“How do you possibly expect to convince them to do that?”
“Who said anything about convincing? We’ll force them.”
“Yeah,” I mumbled under my breath, “like that’ll happen.” As if reading my mind, Jet offered me the seat he had declined. Thank God, because I needed it. My poor battered brain was having serious issues digesting this new discovery. Six other Earths? All owned by the Invaders? Did that make them our creators? Were we all being watched this very second? Were we all aliens? Machines?
Were we anything?
“It will happen,” Rico assured us. He looked to Kale, who shifted uncomfortably. “We have a plan in place. No need to worry about that. Now that you two are up to speed, you’ll have to excuse us. We have arrangements to make for the next recon, and this Black Hole kicks us out tomorrow night.” He turned to address everyone in the room. “Be here, same time, same place, tomorrow evening, for one last meeting before we move out.” With that, he exited through the steel door. The others followed, leaving only me, Jet, and Kale around the table.
Jet gazed thoughtfully at the steel door. “What do you need us for?” he muttered to Kale. “Looks to me like you have plenty of allies already.”
Kale quietly shook his head, turning for the steel door to follow the rebels. “Looks can be deceiving.”
* * *
The calming effect of the Abyss anchored me to the rocks. I sat there, staring out at it, my knees pulled to my chest, admiring the soothing lull of the water’s surface. My eyes drifted shut and I inhaled deeply, pushing out the overwhelming shock and emotions that tore through me at the news that we weren’t the only Planet Earth. That we weren’t the only living, breathing human beings in the universe. That it was all even more vast than we’d known it to be. That truth made me feel even smaller than I’d felt before the invasion.
While my brain picked apart the news and tried to digest each piece, I became more aware that all this was so much more intricate than ever before, and that there was a good chance my mind would never fully comprehend it all, let alone recover from the knowledge.
So, instead of allowing myself to be swept away by these shattering new truths, I got lost in the delicate sound of the Abyss’s water, in the way it lapped at the rocky ledge near my feet. My head tilted back and I took in another deep breath, only I couldn’t get enough air, couldn’t breathe deep enough. Something interfered with my serenity, stabbing at my lungs with a fierceness that jolted me forward, causing my head to snap up and my eyes to fly open. My fingers rushed to my throat. The muscles there constricted as I gasped for breath. I frantically searched for someone to help me, but no one was around. It was early in the morning and the Abyss was quiet and still.
Continuing to claw at my throat, I flinched when visions of drowning assaulted me. Images of my parents and their lungs being filled with fluid, their bodies convulsing as the water stole the life from them. I gasped harder, more desperate for breath, bolting to my feet. I stumbled toward the rocky ledge, and the only thought that sprang into my mind filled me with a fear so potent, I was nearly paralyzed on the spot. But I did what the thought prompted me to do, anyway.
Against all common sense, I jumped, and like a woman possessed, submersed myself in the Abyss.
The water cocooned me yet my eyes remained open, wide with terror. This would only speed up my race toward suffocating, but no part of my brain could convince my body to move, to flail about, to fight. Instead, I held myself beneath the surface. Slowly, second by second, the burn in my lungs began to fade. The struggle lessened. Something told me to breathe, and again, against all common sense, I did. I inhaled, taking in water through my nostrils, feeling it glide down my nose and throat by the gulp.
I could breathe. The water wasn’t drowning me, it was saving me.
The insane realization sent me into another panic, but before my mind teetered into an anxiety-induced tailspin, I was jolted and dragged upward toward the surface, a strong hand clasping tightly around my arm.
“Skylla,” Kale’s voice broke through the watery cocoon, “can you hear me?”
I started to cough as he pulled me toward the rocks, lifted me and settled me gently on the ground. “Yeah,” I choked out. “I’m okay … I’m … I don’t know what I was doing.”
“Take it easy, one breath at a time. Easy, even breaths, you got it?” His hand stroked my back, and I found him staring at me intently, his brown eyes wary. “Focus on something. Try counting. That seems to help.”
