Reclaiming Mystique Page 11

  “You mean, besides the fact she’s still clothed?” Koneru said.

  Castor broke into laughter. “You know, my gray-skinned friend, I think Dark World was good for you.” Castor ribbed the Rovi, and the two continued to make fun of him while they monitored the control panels.

  Jace sank down in a nearby chair, aware he’d made a bigger fool of himself by not being honest. Hel, a male would have to be a eunuch not to feel the sensuality Naria wore like a perfume.

  The feel of her against him that morning… Sheer bliss. He wondered about her shyness. An act or her real feelings? I wish I knew.

  He gave her a few more minutes before heading back to his room to fetch her. He found her sitting on his bed, frowning over a book on Dark World mythology. She snapped it shut the moment he entered and cleared her expression.

  Like clockwork, his heart raced, and he spent a moment trying to calm down.

  She had cleaned up very well, was all he could think. She’d been beautiful before, but now she shone. Her pale white skin glowed like honeyed cream, soft and rich. Her dark hair lay long and straight behind her small ears. She studied him cautiously, the purple depths of her eyes teeming with untapped sensuality. He could feel it calling out to him.

  As he stared, she shifted her gaze to the floor, her cheeks flushed, the sense of her unease easy to read on the physical and psychic planes.

  He continued to peruse her, liking the way the tan trousers Dare had left behind on the ship fitted her long legs and trim curves. The green shirt billowed over her, exposing a shoulder when she shifted. The small curve of one breast teased him before she hunched her shoulders and tugged the shirt back so that it met her throat, gaping at the behind her.

  “Sorry,” Jace said, unable to change the husky quality of his voice. “That’s the best I can do unless you’d rather swim in one of my shirts.”

  “No, this is fine,” she said as the shirt shifted again.

  Don’t think about her shirt. Think about anything but her delectable breasts. “How about we get you some food, and you can fill us in on how you ended up on Dark World? We didn’t get too much of a chance to talk in that cell.”

  “O-okay.”

  He waited for her to precede him into the corridor. Naria walked before him and Jace was conscious of how perfectly she complemented him. Her build fit into his nicely, the top of her head just even with his chin, her thin waist easily spanned by his hands.

  They walked to the galley, and she sighed. “That smells good.”

  They entered to see that Castor had prepared a bowl of porridge for her, as well as a group of fruits from Pith. “Please, Naria.” Castor motioned to the food. “Help yourself.”

  Koneru entered the galley and sat by Castor, glancing from Jace to Naria with an amusement Jace could all but see, despite the Rovi’s expressionless features.

  Naria smiled a bit self-consciously but was apparently too hungry to mind their stares. Jace watched with a frown. She seemed hungry enough. He made small talk with Castor and Koneru about ship repairs while she ate. When she finished, he turned to her with an expectant look.

  “Yes?”

  “Maybe you can tell us how you came to be on Dark World and what you learned about that place.”

  Before she could answer, Nesham entered the room out of breath, Carinna on his heels. “Come quickly. Mikhel’s awake, and he’s out of his mind.”

  Jace and the others raced to Mikhel’s room, only to find him standing outside the med-unit wearing a crazed expression on his face, clad in a brief loincloth.

  Jace approached him slowly, until Mikhel’s eyes blazed a neon blue and he growled. Jace had no intention of instigating a Fenturi’s rage. Instead, he focused his mind on Mikhel’s and found a host of collaged images running through his mind, the foremost being of pain and suffering.

  In a low voice, he warned, “All of you, back away. I can handle this.”

  Naria wormed her way to his side. “I may be able to help,” she said quietly, reminding Jace of her formidable display of mind power on Dark World.

  “Fine, but for now just stay quiet.” The others left while he focused on easing Mikhel’s pain.

  Except Nesham and Carinna hadn’t left fast enough.

  Mikhel spotted the Dark Worlder and exploded in a rage. “Demons,” he roared and leapt toward Carinna, his hands extended into claws, his teeth grown into sharp points as he readied for the kill.

