Sphinx Transformed (The Sphinx Warriors Series Book 3)

by Christine Murphy

  Warren placed a hand on her arm. “Alexandria, I think it’s for the best.”

  “Y…yes.” She stammered. “D...do it.”

  She could tell Joshua was stressed from the way he ran his hands over her hair and the fact he was broadcasting his upset over her condition through their Link. He had never closed the connection but she couldn’t let him go through what she was about to go through. Reaching up, she brushed her fingertips over his cheek.

  “I’m s…sorry, Josh. I can’t let you experience this.” With effort, Alexandria closed the connection and was saddened by the sudden loss she not only felt but in the way Joshua looked also.

  Arik stepped up to the gurney. Alexandria saw him glance at Joshua for approval.

  “I owe her for this healing. Let me help with her.”

  Joshua nodded and she took a deep breath knowing what was coming.

  Joshua held her head while Arik held her arms. Probably a good idea, she thought hysterically. In between the inner Wraith surfacing fast and her own irrational fear of needles coming at her, thanks to Turin, she was sure she would have fought if her strength had been there. Warren swabbed the side of her neck and quick as to not prolong the procedure, he injected her with both syringes at the same time.

  Every muscle in her body tensed in the brief moment of expectation before the suppressant took hold. Just when she couldn’t stand it any longer, the burning heat lit her up from the inside. Who was louder in the agonizing scream she wasn’t sure, if it was her or the Wraith, but either way she prayed for unconsciousness which just wouldn’t come. She tossed and thrashed against Joshua and Arik’s hold. Somewhere in the depths of the madness, she thought she heard Joshua desperately call to her through their Link, Hold on, Lexi. I’ll make it stop. Just reach for me.

  His wonderful deep voice vibrated through her body and into her very Life Force. Alexandria didn’t know if she actually was able to reach out to Joshua or not, but one moment she was in agony and chaos and the next she was in a warm embrace floating into peaceful nothingness.

  Alexandria stayed in the peaceful darkness and warmth for some time and didn’t want to leave it, but slowly she surfaced from the deepest of sleeps she had had in a long time. Stretching, she winced, feeling like she had been run over by a bus. Every muscle and joint hurt in her body but at least she couldn’t detect the inner Wraith. That, in and of itself, was a miracle. She was surprised to find she was back in Joshua’s bed and not in medical and at the same time disappointed to find she was by herself. She rolled over grabbing Joshua’s pillow and tucked it under her chin.

  Laying there in the dark in the comfortable bed, she heard Joshua’s voice in the distance.

  “Sssh. You’ll wake her up and then I’ll have to kick your ass even if you are my Khenti and her brother.”

  He sounded a bit peeved to Alexandria, but she really didn’t care at the moment. Yawning, she pulled the cover over her head. She really didn’t want to get up anyway and had no idea what time it was.

  Alexandria smiled when she heard Michael fire right back, “Joshua if you weren’t my second in command and basically family to me, I would have performed a major attitude adjustment on you a long time ago.” Michael sighed and continued, “How is she doing?”

  “It was rough, but I was able to push her into unconsciousness through our Link”. Alexandria held her breath waiting for Michael’s response to the disclosure. She wasn’t sure if she should get up and stand between the two men or not.

  Uncomfortable silence went on forever, but finally Michael spoke. Alexandria could hear the control in his voice.

  “You have Mated with her?” And there it was.

  Joshua cleared his throat. “Aaah, no Khenti. I wouldn’t take advantage of her in that way. We did, um… She is too important to me and it must be her decision! I would never… and it would have to be with your blessing.”

  More drawn out silence. Alexandria bit at her nail holding her breath again and trying not to move under the satin blankets. When her brother finally spoke, she tried not to let out her breath harshly.

  “I see. Trust me, I do understand. She is a grown woman and if she chooses you as her Mate, then she has chosen wisely. Now, I need you, the other Warriors, and the Guardians Elite down in the planning room in ten. We’ll be battling tonight. I’m hoping it goes better between the extra rest we’ve had and the new weapons you’ve created.”

