Inception

by Laxmi Hariharan

  While vampires were driven by logic, their need to be rational often at war with the humanness in them, the Elysians felt inscrutable, like they didn't quite exist. She couldn't connect with them at all.

  A touch on her shoulder shook Hope out of the spiral her thoughts had taken. She followed Aaron's gaze to find two men in the clearing.

  They stood talking to each other, dressed in black pants and shirt, modified guns slung across their backs. One of them raised a cigarette to his lips and offered another to his friend. A match flared, and then the fragrant scent of tobacco, light and fruity, curled in the air.

  Post tsunami, most tobacco crops had been wiped away on earth, and cigarettes had become too expensive for most, except the most elite. Yet, here in Seychelles, some of the old ways still endured.

  The guards continued to chat.

  "Not all Elysians are telepathic," she whispered.

  "Clearly not." He jerked his head toward where the guards continued to chat, unaware of their presence.

  They still had the element of surprise on their side. If they moved fast, they could take them both down.

  Aaron signaled to her that they should fan out then move in on the guards from either side.

  She nodded, surprised at how in sync their thoughts were. This immortal would have her back in a fight. He'd cover for her and match her every combat move.

  Her dragon swiped at her, an admonishment to her human half for ever thinking otherwise.

  Her breath hissed out in shock.

  Her dragon and human had always been in tune with each other. This was the first time her dragon had pushed her human half so, indicating once again that soon would come a time when it could not be controlled. Soon she'd have to give in to the dragon's instincts to mate with this male.

  No, she could never do that.

  For it would mean certain death for Aaron. That, she could not allow. She'd kill herself first, and her dragon with her, if that's what it took to keep him safe.

  20

  Hope

  Hope ran in the opposite direction of Aaron, before circling around to charge into the clearing, right as Aaron burst in from the other side.

  With one hit to the temple, she took out down one of the guards she'd seen earlier.

  Aaron's actions echoed hers as he hit the second guard on the neck, knocking him out cold.

  They dragged the prone bodies into the tree line.

  Ridding the guard of his clothes, she tied the man to a tree, before using the man's own handkerchief to gag him. She wore the guard's shirt over her own pants. As she struggled with the sleeves, Aaron walked up to her, helping her to fold them up.

  When his fingers brushed her forearm, heat surged over her skin.

  She jerked away from his hold, ignoring those blue eyes that flashed sparks at her. Finishing up the other sleeve on her own, she walked through the clearing and toward the buildings they could see in the distance.

  "You okay?" He fell into step with her.

  She expelled a breath. "Why wouldn't I be?" She'd braced herself to meet his gaze, and yet the impact of that expanse of blue did funny things to her heart.

  "Look." She raised her hands before letting them drop. "We both know my dragon has this thing for you, and we both know it's impossible for there to be anything between us. I don't want to make this more awkward for either of us—"

  "Then don't." Aaron enclosed her hands in his much larger ones and simply held them there.

  The warmth of his flesh seeped into her fingers.

  She so wanted to move in closer, to touch her lips to the strong cords of his throat. She wanted to simply rub up against that broad chest.

  "We work well together as a team, don't you think?" His voice was soft enough so only they could hear them. "Let's focus on the mission at hand and rescue the dragon shifter who's been kidnapped. We'll work our way through the rest later."

  A part of her wanted to protest that there was nothing to discuss, that if they continued down this path there would be only death for him. That she couldn't bear to have anything happen to him, not when the woman in her wanted him too. Except the human side of her was more practical than the dragon, who simply wanted to take what was hers.

  Yet, she could not resist the plea in those deep blue eyes. Not when he was stripping away the barriers around her heart by just being who he was.

  "Deal?" He tilted his head.

  "Deal." She nodded.

  The sound of someone making their way through the undergrowth reached her.

  Aaron heard it too.

  Dropping her hands, he took a step back, schooling his features into a placid, almost emotionless look.

  But those cobalt-blue eyes were a giveaway. They betrayed who he was: a living, breathing, vital warrior who'd do anything to save the ones he loved.

  Reaching into the pocket of her shirt, she handed over the mirrored shades she found in them.

  Aaron slipped them on, and of course, while they served the purpose in covering his eyes, they only added an air of mystery to his already devastating looks.

  Pulling out the cap she'd carried just for this purpose, she bunched her hair up under it, pulling it down low enough for it to shadow her own distinctive eyes.

  When Aaron lead the way, she fell in behind him without comment.

  It felt good to have a partner on the mission, she realized.

  For so long she had worked alone. For so long her dragon—the more social part of her—had craved camaraderie on past missions.

  Little had she thought that when she found the one she'd wanted to be with, he would be the one she couldn't have.

  Then they were entering the garden that gave away to the cluster of buildings which housed the Elysians.

  The scent of rose and lily, all shot through with that particular scent of fire that indicted a fellow dragon shifter, drifted past her.

  "I scent Mira," she called out in a low voice. "She went this way. Perhaps she escaped her captors?"

  Beckoning him to follow, she veered right, following the spoor, then as the scent grew stronger, she broke into a jog with Aaron close at her heels. Another fifteen minutes, and they reached a beach. Beyond it, a small bridge lead to an island with a single building on it.

