Threshold of Annihilation

by T. A. White

Her eyes pinned him with a look.

  His grin widened seconds before the armor that had obstructed her disappeared, leaving her hands on flat smooth skin.

  She'd always wondered if the Tuann wore anything under their synth armor. It appeared the answer was no.

  Graydon's warm length spilled into Kira's hands.

  He pressed his head against the back of the couch as she cupped him and ran her hand along him.

  Air hissed between his teeth as his jaw flexed.

  Kira drew one fingertip along the tip, entranced by the sensation.

  Graydon sat forward in an abrupt movement. His fingers bit into her waist as he lifted, his eyes holding hers in an unmistakable question.

  In answer, Kira reached between them, guiding his length to her entrance.

  Both of them shuddered at the feeling as she sank onto him.

  Kira went slow, savoring the sensation.

  Graydon held still. If not for the way the muscles in his chest jumped and his nostrils flared, Kira would think he was unaffected.

  Kira didn't move for long seconds, letting herself adjust to him.

  Finally, she lifted up in a small movement before sinking again.

  Pleasure speared through her at the sensation.

  Graydon clenched his hands on the couch, his gaze never leaving hers as he let her take the lead.

  They stayed like that, Kira torturing him, Graydon enduring. Until finally, he couldn't anymore.

  His hips speared up, seating them more firmly together.

  Kira laughed as he leaned forward, setting his lips on her chest, nibbling the flesh there as their pace increased.

  A spring drew tight in Kira, pleasure and sensation mixing together until everything was tingling.

  Warmth and madness spilled through her until it felt like she couldn't take it anymore.

  Kira opened her eyes, catching sight of her skin. It glowed as her markings appeared one by one as if written by an invisible hand.

  Alarm jolted through her.

  "Graydon—"

  Even with the fear that she'd lose control and hurt Graydon, it was hard to resist the seductive pleasure.

  Graydon looked at her, appreciation glinting in his eyes. "You're not the only one."

  He took one hand and set it on his chest. Sure enough, faint marks had appeared on his skin. Their number growing until they matched the amount Kira had.

  She looked at him in wonderment.

  His pace picked up and soon she didn't have time to think about anything but the sensation within.

  The world whirled as Graydon changed their position. Now, it was Kira pressed against the cushions, Graydon above her.

  He looked like a conqueror as his markings flaring brighter and brighter.

  Kira lifted her hand to one. It was like touching an electric socket, pleasure so sharp it was almost pain nipped through her.

  She didn't know when their ki had joined the party, but it flirted and danced along their skin, melding and tangling much as their physical bodies did.

  Graydon spoke in Tuann, his words fast. Kira was too distracted to translate, only catching a smattering of words and phrases.

  Kira detonated, her inner muscles clenching around him as she found her release.

  Graydon roared seconds later as he followed her.

  It was a long time later when Kira came back to herself. Her head hung over the edge of the couch. Graydon was sprawled on top of her, his head lying on her chest.

  Neither of them had the energy to waste on speaking as they both struggled to slow their breathing.

  "What was that?" Kira asked, staring upside down at the other side of the room.

  Graydon shifted, creating a little space between their upper bodies. At the same time, he withdrew from Kira.

  Aftershocks of sensation made her skin feel sensitive, as if the slightest breath could have her quivering for more.

  She was exhausted, yet energized at the same time.

  Never before had she felt this tangle of confusing desire.

  "It's called resonance," Graydon said, settling himself on his side and drawing Kira more firmly to him.

  She shivered as he traced the afterimage of her marks.

  Ki nipped from his fingers, sending a bolt of lightning to her core.

  Kira slapped his hand away. As fun as that was, she was pretty sure it'd kill her if they did it again so soon.

  She was still recovering from the first time.

  Graydon's lips tilted, and he ducked his head, placing a scattering of butterfly kisses on Kira's upper chest and shoulder.

  "Essentially, our ki had a little melding of their own," he said after several moments.

  Kira's forehead creased. "Does that happen with all Tuann?"

  Graydon hid his face against her shoulder, but she could feel his lips move in a smile.

  She grabbed his head, tugging until he was forced to look up.

  "No, it's rare."

  Kira's eyes narrowed. Why did he look particularly pleased about that fact?

  Graydon's smug look deepened. "It's considered quite flattering."

  "If you ever want to be flattered in that way again, you'll tell me why exactly you seem so happy about this."

  Graydon chuckled, scooping Kira into his arms and turning so she was lying half on him, half on the couch.

  "It's considered a sign that partners are highly compatible."

  Kira drummed her fingers on his chest, waiting. She knew there had to be more.

  "It also shows a deep trust."

  Kira reared back.

  "You trust me," he teased happily.

  Kira struggled to sit up, Graydon's arms closing around her before she could. Though there was strength in the way he held her, it was simply an illusion.

  They both knew if she wanted to, she could force the issue and he wouldn't stop her.

  A thought occurred to her.

  "Wait, your ki resonated too." Graydon had been right there with her the entire time.

  Graydon arched an eyebrow. "I never said it didn't."

