Post 22: Mothers and Liars

She wasn’t angry because they’d taken the phone, she was angry because of the reason. Tristan told her that any contact with the outside world would be prohibited until she finished her training. At first, she’d had no problem with it. In the wake of Chase Hunter leaving, Adrian had almost forgotten about her mother’s call. It was as if their ritual, facilitated by Arinth, to keep it together despite being out of each other’s reach had completely clouded her mind. He’d left and for the first few hours it hadn’t seemed to work.


Now she sat in the kitchen, two weeks later, missing him but not feeling, in the slightest bit, ill. She wondered how he was doing and where he was. Not using her abilities, gifts really as Tristan called them, to find him was hard. It was as if she could just sense him on the edge of her conscience. He’d reached out to her on the sixth day that he’d been gone. He’d come to her in a dream share. It’d gotten so strong since they’d done it that first time that they didn’t even have to be in the same house or even the same state for them to share it. She was determined to try it now. Tristan be damned straight back to Arinth. Adrian liked him but she was not about to just give up on her mother or not have any contact with Chase at all. She’d have to defy him and he’d have to just live with that. She’d see what Chase had to say about it first.


Where are you? It seems like you’ve been gone for forever, she thought to Chase.


I’m scouting. I don’t want to cause you any heart ache, I promise, I will return. She could almost hear the smile in his voice.


With or without your wife?


Adrian, she’s not my wife anymore. We aren’t even really mates, she says and I believe her. I am completely yours, his voice, his ‘mind’ voice, sounded aspirated.


I know, I know. I’m sorry. When will you return? Tristan took the phone from me. I’m not allowed to contact my mother. I told you how worried she was. Maybe you can talk to him? She projected her feels to him, so he could feel her loss.


I’m sorry, Adrian but I actually side with him on this one. I love you, I do, but the only way we can really protect your growing abilities is for you to cut all outside contact. It’s not for forever, it’s only for now. You will be able to speak to your mother soon, I’m sure of it. He paused for her response but she didn’t speak. Her heart hurt but she refused to let him feel her emotions. She kept them away from their connection and cleared her throat.


You’re right, you’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, I just am not used to not being able to see or talk to her. I feel horrible. Before this, I’d told her I needed time and space. I didn’t call or talk to her for…what seems like forever. Now that option is taken away from me. She hated lying to him, not that any of that was really false. It was just that she was determined to speak to her mother and see what she knew and her mate was standing in her way. He’d understand, she was sure he’d had a mother once upon a time. He probably did centuries ago, most likely but hers was alive and well. Now that she thought about it, she actually had no idea if his mother was alive or not.


…and when I return I promise I will treat you like the queen you are but right now I’m on a hot trail and I’ll have to talk to you later. Unknowingly, she’d missed almost everything he’d just said.


Darn!


Adrian! Are you ok?


Yes, yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I just thought we were going to get to talk longer, I miss you and I love you. She recovered nicely.


Me too. Love you to. Bye!


"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 21: Gone

“…I love you, Bye.” Adrian sniffed as she listened to the last part of her mother’s voicemail. She wasn’t sure what about it had touched her heart but she knew it was time they reconnected with the outside world. She’d turned in her resignation letter to Candice, online of course, and the woman had not been happy. However, as much of a surprise to Adrian it had been, she’d responded a few days later with a shining reference letter. The woman had never ceased to surprise her. The warriors had also taken care of her apartment. They paid her up for the rest of the year and sent a cleanup crew to gather a few of her personal items. She wasn’t sure why they wouldn’t let her leave. They were no longer holding her prisoner, she was here willingly. There must be something else going on that they weren’t telling her. It was about time she talked with her mother, she was the only person that Adrian knew had info that hadn’t yet shared her Intel.


“Is all well with your mother?” Chase stood just to the side of her, he’d appeared out of nowhere, sneaking up on her as she’d been preoccupied. She jumped just slightly, startled. Chase sighed and turned away from her. “Adrian, you aren’t going to learn to use your abilities if you don’t even try.” He pressed his aura on her and she felt a buzzing in her blood, sensing him beside her. “You feel that? Turn it on.”


“Yes, I do. I’m sorry, my mother just sent me the weirdest voicemail and I’m not at all sure what to make of it. I’m trying, I swear, but I’m worried. I need to talk to her.” Her brows knitted together and her arms reached up to circle his neck when his hands came to rest on her waist.


“I know, I know you’re worried but the Malus aren’t going to be concerned as to why you’re worried or what’s going on in your life. You can’t talk with your mother just yet. We have no idea why the Malus are here and what they are looking for and don’t you want to keep her safe? They aren’t from this planet, Adrian. They couldn’t care any less about your trivial human emotions or problems.” He shook his head as she sucked a breath in sharply. “I’m not saying that I don’t, I do. I am just wanting to introduce you to this very different and very real world. Promise me you will be more careful, use your feelers?”


“Yes, yes, I promise.” She closed her eyes and tightened her arms around him. He felt weird, she could sense a yellowing in his aura. For some reason he was hiding something from her. It only appeared when she mentioned talking with her mother.


“I have to leave.” Adrian didn’t speak at first, wondering if he was going to continue. If he was leaving it might be dangerous for both of them. The last time they’d been out of each other’s presence they’d been almost deathly ill. “Arinth said that now that we have actually completed the Mauma we should be fine, physically, to be separated from each other. Of course, I don’t want to leave you but I really have no choice.” She continued to stay silent as she sensed there was more to his reasons for leaving. “I was put on earth with a mission, to find someone, I just picked up on her trail and I have to follow it.”


“Do what you have to do. I will be waiting here when you return.” She leaned back until she could see his eyes. He looked guarded, secreted somehow. “What is really going on?”


“The person I am hunting is my wife.” He looked down into her eyes and tightened his arms as she tried to pull away.


“You’re…you’re married?” She stumbled over the words. She tried to clear her throat but couldn’t. A burning sensation touched the back of her eyes.


“Technically, not anymore. But she used to be my wife. We were together for a little over two hundred years. The Council annulled our marriage when she went rouge and became a Woman of Ganesha. Listen…” He released her and cleared his throat, running a frustrated hand through his already tousled hair. “I married her because I thought that she was, at the time, my mate. I grew up with her. I knew her. I trusted her and I thought that she loved me. The both of us had much to gain from our union and the Council pressed it really hard. Well, on her end they did.”


“And on yours?” Adrian clasped her hands together, trying to fight the tears hovering just behind her eyes.


“I didn’t fight it. I thought we were made for each other. Humans, those on earth, spend their entire lives trying to find someone to spend it with. Not everyone believes in a soul mate or any one person, it’s almost the way you are raised as a race. On Arinth, and also on other planets, it’s all that we know. It’s proven, through the Mauma, that we have mates and are meant to find them. It’s not something rare, it’s something we almost expect to happen. However, we spend a lot more time trying to find that person. I just happened to believe that I grew up with mine.” He thought of what Ana said in the café before she’d tied him to the chair. Mendax had played a part in their charade. A bigger part that he’d thought, he still hadn’t had a chance to follow up with any theories that Ana had put into his mind but he’d had bigger things to worry about. He watched Adrian before him now. He knew she felt betrayed but he’d also been betrayed. He’d been tricked by the Council he’d sworn to protect, the woman he’d loved most and now the warrior he’d called brother. He wouldn’t tell her any of this though, not of yet at least.


“And now?” Adrian turned away from him and leaned a hip against the dresser just left of the bed. Glancing out the window and onto the yard at the back of the house, she pretended not to feel the tear that escaped and ran down her cheek. “Now what do you think?”


“I think…that I have a job to do.”


“What is a Woman of Ganesha?” She dashed the tear away and turned back, holding her hands out to him. He took in a deep breath and raised his hands. Instead of lacing their fingers, he pressed his palms to her, raising them to the sides of their faces. Pressing slightly, Hunter leaned forward to kiss the tip of her nose.


“A Woman of Ganesha is what you would call a spy. A traitorous spy. They often start as Eidyia Warriors, women that work alongside us, the Dark Warriors. They hold Intelligence for the Council. Ahhh…” He shook his head as he tried to explain the concept. “Intelligence would be in reference to a…uhh, floppy disk, like a small object that holds all of your information that you can put into a computer.”


“You mean like a USB drive or an ICloud.” Adrian laughed at his older reference. “You’ve been here how many years and you don’t know what those are?” He smiled down at her as she laughed at him.


“I’ve only been here for ten years, our way of keeping and gathering information is very different on Arinth. We don’t need light boxes to hold things for us.” He reached forward and tweaked her cheek before continuing. “Anyway! Intelligence is like all the secrets that you hold on a USB drive, except they are directly downloaded into an Eidyia Warrior’s mind. Of course these secrets can be locked away behind passwords and other things that the woman can’t even get passed but often times they are not. A Woman of Ganesha would start off as an Eidyia Warrior, turn rouge and most likely sell these secrets to the highest bidder. It’s why they must be stopped. That is dangerous on Arinth but imagine what those secrets could do here on earth. I’m to catch her and bring her in but, due to our little distance break down we had, I wasn’t able to capture her the last time I found her.” He had stepped around to the other side of the bed, gathering his belongings for his trip. Adrian grasped a shirt he’d balled up in her hands before folding it and adding it to a small pile they’d started. “I actually don’t know how long I will be gone.” It could take years.


“You could be gone years?” Adrian stopped, mid fold, she’d heard his thought.


“Ahhh…no, it could take years to find her. But even then, Adrian…” He leaned a knee into the bed and touched her softly just under the chin. “After I find her I’m done here. They will most likely take me back to Arinth and give me new orders. I doubt they will keep me here on Earth.”


“And you and I would be separated…just like my parents.” She pulled away and walked across the room, glancing at herself through the mirror on the dresser. She wrapped her arms around her waist. “You know, I would think that you would fight harder for us to stay together. I mean…I love you but I can’t make you fight for us. Do you seriously want to end up like my parents? You know what they say, in years we will eventually go crazy without each other. Knowing my mother, it seems to be true. I don’t know about you but I’d like to keep my wits about me.” He knew she was right, he did want to stay with her, he loved her, but from where he stood he had no choice. Maybe Anders thought the same thing. Maybe he could find a way for the both of them to be with the women they loved. Looking back up he realized Adrian had disappeared in those few seconds; slipped from the room, silently. At least she’s using her abilities.


"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 20: Tea

She’d known something happened to Adrian after the second week. It was as if she’d just disappeared off the face of the Earth. She felt it in her soul, her daughter’s spirit was gone, vanished but not dead. That, however, never happened to anyone she knew. Well, except for once. Thinking back to nearly twenty three years ago, all those memories, her eyes clouded with tears.


