“I would think that would make me even scarier to someone like you.”
She shook her head. “No, I look at it more as you being a blank slate. Something must have happened to you in your past to make you this way. Eventually, some emotions will come to the surface, and then we’ll see how I feel about you.”
Although, she already knew how she felt about him. He was the most attractive man she’d ever seen, and the fact that he seemed to respect her as an adult only made him more appealing.
They drove in silence for a long while, and she wondered what he thought of her assessment. She glanced over at him again and noticed the shimmer around him.
When they were about two miles from the silo, he spoke again. “You better get down in back so the cameras don’t catch you going in.”
She nodded and climbed over the seat and lay down in the back bed. When he turned onto the dirt road, the ride became a little bumpy and knocked her around a bit. He pulled to a stop, and she heard the gate open. From then on, they didn’t stop again, so someone had opened the second gate for them.
As he turned off the ignition, she asked, “Axel, did what I say upset you?”
All was quiet for a moment.
“No. Stay here until I tell you it’s clear.”
She grinned. He would help her get back inside, as well. When she’d come up with this plan at the spur of the moment, she’d thought she’d be on her own, but it seemed she had found herself an ally.
Chapter 7
Axel entered the silo and took a quick look around. The kitchen smelled of turkey and gravy, but proved to be empty. He hung up the keys and turned to go get his stowaway.
“Have you seen Eden?”
Hudson’s voice stopped him and he looked over his shoulder. The male had rounded the corner at just the right time, and Axel hadn’t heard his footsteps on the thick carpet.
He shook his head. “No.”
Hudson sighed. “I just haven’t seen her for the past few hours. I wanted to check up on her.”
He longed to ask why he babied her so, but then he remembered her tirades and the way she acted like a child. He didn’t say another word, hoping Hudson would move on his way and he could give the all-clear to Eden. After a moment while Axel busied himself with a glass of water, Hudson left.
Hurrying over to the door, he motioned for Eden to come in, then took off back through the kitchen and down the small hallway to the stairs and elevator that would take him to his quarters. He’d parked where the security cameras wouldn’t see her, and as far as he was concerned, he’d done more than he should have in helping her out.
When he arrived back in his quarters, he laid down on the bed. Eden’s words rang in his mind.
I look at it more as you being a blank slate. Something must have happened to you in your past to make you this way. Eventually, some emotions will come to the surface, and then we’ll see how I feel about you.
He shut his eyes, not sure what he thought about her assessment of him, especially since it had been right on. His past had made him into this present-day male. How he wished things had been different, but having been held as a slave for a hundred years had done something to him—it had obliterated all emotions within him. The only thing it had made bloom had been his desire to kill. When he’d returned back into civilization, the military had picked up on that craving, and molded him into the hard, cold-blooded killer he’d become.
In his eyes, that had been a good thing. If they hadn’t realized his potential, he felt certain he would have become a Colonist, his soul a dark, nasty place where evil should have festered. At least with his military background, he could now control his desires, but sometimes, it felt as if that horrible place would brew right to the top and overtake him. He had to admit, he didn’t find himself comfortable with the thought, but if it were to happen, then so be it. He didn’t fear death, which was what would come to him if he did turn into a Colonist. The Saviors would take him out without thinking twice. Hell, they’d probably already considered it, anyway.
A light knock sounded at his door, and he got to his feet. He couldn’t imagine who it could be as he never had visitors.
As he opened the door, a bit of shock rolled through him. Eden smiled up at him, her dark eyes seeming to glow, and he knew in just a little while, they’d be shining yellow.
“Hi.”
Her voice was soft, as if she told him something of a secretive nature and didn’t want anyone else to hear.
“What’s up, Eden?”
“I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for me today.”
He shrugged, a strange feeling building in his chest. “It was nothing.”
“No, it was a lot to me. Thank you for your advice the other day, and for not turning me in when you knew I was with you. Thank you for the money, and allowing me to see things for myself, for treating me like an adult.”
Pushing his palm into his sternum, he wondered what gripped his chest. The pressure had been off and on for a few months now, but it seemed to be getting worse. It singed a bit, and he tried to remember what he could have eaten that would cause heartburn. However, he hadn’t eaten all afternoon, so this feeling didn’t make any sense.
He also had no idea what to say next. It wasn’t like he did things that required acknowledgements on a regular basis.
So, he nodded.
Eden’s face lit up in a wider grin and she turned back to the elevator. As the doors opened, she stepped in, and the words came to him.
“You’re welcome,” he called just as the panels shut.
Yeah, that seemed right.
Chapter 8
Eden busied herself in her new room after dinner, excited about the prospect of having her own space and not hearing her brother’s soft snores. As she folded a blanket and carefully placed it on the closet shelf, she considered her day.
