Daughter of Destiny

by HC Playa

  "Where’s Kat?"

  "Sleeping."

  Naia quirked an eyebrow at him. "It’s one-thirty."

  Zane gave her a cocky grin. "We had a late night."

  "She never misses work. Ever."

  He crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, Mommy, she did call in."

  She glared at him. "There’s no reason to be patronizing."

  Zane just smiled and continued to block the doorway.

  "Move out of my way so I can come in." She tensed and Zane suspected she might try to dodge past him if he didn't let her in. He rolled his eyes. Naia wasn’t going to be satisfied until she saw Katarina. He was about to move out of her way when he remembered Katarina’s state of undress.

  "Wait a minute."

  He shut the door in Naia’s face. Zane retrieved a blanket from the bedroom. He wasn’t going to be the one to wake her. She needed the rest. She pushed herself too hard too often. A satisfied grin plastered across his face again. He found one way to keep her in bed and hopefully he could manage to do that regularly for the next two months if she agreed to come with him.

  He covered her with the blanket. She shifted positions, tossing in her sleep. He kissed her brow and she quieted. Zane rose and went back to let Naia in.

  ***

  Naia stalked into the room after sending the alien an icy glare. She pulled up short. Katarina was indeed sleeping. A bare arm hung off the sofa, making it apparent that her friend was quite naked under the blanket. The clothes strewn on the floor confirmed Kat wasn’t sleeping there because she let Zane have the bedroom either. Even though she figured last night Kat and Zane might end up having sex, it still came as a bit of a surprise. She couldn't envision Kat flinging aside her infamous self-control as casually as she had the bra lying on the floor near the coffee table.

  Naia went over and shook Katarina's shoulder. "Kat, wake up."

  "Mm?"

  As soon as Katarina blinked open her eyes Naia turned and snagged the remote from the coffee table. She turned the television on. The station didn't matter. All of them were broadcasting the same thing.

  "Authorities are urging people to refrain from traveling as a measure of precaution. Please keep in mind that vaccinated individuals can still serve as carriers."

  "Where?" Katarina asked.

  Naia turned. "Chicago. I called George and he said the CDC has traced it to some guy from India who came to the states to visit family. India's been slow to get the vaccines out to their rural populations."

  Katarina sat up and rested her head on her knees. The afghan fell away showing her bare back. Zane left the room and Naia thought he did so to give them privacy, but moments later he returned with Katarina's bathrobe. He draped it around her shoulders and perched on the edge of the sofa.

  "Travel isn't a good idea right now," Naia said.

  He glanced at the television. "Coran said I'm fine. He compared the genetic structure to those of our standard inoculations. It has a ninety-eight percent match to the Rhodesian Plague."

  Katarina slipped her arms into her robe and then tossed the afghan aside. "You're still a possible carrier and the current vaccine isn't safe enough for children under two or immune-suppressed individuals. I advise against travelling to India as well. I wish I could take time to help you, but I have a treatment regimen to improve."

  "I called the techs in as soon as I heard. I have them reanalyzing the viral RNA samples."

  Katarina nodded. She bent over and retrieved her bra from the floor. The far-away look on her face told Naia that already Kat's mind was scrolling through the data in her head. Naia stepped back when Zane got up, figuring he wanted a moment to say goodbye.

  "I need you, Katarina."

  Katarina closed her eyes and Naia stared, shocked that Katarina didn't immediately snap at him. A part of her rejoiced that finally Katarina felt something deeply enough to distract her from the consuming focus on work, but the timing and man responsible for the distraction boded ill. Naia wandered over to the kitchen and busied herself by getting a glass of water, but she could still hear them and the little window over the counter provided her with a clear view.

  "I can't, Zane. I'm very close to getting a treatment that will cure this virus."

  "And if you could do that?"

  "If I knew for certain one was found, then yes, I'd leave it in the hands of other people and go to a black hole if that's where you wanted to go." For a long minute Zane stared at the ceiling as Katarina resumed dressing.

