Immortal Becoming

by Wendy S. Hales

  “He’s lucky you ain’t got dentes yet.” Pointing the index fingers of both hands at her, Gil exclaimed, “Lil Jess. You. Are. The. Shit!”

  She couldn’t look away from Shane floating within a few feet over her head. A quick flap of his wings sent him soaring a few feet higher, then he gently floated downward again. Adrenaline and desire raced through her bloodstream. His powerful chest made her mouth water. Jess’s breath caught in her throat.

  Shane landed beside her and pulled her to his chest. “Are you all right?” he whispered in her ear, spoken low enough not to compromise her hard-won pride. She nodded against him. Her nipples ached against his powerful body. “Aw, Jess.” His voice turned husky, quickly responding to her desire, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging his unresisting head down into her kiss. Jess poured her pent-up passion and adrenaline into the only thing she could at the moment. She kissed him with everything inside of her, tangling her tongue against his, her hands exploring his neck, shoulders, upper back, and wing attachment. She didn’t even notice they had left the ground.

  Breaking the kiss, they looked into each other’s eyes. Shane placed his forehead against hers, struggling to catch his breath, letting out a deep, growled sigh. “To be continued?” His eyes smoldered into hers.

  Jess gave him a sexy grin. ”Absolutely.” She felt her toes touch down and realized Shane had lifted and pivoted them, utilizing his wings to give them some privacy. “You are so sexy when you fly.”

  “Yeah?” He winked. “You’re sexy when you fight. Wanna spar later?” he teased.

  “Like living dangerously, do you?” She rubbed her tongue across her teeth daringly before stepping onto her tiptoes and licking across the front of his clenched dentes with the tip of her tongue. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, grinning when he groaned.

  “You are dangerous,” he whispered, bringing his hand up to capture her behind her head, crushing his lips into hers, a quick punishing kiss, before firmly setting her away from him. “We should be helping with clean up,” he stated, looking like that was the last thing he really wanted to do. Becoming aware of her surroundings, she felt her blush rising and bit her bottom lip. Shane chuckled. “I’m sure they understand,” he whispered.

  Across the yard, she saw Nin, Enlil, Sargon, and the other male, Ediku. Sargon tossed the knocked-out wall slammer into a group of additional men and a few women in similar states. Gil was dragging Super-stud face down by his feet toward the growing number, zigzagging to ensure that Stud’s nuts continued to take a beating against whatever plant or rock poked out of the ground along the way. Several more people appeared. Under Gil’s direction, they had more than a dozen men and women contained by chaining them together to prevent them from porting.

  “Where is Moira?” Jess asked, approaching the others.

  Nin stepped up to her, placing her hand on Jess’s shoulder, and Jess felt a soft hum from the point of contact. Nin had also removed her shirt. Her chest was covered by a triangle-shaped halter tied behind her neck and her lower back, leaving her wing flaps free from encumbrance. The few female captives wore similar tops.

  “We missed her.” Nin’s concern was genuine. “We know who took her; his name is Fualth. He couldn’t port with Moira’s blood. I don’t think she’s psychic. He had to tap into an iron-rich Hulven who was with him to port.” She was contemplative for a few moments before continuing. “He is going by the name James Dalton Mason. Sargon has an informant in Fualth’s organization. We’ll get her back.”

  Enlil joined them, placing his hand on her other shoulder, and the hum became a soft vibration. “Do you know where Jorie went?” he asked.

  “No. I told her to hide, but I know how to call her,” Jess replied. Some of the prisoners were waking up, and Jess didn’t want Jorie anywhere near them.

  Ediku joined them, placing his hand on Enlil’s shoulder. Though the resemblance was subtler than hers to Enlil, seeing the two of them together left little doubt. Ediku eyes were a crystal shade of blue with star patterns a shade darker surrounding the pupil. Not as pale blue as Jorie’s, but just as pure a color. His hair was a dark, sandy blonde. Lifting one of her hands, she compared it to the one he had placed on Enlil’s shoulder. Was he her father?

  The vibration got stronger. Sargon placed his hand on Nin’s shoulder, and Gil put his hands on both Nin and Sargon. She felt like she was standing on a jackhammer. Shane stood off to the side, watching. “Git in here. She may not carry yerr blood, my friend, but ya sure as hell carry ours,” Gil said. Shane stepped up and placed one hand on Ediku and one on Gil’s shoulder. Jess thought her teeth were going to rattle out of her head. Meeting her eyes, Shane smiled gently at her.

