by Cara Carnes
“It was our honor to give you the little bit of normalcy we could. I only wish we could do more for you now,” Lazar said.
“You are. You do. Keep my Shadow safe,” I ordered them.
“Go. He is worried,” Evon said. “They all are.”
“We will always be here for you,” Vellis said.
“They are worthy mates. We are proud of you, Snow,” Lazar whispered.
I watched the images fade away as I let my grasp of the dimensional slip ease. Time was a marvelous thing, something I could alter in small bursts. I was tempted to try and do so now, but the information I had been given by my father was very muddled. I would not try anything dangerous without my Shadows.
Ren and I were in his quarters. He was on his side watching me sleep. I opened my eyes and smiled at the intensity on his face. Could he sense the spirits of Lazar, Evon, and Vellis had visited me? I traced my hand along his jaw. He closed his eyes and pressed into my touch.
“I was worried,” he admitted.
“Sorry, I needed some time. Lazar, Evon, and Ellis got me sorted.”
“I felt something strange. Did they telepathically reach you? I tried but failed.”
“No, they…” I put my hand on his chest, stared into his face. How did I explain what I barely understood? “The spirits in each of you can come into me now. I’m not sure if it’s the mating bond, or the fact I’m…”
What was I?
“We will see what Dacian says. I can strengthen my shields, tell the others to do the same.”
“No. I want them to feel safe coming to me when they need to. All of the spirits.” I kissed his jaw. “They are an important part of you all. I want to understand them so I can help you and them.”
“You are a beautiful treasure, Snow.” He kissed me.
Now that the mating bond had been established, the intimate moments with each of them took on an entirely different level of…
Phenomenal. No. No word described how incredible everything became when our bodies, minds and souls merged across the realms. We became one, but it was far more than a physical or emotional act. I arced my awareness outward, drew in the galaxy’s euphoria, the joy and elation of the people we had helped saved. I fed it to Ren. And my other Shadows.
They deserved to bask in what we had achieved, even if it was for a fleeting moment tonight. There was too much to do.
But first I would make love with my Shadow, reaffirm our connection. Ren was the shyest of my men. With him intimacy was far different because I was the aggressor. I straddled him, fanned kisses along his face and neck until an audible groan echoed within the room. I traced each etching. They flexed beneath my fingertips. I ran my hand beneath the covering and moaned my appreciation. No clothing.
“You should have removed mine too,” I whispered against his chest. I wrapped my hand around his cock and squeezed the shaft. “I want you so bad, mate. Make love to me.”
“Snow.” He growled my name and shifted to put himself atop me. He removed my clothing with such ease that I laughed as we kissed. He smiled down at me.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” he whispered. He slid two fingers along my pussy, then thrust them inside me. “You’re so wet. I can’t wait.”
“Then don’t.” We had all night. I knew he would take his time later. For now I needed him inside me too much to wait.
Sensations melded as he slid into me. I grasped his arms, wrapped my legs around him and met each powerful thrust. I whimpered when he slowed. The rhythm moved me into a heightened awareness, one where he and I clung to the edge of existence. Everything unfolded around me on one side, while absolute nothingness resided on the other. We got closer and closer to the blinding white void. Pleasure, joy, euphoria. Absolute bliss greeted us. I dug my nails into Ren’s back and hoped he experienced the same rapture I did. But I sensed him there. Inside me. Around me. We were one within all the planes. I dragged us between the realms. We rode the wave of sensual delight together until we exploded.
Sweat dampened my skin by the time our lovemaking ended. I sighed and settled in Ren’s arms. I took comfort in the silence. There was never a need for words with my Shadows. They sensed my every thought and need, and I theirs, when we were alone like this.
But I sensed his worry growing the longer the silence descended, and there was a thick barrier between me and whatever thoughts he was having. He did not want me to see them. Although I could easily puncture the barrier and look, I would never do so. My Shadows deserved their privacy when they needed it, as I did. “Tell me what troubles you, Ren. You seal your thoughts from me.”
