Authors: Marilyn Campbell
Topaz Dreams (24 page)
He
had to go. She would undoubtedly be furious when she learned he had
gone on without her, but she would be unconscious for another ten to
fifteen hours, and he could not be sure Underwood would remain
stationary that long. He probably had already been told of the break-in
and would have connected it with the two people tracking him. Falcon
had to get to him before he moved again.
Although Falcon's mission
was to retrieve the ring and Delphina, he made a mental promise to
Steve to locate the scientist, Nesterman, and secure Gordon Underwood
and any accomplices until Steve could deal with them herself. He
decided to try to leave her a message telling her this.
Falcon
requested and received permission from the doctor to touch the patient.
Her brain activity was so low he picked up nothing of her thoughts, but
left his message in her mind anyway, with a promise to return for her
soon. His fingers moved from her temple down her pale cheek. Heedless
of the doctor's presence, Falcon bent forward and touched his lips to
Steve's, then turned and left the room.
On the way to the
transmigrator, his mind replayed pieces of the conversation with
Romulus and Aster. He would have preferred not to have to think about
it at all. There were no choices to make, no options to consider. Last
week his human half had been a slight annoyance. Last week there had
been no Steve. Tomorrow, again, there would be no Steve. In between she
had taught him to appreciate all that being human meant. She had helped
him, protected him, given herself to him. She was his first sexual
experience. Naturally, he felt strongly about her. It was completely
logical that it should sadden him to think of never seeing her again.
Aster was his friend and a female. He would be saddened if he could
never see her again. But the feeling of loss was not the same as he
knew he would suffer over Steve.
There would be other females in his
life now. Perhaps he would even be able to find a mate and fulfill the
hopes of his felan ancestors by reproducing. But that thought was not
accompanied by any feeling of anticipation or joy as he felt just
thinking about holding Steve again.
Falcon wondered if Romulus could
have been right about the mating fever. Would it happen that way for
him in time, or would his felan half alter the symptoms? He did not
believe it was possible to experience an attraction stronger than what
he felt for Steve. But what did he really know about any of it anyway?
His
human half told him he knew more than enough, but he had been wrong
before. It was all too new and he lacked sufficient data to make a
proper analysis.
"May I be of assistance?"
The question caused
Falcon to look around him. He was standing in the Transmigrator Room,
daydreaming again. He needed time to sort everything out, time away
from people with questions and pending assignments. Perhaps he would
return to Emiron for a time.
"Yes. I have special permission from
Governor Romulus to transmigrate to these coordinates." He handed the
technician a slip of paper and entered the glass cell.
Minutes later
Falcon stood in a dark forest and absorbed his surroundings. Holy
stars, but it was cold. Steve would have known what climate to expect.
She would also have been able to tell him what kind of security systems
might be employed to protect the house in the distance.
Remnants of
his earlier panic still floated through his mind, threatening to
surface and destroy his control once again. Forcefully, he pushed aside
all thoughts of Steve and prayed his distracting emotions stayed away
as well. All his faculties would be needed for the job ahead, and he
could not afford another moment of mental drifting.
He had purposely
chosen a location outside of the structure to give him a chance to
study the area. The hush of night aided his concentration. There were
animals around him and a body of water nearby. He was not close enough
to the house to define its inhabitants, but there was a darkness within
its walls.
Falcon picked up a subtle vibration coming from the
ground. He took a step, then two, and it strengthened. The source
seemed to be electrical. Carefully, he moved forward, a step at a time,
walking only on those areas where the impulses were weakest. He was
certain it was an alarm system, but he had no way of knowing if his
zigzagging would prevent his presence from being announced.
The
house was set in a small clearing between the edge of the forest and a
large lake. Falcon stopped behind a thick tree and opened his mind to
whatever was in the house. There were several life forces inside, but
their individuality was smothered by the totally black emanations of
one individual. It had to be Underwood. He recalled the aura he had
picked up from the man named King. Yes, it was there, also. There were
no lights on anywhere. Surely they were all asleep. Was Delphina in
there?
As if in answer to his question, a tall, slender female with
reddish-brown hair stepped out onto the front porch and sat down on a
chair. She matched the image he had seen of Delphina. He waited. No one
else was moving in the house. The evil force remained somewhere in the
rear portion of the building.
Falcon stepped out from behind the
tree and approached the house. "Delphina? I am Falcon. I have come to
take you back to Innerworld. Are you well?"
Delphina raised her
lashes and smiled sweetly. "I am very well, thank you. I did not know
if someone would come, but Gordon said I would return home one day."
Falcon frowned. Gordon? "Where is he now, Delphina? And who else is in the house?"
