Absolution (Delroi Prophecy Book 4) (3 page)

“It’s
gazzi
. Wine native to my world.”

“It’s good.” She paused. “My
question?”

He took a drink before answering. “The
closest translation of
der’lan
is
mate of my heart.”

She was unaccustomed to being
surprised, but his answer really threw her for a loop. She’d expected some kind
of claim--prisoner maybe. His
my der’lan
had sounded plenty possessive, but this was obviously something much more.

“What does that have to do with me?
You never saw me before today.”

“My people have the ability to bond
with a woman. When they find the one that is theirs.”

Bond? Theirs? She didn’t like the
sound of that.

“And how does one determine who this
mate is?” she asked, making sure her voice dripped ice.

It did not have the desired effect.
His eyes heated as they swept over her and she responded. Her nipples hardened
and a nervous fluttering started in her stomach. The reaction was so sudden she
checked her shields to make sure he wasn’t trying to influence her. She didn’t
find anything, but she’d seen inside his mind and knew it was a talent he’d
perfected. If he tried it on her she wasn’t sure she’d even know.

“I thought we agreed no bullshit?”

“We did. You think I’m trying to compel
you? Because your body is responding to me and you can’t find a rational
explanation for it?”

 
She didn’t answer. She focused on controlling
her reaction and maintaining a calm demeanor.

“I will never try to coerce you, Anna
Leigh. That isn’t what’s happening between us. We know when we meet our
der’lan
because of this connection. What
we feel when we meet.”

“What do you feel?” she asked, almost
afraid to hear the answer.

He shrugged one shoulder. “Desire.
Possessiveness. The urge to…dominate and control.”

His voice dropped as he spoke, the deep,
rough timbre enflaming her libido. Xan represented a major threat to her
control.

“It’s your turn to answer some
questions.”

Quid pro quo. Here she felt on firmer
ground. “Ask.”

“Who are you? Why don’t they trust
you?”

“Anna Leigh Gray. Telepath. Government
agent.” She smiled. “Not much to tell really.”

His eyes turned cold and hard. “This
won’t work if you lie to me.”

“Technically,” she said. “None of that
was a lie.”

“Is there anything about you that’s
real?”

She sighed. “I stopped asking that
question years ago, Xan.”

“I’m doing the asking,” he said
softly. And his eyes made it clear he wasn’t giving up.

“There is an organization so secret
most people haven’t even heard rumors of it. It began as an intelligence agency
for the Alliance and became the power behind the government. It was made up of
people with mental talents, mostly telepaths and telekinetics.
 
We called it The Tel Group.”

“You were a part of this group?”

She nodded.

“I don’t hear anything dishonorable
yet.”

“We had a policy of recruiting people
when they were children. Some of them didn’t come eagerly. All in the name of
the cause, of course. Protecting the Alliance. To do that we had to keep
replenishing the numbers because the enemy had telepaths and telekinetics too.
Some people escaped us, managed to survive to adulthood and hide. We hunted
them. We assassinated for political and economic gain, too. Started wars
between other countries when it suited our needs.

“And we had detractors in our own
ranks. It wasn’t until my son was killed at the order of one of my fellow
committee members that my eyes were truly opened.
 
My daughter, Zola, took over her brother’s
activities. Thankfully, she was much better at hiding her trail. I stayed where
I was, covered for her when I could, and she never knew.”

Zola wouldn’t have believed Anna Leigh
had made such a turn around. Now she believed, as her children had, that Tel
needed to be dragged into the light day and held accountable for its crimes.
Politically that wasn’t a viable option so Anna Leigh would settle for
destroying the beast.

“Unfortunately, a year ago Zola got
too close to one of our members. He had her imprisoned and tortured.”

Xan growled. “Where is this man?”

“Dead.”

“You?”

“Of course. My daughter thinks I’m the
enemy, Xan, and that’s fine. I can probably help her better if that’s what
everyone believes. But there are six Tel agents on Delroi. They’ve been ordered
to kill Zola and the two women who were rescued with her.

“Zola had a way to funnel information
to Britt Anderson when she was still an intelligence officer here on Earth. I
began to utilize it when Zola was taken, and when an opportunity arose I gave
Britt the information she needed to get the women out and kill most of the
committee members.”

She couldn’t believe she’d told him so
much or how easy it had been to do it. It had been years since she’d had
someone to confide in. It felt good and that made her suspicions rise again.

“How does this bond work?” she asked, apprehensive
even though she found no evidence of such a thing in her mind.

He gave her a lazy smile that made her
toes curl. “I’m looking forward to showing you.”

Bad idea. She wanted to take him up on
it, just to feel the pleasure those eyes promised her.
Very
bad idea.

“That wasn’t an answer,” she said.

“There’s a prayer. Once I say it the
bond will form.”

“Impossible.”

“Would you like me to show you?”

His tone was light and teasing but his
eyes were dead serious. Maybe there was something to this prayer business after
all, even if it defied science. Either way she couldn’t risk it. She shook her
head.

“No thanks.”

He leaned forward, lifted his hand and
brushed the tips of his fingers down the side of her face.

“You don’t have much choice, love. The
connection between our minds is forming, without even using the prayer. It
started the moment we met. Then you entered my mind. Your soul knows mine
whether you’re ready to admit it or not.”

His statement, his certainty, stunned
her for about half a second. Then she panicked, desperately searching for signs
of a bond. She didn’t find anything and her heart settled to its normal beat,
though she acknowledged the danger gazing back at her.