  “I’ll be there with the others, Khenti.” Alexandria heard the door open and then close with Michael’s departure. Joshua let out a pent up breath he had been holding and she felt for him. She knew exactly what it felt like to have to disclose to her brother. On too many occasions.

  “Lexi, I know you’re awake. I can feel you through our connection.” Joshua was suddenly in the bed next to her pulling the covers down. He rolled her over onto her back and brushed her hair out of his way. He lay down next to her bracing himself on one elbow. Leaning down, he captured her lips with his and tantalized her with an entrancing kiss. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened to his exploration.

  Even though she wanted more and felt he wanted it too, he pulled away. Regret coursed through their Link. Joshua kissed her forehead.

  “I wish we had more time this morning, Alexandria, but the damn Gate calls again.”

  Startled, she looked over at the bedside clock. “By the Ancients, I’ve slept at least ten hours. Joshua, why didn’t you wake me?”

  “You needed the sleep.” When she tried to argue, he kissed her again, running his tongue along the edges of her lips and then nipping at the corners to silence her. He pushed back a bit smiling at her.

  “I know, I know. You have your research to figure out how in the hell to fix your genetics, but if you don’t rest, you’re not going to be effective anyway. You tasked yourself too much yesterday and paid for it. Warren said if you get more rest then the resistance to the suppressant should slow down. Please, Lexi. For me.”

  Alexandria hugged Joshua while he ran his hands down her back to her waist. She shivered at the sensation and whispered, “I wish I had time to rest, Josh. Rest with you. But neither of us really has that option.”

  Joshua growled in her ear and she could tell he wasn’t happy with her answer so she added, “I promise, I’ll do my best to add more rest sessions to the day. For us.”

  Michael’s call across the Warrior’s Link interrupted their discussion and Joshua’s wandering hands. You’re down to five Warrior. Move it.

  Joshua rested his forehead against hers for a moment so she took advantage and checked on his Life Power. The dionic energy was only a trace so she was satisfied she wouldn’t have to convert any of it for the moment.

  He gave her a dark look and said, “I felt that. I’m fine and if I have any issues I’ll let you know.”

  He ran his hands over her hair and more gently said, “I know you love me and need to take care of me, but promise me you’ll take care of you too. Even if I wasn’t challenged by my Life Power, I still couldn’t live without you.”

  Alexandria grasped his hand and placed it over her heart. “I promise, Joshua. For you, I promise anything.”

  He smiled at her then, his sexy dimple making an appearance.

  “Good. I’ll hold you to it. Now let me get ready and get my ass down to the meeting before Michael rains punishment on my head for being late. I can only stand so many of his lectures in a week. And no matter what is going on, reach out to me if you need me. Okay?”

  “Okay.” She watched him get up from the bed, grab his clothes and gear, and disappear from her view into the bathroom.

  Lying there, she just listened to the sound of the shower while he got ready. The whole time her medical mind spun up the new techniques and combinations she planned on doing that day in the lab to find a way to fix her genetics. If possible, she needed to develop a virus at the same time to destroy the genetically mutated Wraith Turin was creating on the other side of the Gate. She was carefu
l with her thoughts, because she didn’t want Joshua to know she was going to use herself as the guinea pig.

  Before she could even get out of the bed, Joshua was done and heading for the door. On the way by her, he stopped long enough to give her a tender kiss.

  “See you in a few hours.”

  He slipped away from her and was out the door in a flash before she could whisper, “Be safe, Josh.”

  Sixty minutes later, Alexandria was literally up to her elbows in blood-filled test tubes, chemicals, flasks, beakers, and hand held computers. Warren was hanging over her shoulder trying to assist in what she was doing, but he was just throwing off her concentration. The closer he got, the more the Wraith inside of her started sniffing around whispering for her to reach out and take his energy. Not to mention the dark Power from the soon to open Gate swirling around the complex wasn’t helping her any either. All of it was slowly driving her crazy.