  Stopping to catch her breath, she wiped off the sweat from her brow.

  "Is she on that island?" Aaron pointed across the bay.

  "Difficult to tell because the scent vanishes here, but I am almost certain that's where she headed."

  "Let's go while the beach is deserted and there’s no one to stop us." Aaron broke into a run.

  He'd once more assumed the natural role of a leader. It was the force of his personality as much as the simple need to protect her.

  Would he have done it if it was anyone else in her place? Yes, Hope knew that to be true. Yet both woman and dragon knew it was also because he was a lethal male who hadn't yet made up his mind on what exactly she was to him.

  Aaron would always be a Guardian. Just as she would never stop being a fighter.

  The sheer force of the chemistry between them made it clear that whatever was between them, it would never be simple.

  When this was over, she had to let him go. But would she be able to do that? Could she live without this man in her life?

  21

  Aaron

  Aaron had sprinted across the bridge and into the gates of the garden surrounding the only house on the island.

  Hope was just behind.

  She followed him as he clambered over the railing and dropped onto the balcony. Ahead, the sliding doors were open to show a man and woman facing each other in the middle of the room.

  The moonlight picked out golden flecks in the woman's eyes which were frosted-blue and shattered from the iris outward. The rest of her face was in shade.

  She had to be the dragon shifter.

  Her white shirt was splattered with scarlet. Her jeans were splattered with mud and feet bare, as if she'd lost her
shoes in a fight.

  Moving forward, without making any sound, he slid through the open doors to hear the man say, "I won't hurt you."

  The man raised his hands, and something in that gesture made Aaron hesitate. His stance wasn't threatening. If anything, he seemed to want to soothe the woman.

  Past him, he could make out the dragon shifter who stared up at him. She shrank against the wall, her arms wrapped around her waist in a defensive gesture.

  Then the man took a step forward, into a pool of moonlight. It lit his features, and Aaron recognized the features of Zach, the Elysian leader who had teleported into their conference room in Bombay.

  That was enough to make up his mind. Covering the distance between them, he smashed his fist into the side of the man's head.

  Zach crumpled to the floor.

  Aaron hadn't been expecting to take out the leader of the Elysians with just one blow. He must have caught the man unawares or at a time when his defenses were down.

  Before he could think about it further, the small curvy dragon shifter launched herself at him. The woman went for his face and would have clawed out his eyes if he hadn't defended himself.

  Grabbing her hands, making sure not to hurt her in any way, he held her back.

  "Who are you?" Her eyes glittered with anger.

  Hope crossed the floor toward them. "Mira, he's with me."

  The girl's face swiveled to Hope. It was as if seeing a familiar face took all the anger out of her. Her lips trembled, eyes shimmering with moisture. With a small choking sound, she pulled out of Aaron's grasp and fell into Hope's arms.

  Hope hugged the younger woman, her arms going around the thin shoulders heaving as the girl cried loud sobbing tears.

  "Why didn't you find me earlier?" Mira asked in between loud anguished gasps.

  Hope's eyes met Aaron’s above Mira’s head, eyebrows furrowed. "What did they do to you?"

  Mira shuddered. "I was held captive. Another Elsyian man, he ran experiments on me. He was trying to break my shield." She went pale, squeezing her palms together for support. "I escaped here and hid. This man," she nodded to the figure on the floor, "found me only just before you arrived. He was trying to help; he wouldn't hurt me." Mira's jaw set in a stubborn line.

  "He can't be trusted." Aaron gestured to Zach. "He’s the leader of the Elysians.

  "I have you. You’re safe." Hope ran her fingers over Mira's hair.

  Aaron went to the doors that led onto the balcony. The skies were turning pink. "It's almost dawn." He turned to them. "We must leave"

  "Let's go, Mira," Hope tried to coax the other shifter toward the balcony doors.

  "No." Mira pulled out of her grasp. She dropped down to her knees and touched the forehead of the man on the ground.

  Zach groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.

  For the second time in less than ten minutes, Aaron broke into a run. He slid his body between Hope and the man on the floor.

  "Dammit, Aaron, I can take care of myself." Hope swore under her breath.

  Aaron paid no attention. All his focus was on the man whose eyes were open.

  The Elysian male stared back at Aaron with a steady gaze.

  The dragon shifter touched Zach’s shoulder.

  "Mira, stay back." Aaron muscles thrummed with tension.

  "You wouldn't be standing here in my home if I didn't want you here." His voice was mild.

  "This is your home?" Hope moved around Aaron to stand near Mira.

  Zach touched the side of his head, looking at his fingers that came away stained with red.

  A quick inhale of breath from Mira. "You're bleeding." Ripping her T-shirt at the hem, she tore out a strip of cloth and held it to the side of his head.

  "I'll live." Zach's brow furrowed as he looked at her face.

  He placed his hand over Mira's to hold the cloth in place.

  Mira's hand dropped to her side, her cheeks staining red.

  Aaron leaned forward on the balls of his feet, ready to attack at the first sign of aggression from the other man. "Why are you helping us?"

