“I was honor-bound. Believe me, I have wanted you to know for so long.” The Cranium was still on, so he maintained a steady position. However, his eyes remained fastened to Lynden, tracking her movements.
She collapsed beside him and pointed to the screen, her face a mask of emotion. “Answer the question.”
Yes, Fillion has seen Willow. Concerned, Mack sought me out to ensure Willow was of a sound mind as your brother holds affection for her.
“So weird. God, that’s got to mess with my brother’s head. Uber creepy. I always thought Fillion needed a girlfriend. He mopes around too much. But this is just...” She cringed and looked at Coal. When he showed no response, Lynden sighed and leaned back against the seat, staring up at the ceiling. “Is this why you want to remain in my world?”
“No, of course not. Contrary to popular belief, I am not petty, nor impulsive.” Coal turned his Cranium off then leaned back on the seat next to Lynden, their faces inches apart on the back cushion. “I would go mad if I returned to New Eden indefinitely. I cannot get my fill of wide open spaces or mountains. Or transforming strawberries. I have recently added ice cream to this list as well.” He playfully lifted a corner of his mouth and she rolled her eyes. “I enjoy experiences such as riding a speed rail or traveling by car. I find technology fascinating. And, I hope to help people. Perhaps your father could employ me to do something meaningful for those who are destitute.” He blindly took Lynden’s hands and drew slow circles on the back of her fingers with his thumb. “Not to mention, I would sorely miss your surprises.”
“Nah, you’d get over them.” She lowered her head.
“What is that look for?”
“I was just thinking of Fillion.” Lynden nibbled on her lip ring. “Freaking out for him.” She twisted the ring on her thumb, then rolled so her back was flat against the seat. “Coal?” She shifted focus to the floor and slouched forward, tilting her head away from him. “Do you think you could ever ... love ... a girl like me?”
“I already do.”
“Not like a friend or a charity case.” She reddened and turned toward the door. “Never mind. Forget I asked. Dumb girl moment. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
All her emotions were hidden behind a mask of indifference within a blink of an eye. Coal clenched his jaw with a small surge of frustration, tired of never being believed. Grieved, as well. That she would believe a man, who honored and respected her, would not do so for any other reason than obligation or pity.
With a single finger, he took a risk and boldly caressed her jawline and neck. “You are magic to my senses and I am bewitched,” he whispered, his eyes following the paths he made along her smooth, soft skin. “My thoughts are consumed by you.”
Lynden gaped at him and he met her stunned expression. “Are you messing with me?” Her entire body froze in fear.
“I adore your freckles and your laughter. I am thrilled when swept away by your imagination and sense of adventure. You bring an excitement to everyday life that I find attractive. But most of all, I am completely taken with your affectionate and generous nature.” He paused a beat, then whispered, “I am in love with you.”
“Coal—”
“I am most sincere, nor would I ever trifle with your heart. I have been falling for you since the moment you brought me to life upon your lawn.” He drew close, his hand positioned against her leg, and her breath quietly hitched with his nearness. It was such a strange response coming from Lynden that Coal felt encouraged. “I ache for you,” he whispered against her mouth, cradling her face. “And long to make you happy.” She leaned into his hand and closed her eyes as his lips fell onto hers in hesitant, curious touches.
An incoming call notification echoed in his head just as their kiss ignited. The computer voice announced the caller and Coal jerked away from her and muttered, “Merde!” A pained expression flashed in her eyes and she looked away, wiping her mouth as if trying to remove the evidence of their confessions. “I am sorry,” he said and she stiffened and began to rise. Coal grabbed her hand and blurted, “Your father is calling me. I am not displeased with you. Please, do not leave.” She lowered back onto the seat, but refused to look at him. Coal closed his eyes and tapped the device strapped to his ear and said, “Coal Hansen.”
“Is this a good time?”
“Yes, of course, sir.” He flicked a worried glance at Lynden, then focused on his fingers. “How may I be of service?”
