Sphinx Tempted
Author: Christine Murphy
Date: 2014-09-01 07:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Historical; Romance; Fairy Tale & Mythology; red sage; Fantasy; Pure Erotica; eredsage
Description: After escaping The Foundary, Ashlyn is found and taken to Complex 46 where she becomes a powerful protector of the Elders. After she is injured, the Sphinx Warrior, Caleb, touches her and everything changes for both of them as their powers come to life as well as their undeniable need for each other. As Power Mates they will learn to overcome the obstacles trying to keep them apart and Join as one. As Warriors, they will face certain death, but they’re love will give them the strength in the battle against the Wraith.
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing

An eRedSage Publishing Publication

This book is a work of complete fiction. Any names, places, incidents, characters are products of the author’s imagination and creativity or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is fully coincidental.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form whatsoever in any country whatsoever is forbidden.

Information:

Red Sage Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 4844 Seminole, FL 33775

727-391-3847 eRedSage.com

Sphinx Tempted

An eRed Sage Publication All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2014
eRedSage is a registered trademark of Red Sage Publishing, Inc.

Visit us on the World Wide Web: http://www.eRedSage.com ISBN: 9781603108607; 1603108602 Sphiinx Tempted eBook version Published by arrangement with the authors and copyright holders of the individual works as follows:

Sphiinx Tempted © 2014 by Christine Murphy Cover © 2014 by Lacey Savage

Printed in the U.S.A.

ebook layout and conversion by jimandzetta.com

Sphinx Tempted

***

By Christine Murphy

TO MY READERS:

Let your imagination be captured one again in the domain of the Sphinx Warriors, protectors of the Earth, and the women who bring out their need, passion, and love giving them purpose beyond their destined role as Warrior. The next mesmerizing sixth book in the Sphinx Warrior Series tempts you with the life of Ashlyn and her difficult past and the desire to be a part of the Sphinx family. Trust is an issue for her as she has been hurt in the past and must come to grips with her fears. Tempted to run and with her past suddenly crashing in on her new life, Ashlyn must decide to stay and fight or leave the life behind which she truly craves. Literally running head on into Caleb, the youngest of the Warriors with challenges of his own, Ashlyn is drawn to him by the realization that together they can learn their true purpose and Powers which have been suddenly revealed. She is still challenged in her trust, but she wants nothing more than to completely succumb to her passion for Caleb. Caleb has no intention of ever letting Ashlyn go now that he has her and will do anything to keep her even when their ultimate fate seems to be drawing them into a head long confrontation with the invading enemy.

READER ALERT!:

Ashlyn’s normal impulse around others is to fight or go into flight but with Caleb everything changes. His first touch brings to life not only her Powers but incredible needs she will not be able to resist. She will take him to the secret Egyptian baths hidden within the Complex and bathe him as the servants of ancient times did. His incredible physique will be for her eyes and her eyes alone. Each nuance of muscle and raw sensual manhood will be for her hands to explore with the soothing bubbles and within the flowing waters.

Caleb may let Ashlyn have her way with him in the hidden baths but he is even more interested in the hidden mysteries of her body. He will explore every inch of her and show her what it means to be truly Joined. Enjoy!!

Prologue

The Foundry Asylum and Research Institution

– Winterhaven, California – The Past Clinging precariously to the rough barred window ledge near the top of the twelve-foot wall of her concrete cell room, Ashlyn held her breath, hoping the male attendant pacing so near below her would continue on in his search. Instead, he suddenly paused, reached down into his white medical coat pocket, and withdrew a wicked looking syringe. Even from the window ledge where she had crammed her young shaking form, she could see the man’s meaty hand uncapping the sharp silver needle. She almost whimpered at the thought of the needle being jammed into her tender skin again and another dose of stinging fluid being administered. She couldn’t let them drug her again. It had taken her forever to develop enough resistance to be fully conscious and to escape the straps that held her down to the hard institutional bed. A raging fear and panic swirled inside, and that side of her which seemed to have a mind of its own, growled in anger. For the first time in her young life since being ripped from her dying mother’s arms, Ashlyn considered giving into her wild side’s demands.

“Come on, Ashlyn. Don’t make me hunt for you, girl. You know it’s only going to make me want to have fun and hurt you again.”

The bald headed attendant paced away continuing his search in the four corners of the room, under her rolling bed, and behind the monitoring equipment. When his discovery of her didn’t prove fruitful he shouted, “Show yourself, you freak of nature!”

Ashlyn jumped from the echo of the man’s grating voice and her foot slipped, causing small pieces of loose concrete to skitter off the ledge and fall down onto the floor. The sound of the concrete hitting the white tiled floor had the cruel man spinning around and facing in her direction. Shaking so violently from a combination of terror 6

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and growing fury from her inner beast, Ashlyn clung to the window ledge in an attempt not to fall. She tried not to draw in even a single breath and pushed herself farther back hoping the darkness near the window would hide her enough so the attendant wouldn’t see.

For Ashlyn there was no luck in her hope as the cruel man glanced upward with his defiling eyes. As she watched him, a slow evil grin spread across his face, and he licked his cracked lips. In his grating voice, he said, “Aah. There you are, my pretty. However did you get up there? Not that it really matters. Come down to me now, Ashlyn.”

Her mouth was dry from the adrenaline running through her system, but she managed to shout back at him, “No! Leave me alone. I just want to go home.”

Much to her horror, the man went into a full belly laugh, which only made him look the more lecherous and terrible. “Oh, you silly girl. You have no home to return to. Don’t you remember? Your mother is dead and your home was burned to the ground months ago. You belong to our great leader, Turin. Now, stop with your ridiculous babbling and get your ass down here, you gold-eyed brat, before I decide to add a beating to your daily lessons.”

Ashlyn choked and risking a fall brought her hand to her throat.

It was still tender from the last time they had held her down for a daily lesson. She refused ever to let them touch and hurt her again to the point where she would wish for death like the last time. Deep inside, the other side of her, which was quite feline in attitude, hissed at the man. Fury rose in wave after wave until Ashlyn began to see everything in gold. The gold swirled and pulsed calling for her to draw it in, and with her acceptance of both the swirling energy and her inner feline, her mind focused.

So mesmerized was Ashlyn in her ability to draw in the energy around her, she was startled when something sharp and stinging impacted her shoulder. Crying out in pain, her terrorized glance returned to the scowling attendant and found him pointing a tranquilizer gun at her. The inner fury within her exploded outward and linked with the golden energy, which caused it to rush into her weak, shaking body.

“You fucking brat, you’ll stop that right now. It’s forbidden for 7

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you to use your abilities. I’ll make sure Turin knows and you’ll be strapped down and tortured by his hand.”

Ashlyn could see the man was nervous as he dropped the next tranquilizing dart onto the ground. Picking it up, he slammed it into the gun and then quickly aimed it back in her direction. With another grated curse, he shouted, “I warned you.”

Knowing she couldn’t take another dart, since the first one was already making her lightheaded, Ashlyn lunged from the window ledge to the floor right before the next fired dart would have hit her.

Her head spinning, she was sure the impact with the hard tile was going to be painful, but surprising even herself, she landed in a perfect crouch on the floor. As soon as she stood up the attendant was on her swinging his fist and hitting her solidly in the jaw.

Her body slammed into the wall. For a moment, the world went dark around her, but then a pure fury filled her. All she could think was how dare this man harm her. With a baring of teeth, Ashlyn hissed at the white coated attendant. Unable to control herself, the innate ability which had been suppressed by the drugs for months completely opened up. The golden energy in the room, which she had sensed, rushed into her body. The completely shocked attendant could only stand there and watch as he was frozen in place by the waves of power flowing past him and into her body. On and on, the power converged into her small frame until she could see her skin was shimmering brilliantly with golden light. In the back of her mind, Ashlyn wondered how much more she could hold.

She was afraid she might explode if she absorbed too much, but when the hateful man finally managed to reach her grabbing her hair in his fist and yanking roughly, the flow of energy stopped.

With a fury exploding in her brain, and a snarl coming from her lips, she threw up her hand and directed the enormous amount of power trapped within her body straight at the man.

One moment, the evil sweaty man was hurting her and the next he was thrown away and slammed up against the far wall. Ashlyn could only stand there shaking and watch in trepidation, and yet at the same time elation, as the struggling attendant glowed brighter and brighter from the energy directed at him. He cursed at her, struggled against the pressure of the golden energy, and then finally 8

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released a high-pitched scream Ashlyn would never forget.

Watching the man with a mixture of disbelief, terror, and relief he could never hurt her again, all she could do was let the golden energy leave her body to destroy one of the demented people who had tormented her for months. At the end, the evil attendant could only meet his demise as his body disintegrated in a golden glow of ash. As soon as the power within her was depleted, Ashlyn dropped her arm to her side, sagged back against the wall, and slid to the floor. Exhausted and shaking, she sat there staring at the far wall and the black smudge where the man used to be. Cold shock invaded her and tremors began to run through her once again weakened body. She knew she had to escape but it was so difficult even to move, especially when there was nothing left to fight for.

How long she sat there on the cold hard floor, lost in a gray haze from the one dart the attendant had managed to hit her with, she didn’t know. Eventually, though, her vision began to clear and she struggled up onto her bare feet, and none too soon. In the distance, she heard the sound of more attendants and someone even more terrifying coming down the hallway and knew her time was up. The cold evil voice of the man who had destroyed her life echoed down the hallway right outside the door.

“Ashlyn, I can feel you using your powers. You are a naughty child and must be taught a lesson,” the man said so evenly but with complete and utter evilness. Every word was punctuated with a harshness which sent cold chills through her body because of the torment she knew was coming.

The instant the door swung inward, Ashlyn screamed because of the man who was overwhelmingly before her. Turin, in all his glory, stood in the doorway with his shoulder length dull black hair tied back, his long black robe brushing the floor, and his solid black soulless eyes staring straight at her. Ashlyn felt like his glance was ripping straight through her to the very center of her being. The air seemed to leave the room and she gasped unable to catch her breath. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, and when she felt him roughly invade her mind trying to take control, she acted on complete impulse. There was nothing she could do to escape by herself, so in a last ditch effort, Ashlyn allowed the inner feline to 9

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completely take over.

Immediately, her consciousness narrowed to one of animalistic need focused on survival. Renewed strength flooded her body, and with a mighty snarl, Ashlyn spun away from Turin. Crouching low, she sprang straight up to scramble back onto the window ledge as if she weighed nothing. Grabbing the solid metal bars blocking her escape, she released what little golden energy she had left so fast the bars exploded outward. Not daring to look back, Ashlyn catapulted out of the window, and with another blood-curdling scream, fell three stories down.

When her head finally cleared, Ashlyn found herself in a full out sprint, crashing through the undergrowth of a dark densely wooded environment. She had no idea how she had gotten there since the last coherent thought she had was an imminent death when she hit the concrete ground below. Instead, she was alive, albeit every inch of her hurting like crazy, and determined that she wouldn’t let Turin or his henchmen capture her. Even when the branches and brush ripped at the off-white patient scrubs she wore and dug into her skin, she refused to stop. When the air wouldn’t come into her lungs fast enough and she thought her heart was going to explode she forced her exhausted body on. Mile after mile of running over the rough ground tore at her bare feet until she left a trail of blood behind her, but the memory of the night she was taken from her mother kept driving her onward. Even now, her ears rang with her loving mother’s last screamed words of - Baby, run and never let them take your gift! I love you!

Her mother had died that night along with all of the fantasies Ashlyn had dreamed of from her mother’s amazing stories. All because of an evil man who only wanted to harness her gifts. No matter what, she refused to let him capture her ever again. Just as her mother had said, she would never let Turin take her gift. With a renewed determination, she forced every drop of remaining energy she had to run through the night, even finding more speed in her torn and bloody feet at the sound of distant hunting dogs.

Somehow, even in her weakened state, she managed to lose them.

In the early hours of the morning, she made it beyond the border of the endless woods and into the small town. On the edges of 10

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Winterhaven Township, Ashlyn worked her way between the red and black bricked buildings until she found a quiet and relatively dark alleyway to rest in. In the darkness of the remaining night, she huddled in a corner listening to the sound of the wind as it whistled between the buildings and the scuttle of some type of critters so near to her hiding place. Sighing dejectedly, she leaned her head back against the unforgiving brick wall and closed her eyes, feeling the tears she had held back for so long roll down her cheeks. She had no idea what she was going to do next, but there was no way she could let Turin track her down, which meant one thing. She was going to have to remove the tracking device they had surgically implanted in her hip.

Removing it would also mean she would probably destroy her unique ability but that was fine. If by some chance Turin still found her, the gifts, which seemed to be so coveted, would no longer exist for the taking anyway. Opening her eyes and standing up on shaky legs, Ashlyn whispered to herself, “You can do this. Do it for Mom, do it for the other poor souls who are trapped in The Foundry.”

Terrified of what she was about to do, Ashlyn swiped at the tears on her face and dug around in the bins and trash until she found what she was looking for. In her hand, she held the rough tool that would permanently change an already damaged life forever.

Returning to the original corner she was hiding in she carefully folded down the waistband of her scrub pants until her entire hip was exposed. Her hand trembled when she brought the dull dirty box cutter blade to her hip where a tiny sparkling crystalline pyramid marked her skin. It was a special mark which her mother had said foretold of her special abilities and her powerful future.

Turin had taken that from her and adding insult to injury had implanted a tracking device right under her heritage mark.

Not pausing to reconsider what she was about to do and biting hard at her lip, Ashlyn dug the blade directly into her skin and slashed down across the tiny pyramid until a bloody rough slice opened up. With the cut of her heritage marking, she felt that inner being within her curl up in grief, and her ability to gather the golden energy recede, until she couldn’t even detect it anymore. The pain of the cut from the dull blade ripping through her skin, and the end 11

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of her possible mystical future being destroyed forever caused a cry to escape Ashlyn’s lips. Choking and trying to hold back further sound so she wouldn’t be discovered, she dug into the wound with her fingers before it healed until she felt the sliver of metal. With another small cry, she yanked the tracking device out and threw it away from her as hard as she could. Not caring where the thing ended up, she pulled up her blood-covered scrub bottoms, and slid slowly back to the ground, covering her face with her dirty hands.

With an anguished cry, she said, “Why did Turin want me, Mom?

Why was I so special?” When she would have given in to the sobs and the complete devastation taking hold of her, a sound from behind had Ashlyn jerking back up to her feet. Violently wiping the tears off her cheeks, she held the box cutter up in a weak defense.

From the depths of the shadows emerged a slightly stooped person dressed in a subdued gray cape who stopped several feet from her. The hood was pulled forward so Ashlyn couldn’t tell who it was but the unknown entity held in one hand an extraordinary silver walking staff topped with a large crystalline diamond which was beginning to glow softly. In an unthreatening manner, the hood was pulled back to reveal an elderly woman with glowing skin, silver hair captured in a braid, and the strangest silver eyes which made Ashlyn’s gold ones almost seem normal.

The elderly woman smiled kindly at her then and in a soft musical voice answered, “He wanted you because you are unique, my child. You are special because you are one of the rare Sphinx, a powerful race of men and women who protect the earth from an evil determined to destroy this planet and its people. They need you, Ashlyn. I need you. Won’t you come home and help us?”

12

Chapter One

Yuma, Arizona Desert, Near Complex 46, Home and Battleground of the Sphinx Warriors, Present Day

“What an incredible Sphinx I am. Elder Chloe must have been out of her mind saving me from the streets,” Ashlyn grumbled to herself sarcastically with an edge of bitterness thrown in.

She brushed a hand through her sweat-dampened hair and attempted to maneuver back on to her side in an effort to reach the bullet wound located where her hip joined her lower back. No matter how hard she tried, though, she just couldn’t reach it. She knew if she didn’t get the bullet dug out she wouldn’t heal, and wasn’t that just the icing on the cake. She was a full-blooded Sphinx with incredible self-healing abilities, but put a slug into her, and she couldn’t heal until the damn piece of metal was removed.

Frustrated with her inability even to help herself, Ashlyn rolled over onto her back and stared up at the dripping ceiling of the desert cave she had found to try and rest and recuperate in. In alignment with the rest of her luck, a large drop of moisture released from the ceiling and did a nose dive right onto the middle of her forehead.

Ashlyn wiped off the offending liquid and contemplated just lying there on the cold ground until she bled out, then she wouldn’t have to worry about her failed life anymore. Since the day Elder Chloe had brought her back to Complex 46 she had tried to fit in.

She had tried to become the great Sphinx Warrior that the Elder kept telling her she was pre-ordained to be and to honor her mother’s dying words of protecting the incredible gift she had. She had done everything she had been told by strengthening her body, going through the intense Warrior training for hand-to-hand combat and weapons, and even attempting to re-tap into her ability to draw the highest of Life Powers. She had even gone so far as to accept the copper Sefu Element, part living, part element, which the 13

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Elder had insisted was a piece of her future in helping the Sphinx Warriors. Currently, the Sefu uselessly resided on her hand and wrist beneath her blue full length glove, refusing to cooperate and reflex for her into its Power Sword form.

Covering her face with her hands, Ashlyn just had to admit to herself that she was a complete and total failure and would likely never meet the predictions Elder Chloe kept spouting at her since she had come back to the Complex and become her Power Protector. Yes, she had passed the Warriors training, and yes, the Sefu had bonded to her, but at the same time her Power Signature refused to manifest itself. Only an undefined copper disc shape existed as part of the Sefu Element which rested on the back of her hand. To make matters worse, since the day she had cut into her tiny pyramid on her hip marking her as a Power Keeper, she had been unable to use her powers of drawing in the golden energy that surrounded her. Again, she had failed the Warriors, so she had decided to keep that part of her background a secret from everyone, even after Elder Chloe continued to harp at her.

In a fit of temper, Ashlyn threw her hands out to her sides and smacked the hard rock floor of the cave under her, which was the stupidest thing she could have done. The impact of her fists into the rock vibrated throughout her body causing her muscles to spasm around the bullet, which in turn moved against the nerve it was pressed against. A streak of lightning pain ripped through her lower back, across her right hip, and straight down her leg to the bottom of her foot. She bit her lip fighting back the scream trying to escape, but when the muscles of her entire right leg went into spasm there was no holding it back. Ashlyn screamed and her inner Sphinx yowled right along with her in agony.

When the pain and the spasms subsided, Ashlyn rolled over onto her side again gasping to try and catch her breath. Her vision was shot momentarily with spots of white and black. Fighting back the unconsciousness that was trying to claim her she cursed, “Shit. As if my life wasn’t bad enough, I’ve screwed up again. I should have just let them know how bad I was hurt. Stupid pride.”

Berating herself, Ashlyn wondered if she was going to make it out of this one alive. Good intentions of trying to be better and help the 14

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Sphinx Warriors fight off her shared enemy from The Foundry had been the foremost thing in her mind. In addition, a little bit of revenge could be hers as well. She had been secretly pleased when they had allowed her to come along and help fight off the assholes bent on taking Lily back after her rescue from The Foundry. If the Sphinx leader Khenti Michael and the others had known about her past, they probably wouldn’t have let her come.

They hadn’t known, and Ashlyn had accompanied Hunter and Jacob on the mission. Smirking to herself, she whispered into the darkness, “Yeah, and we kicked those assholes all over the desert.”

She gave a slight laugh because of the dark glee she felt at the evil enemy’s demise but the action took her breath away when another lighting streak of pain ripped through her. Unable to do anything more than take the agony, Ashlyn gritted her teeth and cursed herself for not having the two Warriors help her before they had left.

In an effort to show how efficient and strong she was in her role of Warrior she dived right into the battle, and of course with her luck, had immediately been shot. The other Warriors had been hit by bullets as well but their injuries had been quickly dealt with. The first two bullets she had taken weren’t an issue. She had dug them out and progressed to killing the bastards who had shot her. The third bullet had been unreachable, and so trying to appear just as nonchalant as the two other Warriors, she had stalked away while they had finished up the rest of The Foundry invasion. She had almost made it back to the complex when her leg had suddenly gone partially numb and collapsed on her, hence her current situation of having to enjoy some personal time alone in the wonderful cave.

Thinking back on it now and her current situation, her bravado had been the stupidest thing she had done yet. “Ashlyn, you’re such an idiot,” she growled in renewed disgust. She realized now she really did need someone to help her, and the only way she was going to live was if she got her ass up and got moving.

Knowing getting up was going to hurt like hell, Ashlyn rolled over to the point her hands were under her and gave one Sphinx strengthened shove. As soon as she made it upright and tried to place weight on her right leg, she instantly screamed and collapsed 15

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back to the floor. The impact shot jagged lightning through her system again but this time her leg went completely numb. Fearing the worst, Ashlyn sat completely still for a few moments glancing around her in search for some kind of leverage to help her go the short distance from the cave to the Complex 46 sublevel tunnel. To her relief, she spotted a thick branch near the entrance of the cave as the darkness of night began to lose its battle against the newly rising sun. Rolling onto her stomach, she dragged herself across the gritty cave floor feeling the tiny sharp stones dig into her skin. Any loss of blood from those tiny injuries would be nothing compared to the bullet wound still oozing blood across her skin, into the fabric of her clothing, and onto the cave floor. Ashlyn knew her Sphinx healing could only last so long with replenishing her blood before it gave out. Forcing herself to crawl faster, she reached the doorway and grabbed the wooden stick before pushing herself up to a sitting position.

The pulsing pain running through her back and hip was causing her vision to blur, but she refused to pass out. With extreme effort, Ashlyn focused and grabbed the sword she had left by the entrance when she had staggered inside earlier. Pulling it from its sheath and with quick downward slices, she trimmed up the branch so it resembled a walking crutch. She then ripped a large section of fabric from the lower half of her dark blue shirt and wrapped it around the bent section of the branch so it would be a little more comfortable as a crutch. Re-sheathing her sword, she strapped it onto her back, and using both hands, forced her body up and off the floor.

Gasping, she encouraged herself, “Come on Ashlyn, you can do this. You’ve been through worse. Momma would have wanted you to fight. So fucking fight!”

With a slight kick of adrenaline from her inner Sphinx, Ashlyn took her first step-drag the leg to push out the door. Slowly and painfully, she continued to repeat the crawling pace of take a step, move the crutch, and drag the leg, without falling on her face. It didn’t help that the ground was uneven and the adlib crutch kept sinking into the sand so that she had to add, yanking the crutch free, to her new form of walking. To make her suffering even worse 16

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into the realm of being damned to hell, the sun was now up and beating down on her already abused body. Sweat joined the blood dripping down her body and her leg, which was still numb. It didn’t even seem like a real part of her anymore.

Ashlyn struggled onward with her awkward gate and the first real tears she had cried in a long time streaming down her face. She had sworn to be strong for her mother as she had watched her breathe her last so long ago. The memory strengthened her resolve not to die out in the middle of the desert now. Although her life sucked, she still had so much to live for. Poor Elder Chloe, who had her own secrets, still needed her protection, both physically and when the woman was trying to hide her own secrets. The Warriors still needed her fighting skills during the continuing battles against the evil Wraith and now against the enemy from The Foundry which Ashlyn was sure would continue to invade her new home until that terrible place was destroyed.

Swiping at her eyes, she sighed and looked up at the brightening blue sky. “It really isn’t so bad. I have a roof of sorts over my head, plenty of good food, and gorgeous hunks to admire.” Even though she was conflicted about staying at times, the smallest of smiles played along her lips when she finally saw the clump of desert plants hiding the secret entrance to the complex. With a tired sigh, she whispered, “Home.”

With a halting step, advance of the adlib crutch through the sand, and a last leg drag, Ashlyn rounded the bushes. Whether she wanted to or not, she collapsed on the ground in a heap right before the undetectable door that looked just like the rest of the tall boulder before her. On all fours, she tried to catch her breath and slow her heart rate. Lack of blood and extreme dehydration from the desert heat was more than even she could take and Ashlyn was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to get off the ground. Closing her eyes, she felt the hand of darkness reaching out for her, but from deep within her inner Sphinx cried out. For a moment, Ashlyn even swore she heard the encouraging purr of another Sphinx.

Gasping, she opened her eyes and quickly scanned her surroundings but no one was there. Unwilling to think about someone watching her in her weakened state, she forced herself up.

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With a couple of hops forward on her good leg she was close enough to place her palm against the boulder to the left of where the unseen door was located. Electronic sounds barely registered in her ears but Ashlyn knew she was being scanned. Just that quickly the system recognized her identity and a small panel opened to reveal a small access keyboard. This was the second step in entry just in case someone figured out how to acquire a Sphinx’s hand print, be it from a living hostage or a dead body. With a shaking hand and an even shakier consciousness, Ashlyn attempted to remember the key code for entry. The first try was unsuccessful, as well as the second, and in a fit of pained agitation as another round of lightning pain streaked through her back and hip, she slammed her fist into the panel. Just that quickly a small optical panel opened up and Ashlyn made sure she was close enough whoever was looking at her wouldn’t see how rough of a condition she was really in. The optical lens scanned from right to left before halting directly on her. Trying to look her haughtiest, she raised an eyebrow and stared down the camera.

Not bothering to hide her exhaustion or agitation she barked,

“Well, are you going to let me in or just let me continue to cook out here?”

It was no surprise when Ethan, the computer whiz and surveillance expert of the Warriors, shot back, “Ashlyn, you had us worried. You look like hell. Elder Chloe’s been freaked out trying to locate you and Khenti Michael’s been rather…let’s just say concerned.”

Huffing and leaning heavily against the boulder next to the terminal, Ashlyn closed her eyes and forced out, “Look. I’m sorry.

Okay? I got lost, or whatever other excuse you want. Can you please just let me in?”

Ethan was silent for a moment but then in a kinder voice returned, “Yeah, let me unlock the lock-out from your attempted entry. And Ashlyn…you do look a bit rough. Do you need me to send Alexandria down to meet you?”

Ashlyn’s eyes snapped open and she jerked her glance back to the optical camera. The movement had her clenching her jaw from the new streak of pain shooting through her back and hip. She prayed 18

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to the Ancients that her complexion hadn’t gone as pasty white as she felt.

Taking a deep breath she quickly answered, “No! I mean, no, please, I’m fine. I just need some food, water, and rest. I’m sure everyone is resting from the latest battle and don’t need me bothering them.” When Ethan didn’t immediately respond, Ashlyn feared he would send someone anyway. If he did, they would want to help her, they would take her to medical, and they would see the tiny crystalline pyramid on her hip. They would know what she was and want her help, but again, she would have to fail them because she had no gift to give them. She wanted to be strong, wanted to be forceful like a battle hardened Warrior, but what came out was a broken plea, “Please, Ethan.”

With a deep sigh, as if he already regretted his words, Ethan said in a low voice, “Okay, Ashlyn. Okay. Come in, but if you need any help, you better let us know. You’re one of us, and no matter how much you push away, it will hurt us if anything happens to you.”

