TIMEWALKERS 2: MAIRI
Michele Chambers

  

Warning

  

 This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  

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 This book is rated:



 For explicit sexuality and graphic language.

  

 Timewalkers 2: Mairi

 Michele Chambers

  

 This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  

  

 Published by

 Loose Id LLC

 1802 N Carson Street, Suite 212-29

 Carson City NV 89701-1215

 www.loose-id.com

  

  

 Copyright © March 2005 by Michele Chambers 

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including, but not limited to printing, photocopying, faxing, or emailing without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC.

  

  

 ISBN 1-59632-092-3

 Available in Adobe PDF, HTML, MobiPocket , and MS Reader

  

  

 Printed in the United States of America


  
Editor: Linda Kusiolek

 Cover Artist: April Martinez

  

  

  

 Publisher’s Note

  

  

 Timewalkers 1: Aisling, the story of Aisling and Luke, is now available at Loose Id.

 Chapter One

  

 Timewalker : Mairi Neeshahn

 Homeworld : 2320, Trillia Prime

 Mission: 2104, Herhma -- Prevent Intergalactic War

 Talent: Waterbreather

  

 According to the Archiver’s calculations, she had three spins left. After that, even if she found the ship, they’d all be dead. Prince Raiden Tzacher among them. War would rage between his home world of Qillius Two and that of his enemy, Herhma . Several other worlds would be caught in the crossfire. Civilians and military throughout the system would be hit. Billions would die. And all because she couldn’t find one little bitty spaceship on the bottom of this strange Fire Sea.

 Mairi Neeshahn cursed fate, scowled at the wind that whipped her wavy black hair about her face, and then turned her attention to the churning green water that rocked the primitive boat she’d stolen. Eight spins she’d been anchored here, searching. Dawn to dusk. She’d found nothing.

 Mairi chewed unenthusiastically on the ration bar that was her lunch. If only the Prince hadn’t insisted on coming to this contract negotiation himself. Herhma could have dealt with an ambassador, or a cousin. But no. The arrogant heir to the throne of Qillius Two didn’t trust anyone. Apparently, that was one thing he’d gotten right.

 Sabotage had taken him down. Someone close to him had turned traitor. Mairi wondered if, when she found him, the Prince would know who the bastard was. If she found him. Now he was trapped at the bottom of the sea, on a hostile planet whose leaders had absolutely no interest in finding him. In fact, she was quite sure they would never acknowledge his presence. His disappearance served their goals perfectly. Prince Raiden and his entire crew could rot down there for a hundred star orbits before anyone would discover their bodies. Well, actually, it had been more like two hundred. That’s why the Archivers sent her.

 She raised her left hand to rub the back of her aching right shoulder. Her Shen birthmark had never bothered her before. Since she’d arrived on this backward planet the thing hadn’t stopped hurting. Today the pain was worse, sometimes stabbing like a knife blade slicing into her shoulder. The mark, according to her mother, was a circle of rope with no beginning and no end. It symbolized eternity and protection. The Shen would also serve as a link between her and her mate.

 Wonderful. Perhaps the Shen was causing her pain to remind her just how close she was to failure.

 Three spins.

 Mairi straightened her shoulders and shouted her denial to the open sea, “You can’t have him!” By all that was holy, she was a Timewalker ! Time to stop moping and get back to work. She’d been out of the water long enough for her black swimsuit to completely dry out. Tipping her head back, she finished what was left of her purified water. Wriggling her arms back into the sleeves of her water-slicked, quarter-inch wetsuit was a bit more of a challenge. Once she was again covered from neck to ankles, she quickly tamed her wild hair into a braid, slipped the Prince’s air tank and attached hoses onto her back, wiggled her feet back into her plastic fins, and kicked back over the side of the boat into the water.

 A sudden crash of sound was followed by pronounced quiet. The peaceful ebb and flow of water surrounded her, calmed her. Totally relaxed, she allowed the weighted belt around her waist to drag her toward the bottom of the sea. This must be what death felt like. Weightless. Peaceful. Slowly being pulled somewhere new.

 She hated the weights, but the suit that kept her from freezing to death also made her so buoyant she couldn’t get underwater by herself. The water depth varied between two hundred and three hundred feet on this particular shelf. Her body’s limits had been tested relentlessly. Without doubt, she could go deeper. She hoped that wouldn’t be necessary.

 That annoying internal voice screamed at her that she was already close to her diving limit. The stabbing pain in her shoulder was getting worse. She felt like someone had her head hooked up to a helium tank and was blowing it up. The rest of her felt like a giant fist was squeezing her insides into jelly. It could be worse. Much worse. Two hundred feet was nothing in the Fire Sea. And this is where the Archiver told her to search, so this is where she searched.

 Forcing the last of the air from her lungs, she drew in her first breath of water. Her body protested the cool flow, but numbness set in soon enough. Then she didn’t feel anything but the soft glide of water up and down her windpipe. Her lung tissue’s ability to extract oxygen from both air and water was a rare gift, held only by the survivors of Atlantis. A handful of women from some planet called Earth. All of the women who’d survived, according to her mother, had become Timewalkers.

 Mairi hoped her Atlantean sisters were having better luck than she was.

 Everything was flat and empty beneath her. No coral. No caves. She swam over a flat desert of red sand that just happened to be a couple hundred feet underwater. Visibility was nearly limitless. The difficulty lay in the fact that Prince Charming’s ship contained technology which made it invisible. But he was there somewhere, hiding in the empty world stretched out below her.

 A sudden jolt of pain stabbed into her shoulder. Then her birthmark burned, throbbed like she’d just been branded with a hot iron. Closing her eyes against the pain, she floated in place. Something was wrong. The nagging little voice in her head no longer whispered to her, it yelled. Insistent. She’d forgotten something, something important.

 Clear as a bell she recalled her mother’s lilting recital in her mind... The Shen will serve as a link.

 Was it possible that her mate was on board that ship? The Archiver said the prince left Qillius Two with a crew of five. When the ship was found, only three bodies were onboard. Perhaps one of those three was meant to be hers.

 Keeping her eyes closed, Mairi focused her entire being on the Shen heating up her right shoulder. She swam around at random until she felt the mark begin to cool. Then she turned. She used the birthmark like a homing beacon. The hotter it got, the faster she swam until her foot hit something solid beneath her. Eager for success, she opened her eyes.

 An open expanse of water greeted her. More sand. Her scream of frustration didn’t sound much different than a dolphin’s cry.

 One moment of vexation was all she allowed herself. She wasn’t wrong about this. She felt it. Forcing logic into her waterlogged mind, she looked around, kicked again. Her foot had hit something once. All she had to do was find it.

 Hands splayed before her leading the way, she swam down for a count of three, then felt cool metal beneath her fingertips. At last. Success felt good. For the first time since she’d arrived, a smile stretched her lips. If she could find an invisible ship, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out a way to get inside.

 She slipped the air tank’s latch loose from around her waist and swung the heavy metal canister into the side of the ship. The clanging sound rode through the water, pounded in her ears, flowed through her body and resonated for miles. Prince Charming was sure to hear it. Assuming someone was still alive, and well enough to let her in. If not, she’d already failed.

 Several minutes later, her arm was going numb from swinging the heavy metal air tank against the ship. How long could it take to open a door and let her in?

 A long time. Especially if they were already dead.

 Just as hope deserted her, she felt the ship shudder. A massive burst of air exploded from the top of the ship, then bubbled to the surface. She swam for the opening, pulling her equipment behind her. Someone was still alive. Thank God.

 In no time she was inside the airlock door. She had to force her diaphragm to keep moving when the door slid closed behind her.

 Brilliant move, Mairi. Way to think things through ahead of time.She was trapped. Caged like a rat. The only thing more suffocating than the inky blackness around her was the silence. Heaven help her if whoever was on the other side of that door decided to let her rot.

 * * * * *

 Raiden Tzacherpaced his small cabin, alone. Here he didn’t have to hold his shoulders straight, despite the wound there. Habit had led him to his one haven, even though there was only one man left alive to witness his pain. His failure. And even he’d be dead soon. Nothing could stop Trillian poison. Nothing. His last crewman had an hour left, at most.

 He wouldn’t last much longer than his friend. A day. Perhaps two. Then all of their sacrifices would be for naught. Three of his closest friends were laid out in the med unit. One of them writhing in agony, dying of poison. Poison meant for him. Two killed in the firefight that followed Apolo’s attack. And the traitor had escaped.

 Treason still twisted his insides, gnawing away at his heart, ripping into his consciousness like the sharpest snake’s teeth. He’d ride to Hellsgate as fast as a Fire-steed would take him the moment he passed from this life. Be that tomorrow, or eighty orbits from now. The betrayer would pay. Apolo Calchus . Childhood friend. Cousin. Trusted confidant.

 There was only one word for him now. Enemy. And the demon spawn had escaped his wrath, walked among his family, who were still blissfully unaware of Apolo’s duplicity.

 “The Demons take you, Apolo !” Hurtling a crystal goblet against the far wall, Raiden reopened the wound in his shoulder. The splintering glass was his world. Tiny pieces, worthless shards that had once been brilliant with purpose. Fresh blood trickled down his back, following the flow of its earlier river. Mortality loomed. Worse, he’d fail his mission if he couldn’t get off this ship alive.

 Time to try something crazy. He was dead already if he didn’t.

 He threw a black bag on his military style long bed. His identification and intergalactic credit disk hit the bottom with a thwack. Had to pack light. His shoulder wouldn’t carry a heavy weight for long. A few more items hit the bag. A knife. His family seal. A copy of the ship’s log, the log that documented all of Apolo’s machinations for his world to see. Done. Without looking back, he swung the pack onto his shoulders. Silently, but slowly, the door opened before him. The ship’s energy cells were running low. Time to get out or die trying.

 PING.

 Raidenfroze.

 PING... PING... PING...

 Over and over the sound reverberated through the ship. Someone was outside. But who? Qillius Two’s military was the only entity capable of locating his ship, and only the royal guard had a record of his transmission signature. If they had been able to read his signal through this iron heavy water, they would have sent a recovery team to salvage his ship immediately. None but a few of his most trusted men knew he’d gone to Herhma , was meeting their prince. Not a soul left alive knew he was lost here, wherever here was. No one except Apolo . Had the betrayer come back to finish the job?

 Renewed energy burned the fatigue from his bloodstream. His chance for retribution was at hand. Time for Apolo to face Justice. The manual airlocks were one of the few things still operational. He’d draw his cousin, the Bezza Snake, inside, then strangle him. Watch the wicked serpent choke and die on his own traitorous venom. If Apolo thought to bargain with him now, he was in for a surprise.

 PING... PING... PING...

 Then he’d swim for the surface and pray for a miracle. Assuming he made it to the surface without meeting one of this planet’s predatory sea creatures. Five times his size and ferocious carnivores, the Fire Beasts fascinated him. Unfortunately, his reading material said they could smell a single drop of blood from half a sea away. Dipping his shoulder wound in the water would be like putting a raw slab of fresh meat in front of them.

 Eat up, boys.

 Didn’t matter. Anything was better than waiting to rot down here.

 PING... PING... PING...

 “Insistent. I’ll give you that.” Raiden raced down the narrow golden corridors until he reached the small airlock that allowed other ships to dock with his. With a mighty heave, he turned the handle that would open the outer portal. “Or perhaps, just eager to die.”

 Water thundered into the small space he’d opened. The force rocked his ship and sent vibrations up through his arms into his shoulders. The pinging sound stopped. Good. Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.

 He slid down the wall to sit on the thick black fabric that carpeted his ship’s corridors. His baby. His birthday gift on his twenty-first orbit. All black and gold, denoting his station as the royal heir to Qillius Two. Small. Stealthy. Fast. With every luxury known to man. Hand woven, gold-lined tapestries. Crystal goblets. The best food. Every system automated. Every weapon, too. He could take out a Herhman quadrant with one shot of his sonic canon.

 He’d christened his ship Raelle , in honor of his newborn baby sister. Raiden patted the carpet beneath him. “ Raelle, old girl, what will become of you?” What would become of his ship? She’d sit in this makeshift graveyard, far from home and forgotten. Every vital system she contained had been sabotaged by Apolo .

 And what of his sister? His family? His world? The world Apolo would take apart piece by painful piece because none knew the truth? His chest tightened until he couldn’t draw a breath without shaking. Don’t think about that now. Not yet. You’re not dead yet.

 The tracking light glowed a brilliant orange. Good. His prey had arrived in the airlock. He struggled to his feet and turned the manual lock until the airlock light lit gold. The air pump kicked in and its wild vibration made the bottom of his feet go numb. A few minutes were all it took to rid the room of its water and fill it with some of his precious air.

 Ignoring the shaking of his hand, he placed his palm flat on the scanner to authorize the doors to open. Then he backed away until he had a clear shot at the door with his one remaining weapon. The dying ship managed to get the heavy doors open just a couple of feet. All thought fled. Raiden saw his hand in front of him holding the blaster pistol, steady as a rock, foreign, no longer part of himself. He allowed his conscious self to sink deeply into the machine that his body became in preparation to kill. A machine that held no thought, no hesitation, and no remorse.

 A bulky metal tank covered with chipped white paint landed in the corridor with a loud bang. Various hoses and black straps wrapped around it and lay about at odd angles. A plastic facemask hit the floor with a soft thud. Odd black flippers flipped through the air like flying discs, hit the wall, and plopped onto the floor.

 His conscious self fought back to the surface and regained control. Curiosity pulled the blaster back to his side. Not Apolo . Not his men. Then who? And what was all that stuff? If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought it was a breathing tank and apparatus. But if it were, they were relics, antique and outdated. What fool would risk swimming down here in that?

 She was tall. Nearly six Quillian lengths. Black hair fell in a braid halfway down her back. A stiff black and yellow suit covered her from ankle to chin and hid her body from view, but she moved with an athlete’s grace. Silently. Quickly. And her face... Hellsgate !

 He knew that face.

 She took off down the corridor away from him at a brisk jog. No doubt, she was off to explore the ship. He should stop her, challenge her presence here. But all he really wanted to ask her was how she found him, how she knew...

 With great effort, he managed to ram his now shaking weapon back into its thigh holster and rest the back of his head against the golden triangle pattern on the wall. She was real!

 The beauty who’d haunted him wasn’t just a figment of his dreams, or a by-product of too many cups of the brewsmith’s ale. She was real. She was here.

 Or he was so close to death he was hallucinating.

 No. He knew his body, knew his limits. The blood loss from his shoulder wound was making him weak, but it was nothing a good medical unit and a few days rest wouldn’t cure. So, the woman from his visions had arrived at last. But whose side was she on?

  

 Chapter Two

  

 Raidensidled around the corner. His black knee-high boots were silent on the thick flooring. He gathered up her breathing gear and sealed it in a side room. If she were an enemy, only one of them was getting off this ship, and it wouldn’t be her. With that tank of air, he had a fighting chance to escape this waterlogged graveyard alive.

 He stalked the barefoot woman through the corridors. Drifting behind her like a wraith, he became a ghostly presence on his own ship. The irony of the thought twisted his resistant mouth into a grin. A ghost, chasing a vision. His mother would think that hysterically funny. She was probably sitting in her lounge with her friends sipping citra juice and laughing at her pets right now.

 Home. The need to protect it punched him in the stomach and nearly drove him to his knees.