“You are needed back at N.E.T.,” Hanley replied, his tone casual but business-like. “I’ll send my private jet in the morning. John will take you to the airport and accompany you.”
“Is something amiss?”
“No, nothing to worry over.” Coal winced with the fake sound of reassurance in Hanley’s voice. “I’ll fill you in with all the details once you get here.”
“I see.” Coal’s heart plummeted to his stomach. “Anything else, sir?”
Hanley chuckled. “Relax. Everything will be just fine. Be sure to pack everything you own, though. See you soon.”
The line disconnected and Coal turned off his Cranium, yanking it off his head. Lynden waited in the awkward silence. “I am returning to New Eden on the morrow—I mean, tomorrow.”
“Press junket?”
“He asked me to pack everything I own,” Coal said, gritting his teeth. “John is fetching me in the morning.”
“Oh.” Lynden’s eyes glistened and she delicately sniffed, sharply turning her head to the side. With a quick push, she stood and ambled toward the window seat, crumpling upon the bench, and pressing her forehead to the glass.
A dark cloud filled the atmosphere of the cabin in her wake, rivaling the ominous weather that dressed the sky. Rain pelted the window, streaking upward with the momentum. Perched in the bench seat, Lynden curled up even more when she quickly wiped away an errant tear. Then another. Coal did not know what to say or do, heartache stealing every breath he possessed.
Did he not have at least two months left in The Exchange?
They traveled to Mack’s apartment in silence. The tension ratcheted tighter until they did everything possible to avoid eye contact or physical contact. The elevator opened to Mack’s apartment and they shuffled inside with funereal steps. Confused, they tarried when the young man was not present to greet them as planned.
Lynden tapped her Cranium and tramped toward the floor-to-ceiling window. “Where the hell are you?” Her body deflated slightly. “Really? OK. No worries. Yeah.” She turned around a second later and met Coal’s eyes with a flat, dispassionate expression. “Got it. Bye.” Fingers brushed across the silver device, but her eyes never wavered from his. Electricity crackled in the air between them and Coal’s pulse spurred into a gallop. “He’s at work still. Problem with an overseas client or something. Wants us to meet him at TalBOT Industries in two hours.”
The words barely left her mouth when the room dissolved and faded away as their lips crashed and hearts collided in mutual anguish. She tasted of sweetened cream and chocolate and he deepened the kiss, pressing her into the large glass window until he was not sure where his body began and hers ended. It was if they floated into the twilight, drifting toward their wishing stars until they were so full of each other the only option was to fall. And he was falling hard, unable to contain the rush of loving her.
Warnings from his upbringing flared in his mind, especially when Lynden removed his shirt and unbuckled his belt, then his pants. But he ignored each and every voice. A more honorable man would behave differently, he knew. Perhaps he was stupid, foolish, and acting with insensitivity. Everything within him felt reckless. The pain from their impending separation demanded he eliminate all distances now. But, more than that, he needed her. Longed for her. Wished to be known by her in a way no one else had ever known him.
They stumbled over to the divan and lowered onto the cushions, breathing each other in, indulging in one fervent kiss after another. Their bodies moved in a slow dance, arms and legs entan
gled in a rhythm created by their melding lives; and Coal was sure he died a thousand deaths with each rise and fall of their blended pulse.
He buried his face into her neck and whispered, “I love you,” and she found his mouth, kissing back her reply with equal ardor. Every beat of his heart yearned for the passion to forge a new version of himself until she emerged, intricately and irrevocably fashioned into the infrastructure of his soul.
This moment was nothing like the evening when they almost hooked up before knowing each other. Nor, like any of their previous kisses. Heat had always existed between them, but this was beyond shallow stirrings. The intimacy was unfathomable beauty, an inferno of emotion and sensation, and he fell more in love with each echoed pulse, each breath given and taken, and every touch shared.
Now, he understood why a man should never take what is not his to have. It was not necessarily about being outside the bond of marriage. Rather, he held in his arms the soul of another, one whose soul made love to his, a bond that would linger far beyond this shared moment.
