“So you’re a pureblood?”
“European Caucasian, as are Second and Michael. Raven is descended from the First People. Diego and Furcho have Spanish origins. Tan came from African bloodlines, even though she talks like she’s from a north region of the Third Continent. I would guess from your physical characteristics that you’re nearly pure…or at least a collection of recessive pure genes, which is what we’re looking for in the DNA testing we’re doing in the valley.”
The puzzle pieces were starting to fall together. “So, their dragon gene lured them here, and you’re filtering them for the most pure?”
“We’re looking for people with enough of the dragon-horse DNA sequence to possibly establish a bond.”
Alyssa pondered this information while she absently stroked Specter’s wings. He was quiet, resting his head against Jael’s shoulder, and she wondered if he was talking to her or just reaffirming their bond, like Jael had said before. “If Furcho and Diego are both from the same line, why don’t they look alike, the way you and Second are nearly identical?”
“Ah, well, because we’re different.” Jael left off stroking Specter and absently rubbed her shoulder. “An accident prematurely claimed our line’s male pureblood several generations ago, but we were able to continue through cloning. People think clones are identical, but it depends on how the procedure is done. Also, two different surrogates gestated us, and a number of things can cause genes to mutate as the fetus grows in the womb. Second’s brown eyes are a mutation. And, like identical twins, we don’t share some other less obvious traits.
“She cooks, and you don’t.”
Jael returned her smile. “I’m right-handed and she’s left-handed.”
“But wouldn’t that make you…I don’t know…sisters?”
“The mothers who gestated and reared us were sisters, so we identify as cousins rather than sisters or twins.”
“You said two from each bloodline, but there’s only one from the First People and one of African descent.”
“There are two more Guard units in other parts of the world. Twenty-one of us in all.”
“And you’re simply sleeper cells, so to speak?”
“No. Our job in peacetime is to watch and…well, burn.”
“Burn?”
Jael rubbed at her shoulder again—a gesture Alyssa realized meant she was struggling with what she needed to say. She abandoned her wing-stroking to take Jael’s other hand in hers. A tactile connection wasn’t necessary for her to project her complete trust and respect, but touch apparently enhanced Jael’s talent for reading. And, honestly, she was just giving in to the constant, overwhelming desire to touch her. She needed to hold Jael’s rough hand, snuggle into her embrace as much as she wanted to tear her clothes off and explore, lay claim to every inch of her skin.
“Stop,” Jael said softly. “You’re projecting, and it’s making it hard for me to focus.”
“Sorry.” What were they talking about? Burn. Stars, she was burning in her belly with need she’d never experienced. Jael’s hand briefly tightened around hers, and she worked to redirect her thoughts. “What did you mean by burn?”
“More people than you’d imagine die alone in remote places. The Guard tracks the ones we know about to make sure they’re cremated upon death so their souls can pass properly to the next life. The ones we miss—someone who’s buried in a landslide or lost at sea for example—are badly born into their next life, and it’s our duty to make sure they don’t disrupt The Collective before they can be put back on track.”
“Like this Prophet guy has done.”
“Yes. His cult is a twofold threat. Its teachings are disrupting the unity of The Collective, and, even more dangerous, they’re preaching burial rather than cremation. Their numbers already are increasing exponentially. Unchecked, we soon will be overrun with badly born, and the world will sink back into the chaos. They must be stopped.”
Alyssa was beginning to connect the stars. The thousands who were drowning in despair after losing their homes and loved ones needed something to buoy them. This cult leader was claiming to have answers, however misguided, and a solution to stop the carnage. The Collective could gather an army of workers to confiscate the bodies and deliver them to crematories, but wouldn’t it be better to capture the imaginations of the public with something fantastic like dragon horses? It was genius. People would drag in every dead relative they could find for the honor of being cremated by the mythical creatures. “What can I do to help?”
