Vision of Seduction (22 page)

"Which will put her in danger. We have to ensure she doesn't find out until

she understands what she's up against and won't go alone."

"Good luck with that." Amusement danced in Stone's eyes. "From what

Alyssandra tells me, your Katelyn is as much a fireball as my queen."

"My Katelyn...." Grayson liked the way those two words sounded and

wished they were his to say. But the Seer wasn't ready yet to hear the truth,

let alone commit to Grayson or any other man.

"I heard the Seer had a breakdown at the hot springs. Was she all right?"

Grayson's jaw tightened. He knew that some of those who had witnessed

the aftermath of Katelyn's vision had been among the factions who didn't

agree with the triangle. Therefore, it was no surprise that what had

happened at the springs would be blown out of proportion and spread

around the planet as gossip. "She had a vision. They normally drain her,

but this one hit her hard emotionally as well."

Stone's expression clouded. "Did she tell you what it involved?"

"It sounded like a Cunt version of the ascension ceremony, except for the

fact that it was Katelyn and her friend Rita tied to the altars naked." He

held up his index finger. "Here's where it gets strange. Painted on the wall

in the ceremony chamber was a triangle with a crown at the apex, and at

the lower-right corner was an eye with a blade through it, dripping blood.

But the one I didn't recognize was at the third point—a fat teardrop, the top

lines where it would meet at a point continued outward." He demonstrated

by crossing his two index fingers. "And there was a dot in between the top

lines."

"I'll see if some of the researchers know of such a symbol, but because the

crown obviously is for the queen, and the eye is for the Seer, we have to

assume that third symbol is for the Healer."

"I thought the same thing. But that gets us no closer to knowing what the

vision means." Grayson blew out a long breath. "Or how to protect Katelyn,

for that matter."

"Gray, I remember the effects of the planet-induced ardor seemed very real

at the time. My reactions subsided to normal levels after the ceremony,

thankfully." Stone studied Grayson with concern. "Perhaps that's what

you're experiencing with Katelyn."

Grayson paced to the balcony wall, turning his back on his friend and

resting his hands on the cool, white balda. "This isn't hormones or Tador or

even the triangle. It's her." He turned his head as Stone stepped forward to

stand beside him. "She's different from anyone I've ever met. And it gets

more and more difficult to lie to her, or, more accurately, to keep the truth

from her. I'm not sure if I can bear her feelings of betrayal once she finds

out."

Stone's dark brows furrowed, and he pursed his lips, deciding what to say.

"We already discussed this, and we don't have any choice for now. She's a

strong woman, and once she understands why we didn't tell her right off,

she'll see reason." He crossed his arms and studied Grayson. "How can you

be sure that what you're experiencing isn't Tador pulling the participants of

the triangle together and nothing more?"

A gentle breeze ruffled Grayson's long hair as he remembered the

righteous anger in Katelyn's expression when the Cunts had stormed into

her shop. A smile curved his lips. "I know what you're getting at. There

isn't a maid within the castle grounds who hasn't warmed my bed at one

time or another, and, come to think of it, that probably goes for several of

the outlying villages, too." A fast blur of faces and soft, rounded flesh raced

through his mind. "But it was purely the moment of pleasure that drew me,

and although I hope I've not done more than dash a few hopes, my

attention never lasted for long."

Grayson turned and leaned his hips against the waist-high balcony wall,

his hands resting lightly beside him. "Katelyn is different. From the

moment I began watching her to see if she was the Seer we sought, she

stirred my interest, and it has never waned." The faint scent of lavender

that always clung to Katelyn's hair seemed to hang in the air as a welcome

reminder of her in his arms.

"You were on the hunt. Your interest never wanes until after you've

claimed them." Stone's words hit home, and Grayson didn't refute them.

"And because the claiming here is for the triangle, you may not lose interest

until after—"

Impatience snapped through Grayson, and he cut off the king in

midsentence. "I can't explain why this is so different, but I know it is." He

searched his emotions for a way to explain to Stone, to make him

understand. "I watched her interact with customers, laugh at a child's

knock-knock joke, slip an old man a piece of cake when his wife wasn't

looking, and then fight like a warrior when the Cunts attacked us in her

shop."

The scenes played over again in his mind as he listed them for Stone, and a

tight band of warmth wrapped firmly around his chest.

"When Stone remained silent, Grayson looked up, surprised to see a wide

smile on the king's face. "What?"

Stone laughed out loud at the question. "Oh, you really are in trouble." He

clapped Grayson on the shoulder while his laughter carried away on the

breeze. "You respect her. You like her as an actual person. Have you ever

gotten to that point with any woman besides your mother?"

Grayson ignored the jibe and thought back over his life. Maybe Stone had a

point. All other relationships with women had started as flirtations and

ended with sex. They'd never gone any deeper, and in a society where

sexual energy was as necessary as food—it hadn't seemed important to

find anything more.

After all, he was the Seventh Prince of Klatch. His entire life, he'd known

that upon his coming of age, he would be betrothed to a full-blooded

princess, and they would have heirs to continue the royal line. He had

hoped that, over time, he and his wife would grow to care for one another,

but he'd had no illusions about finding true love as Stone and Alyssandra

had.

By the time Grayson had come of age, all the eligible princesses remotely

close to his age were either already married to other princes or had died

trying to ascend the throne in Alyssandra's place before Alyssa had been

recovered. So Grayson had continued as before, enjoying the pleasures

offered and moving on.

"I can see it in your face." Stone's voice held an edge of amusement. "I'm

right, aren't I?"

