily Marja had been able to taste a difference in the water. Between
the two of them they figured out what it was. The first time Moira had
pricked her finger and Marja had sucked on it had felt sacrilegious to them.
Their mother had always told them that they were devil’s spawn, born of
sin. Blah blah blah. Moira sharing her blood with Marja had saved both
their lives.
Just before their mother had died, she’d given the girls the diaries she had
stolen from their father and shared how she’d come to possess them. None
of them could read. It wasn’t until years later that they realized it was more
than illiteracy that kept them from reading the diaries.
Their mother had told them about being a servant within a lord’s castle.
The castle lord was admired, respected, even loved. A member of the
household staff, Marjorie became infatuated and sought his attention. One
night she found him clutching a book to his chest. There were several more
just like it on the floor scattered around him: his mother’s diaries, he’d told
her. Marjorie had offered him comfort and ended up doing far more than
that.
She swore he turned into a devil when he joined with her and drank
blood from her. The next day when he spoke to her, his words made her feel
like he had climbed into her brain. He’d told Marjorie that it was a dream,
that it had never happened, that she was to forget.
In fear she told no one, played along, acted as if she remembered
nothing, until she realized she was pregnant. Marjorie stole the diaries and
fled to distant relative’s land in Italy. Centuries later, Moira resided on the
very land she was born on.
After the death of their mother, Marja and Moira found themselves
dependent upon each other at fifteen years old. With no family to speak for
them, they were forced to leave their family’s land in Italy or risk being
forced into a guardianship or, worse, a marriage by the village leaders.
They mostly lived and learned camp following, a way many other
women survived in those times. Following the army troops, they nursed,
cooked, and did laundry, always maintaining one personification, never
exposing themselves as twins. Eventually they came to the attention of a
very alert French artillery officer who took them under his wing, groomed
them and turned them into a female spy team.
They helped Napoleon stage a coup that made him First Consul, then
secretly supported and pushed buttons until, using the skills learned from
him, they vanished the day before his coronation as Emperor. Moira still
used some of the same skills acquired during that time in her life.
It took them over a century to transcribe the diaries their mother had
stolen for them from Ancient Babylonian to English. It was only then that
they were able to understand some of what they were, and from where they
came.
At twenty-five they’d gone through the Becoming together, falling into
the change on the same day. Neither of them had gotten all the Volaticus
traits that Hulven usually got. As twins they’d split the traits, probably the
pain too, though they were unaware of the differences at the time. The
Becoming stimulated Moira’s reproduction, and she suffered her first estrus.
She was fertile for a two-week period every twenty-five to thirty years. It
would take even longer now that she had given birth to Jorie.
She could never understand how animals survived the rut, and estrus for
Elven and Hulven was similar. The hurting, aching, swollen, weeping
between her thighs took on a life of its own. During the first one she had
suffered through, when she and Marja were Becoming at the same time, the
agony had blended into all of the changes she was going through, and it did
not take on the same urgency. After that, well, thankfully human males
could not fertilize the Elven egg ovulated in estrus, not that she would have
cared at that point.
If she had been a normal Hulven, she might have inadvertently gotten
pregnant with a human fetus. In fact Marja had been the one to have human
ovulation. Moira was able to satisfy her estrus needs using human men
without the risk of pregnancy. She used the men and a large amount of
alcoholic beverages. It was a great day when science created better
narcotics, enabling her to knock herself out.
A natural Hulven like Jess had to deal with both reproductive cycles,
ovulating monthly and falling into estrus every twenty-five years or so. If a
human fertilized her monthly ovulation, she would have a human child; if
fertilized by an Elven, she would give birth to a Hulven. Only during estrus
could an Elven young be conceived. Like Jorie.
Moira couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to have a human child and
watch that child age and die, or watch that child’s children, grandchildren,
and great grandchildren all age and die while Moira stayed young and
healthy.
Hulven and Elven carried the capacity for immortality. Granted, she’d
heard that the passage of time and yearly aging means different things to
Elven. Hell, they could take long naps, lie dormant, and hibernate, in effect,
with a heartbeat only once a month. They required so little oxygen; they
could absorb it through the skin. She’d never heard whether Hulven had
inherited that particular ability, but she couldn’t do it.
Hulven were a relatively new race within the Volaticus species and
discovered only three thousand years ago. According to Napoleon, Elven
had not always been accepting of them, either, treating them as
abominations, denying their part of creation, leaving them to the mercy of
humans and the barbaric way they treat that which they don’t understand.
Their acceptance took many centuries combined with the amazing forward-
thinking of people like her grandmother, Etana, and the intervention of the
Oracles.
Then came the inevitable, those who wanted to use the other species to
boost their own agenda, the rogues who figured out that Hulven and the
Heredity bloodlines could produce baby Hulvens nearly as fast as human
reproduction. A human ovulation and an Elven fertilization, shaken not
stirred, and voila: You have an army. The implications terrified her.
The things she’d heard about the cages, where breeding females were
kept, sounded like underground concentration camps. The children were
raised in a cult-type environment. The males were all soldiers to some level.
She believed the rogues were capable of killing the females. Giving the
children a Jonestown mass suicide “punch.” Sending the males on kamikaze
missions. If brainwashed completely, intelligent people will die or kill for
you simply because they don’t know anything different, good or bad.
Moira set down her empty glass and removed the IV from her arm, she
heard the front door slam shut, followed by the singsong voice of her
daughter. “Mmooooooooom.”
“I’m right here, Jorie.” Jorie bounced into the room, and Moira reached
out to ruffle her curls. “Why are you yelling?”
“I have the coolest idea on how to double the greenhouse produce using
the same space.” She was rocking onto her toes between her steps as she
followed Moira into the kitchen. “It is so genius!”
“Lets hear it,” Moira said, laughing at her daughter’s enthusiasm. Jorie’s
ideas generally had merit. She had an even better grasp of agriculture than
Moira. Etana’s diaries had defined many farming techniques, and the
original bio-structure they lived on was based almost entirely on her
grandmother’s farm-layout designs. Maybe that is where she and ultimately
Jorie came to be in tune with the best way to work land to keep the things
they grew healthy, using nature’s way to the best advantage rather than
manipulating Earth’s gifts with hormones, herbicides, and pesticides. Where
was Jess? Why hadn’t she returned yet?
“Are you listening?” Jorie drew her attention back to task, cutting up
veggies and fruit for smoothies.
“Sorry, Jorie. I am concerned about Jess’s absence.” Jorie’s brows
wrinkled in a very grown-up look of concern. “I’m sure she’s fine.”
 “Her Jeep’s still parked at the Ryu.” Jorie offered up the information
before moving right back into her concept. “So if we stack hydroponics of
low-growing plants …” The rest of what Jorie was saying trailed off. Moira
couldn’t help her distraction.
Jorie sighed loudly, bringing Moira’s attention back to her. “Go see if you
can figure out what’s up. I’ll finish the smoothies.” Jorie of all people was
used to Moira’s one-track mind. She was convinced it was what made
Moira brilliant, but Moira felt bad that it also made her less available to her
daughter.
Nodding, Moira turned and left the room without looking back, heading
to her office. What could Jess still be doing at the Ryu at 8:30 p.m.?
Granted, it wasn’t unheard of for her to work late; it was actually pretty
common. So why wouldn’t the foreboding feeling go away? She didn’t
have any psychic ability, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have instincts. Ever
since Jess’s vanishing act, she hadn’t been able to shake that feeling.
Her eyes were drawn to the two alerts flashing on her main screen. The
first was information and a reminder for the interview she’d set up for later
that morning. With a mouse click she started a reader download to see what
her Trojan had picked up from the potential support-group candidate’s
computer. One of many safety precautions, during the interviews she
monitored the candidate’s computer remotely the entire time, every process,
every keystroke. It was how she was able to synchronize the random
changing IP algorithmic patterns to maintain the communication. Sara and
her other group leaders had an automatic system. Moira handled it
manually, changing the IPs at random times.
The other alert was the motion sensors from the parking lot of the Ryu—
no surprise since people came and went all afternoon. Just to be safe, she
split the lot screen, setting half the screen to show current time. The other
she set to show reverse time lapse at a increased speed with auto stops on
motion trip points. That would mean watching for potentially hours to bring
herself up to the time she’d stopped watching yesterday. At least she would
know if Jess had left at all during the day, returning to park in the same
spot.
Jorie came in, handing her a smoothie. “That screen started flashing and
beeping right after you went to bed.” She pointed at the Ryu parking screen.
“Did the Jeep leave?” she asked, taking the frosty drink.
 “No, I would have came and got you if she’d left,” Jorie stated. “I didn’t
see anyone on the screen. I silenced it. Hope that was okay.”
The screen slowed to normal speed; the time showed 7:15 p.m. Aymee’s
car came on the screen, parking a few places down from Jess. Aymee got
out of the car backward, walked backward, and put her keys into her purse.
Moira increased the speed to fast again. “I appreciate that. I should have
silenced it before I went to bed. I usually do during her business hours,
otherwise neither of us would ever get any rest.” She kept her voice light,
knowing her worry was seeping over to her daughter through the one-sided
bond Jorie had with her. She really tried to keep herself calm at all times to
make things easier on her daughter. Jorie felt Moira’s emotions almost as
strongly as Marja had.
Did the mother-child bond remain as sensitive throughout a child’s entire
life? Nathan, being only a year older than Jorie, had the same bond with
Sara, but Sara was able to shield her less desirable emotions from Nathan,
being a normal Hulven—the advantage of having psychic abilities. She
envied Sara. She would love to be psychically tuned to Jorie’s emotions, to
know when she was afraid. To know without a doubt that she was happy
with her life. Moira could qualify as a zen master from all the time she
spent meditating to keep her emotions on an even keel for Jorie’s sake. “Tell
me this hydroponics genius idea,” she prompted.
With the quick return of her earlier enthusiasm, Jorie trotted over to the
white board on the wall and drew a series of boxes and rectangles. “If we
use twenty-four-inch-deep water reserves at the floor level, with double the
cubic feet of water required for one built over the planter box, then we
could build planter boxes at twelve inch increments above the first and then
the second. The three levels would only require the same amount of water
as two if you pump to the top and second levels and let the bottom be
watered only by the runoff of the first two.” She was drawing pumps, lines,
and sprayers at a rate so fast human eyes wouldn’t have been able to follow.
The detail was amazing, better than professional engineer plans. Moira
smiled as she watched Jorie draw from only her imagination the beginning
of a plan for the future of their farm. She opened her mouth to voice a
question, but Jorie cut her off.
“OH WAIT! What about lighting? You were about to ask. Admit it.”
Jorie pointed at her.
 Moira bowed her head slightly, acknowledging that was her question.
“Well, I think mirrors to reflect into the lower levels, placing them here,
here, here, and here. Maybe even create a solar-powered light rotation
device so they get light longer. You could come up with that easy, Mom.”
Winding down, she flopped into the chair, feigning exhaustion. “What do
you think?”
Biting her thumbnail, Moira studied the drawing, feeling proud and
excited of what Jorie had come up with, aware Jorie could feel it. “I think it
is brilliant, Jorjor. Absolutely brilliant.” She meant it in every way. “How
long have you been working on this?”
“For a while. I couldn’t figure out the lighting thing. The mirrors were
Nathan’s idea. The solar-powered motors to extend the light direction just
popped into my head while I was showing you the rest. Maybe it was the
motion sensors moving on the screen behind you.” She pointed the marker
she still held.
Jorie began tapping the marker to end of her chin, not realizing it didn’t
have a cap on it and was leaving little black marks. “Do you think it could
create a cross-pollination problem?”
Moira tried to hold back from laughing at the marker beard Jorie had
drawn on her face. “What?” Jorie demanded, her eyes narrowing in
annoyance.
Moira busted out laughing, pointing at the open-ended marker in Jorie’s
hand. “Mother!” Jorie rubbed her chin against her palm. “Did I get it off?”
Moira shook her head, still laughing. “Damn it.” Jorie stomped out of the
room.
Still chuckling, Moira looked again at Jorie’s drawing. Marja had been an
amazing artist too, but she had lacked the speed Jorie demonstrated. That
was Moira’s gift. The speed in no way negated Marja’s artistic eye, recall,
and skill. Moira glanced up at the painting Marja had made of the two of
them with their mother when they were fifteen. Marja had painted it one
hundred and fifty years after their mother had died, using her memory of
how Moira had looked at fifteen to depict both of their features. The image
of them and Marjorie was perfect.
Turning back to the screens, she watched Eric walk backward into the
Ryu at 5:45 p.m. along with ten or so young kids, who all jumped out of
cars that had reversed into the lot. That would be the last class of the day for
Jess.
When the time came for the interview, Moira felt tempted to reschedule.
With a sigh she logged on to her monitoring program, sending out the key
for the first IP aligning to the candidate with one simple question: “What’s
your name?” The web cam came up, showing Moira a young woman.
Brown hair was loosely pulled back from brown eyes. Simple features, very
forgettable by all accounts … until she took a look into her eyes. This
woman was savvy, far more intelligent than the person who had written the
first inquiry. Moira was about to terminate the connection when the lot
camera from the Ryu caught her attention.
For one brief moment her entire focus was directed at the sight of her
niece appearing out of thin air behind the Ryu with the most beautiful male
Moira had ever seen withdrawing his fangs from her throat. He looked both
ways and stepping backward into the door of the Ryu. Oh fates, the Elven
had found Jess.
“Sofia.” Came the soft voice of the candidate imposter on the next
screen. “Why can’t I see you too?”
“Someone’s coming … a lot of someones,” Jorie exclaimed, porting into
her mother’s office from out in the farm.
Regaining her composure, Moira took control, pounding commands into
her computer. “Hide baby. Don’t come out no matter what. If anything
happens to me, call to Jess.” Sending another quick command into her
computer, she said, “I’ve just made Sara and Napoleon aware there is a
problem.”
“I’m afraid.” The tremble in Jorie’s voice reminded her to stay calm.
“I know, so am I. I’m sure I’m making your fear worse.” Reaching over,
she pulled Jorie into a quick hug, kissing her cheek and looking her in the
eyes. “I love you, Jorjor. GO. NOW.”
****
Jess was surprised to find Shane taking her into the same room she had
ported from, the term they used. She stilled like “poofed.”
“Shut the door behind us, Beauty.” Shane whispered against her hair,
sending shivers down her spine. She looked over his shoulder at the open
door behind him. “You know how to do it.” She envisioned an arm of
kinetic energy from herself to the door, and it slammed, loudly. Shane
chuckled.
“Don’t know my own strength.” She giggled. Shane set her down on the
bed, blanket and all, leaning her against headboard. She quickly scooted
farther to the middle to give him room to join her.
He smiled, with a haunted, longing look at the space she had just vacated
for him next to her. Why? Sighing, he pulled a chair closer to the bed and
sat down, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and his
fingers linked together. It was a pose she was becoming familiar with. It
preceded every difficult conversation they’d had thus far.
She scooted herself back to the edge near him. “Is this going to be a bad
conversation?” Jess’s mind raced through worst-case scenarios. The ones
that scared her involved not being with Shane. What if he just didn’t really
want to deal with her or all the stuff she would have to learn? Enlil had
mentioned Becoming. She didn’t know what that meant exactly. What if it
kept her and Shane from being together?
With her imagination running amok with worse-case scenarios befitting
his expression, it was everything she could do to keep her tears at bay.
“What is the last thing you remember before you woke up?” Shane
asked, watching her intently.
“I ate chicken, which I shouldn’t have done. I must have already had high
iron before I ate. I haven’t had that bad of an iron reaction since I was a kid.
Before Moira started giving me that drink.” She thought a moment before
continuing. “I guess the last thing I remember was you mentally telling me
my iron was rising. That was when I realized what was happening.” She
cocked her head. “How did you know before I did?”
“The richness of human and iron-rich Hulven blood calls to the iron
deficiencies in Elven. It has the same effect on the few anemic Hulven, too.
Chemically that is how I knew your iron levels where climbing. I could
smell it.” His eyes were willing her to understand what he was saying. “It’s
even more than that with you and I,” he added softly, looking down at his
hands. Was that shame she saw on his expression?
“So I smelled different?” She was trying to understand not just what he
was saying, but why he was reacting this way.
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s instinct, similar to the way a camel will find water
in a desert.” He sat silently, staring at his linked fingers and refusing to
meet her gaze while the last bit sunk in. Some sort of internal struggle was
being waged in him; that was obvious.
“How is it more than that with you and I?” He finally raised his eyes to
meet hers. His gaze was full of tortured, sorrowful apology. She was filled
with dread and reached down to grasp his linked hands in hers. “Did I do
something wrong while I was out of it? What happened? Whatever it is, tell
me.” His obvious torment was breaking her heart.
His voice was low and even huskier than usual, almost a whisper. “I
drank from you.” Reaching up, he cradled her face between his hands. His
tone pleaded for her to understand. “Your iron levels were becoming toxic
to you so fast. You started bleeding from your nose, your mouth.” She
nodded. She’d had these symptoms before. She had seized from psychic
overload, never high iron. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t have hurt him
convulsing.
“You helped me, right? Drinking from me lowered my iron, correct? So
what you did, it was a good thing, wasn’t it? Why are you so …
remorseful?” Jumping from the chair, pulling his hands from hers, he began
to pace, rubbing his hands over his face and head.
“Just tell me, Shane,” she pleaded.
Shane snapped, “Bloodmates are rare.” He’d stopped pacing and was
now staring out the window with his back to her, his arms crossed. “They
used to not be, long ago. In fact it was believed that everyone had a
bloodmate and that they would find them in the right space and time. Now
days, if there weren’t still those few truly bloodmated couples, like Ninlil
and Sargon, I doubt anyone would believe in it anymore.”
Taking a deep breath, he continued. “There are many kinds of bonds that
can be made through blood. To give you an idea of how powerful they are, I
was able to locate you at the Ryu this morning from that single drop shared
in the kiss last night, though it wasn’t enough to make a permanent bond.
Those require at least an ounce drawn from the vein. Once blood leaves the
body, it loses the ability to connect the donor to the recipient. The bond is
formed by the conductivity of the blood flowing through the two bodies at
the same time.” He sighed, stonewalling for time. Okay. At least he was
talking to her.
“What are these bonds used for, besides finding someone?” Jess asked.
 Keeping his back to her, he continued. “Different things. Jerika and I
have a mentoring bond; so do Gilgamesh and I. It enables me to speak to
Gil telepathically, privately, in confidence. I can send him memories or let
him see through my eyes, letting him help me should I have need. It all
depends on how far I lower my shields to him once contact is made
between the two of us. Jerika can do the same with me. Mentoring is a life-
long commitment because of the blood-bond, though protégés move on and
rarely use the bond once they have reached a certain point. Before this I had
actually never had cause to use my bond to Gilgamesh.
“Others come at birth, like the one you felt with your mother. It was that
bond she used to port you to Moira that first time. Siblings born of the same
mother usually have a direct bond at birth. Voluntary blood bonds are by
mutual agreement.” Everything he was telling her was good information,
but it wasn’t answering her immediate question.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he added, “The bonding of bloodmates
is sacred. It is the most powerful bond in the universe. Unbreakable. Once
created, it is nearly impossible to shield even the most private things from
one another.” Dropping his arms to hook his thumbs in his pockets, he
turned to face her, leaning against the frame of the window. “You are my
bloodmate, Beauty. I knew it, even though I was trying to deny it to myself
because you are Hulven. Inside I knew. Yet I drank from you without your
consent. In our world, taking that bond from you the way I did is
abhorrent.” Walking over and kneeling in front of her, he dropped his head
in shame. “I am so sorry.”
Jess looked down at the top of Shane’s bowed head. “You did it to save
me. You didn’t have a choice. Isn’t that what you said?”
Keeping his head bowed, he shook it slightly. “I could have blood-let you
using a donation bag, which is the proper way. Hell, in an emergency I
could have just opened your vein with a pocketknife and let it run down a
drain, instead of biting. Truth is I violated you. There is no justification for
that.”
“I still don’t understand what a bloodmate is. Is it like a soul-mate? How
do you know I’m yours?”
Shane’s sigh was long and relieved. “Your mind works in an amazing
way, you know that?” He had still not raised his bowed head, but she could
hear a little bit of a smile in his voice.
 “Bloodmates’ body chemistries call to one another in a unique way. Once
found, they mate for life. Usually when one dies, the other does as well,
though Enlil has lived without Etana for centuries. He keeps himself in a
dormant state most of the time to keep from feeling the pain of her loss. In
my lifetime there hasn’t been a single bloodmating. No one has ever heard
of a bloodmating between Hulven and Elven, until us. I know you are mine
because I drank from you. I am bonded to you, forever. Whether or not you
choose to return the bond doesn’t change the fact that I am bonded to you.”
What little relief she’d seen in his face moments ago was once again buried
behind remorse and shame.
Her breath lodged in her throat. Was he telling her he married her
without her consent? Was that why he was so freaked out? Maybe he didn’t
want to be bonded to her?
“Are you sorry you bonded yourself to me? Do you regret it?” Her eyes
were filled with tears when he snapped his head up and met her gaze.
“I’ll never regret it.” He threw his arms around her waist and laid his
head in her lap. “I am sorry that I took that bond without your knowledge
and consent. You should have been able to offer that freely, the same way
you did your virginity. My taking it the way I did was not much different
than what bastard tried to do to you as a kid. You are a gift from the Fates,
Beauty, and one my actions show I am unworthy of. I do regret the way I
obtained it. I regret my selfishness. The bond I feel to you is the most
amazing thing. I felt you draw that energy earlier. I feel your strength, your
purity, your spirit, your love of life, and your yearning for family.” She put
her hands into his hair, loving the feel of its silkiness, loving the vibration
of his voice against her thigh, loving the scent of him enveloping her.
Loving him. She wasn’t sure how it could have happened so fast. Maybe
this feeling was what he’d felt too. Maybe this was how he’d known she
was the one. Either way, she loved him.
They sat there in silence, Shane on his knees before her, his head in her
lap so close to the core of her. The only thing separating his lips from her
folds was the boy-shorts she still wore. She couldn’t concentrate on the
implications of what he had just told her when his warm breath was
blowing across her leg, seeping into her, heating her blood.
****
 Confessing to Jess was the most difficult thing Shane had ever done. She
might not understand how dishonorable his actions had been, but he knew
full well. Her assumption that he was remorseful because he didn’t want her
sent him into a tailspin. How could she misinterpret his shame for regret? In
the end she seemed to accept what he’d told her with compassion. She
really was the greatest gift the Fates had ever given.
Her emotions took another shift, and the bond gave him an insight into
her blooming desire. “Shane, what am I feeling now?” she purred.
Further amazed by her, he lifted his head and caught her loving,
passionate gaze. As her oleander scent enveloped him, he emitting a soft
growl and captured her lips. His body lit on fire for his warm, giving Jess.
Mine. Bloodedmate, the feral side of him shouted. Lifting his shirt, he broke
the kiss long enough for her to pull it over his head.
“How about now, Shane? What am I feeling now?” she teased. Groaning,
he returned to her kiss.
“Gil.” Shane used his mentor bond for the second time.
“Aw, man, ya shouldn’t be yappin’ at me when yer like this. Damn, I need
a cold shower already,” Gil teased. “What could ya possibly want? I canna
help ya with what yer doin.’ I think she’s my cousin.”
Reluctantly breaking his kiss from Jess, he took a step back to catch his
breath. Her cheeks were flushed, lips swollen from his kisses. She stood
from the edge of the bed and pulled her tank over her head, her generous
breasts and peaked nipples beckoned him.
“What is the ceremony for a bloodmating … quick,” Shane demanded
Laughing, Gil replied, “How the fuck should I know, man? Happily
single, I am. An’ lookin’ to stay thata way.”
“Would you ask Ninlil … or even Sargon?” He could feel her passion
compounding his own. He could die this moment a happy man. Jess tucked
her fingers beneath the waistband of her boy shorts, slowly slid them down
her legs, and stepped out of them.
Silence was followed by, “Ya want me to ask MY MOM how to perform a
bloodmate ceremony? Ya gotta be yankin’ my dick.”
“Please, I’m begging you.”
“Ya see. This … this is why I hope I never find my bloodmate. Ya have
any idea how much ya gonna owe me fer this, my friend? Damn.” Gil’s
amusement was gone. Shane knew he was asking a lot.
 “Fine,” Gil snarled, going silent for a moment. Moments later, he spoke
again. “Figures. She would be able ta link ta ya through me—powerful
thing, my mother. ’Course, after the drain from our lil Jess, Uncle En and
Dad are having ta give her a boost. Not ta mention she is suckin’ down an
entire pint of blood.” Gil sounded amused. “Needless ta say, my man, ya
got all of us tuned in ta your hormonal ass right now. Hope the answer’s
worth yer humiliation.”
“Shanley.” He could hear Ninlil clearly, though she sounded very far
away.
“Yes, ma’am.” Shane unnecessarily stood at attention. Just because she
couldn’t see him didn’t mean he didn’t need to show her respect.
“There is no perfect way to bond a bloodmate. It can be a private,
intimate ceremony, or a celebration, like a human wedding. I do, however,
think that your … earlier eagerness should warrant a proper ‘get down on
one knee’ proposal. That is the form she would recognize, don’t you think?
Be cautious with her. She is Hulven, and iron rich. Also, she has not
Become yet, and those are unknown factors that might affect the bonding or
might not. As fantastic as blood sharing during intercourse is, it may not be
the best idea until you know and can be assured she will be okay having
your blood’s iron added to hers. You should ask her, though. At least she
will know you want her forevermore. I’m so happy for you both.” Nin
added, “Good luck.”
“Blood sharin’ during intercourse. Not a visual I want of my parents.
Later,” Gil grumbled.
Jess had turned and was crawling up onto the mattress, her golden eyes
calling to him over her shoulder. The view of her from behind, her round
ass high, her breasts swaying gently beneath her, would be socked away in
his memory for all time. Hating himself, he closed his eyes to the sight of
her to give himself the strength he needed.
“Jess.” Lisping, his voice deep and husky with passion, Shane opened his
eyes to her confused look. “You. Are. Breathtaking.” Her answering smile
made the statement all the more true. He held his hand out to her, all the
while wanting to sink into the haven she was presenting with every fiber of
his being, but instead he helped her off the bed. Uninhibited, lushly
beautiful, and confused, she stood before him. Holding her hand, he began
to drop to one knee but was impeded by his erection against his jeans. He
quickly removed his boots, socks, and jeans.
Jess giggled at him. “Did you get high-centered?”
He grinned at her, finally fully undressed. This time he took both of her
hands in his and went to one knee. Jess instantly sobered, finally realizing
what he was about to do.
“Jess Reed, you are my bloodmate. Will you share the bond with me?
Will you marry me, be my mate and my wife?” He held his breath for her
answer. It wasn’t the most romantic proposal, he was sure, but he was
grateful he could speak at all.
Her eyes filled with hope and yearning, she knelt down with him, taking
his face in her hands. “Shane,” she began. Then the green of her eyes
swallowed up the gold and she looked away, distracted. “Did you hear
that?”
Shane pushed into the new one-sided bond he had with Jess. The first
impression he received was of Jess’s newly acknowledged love for him. His
chest constricted with elation. Then he heard, “Jess … help us,” in the voice
of a young girl.
“I hear her, Beauty.” Reaching up, he took her hands from his face and
held them both in front of him.
“Who are you? How are you calling me?” Jess sent in reply to the girl.
“Who is she, Shane?”
Shane shook his head, brows furrowed. “I’m not sure.” He could feel
Jess’s tension level rising through her blood in his veins. Whoever was
talking to her must be doing so through a blood bond. Jess put her hand to
his chest, using the feel of his heartbeat as a center, to get her bearings.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never heard her before. She’s scared. I can feel her
fear.” Her eyes sought answers from Shane that he didn’t have. “How can I
help her? What do I do?”
“We’ll help her somehow,” Shane assured her.
“I’m Jorie. Mom’s in trouble. Please come. Please.” The voice drifted off
into crying.
 Chapter Fourteen
Jorie ported out of Moira’s arms, leaving her feeling empty. Locking the
steel door of her office, she checked to make sure her computer system was
self-deleting everything. The door wouldn’t stop them; it might slow them
down. They would be disinclined to port into a room they had never seen
before, forcing them to manually break through the lock. That would give
her computer the time it needed to destroy itself and all the data.
Hearing noise from downstairs, she prayed Jorie was safe. She mentally
calculated the bloodstock she had accumulated for Jorie’s personal
consumption. She was confident Jorie wouldn’t need fresh blood for at least
three weeks. Moira injected a substance that theoretically should make her
blood toxic to Elven while keeping her iron under control at the same time.
Then she sat back at her desk, taking the few minutes she had left to replay
in forward motion the final moments she’d seen on Jess’s camera.
Sure enough, a beautiful Elven male came running out, carrying a limp
Jess in his arms. Blood was pouring from her nose and mouth. The male
stopped just outside the door, looking right then left, and then he lifted
Jess’s upper body, making her head fall into his shoulder, exposing her
neck. She saw the flash of dentes and paused the video to study his
expression. The male looked scared. Fates, he looked like he was desperate
to save Jess. Could the male actually care for Jess? She played the video
forward again. His head dropped into the curve of Jess’s neck, then both of
them were gone. She stopped the video and deleted it. She’d be damned if
they found evidence of her niece.
BANG. BANG. BANG. The door flew open as her computer screens
started rolling “communication error” top to bottom. The data would be
unrecoverable; Napoleon had the only backup. She smiled, knowing the
same error would be showing at every point of her network. The warning
would be heeded all over the globe. Only Sara’s and Napoleon’s would be
giving additional information. They would hate what was about to happen,
though they would respect her wishes.
“This is how you knock?” Rising, she put her hands on her hips as she
watched the two males, one Elven and one Hulven, walk in and check the
room over.
 “Excuse me, does the term ‘impolite’ mean anything to you? You broke
my door.” They never acknowledged her, just completed their search of the
room, then took up posts on either side of the door. Two more males were
outside in the same position, while another stood at the top of the stairs.
The female from the screen headed toward her. Sofia was Hulven.
Walking into the room, she turned to the Hulven male inside the door. “Did
she pull a weapon?” He shook his head. “We need to check her anyway.”
He nodded.
“Are they mute?” Moira asked, indicating the men at the door. Sofia
looked over with a small smile. A dimple on her jaw line gave her face new
character.
Sofia stepped in front of Moira. “You’re not mute, are you, Sam?” The
woman addressed the Hulven male at the door, who moved to follow her.
Moira had helped a few Hulven males over the years, but this was the first
one she’d ever seen in person. He was larger than his Elven counterpart.
Loudly clearing his voice, he answered, “No ma’am, not mute.” His
voice was so deep it almost sounded like a growl. Moira took a step back in
surprise. Sam smiled at her, showing canyon deep dimples. A friendly
sparkle lit his eyes.
“Do you have a weapon on you?” Sofia gave Moira a sideways glance,
her visual inspection taking in the drawstring sweats, tee, and bare feet. “I
would think not.” Lightly she patted Sam on the shoulder. “I think we’re
good here.” Sam immediately stepped back to the side of the door, ignoring
the smirk the Elven on the opposite side gave him.
“Is your name really Sofia?” Moira asked.
“Yes. It is believed you are the Elusive.” Sofia turned to face the white
board, running her fingers through Jorie’s drawing. “Did you know that?”
“Never heard that reference before.” Moira deflected the pseudonym her
network had been given by the rogues.
“What is your name then?” Sofia seemed oblivious to the schematics she
was destroying.
Her first thought was to lie, but without knowing Sofia’s psychic ability,
she thought better of it. “Moira.” She glanced from Sofia to Sam and back
again.
Lifting her face and shivering slightly, Sofia looked back to her. “Well,
Moira, Elusive, whatever your name is. Mr. Mason has just arrived, so we
shall know your secrets soon enough.” Just then a male appeared directly in
front of Sofia, facing her, intimately. He lifted Sofia’s chin. Her boring
brown eyes looked back at the male blankly, and the new addition eerily
smiled before turning to look at Moira over his shoulder.
He spoke softly to Sofia. “She has human energy.”
“Yes, sir. I noticed that as well, sir,” Sofia responded without any
emotion.
“You’re sure this is the one,” he asked, seeming less than convinced.
“It’s certainly possible. Her mind is not psychic. It is, however, gifted and
complex.” Moira could guess what Sofia’s talent was. She was an aura
reader.
The male turned back to face Sofia again. “We shall see.” He leaned in,
nipping Sofia’s lip with his dente and licking the resulting drop of blood
before returning his attention to Moira.
Sitting on the edge of her desk, putting them at eye level, he studied her.
“You look nearly the same as you did fifteen years ago. You made me think
you took your life that day. I nearly had you and your underground network.
You must have masked your energy to appear dead. Either that or you are
the first Hulven able to go dormant?”
Oh shit, he thought she was Marja. Wait … “took her life”? What did he
just say?
The male peered closer at her, and Moira’s skin crawled under his
scrutiny. “Is that some special talent you have? The ability to mask your
energy?” Reaching out, he ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Your energy
reads human. No psychic enlightenment. How is that possible?”
Moira glanced up at the painting, cringing when he followed her line of
sight. Standing, he turned to take a better look. “Well. Now that is
interesting.” He grinned maliciously back at her. “Was I right about your
energy? Or was it your sister that I watched slit her own throat the second I
appeared? Did she do it to protect you?” Unwanted tears sprung to Moira’s
eyes. She’d always thought Marja was murdered. To find out she took her
own life …
Grabbing one of the computer monitors from the desk, Moira turned and
sent it crashing through the window behind her. She dashed at the gaping
hole left behind and jumped toward the ground below, where she saw two
more Elven coming across the yard toward her. Before her feet even
reached the ground, Mason had her against his chest, suspended in his arms.
His wings gave one powerful flap and she was back in her office. He
released her onto her feet, his wings tucking away instantly.
“You son of a bitch.” She turned and pushed against his chest with all her
strength, catching him off balance. He almost went back through the
window, but disappointment filled her when he caught the sill. He shook his
head at Sofia when she attempted to come to his aide.
Chuckling, he crossed his arms across his chest. “Not human after all.”
He noticed the continuous stream of “communication error” scroll across
the remaining screens. “Son of a bitch indeed.” His smug grin faltered.
“You are a worthy advisory. Even more than your symbiotic preaching
family.” His deviant grin returned. “Do they know you run an underground
network?”
“I don’t know who you are talking about. I have no family.” Moira
responded through gritted teeth. “You killed my only family.” She hated the
male with a passion she didn’t even know she possessed.
“Not true, she killed herself. A true anemic, she bled out fast.” He recited
it like she was a dense child, further enraging her. “I mean your Elven
family. Look at you. There can be no doubt to whose bloodline you belong.
I knew it fifteen years ago. I originally thought it was an SOSC trap for
me.”
“Mason!” Sofia shouted, rushing over to them as the two men at the door
turned to face the two men outside the door, who were engaged in a fight
with several people.
“I believe your cavalry has arrived.” He pulled Moira against his chest,
facing him. For just a second she could have sworn it was Marja fighting
the males at the door. When she saw a male who could have been her twin,
she immediately knew. It was Enlil and Ninlil, the fierce warrior twins she
read so much about in Etana’s diaries. Her great-grandfather and aunt were
fighting for her.
Her line of sight was interrupted as grabbed Sofia pulling the female
against Moira’s back. Moira cried out when Mason sunk his dentes into her
neck. She felt a single draw off her artery before he disengaged from her.
Muttering a curse, he leaned over further and sank his dentes into Sofia.
Moira let out a cleansing breath. Time to put decades of planning into
action and light a fire under the SOSCs proverbial asses. I’m ready, she
thought. She felt as if her eardrums were going to explode. Vomiting
violently at the sudden vertigo, she slipped into embracing darkness.
 Chapter Fifteen
“Jess, help us, please.” Jess’s gut clenched from the fear she could hear
in the girl’s voice. She didn’t know what was going on or understand how
the girl was communicating with her, she only knew she was being asked
for help. The call of the child filled her with unexplainable urgency. She
distractedly pulled on her t-shirt and boy shorts. Shane followed her lead,
redressing, watching her cautiously.
“Who could be talking to me like this, Shane?” she asked again. “She’s
so young, calling herself Jorie. She’s crying, begging.” Jess’s voice cracked.
“I’ve never heard of a Volaticus named Jorie. Could she have taken your
blood?” Shane asked. Jess shook her head. “Then it must be a relative’s
bond, a close one at that. Could you have a sister you don’t know about?”
Again Jess shook her head. “She says her mom’s in trouble. My mother is
dead. She sounds really young. There is no way my mother could have had
a child this young.”
The second she completed the sentence she realized the stupidity of what
she had just said. Who knew how old the child calling her was, if she was
Elven?
“Let’s go ask Gil.” Shane grabbed her GI from where it had been placed
on the dresser and handed it to her. Dressed, they headed side-by-side back
down the stairs.
“Jess, hurry. I think they’re gonna steal her, maybe even kill her.” The
young girl’s voice came again, crying harder than before. “She told me to
hide, but I can fight. I practice all the time.”
“You should listen to your mother, Jorie. Your mother would want you to
stay safe.” Jess told her. “I want to help you, but you have to tell me what’s
going on. How we are connected? Who is your mother? Help me help you.”
Hurrying toward the sound of voices, they found the others gathered
around a casual breakfast nook tucked against an enormous window,
overlooking a long expanse of groomed yards. It looked like a series of
sports fields with complicated obstacle courses extending farther than any
golf course she had ever seen. She could see a small group of individuals
flying at each other at tremendous speeds, battling using their wing fingers.
 Shane and the others followed her line of sight. “She’s never seen us fly,”
Shane told the others.
“You’ll be able to yourself soon enough.”
Jess turned and saw a person she had yet to meet. I’m going to have
wings? Not possible. This guy must think I’m Elven. “What are you talking
about?” Jess snapped.
“When you Become.” The stranger shrugged. “Ediku, she is new to us,”
Nin said. “Forty-eight hours ago, she didn’t know we existed. You may
want to balance on eggshell somewhat. Shane is newly bloodmated to Jess,
so he’s a little feral right now.”
Looking at Shane and Jess incredulously, the stranger mumbled, “Damn.
Sorry ’bout that.”
“My mom is your Aunt Moira. Please hurry.” Jorie was nearing hysterics.
“Moira.” Jess whispered, turning to Shane “It’s Moira in danger. Jorie is
her daughter. We have to go to her, right now.”
“You’re the only one with a bond to her, Beauty. Once you’re there, I
could follow you, bringing the others. It’s never safe to port to an unknown
location, or we could go as a group if we had a geographical location. Does
Jorie know where she is?” She knew Shane was monitoring the
conversation through her, and he too could hear the desperation in the
child’s voice. The others were nodding, ready to go, including the stranger.
All they’d heard to this point was that Moira was in danger. She felt an
overwhelming sense of relief and belonging
“Jorie, can you tell me exactly where you and Aunt Moira actually live?”
Jess asked.
“But you know how to get here. Why aren’t you coming?” Scared and
crying, Jorie was almost impossible to understand.
“I am coming, sweetie. I want to bring some people to help. I have to tell
them how to find us too. Won’t it be better to have more help?”
“Yeah, I guess. Mom doesn’t let strangers here. She told me to reach out
to you if something ever happened to her.” Jorie hesitated
“If you think that alone I can save both you and Aunt Moira, I will come
alone, right now. Say the word.” Jess could almost feel the girl physically
shake, she was clinging so tightly to the mental connection between them.
“No! You’re right. There are so many of them.” A clearer assessment of
the danger Jorie was in was revealed by the short comment. “I’ll try. I have
never done this before. A window just broke upstairs.” The sound had
startled her. “Hurrrryyy!” She sobbed harder.
A detailed image of Italy popped into Jess’s mind, narrowing like a
beacon from Google Earth to a small coastal town, then tighter to a farm,
then a house, and finally to the very room she had returned to over and over
in her life. She stumbled with a momentary vertigo, and Shane reached out
to stabilize her.
“Drop your shield, Beauty, so we can all access the information in your
mind,” Shane instructed. Jess dropped her shields, and her mind was
bombarded with the subliminal ability to port. She could tell the trigger
came from Enlil. It happened like Shane and her mental shield; one minute
she didn’t know how, and the next it was as natural as breathing.
She felt the sensation of running through a moving tunnel at the carnival.
Dizzy. Spinning. Shane’s comforting presence in her mind kept her calm.
“We’re here. Raise your shields, my love.” My love! Did he really just say
that?
Opening her eyes, she found herself standing in Moira’s living room. The
pink floral chaise in the cream room sat empty. Her family began to spread
out. She heard her aunt cry out from another room, but before she could run
in that direction, a closet door opened and a young girl ran out, throwing
herself into Jess’s arms.
“Thank the Fates you’re here. I knew you’d come.” She was about the
same height as Jess. The girl was clearly about twelve or thirteen with curly
brown hair and fear-filled, saucer-sized, pale-blue eyes. Her voice identified
her: This was Jorie.
Shane, the last person in the room with her and the child, looked back at
her. “Go,” she said, guiding the terrified child toward another door she
hoped led outside. “We’ll be right out here.” Shane nodded and ran after the
others.
She could hear fighting from further in the house begin. Turning the
knob, she stepped into the warm, early-morning sunlight. When they’d
poofed from Gil’s, it had been dusk. Shit. She realized that she had no idea
where on the globe she had just been. She wasn’t even sure she could get
the child out of here by porting.
“Jorie,” she said. The girl just shivered harder. “Jorie!” She shook the girl
softly to get her attention. “Can you port?” she said, using her sensei voice.
 “A-a l-l-little. Mom says I don’t have the focus yet to travel far. I can get
around the f-f-farm.”
“Okay.” Jess watched two men headed in their direction. Both males
were removing their shirts. “I want you to think of the best hiding spot you
ever found that was outside.” Her tone demanded the respect she naturally
commanded in the Ryu.
Responding to the tone, Jorie lifted her chin in determination and nodded.
“Can you port there from here?” Jorie nodded again. “Good, go now. Don’t
come out unless someone calls to you using the word … peaches. Not even
me or your mom, got it?” Nodding again, Jorie shimmered and vanished
less than a second before one of the males reached for her. The overzealous
male had flown at them the moment his shirt was off, barely missing the
child.
Jess felt a calm focus come over her. She caught the male’s outstretched
arm, pressed her thumb into the joint at the back of the wrist, and used his
attacking forward momentum to propel his flight past her and into the side
of the door she’d just exited. Stunned, he hit the ground at her feet, and she
kicked him behind the ear, rendering him unconscious. The same blow
would have killed a human. Would it kill an Elven?
Seeing his partner go down, the other grinned and came toward her at a
sauntering pace. He was by far the more dangerous of the two. The first guy
had been a sacrificial lamb who enabled the better soldier the opportunity to
determine her weakness. Though cunning, her quick dispatch of the first
could have only made him cautious; it was too rapid to give him a gauge of
her talent. His grin indicated he was looking forward to the challenge.
Circling away from the house, she gained a moment to observe the way
he moved a little longer. She returned his grin with a challenging one of her
own and the male came to a stop, barking out a laugh at her audacity. He
told her all she needed to know to win this fight against him.
Relaxing her stance, cocking her hip and putting her hand on it, Jess
reached up to twirl a lock of her hair around the finger of her other hand.
“Whew … for a minute I thought you were going to charge at me like that
goliath.” She used her chin to indicate his partner. The male still hadn’t
moved. “All I had to do was step out of his way and he cold-cocked
himself.” She chuckled.
“Are you the Elusive?” He strode toward her again.
 “Elusive?” She licked her lips suggestively. “Why would I want to be
that? Have you looked in a mirror?”
Giving a slight subconscious shake of his perfectly wavy hair he gave her
a slow, sexy smile. “Like what you see?” She nodded, licking her lips again.
“Want to see more?” Again she nodded, flicking her head to indicate the
empty shed standing open further away from the house. He raised his hand
in the direction of the shed with a classic “after you” bow of his head, and
his wings disappeared into his back.
As she passed where he stood, the male fell in line to walk behind her.
Jess feigned a trip, and super-stud reached out to catch her. Jess used the
distraction to drop into a low spin-kick, plowing the heel of her foot into his
kneecap. Lightening fast, the male caught her ankle. Jess braced for the
impact and landed hard on her shoulder. Gritting her teeth against the pain,
she got some satisfaction when super stud timbered over like a sawed off
tree, his knee giving out. Still holding the element of surprise, she dove at
him rather than trying to get away, bringing her elbow down across the
bridge of his nose. The bones crunched and he released her foot. His fist
caught her squarely in her jaw, blurring her vision.
The bastard was fast, she’d give him that, and he hit hard. Her mind
raced to formulate a new strategy. Predictable super-stud used his advantage
to roll her on her back and straddle her, probably still thinking with his
overblown ego, or his dick. Moaning, Jess rolled limply, allowing him to
straddle her ribcage with her arms pinned to her sides. She waited till he
swung his arm back in the beginning of a slapping motion.
Lurching her lower body upward, using her heels in the dirt for leverage,
she pushed her pinned arms outward against the stud’s thighs. Super-stud
plunged forward, his hands catching his weight in the dirt above her head.
The crotch of his jeans was suspended directly above her. Rising up, she bit,
clamped down onto the tender flesh of his testicles. Super-stud let out a
long, drawn-out, high-pitched scream. He tried to lift off her clamped jaw,
but she gave him another grind of her teeth, forcing him to drop his weight
back onto his hands above her head or surrender his balls altogether.
Jess raised her legs, balanced on her upper back and shoulders, locking
her feet at the male’s armpits. She ground her teeth one last time, and
Super-stud let loose another scream. Releasing her jaw, she used all her leg
strength to propel him backward to the hard ground, his body weight aiding
her. Halfway down, her arms were freed from beneath him. She open-palm
punched his already wounded manhood an instant before his head made
contact with an exploding melon sound.
Kicking free of his limp form, Jess stood, leaning forward with her hands
on her knees. The propulsion she put into slamming Super-stud to the
ground had knocked the wind out of her, and her jaw throbbed. She spit out
the blood that had pooled in her mouth. A shadow passed over her and she
looked up, steeling herself for the next attack. Instead of an enemy hovering
over her, she was greeted with a worried look on Shane’s face. Next to him
Gil hovered, sporting an enormous shit-eating grin.
“He’s lucky you ain’t got dentes yet.” Pointing the index fingers of both
hands at her, Gil exclaimed, “Lil Jess. You. Are. The. Shit!”
She couldn’t look away from Shane floating within a few feet over her
head. A quick flap of his wings sent him soaring a few feet higher, then he
gently floated downward again. Adrenaline and desire raced through her
bloodstream. His powerful chest made her mouth water. Jess’s breath
caught in her throat.
Shane landed beside her and pulled her to his chest. “Are you all right?”
he whispered in her ear, spoken low enough not to compromise her hard-
won pride. She nodded against him. Her nipples ached against his powerful
body. “Aw, Jess.” His voice turned husky, quickly responding to her desire,
and she wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging his unresisting head
down into her kiss. Jess poured her pent-up passion and adrenaline into the
only thing she could at the moment. She kissed him with everything inside
of her, tangling her tongue against his, her hands exploring his neck,
shoulders, upper back, and wing attachment. She didn’t even notice they
had left the ground.
Breaking the kiss, they looked into each other’s eyes. Shane placed his
forehead against hers, struggling to catch his breath, letting out a deep,
growled sigh. “To be continued?” His eyes smoldered into hers.
Jess gave him a sexy grin. ”Absolutely.” She felt her toes touch down and
realized Shane had lifted and pivoted them, utilizing his wings to give them
some privacy. “You are so sexy when you fly.”
“Yeah?” He winked. “You’re sexy when you fight. Wanna spar later?” he
teased.
 “Like living dangerously, do you?” She rubbed her tongue across her
teeth daringly before stepping onto her tiptoes and licking across the front
of his clenched dentes with the tip of her tongue. She sucked his bottom lip
into her mouth, grinning when he groaned.
“You are dangerous,” he whispered, bringing his hand up to capture her
behind her head, crushing his lips into hers, a quick punishing kiss, before
firmly setting her away from him. “We should be helping with clean up,” he
stated, looking like that was the last thing he really wanted to do. Becoming
aware of her surroundings, she felt her blush rising and bit her bottom lip.
Shane chuckled. “I’m sure they understand,” he whispered.
Across the yard, she saw Nin, Enlil, Sargon, and the other male, Ediku.
Sargon tossed the knocked-out wall slammer into a group of additional men
and a few women in similar states. Gil was dragging Super-stud face down
by his feet toward the growing number, zigzagging to ensure that Stud’s
nuts continued to take a beating against whatever plant or rock poked out of
the ground along the way. Several more people appeared. Under Gil’s
direction, they had more than a dozen men and women contained by
chaining them together to prevent them from porting.
“Where is Moira?” Jess asked, approaching the others.
Nin stepped up to her, placing her hand on Jess’s shoulder, and Jess felt a
soft hum from the point of contact. Nin had also removed her shirt. Her
chest was covered by a triangle-shaped halter tied behind her neck and her
lower back, leaving her wing flaps free from encumbrance. The few female
captives wore similar tops.
“We missed her.” Nin’s concern was genuine. “We know who took her;
his name is Fualth. He couldn’t port with Moira’s blood. I don’t think she’s
psychic. He had to tap into an iron-rich Hulven who was with him to port.”
She was contemplative for a few moments before continuing. “He is going
by the name James Dalton Mason. Sargon has an informant in Fualth’s
organization. We’ll get her back.”
Enlil joined them, placing his hand on her other shoulder, and the hum
became a soft vibration. “Do you know where Jorie went?” he asked.
“No. I told her to hide, but I know how to call her,” Jess replied. Some of
the prisoners were waking up, and Jess didn’t want Jorie anywhere near
them.
 Ediku joined them, placing his hand on Enlil’s shoulder. Though the
resemblance was subtler than hers to Enlil, seeing the two of them together
left little doubt. Ediku eyes were a crystal shade of blue with star patterns a
shade darker surrounding the pupil. Not as pale blue as Jorie’s, but just as
pure a color. His hair was a dark, sandy blonde. Lifting one of her hands,
she compared it to the one he had placed on Enlil’s shoulder. Was he her
father?
The vibration got stronger. Sargon placed his hand on Nin’s shoulder, and
Gil put his hands on both Nin and Sargon. She felt like she was standing on
a jackhammer. Shane stood off to the side, watching. “Git in here. She may
not carry yerr blood, my friend, but ya sure as hell carry ours,” Gil said.
Shane stepped up and placed one hand on Ediku and one on Gil’s shoulder.
Jess thought her teeth were going to rattle out of her head. Meeting her
eyes, Shane smiled gently at her.
Nin’s voice was more soothing than Jess had heard it before. “I want you
to call to Jorie, Jess. Tell her to stay where she is. Let her know we are
coming to her. Then I want you to call to your bond you feel with her. Go to
her the way you went to Shane earlier.”
“But I drained energy off you before.” Jess protested. “Besides, the
connection with Jorie feels … different. Weaker. I’m not sure I can.”
Nin chuckled softly. “That is why we are connecting. You won’t drain us.
You can’t take what we are giving freely to you; this is one of the powers of
family blood. A direct bloodline once physically connected can be used to
increase the psychic energy of the whole group or an individual. It only
lasts for a short period, but once she is with us, Jorie will increase our
energy too,” Nin reassured Jess. “Call to her.”
Closing her eyes, Jess reached to Jorie. “Peaches, stay where you are, we
are coming to you. Don’t be afraid, okay?”
She heard a sniffle then a soft, “You said peaches, right?” She felt a
prickling under her skin like mini electrical shocks, then the spinning tunnel
sensation again, and Jorie was standing directly in front of her. Instinctively
Jess placed both of her hands on Jorie’s shoulders. They were inside a grain
elevator.
Jorie looked over her shoulder from one face to another. She hesitated at
Nin, her eyes narrowing before moving on. “Where’s my mom?” Meeting
Jess’s gaze, accusation in her voice, Jorie tried to pull back only to find she
was firmly held by Jess’s hands on her shoulders and the power of the
cumulative energy of the family.
“They took her, Jorie,” Jess told her bluntly, wanting her to understand
the importance of the next few minutes. “They took her, and these people
here are her only hope of being rescued.” Frustrated when Jorie began to
shake her head, Jess said, “Listen to me.” Rapidly breathing, Jorie
continued to shake her head, her eyes glazing over. The power of the family
bond was the only thing keeping the girl from fighting or possibly falling.
Nin spoke from behind Jorie. “Jorie, when did you last feed?”
Nearly hyperventilating, her teeth chattering, Jorie looked at Nin. “L-last
n-night, d-dinner.” Looking from Jess to Nin, the child was terrified. “W-
what’s h-happeenning t-to m-me?” Her dentes slid into view.
Nin smiled sweetly. “You’re just under stress, honey. It’s going to be
okay. Your body has used more iron than normal.”
Ninli’s voice rose in Jess’s mind. “Shanley, break off and go stand behind
your mate. Sargon, Ediku, Gilgamesh, step out and make sure this location
is secure and guarded. Jess, pull her into a hug as soon as the boys are
out.” How was she talking to all of them? “We’re going to help you, Jorie,”
Ninlil continued to reassure the frightened child while directing her aid
telepathically.
Feeling the heat of Shane’s body behind her, Jess let go of Jorie’s
shoulder, pulling the collapsing child into her arms while she fell back into
Shane. He caught both her and Jorie’s weight, gently easing himself and
them into a sitting position
Jess settled between Shane’s legs, sitting cross-legged. Jorie sat in the
crook of Jess’s legs, shivering uncontrollably. Her expression was one of
agony rather than terror. Jess hugged her head to her breast. A painful moan
emitted from between Jorie’s chattering teeth. Though Enlil and Nin had
crouched, they’d retained contact on both of Jess’s shoulders.
“Good. That’s good.” Nin placed her free hand on Jorie’s shoulder and
her face took on a pained expression. Jess watched in awe as Nin alleviated
some of the child’s burden. Jorie let out a deep sigh from the partial relief.
Some of the pain-induced glaze in her eyes clearing. Jess rubbed the mass
of silky curls, whispering encouragements to the girl.
Sargon returned, his concern evident, from what Shane had told her
Sargon must feel Nin’s pain, too. He lent his energy to the mix by taking his
mates shoulders “All clear out there,” he whispered into the fray. “We are
about two hundred yards away from the main house. There are easily fifty
warriors on premise. Gil is getting the farm secured. Suena and Lugal just
arrived with a few energy weavers. One of the SOSC’s informants is among
the soldiers we just captured. He is in communication with the other who is
with Moira. For now Moira is fine. The other informant will let us know if
that changes.” He reached out with his free hand, tenderly tucking a curl
behind Jorie’s ear. Jess’s appreciation grew for the gentle giant.
Nin looked at her mate intently. He gave a subtle nod, kissed Nin on the
forehead, and headed off to do whatever she had privately instructed him.
Enlil replaced Sargon’s hand on Nin’s shoulder with his own. She shrugged
him off, scowling over at her brother. “You carry enough,” she snapped at
him.
“Jorie, did you hear that sweetie? Your mother is okay.” Jorie turned her
glazed eyes toward the sound of Nin’s voice. “Have you ever drunk from
the vein?” A slight shake of her head nearly lost in the tremors going
through her body.
“Jess.” Jess looked up to meet Nin’s gaze. “Any of us can give her blood,
but you are the only one iron-rich. Yours can heal her fastest. Are you
willing … ”
“Yes, yes of course.” Jess answered immediately, before the complete
question was issued.
“It has risks. She’s never used her dentes. She could sever the vein or hit
a nerve,” Nin began.
“Whatever the risk, the answer is YES.” Jess cut her off again, not
wanting to waste any further time before helping Jorie
“I get you are willing, Jess, no matter what. Understand I will not throw
you in blind, no matter how much you are willing to go.” Jess watched Enlil
and Nin share a secret sad smile.
Realizing she was being chastised, Jess surrendered. “Okay, fine. What
else?”
“Tapping into the vein of a person with psychic energy is not the same as
a regular human, nor is it the same as drinking it once it is removed from
the source. Neither of you have any training on the combining of energy you
are about to feel. The psychic energy she will receive from you will go
toward aiding in her recovery. You, on the other hand, have no outlet for the
bombarding you are about to feel. I am inclined to think, due to your talent,
that you may actually start to draw additional energies to you, possibly
compounding the situation.” She looked to Enlil who nodded in agreement.
“En is going to draw it away from the two of you and redirect it
somewhat.”
“A storm, right?” Jess addressed Enlil.
“If necessary, yes,” Enlil answered. “If it becomes more than I can
contain. Do you think you can re-direct it into the atmosphere yourself?”
“I’ve often tried to focus on storms when I’ve felt psychic overload. It
always seemed to help. I even thought I had created the storms. Then I
would think I was crazy. I wasn’t, was I? Crazy, I mean.”
“Not crazy at all. You are right. You and I, we siphon energy, not a
common talent. It takes practice to control. Focus on sending excess energy
into the water molecules themselves. Creating a storm releases far more
energy than expanding on an already existing one.” Enlil smiling at her
with pride and acceptance filled her with a sense of belonging.
“Shanley, when I say, you must puncture Jess’s vein for Jorie.” Jess
snapped her arm up to his face, nearly socking him in the jaw. Grasping it,
he caressed the backside of her wrist, attentively listening to Nin’s
instruction.
“Jorie’s lips and mouth will be too dry to make a proper seal on the flesh.
You must make sure the skin of her wrist is moist enough for the child to
seal against before presenting the vein. If not, you will need to re-moisten
the skin and make sure the vein stays flowing, until she can. Do you
understand?” Shane nodded, placing a loving kiss to Jess’s temple. “Try to
make sure that Jorie’s dentes do Jess no damage. Monitor their placement
and depth the best you can.”
Nin began instructed Jorie. “When Jess’s vein is presented, I want you to
try to attach to it with suction, constant suction. You have to breath through
your nose. Don’t bite down. If you bite Jess, you could harm her. We’re
going to roll your head back now. It may hurt to be moved. You ready?”
Jorie shivered and gave Nin a hard blink to show she’d heard.
Nin nodded to her brother. Enlil guided Jorie’s head from Jess’s breast,
her neck in the crook of Jess’s arm and the back of her head cradled in
Enlil’s hand. Jess could see that Jorie was trying to be strong. A soft cry
slipped passed Jorie’s lips, tearing at Jess’s heart. Face up, panting through
the pain, her cheeks were sunken in and her lips were so dry they were
sticking to her dentes. Jess licked her thumb, using it to wet the girl’s lips.
Enlil nodded his approval.
****
Shane held out his hand to Jess, swallowing hard as she trustingly laid
her delicate wrist into his keeping. Jess met his gaze, her chin lifted, her
inner strength shining brightly at him through the most beautiful shade of
emerald green he’d ever seen. Her gaze shifted to his sanguindentes when
they began to slide into his mouth.
Shane mouthed the words, “I love you.” Her eyes snapped back to his
and he heard her swift intake of breath, then a soft sigh. His dentes sank
into the tender flesh, filling his mouth with the sweet flavor of Jess.
“Think of Jorie, Shanley.” Nin’s voice brought Shane back instantly to
the task at hand.
Using the blood already released to moisten the area around the twin
punctures, Shane encircled Jess’s arm just below the elbow with his fingers,
squeezing gently to slow the flow of blood as he retracted his dente’s,
careful to not seal the holes in the process.
Holding Jess’s wrist just above Jorie’s partially open mouth, Shane eased
the pressure of his fingers at Jess’s elbow. A few precious drops of blood
slid into Jorie’s mouth. “Use the drops to wet your mouth, Jorie,” Nin
instructed, realizing what Shane was trying to encourage.
Shane watched as Jorie closed her mouth the best she could with her
dentes impeding her. Shane released the pressure again when Jorie opened
her mouth for more. This repeated several more times until Nin thought
Jorie was ready.
Jess let out a hiss as Jorie’s dentes, too small to line up perfectly with
Shane’s, widened the pre-tapped holes. Releasing his grip completely from
Jess’s elbow, hoping Jess was safe, Shane watched her blood filling the
child’s mouth.
Jorie began to choke. Shane cringed when Jess gritted her teeth against
the tearing it caused. He could hear her breathing through the pain. In. Out.
In. Out. She gave him a small smile. “I’m okay.”
Nin’s voice was both soothing and demanding. “Swallow, Jorie. Latch
on. Try to breath through your nose. Now. Try.” Jorie struggled under the
flow of blood into her mouth but finally managed to swallow shallowly.
“Come on. That’s our girl.”
Jorie latched on to Jess’s wrist, and Shane let out a sigh of relief.
Prematurely it turned out. Through his bond to Jess he felt a crackling
sensation come over her skin. Her stomach cramped up, and her head felt as
if would explode. Jess’s pain was excruciating. She bore it without a sound
other than her rhythmic breathing. Shane shared in the images Jess began to
see of Jorie’s life. He could see images of Jess during her early teens,
images that had been seen through Jorie’s eyes while she watched Jess’s
visits from the closet.
He could feel the sensation of Jess’s skin being removed by sandpaper,
hating that the cause was psychic. If it had been physical he could have
alleviated some of Jess’s pain the same way Nin had done. In this he was
completely helpless. Jess began to rock with the child.
Suddenly he heard the loud crack of thunder overhead, its power shaking
the grain elevator around them. Jess’s head snapped up at the sound, and
both her eyes and Enlil’s glowed. She followed Enlil’s lead, sending the
pressure into the atmosphere. He felt her relief instantly. Shane was grateful
to Enlil in a way he’d never felt for another.
“She’s coming around.” Shane observed that Jorie’s coloring was pink
and healthy, her eyes clear and bright. The girl looked up at Jess with hero
worship. Jorie was no longer drawing from Jess’s vein, simply swallowing
what dripped into her mouth.
Nin took charge again. “Jorie.” The girl’s eye’s shifted over to look at
Nin. “Do you want Shane to help you disengage?” It was endearing how
concerned Jorie seemed about harming her cousin. She blinked hard in
response.
Once again tightening his fingers at Jess’s arm just below the elbow,
slowing the flow of blood, Shane rolled Jorie’s upper lip back, breaking the
seal at Jess’s wrist. Jess moved her wrist out of Jorie’s mouth, and Shane
brought her wrist up to his mouth. Jess flinched, anticipating the tearing
sensation, but Shane used his tongue, lapping over the punctures, to seal the
wounds with his saliva, mesmerized by the sight of Jess watching him.
Aware he should not be turned on by what he was doing, he was unable to
help himself. Judging from the heat in Jess’s eyes, he was not alone in the
moment.
 The intensity shattered when the entry was opened to reveal Gil standing
there.
 Chapter Sixteen
“The yard is clear, Mom. We’re ready ta get the, ahem, questionings
underway.” Gil addressed Enlil next. “Some of ’em are feisty, if ya feel up
ta drainin’ them off. Show ’em that lead and platinum ain’t the only things
that can contain ’em.”
En shook his head. “I’m going to need blood, which I doubt we are going
to find on this farm.”
“We have a couple of coolers full out there,” Gil told him over his
shoulder, supporting his weakened mother. “Wait till ya see this place, it’s
amazin.’” He reached over to offer Enlil a hand up as well. “Even a ready-
made, lead-lined prison. Well, more like a bunker, since it’s mostly buried,
but big enough ta fit all of ’em from the yard.”
“Did you notice the little pond beside it?” Jorie asked softly, no longer
lying across Jess’s lap. She was instead tucked against her hip on the grain-
covered ground, taking in the people around her with youthful curiosity. At
least there was no longer pain in her eyes. Jorie found strength and
confidence in Jess’s presence, but it never occurred to her that she was a
complete stranger to Jess.
Shane stood, reaching both hands out to aid Jess and Jorie in standing.
Jess took one and naturally tucked against his side, his arm coming around
her. Jorie hesitated and watched Jess’s comfort level with Shane before
taking his other hand.
Gil nodded. “Noticed it had a pipe that would fill the bunker with water
too. The bunker’s lined with thick sheets of lead. I gonna get the pond an’
the pipe.”
“You may want to steer clear of it.” Jorie tapped her fingers against her
chin nervously. “It’s a leech pond.”
Gil’s stared at the girl in stunned silence. No one else seemed capable of
speech either. “Yer sayin’ that bunker fills ta the knees with bloodsuckin’
leeches?” He clarified after clearing his throat. “It’s some kinda execution
chamber?”
Jorie shrugged in response to the bomb she’d just dropped, and Gil let
out a long whistle. “My mom is scary smart,” Jorie stated. “The guy who
took her …” She looked from face to face until reaching Nin and held her
gaze. “Did he bite her?”
“Yes. He withdrew after one swallow, probably because she didn’t give
him a psychic boost to port her with,” Nin explained. One by one they
exited the grain elevator to stand under the cloud-covered sky. The storm
had ceased, but it would take awhile for the remaining clouds to dissipate.
Jorie smiled mischievously. “That wasn’t why.” Putting one of her hands
in Jess’s and one in Nin’s, Jorie began to tow them toward the house,
leaving Shane, Gil and Enlil to bring up the rear. “She probably injected
herself. She wanted to test it. I told her I would try it, but of course she
wouldn’t let me.”
“What did she inject?” Jess asked
“It’s kinda like the drink you take, but lots stronger, with garlic and sulfur
added. Mom always makes sure we have some sulfur in our blood. One
time I tried mom’s blood with concentrated sulfur in it, bletch.” She
shuddered with the memory, sticking her tongue out and shaking her head.
“Tasted reaaallyy bad.”
Jess was charmed by her cousin’s animated behavior. The girl was
extremely intelligent. “You know what’s in the drink she gives me?” Jess
asked.
“Orange juice, almond milk, and lots of grape seeds.” Jorie giggled.
“Mom calls it CPT. Stupid name, I know. It’s just what it is.”
“I don’t understand,” Jess said.
Jorie stopped just outside the front door of the house before turning to
Jess. “Well, you have too much iron, like mom, so you need” —she ticked
off the items on her fingers— “calcium, phosphorus, and tannins. CPT, get
it? It keeps you from absorbing the iron from your food. She says you’ll
need to fix your diet and be bled, too, after you go through the change. For
now the drink helps you enough.” She shrugged, clapping her hands as she
added, “I figured out how to grow all three in a type of soil that enhances
those characteristics. Do you like plants, Jess?”
Jess was saved from having to admit she was a plant killer by Shane. “So
you’re saying that your mom may have given herself an injection of
calcium, phosphorus, tannins, and sulfur?” It was obvious he had never
heard of anything like that. She glanced around, seeing equally stupefied
expressions on the faces of the other three. “Your mom’s created an
execution chamber and an Elven repellent. Amazing.” Shane’s face was full
of wonder.
Jorie again tapped her fingers against her chin. “Well. She never tested it
’cept for the sulfur on me. Sulfur won’t hurt us, just tastes crappy. If her
invention works right, then mom’s blood is chuck-full of natural iron
blockers. That way whoever took her blood without her permission
wouldn’t be able to absorb the iron they would need to stay strong.” Fingers
to chin, tap tap tap. “Plus it will help mom not iron-poison for awhile, even
without being bled for a few weeks.” She looked pointedly at Shane. “Trust
me, my mom’s inventions always work.”
“Damn, Jorie.” Gil grinned. “Yer mom is scary smart.”
Jorie smiled from ear to ear. “I. Know. Right.” Reaching around, she
opened the door, bouncing into her home. The others were filing in behind
her. Jess was amazed at how quickly the girl had recovered.
Sargon ported in before them, pulling Nin into his arms. “The council has
approved a chortal location. It will not be made permanent without Moira’s
agreement. They gave us a seventy-two-hour pass. There is an orchard just
beyond the grain elevators, running the north end of the property, ending at
a natural rock formation located on a cliff path leading down into a small,
protected beach inlet. The Tellus are already in route to start the field, and
the Aquaties are working the tides and currents.”
“Are there any booby traps your mom placed there?” Nin asked Jorie.
Sargon raised his eyebrows in question.
Returning to the chin tapping, Jorie considered the question for a
moment, looking to the ceiling. “Hmmmm. Not that I know of. Not on the
beach, or the path he said. Farther down, by the dock, there is a cave in the
cliff face where mom has vampire bats. There’s netting inside the cave
entrance. It has a remote. Mom secures it when I want to go to the beach.
They’ve never bothered me, cuz of the sulfur, but Mom doesn’t like taking
chances that I could be hurt,” Jorie stated, oblivious to the stunned
amazement she created in the warriors around her with every disclosure she
made.
“Good Hell.” Sargon sucked in a breath. “We could have walked right
into that one.”
“I’ll make sure the netting’s secure.” Jorie danced off toward the stairs
leading up to her mother’s office.
 “Sargon, honey. You may want to warn everyone out there that nothing,
and I mean nothing, is as it seems. In fact, have the weavers finish securing
the overhead energy shield, then I think we need to halt everything. Tell
them to treat this place as hostile territory. Hopefully Moira will trust us
enough to let us help her, not that she needs it.” Sargon turned to follow her
directives. She stopped him with an afterthought. “Do not let anyone
consume anything found on the property.”
“I can’t wait to meet this woman,” Sargon tossed back to them, grinning
as he went out the door. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
 Chapter Seventeen
Ediku stood in Moira’s office, staring into the image of a woman he had
not seen or even thought of in centuries. Tears in his eyes, he cleaved the
four ancient books to his chest. Seeing his mother’s diaries again filled him
with renewed grief. In all the time he’d spent searching for them, it had
never occurred to him that sweet, quiet Marjorie took them. Looking into
the faces portrayed in the painting, it was obvious she had taken more than
the diaries from him. The twin girls were his daughters. There was no
question. They were little replicas of his Aunt Nin.
He had been surprised at Jess’s family resemblance. Enlil had accused
him of being Jess’s father. He’d denied it, knowing he hadn’t “indulged” in
sex in well over fifty years. No way could he have fathered a child who was
twenty-six years old. He was pissed they’d thought it of him, especially
considering Gil was the family’s resident playboy. The painting explained
much while creating a million questions too.
His anger level rose. Regardless of whether it was known that Moira was
Ediku’s daughter, there could be no question she was a member of his
family. That Fualth could take a woman against her will was, on its own, a
betrayal of Ediku’s friendship, loyalty, and trust. He’d always defended
Fualth’s right to his beliefs and practices. Stood up in defense of Fualth to
his family, never realizing his friend had gone criminally rogue. He’d
thought Fualth was living a separatist lifestyle, albeit somewhat cultist in
nature.
He had been so angry with Nin and Sargon when he’d overheard
Sargon’s frustration at being unable to infiltrate Fualth’s organization, on
order from the SOSC. He had railed at them about how hypocritical they
were, preaching about living symbiotically, not subjugating the other
species, denying their need for blood of the vein. Creating a worldwide
blood-donation corporation, using that front to hide their true natures.
Trying to aid humankind during their times of need, forcing the young to
pay a kind of penance called integration just because they needed human
blood to survive.
Not every Volaticus agreed with the Council’s initiatives. He’d thought
SOSC overbearing to think they had a right to infiltrate Fualth’s nest. Truth
was, part of his outrage had been in Fualth’s defense and part in his own. It
was well known that his father and aunt were disappointed in his
unwillingness to let go of the old ways in favor of this new phase in society,
this Symbiosis of Species Council. It wasn’t that he did or didn’t agree with
them or Fualth. He just disputed the idea that everyone needed to fit in a
nice little box of smiles and rainbows. He could see the benefits of working
with the other enlightened species. The chortals alone where invaluable, but
arbitrarily using the abilities of Volaticus species for the betterment of other
races and species seemed pretentious and wrong to him. If one of the other
species asked for help, he was all for giving it to them.
Really there was not much different now than there had always been.
Some Volaticus lived with humans equally, some were leaders, and some
avoided human contact. The other two enlightened species within the
council did not tell their people they had to live amongst humans for a
period of time.
He might have not agreed with Fualth’s militia-based, radical dictatorship
and predatory ways, or with keeping Elven and Hulven society separate
from humanity except as prey. Ediku had, however, argued Fualth’s right to
live that way, assuming Fualth didn’t kill humans and treated the planet and
the creatures on it with respect. Fualth had assured him he refrained from
creating terror within humanity, and that his Elven nests were kept hidden
from humans. That was what the rules had been for generations. Lies. He
had misjudged his former friend.
He’d just witnessed his daughter taken from her home against her will, a
practice never tolerated, even during the period when Humans and Elven
“owned” serfs. The Elven lords were known to be kinder than their human
counterparts. Serfs were required to take an oath of fealty to their lord for as
long as they took sustenance from the land, protection, or shelter from the
keeps. They were required to work for the benefit of the keep and land.
They could come and go at will, however. That was why Marjorie had gone
unfettered so long ago.
Looking around Moira’s grounds gave the impression that she lived in
seclusion and fear. That she was hunted. Was it by Fualth? He now hoped
that Sargon had succeeded in infiltrating Fualth’s organization. If his former
friend could violate Moira’s basic right to freedom, what else was he
capable of? What did Fualth want with Moira?
 His thoughts were cut off when Jorie came into the room, her wild curls
bouncing around her cherub face. Her little spirit brought a smile. Would
she let him know her? His granddaughter. He was surprised at how much he
wished to know her. “Hey. Jorie, right?”
She came to an abrupt stop upon seeing him. “Oh, hi. Sorry, I didn’t
know anyone was in here.” She tapped her fingers to her chin, eyes looking
left then right. He could tell she was uncomfortable with him in her
mother’s private space. “Jorie. Yeah. I’m Jorie.” Her eyes flashed at the
broken window. She walked over to it and looked down at the monitor
smashed on the ground below it, then turned back to him. “What are you
doing in here?” she finally asked, glancing from his face to the diaries
clutched against his chest.
Ediku indicated the painting. “Do you know who these people are?”
“Of course, duh.” Walking up to the painting, she clasped the frame with
one hand at the bottom left, her other hand on the right edge of the painting.
Ediku heard a click, and the frame swung away from the wall, showing a
control panel hidden behind it.
“I need to secure the bat cave.” She reached in and flipped a few switches
before swinging the painting back against the wall, where it clicked into
place. Bat cave? The girl must watch way too much TV. The panel was
impressive, however, and so was the securing mechanism.
Jorie walked over to the white board. Grabbing a marker, she re-drew the
lines of the diagram that had been wiped through. Impressed and amused,
he studied the drawing, seeing the benefits of the process immediately.
“Your great-grandmother, my mother, designed a gravity-fed, pressurized
watering system for farming twenty-five hundred years ago.” Jorie’s hand
stilled and she looked over at him suspiciously. “It’s here in her diaries.” He
tapped the books against his chest. “Have you read them?” he asked, trying
to appear casual.
Jorie nodded, setting the pen back into the tray and putting her arms out
for him to set the diaries into. As reluctant as he was to let them go, they
belonged to her, his granddaughter. Still trying to get used to using the term
for her, he set the volumes into her keeping.
“Mom is going to give them to Jess now and we have transcribed
copies.” She placed the ancient volumes gently back into the glass,
hermetically sealed cabinet where he had originally spotted them.
 “Do you recognize the people you’ve met today by their names from the
diary?” Swallowing hard, Jorie nodded at him. Fingers up. Tap tap tap on
the chin. “Do you know who I am?” he asked, reaching out to capture her
tapping hand in his.
“Umm.” Her eyes darted from side to side in discomfort. He released her
hand, and she clenched it into a fist at her side. He could tell she was
weighing whether or not she wanted to answer.
“No one has said your name or anything. I think you are G-G-ma Etana’s
son, Ediku. If you are, then that would make you my grandfather.” Her
blurted acknowledgment made him smile.
“You’re right.” He already felt his pride in her swelling. “I am your
grandfather. My name is Ediku.” He looked back to the painting. “I never
knew she was pregnant. I never saw the Heredity line on her palm.” He felt
as if he needed to explain, more to her mother than to Jorie. He wished
Moira were here. Sighing, he wondered aloud, “If you know my name, then
they must have too. Why would they not look for me? Who taught them
what they needed to know?”
“They did,” Jorie answered for her mother. “Mom and Aunt Marja. It
took them a long time to be able to read the diaries. They were written in a
weird ancient language. Once they knew who you were, they did look for
you. G-G-pa Enlil and G-auntie Ninlil too. They couldn’t find any of you
guys. Then something bad happened. That’s when mom and Aunt Marja got
scared and started to hide. Plus they had Jess and me to protect. Mom said
that changed everything.”
Seemingly unable to help herself, she began tapping her chin again.
“Mom says the wonderful Elven life that G-G-ma Etana wrote about wasn’t
real. It was just wishful thinking. Elven males want to own women. Hold
them prisoner. Make them be brood mares. ”
Jorie had unwittingly validated his earlier fears regarding Fualth, and his
anger rose anew. “Were your mother and Marja held prisoner?” he asked,
trying to hide his anger.
She shrugged. “Mom doesn’t talk about it. Aunt Marja … I don’t think
she ever talked to Jess about anything before she got killed.” She shook her
head.
“My daughter is dead? Jess’s mother was killed?” Tears sprang to
Ediku’s eyes. Jorie’s eyes teared up as well as she nodded hesitantly. “I
have failed you all.” Ediku felt his legs nearly give out, his heart belatedly
breaking from the loss of his children, his grandchildren, and the death of a
daughter he never got to meet. He looked again at the painting.
“Which one is which?” He choked back his emotions, not wanting to
share the burden of his failures with this wonderful child.
Jorie pointed to the image of the child on the right. “That’s mom.” She
pointed to the center. “G-ma Marjorie.” Left. “Aunt Marja. Mom says Aunt
Marja painted the whole thing just from memory. That’s what they looked
like right before G-Ma Marjorie got the plague. She was human, so that
killed her.”
“They were so young,” he whispered. “Why didn’t I feel a connection to
them?”
“They were fifteen years old when G-ma Marjorie died. They became
spies.” Jorie smiled. “Cool, huh? Neither Mom or Aunt Marja were regular
Hulven. They didn’t know that for a long time. They split everything—
twinism, mom calls it. Aunt Marja was human strong and didn’t have
wings. She had to have blood, though, and she had dentes. Oh, and she was
psychic. Mom’s really strong but not psychic. Not even a little bit. I only
have a bond to her cuz I’m her kid. Even so, it’s hard to get a sense on mom
unless she feels super-strongly about something. She blocks her thoughts by
humming or singing songs really loudly in her mind. She doesn’t like that I
can feel her, but she can’t feel me. ” The puzzle was coming together as
Jorie spoke.
“Can you feel her now?”
Jorie took a moment. Tap tap tap. “Umm, she’s sleeping. I’ll tell you
when she wakes up if you want. I just talked to my dad telepathically, he
says mom’s planned for this and that I shouldn’t worry.”
“Who’s your dad?”
“Napoleon.”
“Napoleon Bonteparte is your sire … yet you drew this agricultural
diagram?” He asked amazed. He’d never met the male, but Napoleon was
known as a brilliant military strategist. Yet Jorie showed Etana’s farming
bloodline inclinations, like him.
“Uh huh.” Jorie nodded and looked at her drawing with pride.
Ediku motioned for Jorie to lead the way out of the office. “Let’s go join
the others.” Together they headed toward the stairs.
 “Can I call you G-pa E?” she asked hesitantly
“You can call me anything you want.” He liked the name she’d chosen
for him.
“Yeah? How ’bout Elmo? Can I call you Elmo?” she teased.
“Ya know, G-pa E sounds great.” He laughed, pulling Jorie into a
headlock and knuckle-rubbing her head. “What will you call my father
Enlil?”
“G–G-pa E. Duh.” She giggled, wiggling out of his hold.
****
“What’s a chortal?” With Jorie and Sargon both performing tasks, Jess
turned to Shane, asking one of the zillion questions she must have at this
point.
“It’s an anchored port, Beauty,” Shane explained. “Two points in space
held together by electromagnetic energy.” Pulling her to him, her back
against his chest, he rested his chin on top of her hair, drawing her scent
into his lungs. “We port by using our psychic energy to manipulate
electromagnetic energy into a fold in space. Then we step from the
beginning fold—the place we’re at—into the place we want. The port
destination is safest when we use a blood bond. It can also come from
geographical knowledge. Either way, we can only port our own body mass
without a boost of some sort. When I took you from the Ryu, I tapped into
your psychic energy, through your blood, to port us both to Gil’s.
“A chortal is a direct port between two locations that can be traveled
using very little psychic energy. We Volaticus can’t create a chortal without
help. There are two other species besides Volaticus that are psychically
enlightened. The Tellus, who live primarily below ground, create
electromagnetic fields. The other, called Aquaties, live mainly in water.
They control tides and currents, lending a chortal gravity and stability.
When Volaticus combine their ability to manipulate with the energies of the
other two species, we can create a stable fold for quick transportation. Most
chortals go directly to the headquarters of the Symbiotic of Species
Council, the SOSC. From there you can access others that can take you all
over the globe and guarantee that you come out in a safe location. There are
a few chortals that travel between hospes, too. Healing places. ” Ninlil
added
 “You have hospitals?” Jess’s curiosity peaked.
Shane chuckled into her hair. “It beats a vet.” He tossed her earlier
sarcasm back and received an elbow to his ribs in payment. Only awarding
her a small grunt, Shane chuckled harder.
“The chortal will be used to transport the prisoners to headquarters,” Nin
quirked a lip at their antics. “They will ensure that any help we may need
can get here quickly and safely.”
“Shane, you better still have Jess with you.” Jerika’s voice filled Shane’s
mind through his mentoring blood-bond.
“She’s right here. What’s up?” Shane answered
“She needs to get in touch with her peeps. Gil’s story is holding. Aymee
and Eric are fine with me teaching her classes while she goes off, exploring
her sexuality with you and all. Her mom, not so much. She’s starting to
freak about not being able to reach her. She’s threatening to fly home from
Japan and file a missing person report.”
“That was the story Gil told them?” He wondered how Jess was going to
take to that story.
“Hell no, he made them think it was their idea and they talked her into
going.” She laughed. “He’s genius. But it’s not working on the mom.”
“All right. I’ll talk to her. Maybe we’ll port in for a face-to-face.”
“That would be best,” Jerika agreed, still chuckling.
“Umm, Beauty.” Shane conveyed his and Jerika’s conversation to her.
“WHAT?” she snapped, bringing everyone’s attention to her. “Asshole.”
Jess marched over to Gil and batted her hand up the back of his head.
“What’d I do?” Gil scooted away from her.
“‘Exploring my sexuality! That was the best you could come up with!”
Following his retreat, she flicked him in the ear.
“Ah, come on now, lil Jess. I made ’em think they had ta talk ya into it.”
He retreated backward toward the stairs, trying to escape Jess’s attack. “Not
like ya was easy or nothin.’” He didn’t try to hide the amusement in his
voice.
“Dumb-ass. My foster mom isn’t buying your load. What would you like
me to tell her?” Jess poked her finger into his chest. Shane looked up and
saw that Jorie and Ediku were headed down the stairs, effectively blocking
Gil’s escape.
 “It was Aymee’s fault.” Laughing, Gil deflected blame. “She’s gorgeous.
I think she wanted ta throw me down on sight. I simply responded ta the
images she had in her head. I cunna think. I just pushed her ta think she
needed ta encourage ya ta explore all that glorious smut runnin’ through her
mind fer yourself. Then I transferred the suggestion ta Eric. ’Course, I left
off the fantasy Aymee had starrin’ moi from Eric’s mind. At least I spared
the kid from questionin’ his sexual orientation.”
Shane wondered how much of all that poor Jorie was actually getting.
Jess was going to kick Gil’s ass for corrupting the kid. She was fearless. He
almost felt sorry for Gil. Almost.
“That sounds like B.S. to me, Jess,” Jorie added from two steps above
Gil, leaning in to flick Gil’s ear exactly as Jess had a moment before.
“No gangin’ up, ya two. Ya gonna help me here, Edik?” Gil pleaded.
“If my granddaughters want to kick your ass, cousin, they’ve got my full
support.” Ediku put his arm around Jorie’s neck and smiled from ear to ear.
Shane noted the stunned expressions of both Gil and the others who had
followed the action into the hallway below. “You’re my granddaughter too,
Jess,” Ediku announced. Jess looked back at him, her look the most stunned
of all.
****
Sargon passed glasses of blood-wine to everyone except Jess. Jorie had
made her a CPT drink instead. She left the cup sitting; between Shane and
Jorie, her iron levels were fine. It was nice of Jorie to consider her, though.
As the group crowded into Moira’s office, Ediku and Jorie brought the
family up to speed on what they were able to deduce from the portrait and
the diaries. Jess’s heart broke when she saw the flash of pain that passed
across Enlil’s face upon seeing Etana’s diaries in the glass case. She wasn’t
the only one to notice. Nin, sitting between Enlil and Sargon, had taken
Enlil’s hand and squeezed it in sympathy.
It became readily apparent that Ediku and Jorie were well on their way to
establishing a relationship. That may have caused Jess some envy if she
didn’t feel the same connection developing between herself and Enlil. My
great-grandfather, she thought with a smile. It was a relief to learn that,
aside from a mother and father, it was customary to address family
members by name rather than title, a concept Jorie was resistant to. She
preferred calling Ediku G-pa E and Enlil G-G-Pa En. Even Ninlil and
Sargon were G-Auntie Nin and G-Uncle Sargie.
Though worried for her mother, Jorie was endearing by nature. She’d
spent the entire conversation braiding Jess’s hair. This had kept her from
tapping her chin. Jess had been amazed to learn that she and Jorie were the
same age.
“The SOSC is mobilizing to recover Moira. Even the Oracles are giving
their seal of approval, which means the Fates are behind us. Good thing,
since the family lost the ability to get to her as a group.” Ninlil brought
them all back to task.
“I dunna think we coulda gotten ta her that way,” Gil began. “If I get
what y’all are sayin’, she ain’t psychic. Jorie’s bond is parent-child. I think
Lil Jess’s portin’ was geographical. Her mother brought her the first time,
an’ she’s been comin’ back ta the exact spot ev’r since.” Jess nodded,
confirming Gil’s theory. “Jorie coulda maybe ported by herself ta her
mom’s location. Young as she is, that ain’t fer sure. Plus none of us is goin’
ta let that child go alone.”
“Has your mother woken up yet?” Ediku asked Jorie, who shook her
head. “Do you think she is hurt in any way?” Again Jorie shook her head.
“I have faith in my mom. She knows what she’s doing.” Jorie gave a
determined nod.
Jess hoped Jorie was right. She felt terrible, like she should be doing
something to bring Moira home, but she knew the Elven were working on a
plan. The best thing she could do was get home and take care of Gil’s mess
with Ellen.
 Chapter Eighteen
Moira woke to an unfamiliar, sterile smell. She could almost taste the
ammonia that had been used. The room was too bright, every inch glowing
in an effort to blind her, or maybe it was just the effects of her headache.
Never having been psychic, she had never ported before.
The pallet she was lying on wasn’t hard or particularly soft, a padded,
waterproof material much like leather without seams. Not wanting those
watching to realize she’d awakened yet, she took advantage of the fetal
position she’d been left in and reached to her calf to make sure the implant
she’d had surgically placed there was undisturbed. Smiling, she squeezing
the unnoticed pouches under the skin, activating the time-release flow of
CPT and sulfur into her bloodstream.
She’d hoped Jorie would be older and Jess would have Become before
going into this mission. The timing really sucked. Thankfully she had
gotten her final message to Sara and Napoleon before Fualth—Mason,
Mussolini, Castro, whatever he was calling himself these days—had taken
her.
Concentrating on a meditative hum in her mind, she invoked a calm
peace, both for herself and for Jorie’s benefit. Time to let them know she
was awake. Time to quit hiding. Time to get proactive instead of reacting.
Moira was sick of living in fear. Sick of going to sleep at night knowing
there were women out there suffering the same assault that Marja had
endured before Moira and Napoleon could find, help, and rescue her.
Stretching, she took a moment to check over the other items implanted
within her body, running her fingers through her hair with only a brief
pause to check the GPS unit behind her ear. Once she turned it on, that
would be the call to the cavalry to retrieve her. If this turned out to be a
blood and breeding lab, she would do everything she could to save as many
as she could and make the location known.
The two pouches that were designed to activate should her heart stop for
any reason had also not been tampered with. Each contained a relatively
harmless agent, unless the two combined; then they became volatile. If she
died, her body would effectively self-destruct. It was her own invention,
perfected over the last twenty-six years.
 This specific organization, under the direction of Fualth, had made
several captures of Heredity bloodline women, women who were members
in her support groups. They’d also made attempts on many of her Hulven
members. None of those attempts had been successful. The Hulven had
been able to port into the underground networks and disappear into different
social communities.
Her back against the wall, she wrapped her arms around her knees,
calling the music from The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack into her mind.
She was well into the second act when a familiar voice came through the
intercom. “What is in your blood?” Ignoring the voice, she continued to
concentrate on every detail of the play. “Answer me, female,” the voice
demanded.
Fualth made several more unheeded attempts to get her to respond. He
finally went silent. When she had replayed the entire play in her mind’s eye,
Moira started visualizing Sweeney Todd next. During the song, “The Worst
Pies in London,” the wall swung open.
Moira expected to see Mason/Fualth, but it was Sofia who entered. Her
features were pale, her brown eyes dulled. Moira could still see the red
marks where Fualth had bitten her. Those marks should have healed before
now. It seemed Fualth had nearly depleted the blood supply of this disciple.
“I’ve been sent in to obtain a blood sample.” She knelt beside Moira. “Are
you going to give me a hard time?”
Remaining unresponsive, Moira continued to work Sweeney Todd in her
mind. Sofia took one of Moira’s arms and laid it across her lap without
resistance from Moira. Making a show of “accidentally” breaking a needle,
the female withdrew a new needle from her pocket, replacing the broken
needle. The whole set-up dropped, and Sofia made a big show of trying to
find it after it rolled away. Despite her curiosity Moira never let her mind
waver from Sweeney Todd.
Retrieving the syringe, Sofia knelt beside her again. Inserting the needle
into Moira’s vein, she sat back as if watching it fill the pint bag. Then she
began to speak.
“If he were watching he would have yelled at me for that display,” Sofia
whispered, just loud enough for Moira to hear, low enough not to be picked
up by the microphones. At least Moira hoped so for Sofia’s sake. “While I
do this, I am going to tell you a story.” Moira continued to be unresponsive,
unconcerned about the blood sample. It would show nothing toxic.
She strained to hear when Sofia began to weave her tale. “There was a
woman with an extra line in the palm of her hand, a Heredity line. Such a
small indicator that a woman’s body could be used horrifically to make
little monsters from big monsters, the woman was kept continuously
pregnant. After giving birth to two girls and a boy, all Hulven, her body
gave out and she died.”
Sofia pulled out a nail file and looked at her fingernails, pretending
boredom. “The children were raised in a commune-like nest. Taught to hate
the mother who gave birth to them for being a less valuable species. The big
monsters pounded into the children that they weren’t as good as the big
monsters because their mother was human. So weak a species, she couldn’t
even live to raise them. Be good, work hard, be obedient, don’t ask
questions; prove you’re more than your birthright. The three children were
encouraged to challenge each other, compete with each other, and they did,
demonstrating blind loyalty to the big monsters. Friendships were
discouraged. Acknowledging a family bond between siblings was a sign of
weakness. The youth were working under a false ideal, believing that if
they just tried hard enough, just behaved, someday they would be valued
members of the nest.”
Moira realized she was beginning to follow the thread of Sofia’s story too
closely, a mistake that would have left her non-psychic mind vulnerable.
Suddenly Sofia broke from her tale to contribute to Moira’s Sweeney Todd
replay, belting out “Damn that’s Good” along with the song. Sofia gave her
a small, understanding smile, never pausing in her nail filing. Moira quickly
looked away. Why would Sofia be telling her this? Was she trying to gain
Moira’s trust for Fualth’s benefit? She definitely seemed like a disciple back
at the farm.
Sofia went right back into the story. “That facade only held up until the
children were grown. The youngest of the three, the male, was placed into
intense militia training. The oldest female was sent to executive training.
The middle female, named Sarafina, they left her in the standard training.
The other two envied the one left behind. While the boy was getting his
back broken and learning to wire bombs, risking being blown to pieces if he
failed, the oldest sister was having tons of information crammed into her
head, learning to cower and bow at all the right times, learning how to be
seen and not heard. The middle one was tra-la-la-la in the easy stuff.” She
blew the filings. “Or so they thought.”
From the corner of her eye, Moira saw Sofia look at her, glance at the
pint bottle, then back to her nails. “One day the middle sibling disappeared.
The oldest never even noticed, but her brother did. Catching the oldest
between buildings, he asked if she was aware of their sister’s whereabouts.
Neither of them could find her. They finally learned what happened: Their
sister had been sent away to be a breeder. Housed in a small cell in a lead-
lined building, whereabouts unknown. She would be forced to give birth
over and over until her body finally gave out, just like their mother. This
knowledge made the siblings rebel against all they had been taught, about
their mother, about each other, about the big monsters, everything.”
Sofia paused, and Moira got the feeling this was something the female
had never shared with anyone before. Why now? She was tempted to break
her silence and ask. Sofia began speaking again. “The three siblings secretly
unified, relearned and strengthened the family bond between them
telepathically, suffered together, supported each other, endured together.
They cried together when men would come to their breeder sister, raging for
her, never allowing her to give up. They learned of the horrors of that place.
It wasn’t just girls raised in the nest who were brought in to breed. There
were also kidnapped women. The middle girl would lie at night, listening to
the tormented captives, listening to the assaults on the other females. She
was pregnant when she heard the rescue of one of the newer captives taking
place. She begged to the rescuers to save her too. The rescuers swore they
would return. Determined, the middle sibling didn’t give up. She sank to
her knees swearing an oath of faithfulness and loyalty. One of the rescuers
had mercy and granted her an ounce of his precious blood, direct from the
vein, something the big monsters never shared. He gave her a blood
signature to follow before breaking her cage lock along with the female
he’d come to save. They released many females that day. Unfortunately,
most of those freed knew nothing else; they ported right back to the nests
where they had been raised. They were immediately put back into breeder
sites—new locations, same life.”
Sofia blew the dust off her nails again. Where those tears in her eyes?
“The middle sibling, however, followed the blood bond of the rescuer. She
was saved. She watched the newly freed captive be re-united with her twin
sister. Then the rescuer took her somewhere safe. She was cared for. Her
Elven son was born in a safe environment. She was given a new life
because of that day. Turns out the only reason the breeding site was found
was because these twins had not only trusted their bond to keep track of
each other, they had also placed locators within their bodies, using
technology. How smart is that? Here’s the thing: The two remaining
siblings from the nest continued to do what they had always done. The male
excelled at militia training. The female became a trusted executive assistant.
Secretly, their sister’s oath was honored by all three ever since. Rumor has
it one of those siblings is being held at a farm in Italy by the SOSC. The
other …” Sofia shrugged, tucking away her file and withdrawing the needle
from Moira’s arm.
Standing up, Sofia straightened her slacks and picked up the pint of blood
and IV instruments. “Don’t make it so difficult for yourself. Help Mr.
Mason access your network. I’m sure he will make it worth your while.”
She spoke loudly in a critical tone, treating Moira like an idiot for denying
Mason. Moira knew that was a lie now. Now if she just said …
“Tally-ho, Moira,” Sofia tossed back at her while walking out. YES!
Sofia could be trusted. She was an SOSC informant. Who’d have thought?
Sofia must be the executive assistant sister. Great Fates! Sara … Sarafina.
Son of a bitch.
Nathan was five when Napoleon had brought Sara to Moira’s farm.
Moira had mentored her in computer structures. Taught her how to work the
support groups, how to live off the land and off the grid. Moira had helped
her set up in Montana with a society within the Underground Railroad. Sara
was adept at finding escaped Hulven and other females in need of aid. Had
those females been rescued by Sara’s brother and sister from the inside?
Did Napoleon know? Either he did or someone he answers to must.
Otherwise Sofia would have never known to tell her “Tally-ho.” That
password was changed by the SOSC every thirty days. Was Sofia
communicating telepathically with Sara? The brother was at her farm. It
must be Sam, the Hulven with the friendly eyes and dimples; he was her
brother. Moira would bet her life on it. The earlier threat of frisking had
been Sofia’s way of introducing them.
 Moira couldn’t have built the network she had if it weren’t for the
backing of the SOSC and others like Sara. Napoleon was the only direct
contact she allowed between her organization and the Eurasia SOSC. She
should have realized that Napoleon would have kept Sara for a contact
point. He was a brilliant strategist and a terrific father to Jorie. She had been
right to ask him to be Jorie’s sire.
Hard to believe that that week was the catalyst to where she stood right
now. Moira and Napoleon had been lovers when she and Marja had been
spying for him during the French Revolution. She hadn’t even known that
Napoleon was Elven at the time. She didn’t learn that until a week before
Napoleon’s coronation as emperor. Marja had gotten hurt, and Moira was
detained. Napoleon had offered Marja his blood. He’d known what they
were the entire time. He’d allowed them to think they had a secret. Marja
had taken the blood offered, not realizing at the time that she had created a
bond to Napoleon. The next day Moira and Marja had run.
When she decided she wanted a child, she’d pleaded with Marja to help
her contact Napoleon again. Marja refused, over and over. Finally Moira
dropped the subject, even though she really wanted a child.
Years later Moira was on the cusp of estrus. Marja came to her, sitting on
the edge of Moira’s bed, and they linked their hands together the same way
they had done as children. “Do you still want to have a baby with
Napoleon?” Marja had asked her, trepidation in her eyes.
Without hesitation Moira had answered, “Yes, more than anything.”
“You realize that once we invite him into our lives again, he will be with
us forever, especially if you have his baby.” Marja was scared; that was
clear to see. Napoleon had always been a military man. Under the direct
orders of Elven Oracles, he had taken on the French Revolution to finally
end the human slaughtering of humans. He’d told the girls the day before
they ran that their lives were under the direction of the Oracles, whether
they wanted to be part of the Elven world or not. Back then The Oracle and
the High Ones had overseen Elven code, what little there was of it: Keep
Elven existence secret. Don’t kill humans. Don’t take over their free will.
That was about it. Feed off them, have sex with them, use them as slave
labor, no big deal. They had more interest in policing their Morsdente than
dealing with humanity. The only time they would get involved was by
directive of the Oracles. The SOSC was still in the formative stages back
then. Napoleon was a big advocate of symbiosis. There was little wonder
that he would still be involved in Elven politics.
“I don’t want a mate, Marja,” she’d assured her, though she had always
felt an odd connection to the handsome Elven. “I want a baby. I know he
will be a great father. Napoleon never over stepped any boundaries we
placed for him. Never asked us to do something we would be
uncomfortable with. Never even came looking for us when we left. He
respected our decision to go. He’s a male of honor. He’s who I want to
father my child. If he is willing.” There where shots of morphine in the
drawer if Marja refused. She would still get through this estrus. The thought
of not having the option for a child for another twenty-five or more years
brought tears to her eyes.
Marja dropped her chin in her chest, let out a deep sigh, and then nodded.
“I’ll call to him.”
Moira hugged her sister with everything she had. “Thank you, thank
you.” They’d spent the rest of the night planning for the future. They
figured out a way to handle communications with Napoleon. None of those
plans came to pass. Her sister was never the same after.
Moira came down the next morning aching, her blood iron elevated from
the start of her estrus. “Marja, it’s starting,” she’d announced, entering the
kitchen. Marja was sitting at the kitchen table across from Napoleon
Bonaparte, who looked as handsome as ever. “You came.” Moira ran into
his waiting embrace.
Nodding, he held her against his chest. “I have missed you, cher.” His
voice cracked as the effects of her pheromones already permeated his
libido.
Stepping back, Moira looked into Napoleon’s soft brown eyes. “I am
going to ask a lot from you. I have always respected you, Napoleon. I love
you as a friend.” Napoleon nodded with some sadness in his eyes. He’d told
her once long ago that he loved her. Her response had been, “Don’t.” The
sentiment hadn’t changed in her at the time, though she’d long since fallen
for him, a fact he remained unaware of. “That said, I want you to father a
child with me. I think you would make a wonderful father.”
Brushing back and forth across her cheek and lips with his fingers,
Napoleon was silent for several minutes. Peering down into her face, his
eyes watered up briefly before he blinked the tears away. He answered, “It
is a modern world, mon amie. You will make a beautiful mother. It would
be a honouer. As long as you agree that I will be in le enfant’s life, toujours,
for always. My answer is oui.”
Clapping her hands, Moira exclaimed, “Oh, thank you Napoleon!” She
had been so happy.
Napoleon drew her pheromones deep into his lungs. His face flushed
with heat and rapture as he swooped Moira into his arms. “This is not a
hardship, mon doux. Show me to your bed and do not thank me.”
They hadn’t left her room for ten full days. She hadn’t even considered
her sister. Her iron-rich blood kept him strong, and his feeding kept her iron
levels down. When they finally emerged, Moira knew there was something
horribly wrong. Marja was nowhere to be found, and the cup on the kitchen
table was the same one she’d been drinking from the day Moira and
Napoleon had gone upstairs.
Marja had never allowed Napoleon to take her blood, so the mentoring
bond was one sided. Marja could call to him, but he could never call to her.
Why hadn’t she called to him then? After doing a quick search of the
grounds, Moira ran to the satellite GPS locator she’d insisted both she and
Marja implant. Back then it was state of the art, a technology she had stolen
from the US military. Now days you could buy them at any electronics
store.
At great risk to himself, Napoleon had tried to port to Marja’s geographic
location using only a map. Marja had been housed within lead, blocking
him from getting to her and blocking her from calling to him. A bloodmate
or a close family bond might allow for telepathic communication, the kind
the three siblings shared, but even that was questionable.
Napoleon was able to perform reconnaissance on the compound she was
being held at. With the aid of a brigade of SOSC warriors, none of which
Moira ever met or thanked, Napoleon was able to plan and execute the raid
and rescue Marja. They had also released other females; however, they had
not been able to account for many after all the dust was settled. Now she
knew why, and it broke her heart all over again. When the brigade returned
to the site, it had already been abandoned.
Marja refused to speak about the ordeal, and never spoke of how she had
been captured. It wasn’t hard to figure out some of what Marja had endured
after Moira realized she wasn’t the only one pregnant. Marja stayed with
Moira until after they had both delivered. Jessica and Jorie were only a few
months old when Marja told Moira she was leaving. Moira tried to get her
to stay. Yelling, crying, begging, pouting. Marja was determined. She felt
she needed to tell the family of the female who had been housed in the cage
next to hers what had happened to her. The girl was from Mesa. She was
human, Heredity bloodline. Her family name was Weedle, and the only
living relative she had was a brother named Ben.
Marja found Ben, fell in love with him, married him, and raised Jess. She
would port to Moira for a blood exchange every few days. Occasionally she
would help a female in need that Moira would send to her. Other than that,
she lived a completely human life, happily. Marja had told Ben the truth of
what she was, and about his sister, Laura. Moira dedicated herself to finding
Laura and others like her.
 Chapter Nineteen
Porting into the kitchen of the home she’d lived in since Ellen had taken
her in at sixteen, Jess noticed the message light blinking on her answering
machine. As she hit play, she felt the ripple of Shane’s arrival. His arms
came around her waist from behind.
First saved message: “Jess, call me as soon as you get this. I have no idea
what is wrong with your brother, encouraging you to run off with some
stranger, but this is not okay.”
Second saved message: “You don’t even have your cell phone with you. I
just called it and your idiot brother answered. Call me.”
Third saved message: “Jess.” It was Jirou this time. “I am sure you’re
fine. I am trying to keep your mom calm. Please call her, she’s making me
crazy.”
Jess hit the stop button before the forth message could play and turned in
Shane’s arms. “I have to call her,” she said, wrapping her arms around his
neck.
“Yes. You do.” His deep voice was husky as he placed a chaste kiss to
her forehead.
Sighing, feeling her blood heat just from that small contact, she was
about to say to hell with the call and drag him into her bedroom when the
phone rang behind her. Groaning, she leaned her forehead against his chest,
drawing strength. On the third ring she finally picked up the handset.
“Hello,” she said, keeping her voice light and singsongy. “Just walked it,
I was about to listen … No, I’m fine, really. … I know it’s not like me. …
I’m really sorry I’ve worried you. …”
Withdrawing from Shane’s arms, she opened the back door to the porch.
Placing her hand over the mouthpiece, she whispered with an apologetic
smile, “I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home.” She stepped outside.
“What? … Yeah, he’s here with me. … I am being careful.” Shane’s
amused grin when she shut the door behind her made her smile.
It took her fifteen minutes to reassure Ellen that she hadn’t lost her mind.
Then another five to convince her Aymee and Eric should be forgiven for
being bad influences. Ellen acted like Jess was the good kid, rather than the
one who’d spent time in juvie. Hanging up, she silently thanked the powers
that be for the wonderful people in her life. She added her new-found
family to that number. Topping the list was Shane.
Feeling her tummy flutter just thinking of him, she bounded up from the
deck stairs and dashed into the house. Shane was no longer in the kitchen.
“Shane.” Stepping into the empty living room, she heard the distant sound
of water running and followed it down the hall to the master bedroom.
It had taken her a year after Ellen and Jirou had gotten married and left
for Japan before she had moved into the larger room with the attached bath.
She had continued to share the small bathroom with Eric when he was
home until he threatened to take the master bedroom if she didn’t.
Jess opened the bedroom door and saw a leather overnight bag on the
floor outside the bathroom door. Shane must have gone to his place to
collect some of his things while she was on the phone.
Peering through the cracked bathroom door, she could see Shane behind
the glass panel walls of the shower stall. The partially steamed mirror gave
her additional angles of view. He was facing the spray, leaning into both
hands braced against the wall. His head hung under the water. She’d always
thought the showerhead was too high up the wall. Who knew it was the
perfect height? The water cascaded against his head, running down the lines
of his back, shaping his mouth-watering, firm ass before continuing down
his thighs and calves. He was beautiful.
He must have heard her swift intake of breath, or maybe it was her heart
trying to pound out of her chest. Hell, it could have been the flood of
moisture pooling between her legs, but something caught his attention. His
ears pivoted toward her and he captured her gaze through the reflection in
the mirror, shifting to give her a frontal view. His deviant smile was slow
and sexy as he rubbed his hand down his chest, across his abdomen, and
then grasped his erection, giving it a gentle stroke. “You joining me,
Beauty?” His dentes slid into his mouth.
Unable to take her eyes from the sight of him stroking himself, she
pushed the door the rest of the way open, shedding her cloths with each
step, licking her lips in anticipation. He released himself to open the glass
door for her, breaking her focus. Meeting the heat in his eyes, she stepped
in. Arms around his waist, she grasped the perfect cheeks of his ass,
pressing her body to his, and felt the jump of his erection where it was
pressed to her stomach. She whispered against one of his nipples, “I want to
taste you,” before swirling her tongue over the pebble.
Using her lips and tongue, she followed the path his hand had taken,
cupping his sac in one hand as she licked the tip of his head. “Ah, Beauty,
you’re killing me.” Shane’s husky voice broke, his breathing labored.
After a long lick from base to tip, she sucked him deep into her mouth.
Her mouth stretched over his girth, lashing him mercilessly with her tongue
while withdrawing. Using his responses to gauge his sensitivity, she reveled
in the power she held.
Shane groaned, throwing his head back. One hand was against the glass
for balance; the other was buried in the mass of her hair. She tortured him.
His face was taut, his movements jerky. He gripped her hair, pulling her
head back, and bent over to bringing his lips to hers, plunging into her
mouth like a man starved. Reaching lower, he cupped her bottom with his
free hand and straightened, lifting her feet off the surface floor. She locked
her legs around his waist as he pressed her back against the glass. Shane
posed to enter her. He nibbled across to her ear and down to the pulse of her
neck. The sounds of her pleasure echoed. Shane was an amazing lover. It
didn’t matter that he was the only one she’d ever had. She knew it. She
knew he put everything he had into bringing her pleasure.
“Please, Jess. Tell me what you want.” Trembling, he waited for her
response. His expression reflected the restraint he displayed. He was
holding on by a thread, letting her call the shots. She knew he felt bad about
taking her blood without her consent. In holding back, he was asking her to
forgive him. Reaching between them, Jess guided his engorged head to her
tight, wet opening and dropped her head to the side. Her other hand cradled
the back of Shane’s head to her neck. “Make love to me, Shane. I want you
to take all of me.”
The rumble of Shane’s growl sounded in her ear, the rich sound decadent.
A shiver of excitement raced through her. She remembered the instant heat
she’d felt when he’d punctured her vein earlier for Jorie. She felt another
rush of moisture between her legs.
Shane gave a hard thrust, plunging across her sensitive folds to her core
and sinking his dentes into her pulse. Jess cried out in pleasure. Her blood
flowed into him and everything Shane felt flooded into her, adding to the
tide of sensations already ripping through her. Now their combined psychic
and sexual energy rose to a higher plane. He pounded into her.
There was nothing gentle in this. She didn’t need gentle. She didn’t want
gentle. Jess could feel the bunching of the muscles in Shane’s lower back
from the building of his orgasm. Climbing intensely to the pace, her womb
tightened, reaching for her own orgasm. Shane’s primal taking of her fed
the ferocity of her own passion, a passion she hadn’t known existed within
her until he stroked it. He ignited a fire in her blood that matched the fire
his thrusts generated in the delicate nerve endings he’d exposed deep within
her.
Shane made growls at her throat with each thrust. Her moans and cries of
passion drowned out the sound of the shower running. Both reached for
their own crest while stoking the explosion impending in the other. Hard
and fast, their bodies slapped together. Brilliant bursts of color followed the
crash of thunder. Every muscle tightened and her inner walls clenched,
pulsing against his shaft. Her release ripped through her and she screamed.
Her nails raked against his scalp and shoulders.
Shane gave a final three hard thrusts into the wet, silken vise Jess’s
vaginal walls had turned into. Through the bridge created by Shane’s dentes
in her throat, she felt his erotic excitement; the sting of her nails turned him
on as they dug into his skin. His release rolled up from his toes to his lower
back and slammed out of him along with his seed, deep into her.
“Fuck. Yes!” he roared, breaking away from her neck. The connection
was immediately lost to her. Now she knew. That was the strength of his
connection to her now. If she took his blood too, that was what they would
share no matter what. Forever.
****
He’d never seen anything more erotic than Jess in this moment. Her head
leaned back against the shower stall, her eyes were half closed, her
expression one of complete abandon, and her hair was a veil of wet silk.
Blood ran unheeded from the twin punctures at her neck, down her heaving
breast and abdomen, and swirled at the spot he was buried within her before
disappearing with the water down the drain.
He could feel her sated contentment. Through the psychic bridge she’d
just shared with him, Jess now had a clearer idea of what bloodmating with
him would feel like. Her dawning realization bloomed in her with
anticipation and longing. He still needed to hear her say yes. At least now
she would know what she was saying yes too.
The residual tremors receded, and Shane was able to set Jess on her feet.
Lathering her curves, he shampooed and conditioned the silken bounty of
her hair. He could feel her utter exhaustion. Except for the few hours at his
apartment a few days ago, and the time she was unconscious after her iron
poisoning, she hadn’t had any rest, nor had she eaten in over twenty-four
hours. He was treating her more like a fellow Ranger on a mission than a
caring mate.
Holding her against him, he towel dried them both. She was languid,
practically dozing off against him. Scooping her into his arms, he laid her
gently on the bed. Shane was unable to stop smiling. Jess curled up on her
side like a kitten, her eyes falling closed on a sigh. Her hand reached out in
search of his warmth. Beautiful, brave … mine.
Compelled to touch her, he swept a lock of her hair from her cheek,
lingering his fingers against the softness. Leaning over, he pressed a
feather-light kiss to her temple. “Shane.” A soft, breathy whisper escaped
her. Joy filled him. His name on her kiss-bruised lips was his undoing.
Jess’s hand reached farther across the mattress, searching until he captured
it in his.
“Rest, Beauty. I am just going to find us something to eat. Then we can
call a cab to take us to the Ryu.” She answered with another sigh, followed
within seconds by little purring snores. He thought his heart would burst
from his chest simply watching her sleep.
The youngest of four brothers, Shane had historically never allowed
himself to become close to anyone outside his family. Especially females.
He loved females, all females, in every species. He had never lacked for
sexual partners over the centuries. But he’d always avoided even short
emotional interludes with any of them. He had even turned down a prior
protégé because he didn’t want to mentor a female.
His father had died when he was not much older than Jerika, killed by a
pack of male Hulven Morsdentes led by a female Elven. The dynamic had
never been duplicated to his knowledge. His father had led the hunt for the
pack for decades before finally catching up with them on a small Australian
island. The pack was psychically high from killing a school of Aquaties and
had pretended to be raping the female leader. His father had fought for the
female’s release, carrying her out of harm’s way while his companions
continued to battle the remaining pack. Weakened from his injuries
sustained fighting for her freedom, he was unprepared when the female had
tightened her arms around his neck and struck his vein. He was already
losing blood from his wounds, and it had taken the female only minutes to
finish off the great warrior.
Shane’s eldest brother, Gregor, was the first of the hunting party to
realize what was happening. He removed the Mordent’s head before his
father’s body hit the ground, but it was too late. His father was drained.
At the same time, Shane had been teasing his mother while she hung
laundry on the line. He had been looking forward to beginning Meshy Hell
the following week. He had been telling his mother she was going to get lax
not having anyone except Father around to chase after, and she had thrown
a clothes pin at him. His brother, Miguel, had appeared, and her eyes had
become large and glazed.
“Nippur! Please, Fates, no. Nooooo,” she’d screamed, followed by a long
broken wail, before collapsing into Miguel’s arms.
“Mother?” Shane knelt beside them, taking his mother’s hand. He felt the
bond to his father break and knew his brothers where feeling it too.
“Mother!”
“Stay with us,” Miguel had pleaded. The look on his face told the story:
She would join their father.
Gregor appeared by their mother’s head, still breathing heavy from the
battle, covered in the blood of their father and his killer. Tears streaming
down his face, he’d fallen to his knees sobbing. “I failed him, Mother. I am
so sorry.” His head hung in grief. Conlon had come next, taking position
beside Shane, one hand on Shane’s shoulder and the other clasping his hand
over Shane’s and their mother’s.
Still cradled in Miguel’s arms, with Shane and Conlon holding one of her
hands, she’d reached out to cup Gregor’s cheek with her other hand, linking
them all together. She let her love for them flow freely one last time.
“No, Gregor, you did not fail him. You could never fail him. He loved
you, all of you. We both have been honored to have you four as our sons.
You boys have been our pride and joy. Promise me.” She met each of their
tear-filled gazes with her own, silently eliciting a nod of agreement from
each of them, the way only a mother can. “You will take care of each other.
Stay close always.” Again each boy nodded to her in turn. Then she
released a final breath and her heart ceased to beat. Her energy released to
the universe in search of their father’s, doubling the empty spot left in her
sons.
Through their family bond, they had retrieved their father’s body. Tying
their mother and father together face to face and heart to heart per custom,
they lit a double pyre, burning them to ash together.
Gregor’s mate Teja, her belly swollen with child, had joined them in
mourning. Standing stoically beside her mate and his three brothers, she’d
paid homage and bore witness to the pyres burning for four full days. Shane
adored his brother’s mate. Teya held strong and brave for his brother during
that dark time. Still Shane had shied way from anyone who might cause in
him the devastation he’d seen in his mother’s eyes. He’d never wanted to
risk getting close enough to anyone to chance that, until Jess. Now he
understood. What he felt for her was a miracle.
Gregor and Teja had a baby girl a few months after his parents’ death.
Shane and his brothers had all come for the birth, each offering an ounce of
blood to the health of mother and child.
Irsu, named after their mother, Girsu, charmed her way into the hearts of
her brawny uncles. A rebel in her own right, Irsu had refused to settle on a
mate and had instead elected to have a child on her own. That child was
Jerika. Head-strong and independent like her mother, she was the only
female Shane could not refuse to mentor.
Jess wasn’t the only one checking in with family at the Ryu. Jerky Girl
would be there too.
 Chapter Twenty
Jess woke to the smell of pancakes and coffee. Stretching her body, she
felt aches in the yummiest places. She got out of bed and made her way into
the bathroom, where she caught her reflection. Her hair was completely dry,
wild from having fallen asleep on it wet. Splashing water on her face and
putting her hair into a ponytail, she headed to the source of the smells
making her belly rumble. Again.
The sound of voices stopped her outside the kitchen door. “So let me get
this straight.” Eric sounded disbelieving and somewhat annoyed. “Jess has
family that looks like her?” Someone must have nodded because he
continued. “You see her and think, ‘Huh, I wonder if she is related to this
guy I know.’” Again a pause before Eric continued. Obviously this was not
the first time this explanation had been told. “Dumb-ass luck, you call said
buddy, and lo and behold, hallefuckinleuia, she turns out to be the long-lost
prodigal child of a rich family.” A long exasperated sigh. “I still am not
buying it, especially since you’re fucking her. Did you fuck her before or
after this rich family claimed her?”
A scrapping sound, followed by the bang of one of the kitchen chairs
hitting the floor, and the pound of something heavy hitting the wall behind
where she was standing told the story. Ducking through the doorway, she
wasn’t surprised to see someone pressed to the wall. She was mildly
surprised to see it was Eric rather than Shane. “Don’t you ever disrespect
your sister.” Shane teeth were clenched. “I didn’t say they were rich,
fuckwad. I said they wanted to pay her travel expenses and cover her
salary.”
“I wasn’t disrespecting her, prick. I was questioning you.” Eric was
holding his hands out to the sides in acceptance of his position, which was
not to be confused with surrender. Jess knew full well she’d trained Eric to
break that hold easily. Eric bit right back at Shane. “It all seems just a little
too convenient for my taste. You show up, sweep her off her feet, and
introduce her to some long-lost fucking ‘we can pay for everydamnthing’
family. You have just the perfect candidate to take over her classes while
she goes off with you to get to know this supposed family. I may have been
born at night, but it sure as shit wasn’t last night.”
 Figuring she better break up the bromance, Jess entered the kitchen,
hands on her hips. “Shane, put my brother down before I kick your ass
myself.” Turning to Eric, she said, “Shane didn’t even mention my family
until after I threw him down. You, baby brudder, are outta line.” Grasping
both men on the shoulder, she stood on her tiptoes to bestow a kiss to both
of their cheeks. They continued to glare at one another, but at least they
both had their hands to themselves. Turning to the counter, Jess grabbed a
plate and started loading it with pancakes. “I hope these are for me.”
Eric picked up the chair from the floor and sat back at the table. Shane
poured her a glass of OJ and handed it to her. Jess took a seat across from
her fuming brother as Shane loaded his own plate.
“There’s plenty here if you want some, Eric,” Shane offered.
Eric, never one to turn down food, loaded a plate. Shane took the chair
beside her. His leg rubbed up against hers under the table, and he met her
eyes with a meaningful stare, making her blush.
“No footsie under the table. Geesh.” Eric sat back across from them,
rolling his eyes.
A double knock sounded and the back door opened. Aymee and Jerika
came in. “You could have warned me that class had Navy Freaking Seals,”
Jerika whined.
“And miss the look on your face? Not on your life, sista.” Shrugging,
Aymee added, “You did good.”
“Good, I almost got hacked in half. Long swords! Who the hell trains
with long swords anymore?” Still grumbling, Jerika took a deep breath in.
“Is that pancakes?” Shane nodded, using his fork to motion to the heaping
plate on the counter. Aymee and Jerika began filling plates.
“Jess teaches the only long-sword class in the area, plus our Ryu’s classes
are known through the military ranks as challenging and innovative. We’ve
worked hard to make a name for our little school,” Aymee lectured. “Admit
it, chick, those Seals are nnniicccee to look at, and they pay a fortune for
that class.” Aymee took the seat next to Eric while Jerika leaned against the
counter.
Jess loved that class. She was actually kind of bummed that she missed it.
“So how do you think you did?” she asked Jerika.
“I need more work with the long swords.” Jerika glanced at Shane, and
he gave her a slight nod. “I think I held my own.” Shoving a forkful into her
mouth, she chewed thoughtfully and swallowed before adding, “They were
pretty fine to look at.” Her gaze moved suggestively to Eric.
Oh shit, he wouldn’t, would he? Reaching over, Jess batted the top of her
brother’s head. Setting her fork down, she glared at Eric and Jerika. “Look,
you two. There will be no—and I mean no, nadda, ziltch—work hook-ups.
Period. Not with co-workers. Not with clients. Am I clear?” Eric knew this,
but she included him in the “do not fuck with me” stare along with Jerika.
Once the awkward silence was out of the way, Jerika asked, “So does that
mean I get to cover your leave? Am I hired?”
Jess looked from Aymee to Eric, receiving a nod of approval from both
of them before answering. “If you want a job, you’re hired, whether I go on
leave or not.” Giving Shane an annoyed look, she added, “I haven’t decided
if I’m going for sure yet.” Eric snorted. “If I do, I expect the people I love
and have supported to support my decision.” She looked pointedly at Eric.
“I will. It’s just everything is happening too fast.” Eric looked down
shamefully.
“Aymee and Eric need to know you’re okay without my influence.” Shane
verbalized what she had already deduced.
Shane and Jerika watched, looking uncomfortable. “Jess, you want Shane
and me to go grab your Jeep and bring it here for you?” Jerika gave her an
easy way to be alone with Eric and Aymee.
“I only caught part of the story you were telling them,” Jess protested to
Shane. “What about Moira?”
“Turns out Moira had her own plan in place should something like this
ever happen to her.” She could tell Shane didn’t like Moira’s plan by the
tone of his voice. She was coming to appreciate her aunt’s innovative style.
“I’ll help you telepathically with Aymee and Eric if you want, or I can
give you the memory of my conversations. That way you can have true
privacy with them,” Shane offered.
“The memories would be great. I haven’t had that before.” Suddenly her
mind was infused with Shane’s memories. He’d made a call to the Ryu
earlier and spoke to Jerika, Aymee, and Eric by speakerphone. That one had
an overlay of a simultaneous telepathic conversation in which Shane told
Jerika that he was in love with Jess. Then she got the full view of what had
transpired between Shane and Eric before she awoke. Eric was lucky Shane
just put him to the wall.
 “Thank you, Jerika. It would be great if you and Shane would grab my
Jeep for me.” She added telepathically to Shane, “Please get my purse and
gym bag too.”
Heading for the door, Jerika baited Shane. “I get to drive the Jeep back.
You can drive my Kia.”
Giving Jess a peck on the cheek, Shane headed for the door. “Don’t even
try it, Jerky. Never gonna happen.” Shane pulled the door closed behind
him, but Jess could hear them bickering back and forth all the way down the
drive, ending only when she heard the two slams of car doors. Was her
hearing getting better?
“So, what’s really going on?” Grabbing a cup of coffee and taking her
seat opposite two of the people she loved most in the world, Jess got right
to it, not sure how much time they would have. “Is it Shane you don’t like
or something else?”
Eric gave an impatient snort, and Aymee elbowed Eric in warning,
answering for them both. “It’s not that we don’t like him, what little we
know of him. It just seems too fast. You just met this guy, yet you are
willing to let an unknown take over your classes so that you can spend more
time with him. It’s just not like you to be so … so … I don’t even know
what to call it,” Aymee ended in a shrug.
Always helpful, Eric jumped in to explain. “Irresponsible, impulsive,
neglectful,” he said, succeeding in pissing her off. “I mean, aside from the
short period of time you saw her perform at the academy, what did you
really know about Jerika before letting her take over your classes?”
“I thought you said she was doing good and you wanted her to work at
the Ryu. Especially if I take this trip to meet these people I may be related
too …” Jess started.
“That’s another thing.” Eric cut her off. “How do you know you are
related to them?”
“It does seem rather odd,” Aymee added
Eric continued, “We were all for you taking a couple of days with Shane.
Hell, we’ve both spent days on end in bed with new lovers.” Aymee and
Eric elbowed back and forth. “We are happy for you. The sex seems to be
keeping your headaches and anxiety down.” Aymee nodded agreement as
Eric spoke. “Talk to us, Jess, the way you always have. What are you really
thinking?”
 “And more important, are you happy?” Aymee glared at Eric.
Jess sighed. “You are right about everything happening so fast. It’s
difficult to wrap my brain around the fact that it’s only been a few days. I
feel like I’ve known Shane forever, yet I know so little about him too. Does
that make sense?”
Eric shook his head and stared at her like she was nuts. Aymee nodded
with understanding. Jess had to wonder if the reason why Aymee never kept
a guy around more than a few days was because she was secretly in love
with someone she couldn’t be with. They both kept secrets from each other.
Jess’s was her abilities, differences she had always hidden and downplayed.
Could she be catching a glimpse of Aymee’s secret?
She hated outright lying. She couldn’t give them the entire truth. She was
still learning the truth about herself, and there was no way she could explain
what she didn’t fully understand. She would just have to stick as close to
the truth as possible. “Even though you two told me to go ‘explore my
sexuality,’ I actually had every intention of returning to finish up my classes
for the day. I became ill, the way I do sometimes. It was bad.”
Eric and Aymee looked at each other knowingly, then back to Jess. “Why
didn’t you call?” Aymee asked.
“I was about to,” Jess assured them. “I really like Shane, and I didn’t
want him to see me sick.” She would burn in hell for that lie, she could
already feel it. “Instead we got talking about family history, how I have
always gotten sick, how the doctors have no idea why, how I have no one to
ask if it is genetic. Shane mentioned a friend who had the same symptoms.
He said the guy kind of resembled me, too: Blond hair, green eyes, the same
gold star pattern around the pupil. Shane called him to ask him what he had
and how he treated it. This friend of his has a mineral imbalance. He treats
it with oranges, almonds, and grapes. I have been following the drink recipe
and I can already feel the difference. I feel so much better.” She didn’t
mention the mental shielding.
“I knew it.” Aymee clapped her hands together. “I always knew it was
diet.”
“You were right.” Jess chuckled. “I also learned that chicken isn’t good
for me. How suckie is that? No more chicken and dumplings.”
“We’ll eat them for you, sis,” Eric piped up. Jess could tell through
empathy that they both were feeling less worried about her already.
 “Yeah, I’m sure you will, brat.” She sighed with a pout before continuing
with her half-tale. “Shane asked the guy if it was genetic, and sure enough it
is. Lots of people in this guy’s family have this. I told this guy my mother
and father’s name, and he checked with his family to see if either of my
parents might be related. No one in his family had ever heard of either of
them. Shane and I spoke with them later, via Skype. Shane’s friend and his
friend’s twin sister where both on camera, and it was amazing in a kind of
creepy way. The woman looked exactly like my mother did. I really think
they are family, and I think they could help me feel better, help me get
control of this imbalance I have.
“As far as Jerika, Shane knows her. I’m not sure how, but I know he feels
responsible for her in some way.” Jess shrugged; that was the truth. “He
suggested her for the Ryu. After seeing her in class, I agreed. I think she
would be a great addition to our staff. If she and Eric work alternate shifts
after graduation, maybe they can co-teach part-time.
“You asked if I’m happy.” Two heads bobbed back at her. “I am, in a
crazy, ‘this is too much, give me more,’ ‘fall in love first and ask questions
later’ kind of way. All the things that are happening don’t feel like
coincidence. It feels like destiny. I’m supposed to be on this path, wherever
it may lead me. I’m supposed to be with Shane.”
“You’re going to Hawaii, then?” Eric asked
“Yeah, I am.” Jess had made her decision. Hawaii? She hadn’t gotten that
from Shane’s memory. He must have discussed the destination earlier. She
thought Moira lived in Italy.
“Shane.” She snapped out telepathically. “Are we going to Hawaii or
Italy?”
“Both, probably.” Shane chuckled at her irritation. “Well, not Hawaii
exactly. It’s one of the unmapped islands. That is were Gil lives. It’s where
we were earlier. Of course, we could go anywhere you would like.”
“Do you speak Italian?” She still felt annoyed.
“Naturalmente, la mia bellezza.”
“Okay, that’s kind of sexy. I take that as a yes.” Her irritation seeped
away.
“That was ‘of course, my Beauty.’ Sexy, huh? Want me to say more,
maybe while flying?”
 “Later.” Jess had to work to keep from smiling, especially since Aymee
and Eric were sad about her leaving. “How much longer are you going to
be?”
“On my way now. Missing me already?” Jess sent him an eye-roll. His
laugh filled her with warmth.
Sighing, Eric pouted. “Do you have any idea how much I’m going to
miss you?”
“We both will.” Aymee shrugged. “Shane said the airplane tickets are
dated for tonight. He said they were transferable if you decided to wait for a
while. Do want to leave tonight?”
Jess thought about it for a minute. She still had no clue what was
happening with Moira. “I think tonight would be best. I’m not sure how
much longer Shane is on leave. I want him with me.”
Aymee needed to get back to the Ryu for her last class. Since she had
ridden over with Jerika, Eric offered to give her a ride. Goodbyes, hugs, and
a few tears all around and they were gone. Saddened, she was watching the
two of them heading toward Eric’s beat-up VW Rabbit when Shane pulled
up in Jess’s Jeep.
“Shane, will you give the keys to Eric?” Jess hollered from the doorway,
tears still slipping down her cheeks.
Intercepting Eric and Aymee, Shane handed Eric the keys, looking back
at Jess with his eyebrows lifted in question. Jess hollered again. “We’ll take
a cab to the airport. Eric, you better take care of my Jeep till I get home.”
Eric’s eyes filled with tears and he nodded. “I love you, Baby Brudder.”
“I love you too, Jess,” Eric replied soberly. “Don’t forget to call. A lot.”
Aymee gave Shane a hug, and Jess heard her whisper in his ear, “You
hurt her, and I will hunt you down and kill you. Got it?” Yep, her hearing
was definitely improving.
Shane whispered back, “I know how magnificent she is, Aymee.”
Eric took the offered keys to the Jeep, then extended his hand to shake
Shane’s. “Sorry about earlier. Please, just take care of her.”
“You have my word.” Shane grasped Eric’s shoulder, a form of showing
solidarity she had seen with the Elven. Eric didn’t understand the
significance, but Jess recognized it as Shane’s offer of respect.
Shane joined Jess at the doorway as the taillights of the Jeep made the
turn out of the neighborhood. Jess sighed, leaning into Shane’s side, his
arms wrapped around her naturally. He placed a kiss against her hair and
they went back into the house.
They cleaned up the kitchen, showered, and packed, taking only a short
break to make love. Then they ported back to Moira’s.
 Chapter Twenty-One
Unsure of what was happening at Moira’s farm, Shane elected to port to
the grain elevators. Shane taught Jess how to control the space fold, showed
her to stay in one spot and peer into another. He warned her that most
would sense her energy signature, like she had Shane’s when he had ported
into her office at the Ryu. Learning to mask that energy took time and
patience. That explained why she could barely feel Gil’s. It also explained
why Eric didn’t see Shane at the academy. To her he was sitting in the
bleachers, when in reality he was sitting on his La-Z-Boy in his living
room. He laughed when she called him an “arm-chair mentor.” She learned
it was dangerous to port to unknown locations for fear of setting the folding
into a space that already had mass, like a tree, wall, or human, which was
really bad and apparently painful. She decided to take his word on that,
since the look on his face showed the memory was awful, and he was the
one with instant recall. Did she want try that for herself? Hmm … not so
much.
Jess and Shane entered the farm, and Jorie ran straight for them. A
teenage boy followed behind her at a slower pace. “You’re back, yea! Did
you get some rest? G-aunt Nin said you needed rest.” Jorie pulled Jess into
a hug.
Returning the hug, Jess chuckled. “I did get some rest. Thank you.” She
looked at the boy who had just joined them. He stood behind Jorie and kept
glancing from Shane to the ground. It was obvious that Shane intimidated
him for some reason. Jess peered over at Shane, trying to see what the boy
was seeing. To her he just looked scrumptious. She could also see the
powerful warrior that the boy must see.
Releasing Jess, Jorie hugged Shane hard in turn. Smiling, obviously
enjoying the child’s acceptance, Shane returned her hug before asking,
“Who’s your friend?”
“This is my best friend, Nathan. He and his mom, Sara, are here from
Montana. Sara’s in the operations tent with everyone else. Me and Nathan
aren’t allowed in there.” Jorie wrinkled her nose like a typical teenager,
hating to be excluded.
 Jess held her hand out to shake Nathan’s first. Nathan looked at Shane as
if asking permission before taking Jess’s hand. Jess didn’t know whether to
be annoyed or amused. “Hi, Nathan. I’m Jess.”
“I … um … nice to meet you,” Nathan stuttered, his handshake light,
weak. Jess squeezed and he looked at her in surprise. Meeting his gaze, she
squeezed again. This time he got the hint and returned her squeeze. Jess
smiled her approval.
“I am Shanley. Call me Shane.” Shane took the boys hand in his. “That’s
a good, strong handshake, Nathan.”
Nathan gave Jess a grateful look, and his shoulders squared with the
compliment. “Thank you, sir. I mean Shane.” He blushed in the way only a
teenage boy in awe can. “Are you two really bloodmates?”
Shane looked over at Jess for the answer to that. “Yes, we are. We
haven’t completed the bond yet, but we recognize each other,” Jess
answered. She could have sworn she heard Shane let out a relieved breath.
“That is so cool.” Nathan’s tone was incredulous, like he’d just found out
chocolate wasn’t fattening.
“Does your mom have a mate?” Jess asked. Nathan’s crestfallen face
spoke volumes.
“I never met my father. My mom never mated,” he answered.
“So what, most people don’t mate anymore. My mom and dad aren’t
mated. They’re just friends, like us,” Jorie interjected.
“You at least know your father,” Nathan said. “None of the kids on our
ranch have fathers.”
“True.” Jorie thought about that for a moment. “Jess never knew her
father, huh, Jess?”
Jess understood now why a simple compliment from Shane had so lifted
the kid’s spirits a moment ago. He was being raised around all women.
“That is true. I am an orphan.” She didn’t want to go into the full disclosure
of her particular paternal dynamic. That was one of the many unanswered
questions she had. “I had a mentor though. His name is Jirou. He taught me
martial arts and personal balance. He might not be my father, but I love and
respect him the same.” Nathan was listening to her intently. Even his ears
were cocked toward her. He seemed afraid he might miss even a syllable of
what she was telling him. “Shane is a mentor.” Nathan looked at Shane,
who nodded.
 “My protégé is integrating for the first time into humanity. She is
studying to be a police officer.” Shane had pride in his voice.
Nathan’s face fell again. “You mentor females.”
Shane couldn’t help barking out a laugh, and Nathan’s face went even
more crestfallen. “I am sure that to you, Nathan, the world seems over-run
with females. That is far from the way it is. The reason bloodmating is so
rare now days is partially due to the lack of females. The reason Jerika is
my protégé is because she is also my niece.”
“Jerika’s your niece?” Jess inquired. “Really.”
“Great niece actually. Female mentoring is usually referred to males
within their blood line,” Shane answered.
It was obvious Nathan was having a hard time believing females where
rare, considering his reality. “So you would mentor a male?” His question
was full of hope.
“I would prefer it. Females make me crazy.” Shane laughed when Jess
elbowed him in the ribs. Nathan nodded, still too serious. “If you want a
mentor when you’re older, you can request me. It would be an honor. That
is, if you are of warrior line.”
“How will I know if I am of warrior line?” Nathan asked, looking at
Shane like he’d just hung the moon.
“Most have an inclination, a talent or gift, that will generally direct
interests,” Shane explained. “Like Jorie and farming, Jess has martial arts.
They both have some of the same bloodlines in them. It’s their talents that
direct them.”
“My talent is farming?” Jorie asked, smiling.
“You drew that plant diagram I saw in your mom’s office, right?” Shane
