Shadow of the Coalition Read online

  Steeling her resolve, she opened her eyes and lifted her chin. “Back off, Alec.”

  The corner of his lips curved up into a hint of a smile, but he released her hand. He didn’t move away though. Instead, he held her gaze. “Would either of you lovely ladies like something to drink while we wait?”

  Seara declined, but Kayla nodded in agreement. She’d need whatever liquid courage he was offering to keep a handle on the situation. With a cocky smirk, Alec moved away from her and toward the bar area.

  Kayla barely managed not to sigh in relief. This whole bond thing was worse than she thought. Was it this potent the last time she was in the towers? It was imperative she learn how to control it. Although, she was beginning to have her doubts about asking Alec. He seemed to be enjoying her muddled reactions.

  He finished pouring two glasses of the amber liquid. As he handed one to her, his hand lingered over hers for a long moment. Just that slight touch brought more shockwaves to her system. She jerked away and cursed, nearly spilling her drink. The bastard was definitely doing it on purpose. If he touched her again, her drink was going over his head.

  Silently hoping Carl would come back soon, Kayla took a sip and scowled at Alec. She wasn’t sure which was worse, feeling these conflicting emotions or knowing Alec could sense her feelings.

  “You can sever the mental connection again if it bothers you. I’ll still be able to sense some of your emotions, just not your thoughts.”

  She didn’t answer, content to sip her drink and glare at him over the rim of her glass. Alec’s gaze was scorching, and she felt her breath hitch. A trace of a smile still played on his lips.

  He turned to glance at the other two occupants in the room. “Seara, would you and Brant mind giving us a minute? I’d like to talk to Kayla privately.”

  Kayla’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. “What? No. Why? I don’t… that’s… not necessary.” Shit. Shit. Shit.

  “Why? Are you afraid to be alone with me?”

  “No,” she lied.

  Alec raised an eyebrow, making it clear he didn’t believe her. She continued to glower at him. Being alone with him was a very, very bad idea. In fact, this whole trip was a bad idea. Kayla glanced back down the hallway toward her bag. She could be changed and back on her speeder in ten minutes. Maybe less.

  Unfortunately, that wouldn’t solve anything. Her shoulders slumped as she discarded the idea. It was time to get her head together and show Alec he didn’t intimidate her. Tossing her hair back, she decided to go on the offensive. If she pissed him off, so much the better. She needed him to back off enough to give her some breathing room and nothing else had worked so far.

  Kayla put down her glass, took a step forward, and poked her finger against his chest. “Of course not. I just don’t like you.”

  “Kayla!” Seara gasped, her eyes darting back and forth between them with dismay.

  Alec chuckled and dismissed Seara’s concern with a wave of his hand. “Oh, she likes me well enough. In fact, I’d dare say Kayla likes me enough that she’s afraid of being alone with me.” He took a step closer to her. The challenge in his hypnotizing eyes was unmistakable. “It’s a shame, Seara. I thought your daughter was braver than this, but I suppose I was wrong.”

  Kayla’s entire body stiffened, and her eyes narrowed at his words. It seemed like the annoying man almost enjoyed when she was obnoxious to him. “I’m not afraid of you. You want to risk talking to me alone, fine. Bring it on.”

  His eyes lit up in victory. Kayla’s fists clenched, and she resisted the urge to smack him upside the head for being so damn cocky. What was wrong with her that she found that trait attractive?

  “I suppose,” Seara relented with a frown, clearly questioning the wisdom of leaving them alone together. “Brant, would you mind helping me? I have a suspicion I’m going to need to get the medical kit in a moment. It’s on one of my top shelves.”

  Brant inclined his head and dutifully followed Seara out of the room. Once they were gone, Kayla crossed her arms. It was the safest way to keep from touching or strangling him. She wasn’t sure which option was more appealing at the moment. “Okay, you got rid of them. What do you want?”

