“Good, then that means you’ll soon be able to teleport, which will give us some more options.” He tapped his chin as if deep in thought.
More options were good. Seconds passed and he remained still. A wave crashed onto the shore and rolled with a frothy white-cap right up toward our feet before slowly receding.
His gaze sharpened. “I still can’t let you out of my sight.”
“I would never risk what we have for a father who has never bothered to hang around.”
A low groan escaped him. “If you’re attempting to sway my mind, you won’t.”
I pushed my next point. “No one can keep that close of an eye on another, no matter how many protectors you have.”
He half-growled, half-groaned.
I persisted. “What happens when I want to spend time alone with my mother? When you need to see your family? Attend to your duties back home as you have already stated will take precedence. You can’t be watching over me every minute of every day. You’ll have to concede at some point. Wouldn’t it be best to teach me how to teleport, and then take a step in trusting me? That I’ll use it to ensure we’re never separated, not by a warrior, or a dome.”
He didn’t move.
Barely even breathed.
Nothing.
Okay, so I had to try another approach.
“What about my forethought? Surely once it starts to grow and I have visual images as your grandfather does, I’ll see the threat the warrior poses to me. Forethought is preemptive, right? So I can get myself out of trouble before it even begins?”
Nice thinking.
Only he didn’t think so—his throaty growl deepened even further. “Carlisio’s forewarning doesn’t apply to himself, so no doubt the same will apply to you. You won’t have a hope in hell of seeing any form of trouble before it comes for you.”
Dang it! But I wasn’t giving up that easily. “Well, there simply must be something I can do. Let’s begin with teleporting since I don’t have an able parent who can teach me, or I should say one you’ll allow me to meet so that he can teach me, or that I even want to meet so he might teach me.” I shook my limbs, readying myself. “C’mon. Help me see what I can do?”
I gave him a quick little wink, trying to lighten his mood. “Your girlfriend wants you to teach her how to move through space and time. Don’t be an old-fashioned bore.”
“You did not just call me old-fashioned.” He gave me one of his probing looks I was coming to know well. “I don’t like this, but I can see I have no choice.”
Ah, I was finally getting somewhere. “That’s right you have no choice.” I touched the waistband of my soft-pleated, short yellow skirt, grateful I’d slipped my black bike shorts on underneath. I released the top button.
“What are you doing?” Davio snagged my hand and halted me from lowering the zip.
“I have running shorts on underneath, and my tank top’s suitable for a run but not the skirt. It’s gotta go so we can run super-fast. I want to prove to you I can.” I lowered the zipper and the yellow cotton slithered past my hips and pooled on the sand. I snagged and folded it. “Is this small enough to fit in your back pocket?”
“Sure.” He held out his hand and I passed it to him. As he pocketed it, he muttered, “Start running before I change my mind. I’ll be right behind you every step of the way, and of that you can be certain.”
Eyeing the beach toward the more isolated eastern end, I set out, keeping to the wet sand near the waterline as I ran.
“Pick up your pace,” Davio instructed from my six.
Without looking behind, I followed his instruction. Swiftly, I directed the energy driving through me straight to my pumping legs.
“Again,” he ordered. “Except don’t forget to cloak. It’s the same as when you block your mind to hide information. Think of blocking your entire body though.
That made sense. I cloaked, blocking my image now for fear of anyone seeing me. I grinned as the increase in power surged through my muscles, my feet barely touching the sand’s grainy surface.
For just a moment I needed to appreciate what was about to happen. On my left, I struck a quick glance toward the ocean. It appeared flat and glasslike at this speed. To my right, the dry grassy sand dunes whizzed by no more than a haze of milky-beige. I laughed, such joy flowing through me. “I love this.”
There was nothing but me, the wind in my face, the scent of salty ocean air and of course, the rumble of Davio’s wicked growl from my rear.