The communication instantly cut off and the panel closed, just as the sound of electronic gears kicked in and the hidden door opened up. Ashlyn held the anguish in from Ethan’s words just long enough until she was inside the sublevel tunnel. Making sure the door closed securely, she leaned back against the wall and gave in to the mental pain ripping through her from Ethan’s words. Again, for the second time in a long time, she gave in to the sobs and the horrible feeling she was letting her Sphinx family down. Ashlyn felt like she was failing them in everything. She should have been beside the Warriors fighting the battles against the Wraith, helping the Sphinx females in their hunt for the truth in the Pages of Seven to destroy the Gate, and collecting and transferring the Life Power for the Warriors who didn’t have Mates to strengthen them. At least she would be transferring for the two remaining Warriors who didn’t have Power Mates. Aggression passed through Ashlyn when she thought of a Transference with Raven, the biggest asshole in the complex. The man really needed an attitude adjustment. However, an incredible warmth flooded her when she thought of Caleb, the blond-haired, mystical lavender-eyed Warrior who had an incredibly well-muscled body. So many times, she had seen him 19

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working out, practicing his Warrior skills against others in the arena, or simply contemplating the handheld computer he used to manage his inventories of supplies for the complex. Even when he was simply helping Ethan with electronic or surveillance items the young Warrior still looked so damn hot.

Yeah, one glance of him and her inner animal prowled in excitement in the depths of her mind. Even when she had tried to be nonchalant about looking at him, he seemed to know and would glance her way. With the thought of close contact, she became skittish and her adrenaline spiked. Ashlyn felt silly in her reactions but she supposed it was truly for the best. A relationship was something she couldn’t even begin to consider, even if she wished for it, because of her responsibilities. Not to mention her dysfunction and the real possibility if her abilities ever came back, she just might end up frying someone she cared for the way she had disintegrated the horrible attendant at The Foundry.

Having realized her mind was wandering in a definitely fevered way, Ashlyn tried to refocus on what she needed to do. She realized she was going downhill fast and needed to try one more time to dig the bullet out of her back. Now that she was in a cooler environment, perhaps the knife wouldn’t slip so much in her sweaty hand. Before she started, she wanted to move farther into the sublevel tunnel so she was closer to the elevator just in case she couldn’t get the damn bullet out and had to ask for help anyway.

Even weaker and shakier than earlier, Ashlyn almost collapsed when she took a step toward the elevator. Her leg refused to work at all now and all she could do was lean all of her weight on the crutch.

There was no feeling at all in her leg now but there was no ignoring the screaming knives of pain ripping through her hip and back. She made it only a couple of steps before her hip completely locked up.

The agony was excruciating and she couldn’t hold back the cry which echoed down the long gray sandstone tunnel.

Ashlyn shrugged off the sword still secured to her back throwing it to the ground and collapsed against the rough stone wall.

Desperately, she tried to gulp in enough air to slow her pounding heartdifficult to do when she was so weak even her Sphinx genetics couldn’t hold back the waves of pain overwhelming her.

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She knew she was in trouble, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it at this point. All she could do was curse because she just couldn’t take the risk, ask for help, and have her secret discovered.

Reaching down into the pocket of her military fatigue pants, Ashlyn pulled out the last of her throwing knives unsheathing the deadly blade. She had saved this last silver knife when she had to leave her weapons belt and the rest of her knives and throwing stars at the cave. The loss of her gear was upsetting but right now that was the least of her worries. With a shaking hand, she grabbed the waistband of her pants and rolled the fabric down low enough on her hips so her lower back was exposed. Twisting around as far as she could, she still couldn’t see much of anything other than the continuing stream of slick red blood running down her skin.

Gripping the knife tighter in her hand, Ashlyn realized she was going to have to wing it and hoped to hit close enough to the bullet so she could dislodge it.

In disbelief she gritted out, “Ashlyn this is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done. Crap, this sucks.” Clenching her jaw, she took a deep breath and stabbed straight into the bleeding wound. Just her luck, she hit directly against the bullet, pushing it in even deeper.

The breath she was trying to hold escaped in a harsh whoosh, and with darkness trying to claim her, she screamed from the jagged lightning pain pulsing through her.

****

Snarling in an uncharacteristic fury, Caleb exited his quarters slamming the heavy mahogany door behind him and stalked over to the top of the majestic curving staircase. He paused temporarily before the large golden statue of the Sphinx which sat at the top of the staircase against the wall guarding the domain of the Sphinx Warriors. Running a hand through his shoulder length hair, he scowled down at the shining golden statue and tried to get control of his agitated inner beast.

Ever since finding out Ashlyn hadn’t returned from the desert after she had accompanied Hunter and Jacob to intercept the group of men trying to invade the complex, Caleb’s inner Sphinx had gone into overdrive. Growling and pacing within his mind, he had tried everything to calm it down but to no avail. Hunter and Jacob’s 21

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report had painted a grim picture of gunfire and injuries. They had insisted that Ashlyn had been her usual pissed off self and had been headed back even before they had. When Caleb had found out she had limped back because of a bullet wound he had gone off the deep end. His first and only intention had been to rush out into the desert and find her, but with Turin causing hell and chaos in the Staging Cavern earlier, he had only time for a quick check before he had to return. Unfortunately, he hadn’t even found one strand of her luxurious auburn hair and his worry had skyrocketed even further. Possibly losing one of their own was crushing to all of them, but why he was feeling this on an even deeper level, he didn’t know.

Yes, he found Ashlyn intriguing on so many levels. She was mysterious, she was independent, and hell yeah, a whole lot of sassy. He enjoyed watching her stalk across the room with her attitude out for everyone to see, and he enjoyed watching the softer side of her revealed when she thought no one was looking. Still that didn’t explain why he was so worked up as if he had some claim on her or something. All he knew was that he wanted to know where the fuck she was and if she was okay.

Snarling louder this time, Caleb spun away from the silent Sphinx and punched at the mahogany stair railing. Feeling an urgency deep within his Life Force, he took the steps down two at a time until he was at the base of the staircase in the open entryway of the Warrior’s Quarters. Consumed by his inner thoughts, he almost tripped over the dark green throw rug on the floor and with a swift kick of his foot he sent it spinning across the polished tiger’s eye marble floor with its glowing gold and glittering silver patterns. The rug came to an abrupt stop when it wedged up against a royal blue rug near the entertainment room door.

Deciding some music and a stiff drink was exactly what he needed, Caleb stepped inside the entertainment room which was arranged in four sections. Closest to his right was the reading section with bookcases filled to the max with books of every genre.

The area was lit with strategically placed overhead spotlights, so when a person was seated in the gold and orange cushioned chairs, the lighting was perfect. The décor reminded him of ancient Egypt with the long cascading streamers of gold and orange fabric gently 22

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draping over the walls down to the floor. There was even a life-sized statue of a pharaoh standing up against the wall in full ceremonial clothes of gold and black.

However, reading wasn’t what he needed right now as he growled, “For Ancient’s sake, shut the hell up.” No, what he needed right now was hard core all out rock and roll and he wanted it with a beat which would vibrate right up through the floorboards and up into his head. Anything to stop the incessant snarling of his inner Sphinx and give him some peace. There was nothing he could do right now until Ashlyn showed back up on the radar and then he might just give her a piece of his mind. And maybe even kiss her.

Shaking his head in disbelief at the uncontrolled urges running through him, Caleb stomped over to the left side of the room where the music was kept. Weaving his way between the sturdy oak tables and chairs set up for games of chess, checkers, and cards, he was surprised when he reached the full wall high tech stereo system complete with video monitors without knocking anything over.

Knowing exactly what he needed, he selected a pre-loaded disk and immediately the ultra-low bass of the rock song pounded through the five-foot speakers and through every inch of his tall frame.

Closing his eyes, he let the beat of the music take over the chaos in his mind and the pounding of his heart. Caleb could almost block everything out and pretend his life wasn’t the constant struggle it was against the Wraith. He would have hope of being something more than an acquisition guru and he would have incredible powers to help his Sphinx brothers. But no, he had no powers even though he was a skilled Warrior and was still dependent on others for the Life Power he needed to stay strong to fight a never-ending battle with the other Sphinx.

Even though the music vibrated through his body, Caleb was still fully aware of something being wrong and of an unknown urgency he couldn’t explain. His inner Sphinx roared in his mind but gave him no clue as to what was wrong. With no answers as to the meaning of his mental condition, he spun away from the stereo and moved over toward the bar. Perhaps a stiff drink would calm his inner animal but he doubted it and in frustration roared, “Son of a bitch!”

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“What! I didn’t do a damn thing,” the surprised response came from the other side of the room. Caleb glanced over to where Jacob was leaning against the bar nursing a crystal glass filled with a dark brown alcohol. He realized he had been so caught up in his inner torment that he hadn’t even noticed anyone else in the room.

Jacob shifted around to the back of the large rose wood bar which was decorated with intricate carvings and an overhead section containing crystal glasses which hung down from recessed slots. The light glittered over their surfaces causing tiny rainbows to flicker in and out of focus. Caleb tapped at one of the smaller glasses causing it to swing slightly as he pulled up one of the brown leather seated bar stools and sat down. Trying to distract himself again, he watched Jacob grab one of the bottles off the shelf behind the bar. The shelving was spectacular and had colored lights which shined through the different alcohol bottles causing them to become quite the light show of red, blue, and gold.

Knowing Jacob would want to know what had crawled up his ass, Caleb rested his arms on the bar top and leaned forward. With a deep sigh he said, “Listen. I wasn’t snarling at you. It’s just…my fucking inner Sphinx has been wound up all night and it’s driving me crazy.”

Caleb wasn’t sure what else to say. He had never felt this way before but Jacob seemed to shrug off his outburst by pouring a hefty amount of alcohol into a glass and pushing it towards him.

Upending the bottle over his own glass to refresh his drink, Jacob fired back, “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like the rest of us haven’t been spun up here lately, what with so many of us finding the loves of our lives and Turin trying to take them from us. Besides, you deserve a chance to blow off some steam too, Caleb. You’re too quiet. All that pressure is going to make you explode eventually if you don’t let some of it out. So, why don’t you share and tell us what the fuck is bothering you, brother.”

Picking up the full crystal glass of Jack Daniels which was his preferred poison, Caleb took a large swig and enjoyed the slow burn as he swallowed the alcohol. While the liquid pooled in his stomach and he waited for the buzz to hit, he glanced around to see who else was in the room since Jacob had referred to “us”. It didn’t take him 24

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long to see Raven’s black-haired head resting against the back of the couch. The man was completely sprawled out in one of the full size leather couches on the lower tier level of the movie section of the room. The other leather couches and recliners were empty other than remotes and gaming controllers sitting on them. Raven was obviously already plowed again as the man just stared over at the big screen television mounted on the wall. There was nothing even on the screen but he seemed to be caught up in whatever internal torment was riding him.

Deciding not to bother the moody Warrior, Caleb turned back to Jacob to find him watching him just as intensely as he had just been watching Raven. Caleb shifted uncomfortably from being the focus of anyone, especially with his own insecurities which he hated on so many levels. Shifting his shoulders, he met Jacob’s even stare and blurted, “What?”

Jacob raised an eyebrow and didn’t even blink his intense brown eyes when he prodded, “You were going to tell me what was bothering you. You need to get whatever it is off your chest, otherwise you’re going to grind your teeth down to stubs.”

At first, Caleb had no idea what Jacob was talking about until he realized he was clenching his jaw so tightly he was grinding his teeth. Forcing his jaw to relax, he picked up his glass and swigged down the other half of the contents. He set the glass on the bar and gave it a spin with his thumb so it shot back over to Jacob who snatched it up with a move so fast it was crazy. While Caleb watched him pour more Jack into his glass, he forced the words out that he really had no intention of sharing, but if anyone could understand it would be a Warrior Joined to a Power Mate. “It’s hard to explain but this all started shortly after you, Hunter, and Ashlyn left to go fight the invading men from The Foundry. With everything going on with the Dimensional Gate and helping out with the surveillance and monitoring, I really couldn’t delve into what the hell was wrong.”

A snort from the couch reached Caleb’s ears and then with a belch Raven snorted, “That’s because you’re a pussy, Caleb. You act like a teenage girl trying to play all innocent when we all know better. Hell, you sleep around more than any of us.”

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Caleb felt his inner Sphinx rise to the challenge and he snarled back, “That’s fucking not true and you know it. Yeah, I like to dally around with the Egyptian women just like anyone else but I haven’t slept around since…”

It hit him then. He hadn’t slept around since Ashlyn had really let it be known she existed in the Complex. He remembered several weeks ago she had come out of nowhere, hovering over Elder Chloe like a true Power Protector minus a Power Sword and her true powers. She was like him in that sense, still waiting to discover what her true abilities really were. She evidently had been there in the complex for quite some time but the Elder had kept her hidden away, evidently to complete her studies and Warrior’s training before revealing her. Ever since then, Caleb had been fascinated with her to the point he could barely think of anything else but her lustrous auburn hair, her pure gold eyes, and a body to die for.

Shaking his head, he tried to cool his rapidly overheating body at the thought of the female Warrior. He grabbed the glass of Jack that Jacob had poured him and swigged down the entire contents.

Slamming the glass back down on the top of the bar, he kept his focus on the swirling intricate Egyptian carvings in the top of the bar because he didn’t want to see judgment in Jacob’s eyes when he revealed his inner conflicts.

Running a hand through his loose, shoulder length hair he revealed, “Jacob, it’s a lot of things eating me up. I’m tired of being known as the acquisitions king, really just a glorified stock boy. I’m tired of not having an obvious power of some kind, any kind would be nice. But no, I have nothing, not even the ability to draw much Life Power. The only thing I’ve got going is that I bonded with a Sefu Element and I’m damn good with my Power Sword. I help out the best I can with what I got but still there has to be something more. When I found out Ashlyn was missing, possibly hurt, and still outside in the desert, I couldn’t even find her because I have no tracking skills like you. I have no Eagle Sight like Ethan and can’t even communicate on the Warrior’s Link without Khenti Michael.”

Caleb clenched his jaw and slammed his fists on the top of the bar causing the glasses to swing wildly and clink together. One of them slipped out of the slot and fell, impacting the bar top. The 26

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glass instantly shattered into hundreds of tiny glass slivers. The loud sound did nothing to calm his nerves as he already felt the overwhelming urgency of something being wrong. His inner Sphinx began to overwhelm him and he stood up from the stool, shoving it away from him. Unable to control himself any longer, he glared at Jacob and snarled, “Damn it, don’t you see, I couldn’t find her and she could be hurt and dying!”

Unexpectedly from the leather couch, Raven started laughing hysterically. He stood up and wove his way over to where Caleb was standing. Caleb was sure the Warrior was going to fall over he was so trashed, but in Raven style, he just drunkenly swaggered over.

Stopping a couple of feet away, Raven raised his glass in a salute and shot back what was left in his glass. Once he was finished, he glared at the glass as if he couldn’t believe it would dare be empty.

Shrugging at the glass, Raven refocused and slurred out, “I stand corrected, you’re not a pussy, you’re pussy whipped. Another Warrior taken down by a chick. Who would’ve thought it? Caleb in love and you haven’t even tapped that ass…”

Caleb didn’t let Raven say one more word. His mind had already hazed over with a red violence as each insulting syllable was spoken, but he had held back because he knew his friend had issues.

Once Raven crossed over the boundary to vulgarly insulting Ashlyn, Caleb couldn’t take anymore. With a roar of fury, he dived straight at the Warrior, taking him down. Raven might have been drunk off his ass but with his experience and strength, he was still a force to be reckoned with. Caleb took him down to the ground with no problem but with every punch to Raven’s jaw, the man swung right back.

Several times, Caleb took Raven’s returned punches, but he didn’t care, and kept right on fighting. He wasn’t much into the adrenaline and hormone induced fighting that some of the other Warriors seemed to enjoy so much but this time with all of the frustrations, worries, and now fears over Ashlyn’s whereabouts, Caleb dived into the violence with zeal. Caught up in the roaring in his head, Caleb didn’t even register someone calling his name until he was roughly yanked away from Raven. Once he was up on his feet, he realized Jacob and Ethan had him by his shoulders. They 27

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both looked shocked by his behavior but he was even more shocked at himself as he stood and tried to catch his breath.

Ethan, who looked like he had been up all night with his spiked black hair in disarray, shook his shoulder to get his attention. Caleb glanced over at him only half paying attention as his inner Sphinx continued to snarl in his head. “Dude, snap out of it. I was trying to tell you I found Ashlyn. She just entered the sublevel tunnel. You said to let you know when she turned up. Although she refused help, I think she’s injured…”

Every one of Caleb’s senses sharpened into crystal clarity at Ethan’s words. Before anyone could say or do anything, he broke free from Ethan and Jacob’s grasp with little effort at all. With a speed he had never had before, Caleb shot out of the entertainment room, across the entryway of the Warrior’s Quarters, and out to the elevator bank. The whole time his mind kept screaming for him to reach Ashlyn before it was too late.

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Chapter Two

The sound of the elevator doors being forced open caused Ashlyn to jump and drop the blood-slickened knife in her hand. It clattered to the floor and the sound echoed strangely in her ears as if she was already starting to pass out. Fearful whoever it was would see the tiny crystalline pyramid on her hip, she rolled the material of the fatigues back up over her wound even though it hurt like hell. The bleeding had at least slowed down but she suspected it was from lack of blood in her body because her eyes were blurred to the point she couldn’t see who it was coming towards her in the dim light. All she could make out was the fact the person was incredibly tall, dressed all in black, and obviously a Warrior because of the way he stalked towards her.

“Ashlyn, talk to me, damn it,” came the deep masculine voice which Ashlyn immediately recognized as Caleb’s. When he came closer, she saw his shoulder length golden blond hair, unique in its highlights, confirming it truly was him.

Sighing, she leaned back up against the wall in the hopes she wouldn’t make a fool of herself and sprawl on the dusty floor at Caleb’s feet. How he had found her she didn’t know, but the fact it was her favorite Warrior showing up and not someone else was a great relief. Even though she barely knew him, she had been strangely drawn to him and trusted he wouldn’t do her wrong. In fact, she hoped he would help her, since once again, she couldn’t take care of something as simple as a bullet wound.

Her mind had evidently wandered because Caleb was suddenly right in front of her and reaching out to touch her. Unable to stop the reaction that ran through her, she gasped and tried to back away. She had always been fearful of touch, especially from a man, ever since she had been abused by the attendant who she had ended up destroying at The Foundry. Instead of backing up, she almost 29

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ended up doing a nose dive right into Caleb because of her numb leg. He appeared to realize her discomfort to his proximity and stilled his movement.

As if she was a frightened child in need of calming, Caleb raised his hands and quietly said, “It’s okay Ashlyn. It’s just me, Caleb. I won’t hurt you. I’m just here to help. Ethan said he thought you were hurt.”

His voice sounded deeply concerned and Ashlyn almost gave in to the need to lean on him. Almost gave in, but instead she grabbed the crutch where it rested against the stone wall and steadied her weight on her good leg. She tried to angle her body away so Caleb wouldn’t see all the blood but he was too observant. Ashlyn heard Caleb’s breath catch in his throat as if he had picked up on the scent of her blood. Although she could tell he wanted to grab her, he balled his hands into fists and held himself back.

Tightly he growled, “By the Ancients. What the hell happened, Ashlyn? Why didn’t you let someone know you were this injured?”

Snapping back, she growled, “Well, obviously I did. You’re here.”

Swallowing back her pain and nervousness at his closeness she took a deep breath. However, it didn’t help much against the growing edges of darkness at the periphery of her vision. Feeling bad at snapping at him, especially when he was just trying to help, Ashlyn pushed a tangled strand of hair behind her ear. “Look. I’m sorry.

Okay? It’s not your fault. Obviously, I’m having a really bad day.”

Pulling her hand away from her hair, Ashlyn realized it was covered with blood. Feeling as if she was in a dream, she stared at the bright red liquid as a single drop rolled over the back of her hand dripping off to land on the sandstone floor. Hating the sight of her weakness, she tried to wipe the blood away with her blue glove covered hand. It didn’t work, not that it mattered, since the hand held before her face blurred ominously. She realized she was going down for the count and as she pitched forward, she reached out to Caleb.

The Warrior was incredibly fast, and before she could fall another inch forward, Caleb had her completely encircled in his strong arms. The moment he pulled her tight against his body, everything changed forever for Ashlyn. A powerful rush of energy 30

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and heat cascaded from his body into hers and she gasped as the intense sensation sunk deep within her body. She closed her eyes leaning her head against his chest while the heady presence that was Caleb cascaded within her. She literally felt the thoughts of his mind brush hers including all of the desperate worry and the need to help her which filled him. Even in her critically wounded state, a heat pooled in the center of her body making her shiver with a desire she had never felt before.

Trying to get control of a situation she wasn’t ready for, especially if she ended up harming the man who intrigued her, Ashlyn leaned back trying to push away from him. The action caused a streak of pain to shoot down her leg and she cried out.

Caleb tightened his grip and she glanced up into his unusual lavender eyes to find his expression even more worried. Before she could tell him she was okay, she felt the pulse of his Life Power slide into her body. Completely unprepared for the physical response, Ashlyn clung to him as pleasure filled her and the pain in her back subsided just enough her head began to clear. Although she felt better, Caleb suddenly paled and although he held himself strong and steady against her she could feel the cost to his Life Power because of the energy he had just given her. He had risked himself to help her and now he was the one who needed energy. As her body, mind, and inner Sphinx recognized his need, Ashlyn did something she had not been able to do in years, she reached out and called – no demanded – that the Life Power around her respond to her command.

One moment the long hallway was dark and dreary, barely lit by the recessed fluorescent lights above, and the next, pure golden energy spilled from the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. The glittering essence of Power rushed towards her and she watched in trepidation as the golden energy swirled around her and Caleb’s feet. It didn’t stay there long as the highest of Life Powers shimmered in streamers of light up and around their bodies until they were both engulfed in the golden light. The streamers glittered against her skin and when she blinked she could tell her eyes were probably glowing like twin suns from the Power which was quickly absorbing into her system.

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Just as wrapped up in the golden light as she was, Caleb’s skin shimmered and his expression was one of absolute wonder. His hand shook from his weakness when he reached up to touch her face but his arm wrapped around her waist was strong as he pulled her closer. With a life-long craving for someone to make her feel alive and the need to help him now, Ashlyn could no longer deny herself and delved into the essence that was Caleb. His masculine thoughts filled her mind and she was lost to the giving, caring, and yes, passionate man before her. Before she could stop her reaction, she pushed the golden Life Power from her over-charged body straight down the tenuous connection linking them together.

Although the energy link held, the connection she had with his mind suddenly narrowed down until she could detect his internal presence but no more of the wonderful thoughts that had washed over her in incredible waves. Caleb groaned, closing his eyes, and Ashlyn was suddenly terrified that she was hurting him. She had no idea if she could kill him like she had killed the attendant. In an effort to disconnect the Power flow she was pushing into him, she tried to pull out of his arms. He evidently had other ideas as he shifted his hand from her cheek to tangle in her hair and pull her close.

A shadow of an intense craving from Caleb to be wrapped around her crossed the link before she felt him block his thoughts from her.

He leaned his forehead against hers and she heard him inhale deeply before her name echoed from his mind into hers - Ashlyn.

Ashlyn hadn’t expected him to be able to speak mind-to-mind with her. The only time she had ever heard the Warriors was when Khenti Michael was coordinating with them. She had learned she could listen in to their conversations but never had revealed her skill. Another secret she kept from all of them. The urge to respond back to him rode her hard, but it was too risky. Now that the golden Life Power was starting to disperse, her concentration was slipping and the pain began to creep back in at the edges of her concentration.

When he shivered against her and a return of Life Power pushed back in her direction she regained her focus and knew he was getting too much. Unable to hold onto the flow of Power any longer 32

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she tried to stop the pull. Unfortunately, the energy had a life of its own and it continued to rush through her and into Caleb. He groaned again and when the breath rushed in and out of his chest, she knew she had to do something even if it cost her. Gathering her remaining strength, she pushed back both physically and with her inner Sphinx. The separation was instantaneous throwing her against the tunnel wall. The impact was excruciating but she held the cry of pain in as she watched Caleb stagger back into the wall opposite her. He was still breathing heavily but she could see his color was now flushed as he brushed his golden blond hair back.

Breathless herself, Ashlyn leaned heavily on the wooden crutch and gasped, “I’m so sorry, Caleb. Are you all right? I didn’t mean to hurt you. Tell me you’re okay. Please.” Her own heart beat out a panicked rhythm as she waited for something, anything, from him telling her he was okay.

Slowly, he seemed to regain his senses and those gorgeous lavender eyes of his focused so intensely on her she felt like she was being consumed. “By the Ancient’s Ashlyn, that was incredible. Why didn’t you tell anyone you were a Power Keeper and one who can pull the most ancient of Life Powers. Don’t you see? You can help those of us who can’t gather energy on our own.”

He moved to step closer to her but she immediately threw up a hand and tried to maneuver back out of reach. “No! I don’t want anyone to know. My ability is unpredictable and I haven’t been able to access it for years until now. Besides, other than you, I don’t like to be touched because…because…damn it, I could have harmed you, Caleb!”

His expression became darker at the mention of her touching anyone else and she got the impression he didn’t like the idea. No, not in the least, as pure menace rolled off him and his eyes glittered with promised death. Just as quickly, the look of retribution cleared, and only the gentle side of the Warrior Ashlyn was familiar with surfaced. He stopped his forward movement but he fisted his hands at his sides again. His very energy level seemed to vibrate now and reach out to her.

Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath before quietly saying, “Ashlyn, you didn’t hurt me. In fact, it was quite the 33

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opposite. It was the most enjoyable and absolute earth shattering experience I’ve ever felt…and touching your mind…you’re incredible. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. If you don’t want your secrets revealed then I won’t. I understand, because trust me, we all have them. Right now, though, we need to concentrate on you. I can feel your pain going off the charts again and the energy you expended to transfer Life Power has left you even lower than you were.”

Ashlyn could only look up at this incredible man who was taking her revelations in stride with no issues whatsoever. He wasn’t angry or even considering turning her in to the other Warrior’s. He knew what she was now but was still willing to keep her secrets from the others. She felt bad putting him in that position, but even more so, she just felt straight out bad. He was right. The energy which had filled her had taken the pain away and made her feel okay while she had been connected with him on so many levels filling his body with her golden Power. Now that it had dissipated, she felt weak, lightheaded, and there was no doubt she was going to pass out as the darkness started to creep into her vision again.

Caleb took a quick step toward her as if he knew she was in trouble. She couldn’t help her reaction as she stiffened and held out a hand again but he was obviously not going to let her be when he said. “Listen to me, Ashlyn. The bullet has to come out or you won’t heal. You’ll bleed out.” When she didn’t say anything he urgently pressed her, “I can’t watch you suffer anymore, Ashlyn. You need to have Alexandria take a look at you.”

Her focus returned suddenly as his words registered. Alexandria was their healer and it was evident that Caleb needed her to be healed. She could feel the pounding worry, frustration, and need to help her flow through what was left of their connection. Vaguely she wondered why she could still feel his emotions. Ashlyn shook her head. If the Sphinx Healer saw her, she would know immediately about her secret because the woman was a Power Healer. Her secret would be revealed and she had no doubt that the rest of the Sphinx would know within minutes.

Shaking her head in refusal, Ashlyn cried, “No! She can’t see me.

Damn it, Caleb, she’ll know. Please, you can dig the bullet out for 34

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me.” She looked down at the knife on the ground and then back at Caleb. Watching the big strong Warrior before her visibly pale at what she suggested, Ashlyn realized the last thing he could do was hurt her. Hurting her would hurt him, but she knew he would do it to save her, even if it cost him.

Looking at his handsome face, Ashlyn felt terrible for what she was doing to him. It was her choice to go out and fight The Foundry invaders and now she would just have to deal with her own suffering just as she had always done. Perhaps this time she would even have to deal with her own death.

