Spectral Vibrations

by Mercy DeSimone

  Zirc! Maybe there’s something I don’t know after all. A new player has obviously entered the game—or have they been playing under the radar? That thought, if true, could have some serious ramifications.

  “She’s got more power than we thought,” the first voice whispers.

  “That’s good. We can use all that she has,” the second voice asserts as they stop next to the first being.

  “Well, I’m not certain how to make that happen. She’s clearly averse to sharing it with me. It was bad enough when she was just bonded to that geode, Laz. Having the Red with her now will make it almost impossible to get to her.”

  “Having the Red with her now, will make her that much more powerful,” the other retorts. “We just can’t do it here. We need to get her off-planet somewhere first.”

  “How will we ever get them to let her leave Krysalis? They’ll guard her like a diamond now.”

  “I’ll make it happen, but I’ll have to be subtle about it to ensure it’s not clear where the idea came from. I guarantee the Red will go with her. Then we can solve two problems at once and dispose of him as well. She’s the last of the ‘experimentals’. If we can’t use her, we need to remove her - before she understands her likely abilities. I thought the experiments were just a misguided attempt at bad science, but it would seem her bond with the Red indicates that I was mistaken.”

  Turning abruptly, she throws her parting words carelessly over her shoulder. So much for subtlety. “Just be ready to mobilize when I tell you. Get your soldiers in place.”

  Well, if this isn’t an asteroid cluster? Watching them plan the Violet’s demise is really putting me off my appetite. Especially since Jasper is about to become collateral damage. I wait for them to continue on their individual ways before attempting to step from my hiding place, only to have the first conspirator stop once more.

  “Are you sure we can pull this off?” he calls down the corridor, halting the other in their tracks. Really, do these two have any idea of how sound carries and amplifies down these corridors? It would be almost comical if the topic weren’t quite so deadly.

  “If you even have to ask that question, then you don’t deserve the rewards. I got rid of Amet; I can get rid of the protege. You weren’t averse to benefiting from that situation, so stop second-guessing now.”

  Spinning sharply, the second being passes out of view as the first punches the wall with their fist, before exiting quickly the opposite way.

  I stay static for several moments pondering what I’ve heard. Normally, I would pass this information on immediately, but now it seems I’m going to have to be very careful who to trust. Punching the wall myself, I decide to carefully consider my course of action before doing something rash. Surely, there must be some time to think about this before I need to make a decision. I’ll see what else I can find out before tipping my hand.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Tanzy

  Blinking my eyes, I’m surprised to wake on my own. My being feels languorous and sated, as if the fullness of satisfaction echoing through my meridians creates a weight on my limbs, making me reluctant to rise. I’m not certain that I’ve ever felt such a deep sense of relaxation before. It’s still a bit disturbing to wake alone, even though Laz rarely spends the entire moonsphase with me. Being in such an unfamiliar place makes me long for the companionship of another being, or at least Karma, near.

  It’s difficult to imagine that, at least for the time being, this is my home. Glancing around the room uneasily, I can’t wait for Laz to bring my belongings so that I don’t feel like such a stranger here. And I really need to find out where Laz and Jasper’s quarters are, or how to comlink to them. Now that we are all bonded, it’s important that we can connect to one another. While I’ve rarely experienced it myself since Laz and I have spent little time apart, I’ve read that being away from a bondmate for an extended period of time can create an unsettling anxiety.

  “Allow access.” Chewing on my lip, I’m a bit relieved to hear the door sensor light up to announce a visitor, as I speak the release code to admit them. I’m unreasonably pleased to see Jasper, followed by a porter, carrying the morning meal.

  Bouncing up from the platform, I only stumble slightly when Jasper grins in admiration as I offer him “Good Light”, before shaking his head slightly at me. Glancing down, I squeak in embarrassment and grab a covering, as I realize I am still completely disrobed. The porter carefully avoids eye contact as they murmur a greeting before dropping the laden tray on the table and quickly exiting. I’m totally unprepared when Jasper reaches out one long arm, snagging me around the waist, and pulling me into his body as I shiver in embarrassment.

