Kayla shook her head. “I spent most of my time scavenging in the ruins for artifacts. I’d sometimes get flashes or insight into how things used to be, but I always thought it was my imagination running away with me. My scavenging partner, Veridian, used to tell me the ruins spoke to me. I always laughed him off, but now I can’t help but wonder if he was right.”
Ariana smiled. “Kayla’s a true spirit channeler, but in some ways, we’re all similar. We each have the ability to tap into all four elements.”
Valentina frowned. “Lars said being able to harness all four was extremely rare.”
“Yes, and highly coveted,” Ariana agreed. “Part of me wonders if Fate’s brought us together. It’s been centuries since there’s been a spirit channeler, and now there are three of us with the ability to tap into all four elements?” She shook her head. “I don’t believe that’s a coincidence. Neither does Alec.”
Kayla wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a big fan of Fate. I prefer making my own path in life.”
Valentina couldn’t help but smile. “Me too.”
Kayla’s eyes lit up. “I like you. I was curious about you, but I wasn’t sure if I would actually like you. There’s something about you though… I get the sense you could seriously kick my ass. I respect the hell outta that.”
A laugh bubbled out of Valentina. Maybe she didn’t cater to this whole Fate thing, either, but she couldn’t deny the strange sense of kinship she felt for both Ariana and Kayla. “I like you too, Kayla.”
Ariana smiled. “I had a feeling you two would get along.”
Valentina walked away from her weapons and over to the rack where the drying cloths were stored. Perhaps it was her way of testing them to see if her sense of them was misplaced, but they didn’t even glance at the weapons on the ground. Valentina wrapped the drying cloth around herself, recalling what Sergei had told her about Kayla.
He spoke of her with some affection, but more so about Ariana. Kayla was skilled with electronics, which was one of the things that had initially impressed him. That same skill had caused several problems when they were trying to launch their invasion against OmniLab. The towers had reinforced their classified archives after Kayla’s unauthorized access, which had frustrated Sergei when he’d unsuccessfully tried to hack into them over the past few months.
If Kayla could harness all four elements, Valentina couldn’t help but wonder if Kayla shared similar traits to the fire channeler ability of manipulating electronics like the one Sergei possessed.
Wringing the water out of her hair, she said, “I’m still learning about these abilities. Is there any difference between being a spirit channeler and using all four elements at once?”
Kayla shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I know you and Ariana have access to all the energy types through your bond, but I think that’s really the only difference. I don’t need a bond to access them, which suits me just fine because Carl is a non-sensitive. I tried the bond thing before and it’s just not for me.”
Ariana nodded. “Spirit or life energy isn’t something we really understand, but I think there’s a special quality to us that’s different. I don’t think just anyone would be able to fuse all four elements together the way we can.”
Valentina arched a brow. “What do you mean?”
“There are four elements: earth, air, wind, and fire,” Ariana explained. “Until we learned about Kayla, I thought my ability to tap into three elements was incredibly rare. My fire energy is what fuses earth and water together to give me my empath abilities.”
“And through Alec, you were able to access the air element,” Kayla added.
Ariana nodded. “Yes. But even before we bonded, I noticed I didn’t have the same level of discomfort around the Shadows that many Inner Circle people experienced. I always had the suspicion I could circumvent their ability. I was later able to test that theory with Brant to confirm it.”
Valentina frowned, considering the implications. “So it’s possible I could have avoided a Shadow’s ability to negate my powers even before I became bonded?”
Ariana nodded. “I think so, and I believe it’s tied to that strange quality Lars detected. I’ve been giving the whole thing a lot of thought. I have some theories but no definitive proof.”
“What are you thinking?” Kayla prompted, her expression more curious than anything.
Ariana clasped her hands together. “We’re all very strong in our abilities, much more so than many others within the towers. My last mentor said a few people could tap into two elements, but usually not with equal ability. It’s sort of strange that such a rare talent would suddenly emerge at this point in time the way it has.”
Valentina frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Maybe it’s just a feeling,” Ariana hesitated. “I mean, not only are our abilities extremely rare, but the three of us have been put into a position where we’d meet. We each represent three very different cultures.”
“But I was born here in the towers,” Kayla pointed out.
Ariana nodded. “Yes, but growing up on the surface may have been the best thing for you. Even if your father had survived, I’m not sure your parents would have been able to keep your abilities secret long enough for you to learn how to protect yourself. Back then, your family was too much in the public eye. That’s why your father took you to the surface in the first place. He was under extreme pressure to use your emerging abilities to find resources, and you were only a child. It would have only gotten worse as you got older.”
Kayla frowned. “I’m not sure I would have been suited for life here in the towers. I’ve always felt more at home in the ruins.”
Ariana smiled. “You’re a very strong person, Kayla. I believe your trials on the surface helped shape your identity and prepare you for life within the towers. But now, I find it odd that the three of us have been brought together like this. I can’t help but wonder if Fate has something else in store for us.”
“I’m not sure I’m willing to go along with whatever Fate has in mind,” Kayla muttered. “I’m still getting over the last bruises it left behind.”
