Fire's Touch (The Enlightened Species Book Three) (39 page)

Cherry lifted Anthony’s head to her lap and tipped his chin up, opening his throat. She bit into her wrist and gently placed the wound to his lips. Being anemic, she knew it might kill her, but a life without Anthony wouldn’t be worth living anyway.

She tried to explain to Eric what had happened. His confusion was obvious since he kept asking, “what’s this,” “what’s that” the entire time. It might have only been a few minutes, but it felt like forever before she finally heard footsteps racing toward them.
Please be the good guys,
she prayed.

A ginourmous male burst into the room. Blood dripped from a sword held high above his head. Cherry had never seen anyone who could fill a whole doorway before. She dropped the phone and cradled Anthony’s head protectively, a growl rumbling through her chest. That male would have to go through her.

A tiny female pushed past the bulking male fearlessly. “You’re scaring her, Sargon.” Long blonde hair hung in a ponytail down the girl’s back. She was short with glowing, emerald-colored eyes. “I’m Jess. Eric sent me. Will you let us help your mate?”

A female warrior? Cherry had never heard of such a thing. Mate? What’s a mate? People began crowding behind the tiny female. Even the giant didn’t challenge Jess. Cherry looked into Anthony’s face. His lips were turning blue and his skin had an odd reddish tinge to it.

She nodded. “Save him, please.” Blood loss had slurred her speech, but Jess understood her.

A male who looked al lot like Anthony slid in with an IV of blood already in his hand. He didn’t tell Cherry to back away, just gave her a warm, friendly smile. “My name is Jacob. I’m a medic but a healer is on the way. Okay if I start a blood transfusion on your male?” His eyes narrowed. “Maybe get you some blood too?”

All she cared about was Anthony … her male; she needed to be strong for him. Stifling her fears she extended her arm toward Jacob the medic. Lightening fast Jacob had both she and Anthony hooked to IV’s, a second bag hung from the artery in Anthony’s neck draining blood out as fast as it was going in. Cherry could see his color improving. “I won’t ever leave you, I promise.” She whispered in his ear.

Excerpts:
One Whisper

The Enlightened Species Book Four

Fuck me.
Oney groaned. A sound of whirling and beeps filtered into his muddled brain. Dimmed lights pierced through his closed eyelids with the force of a high beam spotlight.
Where the hell am I
? Part of the answer came with the scent of antiseptic and ammonia. A hospe?

The scent was diluted with another. Cherry. Not just her scent … the female herself. He forced his heavy lids open as his body registered the feel of her curled against his side, her head rested on his shoulder. He tried to wrap his arms around her only to feel cuffs anchoring his wrists to the bedrails.

They thought him a prisoner? Oney muffled his snort. Stupid dip-shits. This had to be a SOSC facility. How had he gotten here?

His eyes tracked over Cherry’s delicate frame looking for injuries. Her hand rested against the center of his chest as if she were monitoring his heartbeat. Someone had given her clothes. She wore a pastel purple halter and a cream-colored loose bohemian style full-length skirt. He’d never seen her hair unbraided. Now the brown silken strands fanned out loose across his arm. Her eyes closed in sleep, when open, were a magnificent apple green that faded to pear green around her pupil and sat large above high cheekbone peppered with freckles that spanned across the bridge of her slightly upturned nose. Below that tiny nose were the fullest, sweetest lips he’d ever tasted. Cherry had saved his life somehow.

Oney was the heir to his father Osiris’s evil empire. Frank, Osiris’s former lover and right hand man had taken issue with that. The last thing Oney remembered was the sneer on Franks face when the fuck-wad shot Oney with a dart full of Mercury Cyanide followed by the dagger Oney had flung that buried into the guy’s skull in response. Fates, he should be dead right now not full of tubes and hooked to a shit-load of wires.

