3013: FEVER (3013: THE SERIES Book 16)

by Kali Argent

  “Vasere Clearwater?” Jael had never met him, but she’d heard stories of the new ruler of the Eastern Isle.

  Cami laughed again. “It’s so strange to hear him called that, but yes. It took him days to recover after him and Rya were bonded.”

  It was a good theory, but not completely accurate to the situation.

  First of all, the Helios weren’t wholly without magic. Maybe they couldn’t teleport themselves or create colorful flames from virtually nowhere, but shifting into a giant cat didn’t just happen on its own. As a human, she couldn’t begin to predict what might happen to Luke.

  “We aren’t bonded yet.” For some reason, that felt like the most important distinction between her mating and that of the rulers’.

  “I know.” Cami squeezed her shoulders again. “My point is that it affects other races differently.”

  “Humans are very fragile.”

  “Well, you’re not wrong. Still, Ivy is human, right? She’s okay.”

  Only, the two circumstances were not easily comparable. “What about the change?”

  “Breathe,” Cami instructed. “Everything is going to be okay. The ancestors wouldn’t have given you a human mate if he couldn’t survive the process, right?”

  Of everything the female had said, those words comforted Jael the most. Cami was right. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to place her soulmate in her path, only to take him away before they’d even been properly introduced.

  “Okay.” Vada joined them, coming to stand at Jael’s other side. “So, you said this is like a Dragon Warrior or D’Aire thing?” The officer still looked a little unwell, but at least she wasn’t yelling anymore. “Fated mates and all that? You’re sure we don’t need a medic?”

  “I’m sure,” Cami answered with a nod. “Same concept. Just…different.”

  “Different how?”

  Cami shared a knowing look with Jael, but they didn’t speak. Perhaps, because neither of them really knew how to answer.

  Legend said that Xenon males increased substantially in size when they found their soulmate, an ancient magic that allowed them to better protect their intended. Sion’s mating to Vasera Clearwater had proven that it wasn’t just Xenon males who underwent the change, but he was a Helios. There was no way to predict how the magic might alter a human.

  Then again, it was all just stories and fairytales. Yes, males changed physically when they mated, but no one really knew why. As a scientist—even one who used magic daily—Jael was skeptical of how much truth lied in the archaic legend.

  “This way.” With a gentle pressure, Cami ushered her through the double doors as she motioned for Vada to follow. “He’s in the den.”

  As big as the house appeared from the outside, it was nothing compared to the interior. Their shoes clacked against shiny, gray tiles, the sound echoing off the high-arching ceilings. Art of every size and color adorned the walls in gilded frames. Sculptures and trinkets sat atop square pillars, each illuminated with soft, glittering lights. Even ordinary details, like doorknobs and hinges appeared intricate and lavish.

  “This is your home?” Jael’s entire house would fit inside the entryway alone. Maybe twice.

  “Yes.” Cami rolled her eyes. “It’s ridiculous, I know. We’re still trying to decide what to do with it once the Hart labs are operational again.”

  They traversed two, long corridors—each as excessively decorated as the rest of the house—before finally coming to a sunken room adorned in warm shades of brown and gold. It was smaller than other parts of the residence, not nearly as pretentious, and far more welcoming. Two sofas, a couple of chairs, and a handful of tables were the only furniture in the room, and not a single piece of artwork was contained in the area. In fact, the only color in the room came from the hundreds of books lined neatly along a bookcase that comprised the entire back wall from floor to ceiling.

  “My dad was a collector,” Cami explained when Jael stopped walking to stare. “These are all books that survived the wars. I’d say you’re welcome to read them while you’re here, but they’re mostly in English, some in French and Italian. I think there’s even a couple in Mandarin.”

  Jael blinked. “These are all Earth languages?”

  “Yep. Before the Alien Wars, there were thousands of languages, but sadly, most have died out since.”

