Colliding Worlds Trilogy 03 - Explosion Page 20

  Laze leaped into the room with Jax on his heels.

  “Talla!” Jax cried out as he hurdled the fallen door. He followed Laze’s motions and headed to the right.

  Laze collapsed to his knees, and Jax kicked a still-unconscious Otas out of the way. “Keep an eye on that bastard. And we need an emergency med-evac now!” he ordered Pires before turning to Talla.

  Laze was already ripping open a field kit. Jax scanned Talla before touching her. She had a serious blaster wound to her abdomen. It looked like half of her athletic waist was charred. With Laze working on her wound, Jax got as close as he could without jarring her.

  Lifting her neck, he nestled her head into his arm. He cupped her cheek with his other hand. Her soft skin was still warm, but so pale.

  Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused.

  “Stay with me, Talla,” Jax said, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. He glanced up at Laze. “She’s in shock.”

  She mumbled something, and then her eyes came somewhat into focus, her heavy-lidded gaze on him. She tried to lift a hand, but it dropped, and she closed her eyes. “You’ll be safe now,” she said, her words so slurred that he had to piece together her words.

  “All thanks to you,” Jax said. He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then her lips, and her eyes fluttered open again. “Close your eyes again,” he ordered. “And I’ll quit kissing you.”

  She smiled and said something he couldn’t make out.

  “Be still, ta deitan,” Laze said, opening a packet of gel. “This will sting at first, but it will stabilize you.”

  She hissed when he swiped the gel across her stomach, and then sighed. “Ah.”

  A ruckus of shuffling feet entered the room. Jax glanced up at the med-tecs and additional troops. “About fucking time,” he muttered. “Otas cannot be able to touch his wrist-com or speak into it under any circumstances, got it?” He didn’t wait for a response, before shouting out his next command. “And this woman needs to be repaired from a blaster injury now.”

  It was then he finally noticed the third fallen Draeken in the room. He flinched at seeing the dead man getting loaded onto a stretcher. Meyt. Not that he knew the guy, but knowing that Talla had cared for him sent a pang of loss through him. She’d suffered enough already. For that reason alone, Jax wished the guy had survived, even if she would’ve chosen Meyt over him.

  He softened his gaze the moment he turned it back on Talla.

  She nudged her head closer to Jax, her eyes falling shut once more, her features smoothing out just like they did before someone passed out. “You came.” Her last words were soft, barely a whisper.

  Jax kissed her. “Always, ta eani.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Talla burst awake from the same nightmare again. The one where she found herself wading through a thousand bodies, the bodies of all the innocents she’d killed by not stopping Otas Olnek in time. And just like every time, the lifeless face on each body that stared up at her was Jax’s.

  Sitting up, she tried to push aside the images. She rocked back and forth, rubbing her temples. “Not real. Not real.”

  She’d seen only a glimpse of Jax since returning to the Striga. She’d still been in Med, recovering after the emergency repair to her stomach, and he’d walked through the door. His presence had taken up the entire room, his eyes focused completely on her.

  He’d stalked toward her then, only to be grabbed by Roden and Sommers, who’d come in right behind him. They’d argued about something, and Jax had clearly lost. Because he glanced at her one more time before spinning on his heel and leaving with the two men. Then she’d been left alone once more.

  But that single pleading glance …

  Fire and passion of intensity were conveyed in that glance. Even now, remembering his dark gaze warmed her. It had been three days since she’d seen Jax, one day since she’d been released from Med and returned to the Striga. She was mostly healed, now at the stage of cramping and muscle spasms. But she was alive. Never saw that one coming.

  Even though she’d kept herself busy dealing with Otas’s aftermath, she’d been lonely. Jax wasn’t on the core ship. The entire Triad, with all its delegates and consultants, had to leave immediately to travel to the U.N. to renegotiate peace and a more permanent arrangement for the Draeken and Sephians. Scientists on board the Striga were nearly finished with a pika neutralizer so that it would be ready for distribution as soon as the U.N. could agree to peaceable terms.