  "I think I can help."

  Katarina halted in the act of zipping up her skirt. "What?"

  He walked across the living room, picked up his small pack, and then pulled out a handheld computer. He fiddled with something on the screen and then after a long pause held it out to Katarina.

  Naia hurried into the living room and peered around Katarina. The screen displayed the RNA sequence and other information of an engineered retrovirus. Unlike Katarina, she couldn't recall entire gene sequences from memory. "Is it the same?"

  Katarina stared at the screen, scrolling down and reading for long minutes before she finally responded. "I never thought of using the selenium analogues to decrease the wobble and improve specificity. At these doses toxicity shouldn't be an issue either." She looked up and excitement blazed in her eyes. "This should work, Naia. All I have to do is change the small bits of sequence that are different to match Reaper and we'll have a virus that can excise the Reaper RNA and repair the DNA damage. This reports an eighty-five percent survival rate. Eighty-five percent, Naia!"

  Naia grinned at Katarina's excitement. She expected her sister to rush out the door. Instead, Katarina closed the distance with Zane and rewarded him with a kiss that made Naia blush. Naia coughed and averted her gaze.

  "Thank you, Zane. Give me a week to get this started and I'll do whatever you need me to after that."

  He wrapped his arms around her and nodded. "I'm doing this for myself as much as for the mission." He and Katarina exchanged a long silent look. Zane's eyes seemed haunted until Katarina reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. The adoration in his gaze when he looked down at Katarina sent a stab of unease through Naia. That expression bespoke deeper emotion than mere lust.

  Naia didn't see this ending well for either of them, but it was not her place to point that out. She headed toward the door. "I'll be at the lab." Lost in each other, Naia doubted they even heard her. She suspected an entire conversation took place between them beyond her perception. She closed the door behind her, praying that the man from outer-space didn't destroy her sister's heart.

  ***

  Zane kissed her forehead and then released her. Katarina finished dressing and pinned her hair back. She glanced around the living room and realized Naia was gone. A pang of guilt pricked her for ignoring Naia.

  "She's worried about you. She'd understand you better if you trusted her with the truth."

  Katarina didn’t need to ask what Zane meant. He saw the things that haunted her just as she saw the dark horrors tormenting his soul. "It’s not that I don’t trust her. I just don’t want to hurt her. She has this rose colored memory of my parents she uses to soften the pain of her past. I don’t want to take that away."

  Zane walked up behind her and stroked her hair. "I know, but in the end your trust will mean more to her." He kissed her cheek. "Go. I'll work with Coran via your internet and plan out where we should go."

  For the first time ever she regretted having to go in to work. She smiled over her shoulder and blew him a kiss before heading out the door. "I'll hurry back."

  Chapter 7

  In less time than estimated Katarina had her altered gene therapy treatment in testing and then joined him on the route he and Coran devised. She helped him submerse into the cultures; experience them. Living them was the most accurate method of interpreting a culture. Zane documented everything with Katarina's help. When the two months neared an end, he compiled enough information to keep an army of historians busy
for decades. He and Katarina avoided mentioning his looming departure, but as he attempted to relax now that the mission was all but finished, that fact haunted him.

  The sun beat down on the California beach, warming the sand beneath him. He closed his eyes and tried to let his worries go for the moment. Today was supposed to be for them. In two days he and Coran would be on their way out of Earth's solar system. A salty moist breeze caressed his skin and he breathed deeply, trying to etch the moment in his mind. Noisy white birds flew overhead and equally noisy youngsters played in the sand, adding a pleasant background that blended with the roar of the waves.

  Zane sensed Katarina’s approach long before her shadow blocked out the sun. He raised a hand to block the glare and opened his eyes. He almost wished he hadn’t. Clad in a bright floral two-piece bikini, the suit left no doubt about her alluring curves. Zane glanced around. Every male eye in the vicinity, except for one man who snored under his umbrella, focused on her. It was a painful reminder that Katarina would have a world of men around her when he left. He reached out and clasped her hand, needing a physical way to claim her in front of the others. Her hand in his eased the ache in his heart.

