Mastering Their Human

by Ivy Barrett

  “One final time. Why are they hunting you?”

  Choosing each word carefully, she began her explanation. “We each participated in a genetic resequencing program. The program was meant to correct a defect or disease contained within our genetic code. I had multiple sclerosis, which affects the central nervous system. It’s degenerative and robs its victims of the ability to control their bodies. Their minds are still fully functional, but in the most severe cases they are trapped within a useless shell. Anyway, the treatments were successful. We were each cured of our original condition, but there was an unintentional side effect.”

  “What side effect?”

  “I’m not a doctor, but I’ll try to explain. The telomere, the very end of a human DNA strand, deteriorates each time the strand reproduces. That’s what causes humans to age. Well, with us our telomeres are stable or at least they’re deteriorating at a much slower rate.” So slow in fact that it’s undetectable, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “So you’ll live longer than most humans?”

  “All I can figure is this chancellor was hoping to reproduce Andrea’s mishap and stabilize the telomeres of his future test subjects. Unfortunately, he’s systematically burned through the test subjects he dragged here from Earth.”

  Her sarcasm drew his gaze back to her face. “You are the only human who is still alive?”

  “Over half of us were killed when Max shot down our ship in an effort to steal us from the chancellor. We were separated after that, so I’m not sure what happened to the others. Sean made it sound like Lorelle is alive. Of course that could have been a tactic to keep me calm and cooperative until he had me away from the laboratory complex.”

  “You had never seen Sean before that night?”

  “No.”

  His dark gaze narrowed as he asked, “Are you a mutant?”

  A mutant like Sean or a mutant like Andrea and Lorelle? Her DNA was technically mutated. “I’m human. My home world is Earth. I was being held in that lab against my will. I mean you no harm.”

  * * *

  Infuriated by yet another wasted day, Sean Wylie reluctantly admitted defeat. He sank into the shadow dimension, which was at the heart of a specter’s power. By manipulating the energy barrier that separated physical from metaphysical realities, specters could master a number of useful skills, not the least of which was instantaneous transportation.

  He emerged in a secluded corridor deep in the Mutant Underground. On the outskirts of Sanctum, Protaria’s capital city, the Mutant Underground was actually a series of buildings and subterranean complexes connected by abandoned subway tunnels. Sarah’s private chamber was just around the corner from where he stood. If his luck improved, he’d talk to Sarah and be gone before anyone realized he’d needed her assistance. Emotions were running high. He understood the urgency, but he didn’t need the additional pressure.

  One of the warlords had snatched Brianna. There was simply no other explanation. If Lorelle found out her sister was in the hands of men Mal Ton considered barbaric, there would be no power in the universe that would stop her from racing headlong into the zones. And then they would have two humans to rescue instead of one.

  Not willing to risk discovery, Sean sank through the wall as opposed to walking around to the doorway. He paused before emerging, making sure his sister was alone and available for his visit. She was resting, as she should be. Allen Lansky, a Protarian nanobiologist, who had been defamed by the corrupt government, had recently taken on her case.

  Sean gradually separated from the shadow dimension, materializing near the bed. Sarah was curled on her side, her hand tucked beneath her cheek, an opaque veil concealing the lower half of her face.

  Frustration and tenderness wrestled within Sean. He wanted to snatch the veil away or better yet burn the damn thing. In the privacy of her own room she should be comfortable enough not to hide her deformity.

  Over and over, she’d assured him the situation was not his fault, that she had known what she risked when she exposed herself to the virus. But he knew it was only partially true. Powerful mutations ran all through their family. She’d watched him survive the onset illness and mutate into a specter, the rarest and most coveted of all mutations.

  As with most people, Sean’s mutation had been spontaneous, but puberty came and went for Sarah and it became apparent she would not mutate. Determined to survive in the Underground in any way she could, she had taken matters into her own hands. She’d suffered horribly for her rash decision. Were it not for mutant healers, she would not have survived the onset illness. Yes, she developed prophetic visions, but each vision came with a terrible cost. She was in continual pain and the visions were excruciating.

  And that didn’t even take into consideration what the mutation had done to her face. Features once delicate and lovely were now twisted, distorted so badly they were barely recognizable as humanoid. Only her rich green eyes remained unchanged. Those expressive eyes revealed all the pain and loneliness of the life she had selflessly chosen.

  “Sarah.” His voice broke as he whispered her name, so he quickly cleared his throat and tried again. She hated pity, refused to feel sorry for herself and resented the emotion in others. “Sarah, big bro’s in trouble here. I need you to bail me out.”

  A sleepy chuckle assured him she wasn’t sedated. “What else is new?” She stretched, slipping a hand up under her veil and scratching her cheek. “What time is it?”

  “I’m not sure. Late evening. I’d guess around eight.”

  “Eight, at night?” She sat up, reached over to the nightstand and flipped on the lamp. “Tell me you’re joking.”

  “Why would I joke about the time?”

  “Then I’ve been sleeping for nineteen hours. This can’t be good.” She tossed back the covers and lowered her feet to the floor. Her nightgown was simple and modest, as were most of her clothes. Vanity had no place in the life of a powerful seer.

