Zane examined her face, while his thumb ran across the flesh of her hand. “You seemed alarmed when I told you to take the time you requested to recover from the electrical current.”
Leenea pulled back her arm and he released her hand. She did not like playing games. Her attraction to this man should have withered, but it only increased.
“I did not ask for time,” Leenea stipulated. “No one knows we are in here. I purposely stayed out of the communal channels.”
He frowned. New sensations rocketed through her body in response to the change in his expression. She seemed to physically react to each emotion he experienced. There had been a strong attraction from the start, but the radical impacts she felt toward him made no sense.
What Zane believed had occurred was impossible. Each time he discounted the legendary stories he heard as a child, the possibility crept back into his head.
He reached into his mind to a channel that should not exist. That spot had not been there prior to tonight’s physical contact with Leenea.
“You have the warmest blue eyes I have ever seen.” He pushed the thought through the link that should not be there.
The girl reared back as if he had punched her. There was no question she heard him and was internalizing how it was possible. Their link did not feel like a communal or familial channel.
“What pathway did you use?” Leenea’s intelligent eyes were wide with interest, not fear.
Zane took a deep breath as if he needed additional oxygen to explain what he believed occurred. “When we had physical contact, flesh on flesh, a telepathic channel opened between us. That was the electrical current we felt.”
He was too much of a coward to tell her what he suspected the special channel between them really was. In all likelihood, she would laugh in his face and tell him to grow up. Fairytales were for children.
Her pupils dilated slightly. “Do you think the channel is similar to the crystal telepath’s? The idea of being able to one day navigate inter-dimensional portals fascinates me.”
When her tongue moistened her lips, he could no longer hold back his desire to taste them. Just the thought of kissing her made him hard as a rock.
Zane leaned forward, placing his lips on hers. When she made no attempt to pull away, he wrapped his arms around her. She moaned and her fingers combed through his hair.
Her body molded perfectly against his. She tasted of red wine and spice. He wondered if she had a drink in her bedroom to foster her courage to attend her first social event. There was no question, he would have noticed Leenea had she accompanied her parents in the past.
“Why does it feel like I have known you my whole life?” His thought traveled between them without him having to consciously use their channel.
It took all his willpower to release the woman who had been born to live her life beside him. The kiss and her reaction to him only reinforced his belief he was right.
“We are soul mates, Leenea,” Zane admitted. “I adored fables about them when I was a boy. I know the link that opened between us was the closed soul mate channel. No one will ever be able to enter our link. It is exclusively ours.”
He watched her closely to see her reaction to his revelation. She brushed the hair out of her face. One of the combs that held back her hair had fallen during their kiss. When their eyes finally met, he saw understanding reflected in them.
“If anyone else had made the claim we were soul mates, I would have dismissed the idea,” Leenea admitted. “But it feels right. You feel right. Do you remember any specific stories you heard as a child? My parents and nannies were not so fanciful.”
A half-laugh escaped him. “I wish I had paid more attention,” he admitted. “We will find out what it means to be soul mates together.”
Rather than seeming excited, Leenea shrunk back in fear. “We need to keep this to ourselves. My father is a mind control telepath. He would find a way to use our gift for his own gain. I do not want to see anything so beautiful corrupted.”
From what he heard about Prime Rickard, Leenea had reason to be nervous. Her father had the reputation of having a single-minded focus on his own advancement. Only Jeryl Jarlyn appeared to be more ambitious. He did not trust either man.
He was relieved Leenea did not blindly trust. The political environment was dangerous. She displayed the necessary intelligence to navigate the dogmatic undercurrents carefully.
“I will find ways we can be together in groups in order not to raise any suspicions.” He figured working on her father’s campaign would be a perfect avenue. His own father had been pressuring him to make political alliances. When her eyes shifted to the floor, he added what he wanted most of all. “We also need time alone.”
Leenea lowered her head. “My father has an advantageous marriage planned for me. I am not sure who he has chosen. Whoever it is can advance his career. There is no future for us.”
4
Leenea left her father’s private study after Zane exited. They agreed to connect at the Meeting Place bar near her home the next day. There was no reason to spend time together tonight and alert either of their parents to the attraction between them.
It was odd. Her body cooled when he was not in direct proximity to her. She was not sure how much more she could have taken without bursting into flames. Her body still simmered.
A servant passed with a tray of red and white wine. Leenea lifted a glass of red and took a generous sip. Her heartbeat had barely slowed since her encounter with Zane. The heightened color in her cheeks was evidence that something had happened to her.
Zane was one of the few men she felt small next to. A man’s height should not matter, but she dwarfed many of the boys she dated in the past. Her soul mate was all man and her body responded to that fact. She took another sip to calm herself.
“Leenea, there you are. I have been looking everywhere for you.” She turned to see her mother in a frantic state. “Your father would like to introduce you to a young man.”
With those words, her heart sank. The last thing she wanted was to be forced to make pleasant conversation with a stranger when all she could think about was Zane.
