“We’ve been chasing Ranik Grayson for years, but he’s got too many followers who are willing to shield him. He pays well until he doesn’t need you anymore. Then he gets rid of you because you can identify him.”
I opened my eyes and looked at him. “You thought I was one of those people?”
He gazed back at me steadily. “I did.”
“Let me up,” I said stonily. I tried to move my limbs out from under him, but he didn’t relent.
“Not yet. We’re not done here.”
“I’m done.”
“I need you to hear this.”
“Fine. Say it fast. I want to get the fuck out of here,” I stated calmly.
It didn’t make sense that I was feeling so incredibly hurt, because we hadn’t made any promises to each other, but so what? Who said things had to make sense? Understanding why and acceptance were two different things. Shit was going down in his world, and I, through circumstances, had become a suspect. I definitely understood how that had happened. But he was the one who came on to me, who violated my dreams and who let me trust that he was a regular, everyday kind of guy.
Ultimately, it was I who’d let my guard down.
Totally my fault.
I’d let myself become one of those stupid girls on a daytime talk show who sobbed in front of the miserable prick, crying, “But I thought you loved me.” Weak!
“You aren’t weak,” he scowled.
“Stay out of my goddamn head,” I said coldly, and I put up a wall. I imagined a thick steel one that reached far and wide, like the Great Wall of China. “Say what you need to say.”
He continued to scowl down at me. Then I felt my mental barrier get hammered, creating a momentary dizziness. He was trying to break through. Arrogant! I imagined my wall with sharp stabbing instruments embedded within it and launched them. He grimaced, slamming his eyes shut as though it hurt. When he opened his eyes again, they were momentarily unfocused, and it looked as though a blood vessel had popped in the corner of one, because it was bright red. I was appalled, but I made myself turn away from the sight. I couldn’t be concerned. I hadn’t started all this.
I kept my voice all business. “You aren’t welcome in my mind anymore. Just tell me what you need to tell me, and I’ll handle this for myself from here on out.”
I could tell he had the urge to argue with me, but he seemed to rethink it and pressed his lips into a thin line. “We believe Ranik is responsible for acts of terror that have killed hundreds and injured many more over the years. We also believe that he was able to steal large stores of mylunate through the use of an inside source. This could be used to launch an all-out attack on Sunan.”
“How does that connect? Mylunate and attacks?”
“It multiplies the power of a blast exponentially.”
I let that sink in a moment. What was on my toe was truly deadly. “Why haven’t you taken it from me yet?”
“It’s going to hurt to pull it off. When you’ve worn it directly against your skin this long, it sinks in. Those of us that have to carry it keep it contained.”
Great. I was likely going to get cancer or something from touching the stuff directly. I’d be like one of those people on the asbestos commercial or something. “Am I going to grow a third arm or develop tumors over this?”
“No.”
“So you think a traitor is responsible?”
“Yes. Likely many. What Ranik’s managed to do he wouldn’t have been able to do alone. We need to find everyone involved or it will never end.”
There was a sudden beep. Peripherally, I saw the wall give way beyond the archway. Someone was coming from the transfer room.
“Can anyone join this party?” The amused tone came from Nick, aka Adonis, as he stood in the opened stone panel where the transfer room was located.
“What are you doing here, Nick?” Ryder kept his eyes on mine as he addressed his friend.
“Your mom sent me. It seems your grandmother told her you’d arrived.”
My face burned as I saw the amusement Nick was receiving from seeing me pinned under Ryder. He continued through the door, and right behind him was none other than Cynthia! Her expression went from neutral to surprised concern instantly.
“Tay! Oh, my God! What happened to you? What’s going on here?”
Chapter Ten
It was entirely embarrassing that I broke down when I saw Cynthia standing there. She was such a normal sight, her blond hair hanging straight down in a silky curtain, her warm toffee eyes rounded with concern. I’d managed to remain strong until I saw the kind, loving face of my good friend. Then the floodgates broke and a dry sob shook my chest.
“Get off me,” I said hoarsely, yanking my hands free and shoving at his thick shoulders.
Ryder looked darkly remorseful and let me shove him off so I could scramble up, ignoring his helping hand like it had the plague. Nick’s smirk melted as he realized this wasn’t all fun and games. Cynthia held me in a tight hug, looking entirely bewildered by the situation. Clearly she was thrown, totally not expecting me and probably wondering what the hell I was doing at Ryder’s, though her voice was gentle when she spoke to me.
“It’s going to be okay, Tay.”
“I’m such a mess,” I whispered inanely. “Do you have a b-brush or s-something?”
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” she soothed, smoothing a hand over my hair as a mother would a child’s. It was very comforting to feel like I had someone on my side.
“I want to go home,” I whispered quietly.
“We’ll get you there,” she whispered back.
“Shower’s through there.” Ryder did one of those brief chin jerks toward the nearest archway.
“Thank you, Senior Officer Langston,” Cynthia said formally, which totally threw me. I frowned at her in confusion and looked back at Ryder as she drew me away by my hand. She was pulling me along sharply, but my feet felt like they were walking through glue.
