Demon Retribution (Shadow Quest Book 3)
Page 27
“Uh, very good, Portia,” Sebastian said. “Thanks.”
After getting a nod that the area was safe, Kyra made a second attempt to exit the ship. Again, Cale held her fast. “You’re not going out there without me,” he warned.
“Then let’s go,” she replied impatiently.
His eyes widened with surprise, but then he nodded and released her.
Five steps was all it took. Five steps, and her world changed once again. Her feet sank into the soft green turf. The breeze lifted tendrils of her hair, surrounding her in a warm embrace. Anya came to her right, their hands threaded together. Nadua mirrored her action on the left, giving her palm a squeeze. In that moment they were connected by the same thought.
We are home.
Chapter 27
Cale kept a close eye on Kyra as he scoped out the area. He dare not stray too far. Just feet from the ship, she’d climbed up onto a high arching root that was as wide as two of Marada’s shuttles combined and three times as tall. As she leaned on the base of the trunk, she looked no bigger than an insect in comparison.
However, much more beautiful.
She wore a pair of shorts that cupped her ass like a damn second skin. He couldn’t help become aroused at the thought of gripping her with the same closeness. She must know that from his angle he was finding it impossible to divert his gaze.
She peeked down at him as if reading his thoughts, and he pretended to examine a flower bud as large as his head until she looked away.
Kyra had demanded Zoey remain on board the ship, but Zoey stubbornly refused. They’d argued for a while, but in the end, she had made the earthling promise to stay by Cale. His chest had puffed up a little by the fact that Kyra chose him over the dragon, though Tristan remained nearby as well.
Nadua planted herself in a patch of sun with her face tilted toward the rays. Sebastian took Sonya, Ethan, and Anya to check the area. Everyone else meandered around, exploring this strange new land. Cale couldn’t help comparing it to what he remembered of his home world. There were a few forests on his planet, but nothing like this. Most of the land had been wide plains with few hills and valleys scattered throughout.
This land was ripe with oversized vegetation, some of the leaves the size of a man. A blanket of green high above them obscured most of the sunlight. The rasping and chirping of creatures that continued to remain elusive made him uneasy.
His “banishment” seemed to be temporarily lifted because just after they’d left the ship, Kyra had started identifying noises for him. Or maybe that was only because she was so overcome with excitement.
“Hear that?” she called when loud clacking began to echo from above. “It’s a group of serbu. They live at the very tippy tops of the trees, and when they sense predators they all bang on the branches in warning.”
“Predators?” Cale seized on the word.
She looked down at him, amused. “It’s probably us. They can sense our vibrations. They’re the cutest little things, with large furry ears and long tails.”
“And if it’s not us?” he questioned, ready to climb up there and drag her back to the safety of the ship.
She took a seat on the root, swinging her legs, unconcerned. “Don’t worry, Cale, I’d protect you.”
“Would you now?” he said precariously, once again taken aback by her lighthearted mood. She was so happy. His heart soared to see her smile.
He realized then that he would do anything to keep her that way. He would single-handedly destroy all the Kayadon if he needed to. Not because he craved vengeance, but because it would be the greatest gift he could give her.
The next two days were dedicated to securing and exploring the area, and Cale running after Kyra as she reacquainted herself with Evlon. The girl was insatiable, climbing and hiking and racing all around. He nearly passed out from stress when she ascended to the top of a tree, curious if she could catch a glimpse of the palace.
From behind him, Sonya asked, “Well, what do we do now?”
Ethan approached with the book. When he called for Kyra to open it for him, she climbed down and dropped from a low branch, landing gracefully on her haunches.
“Where did my sisters go?” she asked, looking around.
“They insisted on going with Sebastian and Marik to search the area,” Sonya replied. “I doubt they’ll be gone long.”
Kyra took hold of the book, placed it on the flat surface of a nearby rock, and pulled it open. Then Ethan shifted through the pages till he found what he was looking for. Cale peeked over his shoulder at a map taking up two full pages.
Ethan pointed to a spot on the lower left. “We should be here.” His hand moved slightly to the right. “There should be a group of Faieara here. Not too far away from where we are now. We just need to find them.”
Sonya sauntered closer. “Then it looks like we’re going for a walk.”
By the time everyone returned to the ship, one of the two suns had set. Kyra assured them it would be hours before the second one followed. This was the time of year when the nights were short, and the days long.
Kyra, her sisters and their mates, as well as Cale, Ethan, and Sonya prepared to leave. Kyra had put her foot down when Zoey wanted to come, and this time she’d won. Thankfully, Portia promised keep an eye on “the mortal”. Rex and Tristan stayed behind as well. Sebastian left Aidan in charge of the ship.
Before they set out, Sonya handed Kyra something that looked like a pistol. “Cale said you’re good with a gun,” she explained, pointing to a switch. “This has two settings. Flip it this way and it will send a pulse that should knock anyone unconscious. Flip it the other way and it will take a head off.”
Kyra nodded. “Setting phaser to stun, captain,” she joked. When Sonya only raised an eyebrow, she grumbled, “Zoey would have laughed at that.”