  She could only hope things were going as smoothly at the U.N. as it had for Otas’s execution. It hadn’t taken com-tecs more than a few minutes to disengage his wrist-com from sending out a pika signal. They didn’t even try to repair him. He was summarily and very publicly executed by the Grand Lord Nalea Puftan for treason against Draeka and crimes against humanity. People from all three races cheered. For the first time, the three races had truly come together on something. Hope had finally arrived.

  But there was still so much work left to be done.

  The door to her room chimed. Talla glanced down at her wrist-com. Four A.M. Frowning, she looked at the display to see a disheveled Jax. Her breath hitched, and she jumped to her feet. The sheet tangled on a wing, nearly tripping her, and she heaved it to the floor. She hit the unlock button on the wall. “Come in.”

  The door opened, and Jax looked inside before taking a tentative step in. Talla stepped closer. If there was one thing Jax wasn’t, it was tentative. “Jax?”

  “Sorry for waking you.” He glanced at the floor before looking back up. There were dark circles under his eyes, but the heat in that gaze was enough to curl Talla’s toes. “I had to see you.”

  She noticed he still carried a backpack. “Did you just get back?”

  As if realizing he still carried it, he shrugged out of the bag, letting it drop to the floor with a thud.

  “Listen,” he said. “I need to talk to you about what I said earlier.”

  Her heart plummeted. She thought she’d dreamed it. She knew she hadn’t now, since he’d come to apologize. He’d called her ta eani. My heart.

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It happens. We all say things we don’t mean,” she said quickly. She waved a hand in the air. “Water under the bridge, isn’t that how the saying goes?”

  He frowned, and then cocked his head. “It matters to me. I need you to understand — ”

  “Believe me, I understand just fine,” she interrupted curtly. “I get it. You made it clear the first time. What we did was a mistake and won’t happen again. I really don’t need to hear it again. Now if you don’t mind, I want to go back to bed.”

  His frown deepened. “You thought what we did was a mistake?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “No,” he replied gruffly.

  “Then why are you here?”

  He closed the distance between them. “I came to apologize for being an idiot. I threw away the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  Hope began to stir, but Talla was cautious. Taking a deep breath, she watched him. “What are you getting at, Jax? And get right to the point because I’m in no mood for games right now.”

  “No games.” He wrapped his hands around her arms. “I pushed you away because I was a chicken shit. I was afraid of getting hurt again. You got into my heart so fast and deep, I freaked. I’m a complete ass for how I treated you — I don’t have to tell you that. And I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but … ” he trailed off, pulling away, clenching and unclenching his fists.

  “But what, Jax?” Her question was soft, quiet.

  He turned his hard gaze on her, and she found tears in those brown eyes. “You’re better than me. You saw the magic of ‘us’ long before it made sense in my fucked-up head. I’d allowed too much shit from the past to roadblock my future. It took me long enough, but I finally saw what you’d seen all along. What we could have, it’s fucking beautiful, Talla. Please forgive me for being an idiot.” He grabbed her again. “P
lease. Give me a chance. I won’t fail you this time.”

  Her lips curled upward, feeling almost in shock. “You’re right. You were an idiot.”

  His grip loosened, and he fell down on a knee. “Please, Talla. Whatever you demand, I’ll do it. I have so much to make up for. I love you. I’m not promising it’ll be easy. Nothing worth having ever is. But I promise I’ll give you my best each and every day from this moment on.”

  “You love me?” she asked, the words coming out almost like a squeak.

  “More than anything,” he replied, his words coming out hard and fast.

  She worked at keeping her expression flat even though her heart was pounding, and her pulse was racing. It was really happening. It felt surreal, magical. “Well, then, you can start by making love to me.”

  He came to his feet, and kissed her softly on the lips. “As you wish, ta eani,” he whispered, and then gave her a kind smile. He deepened the kiss, their tongues meeting for a slow, passionate dance. Their bodies pressed tighter together, moving in a rhythm only they could feel.

