Jordan (27 page)

J
ordan awakened to find Vi against his side. Her breath fanned his ear, and she entwined her legs with his. He wrapped his
arm around her and nestled her closer, wishing he never had to let her go. He didn’t know what the hell had hit him in that
tunnel. But being inside Vivianne’s mind for that brief instant troubled him. The last time in the cave was different than
the single incidents he’d gotten from her before. He’d had free access… to everything.

The wind blew a tendril of her hair across his forehead. And he no longer needed to breathe to recognize her scent.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “You okay?”

“Yes.” He kissed her cheek.

She held his gaze. “How’re you doing with your new abilities?”

She understood that he was no longer the same man who’d entered that tunnel. Yet she’d made love with him. But he’d also read
her thoughts. Until she knew exactly what he was, she might love him—but she had doubts.

While on the one hand he wanted her to love him… on the other, it would only bring her heartache.

“I’m adapting,” he said. “How about you?”

“I’m getting there.”

With a sigh of frustration, he understood that if any human could accept his true self, it was Vivianne. She was so open-minded
and adaptable, a truly exceptional woman. But as alluring as he found her, he had to find the strength to keep from creating
any deeper bonds, because that would be a path to disaster.

Vi caressed his chest. She lifted her head to kiss his neck.

Desire spiraled. His abilities might have changed… but his fate remained the same. Once he united the Holy Grail and the Ancient
Staff, he would cease to live. So the more distance he could keep between them, the less she would feel the loss.

With a groan, he rolled away.

She yanked him back. “What’s your hurry? Don’t you want me?”

Over a thousand years of pent-up frustration made him growl. “Don’t do this. Don’t do this to us.”

As much as he yearned to deepen and broaden their connection, to merge their bodies and minds in the Dominus custom, he could
not permit himself more indulgence.

Pain filled her eyes. “You told me there is no us.”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t changed my mind.” He clenched and unclenched his fingers. “I wish I had a choice that included you in
my future.”

His words might have just caused him to lose his one opportunity to bond with a woman in the manner of his people, but better
he should suffer than Vi. For if the bond was complete, her life would never be the same.

Vivianne’s face paled but she took his hand and squeezed it. “No one knows the future. We’ll have to make do with the present.”

At the sound of horses’ hooves, Jordan rolled them off their clothes. “Someone’s coming. Get dressed.”

He stepped into his pants, then helped Vi into her own clothes.

“Who’s out there?” Eyes heavy-lidded from lack of sleep, lips raw from his kisses, she tucked her shirt into her pants, brushed
off the dirt, and stuffed her panties into a pocket.

He peeked above the grass. “It’s Arthur.”

He was about to stand when she grabbed his belt and pulled him down beside her. “Arthur almost got you killed. We shouldn’t
let him know we’re here.”

“He already knows.” Jordan questioned how he knew that. It was almost as if he had a new sense, a way of putting things together
in his brain that he couldn’t yet explain. “But thanks for worrying about me.”

“Somebody has to,” she murmured and stood. “You attract trouble like a dust magnet.”

Arthur, wearing full armor, reined in his horse and dismounted. “Did your woman just call me trouble?”

Jordan grinned. “Sire, she was complaining about my shirt.” He flapped it, and dirt flew everywhere.

Vivianne placed her fists on her hips, lifted her chin, and glared at Arthur. “Your little plan got him killed.”

“
Killed?
” Arthur blinked, his confusion genuine. “Has she gone mad?”

Jordan shook his head and took a moment to appreciate how magnificent she looked. Eyes flaring with anger, her hair curled
all sexily over her shoulders, she was defending him.

“I’m mad all right.” Vivianne marched up to Arthur’s horse. “You’re lucky I don’t have a—”

“Vi,” Jordan interrupted. “Arthur found the key for me. He’s kept it safeguarded for centuries.”

“And thanks to him, you no longer have to breathe.” Vivianne glared at Arthur.

Arthur raised an eyebrow and looked to Jordan for answers.

Jordan changed the subject. “Sire, why are you here?”

“As promised, here’s the information on Dominus.” Arthur plucked a data chip from the folds of his cloak and tossed it to
Jordan.

Vivianne folded her arms across her chest. “Have you anything else for us?”

Arthur frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Surely there’s more you can do to help us defeat the Tribes?” She squared her shoulders and challenged him.

Arthur refused to meet her gaze.

Interesting. Vivianne was on to something that Jordan hadn’t considered. But what? “Arthur?”

“I’m not supposed to take sides.” Arthur grimaced and gave them a lame shrug.

Jordan glared. “What the hell are you talking about? You gathered the Knights of the Round Table on Earth to fight the Tribes.
I fought at your side. You sent those cubes and Devid to us so we’d find Tempest and the Key of Wind, and you protected the
Key of Soil for me.”

“I’ve already told you that every Arcturian is allowed to leave only once. During that time, we are free to do as we wish.
But once we return, we can no longer interfere with the affairs outside this realm.”

“You can’t?” Vivianne pressed. “Or you won’t?”

Arthur held out his arms to her. “I’ve done all that I can.”

Jordan expected her to slap Arthur’s hands away. But Vivianne surprised him by changing tactics.

She took Arthur’s hands and held them. “Jordan saved your life.”

“He did.” Arthur cocked his head to one side. A smile played over his lips.

