Aurora Rising (12 page)

“You were so easy to love, and I’m not talking about your talent.”

“I know, you cared even when I showed only to be lower-mid range.”

“Yes, well that’s past. How are you doing with the adjustment?”

“Good.” She thought for a moment. “It has been better than I thought. Though, I still have trouble thinking of shielding and doing it. It comes better when I just react.”

“Well, if I had to pick which way to start working with it, instinct is better. It’s easier working on developing it consciously than teaching it to come naturally without thought.”

“I hope so.”

“It will be. Manning brought me up on what’s happening. I want you to be careful. I don’t like the patterns we see developing. Manning doesn’t miss patterns. If he sees it, it’s there, and Drasc Creed’s involvement can only mean something bad. Especially if as Manning fears, he’s been experimenting on talents to boost them.”

“Do you think it is possible?” Rori felt a twinge of fear.

“It’s always been speculated on. When I was younger, it was looked into. The problem was the only way to know was to experiment on talents. It caused quite a stir. Then, when some of the subjects who volunteered were physically damaged, a ban on all testing was decreed.”

“How were they damaged?” Her fear spiked.

“Several were fried. All became unstable and a couple turned violent. They became crazed, cunning killers. I was on the team that had to go after them. We didn’t take one alive, either we were forced to kill them or they killed themselves.” Pain was in his words.

Rori knew how her grandfather felt about life.

“Do you think they are experimenting on talents?” she asked.

“I’m afraid with Drasc, anything is possible. He is wrapped up in himself. That’s why I want you to be especially careful. He may see using or hurting you as a way to get back at me.”

“Rori, duck!”

Rori dropped to the ground and rolled to the side in time to see the disk veer away as it flew over her and knew Keyen had shifted it. She came to her feet running for the control panel. She opened it and dodged to the side as another disk flew passed her. Swinging back, she flipped the series of switches shutting down the training exercise.

“Woo. Hah,” Exaltation erupted from Ultin and Tankin, with cheers echoing from the others.

“Record time,” Keyen said as they gathered in the middle of the training room.

After the energy port rescue, they had a computer simulation set up for them. Fortunately, there had only been two minor rescue runs, so over the week they were able to spend most of their time training, letting Rori integrate into the team. Now they moved together with ease. Shielding was coming easier for her, but she was still stronger when it was a natural reaction.

“Great day-” Keyen started but Ultin cut him off.

“No, tomorrow’s a great day. Our day off.” Ultin hooted, giving Tankin a hand slap.

Rori had learned that the two men had a light side, loving to joke and play, and they fed off each other. But when it came to work, they were all serious. She trusted either at her back.

“So what are you going to do for your day off?” Cassie looked at Rori. “We’re going to hit the street fair. Want to join us?”

Rori was about to answer but Keyen beat her to it. “We already have plans.”

Rori jerked around to look at him, her surprise evident, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone else. And any objection she might have formed disappeared when she caught the gleam in his eye. He was challenging her to object.

“Maybe we’ll join you later,” she said to enforce part of her will.

“Great,” Sansa said. “The music in the evening should be hot.”

Rori became aware of the buzzing across her senses and honed in on it without thought.

“
It looks like Keyen’s making his move.”
Rori got the sense of Cassie with the words.

“What makes you think he hasn’t already?”
Bass answered.

“We’ve been kind of busy and we all had dinner together every night. You think he’s kissed her?”
Cassie asked back.

“
Well, yeah.”
Her twin exclaimed.

“He has not!” Rori burst out, feeling a wave of embarrassment at the conversation. She couldn’t believe what they were saying.

“Rori, you heard that?” Cassie stared at her, shock on her face.

Rori blushed. “Everyone could, you just said it.” She looked at the group and found them looking at her curiously.

“No, they couldn’t,” Bass said a little in awe. “We were mind talking between ourselves.”

“No one has ever been able to pick us up before,” Cassie finished his thought. “But you’ve done it before.”

Rori looked from one to the other. “No,” then added, “I don’t know.”

“Rori?” Keyen said her name and she turned to him.

There was question in his gaze and she answered it. “I don’t know.”

“This could be real handy if she can,” Keyen pointed out.

“Rori, can you pick up what I’m thinking?” Bass leaned toward her.

She tried a second then shook her head. “No.”

