by Bevan Greer
“Carinna, what do you make of this?” she asked her sister as they watched the men looking over the repaired ship. Nesham watched them from a short distance, his menacing body and glowering stare a neat reminder to all nearing the two females to steer clear.
“I don’t know,” Carinna said as she stared at Nesham looking thoughtful. “One minute Nesham is almost on top of me and the next he’s acting like I don’t exist.”
Naria blinked. She had refused the dark glasses today as her eyes had finally adjusted to the early Rovi sun. Carinna, however, still wore them. “On top of you, you say?”
Carinna blushed as she grinned. “Yes. You know, Naria, there is much to sex that the Incubus did not teach me. When Nesham touches me there is so much pleasure,” she sighed and Naria echoed the sentiment silently. “He calls it ‘love-making’ and I have to admit it feels very odd. There is an attachment to him that goes beyond the darkness in his soul,” Carinna admitted, confused. “And I know he desires me.”
“As he should,” Naria smiled. “You are a beautiful woman, Carinna.”
“A demon,” Carinna corrected quietly, her grin fading.
“No, a woman,” Naria shook her head. “Both of us have more of Mother in us than Father. And Mother was an Offworlder. Carinna, does it not strike you as odd that neither of us had a problem leaving Dark World?”
“Yes, I had begun to think that perhaps Father didn’t care that we left. I felt that surely by now we’d have heard strange tales of dark ships and creatures haunting the nights. And I’ve been listening.”
“No,” Naria shook her head. “I meant have you noticed that neither of our souls protested our escape? Regular Dark Worlders cannot bear to leave the planet. Something in their systems causes them much pain to be parted with that world. But neither of us has had even a glimmer of regret at leaving.”
“No,” Carinna said thoughtfully, her dark eyes crinkling into a smile. “You are right. Perhaps we didn’t belong there after all.”
“I disagree,” a deep voice whispered behind Carinna, the emptiness before them taking on a dark shape that shimmered into a protectively wrapped devel.
Carinna gasped and tried to flee but the large creature had her in his claws. Naria stared in surprise, not understanding how she could have missed his presence. Normally very astute, Naria could feel darkness way before others of her kind could. But she had neither seen nor sensed the devel’s presence.
“A shield cloak,” she nodded as she stared at the plain black cloth surrounding his body. He also wore a headwrap that completely shielded his eyes from the Rovi sun. However, his pointed ears and the lower half of his jaw remained visible.
Naria heard cries from around them but her attention lay focused on the devel holding Carinna. Suddenly the air around her shimmered and she stared as four more devels and three demons appeared. All wore the shield cloaks and all looked extremely displeased to find her and her sister away from Dark World.
Suddenly Naria became aware of the SpaceStalker crew surrounding the Searchers. Outnumbered and obviously uneasy at this dark presence staining the light of Rovi, they nevertheless circled the creatures with weapons extended.
Jace stared at Naria and Carinna briefly before his attention centered on the tallest Searcher, clearly guessing correctly that he led the others.
“Come, Naria,” the lead devel said soothingly. “Tell these Offworlders that we wish them no harm. You and Carinna are to come with us back to Dark World. You know you cannot stay.”
“I will not go back,” Naria scowled and urged Carinna with her eyes to phase into a Wraith shape. Carinna’s eyes widened and then she disappeared.
The other Dark Worlders cursed even as the leader hurriedly spoke. “Quickly Memne, after her,” he commanded in harsh voice and Naria watched as the demon phased out of mortal flesh.
But Carinna’s disappearance served as a timely distraction and soon the battle commenced. The devels made a small circle around her and used both fire and ice to keep the others away. The elements carefully kept the crews’ weapons from harming them while the demons latched onto Naria’s arms quickly, knowing what harm she might do.
Concerned for Carinna and the men, Jace most of all, Naria’s focus was torn and her fight proved most ineffectual.
Jace, however, had immediately seen that the devels could not be defeated conventionally and remembering Naria’s descriptions of the creatures, opened his mind.