"He is asleep as are King and Nesterman. I cannot sleep and I find it very peaceful out here."
"We
must hurry. I need your help. Underwood has an Innerworld ring, like
this one." He held out his hand for her to see it. "Have you seen, it
inside?"
"Gordon has a lot of interesting things. He keeps his favorites in one room. Perhaps it is there."
She
got up and went back in the house. Falcon followed soundlessly through
the front room, down a hallway, to a closed door at the end. He would
secure the ring and then go after Karl Nesterman for Steve.
"It is locked," Delphina patiently informed him.
Falcon
placed his hand on the door and stared into the room beyond. He could
see several glass display cases, shelves bearing trophies, and plaques
adorned the walls. His fingers moved to the lock, and he envisioned the
mechanism inside. It was a simple exercise to move the pins into place
so that the lock opened for him. He pulled Delphina into the room with
him and closed the door.
His gaze passed over one wall and stopped
on a tall glass cabinet filled with trinkets. The ring sat on a small
pillow in the midst of numerous other pieces of jewelry. He touched the
cabinet door. He felt no impulses as he had outside. Was it possible
Underwood would leave the ring with no security other than a lock on
the door? It did not seem right.
"Delphina, do you know anything about this cabinet?"
"No, Falcon, I do not."
Falcon
hesitated, unable to pinpoint what was bothering him. He feared he did
not have time to be any more cautious. His fingers turned the latch on
the cabinet. In its glass front he saw a reflection of Delphina raising
something to her face at the same instant he swung open the narrow door.
A
puff of blue smoke exploded in his face. He turned to escape the
choking fumes, but his knees buckled beneath him. His last sight was a
hazy image of Delphina wearing a grotesque mask, slowly backing away
from him.
Steve! his mind screamed out to her.
"What?"
"Look!
The patient's brain activity just leapt from subconscious to alert,
then settled in the normal range. And the rapid eye movement. Like a
dream. How did you do that?"
The doctor rechecked the monitors and
shook her head. "I didn't cause it. If I hadn't been standing here, I'd
say she was spurred by an outside stimulus. Very odd. Well, whatever
caused it, she's coming back to us now."
Steve thought she had spoken his name, but her voice sounded
unfamiliar. Her parched throat begged for a sip of water before trying
to emit another word. For a moment she allowed herself to sink back
into the blackness where she had felt none of the searing pain coursing
through her body. The sore throat was nothing compared to the knife
slashing at her stomach and chest. She tried to raise her eyelids,
without success, nor could she move her arms or legs.
Falcon had
called her. He needed her... for something. Steve's mind leapt at
fleeting memories, but they escaped her grasp. This didn't feel like a
dream, yet she couldn't make herself come fully awake. If Falcon needed
her enough to call to her, he was in serious trouble. She had to go to
him ... somewhere. As her mind started to clear, however, the blackness
moved over her again.
"There," Doctor Yeguli stated to her
technician as she adjusted the intensity of the light above the
patient's head. "She should now return to a level of unconsciousness
where she will not suffer so greatly from the pain, but her recovery
will not be hindered."
"But look at the brain pattern, Doctor. She's
still fighting the tranquilizing effects of the light. It's as if her
subconscious is working independently to bring her to." The technician
touched several dials beside the bed. "This is incredible. The healing
rate of the organs has more than doubled from what it was a few minutes
ago. I've never seen anything like it."
"I have—in a felan empath I
cared for once. The woman's mental abilities were so great she
practically healed herself. I think it's time to speak to the governor
about this patient."
When Romulus and Aster arrived, Romulus briefly
filled in Doctor Yeguli. Without benefit of a logical explanation, it
had to be assumed that the patient's contact with the empath, Falcon,
had somehow bound them together. That being the case, Romulus
recommended that the doctor allow Steve to regain consciousness without
further interference.
Two hours later Doctor Yeguli called the governor back to Medical.
Steve
heard hushed voices in the distance. The effort it took to make out
specific words acted as a lifeline to drag her out of the dark
oblivion. She was certain she had almost awakened before and was
determined to succeed this time. Why was she so exhausted? The voices
became more distinct, even if the words were still jumbled together.
"Steve, can you hear me?"
The
question came from a woman, someone who knew her name and sounded
genuinely concerned. Steve put all her energy into opening her eyes.
She blinked several times before she could focus on the stunning couple
standing next to her.
The silver-haired woman took her hand. "I'm Aster, a friend of Falcon's, and this is my mate, or rather my husband, Romulus."
Steve
wrinkled her forehead and closed her eyes again. She might have guessed
the identity of the two people from Falcon's descriptions. When Falcon
had related stories about them, she had thought of them as fictional
characters existing in a fantasy world. Did having a conversation with
them mean they were real, or had she herself become make-believe?