As her entire body started to become numb and the darkness began to embrace her consciousness, Ashlyn looked up at Caleb.

Brokenly, she said, “It’s okay, Caleb. I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go back into the complex? I’ll be there in a while.”

Turning away from him, she struggled to squat down and pick up the knife from the floor. The movement jarred her back, lightning pain streaked through every nerve in her lower body, and she started to fall over. Ashlyn just couldn’t fight anymore and really didn’t want to. Right before she hit the floor, she heard Caleb call out her name and she was suddenly scooped up off her feet and held securely in his arms. Completely encircled in Caleb’s strong embrace, she could feel the huge amount of energy vibrating through his system. Her head lolled back and the world seemed to dim around her. Unable to do anything else, she looked up into his desperate eyes when he ground out, “Like hell, I’m leaving you.”

****

Caleb was both relieved and worried when Ashlyn didn’t struggle against his hold. It was so unlike her to let anyone be this close or help her, and it made him realize just how bad off she really was. He needed to do something but it was so difficult to concentrate with his inner Sphinx screaming for him to save her and the huge amount of energy vibrating within the cells of his body. His first impulse was to rush her to Medical, but to do so would reveal what she was, and he had promised her that he wouldn’t. For Ashlyn to become a coveted Power source for those who needed Life Power and always being touched would eventually crush her spirit.

He wasn’t sure how he knew that but he did and he just couldn’t 35

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put her in that position. Besides, he hated the thought of anyone touching her in an intimate Transference hold. In fact, it straight out infuriated him. All he knew was that he needed to do something because she was becoming paler and paler. Her breaths were almost undetectable and her beautiful golden eyes were glassy. Fear spread through him as she just continued to stare up at him and he could see her fading away. His Ashlyn was dying and he was frozen in place not doing anything.

Fury filled him at his impotence and the very real possibility he was going to fail her. There was only one place to take her and try to get the damn bullet out and that was his room. He hoped that he would be able to get her there before anyone saw her because then he would have no choice but to take her to the medical clinic.

Growling low in his throat, Caleb imaged his room where it was located in the Warrior’s quarters right before he shifted to rush toward the elevator. As he moved, the pent up vibrating energy within him expanded out reaching forward along the path he was going to take.

The Life Power burst down the sublevel tunnel, and in a blur, he was carried along with it at the speed of light. Before he could even blink, he was inside the elevator with the energy dissipating around him. Shifting Ashlyn in his arms, he reached over, pushed the button to the fifth floor where the Warrior’s Living Quarters were, and then presented his thumb to the security plate. The elevator immediately started to move and he gently shifted Ashlyn again.

She moaned from the movement which at least gave him hope that she was still with him. “Hold on, Ashlyn. We’re almost there, darlin.’” Knowing the surveillance cameras were watching the elevator, Caleb glanced up with a direct stare. He knew Ethan would be watching, and not wanting anything revealed as of yet, ground out, “Don’t say a word, Ethan, to anyone. Not yet. Let me handle this and then we’ll talk.”

He didn’t say anything more, choosing to ignore the camera completely. He knew he would have a lot to explain to Ethan and eventually everyone else, but not now. Just the fact his hidden gift had revealed itself as the Speed of Power, also known as Power Phasing, was huge. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he 36

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renewed the image of his room in his mind and this time consciously pushed the Life Power out and forward. Stepping forward he was propelled at the speed of light again through the massive entryway double doors made of deep mahogany wood which had just been replaced due to damage.

Relieved, he found no one was even in the entryway to see them as he blew across the polished floor with enough force the brilliant red, blue and gold throw rugs scattered across the floor haphazardly. The wind he created in passing made the full wall tapestries of Egyptian royalty frolicking in garden scenes and strong warriors posing in their shiny battle gear to shift ever so slightly.

Beyond that there was only Caleb rushing up the sweeping staircase, past the golden Sphinx, and finally down the right branch of the hallway to his door near the middle of the hallway. At the light brown cedar door to his room, he stopped forcing the vibrations of his body to cease so that his motions stilled back to a normal speed.

Carefully he opened the door and stepped inside. He glanced around to make sure none of the Egyptian crew who kept the Sphinx quarters tidied up were on site. Breathing a sigh of relief, he found his room empty and stepped inside onto the dark brown teak floor which he had picked out himself along with the dark blue, black, and white materials which made up the low Asian bed and couch. As he shifted to push the door shut with his foot, Ashlyn moved in his arms and he glanced down to see how she had handled the rapid trip to his rooms. Her beautiful face was scrunched in obvious pain and she was just as pale as ever but she appeared to be fighting for consciousness. She wiggled against his hold right before Caleb felt the warmth of her blood run over his arm where he held under her back.

His Life Power surged as he sensed her need for energy and in reversal of earlier his Power flowed into her. He shivered at the sensation of truly becoming a part of her and realized he wanted so much more. Her body easily accepted his offering of Life Power and he would have given it all to her if it would have completely healed her, but he knew it wouldn’t with the bullet still in her.

Suddenly Ashlyn stiffened in his arms and her gold eyes snapped 37

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open focusing directly at him. With a strangled cry, she managed to fight her way out of his arms. By the time she was on her own two feet and had pushed away from him, Caleb found he was quite lightheaded from the Life Power he had pushed into her and the energy he had used in the Power Phasing to his quarters.

Holding out a hand to ward him off, Ashlyn gasped out, “I’m so sorry, Caleb. I wanted to help you but I didn’t mean to take your energy and hurt you. I need to get out of here before I do anything else.”

When she would have tried to move around him and more than likely sprawled on the floor, he stepped in her way, grabbing her shoulders.

“Ashlyn, stop. You didn’t do anything. I gave you the Life Power back. You weren’t doing very good at all and needed it more than I.

The bullet is still in you. We have to get it out.”

She looked up at him seeming to comprehend only part of what he was saying. Ashlyn was conscious, but he could tell she was going back down fast. He had to get her to lie down so he could figure out how deep the damn piece of metal was inside of her.

Surprised she didn’t push him away again, Caleb continued to hold her up by her shoulders and watched as she started rubbing at her right wrist and hand through the dark blue glove that covered her Sefu Element as if it was bothering her. Realizing she might have been shot in more than just her lower back he grabbed her hand gently in his to see what was hurting her.

Watching her closely he asked, “Ashlyn, what is it? There’s so much blood on you, I can’t tell if you have more injuries that we need to check.”

When she didn’t say anything but just kept shaking her head back and forth, he took the initiative and pealed the bloody glove off of her throwing it to the floor. He ran his fingers over the inside of her arm and wrist looking for any slashes or bullet holes but found nothing. All he could see was where the Sefu Element wrapped around her middle finger. The color was unusual, not silver like the Warriors, or even the rare gold. Ashlyn’s was a shiny copper which complimented her auburn hair and the dark blue she liked to wear.

Caleb gently turned Ashlyn’s hand over so he could see if there 38

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was any other injuries and also to check and make sure the Sefu wasn’t damaged. The shiny spiraling snakelike structure was perfectly looped around her middle finger, twisted down the back of her hand, and settled firmly around her wrist. There was one change, though, which had not been a part of Ashlyn’s Sefu Element before. Where there had been nothing but a circular copper disk where a clock face would be in a watch, there was now a fully formed Power Signature. The marking was a circular diamond with a sparkling sapphire pyramid located right in its center. The signature marked her as what she was, a Power Keeper, and he could only think it was because they had shared each other’s energy and quite obviously belonged to each other. He just knew she was supposed to be his, his one true Power Mate.

“Caleb?” The sound of her voice was slightly slurred and when she fell against him he pulled her close. For a moment, Ashlyn tried to push away again but she was too weak, so instead, she struggled to warn him, “You shouldn’t let me touch you. I could hurt you, Caleb.”

Sighing heavily, he knew in the depths of his Life Force she would never harm him. He knew she wouldn’t believe him, but he still told her, “Ashlyn, you won’t hurt me, physically anyway, but I have a feeling you’re going to break my heart.”

For some reason, she laughed softly and he thought perhaps she was hysterical, but then her laughter turned to an anguished cry.

What little color had returned to her pale skin left instantly and her eyes rolled back. Her body went completely lax in his arms and fear spiked in him causing his heart to pound.

Scooping her up in his arms, he yelled, “Ashlyn, stay with me, damn it. Fucking don’t do this to me. I’ll get the bullet out.”

At least he hoped he could get the bullet out. Digging into her precious flesh made him cringe and his mind felt like it was splitting into two personalities. One side said help her, get the bullet out, the other snarled to not harm one inch of her precious skin.

Not having a choice, unless he wanted to watch her finish bleeding out, he rushed over to the low platform bed and kneeled on the floor. With one arm, he held her against his body, and with the other he shoved the thick dark blue and white blankets out of 39

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the way. As gently as he could, he laid her down on the mattress and quickly rolled her onto her stomach. There was so much blood on her back and legs that even the dark blue shirt and black military fatigue pants she wore were so soaked he could see the bright red.

Drawing a dagger from his weapons belt, Caleb grabbed the waist of her pants and slashed open the back with a quick slice of the knife. He pealed back the fabric carefully not wanting to cause any more bleeding. Even with the care of his movements, though, more blood ran across her skin. Finally exposing the damage to her body, Caleb hissed and literally saw more red than just her blood. The wound was raw and ragged at the edges and located right where her hip and lower back joined together. It was obvious now why she had struggled to stand. Even with the healing abilities of a Sphinx, it could take months to heal nerve damage in the spine.

“Fuck. I don’t want to do this Ashlyn, but I can’t let you die. I’m sorry,” Caleb whispered while he settled into the bed next to her. He leaned his upper body over her back so she couldn’t rear back and draped his leg over hers. Inside he broke at the thought of what he had to do. He couldn’t dig in fast to dislodge the bullet for fear of doing more damage to her nerves. He would be causing her a slow torture while he slowly fished around for the damn thing.

Bringing the knife to her back Caleb paused for only a moment before he slowly and carefully slid the knife tip into the opening.

Ashlyn immediately jerked under him and he felt every one of her muscles tighten where he leaned against her. He hated himself at a level he never thought possible as her breathing became ragged, but she didn’t utter a sound even when he knew she was awake. His inner Sphinx snarled and fought him to stop but he kept on searching for the piece of metal which could be fatal to her if he didn’t get it out. Closing his eyes, he blocked everything out and focused on touch alone and what the metal of the knife could tell him.

He tried to reach out and link with Ashlyn again to try and block some of her pain but either he had lost the connection or she was blocking him. Either way, he continued until he felt her jerk hard under him. He knew then he had hit the bullet and stopped.

Ashlyn’s breaths were harsh and he thought he heard the rip of 40

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fabric where her hands were fisted in his sheets.

He gritted his teeth and forced out, “Almost there, darlin,’ almost there. Hold on.”

Slowly he shifted the knife subtly around the edge of the bullet until he was just under it. Because it was so close to her spine, the only thing he could do was push it away and pray to the Ancients he could grab it with his fingers. The wound wasn’t that big so he was going to have to force his way into the torn flesh but at least he didn’t have to go quite as slow now.

Making sure he had a good hold on Ashlyn so she didn’t move, he pushed his fingers into the wound and down along the knife as a guide. Caleb could hear Ashlyn’s muffled cry this time even though she tried to capture it in one of his black pillows she had pushed to her face. He wanted to cry out himself and his heart hammered out his own emotional beat of anguish. Forgiving himself for the pain he was causing her wasn’t something Caleb thought he could ever do. Finally getting a solid hold of the bullet, he yanked it out with his fingers and removed the knife from her back at the same time. A new flow of fresh blood ran across her back and down her sides onto the bedding. Ashlyn didn’t make any further sound and her muscles went completely slack under him. Worried for her, he flung the knife and bullet across the room to clatter somewhere on the other side of his room. If he had his way, he would never look at either object again. Removing his weight from her and sitting up on his knees, he pulled his black shirt off and placed it against her back to stop the flow of blood.

He prayed it wasn’t too late for her natural ability of healing to kick in, otherwise he was certain she would die. Fear ripped through him at Ashlyn’s condition and the fact he had just found her and that he might lose her before he really got to know the incredible unconscious woman on his bed. Maintaining pressure on the wound, he rolled her to her side and brushed the damp auburn strands of hair back from her face.

At first he couldn’t detect her breathing and his own stilled in his chest. His inner Sphinx freaked and yowled inside his mind as he was filled with the possible crushing blow of loss. His mind started 41

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to crumble until he finally saw the telltale signs of her breathing and he shakily released his own. Once he was certain she would continue breathing, he rolled her back on to her stomach and took a look at the wound. Much to his relief, he could see the bleeding had stopped and the edges of the raw wound was already drawing closed on the outside which meant the inside was already well under way to healing. He hoped that the nerve damage wasn’t bad and it would heal just as quickly.

The best thing for Ashlyn was rest and when he reached through the weak link he had with her he could tell she was deep under. Her Life Power was low but she appeared to be drawing in slight traces even though he couldn’t see it.

He could see she was a mess, though, and decided he had to clean her up. The sight of her blood everywhere was driving him crazy reminding him of how close she had come to dying. She was so stubborn and worried about her secrets when really all of them had had to come to grips with secrets that had almost cost all of them in one way or another. Whether she liked it or not he was stripping her down and cleaning her as best he could. Her anger was nothing compared to the worry and self-hatred of hurting her further which was tearing him up inside.

Carefully so as not to cause any more damage, Caleb started at her boots, untying them and pulling them off her feet. Her socks followed and then he pulled her fatigue pants and underwear off.

He tried to be clinical about it, just as Alexandria was in her Healer duties, but looking at Ashlyn’s shapely bottom still had his blood rushing through his body. However, forcing his eyes to her still healing wound was like a douse of ice cold water to his system and he at least partially cooled down. Using a different dagger from his weapon’s belt, he cut through her dark blue shirt and bra and pulled it out from her upper body.

He left Ashlyn on her stomach as most of the blood was on the back of her lower half anyway and he didn’t need the added temptation when he should be thinking with his upper head and not his lower. With that thought in mind, he rushed into the bathroom, grabbed a large container from under his sink, and filled it with warm water. With efficient movements, he grabbed a thick black 42

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washcloth off the towel rack next to the sink. Coming back into the bedroom, he was glad she still hadn’t moved an inch. It was better if she stayed unconscious while he cleaned her since he didn’t want her to feel any more pain. He suspected Ashlyn would probably lash out at him anyway for undressing her if she was conscious.

Still he didn’t care and needed to have the mental therapy of cleaning the bright red blood from her skin. With an infinite care and gentleness, he cleaned every bit of her smooth soft skin until not a drop of her blood was left. As he finished around her hips, he suddenly noticed the tiny crystalline pyramid on her right hip.

“By the Ancients, she really is a Power Keeper and a pure-born as well. Why didn’t Elder Chloe let us know? What the hell?”

Mesmerized, Caleb brushed his fingers over the little marking on Ashlyn’s skin. She was so soft and her clean skin smelled like strawberries. He realized what he was doing and snatched his hand back. Touching her felt too good and was only going to get him into trouble more than anything else. Trying to keep his mind occupied, Caleb shifted her so he could remove the dirty sheets and to get the rest of the blood out of his sight. Still, every time he looked at her bare skin, his urge was to touch her. She was just too much of a temptation and he quickly wrapped her in the clean blue and white quilt tucking the fabric around her so he couldn’t touch her.

Brushing her hair away from her face, Caleb checked her breathing one more time and found the color in her skin was already coming back. He breathed a sigh of relief before lying down beside her. He knew he needed to clean up, but more than that, he needed to just lie beside her and convince himself she was truly alive and recovering. The last few hours had been a series of incredible revelations. She was his Power Mate, even though they weren’t actually Joined, but how he was going to convince her of the truth, he didn’t know.

He knew Ashlyn was a wild child and it was difficult for her to trust anyone at times or even to be sociable. She was getting better though, and he had watched her from the distance as she had grown and matured. Why he hadn’t seen or felt that she was his before now was a mystery, but he could only chalk it up to male arrogance and hormones. He had been a quiet version of Raven, only wanting 43

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to screw anything that walked, but the day Ashlyn had shown up with Elder Chloe, everything had changed. He suddenly had no interest or craving for other women, only a fixation on the beauty next to him. She would be a challenge and he knew that unfortunately she was not one to be coddled or protected. Ashlyn was independent and strong, a Warrior in her own right.

He could already tell his inner Sphinx didn’t like the idea at all of her being in danger but both of them would just have to live with it.

He would just have to be her back-up whether she liked it or not and would have to make sure she was trained up even more. Not that she wasn’t already a deadly Sphinx. Draping his arm carefully around her, Caleb rested his head on one of the black silk pillows.

He wanted to close his eyes, but sleep just wasn’t going to happen.

As the day progressed into night, he continued to watch her even breaths grow in strength. Soon she would be awake and be the fiery-eyed Ashlyn he was familiar with.

He tangled his hand in her soft hair and continued trying to wrap his mind around everything that had happened and what would happen when she woke up. Would she push him away and distance herself again in her renewed strength? He didn’t know, but he was excited about the challenge and determined to make her his.

44

Chapter Three

Floating on the softest of clouds and not ever wanting to awaken again, Ashlyn forced herself to move from her comfortable position and stretched. The moment she moved, reality barged in as she felt her stiff muscles complain and her lower back cramp up. Holding her breath, she waited for the agonizing pain to attack from her bullet wound as she suddenly remembered her earlier adventures out in the desert. However, the pain she expected never came, and in crystal clarity, a memory of Caleb desperately trying to help her surfaced in her mind. Guilt rushed through her when she recalled how upset he had been at having to dig the slug out of her body, but he had done it. She knew he had done it because he couldn’t handle the thought of losing her.

Revelation of what had happened with him brought warmth to her cheeks but also wariness to her heart. The moment he had touched her, their hiding abilities had come blazing to life as well as a passion between them. She had been tempted to kiss him and press her body intimately against his even in her condition. Never in her life had she been drawn to anyone like that before. No, no one else had ever even tempted her before, but Caleb had piqued her interest on so many levels. Still, Ashlyn felt cold inside because she had hurt him on an emotional level, forcing him to dig the bullet out when he didn’t want to. He had done it anyway though, in order to save her. She should have just stayed down in the dark dusty tunnel and paid the price that fate demanded. Instead, she had drawn him into her crazy life and the past which continued to haunt her. Even now, she felt the Life Power around her calling to be collected and given to him and anyone else who might be in desperate need of it. Down in the tunnel, she had needed to give the energy to Caleb and had been enthralled by the physical reactions that had manifested. In fact, she felt a heat inside to Transfer to him again but she didn’t dare because she feared the danger of harming 45

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him.

Staying where she was, wrapped in soft satin blankets which held the masculine scent of Caleb, was exactly what she wanted to do.

However, Ashlyn knew it was time to go, both because Elder Chloe would be freaking out by now by her absence, but also because she just wasn’t ready to confront Caleb with what had happened, especially since she realized she was completely nude under the blankets. The thought of him stripping the clothes off her body should have been upsetting but instead caused a rush of heat to streak through her body to pool at her core.

Cautiously pulling the blanket away from her face, Ashlyn opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the ceiling because she was on her back. At first, she couldn’t tell exactly what she was looking at but then it dawned on her the ceiling was decorated in some form of Asian artwork. Squares of interconnecting teak and cedar wood reached from the top of the walls to a ceiling which wasn’t flat but formed a pyramid with the highest point being in the middle. It was the strangest design she had ever seen and yet it seemed to draw the stress away from her until a calm sense of being remained.

Shaking off the sensation, she sat up and glanced around at the rest of what she assumed was Caleb’s room. His taste was unique and the rest of the furnishings were just as Asian as the ceiling itself. Ashlyn shifted to get a better look at the bed she was in and found it was a low platform bed made of dark teak wood. The mattress was the softest she had ever slept on and the blanket covering her held her favorite color of dark blue plus a bit of white.

The sheets over on the floor were black and appeared to be covered with what she assumed was her blood. The sight made her cringe both from the memory of the pain and knowing she owed her life to Caleb.

Not wanting to look at the evidence of a death she had barely escaped, Ashlyn shifted in the bed. The movement positioned her at an angle so that a carved artistic form caught her attention from the periphery of her vision. Turning to face it, she found the unusual object sat between a line-up of novels which were sitting on the teak headboard. Focusing on the beautiful piece, Ashlyn was 46

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mesmerized by the black alabaster set of panthers seductively positioned together. Both of the animals were sleek and muscled, and although they were entwined together, they both looked deadly enough to spring into action instantly. The female was reclining beneath the male, her neck arched back to look up at him as he stood proud and protective above her, his head bowed only to her.

Although she wanted to examine the pair further, she turned away and looked at the rest of the room.

On each side of the bed was a set of bedside dressers with a white and silver lamp sitting on each one. In front of the bed was a changing bench with a dark blue cushion. A few steps forward from that was a dark blue couch with seats deep enough for true sprawling. Ashlyn smiled as she could just imagine Caleb’s long form stretched out on the couch. Farther to the right of the bed was a dark teak dresser and recessed on the far wall, a walk in closet.

The sudden sound of water caught her attention and she jerked around to see where it was coming from. To the left of the bed was a closed door made of dark Asian teak with insets of frosted glass. She realized Caleb was still there and was evidently taking a shower and there she was sitting in his bed completely nude. The entire situation made her blush and her usual impulse to run kicked in.

This time, however, part of her wanted to stay to be with him, but the other part of her urged her to run, to protect herself, and not to make a mistake and hurt him any more than she already had.

As quietly as she could, Ashlyn flipped the covers back and slid from the bed. Padding over on bare feet to the teak dresser, she opened one of the drawers to look for something to wear. She hoped Caleb wouldn’t be angry at her for borrowing some of his clothes but she couldn’t run around completely naked. In one drawer, she found one of his large black shirts and pulled it over her head. In another drawer, she found a pair of dark blue drawstring lounge pants. She quickly pulled them on tying the string as tightly as she could so the pants wouldn’t fall down. They were loose and baggy but would have to do. So she wouldn’t trip over the long legs, Ashlyn rolled them up until they were well above her ankles. The sound of the water changed slightly as though someone had stepped under the jets of the shower head. Nerves rushed through her, and 47

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on instinct, she spun around and ran for the door. The moment she reached the door and grabbed the silver doorknob she froze.

Everything in her screamed that leaving Caleb was wrong and staying with him was ever so right. The fear still ate at her though because if she stayed she could hurt him and she didn’t ever want to hurt him.

Closing her eyes Ashlyn fought an internal battle of what she wanted and the duality of the emotions and needs running through her. Finally, she gave in enough at least to tell him she was leaving.

Turning away from the door, she walked back across the bedroom until she stood right in front of the closed bathroom door. As if in a dream, she slowly reached out for the black handle and turned it as quietly as she could.

With the slightest of pushes, the door silently opened to reveal a bathroom of black and silver. The commode, a sink, and a large tub in the middle of the room were made of black porcelain. The fixtures and mirrors above the sink and on one of the side walls were made of silver while the polished floor was black tile with silver shot through it. The bathroom was a masterpiece but the sight that completely captured Ashlyn’s attention and had her frozen in place was Caleb, standing inside of the open shower surrounded by the steam of the water. He had his back to her and was leaning on one hand against the back wall made of more black and silver tile.

Each side marking the periphery of the shower was made of slightly frosted glass and the showerhead directly above him dropped the water down in the form of rain. His head was bowed and his shoulder length golden blond hair was plastered against his head. He leaned his head back and ran his fingers through the strands pushing them away from his face. The water sluiced from his hair and ran in rivulets down his back and buttocks.

Ashlyn knew her mouth was hanging open but she couldn’t help it. The man was incredible and built like a God. Each muscle was accentuated and defined from his arms to his wide back to his narrow waist. Even his ass was hard as a rock and she had the uncontrollable urge to squeeze those incredible buttocks. Trying to get a control on her emotions, she watched as he slowly turned his 48

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profile to her and leaned his head back to rub the water over his face.

Unable to form any coherent thought all she could do was stare at the incredible form revealed to her. Even from the side she could see the definition of his chest and the cut of his incredible abdomen.

What she would do for just one touch of Caleb’s stomach muscles.

Transfixed, she couldn’t stop her wandering eyes as she went even lower in her visual exploration of his body. Her eyes grew wide as her journey below his waist revealed how gifted he really was. The man was built, and even relaxed, his manhood was incredible to behold. Her imagination ran wild as she fantasized about him turned on and had no doubt his erection would be huge. An uncontrollable urge ran through her to dive into the shower with him and press her body against his wet slick one.

Ashlyn trapped a strangled moan in her throat trying not to make a sound, but evidently, Caleb had still heard because he turned directly towards her. Those intense lavender eyes of his opened and he focused completely in on her. She felt completely consumed just by his look and when she felt his mind brush ever so slightly against hers she backed up like a startled deer. His emotions were intense, conflicted, and swirling to the point he was overwhelming her. She felt his need, she felt his worry for her well-being, and she felt his guilt and torment at having to hurt her when he dug the bullet out.

He wanted her not only physically but on a deeper level and he wanted to be the one to keep her safe from everything including himself if need be. It was too much and yet not enough. She wanted more but needed to keep her distance not to harm him. Confused, she drew back and closed the link they shared. Before she completely shut him out, she sensed his hurt and guilt again.

Looking into the depths of his eyes and seeing that very hurt and guilt she had just sensed, she whispered, “You didn’t hurt me, Caleb. You saved me. I’m the one who hurt you. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” Ashlyn wasn’t one for crying, after all she was a Warrior and the Elder’s Power Protector, but damn it, with everything that had happened the night before and through the day it was just too much. She was a female after all. Blinking rapidly didn’t do any good and Ashlyn felt the tears stream down her 49

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cheeks. She turned her gaze away from him, ashamed of showing her weakness.

“Ashlyn, look at me darlin,’” Caleb said in the gentlest of tones.

Unable to resist his command, Ashlyn looked back at him, but when Caleb reached out and took a step forward, her skittishness got the better of her. She tried to stay her ground but again everything was too much. With one last beseeching glance in his direction and hoping he understood, she whispered, “I’m sorry, Caleb. I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

Spinning on her heel, she ran for the outer door of his room and slipped out before he could call her back. Closing the door, she was already mapping out her quick escape from the Warrior’s Quarters when a gasp from the end of the hall told her she had already been discovered. Not wanting to look but knowing she had to acknowledge her audience, Ashlyn glanced down the hall. It was just her luck to be discovered by the raven black haired Sphinx leader Khenti Michael and his golden blond haired Power Mate, Stormy.

At first, she thought Stormy was Transferring Life Power to Michael because of their intimate contact but then she saw how pale Stormy was. She realized Michael was actually steadying the Power Keeper. Not a good sign if Stormy was ill because she wouldn’t be able to transfer Power to Caleb and Raven, the only two Warriors without a Power Mate. Which brought Ashlyn’s thoughts circling back to Caleb and what had happened between them the past few hours. Their contact had resulted in some form of link which meant she was potentially his Power Mate.

Part of her was ecstatic of possibly being his and the other part was fearful of harming him with her newly returned ability. Ashlyn felt dizzy at the duality of her spinning emotions or perhaps it was because she was still healing. Either way she had to get out of there.

“Ashlyn? Is everything okay?” Stormy asked in concern but Ashlyn thought it should have been the other way around since the Power Keeper looked a little pale herself.