asked her. Jorie nodded, still smiling. “That would be an agricultural
innovation if ever I saw one.”
“You really think so.” Jorie preened. “That is what G-pa E said too.” She
clapped her hands.
Nathan rolled his eyes. “I hope I’m a warrior so you can mentor me.”
“No matter what, you must be true to whatever calling you have. If you
try to be a warrior and it’s not your calling, you will never meet your true
potential,” Shane warned. Nathan’s brow furrowed, so Shane elaborated. “If
your calling is to heal and you try to be a warrior, you might end up being
an okay fighter, but you will lack the heart of a warrior. You will never find
personal satisfaction.”
Jess was learning right along with the kids. “What if it turns out that
Jerika wasn’t a warrior after all? Would you continue to mentor her?” she
asked.
“As her mentor, I would hope that I’d recognize that it wasn’t her calling.
Even if I didn’t, she would eventually come to realize that she was
unfulfilled by being a warrior. If she wanted me to continue to help her be
the best fighter she could be, I would of course be honored. A mentor
should be a part of the demographics that brings out her full potential. That
doesn’t mean she can’t explore other interests.”
He looked from her to Nathan, gauging the interest level. “Some who
have lived very long lives have gifts and talents that reach fruition. Often
times they become a new student in a subject unexplored by them. They
could request mentoring in the subject by someone far younger in calendar
years who is far older in subject experience. Jerika could discover in a few
centuries that she wants to focus on fundamental psychic universal law or
diverse language or some other scholarly pursuit. Freedom is just that.
Freedom.” Nathan’s interest was peaked at the mention of scholarly
pursuits. She wondered if Shane had already guessed Nathan’s direction.
“I didn’t get any gifts from my dad,” Jorie said. “He wants mom to have
another baby with him. He wants someone to play chess and Risk with him.
I hate to play Risk with him; he always wins. If neither of them find
bloodmates then they probably will have more kids together.” Jorie seemed
unfazed by the casualness of her parents’ relationship. “I have to be lots
older first.”
“I don’t understand. Why don’t Elven mate?” Jess asked Shane privately.
It seemed a touchy subject to Nathan.
“No one wants to settle, Beauty. Everyone wants a bloodmate—that is the
only mating that is forever. Bloodmating has become a rare occurrence in
the last five hundred or so years. I meant what I said. You are a gift.” Shane
winked to her.
Shane looped his arm over her shoulder, and they started walking deeper
into the farm. “Eventually even unmated Elven wish to procreate. Many
decide to have a child and choose a co-parent. That is what Jerika’s parents
did, too. My niece Irsu waited for four hundred years for a mate before
choosing a co-parent for Jerika. They use logic rather than emotion. Part of
the reason she waited so long was because her parents, Teja and my oldest
brother Gregor, are bloodmated. I think Irsu wanted her child raised like
she was. That just wasn’t how it worked out.”
“That is kind of sad.” Jess felt for the Elven females and the males too.
What would happen if no female chose them for a co-parent?
“Says the female who still hasn’t answered my proposal.”
Jess was about to argue that she had answered when they came around
the corner of Moira’s house. She stopped dead in her tracks. The clearing
behind the house had been turned into a makeshift military base. The
nearest tent to the house was so big it could have housed a circus under it. It
had two thin-wooded doors at each end. The door on the left had a Red
Cross over a snake and rod. Jess recognized the symbols as blood and
medic. The door to the right had a symbol unfamiliar to her, circular with
four different emblems at the four directional points.
“What does that symbol mean?” Jess asked the same moment Shane said
“Speaking of mentors” and Jorie shouted “Daddy!” She bounded off to be
hugged by the man exiting the door to the right. Gil came out right behind
him.
Gil joined them, locking down on Nathan in a classic headlock and
rubbing his knuckles across the boy’s scalp. “Lil Jess, I see ya met my good
buddy Nathan here.”
“Yes, I did. Now quit manhandling the kid, you barbarian,” Jess scolded
Gil, who of course grinned unrepentantly.
“I told him I’d quit tormentin’ him as soon as he can beat me at arm
wrestlin.’” Gil caught the flailing arms of the laughing, squirming boy when
he tried to break the impossible hold. Jess looked from the tree truck arms
on Gil to the skinny, pubescent limbs and shook her head.
Eventually Gil let the boy go, sending him off on some errand. Jorie
dashed off to help. Gil introduced Jess and Shane to Jorie’s dad. “This is
Napoleon Bonaparte. He’ll be my Euroasian counterpart in this operation.
This is Shane and his … eehhmm … mate Jess.”
Napoleon wasn’t overly tall, maybe five-six foot, with lean, defined
muscles like Shane. His hair was brown and curly like his daughter’s. His
brown eyes sparkled with intelligence. He wasn’t smiling. In fact, the
jesting he’d shared with his daughter a moment before appeared to have
been forced. All Jess could see was worry on his face. The fine lines around
his eyes would indicate that, in happier times, he was inclined to smile
often. Wait a minute. Did Gil just introduce him as Napoleon Bonaparte?
He did look remarkably like Napoleon from her history books.
“S’il vous plait, call me Napoleon.” He shook Shane’s hand before
turning to Jess.
When she offered her hand to shake, he took it between both of his,
bowing gallantly over it. “Enchante’e de faire votre connaissance.” He
placed a respectful kiss to the back of her hand before straightening, but he
retained possession of her hand. “I must express my sadness for the loss of
your mother. She was an amazing woman. It was my honor to have known
her and to have called her my friend.”
Jess rapidly blinked away the moisture in her eyes. That was the most
sincere condolence she had ever received for her mother’s passing. “Thank
you, Mr. …”
“It is simply Napoleon.” Smiling, he released her hand with another bow.
“If you both could join us, we require your presence to proceed further in
our planning.” He swept his arm toward the door, his hand palm up in
invitation. “After you, belle dame.”
“Chivalry is alive and well in the French,” Jess muttered, charmed by the
Frenchman.
“He’s just showin’ off.” Gil was as soothing and calm as ever. Jess stuck
her tongue out at him and Gil laughed, shaking his head.
****
Shane had been well behaved during Napoleon’s attention to his mate,
somehow suppressing his growl. He was quick to capture Jess’s hand in his
the moment it was released from the charming man. He was secretly
pleased when, in her sadness over her mother, she had subconsciously
leaned toward him for strength. His hand on the small of her back, he
guided her into the tent. Gil and Napoleon followed them in.
Usually when he was given an assignment, the commander stood in front
of the unit and explained the details, gave the orders, and issued the
assignments, then off they went to perform the duty. He had never been a
party to the initial planning. He had battlefield-planning experience; when
all hell inevitably broke loose, he would have to plan by the seat of his
pants to recover from whatever goatfuck the operation would and could turn
into. That was pure controlled chaos. He’d expected that kind of chaos
when he’d entered the war room. Instead he saw precise, detailed scenarios
being planned within smaller groups.
These were seasoned warriors from every species working alongside the
bureaucracy that made him crazy. He’d never understood the appeal Gil had
for these strategic planning groups. This was pretty fantastic. He finally got
it.
Excited, he turned to Jess. The look on her face chilled his blood—she
looked terrified. She had certainly been thrown curve balls. He lifted her
chin, bringing her gaze to his. “You good, Beauty?”
She swallowed hard, showing him a rare vulnerability. “Just stay close to
me, K? I can do this if you’re with me.”
She was amazing. It was his turn to swallow hard, swimming in the green
of her shell-shocked eyes. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” A
grateful, loving smile touched her lips.
 Chapter Twenty-Two
Jess stopped just inside the room. The rabbit hole got deeper and deeper
at every turn. Her abrupt foot-plant forced Gil and Napoleon to step around
her and Shane to enter fully. She was overwhelmed. The room was full of
people intent on conversation in small groups. What was she doing here?
This was a room of purpose. Napoleon had said they needed her and Shane
to proceed, but these people seemed to have things well in hand.
Thank God for Shane. He’d effortlessly pulled her out of her insecurities,
reassuring her in the most basic way. She loved him more every minute she
spent with him. She was his mate; he belonged to her. There was nothing
she couldn’t face. Putting on her game-day face, she opened up to the
experience of being here.
Shane, Gil, and Napoleon removed their shirts, and dentes appeared in
each male’s mouth, though not fully extended like she saw when she and
Shane where intimate. Just a hint of the dentes would show if they spoke or
smiled. Then the three of them released their wings. She noticed all the
Elven, male and female alike, where in similar states. The females’ breasts
were covered by halters like the one Nin had on earlier. Jess remembered
Shane calling this ‘true form’ when he had revealed himself to her the first
night. Looking around, she realized she was seeing all of the species in true
form. She wondered what they all looked like incognito. All three of these
species had mastered the art of blending long ago, she was sure. It was hard
to imagine them walking down a New York street full of people after seeing
them the way they truly were.
It was obvious which were Aquaties and which were Tellus. The
Aquaties were extremely tall, and their skin looked like it had been
sprinkled with diamond dust, rippling with the colors of their surroundings.
Long, muscular legs attached to shorter torsos, chiseled with perfection.
They had fins along their forearms, though they were tucked in. She
couldn’t tell how far they would extend out. The males wore speedo-style
shorts, leaving little to the imagination. The females were adorned in small
triangles attached to strings concealing their nipples and sex. Jess
understood. Hell, if her skin were that beautiful, she would go naked too.
 The Tellus were dark-skinned, ranging from deep tan to midnight black,
with multiple hair colors of brown, auburn, and ebony. Their eyes were dark
as night and sparkled with intelligence. None were over six foot. The way
they moved was fluid, displaying a natural grace. The standard dress among
them reminded Jess of something an archeologist would wear at a dig.
Shane had to nudge Jess forward to follow Napoleon and Gil. She
followed blindly, still unable to look away from the sight of the Aquaties
and the Tellus. Shane had told her of the other two species, but this was the
first time she’d actually encountered them. That she knew of. She was
probably being rude staring open-mouthed, but she couldn’t help it.
Thankfully no one seemed to notice her unabashed, awed curiosity, and she
was awarded an understanding smile or wave rather than impatience or
annoyance. “This is all to get Moira back?” Jess whispered.
With worry and pride Napoleon responded, “This is to make what she has
worked for a reality, not just to bring back Moira. We are uniting to aid all
of Fualth’s victims. Moira has been fighting the rogue organization that
took your mother for years. We have wanted to raid these nests many times,
but much to Moira’s frustration, the Oracles have repeatedly blocked the
requests, saying the time wasn’t right. Now they are behind this operation.”
Jess found herself looking at a giant world map that covered one full side
of the tent wall. All of the continents where shown, but instead of being
seven, the way she had learned in school, the continents had one of four
colors. Greenland, North and South America, and Hawaii were shown
under the color Green, denoted as “The Americas.” All of Europe and Asia
were Red, denoted as “Eurasia.” Africa alone was Brown and simply
“Africa.” Australia and Antarctica were blue and denoted as “Austraartica.”
Sitting at a table was a male and female Aquatie. The female was sitting,
while the male was standing beside her, bent over a smaller map with his
hands planted on the table. He was staring at Jess appreciatively. His
marine-colored eyes dropped down to her body and then rose slowly to
meet her gaze. The intensity she saw left her feeling exposed.
The female spoke to him, and when he didn’t respond she followed his
line of sight. She glanced from Jess to Shane, her eyes narrowed. They were
the same shade as the males. She was exquisite. Shane stiffened beside her.
The female turned back to the male. He tipped his head to hear what the
female said; never taking his eyes off Jess, and gave a single nod. The
female rose, patted the male on the shoulder, and sashayed toward them. A
mischievous grin lit her face, and her long hair shimmered in shades of
blue. She was nearly as tall as Shane.
“Well, if it isn’t Shane Einar, my favorite one-hit wonder,” her voice
purred suggestively. “Thought you said you hated bureaucratic bullshit, or
was that just pillow talk?” Her voice rich with nuance, flowed musically
from her lips, the kind of voice you could listen to forever, even if the
words she was saying made Jess want to kick her teeth in.
“Greycia,” Shane acknowledged.
Jess looked back toward the male. He hadn’t moved, still focusing on her.
What was the deal with these two? They acted like swingers. Shane drew
her against him, bringing her attention back to the conversation.
“I’d like to introduce you to Jess, my mate.” He corrected, “My
bloodmate … if she’ll have me.”
Greycia looked between them. A smile spread across her face, and
instantly her demeanor changed. “Really?” she asked Jess, and her
expression became open and happy. Jess nodded, even more confused.
“That is wonderful.” Jess could tell the female was truly excited for them.
The switch from jilted lover to ecstatic supporter was bizarre.
“We think so,” Jess mumbled, really not sure what to think. The male had
stood and was walking over to join them, too. He was a giant, easily six-
seven. He too had shimmering blue hair. He casually placed his arm over
the female’s shoulders while he continued to stare at Jess. Jess shifted her
gaze from Shane to Greycia to the male. Truth be known, she was freaked
at the idea that she was eye level with the male’s barely contained package.
He grinned down at her like he knew what she was thinking.
“Please tell me I didn’t hear you correctly, Shane?” The male’s voice was
a melody. Jess felt a shiver run through her, and goose bumps lifted on her
arms.
Shane clutched her tighter. “It is what it is. Jess, this is Greycia’s paired
sibling, Greyton.”
These two were brother and sister? Shut the front door. She should have
figured that they did have striking similarities. “Are you twins?” Jess asked.
Greyton laughed. “Damn, man. If you two didn’t represent the hope for
your species, I’d be inclined to challenge you for her.” Challenge him?
What was she some sort a booby prize? Greyton’s face lit with friendliness.
The speed these two changed emotional gears was unsettling.
Greycia answered Jess’s question. “We’re not twins. A true Aquatie
mating is even more rare than Volaticus has become. We are inclined to
multiple births. Though Greyton and I were born of the same mother at the
same time, we have different fathers.”
“Oh.” What? That didn’t make any sense at all. How could they have two
different father’s and be born at the same time? She opened her mouth to
inundate them with questions, then thought better of it and snapped it closed
again. Now was not the time.
Greycia giggled. “I like your mate, Shane.” She leaned down to Jess and
whispered suggestively, “If you and Shane ever want to liven things up,
give us a shout.” With that they walked back over to the table.
Jess turned to Shane. “So. Greycia, huh?”
Shane looked at her blankly. “Once,” he answered, his expression
unchanged. Did he think she was going to have a come-apart over this?
“Yeah, I picked up on the one-hit-wonder comment,” Jess teased.
Shane continued to stare at her. She schooled her features to match his,
leaving him on the fence as to whether she was upset and going to lose it.
“Is that all you have to say on the subject?” Shane finally asked.
He obviously didn’t realize what living around Aymee and Eric had
taught her. Sex meant nothing, unless it did. Sighing, she teased him further.
“Can’t say I blame you. If I’d met Greyton before you, I doubt you
would’ve had to deal with my pesky virginity.” Shane visibly relaxed.
“Indeed?” A quirked grin touched his lips. “You think we need our sex
life livened up, Beauty?” A sexy warning growl rumbled from his throat.
She pretended to consider the question before letting him off the hook.
“Naw. Just keep reminding yourself not to piss me off.” She’d just baited
his possessive instincts. Shane was a perfect lover, but she still wanted him
on his toes.
Shane barked out a laugh. “You know they can hear you, right?”
Jess sobered instantly. “No way, they’re clear over there.” She looked
over to where Greycia and Greyton were sitting at the table. The sexual
intensity was back in Greyton’s eyes. Greycia gave her a finger wiggle
wave in acknowledgment.
“Oh God, please make the ground swallow me up,” Jess mumbled
 A passing Tellus female stopped in front of her. “You want it to?” she
asked Jess. Trying to be helpful, the female started to raise her arms. Jess
could only stare stupidly at the Tellus. The humor in Shane’s voice pissed
her off as he answered the Tellus, “Sorry, no. She was using it as a figure of
speech.” The Tellus walked away with a confused look on her face.
Jess snapped at Shane, “I am in way over my head here.” He had sure
turned the jest on her.
Shane laughed hard again. “You are all the livening up I could ever
want.” Jess slapped his chest. He could be such an ass sometimes, though it
was kind of funny. She crossed her arms, refusing to give him the
satisfaction of giggling with him.
****
Gil’s soothing voice boomed, and the entire room descended into silence.
“We have identified four target nest locations, two in Austraartica on the
Australian inland continent: Mount Eccles in Victorria and Mount Gambier
in South Australia. The third in Africa at Mount Kenya. The final one in
Eurasia, in China near Lake Jingbo.” He pointed to different circled points
on a World Map. “In addition we’ve located the suspected leader, Fualth’s,
private quarters in the US … Maine.” Gone was the devil-may-care, silly,
sarcastic Gil, along with the funny accent. In his place stood Gilgamesh, the
Commander of Warriors.
Napoleon continued, “The locations are strategic. They all have natural
barriers to energy infiltration. The nests are all built next to volcanic crater
lakes that will hinder the abilities of both the Tellus and the Aquaties.
Neither will be able to use their full ranges of sonar or ultrasonic waves for
fear of causing a natural disaster.” Napoleon’s fingers were touching his
chin. Although he didn’t tap tap tap, the pose was obviously shared by both
father and daughter. He also held command of the room’s interest. “Fualth
has taken these positions, located in regions dominated by the Aquaties and
Tellus, knowing they would be handicapped by the geographic attributes of
the area.” He took a moment for the Aquaties and the Tellus to react to the
disrespectful affront Fualth had displayed putting these nests in their
pockets. The grumbling only lasted a few minutes before Napoleon could
continue. “The buildings housing our objectives are also lined with lead and
platinum, handicapping Volaticus as well.”
 “If we could all take our seats,” a Tellus female said, speaking like a
politician, “we can begin working out the logistics of making this operation
a successful reality.” She headed toward the elevated seating placed behind
the table-level seating. Climbing the few stairs, she sat in an orange chair
located at the Africa continent placement on the table. It was clear this
seating set-up was based on some form of hierarchy.
A Tellus female with dark brown, nearly black skin, close in height to
Jess, leaned toward Shane and Jess. “Are we supposed to be here?” she
whispered in a voice that was deep, rich, and feminine. Sultry. Appreciating
the simple beauty of the female, Jess shrugged.
“I believe so, Mattie. I am just not sure where we are to go,” Shane
answered for both of them.
Sargon walked up to those remaining, including Jess, Shane, and the
Tellus female. Too graceful for a man half his size, his deep, booming voice
was commanding like Gil’s without the soothing effects. His smile softened
the way he spoke. “Follow me.” He motioned to Jess, Shane, and the others.
Jess felt an energy ripple and heard Shane say “Miguel” a moment before
a male stood directly in front of them.
“Brother.” The male resembled Shane, standing the same six foot three
inches. He was smaller in build with the same dark brown hair and
highlights, worn longer. Smiling, Miguel clamped onto Shane’s shoulder.
Shane mirrored the embrace before pulling the male into a hug.
“What are you doing here, Miguel?” Shane asked.
Shane had told her he had a brother with a gift for premonition. Miguel
was the one brother to deviate from being a warrior. He had studied psychic
learning and advancement till one of the Oracles had offered to mentor him.
Their circles rarely ran into each other, and Shane had missed his brother.
Enlil stepped up to Jess’s side from somewhere, startling her. Chuckling,
he placed an arm over her shoulders in paternal affection. “You know when
Innanna shows up, your whole world is about to be turned upside down.”
Whispering for only Jess to hear, Enlil indicated the most beautiful female
Jess had ever seen. At four foot eight, she made Jess’s five foot two seem
tall. She wore a white, shimmering halter and full-length skirt. Her violet
eyes were too large for her angelic, porcelain face, and her platinum-blonde
hair was pulled back into a single thick braid that reached to her knees. She
looked about seventeen. She’d also been completely blocked from sight
behind Shane’s brother.
“She would have to get in line, the way this week’s going for me,” Jess
whispered back. Enlil busted out in a full belly laugh.
“That is a sound I love to hear. Share the joke so we can all laugh, Enlil.”
Nin stepped to her brother’s side. “Innanna, what brings you?” Though
calm, Nin seemed apprehensive.
The tiny female glanced toward the table, and an unoccupied chair
floated over to her. Fluttering her wings, she lifted and then stood on the
seat of the chair. Jess now knew where the fairy myth came from. Even
standing on the chair, she was barely taller than Jess.
Smiling, the tiny woman sighed. “That’s better. Don’t worry, Ninlil, it is
not my intent to recommend against the operation you are working toward.”
She waved her hand in the general area of the table and all the faces staring
back at her. “I’m here merely to help you obtain the greatest opportunity for
success.” That had everyone sitting forward in their chairs.
Nin left out a relieved breath. “Thank you, Innanna. We would be happy
to use any help the Oracles could give us.” The silent suspense that had
permeated the room the moment Miguel and Innanna had shown up
changed from dread to anticipation.
This tiny slip of a woman could have ended the rescue attempt with only
a word, but she held out both of her hands, palms down, to Jess. “You are
Jessica. Oh, forgive me. You prefer Jess now.” Smiling tentatively, Jess took
the woman’s hands. Enlil yanked his arm from around her shoulder like it
was on fire. “It is not time for your story yet, young man.” The firecracker
glanced to Enlil then back at Jess. “Your arrival has been heralded, Jess.
The bloodmating between you and Shanley is destined and the hope of our
future.”
Innanna released one of Jess’s hands and reached out for Shane’s. Shane
took the offered hand, and Innanna’s eyes glazed. She smiled. “Yes. This is
a strong bloodmating.” Shane took Jess’s free hand in his, reassuring her.
Suddenly everyone in the room vanished. Miguel, his hand on Shane’s
shoulder, remained, along with Innanna, Shane, and Jess, still linked by
their hands. The entire tent was vacated. The chairs were empty. Enlil and
Ninlil had vanished.
Jess looked around. “What just happened?”
 Shane looked from his brother to Innanna. “I think we just jumped ahead
in time. I’d heard that Innanna had that ability. I had no idea that she could
jump more than her own mass.” There was awe in Shane’s voice.
“My own mass I can leap up to thirty minutes. The four of us, only five.”
She shrugged. “We need some privacy. Open your minds to me that I may
save us some time.”
Shane dropped his shielding, opening himself to be fully vulnerable to
the Oracle, and Jess followed his lead. A series of images along with an
accompanying story behind each flooded their minds. Most showed females
in small living spaces, similar to cages, the bars made of lead and platinum
covered with sheets of aluminum. Small dents showed where they had been
stuck over and over, probably from both violence and frustration. The
images showed males entering these rooms, and the females showed horror
and terror. The word “ovulation” entered her mind. Other times the males,
two or three at a time, were practically attacked by the females. The word
“estrus” entered her mind.
The images blurred, then cleared again, this time showing the females
pregnant. Most stared blankly while others were crying, rocking, or
performing some other repetitive action. Then the pictures changed,
showing the females screaming and crying as their newborn infants were
taken from them.
The image changed to follow the children, ranging in age from eighteen
months to three years, standing in straight military lines at attention. The
children grew up in rapid time lapse.
“We only have four minutes fifteen seconds left.” Innanna cut the images
off. ”Jess, are you planning to accept Shanley’s blood?”
Looking at Shane, tears in her eyes from the images she’d just seen, Jess
nodded. “I love him,” she whispered, her blossom of loving emotions
toward Shane taking the sting out of the horror she’d just witnessed.
Shane pulled their linked hands to his lips. “Thank you, Beauty. I love
…”
Innanna cut him off. “Shanley, I must interrupt. I am sorry. There really
is little time.” Innanna spoke crisply. “The universe is a fluid entity. A well-
timed sacrifice has power. That is what you have the opportunity to do.”
Innanna looked between them. What could they possibly sacrifice? “I am
going to give you a choice, an important one. Jess will Become as soon as
she takes your blood, Shane. She will also enter her first estrus. If she is
coupled, the result will be a female child. The pain of Jess’s Becoming and
estrus would be reduced as well because you would be able to share it with
each other.”
She paused. “Or you can sacrifice the relief joining would give you for
the benefit of the operation rather than the joy of each other. You are a
siphon, Jess. That is a phenomenal asset to this mission. Your abilities will
be magnified a thousand fold by the pain of Becoming and the hormones
generated during estrus. It will become a force unto itself.”
That made sense. She’d always felt an inner power, the thing she now
recognized as her gift, during times of strife. “What if I siphon the good
guys?” Jess had to ask. She hadn’t forgotten the effect she’d had on Nin.
Innanna smiled sweetly. “With Enlil to direct it, you will be capable of
drawing enough energy into yourself to slingshot the Heredity victims that
will be found in this operation to a secure location, including your non-
psychic aunt. Enlil can make sure the energy you siphon will come from
Fualth’s soldiers, simultaneously helping cripple Fualth’s ability to
retaliate.” Innanna looked from Shane to Jess. “I gave you images of what
is happening in the target locations so that you would see, should you
decide to make this sacrifice, those it would benefit in addition to Moira.
Those images reflect what your aunt has fought against. It is also the real
reason your mother died: to protect you from this fate, Jess.”
Jess had a million questions spinning through her mind. Instead of
voicing them, she looked to Shane, who nodded back at her in both
agreement and understanding of her confusion. She was about to agree to
the sacrifice. They’d get Moira back, and then she could be with Shane.
That dream illusion shattered with Innanna’s next words. “Before you
answer, you must also understand that the Becoming and subsequent estrus
will last for two weeks, during which you will be able to retain the psychic
energy of the rogue soldiers and keep them weakened. This is a once in a
lifetime occurrence. Jess, you know how painful it is to be psychically
overwhelmed?” Jess nodded, biting her bottom lip. “That will be multiplied
by more than you have ever imagined. Add to it the physical pain of
developing wings, dentes, and new cranial musculature for directional
hearing. Then stir in an unquenchable yearning for sex. That is what you
will be subjecting yourselves and each other to should you decide to agree.
The pain will be tremendous. Bonded, you will both be forced to endure it
without relieving each other in any way. You will not be able to connect
during this time physically, sexually, emotionally, or psychically. The
psychic overload from her talent in addition to the pain and pheromones is
the dynamic that offers the greatest hope for these females.”
“What will happen to the operation if we decide not to offer our
sacrifice?” Shane asked. Jess had the same question.
“This group will succeed with or without you. Your sacrifice would
increase the level of success, enabling more people to be saved with less
loss of life. Your siphoning and retention will also hold the enemies at bay
for a few weeks. The rogues have taken blood from these females. Without
the sacrifice, they could be driven insane by the bonds that have been
forced on them. You would be giving the saved a better chance to disappear
without being re-captured or further tormented. The females and women
will need full blood transfusions, psychic healing, physical care, and life
training. Your two weeks of suffering will give them the breathing room
that could make the difference.”
“Could we have a minute?” Jess asked.
“That’s about all you’ve got left.” Innanna gave her a sympathetic smile,
stepping away. Miguel followed her. There was a soft buzzing sound
growing louder every second.
Turning into Shane’s embrace, Jess laid her ear to his chest and listened
to his heartbeat. Shane’s cheek lay against the top of her head. He rubbed
her back lovingly. “What do you think?” she finally asked.
“I love you, Jess. I am prepared to do whatever needs to be done to be
with you forever. There is no sacrifice too great, except your future
happiness. No pain I wouldn’t endure for you.” Shane said exactly what she
needed to hear.
Jess looked into his eyes. “I love you too. I hate the idea of the man I
love in pain, but if we don’t do this, other people will pay a permanent price
to spare us a horrible but temporary situation. Two weeks seems small
compared to the sacrifices my aunt and mother have already made … but.”
“We will have another chance for an Elven young in twenty-five years or
so. In the meantime we can just practice or we can try to conceive a Hulven
if we are ready sooner. I would also love to marry you, Beauty. In the way
you are familiar, with our friends and family. Take a long honeymoon. We
will have the rest of our lives to make beautiful memories. We may even
cherish them more for having given this one in the aid of people unable to
help themselves. That is what warriors have done for eternity.” He was
showing her a strong front. Jess was afraid, saddened, and determined to do
the right thing. It wouldn’t be a sacrifice if it weren’t difficult.
Innanna and Miguel approached. The buzzing had become much louder.
“It’s time.” Miguel nudged Shane and Jess to the left. The buzzing became
louder and louder, and the air began to shimmer from the cumulative
energies of the approaching entities, followed by colors, then fuzzy shapes
that gained detail. Time was catching up with them. They were surrounded
again. Enlil’s elbow touched Jess’s shoulder. If Miguel hadn’t shifted her
and Shane, she would have been standing in the same spot Enlil was.
The room seemed to become aware of their return immediately and went
silent. “What say you?” Innanna asked.
Jess and Shane stared into each other’s eyes. Holding a finger up to
Innanna, Jess inquired of Shane, “Will you propose again?”
Shane dropped to one knee, holding her hand in his. “Jess Reed, I love
you. You are my bloodmate. My miracle. Will you accept my heart, my life,
and my bond?”
Jess sighed loudly. “Well, Shanley Einar, I guess you’re stuck with me
then. I love you too.” Shane rose to lift Jess into his arms, kissing her with
passion. The room erupted in applause. This time Innanna waited until they
ended the kiss themselves before politely clearing her throat. She was back
to standing on the chair.
“We accept the sacrifice,” Jess told her. Shane squeezed her tighter
against him, nodding.
“Both of you.” Innanna clarified. Shane and Jess looked at each other
once again and nodded at Innanna. “So be it.” She bowed respectfully and
whispered, “Thank you both for this sacrifice. It will never be forgotten.”
Rising, she fluttered to land in the center of the mapped table. “Males and
females of the Symbiosis of Species Council, if you please,” she said,
indicating the chairs around her. Shane and Jess went to sit at the end of the
table where Sargon had originally directed them. Congratulations flowed
from everyone’s lips.
 Chapter Twenty-Three
Jess and Shane found themselves sitting at the end of the table with one
of the males who had been among the enemy soldiers captured earlier. He
sat beside a woman who bore a striking resemblance to both Nathan and the
male. Who was he?
Jess extended her hand to the female. “Hi, I’m Jess and this is my mate to
be, Shane.”
The female smiled, revealing the tiniest hint of a dimple just below her
eye, and took Jess’s outstretched hand. “I really should have introduced
myself to you sooner, Jess. I know you so well, it’s easy to forget that we
are all strangers to you.” She elbowed the male next to her. “This is my
brother Sam. Sam has been an undercover informant for the Eurasian SOSC
since your mother and I were rescued from breeding cages. My name is
Sara, and Nathan is my son. I work an Underground Railroad society in
Montana for your aunt in addition to helping her locate and help any
females in need.”
Shane and Sam shook hands. Jess was trying to wrap her brain around
the “mother rescued from a breeding site” statement. Jesus, everyone talked
to her as if she were supposed to know all this shit. It was starting to make
her crazy. Her question-cup runneth the fuck over already.
Jess had been impressed by Gil and Napoleon’s command of the room’s
attention. They had nothing on Innanna. She was like Wonder Woman up
there. Woman? Okay, that didn’t really fit. Maybe Wonder Brat. Her eyes
met Jess’s and she gave her a quirked brow. Holy shit, did she hear my
thoughts? Jess bit into her lip. “Sorry,” she sent out to Innanna.
“No problem. I kind of like the sound of Wonder Brat. Bearing in mind
that I was present during the fall of Atlantis.” Innanna’s voice held humor,
thank goodness. Jess breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Shane,” she called to her male. The term had a nice ring to it.
“Yes, my love.” His response was immediate, sending a rush of pleasure
through her.
“When did Atlantis fall?” Funny how with all of the questions swimming
in her mind, that was the one she asked.
“Nearly ten thousand years ago. Why?” He looked at her in question.
 Holy shit. “No reason.” She was so not going to tell Shane she’d just
called a ten thousand year old female Wonder Brat.
When Innanna began to speak, her voice was magnified, with an odd
echoing cadence to it. At first she couldn’t figure out the sound quality.
Then she noticed that the Aquaties around the table were all moving their
hands in a gentle, snaking “S” shape in front of their chests.
“What are they doing?” Jess asked Shane telepathically.
“They are amplifying Innanna vocals using sonar. That is one of the
species’ psychic abilities. When they use it together, it creates a surround
sound, amplifying any who speak so that all will hear them. Volaticus
hearing is powerful, but theirs is more so. Yet the Hulven, the Tellus, and
humans, if any were in attendance, do not have sensitive hearing. The
Aquaties are using that power to assist. It is much more powerful in water.”
It was such a subtle movement. Graceful. Beautiful. Since it was being
done to assist her, she appreciated it even more. She wasn’t sure she would
be able to hear Innanna if not for the dance of the Aquaties.
“The success of this mission is assured,” Innanna bestowed. “The
members of the Oracles and High Ones who have joined the room are
offering their assistance to the SOSC in any way we can.” Behind the
seating more Aquaties, Volaticus, and Tellus were appearing. The room
filled with power. “The last time a joint power of this magnitude was
needed or offered was in the creation of the SOSC itself.”
Innanna continued as the powerful beings of all three species added their
presence, “We have a few requests and suggestions to make before we
would encourage you Warrior Leaders, Generals, and Commanders from
every species to continue planning. To begin, we would like the abilities of
the Oracles and High ones to be included in the planning for each phase of
engagement. Also, to aid in the extraction phase requiring Jess’s and Enlil’s
talents, it is imperative that they be protected directly by warrior members
of family bond. That would include, of course, Jess’s mate Shane upon
bond completion.” Two males and two females appeared directly behind
Shane while Innanna spoke. “By that bond, Shane’s brother Gregor, his
mate Teja, their daughter Irsu, and Shane’s brother Conlon.” The four
linked hand to shoulder with Shane, and they all nodded to Jess. What a
strange way to meet her in-laws.
 “Ninlil, Sargon, Gilgamesh, Enlil and Ediku.” Enlil stepped behind Jess,
placing both of his hands upon Jess’s shoulders. The other named members
of Jess’s family came to stand behind Enlil, linking hand to shoulder,
mirroring Shane’s family. Through Jess and Shane’s clasped hands, the two
families where linked together. To Jess it felt like a ceremony, not a
traditional marriage. It felt like a union just the same.
As Jess leaned her head against Shane’s shoulder, the members of her
family moved fluidly with her. Shane pressed a kiss of understanding to her
forehead. She’d never felt so surrounded by love and support in her life.
“Furthermore.” Innanna pulled attention back to her. “It is preferable for
the Volaticus to engage, the Tellus to stun and the Aquaties to place the
soldiers into a hypothermic state. We would like as few casualties as
possible, on both sides of the battle.” The Tellus and the Aquaties were
nodding around the table to Innanna request.
“The High Ones will be sending a world-wide telepathic message
offering clemency to any who wish to renounce Fualth’s organization and
voluntarily surrender to warrior members of the SOSC. That offer will be
for a period of seven days following the raids. No longer. Most of the
soldiers have been raised under Fualth’s regime and don’t know anything
else. However, we will not bring the enemy into our fold until we are sure
their intentions have integrity and honor. We will create temporary chortals
from the raided locations to the surrender location, allowing any who desire
clemency to reach the SOSC warriors and High Ones who are waiting.”
Innanna looked around the table again.
“With that goal in mind, we recommend the target acquisition order be
the following: First, Mount Kenya, Africa, the birthing center and militia-
training nest. Yes, it will have the least number of victims. It will also be the
heaviest guarded. Once secured, it will be where the High Ones and
additional warriors of the SOSC will remain. It will be the location offered
for clemency. It is also the location where Moira is being held. An
informant is placing Fualth currently at that location.” The commanders
seated around the table gave nods of approval to Innanna’s assessment of
the first target. “A simultaneous raid upon Fualth’s Maine headquarters will
be initiated. We would prefer Fualth captured for questioning rather than
eliminated. These locations are the tip of the iceberg, and we need to
interrogate him.
 “The second target, Mount Gambier, Southern Australia, has the highest
victim population. It is a blood and breeding nest with a high ratio of
Hulven victims. Therefore the majority of the victims will be able to self-
port once they receive a geographic destination, requiring less energy from
Enlil and Jess for extraction and hopefully leaving a surplus for the
following third target location.
“That third target will be Mount Eccles, Austrailia. Another blood and
breeding nest, it houses fewer victims. It will have a higher number of
Heredity humans. It has the most lax security. Keep in mind that this
location will require tremendous siphoning by Enlil and Jess for victim
extractions. If you feel them unintentionally draw from you or the warriors
under your command, take action to protect against it. Enlil will be focusing
on drawing energy from only the enemies for both of them. However,
accidents happen, so protect yourselves and warn your warriors to do the
same.” The warning did much to make the council aware that Jess and
Enlil’s powers were dangerous to more than just the enemy.
“The forth and final target will be in China. It is referred to as the
nursery, with children from newborn to the Hulven puberty age of fourteen
to sixteen and Elven puberty age of twenty-five to thirty. It is brainwashing
central, and the victims here will most likely not realize they are victims.
They will be resistant to leaving and will also be psychic. Therefore, the
psychic weavers will be generating energy netting over the top of the nest’s
compound while the first three targets are being infiltrated. That should
contain the limited powers of the children to remain within the compound.
The children will not be removed from China. We will take over the
occupancy, bringing psychic healing and post-cult re-education on-site,
where they feel most comfortable. We will not further traumatize these
children by removing them from their home. We will also work to unite
them with their mothers and trace down family blood lines.”
Giving the perfect length of pause for the room to assimilate her last
directive, Innanna finished up, “The Oracles and High Ones will remain
here during your planning if you have any need of us. Leaders, Generals,
Commanders, and special guests, make this happen.”
 Chapter Twenty-Four
Shane found himself fascinated with the process of planning the raids.
Arial maps for each location were laid out across tables. Smaller groups of
warriors surrounded whichever map depicted their individual points of
contact. Enlil, Gregor, Sam, Gil, and Napoleon were going from group to
group, selecting points within the boundaries of the compounds that
represented the best way to get Enlil and Jess to each. Sam’s expertise as an
informant was put to good use, giving a function to each building shown in
the map, where the heaviest guard was, and why.
Teya, Nin, Irsu, Conlon, and Ediku were deep in conversation with the
Tellus and Aquaties members who had volunteered to join in the Enlil and
Jess traveling extraction group. The Tellus would generate an
electromagnetic field at the most difficult location. The purpose of the
Tellus and Aquaties would be to create a potent, stable electromagnetic field
surrounding Enlil and Jess to aid the porting of the large groups. The
porting would be difficult for the Heredity victims. Having no psychic
energy, they would probably at the very least vomit and pass out. They
might also have seizures, so keeping the porting field stable would aid in
the comfort of travel for the Heredity. That was the genius of the think tank.
Warriors from all three species worked at each location map. The Tellus
were tunneling under the compounds, making trenches around each
building to determine if any had underground passageways that Sam might
have been unaware of. The Aquaties were in the tunnels behind the Tellus
checking for the structural integrity of the underground walls and tunnels. If
they were only lined with lead, then the unified abilities of the Aquaties and
the Tellus working together could penetrate into the walls themselves.
Because of the cost and availability of platinum, a lot of the compound
buildings could probably be breached from below ground.
The Volaticus were clearing the ground levels of trip wires, cameras,
infrared motion sensors, and heat sensors. Once found, the devices could be
put on energy circulations, keeping them from activating. They would also
disable any communication devices they found, either satellite monitoring
or closed circuit.
 Jess had a quick moment for introductions with his family, before
Innanna approached. ”I know it will be difficult to take your minds off the
operation, but you need to blood-bond for the success of the mission.”
According to Jorie, there were secluded natural hot springs on the
property, hand-in-hand they set out to find them.
“Do you ever feel like everything is happening too fast?” The sun
filtering through the trees lit the highlights of Jess’s hair. Shane was still
coming to terms with the idea this wonderful female would be his
bloodmate forever. He could hardly blame her for her question.
“Until you.” He held both of his arms straight out from his sides and
lifted his face to the sun filtering through the leaves. “I’ve always run to
whatever comes next. Now I am just enjoying the moment.” He turned his
gaze back to hers. “You say too fast, I say, thank the Fates you’re finally
here. What took you so long?”
Tears filled her beautiful eyes, and he pulled Jess into his embrace, her
cheek to his chest. One hand stroked her back while the other buried itself
in the weight of her shimmering blonde hair. “We could see the spring
easier from the air, Beauty. Will you fly with me?”
“Oh, yes, Shane.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing her
eyes closed. Grinning Shane cradled her and gave a hard flap of his wings.
Catching an updraft, he lifted them above the orchard trees.
“Open your eyes, Beauty.”
Jess slowly opened her eyes. They were flying just above the treetops. If
she stretched out her foot, she could skim the tops. “Amazing! I’m king of
the world.” Her joy-filled laugh echoed against his soul.
Shane took her to the limits of the energy weave. Jess brushed her
fingertips across it, and it shimmered like a rainbow under her fingertips.
“It’s beautiful. What is it?” Her expression was full of such innocent
wonder, Shane thought his heart would burst out of his chest. She humbled
him, excited him, and aroused him.
He could barely speak for the dente’s in his mouth, let alone think for the
erection pounding behind his jeans. He did his best to answer her. “It is an
energy weave. Suena and Lugal, our best weavers, placed it. They too are
bloodmated. The weave camouflages the farm from prying human eyes;
from outside the weave, this looks like the sleepy farm it has always been.
It also will sense the different energies that approach. If human energy
comes to it, it will flex in front of the human, continuing to hide what’s
really there.”
“Like a giant invisibility cloak?”
“That’s how it would be to a human. To the enlightened, it is more of a
warning. No entity with psychic energy can pass through the weave
unannounced, not by land, sea, or air. The weave will not halt them, it will
just announce them.” Spotting the spring just below them, Shane began to
descend, smiling at her quick intake of breath. She hugged him tighter,
pressing her lush breasts against his chest.
“I could so get used to this,” Jess’s breathed, her eyes flashing, her
adrenals firing from the thrill of the controlled plunge to the ground.
“You will, my beauty,” Shane whispered, his lips brushing against the
outer edge of her ear. She shivered against him in response. His feet
touched the ground gently, and he set her feet in the edge of the spring’s
heated water. “Even after you have wings, I would be happy to be your
chariot.” Jess wiggled her toes in the warm water. The bottom mud
squished between her toes and she smiled. He pressed his hand to the ache
the sight of her created in his chest. The pressure of his heart pounding felt
like a band tightening. She held him mesmerized
“Are you alright?” Stepping out of the water towards him, Jess cupped
his cheek in her hand.
“You’re so beautiful.” Shane reached up, capturing her hand against his
cheek and turning it to kiss the center of her palm. “You take my breath
away when you smile like that, full of wonder. I’ve never seen anything so
profoundly beautiful as you.” Her face relaxed, and Shane was again
rewarded with her smile.
“Wanna know a secret?” she playfully whispered, one side of her mouth
lifted in a grin. Shane nodded. “I think you’re beautiful too.”
He gave a small snort. “Males aren’t beautiful. We are manly and
handsome. Hot, I think that is what you thought of me the first time you
saw me. Yes, I remember. You thought, loudly I might add, ‘‘Oh, momma,
that guy is hot. Change-my-panties hot.’” He rubbed his thumb across her
full lower lip.
Two weeks would feel like an eternity. He had to hear her soft cries of
pleasure once more before the call of duty took them from each other. Many
Hulven died while Becoming, but Shane tried to keep his fear from ruining
this moment.
Her mischievous grin was his only warning: Jess shifted, taking Shane’s
balance from his elbow, and they began to roll. Warm water slapped against
his back. Another roll submerged him on his back again. She kicked her
legs and swam off into deeper water. The little yellow sundress she had put
on before leaving her Mesa home turned sheer in the water, showing him
the outline of the peaked nipples beneath. He groaned, his mouth watering,
and his dentes fully emerged.
Shane worked to free himself from the wet denim encasing his legs,
hindered by his boots. The siren laughed and splashed water at him. Shane
finally tossed the offending jeans and boots to the grassy bank and launched
himself at Jess. “Now you’re in trouble. I am going to spank that pretty
little ass of yours.”
Squealing, Jess took off swimming hard, but Shane’s longer stokes
caught up to her effortlessly. Grasping her ankle, he towed her toward him
through the water. She splashed him again, and as Shane shook the water
from his eyes, Jess, always one to take an advantage, used his hold on her
ankle to nearly stand against. Both hands to his shoulders, she pushed him
below the surface, then turned to swim away. Shane came up out of the
water directly below her, lifting her midsection with one arm. Her ass just
broke the surface before the smack of his hand came down on it.
“OH!” Startled, Jess opened her psyche fully to him. He could feel her
nipples hard and aching, her womb clenched, her core pulsed. Did that just
turn her on? Yes, he could tell it did. His shaft was practically whooping in
joy at her reaction. She wiggled against Shane’s hold anew. Baiting him,
she splashed him again.
Smack. A second slap landed on her ass, followed by Shane rubbing the
sting away. “Ohhhh.” The shiver of anticipation raced from her into him.
She was close to orgasm. His eyes fell closed under the level of excitement
his spanking created in her.
All humor gone, Jess turned in his arms “Get this dress off me. Now.”
Reaching to the seam of tiny pearled buttons between her lush breasts,
Shane gave a hard tug, RIP. He reached lower to her now exposed belly
button with the sparkle of a diamond hanging in it. One more tug, RIP, and
he tore the material straight down the middle. She hadn’t worn a bra,
something that had somehow escaped Shane’s notice until the dress had
gotten wet. Her full breasts beckoning him, a call he had to answer. Lifting
the perfect orb, he pulled the sweet berry of her nipple deep into the warm
recess of his mouth. Jess let out a long moan of pleasure, her head falling
back, arching into his mouth, her fingers digging into the back of his head,
holding him to her. He tore away the strip of lace from between her legs.
The tattered remains of her clothing floating around their entwined bodies.
Switching breasts, Shane guided them to a place where he was waist-
deep in the spring. Jess rubbed her core against his erection. His hand
behind her head, he pulled her into a kiss, swallowing her taste, drawing the
heated oleander scent of her passion deep in his lungs. Shane released Jess’s
upper body, and she floated before him, her long blond hair flowing in the
water that surrounded her face like a halo. Her gold-filled green eyes
flashed with passion, and her tiny tongue peeked out, licking her upper lip,
tasting his kiss. Magnificent.
Keeping an arm beneath her hips, holding her core against his erection,
Shane ran his hand down Jess’s body, memorizing her curves one last time.
From her neck, his thumb following her pounding pulse, traveling down her
chest and between her breasts, feeling the rise and fall of her heavy
breathing. His fingers splayed across her belly, flipping the piercing that
glittered up at him, rubbing the spot that, if she survived, would one-day
carry his child. His fingers slid down to the folds of her female core. She
was laid out for him. Open. Trusting. Wanting. His thumb gently circled the
bundle of nerves. His hands shook with fear, and a lump formed in his
throat. Please, Fates, keep her safe, he silently pleaded.
“Shane.” A sharp cry, her breath ragged. “Please. I need you.”
Floating in the warm water, surrounded by the heat of Jess’s body Shane
knew without a doubt if Jess didn’t survive what was coming he would join
her in death to be with her. His other half. “I love you, Beauty.” Placing the
tip of his erection to her tight, sweet opening, Shane bit into his wrist and
then placed it to her lips, groaning when Jess’s pink tongue peeked out and
licked his coppery rich blood. Then she sucked his wrist, sealing her mouth
against his flesh, drawing his essence into her. Holding her hips from below
to keep her in place and keep her body afloat, Shane gave one hard thrust,
burying himself to the hilt within her. Her cry strangled, she exploded
against him, around him, pulsing, milking him.
 “Lift your wrist to me, Beauty. Bond to me.” His words were barely
discernible, spoken through the heavy weight of his dentes throbbing in
beat to his pulse and his thrusts in and out of Jess’s perfect body. His voiced
deepened to a near solid vibration in his lust. His blood coursed through her.
He relished the knowledge that she could feel everything he felt, his passion
and his love for her, forevermore.
Jess raised her arm out of the water, watching him through slit lids. He
leaned in, kissed her palm, and then moving lower to her pulse, striking into
her vein. Brilliant light filled his vision as their bodies screamed out in
passion together. The power of the union caused her to make one long draw
at Shane’s blood flowing into her as hers flowed into him. Every muscle in
his body stretched to nearly snapping. He felt her womb clench to a nearly
painful point. Higher their bodies climbed, reaching for the climatic release,
drawing from each other’s blood, each other’s emotions, each other’s
sensations, each other’s energies. The release crashed over them together,
and they cried out in the violence of the climax. Jet after jet of his seed
pumped deep within Jess’s clutching, pulsing core. “Oh God, I love you,”
she whispered, her breath gone. They cleaved to each other, trying to regain
their breath.
Several minutes passed before Shane could seal their bite wounds. Jess
held his face between her hands. “Stop torturing yourself. We will get
through this. I’m too stubborn to die. You’re not going to lose me.”
“You’re feeling my fears.” Fear wasn’t an emotion familiar to him. He
was a battle warrior, yet the thought of her facing her Becoming filled him
with terror. He understood death, but this was a perspective on the fragility
of life. Her life.
Jess nodded, “I know this is dangerous, for both of us. We knew that
when we agreed to this sacrifice. I can feel how honorable you are, and this
would be an honorable death for a worthy cause. But I don’t believe the
Fates everyone talks about intend for us to die. Innanna said we are the
hope of our species. Let’s hold on to those words.”
Leaning his forehead against hers, grinning, Shane realized Jess was
right. She was both wise and beautiful. Silently thanking the Fates for the
miracle of her, he surrendered his fear and focused on enjoying the few
moments they had together.
 Energized, they headed back to the shoreline. Passing a piece of her torn
panties, Jess lifted her fingers to her mouth. “What am I going to wear?”
“Nothing suits you fine.” Shane chuckled when Jess glared at him. He
noticed fighting leathers and moccasins sitting on one of the rocks. “Looks
like clothing is already covered.”
Blushing, Jess looked back at him. “Who left those here? Do you think
they saw us?” She was biting her bottom lip, shifting from foot to foot,
looking around to see if anyone was watching from the woods.
“Beauty, does it really matter? We love each other. We bonded that love.
It was beautiful. I am not ashamed.” Holding her face by her chin, he let his
love fill her through the new bond. Jess relaxed. Taking a deep breath, she
picked up the clothes that had been left for them, including a pair of light-
tan, leather tie-up pants. She looked from the pants to Shane.
“Yummy.” She handing them off, along with the larger pair of moccasins,
and picked up what had been left for her: a leather halter the same style all
Elven females wore, a smaller pair of leather pants, and moccasins.
“I have no idea how to put these on.” She held the tiny halter and pants
up to Shane. The ties were intricate.
“I’ll help you.” He chuckled and stepped into the form-fitting leather
pants. His erection pressed against the leather ties as he finished lacing
them. A rush of heat flooded him from Jess, her appreciation of his form-fit
leather, causing his dentes to extend again. “Your train of thought is fucking
killing me, Jess.” Smiling, he laced the moccasins next.
“Oh, right. It’s your own fault,” she teased. “Change my panties, you are
hot!” Grinning, she put her hair into a quick braid.
Chuckling, Shane took her clothing and knelt before her so that she could
step into the pants and moccasins. He tied the mocs first, and then stood,
sliding the soft leather up her legs as he rose. It was almost sacrilegious to
cover her body. Sighing with regret, he laced them at her waist, showing her
how. Turning her to face away from him, he tied the halter at her neck and
her lower back. An angry welt began to rise at her shoulder blades, the
location of her skin flaps already making itself known. It was the start of
Jess’s Becoming.
“Shane, my brother.” Conlon voice intruded. “We just got word that
something has happened with this Moira woman. Sam’s sister says we gotta
go. Hate to interrupt, but shake a wing back here.”
 “Son of a bitch.” Shane snatched Jess to his chest and launched skyward.
He flew faster than he ever had, landing them amongst their family. The
first wave of Jess’s pain rolled through him. The minute Shane’s feet hit the
ground Enlil was there. Jess lifted to her toes and placed a sweet kiss to his
lips. “I love you, Shanley Einar. Don’t forget. I will see you in a few
weeks.”
Giving Jess one last hug, Shane whispered back, “I love you, my
beautiful Jess. I’ll never forget. You are mine.”
Enlil met Shane’s look when he released his new mate with
understanding and sympathy. “Take care of her.” Shane asked and warned
in the same statement. Enlil nodded.
Gil handed him his weapons of choice, and he strapped the blade-filled
holsters to his forearms. He reached out for the chest belts that held the two
deadly sharp curved scythe blades, his weapons of choice, slipping into the
arm slots and securing the curved blades against his chest. He was ready.
She was biting her full bottom lip again. Love and concern radiated from
her.
“Lets get this done.” If he didn’t go now, he may never be able too. They
ported to the African nest, leaving Enlil and Jess to follow.
 Chapter Twenty-Five
Moira was pulled from her thoughts and the second act of Madame
Butterfly playing in her mind when the wall opened again. Two hulking
soldiers entered and lifted her limp form by her arms. Moira maintained her
unresponsiveness, and they drag-carried her out of the room and into a
hallway where Sofia waited, standing beside her “big monster.”
“Time to see how strong you truly are, hmmm?” Fualth/Mason taunted.
He appeared ill; maybe that would make him think twice before arbitrarily
biting into someone’s neck uninvited. Sofia’s expression was controlled,
cold, uncaring, and blank. Nice. Moira liked her more and more.
After incalculable attempts without success, Moira had learned long ago
that she would never be able to accomplish the dormancy that Elven could
achieve. Seeking an alternative to ensure the safety of the people she loved,
should she ever find herself in this very situation, she’d committed to
extreme meditation and self-hypnosis. The meditation had always had the
added benefit of alleviating Moira’s emotional impact on Jorie via the
maternal bonding. She’d tested the self-hypnosis during minor injuries, and
it had worked.
While installing netting in a cave on the farm, she’d stumbled off the cliff
edge. Stupidly she had worn a shirt that didn’t allow her wings freedom,
and she’d had nothing to break her fall. The sharp, sudden pain of breaking
her legs had alerted her daughter to her situation. When Jorie arrived and
found her mother with two broken legs, she’d thought Moira was knocked
unconscious.
Neither Jorie nor Napoleon had remembered the phrase needed to bring
her out of the hypnotic trance until several days had passed without Moira
coming around. By then her legs had fully healed. Moira had felt no pain
after the initial impact. Today, Moira was sure, would be the ultimate test.
She was dragged into a room between two hulking Elven and hung from
chains suspended from the ceiling, her arms lifted into restraints. She
focused on the tiny compartment she’d developed in her mind for complete
withdrawal.
Thank you, karma, one of the Elven lost his grip on her arm, allowing her
the final moment of indiscernible control to activate the GPS behind her ear.
It was unlikely that the signal would be picked up while she was in this lead
room. She hoped her body would be taken to the surface while the signal
was still active, letting Napoleon know where she was.
She cleared her mind of what-ifs. They would only hinder her ability to
fully surrender to the level of hypnosis she was pretty damn sure she was
going to need. It was her only hope of surviving whatever Fualth the
madman had planned for her. She began the rhythmic breathing, steering
her mind to focus on the box, folding the sides shut tightly, and scooting it
deep into the recesses of her mind. She was weightless, her mind suspended
adrift on a warm current of air accompanied by the comforts of her favorite
musicals.
She never heard any of Fualth’s questions, never felt the electric currents
that were sent through her body, never screamed when her underdeveloped
wings were torn from the anchors against her spine, never responded to the
drowning or smelling salts. The only thing that would release her mind now
was the right phrase issued from the voice of either Napoleon or Jorie. If
this was bad, she felt confident neither would whisper that phrase until her
body had healed enough for her to never know the true pain Fualth intended
for her. That was, if she survived.
****
Sofia strode briskly across the courtyard. For all appearances, she was on
another dire directive from the self-proclaimed master of the fucking
universe. Oh, how she hated him. Fualth was in rare form. He usually tried
to justify and excuse his sick, sadistic behaviors. With Moira’s persuasion,
he’d given up the pretense of just doing what was necessary hours ago. It
was obvious to all who witnessed just how much he was enjoying the
challenge of trying to break the tiny female.
Sofia didn’t know whether to applaud Moira or beg her to talk and save
herself, anything to make the interrogation stop. She wondered if Fualth
was starting to realize that his questioning of Moira was becoming harder
on his witnesses than it appeared to be on Moira. Fualth had even hooked
up a heart monitor to her to see if her heart rate changed, because no matter
what he did, he failed to gain any response from Moira whatsoever. Her
heart rate never changed from the steady beat. Ironically, Sofia wasn’t the
only one forced to watch who was beginning to root for Moira.
 It was both fortunate and unfortunate that Fualth had finally reached his
end. He had determined that whatever information Moira had could go to
the grave with her. He proclaimed satisfaction in taking her out of her
network, and hoped it would collapse or reveal itself further without her
diligence. If he were less of a monster, he would have just killed the female,
but that would be too kind. He decided to have her dissected while still
alive. He’d sent Sofia over to the infirmary to have a room prepared for a
living autopsy. Heaven forbid they might lose any of her blood, and of
course he wanted to harvest her reproductive organs. Animal.
While she had waited for the orderlies to prepare the room, she’d slunk
off. This location only housed the few females who had either just given
birth or were within a few days of delivery. This was the first time she had
actually been to the Kenya Africa nest. She knew of this place only because
its primary purpose was advanced militia training. The birthing infirmary
was a secondary function. Sam was sent here to complete his training for
the elite guard, and he had been stationed here when Sarafina had been
rescued a few weeks before giving birth to Nathan. He had been planning
on trying to rescue Sara himself, though the chances of either of them
surviving would have been nearly zero, especially since they would have
been trying to escape either with Sara in labor or with a newborn. Post-birth
bleeding from an anemic was one of the reasons female birthing mortality
rates sucked. Many females still died from childbirth blood loss. Luckily
Sara had been rescued before being transferred to Africa.
Tonight there were only three females on the premises, two Heredity
females, due any second, and a Hulven female who had given birth a few
hours earlier. While Fualth was performing big, fucked-up fun on poor
Moira, Sofia had gotten all three females and the newborn out of the
building and into a waiting tunnel generated by the Tellus outside the truck
delivery doors. The Tellus had burrowed underneath the electrified fence
while the Volaticus had infiltrated the electronic continuity, never setting off
the breached alarms.
The two Heredity where being protected somewhere in the surrounding
area, awaiting the arrival of someone who could evidently port non-
psychics. The Hulven and her infant had already ported to a safe location,
hopefully far far far away from this hellhole. The missing females thus far
had not been noticed. The skeleton crew of the farce healing staff raced
around to do the bidding of Fualth and anything else Sofia could think of to
keep them busy.
Thank the Fates, the building where Moira was being tortured did not
have an underground passage between it and the infirmary. All that was left
was for Sofia to go in and announce that the autopsy room was ready per
specification. Fates willing, Moira would still be alive. She would
telepathically let Sam know the second they left the building and were in
the courtyard with Moira. The SOSC would engage, then finally she would
be able to join Sam and Sarafina; get to meet her nephew, Nathan; and get
power over her blood. Never again would she have to fake enjoying sex
with that monster. With her freedom within her grasp, she prayed that the
missing females would go undiscovered. She had to hurry, aware that the
alarm could sound at any moment. Increasing to a borderline unprofessional
jog, she nodded to the armed patrol she passed.
****
Jess had felt the first moment of discomfort while Shane was tying the
lacing of her pants at her waist. When he’d turned her away from him to tie
the halter, she’d touched her tongue to the two aching spots at the roof of
her mouth. Her shoulders felt like someone was trying to cut into them with
a scalpel. Her ears felt like they were being ripped from her head, and to top
it off, she felt the worst female cramps coming on. Okay, this was going to
really suck. Be strong for Shane and Moira was to be her new mantra.
She wasn’t sure what Shane saw on her back, but she wasn’t surprised
when he swore. She felt a sudden flash of horror from him through the new
bond, followed by a powerful determination. Her mate was freaked by
whatever he saw. It motivated him to get this party started so that it could
be over. That was her thought too.
She’d felt her heartache and Shane’s when he had ported away, leaving
her with Enlil. A cry caught in her throat, and she reached into the space
he’d just vacated, touching only air.
“Try to focus on when you will again be able to be with him. It helps.”
Enlil offered. Jess nodded, letting Enlil pull her into a consoling hug. Jess
stiffened as his arm brushed her painful back and wondered how Enlil had
lived without Etana all these years. Did he look forward to his death so he
could be with her again?
 “What if he gets hurt or killed?” She wouldn’t even be able to take care
of him if he did. Until those moments at the springs she hadn’t considered
that when she’d agreed to everything.
Enlil hugged her tighter. “Shane is a superb warrior, Jess. Gil swears he’s
the best trainee he ever had. The male leads a black-ops Ranger unit. I am
sure he is having the same fears you are. Remember, you feel each other
now. If you’re strong, it will be easier for him.”
Taking a deep, bracing breath, Jess stepped away. Time to put on her big-
girl panties. “So what am I supposed to do?”
En smiled at her. “Drop your shield to me and follow my lead. I will
guide you. Your quick mind will do what needs done. If everything goes
according to plan, the Heredity females who need our aid will be waiting
for us. We port in, link hand to shoulder with them, and draw the energies
from whatever source we can, the enemies, preferably. Then we port them
to the nearest chortal. From there they can be taken to the hospes for
medical eval. We will move on the next place.” He must have seen the
pained look come over Jess, because he paused, his expression sympathetic
“I will do my best to hold as much of the psychic burden of retaining the
energy for as long as possible. I fear there is not much I will be able to do to
ease the physical pain of Becoming for you.”
“I know. Innanna explained everything. I won’t be able to use painkillers
because it may allow the psychic energy I … siphon … to be released
prematurely. I won’t be able to be near Shane for the same reason. It is the
pain of the change in combination with the estrus hormones. That is going
to make my ability powerful enough to accomplish this. Any alleviation of
it will strip it of its strength.” Jess felt a burning, tearing sensation in her
back, followed by a warm trickle of what she could only assume was blood.
“I am going to ruin these leathers.” She gritted her aching jaws against the
wave of pain, standing strong.
“They will be replaced.”
“Enlil, this may be bad timing, but what exactly is estrus?” Glancing over
her shoulder at his crimson face. Enlil was blushing?
“It’s like an animal in heat. The scent of a female in estrus will call to any
male to, er, alleviate her. Females protect females during these times, from
us and from themselves,” Enlil explained. “Before Volaticus enlightened,
the pheromones of a female in estrus would send males into a rutting. We
call it ‘rapture.’ We would fight to the death for the chance to mate with a
female during their breeding times. Before we tapped into our psychic
energies, we were a brutal, violent species; in some ways we still are. Estrus
causes a male’s body to react on a primal level. Most of us are mentally
strong enough to fight the compulsions of that side of our natures, but
young males have a much harder time.”
He paused a moment before continuing. “The call of bloodmates is also a
form of rapture. It is one of the ways to tell if a mating is just a mating or a
true bloodmating. Yet not even bloodmated males are immune to the
pheromones of a female in estrus. Of course, his mate will be the only one
he will take his rapture to. I am sure there is much more information that a
female needs to be aware of, but I am afraid I don’t know it.”
During Enlil’s explanation, Jess began to realize that this was probably
not a conversation usually shared between males and females. It was more
like a mother-daughter type of talk. She appreciated Enlil all the more for
giving her what information he had.
“Do you see energy?” Enlil asked, quickly changing the subject. Jess
nodded. She had always thought it was auras she saw around people and
objects. Now she knew it was energy. “When we get to these females, let
me focus on drawing the energy to us. You visualize creating a circle with
the energy around the females that will be connecting to us for porting.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Jess said through gritted teeth as a wave of pain
washed over her.
Suddenly she felt a tug in her mind and glanced sharply at Enlil. “That
would be your patient Aunt Nin, yanking us around.” Enlil took position
directly behind Jess, placing his hands on her shoulders, careful to avoid the
angry red welts across her shoulders. Even the slight pressure of his hands
was agony. “Ready, my girl?”
Reaching up, Jess covered her great-grandfather’s hands with her own
and nodded. “Ready.” She felt the spinning tunnel, and then she heard the
sounds of battle.
The sun had just set in Italy, but Africa was an hour ahead, making it full
dark. It took Jess’s eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness before she could
make out what was happening around her. She and Enlil were standing on a
grassy hill overlooking a small compound. They were encircled by Tellus
and Aquaties, all faced away from them. Outside that grouping were their
family members. Elven warriors were fighting rouge soldiers below the hill.
The warriors would engage the soldiers, disarm them and disable them.
Then the Tellus would hold a hand up, and the enemy would grasp their
heads and fall twitching to the ground. The Aquaties would touch them, and
they would breathe out a breath of cold air. The Elven would carry the
fallen enemy soldiers to the hill where Jess and Enlil awaited, handing them
to Shane and the rest of her family to contain.
Jess felt guilty as she looked at the group of now-defenseless solders
shivering with hypothermia. They had no idea Jess was about to take their
psychic energy from them. They seemed so helpless, though the hatred and
anger pouring out of them toward her and her family negated that feeling of
pity somewhat.
Then she looked over to the two Heredity women. One of them was
obviously going into labor, and the other was just as pregnant. Even with
Teya, Irsu, and Ninlil protecting them and Ninlil used her soothing voice to
console them, the women stared at the group of soldiers with terror in their
eyes. Jess could feel the fear roll off these women, smell the stink of it. That
alone killed whatever sympathy she had felt for the group of glaring
soldiers. These women deserved to have a chance. A few weeks without
these animals hunting them was more than they had ever known.
“Where’s Moira?” Jess asked Gil, who had landed within the circle of
Tellus and Aquaties to stand in front of her. She was quickly growing
accustomed to seeing flying people.
Gil pointed to a corner of the compound where the fighting was
particularly thick. Behind the line of enemy soldiers, a male was barking
out orders. Obviously the Elven was in charge and insane. At his feet Jess
could just make out what looked like a figure lying on the ground. She saw
the male glance up, meeting her gaze and narrowing his eyes. “Well, well,
well, what have we here?” she heard from him telepathically
Her shields down per Enlil’s instructions, she was vulnerable, slamming
them up against the oily sludge feel of the male’s mental touch. She saw his
lips rise in a smirk. Lifting her palm, Jess visualized taking the son of a
bitch’s energy. Grasping the energy aura surrounding him, she began to pull
it toward her, stripping it from him layer by layer. Her grin increased while
his fell as he realized what she was doing.
 As the male focused on Jess, a tiny female resembling Sam and Sara had
begun dragging the unconscious form of Moira back away from the line of
soldiers. When the man realized what Jess was doing, he reached behind
him to grab her by her hair, pulling her to stand in front of him. Jess was
forced to stop the siphon or risk the female. Jess was sure she was looking
at Sofia, the informant, the one who’d been instrumental in helping to get
them this far. The male sneered at her, giving her a look of disgust. Then to
Jess’s horror, the man sunk his fangs into the throat of the struggling
female.
“NO!” Jess screamed.
First to react, Shane and Napoleon took to the air and landed directly
behind the male and his line of soldiers. Sargon, Gilgamesh, Gregor,
Conlon, and Ediku launched in support a moment later and were
immediately swamped by Fualth’s soldiers. They fought desperately against
the greater number of soldiers, their warrior training the only thing that kept
them from being overwhelmed. Napoleon used the distraction to lift the
limp figure of Moira from the ground and fly off, while Shane grabbed the
madman from behind. Two of Fualth’s soldiers raced to the defense of their
leader, raising their swords at Shane’s unprotected back. A shout from
Gregor made Shane turn, throwing his scythe up just in time to lock with
one soldier’s sword. Fualth clutched the female struggling in his arms and
backed away shoving a hood of what looked like chain mail into his back
pocket and A dagger dropped into Shane’s other hand from a stack of
blades he had anchored to the inside of his forearm, and he threw it at the
other soldier almost without looking. End over end it flew, sinking into the
center of the soldier’s chest.
Moving quicker than Jess could track, Shane pulled the other scythe out
of the holsters crossed over his chest. He smiled coldly, a deadly curved
blade in each hand as he faced off against the second soldier. Jess heard the
strike of metal on metal as Shane blocked the soldier’s sword with one
blade and parried toward his belly with the other, forcing the soldier to step
back, giving Shane a chance to get a better stance.
The sound of the two combatants gave the soldiers still standing a
renewed revelry, and additional soldiers broke from the line and raced
toward the fight between Shane and the enemy.
 “Why don’t they shoot? Every one of them has a gun,” Jess asked Enlil
terrified by the threat the guns posed to Shane.
“When they were in a line, they could simultaneously fire their weapons
and create a deterrent to us rushing against them. But unless a bullet fully
destroys our heart, it will not kill us. There are only a few ways to kill us:
take our hearts, or destroy an artery to the point where we bleed out fully.
Only if we are already weakened does it become easier to bleed us out,
since our natural healing ability slows down. Our usual way is to fight hand
to hand, overpower, disarm, disable, and in this case capture. In a normal
battle we would decapitate. There are also certain chemicals that can kill us,
though usually a transfusion can counter those. The only guaranteed way to
destroy us is beheading or draining, though we can choose to release our
life force at any time.” Enlil answered. As usual, every answer she got
created more questions.
“So just decide to die?” she asked. “I wish that bastard would decide to
die.” She indicated the leader still feeding on Sofia.
“Chances are good he will die at the hands of your mate.”
Jess chest swelled with awe, pride, and fear as she watched Shane, some
of her worry draining away. He was graceful and ferocious, like a predator.
Shane blocked, parried, and struck. His deadly dance steadily pushed the
enemy soldier back, beating him down. The soldier Shane faced was
experienced, lethal, and cunning. Definitely more than a victim of
circumstance, he had a malicious glint in his eyes. This was someone who
enjoyed killing and raping.
Jess raised her hand. Focusing on Shane’s opponent, she reached into her
inner power and pulled the soldier’s energy to her. His eyes widened as he
turned his deadly gaze on her. Shane took advantage of the distraction,
crossing his blades in front of him and scissoring them at his opponents
neck. The soldier’s head rolled away while his body crumbled to the
ground. His expression fierce Shane gave her a nod and joined in the fight
with the other members of their families.
Jess had to ask, “Is Ediku a warrior?” Though a competent fighter, Ediku
was not nearly as proficient.
Enlil squeezed her shoulder. “My son is a good fighter. I insisted on that.
He does lean more to his mother’s love of farming. That is part of why you
are seeing such an easy camaraderie between him and young Jorie.”
 A break in the battle opened up a clear path to Fualth. Shane sheathed his
scythes and surged to where the male still held the female’s throat in his
mouth. The female, nearly drained, had ceased her struggles several
minutes earlier. Pulling a chain mail hood from his back pocket, Shane
stepped in behind the madman and slung the hood over the male’s head. He
pulled the hood tight against the upper half of the leader’s face, crushing the
male’s nose and cheekbones with the pressure of the hood.
Shane held the chain mail tightly against Fualth’s face, dropping another
blade from the forearm strap into his free hand. “Release the female.”
Shane’s tone promised death, though killing Fualth would go against
Innanna’s instructions in the war-room. The madman viciously shook his
head, tearing the delicate flesh of Sofia’s throat. Shane placed the tip of the
blade to the males back, just below his ribcage. Only a handful of soldiers
remained standing. Conlon and Gilgamesh placed their swords to Fualth’s
neck from opposite sides.
Stubbornly Fualth shook his head again. Jess’s stomach churned at the
tearing and growling sounds. Shane sunk the blade into the male’s kidney.
“Release her, now.” He began turning the blade inside the organ. The male
hesitated for another moment, and then to the horror of those watching, he
snapped his jaw closed. The female fell to the ground. The entire side of her
neck still hung from the madman’s teeth.
“Sofia!” Jess heard Sam’s distant cry as he raced to his sister’s side and
slid to the ground, cradling her head, his hand over the seeping wound at
her neck. Her pulse had already ceased. Fualth spat the flesh from Sofia’s
neck to the ground, his insane laughter filling the stunned silence. Shane
secured the hood fully over the monster’s face while others converged to
take over Fualth’s immobilization.
Jess watched Shane step back from the hooded enemy, using every ounce
of restraint he possessed. He was shaking with his desire to kill the
madman. His face was tormented when he looked up to meet her gaze,
breaking her heart. He felt responsible for Sofia. Jess glanced down again at
Sam. He held his sister’s lifeless body in his arms, rocking back and forth,
shoulders shaking with tears. She knew in her heart there was nothing
Shane or anyone could have done to keep the madman from killing her.
It would be weeks before she would be able to console Shane. She wasn’t
even allowed to connect telepathically to him. Looking at his tortured
expression, she gave him what she could, mouthing, “I love you,” across
the distance. He nodded, lifted his chin, and flew back to join her and her
family, being careful to not get close enough to her to tempt either of them.
Jess looked over to the still terrified females. Napoleon leaned over the
limp form of Moira. He had flown her into the circle while Shane had been
fighting. With Enlil following, Jess stepped over to them, peering over
Napoleon’s shoulder to the nearly unrecognizable, battered face of her aunt.
No way could Moira have planned for this type of torture. Jess’s knees went
weak and threatened to give out under her. Hearing her gasp, Napoleon
looked up at her, his eyes shining with tears of devastation. “We need to get
her out of here,” he whispered.
“Give her to me, Napoleon. I’ll take her home.” Jess took a deep breath.
The sight of her aunt renewed her determination. Napoleon stood with
Moira in his arms. He placed a gentle kiss to her forehead before
transferring her limp form into Jess’s arms. Ninlil and Irsu led the two
shaking females to join them, Nin’s calm voice guiding the females. Teya
helped to place their shaking hands upon Jess’s shoulders.
“Drop your shield, Jess,” Enlil whispered, pulling energy from the group
of soldiers who were staring wide-eyed at them. Finally there was fear from
them for a change. Jess moved the energy coming in through Enlil, stacking
it in a weaving pattern from the ground up until the five of them were
completely surrounded. Her head pounded from the pressure. Her newly
formed dentes punched into her upper gum with a stab of intense pain,
filling her mouth with blood. She felt the spinning tunnel and then the cool
night air again chilling her sweat covered body. One of the women had
fainted upon reentry, but the strong arms of a waiting Elven male gently
caught her collapsing body. His expression was compassionate as he swung
the pregnant girl into his arms and disappeared into the chortal.
The other female had fared better. She was bent over, clutching her
contracting belly, breathing through her labor. “You okay?” Jess asked. The
woman nodded. She seemed older, maybe late thirties or early forties. “Is
this your first child?”
The woman’s face was filled with more than just labor pain as she shook
her head. “They’ve all been taken,” she panted. “They were going to kill me
after this one is born.” Grimacing from the pain, she kept talking. “They
said I was too old to have more.”
 Jess’s heart went out to this woman. “Well, they won’t get this one, ever.
The SOSC will try to unite you with your other children.” That brought a
small light to the woman’s eyes. “How many children have you had?”
“Eight.” The woman panted as another contraction hit her. “You’re
Marja’s daughter, aren’t you?” Jess nodded. “My name is Laura. Laura
Weedle.” Bending at the middle in pain, she forced out, “Tell your mother, I
never forgot her.” Weedle? And she knew Jess’s mother? Was she related?
Another waiting Elven took Laura’s hand from Jess’s shoulder before she
could respond to the comment. Supported by the powerful Elven, Laura
began to walk slowly toward the chortal before stopping and looking back
at Jess. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” Tears streamed down her face,
and Laura and her escort stepped into the chortal and were gone.
“This chortal goes to a hospes. Do you want to have Moira taken there?”
Enlil asked then.
Looking down into her aunt’s destroyed face, she could hear her strong
heartbeat. Jess shook her head. “Napoleon and Jorie are waiting for her. I
want to use the residual energy to take her home.” Focusing, Jess stepped
through the spinning tunnel and emerged in Moira’s living room, arriving at
the same spot she had appeared her entire life. Jess handed Moira’s limp
body back into Napoleon’s waiting arms, hearing Jorie’s pained cry. She
glanced at Sara, who she could see crying over the loss of her sister in the
kitchen through the doorway. Then she and Enlil heeded the tug to the next
location.
Once again, Tellus and Aquaties encircled them while her family
collected the subdued, disabled, and hypothermic soldiers. There were five
Heredity females awaiting them this time. Another twenty-five Hulven
females stood at the edge of the compound. High Ones and Oracles
amongst them helped the Hulven port themselves away, administering
bagged blood to those that were too weak. It was heart wrenching to see.
She was glad the battle had already been won at this site. A strong cramp
doubled her over, forcing Enlil to crouch down with her while she panted
through the pain until the cramp eased and she could stand.
“Where are Teya, Ninlil, and Irsu?” Jess asked swaying with exhaustion.
They needed to hurry before another one of those cramps hit.
Sargon looked up from the task of flinging soldiers into the rising pile.
“One of the Hulven females is in estrus. She is very young, so it’s probably
her first. She is also newly Become. Teya, Nin, and Irsu are restraining her.
Innanna went to get a healer to alleviate the child’s suffering with
medication.” Jess was surprised to hear the sorrow in Sargon’s voice. The
sight of these females’ condition was hard on the gentle giant.
Jess gasped as Nin and Irsu tried to hold the struggling, naked female
while Teya attempted to cover her with a blanket. The girl appeared very
near Jess’s age. She was a tall, strong female, dentes fully extended,
fighting to get away from Nin and Irsu. Her exposed sex was red and
swollen, and her tortured cries begged the males to come to her.
That is what I am about to go through. Jess could smell the musky scent
rolling off the female, and she noted that every male’s dentes were fully
erupted, not the polite dente that showed during the battle-planning
meeting, but full mouthfuls of dentes, every one of them. The SOSC males
refused to look over to the struggling females, and the enemy soldiers
couldn’t seem to look away. Jess realized that these soldiers were likely
young and inexperienced.
How am I going to get through this without Shane? She found his gaze
across the compound. He too had fully extended dentes, and the look of lust
in his eyes generated a responsive shiver in Jess. He was double-raptured
between the female’s estrus pheromones and their new bloodmating.
“We’re still connected,” Enlil reminded her. Blushing, Jess looked away
from the passion of her mate with regret, muttering her apologizes to Enlil.
“No need to be sorry. You should have seen Etana and I.” The pain in
Enlil’s voice struck a nerve in Jess. “Trust me, I understand. You and Shane
have nothing to apologize for. You are sacrificing much here today.”
Jess felt the energy ripple of Innanna and another female’s arrival beside
her. They ran out of the circle of Tellus and Aquaties to join Nin and Irsu
with the struggling young woman. Jess saw the flash of a needle and the
female in estrus relaxed. Teya finally covered her nudity, and Ninlil and Irsu
carried the girl into the circle with the five Heredity females. She heard
Enlil catch his breath, holding it as a low growl escaped him. He was trying
desperately not to draw the female’s scent into his body.
“Let’s get this done,” Jess suggested. Enlil was quick to nod. The now-
drugged Hulven would need to be ported with the other non-psychics.
Enlil drew the energies. The same fearful looks appeared on the soldier’s
faces as they realized that there were more powerful beings than themselves
in the world. She wondered if they all were born here and knew nothing of
the outside world. That would make them in a way even less aware of what
they were about to learn then she had been only a few days earlier.
Nin leaned the weight of the drugged female between two of the bigger
Heredity women, instructing them to retain contact between them and Jess.
Enlil still kept his hands on Jess’s shoulders.
Jess worked the energy into a cocoon around them. This time, even after
the group was enfolded and ready to port, Enlil kept pulling in more and
more energy. Jess thought her head would explode. She was seconds away
from passing out and possibly going into a seizure herself when the energy
shifted to the spinning sensation of the port, giving her a small amount of
psychic release. They stepped through to yet another chortal entrance,
where Elven waited to escort the females to the hospes.
Several Elven stepped forward to catch the two females who fainted. One
had vomited on the ground at Jess’s feet. The moment the pheromones of
the estrus female hit the awaiting males, they all stepped back and looked
down, their dentes exploding into view. Jess figured in better times, when
she didn’t feel like her brain was going to implode and her body wasn’t
being torn to shreds, she could probably find humor in the universal
reactions of all these big, strong guys.
“Are there any female escorts here?” Jess gritted out through her pain..
One smaller female Elven stepped forward. Even with the help of the
Heredity, the tiny female struggled with the load of the larger female in
estrus. Jess wasn’t sure how to help. She was about to break her connection
with Enlil when Innanna and the healer appeared. The three worked
together to get the female through the chortal entrance. A general wave of
relief rolled over the remaining males when the female and her pheromones
were gone. Even Enlil gave a sigh of relief.
Jess and Enlil waited at the mouth of the chortal for the tug that would
take them to the next location. The excess energy Enlil had collected
pounded against Jess’s brain like a ball-pein hammer. She wiped the blood
from her nose, ears, and mouth. The pain in her back was excruciating..
“How bad does my back look?” Jess asked the silent statue that Enlil had
become behind her.
“Your wing fingers are tearing through.”
 She panted through the sensation of her back being flayed open. “I take it
you have never been this close to a Becoming either,” She grated out,
desperate for distraction.
“I have seen strong warriors collapse under less torture that what I am
seeing you endure,” Enlil said in a low voice. “I am awed by your strength,
proud to have my blood in your veins.” The heartfelt compliment brought
tears to her eyes. “Since Etana passed, I have wanted nothing more than to
join her. I have often wondered why I felt compelled to remain. I thought it
was the twin bond to Ninlil. No one knows what happens to one twin when
the other dies. Until Moira and your mother, Nin and I were the only ones.
Now that I know Moira survived the loss of Marja, I think perhaps you and
this battle might be the reason I have lingered in this life, to help you
through it.” Enlil squeezed her shoulders. “Maybe when this is over, I will
finally feel like it is time to go. Time to join my Etana.”
Jess peered over her shoulder at him, hoping her response wasn’t ill-
timed. Maybe she was just selfish. “You are to be my mentor. Innanna told
me.”
Giving her a sad smile, Enlil sighed. “It would be my honor to do so,” he
conceded. “I am well aware how futile it is to argue with the Fates.”
They felt the tug together in that instant, and Jess was bent nearly in two
from the pain of her right wing breaking free. Motherfucker! A scream tore
from her throat as she and Enlil emerged on yet another high point of yet
another compound. The sad faces of yet more terrorized women peered at
her from within another circle of surrounding Tellus and Aquaties. The
startled faces of Shane and her family members turned as one to look at her.
Enlil struggled to keep his contact with her as her new wing, covered in her
blood, beat against him.
“Fucking let me go, damn it!” Shane’s shouts penetrated Jess’s pain-filled
mind and body.
Jess met the agonized eyes of her mate as he fought against the combined
efforts of his brothers and Gil to reach her. For his sake and sanity, Jess
pulled herself together and breathed through the pain, engaging the
techniques she’d used so often until just a few days earlier. In through the
nose. Out through the mouth. In through the nose. Out through the mouth.
Slowly Jess regained control of her body, raising her tolerance for pain
and focusing to control the unfamiliar wing. In. Out. In. Out. She never
took her gaze from her cursing, struggling mate. When she was sure she
could speak clearly and concisely, she snapped, “Knock it the fuck off,
Shane.”
Shane immediately quit fighting his brother’s hold, narrowing his eyes at
her. He could feel her pain through their bond. She knew he could also feel
her struggle to overcome it. In through the nose. Out through the mouth.
Shane began to mimic her breathing, watching her closely. In through the
nose. Out through the mouth. Cautiously his brothers and Gil released him.
In through the nose. Out through the mouth.
Shane mouthed, “I love you too,” before turning back to the compound
and the true fight for the day. The others stood a moment more, stunned into
silence at the exchange between the newly mated pair, before returning to
their tasks.
There were only twelve females at this location. Ten of them were
Heredity. This time it was agreed that since this would be the last site where
Jess would be needed, Teya and Nin would follow behind them to help ease
the women once they arrived at the chortal. It would be the same one since
it had been centrally located between the first and second Australian nests.
Jess was grateful for the added energy that Enlil had collected from the last
site. There were surprisingly several human men among the soldiers here,
leaving even fewer enemies to draw energy psychically from.
Once the women were safely handed off with the help of more escorts
and Nin and Teya, Enlil asked her, “Where do you want to go, Jess?”
Jess’s vision blurred she cried out as another cramp overtook he. The
sound of popping in her ears accompanied the wrenching sensation of the
cartilage separating from her skull. She couldn’t breath. Every muscle in
her body seized, and she felt Enlil swoop her into his arms as darkness
swallowed her.
****
Enlil cradled Jess against his chest, holding her tightly as she convulsed.
He thanked the Fates she was unconscious as he tried to figure out the best
place to take her.
She couldn’t go home; her human family would never understand or
know how to care for her. She couldn’t go to Shane’s, since he would need
his own place to go through all of this. He didn’t feel right taking her to
Gil’s knowing what her estrus would do to males that called it their home
while training there. Part of him wanted to take her to his home, call Shane
to her and pump her full of drugs and whiskey, to hell with the sacrifice.
But that wasn’t what Jess would want. Enlil telepathically reached for
Ninlil. Nin, Jess has lost consciousness. Where should I take her?”
“Napoleon told me earlier that Moira had a room prepared for Jess
several years ago. I think it would be best if you took her there. She should
be with family. I will go there as soon as I’m able to check on her and
Moira.”
En agreed and created a quick spinning tunnel and planted his feet in the
exact spot Jess had directed them to earlier. Since her convulsions had
ceased, he laid her gently on the chaise lounge, uncaring when her blood
immediately soaked into the fabric. Jorie bounded into the room, Sara right
behind her.
Sara took one look as Jess and began issuing orders. “Jorie, send Nathan
out to the barracks. Tell him I will call him when it is safe for his return.
Then get two sets of IV setups and some clean towels down to your
mother’s safe room. Make sure the bed is made up.” Jorie stood a moment,
transfixed by Jess’s state. It had been a rough couple of days for the
previously sheltered child.
“NOW, Jorie.” Sara snapped the girl out of her shock, shaking her head
when Jorie sped off to follow her instructions. She reached out to squeeze
his shoulder. “I’ll take it from here.”
Sara’s red-rimmed eyes were filled with compassion and understanding.
Here was a woman who had just lost her sister, yet she was extending her
aid for another. Enlil couldn’t come up with words adequate to thank Sara.
He swallowed loudly, his throat tight with emotion “Will you let me
know if there is anything you need?”
Smiling indulgently, Sara responded, “Just help keep Shane away. That is
going to be the most difficult task. For all of us.” She looked
sympathetically over at Jess. “I’ve gone though this myself. I’ll take care of
her. She’s done so much today to keep females from having to go through
this in cages. I’ll keep her safe. You have my word.”
Leaning over, Enlil placed a paternal kiss to Jess’s forehead and
whispered, “Stay strong, little Jess. Your family loves you.” He nodded
once more to Sara and ported before his first tear rolled down his face. The
Fates could be so cruel.
 Chapter Twenty-Six
Seventeen days, ten hours, forty-two minutes. Forty-three minutes. Forty-
four minutes. Shane sat alone in the silence of his home. Jess’s oleander
scent had already faded away. He buried his nose in the pillow where she
had laid her head, trying to survive on even just the memory of the scent it
had once held. The passage of time on the clock was his sole companion.
Seventeen days, eleven hours had now passed since he’d last seen her.
He’d held it together the first five days. The Volaticus, Tellus, and
Aquaties had flattened the two breeding sites in Australia. The Volaticus
had wired the buildings with less than a third of the required C4 for total
destruction. Upon detonation, the Aquaties had sent out a high frequency
sound wave while the Tellus emitted ultrasound vibrations. The entire
compound seemed to turn to liquid and melt. The Volaticus, Tellus, or the
Aquaties could have destroyed the compound using only their own method,
but the chances of them initiating either a volcanic eruption or at the very
least an earthquake, due to the geographic placement of the sites, was
extremely high. By working together, they had accomplished what needed
to be done with absolutely no risk of calamity. Shane felt honored to have
been a part of this historic event that demonstrated the value of a symbiosis
with other species. This entire operation had firmly solidified the value of
the SOSC’s existence in a way that nothing before ever had.
The African site had a steady flow of Fualth’s soldiers, farmers, computer
operators, and healers. In some instances entire colonies would show up and
surrender to the warriors who remained in Africa for that very reason. True
to Innanna’s word, at the end of the seven days, the chortal that had been
created to the site was removed and the compound suffered the same fate as
the two Australian locations. To their best estimation, they figured roughly
two thirds of the total population of Fualth’s organization globally had
surrendered or been captured. Not bad for a night’s work, and it was only
possible working with their Tellus and Aquaties contingents.
The highest casualty rate had happened at the personal headquarters
Fualth held in Maine. While breaching the target, the soldiers had tripped a
silent alarm wired to blow up the entire structure. The trip had set off an
old-type clock countdown, and the sweeper device did not pick up the non-
technical type of trigger. The place was deemed clear. Three hours later it
blew to pieces, taking out members of all three species and all of Fualth’s
personal staff that had been detained. The explosion was so large, there was
no way to keep it out of the world media. The official cause was blamed on
a natural buildup of methane gas, since the small peninsula was thought to
have been uninhabited. No casualties were listed in the media. That had
kept the story from being big news for more than a day or so.
For five days he’d worked though the echo of Jess’s pain, pain that was at
times so bad, it would double him over. He raged at his impotence in
comforting her. He’d breathed through it the way he knew she would want
him to, the way she’d shown him the last time he saw her. He’d dug
latrines. He’d dug graves. He’d wired explosives at the first two sites. He
thought he’d handled the separation with strength and dignity.
Then Jess had gone into full estrus, and the bond created a fire of pain
and lust in Shane that was undeniable. It took every member of his family
to finally get him locked into the secured room at Gregor and Teya’s home.
They lived in Alaska, which wasn’t far enough away from Jess to keep
Shane from raging for her, calling out to her. The lead and platinum of the
room was the only thing that had kept him from violating his promise and
connecting to her in any way he could have. His brothers had finally
chained him down, keeping him that way day after day. He’d gone
completely mad.
It had fallen to Conlon and Gregor to care for him. Teya and Irsu couldn’t
take it. He’d seen tears fall from the eyes of his brothers during that period.
They hooked IVs into his arms, forcing blood and fluids into him, toweling
the buckets of sweat off him. He could still hear his own voice screaming at
them, begging, pleading, raging, crying for them to free him. He’d gone
hoarse, and still he’d wailed. At one point he’d broken his own wrist
straining against the chains.
It was only when Jess’s estrus had started to ebb and her pain began to
ease that Shane had finally been able to regain some semblance of control.
Even then they had kept him chained, IVs hung from him. He lay there
feeling what he hoped was the last of Jess’s pain fade away yesterday. The
door to the secure room had opened. Gregor and Conlon walked in, with
Miguel right behind them.
 “Brother.” Miguel came to sit at the edge of the bed. Conlon and Gregor
stood on the opposite side.
Shane couldn’t help it, the tears began to roll from his eyes, saturating his
hair. “I can’t feel her, Miguel. I don’t think she made it,” Shane whispered
through his wrecked voice box. He felt like an elephant was sitting on his
chest. He couldn’t get a full breath through the ache.
Gregor released the chains from one wrist, while Conlon released his
ankles. Miguel released the other wrist, speaking softly. “She’s fine, Shane.
She is finally resting. It’s almost over, my brother.”
Overwhelming relief swamped Shane. He pulled Miguel into a bear hug,
weeping into his brother’s shoulder. Conlon and Gregor joined the huddle.
The four of them held each other, giving comfort in the same manner they
had the day their parents had died. Teya, Irsu, and Jerika joined them. Shane
had no idea how long he cried into the loving support of his family’s bond
before he could finally take a full breath again. Then the inevitable
awkwardness followed, broken when Jerika announced, “We all love you,
Shane, but you kinda reek.” Shane chuckled for the first time in over two
weeks.
Shane sat on the bed that had been his prison, rubbing his wrists where
the chains had been. He looked up into the loving, concerned, relieved faces
of his family. “Thank you. All of you.”
Teya was tucked securely to Gregor’s side. Irsu had her arms around
Jerika, and the mother-daughter image was beyond beautiful. Conlon and
Miguel stood on either side of them. This was what life was about. Family.
He’d always known it. It was time for Jess to learn it too. He’d been lucky
enough to have these wonderful people care for him, people who knew him
and loved him. Jess was at Moira’s, but he knew she didn’t really feel a
strong connection to anyone except him. She’d felt alone through it all.
Hell, probably since her mother had died. Shane vowed to himself that Jess
would know how this kind of family love felt.
“I promise to do the same for any of you should you ever need it,” Shane
offered, teasing.
“Don’t even think about that shit,” Conlon warned. “I promise you I will
never be unselfish enough to go through what you just did. No way, no
how.”
 “Well, you know the worst is truly over when someone can finally make
a joke about it. Let’s not go there, Mr. Congeniality,” Irsu said. Conlon had
the courtesy to look apologetic for his blunt evaluation.
“No, he’s right.” Shane agreed. “That was bad. I’m sure it wasn’t great to
be around either.” He nodded at Conlon and finally dared to look at Miguel.
As the pre-cog and Oracle in training, he was the closest to a director of this
fiasco at the moment. “What now? Can I …” Shane’s voice caught with
emotion. “Can I go to Jess now?”
Miguel shook his head, and Shane felt the sting of broken hope, hope that
had reared up in him just from posing the question to Miguel.
“Innanna says that only Jess will know when the last of the energy is
released from her psyche. She may still carry some. It appears that it is no
longer causing her pain.” Miguel sighed before continuing. “There is
nothing stopping you from going to Jess now, but Innanna says it would be
best if you waited for Jess to call you to her.”
Shane dropped his head into his hands. “You’re sure she is just resting?”
he asked Miguel one more time.
“I am positive. She must be completely exhausted after this. You must be
too,” Miguel assured him.
Teya piped in an offer. “Shane, you know you are welcome to wait here
for her. Take a shower. Get some sleep.”
Shane stood clutching the sheet around his waist, hiding his nakedness.
“No.” He leaned over to place a brotherly kiss on Teya’s forehead. “You are
too good for Gregor. I have always told you that,” he teased her, the way he
had for years.
“You also said I should run away with you instead.” Teya returned the
old banter. “You are officially off the market, little brother-in-law.”
A true smile spread across Shane’s face. “You better believe it, sister.”
Conlon and Irsu looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “I am going
home.” Shane squeezed Miguel’s shoulder with his free hand. “Tell Innanna
that I will wait for Jess to call to me. Let her know that once I am with Jess
again, I will never again leave her side. Don’t even ask.” Miguel returned
the shoulder squeeze with a smile and a nod.
Shane said his goodbyes, went home, took a shower, and slept for a solid
ten hours. He’d now been sitting, his face buried in this pillow, watching
the clock waiting for Jess to call.
 ****
Shane. Jess opened her eyes to the morning sun filtering through the
curtains of the unfamiliar room. Lying on her belly, she lifted to her elbows
to look around the room. Modestly decorated, it was comfortable though
impersonal, probably a guest bedroom. Taking a deep breath, she smelled
coffee and bacon, and her belly immediately rumbled. Shane would tease
her about her noisy tummy. Shane? Where was he? Had he been hurt? She
reached to the bond. He was anxious but not in pain.
Rising out of the bed, she noticed the cotton nightgown she wore. It
wasn’t like any thing she ever worn or had even seen. It was haltered,
leaving her back and wings—yep, wings—exposed. Elastic at the waist, it
flowed down to her bare feet. Someone had cleaned her up and braided her
hair. The cotton gown was clean.
She vaguely remembered being in a softly lit, stone-walled room without
windows, cozy and impenetrable. She’d been chained, always on her
stomach. The smell of her blood coated her scent glands. There had been an
IV hanging to the floor from her arm. Her blood flowed from her into bag
after bag. She’d alternated between feeling like she was on fire and feeling
like she was freezing. The pain in her head had been horrific. She hadn’t
been able to hear correctly, nor could she see clearly. There was only pain
and the ache of her sex. Maddening.
She stepped into the attached bathroom, flipping the wall switch to flood
the room with light. Jess peered into the mirror, pivoting to see her wings as
she waved them back and forth gently. I wonder how they tuck away? They
did just that with her thought, disappearing into her new back flaps. Cool. A
smile lit her face, and her attention was caught by the dentes in her mouth.
Sliding her tongue against them, she almost moaned. Shane had never told
her that they had sensation. The feel was erotic, like the tender flesh of her
nipples. Nipples. Where was Shane? Oh, shit. Was her estrus over? She
didn’t feel out of control. She simply wanted her mate, right now.
Stripping out of the gown, she stepped under the spray of the shower,
washing and quickly toweling off, giving her hair and teeth a quick brush.
Her dentes were ticklish. That was weird. She stepped back into the
bedroom, the nightgown clutched to her chest, hoping that someone had
thought to bring her bag. Lying on the bed was a new outfit with the halter-
type top that Jess was quickly recognizing to be the standard dress for
Volaticus females, coupled with a matching sarong skirt and flip-flops. The
style was simple, casual, and comfortable, but the material and print were
spectacular. Multihued pastels shimmered in layer upon layer of shining,
thin, silken material. It was flowing decadence. Jess was helpless from
reaching out to stroke the brilliant fabric.
“A fitting mating gown, wouldn’t you say?” Innanna’s voice floated to
Jess. She sat in the corner of the room, her body swallowed by the oversize
chair.
Not in any way deceived by the smallness of Innanna’s size, Jess nodded
at the powerful Elven. “It’s extraordinary.”
Innanna stood and walked over to her. “Let me help you.” Standing a few
inches shorter than Jess, it wasn’t as dramatic of a size difference between
them now that they weren’t surround by all the tall people.
Grinning like a girl going to prom, Jess quickly turned and dropped the
nightgown, then lifted her hair. “Where did this come from?”
“The females you helped to save. The Aquaties are teaching them to
create fabrics from underwater plants. They wanted to thank you. They
designed and made this piece for you. Every thread and stitch was made by
grateful hands.” Innana finished tying the sarong. “There you are.
Beautiful.”
Jess turned back, tears in her eyes. She was overwhelmed by the victims’
generosity. After all they had been through, to go to the effort to make
something so exquisite for her mating was beyond appreciation.
“Don’t start that, girl. That male of yours is already holding on by a
thread. He feels you crying and nothing will keep him from you,” Innanna
teased, touching a finger to the tip of Jess’s nose.
“Why isn’t he here?” Jess finally brought herself to ask.
“He is waiting for you to call to him.” Innanna gently cupped Jess’s
cheek. “Make your reunion special. You both deserve it.” Her wings
fluttered, and she floated in her fairy way back over to sit in the chair.
“Invite me to the wedding. I’d love to come.” With that she was gone.
Grinning, Jess slipped her feet into the flip-flops and opened the bedroom
door to the familiar hallway, following the smell of coffee. She passed by
Moira’s office at the top of the stairs and descended to the bright and cheery
kitchen. Napoleon was tickling Jorie. He stopped the minute he saw Jess in
the doorway, and Jorie’s giggles faded to silence.
Following her father’s gaze, Jorie finally saw Jess too. “Jess!” Jorie
threw herself into Jess’s arms.
Catching the girl, Jess chuckled. “I missed you too, JorJor.” She didn’t
know why she called the girl that, but it felt right. “That coffee better be for
me.” She resumed where Napoleon had left off, tickling the child until she
squirmed away.
Napoleon was pouring Jess a coffee when the kitchen door opened. Sara,
Moira, and Nathan walked in. “The permanent housing should be done by
then …” Sara was saying.
“Jessica,” Moira whispered. Her face still had light, fading scars, the only
outward sign that she’d been hurt. Jess stepped into the open arms of her
aunt. She could feel where her tiny wings were healing.
“Will they grow back, Aunt Moira?” Jess asked, stepping back from the
embrace to look up at the mirror image of her mother.
“They were never really much to begin with. In time they will be fully
healed.” Moira shrugged, looking at Jess’s clothing. “You look beautiful.
Where did this come from?”
“Innanna.” She told them what had just taken place between herself and
Innanna before she came downstairs. Taking the cup of heaven Napoleon
held out to her, Jess sat down at the table. They brought her up to speed on
what had happened with the operation and since Napoleon while she ate
breakfast.
Once they’d finished eating, Sara took Jorie and Nathan out to work in
the farm, leaving Jess alone with Napoleon and Moira. “Thank you for
taking care of me. I didn’t know where else to go. I wish I could have asked
before just showing up on your doorstep.”
Moira took Jess’s face in her hands. “You are family, Jess. You are loved.
You should know that to the best of my ability, I have always looked out for
you, watched over you. You have never been alone.”
Jess swallowed her tears, turning her face from Moira’s grasp. It would
take time and understanding before she would truly believe that. “Did you
know I killed a man?”
“I found out about it after. Over the years I have broken into every secure
system necessary to remove or modify your records. The State’s, the
Court’s, the hospital’s. I even modified your business and Jeep loans to
keep you a phantom. I promised your mother I’d help you grow up free of
all of this. In keeping that promise, I have protected you from discovery by
the Volaticus, all of them, whether good or evil. But I couldn’t help you
nearly enough with the humans. I read the details of the police report on the
man’s death, including the parts that weren’t made public. I am proud of
you. You saved those girls. So many times over the years I wanted to send
for you, wanted to claim you and raise you, but life with my ‘causes,’ as
your mother put it, was not what she wanted for you. She wanted you to
live as a human for as long as you could. I knew once you’d Become, I
would have no choice but to bring you into this world.”
“How did Jorie connect to me, then?”
Moira smiled. “Jorie was able to link to you through a blood-bond your
mother and I created between you as infants before your mother took you to
the U.S. to find Ben. We wanted you two to be able to find each other
should anything ever happen to your mother or I.” She sighed, the smile
fading. “You are smart, Jess, always have been. I am committed to answer
any question you have for me, openly and honesty. I’m aware that you must
feel some level of betrayal after all you have come to know. Honesty is the
only hope I have of building the bridge between us now.”
Jess was far from done asking her aunt questions, but she was satisfied
for the moment. It would take time for her to not feel like she was alone and
dreaming when in her aunt’s presence. The reality of family had not yet
sunk in. Right now the only person who completely filled the lonely void in
her was waiting for her call. During breakfast she’d been thinking of how to
make it a special reunion.
“I need a favor, if I could.” She glanced from Moira to Napoleon.
“Name it,” Napoleon answered.
Blushing, Jess plunged ahead. “Shane and I bonded at the spring.”
Moira and Napoleon glanced at one another, sharing a secret smile.
Napoleon pulled Moira so that her injured back was gently leaning on his
chest and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s a perfect place,” Moira said.
“So did we. Three days ago.”
“Really? Congratulations!” She couldn’t help but be happy for them,
remembering the tormented look in Napoleon’s eyes when he’d seen
Moira’s tortured face. “I hope I’m not being rude. Can I ask why now?”
 “I am not psychic, Jess. Napoleon will never be able to have with me
what he could have with someone who is. He deserves a bloodmate, though
he always maintained that he loves me anyway. It just took me some time to
believe it. I’ve always wanted him to have it all. I still do. If he ever finds a
bloodmate, I will step aside. I love him. When he asked me again to be his
mate, I couldn’t say no.”
Napoleon interjected, “What your beautiful aunt doesn’t realize is that
she is my bloodmate. She always has been. Her lack of psychic ability
keeps her blind to the fact.”
“So Shane and I aren’t the first Hulven and Elven to bloodmate. You two
have too.” The possibility of more pairings raced through her mind. “There
are probably lots of couples out there like us. Shane and I are just the first to
find and recognize each other.”
Napoleon grinned from ear to ear and placed a kiss to Moira’s temple.
“What’s the favor?”
“I want to resume our mating, where it was cut short. Could you maybe
make sure we have complete privacy for the day?” She thought about the
clothes that had been left on the rock. Shane might be fine with people
seeing them in intimate moments, but it made Jess uncomfortable.
“It is yours. You have my word that no one will come anywhere near the
spring this day,” Napoleon said. Moira nodded in agreement.
That detail taken care of, Jess asked Moira, “Do you think Jorie would
help me braid my hair?”
Moira’s smile beamed. “I’m sure she would love that.”
 Chapter Twenty-Seven
Fualth stared up at the ceiling of his cell. The Council had just completed
what it considered a round of questioning. What a joke. They were too
politically correct to do what was required to get the answers that they
seemed to need desperately. Threats. That was all they could stomach.
Threats. Oh, he had no doubt that regardless of whether or not he answered
their questions, they would put him to ground for centuries. There was no
threat in that. It was a fact. Why would he answer questions to avoid what
was inevitable?
This was the problem with the SOSC. This is why his mentor would
someday rule the world. They were just too fucking nice. If the SOSC had
their way, Elven would starve to death. All it would take would be humans
deciding that they didn’t want to share their blood anymore. Ridiculous.
Elven were created to rule the planet and all of the species within in it. All
of them.
This might have been a setback to his mentor. Regardless, Fualth had no
doubt that by the time he awoke from whatever punishment the High Ones
imposed, he would be in a world ruled by the only Volaticus male who was
ruthless and powerful enough to deserve to rule. The stupid SOSC thought
Fualth was the mastermind, the originator of the movement they thought
they had crushed. His ego appreciated their confidence in him, but it was
more of a testament to his mentor, the true mastermind, who they continued
to be unaware of.
If they thought threatening Fualth would get him to betray his mentor,
they were even more stupid than he gave them credit for. With a practiced,
superior grin, Fualth turned to the wall that slid away, prepared to give a
taunting expression to whoever entered. That expression fell away as the
hooded figure entered, the wall closing behind him.
Fualth was already moving to kneel before the figure before the hood
lifted. “Osiris. My liege.” He bowed on bended knee in respect.
“You have failed me, Fualth.” The voice was pitched one octave too high
to be considered masculine. The true-form face was covered in tattoos.
Fualth’s mentor peered down at him with disgust.
 “I will rise anew to fight at your side. This is a small setback,” Fualth
argued.
“No. You won’t.” The statement was laced with meaning.
“There was a siphon …” Fualth never completed the sentence. He felt the
punch of a needle in his neck, and the immediate paralysis and debilitation
of the mercury cyanide injected into his body followed. He looked at the
face of his mentor once more when he fell to his side, his skin red and his
eyes glazed over. He never took another breath.
****
Osiris elevated Fualth’s legs on the bed and withdrew an ivory-blade
knife from within the folds of his cloak. It was unlikely that a full blood
transfusion would save his protégé, but why take chances? Slicing through
the male’s neck to the spine he stood watching the blood flow toward the
drain in the center of the room.
Osiris had known that Fualth’s inclination for cruelty, a trait Osiris had
long fostered and exploited, would be Fualth’s ultimate downfall. He’d used
Fualth to oversee the original breeding programs, which Fualth ran with
fear tactics, a practice Osiris had long abandoned in all his current
endeavors. Of course, Fualth never realized his was not the only iron Osiris
had in the fire. Oh, far from it. Osiris had discovered some time ago that
humans were far more amenable to doing what he wanted the way he
wanted. Their short life expectancies made them easy to kill. They were
also predictable in their greed and gluttony. Grease the right human
politician’s hand, call whatever you’re doing medical or scientific research,
and the sky’s the limit of what you can do. Few if any of them lived long
enough to catch a glimpse of the entire processes. Most of his so-called
research had been going on for generations.
Luckily Fualth’s home base in Maine had been destroyed before the
SOSC had accessed the communications room. All of Fualth’s monitors
were destroyed, and the SOSC had been unable to trace the signals to any
other viewing location, allowing Osiris to remotely watch the cameras still
in operation.
He’d watched Fualth’s people surrender at the African nest during the
seven-day clemency. He’d watched the strikes against the locations. He saw
the two siphons and had already identified them. Siphoning was one of the
few talents that left him vulnerable while in full shield and shadow. He had
known of the male but had thought him long dead. The Morsdente Osiris
had arranged to kill the male’s mate had accomplished its goal. Why had
the male not followed his mate in death?
The female was a surprise. He was still trying to figure out how she could
exist. To his knowledge, there were no females from Enlil’s and Ninlil’s
bloodline. The last one had died within its mother’s womb. One thing was
sure: This Jess was a powerful threat.
He still remembered the prediction the pre-cog seer had told him all those
centuries ago: Your justice will come at the hands of a shadowed thief of
energy. Under a new order, uniting age-old enemies, before the final
enlightening. He’d never fully bought into what the pre-cog had said,
considering it was said under torture, but an unknown siphon and learning
Enlil did not follow his bloodmate in death did bring the prediction back
into Osiris’s thoughts. Since the female was only twenty-six years old,
Osiris would concern himself with her at a later date. For now, he would
continue with his original plans.
Seeing the last drops of blood leave the body of his former protégé,
Osiris could only sigh at the waste. He raised the hood. Calling on his talent
to shadow his image, he stepped back out of the room, sealing the opening
behind him, and slipped into the night. A ghost. Always a ghost.
****
Seventeen days, twelve hours, fourteen minutes. Shane could feel the
stiffness of his muscles from sitting in the same spot hour after hour. He
didn’t trust himself to move. He’d felt twinges of Jess’s emotions the past
few hours, nothing to indicate she was upset or in any pain or danger. Just
the knowledge that she was awake and aware, and a few times he thought
she was missing him. Perhaps the bonding didn’t work on her side. Maybe
she didn’t take enough of his blood for a full bonding. Perhaps it was only
enough to initiate her Becoming. What if some male had gotten to her
during estrus and she no longer wanted Shane? His heart knew the truth.
She loved him and would call for him. It was his mind turning him into
knots of insecurity. What could she be waiting for?
He was about to see if Gregor and Teya would put him back in the
secured room when he felt a tickle at the back of his hair. “Ppssttt.” A
whisper, he wasn’t even sure whether he heard it or imagined it. Holding his
breath, he waited for it to come again.
There. The scent of oleanders rode on a gentle wind blown in his ear.
“Pppssttt.” Shane’s eyes fell closed at the overwhelming sensations caused
by the gentle contact. She was here teasing him through a port fold. The
vixen.
“Is that the call of my temptress?” He wanted to hold her, enjoying her
play.
“Come to me, my bloodedmate. I’m waiting.” Shane’s mind was flooded
with the image of the spring. He felt a tug on their bond. Shane couldn’t
contain the joy and anticipation that rolled over him; his mate had learned
much.
She was at the spring. He realized the significance of the reunion spot she
had chosen, and he couldn’t wait to see her beautiful face. Standing, he let
out a triumphant roar and removed his slacks, wanting to be bared before
her in every way. He stepped into the spot where, not so long ago, he had
set her toes into the waters edge. Replaying the memory of the wondrous
smile she’d worn as the mud squished between her toes, he wiggled his own
toes.
Jess was sitting on the rock where clothing had been waiting for them on
their bonding day. Her feet were placed at exactly the spot in the grass he’d
been standing when he’d scooped her up and flown her back to the war tent.
That seemed like forever ago now. Her back was to him, and between her
shoulder blades gently waved the most beautiful set of wings Shane had
ever seen. Jess’s hair was lying between the wings, following the line of her
spine. It was intricately braided with tiny braids looping around to join into
the thicker main braid. Tiny, delicate vines and baby’s breath flowers were
woven into the braid. There were even toxic little oleander blossoms.
He could feel her desire mingling with his own in the way of bloodmates.
A shared experience, the bond bounced their pleasure off of and into each
other, increasing the intensity and satisfaction of the other. He could feel
Jess holding herself back, wanting to prolong and languish in these first
moment together. Shane’s heart nearly beat out of his chest. His Beauty was
finally within reach. Shaking with the urge to pounce on her, he couldn’t
breathe. He could only watch. The depth of his love for her, evident in his
gaze, was lodged in his throat, making him speechless.
 She pivoted toward him, her stunning emerald-green eyes peering over
her shoulder into his eyes, slammed what little breath he’d had out of his
lungs. She turned to face him fully, slowly rising from her perch on the
rock. A smile lit her face, the most magnificent smile, and the tips of her
dentes were evident. The shimmering gown she wore clung to her curves,
caressing her figure. His breath returned with a swift intake. He took two
steps toward her before falling to his knees on the grassy bank, mesmerized.
She was breathtaking, a miracle. His eyes immediately filled and
overflowed with tears of joy. He was sure he had the stupid grin of a male
in love plastered across his face, the same look he’d once given his friends
shit for. He couldn’t care less. All that mattered was Jess.
Returning his smile, she sauntered over to where he knelt watching her.
She walked a slow circle around to his back, and her dente’s slid firmly into
her mouth. “You have the sweetest ass ever. Have I told you that?” Shane
shook his head. “Shame on me. Yummy. That is what your ass is.”
He felt her excitement level jump as the scent of her arousal wafted
around him. She continued to stand behind him, and Shane groaned. Jess
placed her hands on his shoulders and stepped toward him until the front of
her thighs pressed against his shoulder blades. She leaned forward, sliding
her hand down his chest, across his abdomen, stopping short of his erection,
nearly touching him where he was aching for her the most.
He could feel her reactions too, and her anticipation added fuel to his.
She could feel the ache she was creating in him, and the siren was reveling
in it. Slowly snaking her hand back up his stomach and chest, she circled
one of his nipples with the tip of her finger. She moved away from his back,
leaving him feeling barren just long enough for her to complete the circle
and step around to face him again.
Shane slid his hands up her thighs, lifting the bottom edge of her skirt. As
the delicate fabric rose, it revealed the treasure between her legs. He tugged
her the final distance to reach his lips, laving an intimate kiss against her
nether lip. Jess’s moan of pleasure filled his ears. The sensations of his
tongue finding the bundle of nerves hidden within her folds overtook her,
leaving her panting, soft, sharp cries of pleasure. Her hands plunged into his
hair. He trailed down the tender flesh, seeking her entrance, sampling her
nectar. The sweet flavor of Jess exploded across his tongue. Her inner walls
clutched his tongue before he returned to the bundle, then again plunged
into her entrance, taking her body quickly toward release. The sensations
ricocheted into him. He groaned from the shared pleasure he was giving
them both, sending a vibration into her core, launching them both closer
toward mutual gratification.
Jess halted his maneuvers before she could reach her peak. She wanted
more. Falling to her knees before him, she leaned in, gently cupping his
sack. Shane drew in a deep breath. “Your scent is an addiction, Beauty.”
Jess watched his eyes darken, showing his passion. Her nipples hardened,
ached, reached for him against the delicate silk fabric that separated them
from the warmth of his bare chest. She paused a breath from his lips to
whisper seductively, “Not so fast. I want to savor you.” She captured his
lips, taking command of the kiss she so desperately needed. Her arms came
around his neck and Shane groaned, opening to her exploration, allowing
her to take charge. She gave a controlled flap of her new wings, propelling
him from his knees to his back, and covered him with her body.
Shane’s arms came around Jess’s, returning her kiss, passion for passion.
He started to lift the shimmering silk to touch her breast. Jess slapped his
hand away. “My turn.” Rising on her elbows to look into his face, she said,
“You’re all mine.” Nipping his ear with her dente, she licked the drop of his
blood that welled up from his lobe. She nibbled down his neck, pausing at
his pulse, running her tongue the length of the beating flesh the way he so
often had with hers. Working down his chest, she sucked first one and then
the other of his flat nipples into her mouth before continuing downward.
Finding her intended target with her hand, she encircled his throbbing
shaft, slowly stroking it, using the beads of moisture escaping from the tip
to wet the head with her fingertips. She grasped and stroked his length
again. Her mouth continued the slow descent, painstakingly detailing each
of the defined muscles along his abdomen.
“Yours, to do with as you please.” His voice growled with passion. His
body was taut with pent-up lust. His erection was thick against her palm
with his need to release. “Be warned, my love, my control is weak. This is
sweet torture.”
Jess circled his sensitive ridge with her tongue, and a pleasure-pain cry
escaped him. His hands grabbed fistful of grass at either side of him. She
took him deep into her mouth, being careful of her new dentes. Stroking the
underside with her tongue, she withdrew, then plunged him deep into the
back of her throat again.
“Jess. Oh Fates, I need to be in you, Beauty. Take me into your body, my
love, please,” he gritted out. She could feel him holding back his release
with everything in him.
Jess released him from her mouth and rose up to straddle him, still fully
dressed in her gown. She needed, he needed, and they would have eternity
for slow seductions. She raised herself over his erection, sinking it into her
core, working him deep within her, crying out in unison with Shane when
he reached his hilt at the entry to her womb. Riding him hard and fast, she
reached for her rapidly approaching peak in desperation. Every move, every
stroke of the exposed nerves deep inside her built the fire in her higher.
Psychically stroking the building pressures in each other in a way only true
bloodmates could, they crested their peaks together, feeling the other’s
explosive release intensely. The joined stimulation created a firestorm of
pleasure. Wave after wave they rode as mutual pleasure pinged between
them.
Jess screamed, “Yes, Shane, yes,” her body pulsing, milking Shane’s
gritted, “Aww, Jess.” Every move brought on a renewed surge of release
before they slowly returned from the sensory abyss.
“Damn, I needed that. I needed you,” Jess murmured, breathing hard, her
pulse still pounding. She slid down to lie boneless across Shane’s chest.
“That was exactly what we both needed, Beauty.” Shane began untying
the halter and sarong she still wore. “This gown is amazing. You look
beautiful in it. It will look even better rumpled on the ground. I need to feel
your skin against me. I have to touch you. Every inch. I need to know you
are okay.” He placed a kiss on her shoulder, her neck. “Let me see you.”
She smiled and rolled with him to her back. Overhead clouds were
swirling, bearing tribute to their sexual energy. She bit her bottom lip,
drawing a drop of blood. “Shane.”
“Hmm.” His distracted reply came from the curve of her neck.
“It’s going to rain, babe.” She’d caused the storm with the energy of their
passion.
He looked up at the clouds. “Then we must be doing it right.” He moved
back toward her neck.
 She giggled, dropping her head to cut off access, halting his antics. He
met her gaze again. Cupping his cheek in her hand, she leaned forward to
place a gentle kiss to his lips, teasing him with the taste of the drop of
blood. “I want to go home. I miss Mesa.”
Placing his forehead to hers, Shane nodded. “My place or yours?”
“Your place, our bed.”
Shane smiled. All was right in the world.
 Chapter Twenty-Eight
Six months later…
“I just got off the phone with the district attorney’s office.” Mark Johnson
looked into the anxious faces of the three women across the desk from him.
“Someone pretty high up must have pulled some strings, because he has not
only reviewed the independent evaluation of the evidence against Ben, his
specialists have confirmed our findings. The coroner will be re-issuing
Marja Weedle’s death certificate to show that the cause of death is suicide.
The District Attorney’s office is faxing over the dismissal order for Ben’s
case any minute.”
Weeks ago, these three had walked into his office and handed him a fifty-
thousand-dollar retainer. He’d listened to the story Jess and her aunts had
told about the death of Marja. For all accounts, Ben was a functioning
vegetable. His medical reports depicted a person who was able to follow
directions only, walk, eat, and shower. The man lacked the capacity to
independently initiate actions.
Jess, born Jessica Weedle on her birth certificate, would have been the
state’s star witness at the age of ten in the murder trial of her father. Ben’s
mental state had made that trial impossible. He’d been declared medically
incompetent and institutionalized for the past fifteen-plus years with zero
mental improvement. The charges had remained pending. Murder charges
had no statute of limitations in Arizona.
According to her story, Jess had woken from a dream recently in which
she saw more about the death of her mother than she had originally
remembered in childhood. The memory of the minutes leading up to her
mother’s death had been released from her adult mind. Though she still
maintained that she had fainted at the steps of the kitchen door, then
regained conscience a few seconds later, she’d opened the door to see her
father kneeling next to her mother holding the knife that had slashed
through her mother’s throat—verbatim of what was written in the original
reports. No one had even asked the child why she had fainted in the first
place. They’d determined that she must have seen her father kill her mother
through the kitchen window. The report said that Jess had repeated over and
over, “Mom’s bleeding from her neck.”
 According to Jess dream she was watching through the kitchen window
and saw her mother lift the knife from the counter and take it to her own
throat. Jess had fainted and then blocked the memory. Prior to coming to
Mark, she had tried going to the district attorney’s office directly. They had
refused to re-open the investigation, stating it was too high a cost to the
state to re-evaluate the evidence for a trial that would likely never take
place.
Mark had been just as skeptical as the district attorney had been. Jess’s
aunt was Ben’s sister Laura, and she wanted to give Ben home care. Marja’s
twin sister Moira swore that there was no way Ben could have ever hurt
Marja. Laura wanted her brother to live with her. It was impossible to have
Ben released from the state institution with the charges pending against
him. Mark was originally worried that young Jess was being bullied by her
two aunts to manufacture this dream, a particular worry when he dug into
Jess’s background to find that no one had taken responsibility for the girl.
She’d ended up in the foster system. The aunts hadn’t been a part of the
girl’s life until a few months ago. Mr. Weedle had not had a single visitor,
not even his daughter. A background check on Laura Weedle showed that
she had been in the Peace Corp up until she’d had a baby, after which she
had visited her brother for the first time.
He reluctantly agreed to represent Mr. Weedle and submitted a request
for full disclosure of discovery. Then he sent the whole lot for an
independent analysis of the fatal wound and blood spatter. He was skeptical
that it would determine the wound was a self-inflicted injury, and he was
utterly amazed when the report came back that it was not only possible, it
was undeniable. Marja Weedle had killed herself, severing the arteries on
both sides of her own neck in one swipe of a knife.
On Monday, he had filed to have the charges against Mr. Weedle dropped
along with a request for a bail hearing pending the review of the new
evidence that would exonerate him. The women wanted Mr. Weedle
released to them immediately. He’d received a response back the same day,
informing him that the review would take up to one hundred and eighty
days, and that the bail hearing was denied. The time frame did not please
Jess and her aunts. Here it was Friday, and his secretary had just brought in
the dismissal form for the charges.
 “So can we go get him? Right now?” Laura asked, tears filling her eyes.
She clutched her infant to her chest.
Mark scanned through the document, wanting to be thorough. This was
the easiest money he had ever made. Even after paying the specialists for
the analysis and counting every minute he’d worked on this file at full rate,
he would still be giving them a small refund. “Yes, my secretary will have a
certified copy of this ready for you to pick up on your way out, along with a
check for the difference between the billed time for my firm and your initial
retainer.”
All three women rose then. Mark stood as well. Jess hugged Laura.
Moira shook his hand. “We don’t want any of the retainer back. You have
done what we asked of you for the amount we paid you. Call it even.”
The three women thanked him and left. Mark sank back into his chair
and smiled. It was a good day to be a defense attorney. He’d helped save an
innocent man’s reputation. Mark hoped that Ben could one day understand
enough to realize how hard the amazing people in his life had fought for
him.
****
Moira didn’t accompany Jess and Laura to pick up Ben, concerned that
her resemblance to Marja might set Ben back before the psychic healers had
a chance to see if they could help him. It had taken hours of arguing, a few
calls to both the district attorney and Mark Johnson, and several threats of
lawsuits before the hospital would release Ben into the care of his family
without strings. Jess could see why humanity sometimes frustrated the other
species that occupied the planet. It was everything she could do not to go
Chuck Norris on their asses.
Laura had decided to take up temporary residence at Sara and Nathan’s
Montana ranch community. The SOSC had been able to genetically link her
to four of the children in the China nursery. Her three-year-old son had
already been re-united with her and her new son. She had two more
daughters and another older son that the SOSC was still rehabilitating and
deprogramming from the cult thinking they had been raised in.
Jess drove Ben and Laura straight from the hospital to the airport, where
Gil had arranged for a private plane to take them to Montana. Healers were
already preparing for his arrival. Laura promised to return for Jess and
Shane’s wedding. Then they were gone. Ben had never given any indication
that he knew who they were. He didn’t notice anything happening around
him.
Jess turned once, but the plane was no longer visible in the sky. She
sighed, feeling guilty. She had thought that once Ben was free, some of her
guilt would subside. That hadn’t happened. Standing in that hospital with
the superior attitudes of the doctors, nurses, and orderlies, she was sure they
had treated Ben with the least possible care needed to keep him somewhat
healthy. No more, no less. What a horrible place. She felt responsible. She
had never even visited him. She had done her best to not even think about
him.
Thankfully Fualth had told Moira what really happened. Ben’s freedom
was the only good thing that had come out of the madman. It didn’t negate
the fact that he was the reason Ben was catatonic to begin with. She was
glad Fualth was dead. The SOSC had yet to determine what had happened
in Fualth’s cell, but Jess couldn’t give a shit less. If they did figure out who
killed him, she hoped they gave that person a medal.
She was almost to her Jeep when she felt the energy ripple. “Shane.” She
rushed into his arms the second he stepped through the port. He was dusty,
still in his fatigues, an assault rifle hanging from his shoulder. “What are
you doing here?”
Shane’s Elven Ranger unit had been deployed just before she had begun
the fight to free Ben. She hadn’t realized how much that distraction had
kept her from feeling the full loneliness of being without him until he
appeared. It was different than the separation when she had Become. They
were able to talk telepathically anytime they wanted, send fantasies. Those
sometimes made her miss him more.
Holding her to his chest, Shane breathed in her scent. “I was getting
ready to call you to let you know that we completed our assignment this
morning. We should be on a plane within a couple of hours, debriefed and
released by tomorrow night.” His fingers beneath her chin, he lifted her face
to his. “When I felt your sadness, I hit the latrine. I only have a few
minutes, but I needed to see for myself that you’re okay.”
“Better now.” Jess smiled, standing on tiptoes to press just a soft kiss to
his lips, not wanting to start something neither of them could finish. That
was a big reason why Shane didn’t port to her when he was on duty.
“Tomorrow night, huh? I needed something to look forward too. Thank
you.”
Shane returned her sweet kiss with a hard, desperate, albeit quick kiss,
letting her know how much he was looking forward to being home. “I have
to get back,” he whispered regretfully. “You can tell me everything when I
get home. Don’t be sad, Beauty. Remember how much I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered. With a grin, Shane stepped back into
Afghanistan.
This would be his last deployment. Shane had resigned his Ranger
officer’s commission. He’d agreed to be a commandant for a new Humanity
Integration Training Course. Turned out Gilgamesh had been trying to get
Shane to either start one or help him in Meshy Hell for years.
The SOSC had purchased thousands of acres of land directly behind the
acre Shane and Jess had bought in the desert on the outskirts of Mesa.
Shane and Jess were having a home built. Gilgamesh, Enlil, and Shane were
working on constructing the Humanity Integration Training Course along
with a full campus and long-term housing, which would allow people to
live and train in one location. To the outside world, it looked like the
backyard ended in a cliff that dropped into a canyon ravine, thanks to the
camouflage weave created by Suena and Lugal. Now that Jess had Become,
she could see through the weave to the newly forming community growing
on the other side of the screen. Many of the rehabilitating victims of Fualth
had requested to settle here.
There had been such an increase in enrollment at the Ryu that Jess and
Aymee had added onto the building. Jess was giving segregated classes
where any species could learn self-defense and mixed arts in a private,
locked-down new section of the Ryu. There would also be a Ryu II in the
training course that was going in behind Jess’s property so that the
Volaticus, Tellus, and Aquaties could learn in true form.
With the fight for Ben, the construction of her and Shane’s new home, the
development of the land behind it, the expansion of the Ryu, and planning a
wedding, Jess hadn’t had much time. For a girl who had not so long ago
whined about not have a life, she was certainly making up for it.
Thankfully, she no longer had to hide everything from Aymee and Eric. It
had taken the combined efforts of Ninlil, Napoleon, and, Jess was pretty
sure, Innanna (though of course no one would confirm that for Jess) to get
permission to confide in Aymee and Eric. They now knew the truth of what
she was and the existence of Volaticus.
Both of them had handled it better than she’d expected. Aymee thought it
was the coolest thing ever. Eric pulled a gun on Shane, calling him a
vampire, convinced Shane had “turned” her. Shane laughed his ass off
while looking down the barrel of Eric’s gun, which hadn’t gone over so
well. It took some time for Jess to explain and convince Eric that she was
what she was, that she would have Become no matter what. Once they both
kinda understood the bloodmate thing, they both accepted Shane. Eric and
Shane where now the best of friends. NOT. She hadn’t told them of the
Tellus or Aquaties … yet.
 Epilogue
Eric and Jerika graduated from the police academy in the first and second
ranking, surrounded by friends and family. Jess and Aymee tricked out the
Ryu for a post-graduation celebration/wedding reception. They had
scheduled the wedding for a few days later, but since everyone would
already be gathered, they had the reception first. She looked forward to
leaving on a honeymoon cruise directly from the ceremony later.
Although Enlil was her Elven mentor now and Ben was recovering, it
was Jirou Yamamoto who Jess asked to walk her down the aisle. Ellen
thought Shane hung the moon. She had welcomed him into her family. Of
course, Jess was living proof that the woman loved to bring home strays.
Watching the people she loved mingling, Jess knew true happiness.
“You look happy, Jess.” She looked over at the woman who had just
appeared beside her, a no-no with humans around. Jess wondered who she
was. Tall and stunning, she wore an A-line, pastel-pink, mid-thigh dress.
Her long, platinum blonde hair was tied in a fishtail braid that hung to mid
thigh. Then the female met her gaze. “I got my invitation.” Her violet eyes
were still too big for her face.
“Innanna?” Jess guessed, raising her fingers to her lips wondering if she
could increase her height too. “You look—”
“Like a human?” Ironically, there was a bit of insecurity in her eyes, like
she was worried that she didn’t.
“Absolutely beautiful,” Jess finished. Innanna awarded her a beaming
smile.
Shane and Gil joined them, and Shane tucked Jess under his arm. “Care
to dance, Mate?”
Wrapping her arms around the male miracle of her life, Jess said, “Well, I
believe I would love to dance. Mate.” Grinning at Innanna, Jess confided
her secret in a whisper: “I won’t let him call me wife until we’re married.”
The two of them headed out to the dance floor, glowing in their love for
each other.
****
Innanna turned to get a good look at the male before her. He was as
devastatingly handsome today as the day she’d met him nearly three
thousand years ago. His brown-black hair was pulled away from his face
and braided to his waist. His deep tan skin was a perfect compliment to the
ivory of hers.
“Yer way less scary when yer big, Innanna,” Gil blurted out admiringly.
“You don’t say, Gilgamesh. Are you fearless enough to ask a female to
dance?” Innanna baited. It had been far too long since she was swept into
the arms of this handsome male.
“My pleasure.” Gil held out his arm gallantly, and Innanna placed her
hand delicately into the crook, allowing Gil to lead her onto the dance floor.
She smiled when a sultry song came through the speakers. “Ya have
anythin’ ta do with this particul’r song?”
Flipping her braid in classic female deflection, she gave him a soft
“hmmph.” “Whatever would make you ask that?” she grinned.
“Cancel that earlier idea. Yer maybe scarier when yer big.” Shaking his
head, Gil guided Innanna into the first position of the salsa. They moved in
perfect sync together, while the hot beat of the dance drove everyone else
from the floor, leaving the two of them. With saucy hip swings and deep,
passion-filled dips, they ground through the music seamlessly. Anyone
watching would think them partnered forever. They’d always had perfect
timing on a dance floor. Too bad it never extended beyond.
The music came to an end and they finished nose to nose. The softness of
Innanna’s breasts pressed tightly to the hard planes of Gil’s chest meshed
together tighter with their combined heavy breaths. Groin to groin,
searching for eye contact, Innanna struggled to contain her arousal.
She swallowed hard, glancing around the room at the crowd surrounding
the dance floor watching them, and patted Gilgamesh’s shoulder, reminding
him to release her. Slowly he did, too slowly. She met Jess’s expression, and
the clear question in her eyes, the look Jess called the ‘“WTF” look, told
her she had to get out of there, now.
Smoothing her hand down the front of her dress, she attempted to regain
some of her dignity. “Thank you for the dance.” Her nonchalance was
forced. She stepped over to Shane and Jess, leaning to place a kiss on Jess’s
cheek. “I’ll see you at the wedding.” Then she strode regally toward the
exit.
“Now wait just a minute.” Gil was right on her heels. She’d damn near
made it, too. “What the hell just happened?”
 He halted her at the door. She’d be damned if she was going to have this
conversation with witnesses. “Ya gonna answer me, Tiny Mite?” He hadn’t
called her that in centuries, not since he’d gotten angry with her for not
warning Enlil about Etana’s murder. That had also been the last time she
had danced with him. A waltz.
“Now is not the time.” In more ways than one. She should have resisted
the temptation tonight had posed. Turning, she placed her hand in the
middle of Gil’s chest, keeping him at a distance. Full of regrets, she looked
into his doe-brown eyes.
The confusion on Gil’s face couldn’t be helped. “Innanna, talk ta me.”
She looked back at Jess and Shane slow dancing and staring into each
other’s eyes like no one else on the planet existed. The pure, unadulterated
love pouring off the couple filled her with longing and envy. She couldn’t
talk to Gil, not yet. Leaning in, she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, then
turned and ported to her small apartment in Greenland. Alone … for now.
Shadow Revealed
The Enlightened Species
Book Two