  “Is something wrong?” His heart began to pound as her anxiety fueled his. “Should I get Ostan or Allen Lansky?”

  “I’m not sure.” She hurried toward the lavatory, obviously agitated. “I feel really odd. Something’s different. Something…” She flipped on the light and pulled down the veil.

  Their gazes met in the mirror and they fell silent, shocked beyond words. Sean blinked and focused on her face again. Surely it had been a trick of the light. But no, her features had reverted to their pre-mutation arrangement.

  She was beautiful again.

  “What did he do to me?” Her hands pressed against smooth cheeks and a sculpted jawline as panic and fury shredded her expression. “Oh, Sean, what did he do?”

  Slowly the ramifications cut through Sean’s joy. This wasn’t a good thing, at least not entirely. Her pain would be gone. She could live a normal life, reemerge from the darkness.

  But that was his perspective of this development, not Sarah’s. All Sarah saw was a normal face, a useless face, a powerless face. She might be physically whole again, but by reversing her mutation they had robbed her of the one thing that had given her life meaning.

  Chapter Two

  Kellan slid the partition closed and slipped into the navigator’s seat opposite Ceddrik. Waiting until the mystic looked at him, he said, “You were suspiciously quiet through all that. What did you sense once she finally started spouting information? Is she full of shit, or is she really a victim in all this?”

  Ceddrik paused to enter an adjustment into the control panel before he turned his full attention on Kellan. I was certain she was being completely honest until the very end. When you asked if she was a mutant, her emotions spiked and twisted. I couldn’t tell what was true.

  “Shit.” He leaned back in the chair and glared at the buildings whizzing past. The vast majority were deserted, gutted and abandoned as the population dwindled and resources had to be pooled. They demolished what they could and let the forces of nature take care o
f the rest.

  They were nearly home, if his fortified compound could be termed a home. That was the trouble with power. Wielding it took continual effort and there were always those ready and willing to wrest it away. Fortunately, he’d yet to find anyone able to overpower him. He’d stayed true to his beliefs and acted swiftly and decisively with anyone who crossed him. Such was life in the black zones.

  Ceddrik transmitted the security code, which was changed at random every few days, and the razor-wire gates were opened to let them pass. The guards saluted with their weapons and he offered a halfhearted wave, feeling anything but friendly at the moment.

  He felt restless and feral and hungry. He should have wrapped Brianna’s legs around his waist and thrust his cock balls-deep into her dripping cunt. Many women turned talkative in the aftermath of passion.

  Would she be wild and aggressive, scoring his back with her nails? Or sweetly submissive? Her response to his kiss had been tentative, but she had responded. Nothing fired him up faster than a challenge and Brianna was certainly that.

  She might be an entertaining challenge or she might be a clever spy, Ceddrik reminded. You haven’t even told her your name. Some part of you doesn’t trust her.

  “Get the fuck out of my head,” he muttered, annoyed more by the reminder than the invasion.

  If you don’t want me to listen, raise your shields.

  He’d been so distracted by his fascinating captive he hadn’t realized his shields were down. Correcting the oversight, he surrounded his mind with an energy barrier that muted his thoughts and alerted him to Ceddrik’s touch. Allowing the link at all had been a risk. So far the benefits had outweighed the disadvantages.

  Ceddrik set down by the front entrance and guards surrounded the ship, waiting to escort them into the building. He activated the refuel cycle and large solar panels extended with a resounding snap, automatically angling to optimize intake.

  Touching his forearm, Ceddrik drew his attention then pinged his shield, asking permission to speak. Why didn’t you fuck her? I’ve never known you to be so restrained. If an attractive female seems interested in giving you a ride, generally you hop on.

  “I might have been a bit… overzealous in my youth, but I’ve been far more discriminating in recent years.”

  Perhaps. But that didn’t answer my question. Why didn’t you fuck Brianna?

  Kellan couldn’t rid his mind of her image, chained and helpless, utterly dejected and alone. He wanted to comfort her, to savor her surrender, awaken her passion slowly until it consumed them both. Not bang her senseless and walk away.

  He shook away the temptation. Even a prolonged seduction was dangerous if she was Fane’s spy.

  “Do you think she’s a mutant?” Kellan asked, ignoring Ceddrik’s question again. If the sly pain in the ass had been poking around in his mind, he understood the situation as well as Kellan did. Ceddrik was just trying to provoke him. “Have we captured a well-trained spy or a human refugee?”

  There’s one easy way to find out.

  Kellan pushed to his feet and scrubbed a hand over his stubbly jaw. Damn, he needed a bath and a shave. Maybe they could bathe together, become comfortable with each other’s bodies while they…

  Do you want me to scan her or not? It makes no difference to me.

  He really did need to know if she was a player or a victim before he indulged these carnal impulses. “Can you scan deeply enough without creating the sort of link we share? Allowing her access to your mind is more of a risk than I’m willing to take.”

  Wow. That almost sounds like you give a damn. Ceddrik chuckled. Two things can make a person vulnerable to penetration. Kellan shivered and Ceddrik rolled his eyes. I was referring to the mental sort. Get your thoughts out of your pants for half a tick, please.