“You haven’t forgotten?”

“We forget nothing. We’re the galaxy record keepers.”

Vivianne’s eyes pleaded. “So tell us something useful. Like where’s the Holy Grail? How can we defeat the Tribes? Are there
other worlds out there who would ally themselves with us?”

Arthur spoke over her head to Jordan. “She speaks like a warrior.”

“I’m trying to save my world,” she countered softly, drawing Arthur’s attention back to her. “Please.”

Arthur’s eyes sparkled, his lips quirking into a huge grin. “ ’Tis a good thing you make ready to depart.” He winked at Jordan.
“Or I might be inclined to stray from my Guinevere.”

Jordan braced, ready to step in and stop Vivianne from slapping the man. But instead, she laughed. “And, sir, I might be tempted.
I always knew King Arthur was a hero, but I didn’t know he would be so charming.”

Jordan didn’t move a muscle. Vivianne was playing Arthur. But would the man fall for it?

Perhaps.

Arthur leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Then he whispered into her ear.

Vivianne’s laughter stayed on her lips. But her eyes stopped smiling. It wasn’t until after Arthur departed that Jordan asked
her what had been said.

“Weakness will strengthen you,” Vivianne repeated. “What does that mean?”

Jordan wished he knew.

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country.

—G
EORGE
B
ERNARD
S
HAW

V
ivianne was looking forward to contacting Earth to find out the latest developments. Anything to take her mind off this new
Jordan would be a huge relief. Because while she still loved him, she wasn’t certain if she could live with him. Before his
death and rebirth, he’d been difficult. But now he seemed so certain of himself, she didn’t know if she could still feel independent.

She wasn’t the kind of woman who turned to a man for answers. While she’d never hesitated to take his engineering advice,
and she’d be stupid not to take advantage of his new powers to defeat the Tribes, she wanted to be autonomous.

When she heard the shouts up ahead, she automatically changed direction from her quarters to the bridge. She’d never heard
this much shouting aboard the
Draco
before, and curiosity had her almost running. But once she could see the bridge, she skidded to a halt.

The sight was so normal, it rocked her back onto her heels and she grinned. During the captains’ absence, the crew had moved
a Ping-Pong table onto the bridge.

Ponytail swinging, Knox was playing at the opposite end of the table from Darren. But the shocker was seeing the Boston terrier
jumping over the net from side to side chasing the Ping-Pong ball. The crew were all laughing, shouting for George to get
the ball.

“Fetch,” Knox encouraged the dog.

Leaping happily over the net, George twisted and turned, his mouth just missing the ball before Knox lobbed it back to Darren.

“Fetch.” Darren hit the ball back across the table.

Vivianne couldn’t stop her own laughter at George’s comical antics.

At the sight of the captains, the game stopped. George finally caught the ball in his mouth, then leapt off the table into
Vivianne’s arms.

One glance at Jordan and Vivianne understood why the game had ended. Jordan was bristling beside her, his eyes fierce, his
lips thinned.

Despite his reaction, she saw no harm in the game. The crew had needed time to regroup, and they’d be sharper if they were
more relaxed.

She petted George. “I didn’t know you were so talented.”

“He just leapt onto the table,” Knox told her, then glanced at Jordan’s frown. “Should we get ready to leave?”

“Yes.”

“Where are we heading?” Gray asked, already moving toward the bridge while the others folded up the table.

“Earth,” Jordan announced, shocking Vivianne, but she didn’t question him in front of the others.

However, she didn’t like the hard look in his eyes. She knew that look, and her gut churned. What was he up to? Why the change
in plans? They were supposed to be heading straight to Pentar and into Tribe territory for the Grail.

“I’m heading to our cabin to freshen up,” she announced and then took George with her. Her words didn’t fool Jordan. She could
feel him staring at her back. If he wanted to hear Maggie’s news report about Earth, he’d have to follow her, and then she’d
make sure they had a private chat.

He might have some kind of new superpowers, but that didn’t mean she’d follow his lead without any explanations. So she marched
off to the cabin.

She’d barely opened the panel when she felt the
Draco
lifting off into space. Vivianne tried to settle George on her lap, but he wanted to play, releasing the Ping-Pong ball into
her hand.

“Fetch.” She grinned and tossed the ball where it rolled under the bed. George crawled under and brought the Ping-Pong ball
back to her with a wiggle of his short tail. “Good boy.”

Vivianne opened a channel on the hyperspace communicator and spoke into the mic. “Hey, Maggie, you there?”

“Vivianne Blackstone?” Lucan Roarke’s voice came through the speaker, and Vivianne recognized him immediately. As he was the
archeologist who’d figured out that King Arthur had come to Earth from the Pendragon moon, his perspective would be invaluable.
And since he was married to Cael, the Pendragon spiritual leader, he would have news from two worlds.

“Lucan, I’m so glad you have a hypercom unit,” Vivianne told him. “Is Maggie all right?”

“She’s fine. It’s just too bad we couldn’t get a unit to Rion as you instructed.” Lucan paused. “There have been some complications.”

“The Tribes?” she guessed, her pulse escalating.

Jordan walked through the door, and she turned to him. “I’m talking to Lucan.”

Lucan spoke quickly. “The Tribes have shut down our transporter. Earth’s isolated.”

Jordan leaned over Vivianne, his hand on her shoulder. “How did they shut it down?”