Grady's Awakening (6 page)

“So you’d be the kind of fisherman to go after a shark, land him, then throw him back to fight again another day.” Her lips curled in amusement, and he was sidetracked by the sight until he got himself in hand. It wouldn’t do to make a fool of himself with the first attractive female to actually Hum with him.

“I have never fished for shark, only small fish to eat while camping, but I think I understand what you mean.”

“Do you like camping? I never did as a child, but the great outdoors has grown on me since living with the
Zxerah
.”

“I love sleeping under the stars, or the tree canopy as it sighs overhead. I even like the patter of rain in manageable quantities when I have suitable gear with me.” His small attempt at humor met with success as her lips lifted in that lovely smile once again. “Tell me, do you like your life among the
Zxerah
? Would you not rather be among humans?”

Suddenly her answer took on great importance to him. Would she prefer the company of her own kind or could she be happy among Alvians? He had to know.

“I didn’t do too well with the other humans I encountered during my first few weeks in the wilderness. Then I ran into the Patriarch and all in all, I celebrate the day we found each other in the woods. The more I think about it, the more I believe God must have led me to that place and played a role in our meeting. Few women were trained as I was, and I don’t think someone with lesser skills could have impressed the Patriarch
enough to take a second look at us humans.”

“Of what skills do you speak?” Grady Prime was pleased by her answer. He wanted to know everything he could possibly learn about this beautiful creature.

“She has a mean right hook and her flying roundhouse kicks are a guaranteed concussion if you don’t duck fast enough,” Sinclair Prime put in from across the table. The man chuckled and Gina followed suit, sharing a glance with the winged warrior that made Grady Prime feel an altogether new emotion—jealousy. He didn’t like the feeling.

“You are a warrior?” he asked, regaining her attention. Frankly, she was so petite in comparison to a typical Alvian that he doubted the claim. Perhaps Sinclair Prime was teasing her.

“In the old world we had a sports contest every four years called the Olympics. The best athletes in many different sports would gather together from every nation and compete for two weeks to see who was the best in the world. I led the Olympic team into the arena and brought home first place gold medals for martial arts, as my father had, many years before me. He trained me from the time I was a little girl, along with my brothers and many others in his world-famous
dojo
.” Her eyes grew sad and Grady Prime reached out to touch her hand, offering comfort. When the Hum started up, he felt the eyes of everyone at the table turn to them, but he refused to release her. She was so sad. It hurt his heart.

“You miss your family.” He spoke in what he hoped was a comforting tone. Offering comfort was new to him.

“I do. They were the best, and I never was able to find out what happened to them. I was traveling on this coast when the bombardment started. My home and family were on the other side of the continent.”

“I’m sorry, Gina.”

She looked up at him with a searching expression before a small smile lit her eyes. “You know, I actually believe you. Of all the Alvians I’ve met, I think you’re the only one who has ever uttered those words with real sincerity.” She placed her other hand over his on the table, pressing lightly as his breath caught. “Thank you, Grady.”

“What is that noise?” Sinclair Prime asked from across the table. He had his fork halfway to his mouth and a puzzled look on his face.

Grady didn’t know what to say since Gina clearly couldn’t hear it. The Patriarch answered, his words simple and devastating at the same time.

“They Hum.” All eyes turned to the Patriarch at the head of the table. “It is something I have heard only rarely and never among Alvians, I’m sorry to say. A few of the mated human pairs in our enclave Hum. Of course the tone is outside of their range of hearing.”

“What’s this about humming? I don’t hear anything.” Gina looked around, suspicious.

“Precisely, my dear.” The Patriarch smiled at her. “When you touch Grady Prime, you resonate on a level that is outside of human hearing. We can hear the Hum, just below the surface. It is a pleasant sound, actually, and reassures me that there is hope for our people. If we can form Resonance Matings among ourselves and humans, there is some hope for the entire planet—Alvians and humans alike.”

“I don’t understand.” Gina retracted her hands from Grady’s. He was sorry to see her move away and the Hum stopped, but his attention was caught by the Patriarch’s words.

“I know of several true Resonance Matings between humans and Alvians, Patriarch. I have heard the Hum and seen the crystals glow for two Alvians already. I had no hope I could be so lucky. You see—” he turned to speak directly to Gina, “—I have never Hummed with any female. Meeting you brings me hope.” He loved watching the emotions flit across her expressive face.

“Tell me of the Resonance Mates you have observed, Grady Prime,” the Patriarch invited. “I assume you speak of Chief Engineer Davin and his mate, but who is the other?”

Grady Prime considered his options. Nearly overwhelmed by the incredible Hum when he’d least expected it, he wasn’t so far gone that he would potentially put others in danger. Especially not Callie or Jaci. Both women were special to him in different ways and he did not want to see either of them come to harm.

He had to make a decision. Could he truly trust the Patriarch and the people around this table? Could he trust the fabled
Zxerah
sense of honor? Having little hard data, he had to go with his instincts, his gut. It was something he’d relied on even before he had emotions. The ability had only grown stronger since he’d taken the gene-altering agent. With feelings came an enhanced ability to read people and situations.

Grady’s gut was telling him that these
Zxerah
—these people out of legend—were exactly what they claimed to be. Grady Prime instinctively trusted the Patriarch. He didn’t understand why he was so certain of the mysterious man’s disposition, or for that matter, the rest of them. His instincts were pushing him harder than ever before to take the calculated risk and speak of some matters that he’d previously kept only to himself.

He wouldn’t go so far as to reveal all he knew, but he would trust them—to a point.

