Ariana turned at the sound of Kayla's voice and gave her a wide smile. She'd been pleased when Kayla had contacted her about training, not just because Alec had requested it but because she genuinely liked the feisty woman. Ariana swam over to the edge of the pool with long, sure strokes and pulled herself out.
Wringing out her hair, Ariana said, “Not at all. I just needed to clear my head. I've never been able to resist diving into a completely still pool.”
“I hope it's okay, but I brought someone with me to watch while we train,” Kayla said and gestured behind her.
Ariana froze at the sight of Sergei. He walked toward her, his heated gaze traveling over her wet body, lingering on certain areas before moving on to others. She swallowed, suddenly feeling more exposed in her bathing suit than if she had been standing naked before him.
When he was inches away and close enough she could feel the heat from his body, he took her hand. Lifting it, he held her gaze with his and pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. His voice was low and husky as he said, “It is wonderful to see you again, Ariana.”
“Oh!” She took a step backward, nearly slipping back into the pool.
Sergei's strong arms caught her, and he pulled her against him. She pressed her hands against his chest, the warmth of his skin under his shirt heating her flesh. Her fingers reflexively curled into his shirt, and she looked up at him.
“Thank you,” she managed.
He pulled her tighter against him and leaned down to press a kiss against her forehead. “You do not need to thank me. I will not let you fall.”
Ariana's eyes softened as she searched his expression. He was sincere. She could feel it, even without a metaphysical connection. The energy within him was still trapped below the surface, coiled like a serpent just waiting to strike, but she didn't sense any danger from him. At least, not to her. She sent a tentative thread of cooler water energy toward him, curious about his response.
The heated energy within him flared for a moment and then dimmed ever so slightly, as though she'd calmed some of the flames. He was regarding her with a question in his eyes. Had he sensed it? She bit her lip, wondering what would happen if she sent him more energy. Caution, she decided, was best for now.
Ariana glanced down at his darkened clothing and gasped, realizing she'd made another faux pas. “I'm so sorry. I've gotten you wet.”
He gave her a wicked smile. “I have no complaints, Ariana. It is a small price to pay to have you pressed against me.”
Ariana bit her lip but couldn't hide the smile his teasing words evoked. She glanced at Kayla, who was watching them with a knowing smile. The Coalition ambassador was too distracting, and Ariana had made a promise to Alec. She took a reluctant step away from Sergei, desperately needing some distance.
“If you're ready to start, Kayla, I think we should probably begin training.”
Kayla grinned and gestured between the two of them. “You sure you two don't want some alone time? I could always go play by myself for a while if you guys want to play with each other.”
Ariana blushed and covered her face with her hands. Sergei threw back his head and laughed as he put his arm around Ariana's waist. “Do not worry. Go train with Kayla. If there are no objections, I would like to watch. I would enjoy learning more about your abilities.”
She peeked up at him through her lashes, weighing the sincerity of his words. Sergei was difficult to read, but she had the distinct impression he truly was interested in learning more about their ways. “All right.”
With another gentle squeeze, he released her and took a step back. Kayla pulled off her overwrap and tossed it on a nearby bench. Putting her hands on her hips, she eyed the water with trepidation. “Okay, how do we do this?”
Ariana knelt and lowered herself back into the pool. She motioned for Kayla to come closer. “You can either join me or sit on the edge. It's shallow enough here that you can stand, but it's fine if you want to stay there. You just need to be touching the water to use it as a focusing object.”
Kayla sat on the edge of the pool, letting her legs dangle over the side, and slipped into the water. She looked up at Ariana expectantly. “Okay. Now what?”
“Go ahead and reach out to the energy in the pool like we did last time,” Ariana instructed. “You're not going to manipulate it yet. I only want you to refamiliarize yourself with the energy to determine which threads belong to the water element.”