Hudson had found her almost as soon as she’d walked into the silo. Instead of yelling at him for wanting to know where she had been, she’d simply smiled and read the aura around him. He had been concerned, but that had quickly faded to relief as she’d told him she’d been outside taking a walk and looking at the fall flowers blooming in the desert. She’d grinned as he’d eyed her warily, then he’d smiled and hugged her. A bit of guilt clawed at her for the lie, but her sheer joy of the day overrode any of it.
After dinner, she’d quietly done her dish duty, all the while noticing Axel’s absence.
She wondered what he’d done in the city. Clearly, he hadn’t wanted her with him as he hadn’t asked her to accompany him. Or, had he just been giving her the space she so desperately wanted? She had been set on going to the Science Center anyway, and probably wouldn’t have gone with him, even if he’d asked. Not that he would have, but at the same time, she’d done exactly what she’d wanted, when she’d wanted, and she’d been prepared to follow through with her plans. But that still didn’t stop her from considering Axel’s moves in Phoenix.
And, where had he been during dinner?
She kept thinking about the shimmer she’d seen around him. What did it signify? Could there possibly be emotions coming to life within him? This both worried her and excited her. One, who would cause those emotions? And two, would they be positive or negative?
She’d actually been quite enthusiastic to see Axel at dinner, and had been disappointed when he hadn’t shown. Had something happened in Phoenix to upset him? Could it be because she’d run a little late getting back to the car? He hadn’t seemed angry when she’d gone down to thank him, but maybe she should visit him again.
That thought put a grin on her face.
Although she’d always been intrigued by Axel’s lack of aura, she had heard the rumors that he’d never been right in the head. She’d never given much thought to what people meant by that. As far as she could tell, the male was extremely intelligent. She’d been watching him for months, and she knew that he studied everyone, and when he was present in a room, he listene
d to every word spoken. Because he never said a lot, most of the time, others in the silo ignored him. Yes, his lack of aura had always fascinated her, and she definitely paid more attention to him than anyone else.
The fact that he treated her differently than her father and brother made her heart beat in her chest a bit faster. But what did that mean? Did he think of her as different, as she thought of him? Perhaps he had become attracted to her?
She shook her head. It was a ridiculous thought, but an intriguing one. As she imagined those big hands caressing her arms, a chill ran down her spine.
Certainly, her sexual history had been limited, having been under her brother’s care for a hundred and fifty years. However, her body wasn’t completely ignorant of a man’s touch.
As she lay back on her new sky blue comforter, she sighed, unable to wipe the smile from her face. Her small taste of freedom had given her such joy. Overcoming her initial fear around the humans hadn’t been nearly as scary as she’d originally thought. They had been nice, often giving her tired smiles as they’d tried to corral their children. Benedict always said that if humans were to find out about them, they would kill them both. She’d lived in fear for so long, and to finally be able to let it go felt amazing, as if a ten-ton rock had been lifted from her chest. After all these years, she could freely walk around without the anxiety that had been instilled in her for as long as she could recall.
However, she did have to remember that not all humans were as kind and nice as those in the Science Center.
Her thoughts traveled back to her time in the government facility. Thankfully, she hadn’t been there very long. If it hadn’t been for Olivia, she doubted they would have ever escaped. She owed the woman—or, female, as the SR44ians in the silo said—her life. If Olivia hadn’t realized their mistreatment and led them out, Eden never would have experienced that beautiful taste of freedom that she’d had today. She tried to remember to thank God for Olivia when she prayed.
Standing, she walked into the bathroom to prepare for bed. After slipping on her nightgown, brushing her teeth, and washing her face, she stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes glowed a light yellow, reminding her of lemon chiffon pie. Her black hair hung straight, framing her face. She’d never really given any thought to her looks, because it had always been about surviving when with Benedict. Her appearance hadn’t been important. Now safe and sound, she really studied herself, and decided she would describe the person she saw in the mirror as pretty.
Did Axel find her pretty?
She scoffed at the thought. Ridiculous.
When she’d been rescued from the facility, it seemed like it had taken her a long time to get her feet under her, to simply be able to function with all the auras she saw. Now, she felt ready to move forward, and today had been a great step. She smiled at herself before turning off the light, excited about the new things the next day would bring.
Right before her eyes closed, she considered Axel again. That glimmer around him … it fascinated her, and she decided that she would take steps to get to know him better and to find out what had happened to suddenly make it appear.
Chapter 9
The next day, Axel stepped out into the cool fall morning and began walking through the desert, a small camouflage duffel bag over his shoulder. Today, he would practice with his knives—something he hadn’t done in a few weeks.
Although things had been quiet on the Colonist front, he’d learned long ago that life had the tendency to throw a lot of curve balls, and he knew with absolute certainty that those bastard Colonists or their offspring would soon be rising from whatever shit pit they’d been hiding in. They never stayed buried for long.
While most of the Warriors preferred to work out together, he liked honing his skills alone. He’d gotten along just fine keeping to himself for the past thousand years, and had no intention of changing his ways.
When he reached his destination, he set the bag on the ground and pulled off his T-shirt, dropping it on the desert floor. Although the air felt cool against his skin, he knew that in a few moments, he’d begin to sweat. After his workout, he’d be drenched.
