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

I climb up on one and she steps up on theother. The circles glow and next we’re taking a plunge.

Down we go, dropping through the confines ofa raw limestone cave. The circles’ innovative use of gravity keepsus from splashing into the pool of rainwater rippling beneath us.Instead we stop in front of an entrance to another vertical,nature-made cave.

“This is the hub,” Mag Star says as I followher into the fissure. We walk into the middle of a chamber that’ssurrounded by empty, cloudy space.

“The hub of what?” I ask, openly mockingwhat I see as a little of nothing.

She struts confidently away from me and goesto a platform. As soon as she touches it, tiny wires snake up andattach to her temples; two curl over her head and attach to thenape of her neck and two more to the top of her skull.

Suddenly, actual parts of Manhattan,Chan’kel on Ir, the Tree of Life on Jari, and The Forest ofNaught on Enu become visible in the emptiness. Other universes thatI’m familiar with also appear—even the sticks of Deadget in Siffeo.That’s where I stole it, the medallion that’s the size of my palm,coated with pure gold from the core of the ruby mountain which theRitkeo prance around worshiping non-stop. It takes the gold fromthe ruby mountains to contain the power on the inside of it.

“Do you have it?” she asks me.

I dig deep into my pocket to retrieve it. Ican’t feel it, so I search harder. “It’s not here!” I cry.

“You’re looking for this?” Mag Star unfoldsher balled up hand and there it is, sitting on top of her palm.

“How the did you get that?” I shout at her.I’m tempted to snatch it out of her hand and run. But I don’t wantto put Adore’s life in jeopardy and I remember what she said—withthe medallion she can help us get what we want.

“It’s made of evil. I retrieved it beforeyou entered Dag.” She curls her fingers back around the object. “Iknow why you need this,” she says.

I’m studying the look on her face, searchingfor truth. How could she know?

“Why?” I ask challenging her.

“This.”

A red haze mixes with a dust storm and uphigh, like a bright dot, there’s the sun. Humans sit in largegroups, huddled close, balled up tightly and trying to protectthemselves from the grains of sand that the wind uses to whip them.I can’t begin to guess where this place is or who those people are.I indicate this by shrugging at Mag Star.

“It’s Tetra,” she says.

I flinch, taken aback. “That cannot beTetra. Tetra doesn’t have a sun, or people!” And just to be sure ofthis my eyes find the sun again.

“It does now. And those are notpeople—they’re vampires.”

I frown, extremely confused. “Then whathappened to the souls? They can’t survive in the sun.”

The view changes again. Pitch-blacknesssurrounds us.

“I’m puzzled,” I admit, riddled byanxiety.

“She’s there,” Mag Star says. “I can’t seeher either, not with my eyes, but she’s there.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Are youreferring to Gia Scoralini?” I ask cautiously.

She slowly turns to face me. After a longmoment, she narrows her eyes and mutters, “Yes.”

“Then you know,” I point to the medallion inher hand, “that I need that to get her out of there?”

“Yes,” she replies.

“And you know that I’ve been lying to mysister.”

“Yes,” she answers, sounding more satisfiedby my admission. “If you had told her the truth, do think you’d behere, at this place, at this moment?”

I sigh, exasperated. The truth is I don’tknow, but surely it is time to find out. “You said there’s aportal?”

Mag Star nods and returns to her post. Iclose my eyes and call for Adore.

***

Adore

“I love to hear you moan, Baby,” Chexwhispers with his tongue sliding around the edge of myclitoris.

“Wait?” I feebly protest. His arms arewrapped around my thighs. He’s holding me so tightly that I can’tscoot away from his mouth. “Na’ta needs me,” I barely say.

But oh my, it’s coming—the sensation willsoon explode. He’s gazing up at me.

“Do it, Baby,” he demands while his tonguecontinues its assault on my very sensitive spot.

I’m driven to pinch the back of my head onthe pillow and grab two handfuls of the linens to brace myself forthe eruption. He must know what I’m feeling because his tonguedoesn’t stray from that microscopic yet very sensitive spot on theright, edge of the clitoris.

I inhale sharply and bellow a long-winded,intense moan because each time we engage in this act, it gets morepleasurable.

But he’s not done. His man part is inside ofme and he’s slowly, thrusting into me, sliding in and out of me,relishing the feeling.

“What…” (he releases a breath) “…did yousay?” he asks, retrospectively.

Momentarily, I’m confused about what he’sreferring to. He’s so close like this. I love bearing his weight ontop of me. I wish he could sink through my skin. I want us tobecome one. He awakens my sensuality. I lose myself, push my teethagainst his neck and give my tongue permission to taste his skin. Inibble and taste all the way up his chin to his mouth. Hemoans.

“Oh damn,” he breathes as he chews on mylower lip, avoiding piercing my skin with his now visible fangs.The stroke of his hips is slower and more directed. “This is allfor you,” he sighs warmly as his lips, tongue, and then teeth grazemy ear. “Feel it?”

I do feel it.

“Do you feel it?” he asks again,persistently seeking my answer.

“I do,” I whimper.

He stays inside of me, pushing against thepleasure spot inside of me. “I’m (he grunts) not going… until youfirst,” he whispers in broken words.

The orgasm strikes me deep inside. I hearmyself crying out and so does he.

His face is buried in my neck. It’s silent.“We have to stop. Na’ta needs me,” I sigh.

Chex reluctantly slips out of me andsubsequently pulls me to my feet. We’re standing face to face. Chexsmirks at me. His thoughts are reflected in the expression on hisface and I’m quite sure we’re both invigorated by the samefeelings. Like me, he is amazed and happy that we have come thisfar together.