Damned and Desired (27 page)

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151

Kathy Kulig

Sakari felt the dizzy sensation she usually experienced upon entering the portal. At one moment, she saw Dante beside her, the next, he had released her. She watched as he vanished into the void, spinning away into nothingness. Then she looked all around her. She too was spinning away in the opposite direction into nothingness. Blackness mixed with swirling grayness. She couldn’t tell which way was up or down. There was the sensation of movement, as if she was traveling fast. The portal had projected her into a new dimension
away
from Earth, not back toward it.
No!

Arms and legs flailing, she reached out for something, attempting to grab onto anything solid to stop herself from being flung into the void. She could not tell if she was falling or drifting.
Brad, I’m sorry.

A golden glow surrounded her mixed with a pulse of other colored lights, blues and greens and oranges and reds. The light was only around her. Was this the aura that Ambros had spoken of? Now she saw it. Not that it would do her any good. Soon the light remained but dimmed slightly. Was she dying?

Would she be trapped in this limbo forever? Panic set in. The light disappeared.

Blackness was all around her again. Not even the gray swirls could be seen anymore.

This was worse than execution. “Brad!” she screamed.

Then she hit something hard. Solid ground. The air rushed out of her lungs in an
ouf!
It was dark here. She smelled dirt.

Groaning, she tried to sit up and see where she was. Anartia? Earth? Or someplace else?

“Easy, easy. Not so fast,” Brad’s voice drew her gently up. “You had a hard tumble.

Let me make sure you didn’t break anything.”

“Ouch,” she said as he stretched out her arm.

“Not broken. A few scratches and probably some bruises.”

“Playing medic?” she asked in a teasing tone. She smiled, admiring him in his breechcloth fur. “You’re still wearing that?”

“I don’t play medic. And I haven’t got a change of clothes with me,” he said, then met her gaze. “I thought I lost you.”

His words stabbed at her heart. “I thought I was lost.”

He took her in his arms and kissed her hard. “I don’t want to ever see you walk into that thing again.”

“Let’s go. The ambulance just left with Haley. She’ll be all right. She looks like she had a touch of sunstroke. Out in the desert, hiking without proper precautions.

Happens a lot with tourists.”

“Will she remember Anartia?” Sakari asked.

Brad shrugged. “She’s coming around and can’t remember much. If anything it’ll seem like a bizarre dream. I told her she came out here looking for vortexes and had too much sun.”

“What did they say about your leopard fur?”

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Brad gave a short laugh. “I knew the guys through work. I told them it was a survival test my grandfather arranged. A Navajo thing. I think they bought it.”

Sakari smiled but the weight of what she just did seemed to suddenly hit her. She looked out over the desert and sighed. “I’m exiled here now.”

Brad pulled her into his arms. “No, you’re free now and you’re home.”

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A couple of days later, Sakari rose early from Brad’s bed and went out into his garden. The severe weather in Sedona had subsided after a couple days. She was stranded here for good, like a shipwrecked sailor of old times. A few Drones had once been such sailors, trapped and starving, near death when Zorian had rescued and assimilated them. What if Brad rejected her now, especially after she told him about the hiker she’d killed?

If he rejected her, she’d have to make her own way in this strange new world. She could do it. Her parents were free now. But what if she lost her job? She’d find a way to survive. What choice did she have?

“You okay?” Brad asked, reaching his arms around from behind and giving her a squeeze.

“I think so. This garden reminds me of Prygos.”

“Feeling homesick?”

“Feeling a little lost, maybe. Prygos isn’t home anymore and neither is Anartia. I wonder how long it will be until Sedona feels like home.”

Brad turned her around in his arms. “I think it will feel like home sooner than you think.”

She thought for a moment then frowned. She had to tell him now. “I have something to tell you, something awful,” she said.

He looked worried. “You’re not going back to Anartia.”

“No, I can’t. This has to do with when I first came here. An accident. My skills as a Drone were poor.” She looked up into Brad’s eyes and hesitated. There was no forgiveness for this and she knew he might walk away after she told him but it was a secret that she couldn’t keep from him.

