Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

"We've arrived," he whispered in her ear just as she was getting used to the feeling of being held by him.

She'd never been held by anyone before.

She wouldn't have let anyone hold her like this.

The thought of Cameron putting his arms around her like this—right now, it only made her feel revulsion.

And he could never lift her, anyway.

Stop it. You shouldn't be thinking about all of that.

In her heart of hearts, she knew her old life was over. Something inside her had cracked, and she would never go back to being the person she once was.

"That was fast," Jade replied, trying to sound unflustered, even though she was anything but. It had only been a matter of seconds —not even a minute. "Where are we?"

"Not too far from where I found you. Still in the arid lands." A frown of irritation crossed his lips. " They decided to make their primary base here."

" They? "

"My current masters. The ones that will be responsible for your entire existence from now on."

Funny, it hadn't occurred to her that Dragek might be answerable to some higher power. He was too…

Overwhelming.

But then again, he had mentioned that he was part of the group led by Tarak Al Akkadian. If there was anyone who could keep a being like Dragek in line, it would be someone like him—the notorious Kordolian general, all-powerful and terribly formidable.

She didn't own a Link anymore—out of fear of being tracked—but Jade caught the Network Feeds from time to time. The news was on holo-billboards and screens in public places, in snippets of conversation, in datastreams all over the city.

The media on Earth were increasingly depicting the Kordolian general as the bad guy—a ruthless strongman who ruled the Nine Galaxies with an iron fist.

Up until now, Jade had believed them…

Until she'd been found by one of the very aliens that everyone seemed so afraid of.

And now she was in his arms, and she wasn't fighting it because she was sore and exhausted, and she probably had a broken bone or two, and he'd given her his word that she would get treatment.

Actually, it felt so good to be able to depend on someone like this after being on her own for so long.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd leaned against someone like this, completely spent and utterly lost.

Probably never.

But she didn't have time to dwell on this ridiculous situation because, at that moment, the wall fell apart.

Or, to be more accurate, it unraveled, black fibers coming apart like living basketweave, revealing another dark chamber.

And another Kordolian.

Instantly, Jade froze.

What was that?

That feeling… radiating from the figure walking toward them. It had been here the entire time, only she hadn't noticed because it had been lurking in the background, still and silent.

Like something so immense one didn't see it at first.

A whale submerged in the depths of the ocean. She felt like the diver who had stared at its dark body, thinking it was part of the ocean, then realizing too late that it was actually a behemoth.

How had she not noticed it before?

It was only now , when the owner of the aura suddenly appeared, that she recognized it for what it was.

Immense, depthless, and scary.

Something she couldn't quite fathom.

He was so similar to Dragek, only Dragek was different because she'd first encountered him in the most unguarded place of all—her dreams.

He moved in the same way as Dragek: fluid, soundless, unmistakably dangerous.

His coloring was similar, too. He possessed the same shade of dark hair, but his hair was arranged neatly in braids over his scalp—in contrast to Dragek's flowing topknot.

He had the same platinum-hued skin and the same completely black eyes.

But that was where the similarities ended.

They were obviously cut from the same cloth, but this guy, although tall, was slightly smaller in stature than Dragek. His features were sharper and more delicate.

He was no less intimidating, though.

Maybe it was because she was encountering him for the very first time, but Jade found him even more intimidating than the man who was holding her in his arms.

"Welcome, Jade of Earth. I am Ashrael. Obviously, you are already well acquainted with my comrade here." Of course, his Universal was accentless, and his tone was a mixture of authority and mild amusement.

"It's nice to meet you, Ashrael. Dragek and I have definitely… met. " How surreal it was to be held in the arms of one powerful Kordolian while exchanging pleasantries with another.

A soft growl emanated from Dragek's chest, so subtle she almost missed it.

Was he… annoyed or pleased?

She still couldn't read him.

"It's fortunate that he found you when he did." To her surprise, the Kordolian called Ashrael offered her a slight bow. "I'm sure you've heard many things about our kind. Some of them are probably true, but I'd wager most are not. But I'm sure you will make up your own mind about us in time. I simply want to assure you that you are under our protection now, and no harm will come to you. We'll be leaving this ship now, and you'll receive treatment for your injuries from one of the most highly skilled medics in the Universe."

" Zharek ?" Dragek stiffened.

"Zyara," Ashrael replied.

"Ah." The tension dissipated.

Jade had no idea what that was all about, and she didn't dare ask.

Not when the two of them were staring at one another so intensely, as if sharing some silent communication. The air around them crackled with energy.

It wasn't her imagination. There was actually energy in the air, and when these two came face to face, it felt like sparks could ignite.

A thousand questions burned on the tip of her tongue.

What about the voices in my head?

What about this thing… this dream-walking or whatever it is I seem to have been doing?

What about… the MWA? The Federation?

What happens to me now?

But she didn't dare give voice to her thoughts—not yet, anyway. Not when she was on an alien ship with two powerful and dangerous Kordolians, and she still had no idea what was going on.

She needed time to get a sense of this place—to figure out what they were really like and what these newfound traits of hers meant.

There was a lot she had to come to grips with.

Firstly, she wasn't psychotic like the doctors had insisted.

This was something else, something deeper and infinitely more terrifying.

She couldn't bear to try and think about all that. It was too much for her brain to handle right now.

"Rest and heal," Dragek said softly, his low rumble reverberating right through her. Even though she was in terrible pain, the thrill of being so close to him chased the agony away, making it seem insignificant. "You can worry about the other things later."

At least it felt good to be held in his arms. She'd never experienced a feeling like this before, and she wasn't sure she would again.

Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

She had nothing else left, anyway.