Kierra's Thread (Argadian Heart Trilogy Book 2) (4 page)

Jarek stood in the doorway to the laboratory and watched
Kierra as she sat, staring in fixed concentration at the screen of the microreader.
He saw the numbers flash by in rapid succession and studied Kierra as she
scanned the screen as they flew past. Periodically she would make notes on the
small electronic notekeeper setting on the counter before her.

If no one disturbed her, she would sit there all night. He
knew she’d done it before. Her caramel colored hair was intricately wound in a
braid draped down the center of her back. He had the urge to free it from
confinement.

The loose white coat she wore shielded her from him and he
wanted to remove it as well, knowing what lush, soft curves lay beneath. His
hands spasmed with the desire to touch her, yet knew if he did so it wouldn’t
bring her the pleasure he wanted her to experience, but the pain of memory.

Unbidden, Jarek’s thoughts reached for her and he saw her
tense. He moved from the doorway and walked toward her, increasing the
intensity of vibration of his thoughts.

He felt Kierra connect with him and smiled at the sense of
colors and numbers flooding the corridors of her mind. She sifted through data,
throwing bits this way and that in an attempt to align the equation she sought.

At the moment, her memories were at rest behind locked
doors. He didn’t relish informing her about the dinner with Devon, but also
knew she had to face her brother at some point. At least Jarek was physically
here to help her through it.

She swiveled around and her face lit up with a smile when
she saw him approach.

Mylonna, but she’s lovely.
He shuttered his thoughts
quickly.

His gaze locked with hers and he felt her desire to touch
and be touched. But he saw the shadow approach and swerved away before even the
thought could cause her pain.

He shifted his gaze to the microreader. “What are you
working on, now that the antidote has been perfected?”

Her hesitation whispered through him, her thoughts touching
his, retreating back to the equation she worked on. He breathed a sigh of
relief at a moment of pain averted.

“Earlier I spoke with Eluria, and I’ve agreed to take on a
little project for her.”

“You spoke with Eluria? Did she mention dinner?”

Kierra sighed. “Yes. She also told me that Devon wasn’t
trained with bonded servants. You all met, didn’t you? To discuss me.”

Jerek felt the swirl of unrest in her mind. A gathering
storm. “It wasn’t to hurt you. We want to find a way to make this easier. He is
your brother.”

Switching the microreader off, she sat and stared at the
blank screen. He knew the appearance of calm acceptance was a facade—he felt
the turbulence roiling inside her.

“You all treat me as a child. Someone unable to act and care
for myself. The first sight of him took me unaware. All right, it shouldn’t
have, but it did. I was handling it.”

“Handling it? Not from what I felt.”

Kierra turned and pinned him with a glittering splinter of
anger. “I didn’t call for you to come rescue me. You took that upon yourself. I
would have been fine.”

“Your mother called me, concerned,” he bit back. “I could do
no other than go to you. You know that.”

A shudder of defeat glanced across her face. “Why, Jarek?”
she whispered. “How are we bound? We’re from different cultures, different
planets. I don’t want you tied to me like this. Yet you are always there to
offer protection.”

How he ached to touch her physically, to soothe the pain he
felt racing through her. “It is not for us to question Guardian. I would want
no other.”

“I am damaged, Jarek. Possibly beyond help. How many years
has it been? And still you can’t touch me. Even after all this time. No matter
how hard I try to overcome it—no matter that I try to convince myself it is
Before. I can’t alter my body’s responses.”

Her dark emotions swirled around him. Jarek leaned toward
her, as close as he dared, without touching her. “I am patient. I will wait. What
we have is enough.” Her female scent filled his senses and his khout hardened
with desire. The need to seal with her knifed through him, to know her
completely, to be taken by her and to take her.

He shifted his mind from the physical throb and reached with
his thoughts instead. And in this way they touched and intertwined.

The tenor of her breathing changed. He knew she sensed him.
“Jarek.” He felt his name, rather than heard it.