  Zane forced a laugh. "I guess I should feel lucky I have the most beautiful woman here. The other men can’t take their eyes off of you." Zane frowned. "How do you deal with it?"

  Katarina sat down beside him. "I ignore them. Most guys won’t make a move unless you give them a little encouragement."

  Zane harrumphed and Katarina laughed at his response.

  "Besides, it isn’t as if women don’t stare at you with lust in their eyes. Look over there." She nodded with her head to indicate several women ranging in age from late teens well into middle age. "The teens I can understand. Right now they pant after any decent looking guy. What irks me are the older women. See the gray-haired woman in the blue t-shirt? Those are her grandchildren she’s watching. She’s got a ring on her left hand too. Does that stop her from ogling you? Not at all."

  It helped knowing she felt the same insecurity he did. Zane toyed with a lock of Katarina’s hair the wind had teased out from her bun. He grinned. "Maybe I should give them a better show." He stood up in one fluid movement and less than a minute later, he was slicing through the water with smooth powerful strokes. The adrenaline pumping through his veins chased away the momentary melancholy.

  ***

  Katarina forgot to be annoyed, as the beauty of Zane’s movements entranced her. How could she blame the poor women? It was impossible not to watch him. Since she knew how those strong hands felt on her skin, it wasn’t surprising she was mesmerized more than anyone else.

  The beach held far fewer people than normal for the season, but she took comfort that this outbreak didn't cause riots and panic. The news listed less than a dozen deaths. In addition, the reports Naia sent filled her with hope that finally people could live without the Reaper virus forever lurking in the shadows.

  Katarina jolted and nearly yelped when a hand touched her shoulder.

  "Excuse me, miss."

  She craned her head up. A man stood silhouetted against the sun.

  "Yes?" Katarina couldn’t believe it when the man sat down next to her. About the same height as Zane, but leaner in build, not a flicker of attraction sparked. Other women might find his blond angelic looks stunning. She just wanted him to go.

  "Your friend is quite a swimmer."

  Katarina shifted on the blanket. Her maneuver served the dual purpose of turning toward him while also putting more space between them. She gave him a stare that made most men turn tail and run. "What do you want?"

  He looked out at the ocean for so long Katarina wondered if the man was stoned. She caught the movement of his eyes behind his sunglasses as he flicked a glance toward her. "You do that well."

  "Do what?"

  He didn’t answer. She clenched her jaw, evidence of her rising temper. He turned to face her and a strange, but familiar sensation shot through her. She opened her senses, even tapping into the deeper power she still feared unleashing. When her probing senses brushed up against his, a smile spread across his face.

  "Perhaps my advice isn’t needed after all."

  "I didn’t ask for any." She laced her voice with as much condescension as she could. She didn't dare betray her apprehension. Katarina suspected what, if not who, this man was. The power she sensed was strong enough, but not proof positive. She met one like him before, so she knew a good look at the man’s eyes would tell her one way or other, but asking him to remove his sunglasses would tip her hand.

  The man cocked his head to the side and studied her. She stared back.

  "You block well. I can’t read you, but I can guess that right now you are just itching to take these glasses off my face. Aren’t you?"

  "Kraghak," she muttered under her breath. The crease of the man’s brow let her know he was frowning.

  "A lady should never talk that way. Where did you learn that? That language isn’t even spoken on this world."

  Katarina covered her face with the palm of her hand. What were the odds he would know alien curse words? If not for the power emanating from him, she might think he was another alien, but she recognized those angelic features and the shimmer of magic. Magic left a distinct energetic impression. Her mother demonstrated how to look for it, and over the years, as with most things her mother taught her, Katarina far surpassed her mother's skills.

