Salvation (Book Two of the Prophecy Series)

by Lea Kirk

  “Eliminated?” Alex stared at him. “How?”

  Nick’s expression hardened. “I used my Gift.”

  Sakura’s mouth dropped open. That could not be good. “Are you okay?”

  “Since I’m the one still breathing, yes.” He enveloped her hands between his and smiled. “Saku, I’m fine, really. I have no regrets. I’m sitting here with you now, and life doesn’t get much better.”

  She gave him a small smile in return. That was one of the things she loved about Nick. He had a talent for knowing just what to say, and when.

  “So,” Alex said. “We probably should decide what to do about our missing mass murderers.”

  Nick nodded. “I can’t imagine either Kelly or Haesi giving up on this project of theirs. By now they’ve probably figured out that Dante and I survived, and that’ll make them curious. Is the Unified Defense Fleet sending a search team?”

  “The UDF sent me to assess the situation and report back,” Gryf replied. “With the number of people who have arrived in this locale in recent days, it is possible the Arruch have noticed. On the off chance they have not, I have recommended no action from the fleet at this time.”

  Sakura drew her eyebrows together. “So, we’re on our own?”

  “Not at all.” The admiral’s deep blue eyes shifted to K’rona. “The dissenters are a trained military force, one to be reckoned with based on past performance. We will stand quite well on our own, I believe.”

  “Thank you, Admiral Helyg,” K’rona said, appreciation shining in her green eyes at the compliment. “It is our honor to serve under your direction again. Shall Storo and I arrange a hunt?”

  Sakura frowned. “What is a hunt?”

  “The Anferthian version of a search party,” Nick said. He reached for her and she moved back against his side and into his embrace. “Only they take no prisoners.”

  “Not at this time, K’rona,” Gryf said. “But, when we do, I want prisoners. We need answers.”

  “We will give you prisoners, Admiral.” Storo stretched and yawned. “For now, we wait and hope our quarry soon show themselves.”

  More waiting. Not her favorite thing, but at least she knew where Nick was this time. Hopefully Kelly, Haesi, and their gang would show up soon. Things were going to be tense around here in the meantime.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Something soft and warm brushed Nick’s lips, something he should wake up to investigate. He forced his eyelids open. Saku leaned over him where he’d fallen asleep on the couch, his neck at an uncomfortable angle. He glanced at the clock over her shoulder. Had it really only been twenty minutes since everyone else had left? He reached up and cupped her smooth cheek in his palm.

  Her mouth curved in a secretive smile. “I have something for you.”

  God, he loved her voice, low and sexy. “Do you, now?” Wonder what it could be?

  “Mm-hmm. It’s in the lab.”

  He blinked. That was not the response he’d expected. “Are you sure it’s not in one of our bedrooms, or…under your skirt?” He waggled his eyebrows.

  The secretive smile turned into a smirk. “I’m positive. Come on.”

  He allowed her to lead him to the lab by the hand. The door shut behind them and she made a beeline to one of the small storage boxes on the lab table. Seconds later she held up a vial. “Atolce.”

  His lips parted as a spurt of hope shot through his heart. “You got it?”

  “I got it.” She grinned like a schoolgirl who’d just aced a tough exam.

  A whoop of elation erupted from him and he grabbed her in his embrace and spun her in a circle. Her laughter filled the air. “Nick, be careful. I do not want to drop it.”

  He set her down, holding her for a couple of heartbeats in case she was dizzy.

  “I would like you to double check my work, if you don’t mind,” she said.

  Always thorough, his Saku. “Sure.”

  It took less than five minutes to confirm that the mixture was identical to the original sample. “Dead on the money, Sakura. This is great news.”

  “Thanks. I, ah….” Her cheeks appeared flushed and she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “I recalibrated it to be compatible to our physiology, and gave myself a dose.”

  He gave her a side-long look. “Did you, now?”

  She reached up and pulled her ponytail from its band. Her hair spilled over her shoulders. “And,” she looked up at him from beneath those lovely lashes, “I have a dose for you.”