“I am not at liberty to divulge the identity or circumstances of the second pairing. I can tell you that it is a true Resonance Mating between an Alvian female who was exposed to the same gene-altering agent that I took, and two human males. As for the Chief Engineer, I have known his mate, Callie, since she was an infant. What is not commonly known is that there is a second male in their household—a human male¾who is also a true Resonance Mate to Callie.”

“I thought there was only supposed to be one true mate for every person,” Sinclair Prime stated. “Why are they mating in multiples?”

“The working theory is that because of the shortage of females on this planet, nature—or God, if you prefer¾” he looked directly at Gina, since she seemed to believe in the deity of the humans strongly, “¾intervened to allow more than one male to be true mate to one female. There is evidence in the ancient records of multiple matings in situations where the ratio of females to males was severely deficient. I discussed this with Callie and Davin when I was trying to decide whether or not to participate in the experiment. I wanted to know more about resonance and I knew that if anyone had studied the topic it would be the Chief Engineer. He’d compiled data from ancient records—particularly in reference to multi-partner matings. He even documented such among his human charges in the Southern Engineering Facility and Callie O’Hara’s parents have such a mating. I have witnessed all three O’Hara brothers Humming with their wife Jane. They are all human, but they also fulfill the tests of resonance.”

“This is interesting news. I will endeavor to learn more of the Chief Engineer’s studies.” The Patriarch looked pensive.

“Davin is a good man,” Grady Prime felt the need to add. “He will talk to you if you approach him directly. If you wish, I could introduce you as a friend. Callie is a very strong empath. She will discern your intent. If she senses you are truly interested and have no malice in your heart, she will more than likely tell Davin and he will speak freely.”

“An empath?” The Patriarch sat back and regarded Grady Prime, but he got the impression the other man was seeing well beyond him as his eyes focused on some goal only he could see.

“As is her mother, Jane O’Hara. The psychic talents in that family are very potent and nearly infallible. Caleb, the eldest O’Hara brother, can see the future.”

“I am familiar with foresight,” the Patriarch said, refocusing on Grady Prime. “I didn’t know how closely these people were interconnected or that you were so well acquainted with them all.”

“I traveled to their home many times in the course of my duties and had a chance to watch their children—Callie and Harry in particular—grow from infant to young adult. It was an enriching experience and one that helped me decide to follow my present course. Even before I could feel, I enjoyed observing the youngsters as they thrived in a caring environment. It gave me a glimpse into what life must have been like on this planet and even on Alvia Prime, before the geneticists began to change our people.”

Grady Prime noted that everyone around the table was looking at him. He’d captured all their attention with his unguarded words and observations. He had one further revelation—if they didn’t know it already. From everything he’d seen so far, it was entirely possible they didn’t know.

“It’s been conclusively proven that all three O’Hara brothers and all their children are descendants of a common Alvian ancestor.” This, more than anything, would guarantee the safety of his human friends from all but the most cutthroat of his Alvian brethren.

“I was aware that Mara 12 was working on a theory that our ancestors may have intermixed with the native population. I did not know they could trace their ancestry.”

Grady Prime sat back in his chair, regarding the Patriarch with a measuring gaze. Best he could tell, the powerful
Zxerah
leader truly didn’t know. This could get interesting.

“Her so-called theory was proven many years ago though it has been kept secret in the scientific community until recently. It is true that our most revered ancestors settled on this planet long ago. Caleb, Justin, Mick and all of the O’Hara clan carry a large amount of Hara DNA.” The shocked silence was deafening. Hara had been the greatest of them, the most revered, the savior of their people when all hope had been lost. That alone would guarantee the O’Hara clan’s safety and status, but there was more. “Mara 12 confirmed her discovery by personally breeding with Justin O’Hara nearly twenty years ago. The resulting child is called simply Hara by the scientific team. He is known as Harry to his human family.”

“She had a baby with a human man?” Gina seemed scandalized.

“She did. Harry spends most of his time these days in the Northern City where his uncle, Caleb O’Hara, is currently being confined for study. I have long suspected that Harry acts as a conduit between his imprisoned uncle and the rest of the family. They have strong bonds—emotional bonds that Mara 12 does not understand. I did not understand it myself until just recently. Caleb and Harry have been of great help to me and the other test subjects as we progressed through the emotional changes and upheavals of those first few weeks. Without their help, I don’t know how successful our test group would have been.”

The Patriarch sat back and steepled his fingers, deep in thought as his gaze drifted around the table, finally settling back on Grady Prime. Everyone else was silent, each contemplating his revelations in their own way, and waiting to see what their leader would have to say.

Finally, he lowered his hands and leaned forward, his gaze intense. “This is excellent news. Astounding news.”

Chapter Three

The Patriarch was as animated as Gina had ever seen him. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was having an emotional reaction to Grady’s words. But she’d been around him long enough to know that was impossible. He was better than most Alvians, but he didn’t truly feel anything. Nothing worth mentioning, anyway. She’d watched him struggle with faint echoes from time to time over the years, and her heart had gone out to him.

Compassion was the emotion that came most often when she was in his presence. He wanted to understand, yet he could not. She believed he wanted only what was best for his people, yet he was convinced they had been on the wrong path for many centuries. He worked hard to change all of that, but was hampered by the need for secrecy.

“I thank you again, Grady Prime, for all that you have revealed to us tonight. I sense this could not have been an easy decision for you. After all, you have only just met us. By contrast, we have followed your career from afar for many years. You have always been a credit to our race, and I now believe you may be a conduit to a better future.” The Patriarch sat forward, his energy palpable to everyone around him. “Hara DNA on Earth! Proven and tested. Do you know what this means?”

“It means we can move forward with our plans,” Sinclair Prime said in a low, almost excited tone.

“We can, indeed,” the Patriarch replied before turning back to Grady Prime. “What is he like, this young man called Hara?”