  Her face was pensive as she let her weight settle more firmly against him. This bore consideration.

  Kira rested her head on his chest, rubbing her cheek against him. She didn't know what to think about this new information, so she shunted it to the back burner.

  "Why don't the Tuann like artificial intelligence?" Kira asked abruptly.

  Graydon's hands paused in their stroking. "We have a dark and painful history with them."

  Kira lifted her head to peer at him. "Oh?"

  His smile this time didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll admit the machines from that period all had a bit of extra mixed in with them."

  Kira went still, feeling like there was a nagging sense of importance in his phrasing.

  "We called them the soul bound," Graydon said, not taking his eyes off hers.

  Kira controlled her reaction, burying the recognition that term brought and the flood of worry afterward.

  She had a sinking feeling she knew exactly what that phrase was intended to convey.

  "They were the reason our former masters retained such control over us for as long as they did," Graydon continued.

  His gaze was penetrating, as if he were trying to peer through Kira's defenses.

  Not wanting to give him the chance, she hid her face in his shoulder, staring at the couch.

  "The way you call them makes it seem like there's more to the story," Kira ventured after several moments.

  She needed to know exactly how much danger Jin was in.

  "You'd be correct," Graydon pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. She felt him pick up a strand of hair to play with. "The masters have always been obsessed with immortality. I'm not talking about the way Tuann can live for long years unless they're killed either. They wanted true immortality. The kind that never fades and can never be destroyed."

  "And these soul bound are part of that?"

  "In a sense," Gr
aydon said. "The masters created machines and then they separated the souls of their slaves and bound them to those machines."

  Kira could see how someone who cared nothing for moral or ethical boundaries would venture down that path.

  Inserting their consciousness into machines would get rid of the inherent weakness of a body that would eventually die and decay. A machine could constantly be modified and fixed as long as its programming remained untouched.

  "What was the result of these experiments?" Kira asked carefully.

  "Failure due to the complete and utter madness of every single being the binding was used on."

  Kira held herself rigid, almost afraid to breathe.

  Jin wasn't insane. Cocky, yes. Immature, at times. But crazy? No.

  Despite that, Kira could see why those former soul bound had gone mad. The potential was there in Jin. Without the link between them, Jin very well could have descended to those depths.

  "Their madness didn't stop the masters from finding a use for them," Graydon continued. "They lacked a conscience or any sense of right and wrong, but they still possessed enough cunning to serve as the masters’ guard dogs. A side effect of the process made them much more obedient to the masters than the rest of us."

  "What happened to them?" Kira asked, lifting her head.

  "We put them down when we escaped," Graydon informed her. "Every last one."

  They stared at each other as Kira came to a realization.

  "How long have you known?" Kira finally asked.

  Graydon brushed her hair behind her ear, his expression gentle. "Since the uhva na."

  So long.

  Kira pressed her lips together, not sure what to think.

  Graydon was the Emperor's Face. This wasn't the sort of secret he could keep—not without drawing accusations of treason.

  "Why haven't you told anyone?"

  It was clear to her that even with his suspicions he hadn't made a move. If he had, Jin's welcome would have been much different.

  It was likely they both would have been arrested and tried before being sentenced to death.

  Graydon exhaled softly. "Despite what our records indicate, I see no sign of madness or cruelty in Jin."

  The tight feeling Kira's chest loosened at that statement.

  Jin was her dearest friend. She wasn't sure what she would do if there was a serious threat to his wellbeing.

  She did know she wouldn't walk away from him. If the Tuann and Roake couldn't reconcile themselves to his existence, there would be no future for Kira among them either.

  "How did it happen?" Graydon asked.

  Kira shook her head. "I don't know."

  To this day, she wasn't exactly sure how Jin's soul had ended up in a machine. Her memories of that night were hazy and indistinct.

  She remembered almost dying. Then the next thing she knew she woke up in Himoto's arms, Jin clutched to her chest.

  It took her days to realize the drone she'd refused to let go of was the boy she thought had perished.

  They'd been inseparable ever since.

  "That's interesting," Graydon said, his thumb drawing soothing circles along her shoulder blade.

  "Why?"

  "To my knowledge neither the line of Roake nor Luatha possesses the ability to draw out the true essence of something and insert it into another material."

  Noting the look on Kira's face, Graydon went still. "What?"

  "My line might not possess that ability, but I do."

  Graydon sat up, taking Kira with him. His gaze was penetrating. "That's impossible."

  "It's how I saved Wren."

  He'd been mortally wounded. There wasn't enough time for help to be summoned, so she did something she’d thought she'd never do again.

  She took the destroyed form of Jin's avatar and broke it down to its base self. Only when she'd extracted the essence did she insert it into Wren, using its energy to repair the extensive damage to his body.

  Graydon's eyes widened. "Only one line possesses that trait—the emperor's."

  Kira didn't need him to tell her how bad it would be if news of this ability got out.

  "Kira, you can never do that again," Graydon warned.

  Kira didn't answer, pressing her lips together instead.

  His hand caught her chin, raising it, so she met his eyes. "I mean it. They will execute you. I won't be able to stop them."