By
Wendy S. Hales
 Prologue
“Delivered from an Abbey this morning. A strong lass. Make me an
offer!” the slave trader shouted out to the passersby. He had referred to
Umbrae as a pathetic chit the few times he’d spoken directly to her.
Delivered was a lie. He and another man had taken her and her two
roommates through the window of a Catholic orphanage several days
earlier. Umbrae had been sound asleep when one of the men had slipped a
linen hood over her head. She could hear the other two girls struggle,
followed by the distinct sound of two thuds, and the struggling had ceased.
It didn’t take much of a stretch to realize that the other girls had been
violently knocked out. Rather than face the same fate, she’d forced herself
to remain calm. Docile.
“Pick one an’ let’s get outta here,” one of the slave traders said from
across the room.
“Why not take both?” The second man was beside her.
“Too hard to carry three between the two of us, idiot. Just grab one an’
make sure she ain’t sickly.”
“I can carry two of ‘em by myself.” He lifted her off the bed and threw
her over his shoulder. Umbrae bit back a grunt. “Hand me the other one
now.” She’d felt a counterweight go over his other shoulder.
“Don ya cry to me when they get too heavy to run with.” The first trader
warned as his voice traveled away from her. With muttered curses he
climbed clumsily out the window, balancing the weight of her and her
bunkmate. The night air chilled her calves as she bounced on the man’s
shoulder across the yard. She knew when they entered the surrounding
forest from the sound of the breeze rustling through the leaves. The
direction of travel was confirmed when she heard the stream. She’d hoped
to be able to find her way back to the sanctuary if she paid attention, until
she heard the first man’s burden being dumped on what sounded like
wooden slats. Then Umbrae hit the same wooden slats of a hand-pulled
cart. Her bunkmate landed on top of her, whooshing the air from her lungs.
Vomit curled in her throat, and she prayed her movements wouldn’t call the
men’s attention. While they were distracted, one of the girls came around
and began screaming. Thud, the screaming stopped.
 The next morning the two men had unloaded the three of them from the
cart and led them, still hooded and wearing only bed gowns, onto the
wharf.
“Going to have to pay someone to take ya offa my hands. I told that idiot,
‘don’t snatch the sickly.’” He muttered profanities and dragged her further
down the pier, where a new ship had docked. He’d sold her roommates the
first day; unlike her, they’d been robust, hearty. Umbrae, however, had been
sick for months before they’d taken her. The trader had given a correct
reflection when he’d called her “gangly bones.” At one point, much to her
mortification, he’d done a curt visual verification of her sex. “Just to make
sure, she’s actually a she,” he’d muttered.
They reached the spot he’d chosen to sell her to the newcomers and
batted her in the mouth. “Look alive. If I can’t sell ya or give ya away, I’m
gonna weigh ya down and drown ya. So ya bes’ try not ta look so pitiful …
You there, make me an offer. She’s my last sale for the day. I’ll unload her to
ya cheap.”
When a man stopped, she didn’t know what he was. At that point she
didn’t even know what she was. She heard him sniff, attracted to the scent of
her blood, then his voice as he’d offered the trader a quarter of what the
first two girls went for. She’d known somewhere deep inside that he wasn’t
human.
 Chapter One
Seventy-Eight Years Later
She awoke from the old haunted dream to the sound of
cachink,cachink,cachink alerting her that Master Zakel had returned. Those
first thirteen years spent in the orphanage, completely unaware that she
wasn’t human, had been the only time she’d ever been free. The two girls
had no doubt died of old age long ago, while she remained chained to a
monster decade after decade. They were the lucky ones. Umbrae scooted
into a sitting position with her back against the tree she was anchored to.
Fist held tightly to her chest she tucked her knees under her chin. The lead
hood he carried to control her swung in his back pocket, where he had
tucked it after attaching her platinum/lead collar and chain to the tree.
Cachink. Closer he came. How many days ago had he left her chained here
this time? How powerful would his energy be when he reached her? There
was no way to hide from him with her talent, not with her blood in his
veins; still, he was always sure to hood her when they traveled.
Since the night she’d been abducted so long ago, she’s spent more time
hooded in one form or another than not. She actually preferred the hood on
most the time. It made it difficult to walk, but it was easier to escape into
her mind and stay oblivious to the outside world.
Most of the time he killed without her present. Her smell seemed to give
his victims warning … hoorah. When he did capture and kill in her
presence, she was usually hooded and could pretend she didn’t know what
was happening. Umbrae hadn’t killed anyone herself … yet. Every time
she’d promised herself she would never do something, it inevitably incited
a situation where she ended up having to do just that. Now she stuck to
recognizing that she might not have done something yet … only yet.
Master’s Zakel’s anger reached her before he entered the grove of trees
where she sat waiting. Waiting—like she had a choice.
“Give me your wrist,” he demanded. He dropped down beside her against
the tree and waited expectantly for her to comply. Again, not like she had a
choice.
Obediently she held her wrist before his mouth; heaven forbid Master
Zakel would make an effort and guide her wrist to his dentes. No, he
wanted to have his meal held before him in a way that would require zero
effort on his part. One of many lessons she’d learned by fist decades ago.
The fact that she had not eaten or drank in nearly a week was irrelevant.
If she were too weak to walk he would merely drag her behind him until he
felt like stopping again. She couldn’t die unless he took the last drop of
blood from her body. She could be miserable, unconscious until her bone
marrow could make more blood and her body could resume functioning,
but she would live. She wondered if all human/Elven hybrids lacked the
ability to release their energy into the universe at will the way a full Elven
could.
Maybe this time he would finish draining her. She could only hope. He
drained all manner of psychic species yet continued to pack her around, his
own personal blood bag, to save him from having to satisfy his blood iron
needs in addition to his other addictions. Keeping her alive this long was a
boon to the other Morsdente they’d encountered over the decades.
Especially since Morsdente became Morsdente by preying on others
because they were essentially too lazy to apply themselves and develop
their own psychic and physical abilities.
Umbrae suppressed a wince when he struck into her wrist, giving it a
vicious shake to further tear the holes and increase the flow of her blood. It
would heal. It always did, eventually, unfortunately. An oily sensation
coated her thoughts as he pushed into her psyche. He selfishly used her
limited reserves of psychic energy to stave off some of his withdrawal
symptoms.
“Zakel’s cruelty with you means that no one died by his hand this day,
Umbrae.” Umbrae clung to the reminder that had once been whispered to
her telepathically. It had been a long time since she’d heard the voice of her
only friend.
She willed thoughts that would hopefully repel him from her mind—the
smell of animals decomposing, a favorite she rolled in when she stumbled
across it; the slimy feel of seed inside her after Zakel or someone he traded
her to had forced their way into her vagina, the horrors of watching him
kill. Anything she could think of that would illicit disgust. She had to work
at it. There was very little left in her reality that drew any emotion from her
whatsoever. Once sure that her thoughts would disturb him, she sent the
emotion into the black oily sludge of his psychic energy, slithering along
the limited access he had to her psyche. Thankfully, he never gave her
enough thought to realize he had been unable to penetrate her mental
shields for decades. He thought he had access when in truth she broadcasted
to him.
Master Zakel’s withdrawal symptoms slammed into her mind like a
locomotive. As he drank from her, his crazed images bombarded her. It was
difficult to distinguish between which were real and which were delusional
manifestations. Through his foggy view Zakel’s recent hunt came to her.
He’d been perched in a tree branch overlooking a grassy meadow full of
colorful wildflowers. At first Umbrae was so captivated by the splendor of
nature’s beauty that she failed to notice Zakel’s targets playing amongst the
blossoms. Dread filled her when the dark heads of the Tellus children
shifted from small brown-bear cub forms and came into view.
They were giggling, challenging each other, and enjoying their carefree
existence, unaware that Zakel was visualizing his dentes sinking into their
throats. The sensation was so real to him Umbrae felt the wetness of the
Tellus blood splash against the roof of her mouth. Zakel had been desperate
to use the vein/blood connection to tap into the youths’ psychic energy,
stealing it away along with their lives. He envisioned the rush of the high he
would get from the children, the euphoric satisfaction the energy would
give him, and the boost of his psychic ability at the expense of their lives.
Her breath caught in her chest when he extended his wings, launching
toward the children, his chin wet from the saliva flooding his mouth as his
dentes erupted. Thank the Fates, the children vanished beneath the soil at
the last possible moment. Zakel held a fistful of one child’s hair in his
otherwise empty hands. Umbrae let out a sigh of relief as she heard Zakel’s
roar of frustration echo over the beautiful meadow.
The pursuit of victims was the only thing that would get the lazy bastard
to show any initiative at all, the never-ending quest for the psychic high of a
kill. Please let his need be strong enough for him to kill me, she silently
prayed.
Nope, he took a few ounces before tearing away from her wrist, breaking
the connection and shattering the vision. He stood up, leaving her blood to
flow freely into the dirt. “You disgust me, Kurva. Seal that up.” He tossed
the lead hood from his back pocket at her feet. What he called her didn’t
really matter. Today it was Kurva=Whore. Sometimes it was Topa=cunt,
sometimes puta, or garbage. Dehydration made Umbrae’s mouth dry as
sandpaper, and she sealed the tears in her wrist with the small amount of
saliva she had as best she could before pulling the hood over her head.
With her hood in place, Master Zakel unlocked her chains and yanked her
behind him, trudging through the trees. He cursed when she stumbled,
dragged her behind him when she fell in exhaustion, refusing to slow his
pace or allow her to get her footing back. He stopped when they reached the
edge of a mountain lake. The gentle lapping of the water rousted her
slightly, and her cells cried out for fluid. Streams, lakes, and ponds were
Umbrae’s favorite bodies of water because they seemed gentle and
welcoming, unlike the oceans that sounded noisy and violent.
“You have five minutes, Kurva.” Master Zakel told her and locked her
chain onto a nearby boulder. “Remove the hood.”
She tugged it off, and he reached for it using two fingers as if it were
covered in excrement … maybe she would do that later. Turning, he tucked
the offending thing into his back pocket and stomped off with a cachink.
Umbrae knelt at the bank, her thirst more painful then the tiny sharp
shells cutting into her knees. Cupping her hands, she drank scoop after
scoop of water, her depleted cells demanded more and more. Quenched, her
eyes focused on the body of a dead fish that bobbed further down the
shoreline. Stretching to the end of her chain, she strained with her foot,
barely able to touch the fish with the tip of her toe. Even with the chain
choking off her airway, she was unable to reach far enough to capture the
slippery corpse.
A quick glance showed nothing nearby that would help her acquire the
fish. No driftwood. No sticks. Lifting a rock, she tossed it into the water
behind the fish, then reached with her foot again, hoping the heavier wave
generated by the stone would lap the fish closer to her. Nope. She tried it
again; still no luck. With her third rock in hand, she targeted the water
behind the body carefully.
Smack. She spun to where the sound had originated. A fish flipped and
flopped next to her in an effort to return to the lake. Where did that come
from? Looking over the water, she caught the ripple of a fin disappearing
beneath the surface. Umbrae snatched the fish and sunk her teeth straight
into its flesh, eating quickly, the urgency to get rid of the evidence of the
Aquatie’s gift paramount in her mind. The Aquatie had no idea of the
nightmare that knocked should Master Zakel get an inkling of its presence.
She ate every part of the fish before tucking the sharp little bones into the
matted, nappy knots on her head. She’d never had a brush or comb, nor
want of one.
Cachink, cachink. She scooted, like a backward crab, up against the rock
he had chained her to, fearful of angering him; if he hit her in the stomach,
there was a chance she could vomit before digesting the evidence of the
fish. The Aquatie would be in danger.
“I see you didn’t bother to clean yourself.” Master Zakel dropped her
hood next to her feet and leaned over to undo the lock. Umbrae glanced up
at the water in time to see another ripple of the Aquatie. Oh please, Fates,
no. Run! Hide! She silently pleaded, giving a discrete sharp shake of her
head in warning before she hastily pulled the hood over her head.
“Figures. Don’t know what good your shadowing gift is when you can be
found by scent alone within twenty miles.” Master Zakel yanked the chain
and she stood quickly, thankful to be stumbling behind him and putting
distance between them and the kindness of the Aquatie. The last time a
young Tellus adolescence had tried to offer her aide, it had not ended so
well. The memory of witnessing the child butchered haunted her. Master
Zakel had been giddy and high for days after. With a relieved exhale she
counted this as a good day. She’d had water. She’d had food. No one died,
that she knew of anyway. All in all, a very good day.
****
“Did you see her, daddy?” Tabby swam away from the surface beside
him. “Why did she have a chain on her, like a pet?”
When Tabby had come to him saying she gave a starving dirty girl a fish,
his first thought was that he was going to have to see if there were any
Elven around to remove the memory of his overzealous daughter from the
mind of a human. He’d never expected to see what he’d just witnessed.
“She’s not a pet, she’s a slave,” Dorn distractedly answered his daughter.
“A slave? I didn’t know humans had slaves anymore.” Her youthful,
innocent, naive curiosity was misplaced. She should be cautious,
suspicious, and, hell, afraid would be preferable. Much as he hated to
shatter that innocence, it was necessary for her safety. Dorn made the
decision that Tabby would hear the uncensored truth in this. If her mother
castrated him later for it, then that was a chance he was willing to take.
He needed to reach the Symbiosis of Species Council. That male had
matched the description of a Morsdente they had been searching for longer
than the SOSC had been formed. Dorn was also pretty sure that it was the
same Morsdente that had been on the Aquaties wanted and warning lists for
multiple attacks against his people. How close had Tabby come to calling
herself to the attention of such a prolific killer?
Dorn was not a warrior. He was a healer. He wouldn’t stand a chance
against an Elven Morsdente on the hunt. He needed to warn the school of
Aquaties that called this lake their home that there was a Morsdente in their
territory. After that he’d alert the SOSC, then get his daughter back
downstream to the ocean, where she would be safe.
“They were not human, Tabby,” he began. “They were Volaticus, Elven,
at least the male was. The female was half human and half Elven, a Hulven,
I think. Either way they were both Volaticus.” He sped toward the
underwater caves along the mountain at the opposite side of the lake.
“But Volaticus are enlightened, daddy. Civilized … like us. The female
was trying to wrap her foot around a rotten fish … to eat. She was starving.
Enlightened folks don’t starve. Are you sure they weren’t humans?” She
was shaking her head, eyes wide.
“Tabby, why would you throw a human a fish, anyways? Rule number
one: Don’t expose your existence to humanity,” Dorn barked at her. She still
didn’t realize the danger she had placed herself in, placed them all in.
“She didn’t see me. I was fast,” Tabby whined, defending herself as only
a child’s logic can.
“She saw you; she even shook her head to warn you. Maybe she saw you
because she is Volaticus; maybe a human wouldn’t have seen you, but that’s
beside the point here. Do you think a human is so stupid that they would
fail to realize that fish normally do not leap out of the water at them?” He
was scolding his only daughter harsher than he ever had.
Her shoulder sagged slightly as she tried to swim behind him in shame,
and Dorn had to slow his pace not to get ahead of her. “You’re right daddy,
I didn’t think of that.”
Dorn didn’t soften his tone. “That Elven male was far more dangerous
than any human you could ever have come across.” Much as he wanted to
sooth her and reassure her, he needed to scare her further. “Evil is found in
all species. Humans have not yet enlightened; they still use a very small
portion of their mental capabilities, so they might seem uncivilized to us.
We see them exploiting themselves, each other, and the planet. The truth is
there was a time long, long ago when the Aquaties were much the same
way, if not worse. We hunted each other, cannibalized and subjugated our
brothers and sisters. Just because we enlightened and breached into the part
of our minds that enables us to use our psychic energy and abilities doesn’t
make us civilized. There are those amongst the Aquaties who, though
enlightened … remain evil, uncivilized. Those who still seek to hunt,
cannibalize, and subjugate. There are those kinds of people peppered
throughout every species.” It broke his heart looking into to her wide,
horror-filled eyes. “Do you understand?”
Her shattered image of a perfect world hung on his conscious. Her chin
quivered when she answered his question. “So you mean that no matter how
powerful and psychically enlightened a species becomes, there will always
be some that are mean?”
Nodding, Dorn continued with a softer tone. “Humans will arrive at their
enlightenment at some point. Even when they do, there will be those
amongst them who will be evil, who will kill and exploit. That Elven male
holding the slave was a Morsdente. He represents the most evil type of
killer within the Volaticus species. You see, Tabby, Elven require the iron
found in blood to survive, and historically, the highest iron could be found
in human blood. They don’t need to kill to obtain enough blood to sustain
them, though evil ones still kill when feeding on humans. Some kill because
they like to kill; often they are the ones that eventually become Morsdente.
It has always been against their laws to feed from their own kind. Why try
to get iron from your brethren who are just as iron deficient as you are …
unless it is to kill them. One of the side benefits to the Volaticus
enlightenment is, if they drink from another psychically enlightened
species, they get a psychic boost of their own abilities. The boost only lasts
while they drink from the vein of the enlightened person. Somewhere down
the line, an evil, uncivilized member of the species killed a psychically
enlightened species by draining all of their blood. Once they do that, the
psychic boost they get becomes an addiction to them. They turn into a
Morsdente, the Latin word for ‘death teeth.’”
 Tabby’s eyes were huge, but she was nodding in understanding. Dorn
breathed a sigh of relief. She was a tough little cookie, and he hoped she
would use this knowledge to protect herself in the future. With that
assurance, he continued explaining with a lighter spirit; this was important.
“The Morsdente can get the psychic high they are addicted to from ANY
enlightened species … including Aquaties.”
Her gasp broke his heart. “The slave shook her head to warn me to stay
away … didn’t she?”
Dorn nodded his agreement at her deduction. “She was afraid you would
reveal yourself to the Morsdente. Had he an inkling you were there, he
would have stopped at nothing in hunting you.”
Tabby swam beside him, silently absorbing the grown up information
Dorn had just leveled on her. “If the female is Volaticus too, how come he
doesn’t kill her? And how come she doesn’t try to get away?”
Dorn stopped and took a long look at his daughter, truly pleased with her
resiliency and with her intelligent observation and question. He could still
see her compassion for the poor creature that she had wanted so badly to
help glistening in her eyes.
“She may have been Hulven. Some of the half-human/half-Elven
offspring end up being high in iron rather than deficient. When that
happens, the Elven can obtain their blood needs from one source anytime
needed. That is the only reason the female is still alive in the presence of
that level of evil. As for why she doesn’t escape, I am sure the chains he
keeps her in will not allow her to be free.” Turning, they swam the few
remaining feet to the resident school of the Aquatie people. “Come, we will
let the leaders know what we saw, and then we will return home. I suddenly
have a need to hug your brothers.”
Nodding, Tabby followed her father into the cave.
 Chapter Two
“Umbrae girl—” The sweet voice of her friend floated into her mind
through the blood bond established by the violent feedings of the Morsdente
killer. The cognitive spirit of Etana’s energy had lingered within him since
before Zakel had purchased Umbrae on that wharf. Sometimes when Master
Zakel had failed to satisfy his addiction, leaving him weakened by need and
cravings, Etana would communicate with her. The moments spent with
Etana represented the only kindness Umbrae had ever known.
“Etana, you remain within.” Though sad that her spirit friend remained
trapped in the psyche of the killer, Umbrae was happy to speak to her again.
She had never taken Master Zakel’s blood, so the bond was one-sided. If the
Morsdente, or in this case the Morsdente’s victim, reached out to her and
maintained the contact, she could telepathically speak back to them without
communicating on an open type frequency, though Etana was the only one
Umbrae had ever responded to.
It had been a long while since Umbrae had last heard from Etana or any
of the spirit energies that had been consumed. The horrific emotions of
Master Zakel’s victim were hard to stomach for any empath, and she had
long ago learned to block them out, the same way she’d learned to block
nearly everything out. Unfortunately, it also made her block out Etana.
Most spirit energies Master Zakel consumed were short-lived within him,
remaining a matter of months; occasionally hearty ones had survived
decades. They were generally the hardest for Umbrae to shield against. It
rarely failed that eventually they would find the killer’s established bond to
her, then attempt to beg and plead with her to release them from his
madness. When that failed, they would curse her as useless, cruel, and
spineless, inevitably morphing into resentful anger as Zakel’s evil corrupted
their very souls. Tirades would come from them railing at her, and the
spirits would concur with Master Zakel calling her “blood bag whore.”
If she could free them from Master Zakel, she would have. It was not as
if she wouldn’t kill the Morsdente if she had the chance. Zakel had always
kept her weak, chained, and always contained her psychically with a hood.
No matter how long it took him to find a victim, no matter how insane and
deranged he got, he had never dropped his guard enough for her to feel she
had a chance of gaining the upper hand, nor had he ever left a weapon lying
around. His weapons were in his mouth. He kept a few utility type knives in
his travel bag. None of them were capable of cutting his head off. She
dreamed of stumbling across a sword, or an ax, even a field scythe. To date
the Fates had yet to put anything of that nature in her path.
Etana had always been kind and understanding. Perhaps it was because
Etana had been with Master Zakel long enough to have witnessed
everything. Etana had started calling her Umbrae (Shadow) nearly from the
first time she made contact. It was the closest thing to a given name she
had, even if it was given to her by the disembodied energy of one of the
killer’s victims. At least it wasn’t demoralizing.
This was the longest Master Zakel had gone without a victim in the last
few years since Master Zakel had taken to living on the outskirts of
humanity in the United States. A group of humans had discovered the
existence of the other species. They had also figured out different ways to
bait and trap them. The Tellus species had shown to be the most vulnerable.
As a species, they had long avoided the surface, but with the formation of
the SOSC, they were coming out more and more. They were committed to
helping the other species; the problem was they weren’t familiar with the
barbaric evil some of them encountered. The humans would catch them,
and if they were lucky they were sold to underground study facilities run by
other humans. Then they’d at least have a chance of being found and
rescued, she hoped.
The unlucky ones were marketed to the Morsdentes that now hovered
around waiting to snatch up what they consider an easy fix. In addition to
the Tellus, humans would capture and market an occasional Aquatie,
usually some sorry youth who happened to be out of water to help a Tellus
or a Volaticus in need. The new push was for iron-rich Hulvens like her; it
seemed Master Zakel had started a fashion trend. Morsdente from around
the globe were just chomping on the bit to have their own portable blood
bag. It also seemed that most of the Morsdente weren’t as good at not
killing their Hulven blood bags for the psychic high, once they finally got
one. Who knew addicts lacked restraint.
Many Morsdente would buy a human from the smugglers, pack it around
for feedings until it was drained, give the corpse to the human smugglers
for disposal, and get another one. The smugglers were the buffer between
the Volaticus warriors who have always followed the human dead body trail
in the hunt for Morsdentes—a job made more difficult by the current slave
market. Humans have proved to be more adept at victim selection and body
disposal than the Morsdente.
How the smuggler trade had advanced. When she had been taken, they
had been bumbling fools, selling her for pennies on the dollar, not realizing
she was the prize. If they had put her in a basement and handed her down
through generations they would have been wealthy men. The rare Hulven
she had seen on the auction were young males; rumor was some other
faction bought female Hulven before they ever reached an auction block.
Umbrae often wondered if part of the reason Master Zakel had not been
caught by the Volaticus or SOSC warriors thus far was due, in part, to his
ownership and care of her, albeit care was a loose term. He had not needed
humans to feed from since the day he had stumbled upon her on that wharf.
He was also smart and cautious enough to cover his trail far more diligently
than most were prone to do, especially in the throes of withdrawal.
“It is not my time to go yet, but I feel it will not be much longer now.”
Etana seemed almost sad at the thought, at odds with most of the spirits. “I
have a memory that I would like to share with you.”
Etana had always assured Umbrae that one-day she would be saved. She
had shown her memories and regaled her with stories. Sometimes those
vicarious memories were the only thing that kept Umbrae hanging on.
Etana was so sure that someday Umbrae would meet her bloodmate, Enlil,
that she had buried compulsions within Umbrae’s subconscious mind to be
triggered by him. A compulsion that would allow Etana to say goodbye to
her beloved, should she ever have the chance. That was doubtful. If Etana’s
memories of the male were accurate, Enlil wasn’t known for his restraint
when it came to handing out justice. He would kill Master Zakel on sight.
It had taken some time for Etana to earn Umbrae’s trust enough to allow
her the kind of access required to instill a mental compulsion. According to
Etana, Umbrae’s shields were more highly developed than any she had ever
encountered. More formidable than even the High Ones Etana had known
when alive. Etana told Umbrae it was a survival mechanism that she had
developed. Etana could communicate with her through the bond, even that
blood bond could’t fully break through the shields she had erected. Unless
Umbrae released some of the shield, there was no way for Etana to implant
a memory. Etana assured her that when the day came and she was finally
released from the lead and platinum restraints that she had constantly been
subjected to, her shields would be strong enough to protect her from being
found by anyone, even Master Zakel.
Umbrae struggled against her shields; she wanted to receive the new
memory Etana offered with a yearning that had her nearly drooling. It took
her mind a moment to comprehend releasing the shields that had become as
natural as breathing, as necessary as a heartbeat. “I would like that very
much, Etana. I’m trying.”
Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she fought her self-protection
instinct, trying to allow the vulnerability required for Etana to implant the
memory. Umbrae was finally able to create a small fracture, a chip in the
armor big enough for Etana to flood her mind with another vision from her
wonderful life taken to soon.
****
“Etana, my love, I know it hurts, but that is the way of things. I would
never wish to continue were you no longer in the world. You can hardly
blame Girsu for releasing her soul to join Nippur’s. They were bloodmated.
It is as it should be.” Etana’s bloodedmate, Enlil, sat in a study displaying
his endless patience with Etana, who paced before him. The sight of the
amazing male filled Umbrae with deep yearning. Etana knew Enlil’s history
as a warrior gave him far more experience with death than she had. He’d
had many a friend and their bloodmates leave the world to journey in the
next together.
Like Enlil and Etana, Nippur and Girsu Einar’s children were raised.
Their youngest was Shanley, who at sixty was considered an adult and was
preparing to go off to advanced warrior training.
Although a terrific fighter, Ediku, Etana’s and Enlil’s son, had talents that
leaned more toward Etana’s family’s farming bloodlines. She was sure Enlil
was aware that secretly she was grateful her son hadn’t inclined to be a full
warrior, as grateful as she was that Enlil had laid down his sword when
they mated. Too many warriors died taking their mates with them, and there
were fewer and fewer bloodmatings happening. She couldn’t remember the
last true one she had heard of.
 “But what if there were another bloodmate out there for Girsu?” Etana
tried again. “Maybe there is more than one mate for some. What if in
releasing her soul, she is denying a future male his bloodmate. Would you
want me to die, if you did?”
They’d had this discussion before. Many times. The concept of death was
just too alien and horrific for Etana’s gentle nature to grasp, though she
tried to. There had historically been a few who had tried to survive beyond
the death of their bloodmates, usually females with young who had yet to
reach adulthood. None had ever found another bloodmate. They had just
bided time until they too could release their souls.
“Of course I wouldn’t want you to die. Not for any reason. Even
contemplating it makes me ill.” Enlil leaned forward on his chair,
expressing with his eyes and through their bond the pain that idea brought
him. “Should I die, then the question would no longer be what I would
want. It would be what you want. Would you want to continue on without
me?”
If possible, Enlil was even more patient with her than usual. This last
bloodmated death had struck her particularly hard. She barely knew the
Einars, having only run into them a handful of times over her lifespan. But
she and Enlil had been discussing having another child. A child that might
be more likely to carry on the Lil bloodline since it seemed unlikey that
Ediku would do so. Etana felt resistant to the idea, not because she didn’t
desire a child. It was the decline of bloodmating that gave her pause. What
if there were no bloodmates for her children?
Etana paced for several minutes, biting her bottom lip and rubbing her
hands together, yet Enlil never rushed her. He just waited for her to come to
her conclusion. “I don’t know if I could,” Etana finally admitted. “I would
be so incomplete without you.” Her shoulders slumped. “But what if I did?
What if I later found another bloodmate? Would you want me to mate
anew?”
Within the memory, Umbrae watched spellbound as she picked up a
stream of Enlil’s internal struggle through his and Etana’s bloodmate bond.
Etana didn’t interrupt the contemplation, allowing Enlil to work through the
hard idea the same considerate way he had always allowed her to. Enlil had
a possessive streak that Umbrae knew he’d worked hard to overcome with
Etana.
 Enlil’s green eyes glowed from within when he finally answered Etana. “I
believe I would. I would want you to find happiness if it were possible.
Bloodmating is a gift. If someone were fated to receive that gift for a second
time, I do not believe it would invalidate or minimize the first gift.”
Etana had let out a relieved breath, climbing into the lap of her amazing
male, safe and accepted in his arms. She whispered, “I would hope you
would live on without me.” She gazed into Enlil’s eyes. “You couldn’t
release your soul. What would happen to your twin sister? Your bond with
Ninlil is quite possibly more powerful than ours. I would hope that you
would find another.”
“Nothing is going to happen to either you or Ninlil. I couldn’t bear it.”
Enlil had pulled Etana tighter against his chest, his lips coming toward hers
when the vision ended.
****
Reaching up Umbrae wiped the unfamiliar wetness of her tears from her
cheek, replaying, as she often did, the memory as if it were her own. She
loved Etana too much to ever be jealous. She did, however, envy Etana the
precious and wonderful memories. Etana had shared many of her memories
of her life with Umbrae over the years. Umbrae’s favorites included Enlil;
he and Etana flying together in the moonlight, chasing through the fields,
arguing over some of their harder decisions, and laughing at their son when
he was a toddler. Thankfully and cursedly, Etana had never shared a single
private, intimate moment. Not even a kiss.
“Why do you cry?” Etana asked her.
Umbrae gave her head a clearing little shake. “I don’t know how to thank
you for everything you have done for me.”
Etana fell silent for so long that Umbrae wasn’t sure of the connection
anymore. Then she felt Etana draw on the bond so tightly it felt like a
physical hug, and she whispered, “When you are free, Umbrae, find what
makes you come alive inside and never let it go. Not for anything or
anyone, hold on to it with everything you are. Know that no matter what
you face in the future, I love you and I am proud of you.” Then the
connection was gone.
Rolling to face away from the still resting Master Zakel, Umbrae let the
tears flow freely for the first time in ages, using dirt to sop up the moisture.
 Chapter Three
Irsu and her team spoke with the school of Aquatie. Unfortunately, the
father and daughter who had seen the killer had already fled to the ocean.
The others repeated the account for Irsu, including any details they knew
about the slave. Again, all that was conveyed was that the slave was a dirty,
chained female, same as the report given to them by the SOSC. No one
could even verify the slave’s species as human or Volaticus for sure.
The Morsdente tracks were difficult to detect; no doubt the beast had
become adept at hiding over the centuries. Her unit tracker, Gord, had been
able to pick up the slaves tracks at the lakeside, mostly due to the stumbling
and tripping. They were able to unerringly follow it over the last three days,
zigzagging towards New Orleans. They’d made visual contact yesterday
and were now keeping pace.
Irsu had spent the past days replaying the orders for this mission, She
was missing something; she knew it. There was something familiar about
the Morsdente. From her position overlooking the Morsdente camp, she
could fully see the killer’s features. She knew she had never seen the beast
personally before, but for some reason, she felt like she should know the
identity of the killer. The more she tried to make sense of it, the more
confusing it all became.
This wasn’t the first Morsdente hunt she’d been on. It was, however, the
first she’d led; it was also the first one she knew of with a “do not kill”
order. Morsdente were always executed on sight. Why was this one being
spared, left free to kill? She couldn’t wrap her brain around it. The orders
were to find the killer, save his captive, insert a GPS tracker on him and let
him escape. She wanted to argue the orders, the same as the rest of her
team. It was the presence of the Oracle Innanna and Adonai, the speaker of
the High Ones panel that had kept her quiet. Was it the killer or the slave
the Fates were interested in? Either way, it was never good to go against the
Oracles. Her Uncle Miguel was Innanna’s protégé, and not even he would
dare go against the mysterious and stunning female.
Irsu and her second in command Barry had made the determination to
follow and watch in hope the reason the Fates wanted this particular
parasite to continue living would reveal itself under observation. Of course,
if it found a victim, then all bets were off, and she would take the
Morsdente’s head. Irsu settled in, glancing across the dense forest, seeing
the other members of her unit who had taken position near the camp. Unlike
Irsu, Barry had elected to focus on the target through the scope of a rifle
loaded with tranquilizers. They couldn’t even speak telepathically. Any use
of any type of energy would alert the killer to their presence, though the
Morsdente’s addiction withdrawals were going far at insuring that the killer
remained distracted.
The sound of the slave’s chains being locked around the base of a large
tree on the outside of the clearing brought her attention back to the
campsite. The heavy thump of the metal indicated that the chains were
made of an iron/platinum metal blend. Iron interrupted the magnetic field
needed for psychic energy. Platinum was one of the few metals strong
enough to contain a Volaticus. That would indicate that the victim was
indeed Hulven. A leather sleeve encased the slave’s collar, hobbles, and the
length of chain used as a leash to keep the non-tarnishable metals from
reflecting sunlight and drawing attention from the sky. The hood was likely
pure lead, weaved in the way of old chain mail armor. Without the platinum
added, it had a dull sheen. The hood bore no eye slits, rendering the Hulven
nearly blind.
She could see why there was nearly no description of the slave. It was
without form or detail. Honestly, Irsu wasn’t fully convinced it was even
female. It was just as likely a young male. The Morsdente had allowed it to
loosen and lift the hood a few times to drink from streams along the way. It
had never been given leave by the Morsdente to remove it entirely. Wearing
a formless, potato-type sack, the poor victim had skin so dirty it was
impossible to even tell her coloring. Assuming it was a she. Hooded, she’d
never stood straight either, making height and weight impossible to
determine.
“Give me your wrist, maggot.” The Morsdente’s voice snapped through
the trees, startling Irsu. It was the first time the killer had spoken. The slave
obediently raised a scarred arm in the general direction of the sound of his
voice to her position. The killer stepped to within striking distance of the
offered vein, slamming his fist into the female’s hood covered head. The
slave fell at the killer’s feet, and the scent of iron-rich, copper, and …
peppermint-scented blood tickled Irsu’s nose. It was definitely a female
Hulven.
“I will not bend to you, you disgusting whore. Stand up and lift your
wrist high enough to reach me.” The killer’s voice shook in maniacal
outrage, his detox making him highly volatile. The slave shuffled back to
her feet, leaning against the tree she’d been anchored to for balance. Her
wrist lifted to the exact height of the Morsdente, she extended her arm as far
a distance away from her as she possible could.
The Morsdente struck into the tender flesh so viciously, Irsu winched.
The slave showed no reaction to what must have been horrifically painful.
She stood stoically, complacent while the killer took far more sustenance
than the starving female could have possibly spared, and more than the
killer probably needed. Perhaps the female was to be a victim the entire
time. Maybe the Morsdente had been dragging the female to lay a trap for
them. The bulk of her unit was positioned along the perimeter. If the
Morsdente was a part of a killing pack trying to lead them into an ambush,
they were in for a surprise. Irsu would pit her unit against anyone confident
they would prevail. Yes, they were that good.
“Take the shot.” She sent the order to Barry telepathically. The killer’s
eyes flashed at the pulse of energy the telepathy generated. Too late. The
Morsdente fell to the ground, the dart from Barry’s silenced rifle wiggling
in its neck. Still hooded, the female could not seal the wounds of her wrist
with her own saliva, her lifeblood flowing into the ground; horrified, Irsu
realized the weakened slave could bleed out. She reached the victim as her
legs gave out and the slave dropped next to her fallen master. Lifting the
female’s wrist to her lips, Irsu quickly licked the wound closed. Through
the moment’s connection and the few drops of blood that reached Irsu’s
tongue before the girl passed out completely, she caught a psychic flash of
the female screaming.
“Great Fates.” Irsu didn’t need to look to know Barry and Gord had
stepped up beside her. “Did you hear her scream?”
“She made no sound.” Barry said shaking his head. He would know;
Aquatie’s had greater hearing than any other species.
“I was sealing her wrist and I heard it. The female was screaming—in
elation.” Pulling the hood off the limp form, Irsu looked at the filthy face. “I
think she was joyous to be dying.”
 Barry and Gord began pulling the Morsdente away from the female. “She
will need blood, Chief. There is some in an insulated container along with
an IV kit.” Gord offered, pointing with his chin in the general direction of
the bag he’d discarded on the ground.
Tossing the hood aside with disgust, Irsu withdrew the items. She
prepared two IVs and, using her fatigues, wiped away the dirt that clung to
the female’s arms so she could locate a vein. Irsu inserted an IV of blood in
one arm and an empty collection bag in the other, eliminating the risk of
giving the slave too much iron and potentially poisoning her. They’d
recently learned that an iron-rich Hulven would release excess iron if a
secondary vein were tapped to drain. By using both an in-flow of blood and
an empty catch IV, Irsu would be able to tell when an iron-rich Hulven had
reached the maximum iron limit. Satisfied she was doing everything
possible for the female, Irsu leaned back on her heels, replaying the sound
of the female’s final scream echoing in her mind.
“Here, I found these in the Morsdente’s pocket.” Gord handed her a set of
keys. “The beast is secured.” Gord, a Tellus male, paused over the heavy
hood that Irsu had removed from the slave and discarded on the ground. “I
should have used that hood on the animal.” Oblivious to the smell and the
dirt on the female, Gord swept a chunk of the female’s matted hair from her
face. Hissing, he drew his hand back. Drops of blood beaded up from the
points where his finger had been punctured by the tiny fish bones tucked
into the female’s dread-locked naps. Carefully he lifted the lock of the
female’s hair for a closer look; it was a weapon of sorts. A defense against
getting her hair pulled. Gord shook his head with an appreciating grin. “The
ingenuity of females will never cease to amaze me.”
That observation from one of the most dangerous males Irsu had ever
known caused her to take a new view of the slave. From the bone-mined
hair, to the caked dirt that coated the female, to the combination of scents
clinging to her, it was clear that there were older, underlying smells of
animal and vegetative decomposition and/or excrement beneath the
stronger, more recent smells of the same concoctions. Focusing, Irsu was
able to separate the different aromatic nuances. What first appeared to be a
simple result of neglect was in fact a well thought out defense strategy on
the part of the slave to avoid attention and attraction from her master. “I
thought we were going to observe?” Gord said as he handed the empty dart
to her.
She noticed that Barry had resumed his position in the tree, switching to
a live-round sniper rifle. “Our orders were to save the victim, not watch him
kill her. I wasn’t taking any chances,” Irsu replied. “I just called Vince. We
need the tracker implanted and the wound healed before that monster wakes
up. You’re on assist.” With a single nod, Gord trotted off to help the medic
gather surgical supplies.
“Any sign of ambush?” She used a pulse of energy to bridge the
members of her unit telepathically. The Volaticus members, like her, didn’t
need the pulse. They are naturally telepathic. The bridge was for the
Aquaties and Tellus members who could only psychically communicate
through bridges supplied by her or one of the other Volaticus.
She heard each check in using “clear” as she mentally accounted for her
full unit before releasing the bridge. Fury consumed her as she snatched the
lead hood from the ground and marched over to the secured Morsdente.
Gord’s voiced idea paramount in her mind, Irsu placed the slave’s hood
over the Morsdente’s head, then punched him in the same way she’d
watched the creature strike the female. Taking small satisfaction when its
head rocked, she wished it weren’t drugged and could feel the same pain.
“Fucking Bastard.” She thought the weight of her short sword against her
hip a tempting reminder that despite the Fates, the Morsdente should be
destroyed.
Pivoting on her heel before she bucked her orders, she returned to the
backpack and replaced the empty bag of blood from the female’s IV with a
fresh one. Finding a bottle of water, she uncapped it, taking a long drink. A
small gasp sounded beside her. Irsu looked over to the young female, still
chained, and met large, dove-gray eyes looking at her.
A raspy sound came from her throat, so quiet Irsu wasn’t even sure she
heard her, the female’s voice unrecognizable from torture, thirst, and lack of
use. “You shouldn’t be here. He’ll kill you.”
Irsu capped the water bottle, reached into the bag for a fresh one,
uncapped it, and held it out to the female, hoping the slave didn’t suffer
from Stockholm syndrome. The female looked longingly at the water,
refusing to reach out for it.
 Irsu decided to see what the girl was made of. “Are you worried about
that guy?” Keeping her eye on the female, she pointed to the Morsdente,
restrained and unconscious across the clearing. “He isn’t going to kill me,
and he sure as fuck will never harm you again.”
The girl looked long at the killer. Her eyes slowly sliding back to Irsu,
she started to reach for the bottle. The chains stopped her hand short. Irsu
leaned the rest of the way handing off the bottle. “I’m sure you want out of
those chains. I can’t release them yet. The Morsdente may try to use his
bond to you to make you help him. I can’t risk my unit. You understand?”
This girl is made of tough stuff. Irsu kept her tone gentle, talking to her like
she had talked to her daughter Jerika when she was little and hurt.
The girl downed the bottle. Irsu handed her the one she’d taken a
swallow of. The girl downed it just as fast. Damn. Gord and Vince came
through the trees, entering the clearing next to the Morsdente. “Hey Vince,
you have water and rations on you?” She sure wasn’t going to offer the
victim anything Gord may have had on him for rations. Strange diet the
Tellus had.
“You betcha. Gord told me about, errr, your new friend. I brought a bag.”
Healers were always on the ball when it came to bedside manner. Vince was
a good medic, since healers weren’t warriors; they weren’t permanently
assigned to any unit. She tried to request Vince whenever she could.
A squeaking sound brought her attention back to the girl. She was turning
blue. Staring at Gord and Vince, her eyes practically popped out of her
head. She was trembling. Did the males scare her? “It’s okay. They’re
members of my unit. They’re here to help you.”
“Stay away.” She whispered. Irsu held her hand up, Vince stopped mid-
step, the bag of supplies in his hand. No questions, no lip, cancel her earlier
thought. Vince was a great medic, smart enough to know not to rush in.
“Stay away.” The girl repeated more adamantly.
“The medic won’t come near you without your permission,” Irsu tried to
assure her. The girl’s next words shocked the shit out of her. “Not me.” Her
dove eyes met Irsu’s again, then snapped back toward Vince. “Him. Stay
away from him.”
Irsu was officially confused. “Are you worried my people will hurt the
Morsdente?” Maybe the girl wasn’t free of Stockholm after all.
 The girl furled her brows. “He’s a killer.” She said it really slowly,
staring at Irsu like she was stupid. Which she probably deserved from the
girl. At this point she was feeling pretty stupid. “That male will kill your
people. Stay away from him.” The girl continued to emphasize each word.
Irsu couldn’t help it, she laughed. The girl pursed her lips, annoyed. Irsu
laughed harder. Were there two people on the planet that had ever gotten
their wires crossed worse than she had with this dirty girl in chains?
When she was able to stop laughing, she couldn’t help continuing to
smile at the girl. “What is your name?”
The girl didn’t answer immediately she finally whispered, “Umbrae.”
“Well, Umbrae, the killer has enough tranquilizers in him to keep him out
for the next—” she glanced at her watch “—thirty-five hours. My people
are safe. Vince, get over her and give Umbrae some food.” The medic
grinned and trotted the distance, kneeling beside the girl. She showed no
fear of him. Her gaze kept furtively glancing over to Gord, who was still
next to the killer setting up instruments.
“Umbrae, I think you and I are going to be great friends.” Irsu grinned,
watching the girl snatch and devour can after can of rations.
 Chapter Four
Osiris approached the clearing cautiously. Zakel feared him … and
rightfully so. That didn’t change the fact that Zakel was a Morsdente.
Unstable and dangerous. When Zakel had called Osiris a few weeks ago,
Osiris had nearly refused to talk to his old friend. Then when he’d heard
about the female, he’d wanted to beat Zakel to death for hiding her from
him. He’d come personally to collect the female just to be sure no mistakes
were made. Distant voices brought him up short.
“SOSC warriors are in the clearing, Sire,” the scout Osiris had sent
announced upon his return.
Osiris waved him on and shadowed invisible against the night He picked
his way alone toward the clearing. How had the SOSC found them? Fully
shielded and shadowed, he watched an Aquatie male stand before Zakel,
who was obviously coming out of a tranquilized state. The Aquatie was
flanked by an Elven female. He could feel the pulse of the two
communicating; the female shrugged to the male and left him alone to
unfasten the restraints holding Zakel. Interesting. It was like they were
trying to give the Morsdente a chance at escape. Sure enough, Zakel struck
out feebly at the Aquatie, who went to the ground. Osiris could see the male
peeking through shuttered eyes, watching Zakel, who seemed to be
considering whether to strike the downed Aquatie for a fix.
Zakel must have had enough of a survival instinct left to realize his
window of opportunity to escape was rapidly narrowing. He left the male
and ducked into the woods, unchallenged. Osiris was about to port back to
the soldiers he’d left behind when the Elven female re-entered the clearing.
Instead he waited to see how the two would play this facade out.
“He’s in the wind. Are you hurt?” the female asked the rising male.
“No. I really hate this. That beast should have been put down. What are
the Oracles thinking?” The disgust the male was feeling emanated from
him. This had been a calculated release? Why? Were the Oracles hoping to
catch him? Had they become aware of Osiris’s activities after all this time?
“At least Umbrae is safe. This may not be the outcome we’d like for this
mission, but we completed it with no harm to our unit.” The female was
evidently in charge of the operation.
 He now knew Zakel no longer had possession of the female. Umbrae.
The Latin word for shadow, perhaps this wasn’t a wasted effort after all. He
had the female’s name. Sooner or later she would reemerge into the world
of the productive. That was part of the SOSC code of symbiosis and
integration. Osiris would bide his time and keep his ear to the ground. He
would eventually obtain her, then he would be able to determine if she did
in fact carry a gift similar to his own. It would be nice to find a kin after all
this time.
In the meantime, he would send out an alert to his species smuggling
network to steer clear of Zakel. The SOSC were using him for something,
Osiris needed to determine what.
****
Umbrae had the most terrifying yet wondrous two days of her life. She
was terrified when Irsu gave her a picture of a geographic place to port to.
Zakel had rarely let her port, and when he had, he had always been with her.
Since she was very unsure of going, Irsu talked to someone, who gave her
permission to accompany Umbrae.
When they arrived, Abby was the only person waiting for her. Irsu spent
a couple of hours making sure Umbrae would be comfortable with Abby
before she left to rejoin her unit. Abby clutched a gadget that looked like a
notebook, except instead of paper it had a TV screen. She had chin-length
brown hair and kind eyes. Smiling, she extended her hand to Umbrae.
“Welcome to SOSC Headquarters. I’m Abby.” Her smile didn’t falter when
Umbrae felt her psyche try to shadow from the new face. Irsu placed her
hand on Umbrae’s shoulder encouragingly.
“Abby is here to help you,” Irsu whispered.
Sure enough, Abby was wonderful; the two of them were given a two-
bedroom suite. Umbrae had a bed, a closet with cloths and shoes, a fridge,
and cupboards that were stocked with things she didn’t even know existed.
If she found something she really liked, Abby would make sure there was
plenty all the time. Pringles and Almond Joy candy bars were the best.
Abby, her resident therapy co-coordinator, was tapping away on
something she called a keyboard. She did that a lot when she wasn’t taking
Umbrae to see this person or that person. At this point, she’d seen so many
specialists she couldn’t keep them straight. Abby always made sure to
assure her that she could tell anyone “no” at any time. No one would force
her to do or go anywhere. So far, everyone had seemed like they sincerely
wanted to help, so Umbrae kept doing what was put in front of her. Except
the gynecologist exams—she’d refused those.
She had been given choices and treated like she mattered. The first thing
Abby had asked her after Irsu had left had been in the form of a choice.
“So, Umbrae, I have a medical evaluation set up in a few hours, if you’re
okay with that. They’d like to start doing blood transfusions on you to
dilute any bonds you have that you may no longer want.”
That she may no longer want? Sign her up pronto. Umbra was well aware
Zakel could use her blood to find her anywhere, anytime, even though
Etana had assured her otherwise. She’d nodded in answer. “Great. While we
are waiting, one of my friends is a hair stylist; she so wants to work with
you. How do you feel about taking a shower and I’ll call her?”
With Abby’s help she learned how to take a shower. Her dark brown
slightly wavy hair was cut short, framing her face, only requiring a simple
finger combing. Her haircut emphasized her gray eyes. When she stepped
out of her room, uncomfortable in new clothes, Abby gasped. Umbrae
hadn’t meant to, but she flinched, thinking Abby was going to strike her for
something. Abby had sweetly ignored her reaction acting like nothing was
amiss. “Umbrae, you look beautiful.”
Even after two blood transfusions, she knew the moment Zakel’s
tranquilizer wore off. He was frantically seeking her, trying to locate her.
Her shields kept him from getting into her head. She was still concerned he
would port to her and attempt to take her again.
“This entire structure is made with lead and platinum. You are safe from
him here. There is no way he can get a lock on your location. One of the
people who wants to work with you will teach you how to erect specific
barriers against him,” Abby assured her.
****
Innanna reread Irsu’s report for the umpteenth time. Her despair rose
with each read; it was at times like this that she hated being an Oracle. That
monster had a destiny to fulfill, one important enough to let him live. If the
Morsdente were killed now, poor Umbrae would never get her happily ever
after. If anyone deserved one of those, it was that child.
 Innanna was well aware of how long forever felt when you were alone.
Sure, she had her family, her colleagues, and her friends. Those didn’t make
up for spending centuries in love with a male who despised her and her
gifts. Not that she blamed him for his feelings. It was her oath to her Oracle
calling that kept her apart from him. She wasn’t allowed to explain her
actions so long ago; she could only accept his hatred. She thought back on
the fateful night three hundred years ago…
Innanna had been in her human personification, presenting herself at
5’8”-ish. One minute she was dancing a waltz in Gilgamesh’s arms and
laughing at whatever he said to her. The next, she had been struck by a
prophecy and dropped to the ground. She had grabbed both sides of her
head as the fury of the scenes rolled across her mind’s eye. Gil had lifted
her against his warm, hard chest,, and raced her to a place she could safely
drop the human illusion and go to her true form. He’d stood guard over her
shuddering body.
Rarely did prophecy span long periods of time; this one foretold
centuries, beginning that very night with the murder of Gil’s beloved Aunt
Etana. She had seen it all, from the Earth-shattering storm Enlil created in
his grief, to Irsu’s rescue of the blood slave a few days ago. There was
much more still to come, including a heralded bloodmating requiring a
sacrifice.
When the vision released her from its grip, she realized where Gil had
taken her—his bachelor quarters directly above the stables overlooking the
grounds. He had gently laid her on a cot that he had taken to the attached
balcony. The minute she regained her balance, he was at her side. “Are you
all right, Tiny Mite?”
She’d looked over to the main house just in time to see the shadow of the
Morsdente entering Enlil and Etana’s bedchamber. Then she had glanced
down to see Enlil placing a gentle kiss on Etana’s cheek, bidding her a good
nap. His hand covered hers where their child grew inside her. Innanna could
not stop the tears; she could not even answer Gil. Shaking her head, she
launched herself off the cot and backed away from Gil as he approached her
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she said over and over. Then she heard Enlil’s
roar of pain. Gil had snapped his head around to look back out toward the
still open balcony. Innanna used that moment to port back to her apartment
in Greenland. Curled up, she cried and rocked and waited for the inevitable
arrival of Gilgamesh, and his demand for answers.
Innanna had bowed to Gilgamesh’s hatred when he had found out that
she had known his aunt was about to die and had done nothing. She had
followed protocol then and now—she never revealed her full knowledge or
interfered with the course of destiny.
 Chapter Five
Five Years Later
Umbrae pulled the bill of her cap lower over her face, gripping the leash
attached to her partner Hans tighter. They jogged across the street from her
target, and the guards at the foyer window barely looked up from the card
game they were playing. She and Hans made this run every day at the same
time, and had for the past few months. The guards probably assumed she
lived somewhere in the neighborhood, unaware that Umbrae occupied the
loft across the street, overlooking their operation.
She and Hans had been partnered together six months earlier by the
SOSC. They were a good fit. A year ago something had happened within
the SOSC that had bonded the council tighter than ever. Afterward, the
Tellus had revealed the shape-shifting abilities they had previously hidden
—a fact Umbrae already knew from her vicarious hunts with Zakel. The
Tellus had limitations to the shapes they could shift into. They could only
shift into forms that were at least half their true-form body weight or larger.
They also did not obtain the form’s instincts. Hans could turn into a bird,
but he could not fly. Right now he was a German shepherd, weaving
through pedestrians with her, his tongue lolling out.
She’d been hesitant when she learned her first assignment was in
Edinburgh, Scotland, five miles from the same orphanage she had been
taken from nearly a century ago. The place had long since been abandoned,
crumbling, the windows broken, the empty rooms haunted by crack addicts.
Once she’d seen it, it had no longer held any power over her. She learned to
love the Scottish countryside. The sound of the gulls in the bay every
morning when the fishermen sailed into port was music to her ears, even if
the very wharf where Zakel had obtained her was visible from her window.
“True strength comes from purity of spirit. Your body is merely a vessel.”
The memory of Etana’s voice vanquished her dark thoughts before Umbrae
succumbed to them.
Two blocks down from their target, she and Hans turned the corner,
entering the shadow of a building. Umbrae dropped her hand to make
contact with the links of the conductive metal chain she’d been given by the
SOSC. The metal somehow allowed her to shadow whoever was attached to
it. They had told her it was one of a kind, that her ancestors had created the
composition, and that no one had been able to duplicate it.
Invoking her ability, she and Hans seemed to just disappear into the
shadow and slowed to a walk. She felt Hans rise to his true-form height
next to her, the collar that enabled her to shield their energies and shadow
them both still securely in her hand and around his neck. If they weren’t
invisible, she’d look like a dominatrix. Especially since Hans would be
naked. She carried emergency clothing for him in her pack. Modesty was
another limitation of the Tellus shifting ability. Unlike the Aquaties, Tellus
weren’t natural born exhibitionists. She had suggested he be a big poodle
and wear a sweater and dog diapers, but he’d flipped her off, even after
she’d offered to have him groomed with big poms on his legs, spoil sport.
Shadowed to invisible, footsteps silent, they reached the doorway to their
loft. Umbrae looked up, noticing the blinds move in the main room.
Someone was waiting for them. She didn’t want to risk the pulse of energy
required to build a bridge with Hans for telepathic communication, so she
gave the leash two tugs. He tugged back once; he’d seen the signs too.
Pausing just inside the door to hand Hans his cloths, she waited, feeling the
movement of the leash while he donned the basketball shorts and zip-up
hoodie he’d given her before they set out. He gave another tug on the chain,
she dropped her end, and Hans appeared beside her. She handed him an
ivory-bladed knife. With the exception of the chain she treasured, only
organic materials could be shadowed, so none of the blades she carried
were metal. The second the knife went from her hand to his, it appeared.
Holding a similar dagger in her hand, she wished for the millionth time she
could shadow a taser gun. Hans didn’t need a taser since Tellus could create
electromagnetic fields—his entire body was a taser. Of course, that made
his species more susceptible to the shock if they were hit.
He indicated that she should take lead position. That was their normal
way. She could go into anywhere unseen; very few could sense her energy,
and no one could see it. If she saw something, she would use a hand signal
against Hans’s chest to give him a heads up. She could also pick up the
leash and shadow him with her. She trusted Hans to have her back. Trust
was something new to her vocabulary.
Hans stopped just out of sight of the landing while Umbrae continued up.
She peered into the crack of the door, and a giant chest stepped up to her
face as the male opened the door further. She barely heard the high-
frequency sonic wave the tall Aquatie sent out. Using her fingertip, she
poked the male in the chest.
“Hey.” Greyton giggled, an oddly melodic sound.
She dropped the shadow, grinning into the face of her SOSC handler and
mentor—the one she’d just handled. “Hey yourself, sir. I figured I’d let you
know we were here rather than wait for the sound echo to alert you.” That
echo moved fast—she’d heard it bounce off Hans on the stairs. An instant
later and Greyton would have known she was standing there; he might have
tried to defend against her and hurt them both.
Hans joined them. “Hey, sir, what brings you here? You come personally
to get our report today?” He brushed past to plop into one of the chairs, his
feet on the coffee table. Greyton took the other chair, leaving Umbrae the
couch.
“Save your report. Your replacements are going to be here in about
twenty minutes. You can debrief them at the same time.” Hans sat forward,
confusion on his face.
Replacements? Why? Umbrae couldn’t speak. Old insecurities crept back
up on her like bad sushi, but thankfully Hans asked the question. “Are we
being reassigned?” Hope bloomed in her chest. Please let it be a
reassignment and not a release from active duty. She needed this. She’d felt
whole and useful for the first time in her life. Well … close to whole
anyway.
“Call it a mandatory vacation. You two will be back here in a few weeks.
Before you get your panties in a bunch, Umbrae, you can thank your good
buddy, Irsu.” Greyton held out an envelope. Her first thought was Irsu had
been hurt somehow; she snatched the envelope out of Greyton’s hand,
shredding the gold emblazed name on the front.
You are cordially invited to the First Annual Survivors Ball.
Blahblahblah. Please return the included RSVP including full name and
species, and who will be accompanying you by blahblahblah …
“What the hell is this?” She pointed the card at Greyton.
“An invitation to the ball, Cinderella.” He was chuckling at her. “Don’t
bother RSVPing, Irsu did it for you. After pulling every string she had to
get you replaced on this assignment.” He glanced over to Hans. “Lucky
you, you’re Umbrae’s escort. Plus, they might let you judge the beauty
contest.”
Hans looked back and forth between her and Greyton. He leaned back in
his chair, linking his fingers behind his head. That didn’t fool her. He hated
shit like this. Hans’s mother and sisters were deep into the social world of
the Tellus. They’d dragged him to all sorts of event like this when he was
younger, so at least he had some idea of what to expect; she was clueless,
and bordering on a panic attack.
“Is your sister in the beauty pageant, sir?” Hans grinned. Greyton’s
paired sibling Greycia was a weak spot for their Aquatie handler. Hans tried
to goad him with her every chance he got. The female was a stunner, and
dangerous as hell too. Greycia had recently taken a position at one of the
Volaticus human-integration campuses. Seems the SOSC was working to
make the training and sites available to all species. Umbrae had spent two
years at one in Australia. Because of her history, she’d been given an
exception to living in humanity until after specialized training.
“Like you’d ever have a shot with my sister.” Greyton laughed again.
“Since we’ll be there too, you’re welcome to try.” There was a knock on the
door; two males strolled in like they already owned the place, an Elven,
who paused to check her out, and an Aquatie, who headed to the kitchen
and opened the fridge.
“There’s no water in here.” The Aquatie turned and looked overly hurt.
“You don’t seriously expect me to drink tap water, do you?” There was
humor on his face. “Fine.” He strolled over and sat down on the couch next
to Umbrae, grinning. “You packed yet?”
“We’re leaving now?” She turned to Greyton.
“Soon as you bring Bill and Ted here up to speed, you are headed to
Mesa, Arizona.” Greyton shrugged.
Mesa? The invite was for somewhere in the Pacific. It didn’t even list a
place, just a latitude and longitude with a geographical photo.
Hans laughed. “Excellent!” He thumbed-up the newcomers; they both
gave him a disgusted look.
“The invitation doesn’t say anything about Mesa.” She ignored the
ignoramuses.
“Apparently, Irsu thinks you need to go shopping with her before the
shindig.”
 “In Mesa?” Was Irsu deranged? Since when was Mesa the fashion capital
of the world? Plus, Irsu knew how much Umbrae hated shopping. Hell, she
couldn’t even keep bottled water in stock. She fully intended to kick Irsu’s
ass as soon as she saw her. Then it dawned on her: Jerika, Irsu’s daughter,
lived in Mesa. Irsu had tried to introduce them several times, but it just
never worked out. Jerika lived near Irsu’s uncle, the commandant of a new
integration campus. If she remembered correctly, the commandant was also
Jerika’s mentor. Jerika was a police officer, or firefighter, or something. If
her friend had gone to this much trouble, there was no way out—a fact
Greyton was well aware of. He watched her, grinning.
 Chapter Six
Enlil sat with Shane and Sam at the edge of the mat, watching Jerika and
his protégé Jess spar. Jess was still learning to fight with her wings. Unlike
Elven, who were born with wings, dentes, and directional hearing, Hulven
like Jess were human until their mid-twenties, though many had some
increased strength, speed, and psychic ability even in their youth.
Upon reaching maturity, they went through a horrifically painful change,
called “Becoming.” Their bodies developed wings, sanguindentes (blood-
teeth), and directional hearing. Like a born Elven, Jess could now pivot her
ears similar to the way far-hearing animals do, giving her full surround
sound and the ability to pick up sounds from many miles away, and on
multiple frequency levels. The muscle development to allow the
directionality of hearing was an especially painful part of Becoming.
Jerika tried to lunge at Jess for the third time, again without success. At
five foot two and a hundred pounds, Jess had a talent for using her
opponents’ body weight and momentum against them, and to her
advantage. She had earned a reputation as one of the fiercest and dirtiest
fighters within the Volaticus warrior ranks, after only a year. She also had a
gift of siphoning the energy off her enemies, whereby weakening her
challengers even more. That particular ability matched his own. Enlil
smiled with pride every time he reflected on the fear his pint-sized protégé
struck into the hearts of warriors of all experience levels, gender, species
and size.
“Jerika, you have tried similar maneuvers already and they have been
unsuccessful. Try a different tactic,” Shane instructed. Jerika was Shane’s
protégé—a challenge for any male whose protégé was currently battling his
beloved bloodmate. Enlil did not envy Shane’s position in today’s training.
“You are not evaluating your opponent for her weakness.”
“She has no weakness.” Jerika said at the same time Jess stated, “I have
no weakness,” causing everyone but Enlil to laugh. Enlil was aware of
some of Jess’s weaknesses, probably more than Shane was privy to. Since
he’d only been working with her for a few months, he knew there were
more that had not been revealed.
 Enlil remained serious in the face of the other male’s humor. “Perhaps
your confidence is your weakness, Jess.”
Jerika peered over at Jess, obviously wondering if perhaps Enlil was
right. Jess lifted an eyebrow defiantly. “If I can convince my opponent I
have no weakness, whether false bravado or not, they will ultimately defeat
themselves.” Smart girl, yes, a pain in the ass, yes. Enlil might love her as
his granddaughter, but that didn’t mean he would go soft on her as her
mentor. Nor would he call her on her erroneous declaration in front of
others. Not even her mate could interfere with a mentor/protégé
relationship.
Sam piped up, “I think Jerika’s right. Jess has no weakness.” Sam had
been an undercover informant for the SOSC in a rouge Elven cult-like
organization until last year. Now that he was able to live mainstream, he
was learning how to be a mentor from Shane and Enlil in hopes that one
day he could mentor his nephew, Nathan.
“Can I just shoot her?” Jerika whined. “I’m a better shot than she is.”
Shane jumped up, joining the girls. “Let me show you Jess’s weakness.”
“Eeewww.” Jerika crunched her nose up. “I do not need to see you two
get funky.” Rolling her eyes. “Again.”
Enlil too had seen the mated pair “get funky.” On the couple’s bonding
day, he’d been sent by his twin sister Ninlil to take the couple fighting
clothes. Now he often wondered if Etana would have liked to have been
spanked the way it seemed Jess did. He missed Etana so much.
Jerika had been staying with the newly mated couple right before she
graduated the police academy six months earlier. According to her prior
whining, Jess and Shane had been enjoying each other in the Jacuzzi when
Jerika had come out to the deck. She had gone on and on about how Shane
and Jess’s coupling had traumatized her for all time.
“You can’t say ‘ewww’ to our getting funky when you’ve been known to
get down yourself, chickie.” Jess called Jerika on her bullshit while Sam
blushed a deep shade of crimson. Enlil couldn’t figure out if the overly shy
male was attracted to Jerika or Jess’s best friend Aymee, who happened to
be human. Maybe it was the fact that both females were overly confident in
their sexuality, a phenomenon completely alien to both he and Sam. Not
that Enlil would judge another; these were different times.
 Until recently, Enlil was pretty sure Sam had rudimentary if any sexual
knowledge. He’d lived in a place where sex was only a means for
procreation, even if the females were … resistant … to the idea. Since
Hulven males were sterile, odds were good he had never partaken. His
constant blushing guaranteed that Jerika and Aymee would make him the
target for shock at every chance they got.
Shane swept Jerika’s feet when he stepped past her, ass planting his
protégé onto the mat. “You let your guard down,” he said, tsking. “And that
particular skill of Jess’s could never be considered her weakness.” He
winked to his mate, who was watching him approach with suspicion. Her
hand on her hip, she looked fully relaxed, but Enlil knew better. Her
innocent, “I’m tiny and delicate” facade was one of Jess’s most powerful
tools, usually.
“You’re such an ass, Shane.” Jerika picked herself off the ground, dusting
off her “Mesa PD” sweat pants, and headed over to take a seat next to Enlil
and Sam, ready to watch the show down between bloodmates.
Shane and Jess bowed to each other, taking position on the balls of their
feet. Enlil sat forward. If Shane found a weakness in Jess, mate or no, it was
his responsibility to ensure that she minimize or eliminate any weakness she
had. Teaching a protégé to protect against weakness, whether psychic,
physical, or emotional, was one of the biggest responsibilities a warrior
mentor had. Being Jess’s mentor was the central focus of Enlil’s life. Well,
that and the hunt for the Morsdente that killed his Etana centuries earlier.
Jess and Shane were circling each other. Circling, Circling. Neither being
the aggressor. Sure enough, Jess stepped into Shane in an attempt to draw
him into engaging her. Shane just shifted away, circling some more.
Frustrated, Jess straightened. “How are you going to show my weakness,
dancing around me like a pansy?” As soon as the words left her lips Shane
lunged, staying at the furthest point of his reach, left then right, the tips of
his fingers hitting at the center of her sternum in quick succession. He
pushed her back just an inch, and then she was back in her crouch. Circling.
“You see,” Shane said to the three observers now sitting forward
attentively, “Jess is weakest when she can’t get her hands on you. If you can
keep just outside of her reach and still engage—” touch, touch, fingertips to
sternum, setting her back another inch “—you might have a chance against
her.”
 Jess dropped to the ground in a back-bend, balancing her weight with her
wings, pushing off with her fingertips to the ground. Her flat foot kicked
Shane in the leg. Not really wanting to hurt him, she took his leg out by
connecting center-thigh rather than the knee, and down he went.
“Or not,” Shane finished.
Sam whooped and Jerika pointed, announcing, “See, I told you. Jess is a
force of nature.”
Enlil recognized that, although Jess had regained the upper hand against
Shane, the reach thing was a weakness for her. Jess’s strength lay in her
ability to defend. She lost the upper hand in a fight if the opponent failed to
initiate the aggression. A patient, reactive rather than proactive opponent
might indeed gain the advantage on Jess. Enlil was pretty sure, if Shane had
just waited a few more minutes, Jess would have engaged against him. In
which case Shane would have prevailed, of that Enlil had no doubt.
Jess denied the remark. “Naw, he went easy on me.” She sat on the mat
beside her mate, nuzzling his neck. Enlil felt a pang of longing agony, and
Etana’s beautiful smile blurred behind his tear-filled vision as he turned
away from the sight of the new bloodmates.
The energy rippling of a port arrival squelched his pain momentarily.
Enlil’s twin sister, Ninlil, and her bloodmate, Sargon, appeared in the small
practice room beneath Jess and Shane’s home. Sargon, a giant of a man,
made his mate appear even more feminine than she was already.
Jess bounced up, clapping her hands. “Did you decide to join us for
planning girls night out, Nin?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and
down. Enlil was wondering if he would be bailing Jess and every other
female he knew out of jail by the end of the night. Of course, he and a few
dozen of Shane’s closest friends would be partaking in some fun of their
own in the form of a no-limit poker tournament.
Being with Jess and Ninlil in the same space never failed to make him
happy. All three had different hair color. Nin’s was light red, Enlil’s was a
dark strawberry blonde, and Jess’s was blonde with subtle strawberry
highlights. All three had the exact same eyes, emerald green with a
multipoint, gold star-burst pattern in the center. The green-to-gold ratio was
a tell-sign of their emotional barometers. Enlil grinned at the enthusiasm of
his new-found family member.
 The females were getting together under the pretense of planning for a
survivors ball. Two days of activities, games, raffles, etc. Enlil was certain
Jess had designed it more as a meet-and-greet. The final night would be
wrapped up with a formal dance and, of course, fireworks. A fitting
celebration, and one the SOSC hoped would become an annual event.
Last year, the SOSC had planned and successfully raided several
blood/breeding labs, rescuing female victims of a madman. Fualth had been
trying to build his own army through the wombs of the females. Most of the
females were Hulven like Jess. Hulvens had the ability to reproduce both
full Elven offspring during their estrus, which occurred every twenty-five
years or so, or Hulven offspring during their monthly human ovulation.
There had also been a few human women targeted for breeding because of a
specific line in the palm of their hand that indicated they were able to carry
the fetus of a half-human/half-Elven. The palm line indicated the human
women were what Volaticus species called heredity line or simply heredity.
Sam and his two sisters were born and raised in a blood/breeding
compound. Sam and his sister, Sofia, had become informants for the SOSC
after his other sister, Sarafina, had been taken into the breeding program
upon reaching sexual maturity. Sara was subsequently rescued by the
SOSC. Sophia had died during the raids.
Jess had gotten tired and offended on behalf of the females over the last
year; she hated the females being referred to as “victims.” She, Nin, and
others who had participated in the rescue had gone on a campaign to change
the reference to “survivors.” It was a huge success. This ball was the first
SOSC event where all four of the species, protected and unified under the
Symbiosis of Species Council, would be represented in their true forms.
Hereditary representing humans, Elven and Hulven representing the
Volaticus, and many members of the Aquaties, who resided primary in
water, and the Tellus, who preferred to live underground.
The ulterior motive, Enlil was sure, though Jess and Nin refused to admit
it, was a way to get the Hulven females in a room with Elven males and see
if any of them were bloodmates. Elven female births had significantly
plummeted since true bloodmating had become an anomaly in the last five
hundred years, though some of the elder mated Elven like Sargon and Ninlil
were still examples.
 Then Shane had met Jess. Not only were they one of the few, possibly
only, modern-day bloodmates, they were the first known to have happened
between a Hulven and an Elven. Their mating had summarily improved the
hopes of the entire Volaticus species.
The SOSC embodied the desire of all four intelligent species to live a
symbiotic existence. They all worked for the common good of the people
and planet. However, since humanity had yet to enlighten, proxy currently
represented them in the council.
The success of the raid was being attributed to the coalition and cohesion
of all three enlightened species. Unfortunately, there were also casualties,
including Sam and Sarafina’s sister Sofia. This event was also honoring the
victims—scratch that, the survivors, the rescuers, and the fallen brethren.
Most of the details had already been worked out. They would be having
the bash at the pacific human integration-training course. The location was
much like the one in Mesa that Shane was commandant over, which sat
directly behind their property and home. The training facilities were created
to prepare the Elven youth to go into the world of the humans, safely. Most
youth would initially start in the Elven-run International Red Cross, the
Peace Corp, or some other form of public service function. Jerika was a
Mesa police officer.
For the upcoming ball, Jess, Nin and the other organizers had elected to
use the training facility that Nin’s son (and Shane’s mentor) Gilgamesh was
commandant over. With the number of people coming, the fact that
Gilgamesh’s facility, euphemistically referred to as Meshy Hell, was an
unmapped island in the Pacific Ocean between the coasts of Hawaii and
Mexico ensured that the attendees would be able to be in true form without
risk of human discovery.
Jess and many of the other organizers would be leaving for the island in a
few days. They would spend the week before the actually event at Gil’s to
make sure the event went off without a hitch. Enlil suspected that this girls’
night was an excuse to get out and cut loose after months of trying to
organize what had originally been thought of as an impossible task because
of its scale.
“As much as I would love to participate in your … girls’ night, I have
some things that require my attention with the SOSC. Hopefully, I will be
able to clear my desk in time to at least help with the final preparations at
Gil’s before the actual event,” Nin said, her voice a naturally soothing,
calming cadence. The current humanity representative with the SOSC for
the Americas, Nin had been a huge contributor to Jess’s planning, and she
was also tremendously busy taking care of human interests in all SOSC
meetings and projects. She had the added task of aiding the heredity
survivors who had elected to settle within her jurisdiction. Most had chosen
to live here in Mesa or in Montana, where Sam’s sister Sarafina and her
Elven son Nathan had a community. A few others were now in the Seattle
area as well.
“Oh, you’ll be there to help, Nin, don’t make me come get you,” Jess
teased. “So if you didn’t come to ppaarrtaay with us, what are you doing
here? Don’t tell me Sargon needed a wife escort for Shane’s poker game.”
“A whole room full of super hearing powers, and not one of you hear me
knocking on the damn door.” Aymee walked in, interrupting the
conversation. “What’s up with that?”
Jerika asked Aymee, “So you must have gotten someone to cover my
Seals Long Sword class today.”
Aymee grinned. “That new, cute little Hulven girl … female … instructor
… whatever—the one Jess just hired—jumped at the chance to teach the
class. The Navy boys took one look at her and totally didn’t care that she
didn’t know long swords. They offered to teach her. I think she is going to
fit right in.”
Jerika chuckled. “Nice.”
Never one to give up an opportunity to get to Sam, Aymee batted her
eyelashes at him. “Hey, dimples.”
Unintentionally encouraging her, Sam blushed again, flashing his
signature smile. Twin indentations on both his cheeks, and his friendly,
honest face, lent boyishness to the otherwise fierce male. Jerika and Aymee
went back and forth on which one of them was going to “make a man outta
him,” usually having the debate right in front of the poor guy just to see
how dark a shade of red he could actually go. Though Enlil still appeared to
be in his late twenties, he was continually reminded of his antiquated
thinking by today’s youth.
Jerika joined in. “Quit flirting with my dimple, Aymee. We agreed the
right dimple is my dimple. You are definitely standing on Sam’s right.”
Shane’s protégé came to stand by Aymee, hands on her hips in false
annoyance.
Aymee’s fingers went to her mouth in mock shame, and she darted to
Sam’s left side, leaving Jerika on his right. Sam to turn his head fully right
or left to see them. “You’re right, Jerika. My bad, won’t happen again.
Besides, I got the deeper dimple here on the left.”
Sam, who always seemed to lose his ability to speak when these two took
after him, began to back up. He was probably hoping to keep them where
he could see them both without having to take his eyes off of either.
Mercifully, and amazingly, they allowed his retreat and stepped side-by-
side, watching him grin and blush.
“Shane, can I go for the day?” Jerika asked. “Aymee and I are going to
try on every piece of slut-gear we own to decide what we’re going to wear
for girls’ night. Sam is going to be the fashion-show judge, aren’t ya,
Dimples?”
Sam seemed incapable of speech; even his grin had faltered some. He
was currently looking from Aymee to Jerika, and not their faces either. It
was obvious he wasn’t sure if the girls were serious or teasing him. You
could almost see his mind click off the possibilities. Sam swallowed
audibly, his gaze darting between Aymee and Jerika. Enlil couldn’t help but
grin too.
“Sure, you’re free to go. Don’t know why you need to try on slut-gear for
girls’ night, but have fun … all three of you.” Chuckling, Shane freed Jerika
from mentor training for the rest of the day. Sam narrowed his eyes, glaring
at Shane like he was a traitor. Shane laughed out loud. If these girls did
allow Sam to pick out their, eehhhmmm, outfits, Enlil hoped it wouldn’t
take Sam long to overcome his shyness and maybe turn the tables on the
girls.
Jess threw her own curve at Sam. “Ya know, Sam, if you would simply
tell these girl to either put out or shut up, they would lose the ability to get
to you so easily.” Sam turned the betrayed look from Shane to Jess.
“That’s not true. I promise, we will still make you blush, even if we put
out.” Winking over to Jess, Aymee put her arm around Sam and led him
toward the door with Jerika following behind. Sam gave a pained groan,
pleading with his eyes over his shoulder to Shane for help. Shane gave him
a salute.
 Before the door swung closed, it was pushed open by another member of
Shane’s family. Shane’s niece, Irsu, spoke over her shoulder to Jerika. “I’m
calling you later. One of my friends is coming in this afternoon from
Scotland to go shopping before the ball. I want you to go with us.”
Enlil heard Jerika reply, “You got it, mom.” Irsu continued into the room.
Nin looked pointedly at the newcomer. “What are you doing here, Irsu?”
That was a weird question from his sister. Enlil studied her for a moment.
Something was going on.
“I just came to see if Shane and Jess had room for me and Umbrae before
I head out,” Irsu defended herself. “My message told me to bring her with
me; she should be here in a few minutes.”
Jess answered the first question looking between the two females. “You
can have the back bedroom. Where are you both going?”
Irsu’s eyes widened at the question. “I have to go gather Umbrae.” She
glanced over to Enlil with a guilty expression, then dropped her eyes and
ported.
Ninlil let out a sigh. “Sargon and I actually came to steal my brother from
you.” She met Enlil’s gaze, holding it meaningfully. “The Morsdente that
we’ve been searching for has been sighted. He is currently being tracked by
Irsu’s unit.”
“Where?” Enlil could hear the anger quaking his voice, he didn’t care.
Etana’s killer had been spotted.
Ninlil shook her head. “The High Ones won’t divulge that information
until you appear before them. They’ve gone so far as to bar Irsu’s unit from
reporting in to the SOSC, and the reports are going directly to the Oracles
via the High-Ones panel Fates advisor. I’m not sure what is going on,
Enlil.”
“Wait. Is this the Morsdente that killed Etana we are talking about?”
Shane clarified. Sargon nodded. “He’s still alive?” Enlil couldn’t fault
Shane for his blunt question. People had long avoided speaking of Etana in
his presence in hopes of minimizing the pain he felt at her loss. Truth was,
the last few months of mentoring Jess had eased that pain significantly,
though nothing would ever fill the hole her death had left in him.
Enlil stepped up to Jess, placing both hands on her shoulders, a form of
embrace or connection within Volaticus customs. “I am going to go with
Nin and Sargon to see about pest control.” He placed a fatherly kiss to her
temple. Enlil may have looked only a few years older than Jess, but he was
genealogically Jess’s great-grandfather. With the potential for immortality,
chronological aging had very little relevance in the Volaticus culture.
Growth and maturity in skills and knowledge was the measure of respect. It
was the effort to achieve the fruition of potential within an individual for
the advancement of the species as a whole and the betterment of the world.
At least the majority of global society sought that.
Jess was biting her lip, concerned for him. “Can I go with you?”
Ninlil answered. “The invitation was specific. They want Enlil and
Sargon. The only reason I will be able to sit in is because of my status with
the SOSC.”
“Once I am sure of what the High Ones want, I will find and eliminate
the Morsdente. You need not worry. Sargon and I have hunted them many
times. It would also seem the High Ones have placed a supporting unit on
the ground already. It is my right to destroy the beast,” Enlil assured her. “I
will let you know if I need any assistance, you have my word. You will be
busy planning the ball. Do not fret over this.”
Releasing Jess, Enlil turned to Shane. “We will not make your game.”
Apologizing for both himself and Sargon
“Shane doesn’t mind if we miss, he wanted a chance to win.” Sargon’s
deep rich voice boomed with humor. The male laughed often and was easily
amused; he simply lacked initiative in creating jests. His Native American
dark features were housed in a two hundred seventy five pound, six foot
tank of a body. His arms alone were bigger around than Enlil’s thighs. As
the SOSC Warrior council leader for North America, he was known to be
fierce, but he had a gentle side to his nature too. Jess called him a gentle
giant. She’d only seen him snap necks and call out orders once. There were
few Enlil trusted more to watch his back than Sargon.
Jess was smart. Enlil did not try to deny the tension he knew she must
have been sensing. Jess had never encountered a Morsdente. They could be
unusually strong and unpredictable, especially if they had recently indulged
in a killing and were infused with psychic energy. The victims remained
aware to a certain degree within the killer. The Morsdente acted like a
forced medium until the victim’s residual energy could finally diminish and
be released from the Morsdente back into the universe.
 “I would be happy to aid the hunt,” Shane said. Enlil wasn’t surprised;
Shane was ready, willing, and able to offer himself for the task.
Sargon looked to Enlil, eyebrows raised in question. Shane was a hell of
an asset for any mission. “Sargon and I can more than handle this. Enjoy
your game.”
Jess’s face became even more concerned, but she remained silent. Enlil
gave her one last hug before porting, taking Ninlil and Sargon with him.
 Chapter Seven
Zakel sat hidden in the blind that overlooked the campus. This was an
interesting sight; the SOSC had quite a spread. Every species wandered
around or hustled from this building to that building. Others meandered
with friends, talking. It is the ultimate inter-species college, how quaint. It
would also be the ultimate feeding ground if he could figure out how to get
past the weaves undetected.
He’d spent five years trying to locate his stolen slave. Even at his most
high, he had been unable to reach her through his bond to her, making him
angrier with the SOSC. They were messing with the natural order of things.
Blood bonds had always been a universal truth—how had they kept the
female from him?
Steering clear of Osiris had not proved difficult either until a few days
ago. The male would choose to make contact when Zakel was at his
weakest. His hunts had become increasingly difficult, and the victims he
had been able to locate seemed to fade out of his psyche far quicker. The
fact that the Aquatie, Tellus, and Volaticus youth seemed to be banding
together, canceling the others’ weaknesses, was a key factor in his
difficulties of late. Now he could see why the shift in dynamic was so
pronounced. If he could reclaim his property, he knew that he could return
to Osiris’s good graces. Then he would be taken care of. How dare that
kurva hide from him?
He understood Osiris’s anger at him; he’d kept his slave secret from his
old friend. When he’d originally purchased her on the wharf, he had
intended to give her to Osiris as a gift, but when he discovered she was
iron-rich, he decided to keep her for a while. She saved him the effort of
acquiring human blood, which allowed him to focus on what really
mattered, his psychic highs. When he’d realized her ability to shadow, he
knew the value she would be to Osiris. His intent had been to mentor the
little bitch before presenting her to Osiris for a price. Between hunting
victims, the subsequent highs that followed, and the inevitable detox after,
he’d never felt the motivation with the whore. When he finally did, those
SOSC bastards took her before he could collect; his deal with Osiris had
been sweet too.
 When Osiris had appeared, he figured it was the end until the male had
handed him a young Tellus. He’d watched while Zakel drained it,
strengthening, reeling in the psychic tingle of the infusion from his victim.
“Are you strong enough to port, my friend?” Osiris had asked him. His
first inclination was to lie and tell Osiris he needed one more. He thought
better of it, remembering Osiris’s anger at finding out Zakel had been
keeping the female from him for decades. It had taken him a week to heal,
even with additional victims, then years to overcome the headaches.
Luckily the SOSC had raided the house were Osiris had taken him after
he’d lost the female, saving him from a worse fate. That in mind, he nodded
instead, and Osiris snapped his fingers. One of Osiris’s Elven guards
stepped from the trees, pulling another young Tellus, tossing it to Zakel
before returning to the tree line. Zakel’s skin tingled with the question of
how many of Osiris’s people might be in the trees. The worry vanished
when his dentes hit the vein and psyche of the second helping. He savored
his second victim the way he’d been unable to with the first.
“Rumor has it the SOSC is planning an event to celebrate all the females
they have rescued in the last few years. Your former blood slave is amongst
them,” Osiris began. That got Zakel’s full attention. “I want her. I also want
this female.” He held up a picture of a female with long blond hair and
green eyes. The female was laughing into the camera. The background
showed rows of seats filled with smiling people of all species in human
disguise. The female was wearing a wedding gown.
Osiris continued, “Her name is Jess Einar.” Zakel couldn’t help growling
at the name. “Yes. Her mate is related to Irsu Einar, the very female who led
the unit that captured your slave.”
Zakel tossed the second drained body next to the first; keeping his eye on
Osiris, he watched out of the corner of his eye as the bodies were dragged
away for disposal. “Where?” The word left his lips on a growl.
“The event would be too risky. I’ve learned that the two females will be
uniting prior to the event. You will only get one chance to capture them.
They will be staying together in this home prior to the event.” Osiris handed
him an aerial photograph with a close up inlay. The aerial was a desert
setting. The inlay’s close-up showed a modern-built, two-story home. No
doubt it had additional levels built below ground. To a human, it would
probably look welcoming; to Zakel it looked like a fortress.
 Osiris handed him one more photograph of a rocky bluff, with the house
visible in the distance. “That bluff is where you can lie in wait for an
opportunity to acquire the females. When you have them, call me.” He
handed over a disposable cell phone. “My number is programmed.”
“What do I get in return?” It must have been the high giving him the
courage to ask. “The additional female should increase the return.”
Osiris gave him a slow deliberate smile. “I will make you a king. You
will be given a blood and breeding site, fully protected and staffed. I will
ask for one tenth of the offspring produced.”
A victim farm? Where he would be protected to raise victims from birth?
That had been Zakel’s dream for centuries. How had Osiris known?
“Agreed,” he stuttered, the pictures trembling in his hands.
Osiris handed him a map of the state of Arizona, an X over the Mesa
area. The final piece Zakel needed for a geographical port. “Agreed.” He
vanished, leaving Zakel high and motivated.
Osiris had failed to mention the SOSC facility that lay behind the house.
At first he thought that perhaps Osiris was unaware of the additional risk,
but Osiris must have known. That was the only explanation for the generous
offer he’d given Zakel. He’d offered the one thing he knew Zakel wanted
most in the world, well aware that Zakel would be unable to walk away.
The chortal opening located inside the weave gave off a pulse of energy,
announcing an arrival. A female with dark hair and a Tellus male stepped
into the Arizona heat, shucking off coats. He studied the two. The male he’d
never seen before. The female was familiar, so he focused on her. She had
short dark hair that shined in the Arizona sun, a decent body, though a little
too skinny for his taste, medium height with small breasts and narrow hips.
She squinted up at the sun and said something to the male. A flash of gray
reflected from her eyes. Zakel felt his heart pound with recognition. Kurva.
There was no way for him to port into the facility—the weave guarded
against that—but could he fly or run in? Could he reach her before the alert
brought reinforcement? No way, the location of the chortal was just deep
enough that he would never make it. It had been designed that way on
purpose. He tried to call to her using the old bond one more time.
“You will return to me.” He tried to push into her mind, feeling the
barriers he’d become familiar with slam, and smiled when he watched her
cautiously glance around. She wasn’t fully immune to his bond after all. His
smile fell when he watched a female he recognized instantly stride up. His
desire for revenge against Irsu bordered on obsession—she was the reason
he had suffered these five years. He wanted to drain her and torture her
captive consciousness for decades within him. He’d vowed to himself to
make her his first warrior high. Perhaps the psychic high of a warrior would
surpass the one he’d had from Etana. She’d been another gift from Osiris;
though he no longer felt drugged from her psychic energy, he could still feel
her within, three centuries later. How long would Irsu last? His mouth
watered for the taste.
The three spoke briefly and then stepped back into the chortal, headed to
places he could not follow. He leaned back into the rock, calling on patience
to calm his rush of anger at their departure. They would return. Osiris was
never wrong.
****
“You will return to me.” It had been so long since Zakel had pushed
against her mind that Umbrae hadn’t realized how lax she’d become in
guarding against him. He was close, very close. That thought didn’t terrify
her; if anything she felt anticipation. Irsu had never explained why the
warriors didn’t kill him the day they rescued her. She’d punched a wall
when she’d told Umbrae he’d escaped. Not wanting to incite her friend
further, she’d never pushed for more information.
She saw Irsu walking from the direction of a house. Her friend’s lack of
smile and intensity was telling. “Zakel is near.” She spoke before her friend
had the chance.
Irsu gave her a subtle nod. “We have been observing him since he arrived
in Mesa a few days ago. Someone tipped him off to your arrival. He sits in
the bluff behind me just outside the weave.”
“Watching for me?” Umbrae verified.
“We believe so.” Irsu confirmed. “He is watching us now.”
Umbrae noticed Hans tense beside her. They’d each been given bios on
each other before they were partnered together. Hans had never asked her a
single question or mentioned what he’d read in hers, a courtesy she had
returned. His reaction verified he knew of her blood slave past.
“Tell me the Survivors Ball invitation was your way of bringing me in on
this hunt.” The rage creeping up on her made her voice lower.
 “Oh, the invitation is real, and you are going to the ball.” Irsu’s eyes
never wavered. “That was in the works long before Zakel reared his evil
head. The Oracles declared you a member of the hunting party this
morning. You will get to face him, and if I have my way, you will get to kill
him.”
“The Oracles?” Umbrae had met a few. They were mysterious by calling.
The idea of Oracle influence gave her more pause then Zakel. “Why?”
Irsu grinned for the first time. “Why do they do anything? We’re needed
in Greenland; there are others who will be joining in.”
Enlil. The name floated through her mind, and her stomach clenched at
the thought. It had to be him. So often she’d wanted to seek him out and tell
him of Etana, especially when she started hearing his name whispered
amongst the warriors at the end of her training. She’d never found the
courage, nor did she ask anyone about him. Enlil was the love of Umbrae’s
life, though she had yet to meet him. Until Hans, she hadn’t made any close
ties outside of Irsu and Abby. Unlike the warriors she sometimes trained
beside, she knew she would rarely work in units the way they did.
She was an assassin. Her ability to shadow and shield was from a
bloodline that the Volaticus believed died out thousands of years before her
birth. They didn’t even have anyone that could mentor her. Her specialized
training had been turned over to the Aquaties. Greyton led the few assassins
that species still claimed. Umbrae was secretly thankful her mentor was
Aquatie. It meant she didn’t have to create a blood bond to him. When
she’d been partnered with Hans, whose job was to have her back and be her
eyes when she went in, she had breathed another sigh of relief. Again, no
blood bond had been required with the Tellus male.
Umbrae had been afraid to meet Enlil then, and she still was. She loved
him. At least she felt like she did. She often wondered if her feelings were
an echo of those of Etana, the one person she loved most in the universe.
She had never told a soul about Etana; it would have felt like a betrayal to
Etana’s gifted memories to tell them to anyone but Enlil. Her stomach
fluttered again. What if he guessed her feeling for him once he saw her?
Would he view her as a pathetic chit?
“Brae.” Irsu snapped her out of her thoughts. “Come on, girl, we gotta
go.” Umbrae swallowed hard and followed Hans and Irsu into the chortal.
 Chapter Eight
Enlil arrived in Disko Island, Greenland, right in the heart of the
Volaticus, High Ones, and Oracles Nest located on the Southwest Coast.
The main part of the nest resembled a college campus built on stilts. Enlil
himself had warrior-trained here as a youth. Back then there were only a
few communities of higher-level training. Most training was still passed
down generation to generation. He made sure to place his port at the edge of
one of the hot springs that peppered the entire island, directly below his
destination. He’d always loved the hot springs. In his youth he and his
friends had once puddle-jumped from spring to spring. They had found nine
thousand springs on the island.
From where he stood, he could look directly at the living quarters that
followed the historic building style of the Volaticus. This nest was
established at the same time as the fallen nest in Atlantis. The dorm-like
apartments were still built in the traditional manner, with hive-shaped
structures supported hundreds of feet in the air, forever balanced upon thick,
solid-crystal spires anchored thousands of feet below the earth’s surface. Set
at different heights from a few stories to a hundred feet, all but one of the
elevated structures in this portion of the nest were communal dwellings.
The larger the structure, the more apartments it housed. The entrances were
located all around the outside of the structures, bottom, sides, and top, and
each external opening had a landing perch.
He knew from his time living here that the massive dwellings had
communal hallways. The structures would generally house persons within
an interest group, often within the same bloodlines. One structure might
house warriors. Mentors and protégés were almost always housed in the
same structure. The internal hallways allowed them to visit their neighbors
without having to exit and fly around the outside. Sometimes in heavy
storms, flight could be difficult, and even dangerous to the youth. They
could port to the cafeteria, since it had a designated port spot that was to
remain clear at all times. No one ever ported into another’s personal
dwelling unannounced. You never knew what you would encounter; it was
also considered extremely rude.
 Nestled among the living quarters directly above where Enlil stood was
the highest and smallest structure. Within its walls were two chambers, a
small one used for Oracle gatherings and small conferences, and a larger
one used for judgments, issuing punishments, and launching complaints. If
you ever had the unfortunate occasion to appear before the High Ones
panel, that is the chamber you would be forced to appear at. Sitting high
above the other structures, it seemed to reign over this nest, symbolic of the
High Ones reign over the Volaticus people.
Since rogues of every species could jeopardize the unity of the SOSC, the
council had been charged with handling them and the societies they were
prone to make in rebellion to the Symbiotic lifestyle now encouraged for all
the species. That transition of enforcement had only been the norm in the
last few centuries, after the SOSC was fully established. However, the
handling of Elven Morsdentes, as well as any disciplinary action against the
Volaticus species directly, still fell squarely at the feet of the High Ones.
Now that the High Ones were utilizing the SOSC forces more often to hunt
the beasts, it was only a matter of time before the High Ones were obsolete
in that arena too.
Releasing his wings, Enlil flew up to the perch point at the entrance of
that very chamber, impatiently waiting for Sargon and Ninlil to join him,
and thinking back to the last time he had been here.
****
From the entry of the manor, he stood watching the festivities. Enlil could
hear the lively music preferred by the commoners across the fields. The
booths in between the castle and the fields displayed handmade fabrics,
gems, foods, and fresh breads. Pails overflowed with apples, peaches, even
potatoes. It had been a great harvest, and the harvest festival reflected that.
His gaze traveled over the dance area. Ninlil and Sargon swayed
together. Because they were twins, it required no effort for him to feel how
very much his sister loved her bloodmate. The beautiful Oracle Innanna
danced gracefully in the arms of Enlil and Etana’s adored nephew,
Gilgamesh
Then he spotted the one person guaranteed to pull his full attention
whenever she entered his vision. Etana worked her way through the
different booths. She stopped to pat the head of a small child while its
mother regaled her with some story. Etana’s smile was genuine. She loved
her lands and her people, be they noble or simple. Etana wore her gentle
nature and joy like a second skin. With a wave, she moved on to the next
row of booths. Her light-brown hair shone in the evening’s waning sunlight,
her hand to her belly, where their daughter grew. She stopped, picked up a
peach and held it to her nose, inhaling its fragrance. Her blue eyes flashed
in amusement, the sound of her laughter reached his sensitive ears, when
the fishwife from the next booth offered Etana her wares to be sniffed as
well. Enlil’s breath caught in his throat. His heart burst with love. She felt
him through their bloodmate bond and turned in his direction, bestowing
him the most beautiful smile, and made her excuses as she waddled to
where he waited. Her smile grew more loving and lovely with every step.
Then her hand was in his, her one tell that she was more than a delicate
noblewoman. Her hands showed the work that she loved so much, showed
her joy of turning the soil, showed how much she had aided in the harvest
with her own hands. Enlil had never regretted laying down his warrior’s
sword for the easy pace of Etana’s love of land.
Enlil lifted the scarred and callused tribute to her farming bloodline to
his lips, placing a whisper of a kiss to the backside. “A wonderful festival to
honor a wonderful harvest, my lady.”
“Indeed, it will be a good winter again, my lord.” Etana rubbed her
expanding belly. “One less thing to worry about with this young on the
way.”
“Not much longer now.” Enlil covered her hand with his own. He felt the
flutter of new life within. “It has been a long and unseasonably warm day.
Are you feeling any effects?”
“I am tired, and my feet are swollen again.” Etana had suffered swollen
feet during her first pregnancy with their son Ediku centuries earlier. “I
should like a slow dance with you later this evening. Perhaps I will go and
rest them now, so that they will carry me for a song or two in your arms
tonight.”
Smiling, he touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Would you
like me to walk you up?”
With a chuckle, she placed her hand to the center of his chest and leaned
in demurely. “You and I both know that I will not get any rest if you do.”
 With a nod he placed a feathering kiss to the spot on her cheek he’d just
rubbed his fingers against, loving the softness of her skin, and whispered,
“Rest well, my lady. You will need it.”
Etana gave him a knowing smile and then headed toward the stairs,
intent on their bedchambers. It was the last time he would ever see her
alive.
****
From the perch, Enlil could look across what had once been empty
tundra. From this elevation he could see where the SOSC had established its
headquarters further down the coast. It was a modern design that resembled
a resort hotel. There were perch posts at intermittent spots along the
building. He was sure there were underground tunnels for the Tellus. Canals
dug between the building and the ocean allowed the Aquaties to enter
without fully leaving the water.
Between the headquarters and the nest was an entirely new modern
community, all built at ground level. All were school-type buildings,
complete with libraries and gymnasiums, outdoor obstacle courses, running
paths, parks, community centers for gatherings, a supper/night club, even a
shopping center and market. The newest development was a multilevel
parking lot with the underground level iced for snowmobiles and arctic
tractors. The ground level doubled as an aircraft hanger, its backside open
to allow access from the hanger to the airstrip behind the giant structure.
The middle levels housed a hodgepodge of different types of vehicles. The
upper level held helicopters and a few motorized gliders.
The modernized area had become a social gathering place. Since the
SOSC had chosen to establish their headquarters here, there were chortals
from all over the world anchored to this site, chortals that could, for the first
time, be anchored by design rather than by coincidence. Safe and
potentially permanent folds in space, the chortals guaranteed a safe
emerging point, quick access to other parts of the world, and healing sites
called Hospes. Plus, they were accessible to every enlightened species.
Only Volaticus could use their psychic energy to fold space, essentially
stepping from where they were to where they wanted to be. That came with
risks and limitations. They could only port their own body mass, unless
they boosted their psychic energy by tapping into some other psychic
energy by vein, creating a bond. Those bonds were not something to take
lightly. The other risk was porting to an unfamiliar geographic location.
Stepping into trees, walls, or mountains was never a good thing. Porting
into a human body, for instance—very painful.
Chortals went from point A to point B. The establishing of a chortal took
the combined efforts of the three enlightened species. The few that had
existed prior to the SOSC, like Stonehenge, had been dumb luck.
Tellus used their ability to create an electromagnetic field. Volaticus
would manipulate the energy of that field into a port fold. Then Aquaties
lent gravitational stability and anchoring to the whole dynamic, using
currents and tides. Even humans could be brought through on a chortal that
was activated by a small pulse of psychic energy from one of the
enlightened, though it often made humans sick or faint
The headquarters were not established here because it was so near the
oldest remaining nest. Likely it was because, geographically, it was perfect
to have multiple chortals anchored. It was also isolated from humanity—
Greenland’s entire human pollution was less than fifty thousand, scattered
in small villages. All were living on the mainland, and there were no human
residents on Disko Island.
Though there were a few that Enlil could see from his perch. Two
humans had just vacated a small private plane and were busily offloading
supplies onto the dock next to the airstrip. Two members of the airport
personnel exited the watchtower. Enlil directed his hearing, trying to pick
up what was being said.
Catching the tickle of females giggling, he glanced off the coast. Two
young Aquatie females were stretched out, sunning themselves, soaking up
the ultraviolet rays their bodies converted to thermodynamic energy. Their
opalescence skin shimmered in the sunlight as they floated on the surface of
a small iceberg in the bay. Their only concessions to modesty were tiny
triangles of material made from kelp and seaweed, strategically placed to
cover their nipples and the apex of their thighs. That the females wore
anything was surprising, Aquaties had never had any issue with nudity; it
fact that was how they spent the majority of their time.
Looking back to where the humans were busy with the plane, he noticed
that the personnel who had came out to aid in unloading were both Tellus
males. Since neither the Tellus or the humans had the superior hearing that
Elven and Aquaties did, the biggest risk to the Aquatie females would be
when the plane took off. The iceberg was not within the camouflaging
weaves that surrounded both the SOSC headquarters and the Volaticus nest
area. The humans would be able to simply look out the plane window and
see the females at take off. Selecting a high frequency that would not be
detected by the humans, Enlil sent out a burst of sound, warning the females
of the threat. He watched as both of the girls immediately dove into the
ocean, vanishing below the waves almost immediately. The two Tellus
males glanced to where he was standing. Their psychic enlightenment
enabled them to see Enlil standing on the perch, and one of them nodded
thanks
Enlil smiled. The whole inter-species getting along thing was pretty
amazing. Etana would have been so proud. The smile immediately
disappeared with the thought. What could the High Ones need to speak to
him about before he could hunt the Morsdente? What were they going to
do? Preemptively put him to ground so that the killer’s trail could go cold
again? He was about to enter the chamber alone when he felt the ripple of
Sargon next to him.
“What took you?” En accused
“I stopped and collected our weapons and supplies.” En noticed the
heavy bag slung over Sargon’s shoulder and tried to pull himself together.
The fact he had failed to even consider weapons and had been ready to
destroy the beast with the power of his anger alone was a sign of
recklessness. He would have berated his protégé for not using her head.
En sighed. “You’re right. I should have thought of that. I just couldn’t
look at the betrayed expression on Jess’s face anymore.” En sent the mental
command to release the entry. “Besides, if she knew where I was going, she
would have followed. I will be lucky if she can’t track me down through the
bond.”
Sargon clucked. “She’s a strong one. Smart too.” Shaking his head, he
followed Enlil into the chamber
The power of the condensed energy within the small space vibrated in the
room. Enlil knew his ability to siphon enabled him to see the energy, but
feeling it was something any ancient here could do.
Every member of the High Ones panel had shown up for whatever this
goat fuck was. Mingled among them were SOSC leaders and a few of the
Oracles. He spotted Innanna. His instant recall flashed him the memory of
the war room before the rescue of the victims the prior year. He’d shied
away from Innanna’s touch, and she’d looked him dead on saying, “It’s not
your story yet, young man.” Was this what the pint-size bearer of bad things
meant?
Seeming to hear his thoughts, which she probably did, she noticed him
and Sargon, folded her arms, and cocked her head, as if the universe was
speaking directly to her. Truth is, Innanna had always scared the shit out of
him. She didn’t look like much, a whopping four and a half feet, her violet
eyes too large in her porcelain face, with platinum blonde hair that swung in
a thick braid down her back. Her beauty was incomparable. She epitomized
the fairy of human myth. It wasn’t her beauty that gave him pause, it was
her power. Enlil could see the exhaustion in her face, yet her energy was
still the strongest color in the room. If Jess ever took a good look at this
room of people she would know, just like he did, that it was Innanna that
should lead the Oracle sect, not her mother.
Innanna was the only one who had acknowledged his and Sargon’s
arrival. The others remained engrossed in their private conversations until
the entry opened behind him. Ninlil, Irsu, and another female carrying a
monkey stepped in. The female set the monkey on the ground, and it
shimmered into a Tellus male, adjusting the pants that had been too large
for him in monkey form. This was a first. He’d always suspected the Tellus
carried the ability to shift, even before they had admitted it, but he’d never
seen it before.
He met the eyes of the female who had flown the monkey to the perch,
and his breath caught in his throat. Her dove-gray eyes clashed with his, and
a play of emotions he couldn’t possibly decipher flashed across her pretty
face. He did recognize fear and desire. He knew he had never met her
before, yet she looked at him like she knew everything about him, could see
through to his soul. He could feel himself being drawn to her, floating in the
storms of her eyes.
The Tellus stepped into Enlil’s line of sight, extending his hand; the male
was protective of the female. Were they lovers? Enlil stifled a growl when
he looked at the male. Confused by his possessive reaction, he shook the
male’s hand. “Name’s Hans. Good to meet you, Enlil.”
 Enlil’s eyes rose again to meet the females. What was her name? Would
she introduce herself to him? Would she place her hand in his? His
manhood tingled with the idea. That shouldn’t happen; his body hadn’t
reacted to a female since Etana. Turning from the group, he stepped to the
center of the room. He could feel her gray eyes following his retreat.
****
Zakel watched the tiny blond from Osiris’s photo leaving the home. She
obviously lived here. A car with two more females in it had pulled up
honking a few minutes earlier. He debated whether to follow and see if he
got an opportunity to take the female, but he decided against making the
move and continued watching the chortal.
He knew where the blond lived. It was the one he had a bond with who
continued to elude him. He settled back in.
 Chapter Nine
Enlil stared up at the faces of the High Ones. No doubt his eyes glowed
an intense green—At this moment, the furious hatred he felt for the panel
bordered on his hatred of the Fates and Universe alike. “You want me to
capture the Morsdente, then let it live?” Twenty-one faces stared back at
him. The panel of ancient Elven Volaticus advisers had varied expressions.
It would appear many of them agreed with Enlil’s outrage. Others squirmed
uncomfortably. But all remembered the last time they saw him. Enlil could
siphon energy off of anyone, even a powerful ancient, an ability he’d
demonstrated to them violently within hours of Etana’s death. He’d targeted
Adonia in particular. By the time they’d dragged Enlil to the dormancy
chamber for punishment, the panel speaker had been incapable of lifting his
hand to wave goodbye.
“We more than want, we are demanding it,” Adonai stated. Pompous ass
could go fuck himself.
“Last I checked, Volaticus had not been ruled by dictatorship in many
millennia,” Enlil snapped, not hiding his anger. “Why would you ask this of
me? ‘Because we are demanding it’ is not going to cut it.” The High Ones
watched him, and Enlil knew from past experience that they were speaking
amongst themselves.
Adonai pursed his lips, the only outward indication that a decision had
been reached. “The member of the panel whose advice is being weighed for
this particular request of you, would like to speak to you directly.” The
High Speaker leaned back in his chair, a sign he’d surrendered his place to
the other seat.
Surprisingly it was Laliel, who leaned forward. She was one of the seated
that Enlil had never heard speak before. It took Enlil a minute to remember
what she was High Ones adviser to within the panel. When he did
remember it was with a groan. The Fates. Fuck.
Laliel’s voice was gentle and clear. “When the new information about
this Morsdente came in, it was of course you who were to be given the
assignment for execution.” She showed genuine compassion. “Truth is, if
the Fates had not insisted upon your discipline when your Bloodmate was
murdered, you would have been allowed to hunt down the Morsdente then.
However, the Fates were adamant: allowing you to go free then would have
resulted in far-reaching and devastating consequences.”
Enlil had known that already. Durian, the High-Ones panel enforcer, had
told him when he led Enlil, grief stricken, to the forced dormancy chamber.
Enlil had asked him why they couldn’t let him hunt down the Morsdente
and ensure that Etana’s spirit wasn’t suffering before the punishment?
Durian had answered him, though Enlil was pretty sure the male violated
his directives by doing so.“Because the Fates are demanding it. For what
it’s worth, the panel went back and forth on whether or not to disregard the
Fates and forgo your punishment. They only agreed when the Fates
declared that the decision would set in motion a chain of events that would
either destroy or save the Volaticus species. Your mate’s death has set into
motion something monumental, my friend.”
Last year, Enlil had thought that whatever had been set in motion had
reached fruition with the SOSC’s united battle and the discovery of Jess and
his other descendants. Etana would have gladly laid her life down for either
reason. Enlil had even felt a slight reduction of the resentments he’d felt
toward the Fates. That small degree of understanding had been negated. His
hatred for the “voices of the universe”—hell, the universe itself—burned
through his bloodstream.
“That was then. I will kill the Morsdente now, and to hell with the Fates.”
He expected Laliel to get angry. She surprised him when her expression
softened with a nod.
“That is your right.” Laliel sighed. “Honestly, Enlil, we aren’t sure what
the Fates are saying in this. It is all very ambiguous, even to me. I am going
to give you full disclosure of the events leading up to this gathering.
Perhaps you have insight that we don’t.” Her simple acceptance of his
statement kept him in place to hear her out.
Elbows on the table, fingers steepled in front of her chin, the Fates
adviser continued. “When we first received the information, we broached
giving the execution order to you and your Lil family bloodline warriors.
The Fates were adamant that you and yours must not kill the Morsdente.
Then, when we sought an alternate warrior unit for the execution order, the
Fates again presented to me that it was the wrong course. Since then, the
entire Oracle sect and I have been diligently trying to figure out what the
Fates would have us do. They have refused to give any direction. They are
not saying the Morsdente cannot be killed. I fully understand your rights
and your fury, Enlil. No one here will stop you.” The tiny female sent a nod
toward Adonia, including the speaker in her directive. It seemed the Fates
advisor disagreed with Adonai’s “we are demanding it” statement. Good to
know that the panel was more than a group of sheep who followed the
speaker blindly. “The Morsdente must be destroyed once and for all.”
Okay. Now Enlil just had more questions. Obviously the adviser was
even more frustrated and confused than he was. “Let me see if I understand
this.” Anger still coursed through him. “The beast is supposed to die …
only not by my hand, and not by the hand of any member of my line or a
hunter unit. How does that make any sense?”
“It would appear the universe has a specific person in mind to perform
the execution.” Laliel glanced away from him to the face of the gray-eyed
female. “That is why we asked Umbrae to join us.”
The gray-eyed female took several deep breaths, and her jaw ticked from
being clenching. She stood proud with obvious effort. Finally, with
furrowed brows, the female met his gaze. “I give up my right of vengeance
to Enlil.” How could this female have a greater right than him? The
Morsdente had murdered his bloodmate. Nothing trumped that, unless she
too had lost her mate to the beast.
“Did you lose your bloodmate?” Enlil addressed the female directly; the
thread of jealously that snaked through his anger surprised him. Laliel had
addressed her as Umbrae, the Latin word for shadow.
Her gaze never wavered, though she flinched at his question. “No,” she
responded through gritted teeth. Enlil couldn’t look away from her. She had
a unique look. Her simple, carefree hairstyle contradicted the seriously
determined expression on her narrow face. Her high cheekbones further
pronounced her clenched jaw. A slight overbite gave emphasis to her fuller
upper lip. The line of her jutted jaw quivered as she swallowed, and her
tongue peeked out to wet the thinner lower lip. She let out a sigh of defeat
that Enlil couldn’t understand. “May I speak with you in private?” The
Tellus male, Hans, touched Umbrae’s arm, pulling her attention to him.
Enlil felt the pulse of the two communicating, and his jealousy increased.
Why? His reaction to her went beyond simple appreciation of her prettiness.
Laliel spoke again. “Enlil … Umbrae … the Oracle conference room is at
your disposal. I will pose Umbrae’s offer to the Fates while you are
talking.” Enlil nodded and stomped in the direction of the second chamber,
passing by the female. She followed, shutting the door behind her. His
inappropriate attraction to her was irrelevant. Every minute was one more
minute too long spent humoring the fucking Fates rather than destroying
Etana’s killer so he could be spiritually re-united with his bloodmate.
****
Umbrae’s first sight of Enlil had been nothing like she’d expected. He
had a hard, angry emptiness that had not been there in Etana’s memories.
Yet if anything, it called to her more. She wanted to run into his arms and
hold him till the emptiness went away. Enlil was a true warrior once more.
Gone was the gentle side Etana had found in him; it had died with her
murder. She was shocked when the predatory, dangerous side she now saw
intensified her one-sided feelings for him. When he had looked at her, she’d
nearly shadowed under his piercing gaze. His gaze held a flash of interest
for a split second before morphing into a blank canvass, and then he’d
quickly dismissed her without introduction.
The more Laliel spoke, the more it had dawned on her that whatever the
Fates intended included her. She too had every right to dispense justice,
perhaps more right. The temptation to take the honor from Enlil had
occurred to her until she saw the twitch of his brow, the same twitch she
remembered from one of Etana’s memories of Enlil as he held back tears
from the loss of someone he’d cared about. Without realizing it, Enlil had
betrayed, to her, the agony he veiled behind fury.
The sound of her pounding heart blocked out everything and everyone
else in the room. The choice to tell Enlil her history was no longer an
option. He needed to understand her connection to the Morsdente;
otherwise he might hesitate at the wrong moment and place himself in
danger. Perhaps the reason the Fates didn’t want Enlil to be the one had
nothing to do with her. What if the Fates were protecting Enlil somehow? If
he knew why she had rights, he might be more inclined to follow the Fates’
directives. She didn’t fully understand the Fates, Universe, and Oracles.
What little she did know inclined her to believe going against them proved
detrimental. How was she supposed to tell him that Etana still suffered
within the killer?
 Umbrae couldn’t help taking the defensive pose she’d donned during her
time with Zakel, fists held against her heart. She worked hard to break the
habit, but this time she didn’t even try, though she noticed Enlil glanced at
her fists, then back to her face. He leaned against the table in the center of
the room, his arms crossed over his chest, his ankles crossed casually. She
wasn’t deceived; he was anything but relaxed, and tension permeated the
air.
“Why you?” he finally asked. His blank, unreadable expression was
unrecognizable from Etana’s memories.
“I was his victim.” Her voice caught and she had to swallow to continue.
Enlil looked her length, meeting her gaze again. “Irsu’s unit rescued me, but
Master Zakel escaped. I had been held by him for more than seventy-five
years … I’m not sure of the exact number of years.” Not that the number of
years mattered, yet her mind started reconciling time rather than go to the
place it was heading. “Be strong, Umbrae-girl. This moment will be difficult
for Enlil too.” The released subliminal/compulsion-initiated voice of Etana
spoke to Umbrae. How many helpful prompts had her friend placed to aid
her in meeting Enlil?
Enlil gave a swift intake of breath, though his face remained an
unreadable mask. The gold of his eyes thinned around his pupil. “You were
his blood slave?” Umbrae couldn’t help it, she had to look away as she
nodded. “Did he also use you in other ways?”
She felt her shoulders slump as the false pride she’d erected crumbled
and the memories she worked so hard to bury flooded her mind, taking her
back in time. Enlil watched her silently, awaiting her response. When the
tears fell, she shadowed, not wanting him to see her cry, but incredibly he
never looked away. She stepped closer to the door, and Enlil’s gaze tracked
her movements like she was visible. How was he still seeing her?
He stood, stepping unerringly to her, and pulled her shadowed form into
a hug. Shadowed and shielded, she clung to him, tears racking her body in a
release she’d never allowed before. Every one of the horrors she’d been
subjected to broke free and her tears ran unchecked down Enlil’s solid
chest. With one hand to her middle back and the other cradling her head, he
held her to his chest. The beat of his heart centered her throughout the rush
of pain. Enlil rested his cheek against her hair in silent understanding. Their
pain may have originated from different sources, but the depth of agony
they both felt was the same.
The memories released their hold on Umbrae, leaving her with the
feeling of strong arms holding her. Her shadow retreated and she could see
her arms wrapped around him too. In the calm after the emotional storm,
she relaxed her fist against his back, the aching digits open to feel his heat
beneath her hands. It should have been awkward being in the arms of a
male willingly for the first time in her life, yet it felt so right. Her belly
fluttered, and her nipples hardened against the thin halter that separated
them. He was aroused; she could feel his erection against her stomach. Was
he attracted to her? Or were their bodies simply responding to the shared
emotional release? His silence had not hidden his commiseration of her
pain.
Reluctantly she pulled away, keeping her eyes averted. What if she saw
pity? That was one thing she never wanted from this particular male. He
caught her chin in his hands forcing her to meet his eyes. “We will kill the
beast together.” She didn’t see pity; she saw ruthless determination. “I will
hold him, you’ll chop the fucker’s head off, and then I’ll piss in his skull.”
At first Umbrae thought he was being completely serious till he half-
grinned, and she realized he was only semi-serious. He probably wouldn’t
piss in Zakel’s skull. She mirrored his grin and nodded. “Can I pee on it
too?” Her voice stammered—she still had a hard time utilizing sarcasm in
conversation.
Enlil barked out a laugh, startling her. “Hell, Umbrae, I’ll help you aim.”
His whole face changed when he smiled. A real smile that reached his eyes,
infused once more with the gold. She wished she could hold this moment
forever. “Enlil is a male of honor. He will do what’s right even when he
disagrees. When the time comes, you must trust in him.” Etana’s memory
came rushing forward, dampening her joy.
“Enlil, I wouldn’t have lived through Zakel if I hadn’t had—” she
swallowed, meeting his gaze to judge his reaction “—Etana.” Her clenched
fist rose to press against her chest again, effectively driving a wedge
between them. “She’s my friend. She refused to let me give up.”
Enlil pulled away. His face transformed from confusion to a dawning
realization, followed quickly with shame and pain. “Tell me everything,” he
demanded, his voice barely above a whisper.
 This was not how she’d hoped to have this conversation. She leaned
heavily on the reassurance and strength Etana had placed within her psyche.
Every memory Etana had ever gifted her, whether they involved him or not,
poured from her lips. She even told him what was happening with her at the
times that Etana would come to her, since all of Etana’s memories usually
countered the horror of whatever she was facing. Enlil never moved or
showed a single reaction, though the gold of his eyes would widen or
constrict. The emerald green took on a soft glow when she told him of
Etana sharing her grief over the release of her and Enlil’s daughter’s spirit
mere moments before she took her final breath. Umbrae left out the reason
why Etana had shared that particular memory.
When she’d finished, she felt emotionally rung out. Even with Etana’s
voice encouraging her to share her and Etana’s history with Enlil, she knew
her words hurt him. Despite his blank, controlled expression, this ranked
amongst the most difficult things she’d ever done. Fates, he was handsome
even now. Could he hear her heart pound?
“Do you think Etana might have passed after your rescue?” Enlil finally
spoke. His voice was rough. Umbrae shook her head. “Why?”
“She has a reason to remain within Zakel. She never told me why. I have
compulsions from her. I think that might be why the Fates want us both
there when Zakel dies. I think she remains to tell you goodbye,” Umbrae
whispered.
Enlil dropped his face in his hands. “I have failed her in every way,” he
admitted shamefully. Umbrae felt her breath being sucked out of her. She
didn’t know what to do. This was not what Etana would have ever wanted
Enlil to feel. Her nails had left moon-shaped imprints in her palms when
she tried to release her tightly held fist. Her elbow popped with tension as
she forced them to relax from her chest. Her exhausted arm muscles shook
as she hesitantly hugged him, mimicking the kindness he had shown her
earlier.
“You never failed her, you are her strength. You gave her so much
strength … so much love, she had some left over to gift me. You saved us
both, Enlil.” Umbrae felt Enlil softening to her hug, and his hand returned
to the back of her head, holding her to his heart. “It would break her heart to
know you felt this way.”
 Enlil stopped breathing at her last words. He rested his cheek again on
top of her hair and released a deep, soulful sigh. “You’re right, and you
know her well,” he whispered, his breath fanning her hair. “Thank you for
having the courage to tell me all of this. I know it must have been difficult
for you. It’s hard to imagine that my beloved has suffered so long to say
goodbye to me when she knows I will join her. I miss her so much.”
She knew exactly what Enlil was telling her. He’d made the decision to
release his living energy once Zakel was dead. She wasn’t surprised. Hell,
she was inclined to follow both of them. Nodding against his chest in
understanding, she kept quiet. That decision was his alone to make. It didn’t
matter that she was absolutely positive the feelings she had for him were
indeed hers, and not an echo of Etana.
“We need to get back to the gathering.” He seemed as reluctant as she
was to break the connection they had found in one another. Keeping his arm
securely around her waist, he led them back to the center of the meeting
room. She ignored the curious looks on Hans’ and Irsu’s face when they
saw the intimate way Enlil held her.
“Do the Fates have anything new to say?” Enlil asked without invitation.
Laliel pursed her lips and shook her head. “Then I think Umbrae and I will
go forth with a clear understanding of the other’s right to kill the beast and
see what comes of it.”
Ignoring the rest of the panel, he pivoted with her to face Irsu. “It is your
unit that has the Morsdente under surveillance, correct?” Her friend looked
a moment at Umbrae and then nodded at Enlil’s question. “Lead the way.”
Sargon stopped to whisper in Ninlil’s ear before giving her a kiss.
Umbrae longingly watched the couple from the safety of Enlil’s side. She
closed her eyes and allowed herself to pretend that she belonged to Enlil.
That he loved her with the fierce intensity Sargon displayed with Ninlil. A
sigh escaped her lips.
“Are you alright?” Enlil pulled her from her fantasy. Umbrae swallowed
hard and nodded. He gave her a soft squeeze. “Hans, why do you turn into a
monkey when you fly with Umbrae?” Enlil asked her partner.
“Several reasons. When the SOSC partnered us, we tried different forms,
but this one worked the best for both of us. I can drop half my body weight,
so I am lighter than my true form. I can hang on so her hands remain free.
And I can keep my clothes on.”
 Umbrae hoped she didn’t imagine the sigh of relief she felt Enlil release
when Hans had said the word “partner.” Had he thought Hans was her
lover? Did the thought bother him? She quickly squashed the direction her
mind was taking. Enlil would always belong to Etana, she reminded herself.
“Would you accept me as a substitute for Umbrae, to fly you whenever
the need arises during this hunt?” Enlil asked Hans, leaving her out of the
equation. She pushed away from his side and glared at him.
“I am perfectly capable of carrying Hans.” Umbra was offended. Hans
looked back and forth between them. He took a defensive step, placing
himself between her and Enlil. She shadowed and stepped past him to
reappear nose to nose with Enlil, who was grinning at her. He had still
tracked her movements when no one else could.
Enlil kept his grin in the face of her ire. “Even at half his weight, I
figured he still weighs more than you do. In my personal experience I’ve
found that carrying more than my weight tires me. I wasn’t questioning
your ability to carry your partner, Umbrae. I just thought it would be good
for you to save your strength so you aren’t exhausted when you need to pee.
If you prefer, I’m sure Sargon would be happy to fly your partner.” She felt
herself blush at his mention of their earlier conversation, as if he had
disclosed a couple’s secret.
She turned to Hans. “Would it be okay with you?” He was looking
between Enlil and Sargon, noting the heavy bag the giant was carrying
already. You’d think he was choosing which racehorse he wanted to ride.
The guy loved to fly. She had to admit his weight did slow her significantly.
His decision made, he answered Enlil in the form of a question. “Don’t
you need to save your strength too?”
Umbrae saw the amused look pass between Enlil and Sargon. “Climb
aboard George of the Jungle,” Sargon’s deep voice boomed naturally.
Hans face split into a huge grin and then he shifted. He locked his arms
around Sargon’s enormous neck, and the huge male dropped from the perch
into a swan dive. The last thing Umbrae saw was the ecstatic monkey face
of her partner disappearing into the low clouds floating below them. She
looked back in time to see Enlil give her a salute and follow his brother in
law. She turned to face the annoyed look on Irsu’s face. She had to give her
friend credit for holding her questions at bay this long.
“We should go too,” Umbrae said lamely.
 “Not until you tell me what’s with the lovey-dovey widower,” Irsu
demanded, placing a restraining hand on her arm. Irsu knew that Umbrae
was not the strongest flyer. Thankfully, Hans hadn’t realized it, or he never
would have let her fly him; he probably knew now that he’d ridden with
Sargon. Hopefully he would just chalk it up to the size difference. Umbrae
had never done a swan dive in her life.
Umbrae sighed. “There is something I didn’t tell you because you were
so upset about Zakel escaping.”
Irsu narrowed her eyes, letting her off the hook with her half-truth. “What
didn’t you tell me?”
“Etana’s spirit is still dwelling within him.” She’d expected anger from
Irsu; instead it was horror and guilt that blanketed her friends face.
“Motherfuckers.” She dropped her hand and launched off the perch.
Okay, that was not the reaction she’d envisioned either. This day was full of
surprises. She stretched her wings and carefully glided down to the chortal
entrances.
 Chapter Ten
“Do not bring attention to yourself. You are to note the coming and going
only. Do not mess this up or I will kill you myself,” Osiris instructed his
son, who was simply named/numbered Ten. Osiris had chosen this
particular Hulven son because Ten had the least resemblance to Osiris
himself. Ten dutifully gave him a nod and left the room.
He pulled the photos out of the envelope. The camera lens had picked up
the details of the metal chain held in the grip of the female shadower with
the dark, short hair. The chain that had belonged to Osiris’s father. He might
have left Umbrae be for decades if it weren’t for the picture. That chain
belonged to Osiris by birthright. The affront demanded he retaliate. He
would acquire the two females he’d been tracking and the heirloom that
rightfully belonged to him. It was time to rattle the SOSC’s cage.
****
Enlil couldn’t help but laugh when Sargon informed him that the loose fit
of Hans’ pants on his chimp form had caused them to fall off halfway into
Sargon’s swan dive. Naked from the waist down, the modest Tellus refused
to shift back into human form. He stood with his chimp arms folded and
tapped his foot at Enlil and Sargon’s amusement.
Irsu arrived first. “Where is the beast?” he asked her, all humor gone. She
narrowed her eyes at him. Okay, he sounded like an asshole … could the
SOSC unit leader blame him? He’d waited over three hundred years for
vengeance. One hundred and ten thousand days spent mourning his Etana.
Two point six million hours since his beloved bloodmate’s spirit had been
trapped within the psyche of an evil killer. It didn’t help that his reaction to
Umbrae filled him with confusion and guilt. Yes, the female had at least as
much right if not more than he did to execute the Morsdente. That didn’t
justify his holding her the way he had, comforting her within his arms. Or
the desire he had to hold her still.
The more she’d spoken, bearing one horror after another, the more she’d
blossomed from pretty to absolutely stunning. She gave all the credit for her
survival to Etana, yet Enlil could feel an internal fortitude radiate from her.
Umbrae had the heart of a warrior, and Etana had recognized it. Etana knew
a warrior’s heart when she encountered one, but the heart belonged to
Umbrae. He looked up to see Umbrae descending from above in slow,
controlled circles
“He is in the bluff watching Shane’s home. My unit has orders to tranq
him if he moves from the spot he’s in.” Irsu’s eyes widened when Enlil’s
clashed with hers. No doubt they were glowing. Her answer filled him with
fury. Jess lived in that home. His protégé was nowhere near ready to face a
seasoned Morsdente.
Fucking Fates. His hatred for them grew. If Jess were harmed because he
had been called to Greenland yet again by them, they had better steer clear
of him once he released his living energy.
Enlil immediately appealed to Ninlil for help. Without knowing the
proximity of Jess to the Morsdente, he dared not risk the pulse of energy it
would require to telepathically contact Jess directly through their mentoring
bond. Jess would be pissed, but she would remain safe. He would not risk
her for anything. Confident that Jess’s mate Shane would support Enlil’s
decision fully, he watched Umbrae land on a wobble. A soft blush graced
her cheeks as she held Han’s pants to her chest. Enlil was caught again by
the vulnerability in her eyes that she struggled to hide. He gave her an
encouraging smile, and she blushed again and sort of returned it.
If he didn’t know better, he’d almost guess she had a crush on him. That
left him in an uncomfortable spot, since his body responded to her in a way
it shouldn’t. Even when she appeared pure energy to him, fully shadowed,
his body had responded to her. Her energy was fuchsia colored, unique like
the female. She smelled of peppermint and promise. The stunning
combination created confusion and longing for things best forgotten. She
couldn’t be more different than Etana. She was tall and slim, her long legs
firm, with small breasts.
She had the tenacity that only came from knowing great adversity. He
fully understood why Jess and Nin had gotten so offended by the rescued
females continually being referred to as victims. Those females deserved to
be celebrated and honored; they were survivors just like his Umbrae. His
Umbrae? Where did that come from?
He brought his mind back to what Sargon was saying. “I think we should
chortal into the original Mesa waterfall nest rather than going to the
integration campus. We don’t want to tip the Morsdente off. We can fly in
close to join the unit.” He referred to the original nest in Mesa that was built
into the canyon face. It was ten miles from Jess and Shane’s home. They
couldn’t port directly to Irsu’s unit with a Tellus. There was also the chance
the Morsdente would feel the energy ripple of their arrival, especially
Umbrae. She may have learned to barrier against the beast, but there was
still a chance he would sense her blood once she was close.
Sargon’s plan was agreed to by all, and Sargon snatched up his new best
friend and entered the chortal. Taking to the sky, Enlil could tell Hans was
not thrilled he hadn’t been given a chance to dress. He clutched his pants in
his foot, clinging to Sargon with his arms and tail. The moment they arrived
behind the falls, Ninlil assured Enlil that Jess had departed and was now
safe.
Though she was a competent flier, Umbrae lacked the grace that came
with practice. Her sinewy body had the potential of one day taking his
breath away. Right now he was more worried that she would fall out of the
sky. He stayed close to her for that reason. Part of him knew he stayed close
to her because he wanted to. When she glanced over to him, blushing, she
lost her rhythm. The updraft took her above him a few feet. He heard her
giggle at herself, and the sound sent chills through him. His manhood
hardened again. He soared up to be beside her again.
Without bridging her partner Hans in the communication Umbrae spoke
to Enlil, Irsu and Sargon, telepathically. “Don’t tell Hans how bad I am at
this. He’ll never trust me again.”
Irsu looked back at them, grinning. “I think he’s already figured it out,
Brae.”
“Indeed.” Enlil added. Brae. He liked the sound of that.
If the male didn’t realize Umbrae was not a strong flier, Enlil had every
intention of telling him. Maybe that would make Hans think twice before
wrapping himself around his Brae. Why did he keep thinking of her as his?
Etana remained in a nightmare because of him. He reined himself in.
“We need to be silent now.” Ever cautious, Sargon berated them. They
landed at the third outcrop of rocks behind the Morsdente; they would run
from here.
Just before they reached the unit, Enlil risked speaking quietly to
Umbrae. “Do you realize the gift you carry?” She nodded. “How do you
come to the Sicarius bloodline?” She shrugged. “Are you alright?” She
stopped and shadowed. He turned and trotted back to her. “Brae?” He tried
out the name he liked for her, crouching beside her energy.
“How do you see me?” Her whisper was so shielded he had to strain to
hear her.
“I am a siphon.” He would have thought Etana’s memories would have
shown her his gift.
“I know what you are. I still don’t understand how that makes you able to
see me. I can’t even see me.” That was something he didn’t know. The
Sicarius of old were secretive, which was part of what made them such
effective assassins.
“Siphons can see energy. Even shadowed and shielded, you emit energy.
I can’t see your body.” Her fuchsia color darkened. “Does that upset you?”
“I am training to be an assassin. If you can see me, what if others can
too?” Her color calmed.
“My protégé and great-granddaughter, Jess, and I are the only siphons,”
he assured her. She dropped the shadow, appearing before him like an
angel. “Ten-thousand-year-old Eleven would probably be able to sense your
presence, though I doubt they could see you as I do.”
Umbrae glanced at his lips and blushed again. She wanted him to kiss
her, and the urge to do it was strong. He dragged his desire away from the
brink of succumbing, returning to his original question. “You haven’t
answered me.”
“I know it is rare. I was orphaned before Master Zakel acquired me. I
don’t know if I carry the Sicarius bloodline, so no, I don’t use their name,
though the SOSC gave me the chance to change my name to anything I
wanted. Etana called me Umbrae, so I kept it.” She answered every
question but the one he needed to know.
He was becoming familiar with the orphaned Hulven phenomenon. Jess
had also been raised an orphan. The Hulven offspring didn’t seem to create
the same kind of parental bond the full Elven did. His own son Ediku had
unknowingly fathered Hulven daughters. How many of these missed young
were out there unaware of who and what they were? How many of them
had become targets like Brae was? How many of them were dying at the
hands of Morsdente without anyone the wiser? The implications made his
blood run cold.
 “What about my last question?” She looked at him, confused. “Are you
okay?”
Dawning understanding replaced the confused look. “No, actually.” Her
honesty was refreshing. “I can feel the bond he has more with every step we
take. I am afraid he will acknowledge it soon.” That was why she had
stopped.
Both of them looked up at the sound of a silenced rifle firing. Enlil
looked back at her. “You still feel it?” She shook her head. “Good, then
they’ve tranq’d that beast. Let’s move out.”
He followed her the rest of the way, trying not to stare at her firm
buttocks displayed perfectly in her leathers. It was better than seeing the
zigzag of scars along her back. He knew what caused that kind of
permanent scarring in a Volaticus; she had survived much in her life.
The Morsdente was mere feet from where he and Brae had been. She had
been right, it had sensed her presence, making a beeline right through the
unit, intent on her and her alone.
“Oh, Fates.” Brae met his gaze, her gray eyes stormy and large. “If I
can’t feel him through the bond, then Etana can’t use it to tell you what
she’d waited so long to share. He can’t be killed like this.”
The warriors surrounding them were looking at Brae like she was nuts.
He looked at uniforms till he located the one with a snake and staff
—“medic.” He called the Elven male over. “How long until the tranq wears
off?”
The male looked at him with some kind of hero worship. “About ten
hours, sir.”
Irsu stepped to the side of her medic. She was the leader there, and Enlil
respected that. “Would your unit be willing to restrain and guard this beast
until Brae is ready to kill him?” Irsu glanced at Brae, who was rocking on
the ground.
“Absofuckinglutely.” She turned and gave her unit directions. She had
come to truly appreciate the Einar family.
Hans rubbed his hand soothingly along Brae’s back. The Tellus male’s
intimate touch pissed Enlil off. Sargon stepped to his side. “Any chance you
will tell me what the hell’s going on here, bro?” Enlil realized he’d given
more information to Ninlil than he had his own partner in this. Sargon was
such an easy presence, it was sometimes difficult to remember he couldn’t
be aware of everything without being told. Not that it would ever really
matter—when the shit hit the fan, Sargon was down, always.
He briefed his brother in law about everything, except his odd reactions
to Brae, keeping one eye on her and Hans at all times. The sight of her
torturer had sent Umbrae into some kind of tailspin. She was crouched on
the ground, her fist clenched to her chest, rocking softly. This beautiful
female should have known a life full of love and family, not the horrors the
Fates had bestowed on her.
When he’d finished speaking with Sargon, he sent Hans away and sat on
the ground beside her. He pulled Brae into his lap to stop her from rocking.
“Talk to me, angel.” The throaty sound of his voice surprised him. She
nestled deeper into his arms, her fist held tight to her chest. Her peppermint
scent surrounded him and he drew it into his lungs, holding it until it
burned.
“I d-don’t think I can kill him,” she admitted, her gray, tear-streaked eyes
meeting his. He hated the stammer in her voice, hated that she was in pain.
“I can’t release Etana. S-she’s my lifeline.” The guilt in her admission
warred across her face.
He’d had the same thought. “The Fates never said you had to do it. How
about we try not to worry about any of that right now? What is your favorite
color?”
She stared at him, then sighed and relaxed against him. “Green.” He
smiled, his body returned to life again for her.
“Good answer.” He placed a kiss to her hair. How would he ever be able
to walk away from her? What would Etana do?
****
Ninlil walked casually into the bar. From the very back of the bar, she
could hear the girls laughing. She headed that direction, ignoring the human
men who tried stupid pick-up lines and whistled at her. Fates, she couldn’t
wait for their species to enlighten. Jess looked up at her approach. “Nin,
you came.” Guilt at ruining this night for her great niece tore through her.
She grabbed Jess by the arm like an errant child and dragged her to the
women’s restroom. “What?” Jess asked. Smart girl, Jess didn’t even
struggle.
 There were a few women applying lipstick and giggling. She sent a hard
subliminal message for them to get out and stay out. The women’s faces
went blank as they marched past her and Jess. She sealed the door closed
with kinetic energy. If she didn’t have Jess out of town in the next ten
minutes, Enlil was going to lose his mind. She didn’t have time to be polite.
Jess’s eyes widened as she watched the women go. “How did you do
that?” Amazing how much Jess still had to learn, but not nearly as amazing
as how much she’d already mastered.
“Never mind. Call Shane to you now,” she ordered.
“He’s at home, we can port to him,” Jess offered, suspicion in her voice.
“Is it En? Is he okay?”
Ninlil rubbed her fingers against her temple. She tried a different tactic.
“Jess, if I had time to argue with you, I would. Please do what I ask.” She
didn’t use her mother’s voice very often. It was a powerful vocal tool, since
everyone had a mother.
Jess nodded. Shane appeared instantly, pulling Jess into a hug, and
looked over at Ninlil. “What is it? Why are you freaking Jess out?” Nin
couldn’t help but smile at Shane’s slip of what his mate had told him
privately; the male would learn.
Sure enough, Jess slapped his chest. “I didn’t say I was freaking out. I
said Nin was freaking out.” Shane furrowed his brows; clearly the warrior
did not pick up on the difference.
“The Morsdente is here.” Ninlil noted the protective tightening of
Shane’s arms around Jess. “He is in the bluff overlooking your house and
the campus. Enlil wants Jess to leave for Gil’s immediately.”
Shane nodded agreeably, while sparks flew from Jess’s eyes. “He wants
me to hide? When my home is being threatened! Is this some kind of joke?”
“You were leaving for Gil’s in the morning anyway. What difference does
it make if it’s a few hours earlier?” Shane tried to reason with his mate. Jess
lifted her chin defiantly, a look Ninlil had become familiar with. The girl
had a stubborn streak that rivaled Etana’s. Luckily Enlil had anticipated the
firecracker’s response.
“It isn’t negotiable. Enlil is giving you a direct mentor order. You are
going. Now.” If Jess refused, it was a rejection of Enlil as her mentor. Not
even Shane could interfere with the order. Ninlil could see Jess building
another argument and nipped it in the bud. “He would have used the mentor
bond, but he didn’t want to risk tipping off the Morsdente killer with the
energy. And to your next question, our bond is different—we are twins. In
some ways that I don’t have time to explain to you right now, our bond is
stronger than my bloodmate bond with Sargon. Got it?” Thankfully, Jess
clenched her jaw and nodded.
The couple met gazes. Ninlil waited while the two communicated
privately through their bond. Shane kissed his bride, and Jess gave Ninlil a
small smile to let her know she forgave her and ported.
“Tell me everything,” Shane demanded. As commandant, the protection
of his campus was a heavy burden. Ninlil quickly relayed everything Enlil
had told her before she headed back to SOSC headquarters. Innanna had
been in the midst of a seizure when Ninlil left. If the Oracle had a vision
that could shed some light on what was happening to her brother, she
needed to know.
 Chapter Eleven
“A nursery? Are ya fuckin’ kiddin’ me, lil’ Jess?” Even the soothing,
calm cadence of Gil’s voice couldn’t hide his irritation. Since his cousin
Jess and her posse of cackling hens had shown up on his doorstep last night,
his life had been turned into a decided pile of shit. When Jess and his
mother had first approached him about using Meshy Hell to host their
shindig, he had been less than thrilled. Then they had used the argument,
“we’ll take care of everything, it will only be a few days, and you won’t
ever know we are here.” He only agreed after Jess had pulled him aside to
point out how many available females would be attending. That had got
him. Now he was stuck. “Ya wanna me ta convert the sparrin’ room inta a
nursery?”
Jess turned on him like a viper, her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing.
“Yes. That is exactly what I want you to do.” Gil found himself stepping
back from the little fireball. “There are three of them in this monstrosity of
a house, and two more in the out-buildings. Don’t you give me shit about
this, Gilgamesh. This one has an enclosed balcony so the kiddies can get
some air while the older ones are tending them. Plus the bathroom is right
outside the door.” Tipping her chin she indicated their cousin Jorie. “And
watch your mouth!”
Though Jorie and Jess were both twenty-seven, Jorie was a full Elven.
Maturing at a far slower pace than humans or even Hulven like Jess, Jorie
was the equivalent of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl. She was looking
around the room, tapping her fingers to her chin.
“When I agreed ta this, there weren’t no mention a kiddies,” Gil defended
himself. “An’ Jorjor’s got a worse mouth than me.”
Jess took another step toward him. Again Gil took a step back, kicking
himself for his ball-less-ness. He’d once seen Jess bite into the tasty
testicles of an enemy solider who had thought he had her pinned to the
ground. The girl was ruthless when it came to winning a fight. Sometimes
he didn’t know whether to feel sorry for his friend Shane or to envy the
bastard. He put his hands up in surrender. “Fine, turn the damn thin’ inta a
nursery.”
 Jess turned on a smile like flipping a switch, bouncing enthusiastically,
while clapping her hands. She feigned ignorance when Gil shied away from
her kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Gil. You’re the best.”
He was getting ready to make his escape when he felt the ripple of energy
from his mother. Turning, he watched her step through the port into the
room. Innanna was right beside her. Aw, hell, now what? Usually the arrival
of Innanna, the tiny mite, was not a good sign. She was nice to look at, even
if she did stand only four and a half feet in true form.
“Hey, Mom. Tell me ya came ta save my favorite sparrin’ room the abuse
of small nuclear bombs, housed in the bodies of young’uns, from being set
off in it.” Jorie and Jess both rolled their eyes at him. Ninlil didn’t even
crack a grin, which was telling. Innanna looked at him once and then
refused to meet his eye again. Ffuuuccckk. Not good, not good at all.
Soothing and calming, Nin’s voice was like Gil’s. She, however, didn’t
massacre it with an accent that was a cross between a Texas drawl and an
Irish brogue. That was something Gil was proud of. “Jorie, how great to see
you. I am so glad you are here to help.” Ninlil pulled her youngest niece
into a hug.
“Hi, G-Auntie Nin. Jess was worried that you were going to ditch out on
all the fun.” Jorie innocently disclosed Jess’s annoyance at her aunt’s failure
to respond to her over the last few hours. It wasn’t that she wanted Nin’s
help setting up for the survivors ball as much as she wanted to know if En
was okay, and to see if she could get Nin to spill about what the hell was
happening. Gil had watched Jess’s bad mood grow worse with every
moment his mother had failed to respond.
“You don’t say.” Nin glanced up to Jess with a hint of amusement. “Well,
I am not staying, so she is probably correct in that.”
Releasing Nin, Jorie put her hand out to shake hands with Innanna,
behaving very politely the way her dad had been teaching her. “Innanna,
how are you doing?” Now if she could do and say all of that without
fidgeting from one foot to the other, Gil would be truly impressed.
Shaking Jorie’s hand, Innanna gave Jorjor a breath-taking smile. “I am
well, Jorie. Are your parents here too?” Jorie nodded. “Could you ask them
both to join us?” Aw hell, Gil knew when someone was being given a task
to get them out of the way.
 “You betcha.” Jorjor reverted back to her normal spastic self, bounding
out of the room, hollering “mmmoooomm” at the top of her lungs. Kids.
Innanna kinetically closed the door behind the child. She still hadn’t
looked at him.
“What’s going on? Is Enlil okay? I tapped the mentor bond, and he didn’t
seem hurt.” Jess looked over to Ninlil, who confirmed her empathic reading
with a nod of agreement. Didn’t Jess realize that Enlil was strong enough to
block her? Gil breathed his own sigh of relief when his mother confirmed
Jess’s feeling. Enlil couldn’t hide anything from his mother—their twin
bond was weird.
Innanna finally turned toward him, still not meeting his eye. What was
she up to? “I really hope I’m not interrupting. I just need a moment of your
time, Gilgamesh.”
“Well, I’m standin’ right here.” He winched at the harshness he heard in
his own voice. It wasn’t Innanna’s fault he got wood every time she came
around.
She glanced to his mother, and Nin looked at Jess. “You go ahead. I will
bring Jess up to speed on what’s happening at her home.” They walked to
the furthest point away in the room to speak quietly.
Innanna looked around the room. Gil was pretty sure she was looking for
something to stand on, but there was nothing. That suited him just fine; he
liked that she was the exact height of his nipples. He crossed his arms over
his chest and waited.
Innanna let out a long sigh before she shimmered, growing to stand
before him at the same height. Damn it. Then he noticed that the knee-
length skirt she’d worn was now barely decent. It had even been so kind as
to split up to the waist-line, giving him full view of one leg from hipbone to
toes. Her halter had also not fared well in the transition, riding up her
midsection, straining against the increased size and weight of her breasts.
He thanked the universe they were in the one room of the house that didn’t
have any furniture.
Then he saw her fatigue. “Innanna?” The female was dead on her feet, a
situation made even worse by the energy she’d just expended to see him eye
to eye. Fates, he was such an ass when it came to her.
“It’s fine. It’s just been a long couple of days.” Placing her hands on Gil’s
forehead, she closed her eyes. “If you could please drop your shields for
me. I am too tired to push through.” Gil gave a momentary hesitation,
knowing all the fantasies he had swimming in his head featuring this
female. Fuck, whatever. Let her see if she wanted to. He dropped his shields
to her.
****
The vision of a small bubble of energy came into view. It was grief
stricken, terrorized, pulsing in shades of gray against a pitch-black
backdrop. Then a white light entered the darkness. “Who’s there? Who are
you? Has Zakel killed you too?” The energy’s disembodied voice bounced
off the darkness surrounding it. It was Etana. Gil watched the scene with
rapt attention.
“I am here to guide you into the universe. Your spirit energy, your very
soul will be free,” came the voice of the white light.
“Who is that second voice?” Gil asked Innanna telepathically.
“That is the voice of the Fates, the mouthpieces of the universe.”
Innanna’s voice was weak, and her exhaustion pounded at him. She
sounded annoyed with the Fates. He’d never heard her call anyone except
him a bad name, and even then she’d only said it in jest. He wondered if, to
Innanna, “mouthpiece” was a bad name.
Etana’s pulse changed from gray to purple. “I will be again with my
Enlil?” came the echo of Etana’s voice. The white light was silent. “Or is
that not the case?” More silence. “He still lives, doesn’t he?” Her color
changed from purple to violet, though the white light remained silent. “I
know he still lives. He would never risk Ninlil, and the bond with her would
keep him from releasing his soul. I would give anything for him to find
happiness.”
The white light flashed brightly as if winking. “Are you offering a
sacrifice, Etana Lil?”
Etana’s color wavered to purple again. “I have nothing to sacrifice now.”
“If you did, would you offer it for the future happiness of your
bloodmate? Even if it meant never being with him again in any life form?”
The white light flashed again. Gil felt anger. Why would the Fates punish
his aunt and uncle like this? They had endured enough.
“Just watch, Gil.” Innanna reached out mentally to calm him, her voice
weaker still.
 “Yes! Without question the answer would be yes. I always believed that a
bloodmate should have the hope and opportunity of finding happiness and
love again, even finding another bloodmate.” Etana’s color had turned to
pink while she spoke of something Gil had not known was so important to
her.
The white light just floated for several seconds before it responded.
“Again I ask, if you had something to offer in sacrifice, would you d—.”
Etana cut off the heavenly form mid-sentence. “I would sacrifice
anything to give the Volaticus people the chance to love and bloodmate
anew beyond the death of their mates, beginning with my own bloodmate
Enlil.” There was determination in Etana’s voice; it reminded him of Jess.
The white light blinked brightly again, and Gil got the impression it was
communicating in some way unknown. Gil felt love emanating from the
white light. “Etana, you have a self-less and compassionate spirit energy.
Your purity of soul has been strong enough to survive the captivity within
this creature without corruption. The universe is prepared to offer you thus:
You may come with me now. I will release your energy back to the universe
source. Your soul will remain cognizant, enabling you and Enlil to re-unite
if and when his living energy ceases. Or you may remain within the psyche
of this monster for as long as it survives. A test, if you will. Should you
remain pure within, for as long as it takes your people to find and kill this
creature, the universe will accept your sacrifice and grant your desire.
However, once granted, your soul and your energy spirit will be absorbed
by the universe, and you will be no more.”
Etana’s color remained a vibrant pink. “I would ask one concession from
the universe.” The white light dulled, as if angry. Etana’s voice continued
without fear. “Should my bloodmate’s living energy end for any reason
prior to the death of my captor, Zakel, then the agreement is void. You
retrieve me from within and allow my soul to re-unite with Enlil.”