 With an effort, he forced himself to focus on his anger, on Apolo’s betrayal, on the need for revenge burning a hole in his heart. The thoughts sent power to his legs, and calm to his chaotic thoughts. Find out what the woman knows. Get off this ship alive. Complete his mission. Three things. That’s all.

 She moved swiftly, straight for the med unit, as if she knew where to look. Her focus never drifted to the royal crests of pure gold lining the hallways, or the crystal art hanging from the ceiling at the juncture of every corridor. Every piece was worth a small fortune. And if his homeworld believed he was dead, they’d have the added macabre appeal of being Ghost Items. She could retire off of what one Ghost Item from the royal family would bring her on Qillius ’ black market.

 One thing for sure, she wasn’t a grave robber or a pirate. She didn’t spare the items even one glance.

 Within minutes she hurried through the still open doorway of the med unit. Raiden followed and watched her from the corridor. Blood ran in a steady trickle from her foot onto the pristine silver floor of the room. He frowned. She was injured? The black flooring in the corridor had effectively hidden the fact from him before. Renewed rage growled like a beast inside his head. He fought it back down. It should matter not whether she was hurt. His upset over the idea made no sense. Patience must be his calling now. The woman was about to reveal herself!

 The walls inside the med unit were a soothing teal green, designed to remind the sick of Qillius ’ bright sky. Three of the seven silver beds were occupied. He’d completely covered the two dead men beneath matching teal sheets. The monitors above their heads were as cold and silent as the dead they kept watch over. She dismissed them with a glance and hurried to where his second in command, Gertack , was thrashing on another bed, losing his battle with the Trillian poison, and knelt beside him.

 Raidenwas prepared for anything except the long shaking finger that caressed the mark on Gertack’s cheek. She traced the circular symbol reverently. Her gaze swept over the black uniform, the matching symbol stitched in gold on the sleeves. Gertack’s sweat drenched face jerked beneath her hand and her worried eyes returned to his friend’s face. His lips were completely blue now. The final stage of his poisoning had set in. Gertack , captain of his personal guard and his best friend, would be dead in moments.

 “No, no, no, no.” She frantically dug at a slight bulge beneath the black suit on her right wrist.

 There was nothing he could do but watch. He’d dressed his friend in his own royal garments, the only tribute he could bestow for Gertack’s loyalty and sacrifice. There was no antidote for Trillian poison. Raiden clenched his teeth and forced his gaze to remain on Gertack as convulsions raised his tortured body off the table, every grimace, every twisted moan strengthened his resolve.

 “You can’t die now!” She pulled the zipper down on her suit and struggled like a caged animal against the material. Finally, she pulled her right shoulder free.

 Fate delivered a mighty blow to his chest and he stumbled into the doorframe.

 Blood ran down her nearly naked back to disappear beneath the rubbery suit now bunched at her waist. The sliding action of the suit over her shoulder had wiped it clean, like an eraser wiping chalk off of a blackboard. She had no visible injury, nothing to explain the blood that welled up in perfect tiny beads before coalescing to wander down her back. The red droplets formed within a symbol on her back before falling. The same shape that every member of his personal guard had tattooed onto their cheek when they took their vows. The sign that had mysteriously appeared on his right shoulder the night of his Farseeing ceremony.

 The symbol that Apolo had buried his dagger in while trying to kill him.

 The woman flipped open a small plastic case that was strapped to her wrist. Gertack’s body gave a final, quiet shudder. A fresh wave of pain stabbed behind his eyes and into his heart. Abruptly, Raiden’s eyelids were too heavy to hold open, the vision before him too agonizing to witness.

 A keening scream of denial and rage filled his ears. Several moments passed before he realized the sound came from outside his own tortured mind. The silence that followed was so pronounced, the quiet click of the metal clasp closing on her wrist echoed through the makeshift morgue.

 Opening his eyes, he discovered her head bowed in prayer.

 “Rogan, I’m too late. May God forgive me.” Her whispered confession jolted him out of his paralysis and he stepped forward.

 “What do you know of Rogan, the Dreamweaver ?”

 Gasping, she whirled around onto her feet to face him. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks. The sight shocked him. She looked over his common soldier’s garb and searched his face, clearly hoping to see the symbol again. Bone deep sadness and regret clouded her sea-green eyes when she did not find it. An urgent need to comfort her pushed one foot forward before he could get himself under control. Pulling his blaster pistol from his thigh holster, he pointed the weapon at her heart. He stubbornly ignored the pain in his shoulder. Weakness from his injury caused his hand to shake, but that failing dissipated beneath the onslaught of a fresh adrenaline surge. “I repeat, what do you know of Rogan?”

 “Who are you?”

 Raidendidn’t dare reveal himself to her. The lie left his lips before he thought to demand that she answer his questions first. Her presence, or the blood loss, had dazzled his mind into mush. “ Gertack. I handle navigation and weapons.”

 To his amazement, she waved her hand at him in annoyance. “Put that thing away.” Apparently once again in control of her emotions, she paced in front of him. A tapestry hanging on the wall would have garnered more attention than she paid him. He had been dismissed. Dismissed!

 Wringing her hands together in front of her, she muttered to herself, then tucked stray strands of hair behind her ears. Every couple of seconds she would rotate her bleeding shoulder, as if to shrug off the pain she must feel there. How should he proceed? Without doubt, she was the most illogical being he’d ever run across. And she loved to talk to herself.

 “Too late to save him. How can I stop the war?” Over and over the mantra left her lips while she paced the small space like a caged cat.

 “What war? Who are you?”

 Completely ignoring him, she continued to ramble to herself. “There must be some kind of proof. Where would it be?” She tapped three fingers against her forehead. “Where would it be?”

 “Enough.” He fired a blast into the floor a few feet in front of her.

 She stopped dead in her tracks, raised the coldest, most calculating eyes he’d ever seen to his face, and said, “I wouldn’t recommend doing that again.”

 He shoved the pistol into the holster atop his black soldier’s pants and advanced on her. “ Hellsgate, woman! You sneak onto my ship, which happens to be buried at the bottom of the sea, walk straight to the med unit like you’re familiar with her layout, and have the audacity to ignore me after I threaten you with a blaster!”

 Unsure what her reaction would be, he stopped just out of arm’s reach. He wouldn’t be as fast on his feet with his shoulder injury. Though, he realized with a start, since she’d come aboard, he’d been feeling much stronger.

 Still, the last thing he expected was to have the wind knocked out of him by her smile.

  

 “I apologize.” Mairi studied the man before her with renewed hope. He was dressed in black from head to toe, the material stretched tightly across his muscular chest and thighs. Knee high boots would have looked foolish on most of the men she knew, but on him they looked... perfect. And, for the first time in her life, she actually had to look up at a man to address him, to see the secrets swimming in his eyes. And he’d said my ship. “Tell me your real name.”

 “ Raiden.”

 Thunder God.“It suits you.” Relief washed through her in a powerful flood. She swallowed the very undignified urge to giggle. He was the prince! He was still alive! Very much alive! Shoulder length golden hair flowed away from his face in waves. Piercing amber eyes studied her as if she’d lost her mind. And perhaps she had. The steady and intense agony in her shoulder was wearing on her. She was running out of time if she wanted to get the prince off this ship in one piece.

 She spared a quick glance to the marked man on the table, the man who should have been hers. The man for whom she could never feel anything but regret. “Who was he?”

 “ Gertack. My second in command, and a good friend.”

 The floor spun beneath her feet, but she focused her attention on the dead man and stumbled to where he lay. She had to say goodbye. Heart heavy, she bent over and placed a kiss over the mark on his cheek. She laid her forehead against his and whispered, “I’m sorry I was too late.”

 “There was nothing you could’ve done. It was Trillian poison.”

 Mairi looked at the dead man’s bright blue lips and pinked skin, both sure signs of the wicked killer. “I could’ve saved him.”

 “Impossible.”

 Mairi straightened to her full height and grabbed onto the table with her right hand for balance. “Never use that word.” The room spun. Her shoulder was on fire. “I found you, didn’t I?” Her left hand lifted across her body to rub the ache from her shoulder. She frowned. Warm liquid doused her fingers. Impatiently, she held her soaked fingers up for inspection.

 Blood covered her fingers and palm. Curious and detached, she studied the bright red fluid. When had she started bleeding? Her knees buckled beneath her and she sank to the silver floor. “What’s happening to me?”

 Raidenraced to her side. Strong hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her to her feet.

 Mairi couldn’t tear her gaze from the face of the dead man next to her, couldn’t stop the slight flutter of fear that rose in her throat and cut off her air. Her mother said the Shen would serve as a link between them. He was dead. Did that mean...

 The blond prince pulled her to another med table and forced her to lie down. She grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed as hard as she could. With great effort, she raised her head up off the table to drink in the sight of him. He wasn’t hers, but God, his rugged face, the hard set to his eyes, made him the sexiest man she’d ever seen. True vigor emanated from him. He was strong enough to survive. She had to warn him, now, before it was too late. “Listen to me. You have to get off this ship. I brought an air tank for you. Swim straight up until you’re about three body lengths from the surface and stay there for as long as you can. If you don’t, you’ll die.”

 “Hush. The ship’s med-tech will help you.”

 Mairi smiled at the obvious lie and looked once more at Gertack’s lifeless shell. “I don’t think anything can save me now.” Her head fell back against the table with a soft thud. “If you don’t make it back, your world will be pulled into full-scale war with Herhma . Both planets, and your whole family get wiped out. The Calchus family takes control of the throne. Most of your people will die.”

 “ Calchus?”

 “Yes. Apolo becomes king in your stead. Rogan said he’s your cousin.”

 Raidensmoothed the hair off her forehead and spoke to his ship. “ Raelle, scan.” Then he turned those warm honey eyes back to her. “Rogan? The Dreamweaver ?”

 She was so tired, talking was almost too great an effort. “No. The Archiver .” Med scanners of some sort were whirring over her head in a soothing rhythm. Warmth penetrated her skin where light from the machine touched her. His hand probed behind her shoulder. Fingers jabbed into her flesh like hot pokers. Mairi focused on his face, the cut of his jaw, anything to keep from dishonoring herself. It was only pain. Pain was nothing in the face of her mission.

 “ Archiver?”

 “Leave me.” She tried to roll away from him, but his other hand pinned her to the table.

 “Hold still.”

 A growl rumbled from her throat in warning. “Listen to me, you idiot. When you get to the surface, you’ll see my boat. Take it. Summon your people. Go home.”

 He ignored her, adjusted something above her head. He held a strange object to her neck and she felt a foreign liquid push through her skin and enter her bloodstream in a hot spreading rush. Immediately, her pain lessened and a warm rush of serenity bathed her mind. A sigh escaped her lips and she relaxed completely into the soft padding beneath her on the med table. “Thank you.”

 The prince still hovered over her.

 “ Raiden, you’re a damn fool. Get out of here. I did my job. Now go do yours. Save your world.”

 Raidenopened his mouth to reply. Before he could speak she raised three fingers to cover his lips. “I’m dying, Raiden . Just go.”

 “I can help you.”

 “No, you can’t. I’m a Walker.” Mairi closed her eyes and tried to conjure a vision of Gertack’s face. Raiden’s noble features quickly filled her mind’s eye instead. The heat of his lips beneath her fingertips was bliss. At the realization, a strange sense of betrayal to the man she would never know, never love, settled in her chest. “I’m a Walker, and my mate is dead.”

 Raidenbrushed her cheek with the back side of his fingers, but didn’t respond to her revelation. “ Raelle, report.”

 The ship’s voice spoke matter-of-factly. “Level four stab wound, right shoulder.”

 Raiden’shand froze on her cheek. The report continued. “Blood loss, twenty percent and increasing. Blood pressure ninety over fifty and falling. Recommend immediate cauterization and tissue repair.”

 “ Raelle, cauterize the wound and repair her tissue.”

 Mairi couldn’t help but smile when the ship answered. She’d guess he wasn’t having a good day when it came to women obeying him. “Unable to initiate tissue repair. Complete systems failure in five minutes.”

 “ Raelle, cauterize the wound, now!”

 Mairi felt the lights dance over her skin again, then a burning sensation. She guessed the bleeding had stopped, for now. But she was still too weak to move, let alone swim for the surface. “Get out of here, Raiden .”

 “I’m not leaving you here.” Another injection filled her with a strange heat, and she felt a semblance of her energy returning. He rolled his shoulders, as if testing their power, then lifted her from the bed like a small child and carried her out of the room.

 If she had more strength, she’d hit him. “Leave me! Don’t you understand? I’m linked to Gertack through the Shen . He’s dead. Now I’m dying, too.” Even as she said the words, she laid her cheek down against his chest and nestled into the heat of his shoulder. He smelled like the sea, and Nivra Ale, and man.

 Not a bad way to go...

 “You’re not dying.” The words were gruff, insistent. She almost believed him. Almost. Her weakened physical state was much more convincing than his pretty promises. And his future, the future of his world, was much more important than the honor driving him to try to save her.

 “Please, you’re much more important than I am. It’s not worth your life to try to save mine!” All her life she’d held sacred the great responsibility of being a Timewalker . Self-sacrifice. Duty. Honor. With her remaining strength she shoved her arms into his chest and tried to escape the safe harbor of his hold. “Just go! Stop the war!”

 “Hold still!”

 The bark in his voice froze her instantly and he stopped walking.

 “You aren’t linked to Gertack .”

 Surprised by his outburst, Mairi looked up to see stark possession burning in his eyes. The intensity she saw there was as frightening as it was electrifying.

 “You’re mine.”

  

 Chapter Three

  

 Impossible. The word whirled around in his mind with every step. And every time a foot hit the floor, his shoulders were jarred with the weight of this strange woman, without pain. Her presence here was a mystery. How did she know where to find him? She didn’t appear to have a tracking device capable of reading his homing beacon. Besides, the overload of iron in the water on this planet interfered with the signal when he was submerged.

 When he reached the doorway where he’d hidden the breathing gear, he gently laid her down on the floor inside the airlock, retrieved the apparatus and laid it on the metal floor next to her. “This equipment is ancient. And there’s only one mouthpiece. We’re going to have to take turns.”

 “Don’t worry about me. Just put it on.”

 If she weren’t so weak, he’d slap some sense into her beautiful head. “I’m not leaving you here, and that’s final.” Feet wedged against the floor and the wall, Raiden used every ounce of strength he had to seal the doors. When the gold light blinked on he sighed in relief.

 “Listen, Prince Charming, if you’re determined to drag me along, just shut up and put the damn thing on. I can breathe the water.” Eyes blazing at him, she wiggled and twitched to get her suit back on, drawing his eye to the inviting jiggle of her breasts.

 Breathe water? Impossible. And had she actually just rolled her eyes? “What is your name?”

 “Mairi.”

 “Listen to me, Mairi.” Raiden decided he’d better speak slowly, since she obviously didn’t understand a word he’d said. Curse stubborn women. “I am not leaving you down here to rot. And, I am not going to drag your dead body to the surface. Do I make myself clear?”

 “Perfectly. We’ve wasted enough time arguing.” Mairi zipped the front of her suit closed and pushed with her legs until she’d slid far enough to sit against the wall. “I’d grab the tank if I were you. Oh, and the water’s a wee bit cold.” With that, she reached over her shoulder and pushed the red button.

