《Forget Me Not》


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    Chapter One


    The glossy brochure advertising the cute little vacation cabin had not included any photos of the giant, smoking crater in the front yard.Advertisement


    Adria Benoit suffered through a moment of shock at the sight before her curiosity got the best of her. She pulled up so that her car¡¯s headlights shone over the pit, as she tried to figure out what had caused it, and why the cabin¡¯s owner hadn¡¯t warned her of the danger.


    The crater was easily wide enough to swallow her car whole. She inched forward, debating the intelligence of investigating this alone. Her other option was to turn around and head back to the nearest town for help, delaying her much-needed vacation. Again.


    She eyed her cell phone. No bars, no signal. Isolation was one of the reasons she¡¯d chosen this place. If anyone at the manufacturing facility she managed had a way to contact her, she¡¯d spend her vacation answering calls and email.


    No, this time she was doing it right, cutting all of the electronic leashes that chained her to her work.


    Adria reached for the door handle, her fingers hesitating on the plastic. Crazy ideas of meteorites and misplaced missiles flittered through her thoughts. Surely this was just some kind of pit used for barbequing pigs or burning trash and leaves. The cabin¡¯s owners had probably left a bit of it smoldering after tidying up for her arrival. Nothing to worry about.


    The frozen dinners she¡¯d brought with her were melting. The longer she sat here, the darker it got. The sun was down, and only a faint glow remained above the pines to her west.


    She really didn¡¯t want to get out of the car alone, but she refused to be cowed by a chunk of missing dirt, no matter how big that chunk was.


    Time to deploy the big girl panties.


    She steeled her spine as she had to do before every board meeting, and stepped out into the chilly autumn air.


    Smoke drifted up from the crater, swirling lazily in the beam of her headlights. The smell of burning wood and leaves brought back memories of summer camp and hay rides¡ªhappy times filled with hope and the promise of a bright, shiny future. Those dreams were a bit tarnished, but nothing that a good polishing couldn¡¯t fix. The next two weeks were all about a little internal scrubbing¡ªscraping away the clutter so that the truly important things could shine once again.


    Since William¡¯s death, Adria really needed to find some new bright spots in her life.


    She edged closer, peering down into the hole. It was deeper than she¡¯d thought, drenched in shadows the high angle of her headlights couldn¡¯t penetrate. Still, what little light did make it to the bottom revealed a hint of movement she couldn¡¯t quite identify.


    Something was down there¡ªsomething alive.


    Thoughts of snakes or other creepy crawly things shoved their way into her head, forcing her to take a step back away from the edge. She suffered through a shiver of revulsion, debating her options.


    Getting back to nature was one thing. Sharing her general sleeping area with whatever was at the bottom of that pit was something else entirely. She was really only willing to go as far as the picturesque scenes painted in granola commercials. Snakes had no part in her vacation fantasies.


    A low moan of pain rose up from the shadows.


    That was no snake. That was a man.


    Fear grabbed her and nailed her feet to the ground. Her breath solidified in her lungs, going cold and heavy.


    Someone had fallen into that pit¡ªprobably the sweet old man who owned this place¡ªand she sure as hell couldn¡¯t run away and leave him there to suffer, no matter how strong the urge to flee was.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she called, her voice faint and wispy in the face of her fear. ¡°Mr. Corey?¡±


    Another groan was the only answer.


    Adria rushed back to her car, shoved aside her bags of groceries, and rummaged in the trunk for the flashlight she kept there. The light it cast gave her almost as much comfort as the solid, heavy weapon it provided. While it might have been a man in the hole, she didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d gotten there or what else might be down there with him.


    Careful of the edge, she aimed the beam down into the crater. She traced the length of a man¡¯s thick leg up to his bare hip, over a naked torso and finally to his head. A mass of black hair hid his face, swaying in whatever wind currents made it to the bottom, eight feet down.


    She saw no blood, a fact for which her squeamish self was eternally grateful.


    Whoever he was, that was no elderly Mr. Corey. This man was buff and trim without a wrinkle or hint of sagging skin anywhere.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she called, and this time, he turned his head slightly, telling her that he¡¯d heard her.


    The man pushed his long hair from his face, rolled onto his back and opened his eyes, hissing at the light she shone at him.


    Adria diverted the beam to his chest, forcing herself not to look any lower than the wide expanse of naked, muscular manflesh. Even so, some of the beam diffused below his waist, giving her a hint of his bountiful build.


    He blinked fast, his eyes rolling around a bit too much, as if he was having trouble focusing.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± she asked.


    He pushed himself to a sitting position, muscles flexing into hard ridges as he moved. He wore only soot, which wasn¡¯t nearly enough to hide his charms, but was more than enough to drench his skin in artistic shadows and highlights that made her wish she were a painter.


    Wide, powerful shoulders tapered to narrow hips. His thick, solid bone structure was evident in his massive hands and heaving ribcage. Each breath he took expanded his chest, making him appear larger than life.


    Whoever he was, someone had to be missing their lost Olympic athlete or cologne model.


    Quiet, sleeping parts of Adria began to wake up and take notice. Her skin hummed, and she became aware of the brush of her sweater along her arms. The feel of worn denim cradling her legs and the swirl of air along her face seemed like a familiar caress. Even the scent of her fabric softener wrapped around her, lending a sense of languid comfort.


    Cold air swept past her, making her realize all too keenly just how naked the man in the pit was. He had to be freezing down there. She still had no idea how she was going to get him out, but she could at least help keep him warm until they found a solution.


    This was no different from work. Put out one fire at a time. And right now, the biggest blaze was the possibility of him freezing to death before she could get him medical attention.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± she called down. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with a blanket.¡±


    She ran back to her car for the comforter she¡¯d brought along. She scooped up the fluffy down blanket, and turned back to rush to the edge of the pit.


    His hard body was right there in front of her, as though it had sprouted up from the earth, and she ran right into him. The jolt shook her whole body and drove the air from her lungs. He was completely immovable, like the trunk of an ancient oak. She sprang right off the cushion of the thick comforter in her arms. His hands grabbed her arms, keeping her from bouncing back onto her ass.


    A startled squeak escaped her lips before she could control it. Her heart was galloping at a hundred miles an hour, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was from being startled, or from being this close to potent male perfection.


    His shoulders were at eye level, stretching out into her peripheral vision. Thick cords ran up along his throat. As she watched, he swallowed, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. Even that small movement commanded her complete attention. She was mesmerized by it, unable to look away.


    He was pale in the glow of her headlights. He showed no signs of feeling the cold¡ªnot even a single goose bump. His skin was smooth and taut. If not for the heat flowing off of him, she could have confused him for some kind of marble sculpture.


    Everything about this man¡¯s body seemed to draw her in and hold her captive. It was only her discomfort with that that broke the spell.


    After three tries, she finally found enough air to ask, ¡°How did you get out?¡±


    He said nothing, but stared down at her, his gaze so intense she began to squirm under his scrutiny. There was something odd about his blue eyes, but she didn¡¯t dare stare long enough to figure it out, for fear of giving him the wrong idea. She was sure her traitorous body was putting off all kinds of subliminal welcomes. The last thing she needed was for him to accept one of them. Instead, she lowered her gaze to his chin.


    There was a small cut there, right along the underside of his wide jaw. It had already scabbed over, but in this light, that scab appeared to be dark purple.


    His skin was pale and bluish, as if he were already suffering from hypothermia, but his touch was anything but cold. The heat of his hands sank through her sweater, and she swore she felt his fingers tighten slightly, as if measuring her arms. Her first thought was that he was gauging her strength¡ªchecking for muscles that would tell him she¡¯d be able to fight back.


    With her work schedule and lack of spare time, he wasn¡¯t going to find any¡ªcertainly nothing that would compare to his obvious strength. Physical power hung heavily on his frame, mocking her relative weakness, making her feel small and vulnerable in the isolated darkness.


    She gripped the comforter harder, letting the familiar feel of it calm her nerves. There was no sign he was some kind of deranged killer. He was just a guy who fell in a trash pit and had his clothes burned off. No big deal.


    The idea was so ridiculous she nearly giggled. Only the anxiety tightening her neck kept the noise from coming out.


    Adria cleared her throat and forced herself to sound calm and in control. She donned the air of command she used at the office¡ªthe one that made sedentary people hop out of their chairs and start scurrying to get a job done. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? How did you get down there? And how did you get out?¡±


    No words, only more staring. He tilted his head to the side as if trying to understand her.


    And that¡¯s when she realized what was going on. The poor man must have hit his head and scrambled his brains so much he couldn¡¯t figure out what she was saying. That¡¯s why he kept simply looking at her¡ªwhy he stood there as if completely captivated by her mere presence.


    All of Adria¡¯s fear evaporated under the force of her guilt. Here she was, making him out to be a serial killer when he was in need of her help. How stupid and self-absorbed could she be?


    The mental kick she gave herself was enough to get her moving.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said, keeping her voice calm and soothing. ¡°Let¡¯s get you in the car and I¡¯ll take you to a hospital, okay?¡±


    She pulled from his grip and draped the comforter over his shoulders so he could wear it like a robe. Not once did she give into the temptation to glance down and appease her feminine curiosity.


    She took one of his dirty hands and showed him how to hold the blanket closed. And while he obeyed, the whole time he continued to stare, his gaze darting over her face and body as if soaking up some kind of hidden knowledge.


    That rapt attention made her warm from the inside out, eliminating any need for a coat.


    His bare feet had to be freezing against the cold ground, but she had no shoes that would fit him¡ªnot even close. All she could do was get him into her car and turn up the heat so he¡¯d warm up.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked.


    He was silent, but went where she led, and at her urging, sat down in the passenger seat. Now that she could reach his head easily, she slid her fingers through his thick hair, feeling for signs of injury. He closed his eyes and let out a low, rumbling growl of appreciation.

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    Her hands stilled at the unexpected reaction. Warmth from his scalp drove the chill from her fingers, and his long hair swayed on the wind, caressing the sensitive skin of her inner wrists. She¡¯d never experienced hair like his on a man before. It was far too soft and full, propping up her cologne model theory.


    Whatever product he used, she wanted to get some for herself.Advertisement


    Adria ignored his masculine sounds of encouragement and continued her search of his skull. She found nothing to indicate he¡¯d been hurt, but she was no doctor. He could have some kind of internal damage for all she knew, leaving the hospital the best option.


    She moved away to shut the car door, but he stopped her, grabbing her wrist so fast she didn¡¯t see it coming. He tugged her down so that her face was near his own, then slid his fingers into her hair as she¡¯d done with him only a moment ago.


    ¡°I was just checking to see if you were hurt,¡± she explained as she would to a small child. ¡°We need to get you to a hospital.¡±


    The explanation didn¡¯t seem to reach him. Nor did he stop what he was doing.


    Merciful heaven, that felt good. His grip quivered with restrained power, moving with purposeful intent. Searing points of heat flowed along her scalp, circling and massaging away the rest of the universe. Nothing mattered but those ten points of contact and the radiant pleasure sliding into her.


    A look of contentment painted his sooty face. Muscles lining his broad jaw relaxed. The furrow between his brows smoothed. His eyes didn¡¯t look so blue anymore, but he shut them before she could figure out what made them seem so odd.


    The comforter fell open without his clutching grip, revealing a narrow view of his contoured chest leading down into mysterious shadows hiding flesh she ached to see. It wasn¡¯t right for her to go all lecherous with an accident victim, but faced with a rare sight like him, she couldn¡¯t help herself. Even dirty and brain damaged, he was still more man than she¡¯d ever had within her reach.


    His fingers tightened against her scalp, sending delicious streamers of pleasure sliding over her skin. She hadn¡¯t been touched by a man in a long time¡ªnot since William¡¯s death¡ªand despite his being brain-scrambled and accident prone, this stranger¡¯s touch still felt like distilled heaven.


    He opened his mouth and fluid words poured out like liquid, bathing her in the most beautiful language she¡¯d ever heard. Of course she had no clue what he said, but as the seconds ticked by, she was content to simply close her eyes and listen.


    A heavy lethargy fell over her, weighing her down, blurring her thoughts until she couldn¡¯t remember what she¡¯d been about to do. It had been important.


    Work? Maybe. Probably. But whatever it was, she couldn¡¯t recall her exact task, nor did she care. A sense of peace seeped into her, burning away all worry until all that remained was the stranger¡¯s touch on her skin and his beautiful voice driving the rest of the world away.


    Chapter Two


    The human woman thought he was an idiot¡ªsome kind of bumbling fool or child who accidentally toppled into a hole large enough to house a small family.


    Toren was no fool. Nor was he guilty of the crime that had landed him here on this prison world¡ªon Obliterra.


    Rage burned low and hot within him, smoldering and useless. Already he could feel his powers fading. He had not been here long, and yet the dampening effect of this world was already sucking the life from him.


    He had to get back home and make things right. His sister¡¯s death could not go unpunished.


    This small human woman was the key to his escape, and he was going to use her as such. As keys went, she was a delightful one¡ªso open and concerned. Gaining her trust would be a simple matter.


    She sagged in his grip as he pulled from her the basic information he needed to survive. Communication was vital, so her language came first. It was choppy and needlessly complicated by the lack of magic to aid understanding. Still, he absorbed all of it he could, unsure of which pieces he might need.


    He found her name and practiced the sound aloud. ¡°Adreeahbenwah.¡±


    She let out a soft noise of recognition, and it stroked over him like the lightest touch, making him aware of just how lovely his self-proclaimed rescuer was.


    Her skin was darker than his, with a warm glow his kind could never achieve under their sun. He splayed his fingers along the side of her face, marveling at the contrast. Even the feel of her skin was strange¡ªsofter than his own, pliant and supple under his touch. She molded to him, absorbing his heat as easily as the slight pressure of his fingertips. That softness made her vulnerable, but he could not stop himself from enjoying it all the same.


    Her body was lush, with sweeping curves that reminded him of tendrils of steam curling over a heated pool. The contours of her waist and hips called to him, making his fingers tighten against the need to see if he was right.


    She was small, with delicate limbs. Lacking the natural power that his people took for granted, he had no idea how she had survived to become an adult. Surely even a small predatory animal could have killed her with ease.


    From childhood, Toren had heard stories of the beautiful, helpless humans who thrived in the prison planet of Obliterra, but until now, he had never believed them.


    An entire race of fragile beings who lived without magic? It was a ridiculous notion. There had to be more to the story of her survival than what was on the surface, albeit an alluring, intriguing surface.


    Her eyes fluttered open. The black fringe of lashes was an extravagant tease, shadowing her expression. He tried to gauge her mood by the color of her eyes, but they were the same dark brown color as before. He had never seen eyes so dark. She did not seem to be aroused, but his body was reading the signs as it had been taught to do.


    A woman with eyes that dark would take what she wanted from a man if he did not simply offer it. And yet this woman did not appear to be interested in doing anything of the kind.


    She blinked at him in confusion, a sleepy lethargy slurring her words. ¡°What did you do to me?¡±


    ¡°Adreeahbenwah,¡± he said, enjoying the strange feel of her name on his tongue. There were other parts of her he would like to taste, but his first job had to be finding his way free of this unjust imprisonment.


    ¡°Adria,¡± she said, cutting her name short. ¡°And you didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    Toren had no idea how he was going to explain how he had learned from her. She had no experience with magic. The only trace of knowledge he had seen had been surrounded by a firm, unyielding disbelief. There was no foundation on which he could build. It was best to ignore her question and move on to what was truly important. ¡°I need your help.¡±


    The sluggishness she had suffered at his absorption of her language was fading fast. He watched as she gathered herself. First her long, curling lashes swept up, her dark eyes widening with realization that he was supporting most of her weight. She straightened her knees and shifted her stance so that she was no longer depending on him to stay upright. Her teeth caught and held her bottom lip, daring him to kiss her and suck it from that stinging bite. Before he could, she stepped as far away from him as his grip would allow.


