Passionate Desire (27 page)

He wanted to help her but wasn’t sure how to do it. He touched her face in his usual manner. It comforted her before. “You know none of this changes the way I feel about you.”

A sad smile spread across her face. “I know, but it’s hard to learn how you came into these worlds. It’s one thing to think you weren’t loved enough to be kept by your real parents, but to find you were a creation from a madman isn’t something you can prepare for.”

“I don’t care how you came to be I’m just happy you’re here.”

She touched his face. “You are my heart.”

“And you are mine.”

“Computer, I want to see that lab.” Something deep inside urged her on. “I’m assuming Ialog has been there since he came back to the planet and I want to see what he was trying to do.”

The way to the lab lit up as they walked through. Heather held onto Storm like a life line. Everything about this frightened her and he knew it.

The room didn’t look that much different from the main room they had been in. The computer loaded the data he pulled up since his return. Since most of the information when she was created had been erased there wasn’t a lot he could do. He was able to get her life history though. Everything was there. What she found interesting was all of Storm’s info had been pulled as well.

“Computer, we were told Storm has a catalyst. Can you explain that to us now?” She rubbed her fingers against the bridge of her nose.

“Are you sure you want this information now?” the computer asked.

“Why?”

“Your blood pressure is elevated, your eyes are dilated and your heart is racing. You are on the verge of hysterics.”

“The computer is saying you need to calm down.” Storm agreed.

She gave Storm a look. “I figured that one out on my own, thanks.”

He smiled. As least she hadn’t lost her sense of humor. “It’s just looking out for you.”

“My heart.” She looked like she wanted to hit him. “I do understand. I need to calm down and I will. It’s just a little overwhelming for me.”

He backed her up against the wall. In a thought her dress and the lace he put on her, plus his clothes, were gone. The soft curves of her body pressed against his. He grinned when he realized he could get real used to that. He gazed into her eyes. “There is only one way I know that will make you forget everything but the here and now.”

She was torn. Part of her wanted the physical act to show the strong bond between her and her mate, yet she also wanted to know the answers to her questions, no matter what they might be.

“Storm.”

“I am here, my heart.” He picked her up and braced her against the wall. In an instant, he was buried deep inside her. She quaked in his arms as she rested her head on his shoulder. This time he would be the one in control. She needed to forget for just a moment or two.

Chapter 14

“You have a thing for walls.” She loved to feel his steel length driving in and out of her body. He knew what she needed and made sure she had it.

“No. I have thing for you. The walls just come in mighty handy.” Muscles tightened at the delicious friction building between them.

Heather’s mind let go of the overload of information in her, and allowed the wonderful sensations to wash over her. The movements of their bodies freed her. Flesh against flesh. Heartbeat against heartbeat. Her whole being relaxed and she became mindless. All she knew was him and her, the joining of their bodies and their souls. Heather needed this more than she realized. Reacting to the buildup inside her, she felt the wave of release circle around and sweep her away.

He did this for her. Her mate gave so she could have a few moments peace.

****

Storm had left her mind alone this time. He missed the shared release but knew she needed to think of nothing more than the moment and his thoughts could ruin that. She deserved a few moments to herself.

Slowly she came back to him. Tears sprang into her eyes.

“Why are you crying?” What was upsetting her now? He hoped the reality of their situation hadn’t come crashing in already.

“Because of you.” She placed a soft kiss against his chest. “As much as you enjoy our intimacy you always think of me first.”

“What kind of mate would I be if I only cared about my pleasure?” He eased himself out of her and put her feet on the floor.

“Pretty normal.” She looked down at her state of dress. The black lace he had thought of was the only thing she wore. Heather was surprised to see it. “When did this show back up?”

“I’m not sure.” He ran his fingers along the edges hugging her waist. “But I like it. Maybe I should make that mandatory dress for down here.”

“Really? Then let’s give it a trial run and see how long you can handle me wearing only this.” She turned and faced the computer. “Am I calmer now?”

“Much better,” said the computer. “The ancients always believed that everything happens for a reason. The reason they stopped Ialog the first time was because they knew you would be created too early.”

“Are you saying they knew Storm and I were destined for each other?” Heather placed her hands on the console, arching her back so she could lean forward comfortably.

The tiny little skirt inched up on her, revealing a touch more skin. The image she presented him went right to his groin. Was she doing it on purpose?

“Yes, and I have the records to back that up, if you would like to see them.” The computer loaded the data on the screen, which filled with the images of people Storm had never seen before. They went about their day working in the compound.

One stood not too far from where they were looking at the information. “The data is exact. We have to stop him from creating her now. She is far too important to the future of this planet. The catalyst won’t be born for another thousand years.”

“You are sure about this?”

“Yes. We know our days are limited. Have for a long time. The people on the surface though are strong enough to populate this planet and thrive. As they grow there will be those among them like us. More our race then theirs. Our blood will flow through these people. They will be our future. It is the only way.”

“What about Ialog? He doesn’t believe in the prophesies you have seen.”

“Won’t stop them from coming true.” He turned from the screen and looked at his companion. “He has never believed in the spiritual and never will. He’s too marred in the sciences.”

“He looks like me,” Storm said.

“Yeah. I noticed that too.” Heather straightened her frame and Storm watched.

He found he couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she shifted and moved while they watched the images on the screen. “You think he’s one of your ancestors?”

“He is. Storm is a direct descendant,” said the computer.

The two men continued talking as they went back to their work stations. “What have you told the others?”

“The truth. She will be born to members of the ruling class here. The people will call them elders and she will be sent from this planet to another one. They’re doing it for her protection and it will help shape her into the woman she needs to be.”