 A giant popping sound was his only warning before cold water crashed in on them from above. Like a raging surf, it pulled him off his feet and slammed against his body. Seething with fury, he took a deep breath and dove for the air tank. His fingers closed around the straps and he forced himself to calm. Panic would surely kill him. If his ship had been at full power the immersion would’ve been instantaneous and he wouldn’t have had a chance. As it was, it took to a count of ten for the water to completely enclose them. By then he had the mouthpiece in place and inhaled his first dose of canned air. When the bubbles cleared, all he saw of Mairi was her feet disappearing through the small opening over his head.

 Forced to push his tank through first, then squeeze his body out after, murder was uppermost in his mind. Or, at the very least, a few days in the dungeon for the hellcat. If she weren’t already dead, that is. She’d been so determined that he leave her behind.

 Already tripping in exertion, his heart raced even faster at the thought of her drowning. Kicking as hard as he could, he searched what he could see. The water had come in so fast that he hadn’t been able to put on the eyepiece, and now could only see blurred images of his surroundings. Panic began to win the battle when he couldn’t find her anywhere. Every breath he took was forced and uncomfortable, like breathing through a small straw. All he saw was red sand and water. And, there, too far away to make out, he saw something very big, moving toward him. Was it one of the beasts whose hunger already stirred at the scent of her blood? Where in this nightmare had she gone? He’d be damned if he’d leave that stubborn woman down here to drown, blind or not.

 Warm and completely unexpected, her hand closed around his arm and tugged him toward a dark object he could just barely make out on the surface. She had a ship. Good. However, it was too far away for her to make it on her own without air. Raiden grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him. He pulled the regulator out of his mouth and shoved it toward her face.

 Mairi blocked his movement with one arm and shook her head. Wicked smile in place, she opened her mouth and spoke to him in a strange trilling voice. “ Noooo. For you.” But no air came out of her mouth to accompany the odd sound.

 Unable to do more than stare, he didn’t register that his lungs were burning until she frowned at him and shoved the regulator against his lips. “You.”

 Raiden’shead reeled. This woman, this vision from his Farseeing ceremony, was definitely not from this planet. Or his. Or any system or world he’d ever heard of. Was she the first of a new species? A scout for an invading army from a previously unknown planet? Herhma was ninety-five percent water and five percent floating land masses. What better situation for a species that breathes water? But then, he’d bet she didn’t know about the planet’s guardians.

 Or, there was always the most likely explanation. He was hallucinating. The thought brought him instant peace. Yes, he’d already made the decision to escape, badly wounded and weak from blood loss. His subconscious just gave him a little help. Mairi was too perfect to be real. Elegant features, sea-green eyes, braided black hair that had felt like a rope of silk beneath his chin, and a tall lithe body with ample curves. She breathed water and smiled at him like a water nymph. His absolute ideal woman. Of course, she was illusion. Or a spirit guardian.

 Damn bossy for a dream if you asked him. And a figment of his imagination didn’t account for the air tank either. Irrefutable proof of her claim to breathe water swam before his eyes, so he gave in to her demands, put the regulator back in his mouth, and swam.

 Swimming side-by-side toward the surface, they stopped to allow their bodies to detox before surfacing. Silent as a ghost until now, the beast swimming around them emitted a haunting rumble that vibrated through his chest. The boat was clearly within view, and Raiden headed straight for it. Minutes later he hauled himself out of the cold water, up the ladder and onto the deck of a small brownish boat. After spitting the regulator out of his mouth, he turned around to help Mairi climb in. But she wasn’t there. He searched the water for any sign of her, but all he saw were several sea beasts roaming just on the edge of his visual range.

 Mairi’sstrange trilling voice sounded from the water and he shouted her name. Even cauterized, the injury to her shoulder would weaken her. Perhaps, even with the med injection, she didn’t have the strength to reach the boat. Struggling into the air tank’s harness as quickly as possible, Raiden shoved the regulator back into his mouth. It wouldn’t be gentlemanly to let the woman die after she’d saved his sorry hide.

 Two steps later he felt like he’d been hit in the head with an electric blast. A forcefield prevented him from re-entering the water and stung his hands when he pressed against it. Behind him a small alarm sounded three times. Prerecorded and waiting for sensory activation, a holographic image of an elderly Herhman military official came to life. “You are in violation of code 147, section 9 of the properties act. This vessel is stolen. Additionally, you are in violation of code 276, section 2 of the preservation act. Your vessel is anchored on the protected Fire Sea Dunes. You are under arrest, and your vessel will be directed to the nearest processing station. You are not to leave your vessel. You will be processed and judged upon arrival at Tank Four. Thank you.”

 Beneath his feet, the boat shuddered as the engine roared to life, powered now by the military directed power cell. “Mairi!” Damnation. He was about to be hauled off to a floating prison, leaving her behind both injured and without supplies.

 The red beasts circled closer to the ship. Now clearly visible, he counted four of them. Each one was at least twice the size of the boat. With the anchor still weighing it down, the boat groaned at the conflicting forces at work on it, the engine trying to carry him away, and the heavy weight of metal dragging the sea floor. Unfortunately, the little boat was slowly gaining speed.

 “Mairi! Where are you?” He wasn’t sure exactly where they were, but if he remembered the crash coordinates correctly, it would take half a day to reach the prison. Time wasn’t an issue in that regard, but finding Mairi was another game entirely. Searching for something, anything to use to break through the forcefield holding him hostage, he threw the air tank against it. Sparks flew when the metal struck the barrier, but still it bounced back and fell to the deck next to one of the two small seats. There was nothing else but a small case in the corner. The boat was barren.

 Gaining more speed, the front end of the boat suddenly rose into the air. Thrown backward, Raiden lost his balance, fell, and slammed the back of his head against the small plastic case in the rear corner. A high keening sound rent the air. Scrambling to his knees, Raiden looked over the edge and into the water. The boat’s engine still rumbled, but all movement stopped. One of the Fire Beasts held the boat nearly aloft on its back.

 Gritting his teeth, Raiden crawled to the air tank, lifted it high and slammed it down on the small lock protecting the case. With a ping it gave way and he sifted through the contents. Ration bars and drinking water, a knife the size of his smallest finger, some odd stones in a strange green box, and a blaster. The knife he ignored. A thousand slices from the tiny blade still wouldn’t do any damage.

 Aiming at the creature with his blaster, he fired. A brilliant blast of orange light hit the forcefield and reflected back toward him. Two strides away a charred hole the size of his head smoldered in the deck. Fine. If he couldn’t go over the edge, he’d blast his way through this strange brown polymer, get down to the engine and shut it off.

 Lurching beneath his feet, the boat slammed back down into the water, then was immediately raised again. Thrown on his stomach, ear pressed to the deck, he heard a faint scraping sound from beneath the boat. Was Mairi trapped down there and trying to reach him? “Mairi!”

 Careful not to fire into the hull of the ship, he blasted several more holes into the deck. A couple more shots and he’d be able to kick out the remaining material and get to that engine. What he would do about the beasts or the forcefield , he had no idea. One problem at a time.

 * * * * *

 Arms shaking with fatigue, Mairi wedged her diving knife between the circular military device and the hull of her boat and tried to pry it off. When that didn’t work, she aimed for the center and stabbed the machine repeatedly until all the lights blinked off. The engine died and the sudden quiet sounded better to her than just about anything she’d ever heard. Relief tasted sweet in her mouth. Thank God the quad had warned her about the automated device left by the Herhman patrol. Otherwise, she’d be stranded up there with Mr. Attitude and they’d both be on their way to prison.

 Unable to move for a moment, she let herself simply float in the water to regain some strength. Hovering protectively close, the leader of the quad swam beneath her and spoke in a series of high whistles and vibrations that carried to her through the water.

 You hurt.

 Mairi smiled. That would be the one who said her name was Yasra . She was the mother hen, protective and clearly in charge of the others. Knowing the animals could smell her blood, there was no sense lying. Yes.

 We take you safe place.

 Thank you.Traveling through the water to jar her from her reprieve, Mairi heard what sounded like small explosions coming from her boat. They vibrated her eardrum with alarming strength. Yasra swam around the perimeter of the boat, keeping watch so Mairi directed her question to her. I thought all the men were gone.

 They are. Your mate making trouble.

 Could she not have one moment’s peace on this damn planet? She’d saved the idiot prince, despite his protests. Now he was destroying their only means of transportation? Heaven help her, despite the fact he was the most alluring male she’d ever encountered, she’d kill the fool herself.

 In no time she swam to the ladder. Using her good arm, she pulled herself up far enough to see what he was doing and replaced the water in her lungs with sweet air. “Put that damn thing away. I’ll shoot your ass myself if you sink my boat.”

 Raidenspun around at the sound of her voice. Relief flooded his gaze and in two strides he reached her. After pulling her into the boat, he turned away to pace like a caged animal. Surprised at the lack of strength in her legs, they collapsed beneath her the moment she attempted to stand on her own. Despite her efforts to choke down the pain, a soft moan escaped when her shoulder hit the deck. Glancing up at him she wondered if the worry in his eyes was for her, or himself?

 “Where the hell have you been?” So, obviously not for her.

 “Saving your ass. Again.” Absolutely no way she was having this conversation on her back while he towered over her like a golden god. Rolling onto her side, she pushed against the rough plastic with her left arm until she was sitting. Better. Not perfect, but a definite improvement.

 “Do you realize you could’ve killed me with that little stunt you pulled on my ship?”

 “Kiss my ass, your Worship. All you were doing was making sure we’d both die.” She stared out over the sea and counted to ten. Slowly.

 Raidenknelt on one knee and tilted her face up to his, the tip of his blaster beneath her chin. “Who are you? Where are you from? How can you breathe water? And how did you know where to find me? Did Apolo send you to finish me off?”

 At that moment, the quad lifted and repositioned their boat. The sudden movement threw both of them to the deck. Raiden’s heavy body landed right on top of her, forced the air from her lungs and awoke every dormant nerve ending until she literally tingled. Arousal and extreme pain surged through her senses. The combination was not one she’d ever felt before. She was too tired and overwhelmed for long explanations he wouldn’t believe anyway. Lying wasn’t her style. The man was definitely angry. She watched in fascination as blood pounded through the veins in his temples. Once pale, his cheeks were now flushed in annoyance, and impossibly perfect. She tried, in vain, not to study his lips and imagine how he would taste. “I’m Mairi Neeshahn . I’m from the future. I’m Atlantean . We can all breathe water. And Rogan told me where to find you.”

 “You expect me to believe that?” Oh, yes. He felt it, too. If she weren’t mistaken, he was studying her mouth.

 “I don’t care what you believe.” Unable to help herself, she ran her tongue over her lips just to torture him.

 “And the Fire Beasts?”

 “I spoke to them. I had to destroy the energy cell running the engine. They’re going to use the anchor line to tow us somewhere safe.”

 “And where would that be?”

 “ Yasradidn’t say.” Certainly, she had never seen eyes quite that shade before. Warm and golden, they glowed just like the sweet syrup made by the flower-bees back home.

 “Ask!” Chest heaving, it appeared that speaking required quite a bit of his effort. Or perhaps the exertion was required not to strangle her. The thought brought her a shocking amount of satisfaction.

 “No.”

 “Damnation woman. You’re impossible.”

 “Thank you.”

 Whatever answer he’d expected, that wasn’t it. Throwing his head back, he roared with laughter. The rumble of his amusement vibrated through her chest, made her even more aware of everywhere their bodies touched. Strong and heavy, his legs lay on either side of hers. Supporting himself on his forearms, his torso rested over hers with a delicious amount of weight. He was magnificent when he smiled. Then his smile faded, and the desire that flared to life in his eyes was dangerous.

 With a featherlight touch, his thumbs caressed her temples, wiped the still damp tendrils of hair from her face. A shiver raced through her body and need held her captive. Never before had a man’s touch made her feel alive. Perhaps it was the close call with death. Worry. Fear. Or the unknown dangers still ahead, but suddenly his caress was more necessary to her survival than air to breathe.

 “I don’t believe I’ve thanked you for saving my life.”

 Perhaps the man was finally going to be reasonable. “You’re welcome.”

 Lowering his lips to brush against hers, he whispered, “Not yet.”

 Hot and urgent, his mouth claimed hers in a kiss that stole her sanity. Fire spread through her bloodstream with every bold stroke of his tongue. Hands on either side of her face, he held her captive for every deliciously wet taste of him, every soft caress of his lips against hers as he retreated and advanced. Again and again he explored her mouth until she was afraid she’d melted into a puddle beneath his hard body.

 Lifting his head, his smug smile held entirely too much male satisfaction. “Thank you.”

 “You’re welcome.” Closing her eyes to prevent them from betraying her secrets, her desires, she sighed. Crashing after an adrenaline rush was never fun, but her shoulder hurt like hell and lifting her head just didn’t seem worth the effort. Peaceful and mysterious, the taste of Raiden lingering in her mouth, she let sleep claim her.

  

 Chapter Four

  

 Hours had passed and the setting star, Clarius , lit up the Fire Sea until the water sparkled like a living mass of red rubies beneath the boat. Slowly but surely, the four beasts pulled them toward a small floating island just ahead. And still Mairi slept.

 Raidensearched the boat yet again, and came up empty handed. Sitting down next to her, he examined her pale face and shook his head. No med kit. No antibiotics. No pain injections. Nothing. It was like she’d shown up naked and just thrown herself onto a stolen boat with no thought to her own survival. The idea disturbed him in ways he didn’t have time to analyze right now. Her claims of being from the future were farfetched at best. At worst, she was certifiable, perhaps a demented woman with psi talent, probably from the planet Osra-9, who knew his cousin Apolo and had decided to work the situation for her own gain.

 Still, none of that would explain the Fire Beasts, the water breathing, the mark on her shoulder, or the blood.

 Especially the blood. Powerless to stop himself, he caressed the soft skin of her cheek with his thumb. She was beautiful. Regal. Perfect. And a mystery. How had she absorbed his wound into her own body? Rumors abounded of a strange race of healers three galaxies away, but they reportedly banished wounds, not absorbed them into their own flesh.

 The rhythmic ebb and pull of the beasts swimming suddenly ceased and dragged Raiden from his musings. He rose to find their boat anchored in a small cove. No more than a short leap off the bow was the end of a dock that stretched a good hundred lengths, all the way to the red sandy shore. An explosion of color surrounded him. Yellows and greens, purples and oranges of every shade lit up the twilight from the myriad of strange bushes and trees that fought for survival in the wet sand.

 And in the center of it all, small and defiant in flowing red robes, an old woman stood waiting. Her white hair hung nearly to her ankles in a long braid. Blue-green eyes that were hauntingly familiar studied him with a marked intelligence from deep within the lined face.

 Instinctively, Raiden raised the blaster in warning and waited.

 With a bearing as regal as any queen’s, the woman glided on silent footsteps toward them. When she reached the end of the dock, she threw a rope to him with surprising vigor and watched in silence, her arms crossed, as he pulled the boat in and tied it off with one hand. The other hand still gripped the blaster like a lifeline. “Who are you?”

 Ripe and wizened with age, her voice held no hint of fear. “You’re not going to use that. Put the blaster away and follow me.”

 Gods have mercy, not another wisecracking female like Mairi. What choice did he have? He wasn’t going to kill the old woman in cold blood, and she knew it. But one wrong move, and he wouldn’t hesitate. “Where are you taking us?”

 “I’m Farra . I’m taking you to my home. Yasra tells me your woman is injured. We can help.”