“Stay back,” he commanded as he moved forward. He felt Nesham dart around him and away, saw Koneru and Castor protect his flanks as he neared the wall of darkness around Naria.
He unleashed the full force of his mind on the devels, commanding them to turn against one another. They did so with shocking results. Apparently their dark powers had more effect than a blaster for they cried out in pain, causing the demons holding Naria to drop her and focus on Jace.
The minute they let go of her Jace commanded the devels to turn on the demons. He felt a strange compulsion to turn away but ignored it. Talons ripped into his mind causing pain and he barely felt a lick of ice as it surrounded his leg.
Koneru quickly stepped forward to break the ice and grabbed one of the devels in an unbreakable grip that crushed the devel to death. They watched in astonishment as the devel cried out in a foreign language and faded away into nothingness. The others in the invading party yelled in anger and advanced with more determination but Naria soon joined the fight and watched as the others did, in amazement.
She spoke to them in some language that they understood, and then she did something that confused him. She laughed and chanted under her breath, the lyrical words blazing in his mind as he began to add his strength to hers, not knowing how he did so.
Then the party burst into flame and ice before they vanished like their fallen comrade. Castor finished off a remaining demon with a steady slice from his sword, the demon’s head vanishing along with the rest of his body. Nesham returned carrying Carinna close to his chest, the small woman looking very pale and worn out with whatever had occurred.
“Are they gone?” Jace asked breathlessly, his body bent over to regain some of the strength that had suddenly left his body.
Castor and Koneru supported him while Nesham brought both Carinna and Naria along and the group hurriedly made for the ship.
“Thank the Stars Mikhel was already safely on board,” Koneru grunted and grabbed Jace in his arms. He faced the affronted Castor with an apology in his white eyes. “Sorry, Castor, it’s faster this way.”
They moved as a unit, ignoring the shocked stares and loud whispers growing into a cacophony of amazed shouts and detailed accounts of the battle. Jace could only think that the SpaceStalker had just achieved legendary status once again as its crew defeated dark creatures never seen before by Offworlders.
“Get us out of here,” he told Castor wearily. “And make way for Vembi,” he sighed.
Castor maneuvered the ship and they took off quickly, entering hyperspace with ease, the ship moving smoothly as it should.
Koneru had deposited Jace in his captain’s chair and left the control room to check on Mikhel. Nesham, however, had left Naria in the control room and disappeared somewhere with Carinna. Apparently the mighty Fenturi didn’t relish putting her down as yet, a thought that made Jace, as tired as he felt, smile.
Then he caught Naria staring at him worriedly, but with a cautious gleam in her eyes. His good mood faded as he knew more questions needed to be asked, sure to be followed by lies.
At least she wasn’t in league with those of Dark World, he thought. He’d seen true fear in her eyes and in that of Carinna’s when the dark creatures had captured them. And though Carinna had been a true Dark Worlder, she apparently didn’t want to return to the dark planet anytime soon. He couldn’t blame her.
Naria however, knew more than she told. The dark ones had called her by name and she spoke their language. A sudden thought consumed him and try as he might, he couldn’t
dismiss the possibility.
He stared at her, seeing again her exotic eyes, pale skin that had begun to darken under days of the Rovi sun, and the sheen of power that surrounded her.
“Naria?” he asked softly, feeling Castor’s attention even though his Second kept his eyes on the screen before him. Koneru reentered with a report that all was well. He sat next to Jace and stared at Naria curiously, awaiting Jace’s words. “What exactly happened down there?”
She opened her mouth to speak and closed it abruptly. She swallowed, nervously he thought, before she finally spoke.
“I’m not exactly sure. I believe the Dark Worlders came after Carinna and myself.”
“Carinna because she’s a Dark Worlder and you because?”
She shrugged innocently but her eyes shifted from his to stare at her feet. Not up to dealing with her evasions and half-truths, Jace sighed. He would get to his answers one way or another, but not tonight.
“Koneru? Put her in my cabin and set the special field. So you know, Naria, the Rovians equipped the ship with a new and improved security measure, one designed to stop any type of being from escaping a secured room. The field is electrical in nature, reacting only with a live spirit or energy. We might want to tell Carinna that,” he motioned to the Rovi.