  Knowing he wasn't going to drop this until she conceded, Kira nodded.

  "Do you know why I can do this?" Kira asked.

  "I have a few theories," he said in a grim voice.

  So did Kira, and they started and ended with Jin.

  TWENTY-ONE

  SUNLIGHT STREAMED INTO the bedchamber, summoning Kira from sleep.

  Her eyes still closed, she stretched, enjoying the feel of the sheets against her skin. Her bare skin.

  Her eyes popped open as the memory of last night came to her.

  Kira tensed then relaxed when she found herself alone in the bed, Graydon’s side long cold.

  It would be easy to have regrets about last night. Letting Graydon breach the diamond-hard walls she’d kept around her innermost self made her vulnerable in a way that she hadn’t ever been before.

  Still, Kira couldn’t quite bring herself to feel that way. What they’d done felt as necessary as breathing

  He’d lit a soft flame inside that no amount of pragmatism could extinguish.

  Come what may, she was glad they’d had that moment.

  She was even open to experiencing it again.

  He made her feel safe and filled with possibility. Both things she’d thought she’d lost long ago—if she ever had them at all.

  However, as nice as their interlude had been, she needed time to process those feelings.

  She’d been solo for so long. She didn’t know if she knew how to take someone else into account—or if it was even possible.

  A flashing beacon on the nightstand caught her attention. She reached over, the system responding to her movement.

  Graydon’s disembodied voice came over the line, bringing a smile to her face. “Kira, I had to attend to some matters. Breakfast is on the table.”

  Kira climbed out of bed, snagging the robe from where she’d tossed it last night. She drew it around her body, securing it at the waist before making her way to the table.

  An energy field covered the plates of food, keeping it at the perfect temperature. It powered down at her approach, the tantalizing smells that escaped making her stomach rumble.

  The cup of chai caught her eye first, steam still rising from the frothy goodness.

  “How in the world did he know?” she murmured, touching the mug gently.

  The breakfast was a thoughtful action. Even more so with the addition of the chai.

  She could tell by looking he’d chosen food consisting only of items she’d enjoyed while on Ta Da’an and Ta Sa’Riel.

  Graydon had paid much closer attention to her than she previously realized.

  Kira picked a cube of blue fruit up and popped it in her mouth. It was tart and sweet, a perfect balance of flavor.

  She’d never realized how amazing food was until she’d lived with the Tuann. Before them, food was a necessity. Something she had to eat to survive.

  Simply put, only a small microcosm of human food suited her palate. The rest either made her sick or tasted awful.

  Kira had found enough options never to go hungry, but she also didn’t go out of her way to eat.

  Furtive sounds from the window drew her attention.

  Jin rose into view as he used a plant to shield him from the sight of those below. His “eye” was focused on the garden.

  “What are you doing?” Kira asked, picking up her chai and moving toward him.

  The transparent barrier separating her room from the balcony swished out of the way, allowing her to step outside.

  She peered past the plant Jin was using as a hiding spot to find Devon and Joule p
racticing their sword play.

  “Gathering information,” Jin said grudgingly.

  AKA spying.

  Kira took a sip of her chai. “Is that where you were last night?”

  He’d disappeared after they’d returned from the races and she hadn’t seen him since.

  Jin’s answer was a grunt.

  Kira settled against the balcony, watching the two below with interest.

  “You’re wrong about Devon,” Jin suddenly burst out. “I’ve been studying him. I don’t see a resemblance. At all.”

  “Ah,” Kira hummed.

  So it was to be denial then.

  Not entirely unexpected. Kira had gone through a similar phase herself. With Jin, it would likely be more pronounced. He had always been way more stubborn than her.

  “We have nothing in common,” he argued, swinging his eye to face her.

  “What are you basing this on?” Kira asked, curious.

  “Looks.”

  Kira’s eyebrows climbed as she fought to hold in her laughter. “You remember what you look like?”

  “Not really, but I know it’s nothing like him.” Jin dipped in Devon’s direction.

  “Anything else?”

  “I’m also not nearly as annoying. Our mannerisms are nothing alike.”

  “I agree with that last part,” Kira muttered into her chai.

  “He’s an ass,” Jin said flatly.

  Kira smiled. “I’d argue you can be one too on occasion.”

  Jin sputtered as Kira poked him.

  “Also, he hasn’t displayed any ass-like qualities since the uhva na on Ta Sa’Riel,” Kira pointed out.

  “Only because you saved his life. I’m sure he’d still be an asshole otherwise.”

  Perhaps, but Kira thought it was more from how close he’d come to being kidnapped by the Tsavitee. Something like that tended to change a person’s outlook.

  Whatever the case, neither of them had spent enough time with Devon to make an accurate judgment on his personality one way or another.

  “There’s no way he’s my brother.”

  That had Kira looking over at him. “His eyes are the same as yours were.”

  Jin made a dismissive sound. “Eye color isn’t a deciding factor. Many people could have that eye color.”

  Kira gave up, knowing no amount of argument was going to solve this today. “You’re stubborn.”