Unexpected Eden

by Rhenna Morgan

  “What’s she doing?” Lexi whispered the question, a bit of her tension easing.

  Eryx leaned close to her ear, and lowered his voice—not that his sister needed such a courtesy. With Galena’s skill she could heal a near fatal wound in the middle of a riot. “She’s an empath. She’ll take his wounds into her body and then heal herself from the inside out.”

  Lexi edged forward another inch or two. “Does it hurt?”

  Eryx followed Lexi’s gaze, focused on how Ludan refused to watch. “No. Not for him anyway. Galena will feel what he feels, but to a lesser degree. He just hates to watch her take the wound. We all do.”

  For the next few seconds, Lexi’s scrutiny fell to Galena.

  The burns along Ludan’s arms faded and reappeared on Galena’s sun-kissed forearms without so much as a whimper passing his sister’s lips.

  Lexi sat back, a mix of respect and awe on her face. “That’s amazing.”

  Graylin set two platters of food before them as Ludan shoved to his feet.

  Galena laughed and picked a ripe, pink berry off one of the plates. “I’m fine, Ludan. Really.” She popped the fruit between her lips and motioned for Eryx. “Come on, Eryx. Let’s get you done.”

  Eryx shook his head and nudged the platter of fruits and cheeses closer to Lexi. “Rest for a minute. We’ll let Lexi have a go with her questions.”

  Head cocked, Lexi stared at her plate. Cheese that was really blue and kelly green fruits weren’t everyday fare in Evad.

  The room grew silent.

  She looked up and blinked. “Let her heal your shoulder. I can wait.”

  Not the most convincing statement he’d ever heard, but given the night she’d had, he didn’t blame her. “I’m fine. Galena can use the time to rest and you deserve answers. Where do you want to start?”

  Lexi nudged a slice of cheese along the side of her plate. “You called this place Eden. As in the Eden?”

  Considering Maxis’ attack, it was the last place he’d expected her to start, but a logical choice all the same. “We’re Myren, a race that’s existed for over six thousand years. The Great One—God, in your definition—created both humans and Myrens here, in Eden.”

  Lexi splayed her hands flat on the table, fingertips white against the wood.

  “Humans came first, then Myrens a bit later,” he said. “While we’re similar at our core, our race has greater abilities. Think of us as version two with major upgrades.”

  “So, why aren’t humans still here?”

  Eryx accepted a glass of strasse from Graylin, the potent burn of the clear liquor something he could use right about now. He passed a cup of black coffee to Lexi. “When you put two similar races together and one is more powerful, what do you suppose would happen?”

  Lexi lifted the cup to her lips and blew across the surface. Bits of steam danced at the rim. “That depends.” She rested her elbows on the table, mug nestled between her hands. “What does more powerful mean? Flying?”

  He shook his head. “Flying is just a matter of using our minds in conjunction with the energy around us. It’s a fairly unobtrusive gift. The ones with the potential to cause problems are those tied to the elements—fire, water, earth, wind, and storm. Every Myren is born with one or two of them.”

  She took an absent sip of her drink then pulled back with a jerk.

  Eryx slid the sweet cream closer to Lexi. “A little stronger than what you’re used to?”

  She added enough her cup almost overflowed. “That stuff makes espresso taste like hot chocolate.” She stirred and took a tentative taste. “I thought there were only four elements.”

  “Not for us. You’d know the element of storm as lightning or electricity, but we can manipulate it the same as other elements.”

  She traced the table’s wood pattern. “Myrens tried to hurt the humans didn’t they?”

  “The Great One separated us, creating Evad—what we call the human realm—for them and leaving Eden for us. Evad has only the amount of energy needed for humans. It’s why we can’t stay there long. We get weak. Over time we end up at the same level as humans.”

  “An equalizer for a Myren who stays too long.” She rolled her lips together as if mulling over the concept. “But if you can go back and forth between the two places, what’s to keep Myrens from bringing humans here? Your power doesn’t drain here, right?”

