

Venku(s)

a novel by

VERA WEST
VENKU(s)

©iStock.com/Dymtro

Copyright 2014 Vera West

Published by Vera West at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
CONTENTS:

TITLE

DEDICATION

BEFORE

01: HOW

02: HABITUDE

03: HIKE

04: HAYWIRE

PART ONE: HER

05: HAULT

06: HAUGHTY

07: HEATED

08: HUMBLE

09: HAVIC

10: HARDWARE

11: HEADWAY

12: HOODWINKED

13: HICCUPS

14: HIP

15: HERDER

PART TWO: HER'S

16: HELLCAT

17: HEAVY

18: HEAVE

19: HURT

20: HEALING

21: HALFWAY

22: HORIZONS

23: HOPEFUL

ACKNOWLEDMENTS

BANGURI(S) SAMPLE

To my two favorite writing buddies, Guin-Guin and Stark.
Venku(s)

a novel by

VERA WEST
BEFORE:

No more be grieved at that which thou has done:

Roses have thorns and silver fountains mud.

From Sonnet 36, William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

01: HOW

I woke up knowing I wasn't where I had been, but I still didn't know where I was.

I felt the grass first against my skin, underneath me around, around me, cushioning me like a cloud. I opened my eyes and the sky was pink. The sun was setting. I sat up and the realization hit me: I was in a field.

I felt a flash of something—almost a memory, but more the feeling of a memory. It was a sliver of a clue. The word: _claustrophobic_ bubbled to the surface of my mind. Just thinking the word felt confining. I had to move, so I stood. Warm wind blew through the field, tilting the grass and ruffling my hair. It felt _good_ and I let that feeling wash over me. Whatever was before didn't matter. This was a second chance at a life that I somehow knew deep down would be happier.

With my head tilted back and eyes closed, I turned in lazy circles.

"I like it here too," said a voice.

I opened my eyes and saw a young man. We stared at each other, both of us seemingly aware that this wasn't the first time we'd met. It was almost as if I were seeing the other half of my soul. Another word popped into my head: _twins._

"Do we look alike?" I asked, breaking the silence.

He smiled and I was taken aback by how warm it made me feel.

"You've got olive-tan skin and shaggy black hair. What do I have?"

"You're not that dark," I said, studying him and my hands.

"What color is my hair?"

"Honey blonde," I answered back.

"Poetic; blonde would've been just fine," he teased, extending his hand out to me. "I'm Jet."

We'd barely touched when I felt it. A quick spark like sexual static shock, but it was an inward jolt and Jet's eyes widened—I'm sure mirroring my own reflection—but he didn't pull back. I, on the other hand, jerked my hand away abruptly. Unsure and uncomfortable with what was happening.

"Ajani," I answered back. I swallowed hard and tried to calm myself.

"I swear I've known you my whole life," he said. He didn't mention that spark between us that had my stomach clenched and my heart accelerating, but then maybe he hadn't felt it, maybe it was just me.

"Where do you think we are?" Jet asked. He'd turned away from me to survey the field. "I think I see a building or a town. We should go there."

"I don't see anything," I said, searching the horizon.

"I'm sure I see it. Think they'll mind that we're naked?"

_Naked,_ my mind released in a half-breath. I'd been looking at Jet as he spoke, but when he said the word, dust blew back from my eyes and I saw the meaning.

The feathery tips of his hair grazed the nape of his neck; the tips pointing down, leading my innocent gaze over the curved muscles of his broad shoulders

"I'm sure this sort of thing happens all the time here," he said laughing. "Let's go!"

Jet was quick and I had to hurry to catch up to him. When we were shoulder to shoulder, I saw him smile at me smugly out of the corner of my eye, past his lean back and waist, over his ass and down the back of his thick thighs. He was beautiful and it made me _feel._

"Of all the people to be stuck with," I mumbled to myself. I didn't even know what I meant by that, but Jet heard me and immediately made a response.

"Stuck, eh? I didn't exactly choose you either, but I'd hardly say we were stuck together. Once we get to the city, we'll go our separate ways."

We made it to the town about an hour or so later. It was a hard run for me but an easy jog for Jet. I was exhausted. We came to a field just behind a large building and I leaned over, resting my hands on my thighs as I caught my breath.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

My lungs were on fire; I was hunched over; my legs ached, my head was spinning.

"Yep," I said between deep breaths. I was lying, of course, and that smug smile of his made me fully aware that he knew.

"Hello!"

We both looked up to see a couple walking towards us.

"I told you! The Atlas is predicting when newlies will awaken," the woman exclaimed.

"Right again, my dear," said the man beside her. He smiled softly as he watched her approach us before heading off in a different direction.

"I'm Iris! Welcome! Do you know your names?

"I'm Jet, and this is Ajani," provided Jet.

"Where are we?" I asked, finally having caught my breath.

"Second-Plane, and this," she said waving to the handful of buildings behind her and the man, "is Paramount and Light City."

"I don't understand," I told her. " _Where are we?_ "

"Pretty basic concept--this world is the second plane of existence where souls go after they die on Earth. You're an Aura."

"I'm dead?!" I shouted, far more dramatically than I'd intended.

"Your body as you knew it before on Earth, yes; but a soul never dies."

"When we woke up out there," Jet said, pointing a thumb back in the direction we'd come from, "we were being reborn?"

"Exactly!" Iris exclaimed. "Let me show you around. We've in just recent years experienced a burst in growth. We get ten to thirty newlies born a day, whereas before we were only getting ten a week. You can understand why expansion is necessary. There's a new dormitory styled building and there's plenty of room for you to stay there. Don't be alarmed if people talk a bit at first, you're our first male venku pair in about ten cycles."

"Venku pair?" Jet repeated.

"Right, I'm sorry. How would you know? Every Aura on Second-Plane awakens with a soul mate and if you two woke up together than you are venku."

"How would we know?" Jet asked.

"Well, venku are extremely sexually attracted to their partner and when you're hungry you'll know."

"Hungry?" I asked.

"All Auras live off of water and sexual energy. From what I remember from Second-Plane, being able to survive by having sex is an upgrade. Auras don't need to eat food. There are animals scattered around and wild plants I assume are edible, but we don't hunt. No need to take energy when we can create our own to feed from."

My mind flew over the facts: I'd reincarnated with a male partner that I needed to have sex with in order to survive. Otherwise we'd both die, again. I tried to remember sex, particularly when I'd had sex but my mind was black--empty. Still, there was something that told me sex with another man would be the polar opposite of what I had been used to.

"Mating with your venku will restore your health too. If you get wounded, a quick romp will solve _everything._ "

"Oh really?" Jet said with a malicious twinkle in his eye. "Do people get hurt on purpose then?"

"No," laughed Iris. "They just have sex whenever they feel like it. Let me show you where you'll be staying."

Iris led us through the field and into a large building. I tried to put a little more information into what that image was, but that was all I could grasp. We'd just entered the building when we heard a beep. Iris pulled out a large river stone from her pocket, and as I peered over her shoulder, I saw it had a screen. It was some type of communicator.

"Just got a message that two more pairs of venkus will be awakening soon," Iris said. "We have this machine called the Atlas and I've been trying to prove that it shows us the location of newlies. I've also got a little project going, but that'll have to wait for a bit. Mind if I come back in an hour or so?"

"I guess not," I stammered. I was a little put off that she was just going to leave us already and that Jet was so confident.

"We can figure everything out from here, I'm sure." Jet said simply.

"Head to the top floor," Iris instructed, "there's only one other couple there. The rest of the rooms are still vacant--not for long at this rate! How exciting! I'll be back in a bit and we'll talk about everything."

I'd cringed at the word "couple" and Jet grinned at me giving me a little mockingly devious wink. Clearly he was enjoying how unsure and hesitant I was. I made a mental note to work on keeping my emotions in check. I didn't want to be so easily read, especially if it was just going to lead to mockery.

I led the way, attempting to take the stairs in pairs but had to slow down to a normal pace. My heart was pounding in my chest.

"Not the most athletic, are you?"

"Very observant," I wheezed back.

"Just take it easy," Jet said, and I stared at him blankly, bewildered by his genuine concern. We were almost done with the top floor when I felt a gust of wind blow past me. It would have knocked me back down the stairs, but Jet quickly wrapped an arm around me, steadying me on my feet. He didn't linger; once I was righted, his arm dropped.

"What was that?" I stammered. I heard laughter from the top of the stairs and curiously sprinted up the last steps.

A tall copper-skinned black-haired girl was tangled in the arms of an equally hued but slightly taller man. Leaning into him on the wall, her body slanted seductively into every opposite bend of his. His hand was curled around her face as he said something in her ear. Her eyes were cast down and a smile lingered on her lips as she listened to him. They were the essence of enamored. They had no idea we were there or at the very least didn't care.

"Was that you who flew past us?" Jet asked, walking forward. I was thrown by his easy extroverted personality. He didn't care that they were having a _moment._

"And you are?" the male said assertively, stepping past his love.

"Asher," the woman tisked, scolding him. "You're newlies, right?"

"Right," Jet said, holding out his hand to them. "I'm Jet and wheezy back there is Ajani."

"We are too! I'm Bem and the brooding overprotective male behind me is Asher."

"I don't brood," Asher corrected, sliding an arm around Bem's waist. "I didn't mean to be rude; I'm just not very trusting."

"The rooms on the end of each hall have the best view. I'd snag the opposite side before more people move in!" Bem suggested kindly.

"How long have you been here?" I asked, timidly speaking up.

"A month," Bem answered.

"What do you do all day?" Jet asked with a sly grin.

"Whatever we want," she answered back with the same sly smile. "Iris encourages us to write down or recreate things we remember from First-Plane. She thinks it's important to understanding ourselves in this plane. No one seems to really know who founded the city, but they keep expanding it and improving upon it."

"Who is Iris?" I asked.

"Who is she?" Bem repeated.

"What is her role here; in all of this, what does she do?" I said, trying again.

"Well, she seems to have her hands in everything, to be honest. Her venku studies life forms; sometimes she helps him with that. They go out scouting together, collecting data. But, Iris herself has a few passions. She's developing body suits for us to wear during combat and she's trying to expand the range of the Atlas."

"Why would we need armor for fighting? Is this area hostile?"

"No," Asher answered, joining the conversation, "but it never hurts to be prepared for the day when things change. It's inevitable."

"What a gloomy pessimist," Bem teased in a crooning voice.

"Just a realist," Asher said, pulling her closer to his side.

"Do you both train then?" Jet asked.

They nodded yes and Jet pressed on with another question. "Are there others fast like you?"

"Not quite as fast," Asher added confidently.

"We're just assuming that a lot of the other venku don't care to train or try to even use their powers."

"How many abilities are there?" I asked.

"Speed, strength, better vision and telekinesis," Bem answered.

"Does everyone have all the abilities?"

"So far you seem to have either telekinesis or a combination of the others."

"When do you train?" Jet asked.

"First light; Iris loves the sunrise."

"I'll join you tomorrow then. Empty apartment down at the end of the hall?" Jet asked, going back to the original topic.

"Yes," Bem said. With a final smile, before she and Asher strolled down the hallways to their flat.

"Come find us if you need anything," Asher said over his shoulder.

"I like them," Jet said fondly as we turned to head towards the rooms in the opposite direction. "This whole floor is empty, so we could each take our own apartment. Maybe we'll luck out and find a pair of female venku that have the same hang-ups we do."

My mind froze and I realized how desperately I didn't want to be alone in this new world.

"Is that what you want?" I asked timidly. I was embarrassed by my own clinginess.

"You're the one who was so anti being anywhere near me," Jet reminded.

"I'm not anti you; I'm just overwhelmed."

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Jet teased.

"We just met!"

"All right then, I accept your offer to be mates but not soul mates."

I sighed. I was relieved I wouldn't be alone but still frazzled by his constant teasing. I could get used to the joking around, anything was better than the alternative. I didn't want to be alone here, without anyone. No friends, no family, that would be a tortuous nightmare.

I followed behind him into our apartment. It was furnished, simply, not too small, and thank God it had two bedrooms. I sauntered over to the window. Bem was right, the view was nice; all lush green hills and trees. It looked like there was an area behind the building where the training took place. There was also out to the distance construction going on, guess that was where the expansions were starting.

"Are you going to go train tomorrow?"

"No," I said as I turned away from the window. "I get out of breath so easily, doesn't seem like I'd be any good at it."

"You should train and get stronger. What if I'm not around and you get hurt? I can't always look after you."

"I don't need you to look after me," I snapped back defensively.

"I know, because you're going to train every day until you can best me," Jet confirmed.

"I don't think I have any powers," I added crossly, turning back to the window.

"Sure you do," Jet insisted, "you just haven't discovered them yet."

02: HABITUDE

"Let's try that again," Iris said, repositioning herself in front of me. "When I throw the stones, this time I don't want you to just deflect them. I want you to propel them back at me."

"How do I do that?" I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow. We'd been steadily training for over a month now. Jet had tripled his strength, but it wasn't getting much easier for me. So far, being able to levitate small objects had been the highlight of my talent--and I wasn't really that great at it.

"Instead of stopping it and then re-throwing it, think of hitting it back at me. Ready?"

Movement caught my attention and even though I robotically muttered a yes, but I wasn't ready or even paying attention. Jet was walking onto the field with Lanni, the young technician who spent all her time reading manuals and learning how to work any and every machine she could find in Second-Plane. They stood together on the sidelines. Jet was smiling down at her with his head cocked to the side like a puppy lapping up her attention and then she stood up on her toes to whisper something in his ear. He laughed, his voice a deep rich mahogany rumble that I loved to hear.

We'd kept to our arrangement and lived together as roommates. We'd grown close, but there was a lingering feeling that I was missing out on _him._ On the potential of what an _us_ could mean. Of course he wasn't going to wait until I was ready or even sure I wanted more--he didn't know there was anything to wait for. Still, I couldn't help wishing he would.

I felt the pop of a stone hitting my knee and it startled me. I lost my balance, falling on to the ground in a heap. My knee stung, little beads of blood wet the orange-tan dirt. I heard a fluttery giggle from Lanni and my emotions began to bubble.

"Ajani!" Iris called. "You missed all of them that time? Are you even paying attention?"

"Sorry," I muttered under my breath. I got up quickly, wheezing at the pain that shot up my leg from my knee. I saw Jet look over at me confused, his eyes peering into mine from across the sidelines. The girl said something again and his attention went back to their conversation.

"Want to call it quits for today?" Iris asked.

"NO!" I said annoyed. I situated myself and waved a hand at Iris to throw the stones at me again. I'd just recently been able to levitate stones. Jet had realized his abilities quickly but me, I'd done it without even thinking which made it even harder to replicate on purpose. Jet had noticed I was levitating my cup of water instead of holding it. Of course, when he pointed it out I instantly dropped it. But still, at least it was proof that I could do _something._ I had been starting to feel like I didn't belong in this world. I could lift things, but Iris was pushing me to learn how to use my telekinesis as a force; to push, to hit, to, deflect. She was stretching me, helping me grow stronger, but it was a slow, difficult process and I had to concentrate which was impossible with Jet near me.

Iris grabbed three or four stones and began chucking them at me. I held my hand up, watching them as they arched in the sky. She'd thrown them high instead of directly at me. They'd fall back down to me in a few seconds, and as long as I focused I could lob them easily back towards Iris.

I heard Lanni's voice again and without really thinking I flung them in her direction. She shrieked, and then I heard a slew of old First-Plane profanity.

"I'd suggest we work on your aim, but I don't believe that was a mistake," Iris commented, shooting me a half-scolding, half-approving expression.

"I think I've had enough for today. Can we start again tomorrow morning?"

"I'm taking the day off tomorrow. I have to pitch a proposal to the Elders. But, we'll start again the following day, all right?"

"That's fine," I agreed. I left the field, heading in the opposite direction. I snagged one of the rocks off the ground and walked as I propelled it. I was just nearing one of the back entrances of Paramount when I heard Jet come up behind me.

"Wait up," he said coming down from a jog to walk beside me.

"Iris is taking a day off from training tomorrow," I muttered, keeping my eyes on my levitating rock.

"We could all use a break. Hey— can you stop a minute? We need to talk."

"I'm busy," I said trying to brush him off. I didn't want to talk.

"Why did you throw those rocks at Lanni?"

Jet's directness broke my concentration and I dropped the rock. _He knew._ _God, I couldn't control anything about myself. I had to try harder. I didn't want anyone to be able to read my emotions, especially him._

"She's a bimbo," I mumbled

"Tell me why," Jet said, as if I hadn't just given him an answer.

"Did I hit her with one?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"If I didn't hit her," I insisted, "then why are you making a big deal about it?"

I ignored him. I knew why I'd done it, but I didn't owe him an answer. I started to walk again when he grabbed my wrist. I spun, throwing myself on him and pushing him against the wall.

"Don't fucking touch me," I growled.

I knew I hadn't even hurt him in the slightest, but it felt good to try. His eyes synced with mine. When he was angry, they became more grey than green and even more grippingly beautiful. His gaze bore into mine, reaching for my soul. I closed my eyes, trying to block him out, but the heat was already building between us. I was so angry at him. He was trying to force me to become someone I knew I wasn't meant to be. My hands fisted angrily into his shirt. I felt the rise and fall of his chest beneath my forearms. He was calm. As if he knew all along that all roads led to this. Had I?

His hand stroked my face. He was willing me to open my eyes, to accept what had already happened between us long ago. I fiercely wanted to pull away, to reject him, but I couldn't move. I felt him shifting, leaning towards me, and I opened my eyes just enough to see his lips coming towards mine.

"NO!" I roared, pushing him back against the wall, but dammit it, he knew I meant yes. That I wanted yes.

He leaned forward again, slower but still without hesitation, and when our lips touched all the need I'd tried to shove away came exploding out of me at once and it was too much; much, too much.

"FUCK," I cursed, releasing my hold on him. I backed up awkwardly and ripped my hand through my hair as I began to pace. I just couldn't process this much feeling at one time. I just couldn't.

"Why do you fight it?"

"I don't know!"

"This can work. No one judges love here."

"Please be quiet, I can't think and I need to think right now."

"You were jealous of that girl I was talking to earlier. I know it."

"Shut up," I muttered angrily, but Jet kept going and I kept pacing.

"There's no rule of monogamy here, even if we were together, which we're not."

"SHUT UP!" I repeated, louder than the first time I'd said it.

"So I can't have you, but I can't have anyone else either?" Jet demanded.

"It's not easy for me! I never wanted any of this. I don't _need_ any of this."

"Look—Ajani, that's fine, but you can't expect me to be alone just because you can't be with or without me, all right?"

It wasn't all right but I didn't have an answer. When I finally stopped pacing and calmed down a bit, Jet was already gone. I stared down at the ground. I thought about our kiss. So many feelings bottled up into one embrace. Maybe it was time to talk to someone about how I felt and why I felt that way. I quickly headed into Paramount to find Bem.

I knocked on the door but it flung open, not having been fully closed. Bem was in a passionate embrace with Asher. I gave an awkward apology and immediately turned to leave. I felt like an idiot, if I had just left without saying anything, they wouldn't have known I was even there.

"Ajani, hey wait!" Bem's voice said from the couch. "It's fine, did you need to talk?"

"Everyone's talking about how you teleported rocks at Lanni today," Asher said as he kissed Bem one more time before untangling himself from her. "I'm glad. I don't like anyone who'd cheat on their venku. What is the fucking point to that? You're perfectly matched with someone and you're still not satisfied?"

"Her infidelity is just a rumor," Bem insisted. "Lanni is just really friendly."

"You won't be saying that when she tries to rub those horny vixen paws on me!"

Bem just smiled, not in the least bit jealous. I envied that cool composure, her natural self-assurance.

"I'll leave you two for a minute," Asher added.

I smiled appreciatively but felt like a douche. Everyone made allowances for me and my _issues._ I pretended like no one knew what was going on with me, like I could hide it all away. But they all knew. I was starting to see that denial was a habitual occurrence with me.

"You wouldn't even get jealous if Lanni tried to steal, Asher would you?"

"No," Bem said, smiling at me. She patted the spot on the couch beside her. "But everyone is different, Ajani. Stop worrying about being like everyone else."

"Easy for miss perfect to say."

"Keep making comments like that and I'll forget why we're friends."

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Dish it," Bem demanded.

"I have a strong imprint of homosexuality being _wrong._ " The words just spilled out of my mouth. Bem had that effect on me. She exuded no judgment and it made me want to tell her everything.

"Oh honey, the whole plane already knows that. I want you to tell me what _happened._ "

That was a bit harder to admit, but I took a breath and tried to be bolder.

"We kissed."

"FINALLY!" Bem said, with a little hoot and a dance.

"I shouldn't have come," I snapped at her. I was irritated and embarrassed by her enthusiasm.

"I'm sorry," Bem apologized quickly. "It's just hard for the rest of us to understand you. If any of us had hang-ups about being here, we've gotten over them already."

"Like I said, I shouldn't have come."

I briskly left her flat. I could hear her calling after me and apologizing again, but I was too angry.

I made it back to my flat in record time. Eventually I'd have to sort this shit out on my own; for right now I just wanted to sleep. I kicked the door open and slammed it shut, but my antics didn't even disturb Jet. He completely ignored me, sipping his water in long gulps before refilling his cup and retreating back to his room.

Ironically, his calmness just pissed me off even more. I made a beeline to the bathroom, knowing the warm water of a shower would help get me feeling more leveled out. Right now, I felt so emotional that it made me feel completely masculine. I stripped my clothes off, angrily kicking and throwing the articles unnecessarily through the room. I turned the water to scorching and got in immediately. I leaned my head against the tiled wall and let the water run down my back and legs.

My mind drifted back to our kisses. In the privacy of the shower I felt safe to relive it, but my brain quickly floated away onto an unauthorized path and I found myself thinking about what I would like Jet to do to me.

I imagined him coming through the bathroom and getting in behind me. Running his hands around and up my stomach; kissing just the nape of my neck. Kneading it with his lips over and over again until I _had_ to turn around and face him.

Suddenly, I came euphorically; I hadn't even realized I'd been touching myself until I'd come. I washed myself, shocked at how naturally that'd come. Thinking about being with Jet even in my mind had evoked a powerful physical reaction, and I hated to admit but I felt better—lighter. I watched my secret circle the drain before turning the water off and pulling back on just the pants I'd had on earlier. Maybe I was focusing too much on the fact that Jet and I were men. Couldn't I love his soul? Hadn't he told me that this wasn't easy for him either? Neither of us had been gay in First-Plane. I'd assumed it was easier for him because he seemed to open to the idea of us being a couple, but maybe he was just as freaked out as I was. The only difference was I was a prick and he wasn't.

Impulsively, I bypassed my room and went down to his. _I'm not going to overthink this._ I repeatedly thought my new mantra over and over again to myself.

I opened the door to his room. Jet was lying on his back under the covers off to one side of the bed. I had come here with the intention of apologizing but instead I got in under the covers beside him. I felt the bed move a little as he turned towards me, but neither of us spoke.

I felt for his arm and moved my hand down until I found his hand. I linked my pinky with his and closed my eyes. That was all I did, but it felt like enough for now. I felt him readjust on the bed, but he didn't remove his hand.

That was the official start of _us._

03: HIKE

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed and scrambled quickly out of the room. I needed to talk to Jet. We needed to come to an agreement, some sort of understanding between us. He had to know I did care, that I just needed more time. I was at the steps when I heard the bathroom door click shut.

"I want to talk," I stammered awkwardly as I faced him.

"I want to think," Jet said back. "It's not just difficult for you, Ajani."

"You're right," I said raking a hand through my hair and down the back of my neck. I had to get a hold of all these emotions. I couldn't just freak out on him whenever I got scared. We were in this together. We were the first people we knew when we woke up here. If being venku means anything, at its very core it means we're friends. I don't mean to be so abrasive. Last night, I wanted to show you how I felt. I tried, I know it wasn't much but," my sentence dropped away. I took his hand in mine but, he pulled it away.

"I know," Jet said.

I studied his face, trying to hear what we both weren't saying and his green eyes held a lot of hurt, a lot of angst. My stomach knotted uncomfortably because I knew I was the one who'd made him feel that way.

"I was headed out to meet Asher and Bem. Remember they said earlier this week they wanted to go for a hike?" Jet reminded me. "Let's go with them and when we get back, we'll talk."

It had rained the night before; the air had this fresh quality to it. It smelled good and breathing it in made me feel good. Jet and I were silent for the short walk from our flat down through the training fields, but I didn't mind. When I talked, it was always too much; I said the wrong things and fucked everything up. I didn't want to ruin us. I just needed time to adjust to _us;_ to free myself from those old-world impressions.

I spotted Bem and Asher just past the edge of the training field waiting for us and waved.

"Well, well, well! Look who decided to come after all?" Bem teased.

"I was always planning on joining you," Jet said smiling.

"Right," added Asher, "Ajani's the real surprise."

"He's been extra grumpy lately too," Bem added, reaching for Asher's hand.

"I don't mean to be moody," I confessed. "I'm just not adjusting as fast as the rest of you. I'm the worst Iris has in training too."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Jet said, rolling an arm over my shoulders.

"I was thinking we'd go swimming. Any objections?" Bem suggested.

"Aren't we supposed to have some type of swimsuit?" I asked.

"Protesting already?" Bem said with a smirk.

"Where's the water?" Jet said as he removed his arm.

"Two miles east of here," Bem answered.

"Sounds like a good warm up run to me," Jet said. He exaggeratedly stretched and then took off. His pace was hard for me to keep but far below what he was capable of. I was grateful for no longer being the center of the conversation. The way I perceived myself was never how everyone else did. I focused on running and although it took more effort, I was able to keep up with Jet. I'd like to think I'd gotten better and not that he had just slowed down but that probably wasn't true.

My spirits lifted as soon as I saw the water. I loved the way it looked; still blue and serene. I shimmied out of my clothes at the water's edge and I heard Bem's squeal behind me but I didn't care. My toes skimmed over the pebbles and the water lapped against my ankles, rising as I moved deeper in. As soon as I could I dived. I loved the weightless feeling and swam forward in long, strong strokes. I stayed under until I felt my chest tighten, then I arched my back and pushed upwards. I looked around and saw I'd actually swam a little past the middle of the inlet lake.

Back on the rocky shore, I could see Bem and Asher sitting at the water's edge talking. I watched them, unintentionally jealous of the ease they had with each other. She trailed a finger across his cheek and he leaned in to kiss her.

The water shifted and I knew Jet was beside me.

"They make it look so easy," I said, still watching them.

"That's because it is," Jet murmured beside me. "You're really good at swimming."

"I was probably a fish on First-Plane," I said, turning my eyes onto Jet, even though he was still wistfully looking at the shore.

"How long will you wait for me?" I asked, suddenly feeling brave.

Jet didn't answer me. Instead, he came towards me in the water and leaned his forehead on mine. We stood there for a long time letting so much be said in silence.

"About damn time," I heard Bem yell from the shore. I felt my cheeks warm, but I ignored her. Jet pulled back, grinning at me. I smiled back. Every inch of me wanted to destroy the empty space between us. To really kiss him, to see what it felt like when we were both ready at the same time, but he moved away before I could work up the courage.

"Come on," he said as he began swimming towards the shore. "I'm ready to go in."

I stretched forward, ready to swim, but movement at the far side of the little lake stopped me. I was sure I saw something, but it was gone too fast before I could figure out what exactly it was. Aura classified all the animal life--basically everything that wasn't an Aura--as being Banguri. There weren't animals in the city but I had a First-Plane impression that they could have a multitude of shapes, sizes and colors. I was dying to see one.

We walked for another hour or so admiring the countryside. I liked the land best because it was so untouched. There were wild flowers that filled the fields adding touches of color to the honeyed wheat-like long grass. I hoped it would stay this way for a long time. The Acres was the name coined for all the undeveloped land past the city and its few scattered buildings. It went all the way to the edge of the peninsula where the land edged off into a rocky drop-off to the vast water below.

When the sun was just over halfway through the sky we took a break, sitting in an open meadow. We spread out in pairs and I followed Jet mimicking him as he lay down in the soft grass. We hadn't been talking much but it didn't bother me. We were both processing the past few days and silence was sometimes the best and it was just enough to be with someone.

"We should head back soon," Jet said as he stretched a hand out to the sky, pointing lazily at the sun.

"How did it get so late?" I asked.

"We've been laying here for a long time, I guess."

"This has been a great day," I said, rolling on my side towards him.

He came towards me too and I leaned down, kissing the smile on his lips. We were just on the brink of losing ourselves when we heard Bem scream.

"Ajani, Jet, get up now!"

We scrambled up, confused by her yelling and then I saw them--dog sized beasts circling her and Asher.

"What do they want?" Bem shouted, her tone filled with fearful frustration. At the sound of her voice, one snapped at her and she quickly dodged and then counterattacked with a strong kick to the jaw. The animal whimpered, cowering back behind the others.

"Don't," Asher warned, "you'll rile them up."

I heard a snarl behind me and realized more had come out of the woods.

"Time to go, I think," Jet whispered.

"We don't want them to close in on us," I agreed eyeing them nervously. We'd never actually fought, we just trained, and personally I wasn't ready for a battle.

"We could split up and then rejoin a mile or so down once we lose them," Bem called out.

"I hope I can run fast enough," I said wearily.

"Don't run at first. Just walk away and see what they do. Maybe we're just in their territory or something and they're just as surprised to find us here as we are them."

"Let's try it," Bem agreed.

We all began moving away backwards and at first it seemed like Jet was right, but then they started advancing on us, moving with us, not letting us get away.

"We're going to have to fight them," Asher said, positioning himself back to back with Bem.

"Let's try to get closer to each other," I suggested. We'd be stronger if we could fight side by side.

As soon as we tried to move closer, one of the beasts lunged at the calf of my leg. His teeth grazed my shin before I could get fully out of his range. I gritted my teeth at the searing pain and retaliated by punching him in the snout. I added my powers to it, making the blow more effective. It screamed in pain. The others near us were distracted and hovered around their fallen friend.

"Here's our chance," Jet said starting to move away. "Don't look back until we reach the city."

I didn't know if Bem and Asher heard us because Jet grabbed my arm and ushered me into a run.

We moved in a blazing sprint through the field. We began to have some coverage as the terrain became more wooded, but that wasn't as comforting as you'd think, at least not for me. I felt like one of the creatures could pop out in front of us at any moment.

"How far out do you think we are?" I asked breathlessly.

"Too far," Jet replied. His face turned over his shoulder and he said, "Dammit! There's one in the trees. We've got to pick up the pace. Don't let them flank us."

We kicked it in high gear, but my body was tiring. I just wasn't meant for long-distance running. My feet started getting sloppy and I was more focused on keeping my breathing steady than watching where I was running. My toe hooked on a branch and I went spiraling forward. My head hit the hard roots of an old tree and my vision faded painfully to black.

04: HAYWIRE

_Jet_ was my first thought when I came to. Got up wildly and my legs wobbled a little but I forced them to work. I saw him instantly a few feet away from me. He was pale and unconscious.

"JET!" I yelled, shaking him as I fell to his side. "Wake the fuck up!"

His eyes fluttered and he coughed, wheezing as he took in air. His hands fell away from his side as I pulled him onto my lap and I saw for the first time that his side was bleeding.