Moving back away from the door and closer to the stairs, Ashlyn answered politely, “I’m good. Thanks.” Not wanting to cause a scene or have Caleb catch up with her, Ashlyn spun away and dove down 50

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the stairs. At full speed, she landed at the bottom and streaked across the entryway and out of the double doors. Luck was with her, and as soon as she pushed the elevator call button, the elevator opened up. Jumping inside, she hit the button on the control panel to the first main underground floor of Complex 46 where the Elders lived and the higher ranking Egyptians socialized and frolicked.

Tapping her foot impatiently, she was glad when the elevator arrived and the doors finally opened.

Much to her annoyance the giddier of the female Egyptians were already sprawled around the large gathering area on luxurious lounge chairs draped in silks and satins of different colors. Various hues of blue, yellow, pink, and green pillows were both on the chairs and scattered haphazardly on the floor. Among the seating areas were extravagant white marble fountains with figures of couples intertwined in various positions of simple kissing to more intimate positions of love-making. The sound of doves cooing in the background and the giggles of the women had Ashlyn rolling her eyes.

Ashlyn had never been one for the more feminine hobbies of the Egyptians and preferred her solitary ways. With those thoughts in mind, she nimbly worked her way through the lounging women and the splashing fountains to the other side of the large open room. Up ahead in front of her was a tall set of reinforced crystalline doors imprinted with the symbols of the Ancients and those who could draw Power including a dual set of pyramids with starbursts above each of them. These doors were the protective boundary of the Elders’ quarters and where she shared her living space with Elder Chloe.

As she approached, Ashlyn pulled up the borrowed lounge pants and for a moment had the intense impulse to run back to Caleb.

Instead, she forced herself to continue up to the doors and stopped right before them. Only those cleared for entry would be recognized by the doors. Without even the slightest of pauses, she reached out and placed her palm over one of the pyramids expecting to be recognized after a few seconds of scanning. Ashlyn had performed this same procedure many times, but this time both pyramids glowed gold and immediately the doors slid open.

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Non-plussed, Ashlyn cautiously entered and wondered if the return of her abilities had changed the recognition of the doors and who or what made the determination. Carefully scanning the long hallway before her for anything that looked suspicious, all she found were the usual life-size golden Pharaoh statues which had been there since her arrival. Still she felt ill at ease and her inner Sphinx prowled restlessly in the back of her mind sending her flashes of Caleb and the upset look he had on his face when she left.

Everything had changed for her and coming back to the Elders’

Quarters felt alien to her as if she just didn’t belong anymore.

“Oh for Ancient’s sake. Get a grip,” she snarled at herself in agitation. Grabbing the drooping pants in one hand, Ashlyn jacked them up higher while she clenched and unclenched her hand where the Sefu Element resided. A slight tingling went through her wrist the closer she got to the silver door of Elder Chloe and her rooms, but when she reached out and grabbed the doorknob the sensation stopped. With a quick twist, Ashlyn stepped inside and was immediately confronted by Elder Chloe even before she got the door shut behind her.

“Oh, thank goodness! I was so worried. I didn’t know what had happened to you and my foretelling just wouldn’t reveal to me what the final outcome was. I hate this stupid dysfunctional ability so much,” Elder Chloe cried out.

So unlike her, Chloe had tears streaming down her face and before Ashlyn could escape, the Elder grabbed her in a hug. Ashlyn just stood there and hugged her back knowing Chloe was having more and more difficulty with her abilities. Abilities which no one else knew the Elder had beyond the hints of visions she revealed from time to time. Even now, her image was blurred at the edges and the façade she kept in place had slipped. She was still wearing her long red and gold robe and her silver walking staff with its Power diamond was still clutched in her fist, but the rest was rapidly slipping. In an effort to fire Chloe back up and get her refocused on who she was supposed to be, Ashlyn extricated herself and pushed the Elder back.

In a disgruntled voice, she fired back, “Oh. You mean the foretelling you had of The Foundry invasion and how I needed to 52

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join Hunter and Jacob immediately in defense of the complex. The foretelling which didn’t show you I would be shot multiple times and almost die if not for Caleb. Yes, I would say your ability is pretty dysfunctional.”

Elder Chloe immediately stiffened and the diamond on the top of her staff glowed for just a moment. Her physical form clarified so that her elderly wrinkles on her face re-defined and her gray hair and silver eyes became clearer. With authority, Power Chloe reprimanded, “How dare you, you ungracious Power Protector. I’ll have you know, child, that I have more gifts and Powers than you ever will.”

Just like that, Chloe was back to her old self and Ashlyn couldn’t help but start laughing in earnest. Once she started, the serious expression on Chloe’s features relaxed. Fighting back the laughter, Ashlyn gasped, “You need to stop calling me child. I’m not much younger than you are, you know. You’re going to give me a complex.

Anyway, I thought you were going to rest, Ka…”

Before she could finish her question, Elder Chloe cut her off.

“Don’t you dare say that name. Once you start slipping like that, you’ll end up using it when we’re in public. Until the time is revealed, you will continue to use my Elder name,” Chloe finished and rubbed at her eyes. Ashlyn could see she was exhausted.

Concerned for Chloe’s welfare, Ashlyn stepped forward and placed a hand on her stooped shoulder. “Are you okay? You said you were going to rest but here you are using the façade again.

What’s up?”

Sighing heavily, Elder Chloe gave her a weak smile and answered, “The Elder’s Council wishes to meet later and speak with Khenti Michael and I have to attend. They wish to know what his plan of action is to stop Turin from continuing his destructive use of the Dimensional Gate. The last round almost caused serious damage to Complex 46, and if Turin isn’t stopped, he’ll be successful and all will be lost. Which brings me to what I needed to talk to you about. You must help the Sphinx women decode the Sixth Page of Seven. You’re the key to unlocking its secrets and the key to finding the Seventh Page.”

Ashlyn rolled her eyes. Life just kept getting better and better. In 53

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disbelief she commented, “Are you kidding me? Me? I have enough issues just guarding you and trying not to bite anyone’s head off.

Besides, I need a break. The past few hours have been rough with Caleb having to dig a bullet out of me and my abilities firing up again.”

Her eyes focused on a picture of a young girl on the wall behind Chloe seeing but not seeing it as she relived the last few hours. In a distracted voice she recalled, “He was so kind and considerate of my safety. When I would have fallen, he cradled me in his arms and then I felt how weak he was and that he needed Life Power. My abilities just fired up then without me even trying and I gave him energy. It was incredible, Chloe. I could hear him, I could feel him.

He saved me but in the end I think…I believe I just ended up hurting him. I’m afraid I’ll hurt him even worse or end up killing him with my ability.”

Elder Chloe suddenly clapped her hands together around her walking staff. Excitedly she cried, “Yes! I knew it. You were meant to be his Power Mate. You are his and he will be yours. Don’t you see, Ashlyn, everyone is coming together exactly the way they are supposed to be. Did he claim you?”

Ashlyn gasped at the Elder’s words. “Claim me? Now I know you’ve really gone over the edge. Why would he claim me? Doing what he had to do was rough on him. I could tell he didn’t want to hurt me but he dug the bullet out anyway. I can never hurt him again and he probably wouldn’t even want someone as broken as me.”

In a movement so unexpected, Chloe stepped forward and grabbed Ashlyn’s Sefu wrapped hand jerking it up so it was between them. “Ashlyn, that’s a lot of crap. Look at your Sefu Element. Your Power Signature is completely formed, I can feel the highest of Life Powers in your system, and I can still see Caleb’s energy clinging to you. I know it’s his because yours is gold and his is a white crystalline aura. If he didn’t want you there’s no way you would have his energy still on your skin. The question is does he know you are his Power Mate, and if not, will you tell him or leave him suffering without you? Child, it’s time to grow up and be the powerful Sphinx you’re supposed to be.”

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Shocked by Chloe’s rough treatment both physically and mentally, Ashlyn just stood there, unable to form any cohesive thoughts other than she never wanted to cause Caleb suffering.

More than anything, she wanted to be with him again and feel the incredible sensations when he held her in his arms. However, she was afraid, terrified, that her abilities would lash out and possibly kill him. If she dared even think they could be together, would he want her, or would he reject her? She didn’t think she could survive a rejection if she opened her heart to him.

Withdrawing her hand from Chloe’s grasp, Ashlyn shook her head in denial. Her voice breaking, Ashlyn whispered, “Ka…I mean Chloe, I don’t think I can trust my abilities.”

Again, Elder Chloe interrupted her and sternly said, “You have no choice, Ashlyn. I have seen it. Caleb needs you and will perish without you. The Sphinx Warriors and their Mates will perish without you. Have faith in yourself and in the man who will guide you and protect you. You have the ability to save them all.”

All Ashlyn could think was… oh great, no pressure here…but inside her entire being rejoiced that there was truly a chance she could be with Caleb. Running a hand through her tangled hair, she forced out, “Okay. I’ll try, and I do want to be with him. I’m just…afraid.”

Elder Chloe rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. “I know you are but you can do this. Now listen, time is of the essence. Go, get cleaned up and then go meet with Joshua. He needs to check your Sefu and give you a better re-enforced weapon until your Sefu is ready to reflex. Yes, it won’t be long now.” Chloe’s expression became distant, a small smile played along her lips, and then a scowl replaced the smile. Just as quickly, the Elder’s gaze sharpened back on her and she continued almost as if nothing had happened. “Once you’re done there you must go to the entertainment room and speak with Stormy and the others about the Sixth Page. Don’t worry, you’ll fit in just fine. Be quick because you won’t have much time. The Dimensional Gate will open soon and a terrible battle will begin. Caleb will need you. Be prepared. Yes, be prepared.”

****

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Restless and unable to control his spinning thoughts of what had happened between him and Ashlyn, Caleb finally gave up on trying to get any sleep and jerked the door open to his room storming out into the hallway. He needed the sleep because he suspected the night was going to be busy with the possibility of the Gate opening up again, if the beginnings of the dark energy in the complex was any indication. Unfortunately, there was no way he was going to be able to go to sleep because his mind just wouldn’t stop spinning with thoughts of the intoxicating woman who he had almost lost. So caught up in the sensations and feelings Ashlyn had caused in him, he almost ran into his leader at the top of the stairs where he was leaning against the mahogany railing.

“Sorry, Khenti Michael. I’m a bit preoccupied.” When Caleb noticed the way his Khenti was staring down at the tapestries looking like he was lost in his own thoughts, he quickly asked, “Is everything okay?”

At first, his leader didn’t say anything but then he blinked rapidly and glanced up.

“What? Oh, sorry Caleb. I’m just worried about Stormy. She’s been having problems with drawing Life Power and every time she does she gets light-headed. She almost passed out the last time and then became upset because my energy was low, is still low. I tried to tell her to go see Alexandria and even offered to call my sister to come up and see her but then she really became upset and started crying. I can’t handle seeing her suffer, but I just don’t know what to do on this one.”

Without thinking, because he was still so caught up in his own confusion and worry over Ashlyn, Caleb answered, “Yeah, females.

Sometimes they can be so confusing.” Realizing he had almost delved into a subject he didn’t want to bring up quite yet, he cut off any further comments. Glancing over at Michael to see if he had caught on to any of his agitated vibrations, he realized the Warrior already knew something was up.

Confirming his suspicions, Khenti Michael asked, “Are you okay, Caleb? We saw Ashlyn leaving your rooms and she looked a bit upset and disheveled. I half expected you to come out of your rooms all torn up. The Elder’s Power Protector can be quite the little fury 56

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and with quite the temper.”

Before Caleb could stop it, a tremendous growl erupted from his throat and a hot surge of temper flared at the comments about Ashlyn’s personality. He knew Michael didn’t intend insult, was only making an astute observation, but still, Caleb’s inner Sphinx was infuriated at even another man being focused on her. Quickly choking back the sound, Caleb cleared his throat and bowed his head before apologizing, “I’m sorry, Khenti. Last night and today was…shall we say unexpected. I can’t really go into everything, but let’s just say Ashlyn was injured by a bullet, and in the process of trying to help her, weuhlinked.”

Caleb’s agitation grew and he ran his hand harshly through his hair before continuing, “Fuck. I think she’s my Power Mate. No, damn it. I know she’s my Power Mate. Her energy is so…incredible.”

His mind spun and he wasn’t sure what else to say. His mouth opened and then closed but any further words of cohesion just wouldn’t come, especially when there was so much he couldn’t say.

And now that he knew about Stormy’s difficulties he was even further conflicted about revealing Ashlyn’s ability to draw and Transfer Life Power. He needed to talk to Ashlyn, and soon, if the current events continued to unfold as they appeared to be doing.

Without her help, at least Michael, Raven, and he would be low on Life Power for the next battle against Turin and the Wraith. Not good since the battles seemed to be rapidly becoming more and more violent. Yet, the thought of anyone besides him touching Ashlyn and receiving her energy made him crazed.

Khenti Michael straightened up from the railing and stepped back slightly. “Easy, Caleb. I recognize that look. I’ve seen it enough times in the mirror looking at myself. No one’s going to touch her.

She’s quite obviously yours. Does she know?”

Caleb took several deep breaths and with some modicum of control answered, “I don’t think so. The whole situation shook her up. As soon as she came to, she bolted, and of course right after catching me completely nude in the shower. I didn’t think she’d be awake for a while so she caught me off guard. For such a strong woman who can fight like a demon herself, when it comes to getting 57

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close to anyone on a normal everyday basis, she’s as skittish as a young doe.” Rubbing at his face, Caleb sighed, “Khenti, I’m just not sure what to do.”

Nodding, Michael stepped back up next to him and slapped a hand on his shoulder. “I feel for you, Caleb. I really do. All of us who have a Power Mate have felt your pain. Being the way we are, our emotions and Powers are intense and incredible. All I can tell you is to hold on for the ride. It will have its highs and lows, but in the end if you can be with the woman who is truly yours, everything in life is worth it. Being Joined and being able to feel her thoughts and emotions is truly a gift. It will make you feel truly alive and the moment you touch her Life Force with yours you will know what it means to be whole and to love and be loved without reservation. I wish I could give you more, but for what it’s worth there it is. If you need to talk more on this, I’m here for you.”

“Thanks Khenti.” After clasping his leader’s arm in a Warrior’s handshake, Caleb stepped away and continued down the stairs. He glanced back one more time to see Michael turn to head back to his own quarters and his expression resumed its earlier worry. The entire situation wasn’t good, from Stormy having something wrong with her, to the Gate getting ready to open again and to all of the issues he needed to work out with Ashlyn. To top it off, they needed to figure out what the hell was in the Pages of Seven and destroy the damn Gate before Turin killed them all and destroyed the Earth.

“Fuck!” he snarled, causing one of the Egyptian house managers to scurry away quickly as he stormed through the entry area. He wanted to stop and apologize but he knew with his current attitude he would probably only make matters worse by scaring her further.

Deciding he needed to work off some of his agitated energy, he stalked through the entryway doors and over to the elevator. So entangled in his own internal thoughts, he didn’t really notice the ride down to the seventh level of the complex until the doors opened. Without pause, he continued his inner tirade at how he could have handled the situation better with Ashlyn while he jogged over to the training area. The only non-chaotic thought that passed through his mind was if anyone else was in the area, so he might have someone to challenge in some grappling to channel his violent 58

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mood.

Unfortunately, there was no one handy. Not even Raven, who welcomed a good fight in his long-term bad attitude and desire for a good stand-off. Only an empty gym which was equipped with cardio gear, treadmills, elliptical steppers, and fixed and free weights awaited him. The wrestling area and swimming pool were even deserted, which was okay with him, because none of those areas appealed to him or would be useful to test his newly acquired Power Phasing anyway.

Crossing over to the free-form area of the gym, he chose the last room of equipment where several tall platforms were built. The platforms sat high above a padded floor where a Warrior could climb, vault, somersault, or dive straight down to the ground utilizing his or her Sphinx abilities and skills. Yeah, this was exactly what he needed.

With quick movements, he removed his weapons belt, tossing it into the corner of the room so it would be out of the way. His black t-shirt followed as he pealed it off over his head and winged it through the air where it landed perfectly on top of his belt.

Stretching his tight muscles until he was limber, Caleb decided it was time to test his new abilities and see how fast he really was.

Tapping into the golden Life Power Ashlyn had transferred to him, he let the energy surface and surround him until his white shimmering Power surrounded his entire body.

Although the energy looked like his, he could feel Ashlyn’s presence deep within the Power, and for a moment, he had the uncontrollable urge to find her. He even thought he felt her stir within his mind through the weak connection they had established but as suddenly as it whispered to him, the link closed. Wanting her more than ever but forcing his own desires to the back of his mind to give her space while she worked out her fear, Caleb revved up his ability. With a loud growl, he pushed the energy higher and higher until every cell in his body vibrated. With one last thought of Ashlyn and all of her fiery beauty, Caleb forcibly pushed the Power forward in a flash. He let out one great roar of challenge and disappeared in a blur of incredible speed.

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Chapter Four

With a restlessness riding her hard, Ashlyn showered and was dressed and ready to go in record time. She didn’t know why but the adrenaline in her system was charged to an incredible level. Every once in a while, she swore she could feel flashes of Caleb’s presence in her mind. It was almost as if he was trying to check on her covertly, but he never completely crossed the boundaries of her privacy. Instead of anger, she actually felt an inner thrill that he would think of her even after everything she had put him through.

There were so many unanswered questions she wanted to ask about what was happening between Caleb and her. She should have asked them earlier because when she exited her room Ashlyn found Elder Chloe was already gone.

Left on her own, Ashlyn decided to start her many tasks the Elder had given her, especially since Chloe had made it sound like she needed to start yesterday. Tightening her weapons belt and checking on the many daggers and throwing stars to make sure they were secure, Ashlyn slipped out of the shared quarters and through the crystalline doors. With head held high and her eyes trained on the far exit where the elevator bank was located, she worked her way between the still lounging female Egyptians. Luckily, her mind was more on Caleb and the possible chance of seeing him again so the female’s antics didn’t bother her quite so much.

When she reached the elevators, she found one already open, so she took advantage of the opportunity. Selecting the button for the seventh level, Ashlyn leaned against the back wall in contemplation as the doors closed. She rubbed at the Sefu Element on her arm nervously wondering what Joshua would think of the change. The Warrior was so protective of the Elements that he had been rather angry when he found out Elder Chloe had kept this one in her possession and passed it on to her. Chloe would never reveal where she had gotten it and Ashlyn had decided not to push, mostly 60

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because forcing answers from the Elder could potentially cause the woman to short circuit for a while. Not a pretty sight.

The trip down to the training and weapons level didn’t take long at all and once the doors opened, Ashlyn was out and striding down the long tan hallway. If not for Stormy’s love of artwork and Skye’s incredible talent for her paintings, the halls would have been plain and boring. True to Stormy’s need for color and making the complex a home, the Power Keeper had hung several different paintings of the desert skyline. Some were in hues of oranges and yellows, others in purples and blues, and still others in brilliant pinks and reds. Ashlyn would have stopped to examine the brush strokes and textures further but there was just too much to do and not enough time.

Passing the training and gym area, Ashlyn headed straight to the weapons room where she hoped to find Joshua. Luck was with her and she found him near the back of the long rectangular room near the kiln and the glass front cabinets. Inside the cabinets were Sefu Elements which were not yet bonded and were contained in large copper containers.

As Ashlyn passed through the long room, she admired the different weaponry. Not only were there weapons of every design hung on the wall, there were also lighted display cases with more weapons. Swords were definitely the most prominent with some displayed on blue velvet placards on the walls and others under lock and key in the cases. Beside the gold and silver gem encrusted swords were knives, throwing stars, staffs, sickles, and other unidentified objects that just might be for torture. Ashlyn wickedly smiled to herself at the thought of being able to experiment with a few of them on the evil Wraith. If she had to fight them, she might as well give a little payback and if she was lucky she might even get a chance to torture Turin.

Slowing her approach to the strawberry blond Joshua, Ashlyn didn’t want to startle him since he appeared to be completely focused on the sword he was working on. With a cloth in hand, he was thoroughly polishing the silver metal which glowed subtly in the light indicating he had enhanced the strength with his unique ability. Even as quiet and careful as she had been in not disturbing 61

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him, he already knew she was there when he commented, “Ashlyn.

It’s always a pleasure to see you. How are you and your Sefu today?”

Normally, she wouldn’t have believed a comment like that. It was rare for anyone to be pleased to see her, especially when she had a habit of being moody and keeping everyone at arm’s length.

Something she couldn’t help as it was her protective mechanism.

However when Joshua glanced up at her with his bluish silver eyes, he actually looked like he was pleased to see her. Which meant one thing, he knew about Caleb and her.

Determined to stand her ground and at least to try to be sociable, she answered, “I’m good, Warrior Joshua, and my Sefu Element is doing much better. Thank you.”

Giving her a gentle dimpled smile, Joshua stood up. Ashlyn almost backed up when he rose to his over six-foot height but she forced herself not to move. She took several deep breaths to calm her skittish reaction. Someday she hoped she wouldn’t immediately have the fight or flight reaction around others, but it was so engrained in her because of The Foundry she wasn’t sure if she ever could. Her interactions with Caleb gave her hope, though. Near him she was still skittish but for different reasons. If anything she wanted to be so much closer to him…but did she dare?

As if he sensed her discomfort, Joshua didn’t move further toward her but crossed his arms over his chest instead. In a deep rumbling voice he said, “Ashlyn, you don’t have to be so formal with me. You’re just as much of a Sphinx and a Warrior as the rest of us.

I know we tend to forget, with you always having to take care of the Elder and rarely being around us, but we do know and respect you.

I apologize if you have thought otherwise.”

Tentatively Ashlyn edged closer to where he stood. If there was one thing she could detect, it was a person’s true sincerity, and Joshua was pure in his sincerity. Wanting to get to know Caleb’s family and his fellow Warriors, Ashlyn was determined to try not be so stand-offish, but it was difficult. Every moment she expected someone to strike out at her, to take something else away from her that she loved, or to use her until she was nothing left but a husk.

The Foundry had done this to her, leaving her so broken that she wasn’t sure if she could ever be what was considered normal.

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“I guess we all need to start again and I need to try and come out of hiding a little more often. It’s just difficult for me to…well…be around people.” Sighing she rubbed at her Sefu, wondering if she would ever be able to truly communicate and be with others.

Joshua sighed heavily before distractedly returning, “Hang in there, Ashlyn. We all have our particular hang-ups and issues. If it weren’t for Alexandria coming back to me, my own explosive abilities and dionic Power would have been the end of me. Each of us, separately, is incomplete in some way but together we’re whole and more powerful than any of us could have imagined.”

He didn’t say anymore on the subject but Ashlyn understood he was trying to give her guidance in his own way about the unexpected connection Caleb and she had. Either Caleb had shared with the other Warriors or he had inadvertently revealed at least part of what had occurred between them through the Warrior’s Link. She had found it challenging to listen in without revealing she had the skill to hear them, or perhaps the Warrior’s already knew that too, but were kind enough to let it go. Either way for the first time, she felt an actual kindred spirit with another Sphinx besides the intense connection she had with Caleb.

“Now, enough with the serious talk. I see your Power Signature has finally revealed itself. Interesting that it formed a pyramid. May I see it?” His words didn’t so much ask her why it formed into a replica of a Power Keeper’s mark but Ashlyn knew Joshua really wanted to know. Glancing down at the floor to collect her thoughts, Ashlyn stood frozen for a moment. She knew without a doubt she needed to share the answer with Joshua but she just wasn’t ready and wasn’t sure if she would ever be ready to reveal that side of her abilities. Once the Sphinx knew she could gather Life Power, they would expect her to help them, and she feared using her abilities would get someone killed.

Joshua stepped closer and Ashlyn jumped almost going for a dagger. Instead, she played it off by pretending she was tightening the buckle. Whether Joshua was buying it or not, he was kind enough to play it off and simply said, “If you don’t want to have me check it out, we can always do it at a later time.”

Not wanting to insult him, she quickly held her arm out. “No, it’s 63

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fine. I want you to take a look. I didn’t know if I should try and reflex it yet or wait awhile. My arm keeps tingling around it so I’m not sure if it’s just gathering energy from me for its survival or if the Sefu is trying to form into the Power Sword.”

For such a large muscled male, Joshua’s touch was gentle when he took her wrist and hand in his hands. Slowly he rotated her hand this way and that evidently examining the copper colored Sefu. He brushed the surface of the Element with his fingertips clearly examining it for any flaws and shifted it just enough so he could look at the surface of her skin. Ashlyn knew he was truly being clinical just like a doctor examining a patient, but the longer he touched her, the more uncomfortable she got.

Part of the discomfort was her own because she wasn’t used to being touched. The other part seemed to originate in the connection she had with Caleb. The longer Joshua touched her, the more the shared link opened, and she could feel Caleb’s presence in her mind grow. Not only him but his inner Sphinx, which prowled dangerously closer and closer to the surface. Ashlyn was sure she could hear Caleb growling in her mind and then the strangest sensation like he was touching her skin.

When she looked down, she actually noticed a subtle glittering on her skin. Joshua must have noticed it too because he snatched his hands away and Ashlyn heard him mutter under his breath, “Shit.”

He recovered quickly though and in a steady voice said, “Your Sefu looks good. I would say whenever you’re ready to reflex go ahead.

Just remember the first couple of times may take a while. The process of feeding a controlled energy level to the Element, and the Element reacting to your needs, is a learning process, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries.”

Ashlyn nodded. She had waited so long to be able to form her Power Sword and didn’t want to wait any longer. On impulse she blurted out, “I want to try now. Will you show me?”

“Sure. Just watch what I do, Ashlyn. Hold your hand parallel to the ground as if you’re already holding a sword. Let your energy flow to the Sefu Element and then with a quick downward shift of your hand, so it applies pressure to the Sefu, you should be able to reflex it. I’ll do it slowly so you can see how I do it.”

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Watching in fascination, Ashlyn couldn’t help but be impressed as Joshua held his hand out and reflexed. She could tell when his energy rushed to the Element, and true to what he said, he controlled the speed of the Element becoming his Power Sword.

The silver chain of the Sefu shifted around his hand and wrist in a fluid motion and transformed into the hilt of the Sword forming the guard, grip, and pommel. Joshua’s Power Signature of two wolf tracks shifted into the end of the pommel.

Once the hilt formed, he continued to control the speed of the reflex so that the blade slowly extended out, forming the tang, the fuller, and the tip. Once formed, the Power Sword was incredible and truly deadly with its crystalline blade edged with intricately engraved silver. The Power Sword shined in the light and as slowly as it had formed, Joshua reflexed it back into the Sefu bracelet form in the blink of an eye. Where once there was a Sword, now there was a silver Sefu Element wrapped around his hand and wrist where it had started.

When Ashlyn just stood there gaping and could only guess how she was ever going to manage to be that quick, Joshua winked at her and said, “Now, you try. Just follow what I did and control the flow of the energy. You can do it, Ashlyn.”

Ashlyn wasn’t so sure, but she was more than eager to give it a try. Holding her hand out in the parallel direction Joshua had showed her, she imaged already holding a sword in her hand.

Tapping into the energy she now had plenty of, she slowly fed it into the Sefu. She could sense the Sefu happily soaking up the energy without any problem even though she had feared her Power might harm it. Instead, the Sefu started to glow softly and her arm began to tingle under the Element. With the energy flowing through the Sefu, she reflexed her hand down slightly.