"Where am I?" Steve finally asked when she reopened her eyes.
Aster
glanced at Romulus and, receiving his nod of approval, she explained,
"You are in Innerworld in our medical facility. Technically, you should
still be unconscious. Are you in any pain?"
"Pain?" Steve tried to keep her confusion hidden until her memory started to function again.
Rom offered her a slight mental prod. "What do you last remember, Steve?"
The
first clear recollection she had was of being in a dark closet with
Falcon. She felt her cheeks grow warm and forced her thoughts to
continue forward from that point. Suddenly it all came back to her,
causing her to bolt upright so quickly that she swayed from dizziness.
Aster quickly threw an arm around Steve's shoulder to steady her.
"I
remember now. I was shot! Oh, my God!" Her gaze darted back and forth
between the two strangers. "Where's Falcon? I told him to get away. I
really am in Innerworld, aren't I?" She did not need their confirmation
to know it was true. "How did he bring me here? He told me he wasn't
supposed to use his ring. Where is he?" Her hand moved to her abdomen.
"There was awful pain and then nothing. But I'm not injured now. How
much time has passed?" Steve finished in a shaky whisper, not at all
certain she wanted to hear any of the answers.
Aster continued to
brace Steve as Romulus relayed the story Falcon had told them about
four hours ago. A few days ago she would have refused to believe such
an incredible tale. She had been dead and restored in a futuristic
world in the center of the Earth. Now she accepted what she was being
told without a single doubt.
"You should have remained asleep under
the light for about another ten hours, but, somehow, your mind took
over your healing process."
Abruptly, Steve pulled away from Aster
and was about to scoot off the bed when she realized she was naked.
"May I have something to wear please? I have to go."
Aster touched her hand and smiled. "Wherever you need to go, you will have to wait for Falcon to return for you."
Steve
couldn't understand it, but she was filled with anxiety about Falcon.
"No, I can't. He called me. I heard him the same way I could hear him
when we mind-talked." Steve stopped as she caught the shocked
expressions on both their faces.
"You could communicate mentally?"
Aster asked slowly. When Steve didn't answer, she reassured her.
"There's nothing wrong with that. We're just surprised that Falcon
would have formed such a bond with a..." Aster paused and turned to her
mate. "Darling, would you mind giving us a few minutes alone?"
"Certainly.
I need to go over the medical report with Doctor Yeguli anyway." Rom
touched Aster's cheek, then sent her a thought. Ten minutes. We have
some decisions to make that can't wait.
As soon as Governor Romulus
left, Steve came to Falcon's defense. "Falcon tried to keep his
identity a secret from me. If he has broken any of your laws, it was my
fault. I really didn't give him much choice."
Aster laughed. "Hmmm.
You say it was your fault, and he says your death was his fault. I
suspect you're both to blame, but more than likely neither one of you
could have changed a thing."
"I'm afraid I don't get the joke."
Aster
grew serious again. "Falcon said he told you about this world. Are you
aware that I'm from the United States like you?" Steve nodded. "At
first I remained here because I had no choice. Later I was given an
opportunity to return to the United States, but by that time I was
desperately in love with Romulus and felt at home in his world. Nothing
I had left behind could compare to the new life I'd been given here.
"But
there was more to it than simple choices for me. Romulus was forbidden
by law to fraternize with any Terran. What that law didn't take into
account was the remote possibility that he would be drawn to me by a
force stronger than the Ruling Tribunal of Norona." At Steve's look of
confusion. Aster laughed again. "Sorry. I seem to have forgotten that
where we come from Norona and its leaders are still unheard of. Never
mind. There really is a point to all this digression.
"Norpnians are
human, but there are some major differences between our races. One
major example is how they select their mates, who are more than spouses
as we know them. It's not merely a matter of emotions or personal likes
and dislikes. A man and woman may care deeply for each other and yet
not be destined to be mates. For Noronians, the term 'soul mate' has a
very literal definition. The uncontrollable attraction of the souls of
the couple is the determining factor in finding one's true mate. There
is a physiological symptom, referred to as the mating fever, which
can't be denied, no matter how hard the two people try. And believe me,
Romulus and I had extremely strong reasons to fight it. The only cure
is for the couple to join, which is a mating of their souls and minds,
as well as their bodies.
"The kind of mental bond that you and
Falcon have formed sounds like what Romulus and I share, and yet he
spoke of returning you to Outerworld. From the look on your face, I
gather you are aware that you will be separated from him."
"There's no way he could stay out there. It would cause him too many problems."
"Did you perform a ritual or ceremony of any kind before you were able to communicate telepathically?"
