I reach my hand out, and he passes me the papers. I skim the first two pages again, and it’s all there. In this official report, I’m listed as ‘an unknown Terran woman’. It’s stated that I challenged the Pharaoh and won. According to their law, that made me the new ruler.
My pronouncements are all listed, including the orders to return any and all purchased girls to their homes, if they chose. Any that opted to stay were granted freedom and autonomy equal to any other citizen of Gliese. I implored any other entity currently doing business with Horizon Zero to cancel their contracts.
It also mentions that for the first time in Gliese history, the Great Pharaoh chose to move from one living host to another. It took a lot of convincing, but eventually Tor’Heel agreed. He didn’t really stand a chance, considering both the Great Pharaoh and his wife weren’t taking no for an answer.
He was deeply honored, shed a few tears, and swore to continue enforcing the changes I set in motion. May’Na promised me she would keep him honest.
“What about you?” I ask, looking up at Charles’s weathered face. His name was not among those I released. Whatever his sins, I would never have made it to Gliese without him.
He sighs, pushing off from the desk and turning to sit heavily in the chair beside me. “I expect they will come for me eventually. Justice will find me. Until then, I’ll do what I can to help.”
“Tanikka?”
“Her husband, Isaac, was charged along with Elder Marcus. Tanikka is campaigning to take a place within the Elders.”
That makes me sit up straight. “A woman as Elder?”
“Don’t get your hopes up... she still has a long way to go. But if a Terran woman can be a Pharaoh... well, maybe.”
I can’t help but smile at that. Out from under her husband’s thumb, Tanikka will do great things. I have no doubt about that. I flip to the last page, the brief words and empty space waiting for my signature.
“Why did you come back?” Charles’s tone is soft and curious. “You always wanted to be on top. I can’t think of a higher position than god-Queen of an entire planet.”
I look over at him, my vision blurring slightly as guilt washes over me. “I guess I figured out there are more important things than power.”
He nods. “You made some other statements as well while you were there.”
Hope rises in my chest. When I was sure I’d covered all my bases with Horizon Zero, and I’d done everything I could to shine a light on them, I had switched gears and started talking about Shifters. The Gliesiens weren’t particularly interested. Shifters aren’t something they have much knowledge of or any kind of dealings with. Still, I sent a message to Earth, detailing what I knew about their race and imploring the government to acknowledge them as a unique species deserving of freedom and protection.
“I never saw the message,” Charles says. “Elder Tobias told me about it in confidence. He said it wasn’t something the Elders were prepared to address or take public. The information about Horizon Zero was huge, and it spread like wildfire. The statement about Shifters was easier to bury. I tried to find a copy, but it’s gone.”
“Dammit.” I crush the papers in my frustration. I look over at Charles, imploring him to believe me. “Everything I said was true. Shifters are not our property. They are intelligent and-”
“I know.” He puts his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I had a recent visit from a certain panther who made sure I knew exactly how things are.”
My heart nearly leaps out of my chest, and I gasp out loud at his statement.
“Damon. Is he... is he okay?”
Charles shakes his head as he lets out a quick laugh.
“Last I know, he was headed to meet Gideon. Seems he’s as determined to liberate his people as you were to save those girls.”
My chest swells with pride, and for the first time in a long time I feel real, honest hope.
“Do you know where he is?” I hold my breath, waiting for his answer.
“I haven’t heard anything from him or about him specifically. Not since he was here last month. I do know some Shifters have been going missing. The Elders have an idea about what’s going on. How they’ll respond to it, or what they’ll do once the situation gets a little more public, remains to be seen.”
I nod. Then stand and set the wrinkled papers on his desk.
“Thank you, Charles. For everything.”
He pulls the bottom paper out from under the other two. He picks up the pen and holds both out to me.
“Sign these, girl. You deserve it.”
I shake my head.
A statement acknowledging that I was the one responsible for taking down Horizon Zero. A full pardon and reinstatement of my Elite status. I just have to sign my name, and the world will know what I did. Instead of going down in history as the first female Agent, who ultimately betrayed her employer and died a coward; I’ll be hailed as a hero. I can only imagine the look on my brothers’ faces if they read that headline.
It’s a very tempting prospect.
“Will that help me free the Shifters?”
Charles’s brow creases as he folds his arms across his round chest.
“I don’t doubt your ability to get what you want. Not after everything I’ve seen you accomplish. You took down a massive organization and dealt our government a serious blow in the process. They won’t let you cripple their reputation or their profits farther.”
Fucking politics. I can have my title, my reputation, my life... if I play nice.