Immediately she felt a slight shifting in the position of the copper Sefu and before her eyes, much like a thin snake, it moved from her wrist to her palm. Similar to Joshua’s, the bracelet form changed into the hilt with the diamond and sapphire pyramid shifting to the pommel. Unlike Joshua’s, her Element took on a golden glow which pulsed just above the copper. She glanced up at the Warrior to see what he thought but he just looked at it curiously as if he had never 65

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quite seen the reaction she was getting.

Expecting the Power Sword to finish forming, Ashlyn was disappointed when the Element didn’t budge any further than the formation of the hilt. After a few moments of trying to coax the beginning of the Power Sword to form further, she sighed heavily and pulled back on her Power. Immediately the Sefu stopped with its pulsing gold aura and changed back into its bracelet form repositioning around her hand and wrist.

Discouraged, Ashlyn could only look at Joshua before asking,

“What did I do wrong? Why didn’t it fully form?”

He smiled at her encouragingly, but it didn’t really help Ashlyn’s attitude. Why do I always fail at stuff like this?

Before she got too self-absorbed, Joshua interrupted her thoughts with a quick, “Ashlyn, you did well for your first time. You have to remember, it’s a learning process not only for you but also for the Sefu. The next time you should be able to form your Power Sword completely. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a look at it one more time.”

Not even pausing at all, Ashlyn reached out to him with her hand. She was eager for any additional input he might have to help her be successful at reflexing. Just as gently as before, he took her hand and brushed his fingertips over the Sefu Element checking where it rested against her skin. Before he let her hand go, he touched the sapphire pyramid putting a slight pressure on it evidently to check for some other weakness in the Sefu Element.

Ashlyn suddenly felt uncomfortable with Joshua being so focused on the image of what she really was. She became agitated and her usual skittishness began to surface. Not wanting to be rude and snatching her hand away, she forced herself to be still. Joshua was almost finished and there was no point in making a scene especially since she had made such headway into actually talking with someone beside the Elder and Caleb. Still it was so difficult and Ashlyn felt her energy swirl within her, her inner Sphinx began to prowl, and Caleb’s suddenly widening connection with her told her he had picked up on the discomfort.

A vicious snarl sounded outside the far weapons room door and a flash of white sparkling light caught her attention. Ashlyn turned to 66

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find Caleb standing across the hall from the door where he had evidently been training. She could see he was winded from whatever challenge he had been doing and the he was shirtless.

Even where she was standing, she could see every one of his incredible chest and abdominal muscles. She could also see the intense possessiveness in his lavender eyes as he scowled at Joshua.

Evidently sensing the danger of the situation, Joshua quickly removed his hands from her arm and stepped away. When she turned back towards him, she noted Joshua was picking up the newly enhanced sword he had created. At first she thought Joshua was going to protect himself with it against Caleb, but then he just placed it into a dark blue scabbard which was suspiciously her color. Once he had it sheathed, Joshua extended it out to her and with a nod said, “Until your Sefu Element is ready to go, this is for you. Elder Chloe paid me a visit and was very convincing in your need for this, among other things. As usual, she didn’t have the full story but it was obvious she was trying her best. No matter what you think of the rest of us, Caleb needs you and I think you need him.”

Ashlyn really couldn’t argue either way with Joshua on his observations. She had never really needed anyone, although deep inside she had wanted to. Perhaps it was finally time to drop her guard and allow someone in. Caleb was supposedly her Power Mate, but would he want to claim her once he found out? She didn’t know, but taking the sword from Joshua and strapping it to her back, she decided it was time to take one more step in finding out what was truly between them.

“Thanks Joshua,” was all she said as she turned away. She vaguely heard Joshua tell her that she was welcome but her entire focus was already on the golden blond haired Warrior prowling restlessly out in the hallway. Trying to get control of her nervousness she strode across the long weapons room and straight out into the hallway. The moment she exited the room Caleb was immediately before her and his white crystalline energy exploded outward surrounding both of them.

****

Caleb had really tried to hold back the Life Power escaping his 67

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control, but the moment he had seen Ashlyn being touched by another male, even if it was the Sphinx’s Second in Command, there was no ramping it back down. He had no doubt in his mind that Joshua had no romantic or sexual intentions toward Ashlyn, but it didn’t matter to his inner Sphinx. The animal part of him prowled and paced needing to reach out and grab her. Even now, he had to force himself to stand his ground curling his hands into fists at his sides.

Not sure what Ashlyn would do from his reaction, Caleb didn’t say a word at first and neither did she. She stopped directly before him and held her hands up turning them over and appeared to be fascinated by the energy coating her skin. Caleb knew he was fascinated with her skin. Not just her skin but all of her as she stood before him in her dark blue shirt and black fatigue pants. Only she could make a Warrior’s clothes look so damn sexy including the way she had her auburn hair twisted up in a knot and the newly acquired sword strapped across her back. He was absolutely captivated by her, and when she glanced up at him with her rich gold eyes, he was completely lost. How he was going to explain why his Life Power coated her, without giving the fact away that his body and inner Sphinx had already claimed her as his, he didn’t know.

She was his Power Mate even if he hadn’t fully Joined with her and he knew it would crush him if she rejected him.

Ashlyn completely unbalanced him when she raised an eyebrow and took a step closer. He had expected her to be angry, upset, or even turn tail and run, but instead she seemed curious, intrigued, and perhaps just a little out of control herself. She slid right up to him, reached out, and placed a hand directly against his chest. The feel of her palm pressed over his heart did nothing to calm him and instead sent his heart rate through the roof. There was no way she would miss the pounding and the affect she had on him.

In between her touch and his overuse of the Life Power she had transferred to him earlier, Caleb began to get light headed.

Especially since he hadn’t expected to use the additional burst to protect her. The energy surrounding both of them gave out and faded until it was gone and he started to shake from the reversal of adrenaline. Ashlyn inched closer to him, her hand slowly sliding 68

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down his chest and over his stomach muscles while she looked so intensely at him like a cat determining if a good meal was in front of her.

Yeah, his imagination was running wild, along with the lightheadedness, but he didn’t care. He was enjoying her touch and the slight pressure she was putting against their link while she was trying to figure out what was going on with him. Caleb wanted to caress her but she was sliding her fingertips along the top of his waistband and he didn’t dare move. He was pretty sure she wasn’t even aware of her wandering hand and if he made a move she would probably take off.

Ashlyn leaned even closer and he watched as her pupils dilated.

Breathlessly, she murmured, “Caleb, your Life Power is so low.

What did you do?”

He heard the worry in her voice and it warmed him deeply that she was so concerned. Not wanting to upset her, he responded, “I’m fine, darlin.’ I was experimenting with my abilities and found out I can move at an incredible speed. I’m almost positive I was Power Phasing.”

“Isn’t Power Phasing similar to Power Jumping? I thought only Priestesses could do that.” Although she was curious as to his abilities, Ashlyn appeared distracted. She leaned even closer to him, her hand resting on his hip and he noted the golden energy in their surroundings start to draw toward her. “It’s…” His blood started to rush through his body at her nearness making his voice come out raspy. He had to clear his throat before continuing in his explanation. “It’s similar, but I can only go short distances versus miles and miles and I don’t need a Gate to make it happen.

Um…Ashlyn I don’t think…”

Caleb couldn’t even finish the words when Ashlyn’s Life Power suddenly rushed into his body. One thing about Power Keepers, which she probably wasn’t even aware of, was that if her Mate was low on Life Power she wouldn’t be able to resist a Transference.

Even though she didn’t know and even though they weren’t Joined, her body and inner Sphinx knew.

The golden energy she had just collected swirled into his body, firing him to levels of need he had never experienced before. Even 69

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with Stormy, the sensations of Transference weren’t this intense which was a good thing, otherwise Khenti Michael would have killed him. The blood rushed through his body and centered in his groin until he was hard as a rock. He tried to back away from Ashlyn, not only because he didn’t want to grab her, but because he didn’t want to shock her with the hard-on he had. Ashlyn had other ideas, though, as she was evidently so caught up in the moment herself. Her hands gripped his hips and she actually pulled him closer.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth in an effort to pull himself together but he was sliding fast into a web of ecstasy Ashlyn was creating whether she knew it or not. “Ashlyn, we…we need to talk.” He had to educate her on a few things about Transference, but when she leaned in close enough to be completely up against him and he heard her purr, he lost it.

Of their own volition, his hands tunneled into her soft lustrous hair, and before she could draw another breath, he captured her lips. Her Transference picked up in intensity and the controlled gentle kiss he had intended became demanding. He needed her with everything in him and he wanted her to know. Only a brush of his tongue along Ashlyn’s lips had her opening for him, which surprised him. Resisting his advances was more of what he expected from her, but he could feel the fire that burned within her and he took advantage, tasting her sweetness.

She tasted like strawberries in the warm sun, which was so opposite compared to the fire burning within her. He had awakened a fiery demon who just might burn him to a crisp. Her Power was like the brightest of suns and her emotions streaming across their shared link was like a comet laying a sensual chaos in its wake.

She was incredible and when he felt his energy levels return to near normal, he couldn’t resist and pushed a bit of energy back in her direction. With every push into her system, the levels of Power swirled brighter and hotter. She moaned into his mouth and he pushed more energy into her pliant body pressed so tightly against him. Immediately he was surrounded by her Power and his body was so incredibly on fire that he couldn’t hold back the groan.

Ashlyn stiffened against him, and with a cry, she was suddenly 70

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gone from his arms, leaving him cold and alone. Gasping for breath and reaching for the control which was normally his, he could only watch her where she had plastered herself up against the far wall of the hallway. Her eyes were closed and her face was a mask of total forced concentration. What remained of the golden Life Power surrounding him and her seemed to shudder along with Ashlyn before it dissipated and disappeared.

Once it was gone, Ashlyn opened her eyes and sagged against the wall. “Damn it! I could have killed you, Caleb!” She cried out in near hysterical agitation.

Already unbalanced from his raging hormones and his worry for her condition, since she had to still be recovering from her earlier injuries, he nearly growled in agitation. The fact he was still working out his own guilt at having to hurt her to save her and the secret he was keeping about them being potential Power Mates wasn’t helping his control. A little louder than he had intended he barked, “We need to talk about all of this.”

The effect of his forceful words appeared to calm her more than anything, at least from her hysteria. Now she was just narrowing her eyes at him and glaring. Quickly he raised his hands and soothed, “Sorry. I’m not yelling at you, Ashlyn, it’s just you’ve really got me all tied up in knots, woman. We’ve been through a lot of internal upheaval over the last few hours and I think we really need to sit down and talk about all of this. There’s this consuming need between us.” When she initially didn’t answer him he prompted,

“Ashlyn, I know you felt it. You can’t run away from this…thing between us.”

He wanted to tell her they were destined to be Power Mates but he feared she would definitely run from him like crazy then. Relief filled him when her expression cleared and she pushed off the wall and approached him. However, she held herself back and the distance between them actually hurt. Ashlyn picked at her weapons belt and Caleb hated the fact he could detect her skittishness again.

He was sure they had gotten past all of that but he feared his heavy handedness had shifted them back to square one. She appeared to regroup, though, approaching closer and then tentatively she said,

“Caleb, it’s not your fault. Like you said, a lot has happened and 71

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what just occurred with my ability was a bit unnerving. The experience was incredible but it was like the Power was out of my control. As far as what is between you and me, well…I…”

A loud noise from the Weapons Room had her jumping and Caleb wanted to curse at Joshua’s bad timing in whatever the hell he was working on. Ashlyn glanced around as if searching for an attacking enemy and she even reached up over her shoulder to grab her sword but stayed her hand at the last moment. She clenched her hands in front of her and a sadness entered her beautiful gold eyes.

A feeling of profound longing crossed the small connection they shared followed by painful loss. Her eyes dropped from his so she was looking at the ground and with a shake of her head, she turned to leave.

Caleb panicked and his inner Sphinx roared for him to stop her, to do anything to bring her back into his protection, and above all not to lose her to her own uncertainties. He realized it was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done in his life and fully expecting to be stabbed by his Warrior princess, he grabbed her by the arms anyway.

Dragging her flush against his body he let her feel his need and gritted out, “I’m sorry Ashlyn, I can’t let you go now.”

Instead of stabbing him, Ashlyn threaded her hands in his hair and the next thing he knew she was kissing him as if she was dying of thirst. She pressed her lips to his and he answered, claiming her with a deep demanding kiss. His arms wrapped around her and he drew her as close as he could until she felt like a part of him. Even then, she wasn’t close enough and if he dared to risk his life further, he would have delved into her body with his Life Force but he knew he had pushed her enough for the day.

Much to his pleasure, Ashlyn didn’t hold back this time. Her hands roamed from his hair over his shoulders, down his chest and over his stomach until her hands gripped his hips. She sighed in her pleasure and Caleb couldn’t resist tasting her. Leaving her full lips, he left a trail of kisses along her neck and when he nipped along the pulse point of her neck she shivered against him. He continued in his sensual exploration with a gentle bite to her collarbone but had to reel himself in when he realized he was having urges of marking 72

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her with the claiming. A bite to the shoulder when a Sphinx claimed their Mate. Some thought it was a bit archaic but the idea just made him even harder.

He shuddered against her and groaned from the need spiraling even higher. When she dug her nails into his hips and rubbed her body against his, the breath left his lungs in a rush. His Ashlyn was just as lost as he was and when she sucked at his shoulder he was sure she was the one who was going to mark him. To his disappointment, she didn’t and with a sigh she pushed away from him ever so slightly. She was so beautiful looking up at him with her passion flushed skin and her lips swollen from his kisses. By the Ancients, what he would give right now to make love to her, but he knew with Ashlyn he would have to take it slow or she would run faster than the feline within her.

He knew she had wavered staying on at Complex 46 for quite a while now but she had held on struggling to belong. An outcast she had always made herself until recently and he had watched her from the distance fight like hell to become one of them. If she could do that coming from the streets of Winterhaven where Elder Chloe had found her, then he knew without a doubt she could overcome her insecurities and become one of them. Loosening his grip, just enough so she wouldn’t start to feel trapped in his arms he murmured, “Tell me you didn’t feel that, Ashlyn.”

Glancing up at him from under her eyelashes she shot back,

“Yeah, that was incredible but I’m still afraid of what I could do to you, Caleb. I’m unpredictable even to myself.” She shifted in his arms to place her hands back on his chest but at least she didn’t push him away. Sighing heavily she looked up and met his eyes before saying, “I agree. We definitely need to talk and I’m hoping you’ll work with me on my fighting skills.”

Caleb was the one to stiffen this time at the idea of her battling, even though he knew she was a skilled Power Protector, but it still bothered him as his natural instinct was to protect her from everything. Playing off his reaction, he said, “That’s probably a good idea for both of us. I’ll help you with your Power Sword and you can help me to ration the use of my Life Power properly with my new ability. And talk, we definitely need to talk.”

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Ashlyn bit at her full lower lip in evident contemplation, which instantly distracted him. Just as he dipped his head to claim her mouth again before she decided to untangle herself from his arms, Joshua dryly commented from his Weapon’s Room doorway, “I hate to interrupt you, Caleb, but weren’t you supposed to relieve Ethan from his surveillance duties so he could spend some time with Skye. You know how she gets if she doesn’t get a little buffer time from her abilities with Ethan.”

“Fuck. I completely forgot. Thanks, Joshua.”

Not wanting to leave but knowing he had to, Caleb gently took Ashlyn’s hand in his and kissed her wrist. “I’m sorry Ashlyn, but I’ve got to go. I promise we’ll get together later and work through all of this.”

Slowly she untangled herself from his arms and stepped away.

Not having her there felt wrong, and he didn’t like the separation at all. Until they worked through everything, having her as his Power Mate wasn’t guaranteed anyway, although he was going to fight like hell to keep her.

Surprising him, she gave him a wink and a secretive smile before she shot back, “Damn straight we will.” Without another word, she spun away and with the sexiest sway of her hips, Ashlyn walked away leaving him even more charged than he had been before.

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Chapter Five

Pushing through the ornate double doors and back into the entry hall of the Warrior’s Quarters, Ashlyn had never felt so unbalanced in all her life. Her head was still spinning and her body was still humming from Caleb’s kisses and the feel of his hard muscles under her hands. She had wanted more and the images that still flashed in her mind of the two of them entangled, going at it hot and heavy, left her needy and shaking. This had definitely never happened to her before and she wasn’t sure if the images were coming from Caleb or herself.

Ashlyn had never heard of potential Mates being so connected until after they had Joined, or at least from some kind of extenuating circumstances like Hunter and Lily. The two of them had been instantly connected mentally because Lily was strongly telepathic. All Ashlyn could think of was because their abilities had been so in tune and they had been each other’s catalyst to activate their Powers, they had inexplicably linked. Plus from her Sphinx’s reaction they were more than likely Power Mates. The idea still shook her and at the same time excited her. Her mind was definitely spinning and she wanted to broach the subject with Caleb but just wasn’t sure how. Pausing outside the entertainment room, Ashlyn leaned against the wall trying to catch her breath from her rush away from Caleb. If she had stayed any longer, she would have wrapped her body around his and never let go.

She was completely out of her element and everything had changed for her in the instant Caleb had touched her down in the tunnel. This wasn’t the way she acted, by any means, just like she would never come up to the Warrior’s domain without a directive from Elder Chloe. Her mechanism of protection was to maintain distance, be cold, and to use confrontation to protect herself.

With one touch from Caleb, her protective walls had been shaken, had cracked, and now lay in ruins around her feet, leaving 75

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her exposed and vulnerable. Ashlyn had no idea how to put her inner defenses back together and at the same time no idea how to interact with others without getting hurt or hurting someone. Still shaking, she covered her face trying to block everything out and stop the doubts and fears assailing her, but her mind just wouldn’t stop spinning.

Taking several deep breaths, she eventually calmed enough to notice the sensual images had stopped and Caleb’s connection had narrowed to the point she barely sensed him. Lowering her hands and feeling calmer, Ashlyn decided she was still going to have the drink she originally came to the Warriors Quarters for. Occasionally she imbibed from the alcohol kept in the Elder’s level where the higher-ranking Egyptians came to frolic and party, but as the day was progressing towards night she just didn’t want to deal with the giggling women. She still didn’t think she would be able to rest without something in her system so decided to risk running into someone for at least just one drink.

Rolling her eyes, she could just see Warrior Raven laughing his ass off at knowing someone else was just as dependent on alcohol as he appeared to be. Ashlyn refused to believe she was dependent on it but the burning liquid did help a little, she had to admit that. Not caring what anybody thought of her, if anyone was there, Ashlyn adjusted the sword on her back and walked straight into the room.

Keeping her eyes fixed on the bar located at the far end of the room, Ashlyn made it halfway across the large open space when feminine laughter suddenly erupted immediately to her right.

Startled, she froze in place instinctively reaching for her sword and the laughter instantly died. Cautiously she glanced over into the reading area and saw it was just the Sphinx women. Ashlyn immediately relaxed and actually blushed at having almost drawn a sword on them. She could just imagine the nightmare of having to explain why she had inadvertently stabbed one of the Sphinx’s Power Mates, that is, if she survived the dismemberment of an enraged mated Warrior.

Ashlyn just stood there and watched them while they observed her. The group of women looked so comfortable sitting together in the gold and yellow cushioned chairs and she envied them their 76

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ease together. Power Keeper Stormy brushed a golden blond strand of hair behind her ear and tentatively smiled at her. The white blond-haired Eleina leaned forward, smoothing a couple of old yellowed parchment pages on the table while her pale blue eyes appeared to track every movement Ashlyn made. Yeah, Eleina was a true Warrior Priestess. Ashlyn knew Eleina would be up in a moment ready to defend the other women if she made one wrong move.

The twins, sitting on the other side of the table, were much more laid back. Both with ginger brown hair and hazel eyes, the only way one could tell them apart was that Skye had shoulder length hair and Lily’s was long below her shoulders and currently in a braid.

The other noticeable difference, Ashlyn had picked up on, was Lily always placed herself between others and Skye, especially if Ethan wasn’t nearby. At the moment, Lily was positioned slightly forward to Skye’s chair. Skye was sensitive to the emotions and touch of others, although since her Transformation she was better, but still her loved ones protected her with a vengeance.

Ashlyn watched the group with envy, wishing she was so at ease around others. Currently, the Sphinx ladies appeared to be in another round of interpreting the Pages of Seven and imbibing in a few drinks themselves. Besides drinks there was a large bowl of chocolate muffins sitting in Lily’s lap and she was nibbling on one as though she hadn’t eaten in ages. The sight made Ashlyn realize she hadn’t eaten in a while and her stomach growled ominously.

Placing a hand over her stomach in embarrassment, Ashlyn cursed, “Damn it.”

Stormy and Skye immediately started giggling and Lily joined in shortly after that. Eleina finally cracked a smile, the laughter lighting up her eyes, and said, “Sorry about that, Ashlyn. I’m afraid some of us have been drinking, you know, to ease the stress and try to get the creative juices flowing to decode these damn Pages.

You’re more than welcome to join us. I’m sure you could probably offer us some good insight into the contents of the Pages working with Elder Chloe. I promise I won’t let Stormy hug you to death.”

Ashlyn felt the tension ease within her as the Sphinx women appeared to relax in her presence, which said a lot, considering how 77

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often she had been fired up around them in the past. She wondered what their Mates would think if they came down seeing her near their love ones with a sword strapped to her back. Would they freak out or just consider her another Warrior unwinding from a rough day? The thought intrigued her and appealed to the side of her that lived for showing attitude.

Eleina stood up and pulled a chair over, positioning it between her and Lily. Ashlyn thought it was very strategic placing her between the Priestess herself and Lily who was quite efficient with her telekinesis. Not that Ashlyn would have harmed them. It would have been more likely she would risk her own life to defend them but she had never revealed how much the Sphinx family actually meant to her. Being near anyone still made her nervous, especially with her Powers now back on line. Slowly Ashlyn approached them, partially to not startle anyone, but also to reel in her own skittishness. With an outward calm demeanor she really didn’t feel, Ashlyn asked, “Well, if you don’t mind? I don’t want to interrupt and I was just going to get a drink.”

“Nonsense,” Eleina spoke out for the group. “Get your butt over here and take a break. None of us minds, and we could use your help. The more minds the better. Have a seat and I’ll get something for you while I get a refill.”

Removing the sword in its sling scabbard from her back in a smooth but careful manner so not to appear threatening, Ashlyn leaned the weapon against the wall by the life size Egyptian Pharaoh statue. As she walked over to the chair, Eleina stepped away from the table and passed by her asking, “What do you like, Ashlyn?”

Approaching the table warily, Ashlyn grabbed the chair and pulled it back a ways from the group of women. She wanted to be friendly and show some kind of civility but still needed a bit of space. Once she had the chair positioned in a neutral zone, close enough to appear she was trying, but far enough not to become overwhelmed, she eased down into the chair.

Leaning back, Ashlyn crossed her legs and then her arms over her chest. With a quick nod of her head toward Eleina, she called back, “I’ll have a cocktail glass of Wild Turkey.”

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Eleina grabbed a crystal glass from behind the bar and then reached over to the glass shelves of various brands of alcohol. The way the mirrored wall lights lit up the different bottles in colors of red, green, gold, and blue, it was almost impossible to see which alcohol was which. Ashlyn was amazed at how easy the Priestess identified and grabbed the alcohol of her choice. Of course, Priestesses were always that way. They could just examine or touch something and feel the rhythms of its existence and its purpose.

With a deft twist, Eleina uncapped the bottle and glancing up asked, “Single shot or double?”

Ashlyn couldn’t resist and gave her a devilish grin before responding, “Fill it up, Priestess. I have every intention of numbing my brain. It’s been one hell of a couple of days.”

Stormy whooped and yelled, “Oh, yeah. You’ll fit in just fine with us. Won’t she, ladies?”

A round of agreement went around the table as Eleina poured the Wild Turkey into the glass until it was brimming. Ashlyn already felt warmth spread through her at the thought of a well-deserved drink and the welcome these women gave her, even when she didn’t think she deserved it. She wanted to say something but didn’t know what, so just sat in silence.

Eleina recapped the bottle and put it under her arm and Ashlyn realized she was bringing it back to the table. The Priestess picked up the filled glass and then grabbed her own glass before heading back in their direction. As she approached Ashlyn, she extended the drink toward her and Ashlyn grabbed it carefully not to spill the brownish red liquid. Eleina then surprised her by sitting down and pouring some of the Wild Turkey into her own glass.

Once Eleina’s glass was full, she held it up in a salute to Ashlyn before saying, “It’s been a hell of a day for all of us. Welcome to our little group of mischief and mayhem as our Power Mates like to call us.”

Ashlyn held her glass up in salute back and then took a healthy swig. Immediately, the alcohol burned a track down through her insides to settle in her stomach. Within seconds, she could sense the Wild Turkey rushing through her system and welcomed the effects.

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own healthy swig, however, she ended up sputtering a bit and her eyes watered. Ashlyn didn’t comment, though, just sat back and took another sip.

Stormy leaned forward conspiratorially and inquired, “So, I couldn’t resist telling the other ladies that I saw you coming from Caleb’s room.”

Choking on the alcohol she had just taken a sip of, Ashlyn swallowed it down with difficulty, her own eyes watering now. The statement took her by surprise, although she realized she shouldn’t have been because the Sphinx were all close and knew everything about each other. Still, she wasn’t sure what to say since she wasn’t used to sharing intimate details of any kind with anyone. Elder Chloe and Caleb were the only ones who were privy to what little they knew of her.

“I’m sorry, Ashlyn. I guess that was a little forward of me.”

Ashlyn noticed Stormy’s hand shake when she reached up and rubbed at her temple. The Power Keeper appeared a bit paler than before after she had glanced over at the bottle of alcohol. Ashlyn wondered if Stormy was ill, which was unheard of with the Sphinx ability to heal, but perhaps with her human background she still got sick.

Watching Stormy closely, Ashlyn shrugged and decided she needed to share what happened to her with someone. Elder Chloe never seemed to be around anymore, whatever the woman was up to, and she needed to talk to someone.

“It’s okay, Stormy. Really, I don’t mind. The other night when all chaos was breaking out here, I went with Hunter and Jacob to stop the invaders from The Foundry.” Ashlyn noted Lily shiver and Skye reach out and touch her gently on the shoulder. She knew Lily had been a prisoner within the facility from hell just like she had been at one time. Quickly moving on, since she didn’t want to dwell on her time any more than Lily did, she continued, “While I was out there, I was shot.”

Stormy sat up and squeaked, “Oh my God! Obviously you’re okay now, but Michael told me that Sphinx can’t heal with bullets in their body until they’re removed.”

Ashlyn took another sip of her drink and nodded. “You got it.

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Until I could get the bullets out, it hurt like hell. I was healing just fine and we had just about taken out the remaining assholes when one of them shot me in the back. Right where my spine and hip connected but a bit more to the side. It was close enough to the nerves though, that I could hardly walk.” She rolled her eyes in memory of her own hard-headedness and continued, “I couldn’t reach the last bullet but didn’t want to ask for help. So I sucked it up and almost made it back to the Complex before I collapsed. I had to drag myself into a cave for a couple of hours thinking I could dig the damn thing out.”

The ever-quiet Skye suddenly spoke up as she peaked from around Lily. “How did you get the bullet out, Ashlyn?”

