Cold Mark (13 page)

Handcuffed to the footboard of what I presumed to be their bed, I glared. "There will be no
sexual
contact in this bed while I am in it." Yes, they were definitely keeping me close. "Do you understand me?"

Pluma Creo laughed outright as he climbed into bed next to his other half, one of them on either side of my legs, both staring down at me. "Ms. Valorn, no matter what you think, it would be an entirely bad idea to have sexual relations with you. Your Vaq ... would not appreciate it."

I fumed. My Vaq considered me theirs, and Mian were extremely territorial. "I'm not talking about me. I know that. I'm talking about you two." My nose scrunched. "
Together
."

Pluma Moir's jaw literally dropped. I had never seen that expression on him before. One of complete shock ... and disgust. "Killeg is my
brother
!" He shook, his shoulder shuddering with whatever he was thinking. "Ms. Valorn, that is repulsive."

My stare was blank, not understanding
why
that was repulsive.

Pluma Creo turned his laughter into his pillow, holding his face against it. "Oh my." He snorted hard, beating his pillow with a fist as he continued in his hilarity, his entire frame even shaking with it. "Technically, Phila, we are
half
-brothers ... but that is enough." He started laughing all over again, snorting and sucking oxygen hard.

Brows beginning to furrow, I asked curiously, "Siblings do not have sexual contact?"

In unison, they both answered adamantly, "No."

"Oh." I tilted my chin up. "I didn't know that. Humans don't ... mate ... as your people do."

Pluma Creo peeked up from his pillow, his crystal blue eyes gleaming. "Your best friend, Jax, would argue that statement, Ms. Valorn."

I sniffed. I certainly would not think about Jax doing
that
. "I meant 'reproduce.'" We had invitro-fertilization for that—no first-siblings that I was aware of. On Joyal, they took great pains to create the best of the best Humans. Not clones of each other. That section of the government was regulated heavily, and followed strict laws.

"Ah, yes." Pluma Moir's lips slowly lifted into a knowing smile. "We had heard that." He peeked at me from under his white lashes. "Though, we do not
mate
just to reproduce, Ms. Valorn."

Huffing and settling under the covers, I muttered under my breath - in English, "
Barbarians
."

Dark eyes, so very captivating against his white, long hair, held mine steadily. "That we are."

"Where the hell are we?" I whispered to my best friend the next evening. We were standing inside a pristine white kitchen while the Plumas and Stiller spoke softly inside the parlor in the next room. "There are no windows here. Are we underground?" The structure we were in was small from what I had been able to see. The Plumas' bedroom, the parlor, kitchen, bathroom, and Jax and Stiller's bedroom. That was it. I hadn't even been able to scope an exit door to this place.

Jax lips twitched as he made breakfast for the two of us at the most ancient of stoves possible. I was surprised that he even knew how to use it. "Think the opposite of underground."

My brows lifted high on my forehead. "We're in a hov-craft?" Our people had been trying forever to make living quarters that hovered far from the ground. They hadn't succeeded yet.

He nodded his dark curly hair in disarray from sleep. Like mine. "It's the Plumas' personal hov-craft. From what Stiller told me, they use it in emergencies. It has a cloaking device so no one can find them."

I stared. "We're here because of me?"

"Yes. Most would want to kill you."

"Because I'm Soul to the other Plumas."

"Exactly."

I tapped my fingers on the bar. "If that is true, why would they let Stiller on here?"

"He's
their
best friend. And the leader of their military force."

"So they trust him."

Jax rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"And you?"

His lips twitched before he glanced back to the bacon he was frying. "Yes. With my life."

Sitting on a black kitchen stool, I leaned on the bar. "So you're bonded as deeply as a normal Vaq. Even though you're Human?"

"We are." His shoulders lifted and fell easily. But he cursed when a spray of oil caught his hand.

"Jax?" Stiller shouted loudly—abruptly—from the other room.

Jax glanced over his shoulder at me. "See?" Then, he leaned toward the doorway and answered in a normal tone, "I'm fine. Just the perils of cooking."

"Be careful," Stiller shouted, sounding relieved, before his low voice could be heard once more speaking quietly with the Plumas. It sounded as if they were arguing, but respectfully, about what to do with me. I couldn't pick up any exact words, except for my name every so often.

I played absently with my shirtsleeves—or rather, Pluma Creo's oversized shirt that I had slept in as a nightgown that smelled vaguely of the Pluma. Like lavender soap and spiced cologne. My voice was quiet when I finally stated—in English, "You're changing so much." I shook my head, my black locks of hair tangling around my shoulders. "I've lost so much, Jax. I don't want to lose you, too."

His gray gaze bore into the side of my face. But with my stomach in knots, I couldn't look at him.

"Braita, you won't lose me," Jax whispered, also in English. His familiar tone and patient promise made my throat tightened painfully. My eyes burned when he walked to my side and gently placed two fingers under my chin—
touching
my skin. When I started to pull back, he raised both hands and quickly cupped my cheeks, holding my face steady. He bent at the waist, placing his face directly in front of mine. Still speaking softly, he murmured, "You'll never lose me. Never. We both live on this planet. We're only a borderline away from each other, and since we don't wear the mark of the west or the east, we can cross it easily. I planned to come and see you. I had already talked with Stiller about it."

