Authors: Jessica Kong
“So that’s it?” Areo yelled, stopping in front of him. “You fucked me over for a percentage! You bastard! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” She pointed to the entrance. “Have you taken a good look out there? Have you seen all the mutilated bodies lying around? All those innocent men, women, and children your newfound buddies have raped and decapitated for no fucking good reason!”
John’s hand landed on her shoulder. It would do no good for her to lose control. She was this team’s leader. Everyone there needed guidance and assurance that she was still in control. While she composed herself, John asked what was on everyone’s mind.
“Who are they, Mikkoa? Who do they work for? What do they want?”
“They call themselves the Dominion,” replied Mikkoa with a sneer. “Three races united to serve one ruler, Daehog.”
“Which are the races?” asked Captain Erickson.
“You have never heard of them. They are not from this part of the galaxy.”
“Humor us,” clipped Areo.
“The Ailatinegs. The Orions. And the Braqarians.”
“I have never heard of them.”
The new voice startled John. Blinking rapidly, he glanced at his surroundings. He had forgotten where he was, with whom he was with. The nightmare he had escaped was still fresh in his mind, even though it had occurred six months ago.
“What does Daehog want?” continued Yudit.
“Daehog wants to rule this dimension, Guildhall, and all the other dimensions.”
“All the others?”
John rubbed his face with both hands. “Areo’s bracelets, the Bracelets of Foresight, can unlock portals to other dimensions,” he answered. “I think Daehog intends to use the bracelets to enter these other dimensions so he can conquer them as well.” He shook his head. “But that can’t happen.”
“Why not?”
“There’s a spell on the bracelets. If anyone other than the rightful owner tries to put them on, the power within the bracelets will kill him.”
“That
is
good news.” Yudit paused before asking his next question. “Have you contacted your peepuhl?”
Peepuhl? He means people,
thought John. “No.” He showed Yudit his wristguards. “I can with these, but if I do, the Dominion will find me.” He looked at Yudit. “Your planet barely survived one attack. I can’t be the cause of your destruction. As much as it kills me, I’ll wait for Bogdan to fly me to Sea Base Nine.”
“Thank you,” said Yudit. “Bogdan will be busy for a few days making certain his cargo is properly distributed.” He stood from his seat. “In the meantime, please make yourself at hohm. I’ll have a maid escort you to your quarters.”
John thanked the king for his hospitality. Soon after he left the room, Yudit sent his soldiers on horseback to spread the news about the Seacat’s arrival across the land. The women of the mist had to view the outlander. One of them was destined to be his permanent mate.
The moment John saw the bedroom had a fireplace situated at the foot of the bed, he asked to have someone start a fire. An older man with gray streaks throughout his once-black hair was quickly sent to his room with matches and logs. As he prepared the fire, John questioned him about where he might bathe. The man informed John that the natives of Surreal only hand-washed on a daily basis.
John was not happy. Because of his mixed heritage, he was born with special gifts. One gift in particular made it uncomfortable for him to breathe the longer he went without submerging in water. For now he would have to make due with submerging his face in the bowl of lukewarm water for ten minutes before cleansing himself with a towel barely larger than his hand.
John dropped the rag beside the basin filled with dirty water and jumped underneath the covers naked. Even with a fire blazing in the hearth, he could not get warm, so he pulled the covers over his head. It was another restless night.
.
The following afternoon, an excited Bogdan revealed that a grand feast was planned for the next evening in John’s honor. Everyone was invited. John thought the party was unnecessary. Bogdan told him that King Yudit insisted. Not wanting to insult the king, John agreed to attend.
During the feast, Bogdan introduced John to several lords and ladies who resided in the castle. The number of people who attended the feast did not match up to what John’s senses were telling him. He decided the cold was the culprit. He would not be able to rely on his senses during his stay on Surreal.
John was seated at the king’s table, which was at the furthest end of the room from the entrance, raised on a wooden platform. Beside him sat a married couple who were indulging too much in alcohol. They giggled and flirted unabashedly with each other.