I did as he suggested, counting from one to ten, then again, until my breathing resumed to normal, the panic subsiding. “I couldn’t breathe,” I said. “But the water … it helped. I know how that sounds, but it did … it helped. It was all backwards.”
“You were dealt some shocking news last night. It’s a lot to swallow. You probably just panicked.”
“Doesn’t it make you feel … insignificant?”
His weary gaze turned into a sympathetic one, full of understanding. “All the time,” he answered with a heavy sigh.
“How long have you known?”
He sat next to me and draped his arms over his knees. “A while. The last recon mission. I was one of the ones sent to Central Control—C1—the New Orleans base station. I remember feeling … betrayed. Like my whole life was a lie.” He laughed softly, his eyes glittering with wistful sadness. “Like I was a machine. I lost my sense of purpose.”
“I didn’t think things could get worse. Losing our families, our homes, our hope for a future … having to live with all that’s bad enough. It just doesn’t make sense for this to be … it. The end of everything, you know?”
“No, it doesn’t. But you know, after a while, I started thinking.” His head tilted and he shrugged. “Life never really made much sense before all of this, either. The only difference was, I felt comfort. Sure that I had a role to play somehow, that I was useful in some way. Feeling useful is what keeps us going. Having purpose is living.”
“So what do we live for now?”
“The same thing we did before the invasion. Before we knew about Prototype Seven.”
“How is that possible?”
“We choose to. None of this changes the fact that we’re human beings. We can still choose to have purpose. And with a little luck, maybe we’ll be able to turn things around for the good. Maybe we can put our Earth back together. Maybe the Invaders aren’t the end of everything, like we think they are.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“That’s optimism if I’ve ever heard it.”
“Have you considered that, though? Maybe we can get through to them. Compromise with them or something.”
That comment sobered me; the chill of my damp clothing seemed nothing now, compared to the chill triggered by the intrigue racing through my veins. My spine straightened and I fixed my gaze on him. “What? You mean like … surrendering or something? Living in harmony with them somehow? They’re killing and controlling our race. That would never happen.”
“Did you ever think an alien species would come to our planet and take over?”
“Um … no.”
“Never say never.”
I sighed. “I don’t know. I just hope this plan Rico says he has in place works. If we actually make it into that control station at the San Francisco base, we can’t lose our shot. Not after we’ve made it so far.”
Kale mumbled beneath his breath. It was faint, but there was no mistaking his dissatisfaction. I said, “What is it?”
“We should be more worried about what will happen if this plan of his does work.”
“Why do you say that?”
His brown-eyed gaze slid to mine. “Ah, forget it. I don’t even know what I’m talking about.”
Jet’s voice stirred behind us. “I’ve been saying that all along.”
Kale and I turned around and looked up to find him towering over us, hands stuffed deep in his pockets.
“Don’t worry, Your
Highness,” Kale answered quickly, rising to his feet. “I was just going. See you two at the meeting tonight.”
“Oh?” I said, standing with him. “Okay … see you tonight.”
Kale and Jet exchanged another tense glance before Kale disappeared up the rocky stairwell. I watched him as he exited, wishing he hadn’t run off so soon. Had he really believed all of that? That we could offer a truce somehow? That the Invaders would even let us do such a thing? My curiosity simmered, mixing with a surge of anger. Wasn’t that essentially what the traitors were doing? Giving in? Handing over control?
How was what Kale was suggesting any different?
“Why are you soaking wet?” Jet asked, his voice softening now that Kale was gone. His expression seemed to soften, too, and he leaned over to kiss me, letting his lips slowly brush mine. Only his mouth touched me as his body remained still.
“Hhhmm?”
“Your clothes,” he breathed. “They’re all wet.”
“I decided to go for a swim.”
“It’s six in the morning.” He nipped my bottom lip but still didn’t move to touch me, sending my blood boiling hot beneath my skin. “And you were with him. I still don’t trust him. I don’t buy this bull about him wanting us as allies. I think he lured us here because his little movement needed more recruits.”