    He was not yet ready to let go of her. He liked the delicate feel of her limbs encircled by his hands. It reminded him to be careful with her and to treat her as he would a rare flower.


    But those eyes¡­ those dark eyes of hers were tempting him, making his body heat in response to a woman in need. Those eyes did not ask for delicate treatment¡ªthey begged for the hard, fast relief of climax, over and over.


    The urge to ease her was nearly as overwhelming as it was untimely.


    Her throat moved as she swallowed nervously. ¡°Let go of me and I¡¯ll get you to a hospital.¡±


    Toren searched for the meaning of the word, seeing fleeting images of sickness and pain associated with it. Adria had suffered in such a place. They had tortured her and taken something important from her. He was not about to allow her to take him there. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean no? No to letting me go or no to the hospital?¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to do either, but he sensed her growing agitation at his nearness, and decided that it was best to do as she requested and release her.


    As soon as his hands left her body, cold air stole her warmth from him. Irritation grated just under his skin, but he hid it. ¡°I have requirements.¡±


    One dark eyebrow lifted as she stared at him with some kind of expectation he could not translate. Her voice was quiet, but the tone of contempt running through it confused him. ¡°Requirements? You crash my first vacation in years and you have requirements?¡±


    Perhaps that was the wrong word. It certainly seemed to be the wrong one. ¡°Needs?¡± he asked, hoping for her approval.


    She still appeared skeptical. ¡°What kind of needs?¡±


    Toren opened his mouth to answer, but found he had no words she would understand for what he required. He could have shown her, but touching her again was likely not the wisest course of action. Making this woman trust him was of the utmost importance for his return home.


    He finally settled on, ¡°Food,¡± hoping that a shared meal would help ease her mistrust of him.


    Sympathy drew her brows together, and her lovely lips parted on a soft sound of offered comfort. The dent left by her teeth kept drawing his attention, urging him to lick away the mark.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even stop to think how long you might have been trapped in that hole,¡± she said. ¡°Were you even conscious the whole time? Come inside and we¡¯ll get you what you need.¡±


    Her acceptance drove back some of his anger at being cast out of his home world unjustly. She seemed willing to help, and right now, his options were few. He had no clothes, no food, no family or friends, and very little magic left within him. If he was going to make it out of this prison and back to where he belonged, he was going to need this fragile human¡¯s aid.


    ¡°Have you already killed the food?¡± he asked her.


    She looked at him as though puzzled by his question. ¡°Uh. No.¡±


    ¡°I will do it for you,¡± he offered. He had no weapons, but he was strong. Surely any world where a creature as delicate as Adreeahbenwah could survive would not have predators too dangerous to kill with his bare hands.


    She opened a hidden metal compartment in a large wheeled box, and pulled from it several sacks. ¡°Just carry in a couple of bags and keep yourself covered. That¡¯s all the help I need. No killing required.¡±


    He took the sacks she handed him and clutched the blanket closed as requested. Trailing behind her like a pet was not something he was used to doing. His lineage was noble, his bloodline powerful. Crowds parted to allow him to pass. And yet as he watched her move, he could not help but enjoy the way her sweetly rounded hips swayed slightly as she walked. If he had to slink along behind someone, he was glad it was a creature as captivating as Adreeahbenwah.


    The small home was dark, but smelled of soap and fruit. She moved twigs protruding from the wall as she passed, causing lamps to ignite in the ceiling.


    The walls were rough logs, ornamented with images of wild seas and mountains. A colorful rug filled the center of the room, separating a cold hearth filled with logs from a narrow bed and several padded chairs. All of the furniture was wrapped in brightly colored fabric. Perhaps skin as supple as hers needed such padding to prevent damage.

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    Her lilting voice pulled his attention away from the strange furnishings. ¡°I¡¯m renting this place for a couple of weeks. The owner said that the kitchen was stocked with everything but food, so I had to bring my own. I wasn¡¯t expecting company, so I hope you like canned soup.¡±


    Soup he knew. He¡¯d never heard of an animal called a ¡°canned¡± before, but he would eat what she put in front of him, even if he had to choke it down. Gaining her trust was vital if he were going to return home and seek justice for his murdered sister.Advertisement


    Again, rage churned in his gut, combined with a frantic sense of urgency. The longer he stayed here, the weaker he would become, and the longer his sister¡¯s true killer would walk free. But if he pushed this human woman, he feared her mistrust of him would flare and he would have to seek out the aid of another. There was no guarantee he would have that kind of time before he became a shell of the man he was now.


    Because of that, he stilled his anger, shoving it down deep where it would not show.


    Adreeahbenwah began unpacking her sacks, setting out items he did not recognize. Metal cylinders with brightly colored wrappings, boxes covered in words he could not read, and a variety of things inside shiny, transparent film.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± she asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any blood or feel any bumps, but there¡¯s no way you could have fallen in that hole and not been hurt.¡±


    ¡°I am whole.¡±


    Her gaze traveled up and down his form, skipping quickly over his groin. She licked her lips and then flattened them into a disapproving line. ¡°What you are is naked. The man who owns this place still visits often. He may have some clothes left tucked away. Why don¡¯t you go check the bedroom for something you can wear? There¡¯s a shower in there, too. You should clean off so you don¡¯t get soot all over the furniture. I doubt Mr. Corey would thank us for the mess.¡±


    She pointed to a doorway on the far side of the room.


    Toren went to investigate as he was told, using the wall twigs as she had to light his way. He had to conserve his magic. Once it was depleted, he would not only be powerless, he would also forget his entire life on Sorsca. He would forget all about his murdered sister and the sight of Grynar¡¯s hand wrapped around the thalac blade dripping with her blood. He would forget his quest for justice and vengeance. He would forget he even had a sister to avenge.


    That was not something he would allow.


    Toren did not waste time investigating his surroundings or letting his curiosity consume his attention. He would not be here long enough to have the need to fit within their world. For now, all his focus had to be on gaining Adreeahbenwah¡¯s help.


    He solved the puzzle of getting water out of the spigot to wash himself, and then found a pair of short pants that covered his groin. None of the shirts in the drawer would go over his shoulders.


    Perhaps all humans were as small as Adreeahbenwah.


    If she was upset by a man¡¯s bare chest, he would wrap himself in that blanket again, no matter how awkward it felt. He would do nothing to slow his return home.


    When he came out, she looked up, going still as soon as she saw him. A look of shock slid over her features, and a warm flush crept up her neck.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold in just a pair of shorts?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s freezing in here.¡±


    He was not cold, but if she was, he would warm her. Without thinking, he sent a spark of power to the logs laid inside the hearth. Fire blazed up in a heated whoosh.


    Her eyes widened, and her full lips parted on a terrified squeak of sound. ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡±


    Toren¡¯s carelessness hit him hard. Not only had he wasted precious strands of power, he had also frightened the one woman who might be able to save his life.


    He started toward her, fumbling for human words of apology. Instead, his own language spilled from him, low and fervent. By the time he crossed the small space, she had pressed herself into a corner and was clutching a tiny knife in her fist.


    ¡°It was nothing,¡± he said, finally finding the human words he needed. ¡°Only magic.¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to fear. I will not hurt you. I swear.¡±


    ¡°Get back,¡± she ordered, her dark eyes wide with panic. ¡°I will fucking stab you if you take one step closer.¡±


    Chapter Three


    The man wasn¡¯t human. Adria realized that in a heartbeat, putting all the clues together in a terrifying rush.


    First there was the way he looked. He was too big to be real, with pale skin that had an odd, almost bluish tint to it that she now realized had nothing to do with the cold. He towered over her, babbling incoherently in a language that sounded more like music than words. And his hair. It was inky black, shining with purple highlights. It swayed even inside the cabin, with no breeze, as if it had a life of its own.


    But the biggest clue that he was not human was the smoking crater with him lying naked at the bottom. She¡¯d thought he¡¯d fallen in, but now she was beginning to wonder if he had made the thing by slamming into the ground. Landing here from¡­ somewhere else.


    A human wouldn¡¯t have survived that, and yet here he was, seemingly fine, with little more than the purple scratch on his chin.


    Alien.


    The word rang through her mind, clanging around with all the attached implications.


    Her mouth went dry with fear. Her body quivered, rooted in place. She wanted to run or scream, but her legs and voice betrayed her, leaving her standing there like a frightened rabbit.


    ¡°I will not hurt you,¡± he said, and while his deep tone was reassuring in its gentleness, she wasn¡¯t buying it.


    She unglued her tongue from the roof of her mouth, but her voice was a thin, wavering thread of sound. ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°Trapped,¡± he said, clearly misunderstanding her question. ¡°I was sent here unjustly, against my will. I need you, Adreeahbenwah.¡±


    ¡°The door is right there. I won¡¯t stop you from walking through it.¡± Please, God, let him leave. She would pack up and go back to work like a good little girl and never take another vacation ever again. She¡¯d learned her lesson.


    He frowned for a second as if trying to make sense of her words. ¡°No, not trapped in this structure. It is Obliterra that chains me, muting my power. I must leave your world before it is too late and all that I am is lost.¡±


    That sounded bad¡ªalmost bad enough for her to feel sorry for him. If not for the fear stampeding through her, she might have. ¡°I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about. And I really don¡¯t care. Just go, please, and forget you ever saw me.¡±


    He stepped closer without seeming to. One second he was six feet away, and the next he was right in front of her, his long fingers wrapped around her wrist, controlling the knife easily, as if she were a child.


    ¡°Please,¡± he said, his tone desperate. ¡°I need your help. I need to go home before home and all those I love are lost to me forever.¡± The blue ring around his pupils shrank, and taking its place was a vibrant red band.


    Definitely not human.


    Adria looked down at the knife. He hadn¡¯t taken it from her. He¡¯d only kept her from stabbing him with it. That wasn¡¯t much to go on, but it was better than nothing. Barely.


    ¡°Please,¡± he repeated with genuine need.


    She knew what it was like to ache for something she couldn¡¯t have¡ªto have the one thing she¡¯d wanted most stripped away from her. She knew the helpless rage and the hollow sense of hopelessness that loss left behind.


    That was all William had left her, and now, more than two years later, she was still trying to repair the damage that losing him had done.


    She couldn¡¯t knowingly let another creature suffer the way she had if there was anything she could do to stop it. Even if that creature wasn¡¯t human.


    ¡°Where is home?¡± she asked him. As stupid as it was to get sucked into someone else¡¯s problems¡ªespecially on her first vacation in years¡ªthe desperation on his face was more than she could ignore.


    His eyes lit with hope. ¡°Sorsca.¡±


    ¡°Is that a place or a name?¡±


    ¡°It is both.¡±


    ¡°How do you get back?¡±


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    She shook her head, sorry she¡¯d asked. ¡°Then you¡¯re on your own. I can¡¯t help you there.¡±


    ¡°You humans are devoid of magic, but you have vital knowledge. I need items.¡± He frowned as if searching for the right words. ¡°Ingredients. Elements.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you name them, but I can show you. Once you find them, I will leave you in peace. Will you help?¡±


    What choice did she have? There was no one around for miles, which was why she chose this place for her vacation. She couldn¡¯t just let him loose on the world to stumble around half naked until he found someone else to help. What if someone shot him simply because he looked odd? Besides, walking away wasn¡¯t in her genetic makeup. She¡¯d been raised better than that, which was why she¡¯d stayed by William¡¯s side through every moment of his cancer. To the sad, ugly end.


    Adria pulled in a deep breath, hoping she wasn¡¯t making the biggest mistake of her life. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Trust me.¡±


    She glanced pointedly as his hands wrapped around her arms. ¡°Easier said than done.¡±


    He nodded slowly, and then after a moment¡¯s hesitation and a deep exhalation, he released her and stepped back.


    In the bright kitchen lighting, she could see his body clearly now. The stretchy gym shorts he¡¯d borrowed were so tight they left nothing to the imagination. The thick bulge of his penis was as evident as his extravagant, cover model hair. He seemed out of place among the butcher block counters and worn tile floor. There was something majestic about him, something powerful and predatory in the way he stood there, simply breathing as he watched her. His ribcage expanded and contracted with each breath, casting deep shadows across his abdomen every time he exhaled. A pale, bluish scar ran down his ribs, making her wonder what had happened.


    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked again. ¡°I mean you¡¯re clearly not human.¡±


    ¡°I am like you, had you been born in a place where power flowed, rather than in this desolate desert of weakness and forgetting.¡±


    If he realized he was insulting her home, he gave no outward sign. ¡°You don¡¯t look like me.¡±


    He waved his hand, drawing her attention to his long, thick fingers. ¡°Exterior wrapping. A container, nothing more. If I stay here long enough, my coloring will change beneath your sun. My power will fade. My memories of who I am and who I love will die. I will become no more than you.¡±


    ¡°Gee. Way to make a girl feel good about herself.¡±


    He winced as if just realizing the barb he¡¯d cast at her. ¡°I intend no insult, but this is not my home. I have family I love¡ªfamily who is in a time of need. Staying here will remove memories of them from my thoughts. They will be dead to me. Worse¡­ forgotten, without even knowledge of our time shared together.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re saying that if you stay here it will erase your memory?¡±

 Page 4

    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maybe that wasn¡¯t as horrible a thing as he thought. There were times when Adria would have given anything to simply forget William if it meant the pain of his death would ease. But that wasn¡¯t an option, so she muddled on, shoving her grief down with another rush project or late meeting at work.Advertisement


    So far, that had kept her sane, but she wasn¡¯t sure how much longer she could keep up the hectic pace of outrunning her grief.


    ¡°How long do you have before you forget?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Days, perhaps.¡±


    She could do anything for such a short time, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. And since she was on vacation, she had no reason to rush away and leave his fate to another. She¡¯d always believed that things happened for a reason, and the coincidence of him showing up here and now was simply too much for her to dismiss.


    Adria was here in this place at this time because he needed her, and that was not the kind of thing she could ignore¡ªthe same way she¡¯d met and fallen in love with William just in time to see him through the hardest months of his life. As hard as that had been, she was still grateful that he hadn¡¯t had to go through that alone.


    She pulled in a fortifying breath, preparing herself for whatever was to come. ¡°You¡¯d better tell me what you need to get back home. I don¡¯t know how long it will take to round up whatever it is¡ªassuming these ingredients of yours even exist here.¡±


    ¡°I will show you.¡±


    He reached for her, and as he came closer, the knife hit his skin. Before she could react and shift the blade so he wouldn¡¯t be cut, his thick, hot fingers slid through her hair, cradling both sides of her head and stealing her will to move. She could feel the tip of each finger and the press of his wide palm outlined in heat. He didn¡¯t hold her tight, but his grip was firm enough to tell her he had no intention of letting her go.


    The urge to fight should have spiked inside her, forcing her to react, but instead, a sense of peace settled over her, slowing her pulse and evening out her breathing. She didn¡¯t know if it was something he¡¯d done to her, or her body¡¯s natural reaction to being well and truly caught, but whatever it was, she seemed incapable of shoving him away.


    She glanced down to find the paring knife she¡¯d thought to use as a weapon had merely slid off of his hard skin as if it were armor. There wasn¡¯t even so much as a red mark where she¡¯d scored him. The blade was bent slightly, reflecting the pale bluish tint of his skin.


    He tilted her head up and rested his forehead against hers. His eyes had shifted color once again, and as close as she was now, she could see that he had three concentric rings that made up his iris. As she watched, the red one narrowed as a purple one expanded.


    ¡°What does it mean when your eyes change color?¡± she asked, scrambling for some toehold on reality¡ªsome way to make sense of this situation.


