Dream Unchained (16 page)
Authors: Kate Douglas
Kiera stood in the doorway to the dream shack, watching the activity. The news crew had been all over the place, taping stuff to use later. Right now they were interviewing Zianne and Mac. She'd love to know what they were saying, because even though she hardly knew Zianne, Kiera already felt connected to her.
Merely knowing her history and Mac's was like hearing the world's greatest love story.
To think of any man spending twenty years to rescue a woman he'd known for only a few months. Twenty years and sixty million dollars. Now that was love. Up until now, love was something she'd never believed inâat least, not until she joined the dream team.
Now it felt like it was all around her. She breathed it in, felt it in every word, every hug, every smile. She feared for Morgan, Rodie, and Finn every bit as much as she did for the Nyrians. All people she'd known for mere days, and yet knew better than the man she'd married or anyone she'd been involved with, male or female. All because of Mac.
He'd set one hell of an example.
Standing here, watching the activity outside the shack, she could have felt separate, apart from everyone, but she didn't. No, her job was important. They counted on her, and what she did, she did for love. Emotional love and physical, because damn it all, she'd discovered you really couldn't have one without the other.
And that alone was almost funny, the fact she'd gotten so intimate with so many guys in such a short time. She'd listed herself as a lesbian. Not bi, not heterosexual, just lesbian, and yet of all of them here, she was the only one to give corporeal bodies to nothing but men. Go figure.
Of course, watching Lizzie plant a kiss on Finnegan O'Toole had been a bit of a surprise. Liz was comfortably bi, which, as far as Kiera could tell, most of the team members were. Except Cameron. She hadn't seen him with any guys yet, at least not beyond Nattoch, and that was just to learn about the Gar ship. Besides, that guy was so old and decrepit he hardly counted. No, Cam seemed perfectly happy with his two women, and she had to admit, Mir and Niah were hot. Very hot.
As were all the Nyrians. An entire race of people who gained strength from sexual energy. Cam wasn't kidding when he said the bennies for this job were way beyond cool. Kiera glanced at the brilliant blue sky and thought of the alien spaceship headed their way. They'd better do something to stop the Gar ship, and soon, because it would sure screw up a great six-month gig if the thing exploded too close to Earth.
Not funny, Pearce.
No, not really anything to joke about. She glanced at her watch. Almost five. Teev and Sakel could show up anytime, soulstones in place, and then the only one of her guys she'd have to worry about was Tor.
No, not really anything to joke about. She glanced at her watch. Almost five. Teev and Sakel could show up anytime, soulstones in place, and then the only one of her guys she'd have to worry about was Tor.
Tor. Now there was a fascinating man . . . Nyrian. Whatever. Was she ever going to get past all these crazy adjustments in her life? Things that had once seemed impossible, now normal and natural in her new reality? She wasn't sure how she'd handle it if anything happened to Tor. He'd been her first, the one who'd taught her that men did have their good points.
The one she already cared way too much about. “Sheesh,” she muttered. “First alien. First guy lover who made me want more. First really great kisser.” The first climax she'd ever had during sex with a guy. And not just a simple orgasm, either. A damned showstopper! Smiling now, she turned around and went back inside the shack, back to the chair. She scrunched her butt down in the comfortable recliner and replaced the little mesh cap that hooked her directly to the array. Not that the Nyrians seemed to need the connection to get here.
They appeared able to find the team members now without the massive antennae. It almost seemed comical that Mac spent a fortune building the satellite array just to help rescue the Nyrians, and now they didn't need it. At least they didn't seem to need it. She'd never really asked.
No, when the guys showed up, it was all about sex and fantasy and turning those fantasies into reality. Talk about your dream job. She checked the dials, whistling under her breath. Settings all looked good, but she was going to worry about Tor until she finally had him back here, safe with his soulstone.
Safe with her.
“I'm here, Kiera.”
“Shit!” She spun around and there he was, standing beside her, laughing softly. Kiera struggled to get out of the recliner. He grabbed her hand, lifted her out, and pulled her close. She practically melted against his broad chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against him, soothed by the steady thumping of his heart.
His very human heart.
“I didn't expect to see you. Not until it's over. Is everything okay?”
“So far. I just wanted to make sure you had the antennae powered up. Xinot, Ian, Darc, Teev, and Sakel will be escaping in just a few minutes, but Xinot, Ian, and Darc have been providing energy for the ship entirely on their own for the past ten hours. Once they retrieve their soulstones, they'll be too exhausted to make the journey to Earth without full power from the array. And, they're going to need your fantasies.”
“Should I call the others here to join me?”
Tor nodded, rubbing his chin against her hair. “That would help. We had no idea how much this would drain them. Until today, we've never attempted running the ship with just three of us. While we were in orbit, it was not as difficult. When the Gar decided to move the ship, they powered up more systems and it's taken everything the men could give. I'm especially worried about Xinot. His condition is poor.” He cupped her chin in his palm, tilted her face to his, and kissed her.
“I must return. Tell Bolt they should come aboard within the next fifteen minutes or twenty. By then, only Nattoch, Arnec, and I will remain, but the Gar will know something is wrong when no one returns to the barracks. We have no idea how they'll react.”
Kiera clutched his forearms and stared into those beautiful dark eyes. “You have your soulstone now, don't you? You haven't surrendered it to the Gar yet, because they still think you're in the barracks. How did you get out?”
“Yes, I have it, and it feels wonderful to be on your world and be whole. Arnec was able to help me get away, but I must hurry. Call any others who can help. We need their energy and the power of their fantasies now more than ever.”
She stood on her toes and kissed him. His lips were full and warm, the kiss much too brief before he set her away from him. “I love you, Kiera. Never doubt my love for you.”