The middle-aged man turned to him, raised his wine goblet, and asked, “Would you like a drink?”
“No thanks,” he replied.
John looked around the room. Plenty of oil lamps and candles lit the large area. It was a step back in time. The ‘Great Hall’, as Bogdan called it, was sectioned off into three parts by tall wooden pillars that supported the high timber roof. In many areas, the stone walls and mortar were in need of repair. Narrow, elongated windows were scattered along the outer walls. The wooden shutters were wide open, allowing a slight breeze to enter. For the feast, the stone floor was swept, and the eight long wooden rectangular tables were covered with white linen.
A lovely young maiden appeared in front of John with a large kettle in her dainty hands. “Would you like some more tea?”
John smiled. “Yes. Thank you.”
The young maiden peeked at John while she slowly poured the hot liquid into his metal mug. She had shoulder-length brown hair, pouty lips, and brown eyes. Her generous breasts and hips made her waistline appear tiny. She spotted him staring. She drew from her apron pocket a small bag of herbs. She intentionally tilted forward to give John a better view of her bosom as she placed the bag on the small dish next to the mug.
John smiled. He enjoyed when women flirted with him, especially the pretty ones. Being part feline had its privileges. He had a high libido and was more than willing to share it with a beautiful woman. The scent of lilac reached his nose. It was pleasant, but not his favorite scent. His gaze followed the young brunette across the table.
Jasira stopped by the hall entrance. She had decided at the last minute to attend the gathering to please her parents. She was not keen on meeting another stranger and have him turn out not to be the one for her. Therefore, she had waited until she noticed the celebration was nearing its end to make an appearance.
Her attention was immediately drawn to the stranger who sat at the king’s table. His aura was like a magnet, drawing her to him. She could not pull away. She approached him just as a maiden carrying a large kettle shifted sideways to serve the other guests. Jasira paused in front of him. He was handsome and powerfully built. What was it about him that called out to her? He seemed to radiate energy, strength—and something more.
Jasira intently studied his face, his eyes. He glanced at the married couple beside him. She watched him watch them. She saw it then. It was in his eyes. Sadness. She was compelled to move closer. She phased through the table and stood beside him. She was careful not to touch him.
The scent of vanilla reached John’s nose seconds before warm air surrounded him. He was grateful for the respite from the cold and enjoyed it more than the food and drink. It was the first time since he had arrived that he felt warm.
John scanned the table in front of him, searching for the source of the vanilla fragrance. He found no new desserts that could be the cause. None of the empty platters was the source. He looked at the maiden who had flirted with him. She was nearing his seat again. Perhaps it was she who smelled so good, and the lilac scent was from the many flowers decorating the room. As for the heat, John hoped it lasted. He hated the cold. He was more of a summer-all-year-round person.
He noticed King Yudit and Bogdan were speaking. At intervals, they paused to look at him intently. Were they talking about him?
“Do you see that?” asked Bogdan.
“Of course I do,” Yudit whispered.
“It seems Jasira is the one.”
Yudit nodded.
“We must now give her time to win his heart and trust.” Bogdan looked at Yudit. “Any ideas? He is anxious to return to his empire, to war.”
“You are a busy man,” suggested Yudit. “You have packages to deliver, a permanent mate to visit.” He turned to Bogdan. “Disappear.”
“He will go to you then.”
“Let him.” Yudit stared at John. “I am the king. What can he do if I have no ships to spare? He will remain on Surreal until we are sure about their future.”
“He may get restless and use his wristguards.”
“I doubt it. He strikes me as a man of honor. He would not condemn us to death.” He glanced at Bogdan. “I will instruct the guards to remind our citizens to remain silent. No one must speak a word about the peepuhl of the mist. If he learns the solution to our problem, it would sever the mists’ connection to the planet’s core. We could lose them all.” He returned to staring at John. “I will not allow that to happen.”
Bogdan saw John staring back at them. “He is curious and observant. He will ask questions.”
“Let him. Say nothing. I will deal with him. If I must, I will tell him what he needs to know.”