    He breathed in deeply through his nose as if drawing in some tantalizing perfume. ¡°What color are they now?¡±


    ¡°Dark purple.¡±


    A slight smile lifted one side of his mouth, and she realized just how full his lips were. His gaze caressed her face, slowly lingering as it passed. ¡°That is appropriate.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± She had a crazy urge to reach up and touch him, but forced her hands to stay where they were¡ªballed up in tight fists against his chest.


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he told her, ignoring her question. ¡°It will make the showing easier.¡±


    Adria hadn¡¯t stopped to think that whatever he was going to do might not be easy until his words put that thought in her head. She¡¯d been so overwhelmed by his presence¡ªby what his mere existence meant¡ªthat she hadn¡¯t given a single second of worry to how he was going to show her exactly what it was he needed.


    She opened her mouth to tell him to stop, but it was too late. A rush of colors and lights slammed into her, making her reel back. Only his grip kept her upright.


    She felt herself shift¡ªfelt a hot, heavy weight press into her, pinning her in place as the colors swept by. A low, buzzing hum filled the space behind her eyes. She sensed movement, like she was falling, and the only thing she had to grab onto was the hard wall of his bare chest.


    Somewhere beyond the lights and noise she heard the paring knife clatter to the floor.


    ¡°Nearly complete,¡± he whispered.


    Images coalesced inside her mind. She saw a giant blue sun burning in the sky for a split second before it evaporated. Bizarre, alien trees sprouted in her vision, rising as high as a skyscraper. Their yellow limbs snaked up against a green sky. Sparkling rocks stretched out for miles, and huge shards of milky white prisms jutted up from the flat, glittering sea of crystal. Clouds of diamonds no bigger than grains of sand scoured the landscape, sparkling and deadly as they passed.


    The face of a beautiful woman with pale bluish skin appeared. Her black hair swirled around her hips, shining with some kind of living magic. And even though Adria had never seen her before, she knew instantly that this was his sister.


    Elina.


    The image shifted, blurring around the edges. Elina lay on a stone floor, purple blood pooling beneath her. Her hair lay limp and still, partially covering the damage that had been done to her body. Multiple stab wounds left her skin gaping open. Standing over her was a giant of a man, rage heaving in his chest and twisting his features into a snarl. In his fist he clutched a glossy black knife with a foot-long blade, stained with her blood.


    Adria felt the horror associated with that image. She felt the grief and rage of the man who¡¯d shown it to her. That giant man had done this to Elina, and Adria would stop at nothing to make him pay.


    Anger burned hot in her gut. Tears of loss streamed down her cheeks. A low, throttled moan vibrated in her chest and tore at her throat.


    ¡°I will fucking kill him,¡± she vowed. Her voice was rough and strained, warbling with the grief crouching inside of her. She felt as she had in the days after William had died¡ªconsumed with rage and loss so sharp she was sure those keen edges would slice her in two. Time had muted that pain, but now it was all back, thrashing around and making her bleed all over again.


    ¡°You felt too much,¡± he said, a slight catch in his voice. ¡°I am sorry for that. It was not my intent.¡±


    Hot fingers stroked her scalp as if he were trying to soothe her. He pulled her against his bare chest, and she let him, craving any comfort he could offer.


    His skin was warm and firm under her cheek. She could hear his heart pounding, slow and steady. The scent of campfires still clung to his skin, familiar and reassuring, reminding her of safe, happy times when the whole world was hers to shape to fit her dreams.


    Slowly, as the visions he¡¯d shown her faded from sight, allowing her to see her real surroundings, the strength of the emotions she had experienced eased. The knot of grief in her chest loosened, and her throat relaxed. She saw her fingers clutching his shoulder, not even making indentations in his tough skin. One of his hands cradled her head, the other wrapped around her waist, holding her in place as if he feared she might fall over. His long hair curled around her wrist, giving off a living kind of warmth as it stroked her skin. It was softer than anything on a man his size had the right to be, but right now she was grateful for a bit of softness.


    Clinging to him chafed at her independence, but it wasn¡¯t every day that a woman had her brain invaded by an alien. She felt she had a right to cling just a little.


    ¡°You should speak now and reassure me that I did no lasting damage.¡± He managed to sound both insecure and demanding at the same time.


    She shifted muscles to move away, and his hold on her tightened¡ªeven the hair around her wrist coiled closer to her skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, her voice making it sound like a lie. ¡°Just a little rattled. You can let me go.¡±


    ¡°You nearly collapsed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m better now. Promise.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem inclined to let her go, and while this whole cuddling with a hot man thing was really nice, she didn¡¯t like it that he ignored her request. She didn¡¯t care what planet he was from. When it came to her body, she got to decide who touched and who didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she ordered, making it clear she wasn¡¯t asking.


    He released her slowly, and every one of his fingertips slid across her skin in a caress she felt all the way to her toes. Singing pleasure winged through her nerve endings, making her all too aware of the way her breasts tightened and her belly fluttered. By the time he took a small step back, she felt like she¡¯d been petted from top to bottom and back again.


    It had been a long time since anyone had wanted to touch her like that¡ªeven longer since she¡¯d wanted anyone to do so. He¡¯d obeyed her order, but rather than feeling satisfied, she was left shaking, cold and alone, aching for things she refused to name.


    Adria brushed her hair from her face, and saw her hands trembling. She tried to cover her weakness, but the way he was staring at her with unblinking intensity made it seem impossible that he¡¯d miss a thing.


    ¡°So what now¡­¡± It struck her that she didn¡¯t even know his name. ¡°What do you call yourself?¡±


    ¡°Toren.¡±


    ¡°So what now, Toren?¡±


    ¡°Now you go and gather up the items I requested.¡±


    ¡°Uh. Sorry to break this to you after all the trouble you went to for the whole mind-meld thing, but I still don¡¯t know what you need.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do. All you have to do is access the knowledge I conveyed.¡±


    She scoured her mind for something that wasn¡¯t there before, but all she could find was that image of Elina lying dead with that evil man standing over her, murder weapon in hand. And while the memory still had the power to turn her stomach, the effects were not nearly as potent as they¡¯d been before. Thank God.


    ¡°Nope. Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°No magical grocery list.¡±


    ¡°It is there,¡± he said with complete certainty.


    Adria slipped past his wide shoulder and went to her purse. She didn¡¯t know why she suddenly needed her purse so badly, but the need flared inside her, forcing her actions. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this is supposed to go, but maybe it doesn¡¯t work with humans.¡± She emptied out the contents of her makeup bag and handed a pair of earrings to Toren.


    He looked down at them, a triumphant smile stretching his full mouth. ¡°This is one of the things I need.¡±


    ¡°Earrings?¡±


    ¡°Is that what this material is called?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Silver.¡± And as soon as she said the word, a huge gong and bright lights went off inside her mind, and she was filled with a sense of giddiness, like she¡¯d won an intergalactic lottery.


    Her knees went liquid, her head spun, and she started to topple to the floor.


    Chapter Four


    Toren grabbed Adreeahbenwah before she could damage herself. Just the thought of her delicate skin being marred had him instinctively using his magic to fuel his speed. More sparks of power dribbled from his dwindling reserves, but the prize was worth the cost.


    She clung to him as if he were the only thing holding her to this spinning planet. Her cheek pressed against his bare chest, and he marveled again at how pliant and soft she was. He could feel fine tremors cascading through her body, and in that instant, he imagined what it would be like to make her tremble in another, more intimate way.

 Page 5

    He knew almost nothing about her culture. Very few of his kind had ever escaped from their prison sentences on Obliterra. He was certain that most had tried, but he could already feel the numbing effects this place had on him. The edges of what had once been crisp, clean memories had begun to blur. It was only a matter of time before he forgot everything about his old life¡ªincluding those he loved. If he forgot the scene he had witnessed of Grynar standing over Elina, weapon in hand, justice would never be found for his sister.


    That could not happen. His family still wept over Elina¡¯s death. They doubtlessly wept over his imprisonment, fed lies Toren could not contest. If he stayed here, another child would be forever lost to his mother. The idea of causing his parents more pain was more than he could tolerate.Advertisement


    Toren lifted Adreeahbenwah¡¯s body and carried her to the narrow bed in front of the fire. He had intended to lay her out so she could rest and recover, but he enjoyed the feel of her in his arms too much to let her go. Such thoughts were not normal for him. He loved women, but never had he felt like the absence of one would cause him any discomfort.


    He tried to reassure himself by remembering that this one fragile human was his only connection in this world¡ªhis only means of escape. It was natural for him to feel protective of her.


    He sat on the bed and leaned back, arranging her in his lap so that she fit the shape of his body.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she said, though the tremor in her voice told another story. ¡°You can let me go.¡±


    ¡°I did not know my knowledge would affect you like that. I am sorry.¡±


    She started to sit up, out of his embrace, but seemed to lack the strength. After a moment, she relaxed back against his body.


    Her breathing was fast, drawing his attention to her breasts. The clothing she wore skimmed over her curves, molding to them. He knew it was dishonorable of him to stare, but it was not every day that he was greeted with such an alluring sight.


    The edge of her shirt had crept up, revealing a narrow ribbon of skin above her blue pants. The temptation was irresistible, and he was already fighting his natural urges to tap into his power. Combatting the urge to touch her as well seemed too much to ask of himself.


    Toren traced that band of skin with the tip of one finger. The silken softness that greeted him had a magic all its own. Even the slightest pressure shaped her flesh.


    The women of his kind were not so malleable. Their skin was as firm as his, protecting them from the harsh elements that surrounded them. One single diamond storm would tear the fragile skin from Adreeahbenwah¡¯s body.


    It struck him that she could not survive in his world, just as everything important inside of him would die if he stayed here. As strong a warrior as he was, he was not powerful enough with strands of magic to construct a shield that would protect his mind from this place, even for a brief time. His skill lay more in speed and aggression, rather than the more delicate intricacies of protection and defense, like others of his bloodline.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡± she asked.


    Toren debated telling her, but if he conversed with her, she might stay in his arms¡ªan idea he found too compelling to resist.


    ¡°My brother in marriage cast me here so that I could not give testimony to what I had witnessed. He was the one who killed Elina.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the guy I saw with the knife, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did he kill her?¡±


    ¡°He wanted a child. Elina confided in me that she worried about his lack of control. He was becoming angrier as time passed¡ªas he tapped into more powerful threads of magic best left to those with decades more practice than he had. Elina knew he was behaving in a dangerous manner and did not want to subject a child to his anger. She wanted him to seek peace, to be content with his inherent power, but he found it inadequate. She said she was going to tell him her decision this morning. I went to her home to protect her from any backlash, but I was too late.¡±


    ¡°You showed up just in time to see what he¡¯d done. Why didn¡¯t you report him to the police?¡±


    Thinking about those moments was difficult, but at least he could still remember them. He took solace in that, knowing that even his darkest memories weren¡¯t eroding. ¡°He is an enforcer of our laws¡ªthe one who oversees justice in our area. It is his job to punish the guilty, and until now, he was praised for his fair and even hand. He knew all would believe I had killed Elina if he said it was so. No one would question his authority without reason.¡±


    ¡°And with you here, who would do the questioning?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± He turned his face away to hide his shame. ¡°Elina and I had argued the night before her murder. Our parents heard the quarrel and knew I was furious. I wanted her to wait for me to arrive before she told Grynar she would not have his child. She refused, saying it was a private matter between her and her husband.¡±


    ¡°So he set you up to take the fall for what he did?¡±


    Toren searched for the meaning of her words. ¡°When he saw that I had entered the room and witnessed what he had done, he opened a rift and sent me here before I could raise any kind of alarm. He knew I was newly home from battle and not yet restored. He thought my weakness would prevent me from finding a way home. He underestimated me.¡±


    ¡°So you go home and then what? You tell the police what you saw?¡±


    It took him a moment to translate the word police. ¡°Grynar is police. Unless I go home, no one will question that I was the one at fault.¡±


    ¡°If Grynar is a cop, then who will you tell?¡±


    ¡°I will show the council what I witnessed, much like I did with you. Grynar answers to them, but acts autonomously unless accused of wrongdoing by another. I will accuse him and call for justice.¡±


    ¡°Will they think you¡¯re lying?¡±


    He was shocked by the question, allowing a trace of indignation into his tone. ¡°Only someone with no honor would lie to the council, and as far as I know, there is no way to lie with memories. They will see what I saw, without taint.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insult you or anything. We don¡¯t have any way to share memories like you do, so people lie all the time. Especially criminals. Someone like Grynar could just say that he found the knife and pulled it out of her, hoping to save her.¡±


    ¡°If he were to say such things, the council would seek the truth from his own mind. There is no way he can hide this so long as there is at least one witness to accuse him of the crime.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± she guessed.


    ¡°No one else was there. If I do not accuse him, no one else will. He will remain a free man.¡±


    ¡°And assholes like that rarely stop with destroying one life.¡±


    In that, at least, their people were the same. ¡°Grynar¡¯s temper was always easily provoked. I should have been there. I should have stopped him. If I had¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t second-guess yourself like that. I felt how much you loved her. I know you would have done everything in your power to save her.¡±


    ¡°And now I must do everything in my power to return home.¡±


    ¡°Even if that means turning my head into the Gong Show. I get it,¡± she said, sounding resigned. ¡°I should get up and start looking for more stuff you need. The sooner I¡¯m done, the sooner you can go home.¡±


    Toren was not convinced she was well enough yet to continue her search. As much as he wanted to return home, he had no way of knowing if Adreeahbenwah could harm herself by pushing too hard. If she did, he would never forgive his abuse of her.


    Besides, holding her like this had soothed some of his rage. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was about her that eased him, but he was reluctant to let go and risk being tossed back into that maelstrom of grief and anger so soon. This peace was a welcome respite¡ªone he was loathe to abandon.


    Without realizing what he had done, Toren had slipped his hand beneath her shirt and splayed his fingers across her abdomen. The end of one finger was tucked beneath the top of her pants, molded to the slight swell of her belly. Their skin tones contrasted sharply¡ªhis pale and frosty against her warmer, darker coloring.


    She lifted her head and stared down to where he touched her. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Toren probably should have pulled his hand away, but he liked the feel of her skin too much to move unless she requested it. ¡°Does my touch bother you?¡±


    Her cheeks darkened, flushing a deep red. ¡°Bother isn¡¯t exactly the word I¡¯d use. Still, you shouldn¡¯t go around groping women you don¡¯t know.¡±


    It suddenly occurred to him that a woman as beautiful as Adreeahbenwah would have countless men wanting to claim her. She would have her pick of them, and it was not likely that she would be free of attachments. ¡°You are bound to another,¡± he said, knowing it had to be true.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m single, but I generally don¡¯t let strangers paw me.¡±


    He was not sure he liked the term paw, but considering his hand was still on her, his fingers kneading gently, it was an appropriate description.


    Toren moved his hand and tugged her shirt down to cover the temptation she presented. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Better. The dizziness is gone. I can sit on the couch by myself.¡±


    He catalogued the word she used for the narrow bed, but ignored her request. He had just given up the feel of her bare body under his hand¡ªit was not fair of her to ask him to give up more. Instead, he leaned back, stretching out his legs, giving her more room atop him.


    ¡°Do you know where to find the other items I need?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how I figured out that you needed silver. And to be honest, the reaction my puny human brain had to helping you was a bit¡­ intense. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to go through that again right away.¡±


    ¡°I hate that you suffered, but I do not have much time. Perhaps if I try again to implant the knowledge, I can make it easier for you to bear.¡±


    He reached for her head, but she jerked back. ¡°Uh. No. We¡¯re good. Just give me a minute and I¡¯ll try again.¡±


    Toren wanted to tell her not to rush, but he did not have the luxury of time. She was the key to his going home, and if that meant he had to watch her suffer, then he was going to have to harden himself against it. Every moment he stayed here was one of suffering for his entire family. He could not sit back and allow that to happen any longer than necessary.