  Thousands of languages? Jael couldn’t even imagine it. Each isle on Xenthian had its own dialect, but it was still essentially the same language, and no one needed a special device to understand each other.

  Absently, she traced her index finger across the back of her neck. While the Xenon linguistic translators had been mostly updated to include languages from the known races, they weren’t perfect. For that reason, the king and queen had thought it important that she receive an Alliance language converter as well.

  She understood why it was necessary, and it hadn’t hurt much, but she still wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Having something foreign implanted into her body just seemed wrong.

  There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but everything except Luke fled her mind when he let out an agonizing scream from the sofa that twisted her heart. His muscles bunched and strained as his body convulsed, contorting him into terrifying positions that had him bowing up from the cushions.

  Ignoring the pitying looks from the others, she rushed across the room to his side, kneeling beside the sofa and placing her hands on his shoulders. Perspiration beaded across his skin, and his handsome face was pinched into a mask of pain that knotted her stomach.

  She wasn’t strong enough to forcibly restrain him, but she could help in other ways. Xi probably wouldn’t like it, but in her mind, comforting her mate definitely counted as “necessary” use of her magic.

  “Shh, neelum,” she whispered as she stroked the damp hair back from his temples. “Easy. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to make it better.”

  With a few enchanted words whispered under her breath, she ran her palms over her mate’s body, starting at his crown and ending at his ankles. As she worked, the marking on her skin shimmered and swirled, surrounding them in light that grew brighter the longer she held the spell. So far away from Xenthian, using such powerful magic was more difficult than she’d expected, and when she had finally finished, she slumped sideways with a quiet groan.

  “Jael!”

  Weak but unharmed, she waved her brother away. “I’m okay.” She felt drained, depleted, and she could probably sleep for days, but Luke had stopped screaming and writhing, and that was all that mattered. “Tired, but well.”

  “Wow,” Vada breathed from across the room. “What did you do to him?”

  “I took his pain,” Jael answered with a frail smile. “He’ll rest comfortably now.”

  Cami frowned. “Thank you for that, but are you okay?”

  “I’m well,” she repeated.

  She appreciated the concern, but she was in no real danger. Easing another’s suffering was a difficult bit of magic, even when she was at full strength. Her planet didn’t provide her magic, but it did amplify it. Without the planet’s added power, she’d simply overtaxed herself with the spell.

  Luke’s eyes fluttered open, and he rolled his head on the pillow to look at her. When his lips curved into a lopsided grin, she realized she would gladly give up every ounce of magic she possessed to keep him safe, to make him happy. She knew almost nothing about him, but she knew that much, and that was more than enough.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Taking a lock of her hair between his fingers, he tugged gently, urging her closer. “You’re still here.”

  The way he said it made it sound like a good thing, so she returned his smile and inched closer to the sofa. “Yes, neelum, I’m still here.”

  “You’re real, right?” His nose scrunched, and his eyebrows drew together to form a deep valley over the bridge of his nose. “I’m not dreaming, am I?”

  His questions, along with his expression, made her giggle. “No, you
aren’t dreaming.” Pressing her palm to the side of his face, she stroked her thumb across his cheek. “I assure you I am very real.”

  “Okay,” he mumbled, his eyes already drooping again. “Good.” Grasping her hand, he pulled it away from his face and held it firmly against his chest. “That’s really good.”

  It seemed impossible that a male so large could be so utterly adorable. “I’m glad you think so.”

  “Don’t go anywhere, okay?”

  Her heart sang with joy, and tears welled in her eyes. Rising up on her knees, she leaned over him and rested her forehead against his temple, just breathing in his spicy, intoxicating scent.

  “Rest now, neelum,” she whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Luke came awake slowly, blinking against the amber glow of the lamp that shone down on his face. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep, but it must have been a while since the sky beyond the windows had already darkened to an inky black. Surprisingly—or maybe not—despite the hours of sleep, he didn’t feel rested.

  He felt like he’d been waylaid by a damn freighter.