Ariana waited patiently while Kayla explored the energy threads in the pool. Ariana had only trained once with Kayla several months ago. They'd made arrangements to meet again, but unforeseen circumstances had cut their planned training sessions short. By the time the attack on the towers had ended, most of OmniLab was reeling from the news that the new tower was being built and a treaty had been brokered with the Coalition.
Part of Ariana was inspired by Kayla's courage to embrace the unknown. Up until that solitary training session, Kayla had never even seen a pool, but she'd willingly jumped into it, determined to learn about their ways. It was difficult to imagine what it must have been like for her growing up on the surface. Ariana wasn't sure she would have been able to manage her talents without the calming sensation of immersing herself in water. But then again, their abilities were a bit different.
Sergei moved closer to watch them. Ariana glanced at him and then turned back to Kayla, determined not to look at him again. She needed to focus on teaching, not ogling the enigmatic foreigner.
Once Kayla appeared to be finished exploring on her own, Ariana said, “I'll need you to create a small connection with me. We won't be sharing power, but you can use the connection to follow along while I manipulate the water. Once I've shown you what we're trying to accomplish, I can guide you through emulating the energy flow.”
“Easy enough,” Kayla agreed, and Ariana felt her reach out with her energy threads.
Accepting them, she intertwined them and felt Kayla's careful exploration along their new bond. In some ways, it was like teaching a curious child. Usually, when sharing a metaphysical connection, exploring it was akin to tugging on someone's hair, lifting their skirt, or blowing on their ear suggestively. It was only through years of practice that they learned the different nuances of manipulating energy and forging bonds. Kayla had missed all those experiences with her untraditional upbringing.
Ariana cupped her empty hands and held them out in front of her. Gathering the energy threads around her, she used them to tease some of the water out of the pool and into her outstretched hands. Once the water had filled her hands, she released the remaining energy threads.
Kayla watched in rapt fascination. “That's incredible! Is it my turn?”
Ariana smiled. “Yes, but do you mind if I reach out across the bond to correct your energy manipulations? Alec warned me you were sensitive to power fluctuations, and I don't want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”
Kayla shrugged. “No, that's okay. If I'm expecting it and know what's going to happen, it should be fine.”
Ariana nodded and motioned for her to go ahead. With an undeniable natural ability, Kayla swept in and began manipulating the water into the air. Her technique was a little off, so Ariana offered some mild verbal corrections while adjusting the energy threads.
“That's very good, but you'll want to use thinner and longer threads for more accuracy. If you're trying to manipulate a large quantity quickly, you can use the other ones. Over time and with practice, you'll gain more control.”
Kayla frowned in concentration but managed to do as instructed. When her hand filled with water, she grinned and let out a loud whoop. “I did it!”
Ariana laughed at Kayla's enthusiasm and glanced over at Sergei. Curiosity, wonder, and unmistakable desire was etched on his face as he gazed at her. Her stomach fluttered, and she wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to touch him and kiss him. Aware her expression mirrored his, she lowered her head and took a deep breath, trying to regain
her composure.
Kayla's laughter distracted her, and she jerked her head up. The former ruin rat was perched on the stairs of the pool and darting her gaze back and forth between her and Sergei. Mortified, Ariana clamped down on their shared connection. Her hands flew to her face which must be turning several shades of red. She debated whether to try living underwater for the next year or so. Maybe by then she'd remember she was supposed to be the teacher in this scenario instead of daydreaming about their observer.
“What is wrong? What happened?” Sergei's concerned voice broke through her embarrassment.
His question brought on another wave of laughter from Kayla. Ariana sighed and admitted, “I forgot about the shared connection with Kayla. She picked up on a few things she shouldn't have and didn't have the grace to pretend otherwise.”
Sergei arched an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Oh?”
Kayla snickered and pretended to fan herself. “Oh yeah. Let's just say I'm going to need another dunk in this pool to cool off after we're finished. Ariana's not quite as sweet as she appears.”