    ¡°I will fetch food for you,¡± he offered. ¡°Nourishment will help.¡± His quest meant letting her go, but it seemed fair that he suffer at least as much as she did.


    Adria wasn¡¯t sure what was making her shake more¡ªthe mental explosion she¡¯d experienced or Toren¡¯s touch.


    It had been years since a man had touched her like that¡ªnot since before the big C had stolen William and changed the course of her life. She¡¯d first focused on getting him well. Then when she failed to do that, she focused on her career. Every minute she spent working was one she didn¡¯t have to grieve for what she¡¯d lost before she¡¯d really even been able to enjoy it.


    Maybe it was better that way. There was no way to know for sure, so she did the only thing she knew how: she worked. Hard. Endless hours, countless weekends. Even her time off had ended up with her back at the office, putting out some fire or other. She was good at what she did, but the pace was killing her.

 Page 6

    This vacation was supposed to be her first real one in years, and here she was, searching for things she couldn¡¯t even name in order to save some alien¡¯s life¡ªan alien who made her feel more human than she had in years.


    Funny how life turned out.Advertisement


    ¡°There¡¯s a bowl of soup in the microwave,¡± she told him to get him to release her.


    As much as she enjoyed having his hands on her, the way they made her feel was nearly too much to handle. Her body was overheated, her blood pumping through her too fast. Heat radiated out from her skin, and a line of sweat formed along her brow.


    He set her on the couch and stood, towering over her. His glower was a clear warning to stay put¡ªone her spinning head intended to heed. The last thing she needed was to fall and knock herself unconscious. The sooner she found the things Toren needed to leave, the better.


    As he walked away, she couldn¡¯t help but stare. His body was the stuff of daydreams. Clad only in those too-small shorts, she could easily see the way his muscles shifted as he moved. She could watch a sight like that all day and never get bored.


    Too bad he wasn¡¯t human. A little R&R with a man like him could do wonders for a woman. But he wasn¡¯t human, and she had no idea if he was even capable of the things going through her head¡ªwicked, shamefully delightful things that made a blush burn in her cheeks.


    He came back with an apple and the crooked knife. Her eyes lowered to his groin, and from what she could tell, he had all the right parts.


    A low growl seeped from his chest, forcing her eyes upward. Heat suffused her face, and she knew she had to be glowing with embarrassment.


    Adria cleared her throat and forced herself to concentrate on his face. ¡°You have no idea what a microwave is, do you?¡±


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our own kind of magic that heats foods in seconds.¡±


    ¡°Magic cannot exist here¡ªat least not for long. Your world eats it.¡±


    ¡°Our magic is called technology, and it works great.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even try to hide his skepticism. ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    She held out her hand for the apple.


    ¡°You are shaking and will slice yourself open. I will feed you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s really not necessary.¡±


    He ignored that and sat next to her, cutting small pieces of the fruit for her to eat. She drew the line at letting him feed her, but took what he offered.


    His brows were lowered in concentration as he worked. The knife seemed tiny in his hands, and he moved as though he wasn¡¯t used to using such small utensils.


    Firelight flickered off his rough features, and she swore she saw hints of deep purple glowing in his black hair as it swayed around his shoulders.


    He handed her another bite of apple, then watched her mouth as she ate it. All this male attention was making her a bit self-conscious, but his expression was not one of curiosity, but of hot, intense interest. If she didn¡¯t know better, she would have sworn that he wanted her.


    Adria had to stop staring, so she moved her gaze to the fire. ¡°So, what now?¡± she asked. ¡°How do I find the other things you need?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Your mind is different from mine. Predicting how it will function seems beyond my ability.¡±


    ¡°So I just sit around and wait for another brain blast?¡±


    ¡°Is it really so unpleasant? I do not wish you pain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not painful, really. Just incredibly¡­ aggressive.¡±


    ¡°Aggressive brain blast. That sounds like pain to me.¡± He stood in a rush, his intent to leave plain.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I will find another human to aid me.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re just going to walk out in the middle of the night in this freezing weather and go find someone else? Do you have any idea how isolated we are? We¡¯re miles from the nearest¡­ anything.¡±


    ¡°How far is miles?¡±


    ¡°A long way. Too long for you to walk in one night. Especially in those shorts.¡±


    ¡°I will use my power to run fast.¡±


    ¡°And just how much power do you have left before my world eats it, as you so eloquently put it?¡±


    He stood in silence, his jaw tight, his posture defiant and rigid.


    ¡°Sit down, Toren. I¡¯m happy to help you. Really. It wasn¡¯t all that bad. Besides, what makes you think that another human would have it any easier than I do?¡±


    ¡°I will care less what happens to another human.¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, that was his way of saying that he cared about her. ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡±


    ¡°I touched your thoughts. I¡­ felt you. I won¡¯t make that mistake with another.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he was trying to say, but him feeling her seemed to be a big deal to him. Maybe that was taboo in his culture or something. Hell, for all she knew it meant they were married. That idea should have bothered her a lot more than it did.


    ¡°Fine. If it bothers you so much, then there will be no more touching or feeling.¡±


    His gaze slid down the length of her body and back up again. He licked his lips, and his irises shifted from blue to red to dark purple. ¡°I do not know if I have that much control.¡±


    Oh, yeah. He was definitely into her. There was no mistaking that expression, no matter how long it had been since she¡¯d seen a man look at her like that.


    Her body warmed, and something deep inside her abdomen¡ªright under where his hand had been¡ªclenched hard.


    Adria had thought that feelings like this were lost to her. She hadn¡¯t wanted a man since William. She was unwilling to lose someone else she loved, so why take even one step on that path? What was the point?


    But now, watching him stare at her like he was starving for a taste, she realized what she¡¯d been missing. People had sex every day with people they didn¡¯t really know. She¡¯d never done that before, but maybe it was time to give it a shot. For her it had always been about love, but it didn¡¯t have to be, did it? It didn¡¯t have to be about permanence or a future together. It could simply be about feeling good¡ªsomething she hadn¡¯t done in a long time.


    With Toren, she didn¡¯t have to feel guilty or worry that he¡¯d develop false expectations. He was leaving. He wouldn¡¯t be around long enough for her to really learn to care for him. It was temporary. Fleeting. Safe.


    But not meaningless. To her, feeling this again¡ªfeeling alive again¡ªhad more meaning than he would ever know.


    Deep, aching want unfurled inside of her, giving her courage she never would have otherwise had. For all she knew, he¡¯d be gone in a few hours. She wasn¡¯t going to waste her one chance for a guilt-free fling.


    ¡°Are you married?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Seeing someone?¡±


    ¡°I see you, Adreeahbenwah.¡± The way he said it, the way he looked at her as if she were the only thing that mattered, made her toes curl and her heart beat a little faster.


    ¡°I mean is there another woman in your life? Someone back home who would be upset with you for the way you¡¯re looking at me now?¡±


    ¡°There is no one.¡± A dark smile drew her attention to his mouth. The indentation in his upper lips was deep, accentuating its fullness.


    The need to run her finger along that dent and feel if his mouth was softer than the rest of him sent an itchy restlessness speeding through her.


    Her insides trembled. She hadn¡¯t yet done anything she couldn¡¯t take back. A bit of teasing, a whole pile of lust, but nothing irrevocable.


    Adria so desperately wanted to do something irrevocable with Toren.


    His gaze had not left her while she warred with indecision. ¡°And how is it that I look at you, Adreeahbenwah?¡±


    She loved the way he said her name, like it was all one word¡ªthe way he lingered over each syllable as if enjoying the feel of it against his tongue.


    ¡°You look at me as if the rest of the world could fall away and you wouldn¡¯t notice.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a dangerous way to feel,¡± he said, but he didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly a dangerous way to look at me.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re making me consider things I should not be considering.¡±


    He lifted a dark brow. ¡°I would like to hear these things.¡±


    Maybe, but she sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to say them. He made her quiver inside. He stole her breath. She wasn¡¯t going to give him the added ammunition of her fantasies.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a bad idea,¡± she told him.


    He loomed over her. She needed to stand and close the distance, but she worried that her traitorous knees would buckle. If they did and she ended up in his arms again, she knew how this would end. She¡¯d take what she so desperately wanted¡ªwhat he seemed willing to give¡ªand nothing else would ever be the same again.


    Was that such a bad thing? Was her life really such a pile of roses and sunshine that a change¡ªnearly any change¡ªwouldn¡¯t be an improvement?


    Not even close.


    Before Adria could change her mind, she surged to her feet and launched herself at him. He caught her easily, not even swaying as her body met his. She had no idea what would happen next, or how he would react, but that merely added another layer of excitement.


    She kissed him, and for a moment, his hesitation gave her pause. Did his kind kiss? Did it mean something different to him than it did to her?


    With a low sound of surrender, Toren kissed her back, and all those questions hovering in her mind were washed away by the sheer force of his enthusiasm.


    One hand cupped her bottom, lifting her higher to reach just the right angle. He tilted his head and his lips parted to let in a deep breath. Adria took advantage of the opportunity and slipped the tip of her tongue along the inside of his upper lip, right where the firm, hot skin of his lips met the soft, wet contours of his mouth.


    Whether he¡¯d never kissed before, or simply hadn¡¯t kissed like this, she wasn¡¯t sure, but what she did know was that his reaction was immediate and almost violent in its haste.


    He bore her down to the couch, his heavy body pressing her into the soft cushions. The air whooshed from her lungs, and an electric thrill raced along her nerves. Every inch of her tingled. She felt like she¡¯d been asleep for years and was just now waking again, shrugging off the foggy cobwebs of fatigue. The world seemed brighter. Colors were more vivid. Her skin was more sensitive, allowing her to feel every single strand of his hair caressing her cheeks and neck.


    Toren kissed her deeper, his tongue greedy as if needing to taste more of her. His fingers tugged at her sweater like he was seeking a way to open it. She tried to tell him how to pull it over her head, but there wasn¡¯t enough oxygen in her brain for something as complicated as speech, and he didn¡¯t allow enough room between them for her to remove the sweater herself.


    His mouth moved to her neck, and his tongue did something against her skin that made her vision blur with sensory overload. Her whole world lit up with pleasure and yet she still needed more. The empty ache inside of her demanded to be filled.


    She slid her hands down his back, following the ridges of muscles flanking his spine to where they descended below his shorts. The smooth, hot skin of his ass filled her palms. At her touch, his hips surged against her. Her legs were wrapped around him, leaving her open to the hard bulge of his erection as it rubbed against her jeans.

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    He definitely had the right equipment to make this happen. And then some.


    Adria needed to be out of her clothes. She needed to feel his hot skin on hers, inside her.Advertisement


    With strength she hadn¡¯t known she possessed, she shoved his shoulders away. He stared down at her, his eyes a deep, almost ultraviolet purple. A look of betrayal and determination hardened his features. His mouth flattened in something resembling anger, and his whole body quaked with barely-controlled restraint.


    ¡°This was a game?¡± he demanded. ¡°Make me need, then push me away?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one in need. And I need to be naked.¡± She stripped her sweater off over her head and unhooked her bra.


    His eyelids lowered and his expression shifted to one of triumph. A slow smile shaped his full lips as he traced a finger over the curve of her breast.


    Before she forgot her goal, she unfastened her jeans and made Toren move so she could slide them off.


    He stared down at her naked body for a long moment. Quiet, almost reverent words flowed from him in a language so beautiful it reminded her of music. She had no idea what he said, but the sounds of desire and appreciation were clear enough.


    ¡°I want you naked, too. And then, that thing you did to my neck with your tongue,¡± she told him, ¡°I want you to do it again. All over.¡±


    He gave her a wicked grin as he shoved his shorts down his powerful legs.


    Adria knew it was rude to stare, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. The man was simply gorgeous¡ªevery inch of him. Her first impressions of him being a model had been wrong. She could see that now in the small scars that marked his body. His muscles were not merely cosmetic¡ªthey were functional. Thick thighs and forearms. A deep, wide chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re some kind of warrior, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    His abdomen tightened as if he were preparing to take a punch. ¡°Will my profession change your willingness for me to claim you?¡±


    ¡°Hell no.¡±


    ¡°Then we will speak of it another time. After I¡¯ve done that thing with my tongue you like so much.¡±


    And then he was kissing her again, and all thoughts of professions evaporated. All that mattered was his hot, smooth skin against hers, and the need for her to get as close to him as possible.


    He pressed her down into the couch cushions as he began moving down her body. Small, biting kisses and hot, trailing swipes of his tongue swept over her throat and collarbone. Each one made her muscles clench in anticipation. His big hand cupped her breast, and she could feel her nipple harden further, stabbing against his hot palm. Almost too hot. His body was blazing now, shielding her against the chilly night air.


    Toren nudged her thighs wider, making room for himself between them. His lips made a spiral path over her breast, inching closer to where she wanted him.


    She slid her hands into his hair in an effort to move his head where she wanted it, but he was not deterred from his torturously slow path. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to move him.


    Thick locks of his long hair wove their way around her wrists, binding them together. A dark purr of satisfaction rumbled out of him, vibrating the air in her lungs. And then his mouth closed over her nipple and she was doing her own purring.


    His tongue twisted around her nipple, rippling in a way she didn¡¯t understand. All she knew was that brilliant bursts of pleasure were radiating out from that contact, setting her whole world on fire.


    Toren reached between them and covered her mound with his hand. She ground herself against him, feeling the slick proof of her need gliding between them. His skin was so hot, she was sure it would burn her, but instead, it only heightened the sensation. Her whole world shrank down to two pinpoints of pleasure, then exploded like a star going supernova, consuming everything around her.


    Adria cried out as she came, her voice reverberating in the small cabin. It wasn¡¯t a gentle orgasm¡ªit tore its way free, forcing her to submit to it. Her whole body lurched upward, only to be held down by Toren¡¯s weight.


    Slowly, the searing pleasure receded, leaving her trembling in its aftermath. Her labored breathing bellowed out of her, and she clutched his head to reassure herself that he was still with her. Her climax hadn¡¯t been too good to be real.


    Before she¡¯d even regained her ability to speak, he moved up, his erection nudging against her. His mouth covered hers in a searing kiss, as if to quiet any protests she might make.


    She kissed him back, digging her fingernails into his scalp. It took a little effort, but she managed to wiggle beneath him just enough that the tip of his cock slid right where she needed it.


    Toren seemed to need no further encouragement. His powerful hips surged forward. She didn¡¯t think it was possible, but her body stretched to accommodate him easily, sending sharp, electric sensations rioting along her nerve endings.


    Heat blasted out of him, warming her from the inside out. His mouth feasted on hers, and when he did that thing with his tongue against hers, she felt an answering rush of liquid heat spilling from her as well.


    His hair lifted her wrists over her head, binding them in place. She felt too good to even consider fighting. Each driving thrust eased him in further, filling her completely until there was no room left for thought. Pleasure glowed between them, an almost palpable force. She saw it in the lines of his face, and the way his powerful muscles bunched as he moved over her. His dark purple eyes glowed with it, and she knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before she was no longer able to contain so much sensation within herself.


    Another soul-rocking orgasm tumbled over her, and Toren rode her through it, his pace forcing her to fly higher with every stroke. Her cry of completion came out rough and breathless, nearly unrecognizable to her own ears.


    A dark smile of victory shaped his mouth as he watched her. The hot look left her fumbling for some sense of calm, but there was none to be had. She was trapped in the middle of this storm that he¡¯d created within her, and her only solid ground was the hard cage of his body surrounding her.


    ¡°You will accept me?¡± he asked.


    She didn¡¯t know what he meant. She¡¯d already accepted about as much of him as she could. Still, the fierce demand in his question compelled her to answer in the way he seemed to want. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her atop him. He grabbed the back of her hair in his fist and angled her neck back. His tongue worked its magic over her throat, and she felt his cock swell and heat inside of her.