Steve
wrinkled her brow. "A ritual? No. He was just suddenly able to put
thoughts right into my head. It was right after..." Her blush finished
the sentence for her. "Anyway, it doesn't work both ways. I can only
send him thoughts when my emotions are running high or when he touches
my temple."
Aster was thoughtful for a moment. "It must be his felan
heritage that made it possible, and yet... Steve, are you in love with
Falcon?"
The very personal question surprised Steve, but she didn't
have to contemplate it to know the answer. Telling herself it was
impossible wouldn't change the truth. He was an alien; she had only met
him a week ago; he felt nothing but gratitude toward toward her. None
of those facts altered her feelings. She hedged. "How could a woman not
love Falcon?"
Hearing the sadness that crept into Steve's voice
encouraged Aster to press further. "I know. I love him, too. As a very
dear friend," she added when she saw the reaction she was looking for.
"I would miss him if he left here, but I would still be whole. I would
not feel as if a part of me went with him. Romulus and I risked
everything to be joined, because life was not worth living otherwise.
We have a very grave decision to make regarding your future. I need to
know your true feelings about Falcon before I make my recommendation."
Steve
sighed. Saying it aloud would make no difference. "It's insane.
Everything's happened too fast. I love him so much, I don't know how
I'll face tomorrow, let alone the rest of my life without him. Is that
what you want to hear? Well, it's true. Regardless of my feelings,
however, Falcon explained to me how his emotions have just begun to
surface. He doesn't know what love is. Even if there was a way for us
to be together, he needs time to learn more about this new part of him.
I don't want to be around when he realizes that what happened between
us was only special to him because it was his first time. Nor would I
want to be there when he meets that soul mate you spoke of.
"None of
it really matters anyway. I have to go back to my mother and children,
and he has to stay here." After a moment's pause, she added softly,
"Maybe someday, if I'm very lucky, I'll get used to living without a
heart."
Aster squeezed Steve's hand then dabbed at the moisture that
had accumulated in her own eyes. Where was the happy ending? "Thank you
for being honest with me, Steve. I know what you've said about Falcon
is true. You're an incredibly strong woman to accept it like you have.
I wish I could make it come out better for both of you, but I don't
have that kind of power." Aster held back the thought that, although
Falcon may need to test his wings with other women, the overwrought man
she had spoken to earlier wouldn't find it so easy to dismiss this
woman from his life.
Steve shrugged and offered a weak smile. "There
is something you do have the power to help me with. Whether it makes
sense or not, Falcon called me. I understand your need to trust me, but
I'm worried about him. He said you were familiar with Gordon Underwood
and his tactics, so you must realize what danger Falcon might be in.
Please. Help me go to him."
"Falcon gave us instructions to keep you
here until he returned. You may as well know he's past due. We were
preparing to send out another tracker to the coordinates he left us."
"Aster,
imagine that it's Romulus out there. I am a trained private
investigator, Falcon and I have a mental bond of some kind, and I love
him. Who could be a better choice to track him than me?"
It took
some effort on Aster's part to convince Romulus that Steve should be
the one to go. Minutes after it was decided, however, Steve was dressed
and taken to the transmigrator unit. She knew the danger she risked and
chose not to dwell on it as Romulus explained how she would be
transported. Nor did she bother to advise him that she had already
experienced it without any politely phrased warnings.
Aster
apologized that she had not been free to show her around, but the less
Steve witnessed, and the fewer Innerworlders she came in contact with,
the safer it was for everyone. Steve shook their hands, and they wished
her luck, almost as if they were acquaintances she might run into again
someday. But she knew better.
Being prepared to be transported did
not make as much difference as Steve had hoped. The two-minute journey
still felt like a roller-coaster ride through the bowels of hell. She
didn't open her eyes until she felt the ground beneath her feet, and
freezing air blow against her face. She had made it!
Standing in the
quiet forest, she let her eyes adjust to the predawn light. The house
in the clearing ahead had to be Underwood's. She recalled the list of
detailed expenses involved in its construction. The security systems
were state of the art and began with sensors beneath the ground. She
had no way of avoiding detection, but at least she knew that if there
was anyone in the house, they would be expecting someone by the time
she reached it. What had Falcon done when he had stood in this spot?
Where was he now? If he had managed to get a mental call through to her
all the way in Innerworld, why couldn't she hear him now? Oh God,
please let him be all right.
Steve felt the ache well inside her. If
she had to spend the rest of her life without him, she prayed for the
chance to be with him one more time.
Steve?
Falcon! Her heart pounded against her ribs. Where are you?
I'm confined in Underwood's house in Alaska. Are you near?