His eyes followed mine and he looked down, cringing.

"I didn't realize it was that bad," he mumbled.

"Are you really hurt?" I asked, hoping he'd say no. Hoping that my eyes were wrong and that he'd reassure me it was just a scratch.

"Yeah, I think so.

"Fuck! We've got to get you back to Paramount."

I immediately tried to help him up, but he cried out with such pain that I knew it wasn't going to be possible to move him on my own. To make matters worse, the blood started flowing faster from his side. I began to panic as I realized the severe finality of our situation. He needed to be healed.

"What direction did Bem and Asher head off in? If I can find them, Bem could heal you."

"As memorable as I'm sure that would be," Jet said as he clutched his side, "I don't think I could have sex right now."

"I can't just let you die!" I exclaimed. I took my shirt off, balling it into his side.

"I don't want to die," he told me earnestly, his eyes clutching mine with his fierce gaze. "But we don't always have a say, we don't always get what we want. At least I'll die knowing I made sure you lived."

"Don't fucking talk like that," I screamed at him.

"Come here," he said reaching up to me with his hand. He caressed it into my face and I leaned into his touch. I wanted to run from reality, I wanted to look away to pretend none of this was happening, but I faced it and stayed right there in the moment with him.

"I don't think we have a lot of time," Jet added after a few moments of silence.

I couldn't talk anymore. I was on the verge of completely losing it. I turned my head, kissing the edge of his hand on my face, and pulled him closer to me. The ground around us was saturated as the blood drained out of him.

"Keep looking at me," he pleaded. I made myself hold his gaze and it broke me to see the beautiful color fading out of his eyes.

"I love you," he told me without any hesitation. His eyes pleaded for me to finally acknowledge this force between us, but I couldn't. It was too much. I wanted to say it, I did, but how cruel is it to admit you love someone that you know is being taken away from you? I couldn't do it. I wasn't strong enough. Suddenly his hand slipped down from my face. All the life in his eyes was gone.

I pulled him up and into my arms fully, his chin hooked over my shoulder; I squeezed and squeezed. My heart pleading for him to come back, but it was too late, all his life was gone. I felt odd and his body slumped down through my arms back to the ground. I stared at Jet's body before me. Starting from his fingertips, his body was dematerializing into gold dust. A white orb submerged out of the dust and began to float up. This must be the ascension Iris had explained. Numbly, I laid down on the ground beside the imprint of him in the drenched dirt. Ignoring the wetness seeping into my clothes, I watched his soul float away.

I don't know how long I just laid there. I hadn't wanted to look away until Jet's soul was too far gone for me to see it anymore. We'd barely had any time together and it hadn't occurred to me that you could die on this plane. Without him I felt empty. Maybe if I let that emptiness feeling consume me, I'd die too. Maybe then, my soul would follow Jet's and I'd get a second chance to say the things I'd been too stubborn to voice before.

A prickling started in my chest and I shot up. I gasped, feeling like I couldn't breathe as the pin-needle sensation expanded, flowing out into the tips of my fingers and toes and then shooting back to my heart. My senses roared back to life and I felt enhanced, stronger, better. My heart, it broke all over again. This change in me was happening because Jet had died. How could I be happy about that? It felt cruel to me that I could become stronger based on the death of the only person I loved.

Suddenly screaming started.

Bem.

I jumped up, running towards the sound as my mind raced. I had to get to her and Asher. I was stronger now and I could protect them. I found them not too far off from where Jet and I had been. I froze in horror. Bem was kneeled, holding a bloody Asher in her arms. I couldn't move. They'd gotten him too.

"I couldn't save him," Bem screamed hysterically. "We got away the first time but then they found us _ag_ ain. They found us again."

Asher's body looked cold and stiff in her arms and I could see it beginning to rapidly disintegrate. Bem noticed immediately and started wailing, begging him to stay with her. The carnage was too overwhelming. Why was this happening? The Auras were peaceful, none of this made sense. I went to Bem and kneeling beside her, took her into my arms. I could feel hot tears dripping down my face as her sobs shook us both, but I didn't have any words left to say. I just held her, my last friend.

I heard a growling-howl in the distance and Bem stilled against my chest.

"They've found us again," she whispered.

I stood up, pulling Bem with me. If I did nothing else, I'd get her back to Paramount. Bem tried to slump back on the ground, but I held her arm firmly.

"We're not dying, Bem, not today. Get up!"

"What's left for us?"

She had a point. Hadn't I just wanted to die a few minutes ago but now I wanted to live and make sure other Auras lived. I couldn't just let the Banguri slaughter us. We had to fight and to fight another day we had to survive now.

"Friendship, Bem. We're still alive; we can't just waste our lives. We can't let the Banguri win! We have to get up, get back to Paramount. Iris will know what to do."

"Friendship," Bem echoed. She looked up at me and I saw some clarity sweep into her eyes. "I feel weird. Is this what Iris was talking about when your venku dies?"

"Yes, I felt it too."

"Bem, we have to go now."

"All right," Bem finally agreed.

I held Bem's hand firmly in mine; I didn't want her changing her mind. The beasts were close but they hadn't found us yet. We had a chance. We barreled through the woods and we'd just cleared the Acres and were in the open field behind the city when they caught up to us.

"Keep running and don't look back. Go let Iris and the others know they they're coming!"

"No," Bem whispered.

"NOW," I roared, "Don't argue; don't waste time; just go!"

Bem looked hurt by my tone but she obeyed and took off. I turned back around to face them and saw a large pack of six headed towards me. If I focused, maybe I could take them all. It depended on how they attacked me. I'd have to let them make the first move.

They were even larger than the group that had ambushed Jet and me, but I wasn't going to give up. This was my way of atoning for everything. I was going to fight. I was going to prove myself worthy of Jet, even though I'd already lost him. It wasn't too late for me to make it right, and I would start by devoting my life to keeping our race safe, starting right now.

The Banguri were circling me, tightening the gap between us with every rotation. My best chance was to fight them one on one, and they knew their best chance was to fight me as a group. I had to try to lure them to me one by one. I didn't have any weapons other than my hands and teeth and part of me was glad Bem wouldn't be here to see this. I took a deep breath and then raised my hand high, slamming it back down on the ground fisted. From my hand shot out a wave of my powers and the beast flew back. My hand throbbed. I hadn't needed to hit the ground really, but I needed physical motion to help me control my power. The first beast to recover sped at me wildly. I threw my hand out in a punch and felt its ribs crack. It slumped on the ground, alive but unable to move. I felt another one coming and turned just in time for it to lunge towards my face. I threw my arm up defensively and its fang sunk into my flesh.

On a desperate whim to save myself, I used my powers to pull its eyes out of their sockets and flung them far behind me. The beast howled in pain and released my arm.

I leaned over on the ground trying to catch my breath. Another beast jumped on my back pushing me forward. It was aiming for my neck, but I held him back. This one was the strongest yet and I was getting tired. Even with Jet's strength I wasn't conditioned for this much fighting. I could hear the best snapping its jaws wildly in my ear and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold him back. It was foolish of me to think I could take them on all at once, but then, what option had I but to be foolish? Even if I died, Bem was still going to live and that was worth something, at least to me.

I felt a quick breeze and then heard a whimper from the beast. Its weighted pressure was off my back and I sucked in air raggedly. I rolled over in time to see Iris slice her deku through the beast's side. It wailed as it fell. Its eyes looked horrified as it watched its own guts spill out on the ground before it and I had a glint of recognition that the Banguri were more self-aware than we thought.

"Ajani!" Bem's voice shouted. "Are you all right?"

She was beside me, wrapping an arm around me to help me up. "Take this deku! Can you still fight?"

"I think so," I muttered as I stood.

"You're bleeding!" Bem screamed.

"I'm fine," I assured her.

Iris was ribbing her deku back out of the scull she'd just jammed it into. I saw the souls of the Banguri float up, just like our venkus.

"We should head back to the city. I'm sure more will be coming and we'll need to be ready," Iris said. She flicked the blood off her deku as she walked towards us. "Your venkus are dead?"

"Yes," I answered for both of us. I felt Bem curl into my arm and I held her firmly beside me.

"Believe me, I am grieving with you, and I apologize for what I'm going to ask of you, but it's necessary.

I closed my eyes childishly, as if that could postpone what she was going to say, and of course it didn't.

"You'll need to heal yourself and be ready to fight within the hour."

I felt Bem's body shake against me and I pulled her closer, trying to comfort her.

"When you've healed, meet me in front of Paramount."

"Are you going to be okay with this?" I questioned as I sat slowly on the bed. My back was sore and my arm was throbbing. "I wish we had other options. I don't want to make you do anything."

Bem and I had gone back to my flat. I couldn't imagine taking her on the bed that she'd shared with Asher. Just didn't feel right. At least Jet and I had never been intimate; somehow it felt less offensive for us to be together here.

"I can't feel anything right now,"

"We don't have to. I could take a few showers and maybe that would be enough."

"You know it won't," Bem said quietly.

She sat down next to me and took my hand in hers.

"At least we're friends and not strangers," I said squeezing, her hand.

We turned facing each other, neither sure who should go first. We were both covered in mud and filth, but I fixed my eyes on hers and ignored the rest.

"Close your eyes and think of Asher," I said. I closed mine and thought of Jet.

Bem left to shower first and I laid back on the bed. I realized ironically that that was the first time I'd ever been with anyone. I didn't know how to feel about that. It was such an awkward position for both of us and I had this weird mix of having wanted to please her and being repulsed that I was even thinking about that at a time like this. I guess that was the sharper side of this plane's double-edged sword. Survival from sex brought out this animalistic side of you that washed away all propriety.

Bem came out dressed in one of Jet's training suits. They were close to the same height and weight so it fit. I got up, heading off to the bathroom to take my turn to shower.

"Ajani." She said my name and I turned around. "Is it wrong that I enjoyed what we just shared?"

"No," I answered simply.

"It feels wrong," Bem insisted.

"Asher would want you to survive and that is how we survive."

"I know, this is just..."

"Too fucking much to process at one time," I said, finishing her sentence. "I know, Bem, but at least we have each other still and we're going to make it through this."

"Go shower, we don't have much time," Bem said quietly.

I showered quickly and we hurried back to Paramount. Hundreds of Auras were piled into the council room. Iris was arguing with the council.

"I told you something like this could happen one day!" Iris exclaimed.

"Telling you 'you were right' isn't going to change anything. What the council needs from you now, Iris, is a plan to protect our people and our city."

"Well, we're horribly ill-equipped. I have maybe fifty Aura souls that are able to fight, and Lanni is reporting that the Atlas is showing _packs_ of Banguri headed this way."

"If we survive this, we will reform everything but we have to be alive to do that. Solutions, Iris, that's what we need. What can _we_ do?"

"That best thing I can think of is to hunt them first. Make sure their smaller packs never form together into a large army. We must break them down as quickly as possible."

"We should find out what they want," Bem suggested.

"What they want?" Iris asked, confused. "They're animals!"

"No," I argued, siding with Bem. "You sliced one open and it was horrified. It watched its own guts spill out. I could see it in its eyes. They're more than just animals. They're sentient beings like us. Plus, think about these attacks; they're hunting us in groups. It's all calculated and planned."

"All right then, what are you suggesting we do?"

"Let's capture one. There has to be an Aura here that can read its mind? Or I could try to?"

Before Iris could respond, we heard screams from the hallway.

"They're here! The beasts are here!"

"Those who can fight," Iris ordered, "arm your deku and come with me!"

We all quickly turned our deku into weapons and followed her out of the council room. We went out the doors, and from the steps of Paramount we could see an army of snarling hyena-wolf Banguri, but they weren't alone.

"This is just our first wave," said a female, stepping forward. She was tall and dressed in black. Her hair was long, ebony dark and pulled into a long braid slung over her shoulder. She was beautiful; I shivered, scared at the sight of her. It was her demeanor that was so chilling; she had no regret in her eyes.

"Who are you?" Iris asked.

"I'm their leader," she answered simply.

"You don't have a name?" I asked, stepping forward to beside Iris.

"None that I would share with your kind," the woman snarled.

"What do you want?" Iris asked.

"Everything you have.

Iris rushed her, blazing past us. In seconds, with a quick jut of her sword, the woman fell to her knees, her head rolling on the ground. The beasts behind her crouched low, confused by the unexpected death of their leader.

I too was shocked. Iris had been skilled, yes, but I had no idea she could be so ruthless.

"Ajani," Iris called from below and I sped down the steps to her side. The animals were frozen but still hostile. Even with their leader dead, if we didn't handle this carefully these steps would be covered with blood.

"Ask them who their leader is now," Iris instructed me.

I closed my eyes. I didn't really know how to talk telepathically, but maybe if I just focused and thought what I wanted to say it would manifest in their minds.

_Who now leads the pack?_ I thought out to them telepathically.

"I do," it was another female voice. "I'm the leader of the Banguri," she instructed. The pack split and she presented herself. She looked eerily like the fallen leader but she was quite a bit younger and I wondered at what their connection could be. Could that have been her mother?

"I'm sorry for killing her, but we cannot let this situation escalate and you have killed a few of my own. What is it that you want?"

"My leader wanted to take over your city."

"Is that what you want?"

"Not in the least," the young woman answered.

"Good, because I'd never let you have it." Iris said fiercely.

"How shall we atone for the attack and have peace?"

"I'm assuming there are more like you?"

"Like me?" the new leader echoed.

"Human," Iris explained.

"Yes."

"Then for every life you have taken, one will be given to us."

"Why would I agree to that?"

"It'll ensure peace between our races."

"I will not sacrifice my own people for atonement."

"Life for life," Iris insisted. "Leave now and think about my offer. I will meet with you on the city steps to hear your decision."

"Lanni," Iris said as we entered the battle room, "Does that Atlas show their locations?"

"Yes," Lanni answered as she scanned the large Atlas table screen. "The large packs have dispersed back out into smaller groups. Some of them have headed far off the Atlas's view, so that means they are in the land past the Acres surrounding Paramount."

"What's the size of each pack?"

"Their packs seem to be made of five or six in each group."

"Excellent, that's a small enough number to ensure we can eliminate them," Iris theorized.

"Why are some of them human and others animal?" I asked. "I thought they were all animals."

"Their race must have different forms," Iris guessed.

They all seem to be able to communicate though." I added.

"Yes, I noticed that too," Iris agreed. "Lanni, get all the communicators working so we can send a color signal to you all. I know it was just a test run of that technology, but we need to be able to send out orders across the peninsula."

"I'm on it!" Lanni said. "I think we can use the communicators to send back data and expand the Atlas's view."

"Excellent. Ajani, organize all the venku in two four-person fighting units. Leave me about ten pairs to back me when I meet the Banguri at dawn. Lanni will give you coordinates for each team to be positioned at and we'll keep in touch with those newly developed communicators. Make sure everyone has one. After today, they will never again attack us."

"I wonder what's happening in the city," Bem whispered to me.

"Hopefully nothing and this war will end before it begins," I said back.

Bem and I had been paired together to fight. We had two other older venku with us; Isabella and Raven. I'd seen them before but didn't know them personally. They'd been on Second-Plane for a while, but no one was seasoned for an actual war. I could sense how nervous they were.

"Be quiet," Raven hissed, "they might find us."

"Good," Bem whispered back and I understood her. She wanted revenge, wanted conflict, and so did I. Just that quickly with all that had happened, my sadness for my losses had turned to a thirsty anger only Banguri blood would quench.

I squeezed the communicator in my hand, eager for it to blink a color so we'd know our next move. Yellow was for us to retreat, a peace had been made; red was for us to attack.

Seconds felt like minutes and my hands grew sweaty in anticipation. Then suddenly: a red blink.

I slipped the communicator into a front pocket on my suit before giving the order.

I lifted my hand and waved everyone forward.

The Banguri beasts didn't know we were there, and we killed them easily. I thought of nothing and mechanically destroyed them. In minutes their whole pack was dead and we hadn't even been wounded. I see why they'd ambushed us; the element of surprise gave you an almost solid victory.

I was catching my breath when the communicator lit up again, this time with written instructions:

BLINKING DOT SHOWS YOUR LOCATION, ENEMY STRONGHOLD IN RED. HEAD TO THE MARKED AREA AND REGROUP. STAND BY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

"We're pushing forward; heading towards the Banguri stronghold. We'll get more instructions from Paramount when we get to the next checkpoint. Let's find a little stream and refuel on our way," I instructed. They'd started this war foolishly and we were going to end it gallantly.
PART ONE: HER

Love is not love which alters

when it alterations finds

or bends with the remover to remove;

'O no it is an ever-fixed mark.

From Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

05: HAULT

"They're in that cave," I whispered to Bem. I could sense two new souls, venku to each other, hiding in the cavern a few feet ahead of us.

"Well, let's let them know we're here," Bem told me before she addressed the newlies. "Don't be afraid. We know you can sense us. We've come to offer you safe passage to Paramount. We tracked you to the cave and know that you are sentient beings, not Banguri. You belong with us."

A male started to step out, first but he was pushed aside by a beautiful brunette. Her hair was long and wildly curly and she was petite, much smaller than any of us; but I knew just from her boldness and unwillingness to hid behind her venku that she was strong.

They were both dressed in our standard suits. I knew I was too moody to be the welcoming committee, but today I was extra glad I wasn't the one doing the talking because it gave me ample time to observe _her._ She was watching me too, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Are you the people the message said would come?" She asked, her eyes still hovering over me.

"Yes, and normally we're already present or close to where the new souls are going to awaken. But the Atlas hasn't been working properly," Bem explained.

"What are we? Where are we? I know this is Second-Plane, but that means nothing to us."

"My name is Bem and his name is Ajani. We're from the Aura city. This is the second plane of existence. All souls come here after they die on Earth. Do you remember your names yet?"

"Yeah, I'm Sariah and this is Keegan."

"What were those beasts that attacked us?" Keegan asked.

"If you were attacked it was probably by Low-Banguri," Bem explained.

"We'd better get back to the platform. Iris will want a report and there might be more awakenings. We'll need to be ready to move out again." I reminded Bem. I didn't want to risk us getting caught out here with newlies. I began to turn, heading back in the direction we'd come from, when I felt an odd sensation in my head. It gave me the feeling that I wasn't alone, that someone else was in my head. I flicked my eyes back on Sariah and just as I expected, she was looking at me again, intently.

_DON'T,_ I thought telepathically to her. Her attempt to read my mind had surprised me. We didn't normally do that. Most telekinetic Auras just levitated objects, created force fields, that sort of thing. She would be the only other Aura I knew who could read minds too. Frankly I was quite shit at it—there was no one around that I wanted to know what they were thinking. I tried to return the favor, my weak powers stretching tightly as I attempted to dip into her mind, but she was like a vault. I could sense her soul, but I couldn't touch anything else. If her eyes hadn't widened in surprise, I would have had no way of knowing she'd heard even me.

Bem's eyes shifted between me and Sariah, watching us both closely.

"If you have telekinesis, so does Ajani. He's a very private man and it's also a rule amongst our kind not to use our powers on others unless we're training. I'm sure Ajani won't take it personally but he's right, we should get back. Iris will want to talk to you."

"Let's go then," Keegan said with a little alpha male order in his voice that I found amusing. I wasn't impressed by a newlie-pup and after giving him a seething gaze, I led our group away from the cave and back towards the transportation platform.

Since we'd had to track the newlies, we'd gone farther out than I would have liked and it took us awhile to get back to the teleporter. It would take us a few hours to get back. I didn't have anything to say, but Sariah had plenty of questions, which Bem answered patiently. She was more talkative than most newlies or Auras in general and despite myself I found myself listening and fighting the urge to pipe in.

Sariah and her venku were already getting along swimmingly and I was surprisingly irritated by that. She was giving this small smile as if they were sharing an intimate moment that the rest of us wouldn't understand. That made me feel incredibly bitter—jaded even. They'd be able to fully enjoy each other and the fact that Keegan—her soon-to-be lover—deserved something I'd never had made me feel hostile, angry, jealous.

_You'll have no problem fucking yourselves healthy,_ I thought vehemently.

I ran a hand through my shaggy hair, briefly moving it off my forehead. I was acting irrationally and I knew it. I was feeling irrational—I knew that too. I shouldn't care. I saw this all the time, and it never bothered me. It was how this world worked. I didn't understand why I was changing now. My musings and weak attempts to understand my own bizarre attitude kept me preoccupied and functioning on auto pilot as we teleported back to Paramount. I nodded a brief greeting to Lanni as she welcomed us back. Now that we were safe in the city, I could make my quick escape, which I executed immediately.

"If you need anything else," I said more to Bem than the others, "I'll be in my quarters."

"I might," Bem said back to me.

I left without a response, knowing full well if she wanted something, she'd come and get it.

The building around my flat had changed but my actual room had remained the same all these cycles. How long had it been now--twenty-plus years? _Twenty-seven to be exact_ , I thought to myself as I reclined fully on my bed.

The Great War had changed everything. I remember how gallantly I thought we'd win it and how bloody the reality had become. Seven long years of what had amounted to senselessness. But, then it hadn't been us who started it and at least we'd been able to end it. There had been times when I wasn't so sure we would win and there was only one real reason why we did--technology.

I remember when Bem and our team found the first Banguri camp, we were shocked. It wasn't anything like Paramount or Light City at all. They had nothing of our growing technology. Everything was archaic, nomadic even. There were no established towns, just camps, and they moved with the season changes.

They had a caste system ruled by humans that made up only ten percent of the Banguri population. The rest were all animals. They surpassed us in numbers and were naturally good at fighting, whereas we were clumsy and ill trained; but technology was our crutch and eventually the war turned in our favor and we forced them into submission.

Iris offered them two choices: peace or extinction, and the various Banguri leaders choose peace. Many times had I relived that day on the steps when Iris beheaded the woman who led the first attack on Paramount, but never again did I see that valiant girl who claimed to be her replacement. Any future dealings we had with them were with various leaders all successor to some general or other figurehead. The war wasn't just brutal for us.

We gave them land bordering them against the water, with a few wooded areas sprinkled in, and the peninsula stilled. We built the outer territories to keep an eye on them, but as time went on with no violence from the Banguri, many relaxed and almost everyone seemed to forget.

More newlies awakened and we built the temples as safe houses until we could get them to one of our cities. The Elders thought it unnecessary, but they allowed Iris the freedom to do what she thought necessary to safeguard them. The interest in training died as time passed and people focused more on advancing our society and learning the mysteries of our city and the manuals left behind by the Creators. No one knew who they were, but they were the ones who left the initial buildings that became Paramount and the Light City. We owed them everything, whoever they were.

Everyone assumed we were safe, but they were wrong.

Now that the attacks had started again, I believed the Banguri had been waiting. Healing, biding their time until they could strike again, and we were barely in a better position defense wise than when they'd first attacked. They'd started killing the newlies. No attacks on any established Aura, just murdering the cities' new citizens before they could even awaken.

Iris was trying to convince the council that there was a real threat, but they seemed to think it was just the wild Banguri getting out of hand. I agreed with Iris, and didn't accept that explanation at all. The council's ignorance enraged me. We had to nip this now, before it became a full-blown problem.

_What about that girl?_ my mind asked. Sariah; there was something about her that I found so irresistible. I felt drawn to her flame like a moth and she was just as curious about me as I was about her. She's tried to read my mind which was something Auras who had that ability didn't do. Seeing her made me miss Jet.

06: HAUGHTY

"Why haven't you come to me, since we've been back?" I asked Bem.

We were seating in a two-person pool in the caves. The water was warm and spiraled around us, propelled by the tub's jets. Bem was wearing a beaded swimsuit that covered just enough to make me want to take it off fully. I took a sip out of my long-stemmed glass and the water careened easily down my throat. Bem watched me silently, her own glass resting playfully just below her bottom lip.

"I thought you needed some space," she finally answered.

"Have I been that moody lately?" I asked as I took another gulp.

"I practically had to drag you here, and you love this place."

"I've been thinking a lot lately," I answered, pulling my eyes away from hers.

"That's never good," Bem said, smiling.

"Why haven't you ever taken another partner?" I asked awkwardly.

"In a way, I have."

"It's not the same," I said truthfully.

"I'll try not to be offended by that," Bem said, smiling at me good-naturedly

"You know what I mean," I added quickly.

"You like her, don't you?"

"Who?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Bem tilted her head towards the opening of the Caves. Sariah and Keegan had just walked in and were headed right towards us.

"Hey!" Bem greeted them first.

"Hello," Sariah said back.

"Out on a date?" Bem teased. I couldn't resist watching Sariah walk towards us. Her hair was pulled back from her face and her cheeks were flushed. She'd probably just come back from training. The body suit she wore was encased over her round curves like a glove and every shift of her hips made me want to hop up out of the pool like some sex-enraged cave man. Lucky for Sariah and me, Bem's voice had an electric sting to it that forced me back to reality.

"We thought we'd check out the caves," Sariah explained.

"Do venku date? It was my understanding that getting laid with your venku was a sure thing," Keegan said.

"Sounds like you and Sariah have gotten adjusted rather quickly," Bem said with a quick glance in my direction.

"It's an easy thing to get adjusted to," Keegan said. "Anyway, we're headed to the caves. Either of you know how we get to them?"

"The caves!" exclaimed Bem. "How _romantic._ I haven't been there in a long time," she added wistfully.

"On the other side of the aquarium is a large pool labeled 'caves'," I said.

"You'll have to dive and take your training suits off. They're not equipped for water. But there's some gear over there for you to use," Bem added helpfully.

"Thanks, we'll figure it out," Sariah said. I watched them leave and tried to stifle my jealousy as Keegan wrapped his arm around her and affectionately kissed the side of her face.

"What a reaction she gets out of you," Bem said.

"I know," I mumbled back. "I should have had that with Jet, but our time was cut short."

Bem wordlessly reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. She's always been there, hasn't she? From the first time Jet and I met her on the steps, through our venkus' deaths, and even now when our world seemed ironically similar to what it had been when we first awakened, she was right here with me. She was a good friend and she deserved better friendship from me.

I pulled her towards me, nuzzling the side of her face affectionately with a soft kiss.

"Come on," she said standing up, "let's go."

"After all these cycles, you've still got it!"

I released her and laughed heartily and rolled to my side to face her.

"I'll never lose it!" I retorted confidently.

She knocked my arm from under my head, demolishing my after-sex pose, and scooted closer to me. I let her in, accepting her affection by wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close. In moments like these, I found her companionship irresistible. She did, after all, know me best.

"I'll let you be the little spoon tonight," I said kissing the back of her head.

"You want to be extra cozy? What's the matter?"

"Why does something have to be the matter?" I countered stubbornly.

"What's the matter?" Bem repeated.

"She reminds me of Jet," I confessed.

"But Jet was male, she's _clearly_ not."

"I know, it's more like," I paused, trying to find the words but couldn't and my sentence was left at a half-cadence.

Bem rolled around, her face just inches from mine on the pillow.

"Does she make you feel alive again? Like you're unthawing after being frozen for so long?"

"I don't know if I'd be that dramatic," I said with a smirk. "But, yes, I guess that's mildly accurate."

"That's how you make me feel," Bem confessed before rolling on to her back.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes, and I use to feel guilty about it but I don't anymore."

"I'm sorry I can't be what you need," I murmured. I was unsure whether to withdraw or try to comfort her.

"No, Ajani, it's not like that. I'm not sad. I'm grateful that we're friends. I still miss Asher too, you know."

"Should I leave her alone?" I asked, referring to Sariah again.

"I don't think you'd be able to."

"I'm not some ass, she is already spoken for," I said hesitantly. I was surprised she wasn't, I don't know, jealous? Then again, there was emotion in our union because we were friends, but a lot of our time together was out of our anatomical needs and not from emotion.

"If anyone knows this, it's you, sometimes we're matched wrong," concluded Bem.

I don't know if I believed that, though. It had taken longer for me to adjust to Second-Plane, but if I could have my Jet back, I'd take that over anything else. But it was too late to try to deal with my First-Plane hang-ups now, wasn't it? Was Sariah my second chance? Was that why I was so affected by her?

"I won't be mad if you pursue her. I've never been that kind of woman. I'd like to see you happy."

"Bem," I said reaching for her, "I have been happy. Don't cheapen our friendship. You've been the one person I could rely on all these cycles."

"I know, but I'd like to see you really happy."

I pulled her back to me, holding her closely. I kissed her temple she eased into me. We were truly friends, and perhaps that was more than enough.

07: HEATED

"Are you ready?" I asked taunting Sariah from across the open space of the sparring arena.

It was just the morning after I'd seen them at the caves and the only conclusion I'd come to was that I hadn't come to any conclusion. I was basically just as undecided about whether it was ethical to pursue someone's venku or not. For now, I'd enjoy being able to soak her up with my eyes without any reproach from Keegan. We were about to face off for the first time and I was dying to see how strong she really was. Everyone could sense she was different, stronger, better, far above what we'd set as average for an Aura. I was ready to see just what she could do.

She hadn't answered me yet, so I tossed her another taunting inquiry.

"Daydreaming, or are you scared?"

"Neither," she answered.

"Then, I'll ask you again, are you ready to start?"

"I awakened ready," she teased back, putting a spin on a cliché phrase I remember from First-Plane.

_Clever,_ I chided telepathically. I hadn't ever spoken to her telepathically before and I wasn't sure why I did it now. Maybe it was just the allure that I knew she'd be able to understand me? I wasn't sure.

_You want to talk like this now?_ Sariah thought back.

Why not?

_I remember when we first met you yelled at me for something similar to this,_ she reminded me.

This is different, I'm in control.

We were circling each other. Neither had made a move yet. I watched her glance over briefly to Keegan. I followed her gaze and noticed his face was carved into an envious scowl.

_We're making your venku jealous,_ I thought to her.

He has nothing to worry about. I've already chosen him over you.

"Ha!" I scoffed aloud. "If only it were that simple, darling." I wasn't sure why I was goading her, challenging her right to give her love to her partner. There was just something in the way she said it that made me want to change her mind. To prove to her that he wasn't the alpha and omega of her heart. The challenge of making her change her mind excited me and I was ready to prove my own worthiness, my own manliness. I turned my deku into a long wooden practice sword and attacked.

Surprisingly, she was ready for my attack and not only dodged it but countered it by tripping me with a well-placed foot. I fell to the ground, landing hard on my ass. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bem hiding a small smirk behind her hand. My temper twinged!

_Let's get serious,_ I subconsciously pep talked myself. _Prove why you're better than Keegan, or aren't you?_

I gritted my teeth and was about to attack again when I felt a wave hit me. She slid me back across the ground as if I weighed nothing at all and slammed me into a rock. It was harder than I'd expected her to fight and I was completely winded. I wasn't hurt physically but my ego was gushing blood. I was livid.

She released the hold on me and I felt her ask if I was all right telepathically. Her concern pushed me over the edge. Everything clicked into focus and I came at her full speed. I levitated ten or more crumbled rocks from the boulder she'd slammed me into and launched them at her. My hands flew madly as I sent them at different angles directly for her. Face, stomach, knees, thigh--whatever part was vulnerable.

"ENOUGH," roared Keegan from the sidelines.

