Return of the Ascendant (The Ascendant Series)

by Raine Thomas

  “Well, that’s something.” He turned back to Ty. “Come on out and take a look.”

  Ty didn’t argue, knowing his cousin wouldn’t be bringing him outside without a reason. He walked past Kyr and took her arm, guiding her out of the house after Sem. His eyes moved constantly around the property as they walked to a portion of the woods on the far left side of the house. Nothing unusual disturbed the peaceful quiet.

  “I noticed these,” Sem said, pointing to a patch of dirt and leaves well within the tree line. “I don’t know what made these markings, but I wondered if you noticed them before?”

  Frowning, Ty shook his head and took a closer look. “These are fresh.”

  “How do you know that?” Kyr asked, looking around the shaded area and rubbing her upper arms. “You wouldn’t have noticed this in the dark last night anyway, right?”

  “He went out this morning while you were still sleeping,” Sem explained.

  “Oh.”

  Ty ignored the conversation as he tried to analyze the markings on the ground. He was actually a skilled tracker on Alametria, but their planet’s soil composition was different than Earth’s, as were the types of animals that roamed the environment. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to determine the source of the disturbance.

  And that meant that they could all be in danger.

  Chapter 17

  A beam of sunlight filtering through the curtains woke Kyra the next morning. She blinked slowly, disoriented and groggy. It took her a full minute to realize she was sprawled over Ty in bed.

  Memories rushed through her, inundating her. If she hadn’t been lying in bed, she probably would have stumbled. The impact of her resurfacing memories was almost physical in nature. She struggled to integrate the Alametrian she used to be with the young woman she’d become. There were still gaps and holes that worried her, particularly regarding the way of life on Alametria. Ty had spent more time the night before kissing her—that is, helping her recover more memories. His efforts were appreciated on every count, but they had taken their toll.

  Now, her mind slowly settled, leaving behind a dull ache. She knew she hadn’t slept well again. The stress about a possible intruder and wondering whether they’d ever reconnect with the Alametrian ship had them all on edge. She hadn’t been able to eat much either, due to the ball of anxiety twisting her stomach.

  Looking up at Ty’s face, she took a moment to study him while he was unguarded. It made her lips curve up to realize that even in sleep, he looked intent and serious. He was startlingly handsome, she thought, but not in a pretty-boy way. The hard line of his jaw, sharp angle of his brow, and firm set of his sinful lips made him more devilish in appearance than angelic. The light scruff lining his jaw added to that impression. His skin was a few shades darker than hers. That, combined with the caramel tones in his hair, told her he spent time in the sun. And his body…well, from what she’d seen so far, his body belonged on the cover of a men’s fitness magazine.

  His eyes were shadowed by fatigue. She saw the evidence of a nearly sleepless night in the dark smudges beneath his lashes. He had probably spent much of the night swapping watch duty with Sem.

  They had no idea what had left the tracks in the woods. The house had sensor alarms, Ty told her after they returned to the house, but the tracks were outside of the sensor zone. That was hardly comforting, especially since the tracks were inside the fence surrounding the property. The one thing that eased their minds somewhat was that the tracks hadn’t appeared until after sunrise, which meant they hadn’t been made by a Shelvak.

  So had the tracks been threatening, or harmless? She wished they knew for sure. The not knowing was more stressful.

  “I can feel you thinking,” Ty said, his voice a rumble in her ear as she lay on his chest.

  Her lips twitched. “Is that right? Did I wake you?”

  “No. I haven’t really been asleep.”

  She lifted her head. “I’m sorry. I wish you had gotten more rest.”

  His eyes opened, making her breath hitch as the silver irises caught the sunlight. “I got enough.”

  He looked so stern. Unable to help herself, she pushed up and pressed her lips against his in a quick kiss. He blinked in surprise.

  “What was that for?”

