The Unveiling (18 page)

"I promised you I'd find a cure Mom, and I did. I couldn't save you, but I've managed to save myself." Tavel turned away from the mirror and shuffled out of the bathroom. He'd grab a light bite to eat, take some vitamin supplements, and walk down to the lab.  Now that he'd fixed himself he'd moved on to much grander plans.  There was a crown to steal and a race of people to enslave.

Chapter Twenty

Rivka frowned as she glanced around at the landscape. Why was she back at this garden? She meandered along one of the trails, taking in the plants native to Tagett. The sounds of footsteps coming up behind her made her turn. A few feet away stood the woman from her dreams.

"Why am I here?"

"To learn of what's coming."

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "That is a mystery you will figure out when the time is right. For now, think of me as your guide."

Rivka bit back the words of protest that hung on the tip of her tongue. What she had to see was much more important.

"You and your young man must put aside your differences and come together to create a united front. When two become one." She clasped her hands together. "Their collective powers combine and increase. You'll need it to face what's coming."

"What's coming?"

"An abomination, the likes of nothing anyone has ever seen." The woman shuddered. "You can't prevent it. The window of time for that scenario has passed. So, instead you must prepare."

"Stars! Tavel's made something, hasn't he?"

A sad expression covered the woman's face, and she nodded. "Yes, but even he has yet to realize his grievous error. His misstep will cost us all."  The wind began to pick up around them. The earth beneath their feet shook.

"I must go!" What began as an aggressive breeze turned into a full out windstorm. The gusts pushed the two of them apart, and her hair whipped wildly, obscuring her sight. Tears welled in her eyes. She struggled to fight the thick mass of locks that found its way into her mouth and covered her eyes. Cold rain fell from the sky, with enough force to sting her skin. The drops became ice. She covered her head to avoid being pummeled.

Rivka's eyes shot open, and she placed a hand on her chest, relieved as she took in the sunlit room. She was back in her own time in her room. The familiar white walls had never been so beautiful.
Tavel.
The phone on the nightstand beside her rang. She reached over and answered.

"Hello?"

"Is everything all right? All of a sudden I felt very uneasy," Bastien said.

"No, we need to talk. I had another vision."

"You sound shaken. Are you okay?"

"I'm unharmed, but it was very intense. The message was clear."

"Hang on," he said. "R'Shar, take over for me. I have something important I need to see to immediately." His voice boomed on the other end of the phone. She hadn't seen him in military mode since she discovered he was her mate. It was sexy as hell. Moisture dampened her panties, and she rubbed her thighs together.
This is so not the time to get female morning wood.

"Sorry about that. I'll be out of here in the next five minutes, and meet you at your place."

"Okay."  They hung up, and she forced her body out of the comfortable warmth of her bed. Still groggy, she stumbled into the bathroom. She waved her hands and turned the shower on with her powers. Rivka shimmied out of her nightgown and undergarment, tossing them in the hamper in the corner, and stepped beneath the spray of water that had just hit the
sweet spot
between too hot and lukewarm.
Head tilted up to the spray, she let the water wash away the grime and the chill her dream left in its wake. If only she could solve the problem presented as easily.

Ten minutes later she was dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans, a warm oversized black sweater and a pair of black Converse. It was a good thing her schedule was clear, because she and Bastien had a lot to talk about. Today hearing his voice after the dream had felt better than it should've. Regardless of the friction between them, she trusted him. He was the General, the greatest military leader they'd had in eons. He'd lead them to the victory of two wars on their planet and become a symbol of hope and strength.

****

It took all of his self-control not to break every driving rule known to man. He'd been in the middle of a meeting when the blood drained from his face and a yawning pit of fear opened in his stomach. He'd never been as frightened as he had in that moment when he thought Rivka was in trouble. She’d answered her phone, and relief had flooded him at the sound of her voice. She was shaken, but safe.
I have to tell her.
The time for keeping things to himself was past. He winced. She was not going to like the fact that he'd held back … again. By the time he parked his car outside her condo he'd run through every feasible outcome, each worse than the one before. He adjusted the collar of his t-shirt beneath his uniform and cleared his throat.
Might as well go get it over with.
Opening the door he stepped out and walked to her door. He knocked, and she opened the door. Her face looked drawn and worried.

"Come on in."  He followed her inside the kitchen where she gestured for him to take a seat.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked.

"I'm fine."

"I'm going to pour myself a cup of tea. This morning you could feel how upset I was through our link, couldn't you?"

"Yes, but it was muted. Like a radio station that fades in and out, enough so you can guess the song playing, but can't hear any discernible lyrics." He shook his head. "I know you won't like this suggestion, but I think we need to complete our connection.  That paralyzing fear that had me wrapped up in its clutches earlier can't happen again. Not with everything that's going on and the important roles we play to our people—"

"I agree."

"Wait … what? Is this some sort of trap?"

"No." She held the warm mug between her palms, as if to ward off a chill. "The big bad that's coming is nasty. Distractions cause mistakes. I won't have that hanging over my head. The women in my dreams told me we needed to be united."

"You've dreamt of a woman?" he asked.

"Yes, a petite, brown-skinned woman with long dark hair and eyes that change with her moods."

