by Fall, Carly
Noah donated fanatically to the PTSD cause on Earth simply because he could relate. He and Jovan had recalled the private tortures they had endured at the hands of the disease a few times throughout the years, mainly before Jovan began distancing himself from everyone.
Liberty inhaled, then took yet another gulp of the whiskey. “After that, with our military decimated, and a key member of our Royal Congress losing his wits, the universe shifted.”
Jovan reached for the bottle of whiskey, and not bothering with a glass, took a long drink.
Liberty studied the rest of the amber liquid in her glass and remained quiet for a few moments.
“Liberty,” Rayner said quietly, “I’m getting the feeling that there’s some bad shit about to come down the pipeline, and I’m kind of a ‘let’s get it over’ guy.”
Liberty met his gaze, and then Faith said quietly, her large brown eyes pleading, “Liberty, what happened next?”
“We came under attack from the Miladrids.”
“Seriously?” Hudson said, leaning back and crossing his arms across his chest.
The Miladrids were beings from another planet in their solar system, and they had never shown any aggression toward the inhabitants of SR44.
“Yes,” Liberty said.
Because of the military downsizing, the planet didn’t stand a chance against an attack from another world, and the death was great, the sadness and hurt beyond recognition.
And then the Miladrids freed the Colonists.
“They were on a mission of destruction against their own people,” Liberty whispered, as Jovan watched the horror play across her face. “They killed at will and at random.”
“When it was certain that we had no more fight, when the citizens of SR44 turned on the Royal Congress and it looked as though our world would implode, my sire decided to put together an escape pod. The coordinates for Earth were already programmed, so it was decided we would travel here.”
Jovan felt the emotions in the room building even though he wasn’t touching anyone, and he hated his so-called gift more than ever. He mainly felt anger and sadness, and he took another swig from the bottle hoping the whiskey would block some of it out.
“On that pod there were twelve of us that consisted of The Platoon—a few other females and me.”
“Who’s The Platoon?” Jovan asked.
“They are a few of the troopers that were left in our military. They refer to themselves as The Platoon.”
“No offense, but why you?” Rayner asked. “And where are the others?”
Jovan watched as she took a couple of deep breaths.
“The females were meant to carry on our race here in Earth,” she said, “and the males of The Platoon were sent to sire that race. I was sent because I have royal breeding. However, on our travels, members of The Platoon came up with another proposal for their time on Earth.”
“And that is?” Rayner urged.
“They would avenge the destruction of our home. They would kill the son of the Royal Council member who insisted on the downsizing of our military.”
Jovan looked to Noah, who just stared at Liberty.
“So, just to be clear, Noah’s father ordered that the military be downsized, SR44 was unable to defend themselves from the Miladrids, and now they’re coming after Noah?” Hudson said.
Jovan heard a couple of growls from around the table.
Liberty nodded, still not meeting anyone’s eyes. She sipped at her whiskey.
“And they’re here?” Jovan asked quietly.
Liberty turned and met his gaze for an instant with tears in her eyes. She then looked down at the table again. “Oh, yes, Jovan. They are here. When we landed in the desert, it was a fiery mess. Some perished. Those of us that survived stayed together to come up with a plan of action, of where we would go. It was only hours after the crash that large aerial vehicles hovered above us, and males appeared out of nowhere dressed in dark fabrics and carrying weapons. Those who were hurt could not escape, but some of us did. I ran for what seemed like years and found myself alone in the desert, the city within view.”
Jovan closed his eyes. Helicopters? Men in dark clothing carrying weapons? Man, this had bad news written all over it and stunk like government.
“Oh, hell,” Noah said, putting his head in his hands.
“How many of you survived?” Hudson asked.
“There were twelve of us on the craft. Nine survived the crash.”
“Was there any of your . . . family on the craft?” Beverly asked.
Liberty shook her head. “No. Space was limited, and my sire said that he would stay to the end as a leader should, whatever that end may be. My moha couldn’t come because of the lack of space on the craft. I did, however, become close with another female named Annis.”
“Did she die?” Abby asked.
Tears welled in Liberty’s eyes. “I do not know what became of Annis. When I ran, she was injured and I left her behind.”
There was a beat of silence.
“And SR44?” Rayner asked. “What’s become of it?”
Liberty stared at the middle of the table, and Jovan watched as her eyes slowly turned a light pink. The other Warriors began to light up as well. Beverly’s green eyes got slightly brighter, but nothing like the others.
Liberty took a deep breath, grabbed the arms of the chair, and closed her eyes. “SR44 is no more. As we left, it seemed our world exploded from the inside, leaving nothing. It is gone.”
Jovan felt pain in his chest at the loss. Then the emotions in the room welled, soaring as if they grew wings and took on a life of their own. The blast of sadness and anger rolled over him, suffocating him, hitting him like a hammer to the diaphragm. He stood slowly, feeling as though he was under a massive weight, and crumpled to the floor.
The pain in the room was too great, and he thought for sure he would die from it as it tore through his body, ripping him apart from the inside.
