The Scythian Trials
Page 25
“Absolutely. Attraction creates a connection that grows when we trust another with our deepest insecurities and strongest desires. Exposing oneself in such a way allows our mate to seep into the hidden places of our heart. It’s a profound link which lasts a lifetime. And that connection develops and becomes something more—something spiritual.”
“Oh.” Nya’s voice trailed away. If that’s what Aren believed, then there was no way she would equal him in matters of the heart. Yes, she was attracted to his strength, but as she’d already told Jax, she doubted she’d ever be able to give that much of herself to anyone.
He nudged her forward. They made their way down the path and through the trees. A dome-shaped silhouette appeared in the distance. They ascended the planetarium steps, and he unlocked the door.
“In you go.”
Nya stepped through the threshold. Aren walked past and placed the keys on the welcome desk.
The glass dome revealed a cloud covered sky, and Nya sighed. “Not sure tonight’s the best night for star gazing.”
Aren smiled. “That’s where you’re wrong. Take a seat.”
A group of recliners, much like the ones in the theater, stood in the center of the room. Aren went to a control panel while Nya sat in one of the oversized chairs. A few seconds later, everything went black, and Aren settled next to her side.
“Relax and look at the universe.” His deep voice rumbled as he pressed a button and the seats reclined.
The darkness around them melded into the Milky Way, pouring over the curved walls and onto the floor. Orchestral strings softly played as a shooting star blazed across the dome. The images slowly rotated, giving Nya the sensation they were floating in space.
“This is fantastic,” she whispered, afraid to break the spell the place had created.
He put his arm around her, pulling her close so her head could rest on his shoulder. “I’m glad you like it.”
They settled into a peaceful quiet, and the music swelled then ebbed as the galaxy floated above them. Aren shifted his body until he rested on his side, his lips grazing a tender spot on her neck, his braids brushed across her chest as he nuzzled close.
She stiffened. “Aren, wait.”
His beautiful ebony skin gleamed in the limited light, his thumb tracing over the dragon spire arm cuff guarding the place where an empty mark stood.
“Why? You’re an Amazonian warrior, searching for her rovni. I am a Scythian Moor looking for his mate. Why shouldn’t we explore if we can connect on a physical level? My people would welcome you, Anya. You would have a tribe, one that loves in a way western cultures don’t understand.”
She shifted so she could see his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Even in Scythian societies, Western Civilization is obsessed with conformity. It makes them comfortable when they can put others in certain categories. But both the Moors and the Maori accept warriors for who they are without the constraints of norms. There is no judgment, no criticism. Just acceptance.”
Nya eased back a little. What would it be like to openly admit you couldn’t remember a part of your past and just have people accept it?
He softly kissed her lips. “The point of the Trials is to explore the possibility of a future with one another. I want you to enjoy our time together. We’ll never know if this can work unless we try. And if you end up with someone else, at least you’ll have this memory of me.”
She took a deep breath and tried to settle back into his arms. This was what Jax had asked of her—to experience new things so she’d really know what she wanted. A true Amazon wouldn’t think twice about interacting with a prospective candidate this way.
He ran his fingertips up and down her bare arm. The whisper-soft touch combined with the music and scenery and Nya’s reality shifted to nothing but sensation, lulling her into the pleasurable space between relaxation and slumber.
Aren waited until she settled before he turned, bearing his weight on his forearm. He leaned in, circling his nose around her pulse then kissing her neck.
She shied away at first, but his touch was so gentle, so caring, that eventually her muscles relaxed and her bones turned to jelly. The music swelled, the constellations above them shifted, bringing her focus on a series of stars she’d never seen.
“What’s that?” Nya’s breath caught as he nibbled on a tender spot behind her ear.
Aren didn’t look up, but continued his pilgrimage. “The newest pictures from the Society’s telescope.” His tongue circled the dip where her neck met her shoulder, his lips making their way downward as his hand tucked beneath her breast. “Scythians have known for years that we are part of a multiverse, not just a universe. Makes our lives seem insignificant, doesn’t it?”
She didn’t answer him. Couldn’t. Her mind, her heart and her body were at war. Being touched this way felt amazing, but as she closed her eyes, all she could see was Jax—his smile, memories of the way he always challenged her, how he read her like a book, didn’t take any of her shit.
Confusion surged, and she stiffened. Aren’s fingers kept circling her flat abdomen, tracing around the small indent of her belly button.
“I know this is new to you, Anya, but try and clear your mind.” He grazed his nose down her neck until his lips were centered between her breasts.
She tried to relax as Jax’s voice echoed in her thoughts ... Keep an open mind, Vtachi.
Aren shifted, his heavy leg nestling between hers. “Focus on here—now. I offer you my respect, honor you with my touch. You, in turn, honor me by accepting my affection.”
This seemed wrong. How could she physically feel pleasure from one male while thinking about another?
And why did she feel like she was betraying someone entirely different in the process?
Nya fought to stay quiet as he nipped and nuzzled, traveling up her neck until he found a place that seemed particularly sensitive. He gently bit the tender skin and then soothed the spot with his tongue.
