“What do you mean, take it easy? Two moons! T-two m-moons! There are two moons in the g-goddamn s-sky. Earth is a one-moon kind of planet. Where did the other moon come from?” My voice went shrill, but I couldn’t help it. Something was very wrong here. I felt like I was dreaming.
“You aren’t on Earth anymore.”
“What are you talking about? Where would I be if not on Earth? Of course I’m on Earth! This isn’t a good day to screw with me, Ryder. Oh, my God. Take me home. I want to go home! Where’s your motorcycle?”
“I left it in the cave. Back on Earth. We’re more than a hundred million light-years away.”
“Oh, my...millions...light-years...” Panic swamped me. I could feel myself hyperventilating. My vision tunneled. It shrank. Blackness closed in until there was only a point of light that I couldn’t stay focused on.
Not on Earth. Far away. Unable to fathom the distance. How. Not possible. Never see home again. Going to die.
“Breathe, Taylor!” Ryder’s voice sounded far away, desperate, disembodied in the growing blackness...
Chapter Eight
The black convertible Karmann Ghia was in pristine condition as I drove down the long coastal road along the bluffs. I could see the white roller coaster in the distance, where Santa Monica was supposed to be, and though I thought it strange that there was no actual city up ahead, it didn’t seem to matter. Somehow, that white coaster was enough, and it was where I was headed. The fair was coming to town, and my mother was supposed to take me there. It didn’t seem strange that the fair was not in Pomona, California, as it usually was.
Taylor, I need you to listen to me for a moment. The deep, autocratic voice grabbed my attention immediately, because I knew exactly whom it belonged to. It was a voice that I realized I was starting to listen for and anticipate.
Ryder had joined me in the passenger seat, looking dark, sexy and dangerous, his large, muscular form taking up half the space in the small car. A lock of his dark hair fell over his forehead, and my fingers were itching to run through it. What was it about him that made me just want to eat him up?
Rawwwr, was all I could think, looking at him.
I gave him a brilliant smile, hoping I looked a little like a sprightly wood-nymph version of Audrey Hepburn, who was always so elegant and seemingly carefree, yet somehow earthy and grounded at the same time. I was also hoping to alleviate the concerned look on his face with my good humor, which was a great way to make sure that the people around you always felt good about you and wanted to keep you. Good survival strategy.
Ryder! Feel like going to the fair? Though I suppose you don’t really have a choice at this point, because that’s where I’m driving. Isn’t this car magnificent? It looks good, it feels good and it smells good. Definitely suits me.
Taylor, can you focus here? It’s important.
You sound so serious. Let me see if I can put my serious face on for you. I pursed my lips into a pout, but I could only hold it for a few seconds before I started giggling. My mom’s going to give me her bracelet today. I’ve always loved it. She started collecting the pieces for it when she was little. The last charm she added was two sort of antiquated-looking silver hearts that were intertwined with a small pearl in the middle of them, and it was given to her by her first love. My father. Though I don’t know who he was. Sad, isn’t it? She never told me. I think she was too heartbroken. The hearts represent the two of them, and the pearl is me when I was born. I’d always loved that story.
This is a dream, Taylor. This isn’t real. You passed out. You fainted at my place.
Fainted? I frowned. I have never fainted in my life. I’ve never had the luxury of being delicate.
I know, lin’de. His rough voice gentled into a caress that rumbled through my mind soothingly. It was that soft, caring quality that made me see through the film of dream.
Are you dreamwalking right now? I tried my newly learned vocabulary word.
I had to. But actually, I think it’s better if you hear some of it in the dream state, so your brain won’t overload again.
Did I really faint?
Out cold. He smiled and my heart skittered with pleasure. It felt so intimate, meant just for me.
You should smile more.
Taylor... His smile faded, his eyes turning somber.
Okay, okay. Let me catch up here. Did I hear you right that we are on a different planet? Somehow, hearing myself say it in my dream was less of a deal.
Does it surprise you to think there are other planets that are life sustaining?
I thought about that for a moment. I don’t think it surprises me. I mean, if it can happen on Earth, why not somewhere else? I just have never really thought about it, because finding those planets would seem to be a physical impossibility.
My planet is named Te’re.
Te’re, I whispered, trying out the name. There was a pleasing quality to the sound as it crossed my lips.
I’ll show you.
The car was suddenly in space, and I knew Ryder was now controlling the visuals in my dream. Starlight zoomed by at an incredible speed, and I was starting to feel like I was on a space-themed roller coaster, making the trip through space feel fun and exhilarating. And then there it was. It was a planet that looked much like Earth, with green-and-blue colors reflecting back at us from a distance.
It’s too far to travel to by ship. It has two moons, but in many other ways it’s comparable to Earth. We have an atmosphere with breathable oxygen and many of the same kinds of geological features that you’re used to, like forests, mountains, rivers and oceans—and a few that you aren’t, but that’s for another day.
In the next moment we were on the bank of the lake where I had watched Ryder and Nick playing on the rope swing.
Hey! This is where your friend broke his leg. He smacked into that tree.