Valentina made a noncommittal noise. She might agree with Kayla, but she wasn’t willing to voice it. She’d always believed every person was the architect of their own fortunes.
Deciding a change in subject was needed, Valentina said, “Ariana, I was planning to stop by to see you later. I was thinking about going to Hayden’s club tonight, and Sergei thought you might have some suggestions on appropriate dress. Some of my people have been patronizing that particular establishment, and I need to check it out.”
Ariana nodded. “Yes. Hayden created the club as a way to integrate our respective cultures. I understand one of the Coalition’s weapons made its way into the towers and was used by one of our residents. Alec’s been dealing with the High Council and their concerns all night.”
“Yes,” Valentina admitted. “Sergei is interviewing those who were present at the club, but I need to visit the establishment to see if the patrons are willing to reveal more in a less formal setting.”
Kayla’s eyes widened. “Wait. You’re planning to go undercover in the towers to this club?”
Valentina hesitated and then nodded. “Yes. Have you been there?”
“No, but I’ve got to see this,” Kayla replied and grinned. “You’ve got the same mysterious and sexy danger thing Sergei has going on. The guys in this club are going to be all over you. I don’t think they’re going to know what to do with you.”
Ariana frowned. “Does Sergei know you want to do this? Our kind tends to be very protective. He might have a problem with you going without him.”
Valentina arched an eyebrow and remained silent. If Sergei had an issue with her doing this, it was between them.
Kayla laughed. “Yeah, I like her even more. I don’t think Sergei’s going to say shit to her about it. I really want to see the two of them interact together.”
Ariana smi
led. “Very well. You’re going to need a dress. I’m not sure I have anything that will work quite right on you, but we’ll figure something out. Up until recently, I’d never been to a place like Hayden’s club. My club attire is somewhat limited.”
“My mother would love to help,” Kayla suggested. “Seara lives to dress people in clothing that’s far too uncomfortable. I haven’t been to this club, either, but I’m tagging along. I’ll tell Seara what we’re doing, and she’ll be thrilled to find something in my closet.”
Valentina frowned, but Ariana’s eyes lit up in enthusiasm. “That’s a fantastic idea. We should all go. I’ve wanted to try out my empath abilities more now that I’m bonded to Alec. This will be a perfect opportunity, and we’ll have fun in the process.”
Valentina’s fingers twitched, and she felt the sudden need to scoop up her weapons. These women were crazy. This was an information gathering session to prevent a war between their people, not an informal meeting with girlfriends. Although… Valentina tilted her head, considering the possibilities. It might have potential. Like Ariana mentioned, all three of them represented each of the various groups now present within the towers. Perhaps one of them might succeed where the others had failed.
Just in case, she’d need to bring a few additional weapons with her. Maybe she’d have a chance to convince the two of them to carry their own and show them a few moves before they went. If she stuck around the towers for any length of time, she’d see about arranging more structured weapons training for them. It couldn’t hurt.
Inclining her head, she said, “Very well. Nikolai’s been reviewing the security feeds, but I haven’t had a chance to watch them yet. He indicated we don’t have anything like your clubs in our facilities. I admit, I’m not sure what to expect.”
“There’s some dancing, drinking, and a lot of flirtation,” Ariana said and blushed. “I only went once and mainly stayed in the VIP area. My friend Kendra has gone more often, and she frequently picks up men there. What time do you want to go?”
Valentina picked up her belongings. The hour had quickly elapsed, and she didn’t want Nikolai to worry. “I’m not sure what time is appropriate. I’ll need to speak with Nikolai, Sergei, and Yuri to see what they have in mind. I should get back though. Nikolai’s waiting for me.”
Ariana clasped her hands together, her eyes twinkling in enthusiasm. “Okay. I’ll talk to Alec and let him know our plans. He can help coordinate things with Hayden too. We can all meet at Seara’s quarters later this evening or whenever you’re ready to do this.” She paused and gave Valentina a brilliant smile. “Thank you for allowing us to join you, Valentina. I know you have reservations, but I have a feeling about the three of us together. It feels right somehow.”
Kayla nodded. “Yeah, it’s weird. There’s a connection between us, but it’s something different than a regular energy one.”
Valentina frowned but more from the sense of foreboding that filled her than the thought of being connected to them. Her life was fraught with danger, but she’d spent years focusing on specialized training to increase her chances of survival. She also had a strong and competent team behind her offering their support.
None of them had counted on Kayla and Ariana also being thrown into the mix. Valentina just prayed she was strong enough to protect not only herself but also these two women who were determined to follow her down that same path. Because the light shining within Kayla and Ariana was something that should never be extinguished.
Chapter Six
Valentina let herself back into Lars’s quarters to find him sitting on the couch and studying something on his tablet. She glanced down the hall, but it was empty. Sergei must have finished his interviews and was either in her room or with Nikolai. Lars lifted his head and opened his mouth to greet her, but she pressed a finger to her lips and shook her head. He arched an eyebrow and grinned. When he nodded in silent understanding, she winked at him.
Moving noiselessly down the hall, she paused outside Nikolai’s door. She could make out Nikolai and Sergei’s voices softly speaking from within. From the sound of things, they were wrapping up their conversation and Sergei hadn’t learned much else from the remainder of their people. She glanced down the hall toward Yuri’s room, but there wasn’t any light emitting from underneath the door. He was most likely already in bed.
