Talent For Trouble Read online

  “Those who live on Council worlds don’t use stones to focus our Talent. In fact, we’ve never seen anything like the shards the Council has been analyzing. The ones I was able to get out of your skin. Do you know where the crystal is from?”

  “I have no idea. But I do remember that we feared the blue stones and the Wizards that wielded them, even as children. They are the mark of a high-level Wizard, and they were the ones that would come and take children away from their parents.”

  “If I’m right and the crystal connected you to the collective while you were so far out of their home range, then it’s possible that targeting the crystals of other Wizards will also put them out of commission.”

  “Except for the fact that the psi wave released when Jeri and Micah shattered my crystal almost killed me and would have burned every Talent within a parsec of the blast had Jeri and Micah not been there. Only their shielding allowed everyone to live through that unharmed.”

  “Unharmed, perhaps.” An ironic smile lifted the corner of his sensual mouth. “But not unchanged.”

  “That’s when you rose from Dominar to Master Mage, right? You skipped right over one of your Council’s highest rankings, as did the other people on your ship, Jeri told me.”

  “And we haven’t completely figured out what it did to you, yet. Aside from your new, all-too-permanent jewelry, that is.”

  “I’ve been too wrung out emotionally, physically and psychically, to even attempt to use my Talent. I don’t even know if it’s still there.”

  “Oh, it’s there all right.” Darak grinned at her. “I can feel it snapping along my nerve endings. It’s there, and it’s strong. Never fear.”

  “But, without direction of the collective, I’m basically untrained. The healers here have warned me not to try focusing on anything until I’m fully healed and they can arrange a base-level test and some strong shielding.”

  “I think Jeri wants to be with you when that starts. Micah, as well. Their honeymoon is nearly over, so they can be with you when you’re ready to try again.”

  Darak noticed the way Jana stiffened at the mention of her sister, but didn’t understand the reason for her reaction. He knew she loved her sister, and vice versa, but was there some problem between the siblings? If so, they’d have to work it out. They needed each other, as far as he was concerned. Family was important. Too important to allow a misunderstanding to linger and corrupt the relationship.

  “You think I need two Shas to shield me? Are you that worried about what the stone might have done to me?”

  “Yes.” Darak watched her carefully as he leveled with her. “I know for a fact that Jeri is worried, too, and wants to be with you.”

  “Just how well do you know my little sister?”

  The question took him totally off guard. He reared back a bit in surprise.

  “What kind of question is that?”

  “You heard me. You speak of her as if… as if…”

  “As if I’ve been inside her?” He deliberately pitched his voice low, watching the furious flush rise in her cheeks. Her raw Talent sparked along his senses, and it made him hot in more ways than one.

  “You’re disgusting.” She turned her face away from him.

  “No.” He spoke softly as he sat on the side of her bed. “Just truthful.” He sighed heavily. “I have loved your sister.”

  She didn’t think her heart could take the pain that lanced through it at his admission.

  “Love? You call that love?” She couldn’t fathom this culture or the way they shared their bodies so freely. She just did not understand it.

  “A small part of my heart will always be hers, just as a small part of her thinks of me fondly. But she loves my cousin deeply and truly, in a way that I’ve never experienced. They belong together. Micah will care for her all the days of their lives.”

  “Then, why in the world would he let you…?” The question slipped out before she could censor her words.

  “Fuck her?”

  She gasped at the blunt word, and Darak sighed heavily. He moved closer on the soft mattress, but didn’t touch her.

  “I know you and Jeri were raised on Mithrak and that your culture is different from ours.” He shook his head, as if frustrated. “Our people discovered, not long after the Council was formed, that those with Talent have a way of reenergizing each other through sexual pleasure. Though first joinings can be dangerous, once the energies are aligned, the giving and receiving of pleasure can enhance our natural Talents, recharge us and heal those in need of psi energy.” He looked back at her, pinning her with his dark gaze. “This was discovered several centuries ago by the Founders of our Council, you understand. Over the years since then, joinings among Talents became more open, more free. Micah and I, as well as just about everyone who lives on a Council world, were raised to give and receive pleasure freely.”

  “So, you’re telling me that my little sister sleeps with anyone she pleases? I thought she was married!” Her anger was getting the better of her, but there was no way not to get angry at the thought of her innocent little sister being victimized by these Council brutes.

  “That’s not what I’m telling you at all.” Darak’s voice was calm. How could he be so blasted calm when he was talking about having sex with her sister? “Jeri was on the run for most of her life. I don’t know all the details, but she did tell me that after the Wizards took you and murdered your parents, they hunted her. She hid among the horses, eventually stowing away aboard a ship bound for Pantur. Even there, she wasn’t free. The Hill Tribes share pleasure almost as openly as we do, but she never joined in. She came to my cousin a virgin.”

  “She told you that?” She couldn’t imagine her little sister speaking so frankly about such private things.

  Darak grinned wickedly. “No. He did.”

  Just like a man to discuss his conquests with his buddy. She was disgusted. But then why did she feel just a tiny flicker of flame low in her belly? It must be anger, she decided. All men were swine.