His green gaze was locked intently on me, and I couldn’t look away. It was like there was just the two of us. I finally took a deep breath and followed Cyn, missing Ryder’s touch already and exasperated that I felt this way because, hello, he was just physically restraining me.
But the questions of the hour had become who was he, and why had he brought me here?
There turned out to be another wing to Ryder’s cave home. Through the small archway was a larger room that revealed an open floor plan. It seemed to serve as a kitchen, eating area and recreation area all in one.
“What’s going on, Tay?” Cynthia asked quietly when we were just out of sight. “How did you get here? What’s happening?”
“Really long story.” I turned my tearful gaze toward her, but I was too near the razor’s edge to handle a retelling just yet. “Let me have a little time to put myself back together, and I’ll tell you the whole thing.”
I could tell she was impatient and wanted answers. The feelings were rolling off of her, which felt weird because I’d never picked up anything from her before. She was grudgingly willing to wait for answers, particularly since her frustrations and hurt feelings seemed to surround Nick. She was preoccupied with personal issues.
Were all these sudden “feelings” and “energy” related to the mylunate on my toe?
Cyn sighed with resignation. “All right.”
The blue stone followed us through all the rooms. Above our heads, there were holes in the ceiling, like skylights people pay for back on Earth, except these were naturally occurring, though glass covered. It seemed we were in the penthouse suite here.
“This is amazing,” I couldn’t help murmuring. I scanned the interior, noting furniture similar, yet just slightly different, to what would be found back home.
“The Catacombs are pretty cool. I�
��ve got a place on one of the lower levels, so it’s a bit darker and a little smaller than this place, but still cozy.”
“You have a place here too?” My voice hitched on the upswing. What else didn’t I know?
Cynthia gave it to me straight, in a firm voice. “I know you’re probably pissed and hurt. If I were in your place, I would be too. You have to know that I wasn’t allowed to tell you about this place, because it’s against our laws to disclose our existence without permission from the council. We’ve struggled to survive, and I’m not sorry for keeping quiet. I won’t jeopardize my people. This is my home, Taylor. Keeping it safe is my primary mission.”
“I understand.” And mostly I did, but this was all just so much to process.
“That’s quite a mental wall you have up in your mind.” She relented with a half smile that seemed a bit hesitant, as though she was now uncertain of me. “I used to be able to know what you were thinking. I bet that only pisses you off more.”
It did piss me off, now that she mentioned it.
“I’ve had a lot to learn.” I gave her a searching look, hoping to see deeply and recognize my good friend. Her sensitive eyes, the ones that had offered trust, support and care during the last year and a half of my life, looked steadily into mine. She was still in there, even amid all this.
“It probably feels like an invasion of your privacy, but please know that I tried to shield you as much as possible. It’s just that...your energy was powerful. Is powerful. I can feel your pull even now.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’m saying there were times when I was working hard to shield against you, and I’d still catch thoughts. Waves of emotion. Memories. Even dreams. I didn’t know what to make of it because I knew you were of Earth. I’d been in your mind, and I knew you had no idea about any of this, us or mylunate.”
“I drew you into my dreams?”
“Many times.”
“What dreams?”
“All kinds. Sometimes they were surreal, other times abstract scavenger hunts. A few times we went looking for your mother. I could always exit the dream if I wanted to, but hanging out with you in our dream state was so fun. We had some great times this last year, so I stopped questioning it and just accepted it as a kind of fluke thing. You’re powerful, Tay. You don’t seem to need mylunate for some interesting mindwalking.”
“I don’t remember any of it. How can that be?”
“You weren’t trying to.”
Oh, crap. Is that how Ryder had ended up in my dreams? Had I pulled him in? Was he truly not culpable? Had he been off minding his own business in his own subconscious la-la land when I yanked him into my fantasy world? My sexual fantasy world? Let me hang my head in shame. He probably thought I’d delivered an invitation. If that was true, it was no wonder he’d stayed to enjoy the sensual play. I couldn’t fault him for that.
“Should I apologize?” I asked hesitantly. “I mean, is it normal for people to jump into each other’s dreams here? Or pull each other into one? I mean, how does that all work?”
Cynthia shook her head with exasperation, her hair swinging gently around her face as she added, “Don’t you dare apologize to me. Look. Those of us born in most areas of the Sunan nation are immersed in the power that mylunate gives off from birth, because there are rich deposits sitting right under us. From birth, we can do all of these things that probably sound like sci-fi or something, but it’s just part of our reality. Kids have to be taught how to control these abilities in Sunan the way they have to be taught how to cross the street properly on Earth. It’s just a thing. Sometimes they end up in a parent’s dream. It’s also common for couples to share mental space for a little exotic fun.”
“Exotic?”
Cynthia actually flushed. Wow. “You can do anything in a dream, Taylor. You just have to know you’re in one.”
“I didn’t pull you into a...” How to put this delicately? What was a good way of asking if I’d ever subjected her to a sex dream? Or maybe it was better to just not go there. “Never mind. As long as I didn’t offend you or put you in a weird situation.”
