I Dated Dark Resonance, page 4
“I contacted the Erradians to gain some equipment I needed to create the island’s shield. Dmitri was the point of contact.”
“Is he a good guy?”
“I think he is the kind of guy that crept off into the night to call me and check on you so that he could set Nelith’s mind at ease. I had just gotten you stabilized, and he was relieved when I told him you were breathing on your own.”
“I can imagine, but that was very sweet of him.” She smiled. “I am sure she appreciated it.”
“She was asleep.”
“Her hearing is keener than ninety percent of actives. If he wasn’t across town, she could hear him if she wanted to.”
“Do you think he knows that?”
“Nope. She doesn’t mention it, but if she stopped worrying about me without seeing me, she heard him.”
He laughed. “I am going to let him find that out himself.”
She pressed against him and tucked her head against his chest. “I missed you.”
He wrapped an arm around her and held on tight. His erection against her belly made her depressed. There was no way she had enough stamina to play with him. Not yet.
He asked softly, “What’s the problem?”
“It’s going to take a bit before I can play again, and that is frustrating as hell.” She smiled and looked up at him, “Unless you have changed your attitude to hand jobs.”
He lifted his head and touched one of her hands on his neck. He ran his hand along her palm. “I don’t want to embarrass myself by cumming at the lightest touch, and with you, that is all it would take.”
She leaned back. “Seriously? That is all it would take?”
Jeron sighed. “Yes. Just the thought of you has me on the edge.”
“Apologies.”
“Don’t apologize; it just means I have a vested interest in getting you back to full strength. I liked you at full strength.”
She shivered. “Me, too.”
He smiled. “So, with that goal in mind, let’s head back to the house and get the saltwater off you.”
He lifted her up and onto the shelf again. He surged out of the water, and she looked at him from a lower angle. Her mouth watered, and she swallowed. Frustrated as hell.
He put on his clothes and hoisted her up and into his arms.
“This is a nightmare.”
He paused on the way past the teens. “What’s wrong?”
“I hate that I can’t touch you.”
“You can touch me all you like; we just can’t spend hours lost together.”
“Fuck.”
He laughed and looked over at the teens. “Did you want to meet my brothers before dinner?”
“Sure, but if the saltwater makes me itchy, I am gonna scratch.”
Four young men with a mix of male and female friends stepped toward them when Jeron turned toward them.
The brothers were obvious. They were also very close in age. The eldest smiled. “Hello, miss. Jeron has never brought someone home before. I am Stone.”
“Pleased to meet you, Stone. I am Xeva.”
A set of twins grinned. “I am Lock.” The other said, “I am Key.”
The youngest chuckled. “I am Apple.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
She looked to Jeron. “So, you get a normal name, and they all have the names of something you can find around the island?”
He smiled and said, “Those are the common names. Family names are different.”
She scowled. “So, Jeron is your common name?”
“No, it is the family name. I just really wanted to hear you say my name.” He smiled. “And Mom didn’t want you calling her Blossom.”
“Well, I have sat under a different name; I guess it is the same. If you want people to know, they will know.”
Apple asked, “What was your public name?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Horseman.”
Jeron laughed. “Now you did it. Lock and Key had you as an action figure.”
Key grinned. “I still have mine, new in the box.”
“What?”
“They collected the agent and team dolls.”
Xeva blinked. “I was a doll?”
“You didn’t see one?”
“No, I was busy.”
Key smiled. “I can show you. I thought you were a dude.”
Jeron sighed. “So did I. I was shocked and surprised to find her under the armour.”
Xeva shrugged. “There was a bodysuit, too.”
“I was staring at your hair.”
She shrugged. “What, navy blue and pastel pink, purple and gold aren’t your thing?”
“It was distinctive.”
“So was your voice.” She laughed. “Though I was distracted at the time.”
His mouth tensed.
“You didn’t leave until help was coming. It isn’t your fault I don’t heal like most actives.”
“You did once the rupture happened. For a few minutes, you healed normally. Thankfully.”
She stroked his cheek, and a bunch of young adults went, “Oooo.”
The sound from the watchers increased as he kissed her, and she responded. When he lifted his head, he whispered, “You taste like the ocean.”
She smiled. “Who have you been talking to?”
He grinned. “The mirror.”
There were gasps and laughter from the group of folks aged seventeen to twenty.
“Let’s get you all cleaned up.” Jeron grinned and walked back toward the house.
He softly vibrated as they crossed the sand, and the itchy-sticky feeling was gone. She chuckled. “Looks like I don’t need a shower after all.”
“Oh, you must have one. I need a reward for all of my swim instructor’s efforts. Watching you with your hands gripping the handles will be fair trade.”
“I am pretty sure that I can manage a shower.”
“Aw, but then you would take away my reward. That isn’t fair.” He grinned. “I am intent on achieving a partnership, and fairness will be essential.”
He passed through the family home and walked back to the guest area. She asked, “What do you do when you aren’t picking fights with team members?”
