by Dylan Quinn
Denvar visibly shook, the color drained from his face.
“We must find Reanna. Apparently, someone else also knows she is the key to saving the system. Somebody who wants to keep the two of you apart in hopes of running it, or maybe even destroying it. Though they don’t have my foresight, so they likely have no knowledge of what will ensue should you two not come together to rule.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Clifton hired me to keep her safe here, though I’m suspecting we were somehow followed into the Complex. I assume whomever was out to kill Reanna has found her. I do not feel she’s been harmed or killed at this point, perhaps it’s just a ransom situation, but I have limited sight at the moment. I believe it has something to do with Geneva taking my foresight. Regardless, we must find Reanna. You two will rule over Ama Seldova at some point in the future, keeping it safe from certain death. Given what I now know of this situation, I would like to propose a deal.”
“A deal?”
“For thousands of years, I’ve been balking at my duty. As well as hiding it. Nobody truly knows I exist any longer, and for good reason. I prefer to live my life with a measure of anonymity because the allure of having omniscience attracts much unwanted attention. I played that game, being used by political factions for all the wrong reasons, and I cannot return to that kind of life. It’s of the utmost importance my identity is kept a secret. Do you understand?”
“I don’t know what I can do for you, though,” Denvar said.
“Things are going to change once this experiment is over. If we can get Reanna safely returned to you, I saw you ruling one of the planets and having a strong hand in the future of Ama Seldova. A peaceful ruling. But should the two of you not, should anything become of her, that peaceful existence is impossible. She is stubborn, but strong. She plays a large part in keeping the peace and without her, we all will perish.”
Lennox exhaled loudly, setting his hands on his desk in front of him.
“I thought I was sparing myself by staying out of this game in the first place, but all it’s done is bring more unrest to our future. So here’s my deal. I offer you my services of omniscience once your ruling commences. In exchange for three things.
“First, my freedom to intervene or step out as I see fit. Second, I need your silence. Never to share my true identity.”
Denvar nodded. “That sounds fair and reasonable. So you’ll help me rule with your visions, and all I need to do is not hold you to any binding agreements or tell anybody you’re the Watcher?”
“Yes. And finally, one more thing.”
“Okay?”
“Geneva. We need to set her free. She’s been bound to a curse for over a thousand years, and she deserves some freedom. I’ve been lax on the rules with her given her circumstances. I’m sure my feelings for her have clouded my judgment some, but I want her protected. I’m searching for the Curse Catcher.”
“I’ve never heard of a Curse Catcher.”
“I understand your family has ties to the Humans within Intra. Some rumors have been surfacing about the girl’s disappearance within the Complex. My lieutenant Veccoli said he’s heard rumblings of infighting within the Humans and Metas in Intra. Shady dealings for money.
“Of course as one of its leaders, most of the lower-level officers keep to themselves, and we’ve made little progress finding her. I need you to speak to your people, see if you can find out if there are connections. I want to find this Curse Catcher to release Geneva from her curse.” Lennox fidgeted, his gaze focused on a monitor leading to Geneva’s living quarters. “She doesn’t deserve to be imprisoned for eternity.”
“You love her.” Denvar let out a chuckle.
Lennox scowled. “I’m just trying to do the right thing here. Now do we have a deal?”
Denvar nodded.
“Yes. Anything. To save Reanna, and maybe even Ama Seldova. And I can’t think of a more noble assistant in leading it than you.” Denvar stood, his hand reaching for Lennox. “Thank you. For trusting me with your secret and for helping me find my love. You’re a wise, dutiful Meta.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” Lennox shook Denvar’s hand. “Now let’s go find our girls.”
Chapter 12
Moonlight hours were upon the Complex.
A lightening storm had begun to rumble outside the dome when Geneva finally managed to pull herself up off the sofa.
One apprehensive step at a time, she wandered back into her bedroom toward the chamber that held Cupid.
She closed her eyes, taking a slow, measured breath.
A thousand years.
She’d been cursed. Held onto powers of heartbroken Metas. She absorbed their pain briefly then stored it away for a price.
Geneva had been hanging onto all this pain and power, and for what?
Lennox’s question hung heavy in her mind.
Why hadn’t Geneva ever used the powers?
Perhaps because she knew deep down, they didn’t really belong to her.
She stood staring at the locked chamber that held her sword.
Geneva could be the most powerful Meta alive if she would tap into all of them. Of course, the pain and power combined could also destroy her.
But isn’t that really what she wanted?
Before Lennox, the answer was simple.
Yes.
Before she’d met the sexy Meta with the hypnotic eyes that stared right through her, she truly had a death wish, but now?
Everything had changed.
For the first time in hundreds of years, Geneva wanted to live. Had something—someone to live for.
Lennox was amazing. Sexy. Kind.
He could have had her any way he wanted last night, but instead of using her as most men did, he was gentle. Patient.
Loving.
In a way she had forgotten men could even be.
It was the first time she’d felt loved in so long.
The first time she’d actually made love to a man, not just fucked him.
It gave her hope. Hope that for some reason, she could truly be loved.