“He has a name.”
“I don’t like his name.”
“Jet.” I bit him back, my eyes widening a fraction at the sound of his moan. I really liked that sound.
I wanted another.
Leaning up on my tiptoes, I moved in to elicit moan number two, but his strong hands found my waist and he lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his hips.
“Come back to bed.” His voice was husky.
“I can’t sleep. That’s why I came down here.”
“Who said anything about sleeping?”
I exhaled quietly, my body sliding over his hard stomach as he lowered me back to my feet. “There’s no privacy.”
His teeth skimmed the flesh of my neck, and a satisfied hum rattled low in my throat. “I know just the spot.”
“You do?” I pulled him back down to me and kissed him greedily, surrendering to him completely. He groaned and welcomed my tongue, our mouths moving together like soft velvet, each stroke lusher than the last.
“You’ve had the same look in your eyes since the meeting last night,” he whispered into my mouth. “Just forget the world right now, Sky. Just get lost in this.”
“I want to,” I whispered back.
And I meant it.
CHAPTER 8
Jet’s hand was surprisingly warm in mine in the cold water. He’d convinced me to jump back in the Abyss; I didn’t object, even after the scare I’d had before he and Kale showed up.
“Trust me, okay?” he said when we reached the farthest wall. Our heads bobbed next to the dark rock, the surface illuminated by the faint flicker of the cave’s lanterns.
“We can’t swim any farther,” I said.
“Just close your eyes and hold your breath. Don’t let go of my hand, whatever you do.”
“I have to close my eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“Good.” His chilled lips met mine and he pulled back, taking a deep breath. “Ready?”
I nodded and closed my eyes, then inhaled deeply. I could hear him suck in another lungful of air and then duck beneath the surface. In less than a second, I was taken underwater with him, the warm pull of his hand tugging at mine. I blindly followed his lead and swam at his side, hoping he wasn’t leading me farther down. I knew some Black Hole residents got their kicks by trying to swim as far down as they could, but I was most definitely not one of them. Since the Invaders arrived, I’d had enough thrills to last me a lifetime.
Jet’s hand began to drift vertically, and I followed suit, swimming upward until we broke the surface. I gasped for breath, feeling something light and warm on my cheeks.
“You can open your eyes now,” he said.
My eyelids fluttered open and I wiped the water from my lashes, smiling when I found the source of the warm light—sunlight. Early morning sunlight, pouring down on us from a hole at the top of the cavern. “How did you find this?”
“I took a swim to wash up before I went to bed last night.”
“You just accidently found this while washing up?” I gave him a side-glance.
“Something like that, yeah.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Okay, more like I was trying the deep-dive challenge everyone around here seems to be obsessed with. And when I realized I couldn’t go any farther, I started to swim back up and found this. Nice, right?”
“It’s incredible.” I let my head fall back, taking in the sunlight.
“Come here.” His hand found mine again and he led me to a narrow crevice on the far side of the cavern’s pool. Pulling me up and out of the water, his big hands landed on my waist and his mouth lowered to mine. “Private enough for you?”
“Plenty.” I grinned up at him, lifting his inked forearm between us. Dropping my gaze to the spiritual creatures splayed across his skin, I brought my mouth to the tattoo and trailed lazy kisses across it, savoring the feel of his arm muscles jumping beneath my lips.
“You like?” I whispered, lowering myself to my knees to lift his shirt and kiss his navel.
His entire body tensed as he groaned softly. “You turn me on so fucking bad I can’t think straight.”
“So that’s a yes?” I flicked my tongue along his lower abdomen, lifting his wet shirt up and over his head as I stood and resumed full height. He still towered over me, his thick, toned body covering mine with heat. I loved our difference in height. Physically, he made me feel so small. His inner strength was a different matter. It made me feel equally powerful.
Like I could conquer the world.