“Energy and protective field research. The islands are vulnerable, their populations tenuous. We can’t always get to safety in time, so the ability to bring safety to us is invaluable.”
They passed Leaf, and she gathered her tablet and headed toward the house with a grin on her face.
He took Xeva to the shower, tugged at the knots, and when she was naked, he sighed. “Gorgeous.”
“Strip off and join me. I don’t want you slipping and falling while you attempt to service me.”
He grinned and shrugged out of his clothing, stepping under the spray with her. “That seems like a sensible suggestion.”
She smiled as they stroked each other under the spray. She was clean in a minute, and then things slowed down as they focused on arousing the other. She had to admit, the talk about being partners was extremely hot.
She stroked her hand down his belly and wrapped her fingers around his cock. He froze, and then she said, “I will stop when you say stop. Promise.”
He chuckled. “I can’t believe it’s been three years since I said the same.”
“Different circumstances, but yeah, I thought the words were fun.” She carefully stroked her hand up and down him, leaning in to bite gently at his chest as he shuddered and slammed his hands to the wall on either side of her head.
She stroked a little faster, and he groaned, his hips jerking and cum spurting from the deep red tip of his cock. She chuckled and licked water from his skin. He was breathing fast and groaned when she delicately danced her fingers down his length one more time. He jerked again, and she smiled against his collarbone. She swiped her fingers across the tip and brought her hand to her lips. Musky-salty-tangy hit her tongue, and Jeron shuddered. “Why do you do that?”
“Why do you go down on me?” She lifted her head. “Because I wanted to. If you ever lose your ID, I can tell who is you with my tongue on a drop.”
His eyes heated. “I will be very upset if you start using that as a means of identification.” He paused. “Well, not with me but with any other males.”
She chuckled. “Nice to know where you draw the line.”
He crowded her against the wall. “Now for you.”
“Not necessary.”
“No, but I have been wanting to touch you since the explosion.”
He lifted her and buried his head between her breasts before turning his head from side to side, licking and sucking ferociously. Her blood roared in her ears, and she wrapped her legs around him for balance.
His fingers moved against her slick folds, and then two were inside her while his thumb tapped her clit. The rhythm blanked her mind, and when she shuddered against him, she clawed his shoulders and held tight while soft sounds came from her throat.
Xeva lifted her heavy head and said, “Please wear a shirt to dinner.”
He laughed.
He laughed and looked at her. “What will you give me?”
“You want to be bribed?”
He smirked. “Yes.”
She whispered in his ear, and he slowly slid her down his body.
His voice was thick as he muttered, “I agree.”
“Good, now rinse me off again; you got me all sweaty.”
He laughed. “Yes, Xeva.”
By the time she was rinsed, dried, and wearing a new island outfit in black, Jeron was wearing something that matched, covering everything but the bite on his chest. He refused to close the shirt, and she kept trying to hold the edges together. He looked so smug that she knew dinner was going to be a nightmare.
Chapter Four
Xeva didn’t have to reach for anything. Jeron filled her plate to a careful degree, and Leaf grinned in approval.
The siblings had brought in their friends, and she was stuck with seventeen chattering young adults, Jeron, Leaf, and Revakka.
One of the young women asked, “How did you meet Shadows?”
Xeva looked at Jeron, and he shrugged. She answered, “We were introduced in a form of online dating for actives.”
Leaf grinned, and Revakka wobbled her head in agreement.
The woman blinked. “Is it free?”
Jeron laughed. “No. It is not, but the seeker is the one who pays. I was looking intently.”
Xeva smiled. “I had my information on file, and then one day, I got a contact that someone was looking for someone like me. Our files were compatible, and we went out on a date.”
The young woman smiled. “Was it love at first sight?”
“Oh, there was a connection. A few times.”
Jeron spluttered and coughed. She patted his back. “Just breathe, junior.”
He turned his head and glared at her. “Really?”
Revakka laughed.
Jeron wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His fingers lazily caressed her shoulder and upper arm. She shivered, and then his thumb rubbed something sensitive on her neck, and she realized that it was the spot he had had his mouth on just after the shower. She knew for certain when she pulled her hair over it, and he gently pushed it back.
Leaf smiled. “So, Xeva, aside from my brother, what do you want to see on the island?”
“I would love to see tourist stuff, but something tells me it would make you roll your eyes.”
Leaf nodded. “How about the shield station?”
“That sounds good. I can see the tech I nearly turned into a paste for.”
Apple smiled. “And take her to the tattoo shop. Rethigigs. She needs to be there before noon.”
“Right. Will do. Anywhere else she should go?”
“No, that’s it. Bring Doc Negerith a cup of coffee. She’s going to have a rough day.”
Xeva smiled. “Seers have it rough. Thanks for the direction.”
Apple shrugged. “It isn’t so bad. Fixed points are easy, but when it comes to people, they can move around in funny ways if startled. Too early and they run, and too late and they defend themselves in dangerous ways.”