  The rumble of his laughter under my cheek, causes me to tilt my head to glance reprovingly into his eyes. “It’s not nice to laugh at my embarrassment.”

  Trying to step back, I’m locked against him as he pulls me even more firmly into his massive form, one arm locked around my shoulders, the other nestled under my butt, digging his pleasure organs firmly into my stomach. I’m fascinated by the firmness as they swell between us, as if not sated by our earlier coupling, and energy begins to spark off my silica in response.

  A deep groan echos from Jasper’s chest before he abruptly releases me, setting me away from his body and grimacing as he reaches down his body to adjust the bulge of his sexual organs.

  “Much as I’d like to spend the entire sunphase matching frequency, we need to take care of some other matters first. Do you have an exertion jumpsuit?”

  Surprised by the abrupt change of direction, I just stare at him for a moment before shaking my head. “I haven’t needed one.” If his frown is any indication, he seems surprised by my revelation.

  “What do you normally wear in the lab?”

  “I wear a tank and flottoms; sometimes a tunic,” I shrug.

  “What about when you go out on healing missions?” I’m not certain why he seems so concerned about my wardrobe, but it’s obvious that he feels it’s significant.

  Shrugging again, I admit, “Pretty much the same thing. I never do anything too strenuous. If anything, flottoms give me more freedom.”

  “What if you ever needed to defend yourself?” Jasper’s look turns more serious. “Flottoms make you hardly battle-ready.”

  Is he serious? Yes, it appears that he is. I know he’s a warlord, so maybe he believes that everyone should be equipped for war. But, really, the thought is ridiculous so rather than argue, I just let silence reign.

  “Tanzy, do you know how to defend yourself?” I can feel the concern emanating from him in waves now as I try to soothe his energy. Our new bond makes it easier to access his emotions and I’m awed by the depth of concern that I feel directed my way.

  “I don’t need to defend myself, Jasper. I’m a healer, not a fighter. Besides, I have you for that now.” I can’t help the satisfied smile that breaks across my face at the thought, and the fierce possession that resonates from him, before being replaced by obstinance.

  Firing up his comlink, he requests an exertion suit to be brought to my suite by some minion or other as I drop back to flop on the sleeping platform. Desire darkens his eyes before he sends me to the restorative cell to clean up.

  “Get ready. I’m going to train you on some simple combat techniques today. It’s unacceptable that you don’t know at least the basics of how to defend yourself.”

  “Jasper, I’m a scientist for Vishna’s sake! I’m not defending the borders, you are - or would be if you weren’t stuck here with the Counsil.” An awful thought assails me. “You will stay assigned here, right?” Chewing my lip I don’t know if that’s something that I should want for him.

  “Oh, have no fear, Diamond Girl. I’m not going anywhere without you!”

  I beam at him brightly before another thought intrudes. “Laz, too, right? We’re a Triad now.” I know I must look a little anxious as a sigh escapes his lips and he reassures me.

  “Laz, too. Whether I li
ke it or not, we are a Triad, and I protect what is mine. Now, get ready,” he says as the door sensor indicates yet another visitor, “before you give yet another porter an eyeful of your gorgeous flesh.”

  Delighted by the compliment, I head to the restorative cell, confident that our thread is strengthening, and confident that Laz will get used to the change.

  Jasper

  The sight of her nude body sparks my energy and I can’t resist pulling her to me, revelling in the energy of her silica sliding against mine. My pleasure organs begin to fill with my desire and I send energy to spark between us, so that she can feel my desire for her growing.

  But we need to attend to other matters and I reluctantly pull my energy back as I feel hers respond to mine. It’s time I start to take care of my bondmate, and that means finding out how well she can take care of herself. I will defend her to my Unlightening, but I need to make sure that she isn’t defenseless on the rare occasions that I’m not there to watch over her.

