Between Light and Dark (7 page)

"Laurell, draw your energy back," he urged. "Envision
your aura disengaging from mine."

"I'm trying," she gasped, her words tight, as though speaking was an effort.

"Breathe and then block. See your aura harden like a
shell around you. Do just as I demonstrated."

Laurell took a deep, shuddering breath and a moment
later, the yearning disappeared. Having regained control,
she immediately stepped out of his embrace. He frowned.
Why did he already miss the sensation of her body against
his? It must be remnants of the yearning.

Laurell brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes and
slumped into the nearest chair.

"We must practice more," Axiom told her sternly.

"Just taking a break, slave driver," she quipped. "Here, sit.
I want to pick your brain some more." She motioned to the
wingback chair next to her.

Reluctantly, he sat. "Fine, but we must continue practicing in a moment."

She nodded. "Explain how the Umbrae find us."

He ran one hand through his hair and forced back his
frustration. Why did mortals enjoy talking so much? Especially this mortal.

"The yearning is potent energy," he said. "Just as it pulls
us toward one another, it leaves behind a trail which the
Umbrae can identify," he explained. "However, you need
not be concerned or let this distract you from our practice.
We are safe inside this dwelling."

Why was she asking these questions again? For what did
she search? Besides trying to keep a physical distance from
him, she had been uncommonly cooperative since they had
risen that morning.

"I'm getting better at warding, aren't I?" Laurell asked.

Axiom tilted his head to one side. "Better, yes. As good
as you need to be? No."

She grimaced, but then shrugged his words off and grinned.
"I have to admit, I like knowing I have the ability to prevent the yearning from taking over," she said. "You've no
idea how good it feels not to have the urge to tear your
clothes off right now."

Axiom didn't find that news as comforting as he should.

"I'm just so tired," she told him with a yawn.

"Warding can drain your energy. Especially if one of us is
doing all the work. That is why we both need to become as
adept as possible," he advised. Standing, he held his hand
out to her. "Break is over."

Laurell frowned. "Fine, but you're fixing dinner. I don't
think I'll have the strength."

"I would expect nothing less."

Laurell's dreams that night were vivid and disturbing. Several times she woke, heart pounding, eyes wide, only to find
herself staring into the peaceful darkness of the apartment.
She couldn't remember what had pulled her from slumber
or what she'd been dreaming about. Morning light had just
started to peek through the windows when she finally tumbled into a deep sleep.

A stark, barren landscape stretched out before her; the
earth under her feet was red and claylike. No air moved in
this place, no wind stirred her hair or brushed across her
skin, and there was a faintly sulfurous odor.

Scanning the area, she realized she stood alone, the only
living thing in sight. Not even a blade of green grass peeked
from beneath the dirt. The sun overhead shone unrelentingly; her face and neck burned from its heat.

Dimly, Laurell realized she wore a long, white robe, its
cloth dirty and tattered. Her feet were bare. Twenty or so
feet ahead, a light suddenly appeared from out of nowhere
and spun clockwise, growing larger with every turn. Her
pulse sounded in her ears, and she held her breath. Then, a
woman stepped out of the light.

Laurell sucked in a breath. Mother.

The other woman studied her for a moment, familiar
brown eyes wide with concern, long, chestnut hair curling
over her shoulders. Her heart-shaped face and full lips were
twisted with worry. She wore a robe similar to Laurell's.

"Am I dead then?" Laurell asked.

"No, but I am," Elaine told her. "This is the Astral Plane.
You're asleep."

"I've read about this place. People believe we travel here
when we sleep."

Her mother smiled and nodded. "Yes. It's true."

"Not how I pictured it." She'd thought the Astral Plane
would be a star-filled night, brimming with possibility.

"Think it differently," Elaine instructed.

"What?" Laurell blinked, confused.

"Think it differently, and it changes. Your mind is all
that counts here."

Laurell frowned, but did as Elaine suggested. Immediately,
a million diamonds surrounded them, scattering across the
violet sky, and the earth under their feet glowed like an
opalescent gem. A jasmine-scented breeze wafted by.

Elaine smiled. "You always did have a wonderful imagination."

Laurell scowled. "How would you know?"

Elaine's lips curved. "I knew."

Her mother's expression quickly turned serious. She
moved closer, her thin fingers reaching out to grasp Laurell's hands. Laurell backed up.

Laurell's gaze narrowed. "Why are we here?"

"I came to bring you a message."

"From the grave?" The words held a sardonic ring Laurell
couldn't control.

"Yes. From the grave. It's possible when you are traveling
here, on this plane. I've been watching you as you learn
your powers. There will be much more training to come.
It's vital you learn quickly and well. You have an important
duty to fulfill."

"You're talking about Axiom. And the child."

"Yes. And you."

Laurell tilted her chin, waiting.

"Perhaps I am a poor choice of messenger," Elaine con tinued, "since I was never there for you before. But I'm your
family, Laurell. Like it or not. I love you, and I want to
help."

Tears blurred Laurell's vision. In her entire life, she could
recall only two occasions when her mother had said those
three words to her. Talk about lousy timing. She blinked the
moisture away.

"How can you help me now? You're dead," Laurell
pointed out, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice.

"I can help. You just have to trust me."

Laurell's eyebrows flew up. "Trust you? I don't even know
you.

"I want to make things right." Elaine's words rang with
sincerity, and her eyes pleaded. Laurell refused to be taken
in. The woman had been one of Hollywood's highest-paid
actresses, she reminded herself.

"What do you want, Mother? I mean, what do you really
want?"

