Warrior from the Shadowland (15 page)

Ty
dry swallowed them both and then gave him a small smile.  “Thank you.”  She whispered.

“You’ll
be alright.”  He ruffled her hair, big brother style.  “You want anything
else?”

Ty
glanced at Gion out of the corner of her eye.

Sullivan
smirked.  “You got it.”  He got to his feet and headed back out of the cell,
again.  “Sorry, Dracula.  The lady wants you gone.”

“Are
you this solicitous to
all
your prisoners’ requests?  I had no idea
police work was so much like bell-hopping.”  Gion flashed Sullivan a sneer, but
most of his considerable focus was still centered on Ty.

She
wasn’t looking at him.  She wasn’t looking at anyone.  She put her face against
her knees again and did her best to vanish entirely.

Sullivan
stalked closer to Gion.  “This is my station, asshole.  And nobody scares
little girls in my station.  I don’t care if you’re her boyfriend, her lawyer,
or the president.  You’re out that door in two seconds or I’ll lock you up,
too, and you can see firsthand how solicitous I fucking am.”

Tharsis
half expected Gion to throw down with the cop.  Air Phases weren’t known for
their level heads.  Another warrior challenging them was usually enough to
start a war.  And the scar on Sullivan cheek marked him as a warrior, human or
not.  Certainly, exposing themselves to the humans wasn’t a concern to the Air
House, the way it was for other most Phases.  The Air House was populated by
egomaniacal idiots who didn’t care who knew about them.  Quite simply, there
wasn’t much stopping Gion from blasting Sullivan into the ionosphere.  So, Thar
was actually pretty surprised when Gion relented.

“I’m
leaving.”  Gion took a step towards the door.  Then, he hesitated and turned
back to Ty.  “Your Highness?”  He called, in an unreadable tone.  “I know why
you’re here.”

“Your
Highness?”  Sullivan repeated, skeptically.  “Who?  Her?”  He frowned at Ty. 
“You?”

Ty
ignored that, her attention on Gion.  Turquoise eyes slowly rose to his
viciously refined features.  She stared at him, warily.

“There
are factions of this universe who will do far worse things than I could ever
dream of in order to find the Quintessence.”  Gion told her, his face an
implacable mask.  “Phases and other creatures who will track you down, if they
think you have it.  And when they find you, they will shred you open, to get
whatever it is you know.  Then, they’ll steal it for themselves and step over
your carcass as they leave.”  His voice was utterly calm.  “If you search for
the Quintessence, all you’ll find is death.”

Sullivan
pinched the bridge of his nose.  “God, you geeks are like your own little role
playing game.”

“What
the hell are you saying this for, Gion?”  Tharsis snapped, because it sort of
sounded like a warning and that made no frigging sense.  Gion wouldn’t warn
someone if they were slowly backing towards a bottomless pit.  In fact, he’d
probably push them in himself, just for the fun of hearing them scream on the
way down.

Gion
disregarded his question.  He held Ty’s gaze for a moment and then shook his
head. It almost seemed like the Air Phase was frustrated by Ty’s lack of
response.  Tharsis realized that Ty hadn’t said a single word to the guy the
entire time he’d been in the jail.  In fact, Tharsis wasn’t sure that Ty had
ever
spoken Gion, directly.  Whenever he came around, she just watched him like he
was an infiltrating fog out to smother her.  The more Gion pushed, the quieter
Ty became in a never ending cycle of snide remarks and silent stares.

Tharsis
frowned, considering that.  There were a lot of things he didn’t understand
about Gion.  For instance, why the Air Phase never came after Ty in the Water
Kingdom.  Most Phases needed permission to travel into other Kingdoms, but Gion
was powerful enough to bypass the barriers.  He had to be.  It never made sense
to Tharsis that Gion didn’t help Parald get to Ty by jumping into her bedroom
one night.

“Are
going to report Ty’s problem to Parald?”  Tharsis asked baldly as Gion turned
to go.

Ty
cringed, hunching in on herself.

Gions’
pale blue eyes swung around to impale Tharsis with icy distain.

“Who’s
Parald?”  Sullivan demanded.

Everyone
ignored him.