The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Liberty sitting in the chair white knuckling the arms, her eyes closed, and pain contorting her face.
Chapter 15
Liberty sat on the floor next to Jovan. After she heard the loud thump of his body hitting the ground, she hadn’t been able to open her eyes until the wave of emotion had gone through the room.
It had been quite strong.
When it passed, she opened her eyes and saw the others tending to Jovan. His body began to convulse as they tried to help him, and she quickly figured out what was going on. Every hand that rested on him was transferring their emotions to him, and his convulsions became worse when they touched him. Although she was only a guest and born into servitude, she found the strength within herself to ask everyone to take their leave of the room. Remembering what Jovan had said about all of them being equals here, she had been able to find her voice to speak.
There were a couple of arguments, especially from the Warriors, but when she explained what was happening, the females took charge and got everyone out of the room.
Jovan’s body had eventually quieted, and now she waited for him to awake.
As she studied his face, she wondered why he had never learned to control his gift.
It was estimated that only ten percent of beings from SR44 were born with the gift. However, sometimes it didn’t make itself known until later in life. Perhaps he hadn’t received proper training in controlling the gift because it flourished later in life, after he came to Earth.
That had to be it. She couldn’t imagine the officers of the highest ranks of military allowing a soldier to serve with an uncontrolled gift. It would become a weakness, an Achilles heel for the Warrior.
She felt very protective of the male Jovan, especially when he looked so vulnerable. He had given her help when she needed it, and provided her with shelter and fabrics to cover her body. He had nourished her with that delicious meal of macaroni and cheese. Jovan had also been kind to her, and she decided that she would teach
him how to control his gift. She couldn’t imagine the . . . horror . . . of being able to feel others’ emotions and not have any way to regulate it.
He groaned, and she let her fingers run through his blond hair. It was soft and slid through her fingers with ease. Closing her eyes, she made sure that her own emotions wouldn’t bleed into him causing him more distress.
Reaching for her hand, he clasped it in his own, and she watched as her small fingers were swallowed up. She checked his face and noted that he seemed to still be unconscious.
“I can’t feel you,” he whispered, drawing closer to her. After a moment, his head was in her lap, and his arms encircled her waist. He seemed to be holding on to her for dear life.
“I can’t feel you,” he whispered again.
She didn’t answer, just allowed him to hold her, her fingers moving methodically through his hair.
Chapter 16
Jovan woke, unsure of where he was. He felt a softness below him, but it wasn’t as plush as a mattress. Whatever he was holding felt like a lifeline, and he squeezed it tighter.
Delicate fingers went through his hair, brushing down his cheeks, to his neck, and back up again. When it hit him that he was actually being touched and not feeling any emotions, he panicked for a moment, wondering if he was dead.
As he felt the gentle caresses, he knew that he wasn’t, but he was also aware that he wasn’t ready to return to full consciousness.
SR44 was gone. There would never be any going back, any hope of that shattered. He thought of his mother and father, and tremors of sadness wafted through him.
The wave of emotion that brought him to his knees had been so powerful. There was anger and sadness, but the sadness far outweighed the anger. He imagined that Talin and Cohen were particularly affected as both had lost their lovrens, or mates.
Two SR44 males who had just found out their mates were dead? Man, shit was going to get ugly.
He opened his eyes and realized he was still on the floor of the dining room. His lifeline was Liberty.
Slowly, he sat up.
“Hello, Jovan,” she said quietly.
“Hey,” he said, hearing the gravel in his voice. He felt like he had been on the losing end of a MMA match; every fiber of his being hurt like hell. He moved to lean against the wall, as he didn’t think he had the energy to keep upright. Liberty moved to sit next to him.
“You don’t have control of your gift,” she said.
Jovan looked down at her, meeting the soft pink glow of her eyes. “Gift? I beg to differ on that description, Liberty. But you’re right, I can’t control it at all.”
Her gaze moved to her hands in her lap. “If you would like, I can educate you on how to control it.”
Jovan studied her. If his memory served him right, only about ten percent of the SR44 population was born with the gift, or curse, depending on how you looked at it. What were the odds that he was sitting next to another SR44 being with the same damn gift? Slim to none.
“Seriously? You have it?”
She met his eyes again and lifted her chin in a regal way. “Yes, I do. I am in full control of it and can teach you to do the same, if you desire.”
Jovan tried to think about a world where he wasn’t affected by others’ emotions, a place where he couldn’t hear anyone’s thoughts, a time where he could just be a normal guy. Well, as normal as a guy with glowing eyes could be. Would Liberty really be able to free him from his self-imposed exile?
“That . . . would be great, Liberty. Even if I could just control it a little so I don’t end up in a pile on the floor next time someone delivers bad news, I’d be happy.”
“Very well, Jovan. I’m honored to be able to assist a Warrior.” Liberty stood and stuck her hand out to him. “Let me help you up.”
Jovan looked at the small hand and the little female it was attached to. He couldn’t believe she was going to teach him something as huge as how to control his gift.