  Nesham blocked him. It took all of his and Jace’s strength to pull Mikhel away while Carinna fled the room.

  “Relax, Mikhel,” Naria said in a soothing voice.

  At her words, Mikhel turned to her and tried to jerk free of the grip Jace and Nesham had on him. At least some portion of the Fenturi’s sanity remained, because he didn’t try to harm them, merely struggled to free himself from their grasp.

  “Naria, go,” Jace ordered.

  But she continued to advance.

  Mikhel stilled, his gaze unblinking on Naria. She reached out to touch his forehead, but Jace intercepted her.

  “No, I’ll handle this.” His crew, his responsibility. Mikhel stood perfectly still while Jace thrust Naria at Nesham. Jace felt her astonishment as he sent Mikhel a warm shower of mental healing, the golden mist of his powers curing the broken bits of Mikhel’s mind.

  Mikhel’s eyes shuttered closed, and he breathed deeply, his body slumping and sliding down the wall as Jace caught him. So, one victory for today. Now time to figure out Naria’s game.

  Naria felt Nesham’s surprise as they watched Jace seem to heal Mikhel. Though the Fenturi couldn’t see the beauty of Jace’s power on the psychic plane as Naria could, he clearly knew something had occurred. Naria had a ton of questions but remained silent while Jace gently lifted Mikhel and placed him back in the med unit.

  Nesham took her away to join the others in the galley, a room large enough to house everyone, she imagined. They waited until Jace arrived before speaking.

  Jace shot Nesham a firm look, which Naria interpreted to mean say nothing about what he had just done. Jace then glanced at Naria with a grim expression. “I think it’s time now to discuss your story. In detail this time.”

  Naria felt exposed. Even Carinna waited with the others, now held in place by Nesham’s large hand on her shoulder. Her sister glared at him, but he shrugged down at her without concern. For a fraction of a moment, Naria swore she saw something joining the pair. A connection that superceded the physical.

  Carinna seemed annoyed with him, but she moved closer to his frame, and Naria stifled a snort of amusement. Trust her sister to find romance among pirates and danger. When Jace’s eyes narrowed on her, she hastened to focus.

  Oddly enough, except for Jace’s misgivings, Naria realized she was having the time of her life. These Offworlders treated each other with compassion and affection. No one had yet to try to kill or one-up the other. Though Jace kept some secrets from his crew, he obviously cared for their well being.

  “Well, Naria?” Jace crossed strong forearms and stared at her with his unfathomable black eyes. She swore she saw a prism of colors glitter back at her before returning to pure black.

  Oh boy. Time to act for all she was worth. “I’m a librarian.” The truth, because up until her departure from Dark World, she’d been just that, though technically a student.

  “You told me that already.” Jace waited.

  “Right. Well, I had decided to take a pleasure trip.”

  “A pleasure trip?” Castor looked her over.

  Jace scowl at him before he turned back to face her. “I thought you said you were planning on visiting libraries in the Motherworlds.”

  “Oh, right. Well, that’s pleasurable to me.”

  Carinna rolled her eyes.

  “Continue,” Jace said, sounding as if he didn’t believe her.

  “Like I said, I had decided to take a pleasure trip to explore more of the System I have not yet seen, which includes libraries,” she emphasized. “We
had just rounded Pith when we took a hit to our ship. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I woke up to find myself alone in a cold, dark prison cell. I saw no one but Lord Demise until you, Jace.” She noted subtle approval in her sister’s eyes and tried to look earnestly at Jace.

  “And?” Jace added. “What else?”

  “But that’s it. Lord Demise kept talking about how frustrating I was due to my mental capabilities, I suppose. My family has a rare ability to shield our thoughts and, well, to heal those in need. Most of my family are in the medicinal field.” She liked adding that touch, as she’d always wanted to help people.

  Koneru and Castor looked interested. Nesham she couldn’t read, but Jace seemed skeptical. She couldn’t understand why he didn’t believe her. Had Naria not known the truth, she’d have believed herself.

  “Tell me again where you’re from.”

