Beneath the Fallen City

by Jamie A. Waters

  Carl looked at Kayla questioningly. She nodded at him to let him know it was okay. He and Rand left the room and slid the door shut behind him.

  Kayla watched as Alec let out a long exhale. “You knew about the weakness in the bracelets, didn't you?”

  Alec met her gaze and nodded. “I've been looking for a way to deactivate the bracelets for months. I came to your same conclusion, but everyone with the potential to generate enough energy to short-circuit the bracelets are wearing them.”

  She cocked her head and said, “If you show me how, I can help.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, looking weary. “Kayla, I don’t think you understand what you’re asking. Don’t get me wrong, your solution is a very attractive offer and in another time and place, I would be extremely open to it. But not until you fully comprehend exactly what you’re asking.”

  Kayla looked at him in confusion. “I don’t understand. It’s pretty straightforward. You take my energy, zap those bracelets, and the Inner Circle is freed and can take back their power from the High Council.”

  Alec chuckled at her description. “Yes, that sounds pretty straightforward. But what you’re talking about doing is not something that’s done casually. Sharing energy creates an extremely close bond between the two individuals.”

  “But the bracelets do it.”

  “Yes, but it’s not the same.”

  “Alec, please,” Kayla said softly. “This is our best shot. It’s my fault these people are wearing those stupid things. I found the data cube that started all of this. Let me help fix it.”

  He studied her for a long time and then said, “I think you need to see what you’re asking.”

  She looked at him in surprise and asked, “You’ll do it?”

  “I didn’t say that,” he corrected her. “I want to show you what you’re asking. If you still want to go through with this afterward, then I’ll agree.”

  She pulled back, her misgivings growing. She wanted to help but there were limits. “Why? Is it going to hurt?” She considered herself tough, but she wasn't into pain.

  He shook his head. “It won’t hurt. I’ll walk you through every step. If you want to stop at any time, just say the word.”

  She stood up, determined to do this. “Okay. What do I do?”

  He stood in front of her and looked down into her eyes. “Relax. I have to touch you to do this. It won’t hurt. You’ll feel a slight warmth.”

  “All right.”

  He lifted both of his hands, gently laying them on her face. She felt his fingers warm, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation. It was actually rather soothing and the strange sense of intimacy was nice. There was a slight vibration coming from him, similar to what she felt when she had imagined the sparkling globe.

  “You’re right.” His voice was in her head again. “Think about the vibration. That’s the energy flowing through you. Just listen to it and follow it.”

  Her immediate reaction was to shut him out of her mind, but she forced herself to relax. She focused on the link between them and saw it strengthen and shift. Hundreds of colors appeared and she followed the threads in her mind. They formed a beautiful web and she admired it for a few moments before asking, “Am I doing it right?”

  “Yes. I want you to see how the energy works and how it flows. I’ve never met anyone able to weave such pure and brilliant colors without any form of training.”

  “I’m doing this?” she asked in alarm.

  “It’s okay, Kayla,” he reassured her in a soothing mental voice. “You’re not even aware of it. I’m not directing this flow at all. This is all you. You can push me out of your mind at any time. The only time I direct the flow is when I’m trying to influence someone. One day, if you want, I’ll show you the way that pattern looks.”

  “Maybe.” She wasn't willing to commit to continuing these lessons beyond her current goal. She was already outside her comfort zone.

  He didn't push and instead directed her attention to the threads of energy. “Right now, some of your energy threads are woven together but others are loose and floating. You need to rein them in. If you’re not using them, it’s usually a good idea to keep them woven together. If you need them quickly, it’s easier to gather them if they’re already together.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “Pick a thread that’s floating unbound and weave it together with another thread. Keep it loose though. You want to keep control of them, not build an impenetrable wall.”

  Intrigued by the wall idea, she asked, “Why not?”

  “Because you need to be able to see and feel what’s going on around you. If you close yourself off to the world, you’ll end up back in that dark area you were in yesterday when you were unconscious.”

  “Oh.” She did as he instructed and focused on one of the free-flowing loose threads. She pulled it toward her and was surprised when it seemed to understand what she wanted. With little effort, she held onto it. She reached for another thread and wove them together. The colors seemed to mesh and collide together. Fascinated, she studied them for a long moment.

  She felt Alec’s approval and began pulling the other loose threads together. When she finished, she took hold of the thread between the two of them.

  “If you weave that thread into the mix, our connection will be severed. If I touch you again, I won’t be able to connect with you unless you’re willing. You’ll need to remove a thread of energy from your web and reach for me.”

  “Wait, that’s how I can block you from reading my thoughts?”

  “Yes.”

  She released it and asked, “How do I hold this together? Won’t it become unraveled if I’m not thinking about it?”

  “It may take some concentration initially, but not much. You seem to be picking up on this quickly. You’re already subconsciously weaving some threads. Once you get used to doing it, it will become second nature to you.”

  Practice. She could do that. This process was much less complicated than she'd expected. “Okay, now what?”

  “This is where it gets a little tricky. You need to take all of your threads and give them to me. Connect them to mine.”

