Damned and Desired Kathy Kulig
Stand-alone sequel to Desert of the Damned.
She’s a demon, he’s a shapeshifting leopard. From their first meeting in the Arizona desert, passion ignites and trouble begins. As a demon, Sakari Lock must harvest lifeforce energy through sexual seductions to sustain her exiled world. But when Sakari meets Brad, she breaks the number one rule of Anartia—don’t get personal with your quarry. Physician’s assistant Brad Montag is drawn to Sakari’s lustful advances with a blazing desire he can’t explain, unaware of how dangerous she is. No matter how enticing, she’s a complication he doesn’t need until he can conquer his past and regain control of his shapeshifting abilities. Sex this wicked and good can only lead to disaster. When immortals from an alternate dimension try to free their exiled world, Brad is caught in the middle of a battle that could destroy not only him, but the land he loves.
Reader Advisory: This book offers a bit of bondage for your BDSM pleasure, as well as secondary characters getting down with a little M/M/F fun of their own.
An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
Damned and Desired ISBN 9781419924699 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Damned and Desired Copyright © 2010 Kathy Kulig Edited by Helen Woodall Cover art by Syneca Electronic book publication January 2010 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.
DAMNED AND DESIRED Kathy Kulig
Dedication For Bernard John Dawson (1932–2002) He never saw my first published novel but always said I’d get there.
Acknowledgements Many thanks to Susan, who told me at RomantiCon she had a sneak peek of this book and it blew her away. To Helen, my editor, who’s not only a talented editor but a lovely person. And much gratitude to the staff at Ellora’s Cave, who does an incredible job. Becky, Karen and Kathleen, my critique partners, who continue to teach me how to be a better writer. Thank you to my husband for his help and support, and for all the dinners he has cooked so I could write.
Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Band-Aids: Johnson & Johnson Corporation Ford Mustang: Ford Motor Company Harley-Davidson: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Jeep: DaimlerChrysler NASCAR: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. Steri-strips: 3M Company Corporation Tarzan: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. The Twilight Zone: CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Kathy Kulig
Chapter One “Why am I being punished?” Sakari Lock didn’t resist as Zorian raised her arms over her head and manacled her wrists, then secured the chains. Resisting would do her no good and would only make the session longer. Besides, his size and strength alone could restrain her without the chains. There was no escape for her or anyone exiled on Anartia. He gave a “Hmmm” ignoring her questions and angry tone as he pressed her shoulders against the marble column. A fierce wind howled through the great hall of Anartia, penetrating the thin fabric of her tunic and stirring her long hair. Outside, the storm assaulted their island world, blowing mammoth waves against the jagged cliffs and drumming rain on the temple’s roof. How much more could their world take? The magnetic bonds anchoring their alternative universe in a dimension close to Earth could cause Anartia’s destruction if the Drones weren’t performing their duties. Sakari’s performance as a Drone would not be called exemplary, which partly explained her predicament. She met Zorian’s gaze but didn’t see any emotion. “The demoness pronounced judgment but did not mention punishment. She said trained,” Sakari reminded him, hoping her annoyance hid her fear. Zorian’s smile was slow and amused. His blue-gray eyes held a glint of danger. The trainer and disciplinarian of all the Drones didn’t respond. Instead he wrapped a chain around her thighs, spreading her legs. Clamping her teeth tight, she raised her chin and glared at him. “Why am I being punished?” she asked again, knowing her defiance would only make this session more difficult. “Punished?” His smile faded. “Of course you would think that.” She stood silent for a long moment. “What do you mean?” Kneeling on the floor, he attached the chains first to her ankles and then to the bolts on the floor so her legs were spread. His broad back muscles flexed as he worked the chains. His long, dark hair was still damp after bathing in the pool. The demoness had interrupted his bathing with the other slaves to do her bidding. Despite her predicament, Sakari was still distracted by Zorian’s handsome features and masculine presence. Drone or slave, no woman could resist Zorian. “You don’t care much for sex,” he replied without looking into her eyes. She had to laugh out loud. “And what gave you that impression?” Her nipples protruded from her tunic. Couldn’t he see? And her pussy throbbed with need even though she knew in a few moments Zorian would be inflicting pain. Her punishment. A punishment she deserved.
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“You’d never seemed satisfied when having sex with me.” His mouth was tight. Now his eyes flashed with anger and a bit of hurt. “That was over a century ago. There was never love between us. Just two slaves looking for physical comfort in each other’s arms, a brief escape from Anartia.” “I’m not a slave,” he snapped. “I’m the trainer and guard.” “Aren’t we all slaves? Damned in this world until Gwyllain’s consort finds a way to break us free?” She softened her voice. She didn’t need to put Zorian in a worse mood. A very bad idea considering. “Perhaps. Your coolness toward me is why I thought you did not need training before going to Earth. I was tragically wrong.” He moved against her. His bare chest rubbed against her breasts, separated only by the thin material of her tunic. Her nipples puckered even tighter. Warm, rough hands moved along her skin, beginning at her manacled wrists, down her arms, skimming the sides of her breasts, then over her hips and slipped behind to her buttocks. He pressed his hard erection against her mound. Parting her lips, she sucked in a small breath and rocked her hips into him. He smiled. “Ah, not quite so cool, now.” “My coolness toward you then was because I knew you were in love with another.” He pushed away from her. Delaying the inevitable, she kept him talking to postpone what was coming. His eyebrows rose. “Who do you think I was in love with?” He picked up a braided whip from the table. With a flick of his wrist, the tips cracked the air. “One of the slave girls?” He turned his back on her and moved over to the wooden table, replacing the whip. Did she dare answer him? “And why do we have to do this in the great hall?” Zorian gave her a warning look then returned to finish securing the chains. “Tarik requested the training to be done here instead of my quarters.” She looked across the hall at the rulers of Anartia. Gwyllain and her consort, Tarik, were accepting their offerings of chi from a male and female Drone on the wide lounge. The male Drone was on top of the demoness, pumping his cock into her. The demoness didn’t touch the man in any way other than to adjust his position for her comfort. After the man ejaculated, she shoved him aside and waved one of the slaves over. The slave brought her a basin of water, soaps, scented oils and fresh towels. Then the next Drone stepped up for his offering. Tarik appeared to take a bit more pleasure with his Drone, fondling the woman’s breasts, grabbing her ass. But after the woman reached her climax, he too, released her and requested attendance from slaves. Other Drones waited in line to transfer their collection of lifeforce energy to the two conduits of Anartia—the rulers, Gwyllain and Tarik. “In the thousand years on Anartia, I have not seen so many Drones giving their offering at one time.”
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Zorian glanced over his shoulder to see what Sakari was looking at. “Missing your old job?” She nodded. “I’ve always served the mistress as her slave. I do not know the duties of a Drone. I’ve tried and failed with devastating consequences.” “You will learn. All the Drones are working much harder now. Tarik’s projects are causing quite a drain on Anartia.” When Zorian finished securing the chains, he stood, trailing his hand up her thigh. The light touch sent a ripple through her nerves, as she remembered how skilled he could be with his hands. The involuntary response was so sudden and so intense, she had to look away or he would see the desire in her eyes. Zorian still had that effect on her. How could she possibly be getting turned on considering what was about to happen? Sliding the table over in front of her, he picked up each object one by one, giving her an opportunity to examine them. She knew too well, what each of them were for, especially the boltstick. The cone-shaped object with a metal loop at one end always brought the loudest cries from his subjects. She gripped the chains again. “Would you like me to explain how this works?” Next to the braided whip, he held up the boltstick. “Or this.” He picked up rod-shaped object that would expand in width and length and could be used vaginally or anally. She knew what all the objects were. Why was he taunting her? She stared at him, not answering. He dropped the objects back on the table and came close, his hand stroking her cheek. The spicy incense burning from the censors mingled with Zorian’s male scent. His skin glowed in the flickering light from the flaming sconces, hanging on the white marble walls. Pressing his body against her, Zorian cupped her breasts. She arched into his hands, hanging from the chains. Quickly, his hand reached beneath her tunic and felt her pussy. “Hmmm. Wet. Good girl.” His smile was triumphant. Then his fingers rubbed her swollen clit. Heat coiled up inside her. Her body hung in a haze of lust. But fear of pain remained in the periphery of her mind like shadows lurking in the corners of a dungeon. She attempted to make eye contact with one of the Drones or slaves but doubted they would dare try to help her. One of the Drones, a large blond male named Valdon, was on top of Gwyllain now, giving his offering of chi, his ass pumping up and down while he fucked her. The demoness seemed partially amused. Tarik, now enjoying a massage by several slave women, seemed oblivious to his lover’s actions. His gaze lingered on Sakari as Zorian began his training session. Slaves did not have sexual contact with the demoness and her consort, only the Drones did during their offerings. The offering of chi from the Drones was the necessary evil that had kept Anartia in existence for the last thousand years.
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Sakari would find no assistance from them. The rulers of the exiled world had made their judgment for Sakari. She was now a Drone and after training she’d have to obtain the lifeforce energy like the others. Nuzzling her neck, Zorian’s tongue brought shivers and a gush of wetness between her legs. “Just a prelude to what’s coming.” She made a face. “I don’t understand. You’re giving me pleasure for killing a mortal? I didn’t mean to kill him. He was hiking alone. No one saw what I did.” “You need to learn how not to kill your quarry, especially when they are Sha Warriors.” “I didn’t know my quarry was a Sha Warrior. I tried to save him. I brought him here before he died,” she said through clenched teeth. The thoughts of her first disastrous trial as a Drone faded as Zorian thrust his finger deep inside her channel. She glanced sideways toward Tarik. A female Drone awaited his command. Instead he stroked his cock, his eyes blazing with lust as he stared at Sakari. As if Zorian knew Tarik was observing, he knelt between her legs, raised her tunic above her waist and licked her pussy, circling her clit. Startled by the erotic sensations awakening in her body, she gripped determined to remain in control. “You taunt me with pleasure. What next, pain?” “I’ll teach you how not to kill your quarry. Anartia needs the Sha Warriors alive.” “I should not be Drone. I’d much rather be a slave.” If she could only convince the demoness of that. She would better serve the demoness on Anartia, not Earth. “You must do the demoness’s bidding.” Frustrated, she exhaled in a huff. Zorian stood and eased her tunic back down. Walking over to the table, he picked up the braided whip again. He approached her. Slipping a hand behind her neck, he untied her tunic. The top dropped, exposing her breasts. “Nice,” he said. He cupped them and ran his thumb over the tips. Her nipples were raw and sensitive and her body responded. Slowly he stepped back, his face tight, his expression distant. The first strike of the whip across her breasts sent chills over her skin. Her heart rate accelerated. She bit her lower lip, not wanting to cry out. Surprisingly, the lashes stung but the pain wasn’t as bad as she thought. Another strike and she jumped as her other breast felt the sting of the lashes. Heat radiated at the place where he’d stuck her. Looking into his eyes, she saw that they had turned cold. Then his hand moved to her hip where the dress was tied. Slowly, he pulled at the tie and the material dropped to the floor, leaving her naked. He kicked the tunic aside. Her body shivered as cool air whisked over her bare skin. A gush of moisture trickled down her leg. She moaned. The demoness moaned louder. Sakari glanced over and noticed Valdon had changed form. He was just as muscular but his skin was now a glistening mahogany
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color, his hair short and black. Thick thighs tensed and buttocks clenched as he pumped inside her. When this Drone was first assimilated, Zorian said he had asked Tarik for the ability to shift into various human forms, not animal. Most Drones preferred to shift to animal form for the convenience of concealment and travel. In their shifted form, Drones could also extract chi. The great wooden doors of the temple swung open and slammed against the marble walls. Dante charged into the temple and marched across the hall to Zorian and Sakari. He did not wear the tunic of a slave. He wore human clothes—jeans and a black tee shirt. A nebula stone hung around his neck on a leather cord. His straight black hair reached his shoulders and his bronze skin gave him the American Indian appearance he’d requested when first assimilated as a Drone. Dante gave Sakari a long, appraising look. “I think she’s about done.” He didn’t seem to notice that Zorian had just dropped his loincloth and his cock was semi-erect and impressive. A chill skittered across her skin as Dante closely studied her body, marked with lashes, flushed with desire and quivering. “I’ll determine when she is finished.” Zorian stood straighter, gripping the boltstick. His erection grew harder and his muscles glistened with a sheen of sweat in the torchlight. “It’s important she returns to Earth soon,” Dante said. “I’m not finished with her training.” He brought his lips to her ear. “This will take a while.” Again, Sakari looked beyond Dante and Zorian, scanning the great room of the Temple of Anartia, wondering if the demoness would reconsider her judgment, hoping someone would come to her rescue. Tarik watched Sakari while stroking his hardened shaft with quick strokes. Beside him, Gwyllain waved forward the next male Drone to give his offering, apparently oblivious to her consort’s distraction. Tarik still hadn’t allowed his female Drone to present her offering. The Drone waited, not daring to show any sign of impatience. Zorian turned her away from the pillar enough so he could flog her ass and thighs. After a while she felt the heat and sting tingling over her skin. “I think you’re ready for the next stage,” Zorian said. “Why are you taunting me like this?” she rounded on him. “Why don’t you just punish me or train me and get it over with?” “Because I can see you’re getting turned on by this,” he answered. “I can smell it on you.” “And you.” Her eyes stared at the thickness of his cock. Zorian smiled. “I do enjoy my work.” He picked up the boltstick and Sakari’s pulse jumped several beats.
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“But you don’t understand. This is training.” “How so?” “You must collect chi energy from humans through sex without achieving orgasm or you’ll lose most of the energy you collect and kill them.” He clicked on the boltstick and the looped tip sizzled with electrical static. He turned it up and the loop glowed blue. “Okay, I get it now. No climax with my quarry. Can I go now?” “Afraid not, demon. Humans are difficult to resist. You must learn.” Difficult to resist? She wasn’t attracted to the one she’d killed. She just drew too much lifeforce too quickly, trying to get it over with. That was what killed him. “I’ll be careful next time.” She yanked on the chains. Even as a slave on Prygos she was never in chains. Here she was a Drone, a more respected position and she was manacled to a pillar. “Let me go, Zorian.” Zorian got in her face. “You must understand. The demoness won’t permit another mistake. Your life depends on my training. Don’t you want to return to Prygos?” She nodded. She had to return for her parents’ sake. “Then follow my instructions. The best advice I have for you when it comes to humans, is never let it get personal.” “Yes, yes, I know. Valdon told me that.” Her gaze focused on the boltstick. Zorian moved the glowing loop just above her skin. Holding her breath, she waited for the first contact where the electric jolt would surge through her. “No matter what I do to you. Do not climax.” He touched the sizzling loop of the boltstick to her thigh and the electric jolt traveled to her toes and straight to her pussy. Her clit thrummed. The stimulation was excruciating. She was on the verge of an orgasm. “Oh,” she moaned. “Focus,” he ordered. In this role he was all dominant. As she recalled in the bedroom, Zorian preferred the position of a submissive. “Trying.” She was aware that Dante was watching but not as a voyeur. He had his arms crossed appearing more restless than amused. Zorian slid the boltstick tip up over her hip and across her breasts. Her nipples were on fire. Red marks lined her creamy skin from the earlier lashing. Hard, stiffened nipples were already a bundle of raw nerves. Still he cranked up the power of the tool. She cried out. The loop skimmed her breasts as she tried to jerk away but her back was up against the pillar. Her other nipple was hit with a current of sensation that shot directly to her cunt. Her breath was short and rapid as if she’d raced Zorian around the tiny island world of Anartia. She took in a deep breath, trying to cool the heat and lust pulsing in her veins. The scent of sea and mountain heather drifted into the temple to where she was chained. She tried to focus on the nature images, tried to listen to the sound of the
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waves crashing on the cliffs, anything to keep her mind off her throbbing clit. No luck. Her own aroused essence mingled with the outdoor scents. Then he trailed the boltstick down toward her pussy. “No, I don’t think I’m ready,” she pleaded. “We’ll see. You must resist.” She glanced down and saw his fully erect cock. Images of him thrusting his engorged cock into her flashed into her mind. The sex had been good between them but that’s all there was, all there ever would be. She wanted to feel his shaft sinking deep inside her. She groaned. Damn, no! Cannot think of this. The boltstick reached her pussy, only a fraction of an inch from her clit. “Zorian, don’t.” “Good girl. You’re ready for the next step.” “What next?” Sweat trickled at her brow. Her body quivered. She needed release. How much longer could she hold off her orgasm? “She needs to be put to the test,” Dante said. Sakari sucked in air and tried to shift position. Not easy to do when she was spreadeagle against a marble column. “It’s important she doesn’t make another mistake,” Zorian interrupted. “And equally important we keep the demoness pleased and maintain the stability of our world.” “I’ll be finished soon.” Zorian pointed the boltstick at Dante. “Would you like to try it out? I’m sure I could bring you to the brink of some serious sweet torture.” “Another time perhaps.” “I’ll look forward to that time.” Zorian lowered his gaze to Dante’s groin area. Dante left without another word and crossed the room toward the demoness. The tall, lean male approached Gwyllain’s lounger. Hands on hips, Dante disregarded her current Drone’s activities. Valdon appeared to be near climax by the strain on his face and the primal grunting sounds and pumping action. Gwyllain even seemed to be somewhat amused by Valdon’s offering. Dante hovered over the demoness and her Drone. Sakari expected him to yank Valdon off the demoness before he finished his offering. Then Gwyllain glanced up and saw Dante. She tapped Valdon on the back. “Be quick now. My next offering has arrived.” Valdon groaned but with the disapproving look from Gwyllain, he finished and stood and as he did, his mahogany skin lightened to his regular tone and his hair lengthened to the blond strands that reached past his shoulders. He gave Dante a sharp look. The rejected Drone retired to one of the servant quarters down the hall. A slave quickly met the demoness’s needs. Sakari noticed Zorian watching the whole scene with interest. He stood at the table rearranging the tools while he studied Dante. Across the room Dante conversed with 12
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Gwyllain quietly. This Drone had just returned from Earth ready to give his offering. Then Gwyllain stood and walked with Dante into her private chamber. The demoness rarely took Drones to her private chamber. “Does it bother you to see him with the demoness?” Zorian shot her a look, then shrugged, not committing to an answer. “Your predicament is Dante’s fault.” He pinched a nipple, held it firm and pulled it out until she moaned. Then he tightened a nipple clamp onto it. Another clamp was attached to a chain at the other end. He clamped that to her other nipple. A new level of pleasure and pain, excruciating sensation that threatened to send her over the edge with an orgasm. “How is this Dante’s fault?” She closed her eyes to the heightened awareness to every nerve in her nipples and breasts. Damn, if Zorian wasn’t turning her on again. “If Dante hadn’t lost his nebula stone, the demoness wouldn’t have been so impulsive to demote him to a slave.” “But he was wearing a nebula stone.” “Taken from a Drone who no longer exists.” A Drone who fell out of favor with the demoness? A Drone who had killed a Sha Warrior like she had? The thought was one she did not want to think about. Instead she preferred to focus on Zorian’s hand, which was stroking her ass. Her pussy throbbed with an ache that needed attention. “Zorian,” she breathed. “And that’s why you’re a Drone now. Tarik needed another Drone and selected you.” His hand traveled just above the junction between her legs. She rocked her hips, urging him to move lower. Smiling, he locked eyes with her. “Almost done. Ready for the final level of training?” “Enough. Please, Zorian.” He walked over to the table and picked up the rod and came back to her. Dante strolled out of the demoness’s chamber. Naked, with a sheen of sweat, he walked to the edge of the bath and dived in. After swimming a couple laps he got out and dried off with a thick towel one of the slave women handed him. Zorian paused, distracted by Dante. She would not pass this test. This was where she failed with her quarry. Every nerve throbbed and ached to be touched. Sakari thought she’d jump out of her skin if she couldn’t climax. How much more could she take of this? Holding the rod in front of her, Zorian pressed a control and she watched the tool lengthen and thicken. At the same time, she noticed Zorian’s cock harden. “Why don’t you just fuck me?” She nodded her head toward his erection. “Because I need to remain in control.” As Zorian rubbed the tip of the slick rod tool at the opening of her channel, Sakari bit back a cry of pleasure. She drew in a ragged breath. Gauging her expression, he eased up on the pressure of the rod.
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“You’re doing well, work through it.” Zorian glanced repeatedly at Dante, then continued to torment her pussy with the rod. He took his cock in his hand for a few quick strokes and stopped as if undecided what to do next. Was her trainer going to fuck her after all, or was this a show for Dante? “Still wet?” Using his fingers, Zorian slipped between her folds, stroking her swollen flesh and tapping her sensitive bud. “Very.” Then he brought the rod to her entrance again. “I don’t know if I can handle any more, Zorian.” “Focus, Sakari,” he said loudly, glancing over to see if Dante had heard. Then he thrust the rod inside her channel and she cried out. He touched a lever and the rod expanded and began to vibrate. Gritting her teeth and gripping her chains she fought the orgasm building inside. “Slow down. I can’t hold it.” All Zorian would have to do is touch her clit right now and she would climax. She had to distract him. “You’re showing off for him, are you?” Zorian pumped the rod in and out. So close, she was so close. “Who?” he whispered. “Dante, of course.” Zorian locked eyes with her and for a moment, giving her a silent warning. He pushed the rod in a little deeper. She tried controlling her breathing. “Well, Zorian, how’s the training going?” Tarik, naked and still partially erect, quickly approached with a towel in one hand and a goblet of wine in the other. “I think she’s had enough. She needs to go back.” He placed the goblet on the table and walked over to Sakari. Zorian slid the rod out of Sakari and turned to face Tarik, giving Dante who was watching at a distance, a fine view of his muscular physique and assets. “Yes, we are finished.” “How did she do?” Tarik’s eyes lingered on her body for a moment, then he wrapped the towel around her. His fingers brushed her hair away from her face. Zorian kept his stern expression. “Very well, I think but I won’t know until her first quarry.” Tarik grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Yes and it looks like you enjoyed the session too.” Tarik glanced down at Zorian’s hard-on. “I always enjoy my work,” Zorian said as he unchained her. Sakari was still on the edge of an orgasm. Hell, at this point she’d jump Zorian, Tarik and Dante and she had no interest in any of them. “I’m ready to return,” Sakari said. “Really?” Amusement and something darker crossed Tarik’s face. “You better be. Your life depends on it.”
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Chapter Two Brad Montag really needed to get laid. Considering the way his evening was going and that he didn’t have a special lady in his life, hot sex wasn’t happening any time soon. Leaning back on his folding chair in the small conference room, Brad glared at Karl, the team leader for the Sedona, Arizona Region Search and Rescue. The preppy marathon jock hadn’t made eye contact with him all evening and Brad knew why—his application had been turned down again. While the man finished his assessment of the last operation, volunteers from the local search and rescue team sat in the visitors’ center conference room and as far away from Brad as possible. Karl rattled on from behind a rectangular table to the dozen men and three women. With any luck this meeting would be over in fifteen minutes and Brad would find his release in the desert, his alternative release when sex wasn’t available. At the moment he could hardly stand his own skin, much less the people in the room. He hated closed-in places. It made him feel like a trapped animal. This was all bullshit. I could’ve saved that hiker. “After evaluating our planning strategy and search tactics, we’ve concluded there was nothing in our routine or operations that could’ve prevented the death of Gordy Gray,” Karl said. “I could’ve found him,” Brad argued. Karl shot him a look. Then ignored him and turned to the rest of the group. “We have a couple of new applicants and they both have experience. We can take them out for a field test but I’m sure—” “Why won’t you field-test my skills?” Brad asked. Karl twirled his pen in his fingers. “You have been tested. And your past military experience in Special Forces exceeds our requirements for wilderness survival,” Karl said in a sarcastic tone, chuckling. Some of the group laughed as well. “Hell, when we search for lost hikers, we only have to worry about a rattlesnake, a mountain lion or a bear. We don’t have people shooting at us.” The group broke out in laughter, all but Brad. Brad waited for the laughter to die down. “As a volunteer organization, you need to pool your resources to save lives. If you’d accepted my application then, with my tracking skills, I’m sure I would’ve found that young man.” His tracking skills far exceeded those of any man’s but he didn’t want to explain why. Karl held up his hand in a calming gesture. “Even if you had gotten to him—”
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“I’m an EMT and a physician’s assistant, for God’s sake,” Brad interrupted. “He might’ve had a chance. If you’d let me use my skills during the search.” “No!” Karl slammed his hand on the table and the room went silent. Brad stood up. “Why the hell not? If it was good enough for the military…” “Too risky.” Everyone in the room stared at Brad. He took a breath to calm himself. This was not the time to go off. He couldn’t negotiate with this asshole. He lowered his voice to make his point. “I can’t discuss how many missions I went on where I utilized my special skills, or the details of such missions. Don’t worry about risk. Many of my missions were dangerous and many were successful.” Karl crossed his arms and raised his chin defiantly. “What about your commander? The one who was killed. Wouldn’t you call that a risk? Or an accident?” An icy lump formed in the pit of Brad’s gut but he stared at Karl hiding his anger. After waiting several long, long moments the confident gleam slipped from Karl’s eyes and a flicker of fear crossed his face. Brad smiled. “Who do you know in the military?” Karl looked down at his hands. “My father.” “Dandy. Did he tell you the details?” “He wouldn’t tell me what happened.” “He can’t. I can’t either but it was an accident,” Brad said. “An accident,” Karl said, sounding pleased with himself. “Details of missions can’t be discussed.” “Is that why you retired?” Brad kicked the metal chair across the room. “You son of a bitch.” Flushed with anger, Karl raised his hand to calm Brad. “Relax. I’m sorry.” He stacked up his papers and stuffed them into his folders. “Look, Brad, I appreciate your interest in wanting to help but we can’t be liable for any similar accidents.” “There won’t be any accidents.” Brad wondered if his doubt could be heard in his voice. After the accident he’d lost most of his powers. His grandfather said he needed to cleanse himself in order to gain those powers back. What better way to cleanse himself than to help someone in distress? “That’s right because we won’t be using you on the team,” Karl said in a condescending tone. “Unless you can stop Arizona from having these bizarre earthquakes and storms. It’s making hiking hazardous.” Brad bit back a stream of curses. “I think we can call it a night.” Karl stuffed his papers and folders into a backpack. “Right.” Brad turned, stomped out of the room and headed for the parking lot. Outside he took in a deep breath of the cool, desert air scented with earth, sage and a touch of ozone and looked up at the crescent moon. The fresh air cleared his head and
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his anger. A run in the wilderness would do him good. He donned his helmet and leather jacket and hopped on his bike. Gripping the throttle on his Harley-Davidson Heritage softtail, he cranked it up a notch to around ninety as if the speed could exorcise his frustration. Hell, he was more than sexually frustrated, he was pissed off. It was well past midnight as he sped up Highway 89 somewhere between Sedona and Jerome. Thankfully, there were no cars in sight. If he saw the lights from a police car, he was going off-road. The flat Arizona desert stretched out in all directions marred only by tumbleweeds, cacti and stands of spiny mesquite trees. The headlight from his bike blazed a luminous island on the pavement. If they had found that hiker in time, would that have been enough for his powers to return? He suspected the cleansing his grandfather spoke of would be a most difficult trial. He stared beyond the island of light, trying to see into the darkness. How would he ever leave the past behind him? His fatal error during a mission overseas years ago would haunt him for the rest of his life. He stroked the tawny leopard fur on the seat beneath him. A curse or a gift? His brother Jake who had the same ability thought it was a curse. Whatever it was, the need was strong to indulge in his mysterious heritage. Stress, anger, sexual frustration, all these intense emotions had worked his muscles into twisted knots, now needing release. The desire to shift was strong. Even with his weakened powers, he shouldn’t have any difficulty this time. Focus was the key. He just needed to concentrate and the change would occur easily. He slowed as the road curved into several S turns. Was he getting older and being cautious or had he lost his nerve in addition to some of his powers? Brad cranked the throttle and careened through the remaining turns. Not getting older or losing my nerve. A shadow darted out in front of his bike, a coyote, loping across the highway. Brad swerved, nearly losing control but managed to get her going straight again. Keep the shiny side up. The biker phrase tossed around in his head. He downshifted and swung off the highway onto the open desert. Dirt, rocks and grass kicked out from his wheels. When he was about a half mile or more off the road, he parked behind a stand of juniper trees surrounded by thick sage. His bike was well hidden from the road. A vibration rumbled beneath his feet as if a tractor trailer was rolling by on the highway but the highway was empty and the desert night was eerily silent. After several seconds the vibration stopped. Another earthquake? Weird for Arizona. He was sure he’d hear about it on the news later. The rugged, wind-parched land glowed grayish white beneath the crescent moon. He turned off the bike, stepped out of his boots, tossing the keys inside one and tucked them beneath a sage bush a few yards from the bike. He craved the change as much as he craved the rush of danger just before a mission or craved the intensity of sex.
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Then he got out of his clothes and folded everything neatly on the seat resting the helmet on top. Stripped naked, he felt the cool desert air chill his skin. Taking the leopard pelt from the bike, he slung it over his arm and strolled to a small clearing protected by trees and rock formations, out of sight from the highway. His hands smoothed over the coarse fur as his mind calmed and connected with the beast who once wore this skin. He pushed aside the memories of the earlier argument with Karl, the regrets of his time in the service, especially the death of his teammate. The more he submerged himself into the role of leopard, the sooner the beast would yield to him and evoke the shift. His father had worn this fur a few times but his father’s chosen animal was the wolf. As an Eigi Einhamr descendant, Brad could change into any animal he wished as long as he wore that particular pelt and had the desire to shift. A deep ache and longing stabbed in his chest, missing his father, remembering his tragic death. Like a ritual, he wrapped the skin around his shoulders and prepared for the transformation. His body shivered partly due to the chill of the night desert air, partly in anticipation of the change. Focus. He had to focus or he’d slip out of form. Claiming his powers back was like working out an injured muscle. Although he appreciated his grandfather’s offer, he didn’t need the shaman’s cleansing ritual. A twig snapped behind him. Loud enough to be a large animal or a man. Shit. Years of training as a soldier taught him not to twitch at the sound of a potential enemy. Movement drew fire. He listened. Footsteps approached in his direction and he estimated they stopped only a few yards behind him. And there he was with his bare ass hanging out for all the world to see. A woman laughed. Slowly, Brad turned around pulling a corner of the fur diagonally across him to cover his engorged penis. The adrenaline pumping through his veins had the added affect of giving him a hard-on. “Do I dare ask?” A woman stood there smiling at him, her hands propped on her hips, giving him a mocking grin. She was stunning. The one-shouldered white dress clung to all her luscious curves and a gold braided belt crisscrossed the bodice accentuating her breasts. Her outfit, her sleek black hair and exotic eyes gave him the impression that she’d stepped out of a Cleopatra movie where she was playing the starring role. He nodded in her direction and answered with an equally smart-ass retort. “Toga party, right?” What else could it be? “No,” she said irritated. “What are you doing out here?” he asked.
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Maybe she was one of those New Agers meditating or something. What was she doing out there all alone surrounded by the vast expanse of flat desert and dusty sage brush? And why would she approach a naked stranger in the middle of the night? Either she had a lot of nerve or was completely mad. She appeared to think for a minute. “Taking a walk but now I’m late for work,” she said. He gave a short laugh. “Work? Where do you work?” She didn’t answer. Something in her eyes made his need for sex even worse, despite the urge to shift. She shot him a mischievous look. A flicker of something passed through her eyes and his balls drew up tight. Moving closer, she reached out a hand and touched the fur. “What kind of animal was it?” “Leopard.” “Did you kill it?” Her nails caressed the fur and he thought about her doing the same to his balls and he shivered with desire. “No, it was passed down in my family.” She nodded. “Then it must be special.” She regarded his bare shoulder and ran her delicate fingers over a twisted scar. “How were you injured?” “In the service.” Nodding again, she continued to glide her hand over his chest. Sure she was turning him on but who the hell was she? He backed up a step, giving her the hint to stop. She crossed her arms over her chest, the position accentuating her cleavage. An unusual stone pendant hung at the cleft of her breasts. She fingered the pendant and smiled. Obviously, she didn’t mind him looking at her. Beneath his fur his libido was kicking into gear. His penis was hard and fully erect, partly because of the adrenaline pumping through his veins but also because of the lascivious fantasies coming unleashed concerning the woman. His aroused state was her fault. She had interrupted him in the middle of a transformation. Holy smokes. He could smell her too. He’d been close to shifting so his senses were acute. The delicate scents of earthy soaps, female musk and desert breezes made her even harder to resist. He was overly aware of his nakedness and had a sudden urge to toss the fur on the ground and draw her down. Oh, yeah, that would be hot and insane. Images of the two of them naked on the leopard pelt formed in his mind. Flesh against flesh, his hand slipping between her thighs and feeling her warm, slick pussy ready for his aroused cock. Yes, he would opt for hot sex with this beauty instead of a wild romp as an animal. Tarzan and Jane in the desert. She smiled and looked at him quizzically, then cocked her head, nodding toward the fur that was covering his groin area. “What’s that all about?”
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“The fur?” How did he explain the fur? Screw it. He wasn’t going to explain anything. “Why are you out here alone?” She didn’t seem at all intimidated by his directness. “I was going to ask you the same question.” Neither of them offered an explanation. She frowned and broke the uneasy silence. “I’ve heard of people who have a fetish to dress in animal furs. They’re called furries.” “Ah, no. This is nothing like that. It’s not a fetish.” He wrapped the fur around his waist and secured it so his hands were free. “Okay. Tarzan and Jane?” He shook his head in disbelief. Was she on the same wavelength? “It’s a bit difficult to explain.” She took a step closer. “I don’t have time for an explanation. I’m late for work.” “So you said.” “Goodbye.” She turned and started walking away. “Wait! Can I give you a ride?” He stepped forward and nearly lost his fur. She smiled as he quickly covered himself. “No, thanks. I have transportation.” “A car? Where?” “Have to go.” “Will you be back?” he asked. She shrugged. “Can I see you again?” She frowned, looking around. “Not safe.” Now we’re getting somewhere. “Not safe for you?” “No, for you.” “Tell me why.” “See you.” An amused expression flitted over her face. She turned away from him and jogged into the darkness. Brad wondered if he’d ever see her again. When he didn’t hear the sound of a car after several minutes, he stepped into his boots and started off in her direction. After walking around for quite some time, moonlight reflected on a patch of white cloth beneath a tree. His heart leapt to his throat. No! He investigated and found her dress neatly folded with the gold braided belt and her gold sandals. What the hell? Disappeared like down the rabbit hole. He searched for her but gave up after an hour or so. There was no sign of a struggle. His animal senses didn’t pick up another human or blood as if she had been attacked. He’d talk to his grandfather in the morning. Something told him this incident had some mystical explanation and his grandfather would know what it was.
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After he prepared himself again for the Eigi Einhamr shift, muscles tensed and coiled into a new form to be one with the skin, a leopard. His body shifted in painful contortions until he was standing on all fours. Brad as leopard looked up into the starfilled sky with the night vision of a predator. He sniffed the air and smelled many other animals, the turpentine and sage scent of the bushes and trees, the earthy scents of the dirt. Staring down at his paw, he tested the claws. The sensation felt strange and he instantly shifted back to human form. Fuck. Just when he thought the power had fully returned. Looking up into the sky, he did the breathing exercises his grandfather taught him. His grandfather the shaman said the breathing would help. After several moments, calm and more at peace with himself, Brad donned the skin again and willed himself to become one. Vibrations surged through his body and he was again the leopard. There was something erotic, hedonistic and possibly dangerous about indulging his senses with the beast. He raised his head, looking across the miles of flat ground to the great buttes, the large red rock formations in the distance, the mystical pyramids of the desert. He raced off into the night. Hours passed and his body grew weary. During his travels he hadn’t seen the woman, although he continued to watch for her. He returned to the place where his bike and clothes were, using his sense of smell. He recognized the juniper trees, noticed the tire marks in the sand, then saw several footprints that weren’t his own. The hackles on his back went up. He loped around the area in circles like a trapped animal. Danger was near or something wasn’t quite right. He could hear each leaf twisting on its branch on a tree over two hundred yards away. A breeze blew sand over his fur and he heard the granules clinking together like tiny glass beads. The air hummed with an electrical charge and nearby rocks pulsed with a faint blue glow. Static electricity? A storm approaching? Glancing up, he searched for thunder clouds but the night sky shone with thousands of brilliant stars and the moon. Feeling a drain on his muscles, he backed up, trying to get away from the charged area. His body felt sluggish. Whatever was wrong with the area, he needed to leave it. The sensations decreased the farther away he got from the area. Returning to where he parked his motorcycle, he found his boots under a sage bush. He sniffed them and was about to will himself back to human form when he heard a moan. Now what? The moaning sound drew the hackles up again along his powerful shoulders. He slowly turned, expecting to see an enemy. His soldier and animal instincts turned up to high alert. The moaning changed to whimpering, a woman’s voice. Was it pleasure or pain? A mating? Had that woman returned? 21
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He crept low toward the sound. Behind a group of rocks, several yards away, he saw a man with long black hair and buckskin pants crouched over a naked woman, a different woman. The man was on his hands and knees and the woman was writhing beneath him. There was something odd about her. She lay there not touching the man and when she opened her eyes, she had a wild, stare-off-into-space look. Positioned between her legs, the man began to caress her breasts roughly, pinching both her nipples. The woman stretched her arms above her head. Lowering his head, he took a nipple into his mouth and sucked, tugging on it until she cried out. He repeated his attentions on her other nipple then moved down her stomach to her mound. She sucked in air and raised her hips off the ground, grinding her pussy against his mouth. He sat up again and she groaned her disapproval. “You’ll have to beg for it,” the man said. “Please. I can’t wait. Make me come or fuck me now.” “Spread your legs,” he commanded as he pushed her legs wide apart, then stroked her pussy. Brad couldn’t stop watching. Not because he was a voyeuristic type but because he sensed something wasn’t right with this man. He could smell it. Humans had a coppery and salty scent beneath the normal smells of sweat but this male smelled like ozone right before a thunderstorm and something else. Earthy and wild. Whatever it was, he’d never detected that on a human before and it made him nervous. The man continued to tease the woman, touching her, tormenting her with his hands, his mouth. Finally, he thrust a finger inside her cunt. The scent of the woman’s arousal mingled with the man’s odd smell. Maybe they were getting a storm, the leopard thought and he was just picking up too much. “Don’t move,” the man said as he licked her pussy. The woman’s face strained, as if resisting the urge to move. “Yes, like that. Please don’t stop,” she said. But he did stop and she swore. “Soon. Make it last. Now close your eyes and do not open them for anything.” The woman sighed, obviously getting frustrated but complied and closed her eyes. “Good.” His hand went to her pussy again, teasing and stroking, then thrusting deep inside her with his fingers. Her hips bucked against his hand, then her body convulsed. “Don’t open your eyes.” She nodded as she was still writhing in her orgasm. “Come inside me now.” “Shhh.” He waved a hand over her face and she quieted, her body stilled. She seemed to be asleep. A pale glow appeared around the man and the leopard saw the image of an animal superimposed over the man’s face, a coyote. The fur stood up across the leopard’s back. A skinwalker! Was this the Coyote Trickster, the one his grandfather told him about in his folktales?