  Pride flared white-hot in Eryx’s chest. With her quick wit and common sense she’d make a perfect malress. “Our laws and warriors keep things in check. We’re held to two sacred tenets. One forbids divulging our race to humans. The other bans any interference with human destiny.”

  “And the penalty?”

  “Death.”

  Silence settled around them. Galena toyed with her food, and Ludan and Graylin stood motionless.

  “That’s why looking for me was a secret.” Lexi’s slate-blue gaze locked onto his, daring him to say otherwise. “You’re not sure I’m Myren. I could be human and if anyone finds out, you’re toast.”

  “It’s possible you’re human, but I doubt it. My dreams have been too pointed. For you to be anything other than Myren makes no sense.”

  “Dreams?” Her single-word question paired with an expression Eryx couldn’t quite catalog. Curiosity for sure, but wary too.

  “Yes. For about ten years now. They helped me find you.”

  Nibbling her lower lip, she gazed at the tabletop. Distant.

  Not a good sign. When sharp women like Lexi went silent it usually went hand in hand with plotting, bad assumptions, or both. He had enough obstacles to jump where she was concerned without her spry mind adding more to the equation.

  “Eryx, why don’t you let me take care of your shoulder and give Lexi a minute.” Galena stood behind the chair Ludan had vacated. “Lose the shirt, please.”

  Maybe Galena was right. Maybe Lexi was just overrun with information instead of plotting her escape.

  He stood and stripped off his ruined shirt, wincing when a piece of burned-in fabric ripped his flesh.

  Lexi snapped to, assessed what was going on, and shifted to sit in front of him. “We can talk if you want.” She shrugged awkwardly. “You know, keep your mind off of it.”

  It took two, maybe three beats before he realized his mouth hung slightly open. She wasn’t plotting to run. Or if she had been, she wasn’t now. This woman, this brave, stubborn female who’d been carted off to a realm she’d never known existed, with a man she barely knew, was looking out for him. He cleared his throat. “What else do you want to know?”

  Her attention drifted to Galena. “What are the other differences between us?”

  Galena probed the burnt skin at his shoulder, and he sucked in air. “We’re faster and stronger than humans, can move objects with telekinesis, and can communicate telepathically with those we’re linked to.”

  Her gaze brightened and she sat an inch or two taller. “That’s how you talked to Graylin and Ramsay before we got here.”

  “Exactly. Families are born with telepathic links between them. Think of it as a being able to pick up the phone and call or find your immediate family without needing the phone.”

  “But it’s only between families?”

  “To start with.” He covered her hand. “But we can form links with others if we choose.” One touch and his thoughts went screaming into dangerous territory. “Mates always form a link.”

  She shivered and yanked her hand out from under his. No matter how agitated she might be over her circumstances, her body answered to his in the most primitive of ways.

  “All done.” Galena tapped his healed shoulder and stepped away with a huff. “If you boys could stay out of trouble, I’d appreciate it.” She frowned at Ramsay. “And do me a favor. Try not to make the next call sound like an emergency if there’s no gushing blood or internal in
juries. You know I always think the worst.”

  Drying his hands with a worn hand towel, Graylin stepped away from the counter where he’d been putting away utensils. “Eryx, why don’t you take Lexi to your room.” He nodded toward the windows and the rapidly rising sun. “It’s darker below ground and she could probably use the rest.”

  The mere thought of Lexi anywhere near a bed sent a fresh charge of heated thoughts through his head.

  “Don’t get any bright ideas.” Smirking, Galena lifted a vibrant yellow mug from a hook below the cabinet and poured herself coffee. “If Lexi’s Myren, you could trigger her awakening, so keep your hot and heavy to a minimum.”

  Lexi stood, grabbed her mug, and stared out at the lake beyond the windows. Her elbows were tucked close against her sides, her back ramrod straight. “You didn’t cover the awakening thing.”

  “We can talk about that after you’ve had a chance to rest.” He cupped her shoulders and pulled her back against his chest. “A few hours couldn’t hurt and you’ve already got a lot to process.”

