His hand tangles in my hair as he lures me closer. My hands explore his broad shoulders and back. If I could crawl inside him I would, such is the strength of my need to be as one with him. Every stroke of his tongue, every glide of his lips, tells me how much he loves me, and I wish I could stay sheltered in his embrace for eternity. He is all I’ll ever need. All I want.
“Ahem.”
We jump apart, both startled at the intrusion.
The VP looms over us, a cheesy smirk on his face. “You wish to speak with me, Crown Prince?”
Logan fixes his hair and carefully lifts me off his lap. He stands up. “If you can spare a few moments.”
“Of course. This way.” The VP gestures with his hand, and Logan steps into his office, turning at the last minute to slyly wink at me. The VP closes the door behind them, and I return to my desk at the far side of the room, grinning like a spaced-out idiot.
Fifteen minutes later, the door opens wide and Logan reappears. “I have to go, but you don’t need to worry. The VP will locate your brother and sister and ensure they’re released. He has promised to keep me updated.”
Rising, I move around the desk and cuddle him. “Thank you so much.” Little pockets of stress flit away. I peek up at him, smiling my gratitude.
He lowers his lips to mine and kisses me tenderly, pinning me with a loving gaze. “I know you have concerns about the future, Sadie.” He tucks my hair behind my ears, and my skin sizzles where his fingertips make contact. “And I totally understand why. But once we are Eterno connected, none of the other stuff will matter. Trust me on that, and know that I’ll do everything in my power to smooth the transition for you. The last thing I want is for you to worry about anything. I want you to be happy. Carefree.”
I don’t bother telling him that’s an impossibility.
He cups my face in his hands and kisses me one last time. “Don’t forget how much I love you. Stay safe, Angel. I’ll call you later.”
I watch his retreating back, already feeling bereft.
The VP calls me into his office a few minutes later. “Take a seat, Sadie.” I sag into the chair and straighten my spine. “Logan has asked for my assistance in locating your brother and sister. He tells me they have been sent to Sector Twenty to help us with our inquiries.”
My fingers trace the edge of the seat. Logan obviously hasn’t divulged the fact that I know exactly what’s going on in that facility, so I play along. “I believe so. At least, that’s what my mother has stated.”
“Ah, yes, your mother,” he says, inspecting his fingernails. “From what I’ve seen in your file, I don’t believe she has earned the right to that title. Am I wrong?”
Discerning eyes latch on mine as an intense tremor rocks my body. He’s seen my file? I suppose it’s not that unusual when he’s recruiting new members to his team. I try to quiet the alarm bells ringing in my head.
“No.” I’m determined to say as little as possible in case I slip up.
He taps a finger against his lips. “I’ll ask around about your siblings, but I can make no promises, you understand.”
Skin prickles on the back of my neck. I’m fairly certain that wasn’t the agreement he made with Logan, but I’ll have to wait until later to ask him. For now, I’ll continue to perform the part. “I appreciate your efforts, sir.” I move to rise but he motions me to remain seated. A new layer of stress replaces the previous one.
“The crown prince is very taken with you. He has informed me that he intends to make you his bride. I assume you are aware of this.” He cocks his head to the side.
A thrill whips through me at his spoken confirmation. While I know that’s what Logan means when he talks about us Eterno bonding, there’s no substitute for hearing the sentiment repeated by an outsider. It makes the commitment more real, in one sense. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s superb news. If we are to prolong our working relationship with the Saven into the future, fostering strong alien-human relations will be critical to our mutual success. Having a human crowned Saven princess will be a phenomenal step forward. Well done, Sadie.”
“Um, thanks.” I squirm in my seat, hugely uncomfortable with the direction this conversation is taking.
“My government will support you in any way we can. Starting right now.” My government? Last time I checked, he was only the vice president. “I’ve arranged to have your official social status altered. We can’t have someone of your caliber remain a member of the lower class. If you’ll attend the doctor’s station on the eighteenth floor, they will remove your star tattoo and replace it with your new bullion tattoo. The paperwork will be finalized shortly. Congratulations, Sadie. You are now an official member of the upper class.”
I blink several times, completely dazed. I don’t know how to respond.
“You’re welcome.” The VP titters at my disorientated state.
My brain empties, grappling to adjust to this latest development. “I, um, thank you, sir.”
I stumble out of his office into the corridor and take the elevator to the eighteenth floor as if on autopilot. The receptionist is waiting for me, and she asks me to take a seat while the doctor makes the final preparations. This seems so surreal, and it’s happening so fast that my brain can’t even comprehend how I feel about it. It’s only when I’m lying on the bed in the doctor’s room that my brain reengages. This isn’t right. I hop up, surprising the woman. “I’ve changed my mind,” I tell her as her eyes stretch wide. She opens her mouth to speak, but I’m already halfway out of the room.
I return to the VP’s office and knock on the door. He calls me in, unhooking his comm-clip as I take a seat. “That was the doctor. What’s going on, Sadie.”
“Thank you very much for your kind gesture, sir, but I can’t accept.” I clench my hands in my lap.
“Why on earth not?” He eyeballs me suspiciously.
“I can only accept my freedom when all stars are offered the same option.”