I heard his voice and then I saw her, really saw _her._ I froze. She was hunched over all cut, scraped and bleeding. I'd done that. How had I snapped into this mechanical attack mode? Keegan would come for me and I deserved it. Why did she bring out such conflicting emotions in me? I'd gotten so carried away, lost my control. I'd attacked her as if this were a real battle and now I'd really hurt her. She made me dangerous.

_I didn't mean to hurt you,_ I thought desperately.

I felt a breeze so strong it knocked me over. Keegan had changed his direction at the last minute and sped right to Sariah. She was unconscious. Her skin bruised, scraped, bloodied from the damage I'd done. I felt a shadow over me and looked up to see Bem.

"Are you all right?"

"Am I all right? No!"

"Get up. You've been sitting there like an idiot for five minutes."

"I can't believe I did that!"

"You always did let your temper get the best of you, are you really that surprised?" Bem said, pulling me up. I could hear laughter in her voice. I was disgusted that she wasn't even trying to hide it.

"Ajani," Iris called, walking towards us, "I wanted to give you a chance to gather yourself before I came over."

"I'm fine," I stammered.

"Sure, but get that temper in check, okay? Save it for the real enemy. I've decided that Sariah will be paired with you and Bem. We're sending out quads--two pairs of venku fighters--to question the residents of the Outer Territories. We need to gather any intel we can muster. We'll have a quick debriefing tomorrow morning, usual time."

I nodded, but I was hesitant in agreeing.

"I know this isn't normally how we do it, but you and Bem are seasoned and you can finish up the training we don't have time to do on the actual field. Union with Bem for a while tonight, you've been off lately and you need to be centered. Remember, sexual energy doesn't just satisfy our hunger and strengthen our bodies, it repairs our very souls."

"I'm sorry," I muttered, completely embarrassed by my behavior.

"I'm sure Sariah won't be mad at you, but we need you rested, and ready to lead, okay?"

"Yes," I agreed.

"Good. I'll see you both tomorrow."

As soon as Iris was out of earshot, I heard Bem choke back a chuckle.

"Are you laughing at me?" I asked.

"Fuck yes, I'm laughing at you!"

"What is wrong with you?" I demanded angrily.

"Ajani, calm down. Sariah is fine. Keegan will _see_ to that. You just need to learn to control your emotions."

I shrugged off her hand on my arm and stormed off the training field. She was right, of course, but I was too upset to admit it.

08: HUMBLE

I was still feeling guilty as I headed through the hallways to the debriefing room the next morning. I just couldn't believe how out of kilter I'd been since Sariah had arrived. One minute I was plotting to win her love and the next I'd irrationally almost seriously injured her. Why was I all over the place? Perhaps, I was so desperate to believe I could really love. That I was capable of being whole again. Or maybe, I was just a horrible friend. I vowed the next time I saw her or Keegan I'd apologize. I had to grow up, we had a mission and I needed to help train Sariah, not fawn over her.

I was still mulling over how I'd apologize when I turned the corner and saw both of them headed towards me. Keegan wasted no time launching at me like a rocket. My body tensed. He was on me in a millisecond, with his hand grasped tightly around my throat. I clenched my fits at my side but met him eye for eye. I wasn't afraid of him. In fact, if anything I was irritated by his alpha male act that rivaled my own. I knew he'd come for me, and I didn't disagree that I deserved it, but I wasn't just going to roll over and take it either.

"If you ever touch her again," Keegan growled, "I will send you to the next fucking plane of existence."

Unflinchingly, I glared back at him. If I hadn't been in the wrong, I would have challenged him to put his money where his mouth was, but I was an ass. I had gone overboard yesterday and I deserved his anger, so I remained silent.

"Keegan, let him go. He just got carried away in training. He didn't mean to hurt me,"

My eyes darted immediately to Sariah.

"Don't defend him, Sariah. He knew how strong he was. If he wasn't so damn immature, he wouldn't have been so determined to 'win' a training session."

"Keegan—"she started to say, but I quickly interjected.

"No, he's right. It won't happen again," I promised. I turned away quickly, heading back in the opposite direction. I didn't want to ruin the pact I'd just made by saying something stupid. My heart was racing as I pushed open the door and breathed in the air. Why had she defended me? Why would she care if Keegan hated me or not? Part of me thought it was just because she was a decent person, a peacekeeper. But another voice told me, no, it's because she _cares._ It's because she sees you.

I sat down next to an old tree that'd been here long before Paramount had been built.

_Fuck!_ I thought to myself _I really do like her._ I wasn't sure how I'd get through this mission without pissing Keegan off.

I sensed her behind me before I saw her. This was the first time we'd ever been alone.

"You do know I'd never hurt you intentionally?" I said to her as an odd apologetic greeting.

"I know," Sariah said as she sat down next to me, "but you did hurt me. You lost control and that's unlike you. Is something bothering you?"

"YOU!" I blurted out, turning to her. "You're what's bothering me."

"I don't understand," she said, her eyes glazed with confusion.

"I'm a widowed warrior and I never thought I'd _feel_ anything for anyone again. Honestly, I don't even want to feel. I don't need to. But you," my voice trailed off, the rawness of my feelings catching me off guard but giving me courage to close the gap between us. I touched her.

I took my hand and touched the side of her cheek. She was so close, the closest she'd ever been and I wasn't on the fence anymore. I wanted what Keegan had, I wanted _her._ I watched her eyes, reading them for a reaction, any recognition that she felt the same. But she guarded herself and showed me nothing.

"Ajani, you know this world better than I do, and just by listening to what you said about your venku you know how powerful that bond is. I'm sorry you're lonely but—"

"Companionship? Is that what you think I need?"

"Isn't it what we all need?"

"You don't understand me."

"You don't let me understand you."

She was right. I wasn't exactly an open book, was I? I felt her hand over mine and I shied away, retreating back into myself. I wanted her to understand me. I wanted her to know all about me, my pain, my loss, but I just couldn't. The only person I was that open with was Bem, and that was just because we'd experienced it together. I wasn't ready.

_We all make choices, Sariah_ , I thought to her.

"When you've gotten your head out of your ass, Ajani, I'll see you inside."

I looked up at her, surprised by her sudden change of mood. She sounded irritated with me, but before I could formulate a response she was gone.

"Were you waiting for me?" It was Bem. She'd come up across the lawn.

"No, but I'm sure they're waiting for us inside," I said, getting up.

Bem gave me a quick side hug.

"What was that for?" I asked with a sideways glance.

"I saw you talking to Sariah. It didn't look like it went well."

"I apologized," I muttered.

"You apologized? Ajani!"

"Come on, I'm not that big of a jerk."

Bem snorted in response and she was still smirking at me when we slipped into the debriefing room. Iris cleared her throat, obviously annoyed by our tardiness.

"Now that we're all here," Iris started, "I just wanted the five of us to meet before you all head out this afternoon. Consider this an informal debriefing. We have always had scouts that took shifts protecting the territories and making sure awakened Aura arrive safely to the Light City, but we've never had a reason for a recon mission such as this. Keegan and Sariah, I know you have had to learn very quickly, but in your short time here you've honed your powers faster than any Aura I've ever known. Something is changing. Otherwise, fate would not have brought you to us. Now, your mission is to go to the different outer rim territories that have been attacked and get a firsthand account of what's been happening.

The teleportation docks are staggered through the peninsula side, but the outer cities that have been attacked are not near any. Lanni will transport you to the nearest outer realm, but you'll need to use the maps on your communicators to navigate from there. Report back daily. If anything changes in your orders, we'll contact you. You're strong and we're sending the four of you out together because we know you can protect yourselves, but don't seek out Banguri. Avoid engaging if you see any. All the Elders want right now is information. Understood?"

The room nodded in unison.

"Perfect. You are all dismissed; leave immediately."

09: HAVIC

We walked through the woods heading towards the first outer city on our list. Sariah and Keegan took the rear, while Bem and I led. Thank God I couldn't see how disgustingly cute Sariah and Keegan were being, but hearing it was just as annoying. They were exchanging banter, giggling and flirting. I managed to keep my envy in check until out of the corner of my eye I saw them start swinging hands.

"What are you two, twelve?" I muttered jealously.

"In need of some affection?" Bem teased, sliding her hand down my back to my ass. I shrugged her off; annoyed that she would patronize me in front of them.

"We're here, let's get this over with," I said to Bem. I quickly headed off to the first home.

"We've come from Paramount to interview you," I said when I heard footsteps behind the door.

"We're not coming out!"

"All right," I said, "then let us in."

"No!"

I hadn't expected a "no" and frankly didn't have a contingency plan.

"Would you let him read your mind then? Only fellow Aura can do that and we have to have as much information as we can so we can protect you," Bem suggested.

"All right then, but you'll have to do it through this closed door."

"Can you?" Bem asked me.

"I don't see why not," I answered back, then to the people behind the wall added, "Just think about that day, all right?"

I didn't read minds often--it was one of my lesser skills. I really just moved objects, but I was willing to try. I agreed with Iris, we had to have as much intel as possible and I would do my part to the fullest of my ability. I closed my eyes. I knew she was behind the door and I focused on that. Focused on what I could hear, sense, feel.

At first, all I got was a general idea of what had happened. They'd seen them looming at the village's edge. It was odd, but not alarming. Then, I was hit by the blast of a specific memory.

I could feel the variety of feelings woven into the day she was remembering like they were my own. I took a deep breath and let it wash over me.

She'd been sitting in the grass, with an open book in her lap that she wasn't really reading. The sun was warm; her smile felt soft and melted on her face as she leaned back on her hands to soak it up.

There was a gurgling sound that drew her attention. She turned and saw a woman who lived not far from her laying on the ground with a beast at her throat. It kept ripping and ripping; blood bubbling out from the tears its teeth had made, but the only sound was the gurgling of the liquid oozing from her mouth.

There were no screams; just sad fading eyes. Her mind began to shake in terror, the memory twitching as I processed it from her mind. I didn't need to see more, and I broke the connection.

I lagged behind as we walked back, disturbed by what I'd just seen and the obvious direction this problem was headed in: war. But it didn't just feel like revenge. It felt like much, much more.

"They wouldn't come out, too scared. They let Ajani read their mind, though," I heard Bem explain to Sariah.

"It looks like they staked them out first. A couple people saw some Low-Banguri lingering around just outside the city," I added, joining them.

"Why wouldn't that raise alarm?" Keegan asked.

"This territory—since it's one of the furthest out—is right next to the Banguri land. There hasn't been a problem before after the treaty was signed. Each side just left the other alone," I explained. I pulled out my communicator and tapped the screen to turn it on.

"What are you doing?" Sariah asked curiously.

"They're making a request for someone to guard their water supply," I explained as I typed out a message to send to Lanni. "All of these cities have plumbing to bring the water inside the houses—which, as you know, is important—they're afraid that the Banguri will tamper with it."

"Why?" Keegan asked.

"To make them come outside," Bem answered. "The Banguri don't have advanced technology like we do. Our people are only vulnerable if they leave their homes."

"They're hunting us, aren't they?" Sariah asked.

"Yes," I answered, and we need to know why.

We briskly headed out to the next city. It was some twenty miles or so off according to the communicator. We could jog for about ten more miles and then stop to rest for the night. It felt good to run, it always did. The exercise cleared my mind and lately I had a lot that I needed to clear out. I couldn't get Sariah out of my mind, and even though I logically knew she was Keegan's, there was a part of me that wouldn't give up the hope that I could change her mind.

"Keegan, Sariah," Bem shouted from beside me. "The mini-atlas on the communicator shows a stream just ahead. We'll camp near there for the night.

"Good, I could use some rest," I said to Bem as we came to a stop.

She arched an eyebrow at me invitingly.

I closed my eyes and opened up her pack telepathically. Her octave flew over her head and levitated between us.

"I'll set theirs up and then take care of ours," I explained before heading towards Sariah. She was stooped down by the creek looking into the water.

"This is an octave," I said, holding it up face level to show her. "It has eight different forms it can take. There's one in your pack. There's a side button that pops out a compartment that holds it, just so you know. This one is Bem's; I'll set it up for you."

I tapped a side and it glowed. Setting it down on the ground, I motioned her and Keegan to step back. Nothing happened for a moment, and then it dissolved into tiny squares that spread like rolling marbles across the grass. Even though I knew it was just clever science, I still liked to believe it was magic.

"This is the night-house form," Bem said from behind us. "Just room enough for two. You and Keegan will sleep here and Ajani and I will sleep in his. Once the sun, hits it automatically goes back into its octagon shape, so be sure you're— _decent._ "

I looked over at Bem and she winked mischievously at me.

"There's the creek too," I muttered over my shoulder as I turned and walked away. I made sure to put some good distance between our night-houses. I didn't want to be able to hear what they'd be up to.

"Goodnight," I heard Bem say.

"Wait," Sariah added suddenly, "aren't we going to take turns keeping watch over our camp?"

"This isn't a First-Plane western," I shot back, answering for Bem. "We're telekinetic; we'd be able to sense them before they were within a mile of us."

"I just thought—

"Don't worry," Bem said reassuringly. "They wouldn't attack _us_. Even though they're attacking the outer cities, they wouldn't go so far as that."

I wasn't interested in the rest of their conversation and took refuge inside my set-up night-house. The ground was hard, but being off my feet felt good. Sariah was probably right about staying on watch. I hadn't really thought of it, in my mind we were far superior. Why would they be cocky enough to attack us? But then again I was displaying a lot of overconfidence by just thinking that.

"Do I tease you too much?" Bem asked as she came in.

"A little," I confessed.

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering herself on top of me.

"How sorry?" I asked, mimicking her raised eyebrow.

"Very sorry."

Bem's hand guided me to lie flat on my back. She rocked against me as she undressed herself and then then rolled my own suit down below my hips. I groaned as she slid her tongue up my shaft before submerging my dick in her mouth.

Fuck, we were so in tune to each other sexually. I guess that's what happens when you're with the same person for cycles upon cycles. Ironic that she was the only person I'd ever been with. Would being with Sariah feel the same? No, it would be better, which was quite a hard thing to imagine.

Bem took me deep, and the wet suction of her mouth had me on the brink. I made a throated rich growl, curling my hand into her short hair to guide her back to my mouth. She kissed me hard and I flipped her abruptly on her back. I pulled her hands above her head and held them there. I took turns licking the nipple of each breast, making it hard and pronounced before sucking and pulling at it with my teeth.

I watched her smooth skin prickle with goosebumps and her body arch hungrily towards me. With one hard forward thrust of my hips, I took her. She moaned, wrapping her legs around my waist. Spurring my ass with her heels, encouraging me to go deeper, harder. This was what it was like with us: rough, lustful, satiating. Nothing tender, nothing sweet. Just rawness, both of us probably thinking of someone else while satisfying our bodies together.

I dipped my head low, kissing Bem more sweetly than I normally did. Why? Was it because I wanted this warmth encompassing me to be Sariah? Probably. Bem's moan in my mouth snapped me back to reality and I released her from my kiss, biting her neck like I knew she liked and she screamed, coming relentlessly hard beneath me. I pushed on working her out, until her body clenched again and she came quickly with me.

I rolled off her and pulled my suit back up.

"Are you ever going to make a move?" Bem asked from beside me.

"Is this going to become a regular after-sex topic?"

"Probably."

I sighed. Standing up, I redressed.

"I won't make a move until I'm positive she has feelings for me too," I told her.

Abruptly, I held a hand up, silencing Bem before she'd even begun to make a response.

"I just felt something. Get dressed."

I stepped outside and listened. Something wasn't right. Something had changed. But it was dark and I saw nothing. I was toying with the idea of waking up Sariah and Keegan to see if they could sense or see anything when I heard a snarl. Turning on my heel, l I saw a large bear-sized beast crossing the creek.

"Bem," I called, "wake the others! We have company."

As soon as she poked her head out of the tent, another one lunged at her. She screamed, barely able to hold it back from snipping her head off. I quickly threw telekinetically punched in to its side, throwing it off her so she could arm her deku and kill it. As soon as I saw she was all right, I headed towards the beast who'd just crossed the creek. It saw me coming and beelined, moving incredibly fast towards Sariah and Keegan's night-house. It broke a hole into it, thrusting half its body through the opening it'd made.

I heard Sariah scream and I automatically grabbed it with my powers; a sort of improvised telekinetic grip. There was no way in hell I would let anything happen to her, whether we were ever together or not. It took a lot to hold it, and after a few seconds I won and the beast flew back out, landing hard on the ground. I couldn't hold it and get my weapon. Panicking, I began to try to crush it with my bear strength, but I was tiring and the beast had gotten up and was edging slowly towards me. I felt a breeze and suddenly the beast fell, legless, to the ground.

But the battle wasn't over. Two more were headed towards Keegan and another towards Bem directly. I armed my deku quickly into my preferred weapon, a katana and ran forward. I could see Bem wrestling with one that looked like a large lion. I heard Sariah scream Keegan's name and I stopped turning towards the sound. Keegan was barely holding one off, its teeth gnashing wildly against his axe-style deku. This was a disaster. I had to make a choice of who to help first: Keegan or Bem. Bem was a seasoned fighter, so I went to Keegan.

The beast was so focused on ripping him to pieces that I snuck up and quickly decapitated him. Then I turned and headed back towards Bem. I could see her still wrestling with that beast. I threw my deku like a spear and it sunk between the beast's eyes. It howled, bucking up before falling with a thud face first onto my deku.

Shit.

Now I wouldn't be able to get my weapon back until it ascended. I heard Bem scream and saw the lion-like Banguri sink its teeth into her thigh. Her deku was off to the left on the ground and I levitated it quickly to me. With a burst of energy I pushed the beast off her before stabbing it directly in the heart.

"Bem! Are you all right? We have to get you out of--"

Suddenly the wind was smacked out of me as Bem flipped me over and fell full weight on top of me. She coughed and blood splattered on my chest. I looked up at her and looked over to the monster. It had a single horn like a rhino that was dripping in crimson. He'd pierced Bem right through her heart.

"Hold on, Bem!" I said, cradling her to me. The beast was going to attack again, but I couldn't just leave her. She felt limp in my arms. I thought of her, I thought of Jet, and a surge of anger swept through me. This wasn't happening again, I wouldn't let it.

The beast lunged and I stopped it with one hand. I felt just like I had that night Jet had died: stronger, angry, and determinedly wild. I got up and lunged at the animal with the only weapon I had left.

I bit its neck like a wild animal and punched it repeatedly with my hands. It screamed, trying to get away, but I wouldn't let up. I felt a smack from behind and went flying, skidding across the ground. I saw the stars and wondered if Jet still remembered me. I'd failed twice now.

_I'm so sorry_ , I heard Sariah's voice say in my head.

_You're not getting rid of me that easily,_ I thought back.

I felt the pressure of her hands on my chest as she bent forward and kissed my forehead. I felt some of her energy soar into me, and my body jolted fully back to life. She'd given me some of her strength to make sure I would survive. She did care, she did. Before I realized I was doing it, I had my hand affectionately on the base of her neck in a light caress.

"You're all right," I said, sighing in relief. She didn't pull away and my hand slid down her back to the curve of her thigh.

"I can't believe you're worrying about me," she muttered in disbelief.

_Sariah,_ _I—_

_Don't_ , she thought back cutting me off. _I liked it better when you didn't let me into your mind._

I was about to confess to her how I felt but, she halted me. It was too soon. For now it was enough that I knew she cared.

"Bad news, Ajani." said Keegan's voice.

Fuck. I'd forgotten that he was here. The sound of his voice had Sariah pulling back from me.

"Bem is dead," Keegan told Ajani. "We tried to get to you faster, to help you, but we just couldn't. I'm sorry."

_Bem._ Everything that had just happened rushed back. We'd been attacked, I'd helped Keegan and then rushed back to help Bem. She'd taken the brunt of the hit to protect me. Now, I closed my eyes, reeling in my emotion. I couldn't let them see. I couldn't fall apart. I had to make sure they both made it back to Paramount. I couldn't be responsible for any more deaths. Not today.

"It's not about that," I heard Sariah say aloud. I was confused and opened my eyes to find her facing Keegan. They were in the middle of an argument, but I was sure I'd only heard her last sentence aloud. How often did they talk telekinetically? It'd never occurred to me that she'd talk to him that way. Typically a full-blown conversation was too intense for someone who wasn't telepathic as well. A second voice in your head was too much for most minds to handle. But she was different, no, they were both different and to be fair, the Aura didn't really understand the scope of their own power. Who knew what the limits really were?

"Ajani, do you think I can bring Bem back?" Sariah asked me directly.

"Bring her back?" I echoed. Did she mean back from the dead?

"Like how I healed you. I think I can heal her by giving her some of my own energy."

"No one has done that before," I said uneasily.

"I want to try." Sariah headed back towards where our night-house had been.

"It's probably too late," I said again, calling after her.

"Where is she?" Sariah shouted back.

"She's ascended. There's nothing left of her."

10: HARDWARE:

I stood up slowly, feeling a bit woozy. I'd definitely gotten injured during that fight, but at least nothing felt broken. Keegan had contacted Paramount and was waiting for a response from Lanni. He had an arm wrapped possessively around Sariah. My jealousy flared and Keegan's eyes locked with mine. He pulled her closer and unblinkingly stared me down, clearly sending me a message. Smug bastard. I turned away, sickened by my own envious desires. I should want to claim what was already someone else's. I should want to find a happiness of my own, but I had this sickening feeling that I couldn't shake: my chance had already come and gone.

"Are you able to track them?" Lanni's voice asked through the communicator.

We didn't cover tracking in our training," Keegan snapped back.

"I know we're putting a lot of pressure on you, but can you or Sariah sense any survivors from the Banguri pack that targeted you?"

Sometimes cheetah Auras, like Keegan and Bem, could see traces of someone, like a scent almost. Bem hadn't been able to do that. Could Keegan? He stared at the ground for a moment before asking Sariah if she could sense any of them still alive or near us. She paused before closing her eyes and nodding yes.

"They didn't all jump in. One watched, just like before. When we started winning, it abandoned them."

"Which way did it go?" Keegan asked her.

"North," she whispered.

"Yes," Keegan said, addressing Lanni again through the communicator, "we can track them."

"Good, follow them. Don't engage, but if you can find their nest send that data back to us."

"What if they catch us? We're not prepared to fight them again. They've evolved and _we're_ not ready," I interjected, moving closer to the communicator so I could be heard.

"Please do this, we need that data," Lanni urged.

"Fine—how do I get the data back to Paramount?" Keegan said.

"Just find their nest and hit the compass button. It'll generate a beacon for your location and show you the map to the next nearest transporter. Watch them for a while; see what they're doing. How big are these rebel nests? How many leaders? Any information that'll help us understand what we're up against."

"All right," he agreed.

"I also wouldn't advise splitting up," Lanni said.

Keegan disconnected the communicator without a response. I was just as irritated as he was. Heading towards a Banguri camp was idiotic. Iris must be scared they'd be able to win this time.

"When we get back," Keegan said to Sariah, "we're leaving. They can't just send us on suicide missions. They don't even know what we're up against. All of their knowledge is based on information prior to the treaty. They have no idea what the Banguri could have evolved into."

"All right," Sariah said, agreeing without any protest.

"You'd just leave the protection of the city?" I asked her.

"Maybe there's another city out there that's safer," Keegan shot back.

"We don't know what's out there," I pushed, talking directly to Sariah. "Even with the attacks, _our_ city, Light City, is still the safest place."

"It's not your fucking concern," Keegan shouted at me. He came at me, grabbing me by the throat shoving me back against a nearby tree; his signature brute move. I was not impressed.

_Fuck this and fuck you!_ I thought furiously. I began pushing back against him, focusing my energy in to myself. I was going to propel his ass with one big telekinetic push. He wanted to fight, then I'd fight his ass dirty. I'd knock him down and then use whatever means I could to pummel his ass. I was sick of this shit. Just because he had Sariah didn't make him the better man!

"KEEGAN!" I heard Sariah yell at him. There was a moment of silence, and then he let me go with such abrupt force, I fell to my knees. I wonder if she'd said something to him telepathically.

"Don't be childish," Sariah scolded him aloud, and then the best thing happened. She came over to me and helped me back up. I didn't even try to keep the smile off my face. Keep showing what an ass you are and you'll push her right to me, dumb fucker.

"You said they went north; let's head that way," Keegan ordered.

"We're getting close. Stay low," Keegan commanded when we were near the Banguri camp.

I sat down by a tree. I knew I wasn't going any further. I was too worn out from the jog we'd done in order to catch up to the Banguri quickly.

"Stay here—both of you. I'm going to get a little closer. I just need to watch them for a few minutes and I don't have to get very close to do that," Keegan ordered in a low voice.

"We said we wouldn't split up," Sariah insisted.

"We're not. I'm just going a little bit ahead. We can't leave Ajani alone with him not being fully healed. He puts up a front around you, but I can see he is weak right now. We can't afford to lose another soul. Stay here and guard him. We need to know what they're up to and to send back their location through the communicator. We have to do this."

Sariah closed her eyes—clearly feeling this was a bad idea.

Keegan scooted to her and they sat forehead to forehead. I knew they were talking again and I looked away, closing my eyes to block out their intimacy.

I heard a roar and my eyes shot back open. _Fuck, Keegan had been spotted._

I scooted next to Sariah and put my hand on her arm.

"Don't move," I told her. I could feel how tense her body was as soon as I touched her.

"I have to help him!" she whispered frantically.

"Wait. Give him a chance to figure it out." This was the most logical answer, she had to see that. There were so many of them that we couldn't risk getting attacked or swarmed. Keegan could easily lose them with his speed and make his way back to us.

Sariah watched anxiously. Keegan got surrounded, fought his way out, but then was almost immediately sideswiped by the tail of one of the largest Banguri I'd ever seen. It sent him soaring like a rag doll. He skidded on the ground and then vanished.

"No!" Sariah screamed.

Lucky for us, there was so much chaos down by the portal that the Banguri didn't hear her. I threw an arm around her waist to hold her back from running forward.

"Please," I whispered in her ear, "if they attack, I won't be able to protect us. You have to be quiet. You have to calm down."

I was surprised when she immediately turned around and threw herself fully into my arms.

"I can't lose him," she wailed, crying hysterically.

Keegan falling into that portal was like a fairy godmother making an unspoken wish come true. But it wasn't right and I knew that. I wanted Sariah for myself but not at the cost of her being heartbroken. Her energy mirrored mine that night when Jet died, and my heart broke for her. So I held her, rocking her in my arms, trying to comfort her as best I could.

"It'll be all right," I cooed. "I'll get him back for you."

My heart hurt. I didn't even like that fucker, but I couldn't bear to see her so upset.

11: HEADWAY

"I'm going after Keegan, end of discussion," Sariah yelled at the Aura elders. She was standing in the middle of the council room, in front of all of them.

_I could make them do what I want,_ she thought vehemently to me. Her aggression surprised me. Usually she wasn't like this. She must be panicking.

_I wouldn't advise it. If you turn on the Auras you'll be viewed as a Banguri,_ I thought to her.

I'd been leaning against a wall at the edge of the room behind her, and I could physically see her back and shoulders tense as she heard my voice in her mind.

_They would "view" me as a Banguri. They're human like us, how different could we really be?_ she thought back.

_Keep a cool head. They'll let you go. They won't turn down your offer because they need intel on the Banguri. Especially now that they know about the portals,_ I reasoned with her.

_You should have let me go! I could have saved him,_ her heart cried out to me.

_You'll still save him,_ I thought back earnestly. _There's still time._

"Sariah," said the High-Elder, "you can go after Keegan, but if you do, you will be acting alone. Our numbers are already dwindling and we cannot afford to lose any more of our forces. We have to safeguard Light City at all costs. However, you going to First-Plane could save us all if you can figure out what the Banguri are after. We can get a few steps ahead of them and make sure they never take over Second-Plane."

"I will go with her," I announced.

Sariah exhaled in frustration. She didn't want me to go, eh? Well, too bad! I'd made a promise in those woods and even if it meant we'd never be together, I was going to keep it. If I truly loved her, I'd fight for her happiness even if it didn't lead her to me.

Besides, it would be idiotic for her to try to do this alone.

"We're to let _two_ telekinetic Aura travel to First-Plane?"

"We'll leave whether you sanction it or not," I said.

There was an awkward silence, like a showdown between the council and us. They began murmuring to each other. I watched them. With the way they were whispering, I knew now it wasn't a matter of them not letting us go but of what they wanted from us in return.

"Very well, you and Ajani may go, but you're to use the communicator to send as much information back to Paramount as you can--camp locations, weapons, numbers; anything that's going to help our _cause_. Remember, you'll have to heal yourselves too. Stay diligent. Do not risk ascension."

Sariah tapped her foot impatiently, and her attitude must have irritated Iris because she launched into a scolding lecture.

"The idea of sex with someone other than Keegan might be distasteful to you," said Iris "but, Sariah, we cannot afford for you to die. Your energy would disperse to God knows where and we need you _here._ We need Keegan too, which is why we're letting you go."

"Duly noted," she snarled.

Sariah was out of the council room as fast as she could, and as soon as she was outside she said to me, "You don't have to go with me."

"Of course I do," I said softly. "I can't let you go by yourself."

She stopped, turning on her heel, glaring wildly at me. God, she looked magnificent. Her face was full of color, her eyes were vibrant; she looked fierce. I knew she was going to yell at me but, damn, she was mesmerizing.

"You didn't care about Bem. You don't care about Keegan. You don't really care about me. You just want to fuck me and this is just a really jacked-up attempt to get me to trust you!"

We were so much alike. I lashed out just like that when I was upset. I thought about all the irrational moments I had. She was trying to push me away because she was hurting. It was mind-blowing to see a reflection of myself within her. She was desperate, upset, scared, and my heart sunk a little because I knew the reality of us being together when she felt this way about Keegan wasn't likely to happen, but I'd show her I could be a good friend. I'd let Jet and Bem down, but I wouldn't fail her. I'd find a way to bring Keegan back to her, no matter what.

_Go drink some water and calm the fuck down,_ I thought to her. _I'll meet you at the teleportation station in ten minutes_.

"He's still alive," I told her. We were standing side by side on the dock and Lanni was getting ready to send us to the closest outpost to Banguri territory.

Sariah was quiet, either deep in thought or trying to ignore me, but I kept pushing.

"Have you felt a surge of energy hit you?" I asked.

"No," she answered back, looking curiously over at me

"Then Keegan is still alive. You'll know when he's dead."

"How do you know?"

"I've already been through the loss of my soul mate. I know what it feels like."

Her face changed, as if she were realizing just how much I could understand the position she was in. Perhaps I'd given her the wrong impression. She'd said that I just wanted to fuck her, and that wasn't true. I just wasn't good at expressing myself. I wanted _her_ and in my mind that meant body, heart, soul. I wanted everything, not just a piece of her. I wanted to have what was taken away from me all those cycles ago. I wanted a second chance.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," she offered as an apology.

"No, don't be. Most of what you said was true."

"Most?" Sariah asked. I looked over at her and she grinned back at me.

"You were wrong about Bem. We were fighting partners, so of course I care that she's gone. You are right about Keegan. I don't care for him, never have. He's a first-class twat half the time."

The rest of that sentence I had to say telepathically, I didn't want Lanni hearing something so private and this might be the only chance I'd ever have to at least tell her how I felt, even if it amounted to nothing.

