Fire's Touch (The Enlightened Species Book Three) (37 page)

His news for Stacey wasn’t any better.

Sargon joined their group, pissed off and frustrated. “The new Tenor boys have given us the location of a few more places. Let’s get this place cleaned up and cleared out. I’ve got units descending on the sites right now to gather recon.” His deep voice seemed weary. Truthfully, Conlon wanted to get back to Stacey, but this was part of his duty.

Several days later, the island looked like it had been cleared of trees rather than occupied. All the remnants of buildings had been taken to the bottom of the sea. Fresh, unmarred soil mined by the Tellus was layered over the area and planted with new trees and indigenous greens; in a year no-one would have any clue this island had ever been occupied, let alone housed something evil.

Conlon walked the edge of the former compound one last time.
Waaaaaa
. The baby’s cry floating to him was cut off like a hand placed over a mouth. He lifted his face to the trees and saw a flash of movement.

He wasn’t the only one who heard it, as proofed by the others flanking him silently into the heart of the forest. A small, sad, makeshift camp sat in a small clearing. Dirty females with terrified faces greeted them.

“Call in the healers.” Conlon spoke quietly to the others behind him as he lifted his hands palms out. “We’re here to help you, ladies. Don’t be afraid.” The expressions of fear deepened and a few of the females made a break for it with warriors right on their heels.

His niece Irsu stepped under his shoulder and wrapped her arms around Conlon’s waist, showing no fear. “He’s telling you the truth. This is my Uncle Conlon, and I swear to you as a female and as a mother … we are here to take you somewhere safe. A place where you can live your lives on your terms.”

Conlon had never been more proud of his niece.

****

Greyton searched the school for DeeAnna. Why hadn’t she come to greet him and the warriors of her school when they returned? The sound of her mourning replayed over and over in his mind, breaking his heart more than she already had years ago. Where was she? His eyes were drawn up to an iceberg floating over the surface. Small, webbed toes on delicate feet dangled into the sea. Partially extended, relaxed fins floated from either side of her calf muscles like seaweed.

Greyton lunged toward the surface, the sound of soft crying reaching his sensitive hearing and constricting his chest even before his head broke through the small waves above.

DeeAnna sat under the sun with her face in her hands. The amethyst waves of her hair cascaded down her back and pooled around her. Most females no longer let their hair grow longer than their height. DeeAnn’s would trail several feet beyond the length of her body when she swam. He remembered the rich, silken feel of the strands wrapped around his entire body during the spiral dance.

She’d given him every indication that she wished him to be her spawn partner. But when the spawn season came … she never did. He’d waited and waited only to learn that DeeAnna and Dean had left their school in favor of the barely civilized one in Antarctica. No message or explanation … just gone. She hadn’t even reached out to him when Dean was captured.

“You didn’t find him.” She posed it as a statement.

Of course, she already knew Greyton had failed … otherwise Dean would be with him. “He wasn’t in Haiti, but we’ve identified other possible places he might be.”

She lifted her face from her hands, the whites around her purple-colored irises bloodshot and tear tortured. “Because of me, he’s weakening, Greyton. I don’t think he can hang on much longer.” Her voice cracked with emotion.

Greyton couldn’t take it. He gripped her ankles and tugged her into the water, wrapping his arms around her and cupped her head to the curve of his shoulder. He swore he’d never give her another chance to hurt him, yet in the face of her pain he found himself powerless.

With their bodies and fins swaying, meshed in the currents, he could feel every weeping tremor coming off her as if it were his own. “DeeAnna.” He lifted her chin with his fingers only to find himself lost in her eyes. “Have you fed?”

Keeping herself strong and healthy was the biggest thing she could do for Dean. No doubt her paired sibling had already tapped into their emotional bond to stay alive. She dropped her eyes with shame. “I try. I can’t keep anything down.” That explained the translucence of her skin and the dark circles under her eyes.

Greyton cursed under his breath. He intended to ask, “Are there no single-birthed you could feed from?” He cringed when “Are there no
female
single-birthed you could feed from?” slipped past his lips instead.