Valentina slipped silently into her room, placing her clothing and drying cloth on the dresser. With well-practiced ease, she equipped her weapons and turned off the lights. It only took a few minutes for her eyes to acclimate to the darkness. She moved into place on the far side of the room beside the bed and settled in to wait.
Taking a deep breath, she focused on the bond she shared with Sergei, Nikolai, and Yuri. It had changed when she’d drawn energy from Nikolai and Yuri to heal Sergei. Their bond was stronger than ever, but it reminded her of the early days when they’d first formed their connection and the difficulties they’d faced in learning how to manage their relationships with each other.
In some ways, it was easier to either embrace the entirety of their bond or suppress all of them from her thoughts. The challenge was in isolating each of them, but it was necessary to avoid any problems within their complicated relationship.
Valentina had been treating the task like any other sort of training exercise. Only with practice would she be able to develop a type of muscle memory to be able to quickly pick apart the individual threads with ease. She focused on them now, separating them in her mind. Nikolai was the first one she targeted, reaching out to him and sending a wave of reassuring energy to let him know she was back and safe. She felt his momentary surprise and then a rush of unmistakable tenderness and approval at her efforts. She lowered her head and smiled, returning his affectionate energy with hers before releasing his thread.
This next part was a bit trickier. She reached out to Yuri, wanting to connect with him but not willing to disturb him if he was already asleep. His thoughts were relatively quiet, so she merely wrapped him in a comforting embrace of her energy before releasing him to fall into a deep slumber.
Next, she focused on Sergei and bit her lip in anticipation. This would be more fun. She closed her eyes and opened the bond between them. Sergei immediately filled her thoughts, surrounding her with his blinding heat. Taking a deep breath, Valentina poured every ounce of her desire and love for him through their connection. His immediate response was staggering, matching her energy output with a burst of his inner fire. She cut off the energy, and her door opened less than a second later.
He chuckled into the darkness and closed the door behind him. “Nikolai may not have appreciated such an abrupt departure, but I couldn’t resist such an intriguing call from you. Do you wish to play, Valechka?”
Valentina lowered her head and grinned, not willing to risk answering him and revealing her hiding place. He was moving into the room, but he’d found a way to change the temperature of the surrounding air to better mask his movements. She still hadn’t learned how he’d managed such a thing, and it put her at a disadvantage in tracking him.
Slipping along the wall, she avoided the area near the bed. He was either moving on the far side of the room or closer to the bed, but she couldn’t be completely sure. She waited, making an effort to regulate her breathing and focusing on each of her senses to try to track him. Sergei moved past her, and she knew it was him by his familiar scent. Moving forward quickly, she slid his gun out of his holster and rolled away from him.
His fingertips barely brushed against her leg as she scrambled across the room and out of his reach. Twisting her body, she threw one of her knives in his direction and heard him jump aside to dodge the blade. It was enough to give her an edge. She dove under the bed and out the other side, crouching down and waiting for him to retaliate.
There was nothing. No sound. No hint of movement. No deepening shadows or scents in the air. She frowned, knowing Sergei would never give up but not sure what he was doing. He was sometimes
a little too clever, and they were evenly matched. She was usually a bit faster and more agile, but he had more patience. His strength and larger body mass were enough to give him an upper hand on occasion.
The seconds passed, and her adrenaline continued to soar. Any second, he’d go after her again, but she didn’t know from which direction to expect it.
Something fell over on the far side of the floor with a quiet thump. Sergei was too graceful to knock something over accidentally, so it had to be a trap. She narrowed her eyes, but a trace of doubt flickered into her mind. He’d been awake as long as her, but he hadn’t had the rejuvenating benefits of the pool. It was possible it was a mistake, but he was sneaky. She wouldn’t trust it.
Valentina considered the situation. Sergei had two more weapons, both of which would be more difficult to acquire. There was a knife strapped to his ankle under his pants, but the other was a knife on his arm sheath. The one under his pants would be the most fun to remove, so she’d probably leave that one for last.
It was time to get creative.
Opening the bond between her and Yuri, Valentina withdrew some of his air energy threads and used them to trace a pattern back to Sergei. He was exactly where she’d suspected. He’d somehow used his energy to connect with the electrical components of a tablet on the dresser and knock it over. Very sneaky.
Gripping Yuri’s air energy tightly, she wrapped it around the hilt of the blade in Sergei’s arm sheath and withdrew it abruptly. The knife fell to the floor, and Sergei laughed.
“Impressive, Valechka. Are you finished disarming me?”
She grinned and flicked on the lights. He was standing beside the bed, watching as she prowled toward him.
“Not yet.”
Pushing him backward onto the mattress, she climbed on top of him and straddled him. His heated gaze perused her up and down while he tightened his hands on her hips. Valentina unhooked his belt and yanked it off, dropping it to the floor beside her. Grazing the front of his pants with her fingertips, she said, “I think I need to take control of the rest of your weapons first.”
Spirit of the Towers Page 9