“Right, Jace. Come on, Naria,” Koneru said quietly and escorted her gently out of the room.
“You think she’s one of them, don’t you?” Castor asked after the pair had left.
“Yes,” Jace sighed and leaned his head back against the chair. “It still makes no sense, but I think she might just be one of those we defeated today.”
Castor shook his head. “Well, in any event, she hasn’t done anything wrong to any of us. She in fact helped Nesham, if you’ll recall,” he reminded his captain. “Try not to be too rough on her,” he said.
Jace looked at Castor in surprise. “Since when are you so taken with Naria?”
“Since I’ve seen how you watch her. It’s good to know that you can obsess about something other than Mystique,” Castor grinned. “And when you’re done digging at the truth, find out if she has a sister, would you?”
Jace grinned and returned to his contemplation of this new situation. He needed the information Naria had and now knew he wouldn’t find it on Seven. His crew needed a stop at Vembi, and Stars knew he could do with a bit of mindless pleasure as well. He groaned inwardly at thoughts of Naria’s body tightening around him.
Why now, he asked himself? And why a demon woman from Dark World, of all people?
Nesham left Carinna half-asleep in his room, ignoring the fact that she had her own place to rest. Seeing her in that demon’s clutches had nearly done him in. He didn’t question it, but he had somehow been able to see her even when she turned into that ghostlike form she seemed so fond of.
He hadn’t been able to see the demon chasing her but had seen the demon reel back from a blow she gave him, had watched the creature shriek and turn into nothingness. Then he’d caught Carinna in his arms before she’d fallen to the ground.
Unable to shake the adrenaline still coursing through his body, he left Carinna to check on Mikhel. He passed Koneru leaving Mikhel’s room and nodded to the large Rovi.
He stepped into the room to see Mikhel the picture of glowing health as he reclined on his bed.
“Mikhel,” he said softly with the ghost of a smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’m going to tear someone apart the next time they ask me ‘how I’m feeling,’” Mikhel frowned. His poor attitude at being confined gave Nesham a huge sense of relief.
“Good, good,” Nesham murmured as he took a seat next to the irritated Fenturi. The large man’s blue eyes glowed with irritation and his body had nary a scar to mar his perfection. A full-blooded Fenturi, Mikhel had more energy than a normal human, even more than Nesham.
“So tell me about the scene I missed earlier,” Mikhel urged. “I heard it outside the ship, so loud was the commotion through the open portals. I would have joined you but Jace stopped me in a way that I don’t quite understand,” he said puzzled.
Nesham shook his head. “I too saw Jace do something rather odd too, to you,” he said and explained how Jace had seemed to heal him. “I think in fact our captain has secrets that none of us are privy to.”
“Hmm,” Mikhel mused. Then he stood, clad only in long loose flowing trousers. His hair shone and his body glowed and yet he seemed somewhat restless. Nesham had the uneasy feeling that Mikhel needed female companionship. He was after all a Fenturi in his prime and now fully healed. Nesham’s thoughts turned to Carinna and he frowned.
“Problem?” Mikhel asked, studying Nesham. “You know Nesham, it’s funny but you seem much lighter of heart than you have been in many moons.”
“Maybe,” Nesham muttered. “You seem fully recovered,” he blurted. “Do you recall what happened to you in Dark World?”
Mikhel frowned. “It’s odd but I don’t recall our landing there. I remember Lord Demise taking me from my cell and—” he froze, his eyes darkening at some remembrance.
“Mikhel?” Nesham asked worriedly.
“Never mind,” Mikhel said harshly. “Nesham, I need to rest.” And so saying he turned his back on his brethren, shutting him out.
Nesham stared at him worriedly but left quietly, his thoughts to report this new situation to Jace. But when he entered the control room, he found Jace almost asleep in his chair. Castor shook his head and motioned him away.
“Let him rest, he needs it,” Castor said softly.