“We are all worried. There will be tremendous pressure on you, Snow. I do not want you putting the galaxy first. You deserve to be the first priority in your life.”
“You and my other mates are my first priority,” I whispered. “The galaxies will be okay because we will make it so, as will all those who helped us get this far.”
“Dacian and Zelig think we should reside on Tezan.”
“Would you and the others be okay with being so far from Rotera?”
“We are never there. Shadows and Dark Guardians are not wanted. We protect our people but are deemed too dangerous to be amongst them.” He sighed. “I do miss my family. Ashan does as well. The others…”
The others did not have enough family left for it to matter. I’d learned much about my Shadows over the past few cycles, but there was so, so much more to learn about each one. I squeezed him tight and peeked up. Amusement glimmered in his aura.
“What is that look?” he asked.
“Contact them. Have them brought here. Your family. Ashan’s. We will make it a surprise for him. Send for anyone close to any of you. I want us to all be together. We have been alone too long.”
“Never again,” he promised.
No. Never again.
“There is another matter,” he said. “Varik and Slone believe you should use the Well to send a message to the galaxies, to the Oracle’s followers. Let them know what has occurred and that order will be restored soon. Assure they are safe and protected.”
“Are they?” I leaned up from the bed. “I cannot say what I do not know for certain. The Crunans and Skerons may have been purged from existence, but there will always be a dark in the world. There will always be someone to strike down those they deem weaker or less deserving. Someone will take their place.”
“And we will be there to stop them.” Ren sat up. He kissed my lips, then smiled. “You wouldn’t allow anyone under your protection to get hurt.”
No, I wouldn’t. And an announcement might prevent chaos and rioting in some of the worlds most impacted by the recent events. I sighed. “What does Dacian think?”
He was the historian. The tactician. I wanted all my Shadows’ thoughts on this because anything I did affected them.
“We will have to ask.”
I nodded.
He chuckled and shook his head. He brought his powerful legs to the edge of the sleeping surface and rose. I admired my mate’s gorgeous body a moment, wished I could spend more time getting to know him and memorizing every inch of him. Tonight. We would pick up where we left off after a decision had been made.
I stood. Dressed.
Hands clasped, we headed to the briefing chamber, which was across from Zelig’s quarters. Everyone was there. My Shadows greeted me with smiles and hugs.
“You told her,” Slone said. “I am surprised.”
“She has the right to decide for herself, and I will never keep anything from my mate.”
“None of us will,” Zelig said. “Though it could wait until the morning.”
I shook my head. “No. The responsible thing is to act quickly. I will not wait to do something because it is more convenient for me that way. What does everyone think about the idea of an announcement? Are there objections?”
“We do not have sufficient defenses in place. Announcing the fact we are the ones restoring order
puts a target on you,” Marden said.
“I agree. We need more warriors here,” Slade said.
I glanced out the spacecraft window. An entire Avaru fleet surrounded Roteran battle cruisers. I did not think there was enough airspace to handle any more battle cruisers.
“Putting any more defenses in this area weakens the other areas where our presence is more important. Rotera needs support, as does Avaru. If anyone wishes to take us out as potential replacements for the Crunans, they will attack our home worlds to make a statement. It would weaken us in the eyes of the known galaxies and strengthen them through fear.” Dacian’s jaw twitched. “I do not like having her out here so far from where we are strongest, but we are at least fairly near Avaru. And Xan, Molden, and Nikki have a firm control on the Highway. The longer we wait to assert our leadership, the more likely we’ll meet resistance.”
I looked at Zelig, then Ashan and Varik.
“Dacian is right,” Varik said.
“Everyone within the galaxies knows Tezan was destroyed. She is safer there than anywhere. No one knows it was restored,” Ashan said.