Glancing down into her glass Ashlyn hesitated. Was she ready to share this much of her vulnerability with these women? Looking back up she saw kindness and concern for her in their expressions, and for the first time in her life, she knew she had to share with someone more than Elder Chloe and Caleb. She wanted to belong and the only way she was going to do that was to open up.

Taking another sip of her Wild Turkey for courage Ashlyn answered on a sigh, “I didn’t. I tried but I couldn’t reach the bullet and I was bleeding out like crazy. I was such an idiot.”

Eleina chimed in. “What did you do Ashlyn?”

“Well, I had no choice but to make my way back to the Complex.

Once I got back inside the sublevel tunnel, I tried again to remove the bullet but still had no luck. That was when I knew I was in deep trouble and fading fast, but then Caleb showed up.”

Ashlyn’s focus turned inward then and she stared off towards the back wall lined with bookcases. Her thoughts circled on his arrival just when she needed help and the way he strode over to her with determination and desperation to reach her. She continued, not really paying much attention to those around her but the memories which still seemed so sharp.

“Caleb came straight up to me and I could tell he wanted…

no…needed to help me. I could literally feel the energy of his need, but I could also tell he was extremely low on Life Power. I didn’t dare touch him, though. When he tried to reach out to me, I backed off almost falling on my ass. However, he was quick and he grabbed 81

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on to me.”

Ashlyn brushed her hair back and took another sip of alcohol, which only increased the flush spreading through her body. Blowing out a breath, she sighed, “When I touched him I couldn’t help it. I knew…” Catching herself just in time, she cleared her throat realizing she had almost revealed what she could do and that her abilities had returned. Telling anyone she was a Power Keeper just wasn’t on her agenda right now. She could barely keep her own life straight, let alone take on anyone else’s problems and needs.

Glancing back at the Sphinx women, Ashlyn saw they were all on the edge of their seat waiting for the next revelations of what had happened between Caleb and her. Taking a deep breath, she knew she had to tell them something. “It’s hard to explain. As soon as I touched him and he touched me whatever happened between us was incredible. His Powers manifested, my Power Signature finally formed on my Sefu, and even more incredible was that I could hear him in my head. I knew what he was thinking and feeling for a moment. It was like I was a part of him and he was a part of me.”

Stormy suddenly came to her feet causing Lily to shift over in front of Skye. The Power Keeper clapped her hands together and excitedly observed, “Ashlyn, don’t you see? You’ve partially Joined with Caleb. Very unusual but it has to be important. It might even mean you’re his Power Mate. Does he know?”

Swaying on her feet a bit, Stormy quickly sat back down and Ashlyn couldn’t help but notice the covert look Eleina directed in the Power Keeper’s direction. Something was up with the two of them but Ashlyn was more focused on Stormy’s question and decided to answer with, “I don’t think so. I’m…I’m not sure either one of us would be ready for something like that. And…I’m not sure I could make that kind of commitment.”

Eleina shifted her glance back over toward Ashlyn, which made her feel like a mouse being closely examined by a hawk. However, the Priestess gave her an encouraging smile before she laughed,

“Are you kidding, Ashlyn? A Power Mate is exactly what Caleb needs. If anyone needs more love and caring around here, it’s Caleb.

He’s spent his whole life taking care of everyone here since he really hasn’t had a family himself. Even as a young child, he was on his 82

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own, and even now he doesn’t ask of anything in return. If you are truly his Power Mate, he needs you and I think you would be the perfect match for him. Of course you may not want a Power Mate in your life, so I don’t want to push you into a subject which might be uncomfortable for you.”

Not sure what to say back to Eleina’s words, Ashlyn sipped at her Wild Turkey again and watched the women over the edge of her glass. Carefully, the group of Sphinx women arranged the Pages of Seven across the table. Between Stormy, Eleina, and Lily, they spread out three scroll-like Pages close together along with an e-reader containing the decoded version, then a single Page more yellow than the other three, and finally a half Page. Skye reached out then and with barely a touch of her fingertip the rest of the Page was revealed in swirling ghost-like outline. Images of Power Signatures glowed right above the Page floating in the air which completely captured Ashlyn’s attention. The thoughts that had been swirling in her head of the past few hours were swept away from any further consideration as the mystery of the Pages drew her in.

The last Page Lily pulled from a sling bag next to her on the floor and she placed it on the table. This Page was made of pure shining silver.

Ashlyn was so fascinated she actually pulled her chair closer before she could think twice about the nearness of the other women. She didn’t feel anything negative in her system indicating her abilities were going to be an issue to the Sphinx women. All she sensed was the beginnings of a creepy feeling from the Dimensional Gates activity increasing from below. Just great and not what they needed. Everyone was still exhausted from the last round of fighting and Ashlyn didn’t think some of the Sphinx could take much more.

She hated the negative energy of the Gate which made her want to attack something and then scrub her skin until the greasy dark energy no longer grated against her nerves.

Trying to focus on something less abrasive to her inner Sphinx and her own easily revved up personality, Ashlyn leaned forward to examine the Pages. In observation she said, “I think it’s amazing how all of you were able to get this far bringing the Pages back together. I’m humbled by the fact that lives were risked to acquire 83

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these.”

Leaning her head back, Stormy yawned and then said, “Yeah.

Eleina was nearly done in by a fractured Gate and Elder Chloe showed up just in time with a Page, Alexandria went back to destroy the mutated Wraith Turin had created and retrieved the half Page, and then Lily was just about crushed to death trying to retrieve the silver Page. I think the Warriors need to give us a break when it comes to allowing us to fight beside them. Personally I think we’ve earned that right proving we can survive the worst of circumstances.”

Laughing lightly, Eleina poked Stormy’s arm and returned, “I wouldn’t let Michael hear you say that. He would throw a fit.

Besides, some strong female Warrior you are. You’re almost falling asleep.” Stormy giggled right before Eleina turned back in Ashlyn’s direction.

The Priestess’s light blue eyes flecked with velvet brown from her Joining with Jacob seemed to glow slightly when she asked, “So, Ashlyn what do you know of the Pages of Seven? We could always use a new point of view and fresh ideas of what is being seen within the mysteries of the writing. Even with my ancient mind to try and decode them we’re still missing something.”

Inside Ashlyn breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, a new subject which wasn’t the focus on her. She suspected they knew her discomfort and had switched the conversation intentionally. She really did like these women and truly wanted to help. Placing her empty glass on the floor next to her chair and refusing a refill when Eleina lifted the bottle towards her, Ashlyn pushed up to the edge of her seat to scan over the current six Pages of Seven.

The writing was truly ancient and in a dialect she was certain Eleina could read. Some Pages had artfully rendered images of Power Signatures which represented many of those she had seen belonging to the Sphinx women before her. Even the ghostly images were recognizable, including Stormy’s red ruby with a white diamond starburst in the center of it, Eleina’s solar winged disk with silver cobras and rainbow wings, and Alexandria’s gold and silver eclipsing sun and moon. The twins’ Power Signatures were represented as well with Skye’s crystal pyramid imprinted with a 84

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golden eye and Lily’s purple amethyst with three rings of gold resembling an atom.

All of the images represented their special abilities and Powers.

Ashlyn edged forward with the chair until she could lean against the table and see the last of the images. These were obscured in a slight haze to her as if there was still mystery around them. Once she determined she couldn’t really get any other information from them, she sat back and clasped her hands together in front of her in contemplation.

Ashlyn chewed on her lip for a moment and then with an arch of her eyebrow she said, “Well, Elder Chloe had pretty much kept me up to date on what has been going on plus what I have heard here and there on my own. From what I understand, the first three Pages have been in the care of the Guardians for quite a while. Guardian Arik had them decoded into an ebook which you have there. Stormy worked on those for quite a while and then with you, Eleina. Those scrolls went through some of the history of the Warriors, Egyptians, and how they came to be. The Pages also contained information about the Dimensional Gates, the Wraith, and the terrible battles which occurred over centuries and on different planets, Athenia and then on Earth.”

Eleina nodded jumping in, “That’s correct, Ashlyn. The Egyptian and Sphinx races weren’t originally from here but from Athenia before the Gates appeared and the invasion of the Wraith destroyed our planet and nearly all of us. We came to Earth to restart our lives but when the Wraith found this planet that we had grown to love, we stayed and have fought to this very day.”

“Yes, that’s what Elder Chloe had told me,” Ashlyn confirmed.

“From what I understand, there is also information in the Third Page about Gate Jumping which didn’t go very well when it was attempted. At least that’s how it sounded to me when the history of the first Jump was explained to me. More recently, there was a second attempt made to Gate Jump and you were caught in the Gate again, Eleina?”

Snorting, Eleina answered, “Being caught is putting it mildly. I was nearly torn to shreds. If not for Elder Chloe’s timely delivery of the Fourth Page and Jacob figuring it out I would have been killed.

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He found out that two halves are needed to do a Gate Jump. The Power, which was me, and the Anchor, which was him. Even then, we almost died.”

Ashlyn hissed at the thought. It sounded like the experience had been excruciating. Both Sphinx Power Mates being trapped in the Gate together and thinking that their loved one was going to die.

Both of them giving their lives for each other. An intense pain twisted in the region of Ashlyn’s heart at the idea of Caleb risking his life for her and perhaps dying himself. As it was, she had caused him torture asking him to dig out the bullet stuck in her body.

Before she could stop herself, she reached out to Caleb needing to know he was okay.

Although their connection was weak, at best, she felt his Life Force brush against hers for just a moment. A shiver of need ran through her and she attempted to cover the reaction by stretching.

Relaxing back in place she started in with her rendition of her knowledge about the Pages.

“Alexandria retrieved the Fifth Page which had the order of the manipulation of the energy. The Power has to be drawn from the Earth, then it has to be Jumped once and collected into someone who can change it to the right configuration to penetrate the Gate.

Next the Power has to be focused into a tight arrow, so to speak, so it can be fired into the heart of the Gate.”

Lily chimed in then continuing, “Once that transformation is completed someone has to have the strength to hold the Power from escaping too early. The person has to keep the energy centered by surrounding it in an outer energy, which is even more pure, to keep the Gate’s darker energy from destroying it. This is the only way to stabilize the focused Power so it can reach the heart of the Gate.”

Ashlyn’s breath froze in her chest at the words about an outer energy which was even more pure. Golden Life Power, that only she could collect and expand out from her body, was the only higher level of energy that she knew of. Swallowing hard she roughly said,

“And the last is for the completed Power arrow to be directed into the center of the Dimensional Gate which supposedly will destroy it.”

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Not having said anything through most of the discussion, Skye leaned forward ever so slightly. In the softest of singsong voices she murmured, “Center of Power, Circle of Life. I have said those words many a time. I think it means the process has to be done in a circle with someone in the center for the final attack against the Gate. Not a hundred percent sure, though. We need to find that proof somewhere in the Pages.”

Lily grabbed a chocolate muffin from the bowl and then another which she immediately handed to Skye. Skye took the treat and bit into the fluffy muffin while a slight smile of evident enjoyment played across her face. Lily then grabbed another one and tossed it over to Ashlyn. With lightning reflexes, she snatched it out of the air and brought the muffin to her lips. Biting into the sweet treat, Ashlyn closed her eyes enjoying the incredible flavor of the chocolate. Why she didn’t eat treats like this more often she didn’t know but decided she needed to start.

The chocolate muffin was awesome but the damn increasing spread of the darkness coming from the Gate was slowly driving Ashlyn crazy. She could see the other women were starting to feel the effects of it as well. Skye was leaning against Lily who was scowling. Eleina was fidgeting with her Sefu Element on her hand and wrist and Stormy just plain looked miserable all the way around. Ashlyn felt for them and commiserated on the suffering.

With a deep sigh, Eleina cursed, “I hate the hellish Gate and its dark energy. Sometimes the build up to its opening is more torture than the thing just opening so we can battle the enemy and kick some butt. Anyway, let me see the silver Page, Lily, if you would please.”

Ashlyn watched as Lily carefully handed over the silver Sixth Page to Eleina. Eleina set it in front of her on the table and ran her hands over the shiny surface. She placed her fingertip on the Page and appeared to be reading as she moved her finger across the engraved lines.

With a nod she interpreted, “This Page holds the key to the identity of the seven females of Power who will destroy the Gate.

Really it’s so simple and holds in line with the skills that all of us already have. Stormy, you’ll Draw the Power with your Power 87

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Keeper skills, I’ll Jump the Power with my Gate Jumping ability, and Alexandria will Change the Power. I think that ties in with her skill with Joshua where she can take his dionic Life Power and tweak the energy patterns. In turn, I believe that ties into her healing gifts which kind of do the same thing. The next line is kind of odd but from what I’m getting out of it, Skye and Lily will Focus the Power between their telekinetic and telepathic Powers.”

“It sounds dangerous. I’ll help if I can, if nothing else to protect all of you during the process,” Ashlyn chimed in.

Eleina glanced up at her as a serious expression crossed her features. “You may help protect us but your job in all of this will be much more important, Ashlyn. I believe you’ll be the one to Center the Power. It talks about the Power Signature on your Sefu Element, a female Warrior with a sapphire pyramid within a diamond. A Power Signature of the oldest of Power Keepers. If this is true, we won’t be able to complete this until your abilities manifest.”

“Fuck,” was all Ashlyn could say. If she didn’t tell them her Power had come back she was basically lying, but if she did tell them she would suddenly be the focus for everyone and the gifts she held. Gifts which could potentially kill those around her until she got a grip on controlling them. Caleb came to mind then and the Transference which had occurred between them. She shivered again with renewed need which mixed in just perfectly with all of the other distractions and mood enhancing agitations barraging her system.

Sticking her hand out, Ashlyn muttered, “Let me see that thing…please.”

Without pause, Eleina handed over the silver Page to her and she looked down at the damn thing. She couldn’t read a word of the ancient script but stared at it anyway hoping it would reveal something new which might be helpful. Anything would be useful to help the Sphinx in destroying the Dimensional Gate.

As Ashlyn ran her hand over the silver Page, a tingling rush spread through her palm and into her wrist. Her Sefu Element flashed a bright gold for a split second before settling down. Before her, an additional engraving formed on the Page and its appearance 88

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told the story for her. Her Power Signature was revealed in the perfect image of a sapphire pyramid centered within a large circular diamond. A gasp from Stormy had her glancing up.

Right above the half real, half ghost Fifth page formed another Power Signature image. Again, it was Ashlyn’s sapphire pyramid over a sparkling diamond filled with Power. Even though it was a ghost image, Ashlyn was sure if she reached out and touched it the signature would have substance. Looking upon the evidence, she knew her fate was sealed. She was truly one of the Sphinx now in everything, including possible death if taking out the Gate failed.

“Holy crap,” Stormy called out. “I guess you’re part of this insane game we’re trying to figure out now, Ashlyn.”

Ashlyn fixed them all with an intense look that she was sure was filled with the Power of her energy before she asked, “I hate to bring this up but even with all of this information, we still don’t know who the seventh female is. Is there even a seventh female? Without her, we may all be doomed anyway.”

Lily slapped her hands on the table making Skye jump. “I refuse to believe we are doomed. We can do this. We’re so close. Don’t give up, Ashlyn. Don’t any of you give up. I didn’t get rescued and given a new life with Hunter just to die at the hands of the evil Wraith. We still have the Seventh Page to find and I’m sure the rest of the answers are there.”

Handing the silver Page back to Eleina, Ashlyn uncurled from the chair as a strong surge of dark Gate energy spread its dark influence through the complex. Her skin itched where the Sefu rested against her wrist from the energy bouncing back and forth between her and the Element. Even more intense was the strong need running through her to kill a Wraith. Any concentration on decoding Pages was over with and all she wanted to do was go over and grab her new sword.

Keeping a firm grip on her inner Sphinx she barely prevented a growl from escaping when she said, “I hope you’re right, Lily. I’m willing to keep the hope alive and help out with the search for the Page and all the rest of the answers to destroying the Gate and our enemies. I just hope we have enough time left.”

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doom crept up her spine. She reached for Caleb through the weak link and immediately felt the shadow of his presence. Another surge of dark energy spread even stronger than the others in oily hatred through the room. Ashlyn hissed, moving over to where she had left her sword propped up against the wall. The other women growled or made other agitated sounds as they quickly put away the various forms of the Pages of Seven.

Ashlyn grabbed her sheathed sword strapping it into position on her back. When she glanced over at the group of women, they all looked like they were ready and willing to do battle. Eleina was clenching and unclenching her Sefu hand obviously ready to kick some Wraith ass. The Priestess strode over to her until she was right next to her.

Eleina looked directly at Ashlyn, an unearthly glow lighting up her eyes. She nodded ever so subtly and asked, “Joining us?”

With a wicked smile, Ashlyn answered back with bold enthusiasm, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

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Chapter Six

“Dude! You need to calm the hell down, Caleb. If I knew you were going to get this worked up while I was gone, I would have never let you fill in. You know those computer enhanced screens aren’t cheap or easy to come by,” Ethan shouted in distinct agitation. Even his black hair looked agitated as he ran his fingers through the already wildly spiked strands.

Caleb shook his head while he looked down at his own clenched hand and the sputtering, sparking computer screen he had just put his fist through. He wanted to be able to blame his explosive outburst on the dark Dimensional Gate energy swirling within Complex 46 but he knew that wasn’t the reason he had come unglued. No, there was so much more running through his system including Ashlyn’s connection opening from time to time and the spilling over of her feelings into his system. He didn’t even think she knew she was doing it because normally Ashlyn was either stone cold on the outside or an incredible auburn-haired fury.

However, inside she was a brewing cauldron of fear, uncertainty, sadness, anger, determination, and on rare instances with him, pure maddening passion. Whether she knew she was feeling all of that or not, the emotions were still crossing over and unbalancing him on so many levels.

Feeling bad about what he had done, Caleb quickly apologized,

“I’m sorry, Ethan. I’ll get you a new one by tomorrow. Fuck, I’ve never been this worked up before. I don’t know what the fuck’s wrong with me.”

Hunter snorted loudly from the other side of the planning room,

“Man, I know exactly what the fuck is wrong with you. It’s a female called Ashlyn from what we’re all starting to see. Welcome to the party of those claimed and Mated. It’s the most incredible, terrifying, and aggravating experience in the world. Personally, I wouldn’t trade being Joined with my breathtaking woman, even it 91

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kills me.”

Leave it to Hunter to boil everything down to the basics—was all Caleb could think of as he glanced in the Warrior’s direction.

Sprawled out on one of the brown leather couches, Hunter just gave him a shit-eating grin and crossed his arms over his chest. The man was enjoying his discomfort way too much or perhaps enjoying the fact that someone besides himself was caught up in the influence of a female Sphinx.

Resisting the urge to run over and pound the crap out of Hunter, Caleb instead ground his teeth and snarled, “First of all, I’m not Mated nor Joined. Second, I haven’t claimed Ashlyn and she has definitely not claimed me.”

“Are you sure about that?” Ethan asked from behind the desk as he proceeded to switch out the smashed screen with a lower-tech model. “From what you told us, there was a lot of energy crossing between the two of you and now you’re being driven crazy by her inner feedback through your connection. Even if it is a weak connection, it’s still a link, Caleb, which means the two of you are connected.”

Khenti Michael, who was quietly sitting over in the corner of the room in a leather recliner, suddenly cleared his throat. “Even if you didn’t claim her Caleb, perhaps she claimed you. A claiming doesn’t have to be physical at first. It can be within the Life Power and even within the Life Force level. Stormy and I were Joined on those levels long before we ever physically Joined. Of course, normally there has to be mutual consent to something that emotional and personal, otherwise it wouldn’t work.”

Caleb ran his hands through his hair in further confusion and agitation. “Why would she want to claim me? She barely knows me.” At least he thought she barely knew him, but then faint memories of the times he had tried to glance at her covertly to only find Ashlyn already looking at him seemed to say the opposite.

Caleb knew he had been interested in her, but had it been that she had been interested in him as well? The idea had his blood churning in his system with a raw heat that rushed straight to his groin.

Closing his eyes, he groaned with the swirling, maddening desires and physical needs swirling within his body. His very cells 92

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seemed to vibrate and he wondered for a moment if his new Power was going to shoot him straight out of the planning room doors and to where Ashlyn was now. He wanted to go to her but he didn’t want to make a fool of himself if he was mistaken in what she wanted or scare her away. Everything in him wanted her, not only on a physical level, which was riding him even now, but on every other level as well.

Hunter laughed again, “Yeah, he’s got it bad.”

His sight refocusing on Hunter, Caleb snarled, “Could we focus on the reason we’re all here, please?”

A reason which was becoming urgently clear that all hell was about to break loose and come down on all of their shoulders. And that hell was the Dimensional Gate and hundreds of hungry Life Power starving Wraith. What was between them was just going to have to be shelved for now, if not for a long time. Another round of fighting was ready to explode around them and there wouldn’t be time to spend enjoying the pleasanter side of life anyway, not now and perhaps not even later.

With a heavy sigh and a suspicious weight in the region of his heart, Caleb moved over to the couch opposite Hunter and sprawled out himself. He leaned his arm on the couch and picked at the leather absent-mindedly while he waited for Ethan to bring up what was needed on the computer monitor, which didn’t take long.

However, Ethan didn’t begin yet in his discussion on the readings being spit out by his computers.

Caleb sighed knowing it would still be a couple of minutes as the door opened and the rest of the Warriors and Guardians Elite piled into the room. Joshua strolled in first and went straight for the front center chair dropping down into it with all of his weight.

Jacob was next, pushing his way past a group of Guardians Elite while he captured his long blond locks in a leather strap. Giving Caleb a sideways grin, he plopped down right beside him and punched him in the shoulder. Caleb could only guess that all of the Warriors knew the torture he was in now with the way Jacob was giving him the look.

Ignoring the room full of Warriors and charged Guardians, Caleb glanced back over to the door just in time to see Arik, with his sandy 93

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brown hair and crystalline Ankh on his cheek, enter the room. Right behind him was Raven, who for the first time in a long, long time, appeared to be sober. Raven’s expression actually showed one of innate glee at probably getting to dive into another battle and kill some Wraith. Caleb found it hard to believe the Warrior didn’t have a flask in his hand like he normally did. He thought that perhaps Raven had found something useful to help him take out his half-brother and enemy to all, Turin. All of their lives would be better if that asshole was ended, but supposedly Raven couldn’t actually kill his own brother. Caleb was sure he would try if he could, though.

“All right. Everybody simmer down. We don’t have much time.”

Khenti Michael was up by the desk now and Caleb watched as their leader paced back and forth a couple of times before stopping in front of Ethan. He could tell Michael was just as wound up by the Gate’s dark energy as everyone else was. “Ethan, go ahead, we won’t be waiting for the ladies this round. Stormy told me earlier they would be working on the Pages of Seven, and last check with her, they still were.”

Ethan nodded his head before standing up and coming around the redwood war planner’s desk. As he moved around the desk, he shifted one of the computer screens so it faced outward towards the group. “As you can see, the Gate is ready to cut loose. Really, any minute now. From the readings, this appears to be a normal spike in energy heralding the Dimensional Gate’s activation. Nothing else strange about it. Normally I would say this is a good sign, but in this case, I think Turin may be saving his strength and letting his Wraith wear us down before he tries his next telepathic take-over of the Gate.”

Curses were heard around the room at the update and Caleb couldn’t help but growl, “Just great. This is all going to hell.”

Khenti Michael held up a hand and the entire room dropped into silence. He fixed everyone with a determined stare and Caleb even sat up straighter to see what their leader would say. He didn’t have to wait long as Michael informed them, “Listen. I believe this is a bonus. Turin isn’t diving in right away which means his abilities were evidently tapped the last round, so he isn’t as undefeatable as he tries to lead us to believe. Also, this gives us a little more time to 94

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get through the Pages of Seven, and even if we don’t find the final answer, Stormy believes there’s enough in there to give us an extra boost in our battle. She’s gone over everything that has been revealed and the ladies have made huge progress. We’ll win this. We have to win this. Are you with me?!”

Caleb had no doubts that everyone was behind their leader. Even if he did have doubts, the roars and shouts of support and raw determination to battle on and defend the world from Turin and the Wraith would have set him straight. When Joshua suddenly stood up and reflexed, forming his Power Sword over his head, Caleb felt his Power when he shouted, “To the Life Power!”

Everyone else came to their feet yelling the words as if the saying was a true talisman to victory. Perhaps it was, because as Caleb came to his feet raising his fist into the air and yelling those same words, he felt everything lock into place within him. He would fight and win, not only for the world and his Sphinx family against the Wraith, but also for Ashlyn who was a part of him now. He didn’t know where they were going in this barely begun relationship, but it felt right, and in the scheme of things he just knew they were supposed to be. He just prayed to the Ancients she would feel the same.

So caught up in the rambunctious cheering with everyone else and thinking of Ashlyn, Caleb’s breath was nearly knocked out of him when the Dimensional Gate’s most powerful surge of energy yet reverberated throughout the complex. Dropping his hand in a reflex motion, he surged his Power into the Sefu Element on his wrist. Instantly, the Sefu shifted and the silver and crystalline Sword formed shining with a deadly elegance in the light. His entire body shook, and for a moment, a duality of snarling aggression ran through his mind. For a moment, he froze thinking he had finally lost it completely but within the next heartbeat he realized he was feeling Ashlyn.

Just like him, she sensed the Gate’s opening, but instead of fear, he felt she was thrilled at the prospect of destroying a few Wraith.

Caleb smiled to himself. His Ashlyn was a true Warrior at heart, and it wouldn’t take long before she would probably out-fight him. Just as she had entered his mind, she must have realized she was 95

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projecting to him because she was suddenly gone. The loss of her inner presence was numbing and Caleb had to catch his breath against the sensation.

Not having time to dwell on the complicated relationship between him and Ashlyn, Caleb grabbed the battle gear he had brought down earlier. Khenti Michael was already directing everyone to rush to the Staging Cavern and Caleb found in his distraction he was already behind the power curve, but not for long.

He tapped into his new Powers, which caused his cells to vibrate when he tapped into time itself. Projecting his Power outward, Caleb shot off in a blur flying by everyone without them even seeing him. He arrived at the elevator bank, and not waiting for anyone, dove inside the closest waiting elevator. Within seconds, he was at the Staging Cavern, and with another burst of speed, he exited and shot across the entry space.

Once he got to the entry door of the cavern, he stopped and his energy flowed forward for just a second. Grabbing control of the Power, he reeled the charged energy back into his body since he knew he was going to need it for the battle ahead. Although the Power was his, it seemed to want to expand outward and he realized he needed to work a bit on controlling his new skill. Pausing in the doorway, he took stock of the nightmare already beginning to unfold.

The large Staging Cavern, which was the size of a large dome and roughly the size of four football fields, was already glowing from the presence of the open Dimensional Gate. The floor, walls, and ceiling with warehouse hanging lights appeared to pulse from the energy coming off the Gate. The red mineral lines running through the gray stone looked like veins filled with blood and pulsed with a heartbeat, which was just damn eerie.

Caleb could feel the static electricity coming off the Gate and watched in dark fascination as the black, red, and hot white plasma-like energy spun in ever faster and widening circles. Already, the oven-hot heat was crossing over from the Drake Dimension where the Wraith existed along with Turin, once Elder, but now half-Wraith enemy. He knew the damned creatures were just waiting on the other side for the moment the Dimensional Gate would lower its 96

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barrier and let them escape to battle and feed on the Life Power of whoever or whatever they could sink their claws into.