_I care about you. We're friends, Sariah. If never anything else, we're friends; I can't let you do this on your own, so I won't. But we both know what I feel for you is more than just wanting to fuck you._ _Just because they told you Keegan was your venku doesn't mean he is._ _I'm just as worthy of you as he is, but you never let me close enough to show you._

_No one made me love Keegan_ , was the only thing she thought back.

_You need Keegan,_ I thought back, _you don't want him. I want you and I need you, and even though you deny it, you want and need me too. That's why I won't let you go alone._

"All right, we're all set. Ready?" asked Lanni, eerily giddy. "Go bring your hunk of venku-meat back!"

"What are you doing?" I asked Sariah.

She was sitting in the middle of a stream. It was the first one we'd come across since we'd gotten off the transporter dock.

"Finding those portals," she answered back.

She closed her eyes, entering into a trance. I'd never seen any other Aura do that before. She sat there for about five minutes before her body swayed and she fell over into the water. I went to her immediately and her eyes opened as soon as I touched her.

"Are you all right," I asked.

She blinked but said nothing and then she passed out and her face sunk into the water.

"Sariah!" I shouted as I scooped her back up. She'd done too much and now her chi was too low. I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and closed my eyes. Please, let me be able to just give her some of my strength. I couldn't lose her. I don't have to have her, but I can't lose her. I felt her stir in my arms, and relief washed over me immediately.

"How were you able to just do that non-sexually?" she asked.

"Guess your theory about transferring energy was right," I said, looking down at her.

"I'm not as strong as I thought I was," she confessed.

"No, you're stronger. You just stretched yourself miles out. No other Aura can do that."

"But I'm too weak now to make sense of what I saw," she said hopelessly. Her eyes were so sad, I couldn't bear it. I'd do anything for her.

"Let me help you," I said, caressing my face. My hand warmed as I sent her another wave of energy. Then it happened--her eyes changed and I saw it. Recognition; she had feelings for me too.

"It'll mean nothing to me" she said and I knew she was lying. She might not leave Keegan, but if I kissed her now, it would still mean something to her. I made no response back other than leaning forward. Our lips touched and I felt a surge rush through my body, our energy mixing. But it was more than that. God, it was so much more. She took over the kiss almost instantly, deepening it with the soft push of her tongue as she pulled me closer to her. She was letting me in. Even if for just a moment, she was letting me in. I pulled back and studied her face, wanting to catch her emotion before she masked it away. She was flustered and aroused, and it was sweetest validation.

"There," I said huskily, "now we're even for when you saved me in the woods."

"They're north of us," Sariah said awkwardly, still lying in my arms. "A few Middle-Banguri, but no leader that I can sense. They're grunts being sent in as reinforcement. They have a portal open. We can take them out and run through. They'll try to close the portal, but if we're close and fast before they see us, we'll have a chance of getting through."

"All right, then," I muttered more to myself than to her as I helped her up. "Let's go get that one true love of yours."

12: HOODWINKED

Sariah and I were lying flat on our stomachs on a hill above the Banguri camp. We had finally made it here. Now we just had to wait for a portal to open up.

_How do you want to attack_? I thought to her

There aren't a lot of them.

_I noticed that too._ It was dark and our vision was limited.

_I wish I had Keegan's vision,_ Sariah thought to me _. He can see souls._

_We can read minds,_ I reminded her.

_I know, but I can't risk them knowing we're here,_ she reasoned back.

_There are some things we haven't talked about yet,_ I said.

_Unbelievable,_ she snarled.

I was amused and pleased, frankly. That kiss must have done a little number on her if she was just going to assume every time I wanted to talk to her, it was about _us._ Was there even an us? I had thought no, but her reaction made me think, maybe?

_Everything's not about you, Princess,_ I thought back chidingly. _What's our plan if we get in the portal and some of them follow us?_

_We kill them,_ she thought back. _We can't risk them letting anyone know we've arrived._

_Can you do it?_ I asked. I'd never mentioned it to her, but I had seen how she froze during the fighting when we were attacked. It was ironic that she was hesitant to kill when I was pretty sure she was stronger than any Aura on this plane.

_What—are you suddenly anti-killing?_ she thought back.

No, I can kill without a second thought, but you can't.

She didn't have a response back, and I realized my assumption about her had probably been more accurate than I thought.

_Let's worry about that when we have to worry about I,_ I reasoned.

There was a flash down below us. A portal had been opened.

_Let's go,_ she thought.

_Wait—what are they doing?_ I asked, squinting in the dark.

We stared in silence for a few minutes and then I heard Sariah suck in a gasp beside me.

They're sending Low-Banguri.

_We've got to move_ , I thought. _We have to get to that portal, and, as soon as they'll see us they'll try to close it. Wait to strike until the last possible moment. Ready?_

I reached wordlessly for my deku, turning it into a sword. I waited as she followed my lead turning her deku into the same type of weapon.

_Ready?_ I asked again.

Ready.

We took off down the hill in a fury. I pushed everything else out of my mind but getting us to that portal alive. Nothing else mattered right now. I had to focus. Sariah was counting on me.

_Fan out—take the right,_ I telepathically instructed to her.

I reached a Banguri first and swept past it easily. I dodged those I could and wounded the ones I couldn't. There were two High-Banguri just ahead. I slipped up behind them and snapped their necks one at a time before darting off again. My heart twanged in regret, but I shut it off. I had to focus. Now wasn't the time for sentiment. I kept an eye on Sariah as I progressed. We were close. We were going to make it. Then suddenly I saw her trip.

_SARIAH!_ I yelled telepathically.

Even though she was back up quickly, she was already surrounded by Low-Banguri.

A couple lunged at her, but she fought back, defending herself easily. Then she froze. She had a High-Banguri held with her powers. Fuck, she was freaking out; closing down.

_MOVE!_ I ordered desperately, and thank God she snapped back to life.

We were making good progress and I was headed towards her so I could help her if she needed it. I saw her fall again, but I was just a few feet behind her and pulled her back up to her feet. There were a couple closing in on us and I turned to fight them.

"Keep going!" I shouted. "Jump right into the portal. I'll be right behind you."

I telepathically flung some rocks at them, easily taking down the Low-Banguri that had been catching up to me. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, another one of those huge beasts that ambushed us in the woods hit me in the side. I hadn't seen it coming at all and I wasn't prepared to counter.

I wheezed on the ground wanting to get up, but I was completely winded. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Sariah. My mind was racing. Time felt like it slowed. I saw her falling into the portal, shouting my name. Over my shoulder I could see the beast headed back my way, and then he was hit in the side with such a force that he flew back more than fifty feet. I was stunned by what I'd just seen and then suddenly I was flying. Being pulled forward towards the portal like I'd been shot out of a cannon. Was Sariah doing this? If so, then she was much stronger than she even realized and her aim was fantastic! I hit her dead on and pushed through the portal, slamming into a wall on the other side.

I stood up, leaning against the brick alleyway wall for support.

I heard a wheeze as soon as I moved and looked down to see that I'd smacked Sariah against the wall.

"For fuck sake!" I cursed, shocked at how hard she'd propelled me into her. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," Sariah said, attempting to stand. She'd barely made it up before she fell back down. She gritted her teeth in pain.

"I'm going to lift you and lay your leg out straight. Hold on to me," I instructed. I bent, wrapping my arm around her waist and lifting her quickly up so I could straighten her leg.

"I don't know how you managed not to break it, but the skin got scraped almost clean to the bone. Tendons are probably shot. Water might make the pain lessen, but it won't be enough to heal you."

"Kiss me," she wheezed, tears dripping silently down her face.

"It must be unbearable if you're asking me to—

She shut me up. Grabbing my collar, she brought me heavily down on her mouth and the kiss was the most honest thing we'd ever said to each other. I pulled back, wanting to see her eyes. It was the only way to truly know how someone was feeling. You could hide it everywhere but your eyes.

"You _are_ attracted to me, aren't you?" I murmured.

She nodded, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"How long have you fought against your feelings for me?" I said softly, watching her closely as she answered.

She shrugged noncommittally.

"Will kissing you now change anything between us?"

"It won't," she told me quickly.

"But you can feel it?" I said, leaning my head against hers, a soft caress. "You can feel what we could have?"

"Yes," she confessed weakly.

"Yet, you'd still choose him over me?" I asked. I kissed the side of her face as I waited for an answer.

"I'll always choose him," she swore vehemently.

"You're so stubborn," I growled before kissing her. I pulled her into me, cradling her in the nook of my arm. I knew she was being honest and that a moment like this would not happen again. I'd have to let her go, she wasn't meant for me. But first, I'd heal her leg.

I tipped her head back and began unzipping her suit.

"If you orgasm, you'll heal even faster," I purred in her ear.

"Ajani!" she cried out. I watched her face; she was embarrassed because she _did_ want me even if she'd never act on it. I felt only a little guilty for getting her so worked up.

"Exactly what you'd be saying, but in a higher pitch," I promised teasingly.

I stroked my hand over her stomach and felt her push into my caress. She bit her lip, thinking that would make me not hear the delicious moan that seeped out. She was enjoying me touching her, but she was still nervous. I glanced at her leg. It was almost fully healed. She just needed a little bit more.

"Relax," I said as I continued to touch her in a tantalizingly slow pace, inching lower and lower. "Trust me with your body and let me heal you."

Her hand shot to mine, stopping me from moving any further, and I sat her up.

"Mrs. Keegan," I said regretfully, "your leg is all healed. We'd better get moving."

I helped her up and she looked around her, suddenly recognizing where we were.

_We're in First-Plane!_ she thought to me.

Are you sure?

Yes.

"Then no wonder why the Banguri have been trying to keep this hidden. Those murders and attack were probably just a distraction. We'll have to figure that out later. Try to reach out to Keegan; maybe you'll be able to guide us right to him," I suggested.

"What if I can't?"

"We'll go have sex somewhere until your powers are strong enough," I said with a sly devilish smile.

She blushed again, clearly worried about how she'd have to justify that to Keegan.

"I'm joking," I confessed. "We'll find him. Take your time and then just reach out to him."

She closed her eyes and within minutes they popped back open.

"I KNOW WHERE HE IS!" she shrieked excitedly. "He's just a few blocks from here in an apartment. My God, it worked! Thank you so much!"

She threw her arms around me and I took that hug willingly. I'd never regret helping her. I pulled back, checking my emotions before I said something stupid.

"Let's go," I said briskly. "Now when Keegan sees me and gets mad, you're going to vouch for me, right?"

"Of course, but you know the only reason he hates you is because you're constantly trying to take me from him."

"Fair enough," I said with a laugh. "We'd better hurry. The faster we find him the quicker we can get back."

We found the apartment easily. It was very close and the door was broken, so we just walked in through the lobby and up the stairwell. Sariah was like a scent-hound, somehow she just knew and she led us right to a door.

"Is this it?" I asked

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" I questioned. I was horrified that we might walk in on the wrong family.

"Positive. I'm going to knock."

"All right, somehow I managed to not lose my deku," I said as I checked my pack. I must have put it back on while running out of habit. "Looks like you have--"

I was cut off by the door being opened by a beautiful brunette.

"Can I help you?"

_I recognize her from Keegan's mind. He knows her,_ Sariah thought to me. She reached out immediately, grabbing the girl in a telepathic choke hold.

"Where is he?" Sariah demanded.

The door swung back hard, slapping against the wall. In the background I heard a shower shut off. I had positioned my hand on my deku when I felt the push of a familiar breeze.

"DROP HER!" Keegan ordered.

Sariah whipped around, immediately releasing her. The woman fell to the carpet with a loud thud wheezing, as she caught her breath. Keegan glared at Sariah angrily.

"You could have killed her!" he shouted.

"She's aware of that," I snapped defensively. "But she _didn't_ kill her, now did she?"

"Why was your first instinct to attack her?" Keegan asked Sariah.

Sariah was silent, speechless perhaps. She was probably in shock. We managed to track down a Banguri camp, get through a portal, find Kegan in another dimension, only for him to be defending some woman he'd shacked up with. Un-fucking-believable.

"Are you okay?" Keegan asked the woman. She nodded and immediately flung herself into his arms.

"You know we're stronger than they are," Keegan said to Sariah. "You have to be more care—

"Ease off!" I yelled, interrupting him. "She risked everything finding a way to come here, and instead of thanking her, you're cooing over some First-Plane human."

He released her and turned to me.

"We _used_ to be human, have you forgotten that?" Keegan growled.

The woman's eyes widened as she listened and Sariah sprinted out of the room.

"You don't deserve her," I spat at him. I was completely disgusted by how he was acting. He was her _venku_ ; he should show some fucking loyalty!

"Maybe I don't," he said, "but she still hasn't _chosen_ you, has she? She'll never be yours."

I wasn't prepared for such a direct response and I backed down immediately. What was I doing? I raked my hand through my hair and sat down on the couch. Keegan quickly left, going after Sariah, and I was left with the woman Sariah had almost choked.

"You love her?" she asked me.

"Do you love him?" I shot back. I wasn't going to tell this woman anything. There was something familiarly off about her.

"I didn't know he had anyone. He didn't remember anything," she explained, as she rubbed her neck. Between her fingers I saw Sariah's marks.

"I'm Ajani," I said.

"Eliza," she said, introducing herself back. "What are they doing in the hallway? I'm going out there. That woman is dangerous."

"Don't," I ordered. "What you'll see will only hurt; it'd be best for you to stay put."

Eliza ignored me, getting up and going out into the hallway.

"They're gone!" she said in disbelief.

"Yep," I said solemnly, "I knew they probably would be. They have a lot to _talk_ about."

"What do you mean?" she said, the color draining from her face.

"It'll be a while."

The color came back to her face. Poor girl, I almost felt sorry for her.

We heard them coming back down the hall faster than I'd expected; Keegan must be losing his touch. Or maybe they realized that there was more at stake than them just being able to fuck each other.

Eliza sprinted through the doorway as soon as she heard them. _Pathetic._ Was I that ridiculous? God, I didn't want to be an _Eliza._ But that's what I was, chasing after someone who was in love with somebody else. How could Keegan have such an effect on her when it's only been a day or day and a half at most? Unless there was a time shift between dimensions; who knows how much time could have passed here in First-Plane. Guess we wouldn't really know until we got back.

I could hear them bickering in the doorway, but I kept my seat. I'd done my part reuniting two torn-apart lovers; the rest, they could have. If it wasn't related to Second-Plane--my ears pricked. I swore I'd just heard Eliza say something about being a High-Banguri. I was about to get up when the three of them came back into the apartment on their own.

"Don't touch me," Eliza spat vehemently.

"Look," Keegan said, "I'm sorry for what's happened between us, especially if it brings you pain. But if you're a High-Banguri, then you should know that I'll never love anyone but my venku. With my memory back, which it would have eventually came back, anything between us would be minute compared to what I'll always feel for Sariah. Not to mention, the fact that you lied to me doesn't make me feel too sorry for you."

Sariah glanced over at me and blushed when we made eye contact.

"Where were you?" I asked before I realized what I was saying.

"Exactly where she chose to be," said Keegan, answering for her.

My eyes broke away from her and fell onto Keegan. He was exactly right. I'd lost, she'd chosen him. I had to back off and try to move on.

"We need to handle this situation and figure out how the hell we're going to get back to Second-Plane," I said to Keegan. "They're expecting us to return with intel, so, let's try to stay somewhat on task."

"Fair enough," Keegan agreed. He turned to Eliza, "Start talking."

Eliza looked shocked by the way things had turned out. She must have really thought she had a chance with Keegan and without a memory; it probably went quite far between them.

"Get used to it, kid," I mumbled.

"What?" Eliza asked, looking awkwardly at me.

"Unrequited love," I said with an inappropriate chuckle. "Be happy you had him for a moment, it's not likely it'll ever happen, even for a millisecond, again."

Eliza looked away from me, trying to tell herself what I'd just said wasn't true. She twisted her hands in her lap and then turned back to Keegan.

13: HICCUPS

"I know I don't deserve your help. I did know you were an Aura, but you were so different from them. I thought—," Eliza said, looking about timidly. "Keegan, you can't tell the Aura about the portals or about us being in First-Plane."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I know you're angry, Keegan, but you're not cruel. You've lived side by side with us for days. You know we're good beings. If you knew the situations we were so desperate to escape from, I know you would understand. I know you would help and you can help," Eliza said.

"Would your father have tried to kill me when he came back?" Keegan asked.

"No, he's not like that," Eliza insisted.

"But he hates the Aura?" Keegan pushed.

"Yes, but—"

"Then you don't know what he would have done," Keegan said, cutting her off. "Do your brothers know?"

"No, without the suit Auras are physically just like Banguri. They thought you were just acting weird because of your memory loss."

"You should have told me," he growled.

"How do you think we can help?" Sariah asked.

"Yes," I added, "your minions are killing newlies, but let's take a moment to hear how we can be of assistance to you—the great benevolent Banguri."

"I was hoping Keegan would speak to the Aura on behalf of us—"

"Not happening," Keegan retorted quickly. "You've lied to me for days. How can I even trust you, let alone defend your people to the Aura leaders?"

"How have you managed to keep your ability to travel to First-Plane hidden for so long?" Sariah asked.

"By killing newlies as a distraction; it was the only way. We have to be able to move High-Banguri safely to Earth. Otherwise our whole species will die," Eliza answered.

"What about the rest of the Banguri? You just abandon them?" I interjected.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"How frigid," I muttered, irritated by that answer. If all the leaders had that philosophy, no wonder the Banguri were always the underdog.

"No," argued Eliza back, "realistic. Banguri have a caste system. The Low-Banguri would be like wild animals that are very spontaneous and impulsive. They are led by simplistic urges and natural instincts. Middle-Banguri are like dogs, cats, elephants, whales; But because they are so large and so unearth-like, they'd stick out. We haven't quite figured out an integration plan for them. We High-Banguri are a people ruled by logic, compassion, morals, ethics. The most we can hope, at this point, is to save as many as we can."

"You're lying," I countered, calling her out. "We saw Low and Middle-Banguri traveling through the portals to Earth. Explain that?"

"I don't know anything about that," Eliza said.

"I need some air," Keegan said, getting up

"What's your proposal?" Sariah asked quietly.

Keegan promptly sat back down.

"My father is the political leader of this sector. He comes back in seven days. If you'll commit to working with us, seeing how we live and what we're like, I promise—regardless of whether you change your mind or not—to get you back to Second-Plane unharmed.

"How?" I asked. She really thought she could convince her father to allow safe passage back to Second-Plane. If I were him, I wouldn't. I'd kill us. As far as he knew, that was his best chance to protect his people and his power. Eliza was desperately making promises she couldn't keep so she could keep Keegan here longer and try to win him back.

"I'll make it happen, I swear it!" Eliza vowed.

"You'll have to tell your brother who we are. Will he go with your plan?" Sariah asked.

"Yes, we'd all do anything to save more Banguri life."

"If Keegan agrees, I'll go along with it too," I said. If Eliza could pull this off, it would be our easiest method back to Second-Plane. Otherwise, we could all die here just trying to get home; although, without Bem or Jet it wouldn't feel like home.

"Fine," Keegan agreed, relenting, "Seven days, we go back to Second-Plane, and if there is so much of a sideways glance, I'll wipe out your race myself."

Eliza cringed. She got up quickly, leaving the room, and then came back tossing a key at me, mumbled something about starting tomorrow, and then slammed the door so hard it wiggled in its hinges.

"You could have been nicer," Sariah said, scolding Keegan.

"Especially that bit about killing her whole race," I added, amused at his machismo act. It was just as bad as mine!

"That was more than a little presumptuous," I continued. "Even if there's only a hundred or so of them in this borough, we're vastly outnumbered. Although they don't have powers like we do; that does give us an advantage."

"Fuck off," Keegan muttered.

"Is it late, or is it early? I don't know the time here, but let's get some rest," Sariah said softly

"Fine," Keegan said, like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

"Fine by me too," I echoed. I spun the key in the air with my powers. "Which one of you is going to help me find my room?"

All three of them ignored me and left.

Irritated, I got up to leave the apartment.

"Hey!" I called after Eliza, "Which room does this key belong to?"

"I'll show you," said a tall man who looked eerily similar to Eliza, standing in the hallway talking to her. He ended his conversation and waved me to follow him out of the hallway towards the steps.

"Fine by me," I said, following him. I was assuming this was her brother and that he'd been quickly debriefed in a matter of minutes. I eyed him, quickly picking out his body's weaknesses if he made a move to threaten me.

"I'm Luke," he said, and then he offered me his hand to shake--which surprised the hell out of me. Maybe these First-Plane Banguri didn't hate the Aura as much. Maybe living here dulled wounds over time.

"Ajani," I said, giving him a firm shake back. "You know the whole story?"

"Somewhat," Luke said as we walked down the hallway. "I'd had my suspicions. No Banguri wears a suit like you all do."

"That is true," I agreed.

"But the younger Banguri who've lived here their whole lives wouldn't know that. Plus, he only wore it that first day and then he was dressed like us."

"Keegan gave your sister seven days to convince him to help you and to figure out how to get us back home."

"What happens after seven days?" Luke asked, eyeing me.

"We strike out on our own and try to sneak back out the way we came; through a portal."

"Not planning to massacre us in our sleep?"

"No, too much work."

Despite the awkwardness of the whole topic, for some reason we laughed.

"That key she tossed is an old studio on the main floor," Luke explained as we descended down the last of the steps. "It's usually for family friends coming through that just need a spot to rest before moving on. We never rent it out; too small really. My sister was rambling about how this was our chance to prove that Aura and Banguri can live together peacefully. I think her plan was for you all to work with us, live amongst us, that sort of thing, but really, as long as you don't cause any problems, I'm good. Is it true how you _feed_?"

"Yes, but it's not really what you think. Water will sustain us just fine."

"Just don't feed on any of the Banguri, okay? Our bodies can take it but not our hearts."

"You have my word," I promised.

If you need anything, next door is the diner we own. Just come in and have a seat at the breakfast bar. I'll bring you up some First-Plane clothes later too," Luke said as a farewell.

He closed the door quietly behind him and for the first time in a long time, I was alone.

It was no surprise to me once I was finally alone and things calmed down that I wouldn't be able to sleep. I got up and went down to the diner.

The booths were old vinyl and the voices of various customers were buzzing with vibrant energy. I couldn't tell the Banguri from the humans. There were waitresses hustling around like bees from table to table.

"Darla! Order up!"

I turned at the sound of Luke's voice. He was a cook. His head bobbed up and down as he fixed food, stretched to read new orders, and placed completed ones in the window.

"Come on back here," he said, catching my eye. He waved his hand at me, ushering me through the kitchen window to join him.

I walked through the diner into the kitchen. I was still in my suit and feeling awkward as hell. Everyone else was wearing clothes that lined up with my bleak impressions of First-Plane.

"See that bag over there?" Luke asked, pointing to a brown paper back rolled up on a chair seat. "I swung by my room and grabbed you a shirt and some pants. Should do for now. I didn't have time to bring them back to you, but there's an employee bathroom in the back if you want to change."

"Thanks!" I swept the bag up and followed in the direction of his pointed finger until I found a small unisex bathroom.

The tiling looked old, but it was clean. I was glad for that and wondered if when I'd lived on First-Plane naturally I'd been some type of neurotic clean freak. The idea seemed so normal after everything I'd experienced in this life that I couldn't help but smile. Once I was dressed, I balled up my suit and tossed it into the bag. I brought it with me back out and set it on the chair.

Luke was busy tending to various foods that I remembered were for breakfast but had no idea what they were called: a long meaty strip, rolling pinky-sized logs, sun-colored circles rimmed with white.

"Anything I can help you with?" I asked, watching him cut the sandwich in quarters and ding a bell in the window.

"Half the time they never even hear the bell. Guess I dinged it out of habit. Yeah, you can help," he said. "There's some onion rings I was in the middle of making before we got this breakfast rush. They're a popular dinner item. Take a ring, dip it in the wet, then the dry. There's an apron hanging on the wall."

"How'd you learn to cook like this?" I said as I found the apron and copied how he was wearing it.

"My family has been here a long time. The original owners were nice people. The diner and the apartment complex was theirs too. They willed it to my father when they died. Now it's a Banguri owned family business. It worked out perfectly."

"Did the owners know?"

"No," Luke said firmly. "At least, I never told them. They were good people. That apartment complex was part of this ministry they had going. People off the streets were welcome to stay for free if they worked here. We've tried to keep that going. It's mostly _our_ kind that live here. Once the owners died, we were able to move more people over here."

I nodded, listening while I worked. There were a few of the onion rings laid out already, and I followed his instructions and lined up each dunk-and-dusted ring onto the smooth wax paper on the iron sheet.

"What's it like being an Aura? There's another tray on the shelf below you, by the way, and a cart for you to stack them onto the left of the table."

I knelt, finding the tray, and began the process of filling it.

"Well, we had that war for a long time. Then there was peace, now there's war again."

"I was lucky to grow up here. My memory of the war is minimal, thank God."

"Auras can't reproduce, you know. That's why killing the newlies was so detrimental."

I hadn't meant to be so candid, and my hand froze mid dip of the onion ring waiting for his response.

"Both sides have had their casualties. I'd like to think it wasn't in vain, but I'm not that sure."

"There's no way it could have been you personally anyway. Not if you were raised here," I said, turning around. "But I have definitely had my hand in killing. No one is innocent. All we can do is move forward, try to be better. If you and your people can stay here in peace, then that's what you should do."

"You're exactly right," Luke said, giving me a peculiar look.

I realized I was spinning the onion ring telepathically a few inches above my hand.

"That's a cute parlor trick," Luke said, nodding his head towards the food.

"Sorry," I apologized guiding it into the patter with my mind. I quickly turned around and went back to work. I'd have to learn to be more careful about using my abilities. I was safe here, but not everyone in this diner was from Second-Plane.

I ended up working with Luke all day and when four o'clock came, he surprised me by offering to show me around. I agreed willingly. Not like there was anything else for me to do. I didn't want to be alone and I wasn't exactly friends with Sariah or Keegan. Luke was my best and really only option for company. I followed him out of the diner, stretching my arms as we walked. The sun felt good on my skin and the city felt fresh to me even though the day was almost over.

"You're not like your pals," Luke said as we moved down the sidewalk.

"Yeah," I muttered, unsure how much personal information I should give hi.

"Eliza and Keegan were kind of dating."

"I picked up on that. When we found them, she wasn't too happy to see Sariah," I said.

"Kind of her own fault. We were pretty sure he wasn't a Banguri and there's only one other option really for what race he could have been. She was just hoping he'd never remember his past. She's a bit...sentimental."

"I can relate to that," I admitted.

"That girl you came here with?" he asked, leaving the question open for me to finish.

"Yeah," I mumbled.

I saw Luke nod out of the corner of my eye. He got it but he didn't push it.

We went to a little shop and Luke bought me another pair of pants and a shirt. I had the shopkeeper grab whatever she thought would fit. I didn't really care what it looked like.

"I brought Keegan here too when he first arrived."

"Tradition?"

"Something like that, guess it's our way of keeping up that Christian attitude even though the very existence of a second plane defies the foundation of that religion. Still, I like the principles behind it. Be good to people, work hard, stay honest; it's nice. The owner of the shop is one of us. My family helped her acquire this little shop and she employs our kind."

"Did you have to get fake I.D. or..." I couldn't think of the First-Plane term.

"Yeah and Social Security numbers for taxes and all that," Luke added, finishing my thought. "I think my dad has it under a human's name. Not really sure how that works, but it's been all right so far."

"Bet you had to re-learn a lot about this plane."

"Some things, yes. Let's grab a drink. I have some questions I want to ask you."

We walked a few blocks down and rounded the corner to a pub.

As we strode in, pushing through a thick, heavy wooden door, a middle-aged man with snowy hair and a crispy matching beard nodded to Luke and we sat down in corner booth.

"Is he one of us?" I asked.

"No, but I've been coming here as soon as he'd allow me to have a pint."

A lily-white girl with a reddish tint to her blonde hair walked up to us. Luke ordered a couple of drinks. She eyed me suspiciously before heading over to the bar to place our orders.

"She doesn't look too happy," I said.

"She's been feenin' for me lately. She probably assumes we're a couple since I've never brought anyone here before. Usually I come alone."

I blushed an unmanly shade of red, although no shade of red is really masculine.

Luke watched me curiously and then suddenly asked, "Wait, are you gay?"

"It's complicated," I stuttered and then realized that was basically a yes and decided to rephrase my answer.

"My people awaken in pairs so our soul mate is already chosen for us; a 'pre-destiny sort of deal."

"It's not a big deal or even a deal at all," Luke said. "What happened to him?"

"Dead," I answered in an even, unfeeling tone.

The waitress slipped the glasses on our table, curtly asked if we needed anything else, and then didn't wait for an answer before leaving.

"How did the three of you get separated and why is there only three and not four? Aura fight in pairs, right?"

"We lost my fighting partner when we were ambushed and then we tracked our attackers back to a camp. Keegan fell through the portal. Then we found another camp and got through the portal ourselves."

"I see. What were you attacked by?"

"Large animals," I answered. I was unsure how specific I should get since we were out in public.

"Sounds like our high-caste," Luke said, and took a sip of his drink.

"Why do you ask?"

"Let's just say that things on this plane haven't been adding up lately."

"Problems with the Banguri being sent through the portals?" I asked with a low voice.

"Eliza mentioned that. This is new to us, but there are only two people with portal-making powers that I know of and that would be my parents. I'm not sure what my mother is up to but believe me, it's probably all tied together and _not_ sanctioned by the Banguri leaders or my father."

"It could be bad if too many of them end up roaming the streets. People could get hurt or worse."

Luke nodded in agreement and I took my first swig of my beer. I almost spat it out. It tasted like piss and smelled pretty much the same. Luke grinned, chugging a fourth of his down and I refused to be outdone. He laughed as I gasped, still disliking the flavor but enjoying the warmth in my throat.

"Beer is fine, but don't eat the food. Our bodies can't handle solids."

"What happens?"

"You get horny and then piss a lot. It's bizarre."

I laughed and he chugged the rest of his beer and then waved down the pouty waitress who had a crush on a man she had no idea wasn't even human.

14: HIP

I'd been watching Sariah clumsily stumbling over herself all morning from the kitchen. It was going to be difficult moving, on but after my talk with Luke I realized there were other things for me to do besides fawn over someone else's lover. Yes, Jet was dead, but I was alive and he'd want me to live. I was going to make good on my offer to help the Banguri, and when I was done with that perhaps I'd just stay in First-Plane. Maybe I'd find a new life here. All I knew for sure was that I didn't want to be an afterthought anymore.

"She's such a horrible waitress," Luke said from beside me.

"And all she's doing is shadowing your actual waitress," I said, agreeing with him.

"Darla," Luke called, waving the tall brunette waitress over. He pushed the white plate forward, filled with a traditional dinner meal of country-fried steak. "Kindly suggest to Sariah that she can help with the dishes."

Darla cleared her food out of the window and smiled. "Sure!"

"God, the legs on her," Luke muttered as she walked away, tray in hand.

"I hadn't noticed, but now that you mention it," I said with an exaggerated stretch so I could see over the window.

"Off limits," Luke growled.