The white light flashed brightly. Gil was sure he’d see spots from it when
he opened his eyes. The voice came again. “The universe agrees to the
terms. I ask for the last time. Are you offering a sacrifice?”
“I am offering a sacrifice.” Etana never hesitated.
“Sacrifice accepted. We are in accord.” The white light then swelled to
fully encompass the space, swallowing the pink glow of Etana for just a
moment before vanishing. Etana’s pink glow pulsed with renewed strength
in the darkness.
****
Gil opened his eyes to see Innanna collapse. He quickly swept her falling
form into his arms. The strain of having shared her vision with him in her
weakened state had left her body covered in a cold sweat. Her halter-top,
saturated, became sheer, pebbled nipples outlined against the fabric.
Magnificent. Slowly her size reduced to her true form, leaving Gil holding
the most beautiful, delicate, amazing female ever born. The very face that
haunted his dreams, the same one he inevitably ended up envisioning on the
body of any female he relieved himself with. He knew the view of those
nipples would beckon him to suckle for all time. Of course it could never
actually be with Innanna herself; the female was way out of his league.
Innanna’s protégé, Miguel, came through the door, followed by Jorie and
her parents Moira and Napoleon. “Oh, great Fates, what happened to her?”
Miguel dashed up, intending to take his mentor’s body from Gil’s arms. The
male’s head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at Gil. Gil became aware
that he was growling at Miguel. “You have no claim, Gilgamesh.” The pre-
cog and Oracle-in-training lifted his chin. Was the guy suicidal? Gil could
snap his neck, and he would if Miguel tried to take Innanna again.
“Nor do you.” Gil’s normally soothing cadence had been replaced with
the commanding tone he used to direct warrior units. “She needs blood.”
Moira held her wrist toward Innanna. “I will feed her,” she offered.
Though an iron-rich Hulven, Moira was an anomaly unto herself, the only
known Hulven with no psychic ability.
Jess stepped forward. “She needs more than blood; she needs a psychic
boost.” The sharp points of Jess’s dentes slid into her mouth. Before anyone
could put up an argument, she punched into her wrist and held the punctures
against Innanna’s lips. Instinctively Innanna drew from the blood source.
This was what Gil loved his cousin for. Jess was so like Etana—
compassionate generous, and tough as nails. That didn’t stop her from being
the world’s biggest pain in the ass. Gil split his attention between watching
Jess and keeping tabs on Innanna’s improving strength.
Jess’s eyes took on a soft emerald green glow as the combined psychic
energy of her and Innanna overwhelming Jess’s young psyche shields
easily. Gil noticed she followed her training from Enlil. He could feel the
moisture level in the air increase. Jess was focusing on the water particles in
the atmosphere. Merging them, spinning them, heating them until they
began to grow into rain clouds, sending the energy as pulses into the clouds.
Lighting strike after lightning strike hit the waves of the ocean visible just
outside the balcony doors. The clouds rolled toward land, the sky turned
black. Then Innanna broke from Jess’s vein, sealing the wound.
Jess’s eyes cleared, she swayed. “Holy shit, maybe you didn’t need a
psychic boost. I feel like I just got hooked to jumper cables.” Miguel
reached out to steady her.
“Damn, lil’ Jess. Enlil’s been workin’ the shit outa ya, huh?” Gil
complemented her. She stuck her tongue out at him.
Shane must have felt Jess’s distress. The pathetically joined-at-the-hip,
newly mated male appeared directly before Jess, ready to fight for her
safety, looking around the room, trying to determine who the threat was.
Ninlil’s soothing voice was amused as she patted Shane’s shoulder.
“Down boy, she’s fine.”
Shane released his death grip on Jess enough for her to draw in a full
breath. “Shane, you’re squishing me.” Jess tried to wiggle free. Shane
seemed to loosen his hold further, not releasing Jess entirely.
“Brother.” Miguel stepped forward, placing his hand to Shane’s shoulder
in embrace.
Shane looked from Miguel to Innanna, semi-conscience and lying limply
in Gil’s arms. “What are you doing here, Miguel?” If anyone had reason to
fear Innanna, it was Shane. The last time Innanna showed up in Shane’s
life, he and Jess had been separated during Jess’s Becoming. It was
something the couple had agreed to do for a greater good, but you couldn’t
blame the guy for being wary.
Miguel looked over to Gil and Innanna, smirking slightly. “I was sent to
retrieve Innanna. She had a vision right after Enlil left the gathering. When
she had recovered, she begged off sharing the vision, claiming to be too
tired. Her exhaustion was apparent, so she was given leave to rest before
being summoned. When she didn’t answer the summons, it was discovered
that she was here. I offered to come in Leanna and Adonai’s stead.” Miguel
retained eye contact with Gil.
 Shane finally asked. “Why would the High Speaker and the Presiding
Oracle come after Innanna personally?”
Gil answered, still holding eye contact with Miguel. “She’s their
daughter.” Innanna weakly pushed against his chest, drawing his attention
to her in a feeble attempt to withdraw from his arms.
“You need to let me go with Miguel. I must face the consequences for my
actions.” She used the more intimate form of communication with Gil.
Thankfully he had remained open to the telepathic line she had used in
sharing her vision.
“What are ya talkin’ about … consequences?” He peered at her angelic
face, her huge violet eyes pleading with him.
“I did not have approval to share that vision. I am violating my calling.”
That didn’t explain anything.
“I donna understand. Why?” Gil’s brows drew together in confusion.
Innanna sighed. “If I share all with you. I could lose my gift.”
Silently he tried to grasp what the small enigma meant. Had she risked
her gift when she showed him what had happened to Etana? What was the
deal with Oracles, Fates, and the universe? Why did everything have to be
so cryptic? Gil shook his head “Ya need ta esplain ta me what’s goin on.
Will ya come with me ta somewhere private?”
Innanna swallowed. Gil watched her, sure she was going to tell him no.
Females like Innanna did not go into the private suite of a male like Gil
alone. Except that one time, but that had gone real bad, real fast. He could
have asked her to go on a walk instead, but that was a no-go with Jess’s
storm raging. He was about to tell her never mind when she nodded. Gil
nearly leapt for the door.
“Miguel, ya can stay an’ wait fer her ta rest, or ya can go back an’ tell
‘em she will come when she’s damn good an’ ready. Either way, Innanna
ain’t leavin’ this house in her current condition. Even Jess’s blood weren’t
enough ta restore her strength.” He headed toward the door. “I’m gonna set
her up with a bed an’ blood. Then we can all figure out what ta do next. Got
it?” His message was clear. The do-not-disturb sign was up.
Miguel quirked another half grin, his eyebrows raised. “Got it,” he said
unnecessarily.
Gil strode out, leaving the stunned faces of his family in his wake. His
thoughts were centered on the bundle curled into his arms. She wrapped her
arms around his neck, resting her head to his shoulder. He couldn’t believe
the trust she was showing him. He sure as shit didn’t deserve trust or
anything else from her.
It had taken every ounce of his control not to groan out loud at the
intimate feel of her surrendered to his keeping. She took a leap of faith
agreeing to be in private with him, especially in her weakened condition.
By wrapping her arms around him, she displayed that she was doing it of
her own will to the others. Unable to resist, Gil pressed a kiss to her
forehead, drawing her scent into his lungs. She smelled of night jasmine,
sultry. Why hadn’t he ever noticed that before? They had seen each other
thousands of times. Danced together, laughed together. They were pretty
good friends until Etana had died. Gritting his teeth against the onslaught of
physical demands beginning in his body, Gil quickened his pace toward his
suite.
 Chapter Twelve
Osiris received the text from the soldiers he’d sent to keep an eye on
Zakel. “They tranq’d the beast.” A slow smile touched his lips. Osiris
hadn’t expected Zakel to be able to capture the two females. He figured if
he wanted that done, he’d have to do it himself. It had taken him some time
to figure out how to use the tracking devise the SOSC had placed in Zakel
for his benefit. Using the Morsdente as bait had been a stroke of genius.
While the SOSC had been busy picking off the scraps of the smuggling
trade Zakel had led them to, he’d kept his operation safe, letting the SOSC
destroy or sway his competition for him.
Didn’t take long before they all came sniveling to him for protection.
Wasn’t it funny how the SOSC always played into his hands? Then there
were the rumors about this grand event; he didn’t need to dig far to get the
information. He’d been surprised to find one of the organizers was young
Jess. The young siphon was making her way in the social sphere. It didn’t
take a rocket scientist to figure that Umbrae would be attending—she was
after all the great survivor. Her ability to rise above solidified his belief that
she was his kin. He’d kept good tabs on her. Allowing her to be
rehabilitated by the SOSC had saved him the trouble of dealing with a
traumatized female. Last thing he wanted was to deal with Zakel’s mess,
especially when the SOSC had inadvertently offered an alternative.
Once she went into action he’d been less than amused to find her first
stakeout was one of his favorite retreats. Hell no, he was not going to let
them use his blood kin against him. Then he’d received the picture of
Umbrae with his father’s chain. A plan began to develop.
Sending Zakel to Jess’s front door a week before the bash was perfect.
Umbrae had been spotted leaving the High chambers with Irsu, the leader of
the hunt. Jess was sure to stay and defend her property. Opportunity
knocking—are you going to answer? Hell yes he was. He stepped into the
lounge. Ten of his most loyal lounged around, waiting for this moment. One
of which was his son named/numbered Six. The Volaticus males looked at
him expectantly. Six could have been Osiris’s twin, further perpetuated by
the facial tattoos that matched Osiris’s. The slight pattern variation on his
sons’ neck tattoos differentiated them.
 “Gentlemen, we are going to Mesa.” He pulled down a screen he’d
prepared weeks earlier, giving the group a geographic to port to. Like a
well-oiled machine, the group ported in a mile behind where Osiris’s recon
soldiers had taken cover. He silently approached on foot with
reinforcements.
****
Innanna slowly walked through Gil’s apartment suite and sipped her
second glass of bloodwine. Gil had laid her gently down on his couch after
they had arrived, and then he dashed into his kitchenette and prepared her
the first glass right away. He refused to move from in front of her until she
had finished the entire glass, then he’d gotten her another. Handing it to her,
he’d ordered her “stay here,” and then he ported to somewhere else in the
compound, leaving her to explore.
Rubbing her fingers down the comforter on his bed, she spotted his
button-down shirt thrown across the back of a chair. Setting her glass on the
bedside table, she grabbed the shirt, holding it to her nose. She breathed in
the rich male scent, smiling in mischief as she slipped out of her shredded
clothing and pulled on the button-down shirt, rolling the sleeves to a length
that fit. She felt naughty and sexy wearing his shirt and nothing else, being
surrounded by his smell. It felt intimate.
Her discarded clothing on his floor, she again rubbed her fingers
longingly across the comforter on his bed. What would it be like to have a
male like Gil as a lover? To have all that intensity focused on her? A
delicious shiver went up her spine at the thought. Throwing caution to the
wind, she impulsively climbed onto the bed, squeezing one of the oversized
pillows to her chest, imagining it was Gil. She couldn’t help her arousal. It
was always him. His fault. He did this to her. She’d never felt this way
around any other male. Damn it, she must be out of her mind to be in his
suite. He didn’t see her this way. Why was she so bound and determined to
torture herself when it came to him? He would never see her as desirable in
her true form. At best most people thought she was cute, childlike,
adorable, and fragile—oh, she hated that one. Sure, she could seduce most
males if she used her human personification. She had never bothered, never
really wanted a male. Not even during her rare estrus had she been willing
to make the effort.
 Only Gil tempted her. She had planned on trying to seduce him the night
his aunt had died. Even if it meant using her ability to increase her height,
she’d been willing to try anything to make him see her as desirable. Fates,
how she longed to feel his hands rove her body, touching her, finding all her
secret places, bringing her to the place she’d only ever found alone. Would
he be gentle? Or would he dominate? He was rumored to be an amazing
lover. Every time she heard females speak of him she wanted to claw their
eyes out. Today she had risked everything for him. She just wanted to be in
his life again. Be his friend once more. She’d been so focused on eliciting
more from him three centuries ago, she hadn’t fully appreciated the
friendship between them.
****
Innanna was too … distracted. She’d failed to notice Gil standing in the
doorway of his bedroom, a halter and drawstring sweats clutched in his fist,
spellbound. He watched as Innanna ground against his pillows. One of his
shirts rode up her perfect legs to wedge between her thighs. The shirt
twisted and tightened against her tucked-in waist. Partially unbuttoned, the
top had fallen down one shoulder. The swell of her apple-sized breast rose
and fell above the edge of the gap. Jasmine swirled through the room,
rolling off of her in her arousal. His dentes slid into his mouth, and he was
riveted by the look of ecstasy on her beautiful face. Eyes closed, her long
eyelashes fluttered when her hands traveled over a particularly sensitive
spot. He stored away the map of erogenous zones she unintentionally
showed him with her expressions.
His shorts were uncomfortably snug against his erection, but they became
downright painful when she slid one of her hands from the pillow, reaching
under the edge of his shirt. Using her thumb and forefinger to tweak her
nipple, she gave it a gentle squeeze, and a soft moan escaping her moist,
ruby lips. Gil tried to step back and give her privacy. Innanna was definitely
enjoying herself. His feet refused to move. Her soft, delicate hand left her
breast to trail downward, releasing buttons as she went, inch after delectable
inch of the softest looking skin revealed for his ravenous gaze. Oh, sweet
Fates, he swore never to wash his sheets again.
“Gil, Miguel just got called to the chortal to meet Innanna’s mother. I
suspect they will be knocking on your door any second.” Nin’s voice
penetrated the haze of lust Gil was beginning to sink into.
Silently cursing, he stepped out of the doorway and quietly pulled the
bedroom door closed behind him in hopes of not disturbing Innanna’s …
ministrations. A soft taptaptap struck his door. Damn. He still held the
sweat pants and halter he’d borrowed from Jess. Should he re-enter the
bedroom and offer Innanna the clothes, or should he answer the door and let
Innanna face her mother wearing nothing but his shirt? Indecisively he just
stood there. Taptaptap, her mother knocked a second time. Innanna yanked
open the bedroom door, meeting his gaze, and color rose into her face. She
must have realized that he had shut the door and therefore had seen her.
“That’d be yer mother,” Gil blurted, not exactly sure what to say.
Innanna glanced to the clothes in his hand, looked down at her attire,
buttons undone down to her belly, revealing her cleavage perfectly. Gil
whimpered when she pulled the gaping sides together, denying him the
titillation. That was just plain mean of her. Meeting his gaze reluctantly, her
face reddened further as her eyes shifted to the modest clothes he still held.
“Personally, I think ya look great.” Gil winked, holding the borrowed
clothes out to her.
Innanna took them from him and narrowed her eyes with suspicion. He
was glad she seemed irritated rather than humiliated. “Are you going to
answer the door?” she snapped at him. He had a knack of bringing out the
feisty in her.
“Naw. They can stand out there all damn day fer all I care.” Gil shrugged,
grinning at her annoyance, prodding her to alleviate her discomfort. “I’d
rather watch ya change into Jess’s sweat pants.” He folded his arms across
his chest. One side of Innanna’s mouth quirked, an eyebrow rose in
question. Oh, yeah. He knew how to get to her. “Better yet, stay in my shirt.
It suits ya.”
Leaning against the wall next to the door where she stood, Gil watched
the play of emotions work across Innanna’s face. He’d seen her fuddled
plenty of times, and he actually kind of liked it; it made her more
approachable. She was definitely fuddled now.
Taptaptap, “Innanna. It’s Mother. Are you okay?” Leanna’s muffled
voice came through the door.
Gil casually crossed his ankles and remained leaning against the wall.
Innanna rolled her eyes and tossed the sweats onto the bed from the
doorway. “Fuck it,” she muttered.
WHAT! He did not just hear those words leave that perfect, sinfully polite
mouth. Gil picked up his chin off the ground. He couldn’t wait to see what
she’d shock him with next.
She did up a few more of the buttons to make Gil’s shirt somewhat
modest, and then she marched over to fling open the door for her mother
and Miguel. “I’m fine, mother,” she barked by way of greeting. This just
kept getting better and better.
As she stepped into the room, Leanna’s eyes widened, taking in Innanna
swimming in Gil’s shirt. Then she looked over to where Gil leaned against
the wall just outside the open bedroom door. The mussed up bed was visible
from where she stood. Gil gave Innanna’s mother an unrepentant grin.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I was worried. Miguel said you fainted and
needed to feed and lay down before you could return. I thought I would
come and check on you.” Her mother was the most powerful Oracle alive,
yet all Gil could see was a mother who’d just walked in on her daughter in a
presumably compromised position. Priceless.
Like most of the Volaticus non-warrior females, Leanna was petite. At
five foot, she was at the lower height range of average, though slightly taller
than Innanna. Her eyes were more blue than violet. Like her daughter’s,
they were too large in her beautiful face. Lithe, well-formed curves rounded
out the small woman. Long, delicate fingers smoothed her short blond
hairstyle. Was it a nervous reaction?
“Miguel, you could have warned me, you traitor,” Innanna accused her
protégé. For some reason Gil could listen in on what should have been a
private path between the two. Either Innanna wanted him to listen or she
still hadn’t closed the path she created with him earlier.
“And miss out on your parents finally getting a clue that you are all
grown up? Not on your life.” Miguel’s humor was unmistakable through the
telepathic mentor bond. Gil’s head snapped up as he realized that the ability
to hear what the two were saying wasn’t coming from Innanna, it was
coming from Miguel. The male had abilities Gil didn’t know about, and
Innanna didn’t seem to realize what Miguel was doing.
Miguel began to speak to Gil directly. “Innanna was born a few centuries
before the fall of Atlantis. She spent the next 7000 years in the sidhe hills of
Ireland before her mother took the Presiding Oracle position and relocated
to Greenland 3000 years ago. She’s no youngster. Her powers and abilities
make her well respected, even feared. Few treat her as an adult. It drives
me crazy. Her family treats her like a child in every way that doesn’t involve
her gifts.” Gil gave the male a subtle nod. That was just wrong. Miguel was
right—it was time her mother got a clue. He appreciated the insight.
He heard Innanna show vulnerability to Miguel in her next question.
“What do you suggest I do? Throw Gil down and hump his brains out in
front of her?”
Gil’s already engorged erection jumped to attention as the image she’d
presented leaped into his brain; that worked for him. He met Miguel’s
amused gaze over Innanna’s head. Did Miguel want Gil to be with Innanna?
What was up with that? “Inna, let yourself go, for hell’s sake. Even a moron
could see you’ve been hot for the guy for centuries.” Gil didn’t miss the fact
that Miguel had just called him a moron. He’d had no indication that
Innanna felt anything for him. Hell, he’d only seen her a handful of times
since … oh, hell. He was a moron.
“Gil doesn’t see me that way, no one does, except you, and you’re gay so
it doesn’t count. Only when I’m tall does he look at me.” Gil clenched his
jaw. She didn’t think she was attractive in true form. He made it his goal to
rectify that idea toot-sweet.
“Could have fooled me.” Miguel shrugged, calling Innanna’s mother’s
attention to the fact the two were talking. “What have you got to lose that
you want to keep around anyway?”
Innanna turned to face Gil, an unfamiliar vulnerability in her violet eyes.
She was giving him an apologetic “please go along with this” kind of look.
Hells yeah. He let his desire for her show in his eyes and Innanna furrowed
her brows, confused. This was going to be a challenge.
“As you can see, mother, I am fine, better than fine.” Gil nearly whooped
when Innanna straddled his crossed ankles and leaned her body against him,
wrapping her arms around his waist. The top of her head pressed against his
heart. He brought his arms around her, holding her to him, and she snapped
her eyes to meet his; she’d come into contact with the obvious evidence of
his arousal pressed against her stomach. He gave her a slow, sexy grin,
capturing her gaze. Forgetting everyone else in the room, Gil felt himself
falling into the violet depths. Her passion quickly replaced her confusion.
Nope, Baby-face, he was not pretending, and he wanted her to know it.
Innanna swallowed hard, the sound loud in the silence of the room.
“Perhaps we should wait for Innanna in the solar,” Miguel offered,
breaking the awkwardness. Leanna gave Gil a look that promised dire
consequences should her baby get hurt, and then she turned and followed
Miguel back into the hall. Innanna kinetically shut the door behind them.
Gil could hear every word they said from out side the door
“Damn it. What is that girl thinking? He’s a womanizer. Always has
been,” Leanna said from outside the door.
“Maybe she is just looking for kicks too,” Miguel offered.
“Hmm.” Innanna’s mother seemed to change her tune when she thought
it was Innanna taking advantage of him. Gil found it funny how females did
that. “Well, that would be a good match then. That male is easy on the eyes
for sure.” Innanna groaned at her mother’s comment, banging her forehead
against his chest.
“I agree. Don’t tell Gary. He tends to get jealous.” Miguel’s voice faded
off, telling Gil they had rounded the corner. Gil knew Miguel’s long-time
partner well. Gary was a hell of a caterer. He was in the kitchen working on
Jess’s menu right now. He hadn’t had a lot of contact with Miguel before.
Didn’t matter, Miguel was topping his list for the protégé-of-the-year
award.
 Chapter Thirteen
“Thank you for that. My mother can be overbearing at times.” Innanna
attempted to pull from Gil’s arms. He held tight. Please don’t tease me
about my mother, she prayed as her eyes traveled up the heavy muscles
beneath her palms on his chest to reach his gaze. He still gave her his same
sexy grin. The look of desire in his eyes caused her belly to flip and her
blood to heat. She must be hallucinating.
“Ya canna let go till I get a kiss.” His hands tightened around her, his
erection pressed tighter to her stomach. Why was he teasing her now?
“Like I can reach.” Pointing out her size, she subtly reminded him that he
wasn’t attracted to her in this form. Her voice trailed off when he uncrossed
his ankles, effectively forcing her straddled legs wider. With small steps
away from the wall, he slid his back downward until he was eye level with
her, his thigh a hairsbreadth from her core. Innanna caught her breath.
Liquid fire pooled into her womb, and her nipples hardened against the thin
fabric of his shirt. The heat of his hands where they sat at the flare of her
hips spread throughout her entire body. “What are you doing?” she
whispered.
“I wanna kiss ya.” Gil didn’t push her. He waited. Was he serious? She
wanted to kiss him so badly. She just didn’t know how to take that final
leap.
Innanna stared at her hands where they rested against Gil’s chest. His
cotton T-shirt-covered pectorals proved irresistible. In fascination she
watched her hands rub over the fabric. His heavily muscled chest rippled
beneath her palms. She was single-minded in her focus to touch him, the
same focus she had in every aspect of her life.
“What if I don’t know how to kiss you, Gilgamesh?” The huskiness of
her voice shocked her. She’d spoken with a slight lisp from desire-erupted
dentes. She raised her eyes to meet his, instinctively licking her lips.
Gil leaned in to slowly follow the path her tongue had just taken with his
own. Her internal debate ended with the first taste of him. He nibbled her
lower and then her upper lip before planting against them fully, prodding,
touching his tongue to the seam of her lips. She was swept away by his
mastery of her mouth. She opened to him in abandon, and he plunged into
her offering, exploring her mouth thoroughly the way she wished he’d
explore her body. Swaying into him, she moaned, and he swallowed the
sound. Tentatively she met his tongue with hers and he groaned.
Encouraged, she tangled her tongue with his. Gil’s erection twitched against
her. Swept away, she met his kiss stroke-for-stroke, exploring the depth of
his mouth as he’d done hers. This kiss was worth the wait.
Innanna’s desire to run her fingers through Gil’s hair—one of the many
Native American traits he’d gotten from his father Sargon—became a
single-minded obsession. Like her, he wore his hair long, braided to his
lower back. She only seen it unbound once. Breaking free of the kiss
Innanna reached over his shoulder, frantically unbinding his hair. She had to
feel it. Her mind was filled with dreams of the silky, dark brown-black
length curtaining around her. Gil’s doe-brown eyes were eclipsed by the
light-brown starburst pattern around the center when he met her gaze with
surprise.
Heavily muscled arms like tree trunks hindered her efforts. His fingers
worked to release the buttons she’d just done up when her mother entered.
Gil kissed down her neck, pausing to suck the pulsing vein at the curve of
her shoulder, harmonizing her moan with his groan. Oh, Fates, not yet, they
couldn’t have that yet. She managed to free the silken mass, and her fingers
plunged into his hair. Over and over she lifted the long strands, letting it
flow through her fingers like water.
Gil tore the final button of her shirt and lifted his head, meeting her gaze.
Raw hunger unlike any she had ever imaged radiated from him. His heavy
breath sawed past the glistening dentes in his mouth. Innanna resisted the
urge to pull the material closed. Some part of her knew that, even in his
current state, Gil would never push her past her comfort zone. If she
hesitated now, he would stop. That was the last thing she wanted him to do.
Trembling with passion, she pushed her insecurities back. His eyes dropped
to her body and she squared her shoulders, as Gil looked his fill. She
watched his reaction through her half-closed eyes, and when he met her
gaze, the intense lust she saw took her breath away.
Shifting, he bent first one then the other leg till he knelt before her.
“Exquisite.” His melodic voice was a whisper. “I’ve dreamed of ya
forever.” The sincerity was real. His was the face of yearning. She had seen
it from him before, never accepting it for what it was, never believing that
what she saw was really for her.
He began to slowly peel her shirt open, building her anticipation. His
eyes continued marauding her body. She wanted him to see her, all of her.
His deeply tan hands were the perfect complement to her ivory skin. Heat
radiated where he touched the inside of her knee, and slowly his hand slid
upward, blazing a path toward the apex of her thighs.
Her moan echoed through the room as his fingers explored her folds. Her
womb clenched as his gentle touch found her tiny nerve bundle, circling it
with soft, teasing circles meant to drive her mad. Sensations ripped through
her and her eyes fluttered closed as she cried out softly with his sweet
torture. “Yer so soft.”
“More.” She gripped his hair and pulled him toward her. Her breasts, still
hidden behind the edges of his shirt, begged for his attention. His free hand
slid from her narrow waist up her rib cage, shaping the contour of the
underside of her breast. Capturing her gaze, he paused. Innanna was on fire,
swamped with the sensations rolling through her. Her need for release
bordered on pain, her body cried out for him, wanting release, yet savoring
every minute.
“Sinfully beautiful.” The breath of his words wafted across her breast.
Innanna had never felt so female, so desired and empowered. The feelings
lent a renewed rush of pleasure through her.
“Please, Gilgamesh,” she cried out. She was so close, just a little …
“More,” she whimpered, peered down into his face.
His eyes brightened and his nostrils flared at the scent of her arousal,
strong, swirling. His hand captured her breast. She arched her back into the
heat of his palm, gasping when his thumb brushed across her nipple.
Holding her gaze, he used his chin to nudge the shirt aside. She was
spellbound, watching the tip of his tongue peek from between his full lips,
drawing a lazy circle around her nipple. Then he nipped the peak while
rolling the other between his thumb and finger, never deviating from the
slow, building pace his fingers worked at her nub of sensitive nerves.
She felt the crest of her release. He held her to the line as her fingernails
raked his scalp. She arched into the overwhelming wave of pleasure. He
drew the hard, peaked nipple into his mouth as his finger slid into her tight,
wet entrance. Innanna exploded, crying out as her legs went weak, impaling
his finger deep within her. He released her breasts, tenderly guiding her
descent to the floor. His hand anchored her hips while the rest of her body
thrashed. His mouth came down on her and he lapped at her release with his
tongue, sending her into another wave of soaring paradise. Her womb
clenched. Her inner walls pulsed. His tongue darted in and out of her
entrance before rising to suckle the inflamed nerve bundle. She rode the
waves of sensations as his growls vibrated into her core.
After what seemed like forever, her orgasm finally began to abate. Her
cries subsided to mewling whimpers. Gil’s body still lay between her
trembling legs. He placed feathering kisses across her stomach and his
fingers gently kneaded her hips as Innanna floated in sated splendor. Her
breathing and heart rate slowed. Gil’s hair touched her legs, blanketing her.
Her eyes opened slowly, gradually focusing on the sight of him.
“Most beautif … amaz … unfuc … believ … heaven.” He was speaking
… sort of, broken words between nuzzled kisses to her belly.
Burying her fingers back into his hair, she finally asked, “What are you
saying?”
His chin on her belly button, he looked up, meeting her gaze. “Yer living
fire. Great Fates, Innanna, seein’ ya like this … it’s like watchin’ art in
motion.” Tucking his chin to circle her belly button with his tongue, he
tickling her before he met her gaze again. “In all the many times I’ve
imagined bein’ with ya’, I ain’t never come close to achievin’ yer passion.
Hell, I donna think I knew that level of passion existed.” He smiled up at
her, his eyes still bright with his own lust along with admiration, adoration,
awe.
Innanna had no idea how to respond to Gil’s declaration. “Well, to be
fair, that was a hell of a kiss.” Her cheeks colored under his praise.
Gil laughed, his eyes twinkling. He rose up to his elbows, leaned
forward, and swiped her lips with a quick kiss before swooping her up as he
stood, carrying her to the bedroom. A thrill ran through her. Was he taking
her to bed? Instead he turned and stepped into the bathroom. “What are you
doing?” she asked.
“Not what I wanna be doin’.” He winked at her. “Mom’s been doin’ the
nag thing in my head fer that last few minutes. Uncle En’s sitting’ on some
rock waitin’ fer that Morsdente ta wake up. She’s wants ta know ‘bout yer
vison. She’s comin’ ta interrupt my fun right now. An’ well Darlin’ …” He
turned her so that she could see her reflection in the mirror.
In Gils arms she didn’t look delicate, she looked feminine, her hair
mussed and partially freed from her braid, her cheeks flushed. Light marks
marred her skin where he’d nipped at her. Gasping at her appearance, she
raised her fingertips to touch her swollen, tender lips, bright red from his
kisses and a stark contrast to her fair skin. She watched the pink blush steal
up her neck and infuse her face.
“Oh, hell. I’m a mess.” Slipping out of his arms to stand before the
mirror, she pulled the rest of her braid free, the shirt sagging open.
“Bullshit, yer stunnin’.” Gil remained looming behind her, watching her
in the mirror, arms folded across his chest. Unlike her messy hair, his hair
was silky smooth and lying perfectly straight. Innanna’s became more and
more tangled the more she tried to gain control of it. Her thick, naturally
curly white-blonde hair was unruly. Gil’s face lit up with a grin at her
growing frustration.
Muttering she stepped over to the shower and turned on the water with
frustration. She removed the shirt hanging from her shoulders and threw it
at Gil’s grinning face. “What was that fer?” he asked with a chuckle,
catching the shirt out of the air before it could hit him, holding it up to his
nose. “Ya smell like night jasmine. Kinda druggin’.”
“You suck.” Innanna declared, stepping under the spray. He looked
perfect while she looked like … okay, she had … but still, couldn’t he at
least have a hair out of place? She began lathering her mass of hair, and
then a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She
pivoted in time to see Gil tug his shirt over his head, kick off his sandals,
and unbutton his shorts, the Hawaiian print crumpling at his ankles.
Oh sweet universe. Gil strode toward her in all his nude glory; his
erection large, intimidating, mouth watering. Heavily veined, it was a
tribute to the perfectly defined male. Innanna’s breath caught. His focused
intent was evident in every step he took closer. Yes! Her body cried out for
him.
“Gil.” Ninlil’s voice sounded from the living room. Instead of reaching
her, Gil reversed to kick the bathroom door closed, leaning his head against
it. “Fffuuuckkk,” he gritted out, his breathing loud, his dentes fully erupted.
 Innanna realized immediately that this would be her last chance to tell
Gil what she needed to. “Gil, you need to come here.” Quickly rinsing off
any remaining suds from her body, she wished she could be about to do
anything with him other than what she was about to.
“I … can’t. Yer killin’ me here, Innanna.” He banged his head against the
door, his breath sawing from between his clenched jaws.
Innanna stepped out of the shower, clasping a towel to her breast as she
extracted her wings. Fluttering onto the counter next to where Gil stood, she
looked down at him. His forehead still to the door, he swung his chin up to
look up at her in question. “I was going to show you the full prophesy, the
one I had the night Etana was killed.” Her tears threatened to overflow.
Gil let out a long sigh, still hearing his mother call to him from the living
room. Innanna could well imagine that she was angry. Innanna had asked
Ninlil to accompany her to Gil’s, telling Ninlil she would share the vision
with her once she’d fulfilled her promise to tell it to Gil first. She hadn’t
told Ninlil that the promise was one Innanna had made with herself, not
him.
“She’s gonna give us a half hour. That ain’t near enough time ta do what I
got in mind. Hell, forever probably ain’t long enough.” His eyes traveled
her body like a caress. “Show me, Darlin’.”
Placing the towel she held on the counter, Innanna knelt on it completely
naked. Gil stepped up to her, bringing them eye-to-eye. He wrapped his
arms around her waist. The wet ringlets of her hair chilled her back as she
pressed her breasts against his chest.
Innanna placed her hand to his forehead. “In case I am too weak when I
am done, I need to explain a few things. The reason I couldn’t warn Enlil or
you about Etana’s death was because, you see …” Innanna’s tears ran down
her face. What if telling him this made him remember that he hated her?
“I’m not mad at ya any more Darlin,’ that was long ago,” Gil tried to
sooth her. “I dinna have a right ta be mad at ya in the first place. I’m truly
sorry fer that.”
She shook her head. “I promised myself after that night that I would
never withhold anything from you involving your family again, no matter
the risk, but sometimes knowing is worse. What if my telling you makes it
harder for you? I mean do you want to make a decision that could change
the course of history for our entire species?” She had to ask him before she
burdened him with her knowledge.
“Yer doin’ it again. Bein’ confusin’. I canna answer a question I donna
understand.” Gil wiped her tears from her cheek.
Where was she supposed to begin explaining a concept that maybe a
handful of people outside the Oracles grasped? Even then it was usually
long-term scholars. Gil was a warrior; he understood death, probably better
than most. That isn’t the same as understanding the fragility of life. Even
the life of immortals was fragile. A small, seemingly insignificant action
today could and did impact the future.
“Have you ever heard of the ripple effect?” Innanna asked him
Gil thought for a minute. “Sorta like when ya drop a stone in a pond an’
ripples travel ‘cross the whole body of water?”
Innanna grinned, nodding; Gil was already further in understanding than
Miguel had been when she took his mentoring on. “That is exactly what it
is. Oracles see a ripple coming and get inklings about some, if not all, of the
effects. Every once in a while we get to see the stone hitting the pond; that’s
a prophecy.”
“An’ that’s what happened the night we waltzed?” Sweet Gil, to refer to
the moments of joy rather than Etana’s murder.
“In my lifetime, the Volaticus people have faced extinction many times.
Two of them have held enormous threat. One was by our own hand during
the enlightenment and subsequent war between our species and the Aquatie.
I was only a few hundred years old then. The result was the death of more
than two-thirds of our population and the fall of Atlantis. My mother, father,
brother, and I barely escaped. I had another older brother, and he and his
mate perished along with two of his three children. None of my father’s
family members survived. My mother has one sister left, only because she
had relocated to Greenland before the fall. You know her as Laliel, the
High-Fates adviser.”
“You could be on the High Ones panel?” Gil referred to the fact that
every member of the panel was at least ten thousand years old. At least he’d
already known Innanna came from a powerful family; thankfully that had
never seemed to intimidate him.
“We are still facing the second threat and have been for a long time.
Fewer female births and the decline of bloodmatings has resulted in the
decline of overall fertility. Plus our survival was dependent on the blood of
a species that is rapidly reaching their enlightenment. Humans are very
close.” Innanna shrugged. “Many were convinced there was no hope with
so many angles working against us.”
“Three thousand years ago my mother received a vision foreseeing the
birth of the first iron-rich Hulven, which was the first step in the survival of
the Elven. A new race within our species that could see to the species’
blood needs. Eventually we will not be dependent on humanity for blood.
The female Hulven also have more fruitful reproduction ability. They give
birth to as many female as males, if not more, bringing our species one step
closer to survival.” Innanna paused, fearing his reaction, knowing she had
to tell him everything.
She hedged. “The thing is, all of the subsequent ripples have somehow
revolved around your bloodline, beginning with the prophecy. You see,
Etana’s death was the stone in the pond.” She searched his face for reaction,
and when he nodded she continued. “Even Enlil’s storm and punishment,
the fall-out between Ediku and Enlil, the birth of a Hulven female sired by
Ediku was revealed, though the twin girls were a deviation. The end result
of Jess was right on, including the death of her mother.”
“Ya saw all that?” Gil was taking this well. He seemed to be far more
open-minded than he was three hundred years ago.
“The Hulven and Elven bloodmating between Shane and Jess was in that
prophecy. Their union represents another step in the Volaticus survival. I
knew there would be one more sacrifice. Until today I didn’t know it would
be Etana’s and Enlil’s … again. It wasn’t a part of the prophecy, though it
does put another piece into the puzzle of our survival with the hope of
future bloodmating and even breeding beyond widowing. If you choose it,
Gil, her gift could affect you personally.” Innanna felt her courage crumble.
“Cunna ya get inta even more trouble fer tellin’ me ‘bout a vision that’s
‘bout me?” She’d kind of hoped he wouldn’t realize that part.
Innanna nodded. “I might. I think the Fates knew I would tell you.” She
watched the dawning of the significance of her disclosure cross his face.
Gil whispered. “What are ya riskin’ in tellin’ me, Darlin’?”
Innanna hesitated several seconds before answering, worried she had
burdened him with enough already. She reminded herself of the promise of
honesty she’d made to herself when it came to him. “If I’m wrong and
telling you is not sanctioned by the Fates, making it a violation of my oath,
at best I will lose my gift of sight. At worst, I could be sentenced to death.
Either way I will face punishment from the Oracle Sect. ”
“Sun of a bitch. Why?” She hadn’t equated Gil’s concern for her welfare
in this conversation. This threw a whole different spin on things.
Oh Fates, oh Fates. Innanna’s heart pounded. “I’m a widow, Gil. I was to
be bloodmated the day Atlantis fell. Eros and I didn’t rush into a blood
exchange bonding. We didn’t even have sex. We naively decided to do a
whole formal ceremony.” Innanna’s tears began to fall again “Mine and my
mother’s gift gave us a few precious moments’ head start, when all hell
broke loose. That ultimately saved us. Eros didn’t make it. Because we’d
never fully bonded even his soul is lost to me. Nevertheless, I lost my
bloodmate.”
“Eros Sicarius?” Gil clarified. Innanna could only nod. “His legacy is
still talked ‘bout. He is said ta have been a man of honor. I’m sorry ya lost
yer luv. I’m still not followin’ how that effects me, Darlin’.” No, he
wouldn’t understand yet, she still had to drop the bomb on him.
“The Fates have shown me who would be my second bloodmate if Enlil
agrees to live on in this world. It’s you.” Innanna thought Gil would react
with horror. He had always acted mortified at the idea of being bloodmated,
displayed disgust whenever the idea or conversation even came up. He
seemed to love his playboy promiscuous ways. His sexual exploits were
admired amongst young males.
She finally met Gil’s expression, fully expecting stunned, horrified
denial. Instead she saw stunned, blooming … happiness. What the hell?
Tentatively she finally asked “Are you ready for me to show you the
prophecy?”
“Nope, I donna need ta see it.” Gil pressed his forehead to hers. “I just
need ya ta answer one more question fer me. If ya weren’t gonna be my
bloodmate, would ya want ta be with me?” He was showing her a rare
vulnerability. Was that why he had always been so resistant to the idea of
bloodmates? Did he wonder if people were together because of chemical
and biological compatibility rather than choice? She’d had the same fear
with Eros.
“Of course,” Innanna answered without hesitation. “I have loved you
since our first dance, before I ever saw the prophecy or today’s vision.”
 Gil rewarded her with a tender kiss. “Good answer, now get dressed. An’
donna think yer gonna hear me tellin’ ya that very damn often—I prefer ya
naked. Them Oracles’ll have ta go through me if they think of fuckin’ with
ya.” Innanna was unceremoniously lifted from the counter and set to her
feet on the floor. He swatted her ass toward the sweats still lying on the bed
where she’d thrown them earlier.
They dressed quickly, porting directly into the solar from Gil’s suite,
immediately meeting the expectant faces of Gil’s family.
“Gil!” Innanna grasped her head, the vision violent in its intensity. “We
must go. Now! Mother, you have to return to the High chambers.”
“What about Jess? Enlil gave her a mentor order to stay away.” Nin
asked.
Innanna looked at Jess, and vomit for what she’d just foreseen rose in her
throat. Should she go against the vision and leave Jess behind? Without
Jess, Umbrae, Enlil, and many others would die this night. She couldn’t
bring herself to look at Jess’s mate Shane. “I’m vetoing his order. Jess has
to come.” She turned to Miguel. “Get Etana’s and Enlil’s son Ediku there
right away.” The room rippled with the departures, leaving her alone with
Gil.
“I guess that means ya didn’t loose yer gift, Darlin’.” His smile was
relieved. He truly did care about her. She tried to smile back, but the vision
took away her joy. She could only nod. They ported together. This wasn’t
the first time her gift felt more like a curse.
 Chapter Fourteen
Enlil held Umbrae in his arms while she slept, trying to come to terms
with the emotions she brought out in him. None of it made any sense. His
body’s reaction to her was confusing enough; add the protective and
possessiveness and he couldn’t understand it. When the Morsdente was
dead, he would join Etana. He didn’t waver on that. Every time he looked at
the beast, all he could see was Etana tormented inside. What horrors had her
gentle soul witnessed? Only Etana’s sweet spirit could have remained in the
psyche of a monster all these centuries uncorrupted. His attraction to Brae
didn’t negate his need to be with his Bloodmate. He was sure Etana would
forgive him for his attraction to Umbrae; after all, it was clear to him Etana
loved Umbrae by the things she’d shared with her. The way Irsu and Hans
kept a close eye on her, Etana wasn’t the only heart this precious bundle had
captured. Brae would take Etana’s passing hard; he could only hope her
friends would be there for her.
Brae began to moan and tried to twist away from him in her sleep. Enlil
held her tight. “It’s okay, Brae. I’ve got you. Shhh, you’re safe in my arms,
just rest.” She calmed and his name sighed from her lips. He looked up,
clashing gazes with Irsu, who’d heard the exchange. Her eyes held a
warning that he fully understood: Don’t break my friend’s heart. He was
pretty sure his was more at risk at this moment. He gave Irsu a nod.
His attention was pulled to Nin, Shane, and Jess running into camp. What
the hell was Jess doing here? They came to a stop, staring at the sight Enlil
and Brae made. Jess met his eyes; he didn’t hide his anger from her. Jess
opened her mouth to speak, he held up a hand to stop her, not wanting Brae
disturbed. Irsu and Sargon stepped up to the group to bring them up to
speed. His question of why Jess had disobeyed him was answered when he
saw Gil and Innanna join the group. His son Ediku followed, carrying a
sword, his expression angry when he saw Enlil holding the sleeping female.
He too joined the group being debriefed of the situation.
“No!” Brae’s gray eyes snapped open, and her head turned to look at the
restrained and hooded Morsdente. Her eyes wide, she returned her gaze to
Enlil. “He is waking.” The fear in her eyes constricted his chest. This was
it, then. “He is yelling for me to free him. If I shield against him I won’t
hear Etana. What do I do?”
He could think of only one way to help her. To do it safely he needed to
release her. Much as he hated letting her go, he hated seeing her tormented
worse. “Can you stand, Brae?” She nodded and he helped her to her feet.
Enlil held her steady at her tiny waist while Brae clutched her head, fighting
the agonizing call of the Morsdente. Irsu and Hans were right there for her.
“I’m going to siphon him and see if I can’t weaken his hold on her,” he told
Irsu. “Clear your people.” She nodded and he handed Brae off to Hans
reluctantly. “Take her over by my family.” Only then would he be sure of
her safety. Brae had begun moaning softly, pressing one white-knuckled fist
to her chest and the other to her temple. Hans wrapped an arm around
Brae’s waist, his hand under her elbow, and led her away.
“Jess.” He called his protégé over; if she was going to be here, she could
learn. Biting her lip, she rushed over to join him. “What color is his
energy?”
Jess stared hard at the beast. “It’s not really a color. It looks like dirty car
oil. There is a faint pink ribbon though.” Good, she saw it the same way he
did.
“That dirty oil is universal with Morsdente. Remember it. The pink
ribbon you see is the spirit energy of Etana.” Jess turned to him in surprised
sympathy; he placed his hand to her shoulder. “Focus.” She turned back to
the beast. “Concentrate on drawing only the swirling black. Extend your
right hand to the beast, your left aim to the heavens. Visualize a direct path
within you to tunnel the energy directly into the atmosphere. Do not take
any of his evil into your psyche. It’s dangerous, Jess. If even a hint of it
escapes, the tunnel breaks off immediately.”
Jess took the position he’d instructed. “I’m ready.”
Enlil stepped fully behind her and placed both hands to her shoulders,
closing his eyes. “Drop your shield fully to the mentor bond.” The view of
the Morsdente cleared in his mind’s eye; he was seeing the beast through
Jess. “Siphon him.”
Jess exceeded his expectations, carving the dark matter away from the
pink ribbon like she was holding a surgical scalp. Etana’s energy brightened
and tears bloomed behind his closed lids. Jess drew the condensed darkness
into herself, gasping when the evil entered her hand, yet she kept her focus.
The swirling horror tried to pull away from her. Enlil could see the
Morsdente struggling against his bindings, hear it growl. Irsu must have
gagged it beneath the lead hood. He’d be sure to thank the unit leader for
that later.
Jess stayed strong as the Arizona sky darkened with clouds, lightening
strikes hitting the ground in the distance. “Enough,” Enlil said. Jess dropped
her hands, swaying. Enlil swept her into his arms to keep her from falling
and then handed her off to Shane with a fatherly kiss to her forehead. Her
eyes glowed green and fluttered closed. “That was perfect, Jess. I am proud
of you.” He whispered, aware this would be the last lesson he’d ever teach
her.
He looked up into Brae’s beautiful, large gray eyes. “Thank you” was all
she said. Her gratitude caused his chest to burn again with emotion he
should not feel. He gave her what he hoped was a smile.
She began to walk toward him, and suddenly her eyes glazed and she
collasped to the ground. “Brae!” Enlil rushed over, falling to his knees at
her side. She didn’t respond. He looked back at the slumped Morsdente.
Fuck the Fates, he was going to kill it. Innanna stepped into his line of
sight.
“It’s not Zakel, Enlil. It’s Etana. Give them a minute to talk with each
other. Umbrae is safe.” Relief flooded him. Taking Brae’s hand in his, he
prayed to the universe Innanna was right.
After what seemed like forever, Umbrae’s eyes opened. Clumsily she
tried to sit up. Enlil helped her and she cupped his cheek intimately. “Enlil,
my beloved.” His breath caught in his throat. Etana? Brae had surrendered
her entire being to Etana’s possession, a level of generosity that took
complete trust.
Enlil’s voice cracked. “Etana?” He could see her in the expression on
Brae’s face. Etana’s love, compassion, and kindness shone from the stormy
dove eyes.
Etana ran her fingers through his hair, and his eyes widened at the
sensation. “Umbrae told me that she explained this to you. She is huddling
in the corner of her mind to give us privacy. I am so happy to see you
again.”
Enlil’s shame overwhelmed him. “I am so sorry, my love. I have failed
you so much. I had no idea you were continuing to suffer all this time.”
 “Oh, Enlil, how wrong you are. I have chosen to remain. I have had the
memories of a joyous life, thanks to you. Every day I remained in the
Morsdente, I knew it meant that you still lived. You remember the day
Girsu and Nippur Einar passed?”
Enlil nodded, the details of their conversation flowing into his mind. “I
do remember, but my love, you cannot ask me to continue without you. Not
once the Morsdente is dead. Not now that I know Ninlil will survive the
separation of our twin bond.”
“You know this of Ninlil how?” So like his Etana, stubborn, her jaw set,
her eyes flashing at him. His love for her filled his soul.
“We have granddaughters, my love; twin girls. One of them passed, and
the other survived her death.” Enlil explained. “Once your killer is
destroyed, I will join you. Brae has suffered much to give you a chance to
say goodbye, but this is not goodbye, my love. I will join you before this
night is done.”
Etana was silent for a moment, processing, and her gaze shifted to their
family waiting. “Innanna, would you join us for a moment?” The female
walked over without hesitation. “Was the bond between the twin girls the
same as the bond between Ninlil and Enlil?”
Innanna met Enlil’s questioning gaze. Issuing a heartfelt sigh, she spoke
to Etana’s question directly. He knew this question was part of why Innanna
was here. That, and she’d brought Jess so Enlil could mentor her one last
time. Understanding the Oracles was not something he would ever be able
to do, but this was one of the rare times he did appreciate them.
“No, Etana. It wasn’t. Ediku’s twins Moira and Marja are Hulven. Only
Marja, the one who died, developed psychically; Moira is not psychic.
Therefore, the bond she feels is emotional. Though I am sure the pain of the
loss is just as difficult, I don’t think it negates the full psychic twin bond of
Ninlil and Enlil.” Apologetically, she looked at Enlil, speaking to him this
time. “There is no way to know the effects either of you would have from
the loss of the other.”
Oh, Fates, Innanna was right, the anomaly of his twin grandchildren
hadn’t even occurred to him. Enlil reached up, cupping Umbrae’s chin, and
brought Etana’s gaze back to his. “My love, why? Why do you want me to
live on without you?” Why would she wish him to continue his suffering?
They belonged together, forever, bonded in this life and the next, as it
should be. The thought of one more moment without her was more than he
could fathom. He had to believe Ninlil would be okay. He needed to go.
Etana had to understand his desperation.
She griped his face in her hands, halting his shake of denial. “In you I
will always live on, in your heart, in your memories, just as you have in
mine.” Reaching up, Etana grasped her hand over Enlil’s against Umbrae’s
chin. “I want you to live, Enlil. More than that—I want you to love anew.
The universe has accepted the offer of my soul in exchange for our people
to bloodmate anew, after widowhood. That chance begins with you. You
will be the first. It is my gift to you, to our people; my final gift. Promise
me, Enlil. Promise you will live on.”
“You’re saying even if I leave this life, we may never again be together?”
Enlil choked back a sob, his heart broken into a million pieces. Would the
cruelty of the Fates never end?
“We had our time, Enlil. You carry the memories of our great love. This
is bigger than us. This is for the survival of our species, the hope of our
brethren. I am honored to offer my soul in sacrifice.” The pure sincerity of
her burned from within the gray eyes so very different than Etana’s blue.
“You will love, you will find joy, and you will have more children. Your
example will pave the way for all. Accept your destiny, Enlil. Promise me
you will live on.”
How could he deny her? She sacrificed her very soul for him and the
hope of the Volaticus species. He could never deny her anything; this was
no different. His shattered heart lodged firmly in his throat, he pulled her
forehead to touch his and nodded. “I love you, Etana.”
“As I love you.” Placing a kiss to his cheek, she rose from the ground. “I
must hurry. Umbrae is weakened.”
Enlil watched Etana walk over to their family, her short strides further
revealing that Etana was firmly in control of Brae’s body in every way, a
generosity that Enlil wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to fully thank Brae for. In
keeping herself this open to Etana, she was also open to the Morsdente;
even weakened, the beast was no doubt tormenting her.
Etana walked up to Ninlil first. “If you must hold his soul to you, do it.
You have the ability,” Etana told her, tears running down her face. Ninlil
nodded.
 Then she moved over the Ediku. “My son. You have brought me much
joy. I love you so. I am forever proud to be your mother. Never forget.”
Edik also had tears in his eyes. “I love you, mother. I miss you every
day.” He pulled Brae’s body into an embrace. Enlil had an overwhelming
urge to pull Brae from his son, not because it bothered him to see mother
and son embrace. That actually brought him joy. There had been a moment
where he’d failed to recognize that Ediku wasn’t essentially hugging his
mother, he had only seen Brae. Love anew? Oh Fates … he wasn’t ready to
love anew. If he couldn’t release his living energy, he’d find some relief in
dormancy.
Etana stepped away from their son; she held Ediku’s sword in Brae’s
scarred hands. Without a second look back Etana marched to the
Morsdente. The lean defined muscles of Brae’s back flexed, the sword
completed a high arc. The Morsdente’s head rolled a few feet away.
“Etana, no,” Enlil cried. His shout was drowned out by another.
“NOOO!” Umbrae’s voice ripped through. The sword dropped from her
hands, and tears streamed down her face. She went to her knees beside the
body of the Morsdente. Brae’s grief was palatable, her hands to her face, a
keening wail sound coming from her. Her shoulders shook with her
weeping.
Enlil looked to the face of his estranged son, Ediku. Blue eyes so like his
mother’s met his. He was sure that unlike him, Ediku had no prior warning
of what he’d just witness, yet his son had handled his mother’s possession
of another admirably. Through his paternal bond Enlil sent his son the pride
he felt. Ediku gave him a shaky smile and a nod then resumed looking at
Brae with sympathy.
Even in her weakened condition, it was Jess who’d reached Brae first,
and Irsu and Hans were heading to her too. Enlil knew it was his comfort
she needed. His dormancy would have to wait … for now. He rose from the
ground, intent on taking Brae into his arms and flying her away from here.
Etana had gifted more than a possibility of love for him, she’d led him to it;
she’d guided him to Brae. Had Etana somehow chosen her in his behalf? If
so, he had even more reason to be grateful to Etana. Brae’s unique and
beautiful soul humbled and awed him. Maybe someday … the thought
quickly vanished at the sight of the body Brae crouched beside. Etana. By
her hand she was gone, lost to him forever. The power of that realization
nearly drove him to his knees before he could reach Brae.
Shimmering, multihued energies emerged between him and Brae. The
High Ones and members of the Oracles manifested onto the bluff. Adonai’s
towering figure stood directly before him. The speaker looked at him and
nodded before stepping around to address Enlil’s family. What the hell was
this all about? There were easily twenty powerful individuals surrounding
him, and their numbers added to the people already present filled the
overlook to capacity.
“What’re ya doin’ here?” Gil asked the High Speaker, a warning tone to
his voice. He didn’t seem surprised to see them. Enlil could not see
Adonai’s face, but he could imagine the condescension that was probably
there. Gil still stood between Innanna and her father.
“I have come for Innanna,” Adonai stated.
“Ov’r my dead body,” Gil snarled, not in the least intimidated by the
presences around him. Nin, Sargon, Ediku, and Shane had maneuvered into
position beside Gil, creating a unified front to the powerful Elven in
attendance. Enlil ported directly behind Gil and Innanna.
Adonai paused. “Killing you would be a pleasure, boy.” Enlil was
surprised to see profound sadness in the face of the speaker. Had Innanna
gone against her sect in aiding them this day? If Gil were willing to fight,
without question, the Lil family would stand united.
“No. I called them to retrieve me.” Innanna placed a restraining hand to
Gil’s arm. He turned to her, surprised. “I have to go, Gil. Please
understand.” She looked, pleading into Gil’s eyes.
“We talked ‘bout this, Innanna,” Gil growled at her.
“No, we didn’t, not really. There wasn’t time. I must face the
consequences of my actions. You’re a warrior, a male of honor; you of all
people should understand that.”
“So, I’m juss supposed ta stand here an’ let ya go. Is that what yer
sayin’?” Gil crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. “Not gonna happen.”
Enlil had always sensed an attraction between Gil and Innanna, though
Gil’s behavior toward the female was intriguing.
Innanna shimmered, her body growing to stand eye to eye with Gil. Enlil
had to give the female credit, she didn’t back down from the ferocity in
Gil’s stance. Enlil’s close proximity to the couple allowed him to hear what
Innanna whispered into Gil’s ear. “I wish I’d had time to explain. This has
to happen. I’m so sorry.”
“What are ya talking—” Innanna placed a finger over Gil’s lips, silencing
him, and placed a tender kiss to his cheek. “Goodbye, Gilgamesh.” She
looked over to her father with a nod. The entire group ported, taking
Innanna with them.
Enlil could see Gil trying to port and follow her, his energy flickering
weakly. None of them showed their normal levels. “Son of a bitch,” Gil
snapped. “Dad, canna ya port?” Sargon closed his eyes his energy flickering
dimly like Gil’s, and he shook his head.
Enlil tried—nothing. He tapped deep into his abilities in order to see the
spiderweb-like weave surrounding them. “Those bastards. They weaved a
hold over us.” Enlil could feel his body shaking in fury. The weaves held a
level of protection as well. They couldn’t escape, but no one would be able
to reach them either.
Gil was in a similar state. “Why?”
Ninlil shook her head as she mapped the circumference of the weave
with her palms. “I guess whatever is happening with Innanna, they don’t
want our interference.”
“I can port.” The soft voice of Brae wafted towards them from where she
and Jess sat together beside the corpse of the Morsdente. Black circles
around their eyes showed the exhaustion of both females.
“So can I,” Jess declared. “They didn’t include us in whatever they did to
you. I can see the barrier surrounding you. It’s not over Umbrae and I.” Jess
gave a wicked smile. “They must not consider her and I a threat.”
Enlil could see the weave clearer when he looked at where Hans stood
with Irsu and her unit. The High Ones had placed a weave over them as
well. Between his family and the SOSC warriors sat the most precious
females in Enlil’s life. Unencumbered by a hold, the females were free …
unprotected and vulnerable.
If this were about Innanna, why hold them all rather than just Gil? This
has to happen. Innanna’s whispered words came back to him with a sense
of dread. The Fates had been against him for centuries … why should this
be any different?
It was obvious what Jess was thinking. “No fucking way, Jess. Don’t
even think about it.” Shane’s fear for his mate was justified, but his
approach was all wrong to have a chance to sway his mate. Jess and
Umbrae stood together. “Beauty, you can’t follow Innanna. She will be in
the High chambers by now, behind closed doors. It’s a bad idea.”
“Ya got a better idea, my man?” Gil asked him. “Innanna told me she
could be put ta death fer helpin’ us.” That would explain the sorrowful look
on Adonai’s face and the show of force in retrieving the tiny Oracle.
Perhaps Jess and Brae had been left free because they had been in the center
of the group and had just been overlooked.
“And what exactly do you think Jess will be able to do about it?” Shane
demanded.
Enlil interjected before things could get too heated. “Shane, I’m her
mentor. Whether or not Jess goes and what she is ready for is my call.” He
fully understood Shane’s concern, but someday Shane would realize that a
controlled mate is an unhappy mate. Hell, it had taken him centuries of
fighting with Etana before he had gotten a clue. He didn’t like the idea of
Brae going into that snake pit either.
Jess squared her shoulders and glared at her mate, then met his gaze in
question. He agreed with Shane—Jess wasn’t in a position to aid Innanna.
The family united wasn’t enough to save Innanna if the panel put her to
death. He didn’t believe that was their plan; Innanna was too valuable to
them. He doubted Adonai could order death for his only daughter, judging
from the look on the male’s face. If he gave Jess a direct order, would the
little firecracker be able to follow it, or would she rush in? She was so like
Etana, compassionate to the point of self-sacrificing, but he had to try. If
nothing else, it would get Jess and Umbrae off this bluff.
“I can do this, Enlil,” Jess coerced. She had to be aware that Enlil was on
the fence. “They can’t get angry for me following when they failed to hold
me here.”
Enlil considered her argument; Jess could talk her way out of trouble
better than anyone he’d ever seen. Assuming she didn’t interfere, there was
no reason for the panel to harm her. “You are prone to rash actions. If I send
you in on a watch-and-listen-only directive, how can I be sure you won’t
risk yourself should you not like what you hear?” The only way he would
get the commitment of safety from Jess was if he could manipulate her into
offering it. Short of that, he would not allow her to go.
 Jess glanced at Shane again. The male was furious, his knuckles white on
his balled fists. Enlil was pretty damn sure that if Shane weren’t under the
holding weave, he would have chained his mate to him and swallowed the
key already. Thankfully he was an honorable male who knew Enlil was
right. It was his call alone.
Jess lifted her chin. “What assurance do you need from me that I will
follow your orders?”
Smart girl, his great-granddaughter. “Your word that if you cannot gain
access to the chamber safely, you will return here. Your word that no matter
what you see or hear, you will not interfere or make your presence known in
any way. Your word that you will leave your mind open fully to the mentor
bond so that I may observe all. Your word of honor that if I say abort, you
will do so immediately and without question. I will have your word, Jess?”
Jess’s mind completely opened to him. He could see himself and the
others through her eyes. The field of energy that surrounded each of them
was clear from her perspective. The complete access was disorienting and
he was forced to close his eyes and see only through hers or risk falling.
Sargon reached out and grasped his arm for stability.
“You will have my word on one condition.” The echo of her voice in his
head, hearing through both his ears and hers, created a new wave of vertigo.
Leave it to Jess to have her own demand.
“What would that be?” He already knew. He could read her thoughts like
his own; she’d given him far more access than he’d asked for.
“You will open to allow the others the same view I am giving to you.”
She was worried about Shane and Gil.
“Agreed. Do I have your word?” He knew he did. Shane needed to hear
her say it.
“You have my word.” There was no further question in his mind. She
would not deviate now.
“What about me?” Brae’s soft voice echoed to him. He could see Jess
look over at her and then back to the family. The female’s comment was
met with a long silence. “I can shadow Jess. If you’re willing to wear the
collar,” she said, turning to Jess. She turned a questioning look to Enlil. He
could see her profile through Jess’s eyes, and he studied her classic bone
structure from Jess’s perspective. His view of her was cut off as Jess turned
back, giving him a view of himself.
 He had no hold over Brae. No bond. He barely knew her. How could he
be sure that she would remain safe? If she endangered herself, he might
never again smell her peppermint scent. Never have a chance to woo her,
earn her love. Never have the opportunity to feel her slender curves beneath
him. Where were these thought coming from?
Thankfully Jess spoke, saving him from revealing his fears. “Give me the
collar.” Brae pulled out the chain he had seen her use earlier with Hans. She
handed it to Jess. Jess snapped the links around her neck, and he heard Jess
whisper to Brae, “Betcha Shane will think it’s sexy. We’ll have to get one
for our bedroom.” Brae’s face reddened adorably. To be in the mind of a
female was strange, though there was a fairly good chance that Jess was
correct in her evaluation of her mate’s reaction. The idea of Brae in a collar
was kind of a turn-on to him as well. That passed the second it occurred to
him that she’d once been enslaved; she would need a gentle touch. He
hoped he’d get the chance to show her there was pleasure in physical love.
Damn it! Etana’s killer’s body was still warm, yet he kept thinking of Brae.
Brae took the end of the leash in hand and both she and Jess faded away.
Through Jess’s vision he could see Brae’s fuchsia energy. Then two shots
rang out across the desert and Jess’s vision went dark. He opened his eyes
to a nightmare. Brae and Jess were laid out on the ground, neither moving.
A tranquilizer dart vibrated in Jess’s neck from the power of its impact.
Whoever had shot them knew the females were without protection. They
didn’t even bother with a silencer. Shane tried to run to Jess’s aid only to
bounce off the holding shield. The male’s roar shook the ground.
A group of Elven males crested the edge of the bluff. Enlil didn’t
recognize any of them, though they were armed like warriors. Enlil tried to
siphon to no avail. All those under the weave could do was watch helplessly
while Jess and Brae where thrown over two males’ shoulders and carried
into the night. Brae’s chain slipped off Jess’s neck and landed on the sand.
 Chapter Fifteen
The first lightening strike had hit as Osiris reached his soldiers. “Show
time, boss.” The guard with him had handed Osiris a set of binoculars, and
he had pivoted his ears, directing his hearing to pick up the conversation as
the lower bluff came into focus through the sights. Well, well, well all of the
team had come out to play.
The whole Etana possession was bizarre, but seeing Umbrae kill Zakel
had warmed his cockles. Though both females were weakened—this just
got better and better—he didn’t detect an opportunity to obtain them,
guarded the way they were. Until the High Ones and Oracles had shown up,
handing him the females on a silver platter. Then Umbrae had shadowed
Jess using the chain. His chain! That sealed the deal.
“Fire,” he had instructed his sharpshooters. Who was he to say no to such
a gift? His men returned a few minutes later with his trophies and they took
flight immediately. There was no telling how long the holding weave would
stay. He needed to get the females contained quickly.
****
His first opportunity to protect Umbrae’s back and he’d failed her. Hans
watched the group under the other holding weave going ape-shit. Irsu’s unit,
though silent, was no less angry. “Back up.” Didn’t matter that he was
standing on solid rock; he had the power. Although it wouldn’t be the first
time he’d done it, it would be difficult to gauge the distance.
“What?” Irsu asked him.
Hans turned to the female unit leader. “Back the fuck up, all of you. Far
as you can.” They formed a semi circle around him with their backs against
the weave; the others had not yet noticed him.
Holding his hands to the side he sent a small burst of ultrasonic energy
into the stone to test if the weave fully surrounded them or merely covered
them. The rock beneath him liquefied, dropping him a foot. The weavers
had been in a hurry, thank the Fates. This would require more than just
liquefaction for his travel. He would have to create a somewhat stable
tunnel for the others to pass through. Pulling several deep breaths into his
lungs he directed the oxygen into his specialized cells. He wouldn’t need
another breath for up to an hour.
 His arms extended, he pulled out the stops of the power in his royal
bloodline and tapped into the energy of every Tellus within a hundred-mile
radius, as was his birthright. The two Tellus members of Irsu’s unit sagged
under the draw, but he ignored them. It didn’t matter that they had been
unaware of who he was until now, he was not required to seek consent from
anyone. He had been grateful to see them in the unit. Regardless of who
they were, they were obligated to care for him when this was over.
Curling the wave of ultrasonic emission into a vortex caused his body to
spin faster than the speed of sound. Hans shot the power into the stone with
a thunderous boom. The tunnel would only be as wide as his arm length;
everyone would just have to crawl out.
He cut a path ten feet straight down and then tried to turn toward the
others. A deposit of platinum almost stalled him, forcing him to detour
around it. Midway between the two parties, he turned to the surface. The
platinum detour had thrown him off by several feet, and he was covered in
the liquefied skull and brain matter of the Morsdente’s head. Fucking
disgusting. He emerged outside the hole, exhausted. He saw Irsu head
toward the hole he’d carved.
“Not yet.” His fatigue made his voice tremble. “I am going to join the
tunnel to the others first. If I stop now I won’t be able to finish.” Irsu
stepped away from the hole with a nod. He turned to Enlil and the others,
who were watching him intently. “There are some platinum deposits that
are throwing me off course. I am going to try to come up close to the weave
but I will be doing it blind.”
They’d seen the skull liquefy, so he wasn’t going to bother explaining the
danger this posed to them. It was Enlil’s twin Ninlil who addressed the
issue. “It would be safer for you to emerge in the middle. What if we form a
circle around the hole and stomp the ground? Would that give you
direction?”
Hans recognized the brilliance of the female’s suggestion. No wonder she
sat on the SOSC council. “That would work.” Hans reloaded his cells with
oxygen, crawled back into the hole, and lay down at the horizontal point.
Starting centrifugal spinning in a standing position was far less difficult
than starting horizontal. The skin of his fingers peeled away on the rock
while his speed gathered. Gritting through the pain, he pushed through.
 He heard the soft thump, thump, thump above him. Too tired to turn his
body to go head up through the surface he raised his feet skyward, coming
through the rock in the center of Enlil’s family, feet first. He braced himself
for the fall that would land him on his head at the bottom of the tunnel he’d
just created, an inevitable consequence when he quit spinning.
A hand reached to him when his momentum started to slow, and Sargon
yanked him away from the opening. He landed on his back, the impact
knocking the wind out of him, but at least he wouldn’t have a concussion.
He could only lie there, letting his body cool down. Sargon’s hand was
blistered from the heat generated by the vortex. His clothing had burned
away halfway through the second tunnel. Right now he was thankful for the
cool desert air on his body.
Without a word Sargon handed his mate his T-shirt. Ninlil lifted Han’s
feet and slid the neck of the giant garment up his waist. A skirt was better
than nothing. Ediku lifted his upper body while Sargon lifted his feet. The
two males carried him between them back into the hole and headed for
freedom with the others following. It had taken nearly three hours to
complete the passages. Please let Umbrae be safe, Hans thought before he
surrendered to his exhaustion, allowing the darkness to overtake him.
****
Irsu’s unit’s tunnel had been shorter, and they were waiting for Enlil and
the others when they emerged. The tunnel was narrow. Sargon had
struggled with his size behind Ediku; carrying Hans between them further
slowed the process. Enlil had never seen anything like what Hans had just
done. The minute they were free of the tunnel, the two Tellus members of
Irsu’s unit took him. Tellus began pouring onto the bluff from every
direction. Tellus weren’t telepathic; Enlil wondered how they all knew to
come and why they hadn’t come sooner to help Hans. It was obvious
whatever he’d just done was taxing.
Irsu must have had the same idea. She addressed the two members of her
unit under her command. “Why weren’t all these people here to help while
he was doing that?”
The male Enlil had been introduced to earlier named Gord answered her.
“We were helping him. Every Tellus for hundreds of miles helped him.
Only a member of royalty has the power to do what he did. He tapped into
the cumulative powers of every Tellus in the area. I didn’t even realize he
was Prince Hansi Alba. Our duty now is to care for him until he is fully
healed. We have to go.”
There were thousands of Tellus waiting below the bluff for the twenty or
so that had surrounded Brae’s partner to be carried down. Hans’s eyes
fluttered open, meeting Enlil’s, and he uttered a single sentence, barely
discernible: “Save her.”
“We will, thanks to you.” Enlil answered, though it was doubtful Hans
heard. The Prince had already been carted down the hill to his people.
Sargon took control, his voice booming over the group. As the SOSC
warrior leader for the western US, he held the highest rank. “Irsu, leave
your second in command and five members of your unit here to handle the
Morsdente’s remains and to organize the protection of Shane’s campus. You
and the other two plus your medic will go after Jess and Umbrae with
Shane and Enlil. Ediku, will you see to the protection of Gil’s campus?”
Enlil was aware Sargon had no say over Ediku, yet his son nodded in
agreement. When this was all over, maybe they could find their way back to
each other. Sargon continued. “Ninlil, Gil and I are going after Innanna.”
The four ported, and Enlil turned to Shane. “The mentor bond indicates
she’s close, but I can’t get a good read on her. What about you?” Enlil had
never seen the male so broken. Shane shook his head.
A teal blue energy rose over the bluff and hovered a few feet above their
heads. “Who are you?” Enlil asked the ghost. Shane was growling at what
must to him look like nothing.
The form of a male came into view. Until Brae, everyone thought the
shadowing bloodline had died out long ago, yet here was a second one.
What the hell? The male landed and tucked his wings in a non-threatening
manner. “I have been sent to bring you to where the females are being
held.” The male’s eyes were blue gray and he had dark hair like Brae. The
resemblance was remarkable. Who was he?
“Sent by whom?” Shane growled between clenched teeth.
Enlil snatched up Umbrae’s discarded chain and shoved it into his
pocket. The shadower watched him warily before he shifted his attention to
Shane fearlessly. “Does it matter? The females are being held in a heavily
lead- and platinum-fortified chamber beneath a house north of here, by
Lake Powell. Osiris has guards surrounding the area, so we can’t port in.
We can either fly or chortal-hop. The choice is yours.”
Osiris! Another shadower, thought to have been dead for thousands of
years until the SOSC heard rumors that Osiris had been behind the breeding
labs raided last year.
 Chapter Sixteen
Gil marched into the High chamber with his parents right behind him. He
was greeted with chaos. The usually subdued groups of High Ones and
Oracles were at each other’s throat.
“What the—” He heard his father say from behind him.
“Find Innanna.” Gil strode straight through in search of a short blonde.
They were so deep in arguments, no one paid him any mind. When he
couldn’t locate her, he looked for her parents. Adonia and Leanna were
likewise nowhere to be found. Then he spotted her brother and aunt leaning
against a far wall, silently watching the mayhem, and he headed toward
them.
“I was wondering when you would show up,” Laliel addressed him.
“Where’s Innanna?” He demanded.
Durian answered, not bothering to meet his eyes. “Sequestered.”
Arrogant ass. His resemblance to his sister was undeniable. His hair was
sandy blonde, his eyes a shade darker violet, yet he was two feet taller.
Even leaning against the wall, he was taller than Gil. “Awaiting the
decision.”
Gil looked around the chaos again. “What the hell is ev’ryone fightin’
‘bout?”
Durian turned to him like he was an idiot. “I just answered that.”
The Oracles and High Ones were fighting over his Innanna. The
decision? Who was on her side and who wanted her punished? “Tell me
who’s against her an’ I’ll put an end ta this battle right now.” Gil was more
than ready to fight.
Durian let out a snort of laughter while Laliel blinked at him. “My niece
always said you had an unusual sense of humor. You’re kidding, right?”
Hell no he wasn’t kidding! He’d set the place on fire to protect Innanna.
“Why ain’t ya two in there fightin’ ta save Innanna?” Gil narrowed his
eyes at them. Her parents were missing and her brother and aunt were
sitting on the sidelines. What kind of family abandoned their kin when they
needed them most? Sargon and Ninlil had just stepped in to have his back.
Why wasn’t her family doing the same?
 Durian barked out another laugh, and Gil wanted to punch him. Laliel
gave him a look of bafflement. “Save her from what? They’re fighting over
which sect she will lead. Both of her parents stepped down from their posts.
The High Ones panel wants her for speaker, and the Oracles want her to be
their presiding leader.”
“Maybe she should chair the SOSC,” his mother piped in. Gil gave her a
hard look. Not helping, Mom. She held her hands up, grinning. “She’d be
great at it.”
He took in the dueling members of the powerhouses, catching bits and
pieces of the bitch-fest. The fact that neither sect had a leader would explain
the chaos. “What does Innanna want?”
Laliel and Durian both looked at him. Laliel did the blinking thing at him
again. It was kind of endearing … in an annoying way. She looked to
Durian, who shrugged. The High panel Fates advisor placed two fingers to
her lips and let out a piercing stadium whistle, and the room silenced. Damn
girl. Gil liked her more already.
Laliel’s voice carried over the din. “Has anyone consulted Innanna?” The
room erupted again, that answered Gil’s question. Why the fuck Innanna
would want to lead any of these dipshits was beyond him.
“ENOUGH!” Sargon’s booming voice rendered the room to silence
again.
Durian stood from the wall. “I’ll ask my sister.”
Someone in the back shot out, “You’re on the panel. You might try to
influence her.” There were nods of agreement from the Oracles. Gil noticed
that Adonia and Leanna had entered from the smaller chamber, where they
must have been waiting.
Adonai spoke over the group. “Send Gil to her. He is the only one who
will care only for what Innanna wants.” This from the male that trapped
him under a holding weave. What a dick. Gil gave Adonai a nod, not hiding
his anger from the male. Hell yeah, he wanted to see her.
Luckily those present hadn’t gotten used to Adonia not having sway, and
it was agreed. “Follow me.” Durian led him through the Oracle chamber
into a hallway Gil doubted many knew existed. He stopped in the middle of
the wall. “Your psychic energy can’t open the entry. Knock when you are
ready to exit.” Durian’s hand glowed as he pressed it to the surface, which
then slid away and vanished. That was a cool trick.
 Innanna’s beautiful, tear-streaked eyes met his. “Gilgamesh.” She leapt
from the bed into his arms; nothing had ever felt so perfect.
“You have fifteen minutes,” Durian said behind him. Gil growled at the
male, hearing his chuckle fade behind the wall.
“I’m so sorry about the weave and Jess and Umbrae. There wasn’t time
to tell you. Umbrae and Enlil’s life depends on what happens … and your
parents, too. Please don’t be angry with me. My vision didn’t show Jess or
Umbrae being hurt … well, not permanently … I really believe they are
strong enough to take care of the situation.” Innanna’s guilt and regrets
were misplaced. Was he pissed to find out she had knowledge, if not an
active part in the holding weave placement? Hell yeah. And he looked
forward to fighting with her about it later. Fingers below her chin, he lifted
her beautiful face and surrendered to the only thing he wanted to do at this
moment—he crushed his lips to hers. Her sigh of longing set him on fire.
She met his tongue with hers, sinfully passionate in her abandon. Fifteen
minutes. Durian’s final comment penetrated the haze of lust he was being
swept into. Reluctantly he broke the kiss. Innanna’s eyes fluttered open.
“I love the way you kiss me.” She sighed, her smile lighting her face.
“Juss matchin’ yer skills, Darlin’.” He grinned back at her. “Ya got any
idea the mess yer creatin’ in the High chamber?”
Her ivory skin paled to pure white and she swallowed hard. “How many
want my death?” There was courage and acceptance in her voice.
Gil felt his anger rise. Those fuckers hadn’t even told her she wasn’t
being punished. They’d just left her in here to ponder the worst. Gil shook
his head and sat on the bed, taking her into his lap. She wiggled her bottom
tight against his erection. Vixon. Gil groaned and Innanna gave him a sexy
grin, wiggling more. Mine. The word floated through his mind.
His hand slid beneath her gown, and he touched the heat of her. Innanna
gasped and stilled against him. She was so wet, Gil had to tease her,
plunging a finger into her tight sheath as he watched the passion infuse her
eyes. Two could play at this game. He grinned, withdrew his finger and
brought her taste to his lips, sucking her flavor off his finger, reveling in
Innanna’s ragged breathing.
‘Yer a drug, Darlin’. Donna tempt the junkie. I gotta talk ta ya ‘bout
somethin’ important. Course if ya’d rather …” His handed headed under
her gown again. Innanna caught it at her knees.
 “You are incorrigible, you know that.” She chuckled.
He explained to her what was happening. Her eyes grew bigger and
bigger in her angelic face. “So here I am ta find out whatcha want,” Gil
finished.
“My parents have been talking about stepping down for centuries. I never
thought either of them actually would.” She continued to stare at him,
causing his leathers to become more uncomfortable where his erection was
pressed to her sweet bottom. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think. This is
so sudden. Do I have to decide this instant?”
Gil told her about the chaos in the other chamber. “Much as I’d like ta
tell ya no, take all the time ya want, I think ya better choose, ev’n if yer
choice is ta tell ‘em all ta kiss yer ass. Unless ya want ‘em ta kill each other
ov’r ya.” Innanna didn’t even crack a smile, telling him how serious this
was to her.
“I have aided my mother with the Oracles my whole life. I guess I’d
prefer to preside over them and represent their interests to the High Ones
panel and the SOSC. There are others more qualified to be speaker of the
High Ones.” Her eyes widened again. “That is if you support that. I can tell
them all to kiss my ass, too.”
His phrase coming out of her mouth was his undoing. How could he not
fall hopelessly madly in love with this female? Gil’s voice caught. “I—” he
paused to clear his throat, trapped in the violet depth of her questioning
gaze. She’d already proven she was willing to give up everything for him.
The thought humbled him to his core. “I will support ya in any thin’ ya
want. I will always stand behind ya. Bank on it, Darlin’.” It was the closest
thing to a commitment he’d ever given a female.
Her smile was dazzling. “Oracles,” she declared. The light in her eyes
made her more beautiful, if that was possible. He could see she was excited
about the opportunity.
He hadn’t heard the wall vanish. “That fucking figures.” Durian’s words
were harsh, but his expression was teasing. The love between Innanna and
her brother had never been more pronounced. “You just turned my life to
shit. I hope you’re happy.”
Innanna laughed, her eyes twinkling. “That was my thinking exactly. I
told you I’d get even for you being such a pain in the ass. Taadah.” Innanna
held her hands out at her shoulders. This was a side to Innanna Gil had
never seen before. He only saw her family under the weight of obligations,
never imagining that away from that they were a normal, loving group.
Durian laughed. “Well, since they now want to hear you give them your
answer, the joke’s on you, baby sister.”
Innanna’s face fell and she paled again. Gil whispered in her ear, “I’m
right behind ya.” She nodded, relief showing on her face.
Together they followed Durian back into the chamber.
****
Ediku walked up to Gil’s house after porting in beside the chortal. With
the preparations for the survivors ball going on, it was the safest place he
could think of. Meshy Hell usually housed a few hundred youths at any
given time, plus the staff. With everything going on, the compound was
crowded with easily three times that many people. More than a hundred
trained warriors were on site for security, plus the warrior guests from the
rescue missions. First order of business was to locate Gil’s second in
command. Someone pointed at the male he needed to speak with … Patrick.
The male looked up, meeting Edik’s gaze, and his knees went weak. He
should have realized it would be Patrick. He’d heard that Patrick had
accepted a lieutenant commandant position with Gil a few decades back.
Until this minute, with the male striding toward him across the campus, he
hadn’t put together that he would have to brief this particular male for the
protection of the campus.
He’d only seen Patrick once since the male had walked out on their
relationship two hundred years ago. That had been at the first location the
SOSC had raided last year. Patrick had been engaged in battle with one of
the enemy soldiers. His muscles flexed powerfully when he swung the
curved saber, filling Edik with longing and reminding him again of how
much he had lost. Regrets reared up in him. Their eyes had met for a single
moment across the battlefield, and then Patrick had never acknowledged
him again.
He deserved to be shunned; Patrick had faced and conquered his coming
out. How could Ediku blame him for refusing to return to the closet because
of Edik’s lack of courage in doing the same? Edik had never stopped loving
him, though. Just the sight of him sent butterflies through him. Seeing him
cross his arms over his chest, staring blankly while Ediku apprised him of
the situation was heart wrenching.
Patrick listened and nodded. “I will see to it and report back to you
shortly.” Then he turned and strode away, nothing indicating that he had
ever given Ediku any thought whatsoever. Then again, why would he?
His spirits lifted when he heard, “G-pa E!” Jorie ran at him full throttle.
He opened his arms to capture his granddaughter, swinging her in an arc to
hear her squeal.
It had been a few weeks after Patrick had left that he’d given in to a
moment of weakness that resulted in Jorie and Jess’s mothers. He hadn’t
known that Marjorie had been pregnant with his twins when she’d left his
land. Truth was, he’d never thought of her at all until last year when his
liaison with the woman had come home to roost. Jess’s existence had been
learned of first, followed by the revelation of Moira and Jorie. Jess’s mother
had died before he’d ever gotten a chance to meet her.
It had been a dream of Patrick’s to adopt a Hulven child. Back then they
were being dropped into orphanages right and left. Wonder if Patrick knew
Ediku was a father and grandfather now? How would the knowledge make
him feel? Ediku pushed the thoughts away to focus on enjoying his
granddaughter.
“What are you doing here, Jorjor?” He asked, keeping things light. That
was about all he was capable of with his woulda-coulda-shoulda thoughts
racing through his mind.
Jorie slumped her shoulders in exasperation. “Mother is working me like
a dog.” Enlil had to laugh at the girl’s animated dramatics. Jorie was a
character.
“Really?” He’d never known Jorie to be unwilling to jump in and help
whether her help was wanted or not.
“I had to get the whole nursery/daycare ready, and make a schedule for
the older kids who are babysitting, and I had to come up with games and
activities and snacks, and I have to take two of the shifts. Seems to me I
should just get to be in charge, but nnnooo, there’s gotta be a grown up
there at all times. Completely bogus.” Jorie’s blue eyes, so like his, flashed
in annoyance.
He looked over to see Patrick striding over, and the air left his lungs.
“Patrick!” Jorie reached up to the male, connecting a perfect high five.
“Have you met my G-pa E?” In a perfect world, Jorie would have never had
to ask Patrick that question.
Ediku searched Patrick’s face for any reaction to Jorie’s innocent
question. Patrick just ruffled Jorie’s curls, giving nothing away. “We’ve
met. What are you doing out here slacking? I thought you were being slave
driven by your mom?” Patrick more than knew about Jorie; they’d
apparently become friends. Jorie made friends with everyone. She was just
that kind of a kid.
“Yeah.” Jorie shifted from foot to foot, tapping her chin. “I guess I better
get back.” Jorie gave Ediku a big hug, whispering in his ear loud enough for
Patrick to hear, “I’m glad you’re here. Someone needs to be on my side of
stuff for awhile. I love you, G-pa.” She kissed his cheeks and ran back in
the house.
Ediku had watched Patrick the entire time. The male had simply kept his
grin. Ediku turned to watch Jorie till she was out of sight. He would drown
in the sight of the male if he didn’t. Only when the door had shut behind
Jorie did he turn back to face Patrick.
Patrick had his thumbs hooked in the pockets of his leathers. Ediku had
always liked his height. His hair hung to his shoulders, and Ediku
remembered the velvet softness of the strands. “She’s a charmer. Of course,
all three of your female offspring are amazing.”
He was proud of his descendants. Who wouldn’t be? He couldn’t say that
without his heart in his throat. All he could do was give Patrick a weak
smile. Thankfully, Patrick didn’t seem to notice. Even better, he continued
to talk, his voice rolling over Ediku like a caress. “I sparred with Jess once.
She’s tough, going to make one hell of a warrior. I’m sure that makes your
father proud.”
One of the reasons Ediku had been so reluctant to tell his family was
because he’d already felt like a disappointment to his father for his lack of
warrior skills. He took after his mother’s love of land and farming. Patrick’s
comment wasn’t meant to hurt him the way it did. If only he’d had the
courage to face Enlil with the truth about Patrick long ago, maybe he and
Patrick would still be together.
Patrick’s look was expectant. Ediku still could not come up with
something to say. Yes, his father was proud of Jess? That was a given. Yes,
his daughter and granddaughters were amazing? It wasn’t like he’d had a lot
to do with that. Patrick finally just sighed and shook his head. “The campus
is secured. I will let you know if anything happens.” He turned and walked
away. Patrick had extended a bridge of at least friendship to him, and he
froze, demonstrating yet again that he was incapable of meeting the male he
wanted most in the world half-way. Patrick had been right to leave Ediku
wallowing in his pathetic shortcomings, both then and now.
 Chapter Seventeen
Umbrae clawed her way out of the darkness, the echoes of nightmares
nipping at her heels. The chains binding her ankles and wrist were all too
familiar. The moments before the dart hit her sped through her mind. She’d
just reached to release the collar from Jess when a dart hit Jess in the neck,
knocking her down. Stupidly she’d released her shadow, followed by the
slam of the dart hitting her arm, and after that, nothing. Still groggy, she
opened her eyes and the room slowly came into focus.
At first the room lacked a clear purpose. Her bindings were anchored to a
plush chair that could be showcased in a museum, except that it had been
modified with restraining hooks. The entire room resembled a rich torture
chamber. The walls were quilted red velvet with bondage equipment,
chains, and hooks at intermittent points. Jess hung against one of the walls
secured by both ankles. She hung limply from her cuffed wrists. Her hair
completely obscured her face. Umbrae nearly vomited with dawning
realization. This room was meant for sex slavery and bondage.
Zakel had once given her to a sadist for a night in trade for an Aquatie
child. The male had nearly killed her. The room the male had used lacked
the wealth of this one, but the equipment hanging against the walls were the
same. She remembered the feel of each tool. When Zakel had picked her up
the next morning, the male had offered to purchase her. She’d been so
grateful when Zakel had refused. Please, Fates, let this not be happening.
She looked at Jess again. At least whoever had taken them had not
removed either of their clothing … yet. Other than the ache in her arm
where the dart had hit her, she wasn’t in any pain, and Jess seemed likewise
unhurt. A male with a tattooed face solidified, sitting on the edge of a
bondage table across from her.
“Hello, Umbrae. I’d hope you would be the one to wake up first. It will
give us a chance to talk.” His voice was high-pitched. “I have longed for the
connection of family.”
Family? He’d come out of shadow. “What do you want with us?”
“Us?” The male gave her a grin that made Umbrae’s skin crawl. “Tell me
you are not throwing your lot in with that.” He thumbed toward where Jess
hung. “Show some pride. She is well beneath you and me.”
 Umbrae hoped he didn’t notice that Jess had moved. Jess was faking her
sedation. Umbrae wished she had thought to do that. She needed to keep the
males interest on her and away from Jess. “Who are you?” The guy held
himself in high regard; maybe she could get him talking about himself.
“I am Osiris Sicarius. Until you, I believed I was the only surviving
member of the Sicarius assassin bloodline. The question is, how you are
possible?” Oh, shit, he was going to play quid pro quo.
“I don’t know. I was dropped off at an orphanage right after I was born.”
She tried to keep her answers short. “Why do you think I am your family?”
“You’re a ghost. The shadowing ability was an exclusive Sicarius trait.
The same way the siphon ability has remained pure to the Lils’ inferior
bloodline.” He answered unhurriedly, gracing Jess with a disgusted glare.
She refused to bite on his second try at baiting her. He’d now referred to
Jess as beneath her and of inferior bloodline. “If I am your family, why do
you have me chained?”
“I’d thought with your history you would find it comfortable.” His grin
was evil. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the chair; failing to give him
the attention he felt he deserved was the only power she had at the moment.
How dare he make light of the time she’d spent under the control of Zakel?
She’d take Enlil’s inferior bloodline any day over this guy.
After a few minutes he spoke again, his voice coming from behind her.
“Well, since you seem to have no further questions. Where is my chain?”
Umbrae opened her eyes refusing to answer. She heard a whoosh of a
whip cutting through the air. A bright red line lit across Jess’s arm, quickly
rising to a welt. Somehow the female stayed limp and quiet. The cat-o’-nine
tails was clutched in Osiris’s hand, and a glint of sexual arousal lurked in
his eyes. The male had enjoyed whipping Jess’s limp body. “Would you
prefer I ask you again after she awakens? This is a mild tool to inflict pain. I
have others much more effective.” His hand in presentation, he indicated
the items hanging from the walls.
Umbrae swallowed. “My throat is dry and it hurts to talk. Besides, what
difference does it make if you hurt her, you’re planning to kill her anyway.”
It was a lame deflection of his question, yet Osiris responded to it.
“I have no intention of killing her, or you, far from it. Hulven females of
your caliber are not easy to come by. Her bloodline can be improved upon
in time. She may have no worth, but a child from her could have
tremendous value.” His voice trailed off. He glanced sharply toward the
entry next to Jess. “I will get you a glass of water.” The wall beside Jess slid
away. Umbrae could see guards lining the hallway. The base of a set of
stairs was also visible. The wall sealed behind him.
Jess’s head popped up slightly. Behind the fall of her hair Umbrae could
see her eyes sweep the room. “He’s gone.” Jess announced careful to not
move too much. “Do the straps at my ankles have buckles or cuffs?”
If even a hair moved on Jess’s head, Osiris would know she was faking.
Umbrae looked close at the female’s ankles. “Buckles on your ankles, cuffs
on your wrists. Why?”
“What about you, buckles or cuffs?” Jess didn’t answer her question.
“All buckles.”
Jess lifted up slightly, giving the cuff at her wrist slack. She clasped her
fingers over her thumb, and Umbrae heard a soft pop. Extending her fingers
straight, Jess slipped her hand out of the cuff. Repeating the process with
the other hand, keeping her hair across her face, she reached down and
unhooked the buckles at her ankles.
“How did you do that?” Umbrae watched her, amazed.
“Old party trick. I can dislocate my thumbs. I’m going to release you.
Shadow and wait by the door for him to come in. When he does, you need
to slip out and get help.” She was undoing Umbrae’s wrist.
“What about you?” Umbrae quickly leaned down to undo her ankles.
“I’m going to slip back into the cuffs and continue to pretend to be
sedated. Once they realize you are gone, hopefully they will be so busy
searching for you, they will either leave me alone until help gets here, or
forget me altogether so I can slip out of here too.” Jess leaned over to redo
the straps on her ankle.
When the wall slid open, Jess’s head snapped up. Umbrae shadowed and
moved toward the door. Jess crouched into fight position and punched out at
air. The blow was stopped short, the sound flesh on flesh. The wall closed
before Umbrae could duck out, but she caught a glimpse of the guard’s
dead, glazed eyes. What the hell?
****
“Quit chatting and find out where my chain is.” Osiris stood nose to nose
with Six. “You should have strip-searched them already.”
 “I thought creating a sense of fear might make them willing to give up
the information faster, sire.” His son tried to step back. Osiris held him
locked in place using his paternal bond.
“There are few places female’s can hide small items … if you get my
meaning. It was in their possession when we tranq’d them. It is still in their
possession … somewhere. If it could be found by interrogation I would
have done it myself.” The thought of actually touching the females made
Osiris nauseous.
A position not shared by Six, going by the glint of lust in his eye. “And
our agreement?”
Osiris pinned Six with a stare. “Stands. You bring me my chain and
return the females to me in twenty-four hour. As long as you don’t kill her,
you can do whatever you like to the siphon. Umbrae, however, is off limits.
I will be in my office.” He had no interest in seeing his son’s “search” style.
When he’d inspected his son’s home for security earlier, the sex room had
mildly surprised him. It was lined with thick lead and platinum, so Osiris
had agreed to the females being brought there. It was close and effective.
As long as his sons did his bidding, no questions asked, and remained loyal,
he couldn’t care less how they spent their … free time.
“I’ll have it to you within the hour,” Six assured him with a nod.
Osiris released the paternal bond so his son could leave the room. The
smell of blood wafted into the room. If Six killed Jess, Osiris would kill
him. Though there was a good chance Jess would wish she were dead
before the day was through. Observing in complete safety should go far to
make Umbrae more secure in her future. Her children would be Osiris’s
legacy. Which meant her breeding would be strictly controlled. All he
wanted at that moment was his father’s chain.
****
Enlil quickly determined the fastest route. They would risk the port to the
side of Lake Powell furthest from the place the ghost had described. They
then would fly over the huge body of water to reach the compound on the
other side. Enlil had taken up Ediku’s discarded sword while Shane had
armed in seconds.
The moon was huge, reflecting off the serene surface of the lake. Enlil
wondered if Brae might like to fly over a moonlit lake. No sooner had the
thought crossed his mind than he caught the drifting scent of peppermint.
They’d picked up the flight pattern the females had been taken on. The
twinkle of light from behind the weave surrounding the compound came
into view.
Just before landing, their escort shadowed. A dozen guards came rushing
out of buildings and different parts of the large spread. Whoever owned the
property was obviously very wealthy. That wasn’t too surprising; wealth
and longevity went hand in hand. Enlil would bet the males who had taken
Jess and Brae had been hired mercenaries. It was a common field for
warriors who didn’t want to integrate into the SOSC or humanity. The High
Ones or the Oracles occasionally contracted them, but mostly they worked
for the highest bidder.
Several of the males took flight to intercept them in the air. Enlil
followed the blue streak of the shadowed male. The shadow hovered above
the path of the first incoming guard. The guard passed below the teal-blue,
misty color and began shrieking when one of his wings separated from his
back, plunging him into the dark water below. Enlil’s first look at the
assassin bloodline in action was awe-inspiring. Brae had the potential to be
just as effective. Four others dodged their falling comrade. The blue mist
dispatched the fifth as fast as he had the first, before continuing toward the
compound. He watched the mist descend behind the guards on the ground
who had watched the action in the sky. One by one the guards began to go
down with their throats cut. Unbelievable.
The clash of metal on metal beside him brought his attention back. One
of the guards had engaged Shane. Two more were battling Irsu and the two
members from her unit. Another was headed straight for Enlil He held a
long stun wand that resembled a riding crop in one hand, a short sword in
the other.
Enlil swung his sword to deflect the wand, the weapon merely flexed and
snapped back. The burn of the sword cut along his ribcage. The flexible
weaponry his opponent had chosen was not something Enlil was familiar
with, though of the two weapons it was by far the most dangerous. Any
contact would send an electrical charge into him, temporarily shorting out
his body functions. He ignored the blood running down his side from the
superficial wound and sheathed the useless sword. The male launched his
second attack. Enlil waited until the last second and then tucked his wings
flat to his back; streamlining his body, he dropped below the combatant and
reached up with his wing fingers, snatching the guard’s ankle. Pivoting in
the air, he gave a hard flap of his wings to rise up behind the guard, grasped
his head, and snapped his neck. Quickly adjusting his hold to the guard’s
wings, he centered his foot to the guard’s spine and ripped his wings off.
The body plunged into the water below. Enlil dropped the wings without
ceremony.
Irsu and one of her men supported the weight of the third between them,
though the guards they had been fighting were also bobbing in the lake
beside the ones he, Shane, and the assassin had dispatched. Where is
Shane? Enlil turned to the shoreline to see Shane land. The remaining
guards had figured out they were being attacked by an unseen assailant.
Most were whipping wands in quick circles, holding the teal-blue mist at
bay. One noticed Shane land and turned to engage him. The teal-blue mist
began to slowly move in the direction of the one that intended to intercept
Shane. The mist was so intent on the object of his focus, he didn’t realize he
was in range of the scythes Shane welded.
Enlil shouted out to Shane. “Shane, drop.” Thinking someone was
coming up behind him Shane followed Enlil’s direction, rolling away from
the arcing wand of the frontal attack. The guard’s head fell to the ground
beside Shane. A stunned expression graced Shane’s face then he rolled
again to avoid the collapsing body of the decapitated guard. Unseen arms
lifted Shane back to his feet and shook his hand.
Enlil and the others came to land beside Shane. Irsu and her remaining
warrior gently laid the tased warrior to the ground, drew their weapons, and
took position with Enlil and Shane. The guards began to advance on them,
intermittently swinging the wands in protection.
“Try to take out their limbs rather than the wands.” Shane whispered. He
must have seen Enlil’s frustration with battling the wands in the sky. Enlil
pulled his sword with a nod. Tracking the blue mist coming up at the rear of
the advancing group; the shadowed male was an advantage Enlil
appreciated. The number of guards they now faced had been more than cut
in half by the effective dispatch of the assassin.
“You don’t want to be directly in front of me.” Though he addressed the
two guards who had targeted him, he saw the blue mist shift out of his path.
Thank goodness the assassin had understood his message. Enlil tapped into
his power, targeting the two guards, and began siphoning their energy.
Taking advantage of their rapidly weakened state, Enlil sliced through the
wand arm of the guard nearest him. Undeterred, the guard lunged at him
with a dagger. Enlil spun out of range; the continuity of his momentum
flowed to the arc of his sword and cut through the guard’s neck.
He turned to engage the second guard. Fully drained of energy the guard,
dropped to his knees without aggression. He pounded the handle of his
sword to the guard’s temple, finishing the job. It would be good to keep one
alive for now.
Shane had already killed one of his guards and was making short work of
another. The warrior from Irsu’s unit likewise had his battle nearly won.
Irsu herself faced three guards. The female was holding the guards at bay,
but the arcing wands were coming closer to her. The blue mist stepped into
range of the trio challenging Irsu. The ghost expertly dodged Irsu’s
defensive moves to reach his mark, and blood suddenly splattered across
Irsu’s face from the removal of the arm that held the wand. Her blade
removed the amputated guard’s head an instant later. The teal-blue mist had
moved on to the next. Realizing the two who remained had distanced
themselves to come at Irsu from opposite sides, Enlil targeted the third with
his power while Irsu advanced on the one he weakened, making short work
of the guard. Enlil reigned in his siphon before it could harm Irsu. She
pivoted in time to again be sprayed with the blood of the final guard, his
throat cut by the teal-blue mist.
Their ragged breathing was the only sound that remained in the ensuing
silence.
The shadowed male manifested next to Irsu, his appearance startling her,
and she swung her blade in defense. The assassin hit the grass below the
swipe of her blade and began laughing. “Nice,” the assassin said, lying at
Irsu’s feet.
Irsu had brought her hand to her mouth. “Oh, Fates, I’m sorry.”
The male had a few injuries, and he too was splattered in blood. “Don’t
be. That was a stupid move on my part. I haven’t fought alongside real
warriors before.” The male was still grinning up at Irsu. She dropped her
hand from her mouth and extended it to help the male to his feet, then
dashed off to help her warrior with their fallen member. Enlil joined Shane
to face the male ghost who was watching Irsu run.
 “Where’s Jess?” Shane shook with adrenalin.
“They are in a room in the basement of the main house. Follow me.” The
assassin stomped through the blood-soaked dirt. That he gave Enlil and
Shane his back showed that he trusted them. Someone had already killed
the guards they encountered inside the dwelling. Enlil counted ten dead
between the front door and the stairwell.
He heard voices coming from below and tightened his grip on the sword,
noting Shane’s tension beside him. The assassin mumbled, “Asshole could
have left us a few more.” Who was he referring too?
 Chapter Eighteen
“Who are you?” Jess asked. She leaned in and palm-heeled the air. A low
male grunt came from the space in front of the female. Grip marks appeared
on Jess’s upper arms where her attacker held them. Jess must have surprised
the male when she went limp and dropped down. Using the grip on her
arms for balance, she kicked out with her feet, connecting hard with her
unseen attacker, who grunted again.
“Stop!” a deep voice whispered. “If I wanted to hurt you, you’d be dead
already. I’m here to help my … Umbrae.”
“Then let me go!” Jess snapped.
Umbrae used the marks on Jess’s arms to target the male. With all her
strength she brought her elbow down at what should be the male’s arm, and
she felt his grip on Jess give way. She circled between Jess and thin air to
bring her other elbow down across the opposite wrist. And pushed back
against the solid chest she couldn’t see.
Jess stumbled back, free from her attacker. The female warrior resumed a
fighting position. A sigh sent Umbrae after the ghost until she noticed Jess
looking in an entirely different direction. What was going on?
The deep voice whispered, “Give this to Umbrae. You need to be her
sight. Guide her through the fight with Osiris.” A sword materialized in
Jess’s hand.
Jess looked down at the weapon in her hand and then back at whatever
she saw with a nod. She unerringly stepped over to Umbrae and handed off
the sword. Umbrae could feel the metal conductivity work with her ability.
A weapon made of the same unknown material as her chain. It shadowed
with her, firm in her grip. Jess’s next words filled her with dread.
“Who are all of you?” Jess asked. Umbrae wanted to ask how many she
meant, but she knew silence was her best ally when shadowed. No
answered followed. Jess was looking around the room—apparently there
were many of them. Jess’s eyes never even paused when they passed where
Umbrae stood, not giving away her position.
From the furthest corner the deep voice whispered again. “I am Eros
Sicarius. If you need to distract Osiris, use my name. He believes he’s safe
with your siphon abilities muted in this room.” Eros gave a cynical snort.
“Hell, so did I. Very glad you proved me wrong, ladies.”
Jess stared into the corner behind her. “If my abilities are muted, why
aren’t yours?”
“Shadowing uses internal psychic energy. Siphoning requires energy
transfer externally,” he answered. Jess seemed to relax somewhat. “That
said, you are still a very dangerous young warrior.”
“Jess. My name is Jess Einar. How are there six of you?” Jess asked,
giving Umbrae the answer to her question. Umbrae liked Jess more and
more. The female had smarts.
Rather than answer; Eros addressed her directly. “Umbrae, do you want
this fight with Osiris?”
Umbrae felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Eros was giving
her a choice? Just like the people in the SOSC had given her since the day
of her rescue. “Yes.” If Osiris was her family, it was her responsibility to
take him out.
Jess opened her mouth when the wall slid open once more. “Oh, shit.”
How could Jess tell who was who? “Umbrae, my twelve o’clock, four feet.”
Following the instruction, Umbrae lunged, feeling the tip of the blade
nick flesh, and then quickly moved to a new position.
“Your two o’clock. Duck!” Jess called out.
Umbrae dropped, pushing into thin air with the sword. Jess crouched into
a fighting position. Invisible hands yanked her backward. The sound of
swords crossing in front of Jess gave Umbrae some relief. Eros had
protected the female.
Jess’s eyes tracked the path of Osiris. “Six feet, my one o’clock, two
three.”
Umbra was able to get a clear line on Osiris’s movements with Jess’s
guidance. Anticipating his momentum she stepped into position and sliced
at neck height with the blade, pushing through the resistance she met. Wet
droplets peppered her face. Osiris manifested, his mouth working silently,
falling toward her. His head slid free before his body hit the ground.
Umbrae raised the sword and changed position again; there were still six
ghosts in the room.
She edged toward the open doorway, aware that Jess could see her
progress. If Jess could, she’d follow; if she didn’t follow, Umbrae would
work her way to her side. Two males appeared on either side of the door,
another next to Osiris’s fallen form. Two more were between her and Jess,
swords crossed protectively in front of the female. Another was in the
corner behind Jess where the voice had whispered. He had blood on his lip.
Six huge males that could shadow and communicate enough to keep track
of one another’s positions was more than Umbrae could win against, though
she would die trying.
“Your brothers will not harm you, Umbrae.” The male in the corner
offered in her general direction. “You can drop your shadow.” Brothers?
She glanced to the faces of the males surrounding her.
Jess kept her eyes averted, letting Umbrae make up her mind without
giving her shifting positions away. “Maybe you should introduce
yourselves.” Jess suggested to Eros.
“Boys, introduce yourselves.” Eros leaned casually against the corner
where he stood.
The one beside Osiris spoke first. “I am Victor.” The two on either side
of Jess looked identical to each other.
“Brock.” On the right.
“Baden.” On the left.
She turned to the two still standing on either side of the entry. Both males
seemed amused. Brothers? The question floated through her mind again.
“Jacob.” The male on the left spoke first.
“I’m not introducing myself if she’s going to hide from us.” The male on
the right of the door stated.
Eros sighed “Fine, he’s Daniel.” The male at the door turned to the one
on the opposite side, annoyed, but Jacob shrugged. “You’ve met us; will
you allow us to meet you?”
She looked and took a moment to search each of the males’ faces. If they
meant no harm, why did they continue to surround Jess? She worked her
way over to Jess and grabbed her hand, towing the female out the open
doorway. Jess stopped in the hallway. Umbrae tried to tug her further, but
she refused to budge.
“Umbrae, they all look just like you, they can do what you do, they gave
you a sword and told us how to defeat Osiris, and they are not threatening
us. I think you should hear what they have to say.” Jess crossed her arms
over her chest, the same pose she remembered Etana doing in her
memories. Umbrae dropped her shadow and followed Jess back into the
room. Jess’s expression became distracted and she smiled. “Shane’s here.”
She clapped her hands in front of her chest. That would mean Enlil was
almost here too … she hoped. Umbrae felt a shiver of anticipation.
“I’m sorry. I guess I should be thanking you.” Umbrae cleared her throat.
“I have trust issues.” She tried for a jest; Fates, she sucked at sarcasm.
“You did well, Umbrae. You have no reason to be sorry or to thank us.
We only learned of your existence a few weeks ago. It is I who should be
apologizing to you … daughter.” There was sadness in Eros’s eyes.
Daughter? She turned to Jess, who was smiling at her. The female was no
help at all. “If you didn’t know about me, how can I be your daughter?” She
slid back into the bondage chair. It wasn’t like she could win a fight against
them anyway. She probably should sit for this.
Eros stood from the wall to pace back and forth. “I loved every one of
your brothers’ moms. All of the women I have loved have been heredity.
Four of those women married me, lived their mortal lives with me, and bore
me sons. They all knew what I was, what their sons were.” Eros pause his
jaw ticked and his voice held sorrow when he resumed. “The last woman I
loved was your mother. I showed her my true form before we married, but
after our wedding night she fled me. I searched for months, only to learn
she’d taken her own life. I didn’t detect her fertility, and there was never
any mention of her having been pregnant or having a child.”
“How do you know I am from that union then?” This was all too much.
The boys looked at each other.
“I went to kill my nephew.” He used his chin to indicative Osiris’s body.
“I overheard Osiris when he contacted the Morsdente and gave him the
information on how to find you and Jess in Mesa.” Umbrae looked over to
the body and her stomach rolled. She’d killed her cousin. The knowledge
didn’t negate her feeling of righteous empowerment. Kin or not Osiris was
a monster. “I spent thousands of years searching for the Aquatie prince who
killed my brother Tenebrae. When I found him, I learned the truth. The
prince had ordered the destruction of Atlantis, and I was severely injured,
though Tenebrae thought me dead. He volunteered to avenge the Volaticus.
Osiris betrayed his own father to the Aquatie prince. The prince ambushed
Tenebrae, boiled him, and sent his body back to the High Ones as a
warning.” His eyes glanced at the body of Osiris again, filled with sadness.
What kind of son betrays his own father?
“I decided to see why he was searching for two young Hulven females
before destroying him.” Eros shrugged.
Umbrae met Jess’s gaze. Truth was, she still had no idea why Osiris had
kidnapped her and Jess. His reference to a longing for family was pretty
well mute in the face of his betrayal of his father. Only one reason made
sense to her.
“Judging from this room, I’d say he wanted us for sex slaves or brood
mares,” Umbrae offered, seeing Jess flinch out of the corner of her eye.
“I suspect he wanted to mate with … Jess, though I doubt that was his
primary objective,” Eros said. “Jess’s abilities make her one of our
bloodline’s weaknesses. He knew you were family somehow, so I doubt he
held that intent with you. That may have been another reason to capture you
both. Perhaps he was trying to circumvent the Fates and inadvertently
brought his destiny to pass. Tenebrae told me an Oracle had told Osiris he
would be killed by a shadowed siphon. However, that is not the real Osiris.”
He shot the corpse an angry glare.
A long sigh warned he was getting back to Umbrae being his child.
“While we were looking into you and Jess, Victor accessed your personnel
file with the SOSC. It stated you were a shadower. We used the information
we found in it to track down the orphanage you’d originally been kidnapped
from. We thought we’d hit a dead end when we found it in ruins. Until we
found several dispatches in the Vatican’s archived files, dispatches that had
been sent by one of the nuns at the orphanage. Some of them referred to
you. One gave the date you were sent into the anonymous orphan intake
cylinder. It was the day your mother was said to have committed suicide.
We returned to Scotland and learned that you had left for Mesa. We ported
into the desert and heard rifle shots. We followed Osiris and his guards
here.”
“I have five brothers,” Umbrae whispered as the sound of footsteps
pounded down the stairs. Eros and her brothers shadowed.
“Six.” Another male entered and plopped on the floor next to her chair,
smiling. “Sorry I’m late. I’m Othos. Thanks for leaving us some scraps. We
had a hell of a fight.” She couldn’t help but smile back.
 “Brae.” She looked toward the door, hearing Enlil’s voice, full of
emotion. He stepped into the room and looked her head to foot. Stepping
aside, he allowed Shane to catch a squealing Jess in his arms.
 Chapter Nineteen
Enlil heard Brae’s sweet voice waft up the stairs to him. “I have five
brothers?” Their escort grinned and pounded headlong down the stairs and
through a hallway. He heard the assassin introduce himself as he entered the
door to see Brae bestow Othos a beautiful smile. His breath caught in his
throat, and then he counted the different shade of mists scattered through
the room. If the assassins wanted them dead, they would be.
He looked to Jess; her line of sight told him there was someone behind
him that must have been just inside the door. In his rush to see Brae with his
own eyes, he’d let his guard down to that possibility. He saw another
standing at the other side of the doorway. Hoping to place himself between
Shane and at least one side of danger he stepped back and to the side. He
felt the tip of a blade make contact with his back at the level of his kidney.
Jess ran at the doorway into Shane’s arms turning to place herself
between her mate and the threat he was unable to see. Brae ruffled Othos
hair then launched out of the chair into Enlil arms. Oh, sweet Fates, she felt
perfect against him. Gathering her to his chest he felt the tip of the blade
sink into his back an inch before the person holding the blade could react to
Brae’s momentum. Enlil couldn’t care less—she was safe, unharmed. Her
peppermint smell enfolded him. The mists dropped their shadows one by
one, revealing male after male. Each looked at him with suspicion. If what
he’d heard on his way into the room was true, he was hugging the baby
sister of the most lethal males he’d ever encountered. With Brae in his arms,
he cared little what they thought at the moment.
“You’re heart is pounding and your side is bleeding.” She lifted her face
to look at him. “You need blood.” She raised her wrist to him. “Take mine.”
Enlil’s dentes slid into place, his mouth watering for a taste of her.
Instead of sinking into her vein he kissed her, trying to keep his touch
tender and feather-light against her lips. He saw her eyes widen, the stormy
dove gray swirled, and she leaned into him with a sigh. He had to stop; this
was not the time or the place. He lifted from her sweet taste reluctantly.
Placing his forehead to hers, he whispered, sure that most would be able
to hear him. Still he couldn’t seem to care. “Do you really want to make a
bond with me here? There’s a good chance I will fall into rapture.” His
voice was thick with lust. He saw Shane and Jess look at each other out of
the corner of his eye. That didn’t matter either. Only Brae mattered, no one
else. He no longer wanted to go to ground. Umbrae had been in danger. She
might have been hurt or … killed. She was the hope of the Volaticus
species. His bloodmate anew. Coming this close to losing her had brought a
stark clarity to his desire to claim her and the feeling he already had
towards her. True bloodmating were emotionally fast and furious.
The stormy dove-gray of her eyes continued to swirl as a parade of
expressions crossed her beautiful face. She opened her mouth to speak and
then shut it again, shaking her head, no. The fact that she had offered to heal
him knowing it would create a bond was a gift of such value, it was
humbling.
Brae nervously glanced around, taking in the stunned faces of Jess and
Shane, then the two brothers who were near them. She met Enlil’s eyes
again, and whispered back to him, “Is rapture good or bad?” Enlil couldn’t
help but laugh. Brae’s face flushed.
Enlil sobered quickly to reassure her. “Whether it’s good or bad will be a
decision only you can make” She gave him a shaky smile. She’d picked up
on his meaning, not that it was well disguised. Hell, everyone in the room
knew what he meant. Enlil figured he’d better change the subject for now.
“Tell me how you come to have brothers.”
“My … father—” Brae turned to look at the male leaning casually in the
corner, who nodded at her and smiled “—was just explaining that to me.”
Ancient power rolled off the male. His energy rippled around him, a pure
ocean blue.
The male stepped from the wall and extended his hand to Enlil. Retaining
his hold on Brae, Enlil shook it. “Eros Sicarius, I know who you are. I knew
your grandfather well. He and my brother were best friends.” Enlil had
grown up with his grand father telling him stories of the ghost brothers. His
grandfather had thought they were both dead. “He was a brave and
honorable warrior. I was very sorry to hear of his passing.” Enlil’s
grandfather had also been his mentor. He’d died in a rare battle against the
Tellus during the species’ enlightening three thousand years ago. Enlil had
been devastated by the loss. It had been meeting Etana that healed his
heartbreak.
 “What say we return to Mesa to continue this conversation?” Brae
offered. Her eyes kept glancing at the dead male against the far wall. They
exited back into the yard. Irsu’s fallen warrior had regained consciousness.
The medic they’d had stay on the opposite side of the lake was now onsite
and dispensing blood to him. When he saw Enlil, he brought a pint over.
Enlil sank his dentes through the plastic, not bothering with formalities.
Brae’s gray eyes never left his face. He could see her concern for his
injuries. He also noted the way all but Othos tensed when Irsu raced over to
hug Umbrae and then moved on to hug Shane and Jess.
Jess stepped up to Enlil and stretched on her tiptoes to place a kiss to
Enlil’s cheek. “Shane and I are going to Gil’s.” She addressed the group.
“You’re welcome to our home.” Then she glanced to Brae before meeting
Enlil’s gaze again. She bit her lip before continuing. “Feel free to take the
master suite. We won’t need it.” Enlil looked over to see Brae blush.
Nothing she’d been through in her life had come close to affecting her
innocence. Etana had been a virgin too. With Brae he would have to be just
as gentle. Jess quickly added. “I mean, if you want to. Or not … whatever.”
Jess was fuddled—that was something he didn’t see very often.
Enlil figured he better let her off the hook. “Thank you, Jess.” She gave
him a relieved look and then followed Irsu to her unit to be brought up to
speed. A few minutes later the group ported.
Enlil almost laughed when Brae’s brother, who he now knew was Jacob,
stood behind Brae, pointing to his knife and then holding a finger to his
lips. The male didn’t want his sister to know he’d stabbed Enlil. This was
going to be an interesting family dynamic.
He knew it was the comfort Brae displayed with him that kept her family
from challenging him. If he weren’t around, he had no doubt they would
have whisked her away to somewhere other than Mesa. They seemed fully
amenable to letting Brae call the shots on where they went. Thankfully she
wanted to be beside Enlil. He wrapped his arm around her, tucking her to
his side. “Shall we?” They ported back to the bluff overlooking Shane and
Jess’s house.
Irsu had arrived before reuniting her unit. The body of the Morsdente had
been removed. With the Sicarius males ghosted, only Enlil saw Victor
teetering on the rim of one of Hans’ holes. He discretely reached out and
stabilized Brae’s brother without anyone noticing.
 “Where’s Hans?” Brae asked.
Enlil turned and led the way down the incline toward the house with
Brae’s father and six brothers behind them. All of them were shadowed;
these were not males who trusted easily. On the way he told her what had
happened. When they reached the front door, a female Tellus sat waiting on
a decorative bench.
She rose when Brae approached. “I’m to tell you that Prince Hansi is
healing. He says he will be, ‘good to go,’ in time to escort you to your ball.”
The girl grinned.
“Can I see him?” Brae asked. Enlil had to admit, he didn’t much care for
the idea of not knowing where her partner was any more than she did. He
owed Hans a debt of gratitude.
The girl’s face fell. “No. I’m sorry. He is in a healing chamber deep in the
earth. The pressure would be fatal to you. I can give him a message.” The
girl’s face transformed to helpful. Tellus shifted moods almost as quickly as
the Aquaties did.
Brae pursed her lips as if she didn’t like being told no; Enlil would keep
that in mind. “You tell him that if he’s late, I’m going to streak his naked
ass through every street in Scotland.” The Tellus’s dark skin paled. “Got
it?” The female swallowed and nodded. “Repeat it to him word for word.”
Again the female nodded, paling more. Enlil wished he could be a bug on
the wall when that message went down. He heard one of her brothers
chuckle, and the Tellus looked around in confusion at the sound. She looked
back at Brae, lifted her hands, and dropped through the soil. It resettled to
give no indication of the Tellus messenger’s path.
Enlil entered the house and glanced up the stairs that led to the master
suit, wishing he were taking Brae up there now, yet grateful he wasn’t too.
Could he make love to another? His body acted like it could. That didn’t
mean he wouldn’t choke when and if the time came. I wouldn’t be fair to
Brae to have Etana pop into his mind while he was with her. Besides …
Brae might have her own hesitations when it came to Etana. Brae’s comfort
in his presence came from her gifted memories of him. He was no longer
the male Etana remembered. Her death had changed him permanently.
Could she love him for whom he was today? Did she even want to? Enlil
knew on some level Brae had already wormed her way into his shattered
heart. Her very existence breathed new life into him.
 Chapter Twenty
Gil sat waiting for Innanna in the High chambers for what seemed like
forever. When she’d made her choice known, the room had fallen back into
chaos. Innanna had impressed the hell out of him. Truthfully, he hadn’t
really understood why everyone had been gung ho to have her lead. Not
that he doubted her. He’d seen her visions first hand. The things she could
do, the decisions she made because of her calling, were amazing. That
didn’t read as leadership qualities to him. He’d led thousands of warriors,
mentored dozens, and headed one of the first (and in his humble opinion
best) integration campuses in the world. He understood leadership. You had
to be tough, hard, and even cruel at times to make shit happen. He’d never
seen Innanna display any of those qualities. She’d always been kind. She
treated people with a gentle hand, empathic to the point of self-tormented
by the things she knew.
That opinion had changed with a rush of pride. When the room had gone
to hell in a hand basket, she’d just sighed, placing a kiss to his cheek and
whispered, “Wait here.” Extended her wings, she flew over the crowd to
stand on the dais behind the empty High-speaker chair. For a minute he
thought she was changing her decision and was going to take the speaker’s
chair after all. Instead she mimicked what he’d seen her aunt do earlier.
Fingers to her luscious lips, she let out a loud stadium whistle. The room
quieted and all heads turned to her. The disapproval on her face when she
looked over the group made a few fidget in shame. Her parents standing
beside him beamed. When she spoke, it was bad-ass.
“If you’re going to act like fifty year olds, I’m going to treat you like
fifty year olds,” she began, her eyes uncompromising. She placed her hands
on the back of the speaker chair. “You can continue to beat your heads
together if you want, outside. Or you can accept the fact that this chair
needs a new speaker, period. Your assignment, class, is to put your heads
together and come up with a few candidates for consideration. Bear in
mind, the individuals you select must be amenable to the position and
acceptable to the Fates.” There were murmurs of agreement and people
apologizing to each other.
 Durian spoke out. “What do you suggest we do for leadership in the
meantime?” That was a valid question, and Gil couldn’t wait to hear what
Innanna would say. She was captivating, and not just because she made him
pound-nails hard.
Her eyes met her father’s with a smirk, and Adonai cursed under his
breath. Innanna had a calculated glint in her eye. “Let’s put that to a vote.
All those in favor of refusing Adonai’s resignation until his replacement is
determined, say aye.” Gil added to the chorus that rang out in agreement,
even though his vote held no power. Innanna just continued to stare at her
father along with the rest of the room.
Adonai quirked his lip and shook his head. “Aye,” he finally said,
bestowing upon Innanna a proud, annoyed parent look. “Any opposed?”
His acceptance had transferred the responsibility of the vote to him.
Innanna had effectively recused herself from leading a meeting that by all
rights belonged to the High Ones panel. No nays echoed out, which Adonai
met with silence. He turned to Leanna, who was smiling broadly at her
mate. “Shanghaied again, my love. I always said you females would be the
death of me.” The room laughed. Adonai had a sense of humor … who
knew?.
Adonai stepped to the dais, and Innanna held his chair for him. She
placed a kiss to her father’s cheek and they whispered together a few
minutes. Gil couldn’t wait to hear the body of that conversation. Innanna
stepped down, smiling at Gil. His dentes erupted, his erection throbbed, and
he remembered where her apartment was. They would have far more
privacy there than his party-land central. His mind had started making plans
on how many ways he was going to bring her pleasure. How many
positions he wanted her in. He wanted to love her to exhaustion and hold
her while she slept and then start over again.
Two Oracles stopped her midway to him, speaking quietly to her. He
nearly growled. Her beautiful smile slowly fell as her brows furrowed and
her lips pursed. She gave a nod and continued toward him with heavy steps.
His heart fell. Innanna addressed her mother first. “Mother, you’re needed
in chambers.”
Gil’s hopes rose. Maybe her mother would handle whatever the Oracles
wanted, and then he could handle Innanna. Sweet. “Yer mother gonna lead
one last meetin’ so’s I canna ravish ya?” Innanna chuckled and shook her
head. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
“Mom’s still an Oracle, whether she presides or not, so she has to be
there. I have to go in. I’m not sure how long it’ll be.” Her hand was on his
chest, and heat bloomed through him from her touch.
He’d promised to support her. It was time to put his money where his
mouth was. “All right, I’ll juss wait fer ya. Sure as shit donna wanna be at
my place dealing with the party prep posse anyways.”
Innanna grinned. The SOSC event was already underway. The ball was
tomorrow night; he’d get to dance with her again. “You’re welcome to my
place. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.” Come for him, his dirty little mind
corrected. Her smile turned sexy. Had she heard him? He gave her a quick
hug and then turned her toward the Oracle chamber, and swatting her on the
ass. The scowl she gave him over her shoulder didn’t detract from the
humor in her eyes.
Since the High Ones didn’t invite him to leave, he’d watched their
proceeding till they called it a day. It was kind of interesting. He could tell
Adonai was going to leave some big shoes to fill. The male was a master
speaker. After the High Ones had cleared the room, he and Durian had
played a few games of chess before he too retired. Gil had spent the last few
hours lounging with his feet on the chessboard.
The door opened and the Oracles, still talking among themselves, headed
to the perch to leave. Straggling behind, Leanna and Laliel were the last two
out. “Where’s Innanna?” Gil demanded.
Leanna barked out a laugh and Laliel gave him her blinking look, then
left. What was that all about? “I thought Innanna offered you her apartment
to wait in.” Leanna crossed her arms over her chest as if annoyed.
“She did. I thought I’d wait here,” Gil defended himself, though he was
not sure why he felt he needed to.
Leanna tsked at him. “I guess the rumors about how good you are with
females is overblown after all.” Enough was enough. Gill wanted to shake
the tiny female. She laughed at his annoyed confusion. “When a female
invites you to wait in her apartment, she expects you to do just that,
preferably naked. She ported right out of the meeting when it ended.”
I am the stupidest fucker alive, Gil realized. Without another word to her
mother, he launched out from the chamber, flying at breakneck speed to
Innanna’s perch and entering without preamble. Innanna was leaning in the
doorway of her bedroom, tapping her foot, wearing nothing but a robe. Her
arms were crossed, emphasize the gap, tightening the material against the
perfect apple-sized breasts beneath. Her hair hung free down her back, thick
ringlets swinging to her ankles. The scent of night jasmine filled his lungs,
and his dentes fully erupted.
“I was starting to wonder if you decided to find amusement with the
party planners at Meshy Hell after all.” She was jealous. Jealousy had
always annoyed the shit out of him, but on her it was afuckingdorable.
Gil kicked off his boots. “Accordin’ ta yer ma, I need sum trainin’ in the
fine art of female’s.” He dropped his pants and kicked them off his feet.
“Seein’ how ya handled that class earlier, I dun chose my teacher.” Naked,
he held his hand out from his sides. “Mold me ta yer likin’. I promise ta be
an apt pupil.”
Innanna’s eyes traveled his body, pausing on his erection standing hard
and proud for her. The look in her eyes spurred him to action. With a low
growl coming from his throat, he strode the few feet that separated them
and snatched up Innanna mid-stride, her giggled squeal driving him on. He
tucked her to his chest and pivoted at the last minute so that his back hit her
bed, her curves draped him, and he pulled her lips to his.
Her taste hit him like a Mack truck. Her body wiggled against him,
making him crazy with lust. She more than made him hot—she was a C4
explosion to his senses. He was desperately struggling with the bow that
held her robe closed and blocked her skin from him. He’d shred the
garment if he had to. She broke the kiss, straddled his erection, and sat up.
Her moist heat against his throbbing manhood was unbearable enough; the
look in her eyes … priceless.
“You ruined the seduction I fantasized about during the meeting.” She
slowly pulled one side of the bow free; her sexy dentes were fully erupted.
She slowly pulled the other side free. Gill reached up to her shoulders and
slid his hands down her arms, relieving her of the robe, drinking in the
beauty of her.
She’d already shown him how easily she could transfer a vision to him.
The natural way she welded that ability was a tribute to her life span. That
ability didn’t develop in their kind until their seven thousandth year; even
then it required tremendous practice to be fluid in the gift.
 Gil had to know what she had fantasized about. “Show me, Darlin’.
Torture me fer my stupidity.”
Innanna gave him a mischievous grin, leaning to place her hands to his
forehead. Her breasts were too tempting to pass up. With both hands he
lifted their weight, rubbing his thumbs over her peaked nipples. She began
to grind against his erection. The female didn’t play fair, but he loved it. He
was glistening from her moisture, throbbing for release when he had yet to
penetrate her.
Her desires cleared in his mind. He saw himself sleeping naked through
her eyes. In her fantasy she stripped down, crawled up the bed, and took
him in her mouth, waking him in the best possible way. His hands dug into
her thick hair guiding her to the tempo that would drive him the craziest. He
pulled her hair hard, turning her on, and forced her to stop, bringing her up
to his kiss. He rolled over her, teasing her sensitive nerve bundle with the
tip of his shaft, and then plunged into her over and over. In her eyes he saw
himself the way she did. She loved him, truly loved him.
Innanna released his forehead and sat back up. His breathing had gone
ragged, and when he met her eyes, he was surprised to see some
vulnerability in their depth. That would not do. Gil gripped and pulled the
back of her hair, rolling her beneath him the way he had in her fantasy.
Swallowing her startled gasp, he kissed her hard. Her fantasy had not only
shown that he was a complete moron when it came to her, it also showed
him that Innanna didn’t want to be handled with kid gloves. She liked it a
little rough. Nice.
Gil released the kiss, and Innanna moaned her disappointment when his
lips left hers. Her moan changed to an erotic tone when Gil ran his tongue
over her pulse. His dentes reached to penetrate into the beat of her
lifeblood. At the limit of his restraint, he continued lower, pausing to nip
and suckle first one nipple and then the other into his mouth. Innanna
writhed beneath him in abandon. He’d never been one to suffer from
premature ejaculation, but this sinful beauty could bring that issue home to
roost. Hell, he was dripping from watching her. She was more beautiful,
more erotic, more amazing, more everything than he’d ever dreamed.
Spreading her legs wide for his gaze he stared into the petal-pink folds of
her weeping core. The smell of night jasmine was stronger, beckoned him
home. He swooped in, lapping her elixir, the only cure he’d ever want
again. Innanna cried out, grinding against his mouth. “Gilgamesh.” His
name from her just-kissed, bruised lips sounded wondrous. He slid one
finger into her sheath and the walls tightened around it, her release so close.
Moving his finger in a slow circle, he worked in a second digit. Innanna’s
head thrashed, her cries decadent.
She was so tight Gil became concerned he would hurt her. He wasn’t a
small male. He felt her orgasm rip through her as her feminine roar bounced
off the walls. Her inner walls constricted, pulsing in her release. Gil
withdrew his finger to lap up her release. Her sweet juices coated his lips.
He could live off her; she was all the nourishment he would ever need. He
engaged a technique of alternating pressures that forced a female’s orgasm
to slowly fade, keeping her riding the waves of pleasure far longer than
normal. He climbed up next to her and held her against his chest while her
breathing slowed.
She looked up at him with her violet eyes still full of passion. Her eyes
traveled his body and she licked her lips. No way was he going to let her go
down on him; he’d be a goner in fifteen seconds flat. Her gaze reached his
again. “You’re not done.” Her simple comment held a subtle demand in it.
He liked this side of her; it was unexpected and refreshingly honest. What
she lacked in experience she made up for by sharing herself wholly.
“Problem.” Gil watched confused concern play on her face. She lifted
from his chest to her elbow to look him fully in the face. “Darlin’, you’re
tight.” Her brows drew together. “Donna get me wrong, that kinda tight is
ev’ry male’s fantasy, an’ I ain’t no different. I donna wanta hurt ya though.”
Innanna rolled her eyes, a slight blush to her cheek, and leaned across
him to open a drawer next to the bed. She withdrew a bright purple vibrator
that wasn’t much smaller than he was. She blushed deeper but held it up
anyway. “This is Peter. He or one of his predecessors took my virginity and
have been my boyfriends for a long time. Not once has he ever whined
about hurting me.”
Damn he loved this female. “Wanna give me a demonstration of Peter’s
skills?” He chuckled.
She raised her brows at him, still blushing. “You want to bend over for
it?” Oh yeah, he loved her.
The sight of his purple competition had given him a chance to rein in his
control. He plucked her friend from her fingers and tossed it to the floor
before guiding her legs to straddle him. “Ya gotta take the lead, Darlin’.
Peter ain’t no real male, an’ I still donna wanna hurt ya.”
Innanna worked her sheath over him, teasing him with slow circular
motions. She’d slide down an inch and then raise halfway back up. The
female was surely torturing him just because she could. Torturing herself,
too, if her panted moans were any indication. Peter had been one lucky
fellow. Innanna had revealed that Gil would be her first flesh-and-blood
male. That had almost made him whoop with joy. She was a virgin who
knew her body. Heavens be praised, amen.
Finally he reached her depth, fully buried in the borderline painful grip of
her. This female was made specifically for him, perfectly accommodating
him. Her slow ride began, her breasts swaying gently. Aw, hell no. He
caught the curve of her hips and pounded into her from below. Her breasts
bouncing in time to his thrusts, Innanna threw her head back with an
impassioned cry. Her walls gripped him tighter; he gritted his teeth against
the pleasure/pain.
His lungs burned, his jaw ached, Innanna screamed, “Fates, YES.” Her
back bowed in her release. Her pulsing grip squeezed him, milked him. His
release rolled through him like a locomotive, his seed blew hot into her
depth, he bellowed his roar, “Oh, fuck yeah!” Gil felt like he’d entered a
new realm where lights went on behind his eyes; nothing had ever felt this
good, this perfect. Innanna collapsed against his chest, sated.
“That was way better than my fantasy,” she muttered. Gil wrapped his
arms around her and chuckled. Damn right it was. Better than any fantasy
he’d ever had in his life.
They spent the rest of the day sleeping, eating, laughing, and making
love. Gil had never felt anything like what he felt with Innanna. An hour
from the start of the ball, they languished in a bath. “So yer gonna save a
dance fer me, right, Darlin’?”
She smiled at him. “I promised the first to my father. After that I’m all
yours.” Gil held that promise to his heart. He’d be leaving her here to get
ready for the event. Innanna was coming with her family. He hated being
separated from her for even that short of a time. He reined in his wayward
thoughts. Innanna had responsibilities that would call her away, and the last
thing she would need was for Gil to suddenly become clingy.
 Chapter Twenty-One
“I did a quick recon through an office I found tucked into that basement.
There were mentions of genetic labs, munitions holdings, government and
smuggling contacts. I’ve kept myself and my sons separated from our
people for too long. I’ve decided to broach the High Ones panel and SOSC
and offer our services to investigate and dismantle Osiris’s empire.” Eros
spoke to Enlil and Brae long into the night.
Brae’s brothers had passed out on the sparing mats in the practice room
hours ago. Enlil found it fascinating that they shadowed in repose.
Hopefully no one would go in there to use the room; they’d trip over ghosts.
He was starting to recognize the individual males by the color of their
energies. Eros was a deep blue, rich in tone like Brae’s fuchsia. Her brothers
each had subtler hues of different colors. Baden and Brock’s colors were so
close they were nearly indistinguishable. The male’s looks were nearly
identical, too. All the boys were Hulven like Brae. Was it possible they
were twins?
Irsu had popped in briefly to present Eros and his sons with an invitation
to the survivor’s event. Eros had seemed far from keen to the idea, though
the boys were excited to meet females. He’d agreed when Irsu had
explained that Umbrae would be one of the females honored in the event.
Eros’ desire to develop a relationship with his daughter was evident. Brae
was more reserved. Enlil was pleased that she stayed at his side. When he’d
left the room for a few minutes to settle her brothers, her gaze had followed
his every move.
“If you’d like, I would be happy to make your introduction to my sister
Ninlil. She is the SOSC human representative to the United States,” Enlil
offered. Eros nodded his acceptance.
“Tell me about the operation you are currently involved in,” Eros asked
Brae.
She blushed, something he was becoming used to with her. She seemed
to blush whenever she became the center of attention. Brae told him they
were watching a location and reporting their findings. It was a typical first
assignment with a low risk of danger.
 “How would you feel if I requested you and your partner’s assistance in
the Osiris operation? Would a reassignment be something you might be
interested in?” Eros asked. Brae’s gray eyes turned to Enlil. Fates, she was
beautiful. He gave her an encouraging smile. The choice was hers, a
freedom more her due than any other. She turned back to her father.
“If it were okay with Hans, I think I would like to aid that operation.
Greyton is my mentor and my direct supervisor. Doesn’t he have a say in
it?” Brae’s pupils constricted with excitement to be part of a far more
advanced operation. Perhaps she was more interested in getting to know her
family than she let on. Enlil wanted that family structure for her. His family
had been such an integral support his entire life, one he’d never questioned.
Jess had given him a limited perspective of a life without that support.
Lucky for her, Jess had been supported by a family of choice rather than
blood kin. Brae wore her self-reliance with grace, yet her isolation was
total. That would change with Eros and her brothers, even if she rejected
Enlil.
“It would be an honor if you would consider me for a mentor. I
understand Greyton’s an assassin and I respect his training. It isn’t my
intention to undermine his mentoring. I would be pleased to be a secondary
source of mentoring, if you prefer.” Eros showed amazing sensitivity to
Brae. There could be no question he should mentor his daughter. The SOSC
would have never paired her with an Aquatie who didn’t share her unique
abilities had they known of Eros or any of his sons. Yet the male didn’t
push her. Enlil wished he’d been as diplomatic in dealing with Ediku. He
had been disappointed in Ediku’s continual refusal to be apart of his
mother’s legacy, the SOSC. His lack of acceptance had driven a wedge
between him and his son that he hoped to repair. Maybe Eros would mentor
Enlil in the art of fatherhood.
Enlil felt Brae shiver next to him. He wished that he knew what she
thought, how all this made her feel. How she processed everything that was
happening. It took her several minutes to reply, but Eros displayed no sense
of rush. Enlil could tell he would have been content to wait for her decision
no matter how long it took. He had to strain to hear her sitting beside him,
her voice was so low. “You want to mentor me?” The vulnerable crack in
her resiliency was telling. She was beginning to hope for something she
didn’t yet understand. Family.
 Eros beamed at his daughter, his expression softened with emotion. He
blinked moisture away—the male had been more anxious for Brae’s
acceptance of him than he’d shown. Enlil’s respect for the male continued
to grow. Eros leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, meeting
Brae’s gaze with an intensity that conveyed the male’s sincerity. “More than
anything else, I want to be in your life. To be your mentor, your father, to
offer you the haven of paternal love that we’ve both been denied. Any
capacity in which you will have me, Umbrae, I will embrace.”
Brae choked back a sob and rushed from her seat. Eros rose to capture his
daughter in their first embrace. Brae’s shoulders racked from her emotion.
Tears tracked down Eros face. Enlil was near tears watching them. Eros
opened his eyes to meet Enlil’s and gave him a nod of thanks. Enlil wasn’t
sure why the male gave him gratitude; he’d been an observer.
Brae’s sobs evolved into a chuckle as she looked up at her father. “I want
all those things. I don’t know how to be a daughter, but I want to try.”
Eros rubbed the tears from Brae’s cheek with the back of his fingers.
“You’d don’t have to try, baby. You’re already more than I ever dreamed a
daughter to be.” Oh, yeah, Enlil definitely needed parenting classes from
Eros. “You’re also exhausted. Shall we continue this in the new day?” Eros
looked expectantly at Enlil.
Enlil had checked the occupancy of Jess’s home earlier when he’d taken
Brae’s brothers to the sparring room. He led Brae and Eros up the stairs and
showed Eros to the room across the hall from the master suite. Father and
daughter hugged again, and Eros placed a kiss to Brae’s forehead before
retiring into the room.
In his earlier exploration Enlil had found a duffel bag with Brae’s name
on it in a room down the hall. Now that they were alone, he wondered if
taking the liberty of moving her things into the master suite Jess had offered
was presumptuous. She’d displayed comfort with Enlil, that didn’t mean
she would be comfortable sharing a room with him.
He was a completely blank on how to broach the subject with her. She
blushed and looked up at him through hooded eyes. Enlil wanted to pull her
against his chest, and his fist clenched to refrain from the impulse. Brae
blushed deeper, stammering, “W-would you stay with me tonight?” She
looked at the floor, embarrassed.
 His chest constricted, he lifted her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his.
“I would like that very much, Brae. Thank you.” He dropped his hand to the
knob of the door, swinging it open for her to enter first.
She glanced at her bag, unconcerned to see it waiting for her. She
explored the room, avoiding the massive bed. Enlil was worried she might
be rethinking his invitation. Stepping past her, he turned on the light to the
bathroom, reaching in to pluck a robe from the stack Jess always had on the
shelf, and then turned back to Brae. Taking the elephant in the room head
on was the only solution to the discomfort that both of them had to be
feeling. Not like he had been alone with a female in a long time.
“I have to tell you Brae, I’m a little rusty on the night routines of a
female.” Brae looked up when he spoke, a smile of understanding on her
face.
“Truth is, so am I. Irsu spends forty minutes every night with creams and
gadgets. She calls me a wash-and wear girl.” Enlil’s admission of his
ineptitude had opened her up. Thankfully.
He held the robe out to her. “Do you want to shower first?” She looked
from the robe to him, nodding. He stepped out of the entry to hand off the
robe. “Do you want me to move your bag into the bathroom?”
She took the robe. Her fingers brushed his, and she gave a swift intake of
breath. The gray of her eyes swirled. “Thank you, no, it’s fine where it is.
I’ll hurry so you can get a shower too.” Instead of the bathroom she stepped
into his arms. “I’m scared,” she admitted. Enlil knew how hard it was for
her to admit. Hell, he was scared too.
Drawing her peppermint scent deep in his lungs, he held her tightly. “Me,
too. Let’s take things slow.” His body wanted to rebel against his words. It
was the right answer; Brae deserved a chance to know him without fear.
She nodded. “I feel things for you that I don’t understand. I always have.
At first I thought that it was an echo of Etana’s love. When you held me in
the Oracle chamber, I knew the feelings were mine. I apologized to Etana
for them when she came into me. She told me she loves us both. She told
me she supported my feelings. She said to make your life wonderful. What
if I’m unable to do that?”
Enlil expected to feel the dagger of pain that usually accompanied any
mention of Etana. What he felt was an overwhelming gratitude to his mate.
His love for Etana was stronger without the hollow ache. What he was
feeling for Brae didn’t detract from it in the least. It was similar and
different. The two loves didn’t compete with each other; they
complemented. Etana had truly bestowed the most amazing of gifts.
“You remember the arguments she and I used to have,” Enlil reminded
her. Brae had given him an overview of the memories Etana had gifted her.
She nodded against his chest. “Making a life wonderful means fighting for
it. I think you are my bloodmate, Brae. I want to know you; I want you to
know me. The adventure of discovery began the moment we met, and Fates
willing it will last for the rest of our lives. What comes next with us should
only be what comes naturally.” Fates willing? Did he trust the enigmas to
not destroy his world again?
She looked at him. “You’re different than she remembers you. Would it
be wrong to tell you I like the hard edge I see in you?”
She’d alleviated one of his many fears. Enlil smiled at her. “Would it be
wrong to tell you I find you incredibly beautiful? That you intrigue me on a
level I’ve never felt before?” Brae’s return smile was brilliant. The pressure
in his chest returned. The erection she must surely feel against her stomach
hardened further. He brushed the shell of her ear with his thumb. “Go take
your shower.” She nodded, releasing her arms from him, and backed into
the bathroom clutching the robe to her chest. She slowly shut the door.
Enlil turned down the coverlet and then paced the room. Her smell
wafted from the bathroom, driving his lust. He willed his control to bar him
from going to her. She isn’t ready, he reminded himself. True to her wash-
and-wear comment, she emerged enveloped in steam within ten minutes.
Her short, finger-combed hair lent a wild sexiness he was hard pressed to
resist as she headed to her bag.
Enlil hit the shower, staying under the water far longer than he normally
did, trying to rein in his desire for Brae. The room was dark when he exited
the bathroom. Brae’s sleeping form, illuminated by the bathroom light, and
her relaxed features showed she’d surrendered to her exhaustion. Unable to
resist touching her, Enlil followed the shell of her ear with his thumb again.
She sighed, making him smile. The covers were mid-chest-high on her,
revealing the tee shirt she wore. It had tightened across the small rise of her
breasts, her nipples peaked against the thin material. What was she
dreaming of?
 Enlil debated pulling on a pair of shorts. That didn’t jive with what he
told her earlier. He wanted her to know him, and he slept in the nude,
always had. Tonight would be no different. He slid beside her warmth. She
rolled to him in her sleep, snuggled to his side. Enlil wrapped an arm
around her and stared up at the ceiling. There was nothing more natural
than this.
 Chapter Twenty-Two
Taptaptap. Brae woke to someone softly knocking on the bedroom door.
The sun sat low in the sky; it was late afternoon. Enlil was spooned to her,
and she could feel his manhood hard against her bottom. It should scare her,
but she felt anything but fear. Half of the things that she felt she didn’t even
recognize.
Taptaptap. “Brae.” Irsu was the only other person beside Enlil who
referred to her by that name. Enlil tightened his arms around her, holding
her still. “We need to go shopping if you’re going to have a dress to wear,
sleepy head,” Irsu’s voice came again.
“Shit.” The first word out of her mouth for the day made him chuckle.
Nuzzling her, he laid a kiss to the junction between her shoulder and the
curve of her neck. Fates, that felt good. “Go away, Irsu,” she yelled at her
friend
Not to be deterred, Irsu cracked open the door. “Five second cover-up
warning, three two one.” She opened the door, uncaring that Enlil was in
bed with her, and marched over to Brae’s side. “Jerika and Aymee are
waiting downstairs with a full, fresh pot of coffee, unless your brothers have
already annihilated it. Get your ass out of bed.”
“Why do you do this to me? You know how much I hate shopping.” Brae
rolled over to bury her face in Enlil’s chest. Turning away from Irsu, her
body pressed naturally to his. Wait … “You’re going to be at this thing
right?” The thought just occurred to her. If she was going to look her best
for Enlil, she did need to go shopping.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Jess and Nin would kill me if I tried.
Looks like you’re in the same boat,” Enlil affirmed.
Brae pursed her lips, looked over her shoulder to Irsu. “Pour my cup; I’ll
be down in five.” Irsu grinned at her and left the room.
When the door shut behind her, Enlil asked, “How did you sleep?”
“Apparently too good. How much trouble have my brothers caused. Jess
will never invite me back. Then to top it off I have to go shopping.” She
started to pull away from him. “I better get moving; Irsu won’t hesitate to
barge in again.” She couldn’t stop staring at his lips.
 “A good-morning kiss is an important way to start a day.” He kept his
hands out of the equation, giving her plenty of opportunity to refuse him,
and leaned forward to place a feather-light kiss to her lips. She didn’t know
what to do. Until Enlil had done the same thing last night, no one had ever
kissed her. Not anyone she’d ever wanted to kiss back. She looked at his
defined chest. “Was that okay?” Her inadequacies were making him
question himself.
She nodded, keeping her gaze at his chest, and rose from the bed. She’d
slept fully covered with sweat pants under her tee. She practically ran to
grab cloths from her duffel bag, turning when she heard Enlil getting out of
bed too. Oh, sweet universe, he was naked. The rest of his body was
beautifully chiseled like his chest. He looked over at her when she gasped.
She made a conscious effort to refrain from bringing her balled fist to her
chest. This was Enlil, the male who wanted her for a bloodmate, the person
she loved most in the world.
“Brae, I’m just a male like any other. I’ll never force or push you, but this
is how I sleep. If you want I will invest in pajama pants.” He couldn’t
possibly think she didn’t like the sight of his body. She was more concerned
about what he would think when he saw the scarred up mess of hers. Maybe
she could make it a rule to always have the lights off. Course, he could see
in the dark just as well, better than her Hulven eyes could. Maybe she could
stay shadowed and keep him blindfolded.
She stared a moment longer, and Enlil stood his ground, letting her look
her fill. If her visual focus made him uncomfortable, he didn’t show it.
What did he ask her? Oh, pajama’s. Did she want him to wear clothing to
bed? Now that she was seeing what he looked like all night long, she
wished she’d woken up earlier so she could have looked at him for hours
while he slept.
“You’re not like any other male. You make me feel hot and fluttery
inside. I don’t know how to kiss. I like you without pajamas.” If she
sounded like an idiot again, so be it. He wanted her to be natural with him?
Well, she naturally lacked social finesse.
Enlil gave her the greatest smile ever. “How about tonight when we go to
bed we make out like human teenagers at a drive-in movie? We’ll work on
the art of the kiss together.” She’d have to ask Irsu how teenage humans
made out in a drive-in movie to know exactly what he’d just said. The art of
the kiss sounded wonderful. She returned his smile and nodded.
Enlil left the door open, turning on the shower. She could see glimpses of
flesh through the fogged mirror. Keeping one eye on the view, she quickly
changed into jeans and an SOSC-issued halter, throwing a lightweight
button-front shirt over it. She didn’t own girly things. Maybe Irsu and her
daughter would help Brae improve her wardrobe today. She had a few
thousand dollars saved up.
Her toothbrush in her hand, she looked from the open bathroom door to
the bedroom door. Should she find another lavatory to brush her teeth in?
An open door was an invitation, right? She headed to the bathroom. If she
was wrong about going in, she could always blame her inexperience. Let
the truth work to her benefit for a change.
Clearing a spot on the mirror, she ogled him while she brushed her teeth.
Ran her fingers through her hair, stared some more. Smelled all the bottles
of stuff Jess had on the counter, stared some more. Finding the courage to
join him under the spray eluded her, so, sighing, she left the flesh
smorgasbord hungry, resigned and aware that Irsu would be pounding on
the door any minute. Following the sound of voices to where she hoped the
kitchen was, Brae rounded the corner to find the room brimming with
males. Her father sat just inside the door, and all six of her brothers were
scattered about. She did a quick mental rundown of their names and faces.
Jacob, Daniel, Othos, Victor, Brock, then Baden, or was it Baden then
Brock?
A barrage of voices acknowledged her: “Morning,” “Beauty sleep,” “Not
five minutes,” and so on. Eros looked around, causing everyone to be quiet
except Irsu, who handed her a cup of coffee.
“This is my daughter, Jerika, and our friend, Aymee.” The two females
were beautiful. Jerika looked like Irsu, with dark-brown hair and the brown-
green hazel eyes that ran in their family. Jerika wore her hair up in a
ponytail. Aymee was human. That was surprising; she seemed totally
comfortable around everyone. She had an Asian slant to her perfectly made
up blue eyes and chin-length, shiny black hair swung with the movement of
her head. Next to them, Umbrae felt like a thirteen-year-old boy. Their
smiles were welcoming, impossible not to return.
 She must have been more than five minutes; the coffee was luke warm.
She dumped it in the sink and handed the empty cup to Brock, who was
standing next to the pot, for a refill. “Good morning.” Her voice had finally
returned. She turned to Eros, who watched her. “Good morning, err … Do
want me to call you father or dad?”
Eros smiled at her. “Whatever you prefer.”
Othos piped in, “We call him pops. Really annoys him.” Brae giggled at
her brother. “These females won’t let us come with you. We offered to carry
bags and everything. Tell them we get to go.”
“You already have plans for tonight,” Eros chastised the boys gently.
They all groaned.
“What are you doing today, dad?” she asked her father, trying the title
out.
“The SOSC has accepted our offer for aid. Irsu put me in contact with
someone named Sargon. He has warriors securing the Lake Powell
compound. We are going to go help the investigative team go through the
place. I also set up a meeting with the Council for the day after tomorrow
about you and your partner’s reassignment.” Eros was true to his word and
answered her questions fully. Brae would rather go with him and her
brothers. “Not nearly as glamorous as shopping.” Eros gave her an
encouraging hug with a fatherly kiss to her hair.
Aymee rubbed her hands together. “Ready for some girl time?” Umbrae’s
hesitant nod made her laugh. “Oh, we gotta get you drunk.” She hopped out
of her chair, and Jerika stood too. “Drink that in the car. We’re outa here.”
They herded her toward the front door.
Enlil had reached the bottom of the stairs. He jumped out of their way,
chuckling. Brae tried to appeal to him with her eyes. He didn’t intervene at
all, just dropped her chain into her hand as she passed him and told her to
have fun. Traitor. Umbrae kissed the chain and tucked it into her pocket.
****
Enlil could only watch, amused, when Irsu, Jerika, and Aymee dragged
Brae out the door. She looked like she was headed to an execution, not a
shopping spree, though her eyes brightened as he slipped the chain into her
hand. Seeing two of Umbrae’s shadowed brothers energies take flight over
Aymee’s vehicle gave him a sigh of relief. Every one of those females could
take care of themselves, but it still made him feel better to know they had
backup if they ran into trouble. Hearing male voices coming from the
kitchen, he continued in that direction.
“I still think we should have done a double or nothing. Othos always
wins,” one of Eros’s sons complained to his father. Since Othos’s teal-blue
energy was one of the colors he had identified flying after Umbrae, it was
clear all the boys had wanted to follow their sister and her friends. The
other was either Baden or Brock.
“I hope they can keep up with Aymee’s driving,” Enlil announced,
entering the kitchen. The younger males looked stunned; his ability to see
them was still foreign to them. Eros just smiled. “Are Baden and Brock
twins?” Enlil glanced over to the one who had remained behind. It was
impossible to determine which he was even looking at.
