“Exterminating, or controlling?”
“That’s a good question, Dark.” Carson nodded. “They could have killed Amethyst today. They wanted her back for some reason. At any and all cost. This North kid as well.”
“So Amy has allied herself with the Ra Imperium,” Julia posited with a frown.
“I think that’s obvious now.” Carson turned toward the window.
“Carson, it took a lot of planning to break in here. It was a surgical strike and they didn’t care about the muscle. They left their soldiers behind.” Dark was annoyed at the very thought of that kind of military.
“It was a near impossible mission, Dark,” Carson stated. “With as many Reborn as we have here at Jericho, their chances of success were slim at best. They’re either very skilled or they got very lucky. Probably both.”
Dark agreed.
“And what happens if they get lucky again?” Kari asked.
“Let’s hope their luck doesn’t hold out. Assemble as many teams as you need, Dark. I want their base of operations found. Leave no stone unturned. With the gods monitoring the planet these Imperial units probably can’t get off world without our notice, so my guess is they’ll stay put; live under the radar. That at least gives us some time to find them. I’m also issuing an arrest warrant for Kira.”
“That is not a good idea, Gregory,” Francesca stepped into the conversation.
“I’m returning her to Leavenworth, Francesca. She’s far too much of a liability right now.”
“That will not play well with our new ally.”
“It can’t be helped at this point. If she keeps going public I’ll arrest her again until the Kir get the message that they need to stay put until this emergency blows over. The last thing we need is for the Imperium to gain access to the knowledge of the Kir. That appears to have been Amethyst’s goal from the beginning.”
“I will talk to Kira first,” Francesca offered.
“Alright,” Carson nodded. “I’ll withhold the order until I hear back from you. In the meantime people, we have some Imperium bases to find.”
* * * * *
“You feel really jumbled. Like you’re at war with yourself.”
“It’s not a war,” Dark argued.
“It feels like one.” Kari could feel he was deeply torn about something. “This is about the sun gods again, isn’t it?”
He nodded, pouring himself some coffee in the kitchen of their home in Bethlehem and then sat down with her at the breakfast nook.
“I don’t know why you’re waiting,” she said looking over the rim of her own cup taking a sip.
“I’m not attracted to any of them.”
“Yes you are. We’re all attracted to them.”
He sighed, pursing his lips. “I mean they’re all guys. Not exactly my turf.”
“No they’re not.”
“Elle and I aren’t exactly speaking to each other—yet.”
“Ever—?” Kari grinned. “You seem to have a knack for alienating your female students.”
“She came on to me. I shut it down.”
“A woman scorned, Mitch.”
He rolled his eyes.
“You’re forgetting one.”
“Not going there.” He finished his sip.
“Just ask her.”
Dark shook his head.
“I would,” Kari stated, her tone suddenly serious.
“You’re not me.” He half smiled and frowned at her.
“Do you want me to call her?”
“I’m not. Asking her. Forget it.”
“You have my permission.”
“Kar, it’s not about your permission, it’s about fidelity.”
“No one said you had to marry her, just ask her.”
“It’s not that easy.” He grimaced setting down his cup.
“So what happened between you two anyway?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Mitch, honestly, I know about the ‘Dark Women’,” she mocked mirthfully.
He looked at his wife curiously.
She nodded. “Oh yes, Mr. Slayer of Hearts. The Goddess of Love told me all about you.” Kari grinned.
Dark’s mouth fell partially open.
“It’s a small circle of friends, Mitch. Girls talk.”
He sighed rolling his eyes.
“You moved in on Serena after she and Rion blew up.”
“I didn’t ‘move in’ on her. She’s a new goddess. Rion was being an ass. I stepped in as her bodyguard—at Jerrod’s request.”
“Hmm-hmmm,” Kari snickered musically. “More like she was yours—bodyguard I mean.”
“Don’t remind me. I didn’t know these Invicti could be so—never mind.”
“Intense? Attractive? Couldn’t tear yourself away from her?” Kari was having way too much fun with this. “Her irresistible touch? Her tantalizing scent? Her enticing lips—”
“Will you knock it off? It’s not funny.”
“But you’re still friends?”
He nodded.
“Then you should call her.”
“Kari, the woman is unreal. We were unbelievably attracted. I—don’t have any control around her. None. Zero. It’s why we keep our distance now. I’m not going to visit her. Ever. I’m not going to risk losing you over some stupid genetic attraction.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Mitch. I’m married to you and I’m in love with you. Besides, this goes beyond just our relationship. You’re practically a global security risk at this point. We need you upgraded.”
“I’m still not going to call her. I’ll find another way.”
“Maybe I’ll just set you up?” Kari grinned mischievously over the top of her cup.
Dark gave her an alarmed look. “Hon. Don’t—” he shook his head as if a dire trepidation had just fallen over him. “You can’t—do that to me.” He took a sudden rippled breath. “You have no idea how powerful she is.”