  He broke the kiss, and his smile widened then, enough to show the wrinkles at his eyes. He lowered himself, kissing first her collarbone, then unfastening and removing her halter gown. He kissed his way down her sternum, her belly button, then over her panties. His kisses were innocent, yet they sent tingles across Talla’s skin. Already, her breaths were coming faster.

  With endless care, he tugged her panties down her hips and helped her step out of them. For the next few hours, Jax went about showing Talla exactly how he felt about her, until they fell blissfully asleep in each other’s arms.

  As with every morning, her wall screen was programmed to show the sunrise. She lay, blissfully sprawled across Jax’s chest, watching the grays of the past get replaced by reds, yellows, and oranges of their future.

  He ran his hand through her hair. “They’re going to release the pika neutralizer at eight,” he said. “Want to watch?”

  She thought of where Jax had been the past few days. “Does that mean the negotiations went well? I’d meant to ask earlier.”

  He chuckled. The deep rumble jiggled her head. “There were no negotiations. Everyone at the U.N. stayed uncharacteristically quiet during the discussions. The Triad laid out the terms, everyone agreed. There wasn’t a single dissent. I think it was the closest thing we’ll ever hear to an apology for saving their asses.”

  “What’s it mean for my people?”

  “After the Omega fiasco, both Alaska and Hawaii declared sedition. They’re breaking from the U.S. to form their own country. With everything going on, the government decided to let them, though it’s going to hurt the economy. Since Alaska’s environment is proving a bit harsh for Draeken wings, the Artox and Evo are going to relocate. As for any Sephia-born, Roden negotiated a good deal with Brazil where Draeken and Sephians have been given full citizenship and a large demilitarized zone to build homes. In exchange, I suspect their economy will see quite an improvement. I think we’re looking at the next world power.”

  She shook her head, rubbing her cheek against his chest. “It will be nice to have a place to call home.” A sudden thought nearly stopped her heart. “But your home is in this country.”

  “No, it’s not,” he said, before kissing her forehead. “It’s wherever you are.”

  • • •

  A half hour later, Talla and Jax stood before the Striga’s massive window outside the command room. They were surrounded by tens of dozens waiting for the same event. Laze and Ace stood several feet away, each throwing Jax a thumbs-up after seeing him with Talla. Jax held her hand with pride. It would take a force of God to make him let her go.

  Speaking of which … it had been nothing less than a miracle that Talla had given him a second chance. Her capacity for forgiveness and love astounded him. She’d lived through war and seen horrific things, but yet she still saw good in the world, saw good in him. She’d been the beacon, holding out the light while Jax found his way. And he planned to show his appreciation for her every day for the rest of his life.

  A rumble vibrated through the core ship, and they turned their eyes back to the window. What looked like giant missiles shot from the Striga and Grax, heading off in many different directions, and he knew the same thing was happening at the Artox and Evo. The missiles climbed upward, until disappearing into the clouds. Then, moments later, lightning-like flashes erupted. Seconds later, real lightning flashed, and a couple drops of water hit the window. The sky opened and rain poured down, carrying with it the pika neutralizer so that no one could ever set off the deadly programming again.

  The event was transpiring across the world. A worldwide rain storm was delivering the neutralizer to the water supply everywhere at once. The neutralizer had already been introduced to the core ship’s water supplies last night. The Earth was safe again. But the planet had changed, nearly beyond recognition.

  The past month had been a reckoning. A time for people to unite or fall. Fatal mistakes had been made, but the survivors would continue with lessons learned from the past. They would lay the groundwork for a new, united world. All three races would have a chance at redemption and a chance to build a better world.

  He looked at Talla. So fucking beautiful in every way. She’d given him a chance he’d never deserved, and he was thankful for it. Sensing he was watching her, she turned her gaze from the screen to him. “Ta eani,” he whispered, just before kissing her.

