Ultimate Passage: New Beginnings: Box Set ( Books 1-4) (29 page)

M
arissa stepped around Finn
, put a hand on Finn to stop him, and turned to face Saraz, who was still transforming. “Saraz, please.”

She had been paralyzed from the moment he appeared. Paralyzed not only with fear for her baby, but also for Finn. Scared too, that Saraz would render her legs useless.

“How is my baby?” Saraz smiled, the emotion not reaching his cold eyes.

Beside her, Finn sucked in air. “What the curses does that mean?” Oh, yeah, he was pissed.

Saraz raised a mocking eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak.

She pointed at Saraz. “You. Stop. And turn back now. Become like you were.” She paused, softened her tone, and put her other hand on Saraz’s arm. “Please? And let’s talk peacefully.”

Finn crossed his arms, glaring at Saraz, then aimed a confused, hurt look at her. “Why does it sound like you and he...” He dropped his hands by his sides, clenching and unclenching.

We don’t, didn’t, and never will.
She wanted to scream it out. But what ramifications would that yield with Saraz, the dangerous being who created portals—her only way back to Earth?

“What is there to talk about? You need to return with me. At least until the baby is born.”

“No.” Finn pulled out his TripTip.

“Please.” Marissa pushed his hand down. “Don’t hurt him.”
He’s my only way home.

“Now you care about him? Is that how it is?” Finn sheathed his weapon and made as if to turn away.

“Don’t you dare go, Finn. You don’t understand. Let me explain. Can we all just sit by the fire?” Marissa mentally ran through some of the things she absolutely could not discuss in front of Finn or with Finn, not tonight, anyway. Maybe some time.

They walked to the fire. Marissa sat down. Finn stood next to her, Saraz across from him, flanked by Taya and Cinia. Barz and Corzine stood behind Norn, who was on Finn’s other side.

“Am I the only one who’s going to sit?”

None of the men answered. They all looked ready to jump into a fight.

Groaning, Marissa got back to her feet, then turned to Saraz. “I will not go with you. I belong with Finn.” She took Finn’s hand and laced her fingers through his, though his hand remained stiff and unyielding. He was clearly still pissed. At her or Saraz? Or both?

“I cannot allow it.” Saraz made a low, vibrating, thrumming growl.

“I’ll be unhappy. You realize that this is bad for the baby. You don’t want to hurt the baby. Plus, I want to go home, back to Earth.”

“No. I will not allow you to take Alithera where I cannot see her. I cannot return—”

“Wait.” Finn stepped forward.

A
nger had been
the reigning emotion in Finn since the newcomer had arrived. He couldn’t bring himself to think of him as Saraz. Maybe the Kormic were right in defining the word as evil. Surprise now ruled supreme amongst Finn’s emotions.

“You said Alithera. Why that name?” Finn tried to remember what Ali had said that night about her name and her mother. And what it was she was hiding, which she had almost told Finn, but had held back at the last moment.

“That is to be Bearer’s name. She is to be a winged Asazi woman, to be called Alithera.”

“There already is an Alithera.” Finn leveled a stare at him.

The newcomer’s reptilian eyes narrowed. “Explain.”

Finn bit back the retort and the surge of anger that roared to come out. How he wanted to bury his TripTip in this arrogant, autocratic—

Marissa’s fingers clenched his forearm, her nails digging in, warning him. It served to drive his anger higher. Then, using her thumb, she traced tiny circles on his skin, a small plea for him to control his anger. He glanced down at her face, beseeching him not to attack. Guilt over what had happened with Ali coursed through him. He owed Marissa.

He breathed deep, counted to twenty, then, unflexing his hands, he began. “An Asazi woman I grew up with, was once Bound to—”
Had sex with.
He hated himself for that. “Her name is Alithera.”

“This is true,” Par said. “I’ve known this girl since she was a baby.”

“What does that matter?” The newcomer’s words were cold. Clearly, he was unimpressed.

“First of all, that is not a common name. Second...” Finn paused, knowing this would create a furor. “She has wings.”

“Impossible.” The word burst from the newcomer.

“What?” Marissa’s exclamation was equally loud.

“Truly?” Par examined Finn’s face. “I never knew.”

“Her mother secured her wings daily, wrapping them tightly against her body so they would not betray her. It was why she only took military assignments that were local. So she could be near her mother.”

“I was going to ask you what happened to your Binding,” Par said.

“Why should I believe you? It is obvious you are in love with Marissa and want her for yourself. Prove it. Bring me this convenient Alithera.” The newcomer turned to Marissa. “Your Asazi man is quick to concoct stories and very adept at lying.”

“He’s neither.”

