by Bevan Greer
Nesham stroked her hair comfortingly, encouraging her to share with him.
“She died when I was very young, I remember. It was hard for me to adjust,” Carinna admitted, her gaze on his chest. Nesham swallowed a sigh at her shyness but said nothing as she continued. “I have three half-sisters who look just like me,” she said softly. “But they’re so evil. Nesham,” she said and looked up at his face, tears lacing her eyes. “They attacked Mikhel.”
Oddly enough, the thought did nothing to make him feel any differently towards her. From the beginning she’d been unusual, had helped him and even saved his life. “They did, you did not,” he told her, smiling at her to let her know he harbored no ill will.
“I was so ashamed when we saw him,” Carinna said quietly, a tear slipping over her cheek. Nesham wiped the tear away, his finger gliding over her alabaster skin, marveling again at her beauty. “I felt so terrible.”
“And yet you healed him,” Nesham nodded, waiting for her to contradict him.
“Actually my sister did, my real sister,” she said and stared up at him.
“Naria,” Nesham nodded and watched as her eyes widened. “I see you and her together, Carinna, and I see the similarities you take for granted. The same nose, the same expressions of interest, the same gestures. You might not look exactly the same, but there is no question of who you are.”
“Do you think the others know?” she asked quietly. “Naria didn’t want to say anything because she didn’t want you all to dislike her. She has only ever longed for one thing in life, to be free of Dark World.”
“Well,” Nesham said as he leaned over her again, feeling his ardor for her increase as she continued to stroke his chest. “I think that perhaps your sister will get more than the freedom she seeks,” he said with a rare grin that lit up his entire face. “I don’t think our captain will let her go so easily,” he said and brought his mouth down to Carinna.
He groaned, the things she did with her hands, he thought and closed his eyes. Then he rolled onto his back and felt her squirm out of his hold, her mouth trailing down his body. All thoughts fled him as he gave himself up to her pleasure, and to happiness.
-15-
Naria sighed as Jace stroked her hair softly, lying next to her as they both breathed deeply, recovering from yet another heady bout of lovemaking. She couldn’t believe the things he had done to her body. He had made her feel more than desire or lust. He had made her feel cherished, loved even. She closed her eyes and prayed for the feeling not to end.
“Tell me what I want to know, Naria,” Jace commanded softly.
“I am from Dark World,” she said, glad to be facing away from him as she told him the ugly truth. “I was born there of my father, a Demon Lord, and an Offworlder.”
“So that is why you look so different from the others,” Jace murmured, his large hands still stroking her with tenderness, encouraging her to continue.
“I have always hated Dark World, Jace. You’ve been there. You’ve seen only a part of what life there is like. It has been so hard to live in a place where darkness rules the land. Especially since I feel more a belonging for the light.
“When you crashed on the planet and were taken captive, I thought that you might finally be the ticket to my freedom. So while Carinna helped Nesham, I helped you.”
“But they threw you in my cell,” he said, sounding puzzled. He pulled her shoulder so that she lay down, staring up at him.
“It was a trick,” Naria admitted guiltily, looking away from his piercing gaze. “I was going to try to earn your trust but the guards threw me too hard. I wasn’t faking that head injury,” she said softly. His fingers caressed her scalp and Naria sighed with pleasure.
“And when I awoke, I found you so fascinating, so different from anyone I’d ever known,” she said honestly, wishing for him to believe her. “So I tricked you into thinking I was a prisoner like yourself. And when I found Carinna helping the others, I helped as well.”
“It was you that healed Castor and Koneru, and Mikhel as well,” he said nodding. “Carinna cannot heal, can she?”
“No, she can’t. And Jace, Carinna’s my sister.”
“Your sister?” He sounded surprised. “You don’t look much alike.”
“No, but we both have something inside of us that makes living in Dark World difficult. When we first escaped I had every intention of doing whatever I could to help you, Jace. You have no idea what it’s like to be free of that world,” Naria said, tears in her eyes. “The darkness, the unbearable torment that I should have welcomed only pressed on me deeper and deeper every day.”
