Arton peered through the observation window and seethed. The medical personnel had allowed Lily into the chaotic treatment area. He, on the other hand, would have been in the way, so they relegated him to the waiting area. He watched Lily like a hawk, cringing each time she moved to the far side of the treatment table on which Jillian sprawled. He could feel the tether stretching, testing its limits, threatening to shock them both.

He felt helpless and useless. What good was a harbinger when no one trusted his visions? Everyone expected irrefutable proof, not vague descriptions and supposition. But he couldn’t give more than he was given. Often his visions were more impression than detailed images. He occasionally misinterpreted what he was shown, but in the past two years, to his knowledge, he’d never been wrong.

Kage stepped up beside him, inhaled deeply, then smiled. “I guess we don’t need these anymore.” And with a pulse of psychic energy, he deactivated the tether bands.

“Gods be praised.” Arton ripped the offending band off his wrist and handed it to Kage. The overlord took it and tucked it into the pocket of his uniform pants. Lily was too busy to notice the change. She was deep in conversation with Dr. Foran.

“So what went wrong, and why didn’t your power warn us.”

“It did,” Arton snapped, angry all over again. “I warned them! They wouldn’t listen. Even Lily refused to back down. You’re the only one who takes my visions seriously.”

“Silly them,” Kage said without humor. “I’ve benefited from your visions too often to brush them aside. Back to the original question. Do they know what went wrong?”

“They know what Stront told them, but they’re looking for a scientific explanation for her symptoms.”

“Which are?”

“She’s unconscious, completely unresponsive, and they don’t know why.”

Kage shot him an annoyed look. “That’s what the scientists know. What did Stront say is wrong with her?”

“He said the soul bond anchored perfectly, that everything was wonderful, but...” This part was so weird Kage might even disregard it.

“But,” he prompted, sounding even more impatient.

There was no way to make this sound less bizarre than it was, so he just blurted it out. “The Ghost Guide never showed up to help her release his magic.”

The overlord faced him, folding his arms over his chest. He looked anything but amused. “The Ghost Guide? What in blazes is a Ghost Guide?”

“According to Lily it’s a myth. According to the volunteers on Earth, it’s a benevolent entity that makes transformation possible.”

“Why is this the first I’ve heard about it?”

Good question. Arton’s first instinct had been to tell Kage, but he’d been so distracted by his desire for Lily that he’d let the impulse slip away. “That’s on me.”

“You’re damn right it is.” Kage was using his overlord voice. Never a good thing. “That’s why you’re going to contact one of your brothers and find out exactly what, or who, this Ghost Guide is. If we failed to protect Jillian, it’s our responsibility to make things right. And I don’t care who you have to interact with to make that happen. Understood?”

Arton glared mutinously, unable to make himself agree. The last time he’d seen Kaden and Dakkar Lux, he’d delivered ransom demands on Kaden’s mate, and the last time he’d seen Sedrik, he’d kidnapped Lily, and thousands of other human females. A warm reception from any of them was seriously doubtful.

“You will do this, or you can find yourself another anchor,” Kage told him, his tone soft yet menacing.

The ultimatum shocked Arton. Anchoring a harbinger was an honor many coveted. Because the link was empathic, any crisis involving the anchor often triggered the harbinger’s visions. The anchor also had access to harbinger energy. They didn’t take on harbinger abilities, but the highly concentrated energy enhanced any natural abilities the anchor already possessed. The one drawback was that the anchor had access to the harbinger’s mind. The wrong anchor could make a harbinger’s life a living hell. Kage had anchored Arton faithfully for the past twenty-three years. Arton couldn’t believe Kage would threaten him with the link now.

“Fine,” Arton sneered. “I’ll contact one of the Lux brothers and find out what needs to be done.”

Kage accepted the assurance with a tense nod and walked back the way he’d come.

Angry, and hurt, Arton turned back to the window. The scene seemed to be calmer now. Stront sat beside the treatment table, holding Jillian’s hand. The poor male looked devastated. Lily and Dr. Foran stood a short distance away. Apparently, she realized the bands were no longer active. She stood at least twenty feet from the observation window. She made a bland gesture toward him and Foran nodded, then smiled at her. Arton’s gut twisted jealously. Gods, how he hated those stupid dimples.