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Brad thought skinwalkers were Navajo folklore. The stories had the element of campfire tales. He thought his grandfather used them to entertain two boys who had lost their father in a tragic accident and whose mother had deserted them. The image of the Coyote faded and the man lowered his face close to the sleeping woman’s. A beam of light traveled from the woman’s forehead to the man’s mouth. What the hell is this? His human logic was trying to cross the animal boundaries and make sense of what he was seeing. The leopard instincts took over. A low growl formed in his throat. Soundlessly, he crept closer, an animal hunting his prey. Man or skinwalker, he was an enemy. Everything in his being, human and beast, said this was so. He had to stop the skinwalker.
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Chapter Three When Sakari finished clearing the empty margarita glasses and beer bottles off the bar, the nebula stone started vibrating. It signaled the presence of another Drone in the area. Dante or Valdon? She couldn’t decide who she’d rather face right now. Neither would be pleased with her progress. Fingering her pendant, she stiffened. It was warm too. Which meant she was being summoned to return to Anartia. So soon? She’d just returned and couldn’t possibly go back tonight, not without a sufficient offering for the demoness. How could she attain what was demanded when she feared the consequences? The training session with Zorian had done little to build her confidence. If anything she was more nervous about failing. She was damned, desperate and out of time. Three guys sat at one end of the bar, cowboys by their mode of dress and their discussion. With her demon senses, she could detect a slight scent of leather and horses. Their discussion for most of the evening dealt with squabbles on a ranch and NASCAR. One of the young men waved her over and ordered a round of Oak Creek ale. Good, they did get her telepathic message for more alcohol, proving they were receptive to her will. A necessary quality for her Kithra, her prey. These cowboys were the only potential Kithra in the Red Rocks Bar and Grill. She hadn’t decided which one she was going to fuck yet. Some mortals were strong-willed and not easy to influence. Alcohol helped to lower the resistance, which was why she chose this profession to aid her with her Drone duties. She also liked the interactions with mortals, a refreshing change from serving the demoness and her consort. A mixture of country and classic rock music pumped through the speakers. Not the sexiest atmosphere for enticing desire but the dark wood paneling on the walls, the tables and booths and the dim lights helped. She opened her mind and descended into their thoughts one at a time, searching for the most receptive one, the path of least resistance or the one most attracted to her. After reading their minds, she knew they were from a ranch close to town. She poured the beer and placed the mugs in front of the guys, then touched the mind of each cowboy with sensual thoughts—her fondling her breasts, then slipping her hand inside her panties to play with her pussy. She waited and noted their response. Finally, the younger one with blond hair looked up from his beer with hunger in his brown eyes. Yes, he got the message and she bet she could confirm that if she slipped her hand down his jeans. He could be her Kithra, her quarry for the night if she played
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him right. There was hesitation in his expression but enough interest to work with. She smiled. He smiled back. The thought of her task ahead made her stomach turn. There was no attraction with this male. This was a task she had to complete. I just want to be free from Anartia, leave this planet and go home to Prygos. My parents need me. She had her duty to fulfill to Anartia and to her parents. She pushed the thoughts away. This was what she was and she couldn’t stop what was about to happen. “I’ll get those tables cleaned up,” the other bartender, Haley Moore said, interrupting her flow of seduction with the Kithra. Haley dodged around the bar and strolled across the room to wipe down tables. She wore the same outfit Sakari did, a short tan skirt and black tee shirt with calf-high cowboy boots. Her spiky blonde hair still held its style even after the long night. Her eyes were heavily rimmed with way too much black eyeliner. “Okay. I’ll start back here,” Sakari answered from behind the bar as she considered her options. She needed to seduce this cowboy before he left. “Don’t make it personal”, was Valdon’s recommendation. He had warned her that getting close to her quarry was risky. Valdon didn’t get close to Drones, slaves or Kithra. As a guardian Drone, he reported to Gwyllain when a Drone was not performing his or her duties to the standards required. Haley brought a tray full of dirty glasses and dishes to the bar. “Now that the crowd’s all gone, I can finally tell you about my classes with Ambros. And you have to let me read your palm later.” She glanced over her shoulder at the moon shining down through the giant eyebrow window above the entrance to the bar. “If the moonlight doesn’t interfere, I bet I’ll be able to see your aura too.” “My what?” Sakari took the glasses and put them into the dishwasher behind the bar, trying to hide her impatience. How was she going to harvest her offering of chi if she couldn’t get the cowboy alone? “Aura. Ambros said people have an energy field surrounding them called an aura. Those who are spiritually advanced have the brightest ones.” “What kind of classes are you taking?” Sakari understood the levels of education from her studies of Earth Culture over the last thousand years but not these classes. Leaning over the bar, Haley lowered her voice. “Metaphysical at the New Age Bookstore. Ambros is teaching classes about auras, palm reading and understanding the attributes of crystals.” She fingered the quartz crystal hanging around her neck. “Ambros says I’m psychic but I need to develop my talent.” “Is that right?” Sakari had known Haley for six months and hadn’t seen any evidence of psychic power.
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Haley nodded and smiled as if she held a great secret. “My parents would never have allowed me to do this in Texas. They were close-minded to the esoteric world.” “Do your parents still live in Texas?” Haley tugged on the crystal pendant around her neck and averted her eyes. “My mom died a few years ago and my dad took off.” “I’m sorry. What happened to your dad—” “I wonder if bad people have very small auras,” Haley interrupted. “I’ll have to ask Ambros at my next class.” That caught Sakari’s attention. “And how does your teacher know of this? Everyone has this aura? Do you think some people have more than others?” Haley leaned on the bar, her chin in her hand. “Ambros is very wise.” Her eyes glittered with the amusement of a child. “He was trained by a Navajo shaman. I’ll ask him.” “Sounds interesting,” Sakari said. “Maybe you’d like to take his next class with me.” “Perhaps.” She was getting confused. Could this be a means to help her with her Drone responsibilities? If it made her job easier… Becoming a Drone was supposed to be her reward, a step up from being a slave. The one in control of seductions and harvesting chi. But being a slave had few responsibilities and she had many opportunities to walk along the rocky cliffs on Anartia that reminded her of the landscape on Prygos. Then again, as a Drone she had gained the respect from all the slaves and from the other Drones. “Last call,” Haley yelled out to the handful of customers remaining as she spun around and crossed the room to finish cleaning tables. Sakari strolled back to the cowboys to get working on her Kithra. “How’s your night going, boys? Got any plans for this evening?” They looked up from their beers and glanced at her. “Fine,” said one, who looked to be around twenty-five, just a few years younger than Sakari. “Nope, no plans, this is it.” “We’ll take the check,” the other one said. Then to his friends, “Come on. We gotta get up at five.” “Can’t leave yet,” she said below her breath. “What was that?” said the one on the end, his cowboy hat tilted low, shadowing his brown eyes. “I said, you can’t leave yet, you just got here.” She smiled in a teasing way as she walked to the other side of the bar. Think fast or you’ll lose your chance. Touching the pendant at her breast, she was relieved to find it was cool. For the moment the demoness had stopped summoning her. The cowboy’s gaze dropped to her hand and hovered around her breasts. His smile widened, then he looked away.
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You. Lowering her head, she glanced up at him for a moment and formed the image of the two of them frantically stripping off their clothes. His jeans yanked down to his ankles, cowboy boots still on, his tan shirt unbuttoned and tossed aside. She imagined his hands ripping at her shirt, hearing the material tear, then the bra coming off. As she sent him a mental image of her full breasts, bare and exposed in her mind, she sent thoughts of her skirt dropping to the floor. The cowboy’s mouth opened slightly. Yes. He saw her thoughts. Wetness pooled in her underwear and her breasts tingled. Her own imagery was turning her on. She locked eyes with him. Want you. She started the images again. Him lifting her up on the barstool, spreading her legs and plunging his thick cock into her, pumping deep into her dripping wet channel. Was he still with her? The cowboy stared at her in a daze, his beer untouched. He thought this was his fantasy, Sakari mused. Thoughts of the man in the desert kept invading her mental seduction. He was more attractive than the cowboy and she couldn’t get his body out of her mind. Something about the man tugged at her core. She’d give anything to have him as her Kithra but that would be a dangerous ordeal. Zorian had advised her not to select Kithra that she was overly attracted to. Much too hard to resist personal attachments and orgasms. What would it be like to be consumed by lust and love without fear? Focusing on her Kithra, she sent out a command. Take me. Her words, her thoughts were mental whispers, seductive strokes, like a new lover’s caress. Fuck me. He looked up and locked eyes with her again. Yes, Fuck me hard and deep. She leaned on the bar, crossing her arms, knowing her breasts swelled above her black tee shirt. “You really have to work tomorrow?” She leveled her gaze on him, hinting of possibilities if he stayed. “Yep, ’fraid so.” He didn’t break eye contact. Nice brown eyes. The other two were busy arguing about NASCAR. Her customers were always arguing about NASCAR on the televisions in the bar. “Too bad.” She noticed the iron grip on his beer mug. She knew he had no idea what he was in for and by the glint in his eyes, he wanted her. At the prospect of performing her duties as a Drone, her pussy clenched and throbbed. He gave a slow shrug, then took a swig of his beer. “What’s your name?” she asked the cowboy as she poured herself a soda and sipped it slowly through a swizzle stick, then licked the edges of her teeth. “Austin,” he breathed, looking at her mouth. “Sakari.” An eyebrow arched. “Sakari? Hmmm. I like it. You don’t sound from around here.” “I’m not.” He smiled.
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She hoped he took her being evasive as an attempt to be mysterious. “Feel like hanging around for a little.” “Maybe.” She didn’t comment but turned to wipe down the bar and put a few glasses away. You will. She sensed his anxiety, heard a jumble of confused thoughts as she attempted to pick up on his images. Reading minds was quite a challenge with horny men. This guy was horny and a bit shy. The man in the desert hadn’t been shy. There was a cocky boldness about him. Confidence and intelligence. He hadn’t shown any sign of being embarrassed at her finding him naked in the desert. If anything, he was annoyed that she interrupted some sacred ritual. As much as the idea appealed to her, the man was not her Kithra. She had to focus or lose the one she had marked. She sent Austin an image of her taking the full length of his cock into her mouth. His pulse kicked up a few paces. Sakari heard it and felt her own do the same. “Sakari, I can hang out for a while,” Austin said as cool as he could but he couldn’t hide his nervousness. “Good.” She tipped her head to one side and gave him a sultry look. He sat up straighter. “I don’t have my car. I rode with them.” “I can drive you.” Before the demoness summoned her again, she’d have to drop him off and travel through the vortex and back to Anartia. He glanced down into his beer, hesitating. Just her luck to pick the one with a girl at home, or a shy one. Finally he looked up and nodded. “All right then. When do you get off?” His two friends laughed. He shot his buddies a warning glance. “Shit. Get some manners will you?” Austin shook his head, then turned back at Sakari. “Ignore them. What did you have in mind?” She was doomed if she didn’t get this right. “I could use a hand in the wine cellar,” she said. “It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other a little.” His mouth went slack. Taking off his hat, he ran a hand through his short blond hair and took in a breath, then put his hat back on. His brown eyes smoldered with lust. Cowboy was shy but not stupid. He knew exactly what she had in mind without sending suggestive thoughts into his head. “Be happy to help, ma’am.” He downed the rest of his beer, slid off the bar stool and tapped one of his buddy’s shoulders. “Be back in a few.” “Where you going?” the friend asked. “Wine cellar. Bartender needs a hand.” His friend frowned, then after a moment his eyebrows rose. “Oh.” Sakari stood behind Austin with an empty crate in her hands. “Ready?”
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“Holy cow,” the friend said, snickering. “Don’t be late for work,” one of his friends said. Austin elbowed the friend sitting next to him. “The lady’s closing shop soon.” The guy groaned. “Fuck you, Austin. We can take a hint. We’re outta here.” The two men threw money down onto the bar and slid off their barstools. “She’d better ride your ass home. We’re not coming back.” If she messed up like she did with the hiker, these two might remember her and would wonder what happened to their friend. Sakari directed a subtle suggestion to them that would work through their thoughts and by morning, they would forget they were even at this bar. “Don’t break his heart,” said one of his friends as they left out the back door. Sakari called across the dimly lit room of mostly empty booths and tables. “Going downstairs for stock, Haley. Be right back.”
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Chapter Four He was a shadow in the desert night perched on the edge of the boulder, eight feet above the skinwalker and the woman. Brad, in leopard form, prepared to attack. Naked and stretched out on the ground, the woman responded to the man’s touch. She writhed as if in pleasure. Her clothes were in a neat pile to one side, not ripped off as one would expect in a rape. Still, the woman seemed drugged, moving in slow motion. The man was on hands and knees over her, turned sideways so the leopard couldn’t see his face clearly. The man brushed her blonde hair from her face and the woman kissed his hand and smiled. Could he be wrong? Were these just two lovers? Had he imagined the coyote form? His heartbeat hammered in his chest. Instincts told him something wasn’t right. The man abruptly stopped pleasuring the woman and leapt back, crouching between the woman’s legs, sniffing the air as if ready to pounce. Had he sensed danger? The leopard’s muscles tensed. A low growl simmered in his throat. The man raised his head and the image of Coyote reappeared over his face. Leaning toward the woman so that their faces were only inches apart, the coyote form remained motionless. Then a golden light swirled at the point on the woman’s forehead and expanded into a beam moving toward Coyote’s mouth. The light coiled and pulsed in intensity. Static hummed in the air as Coyote absorbed the light coming from her. Whatever he was doing to her, the leopard knew it wasn’t good and decided he had to stop him. His grandfather said skinwalkers were fast, impossible to catch and could use mind control on their victims. Which would explain why the woman was lying there and not struggling. Claws extended, the leopard leapt off the rock, a shadow moving through the darkness. The skinwalker must have sensed the movement. The enemy rolled out of harm’s way the moment the leopard leaped. The leopard missed and landed next to the woman. She didn’t move, although she was still alive because he could hear her breathing, smell her arousal. The skinwalker, in full coyote form, paced and snarled with territorial rage a few yards away. Stepping over the woman, the big cat advanced toward the animal, baring his teeth. Surprisingly, Coyote didn’t back away or run. Instead he attacked. Teeth and claws dug into the leopard’s shoulder and neck. Pain shot through him but he managed to wrestle away while inflicting his own claw swipes. Coyote let out a yip as blood oozed from his legs. Skinwalker’s powers aren’t boundless. Coyote staggered away and for a moment the leopard thought he’d won the fight. But then a moment later, Coyote came limping back, lunged for him, jumped onto his back and clamped his jaws around the leopard’s neck. 30
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The snarling predators rolled on the ground, kicking up dirt, grass and small stones. Claws and teeth tore at each other. Branches snapped as they rolled over bushes and dropped down an embankment. The leopard landed on his back with Coyote on top of him. Air rushed out of his lungs from the terrific impact. Coyote now had him pinned. Gasping for air, the leopard struggled to maneuver out from under the claws and teeth. For such a small creature, he never believed the skinwalker would have enough mass to knock down a leopard. As the leopard tried to get back up, Coyote hovered over him, staring down at him. Adrenaline pumping, bloody and beaten, he stared defiantly back into malevolent, triumphant eyes uncertain of what would befall him in the next moment. Never underestimate your enemy. That was his first mistake—overconfidence. The leopard was tempted to shift back into his human form just so he could shout, “Fuck you, asshole!” But defeat was unthinkable especially when he was in leopard form, especially while he was still breathing. He took in a breath, tensed his muscles with all his might to get the goddamn creature off him. But in that breath he forgot everything and a veil of darkness engulfed him.
***** Sakari ignored Haley’s disapproving look. The other bartender narrowed her eyes at Austin, then at Sakari and pressed her lips tight. The sooner she got this over with, the better. Sakari led Austin down the basement stairs. Her stomach fluttered more from worry than anticipation of what was going to happen. If she kept Zorian’s warning in mind, she’d be safe. He said to draw only from the inner lifeforce level one and not to go deeper or she would penetrate the core or soul level. This was the dangerous area of harvesting, the part she feared most. A person’s vital essences or soul energy resided here and if she tapped into the deep inner level, she could destroy that person. And Dante wondered why she preferred being a slave. Who wants the responsibility of holding a mortal’s fragile soul in her hands? If she screwed up like with the hiker, she could end up with a dead cowboy in the wine cellar. The basement was cool and had an earthy, musty smell. Dust covered most of the wine bottles resting in the rows of floor-to-ceiling racks filling most of the room. At the bottom, Austin studied the room and ran his hands over the gray stone foundation. “The temperature must be about ten degrees cooler down here. How old is this place?” “About eighty years, I think.” She put the empty crate on the floor, and selected a couple of bottles from one of the wine racks, then stacked them in the crate. He walked over to a double refrigerator with see-through doors and picked up a few chilled wines. “Wow, some collection.” “You know wines?” Austin picked up another bottle and examined the label. “A little. My parents’ obsession.” 31
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She nodded. “The restaurant is known for their eighty varieties of beer but we have quite a selection of wines. My boss’s obsession.” “Next time I come, I’ll order wine.” Austin put the wine back then stuffed his hands in his pockets. Sakari walked over to the large rectangular table in the center of the room that held two more wooden crates, and moved them to the floor. Mixed with the smell of alcohol and musty basement was the scent of Austin. Her heightened senses detected leather, horses, hay and his arousal. She could hear his breath quicken. She selected several more bottles and filled those crates. “You want me to carry these upstairs?” he asked with a hushed tone. “Not yet.” She closed the door at the bottom of the stairs. Turning back around, she pushed Austin up against the stainless steel table. His eyes widened, then his mouth quirked in an approving grin. Spreading her legs, she planted them on either side of his thighs, then reached up and took off his hat, placing it on the table. Without a word, she uncrossed his arms, slid her hands up under his shirt, exploring the taut muscle beneath for a moment. He licked his lips and she smiled as if she was getting turned on. Of course, she wasn’t. Her insides were jumpy because she feared a repeat mistake. And she was in need of an offering but she wasn’t turned on. He was averagely handsome, too young for her taste, but not unappealing. He fondled her breasts, vigorously working his palms and fingers. “Hmmm, that feels good,” she said, making sounds to urge him on as if her body was responding to his touch. He was a bit rough like someone inexperienced or overexcited would be. “Nice,” he said. Her mind filled with images of the man in the desert touching her. Her nipples tightened. Eyes closed, she smoothed her hands over Austin’s chest. Beneath her touch, she felt his heated skin, his pulse pounding and the surge of chi. Don’t draw beyond the first level. “I guess we’ll take care of the wine later,” he teased, moving his hands up to brush back her hair, his fingers lingering at the nape of her neck. “Yes,” she breathed. She hadn’t realized how much she liked a man to play with her hair, especially at just that spot. “I want you.” But her thoughts were for the mysterious man in the desert. “Good.” He smiled. The fingers of both hands combed through her hair and her knees were losing the strength to hold her up. Her eyes closed slightly, accepting the attention. “You take guys down here a lot?” She opened her eyes and the cowboy was in her arms, not the man in the desert. She needed to finish her task and get this over with. “No. First time.” 32
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“Really?” He tilted his head as if he wasn’t quite sure he believed her, then ran a finger down her cheek, along her jawline and touched her mouth. “Why me?” Sakari leaned into him. There was nothing in her training that would help her with questions like this. Because men like you make the best prey? Then how quickly would he escape? Instead she said, “I have a thing for young, handsome cowboys.” He smiled at that. Torn between dragging out the seduction for a better offering or finishing it so she could leave, she made a decision and felt for his cock over his jeans, teasing the hardened length. She was determined to do this right. “But we don’t have much time. I have to get back to work.” “No need to apologize,” he breathed against her neck. “I like spontaneous women.” She nearly laughed out loud. Spontaneous? This planned, manipulated and calculated seduction? “Good.” He nuzzled and licked her neck. Her mind drifted to the sensations building in her pussy. The offering had begun. She tilted her head to give his mouth access. His mouth came down on hers and she felt the flow of lifeforce entering her. The kiss deepened and the rush of chi filled her, fearing it was too much too soon. She broke the kiss, sucked in a small breath and waited. But the flow of chi stopped, in fact, a small surge returned to her Kithra. Her pussy ground against the hardened bulge of his cock. “Yes,” he said as he cupped her ass and pulled her closer. She drifted into his thoughts where the details of his sexual cravings became known to her. “You like it a little rough?” He gave a short laugh. “What makes you say that?” His chi flowed freely again. “A hunch.” She needed to understand the rituals better, especially his desires. Images of some of his past encounters flooded her mind—sex out in the wilderness with tall pine trees all around, his lover bracing her hands around the rough tree trunk while he gripped onto her shirt and pulled. Fabric tore. He reached around and grabbed her breasts. Yanking down the woman’s jeans, he thrust into her from behind. He then turned her around and slammed her against the tree and drove into her again. The vision looked like an assault but the woman spread her legs willingly and threaded her fingers in his hair. By the sensual look in Austin’s eyes and the twitch his cock just made against Sakari’s mound, it appeared she read his thoughts correctly. He shrugged. “Could be.” He smiled in a teasing way. “When it comes to rough sex, either you like it or you don’t,” she said. Austin leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss was so sudden, hard and unexpected. Sakari flinched, then stifled a groan as intense sensations of flowing chi rippled through her. She took a breath and broke the kiss and he gave her a smoldering look. 33
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“What do you want?” He grabbed her breasts harder than she expected and she pulled away from him. Instantly, the lifeforce she’d gained slipped away. She had to maintain a pace. Keeping her eyes on him, she played it cool. The more time she took, the more chi she could acquire. Not too much time though, or Haley would come looking for her. “Isn’t it obvious?” she said. His mouth twitched in a slight smile. Her gaze was now riveted on his hands that were tugging on her tee shirt. “Tell me anyway.” He slid his hands under her shirt and without hesitation reached around her back to undo her bra. Finally, this Kithra would not get away. Sakari would have an acceptable offering for Gwyllain and Tarik. “I want a lot of things.” “Tell me.” His voice was deep and husky and she knew he wanted to be fucked and badly. She could smell his arousal, hear his thoughts of desire. “I want to feel your mouth on me,” she said in a whisper. “Where?” “Everywhere. A deep kiss, my neck, my breasts, along my back, my pussy…” “Yes.” He yanked her shirt off, tossing both the shirt and bra to the far end of the table. Cool air hit her heated skin and her nipples hardened. He took in her exposed breasts. “God, you’re beautiful.” His hands moved up from her stomach and grasped them, squeezing and then pinching the nipples into erect points. She unbuttoned his shirt and sent an image of his cock thrusting inside her channel. The more she worked him up… “I want to suck you but I want you to beg for it.” He groaned low in his throat. “Cool. Do you want me to fuck you too? I have protection with me.” “Yes, I want that.” Protection didn’t matter for Sakari but she knew it was a practice of Earth mortals. “And protection is good.” Easing his legs between hers caused her skirt to hike up her thighs and he slid the skirt even higher. She realized this collection of lifeforce was easier if she thought about the mysterious man in the desert. What was it about him that turned her on? A rush of wetness pooled between her legs. His hand went under her skirt and pressed at the juncture. “Damn, you’re wet.” In a swift movement, his hand dug inside her panties and worked a finger inside her wet channel, pressing upward as far as he could. She allowed the sensations roll through her body without getting carried away. Remain in control. With shaking hands, she undid his pants and slipped her hand inside, grasping his hard cock. He responded immediately, growing harder in her hand and sucking in a breath. She could get used to this. If she played it right and didn’t kill him. Is this how it will always be with Kithra? Am I doomed to always have dispassionate loveless sex?
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Her body felt the surge from this prey but she felt empty and cold inside. Sakari attempted to remember Zorian’s lessons and suggestions. This wasn’t right. The flow of chi was transferring too fast. Her body stiffened. Had she reached his core essence? Her hands moved over his body as she found herself losing control of the collection, her body pulled more and more from him. It wasn’t physical pleasure but more like the floodgates had opened and she couldn’t close them. “Yes, I’m going to fuck you hard.” His hand rubbed against her moistened slit and he finger-fucked her deep. Her hips moved to his rhythm and sensations coiled within her groin, dangerous sensations, ones she couldn’t allow. She had to get the desert man out of her mind. Thoughts of him were turning her on. She was in control and could stop in time. She wouldn’t make a mistake like last time. “Yes,” she breathed. “More.” “You want that?” “Yes.” He moved his hand in the most amazing way. While she demanding more of him, she tugged on his pants and pulled them down over his hips, exposing his cock for her attentions. By the fierceness in her movements, he would understand her need. Although he would mistake it only for sexual desire, not the duty of a demon harvesting chi. “Ah, yeah,” he said into her neck. “You want it bad. Don’t you?” She felt his tongue licking her, teeth biting her and her knees quivering. “Yes,” she breathed. Except not what you think. His coil of pleasure began to intensify and rise. This was where Valdon had said to be careful. The rush of chi from her prey was entering her. At the time of his orgasm she needed to stop immediately or she would reach his inner core level. She knew his desire was mounting. Prolong the pleasure and the collection of chi would be greater, Valdon had said. Sweet torture. “And I’m going to make you come,” Austin said. No! She moaned too close to the verge of an orgasm. Her body stiffened and she pushed him away. That would surely kill him. “Something wrong?” He looked at her, worried. “Don’t want to come yet.” She smiled. “Fuck me now.” He didn’t take the time to remove his pants, just dug into his pocket for a condom and slipped it on, then lifted her ass up on the table, hooking her legs over his shoulders. Her cowboy boots were still on and her skirt was up around her waist. He rammed hard into her cunt. His groans matched hers, along with their breathing. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she let him plunge his cock inside her and, at the same time, pump his lifeforce energy in her. “Hurry,” she ordered. She worried she was approaching the edge of danger. She had to finish him, not wanting to think of the consequences.
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“Oh, God,” he yelled. Grabbing her hips, he thrust harder and deeper. She was captured in his grip, her breasts quivering with each thrust. She tried to relax her body, fighting the flow of chi spiraling into her. “Oh, no, don’t.” “Don’t stop?” “Hurry.” “Don’t worry, I won’t stop.” He thrust harder and let out a groan as his cock pulsed and his body shuddered in orgasm. At the same time Sakari planted the heels of both boots on his shoulders and kicked him away. Stumbling, he tried regaining his balance, then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the floor. Sakari stared down at the motionless naked man. No, no, no. Not again. Didn’t she learn anything from Zorian’s training? Kneeling down, she rested her ear to his chest to listen for a heartbeat. “Is he dead?” a man’s voice asked. Sakari screamed and spun around, standing, half undressed. “Dante! What are you doing here?” “I need you. There’s a problem in the desert. Get dressed.”
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Chapter Five What problem in the desert? Sakari had a problem right here. She dropped to her knees beside Austin and noticed the rise and fall of his chest. She sighed in relief, brushing the hair out of his face. “He’s okay. Just passed out.” She looked up at Dante. “What happened in the desert?” She got up and put her clothes back in order then approached Dante and examined his face and arms. Thin bloody slashes and cuts crisscrossed his skin. She touched his cheek with the back of her fingers. “Had a little trouble with the natives,” Dante said with humor. “What the hell happened to you?” “While I was with a Kithra, I was attacked by a shapeshifter.” “A Drone?” She couldn’t imagine a Drone doing something like that. “No, a human shifter. Can’t afford drawing any more attention to ourselves after your first incident.” “I didn’t mean to kill that hiker.” Sakari clenched her teeth, trying to regain her composure. Dante pointed to Austin who was moaning and slowly moving. “Almost did a repeat.” She glared at him. “Can’t kill any more Kithra and must protect the portal. The demoness has summoned me to return and I don’t have time to deal with an unconscious mortal man.” “What do you want me to do?” she asked. “Take him home so I can return to Anartia. I took the female home. I think it best you deal with the man.” “I’ll have to go through the portal alone?” Dante huffed and rolled his eyes. “Traveling though the portal is safe as long as you have your nebula stone. You’ll get used to it.” “My sister had her stone when she entered.” Sakari’s sister had traveled between portals on Prygos as a messenger for the rulers, when her stone must have been lost during her journey. She never returned. “But it slipped from her neck and was probably damaged. That’s the only explanation.” Dante was losing his patience. “Hold the stone in one hand when you enter and you won’t have that problem.” “And what about…” She inclined her head toward Austin. He groaned.
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“At least you didn’t kill this one.” Dante placed a hand on her shoulder. The tone of his voice softened. “Get him up and let’s go.” “I have to take him home.” “Then do it. Time’s wasting.” Dante walked toward the stairs. “Where’s the man, the shifter?” Sakari asked. “By the portal. He was still unconscious when I left. If someone starts looking for him there…” “Could someone find it?” Another moment of uneasiness reminded her of the difficult duties as a Drone. Not only did she have to worry about harming her Kithra but she had to provide a continuous supply of bio-energy to Anartia and protect the location of the portal. Dante shrugged. “Some mortals sense the energy of the vortexes and a vortex aligns with this portal but no one can get through it without the nebula stone. However, I’d prefer to keep the area secure.” Austin struggled to sit up, appearing like an intoxicated customer. Sakari pointed at Austin. “Fine. We’ll take him home. Let’s go.”
***** After dropping Austin off at his apartment, she said little to Dante on the drive into the desert. The stark Arizona night was a welcome change after being exiled for a thousand years on the isolated world of Anartia. The air was dry, cool, with a rich organic fragrance unlike any Sakari was familiar with on Anartia, or could remember on Prygos. She was surprised she could remember anything about her home. In the distance a thunderstorm lit up the sky. Would Prygos be the same after all this time when she returned? She gazed out the window. Jagged bolts of lightning crisscrossed the black sky and violent cracks of thunder shook the car. Was the shaking caused by the thunder or earthquakes? Since she arrived on Earth more and more of these storms hit the area. “Are these storms normal for Earth?” Dante glanced at her as if she was crazy. “No, it’s not normal for this area. Not this bad.” “I haven’t lived here long enough to know what’s normal.” “I have and this isn’t normal for Arizona.” “Can the storms harm Anartia?” He didn’t respond for a while, then finally spoke. “Anartia is causing the storms. It’s Tarik’s experiments. He may end up destroying us before he frees us. His projects are draining the core energy from Anartia.” “Anartia used to be a paradise. Doesn’t he realize what he’s doing?”
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“Anartia can’t stay in this dimension much longer without consequences.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” He shrugged. “Tarik could explain it. What’s important is the demoness won’t tolerate a Drone who doesn’t provide. Understand?” Sakari nodded. What else has Dante learned during his offerings to Gwyllain? He could easily manipulate information out of her. Being the demoness’s favorite had other benefits like telling him things that she wouldn’t dare tell the other Drones. “Let’s find the shifter before he’s found wandering around or someone reports him missing.” “Shifter? You didn’t mention what kind of shifter.” “A leopard. I’ve only seen one other like him. These shifters can cause a lot of trouble.” Now she understood why he wanted help. Could this night get any worse? Pulling the car off the main road, she drove onto hard-packed ground and found a place to park about a mile and a half from the highway behind a group of juniper trees. They got out of the car and started walking. “This way,” Dante said. “It’s not far from the portal. That’s why I’m concerned.” She followed him, unease building in this midnight task. The lightning had stopped for the moment. Was the storm over or had Tarik ceased his experiments for a time? She scanned vast expanses of desert draped in ghostly moonlight. Tree branches, bushes and grasses were coated in an ashen white glow. “It’s very peaceful here,” Sakari said nervously. Without the incessant sound of rough seas battering the rocky cliffs and the demoness yelling her demands, this part of Earth was quite peaceful and pleasing despite having to deal with a human shapeshifter. “Why do we need to worry about this human shifter? Is he stronger than most humans?” “Arizona was quite different a hundred and fifty years ago when I lived here,” Dante said, his voice distant. Was Dante completely ignoring her question or did he not know? They were close to the portal now, she could feel the magnetic pull. As they continued to walk, the energy eased. They were moving beyond it. At least the shapeshifter wasn’t right on top of the portal. “How has the area changed?” “More people.” She could sense something in him had changed. His cold, hard-as-steel manner had softened. “Is there anything you miss from back then?” Dante looked at her, his brown eyes clouded for a moment as if his thoughts were faraway and he didn’t speak for several moments. Straightening, he said, “I hope he’s still alive.”
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Sakari stopped walking. “You said he was injured. Now you think you may have killed him? Was that why the demoness made you into a slave for a time?” Dante laughed. “No. I know how not to kill Kithras. That’s not why she made me her slave. I’d lost my nebula stone. A year ago, a human stole it from me and it’s still missing.” She shook her head. “What can a human do with the stone?” “They could travel to and from Anartia if they can find the portals.” “Dante!” a male’s voice called from behind them. They spun around, confronting the new presence. Valdon stood several yards away. A blond shadow dressed all in black. “What the hell are you doing here?” Dante asked him. “The demoness has grown impatient and awaits the presence of her favorite Drone,” he said with an annoyed tone. “She doesn’t want to be kept waiting. Obviously, you don’t know how to stay out of trouble.” Dante stiffened. “This is a complicated situation and—” “And I will take care it and assist the new Drone.” He patted Sakari on her shoulder in a condescending manner. “Tell me what happened.” Dante gave him a sharp look, then explained about how he was attacked by a mortal shifter during his collection of chi. “He’s not the first mortal I’ve seen who could shift.” He motioned Valdon to follow him around a cluster of juniper trees. “I left him over here. He was unconscious.” “There!” Sakari ran over to the man who was half naked, muscular and very handsome. The same man she’d seen earlier, this time smelling of sweat, blood and earth. Thankfully, she’d drawn away any memories of their first meeting when she left him. He wouldn’t remember her. Unconscious and injured, the man still appeared powerful and dangerous. An appealing tug went straight through her, slamming her up against an invisible wall. No matter how beaten he was, she desired him now, his naked body pressed to her. She ached to feel him inside her. The sensual need continued to build in her. She needed a release she thought she could never get with a mortal. The intensity of the lust and her reaction to this man surprised her. Did Drones have these feelings for their Kithra? She hesitated to ask Dante. Standing beside the man, she saw his lips part as he took in a breath. Her pussy quivered. Wake up. I want you inside me. She closed her eyes and imagined him taking her hard. His swollen cock, ramming and thrusting inside her cunt. She wanted him, like nothing she’d ever wanted before. Was she insane? Obsessed? If she had this strong a response, she didn’t dare take him as her Kithra. If she fucked him, she’d end up killing him.
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“Sakari!” Dante said, giving her an odd look. Could he see inside her thoughts? Drones could only read mortals’ thoughts, not other Drones’. Dante held his gaze on her as if he didn’t trust her. “You’re wasting time.” “He’s not moving. Did you kill him?” Valdon asked. “The demoness will not be pleased if you did.” Dante gave him a wry smile. “I can handle the demoness and the guy’s not dead. I just stunned him. We could kill him if we had to. Out here in the desert no one would know.” “No!” Sakari shouted. She went into her slave mode and knelt beside the injured mortal. On Anartia she occasionally had to attend Drones when they returned from Earth injured. Obtaining chi for the demoness was sometimes a dangerous task. She smoothed her hand over his forehead and the male stirred. Well-sculpted chest and arms were covered in sand and bits of grass. Bloody claw marks crisscrossed his arms and chest. “Dante, did you have to? Look at his wounds.” Valdon shook his head in disgust. “No, Sakari, we won’t kill a mortal because Dante lost control and attacked him.” Dante paced. “He attacked me first.” A pain twisted inside her, feeling the pain from his wounds transferred to her. “I doubt it was necessary,” she said, her voice hardening. “It was.” Sakari raised the man’s arm and noticed some bruising besides the scratches. The man didn’t awaken. “Why didn’t you subdue him with thoughts?” “He caught me off guard. No time,” Dante said. “I bet,” she said, anger making her shake. Her hands continued over his arms, shoulders, chest and down to his abdomen trying to sense for any injuries. Her gaze darted to his groin and her body temperature kicked up a few degrees. “What’s he wearing?” Around the man’s waist, he had on an animal fur of some kind. “You need to leave,” Valdon said to Dante. Dante ignored him. “I think the fur has to do with the animal he shifted into,” Dante answered Sakari, sounding impatient. “He was a leopard.” “A leopard?” Valdon asked, distracted from his power struggle with Dante for the moment. She tried imagining this man shifting into a leopard. Then her mind drifted to him coming to her bed in her private chamber on Anartia. Where she could have a man, give herself completely to him in every way without concern for the loss of chi. What was it like to have a man without fear when getting personal could mean his life, or the death of her alternative world? It had been so long since she felt so drawn to a man like that. “Never make it personal,” Valdon always said. What if she did? “If you can’t keep your hands off the mortal, then jerk him off and get some chi out of it,” Dante said, leaning up against a rock, his arms crossed. 41
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“Back off!” Sakari snarled. “Hey, hey, hey. What’s all the yelling about?” the man said in a groggy tone. He blinked several times, squinted, then focused on Sakari. “You. You’re back.” “So I am,” she stammered. “Are you all right?” He remembered me. “Who are you?” the man asked. She glanced at Dante and tried to hide her concern. He had his arms crossed and had a scowl across his face. “Sakari.” She introduced Dante and Valdon. He tried to get up and winced. “What happened?” She and Valdon helped him sit up. The tan-colored animal skin wrapped around his waist looked peculiar and sexy at the same time. “Why are you wearing that?” Leaning on Sakari for support, he glanced down and rubbed his face with his hand. “Can you keep a secret?” He grinned, looking a little intoxicated. “What kind of secret?” Sakari asked, worried. Would Valdon kill this mortal if he knew something about them? No, don’t tell us any secrets, she willed. “You never told us your name.” “Brad.” He glanced down at his fur again, tugging on it to make sure it covered him. He smiled. ”Yeah, that would take some explaining.” “What do you remember?” Dante asked cautiously. He flashed Sakari a warning look but she wasn’t sure why. He looked up at the moon as if it held a clue. “I was out for a ride on my Harley and a stroll in the desert, sort of. And an animal attacked me. I think.” “What’s a Harley?” Sakari asked. Brad turned and stared at her. “You don’t get out much, do you?” Rubbing his head, he pushed away from Valdon and tried to walk, stumbled and fell. Valdon turned to Dante and pointed in the direction of the portal. “Leave now.” The firmness in his voice and his position was not to be challenged. Dante nodded and marched off into the shadows toward the portal. Brad got up and staggered farther away. “Need to drive home,” he said, not noticing Dante leaving. “Hey!” Sakari ran over to Brad. He was trying to climb onto his motorcycle, then realized he forgot something. “You can’t drive that thing.” He couldn’t walk straight, never mind drive a machine with only two wheels. “Need my helmet and boots.” “No, you’re injured. We’ll take you home. You can’t drive this thing now.” Brad appeared to consider that for a moment, then exhaled. “I think you’re right. But I still don’t know what you were doing out here.” He leaned on his motorcycle for support. The fight had obviously drained him but Sakari knew his strength and power would soon return.
