by Raine Thomas
That earned a smile. “We’ve tried a number of other things to get through the protections, some of them stranger and riskier than this.”
“Unfortunately, you’re right.” Gren shook his head as Kyr approached from the far side of the underground hangar. “She hasn’t been well since we got here. All of these attempts have battered her. This is going to take a lot out of her.”
Ty tried not to let Gren’s words concern him, but they closely echoed his own thoughts and fed into his deepest fears. “We’ll be okay,” he said firmly, knowing Kyr was very aware of their conversation.
“Yes, we will,” she declared, stopping a couple of feet away. Her smile flashed as she walked up to Gren and gave him a hug. “I hope that this is the last time I see you before we rip out Vycor’s throat.”
Gren returned her hug. “Feel free to rip his testicles off, too.”
Kyr laughed at that, pulling away from the hug as Scarlyt walked into the hangar. Ty noticed Scarlyt’s frown and knew she didn’t appreciate Kyr’s proximity to Gren. Although the Peace Keeper leader was aware that Kyr and Gren had never had a romantic relationship and that Vycor had influenced her to believe otherwise, it was taking some time for her rational mind to believe it.
“Is everything in order?” Scarlyt snapped out as her long strides ate up the distance to the land skimmer.
“Yes,” Ty said, stepping intuitively closer to Kyr. “I just completed the inspection. Thanks again for letting us take this vessel.”
Scarlyt shrugged that off. “You more than paid for that and everything else you’ve cost me.”
Ty knew she was referring to the large amount of Gift of the Yen-Ki he had given her and the Peace Keepers not long after joining them. The trip out into the poisonous Dark Lands to retrieve the canister of the potent liquid had been well worth it. There was still plenty left to get Ty and Kyr to the palace, since a little of the Gift went a long way.
“Keep us updated on your progress,” Gren said, clapping Ty on the back. “I especially want to be tuned in when you bring Vycor down.”
Ty returned the gesture, nodding at Scarlyt and then helping Kyr board the skimmer. He assisted her with donning an air canister, goggles, and a facemask in preparation for the journey in the outside air. His hands lingered a few times along her body, eager to touch her without her lightweight armor in the way. Her gaze held his, conveying a similar yearning. It took a lot of willpower to remind himself that they had an audience and it wasn’t the time for intimacy.
Soon, he promised himself, adjusting his stance and reluctantly parting from her.
Within a couple of minutes, he was geared up and taking his place at the helm as Kyr secured herself in one of the skimmer’s seats. He shifted the canister of the Gift strapped to his back to balance the weight against his air canister, then started the skimmer’s engine with a flick of a lever.
Good luck, Gren thought.
You, too, Ty returned.
After Scarlyt and Gren moved behind some protective shielding, Ty pressed the lever to raise the rusty metal door sealing the Peace Keepers from the rest of the Dark Lands and eased the skimmer outside as soon as he had clearance. He knew Scarlyt would close the door the moment he was free. In minutes, he and Kyr were on their own.
Kyr’s thoughts were calm as they rose over the dusty pink surface of the Dark Lands. Both of them had made this voyage too many times in the past twenty-plus days to be affected by the horrific ruins of the landscape. Evidence of the AI revolution that had taken place well before their births surrounded them. The snarling, twisted wreckage of what had once been homes and flourishing world centers cut through the thick, deadly air like ghostly fingers, grasping for anyone foolish enough to venture too close. Ty knew the threat was only too real. Within many of those ruins lived Outcasts who would kill their own mothers for a decent item to trade.
This was as far a cry from the palace lifestyle that he and Kyr had been used to as anything could be. It had shocked them both when they first arrived there.
Now, they were a part of it.
Both of them were attuned to their surroundings, well aware of the risks. They had picked up a number of tips from Scarlyt and her crew. They knew the most likely hiding places for dangerous Marauders and where to look for possible muzzle flashes made by projectile weapons. Although such weaponry was outlawed on Alametria, that didn’t mean a thing to those who had been cast out for committing serious crimes. What was one more offense, after all?
