I grimaced. “She was raped and killed?”
“The provinces were in shock. They didn’t want any man to have easy access, I suppose, and didn’t want women’s legs hampered while trying to run, which, I’m told, is what happened to Ryder’s sister. I have to say, it took me a while to wear a skirt back on Earth.” Her eyes became unfocused as she remembered something that made her cheeks flush and her lips flatten into a grim line. “But I do appreciate the personal freedoms that you have there. It’s more what I’m used to on Reethan.”
This explained so much. Now the whole I’m-flashing-my-ass-for-everyone-at-the-club argument made sense. Ryder’s anger over the fact that I was wearing a miniskirt and that he’d had to school some guy for trying to make an ass grab was clicking. Maybe his sense of propriety had been offended, but even deeper was a...rage? Did it remind him of what happened to his sister?
“Okay, you will love these shoes. They’re made with the most comfortable cushiony soles from one of our native species of rubber tree, the burbur tree.”
“Hey! I’ve seen a pair of these in your closet.”
“Well, technically, I wasn’t supposed to bring them to Earth, but I just couldn’t resist, so keep quiet about it. But trust me, your feet will feel like they’ve gone to heaven.” She handed me a pair of shoes that were soft and had light beige suede that wrapped across the top of the foot and buckled at the heel, like a little wraparound blanket for my foot. The sole was thick, but light.
Thankful to get my heels off again, I stepped down into the shoes and wanted to cry out with the joy of it. My abused feet wept happily, and I made a silent promise not to force another heel on them for at least thirty-six hours. Of course, I immediately wanted to buy the shoes. We also managed to grab a pair of pants in my size and another blouse that was a feminine, pale blue material, soft and delicate and perfect for my height and skin tone. Cynthia was enthused because she thought the color made my eyes “pop.”
They will all be killed! Their blood will paint the walls, and I will have to live with my conscience. Can I do this?
I heard the anxious thought loudly and felt grief engulf the words. The emotion wrapped me in apprehension, and I glanced around, wondering where it had come from. All I saw were people minding their own business in various modes of interaction. There were some people walking swiftly with purpose, others ambling and still others standing, looking over merchandise or just chitchatting while children played together. No one looked suspicious. Cynthia seemed unaware of it, chattering away about the clothing we’d bought and the fact that I would have something absolutely unique to wear back home. Well...if she hadn’t heard it...
“I will pay you back. I’m getting paid in a week,” I said with a forced grin, though I was feeling just a smidge discomfited.
“You’ve paid me back in spades,” Cynthia stated simply. “Let me do this.”
“No, I’m not going to...”
I can’t let him do this! But I have to. It’s the only way.
The pain-filled words were accompanied by a feeling of growing horror, which wrapped around me with interwoven strands. It invaded my personal space and braided through the sinews of my thoughts, pricking me with painful thorns. I winced from the mental anguish.
My head whipped around. I knew it was coming from someone here. Now.
“What is it?” Cynthia sounded concerned.
“You didn’t hear that?”
“What?”
“Somebody...”
I tried to open my mind and focus on just the one grief-stricken thread I was looking for. It had fallen silent, but another thread, a darker, destructive, violent thread, became a force that squeezed my lungs. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and I gasped with the need to take in air. Someone was going to do indescribable harm.
“You’re scaring me! Don’t just stand there! Talk!” Cynthia shook me sharply. My head snapped hard, making me come back to the present.
“Violence. Death.”
“When?”
“Immediate.”
The virulent intent grew. Vicious anger enveloped me until I felt I was swimming in it. A chaotic mind ached with feelings of grief for loved ones lost and was looking for revenge.
“How?” She grabbed a device calmly, but swiftly, from her shoulder bag.
“I don’t know.” Panic edged my voice, making it sound shrill.
“Take a deep breath and concentrate. You have amazing power, Tay. Work it. Focus it!” Her voice turned hard and slapped at me. Her fingers flew over a device she’d palmed, and I reached for calm.
I looked more closely at those moving around the market. Was there someone acting suspiciously? Being furtive? But with so many people moving around, that wasn’t going to do me any good. I stepped out into the busy aisle, hoping to get a hot or cold feel for where the energy was coming from. I needed to focus on the energy signature; the concept Cynthia had introduced me to now made sense.
I filtered out the surrounding white noise and unfocused my eyes so they weren’t caught by perpetual movement or colors. I dimmed the roar of thoughts and feelings that were coming to me from all directions and just probed mentally where the dark, roiling venom was coming from. I caught it. I felt the strength of it growing. It tugged at me.
The moment was surreal. I was experiencing space separate from time as I moved through the layers of people with Cynthia following me, looking around anxiously.
“There it is,” I whispered to myself as I felt the pull of dark energy. It was near the transfer center.
“Do you have a lock on it?” Cynthia asked tersely.
“Somewhere near where we came in,” I murmured, and my eyes quickly scanned the individuals.
“Yes,” she breathed, as though now having a sense of it.
On the face of it, the scene was commonplace to any public setting. People arrived and departed sporadically, individually and in groups, suddenly appearing or evaporating within the vibrant blue light. The only people who stood out were a pair of women walking together, one of them holding a catlike critter in her arms. A frown marred her features as she looked over her shoulder.
