by Jenn Nixon
“You are certainly strong enough, however, the decision to be a Conduit should not be made without considering all the factors. Rivia kept helpful information in her ship, if you’d like to know more.”
“I would.”
“Good.” Caelum reached over, picked up his glass, and finished his wine with a big swig. “A fine blend.”
“Yeah, it’s a local place, not bad.”
“I enjoyed our time together, Sanjeeta.”
“Me too.”
He rose from the couch, so she did too, blocking the way for a minute, not that it really mattered because he’d blip out anytime he wanted. When he grinned down at her, her cheeks flushed. “I hope to see you tomorrow.”
“Come get me before you go to the MIND base.”
“You have work in the morning, correct?”
Sanjeeta frowned. “Crap. Forgot about that for a minute.”
“You are very amusing,” Caelum chuckled.
“Right back ‘atcha, in a completely different, alien kinda way.” She shrugged and walked him to the door. After pulling it open, he stepped into the hallway and looked back. “I know the team has me on message alert, but if you hear anything…”
“You will be the first person I contact.”
“Thank you.” She rested her head on the door, wishing he didn’t have to leave. “Have a good night.”
“And you,” he said, turning. He paused, looked back. “Should you have trouble sleeping, reach out.”
“I will.”
In the next second, he was gone. Although his energy faded from the room, she still felt him near. Not as strong as the link, yet enough to know he was there. For now, it was enough. She had a crap load of information to process.
Sanjeeta never had crazy fantasies or dreams of far off lands and grand adventures. As a kid of the 00s and 10s she just wanted what everyone else did, acceptance, a place to fit in. Internet culture had made it easier to find casual friends with similar interests. Conversely, everyone felt so far away. Since she hated to fly, she didn’t travel outside the States. Didn’t even go with her parents to see India despite wanting to see the land her parents migrated from with her own eyes. Now, she could be in California before she finished sneezing. Well, with help from her new friends.
After a quick shower, Sanjeeta settled into bed with her tablet, checking her various email accounts, including her boss, and logged into work’s cloud to get a jump-start on some of her crap for tomorrow, knowing she wasn’t anywhere near tired.
Chapter Fifteen
When the base doors opened and Dina walked in carrying a plate of cheese and crackers along with a grape soda, a smile lit his face. Liam teleported to the lounge. She smirked and altered her path, taking the cozy chair opposite the loveseat. He picked up a piece of cheese and popped it into his mouth before sitting down.
“What did Aime find?” she asked, opening the soda and taking a sip before passing it over.
“Marjorie’s DNA came up in the unit’s database.”
“Shit. Wait, would they even know to look for visitor genes?”
“Not to my knowledge and since she’s not psychic…”
“But you know how I feel about coincidences.”
“I do, which is why I contacted Duncan. He suggested we invite Connor to the base.”
“Oh,” Dina said, furrowing her brow. He knew talking to Duncan’s former underling in the psychic unit couldn’t hurt. At the very least, he’d provide information they didn’t have access to, and thanks to Aime it wasn’t much. Still people knew more than they wrote up in reports and put on the record. She seemed to mull it over. “What did you say?”
“He’ll be here for breakfast, Bates, Duncan, and Theo as well.”
“Maybe I’ll skip this one.”
Liam sighed. “That will only make things more awkward. He’s already decided to keep his distance from us, which I vehemently disagree with, but I’m not the one to convince him.”
“Why haven’t you asked?”
“My imagination is more than enough, Dina.”
“She wasn’t in love with him, all she wanted was you,” Dina sighed, tearing up as she struggled to breathe. “I don’t want that to be my future, Liam.”
He teleported to her and knelt down. “And we’ll change it, somehow, someway.”
Dina grabbed his hand, taking his energy. She took too much too fast and Liam wobbled. Retreating, she slapped both hands over her face. “I hate this. I hate it.”
“Shh,” Liam cooed, wrapping her up in his embrace, smoothing the hair on the back of her head, ignoring the ache in his chest. “Let’s go back upstairs, love.”
They were in the bedroom when Dina finally pulled her hands away. She sat down on the bed, still unmade from this morning and stared out the balcony window. He kicked off his shoes and jeans before getting into bed. He brushed against her mind. She settled against him, warming his body with her energy.
Liam ran his hand up and down her back, making her quiver every time he neared the nape of her neck. He slowed his hand during the next stroke, rubbed little circles on her skin and slid his fingers through her hair. Dina sucked in a sharp breath, tilting her head to meet his eyes. When her hand touched his cheek, Liam leaned close to kiss her. She pressed her body against him, intensify the kissing, wrapping her arm around his neck. The quivering turned to sharp shakes. He drew back, looked into her eyes, and saw how tired she was. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
She didn’t say a word and snuggled close, shivering every few moments despite the warmth flowing between their bodies. Eventually her breathing eased and her muscles relaxed. He followed her to sleep soon afterward.
***
Dina murmured. Liam rolled sideways and opened his eyes. She had her hands bunched under her chin as she lay in the fetal position. He reached over and brushed the bangs from her face. Her lids flew open. She smiled.
“What?” he asked lifting his head from the pillow.