  Finally, she slammed down the hand held so hard it cracked the screen.

  “Ancients be damned! Warren, you have to back off or I’m going to suck the life right out of you.” She growled with all the frustration she felt and even heard the overlay of the Wraith’s voice as it broke through her control for a moment.

  Warren backed away throwing up his hands. “Fine. I’m sorry. I was just trying to help since your focus keeps slipping. We’ve got to find a genetic cure or eventually the injections aren’t going to work anymore.”

  Alexandria realized Warren was just as frustrated and now she had taken her frustration out on him.

  Reaching to place a hand on his shoulder in apology, she stopped herself just in time. Touching anyone right now wouldn’t be a good idea. Joshua was pre-occupied so she didn’t want to reach out to him through the Link. The connection gave her a bit of balance from the dual chaos in her mind.

  “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just…I need to find the correct combination for the anti-gene against the modified Wraith genetics. I’ll only have one try on testing it.” Alexandria swallowed roughly. “If it doesn’t work then no one will have to worry about me being a danger anymore, but we need it to destroy whatever abominations Turin is creating in the Drake dimension. He had to have made a hybrid Wraith with the Sphinx genes he stole from me and using his new creation to open the Gate. But I can stop him and his plans with the anti-gene because it will work against any modified Wraith genes.”

  Sighing, Warren walked over to one of the chairs and sat down heavily. “Don’t sweat it, Alexandria. There’s just a crap load of pressure on all of us and your condition makes it even worse for you.”

  He rubbed at his eyes, his shoulders slumping. “I wish there was a way to pick up the process, but you’re the expert with all of this. We may have to increase the dosage again so you can stay focused. Fuck!”

  Alexandria pulled up a chair as well and sat down, feeling the inevitable breathing heavily down her neck. An increased dosage would keep the Wraith down longer but would also be worse on her own system. She didn’t know how much more she could take before her body gave out or her mind snapped from the pure pain.

  “We’ll find a way, Warren. One way or another we have to find a way.”

  She pushed aside the hand-held computer which now sported a cracked screen and grabbed her back-up. Trying for one more round of concentration, she ran her finger across the touch screen and carefully examined the spiraling matrix of the DNA. Each strand was normal except for the very center where the alteration had been made and where her unique Sphinx DNA should have been intricately connected. The biggest breakthrough was the fact the Sphinx DNA wasn’t destroyed but disjointed from the rest of the spiral and hanging precariously to the side of the structure. The Wraith DNA had been inserted into the space and was taking over. If she could just get the right anti-gene combination down, then she could dislodge and destroy the bad DNA like a virus, and hopefully, the Sphinx strands would re-associate.

  For the altered Wraith on the other side of the Gate in Drake hell, they wouldn’t be so lucky. Their DNA strands would be weakened and the anti-gene would attack the altered DNA. Even with the Sphinx DNA, there would be no hope for them as their genetic strands would completely disassociate. Unfortunately, the anti-gene wouldn’t work on the unaltered Wraith because their genetics were intact with no weak links.

  Looking at her formulas, again, she thought one more change in the combination would complete the anti-gene and then it would be time to bite the bullet, test the mixture on herself, and hope for the best. Before she could start making additional notations, the outer door of the medical clinic crashed open. Alexandria glanced up quickly coming to her feet to assess the problem and saw the new arrival was Eleina.

  Out of breath and with a panicked look on her face she blurted out, “The men are being stubborn asses as usual. I told them even in your condition you would want to help. I hope I was right because Stormy needs you. She collapsed during the Power Transference.”

  Chapter Nine

  Hearing Eleina’s desperate plea for help, Alexandria shot up so quickly, the stool fell over and slid across the floor. She was across the room and out the door in such a blur, she left Warren and Eleina in the dust. They both called for her, but there was no way Alexandria planned on slowing down. Her friend needed her and her brother and Joshua would both get an earful about not calling her as soon as Stormy had collapsed. In the back of her mind, she understood her own condition was unstable and could only cause harm and the two Warriors she loved were trying to protect all of them, but hell. She wanted at least to have a chance to help her family before the suppression wore off again.