She smiled at him, and Jovan studied the ringlets that fell around her face and the glow of her eyes. She was really pretty in an innocent, almost childlike way. He felt his Warrior side emerge, the side that wanted to shield her from all the ugliness he knew existed, all the terrible thoughts and feelings people had.
He clasped her hand and was surprised by her strength as she helped him up.
“I hope you don’t mind, Jovan,” she said as they left the dining area. “I requested the sleeping quarters at the bottom floor of this cylinder. The only way the emotions of the house can get to us is from above, and it is much easier to manage when they aren’t coming at you from all sides.”
Jovan nodded. It made sense.
The emotions in the house were going to be very strong for a while, of that he was certain. Even Noah, Rayner, and Hudson would be feeling sadness for the loss of SR44, even though they were happily mated. However, Talin and Cohen will be off the charts devastated with the loss of their lovrens. Jovan realized that if it weren’t for Liberty, he would probably have to leave the Warriors, because there was no way he would be able to deal with the sheer torture of the intense emotions in the house.
As they stepped into the elevator, Liberty turned to him. “As we descend in this box, it is my understanding that we will be passing the sleeping quarters of where the others tarry. Is this correct?”
Jovan nodded. “Elevator,” he said.
She tilted her head and stared up at him, obviously confused.
“This box is called an elevator,” he said with a smile.
“Ah,” she said. “Of course. Thank you.”
“And yes, we’ll be passing where the others sleep.”
She nodded, turned to the control panel, and pushed the button for the bottom sleeping quarters.
Jovan reached over and pushed the emergency stop button. “What do I need to do so I don’t end up on the floor again, Liberty?”
“Take a deep breath,” she said. “I shall hold the box . . . I mean, elevator, in place while you do this exercise.”
Their hands gently grazed over each other as she moved to hold the button. “Now, close your eyes, Warrior.”
He did what he was told and skipped telling her that he wanted her to call him Jovan.
“Your SR44 form is a beautiful, glowing light. Imagine that energy in front of you.”
He remembered the green, misty form of his past.
“Now, concentrate and picture lowering a fabric of black over it.”
After a couple beats of silence, she asked, “Do you have that vision secure?”
In his mind’s eye, he brought the black cape over the green form, and within him, he felt something shift. It was as if he was really rocking the whole I-am-an-island thing, and not in the physical sense he was used to. He had entered a private room of his own, where he could relax, where he was . . . alone, without anyone’s emotions or thoughts to bother him. And this place brought him peace and freedom, freedom from the shackles of always being on the outskirts, from the chains of needed avoidance.
“I see it in your face that you have accomplished your task, Jovan,” Liberty said quietly. “We will ride the box down now. Concentrate on keeping your light cloaked.”
The elevator gave a slight jerk, and Jovan felt the descent begin. When he didn’t feel anything for the first few seconds, he thought he had the whole cloaking business down pat and he let himself relax. Suddenly, a jolt of pain cut through him, slamming him into the side of the elevator, and taking his breath away.
“Focus, Warrior,” Liberty said in a calm voice. He felt her cool touch on his arm, her fingertips on his temple. “Focus.”
He did what he was told, and the pain dissipated a bit, but not totally. “We must have just passed the quarters of either the Warrior Talin or the Warrior Cohen,” Liberty said. “The male is in a terrible way after losing his mate in the destruction of SR44.”
Hot on the heels of the first wave of pain came a second, but it felt different. “One of them again
,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Yes.”
After that, Jovan didn’t feel much, just a bit of an ache. Liberty removed her hands as the elevator jerked to a stop.
“Wow,” he said. “That’s pretty amazing.”
Liberty nodded. “Yes. Eventually it will become second nature to you, and you will perform the task without realizing it.”
She stepped out of the elevator, and Jovan followed. Without the cloak, he could still feel the emotions in the house, but instead of taking on tsunami-like qualities, they were more of a dull hum. Hums he could deal with: tsunamis, epic fail.
Opening the thick oak door, she stepped into the quarters.
The place was light and airy, done in different shades of cream and white accented with blacks and grays. The standard sixty-inch TV hung from the wall, a dark gray loveseat sat facing it. Another thick oak door on the other end of the room led to the bathroom. It was nice; however, Jovan would have preferred things a little more . . . masculine? Dark?
Whatever.
Liberty walked around the room, her finger tracing over the top of the dresser, her gaze going to the TV.
“Oh my,” she said. “I love the box of moving pictures!”
Jovan watched as she hurried over to it, glancing around the room. “It’s called a television, Liberty. For short, it’s a TV.”
She nodded. “I knew that and I had forgotten. Where is the cylinder that makes the . . . TV come to life?”
“Over by the bed. And that’s called a remote control.”
Seconds later, Liberty sat on the bed, clicking through the channels, enraptured by the screen.
After watching her taking it all in with childlike wonder, Jovan went to the bathroom to shower.
He stripped off his clothing, letting it lie where it dropped. Turning on the shower, he appreciated the instant hot water. He let the water wash away the negativity that seemed to cover him like a wet wool blanket.