I wish we were compatible. Uninvited, Lily’s whispered plea echoed through Arton’s mind. Understanding swept over him like a landslide and he shook his head. “That diabolical bastard.” Kage’s threat hadn’t come out of nowhere. The wily overlord was still playing matchmaker. An anchor bond was non-sexual, so Arton had never thought of its similarities to a soul bond before. However, they were many. Both bonds allowed two people to share thoughts and feelings. If Lily became his anchor, it would also bind her life to his. Like a soul bond, becoming his anchor would allow her to live longer and she’d be much healthier than any human was naturally. The only problem it didn’t solve was children, but wouldn’t the other advantages make that disappointment a little easier to bear?

She’d have access to his mind. His memories.

The realization brought him up short and deflated his excitement like a sputtering balloon. Sweet, innocent Lily would see all of the brutal things he’d done, all the blood he’d spilled, the innocent lives snuffed out because of him. And worse—at least for him—she’d see everything he’d endured at Harbinger Academy.

A hand gently touched his arm and he gasped, whipping his head around to find Lily standing at his side. “Wow. You’re distracted. Where were you just now?”

He shook his head. One look into her guileless eyes and he realized the futility of Kage’s suggestion. Nothing would make him subject this woman to the horrors of his past. “Kage was just here.” She’d sense it if he lied. Lily was shockingly perceptive for a human.

“Okay. Was he just checking in?”

“Basically.” He cleared his throat and shook away the last of his momentary dream. They’d have to settle for being lovers, and he’d find a way to make her content within the limitations. “I’ll explain the rest, but how is Jillian?”

“In a coma,” she admitted. “She’s stable and there is still brain activity, but it’s strange, sort of muted. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

He nodded. “I told Kage about the Ghost Guide and he didn’t take it well.”

She sighed and took a step back. “We will find a medical solution to Jillian’s illness. Mystic mumbo-jumbo doesn’t help.”

Mumbo-jumbo? He’d never heard the term, but its meaning was obvious. And it nettled him. If the headstrong couple had paid attention to his mystic mumbo-jumbo in the first place, none of them would be dealing with all this unpleasantness. “I might be willing to let you try, but Kage wants us to exhaust all possibilities.”

“Meaning?”

They both had a tendency to become less communicative when they were upset. But why was she more upset now than when she’d entered the room? The answer came in a sudden flash of insight. If the Ghost Guide—whatever or whoever it turned out to be—was able to heal Jillian, that would mean her injury or illness could have been prevented. But Lily had disregarded the Ghost Guide as a myth. The reasoning was convoluted, but the outcome was clear. Lily blamed herself for Jillian’s condition.

Acting on impulse, he pulled her into his arms and pressed her face into the warmth of his neck. Her scent soothed him. Hopefully his would do the same for her.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was muffled against his neck, her warm breath teasing his skin.

“Comforting you.” Not very well, apparently.

She eased back and smiled at him. “I appreciate the effort, but I’m not really upset. I’m tired and frustrated, but those are common states of being for me.”

He opened his arms and held up both hands. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. The gesture was sweet.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and moved closer, but kept her gaze on his face. “What did the overlord mean by exhausting all possibilities?”

“He wants you and Lentar to pursue—”

“Lentar?”

“Your dimpled doctor.”

“Oh, is that his first name?” He nodded and her smile broadened. “You’re adorable when you’re jealous. Did you know that?”

“And you’re as distracting as hells’ outer rings. Do you want to hear the explanation or not?”

“I do, and I’m sorry. My lips are sealed until you’re done explaining.” She ran her fingers across her lips as if she closed an invisible zipper.

Looking at her made his chest ache. She was so damn beautiful. And he refused to consider what her nearness was doing to other body parts. They really needed to finish what they’d started in the woods. “You and Dr. Dimples can work toward finding a medical solution, but Kage wants me to contact one of the Lux brothers and get the inside story on the Ghost Guide.”

“I’m an insider,” she objected. “I was on both the Intrepid and the Triumphant. I talked to dozens of volunteers about their experiences. There is no Ghost Guide!” She pushed off his chest and moved away.

“I know you believe that, but Kage wants me to verify. This isn’t a personal insult. And trust me, talking to any of the Lux males is the last thing I want to do.”

