Shamara

by Catherine Spangler

  "Jarek," she groaned. "I can't wait any longer."

  "Then don't," he grated out, lifting her over him. His hands splayed over her hips, he guided her down. She gasped as he filled her more deeply than she'd ever thought possible. Then deeper still as he rocked against her.

  He guided her movements until she picked up the motion on her own. It was the most incredible sensation, moving on him, slowly at first, and then more quickly. His touch was everywhere on her, her breasts, her belly, between her legs, tantalizing, urging.

  Jarek!

  That's it. Come with me, he demanded telepathically, grasping her hips and taking over the rhythm.

  Faster, more urgent, until everything blurred, except for the building crescendo of pleasure, and the final explosion that sent them both hurtling into a wild free fall.

  She felt as if Jarek's hold on her was the only thing that kept her from spinning into total oblivion. The pleasure seemed to go on and on, wild waves of energy arcing between them and around them. The swells of sensation finally slowed, ebbing away gradually, and leaving her totally drained.

  She collapsed over him, too weak to move. He slid his arms around her, held her close. She felt the solid beat of his heart beneath her cheek. "You were pretty loud," she couldn't resist pointing out.

  His laughter vibrated in his chest. "Sweetness, with you, it feels so good, I can't hold back. I don't care if we wake every Shen on Aldon."

  Cringing at the thought, Eirene raised her head and glanced around. Fortunately, they appeared to be well out of the city, and she didn't see any robed figures lurking nearby. The poor Shens; they didn't engage in the mating act. What a shame. They were missing out on one of the most wonderful experiences in the universe.

  As if reading her thoughts, Jarek said, "That was pretty amazing. Are you okay?"

  The old frustration returned. "I couldn't hold back the energy again. I can't seem to control it no matter how hard I try."

  "I'm not sure it's realistic to expect control during something so wonderful. You might start with trying to manage the energy at a less…frantic moment." He sounded so calm, so unconcerned. She wished she could share his confidence.

  "I want to help you find the wormhole," she told him. "I intend to use my powers to operate the sphere. But I'm afraid I won't be able to."

  He pressed a kiss against her hair. "Thank you for trying. We'll work together and find a way to ground your powers. First thing in the morning, we'll look at the equipment, and maybe you'll learn something from it."

  "I'm willing to try," she said, but doubts still plagued her.

  Jarek stroked her back. "I thank you for tonight. I will hold this memory in my heart always."

  Tenderness and warmth flowed through her. She lifted her head and kissed him, then collapsed with a tired sigh. "I might never recover."

  "Oh, I'll make certain that you do. I have some ideas on how we might channel that energy of yours, but it might take quite a few tries to get it right."

  Eirene punched him, and he laughed. She finally felt at peace. She was going to help him find his wormhole. This time, she knew for certain she'd made the right decision.

  * * *

  It was cool and quiet inside the massive bay that housed the Enhancer spheres. Eirene felt the energy the moment she and Jarek stepped through the entry, accompanied by Phylos. It was far different from that broadcast by the giant crystal or the magnetic orbs in the Chamber of Truth. Instead, it was similar to the energy the young male Enhancer had transmitted; more specific somehow, as if it was directed solely at her.

  Enhancer energy. It reverberated through every cell in her body, hauntingly familiar. It was her own energy, mirrored back to her, at a vibratory rate she recognized on some deep, subconscious level.

  Astonished, she looked at Jarek. "Can you feel that?"

  "I sense a source of energy coming from inside the spheres, but it doesn't affect me in any way. What do you feel?"

  She glanced toward Phylos, who stood a courteous distance away. She could see nothing but shadows in the hood's opening. "It's just…very strange," she murmured, drawn toward the closest sphere. "I'm not sure."

  She approached the orb, her body tingling as she drew near. The sphere looked huge to her, its diameter almost twice that of Jarek's height. Her heart speeded up, and she felt winded, as if she'd run a great distance. A vibration hummed through the air, coming from all seven spheres. It was as if they were singing to her, although that seemed an odd thought.