A pang of guilt pierced Finn with more deadliness than a TripTip over her quick support of him.

Marissa trailed fingertips down his arm, took his hand, squeezed it. “He’s honorable and honest and I have met this Alithera character.” Disdain colored her voice. “He can produce her.”

Finn swallowed a lump that tasted like the kratan he’d had to eat once during a mission. “That will be difficult.”

“Why?” Marissa’s response was quick, suspicious-sounding.

Or was that his own paranoia at being found out? “She ran away. To Earth. She snuck onto the vessel Kal was on. She said she came to your cell before she left Kormia.”

“She did.” The speed with which Marissa spat the words confirmed Finn’s suspicions. No love lost there.

He wondered what had happened in that cell.

“She didn’t tell me that she was planning to leave.” Marissa’s eyes narrowed like a hunter’s concentrating on prey.

“How convenient that this individual you’ve created, you now can’t produce.” Saraz scoffed.

Marissa turned to him. “She’s very real, Saraz. Unfortunately.”

“And she is out of my reach, on Earth. You know I can’t return to Earth. Let me guess, now you will propose that I allow you to return to Earth under the pretense of going to get her. And I should believe that you will come back with her.”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Marissa said. “Let us go to Earth to get her. Is she at home—I mean the ranch? Is she, Finn?”

“That’s where I left her.” A
fter you had sex with her.
He tried to ignore the mocking voice of self-hatred.

“Have you two no understanding of sarcasm? I was not making a suggestion.” Saraz shook his head as if in disbelief at the simpletons he was forced to deal with.

Marissa put her hands on her hips. “Why not give it a shot?”

“No,” Finn exclaimed.

“No,” the newcomer roared. He thrummed, began to shift.

“Finn, why not?” There was shock in her voice.

Finn didn’t answer her. He couldn’t right now. He had to deal with this newcomer and his misconceptions. “And I said your Alithera has already been born. She escaped to Earth to escape the prophecy, the attention. If she knew you were a part of the prophecy, she’d probably have gone sooner. What in the curses are you? What sort of being?”

“I am of an ancient race. I am Creator of the Asazi.”

“
S
araz
.” Marissa had to interrupt their exchange before it degraded into a brawl. “Please allow me some time with Finn. I need private time with him. Can we finish this conversation later, maybe tomorrow?” She played a trump card. “I don’t feel well.”

“Be warned there will be no portals for any Asazi or human until this is resolved to my satisfaction.” He turned around to leave.

“Saraz.” Cinia handed him the cloak. “Wait for us.”

“You are no longer one of mine.” He slid into the shadows behind the waterfall and was gone.

Cinia and Taya’s wails filled the cavern.

“Can they stay with us?” Marissa couldn’t bear the idea of their perishing in Midland. “Please? They helped me escape.” There was no need to complicate matters by saying they had helped her because they didn’t want to share Saraz. That would open up a brand-new can of worms.

“Of course,” Par answered. He said something to Barz and Corzine, who looked very pleased.

Finn took Marissa by the waist and turned her to face him. “We need to talk.” His skin shimmered an indigo blue. Guilt washed over his handsome features.

That made her feel even worse about the things that had transpired with Saraz. Then again, he had been in control of her mind, hadn’t he? Now she doubted everything. More importantly, first, she had a pressing matter to settle with Finn.

“Why did you say no when I suggested we go to Earth for Alithera?”

He shifted, shuffled his feet. “I cannot lose you in childbirth.”

“What else?” Why did she have this feeling he was holding something back?
You’re a fine one to judge, aren’t you?

“That’s it. Nothing else matters. I will not see you die or see you and our baby locked up in a laboratory while scientists probe and experiment on you until there is nothing left but two bodies to dissect.” He folded his arms over his muscular chest.

Fury pounded in Marissa’s temples.
He’s doing this because he loves you.
It sounded like her father’s voice. I
know he does.
And this was all motivated by Finn’s love for her. “I can’t live here forever. I want to go home.”

“Would you stay until the baby is born? Please? Raiza will help with the birth.”

“What is it you aren’t telling me, Finn?”

“How do you know me so well?”

So there
was
something. She waited.

He ran his hands over his face, through his hair. “When Kal landed, Alithera popped out. I had to wait overnight before I could leave. I put them in separate rooms. Alithera’s was at the furthest end of the house, as far from ours as I could get it.”

Cold dread ran even colder tentacles over Marissa’s body, then gripped her stomach like a vise. She didn’t want to tell him to keep going. The look on his face made her want to tell him to shut up, made her wish she had a device that could rewind time. But she had nothing, so she waited for the other shoe to drop.

“I was asleep, dreaming. I thought it was you.”

