Dark Sight

by T. G. Ayer

  After carefully testing the remnant of carved stone, Allegra lay back and stared up at the darkening sky.

  Deep magenta swirled and mixed with rose pink and burnt orange, an amalgamation of color that was exhilarating and calming at the same time.

  Max sat beside her and gently placed his fingers at her temples.

  “Are you going to zap her into her trance or something?” Xenia’s cool voice echoed from across the floor.

  Allegra grinned and so did Max. “Unfortunately, I don’t have that power.”

  He ignored her friend then, and proceeded to trace small circles at Allegra's temples, the tips of his fingers gently massaging her sensitive skin.

  Heat simmered where he touched her, and Allegra briefly entertained the thought that he was coming on to her, but when she looked up at him, his eyes were shut and his forehead creased with concentration.

  She refused to acknowledge that she’d been tempted to reach out and rub away those lines. Before she could think further about it, she sank into a different space and time.

  Here, she watched the scene from somewhere beyond herself.

  Max still sat beside her on the stone column, Xenia, across the way, cloaked in shadow. Nothing was different except all color had been sucked out of this strange version of Allegra’s world.

  The sky above was an icky mess of black and gray with not a touch of citrus or rose in sight.

  Max shifted. Probably sensing that he’d succeeded. When he spoke, his words echoed around Allegra as if they were cocooned within a metal cell, the sound vibrating off the stone around her.

  Max moved away, then knelt beside her, giving her space. “Allegra, are you ready to answer some questions?”

  She gave a slight nod.

  “Do you need the fig and the date to indicate yes or no?”

  Allegra shook her head. “I’ll be fine,” she said then gasped. No sound emanated from her throat, and Allegra felt a shiver of fear run down her spine.

  Where had Max sent her?

  “Allegra, you must concentrate. You can’t remain in the trance state for too long. It will drain your energy and your life force.”

  She nodded, sticking to physical movement more because the thought of not having a voice was little too traumatizing.

  Max cleared his throat, diverting Allegra's attention from her emotional upheaval. “I’ll ask you a series of questions. Take your time to answer them, and only answer if you are sure. No answer, means you cannot tell me yet. For whatever reason.”

  Allegra nodded again and waited as Max removed a device from his pocket. A dictaphone.

  Good thinking, Commander Max.

  Max cleared his throat. “Will the epidemic start in a governmental facility?”

  Allegra shook her head.

  “In a non-governmental facility?”

  Again, she shook her head.

  “In the New Germanic States?”

  “No.” Allegra said without thinking. Max sat back, staring at her, shocked.

  Had he heard her answer? Surely not.

  But before Max could say anything else, a dull thud echoed through the temple complex. Something hit the ground. A male voice swore, his low baritone carrying inside the temple. More scrabbling sounds were audible as someone got to their feet, kicking aside stones and rocks. Then a man’s head popped out from between the columns behind Xenia.

  The newcomer wore a bright red shirt printed with blue macaws, and a heavy camera hung around his neck.

  Allegra blinked.

  Bright red?

  She’d exited the trance almost instantly.

  “Is everything alright?” the stranger asked, giving Allegra a worried glance.

  Max got to his feet. “Yes. Everything is ok. Just, my wife keeps fainting on me.” He gave Allegra a warning look, which was entirely unnecessary.

  “Ah. In the family way, I take it,” said the man, his pink cheeks blooming. “Can I get a picture?”

  “No.” Three voices spoke simultaneously and the man took a step back in the face of such a unanimous rejection. Even Pepper offered a short growl in support of his mistress against the intruder.

  “The light,” Allegra spoke. “It hurts my eyes.”

  Recovering quickly from the rebuff, the tourist nodded. “I see. Yes. Not a problem at all. Well, do take care.” Then he was off ambling among the ruins, snapping photos of the pillars and broken rocks, setting off bright blasts of light in the encroaching darkness.

