Fire Pearl (Beyond Ontariese 5) (9 page)

It wouldn’t have taken much
.

He was pretty sure she hadn’t meant to share
the thought but it pleased him all the same. If he lay here much
longer he would sweep her beneath him and finish what they’d
started.

With one lingering look at Aria’s
passion-flushed body, Drakkin rose from the furs. Her nipples were
indeed scarlet, as were her feminine folds. The scent of her
arousal clung to his fingers and filled his head with alternate
endings for this situation.

“Are you angry with me?” She sat, eyes wide
with uncertainty.

“Not at all. There are many things I don’t
understand. I must meditate,” he glanced about for his tunic, “but
I won’t leave you unprotected.”

“You said we were safe here, that the Rodytes
can’t reach us.” She crawled to the edge of the bed and found her
discarded gown.

“I have many questions. I’m sure you do too.”
Donning the tunic, he went on. “Very few can navigate a temporal
shift. However, I know little about Noll dar Joon. My purpose is
not only to keep you safe, but to teach you how to protect
yourself. If I hope to succeed, I must access the Wisdom of the
Ages and learn more about your abilities. I have never before
mentored a
jumanna
.”

“Can’t you meditate here?”

He smiled, wanting nothing more than to crawl
back into bed with her. “You’re a bit too distracting. Indric will
guard you while I am outside.”

“Who is Indric?” Her brow furrowed as she
wiggled into the gown. “Do you trust him?”

“He’s the brother of my second wife, and I
trust him above all others.”

“Do you trust him with a
jumanna
?” She
worried her bottom lip, uncertainty clear in her eyes. “I feel
really strange.”

“Strange how?” He took her hand and helped
her up from the furs.

“You awakened something inside me, I can’t
quite explain. I feel restless and…achy.”

“I’ll take no longer than absolutely
necessary.” He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. Pushing
her fingers into his hair, she rubbed against him suggestively.
Maybe the meditation could wait. Would bringing her to another
orgasm ease her desire or build the intensity? He needed more
information. “I have to learn about the
jumanna
and find out
how your Ontarian blood will affect your abilities. Will you be all
right for a little while?”

Stepping out of his embrace, she crossed her
arms over her chest. “I’ll be fine.”

He glanced at the bed and heaved an audible
sigh. “It might be best if I restrained your hands, just until we
know what we’re dealing with.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not an adolescent
boy. I can control my desire.” Even as she spoke the objection, her
gaze narrowed and descended along his body. The spike of energy
released by her orgasm had triggered a vision. There was no telling
what the next one might unleash. He dare not leave her to her own
devises with the fire smoldering in her eyes.

Sweeping her up in his arms, he deposited her
on the mound of furs. “This is just until I return.” He closed
leather cuffs around her wrists and tethered her to a metal loop
attached to the tent frame.

She stared back at him in stunned silence for
a moment then indignation lit her gaze. Color crawled up her neck
and bloomed across her cheekbones. “What other toys do you have
stashed in this tent? What’s the Bilarrian word for pet?” She
tugged against the tether and glared at him.

He hated to leave her like this, but the
sooner he gathered information, the sooner he could teach her how
to control her
jumanna
magic. “I’ll return as soon as I
can.”

Leaving the tent flap folded back so he could
see her, he stepped outside. A fire pearl. He shook his head. Even
having sensed her awakening, he struggled to believe she was a
jumanna
. This complicated everything.

He kept her in his peripheral vision as he
summoned the metaphysical plane. He had advanced beyond the need
for visualizations many centuries before. It was only when he was
depleted or emotionally torn that he fell back on the standard
technique for controlling the metaphysical plane.

Indric waited for him in the twilight glen,
his hands clasped behind his back. “What can I do for you? I
expected you to be extremely busy for the next several days.”

“Tell me everything you know about the
jumanna
.”

His attempt to disguise his smirk at surprise
failed utterly. “I was right, wasn’t I? You stumbled upon a fire
pearl.”

“You are the only person I know who
has…interacted with one.”

Indric laughed and slapped Drakkin on the
back. “I suspect that will change very soon.”

