by Mikayla Lane
Gracus spent the next hour touching, prodding and pushing almost every available surface in the place and ended up back at the control center where he’d first started. When he turned around, Rebecca and Gibly were gone.
“Rebecca!” he screamed as he ran through the door and into the main living area.
Assuming they went back into the dining area, he ran full out, coming to a stop in the middle of the empty room. He began to panic as he ran back out, heading Fiorn’s room. The moment he saw Gibly sitting on the bed, he sighed in relief.
“Where the hell is she?” he asked.
Gibly cocked his really poofy head to the side and watched Gracus as he spoke. “The energy is beginning to consume her. Her temperature is rising to a dangerous level, one that her beast cannot sustain for much longer. I convinced her to sit under the water to cool her body,” Gibly said, nodding to a door in the room that Gracus hadn’t noticed before. How the hell had they missed that door?
Knowing he needed to think about the door, he told Clatz to remind him of it later, when he knew Rebecca was alright. Gracus entered the large room and barely noticed the rock hewn sink and toilet and headed directly to the large, carved out shower where Rebecca sat in the corner with the water cascading over her upper body.
Gracus kneeled down beside her, his heart feeling strangled as he took one of her limp hands in his own. He sucked in a breath at how hot her hand felt and used his other hand to feel her face.
Rebecca opened glazed eyes and smiled weakly at the beautiful man in front of her. It was hard to think, the heat was beginning to feel like it was suffocating her. But there was one thing she couldn’t stop thinking about, despite the heat.
She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry,” she choked out, knowing she’d be crying right now if she wasn’t so hot there was water left in her body.
Gracus sat cross-legged on the floor and leaned against the wall. “Why would you be sorry?” he asked softly, trying to remain strong.
Rebecca closed her eyes, they were so dry it was painful to keep them open. “If I had taken you back to town, we wouldn’t be ready to go ‘pop’,” she said, then moved her head to drink some of the water for her parched throat.
Gracus gently turned their hands under the water, trying to cool the heat running through her because of the energy building inside of her. “You would have never gotten me out of the forest. With the Relians so close, there was no other choice. You didn’t do this, Rebecca and the only thing I regret is not finding you sooner,” he said, pulling their joined hands out of the water to kiss the back of hers.
His heart sank when he realized that the water hadn’t done much to cool her at all, even though it was frigid. He’d wasted too much time searching the control center, now if she tried to touch anything in there, it would mean certain death.
He reached out to the only other person he could ask for help. “Gibly, what else can we do?” he asked, sensing the cat standing in the doorway.
Gibly shook his head sadly. “Until the watchers stop watching and decide what to do… we can only watch her die before we follow her in death. The water will only prolong the inevitable, but will disperse enough energy to allow you to be with her, without igniting the air around you,” Gibly said cryptically as he looked around the room.
Gracus felt the consciousness slip from Rebecca and he roared in rage, lashing out with the hand not holding Rebecca’s, he pounded his fist against the rock wall until his blood smeared the wall.
“You failed, you arrogant bastard! She’s going to die because you didn’t think about what this place would do to someone like her! Your failure is going to kill her, Fiorn! You fucking bastard…,” Gracus screamed at the walls, his fury increasing rapidly due to the energy.
Gibly suddenly stood in front of Gracus and laid a paw on his knee, the energy crackling between them as he did. “Turn off the water and hold your mate. I will sit with you,” Gibly said, shocking Gracus.
“But, that…,” Gracus began, but when Gibly nodded his head, Gracus understood.
He looked at Rebecca’s red-flushed skin and knew he couldn’t let her continue to suffer like this. The bond between them had grown strong enough for him to know that she wouldn’t want to leave her world this way. She would want to go on her terms and Gibly agreed.
Gracus looked intently at the cat, wanting to make sure Gibly knew what would happen. When Gibly nodded his head sadly, Gracus choked out, “It’s been an honor, Gibly.”