  “For bearing this weight,” she said. Seeing his continued puzzlement, she went on, “I know watching out for me is a huge responsibility. If I could keep you from dealing with all of this stress, I would. The kiss was a form of thanks.”

  “Ah. And you think that kiss was thanks enough for protecting you from all harm? It is a rather stressful undertaking, you know.”

  The warm gleam in his eye had her face flushing. “I firmly agree, but I’m not about to do more than that without brushing my teeth first.”

  He sighed. “Very well.”

  She contradicted herself by giving him one more kiss before rolling off the bed. His raised eyebrow made her laugh as she closed the bathroom door.

  What would Ty look like when he smiled? She could only guess, since she hadn’t seen him do it…not even in her memories. Was he capable of humor? She had to believe so, since he’d just joked with her about the kiss in an effort to get her to kiss him again. Maybe it was just the strain of everything they were dealing with that kept him so somber.

  “Can we go to a store today?” she called out after she brushed her teeth and started washing her face.

  “Why?”

  “Because we’re wearing the same clothes we arrived in. There isn’t any clothing in this house, and I didn’t see any laundry detergent. I’d trade my bra for a stick of deodorant right about now.”

  “An interesting proposition,” Ty said through the door. “Makes me wish I had some deodorant.”

  She laughed. Yes, he definitely had a sense of humor.

  “Please, Ty. I feel gross. We have no idea how long we’ll be here.”

  “Very well. Sem should have some means of purchasing the items we’ll need. But we can’t be gone long.”

  She did a small victory dance. “I’ll be quick as a wink,” she assured him.

  It took them another thirty minutes for Ty to get ready and both of them to eat breakfast. Sem had a credit card that he gave them, along with a short list of items he wanted. He would stay behind to watch the house and contact them if needed.

  They used the sedan’s GPS to locate nearby stores that would suit their needs. Fortunately, there was a Walmart just over ten miles away. Ty drove, keeping a close eye on the rearview mirror. Kyra didn’t speak to him, not wanting to distract him. His level of hyper-alertness made her paranoid, though. Every car looked like a threat out here in the middle of the country.

  Ty turned to her once they parked at the store. He held something in his hand.

  “Do you know what this is?” he asked her.

  She looked at what he held. It was a curved device no bigger than an average keychain. The slim case looked oddly luminescent in the sun’s rays. Swirls of color moved across its flat surface. After a moment of trying to tap into her memories, she shook her head.

  “This is a luvesta,” he explained. “It contains a blast of pure solar energy. This is one of the rarest weapons on Alametria because they are so difficult to create.”

  He reached out and took her hand. His touch sent a pleasant shiver along her arm. She had to force herself to focus as he placed the luvesta in her hand.

  “I want you to carry this. Only use it if you have no other choice. It won’t harm you, but it’s obviously an effective weapon against the Shelvaks. In order to activate it, you have to press your thumb here.”

  She nodded as he pointed to a small, clear disc about the size of her thumbnail embedded in the luvesta’s surface. Although the weapon was as light as a credit card, her hand trembled under its figurative weight. She might as well have been holding a hand grenade.

  “It’ll be all right, Kyr.”

  Her gaze lifted to his. He gave her hand a ge
ntle squeeze. Swallowing her fear, she nodded and shifted so she could put the luvesta into her pocket.

  He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. She realized that she hadn’t even considered opening the door herself and wondered if this was a new or old learned behavior on her part. Things were starting to blend.

  He took her arm and walked with her through the store’s front doors. As they headed to the shopping carts, a blast of cool air struck them, making her skin break out in goose bumps. The greeter, an older woman with leathery skin and poofy blonde hair, welcomed them with a tobacco-stained smile. Her gaze moved between Kyra and Ty with undisguised curiosity. Kyra tried not to feel self-conscious about the fact that she hadn’t showered in three days and looked like she’d slept in her clothes for a week. Then she looked around and realized they kind of fit right in with the rest of the store’s clientele.