“When did you meet this woman?” Drakkin
asked. “What was her situation?”

“The
jumanna
generally choose one of
two paths. They bond with a powerful mate and interact exclusively
with him, or they interact with whoever most benefits from the, um,
interaction.”

Drakkin blew out a ragged breath. “Aria was
raised by a space pet. I suspect she’ll have no interest in the
second scenario.”

“And the possessive fire burning in your eyes
has nothing to do with that prediction?” Indric relaxed his
expression until only a hint of amusement remained in his
gold-ringed eyes. “Obviously the
jumanna
I encountered was
willing to infuse anyone who needed her. She was revered and
respected. Not a bad way to go through life.”

“If the
jumanna
chooses to bond, is
her life mate the only one who benefits from her abilities?”

“That depends on her mate. If she bound
herself to someone unable to transfer energy, then her gift would
be wasted. That won’t be a problem with you.”

Drakkin didn’t argue. Even before he’d
touched Aria, he’d felt the savage within him stir. Only with
Fetima, his second wife, had he surrendered to the ancient portion
of his soul that demanded a mate. Once awakened, the savage
couldn’t be silenced until the bond was formed.

But that was the least of his concerns. First
and foremost, he needed to find out how best to help Aria. “I must
meditate. Will you guard her until I return?”

“Of course.”

Aria tugged on the wrist cuffs’ clasp with
her teeth, an exasperated growl escaping her throat. How could
Drakkin do this to her? At least with Faujer she’d found a way to
relieve the tension. Not that the tension Faujer created in any way
compared with the desire making her blood boil. Hot, restless,
savage. She felt as if her body were reengineering itself from the
inside out.

“The cuffs are secured by a specific energy
pattern.” She heard a deep male voice tell her. “Only the pattern
that secured them can release them.”

She looked over her shoulder and froze.
This
was her guard? Tall, dark and dangerous didn’t begin to
describe this man. His raven-black hair was highlighted with
glistening strands. The thick mass flowed past his shoulders and
down his back. Were the strands silver or gold? The rings
encircling his pupils ignited, bathing his features in a warm
light. Gold, definitely gold. She waited for her need to escalate.
Her brain registered his physical appeal, yet her desire remained
at an uncomfortable simmer.

“Where’s Drakkin?”

“He’ll return shortly.” He moved farther into
the tent, staying well back from the bed. “I’m Indric of San Adrin.
Drakkin neglected to tell me your name.”

“Apparently it’s Slave.” She raised her
wrists with a disgruntled glare. “Can you create a light source
other than your eyes?”

“It’s probably better if I don’t.” The golden
glow decreased, leaving his face in shadow. “Drakkin is one of the
few people who trusts me without reservation. I’d like to keep it
that way.”

Aria laughed. “You don’t think I can
withstand the temptation of—”

“I saw you briefly before your abilities were
awakened. It’s my determination that I’d rather not test.”

His words sent a thrill through Aria, but
uncertainty followed in its wake. She’d always felt odd and
self-conscious, even before her sojourn on Earth. “Will everyone on
Bilarri know what I am simply by looking at me?” If she survived
long enough to be a freak. Ignorance really was bliss.

“Yours is a rare and coveted gift. You must
learn to be wary.” He picked up one of the backless chairs and
moved it closer to the bed.

“I don’t think that will be a problem.” His
candor soothed her, allowing her to relax. “My name is Aria.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Aria.”

“Drakkin said one of his wives was your
sister. Is that how you met him?”

“Drakkin is a
Chae Tra Lyn
. Training
brought him to the desert originally. That’s how he met my
sister.”

“I’m unfamiliar with that term.” Each time he
spoke, a bit of her urgency eased. At first she’d thought it was
simply his relaxed manner. Now she wasn’t so sure. “Are you…doing
something with your voice?”

He chuckled and soothing warmth surrounded
her. “It’s only a temporary reprieve, but I’m glad it’s
working.”

“Tell me about Drakkin’s training.” She drew
her legs up under her dress and rested her arms on her knees.