They also knew to keep their minds open for hostile intentions. So they both picked up the Marauder thoughts when they weren’t even halfway through their journey.
Ty found the closest ruin and eased the quiet skimmer towards it, looking in all directions for the Marauders. Just as he settled into the shadows and cut the engine, he heard the faint sound of a cruiser growing closer to their position. Ty reached for the laser blaster stored under the helm and moved further into the shadows, close to Kyr.
Malak’s keepin’ somethin’ from us, I know it, one male thought griped.
Why do we have to keep meetin’ with those creepers? another thought wondered. An image of a V’larian, complete with nearly translucent skin, dark eyeshades, and short, pale hair came through with the thought.
He’ll be happy with this haul, thought another. Wonder if I’ll finally get a cut. He can’t always keep it all for that bastard at the palace.
Ty and Kyr exchanged a look. Their suspicions had just been confirmed. MalakDane was Vycor’s connection here in the Dark Lands.
They listened in for a while longer, but the thoughts quickly moved on to other, more mundane things. Ty figured they’d managed to catch them just after they received a new haul from the V’larians, which was why their thoughts about it were so strong. That begged the question of how the V’larians had met with Marauders out in the Dark Lands, but Ty knew that wasn’t something they would get answered right away.
All they knew was that Malak, a renowned murderer, was definitely involved in Vycor’s mysterious plans with the V’larians, and that couldn’t bode well for Alametria.
Chapter 5
It took them long enough to reach the protections that the sun was sinking below the horizon when they got there. Ty had no way of knowing exactly where along the protective border between the Dark Lands and the megais they had reached. The border ran for more than two thousand miles along the Wrym, Owar, Borll, and Rowe megais. To avoid detection by Vycor’s Mynders, they made these attempts to break through at different parts of the border every time.
Their best hope would be to enter the Rowe megai. Of the homelands bordering the Dark Lands, it was closest to the Vawn megai, bordering it on the northwest side. If they entered the Rowe megai, Ty planned to cut across it to the east and into the Dane megai. There, he hoped to connect with his family.
He tried not to dwell on how his parents must have felt when they heard that their only son had killed the Ascendant of Alametria and had been banished to the Dark Lands. Yen-Ki only knew how they were being treated by everyone else in the megai now that the news had spread. Vycor had assured Ty that he would ruin his family, but what, exactly, did that mean?
They’re okay, Kyr quietly assured him from her seat. You know in your heart that your parents believe in you. They won’t fall for Vycor’s treachery.
Ty appreciated her faith and sense of calm, but he was concerned about how in-tune she was with his deepest thoughts. Sometimes, it seemed she was more aware of them than he was.
He pushed his concerns from his mind so he could focus on their travels. As the sun made its final dip beneath the horizon, his air sensor beeped to let him know the air had cleared enough that he no longer needed a mask. He removed his mask and canister and set it aside, sensing Kyr doing the same thing behind him. To keep his eyes protected from any blowing debris, he kept his goggles on.
The skimmer was equipped with lights, but Ty didn’t need them. Ever since he inherited his abilities as a y
oung male, he’d been able to see in the dark. He knew that since pairing with Kyr, she had developed the same ability. There were many traits they shared now.
He was sure they were nearing the protective barrier when he was nearly overcome by the urge to turn back. Every instinct in him railed at him to stop. To flee.
This wasn’t anything new. They had gone through this numerous times, and he knew that they had to fight that urge if they were going to get through.
His gaze settled on a gathering forest in the distance, and he pressed the accelerator towards it. The trees grew closer and closer as Ty’s resolve crumbled. Even with Kyr offering her support—which he knew to be against her instincts, too—he couldn’t continue into the forest. He cut the engine when they were close enough to make out the individual leaves on the branches, unable to go any closer.