“Stop.” She couldn’t bear to hear any more of this. She—
Oh God!
Her stomach convulsed and emptied its contents on her shoes. A sharp pain wrenched her lower abdomen into a spasm. “Oh, no. Gawwwd.”

“Marissa?”

“I’m cramping. The baby. Oh, no. Please, no.” She screamed in pain.

Taya and Cinia grabbed her arms, holding her up. Finn supported her around the waist, though she kept doubling over.

W
hat remained
of the night was rough. The two Asazi women cared for Marissa, making her comfortable. After seeing the look in the Kormic brothers’ eyes from a few yards away, Finn gave the Asazi women clothing to cover their bodies with.

Finn kept a watchful eye on Marissa. A while later, the blonde came to him.

“She’s asleep. She had a little bleeding, but did not lose the baby.”

Relief about the baby being okay flooded through Finn. Then surprise replaced relief at how much it mattered to him. It did. This baby had come to mean so much to him. It was a part of Marissa, and had been created by their love. It was a part of both of them.

The blonde wrung her hands. “We have nowhere to go.”

“It’s been decided. You will stay with us.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you so much. She loves you. She really tried to resist Saraz.”

“I love her too.” What was that she’d said? What did she mean, Marissa had tried to resist Saraz? Finn bit back the questions in his mind and heart. He had no room to judge, none at all.

“I can tell things are different when we are not with our Asazi people,” the blonde continued.

“What? Different?” He tried to glean what she was referring to.

“Emotions, more exaggerated away from the Heartland.”

“Agreed.” Finn rose from his seat on a low branch. “You two go to sleep. Barz and Corzine have prepared a place for you. I will watch over Marissa and rest with her.”

Finn lay next to Marissa, his hand over her abdomen. She still had not agreed to stay, but she had not said no. But that had been before he’d told her about Ali. Who knew what she was thinking now.

A
faint light
woke him up. Cascading water soothed his nerves with a calming noise. Next to him, Marissa stirred.

“Finn?” Her voice was strained. “I don’t know if I have a right to be upset with you as much as I was.” She breathed in, then exhaled. A single tear slipped out of the corner of her eye.

He stopped its downward progression with a fingertip. “You do not need to say anything. Nothing else matters, just you and I.”

“No, I have to tell you. Something happened with Saraz. I think he mind-controlled me. But I don’t know for sure.” Two more tears.

Should he ask? Would it upset her more? Would it hurt him? Damage what they had beyond repair or hope? “Did you and he—” Finn couldn’t bring himself to finish the question.

“Oh, no.” Her voice broke. “No. Never.”

“I want to explain...” He needed to find the words.

“No, I understand. I know what I need to know based on what you already said.”

“Tell me you will stay here until the baby is born. For us. For you. For the baby.”

“
I
will
.”
But only for that long.
After that, she’d make a deal with the devil—or Saraz—to get home. Except the deal would never include her baby.

“How do you feel?” His eyes were full of worry, his skin a concerned blue color. He placed his lips on hers.

“Weak, but better.”

‘Are you ready to talk?’
It was Saraz, projecting into her mind.

She rose, ran fingers through her hair, straightened her clothing. She turned to Finn. “Saraz is coming. We can discuss this later.” She didn’t know how close Saraz was, and didn’t want to be talking about him while he was around. “Go with me.” She started for the entrance.

They’d just stepped out from behind the waterfall when Saraz appeared.

Saraz stopped, as if pausing to take in the situation, then shrugged.

Marissa barged forward. “If this baby proves not to be the one from your prophecy, will you relinquish any claims and assist me in returning to Earth?”

“What?” Finn looked at her. “What? No! What?”

“Trust me,” Marissa told him.

Saraz rubbed his jaw. “And if it is?”

“I’m confident about what Finn says.” She should have asked him in private if his claim that Alithera had wings was true. But of course it was. It had to be. Finn wouldn’t lie about that, not even to save their baby. Or would he? She would have. Then again, it wasn’t like she’d give Saraz her baby if Finn’s claim was false anyway. And if the baby was a winged girl... So many ifs. She was so confused.

“And if the baby does not fulfill the prophecy, I simply let you go? While the one I want is on Earth?”

Ugh.
“Why would that be my problem?”

“Because you want something I can provide.”

Double ugh.
“What do you propose?”

Saraz pointed to Finn. “He goes, you and baby stay as collateral. He brings me my Alithera.”

“Not a chance.” Finn shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

“Exactly,” Marissa agreed. Why the hell would she want him to be alone with Alithera?

“Then?” Saraz cocked his brow. “So much for your proposal.”