“Sshh.” Jace leaned down to kiss her. “Naria, it’s alright, sweetheart. You’re safe now,” he said and Naria felt as if in a dream. “You won’t ever have to go back,” he said softly, a whisper in her hair.
“They may come after me again. And I don’t want to put you or your crew in more danger.”
Jace’s arms tightened around her, and Naria wished she could read his mind. She sent out a light probe and found herself gently pushed away.
“Naria, love, you of all people should understand how fruitless that tack is against me,” he said smiling. Naria could only stare at him, not understanding how he accepted her tale so readily. “I don’t condemn you for trying to escape Dark World. But you should have told me the truth before this.”
“But I didn’t know what you might do,” she said, trying to explain herself.
Jace sighed. “I suppose you didn’t.” His eyes closed a moment and Naria could sense his thoughts deep at work. His eyes opened, a startling riot of colors blazing and shimmering as he stared down at her. “Those things you told me on Rovi, about Dark World and the Cazeth, they were true, were they not?”
Naria nodded. “Yes, Jace. The only untruth I told you that day was that I had gathered my knowledge from Seven. In truth, those volumes about the Horde and the Cazeth all come from Dark World.” At the sudden light shining in his eyes she blinked warily. “Jace?”
“Naria, you don’t know how important this is to me,” he said with intensity lining his words. “I must know all I can about the Cazeth.”
“But why?”
“I cannot tell you now. Suffice it to say there is a war brewing, a deadly war that can only be won once the Cazeth have been defeated.”
Naria stared at him, not knowing what to say. Jace acted as if he knew where the Cazeth could be found, as if he had a personal war against them. Naria’s mind raced and she wondered if what she thought could possibly be true. Could Jace have somehow encountered the escaped Cazeth from years past? And if so, how had he lived to talk about it?
“Naria, I promise to explain later, when I can tell my crew of my plans as well. But for now, I need to know if you will help me in this.”
Naria stared up at Jace with her heart in her eyes. “I would do anything in my power to help you, Jace. You must know that,” she said softly and brought his mouth down to hers. She kissed him the promise of truth, passion quickly overtaking her intentions to soothe and reassure.
“Naria,” Jace said with a light breath. His arms quickly drew her body under his and he made love to her mouth, hungrily, without the softness he had used earlier.
He spread her thighs apart and entered her swiftly, deeply.
“Jace,” Naria gasped as his lips left hers to trail over her neck. He plunged in her warm body violently, arousing her to meet his heated desire thrust for thrust. And as he came into her he whispered hot, sultry promises of the tomorrows to come.
Jace couldn’t stop looking at Naria as they left the small cottage. He would never in his life forget what had transpired between them. In all his years since being exiled from Mystique, Jace had never allowed himself the pleasure of losing his mind and heart to another, conscious of his responsibilities to his people. An heir to the royal throne on Mystique, Jace had barely escaped with his life and a promise to again return.
But Naria, with her deep viole
t eyes, voluptuous body and welcoming arms had reached a part of him that he hadn’t known still existed. He held her hand tightly in his as they walked together through the crowded streets of Vembi. How ironic was it that he had found his possible solution to defeating the Cazeth while fighting for his life in Dark World?
“Naria,” he asked softly as they walked, curiosity about this fascinating woman overtaking his thoughts of Mystique. “What exactly did you do on Dark World?”
She smiled and he felt his heart stutter. He shook his head to try to clear his muddied emotions and focused on her answer. “I am half demon, Jace.”
“You? A demon?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes,” she sighed. “And something of an odd one at that. Carinna, for example, is a Wraith, a being that can leave her mortal flesh and enter the spirit plane.” Jace nodded, understanding her words as he recalled Carinna’s habit of vanishing like a puff of smoke. “You see, on Dark World, when a demon matures he or she is supposed to pick a talent to which they are suited. Most are born with a specific power that enables them to best serve Dark World.”