“Never. And remember, I could have exited at any time if anything weird did happen. But it didn’t. And no, I have not been in your sex dreams.”
“I thought my mental wall was up.” I frowned at her.
“That was an easy guess.” She grinned. “You recognized my energy on some level without realizing it. You identified me as a friend and brought me in for some fun, adventurous times. You’re a busy girl in your sleep.”
“Recognized your energy?”
“Yeah. Like I can recognize yours. We each have our own, and if you start looking for it in the people around you, it will suddenly jump out at you.”
Man, did I have a lot to think about. If I’d recognized Cynthia’s friend energy when I needed it, what did that say about the kind of energy I considered Ryder to have for me?
“Let’s get you a shower.”
There was an archway at the far end of the big room. This led to a hallway where two rooms were located. I quickly glanced in the first as we walked by. It seemed to be a bedroom, but we walked by too quickly to catch more than a quick impression of neatness. The second was a bathroom, where I was blown away again.
Cynthia explained that there were a number of springs running throughout the Catacombs as well as on top of the ridge above us. Much of the water from the springs ran through the Catacombs, naturally seeping through soil and cracks in the rock to drain into the forest below, which was why it was so lush. Earlier Te’reans had learned how to harness it and redirect some of the flow in order to support life in the caverns.
“Wow. Natural plumbing?”
“Exactly. Never need to repair any pipes. At least not for the shower or the sink.”
Though clearly a bathroom, it was foreign looking, and Cynthia had to show me how to release the water in the bathing area so it sprinkled like a gentle waterfall from a natural overhead spout. A small hole in the floor by the side of the wall, about large enough to fit a golf ball through, allowed the water to escape, which she explained was its natural pathway. The hole led to the outer wall and drained to the forest below, as it had been doing for millions of years.
There was a toilet, and luckily, it worked much the same way toilets did on Earth. While an attempt to keep things natural was clearly prevalent, they’d had to make some compromises in plumbing.
The naturally warmed spring water felt great. It was the perfect temperature by the time it worked its way through the rocks, not too hot and not too cold. I could feel myself rallying as I soaped up with the good, spicy soap that Ryder used.
Okay. Confession time. Momentarily, and only momentarily, the scent took me back to the sexual dream where Ryder first gave me a cataclysmic orgasm, and my cheeks flushed with the memory of his rough skin skimming mine in ultraprivate areas. It’s funny how being naked in the shower of a guy you’re attracted to can make your mind go places. Involuntarily, my thighs clenched, and I felt my body warm. My heart double-timed. That led to the memory of his beautiful lips and strong hands running over me when we were in his bedroom back on Earth. It still had the power to give me goose bumps.
Hussy! My intellect wasn’t having it.
Cynthia, who’d stepped out to grab me some of her clothes, reappeared and kept up a steady stream of one-sided, soothing conversation about how the Catacombs were created and how the spicy-smelling soap was made locally from native plants known for their regenerative medicinal oils or something. I appreciated the distraction. There wasn’t a curtain for privacy, but I hadn’t wanted her to leave when I was just beginning to feel normal again, so she sat on the closed toilet lid with her back facing me.
“Okay. I think I’ve waited long enough. How the hell did you get here, Taylor?” Her voice drifted
toward me impatiently. “It’s almost unheard of that any one of us brings an outsider in. It’s nothing personal. It’s just that after everything that’s happened to us historically, our people as a whole have nurtured a culture of exclusion. And after what’s been going on lately, everyone here is on high alert. There isn’t an open-door policy for strangers.”
I thought back to Ryder’s indecision outside the cave, how he’d seemed so reluctant to bring me here, and realized why he’d been uncertain. It had seemed out of character from what I knew of him. He was more the arrogant, take charge, I-have-all-the-answers guy, but he’d been fighting his inherent reserve. So why would he bring me here?
Cynthia’s continued dialogue mirrored my thoughts. “It’s so weird that Ryder would bring anyone over. He’s as tight about this as anyone. He must have felt strongly compelled. What happened to you?”
As the water streamed over my face, remembered feelings of terror and helplessness whispered through my mind. An image of the scared Vietnamese girl, her eyes looking at me, flashed like an old photograph in my memory. I had to consciously breathe deeply before shutting off the water and wrapping up in Cynthia’s soft robe. As I crossed to the mirror over the basin, she tossed me a towel for my hair, which I made quick work of drying the drippy ends of.
“It was a nightmare,” I offered tremulously, wrapping my hair up turban-style.
She listened intently as I told her what had happened with Paul and how he considered Frank a family friend (which was odd, considering he’d felt innocent to me in all this and not in league with some big evil guy). My description of the contradictory creepiness of Frank’s simultaneous charm and menace had her frowning with distaste.
My near abduction had her properly horrified, enough so that she jumped up to hug me tightly and whisper with heartfelt relief, “Many thanks to Ryder.” Pulling away, she studied my face anxiously, our eyes meeting in the mirror. “Are you all right?”
“Few scrapes, bruises.” I studied my reflection. I wondered if the last few days’ adventures were etched on my face in some way, but they weren’t. It was just me.
Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers) Page 20