    He stretched her further. Nerve endings she didn¡¯t even know she had began firing, sparking along her spine at the speed of lightning. Colors blurred around her. Lights flickered behind her eyelids. Her body seemed like a foreign thing, experiencing sensations she¡¯d never before known existed.


    His arm about her hips controlled the pace, forcing her to move against him more slowly than she would have chosen. She gripped his hard shoulders and held on, struggling to find enough air to keep her head from spinning.


    Another storm was building inside of her, growing faster than the last two. She didn¡¯t know how he did it, but she didn¡¯t have the breath to ask. She simply accepted it as part of him, reveling in the things that made him different from all the other men she¡¯d ever known.


    Toren¡¯s grip tightened. Quiet, musical words spilled over her skin in a rush of hot air. His whole body heated further, so hot his hair lifted away from his shoulders. The arm around her hips tightened, urging her to move faster. Intense pressure coiled within her. His size, his heat, the gliding pressure of each stroke¡ªit all caused that pressure to build until she was sure it would tear her apart.


    Powerful words burst from him in a shout, and the sound of wind chimes filled her ears. Trembling power shot out through her limbs, bouncing back and redoubling. Lights consumed her vision and then went black as her climax overtook her.


    Adria hovered within pleasure, letting it cast her body about like a leaf on the wind. Heat exploded in liquid bursts deep inside of her as he came, tossing her even higher.


    The harsh sound of Toren¡¯s rough cry of pleasure shimmered in the air. He surrounded her, holding her against him. Everywhere he touched his heat sank into her, easing her back to reality. The last trembling echoes of her orgasm quieted, leaving small aftershocks tumbling through her.


    Toren laid her back onto the couch, his erection still filling her, and his body a hot blanket over her.


    His gaze pinned her in place as he stared at her expectantly.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Am I supposed to say something?¡±


    ¡°Did you feel that?¡± he asked.


    How could she not have? ¡°Uh, yeah. Several times.¡±


    He frowned as if confused.


    Now she was starting to worry that she¡¯d done something wrong. She had no idea what magical aliens expected out of their boinking partners. ¡°Listen, Toren. You¡¯re going to have to spell it out for me. If I was supposed to do something I didn¡¯t, or did do something I shouldn¡¯t have, you need¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Nothing like that. You were perfect. Truly.¡± He smoothed her hair off her damp forehead. ¡°I was merely imagining things.¡±


    Chapter Five


    Toren¡¯s mind was already playing tricks on him, and he¡¯d only been here a few hours.


    There was no way she could have pulled magic from him¡ªunless she¡¯d done so unintentionally.


    Still, his reserves were lower than they¡¯d been before. Something had weakened him during their joining, and the list of things that would have done so was short.


    He grudgingly pulled himself from her body and squeezed in next to her. Whoever had designed this couch had apparently never wanted to sleep beside a woman. There was simply no room.


    ¡°How do you humans have children?¡± he asked.


    Her skin was flushed a pretty reddish color, which seemed to darken at his question. ¡°Uh. The normal way?¡±


    ¡°Normal for us is copulation combined with a merger of power meant for that purpose. You have no power, so how is it your species continues?¡±


    ¡°Wow. Okay. This is definitely one of those things responsible adults would have talked about before doing what we just did.¡±


    ¡°I have no power to travel through time. I am sorry.¡±


    She smiled as if he had made some joke before she said, ¡°We just do the copulation part. Babies tend to happen unless we stop it.¡±


    ¡°Stop it? How?¡±


    ¡°Medicine, devices.¡±


    None of that made any sense to him, but there was one part he understood easily enough. She had summoned some kind of magic in the moment of his climax, and while he had no firsthand knowledge of procreation, he wondered if that was not what it would feel like.


    A momentary thrill sped through him only to be doused by reality.


    ¡°Do you use any of these devices?¡± he asked, holding his breath in anticipation of her response.


    ¡°I take a pill. You don¡¯t have to worry about any little Torens running around after you¡¯re gone.¡±


    That was good. Leaving behind a child to grow up on this world fatherless would have broken his soul. Tearing a child from its mother would have ripped his soul clean of his body. Only a monster would do such a thing.


    She stretched, and seeing all those flushed curves on such display made Toren¡¯s cock twitch with interest.

 Page 8

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get back to work on figuring out what you need to go home.¡±


    He hated not being close to her, but was consoled by being able to watch the way her body glowed in the firelight as she gathered her clothes.Advertisement


    ¡°I thank you for that.¡±


    She lifted one beautifully naked shoulder. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m going to grab a quick shower. Be out in a few minutes.¡±


    Adreeahbenwah disappeared through a doorway and closed it behind her.


    There was little he could do until she found what he needed to build the amplification device. He was going to need all the help he could get if he was going to have any hope of going back home to¡­


    What? He couldn¡¯t remember. He knew it was important. The rage and fury associated with the memory was still there, but the source of it was simply gone.


    His memory was fading too fast. Obliterra was already affecting him, and he hadn¡¯t even been here a full day.


    The sound of water running in the next room drew his attention back to his savior. If the information he put inside her mind did not unfurl soon, he was going to lose himself. His family would suffer and grieve for him. Losing Elina was more pain than they deserved.


    Toren had to get home, even if that meant pushing more magic into Adreeahbenwah¡¯s mind. He wasn¡¯t sure what the long-term effects would be, but he¡¯d do whatever it took to protect his family. He only hoped that it didn¡¯t mean sacrificing this sweet human woman to do so.


    Adria spent the entire night and the next day driven by a compulsion she couldn¡¯t resist. Whatever Toren had done to her had started working with a vengeance, because she¡¯d torn the entire cabin apart, accumulating aluminum foil, glass jars, silverware, tooth picks, and a variety of other things that lit her brain on fire when she saw them.


    After twenty hours, she could feel that there were still more things he needed, but her body would simply go no longer without rest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she told him as she slumped into a chair. ¡°That¡¯s all I can do.¡±


    He crouched in front of her, and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. ¡°It is enough for now. I will begin construction while you sleep.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to sleep?¡±


    ¡°My days are longer than yours. I am still able to work, and there is not much time.¡±


    A twinge of regret pinched her stomach. She¡¯d really wanted to sleep beside him¡ªto feel his warm strength curled up against her. That was something else she¡¯d been deprived of since William¡¯s death. It wasn¡¯t until she¡¯d had it in her grasp that she¡¯d realized just how much she missed sleeping next to a man.


    Maybe it was best that she wasn¡¯t going to have it. Spending one night cuddled up with someone was likely only going to make going back to her empty bed that much worse.


    ¡°Good night, then. I¡¯ll go into town in the morning and get you some clothes. Maybe I¡¯ll see something else there you need, too.¡±


    It seemed like she¡¯d been in bed for less than an hour when dawn lit her room, waking her. Toren was sitting at the end of the bed, simply watching her.


    The early morning light looked good on him. It draped his bare chest in shadows that accentuated all those delicious muscles. His skin seemed less pale today. Maybe it was a trick of the warm, golden sunrise, but the bluish tint that had been there before had faded.


    His hair swirled over his wide shoulders, lazily caressing them. Sunlight gleamed off its shining depths, accentuating the deep purple tones hidden in the inky locks.


    She self-consciously straightened her own hair, sure it was a wreck from sleep. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Watching you sleep. Did you know that you talk when resting?¡±


    She had ever since she was a little girl, but she hadn¡¯t really expected anyone to hear her. ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing I truly understood. Except for my name.¡±


    She¡¯d dreamed about him¡ªvivid, erotic dreams that left her body humming with latent need. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said as she tossed back the covers. ¡°Next time you shouldn¡¯t eavesdrop.¡±


    He tilted his head as if trying to understand.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen,¡± she clarified. ¡°It¡¯s rude. Besides, aren¡¯t you supposed to be working?¡±


    ¡°On what?¡±


    The way he said it gave her pause. There was no sense of recognition in his eyes, no trace of urgency in his tone. ¡°That thing that¡¯s going to get you home. You know. Your magic¡­ thing.¡±


    He frowned and looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time. ¡°This isn¡¯t my home,¡± he said, as though he just now realized that.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not even your world. Remember Sorsca?¡±


    ¡°My world¡­¡± His eyes widened, and the pale blue ring expanded as his pupil contracted with fear. ¡°Obliterra. It¡¯s sucking away my thoughts. I¡¯m already losing myself.¡±


    He looked so scared, so uncertain, her heart squeezed out a rush of sympathy. She went to him and hugged him close. ¡°You just need to focus, okay?¡±


    ¡°Focus?¡±


    ¡°Concentrate on your task. Do you remember what you said you had to build?¡±


    His grip on her tightened, but she felt him nod. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. Just remember that. Concentrate on building your ride home. I¡¯ll be back in a couple of hours with more supplies so you can finish, okay?¡±


    Again he nodded, but when she pulled back, she could see fear hovering in his expression. ¡°I will do as you ask. But you must hurry.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Adria dressed fast and rushed out the door. She only hoped that when she got back, she¡¯d find Toren here, working, and not wandering in the woods, lost and alone with no memory of who he was.


    Adria came back to find an odd, artistic sculpture on the back porch. Structural ribs of aluminum foil were folded to spiral around a wooden core. At the base were small piles of pebbles that seemed to have been laid out to exacting standards. What she suspected had once been her earrings had been pounded flat, shaped and imbedded into the log, forming some kind of symbol.


    What he¡¯d built looked nothing like technology that she recognized, but she sensed within it a kind of power, much like what she¡¯d felt when Toren had made love to her.


    He was nowhere to be seen.


    Panic rippled through her, shoving out all thoughts of their time together. She hurried to the bedroom, silently praying he would be there.


    She found him sitting on the bed, staring out the window. The blank look on his face scared the shit out of her.


    She scrambled around the bed to reach him. ¡°Toren? Are you okay?¡±


    He smiled at her, and a faint hint of recognition lit his eyes. ¡°Adreeahbenwah.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s Adria.¡± She cupped his face in her hands. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    His gaze scoured her face, as though he were rediscovering details he¡¯d forgotten. ¡°You are so beautiful. Your eyes are always dark. You make me ache with want.¡±


    She melted a little at his praise, but not so much that she could overlook his lack of response to her question. ¡°None of that, now. What are you doing sitting here? Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡±


    ¡°Do you have need of me?¡±


    She needed him all right, but not in the way he was thinking. Ever since last night, she hadn¡¯t been able to get him off her mind. Even something as mundane as finding some clothes to fit him left her shaking and needy as she imagined stripping him out of everything she saw on the racks.


    Not since she was a hormonal teenager had she been so distracted by a man. Of course Toren wasn¡¯t just any man. He was way beyond average, both in looks and his skill in bed. He¡¯d made her feel things that she hadn¡¯t even known were possible. Maybe with anyone else they wouldn¡¯t be.


    He stared at her mouth and gripped her hips in his big hands. ¡°I remember the feel of you. Your skin shapes itself to me as if made for that very thing.¡±


    His hands slid up, dipping beneath the hem of her shirt. The heat of his fingers was startling and intense, making her shiver. He left paths of glowing sensation in his wake as he pulled her down toward him.


    Adria knew where this was going. His direct, hungry gaze gave away his intentions. What startled her was the answering call within her¡ªthe one that made her feel all soft and deliciously weak.


    ¡°We should stop,¡± she whispered, though the ache twisting at her core rebelled at the idea.


    He said nothing. His hands crossed her back to cup her shoulders, and drew her down into his embrace.


    She went where he led and straddled his lap, pressing her palms against his bare chest. Heat radiated up her arms, warming away the chill from her trip outside.


    His mouth settled on hers, and her whole body quivered in celebration. A languid, heavy weight fell over her, pinning her in place as she kissed him back. The wild taste of him went to her head, making her dizzy. His scent made memories of the two of them naked and entwined blaze in her mind. All other thoughts evaporated, leaving her free to dive into the fiery need lighting her up.


    Toren¡¯s grip tightened. His kisses grew more urgent and demanding.


    ¡°Need more,¡± he said into her mouth, his tone leaving no room for question. ¡°All of you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± was all she could manage to say. There was nothing else she could have said in the face of so much need. Whatever he would take, she wanted to give. The thrill of letting go tickled through her, heightening her senses. She could smell the earthy scent of his skin, touched with something desperate and wild. Her own rapid breaths melding with his made her more aware of the way they were spinning out of control.


    Everything was moving too fast, but she delighted in the powerful tide, letting it sweep her away from the things that darkened her world.


    With Toren, there was only brightness¡ªthe two of them burning hot and fast, reveling in the way the flames consumed them.


    A rush of energy charged through the room. One moment she was fully clothed, and the next the threads against her skin dissipated like mist under the sun. The cool air of the cabin swirled around her, but the heat coming off Toren was more than enough to keep her warm. Her sudden lack of clothing was just one more mystery cast aside as unimportant and not worth her attention.


    She kissed his neck and shoulders, digging her fingernails against his hard skin. There was no give to him anywhere, just bulging muscles shifting beneath hot flesh.


    His hair stroked her face like the softest brush, lighting up nerve endings as it passed. Magic seemed to trickle from every strand, tingling through her and moving down to her abdomen to the empty ache only he could ease.


    Adria didn¡¯t want to wait anymore. She was ready for him, soft, wet and hungry. And he was ready for her, his erection thick and hot as it rubbed against her belly.


    Toren dipped his head and pressed blazing, openmouthed kisses over her heart. His tongue swirled and trembled, causing a rioting, clawing need to pull the strength from her limbs.


    She went limp in his arms, unable to keep her bones from melting in the face of so much pleasure. He caught her and lifted her up. She didn¡¯t care what he did so long as he kept touching her and feeding the fires burning out of control. If he stopped, she knew she wouldn¡¯t survive. There was no way this much need could be ignored. She had to appease it.

 Page 9

    One way or another, Toren was going to give her what she wanted.


    He eased her back on the rumpled bed, his face a mask of determination. ¡°Lie still.¡± His rough whisper left no room for question. That wasn¡¯t a request; it was a command.Advertisement


    His gaze bore down on her, pinning her in place. With the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, every inch of his naked body was put on display for her to delight in. She hadn¡¯t been wrong about the color of his skin. There was a warmer glow to it now, though she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of his time here on Earth, or because of his heightened arousal.


    And it definitely was heightened. His erection thrust out proudly, dark and thick. Her mouth watered at the sight, and a clenching need filled her belly.


    He lifted her foot, pressing a kiss against the inside of her ankle. His hair swirled around her toes, dragging up her leg as his kisses progressed along her calf. As he moved, his hold became firmer, spreading her thighs wider with each hot, wet kiss.


    Adria stopped thinking and simply enjoyed letting him do as he pleased. The heat of his skin blasted out of him in waves. Her whole body was trembling, and yet she could not find the ability to speak and tell him to hurry the hell up. Everything he did drove her higher, stretched her tighter, until she was sure she was brittle enough to shatter.


    He gazed up at her from between her thighs, his eyes midnight purple, like his hair. His long, black lashes were low, and color burned in his cheeks. The contrast of his pale hands on her darker thighs only highlighted their differences. His strength made her feel safe, and yet somehow gave her a dangerous thrill. His determination warned her that he was going to get his way, and yet she couldn¡¯t find the room to rebel at the notion.


    He offered her another wicked smile and lowered his head. He didn¡¯t just kiss her or lick her¡ªhe feasted on her, putting every ounce of his formidable power into tilting her world on its axis. And then he did that thing with his tongue right against her clit.


    She lit up with sensations too intense to be called pleasure. It charged through her, taking control of her arms and legs. Her body arched up off the bed, and she grabbed his head in an effort to find some hold on reality.