  “Tanzy, do you know how to defend yourself?” The amount of dismay I feel at her innocent attitude is like a hammer to my silica. The fact that she’s trying to soothe my aura only annoys me further. This conversation is going nowhere, it’s clear that I’m going to have to take the lead.

  “Get ready.” I will make sure that she has the tools she needs to stave off a predator on the off chance that I’m not with her. Then I realize that if Tanzy has no defensive skills, it stands to reason that Laz doesn’t either.

  Cursing lightly under my breath, I realize I’m going to have to make sure that he learns as well. Tanzy will never forgive me if something happens to Laz. Taking the exertion suit from the porter, I open the panel to the restorative cell and inhale quickly at the sight of Tanzy’s beautiful curves standing within the decontamination chamber, arms and legs spread, as if revelling in the cleansing sensation of the steam.

  Adjusting my pleasure organs once again, I leave the exertion jumpsuit on the counter and quickly retreat, the sight burned on the backs of my retinas. Licking my lips, I realize that I’ll carry that magnificent vision with me; in fact, it will be just another vivid image in the slideshow of pleasure between us from the last moonsphase.

  The panel slides open and my eyes widen as Tanzy strides in wearing her exertion suit, every luscious curve outlined and delineated by the tight fabric, tempting my gaze to travel every round and hollow. We need to get out of the suite now, before I lose whatever sense of control I’m barely holding onto. The twinkle in her eyes tells me that she knows where my thoughts have wandered and is gratified by my appreciation. Grinning in return, I grab her hand to pull her with me, before tucking her hand around the curve of my arm as we head to the exertion room.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Tanzy

  Oof! I grimace as my body hits the spongy floor of the exertion room and Jasper glowers over me yet again.

  “Tanzy, you must learn to at least anticipate your attacker’s moves. You’re an empath, for Vishna’s sake!” The disgust in Jasper’s tone irritates me, and I recognize the smug shard I met in the Counsil chamber lurking again in his attitude.

  “I’m an empath, not a mind reader, Jasper!” I snap back, before biting my lip. I rarely indulge in temper; wouldn’t it be ironic if that’s what I gained from my bond with Jasper—his temper? That thought alone makes me smile ruefully, and I realize that I’m just tired of ‘training’.

  “I need you to focus. You should always pay attention to your surroundings. Lack of focus can get you killed. Your greatest asset as an empath is also your weakness.”

  “What do you mean?” I’m confused now. “First you tell me I should be able to use my empath senses to anticipate, now you’re telling me that could hurt me.”

  “If someone attacks you here, you need to be able to use your empath senses to anticipate their state of mind. If you can tell whether it’s out of anger, or greed, or desire…” Jasper’s eyes darken briefly before continuing, “then you have an opportunity of switching your energy to deflect their own.”

  I pause a moment, considering that assumption, before nodding. That makes a ridiculous sense, I suppose, although it certainly doesn’t give me the upper hand physically.

  The intensity of Jasper’s aura washes over me in a wave of possession again. “If someone manages to force your being to ‘anchor’, you will be relying strictly on your wits and your physical strength. You’re used to dealing with energy, it’s not your first instinct to use your body—I need it to become just as instinctive.”

  “Jasper.” I can’t help the exasperation in my voice. “The chances of me anchoring are slim—at least here—unless someone brings in a bounty of Obsidian. Or, Laz and I find a new way to anchor beings without Obsidian.” A frown marrs my forehead as I wonder when Laz will return. “I never imagined that you would be an alarmist.”

  I can’t help the smile that brightens my face. “Although I am gratified by your concern.” Sending soothing energy his way, I try to reassure him. “Besides, I’m not going anywhere without you, and I know that you’ll protect me,” I finish reassuringly.

  Jasper’s fierce expression creates happy ripples throughout my being as he agrees grimly. “I will always protect you. In doing so, I will also make sure that you are able to protect yourself. Now, let’s go. Next, I’m going to teach you to shoot.”