My brazen fingers suddenly had their own mind, yanking my shirt and jeans off, then moving to his pants to undo the zipper. The deepening of his groan told me he approved, and he instantly responded to my enthusiasm, cupping my head in one hand and pressing my body into his with the other. “That’s a yes,” he murmured.
Reveling at that green light, I crushed my mouth on his and pushed against him, letting the vixen inside me take over.
There was a vixen in there. Who knew?
Shoving him backward with every ounce of strength I could muster, I was met with a hard wall of immovable muscle. I pounded my fist into his chest, my fingernails pressing into the back of his neck. Still no movement. I wanted him to yield, wanted to harness that newfound power, wanted to take the lead, wanted … something. But it was no use.
He caught my wrists and pulled back to suck in air, glaring down at me as I squirmed against him, my chest heaving. “Oh, so you want it rough, do you?”
“I just want you,” I stuttered, my thoughts hazy and mind clouded with crazed lust. I turned him on? Within two seconds of having his hands on me, I was a senseless, uncontrollable, aggressive mess. “I’m impatient.”
“I can see that.” He let out a low, husky laugh, his eyes filled with delighted amusement. “I’ve got no problem giving it to you rough, baby. I know you need to get lost right now, and I want to give that to you. But I don’t want you to be so lost that you forget who’s giving it to you. Look at me.” His fingers floated to my face, tipping my chin up to bring my brown eyes to his blue. “Something’s bothering you.”
“Don’t complicate this, Jet. I just want you, okay?”
“You’d tell me if something was bothering you?”
“Yes.” I looked away.
“Look at me and say it.”
I leveled my gaze with his, gritting my teeth. “Yes, I would tell you. Now I’m naked and I want you inside me, so can we chat later?”
His lips twitched, his amusement flaring again. “Piss and vinegar.” Shaking his head, he swiftly lifted me up to drape my legs around his waist, then carrie
d me over to the boulder-covered wall. My breath caught at the feel of his erection sliding against my core. “When I’m convinced you’re good and thoroughly fucked, we’re talking about this.”
“Uh huh.” I adjusted my back and legs, then lifted my hips and slammed down onto him, forcing him deep. He growled, letting all his weight fall against me, pinning me to the cool rock. His hand fell to the jagged stone near my ear as he braced himself, his head dropping to the side of my neck.
“Fine,” he grunted, gripping my hipbone, “have it your way.” His teeth clamped down on my collarbone and he started to move, his waist pumping hard. Tiny prickles of pain stabbed at my back, the jagged stone scraping at my skin, but I didn’t care. The pain reminded me I was alive, and once again, it was Jet making me feel that way.
I cried out and Jet thrust harder, as if to make me pay for my impatience. His hand dropped from the wall and found my breast, kneading and pulling as he worked, his other hand ironclad on my hip. A soft whimper escaped me, but he didn’t let up, hammering into me hard and fast, every dip of his hips pushing me closer and closer to release. “Oh my God, Jet—”
He delivered a sharp strike, knocking the wind and the words from me. “Chat later.”
I tilted my head back and bit my lip, matching his thrusts hit for hit. I glanced down, enjoying the view and the rhythm of our hips as they rolled and bounced together. The slow build he was creating began to simmer low in my stomach, igniting a wild, desperate plea to burst from my mouth. My shout echoed, ricocheting off the cave walls and splintering all around us.
“Take it all, baby,” he rasped against my neck. “Take whatever you need. Come on.”
Sweat beaded on my forehead, rolling down my nose and cheeks in heavy rivulets. I cried out as the simmer began to boil, the exertion intensifying every emotion driving through me: anger at the Invaders, at the fact that our entire creation was a lie, our planet was a lie. Heartbreak for the hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—who already lost their lives because of them, and millions more who would soon share the same fate because of their attack. More heartbreak for my parents, for Jet and the little sister he’d lost, and even more for the very good chance that I was falling for Jet and the harsh realization that I’d likely never get to explore the full potential of that possibility.
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