  22

  Aaron

  Zach's jaw firmed. "The same Elysian male who attacked the bar kidnapped her without my knowledge."

  For a race that was supposed to be losing their access to emotions, the man had plenty swirling below the surface.

  "You are the leader, yet you're unable to control your own people?" Hope's brow creased.

  Zach stiffened, his spine straightening. "He's no longer on my core team. I have him under arrest."

  "Seems to me you have a rebel on your hands, alpha." Aaron folded his arms over his chest. "You'd be better rid of him completely."

  Zach glanced at Aaron, his eyes narrowing. "He's my half-brother."

  Aaron tilted his head. Interesting. "For a race that has lost your emotional anchors, and one with a reputation for being ruthless, you sure have a conscience."

  Zach's features tightened. "There is a misconception that the Elysian are emotionless."

  "I know you can feel. Why else would you have come to my help." Mira touched his forearm.

  The Elysian's gaze followed her gesture, his eyes fixed on her fingers in contact with his skin. This time Mira kept her hand where it was.

  Zach raised his chin at Aaron. "There is a chemical imbalance in our brains when we are born. Because of this, our rational mind overrides our emotions. It's why the Sian Web was created. A few hundred empaths born every generation plug into this collective psyche and provide emotions for those who most need it." Zach's voice was cool.

  Yet, his thumb stroked Mira's hand, a subtle movement that was not lost on Aaron.

  "In turn, the empaths benefit from drawing on the logic their minds lack."

  "If you are losing your empaths, why haven't you gone insane like the others?" Aaron widened his stance.

  "My mother was a wolf shifter." His eyes flickered, revealing what it had taken to admit that to them.

  Mira gasped, moving closer to him.

  "It's the reason I haven't lost touch with my emotions. Others who were born better balanced have been able to hold out for longer."

  "You are the leader of the Elysians; we are in your house. You didn't need to explain anything to us." Aaron frowned, running his hand over the nape of his neck. "Yet you've given us enough that we can work out your weaknesses and use it against you."

  Zach's gaze flicked over Mira's features. "It's important that you don’t judge my race by the actions of a few like my brother." He squared his shoulder. "When my brother kidnapped Mira, it showed me an error of my own. Emotions need to be willingly given if they are to help us." His gaze locked with Aaron's. "If you understand my race and my motivations, you can convince your alpha to help me out."

  A sound from the landing outside the door had all four of them freezing.

  Zach recovered first. Springing to his feet, he pulled Mira up with him.

  "Tell Leana I was wrong to demand volunteers from your city." He turned to Aaron. "However, should she still feel that it is the best for both our species, I'd gladly accept them."

  Was it Mira's kidnapping by his brother that had changed his mind about the volunteers, Aaron wondered.

  "Go with him." Zach held Mira's hands between his own.

  "But—" Mira raised her chin.

  "Trust me." Zach reached out as if to touch Mira, before stopping himself. "Keep her safe,” his eyes flicked to Hope and back to Aaron, “as you would your own mate."

  Mate?

  Next to him, Aaron felt Hope's muscles stiffen. But she didn't correct him.

  Tugging his hand from Mira's, Zach made for the door.

  Mira swallowed. "I'll be waiting for you." She called out to him. "Don't take too long to find me."

  Zach paused, the only sign that he'd heard her. Slipping through the exit, he shut it behind him.

  There was something between Zach and Mira. That was clear. Aaron knew there was little chance for a future toge
ther. Not when Mira was a dragon shifter.

  23

  Aaron

  Aaron pulled Mira along to the balcony.

  Hope had already vaulted over the railing and onto the beach below.

  Following her lead, they climbed over and dropped to the sand.

  When Aaron straightened, it was to find Hope turning to him with the rising sun at her back.

  A smile on her lips, her eyes lit up with that inner fire that brought out flecks of gold in those green eyes. "Ready to fly, immortal?"

  Mira winced. "I can't shift."

  "What do you mean?" He turned to her.

  "That other Elysian man messed with my psyche. I can't shift into my dragon form." Her lips turned downward.

  "It's fine." Hope's voice was already rough with the force of the upcoming transformation. "I am strong enough to take both of you."

  Behind him, Aaron heard a shout. The rest of the Elysians had arrived.

  Zach had given them just enough time to get a head start.

  A flare of gold and violet lit up the space. A breeze pushed back his hair as the scent of vanilla shot through with burning embers swept over him.

  Hope raised her head to the skies, a scream pouring out as the transformation took over, the human scream transforming to a proud cry of delight, of freedom and flight and all things that were so alive.

  The hair on Aaron's forearms stood on end. He'd never fail to be thrilled by the force of the transformation.

  A magnificent dragon stood in place of the woman. The animal was every bit as feminine, as beautiful, as seductive, as she turned her head to blink long heavy lashes over green and golden eyes that were unmistakable. They could belong to only one woman.

  Tossing her head, Hope beckoned them over. Reaching the dragon, Mira climbed up the scales before slipping onto her back.

  Aaron was right behind her. Yet, when he reached Hope, he couldn't help but hesitate for a second, not wanting to hurt her in any way.