  “I’m originally from Seven.” Since many of her texts came from that planet, it seemed safest to stick with what she knew. “Like I said, I’d planned on visiting some of the Motherworlds and maybe a far Nearworld or two. I’ve never really been anywhere but my home planet. And Dark World, of course.”

  Jace looked to Castor, who shrugged. Koneru stared at her with bright white eyes and a face that gave nothing away. Then he surprised her when he said, “Why not? Sounds like it could be true.”

  “It is.”

  “I believe her,” Carinna said in a light voice.

  Nesham glared at her sister. “Of course you do.”

  Naria wondered where she’d gone wrong. She thought her story sounded real enough. Why did Jace have to be so suspicious? They’d escaped Dark World. He should have been happy just to be alive.

  “Are you going to throw me off of your ship since you don’t believe me?” she asked him, annoyed she wasn’t a better liar. “Come now, Jace. Do you really believe I staged the whole scene in Dark World? That I intentionally suffered abuse? For what reason? To get your attention?”

  “She has a point,” Carinna tried to add, but Nesham shushed her.

  “We’ll take you as far as Rovi,” was all Jace would say on the matter. “But—you’re to remain secured to your room unless one of us accompanies you. Know I’ll be watching you,” he warned.

  “All too well,” Castor muttered, to which Jace said something she didn’t hear but caused Castor and Koneru, and even Nesham, some amusement.

  “What now?” she asked as the room cleared out when Castor and Koneru left.

  Jace glanced at Nesham and nodded at her.

  “Now you two are stuck with me.” Nesham shrugged and grabbed another bowl of food.

  “Wonderful.” At least he seemed to believe her.

  “Behave,” Jace ordered before leaving with the others.

  Naria spent the rest of the day pestering Nesham with questions about the ship. He relented to give her and her sister a brief tour but steered them clear of the control room. His gaze often sought her sister, who couldn’t seem to stop staring at him either.

  Perhaps Carinna was ready to move on from the disappointing demon who’d first awakened her to lust. Though the look in Carinna’s eyes suggested something far deeper than physical attraction. If only she could get a private word with her sister. But Nesham stuck to the both of them like their own giant shadow.

  She asked him more questions about anything and everything, curious about his answers and how long he might tolerate her inquisitive nature.

  Not long, as it happened.

  Finally at his limit, Nesham took Naria to Jace’s quarters—which led to her own, she was only too aware. “You’re a librarian. Read,” he said and shoved her gently inside, locking the door behind him.

  She had a passing thought for Nesham’s intentions with Carinna, but considering Carinna’s fascination with the male, and her sister’s own defensive resources, she knew Carinna could hold her own.

  She had a stronger way of dealing with the enemy than Naria, at least. Healing one’s opponent wasn’t nearly as effective as seducing him into doing one’s bidding. Naria sighed… and stopped in her tracks.

  Standing in Jace’s quarters, she noticed a multitude of books and maps about the System all around her. Her heart sped at the number of texts available to her. In Dark World, all of her knowledge had come from Dark World explorations and a few Nearworld books. But Jace’s collection looked to contain several Motherworld volumes as well.

  Intent on learning about Rovi, the planet she would soon be visiting, she grabbed a book. She read about the large Motherworld, known for its precious ores and incredibly strong gray-skinned natives. The planet and a select few of its people tended to be wealthy due to the ore deposits and the System’s reliance on the planet to outfit its Legionnaires with ships and weapons. It was said that a Rovi could fix anything. Now she understood why they planned to take the SpaceStalker there for repairs.

  She closed the book and studied Jace’s desk. He had a few marked notes about Mystique. She didn’t think she’d ever heard of that planet. Perhaps it existed outside of the System? After all, from what she knew, there had only been three original Motherworlds where there were now five. A thousand years ago, after the Ragil Horde has invaded the System and the Outworlds, Bylar and Lynar, two brothers, left their fading planets to recolonize two planets close enough to join the existing System of planets Ocaia and Nexios. Lynar had been founded. Bylar had overtaken planet Fentra and called it Bylar. Rovi joined the System years later.