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“We were driving back to town and saw a commotion off the side of the road,” Valdon said. “We stopped. Must have seen the animal attack.” “Must have,” Brad pursed his lips together. It didn’t look like he believed their story. “I think it was a coyote. Weird. There was a guy though, having sex.” Valdon shot her a look and she quickly thrust a thought toward Brad’s mind, a sensual image of her and him lying on the sand naked with Valdon observing and jerking off. “What other guy?” she asked. Brad rubbed his forehead and looked around. “Never mind. My mistake. And what happened to the other guy who was with you?” “Had to leave,” Valdon said. Brad made a face as if he didn’t like the answer but thought it better not to ask why. Valdon glanced at her and gave her a slight nod of approval. She let out a breath of relief. Then the sparkle in Valdon eyes gave her an unmistakable message. He wanted her to seduce Brad. Here? Now? At least distract him more with her thoughts so he wouldn’t remember the fight with a shapeshifting coyote. She gave Valdon an understanding glance but this mortal had already proven he would remember. Her powers weren’t dependable for controlling his memory. What was different about this human? Still she needed an offering because she’d lost so much during the incident with Austin. She had Valdon to assist her if things went bad like they had with Austin. Then she reached out with her thoughts and touched his mind. Sakari formed a clear image of her and Brad deep in the throes of passion. Right there in the middle of the desert, naked, arms and legs meshed, lips pressed together. Heated flesh pleasuring each other in wicked ways. She and Brad entangled on the ground, hands, fingers exploring, muscles tense, bodies straining. Then he was straddling her face, knees pressed in the soft sand while she eagerly took the full length of his cock into her mouth. The details of the seductive images were getting her worked up. Caught up in her own mental picture, trapped by her own bait, her pussy quivered. She tensed. How could she possibly have sex with a man like Brad and not have an orgasm? If she had sex with him now, she didn’t know if she could stop her body from finally indulging in the senses. Look at him, she wanted to shout. Every nerve wanted to scream she was on the edge of an orgasm. She stroked across his chest in slow, rhythmic arcs, moving lower, sliding beneath the fur to grasp his engorged cock. All this was just in her mind and apparently in Brad’s too. Beneath the leopard fur was a sign of his arousal. He gripped the seat of the motorcycle and stared over his shoulder at her with a lustful but confused look. Moisture dampened her panties with the seduction of this Kithra. Engaged in her imagination, Brad’s hand spread her thighs, lubricated his fingers with her fluids and worked her clit, making it plump and harden. A whimper escaped her lips and she tried to cover it by clearing her throat.
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He locked eyes with her, like a predator ready to pounce. Who was the predator here? She didn’t care that Valdon was there, he could watch. She didn’t give a damn. She would take Brad now. His pleasure, not hers, was what she had to focus on. But her clit throbbed and her pussy muscles clenched, begging for attention. How did this seduction of a Kithra get so out of control so quickly? She didn’t care. She’d have him here, right now. Her hands went to the hem of her shirt. Valdon placed his hand over hers to stop her and continued to walk toward Brad. Sakari let her shirt fall back into place. Instead she tried to shake off the lust pulsing through her veins. God, she wanted him and wanted him bad. Looking pleased, Valdon approached Brad and grabbed his arm. “Come on, I’ll help you. The car’s over here.” Damn him. Valdon interrupted just as she had Brad fully tuned to her. She approached Valdon. “Why did you stop me?” she asked. “You were getting out of control and we need to get away from the portal.” Hell, she could’ve handled it once she got going. And she would’ve enjoyed it too. Maybe too much. Brad glanced over at Sakari. The lustful look he gave her also let her know her thoughts had reached him. “Wait. I have clothes with me.” He retrieved his boots from under the sage bush, and his clothes and helmet from the bike. “Bring the clothes. We should go,” Valdon said. They helped Brad into the red Mustang. When they got to the car, Sakari realized she was about to lose control again. She opened the back door and helped Brad in. She glanced at Valdon. “He’s in no condition to be my Kithra tonight,” she whispered. She told him she was terrified to take this one as her Kithra because she was immensely attracted to him. “This one has plenty of chi. Once you get home, try again. If you can safely obtain chi from this one, you’ll be able to handle anyone. Here’s your first test.” Worried that she couldn’t control herself, she planted her hands on her hips. “But he’s injured—“ “He’s practice. And you need a better offering.” “I’ll practice on a mortal who’s not semiconscious.” “You’ll be fine as long as you don’t let it get personal.” “I’ll do the demoness’s bidding.” But she didn’t like it. Sakari understood why, the more she looked at Brad. She was more attracted to him than any mortal she’d known since she had been on Earth. This was a situation she hadn’t thought she’d have to deal with. “Get in.” Valdon opened the back door for her. She shot him a scathing look before getting in beside her next Kithra.
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Chapter Six Brad got into the backseat of the car, praying the woman wouldn’t change her mind about giving him a ride home. His head was spinning and his body weak. She got in next to him which surprised him. The guy called Valdon drove. Frankly, he was surprised that she was letting him, a stranger, a naked stranger in a leopard fur, get into her car. Then again, she did have the bodyguard friend with her. “I appreciate the lift. I suppose you want me to explain this. I had clothes with me. I should’ve put them on first.” Valdon held them up. “We got them.” He adjusted the fur so it covered all the vital body parts. No need to scare the girl. Especially since the sight of her was giving him a bit of a hard-on. His sexual fantasies were out of control. He had sex on the brain. “You’d only have gotten blood on them,” Valdon said. “You can have someone drive you back tomorrow to get your bike.” “Right.” That sounded logical. Didn’t it? Brad shook his head, hoping the grogginess would pass. “Can you give us the directions to your house?” “Drive back to Sedona and I’ll direct you as we get closer.” Brad rested his head on the back of the seat and half closed his eyes, watching from beneath his lashes. The car drove along the empty highway. The whole situation seemed too Twilight Zone for him, or maybe he had a concussion. No emotion. No awkwardness, no suspicions from picking up a stranger in the middle of the desert in the early hours of the morning. What do you make of that? Something wasn’t right with his beautiful companion and their chauffer and he was going to find out what it was. “Where’d you get the fur? Are there leopards in the desert?” Sakari asked. Brad raised an eyebrow. Leopards in the Arizona desert? He laughed, thinking she was joking—she wasn’t. He stopped laughing and wondered if he was in trouble. “Where are you guys from?” They didn’t answer right away. Then she said, “I live in Sedona.” “You’re accent isn’t Midwestern.” “No, it’s not.” The finality of her response prevented him from pushing the issue. Being rude could get him dumped out on the highway. He caught the scent of her skin, soap with a citrus smell, and also of her arousal. His animal senses were still acute. Maybe that was why he kept thinking about having
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sex with her. He wasn’t normally a sex maniac, not any more than the average guy. After a shifting he retained some of his animal senses, including animal sex drive, for several hours. Then his mind drifted to thoughts about spreading her legs and lapping her cream while he buried a finger or two into her slick pussy. God, she was turning him on. His cock stirred and swelled. Easy soldier. Keep your mind off sex. What the hell is wrong with me? “The leopard pelt belonged to my father.” He stared out the window remembering the first time he put the skin on. He was only eleven. His mother did not allow Brad or his younger brother Jake to watch their father’s transformation or to attempt their own shift. The Norwegian anomaly had terrified her. Brad always wondered if she’d found out about his father’s abilities before or after they were married. His father noticed that Brad seemed drawn to the leopard fur and had told him that one day he would give that skin to him. The shapeshifting abilities of Eigi Einhamr descendants developed around the time of puberty. Brad’s mother probably hoped that her sons had not received the rare Norwegian gene. Brad and his brother rarely saw their father shift into his favored animal form—the wolf—because their mother was so freaked out by it. Jake was the one who snuck out of bed and saw their father shift into wolf form and also saw him shot by a hunter. His brother never accepted this gift as Brad had and they grew apart after their father was killed. “Was your father a hunter? Did he kill that leopard?” she asked, as they continued down the road, picking up speed. He didn’t understand why she wanted to know so much about the fur. His mind was foggy and he couldn’t stay focused. Not good. “No, my father wasn’t a hunter. He was killed by a hunter in a hunting accident.” “How did that happen?” “An illegal hunter at night thought my father was an animal.” “I’m sorry.” She winced. “What do you do in Sedona?” “I work as a physician’s assistant at the Hilltop Health Clinic. What about you?” He paused for a moment to see her reaction. Would she finally reveal something about herself? She sighed. “I bartend, waitress.” He nodded. Valdon didn’t offer any information about what he did and Brad didn’t ask. It still didn’t give him a clue as to why she and her friend were out in the middle of the desert at this hour. Just driving by? He didn’t believe that for a second. Well past midnight, there wasn’t a soul out on the road. His instincts told him to keep his guard up. He’d been taught that innocent looking people could be the most deadly. “You okay?” he asked her. His voice low so that maybe the big guy wouldn’t hear. “Sure. I’m fine.” She glanced at him, looking down at his groin area covered in fur. “Really fine.”
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“Good. Turn here.” He pointed to his street. Valdon made the turn and drove up the winding road, past single story houses. Most of the houses on this street were adobe style with white stucco and red barrel tiled roofs. Glancing sideways at her, Brad’s focus drifted down to her breasts for an instant. He rubbed his head with his hand. Looking out the front window, he pointed. “This is me on the right.” When they pulled up in front of his white stucco ranch house, Brad got out and balanced against the car. “Thank you. I really appreciate your help.” He hated leaving his bike out there but they were right, he was in no condition to drive. He started staggering to his door, when Sakari and Valdon hopped out of the car carrying his helmet and clothes. He saw Valdon glaring at the woman, giving her some silent message. Before he had a chance to consider what had passed between them, Brad’s thoughts shifted to images of him drawing her across his lap, his warm mouth pressing to hers in a kiss that had them clinging to each other. He’d thought about kissing her hard like that, he’d reach under her tee shirt and squeeze her breast, then slip beneath the bra to cup smooth, warm flesh. He tried to push the thoughts away but his mind continued to get right back on track. Was he that horny or delirious? All he knew was that he wanted nothing more than to pleasure her and he didn’t give a damn if her companion stood on the sidelines and cheered. He wanted to touch her breasts, stroke between her legs. Overcome with the possibilities of what he could do to her, he was heating up inside, aroused and hard. Sakari rushed up behind him. “You’ll need help with all those scratches. Some of them are pretty bad.” “No, I’m fine. I work at an emergency clinic. I can handle it.” He stumbled as he pulled his keys out of his boot and tried to open his front door. “You’re not fine.” Moving around him, Valdon put his arm across his back to support him, while Sakari snatched the keys from his hand and opened his door. Valdon led Brad to the couch and sat him down. “Sakari, why don’t you bandage him up? I’ll wait in the car. I have a couple of calls to make.” Valdon pulled out his phone. It sounded a little suspicious to Brad. If these people were planning to rob him, they wouldn’t find much in his house but a dog who was a good watchdog. Zeus was in the backyard barking. While she rubbed his neck, his gaze wandered to her mouth. He imagined her taking his cock into her mouth, her tongue licking the head and down the shaft… “A little early to be calling people, isn’t it?” Brad asked. The suspicious tone crept into his voice again. Valdon shrugged as he punched numbers into his cell and placed it to his ear. He waved them on with a flick of his hand.
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“I’ll be okay, Sakari. You don’t need to stay,” Brad said. She held his gaze as another wave of images flooded his mind. He closed his eyes but the detailed pictures remained, along with the sensations of touch and smell. She takes my whole cock into her mouth… “I can tend to your wounds—” And slides down my hardened shaft… “Bandage your cuts and ice the bruises.” Taking all of me into her mouth down to the root. “Okay,” he breathed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. Hang on.” He got up and opened the back door and returned after a moment with his black Labrador retriever. “Zeus, meet Sakari,” Brad said as the dog stopped tugging on his chain to investigate the visitor. Zeus cautiously walked up to her and sniffed, whimpered, then backed up. “What’s with you, bud? He’s shy with strangers sometimes. I need to feed him and get him some water.” The furniture was sparse—only a couch, a table and a big-screen television. There was no dining table and chairs in the connecting dining room, but his house was clean, neat and painted in warm earth tones. “Have a seat,” Brad said. “Can I get you something to drink? Beer, soda, coffee?” “No, thanks.” She sat on the couch. Zeus gave her a short growl before following Brad into the kitchen. “Zeus, behave.” Moments later Brad returned and plopped down next to her, resting his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. “Are you going to tell me what you were really doing out there?” Sakari ignored his question and gently touched his forehead. “Are you all right?” “Yeah. Feel like I was in a barroom brawl and lost—” Then she placed a hand on his arm. “You look like you’re in pain.” “I’m fine.” “Yes, you look fine,” she said with an edge of sarcasm. He grinned, opening one eye and looking at her. He was about to ask her something when she interrupted. “Did you just move here?” He frowned as if confused. “No, I’ve been here a while.” “Your house looks so empty,” Sakari said referring to his minimal furnishings. He didn’t need much more right now. He’d plan to add stuff as he needed it. “Moved back about eight months ago. Retired from the military.” He didn’t look her in the eye, hoping she wouldn’t ask more questions he wasn’t prepared to answer or had to two-step around. “Then you must like it here if you returned.”
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He thought about that for a minute. The early morning hour and the bump on his head were slowing his thought patterns. Not good. He needed to stay sharp when there was a beautiful woman in his house under these strange circumstances. “Yes.” “Did you like the military?” He chuckled a little. “Interesting question. Can’t I get you a soda or something?” “No, thank you.” She remained on the couch, looking very sexy. Looking down at himself, he noticed dried blood, sand and grit on him. “If you’re going to hang for a couple minutes. I’m going to rinse off and put on a pair of shorts. I can’t bandage over dirt.” “Okay and I’ll be making friends with your dog.” In his bathroom, he removed the leopard pelt and jumped into the shower, wincing at the sting as water hit his wounds. Washing with soap and water, he managed to clean the worst of the dirt off his wounds. Then he dried off and collected a box of firstaid supplies—gauze, antibiotic gel, Band-Aids and peroxide. Taking a quick glance at himself in the bathroom mirror, he almost recoiled in horror. He looked as if he’d been in a boxing match—the losing end of one. The whole situation seemed surreal. He strode into the bedroom and draped his pelt over the bedroom chair, then dug into his dresser for a tee shirt and a pair of workout shorts, and slipped into the shorts. He carried out the tee shirt but didn’t put it on because the worst scratches were on his chest. He half expected to walk back into his living room to find it empty as if he’d only imagine Sakari as a product of his concussion. As was Valdon who was outside and the coyote who attacked him. Could they all have been the result of a head trauma? Maybe he fell off his bike and dreamed them all up. No, he had the claw marks to prove the animal attack. “Brad? You okay?” a sweet voice called from his living room. Not imagined. He should go in to the clinic to get his head x-rayed and get a tetanus shot. Tapping her foot on the floor, she looked up at him with a worried glance. How sweet and she doesn’t even know me that well yet. “Sorry to keep you waiting. I wanted to clean up a bit and get some clothes on.” “Sit,” she ordered in an impatient tone. He smiled. He hadn’t had a woman fuss over him in a while. It was kind of nice. Placing the box of first-aid items on the coffee table, he sat beside her. “I saw myself in the mirror. I look like hell.” “You look better without the fur on.” He grinned. “Yeah? Don’t care for the Tarzan look?” “Who?” He frowned. “Don’t know who Tarzan is?” She shook her head.
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“Where are you from?” “Sedona.” She opened the bottle of peroxide and poured it on a cotton ball and dabbed at his scratches. Brad didn’t wince. “Right. How long?” “Six months.” “And before that.” She didn’t meet his eyes. “Interesting question.” She squeezed some antibiotic gel onto Band-Aids and covered a wound. A deep one she covered with a square of gauze and taped it down. “Why not provide an interesting answer?” But she remained silent and stroked his arms and chest with the cool peroxide. Brad’s body was responding in ways he didn’t think possible during medical treatment. Each time she touched him, another erotic image drifted into his mind. Just as he was linking onto that thought form, she’d move on to the next wound. Then a new series of thoughts assaulted him along with a wave of sensual delights. He saw her naked standing at the edge of a cliff while he watched another man touching, licking and pleasuring her. His head lolled against the back of the couch and he focused on a point on the ceiling as she dabbed at his scratches with peroxide or antibiotic gel. He was enjoying this entirely too much. The pain had been forgotten ages ago. He didn’t know who she was or why she was in his house in the middle of the night except that she and her friend were kind enough to drive him home. And what was up with her friend waiting outside? He didn’t care as long as she kept touching him. Hiding his erection was nearly impossible when a vivid image of him pressing her down onto a grassy slope and fucking her hard flooded his mind. “Finished. Does it hurt?” she asked. “What hurt?” Had she been talking to him? Definitely needed to get his head x-rayed at the clinic. “Your wounds and bruises. Do they still hurt?” “Not much.” Not when you look at me like that. “Good.” The deep crease in her brows relaxed. Her fingers slid over the hard curves of his abdomen and chest. The flat of her thumb rubbed over his areolas and his body jerked from the sensitivity. When she started to pull her hand away, Brad stopped her and held her hand at his chest. “Feels nice, Sakar. He said her name like he was testing how it sounded. “A very sensual name. I like it.” His hands slid up her arms and his fingers laced into her hair. “Yes.” Moving closer to him, she rubbed her thigh against his. Her breasts rose and fell with deep breaths. He was so fucking horny and the look this woman was giving him said she wanted him. Who was he to argue? She had nice breasts and it didn’t look like she was wearing a bra. 50
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“You’re tempting me to hell here and I don’t know you. Perhaps we should get together again later this week under normal circumstances.” She shot him a glance full of sexual intent. Then her hand slipped down to his cock, resting it there. “Have me?” Sakari asked in a seductive whisper. “Okay,” he breathed as he leaned down and took her mouth, giving in to the lust that overpowered him. Her lips were warm and sweet, tasting slightly of expensive tequila. She kissed him back hard, her tongue thrusting deep, stroking. Fire stirred in his chest and eased to his cock. He took her whimpers as an invitation to do more, so he cupped her breast and squeezed. Moaning, she pressed against his hand. The visions were burning through his thoughts like a porno movie where he and Sakari were the actors, each scene becoming more intense. They were on that grassy cliff overlooking an ocean, touching, kissing, then ripping each other’s clothes off, then fucking… He looked into Sakari’s eyes at the dark, sinful lust in them as she tugged on his shorts, getting them halfway down his hips, then yanked her tee shirt over her head. He accepted the invitation and took a nipple into his mouth and at the same time, slid his pants off. “What are you doing to me?” he asked as he moved to her other nipple, clamping down lightly with his teeth. She smiled, then her smile faded a bit. Fear flashed in her eyes. “I can do this.” Was he going too fast for her? He sat up and stroked her hair. “We can stop. What do you want?” “You.” She began to work him, pumping his cock in her fist. An alarm went off in his head considering the reality of the strange events of the night. Just being paranoid. But with the way she was working him, rational thinking would be dealt with in the morning. He murmured something incoherent as her mouth slid over his cock. When the tip of the head rubbed against the back of her throat, his balls tightened up and he raised his hips. “Better slow up a little there, or I’ll be coming in a moment.” “No, don’t come yet. You must make it last.” She sat up. “I’ll do my best,” he said, his lips brushing against her neck as he unbuttoned her skirt. The yellow lace panties were pretty but he didn’t want them on either. In one swift movement he slid off both. “I need to get protection from the bedroom.” “Not yet.” She knelt between his legs and took him into her mouth again. “Yes,” Brad said. Damn, how was this happening? I just picked this woman up in the desert in the middle of the night. Rather, she picked me up. “I won’t hurt you,” she added. Brad gave a short laugh. “I’m not injured that badly. Just some cuts and scrapes.” As much as he was enjoying her mouth on his cock, the pressure building in his groin was going to finish him off soon. Lifting her up, he pressed her down on the couch.
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“My turn.” Hovering over top of her, he spread her legs and touched her pussy with his fingertips. “Oh.” She moaned and raised her hips, then pushed his hand away. “Let me pleasure you,” Brad said against her mouth, brushing her with a kiss. Her eyes widened. “I won’t do anything you don’t want,” Brad added, waiting for her approval. One minute she all over him like a sex goddess, the next, she was hesitant and pulling away. His Eigi Einhamr skills may have faded since his accident but there should be nothing wrong with his lovemaking skills. He’d never had a problem in pleasuring a woman and bringing her to orgasm. Going down was his specialty. Give him the opportunity and he’d have her screaming with pleasure. Her eyes held hesitation, so he slowed his pace. Before she knew it, she’d be begging him to make her come. Keeping her legs spread and exposed, he didn’t touch her. Let her anticipate the touch and wonder when and how he would touch her there. Instead he used his mouth on her neck just below her ear, using his tongue and gave her a little nip. She shivered and moaned, her hands roaming his hips, his back and down to his ass. Then his mouth moved slowly down her body, sucking her nipples, tugging on them. Sakari’s sudden inhalation and moan let him know exactly what she liked. The flood of sexual images that he’d been getting since he was in the desert finally stopped and he could focus on what he was doing and his own reality of pleasure, not a vivid daydream. Using his hands to massage and squeeze her breasts, he continued to suck them. She stopped her own stroking. Her hands hung limply at her sides, totally involved with her own pleasure. “You like this, don’t you?” “I never knew it could be this good.” Trailing his mouth over her abdomen, he moved down to part her moist folds and circled her swollen clit with the tip of his tongue. Dragging his tongue back and forth over her most sensitive bud, made her body shudder. “Oh, yeah, you like that.” Brad slipped a finger inside her cunt and Sakari arched her back. “It’s good. I can’t.” “Yes, you can. Come for me. Then I’ll make love to you.” She bolted upright and had him on his back. How the hell did she do that? Martial arts? “I’ll get a condom.” “In a minute.” Kneeling between his legs, she took his cock in one hand and cupped his balls in the other. She leaned over and gently sucked one testicle into her mouth as she stroked the hard length. A drop of pre-cum seeped out and her thumb rubbed it over the head. “I want to be inside you.” His voice low and husky. “Soon.” 52
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She deep throated him again just as he was about to lose it. She seemed to sense it and stopped. Gripping his shaft almost painfully until the throbbing eased, she went down again. This time she moistened her finger and pressed it at his anal opening. He groaned. “Sakari, I’m on the edge here.” He sucked in a breath as she gripped him again, stopping the climax. “God, I want to make love to you.” Gripping her wrists he tried to draw her up to him but he didn’t have the strength. “Now.” Her mouth slipped up and down in a quick rhythm, giving him the sensation of fucking her. He had no strength left to resist. The orgasm pulsed through him. He felt his seed shoot into her mouth. After several moments, she raised her head and smiled. “You’re okay, right?” Darkness rolled in from the edges of his vision and soon he couldn’t remember anything.
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Chapter Seven Early the next morning, Sakari arrived at the entrance to the portal with Valdon. She’d left Brad sleeping peacefully. All she’d wanted to do was curl up next to him, feel his warmth beside her through the night. Instead, she had to drive out to the desert with Valdon and return to Anartia. The demoness wouldn’t wait for her offering. The scent of the sea flowed through the portal from Anartia mingling with the desert air. Leaving her car parked far off the road, she rushed toward the gateway between two worlds. Tiny lizards skittered across the cool sand. And a pair of crows perched in a tree silently watched them pass. She suspected peaceful was not the state of Anartia. And calm was not how the demoness Gwyllain would greet her when she returned. Like a massive magnet, the vortex charged the air with an invisible current, drawing her closer. Its energy swirled like a horizontal tornado. The nebula stones unlocked the gateway for passage. The ground rose to a grouping of boulders overlooking a dried-up riverbed. The portal was invisible at the base of the ten-foot-high rock formation but its magnetic pull disoriented her. As she got closer Valdon stopped and glared at her. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “I feel dizzy.” She held her hand to her head, waiting for the moment of discomfort to pass. “It’s the portal’s location. Tarik placed this one in the middle of an energy vortex to conserve energy by using natural forces from this planet. The vortex amplifies the portal without draining energy from Anartia. The dizziness is caused by the conflicting energies. It should pass.” She nodded. “Let’s go then. I want to return as soon as possible.” Traveling through the portal with Valdon would give her some comfort. The sooner she got the trip over with the better. She also wanted to see Brad again. But did she dare? She had managed not to harm him. Zorian’s training had worked. The thought of transferring her collected chi through a sexual encounter with Tarik gave her an odd feeling. This was her job, why should she feel awkward about it. She had never been swept away by the sexual attentions of a man before. In the past while she was a slave, she would find pleasure with slaves, or another Drone when her body demanded release. And for a time, she even indulged in Zorian’s masterful skills. What she and Zorian had was never more than a friendship. In those heated moments, she would submit to his scorching attentions, pushed beyond her limits. From intimidation, to pleasure, to pain, she proved that she could remain neutral, enjoying some of their sessions and numb to others. She later learned the reasons for 54
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their repeated encounters were quite different. She only wanted to prove to him and herself that she could be a good Drone, by never crossing the line in feeling emotion. But Zorian wanted to uncover those emotions and feelings and connect to her. She realized this when he suggested she move into his chamber. She didn’t believe Zorian had been truly in love with her but he was hurt when she’d turned him down. Now he wasted his time on the one Drone who showed the least amount of emotion or caring for anyone—Dante. Zorian was setting himself up, loving what he couldn’t have. Keeping emotions out of her work, is what made life as a Drone easier. She could take pleasure with Brad if she kept her feelings and emotions out of it. As she approached the portal, Valdon yelled, “Stop!” “Now what?” “Where’s your nebula stone? Are you crazy? You can’t enter the portal without it.” Her hand flew to her throat, searching for her pendant. “Oh, no, it’s gone. I must’ve dropped it.” She looked down on the ground and started retracing her steps. “It’s probably at that mortal’s house.” Thinking about what she had done to Brad, the pendant’s clasp could’ve slipped. “Can’t I go through without it? I should be safe if I hold onto you.” The nebula stone was a navigating tool as well as a mini conduit to direct energy from Anartia to each Drone and servant. That energy provided the lifeforce that maintained immortality. She couldn’t be without it for very long. “It’s risky. Lose your grip and you’ll never return to Prygos. You’ll be trapped between dimensions forever. Even if you’re not killed, Gwyllain will be furious if you return without it. Dante lost a stone and the demoness nearly eliminated him— permanently.” Sighing deeply, her shoulders sagged knowing she had to go back and find the stone and that the demoness would be furious when she returned late. “She’ll punish me anyway.” “Then come back with me to give your offering and I’ll bring you back later so you can locate your stone. And you’d better find it.” Valdon turned without another word, grabbed her arm and walked toward the portal’s entrance. As he placed his hand over his stone, he pulled them both through. After several moments of swirling blackness and some dizziness, Sakari’s vision cleared and she found herself standing at the edge of a high rocky cliff. Below, fierce ocean waves beat against the rocks, spraying a salty mist high into the air. The sky was turbulent with gray clouds and the wind threatened to blow her and Valdon over the edge. He pulled her away from the precipice. A rumble of thunder echoed through the roiling black clouds. “This doesn’t look good,” Valdon said, looking up at the sky. “Must be a shortage of chi again.”
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The fierce ocean winds swept upward over a wide grass field toward a large stone building. The structure, with its marble columns and stairs resembled the Greek Parthenon. A sense of anxiety hit her. The amount of offering she had would not be enough. “How can the state of Anartia be bad when all the Drones are working at the same time?” she asked. Usually they cycled a few at a time while the rest remained on Earth. The demoness could only accept so many offerings at once. Valdon shrugged. “I don’t understand the workings of Anartia any better than you.” Zorian was waiting for Sakari halfway down the hill, his blue-gray eyes fixed on her with disapproval. Beside him, the air appeared denser, stirred with an occasional spark, difficult to see but Drones knew what to look for. Zorian had been entertaining the demoness. The residual energy surrounded him. Zorian shook his head. “You’re late. And you didn’t acquire much lifeforce energy from that mortal. What were you doing with him all this time?” “He was too strong-willed and injured.” She silently cursed herself for yet another failure. Would Zorian buy her excuse? She wanted to return to see Brad again, wanted him as her Kithra. She could have him many times if she was skilled like Dante. “To subdue him would’ve taken too much time.” Zorian didn’t comment. “Why is Anartia in this state?” Sakari asked looking around. “All the Drones are working, the demoness must be busy.” “She is very busy, taking two, three or more at a time,” Zorian said. “She and Tarik haven’t had much time together because of that. He’s been busy working on his new project.” “Will the demoness punish me? Is she displeased?” “Perhaps she will be displeased with both of us. I’m supposed to assist new Drones when necessary,” Zorian said. “You’ve had a few…inconsistencies.” She winced. His gaze softened. “Don’t worry. She’s too busy to worry about one Drone’s difficulties. You’ll get better.” “I’ve learned much about Earth’s culture during the thousand years in exile but little about how to live among the people as a Drone. I only know how to be Gwyllain’s slave.” Zorian sighed wearily. “Valdon and Dante agreed to assist you.” His words should have given her comfort. Valdon and Dante were both Drones and guardians to new Drones. They were also not among the original exiles from Prygos. They’d been assimilated from Earth. A few Drones had been forced into exile with the demoness and her consort. The idea of having a guardian supervise her prey and collection of chi filled her with cold and dread. “Is that necessary? Do I need looking after?”
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Zorian sighed, his eyes softened. “Drones that don’t provide, disappear.” The look she gave him must have shown her fear and doubt. Zorian stroked her hair like an uncle would his niece and smiled. “Come. Gwyllain and Tarik wait.” Resigned, she nodded, hooked her arm in Zorian’s and approached the entrance. Sakari hesitated as Zorian opened the massive wood door. The sound of breaking glass echoed loudly off the white marble floor and tall pillars. It was not a good sign. Past the foyer a large sunken pool took up most of the main hall. Several women and a couple of male servants wearing white tunics or partially naked knelt at the pool’s edge facing two lounge chairs. Gwyllain, in a sea-green metallic dress, lay on a chair shouting at the young woman scooping up the broken bits of glass. “Hurry, Natesa, clean this up.” Next to her Tarik was receiving a massage from one of the female slaves and ignoring his lover. The woman had a blue wrap around her waist but her breasts were bare. She kneaded Tarik’s shoulders and neck while he rolled his head and smiled. “Yes, that’s good. Gwyllain, you really do need to relax. Maybe a little time with Zorian—” “Can you not hear the state of Anartia and see? You’ve asked to decrease the numbers of our Drones and I have. We’ve ordered the ones remaining to increase their duty but Anartia is still in such a state.” Tarik gave her a pat on her arm. “A period of adjustment is needed while I work my experiments.” “Your experiments may destroy our world,” she snapped. Sakari looked at Zorian for assistance. “Maybe we should come back.” “Do not leave,” Gwyllain commanded. “If you were not once my personal servant, you would not exist right now. Come here.” Gwyllain shook her head as if Sakari was an incorrigible child. “Are you trying to destroy us all?” What could she say? It seemed like a week passed before Sakari could answer. Every time she opened her mouth to speak, she knew whatever she said would not be good enough or would only anger the demoness more. “I wish only to serve you, mistress. I have much to learn.” With a snort, Gwyllain ordered more wine from the servant seated at her feet. “I had to lose another of my servants, because of your incompetence,” Gwyllain said to Tarik. “First Dante and now Sakari. If you spent less time in your laboratory and acquired better quantities of lifeforce then I would still have my servant.” Gwyllain’s smile was mischievous. Tarik looked annoyed. “My experiments required more bio-energy and using the most superior Drones, like Dante, is necessary. At the same time we’ve had to release several Drones that haven’t performed well. All this in order to free Anartia.”
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Sakari wondered if release meant destroyed. Then a glimmer of hope eased into her mind. “I would be honored to serve as your servant again, mistress.” Gwyllain’s eyes blazed in anger. “Servants I don’t need. What I do need is all my Drones performing their duty.” Sakari didn’t dare ask why Tarik didn’t just assimilate new Drones from Earth to meet the energy needs of Anartia. The demoness must have guessed Sakari’s thoughts. “Tarik’s new plan to break Anartia free from exile requires us to decrease the number of Drones by half but increase the amount of life energy collected about three times.” Tarik merged science and magic to keep their fragile artificial world together, a world he’d helped create for him and Gwyllain as a secret love nest. They were all there because of Gwyllain’s infidelity to her ruler husband. And the ruler of Prygos was not a forgiving man. After discovering the affair, the island world was altered by the ruler’s scientists and was transformed into a prison. Not only of the demoness and her lover but of those believed to be loyal to her. “If you please, mistress. I have an offering to give.” She wanted to leave as soon as possible so that she could return and find her nebula stone. The demoness huffed, losing patience. “Tarik has other Drones waiting. You will have to wait your turn.” Tarik interrupted. “I may see Drones in any order I wish.” The demoness shot him an evil look. Sakari had always thought she preferred Anartia to Earth but now she couldn’t wait to return to Earth. “I’d welcome an offering from my new Drone, Sakari.” Tarik held out his hand to her. “Better now. Each moment the energy drains.” She was grateful to give her offering to Tarik. The male Drones had to deal intimately with Gwyllain. The thought made her cringe. Tarik could be stern but he wasn’t cruel. “Fine,” Gwyllain snapped. “Make the offering quick. Then show her to your lowerchamber as a warning to what happens to Drones who don’t perform.” Sakari understood. The demoness wouldn’t allow any more mistakes. In the thousand years exiled on Anartia, Sakari had never been to the subterranean chamber where Tarik worked. In the lower chamber humans were assimilated into Drones. The core controller was also located there and was responsible for collecting all the lifeforce essence and distributing it throughout Anartia. The Drones had to give their offering through sex with Tarik or Gwyllain, because they were energy conduits to the core. “Are you ready, Sakari?” Tarik asked in a commanding tone. His words went through her and thoughts of Brad suddenly entered her mind. She’d only just met this mortal. Why couldn’t she get him out of her mind when she was about to give her offering to Tarik? “Yes, of course, Tarik.” She took his hand and
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walked past the demoness whose attentions were on a male slave. He stood behind her stroking her shoulders, then sliding his hands into the top of her dress and fondling her breasts. Tarik smiled. “Come, Sakari. Let’s pleasure each other and replenish Anartia.” Sakari followed Tarik into his private chamber. “What happens in the lower chamber? The demoness forbids us from going there.” Tarik laughed. “Don’t fear. The core is where the energy is stored and distributed on Anartia. And my lower chamber is my laboratory where I am completing a project to release Anartia from the magnetic binds of Earth. Soon we’ll be home on Prygos.” Sakari sighed with relief. She always thought it was some sort of torture chamber the demoness used to punish the Drones or slaves who angered her. Tarik approached her and stroked her arms. “I will give you a tour later but now we have an offering to address.” He gazed at her with hungry eyes and began to untie her tunic. She stiffened and he sensed her hesitancy. “I’ve thought about this for a long time. You should’ve always been a Drone, not Gwyllain’s servant. Just relax.” Her tunic fell to the floor and she stood completely nude before him. Before he laid a hand on her, Gwyllain barged into the room. “Tarik, this Drone does not have a sufficient offering for you.” “How so?” Tarik restrained his annoyance. “I can sense the level of chi within her and it’s substandard. It’s a waste of time to give an offering without an adequate amount.” She glared at Sakari. The demoness had it in for her. “Yes but I wasn’t planning on taking long with this Drone. I have others today.” Gwyllain slithered over to her consort, touching his chest. “Others with better offerings. And when you are finished, if you are not tired, we will have time for each other. Don’t waste that time with a new inexperienced Drone.” “True.” Tarik slipped Gwyllain’s dress aside and sucked on a nipple. The demoness moaned in pleasure and pressed her thigh between his legs. “Send this Drone back to Earth. I forbid an exchange of offering with her.” It was a command. She said “Drone” like the word disgusted her. “Of course. We shall meet later.” He sucked her other nipple and his hand reached between her legs, rubbing her pussy through her dress. “Yes, later then,” the demoness said breathlessly. She slipped out of his grip and left the room. Tarik huffed and turned to Sakari, stroking her hair and looking at her with lust in his eyes. He lifted her tunic back onto her body, very slowly and tied it at her shoulder. Did Tarik look at all the Drones this way? “Shall I go?” Sakari asked. He nodded. “I guess you need to go back to obtain a better offering. Too bad. I’ve been looking forward to this for a very long time.”
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***** Sakari arrived on the other side of the portal still clinging to Valdon. The journey between worlds was unnerving enough with her nebula stone. Without the pendant, for those few seconds her life depended solely on another Drone. “It’s not lost,” she said, hoping she sounded convincing. “I’ll find it.” “Don’t take long,” Valdon said as he turned and disappeared back into the portal. When Sakari returned to her car, she spun tires along the rutty, abandoned road, swerving her Mustang onto the deserted highway. Punching the gas pedal, she got the car up to eighty mph. Fortunately, that early in the morning, there weren’t too many cars on the road. She would make good time getting to Brad’s place and retrieve her pendant. She’d used her powers to calm his mind and change his brain waves so that he’d fallen asleep. With any luck, he might still be sleeping. What worried her was that she was unsuccessful in altering his memory. He’d recognized her from their first encounter in the desert. Was she risking exposure by seeing him again? But then weren’t all the Drones risking exposure by luring victims with their bizarre sexual encounters? Drones were like succubi and incubi, energy predators and there would always be risks. As much as she was attracted to this mortal, continuing to use him as her Kithra was not very smart. He would eventually get suspicious that something odd was going on. That’s why Zorian recommended moving on to other quarry. But she had to get her pendant back. The punishment would be severe if she didn’t. She didn’t want to think about what Gwyllain would do if she failed. Tears stung her eyes. She was messing up again and after she did so well with Brad. She’d obtained the chi she needed and hadn’t killed him. She rubbed her itchy nose and sneezed. Then sneezed again and again. The car went off the road, dropped hard off the shoulder, spinning out on loose gravel. The car pitched to one side and jerked her against the door. Then she screamed as she heard the crunch of metal and shatter of glass. She bounced around inside the car. Moments later, at least it seemed like moments later, she opened her eyes. The sun was higher in the sky and brighter. Had she passed out? The world looked strange. The sky was growing trees and scrub brush and the desert had blue sand. Then she realized she was upside down and dangling from her seat belt. Groaning she tried to undo the belt but couldn’t reach the release. Damn, Gwyllain is going to be furious. Then she thought about the nebula stone. How was she going to get it now? Finally, she thought about her pretty red Mustang, dented, scratched and upside down. Dante helped her buy it. It was a present, something to smooth over her adjustment to her new life on Earth. He knew how she was fascinated by machinery and gadgets. Would he help her fix it now? She heard a whining sound, saw flashing lights and looked out her window. A man’s face peered in at her. She screamed.