“You can’t even say it, can you?” She sounded disappointed and he hated that sound. After a month of arguing with her, he was used to her anger and impatience. Her disappointment, however, dismantled his fiercest emotions and made him desperate to please her.

“Say what,” he asked between clenched teeth.

“They’re your brothers, Arton. Sedrik, Kaden and Dakkar share your blood.”

He snarled, unable to help the reaction. “Now you sound like her.” He spun on the ball of his foot and stormed out into the corridor, nearly trampling a passerby in the process. The young man scrambled out of his way at the last minute.

“I sound like who?” Lily persisted, all but jogging to keep up with his angry pace.

“Skyla, their mother. My father’s Bilarrian whore.”

“Wow.” She shook her head and used that disappointed tone again. “I’ve never seen this side of you. I’m not sure I like it.”

“Drop the subject, or you’re going to see a lot more of it.”

She followed him into the lift. He hadn’t been sure if she would. They weren’t tethered anymore. Why didn’t she go back to her cabin? He wasn’t fit company for anyone at the moment.

“I’m not afraid of you.” She lifted her chin defiantly.

“You should be,” he warned her, meaning it literally.

She didn’t listen, clearly believing he’d do her no harm. Maybe if she saw just a hint of his true darkness she’d run back to the safety of her cabin.

The lift slid open and he grasped her wrist, dragging her along behind him. “You want to play, little human? We’ll play. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He scanned open his door and shoved her inside. She shoved him right back as the privacy panel slid closed behind them. “Stop manhandling me.”

“I can’t manhandle you, sweetheart. I’m not a man.” He fisted the back of her hair and crushed her lips beneath his. She made a startled little sound and tensed for a moment, then melted into his forceful embrace. He wanted her fear, needed her to pull away, not her surrender. Why wasn’t she afraid?

Without releasing her mouth, he ripped her shirt open, and then her pants. She let him, kissing him all the while like his actions were ordinary.

He stopped kissing her and searched her eyes. All he saw was warmth and acceptance.

“Do I get to rip your clothes off too?” she asked when the silence became uncomfortable.

“No need.” He took off his uniform with defiant movements, his gaze burning into hers.

She looked at him boldly, gaze moving everywhere with obvious interest. “You have an amazing body, Rodyte. We’ll just have to work on your attitude.”

After delivering another warning glower he figured she’d ignore, he tossed her over his shoulder and headed for the bedroom.

Lily laughed, enjoying herself immensely. Her entire day had been a roller-coaster ride. Why should this be any different? Arton clearly needed an outlet for his grief and bitterness. If screwing her brains out was cathartic, then she was more than willing to “play”, as he had so aptly put it. Besides she was ready for a little sexual therapy herself. If friends-with-benefits was all they would ever be, she might as well take full advantage of the benefits.

He tossed her onto the bed hard enough to make her bounce. He really was in full-on caveman mode, yet somehow he made it sexy.

Ripping off her shoes, he tossed them across the room then tugged her pants down and off in one violent motion. “Is that the best you can do?” Knowing he would never hurt her made her feel powerful. And she knew it was true with every fiber of her being. Arton would never harm her. He would protect her at the cost of his own life, if that was what it took to keep her safe. He’d even tried to comfort her. When her grim, brooding harbinger thought she was upset, he’d tried to cheer her up. Arton might suck at expressing his feelings, but he felt things deeply. Maybe too deeply.

“You don’t seem to want my best,” he returned. “You want my worst.”

“You might be right.” She shivered, nipples already gathered into tight little peaks. “So do your worst.”

He required no other invitation. Joining her on the bed, he opened her legs with his knees. She didn’t stop him, but she didn’t make it easy for him either. She understood how this worked. He needed to dominate her, show her who was boss. Her passivity seemed to frustrate him, so she twisted and bucked, swinging her hands as if she meant to slap him.

Easily catching her wrists, he pinned her arms to the bunk on either side of her head. A secret thrill raced through her body. She’d always wanted a lover who wasn’t afraid to be a little rough, but she’d never been bold enough to suggest it. So many things sounded amazing in fantasies while in reality they didn’t work at all. Well, the reality of Arton’s aggression was even better than she’d imagined.