After a while, their behavior made John feel so uncomfortable that he felt it was time to leave. He said goodnight to everyone at the table and thanked the king for an excellent feast. He tried not to rush as he headed to the door. Before exiting the large room, he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Yudit and Bogdan still watching him. What was going on? Did he do something that made them suspicious of his intent? Did he make a mistake coming here? He would have to tread carefully.
John walked along corridors lit by oil lamps. His feline genetics allowed him to see well in the dark, but they did not help him locate his room. He growled. He looked at the time on his wristguard. He had been walking in circles for fifteen minutes. He felt foolish doing it, but he stopped to ask a maid for directions.
He entered his room and found the maiden who had poured his tea at the celebration preparing a fire in the hearth at the foot of his bed. “Well, hello.” He felinely approached her.
The maiden stood. “Hi.” She smiled and nervously wiped her hands on her apron.
“What’s your name?”
“Dena.”
“Lovely name.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I’m John.” He reached for her hand and kissed it. “Nice to meet you.”
Dena’s cheeks darkened. She quickly returned to her work.
John sat on his bed. His gaze traveled over Dena’s curves repeatedly while she prepared the fire. “Do you live here in the castle?”
“No. I live outside the kasuhl. My pairunts own the meat market in toun. I work here to earn extra money to help them and my siblings.”
“How many siblings do you have?” He enjoyed listening to her sweet voice. It was a distraction from the cold. However, her strange words made it a little difficult to understand.
“I’m the eldest of five. I have three bruhders and one sisder.” She finished her work and stood. Her eyes met his and stayed. “Where are you from?”
John sniffed the air. She did not smell like vanilla. Her scent was that of lilac. “I’m a Seacat from the Sea-anan Empire.”
“Where is that?”
“Far from here.”
There was a knock at the door. A dark-haired man stood in the doorway. “Dena?”
“Yes?”
“Sir Ekin’s tray of food is getting cold. It must be delivered immediately.”
“Of course.” The man left. Dena addressed John. “I must go. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Same here.” John’s eyes followed her out. She closed the door.
John glanced at the fire Dena made. He shivered and placed another log into the flames; it did little to rid the room of the chill. Tired, he dunked his face in the water, but skipped the hand wash. He then swiftly removed his boots and clothes and jumped into bed naked. With the heavy quilt pulled all the way up to his nose, he settled in for the night. As he drifted off to sleep, he thought he detected the scent of vanilla filtering into the room.
Jasira phased through the closed door. She found John already in bed. She spotted his clothes on the bench. The thought of him naked beneath the sheets piqued her interest, but she remained where she stood, at the foot of the bed, and watched John fall asleep.
Her attention remained on John for hours; finally, her curiosity got the best of her and she approached him. With a wave of her hand, the quilt and sheet lowered to John’s knees, exposing the man underneath. She had never seen a more magnificent specimen of a warrior.
Her jaw tightened. Her heart spasmed. Her eyes filled with tears. Jasira desperately wished she was solid. She wished she could feel the steeliness of his sculptured body and the silkiness of his skin. It pained her that she would never know how any man felt. She was destined to remain a phantom until truelove came her way. Only then would she become solid.
Jasira could not remember the color of her eyes or hair. She doubted she would ever see her reflection again. Unwilling to endure the torment of being near John any longer, she decided to leave—but not without touching him first. She knew she would not be able to feel anything. She was setting herself up for more pain, yet she could not help herself. The longing was the greatest she had ever felt.
Jasira reached for John’s hair, expecting her fingers to go through him. Instead, they encountered a wispy resistance. Jasira gasped. She tentatively gathered a short lock between her forefinger and thumb. A tremor began in her chest as the soft sensations registered in her mind. It was impossible. She was told the only person she would be able to touch was her kindred spirit. Did that mean John was him?
Hesitantly, Jasira reached for his handsome face. Again, she encountered solid mass. Her heart banged in her chest. John’s skin was smooth and soft. Tears filled her eyes. This time, they were tears of joy. Overwhelmed by her discovery, Jasira re-covered John with a wave of her hand and floated out of his room through the nearest wall.