“I’ll stay.” Norn stepped out from behind the cascading waterfall.

“No,” Finn interjected.

“Who are you?” Saraz asked.

“Finn’s father. Collateral. Incentive for Finn to return.”

“Maybe it won’t matter if you’re left behind.”

“It will, because I will send my woman and my other son with them to Earth, to guarantee my intent.”

“Par, no,” Finn said. “Does Raiza know?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Are you up to trickery?” Saraz asked Norn.

“None. But this is the only solution, if the baby isn’t the one, and it won’t be. Finn does not lie.”

Saraz turned to Marissa. “You are quiet. What do you have to say?”

Still stunned, she looked at Norn. “You’re sure?”

“Completely.”

“Then I agree.”

Saraz said, “I will be present for the birth to verify nothing untoward happens.”

That wasn’t an appealing idea, but what choice did she have? “Yes, but I won’t stay with you.”

“I can check on progress occasionally.”

“Rarely,” Finn added.

“Until delivery approaches. So be it.” Saraz turned, cape flowing, took a step, then turned back. “One question. This Alithera’s mother, what is her name?”

“Brasca,” Norn and Finn answered together.

Saraz slumped forward a tiny bit, almost imperceptibly, as if the answer meant something to him.

Then he turned and disappeared into the forest.

“We need to get Raiza and Feroz. We can make settlement at the cave,” Norn said.

“Don’t you mean my cell?” Finn laughed.

Marissa turned to him, ready to ask. He told her how he’d originally been captured by Barz and Corzine, suspected of being an enemy Asazi. She shook her head in disbelief. There was no way she could tell anyone back home about what her life had become. She saddened, wondering if she’d be able to return home.

They all followed Norn back to get Raiza and Feroz. To keep from scaring Taya and Cinia by taking them into a full-fledged Kormic village, even if it was one composed of defectors who followed Raiza and Norn and friendly to Asazi, Marissa, Finn, and the Asazi women waited outside the main village with Corzine while Barz and Norn went in to get Raiza and Feroz.

When Raiza appeared with a tiny boy who was a blend of Kormic and Asazi traits, Marissa tried not to stare.

What would her baby look like? She was particularly fascinated by Feroz’s wings. What would her baby’s wings be like? What if it was a winged girl? Evidently that was possible, since Alithera had wings.

Thinking of Alithera brought a bad taste to Marissa’s mouth. She didn’t believe in prophecy, and she told Finn so. “You don’t believe either, right?”

“I didn’t. Now I don’t know what to believe. After seeing Saraz and hearing what he told you about how the Asazi came to be and about being banished, women cursed...” He shrugged. “So much seems to have a historical base. But then again, it is asking me to believe in things I can’t see or touch.”

“What do you think will happen when Norn tells Raiza about his arrangement with Saraz?”

“I hope he tells her when I’m not around. I like Raiza, but I suspect she has a very strong will.”

“I don’t envy her this. Your father made a decision that should have been made jointly. Finn, don’t ever do that to me.”

“I promise.”

“Raiza’s brothers seem quite taken with Cinia and Taya.”

“How do you know? Or did you suddenly learn to speak Asazi or Kormic?”

She laughed. “Body language.”

“Are you playing matchmaker?”

“No.” She sobered. “I’m worried about the women Saraz has. Why do your people turn over a young woman from each province every year?”

“Tradition.” He sighed. “In service to our god, Saraz.”

“You don’t find it curious that the word Saraz means evil in Kormic?”

“I find it enlightening. How did you know?”

“Your father told me. It bothers me that he offered himself as collateral.” She took Finn’s hand and walked away from the fire, bringing him along. “Especially now that I’ve seen Feroz. A child should have its father.”

Pain flickered in Finn’s eyes. She realized the nerve she’d touched on. “I’m sorry.”

“Maybe he’s trying to make up for being out of my life. But he doesn’t have to make up for anything. He did not choose to leave me, to be attacked by one of our own. A part of me wonders if he is sending them because he wants a better life for Feroz.”

“Could be. Wouldn’t you do the same for your child?”

Finn stopped walking and drew her closer, pressing her back, and looked into her eyes. “Several times over the last few days I’d thought I’d lost you.”

“I thought the same. In so many ways.”

“You will never lose me, Marissa Sanchez. Never. Unless you leave me.”

“As if I’d ever do that.”

He placed his lips on hers, digging his hands against the tree, into the bark.

“What’s wrong?” She reached up and took his hands off the tree, massaging the tension away.

“I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You never could.”

She knew the lengths this man would go through for her, but what had happened with him and Alithera plagued her. And she wouldn’t deny she wanted to bury her TripTip blade in Alithera’s body.