---


“What is your concept of time?” the man spoke, words sounding sweet like honey, dripping from his lip as he questioned. “I always wondered what time the new human, Arinth world would follow.” He had come out of nowhere. She stood, just getting off work, in the dusk of the sunset. Her feet hadn’t hurt as much as they usually did. Her back wasn’t as sweaty although the heat was relentless. Long brown curls fell beautifully down her back when she released the ponytail. Some of the tendrils skimmed the curve of her bottom. Ignoring him, she’d stepped down, from the curb per instruction of the little white man on the walk screen next to the light. She’d gasped when he reached out and grabbed her, a zinging zapped her skin.


“Watch it!” He’d spoke calmly despite the nature of the words. A car, unaware of her on the corner, screeched its tires as it turned right; going much faster than the speed limit allowed.


“Ahhh, thank you. You saved my life.” She spoke softly, glancing down at the hand that still held her arm. She’d felt uncomfortable, at first, people didn’t touch her, almost ever. Slowly withdrawing her arm from his grasp, she looked at the light that was still green and then both ways twice before attempting to cross the street again. He stepped down, just beside her, and cleared his throat.


“No problem. I don’t come here often and I don’t mind saving a beautiful woman.” His voice was steady and calmed her despite the slight shaking she felt in her belly. She didn’t have to be afraid of this man but there was something primal about him that made her wary. It might’ve been the beauty he exuded, his beautiful blonde hair and model features. Men like him didn’t care about women like her and that’s just the way it was.


After reaching the corner of the next street she turned to look up at him before continuing silently down the block. So as not to seem like he stalked her from behind, the man stood just at her side slowing his pace to allow her to walk comfortable beside him. They’d walked just under another block before she finally looked up at him, a breath catching in her throat.


“Where are you from? You talk funny.” She set back her shoulders and smiled into his face. A pull towards him, she couldn’t describe, filled her body. It was most likely the reason she’d allowed him to walk beside her for any period of time or that she hadn’t crossed the street to be away from him. It was as if some magnetic force was trying to push them together but at the same time pull them apart. The closer it seemed to push her to him the more safe she felt. Shaking her head to clear the crazy thoughts. He lifted his arm, pointer finger up stretched, to the darkening sky above them. Her brow furrowed in confusion.


“You’re from up north?” She asked but he didn’t respond. He just looked down at her, his eyes were wide and his lips fell slightly apart. The mystery of him thrilled her and she was determined not to let it go. His eyes looked to burn with desire but that couldn’t be right. She knew he couldn’t desire her, he was so perfect and she was so normal compared to him. His long blonde hair fell to his shoulders and just below in the back, his eyes were deep set and distinct, dangerous, and filled with passion. His nose was strong and narrow. “Ummm…” she started “…my name is Annalise. If you’re from up north you must be new to town, not many from up north come down here. I just got off work but I don’t mind showing you around...” she trailed off as he continued to stare at her. His eyes widened slightly again, just a hint of gold glowed around his iris, and his head tilted towards her. He looked as if a revelation just hit him.


“I…I would love that. My name is Anders, Anders Culvert.” He reached out a hand to shake hers and almost hissed as the heat between them sizzled. Turning, he shook his head as the beautiful brown skinned woman walked beside him, her hips swaying naturally. She was his mate. He could feel it in his bones, he’d felt it when they touched, he could see it in her eyes. The fire had burned there in hers also, though she’d have no idea what it meant. He wasn’t a man of many words and neither was he a man of many emotions but this woman was his. He’d have her, love her, for eternity. The light warriors and their rules of segregation of the species be damned, he’d finally found his true purpose. He’d protect her until the day he died, with his heart. As the evening went by he’d marveled in her beauty, her personality and her love for the world around her. She’d become more outgoing and talkative as the night grew upon them but he didn’t mind, he could listen to her chatter forever. He chuckled as she stumbled over a stone, while walking in front of him, and cursed at the rock before kicking it aside with her foot. She’d glanced back at him shyly, tucking a strand behind her ear, as if he might judge her language. His silence was rewarded with a soft smile. Yes, he could love her forever.


“People must not talk very much where you come from.” She smiled back at him while clasping her hands together. She was, besides his slip of a little sister back home, the most adorable woman he’d ever seen.


“Why do you say that?” He came to a stop just before her, and fixed his features, though he wanted to smile widely like a school boy.


“I feel like I’ve been doing the talking all night!” she gasped as if it made perfect sense. She blushed up at him and then turned away. “We’ve been together for hours and you’ve said all of one sentence.”


“I’ve spoken more than that!” He laughed. “I do like to hear you talk, however. Your voice, its cadence, allures me.” He lowered his voice, drew her in with its depth, and smiled down at her. As crazy as it sounded, he felt he loved her already. Her cute button nose and her shinning brown eyes were heaven to him. Her smile faltered as she looked deep into his eyes. He knew she saw it there, behind the man aspect of his desire, something deep, dark and dangerous. She opened her mouth as to speak and he dropped his gaze to her lips. She immediately swayed towards him, taking in a ragged breath. The pull was almost too great, it almost overtook them both. But they were brought back to themselves by the blaring of a car horn down the street, jumping apart as if caught doing something wrong.


“Anders…We are here, at my place. I’m glad I got a chance to…” She’d stumbled over the words and her feet as she backed up the stairs. He caught her arm, as he did in the street with the car almost an eternity ago, to keep her from falling.


“I’m glad that I’ve met you, Annalise. Truly glad.” Honesty rang through the words and poured from his heart. He loved her name on his tongue, it was most beautiful, just like her. He turned and stepped down onto the street, he had no idea where he’d go from here and honestly he didn’t care. It had taken just a few long strides for him to reach the end of the block but they seemed like he’d walked miles away from her.


“Hey!” His heart leapt as her voice rang out behind him. He turned, almost too excitedly, and took a few steps back towards her stoop.


“Yes?” The word almost choked in his throat.


“Umm…I have…tea, yes! I have tea! Do you like tea? Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” Her words rambled together as if she wasn’t entirely sure she agreed with what she was saying but he understood her. He had no idea what tea was but he’d take a cup of it any day just to spend more time with her. His true mission on earth be damned, this is where he was meant to be.


“Yes, Annalise, I’d love a cup of tea.” He stated before walking back towards her, and his future.


---


The memories were only just there on the surface because she knew something had happened to Adrian. She had to forget them. He was never coming back and it would do for her to remember that. She knew their daughter needed her though. It was the same pulse of energy she felt in her heart when Anders had left. She’d loved him so much and they’d spent so much time together, shared so much. Those weeks had been the best of her life. Then the one day he’d apologized, mentioned something about banishment, something about a mistake that he would never regret. He’d said he loved her and then was gone. She’d fight this time, no longer would she wallow in regret and pain and self-pity. She had to protect their daughter because where ever Anders Culvert was he couldn’t help her. She’d known he was different, something different and that their child was different the moment she was born. She’d held her in her arms and gasped as her honey eyes glowed emerald green flickering between the two colors as if trying to decide on which. Eventually they’d settled on a soft honey brown color but every time she grew angry they’d blaze green and beautiful, at least when she was a child they did.


He was otherworldly, she knew. He couldn't have been from earth, the things they’d done together couldn’t have been possible without some kind of unorthodox explanation. And maybe, just maybe he’d realized his daughter was more like him and needed his help and come back to see her. He’d been gone before she found out she was pregnant but maybe he could sense her somehow. Maybe he already had come down and had taken her with him. There were so many maybes and possibilities.


If he had taken her, he’d come for Annalise also. It was the only thing she could think of or dream of. Otherwise she might have to deal with the idea she might never see Adrian again. She’d given up on the idea that Anders would ever return. Yes, in the beginning of her motherhood she’d searched for him to the ends of the earth. No longer, her one and only love was never coming back and it was something she had to deal with. Maybe the reason you can’t find him Annalise, is because he’s not from Earth, she thought to herself. Entering her house, Annalise looked for her house phone, independent or not it was about time her and her daughter had a long talk.


The device in her hand rang and rang and there was no response. She knew they’d had a strange relationship since Adrian was young but she couldn’t afford to lose her. She’d have to keep trying. Maybe nothing happened to her, she could be sitting at home right now thinking about how I call her too much. Annalise let the words run through her mind although she knew they were wrong. They hadn’t talked for a while because Adrian had said she needed some space. She must admit, she hadn’t been the best mother that she could be when her daughter was young. She’d been depressed, never quite being able to get over the love of her life. It was like he’d put a spell on her and the longer they were apart the more she seemed to be distant but she’d tried her best and surely her daughter still loved her; she hoped. No, she wouldn’t let this go. Calling once more, Annalise waited until she heard her daughter’s voice, very business-like, on the answering machine.


“Hi, Adrian, it’s your mother.” She took a deep breath before continuing on. “I have a few things that I need to discuss with you. Things about your…father. I can almost feel it, things have changed for you and I think knowing what I need to tell you will help you understand.” She stumbled slightly as a tear fell down her cheek. “Listen, Adrian, I haven’t been the best mother but please. Things are about to change for you, if they haven’t already, and I’m ill prepared for what is going to happen. I don’t really know that much but I…I don’t know, I just need you and I hope…I hope you need me too. I’m sure we can figure this all out and get through it together. I love you, bye.” Hanging up, before she lost her nerve, Annalise dropped the phone to the counter before her.


Anders had explained the majority of things, not all of them. One he’d made clear was they’d most likely lose their minds, being so far apart, in due time. She thought he was being romantic but now that she’d thought about it, it seemed to be coming true. He’d said she was his mate, his one for eternity, they’d bonded, they’d done…things with her mind she’d never done with anyone else before. He was right. In him, she lost her mind and without him, she lost her mind. She needn’t think about it any further, though. Wherever he went, he could stay for all she cared. Beautiful alien god or not, he left her like any human man would and now she had a daughter to save. After all, it’s not every day that you dream that your child might be the key to the universe. It was time to pick up the slack and step up to the plate. She had a daughter to love and ask for forgiveness and then they had a world to save.





"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 19: Anders Culvert

Chase awoke to a thumping on his forehead. Ahhh, the thunder, he thought. Opening his eyes, he smirked as Technik stood before him, fingers poised to thump again.


“Man, I thought you were never going to wake up. It seems like you guys have been knocked out for hours!” The man chuckled as he turned and began returning the books on the table to where they belonged on the shelves. “Adrian snores!” He laughed deeper.


“I do not!” Adrian, who had awakened just in time to hear the words, sat up beside him. She looked over at him, blushing, before removing her feet from where they’d been resting in his lap. Slowly lifting up the edge of his shirt, so Technik couldn’t see, Chase raised an eye brow to Adrian; indicating she look underneath. Using her big toe, Adrian lifted the shirt further up his chest and then erupted into giggles. Ignoring his questioning look, she jumped up from the couch and moved towards Technik. She wrapped her arms around him, laughing.


“I’m glad you guys are back. The conversation here was lacking. Now I actually have someone to talk to!” She then skipped from the room, laughter following her from the room. Technik, who was just as surprised at her behavior as Chase was, stood with his mouth wide open.