  Now things were getting good and interesting. “Which I should take because I want to set a good example for the Anferthians.”

  She nodded agreeably. “It is the right thing to do.”

  Could she be even remotely aware of the desire shining from her eyes? He lowered himself onto a stool and pushed his t-shirt sleeve over his shoulder. “Then, I suppose you should give it to me.” At one point in his life, before Saku, he would have snickered at the corny double meaning of his words, but not now.

  Her motions as she prepped the syringe were precise and economical. Then she slid the needle under his skin near the same place another more-deadly needle had broken his skin less than twenty-four hours before. It was over in a blink, and she stepped back. “It’s effective immediately.”

  “So I’ve heard.” He reached for the syringe, took it from her fingers, and tossed it toward the counter along the back wall. It was a careless maneuver, but what the hell. “I’m effective immediately, too, you know.”

  Her tongue darted between her lips and her gaze darted to his crotch. “So I’ve heard.”

  That was enough. He grabbed her by the waist, lifted her onto the table and pushed her skirt up. Goddamn, she was beautiful, and she smelled good. Clean and fresh with a strong hint of arousal. “I love it when you go commando.”

  “Less talk, more action.” The throaty tenor of her teasing voice went straight to his groin. “Let’s find out if you also went commando.”

  He hadn’t, but would more often in the future. Together they worked the seals of his pants until he sprang free.

  “Yes.” Her whispered word was like a breath of warm air, and in that moment it didn’t matter that they were in the lab or that his pants were still around his ankles like a teenage boy. He pulled her legs over his shoulders and guided himself to her glistening opening. Pink, his new favorite color.

  She leaned back, bracing herself against the table with her elbows and hands. One smooth stroke brought him home, a guttural growl emanating from his throat. Her silken heat tightened around him and her small whimper turned into a moan. God, she was coming already. His hands grasped her waist to keep her from sliding as he rocked her. Her entire body shuddered under the force of her orgasm.

  “Oh, god,” she whispered between pants. “I need more of that.”

  That sounded like a great idea. He leaned forward, placing his lips against hers. “As many times as you’d like, all night.”

  Pulling out, he plunged back into her hard and sure, and was rewarded with her rapid, heavy breaths. The heat of her walls seemed to intensify and his impending release coiled in his balls.

  “Yes, Nick. Yes!”

  Again she clenched around him and he thrust deep, stiffening as he pumped his release into her. “Saku!” White spots exploded behind his eyelids, and for a moment it seemed he was on the verge of passing out.

  Awareness stole back in bits and pieces. His arms held Saku close, pressed chest to chest still joined in the most intimate way two people could be joined.

  “Whoa.” His breathing didn’t seem to want to slow down anytime soon. “I have never orgasmed like that before.”

  “We can do it again, you know.”

  A chuckle rumbled through his chest, and he nuzzled the juncture of her neck and shoulder. “You’re insatiable.”

  “You promised. ‘As many times as you’d like, all night’.”

  She had him there. “Yes, I
did. But, maybe we can do it in a bed next time—and a bit slower.”

  “My room. It’s closest, and has a tub.”

  Oh, the possibilities. “I’d carry you there still inside you if I could, but it’d be a short and painful trip. My pants are still around my ankles.”

  She giggled next to his ear and his shaft stiffened. Getting her to her room became a priority. He pulled out of her, kicked off his shoes and pants, then lifted her off the table. “You and I, my little healer, will not be getting much sleep tonight.”

  ~*~

  Morning had come all too soon, and with it family obligations. Nick tromped through the snow in the direction of his cube, a silent, sullen teenager at his side. Dante had boarded the surface shuttle to Cassia Cae an hour earlier. From there an interplanetary transport would return him to Terr and his duties at the infirmary. Given that Kelly and Haesi were still unaccounted for, getting Dante safely away was a prudent plan. Both women had the tenacity of a couple of Rottweilers playing tug-of-war. It was unfortunate that both had vanished.