I laughed heartily and Luke immediately saw that I was just teasing and his face relaxed in a smile.

"Don't fuck with me! I've been sweet on her for cycles upon cycles."

"Have you ever made a move?" I asked.

"No, not really, I'm her boss, could get weird."

We'd been talking and watching as Darla made her way back to Sariah after dropping off her food to the appropriate table. Sariah had been clearing away some old dishes and she looked relieved when Darla came back. After a moment, Darla collected the rest of the dishes and led Sariah back to the dish room. As she passed, she gave Luke a quick wink before vanishing out of our sight.

"Did you see that?" Luke asked in excited disbelief.

"Oh, I saw it!" I said encouragingly.

"Fuck! I don't have the stomach for courting; one day, though, one day."

More orders came through and I headed to the walk-in fridge to grab refills for the garnishes we were low on. I saw Sariah; sleeves rolled up and arm deep in an old-fashioned sink. I stopped to talk to her.

"Can we talk for a moment, Sariah?"

I saw her shoulders stiffen at the sound of my voice and it pained me that I made her so uneasy. She sighed and my pain turned to anger. She didn't have to be so--stuck up.

"Just hear me out," I said, irritated.

"Fine," she snapped. She turned around, crossing her arms defensively.

"I'm not going to pursue you anymore. I shouldn't have from the start. I'm just envious, I realize that now. I'd never mean as much to you as Keegan does—and I'd—I'd rather be your friend than nothing at all. All right?"

She was frozen there, stunned and speechless.

"What the hell?" Luke said from the front of the kitchen. We both turned to see what was going on only to hear Keegan come through the back door of the kitchen.

"Sariah!" Keegan said, rushing towards her. "We've got to go. Eliza's father is here early. He'll be here any minute! We need to go back to the apartment and wait for Eliza. She's got a plan to get us back to Second-Plane."

"What?" All three of us—Luke, Sariah, and I—said in bewildered unison.

"There's no time to explain. I'm just glad I made it here before they did."

I heard the diner doorbell chime and turned just in time to see a large, authoritative man walking in.

"Dad," Luke greeted him nervously. "We need to talk."

The man ushered for the others with him to sit down and he made his way directly to where we were. Luke began to explain, trying to introduce us, but his father raised a hand, silencing him.

"I know what they are, and frankly this was bound to happen eventually. Under any other circumstances," Eliza's father stated, "I would have killed you today, but lucky for you, the Banguri and the Aura are going to need to become fast friends or we'll all be extinct."

"What are you talking about?" I asked urgently. "What's happened?"

"Second-Plane is being attacked by other beings that we've never seen before."

"Another Aura race?" I asked.

"Possibly; at first we thought they were coming for us, but they've pillaged at least ten outer cities already. Lucky for us the time shift between dimensions is to our advantage here in First-Plane."

"Time shift?" I asked.

"Every day here is only one hour in Second-Plane."

"Then barely any time at all has passed since Ajani and I left," Sariah calculated.

"What are you planning?" Keegan asked.

"We can't move Banguri that fast, it takes time and we don't have that anymore. We'll have to get however many we can and hope they never discover the portal-maker. At least that was my plan before I knew we had three Auras living amongst us."

"What do you want?" Keegan snarled defensively, stepping forward. "If they're attacking Aura as well, then using us as a tool won't aid you."

"Easy," said Eliza's father, "we're not a naturally vicious race. What I see in the three of you is an opportunity for a renewal of the peace between Aura and Banguri. If the Aura will house as many Banguri as we can reasonably fit in the mountains north of Light City, we will fight by your side. Together we might have a chance."

"What will happen after the war?" I asked quietly. "Things will need to change."

"Yes, but hopefully having fought a common enemy will create a path for the evolution of our peoples' relationship. For now, I'd be content with knowing that fewer of my people are dying."

"If what you're saying is true," Keegan added, "we'll need to leave. Can you control where the portals open?"

"Yes, Ursula will open one in about an hour's time in the alley behind us. She'll get as near the city as she can and then you'll have to do the rest."

"How will we get back in touch with you?" I asked.

"You're telepathic, aren't you? Find Ursula and she'll contact me."

"What's your name?" Keegan asked.

"Erick," he answered, offering his hand. Keegan hesitated before taking it, but he did and our pact was made.

"I'd like to come back," I said directly to Erick. "There were some Low and Middle-Banguri we saw going through a portal. They'll need to be rounded up if you want to continue to coexist with humans on First-Plane. When we've taken care of our current problem, I'd like to help in any way I can."

"There's only supposed to be High-Banguri going through the portals," Erick said, eyeing me. "If you survive our current situation, I'll take you up on your offer. Now, go change back into your suits. We don't have much time."

I'd quickly dressed, hurriedly donning my suit from Second-Plane.

Keegan and Sariah were already in the lobby and we silently headed out of the building, through the alleyways behind the diner. A back door swung open and Erick stepped out.

"She's almost there," he told us, referring to Ursula in First-Plane. "It'll just be a few more minutes."

"How are you communicating with her?" Keegan asked.

"Did Eliza tell you _how_ we create the portals?" Erick questioned. "Banguri bond very closely to their mates just like the Aura do. We don't have powers like you do, but we have an intense connection. We're not sure how or why, but Ursula and I became the portals between these two planes. We were together one night and then we woke up apart but we could still communicate. We realized we weren't on the same plane anymore, and like you we have enough of an impression of First-Plane to recognize it. The rest, well, we just knew. We can each create portals. We work together to find good areas for her to send people to. But we can never go to the opposite plane. She can't come here, and I can't go home."

"You've sacrificed your own lives to ensure your race lives on," Sariah exclaimed.

"Willingly; it's worth it. Ursula and I cannot be together physically, but we can save many of our people that would have died otherwise. I think it is worth the price," Erick responded.

"Why have you sent Low and Middle-Banguri here? You must know they'll hunt humans," Sariah said.

"That isn't us. Ursula and I only move through High-Banguri. Anything else is too risky."

"There must be others like you. How else would the Low and Middle Banguri be getting to First-Plane?" Keegan asked.

"Same conclusion we came up with. But we don't know who. Ah, it's time—stand back"

His body melted into the ground as he knelt down, turning into a mercury colored gel that fanned into a large pool. Every part of him, clothes, bones, eyelashes, dissolved into itself until he was no longer a man, just a portal.

"What do we do?" I asked. "Just walk right through him?"

Sariah asked, looking at Keegan, "Can we trust him?"

"We don't have a choice," Keegan said warily.

Keegan took her hand and they stepped in together, absolving just like Erick had into the substance. It was like a fast-acting quicksand; they sunk down the throat of the portal and the liquid wordlessly swallowed them. It was horrifying to watch and I realized it seemed very different from the portal Ursula created. Hers had been an upright disc; this was a flat, bottomless pool.

I had another realization that Erick might not be able to hold it that long and quickly moved forward. I stuffed my fear and stepped in.

15: HERDER

Ironically, I physically felt nothing until my feet felt like they had footing underneath them again. I opened my eyes and we were back just like that. Sariah and Keegan were a few feet ahead of me. Ursula and her portal were nowhere to be seen.

"Something seems off," I said. "The city is too quiet."

"You're right. The streets are deserted. It's almost as if they've fled the city. We'd better hurry and get to Paramount," Keegan agreed.

We ran, racing through the city streets. Then, voices hit me like a ton of bricks.

I don't want to die.

How did this happen?

Numbness. Numbness.

My powers didn't normally allow me to hear thoughts of other people. If the emotions of the dying were this strong, then I can only imagine how much more Sariah could hear.

"What happened?" Sariah asked frantically

"Should we ask one of them before they die?" I asked, thinking out loud. We knew, from Erick, that the enemy Aura might attack soon, but clearly that had already happened.

"You're back! At least something is working out in our favor!" Iris exclaimed. She walked quickly to us. I was glad to see she was all right, that was proof enough that we'd won the battle that'd happened here, but my stomach knotted at the sight of her. Caked blood on her hands, torn clothes, bruises, a limp. It was the only time I remembered ever seeing her bruised.

"Are you all right?" I asked, hugging her quickly.

"No, but I'll have to be. We were betrayed by council members. They've been meeting with the Omni, a set of Aura who are from the land past the peninsula. They've been planning to eradicate the Banguri. We've known of other Aura, but our focus has always been on our own. We've never—or so I thought—communicated regularly with other sects. Anyway, when the rest of the council refused to agree to the decree, and the Omni and their new Aura allies attacked us. Just like that. People I've known my whole life turned on me; Aura fighting Aura. Somehow we won, but I'm the only council member left. I'll have to lead—for now at least—and Light City is temporarily secure."

"Why only temporarily?" I asked.

"The Atlas has been lighting up with a new color—yellow."

"More Omni?" Keegan asked.

"We can only assume at this point. Reports are already flooding in of new attacks on the outer territories. Refugees will be making their way here soon. Those who can fight will stay in the city. Everyone else will go north into the Tawas territory in the mountain range behind the city. I will stay no matter what! We have to try to fortify the city."

"There are advantages to a mountain range for fighting. Is there no other safe territory left that could be used for the refugees so we can draw the Omni into the mountains?" I questioned.

"No," Iris confirmed, "we'll make our final stance there if we lose the city."

"We'll change the terrain," Sariah said excitedly.

"We'll do what?" I asked, confused.

"Brilliant, Wats! It could work," Keegan exclaimed.

"We'll gather all the telekinetic Auras," Sariah said, thinking out loud. "We'll have to spread them just outside the city wall. We'll make a complicated mountain pass. That'll buy us some time, and when the battle comes we'll be ready."

"This will help our current disadvantages not be so life threatening," Iris said enthusiastically. "We don't know our enemy. We have no idea what their powers are, and they vastly outnumber us."

"We might be able to improve our numbers," I said. "Sariah and I tracked the Banguri and found another camp. We met with the Banguri leader by accident, but they too have been attacked by the Omni and are willing to make an alliance with us."

"That was why we came back so quickly," Sariah added. "The High-Banguri are willing to align themselves with us if we allow them to take refuge as equals."

"We could put the ones to young or old too fight in the mountains," Keegan added.

"That _will_ be interesting. But, it's either evolve or die and I think the proper choice is always _evolve,_ " Iris said smiling. "How do we get word to them that we accept their offer?"

"Telepathically," Sariah explained. "There is a Second-Plane leader that I can connect to."

"When we're done here, contact them immediately. We don't have time to waste. Tell them to head for the east entrance of the city. Our new enemies are flanking from the west and with any luck they won't see our reinforcements arriving. Ajani, you will safeguard them with a handful of venku-warriors. Once our terrain is cemented, we'll know exactly how to guide them into the city."

I nodded silently.

Iris had a risky plan for getting access to the weapons we'd need in order to mount any type of physical defensive. There was a large temple with extra dekus in it, and Keegan and Sariah were sent on a recon mission to retrieve them.

I was nervous for them both. It was extremely dangerous. We were dealing with an enemy we hadn't even known existed. We didn't know what powers they had, what they were capable of, or even how many there might be. The Atlas gave us a clue, blinking yellow lights showing areas they were clustered in, but we had no idea _how many_ were in each group. The Great War had been hard enough for us to win and we actually knew what we were up against. Of course, if we'd had Sariah back then, perhaps we could have ended it with less death on both sides. She was a weapon, and a really impressive weapon didn't even need to be fired. She was my hope for a quick war; we weren't ready for another long, drawn-out fight.

Sariah inspired a lot of hope in me. Her idea about the terrain had seemed impossible. We had all been standing there in a line trying to do it but it was too much. None of us had ever thought to do something that large-scale before. Then something very surprising happened. Sariah was able to combine her powers with Keegan, and that made her strong enough to enter all of our minds at once. We rebuilt the terrain, but it was a reminder of how foolish I'd been in my pursuit of her. Clearly, I wouldn't have been able to help her like that. There was no way, she wasn't my venku.

It pained me a little, perhaps it was just stale jealousy finally being addressed by my self-conscience. I realized that I hadn't really wanted _her._ I was attracted to her, I cared for her, but what I really wanted was what she and Keegan had as a couple—love, companionship, friendship. I wanted a venku again. I just had to accept that there weren't second chances. You only got one venku and mine, due to my own inadequacy, was dead.

The best I could do was find a new purpose, a new point of focus. Create new friendships, move on, and then maybe I'd find a sliver of something close to what I would've had with Jet. I pessimistically didn't see that last bit happening, but I could at least find happiness in myself. That would give me some peace and maybe that would be enough. I just had to get through our current situation and then I could have an adventure of my own back on First-Plane. I'd move on and start over.

I'd been pondering myself while the band of venkus and I jogged to Mountain City, north of Paramount. It cooled as we elevated and my breath huffed out of me in white clouds. Iris had wanted to send more, but in the end she just sent me with one pair of venku. Raven and Isabella, they were a double cheetah pair, making me the only telepathic one in our group. They were the muscle. I actually remembered them fighting during the Great War, and I was surprised Iris had sent them with me.

I reached the meeting point and the Banguri were already there. It was a larger group than I'd expected. Looked like hundreds of them spilling back down the mountainside. I was relieved to see they had some type of portable housing with them because Mountain City was actually quite small and basic. It was secure, but tiny. As I grew closer, I saw that it wasn't just people waiting at the checkpoint to be led into the city.

"Why were there animals with them?" asked Raven.

"Good question," I muttered.

Behind me I heard them arming their dekus.

"Wait for my command," I ordered.

"Are you their leader?" I asked the male standing ahead of everyone else.

"Yes," he answered. He stepped forward and a charcoal-colored panther moved with him.

"Why are the Middle-Banguri here? We only agreed to harbor the High-Banguri unable to fight."

"They're here to help protect us if the Omni breach _your_ city," he explained simply.

His body language was non-aggressive but that cat, his feline bodyguard, was snarling at me and my crew.

"Does _it_ know that?" I said with a nod towards his companion.

"Thea?" he said, following my gaze down to the large animal. "Yes, she won't harm you if you don't attempt to harm us."

"Stand down," I ordered to Isabella and Raven.

"If the animals are here as guards," I said to the man, "then they won't mind staying outside the city."

"That's fine," the man agreed easily.

"What's your name?" I asked him as I began leading his people through the steepening pathways.

"Otto," he said. He paused and then added, "Where is Sariah or Iris?"

"Back in the city; I'm in charge here and my name is Ajani."

"Ah, I assumed she'd be taking refuge, not at the front lines. How far is the city from here, Ajani?"

Ignoring his comment that insinuated the Aura were cowardly, I pulled my pack off and removed the communicator from the side compartment. It took a moment to power on, and then the screen blinked and I could see the mini atlas calculation where we were.

"Looks like about five miles," I told Otto.

"That's not bad."

"Oh? Are you Banguri as athletic as we Aura?"

"More so, we're still nomadic."

We arrived at dusk. The village was smaller than I remembered, but the land was still the same. The city sat nestled in a mountain valley. You'd be able to see it only from above, but none of us had First-Plane flying technology. We'd be safe. There was plenty of space for the Banguri to make their camp. Otto kept his word and the Middle-Banguri stayed out of the city patrolling along the ridges protecting the entrance, but I still gave orders to Raven and Isabella to watch them.

We helped the Banguri set up their own round houses and then I set up my own octave. I couldn't sleep, even with Raven and Isabella patrolling. I remembered the last time I'd used the octave and what had happened. I could never let my guard down like that again. I wanted no more deaths on my hands. Since I couldn't sleep, I ended up wandering the camp like a ghost.

The next morning was quiet. The few villagers kept to themselves, staying inside. I continued rounds to make sure everyone knew what was going on. They had mini-communicators in each home, but I wasn't sure if Lanni had been able to send out a message or not. My suit became a uniform almost, a representation that I was Aura and not Banguri. It made them feel uncomfortable, I could tell.

There was no word from Paramount and I was anxious to know what was going on. I'd tried to reach Lanni but there was no response, and that made me nervous. It dawned on me that Otto could send one of the hawk-like Banguri down to see what was going on. They could communicate with the lower castes right? Or maybe I could read its mind to know? I headed towards the tent I knew was Otto's and found him seated in front of it near a fire.

"No word yet?" Otto asked as I approached.

"No. What type of Middle-Banguri do you have here? Anything that can fly and not get caught?"

"Nope, afraid not."

"Guess, we'll just have to wait then."

I sat down across from him, and after a moment Otto began to ask me questions.

"Is it true that you are sympathetic to our cause?"

"Why?" I asked.

"There's a rumor that you're going to go back to First-Plane because you want to help catch rogue Banguri."

"How do you know about First-Plane?" I asked bluntly.

"All the portal makers know."

"All of them? How many?" I asked urgently.

"Not so many anymore," he said grimly.

"Yes, I plan to go back," I said, finally answering his original question.

"Why?"

"Why not?" I snapped back. I knew why I wanted to go back; it represented a second chance for me; an opportunity for me to be useful and to not just exist, but I wasn't going to tell him that and probably not anyone else either.

"I'm not trying to be rude. I'm just surprised--based on our races' histories--that you'd want to help," Otto said back. "Aura and Banguri don't trust each other, but that is changing."

He had me interested now.

"The only reason this," I said, waving my hand in a circle to signify I was talking about us both being in Mountain City, "situation has happened is because we have a bigger problem and that adversity is binding us to one common goal: survival. But who knows what will happen after we sort out our current mess? Were you awakened the day the Great War started? I was, and it was started by your people murdering us. Death was our introduction to your race, and although we're working together now, the survivors like myself won't so easily forget the circumstances that led us here."

"You see no chance of redemption for us?" Otto asked solemnly.

"Not for me to decide."

"Like some deity will? It's the living who judge and those judgments shape everyone's future." Otto tossed another log in the fire, then said, "That day on the steps, the Banguri your leader Iris killed, that was Ursula's mother. Did you know that?"

"No," I said, not bothering to hide my surprise.

"Death changes even the sweetest soul," he paused, then added quickly, "I want to join your group."

"That's not how it works," I stammered, caught off guard by his request. "Now, why do _you_ want to go back?"

"Atonement," he said, staring blankly into the fire.

"Why should I trust you? You'll have to come up with a good answer, because there's only a couple of things I can think of that you'd want to atone for, and that doesn't make me inclined to like you."

"You're thinking I killed newlies?"

"Did you?"

"No," Otto said. "What I've done is far worse."

"Harmed your own kind?"

Otto's mouth formed a hard line and I knew I was right.

"All right, join us if you want. It's a small group, nothing gallant."

"You don't trust my race, but you'll trust a man who has turned on his own people?" Otto asked bitterly.

"You want to atone, that means you have a conscious. I'll trust you until you give me a reason not to."

"I need to protect someone to make up for—everything."

"Who? Nope," I said changing my mind. I had enough on my plate already. I didn't want to know. All I wanted to do was make sure the people of First-Plane weren't murdered like Jet and Asher had been. Low-Banguri were savage and they didn't belong in any other plane but here.

"Don't tell me. Once we've gotten the Banguri problem under control, you're free to do what you want."

I stayed by the fire long after Otto left and fell asleep to the crackling sound of popping, burning wood. The next morning, I woke, startled by the sudden feeling of someone standing over me.

"FUCK!" I yelled, completely disoriented.

"Happy to see you too!" Keegan said with a smirk.

"What happened?" I asked eagerly as I awkwardly got up.

"Let's talk privately," he said. "Walk with me and I'll tell you everything."

"Is Sariah--everyone alright?"

"Yes, there were a few dead, but we won and they've retreated. Sariah managed to kill the leader and the rest surrendered. We have a few leaders that we're questioning. We're trying to get as much information as we can. For now, everything is fine. Atlas has shown the majority of their troops have already left our land. Looks like they came from below us on the only part of the peninsula that has land. There's talk of changing the terrain again so we can fortify the peninsula. Iris also wants to unify us with the Banguri. She thinks the fact that we rallied together to fight a common enemy is enough to redeem the Banguri. Plus, it's becoming clear that there's a group of radicals and the general population just wants peace."

"That's what I'm getting to. Apparently it's _always_ been one radical group. The Banguri have tribes within their race. They don't all stay together like we do."

"I'm realizing that there's no black and white, only grey," Keegan said. "Anyway, there's a lot to sort out and Iris needs you back in Paramount. Your crew is to stay here though, and Lanni will be giving them their orders directly."

"I'm not going back," I said.

"You were serious about going to First-Plane?"

"Yes," I said watching his face closely. He looked surprised but overall happy to hear I was leaving. After all the grief I'd caused him, I couldn't blame him.

"Well, I won't try to stop you, but you know, we could still use your help. You're a veteran and you're more skilled at using a deku than anyone else, other than maybe Iris. I know we haven't always--"

"I'm sorry," I said cutting him off. That was all I said, but it was enough. There didn't need to be any more of an explanation. We both already knew.

"Thank you for helping Sariah find me. I know you have feelings for her and you could have taken it as an opportunity to have her for yourself but you didn't."

"I wanted to," I said with a laugh, "but she really loves you. I wouldn't want her to suffer, and she would have if she'd lost you."

"So, I was wrong about you, Ajani. You're not a prick."

"No," I said with a smirk, "at least not all the time."

"Sure you don't want to stay? Now that you're not after my venku, I think we could be friends!"

"No, I've got to help sort out whatever is going on in First-Plane. Plus, without Jet, I'm a shell of a person here." I realized after I said it that that was the most honest thing I'd ever said to Keegan. I didn't even know if he knew who Jet was, because honestly we'd never really talked before, but Sariah or Iris could tell him the full story if he was curious or cared enough to want to hear it.

Keegan nodded and then offered his hand. We shook and I knew if I ever saw him again, things would be different.
PART TWO: HER'S

O' no; it is an ever-fixed mark,

That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark.

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

but bears it out even to the edge of doom.

From Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

16: HELLCAT

I watched the trees tick by with growing impatience. I hungrily gulped down the glass of water I held in my hand. We were on a train, heading to the Midwest.

There had been an increase in sightings of all folklore monsters: Hodag, and the Loveland Frog. Since we knew that Low and Middle-Banguri had been sent here from Second-Plane, it was logical that these legendary folklore creatures were our rouge Banguri.

Our first stop was Ohio. There was a notorious frog man that lived along the Ohio River. If we could catch him and send him back, we'd consider this trip a success and hunt down more. The scary part to me was that we had to try so hard to find the Banguri, but clearly they'd been being sent over for a long while now. So, where were they? It was unsettling, but we had no clues and as far as Erick was concerned he had no idea that anything other than the high caste had been sent over.

There was another kink in our Rambo-hunting plan I hadn't figured out: feeding. Since Bem had ascended, I hadn't taken a new partner and my body was starting to suffer. I wasn't as strong as I knew I should be, and water would only get me so for.

From his seat across from mine, Luke eyed me above the paper he was reading.

"Just go do it," he insisted. "You'll have to see us hunt eventually too.

I ran a hand through my hair, not answering him, but knowing he was right.

"You can't be serious?" Eliza asked. Snapping her book shut, she glared at me furiously. Eliza was still testy about Keegan leaving with Sariah, and now that she wasn't getting any, the sexual needs of Auras were distasteful to her. Eliza reminded me of everything I didn't want to be and it disgusted me. I was regretting insisting that she come with us. She was like a giant pout-fest, party of one; extremely irritating. But, she was a portal maker and so was Otto, and that gave us an advantage.

"He has to eat," Otto said, stretching his legs out and propping them up next to the empty seat beside Eliza.

"Just do it already!" Luke repeated. "You're starting to look sickly."

"I guess you're right." I set my cup down into the built-in holder and got up.

"Disgusting," Eliza muttered, reopening her book.

"Necessary," I shot back as I moved past her and Otto to leave the car.

"Just ignore her. We all know what her problem is," Luke said.

"Why? What happened?" Otto asked curiously.

"None of your business," Eliza spat at Otto.

He raised an eyebrow and Eliza shot him a blazing glare.

"You can use our room. Just let us know when you're done," Luke added as I closed the door behind me. I could hear Eliza's annoyed voice rising as she exclaimed how vulgar the Aura were. I laughed in spite of myself; at least with Sariah's rejection I wasn't _that bitter._

The train was nice, surprisingly so. I couldn't remember them being this way, but then that was a common occurrence with people from Second-Plane. Even with four of us traveling there was a good amount of space. We had a sitting box, with six seats, and then across the small hallway was our four-person sleeper. The bunks were stacked in twos, of course. The bathrooms were at the end of dinner car which was located in the first of the train cars. I passed through easily, making my way upwards towards the front of the train. My plan consisted of first surveying the area and seeing what my options were. I'm sure I'd find someone I'd be...compatible with.

I heard the feathery sounds of female laughter and my adrenaline picked up. Just a few feet ahead were two young women telling stories jubilantly. They were both average looking, their features not hitting either end of the beautiful or grotesque spectrums. I honestly didn't care. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

As I got closer, they both looked up. Both seemed attracted to me, but the brunette sucked in a little breath of surprise as she saw me. _Her._ She'd be the one. I kept walking and heard them whisper as I moved by. I stopped and moved back to where they were sitting.

"Ladies," I greeted. "I'm looking for the bathroom, do you know where it is?"

The brunette spoke up first. She was interested

"I'll show you!"

"Bethany!" her friend exclaimed. "You don't even know him," she added in a lower voice.

Bethany ignored her and accepted my offered hand.

"I'll find out his favorite color and let you know," she told her friend.

As soon as our fingertips touched, I felt her sexual energy seeping into my skin. Her pupils dilated in surprise. I grasped her hand firmly.

"Which way?" I asked.

"Back the way you came, actually," she stammered.

I moved aside so she could stand in front of me. I eyed her hungrily as she walked ahead of me, drumming up more arousal in Bethany with every stroke of my middle finger across her palm. She was wearing a sundress with a little cropped jacket over it and flat strappy leather sandals.

"I don't remember seeing a bathroom back here," I said innocently. "My room _is_ back this way; right here actually."

"You might be off the hook—Bethany was it?—I might have a map in here." I released her hand and turned away from her, sliding back the door to the train-sleeper.

There was in fact a little map sitting on one of the beds and I scooped it up.

"I was almost there," I said tapping a finger on the map where the bathrooms were labeled.

"Were you really that interested in finding a bathroom?" Bethany asked.

I turned to her. I licked my lips hungrily and watched her suck in a quick breath.

"Not after I saw you," I answered back.

That was all the encouragement she needed. She stepped into the room and slid the door shut.

"I've never done anything like this before," she said quietly, her voice almost timid, but her eyes were filled with excitement.

I'd affected her so easily. Was it because I was so hungry? Or was it because I was even more sexually potent since I wasn't from this plane? I decided quickly I'd have to be careful with her body. I didn't want to hurt her.

"Come here," I told her.

She came straight to me, aiming for a kiss that I almost let her have, but I didn't want intimacy. I wanted fuckage. Pure, carnal fuckage. I whipped her around, pressing her flush against me.

_Grab the handlebars,_ I suggested to her telepathically as I began an assault on her neck. I felt her pulse quicken against my lips.

I was just a little taller and I bent lightly to gather up her dress around her waist. I immediately began a caressing her over her underwear with firm, repetitive, circular strokes. A deep moan ripped from her throat, followed by an intense gasp. Her head rolled back onto my shoulder as her sex quivered in my hand.

"Oh my god," she moaned, breathing heavily. "I've never come so fast or hard in my life."

Fuck _,_ I thought frustrated, if that was all it took to get her off she wasn't going to be able to last long enough to satisfy me. I stayed behind her caressing her stomach as I soaked up the energy her orgasm had produced and tried to decide if I should keep going. How many orgasms could a human take before it became...too much?

The door slammed open and Bethany and I both jumped.

"Oh, am I interrupting?" Eliza asked coyly.

"Who is that?" Bethany asked as she started to pull away from my hold.

"No one," I muttered. I leaned gently into her and lightly caught her ear lobe between my teeth. I began caressing her again and she pushed back against me.

"Make her go, then," Bethany purred back, her hips teasing against my erection.

"Leave," I growled to Eliza.

Eliza came towards us, grabbed Bethany by the arm and threw her out of the room. Bethany scrambled, almost losing her balance, but righted herself before falling.

"Bethany—"I started. I was desperate to somehow take control of the situation, but the damage had already been done. The sexual haze I'd had her in was gone.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Bethany asked from the hallway.

"Not in the least."

"Why are you still here?" Eliza questioned cruelly. "Did he forget to pay you?"

"Eliza!" I roared.

I saw Bethany's lip quiver as she walked briskly away.

"You didn't have to go that far. You know why I have to do this. I _needed_ that girl."

Without offering me a response, she turned to leave. Enraged, I grabbed her arm and spun her around and she flew towards me, trying to kiss me, assuming that was what I wanted from her. All I'd wanted was for her to acknowledge how ridiculous she was being, and until that moment, I hadn't realized that was what _she_ had actually wanted from me all along. My hand shot to her throat, holding her just inches from me. She gasped in surprise and I loosened my hold immediately.

"You stopped her from fucking me because _you_ want to fuck me?" I asked.

She closed her eyes with her confession. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know," she answered, reopening her eyes.

"I'm good friends with you brother. I wouldn't want to—

"I'll think of _him_ ," she said, interrupting me.

That did it.

I pushed her down onto the small bed and undid my pants. She watched me excitedly as I sprung free and I realized I'd just played right into what she'd wanted, but I didn't care. I was going to turn her out so good she wouldn't be thinking of anything—period. She was still shimmying out of her pants when I got on top of her. I bit her nipple through her bra aggressively and she fisted her hand in my hair. I pushed into her hard, not bothering with foreplay. We were past that shit; I began moving, drilling into her relentlessly. Her legs clenched around my waist.

I heard her gasp; the sound half air, half scream, and it brought me back to reality. I didn't want to take her like some sort of man-beast I didn't want to lose control. I rolled my hips, slowing them as I lessened the deepness of each thrust. It still felt good and it would get me there. I closed my eyes, letting our energy soak into my skin.

"No! No, why are you slowing?" she questioned, her voice riveting with frustration.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked. She'd goaded me into this and I wanted her submission.

"What?" she asked, her voice rippled with confusion.

I began to resume my former pace, beating into her like a drum.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Answer right or I'll pull out and you'll have to find another way to get off," I threatened.

"Fuck Ajani," she said, unable to form any type of complete sentence.

"Keep talking," I taunted, the animal in me reveling.

"Please, please. I need to come. Please, Ajani."

I unwrapped her legs from around my waist and opened her thighs wide. I leaned forward, putting all my weight on to them pinning her exactly how I wanted. The new position created the friction against her clit that I knew would satisfy us both. I labored over her, wearing her body out in minutes. She turned her head, biting the pillow and crying out with the intensity of her orgasm.

I tumbled quickly after her and rolled over her as soon as I was done. My hunger was satiated the best it'd been since Bem, but I felt guilty. I shouldn't have done that. Luke was my friend, she was his sister, and since I had no intention of _being_ with Eliza it wasn't fair to sleep with her. Not with how deeply hurt she was with Keegan's rejection. Maybe us having sex had been inevitable; we were alike in a lot of ways. Then again, the reflection of myself in her was exactly why I hadn't wanted to pursue anything. She represented all the things I loathed in myself, all my weaknesses. Suddenly I was filled with disgust again and I got up roughly.

"Well," she said, as I pulled my pants back on, "I feel better."