“Uhh…Did I miss something? I’m not sure what just happened.” He murmured, a confused but happy look covering his face.


“She’s just been feeling a little bit of cabin fever.” Chase said as he collected himself from the sectional. Turning to walk from the room, he lifted his shirt at his side as he walked past the window and groaned as he glimpsed the tip of a blue resting against his hip in the reflection. Why couldn’t that have stayed in his mind? Then he smiled to himself. If he had his, wouldn’t that mean that she had hers as well? He chuckled and lowered his shirt and left the room, ignoring whatever Technik was saying behind him.


***



“…and then he was just like ‘…Our team is full’.” Adrian laughed as Julius recounted the meeting with the European Dark Warriors team. They had changed, things were different. She couldn’t explain why but she knew that the mood of the team had changed since they’d come back from their trip. The joyful team that had left was different than the one that had come back. They seemed more reserved, more in their own minds than anything else.


“I have a question.” She spoke aloud over the yelling and converse. Technik had made a joke about Vectio that he didn’t like. He’d laughed but it was Mendax that stood up for the silent man. They’d been yelling at each other but Adrian knew it was all in good mirth. She hated to be a Debbie downer but needed to understand the situation.


“Yes?” Apprehensive, Tristan sobered from his hunched position at the other end of the table. Arinth, also aware, leaned forward and tilted her head slightly.


“What happened while you were gone? What did you find out? Things seem different and I know I’m nothing special here but I’d like to know.” She spoke softly as not to offend or overstep her bounds.


“We are going to be attacked.” Tristan, looking towards Chase who he’d not yet talked to, cleared his throat before continuing. “The Malus are looking for something. While they have always been in the process of ‘taking over’ they hadn’t actually made any moves to destroy Earth. It’s been two thousand years since their last attack on a planet. We will try to save as many people as we can but from our stand point, and if history repeats itself, there is little we will be able to do.” He stood at the head of the table coming up to his full height. “I know we have been coasting for a little while here on Earth but it’s time to wake up.” He looked around at each of the Dark Warriors. He came to rest his gaze on Arinth. “I know you have secrets you can’t share with us but we need your help. I feel like somehow you have been helping us before now and we just didn’t know it. I have so many questions that need to be asked and you not answering them is truly not an option if you want to save this planet.” Arinth glanced down at her hands and didn’t respond, neither confirming nor denying. “Well, we need your secrets, Arinth. I wouldn’t stress this if it wasn’t an issue. I won’t make you, I won’t use my Influence. You know that isn’t how I work. I am asking you because I need it willing, the team needs it and you know I never usually beg.” He then cleared his throat again. “We also need you, Adrian. You have powers that would be of use to us in battle, provided we train you to use them. You are strong and of solid mind. Join our team and help us save your world.” Her eyes grew big at the last statement.


“Wha…what can I do? I’m only a human!” she gaffed.


“Actually, we know that isn’t true,” Chase turned his full attention on Tristan wondering what he would say next. “We found a man, a Dark Warrior, banned to live on Arinth for the rest of his lives for decisions he’d made some twenty two years ago. Decisions he’d made that were, at that time, against the rules and could even be considered treasonous by the Council. At first we didn’t know where to look, it’s why we spent a few more days out on our “mission” than we’d originally told you guys. Then we seemed to uncover a marvel and everything fell into place from there. We stumbled upon a team member that had been here in this region before we came here. They seemed to remember a man who’d been barred from Earth but didn’t really have too much information on him and what he’d done. That was, however, all that we needed and Technik took care of the rest.” He turned toward Technik who, out of nowhere, handed him a folder. “We found your father, Adrian.”


“Uhhh, what?” Adrian shook her head, standing.


“He’s a Dark Warrior, Adrian. He’s one of us. He’s been banned from Earth and he currently resides at a training base camp on Arinth. He trains new Dark Warriors in learning their abilities. He seems to excel at all of the abilities and therefore is named the best of all. He’s the master. Would you like to see him?” Seeing her small nod, Tristan came around the table and knelt before her. The folder he held contained photos of a tall, muscular, handsome man with a chiseled chin and beautiful eyes. His skin was creamy, tanned and golden. It’d explain her mixed features, her brown blonde hair and her honey eyes. Her mother, who was browner than Adrian’s cream complexion, held strong beautiful African American genes but Adrian knew her father had to have been a different race. Caucasian most likely, something different. She had been correct as he turned out to not even be human. In the photo he looked serious, dangerous, a streak of blood cutting across his brow. He held a blood blade in his hand, pointed at the ground. A spider tattoo, like the one her mother had but a darker green in color, stretched across one of his forearms. “He’s a great warrior, or he was.”


“What did he do to get banned from Earth?” Adrian touched the photo and almost flinching as it came alive under her touch. The man in the photo shifted his stance and climbed up from the two dimensional image, grasped the sword with two hands and mock swung it through the air. Little droplets of blood flung out in the motion but disappeared as they flew away from where he stood on the paper. He then smiled to where the camera would have been before returning back to the beginning stance. He flexed slightly and bent a knee, straightening one arm diagonal up to the sky, assuming a warrior pose, before laughing. The sound rang out in the room, sounding much like her own but deeper, more masculine. Adrian took a deep breath, it wasn’t a trick. The photo was real and it was really her father. Her father’s Essence was in the photo. She wondered where he’d gotten the photo. “Is he a criminal? Tell me. Why did he get banned?”


“He was banned because he mated with your mother.” Tristan’s voice was sure, firm.


Adrian barely heard him; a rushing filled her ears and buzzed through her head. Looking up, she saw Tristan peering at her questioningly. He waved a hand before her face, concerned.


“How do you know he’s mated to her? They most likely hid if the relationship was against the rules!”


“We are warriors, we are aliens, and we aren’t stupid. They were found out eventually. That and the tattoo he holds, I can assume your mother has the same one or at least a variation of it. It’s a definite sign of a mated pair. No two pairs Imprinting is the same.” He took the folder from her and placed it on the table where her father could stand where they could all see him. He swung the sword, staring forward.


“Can he...?”


“He can’t hear you or see you, if you were stronger maybe but even then only the prophets and the Light Warriors can speak with the Essence.” She nodded, her eyes wide. Her face went still and a tear dripped onto her cheek and down around her chin.


“Adrian.” Chase’s voice rang out in the middle of the storm. “Are you ok?” Slipping a hand under the table, where no one could see, Chase stroked the tip of the butterfly wing on his side. He didn’t know what made him do it but it seemed like a good idea. Suddenly feeling comforted, Adrian glanced up at Chase and smiled softly. The storm subsided in her mind and a confused look covered her features. The softer Chase rubbed his fingers over the butterfly, the smoother her features became. He opened his mouth to speak, “are you ok?” his voice was calming.


“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry I just…” she trailed off as she again looked down at the picture on the table.


“His name is Anders Culvert. He, we believe, is also a Conduit like you. It might be the reason he does his position so well.”


“We have the same last name and our first names are so close. My mother must have known.” She whispered, her voice just cracking at the end. “A Conduit?


“Yes, a conduit is a channel in which all the abilities are born, they are very rare; or maybe not as rare as we are beginning to find more and more of them over the last few weeks.”


“That makes sense. Wait, he was banned for mating with my mother?”


“Yes. It is against the rules, Adrian.” He looked into her eyes, compassion filling him. “We aren’t allowed to mingle as Dark Warriors or mate with humans that are unaware of our existence. We are to remain hidden, deep in the shadows, charged to protect and serve but also protect and serve our home planets. It’s our creed and our oath. He broke it.” Tristan’s voice carried through the room and Adrian looked up as she noticed the other Warriors nodding in agreement.


“I’m sure he loved her but not only did he mate with her, he made a child with her.” Tristan shook his head. “It is most unbelievable that he wasn’t sent to prison, it’s treasonous. He will most likely never be allowed back to Earth; unless you leave this planet for another you will most likely never meet him.”


“Why…why would you tell me about him if I’ll never get to meet him? “I…don’t know what to say.” She shook her head, tears welled in her eyes. she pushed the photo away from her.

“I thought you might want to know where you came from.” Tristan stood to his feet and held his hands out to her. “I’m sorry we can’t offer more than that. I can try and find a way for you to see him but I don’t want to promise you anything. You’re one of us now. You will see that soon. It’s why you were so comfortable around us after only being here for a few days. You know us, our blood calls to you, we are the same. We need your help and we know you can help us.” He pulled her into his arms, giving her an awkward hug. They could tell he wasn’t used to that kind of emotional connection and despite the mood of the room Technik almost laughed out.


“You said one way to tell someone is mated…is a matching tattoo.” She lowered her eyes, stepped back and quickly brought her hands up to her shirt; making sure to keep it above the butterflies that lay just under her skin.


“Adrian…” Chase’s voice called out but it was raspy, her name wavering on his lips.


“I…” She shook her head as the tears fell. Glancing up, she locked eyes with him, ignoring the rest of the people in the room. Tristan groaned as he noticed what the look meant, along with the rest of the team. Arinth, slowly stood and reached a hand out to Chase, who skirted her touch.


“Adrian…”


“I’m so sorry! You’re going to be banned from Earth, possibly prosecuted and it was all my fault. We can tell them it was all me. I’ll leave!” She moved away from her chair and the team, as her voice choked.


“No! It wasn’t all you. I could have stopped what happened just as much as you. We will…figure out what to do.” Chase grabbed her before she could bolt from the room and brought her into his arms. The room was silently, deathly so.


“Your tattoos. Let me see them.” Tristan’s voice boomed out, the Influence pressing against their wills. Chase lifted his shirt to just under his breast to uncover the butterfly that moved beneath his skin. Adrian turned, removed the over shirt and the tank top, covering her breast with the cloth. The collection of butterflies flickered against her skin. Arinth gasp in wonder as the butterfly resting at her lower back twitched as if to fly away. The rest of the team watched silently, wary and in awe as the beings glowed under their skin.


“I see.” Tristan cleared his throat as he shuffled the photos and papers back into the folder. “Well, as far as I am concerned, for the time being, I didn’t approve Chase to get any new tattoos or any more markings on his body. And as for Adrian, I’ve never seen her naked and therefore I couldn’t possibly know if she has a tattoo or not.” He looked around at his team, nodding to them each in turn as the silent agreement was made, a hardened expression over his face. Arinth smiled softly along with the rest of the team. Adrian jumped forward and threw her arms around him. This time he did not return the hug.


“Ok, ok,” Chase spoke softly, steering the converse. “Tell us, how do we get these bastards and save Earth? Do we know when they are going to attack? Do we know how?” Chase came forward, uncomfortable with him touching Adrian. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a step away from Tristan, who rubbed his arms thankfully.