 He’d risk it. Mairi desperately needed help, and he had nothing to offer her at the moment. Raiden shoved the meager contents of Mairi’s case into his pockets before lifting her into his arms and following the old woman. They walked about two hundred lengths from shore before a small home came into view. Made of the same brown polymer as Mairi’s boat, the circular structure had a bright orange door. The roof was a patchwork of colors designed to match the nearby foliage. He guessed it would be nearly undetectable from the air.

 “Come.” Farra opened the door and preceded him into the house.

 Comfortable and functional, the interior was lit with small burning torches. Farra led him to a narrow bed with simple woven linens the color of cream, and motioned for him to lay Mairi down. Even with all the jostling, Mairi hadn’t stirred, and worry tightened its grip.

 “Can you heal her?”

 “No.”

 Raidenturned to see Farra removing her long robe and hanging it on a hook beside the now closed door. She pivoted to her left and walked to a small table littered with stones similar to the ones he had in his pocket. His gaze followed the line from her thin hands, up her frail arms, and stopped at her neck. There was the mark both he and Mairi had branded on their shoulders. “Who are you?”

 “A stranded traveler, just like Mairi.” Farra didn’t bother to look up when she answered; she was crushing herbs in a small silver bowl on the table.

 “How do you know her name?” Hell. Things just kept getting more bizarre.

 “The Fire Beasts told me.”

 “So, you can talk to the animals as well?” Raiden waited for her answer, spellbound by the possibility. What other talents did these women have? “And breathe water?”

 “Yes.” At last, Farra approached, her gaze on Mairi, and the unshed tears in her eyes were completely unexpected. “I believe we are cousins, of a sort. I was not prepared to actually meet another in this life. I am deeply honored to have her here.” The pain in her eyes turned to iron when she switched her focus to him. “And profoundly disturbed that she is here at all. Do you know why she was sent here? Has she completed her mission?”

 Farragently rolled Mairi onto her side, pulled the suit from her shoulder, and began rubbing the herbal mixture into the wound that, by all the laws of physics, shouldn’t be there.

 “She said she was here to save me.” Raiden’s shoulder came to life, the light tingle rapidly progressed to a cold burn. He clenched his jaw against the pain and leaned against the wall behind him. Farra left Mairi for a moment to retrieve a now glowing green stone from the small red table. In his pocket, Mairi’s stones pulsed with heat against his thigh. The closer Farra got to Mairi, the more they flared to life.

 Hands steady, a strange high-pitched wail coming from her throat, Farra pressed the stone into the wound on Mairi’s shoulder.

 An agony of fire exploded through his body like the blade in his shoulder had struck anew. His knees collapsed.

 Eyes rounding in shock, Farra turned her attention to where he lay on the floor. “Do you bear the mark of the Shen on your shoulder as well?”

 “Yes.” A Shen . So that’s what it was called. Warm liquid coated his back, and Raiden knew without a doubt that his blood again flowed from the wound on his shoulder. Somehow, this woman and her magic had returned it to him.

 He blinked, and Farra was kneeling over him. “Where are her stones?”

 “Pocket.”

 “I’m sorry for your pain. If I had asked first, this wouldn’t have happened.” Farra dug in his pocket for Mairi’s things, and Raiden couldn’t summon the energy to stop her. Mairi would live. Of that he was certain. His own survival was another matter entirely.

 “You must live, do you here me?” Farra grabbed his shoulders and squeezed with surprising strength. Her eyes blazed at him, were all he could see. “If you die, she’s doomed. You must live.”

 Damn bossy women. Did they really think he was that easy to kill? Raiden felt a grin split his lips, then everything went black.

 * * * * *

 Mairi stared out over the water and buried her fingers and toes in the warm sand where she sat waiting. A cool breeze flirted with the folds of the soft red gown she’d borrowed from Farra . An entire day had passed, and still Raiden slept. Farra assured her he would live, that the stones held him in slumber until his healing was complete. Oh, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to believe the old woman, but logic and fear were not always easy bedmates.

 “Don’t worry so, child. Yasra tells me he will wake soon.” Farra settled herself onto the sand next to her.

 “I know. I heard her.”

 “Then why the long face? He bears the mark. You’ve found your mate.”

 How could she explain this feeling of foreboding when she didn’t understand it herself? “I’m not sure what it is, Farra . I just have a feeling that my battle isn’t over yet, that something else is going on here.”

 “He said you came here to save him.” Manners too refined to pry, Farra would never directly ask about her mission. But Mairi felt she deserved to know.

 “Yes. He’s the crown prince of Qillius Two. His disappearance at the bottom of the Fire Sea triggered a war that killed billions. I got him to the surface, but I still have to get him home.” Farra sighed in understanding, but didn’t offer any advice. She’d been so busy tending to Raiden that Mairi hadn’t had an opportunity to question her. But she had noticed the Shen on Farra’s neck and her ability to speak with the Fire Beasts. “ Farra, are you Atlantean ? And what happened to you? How did you end up here?”

 Farra’seyes closed, but not quickly enough to hide the stark pain behind them. Mairi almost wished she could take back the question. Almost.

 Voice barely a whisper, Farra began her tale. “I’m a Timewalker , like you. And Atlantean .”

 “Who was your mother? Do you carry the history?”

 “Yes. My mother was Helene. Her mother was Rebeka , and hers, Celine .”

 Mairi shook her head. She didn’t recognize any of the names. “My mother is Shauna, her mother was Trina, and hers, Tempest.”

 “Shauna was my great-great-great grandmother’s sister.”

 “My God. You’re three generations beyond me.”

 Farra’schuckle rippled through the night. “You’re much, much older than I am. But then, time doesn’t really mean anything to us, does it?”

 “No, I suppose not.” Mairi rested her head on her knees and hugged herself at the thought. Being a Timewalker was an honor, but it came with a price. “What happened to you Farra ? How did you end up here?”

 “I was sent here nearly thirty orbits ago to assassinate a man.”

 At her gasp, Farra laughed. “Don’t be surprised. Not all Walkers are sent to save. Sometimes we’re sent to kill.”

 “Something went wrong.”

 “Yes. My target was saved at the last possible moment by a fiercely loyal bodyguard. A Dark Walker had forewarned them. She smiled and waved at me as I was arrested for murdering the wrong man. I was sentenced and locked in one of their floating prisons. There, buried alive in a cell beneath the Fire Sea, I met Yasra and her family. They helped me escape. But before the assassination attempt, I’d met my mate. Once I was free, I went in search of him, and discovered the Dark One had claimed him. She was lying in wait for me. I tried to kill her, but Danne , my mate, was seduced by her. He saved her life and disappeared with her. But she wasn’t the only one to hunt me. I was forced to flee to protect my unborn child. Yasra brought us here.”

 “You’ve been stranded here your entire life? And where is your child now?”

 “Yes. This island is small, insignificant, and Yasra’s home. The quad protects it, and me. And in answer to your other question, I gave birth to a daughter. Her name is Jena.”

 Mairi’sheart stuttered in understanding. “How long ago did the Archivers claim her?”

 “They didn’t.”

 “What? I don’t understand. If she’s not Walking, where is she? And where is your mate?”

 “My Danne , he’s a Jumper. And so, Jena was born with both of our gifts. And hunted for them.”

 “ Farra, what’s a Jumper, or a Dark Walker?” Tales were handed down in her family, mother to daughter, an oral history of her Timewalker heritage. Mairi knew every woman’s story, every incident, by heart. Never, in all those stories, had she ever heard of Dark Walkers or Jumpers.

 “Dark Walkers are sent out, as we are, to alter Timelines. The one sent after me, in this time, claimed that she served a greater good. But she tried to kill me, lured Danne from my side. To me, she was simply evil. That’s all I know of them. But the Jumpers, they’re very different, and much more powerful.” Farra drew circles in the sand with her fingers, gathering her thoughts. “ Danneand Jena have a unique molecular structure. They don’t need an Archiver to ride the strands.”

 “Oh, my God.” Time travel at will, anywhere in existence, on any timeline. Normally, a Timewalker needed an Archiver to open the doorway through time, and align the strands so she arrived in the correct place and time, without crossing energy paths with another traveler. An Archiver could manipulate the strands, read them, but couldn’t control them and ride them at the same time. They needed each other. Someone completely autonomous, with that kind of power could do great things, or destroy world after world.

 “He came for Jena when she was two. Tore her from my arms and disappeared.”

 So much to bear, for one woman. For her baby girl...

 Tears welled up in her eyes, and Mairi tried to blink them away. Farra’s story deserved to be honored, not doused in tears. “I’m sorry. Do you know why he took her? Or where?”

 “I tried to follow, to jump through the portal, but I was thrown back here and nearly died. My molecular structure didn’t allow me to follow. I remain here, and with every breath I take, I know they live. He lives. Sometimes, I reach Jena in my dreams, talk to her, look at her beautiful face and tell her how much I love her. The link I have to Danne is the only thing that keeps me sane. I know he will protect Jena from harm, that he takes care of her. It is all I have and the only way I can care for her.”

 “Who’s hunting her?”

 “ Dannewould never tell me their names. He said that if I knew, they’d use my knowledge as a way to track her. I decided to take her and run, but the Archivers never answered my call. My little Jena was only two. Too innocent to understand, but not to be murdered. I don’t know why Danne did what he did. Sometimes I feel him with that woman, the Dark Walker, and I want to rip out my own throat and take him to the afterlife with me. I feel his tortured thoughts, his guilt, but I can’t hold the connection long enough to discover what is happening. I’ve considered killing myself, and him with me, but in the end, I’m too selfish. He’s my only link to Jena. If he’s gone, I’m afraid something terrible will happen to her.”

 Mairi looked away to study the sea. Between her fingers, the sand chafed and burned where she’d rubbed her palms nearly raw in agitation. A Dark Walker had stolen her mate? How was that possible? Immediately her thoughts turned to Raiden . She hadn’t claimed him yet, but even the thought of losing him was like a hot poker in her stomach. “How did the she steal him from you, Farra ? How did she do it?”

 “I don’t know. It sounds insane, but I still believe he loves me. I know he loves Jena because I feel it in him when we connect.” Farra’s smile was weak and died before it reached her eyes, but Mairi appreciated the effort.

 “Enough misery. I stay here. I live because I’m a stubborn old woman, and because my life sustains them. Not to mention that an Archiver came to me in a dream and asked me to prepare.”

 “For what?”

 “For you. Yasra and I’ve been gathering items we though might be of use to you. You’ll find them below, in Yasra’s cavern. The quad has already agreed to help you and Raiden get to the nearest city. At the current time, we float closest to Tertia . It’s the capital, and heavily guarded, but that can’t be helped. You’ll be able to find a ship there.”

 The ground shifted beneath her, and Mairi fought the sudden dizziness that swamped her. Silent all day, her Shen now blazed to life.

 “Your mate wakes. Claim him. Protect him. And get off this planet as quickly as possible.” Farra rose and stripped to nothing in the soft light of the setting star.

 Mairi noted, as a strange melancholy gripped her, that she didn’t know the star’s name.

 “I’ll be at sea, with my other family, for the entire evening. Have some fun for me. I’ll see you two lovers in the morning.” With a wink and a saucy smile, Farra dove into the water and disappeared.

 * * * * *

 Mairi entered the small house with her heart in her throat, not quite sure what she was going to say even if she could get a sound out. Raiden sat on the edge of Farra’s bed, sheet draped over his hips, examining everything within his line of vision. One arm crossed his bare chest so he could massage his healed shoulder.

 “Hello.” Brilliant opening line. She was so very glad she’d thought of it.

 “How do those stones work? My shoulder is perfect. Even a med unit would take several days to heal a wound that severe.” Hawklike and intense, his attention shifted to her the moment she entered the room.

 “Let me see.” Raiden claimed she was his. Farra testified to the mark on his shoulder, but Mairi needed to see it for herself. He twisted away from her so she could examine his back. There, perfect and unnerving, was the Shen to match hers. Fingers trembling, she traced the circular pattern with a reverence she normally reserved for the holy relics in her mother’s church. His Shen flared with heat in response to her touch, pulsed beneath her sensitive fingertips with a beat all its own. A rhythm hers answered.

 “I’d say we’ve both been branded.” Raiden turned back to face her and caught her wrist as her hand trailed over his shoulder stealing a whisper of contact with his silken hair. After placing a kiss in her palm, he spoke. “I woke up with that symbol smoldering in my flesh after a Farseeing ceremony when I was thirteen. I don’t understand exactly what it means, but I think you do.”

 “Yes.”

 “So tell me.”

 How could she when all she could think about was his kiss? Where had this weak, trembling body come from? It most certainly wasn’t hers. “What do you want to know?”

 “I want you to tell my why my blood started to boil the first time I saw you.” His lips nuzzled her palm again and the air froze in her lungs. “I want to know why visions of you have haunted me for years. Why would you risk your life to save a man you’ve never met? And why, even though I’m hunted, all I can think about is having you hot and naked beneath me in this bed?”

 “Can we start with the hot and naked? Because I can’t think when you’re touching me.” Oh, she felt the heat rising to flush her face, could barely believe she’d said it. And still, she waited for his response as if her very life hung in the balance.

  

 Chapter Five

  

 “All right.” The sheer force of the desire blazing in his eyes held her captive. He must be a magician, a wizard, or a sorcerer who’d cast a spell, because she couldn’t move. Not to blink. Not to twitch. And absolutely not to step away from his gloriously naked body as he rose from the bed and pulled her into his arms.

 Anticipation brought his lips to hers in slow motion, out of sync with normal time. Hungry and demanding, his kiss sealed them together and pushed her already heated libido to an inferno in her bloodstream. The hard planes of his body formed a sensual wall that she brazenly attempted to meld to her own.

 Lips still locked, tongues dueling for dominance, Raiden released the clasps at her shoulders and the soft fabric of her gown slid down her body until it was caught on the curving mounds of her breasts. Impatient to be skin to skin with him, Mairi pulled away to let the gown fall.

 Raiden’shand on her breast caught the soft fabric, held it firmly in place as his thumb danced over her nipple, teased it to a hard peak and sent a rush of liquid heat to welcome him between her legs.

 He pulled his mouth from hers to trail his lips along her jaw, down the sensitive curve of her neck, and lower, to the beckoning peak in his hand. Swaying toward him, she moaned when he closed his mouth around the tight crest. The flick of his tongue through the soft material sent darts of fire straight to her core. When she was sure she couldn’t take any more, he pulled the dress from her body and suckled her, hard and fast.

 Forced to hang on for dear life when her knees buckled, Mairi buried her hands in his thick golden hair and held him to her breast, demanding more. Corded muscle wrapped around her, lifted her feet from the floor and laid her down on the soft bed. Raiden turned his attention to her other breast, sucking and nibbling until her hips bucked with a mind of their own. On her back, her Shen throbbed with every beat of her heart, shot a current of lust straight to her core.

 Wet with welcome, her inner muscles clenched in expectation as his hand explored the plane of her soft stomach, her thighs, and dipped in just enough to tease her. Her hips rose in greeting, eagerly inviting his exploration.

 The rhythmic pull at her breast was suddenly joined by the blissful invasion of two fingers in her core. A whimper escaped her throat, and she bucked beneath him. Moving his fingers in and out, stretching her just enough to tease, he brought her to the brink time and again, but didn’t allow her to find release.

 At last he pushed her legs apart and settled his hips in the cradle of hers. The tip of his cock stroked her outer lips, made her core clench in agony around emptiness. Claiming her lips in a kiss that stole her breath, he entered her in one smooth stroke. Instantly, she clamped down around him and exploded into a million pieces.