  Kayla looked at the large number of threads and asked in surprise, “All of them?”

  “Yes,” he replied dryly. “You’ll be opening yourself up to me completely by doing this. You won’t be able to push me out. The same goes for me. The connection can only be severed by mutual agreement. It also cannot be formed without this step. This is why it’s uncommon. It’s an act of complete trust.”

  Kayla hesitated, uncertainty filling her. It seemed like a good idea at first, but she wasn't sure she could willingly give up control to another person. It went against everything she'd ever learned. “You don’t have to do this, Kayla. I can train you how to use your energy and become precise in targeting. It’ll take some time.”

  “No.” It could take months or years to gain the level of expertise she needed and even then, there was no guarantee. Veridian once told her that everything happened for a reason. She'd never placed much store in the concept of fate, but maybe he was right. Maybe everything was inter-connected and perhaps this was a lesson she needed to learn. She needed to take that leap of faith.

  She took all of her threads and sent them toward Alec. She gasped when she felt herself connect with him. Kayla realized he was taking as much of a risk as she was. She opened her eyes and looked up into his clear blue ones.

  Kayla could feel everything he was experiencing and understood he was able to do the same. Curious, she reached up to touch his face and marveled how she was able to experience the duality of the sensation of touch. She could sense his thoughts and emotions and knew her touch affected him deeply. She felt his desire and realized he knew exactly how she felt in return.

  “Shit,” she thought in alarm. “Okay, fine, I think you’re incredibly sexy and the thought of jumping you is pretty damn attractive. Okay, it’s a lot more than just attractive. Bu
t I have a thing for Carl. I’m not going to act on it.”

  She sensed a combination of amusement and irritation emanating from him. He cleared his throat and asked, “Do you want to continue?”

  Kayla hesitated briefly and asked, “There’s more to this?”

  “Quite a bit. If you’re ready, I’m going to send you a small pulse of energy. When you receive it, I want you to try to send it back.”

  “I’m ready.”

  He sent a small pulse of energy toward her and she laughed in delight as the energy tickled her senses. He smiled at her and she carefully returned the pulse.

  “Good,” he said in approval. “In order to accomplish what you’re talking about doing with the bracelets, we have to establish a steady flow of energy. I’m going to send you a larger stream of energy so you can see what I’m talking about.”

  More prepared now, she said, “Okay, go ahead.”

  He sent a steady stream of energy toward her and she marveled at the feeling as it washed over her. She felt as though she was showering in the clearest of thought and colors. She had never felt so safe or as alive as she did at that moment.

  She explored the way his energy poured through to her and noticed she felt a slight pull toward him. She wondered if she was depleting his energy and supposed she should probably return some back to him.

  “Kayla, wait,” he urged. “Don’t close the circuit.”

  His thought came too late. Following his example, she sent back her own stream of energy toward him. She gasped when their energy linked together and rushed through both of them. Kayla couldn’t help but close her eyes and simply feel the exquisite sensations rushing through her. She'd never felt so connected to anyone before and wanted nothing more than to have him touch her and claim her.

  The foreign thought surprised her, but it felt so natural and right that she was confused for a moment.

  “Break the circuit if you can,” Alec told her. Bewildered by his request, she wondered why he would ever want this feeling to end. She wanted his hands on her more than anything else. She reached up and pressed her lips against his and felt his desire match her own. It only made her want him more. She wanted more energy from him and increased her flow of energy in an effort to entice him into responding.

  “Stop the flow of energy, Kayla. I don’t think I can resist much longer.”

  She hesitated a moment before pulling her energy back from him. She felt him shudder at the sudden withdrawal. He looked at her with such an aching need that she wanted to return the connection.

  “No, don’t. Just give me a minute.”

  He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. She felt him carefully withdraw his energy from her. She winced at the sudden intimate and painful loss. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

  “Take your time,” he suggested. “You can still feel the connection, just not the energy.”

  Whimpering slightly, she leaned into him and rested her head against his chest. She heard and felt the beating of his heart in sync with her own.

  “When you’re ready, go ahead and take your energy threads away.”

  Kayla shook her head, unwilling to break the connection. He said gently, “You need to do it, Kayla. I know it’s hard, but I won’t go away. I promise. You can always reach for me and I’ll be here for you.”

  She felt the truth in his thoughts. He felt the same way she did. She also knew he was worried about her. He was concerned he had taken her too far too quickly. Reluctantly, she pulled the energy threads away.

  He released her and she stepped back, trembling slightly.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her.

  She looked up at him and blushed at the intimacy they'd shared. “Yeah. I, um, see what you mean now.”

  He gave her an understanding smile. “I wasn’t expecting to show you quite that much.”

  “So, is it going to be like that when we fry the bracelets?” she asked hesitantly.

  He shook his head. “No. You’ll be the one sending your energy toward me. As long as the energy flows in one direction, it’s fine.”

  “What happened just now?”

  “Ahhh, well…” He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “Mutually sharing energy is usually only done between two people who are seeking a stronger bond than a physical one.”