  She smiled. “My heart.”

  Epilogue

  One month later

  “I look better.”

  “No, I definitely look better.”

  Talla smiled at Sienna and Nalea’s banter. Jax knew both women far better than she did, so she steered clear of the conversation. Instead, she examined her wings in the mirror. She’d just had Jax’s name — in Draeken and English — tattooed across them yesterday, and the newness still made her nearly giggle. She couldn’t wait to see the surprise on Jax’s face when he saw them.

  She was already formulating what tattoos she’d get next when she realized the other two women had fallen silent. She glanced up and startled. Sienna stood to her left and Nalea stood to her right. They were looking in the mirror as well. “I take it back,” Sienna said. “We’re all freaking beautiful.”

  Talla couldn’t help but smile, and she nodded. It was true. At this moment, they were a vision. Sienna, even with her scars, looked like an angel in the white gown decorated with black pearls and the lace veil over her hair. Nalea, in contrast, was a tall beauty in a floor-length black silken gown. But Talla preferred her simple — and skimpy — silver gown. Panels of fabric hung loosely off her back so that they would flutter when she flew. The plunging neckline and high-cut skirt left little to the imagination, and she grinned, already thinking of how Jax would respond.

  “It’s time,” Sana said from the doorway. It was the first time Talla had ever seen the Sephian soldier smile. Well, it was almost a smile, more like a slight tilt of the lips. A human stood off to the side. Jeannie was her name. She, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear and dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

  “Let’s do this,” Sienna said, grabbing her cane and limping toward the doorway. Sienna, with her slow walk, set the pace. Entering the huge Communal Room of the Striga, Talla, Nalea, and Sienna walked down the open pathway through the crowd. Everyone on the Striga was there. Every Draeken had come on board, and several hundred humans had arrived for the world-broadcasted event.

  Laze stood near the front, a human female on each side. As she walked by, he gave her a full-blown smile. Surprisingly, Laze didn’t punch Jax when he’d asked for Talla’s hand. It was the first sign that Laze was finding his way out of the darkness. Seeing him now, surrounded by pretty human “groupies” was the second sign. Talla smiled. You’ll be all right.

  When she saw the three men standing at the end of their long walk, she smiled at the one man who truly took her breath away. She wanted to run to
him, but forced herself to stay in stride with the other two women, never taking her eyes off him.

  Finally arriving at the end, each man reached out for his woman. Legian, the large Sephian, nearly lifted Sienna off the ground as he embraced her. Roden merely smirked as tugged Nalea to him. And Jax waited patiently, as Talla looped her arm in his, watching her with such emotion that a tear slipped down her cheek.

  He wiped it away, giving her a questioning look, and she simply shrugged. She leaned into Jax’s embrace as the three couples were united by ministers from each race, and they became the first families of tomorrow’s world. She wasn’t one to cry, but after all, it was their wedding day.

  About the Author

  Berinn Rae was raised on a farm in Iowa where she boasted the small town’s largest (and only) comic book collection. An obsessive reader and compulsive daydreamer, it was only a matter of time before she fell in love with writing stories starring women with kickassitude.

  Berinn received an undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s degree from Drake University. After college, she dove into the field of technology, from programming (which she wasn’t very good at) to process improvement (which she was better at), and finally to strategic management, where she served as Vice President of a Fortune 100 bank.

  When not writing, Berinn can be found flying old airplanes, watching Sci-Fi movies, and playing RPGs. She currently lives in the Midwest United States with her husband and an incredibly spoiled sixty-pound lap dog.

  More from This Author

  (From Implosion)

  Draeken Hidden Camp in the northwest United States

  Nalea lay on her side, feigning sleep, until the guardsman walked past her cell, whistling an old tune that reminded her of Sephia. The tips of his leathery wings brushed the floor as though bored, matching the slow, staccato rhythm of his steps echoing through the hall. His senses would be dulled from the monotony of his late night shift. Hers were primed.