“You’re almost there, Faith. Now visualize where you want to go. Aim for somewhere up ahead that you can see yet is still too far away. Bring the image into the forefront of your mind and think only of the jump. I promise I’ll be right behind you.” His voice almost got whipped away on the wind, yet I sensed him there through the connection of my mind merged with his.
I grinned with abandon, allowing the sheer uninhibited moment to take me, then I centered my sight on the beachside trees half a mile ahead and with a burst of speed, made the staggering jump.
The flash of dark was over before it had barely begun then I was there, that faraway stand of trees no longer half a mile distant, but right in front of me. Wide trunks loomed and I couldn’t stop.
Damn. This was gonna hurt.
Davio tackled and rolled me. Sand spat in every direction as we plowed through it. “I’ve got you,” he grated in my ear, taking the brunt of the hit.
We stopped a few meters shy of the trees and I couldn’t stop beaming. I flipped my hair out of my face as he lay over top of me. “I did it.”
“Yes, you did it.” He grinned too, then frowned. “Although the first time is always the hardest. Usually no one can stop running. That’s why I tackled you. I apologize if I was too rough.”
“Not rough at all, and I’m most grateful. Thank you.”
“Let me check you over, ensure you’ve suffered no injuries.” He gripped my hands, extended them back into the sand and ran his fingers over my skin. “Everything appears in order. How do you feel?”
I wriggled on my back, pulled my hands free and wrapped them around his neck. “Like I want to do this again. Where to now? Can I try regular teleporting do you think?”
Still frowning, he lowered his head to mine and rubbed his cheek against my cheek. “Once I get my heart rate back under control, you can.”
“C’mon, be happy for me. I can teleport.”
“Teleporting means I can’t contain you.”
“That’s right.” Although I didn’t bother telling him that teleporting or not, he didn’t have a chance of containing me anyway. He’d learn that in time. “I promise I’ll be good and not go too far astray, but I want to try that again. You don’t go running off at high speed before you make a jump, which means you’ve got a lot more to teach me.”
He moaned, kissed my cheek then promptly pulled me to my feet as he stood. “It took me a single speed jump before the knowledge of how to teleport meant I could move to standing motionless. Just remember, instead of using your speed to project the move, use your mind in its place. Bring the exact image of where you want to travel into the forefront of your mind, then push a theoretical speed behind it. Give it a location and coordinates, if necessary.”
“Coordinates?” I asked as I brushed the sand off my bottom.
“For example, some outdoor locations change images with the seasons, while some indoor locations change with items being moved. Take your living room for example. If your mother shifts a chair and disrupts the image, then you’ll never make the jump. You’ll stay right where you are because that location doesn’t exist in theory. Everything is always precise, so be sure to make a habit of attaching a location or a coordinate, which is a physical thought of where the image is from, so you can make the jump through space.” The frisky sea breeze blew his hair about.
“Got it. Let me try.” I caught his hand, linked our fingers together, put into action his words and before I knew it, the beach gave way to a moment of
darkness, then my bedroom enclosed us in.
Grinning like a silly two-year-old, I spun around on the tips of my toes and dropped onto my springy bed. Bouncing, I beamed. “This is sooo cool.”
“One more rule.” Davio pulled me to my feet, tugged me up against him. “You will not be permitted to travel without me by your side. You are my mate and until I’m certain you can teleport without any physical mishap, then you will follow my rules.”
I gave him a cute little curtsy. “Rules, sch-mules.”
“They exist for a reason, so I won’t go insane.” He gripped my hips and everything darkened. Mere seconds later, we were back on the beach, right where we’d arrived earlier.
Leaning into him with an amused smile, I delighted in the feel of him and the warmth of the sun as it crossed the sky toward the far horizon. “I like this beach more than ever now, and I like you too. Thank you for the invaluable lesson.”
The gorgeous flecks of gold in his brown eyes brightened. “Then it was all worth it for that one comment alone.”