That’s right. This was one of my favorite places as I was growing up. I spent hours here as a boy and then a young man. Ryder looked troubled for a moment as he scanned the peaceful setting. I took solace here on many occasions. I would sneak out of my parents’ home and walk up here, sometimes meeting up with Nick. There were dark times.
Why would you have to sneak? Weren’t you allowed to enjoy the outdoors?
There were reasons, he said firmly, and that was all he was going to say. An awkward silence began to build. I tried to fill the space.
I remember the two moons from that dream. I thought they were beautiful.
Very few nights on Te’re are ever completely dark. For us, it’s strange to have a fully darkened night. The closer moon is Padu, and the smaller one, which isn’t actually smaller, just farther away, we refer to as his sister, Mena.
It sounded beautifully poetic.
With a serious face, Ryder turned to me. I think it’s time to wake up. We have some talking to do.
Okay. I think I’m ready.
A hand lightly shook me awake. I was lying on a strange couch in the strange, cavelike room with the strange glowing rocks, and Ryder was kneeling on the floor by my head. Concern deepened the creases around his light green eyes, and his blue-black hair was mussed.
I scrambled to a seated position, looking around swiftly.
“Take it easy,” Ryder said calmly, rubbing my arms.
My head swam for a moment, but I took stock of the situation. I mentally logged things that my brain had written off, like the trinium light and the supersmooth, shiny blue cave walls. Then I hesitantly glanced out at the two moons again. They were truly beautiful. And still... Another planet? Really? Earth was out there in the black distant space? And that crazy, gut-squeezing, vacuumlike experience had somehow brought me here?
Was I safe? Would I ever get back home?
I could feel that I was still riding the edge of a potential full-blo
wn panic attack, my breathing still shallow and quick. Cornered-animal syndrome. My body was shivery from a combination of shock and cold. I felt so helpless. Powerless. I hated that.
I’d been forced to give up my control. Had I agreed to come with him? Yes, but not with full knowledge of what I was getting myself into. That, more than anything, freaked me out. How was I supposed to trust him when he wasn’t giving me full information?
“Why didn’t you warn me?” I glared at Ryder. I jerked my arms from him sharply and scooted away from him, back into the corner of the sofa, and almost saw the growl that wanted to erupt from his chest. It rose and fell sharply, and he only just checked himself from hauling me back to his arms.
“Why are you pushing me away?” His voice rose with agitated confusion, which only made me madder.
“You can’t make decisions that affect me without consulting me. Shit!”
“What are you talking about?”
“You could have prepared me for this! Holy Christ, Ryder.”
“Prepared you for this?” His look told me he thought I was nuts and that he was getting pissed off. “How? How was I supposed to do that exactly?”
“I don’t like being thrown into the deep end without warning!”
“You’re being ridiculous. There’s no way I could have talked with you about this.” Swiftly, he stood and scowled down at me.
“I am not being ridiculous! You could have thought of something.”
“Play that little scene in your head. The one where I tell you I’m from another planet. How would that have gone over? You would have said ‘nanu-nanu’ or some shit like that. If you can think of a better way I could have done this, I invite you to fucking share it, because I was at a loss.”
He was likely right. “I don’t know. But at least I would have been ready for all this.”
“No you wouldn’t have been. You’d have thought I was a fucking nut job.” He swung away in complete exasperation, stalking half the length of the room before pausing to look up at the ceiling as if asking for divine guidance. The muscular outline of his broad shoulders and perfect ass faced me, and strangely, getting back in touch with my libido calmed me down.
He turned and faced me with a look of angry bewilderment that was so...hot. “You are so fucking difficult!”
An inappropriate giggle wanted to escape my lips, but I held it back. Likely it was just residual hysteria. Instead I said, “Cut me some slack. I just discovered there’s another planet with life.”
“There are infinite numbers of other planets that are life sustaining.”
“That’s not common knowledge where I come from. You may as well have just told me I can fly.”
His sarcasm started to kick in. “Let me assure you, you can’t.”
I felt myself calming and just continued glaring for a moment before I said, “So how did this happen? How the hell do I find myself...here? And how do I get back home?”
I couldn’t allow myself to think about the distance back to Hollywood, California, or I’d start feeling the choking sense of panic again, and I desperately needed to feel a sense of control.
His pale eyes glared right back at me for a few silent moments. He must have seen a hint of my fear, because he took a deep breath and sat at the other end of the short couch, facing me. Our shoes were almost touching. “Look, I can see you’re upset. I don’t blame you. Maybe understanding it will help.”
“Yes. Please,” I fairly begged, needing something to hold on to.
“There’s a substance called mylunate. It’s an ore that can be found naturally on Te’re and Earth.”
“That’s the stuff you were asking me about in your dream. I remember that,” I said with a tone of understatement. Ryder could look e-vil when he wanted to.
“The best way to explain this is that mylunate can create a gateway between two places. Essentially, it binds to the mind with exposure. The traveler mentally images a place in detail, something the mylunate helps the traveler do with crystalline precision, and if the environmental conditions are right, the gateway opens. With continuous exposure, it has certain side effects, like mind access and dreamwalking.”
“Then how was I able to go into your dream?”