“I agree. Until word gets around that Tezan is restored, it is safe for us to remain here,” Zelig said. “Assuming you do not have a problem closing down the slipstream leading here again, Xan.”
“Molden and I have already done so,” the man responded. “Nikki made sure no one knew it was opened in the first place.”
Nikki was brilliant. I wanted to spend more time with the woman, learn more about the Highway. The Gypsies. Someone needed to be entrusted with going to retrieve my people, the Tezans, from the time dimension they’d been sent to. I suspected she and her mates would know someone ideal for the task. The Avaru knew this region of space far better than I did. And my Shadows had galaxies to return to order. And a Roteran empire to keep out of civil war.
“And Rotera? How is it?” I asked Slone.
“Admiral Zarx and I will return to Rotera once plans for what is to happen here have been finalized,” Slone said. “Zarx oversaw a vote within the Shadows, Dark Guardians, and the other warrior ranks on Rotera. They have all decided I would be the best one to appoint as temporary leader of the Roteran Empire, until a new council can be appointed by the people through a vote.”
Slade grinned and drew his brother into a hug. “There is no one better for the task, brother. You honor our blood.”
My heart swelled for the brothers. I was glad they had reunited and worked through their troubles. They had a long way to go, but they were well on their way toward mending what the former Admiral destroyed of their friendship and brotherly bond.
“So it is decided. She will address the people,” Marden said. “I cannot fault Dacian’s logic. He had never been wrong.”
“It had been a long time since a true Summoner has used the Well. Everyone will experience the raw power. Initial fear alone will help prevent chaos in some areas,” Dacian said.
“She can use the relay Wells to help us determine which areas our forces are most needed,” Slade said.
“That is what I hoped,” Slone said. “Xan and I will work together to ensure we have covered what we can.”
I took a deep breath. “So we must return to the cavern for me to use that Well?”
“We did not think you would wish to return this soon,” Zelig said. “I do not think you will have any trouble using the one aboard this ship. The only reason you had to go to the true Well was to gain control and become the true Summoner. That is no longer in question.”
Right. Because I was the Oracle now.
The sooner I sent the message, the better. I linked my hand with Ashan. His calm energy helped erase some of my anxiety. If I stopped to think how differently things were versus what they had been like mere cycles ago, I would likely go into shock. The walk was quick since the Well was kept in a small chamber at the end of the corridor. Everyone followed.
My Shadows stood around the Well with me. One by one my mates linked their hands. Marden stood on my other side. He put a hand on my waist. The thick liquid tingled against my skin when I dipped my hand in. A burn crawled through my veins, vibrated beneath my skin. Eyes closed, I summoned the Well’s power. The link between the Wells established easily. They snapped into my awareness with bouts of crackling energy within my mind. I noted the troubled ones, the ones with chaos, fear, and unrest. So many.
I waited until energy crackled through the galaxies through all the relay Wells. When the farthest-reaching ones appeared within my mind, I siphoned the raw energy flowing into my hand via the thick liquid encasing it. I honed it into beads like the Oracle had, replicated them until the sheer number of them boggled my mind. I cast them outward into the Wells until they shot upward from the relay Wells in bright colors.
The image came easily as I scanned my Shadows’ minds for images of me. I had never truly looked at myself within a looking glass. When the farthest Wells created my likeness, I began my message.
“Earlier today The Oracle, with the aid of the Roteran and Avaru empires, regained control of the Wells and restored its power to the true Summoner. The Crunan and Skeron empires are no more. The Oracle’s wrath was swift and far reaching. Every adult Crunan and Skeron has been purged from existence. As many of you know, the Crunan Empire destroyed the true Summoners, the Tezan in an act of rebellion against The Oracle.
“Long ago, he had entrusted both the Tezans and Crunans by giving them each power over the Wells. The Crunans chose to betray that trust and sever his use of the Well. I was born into slavery within the Skeron Empire, but I am no slave. I am Snow, born to the former Tezan queen. I am the true Summoner, and I am the new Oracle, born of a union between my mother and the Oracle. I am born into this realm to protect, guide and, when necessary, govern those within all known galaxies.”
