Rebel's Consort - Phoenix Book 1 (15 page)

“One morning, they brought me a young boy. They wanted everything: kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs. Heart. I pulled Lanyon out of a meeting. I couldn’t kill the child. It was one thing to take an organ and leave them alive. Hindered, but alive. That’s how I justified it to myself, Analena.”

So soft and quiet, his words reflected the depth of his agony. She pressed her lips to his tight knuckles and held her breath.

“Lanyon pulled the case and gave me another. He agreed it would be my last surgery.”

She blinked furiously, holding back her own emotions. The image of him dedicated and trapped, without hope against the soulless individuals catering to the Regents, sat like stones on her chest.

“I really don’t know what I expected. They arrested me, took me to the camp under guard, and ushered me into the morgue filled with the bodies of children. Sasha was there. Kristen was, too.” His voice broke. “They took my baby’s heart. When I refused, they used her instead. She was only six fucking years old.” His harsh swallow sounded like distant thunder.

“Sasha’s hands were bruised and bloodied. She’d put up a fight before they’d killed her. I’ve always hoped she never saw what they had done.” The words, so quiet and guttural, sounded like another language.

Not able to stop the leaking tears, Analena tightened her hold around him and rubbed her face against his chest, at a loss for any way to take away his pain. “I’m so sorry, Trace.”

Minutes passed before his hands cupped her cheeks and he brushed the tears. “It’s been over nine years. A long time. Another lifetime.”

“How did you get free?”

He closed his eyes again. “The execution cells are near the perimeter of the camp. Some disturbance caused the security to falter. A number of us broke free. We all headed different directions. Some were rounded up, but I found a break in the grid to Down Below. Several followed with me. The squads searched for weeks for us.”

“And you survived.”

“Mostly. I wanted to die more times than I can count.” He shook his head. “Sleep was worse than reality. I couldn’t remember Sasha’s face, but my daughter—I can see her with my eyes open.” He’d been staring into space, then he suddenly focused on her. “I’d almost given up when my Angel started to torment my dreams.”

His hands trailed to her shoulders and down along her back. “She didn’t give me a night’s rest. In all these long years, she’s teased me, frustrated me, provided distraction,—kept me going.”

“Trace, I’m not—”

He rolled her over and pressed her down with his hard body. “I’d wake up with her taste on my tongue.” He licked along her neck and scraped his teeth over one spot until she groaned.

“Loneliness has a way of working at you.”

He palmed her breast and brushed a kiss over the scar on her shoulder. “I never saw her face, only parts of her body.”

“A whole other woman,” she whispered, shaking her head, but the Roman numeral for twenty on his bicep showed through her fingers’ grip. Her palm skated across scarred flesh. She didn’t need confirmation of his execution designation. He’d been as close to perishing as the children. What did it matter if he confused her with his dream? They were here now. He’d chosen her, right?

“Every inch was you.” He licked across the scar over her right breast and then stopped, evidently seeing something in her expression.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. The truth is, the real you, your drive, the choices you’ve made, your passion to help those you care about is a hundred times more enticing than the woman in my dreams. You can’t imagine what you do to me.”

“I’m glad she saved you, Trace.” She tried to hold him closer, pulling on his shoulders, wanting to comfort the sad quiet in his eyes.

He held her firm, his attention no longer playful and gentle, but focused as he bent to her nipple and roused her with his lips and teeth. “There won’t be any pity moves. I don’t want your body unless you want me desperately, always. Life’s too short.”

She gasped as he bit down, the sharp sting sending a tremor of need through her body. His fingers moved lower, stroking, and teasing without mercy until her gasps couldn’t keep up with her need for air.

Perched on the edge, as he’d promised, she swallowed the desire to beg him, waiting until his body shifted hot and firm between her thighs. No words or warning preceded his quick thrust. Instinctively, her legs clutched him as her climax built at his silent command. And still, he kept her on the brink, his fingers rolling her nipples, his mouth tasting at her lips, his cock teasing inside her.