“Well, first we need to find the Malus. Technik has had a few spurts but they seem to be either hiding out somewhere we can’t see or haven’t been able to find yet. Either that or they aren’t based on this planet. Secondly, we need to train Adrian, provided she’ll help us, and find out what other abilities she has. Once we know what all she can do we can figure out how she can benefit us.” The room grew silent when he finished and all eyes were on her. Adrian squirmed in Chases arms but didn’t respond immediately. Looking up at him, she saw trust in his eyes, honesty and hope. Nodding silently she turned back to Tristan.


“I’ll help. What do I need to do?”




"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 18: Fights and Flights?

“And then you decided to let her stay with you? Maybe I need to come to the states more often.” The voice boomed throughout the room and silence fell on the group gathered there.


“I had every right to do what I did. She is currently harboring powers that no one thought could be possible for a human. Even Arinth born humans don’t have powers as strong as she does. Keeping her close is definitely a better decision then letting her out and about.” Tristan sat on the edge of his chair with a tap in his foot and an irritated tick in his cheek. They’d woken up rested and ready for business but this deliberation was not what he’d expected.


“Have you thought about the possibility that she might not be human? Are you sure if she is even Arinth born or Earth born? Have you thought about how much of a convenience it had to be that she would be right there, at this time, see what she saw and did what she’s done and now you’ve let her inside of your safe house?” Shepherd’s voice had grown calm again as he could sense the agitation rise in his fellow leader but he knew these were words that had to be said. These were questions that had to be asked.


“We have looked into her extensively and found no deception.”


“Well then maybe you shouldn’t use a storyteller that is already wrapped around her finger.” The words came back as a fast retort. All eyes quickly turned, then, to Mendax who sat seething in his chair to the left of the head of the table. He hadn’t appointed himself left hand man but as an awkwardly large pot took up right hand side he decided he’d have to settle.


“What?” The question came just after a moment of hesitation, which was enough to cause a collective gasp.


“Mendax, you already know she is Chase’s mate. It would never work.” Ida’s voice was low and calming, pitying. The lull of her octave spun around the men in the room and seemed to lessen the anger, such was her ability. “Is that true?” she asked, sensing the quick look from Shepherd who, perhaps, was surprised she’d dare question him.


“I’m not wrapped around any one’s finger. I feel nothing for the woman.” Then, further digging his hole and solidifying the claim, Mendax rose and placed both hands on the table. Before he could say anything Shepherd spoke.


“I trust that is the true reason why you brought your Techy on the road, left your Tracker behind and closely guard your Storyteller. You didn’t want to leave him alone with another Abasha’s mate. Do you not trust your own team?” Before Tristan could respond Vectio had transported behind Shepherd and held a knife just to his neck. Ida, comprehensive and aware of his every move, came forward using her own transporting powers and slammed the hilt of her long sword against his wind pipe. Stunned for just a second, Vectio stepped back and threw a punch into her stomach. The two collided with the force of the attack. A chair, somehow suddenly in their path, shattered beneath their weight as they tussled to the floor. A hiss sounded from his throat as a small shard, from the chair they’d just broken, launched itself into his arm just as he could block a knee to the groin. Blood boiling, Vectio transported inches away before grabbing Ida by the arms and wrenching them behind her back. If she transported from here he’d go with her. He wrapped an arm just so around her neck and held. She’d pass out before she’d get a chance to do any more damage to his arm or his groin, he’d make sure of it.


“Stop!” The loud word bounced off the walls as Influence filled the room. All living things stopped. Each Warrior seemed frozen in place as an angry Mendax froze mid step on his way out of the room, a slightly irritated. A calm Shepherd slowly leaned forward in his chair to avoid a knife cut from the tussle behind him.


“I think, Shepherd, it is time we talked…alone” each word came out clipped and angry. Tristan’s Influence wrapped around the European man and pulled him from his chair. Leaning forward to call on his power, Tristan ripped a small amount of life source from Ida’s body and spoke into it. “Transport” was all he said and they disappeared.


Ida, weakened by the removal of her ability, fell to the floor and gasped. A tear fell from her cheek and landed on the soft shirt that had twisted up above her breast. Vectio had released her the moment Tristan’s Influence had lifted but the darkness surrounding her neck burned fury behind his eyes. Her beauty was marred, however temporary, by the violence of his hands. The haze, however fading as it was, had blinded him to even the connection they had. He was dangerous. He turned from her and paced to the edge of the room. Behind him he could hear her sobs as she touched her body. He wondered what it must feel like, to be without your ability, empty.


“He’ll give it back.” The normally joyful voice rang through the air from across the room. They all turned toward it. “He’s never taken an ability and not given it back.” Technik leaned forward, as if to comfort, his face one of concern.


“That doesn’t give him the right. He had no right.” Ida’s voice came out sad and distraught. “You don’t know how it feels. You don’t understand.” She rose to her feet, her knees knocking, and walked over toward the table. Vectio, jumping forward to grab out a chair, stopped almost midair as a hand rose to block him. “I don’t want your help. I don’t need your help,” she cried. He ignored her words and pulled the chair out. He didn’t speak, as usual, but stepped back. Then as if still angry at the sight of her neck he came forward and swept her hair over her shoulder, ignoring her sounds of distaste.


“Julius, please?” He lifted a hand to wave the healer over.


“Vectio let me look at your arm.” Julius started as he came over but was stopped as Vectio stepped back.


“Her neck,” he said, “Please.” Julius stared at him for a moment before turning toward Ida whose tears continued to wet her shirt now pulled down to once again cover her ample breasts. The sobs had died but a dead look in her eyes had replaced them. Julius placed a hand softly to her neck and gasped.


“You’re cold as death!” He closed his eyes against the offensive temperature and began using his life source to heal the bruises around her throat.


“That’s what happens when you’re without your ability.” The voice came from nowhere and then seconds later the leaders appeared, unharmed. Tristan walked around the table to them and knelt before her. “You will hate me, as your life source will immediately resent its enemy. I am not your enemy Ida. I do what needs to be done. We are on the same side, you and me but I will not apologize for what I have done. Please, do not attack me.” The last sentence was expected of a Dark Warrior Leader, cold and collected. Though, the tone in which they were said gave the opposite impression. Ida, wary but forgiving, slowly leaned forward; sliding from beneath Julius’ hands. She didn’t say anything but closed her eyes ready to be returned her ability. Tristan reached up and placed a hand on her head, returning her life source and her ability as gently as possible. It would also help with the anger she would feel once her life source was back in its original host. Feeling the moment the power left his body, Tristan immediately leaned forward to wrap his arms tightly around the woman. He knew she’d received the ability because she began trying to tear away from him, the life source disgusted by his touch.


“Get…Off…me,” her voice came out muffled as her face was smashed to his chest.


“Very well,” Tristan waited a few more beats before completely releasing the woman and stepping back around the table. Ida kept her eyes closed until she could sense him moving further away, anger seething in her bones, heeding his words. The moment she opened them the blood in her body boiled at the sight of him. Swallowing the forced anger, Ida lifted her chin. “I hope you two men accomplished something while you were gone and all of this,” she waved her hand over the broken chair in the corner and Vectio’s bloody arm “wouldn’t have been for nothing.” She huffed and lifted her chin, ever the Elvin queen. Before either leader could respond she’d disappeared.


“This war isn’t between us. We have to work together for whatever is coming.” Tristan spoke again before turning and looking at each member of his team. He could sense Shepherd at his side doing the same with his own team; their Influence combining. He then turned and stepped from the room. On his way back to his quarters he mulled over the converse he and Shepherd had when he’d transported them. It was true, they had to work together because for now, it seemed like the Council had abandoned both of them. He wondered how many more teams weren’t able to connect with the Council. Was there something going on with Arinth? Or was it Earth?

****


“So, tell me how you came to be a Dark Warrior? How did you get recruited?” Adrian sat, curled into the large couch cushions of the library sectional. She’d been busy doing nothing for the last week, aside from trying to avoid Chase Hunter, and so far it had been pretty lucrative. Unfortunately, her curiosity won out. If she was able to accidentally ‘mind creep’, as she called it, she’d like to know where she might end up. There was that explanation and also just the simple fact that she wanted to be around him. He acted like he didn’t want to be around her but she knew the truth. She’d caught him staring at her plenty of times during breakfast and dinner since the other members of his team had gone. He wasn’t fooling her and he’d talk to her regardless. She knew he couldn’t ignore her, either.


“I wasn’t recruited. It’s what I’ve been since birth. It seemed almost natural to become a Dark Warrior when I became of age.” Chase sat, staring at the book in his hands, trying and failing to concentrate on reading. She’d been ignoring him for the last few days and he was unsure why she all of a sudden wanted to talk now. He liked her but one thing he’s noticed since all the other Warriors had gone was that she liked to talk, about everything. She seemed not to know the meaning of privacy or of silence. Must be a human thing.


“What? I’m just going to ignore that! So basically, you don’t get to do what you want in life? You do whatever the Light Warriors have picked out for you? Yes, yes, don’t be so surprised. Arinth told me a little of this and that.” She harrumphed at the idea. From what she’d discovered so far, humans on earth had free will and none of the other species did. Point one for humans.


“Actually yes, that’s exactly how it is. It’s different though, usually the placement that you are given at birth is exactly what you want to do in life. I wasn’t trained to be a Hunter and then dreamed of doing other things. I didn’t even know it was the ability I’d been given until I was in my early twenties. I spent the first thirty years of my life like, what I understand to be, a normal Earthen young adult. We’d partied and drank Spirits and lounged around with the rest of them.” He’d closed the book but still refused to look in her direction or show any true interest in their converse. In reality, he wanted to know everything about her instead of always talking about him. The small synopsis they’d been given by Technik in those first few days she’d lived with them hadn’t done anything to curb the interest he’d developed in the last week. It seemed like no question could delve enough and no matter how long he looked at her she always seemed more beautiful. If he didn’t know any better he’d think his loving her was growing by the hour.


“Humans have free will. If I was born with the ability to Hunt and I decided I wanted to be whatever Mendax is…”


“A storyteller.”


“…A storyteller, then I would do that despite the odds that are stacked up against me.” Adrian lifted her chin, smiling at him, as if she’d found something Earthen humans were better at.


“I assure you. We have free will, we do whatever we want but what’s inbred into our blood is fixed into our minds, most of the time we fall into the realization that it’s what we want to do. Yes, the Light Warriors picked me at birth to be a Dark Warrior but honestly, if I hadn’t been told that I wouldn’t have known. I grew up a Hunter. My brother was a Hunter. My dad isn’t a Hunter. My dad is a carpenter. But yet, I still would have chosen to be a Dark Warrior and…” He stopped talking as he heard a giggle coming from behind him. Turning, he noticed as the soft light brown skin of Adrian’s face turned a deeper shade as if she was holding her breath. “What, on Earth, is so funny?”


“It’s classic! You’re like Jesus!” She continued to try to hold the laughter in until it burst from her. Clutching her stomach, Adrian squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the annoyance that covered his face.


“What do you mean, like Jesus? Who’s Jesus?”