    It did no good. She spun away in a vortex of Toren¡¯s creation, with no say over where she landed. Her orgasm hit fast and hard, giving her no room to breathe. There was nothing she could do to slow it down or stave it off. As sharp as the edge of a blade, the pleasure sliced through her, leaving her panting, filled with a languid weakness.


    Toren gave her no time to recover. He slid up her body, filling her with one long, slow stroke. Little tremors fluttered along his cock as the aftermath of what he¡¯d done to her. She felt him shudder with each one as his mouth moved over her throat and jaw.


    Low sounds of his restraint vibrated against her skin. His hot breath made the hair plastered to her temples sway slightly. Again, whatever language he spoke spilled from him like music, and with each passing second, she could feel some kind of power gathering nearby to surround them. The rest of the world was shut out. Unimportant. All that mattered was the two of them entwined together.


    He began to move, pulling from her only to fill her once again. The storm of lust he¡¯d driven away only moments ago began to gather again.


    This wasn¡¯t the way it was supposed to be. Adria didn¡¯t react like this with men. She didn¡¯t give herself over to them, or allow herself to be swept away by physical sensation. That was fleeting and meaningless.


    And yet what she shared with Toren now felt anything but. She barely knew him, but when he¡¯d touched her mind, she¡¯d felt him¡ªfelt his essence. She¡¯d felt his love for his family, his devotion to justice, his determination to let nothing stand in his way of doing the right thing.


    That same determination was flowing from him now. In every heavy thrust, in every achingly sweet kiss, she felt a force driving him forward. Driving her higher.


    Heat from his skin built until she wondered how it didn¡¯t burn her. In the back of her mind she knew that getting burned was inevitable. She¡¯d grown too close to him and he couldn¡¯t stay. All she could do was enjoy the ride while it lasted.


    Chapter Six


    Toren could not possess this woman enough. He was melded to her as close as a man could be, and yet he still wanted more.


    The sweet, liquid clench of her body around him drove him wild. Like a beast, he moved within her, unable to slow down. Power radiated around him. He could feel it shimmering in the air, gliding out of him despite his need to conserve what little magic he had left.


    It was as though the magic controlled him¡ªsomething he¡¯d been taught from childhood he should not allow. And yet entwined with his Adreeahbenwah, he could not hold it in.


    She gripped his arms and pulled her legs high against his sides, giving him room to move as he chose. Each of his hard thrusts was absorbed by her soft flesh. He marveled at that miracle for only a moment before the next clinging glide of skin on skin removed all thoughts from his mind.


    He needed to claim her¡ªto mark her in some way for all to see. It was selfish for him to desire such a thing, but the urge was driving him on, loud and unyielding in its demands.


    More power gathered below his skin, heating it further.


    Her voice rang out in a note of surprise and surrender as he sent her spiraling through yet another climax. The rippling flow of her delicate muscles tipped him over the edge. He tried to hold back to give her more pleasure, but his own could not be stopped. It burst down his spine and out of his body.


    Power roared through his limbs and gathered against his will. It spilled from him, filling her clenching body in time with his release.


    She gasped and arched beneath him, holding him as tight as her slender arms would allow.


    Slowly the storm eased, leaving them both limp and spent.


    Toren braced his weight on his arms, but could not bring himself to slide from her warmth. He wanted to feel every last flutter of her pleasure.


    His skin cooled. All his heat was now pooled in her belly, along with whatever magic he had spent. If he had his way, he would have stayed inside her all day, but he could sense her growing discomfort in the way her legs kept shifting slightly.


    He eased from her and curled against her side. His thigh settled over her legs, and his hand splayed over her stomach. He could feel no lingering power within her. Whatever he¡¯d done, it was gone now¡ªa mystery he would likely never solve.


    She wiped her hair away from her damp face and turned to him. ¡°You have a hell of a way of distracting a woman.¡±


    ¡°Distracting? I meant only to bring us pleasure.¡±


    ¡°You definitely succeeded there.¡±


    He trailed his fingers over her skin, enjoying the flush of satisfaction he¡¯d given her. ¡°Once I eat, I will please you again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t. You have work to do.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    She sat up, looking at him with anxiety tightening her expression. ¡°Please tell me you remember.¡±


    Toren searched his mind for the work she seemed so concerned about, but his efforts revealed nothing. ¡°Remember what?¡±


    Fear bloomed in her eyes, so plain he looked behind himself to see if some creature was there to attack.


    ¡°Tell me what you remember.¡±


    His mind was hazy, which he didn¡¯t think was right. ¡°I remember you and me. The feel of your skin on mine. The scent of your hair. The sound of your voice as I please you. I remember watching you sleep.¡±


    She swallowed nervously. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°What more is there?¡±


    Based on the way her shoulders slumped in defeat, he was certain he¡¯d somehow just failed her.


    Adria could not let this happen. She could not let Toren forget everything that was important to him¡ªespecially not when she¡¯d selfishly wasted precious time by having sex with him.


    ¡°Toren,¡± she said, giving him a little shake. ¡°You need to concentrate. Remember you want to go home?¡±


    ¡°Home? I am home when I look at you.¡±


    Tears stung her eyes. What she wouldn¡¯t have given to hear any other man say such sweet things to her. As much as she cared for Toren, as much as she would have jumped at the chance to be with him, he didn¡¯t belong here. Nothing she could do would ever change that. If he stayed here, he¡¯d lose everything. She couldn¡¯t let that happen to him.


    Adria blinked back her tears and shook him harder. ¡°Stop it. You need to finish that thing on the back porch. I brought you more supplies.¡±


    He continued to stare at her blankly.


    ¡°Remember Elina? Remember the man who killed your sister?¡±


    Like flipping a switch, he seemed to come back to his senses. Anger hardened his jawline and flattened his mouth. ¡°Gyrnar. He killed her. I must get home and see him brought to justice. I remember now.¡±


    Relief tumbled through her. ¡°Thank God. You need to stay focused on building your device, okay?¡±


    He gave her a short, jerky nod. ¡°It is nearly complete, though I am missing some crucial components.¡±


    ¡°I found some more things while I was out today. And I got you some clothes.¡± Maybe they would help her keep her hands to herself. And even if they didn¡¯t help, she was going to be good. No more selfishly letting him seduce her. He¡¯d already given her more pleasure than all the other men she¡¯d known combined. If that wasn¡¯t enough for her, then she didn¡¯t deserve more.


    The fog at the edges of Toren¡¯s mind was creeping over his memories again. He chanted Elina¡¯s name silently as he worked, hoping her memory would act as a talisman against Obliterra¡¯s power.


    Adreeahbenwah brought him food, which he consumed as he worked. The items she had found on her quest were molded into strange shapes, but he used more of his dwindling power to form them to fit the transportal device.


    Of course if he used all of his power, his memories would vanish, and no amount of effort was going to be enough to send him home. He had to retain enough strength to activate the device.


    Darkness crept over the land, muting the vivid oranges and warm browns of the woods surrounding them. It really was a lovely place¡ªthe perfect backdrop for his beautiful Adreeahbenwah.


    He was going to miss her once he was gone. She was so generous and gentle. He had sensed her inner turmoil when he had absorbed her language. She had come here to rest and regain her strength. To ponder her future and find a way free of the great loneliness and grief hovering over her. This time was valuable in some way he could not understand. All he knew was that once these few days of respite were over, she would lose the chance to shape her life into one that made her happy.


    Here he was, eating up that precious time, and she had not once complained. Instead she had thrown herself into his dilemma, generously giving of her time. And her body.


    The thought of what they had shared had the power to drive all other thoughts from Toren¡¯s mind. The sweet sound of her voice, her yielding softness, the rippling cling of her body as she was fulfilled¡ªall of that would haunt him until the end of his days.


    He might not remember his home and real life while on Obliterra, but once he was back on Sorsca, every detail of his time here would blaze in his memory, as sharp and clear as it was now. There would be no fading over time, or muting the feelings he had shared with her. His mind would work as designed, holding every tiny detail in pristine condition for the rest of his days.

 Page 10

    Part of him wished he could forget her. No one had ever made him feel as she did, and he feared that no one else ever would.


    He glanced through the window and saw her preparing food in the kitchen. The warm glow of her skin and her huge, dark eyes never ceased to delight him. She had no idea how rare a beauty she was, which only added to her appeal.Advertisement


    The tight cling of her clothing displayed lush curves, reminding him all too keenly of how soft and pliant she was. His hands ached to slide over her once more and feel the satin warmth of her skin.


    Focus. He had to focus on Elina.


    But thoughts of Elina were dark and painful. The sight of his Adreeahbenwah eased his pain and washed away his grief. He could stare at her all day, watching her move through the kitchen, doing mystical things with her technology that ended in fragrant plates of food.


    Toren¡¯s appetite had been overwhelming today, and without aid of his magic, he was helpless to provide for himself. He had not wanted to request more of her than he already had, but she had known about his hunger without him speaking a word. It was as if part of her was already tied to him even without any bindings or ceremony.


    Perhaps none was needed here. Maybe Obliterra was not as empty of magic as his kind thought¡ªthey simply did not understand the magic that dwelt here.


    Adreeahbenwah was proof that magic existed in a place it should not.


    The tool in his hands slipped free and clattered on the boards beneath his feet. She looked up at him, offering him a sweet smile through the window.


    The air in Toren¡¯s lungs stilled. His entire body settled into a peaceful quiet as a stark realization set in.


    He was beginning to love her. Without any kind of magic to speed the process or drive doubts away. Her goodness drew him in and cradled him close. It filled him with a sense of contentment and peace every time he saw that she was happy.


    The thought of not seeing her again stretched out like a desolate wasteland in front of him, bleak and scoured with loneliness. He was not sure he could trek through that for the rest of his life. Or more accurately, he was not sure he wanted to.


    But his obligations to his family and his homeland had to come before his own personal desires. Only he knew of Grynar¡¯s treachery and could prove his guilt. Once Toren was back on Sorsca, he would bring that proof before the council and force them to inflict justice upon his sister¡¯s killer. They would send Grynar to Obliterra for his crime, and he would live here, powerless and stripped of memories of his life for the rest of his days.


    That thought gave Toren pause. What if Grynar found Adreeahbenwah or some other fragile human? If he was capable of killing his own gentle wife, then what evil would he do to those living here?


    Toren was not a stranger to killing. He had fought for his homeland countless times, defending it from invaders and predators. Ridding both Sorsca and Earth of Grynar¡¯s evil seemed the patriotic thing to do. If killing Grynar meant forfeiting Toren¡¯s life, then so be it. Elina¡¯s murder would not go unanswered, nor would he allow Grynar to hurt innocent humans.


    Adria pushed through the door with two plates in her hands. One held some kind of smoky meat, and the other flat, breadlike discs. She set them down on a nearby chair. ¡°How goes the gadget?¡±


    There were shadows beneath her eyes that had not been there when they had first met. He wiped his hands on his pants and slid his thumb along one of her bruises. ¡°What caused this shadow? Are you ill?¡±


    ¡°No, just tired. Don¡¯t you guys get dark circles when you¡¯re tired?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Our power will falter and our hair becomes still.¡±


    She gripped a lock of hair between her fingers. It twirled its way around her hand and pulled her close. ¡°I¡¯ll never get used to that,¡± she said.


    ¡°You should rest if you are tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m more worried about you getting this thing done in time.¡±


    ¡°It is nearly complete.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve found everything you need. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Once the strands of copper you brought me are in place, the construction will be done. All that is left is activation, which will require water and a growing thing. We are surrounded by those. I will pluck one from the soil when the time to leave arrives.¡±


    Her body felt good pressed against his. She fit his frame, molding to his contours so easily he could almost convince himself that she¡¯d been made for that purpose alone.


    His device was nearly done. If his work was true, then a doorway home would open and he would walk through it.


    Never to see Adreeahbenwah again.


    She stared up at him, her dark eyes tugging at him. He tried to remind himself that the depth of the color was natural for her and had nothing to do with desire. Still, there was some instinct within him that rose up in answer to a perceived need, just as it would with a mate he had claimed as his own.


    ¡°You should eat while the food is still warm,¡± she said.


    He was more hungry for her than he was for food. Only the knowledge that she had worked to provide for him drove him to accept her offer.


    Toren released her and carried the food inside to where the chill would not reach her. He sat on the floor near the fire. She did not join him, but perched on the edge of the couch, her body tense, her expression uncertain.


    ¡°When will you leave?¡± she asked. There was an odd quality to her voice¡ªa false brightness she used to cover something deeper.


    ¡°After we eat.¡±


    She descended into silence, toying with her food, but never bringing any to her lips.


    ¡°Are you not hungry?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Not really.¡± Her voice shook, but she cleared her throat before continuing in a stronger tone. ¡°I¡¯ll go get that water you need and meet you outside. The sooner you go home, the better, right?¡±


    She did not wait for his response before she hurried away.


    Adreeahbenwah was right. The sooner he returned home, the better it was for his family. There was no reason to postpone the inevitable. Leaving her would only become more painful the longer he stayed.


    Toren found her staring out at the dark lake behind the cabin. The sun had set, and beautiful, rich reds and oranges in the sky cast a warm shimmer over the water.


    He wanted to touch her, but that act would have been selfish¡ªmeant to appease his need to feel her skin under his hand one more time.


    Instead, he went into the surrounding land and found a small, newly sprouted plant. Not much was growing as winter approached, but this single green spike seemed determined to make an appearance.


    He set the little growing thing, roots and all, inside the wooden bowl at the top of his structure. It was not nearly as elegant as his mother¡¯s work, but he felt the power inherent in its form. While he was better in battle, as his father had been, he hoped that some of his mother¡¯s skill with building had flowed into him.


    Adreeahbenwah watched as he poured water into the center bowl. If his design worked, then the water would spin the blades he had formed from the thin sheets of metal, sparking the device to activate and open a rift to his world.


    ¡°Stand back,¡± he said, looking at her one last time.


    Her dark eyes were dry, her spine straight. The soft line of her lips was pressed tight as if to keep herself from speaking.


    He did not want to leave her. Even considering such a thing was painful.


    Which could only mean one thing: Toren had grown to love her.


    He felt the power of that knowledge flow though him, shaking him all the way to his foundation. Loving a human should have been impossible. She lacked the magic to tie her to him. But she did not lack the power.


    Whatever Adreeahbenwah lacked, she was far stronger than he could have imagined. Even hindered by her home world, she still managed to weave herself into his being, binding them together. He hadn¡¯t felt it happen. He hadn¡¯t even realized it was possible. But she was there, lingering within him, as strong and steady and as much a part of him as the beat of his own heart.


    He wanted to bring her home with him and fit her into his life the way she fit so perfectly against his body. But that could not be. She was too fragile to survive in his world. Without magic, she would be in constant peril. She would be an outcast. Helpless. He¡¯d touched her mind deeply enough to know how much that would upset her. His Adreeahbenwah was too independent to ever want to lean on another for survival. Doing so would destroy something precious inside of her.


    Toren could not do that to her. He would rather suffer through his loneliness for her and know she was alive and well on Obliterra, than to sentence her to pain, fear and death on his world. He would take with him his memories of her, and hope that the pleasure they shared would lie warm in her thoughts¡ªthat she would remember him from time to time.


    Once he was gone, at least she would finally find the rest and peace she so desperately needed. She would go back to her life as he would go back to his.


    It was the only way. Toren accepted that even as it tore him apart from within.


    The device began to spin and shake. He felt power accumulating, as if drawing in a deep breath.


    ¡°Be well,¡± he said. There was more he wanted to say, but he held the words back, knowing they would only cause her pain. His love for her was not a gift he could give her¡ªit was a burden, another weight of grief he would put on her slender shoulders. Instead, he held in his feelings, content to take them with him as a secret, silent part of him.


