I Dated Dark Resonance, page 2
Xeva stared at him in surprise. “Aren’t you too young to be talking like that?”
“You are really hung up on my age, huh?”
“Well, now that I can see your face, I feel distinctly old.”
“You are six years older than I am. It isn’t the end of the world. How old is your sister in relation to Dmitri? Yes, I have been lurking and listening before I triggered you. She is thirty-five years older than he is. At least. I have gone through all mentions of the Blade of Uradda. Estimating that they began to use her when she was sixteen, she is at least sixty-five years old. Which bears the question, how are your siblings?”
Xeva looked out across the ocean. “It’s complicated, and you are stalker-level interested.”
He hugged her. “You have not been around many active males, have you? When we know, we know. Then, we have to go about convincing our lady.”
“Some of the ladies like a variety of active males. Very active.”
“And yet, you were not interested in a variety. If the male was attentive, you were content to be exclusive.”
“I am beginning to regret those questionnaires.” Xeva sighed. “Can you haul me back to bed, or should I start crawling?”
He sighed. “I will bring you back. I didn’t mean to stress you; I just wanted privacy. Leaf has exceptional hearing.”
“We have talked.”
He nodded and got up without dusting the sand off. She felt a vibration and saw sand scatter around them.
They didn’t talk on their way back. He settled her in bed and said, “Did you want to sit up?”
“No. I think I need to rest a little.”
He held her and removed the stacked pillows, helping her to lie down. He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and left the room. She closed her eyes and pulled her legs up. It was time to get her body under her control before it ended up under Jeron’s again.
Chapter Two
Xeva rested. Every time she woke, she brought her knees up and then pushed them straight. She had to get her body under control again, and then she would be able to find out how to get home. She was weak, but she hadn’t had anything other than water in a few days, so it was to be expected.
She pushed herself upright in the evening and slowly lifted one leg at a time. It was jerky to start with, but she got things going until she nearly collapsed.
Leaf knocked and said, “You didn’t call, so I was wondering if you needed anything?”
“Water, soft food, juice. Please?”
“Oh! Jeron said he was going to take care of that.”
“He and I had a disagreement. We are both a little less enthralled at close range.”
Leaf looked sad. “That is too bad. He was always so happy when he came back from one of your dates.”
“Prior to the last eighteen months.”
“No, even last month, he came home whistling and played with our siblings for hours.”
“Siblings?”
“Yes, he’s the oldest of six. He set up the schools and the hospital, and when the local community needs something, they come to him. Our dad died five years ago, and he had to take over being our protector. When he started to go on dates three years ago, he lightened up. The weight of everything had been pressing on him, and then, suddenly, he was smiling. I understand what you were to him, but what happened?”
“From my side, he did something dangerous, and my work put me in the path of it. I was badly injured, and my body fights healing, so I have been in pain for eighteen months. I didn’t know it was him I was on the dates with. He saw my face; I never saw his.”
Leaf’s eyes widened. “Oh, that explains it. Holy hell. Well, I will get you the food. Are you feeling stronger?”
“I am getting control over my body. I have been injured before but not from the brain out. It’s different.” She smiled. “Everything is faster and slower at the same time.”
“I will be right back.” Leaf left.
Xeva reached for the bedside table and pushed herself to her feet. Her feet slid forward as she took her step with her legs stiffened. She took a few more steps and ended up leaning in the doorway, breathing hard. Leaf returned with Jeron behind her, and Xeva locked gazes with her. “Yay. I am up.”
Leaf’s hands were shaking.
Jeron said, “You need to be back in bed.”
Xeva sighed and turned around, walking slowly back to the bed. Jeron extended his hand, and she ignored it, carefully moving until she bumped into the bed, pivoted, and sat down. “Well, that’s one out-of-bed excursion.”
Jeron frowned. “You are pushing yourself too hard.”
“I push harder with broken limbs. I still get up and go.”
He frowned. “You have been injured in the line of duty? I mean, aside from the explosion.”
“Dozens of times. Broken bones, cuts, those are nasty, but crush injuries are the worst for me.” She chuckled and looked at him. “I am surprised you are still here. I am no longer considered an active. It was only our previous association that had me remaining on the BDC roster.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“So, just mail me home, and I will be out of your hair.”
Jeron calmly said, “No. That isn’t happening. You aren’t running.”
“I really want to, but my legs aren’t up for it. Water? Juice?”
He snorted, sat next to her, scooted into the middle of the bed, and then lifted her to sit between his thighs. It was a position they had sat in during picnics. He had wrapped himself around her, and they had laughed as they made their way through the basket. He was big on licking what ended up on her.
Leaf was smiling. “There is water, juice, and a rice bowl.”
Jeron nodded. “Great. She’ll have food and a shower. I will clean the bed, and then she will rest until the morning.”
Xeva snorted. “Someone is bossy.”
“I am in charge of this side of the island. You are on this side of the island; therefore, I am the boss of you.” He kissed her neck and steadied her hand as she reached for the glass of juice.