“We should be able to finish the screening next week, and then I’ll reveal our mission to everyone. Judging from your initial reaction to Specter, we’re going to need some crowd control. Your ability to project soothing vibes could be critical.”
“There’ll be hundreds. The most I’ve ever tried to calm before was a nursery with a dozen screaming babies.” She pulled away, turned from Jael. She wasn’t just asking her to control a huge crowd; she was asking her to drop her shields among them. She’d be inundated with their fright. Jael’s arms slid around her, and her length, pressed firm against her back, absorbed Alyssa’s trembling.
“I won’t let you be hurt.” Jael’s voice was low and soft. Her cheek was warm against Alyssa’s ear. “I can throw up shields if their noise overcomes you.”
She turned in Jael’s arms. “You need to prepare them better than you did me.”
Jael nodded. “I will. I promise.”
Alyssa regarded her. “You haven’t been kissing up to me, so to speak, just to get my help, have you?”
Jael’s kiss was hard, bright-hot cinders searing through Alyssa like flash fire, taking her breath, scorching her body. She was panting on the very edge of orgasm when Jael abruptly withdrew and pinned her with a diamond-sharp gaze. “Do I need to swear it? Or do you trust what you feel, empath?”
“I don’t know.” She sucked in a breath and cleared her throat to restart her brain. “I might need more proof like that to decide.”
Jael’s eyes darkened, and Alyssa had lifted her face for another kiss when a head-butt from Specter nearly knocked the two of them off their feet. Jael growled as she caught and steadied them.
“He’s hungry and thinks the other dragon horses are going to eat his ration of phosphorus before we fly down the mountain.”
“We’re really going to fly?”
“Are you up to it?”
“I guess I’ll have to be if the alternative is stumbling down the mountain in the dark or spending the night in the open with no bedroll.”
“Okay. I’ll help you on first, and then I’ll hop on behind you.”
“Are you sure he can carry both of us?”
Specter stamped his front foot and unfurled his wings so that Alyssa had to duck or be knocked away like an irritating fly. “I don’t think he likes me.”
“You insulted him.”
“You said he didn’t understand words.”
“Sorry. I’ve been translating what you say in my head for him. I guess I should have toned that one down a bit.”
Specter shook his head but canted his wings forward so Jael could lift Alyssa onto his back, then hop up behind her. She groped for some purchase on his slick hide, and Jael silently guided her hands to clutch his thick mane, then wrapped an arm around her waist to anchor her. “Trust that I won’t let you fall and just enjoy the ride.”
The press of Jael against her back and the powerful sweeps of Specter’s wings lifting them from the meadow wiped any reply from her conscious thoughts. She buried one hand in Specter’s silky mane while she held onto Jael’s forearm with the other, clinging as tightly as possible.
Specter’s shoulder muscles worked under her legs, and the flapping as they ascended was like a great sail snapping in the wind. But once they were aloft among the warm summer crosswinds, they glided through the dark in near silence.
Surprisingly, she wasn’t scared. The moonlight likely distorted her depth perception, but the ground didn’t look all t
hat far away and the air currents that buoyed them felt as thick and strong as ocean tides. It was exhilarating.
Less than half an hour later, Specter executed a perfect four-hoof landing in a clearing not far from the camp’s edge.
The rest of The Guard was waiting, and Second greeted them with a bucket that Specter plunged his nose into without preamble. Alyssa grimaced at the cracking and grinding as he chewed the rocks.
“He has no table manners,” Jael said, helping her dismount.
Second grinned at Alyssa. “So, how did you like your trip down the mountain?”
“Amazing.” The solid ground under her feet again was a bit disorienting, and she grabbed Jael’s hand to steady her wobbly legs. “But I expect to wake up from this dream at any time and realize it’s just too fantastic to be true.” She turned to Jael, holding her gaze. “Everything is too incredible, too amazing to believe.”
