by Jaymin Eve
“Especially if you get lost inside of one,” Maya interrupted. “But you’ll be fine. Xander won’t let you go.”
I tripped, startled enough that I almost hit the deck. I recovered easily, but it was odd for me to be clumsy. Freaking Xander, he was impacting me in more ways than one.
“Why will Xander be helping me?” I asked, ignoring the snort from the man himself.
“You need a Daelighter to guide you through,” Maya said, her eyes sparkling as her lips half-tilted up like she was trying not to smile. She looked between Xander and me. “It’s safer if it’s one Daelighter per human. That way you have no chance of getting lost inside the transporter.”
The annoyance I was feeling must have shown on my face. She let out a laugh. “If you want to go with Chase, I’m happy to go with Xander. I can share my mate for the trip back.”
For a split second, I considered taking her up on that offer, even though I felt like an absolute fucking moron making a big deal about this. The problem, I was coming to realize, was that I hadn’t thought this “sexual relationship only” thing through. It was a great idea in theory, but Xander and I were not like most casual hookups. We were stuck together in a situation that required a lot of “helping” and “togetherness.” Which, as far as I could tell, was only going to create problems.
Maya was still waiting for my answer. I had just opened my mouth to tell her I’d go with Xander, when he reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me to a halt. “I’m more than capable of getting you there safely, Avalon.” His grip wasn’t tight, but his expression had drawn into hard lines, eyes flashing at me. “Do not doubt my ability to keep you safe.”
I resisted the urge to step into him, because there was something about the concept of “safe” that I craved. Instead, I gently shook his hand off me. “You’re right,” I said, and his eyes widened. “But be aware, I don’t generally rely on others to protect me. I’m out of my depth here with all the alien stuff, and that is the only reason I will concede to your help.”
Turning, I found that the others had kept walking, disappearing past the parked cars. Xander made no move to hurry after them; he just stood there, watching me.
He did at least look a little less angry.
Before I could ask him if we were cool now—I had agreed to his help—he stepped forward and wrapped his arm around the middle of my back. My body bent to his will, curving into Xander, pressing against his hard lines.
When his lips landed on mine, my breath whooshed out of me in a rush and I had to swallow down the moan that wanted to follow. I lost all control of myself, my lips parting so our tongues could move together.
The taste of Xander just about dropped me to my knees. He even tasted like the ocean.
It was too much. My heart was thundering in my chest. It was only his hold on my body that kept me from dissolving into a puddle at his feet. His kiss was hard … demanding … and I loved every second of it. He was taking what he wanted, and I did the same right back. Bubbles tingled in my blood, the way they did when I was swimming at top speed through the ocean.
“You taste like home,” he said as our lips parted. His eyes looked troubled, but there was no doubt he was into it. I could feel the evidence of that pressed against my body, and I actually wished we weren’t right in the middle of the street.
“Sex only,” I reminded him. He tasted like home to me as well, but we had to ignore that for now. “Otherwise it’s going to get complicated.”
That seemed to knock some sense into him. His arm loosened and I wobbled, my knees still weak. He did keep a hand on me for an extra moment, making sure I was stable, before he stepped back. “I don’t do complicated,” he said, a tinge of surprise in his voice. “I can’t.” He shook his head then. “We should go, the others will be waiting for us.”
No more words were spoken as we hurried to follow the path to the transporter, but something had shifted between us. Things felt … different. Charged. Intense.
I could not wait to get to the sex part. Holy hell.
10
A transporter, it turned out, was literally a ball of light. It also turned out that Xander was able to reach out and grab hold of one of those strands, after which we were jerked into a weird, soundless wormhole. It felt like the sort of situation that would cause me to freak out again—there was probably no place further removed from my ocean—but instead I was fascinated.
This was a once in a lifetime experience.
Xander kept a tight hold on me, and at no point was I worried that I would slip out of his hand. When the light got brighter at the end, I did close my eyes, stumbling forward. Xander used his strength to keep me standing. The moment I felt reality and gravity return, I opened my eyes and pulled my hands from his. I wanted to see everything at once.
“Oh my God,” I gasped, turning in a circle to take it all in. “This is Overworld?”
Xander chuckled. “Well, this is one part of Overworld. There are lots of sectors, but we don’t interact with each other.”
That was interesting. Everyone on Earth traveled between countries. “Why don’t you interact?” I decided to ask.
He shrugged. “There’s no easy way to travel to other sectors. It’s actually easier and less dangerous for us to travel to Earth. Some of the other lands have creatures that are not compatible to us. Very dangerous creatures. The Draygo people are thought to be originally from another land.”
It was all so fascinating. I wanted to know everything. Hopefully I’d have years to learn it all.
The large disc we had landed on had a light transporter right in the center, and there were three lands surrounding it. “What is that place called?” I pointed to the section that was packed full of trees.
“House of Leights,” Chase said, wandering over to us. “That’s Maya’s and my land.”
House of Leights … tree people. I remembered from their explanations, but it was still hard to imagine what it all truly meant. How did a tree and a person combine? Like … how?