“How about me?” Cassie took her attention.

Rori focused on Cassie but nothing came to her mind. “No.”

Cassie looked at Bass, and Rori unconsciously reached up to brush away the buzz from her temple.

It was Keyen that caught the motion. “Rori, what did you just do?”

“What?” She turned to him.

“You just brushed back a lock of hair.” He reached up and did so at her temple, where she had. “I thought it was just a habit you do. I’ve heard some women do. But you don’t do that all the time.”

The buzz came back and her hand automatically came up. She halted the motion and looked at her hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bass and Cassie nod.

“What happened just now?” Keyen probed.

Rori felt a touch uneasy. “There was just a kind of a buzz, like hearing a bug by your ear.”

“And you’ve heard it before?” Keyen took over questioning.

“Well, yes.”

“Have you always heard it?” he probed, his blue eyes studying her.

She got that it was important and thought hard about it. “No, it’s just been in the last couple days, and it hasn’t been often.”

“And when you heard Cassie and Bass, what was it like?”

“I don’t know. I heard them, but it was kind of muted, like they were whispering.”

Keyen looked to the twins. “Try again.”

After a minute, Rori shrugged her shoulders. “Nothing.”

“Maybe it has to do with emotions?” Tankin suggested. “Rori’s an empath. Her skills seemed to be linked around that.”

“You may be right. We’ll have to check it out some more. In fact, I think we’ll stop by and talk to Areathea or Narrasa before dinner.”

“You do that, but for now, we’re off.” Ultin rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

“As off as we get,” Keyen added.

“Don’t put a damper on it. Think positive, a whole day free. Let’s go.”

“Just remember, stay together.”

“Yes, papa.” Ultin saluted.

Keyen just grinned, obviously used to the by-play.

As the group turned Keyen caught Rori’s arm, keeping her back. He waited for the others to leave. “So what would you like to do tomorrow?”

Rori caught a small side shift movement in him and opening her senses, realized he was nervous. Keyen was afraid she’d turn him down. It made her feel good knowing it was important to him. That he wanted to be with her. For the last week, he hadn’t given any hint of feeling for her, and she’d begun to wonder if all she was feeling was one-sided. Now she knew Keyen just kept things locked tight inside him and now he opened to it. She could feel his longing burning under the surface like his talent.

“I thought you had a plan,” she teased.

“I have one idea but I also want to know what you’d like to do. You haven’t had a lot of chances to do stuff with moving here and getting settled in. Now, with having to have a constant companion with you, it doesn’t allow much free time. I thought you might like to get out.”

“You’re right.”

“So, what have you been wanting to do?”

She felt her lips tug into a smile. “What I’ve really been wanting is to go for a run.”

“A run.” His eyebrow arched. “We run every day.”

“Yes, but I want to run on the beach. My grandfather and I would do it when I came to visit him. I loved it.”

He was smiling now. “I can go for that. How about a picnic breakfast after?”

“Picnic breakfast?” This time it was her turn to arch an eyebrow.

He nodded. “Though we call it our day off, you never know. We still could be called at any time. If we wait for lunch, we might not get it.”

“I’ve never had a picnic breakfast,” she said, feeling a twinge of excitement.

“Neither have I.” His eyes blazed as he looked at her, and Rori felt the breath leave her. She could have sworn the air began to heat around them. Then suddenly Keyen pulled back. “Come on, let’s go see if we can find Narrasa and Areathea and find out what they think you’re experiencing.”

Keyen stayed with Rori as they talked with Narrasa. The man ran a hand scanner over her. The muscles in the man’s face twitched, then an eyebrow kicked up.

“Interesting,” he finally spoke. “When we ran the diagnostic you showed no sign of telepathy, and it is not reading now either. But you are in a state of flux.”

“What does that mean?” Rori asked, feeling self-conscious.

“Just what you’re thinking, your talent is still evolving.”

“So I may lose this … boost to my talent?” Rori could feel Keyen’s eyes go to her as she asked the question.