Second cleared her throat. “Yes, well.” She glanced at their joined hands and raised an eyebrow at Jael. “I have a few loose ends to tie up when my incredibly amazing cousin can make some time for business, but tomorrow will be soon enough.”
Jael ignored Second’s teasing and led Alyssa to a trail that took them back to camp. But when they reached the edge of the forest, she stopped. “I have to say good night here. You should check the cold storage. I’m sure Second saved something from dinner for you.”
“What? Where are you going?” She caught herself. They’d shared a few kisses, and she was already sounding like she had some claim to Jael. Still, she didn’t want their time to end. She’d imagined…well, never mind because she wasn’t ready to think those thoughts with Jael close enough to read them. Not when she obviously was being dismissed. “You have to eat, too. Second said she didn’t need you until tomorrow.”
“I’ll eat. I’ll have a full day tomorrow examining candidates. Duty calls now and it will be very late when I’m done. Remember, you can’t tell anyone what you saw today. Not yet.” Her eyes were silver in the moonlight and her breath a caress on Alyssa’s lips. “I’ve enjoyed the day…our time together…very much.” The kiss was slow and languid, but much too short. “Get some rest. I’ll see you at breakfast.”
The night was balmy, but she shivered at the absence of Jael’s heat while she watched her disappear into the forest. She touched her fingers to her lips. The entire day seemed like a dream, and she expected to awake any minute now in her bunk, throbbing and breathless. On the other hand, if it were a dream, she wouldn’t be standing at the edge of the woods, alone and aching for more.
*
“So, the day went well, I gather?”
Jael nodded. When she’d returned to the clearing, The Guard had been ready, and they flew several mountains away for their nightly aerial drills and flame-throwing practice. Now, the dragon horses had been released to prowl the night on their own, and The Guard was headed to their bunks.
It was late, and, while she didn’t want to sleep, she longed to be alone with her thoughts and memories of her day with Alyssa. It had been a very, very long time since she’d kissed a woman and felt something more than raw lust. Kissing Alyssa had fueled her fire rather than doused it. That wasn’t something she was ready to share with Second, even if her cousin was her closest confidante.
“She freaked at first when Specter’s transition began, but that was helpful because I know now that I’ll need to better prepare the prospects before we let them witness it. Giving her a preview was a good strategy.”
“Is that all it was?”
“What do you mean?”
“I might not be an empath or telepath, but it sure felt like there was a little more than just strategy going on between you two.”
Jael shrugged. She’d never hesitated to admit a physical liaison before. Dung, it was just biology. “I kissed her and she didn’t slap me, if that’s what you mean.” She shifted under Second’s gentle scrutiny. “The problem is, I don’t know if I’m endangering or fulfilling our fate. I don’t know if she’s here to test me or help me with our mission.”
“Your instincts have always been good, Jael. What does your gut say?”
Jael glanced away, then returned her gaze to hold Second’s, unable to stop a small smile. “My gut wants to kiss her again.”
“So, what’s stopping you?”
“This is going to be a bumpy ride for her,” Jael admitted. “I haven’t explained the elixir or the bonding that will follow. I don’t think she actually realizes that we’re gearing up for a battle, not a rescue. She’s never experienced physical suffering or violence.”
“Didn’t she tell you that she’s worked with hospice patients before?”
“Yes, but hospice is about accepting death that can’t be prevented. This will be about intentionally inflicting suffering. I think she’ll find that very different.”
“She knows death is but a gateway to rebirth.”
“She accepts it because she believes in The Collective. But she’s a first-life. She has no memory of previous lives as proof. Suffering can shatter belief with no foundation of proof. That’s exactly why this uprising has gained a foothold.”
“Don’t underestimate her, Jael. She’s stronger than you think. And, if she wavers, you must be her foundation, her proof that everything—no matter how brutal—is as it must be.”
“I’ve never been good at taking things on faith myself,” Jael admitted. “How can I ask her to do what I can’t?”