  “Sorry. I’ve returned from adolescence. What would allow you to penetrate her mind deep enough to determine the truth of her claims?”

  Pleasure or pain.

  Kellan narrowed his gaze. “Fuck her or flog her? Why not just ask her to cooperate?”

  Who are you? I’m not sure I like this kinder, gentler overlord. How will the warlords react when they find out you’ve gone soft over a female?

  The accusation chafed. His reputation was the strongest weapon in his arsenal, intimidation his most dependable strategy. “I assure you, I’m anything but soft over this particular female.” He angled his hips, displaying his raging erection.

  Ceddrik smiled. Your concern is justified. She will have access to my mind, to some extent, while I scan. There is no way to avoid it. So we must make sure she’s so distracted she doesn’t realize what I’m doing.

  Desire thrummed through Kellan as he considered his options. Ceddrik had a manipulative streak. His ability to mold circumstances to his advantage was the main reason Kellan had formed an alliance with the secretive mystic in the first place. Kellan didn’t trust him, but he saw no reason for Ceddrik to lie about this situation.

  “Tell the guards to back off and you stay out of sight. My sudden change of character is going to be shocking enough without adding voyeurs to the mix.”

  As you wish. If I haven’t finished my scans by the time you’ve finished with her, I’ll let you know.

  “Perfect,” Kellan grumbled. He summoned his fiercest scowl and reached for the partition.

  * * *

  The divider between the cockpit and the cabin slid open and Brianna pivoted toward the opening. She sat in the pleasure pit, surrounded by a mound of pillows, feeling foolish and restless and annoyed. She’d been cooperative and honest, and her captor had reacted with indifference and impatience. He couldn’t get away from her fast enough.

  Time was hard to judge without any frame of reference, so she wasn’t sure how long he’d been gone. Had they arrived at their destination? Like it mattered to her! She hadn’t known where she was since she’d been taken from Earth. She heaved a ragged sigh. One cage was pretty much like another. Though she had to admit this one was rather cozy.

  He stooped as he moved through the hatchway then unfolded his tall body and closed the panel with an angry snap. Okay, he looked pissed. Had Ceddrik said something to upset him?

  She tried not to panic. The storm cloud building around him might not have anything to do with her. “Are you all right?” she asked carefully.

  “Not even close.”

  He took two long strides toward the pit, spurring her into action. She sure as hell didn’t want to be the recipient of his foul mood. He effortlessly leaped over the embankment as she reached the opposite side. The pillows slowed his progress for a moment, but his long arm snaked around her waist and grasped her side. He dragged her backward as she yelped and clawed at the padded bench.

  “Wait! Why are you pissed at me? What did Ceddrik tell you?”

  He lifted her feet off the floor and headed for the staggered break in the embankment. “Who said this has anything to do with Ceddrik?”

  She sent pillows flying with her feet and tugged against his arm, but her struggles were pointless and she knew it. She had no currency, wasn’t even sure she could communicate with anyone but her captor. So why was she fighting so hard to achieve ‘freedom’?

  Pride alone fueled her rebellion, pride and a secret thrill at how easily he controlled her struggles. “You don’t have to act like such a brute!” She smacked his hip, which sent stinging sensations zinging up her arm. Was the man chiseled out of rock?

  He lowered her feet to the floor and shifted his hand to her upper arm. Then he jerked her forward as he leaned down. “It’s not an act, little girl. You’d do well to remember.”

  What was wrong with him? He was snorting and stomping like a stag in rut.

  His hold remained firm on her arm as he activated the hatch. She glanced at his lean hips, but the angle of his body prevented her from determining the accuracy of the comparison. Was he just horny, or had something she said set him off?

&
nbsp; Her steps slowed and her eyes widened as she descended from the ship. “What is this place?” At some point in the distant past it had been a stately mansion. Gun turrets and strategic barricades now ruined the graceful lines and palatial charm. Armed soldiers stood posts or patrolled everywhere she looked. Not government-sponsored military, more like mercenaries.

  What had she stumbled into now?

  Each soldier they passed snapped to attention and muttered a word she didn’t understand. It had the ring of a title, like commander or general.

  The interior of the house was clean and spacious. Bare walls and mismatched furniture couldn’t hide the architectural opulence. She tried to imagine the mansion as it had once been, as it was meant to be, while her hostile captor dragged her along one marble corridor and then another.

  People ducked into doorways or pressed themselves against walls as they approached. Did he demand such displays of deference, or did they recognize his expression? Neither possibility led to an encouraging outcome for her, so she tried to engage him again.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  Silence.

  He thrust open a door and pushed her into a library, or what had once been a library. Shelves lined the walls but there was not a book in sight. Not an access terminal either for that matter. Didn’t these people read? She bristled. A brute indeed.

  “Kneel.” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at her.

  “Why?” There was more than one motive for a man to want a woman on her knees, but she was so not in the mood for the most common reason.

  He grasped her upper arms and shoved her to her knees. “It is customary for guests to kneel in my presence. I will accept no less from a prisoner. You are unaware of our customs, so I will not punish you for your rude behavior.”

  Her rude behavior?