Taking quick stock of who was already present, Caleb noted there was a handful of Guardians Elite who must have come straight to the Cavern instead of going to the planning room. They were putting on their battle gear just as Caleb was. The black-micro chain mail would partially help to protect his hide from the claws and teeth of the Wraith. Not that he wanted to be touched by the evil creatures since the Wraith could suck the very life out of a person, but having the added layer helped just in case.

Quickly he shrugged into the battle vest, making sure it was secure and then slid the forearm guards in place. He double-checked the positioning was such that it didn’t block his Sefu from reflexing into its Power Sword form. Once he was satisfied, Caleb progressed into the Cavern and across to where he was centered and near the front of the battle area directly facing the spinning charged Gate. With a quick reflex, his Sefu slid from his hand and wrist to form the hilt and then the deadly crystalline blade.

Caleb glanced behind him when he heard the Trauma Cell doors open. Alexandria in her white Healer’s coat and her black raven hair pulled back out of the way peaked out. She shook her head at the sight of the Gate and then nodded in his direction before saying,

“Where are the others?”

So he could be heard over the sound of the wind that the Gate was making, Caleb shouted, “Already headed down, Alexandria. I got the jump on everyone else but they’re right behind me.

Everything good on your end?”

Alexandria nodded calmly but he could tell she was struggling against her own inner Sphinx. Even though she was better about not transforming into a large black feline, occasionally her ability got away from her. Since her abduction and genetic manipulation by Turin she had never been quite the same but at least her incredible ability to heal was still intact. Her skill and having a medical cell within the Staging Cavern had saved quite a few lives of both Guardians Elite and Sphinx Warriors.

Alexandria took a deep breath appearing to get control and shouted back, “We’re ready with all the equipment and I have 97

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plenty of medical staff on hand, including Warren and Jenny.”

The sound of screeching coming from the Gate instantly ended their conversation. Caleb faced off with the spinning Gate and watched as the surface began to become transparent. Right on the other side waited the horrific salivating Wraith. Their grayish skin with patches of hair was hideous and the wolf-like jowls seemed to smile fiendishly all the way down to the sharp pointed teeth. Many of the creatures held black swords of some alien metal which Turin had found in the Drake Dimension.

The Power Swords could withstand the hardness of the metal but only Joshua’s ability to enhance the regular swords the Guardians Elite and Ashlyn used allowed them not to be broken during battle.

Those Wraith that didn’t hold swords were still just as deadly. Their knife-like claws could dig into a man’s flesh and shred him to pieces. Once they got their claws in, the creatures proceeded to suck the Life Power and then the very life out of a person. Caleb knew he was going to have to be quick with his abilities to keep the Wraith back from the few Guardians present until the rest of the group arrived.

The barrier between worlds cleared even more and the Wraith inched forward. Caleb prepared himself mentally and called forth his Powers, spreading out the energy throughout the Cavern so he could easily transverse at the speed of light if needed. He was ready but still the sound of Turin’s insane cackling laughter from the other side of the Gate made him tense up.

Looking in the direction of where the sound had come from, Caleb could just make out Turin. He was standing behind the line of hundreds of Wraith and was dressed in a blood red robe. The man’s skin was even grayer than it had been before, if that was possible, and his remaining eye was like a black pit of hell. Turin laughed again in his maniacal way and then much to Caleb’s surprise Turin looked straight at him. An evil smile spread across the man’s face and it was then that Caleb knew Turin could sense his connection with Ashlyn.

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completely his but there was no way in hell Turin was going to get anywhere near her. Fury and an incredible need to protect her burned through his system making him see a red even darker than Turin’s robe.

“No fucking way!” Caleb snarled right before the Dimensional Gate opened. With the barrier between worlds no longer intact, the Wraith screeched their excitement and glory right before they crossed over with swords and claws at the ready. Letting his Power explode outward, Caleb shot forward swinging his Power Sword in a curving arc. At the speed he was traveling, no one would be able to see him, including the Wraith. Perhaps a little recklessly he wove between Guardians Elite and the enemy at speeds he knew he wouldn’t be able to sustain for long, but he had no choice. Until the rest of the group arrived, the Guardians wouldn’t last long with the hundreds of Wraith trying to push their way through the narrow opening of the Gate. Darting from one overwhelmed Guardian to another Caleb fought valiantly swinging his deadly sword, cutting, hacking, directly engaging sword to sword as fast and furious as he could.

Although it seemed like forever, the actual delay until the rest of the Warriors and Elite arriving was only a couple of minutes. One moment he was the only Warrior taking on the brunt of the fight and then the Cave was flooded with fighting men. He slowed his speed slightly to adjust for the additional men but figured he would still only be the faintest of blurs to them. As he passed by Michael, his leader reached out along the Warrior’s Link with a quick, Caleb.

Are you still with us?

Just as quickly, he sent back, Still here, Khenti. I’ll continue using by Powers at this speed for as long as I can.

Trying to concentrate on sending thoughts while using his Power Phasing was difficult so Caleb had to break off the communication.

However, he could still tap into the visual images of battle formation with ease that Michael was firing out to all of the Warriors. He could see the perfect configuration and spread of Warriors across the space. With that in mind, Caleb moved between the gaps in lightning speed to help the Elite.

The battle seemed to go on forever but Caleb was sure it was 99

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probably only a half an hour. Still, even that amount of time was quickly taking its toll as Elite were brought down and shuffled back into the Trauma Cell. Some were worse than others, covered in blood not to return in this battle, while others were patched up by Alexandria to come right back out to join in the fray. Blood was everywhere and was seeping into the Cavern floor, a terrible mixture of Wraith, Elite, and Sphinx blood.

A shout of warning sounded on the opposite side of the line of Warriors just as Raven roared out in pain. His Warrior brother was in trouble and with an increase in speed Caleb shot from one side of the Staging Cavern to the other in less than a heartbeat. With surgical precision of his Power Sword, he removed both of the Wraith’s clawed hands which were sunk into Raven’s back. The creature screeched in pain and fury but the noise it made didn’t last long as Caleb cleanly sliced off the Wraith’s head.

Without pause, Caleb dove back into his speeding offensive and defensive moves, his Sword a blurred weapon of mass destruction against the line of Wraith that just didn’t seem to stop coming from the other side of the Gate. Too soon he began to feel the drain on his Power, and as much as he fought it, he began to slow. His breathing became ragged and his heart pounded so hard he thought it was going to explode from his chest. With one last rush to the middle of the line he had no choice but to disengage his Power. Suddenly Caleb became visible and Jacob jumped in surprise before he shouted, “Caleb, give some kind of warning next time. I nearly took off your head.”

“Sorry, Jacob,” was all Caleb could say as he tried to catch his breath. He was a bit light headed realizing he had pushed his Power too hard, but in the situation, he really didn’t have a choice. Even though he wanted to rest, he couldn’t as another wave of Wraith advanced and he had to engage them at normal speed. On and on the battle continued with the sound of metallic clashing of Power Sword on alien metal. The screeches of Wraith filled the air as well as the snarls of Sphinx Warriors and the shouts of Guardians Elite.

The line held strong until two Wraith managed to take out one of the Elite and then they broke through and charged straight for the exit door. Jacob snarled next to Caleb and the Warrior hastily 100

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followed in the creatures direction as his natural instinct to track them took over. The entire Cavern was in chaos with masculine snarls erupting everywhere so the sound of a feminine hiss was so unexpected it caught Caleb by surprise. The sound had come from the rear of the Staging Cavern and taking a quick glance behind him, he was both pleased by the arriving back-up and completely shaken at the same time.

In the lead, entering the Staging Cavern, was Ashlyn who was absolutely breathtaking with her auburn hair streaming behind her and her golden eyes flashing fire. With a fury, she immediately took down the nearest Wraith. Caleb held his breath as she expertly unsheathed her enhanced sword and with one violent downward motion sliced opened the Wraith from shoulder to hip. The creature went down in a heap of entrails and blood just as Jacob took out the second Wraith.

Once the way was clear, Ashlyn led Lily and Skye quickly to the Trauma Cell while Stormy and Eleina lined up in the rear with some of the Guardians Elite. Arik joined Stormy as he always backed up their Power Keeper when she was in battle. Caleb hoped Ashlyn would stay to the rear too because he was distracted enough with her now in the Cavern. If anything happened to her he didn’t know if he could take it, even if they weren’t Joined. His inner Sphinx snarled in protest and prowled in his head to go and protect her.

A new push of Wraith against their line forced him to drag his attention away from her and back to the battle at hand. Still he kept half an ear on her and tried to open the weak connection they shared so he could monitor her that way. With his weakened energy, it was difficult but Ashlyn was suddenly there in his mind.

Her thoughts were vague but her desire to connect with him as well had enabled the communication. Whether she had meant to send to him or not her smoky voice caressed his mind. Be careful, Caleb.

Please.

****

Positioning herself to the rear of the battle formation, Ashlyn made sure she was as near to Stormy as possible. The Power Keeper still looked pale versus her usual golden skin tone. Eleina was close to her as well but she knew the Priestess always stepped away from 101

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anyone nearby if she had to engage her Power Spheres. With the looks of the battle, it was very possible every resource might be needed. Even now, she could see the Warriors pushing their fighting skills to the max against the horrific onslaught of evil creatures pouring from the eerily glowing Dimensional Gate.

Ashlyn’s impulse was to jump into the fray and assist but a nagging feeling kept her back and watching.

As she watched, Ashlyn couldn’t help but admire the way Caleb fought with a skill and finesse that was incredible. His strong arm and back muscles flexed and flowed as he cut at the creatures and blocked their attacks. With measured movements, Caleb would swing his Sword in a combination of overhead, outside, and inside body cuts targeting vital areas of the Wraith. His favorite appeared to be lopping off the creatures arms and heads with a precision and quickness the Wraith couldn’t even counter. Forward he would move in offensive mode then back when defense was needed. Caleb was so fast, though, he didn’t have to jump back very often.

Compared to the other Warriors, his arms were almost a blur but Ashlyn could tell he had already tired himself. He wasn’t using his Power Phasing at all. Only the trace of vibrating energy, still within his cells, was keeping him at his current pace and she could tell that wouldn’t last much longer. It occurred to her then that with the rush to get to the Staging Cavern some of the Warriors had evidently not had time to go through a Transference of Power.

Ashlyn’s reclaimed ability allowed her to see Khenti Michael, Jacob, and Caleb were all severely low on Life Power. Not good in the face of the heated battle of screeching Wraith and with a Gate which didn’t seem to be willing to give them a break and close.

Fate itself must have mirrored her thoughts because in the battle line where there was a larger concentration of Wraith against Guardians, the line suddenly gave. In a split second, the Wraith dug their claws into tired Guardians. Ashlyn cringed as the exhausted men screamed in agony and dropped to the ground when the creatures stole their energy. Warriors were there immediately to save their brother Elite but the Wraith were waiting for the opening and several broke through another area left weaker by the shift in Warriors.

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There was just too many Wraith, and the Warriors and Guardians were just too exhausted. Like ants escaping a burning anthill, the creatures rushed through the break and headed towards the only exit out of the Cavern. Caleb was there the quickest but without help there was no way he was going to be able to stop the determined creatures. It didn’t help either that Turin was cackling madly out of sight on the other side of the Gate. The sound of the evil man’s voice made chills rush up Ashlyn’s spine and she hissed in agitation, “Damn bastard.”

Having no choice but to reveal her rare skill of being able to tap into the Warrior’s Link, she quickly sent an image of the battle scene from the rear to Khenti Michael and the other Warriors so they could shift and fill the gap. Once she was sure they had picked up on the scenario and what she planned, Ashlyn rushed over to where Caleb was already engaged with several Wraith and swung her own sword with deadly skill at one of the Wraith. Before the creature could defend itself, she had easily separated its head from its body.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Stormy, Eleina, and Arik shift away from the Trauma Cell side over towards the exit. As soon as they had relocated, all three started fighting the loose Wraith.

Any assistance at this point would help the men out greatly and Ashlyn had every intention of taking out as many as she could on her end. Wraith after Wraith fell by her hand until her head spun with the stench of their blood and her hands and arms were covered with the stickiness. There seemed to be no end to the onslaught of evil creatures and Ashlyn could see something else had to be done.

Turning to Stormy while she continued to hold off the Wraith, she yelled, “Stormy! You can stabilize Gates. Can you destabilize it?”

Stormy who was already pale became paler. She shook her head while trying to hold off just one Wraith determined to reach her.

“No! I don’t have the Life Power right now.” Stormy didn’t say anymore but Ashlyn knew something was wrong with her. The Power Keeper was starting to falter and no one else was close enough to protect her when she slipped up.

Frustration rode Ashlyn hard and with a snarl she slashed her sword arm one way and her other arm straight out to the side using 103

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her elbow to connect to the jaw of a Wraith that got too close to her.

On one side of her, a creature’s head flew off by her blade, on the other side, a Wraith’s head snapped back and it fell to the floor in a heap. With a wicked grin, Ashlyn slammed her booted foot into the creatures head for good measure and then jumped over the battered creature to get closer to Stormy.

Any later and their Power Keeper might have been lost when Stormy’s Power Sword suddenly reflexed back to its Sefu form.

Instantly, the Wraith was upon her, digging its claws into her arms.

She screamed in agony and Ashlyn heard Michael’s roar of fury from across the Cavern. No one was close enough to help Stormy except for Ashlyn. With a snarl of her own, she risked it all shoving her way between the Wraith and Stormy. With a quick upward thrust, she slammed the blade of her sword straight up through the chin and out of the top of the creature’s head. As the Wraith fell Ashlyn allowed its weight to help her pull the sword free in time to protect Stormy.

Another of the loose Wraith rushed in their direction and Ashlyn stood over the downed Power Keeper determined to protect her no matter what. In the distance and across the weak connection she shared with Caleb, she heard him roar in turn and felt him try and reach out to her. His fury knew no bounds as she watched him charge through creatures and unfortunate Guardians in his way who went flying like bowling pins. His eyes were twin lavender symbols of death as he closed in on the Wraith in front of her.

Caleb was fast, deadly, and a bit reckless as he grabbed the creature by the neck and slammed it on its back. He grabbed the hilt of his blade and in a lightning fast plunge drove the blade through the Wraith’s face before twisting for emphasis in his fury.

Ashlyn had never seen Caleb so angry and downright aggressive, but seeing him this way actually made her hot. She wondered if he had picked up on her thoughts because his features relaxed and he gave her a crooked grin. It lasted only a second before he became serious again, but it was enough to have Ashlyn revved up on a whole new level. Reaching out, Caleb touched her cheek briefly and said, “Get Stormy over to the Trauma Cell if you can. It’s so fucking crazy in here but we’ll hold these bastards off.”

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Ashlyn nodded and both verbally and through their connection told Caleb, “We’ll get her to safety.” She also pushed the message to Khenti Michael who was still tossing Wraith this way and that from his deadly Sword in order to reach his Power Mate.

With a quick nod, Caleb attacked the enemy with a renewed energy and Ashlyn wished she had more time to admire his technique. Instead, she helped Eleina, who was already trying to wake Stormy. The Power Keeper was still unresponsive which wasn’t a good sign. Ashlyn could tell her energy was extremely low, which was odd, but Alexandria could help her if they could just get her into the Trauma Cell.

Squatting down next to Eleina, Ashlyn yelled, “We need to get her into Medical before the Wraith get to her. For some reason, they’re determined to reach her more than you or me. We can be as gentle as possible but more importantly we need to move her into Medical quickly.”

Eleina gave her a grim look before answering back, “Agreed.

Grab Stormy under an arm and I’ll grab under the other. Together we can drag her in.”

In coordinated movements, Ashlyn mirrored Eleina reaching up under Stormy’s underarm and lifting her enough that together they quickly dragged her over to the Trauma Cell. Skye must have been tuned in with her telepathic senses because she pulled open the doors just as they reached them. As soon as they were inside medical attendants quickly descended on Stormy and rushed her over to one of the medical stretchers. Ashlyn stayed near the door because even now being near anything medical gave her the chills and flashbacks of The Foundry and her entrapment there.

Alexandria was examining Stormy with her healing ability before the Power Keeper was even fully laid out on the stretcher. In agitation, she tucked her long raven black braid back under her lab coat and demanded, “What the hell happened to her?”

“Don’t know, Alexandria,” Eleina quickly offered. “One minute she was fighting and the next her Power Sword failed. It converted back to her Sefu Element with no warning and the Wraith grabbed her. Ashlyn separated the creature from her in plenty of time but she passed out anyway. I have to be honest. She’s been weak for 105

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several days now but she wouldn’t come see you for some reason.”

“Well if she’s this low and the Wraith didn’t take her Life Power it has to be something else. Sphinx don’t get sick, but who knows with Stormy. She started out as more human than Sphinx in her DNA so has always been unique. I’ll take care of her so don’t worry.

She’ll be fine.” Alexandria nodded with her chin towards the door and added, “You better get back out there. They need you.”

Ashlyn went to turn towards the door but noticed Skye hovering just behind Lily who was helping with one of the injured Guardians.

An idea suddenly taking root, she asked, “Skye, can you detect if the Gate is being forced to stay open by Turin?”

“Yeah. Why?” Skye asked in curiosity. She didn’t want to give anymore away about her abilities but there was really no choice.

Forcing the words out Ashlyn replied, “Because I sense an undercurrent of psychic energy out there. It’s not much. Just enough possibly to prolong the Gate to stay open. If you find anything, perhaps Lily and you can end the misery out there. Just be careful, please.”

Showing her softer side was still difficult, but Ashlyn didn’t want to come across uncaring of their safety. She knew the twins were powerful even if Skye had physical contact issues because of her telepathic sensitivities. However, together they were a force to be reckoned with. Skye gave the punch of telepathy while Lily followed through with her telekinesis. Ashlyn knew the Warriors hated for their females to be placed in danger, but the situation was quickly degrading, so there was really no choice. Everyone was needed with their abilities and Powers.

Hearing another round of cackling laughter from Turin, more furious roars from Warriors, and shouts of Guardians Elite, Ashlyn started toward the door. Urging her even more to join into the fighting was the palpable frustration and growing desperation from Caleb crossing over their weak link. Her focus completely on helping Caleb and the others, she rushed back out into the total chaos in the Cavern. Stepping on the other side of the doors with Eleina right behind her, Ashlyn ran right into a Wraith which had managed to throw Arik to the side. The creature shrieked in her face and reached for her. Before the Wraith even touched her, she heard 106

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Caleb snarl as he attempted to reach her. His focus shifting away from the thrashing enemies around him, Caleb didn’t notice the two Wraith flinging a Guardian out of the way which left his back wide open to their attack.

Ashlyn didn’t have an opportunity to warn Caleb verbally because she was drawing her own sword in the nick of time to thrust the blade into the Wraith before her. All she could do was hope the connection they shared was strong enough to carry her warning of – Caleb, behind you! As the enemy in front of her fell from her defensive maneuver along with Eleina’s assist, all Ashlyn could do was watch the nightmare unfold when Caleb was grabbed by the Wraith and jerked backward. Not thinking of her own possible death, she screamed in fury and ran straight at the battle line, thinking of nothing but reaching Caleb.

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Chapter Seven

There was so much insanity around her that Ashlyn wasn’t even sure if she was going to make it in time. Warriors, Guardians, and Wraith struggled in a life and death battle. Those with extra abilities were even tapping into them trying to get an edge which added to the danger. Ashlyn had to leave a wide berth for Joshua who was firing up his Power Sword in order to let loose his Power Burst.

Eleina had two Power Spheres in her hands and as soon as Ashlyn cleared her, the Priestess let them fly. Ashlyn didn’t bother to see if any of the efforts were effective.

Her goal was the animals taking Caleb’s Life Power. Without thought to her own safety, she rammed into the closest Wraith that appeared to have its claws dug into Caleb the worst. In between her full head on impact with the creature and her added thrust of her sword through the Wraiths middle, she had Caleb freed. As she spun around ripping her weapon free of the beast and following through with the mortal blow, Ashlyn glanced over to make sure Caleb had disengaged the other Wraith.

Because of the speed of her charge and impact, Ashlyn was several feet from Caleb but with the gap in bodies she could see he was well in control of the situation. With deadly efficiency, he took a large dagger from his weapons belt and sliced off the offending clawed hand of the Wraith which entrapped his arm. The creature screeched in fury but the sound was cut off when he cleanly removed the Wraith’s head. He glanced at her then and she could see the thanks and so much more in the look that he gave her. It was as if he was reaching out to her on so many levels, calling to her to come and be with him, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to risk it all and be with someone. Actually taking a step towards him, she was cut off as the line of battle closed in around her and she lost him. For a moment, Ashlyn panicked but then Caleb’s thoughts brushed her mind and she immediately knew he 108

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was safe, albeit exhausted and short on Life Power.

All of the Warriors were low on Life Power and the situation was just escalating. Something needed to be done and she needed to see if Skye and Lily were having any luck. With renewed determination, Ashlyn forced her way back out of the battle line, either with forceful shoves to the Sphinx or Guardians or by downright destructiveness with her sword to the Wraith. It didn’t take her long and she was able get clear enough to see Skye and Lily near the back of the Cavern. To her relief they were already engaged in whatever magic they were working. Eleina, Arik, and more of the Guardians Elite were surrounding the twins in case any more Wraith got that close. Behind the barrier of protectors, Skye stood perfectly still her hands raised in the air before her and her eyes closed in concentration.

Ashlyn could almost feel the energy coming from her as Skye searched out the possible interference from Turin in keeping the Gate open. Next to her was Lily, who had one hand on Skye and her other reaching out towards the Dimensional Gate. Lily was obviously tapping into her telekinesis because Wraith would occasionally be thrown into the spinning edges of the Gate to be disintegrated by the incredibly powerful energy. In between the two of them, they had also silenced Turin’s mad cackling laughter by engaging him in a competition for control of the Gate. Ashlyn could tell the twins were winning because the Gate was slowing in its spinning and its energy was dropping.

So concentrated on the two women and what they were doing, Ashlyn lost track of one of the Wraith she was battling at the back of the line. However, the creature knew where she was as it screeched to her rear and dug its claws into her back. Not expecting the attack, Ashlyn couldn’t hold back the scream or the surge of her Powers to prevent the creature from stealing her Life Power. As soon as her enhanced Power hit the Wraith, it ripped its claws free tearing long gouges in her back. The roar of Caleb’s voice from across the Cavern was surprising but the surge of Caleb’s energy within her was even more unexpected. His efforts partially numbed the agonizing pain just enough Ashlyn could spin around to fight the Wraith back.

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enhanced golden energy gave it a renewed life and its solid black eyes seemed to darken even more. Ashlyn actually took a step back from the dark sludgy shadow which seemed to reach out for her from the creature. The shadow didn’t touch her but the Wraith drew a long black sickle shaped sword and leered at her with its razor sharp teeth showing. With a sudden screech, it dove at her moving with an incredible speed and she had to engage her own Power to fight the beast off.

Over and over the creature struck at her with a strength that nearly brought her to her knees. Even her Sphinx strength was being challenged by this overly charged Wraith. Inch by inch it drove her back into the battle line but Ashlyn’s sword held. She fought on with grit and her fury. She was a skilled fighter blocking overhead, inner body, and outer body attacks. With a quick sidestep and side block she barely managed to escape a vicious thrust.

Kicking herself mentally, she wouldn’t soon forget that feeding her golden Life Power to a Wraith, even in defense, made them stronger. Lesson learned if she didn’t fall by her creations hand.

The Wraith kept pushing her back until she was nearly into the side wall of the Cavern and the only thing keeping other Wraith off of her was everyone else being fully engaged with the enemy. Their own battles meant she was on her own with this one and she was determined to end its existence. Of course, the damned thing was determined to end her existence as it got through her defense slicing into her side. This time she held back the scream and snarled at the Wraith instead. The pain faded quickly and the bleeding eased up just in time for her to fight off the next barrage of the black sword.

Ashlyn fought hard and had actually pushed off from the wall when another Wraith came in from her side slashing its claws across her wrist. It didn’t get a hold of her but the tearing of her tendon left her hand temporarily useless and her sword slipped from her grasp. She had no choice but to back up as the Wraith advanced with deadly intent, its sword swinging down for the death kill. Trapped between the wall and the other Wraith all Ashlyn could do was try to come up with any idea to save herself before the blade struck her.

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Just when she wasn’t certain she was going to make it out in one piece and felt a terrible grief at never being able to be with Caleb, the Warrior himself came out of nowhere. With a battle cry that should have put the fear into every Wraith within his reach, he sliced into the midsection of the overly charged Wraith while using his own body as her personal blockade. Not wanting him to be injured on her behalf Ashlyn pulled a dagger but she dropped it because her sword arm was still healing. Caleb pushed her back against the wall while fending off the determined beasts.

The initial Wraith which had taken her Power turned slightly and screeched at some of the other nearby creatures. Whatever it had communicated caused several more to turn in her direction and fought to reach her. “Damn it,” left her in a rush when she realized the word was out in the Wraith community. Her Life Power just made it to the dessert category on the creatures’ menus.

Caleb stood his ground when two more Wraith broke free from the battle line and headed in their direction. Ashlyn could sense his fear for her safety and the growing fury as his inner Sphinx surfaced and he snarled, “Don’t fuck with me. She’s mine, you bastards.”

Whether they understood or not, the creatures all attacked but Caleb managed to hold them back. He fought with a skill and power which was astounding to watch. Ashlyn hated that she couldn’t help, at least until her tendon healed. Although she couldn’t fight without her sword, Ashlyn knew she could at least throw a dagger or two. She needed her sword and swore in frustration hoping Lily and Skye would have better luck than she was.

As Caleb took one Wraith down, another one took its place and the whole time the original Wraith which had stolen her Power remained. Its black pit eyes stared at her and Ashlyn swore she was being sucked in. Not one who normally panicked in the face of adversity, even she was becoming more and more panicked and all over freaked out when the Wraith licked its jowls. A creepy chill ran up her spine and she gave in to the need to touch Caleb.

The instant she touched him she could feel his ever increasing weakness which scared her. He would lose this battle if she didn’t do something but if she sent him Life Power it might leak out into the Wraith. Suddenly keeping her secret of being a Power Keeper 111

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with the ability to collect the enhanced golden Life Power didn’t seem so important anymore. If she was going to help any of them she was going to have to learn how to center her Power so she could control where it went and to whom. Unsure of what to do Ashlyn could only hold fast behind Caleb and watch in growing fear as he was pushed farther and farther back against her.

The Wraith were bombarding him with their multiple attacks and the charged Wraith was just lying in wait for the kill. Too soon Caleb took a hit to the shoulder and then a slice to his side, and finally to his abdomen causing him to stagger back against her.

When the Wraith biding its time suddenly shot forward and thrust its black curved sickle blade into Caleb, Ashlyn screamed. Caleb refused to go down and he grabbed at the blade so the Wraith couldn’t twist it or slice downward.

Ashlyn watched while the blood welled up on the inside of Caleb’s hand and dripped down onto his shirt. Panic and rage grew in her at the torture they were putting him through as he risked his life to protect her. Finally her wound healed enough she was able to force her hand to close. Now that she was functional again, her intent was to grab a dagger or just plain punch the Wraith in the face. Really she wasn’t sure what she was going to do and watched in trepidation when the creature yanked its sword free causing Caleb to gasp in pain.