His eyes narrow to slits as he splays his hands on the desk. “I didn’t take you for a zealot.”
“I’m not,” I protest. “But it hardly seems fair that I’ve been offered this opportunity when my friends, family, and co-workers are all trapped in the same life. I’m very grateful for the offer, and for what you are doing for my sister and brother, but I have to do what feels right.”
“Hmm.” He raps his fingers lightly off the desk. “This displeases me greatly.”
Nausea builds at the back of my throat, and a deep-seated unease rattles my conviction. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, sir,” I admit, but I don’t back down.
“You do understand that it may take weeks, if not longer, to identify your siblings, and I don’t know how far we’ll have advanced their inquiries at that stage.” There’s no mistaking the silent threat, or the fact that he assumes I know exactly what’s going on in Sector Twenty, and that he doesn’t like to be refused.
It marks a defining moment in our working relationship.
Though I’m terrified, I refuse to bow down to him. I won’t be blackmailed.
Logan won’t be pleased to learn how the VP is already apparently reneging on his word and attempting to manipulate me. Besides, he isn’t my only option. Now that I’ve drawn attention to my siblings, it’s imperative that Jarod and I pursue our plans. There’s no time to delay.
Haydn is waiting in the Autovee at the end of the working day. I trundle home feeling like a dead bolt is latched to my back. The only bright spark is Jarod’s succinct message confirming we are all systems go for Friday.
Stepping into the apartment, I shriek at the unexpected figure awaiting me. My gut roils with liquefied fear, but I school my features into a neutral line. King Adjani is standing in front of the fire, his hands clasped inflexibly behind his back.
“My king,” Haydn says, entering behind me. He does that stupid half-bow thing, but I hold my posture intact. He’s not my king yet, and I’ve had just about enough of authority figures tr
ying to bend me to their will today.
“Ah, Ms. Owens,” the king says, smiling politely as he turns to face us. “I’m glad you’re here.” He strides toward me with purpose. His eyes bore into mine, and that habitual harsh, inhumane glare accosts me, solidifying the blood in my veins. The alien king gives me major heebie-jeebies. He shepherds me in front of him. “You need to come with me.”
CHAPTER 5
“Sir,” Haydn speaks up, “May I be permitted to accompany Sadie? The crown prince was very insistent that I never leave her side.”
“I imagine he was.” The king looks pensive.
“May I ask where we’re going and for what purpose, sir?” I pose the question.
He looks at me with an obvious fake smile on his face. “My advisors are investigating the Eterno connection between you and my son, and they’d like to run a few tests.”
I flinch with uninhibited fear, and little sweat beads dot my brow. The king surveys me quizzically. “I assure you, it is nothing to be overly concerned about. And your bodyguard may attend. Follow us, Officer Rox.”
The king jabs a button on his comport as his arm circles my waist. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping to avoid the anticipated disorientation. My lifeless body floats like Jell-O as the movement of air swirls around me. My eyes remain shuttered for a tense thirty seconds.
All the weight returns to my limbs as my feet land on solid ground. “It’s okay, Sadie,” Haydn says at my ear, placing a reassuring hand around my waist. “We’re here.”
My eyelids flutter rapidly as I adjust to the sight. I quickly scan my surroundings. We are on an elevated metallic platform in front of a row of workstations. Several men and women—Saven, I presume—attired in shiny silver jumpsuits with strange blue wraparound glasses sit in front of holographic screens. Flicking through images in quick succession, they tap soundlessly on whisper-thin keypads. You could hear a pin drop in the room, and it’s straight-up weird.
The platform silently lowers as I stare warily at my feet. The pressure of Haydn’s hand on my back steadies me. “Follow me, please.” The king leads the way, and we take up the rear. Walking out of the control room, we enter a wide passageway which bends and curls successively the farther we walk. I attract my fair share of attention from the steady stream of Saven who pass us on both sides of the corridor. Growing more and more self-conscious with every step I take, I covertly scrub my sweaty palms over the front of my pants. All the surfaces are glossy white, and my shoes squeak on the floors as we walk.
The king falls back to stroll alongside me. “We are on the STSS, Ms. Owens. I presume my son explained about our main mode of transportation.”
“Partly, sir. He told me this ship was the main form of travel for large groups, and in most other instances, teleporting was the preferred option.”
“That is correct. However, the Saven Space Transportation System is more than a simple means of traveling from one side of the galaxy to the other. It is also our main control center and the hub for communications and technological management and scientific research. It is operational twenty-four-seven, and when not in transit mode like we presently are, it resides over the sky in Saven. I wanted to ensure you were in the best possible hands, and our most experienced advisors are on board this ship. This way.” He gesticulates for me to go ahead of him, as a slim bronze door glides open in front of us.
I walk into a large open-plan room with a long narrow desk at one end, manned by a pretty girl with strange shimmering amber-colored eyes. I try not to stare. Several empty rows of chairs are lined up on the other side of the space, and Haydn steers me toward this area. My chin elevates as I notice the panoramic window, and my breath snakes out in astonished bursts. My feet move to the window as my eyes latch on the enthralling sight.