Soon after, Ethan disappeared into the thick foliage, followed by the rest of the group. She and Cale took up the rear.
The landscape was just as she remembered. The trees stood tall as ever, and the sounds of wildlife went on as though it would be so till the end of time.
Being here made her realize that she couldn’t continue to be mad at Cale. He had done so much for her, fought for her, just to bring her this far. If it weren’t for him, she would still be on Earth, missing her family, and preparing to invent a new life for herself. Or worse, captured by the Kayadon.
She turned to him then, with a silly grin that she seemed unable to wipe off her face. She noticed each time she looked his way, his expression became stunned as if he had no idea why she might be smiling.
“Thank you,” she said genuinely, “for making this happen.”
He nodded stoically, but she thought she sensed pride in him. And he should be proud. They all should be.
She’d heard that, before Anya, Cale and his family had been living as peaceful merchants. The demons’ lives had been completely upheaved, without one word of complaint.
But then, they had their own reasons for wanting to come here, didn’t they? Their eyes lit with bloodlust at the very mention of the Kayadon. She could understand why. What happened to their planet was terrible. She hadn’t mentioned it aloud, but it was one of her greatest fears that Evlon would end up like theirs.
The path was not an easy one. The terrain was overrun with thick roots and boulders. Ethan checked the map several times to verify their course. He seemed to know where they should be going, and she trusted his judgment.
When they were young, Kyra and her sisters would venture out of the palace often, but never far enough that they couldn’t find their way back. Ethan had been a soldier in the king’s army, and would have been expected to know the land as far out as the seas by heart.
Brief glimpses of the palace through the dense forest indicated they were quite a ways away. A valley separated them from it. But, according to Ethan, that was not where they were headed.
“What is that place?” Cale asked when he caught her staring.
Her mood lifted later, when they came across a cluster of jumping lasmin. The demons went tense as the tiny creatures bounced wildly around them. Cale positioned himself at her front, ready to defend.
“They’re harmless,” she quickly assured.
Round and soft, like a ball of cotton, their extremities would jut out just as they were about to come in contact with a hard surface, then spring off and tuck themselves into a ball as they flew through the air. They made little to no noise.
As the lasmin moved on, so did they.
After a few more minutes of hiking, she noticed Cale was not being his usual self. He was quiet and reserved, yet paid attention to every move she made, as well as their surroundings. She didn’t know what to make of it.
“You don’t have to be so protective,” she finally told him. “There are very few native creatures who pose a threat. Some of the plant life can be more deadly than anything that moves.”
At that, he started to take note of every leaf and twig.
The path then turned rockier and slick with moss. No one spoke as they all concentrated on keeping their footing. Kyra was an expert hiker, so she had no difficulty now. Nadua seemed to be doing fine as well. It was Anya who gave her cause for worry. Her younger sister slipped often. She remembered that Anya spent the majority of her life on ships with flat surfaces and elevators. Eventually, Sebastian pulled her onto his back.
When they stopped to rest, Kyra felt giddy, immersing herself in every aspect of Evlon. The oringa trees were exactly as she recalled: obscenely oversized and equally lovely. Stones that littered the ground sparkled with an almost reflective quality, every one unique in color. The air was like nothing she could describe. Each breath was an experience.
She stole a moment to herself, sneaking her way to a small clearing that overlooked the valley. She should have known Cale would follow, but it didn’t bother her.
“Do you see that hill there?” she said without looking at him. It was one of the tallest hills in the vicinity, packed with rocks and painted the colors of life.
Cale grunted in affirmation.
“On the other side of it, there used to be a set of stairs. Never-ending stairs,” she said, “to a child at least. My mother took me up them once. At the top, there is a shrine dedicated to the seven sisters of wisdom…or there was. Perhaps it’s still there.” She squinted at where she thought this shrine might be, but foliage blocked her view. “It sat at the center of a beautifully groomed garden. Quite a sight to see.”
She realized she was babbling, but Cale seemed content to listen, so she continued. “We sat there for some time, saying nothing. Eventually, I asked my mother what we were doing, and she said she was praying for pure understanding, reason, and knowledge. She said wisdom was a gift that could never be mastered but must always be practiced.” Kyra paused as a wave of emotion smashed down on her. “Her words moved me, and I prayed as well. That night the seven sisters sent me a message that I’ve never forgotten.”
“And what is that?” Cale asked.
She plucked a leaf from a small nearby plant and placed it in his palm. “This is no longer attached to that plant, but it would be wrong to say it is not still connected.”
Cale examined the leaf dubiously.
“And everything seen or unseen holds the same truth.”
“Alright.”
“I guess it’s not easy to explain.”
“No, I get it. We’re one with the universe,” he said drolly.
She pursed her lips, but the corners curled in a half grin.
“Where is this coming from?”
She shrugged. “Well, it’s like you and me…all of us. We’re all connected in so many ways. So many things have had to fall into place for us to get here.” She paused, not sure where she was going with this. “I guess I’m just hoping it wasn’t all for nothing.”