“I think, Charles, that I can do far better if I stay dead.”
He looks at me, lips pressed into a thin line as his sharp eyes grow glossy with emotion.
“You’ve changed, Whisper.”
“Absolutely.”
She wraps her slim legs around me, gripping so tightly that her thighs tremble. I laugh, the sound coming out like a mix between a cough and a growl. The proud boasting of five minutes ago faded the moment her ass settled into the saddle. Now that I’m braced to take off, her fear is palpable.
I jump, and to her credit, Hope doesn’t make a sound. I circle the Meadow, twisting and turning just above the trees to test the bindings and give her a good feel for how I might maneuver if we were actually in a fight.
I take the opportunity to survey the perimeter and note the fast progress of the builders, as the first stage of the wall sprouts up from the forest. It’s just as tall as the trees, so it won’t announce our presence to anyone from a distance. When it’s complete, it will give us solid protection from ground attack, as well as strategic vantage points to defend against aerial attack.
It’s overkill, considering we’re a village made up of predators, including two dragons and three Griffons so far. It’s preparation for the future. As more are liberated, our numbers grow, and the humans inevitably learn of our existence.
Some actual houses are being built, with wooden walls and thatch roofs. They’re putting down roots, claiming their home, and preparing to defend it.
I feel at home.
Mostly.
My eyes drift from the wall up to the sky, as they do at least a hundred times a day. I live for these people. My people. But at the end of the day, I am alive because of her. My Whisper. I cling to the hope that she’s still out there, that she found a home somehow. I refuse to think about how unlikely that is.
I roar into the wind, and Hope’s small voice joins me in a battle cry of her own. I swoop downwards, relieved that she is one of the few who seems to have a stomach for dragon riding. If we ever find ourselves in a real battle, I’d rather have her strapped to my back where I can keep her safe.
When she falls to the ground beside me, she’s all hysterical giggles. I shift to human form and hold out a hand to help her to her feet. I pull her into a tight embrace.
I’ve never had a real family before, but I’m certain this is what it’s like. Hope and I share a connection, a closeness, that I haven’t experienced with anyone els
e. It’s never threatened to grow into something more. She knows that part of me belongs with Whisper, and I know she has her own walls that keep her guarded when it comes to males.
I catch a flash of gold fur and realize we’re being watched. Luke’s had his sights on her since long before I came along, and his attentions have always been unwanted. With her still wrapped in a tight hug, I meet his stare and let my hand drift down her back until I’m cupping one ass cheek in my hand.
His eyes flash with hatred, as he bares his teeth in a growl before loping off in the opposite direction.
Hope giggles, turning her head until her breath is hot against my neck. “Oh my, going right for the ass grab. Luke?”
“Yep.”
I step back once he’s out of sight. Most of the village thinks we’re a couple, which suits us just fine. It keeps Luke off her tail and deters the handful of females that decided to vie for my attention in the beginning.
“Thanks.” She grins, then grabs my hand with a shout of excitement. “Look!”
A massive green dragon swoops down into the clearing. Tarek’s been back and forth with liberated Shifters while still keeping up appearances with Gideon back on Solar One. It’s only a matter of time before the missing Shifters are noticed by more than just the Protectors. The longer we can avoid that, the more time we have to prepare the Meadow. This time, he wears his saddle, and as he lands, I lock eyes with the woman on his back. Her hair is red and curly, her clothes rich and proper.
But I would know her anywhere.
Hope grips my arm as if to hold me up.
“Damon?” Her voice is laced with concern. She puts a hand to my neck, then my chest. “Breathe. You’re okay. What’s happening?”
“It’s her.”
I scan the ground, my eyes desperately hungry for the first glimpse of him. The wide clearing below is bustling with activity, as people and animals work, play and build. Tents and newly framed buildings are arranged like a small village, and a wall is being constructed around the perimeter.
Damon’s idea, Tarek says. My Damon, who has not only taken up the task of spreading the word to other Shifters, but has also made it his responsibility to help defend their safe haven. I’m so proud of him, I could burst.
Charles pointed me to Gideon, who led me to Tarek, who agreed to bring me here. Every moment since has dragged on like an eternity. I’m so close to him, and to us.
Turning down that contract was the best decision I’ve ever made. Leaving that system behind for good, walking away without a second thought, was a perfect moment.
A group of shirtless men catches my attention, and I strain to see if one of them could be Damon. Another man walking alone, but no, not him either. A black wolf has my heart skittering for just a moment. I rub my eyes against the wind, trying to squint and push the limits of my vision.