“How can you not? The unity of The Collective is at stake.”
Chapter Fourteen
The azure sky faded to gray as the punishing sun cooled to a dying ember that licked at the surrounding peaks and streaked the horizon.
The week had been endless. Despite pre-screening, they’d spent exhausting hours examining the last several hundred prospects. At the end of each long day, Jael had retreated to her study, her shields firmly in place to block the mental noise. More than anyone, Alyssa understood her need for seclusion. But the shields shut her out, too, and the barrier was jarring after the unguarded day they’d spent together, sharing kisses and fantastic secrets. The hollow ache grew in her chest every minute she spent working at Jael’s side yet separated by a great chasm of emotional silence.
After five days of silence, yesterday had been the breach in the dam. Summer had reached the broiling point, but thinking about last night made Alyssa shiver despite the sweat that trickled between her shoulder blades.
Jael had eaten dinner with the rest of them for the first time that week rather than alone in her study. Afterward, she wordlessly took Alyssa’s hand and led her upstairs. Her heart skittered when she realized the second floor held only sleeping quarters and personal facilities, but it sank at the sight of the twin bunks. Jael had a roommate. But Jael guided her past the bunks to a balcony that overlooked the valley.
Like tonight, dusk had been imminent.
“Specter will be expecting you.”
“I told him that this evening was for you.” Her lips were soft against Alyssa’s, her hand rough and hot against her cheek. Jael’s weariness flooded Alyssa, and she met it with all the tenderness that was in her heart. Jael sighed and guided them to a single lounge—the lone furniture on the balcony—and settled Alyssa between her legs, her chest a firm backrest. The camp below them teemed with people hurrying to complete tasks or line up for their dinner shift. “Drop your shields. No filtering either,” Jael said softly.
She was hesitant but lowered them to the din of emotions below her. Frustration, exhilaration, grumpiness, arousal, apprehension, happiness, boredom. It all slammed into her from the hundreds of souls radiating their emotions. Then it slowly quieted to a dull hum before it was gone and there was nothing again but the cocoon that was Jael.
“How did you do that?”
“The same way you can fill me with peace so sweet it quiets the voices in my head.”
She wanted to fill Jael with desire, but now wasn’t the time. Jael was obviously ex
hausted. It was difficult to tamp her own yearning, especially with Jael’s heart a strong, steady throb against her back and Jael’s breath bathing her neck.
“I’m sorry about this week,” Jael murmured. “Missed you.”
Alyssa had started to turn in her arms and claim the mouth she’d dreamed about every night since their flight down the mountain. But she felt Jael relax and her breathing deepen. Not the hot, breathless coupling she’d let herself hope for when they were finally together again, but strangely satisfying nonetheless.
She had slept, too, and when she woke, it was morning and she was alone with a pillow under her head and a sheet covering her. None of The Guard was at breakfast, and she had few answers for Nicole’s and Uri’s questions as they ate the food she found warming in the oven, then headed to the clinic to begin their daily routine. The candidate screening finished, Alyssa felt Jael’s absence like a missing limb as she bandaged cuts, treated strained muscles, and even helped set a broken arm. But a growing anticipation permeated the camp by late afternoon, and when Alyssa sensed the gathering, she led her assistants to the training field.
“Stay close,” she told them. “We’re about to finally learn what our secretive friends are up to.”
“You’re awfully calm,” Nicole said, studying her. “Do you already know?”
“Jael has revealed some of it to me, but not everything, I think.”
“I wondered,” Uri said. He wasn’t judging, just confirming that her growing closeness to their stoic leader hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“She needs my help with crowd control.” She should warn them, too. “What she’s going to reveal is rather stunning, so be prepared to shield against the reaction.”
Nicole and Uri traded a look of understanding and then took up positions to flank her as if they could physically shelter her from the crowd. Their loyalty overwhelmed her and she squeezed the hand of each. “Together, then.”
Dragon Horse War Page 14