I danced over to our shoes. I tossed him his, dropped to the ground and slipped my sandals on. People approached, just over his shoulder. Silvie with her red hair the most obvious, and Belle, Zac and Viv following her. “You told the others to come?”
“Yes, I made the call. Zac was complaining in my head about his hunger and Belle swore the fresh fish and fries at the local shop here are to die for. We’ll build a fire as it darkens and have dinner on the beach. Do you like that idea?”
“I do.” Zac jogged ahead and led everyone over the sand dunes. I’d enjoy getting to know his protectors a little better.
Silvie giggled and tore past Zac, never to be gotten ahead of. She’d changed into a cute pair of navy blue shorts and a red singlet-tee that contrasted beautifully with its bold colors against her bright hair. Belle too had donned new clothes, putting the rest of us to shame in a long flowing dress of deep crimson. She appeared runway ready, but then she nearly always did.
Beside Belle I looked dowdy, particularly with my plain old discolored bike shorts on. “Throw me my skirt, Davio.” I held out my hand for it. “Back pocket.”
He fished it out and shrugged his wide shoulders. “It’s a tad wrinkled. I may have squished it. Badly.”
I frowned, because crumpled and underdressed was not any girl’s dream. It didn’t help my blood boiled. He was now too close and not touching me, the change firing my anger.
Silvie sprang in beside me, knocking my arm. “Hey, sorry we’re late. Zac here couldn’t zap us over until Belle had provided a photograph of the beach frontage for him to match an image to. Who knew just how particular teleporting could be?”
“Me. I just ’ported myself.”
“What?” Silvie snapped a wide-eyed look at me. “No, no, no. Don’t tell me you can move like that too.”
“Yep. Let me take you somewhere.”
Only Davio gripped my arm and abruptly intervened. “We’ve already spoken about this. No leaving on your own. I won’t concede on that point. Your continued security is imperative.”
“You can ’port?” Zac huffed and gripped my shoulders. “You’re only a Halfling. You shouldn’t be so highly skilled. First came forethought, then fast-healing and now teleporting. Exactly how many strength skills do you hold? You certainly kept your father’s status from us for far too long, and now you’re obviously keeping more.”
“Stand down, Zac.” Davio flicked Zac’s hands from my shoulders. “No touching my mate unless I give you permission.”
Riled, Davio’s thoughts swirled, the odd one escaping his tight block and I caught each one.
“Besides,” he continued, “just how many skills my mate holds could be anyone’s guess considering the Dralion scum who fathered her is clearly one of their most highly skilled. Your job is not to interrogate my mate, but to find and kill our enemy.”
My shoulders stiffened. Kill? His desire for my unknown father’s death irked me. How dare he decide such a thing? What right did he have to take my father away from me? Not that I wanted a father, only I couldn’t halt the questions buzzing through my mind. Why would my father suddenly turn up after eighteen years, only to give me a safe location should I wish to use it?
What could he be after?
So many questions.
Endless questions.
And very legitimate concerns too.
I shook off Davio’s tight hold. I needed a moment.
Especially considering I now had a mate who wanted to kill my father. I wanted answers from him first, and preferably before he perished.
No, there was simply more to unravel here than what Davio had said.
I poked his pumped up chest with my finger. “You want to kill my father, and I’m afraid I can’t let you do that. I’ll certainly never forgive you if you do him any harm. I want answers about why he left Mum and me, why he even came to Earth in the first place.”
I’d stand up for myself. I always had.
Silvie’s mouth gaped open. “Come on, Faith. Your father left your mother the day you were born, and up until he returned, you’ve never even cared to know a thing about him. He even slammed a baton into you. You’re clearly not thinking straight.” She gave me that frank look of hers. “Try and argue that point.”
“I can’t since it’s all true, but I still want to know more about him.” I nabbed her hand. “Let’s talk, just the two of us.” A pain stabbed me in the chest. I didn’t care to see Silvie turning on me and agreeing with the others. She was the one who’d never wavered from my side, not my entire life.