“What do you want from me?”

“For now, a meal and conversation,” he
said and stood. He took her hands and pulled her to her feet. They were too
close. She could feel the warmth of his body, inhale his masculine scent. She
should move away but couldn’t find the will. “We should get to know each other.
Would you like to see the ship?”

She definitely wanted to see the ship,
but she needed something else first. She nodded. “Yes, but after I see the
video Britt spoke of.”

“Of course.”

She ignored a pang of regret when he released
her hands and walked to the large screen on one wall. What the hell was wrong
with her? He pressed buttons and it lit up. She moved closer and saw a touch
screen keyboard and menu of options. They were in Delroi so she couldn’t read
it but she guessed as Xan typed in his query. A moment later the video filled
the screen. She held her breath as she watched Zola and Parker walk into the
middle of a firefight. Nothing came close to touching them however as Zola used
her considerable power to deflect all projectiles and laser fire. She’d never
seen anything like it. Would have denied it was possible if she hadn’t seen it
with her own eyes. The battle lasted only moments, but she had Xan replay it
twice more before the fear receded and she convinced herself Zola was okay.

“The rumors are true,” he said softly.

“What?” She was confused. What rumor
could have anything to do with her daughter?

“We have a prophecy on Delroi that the
goddess will return with the arrival of three women from another world who
represent all her aspects: warrior, healer, and artist. There has been much
speculation since Earthling women started immigrating to Delroi.”

First bonding now prophecy? For such a
scientifically advanced species they seemed pretty damned superstitious.

“And you think Zola is one of those
women?”

He replayed the video. “Have you ever
seen anything like that before?”

She shook her head.

“Which one is she?” he asked.

“The redhead.”

“Telekinetic,” he said. “And a very strong
one. I’d say she’s safe until our arrival. I doubt Roarr will allow them to
leave the Keep.”

She knew her disbelief bled from her
mind because he cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

“You honestly think anyone could stop
her if she decided to leave?”

He glanced back at the still on the
screen. “Perhaps I should warn them. If the belief is widespread she is one of
the goddess’s vessels if isn’t safe for her to leave the safety of the Keep,”
he mused. “At least I should let them know we’re coming. You could probably
speak to her.”

“No.” She made her voice cold and
reserved even though she was desperate to hear her daughter’s voice. “That’ll
just make her more determined. I’m going to have a hard enough time getting her
to see me. Besides, don’t you have a clan to put back together?”

He’d turned to her as she spoke, moved
close enough to share the same air. He lifted his hand and gently palmed her
nape, his thumb moving lazily over her racing pulse. “
We
have a clan to put back together,” he corrected her.

He seemed so certain, so sure they
would be together for the long haul. She didn’t know whether to be excited or
terrified. It had been years since she’d allowed herself to dream of being free
of Tel. Of having a life of her own. Sharing it. And she wasn’t free to chase
that dream yet. His eyes narrowed and she realized he’d read her thoughts.

“You may not have the freedom you
yearn for,” he said in a hard tone. “But you are not alone.”

How long would that last? He was here
now, sure and determined, but he knew nothing about her. Didn’t know the kind
of person she was or had been.

“You have no faith, Anna Leigh,” he
whispered. “No hope.”

She swallowed hard, unable to deny the
accusation.

“You will,” he promised.

Then he kissed her. It was nothing
like what she’d expected from such a tough, hardened warrior. His lips brushed
over hers. Feather soft. Tender. His tongue stroked over the seam of her mouth,
begging entry and she opened for him, expecting the kiss to heat up. She wanted
it to, craved the passion she sensed lurking just under the surface. It didn’t.
One hand stroked up and down her back. Slow. Leisurely. His other rested high
on her side, so close to her breast she felt a surge of anticipation.

“I
don’t want to rush, sweetheart,”
he whispered in her
mind.
“I want to take my time. I want to
be intoxicated with pleasure when I take you. I want you to feel how important
you are to me. How good we are going to be together.”

His words should have been a splash of
cold water. Instead they settled in her heart, warmed her from the inside out. He
couldn’t lie to her with his mind stroking against hers. Still, he hadn’t seen
the worst parts of her. The secrets in her past even she didn’t want to face.

“Show
me,”
he demanded.
“Show me what is so terrible
I’d reject this.”

She didn’t want to. She owed him that
much, before he got any more involved, but she couldn’t do it.

“It’s
not that easy. Can’t we just enjoy this moment?”

This incredible moment. He deepened
the kiss, his mouth firm against hers, his tongue stroking over hers. He slid
one hand up to rest on her shoulder, thumb brushing over her pulse. It
fluttered in response to his possessive hold. He pressed her against the wall
and leaned into her. He was big, hard, intimidating. And so damned hot. She
took lovers when she felt the urge but it had been so long since anyone made
her feel this mad rush of desire. He broke away with no warning, one hand
gentle on her collarbone while the other gripped her hip.

“No more lovers, Anna Leigh. Only me,”
he insisted.

Well, shit. Her thoughts should not be
slipping through her shields without her knowledge. When she checked she didn’t
find any breaks or gaps, however, and he couldn’t have entered her mind without
her feeling it, could he?

“How are you reading my thoughts
without me feeling your presence?”

He shook his head. “You’re letting
some thoughts slip out.”

Was she? She hadn’t been that careless
since her youth. It was him, she decided. Something about Xan made her guard
slip. She’d have to be more diligent.