Ariana gaped at Kayla. Did she really just tell Sergei that? Her eyes narrowed on the former ruin rat.
“I'm not sure you need to wait,” Ariana admitted and grabbed Kayla's wrists, yanking hard. Kayla tumbled forward, splashing into the cold water. She came up sputtering and wiped the hair out of her face. The two women stared at each other for a moment, and Kayla grinned.
“Okay, I totally deserved that.”
Ariana nodded and splashed at Kayla, who shrieked and dove toward her. A splashing and giggling mini-war ensued for the next several minutes until they were leaning against the side of the pool, holding their sides and breathing heavily from laughter.
“Well, I must say, the entertainment is definitely top notch,” a man said from the side of the pool.
“Carl!” Kayla jumped out of the pool, rushing over to him and soaking him with her embrace.
He bent down, wrapping his arms around her, and kissed her soundly. Ariana watched them for a moment, their unmistakable love and desire for each other staggering in its intensity. She'd thought only their kind could share energy bonds, but some force almost as powerful drew the two of them together.
When Carl finally released Kayla, he glanced over at Sergei and Ariana. “Too bad I didn't get to see the whole show.”
Sergei leaned over the pool and held out his hand to Ariana. She accepted, and he lifted her easily, pulling her out of the water and against him once more. He wrapped his arm around her, and she looked up into his gray eyes, wondering if there was more to these non-sensitives than she ever imagined. Sergei was studying her intently in return, and she reached out to him again with her power. He was all heat compared to her coolness.
“Yes,” Sergei murmured, his gaze lowering to her mouth. “It is too bad. The show was quite enjoyable.”
Carl cleared his throat, and Ariana looked over just as Kayla poked him in the side and shook her head. Carl raised an eyebrow at Kayla but didn't comment.
“When did you get here?” Kayla leaned against him. “I wasn't expecting you back in the towers for another few days.”
“About an hour ago,” Carl replied. “We've had another little snag at the underground river. I'm about to go meet with Alec to discuss it. I thought you might want to come along and hear the details.”
“Dammit. So much for good news,” Kayla muttered with a frown and glanced over at Sergei. “Yeah. I guess we need to take care of it. It would be nice if something went our way for once.”
Sergei hesitated and looked down at Ariana again, regret etched in his features. “My apologies, but I must also attend. Any issues with the river affect my people too.”
“Of course,” Ariana said with a small frown, sensing his unease. He was difficult to read, but she was able to pick up on some of the stronger emotions. He was extremely worried about whatever news Carl had brought from the surface. “I hope you're able to get the situation resolved. Kayla, any time you want to train again, please let me know. It was a pleasure.”
Kayla grinned. “Yeah, you just want a chance to dunk me again.”
Ariana returned her smile, not bothering to deny it. “Of course. That's just an added benefit.”
Chapter Three
Ariana glanced around the immaculate executive offices of OmniLab. It had been years since she'd last visited this part of the towers. As a child, she'd occasionally accompanied her father, but that changed once her specialized abilities began to emerge. Now it was her brother walking beside her, and Ariana found herself comparing her memories of the offices they passed with the reality. More had changed than had remained the same, but she supposed that was true for most things.
“I don't have a good feeling about this,” Jason murmured in a low voice.
Ariana made a noncommittal noise, acknowledging his words. She didn't want to verbally agree and give weight to Jason's concerns, but the request made her uneasy too. Alec knew she didn't venture out of the Inner Sanctum often, and his request had been something of a surprise. Although there were a large number of Drac'Kin on this level, there were also quite a few non-sensitives. Their emotions were already beginning to affect her, and she threaded energy through her internal shields to reinforce them.
“I'm sure it's fine,” she said, trying to minimize his fears.
Sometimes it was better to fake it for Jason's benefit than to give in to her worries. It didn't matter that Jason was one of the most talented energy channelers in the towers. His control seemed to slip when it came to her. If she was upset or feeling threatened, it was even worse. Unfortunately, that was one of the drawbacks to their complicated relationship.