  “No, not Bylar,” she reminded herself. “It’s now FenBy, for Fentry and Bylar.” Something to remember, considering she was a System librarian. If only. She sighed.

  As fascinating as she found the history and creation of the System, she longed to study the System itself as a whole. The Bylarans had emerged as a fighting force to be reckoned with and, long ago, they had sent out their soldiers, the Legionnaires, to patrol the System. Soon the Legionnaires became recognized as System law. Even under the new FenBy king, the Motherworld council continued to police the System with its Legionnaires.

  With the unrest on FenBy now at ease, the rest of the Motherworlds kept to themselves. The Lynarans were quiet, theirs a lush planet that fulfilled its own needs. The Rovi people created and fixed military vessels and spacecraft for the System. Ocaia remained a rarely visited planet, feared for its monstrous water storms and odd water dwellers. Nexios, though, interested Naria very much.

  That planet was devoted to scientific pursuits. She had read in her history books that the Nexians were quite small but with large heads, possessing the largest brains in the System. Unfortunately, living in Dark World had precluded her from seeing firsthand many technological advancements. Already onboard this ship she’d been astounded by the things they could do.

  The lavs had solar baths, no water used for cleaning at all. The galley had a food processor and preparer. No matter what she wanted, as long as the ship had in store the basic ingredients, the computer would prepare it.

  Nexios would be an astounding place to visit. She blushed at her next thought. Vembi was the only Nearworld planet she had any interest in visiting. Vembi catered to pleasures of the flesh and all manner of vices one could hope not to have. Since being with Jace, she thought a lot about touching and kissing him.

  Did the crew have similar thoughts about females? They seemed a lusty, healthy bunch, and she knew enough about male demons to know they always thought about sex. Remembering Jace’s burning black eyes, she figured he might have similar needs. Though she tried to ignore it, her blood heated at thoughts of satisfying his cravings. And her own.

  She forced herself to put thoughts of sex and Jace out of her mind. Instead she recalled her sister’s odd behavior with the Fenturi, Nesham. Was she mistaken, or did Carinna feel something for the taciturn man? She returned to staring at the book on the System’s planets, her thoughts on the strange turns life took.

  -9-

  Nesham stared at the petite redhead glaring at him. He couldn’t under
stand why he felt so compelled to be near her all the time. He knew now that she was in fact a Dark Worlder, a demon, she’d told him. But he just couldn’t equate the beauty before him with the evil darkness he’d suffered in Dark World.

  His eyes trailed over her voluptuous body, a nice surprise considering her small stature. He sighed as he felt his body harden uncomfortably. She’d been having this effect on him all day. Having Fenturi blood, Nesham naturally delighted in sexual release. Yet since his brother’s death, he hadn’t felt the same pleasures losing himself in a woman’s body.

  Carinna, however, had brought his body back to new life by just existing. Her dark eyes beckoned him to stare into the black pools, as if to learn all of her secrets. And her mouth, stars, he groaned inwardly. Nedham, his brother, would have created the most poetic words about her mouth.

  As he thought of Nedham, the familiar pain that so often followed thoughts of his loss didn’t feel as sharp. Nesham stared intently at Carinna, wondering if she was the reason he no longer felt so saddened at his brother’s passing.

  After his twin’s death, Nesham had been inconsolable. Only after a few months had he been somewhat comforted by Jace, of all people. And then he’d made friends with Mikhel, a lost Fenturi like himself. Mikhel helped fill that void left by his brother. Nothing would ever be the same of course, but Mikhel and Jace definitely helped.

  Now this little red haired temptress who glared at him so darkly made his pulse race and his body harden with need. He watched her blandly, careful to seem unaffected by her.

  “Are you ready to rest now?” he asked.

  “I don’t see why you have to follow me everywhere,” she said impatiently, her luscious mouth compressed into a tight line. “I just want some time by myself.”

  “Well fine.” He smiled and she blinked. “You can have it right now, in your room for the night. And I’ll be checking on you periodically, so no ghost walking or whatever you call it.”