By a man she was completely and utterly swept away by.
Geneva had tried to keep her feelings hidden, locked up inside her sword, but after last night, no lie could hide her truth.
Cupid had fallen in love with the Watcher.
She closed her eyes for a moment, a tear slipped down her cheek at her admission.
A knot containing her fear settled deep in her chest as her heart began to thump wildly.
Now that it was out there in the universe, Geneva knew it would be over between her and Lennox.
Over before it ever began.
As much hope as she had, her fear still controlled her.
She knew there was only one move she had left...
Checkmate.
Inhaling a deep breath, she strode to the chamber, pressed the surreptitious lever behind the painting that hid Cupid, and ceremoniously pressed the code on the keys.
She unlatched the door and stared at the intimidating silver sword, one even she knew held more power any immortal could stand to wield.
Geneva stood quiet for a moment, admiring the beauty of the weapon—the sword that cursed her all those years ago, and now held the key to her own absolution.
Slowly, she stepped toward the beastly metal, removing it from its insulated chamber. She felt the power seeping into her, felt the painful cries of the Metas before she even touched the thing.
Over the years, she’d become relatively immune to the power of the sword by never wholly absorbing any of the powers or pain. She understood now though, there was only one thing to do in this situation.
The right thing.
As Geneva stood holding the sword, she did something she never had before. She focused on finding Lennox’s pain. On his vision, accessing his foresight that wasn’t hers to have.
It hurt like a motherfucker, too, but this was the only way.
“Con il suo potere
viene il suo dolore,” Geneva chanted, drawing Lennox’s foresight that hid within her sword. “With his power, comes his sorrow,” she repeated as the pain began to creep in.
Her head pulsed as his visions drizzled through her. She cringed, clenching her teeth at the intensity of the throb in her temples as the visions flooded her mind.
For a brief moment, she saw things she knew she shouldn’t.
Lennox’s past and present vision appeared, too. So intense, she dropped to her knees, dropping the sword, shrieking out in agony as his pain and power washed over her.
Lennox’s powers were connected.
All of them.
The past, present, and future sight were linked, which is why Lennox had lost so much by giving one up. Because of this link, Lennox was unable to fully tap into them all these years.
She’d not just held his foresight, but a portion of all his vision.
There was only one solution. Return it all—but she refused to return his heartache. That was hers now.
Geneva would keep her part of the deal, even if she absolved Lennox of his. After all, he was trying to find the Curse Catcher, she at least owed him what she promised.
Deep down, Geneva understood Lennox could never be the true Watcher, the all-powerful, omniscient immortal leader he was created to be if he couldn’t be free of his heartache.
In a way, Lennox was stricken with his own curse.
Perhaps today, Geneva could set him free of his demons, too.
She picked up the sword and a moment later, more visions flooded her mind, her head throbbing mercilessly.
She saw Reanna, the hybrid girl held captive by a circle of Metas. They were preparing to kill her.
That’s all she could see. Not where the girl was, and no clue how to find her.
Only Lennox could discover that.
Geneva had to do this now.
Just then, her wrist communicator lit up and Lennox’s voice echoed through her room.
“We found her, Geneva. The Curse Catcher. She’s on her way to Intra North. We’re still searching for Reanna, though. Please, come to Intra. I’ll meet you there soon.”
“She’s real,” Geneva said, clenching Cupid. “I’ll be damned.”
Geneva could finally be free of her curse.
But would she become mortal once again? Did she even want to?
“Reanna.” She took in a deep breath, blowing out slowly, puffing out her cheeks.
Thoughts of the Curse Catcher were quickly wiped away by Reanna. The young, vulnerable Meta who was needlessly about to be killed.
Geneva wouldn’t let that happen. Couldn’t.
In order to find and rescue the missing girl, Lennox would need his vision. All of it. Geneva sifting through Lennox’s visions with a watered down version simply wouldn’t be enough.
Sacrificing herself could be the only way.
Perhaps being a martyr would make up for all the wrongs she’d done in her life.
For a brief second, Geneva looked to the universe, begging that karma was on her side today, and that absorbing all the pain and powers wouldn’t actually end her.
But if it did, it did.
There was no going back to a time before Lennox.
Not anymore.
For the first time in longer than she could remember, Geneva would do the right thing. The truly selfless thing.
She would absorb all of the pain kept hidden in her sword instead of hiding it away, because she didn’t really know how to isolate Lennox’s pain from everyone else’s.
At least then, Lennox would no longer be at risk for its backlash.
Then, after absorbing all the pain, Geneva would release Lennox’s powers. Or try.
There was a trick to all this, though.
Geneva couldn’t generate enough energy to release Lennox’s powers on her own. Her gifts were driven by emotion, but here in her insulated apartment, she was isolated from others’ pain, hate, and love. She couldn’t tap into that resource unless she was out in the world.
And even then, it may not be enough.
She’d need to generate some real power to extract everything within her sword, perhaps tapping into one of the four power plants within the Complex? There was one in each dome. Hopefully, drawing from the one in her zone would suffice.
If not, surly the lightning storm mixed with a little water conducting energy would add some extra mojo to her endeavor.
