“Yes… I’d been looking forward to a repeat performance.”
“But we got interrupted.” I stepped toward her.
“We did. I also liked that kiss tonight.”
“Even if it was in front of your parents.”
“Who cares? If they put me through that ridiculous ritual they could handle watching us kiss.”
“Especially since you picked me as your mate.” I waggled an eyebrow.
“What does that mean exactly? I mean I know we’re not actually going to mate, but what does that mean for us? Is this like a fake engagement?”
“I didn’t get you a ring.”
“We’re in a cave full of precious gems, yet I don’t get any bling?”
“Would you prefer burn blisters or frostbite?”
“Neither. I’ll wait for my diamond.”
“A diamond? I never took you as a diamond girl.”
“What would I be?” She jutted a hip out slightly. I wondered if the motion was conscious or not.
“For some reason I keep thinking emerald.”
“Because I wore green tonight?”
“You looked gorgeous in it.” The bright green material had hugged her body like a glove, and it showed just enough skin to get my attention but leave me wanting more.
“Now you’re being sentimental.”
“It’s sentimental to find you incredibly sexy?” I closed the distance between us.
“Sexy, huh?”
“Yeah.” I brushed my lips against hers. I’d lost out by avoiding her lips the night before.
“You looked sexy too.”
“The cotton outfit worked for me?” I brushed my lips against the sensitive skin of her neck. Vera was the most dangerous woman I’d ever met. I should have been concentrating on the trouble looming outside, but instead all I could think about was finishing what we’d started at the house.
“Yes,” she breathed.
“I’m glad.” I tugged on her hip, pulling her body toward mine. She would know exactly what I was thinking, but I didn’t care. She wanted it too.
Her hand slipped under my t-shirt. “But you look so much sexier without a shirt on.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.” She set aside the lantern, and I pulled off my shirt.
“You look sexier without a shirt on too.” I smiled.
“I thought you’d say that.” She pulled off her tank top.
“You weren’t kidding about the sex after exploring.”
“I thought we’d walk a little further so we don’t have to worry about anyone walking in on us.” She undid my belt and unbuttoned my pants.
“I guess we don’t have to worry about that back here.” I was being an idiot. I should have been thinking about so many other more pressing concerns at the moment, but they all disappeared as she took me in her hand. I groaned.
“This makes me feel powerful too.”
“What does?” My eyes were closed shut. I’d been touched by many girls before, but none of their hands had ever felt like hers.
“Knowing you’d let me do anything and everything to you.”
Her words had almost as much of an effect as her hands. “Just don’t chain me to a wall.”
“I was there with you that day. Don’t forget.”
I opened my eyes. “You saved me.”
“I did.” She undid her shorts and slipped them off. I didn’t wait for her to get rid of her panties. I did that myself, pushing them slowly down her long legs. “Are you as against cave floors as you are walls?”
“Floors are okay.”
“Good.” She pushed against my chest. I was startled by her touch and fell to the ground. I would have complained, but she followed me, and I heard the sound of a wrapper ripping. “I came prepared.”
Before I could respond she slid me inside her. I took in a breath. The cold floor below me disappeared as she started to move on top of me. I lost all sense of everything as she took control.
“By the way, when I’m done with you you’re going to associate caves with this.” She moved up and down faster.
“I’ve already forgotten everything else.”
“Good. “
I held onto her hips as she rode me, knowing once again that I’d never get enough of her. She was like a drug. The more I was with her, the more addicted I became. There was no turning back.
I was crazy. Certifiably crazy. Despite everything real and important going on in my life, I chose to have sex with Jared on the floor of a cave. And it wasn’t run of the mill, kind of good sex. It was the mind-blowing intense sex that seemed to be the only type Jared and I ever had.
After giving myself a few seconds to recover from the experience, I moved out of his arms and got up to get dressed.
“You are way too good at distracting me.” Jared pulled on his boxers.
“I could say the same thing about you.” Sometimes it was hard to think straight around him. He turned me into one of the girls I’d always hated. The girly girls who hung on to every word a guy said. I was supposed to be in control, not him.
“But you started that.”
“Oh I did, did I?” I pulled on my tank top.
“Yes. Once again.” His eyes raked over my body in a way that made me feel like I was still naked.
“Oh, so I started it last night too?”
“You did slip into my bed.” He pulled on his t-shirt. I hated losing the view of his chiseled chest.
“Do you want me to do that again or not?” I stepped toward him.
“You know the answer to that question.” He took my hand and pulled me into him. “I’m merely stating a fact.” His hand rested on my hip.
“Forget it.” I tried to pull away. “It’s done. Now we can concentrate.”
“Oh. Ok.” He brushed his lips against my ear. “That sex was to help us concentrate.”
“It’s impossible to get anything done when all you want to do is jump the person you’re with.”
“I’ll buy that excuse.” He ran his lips down my neck.
I pulled away again and this time he let me. “So, where to?”
“Aren’t you the one leading this exploration expedition?”