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“It’s okay, miss. I’m a paramedic. We’re going to get you out. Are you hurt anywhere?” She shrugged. She reached for the button to roll down the window, or would that be rolling it up since she was upside down. With that thought, she started giggling and couldn’t stop. “Don’t cry, miss. You’ll be okay.” “I’m not crying, I’m laughing.” “Laughing? What’s so funny?” the paramedic asked, giving her an odd look. “Never mind. Can you give me a lift to my friend’s house?” He smiled. “No ma’am. I need to take you to the emergency center to make sure you’re okay.”
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Chapter Eight Shadowy images flashed in Sakari’s mind like dream fragments. A cool cloth wiped her face and arms. Then a sharp prick in her skin made her jump and she opened her eyes, blinking from the bright room. Two women were standing over her. For a moment she thought she was back on Anartia being attended to by slaves. “Where am I? What happened?” Sakari asked the young woman in a white coat and short blonde hair who had stuck the needle in her arm. The woman was extracting small tubes of her blood. Another woman wearing a white uniform wiped her forehead and a cut on her other arm with soapy water. Sakari flinched a little from the sting. “Hilltop Emergency Clinic,” the woman said without looking up or stopping what she was doing. “You were in a car accident. The PA will be here in a minute.” “Who?” “Physician’s assistant,” the woman said louder as if Sakari had a hearing problem. She placed a bandage on her arm from where she took blood. “It doesn’t look like you’ll need stitches,” said the other woman much older with wavy dark hair and long, thin features. “A couple of Steri-strips. You were lucky. They said your car flipped.” Sakari stared at her. “I’m Jan. I’m going to bandage your forehead now. It might sting a little.” She dabbed something on her forehead and it did sting, a lot. Sakari jerked away. The woman shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Try to hold still. I know it hurts.” “She’s awake now?” a male voice said. “Yes. I’ll get her chart and have her sign,” the older nurse said. “Be right back.” “Thanks,” the male voice said. The bright lights hurt her eyes and she couldn’t focus well yet. She heard the shuffle of the other women leaving. The room started coming into focus. Next to her on either side were other patients’ beds and nurses wandering around attending them. Brad moved next to her bedside. “I thought you were a dream,” he said. Her eyes widened and her heart jumped in her chest. “No, not a dream. What are you doing here?” He remembered her. How? The first time they’d met, she hadn’t collected chi but the second time, she had drawn the lifeforce from him. Her mental influences over him should’ve been stronger. Kithra were not supposed to remember after the collection of chi. How much did he remember? What’s different about this mortal?
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He gave her a knowing smile and a bold stare that told her, he remembered everything. “I’m Brad Montag, a physician’s assistant. Remember me?” Beneath his professionalism, his eyes flashed with unmistakable lust. She couldn’t deny the response her body was having. Her eyes lingered on his mouth. Thoughts of his firm lips and tongue pleasuring her filled her mind. Perhaps she could claim this male as her Kithra again without causing him harm. Why move on to another male when this one pleased her so? “Yes, I remember. I need to leave here.” “Are you feeling any pain?” “Headache but not too bad. A little sore here and there.” He smiled. “Sore where?” She pointed to the cuts. He explained the tests they were doing—X-rays and blood tests. “So far everything has come back normal. Surprising considering you flipped your car.” “How do you know that?” “The paramedics. How are you feeling? You look pale all of a sudden.” “I’m fine.” Except the demoness would have her executed when she returned without her nebula stone. “Nice car, they said,” Brad added. “Not too badly damaged. I have a friend who does body work and repairs if you need a name.” “Thanks. I love that car. It’s what made the adjustment of moving here easier.” “From where?” “I really need to go.” She was looking for a way to get out. Would anyone stop her if she got up and tried walking out? “If your X-rays are fine, I can release you.” “When.” Her smile was more like a grimace. He had no idea the kind of trouble she was in with the demoness. “Soon.” Brad reached into his pocket. “I think this is yours. You left it.” He swung her nebula stone at the end of its leather cord. She thought her heart would stop. “Can I put it on?” Her hands were shaking. If he had been near the vortex with the nebula stone, he would’ve been transported to Anartia. She didn’t want to think of that implication. “Sure. I’ll help you.” He hooked the necklace around her neck. She hoped he didn’t notice her huge sigh of relief. “I’ll check on the X-rays.” She nodded, then noted she was clasping and unclasping her hands. Slipping her hands under the sheet, she slid them under her thighs. “Maybe sooner if I’m lucky?” she asked. “Maybe dinner when you feel better?” “Perhaps.” She smiled and couldn’t take her eyes off him. 63
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“You’re smiling so I guess I’ll see you at the Red Rocks Bar and Grill.” She frowned. How did he know? “Your medical chart,” he answered her unasked question. “You’re in the computer.” She nodded. Employee physical. About an hour later, Brad came over and said, “You’re free to go. Can I call someone for you? Family member, friend?” She thought a moment. Who could she call? Haley was taking a class today. She was her only friend. He frowned and looked sad. “Hang on.” Moments later he returned. “I can take my lunch break and give you a lift. Beats paying for a cab.” She needed to get home and this was the fastest way. “Okay.”
***** Brad helped Sakari out of his car in front of the two-story garden apartment complex. She strode across the parking lot as if she was about to go hiking on the mountain trails behind her building. Except for the bandages on her head and arms, she didn’t look like she’d been in an accident. “Nice view,” Brad said, admiring the high cliffs of red sandstone formations jutting out in the distance. “Did you know this area had been a backdrop for many old western movies before it got built up?” He led her upstairs to her apartment. “I didn’t know that. I just liked the scenery.” Upon entering her apartment, he climbed over boxes of antique lanterns, old radios, clocks, paintings, knickknacks, several sets of dishes, crystal glassware, books and children’s toys. Her furnishings were a mixture of new and old pieces. “Wow. You have a lot of stuff. Some antiques. Where did you get it all?” “The cook from the bar where I work took me to an antique auction and I was hooked. He said I’m lucky, when I bid on things other patrons never tried to top me.” He stepped around an antique chair and some old pictures. “What are you going to do with it all? You can hardly walk in here.” She looked around as if she’d never noticed the clutter before. “I don’t know. Where I lived before I wasn’t allowed to have things.” “You have enough to open your own shop.” He picked up a dented pan and examined it. “This was used to pan for gold, maybe during the Gold Rush in the 1800s.” “Really?” She took the pan and slowly turned it over in her hands as if it was a priceless treasure. Bending down, he studied a group of family photographs. “Who are these people, your family?” “No.” 64
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“Who then?” “Don’t know.” He was confused. “Why do you have photos of people you don’t know? The frames?” “No. They remind me of my family, I guess. Sounds silly, huh?” This woman was a real puzzle. “Where’s your family?” A look of worry crossed her face and then she looked away. Now, he was concerned. What was she hiding? Worse. Who was she hiding from? He was almost afraid to hear any of the answers. “They’re faraway.” “Hmmm. When did you see them last?” She wouldn’t make eye contact with him but at least she was still talking. “Long time ago. Have time for a soda?” “Hmmm. Can’t, my lunch break is up,” he said. She was done talking. Either she was running from the law or in witness protection. Or maybe the war had made him overly paranoid. “I’d like to call you and do dinner. Is that okay?” She smiled and met his eyes again. The worry gone for now. “Can I ask you a question before I go?” “Sure.” There was an edge of hesitation to her voice. “When I first met you in the desert, how did you do the disappearing act? I found your dress and shoes beneath a tree but no sign of you, no car…” “Some questions are better left unanswered.” He laughed. “Right. Like a magician who won’t tell how the trick is done?” She didn’t answer. “I’ll figure it out sooner or later.”
***** After Brad left her apartment, Sakari removed her clothes, her tee shirt, jeans and underwear and walked out onto her balcony. The warm desert air caressed her skin. The red rock formations glowed in the afternoon sun as if they were artificially illuminated. Her hand fell across the smooth, coiled nebula stone at her throat. If she didn’t find enough lifeforce energy between here and the portal, what would the consequences be? And she would lose some of her power by shifting but how else would she get to the vortex? When Tarik asked for her choice of animals to shift to, she had asked for the fastest among Earth’s creatures, for two reasons—to escape harm from any human or animal and to see as much of this planet as possible. As lovely as Earth was, the demands of the
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demoness would prevent her from seeing anything other than the small area of Arizona. A hand over the nebula stone made sure it was in place. She looked toward the red rocks and drew in all surrounding energy to initiate her shift. Her muscles tensed painfully, then relaxed to where she thought her legs wouldn’t hold her. The shift was even more painful this time because of her accident. Then she collapsed onto the floor. Violent tremors coursed through her body while the change took place. She stretched her wings and talons, becoming accustomed to her falcon body. Testing her wingspan, the falcon flapped her narrow, curved wings and flew up to perch on the railing. Gripping her claws, she crouched as if ready to take off but then stood tall, folding her wings at her sides. Looking left and right and straight ahead, her acute vision allowed her to see details of the mountain and valley before her. Her vision was two and half times sharper than a human’s and her sense of smell was keen. Outdoor smells assaulted her with a lush earthy fragrance, flowers from wild blooms, plants and trees, a human. A man was taking an afternoon jog up one of the trails. She could smell his sweat. Time to go. She’d stalled long enough. Crouching down on the railing, keeping her eyes on her prey, she lifted off the balcony. Silently, she dipped down low over the man. Alone on the trail, he found his way uphill through thick trees and underbrush. He was in his twenties. Sweat glistened on his skin, outlining his muscles. She circled overhead, a predator studying her prey. One more offering for the demoness. Maybe she wouldn’t be as angry with her after all. As soon as he came to a dense area, overgrown with trees and grasses, the falcon drew her wings close to her body and dived for the man. The wind whistled by her and ruffled the feathers around her face. She stretched out her claws and hit the man behind his shoulder blades and knocked him off his feet. He lay there stunned. After a few moments, he slowly rolled over and looked up into Sakari’s eyes, now human and naked, her Drone influences already working on his mind. He tried to sit up but she put up a hand and he lay back down, his eyes focusing on her breasts and her pussy. She knelt down beside him and noticed the evidence of his arousal. His dark hair was tied in a ponytail and she reached around and slipped the elastic out. “Touch my breasts, I know you want to,” she said as she spread his hair out. Brad’s hair was the same color but shorter. A pang of guilt hit her. An emotion strange and unexpected for a Drone. The man blinked and started to rise. “Who are you and why did you hit me?” Sakari returned her focus on the man and sent him another sexual image of him fucking her and his eyes fluttered closed. His cocked twitched under his running shorts. She had to make this fast and couldn’t afford a mistake. With thoughts of Brad, she had no desire to have sex with this Kithra. What a failure of a Drone she’d become. Without touching him, she mind-fucked him in explicit detail with a stream of sexual images, each one more intense. He rocked his hips as though she was taking his
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hard cock into her mouth, sucking him deep, licking the head and gliding up and down his shaft. He groaned and grabbed on to her imaginary head to guide her but she was standing beside him. The dream she was giving him was lucid and real to him in every way. In his dream, a Drone’s creative dream, he imagined her straddling his hips and guided his cock into her wet channel. The images she sent to this male were vivid and intense but she wasn’t wet or aroused. She was an observer. Do other Drones ever have this problem? Becoming distracted by a Kithra could be dangerous while she was attending to another quarry. But she couldn’t get the other Kithra, Brad, out of her mind. Reaching orgasm with this mortal would not be an issue here. Her thoughts wandered to the sex she’d almost had with Brad and her body began to respond. The man reached into the air as if he was cupping her breasts and then gripping her hips while he pumped into her, or imagined that he did. The man blinked several times and focused on her. “Who are you woman?” he asked. “Shhh,” she raised her hand again and the man moaned in pleasure. He arched his back and she knew he was close to climaxing. Kneeling down, she brought her face close to his. “Don’t come yet.” “Oh, God,” he groaned. “Don’t do this. It’s too good.” He pushed his shorts down, exposing his engorged cock. “Make it last. It’ll be worth it.” He nodded, his face straining. Her lips hovered over his and the flow of chi poured out from him, out of his mouth and third eye in a golden-white glowing stream that only she could see, and entered her mouth and third eye. Between the rush of energy surging through her and thoughts of Brad filling her cunt, her muscles and clit throbbed. If she let her mind wander, she could get turned on, even climax. No, she mustn’t. The consequences would be dangerous. Tightening her muscles, she tried to fight the throbbing in her clit and the clenching in her vagina. She touched her swollen clit, hoping the pressure of her fingers would stave off the throbbing. She wanted Brad and she wanted him badly. The hiker groaned and shot his seed across his belly. His breathing slowed and his head dropped to one side. He was out. Dead? Sakari stepped away. No, no, no. Then she saw his chest moving. Still breathing. Moments later his eyes blinked. He was coming around. Stepping behind a grouping of trees, she shifted back into the falcon and flew off.
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Chapter Nine Brad had dragged himself up the next morning and got to work late. The events that happened the previous night hung over him like nightmares and wet dreams. But it wasn’t a dream, it did happen. He just didn’t know what to make of it all and what to make of Sakari. He’d get someone from work to give him a ride out to pick up his bike. He never thought he would meet someone quite like Sakari. He’d had beautiful women in his life one time or another but there was something about her exotic looks and her cobalt blue eyes that unsettled him. He couldn’t decide if it was a good or bad thing. “Do you know her?” Jan the attending nurse asked. “I think she had a thing for you.” “I met her briefly the other night.” He didn’t go into more detail about the strangeness of their meeting. “I may sound like your mother but you two make a nice couple. Did you ask her out?” Brad shrugged a shoulder. Jan huffed and rolled her eyes. If his mother hadn’t left when he was eleven and his brother Jake was nine, would he have talked to her about his potential dates? He liked to think so. “Getting involved with a woman isn’t in my plans right now. Not until I get a few things settled.” She stopped putting medical supplies away in a cabinet and turned toward Brad. “Like what?” Frowning, she placed her hands on her hips. When all my Eigi Einhamr powers return. “When I can do something worthwhile for the community like use my training to help the mountain rescue team, then I’ll have time for a relationship.” “It has nothing to do with time, Brad,” Jan rubbed his shoulder. “You’re trying to compensate for the accident in Iraq.” “I was responsible for the death of someone on my team.” She pulled him into the break room and poured him a cup of coffee. “Sit,” she ordered. “Tell me. You never told me exactly what happened.” He gripped the coffee cup in the palms of both hands. “Why do you want to know?” “Because telling sometimes heals the wounds that medicine can’t.” The fiftyish woman frowned with the caring face of a nurse and mother. “Some wounds leave scars that don’t go away.”
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“I know. But tell me anyway.” She sat and crossed her arms. If Jan had seen her husband shapeshift into a wolf, then get shot and killed by a hunter, how would she deal with it? Would she have left two young sons, knowing they too would inherit the same abilities when they matured? Brad hesitated. She patted his arm with one slim hand. “Tell me.” “Okay.” He took a breath. “During a mission, RPG fire had trapped my team.” “RPG?” “Rocket-propelled grenade. A number of men were injured. We had to get out or kill the guy on that weapon.” He left out the part about him stripping down, wrapping in the leopard skin and slinking up toward the enemy. “I crawled up the hill alone.” “Wow, you’re brave.” He shrugged. He’d been a buff-colored shadow creeping up the hill at night. They wouldn’t expect an animal to jump out of the darkness. “Just doing my job.” He’d ripped out the first man’s throat, tasted blood in his mouth. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. He’d stalked the next victim. One by one, he’d mauled the enemy, taking out the soldiers firing down on his men. But after a dozen kills, the bloodlust had overridden his soldier’s training. “I won’t tell you all the gory details but in the heat of battle, I heard someone behind me and reacted.” She nodded, understanding. “One of your men.” “Yes.” He put the coffee cup down and gripped his thighs. “Go on,” Jan whispered. “Not much else to tell. I swung around and wounded him. He later died from those wounds.” He’d pounced in leopard form on his next victim. But as he’d attacked the scent was familiar and he’d eased back. But too late. His buddy’d had to use his knife to slash at his shoulder to draw him off. Jan squeezed his hand. “The whole team might’ve died if you hadn’t tried, right?” “Perhaps.” “Some wounds heal, others not so easily.” There was a knock at the door. “Excuse me,” said a young nurse. “They just brought in a twenty-something man who was found on one of the trails either hiking or jogging. His vital signs are erratic, similar to the cowboy they brought in earlier and that woman the other day.” Brad jumped up. In the examination room, the clinic’s doctor was treating the jogger. His blood pressure, respiration and body temperature were all decreased. “The hikers who found him said he had his shorts down around his knees and had ejaculated,” the young Asian doctor said.
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“He’s waking up,” Jan said as she took off the blood pressure cuff. “You’re in the Hilltop Emergency Clinic. Can you tell us what happened?” The man frantically glanced around. “Is she here?” “Who?” Brad asked. “Was someone with you?” “Yes, I’m not sure.” “It’s okay. Try to remember. You were on a trail hiking? Jogging?” “Jogging. Then I fell, I think.” “You were found unconscious,” the doctor said. “I can’t remember much. But she was there.” “Who is she?” Brad asked. “The naked woman.” The doctor and Brad glanced at each other with a knowing look that said, yeah, they’d heard a few similar stories from other patients who’d mentioned naked—a naked man on the hiking trails, now a naked woman. “What naked woman?” The man smiled. “She was sexy. Dark hair, blue eyes and she had a bandage on her forehead and naked.” An image of Sakari and her bandaged head came to Brad’s mind but he pushed it away. The nurse came in to attend the patient. The doctor pulled Brad aside. “We had another guy in here the other day with a similar story. And a number of women patients admitted with extreme fatigue after meeting a guy on the hiking trails. But they didn’t mention any sexual interaction. At least they didn’t admit to any. And they didn’t look like they were molested, or drugged. Tox screens were negative.” Brad rubbed his head. “Okay, so not drugged and not sexually attacked. I still don’t get what you telling me.” The doctor gave a nervous laugh. “Very peculiar. It’s like they were all physically drained almost to the point of death with no apparent cause, no dehydration, sunstroke or illness. Almost like they were attacked by a succubus.” Brad made a face. “A little too far in the metaphysical realm don’t you think, Doc?” The doctor shrugged. “Could be. I’ll ask around at the hospital, talk to some of my colleagues. See if anyone has come across this.” “Probably don’t want to let this get out or this tourist town will soon turn into a ghost town,” Brad said.
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Chapter Ten The next morning, Brad met his grandfather at the Bell Rock trailhead. The large red rock formation always reminded him of a giant UFO. It was early, the air crisp and cool, the sky a gray-blue. This was Brad’s favorite time, before the tourists started hitting the trails and scampering up rock formations like a bunch of ants on a sugar cube. “Why won’t you stay at my house while you’re in town?” Brad asked Bill, as they walked Zeus, his black Labrador along the trail. “I stay with my cousin and his wife when I visit. Emily cooks better than you.” Bill patted Zeus as they walked along the trail. Bill had on a pair of dusty old hiking boots, jeans and a long-sleeved denim shirt with the cuffs buttoned. How he didn’t sweat to death in that, Brad didn’t know. In a couple hours, the desert would heat up. Brad wore jeans to protect his legs from the brush and a tee shirt. “Thanks a lot. I can cook,” Brad argued. “Not like Emily.” “I can take you out.” “I have other stuff to do too besides worrying about food.” “Shaman stuff,” Brad said. “Yeah, shaman stuff.” Bill chuckled. “Have your powers returned?” “I’m working on it. I go out into the desert, focus like you said.” He tried to keep the frustration out his voice but he saw his grandfather studying him. “What are your dreams like?” “My dreams?” Brad held back a laugh. “What are you dreaming about?” Dreams were always important to Bill. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve had some dreams about tornadoes,” Brad said. “Must mean I have a lot on my mind.” “Could be. Tornadoes can also be a spirit trying to communicate. Maybe leopard spirit is trying to reach you. Tell me about the dream.” Bill picked up a stick, unhooked Zeus’s leash and tossed the stick. “Go get it boy,” he yelled at Zeus. “Bill, leash law. We’re in a park.” Brad pointed to his dog who was taking the scenic route to fetch the stick. “Yep.” His grandfather looked at him and smiled. After several figure eights and fake outs, Zeus finally snatched the stick and raced back to Bill. Tail wagging, Zeus dropped the stick at Bill’s feet. “Good boy.” Bill patted his head and tossed the stick again. “About the dream…” 71
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Brad watched Zeus run around in circles with the stick in his mouth. “I’m usually in my house and I can hear the wind outside. I look out and see the tornado coming. I watch it for a while, curious, then look for a safe place in the house and can’t find any. I wake up.” Bill nodded. “Next time you have this dream, you should go outside and walk into the tornado.” Brad laughed. “That’s against all common sense, like standing up in the line of fire.” “I’ve never known you to walk away from a fight. When you were a boy, you were angry at your mother for leaving. Yet you would come home, stiff-lipped with a black eye or bloody nose for defending her honor when the other boys made fun of her.” Brad pressed his lips together. After all these years, the pain still ran deep about his mother leaving and his schoolmates teasing him about it. “It wasn’t their place to judge her. She made her choice, right or wrong and I’m sure it wasn’t easy. She left Jake and me in good hands.” Bill patted Brad’s shoulder. “Leopard spirit wants to find you again. You need to find peace with your past.” Brad huffed. “I’m trying. It’s the only thing I think about.” “That’s your problem. You think too much.” “Let’s take this trail, the tourists will be all over Bell Rock in an hour or so,” Brad pointed in a direction away from the large landmark toward another stone monolith called Courthouse Butte. The massive red rock structure looked like the profile of a human face gazing skyward when viewed from a certain angle. The sun had begun to warm the air, lizards ran out from under rocks and scraggly brush and Zeus tried to catch them. The sound of birds chittering in the bushes and trees kept his dog entertained but he stayed close when he was called. “So, what’s this about an evil entity you wanted me to check out?” “I don’t know if it’s an evil entity,” Brad said. “I just said strange events.” “Tell me about them.” “There’s this woman I met in the desert, beautiful, exotic. She seemed to disappear. I also fought with a coyote who changed into a man.” Bill stopped walking. “Coyote?” He looked shocked and a bit scared. “Yeah, like the one you use to tell us about in the old legends.” Zeus came running up and dropped the stick in front of Bill. He put the leash on the dog. “You have troubles, son.” “What kind of troubles?” Could that beautiful woman he met be evil somehow? He hoped not. He saw the image of the coyote change over the man and felt the superhuman strength.
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“A night in the sweat lodge would help to bring your powers back. You’ll need them to fight Coyote. He almost destroyed your brother.” “Jake fought him too? When?” “A year ago. If this woman has any connection to Coyote, you should stay far away from her.” “I don’t think she’s evil.” “If I am right she’s evil and dangerous.”
***** Sakari swooped low over the desert in daring maneuvers and dives, testing her abilities. She could’ve spent hours, days even, exploring the rock cliffs, the barren plains and lush evergreen forests in the high country. But she had to get to the portal and return to Anartia. A quiver of fear shuddered through her falcon body and for a brief second she thought she’d shift back to human form. A disastrous error. They were nearly immortal but it didn’t mean they didn’t feel pain or couldn’t die. The ability to draw in surrounding chi energy to regenerate life for a very long time had been developed many centuries ago by the scientists on Prygos. But a Prygosian couldn’t survive such horrific injuries like extreme burns or decapitation. Tarik could also drain the lifeforce through his instruments in the lower chamber. The magnetic pull from the vortex and the portal guided her to the correct location. She tucked her wings back and glided in, landing on a boulder a few feet away. She willed herself to shift into her human form. Standing naked in the desert, she felt the warmth of the sun as it rose above the horizon against her skin. Invisible between the two boulders, the magnetic energy of the portal drew her closer. Holding onto the nebula stone, she walked naked into the swirling vortex of energy. The dizzying disorientation during the brief journey made her stomach dip and then she was standing at the cliff’s edge looking out over the great sea of Anartia. The gray waves churned and crashed against jagged rocks, seaspray spewed a salty mist high above the cliffs. The sky was also gray with dark, threatening clouds. Not a good sign. Energy levels were low on Anartia again. The demoness would be in a foul mood. Turning around, Sakari strode up the long, sloping hill of heather toward the temple. Even the heather had lost its lush green color and pink fragrant flowers. She picked up her stride and ran toward the temple, not wanting to keep the demoness waiting. She was not known for her patience. Sakari climbed the white marble steps to the temple. The structure looked similar to the ancient Greek structures. Tarik redesigned the old temple to look like Earth’s grand 73
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monuments. Gwyllain was pleased by the beauty and harmony of the numerous columns and large rooms. It wasn’t as grand as her residence on Prygos but after a thousand years, Sakari suspected the demoness wanted something different, maybe something that didn’t remind her of her husband, the ruler who had exiled them all on Anartia. When she entered the great room, Gwyllain had two male Drones attending her while she lay stretched out naked on her lounger. Both were young, early twenties Earth years, and extremely handsome. Selecting an appealing form made acquiring quarry much easier. Changing appearances and giving each Drone the skill for shifting was one of Tarik’s engineering abilities. One of the men stood behind the lounger and was fondling Gwyllain’s breasts, while the other knelt between her legs fucking her. His ass bounced up and down as he thrust and pumped inside her. The demoness sipped wine from a crystal goblet, appearing only mildly amused by the men’s attentions. Before the demoness spotted her, Sakari rushed to her chamber down a side corridor, slipped on a white silk tunic and stepped into sandals. She returned to the great hall, trying to catch her breath. “Left in a hurry?” Zorian asked from her side. “What do you mean?” Sakari asked looking at Tarik who was being fed slices of juicy mango from a slave girl’s fingers. He slurped each slice then licked her fingers, the girl giggling the whole time. Give her offering, get it over with, then back to Earth. Maybe she’d see Brad again. But it would be better if she didn’t. He would be safer. The thought of harming him twisted at her insides. She would have to look for other Kithra, those she wouldn’t have dangerous feelings for. Focus was important for protecting her quarry. That had to be the trick, like Valdon said. “Don’t let it get personal.” She glanced down at her attire. “I guess I did.” Her sandals were undone and her gold belt hung half tied. “A last minute collection.” Zorian knelt and tied her sandals for her, then crisscrossed her braided belt. “More presentable for the demoness and Tarik.” “Thank you.” “Sakari, come to me. You have an offering, better this time, I sense,” Tarik called from across the room. “Anartia is in such a state.” Sakari cringed but not outwardly. She smiled and strolled up to Tarik. “Yes, I have an offering for the demoness’ consort.” Sakari bowed her head. She caught a glimpse of Gwyllain studying her but kept her attention on Tarik. Tarik stood and smoothed a hand over Sakari’s shoulder. “Come. We shall retire to my chamber for the transfer.” He turned and started to walk away with Sakari following. Her body recoiled at the thought. There was no way around this. This was the final cycle of her Drone duties.
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“No, you will not.” Gwyllain sat upright in her lounger. “And why not? I’ve taken Drones to my chamber as have you.” “Not this Drone. Once we return to Prygos she will become my handmaid again. There will be no private offering with this Drone,” Gwyllain said. Tarik opened his mouth to speak and took a breath instead. Hadn’t Gwyllain requested Sakari become a Drone or had it been Tarik’s idea? Nothing could be more dangerous than stepping between the demoness and her mate, even if it wasn’t Sakari’s fault. Tarik appeared to be about to argue with his mistress then gave her a disinterested shrug and started to remove Sakari’s tunic from her body. “I will be quick then, I have work to do in my chamber.” He angled his head directing Sakari to lie on his lounger. She cringed. Although Sakari didn’t shy away from sex and nudity, Gwyllain was obviously having a hard time with her and she feared antagonizing the demoness. She also couldn’t get Brad out of her mind and wondered if she would sufficiently perform her duties while so distracted. She removed her tunic and stepped over to the lounger. Tarik smiled at her with a lustful look and his cock was fully engorged. “No!” Gwyllain interrupted again. Sakari put her tunic back on. Was her offering again not sufficient? The muscles around Tarik’s jaw tightened. “The Drone has an offering to give, my mistress and Anartia is in obvious need of the life energy. If you would glance out the skylight you will see.” He pointed to the large window in the cathedral ceiling. Dark clouds roiled past, threatening a severe storm. “I am aware of the state of my Anartia,” Gwyllain stated through gritted teeth. “Your projects continue to drain our kingdom.” “My instruments need the power. They will release us from exile one day. I need Sha Warriors to test the effective collectability.” “Use this Drone for your test,” Gwyllain said with a flick of her hand, referring to Sakari. When Sakari was her handmaiden on Prygos, Gwyllain treated her with kindness and called her by name but since they’d been on Anartia and the demoness had been the ruler of her tiny alternative world, the woman had called her only by her station of slave or Drone. “But it has not been tested,” Tarik said. “It might be dangerous, especially for someone from Prygos. The drain too sudden may kill her.” Gwyllain glared at Tarik. “The Earth’s moon is drawing us into its orbit. We don’t have time to be cautious with your projects. All on Anartia are at risk. Now go!” Tarik grabbed Sakari by the wrist and pulled her out of the room toward the entrance to the lower chambers. As she moved along the dark, steeply sloping marble hallway, she realized in over one thousand years she’d never been to this part of Anartia. This was Tarik’s private laboratories and the heart of the artificially created world, an engineer’s alternative 75
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universe designed as a love nest. As they walked down the labyrinth of corridors, she thought about all the trouble Tarik had gone through to design this secret place. A miniature world that would later become a prison for them and his lover’s servants. The air became stale and cool as they moved deeper into the heart of Anartia, down narrow hallways, through doorways. If she turned around right now, she didn’t know if she could find her way back to the great room. A humming sound emanated from the walls. “Almost there,” Tarik said, then stopped abruptly and swung open a door. “In there.” He nodded toward a room where a bluish glow pulsed. The humming noise grew louder. She hesitated. “All will be fine. It’s a good thing really. This is how we will break free of Earth’s magnetic binds.” He pressed a hand to her shoulder and urged her inside. Sakari walked inside but stopped the moment she saw the objects suspended from the ceiling—the source of the blue glow. Three giant clear crystals were suspended from the ceiling at forty-five degree angles, their points aiming downward forming a triangle but without the points touching. At one side of the room were three marble blocks, she supposed could be used for chairs. Unless they had other functions. A larger rectangular marble structure stood taller than the blocks and had markings and lights on its surface. Tarik touched a few markings like keypads on the table and approached one of the marble blocks. “Here, let me show you.” Sakari took a couple of steps closer and stopped again. She didn’t like this, she didn’t like it at all. With the slightest touch, Tarik slid the marble block that should’ve weighed hundreds of pounds beneath the three glowing crystals. “How did you do that?” Tarik grinned. “It’s not hard once you learn to manipulate natural laws and molecular structure. Sit here.” She didn’t move. “Don’t be afraid from what Gwyllain said. She does not understand my work. This won’t hurt you. It may even be pleasurable.” She took another step closer and stopped. “What does it do?” He smiled mysteriously. “A collector and amplifier of sorts. It will draw off your chi and reconvert it into energy for Anartia.” Sakari clucked her tongue. “And isn’t that exactly what you and the demoness do to maintain Anartia? Why is this different?” Tarik grinned wickedly this time. “Because it takes the power and multiplies it one hundred times as it converts it, something the demoness and I cannot do.” “Won’t it drain me completely? Make me mortal or kill me?”
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“Sit,” he ordered his tone tinged with grim impatience. “This instrument is our salvation. It has taken me centuries to develop it. Earlier attempts nearly destroyed us.” Reluctantly, she sat on the marble block, resigned to whatever would happen. Tarik approached the table and touched a couple of controls. Instantly, a blissful feeling of peace filled her. A vibration and hum emitted from the crystals and the blue color turned a deeper shade of indigo. Her skin tingled and flushed with a sensual heat. Shifting on the block, she crossed her legs to fend off the throb beginning in her pussy. She glanced up at Tarik, questioning. “Yes,” Tarik said. “Your nipples are hard and I smell your desire. Remove your tunic.” Embarrassed for the first time ever as a slave or Drone, she gripped the hem of her tunic and pulled it down to cover her thighs. Amused, Tarik shook his head and made a few adjustments on the control table. Her vagina clenched as if tightening around a hard cock. Her juices trickled down between her legs. “What are you doing?” Sakari said as she wrapped her hands around her waist and leaned forward but the change in position only made her pussy more sensitive. “Lift up your tunic and let me see how wet you are.” Tarik touched a few more controls then moved closer to Sakari and the crystals, staying just outside the pool of indigo light. Sakari touched her breasts but hadn’t lifted her tunic. “Do it,” he ordered. She pulled up the silky cream material to her hips and Tarik gazed at her moist pussy. “Spread your sex and slide a finger inside.” This time she didn’t hesitate. Her body was on fire and needed the attention. Tarik had dropped his own tunic and was stroking himself. “Damn, Gwyllain and her jealousies,” he said. “Tarik, turn it off.” Sakari tried fighting the sensual heat surging through her body but the influences from the machine were too strong. Thoughts of Brad came to her mind and she was lost in the moment. She began finger-fucking herself to ease the ache and need building inside her. She wished Brad was there, not Tarik. He checked his instrument panel and smiled. “Don’t come yet, Sakari. I want to take you one more step.” She groaned. “One more step? But I’m on the edge.” “Hold it, damn it. I’m not through with my test.” He released his cock and strode over to the control panel and hit another key. The light from the crystals brightened and darkened to a deep purple.
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Sakari cried out and leaned back on the marble block. The sensation of a cock filled her pussy. Pressure tightened around her breasts as if some invisible hand fondled and squeezed them. Even her nipples puckered painfully hard. Her body felt like it was floating on an intense sexual fog. “Hold off as long as you can,” Tarik said now from a few feet away. Then he ran back to the controls, checked the table then back to her, his face wild. Turning her head, she saw he was stroking himself again, as was she. “Every moment adds more energy for Anartia.” Her head spun and her vision blurred. “Won’t be long now.” Tarik looked worried. Her hand dropped away from her pussy even though she was so close to coming. Sitting back on her hands and spreading her legs, she rode the increasing intensity of sensations assaulting every nerve, on the edge of being too much to bear but so pleasurable she couldn’t fight it. Her hips rocked and moved to a rhythm of throbbing and clenching as if an invisible lover was fucking her hard and deep. At the same time, all strength drained out of her. Tarik stood at the control panel, frantically punching keys. “This is great. Quite impressive.” He glanced over to Sakari and frowned. The colors of the large crystals changed to a dark violet, pulsing. “Just a little more,” he promised, eyes wide. “Anartia needs an increasing amount of chi while I perfect my device. When you return to Earth, you need to be diligent with your collections.” She was having difficulty keeping her eyes open. Her body shook violently, an orgasm perched on the edge. “I can’t take anymore.” “Drone, do not come yet. My test is not complete.” Thoughts of what punishments might arise if she failed to honor his demands. Sakari bit her lip to stave off the ensuing orgasm. A whimper escaped her lips. “Tarik, I cannot hold back. I feel lightheaded, disoriented.” The room grew dark and from far away she heard Tarik swear. The humming noise abruptly stopped and she forced her eyes opened, blinking against the bright white light. She was on the floor. Had she fallen off the marble block? Tarik hooked an arm around her shoulders and lifted her back up onto the block. “Oh, no, not more, Tarik. I can’t do more.” He grimaced. “We’re done.” He walked across the room and picked up her tunic then brought it to her. “Here, get dressed.” “It’s over?” Tarik nodded. “You’re finished for now. Are you all right?” “I think so. But I did not give you the offering.”
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Tarik sighed. “Yes, you did and more. Data for my instrument was helpful. I nearly lost you. I’ll need to make some adjustments.” “Lost me how?” “Drained all your lifeforce energy.” She slipped the tunic over her body, which was numb and shaky from the experience and tense from no release from orgasm. “What could’ve happened?” He shrugged, turning his back on her, he walked to his table of controls and touched the keypads. “Either drained you until you’re mortal again or until you were dead.” Sakari placed a hand to her head, which began to throb with pain. “How will this affect the Sha Warriors? The mortals? Will they be harmed when you put them in this?” “I’m not concerned with the consequences of the process, only with the results. And the results will free us from exile and allow us all to return to Prygos.” “All of us? Even the Drones assimilated from Earth?” Tarik sighed with annoyance. “The interdimensional trip back to Prygos will consume much power and the demoness may choose a few of her favorite Drones. Other than that, only Prygosians will be returning.” “What will you do to all the remaining Drones? There must be about fifty.” Tarik didn’t answer. “But there are many Drones who have been serving you and Gwyllain since Anartia was first exiled,” she argued. Still Tarik didn’t respond. “Don’t you think a thousand years of faithful and loyal service to the demoness and you, providing lifesustaining chi doesn’t deserve a reward? Freedom for instance.” Tarik didn’t meet her eyes. Turning from her, he moved to his control panel and punched a few keys. Lights glowed on the panel. “Freedom isn’t an option.” She shook her head. “Without these Drones, those of us on Anartia would not have immortality and Anartia could not maintain existence.” Pointing out the obvious probably wouldn’t do any good but she had to try. Tarik narrowed his eyes, looking down at her in a manner that showed his patience was growing thin. “Without Anartia’s power, these mortals would’ve died a long time ago. As Drones they had a brief taste of immortality. That is their reward.” “What will happen to the Drones then?” “At the time of departure, reassimilation will occur. We will need all the energy to break free from Earth’s electromagnetic binds.” Sakari raised her chin, glaring at Tarik. Something she’d never dared as a slave but as a Drone her boldness came through. “And what will become of me at that time? Will you use your machine to drain all the chi from me until there is nothing left but a hollow shell?” A shiver went through her thinking about sitting beneath those crystals again with Tarik at the controls. If he’d turned the controls all the way up, would every ounce of life be drawn out? A river of energy drained down to the dried dirt bottom. 79
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Tarik turned back from his control panel, studying her for several moments. “You have always been Gwyllain’s favorite servant. She would have you return with her to assume your role again on Prygos. But do not displease her or me.” A smile twisted his lips in a sneer. “Your fate could easily become the fate of the other Drones.”