“I don’t know.” He looked at a loss. “This is a first for me. I can’t explain it definitively. Maybe through exposure to me?” From underneath the collar of his black T-shirt, he pulled out an inconspicuous glass vial. It hung from a brown leather cord and was the size of a quarter, though I couldn’t actually tell what was in it. Etched delicately into the glass was a large, predatory bird in flight, sharp talons dangerously splayed. It was such intricate work that it momentarily distracted me.
“Does everyone on this...planet...have some of that?”
“No. It’s highly restricted.” He resheathed the vial under his shirt and leaned back, casually resting his boot on his jean-clad knee. “You need special clearance. It can be dangerous.”
“Why?”
“If someone isn’t careful with their imaging, they could end up in a foreign place, perhaps one without oxygen or one with an inhospitable climate. We’re pretty sure that an early pair of scientists died this way.” He paused. “No one knew they were looking into other life-sustaining planets.”
“Why aren’t you guys sure of any of this?”
“All we have left are journal notes. No...bodies. My grandfather and his assistant were the scientists.”
How awful.
“Since then, we’ve implemented safety regulations when explorers set out, which isn’t frequently. Not much experimentation is done with it anymore. The process of mining mylunate was outlawed because of the danger involved, and because of the health risks to the workers, so there’s a limited supply.”
“What made it dangerous?”
“Extremely hazardous chemicals are used to extract the ore, and they caused many to die young. What’s already been pulled from the ground is protected and used strictly for high-court purposes.”
He ran a hand over the back of his neck, as though a stress headache was coming on. I saw he was looking tired, and it was no kidding, if he’d been trying to protect me the last several days. He couldn’t have had a lot of sleep. Reluctantly, I felt my anger start to drain away.
“You guys have a lot of this stuff?”
“We’re rich with it here in the north. There’s enough of it buried under the surface that most citizens can transfer right from their homes. For those who aren’t near enough to a natural deposit, the high court had transfer units built in secure locations to make travel accessible for all.”
“You guys don’t need roads at all.”
“We don’t. However, the southern regions of the planet have a different geologic makeup. If they have any deposits at all, they’re minute and not easily accessible. It’s for the mylunate that the people of the south, the Brausa—” he curled his lip in disdain, “—have waged war with us. They’re a crude, animalistic, barbaric people who don’t care if they kill women and children in their quest for power.”
“I guess you don’t want to share your resources with them, then.”
“Have no doubt they would seek to enslave any nation they encountered. They have very little respect for human life, including the lives of their own kind.”
“Sounds bad,” I murmured, though in truth, I was having trouble taking it all in.
With a sudden frown Ryder said, “Christ, Taylor, you’re shaking. We need to get you warm.” I hadn’t realized my teeth were still chattering and that I couldn’t feel my toes.
“You have a heating system?”
“The heating rods will take a few minutes to warm up.”
“Heating rods?” I arched an eyebrow. “Sounds like it’ll hurt.”
“They line the floor, Tayl
or. They heat the whole room. I’m not going to stick you with them.” His lips quirked as he stood. I really liked to see him smile.
I sniffed, getting that cold-air, runny-nose thing, and said, “I guess I am cold.”
“This should help.” There was a blanket that I hadn’t noticed lying across the top of the sofa. He pulled it over me.
As it turned out, warming me up took not only a warm blanket but a fireball of a drink, one that had a murky look to it, that Ryder said was soldier’s brew out in the field. It singed my throat as it went down, making my eyes water, but my shivering stopped completely. I’m sure the heating system he went to turn on kicked in as well, but his brew, whatever the hell was in it, was powerful.
“Holy smokes,” I hissed, and I coughed.
“It’s potent. Take it easy,” Ryder said.
Taking care of someone else seemed to be a new experience for him, as he watched me closely, unsure of what to do for me. He was trying to be thoughtful, but the edges of his bedside manner needed smoothing out. He stood over me like a drill sergeant, first insisting on having me lean back on the arm of the sofa with my feet up, then wrapping me cocoon style—shoes and all—into the thick, warm blanket and finally forcing the jet fuel on me.
However, where the first sip of witches’ brew had had me coughing and sputtering, my eyes watering as I tried to breathe through the alcoholic fumes that choked my throat, the second and third got me to feeling like everything was A-OK. By the time I got to the bottom of the cup, heat flushed my cheeks, and the world was looking pretty damned rosy.
The world was looking so rosy that Ryder had gone back to being my hero again, saving me from the dark forces of evil, instead of the guy who’d just thrown me, with no warning, across the universe.
“Better?” he asked. He took the empty cup from me and casually perched it on a side table before sitting at the far end of the sofa again.
“Just like the frosted cornflakes tiger.” I slurred my words with a big silly grin, which had him looking at me with faint confusion, since he likely hadn’t watched enough TV to know who Tony was, but I was feeling too good to explain. I burrowed into the warm blanket and, strangely, felt as though it hummed with energy. What was it with all this energy? Why hadn’t I ever felt it before? In dreams now I could feel it swirling around me, knowing that it was my own, recognizing it like it was a personalized fingerprint or something like that. I could feel Ryder’s energy too. It was different from mine.
Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers) Page 16
