Tarik look at all the Drones this way? “Shall I go?” Sakari asked.
He nodded. “I guess you need to go back to obtain a better offering. Too bad. I’ve been looking forward to this for a very long time.”
59
Kathy Kulig
* * * * *
Sakari arrived on the other side of the portal still clinging to Valdon. The journey between worlds was unnerving enough with her nebula stone. Without the pendant, for those few seconds her life depended solely on another Drone. “It’s not lost,” she said, hoping she sounded convincing. “I’ll find it.”
“Don’t take long,” Valdon said as he turned and disappeared back into the portal.
When Sakari returned to her car, she spun tires along the rutty, abandoned road, swerving her Mustang onto the deserted highway. Punching the gas pedal, she got the car up to eighty mph. Fortunately, that early in the morning, there weren’t too many cars on the road. She would make good time getting to Brad’s place and retrieve her pendant.
She’d used her powers to calm his mind and change his brain waves so that he’d fallen asleep. With any luck, he might still be sleeping. What worried her was that she was unsuccessful in altering his memory. He’d recognized her from their first encounter in the desert. Was she risking exposure by seeing him again? But then weren’t all the Drones risking exposure by luring victims with their bizarre sexual encounters?
Drones were like succubi and incubi, energy predators and there would always be risks. As much as she was attracted to this mortal, continuing to use him as her Kithra was not very smart. He would eventually get suspicious that something odd was going on. That’s why Zorian recommended moving on to other quarry.
But she had to get her pendant back. The punishment would be severe if she didn’t.
She didn’t want to think about what Gwyllain would do if she failed. Tears stung her eyes. She was messing up again and after she did so well with Brad. She’d obtained the chi she needed and hadn’t killed him.
She rubbed her itchy nose and sneezed. Then sneezed again and again. The car went off the road, dropped hard off the shoulder, spinning out on loose gravel. The car pitched to one side and jerked her against the door. Then she screamed as she heard the crunch of metal and shatter of glass. She bounced around inside the car.
Moments later, at least it seemed like moments later, she opened her eyes. The sun was higher in the sky and brighter. Had she passed out? The world looked strange. The sky was growing trees and scrub brush and the desert had blue sand. Then she realized she was upside down and dangling from her seat belt.
Groaning she tried to undo the belt but couldn’t reach the release. Damn, Gwyllain is going to be furious. Then she thought about the nebula stone. How was she going to get it now? Finally, she thought about her pretty red Mustang, dented, scratched and upside down. Dante helped her buy it. It was a present, something to smooth over her adjustment to her new life on Earth. He knew how she was fascinated by machinery and gadgets. Would he help her fix it now?
She heard a whining sound, saw flashing lights and looked out her window. A man’s face peered in at her. She screamed.
60
Damned and Desired
“It’s okay, miss. I’m a paramedic. We’re going to get you out. Are you hurt anywhere?”
She shrugged. She reached for the button to roll down the window, or would that be rolling it up since she was upside down. With that thought, she started giggling and couldn’t stop.
“Don’t cry, miss. You’ll be okay.”
“I’m not crying, I’m laughing.”
“Laughing? What’s so funny?” the paramedic asked, giving her an odd look.
“Never mind. Can you give me a lift to my friend’s house?”
He smiled. “No ma’am. I need to take you to the emergency center to make sure you’re okay.”
61
Kathy Kulig
Chapter Eight
Shadowy images flashed in Sakari’s mind like dream
He nodded. “I guess you need to go back to obtain a better offering. Too bad. I’ve been looking forward to this for a very long time.”
59
Kathy Kulig
* * * * *
Sakari arrived on the other side of the portal still clinging to Valdon. The journey between worlds was unnerving enough with her nebula stone. Without the pendant, for those few seconds her life depended solely on another Drone. “It’s not lost,” she said, hoping she sounded convincing. “I’ll find it.”
“Don’t take long,” Valdon said as he turned and disappeared back into the portal.
When Sakari returned to her car, she spun tires along the rutty, abandoned road, swerving her Mustang onto the deserted highway. Punching the gas pedal, she got the car up to eighty mph. Fortunately, that early in the morning, there weren’t too many cars on the road. She would make good time getting to Brad’s place and retrieve her pendant.
She’d used her powers to calm his mind and change his brain waves so that he’d fallen asleep. With any luck, he might still be sleeping. What worried her was that she was unsuccessful in altering his memory. He’d recognized her from their first encounter in the desert. Was she risking exposure by seeing him again? But then weren’t all the Drones risking exposure by luring victims with their bizarre sexual encounters?
Drones were like succubi and incubi, energy predators and there would always be risks. As much as she was attracted to this mortal, continuing to use him as her Kithra was not very smart. He would eventually get suspicious that something odd was going on. That’s why Zorian recommended moving on to other quarry.
But she had to get her pendant back. The punishment would be severe if she didn’t.
She didn’t want to think about what Gwyllain would do if she failed. Tears stung her eyes. She was messing up again and after she did so well with Brad. She’d obtained the chi she needed and hadn’t killed him.
She rubbed her itchy nose and sneezed. Then sneezed again and again. The car went off the road, dropped hard off the shoulder, spinning out on loose gravel. The car pitched to one side and jerked her against the door. Then she screamed as she heard the crunch of metal and shatter of glass. She bounced around inside the car.
Moments later, at least it seemed like moments later, she opened her eyes. The sun was higher in the sky and brighter. Had she passed out? The world looked strange. The sky was growing trees and scrub brush and the desert had blue sand. Then she realized she was upside down and dangling from her seat belt.
Groaning she tried to undo the belt but couldn’t reach the release. Damn, Gwyllain is going to be furious. Then she thought about the nebula stone. How was she going to get it now? Finally, she thought about her pretty red Mustang, dented, scratched and upside down. Dante helped her buy it. It was a present, something to smooth over her adjustment to her new life on Earth. He knew how she was fascinated by machinery and gadgets. Would he help her fix it now?
She heard a whining sound, saw flashing lights and looked out her window. A man’s face peered in at her. She screamed.
60
Damned and Desired
“It’s okay, miss. I’m a paramedic. We’re going to get you out. Are you hurt anywhere?”
She shrugged. She reached for the button to roll down the window, or would that be rolling it up since she was upside down. With that thought, she started giggling and couldn’t stop.
“Don’t cry, miss. You’ll be okay.”
“I’m not crying, I’m laughing.”
“Laughing? What’s so funny?” the paramedic asked, giving her an odd look.
“Never mind. Can you give me a lift to my friend’s house?”
He smiled. “No ma’am. I need to take you to the emergency center to make sure you’re okay.”
61
Kathy Kulig
Chapter Eight
Shadowy images flashed in Sakari’s mind like dream
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