  Lexi nodded, a tiny movement that didn’t match her vibrant personality.

  “I appreciate you letting us stay,” he said to Graylin. “I’ll get Orla to come help out while we’re here.”

  Graylin waved his thanks off and headed toward his bedroom at the other side of the cottage. “Have her contact me if she needs anything. I’ll make a run into town for supplies.”

  Galena held her mug to one side and half-hugged Eryx before pulling Lexi into another. “Eryx’s right,” she said to Lexi. “Rest before you bite off anymore information. You’re safe here and have plenty of time to catch up on what you need to know.”

  She stepped away and gave Ludan a saucy pat on the shoulder. “I’m off to get cleaned up, but I’ll be back later.”

  A straight shot of strasse fisted in one hand, Ludan situated himself in a kitchen chair. “I’ve got things here. Go.” He lifted his chin toward the rear staircase and pushed the chair back on its rear legs. “Your woman looks like she’s about to fall over.”

  Time alone. With Lexi. In a bed. More than enough reasons to bail. Besides, he’d need every second to strengthen their connection. Because there was still one frightening answer he’d yet to give her. One that might well send her running back to Evad.

  * * * *

  Lexi had never done much in the way of drugs growing up, but damned if this didn’t feel like the downswing of a weeklong bender of something highly illegal. Eryx was touching her. Again. His hot palm at the base of her spine, he steered her through a shadowed hallway adorned with museum-quality knives and swords.

  Her body was juiced—either from the coffee or Eden’s extra energy. Ever since he’d lost his shirt in the kitchen, she’d had a hard time keeping her fingers to herself. If a man was going to put such fine muscles on display, a woman should at least get a chance to exercise a little tactile appreciation.

  Eryx took one step down a sparkling onyx staircase and held out his hand.

  The space below wasn’t pitch black, but frighteningly close. “We’re going underground?”

  Candles set in wall-mounted sconces flickered to life and she jerked back.

  Eryx chuckled, a slow delicious rumble that rippled across every nerve ending. “I’ll always see to your needs, Lexi.” The silver of his eyes darkened to a stormy gray. “All of them.”

  Her stomach flip-flopped and her thighs clenched. Never in her life had she been on the receiving end of such a look. Carnal promise without a lick of guile or pretense.

  Where I come from a man doesn’t play games. Partners honor what they feel and act on what they need. Maybe what he’d said in the parking lot truly hadn’t been a line. The idea thrilled and terrified her all at once. She slid her hand in his, and his heat enveloped her. Candlelight shimmered off the glittery rock walls. “Don’t you have electricity?”

  “We don’t need it. Our gifts cover what we need and most of our people want to keep things as The Great One made them.” At the bottom, Eryx motioned her forward. A giant set of arched mahogany doors sat at the end of a short hallway with two open rooms on either side. “That’s not to say we don’t do commerce with humans if there’s something we need. Ramsay would go nuts if he had to do without a regular fix of technology and modern music. The first thing he does on a trip to Evad is power up his iPhone.”

  The double doors opened wide and she jumped, crashing into Eryx’s unyielding form behind her. A draft of air rushed from the room, cool against her keyed up body. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  “You’ll get there.” Eryx nudged her forward—another one of those subtle touches he couldn’t seem to stop. Not that she was complaining. “No one expects you to adapt overnight.” He strode past her to another, smaller set of double doors already open. “The bathroom is in here if you want to wash up. I’ll see if I’ve got something you can sleep in.”

  Unlike the hallway’s candlelight, the room had a soft pink glow. Lexi wandered toward the center of the big room and studied the floodlight-sized holes in the ceiling.

  Well, I’ll be damned. Myrens might not have electricity, but they had their own version of skylights to handle underground lighting. Handy. Especially since she couldn’t pull off the fire tricks Eryx and his family could.

  “This is the best I can do for now.” Eryx strode toward the gargantuan bed situated against the far wall, a charcoal silk robe gripped loosely in one hand. “I’ve asked Orla to bring you some things until we can get yours from home.” He tossed the robe on the matching comforter with its sapphire trim and braced one hand on one of the massive carved bedposts. “You all right?”