  Touch me… touch me…touch me, the sphere chanted, drawing her inexorably to the mirrored surface. As she reached out to it, the hum increased to a higher intensity, and pinpoints of light flashed in the metal.

  "By the Fires," Jarek murmured.

  The moment she touched the sphere, she felt a powerful drag on her energy, as if an invisible vortex were sucking the life force out of her. Adrenaline-laced panic surged through her, sending her pulse to lightspeed, constricting the air flow in her chest. Jarek! she cried out mentally, too impeded to speak.

  "Eirene! Move away from it!"

  But then energy surged back into her from the sphere, in a rush that almost pitched her backward. It flooded her body, with flashes of light exploding behind her eyes, electricity sparking through every nerve ending. It jarred her, leaving her momentarily disoriented.

  "Eirene!"

  Wait. Gasping, she raised her free hand and motioned Jarek back. Don't come any closer.

  Like a mighty undertow, the energy was sucked back into the sphere, draining her, leaving her weak and shaking. She placed her second hand on the surface, felt an even greater pull. The sphere's vibration increased, rising in pitch. The lights sparking off its surface changed from white to blue.

  "Eirene, I want you to stop the moment this becomes too much for you to handle. Do you hear me?" Jarek demanded.

  Yes. Just a little longer.

  She was beginning to understand the pattern now. The sphere was feeding off her life force, along with the outside energies she was pulling in, using them to enhance its own stored energy. The combined energy was circling back to her and then to the sphere, back and forth between them, growing in strength with every surge, fueled by outside energy she was continually drawing.

  Three Enhancers. Phylos had said they worked in groups of three, to stabilize and control the energy, especially in the operation of the spheres. Now Eirene understood why. The power the sphere would ultimately generate, the amount of outside energy it would demand to do its intended job, was far greater than one being could handle. It would take the combined strength of at least three Enhancers to control a sphere.

  With enormous effort, she wrenched her hands away from the sphere and stumbled back. Her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the granite floor. Jarek was there in an instant, slipping his arms around her. "Are you okay?"

  She nodded. "Just…give me…a minute to catch…my breath."

  "I don't like this. You're as white as the glaciers on Atara."

  "Really, I'm fine." Closing her eyes, she leaned against him. She wasn't even close to being okay. She was weak and trembling and badly shaken up. Now she understood how the spheres worked, how they interacted with the Enhancers using them.

  They required massive amounts of energy to be drawn into the Enhancers and then channeled into the sphere itself. The circulating energy pattern the sphere created was immensely powerful, requiring a solid buffer. That meant at least three Enhancers, and possibly more, were necessary to maintain stability and absorb the strain so no one Enhancer would be totally depleted.

  She wondered if the huge drain on one Enhancer would disrupt the grounding and cause the energy to go wild. Her eyes flew open at the thought, the familiar panic flaring. She looked toward the robed figure. "Phylos, could you tell if the energy remained grounded?"

  He nodded. "It did, my lady."

  "No spillage or stray surges?"

  "No. You kept it controlled."

  "I could h
ave told you that," Jarek said, concern harshening his voice. "I can feel when your energy fluctuates. You held steady."

  So he could clearly sense her energy, as she had long suspected, although that fact no longer bothered her. Now she had a far more pressing concern.

  Three Enhancers were necessary to safely operate the sphere. But there weren't three Enhancers available. There was only one—her. She finally understood why she was here.

  Karma

  She was convinced now that fate had brought Jarek and her together because of her father's horrific crime against the Shielders. She'd been given the opportunity to make amends for her father's actions. She had the ability to operate the sphere, to guide Jarek and his people to shamara.

  She knew now what her destiny was, and she intended to fulfill that destiny.

  Just as she knew she would die in the process.

  Chapter Seventeen

  From the beginning, he'd been drawn to her when she was asleep. She had a special beauty then, an innocence and purity unmarred by worldly concerns. Jarek sat on the edge of the bed, watching Eirene, wrapped in the spell she wove around him, even in slumber.

