by Kali Argent
CHAPTER SEVEN
“By the ancestors.” Stepping out of the lift with her satchel draped over one shoulder, Jael froze. “This is your lab?”
Her tiny workroom back in Traskidel—the Southern Isle’s capital city—would fit into the cavernous room three times over, maybe more. Painted in bright, blinding white, Luke’s laboratory stretched the length of the mansion with a ceiling that reached at least twenty feet above her. Dozens of black-topped tables lined the speckled tiles, each workstation separated by panes of opaque glass in onyx frames.
Glass vials, beakers, and test tubes covered the tabletops, along with several pieces of machinery. Some she recognized, some she could only guess at, and a few she had no idea of their purpose. There were liquids in every shade of the rainbow, every consistency. A bright green goo bubbled, though she saw no discernable heat source to cause it.
“You work here alone?”
“Me and Nell.” He pressed his hand against the small of her back, urging her deeper into the room, then pulled it away quickly.
Jael sighed.
It had been more than twenty-four Earth hours since their disastrous first kiss in the entrance hall, and since then, things between them had been…different. Not bad, just not exactly the same as that first night.
After she’d made adjustments to his wardrobe, Luke had taken her into the city. She’d eaten pancakes. She’d pretended to like them. He’d told her twice how special he thought she was.
He didn’t, however, seem to feel the need to always be touching her anymore. He hadn’t tried to kiss her again, and in fact, he’d often gone out of his way to maintain distance between them.
She understood why he did it, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“Why do you work here and not at your business?”
“Hart’s production facility was compromised a while back,” he explained. “Nothing was too badly damaged but decontaminating the building and sterilizing the equipment is taking longer than expected.”
“Many people worked there?”
“A couple thousand,” he confirmed. “Hart is one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers on the planet.”
She was impressed, but it didn’t answer her original question. “Where are these people now? Why do you work alone?”
Leading her to the nearest workstation, Luke turned a chair that seemed to be floating in midair and motioned for her to sit. “The building was compromised because of an attack on the city. It’s a long story, but the short version is that a lot of people died, including my father. Even more were hurt. Many of those who made it out of Light City just never returned.” He leaned one hip against the lab table and folded his arms across his chest. “I really can’t blame them.”
“Oh, Luke, I’m so sorry.” Walking through the city, she never would have guessed something so tragic had happened there. “Were you close with your father?”
“Not really. He wasn’t exactly a bad guy, but he was controlling and manipulative, especially when it came to my sister. There were certain expectations placed on both of us, but it was worse for Cami. I know I’m supposed to miss him, but honestly?” He shook his head and blew out a long breath. “I don’t.”
She heard the guilt in his voice, recognized the struggle in his heart. “I think that’s perfectly reasonable.”
The one person who was supposed to love and protect him unconditionally hadn’t. Yet, society told him to forget that hurt, that betrayal, and mourn a parent who had failed him. She had never expected that from her siblings, and she certainly didn’t expect it from her mate.
“Anyway,” he said, a little louder than necessary, “most of the production workers will return when the facility reopens. It’ll take some time to find new researchers, but we’ll get there.” Reaching across the short distance, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with his index finger, but he didn’t linger. “I’m not worried, beautiful. You shouldn’t be, either.”
“I’m not worried.” It would take time, but she knew Luke would rebuild his family’s business, and it would be as strong as ever under his leadership. “I’m just working out the logistics.”
“Oh?” he chuckled. “How’s that going?”
“It’s going well, I think.”
Until the labs were functional again, it would be prudent for him to stay on Earth. Even if leaving him wouldn’t make her ill, she had no desire to be away from her mate, meaning she wouldn’t be returning to Xenthian for the foreseeable future. Xi wouldn’t like it, of course, but she was done letting him and her other siblings dictate her life.
“We’ll need to return the Radiance.” Xi could take it if he chose to return home without her. Unlikely, but stranger things had happened. Many of them in the last two days.
Luke’s brow furrowed. “Your ship?”
“It’s not my ship.” She waved him away, still considering how best to broach the subject with her brother. “It’s the royal vessel of the Southern Isle.”
“Of course, it is. How silly of me.” Leaning back, he shook his head and laughed again. “Wait. Does that mean you’re staying?”
The question was absurd enough to pull her out of her inner contemplation. “Of course, I’m staying.” She told herself not to do it, but she couldn’t help rolling her eyes at him. “You need to be here until your business is operational again.” Besides, it wasn’t like she had anything waiting for her back on Xenthian. “Once that happens, we can decide what we want to do from there.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious. This really isn’t a humorous ma—Luke?” Instinctively, she shrank back into her seat when his grin turned positively wicked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You. Are. Amazing.” Then, he grabbed her by the elbows, dragging her out of the chair and hoisting her into the air.
She squealed, an unsightly sound that she hoped to never make again.
“Luke! Put me down.” Naturally, he ignored her, lifting her even higher so that she had no choice but to lock her legs around his waist. “By the ancestors,” she cursed, trying to preserve a modicum of modesty by pushing the hem of her tunic back down her thighs. “What in the galaxies has gotten into you?”
