Apparition by C.L. Scholey Page A

somewhere else.”
    “No not yet,” she replied.
    Doss cocked his head. “You don’t like it here. I scent
your emotions. I don’t like your fear. You’re here because of me.”
    It was true. She was. Doss flowed through her as well.
He warred within his thoughts since meeting Cobra and Loy. There was something
he needed, but she didn’t know what and so her dreams brought her here. Though
afraid, this was what she needed to do for Doss. The door to her cell opened
and her Tonan captor entered. Nude, Zoe scrambled to
her feet. She was so scared. Doss stood in front of her, but the Tonan walked through him and took her arm.
    “Zoe,” Doss said with alarm.
    “Come with me,” she pleaded but she wouldn’t give up
the dream—she couldn’t give up the dream.
    The Tonan laughed at the
terror coming from the cells around them as they passed. Zoe was shaking, but
Doss was here. There was something…Doss needed something from her. The door to
Loy’s cell opened. Loy stood angry, his eyes narrowed. Doss had his hand on
Zoe. The scene played out. The Tonan was cruel, Loy
was furious. Zoe hated them both. When Loy pushed Zoe away Doss growled. Even
though his armor was up, Zoe could tell Doss was ready for blood.
    When the Tonan poised his
tail to strike her, the dream fast-forwarded. Still, Zoe wouldn’t give it up,
there was more and Doss had to see all of it. The Tonan dropped his armor and if Doss hadn’t already killed him he would be dead now.
When finally Zoe bit the Tonan and the Tonan raised his hand to her, the image shattered like
glass. Zoe knew Doss could take no more and for some odd reason, she knew she
had given him what he had needed to see.
    Zoe woke in Doss’ arms. His body was wrapped around
her protectively. “Aw, Zoe,” he mumbled, he sounded wounded for her.
    “I couldn’t help it, Doss. There was something you
needed to see.”
    “There was something I needed to scent. I’m so sorry
that happened to you. I will never allow you to dream that again; it hurt my
soul to watch. It was my armor that led us there. My armor senses I needed to
work something out in thoughts because after meeting Loy both my sides have
battled indecision. I was drawn to him, his Castian side no doubt. Because he was the first kind warrior I have met. I can’t keep
battling myself. My armor protects us both. I can’t keep you safe if I battle
myself.
    “Loy wasn’t angry with you, Zoe. He was furious his
warrior mate was dead, he hated the Tonan . He was
terrified he would give in and take you even though he sensed your fear of him.
There was one more thing I sensed from him.”
    “What?”
    “He would have done the same thing as his warrior mate.
He would have done his best to impregnate you to save you.”
    “He would have been killed.”
    “Yes.”
    “How can you scent emotions in a dream?”
    “Your dream left an imprint; it was a very emotional
experience for you. Some memories are stronger; they grip us tighter and a
scent, a smell, something triggers them. My scent is highly evolved. The scent
was like a shadow. It wasn’t whole, but it was enough to see and enough to
scent.”
    “What do we do? I’m still afraid of Castians , but I hate Tonans . The Tonans will come after us. The war will continue. What if
we have a child? The baby will be all alone with no others to play with.”
    Doss pulled her closer. “I spent my life thinking Castians were cowards and Tonans were evil. I still think Tonans are evil filth. Especially after what I just saw. I felt Loy’s rage when the Tonan whipped you. I’m sorry, Zoe, but that part I fast-forwarded;
I couldn’t bear it and I’m so proud of your courage. But I knew if Loy had a
shield, he would have done his best to kill the Tonan for you. He is a warrior with courage.”
    “I don’t scent emotion like you, Doss. I can feel some
of what you feel. I sense you. I want to sense Loy. I can in a way. Is it
because we connected in the cell?”
    “I guess