  “Such hostility,” Alec admonished, but the light dancing in his eyes conveyed his amusement. “And here I was trying to be nice and give you a gift.”

  She frowned and shook her head, recalling all the gifts he’d been sending to Carl’s camp. “No more gifts. Not here. Not to the camp. It’s got to stop, Alec. I don’t need anything. I don’t want anything.”

  “I haven’t been giving you equipment as a gift,” he corrected and reached into his jacket pocket. “I’ve been giving it to the camp so they can keep you safe. You, my love, have a tendency to get into trouble. I figured they needed all the help they can get.”

  She harrumphed. He’d do well to remember most of her so-called troubles were tied to OmniLab. Before she could remind him of that fact, though, he distracted her by placing a small box in her hands.

  The material on the outside of the black box was soft and fuzzy. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt. Despite her earlier objections, she ran her fingers over it and wondered about the contents. It definitely wasn’t another generator.

  “Go ahead and open it,” he encouraged.

  Kayla carefully lifted the lid, and her mouth dropped open. All her usual snarkiness dissolved at the sight of the gorgeous, square-cut emerald pendant resting within the box. Shocked by the extravagance of the necklace and the enormity of the gift, her eyes flew up to meet his. “Holy shit, Alec! Where did you get this? Do you have any idea how much something like this is worth?”

  He reached down to remove the gold necklace from its resting place. Lifting it up, the gem caught the light making it sparkle even more brilliantly.

  “I hope you don’t plan on selling it, love. It’s been in my family for centuries. I believe my mother would be pleased to know it belongs to you now.”

  Kayla shook her head in protest. The dragon statue he’d given her was one thing. Heck, even the glass globe had been elaborate. But this gift was beyond compare. In all the years she’d been ruin diving, she’d never come across anything even remotely close to the magnificence of this necklace. Her fingers itched to take it, but her moral compass insisted she refuse. “I… I can’t accept something like this. It belonged to your mother.”

  “Kayla,” Alec said softly, squeezing her hand, “if she had lived, I know my mother would have given it to you personally. You were like the daughter she never had. It would mean a lot to me if you’d allow me to honor my mother’s memory and accept it.”

  She looked up into Alec’s eyes. The sincerity of his emotions coursed through their bond, and her objections faded away. Although words escaped her, she managed to nod.

  “Thank you,” he whispered and slipped the necklace over her head. Kayla moved her hair out of the way so Alec could fasten the clasp behind her neck. A small shiver rushed through her as his hands brushed against the bare skin on the back of her neck. When he finished, she turned back around to face him. Emotion swirled in his eyes as he admired the necklace on her. “It becomes you.”

  Kayla looked down and touched the emerald resting between her breasts. “I’ve never had anything like this. I’ve always wondered about the jewelry in the ruins and why people wanted something like that. I think I might understand. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  Alec reached up to gently caress her cheek. A slow wave of energy washed over her, and she closed her eyes at the exquisite sensation.

  This is what she had desperately wanted to feel again, she realized. Leaning into his hand, Kayla trembled with longing for more and instinctively sent a small pulse of energy back to him. She felt his exhilaration at the contact, and then his lips lightly brushed against hers. She parted them in surprise and he swept in, drawing her closer and consuming her. The world around them faded away as she rode on the crescendo of energy flowing through the
m. Kayla’s fingers curled into his shirt as she pressed against him, returning his kiss. Through their shared connection, she felt both of their desires heighten as they each experienced one another’s sensations simultaneously.

  Alec slowed the kiss and gradually withdrew his energy from her. When he finally pulled away, his hands cupped her face and his hot breath mingled with hers. She blinked open her eyes and tried to focus on him. The headiness of his touch left her a little unsteady, and she tried to understand what had just happened. Alec gazed at her as though memorizing every detail. Through their bond, she could feel his desire as intense as a flame in front of her.