  Pushing himself into a sitting position on the sofa, he grunted and cursed when every muscle in his body protested the movement. A dull throb started at the base of his skull and traveled up to his temples, making his head pound with each beat of his heart. His arms ached. His legs felt too heavy. His neck cramped, and his shoulders tensed painfully every time he shifted his weight.

  Fuck, he didn’t know it was possible to hurt like he did.

  “You’re awake.”

  The voice was tiny, musical, and feminine, and he recognized it on some deep, primal level he didn’t quite understand. Yet, he couldn’t seem to put a face to it. Blinking again, trying to get his eyes to focus, he sat up even straighter and lifted his head, searching for the owner of the voice.

  He wasn’t disappointed, but he also figured he was probably still asleep and dreaming. No one that beautiful could possibly be real.

  The female knelt on the floor beside the sofa, watching him cautiously with big, lavender eyes that dominated her delicate features. Markings in swirls and splotches curled up the side of her neck and wrapped around her arms, shimmering with a faint, translucent light. She had her bottom lip caught between her teeth, and when seconds passed without a response from him, she lowered her head and tucked a strand of wavy, midnight hair behind her pointed ear.

  “I know you.” He remembered uttering something similar when they’d first met. “You’re Jael.”

  Her head snapped up, and she nodded slowly. “Yes, that’s right.” As she spoke, she inched closer but stopped short of actually touching him. “How do you feel? Are you hungry? Would you like some water? What do you remember? Is there anything I can get you?”

  She spoke so quickly Luke could barely understand her, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Whoa, slow down. One question at a time.”

  A sweet blush tinged her cheeks, and she ducked her head again as she mumbled, “Apologies.”

  “Hey, no. I didn’t mean it like that.” He reached out, intending to slide a finger under her chin, but he stopped abruptly when he caught sight of his hand. “What the fuck?”

  Alarm flared, and panic made him recoil. It wasn’t like his hands had ever been small or elegant, but now, they were the size of goddamn dinner plates. Hell, his palm could cover the entire side of the female’s face.

  Holding both arms out in front of him, he turned his hands one way, then the other, staring at the corded muscles that ran from his wrists to his elbows. From there, it only got worse. His biceps appeared roughly twice the size they’d been when he’d fallen asleep. His bare chest was definitely broader, with harder, denser muscles. His thighs bulged beneath the blanket that covered his lap, and it didn’t escape his notice that with his feet on the floor, his knees now rose higher than a ninety-degree angle.

  “What the hell happened to me?” Shoving to his feet, he stumbled and swayed, and it took him several seconds and a lot of flailing to find his balance. “What is this?” From where he stood, he should have been eye-level with the fifth shelf on the bookcase—not the seventh. “What the actual fuck?”

  “Please,” Jael implored as she scrambled to her feet. “I can explain everything, but I need you to calm down.”

  Calm down? When he’d gone to sleep—passed out, whatever—he’d been fine. Then, he’d woken up as a freaking beast, and she wanted him to calm down. It was an impossible task, especially when he made the mistake of glancing down his oversized body to find his dick just hanging out for everyone to see.

  “Why the hell am I naked?” he yelled as he snatched the throw blanket off the couch and wrapped it around his waist. It didn’t make him feel better, but at least it allowed him a modicum of dignity. “Where are my clothes? Why do I look like this? What the hell is going on right now?”

  “One question at a time,” Jael replied with a sly smirk. “Please, neelum, sit before you hurt yourself.”

  “I’m not going to sit. I’m fine.” He sure as hell wasn’t fine, but what else could he say? “What did you do to me?”

  “Me?” She jerked back and fisted her hands at her sides. “I didn’t do this.”

  “You did,” he snapped, fear making his tone harsher than he’d intended. “Tell me.” No one grew an entire foot and gained thirty pounds of muscle in a couple of hours without some kind of intervention. “Just tell me what you did to me.”

