Transformation, M J Marlow [thriller books to read .TXT] 📗

angry, seeking a means to harm, to control. Zen shook her head to clear it of such negativityand turned to look towards the Aerie. There were only feelings of anticipationand longing coming from there; as if something they had long wished for was about to occur. A man-shaped shadow was waiting on the other side of the curtain. Zen searched aheadand saw Steyd pacing outside. His mind was filled with urgency. Zen found no threat in him, so she let him in. He went to one kneeand bowed his head. “Goddess,” he said simply, “I apologize for this intrusion. I further apologize,” he said as he slugged her across the faceand she collapsed to the ground, “for what I must do.” He pulled the unconscious Zen to her feetand cut her palm, laying it on the frame. Her blood ran down to the goldstone symboland the glass clearedand parted. “My king!” he enthused as Daren stepped out of the mirror. “It is done!” Daren bowed his headand looked down at his unconscious cousin, as the gold returned to the glass. Poor sweet Zen, he thought as he picked her up in his arms. He nodded to his offspringand that one got the box holding the ringand knife. Daren took the knifeand put it into Zen’s hand. Then he had her slice his palmand kept her holding the knife as he touched the knife point to the ring. He made her hand press the stone to her own wrist. He returned the knife to the boxand had the other put it back. Then he kissed Zen passionatelyand took her to the Aerie. This was always how it had been meant to be, his mind sang as he laid her on the bed in the chambers reserved for him. Zen belonged to him; not to any other. He kissed her again. “No,” Zen protested as his kiss drew her back to consciousness. “Daren, you don’t know what you’re doing!” “Of course I do, my beloved cousin,” Daren laughed. He pulled her into his arms. “You were meant to be mine, Zen!And now, you are.” “I am not!” Zen protested as he shoved her down onto the bed. “All you have done is give me dominance over you.” She saw in his mind that this was what he had intended. “You meant this to happen?” “It was the only way I could be freed, Zen,” Daren laughed down into her angry eyes. “And you could add the goldstone link to your control,” he added as he raised her right armand she saw the new mark on her wrist. “There is only one left now, cousin. You are almost free.” “You did not bring me here to help with the link, cousin,” Zen replied as he remembered her vision-dream. “You need my help with your flock.” She saw his shock. “I saw it, Daren. Your meddling in my mind triggered a vision.” She got to her feet. “Do you have the right equipment in your lab?” “Steyd?” “We have every piece of equipment you suggested, my lord,” Steyd replied, nodding. The hope in his mindand his expression was touching. “Have Thaya brought,” Daren told him. “She will be the first.” Steyd flew outand Daren smiled. He was just as eager as the boy to see to an ending of his offsprings’ barrenness. He took Zen in his armsand flew her down three levels as she looked around the grand cavern in awe. Several levels of caves existed, homes for his flockand rooms for supplies, laboratories,and schoolrooms. They landed on the laboratory leveland Zen was taken to the main lab. A tall, long-legged Nydare female with black hairand deep green eyes bowed to Daren, nodded briefly to Zenand went to sit down in a chair by the machine Zen had been hoping to see. Daren stepped up to itand hooked an IV line in Thaya’s arm. The woman’s wings flapped in response to her anxiety level: black with emerald tips. “Bors,” he said as he turned the machine on. “Sample subject Thaya. Analyzeand then diagnose problems with reproduction.” “Need fertile sample for comparison,” the machine sent out on the screen. “That would be me,” Zen smiledand hooked herself into the other line. “Sample subject Zen. Analyzeand compare with subject Thaya in area of reproduction.” “Sample taken,” the machine screen read. “Subject Thaya requires optimal mating partner for offspring to occur. No physical restrictions to reproduction.” “You need to collect samples from the entire flock, Daren,” Zen said as she removed the line from her armand turned to her cousin. “No physical restrictions,” she smiled as she settled in to do work she had knowledge of. She saw him frown. “You should be glad. That means there was never a reason for the sparsity of offspring, other than the flocks’ inability to know their optimal partner.” “Then I will be the first of the males,” Daren nodded. He hooked himself into another samplerand it took his blood. “Sample Subject Daren,” he said aloud. He turned to Steyd. “Steyd, after you leave your sample, go to the others. Tell them they are to come here for sampling.” Steyd obeyedand then left. Daren turned to Zen. “You do not have to do this, cousin…” “It is needed,” Zen replied. “Or your offspring, your flock, will die out. After what you went through to create them,” she continued, tearsmisting in her eyes at the memory; “after what my father’s torturer did…” “Zen,” Daren broke in as he pulled her to him, raising her eyes to his. “That was not your doing. I would have suffered worse, willingly, if it could have kept you safe.