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Chapter Eleven Sakari left Tarik to his instruments and studies as she jogged up the corridors toward the great hall, trying to get far away from the demoness’ consort. She crept into the great hall, searching for the demoness. If at all possible, she wanted to get to her room and avoid the demoness’ jealous rage. “The mistress is taking a walk in her gardens with Dante.” One of the slaves apparently realized her dilemma. Sakari thanked the young girl and padded across the marble floor as quietly as possible. Most of the slaves or Drones were lounging around the pool or sleeping and ignored her. She entered the hallway and slowed her pace. She was still using the room that had been hers when she had been a slave. “I see you survived.” Zorian greeted her in the hallway. “How were your first conquests? More intense than one of my sessions?” Sakari thought for a moment. “I’m not sure if it was more intense but it was a lot more draining. I feel like I could sleep for a week. I want to rest before I return to Earth.” Zorian laughed. “I don’t think you’ll get much of that with what’s waiting for you in your room.” “Another test?” Did all Drones have to go through this? Maybe Dante was getting even with her. She clenched her teeth. “Is Dante blaming me for the end of the rest cycles?” “Why would you think that?” “Once, when Dante got too personal with one of his quarry, the demoness got jealous—and angry. She ordered me to pleasure him while he was bound until he—” Zorian laughed. “What mode of pleasure? I’m curious.” She gave him an impatient look. “My mouth. He spilled his seed and wasted his valuable chi. For a time he was the demoness’s private slave—a position he loathed. After that incident, all the rest cycles ended and all the Drones had to obtain offerings continuously.” “Not your fault. Gwyllain is keeping a selected few slaves, requiring the rest to work as Drones. Dante and Valdon may be her favorites but they are also the most valuable Drones.” “Would Tarik destroy Dante if he knew Gwyllain favored him over all the Drones?” she asked. “Probably not. Dante is a valuable Drone and Tarik has his favorites too.” Sakari nodded in understanding. “When I was a slave I wasn’t allowed to have physical contact with Tarik, but now as a Drone it’s my duty.” 81
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“Also explains why Dante’s punishment of becoming a slave didn’t last long,” Zorian added. “The demoness does like her acquisitions of chi. And she does have her favorites. Has she ever shown an interest in you?” Zorian looked horrified. “No,” he lowered his voice. “Don’t get me wrong, I do occasionally enjoy the company of women. I like the delicacies, the softness and how they respond but I favor men—the hard, edgy rawness of men.” “You want Dante. You’re in love with him,” Sakari said with a shudder. He made a strangled groan. “Don’t go there.” “Okay.” “Now, get into your room.” He placed a hand on her back and urged her toward her room. “What is Dante up to?” she asked. “Go into your room and find out. A warning, Sakari. I was told you could not leave your room without another collection or there would be consequences.” She stomped her foot. “Damn you and your training and tests and punishments. I just gave an offering and nearly lost my immortality. I need rest.” “There is no rest for us. The rulers of Anartia want to be free of their exile. And they’re willing to sacrifice humans and Drones to succeed. Dante is certain that he’ll be able to locate Sha Warriors soon for Tarik’s first project. Now return to your room and remember, the demoness will be expecting more from her Drones who wish to return with her to Prygos.” “Fine!” She stomped off to her room, jerking open the door. Zorian pushed her inside, slammed the door, bolting it from the outside. Her chamber, tiny as it was, still was a place of refuge, a sanctuary that no one invaded. Opposite the door, the room had a narrow window that over looked the sea of Anartia. If she tried really hard, she could almost imagine she was home in the servant quarters of the palace where her parents had lived. There too, they’d a view of the sea. It was so long ago that now the memories had dulled to faded images. The room was dim except for gray light coming in from the window. The bed in the corner of the room was empty and neatly made up as she had left it. A side table and chair rested on a far wall. The room looked empty. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught movement and turned to see a figure in the alcove to her right, hidden in shadows by an upright cabinet. The figure of a man had his arms stretched over his head. When her eyes became accustomed to the dark, she noticed he was restrained, hands tied above his head and hooked to a brass loop in the ceiling. His legs were parted and manacled to bolts in the floor. “Dante?” Picking up a lamp, she raised it to his face. “Brad!” Brad raised his head. “Where are we?”
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“How did you? Never mind.” Dante or Valdon, or both did this. Both of them had seen her reaction to this mortal and brought him here. Was she that obvious in her extraordinary interest in this particular male? He was completely naked. The flickering light of the lamp highlighted the curves and valleys of his straining muscles. His cock hung semi-erect and twitched as she approached. She tugged at the chains, trying to release them, then stopped. Even if she could get him free, then what? And what would be the consequences if she didn’t pass this test? Would they kill Brad? Everything in her being screamed. She did not want anything to happen to this mortal. “Can you get me free?” His voice sounded desperate. And her heart broke because he sounded so unlike himself and she couldn’t free him. Not without angering the demoness. Why couldn’t she read his thoughts? It was odd seeing him helpless and vulnerable. She would’ve expected him to be fighting mad, calculating an escape, something. She looked around for his fur but it wasn’t in the room. Dante must’ve brought him here without it. “I’m afraid I can’t free you,” she said. She knew what she had to do. This was her test. Seduce Brad and obtain his chi again without harming him. Dante and Valdon had selected the mortal who she most could not resist. “What?” Now he did look angry. She would pass the test damn it and then they would release him. Hands fisted, she swore, she’d do anything to protect him. Placing her hands on his chest, she sent an image of herself hanging onto the chain above him and straddling his hips, digging her heels into his ass to press his cock into her cunt. Brad’s eyes rolled skyward and he closed them. Groaning he said, “What are you doing?” The heat of a blush radiated through her as her body responded to her own images of fucking. Everything about this man turned her on. “I want you, Brad,” she said as her hands circled his shackled wrists. “God, whatever you want,” he said swaying from side to side. Stay in control. It was always about the training. Part of her resented Zorian for setting this up. Valdon or Dante were responsible for bringing Brad here. The other part of her craved Brad and more than in a physical way. There was an ache deep inside her that swelled whenever she was near him. And she really didn’t know him that well. If she protested, he could be in danger. An oath escaped her lips, she wanted this mortal, wanted him bad in ways she didn’t understand. All the rules made for Drones said not to get involved with your quarry and this was why. There were too many confusing and conflicting thoughts to deal with. “My body’s on fire.” Stepping back, she stroked her breasts through her thin tunic. More than anything she wanted to have an orgasm with Brad. Experience that pleasure. 83
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“Hmmm. Yes,” he answered, watching her. “Brad, don’t worry. I’ll find a way out for you.” “I’m not worried,” he said with a dazed smile. “Good. Remember the nebula stone pendant you gave me at the hospital? That will help.” “What necklace and what hospital?” “Where you work. And the necklace you gave back to me when I came into the—” She stopped abruptly, staring at him. A worried look flashed across his face. “Oh, yes. Right,” he corrected. Taking a step back, Sakari studied him, then noticed the mischievous smirk. “Bastard!” She slapped him. “Valdon, you conned me.” He laughed. “No, a training exercise.” Sakari stood in front of the naked image of Brad as a yellow glow surrounded him. Brad’s face changed. Then the features of his body. Replacing Brad’s face was a new face, clearly featuring Valdon. He frowned. “You’d better hope you’re ready to go it alone.” “Valdon, damn you.” His fake manacles released him. “You’re good. Or you really have a thing for that mortal like I suspected. Be careful, Drone. Now return to your duties. Maybe you should avoid that mortal if you can’t—” “There is nothing between us.” But she couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Good because we won’t be here long if Tarik’s machines work properly. We’ll be enjoying luxury on Prygos.” “Is that what the demoness told you?” Sakari asked. Valdon stiffened in a defensive pose. “I realize I’ll be a servant to the rulers of Anartia but it’ll be different. It’ll be better than anything I ever had on Earth.” “What was your life like? Where were you from?” As a slave for a thousand years she saw so many Drones come and go, she couldn’t keep track of them all. Gwyllain had her favorites for a time and then they seemed to vanish, replaced by new ones. “My life on Earth was a long time ago and I’d rather not relive it. It’s time for you to return to Earth. Tarik will expect a new offering soon.”
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Chapter Twelve Brad walked into the Red Rock Bar and Grill, gripping his motorcycle helmet. It was evening and he hadn’t stopped thinking about Sakari during his shift at work. What was it about this one female that had him so worked up? He’d never had problems with women before, had a few long-term relationships that ended amicably, nothing serious since his accident but he’d been busy. Ever since he met Sakari in the desert, he’d been compelled to know her more. Although the times they’ve spent together were mostly in a fog, he thought they’d made a connection. Jan seemed to think that Sakari had a past, something she was hiding. If that was true, Brad intended to find out what it was. A mixture of trepidation and anticipation filled him as he crossed the room toward the bar. Sakari opened beer bottles and arranged them on a tray, then glanced over at him. He found a stool at the far end so he could face the front entrance. He hated sitting in any public place with his back to the door. Sakari looked up at him but didn’t smile. Her cobalt blue eyes shone with worry. With two beer bottles in hand, she knocked over a third bottle, spilling it on the counter. “Oh no,” she cried out as she righted the bottle and searched around for a rag. Brad grabbed a handful of napkins and dabbed at the spilled beer. “Hi,” he said. “Hi,” she said a little flustered. “What can I get you?” She finished cleaning the spill, taking the wet napkins from him. “I’ll take a beer.” She gave him a half-smile. “We have fifty varieties. What do you like?” He grinned mischievously. You. Well she set herself up. He decided to behave himself. For now. “Recommendations?” She smiled and rolled her eyes. “Light, dark, ale, lager?” He held her gaze and let several minutes pass. She locked eyes with him and didn’t look away. It took all his willpower not to glance down at her breasts. He’d noticed them before—beautiful, full and stretching her black tee shirt nice and tight so that the nipples showed. The low cut of the top showed off her curves. Don’t look. Not only had she stayed locked in her gaze with him, she’d moved closer. Damn, he liked it. His cock stirred and he imagined her mouth going down him. He grew hard.
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Then other flashes came to his mind of her standing before him while he knelt in front of her, her mound inches from his mouth. She was shaved smooth, glistening wet with her juices. He could smell her arousal. Her hands grasped his head and pulled him forward. Eagerly, he claimed her pussy. His mouth and tongue working her flesh, pressing on her clit. Moaning, she swayed her hips from side-to-side, matching his rhythm. He tasted her sweet juices on his tongue. In his mind, his fingers parted her folds and a rush of moisture coated them as he plunged into her cunt with fingers, then his cock. She cried out but only in his head. Across the bar, Sakari stared at him. Her eyes lowered as if she was indulging in his daydream or imagining the same but she also had a glint of evil intent in her eyes. She was being cocky and it was turning him on. He really needed to get laid. Too long without, no wonder I’m having fucking daydreams. In his mind’s eye, he heard and saw her whimpering in pleasure as he drew her near an orgasm. His own need was on a runaway train. If the woman so much as reached over the bar right now and grabbed his cock, he’d come in his jeans. What the hell was this? His horny imagination, or was she doing something to him? “Hey, Sakari? You going to flirt all night with the hunky guy or bring us our beer?” the woman asked from across the room. Brad broke eye contact first, damn it and looked across the room to check who had interrupted them. The waitress with a mop of wavy blonde hair and a Texas accent was hovering around Dante, then going back to a small group of people off to one corner of the room. She had on the same black tee shirt and tan skirt that Sakari had. “You work here too,” Sakari shot back to the waitress. “Yes but it’s a slow night and I’m entertaining the customers. Bring your friend over and I’ll read his aura too. If I can’t, Ambros will.” The guy who was with Sakari the other night, Dante, was standing beside a table alone. He had been with her in the desert and here he was again studying him. Who the fuck is this guy? Brad usually waited to get to know someone before he made a decision on whether he liked them or not. He made an exception with this dude. Going on gut instincts, he hated him. The guy was trouble. Sakari opened another bottle of beer, replacing the spilled one. “I think you’ll like this. It’s dark and a local brew.” She climbed out from around the bar and picked up the tray. He took a swig of beer and watched her walk away. Halfway across the room, she stopped and looked over her shoulder and said, “Come join us.” But she gave him a look that said, “Come to bed now”. Those blue eyes sent a jolt straight to his groin. Yeah, he had it bad for her.
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Obediently, he got up and crossed the room and stood beside Dante. Sakari introduced Brad to Haley, the cute blonde and Ambros. The fifty-something Ambros wore a Sedona Dirt Shirt, dyed reddish-brown from the red dirt of Arizona. The saying on the shirt said, “Life’s Short, Play Dirty”. As Haley moved to a blank wall, pressing her back to it, the man explained his theory of auras. “The aura is the electromagnetic field surrounding all living things and nonliving things,” Ambros said in a soothing mystical tone. “These particles of energy are suspended around the human body in an oval shaped like an egg, about two to three feet out on all sides, above the head and below the feet.” Haley moved her arms, drawing an imaginary circle around herself, as if she was about to perform a knife throwing act in a circus. “I’ve been trained to see auras by focusing my attention. Haley has begun to see them too,” Ambros continued. Considering his own gift, Brad was open-minded although he knew there were people out there who claimed to have psychic talents who didn’t. He hoped this guy was genuine and wasn’t cheating Haley somehow. “In Haley’s aura I see a lot of pink. Indicating she’s a loving and sensitive person.” Haley smiled sweetly. Brad wondered if Ambros had his eye on her. He hoped not considering the twenty-five or more years’ difference in age. “She has royal blue that shows she is capable of learning clairvoyance. She’s highly spiritual.” He frowned, then smiled. “I rarely see the amount of violet that Haley has. It could mean she’s very intuitive, a visionary, or a daydreamer.” Those in the group chuckled. “Oh and gold specks,” he added. “Really?” Haley beamed. Ambros nodded. “What do gold specks mean?” Sakari asked. “She’s guided by her highest good and has divine protection.” “Protection from what?” asked a young woman sitting at a table with a man wearing a cowboy hat. Ambros shrugged. “Could be physical harm or psychic attacks.” Haley beamed. “Do Brad next,” Haley ran over to Brad, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the wall. “No, let someone else.” “They have already.” “Go ahead, Brad,” Sakari said. “It’s painless,” Ambros said. “I won’t say anything too personal.” Now he couldn’t say no without looking like a jerk. He wondered if Ambros was going to detect a color that said he was a sex maniac. 87
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“Lean your back against the wall,” Haley said. “The white color makes it easier to read the aura.” Ambros studied Brad for several moments and the room got quiet. Brad glanced at Dante who was watching Haley. Interesting. “A very unique aura you have, Brad,” Ambros said. “But I have some concerns.” “Don’t keep me in suspense.” He tried keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. Frowning, Ambros stalled for affect, while the room waited for his interpretation. Was the guy a fake? Just good at putting on a show? But the guy hadn’t asked for any money. Probably made his money with his teaching. Not necessarily a bad thing. “What do you see?” Sakari asked. Ambros nodded. “The outstanding colors are orange-yellow, telling me Brad is an intelligent, detail-oriented person.” Brad couldn’t argue with that. “That’s not so bad.” “No, that’s good. And so is the green mixed in with the orange-yellow. You’re a natural healer and have a gift with animals. Are you in the medical field?” Brad nodded. “Wow,” Haley said. “See what he can pick up?” Brad wasn’t convinced. The guy could’ve found that out somehow, or overheard Sakari talking. “What else?” Haley asked. Ambros frowned again. Here it comes. “The dark muddy blue can represent fear of the future, not facing a difficult problem because you fear the outcome.” “I have to disagree,” Brad said, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets. “I’m not afraid of anything.” How did he get suckered into this? He walked away from the wall. “Who’s next?” “Sakari,” Haley announced. Shaking her head, Sakari took a step back. “No, I’ll pass.” “Come now,” Ambros said. “It’s painless.” She shot a glance to Dante who was leaning up against a table observing with quiet intent. It was almost as if she was asking his permission. He didn’t move. Sakari stepped to the wall and leaned her back to it. Again she looked at Dante with a worried expression and this time Brad noticed a slight nod. What the hell was going on with these two? “Wow!” Ambros said almost instantly. “What? What is it?” Sakari looked worried. “You have a lot of black space in your aura.” “Is that bad?”
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Ambros rubbed his chin. “It could mean a couple of things. Black draws or pulls energy to it.” She gave Dante a frightened look and started walking away. “No, stay,” Ambros held up a hand. “Don’t be worried. This could be you’ve not forgiven yourself for something or have unreleased grief. If you meditate on that, the blackness should fade.” Sakari nodded somewhat relieved. “I’ll do that.” Ambros brightened. “You do have an amazing amount of pure white light, surprising considering the black spaces. White is a highly spiritual color. Despite your darkness, you remain grounded. Whatever you’re doing keep it up and work on releasing your grief.” Dante laughed at that. Brad’s hands tightened into fists. The guy really knew how to get under his skin. “Dante’s next,” Haley announced. “No thanks.” “Another time perhaps,” Ambros said. Even he didn’t want to challenge Dante. “Tomorrow,” Haley quickly added. “At the Cathedral Rock vortex. We’re doing a meditation there tomorrow by the river. Please come.” She was asking Dante. “It’s one of the strongest vortexes in the area,” Ambros said. “It’s an interdimensional doorway.” “What is that?” Sakari asked, stepping closer to stand beside Dante. Those two had a history. Brad knew it. Sooner or later he’d figure out what it was about. Ambros crossed his arms and raised his chin in his wise sage stance. “A place of heightened energy where the fifth, fourth and third dimensions are joined through a corridor of energy with the second dimension. You can travel to these dimensions through visions or meditations.” “What about physically? Can you travel to these dimensions physically?” Dante asked. “It’s a possibility if your broader view and experience coincides with the energies of the area,” Ambros said. “Wow. Isn’t that amazing?” Haley beamed. “Maybe I’ll check it out. Haley can give us directions,” Dante said. The other couple left money on the table for their bill and left. “I can close up tonight,” Haley said to Sakari. “You stayed late the other night. Why don’t you leave early?” Sakari shrugged and agreed. Brad saw his opening. “Feel like taking a bike ride?” Sakari glanced at Haley then at Dante, hesitating.
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“There’s only room on the bike for one,” Brad said. He jerked his chin. “Will Dante have an issue about you coming with me?” “No, of course not,” she tried laughing it off, a nervous laugh. “I won’t keep you late. There’s something odd about the place where you first found me and I’d like to check it out.” Her eyes widened. What was she afraid of, he wondered. Dante or the place where they found him? “So how do you two know each other?” Brad angled his head toward Sakari. If this dude was competition or his enemy he was going to size him up right away. Dante gave him a sidelong glance. His hair was long and dark like Sakari’s, his skin tanned but his eyes were brown. “Are you two related?” Brad asked when Dante didn’t answer his question. Dante mouth quirked in a hint of a smile. “No but we’ve known each other for a long time.” Brad decided not to push down that road yet. He didn’t think Dante would go into details on their relationship yet. “Where are you from? Or where did you live before you came here? I get the impression you’re not from Sedona originally.” “You’re sharp.” But Dante didn’t answer the question.
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Chapter Thirteen He was glad to get out of the bar. Getting into a brawl with Dante wasn’t the best way to impress Sakari. He hadn’t figured out where the dude fit into her life so antagonizing him wouldn’t be smart. Even if the guy was asking for it. Thing was, he didn’t know why. They weren’t dating, they weren’t related, then what? Instincts told him, the guy was trouble. When they got to his bike, Brad smoothed his leopard fur on the seat then showed Sakari how to put on the helmet. “Ever been on a bike before?” She shook her head. “Wrap your arms around my waist. Hold on tightly. The bike will tilt as we go around curves, don’t be alarmed, just lean as I do and don’t make any sudden movements.” “Got it.” She climbed on the bike and rubbed the fur beneath her. “Oh, this is nice.” “It’s kind of an heirloom. Belonged to my dad.” “Then it’s special.” She stroked it between her legs. His cock woke up. “I won’t go fast.” He was going to behave. Don’t need a panicked rider. “Take it however you like.” “That’s a girl.” He turned up the throttle, released the clutch and eased onto the road. On Route 89 he picked up speed. “You okay?” he hollered over his shoulder. “Yes, this is wonderful.” She tightened her grip around his waist and he felt her breasts pressing against his back. Watch the road. “Where are we going?” she asked. “That place where you found me.” She was silent for a long time. “Okay?” “Yes.” Then her hand slipped down toward his crotch and thoughts of her going down on him entered his mind. Shit. What was it with this woman? She was insatiable. Her hand went lower, her fingers outlining his bulging cock. He groaned inwardly. “Feels great but not a great idea to distract the driver.” “We could go to your house.” “Sure. After I check this place.”
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He felt her chest rise and fall in a sigh. Damn, was she that horny? Just the way he liked his women. Reaching around, he gave her leg a reassuring squeeze. Turning off the highway, she whooped and laughed as the ride got bumpy. “This is fun.” He loved the sound of her laugh. Something told him she didn’t do enough of that. He pulled the bike around the same clump of trees as he had before. He helped her off the bike and got a flashlight out of his tool compartment and clicked it on. “Why did you want to come here?” She seemed hesitant about being there. “I’m trying to figure out what happened when I was here last. It was more than an attack from a coyote.” “Oh, I’m sure you just frightened the animal or it had young nearby. There could be lots of reasons for an animal to attack you.” “Come on,” he took her hand. “I seem to remember a couple was having sex out here right before the coyote attacked me.” She resisted. “I don’t like it here. Let’s go.” “We will. I want to take a look.” Reluctantly, she followed him. What was she so nervous about? “Okay but we shouldn’t walk around too much. What if that animal comes back and attacks again?” “Don’t worry. You were here with Dante and you weren’t attacked.” Her hand tightened her grip. She didn’t say anymore. “What is he to you, Sakari?” “A friend.” “Ah, huh. He seems possessive of you, almost controlling. Do you have a past you want to tell me about?” “No.” He laughed. “No, you don’t have a past or no, you don’t want to talk about it?” “Please, Brad. This is something we shouldn’t talk about. Let’s just go.” Stopping, he took her in his arms and drew her close, enclosing her in his warmth and protection. Her body was shaking. Stroking her hair, he kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.” “Nothing will happen to me.” “Are you on the run or hiding from something? You can tell me.” Maybe she was running from the law or in witness protection. Maybe Dante was involved with the Mob. He’d never met a woman who didn’t want to give him their life history upon first meeting. This one was terrified whenever he brought her past up.
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“Don’t worry about it.” She kissed him hard, her tongue dipping into his mouth, a sensual kiss full of invitation for more. But she released him. “Are you ready to go?” “In a bit. When I was here last something strange happened besides you disappearing, which you don’t want to talk about. But I felt something odd. I want to go check around where I saw that couple.” She studied him for a long time. “What did you sense?” He couldn’t tell her yet that it was his animal senses that had sensed the disturbance. “It felt electrical or magnetic as if I was made of metal and had just walked in the center of giant magnets. Then I saw the couple having sex.” “Do you feel that energy now?” “I don’t think so.” “Maybe it was static from an approaching thunderstorm.” “Possibly.” He wasn’t convinced. She grabbed his hand and pulled him over by the bike. “Come on. I have a better idea.” Taking her in his arms, he stroked her hair. “I promise we’ll leave soon. Just need to have a look around first.” Images of what they could be doing, like lying naked in his bed, were suddenly much more interesting than wandering around in the desert at night. He hesitated. This time an image surfaced in his mind that was so real, he closed his eyes. He had her on his motorcycle, her legs spread and hooked over his shoulder, while he licked her pussy. The taste of her juices was on his tongue. She was wet and slick, ready for him to fuck her. His cock hardened at the fantasy. “Brad,” she whispered his name. Was it from his fantasy or real? “Ready?” “Okay. Let’s go,” he said, barely audibly. Back at the motorcycle he grabbed the two helmets and turned to hand her one. Sakari was fingering her pendant. The way she was touching the stone made him think of her stroking her clit the same way. Her other hand went to his chest, then slid behind his head and pulled him down in a bruising kiss, her tongue twined with his. God, woman. Dropping both helmets on the ground, he roughly drew her against his body. Hands roamed over her heated skin, to her breasts, her ass. She moaned under her breath, grabbed his hips, then went right for his pants zipper. “Holy smokes.” He thought she was in a rush to leave. Maybe this was why. The swiftness of her undoing his zipper nearly gave him a heart attack but she managed not to maim him. The next moment she had his engorged cock out and she was stroking him. “Here? Now?” he asked, then answered his own questions. “Okay.”
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Her mouth was hot on his neck, as her hand gripped him. He grasped her face between his hands and parted his lips, taking her mouth hard. She released his cock and slipped her arms around his neck, clinging to him with intense passion. Opening his mouth, he deepened the kiss and drew a moan from her. Something hungry, wild and unrestrained spun out of control. He couldn’t stop it, didn’t want to stop it. Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed her close. Moans of pleasure came between breaths. He ground his cock against her mound but he didn’t want to break the kiss. The heat between them was too good. She took a breath and stepped back. He searched her face, crushed. “Are you okay?” Her hand grabbed his shaft. He met his gaze with a wild look. “I want you, now.” He groaned. Reaching behind him, he leaned on the motorcycle seat for support. “Oh, that’s awesome.” The lust and hunger in her eyes nearly sent him over the edge. She laughed, low and deep, almost with a sinister tone. He picked her up and propped her on the seat, setting her on the leopard fur, her legs dangling over one side. “Why did you do that?” she asked. “You’ll see.” Hands on her knees, he spread her legs apart and moved between her thighs. Her skirt was hiked up high where he could almost see her pussy. If she was wearing underwear, she wouldn’t be for long. His hands slid up her thighs and worked under her skirt. A black lace thong. His fingers rubbed her clit through the silky fabric and he felt her bud plump even under the material. “Yes,” she moaned, her fingers dug into the sides of the seat to keep her from falling over. That was all he needed to slip his fingers under her thong and touch heated, moist skin. She gripped his shoulders, digging in her nails and wrapping her legs around his thighs. Changing positions, he stepped back, slipped off her thong and straddled the bike so that he was facing her and she was on her back, her head up by the handlebars. “I could’ve offered you a comfortable bed but I want to taste you,” he said as he shoved her skirt up to her waist. “I don’t want to wait. Do it.” She tossed her tee shirt and bra on the ground, the heat between them beyond stopping or going slow. In the back of his mind, he knew they should’ve left sooner before it got this far. He bent over, his mouth coming down on her pussy. Her hips bucked against his lips, his tongue. Her passion climbing to a point he knew she wouldn’t be able to stop.
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“Do you want me inside you?” “Yes.” She grabbed at his arms and drew him toward her. “Hang on.” He got off the bike stripped out of his clothes and retrieved a condom out of his jeans. Then he straddled the bike again, hooking her legs over his shoulders and raising her ass up off the bike seat. “Brad, fuck me now.” Her words were a powerful aphrodisiac and his cock twitched in anticipation, his balls drawn up tight. God, he would come in a second if he didn’t focus. Pressing his cock at her entrance, he eased the head inside. “More,” she moaned. His insides melted to liquid fire. He had to feel her wet softness, all of it, now. He plunged into her with one thrust. “Yes!” Sakari cried out, rocking her hips. Reaching over her head, she grabbed the handlebars, her breasts thrust up, nipples taut. The image sent him crashing over the edge, spilling his seed. As he came, Sakari bolted upright and took his face in her hands. He felt dizzy and disoriented but the orgasm was still racking his body. Grapping her hips, he pumped into her hard and fast to make it last a little longer for her and her eyes widened. “Brad, no!” she moaned. Her body stiffened and she pushed him away. The last thing he remembered was falling and the bike tipping over. Brushing off sand, Sakari got up off the ground and climbed over the bike. The near orgasm still pulsed within her pussy. “Brad, are you all right?” She knelt beside his naked form but he remained motionless. “Oh, no.” She placed her head on his chest and heard a heartbeat. Before she harmed any more humans, she had to find the Sha Warriors for Dante and be done with this planet, finish her duty as a Drone. “Brad, please wake up.” She shook him. Standing, she picked up the fur that had sprawled out on the ground. Would it give him power? She laid it across him. “Brad, change if it will make you strong.” Brad stirred and reached for the fur, drawing it up under his chin but exposing his cock again. He was partially erect. Blinking his eyes, Brad snuggled under the fur and took several long, deep breaths. His body quivered then the fur reformed and became one with him, at the same time he shifted in form. Sleek and muscular, now as the leopard. The leopard bolted to his feet and growled at her. “Brad, it’s me.” The leopard paced in front of her then sat on the ground, his head held high. He shifted back into human form. The fur draped over his shoulder. “You saw me shift.” It was a cautious statement, one filled with regret.
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“Yes.” “And you’re still here.” She smiled. “Yes.” “Why?” He stood, gloriously naked. “Doesn’t this scare you at all?” “No. How is it that you’ve come to have such a power? Is the power within the animal fur?” “No, it’s within me. A rare inherited trait called Eigi Einhamr.” “A genetic defect?” “Not a defect. A rare gene.” She touched her pendant again and looked over her shoulder. “Are there many mortals—I mean people with this trait?” “Only a few. My brother, Jake, also shifts.” He glanced at the bike and then at her. “Did I fall asleep after sex without satisfying you?” “It was very satisfying,” she argued. “But you didn’t come,” he countered. “I’m a more attentive lover than that.” “Another time,” she said. He frowned and didn’t seem entirely happy with that but he didn’t argue. “I think I should shift and investigate that area where I observed the couple. I can sense more in my leopard form.” “Do what you must so we can leave soon.” She took the flashlight that he offered from his tool kit. “Follow me.” Brad wasn’t going to push anymore. He’d find out her story sooner or later. They walked side by side until they got closer to the area where he remembered the couple had been. Sakari kept glancing over her shoulder. Was she expecting someone? “I can sense more when I shift,” he said, searching her face for a fearful expression but found none. “Go ahead. I’m okay.” He donned the pelt and closed his eyes, willing himself to be one with the animal. But he couldn’t hold his animal form for more than several seconds. Brad dropped the fur on the ground and resisted kicking it. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I had an accident overseas and since then I sometimes have difficulty.” “Were you injured? What happened?” “Another time,” he said. “It’s a long story.” He picked up the fur, took several breaths and stared up into the night sky and finally appeared to find peace. He shifted
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into the leopard. In animal form the leopard glanced at Sakari, the woman appeared calm, not startled by his new form. Odd. He loped off toward the site. Around a large rock and a cluster of mesquite bushes was the area he remembered. Here the man and woman had mated. He was certain by the remnants of human scent. He even sensed their sexual arousal. The leopard paused and looked up at the rock where he’d leapt off. He wandered around in a circular pattern then moved a little outside the area. The woman tugged at the fur behind his neck. She was fearless. He shifted back to human. “Here?” she asked. Aiming the flashlight around the area, he looked for tracks, footprints—human or animal. He saw both. “They were here.” “Seen enough?” she asked. He looked toward another group of rocks. “Let’s check that out.” “No!” “Why?” “This place doesn’t feel right.” He didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable or scared but his instincts told him there was something here that needed to be investigated. “Sakari, what aren’t you telling me?” She didn’t answer. “All right. I’m telling you. There’s nothing for you to worry about. I need to change one more time and then I promise we’ll go.” “Brad, no! It’s not safe.” Brad threw the pelt over his shoulders defiantly and immediately shifted into the leopard. Something was here and he was going to find out what if she wouldn’t tell him. In animal form, he felt that magnetic pull like he had before. With his senses more keen to the environment, his hackles stood out sensing danger. Could it be an electrical storm in the area? He glanced up at the night sky and saw brilliant stars. Not tonight. Then he heard a scream and smelled the animal before he heard the yip and snarl of another predator. Coyote. Spinning around, he crouched in position ready to lunge at his attacker. Coyote leapt onto him with more forced than he’d expect from a skinny animal. The leopard had to outweigh him by eighty pounds or so. Claws dug into his shoulders and teeth dug into his foreleg. He yelped in pain then rolled and let his weight force Coyote to release him. He knocked the coyote down with his wide paws. Powerful teeth clamped onto the coyote’s back, but the sly creature wrenched free and pinned him on the ground, jaws tight around his throat. In any moment, his throat could be ripped out.
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Brad slipped out of his leopard form and felt the teeth of the Coyote at his throat. Son of a bitch. “Stop it, Dante!” Coyote was caught off guard and released his grip, gazing down at him. Brad focused and managed to shift again. With his hind legs, the leopard maneuvered in a position and again rolled on top of Coyote. His assailant was powerful and strong but the leopard had muscle and weight on his side. “Stop it, now! Both of you!” Sakari cried. Then the leopard sensed another predator. While he had Coyote pinned on the ground, he heard a shriek and saw the flash of wings. He looked up. A falcon swooped down, talons extended and knocked him off Coyote. Scrambling to his feet, Coyote prepared to attack the leopard and as he leapt in the air to do so, the falcon swooped down again and clipped Coyote on the ear with its sharp talons. He yipped and rolled away. The leopard started to attack Coyote, then saw the futility of it as the falcon swiftly circled and aimed for him. He backed off. Both Coyote and the leopard kept their distance to avoid further attacks by the third adversary and occasionally glanced at the falcon overhead. Finally, the falcon landed between them and Sakari appeared, naked and beautiful, her chest heaving as she attempted to catch her breath. She glared at them with a deep frown as if daring them to start fighting again. “Are you two finished with your pissing contest?” Coyote shifted to human form. Dante. He gave her a smart-ass grin. The leopard shifted back to his human form. Brad shook his head. “What the fuck?” “You shouldn’t have brought him here,” Dante said, looking warily at Brad. “I didn’t. He was coming here because he remembered you and that woman. Your influence doesn’t work on him. He still remembers.” “You’re both shapeshifters,” Brad said looking from Sakari to Dante, frozen in place. “That’s not good,” Dante said to Sakari, ignoring Brad’s comment. “What does that mean?” Brad cut in. Dante didn’t answer. “The Navajo legends are true, like my grandfather said. The Tricksters. You’re not Eigi Einhamr. No pelt, yet you can shift.” He held up his leopard skin, not concerned about his nakedness. “This is not part of your legend,” Sakari said. “Then what?” he demanded, alert for any danger. He didn’t like being unprepared and he didn’t like surprises. He glanced at Sakari still stunned at what he saw but relieved too. If she broke up the fight, then he shouldn’t have her to fear. Still he needed to keep his guard up with both of them.
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“It’s something you don’t want to interfere with,” Dante warned. Brad found his mouth go dry. “You’re responsible for the hiker’s death. And the other mysterious illnesses we’ve had coming into our clinic. If that’s what you’re about, I should’ve killed you.” “You think by killing me that all the witching will vanish, all the deaths will end?” “I’m counting on it,” Brad said. “But I am immortal. I cannot be killed. And I am not a skinwalker as you believe. I am something much more powerful, dangerous and determined to accomplish my tasks at all costs. And Sakari was responsible for that hiker’s death.” The pained look she gave Dante said he was telling the truth. “I didn’t mean to.” He didn’t believe Sakari would purposely murder anyone but still he needed to stop them from harming anyone else. “He’s a threat and he can expose us,” Dante said to Sakari. Oh, yes I am. Brad was prepared to fight him if he was evil like Bill had said. “He won’t expose us,” Sakari said. “He’s a shifter too. His own powers must be kept secret. We can trust him.” Brad looked from Dante to Sakari. “If you’re not of the Navajo legend and not Eigi Einhamr, what are you?” Dante and Sakari exchanged worried glances. Sensing he was in danger, Brad considered his position. The only weapon he had was his hand-to-hand combat and his diminished shapeshifting abilities, other than that he was naked. He already had experienced a taste of their level of power, which exceeded his. He really was screwed if it came down to a fight to the death. The odds were not in his favor. “Don’t worry about him, Dante. He’ll be my responsibility.” Despite the crappy odds and the situation he was in, Brad couldn’t stop looking at Sakari standing there naked and arguing with her colleague like they were having a discussion over politics. When he found Dante and that woman in the desert, Dante appeared to be drawing light from the woman. Like an incubus? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dante nodded. “Perhaps not a threat but there is another thing.” Sakari winced as if Dante was going to give her some bad news. “He’s not a threat to Anartia. There’s no way he can get there.” Who were these people? One way or the other he’d have to be prepared for anything. He just wished he wasn’t naked. “You’re not human, are you?” Brad concluded. Their silence gave him his answer. “I’m not sure if I can buy that,” Brad tried not looking alarmed even though his body felt cold as if the temperature in the desert had dropped thirty degrees.
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Sakari huffed in frustration. “That coming from the man who changes into a leopard,” she said sarcastically. “Yeah.” Brad rubbed his forehead. “So where are you from?” “See?” Sakari said to Dante. “We don’t have to worry about him.” Dante shook his head slowly. “Sakari, he’s a Sha Warrior.” “No.” Sakari took a step back, then stepped in front of Brad and crossed her arms, a barrier between him and Dante. Was she trying to protect him? Oh, God. He never wanted her more than at that moment. Naked and vulnerable, weaker and obviously inferior to Dante, she was defiantly making a stand on Brad’s behalf. He loved her for that. “No, he’s not. You just want me to find other Kithras.” Dante shook his head. “No.” “Why can you tell a Sha and I can’t?” Sakari demanded. “Because I’m the only Drone who was a Sha Warrior when I was human.” “Even if you’re correct, you cannot have this one. Find another.” Sakari backed up to Brad. Brad grabbed her shoulders and moved her aside. “I can fight my own battles. Just tell me what’s going on. What’s a Sha Warrior?” Touching her naked skin was a mistake, Brad’s cock didn’t realize he was in danger and it was getting hard. “The demoness is getting impatient. Anartia requires the Sha Warriors and soon or we’ll never make it back to Prygos.” Dante moved closer. “No, Dante. I beg you. There must be other Sha Warriors. There must be another way. I can help you.” Sakari’s voice cracked. “If you explain the problem maybe I can help,” Brad said. He needed more information before he could determine what his level of danger was. He’d find out about Prygos and Anartia later. Sakari turned and faced Brad. Now he really was turned on. She looked at him with a cautious look. “We need bio-energy to break our alternative world free. We’ve been trapped by the magnetic binds of Earth within an alternative dimension, called Anartia. Sha Warriors are humans with excess bio-energy.” As if that was simple logic. She turned back to Dante. “What can I do?” Brad tried to wrap his brain around what she’d just said. Alternative world. Trapped. Humans with excess bio-energy. He still wasn’t sure but he didn’t think it sounded like the cards were stacked in his favor. “I may consider your request,” Dante said. “If you help me find John Reilly. I must have my revenge before leaving Earth.” “Who is he,” she asked. “An enemy I need to kill. During the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, he not only stole my gold claim, he stole my wife and hired someone to kill me. While I was dying
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in the desert, a Drone took me to Anartia. According to Tarik, I had the lifeforce of a Sha Warrior but the energies within me had nearly drained out. Assimilation saved me.” “But Reilly is long dead,” Sakari said. “Tarik later assimilated several Drones around that time and Reilly was one of them. New Drones can change identity, form, facial features, even acquire special skills to protect them while on Earth. So even I wouldn’t recognize him.” “I was a slave then, never allowed in the lower chambers. How would I know him?” “There are fifty remaining Drones. While you’re in Tarik’s chambers you can ask him.” “Why won’t the demoness tell you who he is?” Sakari asked. “She’s kept his identity a secret because she knows I hate him. It’s her way of holding something over my head. She says she’ll tell me one day. She torments me with it.” “To find this information,” Sakari noted, “I’d have to seduce Tarik. And the demoness has forbidden me to give my offering through…the usual way. She’s jealous and might retaliate.” “A risk, yes,” Dante agreed. “But this is my deal.” “Wait! I know someone who might know. And it’s less risky,” Sakari said. “Go on.” “Zorian, the trainer. He trains all the new Drones. He should know who Reilly is.” “Zorian wouldn’t say,” Dante countered. “He might be persuaded. I believe he’s in love with you.” Dante made a face as if he didn’t believe. “But I sometimes see him with Natesa, the demoness’ singer.” “Zorian admitted his feelings to me,” Sakari said. Dante frowned, then grinned. “Okay. I think I can use this.” “Don’t hurt him,” Sakari said. “Don’t worry. Zorian will have a night he won’t forget.”