  “I’m not getting a very good impression of my new brother-in-law.” Her voice was purposely haughty, but it didn’t appear to affect Darak in the least. He winked at her, and she sniffed and turned her head.

  “My point is that Micah wanted to give her the experiences we all grew up taking for granted. We’ve shared pleasure in many different and varied ways. I’ve seen and done enough to know that when I saw Micah and Jeri together, I was witnessing something almost sacred.” Now, Darak looked away from her as if he didn’t want her to see too closely. “Micah knew he loved Jeri, almost from the moment he found her. But he was afraid, I think, that because she’d never been with anyone but him, she didn’t really know her own heart. He let her fly free. He gave her the experiences that all young women on our worlds usually have and stood by her, sharing in her pleasure, showing by example that his love made every moment they had together more special than a mere joining of bodies and sharing of pleasure. What they share is love in its purest form.”

  Silence reigned a long, long moment. She didn’t think he’d meant to say so much. He refused to look at her, apparently lost in thought, but she could feel discomfort coming off him in waves. She was empathic enough, even without focusing her Talent, to know that he was uncomfortable with the revelations he’d just made. She let the moment pass, saying nothing.

  “It was my honor to join with Jeri and Micah, and normally, I wouldn’t entertain questions about my activities, but you have a right to know.” His eyes met hers steadily. “I want the air clear between us. I joined with your sister, but I doubt I will ever be invited to do so again.”

  Her eyes narrowed. He was trying to convey something to her, but she didn’t quite understand what lay beneath his words.

  “Would you? If you were asked now?”

  Slowly, he shook his head.

  “No. Not now.” His hand covered hers, resting atop her upper thigh. “Not ever again.”

  Could he mean…? No. N
o way. Even she could see this man was a playboy. He went from woman to woman like bees went from flower to flower. So, maybe he wouldn’t sleep with Jeri again, but there was no way he’d give up his wanton ways. Every other woman was fair game. Including, it seemed, she herself.

  His hand stroked her fingers, warming her from the inside out. It made her uncomfortable, but she could hardly object. He wasn’t overstepping the bounds of propriety. Yet.

  But she knew he would. It was in his nature. This man liked to push the envelope in all ways, and she feared he would push her as far as she’d go. It was up to her to push back.

  Her experiences with men were nothing but bad, traumatic memories. She wouldn’t be tempted to let this rogue into her pants anytime soon.

  She hoped.

  But he had a way about him…

  “You’re thinking too hard, Jana.” Darak tapped her temple lightly then wrapped his palm around the nape of her neck in a gesture of comfort. “Give it time.”

  There was so much more he wanted to say to her. Things that had been rattling around in his brain since almost the first moment he’d touched her. She’d been so badly injured and near death after that last battle. Uncomfortable things surfaced in his mind that had him questioning his own sanity, his feelings, his future.

  He was starting to think that she was his future. And that scared him spitless. But he tried to follow the same advice he’d just given her. He was letting things happen and leaving a lot up to fate. He didn’t know where these startling new feelings were coming from, and he didn’t know where they’d lead, but he wanted to find out. No, he needed to find out.

  He had to feel her body against his again, just for a moment. Darak pulled her as gently as he could into his arms. She didn’t protest; though, at first, she was a bit stiff as he rubbed comforting circles on her back.

  “Just relax, Jana. Let it all go. Tomorrow will take care of itself.” He nestled his head next to hers, breathing in the fresh spring fragrance of her hair. She made him feel good in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Your only job now is to finish healing. Then, I’ll take you to the Council.”

  She tensed at his words. “I’m not looking forward to that.”

  He stroked her softly, sending out a tendril of his healing energy into the scars that caused her small hurts, wishing he could heal her mind as easily.

  “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Jana.”

  She pulled back, her face scrunched up in confusion as she watched him.

  “Why, Darak? Why are you being so kind to me?”

  “Because I have to. I don’t know why, but I know you need me, and I need to be there for you.”

  “This is more than a healer looking after his patient, isn’t it?” She sounded suspicious.

  “Yes, that’s true. Though, in some remote areas of this galaxy, people still believe that if you save a life, you are responsible for that person for the rest of their lives.”

  “You have no responsibility toward me.”

  “Ah, but there you’re wrong. Not only because you’re now a cousin-in-law. There’s more to it than that. Some connection formed when I healed you, I guess. It’s more…” He found it hard to describe what he felt. “It’s something I can’t explain.”

  She shocked him by placing her warm little palm against his heart, pressing close.

  “I was empathic, even as a child, Darak. Even without focusing my Talent, I can feel a little of what you’re feeling.” She closed her eyes, concentrating without drawing on her Talent. That would have been too dangerous. But the energy currents lived in the air around all beings, they both knew, and that might be enough for her to learn entirely too much about what drove him now.

  He pulled back, and her eyes opened in confusion.

  “Don’t do it, Jana. You don’t want to know what I’m feeling.”

  She tilted her head to the side, studying him.

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re not ready for it.” His voice dropped low, and his gaze held hers as the tension between them grew thick.

  “Not ready for what? The truth?”

