Passionate Desire (25 page)

“I feel like I shouldn’t be here.”

“That is very natural. But remember you were invited in. There is no reason to feel like you’re invading.” His soothing words calmed her. “Now, you’re looking for a memory.”

It looked like a vault to her. A lot of small drawers with no markings that she could see. “I have no clue how to do this. Her mind is so different than mine or Storm’s.”

“Not unusual. You know what you are looking for, put that thought out there, see if it draws you to any particular spot.” He continued to speak in that soft monotone voice. “If the memory is buried it might be different in design. Maybe a different color or size.”

Heather followed his suggestion and looked for something like that. On the bottom of one of the many drawers was one that didn’t fit. It was dull and darker than the rest. She touched it and a rush of memories flowed around her.

Heather looked out through the eyes of a much younger Anseri. The whole council stood around as one man spoke. It was taking her some time to acclimate herself to the memory. She was also having trouble understanding them without her translator. Suddenly everything clicked into place and she was Anseri.

“So what do you think is behind this wall?” Heather heard herself ask.

“I’m not sure, but everything I read points to an ancient device. Each time we have found some of their technology we have gained from it as a whole.”

The wall they stood in front of had ancient writing on it which Heather could read. She let Storm and Hynna know what she was seeing through Anseri’s memories. “I’m in front of a tomb.”

“What sort of tomb?” asked Storm.

“One built by the ancients. We’ll have to see where this place is afterwards. Maybe it is still intact and we can get more information from it. There’s lots of writing on the walls nearby and from what I’m getting whoever is entombed was put here on purpose. He or she tried to destroy the ancients through his own greed and desires.” Heather quieted as the vision continued. “They’re getting ready to open it.”

The wall shimmered and faded from sight. It revealed a room empty except for a rounded box up against the far wall. As they approached it the thing came to life with lights and noises, startling them all.

“What is that?” asked another person. Male this time. From the joy surging through Anseri, Heather assumed this was her mate. Storm’s father.

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to study it and let you know.”

The memory faded then.

“It’s gone.”

“That is normal. Don’t break the contact and the next one should start momentarily. Think of it as the old films they use to watch on Earth and this is intermission.”

“Something is starting to happen now.” Heather watched as the next scene unfolded in front of her eyes. They were in front of the box she saw earlier, but now she recognized some sort of cryo-chamber. Voices floated around her, Storm asking questions and breaking her concentration, forcing her to fight to stay in the memory.

“He’s still alive in there.”

“Who is he?”

“From what we could decipher he is an ancient. His name is Ialog but we couldn’t figure out why he was put in this chamber.” The man speaking held a pad. He kept glancing at it as he explained the story he had uncovered. “If he had some sort of disease we could be jeopardizing his life.”

“Do you read any illness in him?” asked the same male voice she had assumed was Storm’s dad. Heather had never seen any images of him. She tried to turn Anseri’s head but wasn’t able to get it to move. The scene continued to play out in front of her.

“Nothing we can detect.”

“Then revive him and we’ll hope for the best.”

Heather watched as the chamber opened. Her heart beat faster when she recognized the man inside. Everyone else stood in awe as Ialog opened his eyes and looked around. The memories came a little quicker as she moved from one to another. She also found she could slip through memories if she found they didn’t have anything important for her to learn.

She felt hands on her. Releasing her mind from Anseri’s, she looked at the faces gathered around her. “Yes?”

“Time for a break, my heart. You’ve been at it for several hours and you’re pushing yourself too hard.” Storm knelt in front of her.

“What? But there is so much more to go through.” It didn’t feel like it had been that long to her. She found herself slumping against the back of the couch instead of sitting upright like she had been when she first started. “Okay. So maybe I do need a break.”

“Here.” Storm’s uncle handed her a glass. “This will help build your energy back up fast.”

“That’s not that foul tasting stuff you gave me when I was going in and out of Heather’s mind, is it?” Storm grabbed the glass and took a whiff before handing it to her.