 He held perfectly still, watched her face with an intensity she found unnerving. When she’d recovered enough to breathe, he smiled. And moved.

 Thrusting slow and deep, he rebuilt the tension until her nails dug into his shoulders and she was whimpering, begging with a voice she didn’t recognize as her own, for release. Mairi locked her legs around him and forced his body into hers with a ferocity she never knew she possessed until they both lost control.

 He swelled, filling her impossibly full as his orgasm claimed him, and she followed him over the edge into bliss.

  

 Naked except for her bracelet, she sprawled across his chest. Everywhere her hair fell, soft black curls tickled his skin like a thousand silken butterfly wings. Raiden hadn’t felt this good in too many spins to count, or wanted to remember. He felt whole. All thanks to the beautiful woman who’d risked everything to save a stranger. That act marked her as truly noble, and deserving of someone better than he.

 “Mairi, what does the mark mean?” Like a moth drawn to a flame, his fingers traced the warm symbol on her shoulder of their own accord. He didn’t deserve her, but he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to let her go.

 “It’s the mark of a Timewalker . It’s called a Shen . It means eternity and protection.”

 “So, is some crazy old man going to whisk me away to another time to save a drowning princess someday?” The question was only half a joke. The thought excited him, and repulsed him at the same time. Adventure always stirred his blood, but if he went, he would have to leave everything that mattered behind. His family, his crown... his woman.

 She laughed. “No. The Archivers marked you for me. I was told that all the Timewalkers are women.”

 “Why?” That seemed ridiculous. If the fate of billions hung in the balance, why would these Archivers never send a man to save the world?

 “I don’t know. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because women aren’t as arrogant, or driven by our baser urges.” He could feel her mischievous grin on his chest and tried not to rise to the bait. “We’re more careful. Less likely to explode in a fit of testosterone rage. And, we are mothers to the next generation. We can create a home and our own happiness once the job is done.”

 “Is that so?” It couldn’t be helped. What man could listen to that diatribe and not be annoyed.

 “Absolutely. We’re better at everything.”

 Hidden by her mass of hair, her face eluded him. But when her shoulders started shaking, he knew she was playing him, so he gave her a playful slap on the rump.

 “Hey!”

 “You asked for it.”

 Mairi raised up on an elbow to look at him. Her smile stole every sane thought from his head. “I guess I did. And I haven’t answered any of your questions.”

 “What questions?” He’d taken her twice already, yet his cock was surging to life again.

 “See what I mean about testosterone?” A knowing look entered her eyes, and she elevated her eyebrows.

 His hands, which had been a hairsbreadth away from sliding over her ass, fell to the bed in defeat. “All right. I’m ready to listen. Tell me everything.”

 Mairi rested her temple on her palm and traced a circular pattern on his chest with her free hand. “I don’t know what your Farseeing ceremony entails, but Rogan is an Archiver . I don’t know how the Archivers do it, but they keep track of all the Walkers, all the timelines, activate the time strands for us, and find our mates. When they choose a mate for one of us, he is branded with a matching Shen . The mark serves as a link between the Walker and her mate. My parents could communicate telepathically. Mother said my grandparents could feed each other strength, even if they were halfway around the world from one another. Apparently, our Shen formed some kind of physical link between us that allows us to share wounds.”

 “Or strength.” Interesting concept. But, with this link between them, what would happen when one of them died? He didn’t want to ask, but the question flew from his mouth anyway.

 “I don’t know for sure, but my mother believed once bonded, one could not survive the other.” Mairi stared at his chest, and he wondered what he would see in her eyes when she thought of being linked to him forever. If he survived his mission, she wouldn’t have a choice. If he didn’t, he’d destroy her. What the hell was Rogan thinking?

 “So, tell me why Rogan sent you after me.”

 “I already told you.” Sassy. Oh, she was courting trouble.

 “I know. But you were an intruder on my ship at the time, and I didn’t believe a word you said.”

 “In the previous timeline, you rotted down there, at the bottom of the Fire Sea. Your ship wasn’t found for over two hundred orbits. A few spins after your disappearance, the king of Herhma was assassinated with Trillian poison. Your disappearance, and his death, sparked a war between Qillius Two and Herhma that bled into other systems and killed billions of people. Apolo had your entire family murdered, one by one, until he took the throne. Qillius Two defeated Herhma , but within five orbits, he sold out all the survivors to the Triscani invaders and disappeared.”

 “What?!”

 Every microscopic shred of peace deserted him in a heartbeat. The Triscani were a race of reptilian slavers despised throughout the systems. Fortunately, they weren’t the brightest creatures, and their technology was nowhere near as advanced as the human worlds. They coveted Herhma , with its mass of water and minerals, for their own. Qillius Two had nothing to offer them, except fresh meat. Lots of fresh meat. And rumor had it the Triscani liked nothing better than human...

 Raidenjumped out of bed and began a frantic search for his clothes. “Damn it, woman! Why didn’t you tell me? God help us, we’ve got to get to Symon .”

 “Who’s Symon ?”

 “He’s the heir to the throne of Herhma , and a good friend. Since neither of our fathers could be reasonable, I was on my way to meet with him when my ship went down. We are on a hunt.” He had his black pants pulled halfway up his leg when another thought struck him. If both his and Symon’s fathers died, Apolo had to have people on the inside, high-level traitors working with him on both planets. Both planets. “Where’s your knife? I need it.”

 “On the table.”

 “Can you call Farra and the beasts back here?”

 “Yes.” Mairi was sitting up in bed, her hair cascading around her shoulders like every fantasy he’d had since he was thirteen. And if he didn’t do something, neither one of them was going to make it off this island alive. How could he have been so damn weak? First her injury and then the lure of Mairi’s passion had distracted him. He should’ve removed the device immediately. If Apolo had high-level traitors working for him, they might have access to his homing frequency. It was a long shot, a chance he was willing to take when only his life was at stake. But his link to Mairi changed the game.

 “Get dressed. Call her. We’re all leaving right now.”

 Confusion clouded her eyes, but she quickly donned a dark red pantsuit borrowed from Farra’s things and ran outside. High-pitched and urgent, her strange squeal didn’t surprise him this time; he just hoped the older woman would hurry.

 In a rush, he buttoned his black pants so he wouldn’t shock poor Farra when she returned. Raiden grabbed the small knife off the table and flipped open the tiny blade. Right pant leg pulled up to his knee, he took two deep breaths and plunged the knife straight into his calf until he hit bone. Like butter, his flesh split open to expose his tibia as he pulled the knife down toward his ankle.

 Mairi stumbled against the doorframe on her way back inside. Sweat poured from her face and she was glassy-eyed with pain. “What are you doing?”

 “Removing the homing device from my leg.” It wasn’t until he saw her face that he realized he felt very little pain. “Damn.”

 “Just hurry it up.” Sliding down the frame to sit on the floor, Mairi kept her eyes closed.

 With renewed urgency, he pulled the flesh aside and slid the tip of the blade beneath the cylindrical crystal imbedded in the bone. He popped the white crystal free and it hit the floor with a small melodic ping. An instant later he crushed it with one of the iron table legs. For the first time in his life, he was off the grid.

 “You finished?” Mairi’s hands wrapped around her right leg. Blood oozed from between her fingers.

 When he looked down, he was shocked to find that not one mark remained. His flesh was perfect, unblemished. She’d taken the entire wound. “I’m sorry. I had to do it.”

 “I know.” No blame. No question. Her stoic acceptance drove the guilt deeper. Here was the first woman he’d ever fallen for, and he’d done nothing but hurt her.

 “I think Rogan screwed you on this one.” Raiden knelt next to her and wrapped her leg with part of the sheet he’d torn from the bed. This wound sharing was a nightmare.

 Her laughter lifted his spirits. The gentle stroke of her knuckles over his cheek shook him to the core. “I don’t think so.”

 Once her wound was securely bandaged to stop the bleeding, he dared to look into her eyes. The utter acceptance, the love he saw there froze him in place. How was it possible to love someone after less than one spin? “How do I take it back?”

 “What?”

 “The wound. How do I take it back?” He’d burn in purgatory before she suffered another moment’s pain that was meant for him.

 “I don’t know.”

 “You can’t.” Farra stood in the entrance in a long red robe.

 “There has to be a way! How do I take it back?” Raiden jumped to his feet and finished dressing. Both women watched him, silent as ghosts. Unnerving. Calm. “Well?”

 Ignoring the question, Farra walked to the far corner of the room and pulled a small doll from a shelf on the wall. “I assume from your urgent call that we must flee. This is the only thing I care to take with me. Yasra and her family are waiting by the dock.” Clutching the small doll to her chest, Farra walked to the doorway.

 Without warning a strange rumble filled the air. The Fire Beasts screamed their alert too late. Mairi scrambled to her feet and limped across the room toward the only window in the rear of the house.

 “No! The floor.” Farra slammed the door closed and pulled a blaster from a small box on another shelf. Pointing to a circular design in the flooring she continued. “You’ll drop about two body lengths, then hit a tunnel. You’ll have about three hours until high tide comes in and floods it. The tunnel leads to Yasra’s den.”

 Raidenpulled the trap door open and tried to shove Mairi in. No one needed to tell him that if they didn’t get out of that tunnel before it flooded, he’d be the one dead. And he’d take Mairi with him.

 * * * * *

 Mairi swung her legs into the bolthole and climbed down the small ladder. Farra’s door exploded inward just as her head cleared the top.

 “Move!” Raiden had one foot on the ladder between her two hands. Mairi jumped the rest of the way, landed in knee-deep water, and craned her neck to watch Raiden descend. Firing at someone she couldn’t see, he screamed down at her. “Run! I’ll catch up.”

 “Go now!” Farra’s order to Raiden tensed every muscle in Mairi’s body as if she could move Raiden by sheer force of will. Whether he liked it or not, their fates were one. She wasn’t moving until he got his ass down that ladder!

 “I’m not leaving without you.”

 Raidenfired again, then looked down at her. Mairi’s heart dropped into her stomach at the look in his eyes. Resignation. Anticipation. “Go. You’re injured. Get a head start.”

 “No.” Oh, she recognized the logic of his plan, but her heart refused to listen. He was up to something. The first rung of the ladder hung at eye level. Mairi grabbed it and pulled herself up. Hand over hand, she heaved her way up far enough to get a grip with her foot below. “I’ll help you fight.”

 “Too many of them. I won’t allow it.” Pure male stubbornness glared out at her through Raiden’s eyes, and something else. Something that made her heart hurt. He slammed the door closed above her head and bolted it in place.

 There was no sense screaming. But she’d beat that obstinate man the next time she saw him. If she ever saw him alive again. Sliding back down to the ground, she moved out of visual range of the opening above, just in case one of the bad guys got curious.

 Vibrating through the ground, Mairi could hear Yasra and her family calling encouragement and love to the human woman they considered part of their family. Trudging through knee-deep water, Mairi forced herself to walk away, her heart breaking with every step. A hundred paces later an explosion of pain dropped her to her knees. Raiden had been hit. Not dead. Captured.

 Struggling to her feet, a thread of unease, a sadness that permeated the tangle of existence and wove its way into her heart, alerted Mairi that her friend Farra had passed from this life.

 Grief pierced her like a thousand shards of glass before she lost consciousness.

  

 Chapter Six

  

 Time had no meaning when she awakened. Day? Night? The intense blackness of the deep surrounded her. She knew she was still in the tunnel. The cold sluice of water into her lungs alerted her to the fact that hours must’ve passed. Farra’s escape route had been claimed by the rising tide.

 Throbbing painfully, her Shen pulsed with each heartbeat. Somewhere, Raiden was alive. Hurt, but alive.

 She had to save him.

 Afraid to get her hopes up, Mairi called out to the Fire Beasts, to Yasra , through the water. The high trill of her response made Mairi’s eyes burn with tears. At least she’d have some help. Following the echoes of Yasra’s voice, she swam through the tunnel until she reached a domed underwater cavern pierced from above by two streams of light. There, three of the beasts waited, circling in agitation.

 We worried.

 I’m sorry, Yasra .

 Farra dead.In one deafening round of cries, all three animals wept their heartbreak at the loss of their friend. Small in comparison, Mairi’s voice rose to join them.

 After several minutes, silence returned. Yasra swam up to Mairi, gently nudged her with her hulking body. Your mate lives.

 Do you know where they took him?Her heart sprang to life in her breast, sped to a frantic pace.

 Yes. My mate follows the humans. They not like you. They not hear us.

 Mairi searched the cavern until she saw a small air pocket above. Surfacing, she found the chest Farra had promised her. She opened the lid and stared at a treasure trove of items. On top was a note and a small black box.

 Written just a few hours ago, the note entrusted Mairi with a message, and a gift for Farra’s daughter. Opening the black box, she discovered a beautiful necklace. Hand wrought and delicate, a Shen hung from a thick gold chain. Jena’s name was engraved on the back.

 Farrahad thought of everything.

 * * * * *

 Hard as a rock, the cold floor beneath him provided no comfort in the brightly lit cell. Brilliant light shined from three corners of the small gray room. Barren except for a long iron table and several chairs bolted to the floor, the room was obviously used for interrogations. Or worse. Still stinging from the blaster strike, Raiden rubbed his hip absently, glad he could feel the pain. Every agony he endured, he spared Mairi. The comforting pulse of life in his Shen assured him she was still alive.

 “Time to wake up, traitor.”

 Snaking through his veins like venom, rage burned him from the inside out at the sound of Apolo’s voice. Raiden struggled to his feet. “You’re the only traitor here, cousin.”

 “There’s no use lying, boy. They found the weapon schematics in your quarters on Raelle .” Three steps behind Apolo was Tannen , his father’s most trusted military general.

 “ Tannen, sir! I’m so glad to see you. Tell them to release me immediately. Apolo betrayed us all.” Raiden took a step forward, then stopped dead when Tannen raised his arm. In full dress regalia, his father’s men wore blue and silver. Apolo and Tannen were both formally dressed, their golden hair testament to their blood link to the royal line. Were they going to leave him here to rot while they went of to a party?

 “I’m sorry, son. Your father didn’t want to believe it either, but the evidence is irrefutable. How can we argue for your release when they found top-secret plans to both their military operations and their weapons programs on your ship? You’ve been found guilty of espionage and treason. Herhma has demanded you be turned over to them for sentencing. There’s nothing I can do. There’s nothing your father can do.”

 Counting to ten, Raiden tried to take it all in. Was Tannen a traitor as well? One of Apolo’s lackeys? Or had he just been sucked into the lies? There was no way to know. “General, I beg you. Listen to me. Give me a chance to speak to my father.”

 Apolopaced the perimeter of the room like a vulture that scented blood. “I’m afraid not, cousin. I was assigned to your ship to discover which of your men was selling secrets. Imagine your father’s surprise when we discovered it was you. The seals on your safe are DNA activated, Raiden . No one but you and the king himself can open your safe.”

 “My father is here? On Herhma ?”

 “Yes.” Tannen strode to the door, shoulders bulging under the rich fabric of his uniform. Metals and honors adorned his chest, too many to count. “I’m sorry, boy.”

 And then, he was gone.

 Seizing his opportunity, Raiden charged at Apolo , but his cousin was ready. The blunt end of a blaster pistol rested between his eyes before he could crush the scum. Thoughts of Mairi held him at bay. He wasn’t sure what would happen to her if he took that blast.

 Apolo’ssneer challenged his resolve. “So sorry, cousin. You’re off to a floating prison for the rest of your miserable life.”