  As soon as she reached the elevator, she jammed her thumb on the button and nothing happened.

  “Son of a bitch,” she growled.

  “Forgot you’ve been restricted?” Warren reached past her and pushed the call button. “By the way, I grabbed a medical bag just in case.”

  “Yeah, damn it, I forgot. And thanks, but I don’t think what is going on with Stormy will be fixed with anything in the bag.” Alexandria crossed her arms over her chest sulking a bit over the restriction. She had forgotten, but she understood.

  Eleina caught up with them just as the doors to the elevator opened up. Alexandria led the way into the elevator and Warren and Eleina piled in after her. Eleina reached over and hit the button to the Garden Dome before letting Alexandria know.

  “I told Jenny what was going on and she’s sending someone up from the Trauma Cell. They’re already down there setting up for medical when the Gate opens so she couldn’t come back up, but she’s having one of her assistants take over in medical.”

  Alexandria nodded already focused on getting to Stormy once the doors opened. She wasn’t sure what she planned to do and probably shouldn’t even touch Stormy to assess what was going on but what choice did she have.

  “Warren, I’m going to have to find out what’s up with Stormy’s system. I expect you to put me out of commission at the smallest indication of the Wraith surfacing.”

  She turned a demanding glare at Warren. “No more working out your issues with hitting the remote button. Do you understand? Nothing can happen to her even if it means taking me out.”

  Warren looked at her with indecision, but then steel entered his gaze. “I will but you’re stronger than you think Alexandria. Don’t make me make that decision.”

  A stand-off was what it felt like with Warren. She demanded his action and he turned the tables on her demanding she take control. Since when was she ever in that kind of control even as a normal Sphinx? She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind but the opening of the elevator doors brought her back to the urgency at hand.

  Out the doors she ran and up to the Garden Dome frosted double doors. Unlocked, they opened with the push of her hands. She passed through the small alcove and onto the next set of clear doors. Caleb had created the setup to keep the animals and creatures of the gardens inside where they belonged much like a bird aviary setup ac
complished with feathered animals.

  Pushing through the second set of doors, Alexandria picked up her pace and ran quickly down the dirt and rock pathway into the Garden. She pressed her speed faster wanting to get to the grass field where the Transference took place. The Garden was so large, close to eight football fields across that it seemed to take forever on a lazy walk.

  Any other day, Alexandria loved to relax in the gardens but today she barely had time to notice the scenery of the foliage with shades of dark green to evergreen and the lightest lime. Water-oak, maple, palm, fruit and even fern trees were but a blur in her peripheral vision. Her quickly moving legs brushed against pink flowering shrubs causing the tiny blooms to explode up around her. Tiny orange birds flitted away from her, interrupted in their feeding from bird–of-paradise blooms and butterflies of blue and yellow tried to avoid being overtaken by her flying form. When she sprinted through the deeper vegetation with small areas cleared for hammocks and multi colored garden chairs and tables, she startled a dappled deer. It danced and sprinted away from her in a panic, never looking back.

  Time was of the essence and she kicked into a higher tempo not even thinking about where she was pulling the energy or skills from. She knew she just had to get to Stormy. Warren was left way behind but Eleina kept pace behind her with no problem. The Priestess had strength, and thankfully, didn’t fear her altered genetic makeup.

  Finally, Alexandria cleared the line of trees breaking onto the grass field. It would have been peaceful to stretch out and lay on it, but there would be no time for peace for a long time to come. Slowing her pace, she jogged the rest of the way across the field to the center where Stormy lay on the ground. She was hard to make out with all the hovering Warriors and Guardians. Michael had her in his arms and Joshua was beside him. Everyone had fear and uncertainty written across their faces. Joshua was running his hand through his hair in agitation.

  “We should get Alexandria, Khenti.”