"I have a message for you. You must pass it to Axiom. Alright?"

Dubious, Laurell nodded.

"The witch who cast the protection spell . . ." Her
mother's expression turned pained. "She's dead. The Divine
Council is trying to figure out how this happened, but-"
Elaine's head shot upward.

An eerie screech filled the air. Elaine clenched Laurell's
hand so hard it hurt.

"What's going on?" Laurell demanded. A slow hum had
begun to vibrate through the atmosphere, and the crystal
ground beneath them shifted.

Elaine's face turned white and she spun left to right with
jerky movements while scanning the area. "The Umbrae. I
must go."

"Wait! I didn't get to-" Before Laurell could finish her
sentence, the circle of light that had brought Elaine to the
Astral Plane reappeared and scooped her up within it.

Laurell hadn't time to reflect further upon her mother's
cryptic message. Above her, a shimmer of black swooped
through the sky. It arched and dove toward her. Laurell's
flesh prickled with fear.

She jolted up in the bed and into Axiom's arms. He
clasped her tightly against his chest and rubbed soothing
circles against her back until she calmed.

The dream faded, and she was able to collect herself
enough to pull back from him. He lay sprawled across the
sheets like some dark, sexy dream. His body was tense, brow
furrowed.

"Why are you in my bed?" Laurell demanded, suddenly
aware the gown she'd worn to bed had come open and her
breasts were nearly exposed to his gaze. She yanked it
closed and pulled the covers to her chin. If he'd noticed
her quick movements, he didn't let on.

His gaze focused on her face. "You were having a nightmare. You called out in your sleep."

"Oh. Sorry if I woke you."

Axiom shifted closer. He wore only a pair of black boxers,
the broad expanse of his chest bare, his long legs stretched
out before him as he reclined on one muscular arm. Even
without the yearning, which she held in check, the look of
him was enough to make her want to throw herself on top of
him and press her naked flesh to his. She had to stop thinking sexy thoughts-she'd only encourage the yearning.

"Of what were you dreaming?" Axiom asked.

She sighed as the remnants of the dream tumbled over
her. "Mother."

"This was not a pleasant dream, I gather."

Laurell shook her head. "They never are."

"Do you dream of her often?"

"More so since she died." She glanced away from him,
trying to hide her expression.

"Talking about her is upsetting to you. I am sorry."

She burrowed back down beneath the covers. "I'm just
tired. I didn't sleep well last night."

She turned her back to him, hoping he'd take the hint,
but he didn't leave the bed. Instead, cool air hit her legs as
he lifted the blanket and crawled beneath. The next thing
she felt was his arm around her waist and his body pressed
against hers, warm and comforting. She tensed.

"I will lie with you for a while," he said. "You are shivering and in need of comfort. I can warm you."

He was right: her whole body trembled. Laurell didn't
point out that he could simply light the fire. She sort of
liked having him there, next to her. It had been years since
she and her ex-boyfriend had broken up. Years since she'd
let anyone hold her like this. How had Axiom managed to
break past that barrier twice since they'd met?

"Besides," Axiom continued, "this is good practice for
warding the yearning. And if we are to mate, we must become more accustomed to one another."

She bit her lip. She didn't want to start talking about sex
or she might lose her hold on the yearning. A change of
subject was in order. She sat up, disentangling herself from
his arms.

"Axiom," she said, "tell me what it's like on the other
side."

"What is it you wish to know?"

Laurell shrugged. "For starters, how is my grandmother?
My father?"

"Did you not just speak with your mother? Did she not
report of their well-being?"

She frowned. "How could she have? It was just a dream."
A dream that had already lost its urgency, its details drifting away like feathers in the wind.

"It was much more than a simple dream. It was her first
contact with you as your Liaison."

"My what?" Laurell chewed a nail.

"Your mother has requested to be your intermediary between the Earth Realm and the Light Realm. She is to consult with you and guide you. As long as she contacts you in
the astral, she can do so without the Umbrae picking up the
scent here on the Earth plane."

"Why do I need an intermediary? Isn't there someone
who can contact you directly? I mean, you being a god and
all?" Laurell asked.

"The gods and goddesses cannot contact me-or any of us
for that matter-without leaving a metaphysical trail that
would be all too easy to track. Their energy is very thick." As
he sat fully upright, the sheets pooled at Axiom's waist, baring the magnificence of his massive chest to her gaze.

Laurell's eyes were drawn there, but she forced herself to look at his face instead. He licked his lips. Had he done that
on purpose? The yearning started to roll through her belly
and snake its way toward her thighs. Quickly, she shielded.
Hmmm. She liked being able to do that.

She blinked and focused on his face. "I'm sorry, what did
you say?"

"I was explaining that the gods and goddesses cannot
contact us here without being detected by the Umbrae."
Axiom tilted his head to one side. "If they could assist us
here, I know they would. It is an honor to be part of this
mission."

Something about the way he said those words made her
think.

"What exactly do you get out of this? I mean, besides the
esteemed privilege of having sex with me?"

Her sarcasm elicited a small smile from him. "Is saving
mankind not reason enough?"

Laurell narrowed her eyes. Something in her gut told her
there was more. "There's something else you want, but what
I can't figure out is what a god could possibly need."

He shrugged and brushed a piece of lint from the bedsheets. "I wish to be the first Gray to serve on the Divine
Council. When this mission is successful, I'll have proven
myself worthy."

"I see." The straightness of his spine and the way he refused to meet her gaze told her she'd hit upon a touchy subject. "This Divine Council ... they're the decision makers
up there in god world, right?"