“You don’t know the story of Jesus?” She sobered a little, rolling to her feet and coming to stand just before him. “Your father is a carpenter; you are a Dark Warrior sent to Earth to protect the humans from themselves and all their enemies! You are conflicted by the decisions you make but know they must be done! You’re Jesus! Well, probably a more handsome, strong, darkly mysterious and broody version.” Her voice, in a sing-song tone, rang against his ears like a heavenly sound. He loved her laugh and he’d show her, anything to stop her from making fun of him. Rocking forward, Chase ignored the continued ‘Jesus-rant’, whoever that was, and planted a kiss right on her lips. Her cackle seemed to stop almost immediately as the warmth of his touch seeped into her skin. Pulling her close, Chase softly teased the corner of her mouth with his tongue before pulling back again. Her eyes were closed and her lips still puckered when he looked down at her. Smiling softly, Chase chuckled as she began to pout with her eyes closed.


“You called me handsome.”


“Is that the only thing that you got out of that entire…why?” She began and then gasped when she opened her eyes. The room, once a library, had turned into a wheat pasture. The tall wheat waved in the wind and reached just up to her knees. Gasping at the warmth of the sun and the cleanliness of the atmosphere, Adrian stepped from his arms. “You are here with me right? I’m not crazy, am I? Just doing this all by myself?”


“No, Adrian, I’m here with you.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned her towards the sunset. “I don’t think this is a memory. It’s not like last time. I think this is…Essence. True Earth.” They walked, hand in hand, for what seemed like an hour. The wheat had turned to grass and the silence turned to the soft bustling noises of Mother Nature, the beautiful woman of life source that she was. Adrian smiled up at him as they came across a pond, almost big enough to be considered a lake. Glancing down at her body, she laughed as she noticed the material that covered her breast. A soft elk skin cropped, tank top stopped just above her belly button. Seriously? What is it with the cropped tops? A pair of shorts, shorter than she’d ever worn in her entire life, conformed to her curves and ended in a rim of lace. Glancing over at him, Adrian laughed out loud. A pair of tight, brief like bottoms covered his groin. He looked down at himself and groaned, touching the same elk skin material.


“Why, on Arinth, are we doing this?” His voice seemed gruff as he adjusted himself in the small briefs and turned away from her. Kneeling by the lake, Chase ran his hands through the purple water. It touched his skin softly leaving crystal like drops on his hands. Turning back to her, Chase held out a searching hand. “Join me?” he’d risen from his crouched position and motioned to the water.


“Why not?” she said, with a tinge of shyness. Then, to counteract her uncomfortableness, Adrian quickly hooked her fingers in the tops of her shorts. Chase drew his eye brows up as she removed the piece of cloth and she walked paced him. Fire burned in his blood as she then, with the same sudden confidence, removed the short top. Her breast, full and covered in soft caramel colored skin, sat high on her chest. The nipples, a dusty brown, were erect and seemed to point at him. He took in a well needed breath just before she turned, a smirk on her face, and dove into the water. Not to be outdone, Chase chucked the briefs and dove in after her. The lake had a most impossible depth as he saw her swim down, down, and down further into its belly. Maybe, because it seemed to be their subconscious, anything was possible in this world. With that thought, Chase stopped holding his breath. Breathing in the water, he was comforted as he didn’t immediately choke. It was as if he’d suddenly grown gills. He breathed in the water and blew out through his nose. Swimming over to her, Chase opened his mouth and gulped the water to show her she could breathe.


“Wow!” She spoke after breathing in the water, her voice resonating causing ripples to blow through the water.


“This is incredible!” He spoke, reaching out to her. Wrapping his hands around her small waist, Chase pulled her towards him. “I could kiss you all day.” His voice was husky, despite the muffling, and sultry. Her eyes half closed as she leaned forward and gave in to him. The water soothed their skin and seemed to push them closer together, egging them on. Suddenly pulling away, Chase grasped Adrian’s hand and began swimming back to the surface. She followed him with a fire in her eyes. They broke the surface in one motion and swam to the shallow end together, kissing each other as they moved from the waves. Once he was on sure footing, Chase laid Adrian beneath him in the tawny sand. She sighed as he dipped his head and took one hardened nipple into his mouth. Heaven exploded behind her eye lids as he slid one hand between her thighs, dipping a curious finger into her body. She rode the wave hard as tremors ran over her body. A low satisfactory moan slipped from her lips as Chase nudged her legs further apart with his knee. She let them fall open.


“Are you sure?” He spoke around the soft kisses he placed on her cheeks. Adrian, so he couldn’t try and pull away, lifted one foot and wrapped it around his body, laying it softly against the small of his back, encouraging him.
“As sure as ever,” she replied; her own voice raspy and filled with emotion. She wrapped both arms around his neck as their lips met. He pushed his tongue softly against her lips, gaining entrance. Using one hand to guide his member into her, Chase sighed as the warmth tightly surrounded him. A new feeling, complete and utter ecstasy, filled the two as he moved within her. Digging her fingers into the muscles of his back, Adrian moaned with pleasure as he sped up the pace. A rippling, like a growl, sounded from his chest and Adrian laughed. Chase flinched as she tensed around him but chuckled himself. Around them, flowers sprouted and caressed their arms, long river weeds grew high and touched their limbs. The water ebbed and flowed, caressing their legs. The sunset seemed to pause and the sky was blue and filled with softy puffy white clouds. It was as if the further into their joining they went the more beautiful the world around them became.


A deep urge to bite filled Chase, as he felt himself close to climax. His lips buzzed almost uncomfortably as he kissed them against the skin joining her shoulder and neck. The same feeling filled Adrian and burned against her lips. Fangs had formed from their mouths, sharpening and pushing against their lips. Opening her mouth, just at the top of her climax, Adrian bit down on Chase’s neck. He, in turn, did the same. The finishing pleasure rippled through the two as they sipped from the sweet veins of each other’s necks. The wounds, painless, disappeared when they withdrew their teeth. Their blood coursed through each other’s veins, buzzing over their muscles and lighting their eyes aglow. She shivered as his cool life source made its way down to her finger tips and toes.


After kissing the softly bruised spot where he’d bitten her, Chase rolled onto his back. Not yet wanting to loose contact with her, he pulled her up into his side where she nestled her head beneath his chin. She fit him just as perfect as his own skin. Her warmth seeped into his body and they felt as one. Tilting her head up, Adrian smiled against the sweat of his chest. It’d been good, better than good, better than the one time she’d had before, and with no pain. She’d been surprised but then again, they were in this mind land and she doubted he’d hurt her here where they could make anything happen.


“Just so you know, I’m not a vampire. I have no idea where that came from. I’ve never grown teeth before.” Adrian spoke heavily as if she was out of breath.


“I, also, am not a vampire. I might be immortal and what you think of as an alien but I’m not a vampire. Maybe it’s some weird desire that we both had that our minds formed,” Chase spoke next to her. Silence passed between the two just before they burst into laughter.


“I must say, though, that was the best I’ve ever had.” Adrian leaned up, smiling at his words, as a butterfly came and sat on her shoulder. Its large monarch wings spread and flapped in the soft wind. Then, as if it was trying to dig into her skin, the butterfly laid its wings against her shoulder. Eyebrows raised, Adrian gasped as it seeped into her skin burrowing just under the surface. It didn’t hurt but she still flinched as the insect Imprinted onto her body. Chase, who had come up to rest on his forearms beside her, swiped a hand softly across her shoulder and down her arm. The skin there was smooth.


“Wow, uh…I’ve never seen that before.” Chase’s voice sounded incredulous as he fingered the butterfly under her skin. “It’s like a moving tattoo.” He drew his arm back as the soft orange of the butterfly’s wing glowed when he touched it.


“Umm…that felt weird but I think you have an incoming too!” Adrian spoke softly as a large blue butterfly flickered around Chase’s abdomen. It was large, blue black masculine in color, and its wings were strong. It glided to a stop just across Chase’s abs before diving into his skin. “Wow! Yours isn’t gentle at all!” she laughed as he groaned loudly in pain. The insect burrowed roughly into his skin using its wings as if actually digging into him like a dagger. Chase lifted an arm and lay back, throwing his arm over his eyes as he tried to brace against the pain. When it’d stopped, he looked down at himself and sighed as it flitted around under his skin. It was like a large tattoo, taking up most of his side. Its top wing nearly reached his left nipple and curled down to his abs. The second, right wing, stretched to his belly button where its bottom tip grazed his hip bone.


“Who said I wanted a butterfly tattoo? When we wake up this had better be gone!” Chase yelled to the sky, laughing, as Adrian ran her hands over his stomach, caressing the butterfly as she tickled him. It seemed to like it as the wings swelled beneath his skin and a glow followed along with her movements. He sobered as she continued down, her finger tips skimming the tops of his thighs.


“Have you ever done this with anyone else? Gone to different worlds in your mind?” Adrian’s voice was low, sexy, as she kissed the tip of one butterfly wing. It buzzed beneath her lips as it was aroused by her touch. Pleasure exploded behind his eyes as he lay back in the grass. Testing a theory, Chase reached forward and pulled Adrian above him. He laughed as he looked just over her shoulder blade.


“No, I’ve never done this with anyone else.” He chuckled more and Adrian sat back on her haunches, straddling him.


“What in the world is so funny?” she smacked at his chest as he couldn’t control the girlish giggle that erupted from him.


“You thought you got off easy? You thought that teeny tiny butterfly was all you had?” he continued to laugh and Adrian jumped to her feet. She kicked the sand at him before stepping towards the water. She knelt in the liquid thoughtfully. Waving a hand over the water she used her mind to lift it into the air. Using it as a mirror, Adrian scooted around until she could see her back in the water. Chase, behind, her still laughing and clutching his stomach, was speaking but she ignored him.


“What the heck?” she yelled. The one butterfly that had landed on her shoulder had spread and somehow turned into a cascading line of butterflies that flew around her shoulder blade and onto the back of her neck. The soft red and orange hues of the beings glowed under her gaze. One, most ambitious, flittered down her back and settled just on her spine. “Arrggghh! Don’t go down there!” It settled, as if finally finding where it wanted to be, just above the curve of her bottom.


“You have a, what are they called…tramp stamp!” he yelled and dodged as she ran at him, attacking him. A sound, like thunder, exploded across the sky. They immediately stopped running and glanced up into the clouds. The sky darkened slightly. “I guess it’s time to wake up. Maybe we can try to wake ourselves up this time?” He stretched out a hand and Adrian took it in hers. They concentrated, trying to use every piece of their mind to wake up from this dream, this world or whatever it was that allowed them to transcend to a different realm only the two of them shared.


“Will we come back?” Adrian whispered.


“We can definitely try.”