Inexcusably rude was the comment that jumped out at me. Almost knocking me over without a word of apology. I focused on whom they were referring to and zeroed in on a pair—someone fairly tall and someone of more average height. They had cloaks on, hoods resting over their faces, obscuring them. That in itself seemed strange, as not a single other person was covering their head. We were indoors. It wasn’t the least bit cold.
They were absorbed in a task within a large canvas bag that was hanging from the shorter person’s shoulder. It wasn’t an unusual bag. Cynthia had one on her own shoulder, sort of a large canvas tote. A shallow glance would give the impression they were rummaging for something. Other than that, they blended in with the cavern wall, remaining out of the way.
This will become their tombs.
The original pain-filled thread presented itself again with a tone of acceptance. Finality.
Armed. Ready to go.
It came directly from one of the hooded pair.
A door in my mind whispered open, briefly showing me another plane of acute and infinite knowing, and my senses had a moment of saturation. Within a fraction of a second, the details fast-forwarded through my brain with stinging pain, like a wind whipping sand against my flesh at a hundred miles per hour. I was seeing more than I could make sense of. And I was filled with power.
“A bomb!” I gasped painfully, finally seeing the entire plan in mind. “We’re all going to die!”
The surge of information ended with one more piece. I saw my purpose. A chilling, calming shroud fell over me. I had never been more important in my own life than right at this moment, right here. Now or never...
I ran at the pair,
screaming a battle cry. Distantly, I heard Cynthia’s horrified shout. With no real weapons, I paused a dozen paces from where they were and threw my heavy platform shoes at them. The pair broke apart, startled. A foreign-sounding expletive shot from the taller one.
The smaller of the two suddenly became engulfed in vibrant blue light and disappeared with the bag. The larger of the pair tilted his head back and roared out his displeasure at being left behind. This dislodged his hood, which caused immediate pandemonium.
“Brausa!” Someone shouted, horrified.
Screams sounded.
People ran wildly.
Hysteria reigned, echoing chaotically throughout the cavern.
Vibrant light flashed sporadically around me as most escaped through transferring, but I could only stare at the giant before me, frozen with fear.
Massive, enraged, muscles heaving, the man was well over six feet tall and wearing leather breeches and a tunic of a heavy cloth. His brown hair was long, dirty and matted into locks that fell down his back. He was an animal!
His feelings of wrath and betrayal intertwined and swamped me. I tried to backpedal, realizing I hadn’t thought this part through very carefully, but I couldn’t make my feet work properly. I couldn’t even turn to run. It was like they were rooted to the ground.
“You think to stop me?” he roared, rushing me. “I will own you!” I had no time to think. His putrid breath reached me before his arms encircled me in a punishing grip that nearly cut off my circulation. A sharply pointed, metallic edge suddenly dug into my side. I gasped with the pain. “Take me from here! Now!”
This was the second time I had stared death in the face, and it was dirty, rank and filled with a fuck-all fury that was terrifying. My heart pounded triple time. I struggled to drag air into my lungs.
He was going to shove the blade into my side and not give a rat’s ass about it.
“Do it!” he roared in my face. A droplet of spit smacked my cheek.
I didn’t know what he wanted from me, but my brain went into survival mode. I closed my eyes and flashed back to the mental attack I’d pulled on Ryder earlier.
If it worked once...
A surge of unnatural energy pushed through me, and I gritted my teeth, pulling it all in, soaking it up. I imagined a gigantic fist, a haymaker, projecting through space, building momentum, speed and power before pounding through the thick skull of the brute holding me. He shouted out, his grip loosening. I threw fist after mental fist like a grappling MMA fighter who’d sunk leg hooks into his quarry and was just pounding the shit out of his unprotected face—in this case, unprotected mind. The power surging through me was practically tangible, crackling behind my lids.
He cried out again and let go, holding both hands to his head as though in great pain. His dagger clanked onto the stone floor. Cocking my knee back, I rammed the guy in the nuts with as much strength as I could muster and felt a hit of pure satisfaction when he bent and grabbed his groin with a shout of anguish. He was on level with me, and I cracked a head butt across the bridge of his nose.
We both cried out on that one. He fell to the floor with blood gushing down his face, and I stepped away from him holding both hands to my forehead. Helping hands were dragging me away from the guy, and armed men suddenly swarmed the area, taking the brutish warrior into custody.
The door whispered shut in my mind, and the power surge ceased.
“Thank Pere’ you were here, and that you’re okay.” Cynthia held on to me tightly. The problem for me at this point was that I was absolutely wiped out. I couldn’t even stand anymore. Black spots swarmed like bees before my eyes, blocking out my vision.
“Taylor?”
“I’m so tired,” I whispered from a thousand miles away, unable to see through the darkness. “I’m okay. I think I’m...going to sleep.”
* * *
The darkness took over.
Cynthia’s cry receded into nothingness as I left the corporeal plane. The darkness opened up to the airy blue heavens and the rhythm—whump...whump...whump—of my old animal friend.