Grayson nodded as an unwelcome thought occurred to him. "What if she

decides not to stay? To go back to Earth and leave us to find someone else

to fulfill the triangle?" A twinge of disappointment and regret snaked

through him at the thought. He glanced over in time to see Stone's face

dark with recent memories. "You went through this with Alyssandra,

didn't you." It wasn't a question.

The queen hadn't learned of her true heritage until just a few months

before, and she could very well have refused to attempt the ascension

because so many before her had tried and failed. Yet Stone had left the

decision up to her, knowing that if she had walked away, he would have

been forced to ascend with another woman while his heart stayed with

Alyssandra.

Grayson hadn't realized at the time just how difficult the situation had

been for his friend.

Stone turned to look out over the balcony as though he couldn't face

Grayson for whatever he was about to say. "I don't think I ever told you,

but if Alyssandra would've chosen to walk away, I would've gone with

her."

Shock jolted Grayson, and he stared at Stone. "You would've doomed your

entire home world for the love of one woman?

Stone's steady gaze told Grayson he had meant what he said. "Love has a

way of complicating things." He cleared his throat. "Just be careful."

A lead weight settled over Grayson's chest. Stone had lived his life for

honor and duty. For him to admit he would've betrayed everything he'd

believed in for a woman told Grayson that Stone's warning was very real.

"Why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

Stone clapped Grayson on the back. "Because now you know you may

have to make that same decision, and there are no guarantees of the

outcome."

Grayson nodded grimly. "I really hate it when you're right."

***

Katelyn followed Alyssa off the balcony, out through the cavernous

hallway, and down a massive spiral staircase. The entire building—walls,

floors, ceilings, everything but the doors and the decorations—were made

of the same pristine white stone with small lines of pink crystals she had

been fascinated with since she'd arrived.

Katelyn had come this way earlier when Grayson had taken her out to the

fountains, and again before they'd gone riding, but now that he wasn't

there to distract her, she had a moment to appreciate her surroundings.

Her body still hummed from her interlude with Grayson, and now, as she

followed the queen, Alyssa's full curves beckoned to Katelyn with every

step. Katelyn swallowed hard, afraid her reaction might be visible to the

naked eye, but she pushed it aside to concentrate on her surroundings.

"Is the balda everywhere on the planet? I've never seen anything like it."

Katelyn stepped close to the wall to run her fingers over a seam, which

reminded her of rich, pink sapphires. The crystals hummed under her

fingertips, warm and alive.

"There's energy here...." Her voice trailed off as she remembered Alyssa's

comments about the queen providing the world with energy. This rock

might funnel energy through it, like Grayson had said at the cavern, but

how did the queen convert sexual energy into usable energy?

Katelyn traced another shiny line and shivered as the crystal's aura

thrummed against hers.

"As far as I can tell, the balda runs throughout the entire planet. I haven't

seen any other kind of rock here at all. It's very much a living part of the

planet." Alyssa stepped close beside Katelyn and touched one long finger

over the same seam Katelyn had touched. Power surged out in a nearly

visible wave toward the queen as if it knew her. "The rock is native to

Tador, and the pink crystals are very conductive—as you've already

discovered." Alyssa dropped her hand away from the wall, a small smile

playing over her lips. "Stone and I are used to our sexual episodes affecting

the balda, but now we know how strange it is for everyone else to see."

Katelyn's fingers itched to reach out and capture one of Alyssa's beaded

braids before delving into the dark, wavy mass of hair below. Instead, she

pushed her own hair back from her face, wondering if Alyssa's hair would

feel as soft against her palms. "How do your sexual episodes affect the

balda?

"Well, the energy we generate is picked up by the balda, so there are usually

lots of pink sparks and a burning sulfur smell." She smiled. "It definitely

keeps things interesting."

"I still don't understand how the rock picks up sexual energy. It's not like

it's transmitted through the air or anything."

"Well, I'm not sure of the exact mechanics." Alyssa shrugged, sending her

braids dancing. "All I know is that it works. It's one of the ways the planet

exchanges energy with its inhabitants. As queen, when I build up sexual

energy, I release it to the different parts of the planet that need healing. In

return, the planet constantly regenerates all the Klatch people and

enhances my natural powers."

"Powers?" Katelyn had seen the woman leak energy when she was angry,

but she wondered what other gifts came with being queen.

"I'm still learning everything I can do, but I know I can cause arousal in

others, I can manipulate energy, and I can break other's spells." Alyssa

worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "I didn't grow up here, so I missed

out on the day-to-day training that comes from being a Klatch witch. But

I'm trying to catch up the best I can." Her tone held a wistful note.

Katelyn wondered what it was like to wake up one day and find out your

entire life to this point had been a lie. Her own parents had died in a car

crash when she was seventeen, so she'd been on her own for the last seven

years. She found herself envying Alyssa the close-knit family she'd found.

In fact, other than Rita, who she saw only at work, Katelyn didn't have any

close friends.

She'd been too busy building her business and keeping distance from

people who didn't understand her Seer's abilities.

Katelyn closed her eyes and trailed her fingers over the crystals again,

letting her senses reach out and join with the throbbing energy they

contained. The current readily met hers, merging a bit where their two

spheres of power met. Katelyn had the impression it was tasting her—

almost sampling her.

Power zinged up her arm like thousands of ants scurrying just under her

skin.

She opened her mouth to scream, but the strong current raced to fill every

cell in her body with white-hot arousal, which ripped a gasp from her

throat instead.