Skylar shivered. “If there is an end.”
Maxim felt the tension building the further they walked the dusty path. Many minutes had gone by and he still couldn’t see the end. By time he saw the solid wall ahead of them, his muscles were vibrating with the need to start smashing things. Trying to relax so he wouldn’t frighten Skylar, he took a deep breath and calmed his voice.
“Great, this looks familiar.” His mood immediately darkened when he heard Skylar’s soft curse. There was no turn. It was a dead end. He glanced at her when she chuckled.
“Well, at least in my vision there was a door.”
“Yep, that’d be nice right about now.” She gasped and he looked down. Her eyes were wide.
“Crap! Do you think this is some type of prison cell?”
Unable to help the deep growl rising from his throat, Maxim glanced around the enclosure. “It better not be or someone’s going to get hurt, real fast.” He turned back the way they came. “Come on, sweets. I’m sure I missed something. We’ll just need to look at the sides and above our heads more closely. Maybe we’ll find a crack and we can mist through it.”
“Maxim, wait.”
Swiveling around, he was surprised to see Skylar holding the jewel in her right hand and glancing around the enclosure.
“I’m not going to question it, but I have a feeling this thing is very important at the moment. It’s not pulsating any more. Maybe we’re supposed to leave it here. Could this be the place it needed to go to this whole time?”
Moving up next to her side, he shrugged. “No clue, but it sounds more plausible than what’s running through my brain.”
“Like what?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Okay. Well, I don’t see any elaborate pedestals or shelves, so the ground is going to have to do.” She placed it on the dirt in front of the barrier and stepped back.
They stood still for several moments before she spoke.
“Well, shit.” She bent and retrieved it from the ground. “Damn, I wish spirit would give me a clue, but it’s nothing but white noise in my head.” She started studying the barrier again. “Maybe it fits in a slot or something.”
Maxim ran his hands over the rock. “It’s relatively smooth. I don’t feel anything obvious. He heard her huff in frustration and glanced over in time to see her lift the gem with both hands. She reached up and placed it against the wall.
“I’ll just move it along the surface. Maybe it’ll slip into a groove or—”
They both sucked in a breath when the wall began to flutter behind the jewel. It looked as if it was turning into liquid rock. Skylar yanked the artifact away and stepped back a few paces. He joined her. The disturbance began to rotate counter clockwise until it settled into a slow, steady spin, growing wider by the second. The center began to thin until a gap formed in the middle. The further the liquid fluctuation extended outward, the more the middle slot widened. Skylar’s words were hushed.
“It’s a door.”
Maxim felt his brows lift when the liquid thinned enough for him to see to the other side. There was another rocked enclosure, perhaps a way out. At least it was larger than the one they were in now. Turning, Maxim wrapped his arms around Skylar, pausing just long enough to grasp her face and angle it to the left. He smashed his lips down to hers and moaned when she immediately opened for him. He sipped and drank from her luscious mouth, caressed her plump ass, and stroked her gorgeous hair until he had to come up for air. Her piercing blue eyes slowly opened and she gave him an appreciative lazy smile.
“What the hell was that for?”
He caressed her cheek, gazing into eyes he wanted to see for the rest of his life. He leaned down, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and then caught her gaze again. “Because you’re so gods damn smart. I have no idea what’s through there, and I know we need to go inside, so I didn’t want to miss my opportunity…just in case.” He smiled when her nose crinkled and her sweet laughter caressed his ears.
“I love you, Maxim. You’re as weird as I am.”
He chuckled and rubbed his nose against hers. “That’s what makes us so perfect together. I love you, sweetness.” He backed away to give her room to place the jewel back into her oversized purse. She situated the strap and gave him a confident smile. He caught her hand and laced their fingers.
“Let’s do this, baby.”
Maxim felt Skylar’s fingers dig into his palm as soon as they stepped through the newly formed doorway. He quickly discovered that the rock hadn’t liquefied, but was made of pure energy. It buzzed along his flesh, lifting the fine hairs along his arms and the back of his neck. They both shuddered when they were completely free of it.