Eros peered at him, considering his answer. “You’re a twin, Enlil. You of
all people understand the psychic strength and vulnerability that type of
bond carries. With Baden and Brock, if one is hurt, they both feel the pain.
Tranq one, and both go down. The boys believe if one died, the other would
follow, and I have to agree with them. We keep the knowledge that they are
twins close to the vest. Usually we tell people they are thirteen months apart
rather than thirteen minutes. I am sharing the truth with you in hopes you
may be able to help them understand their anomalies.”
Enlil felt his knees go weak. How close had he come to killing Ninlil in
his darkest times? His gratitude to Brae and Etana grew. Those final
moments on the bluff with Etana had changed his life and saved Ninlil’s,
and possibly Sargon’s. He turned to the twin, who looked at him with
narrowed eyes. It was a fair assumption; Enlil was the first outside their
family that had been told this. No assassin would want his weakness shared
openly.
He addressed the twin directly. “Be glad your twin is male. When Ninlil
and Sargon courted, she had me questioning my sexual orientation. Are you
Brock or Baden?”
The male busted out laughing while the others looked confused. Oh, he
was a twin all right. “I’m Baden. Never thought I’d be grateful my brother
likes females. Damn, that had to suck.”
Eros folded the newspaper he was reading. “We are headed back to the
compound at Lake Powell. Will you join us?”
 Enlil wanted to take a look around that compound. He needed to assure
himself that the threat against Brae and Jess was neutralized. He had wanted
to ask to be included last night, but, concerned his ability to see them might
make them uncomfortable, he’d resisted. Eros didn’t seem the type to ask
without reason. “Any particular reason why?”
“Though I haven’t kept in contact with my nephew, there were a few
things about the male my daughter killed that didn’t seem right. I believe
the male she faced was a descendant, probably a son, with his face tattooed
to match his father. If I’m correct, there is a good chance that the true Osiris
or perhaps another will be at the location,” Eros answered in his forthright
way.
Enlil looked at Eros’s sons scattered about the kitchen. If Eros was
correct, there was no telling how many more Sicarius were after Brae and
Jess. After last night, they would be aware of Eros and his sons, too. Eros
was requesting that Enlil protect his family, and the honor was not lost to
him, though part of him felt like he needed to be eyes for Brae. Right now
he wished Jess were with the girls. “When do we leave?”
Eros gave him a nod of appreciation.
****
Umbrae hated to admit she enjoyed herself. She found a full-length,
simply cut black dress with a racer back. She was glad her wings would be
out for the dance—they made her scars less noticeable. She hadn’t been
able to withdraw them when she was trying on the dress. The saleswoman
hadn’t meant to be rude when she asked what had happened, and she had
seemed impressed by Jerika’s explanation of Brae being a Hollywood
stuntwoman.
Realizing she was hopeless in heels, the girls gave in and let her buy low
pumps. Once they were done, Brae made the critical mistake of mentioning
she would like a few feminine clothes. Then it was game-on. They regaled
her with stories of dating adventures and misadventures. All three of them
liked sex. Really. Liked it. They spent twenty minutes debating which of
her brothers was the hottest. She’d bet by the end of the dance Irsu would
have Othos off in some room. The Sicarius hands-down winner of the
handsome award went to her father. That was kind of creepy. He may be
handsome, but he was still her dad.
 When the cashier rang up her items, it was four times more than she had.
She could feel her blush rising in her humiliation before Irsu handed the
clerk a credit card. “Irsu, I can’t let you pay for all this. I’ll just have to put
some things back.” Brae was mortified.
Irsu gave her a slow grin and lifted her eyebrow at her. “Oh, dear Brae.
I’m not paying for this. Your dadio gave that card to get you, and I quote,
‘anything and everything she wants. If she looks twice at an item, buy it.’”
Irsu giggled. “I for one am not going to piss off king assassin.” The clerk
snapped her head up. Irsu took the paid slip, dismissing her comment easily.
“You know how dads can be. They’ll kill to protect their baby girls.”
The clerk relaxed and rolled her eyes. “My dad turned a shotgun on a
date who brought me home late.” The young human looked at Brae with
sympathy. How easily people took love and protection for granted.
****
Lick, drink suck. Brae was on her third round of tequila shots, and
Aymee was insisting on teaching her to drink. They were waiting for their
food to be delivered. Maybe it was the alcohol that gave Brae the courage to
ask the question that had churned in her mind all day. “What is making
out?” The silence at the table was deafening.
Jerika broke it. “How was the phrase used?”
Brae blushed and repeated what Enlil had said. Jerika grinned. “Oh, you
are going to have so much fun.” She looked around the room. There was a
disguised Aquatie in a group of human males yelling at some game on the
TV. Jerika let out a high-frequency sound that the humans wouldn’t detect.
Aymee muttered, “I need to carry a dog whistle or something. The hottest
guys always have super hearing.” Brae had to laugh at that.
The male was a handsome specimen. Enlightened species stayed in peak
condition effortlessly, and they didn’t suffer from obesity or disease. An
addiction like Zakel’s affected appearance to some extent. All three were
able to heal on a cellular level, unless they were psychically castigated or
too weak to heal properly. That was why Brae had scarred.
The Aquatie swung his head around, looking at each of them with
interest. Jerika crooked her finger at him. Brae would never have that kind
of confidence. The male squatted down to look her in the eye. His human
friends all watching, but Jerika ignored them. “I need to make out for thirty
seconds. Think you can handle it?”
The male turned to his friends. “One of you assholes got a stop watch?”
A heavier human man stepped forward, holding a clock of some sort. Brae
was stunned; Jerika was going to demonstrate it. The male turned back to
Jerika with a cocky grin.
The heavy human said the weirdest thing: “Ready, set, GO!” The male
locked lips with Jerika. It was exciting. Their mouths were open and their
heads pivoted in opposite directions. Brae could see their tongues wiggle
against each other. Brae definitely was going to try this with Enlil. “Time,”
the human announced. Jerika and the Aquatie made out at least a minute
longer.
When they separated, Jerika patted the male on the head. “Thanks.” She
dismissed the male that simply.
The male didn’t seem to mind. “No problem. I dig the taste of lime.” He
went back to join his friends yelling at the game.
Jerika looked over to Brae. “Any questions?” Brae tipped back her next
shot.
 Chapter Twenty-Three
“What if they figure out it wasn’t you before the ball tomorrow night?”
Ten’s telepathic voice was sorrowful. None of Osiris’s sons were
particularly close; he discouraged any of them from cleaving to any one
besides him since birth. They still behaved as if they were saddened by the
loss of one of their numbers. The only thing that would bring his sons closer
would be his death. That was the first compulsion he’d bestowed to each of
them before they were old enough to realize he’d done it. Each of his male
offspring allowed to grow to maturity physically resembled him to some
degree. Many were tattooed to match. Any who carried too much of a
resemblance to their mothers he put down before they could be numbered.
He answered his son. “That is unlikely. If it happens, we will cross that
bridge when we get there.”
Last night’s acquisition of the females had been a disappointment. He’d
hoped to use the access the SOSC had inadvertently granted him through
Ten as an in to their event. Up close and personal with the guests. Perhaps
clip a few branches … so to speak. It was so nice of the SOSC to hire his
pyrotechnic companies for the fireworks. He would have his father’s chain
before the event ended. Six should be grateful he’d died swiftly. If he’d
searched the females in the first place, Osiris would have his legacy.
Jess’s rescue meant the siphon would be in attendance, a twist he had
wanted to avoid. The appearance of Eros and company had offset that risk
somewhat. The siphons would think his sons were Eros’s. He’d already
determined that Eros was still alive five years ago when he’d discovered
Umbrae. Eros had been the only logical explanation for her.
That gave Eros seven children and two siphons on his team. Even with
last night’s loss of number six, he still had more offspring than Eros. Funny
that they had both ensured that the bloodline would continue. Maybe his
uncle was more like him than he’d been led to believe when he was a child.
Seeing Umbrae with his father’s chain had pissed him off. He’d tried
numerous times to regain that heirloom from the Volaticus vaults. He’d
never been able to duplicate the metallic compositions Eros and Tenebrae
had created. He was forced to use ivory blades. Only organic mass could be
shadowed, except that special metal.
 He realized how closely he’d come to facing his uncle when his bond to
Six had been severed by death. He’d been safe in his office watching the
warriors battle his guards through the cameras.
“When does your flight leave?” Osiris asked. He knew full well when it
was scheduled. He didn’t need his son looking at the compound camera.
Ten left without question. He should have anticipated that Enlil would
return to the compound in the light of day. The male ported into the center
of the compound. He appeared to be alone, though with Eros that was not a
guarantee. The siphon took a detailed look around. Osiris felt sure the
SOSC had not yet identified Six’s age. That kind of autopsy took time. Was
the siphon looking for him or Eros and his sons?
****
“Brae.” Irsu supported her with an arm around her waist. “Keep it
together. You keep fading in and out.”
Umbrae tried to focus. Holy Henna, how many shots had she drunk? And
why was the car so far away? Aymee stumbled, taking Jerika to the ground
with her. They laughed, trying to help each other stand. How they walked at
all in the heels they wore baffled Umbrae.
Two men rushed through the cars as if to help Jerika and Aymee while
another leaned against a vehicle. Umbrae’s breath caught in her throat. Oh,
Fates! “Irsu.” The effects of the alcohol reduced with her increased
adrenalin, lending her some clarity.
“What?” Irsu snapped, annoyed with the lot of them. No one told her to
be designated driver. She’d volunteered. An offer she no doubt regretted
now. Umbrae hiccupped.
“Those men are in the slave market.” Umbrae hoped she spoke in a
whisper. It sounded like a whisper.
Irsu met her eyes, her image going in and out of focus. “Are you sure?”
Hell yes! She’d recognize those bastards anywhere. Rage flooded her
inebriated system. Those guys would sell all four of them in a hot second,
after they raped them. She knew them, all right. Too well. Umbrae nodded.
“Well, ladies, I see you’ve had a good time today.” One held his hand out
to Aymee, who gave the man a grateful smile and reached for the help up.
Jerika was already up thanking the other guy. Umbrae shadowed, ready to
fight.
 “Guys,” Irsu said, holding out the mountain of bags in her arms, “would
you help me put these in the car?” Her smile was a sexual invitation, a ruse
to set the men at ease. Umbrae silently maneuvered next to the man still
leaning against the car and waited for the best opportunity.
The men were all for helping beautiful girls in distress … imagine that.
The terrified face of one of their Aquatie captives popped into Umbrae’s
mind. Animals. Once the men were loaded down with bags, Irsu made a
show of lifting the back hatch to Aymee’s SUV. Her jean-clad ass was all
the men seemed to be able to focus on. Irsu stepped clear and the men stood
side-by-side, arranging the packages. Using her Elven speed, Irsu grasped
the sides of the men’s heads and banged them together with enough force to
cause brain damage. Both guys crumpled to the ground.
“What the fuck—” the third started to say. Umbrae lashed the chain from
her pocket around the man’s neck; and cut off his oxygen until he lost
consciousness. Everything in her filled with the deadly purpose of her
bloodline. Umbrae released her grip on the chain and the human garbage
slid to the ground.
Aymee and Jerika leaned together on the side of the SUV. Irsu glared at
them. “Make yourselves useful and tie these bastards up.” Umbrae
hiccupped and dropped to the ground next to her victim. “Why am I so
dizzy?” The world spun under her.
“Because you’re shit-faced drunk.” Irsu helped her into the front
passenger seat.
****
The information at the compound didn’t make any sense. It was as if each
item were one small piece of a larger puzzle—only the rest of the pieces
were missing. Enlil tried to stay on task. His mind kept wandering to Brae’s
passion-filled expression in the fogged mirror this morning. Though she’d
said she liked him naked and agreed to kiss him later, her face had not
reflected any desire. Certainly not the raw hunger he saw when she didn’t
think he could see her. Her arousal sent a peppermint-scented plume
through the steam that lingered long after she left the room.
Eros popped his head into the room where Enlil was going through
papers, a chain similar to Braes in his fingers. “How do you feel about
trying your hand at shadow porting?”
 The amused look on Eros face kept Enlil from being concerned. “Where
are we porting to?” Enlil rose from the floor and followed Eros out to the
yard, where his sons waited.
Eros handed off the chain. Enlil hooked it around his neck, offering the
remaining length back to Eros. “Back to the commandant’s house. Seems
the females are headed there with a tower of shopping bags and three
unconscious human men.” Brae’s brothers snickered; aw, hell, please let
this not be some prank Jerika and Aymee had masterminded.
Enlil placed his hand on Eros’s shoulder to facilitate the connection
through porting. His hand vanished with the rest of his body. “Now,” the
deep-blue energy of Eros whispered. They exited at the front lawn of Jess’s
house just in time to see Aymee’s SUV burning rubber into the drive way.
Brock and Othos in shadow flew above the car till it screeched to a halt in
the driveway. The males landed next to Eros. How did the Sicarius keep
from bashing into each other?
All four doors opened. Irsu, in the driver’s seat, was talking to Brae “You
think your family is here. Those males could carry in the garbage we picked
up.” Eros tugged at the collar Enlil had on, and Enlil reached up to remove
it. Jerika startled as Eros and his sons released their shadows and appeared
beside him.
Daniel piped up. “What garbage? You mean the ginormous bags of
shoes?”
Jerika slurred, “Don’t be dissin’ on the hooker pumps, Danny boy.”
Aymee came around from the back passenger-side seat, stumbling, and
Jerika caught her, nearly falling down herself. Both females giggled. Brae
rounded the hood, her hand braced against the vehicle, which didn’t keep
her from swaying on her feet. Enlil grinned at the sight of her drunk; she
must have had fun after all. He could smell the tequila.
Only Irsu was sober. She walked to the back of the SUV and lifted the
hatch. A human man fell at her feet. His face was covered with a shirt tied
around his head for a blindfold. His hands were bound with pantyhose.
There were two more still inside, none of them moving. “This garbage. It
would be nice if you brought in the bags too.” Irsu stepped over the man to
help Jerika and Aymee into the house. Was this a normal way to end a girls
day out?
 Brae tried to walk the remaining distance to him. He rushed over, lifting
her into his arms before she could fall. “Enny, those are bad men. I
recognized them from a slave auction Zakel took me to when he was trying
to buy a fix.” She giggled. “Irsu bashed their heads together. It was so
bombdigety.” Her head rolled to Enlil shoulder. “I think I’m drunk.” Ya
think? Chuck full of new phrases, too.
Eros brushed Brae’s cheek with his knuckles. Enlil met his gaze and he
smirked. “Take care of her. We’ll handle this.” Enlil nodded.
Doing his best to take the stairs carefully and not jostle his inebriated
mate-to-be, he wasn’t prepared when she snapped her head up to look at
him wide-eyed. “Enny, I learned to make out today. Want me to show you?”
Was that a trick question? Enlil took the remaining stairs two at a time.
“The Aquatie guy was just a demo prop.” His pace slowed as he stared into
her innocent face. She’d made out with an Aquatie? Before his heart
completely ceased in his chest she went on to tell him the whole story. “So
can we try it?” She asked him again. Soon as your sober, he silently
answered her.
Setting her in the chair of the master suite, he knelt in front of her. Enlil
unlaced her military boots and removed her socks before lifting her again to
remove the button-down shirt she wore over her standard-issue halter. He
gently laid her in the bed without removing anything else. Her eyes
fluttered closed as a small smile continued to grace her sweet lips.
Enlil was on fire. Brae was tempting enough without adding alcohol.
This was cruel and unusual punishment for his libido. He was holding a
washrag for her head under the water when she threw the bathroom door the
rest of the way open … completely naked … a trail of clothes between her
and the bed. She ran the tips of her fingers across his back as she passed
behind him.
Sweet Fates. His eyes traveled the firm, lean muscle of her long legs to
the apex of her thighs, glistening with the moisture of her arousal. Her hips
flared delicately at her tiny waist, and her stomach was flat and firm.
Peaked nipples on her small, perfect breasts beckoned him to lavish them
with attention. Enlil’s dentes erupted fully as he quickly pivoted to watch
her. He was rewarded by the view, and the shape of her ass. The crisscross
of healed burns and scars that covered every inche of her flesh was a tribute
to her strength. She was spectacular.
 Brae waved her hand over the energy sensor to start the bathwater in the
oversized jetted tub. The movement threw her off balance, and Enlil dashed
to stabilize her. She sighed and turned into his chest, her arms wrapped
around his neck, her breasts pressed against him. She pulled his lips to hers.
He knew he should step away. Brae didn’t know what she was doing. His
mind yelled the entirely right thing, but his body and heart refused to listen.
He gave in to the indulgence with a tender kiss that pushed his control
closer to the edge.
Brae was having none of that. She nipped his bottom lip with her tiny
dentes and then licked the sting away with her tongue. Arcs of desire
coursed through Enlil’s blood stream. Please let her not regret this in an
hour when the alcohol wears off was his final thought. Surrendering, he
captured the back of her head with his palm and plundered into the haven of
her kiss. The taste of her took him instantly to the brink of his control. He
groaned as Brae’s hands tracked frantically over his body. He broke the kiss
with a hiss of agony. Her hand fully covered the rise in his leathers; she
opened her beautiful eyes with a sexy glint.
When Brae released his manhood, he wanted to cheer and weep at the
same time. “You are holding back ‘cause of the alcohol.” She began
releasing the buttons of his shirt. “Will you work on the art of kissing with
me in the tub till it leaves my system?” Her expression was hopeful. Her
breathing was ragged, or was that his?
He should say no to her proposition, but he wasn’t that strong. Shrugging
out of the shirt, he nodded. No bonding, no sex, just kissing; he could do
that. It would only take an hour for her system to rid itself of the tequila,
maybe two since she was Hulven. He could handle that. Hell yeah, piece of
cake.
Freed of his clothing, he lifted Brae giggling against his chest and
stepped into the tub with her. She rolled between his legs, her wet, slick
skin sliding to rest snugly against the hardest part of him. Her smile
destroyed his best intentions. She’s intoxicated he repeated in his mind.
Intoxicating—no question. Dropping her head, she placed kisses from his
chest up his neck. He realized his mistake immediately; no way could he
resist her for a moment, let alone hours. “Brae.” He needed to step back.
She laid a finger over his lips, silencing him. Her eyes met his, clear,
bright impassioned. “Shhh. I’m fully aware of what is going on. Let me
enjoy you; let me love you. This is the first time I haven’t been ashamed of
my body, my scars. Don’t spoil it. Be with me the way you would if I had
never been mistreated. Give me that, Enny.” Her eyes dropped to his lips.
Taking Brae’s kiss, Enlil surrendered to her request. His hands held her
ass firmly as he ground his manhood against her mound. She moaned
erotically against his lips. He kissed her harder, his fingers following the
crease of her ass and drawing a circle around her anus; someday he would
take her there. He traveled to her folds. Brae arched her back, granting him
better access. He circled her entrance on his path to the nerve bundle he
sought. She cried out, releasing his kiss. “It’s too much.” She pushed
against his hand in contradiction to her words. Her body’s response was
immediate, a powder keg of untapped passion needing only a match. She
was close, so close, soft, mewling sounds escaping her lips with each rapid
breath she exhaled. Enlil kept his constant circling around her nerve bundle
with his fingers as his thumb found the sensitive flesh within her inner
walls, applying gentle pressure. Brae bucked hard. “Oh Fates, oh Fates,
stop, I can’t take it,” she cried out.
“Let yourself go, my Brae. Don’t fight your body’s response. Go with it.
Give in to your release, let me catch you.” Brae threw her head back and
screamed. Her inner walls squeezed tightly to his thumb as the pulse of her
release rippled along her sheath, her expression one of pure pleasure.
Her release abated slowly. Her lips came down on his with a sated sigh.
He took his time, kissed her thoroughly while her heart rate slowed. “Turn
over. I’ve been dreaming of fondling your breasts since they were pressed
against your shirt last night.” Enlil’s lust-filled voice was deep and
commanding with the need to take her. Mine. The feral part of his nature
demanded Brae on a primal level.
Her eyes wide and full of excitement, she turned, her back pressed to his
chest arms above her head, and then wrapped them around his neck, giving
him a visual feast, perfect presentation. Enlil ran his hands down her
ribcage, his thumbs outlining the curves of her breasts. Ruby gumdrop
nipples peaked with yearning. Splaying his hands fully over them, he
captured the peaks between his fingers. Brae shivered, goose bumps rising
along her skin. “Do you mind me calling you Enny?” Her voice came on a
sigh.
 Enlil chuckled, “You’re the only one I would let call me that. I’ve come
to think of you as Brae, but would you prefer Ummy?” He liked that she’d
found an intimate name for him.
She giggled. “Probably shouldn’t give my brothers any ideas on
nicknames.” The easy reference to her newly discovered family made Enlil
happy. “Tell me a story about Etana.”
It should make him uncomfortable speaking of one love while holding
another, yet it didn’t. It should hurt; he hadn’t spoken a single specific
memory of Etana to anyone, yet there was no pain. The quiet peace he felt
was welcome; he flipped through his memory bank to find a story that Brae
would enjoy. “One afternoon a field hand came running in a panic. He’d
discovered a boar destroying a section of the tomato crop. Word had
traveled fast. Etana marched to the field with a large group of farmers
following her, all armed with hoes and other tools. She had her determined
chin high. I gathered a few hunters and raced to protect her. As I crested the
ridge, my heart nearly stopped—Etana was covered in red. I thought she’d
been gored till the destroyed remains of a tomato hit me square in the face.
The merriment of those who were knee deep in mud, partaking in Etana’s
folly, became very hushed when the tomato struck me, I was after all Lord.
The hunters with me gasped in outrage, and then Etana’s laugh broke
through the din. The she-devil splattered a second tomato on my chest, then
another in my face. I had no choice but to defend myself. Before it was
over, every man, woman, and child in the kingdom were saturated in puree.
The tale of my lady’s tomato war is still told to this very day.”
A teardrop on his arm was the only reason he knew Brae wept, and he
shifted to see her streaked face. “Your tears are not what I was hoping for,”
he said, wiping her cheek with his thumb.
She gave him a shaky smile. “She told me tears were the universe’s gift
of soul purification. I miss her. The stories she gave me were my lifeline.
I’m in love with you. I would have fallen in love with you whether I loved
Etana or not. Having her in common testifies that the Fates endorse our
bloodmating, don’t you think? I will never be able to fully trust anyone the
way I do you and Etana. You told me you wanted me to know you, but I
already do. I want you to know me, really know me. Will you take my
blood and my bond?” She raised her wrist in offering.
 Every word she spoke struck his heart with joy. Her insight brought an
unarguable truth with it. He’d been prepared to earn her trust and win her
love, never realizing the battle for Brae’s heart had been won before he’d
met her. Focused on the marvelous gift of her, he’d failed to consider that
he was also a gift to her. She humbled him, her gray eyes full of love. She
believed in him, in them, unwaveringly. This was his story, and when he
saw Innanna again, he would thank the Oracle.
Enlil took her tiny wrist in his hand. Brae’s swift intake of breath laced
with fear caused his chest to constrict. Had her offer been the result of
liquid courage? He rubbed his thumb along the strong pulse beneath the
scar tissue. Did she have nerve damage? “Do you feel this?”
Brae shrugged and her tiny tongue peeked out to lick her lips. The pulse
beneath his thumb jumped in contradiction to her calm appearance. “Sort
of.” Her gray eyes held his. She was lying. He rubbed over the spot again;
Brae dropped her eyes in shame and shook her head. “I only feel pressure
… no sensation.”
Bonding would make lies between them impossible. Did she realize that?
Part of him knew she downplayed to keep people from knowing the full
extent of her abuse, to protect others from her pain and protect herself from
something she felt was shameful. He needed to break through that. She
could not have a real relationship with anyone like this. Not him—not her
family.
He gently turned her wrist over. With his fingers monitoring her pulse he
ran his thumb along the outside. Brae’s swirling gray eyes leapt back to his
face. “Here?” She swallowed hard and nodded. Enlil smiled and brought
her palm to his lips, tickling the center with his tongue before pressing a
kiss into it. Brae’s squirm and smile answered his question. Not good
enough; she needed to tell him. “Here?” With a giggle she nodded. Enlil
swirl her thumb with his tongue and sucked the digit deep into his mouth.
Her lashes fluttered, her breath quickened, and she nodded.
He received similar responses with the other fingers until he reached her
tiniest one. When Brae tried to tug her hand back, Enlil knew what he
would find. He held tight and sucked her finger into his mouth without
ceremony. He’d felt small, badly healed breaks along the bones in two of
her other fingers, though they hadn’t seemed to affect her strength or
sensation. This one had been crushed inside. He’d noticed it before. Seen it
move. There could be no possible way she had any strength with it. If
anything it probably hindered her. The slight crook to the finger did not
reflect the extensive damage he could feel with his tongue. “Here?”
Brae cocked her head as if she couldn’t believe he’d have to ask. But he
did have to ask. Much as he hated the idea of reminding her of her past, he
needed her to be willing to talk to him. Really talk to him. He gave her a
grin before he drew the destroyed digit back into his mouth. She needed to
know her past didn’t … turn him off.
Brae plunged her other hand into his hair, holding his head still while she
pulled her pinkie out of his mouth. “Unfortunately yes, I still have feeling. I
can’t grip with it and it will cramp up quite painfully at times.”
Oh, Fates, he’d been hurting her. “Brae, I’m sorry, I—”
She held up her hand and wiggled her crooked pinkie. “It doesn’t hurt
right now. Weather changes, hours of training … the way I grip my fists at
my chest when I’m unsure or afraid.” Her voiced trailed to a whisper as she
spoke. “What you just did … felt good.”
Yes! Enlil felt like whooping in joy. She’d not only given him honesty,
she’d more than answered the question. The chest/fist thing obviously
bothered her, yet she’d served it up to the discussion without his prompt.
Progress. He drew her pinkie back into his mouth. She gave a soft moan of
pleasure. “Well, next time it cramps, we’ll know how to make it feel better.”
Enlil placed another kiss to her palm. “Any other cramp spots I can help
with?”
Brae’s mischievous grin brought Enlil one-step closer to making her his
forever. She held up her other hand. “No feeling in my wrist or the pad of
my thumb. My pinkie and ring finger were crushed, but I have some feeling
and strength in them. It cramps up in the center of my palm sometimes.”
Enlil proceeded to give her a thorough hand massage. Brae laid her head
back, eyes closed, and completely relaxed for him. Even when he’d held her
sleeping body last night, Brae hadn’t been as relaxed as she was right now.
To survive what she had and still be full of innocence amazed him. She
amazed him.
Enlil finished her hand and rose from the bath, lifting Brae firmly to his
chest. Her arms came around his neck, and gray storms full of trust clashed
with his gaze. He kissed her hard and demanding. Brae responded in kind.
Tangling her tongue with his, giving and taking equally, she held nothing
from him.
He fought the temptation to lay her back into the tepid water and bury
himself in her. He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. “I love
peppermint.”
“I love you,” Brae whispered, her gaze never wavering. The words I love
you too caught in his throat. Oh, he loved her. No question. Saying it out
loud …
He smiled instead and grabbed a bottle of Jess’s lotion on the counter as
he headed to the bed. “Let’s see if we can find anywhere else that requires
… special attention.” His voice was throaty with desire, and Brae’s
enthusiastic nod spurred him on.
Both her feet had been crushed at some point. She only had feeling in one
of her toes. He massaged her right thigh where she’d once had a nasty
break. He worked her back, especially her lower back and hips, when she
told him they’d been dislocated (a couple of times!). Pretty much all of her
ribs had been broken at one time. Two of her ribs had been completely
shattered. The SOSC healers had removed the fragments surgically after her
rescue.
His hands flowed over the ridges of crisscrossed scars that had once no
doubt been silky skin. They testified to her strength, making her far more
beautiful than if they didn’t exist. With every scared ridge he touched, he
fell deeper in love with her. With every injury she’d endured, survived, and
told him about, his awe of her grew. A female who knew what it meant to
face fear head on, who would fight, sacrifice, and even die for what she
believed in … for what she loved. The heart of a warrior. Her soul was
aged beyond her years by trials that would kill most yet her spirit remained
innocent, pure. The Fates had given Enlil a second bloodmate of courage,
honor, and worth. For the first time in centuries he felt blessed rather than
tortured by the Fates.
Enlil placed a loving kiss to Brae’s shoulder. “I love you, Brae. Be mine.”
His voice shook with emotion. “Will you be my bloodmate?” The words
he’d stumbled on earlier felt right now.
Brae rolled to face him. Small, perfect breasts pressed into his chest.
“I’ve always been yours, Enlil. I lived through everything to become your
bloodmate. And I’d do it again.”
 Enlil kissed her and surrendered his control to the rapture he’d find in her
blood, that explosive connection found only with a destined bloodmating,
which he was blessed to find for the second time. A gift beyond measure
and a love beyond this realm. He rolled her beneath his weight as Brae
undulated her body and clung to him. Out of pure need for both of them,
Enlil slid into her tight, silken folds. She was so wet, so wanton, her
muscles gripping him perfectly, her moans of pleasure music to his ears. In
a slow, controlled upstroke, he slammed to his hilt, paced for climatic
anticipation.
Trailing kisses across her cheek, he whispered in to her ear, “I take you as
my bloodmate.” Using his hand to guide her head into a mirroring
placement at the curve of his neck, he sunk his dentes into her pulse. Her
pleasure careened into him, his release rushed to the forefront. He stilled
within her, his body trembling with the need for her to join him in release.
A groan escaped him as Brae’s tongue followed the pulsing line along the
juncture between his shoulder and neck, once, twice. Surely she teased him
intentionally. Her soft voice echoed the love he’d seen in her eyes. “I take
you as my bloodmate, my forever love.” The pinch of her untried dentes
lasted mere moments, vanishing with the sweet taste of her blood on his
tongue. The essence of her fortitude, her spirit aligned to his. His body took
over, with primal, hard thrusts into her in time to the draws off her life
force. They shared the ricocheted ecstasy between them in the way of
bloodmates. Lifted toward release by the bonded rapture of the other, they
crested together, Brae’s climax driving his higher. She broke from his vein
on a mewling scream, writhing beneath him. Enlil’s roar of release was
muffled at her throat. He stayed at her neck to ensure her iron levels were
safe before sealing the wound. Her tongue laved his closed as her orgasm
reduced to residual tremors.
He rolled his weight off her, bringing her with him, giving his mind a
moment to assimilate the new connection with Brae. Her thoughts and
emotions flooded into him. “My bloodmate. I have a bloodmate. Enlil loves
me, I can feel it. I feel him.” Enlil smiled. He knew she had yet to realize
the power of their bond. He wouldn’t invade her private thoughts this way
normally; right now she was broadcasting them to him. She touched on the
memory of a conversation with Etana, her voice crystal clear. “Find what
makes you come alive inside, and hold to it with everything you are.’”
Hearing Etana’s philosophy on life in Brae’s voice was surreal. How many
times had Etana said the same words to him? This was the first time he fully
understood the sentiment. Perhaps it took a part of your spirit dying or
breaking to appreciate it coming alive.
 Chapter Twenty-Four
Shadowed and shielded he’d stowed away on Ten’s flight from the
mainland. Having to sneak onto the island galled him no end, but it was the
only way to get here without detection.
From the empty commandants office he watched the action. The SOSC
had outdone itself for this event. A slow smile lit Osiris’ face as he watched
Jess and her mate stride across the expanse of lawn to Ten and the Tellus
pyrotechnic engineer. Her smile was large, her hand extended in friendship.
Osiris pivoted his ears to hear the conversation.
“Mr. Gavin, I’m Jess. Sorry I wasn’t here last night when you arrived. I
hope your flight was comfortable.” Osiris’s smile grew when Jess’s mate
stiffened from her hand being grasped by the male. You couldn’t blame the
guy for being on edge after his mate was taken right out from under his
nose.
The engineer was a perfect gentleman. Osiris always hired solid
representation for things like this, people who believed in what they were
doing without his influence. “Mrs. Einar, it is so nice to put a face to the
voice on the phone. The private plane was very comfortable. Thank you for
making it available to us. It made it far easier to transport our equipment
than the chortals. Everything is just how your initial diagrams showed.
Things are going wonderfully, thanks to you.” The Tellus turned to Ten.
“This young man is one of my apprentices, Mick Tenor.”
Osiris held his breath. Would she detect anything? Jess’s smile never
wavered. “Ah, yes, you’re from England, right?”
He was not surprised to hear her mention Ten’s background-check
information. Osiris had created Ten’s credentials himself, aware that the
planners of this first event would show extreme diligence. Osiris had not
planned on doing anything at this event except watch and learn … unless,
of course, an opportunity arose where he might change that plan. Now, he
would retrieve the chain. Even if it meant killing everyone here. There’d
been no sign of Umbrae yet, but she would arrive. When she did, Osiris
would be ready.
Ten’s voice was soft and polite, his accent perfectly honed. “That is
correct, Eastborn to be specific. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
 A young female called to Jess from the balcony of the main house. Jess
excused herself to return to the house. Her mate trailed behind her.
****
There were three offices in the commandant’s house. Eros found he was
most comfortable in the den-styled one Enlil had first brought them to. The
SOSC-event plans and martial-arts awards showed that the domain was
Jess’s. Her organized desk welcomed him. He’d set up his laptop to work
theories the way he did best, setting it down on paper. The invention of
computers aided tremendously. Often he would contemplate a dilemma and
then look down to see he’d written the solution. That was how he’d
originally created the metal composition for shadowing.
The rippled energy of port arrivals interrupted him for the second time.
Irsu had called a male named Sam to take Jerika and Aymee to the airport
earlier. Aymee would be sick enough from her hangover; the chortal would
do the attractive girl in.
Eros shadowed, hearing voices draw closer, and Jess and her mate
walked into the room, another couple trailing behind. “—my camcorder for
the interrogation—” Jess gave him a momentary pause and then continued.
Sharp female, she didn’t make his presence known to anyone else—very
considerate of her, especially since this was her house.
Eros dropped his shadow and the unfamiliar male growled. He had to be
the size of a refrigerated truck. The female had to be Enlil’s twin sister,
which meant the giant was Sargon. Enlil’s twin placed a restraining hand on
her mate’s arm, glaring at him. “Don’t be rude, Sargon.” Her voice held a
natural soothing compulsion. Sargon had lived up to the deep voice on the
telephone yesterday while getting SOSC endorsement to participate in the
Lake Powell compound.
Enlil’s female reflection smiled and pushed past the bulk of her mate,
extending her hand. “I’m Ninlil, so nice to meet you. On behalf of the
SOSC, let me welcome you to our ranks.”
Eros rose respectfully to shake the female’s hand, followed by Sargon
and Jess’s mate Shane. Jess’s intake of breath reminded him again that he
wasn’t the only person in the room aware his sons had entered. Eros smiled
over to the powerful little bit Jess appeared to be. “May I introduce my
sons?” They dropped shadow when he spoke their name. Had he left any
out, they would know to stay shadowed and protect the others. “Daniel,
Jacob, Victor, Othos, Baden, and Brock.”
Jess looked around. “Where’s Umbrae?”
Eros noticed Ninlil lips lift into a subtle smile. “Err, she and Enlil will
join us in the sparring room shortly. Hope you don’t need anything out of
your bedroom.”
Jess bounced up and down, clapping her hands in rapid tempo, and
jumped into Shane’s arms, wrapping her arms and legs around him. The
male caught her, chuckling, as the couple’s happiness radiated from them.
Jess’s enthusiasm brought smiles to everyone in the room. “Enlil’s happy,
Shane. He just spoke to me through my mentor bond. He’s fantastically
happy. I’ve never heard that in his voice. Umbrae’s his bloodmate, ooh, do
you think he’s claimed her yet? I hope so. Yeeaaaa.”
“Why aren’t you in the sparing room?” Enlil entered, holding Umbrae’s
hand. Ninlil headed straight for her brother and hugged him tightly.
Jess jumped from Shane’s arms to embrace Umbrae, who practically
glowed with happiness. They’d completed the bond.
Though happy for Umbrae, Eros felt like an interloper surrounded by
Enlil’s family and friends. His place in Umbrae’s life was not a given, much
as he desired differently. His heart swelled when he heard her whisper in
Jess’s ear, “Let’s talk after the interrogation of the men. Right now I need a
moment with my father and brothers. Is it okay if we use your office and
meet you in a few minutes?” Jess nodded and released Umbrae. Enlil
reached past his herd of a family to give Umbrae a tender kiss, leaving with
the others.
The boys looked at Eros in question. “She wants us here, all of us.”
Umbrae shut the door and turned to take in all of their faces with a smile.
Starting with Brock she gave each of her brothers a fierce hug, ending with
Eros. He felt her love growing toward them for the first time, the first
inkling of a paternal bond. Hulven weren’t like Elven children—a father’s
bond rarely came with birth; only Victor’s had been such. The others he’d
developed while they grew up and were then fully established by blood
when they were old enough. He wondered if all Volaticus had learned of the
phenomenon or if there were still thousands of orphans out there.
Umbrae’s happiness rang from her voice. “I wanted to tell you personally
that I’m mated.” The boys glanced at each other. Hulven males were born
sterile, so they didn’t understand the significance of their sister’s
announcement—unless the Fates bestowed a cure to the male Hulven
population, only Umbrae would give him grandchildren. “The other thing I
wanted to ask each of you is … if you would be willing to establish a bond
with me? I know that it is sudden and I understand if you say no, especially
since I’m apparently not too skilled at shielding against mutual bonds, and I
can’t guarantee that I won’t broadcast stuff I shouldn’t. There are a lot of
nightmares in my head, but there is also a lot to do with the slave-
smuggling world.” Umbrae’s voice trailed off.
Eros wanted that bond with her. The boys did too. He just needed to
know that she wanted it for reasons other than catching bad guys. “Umbrae,
do you have a personal reason to want this bond? We will curtail smuggling
regardless.”
Umbrae looked at him and a play of emotions crossed her face. Her voice
was barely above a whisper with vulnerable sincerity. “I need my family. I
so want to be a part of you all. Enlil suggested a bonding through blood to
make that happen. I see you all together and I feel like an outsider. Up till
now my life has been pretty, well, messed up is too mild a term. Other than
my limited exposure to the underground slave traders, I don’t have much to
offer any of you in exchange.” She ended her explanation in a shrug, and
Eros’s heart swelled to breaking. He couldn’t speak for the lump in his
throat.
Othos broke the silence. “You weren’t dropped on your head as a baby,
right?” Quickly soothing Umbrae’s hurt expression, he added, “We’re your
brothers, dork. We love you unconditionally, forever, period. Since the
second dad learned about you, finding you, spoiling you rotten, and
annoying the shit out of you has been all we’ve given a damn about. You’re
worried we won’t want you? I wish you had pigtails so I could pull them
right now.” He stepped toward her. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for
tickling you till you grow a brain.”
Othos pulled Umbrae from Eros, and her brothers tickled her and tossed
her back and forth like a football. Her squealed laughter filled the room.
Eros reached up to swipe the tears from his face. She was his little girl, their
little sister. She had no idea the power over them she held. Reluctantly he
ended the play. “Boys, be nice to your sister.” No words had ever sounded
so wonderful. With her cheeks flushed and her tear-streaked face grinning,
Umbrae returned to him for protection from her brothers.
With a kiss to her hair, he led her through the French doors into the lush
grass of the yard and handed her the dagger he and the boys had crafted
especially for her during their search. The metal composition allowed it to
shadow with her. She took the blade from him, her face full of confusion,
and he offered her a smile. The boys formed a circle around them, and Eros
stepped back from her, completing the circle. The confused look deepened.
“We are … SICARIUS!” The name rang out from them all with a
choreographed drop to one knee as they sunk their daggers to the hilt in the
soil. She gasped at the bowed heads surrounded her as each of them held
position, waiting for her to realize what they were offering her. It only took
a moment. “SICARIUS!” Her voice matched the pride she heard from the
boys perfectly. Eros lifted his head to look upon the bowed form of his
daughter highlighted from behind by a majestic sky.
She slowly raised her head to meet his gaze, and he saw exactly what
he’d hoped: pride and belonging. Daniel lifted her, throwing her over his
shoulder fireman-style. They all headed back to the house. “I vant to drrink
your blood, waahaahaa.” Daniel made her laugh again with his Dracula
impression. Through the windows Eros saw the grinning, teary faces of
Umbrae’s new mate and his family.
Eros let the boys exchange an ounce of blood each with Umbrae, waiting
till last for his turn. The solemn silence of the boys gave him a clear
indication that some of Brae’s memories had trickled to them. None of them
had harmed her when they had punctured her wrist. Still, she’d flinched the
first few times, and that reaction combined with the layers of scars along
her tiny wrist helped prepare him for his turn. He took the freshly vacated
seat beside her on the loveseat, and she beamed him a smile. “Dad, will you
walk me down the isle?”
“With pleasure.” They exchanged two ounces instead of one, adding the
mentor bond at the same time. A few snippets of her history slipped past her
shields, enough to leave Eros in awe of the internal fortitude she possessed
to conquer her past.
Brae raised her head, a glint in her eyes. “Enlil says the men are awake
now. He wants to know if we are ready to join them.” She kept the
bloodmate bond from running over into him and her brothers. “If I mentally
show you where I remember them from, will that make it easier?” She
seemed hesitant, and Eros was sure he wasn’t going to like what she’d seen.
He nodded to her anyway; there was nothing he could do to change her
past, but from this day forward he vowed she would never know that kind
of horror again.
While they walked, Brae’s memory came to them. At first it was black,
and then the dark lifted as her hood was removed. He saw the male who had
held her captive for so many decades through her eyes.
“What will you take for her?” someone standing behind her said to her
master. Eros felt her fear; Zakel was the hell she knew. She was afraid he
would sell her. Or loan her out again? Oh, Fates. Fucker was lucky he was
dead. Eros would have kept him suffering and alive one day for every day
that his baby had been harmed. Not revealing his reaction, he sent her an
encouraging calm through the new bond, privately warning the boys not to
react.
The scene continued. She spotted the three men from the sparring room
laughing in a group, speaking vulgarly about the two Tellus and one
Aquatie female the group had hog-tied and chained together with platinum
and lead chains. Umbrae had quickly looked away from the terrified eyes of
the Aquatie who had met her gaze. “I came to buy,” Zakel answered the
voice. Umbrae released a silent sigh of relief.
Through her hearing, Eros tried to focus on what was being said by the
males in the group holding the other three females.
“You shouldn’t have fucked the Aquatie, it might make her worth less.
That will come out of your cut.” Whoever talked directed the comment to
one of the men Irsu had grabbed. One of the others they were headed to
interrogate responded to the first. “If that’s the case, you’re the only one
that won’t split the loss. Trust me, boss, she was worth it.” Umbrae looked
at the female with more empathy than Eros could stand.
The male behind her spoke to her master again. “You can’t tell me you
brought a female in estrus to an auction without something in mind.” The
memory ended there.
“Sorry.” Umbrae’s shoulders were slouched, her head hung to her chest.
He knew she didn’t intend to share that last part. He also had a pretty good
idea of what followed.
 He stopped her outside the door to the sparring room and lifted her chin
with his fingers forcing her to meet his gaze, her brothers behind them. “We
are SICARIUS!” Her voice rang pure with theirs. Tears filled her eyes.
“That name means pride, endurance, and survival; you are our hero,
Umbrae. You are living proof our motto is born in blood. You were
victimized, yet you share information to help others. Your past should
empower you, not define you. Understand?” She smiled tearfully. Enlil
threw the door open, his concern radiated off him. Umbrae cupped her
mate’s cheek wordlessly and entered the room.
Eros’s heart stopped in his chest. I took him a second to realize the small
blond turning to look at him wasn’t Innanna. It was worse—it was her
mother. Eros squared his shoulders, taking in the male who had
accompanied the Presiding Oracle. He had a striking resemblance to Shane
… a brother would be a safe bet. Not a warrior—the male had the
otherworldly air of an Oracle, albeit a young one.
“So it’s true, I see. You are alive and well.” Leanna’s voice came to him
through the ancient telepathic line. No one else in the room had the lifespan
to overhear her comment. Ninlil, Sargon and Enil could sense they were
talking, but they were still a few thousand years away from being privy to
it. The male beside her, however, pursed his lips. An Oracle and a reader.
Figures.
“Leanna, you are looking well. What brings the Presiding Oracle to our
midst?” He had no interest in a duck and bob game around the obvious. His
daughter was worth the hurt feelings he would have to face returning to
Volaticus society. He knew he’d have to face Innanna and her family
eventually. Of course, he had thought it would be at the event tonight.
“My daughter presides over the sect now. I am merely a member.” She
watched him closely for a reaction. There was only one female he needed to
explain his actions to, and Leanna wasn’t her. “The request was made by
the SOSC to determine if the Fates have any reason these men shouldn’t be
killed at the end of your interrogation.” Leanna sighed out loud, dropping
the pretense of the game, and spoke openly. “Eros, this is Miguel, Innanna’s
protégé.”
Eros introduced his children, including Umbrae. Leanna greeted each of
them warmly, her sincerity real. He hoped the other members of the
ancients distinguished the sins of the father in the way they treated his
children.
The men were still blindfolded. Leanna stepped up to the first chair and
placed her hand upon his head, repeating the motion as she moved down the
line. Miguel duplicated the process behind her. Leanna waited for Miguel to
finish. He shook his head at her, and she led Ninlil and Sargon into the hall,
closing the door. Eros turned his attention to Miguel, who spoke quietly to
Shane about his concerns for their brother Conlon. Jess and Irsu stood by
with saddened expressions. Shane was silent after Miguel’s prediction.
Miguel finished the conversation when Leanna, Ninlil, and Sargon returned.
Umbrae’s voice filled his mind. “The Oracles say there is nothing in the
men’s future of any importance, quite the opposite. They recommend
execution. Tellus are coming to dispose of the bodies.”
There was no need for blindfolds, and Eros removed them. He and the
others took true form. Let the men know what they were dealing with. Even
with the threat facing them, two of them checked over the females
lasciviously, causing Umbrae to squirm subconsciously, and she shadowed
under their inspection. Enlil released a growl and his fist shot out, snapping
the worst of the three’s neck, killing the man instantly
They had the attention of the other two now. “Who organizes the
market?” It didn’t take long to obtain a starting point in tearing the trade
apart. The men were drained into Red Cross donation bags, a far more
humane end then either of them deserved, but this was not his show. It
would take time to learn the symbiotic process.
“If the Oracle had determined that one of these men had a destiny of
importance, how would this have been handled?” Eros asked, watching the
Tellus remove the bodies.
Ninlil’s soothing voice filled the space, “That would depend on the
significance and circumstances of the future. We might have wiped their
short-term memory and implanted a tracking device, ensuring they did no
future harm until they had fulfilled the Fates’ design for them. Castration
could have been an apt consequence. Every situation is different. What we
don’t want to do is act rashly to create a scenario that could compromise the
health and welfare of the future. Had we initiated this process earlier, the
humans would have already enlightened, and they would have wrought far
less damage to the planet.”
Jess looked at the clock, “Oh shit! The ball starts in an hour.”
 Chapter Twenty-Five
Gil ported directly from Innanna’s bed to his shower. He’d stayed with
her till the last possible minute, watching her get ready for the evening, his
heart in his throat the entire time. “I love you” was on the tip of his tongue,
but he never uttered the phrase; something held him back. It wasn’t the truth
of the declaration. It was the fear that Enlil had not yet bloodmated. Out of
respect for Etana’s sacrifice he and Innanna had agreed to forego any
discussion of bloodmating until Enlil found the happiness Etana promised
him. If Gil said the words I love you to Innanna he’d lose control of the
primal urge to claim her. From the reaction Enlil had to Umbrae’s
kidnapping it didn’t look like that would take long. Fates, he hoped it didn’t
take long.
Jess and his mother would have his balls in a sling for his disappearing
act, a small price to pay for hours in Innanna’s arms. He couldn’t wipe the
grin off his face, couldn’t wait to take her out on the dance floor. He quickly
dressed and headed below to face the female firing squad. The mutterings
of the registered guests slowed his steps at the bottom of the staircase. Eros.
Not possible., It couldn’t be the same male, could it?
Shane leaned against the wall, waiting for Jess to descend. “Eros who?
Not Sicarius, right?” Gil demanded. Shane gave him a confused look and
nodded. He recited an overview of the last forty-eight hours for Gil. Every
word was a punch to Gil’s stomach. Innanna’s true love, her first love, had
returned from the grave. Motherfucker. Gil headed for the bar, leaving
Shane in mid-sentence. The ache in his chest was crippling. The male
would be arriving any time … and so would Innanna.
Four double shots of Crown Royal did nothing to sooth the turbulence in
his mind. Ignoring the two Aquatie females who had taken notice of him, he
watched the door. Letting her go would kill him, but he’d just see how she
interacted with her former bloodmate. He wanted her to be happy; she
deserved that more than anyone he’d ever met.
Enlil and Umbrae were at the front entrance, trailed by Irsu and six
hulking Hulven. Those had to be Eros’s sons. Half-listening by that point,
he couldn’t remember the names Shane had called them. The difference in
Umbrae on Enlil’s arm was dramatic. The female glowed. Enlil had mated.
Gil wished he had known that an hour ago. They spoke to the Tellus prince
who was Umbrae’s SOSC partner. Gil was glad to see Prince Hansi had
recovered and reminded himself he needed to thank Hans personally for
freeing them from the holding weave. Hans’ mother and fifteen sisters had
surrounded the poor guy until a few minutes ago. At any other time he
would have been giving the guy hell about being the only male in a royal
garden of estrogen. For that matter, he’d already have had the two Aquatie
females in his room naked. The group made their way into the hall. He
didn’t see Eros, not that it meant the male wasn’t here, fucking shadower.
People poured in. There was a line from the chortal to the door, while
others came through the open wall-to-wall French doors overlooking the
yards. Easily a thousand people were gathered outside in the tropical
evening air. Two different styles of music played, formal ballroom in the
hall, and quick-paced new-age music out on the lawns. Long buffet tables
were heaped with every kind of cuisine. He spotted Gary accepting a
compliment from a guest, Miguel by his partner’s side, taking pride in his
life-mate’s skills. That was what happiness looked like; he’d never
understood how another person could complete someone, and now that he
did … All the breath left his body when Innanna, flanked by her family,
walked through the French doors.
She hadn’t let him see her dress before he’d left, saying she wanted it to
be a surprise. Surprise was an understatement; struck fucking dumb was
more apt. The deep purple gown complimented her violet eyes. A teasing
mix of modest and revealing heated his blood to boiling. The strapless top
cupped her breasts, fit and snug, and shaped her waist, hips, and thighs,
flaring from her knee to float on the ground. Her height beside her father
and brother indicated she wore six-inch heels underneath. She turned to
answer a question from Durian, giving Gil a view of her back. Oh, sweet
Fates, the dress plunged to just above the crack of her ass, detailing the
perfection of her derriere. Her wings emerged while she spoke, the
openness of the back of her dress ensuring that the delicate membranes
would remain free from encumbrance. How did a dress like that stay on?
More important … how did it come off?
Returning her gaze to the room, she looked around, her expression
cautious, worried. Fuck, she must have heard of Eros’s return. He stayed at
the bar, waiting for her to find him in her visual sweep. Hope filled him
when their eyes met. There was trepidation in the violet depths, but there
was also the love he’d seen earlier. She gave him a small smile and took a
step toward him. Her father touched her arm, stopping her. Gil felt the urge
to strangle the speaker. Innanna nodded to whatever her father had said and
held up a one-minute finger. Adonai led her to the center of the hall. Gil
slammed back another double-shot of Crown, watching father and daughter
dance.
He gave the room another scan and noted that Umbrae’s brothers were
popular with the ladies. Even Greycia, who was known to be highly
selective in lovers, was amongst the females engaging the good-looking
males. Aymee, Jerika, and Irsu were surrounding poor Sam. Lucky for him,
the presence of his sister Sara and nephew Nathan buffered the girl’s tactics
to make him blush. Jess descended the stairs; she wore a shimmering,
opalescent- halter with a matching floor-length skirt. He’d heard tales of her
mating gown, designed and made for her by hand, a thank-you gift from the
female survivors this event honored. It was fitting for her to wear it, and she
looked beautiful. The look on Shane’s face was pure mate admiration. The
lucky bastard adored his mate as much as she adored him.
Jess’s eyes found Enlil and Umbrae, and her line of sight paused a few
inches above Umbrae’s head before she smiled at her mentor. Without a
word she’d inadvertently given Gil the location of the Sicarius patriarch.
The bastard was probably watching Innanna with hunger, appreciation—
how could he not be? Durian and Leanna joined Enlil and Umbrae. The
song Innanna danced to was almost over. Within seconds, Eros appeared,
standing behind Umbrae. The conversation was tense, full of insinuations
and barely veiled hostility, hidden behind polite banter. Not surprised Gil
pivoted his hearing toward the animated conversation. Innanna’s family had
to believe Eros had deserted her, though Gil knew that didn’t matter when it
came to true bloodmates; Innanna could forgive the male anything if she
loved him. That was one of the amazing traits he admired about her. Hell,
she’d forgiven Gil his treatment of her after Etana had been killed without
batting an eye.
Didn’t hurt that the male was easily six foot six, with dark mahogany hair
that hung just past his shoulders and sterling-silver eyes so light in color,
they could be a mirrors. Eros’s head snapped up, taking stock of his sons,
who watched the exchange closely. He gave his boys a quick shake of his
head as he replied to something said to him; the movement was subtle,
easily missed. Those males were ready to take on everyone to protect their
father. That level of loyalty came from more than blood, it came with
earned respect, confirming the portrayal Shane had depicted. He was
handsome, powerful, and full of integrity; Innanna could do worse. Said a
warrior with a reputation for being incapable of taking anything seriously
and for womanizing, he thought and gave a self-derogatory snort.
The song ended and his attention returned to the dance floor. Innanna was
smiling up at her father. Adonai leaned to kiss her cheek, thanking her for
the dance, and then she turned that smile to Gil. Oh, great Fates, that smile
could melt his heart like butter in a skillet. She took several steps in his
direction and then stopped mid-stride, her head turned to where things were
getting heated between Eros and Durian. Innanna’s brother had his finger
pointed in Eros’ chest, all pretense of civility gone, and Eros’s sons had
shadowed, which was a bad sign. Fuck. Innanna’s smile faded seeing the
exchange, and her darting, panicked gaze along with the startled gasps of
people being shoved aside by invisible hands as the shadows physically
cleared a path to their father. Gil became accutely aware of the danger about
to be unleashed if someone didn’t do something.
Gilgamesh closed the distance between him and Enlil while the rest of
his family took position to defend Enlil and his mate. Didn’t matter that it
put Gil in a conflict with Durian—Enlil was family, and Innanna was not
yet his. Ironically, it also put him standing next to Eros when Innanna
pushed past the bodies to stand in front of them.
Gil braced himself for the inevitable as her eyes danced between him and
Eros before she turned away from both of them to face her brother face on.
“Durian, enough! This is not the place or time. You will not ruin this night.
Use your damn head, brother of mine.” Durian’s animosity drained away
with her words, quickly replaced with shame. He mumbled an apology and
withdrew, though he took position beside Adonai near enough to protect
Innanna and Leanna if it came to that. They also gave Innanna the space to
handle this herself. The crowd took the hint, backing away from the core
members involved. Gil took a quick glance at Eros, trying to gauge the
male’s expression. It wasn’t hard to read—he held Innanna’s gaze captive
with stark pain and regret pooling in liquid silver. Innanna’s expression was
harder to interpret. Gil only partially caught a flash of resignation, which
seemed odd.
“Will you take a walk with me?” Eros’s deep voice broke the stare-a-thon
they had going. Innanna pursed her lips, still giving none of her emotional
barometer away. She gave a single nod in answer. Gil’s knees went weak,
and he suppressed the growl bubbling through his chest. She shifted her
gaze to him, her eyes pleading for his understanding. Oh, he understood just
fine, too well. He gave her a shrug to show a nonchalance that he didn’t
feel. Ignoring the flash of hurt in her eyes was the hardest thing he’d ever
done. He headed back to the bar; taking the spot between the two Aquatie
females, he ordered another double-shot of Crown. Fuck it, he had the bar
tender give him a fresh, full bottle.
He kept his focus on anything except Innanna until she and Eros passed
by him, headed towards the doors. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eros
offer his arm to the female Gil loved without limits. It gave him a little
pleasure when Innanna shook her head. Good for you, Darlin’. Make the
bastard work for it. He watched them disappear out of sight, strolling
toward the beach. Gil drank straight from the bottle. This would be difficult
enough for Innanna without being stuck in a lover’s triangle. Only one way
he could think of to help her through it—remove himself from the equation
with finality.
Gil put on his charm and turned to the two females. “S’ tell me, ladies,
the night turnin’ out ta be what ya were wantin’?” The soothing cadence of
his voice floated over them suggestively. Damn it, he didn’t want to do this.
He received the response he’d expected as the girls giggled chewing on
the straws of the fruity drinks they held. They stripped him naked with their
eyes giving him the answer he knew they would. Aquaties loved sex,
period. Sure, they coupled to bear and raise young. When the children were
grown, the couples usually went their separate ways. That was a part of
their culture. Their language didn’t even possess a word for monogamy.
The commitment between paired siblings was the strongest thing in their
world. That wasn’t to say Aquaties were inclined to jump into bed with just
anyone. Quite the opposite—they had distinguished tastes. He was just the
flavor in the room these two seemed in the mood for at the moment. They
didn’t need to know this wasn’t about them, or him; this was about making
Innanna’s life easier.
 “I donna remember seein’ the two of ya durin’ the rescues, an’ believe
me, I definitely woulda remembered yer faces.” His heart wasn’t in it, but
the females didn’t seem to notice.
“We weren’t part of the rescue. We aided in the rehabilitation after.” The
female’s voice was musical, and normally he’d be doing everything he
could to keep her talking just to hear it. Tonight we barely gave it a thought
beyond a means to an end. An end that he knew would leave him bleeding
inside for the rest of his life.
****
Eros couldn’t blame Innanna for refusing his arm. He would have
understood if she told him to go to hell when he’d asked her to walk with
him. She snatched a glass of wine off a server’s tray and drank half before
they reached the relative privacy of the shoreline. Innanna slipped off her
shoes, letting the straps hang delicately from her fingers. Her eyes searched
his face when she tipped her head back, finishing off the wine. Now that she
was here, he had no idea how to start the conversation. He’d played this
reunion over and over in his mind in the last few weeks. He turned to walk
the coast, figuring she would walk beside him, and spun back when he
realized he was alone. Innanna hadn’t moved. She set her glass and shoes
down in the sand to fold her arms across her chest.
“This is the farthest I’m going. Whatever you want to say, just say it.”
Stubborn as ever, she was still the most beautiful female he’d ever laid eyes
on. Their chemistry had been a cruel twist of fate.
Eros shouldn’t have grinned, but he couldn’t help it. The memory of her
standing with that exact pose when she was a child, taking offense to him
and Durian teasing her, flashed in his mind. She had been a pistol back then,
following them everywhere, tattling on them, and crying if they left her
behind. Innanna leaned over to grab her shoes and turned back toward the
house. He caught her elbows, returning her gaze to his; the pain within the
violet depths was his doing. She deserved an explanation, one that was long
overdue.
“Innanna, wait. I didn’t return to hurt you. I hope you know that. I don’t
expect you to forgive me either. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, learned my fair
share of hard lessons. Many times I dreamed of having this conversation
with you, yet I couldn’t bring myself to face you. I am a coward.” Eros
released her elbows and dropped to the sand. If she wanted to go, that was
her right. The young female he remembered would stay and hear him out,
but she could have changed since then. He watched the waves, waiting for
her decision, and she finally heaved a long sigh and dropped next to him.
“You returned because of Umbrae, not me. I already know that. I can
even respect that. If I thought you were going to bring me out here to woo
me, I never would have come.” Innanna gave him a platonic grin. That had
been the problem throughout their farce of a courtship; she hadn’t loved
him like a mate. When he finally admitted the truth to himself, he realized
he felt the same about her. Whether they were chemically, biologically, and
psychically compatible bloodmates or not, neither of them had been in any
hurry to take it sexually. They moved toward a mating ceremony because
destiny dictated they were supposed to be together, not because they wanted
to be.
Start at the beginning was all he could offer her now. “When I recovered
from the fall of Atlantis, I wondered where you had gone, but mostly I just
wanted to find Tenebrae. I couldn’t feel our bond. Part of me knew he was
dead, but I guess I hoped he was shielding and I was not at full strength. I
stayed in the High chambers shadowed for months waiting for word of him.
When his body was delivered boiled by the Aquatie prince, I fell apart.
Only then did I seek you out. In fact, I followed the messenger sent by the
panel to tell your family the news in Sidhe. Your mother pulled you into a
hug; I could tell by your face the news of my brother’s death hurt you
deeply. It was the look you got when your mother said it was terrible to
loose the Sicarius bloodline that kept me from revealing my presence to
you. There was a certain level of relief on your face. I was hurt and
extremely stupid. I went to ground for centuries at a time. I checked in on
you from time to time to see if you were lonely enough to want me the way
I felt you should. I spent the rest of the time hunting the Aquatie who had
killed my brother. Growing darker inside, I did this routine over and over.”
Tears tracked down Innanna’s face, but she didn’t try to deny her relief
that she hadn’t mated with him. He was glad of that. “I was like a festering
wound of unjustifiable resentments and unreleased grief for Tenebrae …
and for you. I came so close to turning rogue, even Morsdente. It was a
scary time. Only the shame it would bring to the Sicarius name and my
brother’s memory kept me from going that far. I focused on the anger to
hide from the pain. I kept thinking it shouldn’t matter if we loved each
other; we belonged together. Then I met Natalie.” Saying the name aloud
brought a fresh wave of pain. “She was human, heredity at that, but I fell
for her even without a bloodbond. That was when I finally understood that
you were right all along. Loving a bloodmate would be a wonderful thing. I
still believe that. I also hear the words you said the last time we spoke: “If I
must choose between love and biology, I choose love.” I tried to tell you we
would learn to love each other. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for saying
that. It more than matters; it is crucial. Natalie died at sixty-eight years old,
and I got to love her for fifty of those years. I stood beside her when she
took her last breath.”
“I did mourn you, Eros. I love you like a brother. I always have. I always
will. Why have you stayed separated from your people all this time? Why
not come back after you lost your love?” Innanna was such a compassionate
soul, being a part of the survival of their species meant everything to her.
Until now he’d only cared about his family. Even in returning now, his
motives were selfish and all about his family.
“I had a million justifications, none of which have proved valid. At first I
worried about my young son. Hulven weren’t always accepted by the Elven
race. I didn’t want them ostracized. Then I met my second wife, who gave
me three more sons. My third bride died in childbirth, and my forth ran
away after our wedding night and gave birth to Umbrae without me
knowing that she had conceived. My boys and I focused on avenging
Tenebrae. Vengeance was the reason, I told myself, but the truth is far more
shameful. I was terrified of facing you, facing Durian,” Eros admitted to
her, something he’d never shared with another living soul.
“Durian loves you, Eros. You were his best friend. He missed you so
much. He tried to hide his grief from me, but I know he has never gotten
over losing you. Give him a chance. His anger will pass and you two can
find your way back to the friendship you once shared.” Innanna spoke as he
helped her back to her feet. He hoped she was right. Seeing Durian again
had filled him with longing for the camaraderie they’d once shared.
“I heard you now preside over the Oracles. Congratulations. Or would
you rather my sympathy?” Eros gained the chuckle from her he had hoped
for.
 “Maybe some of both, Gil …” Innanna’s eyes widened when she said his
name. That must be the name of the male that he’d noticed her exchange
glances with earlier. “Oh, Eros, you’ve not yet heard about Etana’s
sacrifice, have you? You may find a bloodmate to love yet.” Innanna told
him about the bloodmate potential of the future as they walked back toward
the house. Gil’s name came up several times. Clearly Innanna had found her
love, her perfect bloodmate. Eros was thrilled for her. She was the closest to
a sister he had ever had, and he loved her as one and wanted her happy. The
male obviously brought her to life.
Entering the hall, Eros spotted the male whose shining attributes Innanna
had listed off to him climbing the stairs toward the living quarters. Each
arm was draped over the shoulders of an Aquatie female. “Innanna.” She
looked up at him questioningly. “You may want to add ‘stupid’ and
‘jackass’ to Gil’s resume.” He used his chin to indicate the direction as the
trio reached the top of the stairs.
Hurt and possessive fire shot from Innanna’s eyes. “That son of a bitch.”
Eros smiled. Gil had no idea the stick of dynamite he’d just ignited. Thank
the Fates Innanna had found a love she was willing to fight for. “Hold
these.” She shoved her shoes against his chest. Fists at her sides, her stride
determined, she marched toward the stairs, ignoring the concerned inquiry
from her mother. He almost felt bad for Gil—this would be a night that
male would never forget. Innanna didn’t get upset often, but when she did,
look out.
His eyes fell to meet Adonai’s. Eros didn’t hide his surprise to see
Innanna’s father give him a nod of acceptance. Maybe there was hope yet.
Durian leaned against the wall next to the bar, and Eros took an identical
pose next to him. Feeling encouraged when Durian didn’t walk away, he
took a chance. “I see you haven’t mellowed over time, still a hard-head,”
Eros said while visually sweeping the room.
“You holding up a mirror, fuckwad?” Durian responded. Venom dripped
from his tone. It was a solid start.
“Can’t see a mirror yet. My eyes haven’t cleared of shit since I pulled my
head out of my ass.” May as well get the apology out of the way. Durian
snorted sarcastically. Eros grinned and flipped him off. They stood side by
side, silently watching the crowd. Olive branch extended and accepted, all
that remained was time and performance to earn back Durian’s friendship.
 Lifting from the wall he faced his friend face-to-face. “You want to
punch me, or can I go steal a dance with my daughter?” Durian flipped him
off in return and answer. Lighter in spirit then he could remember being,
Eros went in search of Umbrae, passing by his sons having the time of their
lives, surrounded by ladies.
****
Ediku sat on a stone bench, peeling the label off his third beer. He’d
never been much of a drinker; sulking was more his style. Patrick stood
across the expanse of lawn laughing with a mixed group of people. Just
because he couldn’t tell if the male was interested in any one specific didn’t
mean he wasn’t. Fates, was he really pathetic enough to sit by and watch the
male he loved leave with someone tonight? That answer was a resounding
“yes.”
“G-pa E.” Jorie’s voice floated down to him from the balcony above,
where the young were being tended. He looked up to give her a false smile.
She shouted to someone behind her, “Hey, Maggie hold down the fort for a
sec, K?” and climbed the railing, gliding down to join him on the bench.
“Don’t you look gorgeous?” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
She was dressed to join in with the festivities once her kid-duty rotation
ended. “How soon till you bust out of there so I can dance with you?”
Jorie beamed at him. “I still have like another hour and a half.” She
looked at her watch. “Then I’m done, no more snotty nose blowing for me.”
She waved at someone, and Ediku looked up to see Patrick grinning over at
Jorie. His heart lurched in his chest, but Patrick leaned to hear what
someone beside him said without acknowledging Ediku. Jorie let out a sigh.
“I really like him.”
It was hard to speak, but Jorie’s expectant look left him little choice.
“He’s a good guy. Hard not to like him.” That was the understatement of the
millennium.
Jorie studied his face for a long minute and then shocked the hell out of
him when she tsked and shook her head. Oh, hell, what had she seen in his
face? His eyes roamed toward Patrick again and then back to her. “G-pa, I
know it’s none of my business and I’m just a kid, but I know stuff. I
watched my mom and dad dance around pretending like they were friends
for like ever. They were miserable, but neither wanted to admit they loved
the other. Made me bat-shit nuts. Mom would cry at night, dad would watch
her when she wasn’t looking with this puppy face. I thought they were just
freaks of the universe, blinded by stupidity. Now I’m thinking maybe all
grownups are dumb.” She leaned her head to his shoulder.
Ediku took the bait. More than his next breath, he needed to hear what
she would say. “We are pretty dumb when it comes to the heart, aren’t we?”
He encouraged her to continue.
Jorie lifted from his shoulder. Pinched his cheeks between her thumb and
forefinger, she glared at him. “If you love Patrick, then you need to do
whatever it takes. I’ve been watching you two all damn week giving each
other that same stupid puppy face my dad used to wear. Quit being a
dumbass.” She kissed the tip of his nose and released his face, smirking at
what could only be his stunned expression. Great Fates, she was an intuitive
little thing. She was also absolutely correct.
A noise sounded from the room off the balcony and Jorie frowned,
looking up. “I better go.” She flew back to her duties. Edik turned to catch
Patrick watching him, but he glanced away the second they made eye
contact. Was she right? Did Patrick still want him? Either way, he was done
hiding.
As luck would have it, the second his mind was made up, his father and
Umbrae stepped into view. No time like the present. He needed to introduce
himself to his father’s new mate anyway. With determination and
blossoming hope, he bee-lined a path that would intersect the happy couple.
“Dad.” He could feel the warmth of Patrick’s eyes following him. Enlil
turned and pulled Ediku into a fierce hug. WTF? Aware it might be the last
embrace he’d ever get from his father, he returned it with everything he had.
Were those tears in his father’s eyes? He took Umbrae’s hands in both of
his. “I’m so sorry we haven’t had a chance to meet properly. I’m Ediku. I’m
so happy for you and my dad.” His voice choked up and he pushed through
the best he could. “I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity
to say goodbye to my mother.”
Umbrae looked from him to his dad, as if searching for the right thing to
say back. Edik had gotten wind of some of her story over the last few days.
This must be overwhelming to the female. Following his instinct, he hugged
her and was not surprised when she tensed before returning it. The
kindness, patience, and understanding his father bestowed on the females he
loved would serve Umbrae well.
“Thank you, Edik. Is it okay if I call you that?” Her smile brightened her
whole demeanor; he could see why his father was attracted. Course, these
two had gone well beyond attracted. Figures his mother would hand-pick
her replacement; she always was the kind to not leave things to chance if
she could help it. Even her crop designs were perfectly diagrammed before
a shovel full of dirt was turned.
“I like being called Edik. Prefer it actually.” That was what Patrick had
always called him. He put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “There’s
something I really need to tell you. See that male over there?” He pointed at
Patrick. No more hiding, no more pretending. Enlil and Umbrae followed
the direction of his finger.
“You mean Patrick?” Enlil gave him a curious study. “I often wondered
why the two of you broke it off. He seemed to make you happy.”
Okay. Did that just fall out of his father’s lips? How? What? Huh?
“You knew?” Edik couldn’t help the accusation in his voice. His father
had known the whole time and hadn’t said a word.
“That you preferred males?” Enlil didn’t bat an eye. Edik could still feel
the pride his dad felt for him through the paternal bond. The flux of emotion
had been a constant since the bluff. “You’re mother and I realized it when
you were a child. She said that when you were ready to talk to me about it,
you would. Honestly, when I learned of you siring Moira and Marja, I was a
little confused by it. ”
Edik wanted to smack his palm against his forehead. Enlil’s gaze lifted,
followed by a smile, and Edik followed the line of sight. Jorie stood on the
balcony giving them a double thumbs-up. Enlil chuckled. “Can’t say I’m
sorry you found one female that struck your fancy, though. Our girls are
pretty phenomenal.” Edik couldn’t agree more. Maybe everything had
happened just the way it was supposed too.
“Umm, Dad,” Edik hedged.
Umbrae pushed against his forearm. “Go on. If you’re anything like your
mother described, you have some groveling to do.” Yes, ma’am. There was
no containing the burst of freedom he felt. He turned to where Patrick had
been. The male was gone. “He headed toward the beach after you pointed at
him,” Umbrae supplied. He gave them each a kiss on the cheek before
dashing off in pursuit. Jorie’s whoop echoed overhead.
Patrick sat in the sand, the waves touching his toes before retreating. “So
you think you can finally grow a pair and I will come right back to you,
don’t you?”
Slipping off his shoes, Ediku rolled the bottoms of his pant legs before
sitting beside the male of his dreams. “That was the plan in a nutshell.” The
wave chilled the bottoms of his feet. Which would make them the only part
of his body not engulfed in flames of desire. “Course, I’m also ready,
willing, and able to beg shamelessly. That would be plan B.”
Patrick gave a chuckle full of sadness. The male had yet to look away
from the ocean. Was it too late? Had he fucked up beyond redemption? Did
Patrick have someone else? If so, was he happy? Taking an example from
his father, Edik waited patiently for Patrick to respond, knowing the words
that would follow would make or crush him. He made a concise effort to
focus on hope instead of dread.
“You shattered my heart, Edik. It’s taken me this long to find all of the
pieces. I still haven’t puzzled them back together.” Patrick’s voice was quiet
with raw hurt.
Edik stared at Patrick’s perfect profile in the moonlight. “I’ve been an
idiot. Fates, my own granddaughter just called me a dumbass. I love you,
Patrick. I want to spend my life with you. All I need to know is if there is
even a chance in hell that you could love me again. You say yes and I’m all
in, no holding back.”
Patrick finally met his eyes. “What if I say no?”
Edik leaned to whisper intimately, holding Patrick’s gaze “Then I fight
like hell to change your mind.” The male’s pupils enlarged as his dentes slid
into place.
Showing that he had been watching the exchange Edik had with Jorie,
Patrick mimicked her by pinching his cheeks between thumb and forefinger.
The love in Patrick’s eyes was pure. This was the look that had filled Edik’s
dreams with yearning. Patrick placed a tender kiss to his pinch-puckered
lips. “Yes, you dumbass.”
 Chapter Twenty-Six
Innanna had never been so hurt and pissed off in her life. “Stupid
jackass” was the perfect analysis for Gil. “Dead man” would work too. Oh,
no doubt he had some demented justification for taking females to his room.
Eros’s arrival had surely sent him into a tailspin, not like it hadn’t been a
shock to her too … well, sort of. Honestly, she and Miguel had figured out
Eros was alive five years ago when Umbrae was rescued. It didn’t take a
rocket scientist to do the math. Their consensus had been to wait and see if
Eros ever showed himself or if the Fates gave them a direction, which they
did … right before Jess and Umbrae were kidnapped. She had never felt
any desire to pursue Eros. It was Gilgamesh, the moron, whom she loved.
If he thought she was going to stand back and let him throw her love
away by sticking his dick in strange, he had another think coming. He may
not have said the words, but she saw the love he felt for her every time he
looked at her, yet when faced with possible competition for her, he took the
easy way out. Well, fine! If he wouldn’t fight for her, he was damn well
going to fight with her.
Innanna tried the doorknob of his suite—locked. She took a hard look at
the door and frame; it was made with a fine mesh of platinum and lead.
Being an ancient had some benefits, and Innanna focused on the wall the
doorframe was anchored to. Internally condensing all of her anger, her hurt,
and her love into a ball of kinetic energy, she targeted the barrier between
her and the male she wanted to kill with her bare hands. She released the
ball of fury.
Door, frame, and three inches of wall blasted into projectile shrapnel and
peppered the wall opposite where she stood. A line of blood welled up
across Gil’s cheek; the explosion had barely missed him sitting on the
couch with a quarter of a bottle of Crown resting on his knee. When she
realized he wasn’t hurt, a wave of relief and disappointment conflicted in
her heart. Until she saw the shocked faces of his companions, standing
open-mouth across from Gil. The females were tall, beautiful, and naked;
their clothing littered the floor around them. Obviously Gil was enjoying a
tag-team strip-tease. Her growl echoed demonically through the room.
 She launched at the two females before either of them could react. Using
an ability she kept on the back burner for only emergencies, she grabbed
both females by the arms, propelling them sixty seconds into the future. Gil
vanished behind her, and the noise from below was immediately silenced.
“You have thirty seconds to get your clothes on and get your asses to the top
of that staircase. Gil is mine, and I will not be disturbed. You two guard the
stairs. Let no one pass and I won’t rip your fucking throats out. We clear?”
The females nodded robotically.
While they put themselves back together, Innanna stepped to the spot
directly in front of where Gil would be when time caught up. Fifteen
seconds later, the buzz of noise and energies below reached her. Ten
seconds, the fuzzy outline of Gil’s form began to take shape. Five seconds,
Innanna balled her fist.
His image solidified and his eyes widened at seeing her standing between
his knees. Her fist shot out and she hit him with every ounce of strength she
had. Gil grunted as his head rocked back. He lifted it to look at her and she
hit him with her other fist, the crunch of his nose music to her anger. His
hand covered his face, and this time blood ran between his fingers. He held
his other hand out to fend her off.
“What the fuck, Tiny Mite.” He was amused; Innanna cocked her fist
back to slug him again. He gently caught it midway in his. She threw her
other fist, connecting with his jaw; his head rocked again, his hand
dropping from his face. His nose was already healing, and he was laughing
at her. Tears blurred her vision and she quickly wiped them away. The
humor drained out of Gil’s face. “Darlin’, donna cry. Ya got yer first love
back, that’s great, I’m happy fer ya and I get it, I really do. Ya donna have ta
let me down easy, I’m good ta go, fine.”
His comment threw Innanna into a fresh bout of fury; her agonized roar
shook the remnants of walls around them. She pelted him with open-handed
slaps beyond her control. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks. Her
guts twisted in pain. Her chest burned with rage. Her head pounded with
frustration. All the while, her heart broke. Good to go, he said. She was
wrong. Gil didn’t love her. She was no different than the females she’d sent
away.
Gil captured her flailing arms and spun her as the realization
overwhelmed her. He crushed her wings against his chest holding her arms
tightly across her own chest, using his massive arms to secure her. Her head
sunk in defeat, her shoulders sagged with humiliation. What a fool she was
to think she could possibly be more than a passing amusement to a male
like Gil. “Shhh.” She could barely understand him, but the ache deep inside
wouldn’t be denied. Her soft keening wail of pain and her racked sobs
blocked everything else out.
She tried to wiggle free of his hold. She needed to get out of here,
somewhere private where she could die in peace. This was the kind of pain
that made bloodmates release their energies. “Let go of me.”
“Nope.” He held her tighter and rose from the chair, letting her feet
dangle above the ground. Grateful for a spark of irritation his refusal to
release her created, she kicked against his shins with her heels. Gil didn’t
slow his pace. Using a small burst of kinetic energy, he opened the bedroom
door, stepped through, and closed it behind them.
“I hate you, Gilgamesh. I really, really hate you. Just let me go, I can’t do
this,” Innanna pleaded with him. Why was he doing this to her? No way
was she up for a goodbye fuck.
With a gasp, she found herself soaring through the air. The mattress of
his bed cushioned her fall. She looked at his face, which was bruised and
scratched and bloody, his expression fierce. Oh, great universe, she had
done all that to him and he’d barely defended himself. “Ya donna hate me
Innanna. Ya wanna hate me. What I donna understand is why. Why barge in
here? Why beat me ta a bloody pulp?” As he spoke, he climbed the bed on
his hands and knees till his face was directly above hers. Danger emanated
from him, his voice was demanding, his eyes burned to her soul. “Why all
the passion fer me when yer love is downstairs? Before ya answer, bear in
mind that I ain’t strong ‘nough ta let ya go a second time.”
His words sunk in slowly. He loved her; this was his way of being a
gentleman. She’d told him she was to be bloodmated, failing to mention
anything more. Staring up into the fierce intensity glaring back at her
through doe-brown pools, her soul soared. “I didn’t ask you to let me go in
the first place, stupid jackass. There was never a question of whom I want
to be with. I told you I love you. I meant it. What I didn’t tell you is that in
all of my life, you are the only male I’ve ever said those words to. Ever.”
Every emotion possible painted across his face plain as day. Confusion,
frustration, happiness, love, shame, joy, plus many more made an
appearance. “I’m sorry.” Gil’s voice broke and he cleared his throat. “‘Bout
the females, I’m sorry. I thought … damn, it was stupid what I thought.” A
chagrined lift graced his lips. “Ya wanna punch me again?”
Innanna pursed her lips to keep from smiling—she was still mad at him.
“I think I broke my hand already. You can punch yourself for a while. Start
at your balls, treat them like a speed bag. I’ll tell you when to stop.” She
expected Gil to laugh and make some smart-assed comment. Wrong. His
brows drew together and a growl rumbled from his chest. He sat up on his
knees and grasped her wrist, looking at both side of her hands closely. They
looked as bad as his face.
“Damn it.” He felt the bones, and Innanna tried not to wince when some
of the fractures rubbed together. The bone to her left pinkie finger would
definitely need to be reset before it healed wrong. “Remind me ta teach ya
how ta throw a proper punch. I juss called a healer ta come have ya fixed
up.”
Shit. “Err, I doubt anyone’s going to make it to this room.” She told him
about the females. The sound of arguing from the stairs got louder as more
people joined in the attempt to reason with the two Aquatie females. That
finally brought a return of Gil’s laughter. They started taking bets on how
long the standoff would last and giggled with each other, both of them
realizing how close had they come to losing this. Innanna shivered at the
thought. Leaning over, she placed a tender kiss to his beaten lips.
“Gil, I’m so sorry I hit you,” she whispered.
“I deserved it.” His grin was contagious. “It showed me a whole new side
of yer passionate natures. Got me hard and hot in a heartbeat’s time, too.
Might have ta make pissin’ ya off a habit. Course, I’ll reinforce the walls
first.”
She’d destroyed his suite, beat the hell out of him, and he liked it? Males.
He was a true warrior through and through. “Someone has gotten through.”
She felt the presence before whoever it was appeared. Recognition of the
shadowed ghost’s presence testified to the growth of her abilities over time.
She’d never have been able to sense them when she was younger. Eros and
Tenebrae used to love to scare the hell out of her. They’d once shown up out
of nowhere to beat up a group of bullies that were tormenting her.
Eros and one of his sons were standing in Gil’s living room. “Innanna,”
Eros called, “Jacob is here to set your hand.”
 Innanna turned to leave the room, but Gil’s arms wrapped around her
waist from behind, holding her to his chest. His whisper tingled down her
spine. “I love you, Innanna. Before this night is over, I want ta make ya
mine, if ya will have me.”
Innanna turned to wrap her arms around his neck. “Ask me on the dance
floor. Maybe I’ll say yes.” She lifted to her tiptoes and placed a light kiss to
his swollen lips. Another half hour and he’d be fully healed.
His hand to the small of her back, they joined Eros and his son. Eros
greeted them with a smile, shaking Gil’s hand and complimenting Innanna.
“You always did throw the best tantrums. Nice work, sis.” He’d always
called her sis when she was little, before the pheromones of bloodmates
ruined everything. Was there any wonder why she could never love him any
other way besides a brother? His laughing gaze shifted to Gil’s bruised face.
“Hope you own a cup, my man.”
Eros’s son looked confused, so Innanna introduced herself to the young
male. “Hi, I’m Innanna. I grew up with your dad. Thanks for coming. I
didn’t realize the Sicarius bloodline had healers too.”
“I’m more of a medic; none of the healers could sneak in here. I’ve heard
of you. Pops always said you were the greatest Oracle ever born. He told
me a story about you blowing up an igloo because he threw a snowball at
you. I thought he was full of shit.” Jacob’s eyes took in the destruction. “I
guess he wasn’t.”
Innanna laughed, remembering that day. She sat on the arm of the couch;
Gil took position behind her, his hands possessively on her shoulders. She
clenched her jaw through the setting of the bone. Jacob was quick and
precise, causing her little pain. As soon as it was aligned, her bone began to
heal rapidly. Gil trudged through the mess to his kitchenette and returned
with a tray, carrying four goblets of bloodwine. She took hers with her good
hand.
Lifting to toast, she said her standard: “To Fate, may she smile on us all.”
Gil lifted his. “Ta good times an’ rock n roll.”
Eros lifted his. “To family.”
Jacob left his on the tray. “Sorry, I’m iron-rich. But I would toast to never
pissing off a female.”
 Chapter Twenty-Seven
Brae’s laughter echoed through the night, the most beautiful sound Enlil
had ever heard. Well, second to her cries of pleasure when they made love.
She was circled by her brothers, each of them snatching her from the other
for a dance. Waltz, tango, modern, she danced them all. She learned the
steps easily; her natural grace carried her when her lack of familiarity with
the styles should have held her back. Part of him wanted her all to himself
—they were newly mated, after all—while another side of him loved seeing
her enjoying her family, building relationships with her father and brothers.
The popular males seemed to enjoy spending time with Brae rather than
paying attention to all of the females whose heads turned in their direction.
Admittedly, it had been a pleasure to dance with Jess, Moira, and Ninlil.
It had been so long since he’d been able to truly enjoy anything. The
hollowness within him had been replaced with the love and light of the
amazing female laughing. Brae was a miracle in every way.
Jorie plopped into the chair next to him. “I’m freeeeee.” Enlil had heard
she was on babysitting duty when he’d sought her for a dance earlier. A
fast-paced song came through the speakers. “Oh, dance with me,
pleeaasse.” Jumping up, she pulled at his wrist. He felt Brae’s amused eyes
follow as he led Jorie to the center of the revelers.
“Jorjor, G-G-pa doesn’t know how to dance to this … music.” Though he
sure appreciated the gyrating of his mate to it. “How about we go to the hall
and dance there.” Where the music was more his forte, he thought.
“Just move your butt with the beat, easiest thing ever.” Finding an
opening wide enough for them to move freely, she turned to face him, her
arms, hips, and feet moving in a random, impromptu pattern.
Enlil let the music roll through him, feeling the underlying melodic
rhythm. He caught Jorie’s hand, taking her through a series of twists, turns,
dips, and candlesticks in time to the song. The area surrounding them
widened to give their antics room. Jorie’s happy squeals brought smiles to
the faces around them. Then the song ended, and Enlil dipped her, nearly
touching the ground. “Don’t know how to dance to this, my ass. That was a
blast.” She giggled when he kissed the tip of her nose, raising her to her
feet. She took off in search of shoes that had flown off her feet at some
point.
Picking up one, she skipped to where Brae held the other out to her. It
didn’t matter that Jorie had never been properly introduced to Brae yet—the
girl took the shoe and then hugged Brae fiercely. Brae’s startled gaze met
Enlil’s as she returned the girl’s embrace. “You’re super pretty,” Jorie told
her when the hug ended. “No wonder G-G-pa’s wearing a goofy smile.”
Jorie held a hand out for him to join them.
He took her hand, taking Brae’s in the other. “Brae, this is my great-
granddaughter Jorie. The cutest Lil shit you’ll ever meet.”
Brae paled at his comment, not understanding that calling Jorjor Lil shit
was a term of endearment. Her worry turned to bafflement when Jorie
leaned her head to his arm. “You know you love me the mostest.” Enlil
rubbed her mop of curls with his chin, making Jorie giggle.
Enlil chuckled. “I know you need to quit messing with my cell phone.
Every time I open it the screen says ‘Jorie is my favorite kid.’”
“I was going to wallpaper your room with Post-it notes to remind you of
that. I thought the phone was a better choice,” Jorie justified. She noticed
the line of males standing behind Brae. “Um, who are you guys?” Not a shy
bone in the girl’s body.
“Oh, I’m sorry, that was rude of me. Jorie, these are my brothers. Well,
five of them, anyways.” Jorie’s eyes widened as she looked from Brae to
the bulking boys and back. “Jacob went to help Innanna. This is Daniel,
Othos, Victor, Baden and Brock.”
“Brock,” the one she had introduced as Baden said.
“Baden,” the other said. Jorie looked closely at the males. Brae blushed
slightly at having mixed them up.
“Twinisms.” Jorie sighed. The males opened their mouths to dispute
being twins, but Jorie barreled on. “When they weren’t pretending to be one
person, my mom and her twin wore different colored earrings. Maybe you
guys should get tattoos like those other twins I saw.”
Enlil’s pulse rate shot up at her comment. “Jorie, what other twins?”
Jorie looked at him, confused. “The ones that turn into giant fireflies.”
Enlil looked over her head to see the same concerned expression on every
face.
 “Tell me exactly what you saw, Jorjor.” Enlil watched her confusion shift
with the realization of how serious those around her became.
Jorie swallowed hard, glancing from face to face before starting. “I was
watching the dancing with some of the children on the balcony. There were
two males walking toward the party. Maybe they weren’t twins, but they
looked the same—height, shape, hair color. They even walked the same
way. They had tattoos on their faces. At first I thought they had the same
tattoo, and then I noticed that one of them curled left around the guy’s
throat, and the other went straight down to his collar. When they got closer
to the party, they faded into a lime-green glow. I heard Jess telling Shane
that shadowers did that, so I didn’t think much of it. I just figured they were
related to you.” She turned apologetically to Brae. “I’ve seen the glowing
figures a couple of times, but that was the first time I saw two of them
together or their faces.”
Brae shadowed, and Jorie’s eyes widened. Brae walked around the circle
of Enlil and her brothers, watching Jorie’s eyes unerringly track her
movements. Jorie wasn’t a siphon, yet she could see Brae in ghost form.
Brae dropped her shadow, and all eyes on her. Her brothers couldn’t see her,
but they sure as hell could follow Jorie’s line of sight to know where she
was.
Jorie just stared at her. “You’re a reddish-pink color.” She stated simply.
Fates, did the ones Jorie had seen realize she could see them? Enlil hoped
not. Enough danger was aimed at the females he cared about already.
“Victor wants to know if there is a safe area we can talk?” Brae spoke to
him through their bloodmate bond.
“Gil’s suite. That is where your dad already is. I’ll have my family meet
us there,” Enlil answered Brae. He tucked Jorie under his arm and laughed
like she’d said something funny. She looked at him, confused, but wisely
kept quiet; her fingertips tapped a rhythm only she could hear against her
chin. “Let’s go find your parents, Jorjor,” he told her casually, guiding her
into the main house. He glanced around, smiling nonchalantly, hoping their
departure didn’t raise any flags with anyone watching.
Meeting up with Jorie’s parents in the hall, he quietly explained to them
what had happened and left Jorie in the care of Napoleon and Moira;
Napoleon would get his family to safety and join them. At the top of the
stairs, two Aquatie females leaned at either side of the landing, looking
bored. When they approached, the females shifted to face them side-by-
side, blocking their passage.
“No one goes in there. Sorry.” The female’s eyes traveled over Brae’s
brothers appreciatively. What the hell was this about? Before Enlil could
ask, Innanna stepped up behind the females.
“It’s fine.” The females whipped around when Innanna spoke, fear
flitting through their eyes when they looked down at the tiny Oracle. “Go
on, get out of here.” The females raced past them to reach the bottom of the
stairs, nearly knocking Brae off her feet in their rush. Daniel steadied his
sister from behind while Enlil got a look at the destruction done to Gil’s
doorway. He looked back at Innanna, noting the faded bruises on her hands.
Pretty easy to figure out the chain of events from the evidence, Enlil
thought, grinning. Females in love were never to be trifled with; no doubt
his nephew had learned a valuable lesson this night. Jess, Shane, Ninlil, and
Sargon were coming up behind them, followed by Hans, Irsu, Patrick and
Ediku. With a hole in the side of Gil’s suite, it was no longer secure. Plus it
would be a hell of a tight fit with this many people.
Gil exited the hole in his wall, Eros and Jacob behind him. He stepped to
the opposite wall and a panel slid away to show a straight drop, like an
empty elevator shaft. “Follow me y’all.” His wings extended and he
jumped.
Sargon’s voice came from behind him. “Hans, climb aboard, buddy.”
Brae gave a grin over her shoulder to the pair. “I knew he would like
flying with Sargon better than me.” She extended her wings, taking her turn
to drop down the shaft. Enlil chuckled and followed behind her.
Landing in an alcove that opened into a football-stadium sized room
many stories beneath the campus, Enlil could see similar alcoves at
different points around the main room they stood in. Storage areas fully
stocked with any essentials a large group needed were tucked back between
the alcoves. Self-contained personal hygiene areas and simple, single-
counter kitchen areas were located at each end. This secured room was
large enough to hold the entire student body, and was easily defendable.
Enlil was impressed; he wondered if a similar thing had been built beneath
Jess and Shane’s. The lack of surprise on their faces told him it was pretty
likely.
 The last to enter was Napoleon, Moira, and Jorie. What were they doing
here? He was supposed to get them to safety before joining them. The
shocked faces of the rest of his family matched his own.
Napoleon raised a defensive hand before anyone uttered an argument. “I
know what you’re thinking. I don’t like it myself, but Jorie has a point to
make. All I ask is that you hear her out before dismissing her.”
Jorie’s wide, innocent eyes looked at the faces of the warriors standing
around her. Enlil took a quick glance too, trying to assess what the child
saw in their faces. Most in this room adored her, but they were all in battle
mode. When she met his gaze, he tried to give her an encouraging smile to
offset the hardened faces of the others.
Ninlil’s soothing voice brought the girl back to task. “What is it, Jorie?
Don’t be afraid, we love you.”
Jorie calmed to Ninlil’s voice, the way she had since the first time she’d
heard it. “Dad said that only Jess and G-G-pa could see the … errr …” She
stammered over the term.
“Energies,” Jess supplied.
Jorie nodded. “I can, too. I think I can help. Now that I know what they
are, I know I’ve seen two others besides the lime-colored ones. I’m too
young to share memories the way you guys can, but Dad thought maybe
Innanna could get it out of my head. Can you?”
Enlil knew Jorie was asking if Innanna had a talent so rare, most kept it
hidden. Reading was still feared even among a lot of Volaticus; that talent,
if misused, left anyone vulnerable. Only a person with long developed
shields could protect their minds from a true reader. Eros probably had the
ability to protect himself, maybe a few other ancients. That was it.
Innanna shook her head. “That isn’t one of my abilities, but I know of a
person who can. I need the word of everyone in this room that his gift will
remain within these walls.”
She received it without hesitation from everyone. Her next request was a
surprise. “Shane, Irsu, Jess, I will need you to join your family bond to my
mentoring bond to penetrate through the platinum and lead surrounding us.”
The four of them joined in a circle, hands to shoulders. Small lines of strain
formed around Innanna lips, and her forehead crinkled with effort.
She swayed, breaking the joining, and a flap sounded in the alcove.
Miguel and his partner Gary stepped through.
 The male walked straight to Shane, Jess, and Irsu, ignoring everyone
else. There was hurt in Shane’s eyes. That was a big secret to keep from
close family. Enlil had lived long enough to understand why Miguel would
hide that specific gift. Shane was only five hundred, and there was a chance
that he had never heard of the persecution of readers. “Why?” was the only
question Shane uttered.
Miguel clamped his hand to his brother’s shoulder. “Because, mother
asked me not to tell you, not to tell anyone, really. This ability came from
her bloodline. Every member of her family that displayed any capacity to
read was killed because of it. Only mother escaped. She denied it, refused
to develop it. She had hoped none of us would have it. She was crushed
when she realized I did. She worried for me, and she worried for my three
warrior brothers who would die to protect me should the truth ever be
revealed. Throughout history mother’s family members were either killed
because someone was afraid of anyone finding out his or her thoughts, or
enslaved for a tool. I don’t go into people’s minds when I can help it. Still,
things people think will often find their way into my mind. Imagine if the
SOSC knew, or the High Ones panel or even the Oracles. I would be forced
to perform interrogations, check into things that are none of anyone’s
business. I will die before I allow anyone control of my gift, and the best
way to protect against that is to keep it secret.”
Irsu asked the first question in everyone’s mind, a precursor to the
discomfort Miguel’s talent inevitably brought to those around him. “You
can tell what everyone is thinking.”
Miguel’s expression saddened. “If I try, yes … Except—” he turned to
look at the others waiting “—Innanna. Unless she feels strongly about
something, her thoughts stay guarded. You, I get nothing from.” He pointed
at Eros. No surprise in that; the male was an ancient shadow-shielder. “And
—” Miguel’s gaze fell to Brae “—you either.” Miguel peered at her closer.
“Please don’t think I’m rude, but can I ask how old you are?”
Brae shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
Eros answered. “She’s ninety-six.”
Miguel narrowed his eyes, taking another hard look at Brae.
“Etana told me my shields were overdeveloping as a protection
mechanism against Zakel. Am I supposed to tell Miguel that?” Brae sent to
Enlil. He watched Miguel’s eyes shift to him and nodded.
 “I think you just did. He heard through me. He was right to keep his gift
secret. Look at how uncomfortable Irsu is, and she’s his niece.” Enlil
answered her.
“Why would he take the risk now?”
“There are eighteen hundred people here, maybe more. Osiris could take
down the leaders of the High Ones panel, the Oracles and the SOSC with
one well-placed bomb.” Enlil felt Brae’s shiver at the thought.
Miguel stepped up to Jorie, “Are you sure about this?” Jorie lifted her
chin, reminding him of Jess and Etana, and nodded. Miguel placed his hand
to her forehead. It was one thing to read what people were thinking; it was
far harder to seek a memory. Miguel got a small grin. Leave it to the
precious girl to charm Miguel without saying a word.
The memory began to play in everyone’s mind in the same instant. One
minute Enlil was looking at Jorie and Miguel, the next he was looking over
the lawns from the balcony of the nursery, feeling the happiness the music
brought to his youngest descendant. Jorie looked off to the left at two nearly
identical males walking down a trail. The thick tropical foliage quickly
swallowed up the males before returning to view a few yards closer. Enlil
noticed the tattoo deviation on the male’s necks. If Jorie hadn’t mentioned it
earlier, he might have missed it. Right before the people on the lawns would
have seen their presence, the two shimmered, fading to lime-green energy
signatures. The two glows separated and worked their way through the
crowds, steering clear of the Tellus groups. He saw Jess laughing as she and
Shane exited the hall, strolling onto the lawns. The lime-green energies
ducked from her, re-emerging once she had passed, and then both headed
toward the beach. One of the children caught Jorie’s attention and her eyes
looked down at the toddler. The memory ended.
Another began; Jorie must have been walking from one of the events the
day before. Her eyes shifted toward the unmanned offices above the stables
behind the main house. Gilgamesh’s office. A blue-green energy was
peering out one of the windows. Jorie glanced down the building where
Patrick leaned against the wall, looking miserable. The second memory
ended.
Another began. This time she was greeting the plane that had brought
Aymee and Jerika to the island. The girls were talking about the three men
they had captured for interrogation, how they hoped Umbrae’s hottie dad
would castrate them. Following behind the females was a slightly different
shade of green energy. Jerika and Aymee greeted Jorie, ending their
conversation about the captives. The energy stopped following, turned, and
jogged to the other end of the runway, disappearing into the jungle. As the
last memory ended, Gary rushed over to steady Miguel, who swayed with
exhaustion.
Eros’s son Jacob grabbed a plastic cup from one of the shelves between
the alcoves. Biting into his wrist, he let his blood pour into the cup. He
sealed the wound and handed the cup to Miguel, who stared up at the male,
stunned. Gary thanked Jacob, who bowed slightly with appreciation and
returned to the silent group.
Irsu had fire in her eyes. “That bastard was on the plane with my
daughter the whole time.”
“At least we know how they got on the island undetected. They were
probably stashed on several of the planes that were cleared to land.” Ninlil’s
soothing voice did nothing to mask her anger.
Patrick shook his head. Seeing himself so close to a threat had obviously
shaken the male. “All of the planes were swept for bombs when they
arrived. The only thing that failed was the pyrotechnics flight, but we
expected it to. We went through every crate, every wire to verify the plane’s
contents, and it all checked out.”
Gil gave his second commandant a nod of appreciation and
understanding. “It’s possible they’re goin’ ta make ‘nother attempt on Jess
an’ Umbrae. We need ta find these people ‘fore they git a chance. Thanks
Jorie. Remin’ me ta tickle the shit outta ya later.” Jorie stuck her tongue out
at Gil.
Sargon’s voice rumbled through the room. “Gather the guests and get
them down here. Place guards consisting of all three species at each of these
alcoves. The ghosts won’t be able to breach through with the Tellus
warriors alerted to monitor air pressure and the Aquatie warriors pinging
sonar echoes. Their shadowing abilities will be fully negated if we work
together. Then we need to gather all the remaining warriors and go hunting.
Jorie, you will stay in here with the guests. if you see any of these energies
accidentally be invited because we think they are guests, it will be your job
to tell the guards and be their eyes. Napoleon, would you prefer to stay with
your family or help with the hunt?”
 The pleading look Jorie gave her father was all it took. Napoleon kept
eye contact with his daughter while he answered Sargon. “I will help with
strategy, but I prefer to protect my family.”
Sargon nodded and turned to Hans “How about you?”
Hans, standing on the other side of Brae, looked questioningly over to
her. “My mother and sisters are warriors in their own rights. I would like to
be part of the hunt. Umbrae can shadow me with her; this is what we’ve
been trained for.”
Enlil’s heart sank; Hans’s position was the correct one. The two had been
training together for exactly this type of work for months. Hans could detect
any change in air pressure should one of the ghosts try to get near her. Eros
came to the rescue. “I can shadow Hans, and Umbrae can shadow Enlil. We
have two more conductive chains with us. A couple of my boys can shadow
Jess and Shane; perhaps they can be the eyes in the sky while the rest of us
do the ground sweeps. Umbrae and I can communicate with my boys, and
Enlil has a bond to Jess. It would give the entire operation an advantage.”
Gil added, “That’d work well. Shane an’ Patrick are the best in the world
with explosives. Patrick can take a group with him an’ do a sweep of the
campus grounds an’ buildings. Shane can focus on the surroundin’ area
while lil Jess an’ Enlil are on the lookout fer the party crashers. Hopefully,
we can capture one fer questionin’. Good chance they’ll abort once the
guests start bein’ rounded up. We’ll need ta set up guards ‘round the chortal
too.”
Enlil added his two cents. “I may sound harsh, but the guests will need to
be individually searched before being allowed into the secured area. Even
with all the protection and Jorie’s ability to see the energies, it won’t protect
against a hostage situation if one of them gets in here with a weapon. Many
of the females here have been brutalized before; we need to ensure their
safety above all.” Brae looked wide-eyed at him. This was a survivors ball,
and she of all people understood what the survivors being honored this
night had endured already. Suddenly the ground began shaking. Eyes wide,
everyone headed for the surface, leaving Miguel, Gary, Jorie, Moira, and
Napoleon behind.
 Chapter Twenty-Eight
The cattle poured onto the lawn with the first blast of colorful explosions
in the sky. They ohh’d and ahh’d with each display. The synchronized
music of Beethoven was choreographed to the launching of the fireworks.
Coupled in happiness and a warm, fuzzy, false sense of security, Osiris
studied each and every face, committing them to memory. The people
missing from the observers were of more concern to him then the ones he
could see. His number Five son had reported that several people mentioned
something happening between Innanna, Eros, and the male commandant of
the island campus. Well aware of the history between Innanna and Eros, he
was pretty sure they would soon be completing the bloodmating that had
begun between them so very long ago. Wonder if Innanna has taken the
commandant as a lover? That would explain the entire group missing.
Either that or the female was pissed about Eros’s procreation with
heredities, resulting in his children. He’d sent Five in to keep an eye on
them.
A telepathic grunt from Five was his first clue something was going
wrong. Following the telepathic link, he watched his son appear near the
banquet table, lying still on the ground, still breathing. The twin dots on his
son’s neck told the story. He’d been hit by a taser. Son of a bitch.
“The Siphons are shadowed … I repeat, the siphons are shadowed.”
Three’s telepathic messages filled Osiris with dread.
Your Justice will come at the hands of a shadowed thief of energy, under
a new order, uniting age-old enemies before the final enlightening. The
Oracle’s prediction for him floated to Osiris’s memory. Had he just initiated
his own demise? The chain lost its significance in the face of his greatest
fear.
“Ten, you remain and retrieve the chain if you get an opportunity. The
rest of you, abort now,” Osiris sent out.
“Yes, sir,” Ten answered.
“Roger that,” came Three.
“Porting now,” came Thirteen. The weave around the island would alert
the SOSC of his son’s departure, not where they would end up.
 “Shit,” came Fifteen. Osiris followed the link; people were backing away
from where a female Tellus was bent back by invisible arms. The female
struggled against her attacker, who was turning her in slow, jerky circles
steadily toward the edge of the lawns. Like in a slow-motion film, the
Tellus was freed and yanked away from the unseen threat against her. The
female crawled farther from the sounds of the invisible battle that could be
heard.
Umbrae came into view, in a similar position to what the Tellus had been.
He saw a thin line of blood where the blade of Fifteen’s ivory knife was at
her throat. Somehow Eros’s daughter had freed the female and then ended
up in her place.
Osiris knew he should port away while he still had the chance, but he
found himself riveted by the scene. Better she be dead than possess his
chain. “Slit her throat,” he ordered his son.
“I can get away, father,” Fifteen argued against the order. Whether his
son got away or not, he’d just sealed his fate. Fifteen was the youngest, but
that didn’t exclude him from doing what he was told, immediately.
Osiris never said another word; within a few seconds Fifteen realized his
mistake. “Yes, Father. I’m sorry.” Fear and shame accompanied his son’s
final statement. A slash appeared, so deep and fast, Umbrae’s neck yawed
open several inches from the weight of her collapsing body, her head still
held captive by his sons invisible arms before the female’s form was fully
released to pool at the ground.
The male siphon Enlil appeared trying to staunch the blood flow with his
palm. No way would Umbrae survive the injury. She would bleed out
before anyone would be able to set up a transfusion, and her ability to take
blood through the mouth was void.
The sing of a sword broke the silence. Fifteen appeared, his eyes rapidly
glazing. Eros also dropped his shadow, his sword still in the final arc of his
swing. The body of Fifteen halved diagonally from shoulder to waist. The
tortured look on Eros face when he swung around to see the dying gasps of
his daughter warmed Osiris’s heart. This was more of a successful night
than he’d hoped. He ported, catching the sound of the door to the office
he’d been in breaking a millisecond behind him.
****
 Brae’s panicked eyes never left Enlil’s. She was dying, bleeding out from
between his fingers. Her lips moved in silent entreaty, gurgles emitted from
beneath his hands at her throat. Her pain racketed through him, adding to
the emotional chaos he found himself in. Not Brae, please Fates, not his
Brae, too. How could the Fates be so cruel? He watched the rosy color
leech from her cheeks.
“Enlil, damn it, step aside and let them try to help her.” Eros voice
penetrated the haze in his mind.
“What?” he responded, never taking his eyes from Brae’s. Strong arms
pulled him from her as Enlil feebly fought to stay at her side. Weakened
from the pain within, he watched Greyton, Umbrae’s Aquatie mentor, take
his place. Greyton’s sister Greycia sat at Brae’s opposite side. The two
locked hands with each other over Brae’s twitching body. Their other hands
overlapped directly over Brae’s wound. A sizzling sound began and the
smell of burnt flesh filled the area. A fine steam rose from where their
hands touched Brae’s neck. Enlil watched, captivated, still held by Eros,
though he no longer struggled against the male. Since there was a good
chance his legs would refuse to hold him, he was grateful for the support.
A healer with a shell-shocked face slid in beside Greycia and placed an
IV into Brae’s unnaturally white arm. A line of red flowed into Brae’s arm
through the tube.
Greyton and Greycia fell back, breaking contact. The two were breathing
hard from their efforts. Greyton dragged himself around Brae as if the
heaviness of his body daunted him. He pulled his likewise weakened sister
into his arms and the two simply stared at Brae’s still form. Enlil took a new
look at his mate; the ghastly wound was still wide open, though it no longer
bled. The paired sibling had somehow cauterized the arteries and veins. His
next fear was that her brain was not getting any blood supply. Knowing it
was futile, Enlil tried to feel their bloodmate bond and received only
blackness. His heart in his throat, he shook off Eros support and stumbled
back to Brae’s side, taking her rapidly cooling hand. Eros dropped to the
ground beside him; fatherly fingers brushed Brae’s short bangs from her
forehead.
“I need four Hulven willing to donate blood stat. Everyone else get the
hell out of my way.” Enlil met the determined face of Herme, the High-
Ones panel healer. “That means both of you, too.”
 Enlil and Eros crab-walked backward rapidly before standing, giving the
male room to work. If anyone could save Brae, it was Herme. Jess and three
of Brae’s brothers rushed past him, intent on giving blood. Herme’s
protégé/aide quickly plunged a needle into each of their neck arteries. Enlil
had never seen transfusion from the neck before. Another aid tore Brae’s
dress open, leaving her laying in only her bra and panties. Enlil heard the
gasps of the people watching when they saw the layers of scars and burns
crisscrossing Brae’s body, made more pronounced by the paleness caused
by blood loss. Sargon and many others began herding the crowd away in a
belated effort to give Brae modesty. Enlil ignored them; the scars were a
tribute to her. The way she survived them would be her greatest ally in this
fight—her unrivaled desire to live.
The transfusion tubes were inserted into Brae’s arteries at both thighs.
Jess and Jacob were tapped into first. Clamped tubes at the ready hung from
Baden and Othos. Victor and Daniel stood behind their brothers. The aide
quickly tapped their arteries, leaving them at the ready should they be
needed. Enlil looked over to see the intense faces of Brock and Eros. Brock
must be the only child out of seven that was anemic.
Another of Herme’s assistants/protégés sat across from him with a tray of
implements across her lap. Herme extended a hand to the female, who put a
tool into it without a word. He fished a blue, blood-filled cauterized artery
from the lower section of Brae’s neck. Clamping it below the burned area,
he extended his hand to the assistant again and received a pair of sharp-
pointed scissors. Every second felt like an eternity. The healer clipped the
sealed end off, handing the scissors back to the assistant, receiving another
clamp. He pulled the pale, nearly clear end of the upper artery section down
toward the clamped one and clipped off the other end. With steady hands
Herme held the two clamps so the freshly snipped ends touched one
another, and spit on the ends. His powerful healing saliva anchored the two
pieces together, leaving nothing to detect where the segregation had been.
He released the lower clamp first allowing the blood to travel just far
enough to reach the upper clamp, checked his work critically before
releasing the second clamp. The white, sickly upper section turned a health
shade of blue.
Jess and Jacob were replaced by Baden and Daniel, their blood flowing
into Brae. The healer repeated the process on the second artery before he
shifted his attention to a series of tiny veins. Enlil’s relief was dizzying
when Brae’s heart pumped blood into the first artery. Now the question was
how much damage she’d sustained in the interim. No one spoke a word as
the healer worked quickly and precisely to save her life. Gratitude flooded
Enlil; Herme had not performed a surgery beyond training his protégés in
eons.
Once the veins and arteries were done, Brae’s color began to improve.
Victor and Othos replaced Baden and Daniel for more blood. Herme peered
deeply into the gapping crevice on Brae’s neck once more before giving his
protégé/assistant a nod. The female covered the used implements, rose and
stepped behind Herme, holding the tray before her. Herme looked up; his
sharp eyes glanced from Enlil to Eros beside him.
“This is all I can do here, I’m going to have her moved to the Hospes in
Greenland to finish. I’m sure I can repair her throat. However, there is
extensive damage to her vocal cords, and we won’t know if she has suffered
any permanent brain damage until she regains consciousness.” The first
words the healer had spoken since telling everyone to get out of the way
were clinical. The next held a depth of compassion that brought tears to
Enlil’s eyes. “I am amazed at her tenacity; I’ve never seen anything like it.
If her strength of spirit remains this powerful, I will not be surprised to see
her make a full recovery. She is an extraordinary beacon of light.”
Someone laid a blanket over Brae’s nearly naked form, and Enlil lifted
her gently into his arms. Holding her chilled body tightly against him, he
kissed her forehead. The faint scent of peppermint filled his lungs, while
hope and love filled his heart. Eros held Brae’s head steady as they
followed Hermes and his protégés toward the chortal, a procession
consisting of Brae’s brothers, Ninlil and Sargon, Hans, Irsu, Ediku, and
Patrick trailing behind them.
Jess caught up with him, her cheeks slightly shallow from the volume of
blood she’d contributed to Brae. “I’ll join you as soon as everyone is safely
off the island. I love you, Enlil. Everything is going to be all right, I know
it.”
“I love you too, Jess. Will you please tell Greyton and Greycia thank you
for me?” Eros seconded that request. Jess nodded, blew him a kiss, and
rejoined Shane.
 A gurney waited for Brae when Enlil entered the Hospes. Reluctantly he
laid her gently upon it. Eros by his side, they each kissed Brae’s forehead,
followed by a kiss from each of her brothers. The nurses raced her away
from them toward surgery, where Herme was waiting her. Ninlil wrapped
her arms around him, and Enlil felt himself crack wide open inside. He
dropped his head to her shoulder, and the tears he’d been holding back
broke free. Ninlil’s soothing voice of reassurance was a balm to the jagged
edges of his fear.
The hours of waiting felt like days.
****
Ten glanced around at the small clusters of people talking quietly. The
fireworks were over, the music had gone silent a while ago, and most of the
guests had gone. The commandant named Gilgamesh had taken charge after
the incident with Umbrae. Ten couldn’t help but be impressed by the male’s
organization and leadership skills. Every plane had been fully searched
before boarding the heredity and humans who had been here. A security
detail consisting of members of all three species had been sent on each
flight.
He knew the immediate area had been fully searched during the
fireworks, which was how his brothers had been caught. After Gil had the
entire island gutted, they even found the cave where his brothers had been
holed up between orders from their father. Ten had made a point to keep his
head down while clearing out the pyrotechnic gear. Losing three brothers in
a matter of days seemed too high a price to pay for a shiny piece of metal,
no matter that it conducted the shadow ability. Six was dead, Fifteen was
dead, and Five was a prisoner of the SOSC. Were they disposable to Osiris?
Was he disposable too?
“Mick. Grab the trigger ground stake by the banquet table,” the engineer
called over to him
“Yes, sir, Mr. Gavin.” He jogged over to grab the piece of equipment; a
glint in the blood-soaked ground where Umbrae had bled out caught his
eye. It was a chain pushed into the lush grass, right next to the stake. Not
just any chain, he thought as he peered closer at it; the chain. If he risked
grabbing it would his father be pleased? Yes, he would. Would it make Ten
more valuable to Osiris? No. The last few days had demonstrated that no
one was valuable to his father. Ten pulled the stake, clutching it with white
knuckles. Osiris wanted the metal so he could duplicate the composition,
and because he felt entitled to it. The idea of his narcissistic, slightly insane
father having those kinds of metallic weapons filled him with an
overwhelming feeling of dread.
No doubt his father would rummage through his memories. If he didn’t
grab it, he probably wouldn’t live long. Osiris would already be mad to
learn the female he’d sacrificed Fifteen to had lived. The whole thing had
been horrifically tragic to watch. Fifteen was just a kid, barely a hundred;
Ten had always tried to keep an eye on Fifteen, to answer the kid’s
questions before he posed them to Osiris in hopes of keeping the kid from
having to face the same hard lessons he and the rest of his brothers had.
Osiris demanded blind obedience. Usually his paranoid father would
answer a question by painful mental probe to determine the reason it was
asked, and then refuse to answer it anyway.
Ten looked around him. Fates, how long had he been standing here
staring at the grass? If he didn’t grab it, his father would kill him; if he did
and got caught, the SOSC would take him prisoner. The event planner Jess
was walking over to talk to Mr. Gavin, her hard-faced mate Shane beside
her. That was the male who had helped take down Five. Could they protect
him? An inkling of an idea began to form, one with hope, where his dreams
could maybe be realized, well … eventually.
“Ma’am,” Ten called out to Jess. She glanced around for the direction of
his call. He grabbed the chain out of the grass, feeling the conductivity of
the metal merge with his shadow ability. He released a bracing breath.
“Mrs. Einar.” He trotted over to where she waited for him, a curious
expression on her face. Her mate’s eyes, full of suspicion, took note of the
chain swinging from Ten’s hand before his gaze returned to Ten’s face.
The short female smiled at him when he approached. “Mick Tenor,
right.” She was so nice. Would she turn mean when he told her the truth?
He held out the chain to her as sadness flashed briefly across her face with
the memory of Umbrae’s attack, and then her smile returned. She took the
offering, thanking him.
“Err … ma’am … I … um.” Now that he faced her he didn’t know how
to start. He shifted to address her mate. There was no way he could watch
the kindness in the females eyes turn to disgust. “My name isn’t Mick, it’s
Ten, and I am a bad person, but I don’t want to be. Is there someplace
secure we can talk?”
The male’s eyebrow quirked, and his mate looked curiously between
them. Mr. Gavin joined them. Oh, please don’t tell him what I just said, Ten
silently pleaded. The male turned to Mr. Gavin. “Would it be all right with
you if I borrow Mr. Tenor from you for awhile? Seems we have a mutual
passion for demolition work I’d like to discuss with him further, that is, if
he is through.” Ten released a silent sigh of relief, handed the stake he’d
retrieve to Mr. Gavin.
Mr. Gavin smiled genuinely. “We are just wrapping up anyways. Mick, if
I don’t see you later, give me a call next week and I’ll have the details for
the next job ready. You did good, son.” He really liked Mr. Gavin; he hoped
the male would be able to find a better employee once the truth was known.
Mr. Gavin thanked Mrs. Einar for the job, telling her he was sorry that
Umbrae had been hurt and he hoped for her quick recovery, and then went
off to finish up.
“Thank you for that,” Ten whispered, the three of them making their way
toward the commandants office.
The male nodded. “I’m Shane, by the way. We weren’t introduced earlier.
I’ve seen the fear you have in your eyes before, though the cause of it …”
Shane shrugged.
Ten’s hope lifted. These were not the stupid cattle his father had led him
to believe his whole life. The male’s compassion confirmed he was making
the right choice. For the first time he was going to do something good,
honorable, redeeming. It was a start.
 Chapter Twenty-Nine
The pounding in her head in perfect rhythm with her heartbeat was
agony. Her throat hurt. She tried to swallow to moisten it, but instead of
helping, it felt like a hot poker went down it. There wasn’t a single inch of
her body that didn’t ache. She could deal with the aches. It was the
headache and throat that was the kicker. At least there was only a dim light
on.
Umbrae struggled to open her eyes. They were so heavy, everything
blurred, and the strain of trying to focus caused her head to pound harder.
Warm fingers wrapped around hers, the heat seeping into her aching digits,
soothing her. She tried to open her eyes again, and the softly lit room
blurred again before clearing to merely fuzzy. The sleeping form of her
father became clearer; the room was full of cots and chairs, and every one
of them held a sleeping body. Her brothers, Irsu, Hans, Enlil’s family
members—her eyes traveled over their faces, and then she looked up into
the loving green eyes of Enlil sitting next to her.
“Enny.” Her mouth worked but no sound came out, plus the screaming
burn of the effort left her panting through the pain.
Don’t try to speak, my love; the healer doesn’t want you to use your vocal
cords.” Enlil’s deep-timbered voice, spoken intimately through their
bloodmate bond, warmed her blood and made her nipples harden. His
breath caught and the gold starburst pattern around his pupil expanded. “Aw,
Brae, don’t tease me. You scared the hell out of me.”
The memories of the event flowed into her mind: “There’s one, he’s
headed toward the banquet table. I think he knows he’s being hunted,” Enlil
had told her through the bloodmate bond. Umbrae had turned to where he
said the shadow was. Suddenly, a Tellus female had given startled cry. The
fear in the young female’s face had spurred Umbrae to behave rashly. She
had raced over, dragging Enlil behind her by the chain leashed around him
to keep him shadowed. “Wait, Brae, let us get into position,” Enlil had
pleaded with her, but all she could focus on was the terror in the female’s
expression. She grasped at the indented place along the females neck,
making contact with the shadow’s wrist. Pulling his arm away she jerked
the female out of the shadow’s hold, trying to get her to safety. A hand
caught in her hair, towing her backward, and then a sharp edge touched her
throat. She dropped her shadow, but she held onto her chain, letting her
ability flow into Enlil.
The male communicated with someone; Umbrae felt the pulse of
telepathic energy. She felt Enlil trying to release the chain from his neck.
“No. Stay shadowed, see if you can get the knife away from my throat.” She
told him, using their bond. The next instant the knife shifted. The
knowledge of the male’s intent descended on her, followed by the burning,
tearing sensation of having her throat slit all the way to her spinal cord.
Enlil’s panicked eyes staring into hers had been the last thing she
remembered. She died, without question, she died on that lawn.
Shame filled her. If she had listened to him … “Enny, I’m so sorry.” His
image blurred again, this time from her tears.
His fingers gave her hand a slight squeeze as a chuckle resonated through
her mind. “For what? Making my jeans uncomfortable, or scaring the hell
out of me?” How did she get so lucky as to have Enlil for her mate?
“I love you, Enny.” She sent the depth of her emotion through the
bloodmate bond.
Enlil returned his to her, so powerful she was speechless. “I love you,
Brae.” Umbrae basked in his love. It filled her up, completed her.
The shuffled sound of movement drew her attention. Her gaze locked
with the silver of her father. He joined them, taking her other hand, smiling
down at her. The girls were right. He was the most handsome Sicarius.
“Hey, baby girl, you’re awake. How are you feeling?” he whispered, though
the sound of his voice rousted the others quickly.
She bent her elbow to bring his knuckles to her cheek; she rubbed her
face against them, returning his smile. “Better. I’m thirsty though.”
He continued the caress at her cheek. So nice to have a dad. “The healer
says you can’t drink yet. He doesn’t want you to use any muscles in your
throat, not even to swallow.” The door of the room swung open, as if saying
the word “healer” out loud were a cue, and bright light from the hallway
blinded her with headache pain.
“Out.” The male was completely average in height and build with
average looks; nothing about him would call attention to him. Then his eyes
met hers, conveying kindness with a mix of sharp knowledge and power.
She remembered seeing him on the High Ones panel the day she met Enlil.
He looked different wearing jeans and a Dr. Jekyll T-shirt with cowboy
boots.
Grasping Enlil and her father’s hands tighter, she watched everyone get
ushered out of the room with one word from the healer. Irsu turned, her
mouth opened to ask the healer a question; the healer stared blankly at her
friend, who snapped her lips closed without uttering a thing and joined the
others in the hall. The healer turned to take in Eros and Enlil by her sides.
“Gentlemen … get out.” He held the door slightly wider.
Eros kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right outside.” He headed toward the
door.
Enlil placed a feather-light kiss to her lips, a sensual growl of longing
rumbling from him. “Do whatever he says. I need you better.” The sexual
overtone sent a wave of anticipation through her. Enlil grinned and kissed
her again. The healer cleared his throat and Enlil winked at her, giving the
healer a nod on his way out the door.
Thankfully, the door closed and the bright light of the hallway dimmed.
“Hello, Umbrae. I’m not sure if you remember me. My name is Herme.
Let’s get the awful part out of the way, shall we?” He flashed a pen light
into her eyes, screaming waves of agony following in its wake. If she could
have, she would have groaned. “I know that hurts. the headache should start
to abate over the next forty-eight hours.”
Clipping the pen light torture devise onto the waistband of his jeans, he
prodded her neck gently. Pain had her pulling his hands away, shaking her
head. He smiled kindly at her. “Until you can tolerate an examination of the
soft tissues, no talking, no drinking, no eating.” He tugged the blanket down
to her waist and lifted her gown to expose her stomach. She saw a fresh line
across her abdomen, red but fully healed. It stood out against the faded
scars that had already been there. Her stomach didn’t hurt, and she didn’t
remember getting an injury there. Where he touched it was slightly tender,
and he glanced to her face, checking her expression for pain.
Replacing the blanket that covered her Herme, pulled up the chair Enlil
had sat on. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you had surgery on your
abdomen. It’s something I haven’t discussed with any of your family; I’ll
leave that to your discretion.” There was a bleak look on his face, and he
handed her a note pad and pen. Umbrae had a pretty good idea of what he
was going to tell her. She’d long ago realized she was barren after she’d
released a fetus’s energy into the universe. That was something she knew
the Fates would punish her for. Her hands shook holding the pen and paper.
“When was your last normal menstruation?” His manner was
professional in spite of the humorous T-shirt.
She tried to keep her hand steady and legible. She wasn’t a great writer
anyway—she had very little formal education. With a barely legible
scribble she wrote: “Time is hard for me to gauge, my master was nomadic.
It was sometime during the Nazi war, I remember the uniforms.”
He nodded, somehow reading her writing. “What about estrus?”
Oh, Fates, she knew this would happen someday. She’d refused the
gynecological exams when she’d first been rescued, which Abby had
chalked up to her being a rape victim. “About ten years ago, I think,” she
wrote. Luckily she hadn’t gotten pregnant that time.
He nodded again, a confused look on his face. “How many times have
you been pregnant?”
She blinked the tears away so she could focus on writing her answer. The
sooner she got it all out, the sooner she could try to forget … again. “A lot.
most of them were Hulven and didn’t last more than a few months. One
Hulven pregnancy went seven months, and I got pregnant during an estrus;
it nearly went four months. That was the last time. I never menstruated
again and I only had one more estrus, but it only lasted a few days.”
She handed the notebook to Herme; he read through it twice, flipped to a
new sheet and handed it back to her. Full of dread anticipating his next
question, she palmed the pad, waiting. “Did you self-terminate any of
them?”
The memory of the day Etana spoke to her of how she had released her
unborn daughter’s spirit energy into the universe right before Zakel had
taken her last drop of blood played through her mind. It was Etana’s way of
both explaining to her how to do the horrific deed and giving her some
comfort for having to make such a difficult choice. At the time, Umbrae
was already full of guilt about the death of the two-month premature
Hulven son.
She’d know he would be born dead. She hadn’t felt him move for weeks
before she went into labor chained to a tree. Zakel had been gone for over a
month. He didn’t even realize she was pregnant; she barely showed. She
hadn’t had anything to eat or drink the whole time he’d been gone. After the
baby was born, she held its lifeless body for hours before burying it next to
her and hiding all trace of the birth before Zakel returned. She’d lain over
the baby’s grave, in and out of consciousness, for days, wishing for death.
“I released the Elven baby’s energy from my womb,” she wrote, shame
filling her. As much as she wanted the child, Zakel would have killed it for
the high.
“That was in the nineteen-forties? I mean during the Nazi war?” She
nodded; inside she knew she didn’t deserve to ever have children after what
she had done.
“Am I barren?” she wrote, handing him the pad to read as hopeless
acceptance plunged her mind into a dark place. She still needed to have it
confirmed by Herme, the final nail in her coffin. Eros would be hurt; she
knew he hoped for grandchildren. She had no idea how Enlil would take the
news. He had lost so much already.
Herme snorted incredulously at what she had asked and grinned at her.
“Not hardly. I’d say you are extremely fertile.” He tapped the pad with his
finger. Her mind went into complete confusion. A list of why’s, and how’s
—too long for her to ever write down. “I see the questions running across
your expression. Let me explain what I know, and if you still have questions
when I’m done, we can go over them.”
Rising, he pulled a touch screen computer from the drawer behind him,
fiddling with the screen before stepping next to her head and holding the
screen so she could see it. The bones of her lower ribs, spine, lower wings
and hips were clearly visible; there was also what looked like a baseball in
the center of her stomach. Herme pointed at it. “That is the calcified
remains of your Elven pregnancy.” He pointed to a tiny spot at the top of
the ball-looking thing. “Those are where the fetus’s wing fingers clung to
your uterus. It is rare, but I have seen it before. Essentially this has been
working like a form of birth control in your body for over five decades. It
tricked your human reproduction into behaving as if you were already
pregnant, stopping your menstrual cycles completely. Your estrus began and
then received the same message; that is why it only lasted a few days rather
than weeks. The only way to remove it was surgically.”
He set the mini computer aside and sat back down. “I hope you don’t
think this sounds cruel, but I think that dynamic was a gift of the Fates,
considering the situation you were in.” His comment pulled her back from
the awful idea that her dead child was inside her all this time. Maybe he
was right. “For what it’s worth, your uterus is perfect, I see no reason why
you can’t have children in the future if you desire them, though it may take
a few months before your hormones balance. I would not be surprised if
you dropped into estrus in the next few months.” He’d linked his hands
behind his head and lifted a cowboy boot to rest on the bed frame as he
delivered news that filled her with hope and joy. She was not damned after
all.
Tears flowed down her cheeks and a smile lit inside her that she couldn’t
contain. Herme returned it. “So do you have any questions for me?” he
asked casually.
Umbrae glanced at the pad still clutched in her hand. There was only one
she could think of, and it brought a blush to her cheeks: “How long till I can
be intimate with my mate?”
Herme leaned forward to read it from her hand, grinning. “I’d give your
throat a few more days to heal; passionate cries are a no-no right now. Other
than that, you are cleared to enjoy yourself. I do have one request.”
She lifted an eyebrow in question. Herme chuckled. “I’d like to be your
personal healer when you conceive. The child of a siphon and a shadower,
added to the amazing fortitude that both you and your mate have
demonstrated in your lifetime …” He shook his head in wonder. “That will
be a child to be reckoned with, I daresay.”
Umbrae nodded vigorously at the healer’s request. The image of the child
she and Enlil might one day pushed everything else into the past. She
scribbled one last time on the pad: “Thank you so much for saving my life
and my dreams.”
Herme plucked the pad from her fingers and tore the page out, folding it
into his back pocket and handing the rest of the pad back to her. He
swallowed loudly and took her hand, bowing low over it in an old-world
style. “My pleasure, my lady.” He headed toward the door. “I will let your
family in now.” His eyes took in the cots scattered about the room. “This is
the longest any of them have been away from you all week.” With that he
left the room.
The door hadn’t even swung fully shut before the parade of loved ones
started back in. Umbrae couldn’t contain the smile she had, didn’t want to if
she could. Each of them returned the smile with a curious one of their own.
The last one in was Enlil, who took his spot at her side once more. She
could tell him telepathically, but she wanted to share her wish in writing.
Flipping to a clear sheet, she wrote a short sentence and held it up for
him to read: “I want a baby!”
Enlil read it and then looked around the curious faces in the room before
returning his beautiful green eyes to her. “Right this minute?” A happy
teasing grin lit his face; oh, how she loved him.
She ripped out the sheet letting it fall on her legs where everyone would
be able to read it. She scribbled again: “Estrus in a few months.” She held
the new page up to him, and the tender way he looked at her filled her with
happiness. Plucking the pad out of her hand, he tossed the whole thing face
up on her legs, leaning over to kiss her soundly in answer.
****
Had he ever been this fucking tired in his life? Gil trudged his way up the
stairs toward his suite. The construction crew had repaired the wall, and a
new frame and door awaited him; all that needed to be done was paint. The
image of Innanna’s ferocious expression when she blew his door to
smithereens floated to the forefront of his mind. The female was drop-dead,
stop-your-heart gorgeous when she was angry, though she hit like a girl. His
dick got hard every time he thought about it. He’d even gotten the courage
to tell her he loved her before all hell broke loose.
Innanna had gone behind closed doors with the Oracles shortly after
Herme had taken Umbrae to the Hospe. Gil had been busy securing the
campus, interrogating the prisoner, and interviewing the kid who just
wanted to be a good guy and was born to a monster. He’d been able to
distract himself from missing her somewhat. He’d never gotten to dance
with her, not once. Hell, the most physical contact he got was her fists
hitting his face.
Pushing open the new door, he was glad to see the mess had been cleaned
up. Spackle marks on the far wall had replaced the shrapnel that had
penetrated it. Gil dragged his ass into the shower, letting the water rinse the
last few days off him. Half asleep, he hit the pillow, wishing Innanna’s
sweet body were here to curl around. Would she come to him when she was
finished with the Oracles? Thoughts of waking up to her sweet night-
jasmine scent had him going to sleep with a smile.
 ****
The clock next to the bed told him it was after midnight, either that or
noon. The sound of music from the living room woke him. Groaning, he
wrapped the pillow around his head. Couldn’t they paint later? The door to
his room opened and the light hit him in the face. “Get out,” he grumbled a
second before Innanna’s scent wafted to him. The door started to close
slowly. Aw, hell. He snapped his eyes open and sat straight up. “I dinna
mean you, Darlin’. I thought ya were the painters, donna leave.” She was
illuminated from behind, so he couldn’t see her face, just the outline of her
lovely curves.
“I brought you some dinner. Are you hungry?” His belly rumbled his
answer and Innanna giggled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Her indrawn breath when he stood up, completely naked and hard as a
rock, was an ego boost. He stretched, preening like a peacock under her
inspection, and then threw on a robe, which tented over his erection. Her
arousal made her scent stronger; he drew the intoxicating aroma deep into
his lungs. She backed into the living room as he approached, giving him his
first real look at her. Great balls of fire. She wore a hot-pink, baby-doll
teddie. The top barely covered her nipples, leaving the rise of her breasts
bare and her cleavage daring him, and it was sheer over her midsection,
giving him easy view of the matching panties. The soft outfit was in perfect,
scandalous contradiction to the pair of six-inch, come-hither, thigh-high
boots. Welcome to happy fucking libido land, he mentally hoorad his dick.
“Well, well, well, Darlin’, make my night an’ tell me yer not plannin’ on
teasin’ me ta death, ‘cuz that outfit’s a heart attack waitin’ ta happen.” He
tried to grab her; she dodged out of his reach.
“Dinner first.” She pulled out a chair from his tiny, two-seat table,
holding it for him like a gentleman. Sitting, he tried to grab her again when
she slipped by, but she dodged him again. The lights dimmed leaving the
table bathed in candlelight. A plate piled high with roast beef and russet
potatoes sat in front of him. Sighing he lifted his fork, his goal to eat his fill
in thirty-five seconds flat so he could have Innanna for desert.
Gil had the first bite in his mouth when the music changed to a sultry
song. Innanna started to sway her hips erotically. With slow, cat-walk steps,
she peered at him over her shoulder. Every part of him wagged
enthusiastically watching her. He set his fork down. With an exasperated
sigh, she stopped dancing. No fair—why did she stop? She crossed her
arms over her chest, tapping her sexy heel in annoyance. He picked up his
fork and took another bite. The sexy dance started again. The little vixen
was tormenting him. His plan to wolf it down was mute in the face of the
benefits to eating slowly. Talk about a win-win.
He made it through half his dinner, the slow removal of the teddy top, her
sweet ass clad in silk panties rising up toward him from her position on all
fours for his viewing pleasure. It was the slow sensual removal of her
panties, leaving her in nothing but the boots, that was his undoing. Her
sinful innocence was heaven on earth and more than he’d ever envisioned.
Pushing back from the table, he turned his chair to face her. His robe had
long ago gaped open, and he’d spent the last few bites with one fist
wrapped around his fork and the other his manhood.
Standing, he pulled her against his chest. Finally he would get to dance
with her, she was in his arms. He led her through a slow dance. She fluidly
followed the moves. They’d always danced well together, any style and
speed. Her back arched over his arm in a complicated dip, her hair
sweeping the ground, and he captured her nipple, sucking it deep into his
mouth. Sliding his fingers down her body, he lifted her leg by the ankle and
released her breast to nibble and lick up her sternum, her neck, and
capturing her lips when she rose, balanced on one foot, her ankle still firmly
in his hand, so flexible. He cupped her butt and lifted her fully against him.
She whispered, “You should ask me now.” Her breathy voice played
across his skin, wrecking havoc in him.
“I love you, Innanna. I will love you for the rest of my life. Be my
bloodmate, make me the luckiest male alive. Be mine, forever.” Gil stared
into the depth of the purest shade of violet.
“I’ve always been yours Gilgamesh. I love you with all that I am.” She
leaned to his neck, her sheath slowing sliding over his erection. Gil’s heart
melted at her words. “I take thee as my bloodmate.” Her dentes sank into
his vein. Thrusting into her fully, Gil took her to the wall.
His voice thick with love and passion, he repeated, “I take thee as my
bloodmate,” and sank his dentes deep into her neck. Her ancient blood
coursed through him with the power of her psychic energy. Fully gone to
rapture, he thrust his hips, riding their mutual pleasure. Innanna’s muffled
cries at his throat took him to a whole new level of heaven. Higher they
climbed, her inner walls clinging, pulling him to his hilt, squeezed tighter as
she tore from his throat. “Gil!” The deep pulse of her climax dragged the
most powerful orgasm he’d ever experienced from him; he roared as his
seed pumped into her core. She was his and he was hers forevermore.
 Chapter Thirty
Eight months later
Herme looked into the concerned faces of the parents to be. “They are so
busy, sometimes I can’t hear myself think, and they speak their own
language. It’s like having surround-sound, only everything’s playing on a
different station,” Umbrae confessed in her raspy, damaged, soft voice. Her
fear for her babies’ health was apparent on her face. When she’d come in
for her third prenatal appointment last month, he’d heard two heartbeats and
had informed Enlil and Umbrae they were having twins.
The fact that the babies were already communicating enough for Umbrae
to pick up on it, let alone be disturbed by it, was pretty phenomenal. Most
mothers didn’t pick up on their infants’ telepathic abilities until late in the
third trimester. “Well, let’s see what the little rascals are up to, shall we?”
Umbrae nodded nervously, lying flat on the table. He lifted her gown and
placed the fetal stethoscope to her expanding waist. There was no
precedence for her prenatal care. Enlil and Ninlil’s mother had died in
childbirth with no care during her pregnancy. That was the way things had
been seven thousand years ago. Locating the first heartbeat immediately, he
heard the echo of the second. It didn’t sound right; the back echo was too
rapid. Was he hearing a heart defect or …?
Keeping his expression neutral, he casually pulled over the ultrasound
equipment. “Ready for your first picture of your babies?” he asked, trying
not to give away his growing suspicion. Umbrae gripped her mate’s hand in
hers and they both nodded. Herme placed a hand-held ultrasound unit to her
stomach, rolling across. He saw first one heart, then two, then a third, and
finally a fourth.
Enlil leaned over to get a closer look at the four still photos Herme had
taken of each heart, which were lined up along the bottom of the screen.
“What the …?” His voice trailed off with dawning realization and his
complexion paled.
Umbrae hadn’t quite gotten the full implication the way her mate had.
“What? What are you two seeing? What’s wrong with the babies?”
Since it looked like Enlil was going to faint at any second, Herme
answered the soon-to-be mother. “Remember when you asked me if you
were barren and I told you hardly? Well, the proof of your fertility is staring
at us from the monitor. You’re having quadruplets; there are four of them
swimming around.”
Herme checked the babies thoroughly with the machine before clicking it
off with a sigh. He could well imagine how noisy that much condensed
psychic energy was for Umbrae. Enlil’s color was better, though he still
seemed slightly panicked. Not that Herme blamed the male for his reaction.
Better to just let them have all the information at this point. “I’d say you
have two separate sets of twins growing. Two Elven female twins. One of
each sex on the Hulven set.” Ovulating during estrus, that was one for the
books.
Enlil paled again. “Three daughters?”
Umbrae snapped her head around. “And a son.” She had taken the news
far better than her mate. Of course, she was the one hearing them jabber
constantly. If anything, the news that there were four of them seemed to
calm her fears. Herme grinned; this was going to be an adventure.
 Epilogue
Ten strolled through the campus after his class. “Killing you will be a
pleasure. How dare you betray your blood?” Shifting his path, he headed
toward the swimming pond. The natural pools and falls sometimes muffled
his father’s voice in is head. “You think you’re safe? There is nowhere safe
for you. You think your new friends will protect you? They will be glad
when you’re dead. You burden them, boy. They can never trust you fully, not
the way I did. They see how you betrayed that trust. You are alone; you will
remain alone. They merely humor you when they treat you like an equal.
You have done too much that is abhorrent to them; you will never be able to
amend those things.” Osiris was in rare form, showing a persistence he’d
rarely displayed after the first six months. Maybe he had just been too busy
in the last couple of months dealing with the fall-out of the SOSC hot on his
trail, thanks in part to Ten’s help. Today the male was hitting on every one
of Ten’s insecurities.
The voice faded when he neared the pool. He dropped to his knees at the
edge, his face in his hands. It had taken two months of full sedation with
daily blood transfusions and dialysis to remove enough of his fathers tainted
bond to function somewhat. That was followed by the psychic healers he
still worked with twice a day. His cousin Victor had taken him on as a
protégé, and both Eros and Umbrae worked with him on fortifying his
mental shields against his father. Most days, he maintained fairly well.
Today, not so much. He was lonely and emotionally tired. It was possible
Osiris sensed his weakness, which would explain the renewed voracity in
assaulting his mind.
Within a few hours after he’d told everything to the two commandants
and the SOSC representatives that sat in on the interview, his father had
attacked him. Before then, he had no idea of the subliminal compulsions his
father had ingrained into his psyche. He constantly worried that there was
more unleashed evil inside his mind. .
It had been to his horror when the first compulsion had overwhelmed
him. After the interview, Commandant Gilgamesh had offered him a place
to stay, a job on campus, and the opportunity to train for human integration.
He had been overcome with gratitude. The energy shield around the island
had been beefed up, and for him it would be the safest place in the world, or
so he’d thought. One minute he’d been happy and hopeful, the next he was
trying to kill Commandant Shane Einar. Aware of his actions, he was
incapable of controlling them. Unbelievably, Shane hadn’t killed him in
self-defense; even though Ten was shadowed, there was no question Shane
could have done it. His motives had been to kill indiscriminately and
without care for his life.
It was Shane’s mate Jess who took control of the battle. Within seconds
his limbs had become so heavy he couldn’t lift them, his mind slow and
sluggish. Still held by the compulsion, he’d tried to turn on the young
female siphoning him. Too weakened to maintain the shadow, his body had
come into view of the remaining people in the room, most unaware of what
was happening. They turned in time to see him crumple at Jess’s feet,
finally free of the urge to kill.
He uttered two words to her before giving into the lethargy: “Help me.”
Her compassionate nod was the last thing he saw.
They had kept him sedated for several days while they diluted the bond.
When they woke him to assess his state, another compulsion had possessed
him. This one had him battling against his own mind to retain his energy in
his body. The compulsion had been for suicide, a struggle he would have
lost if the healers attending to him had not knocked him out again before he
could fully release his energy. Not all Hulven had the ability to release their
living energy. Apparently he was one of the ones that could. Times like this,
he almost wished he had died then. If he released his energy now, it would
hurt the people who had spent so much time trying to help him.
His mind quieted with the gentle lapping of the pool and the roar of the
distant falls, an auditory balm to his frazzled nerves. A discord of the water
on the bank caught his attention. Scanning the pond’s surface he saw the
movement of a tail just under the water line, cluing him to the presence of
the Aquatie. He’d never seen one in this pool before. He’d heard them
discussing it, calling it too calm and uneventful; they seemed to prefer the
ocean or some of the other lakes that had underwater caves. The reason for
the Aquatie’s choice became apparent when, a few feet from where he sat,
the ebony hair of a Tellus broke the surface. The female laughed, drawing
deep breaths of air into her cells. The coral-colored hair of her companion
rose beside her.
 “That was a hundred feet, nicely done.” The melodic voice of the
Aquatie floated over the distance.
“It felt like it took a year.” The sultry, deeper voice of the Tellus held
self-directed humor. “I would be an embarrassment to seals everywhere.”
Since the tellus had revealed their shape-shifting abilities many of them
were now trying to learn to swim in the form of aquatic mammals, and
some were even trying to learn to fly in a bird form with the Volaticus. Bats
had been the most successful flying style for them; feather care was not an
ability that the Volaticus could help them with. Since Tellus didn’t obtain
the instincts of the mammal’s shapes they took on, they’d had a difficult
learning curve full of injuries. Their dedication to continuing was a tribute
to their species. Tellus had solid, densely celled bodies, nearly impossible to
crush, which also made them lack buoyancy and lift. Their cells were
specialized to store and hold tremendous amounts of oxygen, enabling them
to live deep beneath the earth’s surface surrounded by toxic gases, heat, and
immeasurable pressure.
He’d found them fascinating. Before Meshy Hell, his contact had been
limited to trapping, containing, and transferring them to whatever horrible
destination Osiris had instructed him. The faces of his victims still haunted
him constantly. Their bodies were designed to absorb impact over large
areas; a small point penetration or a thin sharp edge was deadly to them.
Their skin was ultimately quite delicate and sensitive. He’d seen many of
them dissected alive in Osiris’s quest for research. The megalomaniac, so
sure he was destined to rule the world and everything in it.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the females swimming toward the
shore right in front of him. His first instinct was to shadow, but they were
both looking directly at him with warm, friendly smiles. Shadowing would
probably scare them at this point, so he gave them what he hoped was a
smile in return, trying to push the dark memories into the recesses of his
mind.
“You’re Mick Tenor, right? You’re in my human sexuality course.” The
Tellus female addressed him with the name he had decided to keep for his
own. He didn’t know her name, but he knew her face. The female was
beautiful; he had debated talking to her a few times but had never found the
courage. Looking at her now, all he could do was nod to her.
 The Aquatie stood, wading toward him just before the Tellus female
touched the bottom. “I don’t think we’ve met, this is my first week here.
I’m Talia.” The Aquatie’s melodic voice was friendly, her hand extended in
greeting, as she stepped free of the bank onto the grass in front of him. She
was fully naked, a fashion style the Aquatie were highly comfortable with,
and she was tall; her opalescent skin shimmered in the sunlight. Her coral-
colored hair hung in long waves down her back to the middle of her thighs;
her eyes were a shade darker than coral pink. He’d seen her a few days
earlier across the campus, but because he rarely spoke, most people
considered him shy and left him alone. He wasn’t a part of the social sects
he’d seen hovering around her.
Rather than making the females aware of his body’s reaction to them, he
elected to remain seated, lifting his hand to shake hers. She plopped down
to sit next to him, “Are you staying in there all day, Mattie?” she asked the
stunningly beautiful Tellus who’d remained in the water. Mattie. The name
fit her.
With her mocha skin and deep-brown, shoulder-length hair, and her large,
amber eyes surrounded by thick, long black lashes that glistened with
droplets of water clinging to them, she was a vision. He studied her face in
the water; she was by far the most exotically beautiful creature he’d ever
seen. The answer to Talia’s question sunk into him slowly, and Mattie’s
softly flushed cheeks confirmed what should have dawned on him
immediately. Tellus were a modest bunch, unlike the Aquatie. They shifted
without clothing, usually trying to do it discretely; here he was drooling
over her like a stick of candy, giving no thought to how uncomfortable he
was probably making her.
He quickly dropped his gaze. “Oh, hell, I am an ass, please forgive me. I
will leave you to your privacy.” Ten could feel his cheeks heating. Fates, he
sucked with females; he wasn’t very great with anyone, honestly. He rose,
berating himself for his rudeness.
Mattie surprised him with her sharp response. “No, don’t go.” He stopped
and looked at her, the adamancy of her words leaving him confused and
curious. “I mean, I’d really like a chance to talk to you, if you wouldn’t
mind just turning your back. My clothes are right there.” She pointed to a
rock draped with a bright-orange, Hawaiian-printed sarong a few feet down
the shore.
 He quickly gave her his back, realizing too late that his position left him
looking right at Talia lying on her back naked in the sun. If he moved, it
might make Mattie think he was trying to sneak a peek at her.
And then he realized he could see Mattie after all as her shadow stretched
across the sand near him. He was captivated by the shadow of her curves as
the sun behind her honored them. The curve of her full breasts was lovingly
displayed, and he snapped his mouth closed to hide the eruption of his
dentes. He tried to be discrete as he adjusted his erection behind his zipper.
Talia’s chuckle was humiliating—he’d completely forgotten she was there.
Could he get any more pathetic? He was fully aroused by a shadow on the
ground.
“She likes you. She’s talked nonstop about how much she wishes you
would notice her. Good to see you have.” Talia spoke in a low frequency
that his highly developed hearing barely picked up. Tellus didn’t have great
hearing; the female’s words wouldn’t carry to her friend. His, however,
would, so he remained silent; inside he was filled with wonderment. Mattie
liked him?
Mattie’s shadow darkened as she approached from behind him. As she
passed him, he could smell her, a tangy citrus. She sat next to Talia, looking
up at him with a beautiful smile. The orange material tied above her breasts
left her soft mocha shoulders bare. “Thank you. Sorry about that.” She
shrugged. Her cheeks took an apricot shade when she blushed. He felt like
he was falling into the amber depths of her eyes. He sat down where he
stood, facing the girls, the pool behind him.
Talia started to rise; Mattie reached out, grabbing her arm to keep her
near. Ten couldn’t help but grin. “Do I make you nervous, Mattie?” He said
her name out loud for the first time, lisping slightly from his partially
retracted dentes.
Her lashes fluttered, her eyes widened, and slowly she nodded. “A little,”
she confessed. “Not in a creepy way, I mean, bad way, just that you’re …”
She sighed, the apricot color deepening in her cheeks, and looked over to
Talia for help.
Talia was doing a piss-poor job of trying to keep a straight face. “Oh,
great Fates, you two are hopeless.” Talia shook her head. Using a high, fake
voice, she took over. “Hi, I’m Mattie. I like long walks on the beach,
margaritas, and your ass in a pair of tight jeans.” Her voice deepened. “My
name’s Mick Tenor. I’m the hot Hulven you been dreaming about. I’m the
shy, quiet type of stud, and you turn me on so much I can’t control my
sanguindentes.” Talia stood, ignoring his and Mattie’s gaping mouths, and
took a bow. Then she turned and strolled off into the trees toward campus.
Awkward moment was an understatement.
Mattie slowly turned her head from where her friend had walked away,
meeting his gaze with a shy grin, “I can’t even get mad at her, since her
version of me was right on the money.”
Ten … err, Mick. Time to be your new self, instead of pretending to be, he
told himself. Mattie liked his ass in tight jeans? That was a place to start,
right? “Ditto.” He grinned back at her like a schoolboy.
 Shadowed Magic
The Enlightened Species Novella
~Book 2.5~