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Chapter Fourteen Zorian stepped aside to allow Gwyllain to examine the slave, Natesa. He hoped he was finished disciplining her, the encounter had gotten him as horny as hell and he wanted to take her into his chamber, sooth her pain and ravish her, something he did with many of the slaves—male and female. This slave had odd sexual tastes, insatiable and she liked it rough. Natesa knew how to keep him amused. Still chained to the marble column, she drew breath in large gulps and a slight sheen of sweat coated her skin. Fortunately, her wavy dark hair hung in her face and hid her defiant eyes from Gwyllain. Zorian knew Natesa was smart enough not to challenge the demoness twice in one day. “Let me see her face,” the demoness demanded. “I want to see if she has had enough.” Please, Zorian thought. Behave. He brushed back her hair and raised her chin. Natesa kept her eyes downcast and looked spent and in pain. Good girl. “Better,” the demoness said. “If your music didn’t please me so, I would send you away.” Zorian knew that “send you away” translated as destroy. The demoness examined the red welts on Natesa’s bronze skin. There were several marks on her buttocks, thighs and back. Then she glanced at Zorian’s engorged cock. Smiling, she took his shaft in her hand and stroked it. He forced himself not to pull away and locked eyes with her, giving her his best sultry look. Thankfully, she didn’t read minds. She was wearing a sheer, shimmering blue sheath that clung to her breasts and hips. She was beautiful, he couldn’t deny that but he abhorred sex with her. He hoped he didn’t have to attend to her next. “Hmmm. I see my Disciplinarian enjoys his work. If I did not have to receive offerings from a number of Drones, I would make good use of that.” The demoness gave his cock one last squeeze, then let him go. “You may release her.” She turned and strutted back to the pool, selected two male Drones and walked into her private chamber with her two male companions. “Bitch,” Natesa said with a venomous tone. Zorian shook his head. “One day you will push the demoness too far.” “But I enjoy your punishments. Feel how wet I am.” Still hanging from the chains, she opened her legs. Zorian slid his hand to her mound, spreading her folds with his fingers and slipped a finger inside her cunt. She was soaked. Natesa moaned and rocked her hips, urging him on.
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“Let’s continue this in my chamber,” Zorian said. He removed his hand and released her binds. Inside his chamber, the other slaves had left a bowl of water, fresh towels, fruit and wine on a side table. Scented gardenia blooms, cultivated from Earth and freshly cut from the demoness’ gardens, had been placed in a ceramic vase. Zorian was one of the few servants permitted to visit Gwyllain’s gardens and fresh flowers were like an aphrodisiac to his mistresses. After a thousand years, he knew what Natesa liked. The bed took up one corner of the room and was neatly made up with natural linens. Gwyllain was so busy with her Drones that she never concerned herself with her servants’ private lives. “Sit,” Zorian ordered. Natesa sat on his large bed, then laid back, spread her arms over her head and opened her legs. “Lick me,” she said. “There’ll be time for that,” he said. In a small bowl, the slaves had left a medicinal gel solution. He mixed some other herbs into it. “Let me tend to those lashes first.” She pouted. He wanted that lush, red mouth around his cock. “If you would like me to punish you. Just ask. Stop pissing the demoness off. It’s not a good idea.” She was more than sexual gratification to him but he wasn’t in love with her. He suspected he wasn’t much more than physical gratification for her. Fine with him. He had feelings for all his lovers and there was room in his life for many but he wasn’t the type of man to have just one lover. Although there was one he longed to have but couldn’t. He secretly restrained his darkest desires for Dante. She gave a short laugh. He touched her breasts, then rubbed her pussy. He put the medicine aside for a moment. “Okay, just for a minute, then I do need to take care of those welts, they’ll scar.” He knelt down between her legs and spread her thighs. His mouth came down on her pussy and she groaned. With his lips he tugged on her swollen bud and licked it with the tip of his tongue. Her body quivered. Then his tongue began to rub in slow circles and she cried out holding his head in place. “That’s good. Yes, Zorian. With every lash I was thinking about your mouth on me.” He glanced up and she was pinching her nipples. They were hard and taut. He rubbed back and forth over her clit and he thought she’d writhe right off the bed. “I’m going to come soon.” He stood up and she gasped about to protest at him for stopping but then he hooked her legs over his shoulders and plunged his cock into her cunt. Natesa shouted as the orgasm shattered her. He pumped and thrust until she was spent but he didn’t come himself. He had other plans if she’d allow it. When her climax eased, she pulled him down on her. Reaching under his pillow, she pulled out a dildo and raised it up to show him. “Do you want that?” he asked. “No but I’ll do you, if you do me,” she offered in a seductive tone.
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He smiled. He knew what she meant. “After I take care of your wounds.” He got up and dipped the end of a towel into the bowl and came over to the bed. “Lay on your stomach,” he ordered. She did and he gently applied the herbal medicine to her welts. It was slick and slippery. The redness immediately disappeared. “Hmmm. Feels nice. What else can you do with that?” she teased. When he was finished, he dropped the towel and dipped his fingers into the bowl again and slipped his fingers in the cleft of her buttocks. “Yes,” she said as she raised her ass up. His finger, slick with the gel, found the entrance of her anus and prodded. She moaned. “Do it.” His finger slid in and her body tightened around him. She pushed her butt against his probing finger. “You feel ready for me.” “You first.” She rolled away from him, opened a drawer in the table and found the strap that attached to the dildo. His cock hardened and his testicles drew up tight as he watched her strap it on around her waist. The dildo protruded from her pussy. “Works for me.” He wouldn’t last long once she filled him. Standing up, he washed up some with the bowl of water and spread the slick gel over the dildo hanging between her legs. Taking her in his arms, his mouth came down her hers, in a heated kiss. His tongue delved deep, searching out hers in a seductive dance. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. The two cocks nudging their bodies nearly sent him over the edge. He scooped out a portion of the gel and slathered more on the dildo. “Want me?” he asked, smiling. Nodding, she said, “Let me fuck you.” He knelt on the bed and she stood behind him, gripping his hips possessively. She caressed the curve of his bottom then spread him apart and eased the tip of the slicked dildo to his anal opening. Pressing gently, she worked her way in slowly and reached around and grabbed his cock and began to stroke him. Unable to hold back, he groaned in pleasure and rocked against her. He smiled as liquid heat flowed through him. This was what he liked about Natesa. She was sexually insatiable and erotically enlightened. “God, that’s good.” His body quivered, wanting to feel the pressure of the cock inside, even though he knew it wasn’t Dante. It was her and she wanted to pleasure him this way and for the moment he wanted her more than anything. “Am I hurting you?” she whispered. “No.” “You want more?” “Yes, harder.” His hand dug into the sheets. He didn’t want to come yet. He wanted to prolong this.
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“You want all of it?” she asked. “Yes.” She thrust into him but she was holding back. He could tell. “Love, you don’t have to worry. Do it harder. Do it rough.” Finally, she got into it a bit more. Grabbing his hips, she rocked against him. It felt good but wasn’t hard enough. She didn’t have the strength that a man would have. “Like this?” “Harder, rougher.” He gritted his teeth. Damn it, don’t come yet. She could fuck him better. Zorian heard a sound behind him but ignored it, figuring it was a slave who had opened the door by mistake, saw them and then left abruptly. “Mind if I join you two?” Dante said from the doorway as he closed the door behind him. Natesa cried out in surprise and stopped pumping. Zorian froze and lost a bit of his erection. At first he was angry for the interruption, then a flutter went through his chest. Was Dante asking to have sex with them? With him? Natesa slipped the dildo from his ass and Zorian held back a moan. “You want to join us?” Dante gave a short laugh. “If you and Natesa don’t mind.” Zorian narrowed his gaze. What was he up to? “Wouldn’t you prefer Natesa alone?” Dante smiled. “Another time perhaps. Actually, I came here to see you,” he said to Zorian. “But I’d be happy to pleasure the lovely Natesa too.” Natesa smiled at that. “Please, join us then,” she said, removing the strap-on, then stretched out seductively on the bed. “As long as Zorian approves.” Zorian searched Dante’s face, not completely convinced of his motives. Why after all this time… “All right.” Dante moved over Natesa, kissed her, slowly, with such tenderness Zorian felt a ping of jealously. Dante massaged her breasts and slipped a hand between her legs. “I see you’re nice and wet. Zorian has other skills besides disciplining and training.” “Very true.” She rocked her hips matching the rhythm of his strokes. “Has he pleasured you yet?” “Yes.” “Let’s see what I can do.” He removed his clothes and climbed on the bed and began to suck Natesa’s breasts and then moved between her legs. In a matter of moments, he had her writhing and screaming in another orgasm. Zorian sat back on the bed, feeling like an intruder. He knew it, Dante was here to fuck Natesa. He got up to leave. He’d go and take a walk. When he got back maybe they’d be finished and gone.
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As Zorian started to leave, Dante grabbed his arm and pulled him down. “Where are you going?” “I thought you’d rather be alone.” Dante smiled and shook his head. The look he gave Zorian made his insides soar. “I told you, I came to see you.” He pushed Zorian down on the bed and knelt between his legs and then took his cock into his mouth. Oh, God. Zorian sighed at the heated pleasure that flowed through him as if the rough seas of Anartia had instantly stilled. “Yes,” he breathed. And Dante took all of him. He felt the tip of his cock rubbing the back of Dante’s throat. He gripped Dante’s shoulders. “Man, you’re going to make me come soon.” “Not yet.” Dante got up and checked out the bowls on the table, found what he wanted and coated his hardened cock with the gel. “Don’t you want me to go down on you?” Zorian asked. It was almost a plea. “Another time. I heard from the doorway that you like it hard and rough. Let me see what I can do.” Zorian didn’t need further instructions he got on his hands and knees, anticipating Dante’s attentions. Natesa lounged on pillows at Zorian’s side, stroking his cock. Sliding his hands over Zorian’s hips, Dante turned Zorian so that he could stand behind him. He spread his ass cleft wide and positioned his cock at his opening. Zorian’s body quivered and ached for Dante’s cock. How was this possible after all these years? Why now? He didn’t want to think, just wanted this. “Do you want me to be rough?” “Yes,” Zorian whispered. “No mercy?” “Yes.” Dante thrust his cock into Zorian with a grunt and the Disciplinarian cried out. Natesa gasped. Gripping Zorian’s hips, Dante pulled him against each thrust to get even more penetration. Zorian felt himself stretch, nearing uncomfortable limits, but the slap of Dante’s balls, the thickness of his cock enraptured him in a mindless need. Just the idea that Dante finally wanted him like this, dared to admit his desire to Zorian, even to a slave girl and would also fuck him with such force as if he’d been denying his needs for so long and couldn’t bear to wait a moment longer was such a turn-on. A sweet triumph. “Fuck me, Dante,” his voice was hoarse, almost desperate. “Hmmm,” Dante replied as the rhythm of this thrusts increased. Someone was jerking him off too. It took him a moment to realize it was Natesa and not Dante. Natesa positioned herself next to Zorian so he could lean down and kiss her mouth, suck her breasts. “This is so hot to watch,” she said as her hand moved down his chest and found his shaft. Both of Dante’s hands continued to grip his hips tightly. Any moment Zorian would climax. The sensation was building quickly in his groin but he 106
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bit his lip to fight it back. He’d waited for this moment for over a century and he didn’t want it over within a few thrusts. “I’m going to come, man,” Dante said. “I can’t hold it back.” Zorian’s chest swelled, knowing his lover was reaching his breaking point too. “Yes, go for it. Take me hard.” And Zorian slid into decadent oblivion as his lover climaxed into his ass, the hot stream of his seed filling him. Dante groaned and cried out. Bending over Zorian’s back, he braced one hand on his shoulder and dug his fingers into his hip as his orgasm rocked his body. He thrust his cock with sharp pumps. The intensity of Dante’s climax slowly diminished and he rolled Zorian onto his back. Hands on the side of the bed, Dante leaned over, chest heaving, trying to catch his breath. Natesa slithered over and took Zorian’s hard cock into her mouth and began sliding up and down, licking around the tip. Dante stroked her bare shoulder, then gently pushed her aside. “Let me finish him,” he said. She looked up and smiled. “Of course.” She moved to the end of the bed and stretched out, watching. Dante’s request sent a new rush of heat to his loins. The man was determined to give him pleasure in all ways. Dante first took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly, sucked her breasts and released her, then he stood between Zorian’s legs, kneeling on the bed. “Lay back,” he commanded. Zorian did, knowing he would come the moment Dante’s mouth came anywhere near his cock. “I won’t last long,” he warned Dante. Smiling, Dante said, “No matter. There will always be another time.” Another time? I can only hope. Cupping his balls, Dante slid his mouth over Zorian’s cock and took him all the way in. God, he was good. Zorian heard a brief gag noise from Dante, alarming Zorian. But Dante recovered and chuckled. “A bit larger than I expected,” he teased Zorian. “Right.” Zorian gave a quick laugh and was soon lost in the mounting heat surging through him as his lover sucked him. He gripped Zorian’s shaft hard and took him in his mouth deep again, his tongue sliding up and down the length and around the tip. A muscle twitched in Dante’s jaw but Zorian ignored it as the orgasm rose and slammed into him. He rocked his hips against Dante’s mouth and watched his seed slip down the side as Dante pulled away. “Good, very hot,” Dante said with huskiness in his voice. He got up, crossed to the bowl of water and washed up. Then brought a damp towel to Zorian and Natesa. He sat between the two of them. After they finished with the towels, Dante asked if anyone wanted wine. Natesa started to get up but Dante held up his hand. “I’ll get it,” he said. He returned to the bed with three glasses filled with wine. “This was a surprise,” Zorian said, suspicion rearing its head again.
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Dante shrugged. “About time, don’t you think?” “Maybe.” Natesa got up, put her wineglass down and slipped her silk robe back on. “The demoness may be looking for me by now. She had a number of Drones to give her offerings but she’ll be furious if I’m gone too long.” Dante stood and took her into his arms. “Next time the attentions will be in your favor.” “Zorian had pleasured me earlier. I enjoyed the participation. I hope to do this again,” she said. “Is there anything you need before I go?” Dante shook his head. She looked at Zorian and he too, shook his head. He started to get up to walk her out but she held up her hand. The slave all prim and proper toward the Drone and the Disciplinarian, now, Zorian thought with a mental grin. With any other slave, he might have asked her to stay but he wanted Dante alone. Dante sat next to Zorian. His expression was as dark as ever and Zorian didn’t know what to make of it. “And what about you? Would you like to repeat this?” Dante asked. “Yes.” Zorian searched his face for answers to questions he was afraid to ask. Why now? “Good.” Dante placed a possessive hand on Zorian’s thigh. “I can’t stay long, I’m afraid. The demoness has been giving the Drones hell and I need to find Sha Warriors.” He got up and started to dress. “Anything I can do?” “Not really. Thanks. Sakari’s been helping.” Zorian nodded. “She’s going to help me find John Reilly, my enemy before I was assimilated. I need to find him before we leave. He could be a threat if he’s allowed to go to Prygos. I need to kill him.” Zorian stiffened. “Gwyllain wants you to find him? Doesn’t she know who he is?” Where was Dante going with this? “She won’t tell me. She doesn’t understand what he’s capable of. He stole my wife and my gold claim, then tried to have me murdered. The guy has to pay for that. Would you know who he is? After all, you train everyone.” Zorian was silent for a very long time. How could he have been so blind? They say love is blind. How about lust? He glared at Dante. “I’ll have to admit, you were good. You had me fooled.” “What’s wrong?” Dante asked. “Get out.” “Zorian, I’m sorry.” “Right.”
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“What do you want me to say?” Dante hung his head, appearing to struggle with his emotions. Finally, he looked directly at Zorian and Zorian could see the pain there. It wasn’t faked. As a Disciplinarian, he had to read expressions to predict when his captives were approaching limits. “Why didn’t you ask?” “Would you have told me?” “No.” Dante rubbed his face. “The bastard took everything from me. My wife, my gold claim, my land.” His voice was strained. “We had plans to open a horse ranch with the gold I found. It wasn’t much but enough.” “Why didn’t you take back what was yours?” Zorian would never forgive Dante but he was still curious. “He had a lot of power in that area. His men were the ones sent to kill me.” “You sure it was his men?” Dante frowned as if this was something he hadn’t considered. “I’m sorry I went about this the wrong way. I need to know but you won’t tell me.” Zorian shook his head. “The demoness won’t permit me knowing?” “You don’t cross the demoness if you’re smart and you don’t want to make an enemy of me, Dante.” “I’m not your enemy.” “Get the fuck out!”
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Chapter Fifteen Early morning light streamed into Brad’s bedroom windows. His cock was hard and begging for attention. In the aftermath of an otherworldly fight, he was relieved to know that part of his anatomy still worked, if only he could prod the rest of his battered body into action. Once his coworkers took one look at him, they were going to wonder what the hell happened to him. He must look like a train wreck. Somehow he made it to bed. He didn’t think Sakari had carried him. Or had she? He was lusting for her and wanted to make love even if he wasn’t capable of his peak performance. Reaching out to her, he froze when he discovered her side of the bed empty. He dragged himself up, pulled on a pair of shorts and hobbled through the house looking for her. She’s gone! Sakari wasn’t anywhere in the house. Then he realized Zeus was gone too. His black lab should’ve been scratching at the back door, or climbing on the bed, or holding his food dish in his mouth. Looking out the sliding glass doors, he saw Zeus sitting in the middle of his yard at Sakari’s feet. Brad sighed in relief. A jolt of reality hit him. She’s not human. But she looked so natural, like any other woman would look standing in his garden early in the morning…appearing to be thinking. Thinking about what, he wondered. She patted Zeus’s head and the dog leaned against her leg. Brad’s throat tightened. Damn. He went into the kitchen and quickly put on a pot of coffee, then went outside. “Did Zeus wake you?” he asked, slipping his arms around her from behind. She shook her head. “Morning,” he said. “I didn’t know you had a garden.” Her voice was strained like she’d been crying. Oh, no, what did I do? He turned her around in his arms. Her eyes were red and misty. “Is it the garden that makes you sad or something else?” She’s going to leave and not come back. Damn it. What control does Dante have over her? She swallowed and looked up at him with glistening eyes. “The garden, because it reminds me of my parents. They were the grand gardeners for the rulers on Prygos.” “Prygos, is it far away?” She nodded. “How long since you’ve seen them?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
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She looked up and studied him for a moment. He saw a flash of panic in her eyes, then she glanced away. “A very long time.” “You miss them.” He understood now. She nodded. “Are there gardens on the other world you spoke of?” “Anartia. Yes. A beautiful garden.” “What is Anartia?” Now that he had gained her confidence maybe he could discover a way to get her away from Dante. “An artificially created alternative dimension. Tarik, an engineer, originally designed these worlds as a hiding place for the rulers and other diplomats for protection during a time of war.” “Alternative dimension. Can I go there?” “No! You don’t want to go there.” She gripped his arm as if she feared he would try to go. “We’re trapped there. We can come here but must return to Anartia often.” “I wouldn’t know how to find it. Is it a bad place?” “In some ways it’s beautiful. My parents designed the private garden for the demoness.” “It must be nice. I’m sure you spend a lot of time there.” He stroked her back. He needed to find a way to get her out of this mood so he could help her. “I’m forbidden to visit the garden.” “Why?” And why did she stay with these people? “That’s how her husband Cragen discovered Anartia and his wife’s infidelity. Tarik was in the middle of creating a private garden for his love nest for him and Gwyllain. When Cragen saw my parents taking exotic plants into Tarik’s laboratory, he got suspicious. Cragen’s spies later uncovered the traitorous plan. The ruler had his other engineers alter Anartia to be a trap that Gwyllain and Tarik could never leave. He also sent their servants along, those he felt were traitors.” She started to cry. Brad took Sakari by the shoulders and leveled his gaze with hers. “Sakari, why can’t you leave Anartia and stay here with me? I promise to protect you.” Tears filled her eyes again. “Nothing would please me more. But I can’t. I must return to release my parents. They are also trapped.” “Trapped how? Are they in prison?” “In a way, yes. Before I was exiled on Anartia. My parents were executed.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, stroking her hair. “But there is nothing you can do for them if they’re dead.” She shook her head against his shoulder. “They never received the proper ceremony and burial. Our kind can die, although rarely. When we do, we must have the proper preparations or the souls will be trapped. Their spirits will remain in terror in the underworld until I can return to perform this ritual.”
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“But if you go back, you’ll never return,” Brad said. “There’s no other way. I cannot abandon them.” Hell. The pain he felt for her hurt more than all the animal claw and bite wounds he’d received. How could he fight this? Or challenge a culture he didn’t understand? He was going to lose her and he didn’t have the power to stop her. All his training and special skills couldn’t fight these people. Even if she loved him, she was honorbound to carry out her duty. He admired her and loved her even more for that. He took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly and fought back the emotion swelling in his throat. “Don’t leave me until we talk to Bill.” “Who’s Bill?” “My grandfather. He’s a Navajo shaman and knows about spirits, life after death and special rituals. Maybe he can help. Just promise me you won’t vanish before you talk to him.” “I promise.” He sighed. “Good.” “We’re meeting Haley near Cathedral Rock this morning. Ambros is going to talk about vortexes and auras. I’m hoping this will help me with my duties so I may return sooner to Prygos.” Great. He hoped this Ambros guy was a fake and could somehow convince her to stay.
***** Sakari sat cross-legged next to Brad on a blanket listening to the river trickling over stones and trying to stay focused on Ambros’ lecture. Haley sat in front of him in a yoga pose, her hands resting on her knees, her face serene and completely enthralled with every word. Dante was the only one not sitting. He stood apart from the group, leaning against a tree, observing people who passed or sat at the river’s edge to meditate or stopped to listen for a few moments to Ambros. A forest of pine trees surrounded them and in the distance, the massive red rock structure called Cathedral Rock with its sheer columns of reddish brown stone jutted high above the trees. “We’re sitting in the center of one of the largest vortexes in the Sedona area,” Ambros said. “The Earth’s forces have three types of energy—electricity, magnetism and electromagnetism. Each affects life forms differently. A vortex can have the energy of one of these forces. The vortexes can heighten awareness to bring about spiritual enlightenment.” “Interesting.” Brad raised his eyebrows, looking at Sakari. He wasn’t being sarcastic. She could tell he was trying to be polite.
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Ambros paused for a moment and glanced around so Sakari felt it was okay to ask questions. “What other things can the vortexes do?” Tarik had used the energies of a vortex to align the portal as a means to focus energy somehow. She didn’t understand exactly. Ambros nodded sagely. “The Cathedral vortex has feminine or magnetic energies. It strengthens those energies. Kindness, compassion, patience. As you sit here and meditate you’ll draw in whatever energy it is that you need.” “What are those stacks of stones?” Brad asked, pointing to foot-high piles of smooth stones that looked like tiny petrified rock people. “Cairns,” Ambros said. “Markers representing the location of the vortex.” “But there are hundreds of them,” Brad said. Dante left the group and walked over to a woman with long dark hair who was standing at the edge of the river. He started talking to her. Ambros continued with his talk about male and female energies but Haley was watching Dante. After a minute, she stood up and walked over to them. Sakari gave Brad a look as if to say, “What up with that?” Haley said something to both of them and returned, sitting back down. “I asked Dante and that woman if they’d like to join us,” she explained to Ambros. There was a slight strain in her voice, especially with the way she said, “that woman”. The woman got up and sat down next to Haley, far away from Dante. “I’m Leah,” she said to Ambros. Flipping her waist-long hair over her shoulders, she turned to the group and gave everyone a smile. Brad gave Sakari a puzzled look. She in turn studied Dante, looking for an explanation. He mouthed, “Sha Warrior”. She shot the woman a glance and a chill ran up her spine. How could Dante see the excess energy? Could he feel it? She didn’t notice anything different among any of the mortals. Dante walked away from the group and stood by a large tree. Leaning up against it was Valdon. How long has he been there? Sakari turned to Brad. “Stay here,” she whispered. Brad looked over her shoulder at Dante and Valdon. “What’s up?” “Nothing. I’ll be right back.” “I’m here if you need me,” he said and gave Dante and Valdon a warning stare. Sakari groaned. Challenging Valdon was not a smart idea. He was a demon who had a chip on his shoulder. He also didn’t get along too well with Dante because Gwyllain favored him and he argued with Zorian many times because of Natesa. Valdon was fond of Natesa and her sexual appetite couldn’t be satisfied with only one man. With Valdon it was always about competition and position. Sakari couldn’t help but feel her heart skip with Brad’s attempt at protecting her, even though he couldn’t protect her against two demon Drones. She got up and stood by the two Drones. 113
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“An interesting gathering,” Valdon said. “Isn’t it though.” Dante sighed and crossed his arms, showing his annoyance. “You up on all this vortex stuff?” Sakari asked Valdon, trying to sound casual but she knew there wasn’t anything casual about his visit. He only showed up when there was trouble. Valdon shrugged. “Haven’t thought about it much.” Dante was a tall and muscular man but the blond Valdon was still a couple inches taller and heftier. “I came to check the area out for myself. I hear it’s full of power and there are people with heightened energies.” Dante narrowed his eyes at Valdon. “Yeah, I hear that too.” “My range of vision is enhanced here.” Valdon tilted his head toward Brad, Haley, Ambros and their visitor, Leah. “This area must elevate the senses. Have you noticed, Dante?” Dante didn’t answer. “Sedona is full of Sha Warriors,” Valdon added while he turned toward the group sitting by the river. “It appears this is a fine hunting ground for them. I can see powerful ones close by.” Sakari slowly stood and positioned herself between Valdon and the group. “How can you tell?” Dante asked, lowering his voice. “Only I can see them.” “Usually, I can’t see them like you but in this location I can sense them.” Valdon’s voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “Tarik is getting impatient. He wants to begin his project. Bring the Sha Warriors to the lower chamber, or I will.” “There’s still time,” Dante said. “No need to bother with this group.” Sakari knew Brad was in danger but didn’t know how to warn him. Valdon must know Brad was Sha too. “I think you both realize that if I bring them, it won’t be pleasant.” Valdon gave Sakari a feral look that chilled her. “These humans are our only chance for freedom.” “It won’t be long,” Dante assured him. “I’ll pass the word on to Tarik.” Valdon gave them all one last hardened look, then turned and walked up the trail. Sakari relaxed a bit and glanced at Ambros, Haley and the woman Leah. Frowning, she watched Valdon, making sure he wasn’t returning. “Bloody demons,” Dante murmured.
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Chapter Sixteen Sakari walked down the corridor toward Tarik’s lower chamber. The stone floor vibrated as she got closer. Through the chamber’s doorway, rainbow colored lights, reflected off the walls. A loud, pulsating hum came from inside the room. Cautiously, she entered and found a woman standing beneath the three giant quartz crystals but she was turned away and Sakari couldn’t see her face. The crystals glowed and flashed, colors shimmering in different directions like a prism. “A Sha Warrior or a Drone?” she asked Tarik as he looked up at Sakari from his control panel. He smiled, made a few adjustments on the instruments, then came to her and took her arm. “Come in. This is interesting.” As she moved into the room, the woman lifted her head. Leah! The woman they’d met by the river with Ambros. Leah had her eyes closed and was moaning as if in pleasure, her body swaying. Valdon, damn him. Or was it Dante? She wasn’t sure who was responsible for bringing this woman here for Tarik’s experiment. It looked as though power from the crystals was holding her up. Then Sakari remembered that she had been paralyzed when she was beneath the crystals. Standing by the control panel, Tarik pointed out the readings. “The energy draw from this human is shown here. It’s quite high but not as high as a Sha Warrior.” “She’s not a Sha Warrior then?” “No.” Tarik made a face. “Valdon brought her. He thought she was. Even Dante thought she might be. He can detect the Sha Warriors the best. She does have high levels of bio-energy. Still not Sha.” He walked up to Leah and stroked her cheek, her breast and between her legs. The woman writhed and groaned beneath his touch. He looked over his shoulder at Sakari. “I think she’s had enough.” He approached the control panel. “Time to release her.” He tapped a few keys and the lights dimmed. Picking up her clothes from a chair, he helped her dress. Leah moved with sluggish movements. Her expression was blank. “All finished now,” Tarik said. “Will she remember?” Sakari asked. At least Tarik hadn’t intended to kill her. “No. No more than your Kithra. A dream perhaps.” He put an arm around Leah’s shoulders and assisted her toward the door. “Stay here, Sakari, I’ll be back in a moment. A Drone will return her to Earth.” While he was gone she studied the control panel. The dial still measured the excess bio-energy from the woman. What would the reading be with three Sha Warriors? There were other dials and keys. She remembered the ones he hit to release the woman. But the other ones were unfamiliar.
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Tarik returned and rushed over to the control panel. “Sakari! You didn’t change any of the settings, did you?” “No, of course not. I’m interested, trying to understand your work.” He frowned. “Very complicated. Only two other engineers on Prygos understood this technology.” He checked the readings then walked over to the three crystals and made sure they were angled correctly. “All looks well.” He came back to the panel and stood beside her, giving her a seductive look that she knew was Tarik’s invitation for a Drone to give their offering. She stalled. The idea of being put under this machine frightened her. “How will this work when the Sha Warriors are here?” She gave him an innocent smile and touched his arm in a friendly way. She didn’t want to appear uncooperative. He sighed, resigned to give her a tour first. “These crystals are aligned in such a way to draw the bio-energy from the Sha Warriors and direct that energy into Anartia’s interior. It works like a floodgate opening. Once Anartia’s energy is overflowing, I can direct the center controls to propel our world out of this dimensionally constructed prison and have it reappear in the range of Prygos.” “What will happen to the Sha Warriors? Will they be harmed?” She moved behind him and rubbed his shoulders so he wouldn’t see her face, fearing her eyes would give her away. She didn’t want him to know she didn’t like the whole idea of Tarik’s project. He shrugged his shoulders and didn’t answer. “Will you release them to Earth after the experiment?” “Why should you be worried about three humans? When their sacrifice can free us from exile?” “I know but I don’t like harming humans. You know that,” she said in a playful tone. “If there was another way, I wouldn’t harm them.” He turned in her arms and pulled her in an embrace. She had to force herself not to resist. Would she have to give him his offering as the other Drones did? “I do have an offering, Tarik. But the demoness warned me when I came down here.” Tarik swore. “I know, she told me too.” Then he lowered his mouth to her ear and she thought he would kiss her there. “What do you think about being my queen when we return to Prygos?” he whispered. She leaned back and stared in horror at him. “What?” He nodded. “Gwyllain and Cragen have served their purpose. This exile was an inconvenience but I will be able to finish my plan soon.” “What plan?” “I intended Cragen to find out about Gwyllain and me. I was to bring him to Anartia and trap them both in this exiled prison. But Cragen outsmarted me. He found out too soon.”
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“So you built this to be a prison for the rulers, not a retreat for lovers?” And she had thought Tarik was the meek one. “I also hadn’t counted on Gwyllain’s jealousy or her arranging for my wife’s murder. Their destruction will be a fitting end. Cragen executed your parents and all they did was follow the instructions of their mistress.” “I need to release them,” she said. “Become my queen and your parents will find peace.” Sakari nodded. “A generous offer.” “You want to seek revenge for your parents?” “Yes, I do.” “Then don’t worry about the Sha Warriors.” He looked her up and down. The thin material of the white silk sheath did little to cover her breasts and hips. The chill in the lower chamber made her nipples hard and his gaze focused there. “Hmmm. How I will enjoy having you when we return to Prygos. Gwyllain would surely destroy you if she knew of my lust.” He slid his hands down her arms barely missing her breasts. Living like this was insanity. If there was any way for her parents to be free from their prison in the underworld by Brad’s Navajo ways, she had to do it and do it soon. Sakari sighed. “She is very jealous and has a temper too.” “Hmmm. I do not wish her wrath to come down on you then. Stand beneath the crystals and I will take your offering. I will watch though.” He lifted her sheath over her head and dropped it on the floor. She walked naked into the center of the crystals, feeling the weight of Tarik’s eyes on her. His gaze she could stand but the thought of the physical transfer of chi with him appalled her now because of her feelings for Brad. The rainbow lights flickered above her and her body became frozen in place. Like a magnetic field preventing her from making any but minor movements. Tarik cranked up his machine and the erotic sensations rushed through her. He wasn’t even teasing her this time, with a slow build of pleasure like he usually did. As if this was punishment for not being able to make love to her, he was going to make her offering a quick, unsatisfying release. A fluid warmth basked her nerve endings and the orgasm traveled through her in small ripples. Before the final throbbing stopped, the lights dimmed and the machine clicked off. “You’re done,” Tarik said, his words edged with anger. “Everything all right?” she asked. Was he angry at her? Did he suspect his feelings weren’t reciprocated? Or something else? He looked up and met her eyes. “You better go before Gwyllain wonders why you were down here so long.”
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“Okay.” She dressed and disappeared in the recesses of the corridor.
***** The front door of the Red Rocks Bar and Grill creaked as it opened, and Sakari glanced up to see Dante stroll into the bar. Moonlight streamed in through the entrance, gleaming on his long, black hair. As he walked across the mostly empty room, his gaze scanned the customers, apparently summing up the possible prey in the room. But gone was his usual arrogant invincibility. Instead, shoulders hunched, Dante ignored the single woman finishing her dinner. He couldn’t hide the strain and worry on his face. Taking a seat at the bar, he nodded to Sakari and ordered a beer. With shaking hands she poured his beer and placed it in front of him. “Hello, Dante.” He took a swig, then gave her an appraising look, his dark, almost black eyes peering into hers. Dread formed in the pit of her stomach. He again glanced around at the half dozen customers left. “I sense a good amount of bio-essence in this room, enough that would be a satisfactory offering to the demoness.” He turned back to Sakari. “I don’t sense any of that lifeforce within you.” “I know, Dante.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to collect with anyone other than Brad.” Did she dare tell him, he was trying to figure a way for her to stay? He shrugged. “No matter. As long as Anartia receives an offering in a timely matter, it doesn’t matter where you get it from.” Dante leaned forward and whispered, “We have one Sha Warrior in the chamber.” “Who?” Sakari asked. “Not Leah. I was there and Tarik said—” “It’s not Leah,” Dante interrupted. “Two more are needed before Tarik attempts to release Anartia from Earth and Valdon believes he’s found them. Be prepared to leave soon.” He got up to leave but Sakari grabbed his arm. “Not Brad, you promised.” She glanced around the room. She couldn’t bear to think of anyone she knew making the sacrifice. “I’m afraid Tarik will destroy the Sha Warriors.” Dante didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know. I doubt the demoness cares though.” Sakari nodded, understanding what that meant. The demoness would do anything to return to Prygos to seek her revenge on her husband. Upon her return, she had her army of Drones and her plan set for the surprise attack and murder of Cragen, followed by a takeover. “I’m staying behind,” she blurted out. “What?” He glared at her. “Don’t speak of such nonsense.”
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“If Brad can find a way to release my parents from the underworld, I’m staying. You must tell me how to break free from Anartia.” She held up her nebula stone pendant. “It has to do with this, doesn’t it?” “You can’t.” Dante stood. “You must return or the demoness will hunt you down and drain all your lifeforce.” She grabbed his arm. “Please, help me. I love him.” Dante sighed and hung his head. “Don’t you believe it’s possible to love a mortal? You were mortal once. You loved your wife.” “Yes, I did. And as a Drone, I loved a mortal woman, still love her and I almost destroyed her. She’s with another now. That was a long time ago.” He studied Sakari for a long moment. “Okay, there is a way but not until the three Sha Warriors are together.” “I can’t allow three mortals to be sacrificed for my freedom.” “You don’t know that for sure,” Dante argued. “If Tarik is successful, then mortals will no longer be threatened by Drones.” “The risk is too great.” “If the demoness discovers your plan to leave she will hunt you down and make you a slave again. Then you won’t be permitted to leave Anartia and you’ll lose your chance to escape. If she’s busy with preparations for leaving, she won’t notice you’re gone.” Sakari nodded. As much as she didn’t like the idea of capturing Sha Warriors, she knew it was inevitable. The Sha Warriors would be found with or without her help. Tarik would attempt to finish his project. And if the project was successful, Anartia would travel through dimensions and arrive at Prygos. “What do I have to do?” “Hey, Sakari, it’s winding down here. Would you mind if I left early? I’m taking an early class tomorrow.” Haley walked up to the bar and gave Dante a flirty smile. “Hello,” she said to him. “Nice to see you again.” “What kind of class?” Dante asked returning the smile. No, not Haley. Sakari shot him a warning look but he ignored her. “It’s on Tarot card reading at All Things Mystical, the New Age book store. I think I’m psychic. I’ve always had a sense about things.” Dante leaned in closer. “Really? I find that fascinating. What do you sense about me?” Haley rested her elbows on the bar. Dante glanced at Sakari for a split second giving her a knowing look. And Sakari returned a pleading look. Again he ignored her. “Hmmm. Let me think.” Haley took his hand and stared at him for a few moments. “Kind of a loner. But you come from a big family. You’ve lived here a long time, maybe grew up in this area. You love to travel. You probably think this is silly.” She stood up and poured herself a soda. 119
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“No, go on. I’d like to hear more.” “Hmmm.” She stared into his eyes and gave him a sexy smile. “I bet you’re passionate about your job but wish you were the boss. You’re not easy to read. Maybe I can do your Tarot cards when I learn how.” “Perhaps.” “What kind of work do you do?” Dante glanced at Sakari then back at Haley. “Accounting. Business.” “So how accurate was I?” Dante smiled. “Pretty good.” Haley smiled. “Yeah? See, Sakari? I told you I’m psychic.” Sakari saw her jot something on a bar napkin and hand it to Dante. “I also predict that you’ll call me sometime. I’ll see if I’m right. I need to go now. Nice talking to you.” “Good night, Haley,” Sakari said, watching Dante with a cautious eye. Dante stood up. “Let me walk you to your car.” “Her car is just out back,” Sakari pointed out. Haley gave her a weird look. “Thanks, Mom, I’ll be fine.” Dante leaned over the bar and whispered to Sakari. “Complete your duties and return to Anartia in two days.” “Dante, she’s my friend,” she said, her eyes pleading. He smiled then turned away from her without another word. He walked out the back door with Haley. Sakari caught up with Dante in the parking lot and yanked his arm so hard, he stumbled. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked. “No, not Haley,” she demanded but quietly enough so that Haley couldn’t hear. Dante sighed and removed her hand from his arm. Smiling, he said coolly, “Guess you’re settling into life on this planet and you thought you’d hate it. Now you have friends you want to protect. Interesting.” She was silent for a moment. “Dante, there must be another way, please.” “Do not worry. I’m not a threat to your friends. I’m going to warn her to stay away from Ambros and the Cathedral Rock trail for a while because I believe Valdon will be searching that area for Sha Warriors. I’ll tell her the blond man is a bit of a psycho and appeared to take an unhealthy interest in her.” She felt a little spark of relief but Valdon was still out there.