So close, he breathed, "I couldn't lose you either."

My chin trembled at his honest words. "I'm sorry how I acted yesterday. I've just missed you."

His gray eyes softened further, and he leaned forward an inch. And he kissed me.

I stilled completely, my entire body shocked solid as his warm lips landed on mine.

It was quick. Just the barest of a brush. But I didn't know what to do. With my eyes wide, I gasped, and my cheeks burned with heat. "
Jax
... "

His thumbs brushed my cheeks in a soothing motion while his eyes gazed directly into mine. "There's nothing wrong with a sweet kiss," he whispered, keeping his lips only an inch away from mine. "We are friends—"

"Aw, shit," Stiller's voice rumbled from the doorway.

I jerked, and we quickly glanced in his direction.

Stiller's expression was utterly blank, but his gleaming violet eyes were large on his face.

Both Plumas were just there, abruptly standing behind him. Glowing dark and crystal blue eyes peered at us with such intensity that my cheeks flamed even further. Their gazes instantly narrowed, turning death-like in their strength.

Jax quickly pulled his hands away and straightened to his full height. "This is not what it looks like. I swear it."

I jumped from my chair when the Plumas started charging into the room. I threw my hands up, wondering how the hell I had even gotten into this mess. "He's telling the truth—" I grunted, when Pluma Creo instantly blurred behind me, slipped a muscled arm around my stomach, and picked me straight up off the ground, holding my back against his chest. "Wait a damn second."

"Shut up!" Pluma Moir barked, standing now between Jax and I. In the next second, he turned his glare on Jax. Stiller took three steps forward, pulling Jax a step behind him, but kept his expression as blank as it had been, even in the wrath of his fuming Plumas. Pluma Moir ignored Stiller and bent ever so slightly, putting his face at Jax's level, hissing, "Her Plumas will
feel
her emotions, you fucking idiot."

I blinked but wiggled inside Pluma Creo's hold. "What?" I couldn't feel theirs.

When neither Plumas spoke, both still staring daggers at Jax, Stiller cleared his throat and stated quietly, "The rings they wear from your Cold Mark allow them to feel your emotions." He took another step in front of Jax when Pluma Moir took a threatening step forward, but he kept his tone even. "So what my half did was ... unwise." He bowed his head respectfully to his Plumas. "Which I'm sure he is now regretting."

Jax didn't appear like he was going to apologize any time soon. He proved as much, muttering, "Dammit, it wasn't
that
type of kiss. I was just ... " His dark brows puckered. "Well, I just missed her. And she missed me. That was all."

I cleared my throat, trying to hold on to as much dignity as I could, being held as I was. "And my Plumas no longer wear their rings. I have them."
Hidden
. I had wondered what those damned things did. Now I knew.

Comically, all of the Mian inside the room jolted and stared at me incredulously.

"What?" I asked, noticing the hostility had immediately lowered with my previous words.

Pluma Creo peered down at me, blinking repeatedly and mumbled in complete shock, "Did you cut off their fingers?"

On their own, my eyes lowered to the ground, and my lips thinned. "I didn't hurt my Plumas."

They had hurt me
. My breath still caught at the thought, my stomach even churning with nauseous acid at being duped as I had been. They had each other.
Loved
each other. I was merely a plaything to them.

Stiller gaped. "Then how did you get their rings—"

"Enough," Pluma Moir commanded in the gentlest, but most demanding, tone. "I believe Ms. Valorn has had enough excitement for now."

I didn't raise my gaze. His words were true—and surprisingly appreciated.

It was quiet for a few beats until Jax turned and marched back to the old fashioned stove, stating loudly, "She and I still need to have our breakfast." He paused and sniffed the air. "If it's not burnt by now."

Pluma Creo grunted, gently setting me on my feet. "Not alone, you won't." He peered at Pluma Moir, his voice a deep timber. "We're staying in here."

Pluma Moir nodded once, not speaking, but agreeing while he silently watched Jax.

"What are you two doing?" I asked.

My curiosity had piqued two hours after breakfast when Pluma Creo had produced vials of liquid from his bedroom closet. It was now almost dinner time for Jax and me, and he was still taking up the entire kitchen mixing these liquids together with extreme care. Pluma Moir had joined him, bringing what appeared to be a clear piece of engineering adhesive strip with him, which was about the size of half my hand. Together, they were sprinkling the cooled mixture on the adhesive material.

Studying his work, Pluma Moir stated evenly, "The medication in your system is almost gone."

I fisted my—slightly—shaking hands. "How did you know that I was taking medicine?"

Absently, he sniffed the air. "We can smell it on you." He shrugged when I continued to gape at their sense of smell. "It's understandable, being as far away from your Vaq as you are. Before Killeg and I invented this, many Vaq and their Soul did the same to handle the pain." He paused thoughtfully and then chuckled quietly. "Don't worry. We'll bill your Vaq for the cost."