All Aquaties needed to feed at the vein of another every few months to remain healthy. Dean had been taken more than a year ago. Without blood to aid in extracting the nutrients and minerals of everything else she ate … DeeAnna would die. Paired siblings usually only fed from each other, but the rare single-birthed pooled together like a community unto themselves, a sub-culture found in nearly all schools.

“I … just can’t. I’ve fed from Reesa but …”

It made her sick, Greyton understood. Her digestive system was used to the blood of her brother to the exclusion of anything else. “Feed.” Greyton dropped his head, exposing his jugular vein.

“What? NO!” DeeAnna tried to push at his chest, but he could see her second row of small, razor-sharp upper teeth starting to move forward, forcing the row of larger regular teeth to lift into her gum line.

Greyton lifted his hands to gently cup her cheeks. “Yes. You need to feed. Please, DeeAnna, do if for Dean. You are his only source of strength right now emotionally.
When
we find him, he will need you to be strong enough to feed him. You can’t do that in this condition.”

He reminded himself it was for Dean too, especially the part of his body that took on a pulse of its own at the thought of her feeding from him. Which didn’t make sense … there was nothing sexual about it. If DeeAnna was this ill and weak, no doubt Dean was barely alive. Paired siblings drew off each in a unique way.

Her tiny, shark-like teeth sent a rush of desire though him. Her expression held reservations. “You won’t get offended if I vomit?”
Like Reesa did?
She didn’t need to say it; the mortification in her eyes told the tale. Vomiting the lifeblood of another would be thought of as rude in their culture.

“I’ll expect you to. No surprises here, okay? It’s just you and me … no one needs to know what happens. If even a drop of my blood remains in your system, it will help.” Greyton rubbed the softness of her cheeks beneath his thumbs.

Her gaze dropped to the pulse at his neck and then met his pleadingly. Greyton dropped his head again, exposing his neck, and tucked his arms behind his back so she wouldn’t feel forced in any way.

Her hands on his shoulders felt feather light. The brush of her upper lip tentatively sought the small dip of flesh just above his pounding artery as her lower lip attached below it. He felt the draw of suction sealing her mouth to his skin and then the small pinpricks of her front four teeth perforating his carotid. Her teeth lifted and her tongue lapped at the blood seeping out. Greyton closed his eyes; this felt nothing like Greycia … it felt intimate.

He tried counting dolphins in his mind, replaying the raid of Haiti, anything to pull his thoughts away from the urge to bury his manhood deep inside her. Her hands gripped his shoulders. Was she getting sick? He held his breath, waiting for it. Instead he felt her prick his rapidly healing artery a second time and her suction increased, the lap of her tongue beating at his skin voraciously. They floated horizontal and her body relaxed against his, letting him support her weight, trusting him. Slowly he brought his arms around her waist, keeping his hold light.

When his artery healed the second time, she released her suction. Rather than swimming away to be sick or even pulling away for space, she laid her cheek to his chest and let out a soft purr of contentment.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

Huh?
Greyton tried to remember if he’d ever been rude to her. It was possible. He’d been such a fucked up arrogant punk at boarding school. Hell, he still was an arrogant prick. Fates. Was that why she didn’t come to the spawning? Why she migrated to Antarctica?

“I like you DeeAnna. But, I know I can be a complete ass sometimes.”

“Greyton … I don’t want to stay here,” she whispered.

He kissed the hair on top of her head. “Where do you want to go?”

“Do you think the SOSC would let me be a part of the group looking for my brother? Could I … come with you?” She lifted her face to his, with her chin planted on his chest.

He swallowed and nodded. “What about Reesa and Roark?”

“I told Reesa I want to swear allegiance to the SOSC already. She understands that the SOSC and you are the best chance Dean has to be saved.”
Was that the only reason?
Greyton felt another chunk of his heart being ripped to shreds.

He doubted DeeAnna owned even a bathing suit. The girl was a lab geek, just like her brother. Could she handle living in the symbiotic world among humanity and the other enlightened? Deal with Greyton’s warrior/assassin aggressive nature? And what about Greycia’s modern thinking? Maybe the change was exactly what DeeAnna needed … whether they found Dean or not.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“He’s here.” Meg ducked her head into Stacey’s office.