“Alec probably just wants to find out how the training session went with Kayla yesterday,” she added.
Jason frowned as they passed the corridor which led to their father's office. It was noticeably empty. Their father had been called away for some impromptu meeting in one of the upstairs conference rooms. His absence was probably for the best though. He wouldn't be pleased to see her in this part of the tower, and she wasn't in the mood for another argument.
“Then why didn't he meet us in our family's quarters?” Jason obviously wasn’t buying what she was trying to sell. “He wants something, Ari. I find the whole thing rather suspicious. Father gets called to some random meeting and suddenly we're asked to meet Alec here?”
Ariana squeezed her brother's arm and sent a wave of soothing energy over him. Although she'd spent a lifetime learning how to block Jason's emotions, his unease still affected her. Part of her was tempted to grab a drink from her father's office to have on hand if she needed to quickly reinforce her metaphysical shield, but it would probably make things worse with Jason. If he thought she was in distress, he'd demand they return to their family's quarters. Besides, she needed to try to stop using water as a crutch; it was terribly inconvenient needing to carry a drink around with her. It required a bit more concentration and effort to pull moisture from the air, but it was much more discreet.
She glanced over at Jason and frowned. Over the past few weeks, he'd become increasingly agitated. His normally playful and fun-loving nature had disappeared almost overnight. His energy was more chaotic, and it was requiring more and more of her conscious efforts to soothe him. When she'd asked him what was bothering him, Jason was quick to brush her off.
Ariana hadn't wanted to push, so she'd left it alone, but now she wondered if that had been a smart decision. He was getting worse.
“Don't be so quick to distrust Alec. He has a lot on his shoulders right now with leading the High Council. He's been doing a wonderful job, but it's hard on him. We can't expect him to come running every time he needs a word with us.”
“I can when he wants something,” Jason argued. “I'm not about to become the High Council's errand boy. Not only that, but now that he's no longer bonded to Kayla, I'm not sure I trust him when it comes to you. Father has concerns about him as well.
Our family isn't prepared to align with his until we're sure of his intentions and agenda. Until then, it's better if you keep your distance.”
Ariana laughed at the absurdity of his comment. “I swear, I'm amazed you and Father ever find time to come out of the study. Every time I turn around, you're in there strategizing and analyzing something else. It hasn't been that long since his bond with Kayla was severed. I'm sure Alec's still adjusting. Besides, we're friends. Nothing more.”
She lowered her gaze, making a point to keep an eye on the ground in front of her. It was better than allowing Jason to know she was trying to hide her true feelings on the matter. There had been a time when she'd thought, and even hoped, Alec felt something for her. But when nothing ever came of it and he met Kayla, she realized her infatuation with Alec was pointless. Instead, she'd focused on burying her attraction for the council leader and on being the friend he sorely needed. After everything he'd been through, Alec deserved to be happy.
Jason took her arm and took an unexpected detour, steering her down an empty side hall. He stopped suddenly, glancing around to make sure they were alone and said in a low voice, “You're wrong, Ari. You need to remember Alec is one of the few people who knows something about your abilities. He would have pursued you a long time ago if Kayla hadn't come back into the picture. We don't know his intentions, and I don't like his newfound interest in you now that they’re no longer bonded.”
She frowned. “What are you talking about, Jason?”
“Father and I have been discussing potential bondmates for you. He warned me to keep Alec away from you. He's still too new to his position, and we need to make sure he's nothing like his father.”
Ariana jerked back at his words, shock and anger roiling through her. “Are you serious? Regardless of what you and Father have plotted, I won't be bought and sold. I will never enter into any bond unless I determine it's right for me and not just some sort of coup for power.”
Jason reached for her, but she pulled away from him and snapped, “I'm not as fragile as you all would like to believe. I've agreed to many of your requests for my own safety, but neither one of you shall ever dictate how I live my life.”
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