  “Are you feeling alright?” asked Max, concern darkening features already shadowed by the approaching night.

  “I’m fine. Let's try again.” She took a deep breath and lay back down.

  But this time, Max's fingers at her temples did absolutely nothing for her.

  Not in terms of the trance anyway.

  In terms of firing the blood in her veins, his touch achieved a lot.

  She sat up after a couple of minutes and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “I’m sorry. I think the first time around must have drained my energy. I can’t focus at all. Not enough to go through that again.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Max, a little distressed.

  Xenia was already beside her. “Did you not hear what she said?” she snapped. She pushed her glasses back onto her head and glared at Max.

  “I’m fine, Zee. Look. I just need to go lie down for a bit. That was a little too much like getting drunk.”

  Xenia nodded and helped her climb to her feet. “Hopefully you can handle it better next time around.” She spoke curtly, and Allegra knew that her friend was having a hard time accepting the whole vision/trance aspect that now came with being around Allegra.

  Allegra took a breath and calmed her nerves. Perhaps next time she went into a trance, it would be easier.

  The same could not be said for the next time Commander Max touched her.

  Chapter 17

  They left the temple grounds and hurried down the steep path to the parking lot below. Allegra had thought she’d been so smart wearing low-heeled pumps, but the ragged path was littered with stones and debris. The lingering weakness from the trance contributed to her unsteadiness, and when she finally did slip she wasn’t surprised.

  Max reached for her, coming to her aid from Apollo knew where. They'd descended the cliff-side together, but Allegra didn't recall him walking close enough to her to save her stupid ass.

  His fingers touched bare skin, and her vision clouded, her skin going cold.

  She must have made a sound, probably a scared whimper from the expression on Max’s face. “Are you okay?” he asked, steadying her again.

  This time she managed to control her features. “I’m fine. Really.” She gave him a neutral smile. "You really have to stop asking me that question, Max."

  “Allegra?” Max stopped and faced her, totally ignoring her words. “What did you see?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. I didn’t see anything,” Allegra shrugged off his hand and hurried toward the car.

  Stones skittered on the ground as Max strode after her, closing the door mere seconds after she opened it. Allegra spun around, forced now to face him head on.

  “What?” she snapped.

  She was annoyed but more with herself and her inability to handle these terrible visions. Wasn’t she supposed to be some great oracle?

  “Tell me.”

  She stared at him, shaking her head.

  “Tell me what you saw.” His voice shuddered, filled with emotion, and Allegra hesitated. After all he’d done to help her, she owed it to him to be honest.

  She took a deep breath and waited for her heart to slow down. “I only saw it for a moment.” She paused, searching his face as if waiting for him to say it was okay, that she didn’t need to say it aloud.

  Instead, he gave an encouraging nod. "It’s okay. Go on.”

  Faced with his trust, Allegra couldn’t lie to, or evade him. She sighed. “I saw you. You were emaciated, as if your body was eating itsel
f from the inside out. You were struggling to breathe, sweating, near death. You-” she stopped. “You were dying, Max.”

  Her voice broke.

  Allegra was overwhelmed by all the death in her visions. Too many people she cared about were dying. Nobody deserved to see such a thing and still be helpless to stop it.

  “Allegra. Listen to me. It’s okay.”

  Max gripped her shoulders where his skin wouldn’t touch hers. Xenia hovered behind him, frowning with worry, holding onto Pepper’s leash so tight the dog whined softly.

  Max paid her no attention.

  “We’re going to stop this. It’s why I’m doing all of this. It’s why I worked with Aurelia. Her visions? They helped so many people. Do you have any idea how often we were able to save lives because of Aurelia’s visions?”

  Allegra swallowed, unable to answer with more than a nod.

  “I know what you saw, but I’d very much like to change that future if I can.”

  Allegra smiled stiffly.

  The vision of Max dying in front her made her wonder how she’d look if she could see her own fate. Would she also die like Max?