He shifted her wrists to one hand and caressed her breasts with the other. She jerked away from his touch, though she wanted nothing more. He ignored her feigned resistance and squeezed each mound, his gaze alight with appreciation. Then lightly pinched her nipples.

“Is that supposed to hurt?” she challenged. His next pinch made her gasp and sent sensations spiraling through her chest and abdomen. “Now that was bad.” He did it again only on the other side and her core clenched in needful spasms. Her spontaneous groan was so loud it made him grin, not a pleasant smile at all.

“What’s the matter, human? Does your naughty little body crave the dark?”

She pressed her lips together, not ready to admit how much these pleasures thrilled her.

He released her suddenly and rocked back onto his knees. He paused just long enough to touch her folds and ensure she was sopping wet. Then he caught the backs of her knees and spread her legs as far as they’d go. The tendons burned in protest, but she held perfectly still, afraid to move, even holding her breath.

After positioning himself at her entrance, he paused, staring deep into her eyes. “You’re mine, Lily.” He growled out the words, part vow, part warning. “Never forget it!” Then he slammed his entire length inside her with one violent thrust.

She cried out, overwhelmed by the staggering fullness. It hadn’t really hurt. She’d been more than ready, but he was definitely bigger than—she pinched off the thought. The past had no place in this bed. She only wished he’d figure that out.

He slowly pulled his hips back, closely watching her face. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, soothed by the question. Even in his darkest mood, he hadn’t lost sight of her wellbeing. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and whispered, “It’s just a tighter fit than I expected.” She was careful not to make comparisons. That would doubtlessly piss him off.

He shifted one of her legs to his hip and slipped his hand between their bodies. His ferocious expression remained, but his touch gentled. He caressed her now, where before they grappled. She’d enjoyed the more intense approach, but she needed this now.

Apparently sensing the shift in her mood, he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss started out forceful, but soon softened too. She buried her fingers in his hair, almost forgetting he wasn’t restraining her anymore.

The hand between their bodies, circled her clit, rapidly building her arousal as well as her restlessness. The fullness was amazing, but she needed movement too. She tried to rock her hips and he growled without releasing her mouth.

Be still, he whispered in her mind as if to ensure there was no confusion. If you want me to move, then come.

She stopped trying to control things and concentrated on their kiss and the rhythmic stroking of his fingers. Pleasure built, bubbling up inside her with surprising speed. She came faster and harder with him than she’d ever thought possible. It was as if she’d never done this before. Actually, she hadn’t. Arton wasn’t human.

He tore his mouth away. “You’re distracted again.” He drew back and carefully pushed forward. Her body was still fighting him, even though she was trying to surrender. “Look at me. Think only of me and how good this feels.”

She raised her arms overhead, secretly pretending he still held her down. She imagined herself tied up, utterly at his mercy, and liquid desire rolled through her core.

His gaze narrowed, then a wicked smile bowed his lips. “You’re broadcasting. Keep thinking thoughts like that and I’ll be happy to oblige you.”

She licked her lips, embarrassed to be caught thinking something so wicked. Still, she refused to regret even her darkest needs. Arton’s intensity made her feel wild and reckless.

His weight balanced on his knees and she realized there were only two points of contact now, his fingers on her clit and his hard shaft buried deep inside her. It forced her to concentrate on what he wanted her to feel.

Tension gathered beneath his fingers as she stared into his eyes. His phitons brightened, shining like molten silver. Her body was his to command. She was a willing balm for his embittered soul. Use me. She wasn’t yet bold enough to say the words out loud. Wasn’t even sure if he could hear her. Release your pain and let my body heal you.

“Come for me,” he coaxed, his touch growing more demanding. She wiggled a little and he caught the sensitive nub between his fingers. She immediately stilled and he carefully pulled on the nub, plucking it like an instrument string.

Her orgasm hit without warning, the contractions so intense reality blurred. She cried out sharply, arching clear off the bunk. Every rippling spasm was its own burst of pleasure. Her inner muscles stretched tight around his thickness, she realized vaguely. The fullness made everything more intense. A fresh deluge of moisture rolled through her core, allowing him to slide smoothly.

Finally.