The other guests nudged and mocked him, asking who their perfect match was and how many kids they would have.
Revakka laughed. “I am looking forward to a wave of grandchildren.”
Jeron laughed and spoke to his mother about the recipes needed for that many people.
Apple looked at Xeva and met her gaze. He grinned wide and held up both hands. Seven.
She stared. “You had better be referring to the days I am here.”
Apple shrugged. “It is what it is.”
Jeron looked at her. “You look white as a ghost. What’s wrong?”
“Your brother and math.”
Apple had his hands around his mug and shrugged. “You have a very funny girlfriend.”
Jeron frowned. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
Xeva was mortified.
Leaf must have seen her face. “Jeron, you may want to rephrase that fucking fast.”
He looked at Xeva and said, “She’s the missing part of me, and as soon as I can formalize it, I will.”
“Do I get a say in that?”
“Do you want to go back to the teams?”
“Not really.”
“Then no. I will invite Dmitri and Nelith here, and you can be reunited.”
She smiled. “That would be nice. I miss her hugs.”
“You are the only one brave enough to hug her no matter what mood she was in.”
“She only struck out when attacked or tortured into action. She’s really even-tempered, but she has no socialization skills. They weren’t big on making us the bells of the ball. They wanted us to be functional and aggressive. If we had social skills, it would help us escape, and they didn’t want that.”
“But you got out anyway.”
She smiled. “I did. And the first sighting of the Horseman was in Uradda and jumping over the wall. After that, I was everywhere.”
Revakka blinked. “So, you are a team member?”
“No. Not anymore. I have had a forced retirement. I still don’t know if my activity is in here.” She patted her head. “If not, I am just an ex-active with a weird immune system and good hair.”
“So, you can stay here?”
“Sure. The only people who know I survived are here and my sister and her fiancé. If we drop the right hint, I might be legally dead.” She smiled. “It means I will have to find a job as I am used to earning my keep.”
Revakka cocked her head. “How good are you with kids?”
“Pretty good. Why?”
“We are always in need of nursery help that can touch their toes.”
Xeva frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Leaf smiled and explained that the ladies who worked with the babies tended to be frequently pregnant themselves. Hence being unable to touch their toes.
Jeron leaned in and whispered, “She is trying to give you baby rabies.”
Xeva jolted. “They are contagious?” She knew the expression on her face was appalled. How were the island people built?
He laughed. “Not in the direct sense, but there is a clustering effect.”
“Oh. Right.” She had heard about the team members having babies. Remark’s mate had a bunch in incubators.
He smiled. “We can also go and get you a new com tomorrow. Yours burned out for long-range transmission when your heart stopped.”
“Oh. Right.”
“The heartbeat monitor is a subsystem. I have been taking your pulse information to my unit and sending it on to your sister.”
“Thank you. She worries, and when she gets worried, bad things happen.”
Revakka smiled. “You have a sister?”
“I do. She’s a little older than me.” She smiled.
“Did you grow up together?”
Xeva paused. “No. We didn’t. She was off on assignments, and we only saw each other when they had her locked up.”
Revakka gasped. “What?”
She went for bald truth. It was better that she get it out now. “We are from Uradda. The government used actives in whatever manner was possible. Our bodies weren’t ours; our skills weren’t ours. The higher-strength actives were locked in a government facility when they weren’t being used for military purposes.” She looked around. “I escaped when I was seventeen with some help from Nelith and those who were trying to work against Uradda. I came out, was trained to team and agent level, and was then put to work for my keep.”
The table was quiet. Jeron held her hand and squeezed it.
Apple smiled sadly. “So, you don’t know how to swim or surf or anything.”
“No. I am trying to learn, but it is all very different.”
Revakka said, “So, you were confined as well?”
“Yes. I was an experiment, and I needed to be kept under control in case I activated in the same manner as my progenitor.” She smiled. “I didn’t, and I did. We are both projecting telekinetics. It takes different forms for both of us.”
Revakka blinked. “Progenitor?”
“Genetic parent. We look like siblings because she doesn’t age, but she was in her thirties when I was created. The Uraddans were brutal in their pursuit of power via the actives that they hated so badly.” Xeva smiled. “So, I am genuinely not exposed to a lot of children in my day-to-day and never have been, but from observation of a friend’s children, they are like tiny adults with a basic programming package.”
Leaf was laughing, and Stone said, “We will give you a basic introduction. Our aunt has a newborn. It is an excellent starter module.”
She looked at him. “Thank you, that would be helpful.”
Lock smiled. “She also has the older expansion packs.”
Xeva slumped and looked at them wryly. “I am never going to live down the terminology.”
Jeron chuckled. “Probably not.”
“It was discouraged to think of families and socializing. I had to learn it from other team members.”
Revakka chuckled. “Well, we still have some time tonight. You can meet the rest of the family.”
Stone smiled. “On it.” He got up and walked into the other room.
Xeva muttered, “What’s he doing?”
“Calling family. We are having a party.”