Two planets are visible from this position, the closer, larger one seeming to dwarf the smaller one in the distance. A gazillion tiny bright lights twinkle in the inky black backdrop of outer space. A blinding golden light monopolizes the view. Bright yellowish-gold rays jut out at uneven intervals like the largest, most dazzling star, its reach extending for thousands of miles.
“It’s an amazing view.” The king materializes at my side.
“It’s incredible.” I’m audibly awestruck, and a genuine smile slips over the king’s mouth. It’s the first time he has reacted naturally in my presence.
“I need to speak with the advisor. It shouldn’t take too long to set things up.” He pats my arm. “Officer Rox will wait with you.”
“Okay.” I can scarcely tear my eyes from the view to acknowledge him, and I don’t even notice when he exits the room.
I don’t know how long I stand there, mesmerized. To think all this will become commonplace is unfathomable.
“I used to spend hours staring out the window looking at Earth in the frame,” a quiet voice says, luring me back to the present. “Look,” the woman says, pointing her finger in a northerly direction. “That’s Earth there in the distance. The one that looks like a giant blue and green soccer ball.”
I chuckle. Turning to the side, I smile at the woman with the copper-colored hair. Although I only met her one time—when she attended the Gala Event in Thalassic City with Logan—I instantly remember her. Hard not to. She’s the closest thing Logan has to a mother. “Evana. It’s lovely to see you again.”
“I assure you, Sadie, the pleasure is all mine.” She pulls me into a bear hug, taking me by surprise. Her grip is strong, and I try to relax into her embrace, but I’ve never been a great hugger. “I’ve missed human contact,” she whispers in my ear. Easing back, she shoots me a wide smile, taking my hand. “Come. Let me show you my quarters.”
“Dr. Taylor,” Haydn interrupts. “The king has requested Sadie attend some tests and I believe she’ll be called imminently. It’s imperative she remain in the room.”
“My dear boy,” she says, pinching Haydn’s cheek. “Always dutiful, always so honorable. I’m proud of you, Haydn.” He flushes and I chortle at his obvious discomfort. He flings a mock scowl my way. “But I’m stealing Sadie for five minutes whether you like it or not. Teleport to my room when she’s summoned.”
He offers no further argument, and Evana leads me to her personal chambers. “Take a seat, my dear,” she says, gesturing toward the plush velour couch. I float into the downy luxury, nearly swallowed whole. Evana is hunched over a desk in the corner, scribbling furiously. “Would you like a drink?” she asks as she hurries toward me, holding a piece of white paper in front of her torso.
The king is up to something. BE VERY CAREFUL.
I gulp. “No thank you, I’m fine,” I reply to her spoken question, as I nod and reach for the pen.
“Would you like to listen to some traditional Saven music?” Evana asks as I jot down my response.
“That would be lovely.”
I hold the page up. Do you know what he’s testing me for? It’s not to do with the Eterno connection, is it?
She shakes her head as she speaks. “Play Nutanto Lyrica,” she commands the empty air, and a strange melody starts up, filling the four corners of the room.
I’ve a friend on the Royal Advisory Council. He said there was some anomaly with the blood sample taken from you on Earth.
Ah-ha. I knew there had to be a reason why the king wanted a sample taken from Jarod and me the day we were captured in the underwater colony construction site.
“It’s different,” I say, continuing the charade. “But I like it.”
Evana scrunches up the page and feeds it to a mini-shredder-type device on her desk. She hands me a fresh blank page.
What kind of anomaly? I don’t understand.
She shrugs, raising her palms in front of her.
You need to tell Logan. He’ll find out what’s going on and put a stop to it.
I bob my head, attempting to derail my mounting panic.
THANK YOU.
She disposes of this page before grabbing another clean sheet. She withdraws
a sealed envelope from a drawer in her desk and hands it to me.
Can you deliver this to my son?
My head nods vigorously. I’m willing to do just about anything to help her. Logan has previously explained how his father has promised to release Evana after the conscience transfer has succeeded. He told her he would arrange to send her back in time. If she’s giving me this letter now, it can only be because she suspects he isn’t going to honor that promise. My heart aches for her, and I feel her grief as acutely as if it were my own. I can’t help comparing her transparent yearning for her child with my own mother’s reaction. Evana’s entire being craves a reunion with her son. My mother can’t wash her hands of me quick enough. The wrenching difference couldn’t be more telling, or more hurtful.
His name is Glenn Taylor, and he would be in his mid-thirties now. We were living in Seattle though I’m not sure if my husband, John, moved after I vanished. He was an engineer with Techex Corp.
I take the pen. I’ll find him.
With Jarod’s help, I’ve no doubt I can locate his whereabouts, and it’s the least I can do for her after everything she has done for Logan, and everything she means to him.
I place the envelope in my inner jacket pocket, zipping it securely in place.
Watch your back with the king. He will never permit you to Eterno connect with Logan. He hates humans.
I shudder uncontrollably as the extent of the danger I’m in hits home. I’ve no idea what the king has really planned for today. For all I know, he could be preparing to administer a lethal injection. But it’s not as if I can easily extricate myself from this situation.
Saven Disclosure (The Saven Series Book 2) Page 7