“Tell me.” He took her hand.

She stepped away and clasped her hands together. “My first Kithra. I didn’t know how to stop in time. I killed him.”

He sighed. He didn’t say anything for a long time. “I killed my commander with my powers, because I didn’t know when to stop. It’s a wound that never heals, Sakari.

But one you learn to live with.” He held her close and kissed the top of her head.

She closed her eyes, mesmerized by the love she felt for this man and everything inside her relaxed. For the first time in centuries she felt safe and loved. His strength gave her the courage to let go of the past and face a mortal life.

“Maybe I can use my falcon form for something good.”

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“Have you retained your shapeshifting powers?”

“I haven’t tried yet.” She looked out beyond his property and focused on the hills several hundred yards away. “I still have the sight for great distances and I can detect the warmth from animals and humans.”

“With your skills, we could work together in search and rescues.”

She nodded. “I’d like that.”

“A number of tourists go out without proper equipment. The local search and rescue may not like our private assistance, but tough,” he said.

He walked her out in the middle of his garden. “I bought you something. This garden needs work, more plants but I found this statue I thought you might like.”

In a small clearing, surrounded by desert flowers was a small statue that looked like two Greek gods, a man and woman embracing. Their robes looked similar to the one she wore when they first met. “I thought they could represent your parents forever at peace together in their garden somewhere.”

Tears filled her eyes. “Yes, a garden is where they would be most happy. It’s perfect. Thank you.” She hugged him.

He held her face between his hands and kissed her. “I love you, Sakari.” The look in his eyes melted all the fears away.

“Love you too, Brad.”

“You’re welcome to live here with me. This can be your home. You don’t have to decide right away.” He stroked her cheek with his fingers.

“Ah, I have too much stuff in my apartment,” she said, smiling.

He laughed. “Yeah, you do. But I have room.”

“I think with you and Zeus I don’t need so many of the other things anymore.”

“Maybe not.”

“Sakari,” Dante called from the side of Brad’s house. Zeus ran up to him and barked. Brad called him back and the dog came running to his master’s side, sitting in a guarded pose.

“Good boy.” Brad petted him, then looked up at Dante, glaring at him. “She’s not going back.” He picked up his leopard fur draped over a patio chair. The tone in his voice said he’d fight him if he had to.

“Put your mind at ease,” Dante said. “I’m not here to bring her back. I’m here to warn her. Gwyllain thinks she’s dead, lost in the portal between dimensions. Valdon, Zorian and John Reilly may be a threat to you if they find you.”

“But I can shift quickly and fly away.”

Dante laughed. “Oh, did I forget to tell you?”

“Tell me what?” she asked.

“Try to shift. You’re mortal. You cannot shift, you cannot drain bio-energy from mortals and you will die like any mortal in time.”

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“I don’t feel different,” Sakari argued. “I can still see great distances and feel the warmth of animals far away.”

Dante shrugged. “So, you may have some powers but you cannot shift. Try.”

She removed her clothes, not feeling shame in front of Dante and attempted to shift.

She looked at Brad and sent him thoughts of removing his pants and sucking his cock, then straddling him and fucking him. Dante laughed.

“I can’t shift and he’s not picking up my thoughts!” She slipped her shorts and tee shirt back on.

“I am, very hot,” Dante said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Brad frowned and glanced from Sakari to Dante. “What did I miss?”

“I can’t harm him?” She was smiling.

“Nope.” Dante grinned. “I’m leaving. Do not return to the portal. It would not be safe for you. Tarik said he’ll need other Sha Warriors beside Brad and Haley, so you should be safe for now.” He turned and left.

“I still don’t trust that guy,” Brad said.

Sakari gave Brad a look and all kinds of sexual thoughts passed through her mind and the odd thing was she couldn’t pick up one thought of his.

“What? You’re giving me a strange look.”

“Let’s go inside and I’ll show you what I’m thinking.”

“Okay.”

When they got inside, Brad stopped her in the kitchen. “Hang on, I almost forgot. I have another surprise for you. I picked it up while you were at work.”