Tharsis
arched a challenging brow, not backing down from Gion’s frigid expression.  “Well? 
Will you tell him about Ty’s panic attack?  I mean, there’s no reason for you to
lie, right?  He’s your boss and we’re his enemies.”

“Your
question is meaningless.”  Gion headed for the door.  “Elementals don’t
have
panic attacks.”  The words were unequivocal.  He swept out again, the edge of
his cape swirling around the tops of his boots.

Huh. 
Tharsis’s gaze flicked from the doorway back over to Ty’s small form, his eyes
narrowing in thought.  Well, wasn’t that interesting.

"And how can
there be a fifth element," asked Apollonius, "alongside

water, air, earth,
and fire?"  "There is the ether," replied the other man,

"which we must
regard as the stuff of which the gods are made.”

Philostratus-
“The Life of Apollonius of Tyana”

What
started as a quick kiss burst into an inferno.  Cross’s hand found her hip and
pulled her forward, so she slammed against his body.  “Open your mouth, Nia. 
Do it, now.”  He commanded, just like he had the first time.

And,
once again, Nia was absolutely willing to follow instructions.  She gave a
small gasp as Cross’s lips slanted across hers.  His hand came up to fist in
her hair, holding her in place as his kiss ravaged her.  Cross may have been
withdrawn in everything else, but once Phazing was triggered, he just
dominated.

Nia
decided she didn’t mind, at all.

“You’re
so beautiful, baby.  God, it’s like a miracle.”  He moved and Nia found herself
flattened up against a building.  She dazedly noticed that Cross had maneuvered
them into an alleyway.  They might have been invisible, again.  Nia was too far
gone to know or care.

Cross
gripped one of her legs and lifted her so she was cradling his hip.  She was
wearing a gauzy, water colored skirt, so he had no problems pulling it aside. 
He stared down at her panties for a beat and then left them in place.  His
erection pressed up against her, hard enough to intensify the burn that his
kiss had started.

“Cross.” 
Nia instinctively moved against him and bit her lip at the sensation.

“Good
girl.”  He lifted higher, sandwiching her between himself and the wall.  “Slide
down a little bit.  See how that feels.”

Nia
whimpered at the sensation of his pants brushing against the silk of her
underwear.  She wanted all the fabric gone.

Now.

“That’s
it, baby.  I have an idea.”  Cross lifted her, again.  His free hand slipped
inside waistband of her panties so he could find the very core of her. 
Callused fingers rasped across delicate flesh and her head fell back in
rapture.  “Yes or no, Nia?”

“Yes.” 
She could feel the Phazing energy swirling tighter around them, pushing higher
than she’d ever been in her life.  “Yes, that’s a
fantastic
idea.” 
Thank God, he was coming to his senses.  All Nia’s instructions about not
getting naked in public were gone as she reached for Cross’s shirt, wanting to
see him.  “Yes, yes, yes…  No!”  She rocked against his palm, when she felt him
stop.  “Don’t tease me, you sadist.”  She whacked his shoulder.

Cross’
mouth curved, but there was a desperate edge to it.  “I thought you’d like
this.  Be a good girl and we‘ll negotiate.  Don’t touch me, okay?  Just let me
touch you.”

Nia
blinked.  “What?  Why?”

“Because,
I said so.  Don’t I always stop touching you when you ask?”

She
struggled to process what he was saying as his knuckles brushed against her
heated center.  He was up to something and it wasn’t with the portion of his
anatomy that interested her right now.  His fingers moved again, distracting
her.  “Damn it, right
there
.”  She shifted, trying to bring him back to
the spot.  “You’re cheating again.”

“Are
you going to be good or not?”  He challenged, not giving in.  His eyes glowed
with a frenzied light.

“Yes. 
Fine.  I’ll be good and I won’t touch you.  Just touch
me
, already.”

 “I
will.  God, you’re soft.  It’s killing me.  How could anyone be this soft?” 
She was so wet that he had no trouble slipping two fingers inside of her. 
“That’s it, nice and deep.  Shhh.”  He leaned forward to sooth her as she made
a small, anxious sound of submission.  “Shh.  It’s alright, baby.  Don’t be
scared.  We can stop anytime you want.”