Glancing backward, he wasn’t surprised to see the doorway closing. It didn’t matter anyway. There was nothing back there to help them. He turned when Skylar spoke.
“I wonder what these are.”
As soon as his eyes locked on to the round protrusions lining the dark, rock walls, he sucked in a hard breath.
“Well, I’ll be gods damned. We’re in the Talesius Mines. Those contain the Insedi conprobatus.”
When she gave him a confused look, he grasped his necklace and dangled the tooth.
“This.”
“Ah.”
Maxim placed his palm to her back and began leading her through the cavern. “If I can figure out which tunnel we’re in, then I’ll be able to get us out of here.” He saw relief wash over her face as she kept up with his long strides. Her eyes were analyzing the entire cavern, soaking up the sight of the glittering embedded gems throwing prisms of color across the open space.
“This is oddly beautiful. At least we’re still on Insedivertus. I wonder why we got pulled into here.”
Maxim opened his mouth to respond, but couldn’t find his words. He’d met yet another dead end, however that wasn’t what caused him to gape in wonder or experience the intense thundering of his heart. He barely recognized his own reverent voice as he stared at the wall.
“The fera.”
“That’s a fera? I’m thinking it means feline since it reminds me of a Saber Tooth tiger. Of course, I’ve never seen one. It died out eons ago.”
Three long, flat stepping-stones below the symbol allowed him to climb closer. Maxim stared at the deep grooves carved into the rock, stunned to realize the legend of the mark was true. It was no longer a fanciful bedtime story handed down through the generations. It was real.
“Yes, the fera was a very large feline that lived long ago, just like your Saber. It also represents an Insedi legend that dates back to our genesis. You understand that a male and female Nubis energy split apart, mimicked the emperor’s and consort’s essence, and that the others left to find their own human structure sources, right?”
“Yes.”
“What you don’t know is that once the males absorbed the genetic makeup of their selected human, they were no longer able to identify their compatible mate. Even if they got lucky, there was still the issue of their inability to unlock the human DNA to breed. The new race was doomed since it was irreversible and they had to retain the new form. The gods intervened to correct the problem, and it was here that all of the original Insedi males gathered. They were gifted with the conprobatus as a key to the races survival. The mark was left as a reminder of their benevolence and continued concern for their children.”
“That’s beautiful, Maxim.”
“Yes, and to be able to actually see it is a miracle. It’s been lost to our race for centuries. The species was prolific as the gods intended. As the years passed and lives moved on, the record of the mark’s location vanished, or someone destroyed it. But now I know it’s real.”
Unable to help himself, Maxim reached up and ran his fingers through the deep groove carved by the finger of Dii. Chills raced across his flesh. He frowned when the indentation began to glow. Jumping down from the rocks, Maxim backed up, placing Skylar behind him.
“Oh, shit. What’d I do?”<
br />
“I think you woke something up.”
Within seconds, a thick beam of light shot across the cavern and lit up the opposite wall. From the outer edges, a brilliant ball of white light grew outward. It slipped along the energy beam and then broke away from the stream, hovering near the tall ceiling. Slowly, it drifted to the middle of the cavern and then descended toward the ground. As soon as it touched, the beam from the symbol winked out.
Skylar clasped his forearm and whispered, “It’s the spirit. This is exactly how it appeared to me, except it’s larger. Is this how your ancestors are able to come to us when we’re awake?”
Maxim shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been visited in my dreams or otherwise, but that’s what I saw above your head next to the highway, too.”
His eyes widened when the light elongated upward and formed into the first Insedi ancestor. The short robe, braided hair, and the exact face as shown on the painting Skylar had found, now stared directly into his eyes. The first thought that slammed into his brain was that his father would have loved to see this. Maxim sucked in a hard breath when the form immediately reshaped and his father stood proudly before him.