The old Texan leaned nonchalantly against one of the tall trees not far from the window of their breakfast nook, utterly unnoticed by Dominion security. He popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth, munching as he looked out over the placid early morning waters of Lake Galilee. He crumpled the empty wrapper and tucked it into his pocket. A short smile crossed his lips as he munched.
“That there’s the problem with you, Dark,” the old man mused to himself with a sigh in his deep Texan drawl. “Always thinking about someone else. The whole world is falling apart and you’re worried about scruples.”
The old man shook his head.
“Yea, I think it’s about time you had another date with that really nice young lady. You been bottled up way too long, son. It’s about time you let some of those smoldering sparks of yours fly. Yes, I do.”
75
H ow long are we going to be stuck here? It’s been weeks.”
“Patience, Paige.”
“You keep saying that.”
“You keep asking.”
“Sorry. I’ve been studying myself numb. Do these Kir ever do anything simple?”
“Everything they do is simple. It’s only when you assemble the pieces that it gets complex.” Rowan’s boots were kicked up onto back of the sofa in the main room of their very cloaked Kir vessel that now hung motionless not far from the massive portal that led to another galaxy.
“Since when did you become an engineer?” She dropped onto the sofa on the other side wearing some snug, very short khaki shorts that hugged her pear-shaped ass like a glove at the top of her long toned smooth legs.
“Huh?” Rowan tore his eyes from her and went back to reading a paperback he’d stuffed into his oversized duffle.
“Engineer?”
“Oh, a few centuries now. I got curious about how ion reactors worked. It was all down hill from there. I—became a bit of a geek after that. Even spun up a few business ventures over the years usin’ some of what I learned.”
“Worth a few billion now are you
?” she grinned.
“I sell ‘em off after a while. It’s all in hedge funds now. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, just curious. You don’t exactly look like the geek type running a startup—”
“Now there’s where you’re wrong. I just don’t dress like one. Speaking of dressing, how long are you going to keep teasing me dressing like that?”
“Who says I’m teasing you?”
“I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“Maybe I like teasing you.”
“Paige, we’re partners, not—” he didn’t finish.
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
His brow furrowed. He scowled. “Nothin’ gets past you does it?”
“Hello? Empath here?”
He sighed hard.
“You’ve had your eyes on me since the day we met. It’s why you let me follow you.”
“You’re crazy.” He turned the page of his book even though he’d not finished reading all of it yet.
“Am I?” she knocked his boots off the back of the couch and placed her bare foot on his thigh.
“You know I’m old enough to be—”
“Rowan, you’re old enough to be Moses.”
He breathed a grin.
“You don’t even look forty.”
“Liar.”
“What’s wrong with forty? You’re cut like you’re twenty and a dead ringer for Paul Walker. There’s not much to argue with about how you look.”
Rowan got up from the sofa—or at least he tried. His legs suddenly fell weak and he fell back into the same place he’d just gotten up from.
“The hell?!” he glared at her softly shimmering eyes. “That’s not fair.”
Paige casually crawled across the couch and moved over him. Her eyes softly lit, her lips teasing over his neck. Rowan’s hands moved instinctively to her sides as she made his pulse jump.
“Who said anything about fair?”
“I should kill you for that,” he whispered, helpless against the intimate attack.
“You’re already killing me,” Paige assured.
It was true. The moment Rowan had laid eyes on Paige in that bar in Orlando he’d been interested. There was some real attraction between them, his genetics honing in on hers. It wasn’t intense, but it was real. Rowan had not been the only one with those feelings. Paige had felt their attraction as well.
As old-school as he was, Rowan had been ignoring her, mostly. He needed a partner, not a distraction. But Paige was evidently feeling the call of the wild as well. With her lips moving over his neck, she was pushing more than just his pulse higher. Rowan instinctively felt his hand moving to cup her ample breast.
“Fair warning, sweetheart,” he took an uncontrolled breath. “You’re about to get yourself fucked.”
“I think you’re the one that needs to be warned—” Paige dove her lips into Rowan’s.
* * * * *
“Francesca, you’re not the first person to caution me about my public appearances.” Kira sat with her in the very public dining room of Bette’s coffee house making no attempt to hide their conversation. “The sun gods have talked with me, the ‘god haters’ don’t want me around, the State wants me out of sight, honestly, the only people who don’t want me around are those who never stop by the shop for a cup of coffee.”
“Of course.”
“It’s a sanctuary city. I’m not the only goddess living here now.”
“But you are the only Kir.”
Kira sighed. She didn’t have a logical rebuttal for that. She was a danger in that regard and she knew it. Amy had already fingered her as Kir. There would be a good chance that the Imperium would want her as their hostage. Still, she wasn’t exactly defenseless now.
“You are making the other gods nervous, Kira. Your family is not happy with you being so vulnerable and now the Dominion is about to issue an arrest warrant for your protection.”
“You mean for their own protection.”
“Everyone’s protection, Kira. You endanger the whole world with such irresponsibility.”
“I didn’t start this conflict, Francesca.”