  An image of her and Eryx, a tangle of limbs and heat on the silk sheets, flashed in her mind. The muscles low in her belly contracted and a flutter rippled at her core.

  She needed to focus. Maybe get her head out of the soft porn business for a few minutes. “Yes, I…” She looked at the bed again and searched for the right words.

  Eryx closed the distance and hugged her close.

  His warmth seeped into her agitated muscles. Without the shirt, his scent was stronger, the sandalwood more prominent than the leather, but one hundred percent male.

  She inhaled deep. Everything about him fit. Left her feeling comforted the same as when she’d woken from every dream. Was he the presence she’d felt there? Was she even ready to share such a detail with Eryx?

  He cupped her cheeks and tilted her face, his lips so close she nearly moaned. “Do you want me to go?”

  Go? No, not nearly the action she wanted. Not with his mouth a breath away. “I’m overwhelmed.”

  A muscle ticked in his cheek, and he scanned her face before focusing on her lips. “That makes two of us.” Hot breath fanned her skin just before his mouth touched hers.

  Sweet bliss. She fell into it without another thought. Whether her common sense was simply too fatigued to argue, or destiny had pulled rank, she didn’t care. She craved him and was done with resisting.

  He fisted one hand in her hair and slid the other down her spine, pressing her hips flush against his. Slanting his head, he deepened the kiss, his tongue slick against hers, his erection an insistent pressure at her belly. He groaned into her mouth and rolled his shoulders.

  Shit! She tried to push away, deep crescents marking his shoulders where her nails had been.

  Eryx jerked her back in place. “No.” He grinned, nipped her lower lip, and then licked it with a wicked swipe. “I like it.” He skated his lips against hers, a wet silky glide that urged her lips to part. “Put them back.” The growl behind his words…God, she loved that. Wanted more of it. Preferably louder while that sweet hardness shafted in out of her.

  He crushed his mouth against hers and lifted her up, urging her legs around his waist.

  She gave him what he wanted, latching her nails
deep in his back and hanging on for dear life as he made for the bed.

  A soft swoosh billowed around her. The soft mattress at her back, his hard body a delicious weight at her front, and those relentless lips….yeah, sleep was so not a priority right now.

  An embarrassing whimper slipped past her lips as he drew away from the kiss, her hips lifting reflexively to make up for the loss.

  “Easy.” His grated whisper stirred the fine hairs around her face, tickling her cheekbones. His hot gaze trailed a slow, ravenous path from her neck to her breasts.

  She sucked in a ragged breath. “What’s wrong?” His hesitation whipped at her heart. No man held back when a willing woman and a bed were in the same room. Especially when said woman was already stretched out and panting to rival a triathlete. She planted her palms in the mattress to push away.

  “Oh, no you don’t.” Eryx captured her wrists, pinned them on either side of her head, and nestled his lips below her ear. Warm breath fluttered against her skin. “You’re perfect. Too perfect.”

  The scrape of teeth against her skin. It wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted more, arched her neck to give him better access. To feel his bite and the slide of his tongue.

  “I have to be careful with you, Lexi. More careful than I want to be.” He punctuated the statement with the hot press of his lips at the curve of her neck.

  She shuddered beneath him, pressing her breasts against his naked chest in a bid for attention.

  Eryx trailed a path of kisses and licks along the neckline of her tank, his hips rocking into hers in a decadent rhythm. He savored the skin above the valley of her breasts and pressed a long kiss there before lifting his gaze. “We have to stop.” He clenched his jaw, his eyes scrunching closed. “Praise the Great One, I want to take care of you, but we can’t do this. I could hurt you.”

  Snaps of blue-white electricity arched above them.

  Eryx pushed away before she could protest, and landed a good four feet from the bed, his breath as labored as her own. He jerked his chin toward the robe tossed in a pile at the foot of the bed. “Put that on and get some rest. I’ll have Orla wake you in a little while.”