Love? She pressed her fingers to her lips as he disassembled and the gorgeous dark-skinned man she'd been kissing turned into a column of energy, a swirling mass of blue and gold sparks of life.
“Be safe,” she whispered.
But he was already gone.
Kiera stared at the empty space in the dream shack for a moment. It was starting. Now. She spun about and raced outside, raised her arms, and called for attention.
Â
“Hey! Everyone! Come quickly.” Kiera stood in front of the dream shack, waving her arms and practically jumping up and down to get their attention.
Finn glanced at Duran and nodded. The two of them turned and raced across the open area with the rest of the crowd on their heels. Mac followed behind with Zianne in his arms, but the news guys caught up to Finn before he reached Kiera. “What's up?”
“Tor was just here.”
Dink stepped closer, into camera range. One of the guys who'd arrived earlier had a microphone that he held in front of Kiera. Another guy, the one who'd piloted the helicopter, held a camera braced against his shoulder.
Dink asked, “Who's Tor?”
Kiera flashed a quick glance at him, but it was obvious she was speaking to Mac and the rest of the team. “Tor's one of the Nyrians I brought down. Mac, he said that we should have five more Nyrians with their soulstones arriving in a few minutes. Teev and Sakel, my guys, have been in the barracks recharging, and they're fine, but Xinot, Ian, and Darc have been running the whole damned ship on their own for ten hours, and Tor said they're in rough shape. Especially Xinot, for some reason. He said the dishes have to be at full power and he needs energy from more than just me. And, Finn, you guys need to be ready to go as soon as they arrive.”
Lizzie pushed through the crowd. “Ian, Xinot, and Darc are my guys. I'll help.”
“Good.” Kiera stepped aside. “There's probably room for one more to hook up to the array.”
“I'm here.” Cam stepped past Finn and headed straight for the drawer where the mesh caps were stored.
Lizzie turned and stopped him with a light touch to his arm. “Cam, they're all men. Can you . . . you know . . . fantasize about them?”
He cupped the side of her face in his palm, and Finn felt a funny little twinge that couldn't possibly be jealousy, could it?
“Liz, think about it. Finn, Rodie, and Morgan are leaving in a few minutes. Mac's busy with too many other things. Who else?” He leaned close and kissed her forehead. “Trust me. I've got a great imagination.”
“I know you do.” She gave him a sheepish look. “I'm sorry. I'm . . . well, shit.” She slipped her cap on and scooted into the big chair beside Kiera. They were both skinny enough that they fitâjust barely. Cam leaned over the back and draped an arm around each woman. Finn and Duran backed out of the shack and gave the cameraman room to film.
Dink stepped up behind Finn. “Can you explain what they're doing? They almost look like they're going into a trance.”
“In a way, they are.” Finn kept his voice low but spoke directly into the microphone. “You're aware how Mac discovered that Nyrians thrive on the energy generated by sexual fantasy, right? All of us are moderately telepathic with vivid imaginations. When we're hooked up to the arrayâsee that mesh cap each of them is wearing?âthose fantasies are broadcast as energy to the Nyrians on the Gar spaceship. The satellite antennae are programmed to automatically lock on to the ship. That link was established early on. Think of it as a tether between us and the ship. Once the Nyrians pick up the energy signal, they can follow it here.”
“Do they look human when they arrive?” Dink was focused on Finn, but Finn couldn't take his eyes off the three teammates. They'd already slipped into fantasy, if the sexy smile on Kiera's face and the boner in Cam's pants were any indication. Liz had a little frown between her eyes, and he wondered what she was thinking, and why she looked so worried.
“Uh, no. Sorry.” Finn shot an embarrassed grin at Dink. It was so easy to get lost in what was happening. “They first arrive as columns of energy. Usually blue and gold sparkles, though I don't know if everyone looks the same, or if the fact that three of these guys who are coming are pretty weak right now will change the color or intensity of their appearance in the energy form. You'll get plenty of warning when they arrive. They're hard to miss. You should be able to get film of them turning.”
“Oh, no!”
“Liz? What's the matter?” Finn heard her cry and was beside her in a heartbeat. He took her hand and she clutched at his fingers. “Xinot? You can make it. You can!”
Her eyes were closed and she was locked in her fantasy, but somehow she'd connected with her guys. That had to be it. Finn squeezed her hands, amazed that neither Cam nor Kiera seemed to notice Liz's distress. Holding on to her, he slipped into her thoughts, and it was like stepping out onto the deck of a small ship in a massive storm at sea.
Buffeted by wind and stinging needles that could have been rain but obviously weren't. Needles that seemed to slice through his skin, leaving burning trails in their wake.
It took mere seconds for Finn to realize he'd not gone into Lizzie's mind. Somehow, he'd ended up in Xinot's, and the man was in agony. Finn reached for him, holding tightly to Liz as he tried to strengthen the connection with Xinot. He'd never met the guy before, only knew of him from what Lizzie had said, but he sensed Xinot's desperation, his unwillingness to surrender.
Finn tightened the connection, narrowed it even more.
He was vaguely aware of energy streaming into the shack, of soft cries of pain and the sound of bodies falling to the floor, but still he held on to the one who'd not yet completed the crossing.
Xinot. Hang on, man. I need you to hold tight and follow the others.
Xinot. Hang on, man. I need you to hold tight and follow the others.
I'm injured. A guard fired just as I prepared to cross over. I did not think it would affect a human body, but it did. I managed to switch over but my strength is failingâstill caught in stasis. Can't complete the journey.
You damned well will complete this journey. What do you need?
I don't know. I don't know!
Finn sensed Lizzie joining his link to Xinot and the surge in power was almost tactile. A moment later, Cam formed a third point in their connection, and then Kiera was there, lending her surprisingly strong mental acuity, sharpening the focus with that brilliant mind of hers.
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