The lights above swirled in celestial patterns as violins crescendoed in a sweet symphony.
The blood pounding in her ears turned painfully hot, and familiar panic flooded through her.
“Penn, please. This is wrong. You know it.”
Rope had been replaced by shackles, the cargo hold had turned into a palatial room, a camera recording the horrid scene.
Penn came forward, his hand palming her breast.
“Shhhh, my love. It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
“Let me go,” she said, trying in vain to jerk away from his touch.
“This isn’t easy for me, either.” Penn’s breath brushed over her face. “Watching you suffer. But it’s the only way I can have you. Just tell father what he wants, and then we can be together. I promise.”
The memory came back in a rush. Her blood raged as if her veins were on fire. She pushed on Aren’s chest.
He leaned up, his eyes searching hers. “Anya, what is it?”
Her thoughts jumbled in a mass of past and present. Aren’s gentle black eyes fused into merciless hazel, his dark skin melded to pasty white. Fury, rage, and, most of all, a deep-seated need to escape gripped her. She took a ragged breath, hoping to calm the urge to punch Aren in the throat and then run. She hadn’t experienced the reaction since Jax taught her control.
Oh, God. It was happening again. She didn’t want him touching her. She didn’t want anyone touching her.
“Nya, have I done something wrong?”
Her body went rigid as Dmitri Sarkov’s voice echoed in the distance.
“Lexi. Yes, I have things well in hand.” The guttural rhythm of muffled Estonian bled through the door. “Yes, yes, I understand. Even though my son is an idiot, we still have a deal, no?” A pause. “No. I cannot give you back the girl. She is a gift for Penn. I promised him long ago.” Another pause. “You have my word. She’ll be well cared for. Leave her with us, and the cloning research stops immediately. And Chancellor? Stay out of Russia.”
Nya wasn’t safe. No one was.
Aren sat up and clicked the remote. The music stopped, and the constellations faded as the house lights came on. “Nya, what is it? What’s wrong?”
She batted his hands away like they were covered in spiders and then jumped up from her seat. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Aren.”
Before he could say anything, she ran.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sweat trickled down Nya’s face as she walked back to her room. She stumbled a few times, ignoring the servants asking if she was all right. Her emotions had always felt detached, like some distant illusion.
Now they were nonexistent.
She no longer felt anger, not even hatred. It was like she’d turned into an objective observer, viewing her life like a scientist would a bug under glass. Her mind whirred until she boiled her life down into three universal truths.
Her parents were asshats that dangled her in front of the Drahzda like a piece of meat.
Penn was never her friend; he was an evil bastard that now commanded the Drahzda.
And Alexandra had betrayed the Society.
But she didn’t trust anyone enough to tell them what she’d remembered. Well, Xari. But Nya would never drag her into this shit. Victor was lead counsel for the Society, which meant he couldn’t be trusted. And daddy dearest had taught her early on that a good Scythian warrior was loyal to the Society no matter what, which meant telling any of her official candidates would be too risky.
Which left Jax, and he wasn’t around.
What about the Tovaris? They were openly aggressive with the Senate on many issues. But Zander hated her, and besides, she had no idea how deep his ties to the Chancellor went.
She stepped into her room and locked the door.
God, she was hot. She looked at the over-the-top room, dripping with curtains, and wondered where in the hell the thermostat was in this place.
Crossing the space, she opened the windows. A light blinked from the top of the seal, probably alerting the council that her room was unsecured, but right now she could give a shit.
The curtains billowed as a breeze blew in, and Nya tipped her head back, allowing the cold air to brush against her.
That was better.
She shucked off her shirt as she headed toward the shower. Tomorrow night was the ball, which signaled the end of the first round.
Peeling off the rest of her clothes, Nya left them on the floor before she cranked on the shower and stepped beneath the spray. Tepid water pelted her skin, and she hung her head and closed her eyes, her hair streaming in front of her face like a river of despair.
There were too many holes in her memory. Jax’s keen dark eyes drowned out all other thoughts, his voice echoing, calmly reminding her to think and not react.
Why wasn’t he here?
She shook off the thought and allowed memories of their many sessions to lull her into a calm state.
The water cooled the top of her head, and she concentrated on the night she was taken.
“I like you helpless, needing me,” Penn whispered. “Once you stop fighting, things will be better. You’ll see. I’ll worship you, cherish you, and treat you like a queen.”
Nya took measured breaths as rage bubbled under the surface. The Allos always thought the same. In their world, females were a weird mix of something weak that needed protecting and yet worshiped at the same time.
She had only remembered the tip of the iceberg, and she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what she saw when her mind finally released its secrets. Nya was right when she told Jax she’d been conditioned. Penn’s obsession with her must be the key to finding the triggers, but that could be anything from a childhood memory to a name.