Kyr unfastened her safety harness and moved up to join him at the helm. His arm lifted so he could gather her close as she encircled his waist with her arms. They stood in silence, looking around the forest for signs of life. Outside of a cool breeze blowing the scent of damp earth across the skimmer’s bow, the world was quiet and still.
No one would live out here, Kyr thought, her grip tightening around him. The protections are too powerful.
Ty knew she was right. No one from the megais would live anywhere near the border to the Dark Lands. They wouldn’t want to risk the chance of an Outcast somehow breaking through the protections and getting to their home. And no typical Outcast would be able to resist the powerful mental deterrent currently battering against Ty and Kyr’s thoughts and instincts and telling them to get the hell away.
Turning so he faced Kyr, he lifted a gloved hand to her shoulder. Are you sure you want to do this?
She nodded, but he saw the rapid pulse in her neck belying her fear. They were both struggling to ignore the flight reflex pounding in their minds.
He considered walking to the storage bay and pulling out the sleeping pallets Gren had packed for their use, but he worried that taking even that much time would have them both abandoning this plan and giving in to the protections. Instead, he bent down and kissed her.
The feel and taste of Kyr shoved every other thought to the far corners of his mind. Although it had only been a few days since he last touched her like this, he felt like a starving man being offered a sumptuous buffet. Her soft lips eased open beneath his, begging him to deepen the kiss. He obliged, rubbing his tongue against hers as she tasted him just as thoroughly.
He ached to touch her. He broke away from her long enough to yank off his goggles and gloves. She hastily did the same. As if of one mind, they didn’t stop there, stripping out of their flight gear with quick, purposeful movements. When Ty was done, he helped Kyr remove the rest of her clothing. Then they came together in a mad rush, their mouths once again finding each other in a searing kiss.
Open your mind to me, Kyr thought. Only to me.
Yes. Only you.
He barely processed her demand over the raging need coursing through his body, but understood what she wanted. Since their first time joining here in the Dark Lands, he had learned that he had to keep a barrier between them when they made love. If he didn’t, they ran the risk of their joined power spiraling out of control like it had that time. On the more practical side, there was also the fact that if he allowed himself to feel everything she felt, their lovemaking would be over practically before it started.
Trust in us, she encouraged him as her hands ran along the muscles of his arms and chest.
Heedless of the consequences, he did as she asked, fully opening his mind to hers. Her arousal blended almost painfully with his, making a light sheen of perspiration coat his skin. He lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist, then he kissed her easily accessible mouth again and again.
Her thoughts inadvertently directed his touch while they kissed. His hands moved out of instinct rather than conscious thought, stroking her soft skin and producing loud sounds of approval from her. When he cupped her breasts, she issued a strangled sound and arched her back to lean into his touch. Somehow, they ended up against the helm’s padded seat. He set her on it, realizing it left her nearly level with him. Then he used his mouth to retrace the path his hands had taken on her body.
Because they were joined in thought, she knew not to touch him. It would have been too much. He felt everything he did to her like it was an extension of his own body. The resulting pleasure was indescribably erotic. When he took one of her nipples into his mouth, he groaned along with her. Her reaction was multiplied because he experienced it, too, and sent the sensation right back to her.
While they pleasured each other, the power that only they could generate built within them. Ty felt it like a living energy radiating through both of them. Kyr instinctively shared her innate abilities with him while he shared his with her, blending them seamlessly. They were completely open to one another, no barriers between them. In this way, they were more like one unconquerable being than they had ever been.
The tortuous loveplay didn’t last long. Neither of them could bear it. With raw desperation heating his gaze, he lifted Kyr from the seat and took her place. Understanding, she faced him and straddled his thighs, placing her hands on his shoulders to balance herself.
Her gaze met his as she hovered over him. I think…if you can hold off…
She didn’t have to finish the scattered thoughts for him to know what she meant. If he could stop himself from peaking when she did, they could ramp up the power to an even greater level than they had at the Peace Keeper’s warren. While he agreed with the theory, he thought it might kill him.