  Now, anticipation and tension ran through Center Village and the Directionals like an invisible steel cable stretched taut. As normal as everyone tried to behave, no one went anywhere alone.

  If only Flora had gone with Dante. For some unfathomable reason, Alex and Gryf seemed determined to keep her at the sanctuary. The pisser was that neither of them would explain why. It made no sense, but they were the kid’s parents and he had to respect their wishes even if he didn’t agree with them. The disappointment in Flora’s eyes over having to stay had reached out to the uncle in him, though. He had to do something to make her feel better before the poor kid went stir-crazy being cooped up in the cube she shared with her parents. As soon as he’d offered to take her back to his cube today, she’d jumped at the chance.

  He cast a glance at his niece. Then there was the question about her hair—or lack thereof. Alex hadn’t seemed open to discussing that either, calling it “teenage rebellion” before changing the subject. When he’d finally asked Flora, his question had been met with stony silence.

  “Sorry that your visit has been ruined by all this drama, Red.”

  Flora shrugged. “It’s okay, Uncle Nick. It’s not like you planned for any of this to happen.”

  No, he definitely hadn’t.

  “Thanks for getting me out of there.” Flora jerked her head back in the direction of the guest cube.

  “Yeah, so you can come sit in my cube? Not sure you got a better deal there, kid.”

  The healers’ cube was in sight. Storo strode along the length of the cube from front to back, apparently making his hourly circuit around the building checking for anything unusual. The Anferthians seemed very serious about protecting their healers.

  Flora snorted. “Does it ever not snow here? How do the ’Ferths…Anferthians stand it?”

  “There wasn’t any snow when Saku and I arrived here. It was actually warm and a lot less white.”

  Storo disappeared around the back of the cube, and a grin tugged at the corners of Nick’s mouth. “Wanna have some fun, Red?”

  Suspicion filled her eyes, then one corner of her mouth twitched. Clearly she’d picked up on the mischievous inflection of his words. “What are you thinking, Uncle?”

  “Follow me, stay close, and arm yourself.” He scooped up a handful of snow with his gloved hands and packed it into a ball.

  Flora eyes went round and she gave him a wide grin, then grabbed her own handful of snow. Not a slow kid, this girl. Together they crept along the side of the cube following Storo’s trail.

  Nick leaned forward to peek around the corner. Storo stood ten feet beyond the next corner, his back to them and his face tipped up to scent the air. Good thing they were downwind from him, because Anferthians had an exceptional sense of smell. As long as they were quiet they might catch him unaware.

  Nick gave Flora a nod and she stepped out from the protection of the cube wall with him. Storo whirled around to face them and they launched their snowballs in unison. Damn, his hit the Anferthian’s shoulder, but Flora’s caught him dead-center in the forehead. Storo wiped the snow from his face, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

  Nick crouched, scooping snow. “Re-arm! Re-arm, Flora!”

  A loud Anferthian-size whoop filled the air. Flora probably didn’t like that. He glanced her direction, and stared. The white-faced fear he’d expected wasn’t there. His niece opened her mouth and let out a joyful whoop of her own. A loud one. Even Storo appeared surprised, then he seemed to recover and went back to scraping up snow.

  “Hurry, Uncle Nick!” Flora knelt down, laughing as she packed snow into round balls.

  Splat! A cannonball-sized sphere of snow exploded against his shoulder, knocking him on his butt. Storo’s shout of triumph mingled with Flora’s laughter. She stood and pitched one snowball after another at Storo, each one finding its mark as the giant attempted to ward them off while rolling another ball about the size of a watermelon.

  Wonder filled Nick. Flora was actually having fun, laughing as she exchanged volleys with an Anferthian. He stood and lobbed another snowball before bending to make another.

  Crack!

  The harsh sound of gunfire split the air and something whirred over his head. A plume of burgundy blossomed on the front of Storo’s coat. The Anferthian grunted and sank to his knees, holding his shoulder. “Get down!”