Nia’s
palm came up to grasp the rough texture of the wall behind her, trying to find
leverage.  She’d waited for her Phase-Match, because she’d known that he’d
come.  Even after the Fall, she’d known.  Now, he was here, though and she
wasn’t sure what to do.  She’d never felt a man inside of her before.  The stretched,
full feeling of his fingers overwhelmed her for a beat, making Nia’s eyes go
wide.  Almost instantly, she relaxed, again.  Her head rested against his
shoulder, surrendering to the sensation.  This wasn’t just a man.  This wasn’t
just her Match.  This was
Cross
.  “No, don’t stop.”

Cross
kissed her again and the energy all but glowed around them.  He quickly jerked
back like her lips burned him.  “No.  Too much.”  He glanced back down at his
fingers penetrating her, separating her, like he just couldn’t resist
watching.  “That’s a good girl.”  He groaned softly as she moved.  “Let me all
the way in.”  His voice was vibrating with Shadows and it sent an additional
shudder of pleasure through her.  Cross sounded so menacing, except he was
cradling her like she was made of porcelain.  He held her open and vulnerable,
but Nia was safe from everything.  “How’s that feel, baby?”

“Wonderful.” 
She could barely get the word out.  She arched against him as he stroked deep
inside of her.

It
was wonderful.  He was wonderful.

If
he screwed up their Match with his insecurities about Phazing, she’d kill him.

“Say
my name, again.”  He ordered, tautly.  “Tell me what you want, Nia.”

“Move
your hand. 
Cross
.”  The word broke as he began to slide his fingers in
and out, faster and faster.  “Cross, please.  Yes.”

The
energy built, crackling around her.  It felt so, so good that Nia could only
let it wash over her.   Stronger and stronger… Oh, God.

And
then Cross stopped, again.

Nia’s
eyes flashed open.  “You really do have a death wish, don’t you?”  She panted.

“Give
me a second, baby.”  He swallowed, looking strained.  “If I keep it controlled,
I can make you happy and we won’t have to do the whole Phazing.  I can make you
come without triggering the energy and we’ll be okay.”

Nia
gaped at him.

Was
he
nuts?

 He
couldn’t possibly think that would work.  She could’ve cried as the big dummy
completely killed the mood.

Even
if she found relief this way --and okay, she totally
could
, because he
was super good with his hands-- it still wouldn’t be enough.  And it sure
wasn’t doing
him
any favors.  She could feel the power it took for him
to resist Phazing.  It wasn’t natural.  It was draining him.  Phazing had to be
mutual.  And they certainly couldn’t avoid sex forever, so the whole idea was
ridiculous, anyway.

Cross’
body, combined with even the restrained weight of his power, was driving Nia
crazy in a real good way.  But, he was holding back.  It wasn’t
right
if
he held back.  She could sense the energy he was shielding her from and it was
a constant distraction.  Like the hum of a florescent light fixture.

Why
didn’t he just trust her?  How could he not see that they were a Match?  Nia
had to fight the urge to just shove the obstinate jerk to the ground, strip off
his clothes, and make him understand the truth.

“Cross,
stop.”

He
halted, the air sawing in and out of his lungs.  “Stop touching?”  He
verified.  His voice was even more Shadowed, now.  So dark that Nia felt her
breasts tighten in response.  She actually had to close her eyes for a second.

“Stop
touching.”  She whispered, miserably.

Damn.

He
instantly released her, his hand sliding free.  There was something so erotic
about even that.  One word from her and he had the strength to pull back even
that close to the brink of Phazing.  How many men could do something that hard?
 She could see how aroused he was, how much he wanted her.  It was
astonishing.  Cross wasn’t dangerous.  Not to her.  He was the safest place in
the universe.

Nia
swiftly stepped away from the wall before things got hot, again.  She needed to
make a point about something, but she’d forgotten what.  “Thank you.”  She
straightened her skirt, keeping her palm on his wrist, so the headache wouldn’t
hit him, again.  “Sorry.  That one was my fault.”

Cross
didn’t respond to that.  His attention was fixed on her mouth.

“Right.” 
Nia licked her bottom lip, feeling damp and terribly unfulfilled.  “Where was
I?”

“I
felt you after the Fall.”  Cross prompted, still not raising his eyes to hers. 
“Knew you were my Match.”