By
Wendy S. Hales
 Chapter One
“I’m outa here. Some of us have to work in the morning.” Aymee rose
from her seat. The music boomed with a salsa beat. It should have drowned
out her voice but since her friends all had hypersensitive hearing, she knew
they heard her.
“You want me to walk you out?” Her best friend Jess asked. Funny how
different thing were now. Once upon a time Aymee thought everyone was
human. Now she knew she was the only human in her group of friends.
They’d all be looking fabulous and young while she’d be pushing a walker
and looking for her teeth.
Jerika and Irsu were Volaticus Elven, Jess and Umbrae were Volaticus
human/Elven hybrids called Hulven, and Greycia was an Aquatie. Since the
Volaticus could fly and the Aquatie could swim it made Aymee’s vacations
far more interesting … not that she had time for vacations.
This was the first time her friends had gotten together in months. Jerika
was busy with the Mesa PD, Irsu led a warrior unit for the Symbiosis of
Species Council, Jess and Umbrae were both newly bloodmated, and
Umbrae had recently become a new mother. Tonight had been a celebration
of Greycia finally getting transferred from the human integration course in
Australia to the one here in Mesa. It was also a chance to get Umbrae out of
the house for the night. Aymee couldn’t fathom having one kid let alone
quadruplets.
“Naw, I’m good. I’ll just say goodnight to Greycia and get my ass
home,” Aymee answered.
Searching the dance floor, she caught sight of the beautiful Aquatie
female grinding against some guy. Not so long ago Aymee would have been
doing the same thing. Now her heart wasn’t in it. Well heart was a loose
term since she never actually invested love into any of the sexual partners
she used to keep around for shits and giggles.
Jess grinned and nodded. “Alright, call me tomorrow.”
Aymee had a black belt in mixed martial arts, so it wasn’t as if she
couldn’t take care of herself. A fact Jess knew well. She injected herself
between Greycia and her potential grunt-fest recipient on the dance floor
long enough to say goodbye and made her way out the door of the club. Her
keys clutched in her hand, the cool desert night air chilled her skin after the
heat of the condensed bodies inside. The comparative silence after the ear
splitting music calmed her. She used to spend almost every night in places
like this. Endlessly searching for some guy to make her feel whole if only
for a single night. The futile effort had lost its appeal.
“You going home alone tonight, Aymee?” One of the door bouncers
asked, his grin full of invitation. Been there, done that, though he was
obviously offering her a second helping if she wanted it.
Aymee gave him her ‘come hither if you dare’ smile, pivoted and walked
off with a heavy sway of her hips. Her swishy miniskirt bounced against the
back of her legs to gift him a peek of the bottom curve of her ass with every
step. The slut-stroll ceased as she turned the corner out of his view to take
the heavy steps of the hollowness she actually felt inside. The game held
zero appeal to her anymore. It had been more than a year since she’d been
with anyone, yet she didn’t miss it at all.
Distracted in her thoughts, Aymee didn’t notice the four men step out of
the alley she’d just passed. “Hey, baby. Where you going?” One of them
called out to her as the others chuckled and encouraged the designated
voice of the group. Aymee ignored them and continued walking. Four
against one weren’t good odds no matter how much training she had.
The speaker jogged to catch up with her, his cohorts a step behind. “I
asked you a question, sweet cheeks. You look like your ready to party and
this is your lucky day. I know where one is just starting.”
“Not interested. Why don’t you and your buddies go find someone else to
pester.” Aymee knew better than to show weakness. If this guy were just
puffing his chest to look cool to his buddies, he’d call her a bitch and fade
away. If not…
The guy grabbed her arm, stopped her and turned her to face him. Damn
it. Aymee shoved his chest to gain the moment of freedom, leaned back in
her boots, snapped the heels off and reached down to snatch one of the
spikes off the ground. With her keys in one hand and the make-shift dagger
in the other, she at least had a chance. One of the men tried to grab her. She
attacked. Her keys sliced across the guy’s cheek. He hissed, “Fucking
bitch.”
The others looked at her with appreciation rather than fear. “Listen
assholes, I’m not some simpering victim. I suggest you let me go on my
way.”
The one who’d spoken first pulled out a butterfly knife and double
flipped it open. Then all hell broke loose. Aymee fought with everything
she had. She sent one to the ground with her heel plunged into his shoulder.
The one she’d keyed in the face went down with a solid knee connect to his
balls and a head butt, but she could feel herself losing ground.
One got a hold of her from behind. His hand firmly in her hair, he yanked
downward forcing her chin up and leaving her vulnerable to the speaker
with the knife. “Jake quit whining and get her arms.”
The one she kneed in the balls and head butted approached cautiously
from the side to wrench one arm nearly out of socket and hold it behind her
back as he clasped her other wrist. Blood trickled down his face.
The guy on the ground with her heel stabbed into the fleshy part of his
shoulder struggled to his feet. “Jesus, Kade, we should just let her go. No
fuck is worth this.”
“Oh? I think it makes it more fun.” The speaker she now knew as Kade
leered at her and tucked his knife away. He leaned into her face spraying
tobacco and booze scented breath. “I think she likes it rough.” He tore her
blouse. The seams cut into her shoulders and the night air touched her
breast. Vomit crept up her throat at the non-subtle insinuation. The small
flicker of hope the men simply wanted to rob her sputtered and died.
Aymee spit in Kade’s face. “Might as well kill me first, you animal.
That’s the only way I’ll stop fighting.” Gritting her teeth against the pain,
Aymee yanked her head from the man holding her hair enough to get some
leverage despite the tearing pain at her scalp. She dove her head back in an
effort to make contact with his face, but he dodged it and got a better grip
on her hair.
She couldn’t tell whether Kade or the guy impaled with her heel hit her,
but pain blasted through her cheekbone and her head rocked from the
impact. Her vision blurred with tears and dizziness tried to drag her into
darkness. Aymee struggled against it. Kade’s nasty breath hit her face as his
hand viciously grabbed her exposed breast. She glared at him through her
blurred vision refusing to give him the satisfaction of crying out while he
pinched and twisted her breast. The foursome dragged her deeper into the
alley they’d emerged from.
 Since the club didn’t close for several more hours, her chances of being
saved by a club-goer were slim to none. How many women had she trained
in self-defense after having gone through exactly this scenario? It was
obvious these men had done this before. How many times? There was zero
doubt she’d be raped … or worse before this night was out. Proof. She
needed to get evidence of these men for the authorities. If she couldn’t stop
them from raping her, she had to at least try to make it so they paid for it
and maybe she could save other women the same fate.
Aymee went completely limp, the pull on her tender scalp was
excruciating, but she’d caught them by surprise. The men holding her lost
just enough of their grip for her to get one final shot. This time, rather than
trying to get away she focused on gouging each of them with her
fingernails. Tearing hair from them. Anything. She’d gotten at least some
licks in on three, the fourth one stayed clear of her. Hopefully the blood
from her heel stab would be enough to identify him. Mid-frenzy Kade
tackled her to the ground the others pinned her in place. He groped beneath
her miniskirt, dirty hands ripped her panties and Aymee closed her eyes.
Suddenly the hand and weight of Kade was gone and she heard the thud
of something heavy hitting against the brick wall to her right. She opened
her eyes as her right wrist was freed to see the one named Jake flinging
through the air his arms and legs flailing a mottled scream emitted from his
lips before he too crushed against the brick with a crunch and slid down to
the asphalt and the hair puller who’d taken her left wrist followed his buddy
an instant later. The sound of pounding footsteps told her the man she’d
stabbed got away.
Aymee sat up slowly and pushed her miniskirt back down her twisted
bruised arm shielded her breast she looked around the empty silent alley.
“Umbrae you can show yourself now.”
Since her friend Umbrae Sicarius was a Volaticus Hulven, a trained
assassin and had the ability to shadow Aymee felt sure it was she who’d
come to her rescue. Umbrae had delivered quadruplets three months ago.
Not that you could tell Umbrae’d had children. The Volaticus species were
able to heal their bodies on a cellular level using psychic energy. Umbrae
looked like a twenty three year old kid, but that didn’t change the fact she
could be deadly.
Aymee glanced behind her but no one appeared. “Umbrae …?”
 Someone shimmered to view … but it wasn’t Umbrae. It was Eros
Sicarius, Umbrae’s father and by far the most gorgeous guy Aymee had ever
laid eyes on. If she could pick anyone in the world she’d least like to have
seen what just happened, it would be him. Not that she didn’t appreciate not
having to face the fate the men had in store for her, it was just that Eros
already made her tongue tied.
He wore only faded blue jeans and military boots. The delicate
membrane of his wings lay relaxed from his back. He faced the brick wall
between Kade and the two crumpled bodies of the ones that had held her
arms. Eros’s kept his chestnut brown hair pulled back and tied at his neck
with a leather thong, but it had come loose and his hair now hung just
below his shoulders. He leaned against the wall on his elbows and forehead.
Though his eyes were closed, she knew them to be the color of stainless
steel. So clear they reflected your image back at you. His breath hissed past
the fully erupted fangs, or dentes, in his mouth that shone in the light of the
streetlamp at the end of the alley. His hands clenched and released over and
over, empathizing the defined muscles of his arms. He looked to be in
agony. Had he been hurt?
Aymee struggled to her feet leaving flesh from her backside on the
asphalt. Road rash sucked. Every part of her body ached already. She went
to him and placed the hand not covering her breast to his bicep. He growled
low and deadly in his chest. Maybe she should be afraid of a twelve
thousand year old Volaticus Elven assassin. She might have been if she
didn’t know Eros was a male of honor. “Are you hurt?” She asked him. He
snorted a laugh and pounded his forehead against the brick. “Eros?” He
pinched his eyes tight and shook his head sharply. “Look at me. Did they
hurt you?”
“Great Fates, Aymee, they didn’t hurt me.” His voice growled out with a
tone that would make most quake in fear. His nostrils flared slightly,
“You’re bleeding.”
Aymee looked where her hand rested on his thick bicep. One of her nails
had been torn nearly off and blood dripped from her finger down his large
muscle to drip on the ground. “Oh.” She snatched her hand away. “You
probably need blood and I’m making it worse.” She tried to duck the
offending appendage behind her back … like that would make a difference.
Elven were naturally anemic. The iron in human blood called to them on a
primal level.
Eros pushed off his elbows, his hands still against the brick he leaned his
head back and opened his eyes to the sky. The night bathed him in beauty.
He drew in a long deep breath and roared loud and long. Her body’s sexual
response to his feral side sent a flood of moisture between her legs, her
knees nearly gave out. Eros dropped his chin and returned his forehead to
the brick with his eyes closed again. “Call the police, Aymee. Quickly.”
Police. Right. Where had her purse gone? Limping, she retraced the
assailant’s steps as her heel-less boot pressed awkwardly into the arch of
her foot,. Her purse was against the opposite wall, maybe a foot from the
sidewalk. Aymee grabbed it, and her eyes fell to a discarded snap front
shirt. She exposed her breast long enough to pick it up and carry it back.
Eros hadn’t moved, so she slung the shirt she figured belonged to him over
his bicep and fished for her phone.
“911, what’s your emergency?” The nasal voice on the other end of the
call sounded bored.
“Tell them you fought them off alone. A good roundhouse kick would
have sent them flying the way I did.” Eros whispered from his position.
Aymee nodded even though he still refused to look at her. “I’ve been
attacked. There were four of them. I … I knocked out three but one of them
… got away.” She gave the 911 dispatcher her location and snapped the
phone closed on the nasal voice asking her more questions. Eros peered at
her from the corner of his eye, a streak of silver between long, nearly black
lashes. “They’re on their way.” She lifted her hand to cover her breast
again.
Eros stood back from the wall. Finally. If her heels were intact, she might
reach his chin, but without them, her eyes met the middle of his chest.
Aymee looked down.
Eros easily stood six five. Bulky thighs filled the slack of his jeans, deep
ripples defined his stomach and guided her eyes to his heavy pecs. He
handed her the shirt. “Put this on.” Aymee noticed he looked aside while
she shrugged into it and did up a few snaps in the middle. Then he met her
gaze. His dentes had yet to retract. “I cannot appear human right now,
Aymee. I will shadow when the police arrive but know that I am with you.”
He started to shimmer.
 Aymee touched his arm before he vanished. “Wait. Why were you
hurting? If you need blood, please … take mine.” She’d never offered blood
to anyone before. Knew the Volaticus organized the Red Cross to acquire
their blood needs and give back to humanity at the same time.
Eros solidified, looked from her hand on his arm to the upturned wrist of
her other arm. He sighed. “I don’t need blood, Aymee. And, I wasn’t hurt.”
He gently brushed the back of his knuckles over the bruise on her cheek. “I
couldn’t look on your pain and maintain my control at the same time. If I
had seen this, while fully enraged,” his thumb followed the trail his
knuckles had just taken, “I would have torn these men apart limb by limb,
fed on their entrails and pissed on their bones.”
Aymee felt his light touch all the way to her soul. Heat blossomed at the
point of contact and radiated through her bloodstream. “That would have
been okay with me.” She leaned into his touch only to pull back with a yelp
as pain registered.
Approaching sirens had her looking over her shoulder to see the flash of
blue and red getting brighter against the wall. She turned back to Eros, but
he was gone. Then she felt the light brush of his knuckles on her cheek
again.
“I can’t explain this,” Aymee took a deep breath and shrugged out of his
shirt unconcerned that he could see her breast. She held it out and watched
it disappear the second it transferred from her hand to his. Covering herself
with her hand again, she turned, lifted her chin and walked awkwardly
toward the officers exiting their cruiser at the entrance to the alley.
 Chapter Two
Eros landed silently on top of the ambulance. He could hear them
examining Aymee inside. Heard her cry out when the paramedics touched a
tender spot. He grit his teeth against the sound of her pain and watched the
police assess the injuries of her assailants. He should have killed them and
just hid the bodies. A few years ago, that’s exactly what he would have
done. Declaring an oath to the Symbiosis of Species Council a few years
ago had changed all that. Humans should handle human affairs unless it was
a matter of life and death. If he’d gotten there a minute later … thank the
Fates he’d been in time.
The darkening bruises surfacing on Aymee’s delicate skin made him wish
he’d followed his first thought and walked her out despite her assurance to
his daughter, Umbrae, and Jess in the club that she was fine. Jess could see
him shadowed but kept his secret. The female knew Eros or one of
Umbrae’s brother were always with Umbrae. Tonight, he and his son Daniel
had accompanied Umbrae and her friends. Daniel would see his sister got
home to her bloodmate and babies safely.
Eros had made a point to send his sons when Aymee spent time with
Umbrae. His attraction to her had grown to the point he avoided the human
woman. Her tough as nails, sexually confident demeanor in combination
with her Asian/American features, lean muscular curves and sweet spirit
had captured his attention the first time he met her. Aymee had sat calmly in
Jess’s kitchen surrounded by Eros’s six sons with no humans around and
held her own, making wisecracks that put his sons in line. Her black
shoulder length hair shone in the sun while almond shaped blue eyes
sparkled with a love of life. All his wives had been human women. His
attraction to them, especially those that were genetically capable of bearing
him young, was well known. Aymee didn’t have the line in her palm of a
human designating her Elven-breeding compatible. The ‘heredity’ line was
curiously absent from her soft palm. He found her attractive anyway. More
than attractive. Once he became acutely aware of his attraction to her, he’d
avoided her.
Tonight, as he’d watched her leave, with longing, he’d promised himself
it would be the last time he would allow himself to be in her presence. She
represented too much temptation. Tall for her heritage at five foot eight,
he’d spent incalculable hours fantasizing about her long legs wrapped
around him. The thigh high boots coupled with a daring flared miniskirt had
nearly driven him out of his mind when she danced. The lower curve of her
ass peeked out every so often making it impossible for him to tear his gaze
from her. Aymee enchanted him.
When the club door closed behind her he’d let out a sigh of relief and
turned his attention to watching Umbrae enjoy her evening. His daughter
deserved to have fun. She’d been through too much in her first ninety-one
years. Permanent scars covered her body though her bloodmate Enlil had
given her the confidence to pay them no mind … now. Umbrae brightened
the world simply by being in it. He and his sons’ world revolved around her
and her children. They did their duty to the SOSC under the condition that
at least two of them remain off-duty and available to Umbrae at all times.
Discovering he had a daughter three years ago had been the only reason he
and his sons has come out of their self-imposed exile.
As Umbrae laughed with her friends, a cold sense of dread came over
Eros. His eyes traveled back to the closed door of the club and the feeling
intensified. Stay with Umbrae, he told Daniel telepathically. Receiving an
‘affirmative’ from his son, he shot out the door fully shadowed the next
time it opened and followed the path Aymee should have taken to her car.
He fully expected to see an empty spot where she’d been parked, but
instead heard the sound of grunts and nails raking flesh from the alleyway.
Blind fury enveloped him when he turned the corner to see her pinned to
the ground with a filthy mongrel covering her. Ripping his shirt away, he
extracted his wings and flew low to the ground at the men. The man
groping between Aymee’s legs would probably die from his injuries after
Eros heard his skull pop where he threw him against the wall. The sight of
Aymee’s exposed breast and sex drove him to the brink of madness. He
couldn’t remember the last time he’d desired human blood on his hands.
From the looks of the men, Aymee had fought like a wildcat before he’d
gotten there. That luckily had given him the time to spare her the horror of
multiple violations.
Eros pulled his thoughts away from that memory before he did actually
kill the men. Two more ambulances had arrived and were being loaded with
two of her assailants. The ambulance carrying the man with the skull
fracture blared off speeding him to the hospital. Investigators took pictures
of the scene. Eros glanced in the direction the one that got away had taken.
Aymee’s bloody heel lay on the sidewalk two blocks away.
Walk the sidewalk. Follow the blood trail. Find the victim’s shoe, Eros
nudged the suggestion into the investigator’s mind. The investigator looked
up, then down the street. He clutched Aymee’s non-brandished heel in his
hand. “Hey. Has anyone come across the other heel?”
Follow the blood trail, Eros nudged again. The investigator looked at the
ground and began toward the discarded bloody heel weaving the pattern of
the assailant’s trail. Eros pivoted his ears to pick up the human’s voice when
he squatted beside the blood soaked boot spike. “Those stupid fucks pick
the wrong victim or what?” The investigator’s voice held admiration. Damn
right they did, Eros silently agreed.
The engine of the ambulance started and Eros stood. As it headed toward
the hospital, he took flight following it. He could see Aymee through the
windows on the back. It looked like she was cursing at the paramedic. He
grinned. Feisty little witch.
****
Zack walked into the emergency room, his mind scrambled to come up
with a plausible explanation for the stab wound in his shoulder. It had to be
a ghost! The image of his friends being thrown across the alley by unseen
hands floated through his mind as did the terrifying growling sounds. No
doubt nightmares were in his future. Something told him that bitch would
be trouble. He’d tried to talk Kade out of going for her when she’d walked
past the alley.
He walked up to admin and told the gum-chewing intake nurse a lame-
ass story about failing to see a tree limb on his skateboard. She gave him a
curious lift of her brow, handed him a stack of papers, a wad of gauze and
told him to take a seat. Zack replayed the night in his mind. Jesus, he took
off just in time. A fact further proved when the doors swung open to admit a
gurney with Kade on it.
“We’re losing him,” the paramedic shouted as they sped past into the
interior of the ER.
“Fuck.” Zack muttered under his breath. He’d never heard of ghosts
being able to kill.
 The ER door opened and a geek in a lab coat popped his head out, “Zack
Brimley.” He looked around the room of sniffling kids and paranoid parents
till he reached Zack. “You Zack?”
Zack took a deep breath and stood. “Yeah.” He followed the orderly back
to an area where the beds stood separated by sheets hung from the ceiling.
The orderly handed him a gown. “Remove your shirt and put this on. The
doctor will be in shortly.” He snapped the sheet closed behind him.
Zack somehow managed to get his favorite metal band shirt off despite
the burning pain in his shoulder. The shirt was ruined, completely saturated
in blood. Zack scooted on to the bed and used the gown to absorb the blood
oozing from his shoulder rather than wearing the stupid fucking thing.
He listened in to the nurses talking on the radio to the other incoming
ambulances.
‘Male, early twenties, stable condition, unconscious, possible pelvis
fracture, multiple lacerations and contusions. ETA 10 minutes by
ambulance.’ He heard a man’s voice announce. Which of his friends was
that? ‘Male, early twenties, stable, multiple rib fractures, possible
concussion, multiple lacerations and contusions. Patient is conscious and
combative. ETA 15 minutes by police transport.’
Zack felt his heart pound in his chest. Kade might be dead. Brad and Jake
were totally fucked up. Christ. The next announcement stopped his blood
cold. ‘Female assault victim, thirty years old, multiple lacerations and
contusions, possible sexual assault. ETA 6 minutes by ambulance.’
The bitch got off easy. How did she rate an ambulance when his buddy’s
jacked up ribs got a police cruiser? Bet she planned to ‘poor me’ Zack and
his buddies straight into the big house. Fuck. They were the victims! Zack’s
mind shifted from fear to revenge. Fuck her goddamn ghost. Next time he
saw her, it would be looking down the barrel of the 9mm his dad kept next
to the bed.
“Hello?” The doctor and a pretty little nurse entered the sheeted room.
He double-checked the file folder for his name, “Zack? Lets take a look at
this skateboard accident.”
The nurse drew blood from him while the doc plunged needles into him
like a pincushion. “Hey man,” Zack snapped at one particularly painful
injection.
 “It will hurt a lot more without the shots, Zack.” The doc continued his
torture. He even poured orange looking crap through the whole in Zack’s
shoulder like the fucking thing was a fountain. “A clean stab wound. You’re
lucky.”
He didn’t feel very fucking lucky, he felt faint. Barely managed to mutter
that it wasn’t a stab wound and received a disbelieving, ‘mmmm hmmm’
from the doctor. Asshole. “Okay. The post care is going to be difficult with
this type of wound. Whatever went through your shoulder missed all the
larger veins, however muscle heals differently. I’m going to stitch up the
exit wound on the back then pack it from the front. You’ll have to clean it
and repack it once a day. It will need to heal from the inside out.”
The doctor made sure to complete Zack’s education of how to shove
gauze into his own fucking flesh. By the time he was done, Zack wondered
if he were the lucky one of his friends. The doctor rose a few minutes later
though it felt like hours. “I should have your blood work back shortly, then
I’ll be back with a few prescription and some supplies for you to take with
you.”
The doctor pushed the sheet open leaving a gap big enough for Zack to
see the bitch from the alleyway walking into the ER. Walking! Plain cloths
cops strolled beside her. Their little notebooks out, jotting down every word
out of her lying mouth. The doctor who’d just sewed and packed his
shoulder joined the group right outside his sheeted area. Zack tucked his
face from view and listened.
“You must be Aymee Yamamoto. We have this first room ready for you.”
The doctor showed the bitch to a room with a door on it before his shoes
squeaked away on the tile. Aymee Yamamoto. Bitch was too tall to be Asian,
even if she did have black hair.
She gets a room with a door and the stupid cops don’t even bother to
close it. “Just to be sure I have my information right … can I call you
Aymee?’ Man, the cops treated her like a rock star. “There were four of
them …” They must have paused to note her nod her fucking head or
something cause he didn’t hear her actually answer the question. “You
heard the names Kade and Jake…” he imagined the head bob answer again.
“You fought back.”
“How many times to I have to repeat this.” Her voice grated on Zack’s
nerves. That voice would join in his ghost nightmare for sure. “There were
four of them. I made a point to scratch or rip hair from all but one of them
and that guy, I stabbed with the heel of my boot. I heard two of them call
each other by the names I gave you.”
Zack snuck a peek through the gap in the sheet. A red headed uniform
cop ran in and took the corner so fast his feet nearly went out from under
him when he tried to stop. “Aymee!” The uniformed cop pushed past the
plain cloths and knelt on the floor before the bitch like she were some kind
of queen. “I took an extra shift tonight and heard the call on the radio. Are
you alright?”
“Officer Weedle, you know this woman.” Plain cloths asked the red
headed uniform.
“Yeah, I know her … and you know her to … at least by reputation. She
and my sister Jess own The Ryu. It’s the martial arts studio the academy
contracts to teach the cadets.” Officer Weedle informed them … Zack too,
thank you very fucking much.
“You’re Sensei Yamamoto?” The plain cloths cop had the sound of hero
worship in his voice. No wander she’d fought like Bruce Lee. Maybe she’d
thrown his friends … used the ‘force’ or some shit. That was a hell of a lot
easier to believe than a ghost did it. More comforting too.
“What happened?” The red head uniformed asked her, still crouched at
her feet.
“Eric, I’m fine, but I’m really tired of repeating myself. How about you
do me a favor. Let them tell you what happened, then you can explain to
them how it’s possible I fought four men and walked away the least injured,
K?” Aymee smiled at the kneeling red head that stood and kissed her
forehead.
“You got it.” Red dragged the other cops out of the room like a properly
trained lap dog. Loser.
The doctor came back into view standing in the hall while the cops exited
and gave him room to enter. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed Zack.
“A few more minutes, alright Zack?”
Zack felt himself nod stupidly, while riveted to the group inside the
doorway. All the cops stepped out. One of them close enough to the
dividing sheet his shadow appeared dark. The awestruck plain clothes near
the open door used a too-friendly voice to make one last remark to Aymee.
“We will have a female forensic tech in here shortly to gather the evidence
and… take pictures. It’s the best way to build a strong case.”
“I understand, Detective. If I don’t see you sooner, I’m sure we’ll see
each other when I stop by the station tomorrow to go through the mug
books.” Then the doctor slipped in and closed the door.
If that bitch mentioned a shoulder stab to the doctor, Zack’s ass was toast.
Fuck the prescriptions, he could just buy shit on the street. He quickly
grabbed his bloody T-shirt off the floor and hit the exit, ignoring the call of
‘Sir you haven’t been released yet … Sir!’ from the nurse behind him. The
main door swung open showing him the path of escape.
Just outside, an SUV pulled up and five of the hottest chicks he’d ever
seen poured out of it. The club wear was his first clue, the mention of the
bitch Aymee’s name from one of them was another. Zack ducked his head
and took a quick right outside the door hotfooting it away from the women,
especially after a couple of them eyed him warily. That sixth sense thing his
mother swore all women had might give him away. At a jog, he didn’t look
back till he’d cleared the end of the building.
 Chapter Three
Aymee let out a sigh of relief when Eric took the detectives out of the
room. She just needed a minute to herself … well, mostly to herself. Eros
made sure she knew he was there every few minutes. A light touch to her
shoulder or the gently brush of her hair at her neck. His presence
inexplicably lent her strength. The desired quiet minute was denied when
the doctor came in and pulled a rolling chair over to sit in front of her.
“No allergies to medicine?” He jotted down her answers to more
questions. “The forensics people will gather their evidence then I’ll remove
the rest of that fingernail. You’ll need a couple of stitches in that finger, and
I’m not sure about the other cuts until I get them cleaned up, okay?”
Aymee nodded. The doctor gave her an encouraging smile and stepped
out, closing the door behind him. “Eros?”
“I’m here.” Deep and low, his voice came from the wall behind the bed.
She tried to grin in his general direction, but tears flooded her eyes. Sick of
sentences that began with who, what, where, how and when, she just
wanted … him. His quiet comfort, silent understanding and compassion.
She wasn’t sure if her perception was real or just wishful thinking, but it
didn’t matter, she needed him.
“Don’t leave, please. I know this next part is going to … suck. Just …
stay with me.” Of all the people in the world to find comfort from, it
shouldn’t have been Eros Sicarius.
A thumb brushed her tear away. “You have my word.” His old word
declaration filled her with warmth.
She heard Jess, Irsu, Umbrae and Greycia arguing with someone in the
hall.
“She’s our friend …” Jess
“… see if she’s okay.” Umbrae.
“I’ll just be a minute.” The young girl wearing a dark jersey shirt with
gold lettering that blared ‘Forensics’ slipped in. Aymee caught a glimpse of
her friends’ worried faces as the door closed. “Alright, Miss Yamamoto. I
will try to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible. My name is Terri.”
Terri sat on the rolling chair and set a heavy case on the floor. “First thing
I’m going to do is scrape under your nails.” Once Terri was ready, Aymee
set her hand over the catch paper while she started to chat. “One thing’s for
sure, your story has definitely encouraged me to enroll in self-defense. You
said you weren’t raped, right?”
Aymee could tell the tech was trying to put her at ease just in case she’d
lied about the rape out of shame. “No, I wasn’t raped.” Then more small
talk as Terri touched pieces of tape up each of Aymee’s arms and her thighs
above her boots.
“Ok. I know this is uncomfortable, but I need to collect your clothing
now.” Terri opened and lined up brown paper sacks by the case.
Here we go. Aymee let out a sigh. Terri pulled Aymee’s boots off one by
one and put them into sacks. Her stockings followed. Then came the hard
part. The tech had to help Aymee out of the tattered remains of her shirt.
Her shoulder resisted the movement. Terri slipped Aymee’s miniskirt down
her bare legs. The tech’s eyes halted and narrowed at the torn panties
clinging to Aymee hips.
“Are you sure you weren’t raped? I brought a kit. It will only take a
second to do a swab.” She tried to be encouraging while sliding the ripped
scrap of lace off Aymee to disappear into a bag with the rest of her cloths.
“The guy groped me, he didn’t rape me.” Aymee repeated … again.
The tech pulled out another piece of tape. “Okay. I’m going to pat you
there for skin cells. Would you mind spreading your legs just a little?”
Standing naked in a hospital room legs spread while a girl felt her up with
tape was not how she’d pictured this night. “Hold that pose.” The tech put
the tape into a small plastic baggie and pulled out a camera. “You’re pretty
bruised down there for someone who wasn’t raped.” The flash of the
camera blinded Aymee for a second.
Her irritation blinded her more. “If I’d been raped, I would tell you. You
ask me one more time and I’m going to kick your ass out of here … got it?”
Terri’s eyes widened then ducked behind the lens without another word.
She had Aymee turn this way, that way. Took faraway pictures then a few
close up of every bruise and cut. She had to bend over for the pictures of
her scalp. That was the only time she wondered exactly where Eros had
taken up his post. When she’d fantasized about Eros pushing up on her
from behind, it didn’t include the smell of ammonia or harsh florescent
lights. Aymee looked down at her breast, it was black and blue with finger
marks clearly visible. God, she could just imagine what her cheek looked
like. The swelling in her eye had already starting to restrict her vision.
“All done.” Terri handed her a gown and turned her back considerately
while Aymee put it on. Aymee rolled her eyes … like Terri hadn’t seen
every nook and cranny at this point. Granting her modesty now seemed
stupid. With the gown on, Aymee lay on the bed for the first time. Terri
quickly gathered her things and left. Jess, Irsu, Jerika, Umbrae and Greycia
burst in. She stifled a groan.
“Great Fates, Aymee, you look like you went rounds in a boxing ring.”
The concern on Jess’s face contradicted the jest she made. Her best friend’s
eyes glanced to where Eros had been standing earlier then returned to
Aymee. Jess had an ability that allowed her to see shadowers, like Eros and
Umbrae.
“I’m okay, Jess. Eros helped me.” She felt his light touch on her shoulder.
Umbrae looked around. “We heard. I know you’re here, dad. I just want
to say thank you and I love you.”
Aymee expected Eros to appear, instead his voice whispered in her ear.
“I’ll be right back.”
Aymee nodded as the door of her room opened and closed as if by magic.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” Greycia had the sweetest heart
wrapped in the sinfully sexy body of an Aquatie warrior.
Aymee tried to grin at them. “Yeah, get the one I stabbed in the shoulder
with the heel of my shoe.” She tried to chuckle.
Irsu and Greycia looked at each other wide-eyed. “Son-of-a-bitch,” Irsu
snapped and the two tore out of the room with Jerika right behind them.
“What was that about?” Aymee asked
Jess brushed her bangs from her forehead. “We saw a shirtless man
leaving the ER on foot when we arrived. He had a shoulder injury.”
Eros stepped back in, to his jeans and boots he had added the shirt he’d
loaned her for a few minutes, now stretched across his broad chest. Aymee
quietly sighed with relief. He pulled Umbrae into a tight hug and Aymee
felt her heart melt. She remembered what it was like to have a father. Her
dad had died of cancer when she was eighteen. He’d always hugged her and
made sure she knew how much he loved her. Though Eros looked only a
few years older than his daughter, his paternal love was the same.
 Umbrae’s hand went to her mouth. “Oh, I hadn’t even thought.” Eros
must have spoken to Umbrae telepathically. “Be right back. Nobody
changes this space.” She vanished from sight only to reappear in the exact
same spot a minute later clutching a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and flip flops.
The Volaticus ability to fold space and ‘port’ from one known location to
another never ceased to amaze Aymee. They could only port their own body
mass so passengers weren’t allowed and they had to be familiar with where
they were going or be injured, but the whole thing was pretty cool. She
preferred to fly with her friends. Wonder if Eros would fly with her?
Eros looked back toward the door. “Daniel.” His son manifested instantly
from being shadowed. “Get Jess and Umbrae home, then follow up on Irsu,
Jerika and Greycia’s hunt for the forth assailant.” Daniel nodded to his
father and finger waved to his sister Umbrae then shimmered from view
again.
“I knew you were there the whole time, brat.” Umbrae told the now
empty space. “are you staying with Aymee then dad?” There was a smile in
her voice.
“I will take her home with me, yes.” Eros gave Umbrae another quick
hug goodbye.
Jess leaned to Aymee. “Don’t worry about anything. I take care of The
Ryu. You take as much time as you need. And I still expect you to call me
tomorrow.” Jess was her best friend and business partner. Aymee knew Jess
would handle her martial arts classes.
“I love you Jess.” Aymee whispered.
“I love you too.” Jess whispered back and kissed her forehead.
Eros met Aymee’s eyes with a stunned nearly panicked expression when
Jess paused in front of him and gave him a hug too. Eros was not the type
of guy anyone would hug randomly. Fierce and deadly he was known for
his integrity and honor, his love for his children and the four grandchildren
Umbrae had just given him, but he was by no means … the warm and fuzzy
kind. He had to bend slightly to accommodate Jess’s embrace. He patted
Jess’s back a couple of times awkwardly. Aymee choked back a snort.
Jess redeemed his comfort when the hug ended and she pointed her
finger up at him threateningly “Take care of her.” Eros grinned and bowed
slightly while Umbrae and Jess … and an invisible Daniel, left the room.
 The doctor walked back in while Eros held the door open. This time
Aymee did groan. Would this night never end? “Sir, you’re welcome to wait
outside.” The doctor seemed slightly intimidated by Eros. At least the
doctor’s eyesight worked.
“No, he stays,” Aymee stated. The doctor looked between them and
nodded. Eros leaned against the closed door his arms and ankles crossed.
****
Eros felt anything but casual as he leaned against the door. He watched
Aymee undergo repeated questioning. The absolute humiliation of
something called forensics and now the doctor touched her in personal areas
while he cleaned the asphalt burns and small cuts that covered the back of
her legs, arms and buttocks. Her fingernail had to be removed, and she
received a few stitches in the exposed nail bed that Eros felt sure would
cause her tremendous pain for a while. She also had stitches in her head
where her hair had been pulled so violently her scalp had separated and
torn. The small cut at her bruised cheekbone would heal on it’s own
according to the doctor. Thankfully, whatever Aymee had been given by the
doctor made her groggy. The doctor ducked out only to return a few
minutes later with an armload of bottles full of medication.
To Eros’s surprise, the doctor addressed him when he held the bottles up.
“Are you going to be her caretaker?” Eros glanced to Aymee who had
dozed off. Caretaker. That entailed more than taking her home and keeping
an eye on her. Aymee might want another to care for her. Either way …
there was no way he would allow her out of his sight until she healed. He
swallowed hard and nodded.
“These are antibiotics to keep Aymee from developing an infection. She’s
to have one of these twice a day.” The doctor shoved the white-labeled
brown bottle into his hand and held up another one. Eros listened intently.
Now that he’d agreed to care for Aymee during her recovery, he needed to
insure he did it correctly. Twenty-first century human medicine was
completely unfamiliar to him. “She can have up to two of these every four
to six hours depending on her pain. Even if she says her pain is manageable,
you need to give her one, otherwise her pain will be harder to bring back
under control later.” The doctor handed him the second bottle. “This is a
muscle relaxer to help blood flow to her bruises and promote healing, one
very six hours.” He handed Eros a third bottle. Blood flow, yes, very
important. Eros nodded, the doctor held up the fourth and final bottle.
“Give her one of these in the morning with breakfast and a second one with
her evening meal today.” The fourth bottle landed in Eros’s hand.
“She only needs two of these?” He held up the final bottle. The doctor
nodded. “Why? What are they for?” The doctor had explained the purpose
of the first three.
“The antibiotics will disrupt the delicate yeast balance of her vaginal
chemistry. These will counter it.” Delicate vaginal chemistry? Eros had
never heard of such a thing. The doctor fished a bag out of a drawer and
held it open while Eros reiterated the bottles and dosage before he dropped
each bottle into the bag. The doctor smiled warmly and handed the bag to
him. “She’s quite an amazing woman. It’s been my honor to treat her. Will
you let her know that?” The doctor shook Eros’s hand.
“I will, and yes, she is.” Eros found he liked the doctor.
“She’s free to go now, but you’re welcome to stay and let her rest
awhile.” The doctor closed the door behind him leaving Eros alone with
Aymee.
He set the bag of pills on the clothes Umbrae had brought for her, sent a
telepathic message to his sons and sat down in the rolling chair at Aymee’s
side. The back of his knuckle returned to touch the softness of her unmarred
cheek. His thumb brushed across her ruby lips. She sighed, “Eros…” His
name from her lips made him grin. Beautiful.
“We can go home once you are rested,” he whispered to her. Home. He
was taking her home. His home. The thought filled him with anticipation.
Aymee snapped her eyes open though it was obvious she remained groggy.
“Let’s go.” She tried to sit up. Eros aided her. “Get me out of here. Where
are my clothes?” The last woman he’d help dress had been Umbrae’s
mother nearly a hundred years ago, but the T-shirt and shorts were far easier
to get Aymee into than corsets and lacing. When he tried to figure out the
odd sandals, Aymee shook her head. “Bare foot is better. I might trip in
those.”
Her bag of pills and shoes dangling from his fingers, he helped her stand
with his other arm. Swaying, she leaned heavily against him. Eros scooped
her into his arms and carried her past the hospital staff and through the
doors. A black viper came to a stop in front of them. His son Jacob climbed
out of the driver’s seat and raced around to open the passenger door.
“I told you to bring a vehicle Aymee would be comfortable in.” Eros
scolded Jacob as he set Aymee gently into the seat.
“OHHH. I love this car.” Aymee muttered sleepily as Eros strapped her
seat belt. Jacob gave him an ‘I told you so’ lift of his brow.
Eros shut the door and chuckled. “Thank you, Jacob.”
“No problem, Pops. I’ll go pack some things from her apartment and
drop it by your house.” Jacob turned, stepped into the dark space between
the floodlights of the building and shimmered into shadow before porting.
Eros slid into the driver’s seat. The powerful engine rumbled nearly
silently through the darkened street. Aymee placed her injured hand on his
forearm though she seemed to rest, as if seeking his presence.
His gaze returned her face many times during the drive through the city
and into the desert where he and his sons had built their homes. Only Daniel
and Jacob were in residence. His other four sons were on assignment for the
SOSC. There were four homes built in close proximity. He passed the dark
windows of Baden and Brock’s followed by Othos and Victor’s homes. A
few lights were on in Jacob and Daniel’s. Daniel had contacted him
telepathically earlier and informed him that he and the females had hit a
dead-end in their search for the injured assailant. The last house along the
private drive belonged to him. Small, at only two thousand square feet not
including the full basement beneath it, Eros counted it as one of the favorite
homes he’d lived in during his long life. He loved to cook and the entire
house had been designed to embrace the modern kitchen area.
Beyond his home loomed the largest structure. The twelve car external
garage supplemented the individual double garages attached to each home.
Within the garage were his sons’ greatest passions. The boys loved vehicles
and had collected many over the last few years. Eros clicked the button to
raise the garage door for his home and pulled the viper inside the space next
to the Harley he rode as often as he could.
Aymee rousted slightly when he turned off the engine and shut the garage
behind them. He grabbed the bag of medicine, slid out of the car and
stepped to the passenger side. “Hi.” She blinked up at him when he opened
her door. Blue eyes smiled and his chest constricted as the air rushed from
his lungs.
 “Hi, yourself.” He unclasped her seat-belt and lifted her into his arms
again.
Her arm came around his neck and she giggled. “I don’t know what they
gave me. I’m sorry to be so out of it.” He carried her into his home sending
out pulses of kinetic energy to turn on the lights. Standing with her in his
living room, he felt a sudden panic. What was he supposed to do with her?
Aymee gave him direction. “Eros, you think I could … Will you help me
…” She shuddered against his chest. “Take a shower … or a bath?”
Without comment, he strode toward his bedroom and the master bath. It
had a large jetted tub, though Eros had never used the device himself. He’d
heard it was a good way to relax. He nearly tripped over the unfamiliar bag
inside his bedroom door. Jacob must have dropped off Aymee’s things. He
hoped his son had gotten the things she would like to have. He sent a pulse
of kinetic energy to the water controls in the tub, starting the water for her.
He set her gently on the edge of his bed and put the vital bag of medication
on the bedside table.
Aymee struggled to raise the T-shirt over her head. Eros didn’t know
whether to turn his back or help her. She met his gaze. He felt himself
falling into the blue pools pleading with him for … something. “What do
you need of me, Aymee?” His voice sounded thick from emotions he knew
he shouldn’t feel but couldn’t seem to stop when it came to her. The dignity
with which she’d faced everything awed him. Her inner strength and sense
of self were amazing. Aymee was the kind of woman that knew who she
was. She’d done what she had to without ego or false drama. Eros would do
anything for her.
“I’m going to need help.” She gave a half snort laugh, “It’s not like you
haven’t seen … everything, already. Would you mind helping me?”
Seeing her body in a stark impersonal hospital room, he’d been able to
remain somewhat detached. Especially since it took every ounce of his
concentration to keep his anger at bay. Touching her? Bathing her? He
swallowed hard several times while he removed her clothes. How could he
deny her desire to feel clean? The scent of female in his bedroom filled the
space. “Do you want me to carry you?”
Naked, she shook her head. “Just lend me your arm.”
He held his arm out gallantly to her in an old world fashion he was far
more comfortable with. Aymee grinned and took it. Her unblemished breast
pressed at his side. Eros nearly groaned. This might be the most difficult
task of his life. He led her slowly into the steam-filled bathroom and turned
the water off in the filled tub kinetically.
“If I could have one Volaticus ability it would be that one. It beats the
hell out of ‘clap on’ switches.” She chuckled. Eros had no idea what a ‘clap
on’ was so he merely smiled at her. Umbrae’s friends often used terms and
phrases that confused him. Modern slang completely eluded him.
Sometimes he’d ask his sons or Umbrae what things meant later, often he
simply ignored it. There was much even his sons and Umbrae didn’t
understand though they had no hesitation about asking Jess, Aymee, Jerika
or Irsu when they didn’t know something. They were also sociable. Eros
preferred books and writing.
Aymee tried to step into the tub by herself and lost her balance. Eros
found her plastered against his chest, holding her in his arms. Aymee
grinned up at him. “I am so woozy.”
Eros settled her into the water dousing the sleeves of his shirt in the
process. He stripped it off and sat at the edge. Her gaze traveled his bare
chest. Did she mean to lick her lips like that? Could she be attracted to him,
too? Eros shook the thought away. Aymee needed his care not his desire.
He soaped a washrag as she watched him. “Might I ask an … odd
question of you, Aymee?” He stuttered.
“Oh, Eros, the way you talk. Need you ask?” She grinned. He wasn’t sure
if ‘the way you talk’ was a question or an answer. He waited for her to
clarify, when she didn’t he decided to consider her response an acceptance
of his request.
“You only have a small triangle of pubic hair at your pelvis bone. I have
never seen a woman grow hair like that. Is it … by design?” Eros hoped his
query wouldn’t make her uncomfortable.
Aymee laughed. The pure joy of the sound rippled through him with a
power that filled his jeans instantly. She laughed with her whole expression
and body. Exquisite. His breath caught in his throat. The question he’d
asked completely forgotten, it took him a moment to realize what she meant
when she answered. “It is most definitely … and painfully, by design. It’s
called a partial Brazilian wax.”
“Wax? You burn your hair with a candle?”
 Aymee looked hard at him. “You really don’t know, do you?” Eros
hesitantly shook his head. “It’s a hot wax that’s sticky, like honey. When it
cools it … traps the hair. Then you rip it off and the hair goes with it.”
Eros knew his jaw gaped open. “Why in the universe would someone do
that?” He had to know.
Aymee shrugged. “Well.” She puckered her lips adorably while
considering the answer. Eros longed to kiss her. “It’s cleaner for women
who menstruate, and I think it makes my ‘girlie’ prettier. And, it makes me
feel sexy.”
“What is a ‘girlie’?” Every answer she gave him created another
question. It was frustrating and intriguing.
Aymee waved her hand over her private female area. “Girlie.” She
answered. “That’s what my mom always called private parts. I guess the
term stuck with me. I hate the word vagina. It sounds vulgar coming from
anyone other than a doctor or in some kind of professional capacity. A girlie
is a likable, friendly term.”
Girlie. Eros mentally filed the word as special to Aymee. He still didn’t
understand why she would torture her ‘girlie’ by ripping the hair out of it …
or most of it anyway. Volaticus Elven and Hulven were hairless from the
neck down. Nature’s way of streamlining them for flight.
“You going to use that or just play with it?” Aymee asked. Eros looked at
her trying to figure out what she meant … again. Aymee’s chin indicated
the washcloth and soap he still held in his hands.
“I’m going to … use it.” Aymee smiled and lifted her injured hand off the
edge of the tub. Eros lathered her hand being careful to avoid her most
injured digit before working his way up her arm and shoulder.
“So what do you call your penis.”
Eros’s gaze snapped to her face but Aymee’s eyes were looking at the
bulge in his pants. A bulge that he felt grow under her inspection. “I’ve
never thought of a name.”
“Oh come on. Really?”
“Maybe I just don’t understand your question. That seems to happen a
lot.” Eros figured he better confide his antiquated perception to her now
rather than later. He liked talking to her. She displayed an open lack of
judgment he found refreshing.
 “Guys call them things like Johnson, woody, sex-tool, cock, dick, baby-
maker, one-eyed-snake, wang, pecker …” The list went on. Eros found
himself laughing at some of the terms Aymee tossed out as he use the soapy
cloth to barrier his hand from her soft skin though he was acutely aware of
her warmth.
“I believe I have occasionally referred to my phallus as my … manhood
or member.” Eros admitted when she seemed to run out of slang terms.
“Member? Sounds like someone you meet at Gold’s Gym. Of course, that
kind of works since the guys there are dicks usually.” Aymee gave him a
grin that indicated she was being sarcastic. The nuance he understood and
he knew what a gym was. He assumed Gold’s Gym was an establishment
with men who resembled male members. Was it a gathering place for bald
men perhaps? “I like the phallus name though.” Her eyes glanced at the
front of his jeans again. “I usually call it junk in conversation.”
“Junk?” How was he ever going to grasp her style of speaking? “How
would you use that in a sentence?”
Aymee did the pucker thing with her lips. “Let me think— how’s this?
Eros leaned against the wall scratching his junk.”
Eros burst out laughing sure he’d done that very thing many times.
Aymee smiled at him triumphantly. Her ability to use him in the sentence
and gain a spontaneous response from him might have pleased her. It
definitely made him feel better about asking for clarification from her on
the things she said that eluded him. “Shall we attempt to wash the blood
from your hair now?”
Her expression filled with trepidation as she slid down to slowly
submerge her head in the water. Her breath hiss on a sharp intake when the
water level reached the fresh stitches, yet she kept going until her bangs
were wet then lifted back out. Her eyes, pinched closed, declared the pain
simply water had caused her. He applied a small amount of shampoo to his
hands trembling slightly at the idea that he would hurt her. It couldn’t be
helped. He steeled himself and tried to be gentle though she grimaced
anyway. The sight of red bubbles and her discomfort renewed his rage
toward her attackers. His dentes slid into his mouth. He gnashed his jaws
together trying to think of something else, anything else. The suds running
down the gentle slope of her neck, chest and breasts worked like a charm
though it did nothing to alleviate his dente eruption. In fact, they began to
throb for a taste of her. When he was sure her thick black locks would rinse
clear, he lifted his hands. Aymee took a deep breath and dunked her hair.
Her complexion paled making the bruise on her cheek stand out further and
her almond-shaped eyes clenched closed, yet she endured silently, slowly
swishing the lather from her hair in the water.
Eros studied her beautiful face. Fine laugh lines etched the corners of her
eyes. The only indication of her thirty years of life. The rest of her face was
smooth, overall she appeared several years younger than she actually was
… for a human. Lean defined muscles attested to her lifetime of martial arts
training and discipline. Add her many attributes to the light that shone from
within her … she was absolutely magical. Eros turned away before she
caught him staring at her and grabbed an oversized towel from the rack next
to the tub. He splayed it open across the counter before reaching into the
water and lifting Aymee out. Droplets ran down his chest, saturating his
jeans. He carefully set her on the towel and grabbed a second one to blot
her skin lightly with.
“You’d make a hell of a nurse, Eros.”
Eros chuckled, “I make a hell of an assassin, Aymee.” As much as he
appreciated her willing surrender of her care to him, he still felt more
comfortable in things of a darker nature.
 Chapter Four
Aymee tried not to wince while Eros toweled her off. Her pain bothered
him far more than he tried to let on. Almost as if it hurt him, too. In truth,
the bath had relaxed her somewhat. Mostly she felt less … dirty. The
realization of how close she’d come to suffering far worse than cuts and
bruises had hit her while the doctor patched her up.
Eros blotted the ends of her hair avoiding her scalp, then he draped the
towel over her shoulders and stepped from the room before returning with a
bag that looked like one of hers. “Did that come from my apartment?”
“I sent Jacob to pack you some items after he delivered the car to us.”
Eros kept his eyes on the bag when he answered. Aymee could just imagine
what Jacob had packed her. She had hung out with Jacob and his brothers
many times, the guy had a warped sense of humor.
Eros started pulling out every item from her lingerie drawer. Figures. Did
he pack her vibrator too? Eros pulled out a long silk black nightie and held
it by the spaghetti straps. “I believe this is the most appropriate item my son
packed for you. I must apologize on his behalf. I dare say he doesn’t have
much … conventional experience with women or females in general.”
Aymee knew what Eros referred to. His six sons had no problem with
women. Far from it, the times she’d gone out with them in a group setting,
women flocked to the Sicarius males like moths to a flame. She’d also
never seen any of them with the same girl twice. “Hey I’m surprised I got
more than panties.”
Eros creased his brow then fished deeper into the bag to find a pair of
dark purple satin thongs. He held them up like he’d hit a jackpot. “You
probably want … panties.” The word panties coming from his deep
rumbling voice made her smile. Then he took a closer look at them and
stretched the waistband between his fingers with an expression of
confusion.
“These are panties, right?” His gaze never left the strip of satin.
Aymee couldn’t help but chuckle as she raised her lower legs for him to
help her into them. “One of my favorite pairs. The thin strip goes in the
back.”
 He nodded, a very serious expression on his face. Sliding them to her
knees, he lifted her to her toes and finished sliding them up while
supporting nearly her entire weight with one arm. As he lifted her by her
elbows, Aymee struggled to keep her face neutral and not show how much
his hold hurt her wrenched shoulder. Holding her extended from his body
suspended like a doll, he pulled one arm in pivoting her mid-air to take in
the panty fit between her butt cheeks. “They look most uncomfortable.” He
set her back on the damp towel covering the counter.
The twitch behind his jeans didn’t match his ‘uncomfortable’ evaluation.
“Is that all they look, Eros? Uncomfortable? They aren’t uncomfortable at
all. Since my ass feel like it went through a cheese-grater these are far more
comfortable than ‘grannie panties’.” He lifted the nightie with a quirked
brow
“You know grannie panties … the kind old women wear … they come up
to here…” She held her hand level with her belly button to demonstrate.
“… and they have so much material in the back, they droop at the crack.”
Eros chuckled and shook his head. “Aymee you should come with a
dictionary.” He gathered the black lace from the bottom to the neckline
between his hands. “Can you raise your arms?”
She almost said no just so his hands would have to touch her more in
trying to dress her, but he probably already thought she was a wimp when it
came to pain so she obediently raised her arms as high as she could with her
shoulder strain. She could almost kiss his chest when he lifted the material
up guiding the straps over her damaged hands, down her arms and released
it to pool around her hips. She shimmed her breasted to get them settled into
the triangle cups … umm hmm. That was the reason… it had nothing to do
with seeing Eros’s eyes widen with appreciation. The silver color seemed to
shimmer momentarily.
“It’s time for your medication.” He turned and walked stiffly into the
bedroom. Aymee tried to scoot off the counter. Despite the burn on the back
of her legs and ass, she got to her feet. The black satin flowed the rest of the
way to her ankles. She had bought it for a special occasion seven years ago.
The occasion never happened, so the romantic gown had sat in the bottom
of her drawer unworn. It had an elegance that if anything made her feel
more seductive than the ‘in your face’ titillation of a sexy teddie.
 She took a tentative step, grateful when her legs merely shook rather than
giving out completely under her. At the door, she nearly ran smack into
Eros’s chest. The water he held splashed across her bruised breast.
“Bugger!” He exclaimed.
Aymee couldn’t help it, laughter rolled through her uncontrollably. She
braced her better hand against the door jam as her eyes blurred with tears.
Maybe it was her subconscious way of releasing all the pent up and buried
emotions from her experience, she didn’t know. What she did know is that
her belly muscles hurt from laughing so hard and she couldn’t seem to stop.
Tears streamed down her face and she knew she was going to fall over any
second yet her laughter continued. Eros glanced from one of his hands that
held several tablets to the half empty glass of water then back at her. His
face held concern. He probably thought she’d snapped and needed a padded
room. Hell, he might be right. Aymee leaned into him taking deep giggle-
filled breaths. She puckered her lips in an effort to be silent. Eros shifted
toward the bed letting her use him for support, and Aymee made it mostly
under her own steam. The laughing fit had passed though she could feel it
bubbling just under the surface.
She sat at the edge of his massive bed. At least the silk material felt better
against her ass than terry cloth. Eros squatted in front of her and dropped
pills into her good hand. He reached up and brushed the tears from her
cheek. “Feel better?”
She nodded. Surprisingly, she did, in a way. He handed her the glass after
she popped the tablets into her mouth. She drained the glass. “You want
more water?” He took the glass out of her hand.
“No.” She stared into the reflective silver of his eyes. She’d never
expected him to be so … kind. Aymee raised her hand to cup his cheek.
“Thank you for … everything.”
“It is my honor, Aymee.” His voice husky while his gaze held sincerity.
Aymee’s breath caught in her throat. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss
to his lips. He blinked hard, then searched her face intently. “Aymee … I—”
She silenced him with another kiss. He responded with passion. She felt
the points of his dentes against her lips imploring her elementally to open
herself to his kiss. She couldn’t deny him, didn’t want to deny him. Her lips
opened, Eros’s tongue plunged into the depths. His taste, rich, heated her
blood like Jack Daniels. Slow sensual tongue strokes drank her in.
Dizziness overwhelmed her, and her balance hinged at his mouth mastering
hers. Floating, she soared to a higher level, then settled into a cushion of
clouds. A layer of warmth covered her body, tingled across her skin. Every
nerve screamed for more of him. She moaned again as darkness enveloped
her.
****
Eros could taste the taint of narcotics with the brush of her lips to his.
Her eyes closed, lips parted, a sensual expression on her face captivated
him. He lifted her into his arms, pulled the covers down and tucked her into
his bed. Aymee moaned huskily. He knew it wrong to do but the temptation
to look into her mind was too much. His erection surged hard and throbbed
at the vision of the two of them kissing. The details of her dream kiss filled
him with lust as he searched her expression with awe. The erotic
stimulation of a simple kiss displayed plainly as her eyebrows lifted
slightly, her ruby lips moistened by the tip of her pink tongue and puckered
slightly. Eros waited until the pills pulled her toward a forced sleep to do
what he desired most. He brushed her lips with his thumb reveling in the
softness.
“Jacob.” He telepathically called to his son. Pulling himself from her
side, he silently left the room and closed the bedroom door behind him to
deny himself the view of her.
“S’up Pop?” Jacob’s voice was distracted.
“Come to my house and stay with Aymee until I return.” Eros felt the
ripple of his son’s arrival via port before he’d completed the sentence.
Jacob’s brows creased in question.
“Where are you going?”
Eros held a finger to his lips reminding Jacob to speak softly, though with
narcotics, Aymee would probably sleep through an earthquake. He dropped
four pills into Jacob’s hand. “If I am not back, wake her in …” He checked
the clock above the river stone fireplace in his living room. “ …four hours
and have her take these.” He’d only included one pain tablet to the muscle
relaxant, antibiotic and vaginal chemistry pill.
Jacob gave a curious look into his hand. “Human medical mojo, I
gather?” Eros clasped his son’s shoulder in embrace and Jacob mirrored it.
“No harm will come to her, Father.” Those words assured Eros that Jacob
would guard Aymee with his life. His children had been raised to hold
honor above all else. The same way Eros’s brother Tenebrae had raised him.
Eros had never met his parents. His only knowledge of them were the
stories his brother had told him. His mother had died giving birth to him
and his father had released his living energy to join her in the hereafter
leaving Eros in the care of his brother. Tenebrae’s death after the fall of
Atlantis had devastated Eros for many millennium. Family meant
everything to him.
Eros ported to his first destination. He arrived in Umbrae and Enlil’s
sitting room just as his sleepy daughter was feeding her young. He could
only stay a moment but he needed to see for himself Umbrae was safe. She
smiled at him groggily with one infant to her breast while another fed from
blood at her wrist. Her bloodmate Enlil sat beside her with the other two
infants cradled in his arms waiting their turn.
Eros relieved Enlil of baby, Erisa. Her green/gray eyes gazed up at him
with intelligence. “She sure knows her grandpa.” Enlil commented.
“Indeed.” Eros adored the three girls and one boy Umbrae had delivered
safely just three months earlier. However, Erisa had been the tiniest of the
four and being named after Eros, she held a special place in his heart.
“So what brings you by at the crack of dawn, dad?” Umbrae asked.
“I need to know what a woman needs.” Eros answered, Umbrae
understood he wasn’t much for small talk.
“That’s the universal question isn’t it?” Enlil chuckled.
Eros grinned too realizing he’d misspoke. “I meant to ask, if a woman
were to be away from home for a period of time, what would a woman
pack?”
Umbrae chuckled. “You’re asking a wash and wear girl what to pack for
a woman?”
Eros hadn’t thought of that. His daughter didn’t own a brush, she finger
combed her short hair. Enlil required more maintenance in toiletries than
Umbrae probably did. By saving grace, Irsu stepped into the room rubbing
her eyes. The girl’s had had a late night. Irsu lifted Jestyl from Enlil, gave
the baby a kiss then handed her back to her father. “Let me get dressed and
I’ll go with you to Aymee’s apartment.” She walked out before Eros could
argue and returned a few minutes later wearing jeans and a halter, her hair
in a high ponytail. “You want to port or fly?”
 “I’ve never been in her residence.” Eros handed Erisa back to Enlil and
kissed Umbrae on the cheek. “Have you flown in shadow before?” He
asked Irsu.
She nodded. “Many times with Othos.” Eros knew Othos and Irsu had
become quite close over the last few years and gone on missions together,
so he wasn’t surprised by her familiarity with the Sicarius shadow ability.
He pulled a conduit chain from his pocket and waited while Irsu clipped
it around her neck. “I’ll be back shortly.” Irsu said her goodbyes to Umbrae
and Enlil and they stepped to the front door.
Eros removed his shirt and shoved it into his back pocket, grasped the
dangling end of the chain and shadowed them both before they exited the
house and took to the sky. They landed on the roof of Aymee’s martial art
studio. Aymee’s best friend and business partner, Jess, had installed an
escape hatch from Aymee’s apartment above the sparing rooms to the roof.
Irsu dragged him by the chain silently lifting it. He gave her enough slack to
drop into a giant closet of some sort then followed her in. Releasing the
chain and shadow as soon as his feet sank into the thick padding of the
carpeted floor. Irsu removed the chain and handed it back to him.
“This is actually the second bedroom, but Aymee converted the entire
room into a closet when she and Jess had the other renovations and addition
built.” Irsu made her way through the sea of clothing racks.
Eros looked around shocked. Clothes, shoes, boots, purses, belts, scarves,
and jackets … everything perfectly organized by function and color. A
rainbow of T-shirts took up half a hanging bar then the color started over
with blouses. Below the hangers were tiny three-tiered bleachers, each tier
held rows of shoes. No wonder Jacob didn’t pack anything appropriate for
Aymee, it probably never occurred to his son to seek her wardrobe in a
separate bedroom.
While Irsu busied herself in the ‘closet,’ Eros explored. Aymee’s
apartment was small and cozy and immaculately clean. It had a small
kitchen area and a two-seat table next to a window overlooking the street in
front of The Ryu. A kid on a skateboard rode past and Eros narrowed his
eyes. The kid was familiar for some reason. Perhaps he was a student of the
Ryu? Though Eros had never instructed himself, many of his sons had, and
Eros had stopped by on several occasions … to see his sons … not to catch
a glimpse of Aymee.
 He turned back and took in the living area. A leather sectional sofa,
dominating the room, sat directly across from a mid-sized flat screen TV on
a glass stand full of knick-knacks and keepsakes. The bottom glass level
had dragons made of wood, blown glass, ceramic and pewter metals. She
must have been collecting them her entire life. She likes flying mystical
creatures. He smiled. Nearly every surface had one or two of the mythic
beasts. Dragons were intermittently placed along the loaded bookcase that
filled the wall beside the TV stand. He scanned titles hoping to learn more
about her. The two upper shelves held non-fiction, predominately books on
martial arts, meditation, spiritualism, etc. The sight of a few self-help
manuals seemed odd. Men are from Mars and Women are From Venus.
Complete rubbish in his opinion. He withdrew the Kama Sutra flipping
through the pages. He remembered the origins of the pleasure generation
within the Hindu Indians well. It had been fascinating to observe. A theme
repeated by humanity over history. Much like Sodom and Gomorrah, the
renaissance and the sexual revolution in America. The Hindu went from a
ban on even the mention of anything intimate to treating sensual scent,
touch, taste and more like a spiritual experiment. The brave men and
women who ultimately began to document and share their sexual openness
made sexual acceptance the norm of society … for a short time. The cycle
would begin anew.
Eros replaced the book. The middle shelves held fiction of every genre.
Romance, historical, science fiction, mystery, poetry and horror were all
represented.
“Eros.” Irsu called from a room he hadn’t been in. He followed her voice
stepping into Aymee’s bedroom. An average sized bed with a child-like
canopy declared Aymee’s softer side. A suitcase overflowed in the center of
the peach colored coverlet. Irsu stood in front of several open drawers. “I
think a panty burglar has been here.” She snort-laughed.
Eros grinned. “I erroneously sent Jacob to gather items for Aymee. As
you can see, he was slightly inept at the task.”
“Ya think?” Irsu opened a few other drawers and tossed brassieres and
socks into the open bag. “Look around and see if there’s anything I might
have missed. I packed clothes, shoes and toiletries for her, but if you see
anything personal you want to add, be my guest.”
 His eyes were drawn to the framed pictures at Aymee’s beside. In one, a
young Aymee stood between an Asian man and blonde blue-eyed woman,
probably her parents. He’d heard her father had died of cancer when she
was young and her mother resided in Florida now. Another picture had
Aymee, Jess and Jess’s foster-brother Eric, the officer from the night before.
They were all laughing on a beach somewhere. The last picture was in a
metal frame with dragons etched into it. Eros picked it up, his chest
clenched with emotion. It showed a silhouette of Aymee performing a
perfect jump spin kick. One leg extended straight, the other bent in a sharp
forty-five degree angle to infuse power. Her fists in fighting position, the
photo captured her spirit, as did the phrase written into the photo’s base.
Live with strength, worth and integrity. Die with honor.
Eros added the three photos to the pile. A worn stuffed penguin resting
against her pillows went into the bag also. Then he opened the drawer to her
bedside table and pushed aside her personal pleasuring apparatuses. His eye
caught on another photo. It was of him. He was leaning against a counter,
bare chest, with his arms folded smiling at something off camera. He hadn’t
been aware she’d taken his photo. It pleased him to find it nestled with her
belongings and gave pause to the other items in the same drawer. Did she
think of him when alone?
Irsu stepped behind him and peered into the drawer, then reached over
and closed it. “She doesn’t need those.” She handed him a couple of fashion
magazines. “I think that should do it.” Irsu struggled to zip the suitcase.
Eros finished it for her, thanked her and watched her port away. The bag
held too much metal for him to shadow and fly with it. Rather than port he
called Daniel telepathically to pick him up in a car and spent the next
twenty minutes going through her photo albums. He would be home before
Aymee needed more medication.
 Chapter Five
Aymee woke to the smell of bacon and coffee. Her stomach rumbled as
she struggled to her feet. Every inch of her body resisted her efforts. Stiff
and sore, she made her way to the bathroom. Her black eye and nicked
cheek glared at her from the mirror. Going pee nearly exhausted her.
Halfway toward the scrumptious smell of breakfast, Eros met her. Without a
word he offered his arm and Aymee took it. He led her to a chair tucked into
a bar overlooking the amazing cooking area, and then raced to a pan,
swirled it and flipped an egg like a chef.
“How do you take your eggs?” Eros’s deep voice in the silence sent a
shiver down her spine.
“I like them every way.” She answered. He pushed a glass of juice
toward her and handed her more pills. “I don’t want any pain killers. They
screw with my head.”
“It is only the minimum the doctor prescribed. Take them.” He nudged
the pills into her hand. Aymee sighed, popped the four tablets into her
mouth and swallowed them down with the juice. Eros nodded approval. “If
that doesn’t give you relief, I will give you the second pill.”
Aymee grinned. In other words, don’t let Eros know if she hurt. Got it. “I
didn’t know you could cook.”
Eros loaded them both a plate, setting hers in front of her along with a
cup of coffee before grabbing his and taking the bar seat next to her. “There
is much we don’t know of each other. Cooking is a passion of mine. One
my sons reaped the benefit of.”
Aymee took a bite of potatoes and the flavor of sage and garlic danced
across her tongue. “Mmmm. Oh my god. These are amazing.” Eros grinned
and dove into his plate.
He raised his head and met her gaze. “Jess and Shane are arriving.” A
minute later, there was a knock on the door. How did he do that? He was
already opening the door.
Jess stopped short of hugging her. Thank goodness. “I came by to help
you with your hair.”
With Jess’s assistance, she took a shower and got dressed. Jess carefully
put two French braids in her hair that looked a bit like redneck pigtails but
at least her hair would stay out of her face and leave the stitches in her scalp
open to the air.
Voices from the living room reached her ears as they approached the end
of the hallway. Eros sounded angry. She could hear Eric trying to explain.
“What’s going on?” She asked as Jess helped her sit in a luxurious
oversized chair next to Eros. He drew her against his side protectively.
Eric and Jerika, in uniform, sat on the couch next to one of the detectives
from last night. Eric sighed. “We identified the fourth assailant. He has a
minor record and we have an APB out on him. He should be in custody
soon.” Aymee nodded. That was good news … right? “The problem is one
of the men, Kade Sinclair, died last night. It’s obviously a case of self-
defense, however, the other two pieces of shit say you never told them
you’re a black belt.”
“I didn’t, so what?”
Eros’s frown deepened. Eric’s nervous gaze glanced at Eros then back to
her with resignation and regret. “The city has a new Assistant District
Attorney who’s trying to make a name for himself. He opened an
investigation about whether or not you used excessive force last night.” It
was obvious by the disgusted look on Eric’s face what her friend thought of
the ADA.
“What? Eric, that’s bullshit.” Jess jumped to her defense.
Aymee held her hand up at Jess. “So what exactly is this guy charging me
with?” Aymee had learned a lot about the legal system when Jess had been
incarcerated in a youth detention facility after killing a man that tried to
molest her. Jess had been cleared of the charges … after eighteen months of
being locked up.
The detective leaned forward. “He’s not charging you with anything …
yet, though he’s labeled the request for inquiry as assault with a deadly
weapon and manslaughter. We need to take you to the station. You won’t be
held, but we have to book you and question you formally. It shouldn’t take
more than a couple of hours of your time.”
Aymee dropped her forehead to Eros’s shoulder. Why she needed his
comfort she didn’t understand, but the harsh feeling of incredulous unreality
of the situation brought tears to her eyes. Eros lifted her into his lap. His
breath warm against her ear, he whispered, “Go with them and know that I
am right beside you every minute.”
 She nodded. Eros would accompany her, shadowed. Eric and Jerika
would be there too. She could get through this. She didn’t do anything
wrong, damn it. Jess had stomped out of the room with Shane trailing her.
Aymee could hear her on the phone in the kitchen.
“… Thank you Mr. Johnson. I’ll let her know.” Jess squatted down to
meet Aymee at eye level. “I called Mark Johnson. He’s the attorney that’s
helped me in the past. He’s going to meet you at the station.”
“Jess, it’s never good to bring an attorney to an initial inquiry, it’s looked
upon like something a guilty person would do.” Eric snapped at his sister.
Jess flipped him off. “If they’re stupid enough to charge her, then I could
give a fuck less what they think. She has rights. One of which is to defend
herself. I trust Mark to defend her rights. He says unless you formally arrest
her, Aymee is free to transport herself and arrive at her convenience.”
The detective looked accusingly at Eric. “That’s correct.”
“In that case, I will ask you to leave my home. Inform you’re station that
Miss Yamamoto and her attorney will be there before the day’s out. Let
them know if she weakens or becomes stressed in any way during her time
there, I will use every resource I have to sue the city into bankruptcy … or
worse. Shane, if you could please escort them out.” Eros must have been
looking at more than the detective when he spoke. Eric and Jerika rose too.
Jerika leaned over to Aymee. “Don’t worry, Aym. I know the DA
personally. He’ll smash the ADA’s investigation as soon as he hears about
it.”
Aymee thanked her friend and let out a sigh of relief when Shane closed
the door behind them. The detective might not realize the full extent of
Eros’s threat, but Eric and Jerika sure as hell did.
Eros met Shane’s gaze. “Can you and Jess drive us to the station? I wish
to remain shadowed and I don’t want Aymee walking any more than
necessary.” The menace Eros radiated felt vindicating. It was how she
would normally feel if she weren’t so utterly defeated at this point.
“I can walk for hell’s sake,” Aymee protested. Eros had just told Shane to
be a wheelchair for her.
Eros lifted her chin till her eyes met his. “Aymee, I am not sorry for
killing that man. I wish I had killed them all. I am however, sorry that you
are facing the consequences of my actions. I cannot bear you enduring
physical pain in addition to emotional stress. This is not negotiable, Aymee.
Either I shadow and accompany you into the interview room and you allow
Shane to assist your movements … or I remain visible and carry you
myself. Which is it going to be?”
Aymee could feel his erection pressing against her bottom nestled into his
lap. His gaze held an unnecessary apology mixed with stubborn
determination and … desire. The independent side of her wanted to argue,
while her feminine side liked his taking charge. Liked being cared for. The
two sides battled within her. “Fine. Shane can be my damn crutch if it will
make you feel better, but I’m not going to be questioned hopped up on
painkillers.” He opened his mouth to argue. Aymee set her finger to the
velvety soft skin of his lips. “This is not negotiable either.” He narrowed his
eyes, let out a breath of surrender and nodded.
“Then we must leave now so you will not endure pain longer than
necessary. As soon as we return, you will resume your medication regime
per the doctor’s orders.” Eros declared.
Aymee cupped his cheek the way she’d dreamed of last night. It had to be
a dream. He sucked in a breath and the silver of his eyes rippled. “Eros,
you’re bossy and you have the whole mysterious bad boy thing going for
you, plus you’re hot as hell, but I’m not a child. I appreciate you taking care
of me and I will put up with your shit to a degree … don’t push it.” She
pressed her lips to his and ground her tender derriere against his erection
pointedly. He groaned softly nibbling at her lips. Maybe it wasn’t a dream.
“We will be … err … in the kitchen. Call when you’re ready to go.”
Shane chuckled. Aymee glanced over to see Shane herding a gawking Jess
out of the room.
Eros’s surprised wide-eyed expression clashed with hers. “Are you a
witch?”
“What?” Aymee grinned. She’d been called other thing that rhymed with
witch before. It wasn’t like he was calling her a name more like he truly
thought she might be a witch. Holy shit. Did witches exist too?
“You enchant me, Aymee.” He whispered pressing his forehead to hers.
What a romantic thing to say. She felt a lump of tears fill her throat. Eros
was so much more than she’d ever dreamed or fantasized him to be. “There
is something magical about you.” His lips touched hers gently, tenderly,
curiously. “You’ve put a spell on me. One I wish to explore if you will
allow me to.”
 Last night he told her he didn’t understand her meaning when she spoke.
Now it was her trying to decipher him. “Are you asking if you can date
me?” Her heart leapt in her chest. Please say yes. She silently pleaded.
Eros grinned. “I cannot. You are hurt. Taking you out would be
premature, though I would like that very much. I’m asking you to allow me
to know you … and you me.”
Know him like in a biblical sense? Of course she wanted to sleep with
him. Every woman with eyes in her head would want to sleep with him. Oh
fricken’ DUH Aymee. He might think dating meant going out only. “Getting
to know each other is a part of dating. It’s the whole point, usually.”
“Really?” Eros looked confused. “That is not what I thought. My sons
date often. I sometimes wonder if they know the females’ names by the end
of the dates.”
Aymee laughed. “I call that recreational sexathons or grunt-fests. Your
boys are casual daters. Spending time with another person to really get to
know them is considered serious dating.”
Eros crinkled his brow. “Then Aymee, will you seriously date me?”
That sounded so afuckingdorable coming out of his mouth and in his
deep voice. “Shut up, right!” His crestfallen face clued her in before a
misunderstanding happened. “That means yes in the Aymee dictionary.”
He smiled. “I’ll make a note of it. Now we must go and resume this
conversation later.” He stood effortlessly with her clutched to his chest.
“Shane … we are ready.”
Aymee nuzzled his neck grinning like a schoolgirl. “You know this
makes you my boyfriend, right?” she whispered kissing the curve between
his neck and shoulder.
“Witch.” He muttered with a groan.
****
It hadn’t been difficult to find out Aymee lived in a loft apartment above
her business, or to break into it. Zack had simply ridden his skateboard in
front of the place then asked the first kid he saw walk out of the building.
The stairs were right inside the open door. The empty drawers in her
bedroom told him she had bailed to stay somewhere else. Frustrated, he’d
pounded his dad’s gun on her bed. Kade was dead. His shoulder burned like
a motherfucker. The bitch would pay.
 Then he’d remembered her telling the cops she’d be in to check mug
books today. Hanging out in front of a police station might be dangerous.
Still, it was the only chance he had to find her. He’d borrowed Jake’s
motorcycle. Not like his friend would be able to ride it for a while with a
busted pelvis. The parking structure across from the station gave him the
cover he needed. He stuck to the shadows and chain-smoked a full pack of
Lucky’s. The only guy he saw stood at the front door wearing a suit and
holding a briefcase checking his watch every thirty five seconds.
Just when he thought he’d missed her or that she wouldn’t show, a Black
Escalade pulled up at the station doors. The short blonde he’d seen when he
left the hospital got out of the driver’s seat. A tall dark haired man exited
the passenger door, opened the back door and lifted that bitch, Aymee, into
his arms and carried her like a doll. The three from the SUV spoke to the
suit with the briefcase and they all went inside. Zack slid his ass down the
wall to get comfy and wait. He wished he’d brought another pack of
smokes with him.
 Chapter Six
Eros walked, fully shielded and shadowed, behind Shane mirroring his
movements the way he’d perfected over the eons. Jess, Shane and Mark
walked three wide forming a barrier that forced the mulling officers to
detour around them. The two detectives from the night before met them.
“Aymee are you able to stand for pictures and fingerprints?” The
detective asked.
“Ahemm.” Mark stepped partially in front of Shane with Aymee in his
arms. “Unless you officially charge my client you are not booking her. Quit
overstepping your bounds detectives or we leave now. We have come as a
courtesy to answer questions. Nothing more.”
Eros liked Mark already. Aymee’s expression held such a level of relief
that Eros thought she would hug the attorney if she could. Hell, he wanted
to hug the man.
“All right. We’re set up in interview one. This way.” One officer led the
way through a hallway while the other took position behind Jess who trailed
Shane and Eros. Mark stepped through the door held open by the lead
detective. When Shane began to enter, he said, “I’m sorry, sir, you’re not
permitted in the interview.”
Shane nudged shoulders with the detective. “I will get her seated.” Shane
gave the detective no chance to argue. Jess blocked the second officer from
the doorway while Eros took position in the corner beside the seat Shane set
Aymee in next to Mark. Eros could imagine the glare the door-holding
detective got from Shane by the widening of the detective’s eyes as Shane
exited. Shane had been pretty reserved … for a warrior. Eros quickly
brushed the hair at Aymee’s neck so she would know of his presence. She
sighed softly.
The two detectives sat opposite the small rickety table from them. One
man opened a file while the other flipped on the microphone anchored to
the table. Cameras were located in each corner overlooking the room from
every angle.
“For the record, could you please state and spell your name.”
Mark gave Aymee a nod when she glanced at him. “Aymee Lynn
Yamamoto,” followed by her enunciating each letter.
 “Attorney representing Miss Yamamoto, Mark Johnson.” The attorney
stated without prompt.
“Detective Andy Cleveland.”
“Detective Jay Newman.”
“Miss Yamamoto, the ADA is satisfied with the details of your statement
last night regarding the details of the incident. You shouldn’t have to
reiterate those.” Detective Cleveland gave her a grin. “Did you disclose
your training to the assailants at any time?”
Mark gave Aymee a nod. “No,” Aymee answered crisply.
“Why not?”
Mark nodded at her.
“Because, ‘Don’t rape me, I have a black belt’ were not the first words in
my mind, I focused on fighting four men instead.” Eros grinned, feisty little
witch.
Newman put his hand to his mouth to hide his smile while Cleveland
continued. “Did you use excessive force against your assailants?”
A slight tremor shook her. Eros doubted the detectives noticed. “Are you
shitting me! I used whatever I needed to save myself. Did I hold back? Hell
no. I also didn’t kill them or castrate them once they were down. Don’t
think it didn’t cross my mind. I honestly doubt I’m the first woman those
men have attacked. You should thank me for saving you the trouble of
tracking them down.”
After nearly an hour of irrelevant questions, Detective Newman excused
himself. He returned a few minutes later to announce the interview
concluded. A taller man wearing an expensive suit stepped in. Well tamed,
stylishly cut, sandy blond hair, blue eyes and square cleft jaw topped the
well-built human. It was Aymee’s indrawn hiss that set Eros off.
Recognition and indignation registered on her face followed quickly by
fury. “You son-of-a-bitch,” Aymee cursed.
The man smirked at Aymee then address Detectives Cleveland and
Newman. “I’ve decided not to pursue the investigation of Aymee
Yamamoto. However, I do have a few questions for her as the victim in the
case against her assailants. If you will excuse us.”
The detectives shrugged and left the room. “You’re welcome to keep
your attorney here. It’s your money.”
 Mark held his hand out and waved his fingers expectantly. The Sandy
haired man handed Mark a paper. Mark scanned it thoroughly. “The
investigation is closed.” Mark confirmed. “Would you like me to stay,
Aymee?”
Aymee had continued to scowl at the newcomer. “No, I’ll be fine. Thank
you, Mr. Johnson.”
Mark gathered his things and left the room. The man sat across from her.
Aymee folded her arms and leaned back defiantly. “You are such an asshole,
Mitch.”
“I’m doing my job, Aymee. A man died.” Though Mitch looked sincere,
Eros doubted the man’s intentions. Mitch was stone-walling. “It would have
been a dereliction of duty if you weren’t at least questioned about it.”
“Oh, really? Did you find ethics in the last seven years?” Eros had never
heard Aymee be rude to anyone. “Funny, cuz you still look like a prick to
me.” He remembered her telling him ‘prick’ was one of the names men
called their phallus. Mitch had a full head of hair …
“Don’t be like that, Aymee. When the report of what happened last night
hit my desk, I freaked. You won’t accept my calls, and I knew you wouldn’t
see me. This was the only way to see for myself you were alright.” Mick
justified himself with a slight whine in his voice. Ahh. The moniker ‘prick’
acquired new meaning.
Eros could feel his blood boil. The selfish son-of-a-bitch had stressed
Aymee out when she didn’t need to be.
“Case in point. You are a prick. A married prick.”
“Emily and I divorced two years ago. You would know that if you’d
taken even a single one of my calls. Opened a single letter. Spoke to me
when I came to see you.”
“Well I didn’t want to talk to you then or now.” Aymee rose stiffly. Damn
it.
Eros broke protocol by telepathically calling to Shane on an open
wavelength. He could give a shit less if other Volaticus heard him. “Shane,
Aymee needs you … NOW!”
Mitch dashed around the table to aid Aymee. She slapped his hand away
as Eros reached out to snap his arm like a twig. “Don’t you fucking touch
me,” Aymee barked. Eros refrained from harming the man, but his dentes
slammed into his mouth.
 Mitch gave her a wounded look. “Aymee, give me another chance. I’ve
never stopped loving you or thinking about you. I know I messed up, but
I’ve learned from my mistakes. Let me prove that to you.”
“I don’t do second chances, Mitch. I told you seven years ago I never
wanted to see you again and that has not changed.” Aymee cringed with
pain but backed several steps away from Mitch.
The door opened and Shane stood there looking from Aymee to Mitch,
his eyes narrowed. “You okay?” Shane asked Aymee while his gaze pinned
Mitch in place.
“Yeah, Just … just get me out of here,” Aymee whispered.
Without hesitation, Shane lifted Aymee into his arms and marched out.
Eros followed behind. Jess waited in the SUV with the motor running. Eros
jumped in when Shane opened the back door but scooted over to leave
room for Aymee. The second she was seated and belted, he took her less
damaged hand in his. She squeezed it gingerly, leaned her head back against
the headrest and closed her eyes. A single tear ran down her cheek.
Mitch had obviously been someone Aymee had cared about at one time.
The kind of animosity she’d showed came from emotional pain. Mitch had
declared his love to her … had she loved him back? Did she still? His chest
tightened at the thought of her in love with someone else.
****
Jess and Shane dropped her and Eros back at his house. Eros carried her
in, set her on the couch with a blanket, forced drugs into her and now knelt
lighting a fire in probably the only fireplace in Mesa. All the while, he’d
never spoken a word about what he’d seen between her and Mitch. With the
fire lit, he dropped his head into his hand braced against his bent knee. The
first sign of distress she’d seen from him since he roared into the night after
her attack.
“Eros, will you sit with me?” Aymee asked. He stayed squatted a few
minutes more, then sighed and joined her. Wrapping his arm over her
shoulder, he pulled her against his side. “I’m sorry about today. Mitch is a
…” She began.
“Prick. I heard.” Eros’s deep voice held sadness. “He seems to care for
you.”
 “Maybe.” She shrugged. Over the years, she’d avoided thinking of Mitch
… or at least tried to. Earlier with Eros, she’d felt her heart might heal for
the first time. Of course, Mitch would try to ruin it. “I didn’t know he was
an ADA. I can’t believe he opened an investigation on me.” Actually she
did. Mitch had practically stalked her for years, using the private
investigators his old firm kept on retainer to track her. She’d hoped that had
ended a year ago when he’d begun trying to personally get in touch with
her. She’d made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him and things had
seemed to calm afterward. She should have known he’d hear of her attack
and use it as an excuse to re-appear.
“And you?” Eros prompted. “Do you care for him?”
Aymee thought hard on that. “Once upon a time, I thought I loved him.”
Eros stiffened beside her. “I met him at the university. Of course, I wasn’t a
student. I had gone there to teach a martial arts class and promote the Ryu.
He was in his last year of Law School. We dated for over a year in secret.
That should have been a big red flag … the secrecy, but I trusted him. He
said lawyers date quietly and marry big for their careers.” Aymee hadn’t
even told Jess, yet she felt like she needed to confide in Eros. He sat quietly
listening, never pushed her.
“I stupidly thought he’d marry me.” The words caught in her throat.
Eros lifted her chin forcing her to meet his gaze. Thankfully, she didn’t
see sympathy or pity, just curiosity. “Why didn’t you marry him?”
Aymee snort laughed with disdain. “He didn’t ask … well, he didn’t ask
me anyway. Turns out, he’d been dating someone else the whole time.
Emily. She had the right last name and education to make her an
appropriate wife in the eyes of his family, plus Emily could have … err…
whatever. He spent months trying to convince me that marrying Emily had
nothing to do with love. He said it was a career move. Bastard wanted me to
be his mistress.”
“He intended for you to be his concubine?” The outrage on Eros’s face
melted her heart. “Aymee, you are a woman of immeasurable worth. If the
‘prick’ didn’t recognize the value of your love, he doesn’t deserve it.”
“That’s how I felt, too. So, I told him to ‘go to hell.’” Then she’d tried to
recover from Mitch. A long process she only realized now, looking at Eros,
she’d accomplished. Mitch had never been LESS appealing to her than now.
 Eros brushed her bangs from her forehead. “The right response to a male
out of line, to be sure, though I doubt it aided your heartbreak. I too have
loved in my lifetime. When a love is pure, it never dies, when corrupt, it
morphs into something dark before it invariably dies.”
“You’re talking about your wives right, the mothers of your children.”
And something Aymee had always been curious about. She knew from
Umbrae that Eros’s sons were born of three different mothers. Added to
Umbrae’s mother, Eros had been married four times. All were human
women known as Heredity because they could bear human/Elven hybrid,
aka Hulven, children.
The look of sorrow broke her heart. “They were each amazing women. I
cherish the memory of them … except Umbrae’s mother. She knew my
species before our marriage. Declared her love before her god and I upon
my honor. Our wedding night was beautiful, yet she ran away the next day.
Months later, I learned of her suicide. Though hurt, I didn’t curse her
memory. I took the blame. Justified her action as a shortcoming of my
disclosure … my fault, somehow. When I learned of Umbrae— that she
delivered my child only to abandon her to a fate worse than death, the
darkness began. That act of betrayal corrupted the love I felt for her
smearing it with dark resentment. My children are my joy.” His voice fell
quieter as he spoke. “I would appreciate it if you never share that with
Umbrae. She needn’t know I despise her mother.”
Aymee felt his words strike her deep inside. Even his pity of Mitch
became clear. To lose the love of a male like Eros … She pitied Umbrae’s
mother. He’d shared that painful experience in camaraderie with her. It
touched her more than any compliment she’d ever gotten. “You know
Umbrae adores you, right?” He gave her a half-smile. “Repeat after me: I
know, right.” His brow quirked. “I know … right.” she prompted again.
“I know…” Eros started, Aymee made a rolling motion with her hand to
encourage him. “Right.” She awarded him a smile. He chuckled and stood.
“I thought you might like this.” He pulled a book from a shelf along the
wall and handed it to her. The soft leather binding and discolored pages
gave her an idea of the book’s age. She opened it, rubbing her fingers over
the ink raised from the sheets. She recognized some of the symbols, while
others eluded her.
She met his gaze. “What is it?”
 He answered in a language that sounded Asian. Though not Japanese, it
held similar nuances. He held his hand out and she handed the book back.
“The Art of War by Sun Tzu. It’s the truest written account of his teachings
… according to him that is. He’s become reclusive in the last thousand
years.”
Aymee knew her jaw gaped open. “Sun Tzu?” The Art of War was the
strategic basis for martial arts across the globe … among other things.
American Generals quoted from it during newscasts. Entire countries had
trained their military’s based on the principles of Sun Tzu. She had a copy
on her desk at the Ryu. “Wasn’t he born before Christ?”
Eros sat on the floor beside the couch with his knees bent. Without
thought, Aymee pulled the leather thong holding his hair free so she could
run her good hand through the silken strands. The effect of the pain pills
had started to take effect, and she yawned. Eros’s silver eyes clashed with
hers over his shoulder. “Quite some time earlier than Christ, actually. I am
not surprised you are familiar with Sun’s words. This particular rendering
has several passages omitted or distorted in other versions. Would you like
me to read them to you?”
Aymee nodded lying on the couch behind him. “Is he Volaticus?”
Eros lifted a brow. “Of course not. He’s Tellus, His colony resides
thousands of feet beneath
Eastern China.”
Tellus, of course. She should have known. Not! Her mind grew foggier by
the minute. Stupid narcotics. Eros began to read, his deep voice lulled her
immediately, and within moments she slept.
****
The small smile gracing her lips while she slept captivated him. Eros
watched her silently for hours. Aymee’s strength of character, exotic beauty
and innate sensuality combined with her sexual confidence and subtle
vulnerabilities made her impossible to resist. A mysterious witch that stirred
his mind … and passion. Child-like split braids and bangs atop a body
meant for pleasure.
A soft tap at the door drew him away from her side. Jacob lounged
against the door jam. “It feels so weird to knock on your door, Pops. How’s
she doing?”
 Eros clasped his hand to Jacob’s shoulder in embrace and stepped out,
closing the door behind him to join Jacob on the porch. “Her bruises are
darkening … healing. She never verbally complains of pain, so I monitor
her expressions for discomfort. Utterly amazing in her positive strength. I
marvel at her determination and spirit.” Eros started to say more when the
look on Jacob’s face declared he’d already said more than he meant to.
Jacob gave him a single nod and lifted the vase Eros had overlooked
sitting on the porch. He handed it to his father. Two dozen long stemmed
red roses sprouted from the thick crystal vase. A plastic rod bore a small
card with Aymee’s name on it. “I intercepted a man trying to deliver these a
few minutes ago.”
Eros glanced down the long drive toward the rural highway noting a
Mercedes idling just beyond his property boundaries. The setting sun
glinted off the blonde haired driver. Mitch. Eros’s low growl made Jacob
smile.
“You like her.” Jacob stated.
“Of course. Aymee is a wonderful woman. Everyone likes her.” Eros
deflected.
Jacob followed his gaze and looked at the Mercedes too. “So it would
appear.” A small engine motorcycle zoomed past the Mercedes. “The
human seemed most upset when I halted his personal delivery.” The
Mercedes pulled away as they spoke.
“Indeed. This suitor has displayed great … measures to establish contact
with Aymee. I am not surprised by his continued pursuit.” Eros felt relief
when the vehicle disappeared down the road. Mitch would return, Eros had
no doubt about that. He also knew that it would be difficult on Aymee. If
she loved Mitch, she might forgive his past indiscretion if the man could
show her he’d changed. Prove that he truly loved her and come to cherish
the gift of her love. A woman in love could forgive her man almost
anything. If that proved to be the case, Eros would remove himself from her
life. Only with a human would Aymee be able to have children … a family
of her own. The thought of letting her go filled him with an overwhelming
sense of loss. His attachment to her grew exponentially every moment he
spent with her.
But, she named Eros her ‘boyfriend’. “Jacob.” His son turned to meet his
gaze. “What is … a boyfriend, exactly?”
 Jacob started to laugh then sobered when he saw the seriousness of Eros
question, he cleared his throat. “It is the male counterpart to a girlfriend and
denotes a relationship of exclusivity and future.”
That’s what Eros was afraid of. If Aymee wished to evaluate Mitch’s
courting of her objectively, the obligation of a boyfriend might hinder that.
Then Eros felt himself smile. Aymee was his girlfriend. Eros made the
decision to enjoy the newfound relationship fully … for now. Part of him
wanted to dispose of the roses. With a sigh, he bid Jacob goodbye and
carried the perfect red blooms into the house, set them upon the casual
eating bar overlooking the kitchen and began preparing her a meal. His eyes
returned to the roses again and again and his apprehension grew. Exclusivity
and future. The phrase echoed through his mind. Aymee’s human mortality
dictated her future. A future with Eros negated children. Aymee would bear
beautiful young. What right did Eros have to deny her the chance to be a
mother?
****
Zack made another pass of the four isolated homes visible from the
highway. He’d followed the SUV when it left the police station but he’d
been unable to stop and check it out. The Mercedes that followed him had
been hovering around ever since. He pulled off the highway behind a bluff
not far from the homes, parked the bike and pulled out a smoke. The bitch
couldn’t stay holed up forever. He needed to come up with a plan,
especially since she surrounded herself with large guys who’d probably kill
him if they got the chance.
A call to his dad informed him the cops had been to his house trying to
find him, so the bitch had obviously identified him too. Now it wasn’t just
about getting even for Kade’s death and his injured friends … he needed to
kill her to keep them all out of prison. They had a better chance to beat the
rap without a victims bawl-baby poor-me testimony.
Originally, he’d thought a drive-by shooting might work, but it had too
much room for error, and with her luck, she’d fucking survive and he’d be
facing more charges. All he needed to do was lay low and wait for an
opportunity. With her separated from others, then he could slip in and shoot
her up close and personal. He often wondered what it would be like to kill
someone. This would be a perfect test. And, his friends would worship him
as a god for saving their asses.
Zack started up the incline of the bluff wishing he had a sharpshooting
rifle… or binoculars. The burn in his shoulder reminded him he needed to
clean it. Fucking nasty, and painful. Later. His shoulder could wait.
 Chapter Seven
Seven days of Eros feeding her, drugging her, reading to her, sleeping
and they’d had the most amazing conversation. They spent an entire day
only speaking Japanese. Aymee had become rusty in the language of her
father since his death. Aymee had never been happier … except Eros
seemed to keep his distance from her. He’d even had Umbrae and Jess take
turns coming by to help her shower and get cleaned up every morning, until
yesterday when she’d told him she felt able to do it herself. She woke every
day tucked into his bed alone. Her second night, when she’d asked him to
hold her while she slept, he’d declined using a lame ‘I’m a rough sleeper’
excuse. Maybe what she’d thought was blossoming between them had been
a figment of her drug induced imagination. The few times she’d tried to
touch him, even taking his arm when her legs stiffened up from resting, had
felt awkward though he never pulled away. He’d said he wanted to
seriously date her … didn’t he know what that meant? Or maybe he
regretted asking at all. That she’d wanted an exclusive relationship with
anyone shocked the hell out of her. She’d gone out of her way to avoid
entanglements since Mitch. Was Mitch’s sudden persistent attention causing
Eros to back off? Mitch had brought or had delivered roses, books and
magazines everyday. Of course Aymee refused to see him or accept
anything from him, which left Eros or one of his sons dealing with Mitch.
Maybe Eros though her avoidance of Mitch a weakness and resented being
her unwitting representative. Had Mitch said something to Eros that caused
Eros to re-think his desire to know her better?
Aymee leaned into the mirror. The stitches didn’t hurt much anymore and
her bruises had faded to an icky yellow. Mostly she just felt stiff, and a
week of inactivity didn’t help. Eros must have realized she felt better too,
he’d only halfheartedly argued with her when she’d refused pain pills this
morning. A little foundation to the remnant of her black eye, and she
brushed her hair into a high ponytail. The clothes Irsu’d packed were
mostly dirty but she did find knee high Lycra workout shorts and a racer
back workout half top. She needed to stretch out … badly. An hour of
meditative martial arts to jump-start her Zen was a must.
 Aymee bypassed the divine scent of coffee coming from the kitchen to
duck out the French doors off the living room. Another month of Eros’s
care and lying around and Aymee would gain fifteen pounds. The guy could
cook!
In the center of the grass between Eros’s house and his sons’ homes, she
turned to face the rising sun. She closed her eyes and allowed its warmth to
penetrate her, lifted her chin toward it. Rising her arms extended from her
body upwards toward the sky, she inhaled slowly, then reversed the move
on the exhale to warm up.
Ten minutes into her moves, she smelled the scent of sage and mint.
Aymee peeked out one eye to see a copper bowl full of incense smoking at
the edge of the grass. Eros, Jacob and Daniel flowed through the same
moves beside her. Eros’s sons resembled him though both lacked his
intensity. Large tan defined muscled flexed with the perfect execution that
only comes with years of training. Eros wore a pair of gym shorts and
nothing else, and his dark hair was tied back with a leather thong at his
neck. She misstepped watching him. His eyes snapped open meeting hers
with concern.
“Are you tiring?” He asked quietly without pausing in fluid transition to
a warrior pose.
Aymee shook her head and grinned. “Nope, just distracted ogling.” She
matched his warrior stance briefly before the next transition and saw Daniel
and Jacob share a knowing smile while Eros looked confused.
Her muscles burned and shook with exhaustion. Sweat dripped between
her breast … she felt better than she had in days. Aymee laid on the lawn
drawing the incense into her lungs, the warmth of the sun in her face with
the cool grass at her back complemented the first clear-headed total
relaxation she’d had since before she’d been attacked.
“The face of contentment.”
Aymee turned her head to see Eros lying on his side facing her with his
head propped on his palm and elbow pressed into the thick grass. Silver
eyes full of happiness smiled back at her. “That was better than sex.”
Aymee’s eyes snapped open when she realized what she’d just said.
His brow furled as if he were seriously considering her comparison.
“Intercourse? Perhaps. … Making love? Not even close.”
 He leaned towards her. Warm lips nibbled hers. Finally. Aymee moaned
opening to his kiss. A different kind of heat bloomed in her womb. Eros
pulled her against his full length, never releasing his kiss. Aymee’s hands
danced along his shoulders and back, and she surrendered to the frantic
need to touch him she’d held at bay all week. His breath sucked audible
through his dentes when he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers.
Aymee ground against his erection pressed erotically into her stomach.
“Eros,” she demanded.
He opened his eyes. The silver color rippled with so much desire it took
her breath away. “You are hurt. I’m sorry. I have difficulty controlling the
feral side of me when you are near.”
Enough with being treated with kid gloves by him, Damn it. Aymee
gripped the back of his head and brought his lips back to hers and rolled
him to his back covering him with her body. Eros groaned, his hands went
to her grinding hips. His tongue explored her mouth with slow deliberation.
Aymee kept one hand buried in his hair while her other traced the muscles
of his upper arm and shoulder. She poured her desire for him into the kiss
reveling as he matched it with his own. The thick length of his member
nestled against her. So near where she needed him most. Her core wept for
him, breasts ached for his touch. Every part of her cried out for more.
Eros rose with her against his chest, her legs wrapped around his waist.
Their kiss continued across the lawn, through the house, past the bedroom
and into the shower. Cascading water saturated her, clothing and all. She
clung to his waist with her legs, breaking the kiss only long enough to yank
the half shirt over her head before finding the solace of his lips once more.
Her bare breasts pressed skin to skin with his chest. Her nipples hardened to
near painful peaks begging for attention. As if he read her body, his warm
hand rose to cup the needy orb. His thumb brushed over the sensitive peak.
Aymee threw her head back and cried out. Eros’s lips burned a trail down
her neck to her breast. He sucked the tip deep into his mouth. Moisture
flooded her core anew, her hands buried in his hair held him to her.
Eros lifted from her, his breathing loud and fast. Dentes filled his mouth,
the swirling silver of his eyes met hers. His jaw clenched and ticked
powerfully along his strong jawline. He looked to be in ecstasy and …
agony. “Do you see me for who I am?” He asked through gritted teeth.
Aymee nodded. “Will you have me Aymee? Will you give yourself to me
freely … fully?” The rumble of his voice heated her blood sending a shiver
through her.
Aymee swallowed hard. Blood. Her blood. She reached toward the sharp
fangs in his mouth touching them lightly. He hissed and his eyes fell closed
as his tremor shook her in his arms. The muscles of his neck tensed while
he held still and allowed her to explore his dentes. “Will it hurt?” She felt
like a wimp asking, but they were so sharp and deadly looking.
Eros chuckled, “No … far from it. I can try to – refrain, but in truth, I
don’t know that I can. You taste of springtime. My control eludes me when
it comes to you, my beautiful witch.” The twitch of his erection pressed
tight against her girlie attested to his words. He released his hand on her hip
and she slipped down him until her feet touched the tile. “Let’s slow down.
Allow us to familiarize with each others’ touch.”
Aymee hated slowing down. She wanted him deep inside her now, but
she needed to think about his question. He wasn’t exactly saying he would
take her blood, just that he might in the heat of passion. Aymee slid her
shorts off as he watched and took a deep breath in. The silver of his eyes
reflected back at her. She reached for the waistband of his shorts. His hands
covered hers, halting her.
“Not yet. Let me enjoy you without the obvious demands of my body.”
His gaze pleading with her, as his throat worked frantically.
The front of the loose wet material tented between them. The outline of
the large bulbous tip defined. Eros was a large man. She lifted her hand to
his chest, rose to her tiptoes and seated his covered erection along the
entrance of her heated core and squeezed her legs together to trap it. Her
lips drew to his neck where she sucked the skin covering his pulse into her
mouth, and she bit gently. Eros tipped his head back and groaned as she
whispered, “My answer is yes. I offer myself to you fully, willingly,
passionately.” She emphasized each ward with a tiny nip along the curve of
his neck and shoulder. “I ask the same of you, Eros. No holding back, no …
control. Let me have you feral.”
He washed her thoroughly, lingering at her curves, breasts, and the apex
of her thighs. All the while, Aymee’s yearning racked up till she felt ready
to explode inside. He pressed gentle kisses to her skin, knelt before her to
wash her legs and feet while he lay kisses across her stomach … so close to
where she wanted him, he teased her without mercy. Aymee’s patience
waned and finally snapped. She shoved against his chest with everything
she had, Eros’s shoulders slapped the tile behind him and he chuckled.
“My turn.” Her gaze warned him against arguing with her. He gave her a
single nod. YES! Aymee reached for his waistband, he didn’t stop her, just
watched her intently. Aymee smiled, he raised an eyebrow, his expression
tense. Even … nervous. Why?
Her eyes dropped, she soaked in the sight of his chest. His hands balled
into fists at his sides, white knuckled. Aymee pushed the shorts down,
eyeing the ripped line where his abdomen met his hip, firm, mouthwatering
as the area narrowed and lead the way to his manhood. Hairless, soft skin
covered the hard steeled muscle of him. Just before she reached the point of
releasing his erection from the material, the sight of a half-inch scar line
began. She tugged the shorts over his erection, standing firm, large and
proud from his body. His shorts pooled at his feet. He kicked them clear
leaving himself open to her evaluation.
The scar drew a line from just above his pelvis bone and split in two
directions. One line tracked along half the length of his shaft. The other
followed the root of him toward the tender sack beneath then widened
drastically on his inner left thigh leaving it puckered and distorted by the
mass of scar tissue. Aymee could only imagine how massive the injury had
to have been to permanently mar a Volaticus. The old wound blared against
his otherwise perfect body. Aymee met his gaze, stunned by the look of
vulnerability she saw. She could see his self-conscience insecurity mingled
with fear. Did he think she’d reject him? Aymee’s heart melted. God … she
loved him. The realization filled her with joy.
Aymee held his gaze and dropped slowly to her knees. Her hand shook
with the need to touch him. She ran her palm up his scarred inner thigh and
lifted the weight of his sack in her hand. Ducking her head, she sucked first
one then the other mouth-sized bundles deep into her mouth. The deviation
of flesh between the one scarred and the one not registered against her
sensitive tongue while his groan was music to her ears. “What happened?”
she whispered and resumed her attention to the contracting flesh.
He voice strained between his clenched dentes. “The fall of Atlantis. I
was severely burned. Molten lead fused to my flesh. Ahhh, Fates!” He
leaned his head back hard against the tile. Aymee grinned, to send a man
like Eros into ecstasy felt incredibly empowering.
 She tracked her tongue along the underside of his length, licked away the
drop of his building pleasure. He tasted of chicory-roasted coffee, Aymee
moaned at the rich taste. One of Eros’s hands plunged into her hair. His
mushroomed tip stood a hairsbreadth from her lips.
“Aymee …” His voice quivered with need, yet he denied her. She looked
up to meet his gaze. “I … haven’t … it has been a … while.”
“Trust me, Eros.” She extended her tongue swirling it around his tip. His
hand relaxed against her lower scalp, allowing her slack. Aymee took
advantage of his partial surrender with vigor, and drew his girth deep into
her mouth. She worked his manhood with her hand and tongue, pushing
him beyond his resistance yet assuring him by touch, she loved his body,
that it was perfect. He alternately relaxed and tensed with pleasure. Soft
growls emitted from him with each of his breaths. He yanked his hips back,
withdrawing himself from her mouth, his free hand grasped his length
stroking hard he grunted as his release spurt out and washed away under the
shower spray. Without pause he snatched her off the tile lifting her into his
arms and carried her dripping wet out of the shower.
He moved so quickly the details around her blurred and whizzed past.
Aymee squealed as she clung to his neck. He bent her down onto the thick
rug in front of the fireplace before taking a moment to toss a few logs onto
the dying embers that instantly engulfed the fuel. The flickering flames
complimented the passion that reflected from his eyes when he turned to
meet her gaze. His body came down to blanket hers with warmth. Hard to
her soft. Tingles of anticipation lit within her. Butterflies took flight in her
stomach. Her nipples hardened and pressed against his chest, his erection
teased at her folds.
“My turn.” His lips came down on hers. Aymee opened beneath his kiss.
His tongue explored her mouth fully, erotically. He kept his weight partially
supported by his hand beside her head while the other mapped a trail over
her chest. He hesitated at her breasts as he cupped each, tweaking her
nipples between his fingers before moving lower. Open fingers across her
belly sent heat deep inside her. In their kiss, she silently pleaded with him to
touch her lower.
She squirmed beneath his hand, begging him. A trail of kisses across her
cheek brought his tongue to the spot below her earlobe. “Decadent witch,”
he whispered seductively and nipped her neck. Then he soothed the slight
sting with his tongue. He followed the path of his hand with his mouth.
Drawing each of her nipples into his mouth, he laved them. Aymee had
never felt so worshiped before. Eros aroused her with a single-minded focus
her body responded to. Lost to him and how he made her feel, she enjoyed
the way the firelight lovingly caressed them both.
He kept his hand open across her stomach while he blew a hot breath
across her folds. Aymee sighed then gasped as his mouth came down. The
slow circling of his tongue across her tender bundle of nerves caused her to
cry out. Pressure grew hard and fast in her womb, desperate for the release
that surged up in her. Eros massaged her belly, a gentle controlled kneading
to the pressure deep within her. Anchoring her at the cusp of her building
release while also easing the torturer of it. Higher than she’d ever known,
she bucked and writhed beneath his lips. His tongue flicked her weeping
entrance. “Eros, please,” she begged.
He rose up, guiding his manhood to her entrance, and she met his gaze.
“Yes. Please … make love to me.” She’d never used that phrase in her life.
With him, it felt right, true. He slid into her slowly, his pace gave her body
time to adjust to his large size as he flowed over the exposed nerves within
her driving her higher still. Nearer still. Her head thrashed with need. So
close. Oh, so close. She looked into his face. His neck muscles strained and
tense. The black had swallowed up all but a thin line of silver in his eyes.
His gaze shifted between her face and her pulse. His breath sawed through
his dentes.
He was holding back. Aymee dropped her head to the side to expose her
neck to him. “Fully, Eros. Make love to me fully.” A growl of raw hunger
rumbled from his chest. He struck into her vein and thrust the remaining
distance to her core. He drew from her neck with each thrust into her body,
launching her to her crest. Aymee cried out as wave after wave of pleasure
crashed inside her body. Her mind skyrocketed into a sensory abyss.
Eros broke from her neck with a roar, surging hard into her core as he
poured his seed into her pulsing inner walls with primal need. Aymee
hovered deliciously in the sensual waves that rolled through her. His body
collapsed against her, and she floated slowly toward reality. Climatic
tremors rippled within her even after he stilled and panted in her ear. Her
sweaty legs quivered where his thighs touched hers. He rolled to his back
taking her with him and remaining buried in her. She gripped him inside as
she lay limply across his chest. His hands rubbed her back lightly.
Her heart rate and breathing slowed, and Aymee nearly declared her love.
The fear of ruining this perfect moment in time halted her. He asked her to
give him everything… and she had, including her heart, but would he
welcome her love? Or break her heart?
He placed a kiss to her hair. “Magic,” he whispered softly.
A shiver of hope filled her. Aymee pushed off his chest to straddle him,
he hardened inside her instantly. His hands cupped her breasts. She drank in
the sight of him. They stared into each other’s eyes as she rode them both to
climax. Aymee had never felt so connected to another person in her life.
 Chapter Eight
Eros added more wood to the fire. Everyone had thought him deranged
when he’d designed a fireplace into a home in Arizona, but the sight of
Aymee lying on her side naked with a glass of wine in her hand, her skin
glowing under the firelight proved he hadn’t made a mistake. The look of
love in her beautiful blue eyes constricted his chest, he’d fallen for her
completely. Her blood burned in his veins and anchored his soul to her
spirit. She deserved more than he could ever give her, and knowing he
would have to let her go, tortured him.
“So, my skilled lover, you gonna feed me or what?” A mischievous smile
lifted her kiss-reddened lips. He knew she must be sore and tired, they’d
made love for hours, and he’d fed from her twice, weakening her further.
He pivoted and placed a tender kiss to her lips. “Your wish is my
command.” Her appreciative gaze followed him as he strode naked into the
kitchen, confident in his appearance in a way he’d never felt with another.
His wives had loved him, welcomed him into their arms and bed but the
sight of his scars had repulsed them. The dark had been a necessary part of
copulation with them. Oral stimulation with him as the recipient had never
happened. Aymee seemed to enjoy his body as much as he hers. Refusing
her anything went beyond his capacity to do. She didn’t deny her needs …
or his, and met his passion with hers, giving and taking with a vigor that left
him gasping. Her sexual assurance freed his inhibitions, granted him
permission to do anything, and his mind swam with fantasies about her.
Making love to her had whetted his appetite rather than sating it.
He pulled out ingredients for a sandwich. Aymee came up behind him
and wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed to his center
back. Happiness blossomed through him. “You need any help in here?”
“What you’re doing is helping.” Eros answered. He felt her smile at his
back, one of her hands dropped to grip his shaft. His body responded
immediately to her touch. “Oh, yes. You’re a perfect chef’s assistant.”
“I feel like a kid in a candy store.”
Her phrase was lost to him. “How is a kid in a candy store relevant?” He
sliced the sandwich in half for her and placed it on a plate.
“Have you ever taken a kid into a candy shop?”
 His son’s were centuries old before ‘candy shops’ came into existence. “I
have not had that particular experience.”
“Well, imagine it. Wide-eyed, heads turning quickly trying to see
everything, mouths watering for a taste of everything they see. That’s how I
feel about your body. It’s a candy shop.”
He could accept she did not mind his scars, but he did not believe she
found them attractive, but how could he refute her compliment? He
preferred honesty… especially from her. “I am pleased you are not repulsed
by my deformation, Aymee. It is a boon I didn’t expect.” The lump in his
throat made it difficult to breath. He was grateful she stood behind him and
couldn’t see his face.
Aymee’s hand stilled on his member. She inserted herself between him
and the counter forcing him to look into her beautiful face. He expected pity
or maybe her to reveal the disgust she surely felt. What he saw stunned him.
It was unadulterated anger. “Are you out of your fucking mind? You are not
deformed. You have a healed injury that scarred. It doesn’t hinder you and it
doesn’t detract from how amazingly sexy you are.” She poked him in the
chest and cupped his sack in her palm. “Repulsed by you? Not only am I
definitely not repulsed by you, Eros Sicarius, I want to lick every inch of
you.” She fondled him a moment then ran both her palms up his inner
thighs over his hip bones and grasped his buttocks rubbing her body
sensuously against his. “Let’s eat … then I’ll show you just how much you
turn me on.” She turned so his erection nestled into the crack of her bottom,
took a bite of her sandwich and wiggled to drive him crazy the entire meal.
Eros stared down at the picture she presented leaning on the counter. The
arch of her neck, curve of her back, the gentle flare of her hips. He believed
her. She saw him as a whole male. How could he give her up? The
knowledge he must was a dark thought he pushed to the back of his mind.
She was his … for the next few days.
****
The blond guy in the Mercedes showed up like clockwork. Most days, he
never made it down the drive before someone from one of the other houses
intercepted him. He’d yell what Zack could only assume were curses and
stuff flowers out his window before driving away. By his count, there were
three brothers living down there. He’d only seen the bitch once, doing some
kind of synchronized dance with the three guys on the lawn. The way the
tallest one carried her in the house, it was obvious she was fucking him. If
she put out that easily, why’d she resist him and his friends that night? The
slut should have been grateful for some variety.
The smell of his red swollen shoulder made him gag. Maybe he should
clean it like the doc said. Not easy to do when you’re on the run from cops.
Fucking bitch. He hated her more with every second. Sleeping in the desert
without proper camping gear sucked. Sweating his ass off all day, freezing
at night. Out of smokes. He’d finished off the last bottle of water he’d
pillaged from a convenience store days ago.
He’d made another call to his father who had just gotten home from
Kade’s funeral. Brad was still in the hospital. Jake had already been
released, but now sat in jail. The cops were still looking for Zack. Maybe
the blond guy was the key to getting the bitch out in the open. If he
delivered flowers, the men with Aymee probably wouldn’t bat an eye. He
might be able to get a shot at her. Zack trekked down the bluff and hopped
on the motorcycle. He needed a shower, clean clothes, smokes and flowers.
That meant he needed to do a B&E and get some money. If he had time,
he’d try to clean out the hole in his shoulder.
****
Aymee shoved the last of her things into her suitcase and zipped it closed.
The last three days with Eros had been paradise, but she needed to get back
to the Ryu.
Umbrae and her bloodmate, Enlil, had visited last night and brought the
babies. Aymee had enjoyed spending time with her friends, held each of the
children… even changed her first diaper. She curled her nose at the
memory. Being with Eros meant she needed to become proficient at caring
for his grandchildren.
After Umbrae left, things got weird with Eros. He’d held her throughout
the night, but there was a distance between them she couldn’t seem to
overcome. She’d tried arousing him, and though his body responded, he
claimed exhaustion. She’d tried talking to him and received only single
word answers. Hurt and confused by his actions, she struggled to think of
what she might have done wrong.
 A knock at the door brought her mind back. Mitch. It was high time she
dealt with that complication once and for all. Aymee marched to the living
room as Eros opened the door. Incredibly, he stepped back and allowed
Mitch to enter. What the hell?
“Mitch. I’ve told you I want nothing to do with you ever again. You’d
think someone college educated could look the words up in the dictionary.”
Mitch smirked at her. “I was invited, Aymee.”
Eros refused to meet her gaze as he walked back to the kitchen. “Why?”
Since Eros didn’t seem willing to answer, she addressed the question to
Mitch.
“To give you a ride home. Eros called me this morning.” Mitch seemed
genuinely confused and maybe a little hurt by Aymee’s reception of him.
What had he expected?
Aymee felt her stomach drop. She entered the kitchen with her hand on
her hip. No way would she let on how much Eros was hurting her. “I
thought you were taking me home.” She demanded.
Eros kept his eyes averted. “I’ve been called to duty. I have to report
within the hour. I knew Mitch would be willing to … take my place and
drive you home.”
“But, Eros—” I love you, don’t you love me too? The words hung
unspoken in the air. She wanted to crawl to him, beg him to love her. Pride
held her in place.
He finally looked at her, his face blank of any expression. Aymee’s heart
fractured in her chest. “It’s for the best. Go with Mitch, Aymee.” The cold
tone of his voice chilled her to the bone. He was done with her. Hell, what
did she expect? He was immortal and she, human. He was a god and she
was …
Without a word or another glance in Eros’s direction, she gathered her
suitcase and followed Mitch to his car. Mitch put her bag in his trunk and
opened the passenger door for her. Aymee look back at Eros’s house
searching the windows for any sign of him. They were empty. I’m
dismissed. She swallowed back the tears that threatened and slid into the car
fastening her seat belt while Mitch raced around the front and climbed in as
if the devil were chasing him … or he was afraid she’d jump out before he
could drive her away. If Eros had given her even a glimmer of hope, she
might have jumped out. Mitch punched the gas, leaving Eros’s behind in a
hurry. The tires squealed as he turned onto the highway, and he nearly hit a
kid on a motorcycle clutching a bouquet of flowers.
“So how about we go out to dinner tomorrow night? I have standing
reservations at the Bavarian Point restaurant.” Mitch looked at her with
hope.
“That’s a public place.” Aymee tried to be snippy, but her heart breaking
in her chest made her voice come out as a whisper.
“I’ve made so many mistakes with you, Aymee. Keeping us a secret is
one of them. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. Let me
prove to you I’ve changed. Give me a chance … one chance. Please.”
Aymee stared out the window at the desert and the looming city of Mesa.
The blank faced dismissal by Eros replayed in her mind over and over. He’d
taken what she’d given freely. Nothing more. He didn’t want her love.
Didn’t love her. How could he? After twelve thousand years, she was
probably a small blip in his life, nothing more than an insignificant human
who had thrown herself at him. The truth sent sharp pain into her. What did
she expect … that he’d declare his love then spend the rest of her life
watching her age and die?
“Sure. Why wait? Let’s go tonight. I’ll be ready by seven.” She needed a
few hours to herself then she’d do whatever necessary to get Eros out of her
system. Even use Mitch.
“Great!” He sounded so happy, it almost made her feel guilty. She
couldn’t get out of the car fast enough when he pulled in front of the Ryu.
“I’ll walk you up.”
She took her suitcase from his hand, and shook her head. “No. I’m fine.”
He frowned then shrugged. “Okay, I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Aymee watched Mitch drive away and made her way to her apartment
avoiding the students and instructors entirely.
 Chapter Nine
Eros had been rattling aimlessly around his house for hours. His soul
cried out for Aymee. He found her black silk nightgown discarded and
partially obstructed under his bed. Holding it to his nose, he drew in her
springtime fresh scent. He loved her so much his heart hurt. The betrayed
expression on her face when she turned back and looked at his house before
getting into the car with Mitch had destroyed him. Shadowed he’d flown
above the car needing to assure himself she got home safely. That Aymee
didn’t invite Mitch in filled him with relief.
Perhaps, it wouldn’t be Mitch that captured Aymee’s heart. Someone
eventually would though, and then she could have a family of her own. He
knew he’d always watch over her in shadow. He also knew he could never
allow her to see him again. He imagined her smiling into the face of her
children, a good man by her side. Happy. Aymee deserved to be happy.
With a heavy heart, he’d returned home.
Eros had lied to her. He hadn’t been called to duty. He just couldn’t think
of any other way to let her go. As the sun started to sink in the sky Jess
stopped by. He hesitated to answer the door. No doubt Aymee’s best friend
didn’t know Aymee had gone home. With feet of lead, he opened the door.
Jess’s smile fell when she met his tortured gaze. “Oh Fates, what
happened?”
Eros widened the open door, granting Jess admittance. “Aymee went
home this morning. I am surprised she did not call you.” He barely
recognized his own voice.
Jess narrowed her eyes at him and sat on this couch. “Okay… That didn’t
answer my question. What happened?” Jess’s shrewd observation was his
undoing. The internal strength he’d cleaved to all day crumbled and Eros’s
knees folded, sending him hard to the floor. The tears he’d held at bay
rolled unchecked down his face.
Jess rushed over, squatting beside him, she cradled his head to her chest.
“Eros … talk to me. I’m your friend, too.”
“I love her … Fates, I love her so much.” His voice caught in his chest.
Jess whispered into his hair. “Did you tell her?”
 Eros shook his head, the tearing agony of loss astounded him. “She
deserves more than I can give her. You should have seen her last night with
my grandchildren. She deserves a family … children of her own. I can offer
her none of those things. I had to let her go.”
He expected Jess to agree with his logic. Her next words floored him.
“Eros, Aymee can’t have children. She had a hysterectomy seven years ago.
You should have talked to her about this. You should have told her how you
felt.”
A flush of shame overwhelmed him. Fates, he was an idiot. Even more of
an idiot than Mitch. He should have asked her if she wanted children. Wait.
A what? “What’s a hysterectomy?” He asked, feeling that somehow it was
important.
Jess released his head and squatted lower to meet his gaze. “Aymee had
cancer. The doctors had to remove her uterus to save her life. Children
aren’t an option for her … unless she adopts.”
Would Aymee forgive his stupidity? Eros shadowed, threw open the door
and took flight. “You’ll need to grovel, Big Guy!” Jess voice carried to him
from his open doorway.
****
Aymee checked her reflection. It had taken a ton of makeup to hide the
evidence of her tears. She’d picked up the phone to cancel dinner at least a
dozen times only to set it back in the cradle before dialing. She’d always
thought Mitch the greatest love of her life. Now she knew better. She’d
thought herself in love with Mitch … before she’d known how love really
felt. She should cancel dinner. Giving Mitch false hope wasn’t fair.
The knock told her it was too late. Aymee sighed, grabbed her purse,
plastered what she hoped was a smile on her face and opened the door.
Mitch stood leaning on the jam, handsome as she remembered; yet she felt
nothing. None of the tingling anticipation she once had. The cocky grin on
his face, at one time made her melt, now it annoyed her somewhat.
“Wow. You look … amazing, Aymee.” His eyes traveled the black dress
and strap heels she’d chosen. Aymee endured his inspection pushing away
the urge to cover up.
Aymee accepted the kiss he placed on her cheek and let him lead her to
the car. “So how do you like working for the District Attorney?” She asked
then feigned interest when she got the desired effect. Mitch spent the entire
drive talking about his cases, his golf game, the car he wanted to buy …
essentially, himself. Encouraged by an occasional ‘oh really,’ ‘how
interesting,’ or some other brief comment from her.
Aymee had been able to keep things simple through most of dinner. Then
Mitch clasped her hand over the table. “Aymee. I want to give us another
shot. I’ve never stopped loving y—” The sound of a disturbance at the
doors caught her attention. “Damn it.” Mitch’s voice switched to the
annoyed tone he took when something she’d done or said embarrassed him.
Aymee had forgotten that side of him.
She barely recognized Emily. The once beautiful woman had gained
thirty pounds. Blonde hair that had been perfect in every picture of her and
Mitch in the society section of the paper following the announcement of
their engagement hung limp and frazzled. Emily headed towards her and
Mitch dragging a four or five year old boy by his arm behind her and a
younger little girl on her hip.
Unbelievable. He’d spent hours talking about himself and the fact he had
children slipped his mind. His face paled the closer Emily got. Although
Mitch never said the actual words, Aymee had known part of the reason
he’d proposed to Emily instead of her was a desire for children. And, they
were beautiful. The blonde hair and blue eyes of both Mitch and Emily had
carried to their son and daughter. His curious son gaped at the finely
dressed patrons they passed. The pint-sized future charmer waved at one
patron.
Mitch’s daughter, propped on her mother’s hip, couldn’t be more than a
few years old. If Mitch had been truthful about his divorce happening two
years ago, then he’d abandoned his wife while pregnant or shortly
thereafter. What kind of man could be so selfish? Her rose-colored glasses
metaphorically shattered, and she took a good long look at Mitch, seeing
him for who he really was for the first time. A man without honor.
Emily’s eyes shot daggers at Aymee. “I guess I should have known it
would be you.” The venom in Emily’s voice shocked Aymee. The harried
woman turned her ferocity on Mitch. “Tonight is your visitation. I’m sure
you forgot … again!” Emily forced the little girl into Mitch’s hands and
refused to take the child back when Mitch argued with her. She let go of the
boy’s hand and stomped back through the restaurant and out the door into
the night. The boy stared after his mother and began to cry.
Aymee had never seen anything more pathetic than Mitch’s befuddled
face peering at his son in tears while awkwardly holding his daughter.
Aymee knelt in front of the boy. “Hey.” He looked at her and quieted
slightly. “What’s your name?”
He sniffled, “M.J.” Probably, Mitch Junior.
“Well, M.J, you and your sister are just in time for dessert. You like ice
cream?” Aymee helped the boy climb into her plush padded chair, scooted
him near the linen covered table and moved the candle out of his reach.
Mitch breathed a sigh of relief and sat down with his daughter on his lap.
The little girl reached for the candle Aymee had just moved. She picked it
up and set it on an empty table.
“I like chocolate ice cream.” M.J. said, his tongue swiped at the snot on
his upper lip.
Aymee smiled. “Chocolate it is then.” She stood and waved over the
waiter.
“I’m so glad you understand. Emily can be…” Mitch started, his nose
curled with disgust.
What an Asshole. Aymee held her finger to her lips and gave him a dirty
look. “A wonderful mother. I can see she is.”
Mitch swallowed hard and nodded, his guilty gaze dropped to his son
briefly then returned to Aymee. “Thank you for letting them join us. I’ll
have the waiter bring you a chair.”
Aymee ordered the children chocolate ice cream, then turned to Mitch. “I
think having dessert with your children is very important. They need to
spend time with you.” Aymee knelt in front of M.J. and addressed the boy
directly. “Have fun with your daddy, okay?” The boy nodded and grinned,
staring at Mitch with hero worship. “I’m going now, Mitch. And, to every
question you ever have … ever, it’s NO. Understand?” She gave Mitch a
meaningful glare. He lifted his brow in question before his face fell and he
nodded.
Aymee grabbed her purse and left. Whether she could have Eros or not,
she didn’t want Mitch. That chapter of her life had ended even if it took her
awhile to close the book. She glanced back at Mitch fumbling at
parenthood, shook her head and stepped out the door of the restaurant.
Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she dialed the number for a cab
company.
“Aymee.” Eros’s voice in her ear startled her and her phone dropped to
the ground. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she kept walking without picking
up her phone. How dare he be here now? She could feel his eyes following
her. There was a coffee shop on the corner. If she could just get there, he
would have to remain shadowed and silent. “I’m sorry.” His voice came
from a distance behind her.
Aymee pivoted on her heels “You’re sorry! Do you have any idea how
fucking lame that is? Why? Eros? Am I too human for you?” She screamed
into vacant space.
His voice floated from the same distance away. “I thought it for the best.
I was afraid you’d be giving up a chance for children if I claimed you for
mine-own. Then Jess told me —”
Fury ripped through Aymee. Mitch had dumped her because she couldn’t
have children and Eros coldly dismissed her because he thought she could.
“You are an ASS, Eros Sicarius!” Her fists balled at her side. “So you’re
saying if I weren’t infertile, you wouldn’t be here right now. How dare you.
So what … having children is more important than being with the person
you love! You can toss me aside because you think it’s the best thing for
me? Don’t you think I should get a fucking say in what’s best for me? I
don’t want a guy to lord over me like a god. If you don’t think enough of
me to trust that I know my own mind and heart, then just stay gone. I don’t
need that in my short human life.”
A motorcycle slowed to a stop at the curb in front of her. Red-rimmed
glazed eyes glared at her with madness and rage. The fourth assailant. Her
mind barely registered the raised barrel of a 9mm and the flash of it firing at
her before everything went dark.
 Chapter Ten
Eros arrived at Aymee’s apartment to see her looking beautiful in a black
dinner gown as she slid into Mitch’s car. A glutton for punishment he’d
flown above the car weaving through the streets of Mesa. Watched her on a
date through the window his heart full of sorrow. He turned and started to
walk away slowly when the sound of her familiar gait echoing over the
sidewalk caused him to turn back. He glanced into the restaurant window
and saw Mitch sitting at the table with children instead of Aymee. The clip
strike of her heels called to him.
“Aymee.” He deserved the angry indignation her expression morphed
into. She lifted her chin proudly and kept walking. Eros halted pursuing her
as she continued farther down the sidewalk away from him. “I’m sorry.”
He’d been right … he didn’t deserve her. If you don’t think enough of me to
trust that I know my own mind and heart then just stay gone. That single
sentence filled him with hope. He did trust her to know her own mind. And
he would happily spend the rest of her life proving it to her.
Eros recognized the motorcycle immediately. He’d seen it passing in
front of his house on the highway many times over the last week and a half.
This time, he could clearly see the face of the rider. The male who’d
escaped the alley. His stare intent on Aymee, the man pulled to the curb.
The sickly scent of gangrene wafted toxically from the man. His red skin
and fever-crazed eyes showed the man’s intent an instant before the gun
lifted in his hand. Oh, great Fates, NO!
Eros surged into motion and snapped the sick bastard’s neck a moment
too late. He’d already fired. The point of penetration in Aymee’s chest
trickled blood and her eyes fluttered closed. Eros caught her crumbling
frame in his arms and launched toward the heavens, roaring in complete
disregard of the windows the sound shattered in the buildings below. His
mind was at a loss for what to do, he listened to her heartbeat stutter in her
chest. She was dying. Pain shredded him. He couldn’t lose her. He would
follow Aymee into the hereafter.
“Father. The High panel healer awaits you. Bring Aymee home.” The
telepathic call of his daughter, Umbrae gave him a direction. There was no
way for him to shield this level of pain from being emphatically felt by his
children. Herme, the eldest and greatest healer of the Volaticus people—
could he save a human? Eros prayed to the Fates and flew faster than he’d
ever flown before toward his house.
Thud thumb … seconds passed before he heard another thud thump from
Aymee’s struggling heart. A crowd awaited him below. Eros plummeted
towards his yard directly toward the one person who represented hope.
Herme held his arms out. Eros set his precious bundle into the arms of the
healer and stepped back. All seven of his children stepped behind him.
Linking his bloodline by hand to shoulder contact, they infused him with
their strength and love. Aymee was so pale, cold. Herme set her on the
plush grass.
“Do you love this woman?” Herme asked. Eyes closed, his hand hovered
above the bullet’s entry wound.
Words eluded Eros, he could only stare and pray. Herme gave Eros a
sharp look over his shoulder. “DO YOU LOVE THIS WOMAN!”
The healer’s shout snapped Eros out of his trance. “I do.”
Herme nodded, his eyes fell closed again. Beads of sweat bloomed across
the healer’s forehead and lines of strain appeared around his lips. Whatever
the healer was doing was weakening him dramatically.
“Do you wish her for your mate?” The voice of the Presiding Oracle,
Innanna, came from behind him. Eros turned and noticed the faces of those
gathered for the first time. Innanna stood with her bloodmate, Gilgamesh,
next to Shane and a tearful Jess. Eros loved Innanna like a sister. They grew
up together in Atlantis. Being asked that question by his friend and the most
powerful Oracle ever to exist made his answer all-important.
Eros didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I wish her for my mate.” He’d never heard
anyone refer to a human as a mate. If married, a human would be a wife or
husband. That didn’t matter. Aymee mattered. If he spent her life sitting at
her bedside, he’d do it. Just please Fates, let her live. He pleaded with
Innanna with his gaze. Tears filled Innanna’s huge violet eyes, and she gave
him a single nod. Eros returned his gaze to Aymee and Herme.
Herme set his mouth over the hole in Aymee’s chest. The healer’s
muscles shook with strain. He lifted with the bullet between his teeth and
spit it to the side. Eros saw the wound had sealed completely from the
healer’s unique saliva, though Aymee’s heart could still be heard struggling.
 Herme looked beyond Eros and his family towards Innanna. Sweat beads
covered the healer’s brow and upper lip. Innanna ported the distant between
herself and Herme. Kneeling, she lifted Aymee’s head into her lap and met
Eros’s gaze. “Your blood can save her, Eros.” Innanna extended her free
hand to him. He took it and sat on the ground with Aymee’s pale face
between them.
“How?” His voice cracked with emotion. Volaticus blood had no healing
effect on humans. Out of desperation, he’d tried giving his blood to his
wives before with zero benefit.
“Son-of-a-bitch. Hurry!” Herme straddled Aymee’s body and started
CPR.
Innanna yanked Eros’s wrist to her dentes, punctured his vein and placed
the wound to Aymee’s bloodless lips. “Sicarius!” She called to his children,
“Strengthen your father. Aymee will require every ounce of his ancient
blood.”
Umbrae shoved her wrist to Eros’s mouth. Innanna gave him a nod of
encouragement. Gently, he bit into his daughter, her iron rich Hulven blood
nourished his rapidly depleting cells. Innanna placed her hand to Aymee’s
forehead, her violet eyes closed and pinched with strain.
Eros’s gaze returned to Aymee as he heard the distinct sound of thud-
thump. Herme fell to his side, exhausted. The healer drained a pint of blood
handed to him by Shane in a matter of moments before starting on a second
one.
Aymee’s color started to improve. With instincts she shouldn’t possess,
Aymee latched onto Eros’s wrist with suction. Her hands grasped his
forearm and held it to her hungrily. A behavior Eros had never seen outside
the Volaticus species.
Umbrae withdrew her wrist from her father and Daniel stepped forward
to offer his. This time Eros didn’t hesitate. He drank from the six out of
seven of his children that had been born iron rich rather than anemic. His
only anemic son shoved pints of blood into his mouth once the others had
given all they could.
Herme yanked Eros’s wrist free of Aymee. “It is done.” Innanna fell back
into the waiting arms of her bloodmate, Gilgamesh, and drank the goblet of
blood he held for her.
 Eros sealed the wound at his wrist. The strong beat of Aymee’s heart
music to his ears. Her eyes blinked open, beautiful twin pools of blue, wide
and alert. Her lips, coated in his life’s blood, never looked more beautiful.
She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes, then looked around wide-
eyed again.
“What’s happening to me?” She whispered. Her hands suddenly grasped
her head, and she cried out writhing in pain.
Guilt flooded Eros. Had their sacrilegious actions tonight doomed
Aymee to a fate worse than death? “What did I just do to her?” His heart
wrenched with every painful cry Aymee emitted.
Gilgamesh spoke, the concern for Innanna clearly etched across his face
“The three of ya saved her. Aymee is enlightenin’, Eros.”
Innanna’s voice shook with fatigue. “Her conscience is expanding into
the unused parts of her brain, tapping into her psychic energy. She will be
immortal … like us. Yet she’s human, too. It required the three of us. Herme
held her spirit, your ancient blood … and the sanction of the Fates that
allowed me to open the neuro-pathways in her mind.”
He looked at each confused face of his children, well aware he must
share the same expression. If this were possible, they need not have lost
their mothers … except Umbrae’s of course. For Eros, a lifetime with
Aymee meant everything, but he couldn’t have done it with each of his
wives. “Thank you.” He met the eyes of his children individually, flooding
them with his love and gratitude through his paternal bond to each of them.
Umbrae withdrew her Sicarius dagger from her ankle holder. Each of his
sons followed their sister’s lead. Eros took one more look at Aymee
whimpering with pain.
“I’ve got her,” Herme whispered. The healer still appeared sickly.
Eros gave the healer a nod of appreciation, withdrew his dagger and took
his place in the circle of his family. “We are—“ he began. “SICARIUS!”
The voices of his children unified with his in a choreographed drop to one
knee, daggers plunged into the soil. They took a moment of silence in that
position to thank the Fates and the universe for the bond of family before
rising.
His family united, Eros resumed his spot on the ground and lifted Aymee
into his lap. A strangled cry gurgled from her throat. He rocked, clutching
her to his chest. Eros needed answers … now.
 Herme brushed Aymee’s cheek, the compassion in the healer’s face spoke
volumes. He met Eros’s gaze. “We discovered last year that potentially the
blood of an ancient Volaticus Elven could re-animate a human upon a
human’s last breath of air and final heartbeat. Though any ancient that
might try it would likely die of blood loss before the transition was
completed or the human’s spirit was lost to the hereafter.”
Innanna picked up the conversation from there. “That is the scientific
aspect. Returning a human to life is not the same as enlightening. That is
something the Oracles’ and Fates’ advisors have known far longer than it
took science to prove. The Fates have been adamantly against our
interference, so we’ve been bound by oath to remain silent. Through your
incredible bond to your children and vicariously your children’s blood
bonds to others of our species, your pain rippled through our kind with
monumental force. The Fates reached out to me in response to your pain
and revealed the course needed for Aymee to live and enlighten. Please
understand, Eros, the Fates will still bar us from instigating human
enlightenment. Aymee received this gift because she is barren, her psychic
enlightenment can never be passed down. Therefore, the destined path of
natural human enlightenment is not compromised. The other contributing
factor is your love for her, together with the strength and integrity of you
personally. For those reasons, the Fates gave her this gift. Aymee is the first
and only enlightened human in existence. This will be a challenge for both
of you. She will need your unwavering support.”
His gaze returned to Aymee as her cries faded to whimpers. “And she
will have it. Do you have an idea of what abilities she will possess?” Aymee
slowly quieted in his arms, her eyes opened and closed.
Herme clasped a hand to Eros’s shoulder. “We believe humans will have
a few abilities similar to ours though not as pronounced. Telekinesis and
possibly the ability to port … no one is sure. If the abilities do manifest,
they will likely have more limitations in range and distance. It’s doubtful
she will be able to initiate telepathic communication though a Volaticus
might be able to bridge telepathically to her psyche and maintain that
bridge. We currently can’t do that with the humans of today. She will
undoubtedly have abilities specific to humanity that are currently
unknown.”
 Whatever they needed to walk through, Eros was willing. Aymee
released her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Eros, I can’t see
right. It’s like looking through night goggles … only I can see details, too.”
Eros met Herme’s gaze while holding Aymee against his chest and spoke
to his children standing behind him in view of Aymee. “Shadow,” he
ordered.
Aymee sucked in a breath. “I can see them. Well, sort of.” Her voice
trailed off in wonder. “The details went away. Now, everyone is just colors
of red, orange and yellow. I can’t tell the boys apart. Umbrae’s shorter, so I
know which one is her.”
“It sounds like infrared, my love.”
The healer nodded in agreement to Eros evaluation.
“I will work with you to help control it.” Eros smiled.
Aymee quieted in his arms. “Why is Umbrae so … happy?” She lifted
from him to hold his face between her hands. “You love me.” She searched
his face, blinked hard and searched his face again.
“I love you.” Eros kissed her lips gently. “You are empathic, too. That
one I can help you with as well.”
“Aymee,” Herme called her attention. He handed her a leather bound
book. “The SOSC is here for you. We will be learning as you learn. You are
the future of humanity.”
Aymee took the book and flipped through the blank pages. “I don’t
understand.”
Herme smiled at her kindly. “You are enlightened. The first of your
species. The book is so you may document your abilities toward the aid of
humanity … someday. If you feel yourself weakening, you must drink from
Eros or another ancient Volaticus Elven.”
Aymee glanced from face to face blinking and shook her head as if to
clear it. “Like blood?” She shivered at the thought. “Won’t that weaken
Eros?”
Everyone laughed. Daniel piped up. “Holy shit, girl, you already sucked
him down like a Big Gulp.”
Aymee’s jaw dropped, but happiness ripped through Eros. This was his
Aymee.
Herme patted Aymee’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I assure you he will be
strengthened by your blood in return. It is the way of mates.”
 Aymee sucked in another breath, and Eros braced himself. What if she
didn’t accept him?
Her hushed question filled him with hope. “I can bloodmate?”
Herme shook his head. “Not exactly. Yours will be a life-mating … I
think. And only if you choose, of course.”
Aymee spun her face to Eros, blue pools full of yearning. “Will you mate
with me?”
Eros grinned and kissed her hard. His heart pounded in his chest. MINE!
Aymee sighed and embraced him returning his passion with hers. Herme
cleared his throat and ended the moment. Eros unfurled his feelings for her
knowing they would roll through her developing psyche. “You stole my line
and my heart. Will you be my mate?”
Aymee gave him a mischievous grin. “You going to do anything else
stupid?”
Of course, Aymee would bring that up now. He grinned back at her.
“Probably. I will also love you without measure for the rest of our lives.
And, cherish your love as the great gift it is. I will –“
Aymee put a single finger to his lips. “I’m all yours.” She dropped her
finger and winked at him. “Hope you own a helmet.”
“Witch.”
Aymee leaned in her breath warmed his lips. She smiled into his eyes. “I
love you, Eros Sicarius. I promise I will honor you as your mate. Always.”
Eros groaned with pleasure and kissed her. His mate -forever.
 Fire’s Touch
The Enlightened Species Book Three
By Wendy S. Hales
Caged and used for breeding against her will, Stacy is not about to let
anyone get close to her, even if he’s sexy as hell and assigned to protect her
from those who once held her captive. Conlon, an Elven warrior, finds the
object of his latest SOSC mission—and his potential bloodmate—to be
more hostile than he expected. Emotionally guarded, with an attitude and
tongue sharp enough to make the strong tremble, the bratty vixen is both
amusing and surprisingly entrancing to Conlon. He decides cracking her
shell to win her love is a challenge he’ll accept with passionate enthusiasm.
Coming August 2012
 Mayan Lover
A Time Travel Novella
By Wendy S. Hales
Escaping the brutality of her past and following in her father’s
archaeological footsteps, Gwen Kramer’s love of Mayan civilization
uncovers more than artifacts when an ancient myth walks into her present,
very real … and extremely sexy. Giving love a second chance isn’t Gwen’s
greatest challenge, just her greatest fear.
Arka’s destiny as Journeyer for the gods takes him on a 2600 year
passage to find the Moon Goddess who’s walked in his dreams since
childhood. However, the shock at finding her clad in khaki shorts, hiking
boots and covered in dirt is nothing compared to the one he receives when
his true destiny is revealed.
When past and present collide, Gwen and Arka’s love may not survive
the forces threatening to destroy their future …
Available Now
 About the Author