  Nin’s voice was more soothing than Jess had heard it before. “I want you to call to Jorie, Jess. Tell her to stay where she is. Let her know we are coming to her. Then I want you to call to your bond you feel with her. Go to her the way you went to Shane earlier.”

  “But I drained energy off you before.” Jess protested. “Besides, the connection with Jorie feels … different. Weaker. I’m not sure I can.”

  Nin chuckled softly. “That is why we are connecting. You won’t drain us. You can’t take what we are giving freely to you; this is one of the powers of family blood. A direct bloodline once physically connected can be used to increase the psychic energy of the whole group or an individual. It only lasts for a short period, but once she is with us, Jorie will increase our energy too,” Nin reassured Jess. “Call to her.”

  Closing her eyes, Jess reached to Jorie. “Peaches, stay where you are, we are coming to you. Don’t be afraid, okay?”

  She heard a sniffle then a soft, “You said peaches, right?” She felt a prickling under her skin like mini electrical shocks, then the spinning tunnel sensation again, and Jorie was standing directly in front of her. Instinctively Jess placed both of her hands on Jorie’s shoulders. They were inside a grain elevator.

  Jorie looked over her shoulder from one face to another. She hesitated at Nin, her eyes narrowing before moving on. “Where’s my mom?” Meeting Jess’s gaze, accusation in her voice, Jorie tried to pull back only to find she was firmly held by Jess’s hands on her shoulders and the power of the cumulative energy of the family.

  “They took her, Jorie,” Jess told her bluntly, wanting her to understand the importance of the next few minutes. “They took her, and these people here are her only hope of being rescued.” Frustrated when Jorie began to shake her head, Jess said, “Listen to me.” Rapidly breathing, Jorie continued to shake her head, her eyes glazing over. The power of the family bond was the only thing keeping the girl from fighting or possibly falling.

  Nin spoke from behind Jorie. “Jorie, when did you last feed?”

  Nearly hyperventilating, her teeth chattering, Jorie looked at Nin. “L-last n-night, d-dinner.” Looking from Jess to Nin, the child was terrified. “W-what’s h-happeenning t-to m-me?” Her dentes slid into view.

  Nin smiled sweetly. “You’re just under stress, honey. It’s going to be okay. Your body has used more iron than normal.”

  Ninli’s voice rose in Jess’s mind. “Shanley, break off and go stand behind your mate. Sargon, Ediku, Gilgamesh, step out and make sure this location is secure and guarded. Jess, pull her into a hug as soon as the boys are out.” How was she talking to all of them? “We’re going to help you, Jorie,” Ninlil continued to reassure the frightened child while directing her aid telepathically.

  Feeling the heat of Shane’s body behind her, Jess let go of Jorie’s shoulder, pulling the collapsing child into her arms while she fell back into Shane. He caught both her and Jorie’s weight, gently easing himself and them into a sitting position

  Jess settled between Shane’s legs, sitting cross-legged. Jorie sat in the crook of Jess’s legs, shivering uncontrollably. Her expression was one of agony rather than terror. Jess hugged her head to her breast. A painful moan emitted from between Jorie’s chattering teeth. Though Enlil and Nin had
crouched, they’d retained contact on both of Jess’s shoulders.

  “Good. That’s good.” Nin placed her free hand on Jorie’s shoulder and her face took on a pained expression. Jess watched in awe as Nin alleviated some of the child’s burden. Jorie let out a deep sigh from the partial relief. Some of the pain-induced glaze in her eyes clearing. Jess rubbed the mass of silky curls, whispering encouragements to the girl.

  Sargon returned, his concern evident, from what Shane had told her Sargon must feel Nin’s pain, too. He lent his energy to the mix by taking his mates shoulders “All clear out there,” he whispered into the fray. “We are about two hundred yards away from the main house. There are easily fifty warriors on premise. Gil is getting the farm secured. Suena and Lugal just arrived with a few energy weavers. One of the SOSC’s informants is among the soldiers we just captured. He is in communication with the other who is with Moira. For now Moira is fine. The other informant will let us know if that changes.” He reached out with his free hand, tenderly tucking a curl behind Jorie’s ear. Jess’s appreciation grew for the gentle giant.