“And you’re the one who’s been here before.”
“Once, and I didn’t go far. My plan was to wait by the entrance.”
“Wait for what? For my parents to decide to show up? What if they don’t? Maybe this was all an excuse to get us away.”
“I think locking us up with his most prized possession would be a pretty dumb way to get rid of us.”
“That’s assuming Gareth was telling the truth about these crystals. There’s a chance they are just pretty things that do nothing.” I looked closely at one of the crystals. Too bad they couldn’t give us the answers.
“Let’s find out.”
“Uh, how?”
He pointed to a few crystals growing from the ceiling of the passage we were in. “Use them. You’re the gifted one, aren’t you?”
“I thought my gift was to know things, isn’t that what my mom said?”
“And heal. Don’t forget Gemma works with the healer.”
“Or so we think. We don’t know anything for sure.”
“Do you truly believe your mother was making all that up?” He shifted his weight. Despite his insistence that the cave didn’t bother him, he wasn’t comfortable there.
“She’s hid the truth from me before.”
“Yeah, but protecting you by omission is different than what this is. She’d have no reason to do it, and she’d know it could destroy your relationship forever.”
“Ignoring the other parts, her omission ruined our relationship.”
“But the other parts matter. It matters why she did it. She did it to protect you.”
“You really think that negates everything?” I studied his face. I’d expected him to agree with me, not defend my mom.
“It changes things.” He belatedly stepped into his jeans.
“Do y
ou really think I should try to use the crystals?”
“Do you think you know how?” He buttoned his pants.
“How would I know? I don’t even know what they really are.”
“Hopefully we’ll get out of here soon and figure out what’s going on. We’ll worry about the crystals later. I—” He stopped suddenly.
“What?” I glanced around. Had he sensed something? Being with Jared screwed up all my reflexes. Yet another reason I needed to stay away from him.
“I heard something.”
“Should we head back?”
He put a finger in front of his lips to remind me to stay quiet. I debated shifting, but I fought off the urge, remembering the last time we were in a cave together. No matter the benefits of being in my bear form, losing my ability to communicate with Jared was ten times harder. If push came to shove, I’d be able to transform in a moment’s notice. I strained to hear. I heard light footsteps. I gestured to the right. I didn’t know this cave, but my guess was the passage would circle around toward the mouth of the cave.
Jared shrugged and started in the direction I suggested.
I blew out the lantern. Whoever it was, we didn’t need to make ourselves sitting ducks.
Jared pulled out his phone and kept it close to his body. It only let off the faintest amount of light but it was plenty to help our night vision.
We walked along quietly close to the wall.
“Vera! Jared!” A female voice yelled.
My chest clenched when I heard our names, until I realized I recognized the voice. Gemma. What in the world was she doing here?
“Guys? Are you in here?” Gemma called again.
“Gemma?” Jared mouthed.
I nodded. He pocketed his phone, and we carefully walked back toward the voice.
“Please, I’m kind of freaking out right now. If you’re in here, please say something.”
If Jared was as much like me as I thought, he wasn’t going to say a word either. We needed to make sure it wasn’t a trap. Sending in the seemingly innocent girl almost seemed too obvious.
“Gemma! Is that you?” A male called out from somewhere even further away. I didn’t recognize this voice. We’d been right to worry.
“Slade?” Gemma said quietly. Slade. The guy from the gardens?
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” Loud footsteps made it sound like he was moving quickly to catch up with her. “We were supposed to come together.”
“In all of that I was supposed to wait? We can’t help if we we’re dead. Speaking of, what if Vera and Jared didn’t make it?” Her voice shook.
“They’re here. Taliana got them out in time.”
The mention of my mom’s name had me moving forward. What was going on?
Jared pulled me back.
“I hope they’re right to place so much faith in them.” Slade said.
“Taliana is never wrong. If she thinks they’ll fix things, they will.” Gemma seemed so confident in us. I couldn’t help but agree with Slade. Jared and I were strong, but we had no idea what we were doing.
“But first we have to find them.”
“Maybe they’re scared?”
Slade laughed. “A Pteron like that scared of a few bears? Dream on.”
Jared wrapped his hand around mine and pulled me forward. We continued walking toward a small light that one of them must have been carrying.
Jared gestured for me to wait, and I listened. He hadn’t steered me wrong so far. He moved forward in a blur and picked up Slade by his shirt. “What do you want with us?”
“Nothing bad. I swear. Put me down!” Slade was panicked.
Jared did nothing at first.
“Put him down. I vouch for him.” Gemma’s eyes were wide with fear as she watched Slade struggle against Jared’s hold.
Jared let go, and Slade fell to the floor. I took it as my signal to come out. “I’ll repeat Jared’s question. What do you want with us?”
“Vera!” Gemma ran over and hugged me. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
I awkwardly stepped out of her embrace. “Yes, we’re fine. What’s going on? Who’s attacking?”