“You did not, that is true; but now that it is here, one can show some respect for the lives of others.”
“And what about my life?”
Francesca raised an eyebrow.
“Do I live the rest of my life caged like some small rodent?”
“You exaggerate. No one asked for the rest of your life. Only the time being. Until the emergency has passed.”
“The emergency isn’t going to pass, Francesca—ever. The Ra are never going to go away. I’m not going to live my life as some hermit.”
“Perhaps then you could at least avail yourself to some of the protections of your people?”
“I already have.”
“Oh?”
“I am far from defenseless. If you must know, Trac and the rest of my family are keeping a watchful eye on me. Thank you very little. I know about the little meeting you had with my brother.”
“He is a wise young man.”
She sighed.
“I am sorry you are disappointed. But I am also curious.”
“About what?”
“Why you are so interested in living among the Humans? I am intrigued.”
“I don’t know. I find them, oddly captivating.”
“Like pets?”
“More than that. These, people, are so much more different than what we remember growing up as kids. They build tall cities now, and aircraft. They can communicate remotely. Their cultures are still primitive but evolving rapidly; much more so than I believe we ever did. There’s just something—new—about them; I can’t put my finger on it.”
“You hold much more intrigue for the Human race than I ever have, Kira. Perhaps living with them as long as I have, I know them all too well.”
Kira sensed her feelings; Francesca’s longevity, like the elders of her own people eons ago. The elegance of the Italian supermodel well veiled the depth and experience of the ancient woman beneath the surface.
“You feel jaded about them, Francesca. I’m sorry about all that you’ve been though.” Kira reached out her hand. Francesca took it, squeezing it warmly. The much older and much younger woman gently sharing the surface of their feelings.
“Are they really so evil?” Kira asked, sensing Francesca’s experiences.
“Often. But no. Not always.”
* * * * *
Paige’s shorts were around her knees with only some thin cotton panties covering her smoothly fine ass. Rowan’s shirt had been unsnapped wide-open revealing his thick chiseled chest nicely covered with a manicured patch of short sexy blonde hair contrasting his tanned skin. Her hand smoothed over his ripped abdominals down to his open fly where a very thick-long bulge pushed out from under some thin cotton square-cut briefs. Paige gasped under the talent of Rowan’s fingers teasing and kneading her nipples.
“God.” She gasped. “You’re going to kill me doing that.”
“I’m just getting started,” he kissed and then bit her lip seductively. Rowan teased her nipples just so, sending a deep twinge of intense delight into her clit that was now so hard she felt it would explode if he so much as actually touched her there right now.
The dimmed light of their living room illuminated slightly as a holographic image sprang to life in the middle of the room showing the massive planet-sized portal vessels beginning to separate.
“What—?” Rowan stopped kissing Paige to watch what was happening.
“Something else coming through?” she asked.
“Looks that way.”
Still half-embraced on the sofa, both watched in curiosity as the planet-sized portal ships drew away from each other, parting even wider away from each other than they’d seen, opening a huge-sized portal.
Rowan placed his hands on Paige’s hips and moved her off of himself. He stood, zipping up his pants while keeping his eyes on what was happening outside via their
wide-angle holographic view. For long moments he studied the massively wide opening. But nothing was coming in and nothing appeared to be leaving.
“Somethin’s not right.”
“That opening is huge.”
“Damn right it is.”
“I don’t see the same nebula on the far side,” Paige noticed.
“Christ. It’s not pointing to the same place!”
“Where then?”
“I don’t know, Sweetheart, but we are about to find out.”
With his ring connected to their ship’s continuum, they began to move under Rowan’s empathic command as he piloted the large Kir vessel quickly toward the open portal. Compared to the magnitude of the massively wide-open portal, their dust-speck sized cloaked vessel slipped stealthfully unnoticed past the opening and somewhere into unknown deep space beyond.
Where are your fleets, brother?” Dane watched the widely opened portal with interest as nothing appeared to come through.
“Cloaked.” Rase smirked, moving the elegant glass of fine dark liquid under his nose.
“Oh?”
“I frankly don’t trust your handling of the situation, my dear Dane. My fleets are my business. Just as yours are yours. I’ll be putting them where they need to be.”
“And where might that be?”
“A place you haven’t seemed capable of getting to.”
“You’re speaking in riddles.”
Rase grinned taking a fragrant swallow from his glass.
“It took me a while to understand what your little game was, Dane; all the way out here, alone by yourself with no one to keep an eye on you. You’re not half as smart as you think.”
“Do tell.”
“It won’t matter. What’s done is done.” Rase nodded toward the portal that had already begun closing. “You’re not the first to discover a remnant Yin world.”
“Obviously.” Dane spoke politely, but with a hint of incredulity.
“You think having the Yin at your side will somehow protect you. Your belief is folly. Father has dealt with the Yin before. He knows their secrets; their weaknesses. They are not so invincible as our lore has perceived them to be. They are no threat to him.”
Paradisus (Awakened Book 6) Page 31