 “I don’t know how you did this, but I’ll see you burn for it.”

 “I don’t think so. You see, Tannen and I are the only ones who know you’re here. Dear old Daddy thinks you died at the bottom of the Fire Sea and Tannen thinks it’s better that way. The old man’s heart is already broken -- why torture him further with your miserable pleas of innocence? No one will ever come looking for you. But, I’ll have you safely locked away. My trump card just in case I run into trouble back home.”

 Straightening to his full height, Raiden held Apolo’s brown-eyed gaze, made absolutely sure his cousin could see death in his eyes. “I will kill you, Apolo .”

 Silent and shaken, Apolo backed away. “Not today.” Craning his neck into the hallway, Apolo yelled for the guards.

 Four huge men wearing red prison guard uniforms entered the room and ushered him out into the hallway. Apolo waved farewell as they herded him into a strange circular tube just wide enough to stand in, and sealed him inside. Air roared around him like a small tornado, and the floor opened beneath his feet, gravity shooting him down through a long transparent connecting tube. He slid for several minutes, deeper and deeper under the water until he landed in a small cell completely surrounded by the sea.

 At least five hundred lengths from the surface, he looked through the transparent walls at the complex prison network. Like a giant spider web, it sprawled along the ocean floor, a connection of tubes and tunnels, of men and woman trapped forever. Buried alive...

 And he was exactly where he wanted to be.

 Patient as death, he sat, counted time by the blinking lights on the small computer and vid system that monitored him from the ceiling. Symon said they only watched for a couple of hours. After that, everything was on an automated system, Sentinals , an artificial intelligence that would answer to voice activated commands -- if you knew the right codes.

 Raidenrested, gathered his strength and hardened his resolve as he sat counting the minutes. All the pain in his hip was gone, and he winced for Mairi. But, he couldn’t afford to think about that. Symon , his people, needed his help, and he’d given his word. Knowing that Apolo meant to sell them all out to the Triscani made his skin crawl with the need to kill. Time to go.

 “ Sentinal.”

 “Activated.”

 “Command five-seven-alpha- Symon-four-freedom.”

 “Confirmed.” Half the distance to the ceiling, the tunnel entrance opened with a nearly silent whir and Raiden crawled inside. Wedging his body in the tube with his legs, he started to climb.

 Sometime later, sweating, arms and legs shaking, Raiden crawled out of the tunnel and collapsed on the floor in a heap. Symon told him the entire prison system was automated. No guards. No people overseeing the care and treatment of the prisoners. No one to know about the hostages who shouldn’t be there.

 After catching his breath, Raiden studied the layout of the weblike structure around him. He needed to get to the center of the maze, to the heart of the machine that operated everything. Sure of his direction, Raiden commanded another tube to open and got moving in a horizontal direction this time. He would’ve felt like a child on a play structure, crawling on hands and knees, but the stakes here were life and death. For himself. For Symon . Their fathers. And Mairi.

 Seeming to stretch endlessly before him, the tunnel’s dim interior allowed his mind to wander. All he could think about was her. Mairi. His woman. The way her skin felt like rose petals beneath his palms, and her mouth dueled with his, sassy and sweeter than the richest desserts. His blood boiled at the memory of her hot core gripping him, bringing him ecstasy with every thrust of her hips rising to his, and every soft moan of desire he coaxed from her throat. He would never get enough of her. He knew it with a certainty that startled him and hardened his resolve to survive.

 What had started out as an insane and somewhat suicidal mission was suddenly of much more import. Survival had not been a requirement before. He needed to expose the traitors and save both Qillius and Symon’s homeworld from treachery. That had been all that mattered to them. He had two strong brothers more than able to rule in his stead. But Mairi changed everything.

 Cold and damp, the tunnels closed in around him like a moldy casket. But desire for Mairi kept his blood hot and his body surging with life until he reached the epicenter of the prison. Pulsing on his shoulder, the Shen flared, as if she were getting closer. He ignored it and, using Symon’s preprogrammed codes, he opened the hatch directly below him and dropped to stand in the control center.

 Whirring with a life of their own, the computers completely covered the walls of the circular enclosure except for a two-foot band of clear glass that allowed him to see in a three hundred and sixty degree loop around the outside of the room. He scanned the logs. Seventy-one cells.

 All the Herhman Tanks, as their prisons were called, had hundreds or even thousands of cells. Excitement gripped him. This was not one of the Tanks. The odds of finding his target had just gone way up. This was someone’s private dungeon, and he was more than happy to crash their party.

 “ Sentinal.”

 “Activated.”

 “Engage emergency surfacing procedure immediately. Confirm five-nine-seven-three- Symon-two-rescue.”

 “Confirmed.”

 A shudder passed beneath his feet as the giant energy cell beneath him flared to life and sent its command to the periphery. Seals popped all around him, echoed through the network of tunnels, as the structure was made secure and airtight for the ascent. If anything leaked, if the delicate balance of air pressure was upset or breached at five hundred feet, the sea would crush any human it reached.

 Shocked cries reached him, voices bouncing off the tunnels with a strange echo to reach him. Raiden simply watched. And lingered. When he knew his prey was within reach, he was very, very good at waiting.

  

 Chapter Seven

  

 Ripples of unrest sped over the ocean floor in a cascading wave of warning. Mairi felt it as she rode Yasra’s back, knew Raiden was somehow the cause, and sighed in relief.

 Your mate make more trouble. Yasrashifted slightly in the riding harness.

 Yes.Biting back a laugh, Mairi rested her cheek on Yasra’s back and smiled. Water whisked over and around her like a lover’s caress, welcoming her to the deep.

 He good at that.

 This time she did laugh, and the strange watery trill startled her. Always so serious, so devoted to her heritage, she’d rarely laughed with joy, even as a child. Sarcasm and wit were her tools for coping with her duty, her choices. But a strange sense of freedom lifted the burden of being a Timewalker from her shoulders. Now that she’d met Raiden , life suddenly seemed full of possibilities. Once they were safely off this planet, she would be truly free. She could simply be his lover, and a mother.

 Farra’stortured eyes swam in her memory, and Mairi shook her head to clear the pain. Somewhere out there, Farra’s stolen daughter, Jena, was now alone with the Dark Walkers. Mairi sent up a fervent prayer for her, wished she could help. Warm against her skin, the Shen necklace she wore pulse with energy. But she was stranded here, just as Farra had been. She just had to have faith that the Archivers would find the girl and save her from whatever twisted fate the Dark One had planned.

 Jena strong. Even when a child. She will survive.

 Yasra’sreassurance helped a little. The Fire Beasts had powers she didn’t understand, but definitely respected. It was almost as if they could read her mind, or see into her soul.

 They’d traveled some distance in silence when Yasra surged ahead in a sudden burst of speed. Mairi ducked her head behind the small oval shield designed for the purpose, and held on for dear life as the sea attempted to rip her from Yasra’s back.

 Greeting piercing the water ahead of him, Yasra’s mate called out to his family. Once they reached him, the quad hovered in place and Mairi sat up, craning in every direction to see where they were. Scanning the water, she saw a strange lattice of pods reshaping and slowly rising to the surface some distance away.

 Your mate in there.

 Mairi stared, held speechless by the size and scope of the monstrosity before her. Where in that web of tubes was he? Huge pumps drew water into giant tubes, then forced the flow down toward the sand, propelling the structure up. Disturbed by the rush of water, sand turned the surrounding area into a murky mess. She didn’t dare try to get anywhere near it at the moment. She’d by sucked into those jet tubes and turned into mush. The sand would clog her lungs. So how was she going to find him?

 We wait for cages to reach top, then we help.

 Ignoring the churning in her gut, the need driving her to find Raiden , she couldn’t argue with sound logic. Yasra sent her children off in a flash of speed, then calmly floated next to her mate, supervising the rise of the man-made contraption from her territory.

 Mairi didn’t know how long it took, but every moment felt like an eternity. On her shoulder, the Shen pulsed with renewed vigor at the proximity of her mate. Each beat drove her closer to the edge of reason, had her twisting her fists in the ropes, more to bind herself to Yasra than anything else. Everything in her demanded she charge forward to find him, save him.

 Calling on years of training, she fought down the urge and focused on breathing, on the cool water flowing into her lungs. The frantic rhythm of her heartbeat drove her Shen to match its pace. Mairi tried, in vain, to slow down, but couldn’t concentrate enough to gain control of her body. She’d used the healing stones to repair the damage to her leg. She was healthy and whole, and driven by a primitive urge to save her mate. Raiden .

 Like a whisper, Raiden’s Shen answered her call, summoned her to his side. Strange as it was, his heartbeat moved through her like music, slowed the erratic pounding in her chest. His body reached through space to calm her mind, to soothe her nerves with confidence and strength. He was whole. It was enough.

 Closing her eyes, Mairi centered her existence on the murmur of Raiden’s heartbeat. The steady pulsation reassured her as nothing else could, and she waited in tranquil silence.

 We go.

 Mairi ducked behind the screen and held on as Yasra and her mate rocketed to the surface. Several of the water propulsion systems were still operating to keep the monster afloat, and they were careful to avoid them.

 Air caressed her face with a soft breeze and Mairi’s lungs greedily took their fill. She could breathe water, but the act strained her system. Especially here. The water was denser, heavier, and her poor diaphragm had to work overtime to pull the thick liquid into her body.

 A network of small domes bobbed above the surface, like they’d been left and forgotten by a giant fisherman. She was contemplating how to open them when all the seals popped open with a loud hiss. In the center, the top of the largest white dome flew over with a loud bang. First one hand, then another cleared the top. Raiden appeared, pulled himself out of the hatch and smiled right at her.

 “I knew you were here.”

 Mairi let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Knowing he was alive wasn’t nearly as good as seeing him in the flesh. Yasra moved closer so she could jump onto the structure and into Raiden’s arms. She burrowed her face into his neck, eager to taste him, to smell his skin, to listen to his heart beating in his muscular chest. “How did you know?”

 “This.” Like a man starving for a taste of her, he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him, fusing their lips together in a kiss that stole every thought from her head. Hard and aggressive, his erection pressed into her stomach.

 Yasratrilled a warning and Mairi pulled herself back from the precipice of her desire. Others were emerging, confused and disoriented. Still holding her pressed to his side, Raiden surveyed the spectacle with a knowing eye, looking for someone...

 “You did this, didn’t you?”

 “Yes.” He didn’t look at her, just kept searching the astonished faces that emerged.

 “You let them take you, so you’d end up here.”

 “Yes.”

 “Why? What is this place? Who are you looking for?”

 “Him.” Raiden stiffened beside her, energy straining his muscles as he held himself in check. It was obvious he wanted to help someone. But for some reason, he wouldn’t.

 Mairi followed his gaze to see an older man emerge from one of the farthest cells. He faced away from them, stood tall, and proud. Anger tightened his shoulders and hardened his jaw. When he finally turned to look at them, Mairi gasped in shock. His eyes blazed a strange orange glow filled with power, rage, a promise of both retribution and death.

 “Who is he?” Mairi pushed away from Raiden and settled her hand over the blaster strapped to her thigh. He was moving toward them at a surprising pace, running over the connecting tubes like a master on a tightrope. Everyone he passed bowed respectfully and moved out of his way. None attempted to speak to him, or to stop him. Even Yasra cooed to him, love and honor filling her voice. His face was impossible to date, timeless and noble. He could be fifty, or ninety.

 All around them the water began to vibrate with greeting as more and more Fire Beasts arrived. Mairi shook her head and decided she’d better not shoot him just yet.

 “He’s the king.” Raiden dropped to one knee and bowed his head in respect. “My Lord.”

 “Thank you, Raiden , but rise. There is no need for you to bow to me.”

 Raidenrose to his feet and the two men clasped forearms tightly.

 “I was beginning to think no one was coming.” Was that accusation in his tone? Mairi tensed, ready to defend Raiden from this blustering man, but Raiden’s hand slid to the back of her neck and caressed the tension from her muscles in silent warning.

 “My ship was sabotaged by Apolo and lost at the bottom of the Fire Sea. I lost the entire crew, and would’ve died with them if not for Mairi. She saved my life.”

 “Then I owe you, Mistress Mairi.” The king turned his full attention to her. Gentle but firm, Mairi felt the brush of power as he took her measure, and accepted her. Her knees nearly buckled with relief when his aura left her, but she straightened her spine and met his gaze. He was not her king. He was a creature beyond her experience, but she owed him no homage and refused to kneel.

 “I was just doing my job.”

 “And what job would that be?” Hard and calculating, he dared her to answer honestly, even though she was sure he already knew what she was going to say, and what she was.

 “To get him off the ship alive.”

 “I see.” Only the soft slap of water against the domes broke the tense silence that followed.

 Raidenfrowned and shoved her behind his back, a protective arm still wrapped around her waist. “She is with me, sir. And I will kill anyone who tries to take her from me.”

 “Relax, son. Yasra has already told me of your adventure.” The king walked over to kneel by the water and Yasra raised her head onto the dome to accept his ministrations. “Thank you, sister.”

 You’re welcome, Uriel . Come play.

 Not yet. Raiden and I have some unfinished business.

 Hurry.

 The king tilted his head back and roared with laughter. “You never were fit for court life. It’s a good thing for us all you decided to rule the seas and leave the men to me.”

 Men cause too much trouble.

 “Yes, they do.” The king rose and returned to them. All laughter fled from his face when he looked at her. “Mairi, I’m sorry about Farra . She was a good woman, and we protected her as well as we could with the Dark Ones bent on her destruction. Now, tell me about the Triscani . Tell me everything Rogan told you.”

 Mairi felt her eyes round in shock and was supremely grateful for Raiden’s solid strength beside her. Never had she felt so completely out of her element. The existence of Timewalkers was a sacred secret, entrusted to a rare few in the universe. That he knew of Rogan was even more unsettling.

 Raiden’shand dug painfully into her flesh, his thoughts probably reflecting her own. “How do you know about Rogan?”

 “He’s the eighth son of a Timewalker .” The king smiled at her, understanding and warmth in his gaze, like she was a long lost daughter. “He sent you here, Mairi. Yasra protects you. And I accept you as family. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like, as an honored guest in my home once the betrayers are gone.”

 “Thank you. But why?”

 “I haven’t seen him since the Archivers claimed him, but Rogan is my youngest brother.” The king turned to the men and women who waited patiently atop their former prisons. “Let us ride to Tertia , and destroy the betrayers.”

 Without hesitation, they all dove into the water and each person appeared on the back of a Fire Beast. The king walked to the dome’s edge and slid onto the back of Yasra’s mate. “Come Raiden . Mairi. Yasra will carry you both, and we will talk on the way.”

  

 Chapter Eight

  

 Raidenwas not at all pleased by the king’s offer of family and home to Mairi. His blood nearly boiled at the thought of her leaving him, staying in a palace like this one. Waited on hand and foot by the king’s servants while he fought for control of his restless nature, forced himself, due to his father’s protests, to remain on Qillius and rule. Alone.

 They’d ridden the Fire Beasts to one of the king’s many homes on the outskirts of the floating city, all the while planning their next move with the king and his captains. Now Yasra and the Fire Beasts circled the home, protecting it as they all prepared to invade the four-day Summit Festival in honor of the planet’s twin moons. A daylong procession would completely circle the city. And this evening, Apolo and the imposter king would be on public display. Easy targets.