Yes. I can see the house from where I'm standing. Are you all right?
had to go. She would undoubtedly be furious when she learned he had
gone on without her, but she would be unconscious for another ten to
fifteen hours, and he could not be sure Underwood would remain
stationary that long. He probably had already been told of the break-in
and would have connected it with the two people tracking him. Falcon
had to get to him before he moved again.
Although Falcon's mission
was to retrieve the ring and Delphina, he made a mental promise to
Steve to locate the scientist, Nesterman, and secure Gordon Underwood
and any accomplices until Steve could deal with them herself. He
decided to try to leave her a message telling her this.
Falcon
requested and received permission from the doctor to touch the patient.
Her brain activity was so low he picked up nothing of her thoughts, but
left his message in her mind anyway, with a promise to return for her
soon. His fingers moved from her temple down her pale cheek. Heedless
of the doctor's presence, Falcon bent forward and touched his lips to
Steve's, then turned and left the room.
On the way to the
transmigrator, his mind replayed pieces of the conversation with
Romulus and Aster. He would have preferred not to have to think about
it at all. There were no choices to make, no options to consider. Last
week his human half had been a slight annoyance. Last week there had
been no Steve. Tomorrow, again, there would be no Steve. In between she
had taught him to appreciate all that being human meant. She had helped
him, protected him, given herself to him. She was his first sexual
experience. Naturally, he felt strongly about her. It was completely
logical that it should sadden him to think of never seeing her again.
Aster was his friend and a female. He would be saddened if he could
never see her again. But the feeling of loss was not the same as he
knew he would suffer over Steve.
There would be other females in his
life now. Perhaps he would even be able to find a mate and fulfill the
hopes of his felan ancestors by reproducing. But that thought was not
accompanied by any feeling of anticipation or joy as he felt just
thinking about holding Steve again.
Falcon wondered if Romulus could
have been right about the mating fever. Would it happen that way for
him in time, or would his felan half alter the symptoms? He did not
believe it was possible to experience an attraction stronger than what
he felt for Steve. But what did he really know about any of it anyway?
His
human half told him he knew more than enough, but he had been wrong
before. It was all too new and he lacked sufficient data to make a
proper analysis.
"May I be of assistance?"
The question caused
Falcon to look around him. He was standing in the Transmigrator Room,
daydreaming again. He needed time to sort everything out, time away
from people with questions and pending assignments. Perhaps he would
return to Emiron for a time.
"Yes. I have special permission from
Governor Romulus to transmigrate to these coordinates." He handed the
technician a slip of paper and entered the glass cell.
Minutes later
Falcon stood in a dark forest and absorbed his surroundings. Holy
stars, but it was cold. Steve would have known what climate to expect.
She would also have been able to tell him what kind of security systems
might be employed to protect the house in the distance.
Remnants of
his earlier panic still floated through his mind, threatening to
surface and destroy his control once again. Forcefully, he pushed aside
all thoughts of Steve and prayed his distracting emotions stayed away
as well. All his faculties would be needed for the job ahead, and he
could not afford another moment of mental drifting.
He had purposely
chosen a location outside of the structure to give him a chance to
study the area. The hush of night aided his concentration. There were
animals around him and a body of water nearby. He was not close enough
to the house to define its inhabitants, but there was a darkness within
its walls.
Falcon picked up a subtle vibration coming from the
ground. He took a step, then two, and it strengthened. The source
seemed to be electrical. Carefully, he moved forward, a step at a time,
walking only on those areas where the impulses were weakest. He was
certain it was an alarm system, but he had no way of knowing if his
zigzagging would prevent his presence from being announced.
The
house was set in a small clearing between the edge of the forest and a
large lake. Falcon stopped behind a thick tree and opened his mind to
whatever was in the house. There were several life forces inside, but
their individuality was smothered by the totally black emanations of
one individual. It had to be Underwood. He recalled the aura he had
picked up from the man named King. Yes, it was there, also. There were
no lights on anywhere. Surely they were all asleep. Was Delphina in
there?
As if in answer to his question, a tall, slender female with
reddish-brown hair stepped out onto the front porch and sat down on a
chair. She matched the image he had seen of Delphina. He waited. No one
else was moving in the house. The evil force remained somewhere in the
rear portion of the building.
Falcon stepped out from behind the
tree and approached the house. "Delphina? I am Falcon. I have come to
take you back to Innerworld. Are you well?"
Delphina raised her
lashes and smiled sweetly. "I am very well, thank you. I did not know
if someone would come, but Gordon said I would return home one day."
Falcon frowned. Gordon? "Where is he now, Delphina? And who else is in the house?"
"He is asleep as are King and Nesterman. I cannot sleep and I find it very peaceful out here."