"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 17: The Shepard and The Essence

They hadn’t seen any other dark warriors in a long time. It was like meeting with an estranged brother for the first time in ten years. For some of them, they hadn’t seen each other in a century or two. Tristan usually met with the other team leaders every two years or so but with the Malus dialing back their vigilance; they hadn’t met in a decade or so. Tristan stepped off the plane and watched the six figures standing near the small airport entrance. A tall icy blonde male came toward them. An angry expression seemed to be fixed on his face. He held almost no emotion as he silently took in the warriors as they appeared behind Tristan from the plane. Technik, who stood just behind him, let out a loud whoop in acknowledgement to the tall lean, barely muscled man that stood further from them. The two ran at each other like young siblings, Technik stopping just short for a chest bump. Ignoring the racket behind him, the icy blonde man locked eyes with Tristan.


“It has been a while, Tristan Omen. I’m surprised we haven’t had this meeting before now.” They clasped arms in the Dark Warrior greeting, grasping each other at the opposite elbow. The power between the two was so strong the life source glowed just under their wrists, illuminating their hands. The man’s strong British baroque filled the air and rang above the yelling.


“I know, we hadn’t a reason to meet. Everything down here seemed fine but now times are changing; now we need to start making plans.” Tristan released his arm and stretched out his hand, palm up, to the warriors behind him. He introduced them each, with their skill, motioning to each in turn. “Team, this is Anglo Shepherd, leader of the European team. This is Vectio, our transporter. There’s Technik, our techy, the guy who’s screaming like a little girl. Our healer is Julius Constantine and Mendax Andana, our storyteller. Our tracker, Chase Hunter, isn’t here with us currently but you will meet him later, I assure you. I think Vectio is the only one that you’ve previously met. The final battle on Malus, just under ten years ago, I believe?”


“Yes, I am sorry for the loss of your previous team, Vectio.” The Shepherd’s words held no change of tone and his sentiments held no emotion and yet just the speaking of the words meant a lot. Vectio nodded, not speaking, as usual. “Meet my team.” He stepped to the side to motion behind him. “Ace Drake is our Techy, the other half of the screaming duo. I’m assuming the two fools know each other.” His eyebrow twitched slightly as the two men ignored the rest of them, garbling on about some new technology that Spiritian had invented using life source from their planets trees, incredulous. The others chuckled as the men started the most immature slapping match between men, obviously over a disagreement on technique and mechanics. “The man with the blue hair and piercings is Tyler Shaman. He’s our healer. He doesn’t look like one but he easily fits in with the rocker crowds, and we do have many occurrences with them in Europe. Hawk Trapper, the man with the bird on his shoulder, is our hunter. Ranrund Raconteur is our storyteller. He, believe it or not, just discovered that he can also bend the life source in air allowing him to control weather. Who knew?” His tone was dry but the announcement of the ability impressed them all, especially Mendax who immediately made a comment about learning the skill, which received a nod from the other storyteller.


“Aren’t you missing a warrior? I count five. And who’s this lovely woman?” Mendax spoke up, his voice filled with charm, eyeing her. Vectio looked over the woman and nearly choked on his silence, she exuded the power of elfin beauty. Her soft features covered smooth skin and her large blue eyes complemented the soft white of her long hair. Just the tips of her pointed ears poked out from her hair, she looked like an ethereal Elvin princess. Her Spiritian background was evident in the elegant way she stood with her hands clasped at her waist and her head tilted up. There was a glimpse of the hilt of a dagger just at her hip.


“The woman is Ida Courier. She’s our transporter. I know, female Dark Warriors are mostly uncommon but she was born with the ability and the Light Warriors decided not to mess with fate, this time.” The woman smiled shyly at the dry joke but stepped forward to allow Mendax to kiss her hand. She glowed and she almost chocked on a laugh as Vectio slapped him in the back of the head when he walked by. She peeked up at Vectio from beneath her lashes but ignored the fire that blazed in his eyes. She’d felt it also, the connection between them.


“Now, let’s eat and then we can talk business. My team is up and ready.” Tristan spoke to Shepherd. He ignored the groans that rose from his team at the mention of talking business. Sleep would be good for them; he might suggest doing that first. There was nothing more dangerous to itself than an uncomfortable team of Dark Warriors that hadn’t eaten or slept in days. Last time that happened, Julius had to help reattach a hand or two, more than once. “Actually, we could eat, sleep and pick up business in the morning.” None of the warriors said anything but he knew they were silently celebrating.


“Great.” On the way back to the airport terminal they discussed the sleeping arrangements and eating locations on the facilities.


“So, how far are the sleeping quarters from here?” Julius asked.


“They are here.”


“Here, as in the airport? Is there a hotel attached?” Julius looked around but didn’t see anything insight that resembled a hotel.


“It is below us. We own the Airline. We’ve built a safe house beneath it. You’d never find it unless you are a Dark Warrior or someone that knows where to look. Well, and are able to get past the barriers. There are no other ways to get there than to be transported.” Ida’s sweet voice rang out against the wind just as they stepped into the terminal. “Here.” She waved a hand over them all and jumped as Shepherd grasps her hand in his. Vectio almost growled as the other man touched her. Clearing his throat, he shifted on his feet.


“You have to warn them first, Ida. They aren’t used to you like we are.”


“Oh,” she giggled, her eyes shining bright, “I’m going to transport you all below.” They all nodded and braced as the seconds rolled by.


Opening his eyes, Technik noticed they were in a facility much like a hotel once they appeared underground. Opening his mouth wide, he gasped looking up at the ceiling that allowed them to see the inside of the airport and further up past it to the sky.


“Wow, this is amazing. Did you hear that? They own the Airline. It seems like their time on Earth has definitely been more lucrative than ours, Tristan. Maybe, I should switch over...” Technik joked but straightened as Shepherd stepped in front of him.


“I believe our team is full.” He spoke softly; seriously, his piercing blue eyes stared into Technik’s. He then turned and left the hall swiftly and silently. Technik stood there with his eyes wide and his head tilted back a little.


“I think…he just used his Influence on me so I don’t try to come on his team!” He gaffed as his pupils deflated to their normal size. The other warriors burst into laughter and began separating, going to their separate sleeping quarters. Ida, the only woman of the group, made her way to the left as opposed to the right.


“You don’t sleep in the same area as we do?” Mendax spoke, charm and pout sounding from his voice.


“No.” She smiled sweetly at him. “I have my own suite.” She then turned and disappeared. Mendax shook his head and scratched the back of his neck.


“That woman,” He gasped.


“You do know she’s a Sprite right? As in, she’s from Spiritian? She could kill you just by looking at you if you tried to bed her. She seems sweet but she’s a fire, waiting to happen.” Tyler Shaman, the healer from the European team, spoke with laughter in his voice.


“Well, I guess I’ll die happy.” Mendax smiled ruefully as he stepped into his private room. Vectio didn’t speak but the small twitch in his cheek and clenching of his hands spoke volumes, it was good no one was paying attention.


***


She knew what was going on before the meal had come to an end. The Intelligence that ran through her mind alerted her to the small hitches in the couple. Adrian, sitting just to her right, seemed to be oddly quiet. Her hands were a little shaky as she ate the food Arinth had prepared. Her posture was relaxed though, chest turned slightly towards Chase as if she was open to him. Chase, who usually gave in to her banter, replied with only small talk and seemed to be off on his own mind adventure. She’d recognize the signs anywhere. When she’d walked into the room before and had noticed the glow of their eyes behind their lids as they’d kissed and the day before when the electricity had transferred between the two when they’d bumped. They’d experienced the Codra Mauma; it was the joining of the memories. She knew gaining new life mates, amongst the Dark Warriors, was contagious. Once one gained a life mate, the rest of the team usually followed suit not shortly after. Just like that, love will enter the lives of the darkest, hardest, most immortal men of the galaxy. She’d seen it with the last group; exciting times.


She just couldn’t wait to be a part of it. She’d help them find their love mates, she was sure, and knew there was nothing better than being a part of the Mauma. The Mauma is the blood bond, first discovered by the Jungas. It would join the mates for life, giving the lesser life form the extension of an immortal. It was like a gift from the Light Warriors, a present to them for finding someone that could love them for all of eternity. Unfortunately, not all of the mates joined survived the length of their new life span. They would have the Malus to thank for that. There was nothing sadder than a mate preforming the Mauma and then losing their other half in battle and having to live out their new extended life alone. Fortunately, there is a chance of multiple mates but it was very rare and often times the survivor is so distraught or feels such pain that they’d hardly search for another match.
Dinner had gone on without a hitch and they’d separated, each going about their own plans for the rest of the day. Arinth hummed as she dug through the plants in her garden. She’d treasured her life as a Woman of Ganesha. She’d loved the life of a spy, she’d seen many lifetimes but she’d never really experienced life the way she now lived it on Earth. It seemed like a nice way to retire after all the fighting, violence, secrets and betrayals. She’d spent the better part of the last millennium fighting for the Council, holding their secrets and guarding their Intelligence, she was done and now the only thing she protected were her bell peppers.


The Dark Warriors didn’t know her back ground or who she was but they knew they could trust her. It was one of the first abilities the women chosen to follow Ganesha would form. They easily gained the trust of anyone around them. It was one of the reasons gaining secrets was one of the easiest things they could do. Holding them was a different story. Only the strongest actually made it to become a full woman of Ganesha. They were tortured, beaten, drugged and shown their worst nightmares and yet the power they exuded from the life source that flowed in their veins and the Intelligence that ran through their minds kept them safe; most of the time. The ones that broke were never strong enough to receive the darkest secrets of the Council and therefore were done away with immediately after their treason. Often times instead of killing them, their minds were wiped, the torture probably having turned the Intelligence to mush anyway. The Council would wipe their mind and then send them to live down on Earth, on Arinth or find something useful for them to do in Senatus. However, if you served well and served your time, the Council would send you anywhere you liked to go. It was a pretty good deal, like a retirement plan. Arinth had lived almost her entire life on Arinth, Senatus and a few more no-name planets hidden in her Intelligence. It was about time she experienced life as just a human and nothing special; nothing more. She smiled as a ripe red bell pepper appeared amongst the green blow her feet. She picked it, rubbed its surface and smiled wider. Yes, she’d done well, she’d retired well and hopefully the Dark Warriors would allow her to be with them forever.
A sound came from behind her and Arinth turned to face the figure blocked out by the sun, a small cleaver clenched in her hand.


“It has been a while since I’ve been in a garden, around actual produce living and breathing the same air around us. I tell you, the few times that we get to travel outside of the caves, I gather something new.” The figure spoke just before bending down just beside her and helping her pick a pepper hanging from a stem and placing it into her basket.


“Saga!” Arinth gasped as the Light Warrior chuckled as she tackled him to the ground, the cleaver forgotten on the ground.


“Arinth, I’ve been watching you. I’m very proud! You have made a home for yourself here, not that I didn’t know you would.” He barely could get the words out as she tussled with him amongst the plants. A soft sheen of tears touched her cheeks as she kissed both of his.


“I have missed you so much! I can’t believe you’re here!”