Koneru nodded and lifted Jace gently in his arms, his weight almost nothing to the gray skinned giant. Carefully Koneru brought him back to his room. He punched in a security code and entered to find Naria lying peacefully asleep in the middle of Jace’s large bed.
Recalling what Castor had mentioned earlier, of how both Jace and Naria seemed to suit one another, Koneru nodded slightly. He placed Jace on the bed and watched as the large man murmured something unintelligible and fitted himself naturally around Naria.
She sighed and snuggled closer to him and Koneru left the two to their rest. He sighed. Stars knew the moment they waked a cloud of Starfire would surely burst. Jace had questions he wanted answered. And when Jace got in that mood, nothing would stop him until he had his answers.
Carinna woke sometime later that night. She felt warm breath fluttering against her neck, a large hand spanning her tiny waist, the other wrapped… She swallowed nervously trying to disengage the other hand gently cupping her left breast.
But all she did was manage to waken the large male holding her. She knew without looking that Nesham held her, his scent and feel already familiar to her as if her own. He tightened his grip on her flesh, firming her under his hands until her nipple tensed with arousal.
As if sensing her body’s sudden awakening, Nesham took full advantage. He pressed his full lips against her bared neck. He must have lifted her hair from her as she slept for it laid spread against her pillow, fanned out from her head in dark waves of flame against white sheets.
Nesham murmured something as he licked her neck, wringing a soft moan from her lips. Carinna’s whole body lit with desire, her thoughts a tangle as Nesham’s lips made short work of her resistance. In truth she didn’t understand why she’d been fighting him for so long.
With gentle hands he turned her in his arms so that she lay flat against the bed. His lips found hers and she gasped at the exquisite heat he produced. She met his tongue as it thrust into her mouth and heard him groan in pleasure his response.
He moved his body over hers, covering her lightly though he kept a small distance between them. He didn’t break contact with her lips but his hands moved quickly over her body. Carinna didn’t realize he worked to remove her clothing, so focused was she on his mouth. And then his lips left hers only to lower onto her bared breast. She gasped as his tongue stroked her into waves of ecstasy, her eyes closed, not noticing that he too had divested him
self of all clothing.
Then he lowered himself into her and all thought left Carinna but for the feel of Nesham.
“Nesham, oh yes,” she moaned as a familiar rhythm took over the both of them. But unlike her previous experience, this man gave her more pleasure than she could bear. Over and over again he plunged into her, his words hot and erotic, promises of passion and more.
And as they reached their peak together, Carinna thought she felt a brief burst of light fill her as love for this Fenturi warrior consumed her.
Mikhel frowned and stared up at his ceiling. He’d been feeling better and more alive than he had in a long time. His body felt refreshed, his mind surprisingly clean.
And seeing Nesham looking so much like he had before his brother’s death had made him feel better than good. Then Nesham had nudged his memories in a direction he’d rather not have gone.
As he lay in bed, he heard echoed in his mind the cries of passion and anger and lust in the demons that continued to assault him. In his visions he saw himself naked and exposed. The beauty of the act tarnished in the black-eyed emptiness of the voluptuous redheaded demons ravaging his poor body.
He groaned and sought a new place to go, a place full of peace and safety. He left the realities of this world and rejoined the Fentra forests. There he reveled in memories of his homeworld, of the dark green pools of water that had so entranced the Stalker cats. He recalled the lush vegetation and wise old trees that stood the testament of wars and unrest.
He remembered the birth of his twin nieces, Princesses Sasha and Lela. He smiled as his eyes drifted closed, seeing the innocence in the newborns. But the innocence faded as the dreams swept him away, back into the darkness of night, into the black pit of despair where his love and sensuality were turned into a never-ending session of torture and regret.
Naria shot up in bed as she heard another cry of pain. Jace stirred against her wearily, his body still taxed from the earlier battle with darkness. She heard the faint cry again before it silenced. Naria shook her head. She knew to whom that cry belonged—Mikhel. She supposed he had fully recovered in body, but in mind he would always be splintered unless she healed him. She thought that given time to recover, Jace would have been able to do so. But Naria’s familiarity with the pain Mikhel had suffered would make her healing easier.