  “Luke, stop it.” Cami entered the room at a fast clip but stopped several feet away and narrowed her eyes. “You’re being a complete ass.”

  Still clutching the blanket around his waist, Luke faced her with a matching glare. “How the hell is this my fault?” With no explanation forthcoming from either female, he growled with impatience. “Damn it! Someone better start talking.”

  “You will take care how you address my sister.” A male with dark hair and a savage expression appeared beside the empty fireplace, seemingly from nowhere, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger.

  Luke vaguely recognized him from earlier on the porch. If he’d been given a name, he couldn’t remember it, and currently, he didn’t care.

  “Speak to her harshly again,” the male continued, “and I’ll sever your tongue from your ignorant mouth.”

  On one hand, if anyone dared to talk to Cami the way he’d just raised his voice to Jael, Luke would hand them their ass. On the other hand, fuck that guy. “You can try it.”

  “Whoa! Stop it, both of you.” Rushing to put herself between them, Cami threw her arms out to the sides and stomped her foot. “That’s enough. Everyone, just take a beat.”

  “I’d like to beat—”

  “Luke!” she snapped. “Not helping.” Inhaling deeply, she held the breath for a heartbeat, then released it slowly as she lowered her arms. “Look, it’s late, and everyone is on edge. How about we just get some rest, and we can revisit this conversation in the morning with a little more clarity?”

  “I just woke up.” Even to his own ears, Luke sounded childish, but he didn’t redact his statement. He didn’t want to sleep. He wanted answers.

  Cami shot him a scalding glare. “Then, you can sit here by yourself and reflect on how you just acted.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Quietly.”

  Luke sighed and glanced down at his bare chest. “Can I at least get some clothes?”

  “Fine. I’ll see if Tariq has anything that will fit you.”

  He was the one who had been transformed into the size of a battle cruiser, and she sounded inconvenienced. It both amazed and bewildered him.

  “I should stay.” With her hands folded together behind her back, Jael squared her shoulders and nodded with finality.

  Despite his foul attitude and judgmental accusations, Luke really wasn’t angry with her. He’d just been unnerved and overwhelmed, which had caused him to lash out at the nearest person. Unfortunately, that person
had been Jael, and she hadn’t deserved the way he’d treated her.

  Calmer now, it was easier to put those things into perspective, and the guilt that followed was neither unexpected nor unwarranted. “I agree.”

  The surprise in Jael’s eyes deepened his remorse, but the smile she gave him eased the knot in his chest and allowed to him to take his first deep breath since he’d awoken. He wasn’t completely ignorant, like her brother had suggested. He had some idea of what was happening. It wasn’t something he could explain in words, but he felt the pull, the deep and profound connection that linked him and Jael. He just needed some context.

  “Are you sure?”

  Luke almost snapped at his sister until he realized she wasn’t speaking to him.

  “Of course, I’m sure.”

  The indignation in Jael’s voice made him smile, because it was exactly how he’d felt when he’d thought the question had been for him. Whatever was going on between them, they needed to figure it out for themselves and without an audience.

  “Okay, I’ll go see if I can find you something to wear. Wait here.”

  “Where am I going to go?”

  She pointed a finger at him and huffed. “Behave.”

  Cami had barely cleared the room when Jael’s brother stepped forward and shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to stay here alone with him.”

  The way he said “him” made it sound like Luke was something vile he’d found under his boot. Well, Luke wasn’t overly fond of him, either. The asshole could take a long walk out of a short airlock for all he cared.

  “Well, I do,” Jael shot back, moving to stand beside Luke in a clear act of defiance. “He’s my mate, Xi. He won’t hurt me.”

  Luke would rather cut off his own hand than hurt her, but he had to admit the word “mate” gave him pause.

  He had read about fated bonds in journals, seen it happen with other couples on space stations, and even had the feeling described to him once by a D’Aire female. So, yes, he understood it intellectually, but nothing had prepared him for the intensity of experiencing it for himself.