“No. She doesn’t need any of the things you did to keep the link open. She has that ability naturally. This is nothing more than an energy boost.”

Heather took the glass and took a hesitant sip. A nice fruity flavor filled her mouth and she downed the whole content in one swallow. Energy started to return. “Thank you.”

“Your mind will get stronger as you push it like this, but never push so hard you’re vulnerable.” He took the glass from her. “That can be very dangerous. Especially since we don’t know what you’re up against yet.”

“The elders were the ones who released him from the stasis unit he had been trapped in.” She smiled at her mate. “I’m looking for a section of the palace or compound where they freed him.” She shared the image with him. “Do you know where it is?”

Storm shook his head. “No, but I think I know something that would. I’ll go check with the computer.”

“Perhaps we should all go there,” suggest Heather. “It might be safer while we work through her memories.”

“You sure?”

She brushed her mind against his. If they couldn’t trust their family then who could they trust with this?

Anseri sat immobile.

“Anseri?” Heather touched her arm but she didn’t react.

“What have I done?”

“Nothing,” said uncle. “This happens when you open old memories. She’s between the memories and the conscious world. Once you finish going through the memories she should be fine.”

“Can she walk?”

“Her body will respond to what we ask it to do, I’ll make sure she makes it there.” He stood and took her hand. “Come, sister. Let’s walk.”

Anseri stood, waiting.

Storm scooped Heather up in his arms. “Let’s go.”

“I can walk.”

“I know, but I want to hold you close.”

She sighed but didn’t say anymore. She knew she had pushed herself too hard and this was his way of protecting her but the porcelain doll treatment would get old.

Storm led the way to the underground compound. Everyone but his uncle had been cleared for the main complex so Storm was surprised when the computer allowed him entrance. “Thought everyone was stopped the first time by the force field to wait for Heather’s permission to enter.”

“Hynna has been here before,” said the computer.

“I have?”

“Yes.” The computer was quiet for a few moments. “Your mind has been altered, your time here has been blocked.”

“Why was I here before?”

“You were learning about the ancients and Ialog allowed you entrance.”

“He had full run of this compound?” asked Storm.

“He knew the question to ask.”

“What question is he talking about?” asked Hynna.

“My blood allows me to access this compound, but there is a question I’m supposed to ask in order to unlock the system.” Heather felt kind of stupid because she hadn’t figured out what the question was. “Until then there’s a lot the computer can’t tell me.”

“If I leave can I get back here?” Hynna asked.

“Yes,” the computer said. “I can also free your memories if you’d like.”

“In a few minutes.” Hynna headed out of the area. “I think I can help you.”

“Computer, make sure he makes it back here okay.” Heather wondered what he had that could help her.

“I have already set up everything he’ll need to find his way back.”

“Thank you.” Heather looked around the area, noticing the only piece of furniture was Storm’s chair. “Can you give us a little comfort? I need to work with Storm’s mother while he does research.”

“What is it you need?”

“Furniture. A couch or several chairs.” It took only seconds before she found a couch and several comfortable chairs. She led Anseri to one of the chairs. “We are also hoping you could also tell us where Ialog was found.”

An image appeared on the screen. Directions came up next.

“Storm, will you stay with your mother?” She knew he wanted to go with her, but she wasn’t sure if they should leave his mother alone.

“Anseri will be fine here.” The computer enveloped her in a colored light. “Her mind is trapped in the memories you have started, Heather. She won’t be released until you finish. I can keep her in this healing wave until you come back.”

Heather looked at Storm. Would it be safe for them to leave her? He put his hands on her shoulders and steered her out the door toward the area where they found Ialog.

“You trying to tell me what to do again?” he asked once they were alone.

“I know it seems like that, but no. I knew I needed to read the writing around the wall near Al’s chamber and I wasn’t sure if we should leave your mother alone. I was asking not telling.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to tell.”