  “The truth…” he tugged her a little roughly back into his arms, “…and this.” His lips met hers with a passion he hadn’t yet shown her. He devoured her mouth, licking, sucking and even nipping his way past all her defenses. She moaned as he started a rhythm with his tongue that was echoed in her suddenly aching pussy.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Darak came to visit her again, several weeks later. It was the longest he’d gone between visits, and Jana was sure his neglect had to do with the rather strong emotions he had revealed during his last visit. She didn’t bring it up and neither did he, each very circumspect in their conversation while Healer Barath checked her a final time.

  Barath was a Specitar who excelled only in healing, and that to a very great degree. He had overseen her treatment, and he took a moment to explain what had been done with her injuries to Darak, though he had never done so before to her knowledge. Yet, Darak seemed to know too much about her specific injuries as she listened to him talk with the older man—more than he should have known from just his initial treatment of her to save her life.

  She eyed him suspiciously until the old healer left the room.

  “What?” The smirk was back, and it served as a warning to her. Darak was in his typical devilish mood.

  “You’ve been checking up on me.”

  He nodded, not embarrassed in the least to be caught. “The Council asked me to keep tabs on your progress since I have some healing ability and was already familiar with your injuries.”

  She sat back against her pillows, deflated for a moment, but she still didn’t trust him.

  “I don’t understand how your rankings work. Why are you a Master Mage and Barath a Specitar? What makes you any different from him and vice versa?”

  Darak sat in the visitor chair, sprawling negligently. If he’d calculated his posture, it couldn’t be sexier, she thought. But it just came to this rogue naturally.

  “Ah, I think I understand. Specitars only have one or, at most, two psi abilities. Their Talent is very directed, totally channeled to their specific abilities, and they excel in those areas. But only in those areas. It’s a relatively rare condition. Most of us have Talent in a broader range of things. For example, I can heal, but I also have telepathic and some telekinetic abilities. I can channel my power to any number of tasks, not just healing or ‘pathing or whatever. Barath can only heal. That’s it. He’s a one-trick pony. But that one trick, he does better than anyone else.”

  “So, how do they rank Specitars? How do they know who’s the strongest among them?”

  “There are relatively few of them. In order to become a Specitar, you have to manifest your one Talent at Mage level or above. From what I’ve seen, Specitars tend to group themselves by what they do. The telepaths gravitate toward each other, the healers to healers, and so on. Among themselves, they get to know who has the strongest ability, and they sort themselves out, I think. They have their own Council that is part of the larger Mage Council, and they handle specific tasks unique to their abilities—teaching, testing and the like.”

  “It sounds very complicated.” Jana scratched her head as she thought through what he’d just told her. “The collective was so different. We were all just cogs in the wheel, and the Voice told us who would lead and what to do at all times.”

  “The Voice?” Darak seemed suddenly interested and alert, though his slouching posture hadn’t changed.

  “The Voice of the collective. At least, that’s what I call it. It was what, or perhaps who, gave all the orders. I can still hear it murmuring in the back of my mind, but I think it’s unaware of me.”

  This time, he sat up. “How do you know?”

  “If it knew I was within hearing, it would give me orders. It would try to control me again.” She looked at him as if he were slow. Fear shot through her at the thought, making her shiver. �
��It doesn’t know I can still hear it. If it ever finds out, I’m done for.”

  Darak sat on the edge of her bed, reaching out one hand to stroke her hair. “I seriously doubt that, Jana.”

  “Why?”

  “Besides two very angry Shas and one Mage Master standing firmly between you and the collective, there’s your own very strong Talent. I doubt you would ever succumb to their dominion again. Not now that you’re fully aware of it.” He stood, letting her go. “Come, we have places to go and things to do today. I’ve come to officially spring you from this facility and escort you to the family. Jeri and Micah arrived back yesterday and your sister wants very much to see you.”

  They went in a small private craft that Darak piloted expertly. The family compound was huge, richly appointed, and beautiful. The wealth and power of this family was not lost on Jana. She noted the graceful architecture and sprawling lands. She saw horses, too, roaming freely in one huge area that had been set aside for them, probably at her sister’s request. Darak had told Jana about Micah’s wedding gift to his bride—a tropical island where her horses could roam free.

  Jana hadn’t realized until that moment how she had missed the herds of huge beasts that she’d been raised to train. Most of her childhood teaching was forgotten or suppressed by the collective’s training, but she felt a yearning to be as free as those majestic animals she saw galloping below the small craft as they came in for a landing.

  “Jeri has had quite an effect on our family lands already. The herd came when she called, and now, they won’t leave.” Darak apparently saw the direction of her gaze.

  She could feel his admiration for the beasts, though, belying his gruff words. “Do you know horses? Do you ride?”

  “Not well. Though it is something I’ve always wanted to learn.”

  She was amazed that he’d give such information to her so freely. This was not a man used to exposing any sort of weakness, and she doubted he failed at any endeavor he tried, but then, perhaps he had another motive in revealing so much. Perhaps he was making a sort of peace offering, letting her feel superior in some small way while she was so completely within his control.