Like an angel, Cherry’s eyes fluttered open and met his. She gasped and lifted to her elbow. The hand at his chest relocated to cup his cheek. “Anthony, you’re awake.” The whispery quality of her voice never failed to send a rush of blood to his nether-region.

“You’re beautiful, Chéri.” He responded with a rough voice. The slight blush of her cheeks made the statement all the more true. Though her given name of Cherry fit her, so did his term of endearment. Since she was illiterate he doubted she knew it was the French word for “love”. How long had he been unconscious?

The door opened and a tall Aquatie male with blue hair and an expression full of menace loomed in the doorway.

“’Bout fucking time.” The male stormed into the room and leaned over the bed until his nose was an inch from Oney’s. Way too close to Cherry.

“Greyton,” Cherry spoke with familiarity to the handsome sea sucker. “What are you doing?”

“This bastard must know where Dean is?” The harsh tone the male used in responding to Cherry didn’t sit well with Oney any more that the threat of violence in the guy’s eyes while he was in close proximity to her. Hell, the close proximity was enough to send a burst of adrenalin through Oney’s atrophied muscles.

Even weakened, the platinum/lead cuffs were no match for him. Oney yanked his wrist and the metal link between the cuffs snapped free. He gripped the Aquatie by his throat. “Get the fuck away from her.” He hissed through his erupted dentes into the guy’s startled face.

“Anthony, Greyton is a good guy. He was among the warriors who helped save you.” Cherry used her cupped hand on his cheek to turn his face until he met her gaze. Oney’s strength was no match for her touch. The female owned his ass. When the hell did that happen? “Be nice.”

Oney released his grip and Greyton backed off. At least the guy wasn’t stupid enough to push his luck. Careful to keep the cuff on his wrist from touching her cheek, he buried his hand into Cherry’s hair keeping an eye on the Aquatie in his peripheral vision and let himself drown in her gaze.

“Cheri everyone is an enemy until proven otherwise. No one will threaten you.” He kept his voice low and soothing, well aware the hearing of the Aquatie picked up every word.

Immortal Becoming

The Enlightened Species Book One

Jess jogged out to the parking lot, not surprised to see him leaning against her Jeep. He was taller than she had realized at about six foot three, with long, lean, well-defined muscles beneath his jeans and T-shirt. In the waning sunlight, his hair appeared darker, with auburn highlights. What captured her attention was the deep forest-green of his eyes, the color darkened the closer she came. A kaleidoscope of brown specks clustered in the center.

She studied him. He gave her a cocky grin. She was pretty sure he was reading every thought in her head, and yes, she thought he was even sexier up close, the bastard. It didn’t change the fact that he knew her name, what she drove, probably her weight and favorite color, all without her telling him, and she still didn’t even know his name.

“You can stop shielding me or whatever you are doing now,” she grumbled, knowing she should feel grateful for his help. Instead she felt uncomfortable with him having so much knowledge about her. She hated that he was aware of her weakness when it came to psychic overload.

“I haven’t been shielding you for awhile now.” He shrugged, following her around to the driver’s side of her car, holding out his hand for her keys. She blinked up at him.

“You are not driving my Jeep! Where do you think you are going with me anyway?” She tossed her bag into the back seat “What do you mean you aren’t shielding me? I would be in agony if you weren’t.” Turning to face him, she shot one question after another at him. A dam of curiosity burst through her. Pointing her finger at his chest, she interrogated him. “What did you do to make it better? Can you teach me how? Why did you call Jerika your protégé?” Hands on her hips, she had backed him several steps away from the door of the Jeep. “What is a protégé? Why are you watching her? How come the officers let you be there at all?” She hoped that last bit didn’t sound quite so jealous and petty to him as it did to her. Jerika was none of her business.

“Whoa, damn female. The deal was I shield your psyche, and you answer a few questions. What the hell?” Holding up both hands defensively, he was laughing at her again, a deep, sexy sound. Her first reaction was to purr and rub up against him like a cat. She felt the blush rising up her neck to redden her face.