Gibly nodded his head. “It has, Gracus Adrastor.”
Gracus didn’t know how to turn the water on and off and really didn’t care at this point. It no longer mattered. Instead, he reached into the shower and pulled Rebecca to him. He immediately felt burned by the heat of her body, but refused to let go of her.
Once he had her settled as comfortable as possible onto his lap, Gibly stepped up and sat in Rebecca’s, placing a paw on Gracus’s shoulder to complete the energy circuit between their bodies. They both watched, a little in awe, as the energy cascaded through the room like a rainbow waterfall, the heat and energy increasing to the point of agony. Before it all went black.
*****
Caden watched dispassionately as the body dropped to the ground before another shot rang out and the last body fell. He turned to his men with a grin on his face.
“Well, you all know what this means,” he said to the cheers of his men and much back slapping.
“You cut that pretty damn close, you bastard,” Grai said as he took his weapons back from one of Caden’s men.
Caden just laughed. “Oh come on, you had to love the look on his face before he ate that bullet. Killing bastards like that is the most fun we get up there with your crazy brother, my friend. You must give us a little latitude,” Caden said jokingly.
Scaden and Niklosi took their weapons back and nodded at the Relian clones in thanks, still stunned that the men who dropped were spies that Grai had among his brother’s warriors. They’d discovered that some guy named Shinopai, a friend of Grai’s, had gotten the request for help from Jacordan and had immediately sent a team loyal to Grai.
Amun, Decano and the cats came into the clearing in front of the cave entrance, rejoining the others. It had been agreed that they would stay behind with the cats in order to make it look for real to Jacordan.
Scaden couldn’t help but ask Grai about the spies he had on his brother’s ships. “How the hell do you manage to have your hands sunk knuckle deep in every damn thing that goes on everywhere?”
Grai laughed. “I’ve had hundreds of years to nurture relationships with good people of every color and species. And I’ve learned the hard way how to choose my friends wisely. Caden, Shinopai and I go way back and my debts to them are incalculable. Their intel has been vital to our cause and in thwarting many potential disasters,” he said before turning to Caden.
“If you are here, does that mean you and your men are staying this time?” Grai asked with a smile, hoping that he was. Caden’s luck was going to run out one of these days and Grai wanted his friend on the planet and living in peace before that happened.
Caden laughed and slapped a large hand on Grai’s shoulder. “My friend, what would I do here in paradise? After first your father and now your brother, any other challenge pales in comparison! What fun would a life like ours be, without a challenge?” Caden asked with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
Grai wasn’t smiling. “Caden, it will be difficult to explain the absence of so many and your presence here on the planet…, Grai said before Caden cut him off.
“We’re going to say Shinopai sent us when that idiot Jacordan and his men never reported back and we never found them. We’re going to classify them as deserters to be killed on sight,” Caden said with a satisfied grin.
“What about the cave?” Grai asked, knowing his brother wouldn’t give up looking for it.
Caden pulled his comm out of his pocket and pulled up some pictures that he showed to Grai. “We found
this place nearby on the internet and made it look like the images were taken with my comm. Although, the rainbow of colors and unique formations in the cave are interesting, there is nothing special there and Dagog will give up his search. This place should be safe from him.”
Grai chuckled and turned to Scaden and Niklosi who looked suitably impressed with the man’s quick thinking. “Caden taught me the art of deception,” Grai said, grateful to Shinopai for sending Caden.
Grai turned serious. “Are you sure you aren’t ready for some peace?” he asked again. Even though he knew what Caden’s answer would be.
Caden’s smile fell and he looked at his men. “Who would lead them? Teach them there’s another way to live that doesn’t involve pain, death and destruction of everything beautiful?” Caden placed a hand on Grai’s shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze before adding, “You have your destiny, my friend, and I have my own. Both must be played out the way the God’s have chosen.”
Grai gave him a quick hug before Caden called Shinopai for the transport and rappelled off the mountain to meet the ship that would pick them up a few miles away.
