AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nothing since her shields dropped, Neloff admitted.She’s hiding something and I don’t like it.
“We’re supposed to be courting,” she continued with a sigh. “I don’t want to be here alone.” Her reaction revealed more than she realized. Even as she tried to hold her emotions back, thinking about being without them had her on the brink of tears. If she cared about them, why was she being so difficult?
Neloff moved closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. “What are you and your friends working on? Can it be continued remotely?”
“I’m not ready to tell you yet.” She twisted out of his hold and moved a few steps away.
Apparently having heard enough, Kyrex got out of bed and strode toward her purposefully. His expression was fierce with displeasure. “There are no secrets between bonded mates. What aren’t you telling us? And why are you hiding your emotions?”
Her chin came up and defiance ignited in her eyes. “We’re not bonded yet, and I’m not sure I’ll ever want to share every single thought and emotion.”
Neloff stopped Kyrex as he took a menacing step toward Eden. Keeping his tone calm and nonconfrontational, Neloff asked, “At least tell me why you don’t want us to know. Do you fear that we will disapprove or does it not concern us?”
“Everything about her concerns us,” Kyrex argued, shoving Neloff aside.
“Fine, I’ll tell you,” Eden relented though she quickly backed away. “But I don’t care how pissed off you get. You’re not talking me out of this.”
Kyrex started to object again, but Neloff stopped him with a warning look. Eden should know better than challenging Kyrex, but this clearly meant a lot to her.
“What have you and your friends been doing?” Kyrex persisted.
“We’re trying to find someone with the skills to make a better suppressant,” she announced proudly. “The only choice conduits have right now is who they want as their mates. They should be able to choose when andifthey want to be claimed.”
“That’s ridiculous. Your premise fell apart with the word ‘conduits,’” Kyrex flared, his voice growing stronger with each word he uttered. “Without their mates conduits become unstable. Most literally go insane.”
“That’s what needs to change.” Her voice rose right along with his. “We should be able to choose?—”
“Controllers can’tchooseto be warm and cuddly, and sources can’t stop caring about others. They are the fundamental characteristics of what we were engineered to be. And we were engineered to work as three-person teams.”
“I don’t accept that!” She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him, her cheeks red with annoyance.
Kyrex stilled, channeling his anger into steely control. “It does not matter what you accept, little girl. Suppressants are illegal for a reason. They are dangerous.”
With her jaw set and fists clenched, she continued to glare.
“We released your power by degrees and introduced you to passion gradually,” Kyrex reminded when she continued her silent defiance. “When the female is in her early twenties, the suppressants become toxic. Once she stops receiving the chemicals, she is thrown into bonding fever. That means she turns mindless and desperate for cock.”
“Did you ask Raina about this concept?” Neloff asked. “She experienced firsthand how much fun it is to activate all at once.”
“You’re talking about the old suppressants,” Eden argued. “We’re determined to find someone who will improve on?—”
“You cannot change your basic nature!” Neloff cut in. “Trying to do so will only result in pain and misery.”
“Not to mention the very real danger of sudden, violent bursts of elemental energy,” Kyrex added. “One uncontrolled activation on Torret killed sixteen people. The primary element of most of these females is fire. Are you willing to risk that sort of tragedy so that those raised on Earth can feel better about theirchoices?”
“It wouldn’t be like that.” Her expression was less secure, but her emotions were still locked down tight. She crossed her arms over her chest and lowered her gaze to Kyrex’s chest. “We’ve compiled a list of the very best genetic researchers on all four planets. We intend to query them all and see how many would be willing to work on this project.”
“How are you going to compensate them?” Kyrex challenged, mirroring her pose.
Her shimmering gaze slowly lifted to his face. “We’re still figuring that out.”
“This only makes sense to you because you never experienced a typical awakening,” Neloff said. “We protected you from the intensity of bonding fever. You have no idea what most conduits go through if their powers were suppressed.”
Kyrex’s head snapped around and he looked at Neloff. “That’s brilliant, brother. Let’s give her a glimpse of what she was spared. Maybe then she’ll realize how fortunate she has been. We coddled her, made allowances for her upbringing, and it left her with a distorted perspective.”
“My perspective is not distorted,” she sneered. “You’re just looking for a reason to punish me for doing something you don’t like.”
Kyrex signaled Neloff with a telepathic pulse and they lunged for her together. Neloff ripped the sheet away from her struggling body and Kyrex picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. She quickly flipped over onto her hands and knees, which worked perfectly for what they had in mind. Neloff shoved a fat pillow under her hips as Kyrex urged her shoulders down. She turned her head so her face wasn’t pressed into the rumpled bedding.