“Sorry. Sorry, I know … I just, wow. Today was such a great day. I don’t hurt, at all. I can’t remember not being in some sort of psychic pain. At least … not since my mom. I guess I’m just excited.” She chewed her bottom lip, thinking. Was excited too forward a term? ”Could you at least tell me your name?”

“If I can drive?” He was grinning at her again.

She was so sick of being his private little joke, his arrogant attitude instantly spiraled her to pissed-off. Grateful to feel something empowering rather than the awkwardness he seemed to bring out of her, she pounced. “You seriously expect me to hand over my keys and get into the car with you? Without even knowing your name? Really?”

His grin only widened. “You, Beauty, can definitely take care of yourself. Don’t even pretend to be afraid of me. I’ve watched you kick ass all day.” There was admiration underlying the amusement in his gaze.

“Not being afraid of you does not mean being stupid. If you don’t want to tell me your name, then we can stand right here … safely and in front of a
police academy
. While you ask me whatever it is you seem to think you want to know.” Still irritated at him, she retraced the few steps back to the side of the Jeep. “Of course, if you really aren’t shielding me, then maybe the deal is off anyway.” Spinning her keys to make loud snapping sounds into her palm, she pretended to consider whether she should leave.

“I really was beginning to like being called Bleacher Boy.” He sighed. “My name is Shanley Einar. You and I both know that we are not going to be able to speak freely here.” He held his hand out for her keys again. “You already knew my name the same way I knew yours. Call me Shane.”

When he said his name, she realized she already knew it. She had known it from the minute he spoke to her. The keys slipped from her hand into his, and she pivoted to walk back around the Jeep, taking a seat on the passenger side. Shane stood at the open driver’s door, holding her hard-won keys. He stared at her a few moments, then climbed into the driver’s seat, adjusting it to fit his long legs.

“Where to?” he asked, starting the motor.

Shadow Revealed

The Enlightened Species Book Two

“You will return to me.”
It had been so long since Zakel had pushed against her mind that Umbrae hadn't realized how lax she'd become in guarding against him. He was close, very close. That thought didn't terrify her; if anything she felt anticipation. Irsu had never explained why the warriors didn't kill him the day they rescued her. She'd punched a wall when she'd told Umbrae he'd escaped. Not wanting to incite her friend further, she'd never pushed for more information.

She saw Irsu walking from the direction of a house. Her friend’s lack of smile and intensity was telling. “Zakel is near.” She spoke before her friend had the chance.

Irsu gave her a subtle nod. “We have been observing him since he arrived in Mesa a few days ago. Someone tipped him off to your arrival. He sits in the bluff behind me just outside the weave.”

“Watching for me?” Umbrae verified.

“We believe so.” Irsu confirmed. “He is watching us now.”

Umbrae noticed Hans tense beside her. They'd each been given bios on each other before they were partnered together. Hans had never asked her a single question or mentioned what he'd read in hers, a courtesy she had returned. His reaction verified he knew of her blood slave past.

“Tell me the Survivors Ball invitation was your way of bringing me in on this hunt.” The rage creeping up on her made her voice lower.

“Oh, the invitation is real, and you are going to the ball.” Irsu’s eyes never wavered. “That was in the works long before Zakel reared his evil head. The Oracles declared you a member of the hunting party this morning. You will get to face him, and if I have my way, you will get to kill him.”

“The Oracles?” Umbrae had met a few. They were mysterious by calling. The idea of Oracle influence gave her more pause then Zakel. “Why?”

Irsu grinned for the first time. “Why do they do anything? We're needed in Greenland; there are others who will be joining in.”

Enlil
. The name floated through her mind, and her stomach clenched at the thought. It had to be him. So often she'd wanted to seek him out and tell him of Etana, especially when she started hearing his name whispered amongst the warriors at the end of her training. She'd never found the courage, nor did she ask anyone about him. Enlil was the love of Umbrae's life, though she had yet to meet him.