  Groaning, I allow him to pull me to my feet, although my body feels less tired and sore than I would expect given these exertions. With satisfaction, I realize that I’m growing in strength. Jasper may not realize what’s happening, but I’ve been looking for the signs.

  I can’t wait to see how things manifest once he and Laz begin to bond. They may be uneasy about the results, but I’m confident that our Triad will thrive. I just need to use my empath senses to help us navigate the rough patches until everyone settles in. Vishna knows, we have yarns ahead of us; no need to rush things unnecessarily. After all, what could happen with us all tucked up tight here in the Pavillion with the Counsil?

  “For Vishna’s sake, will the two of you back down your energy and stop acting like total shards!” It appears I was completely mistaken; I did gain a temper, or perhaps just a new fierceness, from my bond with Jasper.

  It has been almost twenty sunphases since Laz returned to the Pavillion and we set up our lab. Which means it has been twenty sunphases of Laz and Jasper antagonizing each other. Instead of bonding, they are both trying to claim my attention and prove their dominance, which is annoying enough when coming from Jasper. When being mirrored by Laz, it’s become unbearable.

  Apparently, I’m not the only one that has borrowed a bit of Jasper’s arrogance. Under other circumstances I might say that Laz wears it well; it gives his naturally sunny nature a bit of a rakish edge. Empathically, I’m constantly being bombarded by the bouts of jealousy they emit when they’re together with me. I’d almost believe this would never work if it wasn’t for Karma.

  The first day I returned to my suite to find Karma waiting for me, I was relieved to find her tree and burrow box against the wall near my sleeping platform. She was half hidden in the leaves of her tree, but I could see her wide swaths of green, indigo, and violet banding her body as a reminder of the energy that Laz and I carried. The closer I came, a sliver of her green band began to glow red, widening until it matched the size of the indigo and violet bands around her middle.

  Satisfaction settled deeper into my aura, as I recognized that Karma must recognize Jasper’s energy in my own. After all, Karma was green when Laz and I first saw her, until she began to resonate with our colors. She rarely changes except in moments of excess outside energy, and then she glows in a single color. The fact that the color banded across her body means that it’s here to stay, and that Jasper belongs to us. Not that I ever doubted it, but it never hurts to have confirmation of such things.

  I thought that meant that everything else would fall into place just as easily, but that’s a far cry from what has happene
d. The minute Laz returned, he and Jasper fell into a standoff over my attention, each trying to find a reason to pull me away from the other.

  First, Jasper tries to insist that I spend time with him every day learning self-defense. It’s tedious, but I’m getting better at it, and my energy levels are increasing. He takes me outside the Pavillion to run and increase my stamina, insisting that it could save my life one day. And even though I’ve never handled a weapon, I’m actually becoming quite good with an energybolt.

  In the beginning, I couldn’t get close to hitting the target. Jasper kept telling me that I needed to focus more. Working a hunch, Jasper loaded my energybolt with neutral zingers and asked me to shoot at a Guard. While horrified at the prospect of actually shooting at a living being, the Guard simply shrugged and good-naturedly told me to fire away.

  Oddly enough, it seems that I can shoot accurately when it comes to a live target. Jasper believes it’s because I can read the empathic energy of any type of ‘live’ organism. I thought that was a great accomplishment, but as usual, Jasper disagrees. He keeps telling me that if I’m anchored, he doesn’t know if I can rely on my empathy. So, now that we know that I can hit a live target with some expectation of success, we continue to work on my focus on non-organic targets.

  To counter my time with Jasper, Laz continually expresses a need for my assistance in the lab. The Counsil basically gave us the freedom to arrange Amet’s lab any way that suited us, although we heard this from Titan, not the Counsil directly. While there is a new sense of command radiating from Laz that I’m convinced is a reflection of Jasper’s energy, he continues to force me to make all of the large decisions regarding our set up and resources.