  “I’ve never met anyone so responsive and passionate. Your energy is like a brilliant white light holding all the memories of our ancestors and all the promise of the future. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

  Kayla’s heart thudded as part of her desperately longed to continue exploring what had just occurred between them. But as alluring as the power was, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Regardless of what just happened, her heart belonged to Carl. She shook her head and started to take a step back, bumping into the bar area behind her. “Alec, I… I can’t. That shouldn’t have happened.”

  He searched her face for a long moment and nodded in understanding. “You don’t have to explain.”

  A tumult of emotions coursed through her. She wasn’t sure which were hers and which ones were his. She might not need to explain, but words held power on their own and she needed to say them aloud for her own benefit. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t give you what you want. I’m in love with Carl.”

  Alec shushed her and took her hand. He threaded their fingers together and placed another kiss on the back of her palm. “You have nothing to worry about, my love. Even if you won’t say anything, I know how you feel about me. If I have to wait a few months or even years until you’re ready, I’m prepared to do that. You’re worth it.”

  Kayla frowned. Someone cleared their throat, and she turned to find Carl watching them. He had changed and was wearing his more formal OmniLab clothing. Fury lit his eyes, and Kayla hastily pulled her hand out of Alec’s grasp, wondering how long he’d been standing there. Judging by the hard look on his face as he glared at Alec and the whiteness of his knuckles as he clutched the water samples, he’d seen and heard enough.

  Kayla bit her lip. Her gaze darted back and forth between the two men. Yep. It was official. This trip was a really bad idea.

  She straightened her shoulders, ignoring the churning feeling in her stomach, and gestured to the necklace around her neck. It pained her that she’d put that look into the eyes of the man she loved. “Alec just gave this to me. It belonged to his mother.”

  Carl stalked toward them. He glanced down at the necklace before turning his hardened gaze back on Alec. “That’s a very generous gift. I’m surprised you wouldn’t want such a valuable family heirloom to stay in your family.”

  Alec didn’t reply, but she could sense his building irritation and subtly disguised anger. The two men continued to glare at one another, and Kayla wondered how long it would take before they came to blows. She was supposed to be the hot-headed one. The sudden role-reversal didn’t suit her.

  Given the circumstances and Carl’s protective nature, distraction seemed like the best approach. Since she was already metaphorically in the middle, she might as well get up close and personal. Sometimes actions said more than words. Stepping between the two men, Kayla turned and rested her palms against Carl’s chest. She ran her hands upward until they cupped his face.

  Carl hesitated for a moment before tearing his gaze away from Alec. When his eyes fixed on hers, his shoulders relaxed a fraction. Kayla tilted her head and gave a nod toward the water samples in his hand. If he clutched them any tighter, he’d break them. “What do you say to dropping those off and getting some dinner? Other than a fruit stick I managed to swipe from Zane, I forgot to eat before we left camp.”

  Carl frowned. “You’re hungry?”

  “Starving.”

  “I’ll collect Seara,” Alec said from behind her. Kayla ignored his retreating footsteps and leaned closer to Carl. She stood on her toes and brushed a kiss against his cheek. When she sank back to the floor, she gave him a small smile.

  “You looked like you were about to hit him.”

  Carl managed a half-hearted chuckle. “As satisfying as that might be, you already took care of that. Besides, if I’m arrested for assaulting the High Council leader, you’d end up turning everyone in the towers on their heads staging another elaborate escape.” His expression darkened slightly, and she knew his anger was still simmering under the surface. “Although, I won’t make any promises if he touches you like that again. I’d hoped we could at least manage to make it through this evening before he tried something.”

  Kayla fingered the pendant. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with this necklace once we get back to camp. It’s not like I can sell it or wear it in the ruins. It seemed important to him that I take it though. I just… I wasn’t expecting what happened afterward.” She looked away, thinking once more about her reaction to their shared bond. Losing control like that was unacceptable. “I need to get a handle on how to control this energy.”

  Carl’s fingers took hold of her chin and he tilted her head back. There was an uncharacteristic hardness in his eyes. “What happened afterward, Kayla?”