***** “Want to take a drive out into the desert?” Dante asked Haley. “A short drive.” “Now?” She gave him a suspicious look. 120
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“Sure. The desert is beautiful at this time. Peaceful, natural, wild.” He sent along a few persuading thoughts, nothing too seductive. He didn’t want to scare her off. “All right. If you’re a friend of Sakari’s, I suppose I can trust you. I’ll drive.” “Okay.” He got into her car and she pulled out of the parking lot. “Which way?” “Out of town.” He pointed the way. “There’s a nice place I like to go to…meditate.” She turned and looked at him with wide eyes. “Oh, you meditate too? Nice. You should come with me to one of Ambros’ classes. He’s amazing.” “That sounds nice.” “Great.” “Haley, do me a favor and don’t meditate by the Cathedral Rock vortex for a while.” She slowed the car down and didn’t look at him. “Why? I go there a lot with Ambros and his class.” “I know. Just for a while. There’s this man, Valdon. I can’t explain but you need to stay away from him. He may be spending some time around Cathedral Rock. He’s trouble. Okay?” “Okay,” she said softly. “Should I warn Ambros?” “I’ll let Ambros know.” “He’s trouble? What kind?” “Evil energy,” Dante said. “Oh, I understand.” She seemed satisfied with that. She reached over and squeezed his arm. “Thank you.” Dante’s hands tightened into fists. Memories of a lost love, Amy, came to mind. There was a reason why Drones did not get emotionally involved with Kithra. Don’t make it personal. It was dangerous to the Kithra and dangerous to the Drone. Glancing over to Haley, he admired her soft blonde waves and delicate chin and mouth. Still wearing her waitress uniform, her breasts filled out her black tee shirt and the skirt hiked up high on her thighs. His body stirred with arousal. He’d make a quick harvest of lifeforce energy and take her home. He wouldn’t make the same mistake with Haley as he did with Amy. “Turn off onto that dirt road on the left.” She did and parked the car. “Wow, this is beautiful out here.” They got out of the car and walked. The night was cool with a slight breeze scented with earthy sandstone, dirt and sage. The horizon was silhouetted with the distant red rock monoliths. He took her hand and he began his seduction with sensual thoughts. He heard her breathing increase and her heart rate kick up a bit. This wouldn’t take long and he could return to Anartia with an offering. He looked at Haley and she smiled at him. Then something inside him knotted up. Don’t get personal.
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He stopped and faced her, stroking her arms but avoiding her gaze. “Dante,” she said his name in a throaty whisper as she slid her hands around his waist. “Shhhh.” He leaned forward and kissed her, a teasing invitation with just his lips. She moaned and pressed her body against him. He urged his tongue to part her lips and she complied. The kiss deepened and he closed his eyes, lost in her, wanting her in all ways. Her lips parted and she gasped for a breath and moved his hand to her breast. “Touch me,” she ordered. His suggestive thoughts really had her hot and bothered. Had him hot and aroused too. His cock was hard and aching. As he massaged her breasts, she slipped her tee shirt off and dropped it on the ground. Without hesitation, Dante undid her bra and threw that on the ground too. He grabbed her breasts and kissed her mouth, her neck. He couldn’t get enough of her and wanted to feel her completely naked. Her hands were at his jeans, unzipping and working one hand in to grasp his engorged cock. He sucked in air. Damn, she felt good. “Oh, God, touch me,” she begged again as she directed his hand up her skirt and between her legs. Her panties were wet. He groaned. He wanted her, wanted her bad. “Yes.” What was he doing? He was losing control of his Kithra. He wasn’t going to get an offering this way. In fact, he could kill her. He pulled back. She looked at him with a hurt look in her eyes, panting. “What’s wrong?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Can’t do this,” he said. “Why not?” The crushed look on her face nearly broke him. “Not safe.” He put his hand up and sent her a strong thought so she’d forget everything.
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Chapter Seventeen The mud and log hut stuck out at the base of a steep red rock formation like a dusty boot. Tall pine trees circled the hogan, giving it shade and hiding it from the surrounding valley. The sky glowed in endless shades of red and orange as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. “This will work,” Brad whispered to Sakari as they approached the hogan, stepping with their soft-soled moccasins. He had given her a pair for the ceremony along with a thin suede shift adorned with turquoise beads. With her dark hair and bronze skin, Brad thought she looked like an Indian princess. This had to be done right the first time or he’d lose her forever. “I hope so,” she said. “I don’t have much time.” He wore a suede breechcloth and had brought his leopard skin. Anxiety tensed his muscles. Questions crowded his mind. Would the ceremony free Sakari’s parents? And how would they know? And would he be cleansed of his past? He didn’t think it would be possible to be free of that pain or forgiven for that error. He just did not want to bring any more shame onto his grandfather. The wooden door opened and Bill held up a hand motioning them to stop. He wore a white shirt, tan pants and a yellow band tied around his head. The smell of incense and wood smoke followed him. Stepping outside, Bill closed the door and crossed his arms. “Hello, Son.” He nodded to Sakari. “Welcome Falcon Daughter.” Brad introduced Sakari to his grandfather. She placed her hands on her heart and gave a slight bow. “Thank you for doing this, Bill.” He grunted. Then turned to Brad. “She’s pretty for a demon.” “Bill!” Brad rolled his eyes. He heard a door slam. Under a large pine tree there was another hogan, a small one several yards away from the other one. Smoke was pouring out of the hole in the roof. An older woman stood at the doorway, wearing a skirt and no top, her long black hair discreetly covering her breasts. She waved toward them. “Sakari must go with her. She will be tended to by the women for the ceremony,” Bill said. Sakari gave Brad a panicked looked but her fear faded some when he smiled and said, “It’s okay. This is how it’s done. I’ll see you when it’s over.” She took a breath as if to gather her strength. “Okay. I’ll go then.” Sakari slowly walked toward the woman, glancing over her shoulder at Brad for reassurance. When she got to the women’s hogan, Sakari was shown inside and the door was closed. 123
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“Sun is down. It’s time,” Bill said as he turned and entered the men’s hogan. Brad took a breath, fisted his hands around the leopard fur and entered the hogan, closing the door behind him. It was dark inside. Several men sat cross-legged around a campfire burning low in the center of the room. There were no windows and the only light came from the campfire and the hole in the roof where most, not all, of the smoke from the fire went. Brad’s eyes burned from the smoky haze that hovered in the single room structure. “Hello,” Brad said to the other men seated around the fire. They barely nodded. One was smoking a pipe and eyeing Brad suspiciously. Great, this is going to be a long night. “Have a seat, Son, at the other end of the fire, by the piece of slate.” Bill sat opposite him, across the fire. Brad waited for several moments for something to happen or someone to tell him to do something. “So how does this work?” Bill nodded. “You need to cleanse yourself of the past to regain your powers. Your leopard spirit has left you. He walks beside you still but refuses to be one with you. You must coax him back. To do so you must pass several trials.” “What kind of trials?” Brad asked, trying to get comfortable in the cross-legged position. He glanced at the small clay bowls of powder in white, yellow, red, charcoal, blue, brown and pink. “Tests, to prove yourself worthy to your totem spirit,” the man with the pipe said. He seemed to be the leader by the way he sat and talked. “Once you are worthy, then the spirit will enter you again and your powers will fully return.” Brad embraced some of the Navajo legends and teachings, more so than his brother Jake, but his shapeshifting gift was not Navajo origin, it was Eigi Einhamr. “What about Sakari? How do we help to free her parents’ spirits to enter the spirit world?” Bill hung his head as if he was disappointed with his grandson’s interruptions. “You must cleanse yourself first before you have the power to perform other rituals and magic.” “Of course,” he said sorry for shaming his grandfather. “Tell me what I need to do.” Brad leaned forward showing his interest and trying to look humble. The men snickered. “Impatient, isn’t he?” “Always was,” Bill agreed. “But he has had brief moments where he met with spirits.” Spirits? Brad frowned. He had? When? Bill’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Brad. The message was clear, “Do not embarrass me, son.” “Brad and I spent time in the sweat lodge when he was younger. He is a man of honor and looks on the teaching with respect.” The men nodded their approval. 124
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The man smoking handed Brad the pipe with an angled tilt of his head. Taking the pipe, Brad acknowledged him in thanks, took a few tokes and passed the pipe to the next man. The pipe made its rounds a couple more passes. The acrid smoke burned his throat and instantly gave him a slight headache at his temples. The temperature of the hogan grew warmer but the fire was still at a slow burn. One of the men added small twigs to keep the flames at a constant height. The elder shaman placed the pipe aside and picked up a bowl of liquid. Sipping from it, he closed his eyes for a moment, then passed the bowl to Brad. Brad sipped and reached out to pass the bowl. He wondered if Sakari was participating in a similar ritual. “She will be fine,” the elder said as if he heard Brad’s thoughts. “No, drink more,” he demanded. Brad sipped more of the bitter fluid, then looked at the elder for approval. The elder nodded and waved him to pass it. His head swooned, then colors darted in the flames. Oh, boy. He hated to think what would show up on his toxicology screen if they ran one on him now at work. He glanced at his grandfather. His eyes looked like two black marbles, dilated as much as his, no doubt. The elder pushed the two-foot square of slate toward Brad. “Your first trial is to paint Big Thunder. The sands are in those bowls.” Brad groaned. “I’m a lousy artist.” “Your artwork will not be graded. This is to honor the spirit,” the elder said. “Okay.” Brad had seen sand paintings done before and had made some as a kid but never in a ceremony like this. He picked up the bowl with black sand, then changed his mind and picked up the blue sand. “I sort of remember what Big Thunder looks like but I can’t remember the colors.” “Ask the spirits to help you,” Bill said. Brad sat back on his heels, closed his eyes and sent out a thought asking for directions. He asked for guidance so as not to embarrass or dishonor is grandfather. He loved his grandfather more than anything and didn’t want to bring him shame. After several moments, he opened his eyes and picked up the black powder, drizzled the sand through his hand to outline the body, the arms and legs. As a child he always thought Big Thunder looked part robot, part bird. Then he changed to blue power and made the tips of the wings and the head. His hand cramped and he had to brush away stray grains to make the edges straight. The men sat with their eyes closed. He wondered if they were sleeping but every once in a while they leaned over and looked at Brad’s progress. Sweat poured down his face, chest and back. And his vision blurred. Couldn’t they have given him that jungle juice after his art lesson? He was getting hungry too. He could go for a pizza about now. A breeze drifted in down through the hole at the top of the hogan. A welcoming breath
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of fresh air. Brad breathed in and enjoyed the coolness as it stroked his sweaty skin. Thank you. Maybe the spirits knew he was sweating like a pig. He leaned forward to continue his painting and stopped. “No.” “What is wrong?” the elder asked. “The breeze that came into the hogan messed up my sand painting. It’s ruined.” The elder leaned forward and looked at the slate. “So it is. Start again.” Brad blinked. “I’ve been working on this for about two hours.” “We have all night,” the elder said calmly. Taking a long, deep breath, Brad eyed the hole in the ceiling and wondered how he was going to finish a painting without the wind interfering. “Were your thoughts straying from your task?” Bill asked. Brad thought for a minute. “I think my focus was drifting.” The elder handed him the bowl of jungle juice. Brad took a sip. Picking up the black sand he drizzled the square outline for the body. This is going to be a long night. A stiff breeze whisked away his sand. “Shit.” The men laughed. “Concentrate.” The elder puffed on the pipe. “Make friends with the wind,” Bill said. Fuck the wind. Sand blew in his eyes. “Okay, I’ll try.”
***** Inside the women’s hogan, several women sat on mats around a small fire. Some were naked and others wore a skirt like the elder woman escorting Sakari, leaving their breasts bare. In the dim light, she saw a woman pouring water into a bowl that was set on a table. The elderly woman brought her to it and the other woman removed Sakari’s shift and undergarments, folding them neatly on the table, then sponged her down. “You may not talk during the ceremony,” the elder woman instructed. “You make this sign if you need water to drink and this sign if you need to go out to relieve yourself. One of us will escort you.” She showed her hand signals of her fingers touching her mouth or pointing toward the door. Sakari nodded. “Once the ceremony is over, for as long as you live, you may never, ever, speak your loved ones’ names again, or they will be dragged out of the spiritworld and left to haunt the Earth.” Sakari shivered. Haunt Earth or haunt Prygos? Either way she did not want that to happen. “Do you understand?” the woman asked. “Yes,” Sakari whispered.
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“Do you have any questions before we begin?” “No. I am ready.” “Good. No talking from this moment on. No, matter what happens or what you see or feel. You cannot leave the hogan without one of us.” Sakari nodded and sat where she was instructed. The other women sat at their places and she realized she didn’t even know their names. A thin, naked woman, who looked to be in her early twenties handed Sakari a bowl of brownish liquid. “Drink a couple of sips then pass it on.” She sipped the bitter drink and her head felt light. After several passes, the room sparkled in various colors and the women hummed and chanted in odd music. Time passed but Sakari couldn’t tell how long. She seemed to drift off to sleep. From the depths of a peaceful sleep, she dreamt of her and Brad walking along the cliffs of Anartia hand in hand. The seas were calm and the sky a brilliant indigo blue with only a few clouds. The warmth of the sun heated their skin and a soft sea breeze caressed the heather. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Anartia so calm and peaceful,” she said to Brad. He smiled but didn’t answer. “Prygos is quite beautiful. Seascapes like this with mountains of flowers. I would’ve loved for you to have seen it.” He smiled again but then his smile became a grimace. “Brad, are you all right?” His face contorted in pain and he screamed. At the same time pain ripped through her body and she was jolted out of sleep. Hunched over, she tried to focus and push the pain away so she could get her bearings. What’s happening to me? She felt for her nebula stone pendant and it vibrated and was warm. Could they be sending this pain to her somehow? She reached over to touch Brad and he was gone. She was dreaming again or seeing a vision. The image was of Brad’s house. Frantically, she searched for him in the house. His car and motorcycle were there but he was gone. They came for him. He was gone and she knew where he was. She opened her eyes and she was sitting in front of the campfire in the hogan, the same as before, except her body shook. A woman handed her a bowl of water. Sakari took a couple of sips. She gave up trying to keep track of time. As she focused on the women’s faces, she saw animals or other faces. She’d blink and the faces would change. Could the women see different faces on her, could they see a falcon face over hers? The medicine in the drink had made her so dizzy, she doubted she’d be able to shift into the falcon shape if she tried.
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Then she was above the campfire, circling. She heard shrieks and voices below. Free, I’m free. How would she know if her parents were set free? Their souls released from the underworld? In her falcon form, she was flying and swooping low over the desert plain, over the great red rock formations but if she angled her head just so, she could see the women and the campfire of the hogan. Great storms seized the desert, violent earthquakes upheaved land masses, opened wide fissures, rain pummeled the dry earth, causing floods. Such destruction the Arizona desert had never seen. Then she was soaring over the cliffs of Anartia, skimming the rough seas and the rocky cliffs. A moment later, she was inside Tarik’s lower chamber, perched on his control panel. A glance to one side of the room and she again saw the Navajo women in the hogan, reassurance that she was still dreaming. Three Sha Warriors were locked beneath the power of the massive crystals, power surging from them. She could not see who they were but Tarik was busy adjusting controls on the panel and positioning the crystals. The room glowed with prisms of color, blinding her. One by one the Sha Warriors collapsed and the rumble of the machine rose. “Almost there,” Tarik cried out. The Sha Warriors didn’t move. Tarik had drained every bit of lifeforce out of them. Dead. And what consequences did their leaving have on Earth? If this dream was true, a horrible thought crossed her mind. The Sha Warriors. Dante was wrong and Tarik had no intention of letting them go after the project. The project would kill them. She couldn’t allow that even if it meant leaving Earth and leaving Brad behind. A deep ache weighed her body down. She swooped down and stood on her mat in the falcon form then transformed back into her human. Looking across the fire, she saw all the women staring at her, some in awe, some a little fearful. The elder got up, crossed the room and brought her a cup of water. Sakari accepted it graciously and drank. Movement behind the elder woman caught her eye. She sucked in breath and almost screamed. She dropped the cup and froze.
***** After several hours, Brad’s movement became much faster as his concentration improved. Beneath Big Thunder’s wings, he made twenty-four waterspouts, twelve from each wing, representing the four elements and the four seasons. He surrounded the design of Big Thunder with zigzag arrows of thunder and lightning. Next he added Big Fly, one of the first forms of animal life to appear, then The Bat, a sacred messenger of the spirit of the night. By the time the sand painting was completed, Brad’s fingers were cramping so much, he couldn’t pick up the bowls anymore. “I think I’m done.” The elder opened his eyes and yawned, leaned over and studied the painting. “Hmmm. A Navajo child could have done much better. D plus.” “I thought I wasn’t going to get a grade,” Brad said. 128
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The elder shrugged. The other men used shovels to remove round stones the size of large grapefruit out of the fire and dropped them into two metal buckets. “The next trial is about to begin.” One man poured water onto the stones and steam shot out and filled the room. Another man drummed out a soft rhythmic beat on an animal-skin drum. Brad had been through a sweat lodge ceremony before and knew he didn’t have to do anything but sweat it out. He stared into the fog and let his mind drift. Images of his mission invaded his thoughts. The RPG fire had trapped his team. A number of his men were injured. They had to get out of there or kill the guy on that weapon. Brad stripped down, handed his pack and clothes to his buddy. His commander saw what he was up to and realized they didn’t have a choice. Wrapping himself in the leopard pelt, he was instantly transformed. A buff-colored shadow crept up the hill toward the enemy. They did not expect an animal to jump out of the darkness. After the taste of blood from his first kill, adrenaline raced through his veins and he stalked his next victim and the next. One by one, he mauled them, taking out the enemy soldiers who had fired down on his men. But by this time, after a dozen kills, the bloodlust had taken over and the animal instinct for survival had overridden his soldier’s training. At the sound of movement beside him, he pounced on his next victim. As he attacked the scent was familiar and the leopard eased back but too late. His buddy used his knife to slash at his back to draw Brad off. Brad’s wounds healed but his commander’s did not. His commander was dead. Brad opened his eyes, tears burned, from the smoke, or memories—or both. The drumming continued and vibrated inside his chest. One of the men sang a soft chant. Brad’s eyes went in and out of focus. He stared at the fire, trying to clear his vision. The mission. He had to put that behind him. He’d saved his men but at a terrible cost. If only he’d remained in control, they all would have made it out. A shadow formed above the smoldering fire. It grew and rose above their heads then became a shape—a ghost leopard. Then the leopard took on the color of tan like Brad’s fur. The leopard loped toward Brad, stopping inches away. He reached out his hand, the cat sniffed his fingers, rubbed his head on his knuckles, then turned and entered the fire. A deep longing pulled at Brad’s chest. Come back. He sent out the thoughts to the animal as if he could will it to obedience. “You have more trials to go through before he’ll return to you,” the elder said. “Did you see him?” The elder didn’t answer. “You have regained some of your powers. But you must still face a greater ordeal, a dangerous one for your spirit leopard to return to you.” “What ordeal?” “Don’t know. Not here. You will know when the time comes,” Bill said. The elder brought out a small rectangular basket about a foot long and handed it to Brad. “This represents a burial for your friend’s family members.”
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Brad took the enclosed basket. “What’s in it?” “An offering to the spirits. Herbs, grain, tobacco, bits of cloth.” “What shall I do with it?” The elder shaman gave a short laugh at having to explain the obvious. “Burn it.” Brad nodded and placed the basket in the middle of the campfire and it instantly flared. “Anything else.” He handed Brad a juniper bough. “Wave the smoke. To urge their spirits on to the spirit world. Dineh prefer simple burial but since your deceased friends are not available, we have made this ritual to represent a burial.” Dineh, or the people, were Earth people, Navajo people. Would this work for the people of Prygos? He hoped so. Otherwise, Sakari would leave him. He choked back the acrid smoke scratching at his throat while the basket burned. Soon it was ashes. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. Time marched on and no matter how much he’d give up his heritage to undo the death of his teammate, he’d never be able to use his gift to help anyone including Sakari if he didn’t let go of the past. Let it go. If he hadn’t shifted and attacked the enemy they might’ve all been killed. Out of the ashes, his leopard spirit appeared again and strolled around the hogan sniffing each man, stopping briefly at Bill. The men laughed. Finally, he approached Brad, like a long-lost friend. Brad’s chest filled with emotion and he had to swallow. Would his leopard spirit return or always remain apart? The animal came to Brad and rested his head in his lap like a loyal dog and vanished. The tears blurred Brad’s vision. He was embarrassed at first until he saw tears in his grandfather’s eyes.
***** Sakari slowly stood. The elder woman placed her hand gently on Sakari’s forearm, to keep her from moving. “Be still, child.” Across the room, standing beside the table were her parents wearing the white silk robes of a servant, with the silver and blue sash of the gardener’s status. She almost forgot her code of silence. They looked solid, not like ghosts and she wanted to run to them and hold them. How could she bear it, standing there, not touching them—talking to them? She glanced at the elder woman with a desperate plea. “Spirits, just spirits,” she said. Breathing slowly, Sakari glanced around the hogan and noticed all the woman were looking at them too. Everyone saw them. Someone started chanting and her parents smiled peaceful smiles. She heard a sound of pellets hitting the fire and smelled incense. Smoke filled the room and her parents faded into the smoke. Moments later, they vanished completely.
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Sakari stood for a long moment her hands over her heart feeling it pound. She felt the pain of her loss all over again. “They are free now,” the elder woman said. “You may never speak their names again.” Sakari couldn’t hold back her tears. “You may talk now, it is dawn.” The woman patted her shoulder. “The ceremony is over.” Choking back her tears, Sakari said, “Thank you.” Now that she had released her parents from their underworld prison and honored her duty to them, she had to protect the Sha Warriors even if it meant leaving Earth and Brad.
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Chapter Eighteen After the ceremony, Bill’s sister drove them home. On the ride back to Sedona, Sakari kept falling asleep on Brad’s shoulder. “They’re free,” she told him. “Their spirits are free. Thank you.” She had thanked Bill and everyone. He squeezed her hand. “I know. That’s great.” They pulled into her apartment complex and Brad kissed her. It was early morning but they were both exhausted from the long night. “Get some rest. We’ll talk about what we’re going to do later.” He sounded like he was going to drop off to sleep too. “Okay.” She went inside her apartment and slept soundly for several hours. When Sakari got to work later that night, the cook told her Haley had called in sick. “Sick? What’s wrong with her?” The middle-aged man with a shaved head and warm eyes shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. She didn’t give details. You’ll have to run tables and make drinks tonight.” He turned and walked back into the kitchen. “I’ll help when I can.” It was a quiet night, not too many customers. No one was coming out in this weather. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rattled the windows, though no rain fell. Sedona was also experiencing more earthquakes. Bottles and glasses shook on the shelves and the wagon wheel light fixtures swayed. The cook charged out of the kitchen, eyes wide. “Hear anything on the news about these earthquakes?” “I haven’t turned on the TV, didn’t want to make the customers nervous.” “Good idea. Weird. Never had earthquakes like this before.” He went back inside the kitchen. The realization startled her. Tarik? Was all this because of his experiments? The idea chilled her. What kind of permanent damage could he cause on Earth? She went behind the bar and picked up the phone and punched in Haley’s home number. “Hello?” She got a hoarse voice on the line. “Haley? Is that you?” “Yes, Sakari? What’s the matter?” “What’s wrong with your voice?” Had Valdon gotten to her, done something to her? “I have a cold. I feel like shit. Sorry, I can’t come in tonight.” “Oh. I was worried. Valdon is—” “Dante warned me to stay away from him. Don’t worry.” Sakari sighed. “Okay. Feel better.” 132
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She hung up. Hours later, toward the end of her shift near midnight, Dante walked in and sat at the bar. She opened a bottle of beer and placed it in front of him. “I don’t have time to talk to you. Haley’s home sick. I’m working alone.” Dante looked around. “Find time.” Sakari put down the drinks she was about to serve. “Something has happened. What is it?” “It’s started.” “The project?” “Yes.” “Oh, no.” Her hands clutched the bar. “How do you know?” “Valdon has brought one of the Sha Warriors to Anartia.” She opened her mouth to speak but Dante raised his hand. “I just checked on Haley, she’s fine.” “I have to stop it. I need to call Brad. He’s at work. I have to leave here.” Dante shook his head. “No, stay. Be prepared to leave though. You can’t do anything. You can’t fight the demoness, Tarik and Valdon. Anartia is breaking free of Earth soon. If I can’t find my revenge on John Reilly here, I’ll have to find it on Prygos.” “But they’re going to kill the Sha Warriors.” “You don’t know that.” “I do know that. I saw it in a vision. The Navajos showed me the future.” Dante considered her words. “Wise people. It’s why I chose Coyote as my totem animal to shapeshift when Tarik assimilated me.” “What if we destroyed Anartia?” she whispered, desperation clear in her voice. He raised an eyebrow, then laughed. “You’re mad. Even if we could do that, why would you try? Anartia is the source of our immortality. To destroy Anartia, would end our immortality, maybe our lives.” “I’d rather live on Earth as a mortal, than on Prygos or Anartia as an immortal,” she murmured, as she walked around the bar to serve her customers their drinks. When she returned, Dante was finishing his beer and sliding his cash over to pay. “I’ll see what I can do to help the Sha Warriors.” He smiled in that cocky, arrogant way of his, mischievous like the Coyote Trickster. “But I won’t destroy Anartia.” “All right. I’ll wait to hear from you. But I’m calling Brad to warn him.” “Do that.” Dante left the bar. Her shift was almost over. How could she work the rest of the night without jumping out of her skin? A wave of dread passed through her. Dante said he would have his revenge on John Reilly on Prygos if he had to. If he wouldn’t give up his immortality, why would he help her and the Sha Warriors? Would knowing they were being sacrificed make a difference to him? She doubted it. She didn’t trust him. 133
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Picking up the phone, she called Brad. “Don’t leave work, like he says,” Brad said. “Why?” “Because I don’t want you going home or to my house alone with Valdon wandering around.” “But Valdon may be after you. And he can shift into any form. Don’t go out alone with anyone, even a friend. It could be Valdon in disguise.” “Don’t worry. My powers have returned so I can fight him on his level.” “You can’t fight Valdon on any level. You’re from two different worlds,” Sakari said. She would have to fight him. “I get off work in a half-hour. I’ll come and pick you up.” “Okay, Brad. Be careful.”
***** The night shift was arriving and Brad, Jan and the other emergency clinic personnel were going through their shift change procedures. “Hey guy, want to go for a drink after work? There’s this new martini bar on Main Street,” Jan asked as she handed him charts to sign. “Another time. I need to get home tonight.” “Oh, come on. A quick one and you’ll be home before your girlfriend gets home from work. She can’t be jealous of a middle-aged lady. I could be your mother.” Brad laughed, then abruptly stopped. An icy chill crept up his back. Valdon? “I’d love to, Jan. But really, I can’t tonight.” She had an odd expression that he couldn’t read. His leopard pelt was in his car. How would he know if Valdon had shifted into Jan? And where would the real Jan be? “Rain check then,” she said. “Have a good night.” All seemed quiet when he got home. He had about an hour to kill before Sakari’s shift was over, then he’d go pick her up. He let Zeus in to feed him, giving him his usual pets and hugs. The dog wandered in and sat by his food dish, eagerly watching Brad as he scooped out dog food. Brad placed the bowl at Zeus’ feet, then got him fresh water. The dog didn’t make a move to eat. “What’s wrong buddy, you’re usually starved by the time I get home. Worn out from chasing rabbits all day?” The dog lapped at the water, sniffed the food, then vomited. “Zeus, what did you eat? Something make you sick?” The dog looked up at him with glassy eyes. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed. “Oh my, God. You’ve been poisoned. Valdon. Bastard.” He grabbed a blanket and wrapped Zeus in it, jotted a quick note to Sakari with the address for the emergency vet, scooped Zeus up in his arms and ran out the door.
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“It’s okay, Zeus. Going for a ride.” Brad left his door unlocked and placed his dog on the backseat. Getting into the front, he started up the car and raced onto the highway toward the emergency vet clinic. The dog stirred in the back. Brad tried to glance back in the rearview mirror. Maybe Zeus was coming around. If he got there quickly enough, the vet could save him. He punched the steering wheel and swore. “Valdon, so help me. If my dog dies, I’ll flay you alive.” “You think so?” Valdon said from the backseat. Brad swerved the car, nearly running off the road. He checked the rearview mirror. Zeus was gone and Valdon was in his place, smiling. “Keep driving. We’re going on a trip.” “Where’s my dog?” “I didn’t do anything to your dog. I let him loose.” “Where are we going?” A plan had already formed in his head. He was just stalling for a little time. “My world. I’m sure you’ll find it interesting,” Valdon said with pride and an arrogant tilt to his jaw. “How so?” “It unlike anything you’ve seen on Earth.” Brad slammed on the brakes, stopping abruptly. He reached for the door handle before the car fully halted but Valdon was too fast. His enemy had a tight grip around the back of his neck. His body went numb, spots drifted in his vision and for a moment Brad thought he’d pass out. Fuck. “I’m faster and at least five times stronger than you,” Valdon said in a low predatory growl. “I could snap your neck with one hand. Now drive.” Brad pulled the car back onto the road. His body slowly regained strength and feeling again. “I will kill you,” Brad said. “Can’t do that, I’m immortal. Can’t fight me since you left your animal skin at your house. I can kill you in an instant.” Son of a bitch. He wondered if his leopard form had enough power to destroy Valdon. Gripping the steering wheel, he continued down the road. Brad restrained himself, for now. There was a time to fight and a time to wait. Waiting was the hardest but wisest move sometimes. Anger and adrenaline pumped through his muscles. He wanted to rip Valdon’s heart out. He’d wait it out. He’d find a way.
*****
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When Sakari got to Brad’s house she saw Zeus sitting by the front door. The lights were on inside. “Why are you out here?” she asked Zeus as if he could answer. The dog whined, his head bowed down between his shoulders, cowering. “What’s wrong?” He wasn’t on a leash either. Brad had a fenced-in backyard. He wouldn’t let Zeus loose in the front without tying him. She had a bad feeling. Running inside she called for Brad and found the note. “Taking Zeus to the vet.” It didn’t make sense, Zeus was here. The dog rubbed her thigh. He used to step away from her and bark, now he was begging to be petted. She smiled but her smile faded as she began to worry. Picking up her cell phone she tried Brad’s cell. No answer. Then she tried Haley’s number and also got no answer. She swore and punched the table. Zeus barked. Then she saw the leopard pelt. No! Dante’s words came back to haunt her. “It’s started.”
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Chapter Nineteen Sakari dropped Zeus off with the cook, then raced down the highway in her rental car with Brad’s leopard pelt, frantically searching for the stand of juniper trees, her landmark for the turnoff. This was the place she had killed her first quarry, a hiker who was hitchhiking with his backpack. He’d said he was heading back to Phoenix. Her carelessness and inexperience as a Drone had caused the young man’s death. His death continued to haunt her. How could she have thought she deserved to live as a mortal? What would Brad think of her if he knew? Tears flooded her eyes. And now three mortals were being harmed so that her people could be released from a prison of their own creation. These mortals depended on her to rescue them. The portal’s energy slammed into the car, like a magnet, grabbing hold of the hunk of metal she was driving. She had to grip the steering wheel to keep from running off the road. It has started. The thought of Brad being used as part of Tarik’s project twisted at her insides. If her planned worked, she’d free the Sha Warriors, Brad would be safe and the demoness would probably destroy her. If it didn’t work, Brad would be dead and she’d be on her way to Anartia, trading one exile for another. Either way he’s lost to me. She knew this was not the time for regrets or thoughts of what could’ve been. Pulling over, she parked behind the familiar stand of trees, grabbed the leopard pelt, a crowbar from the trunk and ran toward the portal. A cool desert breeze swept through her hair. She breathed in deeply. The gritty red earth smelled coppery, the mesquite trees like turpentine. Using her senses and the pendant, she ran toward the vortex. It wasn’t hard, the magnetic pull was so strong it almost lifted her off the ground. The vibration and pull from the energy field hummed. All her senses were amplified. A breeze blew sand over her skin and each granule sounded like tiny wind chimes as they touched her and knocked together. Animals scurried across the ground. Insects crawling as far as one hundred yards away, she heard and smelled. The power surrounding the portal had never been this intense. What was Tarik doing to the Sha Warriors? What was happening to Brad right now? Taking a few deep breaths, she tried not to think the worst and focus on what she had to do. Once she got to Anartia, she’d find a way to stop Tarik. As she approached the entrance, she draped the leopard fur over her arm and gripped the crowbar in one hand, grasping the nebula stone in her right. She stepped forward but an invisible force pushed her back, knocking her to the ground.
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It took her a minute to catch her breath, gather her things and stand up. What the hell happened? Holding the nebula stone again, she walked, a bit more cautiously into the portal. Again, instead of drawing her into the portal it thrust her away, preventing her from entering it. How was she going to get back? She was trapped on Earth. Brad and the other Sha Warriors would be going to Prygos without her. Or they would die without her help. She paced in front of the portal. Wait. Could this be Gwyllain’s doing? This all made sense now. The demoness knew Tarik had a special interest in Sakari that went beyond a mere fondness for a servant. Gwyllain was exiling her on Earth. Her stomach twisted in a painful longing. She crumpled to the ground, her head in her hands. She wrapped her arms around the leopard fur. As much as she wanted to stay on Earth, she couldn’t bear the thought of living here without Brad. Was Dante stranded here too? Or had he returned in time? She stood, facing the portal’s entrance and tried several times to pass through but each time she was thrown back. Finally, she decided to look for Dante. If he was still here, he might know of another way to get back to Anartia. Removing her clothes, she hid them, the leopard skin and crowbar beneath a clump of trees, then shifted into her falcon form. She took flight and headed toward Dante’s apartment. If Anartia broke free from Earth while she was in flight, would she lose her powers? That was something she didn’t want to think about while she was a hundred feet in the air. Under the cover of night, she flew to Dante’s apartment and landed on his balcony. She peered inside still in falcon form since her night vision was better. His apartment was dark and empty. Another idea struck her. Haley. Dante had grown attached to her. While he was wrapped up in his immediate tasks, like revenge, he wouldn’t shift his attention to other opportunities, like a relationship. But maybe Haley had sparked some kind of fascination. Taking wing, she flew to Haley’s place. Sakari couldn’t see in every room. There was a chance she was asleep in her bedroom because she couldn’t see inside. Dante’s car wasn’t in the parking lot. Haley’s car was. There had to be something she could do. She leapt off the windowsill and soared toward the desert and the portal. Frustrated and defeated, she didn’t know what else to do but return to the portal. When she arrived she quickly changed into her clothes. “Where the hell have you been?” Dante asked from behind her. He sounded panicked and angry. “I couldn’t get through the portal. I went looking for you. We’re trapped.” Lightning flashed and the ground rumbled and pitched severely enough, she almost fell over. Dante grabbed her arm to balance her.
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“Tarik’s project. It’s begun.” “It’s causing all this?” she asked, referring to the storms and earthquakes. “Yes.” “I need to stop it. Tarik has Brad. I think the experiment will kill him.” “He has Haley too.” She glared at him. “You bastard.” She dropped the fur and swung at him with the crowbar but Dante caught her arm before it made contact. “Easy. I didn’t bring them to Anartia. I wouldn’t harm them. I would not harm Haley, ever.” He lowered his head, not looking at her. Seeing the torment in his eyes, she placed a hand on his arm. “Then who?” “Zorian. He’s getting his revenge for…an indiscretion of mine. I deserve it but Haley doesn’t. I think Valdon grabbed Brad.” “How can we get back?” Sakari asked. “Isn’t there another way, another portal?” “No, all the portals will be blocked at the beginning to prevent a drain of energy. Hopefully, Tarik will realign them again, otherwise we’re stuck here.” She ignored him and ran toward the portal and was thrown back on her butt. Dante pulled her to her feet and walked her away from the gateway. “That was smart,” he said sarcastically. He studied her face and grinned. “You’re in love with the guy.” She glared at him and didn’t answer. “Wait for the storm to subside. That means Tarik has begun the next step in his project and the portal should open again.” “How do you know?” She plopped down on the ground and hugged the fur. “Because the demoness loves to brag, especially in bed.” Dante sat beside her. “She wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the trip home. She warned me about the portals. It’s so the Drones don’t leave.” “Earth?” “No. She has other plans for most of the Drones in the end.” “What plans?” Lightning streaked across the sky in a spider web pattern and thunder rumbled, shaking the ground but there wasn’t a drop of rain. When would it stop? “She hasn’t told me everything.” “If I had listened to Zorian and not let it get personal with Brad, then he might not be in Tarik’s chamber.” “You don’t know that.” “What happens if the experiment works and Anartia leaves while we’re here?” She couldn’t endure the idea of Brad going to Prygos and being Gwyllain’s servant for eternity.
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Dante took a long breath. “We’ll be exiled here. We’ll lose the power from Anartia that gives us immortality. We’ll become mortal and live out normal lives here.” “I don’t know what I’ll do.” Sakari hadn’t felt this kind of loss since her parents were executed. “I’ll buy my horse ranch,” Dante said, looking up at the jagged bolts of lightning. “I had the land bought years ago. John Reilly took that away from me. He stole all my dreams.” Sakari frowned, thinking he lost his mind. “A horse ranch?” He nodded. “I had planned to start up a horse ranch with my gold claim in the 1800s when John Reilly stole everything from me. Over the years, I’ve made enough money to buy another ranch but I didn’t dare, knowing Reilly still existed. If the man was greedy as a mortal, he’d be even worse as an immortal. I’ve been waiting to kill him and then get the ranch. But now, if Anartia leaves the confines of Earth, I’ll be able to buy my land without fear.” “That sounds nice,” she said, wondering how she would fit in with this world. Dante stood, gazing into the sky. “The lightning has eased up. Let’s try the portal again.” She picked up her belongings and approached the portal’s entrance. Dante held his hand out in front of it. “It’s open. Follow me.” At the other side of the portal, Sakari stepped out onto Anartia behind Dante. Glancing around, she noticed the sea was completely calm. She’d never seen it like this. The sky was a crystal blue, like the desert on a spring day, the flowers along the heather hill leading up to the temple were vivid pink. Even the temple glowed with a surreal bright white light. Horror she’d never known before struck her. She wrapped her arms around the pelt, holding it tightly. What is he doing to them? As she entered the temple she noticed the room was filled with Drones and slaves. Probably expecting to leave their exile permanently. A movement to her left caught her eye. Gwyllain was manacled to Zorian’s punishment column, naked and writhing in pleasure. Red marks crisscrossed her thighs and breasts where the boltstick or a leather thong had swept across her skin. At a time like this, Gwyllain was indulging in erotic play? Sakari hid the crowbar beneath the fur as she blended into the crowd around the pool. She headed across the room toward the entrance to the lower chamber. Dante was standing alongside the demoness. She always did love an audience. “Where are you going, Sakari?” Gwyllain’s voice was firm with an edge of annoyance. Sakari froze in her steps. “To find Tarik, mistress. I have an offering.” “Tarik is much too busy. Come serve me. Zorian is trying to relax me during Tarik’s project. I just can’t sit still.” Panic rose inside Sakari. What now? She placed the fur and crowbar behind a chair and rushed over to the demoness. “Yes, mistress.”