I live in the heart of Utah where I can look out my window and see the
beautiful Rocky Mountains. I feel very blessed to have an amazing family
and wonderful friends who encourage my creativity and writing endeavors.
My husband and I own a small local coffee shop, and I enjoy boating,
golfing, reading, and spending time with my family.

Thank you for reading The Enlightened Species.

I would love to hear from you.
Contact me at:
[email protected]
or
Visit me at:
www.wendyshales.com
 Glossary of Terms
Aquaties: An enlightened species whose primary habitat is in the water.
They have the ability to use sonar and high-frequency sounds. They have
extremely sensitive hearing but average eyesight, and their skin is
opalescent and capable of absorbing solar energy from the sun for
conversion to thermodynamic energy. They manipulate current and tides,
generating gravity and stability to the chortals. They have retractable fins,
and their hair and eyes are usually pastel shades of coral, blue, green, and
pink. They can manipulate melanin to appear flesh-colored and with typical
hair and eye color when they want to blend in with humanity. Extremely
tall, both males and females are usually between five foot ten and seven
feet, with legs that are long in comparison to their torsos. Prone to multiple
births called paired siblings.
Bonds: Established by birth or blood, bonds enable communication and
locating/tracking/finding/aiding the bond-mates. Physical bonds can be
established by touch.