“Bilarri is separated into four regions.
Drakkin’s family rules the Mountains of Hautell. He was expected to
succeed his father, but fate had other plans. Only those who are
generously empowered are presented to the Guild Masters. It is an
honor to be accepted by even one. Drakkin was accepted by all
four.”

“Four regions and four Guilds. Does each
Guild represent a region?”

He smiled. His even white teeth were visible
for a moment in the dim light. “Very good. Each Guild represents a
region and each region honors a different element.”

“Then the Guild Masters manipulate elemental
magic.” She rested her chin on her folded arms, thankful for the
distraction.

“All magic is elemental, but your assessment
is correct.”

“You said Drakkin was accepted by all four
Guilds. He can manipulate all four elements?”

“To an extent. Drakkin was born of the
Hautell Mountains, so his true element is earth.”

“Which element do you honor?”

“Air or wind. That’s what brought Drakkin to
my camp. He came to train with the Master of the San Adrin
Guild.”

“Your camp? Does your family rule the
desert?”

The flap opened and light illuminated the
tent. “Thank you, Indric. I’m again in your debt.”

Indric stood and crossed to Drakkin. “We’re
beyond keeping score.”

Aria’s curious gaze darted between Indric and
Drakkin. Their height and build were similar. Indric’s hair was
much longer, his beard adding an air of mystery. Drakkin’s features
were more sculpted and his fierce gaze made her pulse race and her
skin tingle.

“She’s dangerously perceptive, my friend.
Guard her well.” Indric ducked out of the tent as Drakkin crossed
to the bed.

“What did the Symposium have to say?” She
scooted over, making room for him beside her. The tether rattled
and the banked heat inside her kicked up a notch.

“Noll participated in the Seeker Circle
convened to locate Evan.” He raised his hand to touch her face then
lowered it. “There has been speculation that her mother had a
Bilarrian lover. If Noll is the product of that liaison, her
abilities might be unusual.”

“If her father is Bilarrian, why would she
hate me?”

“She was raised in the House of Joon, taught
to resent and mistrust the House of Aune.”

“I didn’t realize gossip was recorded in the
Wisdom of the Ages.”

He captured a lock of her hair and wound it
around his finger. “That bit of speculation came from Tal,
Charlotte’s life mate. He told me Vee never put much stock in the
rumors because Noll’s behavior had been exemplary.”

Aria didn’t comment. If the blood feud still
raged between their families, Noll had every reason to align with
the Rodytes. There could be no other explanation for what had
transpired in the dressing room. “What did you learn about me?”

“Balancing Bilarrian and Ontarian techniques
will provide the quickest result. You’re clearly a
jumanna
,
but many Ontarians experience a sudden and violent increase in
their Mystic abilities as well. What you’re experiencing could be
either or a combination of both.”

“Makes sense.” She fiddled with the thin
metal tether. Had Drakkin really thought she might try to seduce
his friend? Indric was handsome enough, and she appreciated his
soothing voice, but all her fantasies revolved around one man. And
it wasn’t Indric. “He’s a ruler of some sort, isn’t he?”

“Indric?” She nodded. “He’s prince regent.
Once crowned, a San Adrin king is king for life. Actual rule,
however, can be passed on to his heir while the king is still
alive. Why do you ask?”

“What does Shaw Trey Lyn mean?”

Ignoring the restraints, he pulled her hands
into his lap and stroked her fingers. “What were you talking about
while I was gone?”

“You, mostly. Did I slaughter the word?”

“You were close.
Chae Tra
means
master. A
Chae Tra
Lyn
is a Guild Master. Only those
who have completed training with all four Guilds are awarded that
title.”

“You have quite an accumulation of titles.
I’m impressed.”

“I’ve had the better part of two millennia to
accumulate them.”

How long did you train with each Guild?”

“It varied. Some skills are easier to master
than others. Around a hundred years.”

“Talk about commitment.” She tried to sound
nonchalant, but even his casual touch was stoking the heat,
building the fire.

“How do you feel?” His gaze searched her face
and swept down to her breasts and back.

“Like I’ve just awaken from a lifelong dream.
I can’t believe I never questioned anything I was told.”