He grabbed her hips and quickly established a rhythm that drove her utterly insane. She came again in seconds, shocked beyond words. He lowered his upper body, sliding his chest and belly against her with each powerful thrust. His face was still too far away to kiss, but this felt better, more intimate. She needed as much of him touching her as possible. She wasn’t sure why. She only knew she craved the contact.

“Damn it,” he muttered, jaw clenching. “I’m not going to last. This feels too damn good.” A few strokes later he cried out, shuddering violently.

She felt his warm seed gush into her and shivered, nearly coming for a third time. She’d never allowed her partners to ride “bareback”. It felt wonderful yet unfamiliar. That pretty much described this entire episode. Rodytes were disease free and pregnancy wasn’t an issue because they weren’t compatible. The unwanted thought was like a bucket of ice water. She sighed and turned her face away.

He wouldn’t allow the retreat. Turning her face back around, he asked, “What caused the sadness in your eyes?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m just wishing for things neither of us can change.”

He sighed and separated their bodies, sprawling at her side. “I wish we were compatible too, but wishing doesn’t make it real.”

“I’m aware and I’m not upset. It was just a passing thought.” She rolled onto her side and pressed against his, using his shoulder for a pillow. “This was wonderful. Do you feel better? You were pretty grumpy when we started.”

“Grumpy?” He laughed. “Is that what you call it? I was about ready to strangle you.”

“I don’t want to start another fight, but I have to say one thing on the subject before I let it go.” For tonight, she finished silently. “If you’re not comfortable talking to me, I’ll deal with it. But you need to talk to someone. The bitterness is eating you up from the inside. Even a powerless human can see that much.”

He looked at her, but the animosity didn’t reignite. “I’ve lived with the bitterness my entire adult life. I wouldn’t know how to begin.”

“You begin by wanting it gone,” she suggested carefully, not wanting to anger him. “I need to ask a question about the situation, not your past.”

“All right.”

“How will you contact one of the Lux brothers without revealing our location to the battle born?”

He chuckled, then shifted his gaze to the ceiling. “I didn’t intend to use traditional lines of communication.”

“Then how?”

“I’ll visit one of their dreams.”

“You’re a dreamwalker?” She propped herself up on her forearm so she could see his face. “I read about them, but I’ve never met one.”

He grinned but still stared straight ahead. “How would you know unless they told you?”

“Good point.”

“And I’m not an actual dreamwalker. I can only interact with...” he sighed and admitted, “those with whom I share blood.”

“So you could contact your father, but not your step-mother?” She regretted the question the second it passed her lips.

“Actually, I dream shared with Skyla once, but she was pregnant with Sedrik at the time. Just barely, but it was enough.”

According to Lily’s research, Skyla Lux had extremely strong psychic powers, so she likely had something to do with the dream meld too. Rather than risk annoying him, she kept to the subject at hand. “Then which one will you target?”

“I’ll start with Sedrik. He’s the battle born general after all. Everything that takes place in Earth-space falls under his authority.”

She didn’t miss the mockery in his voice. “And if Sedrik won’t let you in, you’ll try Kaden.”

He nodded, then finally looked at her. “You were assigned to both of their ships. Did you know either of them well?”

She shook her head, but a guilty blush spread across her cheeks.

His gaze narrowed and his body tensed. “Why don’t I believe you?”

She was foolish to admit what had made her blush, but she could sense his determination to know. “I didn’t know either of them well, but I wouldn’t have minded getting to know General Lux a little better.”

“You had a crush on Sedrik?” He sounded almost amused.

She shrugged, trying to downplay the admission. “Every female in his orbit has a crush on Sedrik Lux.”

Arton dragged her on top of him and arranged her to straddle his lap. “Put me inside you and ride me. Now!”

As penance went, this was not so bad. She lifted up and guided him back to her entrance. She was wet, in fact really slippery from their mutual pleasure. She carefully lowered herself onto his impressive length, groaning as he filled her completely. “Oh yeah,” she sighed.

He steadied her hips but held perfectly still. “Ride me,” he ordered with more urgency.

She closed her eyes as she obeyed, unable to watch the bitter anger resurge within his gaze. Why wouldn’t he let it out permanently? She rocked faster, taking him deeper. Maybe if they did this often enough, the past would eventually stay buried where it belonged.