  Nin looked at her mate intently. He gave a subtle nod, kissed Nin on the forehead, and headed off to do whatever she had privately instructed him. Enlil replaced Sargon’s hand on Nin’s shoulder with his own. She shrugged him off, scowling over at her brother. “You carry enough,” she snapped at him.

  “Jorie, did you hear that sweetie? Your mother is okay.” Jorie turned her glazed eyes toward the sound of Nin’s voice. “Have you ever drunk from the vein?” A slight shake of her head nearly lost in the tremors going through her body.

  “Jess.” Jess looked up to meet Nin’s gaze. “Any of us can give her blood, but you are the only one iron-rich. Yours can heal her fastest. Are you willing … ”

  “Yes, yes of course.” Jess answered immediately, before the complete question was issued.

  “It has risks. She’s never used her dentes. She could sever the vein or hit a nerve,” Nin began.

  “Whatever the risk, the answer is YES.” Jess cut her off again, not wanting to waste any further time before helping Jorie

  “I get you are willing, Jess, no matter what. Understand I will not throw you in blind, no matter how much you are willing to go.” Jess watched Enlil and Nin share a secret sad smile.

  Realizing she was being chastised, Jess surrendered. “Okay, fine. What else?”

  “Tapping into the vein of a person with psychic energy is not the same as a regular human, nor is it the same as drinking it once it is removed from the source. Neither of you have any training on the combining of energy you are about to feel. The psychic energy she will receive from you will go toward aiding in her recovery. You, on the other hand, have no outlet for the bombarding you are about to feel. I am inclined to think, due to your talent, that you may actually start to draw additional energies to you, possibly compounding the situation.” She looked to Enlil who nodded in agreement. “En is going to draw it away from the two of you and redirect it somewhat.”

  “A storm, right?” Jess addressed Enlil.

  “If necessary, yes,” Enlil answered. “If it becomes more than I can contain. Do you think you can re-direct it into the atmosphere yourself?”

  “I’ve often tried to focus on storms when I’ve felt psychic overload. It always seemed to help. I even thought I had created the storms. Then I would think I was crazy. I wasn’t, was I? Crazy, I mean.”

  “Not crazy at all. You are right. You and I, we siphon energy, not a common talent. It takes practice to control. Focus on sending excess energy into the water molecules themselves. Creating a storm releases far more energy than expanding on an already existing one.” Enlil smiling at her with pride and acceptance filled her with a sense of belonging.

  “Shanley, when I say, you must puncture Jess’s vein for Jorie.” Jess snapped her arm up to his face, nearly socking him in the jaw. Grasping it, he caressed the backside of her wrist, attentively listening to Nin’s instruction.

  “Jorie’s lips and mouth will be too dry to make a proper seal on the flesh. You must make sure the skin of her wrist is moist enough for the child to seal against before presenting the vein. If not, you will need to re-moisten the skin and make sure the vein stays flowing, until she can. Do you understand?” Shane nodded, placing a loving kiss to Jess’s temple. “Try to make sure that Jorie’s dentes do Jess no damage. Monitor their placement and depth the best you can.”

  Nin began instructing Jorie. “When Jess’s vein is presented, I want you to try to attach to it with suction, constant suction. You have to breath through your nose. Don’t bite down. If you bite Jess, you could harm her. We’re going to roll your head back now. It may hurt to be moved. You ready?” Jorie shivered and gave Nin a hard blink to show she’d heard.

  Nin nodded to her brother. Enlil guided Jorie’s head from Jess’s breast, her neck in the crook of Jess’s arm and the back of her head cradled in Enlil’s hand. Jess could see that Jorie was trying to be strong. A soft cry slipped passed Jorie’s lips, tearing at Jess’s heart. Face up, panting through the pain, her cheeks were sunken in and her lips were so dry they were sticking to her dentes. Jess licked her thumb, using it to wet the girl’s lips. Enlil nodded his approval.

  ****

  Shane held out his hand to Jess, swallowing hard as she trustingly laid her delicate wrist into his keeping. Jess met his gaze, her chin lifted, her inner strength shining brightly at him through the most beautiful shade of emerald green he’d ever seen. Her gaze shifted to his sanguindentes when they began to slide into his mouth.