She took a few sips through the straw and slowly set the cup down. Chopped, marinated fish on a bed of rice filled the bowl. There was a spoon, and Xeva inhaled slowly. “Right. I can do this.”
“I will hold the bowl; you wrangle the spoon.”
“I am hoping you know how to use a broom because this is going to be ugly.”
“I can manage a cleanup. Now, start eating. We need to get you a bath.”
She laughed. “Fine. Here goes.” She scooped up a modest amount and leaned forward to catch it in her mouth. He supported her so she didn’t go face-first into the lunge, and he chuckled when her next bite resulted in chipmunk cheeks.
Thankfully, the bowl was small, and eight scoops emptied it. She sipped at more juice and thudded her head back against his shoulder. “That was harder than getting up.”
He chuckled. “I am glad you managed it. Now, shower or bath?”
“Which requires less help?”
“The bath, but it takes longer.”
She sighed. “Shower then.”
“Hooray.” He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. He stood up and carried her to the shower.
The sheet dropped, and he inhaled sharply but moved the fabric away and showed her the hand grips, giving her stability as she centred herself in the shower. “I am not saying a word.”
He chuckled. “Really? No questions about it?”
“Nope.”
He ran the water, and when he activated the spray, a dark swirl of energy diverted it until it was warm. The rain fell over her, and she shuddered as her body enjoyed the sensation. Jeron got some shampoo and worked it through the heavy fall of her hair. He got a handheld wand and rinsed it then conditioned her hair before he washed her.
Jeron spoke quietly, “I am not trying to force you into anything.”
She sighed. “I know. You and I have very different and yet similar motivations.”
He chuckled. “I just want what is best for my people.”
“I just need to repay Aksalla.”
He paused while he rinsed off the conditioner. “Why?”
“They took me in, and then they took in so many other Uraddans. Paying them back with service was offered to me, so I took it as soon as I finished training.”
“How old were you?”
“Eighteen. I finished my schooling and went straight to team orientation. My activation is unique, so they wanted me where folks could see me. The projected armour made sure that only other team members could see me and only when I wanted, and I could use hard armour for public stuff.”
He moved behind her and ran his hands down her spine, up again, and then he rubbed her shoulders.
“Leaf told me about your father.”
He paused and then continued to massage her spine as water coursed over her, and she hung on to the grips on the wall in front of her. “What did she tell you?”
“That he had passed defending the island.”
“That is accurate.”
“You have a lot of siblings?”
“We are a family with six kids. It is pretty standard for the island.” He chuckled. “We don’t get a lot of entertainment channels.”
She snickered. He washed her back and rinsed her one more time. He turned the water off and wrapped her in a towel. Another towel was wrapped around her hair, and he lifted and carried her into the bedroom again.
There was a pile of clean bedding, and he held her while shadows stripped the bed, balled up the sheets, and then put the clean bedding down.
“That’s handy.” She admired the efficiency. “You could make a killing in hotel housekeeping.”
“I will keep that in mind. Now, I am going to brush your hair and then tuck you in.”
She sighed. “I didn’t know you liked playing with hair.”
“I thought it a little too intimate for our previous association.” He was smiling. She could hear it.
“Right. Glad you drew the line somewhere.”
He sat on the bed and settled her on his lap. A hairbrush manifested in his hand, and he worked from the bottom up.
“I always wondered at the length of your hair.”
“The Uraddan researchers kept shaving my head so that the tattoo was readily available. There were more like me, but they all died.”
“How many were there?”
“Twenty-six. I was the only survivor. Turns out the researchers were shit at their jobs.”
“Were you born in the lab?”
“Sort of. I was made in the lab. Nelith is my progenitor.”
“Are you just saying that?” He paused.
“No. I am a clone. Maker’s mark is on my skull. There is no getting away from it. It’s why I get such fun assignments. They were pissed when I didn’t develop the blade that Nelith has, but my horse came in handy.”
“You don’t look the same as Nelith.”
“Genetics can be completely random. I am made of the same stuff as her, but in me, it came out different.” She chuckled. “Technically, the activity is the same, but I choose a different way to manifest it. Nelith manifested as a child while trying to learn to bake with her mom and sister. She was slicing apples with her fingertips when a neighbour turned her in.”
“How did you manifest?” He resumed brushing.
“I held it in until I escaped. I had seen images of horses, and they looked so fast, so I wanted to have one. That is my manifestation. The armour also came from images I was shown, but that was later. Sympathizers unlocked my cage, and as soon as I got to the road, the horse appeared under me, and I was off. We galloped down the road, past checkpoints and everything. When I got to the border, someone was waiting.”
He paused and wrapped his arms around her. “If I had been there, I would have gotten you out.”
She chuckled. “You were in your early teens. I was seventeen.”
“I had already activated. I would have come for you.” He hugged her.
Xeva reached and then put her hands over his. “Thank you.”
He kissed her shoulder and went back to brushing her hair.