“So Carinna became a Wraith. What of you?”
“I have many abilities,” she said shyly and glanced up at him. “I am actually as close to a librarian as one on Dark World can be.” She explained to Jace about the impossibility of a shayna becoming an academic. “I did not like many of my options. Becoming Wraith takes much more energy and patience than I have. I also felt nothing but disgust for the profession of my half-sisters.”
“Half-sisters?” Jace asked. He hadn’t considered that she might have other family. He wondered now about those she had grown up with.
“Yes,” she said frowning. “I have three of them. Their mother had been mated to my father before he met my mother. Lordess Xeche, his wife, is the queen of the Succubus.”
“Those creatures that tortured Mikhel,” Jace murmured.
“Yes. And unfortunately, the two that did the damage to Mikhel are my half-sisters,” she said with dismay.
Jace blinked, astonished that Naria and those monsters he’d seen in Mikhel’s thoughts might be related. But as he stared at Naria, he saw nothing of the cruelty and malice in her eyes. He had nothing but pleasurable memories of their sensual time spent together.
“And yet you had remained untouched,” Jace said softly, gently stroking her cheek.
“I did not feel the need to be with males in that way,” Naria replied, her face flushing a delightful pink that had Jace laughing and leaning in to kiss her. “Not until now.”
“Good,” Jace murmured and stopped in the middle of the street. He leaned down and kissed her senseless, pleased when he ended the kiss to see her blinking in confusion and obvious disappointment that he had stopped.
“Naria, I won’t send you back to Dark World, nor will I change my mind about it.” His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. “You didn’t make love with me for that reason did you?”
Naria blushed. “Shh, Jace, lower your voice,” she said as a few passersby grinned at them. “No, I did not. Were I that worried about you sending me back I’d simply escape from you.”
“Oh?” he asked easily. He hugged her tightly to him and continued their walk back towards the pleasure center. “You may be very mentally gifted, Naria, that I grant you. But you will never escape from me undetected,” Jace smiled, his eyes hard as he unleashed a portion of his power for her to see.
He watched with satisfaction as Naria frowned. “Yes, Naria. I’m not as weak as you seem to think I am. No, don’t argue. I realize you and those of your planet have mental gifts unsurpassed by those you have encountered, up until me, that is. You don’t know power until you see a Psi in true anger,” he said softly.
She glared at him and Jace found his lips curling into a grin at the sensual picture of Naria in anger. Her skin glowed around the skimpy Vembite scraps she wore, her breasts heaving under his shirt. He smiled fully as he realized that Naria wore his clothing, his scent. And only he had possessed her body last night. Only he knew of her passionate cries and the tight feel of her body as it encased him deep within her.
“Jace?” Naria asked and swallowed loudly.
“I just wanted you to know that there will be honesty between us now, Naria. I will not harm you, nor will I allow harm to befall you. But I cannot let you go,” he said. Not wanting to further pursue that line of thought, he caught a glimpse of Koneru and set off with Naria to meet him.
“Koneru,” Jace said loudly causing the Rovi to turn in surprise.
“Jace. I hadn’t expected to see you so soon. Naria.” Koneru nodded pleasantly, grinning at her kiss-stung lips and rumpled clothing.
“Where are the others?” Jace asked.
“Castor and Mikhel are gathering some supplies before heading back to the ship. Though truth to tell, I think Mikhel is going back to visit a few friends.” He cleared his throat and looked down at Naria.
Jace coughed to cover a chuckle. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Koneru said exasperation. “I don’t know what you did to heal him but that man is pumped full of excessive male energies.”
“Yes, well,” Jace paused. “Naria and I will be returning to the ship. Come along with the others. I’ve got some news I think it’s time the lot of you heard.”
Koneru didn’t look surprised, merely nodded and bowed to Naria before he left.
“I like him,” Naria said with a smile.