“I know, I know, I missed you too. It has been a while, what, with our busy schedules. It’s not every century that a Light Warrior is best friends with a Woman of Ganesha! It’s like we were doomed to be friends from the beginning!” He hoisted her to her feet, the strong muscles of his arms showing in the light.


“You’re bigger! When do you get time to exercise? You should be off changing lives, not trying to be hot! So, is there a new man in your life? Tell me!” Arinth giggled as they headed back to the safe house, arm in arm, the peppers and basket forgotten.


“Unfortunately, no there isn’t,” he pouted, looking gorgeous despite the pushed out lip and furrowed brow. Arinth made a sad face as she rubbed the skin between his eyes smoothing out the wrinkles there. “There is just so much to do. I barely was able to get away to come see you. Seer has been working me hard; that old man should take a day off and let me be.”


“Well, you know he just has everyone’s best interest at heart. I’ve never seen a Light Warrior so dedicated to his job in my life.” Arinth washed her hands and began taking down cups from the cabinet. As if he’d been there millions of times, Saga reached up into the cabinets closest to him and began pulling down fixings for a kettle of tea.


“I know and you’re right. I just wish things were different somehow.” The seriousness of his tone, sadness in his voice, caused pause for Arinth. She slowed her movements and turned to him. “Arinth, I know we are supposed to be strong and unaffected but…I don’t know if I can be as emotionless as my job requires me to be.”


“You’ve been doing it for what, almost a thousand years now? You’re strong, Saga. I understand your pain and I understand your job may very well be impossible but you do it. You do it and you do it well.” Leaning forward, Arinth pressed a small amount of Influence in his direction. “You are living and breathing, you’re a walking being. Down here on Earth they use a term; “I’m only human”, I know you’re not human but it makes plenty of sense if you think of it in a not so technical way. You will make mistakes, you will feel sad and feel distraught, often times you will also feel like you want to give up; but you won’t.” The Influence she pressed on him seemed into his skin and smoothed the worry from his face.


“Unfortunately, me being “only human” could destroy the life source of a planet. My job isn’t one that you could mess up today and hope that you will be forgiven. The horrors…” his voice broke as a soft glisten of tears shined in his eyes. Arinth looked down at her feet and shook her head. She knew her friend had demons worse than hers but she also knew no matter what he was strong.


“Believe you me, Saga; you are stronger than this storm, stronger than all the fates in the world. The Light Warriors need someone that isn’t so objective, that isn’t so black and white. They need someone to take an emotional look at the changes they are making and realize they might need to rethink their decisions. Just think, you and your team are in charge of the fates of all these people, species, plants and life forms. You have done a great job up to here! You should trust yourself because of that alone. You should trust because who is in charge of your fate but you?” Arinth stared into his eyes, hoping he’d understand his value; his greatness.


“Arinth” A voice sounded loudly, just outside the kitchen door. Arinth gasped and turned to see who entered. “I have discovered the greatest thing ever!” Adrian came lopping into the kitchen with a book secured tightly to her chest by excited fingers. Arinth’s head whipped around to look behind her but Saga was already gone. He’d disappeared, probably transported back to the caves of Senatus where he lived with Seer. Sadness filled her for her friend; it’d probably be another century or so before she’d be able to see him. ‘I guess that’s a good thing, means he’s doing his job,’ she thought. Quickly throwing on a smile, Arinth turned her face back to the over ecstatic Adrian. She laughed out, the mirth not quite reaching her eyes.


“You seem excited, what did you find?”


“I found a book! It looks like it’s about the history of Earth before it became, well, our Earth!” She flipped the shinning pages and opening to a picture of a gorgeous mountain covered in purple flowers. Its peak seemed to disappear into golden skies as the sun set. The bind of the book held the words True Earth in beautiful cursive. Even the binding and cover of the book held an elegance she’d never seen before. “True Earth?”


“Yes, Adrian, that is what Arinthians call it along with every other species, except humans of course. True Earth. That book has the very Essence of Earth embedded in its spine, the Centre of our galaxies life source, before the previous generations of Arinthians made it to this planet. The beauty of Earth far outweighed the marble building of Senatus or the jungles of Jungelus. It was just the natural form of everything; untouched by man, unchanged by the Light Warriors and free to grow as it pleased. Come and see.” She smiled outwardly, trying not to let her dampened mood ruin Adrian’s happy one. She turned toward the kitchen table and took a deep breath as she sat in one of the wooden chairs. Patting the spot just beside her, Arinth smiled as Adrian almost skipped to the table. The girl is in love, she’s found her mate, for Light’s sake, even if she doesn’t know it, she thought.


“It looks so different! Purple water, yellow trees, lime green grass! Either the colors are different because of the book or Earth used to be a paradise!” Adrian flipped the pages to the beginning of the story. “Before the beginning, the life source of our Mother Planet grew beautiful and extravagant.” She read aloud. She could barely read the first paragraph as the greens from the grass beneath it began to flourish and cover the ink. The blades rose from the pages and skimmed the tips of her fingers. Adrian gasped as a clear, healthy, gust of wind seemed to form from the bind of the book and blow through the grass. From, somewhere, a small yellow leaf blew through the pasture. Adrian felt a wetness touch her thumb and almost yelped aloud as a tiny but loud pond sprouted by the corner of the page.


“I don’t understand. I thought magic wasn’t real. This is incredible and unbelievable.” She sighed as the soft sounds of nature seemed to rise from the book. A loud hiccup from an unseen frog resonated throughout the room. A giggle rose in her throat as it was returned by a belching sound from something, somewhere, hidden in the grass.


“Magic? No, I’m afraid I don’t know of any magic.” Arinth smiled, genuinely now, as Adrian pressed a manicured finger into the mud just at the edge of the pond. Her finger came away clean as the Essence stayed within the confines of the book. “This is the Essence of the Earth.”


“You said that once before but I didn’t understand what you meant.” Adrian listened as she flipped a page and was confronted by a deep heat. A soft shake came from the book just before an eruption from a small Volcano, which had sprouted on the left page, sent lava cascading down the paper and onto the grass on the right page. Despite the beautiful lavender and crimson hues of the fire, she quickly flipped through the book just as it reached the edge. A strong burning stench filled the air before depleting seconds later. An hour passed before Arinth answered her question. So immersed in the Essence, Adrian was, she couldn’t quite fix her mind to interrupt the moment. The books Essence poured from each page as they flipped. True Earth became more and more beautiful as they glanced at the gorgeous remnants of the life source the humans had replaced.


“When you capture the life source of an item, idea or a person you can harvest it in something else. Here, the Light Warriors had visited Earth and harvested its life source just before the Arinthians escaped and landed here. They knew they couldn’t stop the invasion but they could keep the Essence alive. This True Earth was given to the previous Dark Warriors team that lived here before along with the Abasha Shield you nearly destroyed a few days ago.” She turned up a scolding nose, voice harsh, but softened when Adrian frowned. “It’s alright. You just have to be more careful with the items that belong to the Dark Warriors. You might stumble across something that is more dangerous or more valuable than you think. Everything you see before you might not be what it is.” The last sentence melted from her lips like a mantra. “Egeria Shen said that to me.”


“Egeria Shen?” Adrian had flipped to the end of the book and whimpered at the last chapter. Large buildings, tall and beautiful, erupted from the pages. Below them streets formed and replaced the soft grass and the clear, clean air was replaced by a cloudy substance. The name of the chapter hung from one of the buildings like a broken billboard; After Earth. A tear slipped from her eye as she recognized the building where she currently had an apartment. “How?” Standing, Adrian held her hands to her chest as she sobbed. She could see the light from her bedroom window on the sixth floor, contributing to the muck and disgust they’d done to the world. Arinth had stood and turned away.


“The book shows you what you want to see and what has come to past. And yes,” she spoke with her heart in her throat “Egeria Shen is a prophet. She is a seer, an oracle, a believer and a fate changer. You will meet her one day, I just know it, and that day will change your life.” Arinth pulled a necklace that had remained well hidden from beneath her shirt and rubbed the medallion there, between her fingers. “She knew what Earth would become and knew that the Light Warriors wouldn’t be able to stop it.”


“You said I would meet her. How will I, when humans have at least been here on Earth for thousands of years?” Adrian watched as a car drove up the building where she stayed, it looked really familiar. A light dawned in her mind as the driver sent from her boss, Candice, that had come to pick her up every day, stepped from his seat. He came around and opened the door. A miniature ‘her’ came out of the building clutching a briefcase in one hand and a coffee in the other. A small puff of light shined around her just as she got into the car, her aura?


“We’ve always lived long. Humans here on Earth die every day, they die young and some die old. Adrian, most Arinthians lived to be thousands of years old. Egeria Shen, however, is immortal. She has lived over a millennium at least.” Suddenly over drawn with the story and the days events, Arinth walked over and closed the book. She lifted it from the table and handed it softly to Adrian. “Here, that’s enough history for today. I’m sure the library still needs a little more dusting and I have got to get back outside to my peppers before the days over and wasted.” She nodded absent mindedly before turning towards the back door and placed her hand on its handle.


“Oh and Adrian? Don’t stare at that book for too long. What it did just now is only a small portion of what that Essence can do. Looking at the Essence of the past could only take you down a dark path. You could get lost in it.” She waited until she received confirmation she’d been heard before closing the door behind her. She glanced down at the medallion that hung between her breasts. Its Essence almost burned her skin as she remembered…nothing. Whatever the Medallion had once meant to her Arinth could no longer remember. It was locked away along with other secrets in her mind that had been hidden from her. One thing she knew, though, was that this secret didn’t belong to the Council. No, this secret was hers and hers alone but why have they kept it from her?


"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth

Post 16: Mind Games

They’d left him there. It was like they were saying his was an invalid. Tristan said it was because they needed someone to stay in the safe house and guard Adrian and Arinth while they were gone but he knew the truth. They weren’t sure how he’d ‘let’ Ana tie him down but they weren’t going to take any chances taking him with him where ever they were going. Must be somewhere dangerous, he thought. He knew good and well that Technik was completely capable to guard the women as he usually stayed at home during their missions anyway.


“Whatever,” he spoke aloud. He needed a small break anyway. Maybe he would finally get to know Adrian more instead of loving her from afar. There was no longer any point in avoiding or denying it. It wasn’t that he just waited for a time when he could talk to her but lately it seemed like Tristan gave him every little job to keep him and her away from each other. He knew, maybe they all knew, and he wasn’t going to let her distract Hunter. It wasn’t his call though, Hunter wasn’t the one who’d insisted she become a part of the team so they could get to know her better. Tristan probably hadn’t counted on the fact that Hunter would fall in love but still, he should have known the woman was connected to him somehow. Tristan definitely knows more than he is saying. He’d do good not to think too far in that direction. Of course, Tristan didn’t want any of the guys getting close to her because he’d yet been able to contact the Council. Well, Tristan wasn’t here and he’d left him behind so Chase was going to figure out if this connection he and Adrian had was mutual or if he was only feeling this way because his mate was gone.