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“Wine and a cold cloth for my face.” “Yes, mistress. Right away.” She ran into the next room, filled a goblet with wine and dampened a cloth with cool water, then ran them back to the demoness. “Here mistress. Would you like me—” “No. Dante will finish serving me.” Dante came out from around the column and picked up the cloth and smoothed it over Gwyllain’s face and neck. “Now the wine.” She glanced at Sakari. “You may go.” “Yes, mistress.” Sakari looked up at Dante and he met her gaze but she couldn’t read his expression. He seemed to have looked toward the entrance to the lower chamber but she wasn’t sure. Was he giving her a direction? She still didn’t trust him. She crossed the room, picked up her belongings and passed through the entrance to the lower chambers. She followed the labyrinth of corridors, using the humming of machines and electrical devices as her guide. As she passed the doorway that led into Tarik’s project and the Sha Warriors, her heart leapt, knowing Brad was probably in there and that his life was being drained out of him. But to save him and the other two Sha Warriors she had to go to another area. Deep in the center of Anartia the walls and floor were stone and unfinished. At the end of the corridor, a heavy wooden door obstructed the last room. The core of Anartia. Here all the energies were collected, aligned and focused, then redistributed in order to maintain the artificial world. She knew to upset the core, meant possible destruction of the entire world. It wasn’t locked. Who would dare harm anything in that room, knowing the consequences to Anartia? She swung the door open. Inside the room looked like a large cavern. Giant icicle-shaped crystals in various sizes hung from the ceiling and rose from the floor. All the crystals pulsed with multicolored lights and hummed with power, filling the room with a surge of static. What she was about to do, might destroy them all. If she did nothing, Brad and the other mortals would surely die. She raised the crowbar and started swinging.
***** Brad was naked and paralyzed beneath the circle of crystals. A sheen of sweat coated his skin and his cock was hard. His muscles strained, trying to keep from climaxing. This was fucking insanity. How could he escape from a force he had no understanding of? Haley and the other guy, also both naked, seemed pretty much out of it. They’d gotten there before he had. Whatever this machine was, it had done more harm to them. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the pressure building in his groin. His balls tightened and he wanted to come so bad but he had a feeling he had to fight it. Every time he came close to coming, he felt weaker, the more he fought it, the stronger he got. 141
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Glancing around to the workings of his prison, he tried to figure out how to unplug the damn thing. The table where the strange man was working must have an on/off switch if only Brad could free himself. But that seemed unlikely at the moment. He was pretty much screwed. When Sakari walked in, he wasn’t sure if he was thrilled to see her or feared for her safety. “Sakari.” Seeing her almost sent him over the edge of another orgasm. God, he wanted to fuck her. No, fight it. She barely glanced at him as she walked straight to the operator of the machine. “Tarik,” she said, giving him a kiss. Brad winced. “I almost missed the big event.” Tarik put an arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “You made it back. I was worried. Gwyllain…never mind. Soon we’ll be on Prygos and she won’t be a problem.” The man hunched over his machine again. “You bitch,” Brad shouted, pinning Sakari with a look of contempt. How could he have been so wrong about her? She looked at him without a sign of recognition. Then he noticed she kept glancing to the controls on that machine and looking up at him. Her face still revealed nothing. What was going on? “What the hell is this?” Tarik punched several keys. “No, no, no! Something’s wrong.” He looked at the three prisoners then down at the panel again, his face frowning. “Problems?” Brad asked in a sarcastic tone. “Shut up,” Tarik said, fighting for control. “I need to check something.” He left the room. “Brad, are you all right?” she asked. “What?” He was confused. “We don’t have much time.” She ran over to Haley and Austin. They didn’t respond when she called their names. “They don’t look well. I’ll be right back.” Sakari ran out of the room and returned with his leopard fur and a crowbar. He smiled. She hadn’t betrayed him. “’Atta girl.” “Tarik will be busy. I may have ruined his project.” Brad smiled but winced as his cock throbbed and he had to fend off another climax. “What did you do?” She glanced at the other two prisoners who were slumped within their invisible restraints. “They’ve both been unconscious since I got here.” “I’m going to try to get you out.” She placed his fur behind a piece of equipment and hid the crowbar behind the control panel. “I may have destroyed Anartia and all of us if I can’t get you out of here.” “And help these two,” he nodded to Austin and Haley. “I will. Tarik’ll be back soon.” She removed her nebula stone and handed it to him. “You must hold onto this and step off the cliff below the temple and you’ll return 142
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through the portal. Take Haley and Austin with you. You must have the stone in your hand or you’ll plummet to your death. Don’t let go of each other. Understand?” “You’re not coming with us?” She shook her head. He broke inside with that. “Isn’t there another way? I want you to come back.” She placed the nebula stone within the leopard fur. “Brad, I wanted to find a way to stay but I can’t. They’d come for me. You’d be in danger.” Tarik slammed the door open. “I don’t know how it happened. There must’ve been a power surge with the energy from the Sha Warriors. I hadn’t calculated that.” “Oh, no. Anything I can do to help?” Sakari said in a concerned tone. He looked at her suspiciously for a moment, then took her into his arms and kissed her quickly, his libido apparently overriding his common sense. “Several of the crystals in the core were destroyed. It will take years for them to grow back. I’m hoping we won’t need them though.” Sakari leaned over the control panel and slid her hand over Tarik’s ass and around to his cock. It pained her to do it but she’d do anything to distract him. She glanced at Brad and noticed him rolling his eyes. At least he understood what she was doing now. “Did you lose power?” she asked Tarik. He nodded and sighed. Tarik leaned into her hand and turned his body so she could reach his cock better. “I can’t now, work to do.” But he continued to lean into her hand. Dante was right, Tarik had it bad for her. And Tarik did say he wanted her to be his queen on Prygos. She fought not to gag at the idea. “Can you show me what you’re doing? Maybe I can do something to help?” “Okay. I need to make some adjusts in the other room. As you see the power rise on this instrument, turn this dial to the right, not to the left.” “To the right, I got it.” She heard a crash and turned around. Austin had collapsed onto the floor. “Ah, lost one of the Sha Warriors.” Tarik’s lack of emotion made her pause briefly. “What do you mean lost?” “Dead. Drained him out. Two left though. They should be enough,” Tarik said as he ran from the room. What kind of monster was he? She stared in horror at Austin’s motionless body. “Sakari, there’s nothing you can do for him,” Brad said. “Stay with your plan. Can you turn this off?” She swallowed. “I think so.” She saw the power rising and Brad cried out. “Hurry.”
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As she turned the dial to the left, opposite to what Tarik told her, the lights from the crystals dimmed. The room vibrated. Brad dropped free of the instrument and ran to his fur. He slipped the nebula stone on. Haley collapsed but she was still breathing. Sakari slipped a robe over Haley’s head. “We probably don’t have much time.” Dante barged in. “What’s going on down here? Anartia is having earthquakes and violent storms again.” He saw Haley and ran over to her. “Haley. Are you all right?” “I think so,” Sakari said. “She’s out of it right now.” Turning around Brad shifted into the leopard at the moment Tarik charged into the room. The leopard jumped him, knocking him down and was about to rip out his throat when Dante stopped him. “No, leave him!” Tarik lay stunned. Dante picked up Haley. “We’re leaving. This way.” They left the temple through the demoness’ garden. Gwyllain was still bound and screaming for Zorian to release her. By the time all the manacles were undone, they should be down by the edge of the cliff. Brad shifted back into human form while he was running. The nebula stone still dangling from his neck, he draped his fur over his shoulder, grabbed Sakari’s hand and said, “You’re coming with us. Not taking no for an answer.” He watched Dante jump off the cliff with Haley in his arms, then stopped abruptly at the edge and peered over. “Jesus. They disappeared. That’s the way out?” He glanced at Sakari. “Yes, hold the stone in your hand and hold onto me, then jump. Don’t let me go.” “Never,” he said as they leapt off the cliff. He looked down and saw the jagged rocks below for an instant and let out a howl.
***** Stunned and bruised, Tarik ran through the temple as walls and columns tumbled and crashed to the floor. The room darkened as if the sun had completely disappeared. Gwyllain was screeching by the time he reached the great chamber. The wind blew open windows and doors and the ground shook severely. Tarik looked up at the ceiling to see if the roof would begin to crumble. Cracks of thunder rumbled the ground and bright flashes of lightning sizzled through the air. “Tarik, go to your control chamber. Fix this,” Gwyllain ordered, as another violent earthquake rolled through the temple. Still manacled to Zorian’s column, she tugged at her restraints. “Damn it, Zorian, release me.” “Yes, mistress,” Zorian struggled to undo the chains. Tarik staggered across the room, running equations through his head. Would Anartia cascade into particle disintegration and split apart? If their structure slipped into a dimension incompatible with Anartia’s magnetic configuration, they would
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surely be destroyed. He rolled his eyes, knowing it was useless trying to explain the technical details to his mistress. “I was just down there. I don’t know what I can do.” “Why not?” she demanded. “Because we might blow up.” Surprisingly, Gwyllain’s face was contorted in fear, not anger, he noted. She was ignoring Zorian for the moment. Had Sakari just destroyed Anartia? It had to have been her that smashed all the crystals in the core. Feet spaced apart, Tarik tried to keep his footing as the marble tiles lifted and broke. Fearing the temple’s roof would collapse at any moment, he stumbled out the door, leaving Gwyllain behind. He needed to see what was happening outside the temple. Outside, the disturbance was worse. The ocean crashed over the rocky cliff, sending waves flooding the heather field. A spray of cold mist drifted toward the temple. Several crevasses had formed in zigzag patterns along the fields. It looked as though Anartia was breaking apart. Succumbing to whatever would come next, Tarik sat down in the middle of the field, female Drones ran up to him, hovering around him. He embraced those closest. “Maybe it’ll settle.” “What the hell is going on here?” Valdon asked. Tarik looked up. “Enjoying the show. Good view from up here.” He gave a maniacal laugh. Valdon grabbed him by his upper arm and dragged him back to the temple. “Fix this. I’ll help.” “Not sure if I can.” “You’ll think of something,” Valdon said. Then Zorian appeared. “Hurry,” Zorian said. “Just undo the damage.” “Yes, undo.” Tarik smiled. “Come on, I need some help. There’s a mess down there.” He ran for the lower chamber.
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Chapter Twenty During the journey between worlds, Sakari kept her arms wrapped tightly around Brad—she wasn’t about to lose him in the void. Without the nebula stone as the navigating tool, human or mortal would be lost between dimensions forever. They appeared in the desert with a forward momentum and had to run to avoid stumbling. After a few steps, they were free of the portal. It was dusk. The sun was setting behind a far ridge, casting long shadows in the barren but beautiful landscape, an orange glow across the sky. “You okay?” she asked Brad. He heaved a breath and looked all around, especially at the ground as if he expected it to disappear out from under him at any moment. “Sure. Like jumping out of a fucking airplane without a parachute. Piece of cake.” Dante carried Haley in his arms. Gently, he laid her down on the ground and smoothed her hair out of her face. “Can you help her?” he asked Brad. She was still unconscious. Brad ran over, felt her pulse and checked her breathing. “Her pulse is strong, a little fast but her respiration is good. Sakari, do you have your cell on you? My clothes and cell are still back in that torture chamber.” He wrapped the leopard skin around him like a breechcloth. She handed him her phone and he called an ambulance. He handed her back the phone. “They’ll be here in ten minutes.” Dante turned to Sakari. “Are you ready?” She took in a breath and let it out. “I guess.” “We should leave now.” “Brad. I have to go back.” She handed him the keys to the car. “The demoness won’t allow me to return after this.” “Are you insane? You are not going back. Stay here. If they come, I’ll protect you. My powers have completely returned.” Dante gave a dry laugh. “It won’t help. They can find her. If she stays, they’ll send Drones.” “But if you go back, won’t they destroy you for sabotaging their plans?” He seized her hand. The temptation to stay was great but she didn’t have a choice. “Tarik thinks his experiment caused the damage in the core. I’m responsible for releasing my friends. I’m only guilty of getting too personal with mortals, not sabotage.” “You’ll be punished,” Dante said.
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“I know.” She turned to Brad. “I can’t stay. I’m a danger to you. If Anartia breaks free, I have to go too.” Eternity with Gwyllain and Tarik was like a death sentence now. Even if Tarik managed to free Anartia, she’d always be exiled from Brad. Prygos didn’t feel like home to her anymore. She couldn’t look Brad straight in the eyes. The pain she was sure to find there would break her for sure. The pain she felt didn’t matter as long as he was safe. She’d make Dante swear that no Drone would harm him. Dante stood beside her. “Not if you give up your immortality for good.” She inclined her head. Would she ever totally trust Dante? “How is that possible now? If the demoness finds out, she will have me hunted down and destroyed for deceiving her.” “Not if she believes you were lost intradimensionally,” Dante said. “How can you do that?” Brad asked. “There is a risk but if it works, you can live as a mortal on Earth.” Dante turned to Sakari. “You will never be able to return to Anartia or Prygos. Do you understand?” “Yes. You think it’ll work?” “Sure.” But Dante didn’t look convinced. “What are you planning?” Brad asked. “The theory is, if she loses the nebula stone during the journey she’ll return to the original point of entry. She’ll then break connection with Anartia, including her immortality.” “I thought I would be lost between worlds if I entered the portal without the nebula stone.” “You would but if you enter with the stone, then lose it during the passage, you won’t complete the journey.” “I’d return to where I started?” she asked. He nodded. “As long as the stone isn’t broken until after you return. I’ll break the stone when I arrive on Anartia. Once the stone is destroyed or broken, you’ll lose your connection to Anartia. Without that, you can’t receive the energy needed to maintain your immortal lifeforce. Gwyllain will think you’ve been lost intradimensionally.” She now knew the risks. She would give up immortality if she could be with Brad and if she could get away from Gwyllain. “They won’t be able to find me,” Sakari said. “More or less,” Dante said. Sakari turned to Brad. ”There’s a chance to stay here but it’s dangerous.” She searched his face for approval or a suggestion for another way out. But his expression was neutral. “It’s your life and your decision. Both choices are dangerous for you. I can’t help you with this,” Brad said in a soft but firm tone. His gaze met hers, and his eyes revealed strength and desire so intense it gripped her heart.
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“Decide now, Sakari because I’m returning to Anartia.” She nodded to Brad. “For one more night with you, I’d risk my life.” He gazed up at the sky and sighed, looking oddly vulnerable. She turned back to Dante. “Let do it.” Brad grabbed her into his arms, crushing her to him. His mouth was pressed to her hair, her mouth, her neck. “Come back to me and I’ll never let you go again.” He kissed her hard, deep, with desperate passion. “I must go.” Sakari placed a hand on his chest, feeling the hard strength beneath her fingers and trying to fight back the heavy emotion threatening to spill out of her. “I’ll see you soon.” Her vision blurred a bit but she blinked back the tears. She wouldn’t let him see her cry. “I’ll be here.” He gripped her hand almost painfully, his gaze locked with hers, then he released her. He gave Dante a short nod. “Remove your nebula stone,” Dante ordered as they walked toward the portal. Brad followed. In the distance, she could hear the sound of an ambulance siren. She handed the pendant to Dante and walked toward the portal. “No, not yet. You will hold my hand while I have the stone as we enter the portal, a moment later I will release you. If all goes well you should return here. I will destroy the stone when I get to Anartia.” “Let’s do it.” Sakari didn’t want to think about the consequences. She knew this was her only chance and she also knew there was a chance it wouldn’t work. Dante held out his hand. “Place the stone in my palm and hold onto me. When I loosen my grip, let go. Do not grab the stone and do not knock it out of my hand or you will be lost between dimensions forever.” She nodded. “Walk with me.” She glanced back over her shoulder at Brad. Her heart broke to see him vanish as they stepped into the portal.
***** Dante landed at the edge of the cliff—the seas were rough as usual, rain pelted his face and the heather field. All was back to normal, more or less. At least the earthquakes seemed to have stopped for now. Before entering the temple, he placed the nebula stone on the ground and crushed it with his boot heel. He hoped Sakari had made it back. Once inside the temple, Dante crossed the great hall to greet the demoness. Gwyllain sat in a tall chair, motioning him with a wave of her hand. She wasn’t
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entertaining any Drones and Tarik was nowhere to be seen. He was back in the lower chambers putting Anartia back together, Dante supposed. Hiding his reluctance, Dante stood before the chair to speak to her. “Good day, mistress.” She wasn’t going to like what he was about to tell her. The demoness had on one of her shimmery red sheaths, see-through and clinging. Surrounding her on several red satin cushion were three slave women and three slave men waiting to serve her, looking a bit weary. Around the giant pool a number of female Drones lingered waiting to give their offering to Tarik and on the other side of the pool, male Drones anticipated the demoness to request an opportunity to give their offering of chi. A co-ed harem. Tarik emerged from his chamber looking a bit disheveled. He approached Gwyllain. “All is well for the moment. Anartia is stable again and in need of a new supply of bio-energy to replenish what was lost and to repair the damage.” Gwyllain fumed, impatience strained her face. “What happened?” she shrieked. “The surge fractured the crystals in Anartia’s core. I’ll make adjustments next time.” Dante looked at Tarik. He’s lying. He must’ve have found the crowbar. Why isn’t he telling her the truth? “Where are the Sha Warriors? How did they escape?” “Escape?” he glanced at Dante with a worried look then relaxed. “I released them before any more damage could occur.” Dante realized that Tarik didn’t want his mistress to know why his experiment was a failure and how the Sha Warriors escaped. Dante suspected Tarik had other reasons for keeping the information from Gwyllain. He and Tarik now had a secret to keep, a dangerous secret. Tarik would probably expect a large favor in return sometime. Gwyllain narrowed her eyes, skeptically. “Dante and Sakari were assisting you?” She didn’t sound convinced. “Of course, mistress. They were a huge help,” Tarik said, giving Dante a warning look. The demoness sighed in frustration. “I really thought we were going home this time. I really thought I was going to kill my malicious husband.” “In time, my love.” He patted her shoulder. “Revenge will be sweet.” “Yes, it will, won’t it?” That thought seemed to perk her up. She placed her hand on his. “Finish with your Drones, quickly. Then meet me in my garden.” A muscle twitched at his jaw. “It will be my pleasure.” She waved him away. Dante scanned the room. All the Drones were in service again. There were still over fifty. Years ago, Drones were rotated with decades of inactivity where they could live free on Earth as mortals. A resting period. Living on Earth was easier for Anartia. Drones could draw in some bio-energy from Earth to support their immortality without draining this artificial dimension.
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Until Tarik was able to repair and redefine his instruments, the Drones would be expected to supply excess energy for their world’s needs and Tarik’s work. “Where’s my favorite handmaiden?” she demanded, sipping wine from a crystal goblet and waved off Tarik when he tried to rub her shoulders. “Handmaiden, mistress? But you made her into a Drone,” Tarik reminded her in a pleasant tone. “Yes, because you needed more Drones.” She glanced over her shoulder and looked up at him with an icy glare. “And why are you wasting time and not receiving offerings? You must return to your laboratory and continue your experiments. I don’t want to remain here any longer than necessary.” “Yes, mistress.” Gwyllain huffed and glared at Dante. “Where is Sakari? I want a cool cloth. My face is heated now. She was always at my side when I needed something. She’s still my handmaiden and will take that duty again as soon as we return to Prygos.” Dante stepped up. “Mistress, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Sakari is gone.” “No, you’re mistaken. She must be on Earth.” “She was lost in the portal.” The demoness raised a brow. “How? What did you do?” “She went through the portal ahead of me. When I reached Anartia, I found this. Sakari was nowhere.” He held up the nebula stone pendant. A broken fragment of the round stone dangled from the cord. “This was on the ground at the portal’s gate. It must have slipped from her neck.” “Oh, no.” Tarik groaned. “She’s lost.” Gwyllain handed her goblet to one of the slaves and placed her hands firmly on her lap. “Well, go back into the portal and find her,” she commanded. “He can’t,” Tarik said. “If the stone was broken during her journey, she couldn’t have survived.” He locked eyes with Dante, passing a silent message. He knows. Tarik knows she’s alive. I hope she made it. This was his second lie. What’s Tarik up to? Gwyllain stood and walked to the large windows and looked out. A flicker of sadness crossed her face. She recovered quickly and approached Tarik, leaning against him, kissing his mouth, his neck. The first time Dante had seen any affection in the demoness in a long time. Tarik held her but Dante saw no passion in his eyes. To be trapped in exile with a woman you were not in love with was quite a punishment. And to maintain that deception for a thousand years was quite a feat. “The skies grow dark on Anartia and I can hear the seas are rough again. The energy needs to be replenished,” Gwyllain said. “There is much to be done before we can return to Prygos.” “Sad but true, mistress.” Tarik kissed her. Over Gwyllain’s shoulder, he mouthed the words, “Valdon” and “Sakari”. 150
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Dante took that to mean that Valdon could be a threat to her. Dante believed she could also have two other enemies, Zorian and John Reilly. Dante had deceived Zorian and was also friends with her. If Zorian had brought Haley to Anartia for revenge, he might still be angry. How had Zorian known of his fondness of Haley? Had Valdon seen them together? He would have to warn her. Gwyllain strolled over to the pool and glanced at each of the half dozen male Drones waiting to give their offering. Any one of them could be John Reilly. None were looking at him suspiciously. None looked familiar but they could’ve changed form. Many Drones did over the years to hide their identity on Earth. He had time yet to search and find his enemy. She selected three males but by the look on her face, her patience was running thin. “Take off your clothes and follow me,” she commanded. “And you’d better know how to please me.” Then she stepped up to Tarik, her jaw tight and body stiff. How quickly her mood changed. “Do whatever it takes and get us out of this hellish part of the universe. I want to go home to Prygos so I can murder my husband.” “Yes, mistress.” Tarik pointed to all the female Drones. “I have many offerings to receive. I doubt I’ll have time today to work in my laboratory.” “You can do three at a time in your chamber, can you not?” “Yes, mistress, of course. And then meet in your garden?” “I suppose you need to work in you laboratory. We’ll need to have pleasure another time.” Dante didn’t miss the twitch of a smile at the corners of Tarik’s mouth. “Very well, mistress. It’s a sacrifice but it’s necessary.” He crossed the room and was about to select his Drones when Gwyllain jumped up and interceded. “Wait.” She crossed the room, her hips swaying seductively beneath the red sheath. “You, you and you,” the demoness directed, clearly expecting to be obeyed at all times. Their world had come close to destruction but she was still in control. “Follow Tarik and give him his offering. Then help him with anything he needs.” Tarik marched off to his private chamber, not looking too disappointed with his selected entourage even though his mistress had made the selection for him. He disappeared down the corridor. The three young women Drones nodded and hurried to catch up to Tarik. She turned to Dante, glaring at him. “If you do not have an offering, I suggest you return to Earth and get busy. Tarik will need new Sha Warriors for the next stage of our escape.” Gwyllain stalked out of the room with her three male Drones following her. He left the temple, grateful to return to Earth to find new Kithra and Sha Warriors. John Reilly was still among the Drones. He had time to think of a new way to find him.
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Sakari felt the dizzy sensation she usually experienced upon entering the portal. At one moment, she saw Dante beside her, the next, he had released her. She watched as he vanished into the void, spinning away into nothingness. Then she looked all around her. She too was spinning away in the opposite direction into nothingness. Blackness mixed with swirling grayness. She couldn’t tell which way was up or down. There was the sensation of movement, as if she was traveling fast. The portal had projected her into a new dimension away from Earth, not back toward it. No! Arms and legs flailing, she reached out for something, attempting to grab onto anything solid to stop herself from being flung into the void. She could not tell if she was falling or drifting. Brad, I’m sorry. A golden glow surrounded her mixed with a pulse of other colored lights, blues and greens and oranges and reds. The light was only around her. Was this the aura that Ambros had spoken of? Now she saw it. Not that it would do her any good. Soon the light remained but dimmed slightly. Was she dying? Would she be trapped in this limbo forever? Panic set in. The light disappeared. Blackness was all around her again. Not even the gray swirls could be seen anymore. This was worse than execution. “Brad!” she screamed. Then she hit something hard. Solid ground. The air rushed out of her lungs in an ouf! It was dark here. She smelled dirt. Groaning, she tried to sit up and see where she was. Anartia? Earth? Or someplace else? “Easy, easy. Not so fast,” Brad’s voice drew her gently up. “You had a hard tumble. Let me make sure you didn’t break anything.” “Ouch,” she said as he stretched out her arm. “Not broken. A few scratches and probably some bruises.” “Playing medic?” she asked in a teasing tone. She smiled, admiring him in his breechcloth fur. “You’re still wearing that?” “I don’t play medic. And I haven’t got a change of clothes with me,” he said, then met her gaze. “I thought I lost you.” His words stabbed at her heart. “I thought I was lost.” He took her in his arms and kissed her hard. “I don’t want to ever see you walk into that thing again.” “Let’s go. The ambulance just left with Haley. She’ll be all right. She looks like she had a touch of sunstroke. Out in the desert, hiking without proper precautions. Happens a lot with tourists.” “Will she remember Anartia?” Sakari asked. Brad shrugged. “She’s coming around and can’t remember much. If anything it’ll seem like a bizarre dream. I told her she came out here looking for vortexes and had too much sun.” “What did they say about your leopard fur?” 152
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Brad gave a short laugh. “I knew the guys through work. I told them it was a survival test my grandfather arranged. A Navajo thing. I think they bought it.” Sakari smiled but the weight of what she just did seemed to suddenly hit her. She looked out over the desert and sighed. “I’m exiled here now.” Brad pulled her into his arms. “No, you’re free now and you’re home.”
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Chapter Twenty-One A couple of days later, Sakari rose early from Brad’s bed and went out into his garden. The severe weather in Sedona had subsided after a couple days. She was stranded here for good, like a shipwrecked sailor of old times. A few Drones had once been such sailors, trapped and starving, near death when Zorian had rescued and assimilated them. What if Brad rejected her now, especially after she told him about the hiker she’d killed? If he rejected her, she’d have to make her own way in this strange new world. She could do it. Her parents were free now. But what if she lost her job? She’d find a way to survive. What choice did she have? “You okay?” Brad asked, reaching his arms around from behind and giving her a squeeze. “I think so. This garden reminds me of Prygos.” “Feeling homesick?” “Feeling a little lost, maybe. Prygos isn’t home anymore and neither is Anartia. I wonder how long it will be until Sedona feels like home.” Brad turned her around in his arms. “I think it will feel like home sooner than you think.” She thought for a moment then frowned. She had to tell him now. “I have something to tell you, something awful,” she said. He looked worried. “You’re not going back to Anartia.” “No, I can’t. This has to do with when I first came here. An accident. My skills as a Drone were poor.” She looked up into Brad’s eyes and hesitated. There was no forgiveness for this and she knew he might walk away after she told him but it was a secret that she couldn’t keep from him. “Tell me.” He took her hand. She stepped away and clasped her hands together. “My first Kithra. I didn’t know how to stop in time. I killed him.” He sighed. He didn’t say anything for a long time. “I killed my commander with my powers, because I didn’t know when to stop. It’s a wound that never heals, Sakari. But one you learn to live with.” He held her close and kissed the top of her head. She closed her eyes, mesmerized by the love she felt for this man and everything inside her relaxed. For the first time in centuries she felt safe and loved. His strength gave her the courage to let go of the past and face a mortal life. “Maybe I can use my falcon form for something good.”
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“Have you retained your shapeshifting powers?” “I haven’t tried yet.” She looked out beyond his property and focused on the hills several hundred yards away. “I still have the sight for great distances and I can detect the warmth from animals and humans.” “With your skills, we could work together in search and rescues.” She nodded. “I’d like that.” “A number of tourists go out without proper equipment. The local search and rescue may not like our private assistance, but tough,” he said. He walked her out in the middle of his garden. “I bought you something. This garden needs work, more plants but I found this statue I thought you might like.” In a small clearing, surrounded by desert flowers was a small statue that looked like two Greek gods, a man and woman embracing. Their robes looked similar to the one she wore when they first met. “I thought they could represent your parents forever at peace together in their garden somewhere.” Tears filled her eyes. “Yes, a garden is where they would be most happy. It’s perfect. Thank you.” She hugged him. He held her face between his hands and kissed her. “I love you, Sakari.” The look in his eyes melted all the fears away. “Love you too, Brad.” “You’re welcome to live here with me. This can be your home. You don’t have to decide right away.” He stroked her cheek with his fingers. “Ah, I have too much stuff in my apartment,” she said, smiling. He laughed. “Yeah, you do. But I have room.” “I think with you and Zeus I don’t need so many of the other things anymore.” “Maybe not.” “Sakari,” Dante called from the side of Brad’s house. Zeus ran up to him and barked. Brad called him back and the dog came running to his master’s side, sitting in a guarded pose. “Good boy.” Brad petted him, then looked up at Dante, glaring at him. “She’s not going back.” He picked up his leopard fur draped over a patio chair. The tone in his voice said he’d fight him if he had to. “Put your mind at ease,” Dante said. “I’m not here to bring her back. I’m here to warn her. Gwyllain thinks she’s dead, lost in the portal between dimensions. Valdon, Zorian and John Reilly may be a threat to you if they find you.” “But I can shift quickly and fly away.” Dante laughed. “Oh, did I forget to tell you?” “Tell me what?” she asked. “Try to shift. You’re mortal. You cannot shift, you cannot drain bio-energy from mortals and you will die like any mortal in time.” 155
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“I don’t feel different,” Sakari argued. “I can still see great distances and feel the warmth of animals far away.” Dante shrugged. “So, you may have some powers but you cannot shift. Try.” She removed her clothes, not feeling shame in front of Dante and attempted to shift. She looked at Brad and sent him thoughts of removing his pants and sucking his cock, then straddling him and fucking him. Dante laughed. “I can’t shift and he’s not picking up my thoughts!” She slipped her shorts and tee shirt back on. “I am, very hot,” Dante said in a matter-of-fact tone. Brad frowned and glanced from Sakari to Dante. “What did I miss?” “I can’t harm him?” She was smiling. “Nope.” Dante grinned. “I’m leaving. Do not return to the portal. It would not be safe for you. Tarik said he’ll need other Sha Warriors beside Brad and Haley, so you should be safe for now.” He turned and left. “I still don’t trust that guy,” Brad said. Sakari gave Brad a look and all kinds of sexual thoughts passed through her mind and the odd thing was she couldn’t pick up one thought of his. “What? You’re giving me a strange look.” “Let’s go inside and I’ll show you what I’m thinking.” “Okay.” When they got inside, Brad stopped her in the kitchen. “Hang on, I almost forgot. I have another surprise for you. I picked it up while you were at work.” He led her into the garage and there was her red Mustang repaired and freshly painted. She yelped and jumped up and down. “Brad!” “I can’t give you your wings back but I can give you your wheels back. Told you my buddy in the body shop does good work.” “This is much more fun than flying,” she exclaimed as she drew him over to the hood of the car and pressed him against it. His mouth quirked into a smile and she lightly brushed her lips over his, teasing him. His lips parted and she ran the tip of her tongue between them but didn’t kiss him yet. A soft groan escaped him and his hands slid up her hips. “What? What are you doing?” he asked. Her tongue dipped inside his mouth, this time her lips pressed against his and he sucked in a breath. A strong sensual pull caught her lower abdomen and she pressed her mound against his already hard shaft. “Want you,” she breathed against his lips. Opening his mouth, he came down in a crushing kiss and took her breath away, making her lean against him. They kissed for a long time. Her skin tingled and her heart pounded wildly in her ears. He ground his hard cock against her pussy. He was hard enough to fuck. Best of all, this time she wouldn’t have to stop.
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“Strip.” She tugged on his shirt, unzipped his pants, then quickly removed all her clothes. “Nothing is holding me back now.” Was there? She remembered how he tasted and wanted that too. She pressed him back against the car. “Yes.” He grasped her hands and pulled her toward him but she slid down his body, very slowly and took his cock into her mouth. He groaned and leaned on the hood of the car. “We’re going to smudge your wax job.” “Don’t care.” Her tongue licked down the side of his shaft, then she deep throated him. Brad sucked in his breath. She worked him, running her tongue and mouth up and down his cock until she felt his body quivering. She glanced up at his face to see if he was enjoying what she was doing. Making love like this was so strange and so wonderful. Before she could read her Kithra’s mind but now she couldn’t sense anything. “God, that’s so good.” “Is it? I can’t read your mind anymore.” He gave a short laugh. “Trust me. It’s good.” Hooking his hands under her shoulders, he lifted her up and pulled her on top on him. “Too good as a matter of fact. Need to slow down a bit.” Standing, she moved into his arms again, feeling his hard cock pressed up against her pussy. He picked her up and her bare ass landed on the cool metal of the hood. Gently, he pressed her back so she was lying down. Spreading her legs, he slid her bottom toward the edge of the car. His hands claimed her breasts and his mouth clamped over her pussy. Multiple sensations of pleasure surged through her and she let go, not concerned about drawing in energy or worried about coming. She could climax without fear now and would very soon. “Don’t come yet,” Brad ordered, while his tongue lapped at her swollen clit. “Hmmm.” Did she dare come? Had all her powers left? He moved his tongue away from her clit and she groaned disapproval. “Make it last.” She rolled her hips up, trying to meet his mouth. “Please,” she said, begging for release but fearing it too. “Not yet.” With one hand, he slipped between her legs and slid a finger inside her cunt. “Hmmm. You’re wet.” His tongue and lips worked her clit again. “Yes, don’t stop this time.” It was safe, it had to be. “Not yet. I promise you when you come, it’ll be amazing.” He withdrew his finger from her. “I don’t have any condoms in the garage.” “Hmmm. Now that I’m mortal, I suppose that’s more of an issue.” He slipped his arms underneath her and picked her up. “O-kay, the Mustang has been christened. Now for the bed.” He carried her through the house into his bedroom and laid her on the bed. Straightening, he gave her the opportunity to see every hard 157
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muscle and curve of him, then he stretched out beside her, his body pressing close. The warmth and strength of him sent her onto the next level of eagerness, of desire she never knew she could feel. Her body ached to have his weight on her, feel his thickness inside her. “I want you deep in me,” she said in a hoarse voice. “You will.” He got between her legs again. The man was going to drive her mad. Lifting her legs over his shoulder, he spread her wide as he lapped at her pussy, teased her clit with his tongue. “Come for me.” She struggled beneath him and pushed him away. “What if Dante’s wrong? I never did trust him.” Brad replaced his mouth with his hand and slid up her body facing her. “I don’t trust him either but I do on this.” “Okay.” Her hands roamed down his chest, across his flat stomach to his hard cock. She never wanted to have any man so much but she never feared harming one so much either. Between her legs, she was achy and wet. Lying on his side, he locked his gaze with hers as his fingers pinched her nipples. She let out a whimper and felt her pussy muscles contract. How could she possibly hold back the climax? “Stop thinking, just feel. Watch me. If you see anything but pleasure in my face, stop me.” His hand palmed her breasts then rubbed the sensitive tips. She nodded but she must have shown hesitation in her expressive eyes. “Trust me,” he breathed. “Yes.” She stiffened and resisted inside as his hand fondled her more roughly but the erotic sensations undulating through her could not be denied. Then he leaned over and took a nipple in his mouth and tugged still keeping his eyes on her, while his hand slowly moved down over her stomach, teasing her hard clit until she whimpered for him, then thrust a finger into her cunt. She moaned, arching off the bed, eyes closed, breaking contact with him, lost in the sensations. She opened her eyes again, checking that he was all right. He pressed her thighs to the bed. The position had her hips pinned. A deep throb began low in her groin and spread. “I can’t hold back now.” And the orgasm slammed into her. She cried out, her body straining and writhing in pleasure. Her head thrashed from side-to-side as the surge of intense sensations pulsed through her. “Brad.” She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to her. He slipped a condom on, then hovered above her. When he thrust his hard cock inside her, a new orgasm shattered her. She groaned, deeply as she wrapped her legs tight around his hips. His hands braced on either side of her gave him leverage while he pumped into her and he finally had his release. His pulsing worked against the walls of her cunt and set her off with mini orgasms.
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She clung to him as if she would spin off this world if she let go. Finally, he collapsed and lay beside her on the bed, pulling her against his chest. Both of them breathed heavily. Long moments later wrapped in Brad’s arms, Sakari looked out the window at the bright, sunny morning and listened to the sounds of birds. Her hands stroked Brad’s chest in lazy circles. “What are you thinking?” he asked. “I was thinking I could use some breakfast and then a long drive in my car.” “I think that’s a great idea.” Zeus charged into the room, pounced on the bed and plopped down on top of them. “And I think Zeus wants to go too,” Sakari added, giggling. “Sure, he can go.” He gave Zeus a pet, then dragged him to the side of the bed and then pulled her over onto his lap. “You were thinking of something else besides breakfast and a drive though.” She looked at him with apprehension in her eyes. “How will I adjust to living here?” He hugged her close. “Like most people moving to a new home. It’ll take time.” “With you, I am home,” she told him, letting out a breath and relaxing. “Good.” “But I almost got you killed.” He shook his head. “You helped me get my powers back. You saved me.” “No,” she whispered, holding his gaze, her arms wrapped around his neck. “We saved each other.” He nodded. “You may have lost you’re power to shapeshift but the Navajo would say you’ve retained your falcon spirit. It’s a powerful and passionate spirit.” Brad kissed her and her hand crept beneath the covers and felt his cock getting hard again. Zeus started whimpering, showing his impatience. Sakari and Brad started laughing. “I think Zeus wants to be fed,” Brad said with a groan. “I think you’re right. Ready to take a ride? I promise to keep it on the road this time.” “Sure,” he agreed. ”Just keep an eye out for demons and vortexes.”
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About the Author Kathy Kulig spins stories with passion and adventure. Her characters enter both paranormal and contemporary worlds with steamy or erotic romances woven in. Gutsy heroines and hunky heroes face the unexpected and overcome formidable odds, because with courage, true love can find a way. These are the stories she loves to read and the stories she loves to write. Besides her career in writing, Kathy is a cytotechnologist and has worked as a research scientist, medical technologist, dive master and stringer for a newspaper. Propelled by her love of travel and adventure, Kathy has visited a few places not usually considered vacation hot spots—and lived to tell about it. When not writing or dreaming up her next story, Kathy enjoys traveling, relaxing by the beach with a book, mountain biking, movies and dinners out. She lives with her husband in a 100-year-old Victorian house in Pennsylvania. Kathy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Kathy Kulig Desert of the Damned Seducing the Stones
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