  Kayla stared at him and asked, “Are you trying to tell me in your polite Omni way that we just mind-fucked each other?”

  Alec’s mouth twisted into a grin. “I think that qualified more as mind-foreplay. That’s why you didn’t want to stop.”

  “Holy shit.” She dropped down on the couch, completely stunned.

  He nodded. “It’s a powerful thing. That’s one of the reasons why we tend to keep to our own kind. It’s not only our regular abilities. You could easily have a physical relationship with someone else, but you won’t find that complete connection outside of the Circle.”

  “You mentioned bloodlines and our unique heritage before,” she recalled. “Why are we different?”

  Alec smiled and sat down next to her. He took her hand in his and asked, “Do you remember the dragon statue you discovered in the ruins?”

  “Of course. What about it?”

  “The dragons have had countless names over the centuries. But here in the towers, we usually refer to them as the Drac’kin. Thousands of years ago, when our world was still linked to other worlds, the Drac’kin were a dominant force. They waged a war in the Otherworld which nearly destroyed this world and several others in the process.”

  Kayla looked at him skeptically. “This sounds like a fairy tale.”

  “I suppose it does,” he agreed. “But regardless, during this battle, one of the Drac’kin betrayed her kind. She gave others the knowledge to close the rifts between the worlds. They followed her instructions and some of the Drac’kin became trapped here on this world. Their descendants lived on. Some intermingled with the humans while others tried to keep their bloodlines pure.”

  “You’re saying we’re related to these Drac’kin?”

  He nodded. “The most powerful talents usually have the purest bloodlines. OmniLab was created to try and preserve as many of our kind as possible.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Our kind?” she repeated, and pulled her hand free. Standing up, she asked, “Do you know how crazy this sounds?”

  He sighed and leaned back. Waving a hand casually in the air, he asked, “How would you explain what just happened between us, Kayla? How would you explain your talents and everything else you’ve seen here in the towers?”

  She looked away. Drugs? Illness? Mental breakdown? She wasn't sure which of those was more attractive. “I don’t know.”

  “I know this is probably difficult to accept,” he admitted. “It would have been easier if you had grown up here with other people like you.”

  “Look,” Kayla began pacing back and forth within the small room. “I admit what happened between us was bizarre, but I don’t believe the rest of it. Dragons? Other worlds? It sounds crazy.” Hmm. It looked like she was leaning toward a mental breakdown. “And for the record, I can have a relationship with anyone I want. If I want to be with Carl, that’s my choice. I don’t care about this pure bloodline crap. I’ll be damned if someone’s going to tell me who I should or shouldn’t be involved with.”

  The thought made her blood boil. She spun around to glare at Alec who was calmly watching her rant. His serene composure just pissed her off more. She was having a breakdown over here and he was completely unruffled.

  “You can do what you’d like, Kayla. But it doesn’t change who or what we are.”

  “Damn you!” she shouted. “How can you sit there and say this to me? You don’t know anything about me.”

  “Are you sure about that, Kayla? After what just happened between us?” he asked her, reminding her of their shared intimacy. She blanched, recalling the way she'd shamefully begged him not to sever their connection.
Up until then, she'd never realized how alone she was and how different. It was just one more thing she could blame him for. Sometimes ignorance was better.

  Alec's eyes glinted meaningfully. “I’d say I know you far better than anyone else ever has and far better than anyone else ever could. I can give you what you want, Kayla.”

  How dare he dangle such a promise in front of her? She was a woman on the edge of going ballistic. He'd felt her emotions and the depth of her pain, even if she was reluctant to admit it out loud. Now he was exploiting those emotions, using them against her to get her to agree to his way of thinking.

  Kayla glared at him for a moment before launching herself at him. Alec grabbed her easily and tossed her on the couch. Holding her down, he said quietly, “I see we’re going to have to work on your temper.”

  “You bastard,” she hissed. He was doing this on purpose, trying to rile her up. She pushed a wave of energy toward him and he pulled back, eyeing her appreciatively. “You learn quickly. Good. When the High Council finds out you’re trying to deactivate those bracelets, they’re going to come after you to stop you. How well do you think you can you defend yourself or your friends?”

  Better than he thought. She climbed off the couch and scowled at him. He might excel at mind manipulation, but she wasn't afraid to get physical. Grabbing a glass off the table, she threw it at him. He dodged and it shattered when it hit the floor.

  At the noise, Carl and Rand came rushing back into the office, stopping when they saw the mess on the floor. “What’s going on? We heard a crash.”

  “Kayla’s a little distressed,” Alec explained.

  Alec's lackadaisical description infuriated her. In the span of a few minutes, he'd turned her entire world inside out. She'd laid her soul bare to a complete stranger, learned she was some sort of alien freak, and that OmniLab wanted to oversee the distribution of visitor passes to her ovaries.

  “A little distressed? You drop these huge bombshells on me and say I’m a little distressed? You vomitus, slack-jawed, freakish cretin! You’re about as subtle as a well-thrown brick.”