With the image of my bedroom in my mind, I added the coordinates and flashed us there.
She gasped as we arrived, wobbled and lifted her arms to keep her balance. “Oh no. You have to stay within the protectors’ sight. You can’t go traveling about willy-nilly wherever you please.”
“Since when did we start listening to Davio? Only Mum has the right to boss me around.” She’d earnt my undying loyalty, and so had Silvie. “He’s not our boss.”
“I didn’t say he was, but Davio is your mate. He’d never harm a hair on your head.”
Davio wavered into sight, frustration clear to see on his face. “Faith Stryker.”
“Don’t you dare Faith Stryker me.” I wasn’t letting him have full control over my life.
“You’re not to go against a direct order again.” He stormed toward me.
“Wait.” Silvie halted him with one hand raised, then harrumphed and leaned back against the wall behind her. Crossing her arms, she glared at him. “You have a lot to learn about Earth girls. Stop throwing your weight around and from now on try asking Faith nicely for any request you’d like to make. And nicely means sweetly. Put some sugar into it.”
“She’s right. I like a lot of sugar with any requests made.” I tossed my crumpled skirt onto the bed and stalked to my wardrobe. I needed something more appropriate to wear for dinner on the beach. “You have to turn around,” I snapped at him, because changing required stripping first, and I doubted he was leaving any time soon.
He released a harsh breath that whistled between his lips. “Change and then we leave. We need to return to the others. Immediately.”
“I just bet we do.” I gritted my teeth as I thumbed through the dresses toward the back of the rack, being a little overly rough with the clothes I loved. Could he not move? I gave it one second. “Okay, you’re not far enough away. Go and kiss the wall. Five steps.”
He remained right where he was, his gaze all fired up. “This erratic temper of yours is completely appalling too. You need to be able to control your emotions better.”
“Well, I would, that’s if my blood didn’t boil whenever you’re close and not touching me. You know the rules.” I could argue with the best of them. “Touch me, skin-to-skin, or back off. It’d also help it you stopped saying you wanted to kill my father. It’s incredibly impolite, no matter what country or world one comes from. Now turn around”—I f
licked a finger—“pronto.”
He barely managed it before I yanked off my top and pulled out an ankle-length, spaghetti-strap dress. I dropped the indigo cotton over my head, yanked it down and almost tore the innocent fabric.
Davio groaned as he slammed a hand against the wall, his gaze turned away. “I didn’t mean you were scum. Just that your despicable father is.”
Ignoring his terrible apology—if one could even call it an apology—I took a calming breath and pulled out a pair of silver flats suitable for the beach. I sat on the edge of my bed and jammed them on. “Tell me exactly how you managed to follow me here so quickly. Did you take a wild guess?” I should at least have an answer to that since I wasn’t getting any others.
He crossed his arms against the wall and pressed his forehead to the back of his hands. “I simply followed your ’porting airstream. Now are you dressed? I need to see you. I don’t deal well with antagonism, and it seems especially not from you.”
“Well that’s just too bad. Now explain the intricacies of following my ’porting airstream?” I was all fired up and nowhere near settling down.
He took a deep breath. “Any teleporter can follow another’s airstream provided they do so within a second of their leaving. Any longer than that and the scent vanishes on the wind, becoming impossible to trace.”
I inched closer toward his broad back.
My mind stirred, demanding the mind-merge.
I snarled and gave in, reached out and locked my mind into his. Soft spot. Ahh, I had it back.
He slumped forward into the wall and held onto his head.
“Faith.” He groaned my name, his voice swamped with relief. “I can’t explain, but I can feel when you’re connected to my mind. I itch for its return.”
As much as I detested our argument, at least we’d both gotten what we needed to say out. I also needed him too. “You can turn around.”
“I’ve been a brute. Do you forgive me?” He turned, his striking eyes zeroing in on me, then the door. “Your mother’s coming.”
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