  The pharmacy was their first stop. She grabbed a new hairbrush, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream, her preferred brand of facial cleanser, and some moisturizer. She considered getting some makeup, but decided that was a frivolity she really didn’t need. Besides, Ty seemed to like her well enough without any.

  His gaze moved to her as that thought entered her head. Whether he’d intercepted it or not, her face warmed. The look in his eyes made her knees feel wobbly. She was suddenly grateful for the cart offering her additional support.

  Shopping went smoothly until they reached the women’s undergarments. The back of her neck felt like it was on fire as Ty stood right behind while she looked through bras for styles in her size that would be pretty but comfortable. The selection was rather picked over, but she finally found one that would work. She tossed the matching panties in the cart. If they stayed longer than one more day, she would do laundry with the detergent she had picked up.

  She didn’t take long grabbing a couple of T-shirts, a pair of pajamas, and a second pair of jeans. Ty was equally quick collecting items of clothing for him and Sem. While Kyra ran through a mental checklist of the items in their cart, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

  Careful not to move too quickly, she lifted her gaze from the cart. She spotted a light-haired woman across the aisle, half-hidden by a rack of dresses. There was nothing overly ominous about the woman outside of the fact that she wore large, dark sunglasses indoors.

  Maybe she’s legally blind, Kyra tried to rationalize.

  Then why is she staring right at you? her consciousness rejoined.

  Forcing herself not to overreact, she turned to touch Ty’s arm. He looked up from the pile of jeans he was sifting through. Whatever he saw on her face had him stiffening and looking around.

  Kyra glanced again at the woman. She was gone.

  “What in the world…?” she murmured. She stood on her tiptoes, but didn’t see the woman anywhere.

  “What is it, Kyr?” Ty asked.

  “There was a woman. She had on dark sunglasses. She was right there, but now she’s gone.”

  Something crossed over his features at the mention of the sunglasses. “We must go,” he said, grabbing her arm and prompting her forward with the cart.

  Kyr’s pulse raced. She realized her intuition had been speaking to her when she first felt the woman’s gaze, and judging by her raised neck hair and Ty’s reaction, her intuition was telling her that they were in trouble.

  Chapter 18

  On the drive home, Ty wondered about the woman Kyr thought she’d seen in the store. He knew humans wore sunglasses for all kinds of reasons, so it might have meant nothing. But he also knew of other types of beings who wore them out of necessity, including those whose planet neighbored Alametria.

  V’larians.

  That thought in and of itself wasn’t too concerning. V’laria was a peaceful planet. Alametria engaged in commerce with them, and they had often allied against the Shelvaks in battles throughout their planets’ histories. What was strange was the idea of a V’larian on Earth. If there was one, there would be more, and they rarely ventured outside of their home galaxy. They would have no reason to be here.

  His eyes moved briefly to Kyr, whose troubled gaze was fixated on the passing scenery. Then again… he thought.

  He needed time to wrap his head around this. It wasn’t as though the V’larians had given him any reason to suspect they would harm Kyr. In fact, the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that Kyr had seen a V’larian.

  So why were his instincts shouting at him?

  They arrived at the house a short time later. No one had followed them. He parked and helped Kyr out of the car, grabbing the few bags they’d brought home. Sem opened the front door as they approached.

  All clear? Ty thought.

  Boring as a philosophy lecture around here, Sem returned. Out loud, he asked, “Did you buy me some Hostess Cupcakes?”

  Kyr smiled as they all walked into the house. “Of course. Do they have all of these wonderful processed foods on Alametria?”

  “Far from it,” Sem said. He followed Ty into the kitchen and started rummaging through the bags until he found the box of treats. “I’ve got to indulge while I can.”

  Ty helped Kyr remove the few food items they’d purchased and handed Sem a bag with his new things. Glancing at Kyr, he asked, “Do you want to get changed?”

  “Yes. I think I’m going to break down and shower, too.”