"I don't," I muttered.

"Ajani," she started but I interjected.

"Don't interfere with my personal life again. Let's forget this even happened."

Silently, she rolled away from me onto her side. I looked away as her shoulders tensed and her back quivered. Comforting her would contradict everything I'd just said, so I didn't. Instead, I left. I opened the door entering the hallway at the same time Luke was sliding the door of our opposite box shut.

"Got everything squared away?" Luke asked, smiling. "I suppose I'll have to let that room cool off before I go in there, eh?"

"Yeah," I muttered awkwardly. I stood, blockading the door from him.

"Eliza's in another one of her tizzies. She's been so unlike herself since Keegan. I don't understand it. It wasn't that long of a time they were together anyway. A couple weeks? Want to come help me track her down?"

The horror on my face must have said it all because he instantly guessed what'd I'd done.

"You know where she is?" It took him all of two seconds to put it together. "You _fed_ on my sister?"

I couldn't lie to him, so I didn't. "I'm sorry," I stammered.

"What the fuck!" he yelled.

"She came in on me with another girl and then she antagonized me into—"

"You better never do that shit again," Luke said angrily, jabbing me in the chest.

"I won't," I promised. "I didn't mean to the first time."

"How do you accidently ram someone's sister?"

I realized any type of explanation was going to make it worse.

"I'm sorry. You're right." I said back simply. "It won't happen again."

I thought Luke was going to hit me. Which frankly I probably deserved, but he didn't.

He still looked pissed but he nodded, accepting my apologies.

"You're the first friend I've had in a while," Luke explained. "But don't fuck Eliza. She's complicated and you're not interested, so don't even go there."

"You're right," I agreed.

"I told you not to wait so long to feed!"

"Yeah, I know. You were right," I said, relieved that he wasn't unfriending me over this.

"I'm always right. Where are the bathrooms on this train?"

17: HEAVY

The jolt of the train car slowing down woke me. I swung my feet over the bed and heard Luke's voice roar up at me from below.

"Watch it!"

"You're fine!" I teased before sliding down.

Otto slowly got up too from the adjacent bed, but Eliza was missing from her bunk.

"Where's your sister?" I asked Luke.

He shrugged back in response.

"Last time I saw her she was waiting for the sunrise," Otto answered slowly between yawns.

"How'd you know what?" Luke asked with a scowl.

"I like to watch the sunrise too," Otto answered back coolly. "The last train car has a deck big enough to sit on." He didn't look the least bit intimidated or even offended by Luke's gruff approach. Still, I didn't want it to get too heated. We needed to work together. We had no idea what could happen while we hunted down the loose Banguri.

I slapped Luke playfully on his back. "I'm sure she'll meet us on the platform. Let's go see if we can find a map."

"I'll find your sister," Otto offered.

"Whatever," grumbled Luke. "She's a grown-ass woman; she can find herself."

"Why are you so cranky?" I asked as soon as it was just us moving through the train car. We'd gone in the opposite direction of Otto, heading towards the front. Out the window I could see only a few people waiting to board the train to head further east. It was early and the sky was still dark with little warming rays of pink jutting through the clouds. The train gave some slow lurches before finally stopping.

"I don't know," Luke said as we stepped into the open air. "I don't really know him or his family and most Banguri know each other, you know? Or at least in First-Plane that's how it is. Eliza's a sweet person, too sweet, that's why she's constantly getting hurt."

"I'm still sorry about earlier," I said, apologizing again. I kept thinking about what had happened yesterday evening, but Luke hadn't brought it up at all. It was just my own guilt. I shouldn't have let her get underneath my skin; especially since I had this feeling that Otto liked her. Even if he didn't realize it yet, something in the way he looked at her. If I was better at reading people's minds, I might try to catch some of his thoughts, but my powers had always been better used telekinetically. I was strong, but I was nowhere as talented as Sariah.

Sariah.

I was glad I'd said my piece, apologized and drawn a truce with Keegan. I'd like to think that our relationship was nothing more than a mixture of me trying to fill the hole Jet left and being jealous that she had someone and I didn't--but a part of me wasn't so sure.

We headed towards the ticket area, and an old man with buggy eyes and a kind smile greeted us.

"Do you have any regional maps?" Luke asked as we approached.

"Bottom shelf," the man said pointing a finger downward.

I squatted and quickly skimmed the titles: OHIO STATE MAP; MAP OF STONELICK STATE PARK FAIRGROUNDS; MYTHS AND MYSTERIES: OHIOIAN FOLKLORE.

I grabbed all three.

"Yeah," Luke said, nodding towards my stash. "I think that'll get us off to a good start."

I was going to suggest that we go find Eliza when I saw her and Otto strolling up.

"Ready to hunt?" Luke asked them.

Eliza ignored him, staring blankly. Otto gave her a strange glance before becoming expressionless himself.

"Right," Luke said, clearly annoyed with their unreadable moods.

"At least you're not alone with them," I joked as we headed through the parking lot.

"No kidding."

As we neared the parking lot, Luke pulled a set of keys out of his pocket.

"Where'd you get those?" Eliza asked excitedly. The tingle of metal had snapped her out of her funk completely.

"Family connections!"

Eliza snorted and then added, "Which one do we get to drive?"

" _I get to drive_ that beautiful black Jeep," Luke corrected.

"You barely know more than I do about cars," Eliza reminded him.

"Pipe down, I'll let you have a go," Luke said. "Check the back. Make sure everything we need is in there."

Eliza scurried off and popped the Jeep hatch.

"Tents, sleeping bags, canteens, flashlights; looks good," Eliza listed.

"I snagged us some octaves," I reminded them.

"We can't use those," snapped Eliza. "What would someone say if they saw them?"

"Once we're out in the wilderness, we might need them," Otto added, chiming in. Eliza didn't make a response.

"And also--guns," Eliza added before finally closing the hatchback.

"Guns?" I said, surprised. The only guns I'd ever seen were the ones the Omni had. Aura didn't use that kind of technology, at least not yet.

"We have rifles with a special silencers and tranquilizers instead of bullets," Luke explained. "I figured it'd help us quietly get our people back home."

"Good idea, I guess." I'm not sure what I'd expected. We'd have to have a way to defend ourselves if things got out of hand and swinging dekus around was a good way to blow our "hunters'" covers. Actually, guns did make sense.

I looked over at Otto to see how he felt about it, but his eyes were busy skimming over Eliza's ass as she bent over into the hatch, rearranging all of our things. I bit back a smile. Eliza was pretty, that wasn't my problem with her. It was that her issues were too similar to my own. If Otto wanted to get caught up in that craziness, he was more than welcome.

"Let's head out," Luke said, motioning for us to get in. "If we can make it to the park by midday, we'll have time to set up and get a hunt in before dark."

"Afraid to hunt at night?" Eliza teased.

"Ajani won't be able to keep up," Luke offered as an explanation.

"I think I can manage," I confirmed.

"It's settled then," Otto said as he opened up the back-seat passenger door and Eliza slid in next to him from the other side.

I got in the car, filled with excitement. I was curious to see how they hunted. I knew they took the life energy from living organisms, but _how_ did they do that? I was nervously thrilled to find out.

We pulled up to the state park a few hours later. Eliza quieted down in the back with Otto. She'd fallen asleep almost instantly. As our car approached a booth, a green-shirted woman waved a hand out to slow us down.

"We have to pay to get in, I think," Luke murmured, digging his wallet out.

The park ranger was on my side, so I rolled the window down.

"Did you want to buy a year pass or a day?" she asked with a polite smile.

"We love camping; we'll take the year pass. How much is it?" I asked.

"Twenty per car, so it's good you all rode together."

I handed the bill over to her. She smiled at me, and I couldn't help the hungry wink I gave her or brushing our hands when she took the money from my palm. I felt her hand shiver against mine for just a moment and knew I'd piqued her interest. I had to admit, the hunt was a fun game to play. We pulled off and Luke whistled at me.

"Trail of broken hearts wherever we go," he said with a knowing nod.

I smiled a little sheepishly and exaggeratedly cupped a hand behind my ear in Eliza's direction. But no snarky comment came. I turned a little in my seat and saw her peering out the window and Otto watching her closely.

"Eliza didn't have a comeback?" Luke asked as he steered the Jeep through the winding road up into the camp ground.

"What?" Eliza said, finally realizing we were talking to her.

"Oh nothing," Luke said sweetly.

"How are we doing the tents?" I asked.

"One big one, but it has a divider in the middle."

"That's good. I didn't want us to separate," I said, thinking of my night in the woods when Sariah, Keegan, Bem and I had been ambushed. I didn't want to lose any more friends.

We rounded a bend and passed a little bathroom, informational vending machine station, commodities for the camper who didn't really want to camp. Eliza commented to Luke about the necessities of bathroom facilities. I smiled, secretly agreeing; somehow I knew that that would have been me when I was alive on First-Plane. There were sections of grass with little driveways attached to them, and we parked at a vacant one and got out. The land was beautiful. The sun was high in the sky, but once we got into the woods the shade from the tree canopy made it the perfect temperature.

"Let's set the tent up and then head out for a quick hunt," Luke said.

"Pick a spot, and lay the tarp down. It'll help keep water out if it rains. We'll put the tent down on top of it," Eliza instructed to Otto as she tossed him the different items.

I'd strolled over to Luke and began examining the map he'd opened up on the picnic table but we were quickly interrupted. Apparently Erick had sent too small of a tent.

"I thought it was supposed to be one large tent?" Eliza said to Luke.

"Dad had someone drop that car off and supply it. I guess I assumed?"

"Looks like there's only one small tent, just big enough for two," Eliza told him.

"Let's get set up and then I'll drive into town and get another one, or two of us can sleep in the car tonight. Either way we'll figure it out," Luke said before turning back to the map.

"All set?" Luke asked. It'd been about thirty minutes and that was more than enough time for Luke and me to pick out a general area of where we wanted to hunt first. Luke got up and tossed the blankets and all of our other items we wouldn't need into the tent.

We headed out to an area a mile or so out, and I quickly made my way up to Eliza as soon as we were in the woods. I touched her arm to slow her.

She turned sharply, but when her eyes met mine they looked more tired than hostile.

"I just wanted to apologize," I said quickly before she could get defensive.

"Don't worry about that," she said, looking away from me and starting to walk again. "Being hungry makes everyone grumpy and--well--a lot has happened to both of us in the past few weeks."

"Shit," I cursed in agreement. "I was glad to be back with you all."

"That bad for you on Second-Plane?" Eliza asked, looking over at me.

"You have no idea," I mumbled.

"I could probably guess," she said with a slow smile.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'll level out after we've hunted. Banguri are used to hunting only once or twice a month, but anything longer than that and we start to run out of steam."

Luke gave a whistle and I followed Eliza's lead, crouching low beside her on the ground. I looked up ahead and saw two large animals; my mind told me reindeer and then corrected itself to elk or moose. Eliza swung her rifle around on the strap slowly, bringing the scope up to her left eye. She shifted a little and then only seconds later fired. I looked ahead and saw one moose fall and the other flee. She was an excellent markswoman and I had to admit, I was impressed. I heard her mutter something, a soft prayer, but it wasn't in English.

"Nice shot," Luke said as he and Otto stood up. Eliza smirked as she strode past them and knelt down on a bended knee beside the animal. His furred stomach was still rising and falling, but his eyes were closed.

Her riffle dug into the dirt as she leaned forward, turning the animal's mouth towards her with both hands. She opened her mouth and it was a moment before the animal's mouth opened and a white orb floated past Eliza's parted lips down her throat.

_Damn._ Where I'd been impressed before, now I was a little intimidated and I wondered quickly if a Banguri could do that to _any_ living thing. I guess they could, but they chose not to.

"You make it look so pretty," Luke said to her as she rejoined us. "You even said the prayer, I bet."

"Tradition dies hard," Eliza said, smiling awkwardly.

"Stop trying to act so tough," Luke scolded. "It's all right for you to be sweet.'

"You could have taken the other one," Eliza said with a playful shove.

"And steel your thunder? I may be a brute of a brother, but I have manners," Luke reminded her.

"It's a little odd to do it in front of an Aura," Eliza said, glancing quickly over to me.

"Regretting giving me such a hard time when I fed?"

"Not at all," Eliza said. "Let's get this camp set up so the rest of you can feed."

"Nothing out here for me," I reminded her.

"No? What about that pretty girl working the park entrance?"

"I could," I said.

"We wouldn't want to twist your arm," Eliza said.

"It hasn't been that long since I fed," I teased back. "I'm not really hungry."

Eliza called uncle. Throwing her hands up, she surrendered, "Fair enough."

Otto, who'd been studying a track on the ground he found, gave Eliza a look that she didn't see. I caught his gaze for a moment, fully expecting it to be full of jealous venom, but it was oddly empty of malice. Whatever his thoughts were, he kept them well hidden. We got back quickly, since we hadn't in reality gone that far into the woods before we'd found that Banguri-snack.

"What's buzzing?" Eliza asked.

We all grew quiet, listening, and then Luke began searching through the front pockets of his backpack.

"It's my phone," Luke said, finally finding it in a small zippered compartment. "I get so used to not needing one that I forget I actually have it. It's dad. I better take this."

He slipped off a few feet to the side. Otto and Eliza started idle chatter about the hunt, but I couldn't join in. I got an eerie feeling in my stomach and watched Luke earnestly. He eyes grew wide as he listened. The call was short and he hadn't said much. He quickly shuffled back to me.

"We have to go," he said, heading back through the woods towards the car.

"What?" Eliza asked, looking up suddenly.

"The Auras are summoning Ajani and it's important," Luke answered, without slowing his stride.

"What about us? Is everyone at home okay?" Eliza asked, following us.

"Yes, Peter is fine, everyone is fine, but Ajani needs to go back to Second-Plane immediately."

"What about finding the other Low and Middle-Banguri?" Eliza insisted.

"It'll be up to you and Otto to start tracking them. I'll be back in a couple of days," Luke said.

"Will that be safe?" I asked. "I could hitchhike my way back if it's that important. What's going on?"

"We'll be fine," Otto said, finally speaking up. "We'll set up camp here and wait for you before we go out."

"Good. Take care of my sister, okay?"

Eliza's lips thinned, but she said nothing.

As soon as we were out of earshot of the others, Luke turned to me.

"I know you don't open up to many people and I didn't want to share information that you might prefer kept private; at least for now."

"I appreciate that, but I have no idea what's going on."

"Jet is alive."

"What?" I roared. My stomach flipped, my knees wobbled, but I held onto his arm, urgently waiting for an explanation.

"My father got an urgent message from Iris, she got in touch with my mother, and then the message was relayed to dad. They're asking that you return immediately because Jet is back. I remember you telling me about him. That's your venku, right?"

I released his arm and started speeding off through the campsites back to the local parking lot.

"HEY! WAIT!" Luke screamed behind me, but I kept going.

When I finally saw the car I collapsed to my knees and vomited. My heart was racing but I didn't care. Somehow I'd gotten a second chance. I heard panting and turned to see Luke catching up to me.

"For fucksake! You didn't have to run that fast. Did you forget that we have a time difference between planes?"

"I couldn't help it," I said, standing slowly back up.

"I knew you'd want to go. My family doesn't know how that person is connected to you, just so you know. All they know is that Iris wanted you to come back as quickly as possible. Didn't you say your partner died when you were ambushed by Middle-Banguri, so how can he be back?"

We were in the car by the time Luke asked that questions and heading out of the park. I took a deep breath and then told him everything.

"I've lost two partners, but only one venku. Jet was at the beginning of the war. Bem was when we were ambushed weeks ago. I don't know how this is possible, but, Iris wouldn't lie. If it was really her who sent the message, then my venku is alive and I have to get back."

18: HEAVE

I'd never moved so fast or so slow.

My heart was racing and my mind was a helix spiraling out of control. The same question flashed in my mind like a neon sign: HOW? It blinked over and over again but, honestly, I didn't give fuck what the answer was.

Iris was waiting for me when I materialized on the teleporter deck.

"Ajani," she greeted, ushering me along. "The Atlas started working a week or so after the battle with the Omni. Jet was among the first newlies to awaken, but she was the only one not paired up. If she hadn't been conscious when we got to her, we would have assumed the Banguri had gone back on their word and started hunting us again. Luckily we avoided that drama before any accusations started being tossed around. When a venku team arrived to get her she said, 'I'm alone, where's Ajani?'"

I froze; stunned by the use of the words "she" and "her". Jet was male. My heart dropped. It wasn't him.

"Iris," I said, pausing to calm myself, "Jet isn't a woman."

"Well, originally, no she wasn't. I remember you and Jet. But I'm telling you this is _him_ and he has reincarnated into a woman."

"I don't understand," I stammered as we started walking again.

"Believe me, I'm just as surprised, but when you see her you'll know for sure."

"Where is she?"

"We weren't sure what to do, so we put her in one of the lower-level single flats. It's only temporary, of course. I'm sure you'll want to be reunited as venku. Besides, you'll need to heal her regularly."

"What do you mean? What's wrong with her?"

She's weak; very human-like. No powers at all."

"Well, when he died—she died—I absorbed everything," I reminded Iris.

"Yes, of course. That's how all venku are."

Iris stopped in front of a door and my heart felt like it froze mid beat.

"I'll let you go in alone," Iris told me as she opened the door. "We'll talk later. Come find me when you're ready."

I nodded. This had never happened before, someone being reincarnated to Second-Plane. It was a phenomenon, an anomaly. There were going to be a lot of questions to be answered. I was sure Jet wouldn't be able to answer them, but they'd be asked anyway.

I pushed through the door and was relieved to see the living room was empty. I was scared shitless and I wanted a chance to compose myself. I'd missed him so much. I still loved him so much. Our last moments together had haunted me. I still felt so guilty. How long had it been? Twenty, twenty-five years? It'd been so long but felt like moments ago. At least I knew he—she— remembered me. That was a plus. I wouldn't have to explain things, but then since I'd been so awful to her I guess I would have to explain things. My heart started racing again and I felt like I was going to be sick. All my control had left me. I knew I didn't deserve this second chance that I had been given, but all the same I wanted it, needed it, so desperately. I really had loved him. He—she—had to know that. What if Jet wouldn't forgive me? I couldn't bear to lose my venku twice.

This whole time I'd just been standing there in the middle of the room. I took a deep breath and moved forward. I was unwilling to waste any more time. I'd lost too much already. This type of flat was very simple. I made my way up the stairs and was immediately into the open space loft-styled bedroom, and there she was.

I couldn't breathe.

She was lying on her back asleep. She was beautiful. She looked similar to how she did before. Her hair was the same blonde shaggy mop as it was before, slightly longer though than what I remembered. Same height, but where she had muscles before, she now had curves; where she had been hard, she now looked soft. Yet, even as a woman, my soul recognized her soul. I knew her and that would never change.

I walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed. My body came alive just being near her. I needed to touch her. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but first I leaned forward, finally saying back what I hadn't been brave enough to before.

"I love you too."

Her eyes shot open and that familiar mesmerizing green held me, stopping me from kissing her.

"Ajani," she exclaimed. Sitting up, she enveloped me in a hug. I held her for a long time; stroking her hair, touching her face, her hands, any way to express my affection.

She pulled back smiling and I cupped a hand beneath her cheek. I let my energy flow from my body into hers. Iris had said she was weak. I wasn't going to wait to make her strong again. It felt amazing to heal her, to touch her. A soft moan escaped from my mouth and that insatiable hunger began to rumble in my core.

Her emerald eyes widened in surprise, lips parting as she felt my energy filling her. I wanted to taste her, to make her know my love finally. To atone for everything I hadn't done before.

But she pulled away.

"What is it?" I asked fearfully.

"I've missed you," she told me, looking away, "but I don't want you anymore."

"No," I commanded, my voice hoarse with the emotion her rejection caused. I reached out to her, trying to pull her back to me, but she got up off the bed, shooting across the room like a falling star.

"Ajani—I remember _everything._ "

"How can I make it right?" I demanded frantically. I knew instantly what she was referring to. I refused to accept that one mistake would cost me true happiness in the world.

"My awakening wasn't a second chance for you to redeem yourself. It's a second chance for _me_ to live."

"But we're venku!" I stammered. I was getting emotional and I didn't like it, but this _was_ emotional. My soul mate was rejecting me. I was losing everything all over again.

"We _were_ venku. Now, I hope to be good friends, perhaps even better than we were before.

I got up and briskly walked to the in-room bathroom. I barely made it to the sink before I threw up all the water in my stomach. I twisted the knob; turning on the water and with shaking hands, I grabbed the glass off the edge of the sink. I filled it too full, spilling water everywhere and clumsily brought the rim to my lips. Water sloshed down my throat, drowning my emotions.

Chug—fill; Chug—fill; I repeated the process until I almost felt sick again. I stopped, breathed, tried to will myself to calm down and somehow it worked. I looked in the mirror and was amazed by the mask I'd created. I didn't want her to see me fall apart, not now, not when I'd just gotten her back.

I walked out, avoiding eye contact with Jet. I just couldn't handle her or her rejection of _us._ I was going to go talk to Iris, maybe she could give me advice on how to fix this. In the meanwhile, I was going to harden myself for the very possible reality that Jet would never love me like she had.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm actually surprised at your reaction. I thought you'd feel like you did before."

I felt her eyes on me, but I refused to look at her. I bore a hole in the wall instead as I responded, "I loved you then, but I just wasn't comfortable expressing it. I'm sorry for that; I'd do it all differently if I could."

"I don't believe you," she said bluntly, and her words caused me to turn angrily towards her.

"How can you say that?" I shouted.

"You know why," she said softly, "but I'm not angry, okay? I just can't go through that again. Your rejection was the last thing I felt before I died."

"You don't fucking think I want to take that back? That I wish I'd been man enough to be what you needed, what I wanted?"

"Look—let's not talk about it. I thought I'd have more time to figure out what to say before you came back, so I apologize."

"Why did you ask for me if you don't even want me?"

"You're the only friend I have."

I couldn't say anything else. It was all too much.

"I need to go find Iris."

"I'll go with you. Harold--Iris's venku--wants to run tests on me and ask me questions," she said, uncovering herself as she swung her legs off the bed.

"STAY," I barked sharply.

She froze, blinking those green eyes at me in surprise.

"I'm—you're not their guinea pig. Just rest for now, okay? I need to talk to Iris, but I'll be back."

"Now that my body is female, you think you can boss me around?"

Her eyes flashed angrily at me.

"No," I sighed exasperatedly. I moved towards her but stopped. She didn't want comforting from me; she didn't want anything from me. I checked myself. Closing my eyes, I added, "Iris said you were weak. I want you to rest. You need to rest. If you don't accept me as a venku I won't be able to heal you if you get hurt, now will I?"

"I plan on taking a lover or two," she confessed awkwardly.

That shattered the careful mask I'd painted over my face. All my control crumbled away.

"You can't be serious?" I yelled at her.

"Why not? I still don't deserve love? Even now?"

"For fuck sake! You're more stubborn now than you were _before._ "

"I'm not going to tolerate any type of sexist remarks."

"Maybe you should let Harold check you out," I sneered.

"Ajani, I don't owe you _anything._ You hear me! Nothing! Not a damn thing!"

"Let's stop screaming at each other," I suggested, taking my own voice back to a normal volume. "You want to be friends?"

"Of course, I still care about you." Jet insisted.

"Then let's start working on that tomorrow. The rest we can sort out later."

"There's nothing else to sort out," Jet reminded me obstinately.

"TOMORROW," I roared. Storming out of the room quickly, I left Jet no opening for a rebuttal.

19: HURT

The morning came painfully slowly. All I could do was relive my reunion with Jet over and over again. I thought I'd feel excited, but I felt guilty and hurt. Hurt because she woke up rejecting me and guilty because I knew I deserved it. He—she—I should say now, actually knew that the biggest thing holding me back had been my impression of my own sexuality from First-Plane. I knew where my heart had been headed, I knew if I had more time I would have grown bolder, but there hadn't been more time and in her final hour I had failed her.

At dawn I was still mulling over my feelings and I finally decided to go find Iris. Honestly, she was the only one who might be able to offer me some kind of advice on what I could do and I had to do something, I wasn't loosing Jet twice.

I waited in front of her office door until she finally came down for the morning.

"Ajani!" she said when she saw me leaning against the wall. "Why aren't you with Jet?"

Hadn't it crossed her mind that our reunion would be difficult?

"It's not what I expected," I told her. I wrung my hand over my face.

"Because she's a woman now?" Iris asked. She walked into her study, waving for me to follow in behind her. "I didn't think you preferred men. In fact, I thought it was quite the opposite."

"Impressions are powerful," I stammered awkwardly. It wasn't in my personality makeup to share so much private emotionally driven information, but if there was ever a time to change, it was now.

"I love Jet, but he--she--doesn't believe me. It wasn't easy for me before and the way I lost her was devastating for both of us."

"How much does she remember from before? We've never had someone be reincarnated from our own plane. You'll have to forgive Harold's enthusiasm—if he's being obnoxious—he is inspired by any type of anomaly and just can't help himself."

"Harold's taken good care of her, but I don't want her to become some type of scientific phenomenon. She's an Aura and she's my venku."

"Of course," Iris said, nodding. "Forgive me, I've inadvertently switched the topic on you. I'm assuming she remembers everything from before then?"

"Yes, and she's angry with me. She says she isn't but she doesn't want to _be_ with me, doesn't want me to touch her. She's rejecting me."

"She just needs time," Iris said. "Be patient. You owe her that kindness."

"I owe her so much more than just patience," I said. I felt a well of emotional rawness pound in my chest, but I shoved it down. _Later,_ I thought to my heart. _Not now and not here._

"Jet is going to want to see that," Iris said, watching me closely.

"God, is it that obvious?" I asked.

"You don't always need to have control, Ajani. I've known you for a long time and a lot of horrible things have happened to you. I've always admired the way you never lose your spirit in the end, but your one weakness has always been emotion and if you want Jet to believe you, to understand your love for her, you're going to have to let her see you. Really see you."

"It won't be pretty," I grumbled, standing up.

"She doesn't want pretty, she wants real."

When I left Iris, I headed slowly over to Harold's lab which had become a makeshift one-room infirmary. I wasn't ready to see Jet yet. I wanted to apologize for the way I'd reacted, but I needed a little more time to think things through--get my words right. I couldn't fuck this up, people rarely got second chances and they damn near never got a third.

Harold was busy, going over some papers, leafing through books. He was so intent in his work that it was a few minutes before he even realized I was there.

"Oh hello!" he finally greeted. "I assumed you were--"

"With Jet," I said, finishing his sentence. "I'm on my way to see her, but I wanted to talk to you first. I don't want you poking and prodding her like she's some kind of reincarnated test subject. She's still a person, and she matters."

"I can understand why you're a bit defensive. Emotions, I'm sure, are running high right now."

"You're damn right they are!"

"Then let me reassure you, I'm not nearly as fancy as you think I am. I don't have magical machines. Hell, I'm still trying to figure out half of the manuals."

"What are the manuals? I've heard people mention them in passing, but that's about it."

"They're instructional guides left by the Creators, whoever they were. There are tons of manuals to perfecting everything. Building blueprints, medical procedures, although we don't really need those because Aura never get sick. There are even instructions on how to create more advanced technology. Someone just has to read them and figure it out."

"Convenient, nothing has to really be created then."

"No, but we do it anyway—it's like making a puzzle a better _puzzle._ Surprisingly entertaining and a little bit addicting."

"Jet is _not_ a puzzle."

"Of course not, we were talking about the manual, not your venku."

"Just making sure we're clear. What are your plans for her?"

"No plans, she's offered to answer any questions or participate in any harmless tests. But I promise, I would never hurt her. You have my word."

"I won't give you a second chance," I said gruffly. I sighed. It's not like I wanted to be the tough alpha male all the time. It just always felt necessary.

"Thank you for looking after her," I said in a kinder tone.

"You're very welcome. Now if you don't mind?"

"Of course, I'll let you get back to your work."

I wasn't surprised that Jet's room was so close to Harold's office. It made sense for them to keep her close in case she needed anything. Of course, who knew what we could do to help her if she did get sick? We never had sick people here. I suppose, Sariah would be called to heal her perhaps. I'd have to talk to Harold about keeping Jet's reawakening as low-key as possible. I was so busy making sure he knew I'd kick his ass if he messed up, I forgot to cover that. I shook my head, laughing at myself. I could really be an ass, but I'd do anything for the people I loved.

I got to Jet's door and stood a moment. Letting my heart beat slow and my nerves steady. I was just raising my hand to knock when the door opened on its own.

"Ajani!" Jet said. Her voice sounded surprised but not in a bad way.

"How are you?" I stammered. She looked stunning and so familiar even though she was a woman and not a man.

"I'm fine," she answered at the same time I asked another question.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course. Let me introduce you to Damien."

"To who?" I said a little too loudly. I quickly checked myself.

"Damien. He works at the Abstract. He's one of the new Banguri designers there. God, their work is amazing! I went there this morning to pick out a couple things and he was kind enough to bring them here."

"Aren't they usually delivered?"

"Yeah," Jet said. Her green eyes watched mine closely.

"I'd better be getting back," Damien said, rising from the chair he'd been sitting on. "Maybe we could go for a walk sometime?"

"Sure," Jet said with a generous smile.

My nostrils flared as I silently eyed him while he left. It was a good thing he was leaving because I was feeling a little too emotionally raw.

"Jealous already?"

"Punishing me already?" I snapped back.

"Of course not," Jet said, "but I have no intention of being alone."

My throat clamped up at the idea of her being with anyone other than me. I grew silent, trying to figure out what I should say. Every sentence felt like it could make or break me in her eyes. I had wanted to talk to her, explain things, tell her everything, but with the prospect of competition I felt completely off kilter.

"Well," I said, awkwardly breaking the silence, "maybe I should come back another time. Give you a chance to settle in."

"I'd like that," Jet said with her eyes cast down. I couldn't tell if she really meant it or not. "We have a lot to talk about. I've been gone for a while and everything is different"

"Some things are still the same."

"Yes," she said, looking up again, "but a lot _has_ changed."

"Change isn't always bad."

She looked surprised by that answer. Perhaps she'd been expecting me to jump into a dramatic declaration of how we had to be together—which I wanted to desperately—but forcing her was only going to push her even further away from me. The roles had reversed, and now it was I who had to wait for her to become comfortable with the idea of _us._ I just prayed that when she said she remembered everything, she remembered how we'd felt about each other.

"I didn't sleep at all last night, so I'll probably rest, but then I'll come back and I'll fill you in on what you've missed."

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I don't feel good about how we ended things," I said softly. I watched her eyes, but she lowered her lashes, glancing away and shutting me out.

"I shouldn't have gotten so—" I paused, searching for the right adjective.

"Well, I shouldn't have sprung my feelings on you like that."

"It's fine. Let me get some rest and I'll come back."

"Rest? Is that what we call it now," Jet said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you have a partner? I've been gone a long time. How have you been healing?"

I wasn't ready to launch into the whole tale. I wasn't sure how much she knew, what Harold or Iris had told her. I wanted to think about how I was going to explain everything so I wouldn't have a repeat of yesterday. I didn't want to ruin this. I couldn't ruin this.

"I don't have a partner," I answered.