“Trace, please.” At the slight tilt of his mouth, she realized he’d been waiting for her to beg, the onerous man. She didn’t care as long as he moved and didn’t stop. Nothing filled her mind and senses but him—no fear, no plans, no threat, only his flesh against hers as he drove her higher.

“That’s my Analena.” He withdrew and then thundered back into her, catching her scream with his mouth. His tongue and his cock worked her until she swirled in sensations that began and ended with Trace.

Three hours later, stiff with pleasant aches, Analena slid out of bed, trying not to wake him. His lethargy saved her from one more round of delicious sex. Not that she’d complain, too much. But she had things to do, and the man was determined to extract every ounce of energy she had to give. She needed a little left over for other things.

The sheet dropped from her body as his arm snaked around her thighs. She held her breath as he kissed the crease between her thigh and buttocks, then rested his face against her ass cheek, as if he’d fallen asleep there.

Not fooled, she threaded her fingers through his thick hair. “What are you doing?”

He rubbed his bristles lightly against her flesh with a chuckle. “Making sure it’s not a dream, Angel.”

***

“I can test your DNA and see how it reacts. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t talk to Analena first, or that it’s an acceptable risk.”

“But if it works, then I can be normal.”

Analena had paused at the tunnel entrance at the first comment. She remained out of their field of vision to listen for Trace’s response. Perhaps an unfair test, but it would be awkward to step in now.

“What exactly would normal feel like for you, Hena?” he asked.

“I’d—want to be like other girls.” She flashed a hand down her prosthetic leg. “No one would see this.”

Trace rolled his lips for a second, “My daughter would be close to your age. I’m going to tell you what I would have told her. Nobody that is worth your time is going to reject you because of your leg.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“It’s very easy for me to say. I find each of you to be gifted and special. But I’m guessing this discussion is really about boys, men, and growing up. I can tell you, as a male member of the species, that the loss of a body part wouldn’t stop me from caring about or loving someone.”

He had the wherewithal to look uncomfortable, but Analena had to give him credit; he didn’t back down. “Just so we’re clear here, Hena. I get wanting to be attractive to someone you’re interested in. But honestly, love and having a physical relationship with another person is about sharing who you are and seeing beyond their outside layers. The outside stuff isn’t anything you can count on. It changes with time. The inside—respect, courage, generosity, how someone treats you—those things are the keepers.”

Hena looked doubtful.

“That doesn’t mean I won’t do everything I can to help you. We’ll run some tests. It wouldn’t hurt for you to give this some thought before you talk to Analena. A whole new leg is a huge decision, entailing days of recovery, undermined issues, and risk.”

The teenager nodded and left. Analena couldn’t quite tell if she’d absorbed Trace’s point or not. Everyone had to learn things their own way.

“That was quite the speech.”

Trace gave her a sideways glance and shrugged. “She’s a sweet, lovely girl.”

“It’s hard to be sixteen and feel imperfect.”

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap, shifting to let her feel his arousal against her hip.

She wiggled, uncomfortable with the public intimacy and his obvious feelings.

His embrace tightened, letting her know his touch was no accident, and that he sought her acquiescence. She gave in with a cross between a laugh and a sigh.

“Imperfection isn’t something any of you need to worry about.” He brushed her hair from her neck to give him better access for a kiss. “If she looked around, she’d realize that Aaron is waiting for her notice him.”

She groaned. “Matchmaking now?”

“No. She’s too young, and he knows that. But hopefully, she won’t discount him for too long.”

“You sound like her father. Have you ever considered having more children?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, a too easy quip to his early question of the same. Regret surged into her chest as his arm stiffened around her waist. His fingers pressed to her lips, and he didn’t let her turn when she would have apologized. He just held her tight as his cheek met hers.

“I never wanted that pain again.” His lips touched at the lobe of her ear as his breath stirred against her skin. “But I would give
you
a child, Analena. If that was what you desired, I’d do everything in my power to have a baby with
you
.”