“And what about the catalyst?”

“He will be born to members of the ruling families as well. A leader among men. From what I can see he will win her heart quickly.” He pressed a few buttons. “I feel for Ialog.”

“Why?”

“Because these people will wake him, and because he still feels the desire to create this companion he wants so bad, he’ll have a hand in creating this catalyst. The one thing that will come between him and his ultimate goal.”

“And you’re sure of this?”

“Very sure, I have run the scenarios hundreds of times with the same results. He is the one who creates the woman, wanting her as a mate. He also inadvertently creates the catalyst.”

“How?”

“He uses these elders to further his research, using enhancers to see if that will allow him to create the woman. One of those enhancers creates the male who will be her true mate.”

“But I thought we were going to block him from accessing his work.”

“That won’t stop him. He’ll have plenty of time to recreate what he is doing right now.” He pulled up the information on the screen. Mathematical equations sat next to his predictions. “I have put all of this information in books for them to be given when they learn of this.”

A drawer opened in the desk they stood next to. Inside held a large, well worn leather book. Heather leaned over and pulled it out. The front of her top fell forward, exposing her breasts. The small bit of lace hugging her hips inched up a little more. Storm wanted to forget everything except their flesh together. It was driving him crazy.

She turned to look at him with a sultry smile. She was doing this on purpose. He stepped up to her, his need for her strong, but before he could touch her she handed him a smaller leather book.

“This one has my name on it.” Heather looked at the cover bearing her name. The age of the book and the lettering made her look at Storm. “This looks very old.” She sat it down and backed away from the book. “They knew about us?”

“Your destiny is a lot older than you realize,” said the computer. “Ialog didn’t believe in the prophesy even though he played a big part in it.”

Heather found she needed to sit. “This is all a little farfetched.”

“Read the book. It will explain everything.”

****

Kuarto sensed something wrong with Heather. He didn’t know what it was, but she was definitely upset. Not wanting to break the seal between their minds, he let it go. She wasn’t in any kind of danger. He would know if she was.

He had her egg in front of him, debating on what to do. The research he had done on Ialog’s DNA came back inconclusive. There didn’t seem to be anything special about it. The computer had told them his genetic code wouldn’t fertilize the egg. Did Al know that and add something he couldn’t find? He had seemed awfully confident when he handed over the sample. If he took a chance and it did nothing, Ialog could get violently angry and that wouldn’t be good. If he used Storm’s sample and he got wind of it, that wouldn’t be good either.

Toki worked nearby. She seemed to sense his hesitation. “Problem?”

“I’m not sure what to do. I can’t see how his DNA is any different than anything I have already used. It doesn’t look like it will work.”

“Tell him.”

“As angry as he has gotten lately?” He looked at Toki. “Not sure if I want to take my life in my hands like that.”

“He’ll be twice as angry if you don’t.”

“I know and that’s my dilemma.” He pushed back from the desk. “Let’s go for a walk.”

She stood as well and followed him out of the room. “You seem to be a little distracted.”

“The link. Even though we closed it off, very strong emotions can still slip through. There’s something going on at home that has Heather upset.”

“It’s not the children, is it?” She voiced her concern.

“No. Nothing life threatening, but it does have her emotions in turmoil.” He grinned as he took her hand. “It’s weird having this link with her but I’m getting used to it now.”

“As long as they don’t share their orgasms with you?”

“Exactly.”

“Have they figured out where we are?” She kept her face away from any camera that might pick up what she was saying.

“I don’t get that much detail. It’s like being in another room. Sometimes you might hear their voices raise but you don’t know what they are talking about.” He led her past one of the cameras, talking about the egg. Once he was sure they were in the clear, he went back to their conversation. “We need to figure out more about where we are.”

“It must be a recognizable sky at night.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because he never lets us see it.”

He laughed and pulled her into his embrace. “You are wonderful.”

****

The worn leather book sat in her lap but Heather couldn’t bring herself to open it. “Have you looked at yours yet?”

“No, my heart. I figured we’d do it together.” He stood across from her, leaning against one of the counters, his book tucked up under his arm. “I must say you pose quite an arousing picture sitting there in nothing but the lace.”

“I know better than to cover up. I see you haven’t changed your lack of clothing either.”

“Have to be ready to please my mate at a moment’s notice.”

She couldn’t help but smile. Setting the book aside, she stood and crossed to the main console of the computer system. “Please load all data Ialog had been working on.”

The system loaded the information as she requested. She stared at the data, confused. “Is this all he looked at?”

She felt something strange happen before she lost control of her body. It started to move on its own, quickly accessing information she had no idea how to look for. She found she couldn’t speak or stop herself.

She reached out to Storm, just touching his mind when her body went limp and she fell to the floor.

****

Heather dropped to the floor and his heart stopped beating for a moment. He raced to her side, shouting at the computer. “What is going on?”

“The sentry woke when she approached this console. It was able to pull up some files before her self-protection program overrode what the sentry tried to do.”

Storm looked up at the screen, looking at the files opened. “Why did he wait until now to open these files?”

“They were blocked to him before. Heather has access to all data and he used her to get to sensitive information.”

“Did he get anything he shouldn’t have?”

“It depends on what he plans on doing with the information he did get.”

****

Kuarto heard him screaming before he saw the angry face of Al. He wasn’t sure what just happened, but he sure didn’t seem happy about it.

“They trained her too well.” He slammed his hands on the table. “Have you figured out how Heather became pregnant?”

“No. I don’t have what I need to do the research.”