"We
must hurry. I need your help. Underwood has an Innerworld ring, like
this one." He held out his hand for her to see it. "Have you seen, it
inside?"
"Gordon has a lot of interesting things. He keeps his favorites in one room. Perhaps it is there."
She
got up and went back in the house. Falcon followed soundlessly through
the front room, down a hallway, to a closed door at the end. He would
secure the ring and then go after Karl Nesterman for Steve.
"It is locked," Delphina patiently informed him.
Falcon
placed his hand on the door and stared into the room beyond. He could
see several glass display cases, shelves bearing trophies, and plaques
adorned the walls. His fingers moved to the lock, and he envisioned the
mechanism inside. It was a simple exercise to move the pins into place
so that the lock opened for him. He pulled Delphina into the room with
him and closed the door.
His gaze passed over one wall and stopped
on a tall glass cabinet filled with trinkets. The ring sat on a small
pillow in the midst of numerous other pieces of jewelry. He touched the
cabinet door. He felt no impulses as he had outside. Was it possible
Underwood would leave the ring with no security other than a lock on
the door? It did not seem right.
"Delphina, do you know anything about this cabinet?"
"No, Falcon, I do not."
Falcon
hesitated, unable to pinpoint what was bothering him. He feared he did
not have time to be any more cautious. His fingers turned the latch on
the cabinet. In its glass front he saw a reflection of Delphina raising
something to her face at the same instant he swung open the narrow door.
A
puff of blue smoke exploded in his face. He turned to escape the
choking fumes, but his knees buckled beneath him. His last sight was a
hazy image of Delphina wearing a grotesque mask, slowly backing away
from him.
Steve! his mind screamed out to her.
* * * *
"Did you see that, Doctor Yeguli?" the technician asked excitedly."What?"
"Look!
The patient's brain activity just leapt from subconscious to alert,
then settled in the normal range. And the rapid eye movement. Like a
dream. How did you do that?"
The doctor rechecked the monitors and
shook her head. "I didn't cause it. If I hadn't been standing here, I'd
say she was spurred by an outside stimulus. Very odd. Well, whatever
caused it, she's coming back to us now."
Chapter Seventeen
The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love. —Philip James Bailey
"Falcon?"Steve thought she had spoken his name, but her voice sounded
unfamiliar. Her parched throat begged for a sip of water before trying
to emit another word. For a moment she allowed herself to sink back
into the blackness where she had felt none of the searing pain coursing
through her body. The sore throat was nothing compared to the knife
slashing at her stomach and chest. She tried to raise her eyelids,
without success, nor could she move her arms or legs.
Falcon had
called her. He needed her... for something. Steve's mind leapt at
fleeting memories, but they escaped her grasp. This didn't feel like a
dream, yet she couldn't make herself come fully awake. If Falcon needed
her enough to call to her, he was in serious trouble. She had to go to
him ... somewhere. As her mind started to clear, however, the blackness
moved over her again.
"There," Doctor Yeguli stated to her
technician as she adjusted the intensity of the light above the
patient's head. "She should now return to a level of unconsciousness
where she will not suffer so greatly from the pain, but her recovery
will not be hindered."
"But look at the brain pattern, Doctor. She's
still fighting the tranquilizing effects of the light. It's as if her
subconscious is working independently to bring her to." The technician
touched several dials beside the bed. "This is incredible. The healing
rate of the organs has more than doubled from what it was a few minutes
ago. I've never seen anything like it."
"I have—in a felan empath I
cared for once. The woman's mental abilities were so great she
practically healed herself. I think it's time to speak to the governor
about this patient."
When Romulus and Aster arrived, Romulus briefly
filled in Doctor Yeguli. Without benefit of a logical explanation, it
had to be assumed that the patient's contact with the empath, Falcon,
had somehow bound them together. That being the case, Romulus
recommended that the doctor allow Steve to regain consciousness without
further interference.
Two hours later Doctor Yeguli called the governor back to Medical.
Steve
heard hushed voices in the distance. The effort it took to make out
specific words acted as a lifeline to drag her out of the dark
oblivion. She was certain she had almost awakened before and was
determined to succeed this time. Why was she so exhausted? The voices
became more distinct, even if the words were still jumbled together.
"Steve, can you hear me?"
The
question came from a woman, someone who knew her name and sounded
genuinely concerned. Steve put all her energy into opening her eyes.
She blinked several times before she could focus on the stunning couple
standing next to her.
The silver-haired woman took her hand. "I'm Aster, a friend of Falcon's, and this is my mate, or rather my husband, Romulus."
Steve
wrinkled her forehead and closed her eyes again. She might have guessed
the identity of the two people from Falcon's descriptions. When Falcon
had related stories about them, she had thought of them as fictional
characters existing in a fantasy world. Did having a conversation with
them mean they were real, or had she herself become make-believe?