From one moment to the next, he’s right there. Right there in a grassy field between forest and tents. It’s him, of that I have no doubt. But instead of shouting his name and announcing my arrival, I simply watch.
I watch as his hands roam over the beautiful woman in his arms. As she nuzzles into his neck, and his face breaks into a smile. She spots Tarek, and her excitement is obvious. Damon turns, and they hold hands as comfortably as long-time lovers.
The moment he spots me, it’s like a bolt of electricity. His eyes bore into mine, his face a mask of shock as the woman on his arm touches his neck. His chest. I want nothing more in this moment than to sink into the earth and disappear.
How could I have been so naive? I’ve been gone how long... nearly two months now? Of course he would find comfort with someone else.
Tarek touches down with practiced grace, and I bend to release the bindings holding my legs. I feel almost empty as I stare at Damon, who stares back at me with pale shock. I don’t feel anything. It’s like all my emotions are vying for dominance, but none are able to surface.
Finally, my feet touch the ground. He’s twenty feet away from me. Him and his... whatever she is. He’s so close, and yet he seems as far away as ever.
I brush my hands down the front of my clothes, painfully aware of how overdressed, underprepared and just plain awkward I am.
He starts walking toward me, and in the next breath his arms are around me. His mouth finds mine and he kisses me with a desperate, starving intensity that reflects everything I’m feeling. I return his embrace with equal abandon.
It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. Everything else fades away and all that exists is us. We’re both gasping for breath when he pulls back enough for our foreheads to rest together, his big hands coming up to cup my face.
“Whisper.” He says my name, and I recognize the raw pain beneath the word. I’m helpless to stop the tears that stream down my face. “Is this real?”
“Yes,” I choke out as I fling my arms around his neck, burying my face in his heat and his familiar scent. “I’m here. I’ll never leave you again. If you’ll have me.”
I peek over his shoulder at the woman he was holding just moments ago. She’s still rooted to the spot, a slender hand covering a wide smile that lights up her entire face. Stunning, violet eyes are brimming with tears. She looks... happy.
Damon pulls back as he touches my face, my neck, runs his hands over my arms. “Are you okay? How did you... how can you...”
He’s so stunned by my presence that I can’t help but laugh. I want to tell him everything, but it’s such a crazy story I don’t even know where to start. “It’s over. Horizon Zero is gone. I’m here to be with you, to help you.”
He looks stunned by my words, and I reach my hand up to touch his cheek. I run my finger over the silvery scar that runs down his neck. Images of our last night together before I left flash in my mind, heating me up like a fire in my belly. He seems to sense the direction my thoughts have taken, and he grips my hips to pull me snugly against him.
“Hi, I’m Hope.” The woman’s voice cuts through the moment, and I jump when I realize she’s right next to us. Her violet eyes, a gorgeous shade I’ve never seen before, are dancing with joy. “I’m Damon’s decoy girlfriend.”
She holds out her hand for me to shake, and I accept it out of habit. “His what?”
She laughs with a deliciously feminine giggle, and I’m immediately at ease. “He basically took a vow of celibacy, because he was sure you would come back. And I had a particularly unwanted suitor... so we just let everyone think we were together. It made it simpler for both of us.” She shrugs as if it all makes perfect sense.
Damon laughs, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a quick kiss on the forehead. He’s so casual and familiar with her. The Damon I knew didn’t know anyone other than me. I was his whole world.
I look around and realize that I don’t really know this man, not anymore.
And I am so eager to change that.
“We’ll be in my tent,” he states.
Hope giggles again, and then Damon is leading me away. I try to take in my surroundings and the people, but I can’t look away from him.
“Is she a Shifter?”
“She is.” He pulls me off the beaten path and into a small, square tent. “She’s a good friend.”
Inside the tent, the floor is canvass over flat, packed ground. A low, wooden pallet holds a thick layer of animal furs and a couple heavy, worn quilts. It smells like earth, smoke and Damon.
“It’s not much.” Damon watches my expression as I survey the small space. “It’s all I needed for just me. I can build us a cabin. Something bigger, if you-”
“It’s perfect.” I step closer to him, resting my hands on his stomach. I spread my fingers wide over hard, contoured abs. “All I need is you.”
“You have me,” he says without a moment’s hesitation. “I am only yours.”
“And I’m yours.”
Thank You!
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Also by Charlene Perry
The Wings Trilogy:
Wings of Fate
Wings of Change
Wings of Peace
Wings of Fate: The Complete Trilogy
The Shifters Series:
Whisper in the Dark
Hope in the Moonlight (Coming 2020!)
About the Author
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www.charleneperry.ca
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