Chapter 14

A flash of light from the virtual screen against the rock wall registered from the corner of Trace’s eye. Dormant since Radar’s last message and the delivery of the AG, the message unit now pulsed, phrases repeating in large neon letters.

Radar: Onyx?

Radar: Piper?

Confirm

Radar: Your location—compromised—presence detected—estimated time 20 minutes

A brief image of armed soldiers crossing the grasses below the satellites wavered on the screen.

Trace whipped around to Aaron. “Round up the kids. They take only what they can wear or carry.” Grabbing his duffel, Trace jammed his notes and tools in outside pockets.

Aaron hadn’t moved. “We can’t leave here.”

“Like hell you can’t. Consider this a very serious drill if you have to because we’re out of here in fourteen. Now get those kids moving.” He squatted before the device and typed into the keypad.

Backdoor or front?

Radar: Front— estimated time 19 minutes —4 squads—crusher—have identified demolition weapons

Rushing to the table with his supplies, he activated every compression sequence he could reach. The metallic segments of the surgical unit flipped, swiveled, and folded in on itself, condensing into a unit the size of a two-by-two-inch box. “Where’s Analena?”

Trace shot a glance around at the scurrying kids, searching for the thick black braid. One more second, and he’d go find her. He slammed lids on test samples and stuffed everything into his duffel and other bags.

“What are you doing?” Analena’s sharp tone rang from behind him.

He turned in time to catch the flash of shock on her face followed by a quick mask of her emotions as she took in his duffel. He jerked his head toward the message. There was no time to assuage her doubts. “Your security’s been breached. The kids are packing. You have another place scoped out?”

Instant recognition dawned. She spun on her heel, directed Bits to get her backpack, hurried several other children along, and then disappeared through the doorway to her room. One minute, and she was back with a bag strapped to her back. With military precision, she began forming the children into pairs.

“How do we keep them from following?” Trace asked.

She nodded to Aaron. “He has the codes for charges we’ve already set.”

“Good, you go. It’ll take me an extra few minutes to pack up the research. I’ll follow with him.”

He could see his own desperate need to say more mirrored in the frustration on her face, but she turned to Aaron. “I’ll leave a boat. Don’t wait too long or let them get you. We’ll be at the caves by the shore.”

She glanced back at him.

Trace shook his head. “Go. We’ll be behind you. Just keep going and don’t stop.”

Aaron grabbed the straps of one of Trace’s bags and slung it over his shoulder with his own. “I’ve got to check the charges. Take the far left tunnel. Get to the bottom and keep going. Thirty feet, take the sharp right turn. You’ll hear the water.”

“Got it. I’ll be right behind you.” Trace glanced back at the timer counting down on the message screen. Seventeen minutes. “Aaron. If I’m not there by nine, blow it.”

“Trace—”

“Do it.”

Trace didn’t bother to watch him leave. Instead, he ran through the back rooms ensuring nothing was left. He paused in the tunnel. Only the Entity remained.

Cursing under his breath, he stuck his hand in.

We’re leaving.

Others come.

Bad people. We can’t stay. If you can leave, you should do so.

You are the female’s champion?

Champion? What an antiquated perspective. Then again, he dreamed of angels.

You choose to commit as the female’s champion?

Yes.
He’d do anything for her.

Forever?

Yes.
She was the only thing that stood between him and hell.

Then, you will be our champion as well.

The crystals of the bowl shifted, hexagons multiplying and rising, curving and closing. The crystals circled the fluid Entity, designing a sphere. Trace held his breath as the crystal finished its circle, sealed in the Entity and shrank to one third of its original size.

Trace placed the segment of intelligent metal that he’d bought from Rasmond on the sphere. The hard bit liquefied, spreading to coat the crystal ball. Two thin whips of the metal secured themselves around the structure as handles.

Seizing the ball, he ran to the main cave and snatched his duffel. Twelve minutes.

A small sound echoed behind him. He whipped around, his laser out and ready. Bits was crouched at the far end of the room, partly hidden behind a chair.