“No, I’m quite certain you will remain like you are now. Maybe even grow stronger. It is hard to tell. The closest case we have to give us a guide would probably be Keyen.” Narrasa motioned to him. “You both came into your talents, in Rori’s case the strength of your talent, under severe trial and stress. It’s hard to say if they had developed naturally if you would have been so strong. Keyen…,” he looked at him. “You were so young and traumatized, and you…,” he switched back to Rori. “You had suppressed your natural talent for so long and when it came out it was, for better word, ripped from you, much like Keyen’s was from him. You are both the out of norm cases and, honestly, I don’t think we’ve yet seen all either of you can do.”

Rori caught the look of surprise on Keyen.

Narrasa gave him a knowing look before turning back to her. “As for what you’re experiencing, still I’m only guessing, but I think it links to your empathy. The twins’ bond is an emotional link, so somehow you are tapping into that bond. It will be interesting to see if, as you develop camaraderie with your team, you develop any links with the others. We’ve already seen your empathy can do great things when invoked. Unless there is anything else, keep us appraised of any changes,” the man said in way of dismissal.

“So it looks like Tankin had it pretty much right,” Rori said as they headed out.

Keyen gave a little laugh. “You know, he usually is. Let’s go eat. I’m starved, and we have a picnic to plan for tomorrow.”

***

Rori came to a stop, trying to draw air into her lungs. “Remind me to quit trying to beat you in a race.” She got the words out between gasps.

Keyen grinned at her, breathing in much the same condition. “It’s never going to happen.”

“Conceited.”

“Just good. And I believe this means you have to set up breakfast and serve me.” There was a hint of wickedness in his tone.

“Here I get invited to breakfast and have to do all the work,” she grouched but there was no heat to it.

“You’re the one who wanted to race.” He shifted. His hand bumped hers and caught it.

Rori looked at the hold then up at him, her heart racing for a different reason. “I’m all sweaty.” The words slipped out.

“I know.” A low, huskiness entered his voice and he drew closer to her. Her breathing, that had just started to ease, picked up a new labored movement. His head bent toward her. Her lips parted on their own accord. She was spellbound by the intensity in his eyes. Suddenly, he dropped his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her legs, he lifted, draping her over his shoulder.

“So let’s clean off.” He ran waist deep into the water and threw her into the incoming wave.

Rori was sputtering and laughing when she surfaced. She turned to splashing him, but she lost sight of him as he dove under the water. Knowing an attack was coming, she turned to swim away but a hand caught her ankle pulling her back. His arm wrapped around her thighs. Rori was hauled out of the water as Keyen rose like a serpent from the deep.

Unable to contain herself, Rori threw her arms up in the air letting out a shriek of pleasure as the water streamed down her. When she looked down, he was smiling up. She tipped back her head and laughed.

Keyen knew he’d never seen such a glorious sight. He held pure joy in his arms and it filled him, settling in his heart and he knew he’d keep it forever. He swung her around, ignoring the waves that buffeted him as her arms, still stretched to the sky, seemed to pull light down upon them. Then she smiled down and the sun took second place in radiance.

“Something tells me you liked that.” Keyen didn’t know how he managed to get the words out.

“Oh, yes.” Her hands came down onto his shoulders.

He felt her body tighten and stretch along him. He knew she wasn’t doing it as a temptation, but he was aware of the length of her against his body. Their jogging clothes offered little barrier in separating them. Heat burned in him and his gaze fell to her lips. All night he’d thought of them.

From the moment she’d answered Cassie’s unspoken question, he felt he’d known what the question was. Now he had to know for sure. “When you said ‘he has not’ to Cassie yesterday, what was that about?”

Color rose in her cheeks. Her eyes went to his mouth and he had his answer for certain.

“I think it’s time to change that.” He lowered her down his body, giving her plenty of time to object.

“This probably isn’t smart. We’re teammates.” Even as she said the words, she dipped her head to his. “Keyen,” she whispered his name just as their lips touched. He felt his name on her lips and followed it in.

Keyen would be the first to admit he didn’t have a lot of experience with women, but he didn’t need it. Everything with Rori was right, perfect and natural. The kiss continued and he became lost in it until a large wave broke over them and almost took his feet out from under them.

Rori pulled back looking as dazed as he felt. Nothing like that had ever happened to him before. He wondered if it might be her empathy talent coming out, but looking at her, she appeared just as surprised by her response. He searched to name the reaction and came up with several. On a primitive level, he’d say he had found his mate, a spiritualist would say soul, and a romantic would call it love. He figured it was all just Aurora.