Her mother grabbed her forearm and dragged her through the crowd. It was clear she was about to meet the man her father wanted her to marry for his own political gains.
The man who dominated her thoughts was standing beside her father. She was afraid she was dreaming. Was her soul mate the same man her father had selected for her? She pinched the flesh of her upper arm to assure herself she was wide awake.
“Here she is,” her father said. A fake smile was on her father’s face. She knew every insincere look he possessed. “Leenea, this is Zane Childers. He has graduated from the university and joined his family’s business.”
Since her father introduced her to Zane, he came from an affluent family. His black tunic and leggings did not indicate wealth; neither did his bearing.
Leenea presented a shy smile and lowered her eyes as she always did when meeting someone new. “It is nice to meet you, Zane.”
“The communal pathways are raving about a new Meeting Place restaurant that recently opened. I suggest the two of you attend second seating tomorrow and let me know what you think.”
Leena’s mouth opened in surprise.
Her mother pinched her in the spot she just used. “Leenea would love to have dinner with Zane tomorrow night.”
“Yes, that would be wonderful.” She replied before her mother could deliver another pinch.
Zane managed to keep a placid expression while she struggled not to jump for joy. He actually looked bored. But through the soul mate link, she felt his excitement. She had never experienced emotions through a telepathic channel before.
To hide her joy, she concentrated on the horror of dressing for second seating tomorrow night. Her father would be suspicious if she appeared pleased about the date.
“What is wrong? I thought you would be happy,” Zane communicated telepathicall
y.
The ability to converse only with Zane through their private channel was new to her. She was not sure if it would work. Her parents did not appear to have heard what he said.
“I am thrilled. My parents may become suspicious if I act out of the ordinary.” It felt natural sharing her thoughts with him in this manner. “I thought about the outfit I have to wear tomorrow. Women wear such revealing tunics at second sitting.”
Zane’s eyes scanned her body causing her internal temperature to rise once again. Her father had noticed his interest and frowned. She was not sure what Zane was thinking.
“If I and my family’s money are to have a future with your daughter, I do not want her on display for other men.” Zane directed his comments to her father who seemed pleased with his dictatorial manner. “She needs to wear a modest outfit. I do not care if it is fashionable or not.”
Her mother gasped. “A man is partially judged on the beauty of his partner. You do yourself a disservice by not allowing Leenea to shine.”
“Do not let her get away with that,” she communicated through their channel.
Zane’s mouth shifted in displeasure. “Whatever your daughter’s attributes are, they are for my exclusive viewing. Weaker men may not mind their wives’ breasts being on display, but I do.”
“This boy is a demanding oaf,” her mother shared in their familial channel. “He is unacceptable as a life partner to our daughter.”
Her father’s face reddened in anger. “We will discuss this later.”
As he communicated to her mother in their familial channel, her father spoke aloud to Zane. “I could not agree more. It has always been my belief that women dress to impress other women. My daughter will be properly attired in the future. I will see to it personally.”
Her mother shifted on her feet and hurried away, not providing any explanation for her departure. Leenea believed it was the right time to leave Zane’s side.
“I will see you tomorrow night,” she said aloud. “Thank you, for being such a pig.” She shared secretly with her soul mate.
Zane bit his lip trying not to laugh. He was not acting when he told Leenea’s father her endowments were exclusively his. If she believed he was managing her father, it only worked to his advantage.
He could tell by the way her breasts filled out the camisole that they were plump and substantial. There was nothing attractive about skinny women in his opinion. He wanted flesh he could hold onto and caress. Boney women did not turn him on. Leenea certainly did.
“I must apologize for my wife and daughter,” Prime Rickard said. “They will be properly disciplined.”
Leenea’s fear of her father was palatable. He needed to protect her from the man. If any harm came to her because of this charade, he would never forgive himself.
“Your daughter is acceptable to me as a future wife,” Zane said. “From this moment on, I wish to be responsible for her social training and any punishments administered. She needs to learn to jump to my demands.”
He let out a sigh of relief when Prime Rickard nodded. “The agreement drawn up by your father is acceptable. My daughter will be available at your pleasure. I will pull her from her studies.”
Zane held up one hand. “Stop. I find intelligent women stimulating. There is only so much time one can spend in bed. Besides, she will be the mother of my sons. A well-rounded woman breeds superior offspring.”
The comment was meant to be a slight against his soul mate’s father, but he was clueless. Leenea was everything he had hoped for, but did not believe he could find in the woman his father had saddled him with for the good of their company.
They needed to marry before one of their fathers found a more prestigious match. There had to be a means to sweeten the pot.
His eyes scanned the room for Leenea. She was nowhere in sight.
“Leenea, where are you?”
“You did too good of a job where my mother is concerned. She has taken to her bed. My father will be furious.”
His body warmed as Leenea pushed her thoughts into his mind. Voices were in his head for as long as he could remember. Troyk children learned at an early age how to control all the conversations bombarding their minds. This was one voice he never wanted to quiet.