“And that one?” I moved on to the land of mountains and green valleys.
“House of Darken,” Lexen told me, staring out across his land.
I’d saved the best for last of course, turning my eyes to the vast stretch of water. There were no waves like in Hawaii, but it still called to me in a way that made it difficult not to just run over and throw myself at it. “House of Royale,” I whispered.
Xander made a low rumbling noise at my side. It sounded like it came from deep in his chest. “Yes, that’s our home.”
He said our so causally. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Our home.
To stop myself from crying all the happy tears, I quickly searched for a distraction. “Where is House of Imperial? Has anyone heard from Daniel and Callie?”
“She’s fine,” Emma said immediately. “Daniel contacted Lexen a minute ago. Callie just needs a few more hours of rest—they’ll meet us at Lexen’s soon.”
Relief hit me hard. I’d been stressing about her health the entire time. “That’s such good news, but … you still didn’t tell me where their land is?”
Xander answered this time. “They’re the underworld, so it’s…” He trailed off and pointed down to the disc. “Under the main land.”
Right. Okay. Really hoping I didn’t end up going there for any reason.
“How are we getting to House of Darken?” Emma asked Lexen.
“Transporter,” he replied immediately. “It will save us time. Father wants me to hurry back. He said he has something important to discuss with us all.”
Emma lurched forward. “It’s not about Jero or Star, right? Or Ambra?”
I didn’t know who these people were, but they were clearly important to Emma. Which then, for some stupid reason, made them feel important to me.
“Or my parents?” Maya added, her voice rising in pitch.
Lexen shook his head, hands reaching out to steady Emma and Maya. “No, it’s not about my siblings or Mother.
Or your parents, Maya. I’m almost certain nothing is wrong. Father said not to panic, but he might have some information to help us.”
Emma and Maya both relaxed. As did I.
“Okay, well, we should hurry, then,” Emma added. “It’s not like Roland to call us back unless it’s something important.”
Lexen didn’t say anything more.
The next transporter was shorter, taking us directly into Lexen’s home. Or … a small dark room in his home. When we entered the main part of the house, I got the whole “prince” thing. Everything was light and open, with lots of very expensive, handmade-looking furnishings. We passed so many rooms, I knew I’d be completely lost if I had to navigate this place on my own.
“Father is waiting in the main dining room,” Lexen explained as we took a set of stairs up to the next level. “It’s just through here.”
The first thing I noticed through the double set of doors was the table. It could easily seat fifty people, maybe more. Made from what looked like one long sheet of wood, it was stained dark with carved legs, the chairs all matching and high-backed with carved wood accents.
This looked like the sort of room I’d expect in the Queen of England’s home. I immediately felt intimidated, my feet slowing as we all entered. I felt out of place everywhere except the ocean, but this was mammoth out of place.
Xander, who had entered a little ahead of me, noticed me hovering in the doorway. He backtracked in my direction, his expression unreadable. “Everything okay?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s just … not my usual scene.”
Understatement of the year.
“I’m not even wearing shoes,” I added, swallowing hard.
“I can help with that!”
That enthusiastic voice belonged to a beautiful girl with long dark hair. She was dressed impeccably in a knee-length black dress and heels. Her clothes looked designer, the boat neckline showing off her slender shoulders.
“Come with me. I’ll find you something to wear. I’ve been collecting clothes for the secret keepers,” she added, holding her hand out to me.
“Uh.” I hesitated, my eyes moving to Xander’s even as my brain screamed at me not to rely on him for anything.
“This is Star,” he said, his smile lighting the dark planes of his face. “Lexen’s sister. She’s in charge of our fashion.”
Star slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, gosh, I am so sorry. I’ve heard so much about you through the network, I feel like I already know you.”
I had to chuckle. Star had a way about her that put me right at ease immediately, a skill I wish I possessed. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Ava.”
Star nodded, her eyes sparkling as she ran them from the top of my head to my toes. “You’re much taller than I expected,” she mused, not really talking to anyone. “Slim and toned. You probably prefer lighter outfits that are easy to ditch in the water.”
“I do,” I said with another chuckle, interrupting her.
“What size are your shoes?” she asked.
My lips twitched, but this time I managed not to laugh out loud. “I’m usually a nine. Sometimes nine and a half, depending on brand.”
She reached for my hand again, but Xander intercepted her, sidling his body between us. “Roland has some news. Avalon can’t leave until she hears it.”
Star nodded a few times, that pondering look back on her face. “Yep. Yep, no worries. I will grab the clothes and be right back.”
She was gone as fast as she appeared. “She’s got a … lot of energy,” I said, blinking at the spot she’d just occupied.
Xander made a noise of agreement. “Yep, Star has a heart that is pure. A rare find in any world. Since Marsil, all of the Darkens have been grieving. It’s good to see a fraction of her spark return.”
The thought of that beautiful, sweet, kind woman grieving made my chest ache. Some people should never have to face the darkness in the world; they were too gentle for it. Lexen, he was more resilient. I expected he did his grieving in private, maybe with Emma. Star wore her emotions out there for all to see.