  Shane mouthed the words, “I love you.” Her eyes snapped back to his and he heard her swift intake of breath, then a soft sigh. His dentes sank into the tender flesh, filling his mouth with the sweet flavor of Jess.

  “Think of Jorie, Shanley.” Nin’s voice brought Shane back instantly to the task at hand.

  Using the blood already released to moisten the area around the twin punctures, Shane encircled Jess’s arm just below the elbow with his fingers, squeezing gently to slow the flow of blood as he retracted his dente’s, careful to not seal the holes in the process.

  Holding Jess’s wrist just above Jorie’s partially open mouth, Shane eased the pressure of his fingers at Jess’s elbow. A few precious drops of blood slid into Jorie’s mouth. “Use the drops to wet your mouth, Jorie,” Nin instructed, realizing what Shane was trying to encourage.

  Shane watched as Jorie closed her mouth the best she could with her dentes impeding her. Shane released the pressure again when Jorie opened her mouth for more. This repeated several more times until Nin thought Jorie was ready.

  Jess let out a hiss as Jorie’s dentes, too small to line up perfectly with Shane’s, widened the pre-tapped holes. Releasing his grip completely from Jess’s elbow, hoping Jess was safe, Shane watched her blood filling the child’s mouth.

  Jorie began to choke. Shane cringed when Jess gritted her teeth against the tearing it caused. He could hear her breathing through the pain. In. Out. In. Out. She gave him a small smile. “I’m okay.”

  Nin’s voice was both soothing and demanding. “Swallow, Jorie. Latch on. Try to breath through your nose. Now. Try.” Jorie struggled under the flow of blood into her mouth but finally managed to swallow shallowly. “Come on. That’s our girl.”

  Jorie latched on to Jess’s wrist, and Shane let out a sigh of relief. Prematurely it turned out. Through his bond to Jess he felt a crackling sensation come over her skin. Her stomach cramped up, and her head felt as if would explode. Jess’s pain was excruciating. She bore it without a sound other than her rhythmic breathing. Shane shared in the images Jess began to see of Jorie’s life. He could see images of Jess during her early teens, images that had been seen through Jorie’s eyes while she watched Jess’s visits from the closet.

  He could feel the sensation of Jess’s skin being removed by sandpaper, hating that the cause was psychic. If it had been physical he could have alleviated some of Jess’s pain the same way
Nin had done. In this he was completely helpless. Jess began to rock with the child.

  Suddenly he heard the loud crack of thunder overhead, its power shaking the grain elevator around them. Jess’s head snapped up at the sound, and both her eyes and Enlil’s glowed. She followed Enlil’s lead, sending the pressure into the atmosphere. He felt her relief instantly. Shane was grateful to Enlil in a way he’d never felt for another.

  “She’s coming around.” Shane observed that Jorie’s coloring was pink and healthy, her eyes clear and bright. The girl looked up at Jess with hero worship. Jorie was no longer drawing from Jess’s vein, simply swallowing what dripped into her mouth.

  Nin took charge again. “Jorie.” The girl’s eye’s shifted over to look at Nin. “Do you want Shane to help you disengage?” It was endearing how concerned Jorie seemed about harming her cousin. She blinked hard in response.

  Once again tightening his fingers at Jess’s arm just below the elbow, slowing the flow of blood, Shane rolled Jorie’s upper lip back, breaking the seal at Jess’s wrist. Jess moved her wrist out of Jorie’s mouth, and Shane brought her wrist up to his mouth. Jess flinched, anticipating the tearing sensation, but Shane used his tongue, lapping over the punctures, to seal the wounds with his saliva, mesmerized by the sight of Jess watching him. Aware he should not be turned on by what he was doing; he was unable to help himself. Judging from the heat in Jess’s eyes, he was not alone in the moment.

  The intensity shattered when the entry was opened to reveal Gil standing there.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “The yard is clear, Mom. We’re ready ta get the, ahem, questionings underway.” Gil addressed Enlil next. “Some of ’em are feisty, if ya feel up ta drainin’ them off. Show ’em that lead and platinum ain’t the only things that can contain ’em.”