Na nivia
, we are one in all ways that matter for
now.” He spoke to her thoughts, felt her yield to him. “What I wouldn’t give to
take you to sanctuary right now.” Jarek was in her mind and the dark shadow
clouds began to dissipate, replaced by passion bursts curling around them. He
felt the stroke of the wisps against his thoughts, seductive sensations.

He pulled away before her sensual radiance shimmered for all
to see, determined not to cause her embarrassment here in the laboratory. If
they’d been alone, he most certainly would have taken her to his sanctuary.

Kierra slid from the stool as he stepped away. “You give too
much, Jarek. And yet, you hide as well. What lays behind those locked doors you
won’t share with me?”

She saw so much, yet he could never share what he kept
locked away. To do so might destroy any feeling she had for him and he couldn’t
take the chance. She tried to be so strong, but what lay hidden in his mind
must stay that way.

He turned away from her. “Come, your family awaits.”

“One day, Jarek Bakari, you won’t be able to hide. I’ll find
the right key. You can’t protect me forever, you know.”

He stepped back to allow her to precede him from the
laboratory. He prayed to Guardian that never happened. That he could protect
her as he had always tried to do.

*         
*          *

Smoothing a hand down the shimmering blue overskirt, Kierra
attempted to remove wrinkles that didn’t exist. Nerves consumed her, and those
she could not dislodge. She would not fail this time. Devon was her brother and
she loved him. The white hair could not continue to act as a barricade to her
showing him that. Devon had no control in becoming an Enforcer and the Tribunal
had taken Devon’s memories from him. But the Enforcer was gone and her brother,
Devon, was back.

Eluria would not give her love to someone untrustworthy.
From what Eluria had told her, Devon could have killed her and he hadn’t. He
wasn’t like Odon’s Enforcers. If only Kierra could believe that. She wanted to
believe it.

When she didn’t insert her identity card into the slot,
Jarek reached around and used his own. “They’re waiting, Kierra.”

She licked her lips. “I know. I’m ready.”

She waited as Jarek removed his card and the door to her
mother’s apartments slid open. Inhaling deeply, she stepped inside.

Her mother was the first to greet her. “Kierra, I’m glad you
came.”

Her mother glanced swiftly at Jarek, who stood behind her.
Irritation rose up at that look.

“I’m fine, Mother. Of course I would come. Why wouldn’t I?”
Symion, why did they keep doing this?

Feeling the heat of a gaze, Kierra turned toward the dining area,
preparing herself for the confrontation she knew awaited. Irresistibly she was
drawn first to his white hair and she forcibly strangled the memories it
invoked. Her gaze dropped and connected with his turquoise eyes instead, and
the years fell away, as the bittersweet memories materialized.

It was her brother’s eyes staring back at her, colors
swirling with love and understanding, fringed with pain and regret. The Devon
who had teased her as only a brother could. The one who’d stolen her sweetcakes
when their mother wasn’t looking, tickled her until she called truce. The
brother who’d protected her from the bullies who tried to steal her musicorder,
the one who had a passion for old science fiction Earth movies. And the one
she’d introduced Eluria to, knowing he’d never knowingly hurt her. Tears
flooded her eyes at the knowledge of so much that had been lost.

“Devon, I’m so sorry.” She wanted to hug him and assure him.
She saw him start to move toward her and instinctively she stepped back.

He halted and she saw pain darken his eyes. She wrapped her
arms about her midriff and sank to the lounger.

“Give her a moment.” She heard Jarek tell them as he sank to
his knees in front of her, close, but not touching, shielding her from them.

In seconds he was there in her thoughts.

He touched her mind, sought to calm the deluge of memories.
His soothing, warm colors wrapped around her, like a soft, warm blanket,
insulating her thoughts.

Offering his assurance. Kierra took a shuddering breath and
stood again. “I’m sorry. For a moment the memories of our youth overwhelmed
me.” Again, she looked at Devon—each time it was easier to see past the facade
of the Enforcer to the man within—her brother. “I’m sure they’ve told you my
problem.”

Devon nodded. “Yes. I forgot for a moment. It’s been a long
time, Kierra. It’s good to see you.” Eluria moved up beside him and linked her
arm with his.