“No dream, no memories,” she said. “What time is it?”
Liam glanced over his shoulder. “Three twenty.”
“Not great,” she yawned. “But it’s a start.”
“There’s no reason to go to base this early,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “Will you stay for another hour or two?”
Dina set her head on his chest and sighed softly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
***
The second time he woke, he saw the balcony door open. After seeing it was still early, he kicked off the covers, got up, and went to the doorway. The most beautiful, fascinating female he’d ever met had her face pointed toward the sunrise, palming the railing as a gentle breeze lifted her hair. He didn’t know what he’d have to do to change what she’d seen, but Liam was ready for just about anything.
What time is it? she asked without turning back.
Five-thirty. How long have you been awake?
Only a few minutes.
Feeling better?
So much better. She turned, indeed looking well rested and closer to normal. Think Caelum will do another session soon?
“He said whenever you were ready.” Liam nodded, watching her carefully. “Just have to coordinate with him and Sanjeeta. Did we tell you? She works in a pet shop.”
“Aw, really? Maybe we should get a dog.”
“In Manhattan? That seems unfair.”
“Yeah, true,” she replied, shrugging as she approached. He opened his arms, wrapping them around her when she neared. She breathed in deeply. “I don’t want to sleep without you ever again, Liam.”
His mouth ticked as he glanced down. “I’d promise you forever if I could, love.”
“I know,” she said, rose up on her toes and kissed him softly. “So are we cooking breakfast or ordering?”
Liam brushed his fingers down her cheek. “Up to you, gorgeous.”
“Bagels and muffins.” Dina grinned, breaking from his hold and moving to her dresser. She put on
a t-shirt and sweats over her shorts.
“I’ll make the arrangements.”
“What time will they be here?”
“Seven,” Liam said, following her move and donning sweatpants for now. She led the way to the kitchen and started the coffee pot and teakettle while he scrolled through his Netphone to place a delivery order. “Three dozen?”
“That should be fine. If there are any leftovers I can make pizza bagels for lunch tomorrow.” Dina pulled a couple of mugs from the dishwasher since no one usually emptied it because they were constantly running it. “Duncan’s up. I told him it was okay to come over.”
“Good, we can discuss a strategy for questioning Connor. He’s always been willing to work with us, even after parting ways, but I’m not sure how much he should know right now.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” she said, nodding. “Hopefully he has some inside info that we don’t have access to. I don’t want to waste any time.”
Liam nodded, more than certain she knew the incident happened in 2035, which meant they possibly had as little as six months to find and stop Gardner. The promise he made to Valtor, stuck in the back of his mind didn’t tempt him as much as knowing what future Dina’s memories held. He needed to find a clue, a lead, even a rumor would help at this point. He wasn’t stopping until everyone was safe.
***
Caelum waited for Theo to walk into the kitchen before brushing the Cartuilan’s mind. Although still aggravated, his emotional state had calmed and he invited Caelum inside the cabin. Theo was pouring a second cup of coffee when he materialized in the living room.
“Good morning,” Caelum said.
“Better, yes,” he replied. “No dreams.”
“A step in the right direction.” Caelum took the cup, sipped, and nodded. “Does that mean you’re declining my offer to sequester the memory?”
“For now. I wasn’t expecting it, but…”
“Casey made the suggestion.”
“Yes, how did—why do I ask? I can’t say I understand the logic.”
“The last thing anyone wants is their loved ones to suffer after they’re gone, Theo,” Caelum said, lifting a hand when Theo shot him a look. “I will say no more, I merely wanted to see how you were, I have not been as good a friend to you as I should.”
“You’ve been there plenty, Caelum. I didn’t really mean it when I called you a dick.”
He grinned. “Yes, you did, and it’s true, I can be. I do what I must, when I must. You understand.”
“I’m starting to.”
“Please tell Casey I said hello.” Caelum finished his coffee and set the mug on the counter.
“I will. Thanks for checking in.”
“You’re welcome.” He dipped his head and appeared outside another cabin in the middle of the woods. Caelum instantly felt Elexanji inside.
Her voice entered his mind a second later. Everything okay?
I did not mean to wake you.
I was up soon anyway. Coffee?
Sure, I’ll start it. Take your time. He reappeared in Lexa’s kitchen and immediately got to work finding the proper pieces for the coffee maker and setting it up.
The young Enhancer came out of the newly remolded bedroom wearing big bright pink slippers and a robe that went down to her knees. She was yawning and rubbing the side of her curly-haired head as she entered the kitchen. “Mornin’.”
“Good morning,” he replied, handing her a cup of coffee.
“Thanks,” she said and took a sip. “Ahh, good. Now, will you tell me what’s wrong?”
“Why must something be wrong? I wish to speak with you, that is it.”
“About what?”
“Having a sexual relationship with a Conduit.”
Lexa choked on her drink and covered her mouth. “Sorry, that was the last thing I was expecting.”
“I figured speaking plainly would accelerate any awkwardness, this is not something I’ve done before, Lexa.”
“Ah, nuts. Really?”