"I've seen her." Rivka's eyes grew wide, and her mouth formed an O shape. "In my dreams I'm the male."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because I didn’t want you to worry. You said after The Calling I might be sensitive to the energy. I figured this was an after effect, maybe even my own subconscious trying to work things out. I never expected you to be having a similar experience."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You have anything else you've been keeping to yourself?"

"No."

"Tell me about these dreams."

"They're more like flashbacks than anything. I'm a man who fights for a living, and she's the woman I love. I'm not sure why we can't be together, but I know our relationship is a secret."

"It has something to do with her position."

"Do you know who she is?" he asked.

"No. I think they may be us in another life."

"A soul memory? I never thought of that. Do you think it's important to figure out who they are?"

"Later. Right now the woman has a message to deliver. Tavel has created something that will endanger us all."

His brother's worst fear was realized. They'd been too late to stop him. He closed his eyelids and massaged his temples with his fingers. "What did he make?"

"She couldn’t say. We were separated, and I woke up. I don't think we're allowed to know too much. It might change things."

"Would that be so bad? Haven't enough people suffered at the hands of this mad man?”

"Yes, but when has that ever mattered? Look at history, ours and that of the Earth. Evil men do terrible things. We can't do anything to stop that. What we can do is fight back and never stop until we've ended their reign of terror." Her eyes glowed with her conviction.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm furious we don't have him in custody already."

"It's okay, I understand." She took a sip of her tea. "If we make the connection it'll change everything."

"I know, but what choice do we have now? I've tried to respect your wishes, go at your pace, and follow your rules. That's no longer plausible."

"Doesn’t make it any less scary."

"What is the Star Maiden afraid of? You are a conduit for the power of the Stars. The energy that created us lives inside you."

"Yet, I still hurt just the same as anyone one else."

He reached across the table and took her hands in his.

"I can't change the past. I wish I could. I really do. The careless way I handled The Purge was unforgivable, and knowing I caused that sort of pain to the one person in the universe destined to be mine alone will always weigh heavily me. What I can do is promise you I will never do anything even remotely like that again." He peered into her glossy eyes. "Do you believe me?"

"Yes, I do." She sniffed.

"Good, I'm asking you to trust me, take this leap of faith. I'm just as scared as you, hell maybe more. I'm new to this and the emotions you evoke are anything but simple. You challenge me at every turn." He snickered. "I've done more new things in the months we've known each other than the entire five years I've been on Earth. It's time."

She nodded her head.

"Okay, let's do it." He paused. It wasn't like her to give in so easily. "Really?"

"Yes, you're right. It's time. Prolonging things isn't doing anyone any good.  It's time we face this thing head on. I'm grateful you gave me the time I needed to get to know the man you’ve become." She took a deep breath. "Let's go to my room and get things ready." Despite the circumstances his heart sang with joy. They were linking their life forces, powers, and minds. They rose, and she took his hand, leading him to her room. He sat down on the light blue, Duvet-covered, queen-sized bed, and tried his best not to squirm as she gathered incense, soul crystals, and diadems. She lit the cones of incense in circular, jeweled brass holders. The rich smell began to fill the air, relaxing his tense muscles.

"I've chosen purple stones to represent me and red to match your aura." She placed the stones on the floor. "Come sit beside me." He moved off the bed and lowered himself to the ground to sit cross-legged beside her. "The Diadems represent male and female energy for us. They look similar to a crown and tiara because as we make this bond we're declaring ourselves rulers of the other's heart."  She placed the feminine piece on the floor between them and picked up the one that resembled a crown. "I give you my heart for safe keeping. I bind my soul to yours for the entirety of this life. This is the vow of Rivka T'Shar." She leaned over to place the silver-colored piece of jewelry in his hair. A hum filled the air. Curling wisps of deep purple circled around her. The swirls moved from her toward him, winding around his body with a life of their own. Rivka sank back down onto her heels.

"Is this … your aura?"

"This is the very essence of who I am."  Awe filled him. Water welled in his eyes. Unable to form words worthy enough to be spoken he sat up on his knees, took the diadem in his hands, and carefully leaned over to place it on her head. "I give you my heart for safe keeping. I bind my soul to yours for the entirety of this life. This is the vow of Bastien D'Shar." His body began to tingle. A hum filled the air as energy gathered in the room. He watched with child-like wonder as swirls of red teased her hair and playfully circled her body. She giggled. The stones that sat between them began to pulse. What started as flickers soon morphed into a steady light that grew brighter and brighter.

"What does that mean?"

"It means we're a very powerful match." She reached out her hands, and he took them. They both gasped. Heat rushed to his body, and he trembled under the weight of the power that coursed through him. 
I feel like a live wire!
  Red and Purple formed a wall around them, weaved together, and blended to become a beautiful deep red that reminded him of wine. 

"This is it!" Rivka's breathy words brought his attention to her. The power filled her, and she glowed with golden light. She leaned her head back, and the world around them exploded in a brilliant display of color and emotions. Suddenly he was drowning in everything that was Rivka. From the trivial fact that her lucky number was forty-nine to her inner most thoughts, it was an immersion in another being perfectly suited to him. He basked in the warm sensation that took hold. It was like standing next to the sun without getting burned.
Beautiful.
Isn't it?
The words stunned him.

Rivka?

Better be.

He laughed out loud.

Oh, I like this very much.
He felt her smile in his head. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when they came back to reality. His body was stiff from lack of movement, and they both groaned as they stretched their legs out.
What does one say after something like that?