Feeling faint, Maxim fell to one knee. Had his father died and he’d not known? Was he in the realm of new death, escorted by the first emperor and finally getting the answers to questions he’d longed to ask? Feeling the sting of tears behind his eyes, Maxim blinked hard as the ethereal form changed once again, but this time he didn’t recognize the face of the beautiful, longhaired woman dressed in faded jeans and a purple T-shirt. He gasped when realizing her eyes were a brilliant robin-egg blue, reminding him of Skylar. Her smile was just as dazzling.
Maxim staggered to his feet when his mate cried out and grabbed his arm.
“Mom!”
She managed a step forward and halted when the face of his elderly human neighbor in Apt 3G that constantly brought him fresh bread when she was baking replaced the image of Skylar’s mother.
Maxim felt as if he was losing his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut to get his bearings, then gradually reopened them. His skin tingled when the form morphed once more, returning to the glowing light. This time it spoke, the old language echoing richly throughout the cavern. It was neither male nor female, but exquisite enough that he could spend all day listening to its words, even with the obvious undertone of concern.
“I am unsure how to present myself to you. I’m hesitant of revealing my true form. I sense a multitude of emotions, and I fear I may upset you yet again. I ache from the sadness I just caused you both. I shall not bring that to you again. I searched through your minds for those that might comfort, and I have failed. What personification shall I present so that we may easily converse?”
“My mate doesn’t understand the old language.” Maxim felt stupid the second the statement left his mouth. Who was he to tell a powerful spirit how it should speak?”
“Have no fear, Maximus, she will understand.”
He glanced over to Skylar. Her head was bobbing up and down, wide eyes never leaving the spirit.
“You can stay like that. You’re starting to freak me out like that night in the bedroom dream. Just don’t dive into my chest and we’re going to get along just fine.”
The laughter flowing from the entity was hearty, bouncing off the walls of the cavern and wrapping him in a blanket of warmth.
“Ah, Skylar, mate to Maximus, I have enjoyed our time together. You have a robust nature, and that pleases me. The Telarius line will only become stronger with this pairing.”
Maxim finally felt confident enough to speak again. “Is that your lineage? Will you grace me with your name?”
The light stretched out and then shimmered. “This world has chosen to call me Dii.”
Chapter 31
Maxim lowered to his knees, grabbing Skylar’s wrist on his way down. He placed his palms onto the soft dirt and lowered his head. He felt an overwhelming burst of love for his mate as he watched her from the corner of his eye. Not once did she hesitate to take his exact stance. Her eyes showed confusion, yet she kept her lips sealed. Maxim strengthened his voice.
“Skylar, this is the creator of all that you see, the omnipotent, collective force known to us as the Dii of Consentes. I’m humbled and honored to be in your presence, Dii.” Despite the gravity of the situation, he bit his lip to keep from chuckling at Skylar’s hushed words.
“Pleased to meet you.”
She was just too damn cute for words. Here he was, bowed before the ultimate power, yet he wanted nothing more than to reach over, pull her close to his body, and smell her sweet scent.
“Rise. You have served me well and have already honored me beyond expectation. Stand tall before me and feel at ease within our discourse.”
Maxim helped Skylar from the ground and looked up to Dii. “I have to tell you the truth. I’m undeserving of your gratitude. I had but one selfish focus. Everything I did was for the protection of my mate. I want to thank you for gifting me with this extraordinary female. I’m yours to bid should you ever call.”
“You are most deserving, and I shall heed your offer should the need arise.”
Maxim chuckled when Skylar raised her hand.
“Uh…I have a question. Is it okay to ask you questions?”
“Ask and I shall answer, but I know what you seek. I chose you because your mind is capable of sustaining the contact. The heart that you carry by your side may look like a simple jewel, but it is was my conduit to the other side. It could have broken a weaker mind. You will not ask, but I will answer the other inquiry as well. I had you refrain from revealing the heart when you first met my warrior. You had to learn trust, Skylar. You found that with your mate all on your own. I was the push that you needed in order to find your own path. It was the only way you could finish this journey.”