I hadn’t noticed until we moved further in the room, but there was more than just one stranger standing at the far end of the long table. The first one I saw was a man who looked a lot like Lexen, right down to the dark hair and overlord marks on his head. I was going to guess this was his father. He wore authority like it was part of his outfit.
As we got closer, I examined the two other people at the table, a man and woman, quietly staring down at the wood. Emma and Maya looked confused, standing a little to the side while Lexen and Chase spoke to Roland.
“What’s happening?” I whispered to Emma when I reached her side.
She turned to me, shrugging as she said, “I have no idea. I’m just waiting for Lexen to fill me in.”
As if he’d heard her, he turned and addressed all of us. “I’d like you all to meet Shirley and Jet.”
Shirley was a curvy woman, looking not much older than us. She had long red ringlets, large green eyes, and a fair complexion. She smiled and waved, some animation coming back into her face. Jet was tall, with blinding white teeth that stood out starkly against his dark skin. He didn’t wave, but he gave us a smile that was somewhat friendly.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Maya said, reaching out to shake both of their hands. She was so confident. I was a little envious; social interaction didn’t come as easily to me. I was surprised to find Emma acting standoffish as well though. She was usually so friendly.
“She is comfortable with the secret keepers. Considers you all family. But strangers, not so much,” Xander whispered in my ear.
I didn’t question how he knew what I was thinking. I often couldn’t hide my emotions. And I’d been staring right at Emma as she shied back toward Lexen.
“Jet and Shirley are former secret keepers,” Roland said, his deep, accented voice vibrating around the room. “We managed to track them down, hoping they might be able to give us some additional information.”
I paid closer attention to them now. All of us did. Emma especially, leaving the background, stepping right up to take a seat across from them. She leaned forward, eyes wide.
“You both look so young,” she exclaimed. “But you’re almost a hundred years old?”
Jet nodded, a wry grin tilting up his lips. “I aged normally to twenty, but from then on I have barely changed,” he said, his voice a rich timbre.
Unbelievable. I mean, they’d told me about the aging thing—very briefly—but being confronted with it like this … it was a lot to take in. Life could be really hard at times. I wasn’t sure I was ready for hundreds of years of that. Maybe if I found that home I was searching for though, it wouldn’t seem so bad.
“Which house were you born in?” Maya asked, taking the seat next to Emma.
“House of Leights,” Shirley said.
“House of Imperial for me,” Jet added.
Maya’s face lit up. “Do you feel connected to nature?” she asked the woman, leaning much closer. “Since the moment I learned to communicate with the trees, I’ve been so energized and rejuvenated by nature.”
Shirley’s eyebrows drew slowly together, and she shook her head. “No, I’ve honestly never felt anything like that. Outside of aging slowly, there have been no other effects from being born in Overworld.”
The silence felt heavy then, and I wasn’t sure what everyone else was thinking, but I was surprised. I was very different to the average human. It was the reason I’d always thought I was a mutant.
Everyone turned to Jet, and he shrugged. “I’m with Shirley. I’ve never shown any signs of being different to a regular human, outside of the aging.”
“Do you feel a connection to each other?” I asked, because I would never forget that moment the four of us girls touched.
Shirley and Jet exchanged a look and my mouth almost fell open when they both shook their heads. “No, not really,” Sh
irley said, sounding unsure. “I’ve never met Jet before today, and I have to say, so far there is no special bond springing up for me.”
“Same,” he agreed.
Emma lurched half out of her chair, eyes locked on Roland and Lexen. “Why are we different?” she demanded to know. “The original secret keepers are nothing like us. We have a bond to each other. It’s a tangible thing. And … the way we are all soul-mated with overlords of the four houses—”
“Except me,” I cut in.
Xander grumbled under his breath, and Emma paused before shooting me a half grin.
“Yes, except Ava and Xander … allegedly.” She winked at me and I stuck my tongue out but didn’t say another word. I couldn’t deny there was an attraction between me and the Royale asshole, so her theory did stand.
“So why are we different?” Maya finished.
Shirley and Jet shrugged. “I have no idea,” he said.
Chase let out a low breath, and we all turned to find a contemplative look on his face. “I’ve always thought that the energy of the secret keepers had an ancient feel to it. It reminds me of the ancient overlords.”
“How do you even know what these overlords’ energy feels like?” Maya asked. “Are they still around? I mean, I assumed that some of them … died off.”
Chase nodded. “The ancients died long ago. Most of our people eventually choose to end the longevity. No one wants to live forever.”
I didn’t even want to know how they ended it. Hopefully it wasn’t like sacrificing themselves on their blades or something similar.
“So … how do you know the energy?” Emma pushed.
“All overlords are blessed at birth with crystals from the ancients,” Roland said in his quiet, commanding voice. “It is said that in the beginning there was only one house. House of Daelighter. Four overlords ruled the lands together and controlled the full network. Each of them had a crystal excavated from their favorite part of Overworld. They molded them onto the top of long staffs, and each piece was infused with their energy.”