  Nick was already in motion, knocking Flora off her feet and shielding her with his own body. The high-pitched whine of bullets and deadly whispers of kagi whizzed overhead, some going wide and some impacting the back wall of the cube. Shit. Please don’t let them go through the wall. Saku was inside. What a wonderful time for Kelly and company to surface.

  An Anferthian war-cry reverberated through the air and thrummed against Nick’s eardrums. Clearly, Storo had been holding back earlier with his whoop. Even the ground seemed to vibrate with the call. The Directionals probably heard it.

  Echoing bellows came from several directions at once. Flora slammed her hands over her ears and cried out. This time her face did drain of blood, making her freckles stand out.

  “You’re okay, Flora. Stay with me.” The last thing he needed was for her to freeze because her mind had taken her back to the day of the invasion. “Storo’s calling for help. The Anferthians are on our side this time.”

  Her vague head nod was reassuring. “I know. I’m okay, Uncle. I just hit my head. How do we get out of this?”

  Good question, and one for which he had no answer. A large, heavy hand closed around his bicep. “Nick, reinforcements have arrived. The hunt is on. We must move to the other side of the cube.”

  His heartbeat thudded in his ears. “Can you bring Flora? I need to check Saku.”

  “Yes. Go,” Storo said.

  He pushed to his feet and bolted to the far corner, stripping off one glove. No more deadly projectiles winged around him, which he would take as a sign that Kelly’s group was on the run. He sprinted the length of the cube, rounded the next corner, and slammed his bare hand against the ID reader. The door gradually opened, obviously oblivious to his state of near panic.

  He shoved his way into the cube. “Saku!”

  “Nick! I’m here.”

  His gaze was drawn to the floor under the dining table, almost the exact center point of the cube, surrounded on every side except the front by bedrooms, a conference room, the lab, and a couple of exam rooms. The safest place she could be. He reached under, grasped her hand, and hauled her into his arms. “Thank God you’re safe.”

  Her tiny hands fluttered over his face and shoulders. “Are you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  Heavy-booted footfalls announced the arrival of Storo and Flora. The giant placed the trembling teenager on the couch.

  “She is going into shock,” Storo said as he opened the seals of his coat. Burgundy blood dripped steadily onto the floor.

  “You are
hurt, too,” Sakura said.

  “It is nothing.” Storo’s proclamation sounded final.

  Sakura huffed. “Why do men always say that?”

  “If one of you would hurry up and remove the pitiful projectile from my shoulder, I would like to join the hunt.” Storo winced as he pulled his shirt over his head. Then he sat cross-legged in the middle of the living room, bare-chested except for the curious pendant hanging from a chain. The design was different from the one K’rona had removed from Tokki, and the liquid swirling inside was a deep metallic purple.

  “It is called a reliquary,” Storo said gravely, as though imparting a great secret to them.

  And, technically, he was. Even though Nick had heard of Anferthian reliquaries before, he had never seen one. Not knowingly, at least. Which wasn’t surprising since they were supposedly sacred to the Anferthians. What they were used for was anyone’s guess.

  “Oh,” Sakura said. Then her elbow nudged him. “I moved the surgical case to the bottom shelf of the bookcase in case we needed it quickly. If you take care of Storo’s bullet, I will treat Flora’s shock.”

  Nick shook himself. “Right. Be right back, Storo.”

  A small hand touched his wrist and he looked down into Sakura’s determined eyes. “I know you are going on the hunt. I also know I will not be left behind this time.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Sakura gripped the back of Storo’s insulated coat. When the huge Anferthian had first suggested ‘slinging’ her, a vision of being hurdled through the air by a man three times her size had flashed through her mind. The reality was not nearly so terrifying. He had simply strapped her to his back with a sling, allowing her to ride piggy-back so her smaller stride would not slow them down. Of course, she had expected the ride to be bumpy, but Storo’s smooth, long-legged gait made for a surprisingly comfortable ride. Even through the snow.

  This just went to show that she would do anything to not be left behind this time, including riding on someone else’s back like an infant. Maybe it was selfish, but the last time she had let Nick out of her sight, he had almost died.