Skylar nodded, reached into her purse, and lifted the jewel. “You keep referring to this as the ‘heart.’ Why?”
Dii’s essence brightened and moved closer. Maxim could feel the energy ripple throughout his body. He watched chills chase across Skylar’s flesh, mirroring his own.
“It is a part of me and connects the Consentes to this world, much like the pulse below the skin of your wrist. When it flutters beneath your fingertips, you know without thought that your lifeblood flows, though you cannot see it with your eyes. Without the heart’s presence, I was unable to sense this world’s cry of pain crossing through the conprobatus beds upon the death of the female essence. The planet has never experienced such a great loss of energy, and in its fight to recover, it siphoned from the only source it could find.”
The god lifted high into the air and drifted toward the fera mark.
“Come, let us bring it home. There, below the stepping stones you will find its resting place.”
Kneeling with his mate, Maxim watched her carefully slide the jewel under the lowest lip of protruding stone and smile in satisfaction.
“I felt it slip into place.” They stood, and she grasped his hand. “I feel so much better now.” The cavern lit up and she immediately cupped a hand above her eyes.
Squinting against the brightness, Maxim watched as Dii’s presence grew twice its original size, the glow becoming unbearable to view. They both had to look away.
The ground beneath his feet began to tremble. A low rumble grew in intensity and sounded from every wall, sending dust particles falling about their shoulders. Concerned, he placed his arm around Skylar’s body and pulled her close. The white light decreased in size and drifted down, hovering beside the mark again. The god’s voice sounded pleased.
“The beds are healing. This world no longer suffers.”
Glancing around, Maxim tried to find the source of the popping sounds mixing with a low grind. He had a sudden image of Insedivertus stretching its arms wide and twisting to remove the kinks from its spine. Soon, the shudders abated and he thought he actually heard a softened sigh passing through the cavern. He was surpr
ised to hear the god chuckle.
“Your imagination suits you well, Maximus. Yes, it is much as you envision. All is well now. The affected spheres have been pushed from their moorings and replaced with those that the Insedi can lay their trust upon once again.”
Maxim’s curiosity got the best of him. “If it wouldn’t offend you, could you tell me how this could’ve happened? How did the heart end up on Earth?” He was surprised when a realistic image immediately appeared beside the steps. It was a depiction of this same cavern, the fera mark showing clearly on the wall. Three figures shrouded in shadows stood before it. Two of them turned away to continue their journey along the pathway. It was the first Insedi ancestor and the Roman emperor. It looked as if the Insedi emperor was explaining the conprobatus beds as he twirled his own glowing necklace between his fingertips. Maxim felt a thrill run through his chest at viewing the prime ancestors engaging in conversation. It was surreal. He tore his eyes away from the two males and back to the other figure.
It was obviously the empress consort, Tullia, and she remained behind to fuss with the material attached at her shoulder. The view of centuries past clearly showed her losing the clasp that held her outer robe in place. She immediately dropped to her knees and tried to retrieve it from under the steps. Skylar moved forward and pointed to the image.
“Look, she hesitates and reaches further back. She spotted the jewel.”
Maxim felt no surprise to see Tullia quickly glance toward the emperor before shoving the large emerald into her carry sling. She reattached her jeweled clasp and casually strolled behind the others. The image dissipated and Dii spoke.
“The consort was not a worthy female. Because of her actions, access to the gods was forbidden. I visited the Insedi emperor in his dreams and told him of the theft. She denied it, and Lucius banished her to the court of Aristodemus at Cumae until she could come to her senses. Instead, she attempted to sell the jewel. The buyers could not break it down into smaller pieces and demanded the return of their money. Despite her efforts, she remained penniless and miserable.”
Fueled by Lust: Maxim (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 27