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and time was reversed. They were at the waterfall again, bathed in moonlight. “I love you, cousin. I would have died in your place, if that would have saved you.” “But you did not,” Zen replied. She pulled out of his holdand the spell was broken. “I died thinking I was saving youand the rest of our world. Let me help you save your children.” She went to check on the analysisand went over the DNA sequence comparison. She coded a program. “Bors, compare Subject Thaya to samples for Subject Darenand Subject Steyd. Is either Subject Daren or Subject Steyd compatible?” “Subject Daren 68% compatible,” Bors replied after a few moments. “Subject Steyd 100% compatible. Optimal breeding potential for Subject Thaya is Subject Steyd.” “Bors,” Daren asked as he came over, his expression eager. “Reproduction capabilities for Subject Daren.” “With optimal potential partner,” Bors read out, “reproduction is possible. Subject Daren is 100% compatible with Subject Zen.” Zen paled as she heard this. She left the laboratory as images from her vision filled her mind. She didn’t care what the machine had said; there was no way she was going to break faith with Marek to that degree. Daren would have to find someone else to pair with. She found herself wandering down the tunnelsand was delighted to find that there were stairs to the lower levels. Daren could take over the testingand pairing now; she just wanted to return to the waterfall chamberand take some time to relax. “I am as shocked as you are to hear the results, cousin,” Daren’s voice sounded behind her. He put his hands on her shoulderand leaned his cheek against hers. “You can see the future, Goddess. Was this not something you had foreseen?” “In our other life, Daren,” Zen told him. She turned to look up at him. “I knew I would choose you then, cousin. But I have mated with Marek…” “You are the Goddess,” Daren broke in, his hand moving to cup her chin. “You are allowed more than one mate.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “I know I would be honored if you decided to share.” He saw her indecision. “I know this is something you did not think you would face, dear Zen, but…” “If I say no,” Zen broke in, laying her hand on his lips to quiet him, “you will be left aloneand childless.And you have already suffered so much because of me.” There were tears in her eyes as she realized what she had to do. “I would do this for you, Daren.” Daren pulled her into his armsand carried her to his chamber. He removed her clothing gently,and gazed at her adoringly as he saw her beautiful form. This was what he had wanted back when he was whole; not a monster. This angel in his arms, giving herself to him willingly, was his other half. He could feel it as his fangs entered her throatand his toxin flowed into her bloodstream. He knew it for a certainty, as they made love. He saw in her eyes, the wonder of it, as she saw a new color joining the tattoo of bonding on her finger. It matched the mark on his finger, a deep rich blue interlaced with goldand edged in black. They celebrated this wondrous event until they fell asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms. Several hours later, Zen wokeand dressed; intent on finding something to eat. She kissed Daren on the foreheadand left the chamber through the tunnels beyond it. She found the staircases leading down. She had just found her way to the lowest level when a man grabbed her from behind, clamping his large hand over her mouth. “We’ve come to save you, Princess,” the Elder’s voice sounded in her ear. “I apologize for this act.” He slugged her across the jawand caught her as she collapsed. He tied her wrists behind her back. “We can take no chances that you have not been chained to these monsters.” He nodded to one of his men. “Set off the flare.” Daren frowned as Zen’s mind blazed into his in warningand then went dark. He stepped out onto the ledge just as the flare went upand he turned on his heel. He could see her being carried down to the village where the transport from the Temple was waiting. He made to go after herand she stirred to his touch, telling him to wait. He could not wait, he returned to her. Zen’s worry was plain, as was her determination. ‘Come after me now, cousin,’ her mind rang into his, ‘and I will chain you as I did Marek. You must be free to act when it is time.’ Daren sank down on his bed, shaking in anger at the attack,and mourning her loss. “My lord king?” “This attack must not go unpunished,” Daren told Steyd as the boy came to his call. “The Elder of the village,and their evil Seer, are to be brought here for trial.” He was scowling as he paced. “They assisted in the abduction of our Queen!” Zen was locked in a large passenger cabin where Lietand another priestess were waiting for her. They helped her out of her clothingand bathed her. Then they made her sit as they combed out her hairand braided it with cords of silverand pearls. She was dressed in silksand veiled. Liet pinned the veil in place in the proper manner, daring Zen to argue with her. Then they put a belt at her hips with shackles hanging from it on delicate silver chainsand fastened her wrists into it. She tried to pull free of it, but found the metal far too strong to bend to her strength. Zen went to the bedand sank down, calming herself as well as she could. “Welcome back, Princess,” Omri smiled as the ship landedand he stepped into the cabin three hours later. “You have certainly given us a chase these past weeks.” He sank down on the chair, waving Lietand the other priestess away. The door closed behind them. “I hardly expected to hear that my men had found you among the Nydare.” “I was visiting my cousin,” Zen told him. There was no reason to lie to the man. “Prince Daren.” “Your