AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Raina stilled and her eyes narrowed as she looked from Udora to Cylex and back. “Kern is Torretian, Cylex Altorian. How could they have known each other most of their lives?” She looked at Cylex expectantly. “Are you a ‘trusted friend’ of my kidnapper?”
His chin came up and his shoulders squared. Altorian males didn’t like being challenged, especially in front of others. When he finally spoke, his tone reflected his irritation. “My mother was Altorian, but my father was Torretian. Kern and I met at a residential academy when we were in our teens. And yes, we became good friends.”
A chill tingled up her spine. She liked the way Cylex looked, enjoyed fantasizing about him, but he was just as much of a stranger to her as all the rest of these people. Flora’s mates had chosen Cylex as her bodyguard. Surely they’d checked out his background. Altor was at war with Torret. Why would they have overlooked his Torretian blood? A millisecond after the thought formed, Raina felt ashamed and guilty. It was just such prejudice that led to the Japanese internment camps. She knew better than succumbing to that sort of bigoted thinking. Cylex had never been anything but loyal and protective of her. Until that changed, she would treat him with respect.
Cylex skirted the bed and approached her slowly. “I would never harm you, Raina. My background is complicated and I will gladly tell you everything. But time is of the essence right now. We need to take you somewhere safe so you can decide what you want to do next.”
“Take me back to the Citadel,” she insisted. “They can protect me from Jevara.”
“Like they did the night Kern abducted you?” Udora arched her brows to emphasize the challenge. “Controlling the triads has made the Altorians arrogant. Their Citadel is not nearly as impenetrable as they think. My grandson is one of many who can ease past their defenses if they are so inclined.”
“Then return me to Earth.” She didn’t really want to go back to her old life, but she knew how to act like a human. She’d been doing so most of her life.
Again it was Udora who argued with her. “And what happens when your Fire flares again? Are you expecting Cylex and Kern to stay with you in that remote star system? There is nothing for them there.”
“Everyone expects me to stay here,” she countered. “Earth is my home. I want to go home.” Her tone turned wistful as she added the last sentence.
Udora’s expression softened but she didn’t relent. “Earth is familiar to you, but it is no longer your home. Your family is here. Others of your species are here. You would feel like an alien if you returned to Earth now. You know too much, have seen too much to go back to your life on Earth.”
Raina knew Udora was right. It wasn’t the planet Raina longed for. It was the blissful innocence she’d enjoyed a few short months ago. Everything had been simple in Alaska, boring even. Her life wasn’t threatened at every turn and warring factions on multiple planets weren’t trying to control her.
She looked at Cylex. He had always made her feel safe, but now she wasn’t sure she could trust him. He hadn’t actually lied to her. They never spoke about personal things. Never flirted or did anything else that revealed their attraction. Was he even attracted to her or was he just determined to keep her safe?
She didn’t know what to do, where to turn, who to trust. Kern had given her a glimpse of her power, a taste of the woman she could become. But right now she felt helpless, lost and abandoned. “Can I contact my cousins, let them know I’m all right?” She knew what the answer was likely to be but had to give it one last try.
Udora shot her an impatient glower. “You want to tell them where you are so they can come get you.”
“What do you expect?” Raina yelled, anger shoving through her hopelessness. “Why would I want anything else?” Using anger to drive back the weaker emotions, she unloaded on Mistress Air. “Flora and Cara are the only ones I trust right now, and I don’t fully trust them anymore. All anyone cares about is my fucked-up gift! I don’t want to be a conduit. I don’t want any of this.”
Cylex advanced steadily, so Raina backed up. She was hanging on to her composure by a thread.
“Don’t touch me. Stay back!” She bumped into the dresser adjacent to the bed as Cylex reached her.
His large, warm hands framed her face and their gazes collided. “Look into my mind, Raina. Feel what I feel. Hear my words and know that they are true.”
Energy sank into her mind, swirling in an intoxicating rush as it cascaded through her entire body. She groaned as her eyes rolled back and her knees buckled. He swept her up in his arms like a child and sat down on the edge of the bed. He settled her on his lap, his brawny arm supporting her back while his other hand caressed her face.
“See me, love. Know how much I care for you.”
Her eyes were closed, so the directive didn’t make sense until emotions unfurled inside her. Her breath was driven from her lungs by the initial intensity and then she recovered with a desperate gasp. Possessive affection and tenderness, combined with the overwhelming need to protect. Cylex loved her. How was this possible? He wasn’t just attracted to her, he loved her deeply.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered, struggling to open her eyes. “Why leave me—”
He bent and pressed his mouth over hers. The kiss was slow and patient, the tip of his tongue lightly teasing. “I am a hybrid with Torretian blood. I was not sure I could find anyone who would partner with me. I didn’t want to complicate your search for mates if I was not a viable option.”
Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared into his. He had been willing to sacrifice his happiness to ensure hers? That was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard. “You qualified as both a source and a controller. Which role do you intend to play? Do you even need a partner?”
“I am most comfortable in the role of source. And yes, we still need a controller.”
A controller, someone dominant and aggressive. Someone like—trepidation interrupted her thoughts. She sat up then wiggled off his lap and moved away from the bed. “You expect me to bond with Kern?”
“I don’t expect you to do anything.” He stood, but allowed the distance between them. “I want to take you away from all the threats and pressures. This is the most important decision of your life. You need time and space so you can decide what to do.”
All she sensed was sincerity and concern. That wasn’t true. Cylex desired her, had desired her for a long time, but he didn’t intend on seducing her. At least not at the moment. “And when I lose my mind again? Kern said it will keep happening until I allow myself to be claimed.”
“We will feed you energy often enough to keep the cravings at bay,” Cylex promised.
The last time the cravings struck she’d begged Kern to fuck her. Were they hoping for, even expecting a similar reaction? She turned her head, unable to think clearly when she looked at Cylex’s handsome face. It was a pretty safe bet that her awakening power would make seduction unnecessary. Her DNA had backed her into this corner and they all knew it. She was out of time. She needed to bond with two empowered males and it needed to be soon.