When he was done, she said. “Thank you. I understand if my origin is appalling. You have a solid family, and the idea of clones is a little freaky for most people. Thanks for not saying that I am not a real person. I got that a lot in training.”
He turned her on his lap. “You are a person. You are my person. I also have seen you with Nelith, and you definitely have a family. You have a sister.”
She nodded. “Thanks.”
“So, you picked a horse because you saw a video?”
She nodded.
“Good thing you didn’t see a whale.”
“It would have taken longer to get through the gate.” She smiled.
“I would like to kiss you, but we are no longer under contract.”
His features were so serious that she waited for a few heartbeats before she said, “I haven’t kissed anyone outside of a contract before. I wouldn’t mind trying.”
His brows nearly met as he frowned. “What?”
Insecurity flashed through her. “Uh, never mind. I suppose I should get back to bed. I am tired.”
“You like to run, don’t you?” His expression was sweet all of a sudden.
“Not really, but it does save me from uncomfortable moments.” She looked at the stack of books that Leaf had brought. “Oh, look. Books.”
He stroked her cheek to get her to look at him. When she turned her head, he leaned in and kissed her with the kind of kiss she had read about in tales of knights and ladies. It was sweet and devoted, and she felt cared for and wanted. It was a bit of a fairy tale, but it felt nice.
When he lifted his head, she smiled. “I will try and get a grip on myself and get back to Aksalla as soon as I can use my activation again.” She paused. “If I can. I don’t want to interfere with your life here. I am sure that Nelith and Dmitri can put me in a corner or something if not.”
“You are not interfering. I am happy to have you here. My family is excited as well.”
“Why? I know that Leaf is keen, but that is just sister stuff.”
“Because I have told them about you in very general terms. Since I found out who you were, I have been flicking back and forth to keep tabs on you. Watching you playing with those babies nearly did me in.”
“I couldn’t even pick them up. They had to be put on my lap.”
“None of your companions minded, and the babies loved you.” He smiled.
“They just wanted to be held.”
“Who was the teenager you were speaking to?”
“Khytten’s natural daughter. She’s a seer and wanted to tell my future, but she said I was going to die far too soon.” She shrugged. “Seers can’t see beyond death. How long was I dead?”
“Four minutes. I knew the details of your condition and had already worked out a treatment plan. When I bumped into you, you caught my scent. It increased your pulse and sent adrenalin through you. Your collapse happened next, and then I got you away from your sister as she screamed.”
“She... oh no. I have to talk to her.” She looked at him. “Where can I talk to her?”
He frowned. “What’s the problem?”
“Control over her activity has been achieved by holding emotions at bay. You have pulled the pin on what could be a very deadly grenade.”
He looked at her. “I wanted to wait a little longer.”
She stared at him.
“But I suppose now is fine.”
She didn’t clap, but he pulled her back against his chest, activated his com, and dialled Dmitri’s code. There were a few seconds, and then Dmitri answered his com. “Ah, Jeron. It is nice to see you. How is Xeva?”
Jeron angled the camera down. “I am fine, Dmitri. Sort of. Can I talk to Nelith?”
He grinned. “Glad to hear it. Here she is.” He pulled the same move, and Nelith whispered, “Xeva?”
“Yeah, sissy. I am here.”
“Come home right now. I will send Dmitri.”
Jeron tensed.
“I am not up to be in Aksalla. My healing issues are still in place, and I am relearning to walk and use my hands. I can think, I can talk, and I am getting better every time I sleep and wake. I just need a little time. Now, congratulations on the engagement.”
Nelith grinned. “Thank you. You are my maid of honour.”
“I should look that up then.”
Jeron murmured, “The island is a lovely place to have weddings.”
Dmitri laughed.
Xeva said, “That might not be a bad idea. Then you don’t have to wait for me to get myself together.”
Nelith smiled. “I would like that. Waiting serves no purpose.”
Dmitri growled. “I will be in touch.”
Jeron laughed, and the link went dark.
He looked down at her. “Thank you.”
“For what? Tourism?”
“No, for staying. Dmitri could come and snatch you, just like I move between places.”
“I know. But I don’t think Nelith has ever been to the beach either.” She smiled. “We both have a lot of catching up to do. It is nice that Dmitri wants to help her with her firsts.”
“So, she had no experience with men?”
“Not romantic. Sex as punishment was her only experience prior to him.”
“And you?”
“Kept in a lab and then working for the teams. Not a lot of time for socializing. Then, I joined the BDC to see what I was missing, and you know what happened then.”
“How was your first?”
Xeva frowned. “You were fine. Very careful.”
His eyes went wide, and he spun her to face him. “What?”
“It was a lovely evening. You didn’t injure me. It felt nice and warm, and then the next time, it was hot.”
“You were a virgin.” He looked angry.
“I am sorry if it was a problem. I am sure you can get some kind of rebate from the BDC if you want. I know I wasn’t that good, so I am sorry if you were disappointed.” She bit her lip. She must have been tired because tears pricked her lashes, and it was hard to find a place to look.