Squatting down, he opened the bag and pulled out his knife holster, one he’d had specially made at a leather shop in Case Grande, a small town about forty-five minutes away from Phoenix. The guy also did saddles, boots, and gun holsters, and had been excited when Axel had described what he wanted. He had produced a work of art, and as Axel ran his fingers over the soft hide, his fingers grazed over the skull imprint.
He stood and strapped the holster onto his chest. Then, he reached down and lifted the knives out of the bag, slipping them two into the right side and two into the left of the leather bands.
Lifting his head, he gazed at his pretend enemies.
Four saguaro cacti stood around him in a semi-circle, and he couldn’t help but grin as he recalled the kids in the silo watching a show called Charlie Brown and he’d recognized his enemies. Today, he stared down each one, preparing his mind for the battle.
Going from left to right, he imagined his father, his brother, his mother, and the last one, he’d given the face of a Miladrid, one from a planet other than SR44.
The air stilled; the cries of the desert birds ceased. As he glared at his foes, his heart beat calmly while he became one with the quiet environment around him.
Soon, he would create chaos.
Wrapping his hand around two of the knives, he pulled them out, the blades making a soft sound as they kissed the leather.
Lunging to his left, he brought the tip of the blade to the cactus representing his father, but didn’t plunge it into the body. He spun and placed the knife at the Miladrid’s throat, while his foot lodged against his brother’s abdomen. Again, he did not let the blade enter the cactus flesh, nor did his boot connect with the thorny plant.
He imagined the fight as if it had really happened, as if he’d been able to defend himself —if he could have exacted the revenge he deserved.
His body moved in fluid motion, each of his limbs strong yet loose and able to deploy with ease. He never actually harmed the cacti that he pretended to be his enemies because they were living things. They didn’t deserve his wrath—not like the dead they represented.
As he faced his father again, he wished he could really bury his blade deep into the male, to hear him scream in agony, to watch him die a long, horrible, painful death.
He’d been young, all of the age of fifteen in human years. They’d been poor, and he’d often gone without the basic necessities, like nutrition. They lived in a two-bedroom abode deep in the worst area of SR44, the part where no one dared to venture without necessity.
He shared a room with his older brother, and he tried to keep a low profile, which had been easy as a small, undernourished child. As he remembered his moha, two words came to mind: empty and weak.
She’d never risen from the poverty she’d grown up in, and life had zapped her of any optimism. After fifteen hundred years, she basically went with whatever had been put before her—anything to help her live the next day. Survival at any cost…
And that included selling her son into sexual slavery.
He remembered the day as clear as the sky-blue skies above him now.
His father had dragged him from their home before the second moon had risen. Axel would never forget the look of his moha’s form as she watched him go. There hadn’t been any sadness wafting from her pinkish glow. There had been nothing; her emotions as dead and dark as he had become.
When his father had reached the outer limits of the city, he’d simply dropped Axel to the ground at the feet of the Miladrids.
As he’d looked up into oval, black face covered in blisters with pinpoints of white where the eyes should have been, he’d screamed for his father. When he’d turned around, Axel had only seen his form disappearing the way he’d come.
He’d cried out and tried to escape, but they’d caught him easily and hauled themselves back on
to their ship and quickly taken off. It was there he’d learned his fate.
When he stopped his assault, his whole body trembled, his skin slick with sweat. He stood still, a knife in each hand. As he slowly slid them back into the leather straps, a tingle went up his spine. He didn’t move.
She was here. He could feel Eden’s dark stare on him, and he didn’t know whether to call out to her, or to let her think he was unaware she spied on him.
He unbuckled the holster and slipped it off, then bent down and placed it back in the bag along with his T-shirt. Standing, he could still sense her presence, and he wondered how long she’d been watching him. For some reason, it bothered him that she’d possibly seen him trying to work through his past, trying to erase it by pretending the stupid cacti were his family. Of course, she didn’t know that he’d given each of the plants a name and a face, but he imagined the brutality with which he’d delivered his blows would be shocking to such a soft and delicate female.
Turning, he glanced around, not seeing her.
“I know you’re here, Eden,” he called out as he picked up his bag and shirt.
After a moment, he wondered if he’d been wrong, but then she showed herself from behind a rock. Her dark hair looked beautiful cascading around her blue turtleneck, her long legs encased in a pair of tight jeans. She twisted her hands in front of her as she approached him, looking like a child who had just been caught feeding her broccoli to the dog.
His heartbeat picked up, and the center of his chest ached. As he rubbed his sternum, it felt as if he suddenly had a boulder placed over his heart. Her beauty simply took his breath away, and how he longed to feel her hair threading through his fingers. He imagined it being so soft—like satin. But, she deserved better than him, someone like Chance or Kade. A male who had all his ducks lined up in a neat row, one who could experience the good emotions a happy life could bring.
Axel Page 4