  Not commenting, Ty handed her the two remaining bags so his hands were free and then led the way down the hallway. As expected, each room they passed was empty. They entered the room they’d been using and Kyr put the bags on the bed, sorting them into her things and his.

  “I’d normally wash these before wearing them,” she said as she held up a blue T-shirt, “but I think anything would be cleaner than what I’ve got on. What are the odds of us getting transitioned while I’m in the shower?”

  “I have no idea.”

  She sighed. “With my luck, this will definitely be the fifteen minutes during which they fix whatever’s broken up there. Oh, well. I can’t take it anymore.”

  He didn’t respond since she had carried her bag into the bathroom and closed the door. Dumping the last bag onto the comforter, he began pulling tags off the few clothing items he’d procured. He allowed himself to tune into her thoughts while he did.

  Their efforts to bring forth her memories had worked well. The barrier was much thinner now, allowing him more access to her thoughts if he really tried. They had also helped her remember more of their past. He sensed how her feelings towards him were almost constantly shifting and strengthening. In very little time, she had progressed from physical attraction to something more. It thrilled him and worried him at the same time. When they got back to Alametria…

  He shook his head. There wasn’t anything he could do about that right now.

  Kyr’s voice rose above the shower water, a clear, lovely sound. Today she sang about being brave. Rather appropriate, he thought. Her mind was largely on the song’s lyrics, so he stopped focusing on her thoughts and enjoyed the singing itself.

  Once she was done showering and changing, he sent her to the family room with Sem and jumped into the shower himself. He was cleaned and changed within five minutes.

  The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Neither he nor Sem spotted any other signs of anyone or anything trespassing on the property. None of their trackers gave any indication the Alametrian ship was ready to transition them. By eleven o’clock, he escorted Kyr to bed.

  “I really hope we’re not stranded here forever,” she said as she climbed into bed after brushing her teeth. “Sem’s credit card does have a limit.”

  Ty rinsed his mouth and dried his face before replying. “We won’t be here that long. Even if the ship had a serious malfunction that they can’t repair without aid, another Alametrian ship would be dispatched to help.”

  “The planet is close, then?”

  He shook his head as he joined her in the bed, staying on top o
f the comforter. “No, but there will be ships not too far away. We generally have a few hundred ships around the galaxies at any given time.”

  “Oh.” She moved closer to him once he was settled and laid her head on his chest. “Do you always sleep fully clothed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh,” she said again.

  “I need to be ready in the event I must protect you.”

  Tilting her head so she could look into his eyes, she said, “That’s too bad. I was hoping to see you without your shirt on.”

  He was sure he hadn’t hidden his surprise when she grinned at him. Shaking his head, he pulled her tighter against his side and deliberately closed his eyes.

  “Sleep,” he ordered.

  Quite surprisingly, she did.

  Even he managed to doze. His brain remained in the semi-alert state hovering between awareness and deep sleep. It didn’t give him the restorative rest his body needed, but it helped sharpen his mental acuity and keep him aware enough to sense immediate danger.

  Just after midnight, Kyr moaned softly in her sleep. She stirred restlessly against him. Worried she was having a nightmare, he tuned into her consciousness.

  And found himself in the middle of an erotic dream.

  They were kissing on the bed. Neither of them wore clothes. Her hands were all over him.

  The responsible part of his brain warned him to back away from the dream. These were Kyr’s innermost desires. It was a form of intrusion for him to monitor them this way. It was another thing entirely to participate.

  That part of his brain warred with the part that had craved Kyr for years. Knowing she wanted him as much as he wanted her was a heady jolt to his system.

  Back off, his mind told him.

  You can’t have her in reality, his body protested. Have her here!

  Although it nearly killed him, he slowly eased his consciousness from hers. This was wrong, and he knew it.

  Then her hand moved to his groin in the dream at the same time it drifted down his body in reality. A bolt of lust nearly brought him off the bed. Light scored the backs of his eyelids as his damned arms joined his responsible mind in warning him off.