  She winced. “He kissed me.”

  A thousand emotions rushed over his face. His closed his eyes and took a deep breath as though trying to calm himself. Kayla bit her lip. It was a probably a mistake to say anything, but if she were in his shoes, she’d want to know the truth. It was fine to deceive people in some situations but not about something like this. She respected and cared about Carl too much to do that to him.

  Carl was quiet for a moment before he opened his eyes and spoke again. “I don’t care much for Alec or for what happened, but I heard what you said to him.” He let out a long sigh and, with his free hand, reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. The small gesture reassured her slightly. “We’ll figure it out, sweetheart. Alec gave me a brief update on what’s going on while you were getting dressed. It’s not good. We need to talk about it, but it’ll have to be once we’re alone.”

  She raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t elaborate. Instead, he focused on something over her shoulder. Kayla turned to see Alec and Seara appear with Brant trailing behind them. As Alec approached, a wordless conversation passed between the two men.

  Carl bent down to kiss Kayla’s cheek and then whispered into her ear, “I’m going to escort your mother to dinner. I’ll explain everything later.”

  He gave her a slight squeeze before turning to address Seara who looked delighted as he held out his arm for her. Kayla couldn’t help but smile at the way Carl charmed her mother. A hand grazed her lower back, and she looked up to see Alec standing beside her.

  “Shall we go?”

  She hesitated, glancing back at Carl but he was focused on Seara. The older woman was laughing at something he’d said. Something was definitely going on. With a frown, she accepted Alec’s arm and let him lead her toward the door. Kayla just hoped he kept his energy to himself. They didn’t need another repeat of what happened earlier.

  He gave her a small squeeze, letting her know he’d heard her thoughts. It wasn’t a promise, but she’d take what she could get.

  “I think you’ll enjoy seeing the lab. We won’t be able to do much more than drop off the samples tonight, but I’d be happy to take you on a tour some other time.”

  “Sure,” she agreed absently as they approached the elevator. Even without the energy, Alec’s touch was distracting. It felt as though every single nerve ending was alight with awareness.

  They filed inside, and Brant programmed the elevator to take them to one of the lower levels. To distract herself from Alec’s nearness, Kayla focused on the view out the glass windows. There was no denying the beauty t
he towers offered, but she wondered if the occupants even really saw it anymore. Maybe you had to see a darker side of the world before you were able to appreciate what was in front of you.

  The elevator beeped, and Kayla turned back around to exit a level that appeared to be more clinical with its stark-white floors and walls. Bright overhead lights beamed down upon them as Alec led them down the tiled hallway toward two double doors. He pressed his palm against the outside plate and it beeped loudly before opening.

  A tall, thin, balding man wearing a long, white lab coat greeted them as they entered. The security clip on his jacket identified him as a Dr. Bathrin.

  “Master Tal’Vayr, your assistant told me you would be stopping by. I understand you have some samples that need to be tested?”

  “Yes,” Alec replied and introduced them while Carl placed the water samples on the counter.

  Carl gestured to the collection. “My trading camp collected these water samples. All of our preliminary tests came back negative, so we need a more in-depth analysis. We’d like to have them run through a complete analysis and testing cycle.”

  The doctor collected the samples and studied them closely. “Of course, Trader Grayson. I’ll oversee all the tests personally.”

  “This is a priority,” Alec reminded him.

  “Absolutely. I’ll let the staff know and have this expedited. As soon as the results are ready, I’ll send them directly to you.”

  Kayla leaned against the counter. “Do you know how long it will take?”

  He frowned, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, but there’s no way to know until we begin running the tests. It depends on what we find.”

  Kayla bit back a groan. She’d guessed as much but had hoped for a different answer. She was anxious to get back to Carl’s camp where things were relatively normal.

  Alec must have picked up on her tension because he sent soothing vibes along their bond. Kayla shot him a dark look. The sensation immediately faded.