“Good, as long as you don’t like him more than you like me,” Jace answered with a playful growl.
They boarded the ship and found Nesham arguing calmly with Carinna upon their return. The two sat comfortably in the galley, Nesham watching Carinna with a strange glint in his eyes while Carinna tried in vain to persuade him to let her go to the planet.
“But Nesham,” Carinna pleaded. “I have never been to Vembi before. This could be my only chance.”
“Have you a need for more pleasure?” Nesham asked softly. Jace and Naria exchanged an amused glance. “Did you not find bliss as I lay deep inside of you? When I felt you melt around my—”
“Naria!” Carinna exclaimed loudly, blushing a becoming pink as she noted her sister and Jace standing in the doorway staring at her.
“Carinna,” Naria said huskily and threw her arms around her sister. Jace watched the two with sharp eyes, noting the similarities he’d missed earlier. Though Naria was much taller than her sister, both possessed an indefinable quality that would set them apart from the other Dark Worlders easily.
“You know?” Jace asked Nesham.
“Yes,” Nesham said, explaining without words that he knew of Carinna and Naria’s relationship.
Carinna and Naria stepped back, both smiling tremulously. “It feels good not to have to hide it anymore,” Naria said softly.
“Yes.” Carinna nodded. “Though I think Nesham knew of our relationship from the beginning.”
Jace saw Naria turn a surprised glance towards the Fenturi who shrugged nonchalantly.
“It was obvious to me,” he said and tugged Carinna down into his lap. “As was this little demon’s attraction to me,” he said grinning as he leaned down to nip at her ear.
Jace laughed and saw that Nesham’s heart had indeed finally begun to heal. Jace saw the loving way Carinna snuggled into Nesham’s embrace, thinking that he would soon be losing a crewmember. He frowned then. Perhaps it would be best if he didn’t tell Nesham of his plans for Mystique. The man had lost so much already in his life and had just begun to recover. He didn’t want to see Nesham back as the shadowy man he’d once been.
“Jace?” Nesham’s grin faded as he stared at his captain.
“Nothing, just a few rambling thoughts,” Jace said and smiled at Nesham and Carinna. “Naria and I have some talking to do. We’ll all meet tonight in the study. Tell the others when they return.” Nesham nodded and Jace took Naria by the hand towards his bedroom.
They reached his bedroom and Jace pulled N
aria into the lav. “Bathe with me, Naria,” he said, sighing as he watched her disrobe. No matter that Jace had possessed her body throughout the long night prior, or that he felt tired from the conflicting thoughts of his future and that of those depending upon them. His body reacted to Naria as if programmed to do so.
Both naked and sighing under the pleasing rays of the solar bath, Jace lifted Naria and wrapped her around his body.
“Jace?” Naria asked, her eyes fixated on his mouth. She slid her body against his and he sighed into her mouth.
“Yes, Naria. I need you again, love,” Jace said and spent the next few moments showing her how much.
Later that night after the crew had returned and gathered in the study, Jace stared over his friends with worry in his eyes. He knew more than any of them just what the Cazeth could do to a man. His mind showed him again just what they had done to a Psi, let alone his less mentally gifted crew.
“Jace?” Castor finally broke the tense silence surrounding them all. Carinna and Naria had joined the crew, at Naria’s insistence. Apparently his little demon refused to be left out of anything of importance. “I think it’s time you told everyone what you’ve been searching for this past year.”
“Yes, Jace, tell us,” Koneru added in a deep voice.
“It’s time you all knew,” Jace sighed and paced before the small crowd nervously. “Many years ago I barely managed to escape with my life from my homeworld. My people had been content, isolated from the rest of the System and living happily so. Then we were invaded by the Cazeth.”
Startled murmurs sounded through his audience.
“The Cazeth!” Carinna exclaimed with wide eyes. Jace stared at her and nodded. So she too was acquainted with the evil creatures. He had anticipated such after reviewing Naria’s words in his mind.