 Herhma’smost loyal followers, his best and strongest supporters, had been locked away with him when the pretender took control of the crown. What the betrayer hadn’t counted on was Symon’s abilities, handed down through his Timewalker heritage, that allowed him to sniff out the rat immediately. Apparently, the new king had been both surgically and genetically altered to fool the city’s residents and its scanners. It had worked perfectly, except for Symon . But no one would’ve believed him.

 That’s where it had become tricky. How do you accuse the king of treason, when you’re the only one who knows he’s a fraud? How do you find your true father, when you don’t know where to look or whom you can trust? He’d asked Raiden for help, had given his friend the top-secret information so Raiden could plant the damning evidence in his own safe on Raelle . Raiden planned on being caught and sent to prison. They’d hoped the traitor would want royalty like him locked up out of the way, hoped he would lead them to the king.

 The plan worked, thanks to Mairi. Now he was in love with a woman he’d just met. It was insanity, but her solemn eyes, her noble bearing, the pride that nearly made her insult the king, all conspired against him. He wanted to make her laugh, to take the burden from her shoulders and protect her from the world. And she wouldn’t allow it.

 That made him want to strangle her. Even now, she was hiding weapons beneath the flowing skirt of her strapless black gown, preparing for this evening, trying to think of a way to save everyone around her.

 “I’m going to lock you in a closet until this is over.” The soft curve of her neck lured him to her side. Placing a light kiss on her skin, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and met her gaze in the floor-length mirror they faced. They were a striking couple, her darkness to his light. Both dressed in formal black with a hint of sadness in their eyes, the couple he saw in the mirror looked ready for a funeral, not a party.

 “No you’re not.”

 “I want to.” He buried his face in the wildness of her hair.

 “I know. But I’m not made of glass, Raiden . I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it my whole life.” There they were again, the too-serious eyes that nearly broke his heart.

 “Don’t you think it’s time to let someone else take care of you?”

 She tried to pull out of his embrace, but he held fast. “Are you saying you want the job?”

 “Yes.”

 Out of nowhere, tears welled up in her eyes to twist him into knots. “I love you, Raiden , but I don’t need a keeper.”

 “Yes, you do.” He nibbled his way to her ear, a strange hollow place in his soul suddenly filled by her soft declaration. “You’re planning something; I can see it in your eyes. I can feel the tension pulsing through your body, through mine. What are you up to, Mairi?”

 “I came here to stop the war, not just to save you.” A small tremor raced through her muscles. Raiden increased the ferocity of his sensual assault. Tracing the curve of her waist, her ribs, he explored her body then cupped her breasts in his hands, rubbed his thumbs over her sensitive nipples until they thrust at him, hard and hungry, through the soft fabric.

 “Don’t you think your job is already done? I’m alive. The king is free. Tonight we’ll find the Herhman traitor, take down Apolo and all will be put to rights. Then we can return to Qillius together. The seas are a beautiful green, the sky bluer than anything you’ve ever seen. You’ll be my queen, Mairi. Nothing will ever threaten you again.” Whispering against her cheek, he demanded a response. “Say you’ll be mine, Mairi. Forever, because I won’t let you go.”

 Mairi wouldn’t meet his eyes. Nervousness betrayed her in the way she repeatedly rotated her silver and black bracelet around on her wrist. “Anything could happen, Raiden . This is all uncharted territory, a new timeline. I have a terrible feeling this isn’t over. What of the Dark Ones? Farra’s mate was seduced into abandoning her. I have to be prepared.”

 “Damn it, woman. I really am going to lock you up.” She belonged to him now, yet she refused to accept his help, refused to commit to him. Did she truly fear he was so weak that one look at another woman would lure him from her side? Could she not feel his love, his desire every time he touched her? Held her? Looked into her eyes?

 Or was she still keeping secrets? He forced Mairi to face him, then lifted her chin until their eyes met. “You’re mine.” With deliberate slowness, he held her gaze while his free hand found the clasp at the back of her dress and released it. He wanted to breathe her in, taste her, until her essence pounded in his blood. He wanted her to burn everywhere his fingers touched, to feel flames rise in response to his softest caress. To brand her.

 Tasting her with a featherlight touch, he kissed his way to the corner of her mouth while she stood frozen like a frightened fawn in his embrace. “Mine, Mairi. And you’re not leaving this room until you give me your word that you’ll never try to leave me.”

 Expecting resistance, he wasn’t prepared for the ferocity of her mouth She locked her lips to his with an almost desperate need. All thoughts of a slow and deliberate seduction flew from his mind under her sensual assault. She wanted him, was just as hot and hungry as he.

 Eager to explore every curve, he pushed her gown down past her hips and let it fall to a puddle around her feet. “Give yourself to me, Mairi.”

 Her answer was to once again seal her lips to his. It wasn’t enough, wouldn’t be enough until the haunted look left her eyes. He didn’t just want her body, he needed her soul.

 With eager hands, she stripped him, and he let her, stood stoically examining every inch of her delectable body, planning where to touch, to taste, to claim. When they were both naked, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the huge bed atop a raised dais. Soft as her skin, the bright yellow bedding was a halo of light beneath her dark hair.

 Gently, he laid her back onto the bed, her hips at its edge, and lowered his mouth for a slow exploration of her neck. Her earlier words shook him more than he cared to admit, for her feeling of foreboding shadowed his heart as well. If this were to be their last time together, he would deny himself nothing. And he had yet to taste her...

 The sweet scent of wildflower bath water rose from her skin in waves of heat. Burning like a blaster hit on his shoulder, the Shen flooded his blood with urgency as he licked and nipped his way to her core. She cried his name when he took her into his mouth, came off the bed when he drove his tongue deep. He held her hips pinned to the edge of the bed with one hand and explored the erotic peaks of her breasts with the other.

 Driven by a primal urge to dominate her, he played her body, brought her to the brink of release, denied her, again and again until she begged him to fill her. Then he rose, pushed her knees wide, and rammed deep in one powerful lunge. Mairi screamed as her orgasm pulsed around his shaft in a violent release.

 Still shuddering with aftershocks, her body was like quicksand. He didn’t want to escape the strong pull of her wet core as it gripped him, pulled him in, and sealed his soul to hers forever.

 Laid out before him like a goddess, her breasts bounced with each thrust of his hips. The delicate necklace a flash of gold between the perfect peaks. She wrapped her legs around his waist and met each powerful plunge with total abandon. Wild, uninhibited, and completely his, she shredded the last of his control. All restraint gone, he grasped her hips with his hands and lifted them off the bed, forced her body to take all of him. Their frenzied pace stole his sanity and he shouted her name as they both shattered into a thousand pieces.

  

 Chapter Nine

  

 A small army of invaders in black, they moved like wraiths amongst the well-dressed throng in the streets. Crisp and clear, the evening sky glowed orange and gold by the fading light of the setting star and the rising of Herhma’s twin moons. Hundreds of people lined the walkways nearest the street. Resplendent in red and gold, the street itself seemed to hold its breath in anticipation of the king’s arrival. Wreaths of flowers hung from every lamppost. Elegant spires rose from the corners of the surrounding buildings whose silver walls glistened like newly sharpened knives. Children smiled and laughed in their best clothes. Their parents indulged them. The air hummed with happiness.

 But twisting in her gut, like a small knife that couldn’t be removed, was fear. For Raiden . For the king. For herself.

 Premonition was not one of her gifts, so she followed Raiden , wove her way through the tapestry of revelers and ignored the sense that something wasn’t right. She’d never loved before, had always known she would be taken to ride the strands. Alone. Never had she thought there would be anything to lose but her own life, her honor. Loving Raiden raised the personal stakes to a dangerous level. Her survival, at all times, meant nothing in the face of her mission. But his was everything to her now. Everything.

 It scared the hell out of her.

 Raiden’shand found hers beneath their cloaks, squeezed as if he sensed her need for reassurance. Perhaps he did. Their link had continued to grow, was so strong now that she knew neither would be able to survive the death of the other. Another worry she didn’t need.

 Nearly impossible to hear through the music and chatter on the street, the soft hum of Yasra and the Fire Beasts filled the night. Mairi searched the crowd for the king, for any of the men and women she knew were weaving their way toward the special stage erected for the evening’s events. The king’s soldiers were good. She saw no one.

 “Come on, Mairi. It’s about to begin.” Raiden , dressed in a formal black suit, was a lethal golden god -- that was all she could compare him to. His lips -- lips that had brought her pleasure again and again this afternoon -- were set in a firm line. Warmth seeped into her face at the memories, and his smile convinced her that he knew where her thoughts had led her. His hasty kiss confirmed it. “Later, my love. When this is over, I’ll keep you locked in my bedchamber until we’re both too weak to move.”

 “Promises, promises.” She kissed him again because she couldn’t resist the need to taste him. Here. Now. While their future hung in the crosshairs of the next few minutes. Drowning in the delicious haven of his mouth, in the promise she tasted on his lips, she was startled back to reality by the loud banging of ceremonial drums.

 Raising his head to stare up the street behind her, anticipation hummed through his body. His need for revenge fed her Shen until her pulse raced in a restless need to keep pace with his. He tugged at her hand, pulled her closer to the stage. A mere handful of people separated them from one corner of the platform where in moments, both Apolo and the imposter king would stand. And die.

 Raidenpulled her with him to stand partially hidden behind a brilliant red tapestry that hung from a statue near the stage. Pompous and painfully slow, the royal procession made its way to the stage. Mairi stared in wonder at the king. He looked identical in every way to the man they’d rescued from the underwater prison. On either side, and slightly behind the king were two men who, without a doubt, shared Raiden’s blood.

 Both tall and proud, the older could be none other than Raiden’s father. The younger man looked so much like Raiden that her heart actually raced at the sight of him. Except his eyes. They were cold, calculating. Evil. “That must be Apolo .”

 “Yes.”

 “Are you sure he’s your cousin?” She’d meant it as a joke, but the sudden unease that flowed to her through the Shen warned her that Raiden had taken her question very seriously.

 “No, but I guess now I know why my uncle would always leave the room when my father entered, and was never called out for it.”

 Mairi turned to face him. “He’s your brother.”

 “Yes. And older by two spins.”

 “No wonder he hates you.” She raised her palm to his cheek to soften the words. Behind her she heard the soft click of boot heels as the men ascended the steps to the top of the stage. The drumming ceased, and silence fell like a shroud over the crowd. Time stood still and quiet while she waited for the imposter to speak. Raiden’s eyes burned with fury.

 Turning around, Mairi watched from the side as the imposter raised his arms to the sky, welcomed the crowd, introduced his guests from Qillius , and spoke for a moment about peace between their worlds. The crowd cheered in response and their ignorant admiration made the contents of her stomach roil. If they only knew!

 Strapped to her ankle beneath the gorgeous black gown, the weight of her blaster was comforting and familiar. For one terrible moment she nearly lost the battle with herself to pull the weapon free and execute the fraud. But they needed to know who served him, so she gritted her teeth and waited.

 “Beloved people.” The lookalike’s voice carried loudly over the eager crowd. “I christen this night, The Summit, and embrace the coming orbit with open arms. May we all be prosperous and blessed...”

 “With the truth.” Striding confidently up the center of the street, flanked on either side by a handful of his guards, Uriel , the true king, interrupted the pretty speech. “I am Uriel , king of Herhma . You, betrayer, will tell me who helped you perpetuate this lie, and then you will be executed. Council, seize the imposter and Apolo .”

 A gasp rose from the crowd as their attention was drawn and divided between the two men. Flowing around Uriel , as if he were the rock that parted water, were twelve men and women in blood-red robes. Raiden whispered into her ear. “Those would be the Supreme Council. They are the highest law in the land, and have the power to dethrone a king if he betrays the people or the seas. They will sort it all out now.”

 On stage, the fraud raised his hand for silence. “I am the king. You will kneel before me and beg forgiveness for this treachery.”

 Urielstalked him up the steps. “I think not.” A pulse of power rent the air, knocked Mairi backward into Raiden’s hard chest. In the sea, the beasts raised their thunderous voices in answer to the call of their true king. The sky filled with a rumble louder than a thousand engines.

 The imposter didn’t resist when two of Uriel’s men leapt onto stage and grabbed him Mairi breathed a sigh of relief when both Apolo and the king were gone from sight. All her worrying had been for naught. They were gone, caught in their machinations and surrendered to the authorities. It had all been too easy.

 Way too easy.

 “ Raiden.”

 “Yes.”

 “Something isn’t right. They didn’t put up a fight. It was like they knew Uriel was coming.”

 The king stood in his rightful place before the crowd and smiled as their cheers and the continued crowing of the Fire Beasts welcomed him home.

 Mairi pulled herself from Raiden’s arms and shoved people aside to get to the stage. Panic was choking her for no reason at all. The long skirt she wore caught at her legs. Her Shen burned, not with heat, but with bone-chilling cold. She pulled her blaster free of its holster and sprinted toward the king. Raiden was a half step behind her.

 “ Uriel, get down!” Her scream barely carried over the din. Yasra , Uriel’s in danger! Tell him to get down. Now!

 Every heartbeat felt like an eternity. The crowd around her faded to a blur, but one woman stood out, commanded Mairi’s attention. She stood, alone and unmoving in the middle of the revelry. White as snow and flowing to her waist, the woman’s hair wafted around her stark white bodysuit, carried by a breeze that didn’t exist. With eyes so dark they looked black, she watched Mairi run with utter detachment and disdain. Like a predator about to pounce without mercy for its prey. With a slight curve to her lips, the woman raised a Trillian dart tube to her mouth.

 “Get down!” Mairi tore her gaze from the woman and dove onto the stage. Flying through the air, she felt the dart hit her neck just before she tackled the king and drove him to the ground. Still protecting the king with her body, she raised her blaster to shoot the woman.

 She’d vanished.

 The numbing cold faded from her Shen and Mairi relaxed. Whoever the woman was, she was gone.

 “Thank you, Mairi.” Beneath her, the king stirred and gently lifted her from his larger frame. He set her down next to him with a sad smile and pulled a dart from his arm.

 “No!” Mairi pulled the dart from her neck and threw it from her in disgust.

 “She got us both with Trillian poison.” The king stared out at the chaos of the screaming crowd for a moment, then closed his eyes, as if watching the scene had become too painful to bear.

 Yes. Yes she did. Whoever she was. Mairi had a feeling she’d just seen a Dark Walker.

 Raidenknelt beside her, pulled her into his arms and examined the tiny wound in her neck. “Damn it, Mairi! I knew I should’ve locked you in the closet.”

 Mairi couldn’t help but smile. She pulled the bracelet from her wrist and opened the small silver case. Inside rested a single yellow tablet. Fingers shaking, she placed it in Raiden’s palm and wrapped his fingers closed around it. “Take this. Give it to the king. It’s the antidote.”

 “There’s no cure for Trillian poison.” Raiden stroked her cheek, and she turned to place a kiss in his palm.

 “Not in your time.”

 He froze. “Why did you only bring one dose?”

 “Rogan insisted. He said discovery of the antidote too early would skew the timeline beyond repair.”

 “No, Mairi. You take it.” The wealth of pain in his voice nearly crushed her. Years of training, of living by a strict code of honor, kept her sane. She was killing both of them with her decision. The choice hurt more than she’d ever dared imagine. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t right.

 She shook her head. “If we die, the world goes on. What will happen if he dies?”

 She watched a myriad of emotions flash behind his eyes, until he closed them on resignation.