  But the wonder was tainted by a nagging worry that refused to go away. She was far too pale, and had been since yesterday's episode with the sphere. After her collapse, she'd had difficulty standing, until Phylos placed his oddly glowing hands on her and chanted something in a strange language.

  Even after that, she had been unsteady on her feet, requiring Jarek's support more than once during the walk to his quarters. She claimed it was because she wasn't used to working with the sort of energy the sphere generated, but that she would become proficient at it. Phylos had made no comment. The Shen leader's silence worried Jarek as much as anything, although he couldn't say why.

  He felt certain something had gone wrong when Eirene activated the sphere. It should not have left her so weak. She'd climbed on his bed and dozed off and on the rest of the cycle. She'd roused to go to the evening meal with the Shens, but had fallen asleep across the bed as soon as they returned to Jarek's quarters.

  She hadn't even been aware of him sliding off her leggings and placing her beneath the covers; nor of him getting into bed with her and holding her close through the night. Ranie hadn't been too happy with the arrangement, but had finally settled at the foot of the bed, near his feet.

  Now it was well into the new cycle, and Eirene was still asleep. Jarek couldn't decide whether to wake her. She could just be suffering from sheer exhaustion after so little sleep and the emotional trauma she'd been through, but his instincts told him differently.

  He suspected the sphere was the culprit, and that it might be dangerous for her to activate it again. Fear tore at him. He didn't want to place her at risk, yet he needed that cursed sphere. She was the only one who could operate it. And, despite his feelings for her, his people must come first.

  "Hey." Her soft voice drifted over him like a warm Elysian breeze.

  Drawn from his dark thoughts, Jarek stared into her eyes, falling headlong into those blue, beckoning pools. There was no longer accusation or pain there, only a welcoming acceptance. He thanked Spirit for the miracle that had turned Eirene around, garnering her forgiveness and sending her back to him.

  "Hey, yourself. It's about time you woke up. How are you feeling?"

  "Ummm." She stretched sensuously, her breasts pressing against the thin fabric of her tunic. "Pretty good. What time is it?"

  "I'm not sure, because the Shens don't keep time like we do. But they rang the bells for the midday meal about an hour ago."

  "Midday?" Her eyes widened. "You let me sleep the cycle away." She scrambled upright, tumbling Ranie, who had been curled against her. The lanrax chattered in protest. Eirene frowned at Jarek, her hair falling over her shoulders and chest in soft tangles. "Why didn't you wake me?"

  "Because you needed the rest. You sure you're okay?"

  "Of course. Would you move?" She shoved at him playfully, and he slid over to give her room.

  She stood and stretched again, pulling her tunic taut against her shapely rear. And her legs…damn, but they were great. Jarek's body came to full alert. He had no control where she was concerned.

  "Where are my leggings?" she asked, looking down at her bare legs in bewilderment.

  "I thought you'd be more comfortable without them." He'd been tempted to remove the tunic as well, but had decided against it. Too much strain on his libido. "Tell me how the sphere works."

  A wary look flashed into her eyes. He didn't miss the sudden tenseness of her body, or her hands clenching. She turned, tossing her hair over her shoulder, and headed toward the lav. "Give me a chance to wake up, okay?"

  Jarek let her go, but he had every intention of discussing the sphere and its effects on her, in great detail. She took her time, and he heard the hum of the cleansing stall. He remained on the edge of the bed, waiting. Ranie settled into his lap, vibrating with contentment.

  When Eirene returned, she wouldn't make direct eye contact with him. Before he could ask her anything, she launched into rapid conversation. "Do you think the Shens can levitate or create—or whatever it is they do—some food for me? I'm starving." She looked around the room, her ebony brows drawn together. "Where did you put the rest of my clothes? I'll get dressed and we can go—"

  "Eirene, I want to talk to you. Now."

  She turned toward him, her expression apprehensive. "I'm really hungry."