“Return and act as your father’s hostess. I see him scanning the hall and growing angrier.”
Zane leaned against the wall waiting to watch her descend the staircase. She was graceful for a large woman. Her long legs were in perfect proportion to her torso. One day, those legs would be wrapped around his waist.
Leanea passed by, lightly brushing against him. Warmth spread through him with that simple touch. She positioned herself beside her father and graciously conversed with their guests.
He noted her father stiffen and looked past the current party they were greeting. Jeryl Jarlyn was in the receiving line. Although Prime Rickard was gaining support, Zane believed Jarlyn would be the next Prime Ruler. He could not afford for him or Leenea to get on Jarlyn’s bad side.
Without appearing panicked, Zane moved to stand behind Leenea and her father. He leaned forward and spoke to her loud enough for her father to hear. “Jeryl Jarlyn is approaching. The boy with him is his seven-year-old son Benko. Let your father greet the Prime. Concentrate on the boy. Jeryl dotes on him.”
Prime Rickard turned and addressed him. “You are very astute for someone so young. We need to set a date for the marriage as soon as possible.”
Although Leenea’s attention was on the approaching boy, she must not have missed her father’s comment. The link between them remained silent, but he some how felt her contentment. Perhaps the soul mate channel was more than a means to communicate.
5
Leenea prepared for her date without her mother’s assistance. The housekeeper told her at breakfast her mother would remain in bed for the rest of the day because of a headache.
Her mom’s headaches plagued her for as long as she could remember. They always coincided with her father’s displeasure in her. Jaynee was a beautiful woman who could not take her husband’s verbal abuse. She would cower at her husband’s anger. Her dad did not respect her mother.
How could you live with a man who could detect lies? It took little to set off her volatile father. Leenea spoke as little as possible, refusing to fall into her father’s traps. Unfortunately, her mother did not have the sense to successfully navigate the pitfalls.
If she played her cards right, she would end up with a very different kind of man from her father. It seemed that Zane was looking for a partner, not someone he could dominate and belittle.
She selected a solid black tunic with silver embellishments and matching leggings. The thicker material hugged her curves, but was not revealing. To add a flash of color, she chose a scarf her father had given her for her last birthday. The golden yellow silk lightened the amber flecks in her blue eyes; although tonight they appeared green.
As she walked down the stairs, she heard male voices coming from her father’s office. Her face blushed with color thinking about Zane’s kisses. It was rare for her father to invite anyone into his office. He clearly liked her future husband.
“If anything happened to the boy before the election,” her father said, “I believe Jarlyn will withdraw his candidacy.”
Leenea stopped in her tracks, shocked by what her father suggested. She was afraid to breathe until she heard Zane’s response. It dawned on her, she barely knew the man who claimed to be her soul mate.
“It is too risky,” Zane replied. “The boy is too closely guarded. Jarlyn will not allow Benko to be alone without someone to protect him, even the child’s mother. If the boy is harmed, no mind control telepath would be strong enough to alter the populace’s minds against the perpetrators if anything goes wrong. There are some lines that should not be crossed.”
She felt anger stream through her body and it was not her own. Somehow she felt Zane’s horror at her father’s suggestion. Her shoulders relaxed kno
wing her soul mate was not a monster.
“Can I count on you to forget this little conversation? It was just a random thought.” Her father’s voice had a nervous undertone she had never heard before.
Leenea held her breath. If Zane lied, her father would be able to detect it.
“We will be connected by marriage soon,” Zane said. “The necessary credits have been placed in your account for the construction of the recreation center with your name on it. Your popularity should get you the title you so deserve. I would be crazy to stir up trouble where my future father-in-law is concerned.”
Zane was smart. Everything he said was truthful. He did not directly answer her father’s question. Her soul mate had clearly dealt with mind control telepaths in the past.
She slipped off her shoes and went back upstairs. After she placed them back on her feet, she loudly traveled down the stairs, alerting her father and Zane to her presence.
“Leenea,” her father called out, “we are in my study.”
After taking a deep breath, she cautiously entered the inner-sanctum of her father’s world. Zane looked comfortable sitting in the large chair across the desk from her father. To her pleasure, his eyes devoured her.
Her father rose and approached. His fingers ran down the fragile material of the scarf. “I am pleased by your appearance tonight. Enjoy yourself with your future husband. Tell me how you enjoyed the restaurant tomorrow over lunch.” Her father turned to Zane and extended his hand. “Leenea has no curfew.”
Did her father give her permission to spend the night with Zane? She must have paled, since Zane took a hold of her elbow.
“We need to get you out of this house as soon as possible,” Zane communicated telepathically as they left her father’s study.
They walked toward the Meeting Place near her home. Although other dimensions had vehicles that traveled short distances, the people in the Troyk universe walked within towns. Eco-friendly transports linked cities together.
The Soul Mate Page 2