    The blades spun faster. The shaking increased until the wooden boards beneath his feet trembled with power. Sparks of light radiated out from the core, making the silver sigil glow bright.


    Toren held his breath. A searing line of light began to split the air¡ªthe beginnings of a rift. He saw a brief flicker of his world¡ªof the bloodstained floor where Elina¡¯s body had lain. The narrow portal widened, revealing a sliver of Grynar¡¯s surprised expression as he walked through his home.


    His device was working.


    Excitement and the thrill of battle bubbled beneath Toren¡¯s skin. He had no weapons on him, but he would not need them to defeat Grynar¡ªnot with so much grief and determination to fuel his strength. His hands closed to fists and he tucked his chin down to charge the moment the doorway was wide enough for his shoulders to pass.


    And then the water flowing out of the holes he¡¯d carved into the wooden bowl ran out. The blades slowed. The line of light shivered and winked out, cutting off all signs of Sorsca.


    His device had failed.


    Disappointment and frustration dragged a rough growl from his chest. The urge to slam his fists into the device made his muscles clench, but he held back. He did not want her to witness such a childish torrent of emotion.


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Adreeahbenwah.


    ¡°Your world has no power. That is what happened.¡±


    ¡°Would a bigger bowl help?¡±


    ¡°No. The bowl was not the failure. The design was true, but there is no way to draw power from a place where none grows. Your sun barely has even a trickle. Obliterra is a magical wasteland.¡±


    ¡°But you got close, right?¡±


    ¡°Close, but not nearly close enough.¡±


    She laid her delicate hand on his arm, and all his anger simply trickled away. He could not be angry when she was so near¡ªhe could not take a chance that his anger would touch her in any way.

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    ¡°What about the sun?¡± she asked. ¡°You said our sun has some power, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A small trace.¡±Advertisement


    ¡°Can you try again when the sun comes up? Maybe it will be enough to make a difference.¡±


    Adreeahbenwah was right. He did feel more power under her sun. The device had nearly worked. Perhaps even a trickle of magic would be enough to allow the rift to complete. ¡°You may be right. We will try again in the morning. I will force my way through the rift if there is any chance I may fit.¡±


    ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t fit?¡±


    He considered lying to her, but tossed the notion away as a betrayal. ¡°I could fail utterly and I would be forced to stay here. Or I may be killed.¡±


    She bolted to her feet, a look of fear and outrage painting her sweet face. ¡°Killed? You never said anything about this being dangerous.¡±


    ¡°There is danger in all things, Adreeahbenwah. The danger of staying here, losing my family and letting my sister¡¯s killer go free is worth the risk of my life.¡±


    She bowed her head and turned from him. Even without seeing her face, he could feel a deep sadness radiating out from her. It shivered through her spine and shook her narrow shoulders.


    Toren went to her. He ached to see her smile again¡ªto know she was happy. He had caused her pain, and while he was unsure of how he had done it, he wanted to punish himself for the error.


    He gently turned her around to find liquid trembling in her eyes.


    ¡°Tell me what I did to injure you. I do not understand.¡±


    ¡°You act like it¡¯s no big deal to risk your life. Well, I happen to think it¡¯s a pretty fucking big deal. How will I even know if you made it home safely? It¡¯s not like you can just pick up the phone or send an email telling me you¡¯re okay.¡±


    She was worried for him. She would not have been worried for him if she cared nothing for him. This sadness¡ªthese tears¡ªwere proof of her feelings for him. And while he hated her suffering, a small, fluttering joy began to take flight within him.


    Toren cradled her face in his hands. ¡°I will be safe. You and I are connected enough now that you will know this to be true.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I touched your thoughts. I connected myself to you in both mind and body. Part of me dwells within you, just as part of you is now within me. You will know if I die. You will not have to question my safety.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great,¡± she said, though her tone belied the words. ¡°So now I get to be connected to a man I will never see again? Isn¡¯t it bad enough that you made me care about you? Do you have to make things worse by doing some magical mojo that will keep me from moving on with my life?¡±


    Toren had not thought of it that way. ¡°I have done nothing to you, Adreeahbenwah. Our connection simply happened.¡±


    ¡°Well, however it happened, you can make it unhappen, right?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I am sorry. That is power beyond my ability, even if I were at full strength on my own home world.¡± Perhaps his mother was strong enough, but she was utterly out of reach and unable to help.


    Adreeahbenwah stared up at him, a mixture of anger and grief shining in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to feel this way about you.¡±


    ¡°What way?¡± he asked before he could stop the question from flowing out of his mouth. It was selfish of him to push her, to demand more from her, but he had to hear the words. He had to know if he was floundering alone in this sea of emotion.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m missing something when you¡¯re not by my side. I went shopping for three hours and missed you the whole time. I¡¯m not needy, Toren. I don¡¯t like being made to feel that way. Especially if it¡¯s artificial.¡±


    ¡°Not that, love. Nothing between us has been false. Had we been in my world, I would have been able to control the pace. We would never have progressed past a point that we did not both want.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not on your world. We¡¯re on mine. And my life is already a huge mess. My job consumes most of my time, and while I¡¯m good at it, it¡¯s not what I want as the center of my universe. I never date. I¡¯m afraid to even look at a man for fear of losing him the way I did William.¡±


    ¡°Is that the man you lost¡ªthe one for whom you still grieve?¡±


    She nodded, her throat working as she struggled to find her voice. ¡°My husband. He died. I don¡¯t want to love another man the way I did him. It¡¯s too much of a risk.¡±


    ¡°Any man would be fortunate to accept whatever love you are willing to give.¡± Toren would take even the smallest sliver and consider himself lucky.


    ¡°You just don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want just any man. I want you, but like William, you¡¯re leaving, too.¡±


    The grief in her voice left him aching for her. He shared her desire to remain at her side, but that was not part of his future. Family, duty and justice all had to come before his own personal feelings. The people he loved would not survive without such discipline.


    Toren wanted to hold her close and offer what little comfort he could, but she shoved away from him and stood. Her fists were balled, her chest rising and falling too fast. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. The more you do, the worse it will be.¡±


    He could not leave her like this¡ªnot while she was angry and upset. ¡°Please. Let me hold you, ease you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Tears hovered in her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. Grief seethed within her, so palpable Toren could feel it even at a distance. The thought of adding to that grief by leaving tore him apart and left him shredded.


    But he could not stay. His duty had to come before the grief of one single human woman¡ªno matter how much that woman meant to him. If he stayed, he would forget his obligations and be happy, but he would do so at the expense of his parents and siblings. A vile killer would roam free to strike at the heart of another family, to lie and unjustly punish others for his own crimes.


    That was something Toren could not allow.


    His presence here was upsetting her. He could not yet leave, but he could not stay here and make her suffering worse. It was better to go out into the wilderness surrounding this place and cut his ties to her now. Before he no longer could.


    Chapter Seven


    Toren had been gone for hours. The cabin seemed empty without him. Or maybe it was just Adria that felt empty.


    She paced the braided rug in front of the fireplace, struggling to find some sense of calm. He¡¯d said he¡¯d be safe. He¡¯d said that he could protect himself against any wild animals that might happen by. His world was a dangerous place, and it was his job to ensure the safety of its inhabitants. The way he¡¯d said it told her that he knew his way around a dangerous situation¡ªnot that there was all that much out there to be afraid of.


    She¡¯d given him her favorite comforter from home to keep him warm. He didn¡¯t seem concerned about the cold, but she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him out there alone, shivering.


    A chilly rain began to fall, and Adria¡¯s fears gathered until they sat frigid and hard like ice in her stomach. It was well past midnight, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. Agitation grated along her insides, chafing her raw.


    What if he forgot again? What if he wandered off and got lost? Would he even remember to come back here? Would he remember that he needed to go home? What if he simply fell and hit his head?


    What if he died?


    The thought sent her into a flurry of motion. She could no longer hang around here and torture herself. She had to know he was okay. Whatever connection they had was not nearly enough to reassure her that he was safe.


    She hadn¡¯t thought to bring a raincoat, and an umbrella would get tangled once she was in the trees, so she slit a trash bag open and draped it over her head and shoulders.


    The solid weight of her flashlight brought her comfort, its trusty beam cutting through the darkness with ease.


    Thunder growled in the distance. Wet branches slapped against her cheeks. She waited for a break in the rumblings before calling out Toren¡¯s name.


    She didn¡¯t go far into the trees. She wasn¡¯t that stupid. She kept the lights of the cabin or the lake in sight as she made a large circle around the area.


    Her voice was growing rough from the strain of yelling. Despite the plastic bag, she was soaked from her feet to her thighs. Her face was nearly numb from the cold, and her hands were frozen into claws around the bag and the flashlight.


    ¡°Toren!¡± she yelled again, her voice losing its strength.


    ¡°Adreeahbenwah?¡± His deep, questioning tone cut through the thunder, sounding as sweet as church bells.


    She turned and saw him crouched under the low limbs of an evergreen. His eyes glowed pale blue within the shadows. He rose with slow, powerful grace, moving toward her.


    Relief swept through her, making her spine feel limp. He wasn¡¯t dead. He wasn¡¯t even injured. He was safe and whole.


    She didn¡¯t know how she was going to stand the fear of not knowing his fate once he left. If a few hours of not knowing made her feel like she was being torn apart, she would never survive the rest of her life not knowing if he was safe and happy¡ªeven if she did know he was alive.


    He leaned over her, his hair stretching out to shield her from the blowing rain. ¡°You should not be out here.¡±


    ¡°Neither should you. I was worried.¡±


    ¡°I told you I would be fine.¡±


    ¡°What if you forget again?¡±


    ¡°I will not. I have been concentrating as you instructed. A string of constant reminders flow through my thoughts so I will not lose hold of it. Elina¡¯s memory burns bright within me.¡±


    Until now. She¡¯d interrupted him all because she was too selfish to sit around and wonder if he was okay. What if he lost hold of his concentration because she was needy enough to force herself back into his presence?


    The wet chill sank into her bones. A shiver gripped her body, shaking it hard before it let go.


    His brow creased, but in this light she couldn¡¯t tell if it was anger or concern. ¡°You are cold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ll go back in and warm up by the fire.¡± She wanted to ask him to come with her, but he¡¯d made his decision to go the rest of the way alone. She cared enough about him to respect that, no matter how much it hurt to walk away.


    Adria cupped his face, soaking in the sight of him. ¡°Good night. Stay safe. Remember Elina.¡±


    She turned slowly, giving him every chance to stop her. He didn¡¯t. He stood silently behind her, letting her go.


    Walking away from him was a harsh punishment for her selfishness. Every step was harder than the last. She trudged through the mud, her shoes squishing with chilly water. Her clammy jeans clung to her legs, dragging against her chafed skin. Her fingers ached around the flashlight.


    She didn¡¯t dare turn around and look back, even after she was well out of sight. If she did, she worried she¡¯d rush back like some lovesick schoolgirl and beg him to stay.


    Toren was leaving. For good. The same way William had left. Now was as good a time as any to get used to being alone again.


    She would leave before dawn and make sure she didn¡¯t have to face him again. No more good-byes. With one last peek over her shoulder, and with only the empty crater looking back at her, Adria slipped back into the cabin.

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    A man stood in the kitchen, his pale bluish face twisted with anger. Harsh words she didn¡¯t understand were propelled from his cruel lips, stabbing her ears.


    ¡°Toren,¡± was the only word she caught as he stalked toward her.Advertisement


    His black hair fanned out around his head like a wild mane. He wore only a scrap of leather to hide his groin, and in his fist was a wicked, black blade, gleaming with evil intent.


    She¡¯d seen that blade before, in Toren¡¯s memories, only then it had been dripping with purple blood.


    Adria backed up, accidentally shutting the door behind her, trapping herself in with the man. He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into the solid wood. A mewl of surprise and pain squeaked from her raw throat, too low and quiet for anyone to hear.


    She felt a heavy sucking sensation flow through her mind as he pulled something from her. She tried to lash out with her hands and feet, but it was like kicking a monolith. He didn¡¯t even flinch.


    His red eyes brightened, boring into her. A sick smile of malicious intent curled his mouth. ¡°I have found him,¡± he said in halting English. ¡°You have served your purpose.¡±


    A heartbeat later, Adria¡¯s body was hurtling across the room. She saw the stone of the fireplace careening toward her, felt a jolting impact, and then¡­ nothing.


    Toren felt Adreeahbenwah¡¯s fear and pain as keenly as if it were his own. She¡¯d been unhappy and worried¡ªthat had eaten at him and made him fight the urge to go and ease her¡ªbut this was different. Something terrible had happened.


    Panic tore at him, shocking to life the dark and dangerous part of himself that he kept contained outside of battle. He charged through the trees, the wet branches biting at his skin. His power tingled in his fingertips, begging to be put to use.


    There was some reason he wasn¡¯t supposed to summon his power, but as he crashed through the forest, he could not think of a single reason why he should not incinerate whatever¡ªwhoever¡ªhad caused his sweet Adreeahbenwah¡¯s pain.


    As he neared the cabin, he began to feel a familiar presence. It was darker than he remembered, with streaks of malevolence tainting its surface. One of his kind. Masculine. Deadly.


    Grynar, the beast who had killed Elina. And now he was alone with Adria.


    A roar of defiance erupted from Toren¡¯s chest, dragging with it an edge of power. It blasted against the cabin¡¯s door, shattering it to splinters.


    Through the golden opening, he saw Grynar standing over Adria¡¯s body. She was crumpled on the floor, bright red blood leaking from her head. A sinister black thalac blade was gripped in Grynar¡¯s fist, poised to strike through his Adreeahbenwah¡¯s delicate skin.


    Rage, so dark and bleak it felt like the shell of a burned-out home, took over Toren¡¯s body, launching him at the man who¡¯d killed his sister. He had no weapon, but his power rose to his call, seething with eager anticipation.


    A bolt of black desolation shot toward Grynar, singeing away the flesh along his shoulder.


    Grynar screamed in pain. He left Adria where she lay, and stalked toward Toren.


    There was little magic left within him. He had no weapons. Grynar was a skilled warrior. But there was one thing he did not possess¡ªone power he would never have at his call: Love.


    Toren summoned his love for his sister, his family and his Adreeahbenwah. He let that power buoy him up and fill him with strength. It was for them that he would defeat this monster¡ªfor them he would rid the universe of the soulless creature standing before him.


    With the utter confidence of a man who knew the future, Toren stood there and waited for Grynar to charge.


    ¡°Why do you wait?¡± demanded Grynar. ¡°Come and fight me.¡±


    Toren said nothing. He simply watched as the anger and hatred chewed on the other man, eating him alive from the inside out.


    ¡°Shall I gut the whore the same way I gutted Elina?¡±


    Toren let the taunt slide over him, letting not a single flicker of emotion alter his calm expression. He backed up, moving outside so that there was no chance of Adria getting hurt again.


    ¡°Coward! I saw your failed attempt to come home. I thought you would want to fight me as a man, but now you run from me like a child.¡±


    Toren said nothing. He merely waited for Grynar¡¯s anger to defeat him.


    ¡°You thought you could come home and avenge Elina, did you not? You thought I deserved to die for what I did. But it was her fault. She provoked me. I warned her to stop, but she was always too unruly, too disobedient.¡±


    Words burned Toren¡¯s throat. He wanted to shout that Elina had done nothing to deserve her fate, but there was no point in wasting his breath. Grynar was twisted and rotted to the bone. There was no reasoning with a man like that.


    Finally, in the face of Toren¡¯s silence, Grynar¡¯s rage took control. He tucked his chin low, lifted the thalac blade and charged through the doorway into the rain.


    Toren had the advantage of shadows. He swept his shirt off, and as Grynar closed to melee, Toren twisted the wet fabric around the blade to divert it from his heart. The soggy shirt clung to itself, caging the sword that had killed his sister.