"Where am I?" Steve finally asked when she reopened her eyes.
Aster
glanced at Romulus and, receiving his nod of approval, she explained,
"You are in Innerworld in our medical facility. Technically, you should
still be unconscious. Are you in any pain?"
"Pain?" Steve tried to keep her confusion hidden until her memory started to function again.
Rom offered her a slight mental prod. "What do you last remember, Steve?"
The
first clear recollection she had was of being in a dark closet with
Falcon. She felt her cheeks grow warm and forced her thoughts to
continue forward from that point. Suddenly it all came back to her,
causing her to bolt upright so quickly that she swayed from dizziness.
Aster quickly threw an arm around Steve's shoulder to steady her.
"I
remember now. I was shot! Oh, my God!" Her gaze darted back and forth
between the two strangers. "Where's Falcon? I told him to get away. I
really am in Innerworld, aren't I?" She did not need their confirmation
to know it was true. "How did he bring me here? He told me he wasn't
supposed to use his ring. Where is he?" Her hand moved to her abdomen.
"There was awful pain and then nothing. But I'm not injured now. How
much time has passed?" Steve finished in a shaky whisper, not at all
certain she wanted to hear any of the answers.
Aster continued to
brace Steve as Romulus relayed the story Falcon had told them about
four hours ago. A few days ago she would have refused to believe such
an incredible tale. She had been dead and restored in a futuristic
world in the center of the Earth. Now she accepted what she was being
told without a single doubt.
"You should have remained asleep under
the light for about another ten hours, but, somehow, your mind took
over your healing process."
Abruptly, Steve pulled away from Aster
and was about to scoot off the bed when she realized she was naked.
"May I have something to wear please? I have to go."
Aster touched her hand and smiled. "Wherever you need to go, you will have to wait for Falcon to return for you."
Steve
couldn't understand it, but she was filled with anxiety about Falcon.
"No, I can't. He called me. I heard him the same way I could hear him
when we mind-talked." Steve stopped as she caught the shocked
expressions on both their faces.
"You could communicate mentally?"
Aster asked slowly. When Steve didn't answer, she reassured her.
"There's nothing wrong with that. We're just surprised that Falcon
would have formed such a bond with a..." Aster paused and turned to her
mate. "Darling, would you mind giving us a few minutes alone?"
"Certainly.
I need to go over the medical report with Doctor Yeguli anyway." Rom
touched Aster's cheek, then sent her a thought. Ten minutes. We have
some decisions to make that can't wait.
As soon as Governor Romulus
left, Steve came to Falcon's defense. "Falcon tried to keep his
identity a secret from me. If he has broken any of your laws, it was my
fault. I really didn't give him much choice."
Aster laughed. "Hmmm.
You say it was your fault, and he says your death was his fault. I
suspect you're both to blame, but more than likely neither one of you
could have changed a thing."
"I'm afraid I don't get the joke."
Aster
grew serious again. "Falcon said he told you about this world. Are you
aware that I'm from the United States like you?" Steve nodded. "At
first I remained here because I had no choice. Later I was given an
opportunity to return to the United States, but by that time I was
desperately in love with Romulus and felt at home in his world. Nothing
I had left behind could compare to the new life I'd been given here.
"But
there was more to it than simple choices for me. Romulus was forbidden
by law to fraternize with any Terran. What that law didn't take into
account was the remote possibility that he would be drawn to me by a
force stronger than the Ruling Tribunal of Norona." At Steve's look of
confusion. Aster laughed again. "Sorry. I seem to have forgotten that
where we come from Norona and its leaders are still unheard of. Never
mind. There really is a point to all this digression.
"Norpnians are
human, but there are some major differences between our races. One
major example is how they select their mates, who are more than spouses
as we know them. It's not merely a matter of emotions or personal likes
and dislikes. A man and woman may care deeply for each other and yet
not be destined to be mates. For Noronians, the term 'soul mate' has a
very literal definition. The uncontrollable attraction of the souls of
the couple is the determining factor in finding one's true mate. There
is a physiological symptom, referred to as the mating fever, which
can't be denied, no matter how hard the two people try. And believe me,
Romulus and I had extremely strong reasons to fight it. The only cure
is for the couple to join, which is a mating of their souls and minds,
as well as their bodies.
"The kind of mental bond that you and
Falcon have formed sounds like what Romulus and I share, and yet he
spoke of returning you to Outerworld. From the look on your face, I
gather you are aware that you will be separated from him."
"There's no way he could stay out there. It would cause him too many problems."
"Did you perform a ritual or ceremony of any kind before you were able to communicate telepathically?"