“Now, is that any way to be?” His smile was completely smug, and his eyes danced with mischief. “Here I am trying to kiss you, and you’re just insulting me.”
It was really happening. He was touching her. He was going to kiss her again. She had thought for sure it would take more time for him to overcome the paranoia and uncertainty in which he’d cloaked his gift, but she’d never been more pleased to be proven wrong.
“Fine.” She feigned a dramatic huff but ceased her struggles and relaxed into him. “If you must.”
“Yes.” His voice grew husky as he slid a hand up her spine to cradle the back of her neck. “I think I must.”
It was the only warning she received before his lips crashed down on hers. There was no hesitation this time. No gentleness. No slow burn. Luke took her mouth in a hungry, possessive kiss, thrusting between her lips to sweep his tongue over hers.
When she tilted her head for a better angle, he growled, deepening the kiss with a dominance that made her entire body throb. Happy to let him lead, to allow him to take whatever he wanted, she did nothing to dissuade him.
Until the sound of breaking glass intruded on the moment.
“Damn it.” Ending the kiss, Luke rested his forehead against hers and groaned. “Is this going to happen every time I get close to you?”
From the corner of her eye, she surveyed the broken test tubes scattered throughout a puddle of clear liquid on the tabletop. It was clear her mate was shaken by the changes happening to him, and she wanted to help. She wanted to assure him that it would get easier, that he wouldn’t always have to be so guarded.
She wouldn’t lie to him, though, and unfortunately, right then, she didn’t have any answers.
“Don’t worry, ne
elum.” She stroked his cheek as she spoke, hoping the touch might calm and center him. “We’ll find a way.” That much she could promise. Until then, it was probably best to keep his mind otherwise occupied. “Shall we begin our work?”
It took several seconds and a couple of deep breaths before he slid her down his body to the floor. Then, he spent another minute or so pacing back and forth inside the work area, muttering obscenities under his breath the whole time. Once it seemed he’d finally gathered himself, he took her hand and led her to the only door in the back corner of the room.
“Office,” he said, pointing to the room enclosed by thick, glass walls. “There’s a private bathroom to the left, and a set of emergency stairs at the back.” He waited for her to acknowledge that she understood before directing her attention to a lab table on their left. “If there’s an accident in the lab, the security system is designed to disable the lift, so you’ll have to take the stairs.”
If anything happened, she could simply teleport herself out of the room, but she didn’t say that. Considering the current look on his face, it was probably best not to mention magic just yet.
“I understand. If something goes wrong, use the stairs.”
For some reason, this made him smile. “Okay, you’ve read the report I sent to Ivy, so you know we’re dealing with a few different problems.”
“I have.” She even had a few ideas of how to move forward, but she wanted to hear his thoughts first. “I’d like to hear it from you, though.”
Grabbing two, floating chairs from adjacent tables, he pulled them over to their workstations and sat, motioning for her to do the same.
“Okay, so, enhanced humans react fine to the cure. That’s great, but they’re not the ones who need it. The problem is with non-enhanced humans, those who haven’t received genetic upgrades.”
“The fever.” Nothing from Xenthian should have caused the spikes in temperature. The special flowers that grew beneath the Adderstones were, in fact, used to treat such ailments back home.
“Right.” He picked up what looked like a small, rectangular piece of glass from the tabletop. “The fever starts quickly, and lasts for hours, essentially burning away any curative properties of the flowers.” He tapped at the screen with his index finger, then turned it toward her. “These are the results of our last trials.”
She leaned toward him for a better look, then yelped when her chair flew forward, slamming her into his knees. “Oh, I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine.” His grimace said differently, and he rubbed his knee with one hand while he eased her chair back with the other. “I swear I’m going to burn these damn chairs.”
“I contacted the company again.” A female dressed in solid black—apart from her pristine, white lab coat—smiled brightly as she came to a stop at the end of the table. “They’re sending someone out tom—holy shit! What happened to you?”
“Thank you, Nell.” Luke rose from his seat to greet her as if she wasn’t openly gawking at him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Nell’s complexion turned rosy, but she continued to stare at him with comically wide eyes.
Uncomfortable being the only one seated, Jael stood as well, but she didn’t step forward or make any sound as she studied the other female. When Luke had mentioned that his lab assistant was a female, Jael hadn’t thought much of it. Then again, she’d never anticipated meeting someone who looked like Nell. Young and pretty, with high cheekbones, full, pink lips, and honey-colored curls that shined in the overhead lights, she was beautiful in a way Jael could never hope to be.
She wasn’t jealous, though. That would be ridiculous. Just because Nell had the kind of body male’s lusted after didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean Luke desired her. Maybe he liked short females with small breasts and narrow hips.
Yeah, and maybe I’ll grow wings and fly.
As if sensing her distress, Luke moved to stand behind her, wrapping her up in his arms and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “Jael, this is my assistant, Nell Everton.” He kissed her again, on the temple this time. “Nell, this is my mate, Jael Moonmist.”
Nell’s mouth dropped open. “Your mate?”
“Yeah, my soulmate. Hence all this.” He waved a hand up and down to indicate his larger frame, then bent to nuzzle the side of Jael’s neck. “Isn’t she great?”