“I’m sorry, my heart. I guess I was focused on finding out why he was trapped and how that is affecting him now.” She wrapped an arm around his waist. “Guess I was being like my mate.”

“Flatterer.” He stopped in front of a small alcove. “This looks like it.”

Heather nodded. She stepped up to the wall and ran her hand over it. The faded letters glowed before they darkened and cleared for her to read.

“Didn’t know you could do that.”

“I didn’t know either.” She looked at him in shock. “What else am I going to learn about myself haphazardly like this?”

“Let’s see what would happen if you were to wave your hand over me like that.”

“Normally, all I have to do is look at you and I get a reaction.” She studied the wall, moving about once she finished one section. “But if you want to test a theory, I’ll help.”

He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s my heart.” He looked at the writing curiously. “What does it say?”

“Ialog was locked in here because of his crimes.”

“What sort of crimes?” His lips were close to her ear so she could feel his breath against the tiny hairs as he spoke.

“Still working on that.” Desire unfurled deep inside her, then like someone dumped ice all over her, she felt cold. “Oh God.”

“What?”

She didn’t speak, just broke his hold on her, and marched back to the computer room. Uncle had returned with a tattered old book.

“Ialog is the one who created me?”

Chapter 13

“Yes.”

“For what reason?”

“You must ask the right question.”

Heather wanted to scream in frustration. “I am ancient, and I was created by that man for a purpose, why must I ask you for this information? It should be available for me because of who I am not because of some stupid riddle.”

Storm’s uncle handed her the book. “Try this.”

Heather read from the page he had it opened to, and then looked at him. “Really?”

“Have you spoken to the computer in ancient at all?”

“No.” The computer hadn’t spoken to them in ancient so she never thought twice about using the language.

“Would it hurt?”

He was right. The language flowed out of her so easily. The beautiful cadences filled the air as she asked the computer what was in her heart.

Nothing seemed to happen. That didn’t make sense.

“Perhaps you asked the wrong question,” suggested Storm.

“The passage in the book said each ancient had a different question. Like a password and it was normally the question of their heart. You know mine. I want to know why I was created.” She looked at him with hope and fear in her eyes.

“How would the computer know what is in your heart?”

“Because my system was designed that way.” The computer spoke. “I am programmed to know what every ancient is thinking. To anticipate their wants and needs without them having to ask for it. The first time Heather entered this installation she was installed with a chip that would allow me to do that. Now that she has given me the correct password, she can program me to give it to anyone else non ancient that she wishes to have it. It will allow me to give them data without getting approval from Heather each time.”

She looked at Storm. Did he want the computer to have access to his mind? He gave her a slight nod. Since the computer said it would be able to pick up her thoughts she decided to put it through a test. Without a verbal command, she gave it permission to install the chip in Storm.

He arched a brow at her. Her mind brushed against his letting him know what she had done. Storm had to ask for something outrageous so they would know it worked. The smile he gave her sent a shiver down her spine as she felt a weird sensation against her skin. She pulled her bodice out so she could peek inside. The black lace outfit incased her breasts. Five seconds ago she didn’t have it on. The heat of a blush filled her cheeks. At least no one else knew what he had done.

Storm was beside her in seconds. He wanted to see for himself. Knowing how easily she blushed, he slid his fingers inside her bodice to see what he would find. The grin on his face made her wish they were alone.

Just as she got ready to ask the computer to show her the rest of the compound, doorways and other rooms attached to the one they stood in started to appear.

“What about your mother? I have to free her from whatever I trapped her in before we can do anything else.” She looked at Storm.

“I agree.” He looked at the newly lit areas, then back at her. “And you don’t want me to go without you, do you?”

“Do you mind?” She sat next to Anseri and took her hands, needing to focus on her. Now that she had entered her mind once she felt more comfortable with the process and slipped back in easily. The file was still there, its darkened color standing out from the rest. It amazed her how easily she could see it now when earlier she hadn’t noticed it at all.