"Just chuggin' water and taking cold showers, huh? No wonder you've missed me so much."

My jaw twitched. I didn't know how to take that little teasing yet piercing comment. She was hiding her feelings behind a mask just like I was.

"I did miss you," I said honestly.

"Come back later then and we'll talk."

I woke up hours later in the early evening. I'd slept hard, something that had been happening more since Bem had died. I figured it was because I wasn't regularly having sex anymore. Perhaps I was just low on energy, plus I'd given a good chunk to Jet when I'd seen her. They had said she was weaker this time around and I wanted to take care of her. I'd have to be more careful with my own body and drink more water. I didn't want to take another partner, especially now that Jet was back. It felt wrong. I'd try my hardest not to let it come to that, but I couldn't let myself die either. I guess I'd cross that bridge when I got to it.

I took a long shower, and as the water trickled down my back my soul eased. The tension and fatigue lessened in my limbs. I felt better about my last talk with Jet, it was the best we'd had so far. I felt a tad uneasy about that _Damien_ character though. It seemed a bit contrived how they met, but that was probably just the jealousy talking. I shoved it out of my mind. He didn't matter. The only thing that I needed to focus on, was getting Jet to give me a second chance.

By the time I was dressed it was early evening. I headed back to Jet's new apartment and rapped my knuckles on the door. I was nervous about how she'd take everything: Bem, Sariah, Eliza, random other girls; but I wanted to be honest with her and just lay it all out there. As I knocked, it dawned on me she might not even know that Bem and Asher were dead. Perhaps I'd start with that and maybe stretch out all this information over a few days. Let her ask questions and have her steer the conversation; but I would still eventually tell her everything.

No answer.

I walked away, heading towards the common areas in Paramount. Where should I look? The Archive, somewhere in town, or perhaps even the Abstract? She could have gone there again to get more items.

_Damien._ My heart growled angrily in my chest.

I suppose she could have taken him up on that offer to go for a walk. But he'd just asked her. Would he really have come back the same day? I cleared the last of the stair steps and got my answer. They were sitting in the open area talking.

I simmered.

Past the back of his head, I had the perfect view of Jet's flirty reactions to everything he was saying.

I bubbled.

Jet smiled, Damien leaned a bit forward, waving his hands as he talked. Jet's response made him playfully brush a hand against hers.

I boiled over.

I walked right up behind that smug bastard and slapped the back of his head as hard as I could. It bounced like a ball down onto Jet's knee--who shrieked in surprise.

Damien shot out of his seat, splattering trickles of pomegranate-red blood onto the floor. He lunged at me faster than I expected, and I reacted by thrusting my hand out.

Nothing happened.

He had me and took complete advantage. He flung into me like a wrecking ball, flipping me on to my back. I wheezed, my lungs deflating like popped balloons as pain shot up my sides.

"STOP!" Jet screamed, but it didn't matter.

He flew down on me, forcing me down with a knee on my stomach. His fists worked me over. Pummeling my thighs, my gut, my face; I managed to roll to my side and he began smacking my ears with his palms.

"Fucking filth!" he growled.

I heard a smack and he stopped hitting me.

"Get—off—him," Jet growled.

I felt the weight lift off my chest and I rolled over, gasping.

I couldn't understand what he said next or what she said back in my defense. Moments later I felt two smooth cool hands on either side of my face and a flow of energy moving through my body. Breathing became a bit easier; my face throbbed less; I opened my eyes to see Jet's livid ones peering down at me.

"Stand up," Jet commanded.

20: HEALING

"You're an idiot," Jet told me as she helped me up the stairs to her bedroom.

The destination was correct, but the means of how I'd gotten there was _not_ what I'd had in mind. My head was spinning, my stomach was reeling, and I was worried. The one thing that I'd always identified myself with—telekinesis—was gone. What would happen to me now? Without my powers I couldn't fight and that meant I couldn't protect Jet if I needed to.

"Did you hear me, or are you so beat up you're not conscious anymore?"

"I heard you," I grumbled. My breath wheezed a little as I bent to lay back on the bed. The mattress molded under my weight, and even though it hurt, the relief of knowing I wouldn't have to move for a while was euphoric.

"I don't understand you," Jet exclaimed.

"Do me a favor; turn the shower on for me," I told her.

"Please; Ajani, you can barely stand up."

It took a little effort, but I sat up. Stretching my arms above my head, I pulled the standard t-shirt Aura men wore off my body. I was achy and there was a burning in my left side. I assumed my ribs were bruised but I wasn't as badly hurt as I thought.

"Ajani," Jet sighed.

I looked over at her. She was leaning forward on the bed beside me. Her hair fell in soft waves curtaining her face from me.

"Jet, I'm sorry. I just—I know you are angry with me and you should be. Really, I get that, but it doesn't stop the way I feel about you. It doesn't change my conviction that this is our second chance."

"Maybe it's just a second chance for me," she said softly. Crossing her arms, she stood back up. She looked at me angrily, her lips pressed firmly together.

"I don't believe that, and you don't either."

"So your idea of a second chance entails telling me how to think and feel?"

"That's not what—" I was trying to explain, but she cut me off.

"But it's what happened," she insisted. "Damien won't want to get to know me now, either, thanks to you."

"Jet, you're right. I just—" Again, I attempted to explain myself, but she interrupted me. Clearly my actions tonight were bringing a lot of unexpected emotions to the surface.

"No! You're not going to smooth-talk your way out of this and try to seduce me with some lofty idea of our love surviving everything and us needing to be together because the fates are giving us a second chance. You didn't want me _then_ and I remember it because I haven't changed. _Me._ I have not changed. If you love me now, you should have loved me then."

"I did," I spat out.

"Well, clearly not enough," Jet said. She was out of steam and she finally stopped pacing and yelling and sat down.

"I know you don't believe me, but it's true and I'm sorry."

"I don't care," she said childishly.

"I'm sorry," I said again. She was facing away from me, not wanting to look at me. Not wanting to connect in any way. I felt like my words weren't reaching, her and I was so desperate to convey my feelings, that before my mind could stop my heart, I'd reached over and taken her hand in my own.

Jet jumped, surprised at my touch but ironically she didn't pull away at first. She turned to me and I saw in her a quick glimpse of the emotion she was trying to vanquish. The feelings she so adamantly pretended didn't exist. I gave her hand a squeeze before letting it go.

"I think I can make it home," I said, pushing myself forward off the bed. I was a little shaky but I was fine, and showering at home was probably a better idea than doing it here.

"Nope," Jet said. She hopped up in front of me and pushed me back down.

"Come on!" I grumbled as I collapsed back on the bed. "You know damn well my powers aren't working—you can't go jabbing me just because you're upset."

"I'm going to heal you," she said quietly. She squatted down by my legs and began to pull off my shoes. I wasn't wearing layers of clothing and I'd already discarded my shirt, so once she had my pants off there was nothing left between us but her own clothes. I didn't know how to feel about what was happening. Normally I wasn't someone who cared about feelings but—Jet—well, she deserved a whole person and a healthy person had feelings. Real people cared about more than just themselves; they lived for more than just themselves.

"Jet, you don't have to do this. I really just need to soak or shower and I'll be fine," I insisted, sitting back up.

I swear my eyes popped out of my head. She'd turned around with her back towards me as she bent down to undress. My glance trailed down the long lines of her back, curving around her plush ass as she stood back up. I felt crazy, the blood in my body careening like a bullet straight—well—the barrel of my gun. Energy pulsated through me and I wasn't sure how I was going to get out of this room without having her, without fucking her, without loving her the way I needed too. Those ideas used to be separate things, but with the image of her thighs curving into that delicious behind, I knew they were all one and the same. I dragged my hands over my face exasperatedly.

I felt the bed shift.

"I'm sorry," Jet said as she crawled over my body. Her short pixie hair was fluttering around her face and her eyes were almost hypnotic as she looked at me.

"You're sorry?" I muttered, confused.

"Yes, and you're right," she confessed. She slid her body upward straddling me, her face just inches from mine.

"I'm right?" I echoed.

"Only partially, so don't let it go to your head."

She took my hands and coiled them around her ass. With her hands on top of mine, she began rolling her hips beckoning me to join her.

"What was I right about?" I asked her as she swirled slowly above me.

"Us," she answered simply.

"What about us?" I insisted, half sitting up. I hadn't been able to get her to interact with me, to talk to me, and even though it took every ounce of will power I had not to thrust into her and satiate this deep longing I'd had from the first moment I saw her, I wanted to know her, to understand her. I didn't have power anymore. I had to wait for her to trust me and tell me now and I wanted to earn that from her. I wanted her heart.

"I don't want to talk anymore," she said, pushing my body back down submissively so she could mount me.

As our bodies slid together, we both cried out. Pure pleasure, it felt like coming home. I'd had other women. I'd enjoyed other women, but this one was mine and my body knew it. The energy between us swirled and I reveled in it. I couldn't feel anything but her silkiness. I hadn't realized I was so hungry until it was time to devour. My fingers dug into her rear, pulling her sharply to me.

"Oh my," Jet panted.

I flipped her over onto her back and moved instinctively for her mouth, wanting to close the last gap of intimacy between us but she stopped me

"No kissing."

"What?" I said my, hips halting midstride.

"I don't want to kiss," she panted beneath me. "I just want to fuck."

"You can't be serious," I stammered, pulling out of her.

"Why would that matter?" Jet asked. I looked down at her, trying to read the emotions on her face but they were all over the place. Her cheeks were flushed. Her lips were parted and wet, her eyes were hazy, but maybe that was raw lust and not emotion. I had no way of knowing and no idea why she was setting this hard limit of no intimacy. That's what this declaration of "no kissing" meant. She didn't want to really connect with me. She just wanted to get off. She wanted fucking, I wanted love-making. I'd never been on this side of the cliff. I didn't like it and I didn't want it.

"Look," Jet continued, trying to pull me back to her, "I've admitted I want you. Isn't that enough?"

"No," I said rolling away from her. Our intense physical attraction had my body almost fully recovered and I nimbly scooped my pants off the ground at the foot of the bed. I was completely unsatisfied, but it wasn't my dick that was aching now. I left her flat without looking back. I felt so jaded. It was like she was saying she'd be with me but she wouldn't _really_ be with me. What she wanted wasn't love, it was physical. I didn't know how to cope with that rejection because I knew--even if she didn't believe me--that I was entirely and irrevocably in love with her.

I'd barely gotten down the hall when I saw _him_ heading in my direction. _Damien._

Rage flew through my body. Even if I had gotten my ass handed to me the first time, I wasn't a poof. I'd get redemption. I'd just have to physically get in shape until I figured out what was going on with my powers. But brawn wasn't everything. Jet had admitted that she did feel a connection with me. Deep down she knew we were still venku, and I was going to put that to the test.

Damien saw me and a smug smile rippled across his face. I grinned back. Oh, yes ass-wipe. Smile. You won that little scuffle, but blue balls is all you're going to be getting tonight. I turned on my heel and strode confidently back down the concrete payment to Jet's flat. I made it back in just a few strides, and I had just reached my hand towards the knob when it opened and Jet appeared on the other side.

"Ajani," she said, using my name as a greeting.

Wordlessly I cupped a hand around her cheek and guided her back into the room. I kicked the door closed behind me and I locked it.

"I'll compromise with you," I offered. "I won't kiss you on the mouth if you give _this_ a fair shot."

"What do you mean a by fair shot?" she echoed questioningly.

I stroked my thumb over her temple and she leaned into my touch, soaking up just that tad of affection like a sponge. I realized in that instance that her tough front was just a safeguard against me hurting her a second time.

"Let's negotiate that later," I told her.

"All right," Jet agreed.

"But before we start, we'll need to agree on one thing straight." I moved my hand backwards into her hair and tugged, bringing her face back and her mouth just inches above mine.

"When we're together," I went on, "there's nobody else but us. You think you can handle that?"

As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. I expected her eyes to shift towards the sound, but they were glued on mine as if she hadn't even heard it.

"Yes," she said assertively.

I leaned forward, pressing my check against hers before dipping my mouth down and furiously assaulted her neck. I abused her neck with my greedy lips, kissing and sucking, while simultaneously reaching a hand down between her thighs. Touching her like this wasn't just for her. It turned me on. We both knew that what was happening now had little to do with healing my body. Being able to take something that is so willing to be taken was incredibly sexy. She might think that avoiding kissing me would keep her safe from intimacy and put her in control, but she was so wrong.

We began undressing each other right there in the foyer of the apartment. I scooped her up her legs curling around my waist, and despite the fact that she wanted no kissing at all, I felt her lips fluttering over my face.

I heard another knock on the door. He really wasn't giving up. Maybe he'd figured out my plan. I turned, heading back towards the door.

"What are you doing?" Jet asked breathlessly.

My response was to push her up against the door ,her legs still interlocked around my waist.

Another knock rapped against the door and she put two and two together.

"Oh, you're clever," she moaned into my hair.

"I'm much more than clever," I promised. I shifted her body down onto me and bore into with one well-executed pump. She cried out and I was afraid I'd been too aggressive.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes—yes—Ajani, please".

Her voice was saturated with desire and urgency. Using the door behind us and the pressure between our bodies, I began to move, rocking into her in slow, hard beats. We were infused together, our bodies assimilating. Usually I wanted the woman to come first. Like a security net for my sexual batting average. I loved the power of making a woman quiver in submission of her losing herself with me, but this wasn't just any woman and I didn't want to be with her how I was with everyone else.

I knew she was close, her body was gripping mine, squeezing tighter with every roll of my hips. I pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around my neck. Her breasts were molded to my chest and I could feel the race of her heart against my skin.

"Let go baby, we'll fall together," I vowed hoarsely and the sound of my words pushed us both over the edge into bliss. I lost my footing tumbling down to the floor, and my body broke our fall. I let out a grunt as we awkwardly toppled onto each other. Jet rolled off me panting but laughing.

I felt like everything had just come into focus. I was exactly where I was meant to be. Nothing else mattered but us. I turned on my side, instinctively reaching for her, wanting to kiss her and share how I was feeling. She smiled at me as I moved, but when I got close she put her fingertips against my lips.

"Don't forget our bargain," she whispered.

"When do I get to kiss you?" I growled in annoyance. I nipped her fingers with my mouth in protest. I'd have to try to be patient and that wasn't something I was good at, but it was worth it if she'd come back to me.

"If I ever kiss you first," Jet answered back. "I know who was knocking outside, and I know that part of you coming back was you claiming your territory. You haven't changed, but if you want to be with me now, it's going to be on my terms."

21: HALFWAY

Over the next couple of days, I gave Jet space. I owed her that at least. What an idiot I'd been. I was embarrassed. When I'd slapped the back of Damien's head, I hadn't planned on not having any powers and having my ass handed to me, but at least it had somehow ended with Jet and me being closer. I have no idea how it had worked out so well in my favor, but I was glad. I'd won more than I'd lost.

I hadn't been expecting to lose my powers. The only logical explanation I could come up was when Jet had ascended the first time I'd inherited all her powers. Now that she was back and we were together, it was like we nulled each other out. The only thing we could do now were the passive Aura abilities, like transferring energy or creating new energy through sex. I didn't care if I had powers or not. Jet was all I needed.

I'd been restless in my flat and taken the elevator to the roof. Ever since the turf had been added atop of Paramount, this had been my thinking spot.

It was easy to lose track of time lying out in the soft grass, watching the stars poke through the night sky. Summer was ending, the days weren't hot and the nights weren't cold yet. It was perfect. Maybe I'd stay out here all night and watch the sunrise, and hopefully in that time I'd figure out how I could make things right with Jet. I'd been thinking a lot about the past few months and how much had changed. I remember it wasn't that long ago, I was trying to get Sariah to admit she had feelings for me. Maybe Sariah had just been the closest thing to Jet I could find. But even then, it would have just been cheap filler. It wasn't what I needed. I knew that now, and I was ashamed at how adamantly I tried to force Sariah off her path with Keegan.

And now, I'd come full circle back to where I started with Jet. I'd loved him before; I knew that and I know I should have told him the truth. Maybe in time I would have become comfortable with our bodies' attraction to each other, but I hadn't even given it a chance. It was just so complicated; I had wanted him, I just hadn't wanted _that,_ and now he was reborn into a woman and didn't want anything to do with me. The physical part of our attraction would always be there no matter what form we took, but our hearts, well, I couldn't force her to let me in. I couldn't make her trust me, and I couldn't make her want to spend her life with me either. I understood now why my rejection before had hurt so much. Even if we had gotten physical, it wasn't my body Jet wanted, it was my soul. We fuck genitals, but it's our hearts that love and the soul we can't live without.

"I had hoped to find you up here."

_Jet,_ my heart crooned. I felt caught in some rare moment of vulnerability. I closed my eyes, trying to check all the raw emotion, mentally shoving it back. I wasn't ready, not yet. It was too fresh, too newly understood. I might just blabber and say something stupid and that wouldn't help me at all.

Jet must have assumed I was asleep because she sat down on top of me.

I moved my hands, to her thighs and felt that she was wearing a loose-flowing cotton dress. I loved the feel of her body under my hands and I let the sound of her laughter roll over me before I opened my eyes.

With my eyes still closed I asked, "You've come to find me for some rooftop fuckery?"

"Are you in an obliging mood?" she asked me, leaning down into me as she pulled my shirt up and began kissing and nipping her way down the trail to the fly of my pants. She dipped low, the curve of her mouth catching me teasingly. Even through the cloth of my pants, it turned me rock hard and my blood red-hot.

I answered her question by sending my fingertips off on a recon mission of their own, trailing my thumb up, down and over her underwear until they moistened.

"You don't have anything to say?" Jet asked coyly as her tongue worked its way through my fly.

Only nonverbal communication tonight, I couldn't trust myself to talk. Every time I talked, we fought or I said something I meant the wrong way. Talking was overrated tonight. I just wanted to feel. I grabbed the fabric of her underwear and carefully rolled it down her thighs. Until it was low enough for her to kick off.

Jet closed her eyes, licking her lips unconsciously as I began moving my two fingers over her and then slowly inside. With each downward brush stroke of my hand, I went a little deeper and she swayed against me, adding her own movement to mine.

"You're so good with your hands," she sighed.

Still rubbing her, I sat up and used my free hand to guide her out of her dress. She pulled it up and over her head. Her skin was soft, warm beige and I ran my free hand over her, savoring the way she felt. It was an intoxicating combination of being able to explore her and watching her enjoying being explored. I was still priming her with my below hand. I wanted her to be on the edge when I finally took her. I could feel that I was getting her there.

Jet grabbed my hair at the nape pulling my mouth just inches from hers. She was mirroring my own brazen moves from yesterday and I loved it. The urge to kiss her was so strong. I wanted that intimate relief, but I resisted.

"Lean back onto the grass," I instructed softly.

"He speaks."

"You're so beautiful," I crooned. I removed my hand from beneath her and wrapped it around her waist so I could support her as I lowered her down to the ground in front of me. Her legs were still bent in the same position from the straddle. The air blew around us and her nipples hardened instantly. I leaned forward, I was so much taller than her I could easily reach my goal, and I caught her taut nipple between my teeth. I was rewarded with a throaty moan that made me twitch against her thigh.

"Do you like it when we come together?" I asked as I kissed the space between her breasts.

"Yes." Her voice was caked in syrupy desire.

"I'm so glad you came back to me," I sighed as I eased myself into her. God, she was so warm, soft and tight; slick silk. I placed my hands around her waist, groaning with the effort it took to slowly pump in and out of her. Her hand reached down to stroke herself, and I watched us. Our bodies unifying, getting the first real taste of what we could physically experience together. She was tightening around me in a pattern that matched my own thrusting. It felt so good. I closed my eyes, easing in deeper giving as much as she could take. My body tensed in anticipation of falling over the edge with her, when suddenly she sat up, her lips smacking into mine. The taste of her tongue sweeping into my mouth pushed me over the edge and I fell back onto the grass as I emptied out into her. I felt her come too, and she fell to my chest, moaning into my neck, her sex rippling over mine.

I regained my senses first and turned my head so that our lips were just inches apart. I wouldn't let her escape and kissed her for myself. I got my second taste of her _finally,_ my soul sighed, _finally._ I was reaching her. Our energy was reconnecting between us. She'd finally forgiven me and I was so relieved. I felt droplets of tears flick down to my face and I pulled back, breaking our embrace.

"Don't cry," I pleaded, wrapping my arms around her. I held her tight, drying her face with kisses. "Please, don't cry."

I sat up again rocking her, trying to comfort her as she wept.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked exasperatedly, but she just kept crying, burying her head into my neck and shoulder.

"Shit, Jet! Tell me what I did."

"I don't want to love you," she whimpered. "I just want to rely on myself, but I can't because I need you so damn much."

"I won't hurt you again, Jet. You have to believe me! I need you too. I was so dumb before, I let my impressions from First-Plane rule me and I know it was wrong, but you have to understand, feeling the way we can about someone in this plane is intimidating. It's a powerful force, but we have to believe this is fate bringing us together, that we're meant to have this slice of happiness. You do believe that, don't you, Jet?"

She looked up at me. Her eyes glimmering with many emotions, but the most vibrant was love.

"Yes—I do believe that—yes."

"Good, so when can I move my stuff in?"

She laughed as she hugged me.

_I love you,_ I thought.

I realized she couldn't hear me, but really I shouldn't be thinking it—I should say it out loud. I wanted to, I needed to, but it would be too much. She just forgave me, but the thought of loving me again upset her. I didn't want to add to that. I'd wait. Having powers didn't matter to me, not if I had Jet. Everything my soul truly wanted had come back and that was enough.

"Did you hear that?"

I murmured a monosyllabic purr and rolled her onto her back.

"Again?" she asked, surprised.

"And again and again," I vowed.

"I could have sworn I heard—," she started to say again, but my dipped head between her legs cut off the end of her sentence. I kissed her thighs, breathing in the sweet smell of us. Intoxicated by our aroma, I pushed forward, kissing the soft petals of her sex.

Jet gasped, her back arching as she sucked in air. I reached forward, grabbing her breasts before sliding my hands firmly over her hips and pulling her closer to my mouth and sucked; soft but firm. I could feel her trembling beneath me. Her body ripe with desire, wet with pleasure, and I wanted it all. She was nearing the edge so quickly and the delicious whimpers she was making had me there too. Just by touching her, pleasing her was getting me off. It'd never been, and would never be like this with anyone else; just Jet.

"Everything all right over there?" said a male voice.

Jet squeaked in surprise and I quickly--although regrettably--stopped.

I sat up immediately and found Jet's discarded dress.

"Don't be embarrassed," I said. I leaned over and kissed her cheek before setting the dress on her lap. I stood up, finding my own pants nearby and slipped them on. I rubbed my weighty, throbbing cock before turning to face whoever had interrupted us.

"Ajani, when did you get back?"

Keegan.

He was grinning, and to my horror Sariah was right beside him.

I was speechless. Sariah's amused eyes flickered downwards, and thankfully I had enough sense to fold my hands over my very straining crotch.

_Impressive,_ she thought to me with a slyly raised eyebrow and a slight smirk.

"We were walking and then we heard—you," Sariah said as way of an explanation.

I felt Jet's arm slink around my waist. Thank God, reinforcements.

"Hi," Jet purred sweetly. "Ajani got back a few days ago."

"This is Jet," I added awkwardly.

Sariah's eyes widened in surprise. "Jet's a she!"

"Very astute," I muttered.

"I thought he was, she was—"

"Could we maybe talk about this another time?"

"Lighten up! We're glad you're back! Welcome home," Keegan said as he thumped my back like a half-witted frat boy.

"Nice meeting you!" Jet called off as we left the roof.

As soon as the door closed in the elevator, she promptly started asking _questions._

"Who were they?"

"Two venkus that Bem and I were teamed up with."

"How did Bem die?"

Fuck. It hit me that in all the time we'd been together we hadn't really _talked._ Not about things from before, just about things now. There was so much to explain and I was reluctant to tell her everything: Bem and I, Sariah and I, Eliza and I, random girls on First-Plane. God, she'd think I was some kind of man-whore. Or would she? We did survive on sex, she'd understand, that right? Also, in my defense, I'd had no idea she'd be reincarnated. Still, I didn't want her to pull away from me. Lying would definitely do that. I'd have to just tell her the truth. Perhaps just in small doses.

"I want to know everything that's happened since I died. I mean—I know that attack led to the Great War and then there was a long time of peace before the killings started again. It was a few days before Iris was able to find you. She didn't say where you were, but then once you were back it didn't matter so much. I was just happy to see you, but we should have talked. The last couple of days have just been intense."

"Ok, we'll talk. Your place or mine."

"Yours," Jet said.

"Technically it's still _ours._ I never moved."

"You never moved?" she echoed. "Didn't you take another partner?"

"Sometimes but--"

"Who?"

We were still walking down the hallway and I'd hoped that we'd wait until we were inside before I had to tell her.

"Why won't you just say it?" Jet said with annoyance. "I'm not an idiot, I know you've had sex with people. We survive off of sex, it's only logical and necessary that you'd take another venku."

"No," I corrected her as we walked inside the apartment. "We all only have one venku."

"You know what I mean," Jet muttered, sitting down on the couch.

I couldn't sit. I was afraid of her reaction and wanted to be able to stop her if she tried to leave me. Yes, taking a lover after your soul mate passes when your physical body relies on sexual energy to survive was logical, but when was emotion ever logical? Telling her these things was going to hurt her and I desperately didn't want to do that.

"Are you going to tell me?"

I ran my hand through my hair, ruffling it nervously.

"God, it must be bad," Jet said, watching me from the couch. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"Bem and I were lovers for a long time. Then Sariah awakened here and I was infatuated with her, but I realized it wasn't _love._ I just wanted you and she was the first person I'd really been attracted to since you, and that manifested into what I thought was love, but it's always been you."

"Oh," Jet said. Her expression was unreadable, but she hadn't moved. I sat down quickly beside her and took her hand.

"There are some other things you need to know—secret things. Some of the Banguri can create portals back to First-Plane. When I wasn't here I was there, helping them track down rogue Banguri that someone had sent through. A few good Banguri have settled there and they don't want anything to happen to the people of that plane."

"Iris did mention there's been a truce between our races, but she didn't mention traveling between the planes," Jet said.

"That's because she doesn't know. When the murders, started we went out to question the outer territories and were ambushed. Bem was killed, but Sariah, Keegan and I were asked to push forward and track down the nearest camp. Iris wanted intel, and since we had no idea why they were hunting us, we had to try to get as much information on them as we could. Iris was desperate to avoid another Great War.

Keegan and Sariah were fine but I was hurt. Keegan went on, leaving Sariah behind to protect me, but then he was attacked and got knocked through a portal. We barely made it out, but Sariah wanted to go back for him."

"So you helped her, even though you thought you loved her?"

"Yeah, we managed to find another camp with another portal and then went to Second-Plane. There's a time lapse between the planes. One hour here is one day there. We must've left right before the Omni attack. No one was prepared because we were betrayed by members on the council. Anyway, we won, pushed them out, and then I kept my promise to return back to Second-Plane and help round up the Low-Banguri."

"Wow," Jet said. She looked stunned and a little overwhelmed by all that information.

"You have to believe me when I tell you that I've thought about you every day since you died. I've longed for you every day. Not as a man, or as a woman, but as a soul. I wanted _you_ back. I just never dreamed it would ever happen."

I pulled her to me. I could feel emotion welling up behind my eyes. Instinctively, I wanted to push it away, but I knew to understand me she had to see me. I couldn't hide my emotion from her and expect her to know my heart.

"Jet, I love your soul. I always have, but I was just too insecure and this world was too new. We didn't have enough time and I'm so sorry for that. I can't, I won't, lose you again."

She was looking intensely at me, but her expression confused me. She looked ill.

"Are you all right," I questioned nervously. She didn't look right. Something was wrong.

"God, I feel so sick." She'd barely gotten the words out before she leaned over and threw up.

I got up quickly and returned with water and a towel. Handing her the glass, I patted her face dry.

"I've never felt sick like this before," she whimpered, holding her stomach.

"Come one," I said, helping her up. "I'm taking you to Harold, something isn't right."

Jet barfed a few more times between the walk from our apartment to the elevator and through the lobby of Paramount. I saw the low cream light of Harold's desk lamp and felt instantly relieved. I was glad he was in his lab and I wouldn't have to hunt him down. He could help us, or I hoped he could help us. Jet was the first Aura I ever remember being sick.

The movement of us nearing caught his eyes and he hopped up quickly, helping me get Jet to a long couch.

"What's the matter?" Harold asked anxiously.

"I don't know," I stammered nervously. "She just got sick. You've got to help her."

"I'm not sure if I know how," Harold said honestly, "but I've been working on combining and modifying some manuals and I have a prototype of a body scanner that might help; should pick up on viruses, broken bones, that sort of thing. Just a minute, I'll go get it."

Harold sputtered off and I turned my attention back to Jet. Her eyes were closed and she looked clammy and pale. I nestled her face with mine and tried to hold back the wild emotions brewing within me. I was so worried. She must have sensed it because she turned her face, kissing my cheek lightly.

"Don't worry," she said, trying to soothe me. "I just feel like I caught the flu."

I didn't trust myself to talk.

"All right," said Harold as he came back in the room. "I'm just going to scan this over you. It'll be able to compare your body's temperature and anatomical makeup to those of an average Aura; which is pretty much any of us, since we don't have illness here."

"Will it hurt?"

"No, not at all. Ajani—move back a bit."

I did, scooting back past her head. I pushed a worrisome kiss on her brow before sitting back in the chair. Harold held the device and it turned on after a few moments, using that classic technology of taking our own energy to power. He started from her feet and worked his way up slowly. He got to her stomach and held it still for a moment, frowning as he read the readings. He tapped his free hand's fingers over the screen and then gasped.

"What is it?"

"I'm think I know, but I must be sure," he mumbled before running off and returning with an ear attachment.

"Don't be alarmed, Jet, but I need to listen to your stomach and this little gadget on my ear will enhance sound. You must all be very quiet while I listen."

"Listen to it?" Jet said with a panicked look. She reached her hand back behind her for me and I grabbed it immediately, brushing a kissing over her knuckles as I took it.

He bent forward lightly, pressing his face to her abdomen. After only a few seconds he pulled back, his face covered in awe and his eyes bright with excitement.

"You're pregnant!"

22: HORIZONS

"That's impossible!" Jet exclaimed at the same time I whispered: _I'm going to be a father._

"It's a scientific miracle!" Harold said excitedly. "Stay here! I have to run to get Iris and any books I can find on impressions of First-Plane reproduction."

He was gone in an instant and it was just us.

I licked my lips nervously and then knelt in front of her.

"How are you feeling now?" I asked her hesitantly.

"Still queasy but it's getting better."

"I've never even thought about being a parent. It's not something we've ever had to think about here."

"I know," Jet murmured. She placed a hand protectively over her stomach.

"We should go back to First-Plane," I said, looking at her solemnly.

"Why?"

"I can protect you both there and give our child a better life."

"Better how? Everything is easier here, you know that!"

"There will be other children on First-Plane. We'll be able to blend, and we can stay close to Luke and his kin. He'll understand and he'll help me protect you."

"Why are you so adamant that I'm in danger? It's just a child."