Stacey’s heart pounded in her chest.
He’s here.
The wet Seattle morning had given way to a warm afternoon. Sunlight filtered into her office. Drawn from what she was doing, Stacey’s gaze sought the framed pictures on her desk.

She swallowed the lump of excitement in her throat and returned her attention to the large monitor on the wall. “Michael, make the announcement that Winkel Holdings’ headquarters is relocating to Mesa, Arizona at the end of the fiscal year. Determine which of the management and staff is willing to make the move. Security is already aware and every member is onboard, so just deal with your people and get back to me.”

Returning to her life in Seattle had been difficult, but with Conlon and most of the people she’d grown close to on the SOSC mission to raid Haiti, her bitch runneth over. Staying busy and spending time with Johnny had been her only sanctuary.

Stacey had gone over every detail of the new building plans for Winkel Holdings and the construction of the SOSC daycare facility she was funding within the campus. Plus, there was her and Conlon’s new home and the entire outbuilding layout that would go with it on a hundred acres adjacent to the land owned by the SOSC. Her nannies would have small, private homes as well as a room in the main house for their night shifts. Security and staff would also have private living areas. Conlon was gifting Mick and Mattie his current home.

Contractors, architects, and engineers from every species and from all over the world were amassed in Arizona right now, yet Stacey couldn’t spend another night in Conlon’s bed without him.

“Well, let me assure you, Ms. Winkel, I am fully onboard.” Michael’s voice made her realize her mind had wandered … again.
Damn it
.

“I’m cutting this meeting short … my husband just returned from a trip.”
He’s home!

Michael gave her a confused look. “I’m sorry, Ms. Winkel, but did you just say husba—” She turned off her computer, cutting him off with a smile. Conlon was her bloodmate, not that Michael could ever understand.

She could hear voices in the foyer getting louder, feel the ripple of the protective energy weave as more people showed up, yet lifting from her chair to go out was beyond her.

Her door opened without a knock and Conlon stepped in. She feasted on his features. Dark hazel eyes and a quirked-lip grin … Stacey flew around her desk into his open arms. His kissed the curve of her neck and buried his hand into her hair, holding her tightly, telling her without words that he was glad to see her too.

Tender, light kisses danced up her cheek, her eyelids, the tip of her nose. Then, with a growl of need, his lips found hers. Stacey opened to her bloodmate. As their tongues tangled, she poured her love for him into their powerful bond. It mingled with the unbelievable depth of his love for her. Desire ricocheted between them and passion swept her away.

Conlon lifted from her kiss with a hiss between his dentes. “Fates, I’ve missed you.”

Stacey winked at him. “Then you should have gotten your ass home sooner.”

“Get used to it, heiress. I’m a warrior—missions come with the territory.” He kissed the tip of her nose as she felt how desperately he’d truly missed her flow through their bloodmate bond.

“How did it go?” Her hands flew over his body checking for injuries.

He lifted her chin with his fingers. “I’m unhurt, Stacey. The island was all but abandoned before we got there. The soldiers had burnt everything to the ground. All the soldiers we encountered where executed without a single loss on our side. We extracted eight females and several children left on their own, probably to die.”

Stacey searched his face, pushed at his mind for what she needed to know. “Is she …?”

Conlon hooked his arm over her shoulder. “Come on, I have a surprise for you.”

The foyer opened up as they reached the end of the wide hall beside the curving stairwell. Cassie, Hans, Irsu, Shane, Jess, Umbrae, Enlil, Greycia without Greyton, Eros, Aymee … hell,
everyone
was here. Hawk and Scotty stood behind Mick a few stairs up. Mick beamed with happiness. He had Johnny in one arm and the other wrapped around Mattie.

A hush fell over everyone and the group parted. Stacey’s eyes flooded with tears. Near the door was Alto with his back to her; sitting politely at his feet were three hound dogs. “Alto.” Stacey whispered. Conlon had brought him to her.

Alto gave her an ecstatic smile over his should and slowly turned. A bundle of pink, fluffy blanket was in his arms. “Surprise,” Conlon whispered in her ear.