Kierra’s gaze settled on her. “I wouldn’t be here if it
weren’t for Eluria.”

Devon looked down at Eluria and covered her hand with his
own. “None of us would be.”

Kierra saw a shadow of pain cross Eluria’s face. “None of
you would have the pain if it weren’t for me. None of you would have suffered
if it hadn’t been for me—for the power my father coveted. Taeryl wouldn’t be
dead.”

“Enough, Eluria,” Gavrielle interjected forcefully. “My
husband would not have wanted you to carry the weight of this guilt. He admired
you for your strength. You are not responsible for your father’s actions. You
have suffered through the years as well.”

Kierra knew Eluria felt responsible for Devon having been
made an Enforcer. Her father, Commander Clorial Zydon, had sought to bargain
her purity with Union to the son of Commander Odon. He had added Devon’s name
at the last minute for induction as an Enforcer in an attempt to thwart any
relationship between Devon and Eluria.

Eluria had discovered his plan and left to become a Twilight
Companion, paid for sexual companionship, thereby destroying her value as a
pure Maigen to her father. From that point on, Eluria had vowed to return Devon
to his family.

Their own father, Taeryl, had become involved in the
rebellion after Devon had been taken, and was assassinated by an Enforcer.
Gavrielle escaped with Alekos, their brother, but Kierra was arrested and
placed into bondage.

Without Eluria’s determination they probably all would have
perished, yet they were together, here in this room, thanks to her.

Kierra took a step forward. “We will win this battle. Look
what we’ve already accomplished. Discovering the antidote to the Nanus process
will make the difference. It’s already brought Devon back to us. Without you,
Eluria, none of this would have been possible.”

“I have done little,” Eluria denied. “You are part of the
team that created the miracle of the antidote. How is Daelyn Kapri responding,
by the way? Do there seem to be any adverse side effects?”

“None that we’ve encountered so far. She seems to be
responding well. We’ve been able to control the flood of emotions as they
returned. Dr. Xander has been helping her with the memories. I don’t believe
it’s caused her as much pain as you say Devon experienced.”

“We won’t need that many Enforcers to gain access to the
Nanus facility,” Jarek said. “We’ve managed to tap into the Nanus computer system
and have downloaded the list of Enforcers. Devon has agreed to go through the
list to identify the strongest prospects to focus on first. As an Elite, he
also has a good sense of which sectors they work in.”

“Enough talk of the rebellion,” Gavrielle stepped forward,
hands raised. “We are a family reunited, we must celebrate and be thankful to
Guardian for bringing us together once again.”

“You are right, Mother,” Kierra turned back to Devon. “And I
am most thankful you’ve been returned to us, Devon. And that you and Eluria
have found each other again.” She looked at Eluria and a little of the old
Kierra couldn’t help but break free as good memories took over. “Didn’t I tell
you that I thought you and Devon were made for each other?”

Eluria laughed. “Not exactly. As I recall, what you said was
that Devon and I deserved each other. And I don’t remember you were in a
particularly complimentary mood at the time.”

For the first time in years, Kierra laughed with a warmth
rooted in true happiness and something within her changed. It was the laughter
born of good memories, of shared camaraderie, of innocent youth. “You had just
put a huge snag in my very expensive, brand new gold overdress trying to
impress him, as I recall. I hadn’t even had a chance to wear it yet.”

Gavrielle shooed them all into the dining room. The warm
energy in the room surrounded Kierra, just as Jarek’s soothing colors often
did. It was a healing, long needed and long overdue, and Kierra felt it spread
through her. She looked around at the people present and felt an overwhelming
thankfulness that they were together.

As they sat at the oval glass table, another emotion surged
within Kierra. It came from the power of healing. She looked at Jarek and
tentatively reached out. He met her gaze, but didn’t move. She felt his
stillness. His hand lay on the table, and she knew it would be warm, pulsing
with life. She’d felt so cold for so long without the touch of another.

Being here with her family gave her a sense of courage and
renewal she’d thought lost to her. Tentatively, she lowered her hand, felt the
heat surge through her. A silent waiting lingered in the room, an expectancy.
And then she lowered her hand and touched him.