I cast more power into the relay Wells. Energy cascaded through the liquid, flowed outward. Life. I fed energy in its purest form everywhere.
“People of the known galaxies, heed my call to action. From this day forward, we will restore our kingdoms, empires and people to what they once were. We will remember the suffering, learn from the sacrifices of those we loved and lost. We will thrive to honor them. Do not strike out in fear. Do not fight your neighbor, those around you. Work together. Unite with me for life. Love. Happiness.”
I grew the seeds of life, hope, and harmony around every Well.
“This is but a small piece of what awaits us all, but we must work as one. We are no longer enemies, but allies working toward a common objective—healing. It will take time. Be patient. Coordinate yourselves. Organize your provisions, be kind and above all share and help one another. The Roteran and Avaru empires will be sending assistance to the most desperate areas first. If you have the ability to help, reach out to them. Be the binding to help seal the galaxy’s wounds.”
I let the hope drifting within me flow through the connection, everyone listening. My temples throbbed.
“For all those who think to crush the new order, seek the power Crunans once declared theirs, know this: I will destroy anyone who harms another. I will crush all those who dare subjugate others.” I took a calming breath. “Be well. Know you are not alone. Take this time to remember those we have lost. Rejoice in what will be. Live and breathe free.”
I severed the open connection to all the Wells. Marden’s strong arm gripped my waist. I leaned into his weight and smiled as the emotions of so many filled me. I sent the emotions to my Shadows, into the telepathic realm. Tomorrow was soon enough to do more. Tonight I’d do as I had ordered everyone else. Live and breathe free. Rejoice. Love. Celebrate my union with my Shadows.
19
Snow
I wandered through the silent ship in search of my quarry. Most of my Shadows slept, but one remained awake. He was the one I wanted to bond with tonight. Of all my men, he’d been the most difficult to finagle time with. It was as though he avoided me.
Tension corded his muscles as he looked at th
e control panels spread before him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his back.
“You should be asleep,” he grumbled. “You have had an exhausting day.”
“We all have, mate. Come to bed with me.” I waited through the silence, ran my hands across his abdominals and up his chest. I wished the uniform material wasn’t in my way, but I’d soon have him naked on a sleeping surface. No other alternative was acceptable.
“Snow, there is much to do.”
“And it will still be here after we have rested,” I argued.
The argument was met with silence, which was precisely what I expected. This Shadow of mine was tenacious and the leader my other Shadows turned to. He was the ultimate protector, the foundation that held them together as a functioning unit. As his mate it was my responsibility to show him we would not crumble if he relaxed, took a moment to enjoy life.
“Come, I will take you to one of the others.” He glanced down at me. His jaw twitched.
I sensed the battle raging within him. Lust danced within his gaze, hardened his cock, which was now a prominent bulge. I reached to cup him, but he captured my wrist.
“No, they are asleep. I will spend tonight with you.” He wasn’t the only tenacious one on the ship. “If you do not want me, just say so.”
It was underhanded, a cruel play on his devotion to me. I’d seen how much the souls within him cared about me, which meant he did as well. But I wanted more than their assurance. I wanted Zelig.
He lifted me up, set me on the control console. An intensity burned within his gaze as he studied me a moment. “I want you more than anything or anyone, Snow. Do not ever doubt that.”
“Then show me,” I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him and dragged his mouth toward mine.
Whatever battle he fought died the moment our lips touched. A growl rumbled from him. The kiss turned heated, so passionate my entire body hummed with awareness. He lifted me. I wrapped my legs and arms around him.
He moved.
I didn’t care where he headed as long as the destination allowed us to continue what we’d started. Though I was okay with finishing where we’d started, my bossy Shadow would never allow that. He was too protective, too everything, to chance someone wandering in.