The female didn’t look as if she found Jael great at all. Her gaping mouth snapped closed, her lips disappearing into a thin line. Those big, beguiling eyes narrowed at the corners, and the look she gave them was filled with a cold, thinly-veiled hatred.
The expression didn’t last long, only a fraction of a second before she caught herself and pasted on another beaming smile. “Oh, wow. That’s great. Congratulations!”
Jael stared at the hand Nell thrust toward her, hesitating for only a heartbeat before taking it in a firm grip. She’d since learned that the action was called a “handshake,” and humans used it as a form of greeting. Honestly, it seemed kind of unhygienic.
She knew she should thank the female, even if the sentiment had been as fake as her smile. When she opened her mouth, however, what came out was, “He’s mine.”
Luke’s big frame vibrated around her as he coughed, but honestly, it did little to hide his bark of laughter. Embarrassed by her own rudeness, Jael pulled her hand back and tucked herself deeper into his arms.
In her defense, the female had deserved it. Plus, while the king had given her and Xi a list of rules to follow, there had been nothing in his instructions that covered how to deal with harlots who wanted her mate for themselves. So, in retrospect, it could have been a lot worse.
She could have punched the female in the face.
“That, I am.” Luke’s arms tightened around her, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “And you’re mine.”
His open affection and easy declaration went a long way in soothing her insecurities and self-doubts, allowing her to have more charitable thoughts toward Nell. It really wasn’t the poor girl’s fault. Finding out the male she desired was suddenly bonded to another had to be devastating for her. Placed in the same situation, Jael couldn’t say she would have accepted the news any better.
With that thought in mind, she offered a token of peace.
“Luke was showing me the reports from your latest trials.” Tapping her mate’s arm, she waited for him to release her, then stepped forward with what she hoped was a warm smile. “Would you like to join us?”
“Join you?” The request seemed to have taken her off-balance, but she recovered quickly and nodded. “Yes, of course, if you’re sure.” She began backing away as she pointed over her shoulder. “Let me just get my notes.”
“She seems nice,” Jael allowed once the female had hurried off toward the front of the lab. Then, because she couldn’t not say it, she added, “I’m sorry I was rude to her.”
“Rude?” Chuckling, Luke slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her head back. “You’re kind of sexy when you’re jealous.”
“I’m not.” Stars, jealousy was practically oozing from her pores, but she’d never admit it, especially not to him, not when he had that cocky grin on his face.
“Really? Because I think you’re very sexy.”
Jael pursed her lips and glared. “I see what you did there, and I am not impressed.”
Without the least bit of contrition, he grinned as he leaned down to claim her lips in a quick, chaste kiss. “Nell is a sweet kid, and she’s smart as hell. I couldn’t have made it this far without her.” His grin grew wider when Jael huffed at him. “I promise you have nothing to worry about, beautiful.” He brushed the back of his hand down her cheek and kissed her again. “You are the one I want.”
Stars, he was sweet, and truth resonated from every syllable. Yes, the words came from his lips, but he spoke them with his entire body—the softness of his gaze, the tenderness of his touch, the way he leaned in just a little closer.
It was
perfect, the kind of moment she wished she could halt and live in forever. Unfortunately, before she could make any declarations of her own, Nell came striding back down the aisle with a small, black disk clutched in her hand.
“My notes,” she said at Jael’s raised eyebrow. “We don’t keep our notes or other sensitive information on the server.”
“I’m a little paranoid about security,” Luke added.
With a project that big, Jael could understand why. She nodded but waited until they were all seated around the table to speak. “So, you were telling me about the fever.”
Nell placed the disk on the tabletop and tapped out a complicated pattern over the surface. A series of light flashed, first blue, then purple, followed by a soft beep. A second later, information began popping up on the glass walls that surrounded the workstation. Small, two-sentence notes. Hastily typed paragraphs. Reports. Records. Equations. Formulas. Graphs.
It was probably the most awesome thing she’d ever seen. “I need one of these.” Focus. “Okay, help me understand what is happening with the trials.”
“It’s just like I said.” Leaning forward, Luke tapped one of the reports three times, enlarging it to almost the size of the entire panel. “We give them one of the petals from the flowers. The fever sets in and burns away any trace of a cure.”
“We thought it might work if we gave them smaller portions of the flowers,” Nell added, “but it didn’t.”
“No,” Jael answered slowly, “this kind of magic doesn’t work that way. There’s the same level of curative properties in one petal as there is in the entire bloom.” Essentially, they couldn’t over cure someone.
Luke shook his head. “Good to know, but what she means is that we literally couldn’t give them smaller portions. Every time we try to alter the flowers in any way, it reduces them to ash.”
“Ash?” What he said wasn’t possible. “It turns them into ash?”
“Yep. Cutting, crushing, boiling. Anything we do to them turns them into black powder. Black goo if I’m working with water.”
“Fascinating.” Terrible, of course, utterly frustrating, but still…fascinating. “The medics and healers on the Southern Isle crush or boil the saona flowers often to use in antidotes and healing tonics.” She was at a loss of why it would be any different on Earth. “The water samples that were collected evaporated after leaving the planet, correct?”