Types include:
A) Bloodmates: A chemical/biological compatibility within Volaticus
couples that determines forever mating. Once mated, the pair have
private and full access to each other’s emotions and minds.
B) Bloodbonds: A bond created between parties that allows for
private telepathic communications, port sigs, and aid when necessary.
They can be either temporary, with the exchange of less than an ounce
of blood between parties, or permanent with the exchange of an ounce
or more between parties. Permanent bonds once established can only
be diluted in strength by a series of full blood transfusions, and
completely removed by death.
C) Close relation bonds/birth bonds: Same as a bloodbond, only
acquired at birth to members of immediate family, ie: mothers, fathers,
and siblings born of the same mother.
D) Physical/family bonds: When physically linked, members of the
same bloodline or highly developed ancients (usually over seven
 thousand years old) can boost, share, or transfer their psychic abilities,
memories and powers temporarily.

Chortal: A permanently fixed port between two locations that requires

less psychic energy; a safe exit point.

Elven: One of the two separate races within the Volaticus species, Elven
are born with all the Volaticus physical and psychic abilities. The young
mentally and physically develop at a far slower rate than humans or their
Hulven counterparts. Their abilities continue to grow throughout their
lifetimes, with focused targeting of potential. Elven female reproduction is
limited to an estrus period that occurs once every twenty-five to fifty years
and lasts two weeks. All Elven are anemic and require iron from a blood
host.
Energy weavers: Elven with an ability that allows the bearer to create
energy weaves.

Energy weaves: Large blankets of energy that can sense, alert, block,
protect and camouflage anything they cover. Weaves are primarily used to
hide communities of enlightened species from human vision by making it
appear to be harsh or inhospitable terrain, i.e. cliffs or canyons. Though
immovable, it can flex to continue the illusion if a human encounters it.

Fates: Heavenly manifestations that communicate with the Oracles on

behalf the source of all energy known as the universe.

High Ones: Volaticus usually over ten thousand years old

High Panel: A Volaticus governing body with an elected speaker and

separate advisers chosen for having reached the highest potential of ability.
There is an advisor for every demographic within the species.

Hulven: Human/Elven hybrid race within the Volaticus species, they are
born appearing fully human and develop mentally and psychically at the
same rate as human children. Hulven go through a painful transformation
around the age of twenty-five, suffering through the rapid body changes to
obtain wings, sanguindentes, and directional hearing. Hulven young can be
either anemic or iron rich after Becoming. Females retain the capacity for
both human ovulation and Elven estrus, making them highly fertile. Males
are born sterile.

Morsdente: Volaticus killers of enlightened species who use their dentes

to kill at the vein of another, temporarily trapping the victim’s psychic
energy and consciousness. This psychic energy is addictive and creates a
“high” in the Morsdente.

Oracles: Individuals of enlightened species who are able to communicate

with the Fates/universe. They receive visions and precognition of events to
come.

Port: The process of using electromagnetic energy to fold space and

travel between locations.
Readers: An ability that allows the bearer to read and project into minds
and create private or public transfer of another’s personal
thoughts/memories without requiring any type of bond. Historically
persecuted and exploited or killed, they tend to hide their gift and are
usually members of the Oracles.

Rogue: Those among the three enlightened species who undermine the
systems. Rogues kill and/or exploit humans. They create blood/breeding
compounds, birthing an army raised with a cult mentality in an effort to
achieve world domination or other diabolical plans. Some are into slave
trading or illegal research that treats people of any species as specimens.

Sanguindente (aka dentes): Retractable fangs. A characteristic of the

Volaticus species developed to feed on the blood of humans to maintain
their iron levels
Shadower/Ghosts: An ability genetically specific to a particular
bloodline that allows bearers to become invisible and shield their psychic
energy signatures to all but the very powerful and ancient. Vulnerable to the
pressure sensitivity of the Tellus and the sonar echoes of the Aquaties.
 Siphon: An ability genetically specific to a particular bloodline that
allows the bearer to see and draw off the energy of others.

Symbiosis: The close and mutually beneficial interaction between two or

more different biological species.
Symbiosis of Species Council (SOSC): A relatively new movement
globally resembling the United Nations, the council represents the interests
of Humanity (the pre-enlighten species), Aquatie, Tellus, and Volaticus. The
council’s goal is to utilize the strengths and abilities of the three species for
the betterment of all species and the planet.

Tellus: An enlightened species whose primary habitat in below the

earth’s surface. The Tellus have the ability to liquefy solid rock using
ultrasound, enabling them to travel deep into the earth. Specialized oxygen
storing cells allow them to survive in low-oxygen environments. They have
the ability to shift into other forms and generate electromagnetic fields for
the creation of chortals, and their bodies are able to withstand extreme
temperatures and pressures. Tellus rarely exceed six foot in height, and
their skin color ranges from light tan to pitch dark. They have millions of
highly sensitive pressure sensors. Tellus have average eyesight with usually
darker shades of eye colors, though their eyesight is better than a human’s.
They lack the overdeveloped hearing of the other two enlightened species.

Universe: The source of all energy.

Volaticus: An enlightened species thousands of years old, they have the

ability to fly, speak telepathically, and bridge to other species telepathically.
Volaticus use kinetic energy and manipulate electromagnetic fields for
teleportation (porting and chortals). Physical attributes include thin,
membranous wings that tuck into the heavily developed musculature of the
back, dentes (fangs) for feeding to maintain iron levels, movable ears for
directional long-distance hearing, and exceptional eyesight. Volaticus are
potentially immortal. Races of Volaticus include Elven and Hulven.
 Table of Contents
Dedications
Immortal Becoming
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
Shadow Revealed
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Shadowed Magic
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Fire’s Touch
Mayan Lover
About the Author
Glossary of Terms
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