Light Speed by Arkadie, L. (accelerated reader books .TXT) 📕

“We have cure pods but…”

“No!” Chex cuts her off, mustering up enoughenergy to vehemently object. “Just rest,” He mumbles, sounding soweak that I can hardly stand it. I’d rather we take him to the curepods. The Ugu Mag are a sector of humanity who have figured out howto change the consistency of gravity to erect cities in the sky.Surely they can cure whatever ails him.

“I’ll now take you to the dorm of FelixBenel,” she says. “Where the vampire can fully recover.”

“Shit, why now…” Na’ta grumbles, as togetherwe’re able to easily lift Chex and follow Magnificent Star up aconcrete-like path that appears after she touches a yellow glassstrip hanging in mid-air.

“Hey…” Chex whispers groggily in my ear aswe race up the path. “I can trust you?”

“Always…”

And only now is he secure enough tocompletely give into sleep.

“He’s not your bond,” Na’ta mutters herwarning.

I don’t reply to her. If her attempt is toanger me, then she has succeeded. I feel something deeply for Chex.He’s proven to be valiant and even patient. I would venture to saygood-natured too. Therefore, at the moment, all I allow myself tothink about is how the hike up the walkway feels like it’s takingforever.

Finally, we stop off the path and ontomid-air, but are carried about two feet through the sky and intoone of the windowless cavities of the construct. It’s an empty roomwith gray marble-swirled walls.

“Remain still,” Magnificent Star saysstanding beside a yellow glass panel attached to the wall. Itlights up as soon as she touches it and, once it’s activated,objects appearing to be furniture become visible across thefloor.

“Most of the flat is furnished, using energybinding instead of textiles. It keeps our environment free oftoxins,” she explains.

I quickly notice a yellow sofa and twomatching armchairs with end tables illuminated beside them and anoblong glass table with a diamond centerpiece that sprouts littletiny sickles of glass that curve like branches of kark trees.

“Where do we lay him down?” Na’ta asks,looking around for an appropriate spot. She sees that I’mstruggling. Her strength is greater than mine being that her poweris derived from the physical and mine from the mental.

Magnificent Star walks swiftly behind thecouch leading us toward a cozy hallway. “This way,” she says in arush.

“Let go of him. I’ll carry him from here,”Na’ta orders. I hesitate but do as I’m told.

She’s like a streak of light that races intoa corridor. It only takes an iota of time before it appears as ifshe’s disappeared. The power of her speed is fascinating. Iremember when she was only a child and she first discovered shepossessed the power. She was definitely a “handful” as Fathercalled her, making it difficult for us to keep up with her.Following the emptiness she left behind, my limbs feel as light asa whispery wind since I am no longer sharing the burden of carryingChex, although I miss his nearness.

The corridor is short and I stop in front ofMagnificent Star who is standing right outside the opening to aroom that has a door made of cloudy light. Unable to fully expressmy gratitude, I stare into her eyes.

“He will recover shortly,” she says.Something tells me she knows exactly what’s ailing him, but I amtoo anxious to ask and lack the patience to listen to anexplanation. Instead I take her hand and squeeze it, injecting herwith the light of gratitude. She closes her eyes to drink it in asit fills her with the warmth of good.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“You’re welcome.”

We share a smile before I make haste andwalk through the door. Na’ta has already laid Chex down on anactual bed, although he doesn’t look too comfortable curled up ontop of the white linens. His eyes are still closed; he’s stillshivering, but only mildly.

“You should get him undressed Ad’ru,” shesays, looking down upon him while standing at the foot of the bed.“And get him under the covers. I think his body is in shock fromentering this new place.” After a deep moment of observation shesays, “It looks like he’s turning back to a human orsomething.”

“Or something,” I sigh, watching him. It’sstrange because he’s not so pale and, although his body is behavingas if it’s ill, he looks serene.

“Really Adore, what’s going on between youtwo? Are you in love with him?”

“Yes,” I reply, with assuredness.

“Why? You just met him.”

“I know we just met.”

“I thought you loved Tryst?”

I take a glance at her. Her eyes are pinnedon Chex.

“I do,” I say. “He is my friend. Chex ismore than that to me. He’s my…” I pause to think of how to expresswhat I’m feeling. “He’s my body.”

She sniffs lightly and I am sure I hear atiny bit of empathy in her tone. “Well, it had to happen one day.Just promise me you won’t forget that I’m your favoriteperson.”

I turn to look at her and she’s alreadywatching me with wide, hopeful eyes and a slight smile. “Na’ta,” Isympathetically say as she rests her head on my shoulder.

“Am I being selfish? Tell me if I’m beingselfish,” she implores.

“Of course you are,” I say with a tinychuckle. “But I understand. You will always be a priority to meNa’ta. As I am your priority.”

“I doubt it,” she mutters. “I have neverbeen for you what you are to me.”

“That’s because I haven’t tested you in theway that you’ve tested me.”

“That’s true,” she chuckles. “Oh, but youlove it Ad’ru.”

“No, it’s you that I love. I hate yourinsolence.”

“Insolence?” she blurts out. Her head fliesoff of my shoulder as she winces.

“Yes. Insolence,” I reaffirm.

She blows a hard breath. “No one does thesweet and sour thing better than you Adore. Never lose that,please… Your insults, ah…” she breathes as she presses a handdramatically on her heart. She’s being facetious, I know.

I don’t respond to her. It’s the best way tomake her stop. And now we both watch Chex as he shifts from lyingon one side of his body to the other.

“He is a good looking vamp, in the ruggedsense of the word,” she says and then turns to look at the doorway.“I’m going to step out and leave you