Leaning against the shower wall, Nya thought of all the times she’d remembered something. Her first memory came after Victor had gotten into her personal space ... and after the surgery, maybe the drugs triggered that one. She felt threatened when Alexandra confronted her, that, combined with her horrid tobacco stench, triggered the memory of Penn on the ship. But the strongest memory by far was when she was with Aren.
Great. So her triggers were obviously being touched by a male, feeling threatened, foreign scents, oh, and sedatives.
She rubbed her forehead as hopelessness spread through her. She’d been fooling herself into thinking there was some way out of this, hoping that eventually, she’d find some semblance of normalcy.
Hopelessness bloomed to despair, and she dropped to the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. Whoever ended up as her rovni would have to deal with all this shit. And when word got out about her abduction, the Society would publicly support her, but privately her entire family would be shunned. She had been taken by the Drahzda and left tainted, unclean.
She couldn’t do that to any of her candidates, especially Jax. They deserved a future better than the one she could offer them. What in the hell was she supposed to do now?
Maybe setting out on her own was the only way out of this mess.
Victor made his way down the hall, his instinct screaming something wasn’t right. To hell with it, he’d go against protocol and check on Anya. He was, after all, her guide.
Ambling through the crowded foyer, he maintained an air of ease. As there were no formal affairs scheduled for the evening, the press mingled among the warriors, and they stopped him, demanding answers about the ever-elusive Ajax Nickius. With the stealth of a seasoned politician, Victor’s linguistic gymnastics were impressive. It wasn’t until he made his way outside and past the fountains that tension settled around his shoulders and he picked up his pace.
The distant rumble of a motorcycle had him shifting direction. Gaslights lined the narrow path that led to the old carriage house, which now served as a garage.
He waited for the motorcycle to come into view, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he noted the familiar frame sitting on the seat.
Jax dismounted and threw the kickstand down before pulling off the helmet. “Waiting for someone, Doc?”
“I heard Siva’s bike. Either she decided to go against orders and leave her territory, or she let you borrow her baby.”
Jax grinned. “She has two months left before Zander lets her off her leash. Not sure why his panties are in such a wad. She took out an entire Drahzdan team.”
“Yeah, and she burned down a weapons factory while doing it. A factory the Chancellor wanted to be searched before it was destroyed.”
“Well, that explains it then.” Jax stared at the bike. “She’ll have my balls if I don’t bring it back.”
“True.”
Jax tilted his head, noting the tension in his mentor’s voice. He crossed his arms and leaned against the seat. “Why are you waiting out here?”
Victor hesitated. “I was heading to check on your little bird, but I heard you coming and thought you might want to join me.” His eyes glanced toward the woods.
Jax followed his gaze; the planetarium’s dome shone in the night sky.
“After such a long ride, a walk would be perfect.”
They stepped off the path that led to the planetarium and into the woods. As soon as they were away from security cameras and the threat of reporters, Victor stopped in the middle of the field.
“How is Vtachi?”
“When I last saw her, she was all right, but I can’t shake the feeling something’s off.”
Jax started forward, taking a sharp left, cutting through the woods in a direct path to the domed structure. They came through the tree line to find Aren sitting on the planetariums front steps, his forearms resting on his thighs as he stared at the ground.
“What happened?” Victor asked, jogging to catch up with Jax.
Aren’s brow rose when he saw the two warriors standing a few feet away. “I’m not sure. One minute we were doing well, the next
she was like a zombie. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“What were you doing when her manner changed?” Victor pulled out his phone.
Aren met Jax’s gaze. “Let’s just say I was showing her how enjoyable being a part of my tribe could be.”
“Sonofabitch,” Jax cursed, taking a step toward the Moor.
“Were you aware that she’s a novo?” Victor’s voice stayed calm as he stepped between the warriors. “And did she share that it’s been only recently that she’s learned to accept a male’s touch?”
Aren scrubbed his face with his hand. “I knew she was innocent. As for the other, I’m not sure what you mean.”
Jax clenched his jaw. “When Nya started at the academy any touch would send her into a rage. The past four years have been an exercise in helping her control the response, but it wasn’t until last week that she learned to accept instead of just tolerate it.”
Aren took a deep breath and wearily exhaled. “I watched her eyes when she confronted the Chancellor in the foyer. Tonight, she had that same look ... like she did when she remembered being on that boat.”
Jax groaned. “I should’ve never left.”
Aren stood, and the three warriors headed back through the trees.
The large stone building came into view. “I knew I was going too fast. Should’ve never pushed her.”
Jax scrubbed his face with his hand but Victor was the one to speak.
“You didn’t know. And I’m sure a good night’s rest will be just what Anya needs.”
They veered left toward the back of the consulate, taking the servant’s entrance instead of risking a confrontation with the press.
Aren muttered something about seeing them both in the morning, and he walked away.
Victor blocked Jax from leaving the mud room. “You can’t go bursting into her room again. Too many are watching right now, and she doesn’t even know you’re back.
“She remembered something,” Jax whispered, his eyes glancing at the ceiling, looking for cameras.
Victor motioned him to follow, and they went through the kitchen and into a small conference room. “This area is secure.”