“Most of the Conduits I was fortunate to find saw me as a fatherly figure or mentor, some were obsessive in nature, but never…like this.”
“We don’t know that it’ll be the same, Caelum, remember, you were the one who said it’s unique. Though, I have a feeling it’s more profound than any connection you’ve had yet.”
“That is my fear. What if my desires don’t match hers? There’s a chance of losing her as a Conduit, correct?”
“Yes, there’s always risk involved when pursuing any type of relationship, but I have to say, she was really worried about you when I told her what you were doing with Dina,” Lexa said, lifting her brow. “And she thinks you’re hot.”
“You mean attractive, yes, we’ve discussed that.”
“Oh, I can only imagine,” she laughed.
“You may poke fun, it’s deserved, but…Sanjeeta doesn’t make me feel like an outcast.”
“Probably because she’s one herself, you read her file, right? Left her home state during college and hasn’t had contact with her family since.”
“I didn’t want to invade her privacy.”
“It’s standard background,” Lexa shrugged. “Have to be careful who we invite to the base.”
“I understand.”
“What else?”
“Is it fair of me to ask her to be my Conduit? I am not an easy being to be around. And our bond will come with an extended life, like Bates with you—”
“Huh, what?” Lexa’s brow dipped.
“Did I not tell you?”
“No,” she said, hitching a hand to her hip. “How long?”
“Impossible to know, depends on the strength and length of bond, how much energy is shared through linking. I’ve never had a human Conduit.”
“Who was your oldest?”
“Jukar, a Vepsatian. He was almost two thousand when he wished to be released.”
“Fuck,” Lexa spat, covering her eyes. “You should have told me this.”
“Why? Don’t you want that much time with Bates?”
“Yes, of course, I mean if that’s possible, but—hang on, released?”
“It is not easy being a Conduit, Lexa, if they no longer wish to share the bond, we must release them. Bates knows all of this already, it’s in the collector.”
“He didn’t tell me.”
“I wasn’t sure what to say,” Bates said softly from the bedroom doorway rubbing a hand over his bald head. “In my defense, I haven’t known for very long.”
“She needs to know, Caelum, before it gets serious,” Lexa said.
Caelum nodded as the Englishmen went to her side, and leaned into to kiss her cheek.
“He’s got a crush on Sanjeeta.”
“Think it’s mutual, mate. Chatted with Hinta at the shuttle, he noticed,” Bates replied with a wink. “I’ll be happy to answer her questions, within reason of course. I don’t want to hear about your love life.”
“Thank you, I may offer the invitation.” He finished his second cup of coffee of the day and rose from the kitchen chair.
“You going to the base later?” Lexa asked. “Connor, the kid from the unit is stopping by for a visit. Liam found Marjorie’s DNA results in their database.”
“They did?” He blinked and pulled out his rarely used Netphone to see the sound and vibrate mode turned off. Caelum saw the message from early this morning, which came while he was in Rivia’s ship watching a suspense movie. “I do not want to crowd the base, will you let me know if anything develops?”
“Can do,” Bates said while Lexa nodded in agreement.
His next thought brought him to Howlligans and Ruffians pet shop. It was still too early for Sanjeeta to be here, and the overnight kennel manager was already making the rounds. He walked to the bench near the front door and sat. Thousands of questions overpowered his focus. Many of them directly related to Sanjeeta and everything he was feeling toward her. The only way to tamp down the slight anxiety filling him was
to focus on something else entirely.
Caelum pulled the Netphone from his shirt pocket to review the MIND work queue to see if there was anything he could help with. Everything on the list was technological in nature, Internet, database, and server searches. Something he could do, given time and guidance from Lexa. As the only known technopath, Lexa, in every sense was the perfect being, a combination of evolution and technology, and perhaps powerful enough to control it all given time.
He pulled his mind back, trying to focus on the screen of his phone, only to sense Sanjeeta wake from her dream. A dream he wanted to see, but refused to view. Although he had often seen her temperature and heart rate rise while they were together, Caelum wanted to rely on her expressions, reactions, and words. Approaching attraction as biological had not gone well in the past. Explaining his past intimate encounters was likely to be awkward as well. She may not understand his desires.
Aware his thoughts, yet again, were steering him away from what he wanted to do, he glued his eyes to the phone, reviewing the list of searches the team was conducting. He read the update about the breakfast with the unit agent, unsure what they thought would come of the meeting. He replayed everything he’d seen in the memory the team shared and what Liam witnessed in the sphere. The words that disturbed him most echoed: Caelum’s energy wore off a year ago. Hundreds of explanations formed. Many of them included self-sacrifice.
Caelum wasn’t sure he wanted to explore them further and shoved the phone into his jeans just as a young associate for the pet shop approached the entrance.
“Good morning,” he said, glancing up at a young man named Billy. One quick look inside his head was all it took to see he had a crush on the missing girl and had been helping the mother with the search.
“Hi, we’ll be open in five minutes.”
“Oh.” He turned to the doors. “Ah, yes, thank you.”
Billy tapped a keychain tag against a sensor and entered the store without another peep. The soft yapping of puppies echoed beyond the doors. Caelum grinned. He knew what to do to pass the time.