Niklosi watched the men rappel down and shook his head. “You know some pretty amazing people, Grai.”
“That I do. We better go, Gracus is probably wondering where the hell we are,” Grai said, turning away from where his friends had disappeared over the side.
Scaden slapped a hand on Grai’s shoulder. “He’s pretty damn quick thinking. I can definitely see that the student still has much to learn from the master,” Scaden said teasingly.
Grai led to the crevice in the rock that would open up to the cave. “Everyone slips up at some point. Or trusts someone that they shouldn’t have trusted. It is the oldest, the ones who’ve become weary and soft who are the most susceptible to being betrayed. If Shinopai and Caden do not come down soon, they will be killed.”
Scaden looked up with concern. “Would they talk?”
Grai stopped and turned to Scaden with anger. “Would you?”
Scaden didn’t hesitate. “Never.”
Grai snapped back. “Then do not ever think I would trust anyone who wouldn’t.”
Grai turned back to the opening and kneeled down to place his hands on the back wall, waiting for it to open. His dark brows drew together when nothing happened and he stood and turned to Niklosi, who was the closest to him.
“Put your hands flat on the back wall in there. It should open, you’re full Valendran,” Grai said, reasoning that his Relian blood was again causing confusion for whatever scanned and allowed passage inside the cave.
Niklosi kneeled down and placed his hands on the back wall, expecting the rock to slide to the side or upwards. Nothing happened. He waited there for several minutes before turning to Grai with a curious look on his face.
Scaden looked around. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
Grai nodded his head. He’d made damn sure he memorized the cave. “This is the place.”
Amun shook his head. “Maybe it requires an actual hybrid to open it? I don’t know what the parameters may be for opening the door, but Gracus, Gibly and Rebecca are gone and we haven’t heard from them in a while. They had to have gotten inside somehow,” he said.
Grai shook his head. “You would think that Fiorn would allow a full blood Valendran inside without a hybrid. All of your people needed safety and refuge,” Grai said, wondering what could be preventing the door from opening.
Niklosi snorted. “Maybe it’s the Sibiox? Maybe it thinks they’re dangerous?”
Grai hated to ask but it was Griff and Dorch who volunteered the four cats to run back down to the bottom of the mountain. Once they left, Niklosi went back to placing his hands on the wall, assuming once the cats were far enough away, the door would open. Again, nothing happened.
Everyone was beginning to get frustrated now. Scaden ran a hand through his hair and paced around before looking at Grai. “You’re sure this is the place?”
Grai just glared at him for a minute before suggesting, “I’ll rappel to the bottom with Decano, in case it’s because he’s a Relian hybrid without Valendran blood. Let me know if it opens when we hit the bottom.”
Amun said, “It can’t be you, you’ve already been inside.” But, Grai had already dropped over the edge towards the bottom, quickly followed by Decano.
Scaden paced nervously while Niklosi kept his hands plastered to the inner rock wall. When they heard that Grai and Decano were on the ground and away from the cave and the door still didn’t open, no one was really surprised. Except for Grai, who was so frustrated that he ran all the way back up the mountain trail.
When Grai got back to the top, he glared at everyone. “This is the place! You all know that Gracus and Rebecca came up here! If this isn’t the place, then where the hell do you think they went?” he asked, venting his frustration.
Amun sighed. “The only thing that is different from the known times that entry was attained, is a hybrid.”
Grai thought about it for a second and said, “Then we’ll get a damn hybrid. Maybe Gracus and Rebecca will open the door for us before we get one here.”
Chapter Seventeen
Gracus tried to brush away whatever was tickling his nose and ended up with a handful of fur instead. He moved his head to the side and pushed at the furry lump, trying to go back to the blissful peace he’d recently been in.
The furry lump continued moving around, until Gibly’s voice penetrated the sleepy fog in Gracus’s mind. “Wake up! We’re being… studied,” Gibly said anxiously through the Shengari’ to Gracus.