“The witches. They’ve got bears with them too and maybe some others. The whole army is mobilized.”
“What’s the status of the island? Is Gareth still at the helm?” Jared stepped away from Slade and toward us.
“As far as we know. We were under orders to get to you as fast as possible if something like this happened. We thought we’d have more time. We didn’t think the witches would come this fast. Someone must have tipped them off about the crystals.”
Jared nodded. “Who knows about the crystals?”
“Only a select few of the guards, the healers, and us.”
“So the information was leaked from within.” Jared’s face hardened.
“Maybe… or maybe they already knew. Maybe the witches sensed them.”
“Either way, what are we supposed to do?” Jared wiped his brow. “We can’t stay in here forever.”
“We have to protect Vera and the crystals. That’s our job.” Gemma said with pride. “Well, and figure out how to use the crystals to save the world.”
“Is that all?” Jared absently took my hand in his. “Nothing much.”
“Why do I need to be protected? I get the crystals and all.”
“We’ve already discussed your importance.” Slade put a hand around his neck. It was probably sore from Jared’s treatment. “Nice to see you again even though you didn’t give me a chance to petition.”
I ignored the petition comment. “Why would witches care about me?”
“Because you have the power to use the crystals. Every piece of writing we have about the crystals ties back to your family. You’re the only one who can truly use them.”
“This is insane, but it doesn’t explain why we’re all here. Why hide us with the crystals?” I asked.
“Because we need to grab crystals and get off this island. We need to get the knowledge from the witches so you can use the crystals.”
“Where’s everyone else?” Jared asked. “Taliana mentioned a team.”
“We’re the team. It’s the four of us.”
“Uh… no offense, but you two?” Jared raised an eyebrow.
“We have the skills you need. We’ll get to the haven.”
“Haven? What am I missing here?” I was getting really tired of being left in the dark.
“I assume they mean the place in Connecticut where my mom is… suddenly I understand Gareth’s promise to help me find her.”
“He isn’t using you Jared. Getting the knowledge from the witches is important for everyone. Keeping the crystals away from the witches is urgent. They’ll destroy the world if we give them the chance.”
“Quit the exaggerations. I know things are messy, but the world isn’t ending.” Jared stuffed his hands into his front pockets.
“It’s not an exaggeration. How much did Gareth tell you about the crystals?” Gemma pointed toward several large ones.
“Not enough.”
“Evidently.” Slade paced in a circle around us. He was a hard guy to read. I was sure there was a reason Gareth had sent him, but so far I hadn’t seen one.
“Then fill us in.” I was about to start doing some pacing of my own. I was running out of patience.
“The crystals are the most powerful substance that has ever existed. We have found ways to use them in small quantities to make basic healing pastes, and I’ve experimented with some other things, but we haven’t moved much further. We need Vera and the knowledge for that, but even the small things have been impressive. It’s also frightening. The crystals can be turned into weapons as easily as they can be used to heal.”
“So we need to keep the crystals from the witches. What does that have to do with breaking into the haven?” I asked.
“We already told you, we need the knowledge to be able to unlock the potential of the crystals.”
“You said the witches had the knowledge, but why do we need it? Isn’t it dangerous for anyone to have both?” Norco might have been the home to my people, but I didn’t know them enough to trust them with the power to destroy everything.
“It’s more dangerous not to. We need to protect the innocent. That’s what our people have always done.”
“What else do you know about the witches’ plans? None of you are surprised by this attack, so you know more than you’re telling us.”
“Taliana saw it all. The witches are planning to destroy everyone. They want to rid the earth of humans.”
“What?” My mouth must have been hanging open.
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s coming. A great war like we’ve never seen.”
“You put that much faith in Taliana’s visions?”
“Yes. And don’t you see? Vera is so powerful because of who her parents are. She has the gift to use the crystals from Gareth, and the gift of vision from Taliana. That’s why she needs you Jared. She needs the protection of the strongest creature possible.” Gemma gave Jared a look of admiration.
“I’ll say it again.” I crossed my arms. “This is all insane.”
“You need to believe us, Vera. We’re talking about life and death, survival and extinction.” There was something eerie about hearing those words from someone as innocent looking at Gemma.
Despite my reservations, I found myself nodding.
“We don’t have time to waste. We need to get off this island, and we need to do it with some of the crystals.”
“And how are we going to do that?”
Slade and Gemma looked at each other. “We’re going to use the paste I made. It should help protect us.”
“This ‘paste’… what is it exactly?”
“It’s extracts from the crystals. It’s going to sting a little at first, but it will work. I’ve tried it on myself, but I’ve never tried it on a Pteron.” She looked at Jared.
“Great.” Jared sighed. “I get to be a guinea pig.”
“I’m not wearing war paint.” There were a lot of things I was willing to do, but putting on ritualistic and spiritual war paint for bears? Forget it. “I’ll put some paste on my arm or something.”
“Why not?” Vera waited while Gemma painted her face. “I thought you were up for being a guinea pig.”
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