  "I'll find you something to eat after we talk." Jarek patted the bed. "Come here, please."

  She came slowly, but she met his gaze this time. He took her hand and pulled her down beside him. "I need to understand about the sphere, to know how it affected you."

  She exhaled softly, her eyes unreadable, but he felt the fluctuation in her energy. "What is it you want to know?"

  "How does the sphere work?"

  "It has an internal energy source, enough to spark it to life when outside power is provided."

  "Enhancer energy." He said it as a statement of fact.

  She nodded. He wondered if she realized how tightly she was gripping his hand. "So the sphere drains your physical energy?" he asked.

  Her eyes flared. "No. I channel outside energy into the sphere."

  "What do you mean by outside energy?"

  She looked down at their clasped hands, her hair falling like a curtain across her face. "Phylos explained to me that everything is composed of energy, basically the energy of Spirit. That energy can be restructured in various ways, take on many forms."

  "So you pull energy from the environment around you and feed it to the sphere, as a sort of fuel?"

  She looked up at him, her eyes a startling blue. "Exactly. And the sphere grounds me, so the energy stays between us and doesn't get scattered."

  "How does it ground you?"

  "It feeds the energy back to me, and I pull in more to feed back to it, and everything moves in a circle between us."

  Jarek considered this. "It sounds like the energy cycles, so you're getting it returned, and it's not draining you."

  She hesitated, and he felt her life force surge again. Something was upsetting her. "Yes," she said. "That's what happened yesterday."

  "Then why the blazing hells did it leave you so exhausted if it's returning the energy to you?"

  She gave a little shrug. "I have very little experience, and I'm not used to working with energy. I suspect most of this sort of work is tiring. I'll get used to it."

  Jarek wasn't convinced. "Did Phylos tell you that?"

  "He said all young Enhancers have trouble at first, that they have to gain experience." She placed her hand against the side of his face. "You worry too much."

  "There's too damn much that can go wrong." Curving his arm around her, he drew her closer. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

  She suddenly twisted into him, winding her arms around his neck and holding on tightly. Ranie squealed indignantly and leaped from his lap.

/>   "Nothing will happen," Eirene insisted, her breath soft and warm on his neck. "I just need to learn to control the power better."

  Then why was she trembling? Jarek rested his face against her hair, inhaling its freshness. He felt her breasts pressed against his chest, their enticing fullness making it hard to think clearly. He needed to bring his attention back to the discussion of the sphere and its possible threat to Eirene, but damn, he was having difficulty concentrating.

  She lifted her face to his, and he couldn't resist those lush lips. He bent his head and tasted her, his blood pounding through his veins when she slid her tongue into his mouth.

  Heat, as intense as a solar flare, rose swiftly. His body hardened, his skin heating to a feverish pitch. He relinquished any hope of continuing the discussion—for now—but still, he battled for control. He didn't want Eirene to think their joinings were based solely on lust. He wanted to show her how he felt about her, even if he couldn't give her the words or the commitment she deserved.

  Pushing her back on the bed, he proceeded to do just that, with long, slow kisses and tender caresses, until the sensations built to a fever pitch, possessing them both.

  Her breathless cries, the feel of her writhing beneath him, the fragrance and taste of her, were a heady, potent elixir that sent his senses reeling. He would never get enough of her, could never begin to give her all that she deserved.

  Hell, he couldn't give her anything. He had no right to bind her to him, emotionally or physically. Angry denial roared through him, fueling his passions even higher. By the Spirit, he could give her this, could create memories for them both.

  Memories to sustain him in the lonely times ahead.

  * * *

  They sat in Phylos' chamber, drinking tea. Overhead, the chimes jingled melodically, and exotic floral scents drifted in the air. Peaceful, lulling vibrations flowed through the chamber, yet Eirene sensed the tension emanating from Jarek. She knew the source of his anxiety—concern about how much gold the Shens would demand in exchange for a sphere. He had asked Phylos about the price several times, but each time the Shen leader had evaded the question.