I ran gentle hands over his beautiful feathers as we skimmed high, thin clouds. I thanked him for helping me with the final bit of energy I’d leveled at the bad guy, but telepathically, I was told that it was all part of a larger plan. Nothing was coincidental. There were no accidents. There was no judgment. There was no good or evil.
I don’t understand.
He let me know in soft tones that I soon would.
I felt a familiar energy signature. Is Dreya nearby?
The knowledge that she was present and wanted to speak with me was relayed.
I would love to see her.
We descended through the clouds, flying low over the lake that sparkled with a thousand points of brilliant light as the water rippled under the sun. We left the field of iridescent flowers swaying in our wake, and Dreya was just there, coming down her porch steps as we landed. Her hair was beautifully white and swinging clear down to her waist. She was in a light, flowing peasant dress, and I was surprised that she was wearing clothing that had been outlawed. I had to give her points, though. She was very bohemian.
Stepping down, using one massive outstretched wing as a ramp, I thanked my animal friend and wished him all health and happiness. He responded in kind and flew straight up and away in an impressive show of magnificence.
I felt the strength of your power, Taylor. You seem to have come through your first trial with hardly a scratch. Dreya enveloped me in one of her hugs that felt so good, though her clear blue eyes reflected a shadow of uncertainty. I hope your next is as easily resolved.
Will I have time to rest first? My body seems to be worn out, I offered with some amusement. I think I left it behind.
Dreya’s smile faded. This is the Gods’ plane, dear. You have access to this. The Great Spirits are here, watching everything. It takes much energy to be a conduit for the Great Spirits.
The Gods’ plane? I must be moving up in the world. Can I tell that to the IRS?
This is no laughing matter, Taylor. I’m here to tell you that your next trial will be of the heart.
Fear pricked my gut. Another trial? Really? Does this have to do with Ryder? I’m really not good with romantic relationships, and I’ll likely bomb any test you give me—
I will only tell you that you must find your mother. Quickly. She is very important to your journey, and your journey is important to all of us. You are the first step on a new path, but she must first answer your questions.
This request threw me for a loop. It was the last thing I was expecting to hear. What questions? I don’t have any questions for her.
You do. Look into your heart. Find her, Dreya insisted sharply. Panic struck fast and furious as I imagined my mother in front of me again. It struck me that I was afraid of knowing what was more important than me that kept her away. I don’t even know how to find her!
You will. Think about it. Haven’t you wanted to find her your whole life? You weren’t ready yet, which is why you never succeeded. Now it’s time. You must overcome your fears.
I wanted to howl in protest. She’s a junkie somewhere, maybe even dead! She couldn’t have cared less about me. How do you expect me to find her? My heart suddenly tripped up as I thought of not just finding my mother, but actually confronting her. Momentarily, I relived the pain of the moment when I realized she wasn’t coming back. I viciously ripped that mental poster from my private memory bank, tearing it to shreds. What would I even say to her?
Life makes us who we are, Taylor. Life has made you strong, allowed you to survive and thrive, though you’ve had to face challenges.
Challenges? You make it sound so simple. I had challenges. I laughed without humor. Let me tell you something. Making it across the San Fernando Valley during rush-hour traffic is
challenging. Growing up a second-language learner is challenging. I had to raise myself! I was alone with cruel, angry adults taking pleasure in putting me through hell!
You don’t know the details, Taylor.
I don’t want to know.
You will soon learn. Then you’ll understand.
Alone! No one cared about me! The bitterness was suddenly welling up from the depths of my soul, overwhelming my heart and mind. I could see all the times I was heartsick, missing her, wishing she would show up and take me home with her. I remembered all the times when I had no one to talk to who cared, no one to share news with, good or bad.
Why did she leave? What did I do that was so bad that she didn’t want to be around me anymore?
The pain flayed my lungs. I was hyperventilating with my sudden rage, and I felt disoriented, wondering where it was coming from and why I was feeling all this now.
All things happen for a reason. Dreya’s voice was firm, but kind. Your struggles won’t be for naught.
So easy for you to say!
Remember. No judgment.
How will I remember this? I don’t even get to keep you. It hurt. It really did. Dreya was becoming another source of warmth to be teased with.
You’ll remember when you need to.
The darkness enveloped me again. Gratefully, I let the dream fade into the mental black hole that housed unwanted, painful memories.
* * *
Opening my eyes, I saw that I was in yet another room I’d never been in before, tucked into a warm, fluffy bed and feeling pretty good. Sleep was a beautiful thing. I managed to take it in stride, remembering immediately that I was on another planet. My pulse didn’t even flutter. I was probably all tapped out of fear at this point.
“Oh, thank the Gods you’re awake,” Cynthia murmured from a chair by another of those cool floor-to-ceiling windows, like I’d seen in Ryder’s library, where I’d first learned what I’d gotten myself into, surrounded by his stacks of books. The wild jungle was just beyond, and it didn’t seem quite so frightening to me anymore. She set her book on a side table and approached the bed quickly. “How are you feeling?”
Quicksilver Dreams (Dreamwalkers) Page 23