  She hid a shudder as she slid into the back seat of the car with Xenia and Pepper, leaving Max alone up front to drive in silence.

  Now, she was more sure than ever that it was better not to know your own fate.

  Chapter 18

  Driving away from the Apollo Temple ruins, Max kept his expression neutral. Not that Allegra was paying him any attention. She and her flamboyant friend were discussing something in hushed tones, and he’d heard mention of a purple flower and Pepper, whatever they were.

  He’d been impressed with Xenia’s protective attitude with her friend, which only served to assure him that Allegra had a solid foundation of support.

  Just as well that they’d been occupied. It had given him the opportunity to assert a modicum of control over his emotions.

  Max had had to force himself to remain calm when he’d first touched Allegra up at the temple. The electricity that had traveled through his body as a single touch was unusual for Max.

  He was certainly no monk, but he had to be honest with himself. No woman had ever had that effect on him.

  He couldn’t deny how attracted he was to her, but he had to remain professional. He couldn’t afford to lose her cooperation now by making any unwanted passes.

  The job was the top priority.

  Saving the world was top priority.

  Anything else would simply have to wait.

  Chapter 19

  Despite the late hour, Xenia was pacing the floor of Allegra’s kitchen, insisting that it was an excellent idea to take her yacht, the Qurux, out on the water.

  “It’s a beautiful calm night, and you need a distraction after all that trance business.” Xenia stood with one hip against the kitchen counter, tapping her nails on the marble surface.

  “Fine,” said Allegra, “just let me get my wrap.”

  She left Xenia mumbling about wraps on nights like these and headed for a change of clothes. Before too long, they were sailing out onto the midnight blue waters of the Endless Sea.

  Allegra lounged under the stars while Xenia fixed them drinks at the bar. They were alone on the boat, except for Captain Flecht. The old sailor had been happy enough, despite being unexpectedly roused from his sleep. He’d smiled, his weatherbeaten sun-browned skin crinkling at his eyes and had cheerfully taken them out on the yacht.

  The sleek white vessel belonged to Xenia’s parents who were never around, and never really cared what their daughter did with their money. It seemed a game for them to spend it as lavishly as possible, keeping their yacht hanging around the harbor for months on end.

  Allegra’s family had also been wealthy, her father having run a prominent real estate conglomerate, but they hadn’t thrown it around the way the Silanyos did.

  Not that Xenia’s frivolity with money meant she was vacuous or uncaring. She’d just never needed to worry about it running out.

  Xenia handed her something red and opaque in a tall, frosted glass. Xenia’s Blood Vodka. For Allegra, as long as it contained alcohol, it would do. Here, out on the water, she felt calmer.

  “Thanks.” She took the drink and waited as Xenia wriggled onto the lounger beside her.

  Xenia raised her glass. “To the end of the world as we know it.”

  Allegra stared at her friend. “Zee. How can you be so callous?”

  Xenia smiled, already a bit tipsy. “Not callous, Allie. Just realistic. You’re going to try to prevent this epidemic, right? You and Max and whoever else is involved. But on the off-chance that you fail, you should probably see to your cute agent friend before it’s too late.”

  Allegra sipped her drink. She tasted alcohol and not much else. “What do you mean?”

  “I saw the way he looked at you, and you simply cannot deny that he is one damned fine specimen of adult maleness.” Xenia giggled and sipped her own Electric Blue concoction.

  “You're drunk.”

  Xenia gave a high-pitched sigh. “Maybe. But I’m not stupid, and you shouldn’t be either.” She poked Allegra’s shoulder with one manicured fingernail. “Grab that sexy agent for a booty call. Have some hot sex to tide you over. Before it's too late.”

  Allegra snorted. “I’m not going to jump into bed with some guy, no matter how cute he is, just because we think the world is doomed.”

  Grumbling, Xenia sat upright, swaying a little. Allegra kept an eye on her in case she tipped off the lounger and fell flat on her pretty face.