Gracus was instantly alert. Sitting up quickly, he swayed for a moment as he looked around at the faces staring at them, before he saw Rebecca lying beside him. Ignoring the others, Gracus put his fingers against her neck and finding a pulse he sighed. She was alive!
“Her temperature has returned to normal and the excess energy is being naturally depleted from you all,” one of the women said, startling Gracus.
He stared at the five women surrounding them, wondering where the hell they were. The room was a bright white, making it difficult to tell what the floors and walls were made of. He couldn’t see any doors or windows. Or any way out for that matter, Gracus thought.
“Who are you and where are we?” Gracus asked, moving to sit on the side of the bed, blocking Rebecca from the curious stares of the women.
The woman with dark hair and light blue eyes, who had spoken before, answered him. “I am Lauren Campbell and these are my fellow hybrids, as I’m sure your beast can verify for you, Valendran. And your potential mate, Rebecca, is somewhere safe.”
Gracus narrowed his eyes at the woman as Clatz verified for him that they were all hybrids. For some reason, he didn’t feel really safe and he damn sure didn’t like the way the woman had said the word, “Valendran”, like he was a bug or something.
“Where are we?” Gracus asked again.
Lauren stared at him for a moment with pursed lips, her hands behind her back and Gracus didn’t like her scrutiny any more than he liked how the other women were staring at him and Gibly.
“Shield your mind! There are two that are probing,” Gibly warned him through the Shengari’, just in time for Gracus to throw up his mental shields. He was getting pissed now.
Gracus stood to his full height and glared down at the five small women standing several feet away. “Quit playing games and trying to fuck with my head and tell me where the hell we are!” he boomed, the sound echoing around the room.
The women didn’t even flinch at his anger. “You can roar with rage all you want, but it will get you nowhere. Naturally, we have questions regarding why you are here. You can either cooperate, or not. The choice is yours,” Lauren Campbell said calmly.
That didn’t calm Gracus much at all. “Where the hell is your leader? Is Fiorn still alive? You know I am a Valendran and I’m not your damn enemy. I want to know why you are treating me like I am!” Gracus roare
d.
The unflappable Lauren Campbell didn’t even twitch at Gracus’s anger. “Your status as friend or foe is unimportant to us, since you are not our concern. You are being treated in this room because it is the only place that can safely deplete the excess energy from Rebecca, not because you are a prisoner.”
Lauren continued staring at him with cold blue eyes. “In fact, since you weren’t as affected by the energy increase as Rebecca was, you may leave at any time. But, Rebecca stays until she is healed and can answer for herself whether or not she would like to remain with us,” Lauren said without emotion.
Gracus looked at her with open-mouthed astonishment for a moment. “You expect me to leave my mate here with you? When I don’t even know who the fuck you are or where here is? Fuck you bitch! Get me someone in charge!” Gracus said with barely controlled fury. Who the hell did this bitch think she was? Where the fuck were they?
Lauren took a step forward. “This room requires peace in order for Rebecca to heal. And our only priority is to see that she recovers completely. If you can’t control yourself, we’ll be forced to remove you from the room.”
When Gracus began to erupt in anger again, the woman to the right, behind Lauren, raised her right hand and he found himself raised several inches off of the floor and completely paralyzed.
Lauren moved to stand directly in front of him and looked coldly into his eyes. “Let there be no doubt in your mind, Valendran that your life doesn’t matter to us in the least, unless it is Rebecca’s wish that you live. Which is the only reason you are here now. Do not test my patience, or you will find yourself wishing that you hadn’t underestimated me. Because, I can assure you, the other three women standing here would love to show you their abilities next. Do you understand?”
Gracus calmed himself instantly, fear for their safety becoming paramount in his mind. He needed intel before he could get them the hell out of there and if remaining calm was the only way to stay with Rebecca, then he’d do what he had to.