I shook my head, wholeheartedly disagreeing with her. Aura were supposed to be infertile, or at least that's how it had always been. But that wasn't an absolute truth and my gut told me changing the truth was dangerous. I had to get her and our baby out of here.

Harold burst back through the door. He'd only been gone a few minutes and we were both caught off guard.

"When was the first time you had sex?" he asked, his eyes bouncing between Jet and me.

"Just a day or two ago," Jet answered.

"I have an impression that something isn't right. I'm going to go over my books to try to confirm a time line for human pregnancy, but my gut tells me it's too soon for us to be able to tell that you're pregnant."

My stomach lurched, _the time difference between the planes_. One day here was twenty-four days on First-Plane. Did that mean pregnancies would be accelerated for us? But the Banguri populate normally, didn't they? Would Jet's body be able to handle that accelerated rate? If I took her back to First-Plane, would the pregnancy slow down to a normal term? I had to get her back there. If nothing else, we'd at least be safe and the Banguri could educate us on how to raise a child.

Harold's communicator beeped on his desk and he excitedly began explaining the situation to Iris.

"Discretion," I snarled.

"Yes, of course," Harold said, fumbling a little over his words as he tried to reel in his own excitement. "Iris, I'll be home in just a few minutes and I'll tell you everything."

"What should we do?" This might be exiting for him, but this was reality for me, not some unique discovery.

"Wait here. I'll grab some books and come right back."

"Harold, please don't tell anyone other than Iris."

He was gone for half an hour or so and Jet started to feel very tired. I began slowly transferring my energy to her and she got comfortable and was able rest.

"Ajani," she murmured, half asleep, "you'll wear yourself out."

I lifted my hand from her face and took her hand in mine.

"I'm fine," I answered sternly.

She pursed her lips at me, a wordless scolding of my stubbornness, before drifting back off.

Eventually I fell asleep too, still by Jet's side, but I was stirred awake by the sound of Sariah's voice.

"I should be able to give her enough energy without wearing myself down."

"Does that mean you'll accept this position as healer?" Iris asked Sariah.

"Has Harold found anything that can help us prepare for what'll come next?" I asked, interrupting them as they entered the room.

"Ajani, let's take a walk then and leave Sariah to strengthen Jet.

I nodded and stood up. I was hesitant to leave Jet, but I knew could trust Sariah and it would only be for a moment.

"I need a favor," I told Sariah as I passed her. "Find Ursula and then get her to send Eliza, Luke and Otto, here."

"Why?" Sariah asked.

I looked at Iris and Harold. They were deep in conversation across the room. I didn't think they were paying attention to us, but I couldn't be sure. I tapped my temple and Sariah asked me again.

_What happened to your powers?_ she thought to me.

Not sure. They started fading once Jet and I were together again.

Why do you want Eliza, Otto and Luke here?

_I don't want it to be obvious that I need Eliza here._ I thought back. _I'm taking Jet to First-Plane, and Eliza can make portals._

That's a dangerous plan. We have no idea what the child will be when it's born.

Mine! That's what it'll be. Nothing else matters.

I felt Sariah's hand grab mine. I looked down awkwardly, not sure why she was touching me and then I felt a honey warmth seep into my palm through our skin contact. It careened deliciously through my body, reviving my chi.

"Why did you do that?" I said as my body adjusted to the energy she'd given me. She was still growing stronger. It was hard to believe she was an Aura like the rest of us. Everything about her was superior.

"You looked tired," Sariah said simply with a little smile that made me feel guilty for still being attracted to her. I quickly pulled my hand away. I felt reminded of how muddled things could get on this plane and felt even more convicted that I needed to leave this world and get back to First-Plane.

"Just focus on Jet, all right?" I snapped.

Sariah nodded and moved away from me and towards Jet. She placed her hand on Jet's stomach and closed her eyes as she transferred energy.

Movement caught my eyes and I looked up to see four suited figures headed down the hallway. They weren't dressed like us and I knew they meant trouble. I reached for my deku automatically but realized I didn't have a suit on. I was still in the same linen clothes from earlier.

I barely had time to say Sariah's name before they were in the room. They flanked out, immediately surrounding us. They were so quick I didn't even realize they were shooting until Iris, Harold and Sariah were already down, cringing on the ground.

I moved instinctively to Jet, but they fired on me, hitting me in the leg. Pain sizzled up me like a bug caught in an electric snapper. This wasn't a normal gun. My body buckled and I fell to the ground. I couldn't move. I was powerless. My soul raged and I fought desperately against the paralysis.

"This one's still conscious, Damien. Should I hit him again?"

"No. The woman who killed my wife is his venku. Let him watch me take her."

_What is he talking about?_ my brain thought frantically. I felt a twinge in my toe. My body was coming back to life. Faster, Faster! I willed my body. _You can't let them take Jet. You have to do something! Anything!_

Damien grabbed a fistful of Jet's hair and she woke up gasping at the pain.

"You're going to pay for what you did!"

"Don't, please! I don't understand!"

He pointed the gun to her chest and my soul screamed. My thigh twitched and I squirmed trying to get off my side and up.

"No, please! My baby!"

Damien's face went white and then his eyes turned even colder.

"He's trying to get to you," one of his lackeys informed him, nudging his gun in my direction.

Damien's eyes turned to me and a twisted smile curled against his lips. He aimed his gun at me and pulled the trigger. The blast hit me in the stomach and my vision faded to black.

I woke up to the feel of Sariah's fingertips on my face. I opened my eyes to find hers closed in concentration.

"That's enough," I said, and as I sat up her hands fell away to her lap.

"They almost killed you," Sariah said. Her eyes looked worried and tired.

"I don't care! I know they took Jet! We have to find her before he kills her." I got up and was very wobbly on my feet.

"Easy," said Keegan. I hadn't realized he was there, and as I looked over to him and saw that he had one of their own guns pointed to the floor at one of the men dressed in black. Sariah must have called for Keegan telepathically.

"The rest got away, but this one will be able to tell us everything we need to know," Keegan said.

"I won't say a word," he spat vehemently.

"You won't have to," Sariah said coolly. She closed her eyes and the man's eyes closed too. He began to scream and then he just turned off and he slumped to the floor.

Sariah opened her eyes and wiped away at a tear.

"Are you all right?" Keegan asked.

"Yes, but it caused him a lot of pain for me to take his memories. But I wanted us to know what were up against and where they were taking Jet. I owe you Ajani, and I intend to pay in full. Damien wants revenge for his wife. He told his men it was Jet who did it, but that's a lie."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I killed her, she was the Omni leader, I had to in order to get the rest of them to submit. I don't understand why he didn't just take me," Sariah said.

"You're too strong," I told her. "He could never just take you, but he knew we'd come after him. He's going to try and get you to sacrifice your life to save Jet."

"He's played his cards well then, because I would."

"You will not!" roared Keegan.

"Keegan's right, that would be ridiculous," I said determinedly. "Where are Iris and Harold?"

I asked looking around frantically. Their bodies were gone and it hit me suddenly that they were dead and ascended.

"Harold and Iris are talking with Lanni. The Atlas should have warned us that there was Omni here," Sariah answered. "The shots they fired were only enough to stun and incapacitated us. They didn't want to kill all of us—they just wanted to take Jet. You were hurt more because they shot your twice."

"They might have a way to mess up that signal, since their powers seem to be tied so closely with electricity. They could be the reason the Atlas is always delayed, or broken," Sariah reasoned. "I don't have enough energy to heal him too." Sariah added as she stood up.

"No need," I snatched the gun up from the ground that one of the other men must have dropped in their tussle with Keegan and fired it at his head. His body shook and then thick foam spilled out of his mouth.

Sariah and Keegan looked startled, but I was unmoved.

"You know where they are?" I asked Sariah.

"Yes," Sariah answered

"Then let's go! We've got to catch them before they leave the peninsula."

We burst into the teleporter room. Lanni and Iris were leaning over the Atlas, having what looked like a very serious technical conversation.

"Good," said Iris nodding.

"We need to track down Damien. He's kidnapped Jet."

"Lanni's found them manually using the Atlas and is tracking them now," Iris confirmed.

"Why would he do that?" Lanni questioned, looking up from her computers.

"He thought she was me," answered Sariah.

Keegan placed a hand on the nape of her neck supportively but remained silent.

"I'll have their exact location momentarily," Lanni said sullenly.

"He's been here for weeks, perhaps the Aura have become too trusting," Iris said. "I was just talking with Lanni about changes we could make to make sure the Atlas works, amongst other things."

I walked into the side armory room and quickly suited up. Sariah and Keegan silently did the same. I was going to tell them they didn't have to come, didn't have to help, but I didn't. Instead, I just thanked them.

"You're welcome," Keegan said warmly. The past was finally behind us, but now I had to secure my future. I grabbed the familiar pack and deku and slung them on my back. There wasn't time to ponder, I had to get back what was mine.

"I've got their location. They're heading to the cliffs at the edge of the old Acres."

I gritted my teeth. That was the same area where I'd first lost Jet and I would not lose her again.

"I'm going to put you right in front of them. You'll have about three minutes and then they'll run right in to you. They're moving fast. They have technology we don't have. Hurry, I need to time this just right."

We got on the docks and were warped to the edge of the Acres.

It wasn't a spot I'd been in before, but it still made my skin crawl. I'd never thought I'd be back here.

"What direction will they be coming in?" Sariah whispered.

The wind blew and the scent of the water swept past us through the littered trees. I'd forgotten, past the Acres were the cliffs. We were on the very edge of the peninsula.

"The water is behind us, so let's form a triangle with the ridge at our back. It shouldn't take long. Sariah, go for Jet, we have to get her away from them. Keegan, guard Sariah. I'll do the rest," I strategized. We'd have to be accurate. There wasn't time for anything else.

I heard a rumble.

"Here they come from the west," Keegan said from my left. "They're moving fast."

"Get Jet," I said as I pulled my deku off my back. I hesitated to transform it, wanting to get a clear line of vision first.

The rumble grew to a roar and I saw what I can only describe as like a hovercraft shoot past. I couldn't see if Jet was in there, but I caught a glance of the driver— _Damien._ I wanted to go after them, but I steadied myself as I felt Keegan shoot off. I had to stick with the plan. It'd only been a couple seconds and the next vehicle was headed this way driving swiftly through the trees. I transformed my deku into a long pole and started running. I clipped the driver and he spun out of control. The craft behind him was at a closer distance and wasn't able to correct in time to not hit.

_That's three down,_ I thought to myself, moving forward towards the piled-up crafts. One more was looming somewhere, but he'd find me and by then this two in front of me would be dead.

I shifted my deku into a lean sword. The vehicle had no roof and I could see that the driver was knocked out and the one behind him who'd hit him had spun and then wrecked against a tree. He was struggling to get up. His arm was broken and squished between the seat and the door. Faint pink blood-tears streaked his face. Needles prickled out of his skin as a last attempt to defend himself, but I didn't let him. I sliced my deku through his neck, and the tips of his needled skin sprinkled through the air. I dragged my sword along the ground and walked to the next vehicle.

The driver was still unconscious. I could hear his labored breathing, each breath rattling within his lungs. I shrunk my deku and lifted it high before jabbing it directly into his heart.

I felt a sting in my side and turned to see a prickly needle poking out. The last one had found me. My body instantly started to feel heavy and my fingers slipped repeatedly as I tried to pull out the sharp quill. I fell to my knees and then my body melted onto my side. The poison was affecting me fast; I had to fight.

_FIGHT!_ I willed my soul.

_Hang on!_ Sariah's voice rang in my head.

I felt the needle pull out of me. I saw it fly off and then heard a scream. The ground thudded as a third man fell into my line of vision, his own needle poking through his eye socket. His body contorted at the neck and I heard a crackle followed by a pop. His mouth parted and the white orb, his soul, emptied out of his body.

"Ajani!" Sariah screamed.

I was beginning to be able to move again and awkwardly sat up. Keegan and Sariah were walking towards us, Jet was cradled in Keegan's arms. Relief washed over me and I painfully managed to stand.

"Thank you," I said, my voice strained with emotion.

"Sariah did most of the work," Keegan, added smiling.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet," Sariah said.

I followed her gaze up, and hovering above us was Damien.

Anger fed my chi and adrenaline pumped through my veins renewing my own strength. I thrust my hand out, telepathically summoning my deku and it came quickly into my hand.

"Set him down," I boomed.

Sariah dropped him and he crushed his leg under his own weight.

"Argh!" groaned Damien.

I walked towards him and stood on his hand crushing the bones like they were grapes. He screamed in pain and I raised my deku to finish him and end this nightmare, but he spoke.

"You know, this is why they call me a heretic," he wheezed, tears dripping off his chin.

I froze; hypnotized by the real agony I heard in his voice.

"We loved each other, we really did. Omni are supposed to suppress all urges, all emotions. But we were more than those stupid philosophies. We are more! You believe me, don't you? It wasn't wrong. It was right to love her. Our baby; that was the manifestation of that love and now it's gone and she's gone. The world can't be so cruel. I'll find her again, won't I? Won't I? She's still out there, she has to be."

For a moment, I had an urge to lower my weapon. To tell him I understood loss and love and pain, but I didn't. I saw the desperation in his eyes and I realized killing him was a mercy. She wasn't coming back like Jet. His venku was dead, and if I let him live he'd just wallow in his own desperation. Killing him wouldn't stop the Omni from invading but, it would stop him from ever trying to hurt the people I cared about again. It would protect those I loved most. I followed through, slamming my deku down on his crown and splitting him in two.

23: HOPEFUL

"I'll allow you through, there's no need for Eliza to vouch for you," Ursula reassured us.

I had to admit I was surprised and a little suspicious. Sariah had been able to give Jet enough energy for her to be able to walk. We ditched the Omni motorcar—which was large enough to carry two, we squeezed in three; Keegan ran--at the nearest portal and transported away out of the Acres. We didn't want Ursula seeing the smoking wreckage of those cars and asking questions. Iris was sending venku to do cleanup. They'd scrap the parts of the cars and combine that with the still-functioning one, so we now had more Omni technology that we could reproduce. We were learning and change was coming.

Ursula held her hand out and the portal blew from her palm. I'd never seen her actually make one. We were always coming back to Second-Plane from First. It was different from Erick's, and I wondered why and if he knew.

I caught Ursula's eyes flicker to Jet's stomach and I glared menacingly at her. Jet had nothing showing through the loose dress, but I felt the oddest premonition that somehow she knew. Our gazes crossed, and she bowed her head as she backed away from the portal she'd made. She delivered us to what had become the usual spot, behind the alleyway.

Jet leaned in to me and I automatically wrapped my arm around her waist, steadying her against my side.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," Jet said with a sigh. "As soon as we stepped through that portal, it felt like my body slowed down. I'm just tired now."

"That's good," Sariah said, placing herself on Jet's opposite side. "It won't be so hard on your body."

Keegan went ahead of us and pounded on Starlight's back door. It opened after a moment and I saw the dark brown crown of Luke's head.

"What's happened?" he asked, ushering us into the back end of the kitchen.

"Too much," I grumbled. "Jet and I will need to be here for—a while."

"Of course, there's a newly vacant room right next to mine. Wait—how did you get back here?"

"Ursula, of course," I explained quickly. "How else would we have?"

"We need to talk, but I don't want to do it in the diner. Go to the apartment I said you could stay in, all right? I'll be up in a few minutes."

I nodded.

I knew my way around and I'm sure Sariah and Keegan remembered where'd they'd stayed before too, so I didn't bother waiting for them. I had to get Jet to a bed so she could rest and rebuild her strength. It'd be a little bit before Sariah would be able to get her more energy and I wanted to hear what Luke had to tell me. From his expression when he asked how we'd gotten here, I knew something was off. Had Erick decided to end traveling between the planes and Ursula was defying him?

Jet was half asleep by the time I got her to the floppy couch. With the covers still drawn back, I placed a hand firmly on her stomach. The only power I had now was to give of myself and I did until I felt dizzy with exhaustion.

"Ajani," Jet said softly, turning on her side and pulling me down beside her. "Don't wear yourself out. We need you too."

I pulled her close, breathing her scent in. God, I'd almost lost her _again_ , but now we were here and safe. There was a soft knock and I brushed a kiss on her forehead before standing fully up. I opened the door, expecting Luke but was surprised to see Sariah.

"I came by to give her some energy," she said quietly.

"I took care of it for now. Go ahead and rest."

"You must be tired, I could give you some energy," she said reaching for my hand, but I snapped it away quickly. It was different between us, but getting energy from her was still pleasurable for me and I didn't want that.

"No," I said. "Save it for Jet."

"I didn't mean anything by touching your hand," she muttered, embarrassed.

"I know, but I just can't, okay?"

"All right," Sariah consented. "I'll be back to check on her in the morning."

She turned to leave and then stopped.

"Where do you think they were headed?" she asked.

"Who?" I questioned back, perplexed.

"Damien and his men. They were riding those car things and heading straight towards the edge."

"I don't know but I'm glad it's over."

"It may not be. What if they were meeting someone?"

"Over the edge? There's nothing but water on the other side."

"Maybe those things transform, like our octaves," she theorized.

"You can go back to First-Plane if you think they're in danger," I suggested. "Jet and I can manage."

"We have some time, but eventually we'll need to go back. Keegan and I, I mean."

"I know, well, good night."

"Good night," she echoed and then left.

I closed the door firmly, pondering over what she'd said about the Omni. How many were there really? How big was their country? How advanced was their technology? At least we knew one thing—they didn't know about the portals, and even if they did without someone letting them through, they couldn't. That at least gave us an advantage. Then it dawned on me. How come Erick hadn't been waiting for us on the other side? Ursula could create portals without him, but he needed her to open up a door on the other end.

"Who was it?" Jet asked, pulling me out of my own thoughts and back to reality.

"Sariah, coming to check on you," I answered honestly.

"She still has feelings for you," Jet hummed. A little smirk tugged at her lips.

I ignored that statement and scooped her into my arms.

"I'm going to move you to the bed, okay? How are you feeling now?"

"Even better than before," Jet sighed, nuzzling against my neck.

"I'll find you a nightgown or pajamas or something," I promised. "Luke will be here soon and I'll tell him everything and he'll know what to do."

"You have good friends," Jet said. Her eyelids were heavy, but her skin was glowing again and she looked much better than before.

"Yes," I agreed. I was thankful for everything Keegan and Sariah had done, but I only really trusted Luke. He had been my friend from the start, I hadn't had to earn it; it just was. I slipped in the bed beside Jet and held her close. She curled into me as she fell fully asleep. Emotion gurgled in my stomach, welling up inside me until tears trickled silently down my face. I kept my breath steady and hastily wiped them away with my free hand.

Another knock on the door stirred me awake. I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep. I slowly, carefully, got up and went to the door.

It was Luke.

"Your hair is all wing-dinged to one side," he commented as he came in.

"It's been one hell of a week."

"I'm glad you got some rest. Darla donated some lady's pajamas to Jet."

He set the neatly folded clothes on the table and flopped onto the couch

"Have you made a move yet?"

"Of course not," Luke told me. "It ain't so easy for us who weren't _born_ with a soul mate."

"Everyone is born with a soul mate."

"Not fucking right next to them," Luke said, laughing.

"Thank you for helping us," I stammered awkwardly. It was only awkward because I was trying to express how I felt. Being back here was anything but awkward. It was home.

"You're welcome," Luke said sincerely. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back here. It's been the worse day, but I bet yours hasn't been much better."

"Who gets to go first?"

"I'd better," Luke said grimly. I'd never seen him so serious and I had to admit, I was nervous. I hoped coming here hadn't been a mistake.

"Ursula tried to kill my father—who turns out isn't really even my father. Ursula sent tons of orphans here when our parents died on Second-Plane. I still don't understand why she wanted to masquerade as our parents though."

"What!"

"There has been a lot of lying. Not even sure how she even got here, but Otto managed to save Erick and he's _enlightened_ us on a few of their falsehoods.

"When did this all happen?" I asked quickly as I tried to make sense of what I knew versus what Luke was telling me.

"Not even twenty-four hours ago," Luke said.

Ursula knew Jet and I were here and somehow she knew about the baby. Had she sensed it? It didn't matter, she _knew_ and that meant she now a threat. If she killed newlies, I knew what she'd do to an Aura newborn.

"We have to go back to Second-Plane," I said immediately.

"Whoa, calm down! Otto, Eliza, Sariah and Keegan are already in Second-Plane. They'll find Ursula and—handle the situation."

I laughed--not because it was funny but because I was so fucking relieved. Everything was going to be alright.

"Eliza and Otto heard a commotion in my dad—Erick's room and went in to make sure he was okay. _He wasn't._ They fought with Ursula, Otto ended up opening up a portal beneath her and they sent her back to First-Plane. They have no idea where they sent her, but clearly it wasn't too far from Paramount if you were able to find her and have her open the portal to send you here."

"We have no idea what we're dealing with, when it comes to her."

"Oh, there's more. Think about it, the whole one hour in Second-Plane equals one day here is a crock of shit. Erick and Ursula must have been manipulating time—I know that sounds crazy but it's the truth because the time spans aren't lining up."

"You're right," I said quickly, doing the rough math in my head. "It's been just barely five days since I've left. Way more time should have passed here."

"We'll know for sure when Sariah, Keegan and Otto get back."

"Eliza's portal-making has improved if she could send through all of them."

"Yeah, Otto's had quite the effect on her."

"He turned out to be trustworthy, I take it?"

"Ha!" Luke snorted. "Yes, but that's another story for another time. So, tell me about your day."

"When Sariah stopped there from being a war, she killed off the leader of the Omni fighters that were sent over here. The leader was a woman, pregnant, and had a partner. He was on the peninsula too but must have been with the rest of their forces. When he found out she was killed, he didn't retreat with everyone else; he passed himself off as a High-Banguri. Got a job at the abstract and stalked us out. Got friendly with Jet and then must have either seen or heard her talking with Sariah. Knew he couldn't take Sariah dead on, so he immobilized us with one of those electro-gun things that they have—"

"Electric guns?"

"The bullets ooze this weird gel and you get electrified. They must be able to change the charge level because they wanted Sariah to be able to come after them and trade her life for Jet's."

"Insanity," Luke muttered in bewilderment.

"It worked out all right, but we've got to stay here. I can't keep them safe on Second-Plane."

"Them?" Luke echoed.

"I'm going to be a father."

"I've always wanted to be an uncle."

"How is this even possible?" I asked Luke. I knew he wouldn't know, but I had to ask all the same.

"Something must have changed when Jet reincarnated. She's more human now, less Aura? Either way, I want you to stay with us. There are some younger children in our community; they'll need to go to school just like the First-Plane children so we can blend as best as possible. We'll figure everything out; we'll work the diner, run these apartments. I'm glad you're here! This is the safest place for you and you're part of my family now."

I took Luke's outreached hand and shook it firmly, sealing our brotherhood. I was lucky our paths had crossed. He was a good man and an even better friend. He'd help me keep Jet safe just like I knew he would, and I'd be forever indebted. Everything was going to be all right, because assimilation was the best camouflage.
ACKNOWLEDMENTS:

I'd like to extend a special thanks to the following people who helped me push through and get this novel out.

Nicholas Wilson

Patricia Saenz

T.D. Brick

Jenika Townsel

Syvannah Twese

Writing while you're working full time is very hard and my, beta readers, close friends and family are a huge part of me being able to find the energy to keep pushing forward and as a special thank you I've included in this e-book a sneak peak at the third book in the Soul(s) Series, _Banguri(s)._ Enjoy!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Soul(s) is Vera West's debut contemporary novel with elements of science fiction, dystopian themes and romance, inspired by personal feelings on love, death, and the afterlife. Vera West resides in the Mid-West where she is passionately scribbling out her next novel. Connect with her on Facebook for updates and news on upcoming releases and book signings.

FUTURE WORKS:

As you've probably realized by now, there are going to be a few more books in the Soul Series. Next up is the third book entitled Banguri(s), which takes us back to when Ajani hears the news that takes him from the camp site back to Second-Plane. This novel is told entirely from the perspective of Eliza. Without further ado, but please enjoy the special preview I've included in the back of this this ebook and thank you again for all your reader love and support! Enjoy!

PROLOGUE:

"Wake up! Wake up, now!"

It was my mother's voice and I groggily rubbed my eyes trying to do what she was commanding me to. But I couldn't, I was too tired, too cold and waking up seemed like the worst option.

Then I heard the scream of a girl my age and my eyes flew open.

"They've found us, we have to move," she urged us.

I didn't have anything to grab. It wasn't like before when we'd lived in villages, our tribes were broken up. No belongings, just life. The adults all gone to fight and the kids like me scattered around through the land hiding.

"Where are you taking us?" Luke's voice said beside me in the dark. I grasped toward the sound until I found his hand. It wasn't much larger than mine, but it was strong and mine just as firmly as my dad would have.

"Move quickly, there isn't much time."

I felt my brother's arm around my shoulders, pulling me up.

"It's alright," he told me. "I hear them too, but it's alright."

I nodded, trusting him above anyone else, and got up.

I thought we'd be going out of the cave but instead we went deeper back into a tunnel we'd never been through before.

My mother knelt in front of us, facing the wall of the cave we'd been hiding in and placed her hands firmly on the ground.

I curled around my brother's waist to see what she was doing

. "What did you make?" I asked staring at the silver glowing goo leaking across the floor.

"Get in it," she commanded. "Your father's on the other side."

"NO!" Luke yelled. "I don't trust you!"

"NOW!"

I flinched; the sharpness of her voice cracked the air like whip.

Luke grabbed my hand and together we lurched forward and sunk in silver.

PART ONE: NYMPHA

I'm going to live like tomorrow

doesn't exist

doesn't exist;

I'm going to fly like bird

through the night and

feel my tears as they dry.

_-_ lyrics from _"_ Chandelier" by Sia

01: OUTER SPACE

I bit my lip, successfully holding back a sob. I could hear Ajani and my brother talking outside. I couldn't be as weak as I was. I had to grow stronger.

My stomach lurched.

_Here comes the shame._ I thought bitterly. I tried to ignore their voices in the hallway, but I couldn't tune out the flexes in their intonation and I knew Ajani was awkwardly explaining what had just happened to Luke. When the hallway finally grew silent, I got up and left. I moved quickly through the back of the train car. Past the empty seats and the full rooms. My legs sped up on their own accord. Every second grew increasingly suffocating, until finally I burst through the caboose and the cool night air chilled my heated face. My hands hit the iron metal railing, latching on tightly to keep from toppling over. I breathed in and out, my lungs matching the light lurch of the train car.

"Careful," said a male voice.

I jumped, surprised I wasn't alone. I turned, it was Otto. He was leaning against the opposite side of the train car.

"Why are you out here?" I snapped.

He shrugged and went back to staring out into the dark night.

Neither of us wanted to talk which suited me just fine. I was tired of talking; feeling; thinking.

Everyone thought I was upset about Keegan choosing Sariah over me but it was more than that. It was _everything._ Keegan was just the first example that clicked in my mind showing me exactly how weak I was; that I validated my own worth through my effect on other people. I counted my self-worth in the amount of times I could successfully make someone care for me. Yet in the end the always choose what they really wanted. You couldn't make someone love you and the part that really shook me to my core was that I _knew_ that you couldn't, yet I couldn't stop trying anyway.

I don't know why I had wanted to fuck Ajani. I really don't. The best I can come up with is that I was searching for something. I wanted someone to see me and realize we were the same. To be finally wanted, it felt like such a childish weak desire but it was a beating force haunting me every day. I wanted more than family. I wanted a partner. _Wanting_ was my biggest sickness and I had no idea when I'd become ill, but I felt close to terminal. I had to stop doing this to myself. I had to learn to live for me. Maybe if I could be happy with myself, I wouldn't need anyone else.

"Why are you _here_?" I asked him again, now meaning with us and not just his current location on the train caboose with me. Ajani had brought him back to the dinner, with some explanation that could help us find the rogue Banguri, but that had never seemed like the full story. Sure we'd needed all the help we, my father had wanted to keep the situation as quiet as possible. The less people who knew, meant a lesser likelihood that First-Plane humans finding out. We couldn't risk being exposed. None of us wanted to go back to Second-Plane, this was our home now.

"Many reasons," Otto said back without looking at me.

"Tell me one."

"I'm a portal-maker."

That wasn't what I'd thought he'd say. I'd assume he'd say something heroic, something more _normal._

"Is that the professional term?"

He smiled.

"I'm one too," I confessed.

He looked over at me. "Ajani hadn't mentioned that," he said slowly.

"He didn't mention that you were one either. Luke and he talk and they either forget or just don't bother to tell the rest of us."

"They're good friends," Otto said.

"Surprising isn't it? They're two of the least likely people to form a friendship."

"No, not really," he disagreed. "Hatred is just one of the many orchestrated things in this world. When you strip away conflict, all that's left is commonalities. Why do you hate?

I glared at him.

Otto shrugged and then added, "There's an obvious tension."

"Second-Plane spilling into this dimension has me a little on edge. My family came here to start fresh; to keep us save, but now our way of life is being threatened. There's no way to know how many or what kind of Low-Banguri have been sent over and we don't know how to find them. This whole 'folklore' lead is the best Ajani and Luke could come up with and it'll probably amount to nothing. These legends are hundreds of years old, there's no way our people have been here that long."

He nodded, but didn't make any type of response.

"We don't know each other and I know the impression I've given isn't the most favorable. I haven't eaten in a while," I explained unnecessarily, he probably didn't even care but I couldn't seem to stop rambling. "Starlight's become a top priority. I think we almost forget we're not human. We have to masquerade as hunters, and there are laws to abide by. Season for what we can kill and how much. It's dangerous, we can't get caught sucking the life out of animals and we can't exactly deep freeze souls of the animals we kill. Everything has to be done in the moment. With all that being said, I'm sure I've gone longer than I should have without eating."

"Things were worse back there," Otto said, and I knew exactly where he meant.

"I realized I was making portals, when I saw what the Banguri were doing to themselves"

I couldn't bear to say: eating themselves, dying, starving; but Otto knew already. I didn't have to say it.

"It changes you, to see that kind of desperation. I couldn't bare it."

"What do you mean?" I asked turning fully towards him.

"Any Banguri I saw eating themselves, I killed."

I looked at him for a long time admiring how brave that was. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do anything like that.

"It's not the way things should have to be," Otto said watching me, "but I had to."

"What you did was more than necessary, it was kind."

Otto tone of his faced changed and I realized he was surprised that I sided with him. I suppose he'd expected me to regurgitate the old Banguri laws that had been ingrained in our culture, but sometimes culture was wrong. Things changed and we had to evolve with them. I took a seat on the opposite side of the train car door and watched the stars whirl over us. After a long while, I heard Otto get up to go inside but I didn't move, I wanted to see the sunrise.

"Everything is changing now, things will be better."

"So it's true, the Aura and the Banguri are living side by side?"

"Yes, peace out of desperation."

"Do you think it'll last?"

"It'll have to," Otto theorized. "There's way more Omni then there are Aura or Banguri."

"You're right. Still," I said after a short pause, "I don't want to live there again. I like it here."

"We'll be stopping soon. The train is scheduled to arrive at our stop in Ohio early."

"I know," I murmured, sighing.

He didn't say anything else, but I heard the door click shut and knew he was gone.