Nodding, he held her gaze as she reached between them and guided him to the entrance of her body. A bead of sweat trailed along his temple as he gritted his teeth and gripped her hips to control her descent. He was nearly incoherent as the sensation of their bodies joining swamped him. He knew that Kyr also felt the duality of drawing him into her body…the feeling of being filled almost to the point of pain combined with being gripped by irresistible liquid heat. He knew she was on the brink before they were even fully joined.
Ty, I can’t…
He knew, and he braced himself. She lowered herself all the way, her head falling back as pleasure and power spiraled through her. Her nails pierced his flesh as she lifted herself the slightest bit and abruptly sat back down, driving herself instantly over the edge.
Ty teetered on the keenest tip of ecstasy. The pounding waves of Kyr’s climax coaxed him closer and closer to the brink. He tried to focus on the building power and not on the overwhelming need to come deep inside her. He knew he was bruising her as he held on like his life depended on it. If she moved even a single muscle, he was done for.
Gradually, the excruciating pressure eased. Ty opened his eyes, not having realized he had shut them in a further effort to maintain his control. Kyr looked at him. Her eyes glowed like brilliant blue stars.
Your eyes… she thought.
He gathered from her thoughts that his eyes glowed silver as their abilities temporarily overrode their disguises. Power resonated around them, pulsing against the protective barrier that Ty now sensed like a living thing. Kyr glanced over her shoulder as she picked up on his thoughts and saw the wall of unceasing energy, swirling against the darkness like pink light less than thirty feet away. A small, irregular-shaped hole had appeared in it. As they focused on it, it eased open a few inches. That’s all they could manage, but it was further than they’d ever gotten before.
She turned back to him and smiled. They both knew they were going to get through.
Her fingers moved from his shoulders down to where he still held her hips in a tight grasp. Tentatively, he eased his hold and allowed her to move his hands up along her body. She stopped when she reached her breasts. The sight of both of their hands covering her sent a fresh bolt of lust shooting through him. He sucked in a sharp breath.
Kyr, I don’t think I…I can’t…
She leaned down and captured his mouth. It’s okay. Concentrate on us. I’ll concentrate on the barrier.
He didn’t question her, gratefully embracing the idea. With her focus not as intent on what he was doing, he could indulge himself without feeling as though he was about to incinerate them both.
His hands molded themselves to her breasts as he kissed her long and indulgently. He gloried in the taste of her, relished the feminine scent of her hair and skin. When she began to move, he broke the kiss so he could watch her rise over him. Their gazes locked as the pleasure built. Behind her, the barrier wavered. The opening grew larger. He wasn’t sure how long the opening would last, but it was almost big enough for them to get through.
One last push of power, she thought, her eyes gathering in intensity.
Their thoughts once again blended as she returned her focus to him. His lungs seized as the recombined impact of their arousal blasted through him. Kyr’s lips parted as the same feeling fired through her.
We can conquer anything, she thought.
Together, he agreed.
Kyr moved, her body gliding over his. He was swiftly brought back to that elusive peak, balancing between bliss and torment. In her eyes, he saw power and love for him blended as thoroughly as their minds and bodies. In that moment, nothing else mattered but her.
Now, she thought.
At her command, he let go of his control. Power blasted from them as they came together in the most intense, rapturous orgasm of their lives. The world around them seemed to expand and contract in sync with the spasms of pleasure storming their bodies.
Darkness ringed Ty’s vision. He barely registered that the opening in the protections was large enough for them to get through, but it was closing quickly.
Kyr went limp against his chest, so he held her with one hand as he fumbled to reach the skimmer’s starter with the other. By some miracle, he managed to flip the right switch. The engine purred to life. He hit the accelerator and they shot forward in a drunken weave that he was hard-pressed to straighten out with his loose grip on the steering mechanism. They scraped through the opening with mere seconds to spare.