  Katarina sighed. For some unknown reason she drew the attention of a faerie. If her mother were still living, she would have been urging Katarina to take note of as many things as she could. While her mother's studies in the realm of extrasensory perception and neurobiology garnered her both acclaim and criticism, her real passion lay in uncovering the truths behind myths such as those related to the Fae.

  "Okay, let’s drop the pretense. I know what you are. Did you feel the need to chat with a lowly human, or is there some point to all of this?"

  Katarina wanted to laugh at the muscle tic in his jaw. For an otherworldly creature it was a surprisingly human reaction. She bit the inside of her jaw to keep from grinning.

  "You would not speak so if you knew who I was."

  "Wanna bet?" The words popped out of her mouth. Good going, Kat, she told herself. Piss him off more. To her surprise, the faerie laughed. If she had any doubts before, his inhuman laughter confirmed he was a bona fide Tuatha de’ Dannan. Katarina couldn’t help but glance around to see if anyone noticed the hair-raising sound.

  "They can’t see me."

  "Oh, great. I’m sitting here talking to thin air. I wonder if anyone’s called for the men in white jackets yet."

  The faerie took off the sunglasses, allowing Katarina to see his swirling iridescent eyes. She caught herself before she frowned. She felt a fleeting connection, a swirl of emotions that made no sense whatsoever.

  He waved his hand, dismissing her concern. "I took care of that as well. Anyone looking at you sees you on your back sunbathing. The Fae would never do anything to harm you, Katarina."

  Great, just great, he knew who she was as well. A possibility occurred to her. "Are you the one who's been spying on me?"

  His eyes widened just a bit and his jaw started to go slack before he caught himself and masked his surprise. "Whatever do you mean?"

  "Oh, drop the act. It was you. What interest am I to the Fae, or to you in particular?"

  "I can't answer that Katarina. Not yet." He looked out on the water where Zane floated on his back. "I'm trying to help you, but an oath restricts both what I can say and do. I can tell you that time is growing short and the moment for a decision will soon be at hand." He turned back to her. "Let go of your fear, Katarina. If you don't, many lives, including your consort's, will be lost. Think long and hard and you'll find the answer to the questions burning inside."

  Katarina opened her mouth to ask him to explain, but he vanished. She cursed out loud. "Get back here." Nothing happened. "You arrogant, cryptic, bastard, ge
t your butt back here and explain!" Her tirade went unanswered. The faerie's illusion vanished with him and her actions caught the attention of the people near her. She glared at them and they looked away.

  "Katarina? What's wrong?"

  She waved at Zane, pasting a smile on her face and burying her unease where he couldn't see it. "Nothing. It was just an annoying vendor. I chased him off."

  "I'm coming in."

  "No, don't cut your swim short. The problem vanished, poof. Enjoy yourself. You'll be cooped up in a ship for the next few weeks."

  Zane didn't answer right away. Her reminder that his time on Earth was at an end hung heavy between them. "I'll swim for another few minutes. Then we can go get something to eat."

  She clamped down on a surge of nausea at the thought of food and summoned up a memory of sitting beside him, content and happy. She broadcasted that feeling to him, hoping to put him at ease. Katarina lay down on her beach towel, baking in the sun, and wished her body had waited a couple more days before turning traitor.

  ***

  Her subdued mood lasted the rest of the day. It took all her effort to hide her morning sickness. She didn't bother bemoaning her lapse of common sense. It was rather late for that. Instead, she focused on keeping the knowledge hidden deep within her mind because Zane was a man of duty. She would not trap him into betraying his oaths and the laws he worked to uphold. She couldn't live with another loved one growing to hate her. She knew he feared his government might somehow find out about her and hunt her down, but she highly doubted they'd travel all the way to a technologically backwater planet to kill off a single woman. More likely, they'd kill Zane, and that worried her far more, which was yet another reason he had to complete his mission as planned.