 “ Raiden, if he dies the council will fail to convict the false king. You’ll go back to prison, or worse. Both the imposter and Apolo will walk free. The Fire Beasts will revolt. All will be as it was before I arrived. War. Death. The Triscani waiting in the wings.”

 She wanted to scream, to cry, to explode with rage, but she didn’t deserve the release. She was condemning them both to death. “God, I’m sorry Raiden . I never should’ve touched you. You don’t deserve to die with me. I’m sorry.”

 “I’m not.” He crushed her lips in a punishing kiss, then took the antidote to the king. Raiden didn’t tell him that there was only one dose, and Mairi loved him all the more for it.

 Returning to her side, he lifted her into his arms, cradled her like she was the most precious thing in the world when she deserved to rot for the fate she’d dealt both of them.

 “Where are we going?” She didn’t really care, as long as he was holding her. The strong, steady beat of his heart beneath her ear finally released the flood of tears she’d held back. His arms tightened around her as the first shudders of sorrow wracked her body.

 “Back to our room at the palace.” He lowered his head to kiss away a tear from the corner of her eye. “Don’t cry for me, my love. When I left on this mission, I knew I might not make it back. We saved them all, Mairi. We saved them all.

 “If we die, it’s a small price to pay. I don’t regret a single moment I spent with you, would gladly trade my life for the time we’ve had together. We’ve got at least one spin before the poison sets in. And I intend to make love to you every minute we’ve got left.”

  

 Chapter Ten

  

 Raidenheld her until they reached their rooms. They clung to each other in silence as he opened the door to the last room they’d ever see. Their sanctuary.

 Heart in her throat, Mairi preceded him into the room and froze. A lovely young woman sat waiting for them. Perhaps two years younger than Mairi, she wore a formfitting white suit similar to the one the Dark Walker had worn in the street. Short and spiky, her brown hair framed a heart-shaped face and huge brown eyes. Sad eyes. Eyes that had seen too much.

 Raidenclosed the door softly behind them, then slid an arm around Mairi’s waist. They were waiting for the young woman to speak when Mairi noticed the small doll tucked under the young woman’s arm.

 “Jena?” Mairi took an involuntary step forward and opened her arms to the poor lost little two-year-old girl Farra had spoken of with such love.

 That girl was gone. In her place stood a woman who’d suffered too much to accept comfort from a stranger.

 “Yes. I am Jena. And I brought this for you.” She opened her palm to reveal another yellow pill, another dose of the antidote.

 Mairi’sheart stuttered with hope. “Thank you. But how? The Archivers ...”

 “Rules! You think I give a damn about their rules?” Fire in her eyes, Jena slammed the pill down on the table and turned to stare out the window. “They broke every rule. Forced me to play a game I never wanted to be a part of.” The look in Jena’s eyes when she turned back to face them sent a chill down Mairi’s spine. “Rogan condemned me. Now both my parents are dead. That bitch broke the rules coming here, darting you, so I can break a few rules to save you. I’m finally free. Nothing and no one can stop me. Now they’ll all have to live with the monster they’ve created.”

 Jena picked the pill up from off the table and headed straight for Mairi. “You gave my mother a reason to live. I would save you for that alone.” Exactly as Mairi had done to Raiden earlier, Jena laid the pill in her palm and closed her fingers around it.

 Mairi had a strong urge to pull Jena into her arms, stroke her hair and promise that everything was going to be all right. But perhaps it wasn’t. Mairi knew any overture would be unwelcome. “You aren’t a monster, Jena. Your mother loved you very much.”

 “I know.” Jena gripped the tiny doll to her chest.

 If Jena was breaking rules, why didn’t she go back a little farther? Save her mother’s life?

 The question must’ve shone in her eyes because Jena answered it.

 “There are rules that even I cannot break, Mairi.” Jena blinked, and the pain Mairi saw swirling in the depths of her eyes was gone. “The others will follow me if I stay any longer. I must go now. Take care of her, Raiden . Betray her, and you’ll suffer.”

 Farra’shaunted eyes came to mind, and Mairi had no doubt that Jena meant every word.

 Raiden’seyes were filled with compassion, not fear, at the threat. “I love her. You don’t need to worry about Mairi. And thank you, Jena. You’re saving both of us.”

 “Love isn’t always enough.” Jena waved her hand and a swirling portal of white energy grew behind her.

 “Wait!” Mairi slipped Farra’s necklace over her head and offered the delicate golden chain to Jena. The Shen sparkled with a life of its own where it dangled between them. “Your mother made this for you so that you would remember, no matter what else they try to make you, you’re still a Timewalker .”

 Jena’s hand shook as she took the necklace and slipped the chain over her head. “Goodbye, Mairi.”

 Then she was gone.

 Mairi turned around and threw herself in Raiden’s arms. They’d been granted a stay of execution by a young tortured girl. But they would live.

 Trembling so badly that Raiden’s arms were all that kept her from collapsing, she clung to him, absorbed his scent into her pores, and his love into her soul. “I love you, Raiden .”

 “Marry me, Mairi. Come home with me. Laugh with me. Let me take care of you.” Raiden framed her face with his palms and lowered his mouth to hers.

 “Yes.” She whispered against his lips. Joy filled her to bursting and she crushed him to her. She wanted all that and more.

  



  

  

  

  

 Michele Chambers

  

 My first “novel” was begun at the age of eleven. I was hooked on writing…for about five minutes. I amused myself by reading, on average, one book every day, and with writing absolutely terrible, angst-filled poetry through my school years. (Gag. Ack !) After graduation, I went off to college to become a computer programmer. (Go figure. I still can't explain that twisted logic!) After my first insanely boring programming class, I went pre-med instead. Four years later, completely burned out on schooling I knew that I needed to head in a new direction. At the ripe old age of twenty-one, while trying to decide what to be when I grew up, I had a dream. This dream supplied the kernel of an idea that turned my passion for reading into an obsession with writing. I haven't stopped writing since.

 Wimpy protagonists make me crazy! Strong characters that face impossible challenges are my passion. So, my heroines are strong, sassy, kick-ass women who always end up dealing with a paranormal plot twist. If you knew my family history, this wouldn't surprise you. But that is another story…

 Visit Michele on the Web athttp://www.michelechambers.com/ or email her at michele@michelechambers.com.

 * * * * *

 Read on for a tantalizing glimpse of

  

 Virtual Murder

 by Jennifer Macaire

  

 Available Now from Loose Id

 Virtual Murder

  

 The air was torrid. It was noon, and the sun blazed overhead. Rhonda's head nodded and she dozed off; the heat pounding through the canvas roof of the jeep sapped her energy.

 She woke with a jerk to the feel of sweat trickling down her neck, between her breasts, and tickling her skin. She plucked at her shirt, lifting her heavy hair off her neck and sighing in relief as the breeze touched her damp skin. In her virtual body, she felt as if her senses were magnified. Everything seemed brighter and stronger. She blinked and shook her head.

 "It'll be cooler by the sea." Arthur nodded towards the blue expanse of water visible between two tall mountaintops. "We'll be there in half an hour."

 All at once, no matter how she tried, she couldn't stay awake. She felt her eyelids getting heavy, and although she tried to speak, she couldn't. In an instant, Rhonda fell asleep and her mind slipped away. A minute later, her eyes reopened. She blinked and focused on the man next to her.

 His voice was deep and warm, and when he spoke, she had the impression they were alone together. She stole a glance at the man sitting so close to her. She could feel his hand brushing her thigh when he shifted gears, and she wondered if he was doing it on purpose.

 He was looking at her from the corner of his eye. She smiled to herself. The body she'd chosen was so ripe, so voluptuous, it was like a heavy fruit just begging to be picked. Her fingers trailed sensually down her chest, tracing the unfamiliar line of bony collarbone and the swell of exquisitely soft breasts. Her breathing quickened. It must be the heat that made her respond like this. It was overwhelming. The air was so hot she could feel it as a constant caress.

 She looked at the man again and noticed he was sweating. A bead of perspiration trickled down his temple, over his cheek, down his neck to disappear into his shirt. She wanted to lick it away. Could the feeling growing in her body be love? It felt as if her blood were getting thicker, as if her limbs were too heavy for her. She wanted to lie down, stretch her arms above her head, arch her back, and spread her thighs wide open. A sharp pang in her belly made her moan softly. Was that love? She had never felt as completely real as in this virtual body. She felt her whole attention concentrated on one person, as if her personality suddenly distilled, and the drop of her that was left absorbed into the man right next to her.

 Her eyes slid once more in his direction. He was beautiful. His wavy chestnut hair was tousled from the wind, and his bright, hazel eyes were nearly the color of amber. He had a deep, even tan on his muscular arms, and his lashes were very long. She yearned to feel those arms around her and have his lashes tickle her hot skin. He was driving with an expression of fierce concentration on his angular face.

 The road twisted and climbed steeply. "What's your name?" she asked, her voice husky.

 The man smiled. "Arthur, ma'am."

 She whispered his name, her tongue trying it out, letting it slip between her teeth. He glanced at her, and she felt the weight of his look like a hot touch. Amber eyes made his gaze burn. Was she falling in love with his wide shoulders and narrow hips? Was that why her legs longed to wrap themselves around his lithe waist and draw him into her? The thought was so evocative she felt her head spin. She closed her eyes, leaned her head back and opened her mouth wide, drawing in deep gulps of air. Oh God, this heat!

 "Are you all right?" Arthur asked her, concern in his deep voice.

 She opened her eyes and licked dry lips. "I never thought it would be so hot. I suppose I expected something more, well, lush."

 "It's greener during the fall, when the rainy season comes. It's April now. We're heading into the dry season, and the heat leeches the moisture out of the air. Most folks don't know that these islands are truly desert islands, with little or no source of water. Take care when you shower. Wet yourself, turn off the water, lather your skin, and shampoo. Then turn the water back on to rinse. The same goes for brushing teeth and flushing toilets." Arthur raised his voice so that the other tourists could hear him. "In this land of sun and fun, we never flush for number one," he quoted. "I hope you all know what that means?"

 "I thought that this was a virtual trip, I mean, we can do as we like, can't we?" asked a woman, leaning forward.

 "We'd like everyone to enjoy themselves exactly as if they were truly traveling," Arthur said with a hint of impatience. "If you thought you could do anything, I invite you to try jumping out of the jeep or off a cliff. Your experience will be quite the same as a real accident. You'll feel pain, and if your limbs break, you'll feel that too. Back in the institute, you'll wake up screaming with a whole team of psychiatrists ready to analyze your antisocial behavior."

 "I understand." The woman gave a weak attempt at laughter. "I didn't mean to insult your tour company. You're doing an excellent job."

 Arthur looked into his rear-view mirror and flashed a charming smile. "I try my best. And that's why I want you all to have the best possible time. Tonight there's going to be a live band at the hotel; I hope you'll all feel rested enough to come and dance the night away. If I can give any advice, it will be to lie down as soon as you reach the hotel and nap for a couple hours. Then go for an evening swim at the beach. The water will be calm, and you'll feel refreshed. Afterwards take a quick shower, put on a light robe, and join us for dinner. It's an Italian buffet tonight."

 Arthur pulled around a corner and arrived in front of a low, perfectly kept bungalow. Three men in white uniforms trotted out to collect the suitcases. He stepped out of the jeep and opened the door with a flourish. "Here we are, ladies!"

  

 * * * * *

 Steel drum music woke him out of a sound sleep. Arthur stretched, yawned, and glanced at his watch. Almost seven-he'd better get moving or he'd be late for dinner. He sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his face. His room was spacious, with a screen door leading outside to a thatch-roofed veranda where he had his breakfast. He loved to sip his coffee while watching the sun rise over the ocean. Tonight there was a gorgeous sunset, and the water was deep indigo with a bright, orange swath reflecting the setting sun.

 He shrugged out of his shorts and headed towards the bathroom for a quick shower. His head felt a bit muzzy, as it often did after an afternoon nap. He wondered if the computer programmer could correct this. He would have to speak to Digby about that.

 He opened the bathroom door and paused. The sound of his doorknob turning made him look back over his shoulder towards his room. No one ever came into his room, except room service in the morning. He grabbed a towel and held it around his hips as the door swung open, and a woman entered. He recognized her from the group he'd picked up that day. She'd washed her hair, and it hung in dark ringlets around her narrow face. Her skin was pale, faintly flushed, and her hands were trembling on the doorway. Her eyes were huge in her face, almost terrified.

 He opened his mouth, to speak, but she raised her finger to her lips. "Don't say anything. They're listening."

 Her face was so pale, her eyes so troubled, that he was caught off balance. "I don't..."

 "Hush." She walked towards him across the wooden floor, her bare feet making no sound. A lavender silk sarong swirled like cool water around her long legs. Behind her ear was an exotic scarlet hibiscus, the same color as her full lips. She smiled tremulously. Her lips moved. "Arthur," she breathed.

 "I don't think..." He backed away from her but stopped when his legs hit the coffee table in front of his wicker couch. "You're not allowed in here," he said weakly. Her hands were running up and down his bare chest; she hadn't stopped gazing into his eyes. There was something bewitching about her, something troubling. "Who are you?" he whispered, as his towel dropped to the floor.

 " Shhh," she begged and laid her head on his shoulder. "Just hold me, please?"

 His arms encircled her slender shoulders. Her skin was smooth, satiny, and scented with tuberose. Her hair tickled his neck and chest. His arms tightened. Her body was vibrating, as if an electrical current were running through it. Arthur tried to gather his thoughts, formulate words, but his mouth was dry, and he found himself pulling the woman towards his wide, white bed. A heat of desire was building within him so strongly it was like fingers reaching into his skull. The fingers danced downwards towards the very center of his being and set him afire.

 This isn't right, he thought, as his breath grew ragged. You can't experience arousal on the Net. He felt as if his head were full of helium. Thoughts came and went, faster and faster as erotic images flashed through his mind. He was so stiff it was painful, and the only thing he wanted was release. He fell backwards onto his bed, harsh groans escaping his lips. Waves of electric, tingling pleasure paralyzed him, and he could only arch his back and shudder.

 "Oh... my... Lord..." he gasped and closed his eyes. A frantic pulsing began in his groin. Ecstasy, he was swirling through ecstasy. He rolled over, heaving his body over the woman and thrusting into her. Excitement such as he'd never known seemed to explode in him. His breathing grew faster, his heart pounded, and still a powerful frenzy of sexual stimulation overpowered him. He ejaculated and then hardened again, and it went on and on, never slaking the incredible hunger he felt for his partner. She was a sexual vampire, devouring his entire virtual being, and he was helpless to do anything but thrust and strain towards unattainable fulfillment. Towards ecstasy.

 I'm being eaten alive,was his last, incredulous thought.

  

 * * * * *

 What people are saying about

 Virtual Murder

 This book hooked me on page one and I stayed hooked straight through to the end. An excellent read, yet one, which left me wanting more of Monkey and Macaire's virtual world.

 -- Maîtresse , Novelspot

  

 Virtual Murderis a suspenseful story that will keep readers glued to it as the plot weaves and twists to its climactic conclusion… For a masterful tale of murder and science fiction, blended with a bit of spicy sex, pick up Virtual Murder .

 -- Patti Fischer, Romance Reviews Today

  

 With murder, love and government conspiracies, Virtual Murder is a well-rounded story. The cast of characters make the narrative but Monkey steals the spotlight. Monkey's innocence of the real world makes him a lovable character. Ms. Macaire effortlessly illustrates to the reader that anything is possible with technology and science in the future.

 -- Cassandra Buckles, Coffee Time Romance