Steve
wrinkled her brow. "A ritual? No. He was just suddenly able to put
thoughts right into my head. It was right after..." Her blush finished
the sentence for her. "Anyway, it doesn't work both ways. I can only
send him thoughts when my emotions are running high or when he touches
my temple."
Aster was thoughtful for a moment. "It must be his felan
heritage that made it possible, and yet... Steve, are you in love with
Falcon?"
The very personal question surprised Steve, but she didn't
have to contemplate it to know the answer. Telling herself it was
impossible wouldn't change the truth. He was an alien; she had only met
him a week ago; he felt nothing but gratitude toward toward her. None
of those facts altered her feelings. She hedged. "How could a woman not
love Falcon?"
Hearing the sadness that crept into Steve's voice
encouraged Aster to press further. "I know. I love him, too. As a very
dear friend," she added when she saw the reaction she was looking for.
"I would miss him if he left here, but I would still be whole. I would
not feel as if a part of me went with him. Romulus and I risked
everything to be joined, because life was not worth living otherwise.
We have a very grave decision to make regarding your future. I need to
know your true feelings about Falcon before I make my recommendation."
Steve
sighed. Saying it aloud would make no difference. "It's insane.
Everything's happened too fast. I love him so much, I don't know how
I'll face tomorrow, let alone the rest of my life without him. Is that
what you want to hear? Well, it's true. Regardless of my feelings,
however, Falcon explained to me how his emotions have just begun to
surface. He doesn't know what love is. Even if there was a way for us
to be together, he needs time to learn more about this new part of him.
I don't want to be around when he realizes that what happened between
us was only special to him because it was his first time. Nor would I
want to be there when he meets that soul mate you spoke of.
"None of
it really matters anyway. I have to go back to my mother and children,
and he has to stay here." After a moment's pause, she added softly,
"Maybe someday, if I'm very lucky, I'll get used to living without a
heart."
Aster squeezed Steve's hand then dabbed at the moisture that
had accumulated in her own eyes. Where was the happy ending? "Thank you
for being honest with me, Steve. I know what you've said about Falcon
is true. You're an incredibly strong woman to accept it like you have.
I wish I could make it come out better for both of you, but I don't
have that kind of power." Aster held back the thought that, although
Falcon may need to test his wings with other women, the overwrought man
she had spoken to earlier wouldn't find it so easy to dismiss this
woman from his life.
Steve shrugged and offered a weak smile. "There
is something you do have the power to help me with. Whether it makes
sense or not, Falcon called me. I understand your need to trust me, but
I'm worried about him. He said you were familiar with Gordon Underwood
and his tactics, so you must realize what danger Falcon might be in.
Please. Help me go to him."
"Falcon gave us instructions to keep you
here until he returned. You may as well know he's past due. We were
preparing to send out another tracker to the coordinates he left us."
"Aster,
imagine that it's Romulus out there. I am a trained private
investigator, Falcon and I have a mental bond of some kind, and I love
him. Who could be a better choice to track him than me?"
It took
some effort on Aster's part to convince Romulus that Steve should be
the one to go. Minutes after it was decided, however, Steve was dressed
and taken to the transmigrator unit. She knew the danger she risked and
chose not to dwell on it as Romulus explained how she would be
transported. Nor did she bother to advise him that she had already
experienced it without any politely phrased warnings.
Aster
apologized that she had not been free to show her around, but the less
Steve witnessed, and the fewer Innerworlders she came in contact with,
the safer it was for everyone. Steve shook their hands, and they wished
her luck, almost as if they were acquaintances she might run into again
someday. But she knew better.
Being prepared to be transported did
not make as much difference as Steve had hoped. The two-minute journey
still felt like a roller-coaster ride through the bowels of hell. She
didn't open her eyes until she felt the ground beneath her feet, and
freezing air blow against her face. She had made it!
Standing in the
quiet forest, she let her eyes adjust to the predawn light. The house
in the clearing ahead had to be Underwood's. She recalled the list of
detailed expenses involved in its construction. The security systems
were state of the art and began with sensors beneath the ground. She
had no way of avoiding detection, but at least she knew that if there
was anyone in the house, they would be expecting someone by the time
she reached it. What had Falcon done when he had stood in this spot?
Where was he now? If he had managed to get a mental call through to her
all the way in Innerworld, why couldn't she hear him now? Oh God,
please let him be all right.
Steve felt the ache well inside her. If
she had to spend the rest of her life without him, she prayed for the
chance to be with him one more time.
Steve?
Falcon! Her heart pounded against her ribs. Where are you?
I'm confined in Underwood's house in Alaska. Are you near?
Yes. I can see the house from where I'm standing. Are you all right?
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