    From there, the course of the battle changed fast. Toren now had control of Grynar¡¯s arm, because his hatred would not allow him to let go of the weapon. Toren twisted the other man¡¯s arm until the bone snapped and he screamed in pain.


    That sound washed over Toren, leaving him unaffected. He found no joy in it, no satisfaction. It was merely an indicator of success¡ªone Toren was going to hear again.


    Grynar wrapped his massive hand around Toren¡¯s throat, squeezing hard enough to cut off his air. A flutter of fear rose up for a split second. And then he caught sight of Adreeahbenwah lying motionless on the floor, and the wisp of fear evaporated.


    Grynar was going to die, because it was the only way Toren could reach his sweet Adreeahbenwah¡¯s side.


    He found the gaping hole he had blown in the other man¡¯s arm and shoved his thumb into the wound. A torrent of purple blood flowed over Toren¡¯s hand. Grynar screamed again, only this time it was as much fear as pain coloring his voice.


    The fabric-covered blade wobbled in Grynar¡¯s grip. Toren wrenched it away, hearing broken bones grating against each other.


    Grynar tightened the hand on Toren¡¯s throat, but it was not going to be enough to alter the course of events.


    Toren reversed the thalac blade that had tasted the blood of his beloved sister and shoved it through Grynar¡¯s diseased heart.


    Grynar¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His grip on Toren¡¯s neck went slack. Slowly, he lost his strength and began to crumple to the ground.


    Toren stepped back and let him fall, feeling nothing but a sense of completion. No victory. No triumph. Only the vague satisfaction of having finished a job left undone for too long.


    He kicked Grynar into the crater as the man died. Then Toren turned and walked away, letting all thoughts of the other man fade from his mind. The only thing that mattered now was his fragile Adreeahbenwah.


    Toren hurried back into the cabin and fell to her side, gathering her up in his arms. Red blood stained her face and neck. She felt so small and delicate. Her head lolled limply over his arm, and the warmth had fled her skin.


    The gash on her head was deep. He could see bone beneath her gaping skin. Already a lump had formed, helping stem the steady flow of blood, but not stopping it. He pressed his hand to her heart, searching for its reassuring beat. It was there, but so faint he was not sure how long it would keep going.


    He did not know enough about human medicine to save her. All he had at his disposal was the last few sparks of power within him. If he spent them, all memories of his home and family would be obliterated. There would be no going home. He would not even remember he had a home to which he should go.


    Amazingly, the decision was an easy one. He loved Adria. Her life was more important than his memories. Now that Grynar was dead, his family was safe. Elina was avenged.


    For the very last time, Toren summoned his power. It flowed easily into his sweet Adreeahbenwah, as if it wanted to be a part of her.


    The gash on her head closed shut. The swelling shrank until there were no signs of it. Even the bruises along her skin faded.


    Her fathomless, dark eyes opened.


    Something inside his mind shifted as if a door had been sealed and locked. It did not matter. Whatever it was, it was not nearly as important as the woman in his arms opening her eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.


    He paused, unsure. ¡°You were hurt. You are better now, yes?¡±


    She nodded and reached for her head. Her fingers came away wet with blood.


    ¡°I closed your wound. We will wash the blood away and you will feel well.¡±


    ¡°I feel fine now. Who was that man?¡±


    ¡°What man?¡± asked Toren, feeling as though he should know what she meant.


    ¡°The one who threw me into the fireplace.¡±


    He brushed her hair away from her forehead. She needed to wash away the blood before it dried and caked in her soft hair. ¡°He is gone now,¡± said Toren, feeling the truth of his words, even though he wasn¡¯t sure how he knew. ¡°You are safe.¡±


    Toren carried her into the bathroom and made water flow through the overhead spigot. Once it was warm enough, he stripped Adria of her clothes and helped her climb under the spray. His own clothes fell to the floor in a squishy pile, covered in two colors of blood.


    The sight tugged at his mind, but nothing could tear his attention away from the beauty standing before him.


    She was silent and shaking, barely able to hold the soap. He took it from her and cleaned away all signs of blood, both red and purple. Once she was warm and clean, he tucked her into bed and crawled in beside her.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost dawn,¡± she said, as if that were supposed to mean something to him.


    ¡°You should rest.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wanted to be alone tonight.¡±


    ¡°Why would I want that when I can be by your side?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± she asked, tears shining in her eyes.


    She looked so troubled, he had to find a way to reassure her. ¡°I remember everything that is important. I remember that I love you.¡±


    Adreeahbenwah¡¯s eyes shut, squeezing out glittering tears. ¡°I love you, too. And that¡¯s why I will remember for you.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what that meant, but it mattered little. Once she rested she would feel better. All this talk of remembering would go away and he would make her smile again. Seeing her smile was the only thing that truly mattered.


    There was only an hour before sunrise, and Adria was going to use that to collect as many memories of Toren as she could. Once he was gone, she would grieve for him, but for now, he was here. He was hers.


    And he loved her.


    She hadn¡¯t realized how much that would mean to her until he¡¯d said the words. It made letting go of him harder and easier all at the same time. She was going to miss him, but she could take comfort in the knowledge that he was happy and safe at home, where he belonged.


    Adria wiped away her tears and rolled on top of Toren. His hands stroked down her back, leaving a path of warmth trailing behind them.


    She leaned down and kissed him, refusing to think of the future. For now, there was only the feel of his hard body beneath hers and the soft brush of his lips. The kiss was flavored with new love, so sweet and full of hope it nearly broke her heart. Each touch of his hand shimmered through her, giving her the strength she needed to get through what she knew she had to do.

 Page 13

    His body answered to her need, hardening and warming in a way that stole her breath. He kissed her head where her injury had once been. His lips moved over her temple, trailing down until he was suckling her breasts with such sweet pressure she thought she¡¯d collapse in on herself.


    Her fingers memorized the hot planes of his body¡ªthe shadowed valleys and hard ridges. She kissed and licked and nibbled wherever she could reach, tucking away the wild taste of his skin within her fondest memories.Advertisement


    He rolled her beneath him and entered her in a series of slow, gentle tugs of moist flesh on flesh. They fit together like perfection, gliding as one, letting the pleasure build until it was glowing hot and vibrant between them.


    Toren¡¯s body tensed around her, cradling her close as he came. The sound of his release, the feel of it pulsing within her sent her flying into shards of light and color.


    Slowly, she settled back to Earth like so much confetti, glistening and spent. The sun was peeking in through the window, warning her that their time was now at an end.


    Thinking about what was next would only slow her down, so she shoved her grief and sadness aside and thought only of the task at hand.


    She waited until Toren¡¯s breathing had evened out before drawing him from the bed. A false smile stretched her mouth, feeling like a cheap lie. ¡°Come with me. I have something I want to show you.¡±


    The smile he offered her in return was genuine, making the blue rings in his eyes expand and sparkle. ¡°Anything for you, my love.¡±


    She swallowed back her tears, turning away so that he wouldn¡¯t see a trace of them on her face. His future was firmly in her hands, and if he suspected that what she was going to do would hurt her, she feared he would stay. And if she let him stay, it would be the same as murdering the man he¡¯d been¡ªstealing from him those he loved.


    Clothes grated against her skin as she dressed. She watched him move, following her lead like a child eager for a present.


    She kept telling herself that this wasn¡¯t a betrayal. This was the right thing to do.


    Once her clothes were on, she felt more in control, stronger. She was doing this for the man she loved, and because of that, she would not be deterred.


    She led him onto the back porch where his device sat in near completion. He stared at it, frowning as if it struck some kind of chord. Maybe he remembered more than she¡¯d thought.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°It is pretty. Did you make it?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. I helped. It¡¯s only missing one piece. Stay here while I get it?¡±


    He watched her as she darted down the steps and began poking around the fallen leaves for something she could use. There, near the base of a tree, she found a single blade of new grass trying to survive the cold. Her mind lit up with recognition as she spied it, knowing it was the right thing to send him home. She dug around the grass with her fingers, pulling it up with a little ball of dirt and roots still attached.


    She cradled the shivering blade of grass in her palm, protecting it from the wind.


    ¡°What is that for?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the last piece.¡± She placed the grass in the bowl at the top of the sculpture. Sunlight bounced off aluminum foil, copper and silver and a variety of other items she¡¯d collected for him.


    ¡°Stand right here,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    She poured water from a pitcher into the bowl. It tipped the grass on its side and ran out through the holes Toren had cut into the bottom of the wooden bowl. Rivulets of sunlit water cascaded down along the aluminum ribs, making them spin as it passed. Their motion sped until the blazing glare of sunlight bouncing off of them looked like a continuous streak of silver.


    A subtle rumble shook the boards beneath her feet.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± asked Toren, sounding confused.


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± she shouted over the growing rumble.


    The symbol he¡¯d formed from her earrings began to glow the same color as the heart of a flame. Blue light poured out over Toren¡¯s body, instantly returning his pale skin tone to what it had been the night she¡¯d met him. Until now, she hadn¡¯t realized just how much his appearance had changed¡ªhow human he had begun to look.


    His jaw clenched, and a low groan of pain rose up over the noise of the device. He turned his head enough to look at her, and the moment he did, she saw recognition light his eyes. He knew who he was again. He remembered.


    She couldn¡¯t hear him speak, but she saw him mouth the words, ¡°Thank you, Adreeahbenwah.¡±


    The line of light widened out, consuming his body. Adria instinctively lifted her hand to cover her eyes from the glare. It heated her skin and tingled across her nerves, as though she¡¯d been standing too close to the strike of a lightning bolt.


    And then the light was gone. It winked out and the world went quiet and still.


    Even though she¡¯d prepared herself, seeing the empty spot where Toren had just been standing was a crushing blow. He was gone. Utterly gone. No phone, no mail, no way to ever see him or speak to him again.


    Just like William.


    She stood there for a long time, letting the tears fall. Wind sucked the warmth from her until she was shivering uncontrollably.


    Like a brainless zombie, she shambled into the cabin and collapsed in front of the fire. The heat warmed her skin, but did nothing to penetrate the icy core that had solidified inside of her.


    Toren was gone, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d ever be warm again without him.


    Chapter Eight


    When spring came, Adria took another vacation, much to the surprise of everyone who worked for her. No more selling her vacation back to the company. No more letting work consume her life. She had better things to do with her time than spend it in the office.


    She¡¯d spent the days after Toren left reshaping herself and her world. Grieving¡ªfor both of the men that she¡¯d loved and lost. Days spent filling in the crater, and nights spent crying and screaming had left her exhausted, but somehow cleansed. She¡¯d left that little cabin feeling stronger than she had in a long time.


    The ragged holes that grief had dug into her had finally healed over, and now every day was a gift she was determined to enjoy.


    She pulled up in front of the cabin where she¡¯d finally found peace. The crater in the front yard that had become Grynar¡¯s grave had been completely filled and reseeded. Mr. Corey had believed her lie that a bolt of lightning had done the damage she was unable to repair with the shovel and rake she¡¯d found in the shed. The lawn was perfect and green¡ªeven greener than the grass surrounding the patch.


    That¡¯s the way she felt inside¡ªas though the healing she¡¯d done had left her improved in some small way. The scars that were left behind were not ugly and blighted, but reminders that some people were gifts meant to be cherished for as long as they were in her life.


    She had returned to her life a stronger person, and in exchange for all of her suffering, Toren had given her the most precious gift of all.


    She would make sure that their son knew about his father and everything he¡¯d sacrificed for the sake of justice and the safety of his family.


    Adria grabbed her bags from the trunk of her car, and waddled up the stairs to start her two weeks of relaxation.


    Being here brought back memories, but instead of making her sad, they lifted her up and filled her with the love that had sprouted in this place.


    She pushed the front door open and saw Toren standing in front of a roaring fire, his feet braced apart, looking larger than life. She closed her eyes, fully expecting her hallucination to be gone when she opened them again.


    He wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I knew you would come back.¡± His voice sounded real enough¡ªdeep and musical, just like she remembered.


    Adria could barely find enough air to speak. ¡°Toren? Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Adreeahbenwah. I did not know how to find you, so I waited here for many days. The owner of this home found me and ordered me to leave. But when I told him of my love for you, and gave him diamonds for his help in finding you, he said you would come soon, and that I should wait here.¡±


    Diamonds? No wonder Mr. Corey had offered her a free week¡¯s stay out of the blue.


    She dropped her bags and launched herself at Toren, realizing too late that if he was only in her imagination, she was going to end up slamming into that stone fireplace again.


    Strong arms caught her and lifted her up. The solid heat of his body felt like coming home. His wild scent filled her head, bringing back a rush of bittersweet memories.


    She kissed him like it was the last time she¡¯d ever have the chance. Joy filled her up, threatening to make her burst as it buoyed her. He held her to Earth, his questing grip so strong and solid, she could almost fool herself that he¡¯d never let her go.


    Toren broke their kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. His hands found her firm, swollen belly under the loose sweater she wore. His eyes went wide with surprise and he pulled back.


    He shoved her sweater up, and fell to his knees, as if looking for some hidden trick. When he saw that the baby bump was one hundred percent real, he stared up at her, his mouth gaping and speechless.


    ¡°I know. Believe me. I was as shocked as you. I guess the pill doesn¡¯t work so well against magical sex.¡±


    ¡°A child?¡± he asked, his voice low and reverent. ¡°Our child?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But we did not plan for this.¡± He sounded more confused than anything, which made her wonder how he felt about the idea of being a father.


    She¡¯d made all the decisions on her own, assuming that¡¯s the way it had to be. She¡¯d never once considered what he might want. ¡°Nope, no plan, but sometimes the best things happen by surprise, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    His face split on a proud, happy grin. As he palmed her belly, his hand began to heat. ¡°This is proof that Obliterra is not completely devoid of magic. It grows within you even now.¡±


    Relief made her eyes burn with tears. She¡¯d never thought he¡¯d even know that he was a father, much less that he¡¯d find such obvious joy in the idea. Heaven knew she¡¯d been through a wide range of emotions after she¡¯d found out she was pregnant. It had shocked her, and taken her days to believe that she wasn¡¯t just dreaming. A child hadn¡¯t been part of her plans, but like Toren, she¡¯d grown to love their son within hours of knowing he existed.


    Seeing the look on Toren¡¯s face, she knew he would, too.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again,¡± she told him.


    ¡°I could not stay away. I scoured Sorsca for a way to come back, but it took some time.¡±


    ¡°How long can you stay?¡± she asked, knowing it couldn¡¯t be long¡ªnot without risking his memories. But she would be grateful for whatever time she could get with him and count herself blessed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste a second.¡±


    His eyes shifted from pale blue to deep purple. He stood and held up his hand, and on it was a ring gleaming with three crystals that seemed to glow from the inside. ¡°A gift from my mother once she heard of you.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡±


    He hesitated as though searching for the right words. ¡°She is skilled in such things. She intended it to be our wedding gift.¡±

 Page 14

    Adria wasn¡¯t sure she heard him right. ¡°Our wedding¡­ ?¡±


    ¡°If you will have me. The ring allows me to stay here and not forget. And it allows me to go home from time to time, so my family will not miss me too much.¡±Advertisement


    It sounded too good to be true¡ªall of it¡ªbut she¡¯d learned not to be held back by fear. The best things in life were worth the risk.


    A smile of pure joy lifted her mouth as her heart soared. ¡°If I¡¯ll have you? If?¡±


    A teasing light brightened his eyes. ¡°Let us reunite ourselves properly, and then we will discuss all the reasons why you should want to claim me as your own.¡±


    ¡°And just what does this proper reunion entail?¡±


    The smile he gave her was pure male conquest. ¡°Kiss me again and I shall show you.¡±


    She did, and in that kiss, she saw their future together stretching out in front of them, glittering with love, pleasure and more happiness than one word alone could hold.