Cupid, her sword, was a natural conductor of power and emotion. And with the words etched within the sword, she could end it all.
If she wanted to.
Geneva had never said those words, though she knew what they were for. She’d saved that spell for the day she found a Human to take away her curse, but she’d never considered doing it selflessly.
Until today, she’d only used the spell to take away heartache and access the powers from Metas, but never said the chant to release them.
She had no idea how the spell would work, or if it would work, but as scared as she was, this was the only way.
She had to at least try, even if she messed it up.
Geneva would draw in the emotions of those in the Complex, then combined with the looming lightening storm, perhaps water from one of the ponds in the park and energy from one of the generators, she should absorb enough power to release Lennox from their deal.
If accessing all that power killed her, it killed her.
Because Geneva’s vision didn’t just foretell a devastating future for the hybrid and her lover, but a grave war that couldn’t be stopped or fought without the powers she held that didn’t belong to her in the first place.
Perhaps Geneva had a death wish after all.
Harnessing that kind of power, taking it all inside before releasing it could end her, but it didn’t really matter to her anymore. Geneva was tired of running from her past.
She took a slow breath.
“I can do this,” she recited.
It was time to run toward hope. Toward a future.
Even if that future wasn’t her own.
Chapter 13
“Here she is, sir.”
Veccoli led a lovely red head into the Watcher’s office, ushering her to sit.
Lennox rubbed his temples, trying to ease the sudden headache that had taken residence there.
“The infamous Curse Catcher.” Lennox stood from his desk as the woman sat across from him. “Good to see you again,” he said. “Glad everything worked out.”
“We have a lead on the hybrid, sir,” Veccoli interrupted. “We believe she’s somewhere in the Alpine Dome, held captive. A team is on its way to investigate.”
“Excellent,” Lennox said. “Let me speak with the Curse Catcher while you gather a rescue team. We’ll leave straight away.”
“Yes, sir.” Veccoli nodded, then left Lennox’s office.
“Thank you again.” She smiled. “And please, call me Skylar.” She nodded toward Lennox. “I understand you need my help expunging a curse?”
“Yes. For a good friend of mine, Geneva Jayne. The Cupid. Perhaps you’ve heard of her?”
“Ah, yes. Troublemaker, I hear.” Skylar let out a laugh. “Luring people into that club in the Aquatic Dome. What about her?”
“Her Cupid status is actually a curse.” Lennox leaned up against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the sudden pounding now coursing through his temples. “She takes heartache from others and is immortal. But in exchange, she cannot be loved in return. Geneva feels her immortality is directly tied to her inability to find love. She wants to be free of the curse, but remain immortal. Any idea how to do that?”
Lennox squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to shake of the onslaught of unexpected pain rocking his forehead. It was throwing him off focus. Lennox seldom ever felt pain for no reason.
“Are you all right?” Skylar asked. “You look pale.”
“Fine.” He opened his eyes, trying to shake it off.
A mom
ent passed, and a vision flashed in his mind.
Geneva. She was holding her sword. Standing in a marsh within the jungle zone.
Was this a present vision? Past?
Lennox seldom lost track of time when it came to his visions, but lately, everything seemed off, though he wasn’t sure why.
“Seriously, sit down. You don’t look well.” Skylar stood and walked over, setting her hand on his shoulder as he sat at his desk.
“I’ll be all right, just a mild headache,” he said. “Please, go on. Tell me.” He glanced up toward her, the woman still hovering, pursed lips. “Seriously, I’m okay. So, do you think you can help Geneva break this curse without affecting her immortality?”
“If her curse is tied to her immortality, there’s a great possibility that if I remove the curse, she will become mortal.” Skylar sighed, returning to sit across from him. “Is that something she’s willing to risk?”
“I’m unsure, but I suspect so,” he said. “She’s been trying to find a Human willing to take the curse from her, but...”
Lennox braced his head as stabbing pain shot through it. He clenched his teeth at the pulsing. For a brief moment, more visions erupted, visions of his late wife. Pain radiated from his head to his shoulders. His chest. His entire body ached.
Then it was gone.
“What the fuck was that?” Lennox growled and stood straight. He peered around the room.
Veccoli now stood in the doorway. “Sir? Is everything all right?”
Lennox nodded. “I’m fine,” he barked. “What do you know?”
“There’s a standoff going on in the Forest Dome.” Veccoli sighed, clearing his throat. “It’s Miss Jayne, sir. And she has contraband. It’s causing a bit of a stir with the team.”
“What contraband?” Lennox straightened his shoulders, shaking off what was left of the pain still lingering in his chest and temples.
“A weapon. A large sword, officers are about to take her down.”
“No!” Lennox stiffened. “They’re not to take it from her, and she’s not to be harmed.” His voice was rough. “She’s not dangerous.”
“But the rules—” Veccoli started.
“Fuck the rules,” Lennox growled. “I’m head of Intra, I will make or change them at my discretion. Now send out a message. She is not to be harmed. Do you understand me? If anyone touches a single strand of hair on her head, I will have theirs.”