He’d
actually been listening to her and he remembered what she’d said?  Nia’s heart
melted.  “Right.”  She repeated, still out of breath, but recalling her
argument.  “So, if you felt me, if you knew even then that I was your Match,
don’t you think there’s a
reason
Gaia chose me to be with you?  I’ve
never heard of Phase-Matches who couldn’t sustain each other’s energy.  We’re
supposed to be together.  It’s destiny.  So, then there’s no reason to worry
that the Shadows will hurt me.”  It all made perfect sense to her, but Cross
obviously wasn’t convinced.

His
only response was to lift the hand that had just nearly brought her to the
universe’s most shattering climax ever and casually pop his index and middle
fingers into his mouth, sucking the taste of her right off of them.

Nia’s
eyes narrowed.  “Wiseass.”  She shoved past him and stalked back out onto the
street.  “After I thought it was so sweet that you were listening, too.”  She
complained, expecting him be following along after her.  “I’m pouring my heart
out…”

And
right then, Nia remembered that she had to keep touching him.  She spun around,
just in time to see Cross clutch his head in silent agony.  “Cross!  Damn it.” 
Nia sprinted back to him, grabbing his forearm.  “If you need to touch me, then
just do it!  Don’t suffer when I can fix it so easily.”

“You
said no touching.”  He reminded her, looking baffled even through the blood
tearing out of his eyes.  “You said stop.”

He
stared down at her and Nia realized that her Match really was insane.  “So, you
interpreted that as me wanting you tortured?!”  She shouted.  “You know what
kind of touching I
meant!
 I swear to Gaia, if this is some kind of
crazy masochistic, suicide plot, I will follow you into oblivion and I will
kick your ass!”

He
cringed slightly at her volume.  “Baby, calm down.  The headaches won’t kill
me.  You’re right.  I shouldn’t have been touching you like that in the first
place.”  He tried to shift his arm out from under her palm.

Nia
wondered if it was possible to strangle someone with just the force of her mind. 
Cross would rather double over in pain, separated by his precious two feet of
air, than just accept that Nia was his Match and that she wanted to help him.

What
the hell kind of life had he had led that he thought so little of himself? 
That he thought she’d punish him by refusing his touch and leave him suffering
with headaches so bad blood poured out of his eyes?

“Cross,”
She struggled to keep her voice reasonable, even as she wouldn’t let him break
contact with her skin.  “I appreciate that you stop touching me whenever I
ask.  I know that if I say “no,” you’ll respect that.”

 “Always.” 
He agreed with a quiet intensity.  He stopped trying to dislodge her hand.

“But,
you understand the difference between me getting overwhelmed or frustrated and
asking you to stop making love to me or something, versus me not wanting to
touch you,
at all
, right?”

Cross
frowned.  “What?”

He
wasn’t getting it.  Nia tightened her hold on his arm and decided to make
things simpler.  “Cross, you are my Match.”

She
felt his muscles jump under his skin and realized that she now knew two things
that Cross liked to hear:  His name and that she accepted their Phase-Match.

Nia
pressed onward.  “Matches care for each other, right?  That’s what I keep
trying to tell you.  Don’t you care for me?”

His
mercury gaze met hers and something shifted behind his eyes.  Something so big
that it swamped Nia’s senses.  Whatever Cross felt for her, it was already more
than the connection of ordinary Matches.  It was like a huge living thing
inside of him.

He
could love her.

She
was sure of it. 

She
just had to be persistent.

Nia
swallowed.  “I’ll take that as a yes.”  She cleared her throat.  “So, you
understand that I don’t want you hurt.  It hurts
me
when you hurt.  So,
from now on, I don’t care if I’m in a freaking Council meeting, after you and I
have just had the biggest fight in the world and I screamed that I never want
to see you, again… If you get a headache, you
still
come find me and
touch me?  Got it?  Headaches trump no touching rules.”

He
just watched her.

“Got
it?”  She repeated, forcefully.

Cross
gave a grudging nod.  “I can usually control them.”  He said at length.  “When
I touch you and then suddenly
stop
touching you, it’s like the Shadows
get agitated.  Like they think you’ll leave, and the pressure gets worse.”