“That’s impossible.”
She cocked her head. “How so?”
“The fact that so much has fallen into place tells me we’re on the right path.”
She forced a thin smile. “There were a few close calls, though, weren’t there?”
“Aye, a few.”
“And it seems like there is still so much to do.”
“Nah. Getting here was the worst of it.”
“I fear you’re wrong about that. And I still don’t know the extent of my gift. Not like my sisters.”
“I will help you. We were doing well on Earth, were we not? As soon as we get back, we can resume your practice.”
“What did I accomplish back on Earth, really? The stump still lives.”
When Cale didn’t respond, she looked at him. His strong jaw was set in a tight line, but his expression was full of emotion. He closed the distance till only an inch separated them. She swallowed, suddenly nervous, but held his gaze.
In a grave voice, he said, “I will not let you fail.”
Her throat went tight, and she had to look away. “Promise?”
“I swear it. Even if I cannot win back your affections, I will never forsake you.”
Her breath left her. Did he really not know that he’d never lost her affections? They were merely restrained by a thread of stubborn willfulness and the fear that he didn’t truly want her. But as she met gaze again and saw passion build behind his cobalt irises, the thread snapped.
The scent of her arousal called to him, muddling his mind. Danger lingered near, he told himself. He could not allow himself to be distracted by the burning lust firing in his veins. But when her eyes flashed gold, like liquid honey, it shattered the last of his control.
Their lips came together with bruising force. His arm clasped around her waist, caging her against him. As her hands came around his neck, she darted her tongue out to taste him. It was enough to drive him mad and siphon the last of his restraint, ready to take her here, now, among the dirt and rocks. He gripped the thin fabric of her shirt, ready to tear it off her, but a touch of reason pricked his brain. She would have nothing to replace it. Others might see her.
See what is mine.
He moved his palm to claim her breast, feeling her through the material. A needy moan from deep in her throat nearly undid him.
She licked across his lips in an almost desperate way, and then their tongues danced, fighting for dominance. Her nails scraped through his hair, the way she did when she was nearing the edge of her own mindlessness, and his shaft took note, hardening in anticipation.
He pulled back, panting, “We cannot do this now.”
She too breathed heavily. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. If we had the time I would have you bent over the nearest rock,”—he put his lips to her ear—“for hours.”
The shudder that ran through her was more than gratifying. At the first opportunity, that was just what he would do.
She pulled away, and he had to force himself to let her go. Once more composed, they returned to the group. Sebastian gave him a look that said he was aware of what had transpired. His brother only wanted him to use Kyra as a source of strength. He imagined Sebastian disapproved of his persistence in pursuing Kyra for more.
Cale wasn’t sure if he should reveal his new belief that Kyra was his true mate…should have been, he mentally corrected. Sebastian already pitied him—they all did. If they knew how truly hopeless the situation was, he’d never get another look that wasn’t tainted by sympathy.
As expected, acid crawled through his veins, the consequence of a simple kiss. But he loved the pain now. Now that he knew what it meant. It was a reminder that she could have been his—as well as a punishment that he had been so thoroughly duped as to have lost the power to make it so…forever.
Kyra’s heart still raced as they resumed their trek. How was it that
Cale’s presence could so easily overwhelm her? Her body still screamed for his touch, thrumming with excruciating desire.
She was grateful that he’d put on the brakes, even though it proved she’d been much more affected by the moment—lost even—than he. But she could hardly muster up the proper amount of outrage over that, too preoccupied with how rigid his shaft had been. Still was. As they walked, he continually adjusted himself, giving her a perturbed expression. The feminine part of her mind grinned with sexual triumph. And yet another, friskier, part was unable to stop from teasing him. A touch here, a look there. She knew her outfit was enticing and used it to her advantage at every opportunity. With the uneven terrain, opportunity was plentiful.
In a tone as rough as the stones around them, he grated, “You are asking for it,” just as she was bent in a suggestive angle, climbing a rocky slope.
Through a Cheshire smile, she replied innocently, “What am I asking for?”
When they reached the top, he spun her. His strong palm clamped on her backside, fingers biting into flesh and forcing her onto tiptoes. She had to grip his shoulders for balance. He didn’t say anything, but his expression became fierce, eyes bright with amusement. He liked her teasing.
Duly noted.
“You intentionally test my self-control.” His deep timbre rolled over her like a caress.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m merely hiking.”
“Your way of hiking is wicked,” he breathed, leaning down to take her lips.
From far ahead in the trail, Sebastian warned, “Calic!”
Cale hissed out a growl and proclaimed, “You will stop distracting me, vixen.”
Fat chance.
Three more times Sebastian had to scold them. However, she got the impression that the others were slightly tickled by their antics.
It wasn’t long before they came to a large flat-bottomed, oval crater, half the size of a football field. The site looked old and overgrown, shaded from the sky by long reaching branches of the oringa trees. From the cliff-side, tangled roots reached out and down toward the base. Exposed rock peeked from under vines that blanketed almost everything.