The room darkened, save for the ambient light from the city filtering through the window. Coal reflected upon the darkness of night far above the horizon, the shadowed hues untouched by the city below. Here, the sky twinkled, alight with the flecks of tiny, scintillating stars, and his heart made endless wishes to remain beside Lynden and never leave.
Lynden’s head rested upon his chest, her steady breaths soft whispers across his skin. He caressed the silky strands of her hair, refusing to fall asleep to bliss’ lullaby. His fingertips slid along her tresses until they made slow trails along her shoulder blade, drawing constellations with the freckles as if stars upon her skin. Guilt crept into his thoughts and nibbled at the corners of his happiness, but he did his best to ignore the remorse. Never had he felt so in love nor so loved in return, and he did not wish to be robbed of a single moment.
Remembering his gift, he reached for his pants on the floor and pulled out a string of small, copper linden leaves from his pocket. He clasped the bracelet around her wrist as gingerly as possible. Nevertheless, she awoke with the movements. Lifting her arm, she studied the dangling piece of jewelry before adjusting her position to better see his eyes.
“Where did this come from?”
“I made it for you.”
“You made this? For me?” Her eyes rounded even more. “The project you were working on in the garage?”
Coal nodded his head as warmth filled him. “They are linden leaves.”
Her eyes noticeably glossed, despite the shadows, and she blinked, whispering, “It’s beautiful.” She rested her head upon his chest once more and joined his gaze out the window. “Making wishes?”
“Yes.” Then in playful tones, he said, “But if I share my wishes, they will not come true.” Coal ran his finger along the inside of the copper bracelet.
Hazel eyes lifted from the wristlet to meet his, a flirtatious smile curving her lips. “I don’t know how to properly thank you.”
“Then do not,” he whispered, pulling her on top of him and cupping her face. “Sometimes words ruin everything.” Their lips touched—warm, soft, and thrilling—and he wrapped his arms around the small of her back. His heartbeat throbbed audibly in his ears, his pulse desiring to synchronize with hers once more. He quietly moaned, murmuring, “You render me useless.”
“You were already completely useless.” She took his hands and pinned them above his head, pressing her nose to his. “That’s why I need to save your sorry ass all the time.” She sat up and threw a small, decorative pillow at his face. With an impish giggle, she attempted to move away. But Coal was quicker. He pushed the pillow away and tumbled her beneath him. She squealed, rolling her eyes when he grinned in triumph, and said with a scoff, “Hot alien boy and earthling girl. We’re so cliché.”
“Hot?” Coal smiled, amused. “Well, I am the Son of Fire.” She groaned, a cross between annoyance and humor. “We still have yet to ride ponies or pick flowers.”
Lynden grinned, then pressed her face into his arm as she laughed. When she recovered, she said, “At least you don’t have a smoldering gaze. That’d really be cliché.”
“I should work on that, then.” He lowered to kiss her, but she put a hand to his mouth and stopped him.
“We need to meet Mack.”
“He was late. It is only fair that we extend the same courtesy, no?”
“We’ll give Mack nightmares if he finds us like this. Do you really want to be responsible for that?”
“Tempting,” he said with a charming smile. “I shall risk it, if you are willing?” Instead of answering, she flicked the black and red strands falling over his eye, nibbling on her lip ring, and he sobered. “Are you well?”
“Yeah, of course.” She turned her head toward the window. Several emotions flitted across her face, until she asked, “Do you ... regret... Shit, I’ve gone all school-girl.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want you freaking out. I couldn’t handle it.”
“I am yours, My Lady, body and soul,” he replied softly. Fear curled in his stomach when her face grew more serious, the sensations gaining strength when she refrained from replying. He whispered, “I would never wish to hurt you in any way.”
“You’re the first person ever to love me.” She placed her hands on his arms and reluctantly met his eyes. “I’m not afraid of being used. I’m used to it. What I’m terrified of is being loved and found not good enough in the end. Especially by you.” Her breath shuddered, as if holding back tears, and she turned her head and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve never been good enough or essential to anything.”