No matter what Ana Guile said, she’d been his mate. He trusted Mendax with his life and knew his warrior brother would never betray him. They hadn’t known each other at the time but Dark Warriors never forgot things like that. Mendax would’ve told him long ago that he’d been commissioned to coerce him. He’d felt that connection with Ana since the beginning. The only reason she was denying him now was because she knew she was on the wrong side of the Council now and didn’t want him to think he was her weakness. He knew they’d had a connection but Adrian made that hard to think about. Often times, it still felt like he could feel their connection but it seemed to be fading. He knew one of her abilities was to be able to Transpose her thoughts and will with that of others but he’d never lost his memory being with her. He’d never woken up in a position or place he wasn’t sure of how he’d gotten there when he was with her. If she’d used her ability on him she was good. He trusted her; he’d trusted her; past tense. He couldn’t anymore and he’d also do well to remember that. However, this connection he felt with Adrian was potent and he would at least figure out this distraction.


“When was Ana Guile really ever good to you?” A soft voice spoke from his left. He’d forgotten where he was. He sat sideways, leaning against the wall, in a wooden kitchen chair. Arinth, who had been whipping together lunch for the three of them, sat in the chair just in front of him. His legs, hanging wide from the knee in his slouched position, touched the sides of her chair. She laid a hand on one of his knees and leaned in, looking into his eyes. A concerned look covered her face. “Tell me, Chase, when did you actually go through with the mating ritual? When did you actually go through the process of claiming her as your mate?” Arinth, ever the voice of reason, had a point. They hadn’t.


“Never,” He spoke incredulously. “We never even attempted the ritual. I’d grown up with her around me. It seemed only fitting that the Council would put us together. That day in the courts we just agreed to be mated. The Council had told me, just before, that it was time I searched for my mate. I found it odd that they were willing to help but remembered if they were going to promote me I would need to be mated first. I set out to find one and within days I was back in touch with Ana. It seemed fitting and we were joined less than a month later. We’d never actually preformed the Mauma.” He thought back onto the day of joining. It was a ritual one partook in during intercourse. Those that lived on Jungela called it Mauma, the exchanging of the feral blood, and it’d caught on.


“That is the same as marriage here, on Earth, but it has a much deeper meaning. You have not married this woman, you have not actually preformed the Mauma, and she left you! You in, all actuality, have no bonds with her.” Arinth’s voice cracked at the end. She really cared about the warriors but some of them seemed to be even more pig-headed and emotional than the humans she’d come to know since living on Earth.


“I know, Cook, I know. I also know that she is my mate, she always will be. Regardless of the situation. The struggle is her being my mate and me having to turn her in for a problem I could have easily solved for her had I known. It’s not like we are anywhere near poor. I would have just given her the money had she asked.” At that sentence Arinth didn’t respond. She shook her head and sighed, he’s never going to get it. A soft silence covered the two and was interrupted by a loud crash in the dining hall just on the other side of the wall they sat against.


“Better go check that out!” Arinth jumped up from the table and headed over to the pantry before he could protest. Chase swore he saw a smirk on her face but ignored it, turning to leave the room.


Standing on a chair, balancing half way against the wall and the chair top, Adrian stood holding one of the Abasha Shields in her hands. Chase stepped forward, watching as she somehow balanced on the chair a little more dangerously than he liked. It looked like she might’ve knocked the shield down while…he looked around at her feet…while dusting? Ah! So Arinth had her doing chores! He didn’t speak as not to scare her and send both her and the precious gift crashing down. He admired her though, up there balancing on the edge of the back of the tilted chair. He leaned his head slightly to the side as he gazed at her legs. The soft tone to her calves could only be attributed to her countless years of walking through New York. Her rounded backside wiggled as she moved atop the chair. Oddly enough, it was arousing and adorable in the same instance. Just as he saw she had the shield hooked and began leaning back he spoke softly.


“I can see that you saved the shield but sad things could be said for the dusting equipment.” A shriek sounded throughout the hall as Adrian jumped, startled. Losing her balance, she began falling backwards towards him. Not wanting to miss the chance to be her savior, Chase darted forward on light feet. He caught the edge of the chair with his foot and her in his arms. Turning swiftly, Chase perched on the chair with a trembling Adrian in his arms. She looked up at him, redness spreading just so over her cheeks. He couldn’t tell if she was angry or embarrassed but in that moment he didn’t care.


“You know, that shield was given by the Light Warriors to the first Dark Warriors that had lived in this house to remind them they were all partners and allies of the same war. Very few teams of Dark Warriors receive the Abasha Shield, they had to be quite special to receive it and us quite special to be chosen to live in the house that received it.” The moment their eyes met a strong pull darted between them, it was almost trance like. Chase opened his eyes wide as the room began to change around them. The world became anew right before their eyes. He blinked down at her but she still lay in his arms with her eyes open staring at him. It was like she was frozen in place. He scrunched his brow just as her eyes widened. She blinked a few times, clearing the fog, just before looking around.


“Wow,” Adrian looked back up at him, surprise and wonder covered her face. “Where are we and how did we get here?” She looked down at his chest and laughed. His clothing had changed. Instead of the black jeans and fitted black t-shirt he normally wore, a black and red kilt covered his lap and his chest was bare. The swords he usually carried hidden on his person hung from straps that covered his chest. “What, on Earth, do you have on?” She giggled in his lap.


“Adrian, we aren’t on Earth.” Chase’s voice grew serious as his sandaled feet tapped against the grass at his feet. Lifting a hand but making sure to keep her secured in his lap, Chase touched fingers to the log beside him. He smoothed the spongy grass between his fingers before lifting her and rising. “We aren’t on Earth, Adrian. We are on Arinth.” He breathed in deeply, the air seeming to surround them and push at them slightly, bringing them closer together. The grass at their feet swayed towards them like a magnetic pull. One thing stood out to him, a bloody hand just to their left. He turned Adrian so she didn’t see it but he stared at it closer. A ring, insignia of a serpent and a tree, covered the front and side of the large golden jewelry. It was the symbol of a Deceiver. He knew that well. “Sit here and do not move.” He spoke to her sternly, walking over to the hand. He remembered this symbol. He knew what it meant. Grasping the ring from its finger, Chase put it in the pouch he knew would be hanging from his hip and touched the blood just at the base of the hand. It was still warm, which meant whoever had lost it was either close or dead. “We are in my memories, come, let’s go.”


“We’re in your what? Is that a hand? Did you just touch that? This is Arinth?” Adrian’s eyes had widened when he spoke but opened even further as she looked down and noticed what she had on. A roughly textured top covered her breast and stopped just above her belly button. Around her hips hung small knives on a loose belt, it was attached to a pair of shorts the same material as the top, that were so tight she was surprised they actually felt comfortable. They showed off every curve and complemented her thighs well. The boots on her feet came up just to the calf and were laced tight. She felt sexy and yet confused.


“Wow…battle attire looks great on you.” Chase stopped and looked at her, really looked at her almost as if for the first time, tilting his head sideways. She was beautiful, standing their dressed as the warriors of old Arinth; he almost couldn’t take his eyes off her. But he had too. Turning from her, but pushing out a hand in her direction, Chase waited silently until she placed her hand in his before stepping in the direction the body of the hand went. A soft trace of a yellow aura touched the tree just to the left of them. Leading the way, Chase ignored the questions Adrian shot at him. He knew he should give her some explanation but he was clueless himself as to why they were there and until he found out which battle he’d landed in, he wouldn’t let her know he had reservations.


“A Deceiver is a warrior on an opposing team that has the ability to mask who and what he is. It is almost like Mendax’s ability except this warrior can also mask his aura, making the charade more believable. It is their only ability but depending on how powerful they are, they can also change voices and even sometimes glean memories of the host they are portraying. To do this ability, they need to come in contact with the blood of the host from a wound the hands of the Deceiver had previously inflicted. It’s all very complicated but simple at the same time. It was one of the reasons I chopped off their hands, so they couldn’t gain anymore disguises.” He finally explained.


“Chase stop, please, I’m not inhuman like you and I feel like we’ve been walking for hours. Actually, now that I think about it. We have been walking for hours!” Adrian finally released Chase’s hand as she swatted at the largest mosquito she’d ever seen, even since Texas. It was probably the size of her thumbnail, wings not included. It buzzed past her face once before landing on a tree nearby. She tried to ignore but it as it seemed to sit there staring at her. Unconsciously, she unhooked one of the knives from her belt and threw it. The knife whizzed by Chase’s face and impaled the mosquito to the tree. Shock covered Chase’s features as he looked back at Adrian.


“Ah! Oh, but you’re not inhuman? That was amazing!” he laughed as he launched himself towards her and grabbed her up to him. She laughed up into his eyes and sighed. It seemed almost an eternity that they stood there, just basking in each other’s presence. Adrian leaned back against the arm that held her.


“I…uh…actually don’t know how I did that. Do you want to kiss me?” She said softly, shyly the words running together as she took a quick look at his lips.


“Do you need to ask?” Chase leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. The kiss deepened and Adrian brought her arms up around his neck, just as the air changed. It seemed to settle around them, softly caressing them, pushing them closer together.


“I thought you guys would never get hungry, let’s go.” Arinth came walking backwards into the dining hall with two plates in her arms. “By the way, what was that loud crash a few moments ago? I sent Chase in here to check it out but…” She came to a slow as she noticed the way they sat together in the chair, lips locked. Tilting her head to the side, Arinth tried to hide her smile. “I will just come back later.” She then turned and trotted out of the room humming softly.


“What…just…happened?” Adrian drew back and looked up at Chase, her arms were around his neck and her lips were red from their passionate kiss. They sat perched on the chair he’d lowered them to just after she’d almost fallen, which seemed like an eternity ago. They were back in their own clothes and in the safe house.


“I…honestly, have no idea. It was just a kiss, probably because you were falling and I saved you. That's all.” Chase looked down at her and shook his head. “Let’s eat?” It was the only suggestion he could muster under the current pressure and he smirked as a soft laugh sounded from Adrian. He must have just imagined that they’d been on Arinth. It must be the close proximity to Adrian and her being a conduit. Surely she didn’t have the same experience as he. He’d better not mention it les she try it on purpose and go walking around into the memories of the other warriors without their permission. Something in him growled as he thought of Adrian being that close with another man.


Adrian laughed softly as she rose from Chase’s lap. He seemed to draw away from her. Maybe it hadn’t really happened. Maybe she’d just kissed him and they hadn’t really traveled to a different world. After all, he’d most likely say something if they did. No, it must have been only in her mind. But there is no way she just entered Chase’s memories without him knowing. No way. Maybe it was a new ability, like reading thoughts and sensing danger. What did it all mean?
 


"The only way to be a writer is to write, write and write. The only way...is to write." -Jade Elyzabeth