He led her into the garage and there was her red Mustang repaired and freshly painted. She yelped and jumped up and down. “Brad!”

“I can’t give you your wings back but I can give you your wheels back. Told you my buddy in the body shop does good work.”

“This is much more fun than flying,” she exclaimed as she drew him over to the hood of the car and pressed him against it. His mouth quirked into a smile and she lightly brushed her lips over his, teasing him. His lips parted and she ran the tip of her tongue between them but didn’t kiss him yet. A soft groan escaped him and his hands slid up her hips.

“What? What are you doing?” he asked.

Her tongue dipped inside his mouth, this time her lips pressed against his and he sucked in a breath. A strong sensual pull caught her lower abdomen and she pressed her mound against his already hard shaft. “Want you,” she breathed against his lips.

Opening his mouth, he came down in a crushing kiss and took her breath away, making her lean against him. They kissed for a long time. Her skin tingled and her heart pounded wildly in her ears. He ground his hard cock against her pussy. He was hard enough to fuck. Best of all, this time she wouldn’t have to stop.

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“Strip.” She tugged on his shirt, unzipped his pants, then quickly removed all her clothes.

“Nothing is holding me back now.”
Was there?
She remembered how he tasted and wanted that too. She pressed him back against the car.

“Yes.” He grasped her hands and pulled her toward him but she slid down his body, very slowly and took his cock into her mouth. He groaned and leaned on the hood of the car. “We’re going to smudge your wax job.”

“Don’t care.” Her tongue licked down the side of his shaft, then she deep throated him. Brad sucked in his breath. She worked him, running her tongue and mouth up and down his cock until she felt his body quivering. She glanced up at his face to see if he was enjoying what she was doing. Making love like this was so strange and so wonderful. Before she could read her Kithra’s mind but now she couldn’t sense anything.

“God, that’s so good.”

“Is it? I can’t read your mind anymore.”

He gave a short laugh. “Trust me. It’s good.” Hooking his hands under her shoulders, he lifted her up and pulled her on top on him. “Too good as a matter of fact.

Need to slow down a bit.”

Standing, she moved into his arms again, feeling his hard cock pressed up against her pussy. He picked her up and her bare ass landed on the cool metal of the hood.

Gently, he pressed her back so she was lying down. Spreading her legs, he slid her bottom toward the edge of the car. His hands claimed her breasts and his mouth clamped over her pussy. Multiple sensations of pleasure surged through her and she let go, not concerned about drawing in energy or worried about coming. She could climax without fear now and would very soon.

“Don’t come yet,” Brad ordered, while his tongue lapped at her swollen clit.

“Hmmm.” Did she dare come? Had all her powers left?

He moved his tongue away from her clit and she groaned disapproval. “Make it last.”

She rolled her hips up, trying to meet his mouth. “Please,” she said, begging for release but fearing it too.

“Not yet.” With one hand, he slipped between her legs and slid a finger inside her cunt. “Hmmm. You’re wet.” His tongue and lips worked her clit again.

“Yes, don’t stop this time.”
It was safe, it had to be.

“Not yet. I promise you when you come, it’ll be amazing.” He withdrew his finger from her. “I don’t have any condoms in the garage.”

“Hmmm. Now that I’m mortal, I suppose that’s more of an issue.”

He slipped his arms underneath her and picked her up. “O-kay, the Mustang has been christened. Now for the bed.” He carried her through the house into his bedroom and laid her on the bed. Straightening, he gave her the opportunity to see every hard 157

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muscle and curve of him, then he stretched out beside her, his body pressing close. The warmth and strength of him sent her onto the next level of eagerness, of desire she never knew she could feel.

Her body ached to have his weight on her, feel his thickness inside her. “I want you deep in me,” she said in a hoarse voice.

“You will.” He got between her legs again. The man was going to drive her mad.

Lifting her legs over his shoulder, he spread her wide as he lapped at her pussy, teased her clit with his tongue. “Come for me.”

She struggled beneath him and pushed him away. “What if Dante’s wrong? I never did trust him.”