The pain of her words cut him. He knew to what she referred and another weight pushed against his chest. Coal lowered his body and lay on his side next to her, pressing his face to her cheek as she stared up above, her eyes sheening with restrained emotion.
“Lynden,” he whispered, and felt the light, flutter of lashes as her eyes closed. “You will always be too good for me and I will always endeavor to deserve you. I am your knight and you my fair princess. I shall fight to reclaim your heart over and over again, for you are essential to me.” She shifted to her side and faced him, a tear slipping down her cheek and across her lips. Coal brushed a light kiss across her mouth, her lips still tantalizingly warm and swollen. “I am not leaving you,” he said with a reassuring smile, fingering the bracelet. “It may be a year before I may legally return, but I will. All that I am, all that I will ever be, is yours to have, My Lady.”
“Did you say the same things to her?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m afraid I’ll end up like Oaklee.”
Coal stilled, unsure he heard her correctly. The words replayed in his mind and shame burned hot with her accusations, more so when her head rolled away from him. He sat up in swift, jerky movements. Draping his arms over his knees, he looked toward the window, attempting to rein in the onslaught of thoughts and emotions that speared his conscience.
Had she used him?
Had he misinterpreted her permission earlier?
Too crushed to remain in Lynden’s presence, Coal stood and retrieved his clothes. With his back turned, he dressed quickly. Fury lit a fire inside of him and it flamed into a roaring blaze, his body numbing from the intensity of pain. He went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, taking his time to allow her privacy. She appeared in the doorway a few moments later with heavy movements, and he maintained an averted gaze.
“Ready?” he asked, his voice tight and even.
She attempted to mask her feelings with a cold, aloof posture and expression, but could not. “Coal—”
He slammed the cup down and water sloshed over his hand and onto the counter. Lynden jumped back startled, her face draining of all color. “You are not a mere dalliance for me until I return to New Eden,” he said through clenched teeth. “And I am wounded that you believe I would lie in order to gain intimate favors. I would never take advantage of a woman in such
a way, most especially you.”
Angling through the doorway, he brushed past her and toward the elevator. The doors opened and he stepped inside, staring at the ground as she entered. Lynden lifted her hood and wiped away an occasional tear, crossing her arms tight across her chest. Back rigid and shoulders straight, he stood enclosed within metal and glass, falling through the night toward the ground, as if trapped within a modern shooting star.
Once more, was his heart’s one desire folly?
Several times since his emergence, he had felt like the little blue fish in the aquarium that gasped for air. But for the first time while traversing the Outside world, Coal felt akin to the little brown fish belly up in the corner.
***
Adams: What is something you’ve learned about New Eden Township that was unexpected? Or have you?
Dr. Nichols: For me, it is that by age fifteen, the youth are emotionally capable of integrating with adult society. This is a hypothesis I have longed to prove for many years. Socially throughout the ages, most young adults have been treated the same as their adult counterparts by working, taking care of the home, and starting families. The Postmodern Era changed this ideology and, instead of building careers and homes—as teenagers have done since the first civilization—they are referred to as children. I fear this has psychologically impacted whole generations. The youth are willing and capable. But society holds them back, and there are no communities in place to help them fully transition to functioning, actively participating adults. In New Eden, the idea of a teenager does not exist.
Adams: Very interesting. Didn’t Fillion finish his education at fifteen and enter the workforce shortly thereafter?
Dr. Nichols: Yes, this is true.
— Dr. Della Jayne Nichols and Jennifer Adams, Atoms to Adams Daily Show, October 15, 2054
***
Thursday, October 29, 2054
Seattle, Washington state
A loud, slow beat echoed from beyond the metal barrier to the Den of Iniquity, and clashed with the rate of Coal’s pulse. He stared at the door until his eyes stung. Mack and Lynden flanked him on either side, equally as somber and tense.
Elements (The Biodome Chronicles series Book 2) Page 47