  Xenia pointed a finger at Allegra now. “You can waste away your last days if you want, but I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m thinking now would be a good time to hook up with Evan for a night or two.” Xenia sipped and giggled. “He had a great ass, that one. Maybe it’s time to make up.”

  Allegra snorted again. “Yeah. I wonder how his boyfriend - whom Evan left you for - will take that.”

  Xenia pouted. “Oh. Right.” She looked up at the dark star-studded sky and squinted. “Maybe Jean-Baptiste?”

  “Married.”

  Xenia gasped as something occurred to her. “We could have a threesome.”

  “Xenia,” Allegra scolded her very much inebriated friend.

  The girls burst into laughter, but a sudden lurch of the deck cut their amusement short. Both got to their feet and scanned the heavy skies.

  Wind gusted from the west, tossing the yacht up and down.

  “Where did this squall come from?” yelled Xenia, the wind plucking up the sound of her voice and tossing it into the gusting air.

  “Squall? This is a freaking storm.”

  A wall of waves hit the boat broadside, tipping it over. The girls clung to the rails as the boat began to crack apart, as if a great angry god was squeezing it within his fists.

  “This makes no sense. There wasn’t any warning on the weather channel, and the captain would have refused if he knew a storm was coming.”

  “You can’t always predict the weather,” yelled Allegra, but she was sure her friend hadn’t heard her.

  Another wave smashed against the boat, flinging both the girls into the dark sea. Allegra dove cleanly into the water, then surfaced beside Xenia who’d had the air knocked out of her and looked about to pass out.

  Allegra slipped an arm around her friend's waist and swam to a piece of wood floating on the water a few feet away. Only after transferring Xenia to it, did she recognize the wreckage as a part of the bow of the yacht.

  The broken boat floated on the heaving surface of the ocean in a scattering of broken wood and furniture. No sign of the captain. Allegra felt sick to her stomach.

  Had the man gone down with the yacht?

  As much as she was tempted to dive down to look for him, she knew it would be foolhardy. In the middle of the night, the ocean would be pitch black. She’d only end up killing hers
elf.

  For now, Allegra hung onto the piece of wood, remaining at Xenia’s side. They'd been tossed overboard so fast that neither of them had had time to don their life vests. All their emergency procedure training, and none of it had been worth a damn in an actual emergency.

  Before long, both the girls began to tire; arm muscles spent, legs losing strength as well as feeling. Cold waves barraged them constantly, and Xenia began to slip from the bow.

  “Hang on,” yelled Allegra, wiping her wet hair from her face. The storm raged so loud she could barely hear her own voice.

  “I can’t,” shouted Xenia. “No strength.” She slipped again, her fingers scrambling, her fancy manicure now all broken and bleeding.

  Allegra grabbed for her, but her fingers met dead air. “Xenia?” she screamed, scanning the water around her, frantic, terrified.

  With no Xenia in sight, Allegra had no choice. She dove beneath the crashing waves, reaching blindly into the water for anything, clothing, a hand.

  Hair.

  Allegra's fingers twisted around Xenia’s long hair and she pulled, using a steady strength. No sense in tugging too hard and scalping her friend.

  Xenia would never forgive her.

  She pulled until Xenia began to rise, then changed direction and pushed her friend to the surface. Relieved that Xenia's body was floating upward, Allegra began to kick more strongly.

  When Xenia’s foot connected with her head, Allegra wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry.

  Submerged as she was, the force of the kick sent her deeper, pushing her down beneath the powerful waves.

  Allegra held her breath, struggling frantically to get to the surface. Her lungs burned as her body convulsed with the lack of air.

  Allegra thought of Max.

  She was never going to get to tell him that she wanted to kiss him.

  She’d never get the chance to tell him that she really did want to help save the world, that she’d do anything to use her power to help people.

  Her vision darkened and she smiled to herself.