A raw fury exploded within her and a golden haze descended over her sight when a Wraith to their side grabbed Caleb’s Power Sword arm preventing him from defending himself. Watching the Power-charged Wraith raise its sword in an intended death kill Ashlyn reacted on instinct alone to save the Warrior who was risking his own life for her. With a forward punch of her arm and Sefu Element wrapped hand alongside Caleb’s side she automatically reflexed her hand and surged the golden Power within her into the Sefu.

Not really thinking but just reacting in the heat of the moment, Ashlyn was a bit shocked when her Sefu reflexed into a full Power Sword, even though the thing had refused to cooperate earlier. She had only vaguely hoped at least part of it would reflex. However, clutched within her hand was the entire deadly deal. With the 112

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copper edged crystalline blade of her functioning Sword, she slammed it with all of her strength into the ribs of the Wraith and up to where its black heart resided. The creature gave one last wheezing screech and keeled over on to the ground before it could finish its swing on Caleb.

With the main Wraith out of the way, Caleb shifted quickly, even though he had to be in pain, and flung the other grotesque enemy from his arm. Ashlyn moved before Caleb could prevent her until she had her back up against his. Without a word but perfectly in tune with his body, she maneuvered in unison with him as he fought Wraith off to his front and she cleaned up any stragglers trying to sneak up behind him again. She wondered if the creatures sensed her Life Power in Caleb from earlier, which wouldn’t be good, because he would be a focus for the Wraith as well. Ashlyn couldn’t take it if she caused him to be harmed, even though she had only meant to give him the energy he had needed.

The entire situation of wanting to help but possibly making things worse pissed Ashlyn off. She was just about to let loose a vicious snarl at the nearest Wraith when Skye yelled, “Hold on! I think we’ve got it. Just a couple more seconds.”

Risking a quick glance over at the twins, Ashlyn saw they were indeed making progress. Both of them looked like avenging angels with their hands up before them and shimmering energy running along their hands and arms. Ashlyn was curious as to what they were doing but didn’t have any more opportunity to watch them because another Wraith staggered through the line. Not waiting to see if the creature was smart enough to turn tail and run, she spun away from Caleb and engaged the beast. The Power Sword in her hand was so light compared to even the sized-down swords Joshua made for her. With a quick swing of the blade, she also found it to be much easier to manipulate in the air when she engaged the creature before her. The Wraith was no challenge for her, and within moments and a couple of blocks and thrusts forward, Ashlyn had the beast skewered through the heart. Once it hit the ground, she looked for the next abomination to take care of, but what she found was all the Wraith running for the Gate. A Gate which had already stopped in its insane spinning, had destabilized, and even 113

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now was closing.

Wraith rushed back into the Drake Dimension and those not fast enough were picked off by the Warriors and the Guardians Elite.

Ashlyn glanced through the rapidly closing portal to see the escaping creatures dive back into the red desert landscape. To her horror, Turin suddenly made a rare appearance and she could tell he was furious at having lost another round in the end. The sound of anger which escaped his lips made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Half Wraith-like screech and guttural male roar had even the women behind her gasping.

A moment later, Turin was silent but his solid black eye hatefully scanned everyone standing in the Staging Cavern. When his sight landed on her, pure shock crossed his features and in the wickedest of voices he yelled, “Ashlyn! How did you escape?”

No sooner did the question leave Turin’s grayish blue lips then the Dimensional Gate closed with a snap. The silence left over in the gigantic Cavern seemed to Ashlyn louder than the roar of an open Gate and the screeching of the Wraith. It was unfortunate that Turin had seen her and asked the damning question because she could feel so many eyes staring straight at her, especially Caleb.

Caleb who she could feel wanted to know everything about her on every level. She couldn’t quite remember when she had previously stormed out with Hunter and Jacob to engage in the hunt for the last Foundry invasion if she had told anyone of her past. She didn’t think so, but she wondered if there had been suspicions. Who would volunteer for such a mission especially when she had never stepped forward before? Keeping it secret had meant everything to her. She didn’t want to be the young girl who was tortured and tormented by a hateful heavy handed attendant whom she had killed in the end.

Refusing to meet anyone’s eyes, Ashlyn sulkily stared at the floor and withdrew her Life Power from her Sefu. Slower than when she formed the Sword, the copper and crystalline blade slowly drew back into the hilt. After a brief pause in her palm, the hilt shifted back into the Sefu and wound its way back around her finger, spiraled down the back of her hand, and then wrapped around her wrist. Her mind so far gone from her surroundings and trapped back in the days when she was a prisoner, Ashlyn vaguely lifted her 114

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hand in front of her face and blindly stared at her Power Signature.

The diamond and sapphire pyramid sparkled back at her as if it hadn’t just been a part of a deadly tool of destruction.

Dropping her hand, Ashlyn stood quiet and still the way she had as a child. Silence was a powerful cloak when one didn’t want to be seen or explain Turin’s shocking question. She waited for anyone to broach the subject, to push her for answers as they rushed around her dragging injured into the Trauma Room. She inwardly cringed each time someone brushed by her while they threw the dead bodies of the enemy out of the way and when the tired and exhausted Warriors and Guardians passed her by.

Ashlyn glanced up and it dawned on her then that she had sensed so many eyes on her, but not a word had been spoken. No one had pushed her and she knew without a doubt it was because Caleb was standing behind her, waiting patiently, and protecting her with his very presence. He had been her defender, her shield, and even now, she could sense the aura of energy flowing from him to keep others away. Knowing she couldn’t evade Caleb anymore, Ashlyn slowly turned to face him. She had expected condemnation, anger, maybe even revulsion at her being in the hands of Turin. Instead, she found in his expression and mirrored through their weak connection a pure need to reach out and touch her, a need never to let her go, a need to make her his forever, and so much more.

Ashlyn gasped but refused to step back in fear of so much emotion and caring, something she would normally do when she was overwhelmed. Inside she hungered for what he wanted to give her but her mind shied away from fully opening up and exposing that part of her which couldn’t take being hurt again.

Unable to meet his eyes any longer, Ashlyn’s glance skittered away until she was looking at the door and her only escape from the fears and uncertainties in her mind. Her fists clenched from the battle going on inside of her. Her impulse was to run and hide just as she always had but the desire to be with Caleb was just as strong and demanded for her to stay. She bit at her lip fighting the huge uncertainties and actually picked up her foot and kicked at the ground. Inside she was being torn apart and she didn’t know what to do except for the one overpowering pounding thought in her 115

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head to stay with Caleb.

Just when she thought she was going to explode, Caleb stepped forward and gently grasped her arms. Anyone else she would have freaked and probably attacked, but Caleb’s touch instantly calmed her. Every tense muscle in her body relaxed and she had the incredible urge to lean up against him and let his strong arms surround her. As if reading her mind, he pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Ashlyn sighed and turned her head resting it against his muscle bound chest. The rumble of his words against her ear was enticing when he said, “Ashlyn, stay with us. We need you. I need you.”

Her breath caught and again the protective instinct to run dug into her, but this time Ashlyn refused even to allow it to influence her. Instead, she lifted her head and looked directly into Caleb’s lavender eyes. To herself and to him she swore, “I’ll stay, I swear.

Just promise you’ll be patient. I’m afraid I’m a bit screwed up in the head.”

Caleb threw his head back then and he roared in laughter. Ashlyn was completely perplexed at what he found so funny. Slowly, his laughter subsided and he wiped at his eyes. He drew in several breaths of air before he told her, “Darlin’, you’ll fit right in then. I can honestly say that all of us are a bit screwed up in the head in one form or another.”

Ashlyn doubted anyone was as messed up as she was and wanted to tell him he was perfectly normal in the scheme of things. When she opened her mouth to speak, Caleb placed a warm finger against her lips. In a deep voice, he said, “Sssh. We can discuss this later.

Everyone’s either gone to clean up or piled into the Trauma Cell.

Khenti Michael is trying to have an after action, and I say trying, because he’s definitely worked up about Stormy.” Caleb paused then and gave her an exhausted look before asking, “Ashlyn, I hate to ask this and I swear I won’t reveal your ability, but…we do need you. I need you.”

Deep inside she knew he did need her. When he shifted her so she was under his arm Ashlyn could sense through their shared connection just how low he was on Life Power. Dangerously low.

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low energy in the other Warriors. Some Warriors were covered because of their Power Mates but others would be in trouble without Stormy. Ashlyn had a suspicion the Power Keeper wouldn’t be drawing Power for quite a while.

The moment Ashlyn entered into the Trauma Cell with Caleb, everyone glanced over at her. Fearing condemnation, all she found was kindness and concern which caused her to release the breath she had been holding. Caleb moved closer to her and she heard him growl under his breath. Not wanting to give anyone more cause to distrust her, if indeed there was any, she allowed him to shift and wrap both of his arms around her. Needing his strength to hold her tired body up anyway, Ashlyn leaned back against him and realized she really liked being the center of Caleb’s protective streak. The more she was with him, the less she wanted to ever let him go. The thought scared her and at the same time excited her because she never thought to belong to anyone.

Scanning the large medical area, Ashlyn focused in on each Warrior. Khenti Michael was extremely low on energy because Stormy was unable to Transfer Life Power to him. Joshua was also low because Alexandria was using all of her Power to treat the injured. Jacob was fine with Eleina gifting him with Power as well as Ethan and Hunter who were receiving energy from Skye and Lily.

Each couple was arm in arm sharing something incredible that Ashlyn wanted to share with Caleb. The remaining Warrior, Raven, was completely out of it on a medical stretcher, not only from his injuries, but from a level of Life Power that was almost nonexistent.

Perhaps selfishly, but more important to her, Ashlyn could feel Caleb’s need behind her. He had used so much of his Power in his phasing that he was subtly shaking from weakness. Visually no one would be able to tell because he was always so quiet, but she knew, she knew he was suffering. The man was so incredible, he had even promised not to tell anyone about her ability. How could she leave him weak and in pain even if it meant exposing everything she was?

Rubbing at her temples Ashlyn could only stand within the circle of Caleb’s arms while the internal battle waged inside of her. In the end, she realized the decision had already been made when she had trusted him enough to touch him the first time down in the sublevel 117

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tunnel, irrevocably changing their lives forever. Incredible changes which had already permanently bound them together. Everything in her screamed for her to help Caleb and the others. Alexandria’s next words pushed Ashlyn over the last barrier of her own hesitancy and fear.

Alexandria’s frustration was obvious as she attempted to heal Raven with little success.

“Damn it, I can’t make his wounds seal. My Powers are so low and his Life Power is barely there.”

Upon his sister’s urgent words, Khenti Michael tenderly brushed Stormy’s cheek. Ashlyn could see how much it pained him to say,

“Stormy, please, wake up. I know you’re tired but Raven needs you.”

“No, she can’t help him. Her body is out of sync right now and any attempts to draw Life Power could…” Alexandria paused glancing around the room. Ashlyn could see she really didn’t want to complete what she was saying with so many people in the room.

Whatever the diagnosis was for the Power Keeper appeared to be a very private one.

Khenti Michael snarled, “Fuck, Alexandria, I know it’s Stormy and you have your medical privacy to uphold, but now isn’t the time. You’re killing me. What’s wrong with her?”

Ashlyn watched the struggle of wills play out before her but before the Sphinx leader and his sister got into it Stormy suddenly woke up. With a gasp, she sat up and an expression of such joy filled her eyes followed by such incredible heart-breaking sadness. The Power Keeper looked at Alexandria before turning her sights on her Mate. Stormy’s hands shook when she touched Michael’s face.

Ashlyn found she was holding her breath for the next words to be spoken by Stormy.

In a soft voice barely above a whisper Stormy said, “I can feel it now. I didn’t understand at first but it makes sense. I could pull the Life Power in small amounts but when I tried to pull larger amounts and Transfer them to you or the Warriors it was making me sicker and sicker. I’m sorry, Michael. I can’t help any of you.”

Stormy hid her face against Michael’s chest and he pulled her close. Ashlyn felt her own heart break for the couple and for the others. She started to tell them she could help but Michael cried 118

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out, “I don’t understand. What’s wrong with her, Alexandria?”

With a sigh, Alexandria even blew Ashlyn’s mind when she answered, “She’s pregnant.”

The silence in the room was so heavy Ashlyn thought if someone had dropped a feather it would be heard hitting the floor. She could see the different expressions play across everyone’s face. Shock, pure joy, excitement, awe, and everything in between. At the end, she could also see a dawning realization that they were without a functioning Power Keeper, but they weren’t. Ashlyn knew she could help them and now was her chance if she was really going to push her fear aside for Caleb and the Warriors.

Discussion started in almost immediately, and Ashlyn decided she better speak up or she would never get the chance with everything that had occurred in the last couple of hours. Taking a deep breath she shouted, “No! I can help you. I’m a…I’m a…”

Khenti Michael turned and looked directly at her. Caleb drew her even tighter into the circle of his arms and she felt him push her hair back away from her ear before his lips were right there and he whispered, “Ashlyn, you don’t have to do this.”

Oh, but she did need to do this and without breaking eye contact with Michael she boldly announced, “I’m a Power Keeper.”

If there had been shock before at Stormy’s announcement, her doozy of a revelation had everyone speechless. She almost laughed seeing the mental dropping of mouths, but as a few eyes narrowed in her direction, Ashlyn decided that action wouldn’t be the best bet. Sure condemnation for the secret she had kept from them was going to fall down on her shoulders, Ashlyn felt her flight or fight kick in harder than ever. When she would have shifted in Caleb’s arms to make a run for it he whispered in her ear, “It’s okay Ashlyn.

I’ve got this one.”

Ashlyn felt Caleb raise to his full height behind her, and in a voice more powerful than she had ever heard from him before, he informed, “Listen to me closely because I’m only going to say this once. Ashlyn hasn’t had any form of Power Keeper abilities since she’s been here with us. Ancients only know how she got along so long in that state, because I know how mentally difficult it can be not having your Powers. The fact she has fought with many of us 119

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and almost died to help should tell you she would never withhold Life Power from us. Only recently when she almost died fighting with Hunter and Jacob in the desert did we make contact with each other, which fired up our Powers. I personally know she’s been struggling on how to deal with what she is and not have every male who needs Life Power pawing at her. But here she is and willing to help even when she doesn’t have to. So wipe that condemning shit off your faces before I kill you myself.”

Ashlyn held her breath waiting for the barrage of discipline which she was sure was coming from the older Warriors and especially from Khenti Michael. Instead, Khenti Michael held up a hand effectively silencing anything which would have been said from the other Warriors. Their leader’s voice was the only thing heard as he sincerely said, “I’m sorry, Ashlyn…Caleb… if any of us gave you that impression. We all know the difficulties of dealing with the weaknesses, challenges, and loss of some of our own freedoms which come with what we are. I’m all too aware of what my beautiful Life Mate goes through. We all know you don’t have to help us but I ask…no…I plead that you will help us.”

Seeing the powerful Sphinx leader shaken by his Life Mate’s weakened condition and the heart-felt request he made for his Warriors, Ashlyn realized she couldn’t allow Khenti Michael to humble himself in that way to her. She would willingly help him and his Warriors. They were family, even if she felt like a distant relative at times.

“Khenti, I would never ask you to plead for anything from me.

I’m sorry if I appear unfeeling. This is all too new and I have a tendency to bite the hand which only wants to help me. I do want to help you, but please understand I…have issues interacting with others at times. I’ve been told several times it’s just a defensive mechanism, but I’m afraid it rubs people the wrong way.”

Not sure what else to say, Ashlyn stood there in silence. At the moment, she felt okay with Caleb’s arms around her. He seemed to have a calming effect on her constant struggle against the fight or flight reactions which plagued her at a constant. She realized perhaps it just wasn’t her, but the other Power Mates seemed to be so much calmer when they were near each other, including Khenti 120

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Michael. He wasn’t quite as agitated with Stormy now conscious and in his arms.

Just as Ashlyn thought about the Power Keeper she noticed Stormy wiggling loose from Michael’s arms. Looking directly at her, Stormy said, “Ashlyn, you’re doing fine. You were wonderful with us in the recreation room. Even I know the men can be overwhelming, so I wouldn’t blame you at all if you set them straight.”

Stormy’s comment had eyes rolling and several smart ass comments interjected by the Warriors. However, the moment of lightness ended when Alexandria interrupted, “I hate to interrupt the poking at each other, but if we’re going to help Raven, we need to do it now. Ashlyn can you please come over here and Transfer him at least a little Power.”

Ashlyn really did want to help but getting near another male not only made her nervous but now seemed wrong to her. The only male she wanted to be around was Caleb and her instant reaction was to lean back harder against him. His arms tightened and he growled, “Ashlyn doesn’t need to touch anyone to Transfer.”

Feeling Caleb’s aggression skyrocket Ashlyn quickly said, “He’s right, I don’t need to touch anyone. Just stay where you are and we’ll see how this goes since I’ve only done the Transfer with Caleb.” Glancing up at Caleb, she urgently demanded, “Caleb if anything even remotely looks like it’s going to go wrong get me out of here. I don’t’ want to hurt anyone.”

Caleb nodded sharply. His nonverbal agreement and continued physical support gave her the extra courage to start the Transference. Taking a deep breath, and before she could change her mind, Ashlyn closed her eyes and reached for the rare golden Life Power only she could draw. Instantly, she sensed the answering flow of Power around her. When she opened her eyes she could see the golden glowing energy being released from the floor, the walls, the ceiling, anywhere there was even the smallest amount. In glittering spirals, the Power danced and flowed across the floor in her direction.

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words penetrated into her conscious was limited because her concentration was honed in on the golden Power rushing for her.

Within seconds, the glittering energy reached her feet, tentatively touching her, before it spiraled up her legs and into her hips. The sensation was amazing just like she remembered from the other day with Caleb. Almost like a lover’s caress, the Life Power slid up her hips and across her stomach to whisper over her breasts to her shoulders. Even though she wanted to hold it back, the moan which escaped her couldn’t be stopped. She would have run from the room then and there, if she could have, but her body was so caught up in the powerful absorbance. Somehow, she didn’t think Caleb would have let her go anyway because his arms were firm around her and she swore she heard him purr near her ear. When he kissed the sensitive spot right below her ear Ashlyn knew she hadn't been mistaken as the vibration of the sound shot through her body and made her legs weak. If not for Caleb’s strong arms, she was sure falling to the ground in a pool of molten need would not have been too far off.

Caleb nipped at her ear and whispered, “Release the energy now, Ashlyn. You’re glowing brighter than the sun.”

When she looked down at herself, Ashlyn saw he was right. Her skin glowed intensely with a golden aura and she was sure her golden eyes would be twin spheres of light. Fisting her hands, and praying to the Ancients that she wouldn’t fry anyone, she pushed the Life Power outward. As it Transferred away from her, she could tell almost everyone needed energy because even those who had Power Mates were still slightly low. Ashlyn suspected it was probably because the women were just as exhausted as the men having been involved in the battle in one form or another.

When the golden Life Power brushed over the Sphinx and Transferred into them Ashlyn heard several sighs, moans, and everything in between. Like the sensations she was feeling, she was sure the others were fired up similarly. The thought of what she was doing to them made the blood rush to her face. Caleb’s groan behind her as her body Transferred energy into him completely captured her attention away from everyone else in the room. When he yanked her shirt loose from her fatigue pants, and placed his 122

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warm palm against her stomach, wild horses couldn’t have dragged her attention away from him.

So lost in the feel of Caleb’s body surrounding hers, Ashlyn nearly reflexed her Power Sword when Raven came off of the medical table landing on his feet in the middle of the room. She watched in shock when he shook his head back and forth like a crazed animal. Alexandria tried to grab him and yelled, “Raven, stop! You need to lie down.”

The raven haired Warrior continued to stagger toward the door the whole time mumbling, “Can’t...must go. So wrong…shouldn’t be accepting Life Power from another. Only want…only want…fuck!”

Ashlyn wasn’t sure what had happened as Raven smashed his way through the Trauma Cell doors and disappeared. She knew the golden Life Power she had given him would make sure he was okay but she didn’t understand his words. It wasn’t like he had anyone else to give him Life Power, except Stormy, who was out of commission. With Raven’s strange reaction, she wanted to make sure she wasn’t causing injury to anyone. Quickly, Ashlyn focused in on the other Warriors and the interaction of her Transference to them. She found nothing amiss and everything appeared to be going better than she had expected.

Already the Warriors were near maximum on what they could hold. She could even sense their injuries healing at record speed.

Breathing a deep sigh of relief that her attempt at Transferring to them had worked, Ashlyn slowly backed off the Life Power transfer.

When she began to sense the feedback from the various Warriors, she easily turned off the flow, and then finally allowed the remaining energy to disperse back into her surroundings.

Everyone looked directly at her and she rapidly became uncomfortable being the center of attention again. She felt everyone’s stance seem to shift towards her, the women began to move in her direction, several of the Warriors bent on one knee in respect and started to quote the Transference Pledge, even Arik seemed to want answers from her so he could record the event for prosperity.

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were starting to close in on her. She had never thought she had claustrophobia but that was exactly what she was starting to feel.

Even knowing no one wanted to hurt her and only wanted to thank her didn’t help. Her fight or flight kicked in but she couldn’t handle being rude or hurtful to the Sphinx and the Guardians who she was starting to care about. Hoping Caleb would understand she looked up at him and with a strangled cry, “Caleb, please…!”

With an instant comprehension registering in his eyes, he immediately spun both of them around and gave her a forceful push towards the doors. Not looking back and knowing Caleb would be able to explain to the others why she had to escape, Ashlyn shot through the doors and ran like the hounds of hell were biting at her heels.

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Luckily, it didn’t take long to answer everyone’s questions and reassure them Ashlyn was okay. Even if they hadn’t comprehended his explanation quickly, Caleb wouldn’t have stuck around. The only thing he wanted was to track Ashlyn down and see for himself that his words weren’t a lie. Ashlyn was strong physically, but as she had told him before, she had issues just like everyone else. Seeing her that way, desperate and panicked to escape, shook him. He was used to the strong Warrior-like Ashlyn who cut with nothing but her words, could throw a tantrum like nobody’s business, and then just for kicks stick a dagger in for good measure. The Ashlyn he had just seen had been unsure, fearful, and determined to run. The running part he thought he had understood because she had always appeared to have difficulty fitting in, but now he wasn’t so sure.

All he knew was he had to find her and find her now. Tracking her was easy for him, not only because of the weak connection he shared with her, but because she was leaving a trail of golden Life Power in her wake. He had seen Stormy do the same thing when she was upset and before she had learned to control that aspect of her ability a little better. Ashlyn must have some control already, otherwise he suspected the energy left behind would have been even more.

Where she was going he had no idea, other than his assumption she would return to the first underground level where Elder Chloe resided. Surprised when her trail led to the third floor where the gathering and dining occurred for Complex 46, all he could do was continue the mysterious journey of following her. Stepping into the large cathedral sized gathering area, he scanned the entire floor space expecting to find her there since her Life Power trail had entered the room. Disappointed, he found nothing except the off-white room and the few dining tables which were in the up position.

The rest of the tables were recessed into the floor for later use.

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“Where in the hell are you, Ashlyn?”

No answer came across the shared link to him and he figured it was either because she couldn’t or was unwilling to answer back to him. He hoped it was because she couldn’t answer and that she was thinking of him as much as he was thinking of her. He hated to think the incredible experiences they had shared meant nothing to her. Refusing to believe she didn’t want him, Caleb growled and stalked towards the back of the room.

Reaching the far side, he picked up on her energy again, although it was starting to fade, which meant he needed to pick up the pace before he couldn’t track her anymore. Following her Life Power, he ended up at a large tapestry at the back wall which depicted a King and Queen dressed up in all of their royal finery. Together they stood holding hands and looking directly into each other eyes.

Something Caleb wanted to do with Ashlyn. He knew it was the thinking of a teenager but he didn’t care. She made him feel young again with a renewed hope he could actually have a Power Mate.

Pushing the tapestry aside, he glanced at the wall not seeing anything at first, but when he leaned closer, he spotted hairline depressions in the wall. As he examined them he realized they were multiple images of Power Signatures and resembled many of the Sphinx who lived in the Complex now. Curious, he ran his hands over the Signatures and realized it had to be some type of door.

How to open it he didn’t know but when he glanced up higher to where the tapestry was attached to the wall he spotted something hanging just above his head. Caleb reached up and unhooked the clasp holding what appeared to be an amulet from the threading of the tapestry. He wondered if Ashlyn had left it for him. Once the object was in his hands, he examined it quickly.

The amulet consisted of a rose-gold chain and a pyramid shaped charm made out of the same rose-gold. Scanning the wall again, he found an exact duplicate, both by shape and size, etched into the stone. On a whim, he lifted the charm and pressed it against the image in the wall.

Under his breath he laughed, “What the hell. It works in the movies.”

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was watching way too much television and pulled the charm away from the wall. He nearly jumped a foot when the wall shifted backwards and slid to the side, actually forming a door. Once he stepped inside, the small square room’s unseen lights lit and the door shut behind him. In front of him was a gold elevator, which perplexed him because he thought he knew every nook and cranny of the complex. He wondered if anyone knew about this besides Ashlyn, and he suspected, the Elders.

Warily approaching the elevator he looked for a call button but didn’t find one. The mystery before him wasn’t quite as entertaining anymore. All he wanted was to find Ashlyn and the longer he was delayed, the farther away she was. Curling his hand around the amulet Caleb was more than ready to put his fist right through the golden elevator doors when they suddenly opened. Not even pausing for safety, he immediately stepped inside and didn’t get turned back around when the elevator doors closed. He felt the instant movement as the elevator shot up two floors which meant it had to be headed to the Elder’s floor.

Just as quickly as it shot up, the elevator stopped and the doors instantly opened. Out of habit, Caleb readied his Life Power in case he had to reflex his Power Sword but no threat presented itself.

Still, he cautiously stepped out and immediately caught the mouthwatering strawberry scent of Ashlyn and a strong smell of water. He had found her and his adrenaline kicked up a notch at the immense need and excitement which fired up in his blood. Stepping through the small elevator alcove and through the door before him Caleb was surprised to find a full size Egyptian bath before him and felt like he had stepped back in time to the days of the Ancients of old.

Caleb had no idea the Egyptian baths were so extravagant. He had heard the Elders had baths within their living area. Stormy had even described one a while back but it had sounded nothing like this. This was authentic to the Egyptian baths of old. The bath before him was rectangular and almost the size of a full sized pool with stairs leading down into it on all sides. Encircling the entire periphery of the bath were tall white and pink marble pillars holding up a ceiling decorated with Egyptian designs in gold 127

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filigree. White lounges with pink and royal blue cushions were arranged around the edges of the bath. On the lounges and on small ornate gold filigree tables sat folded oversized fluffy towels.

The bath was filled with the clearest aqua blue water he had ever seen. The urge to dive in and wash the Wraith blood from his body was almost overwhelming but the presence of Ashlyn before him stilled him in place. She was Egyptian artistry herself as she stood at the end of the pool with her back to him. She had removed her boots, weapons belt, and her fatigue pants so he could admire her long sleek legs. Her fiery auburn hair was loose, hanging down her back until it almost touched her waist. His hands shook with the desire to touch her and run his fingers through her hair. From her stance, Caleb could see she was still upset. Hands on her hips, Ashlyn’s very aura kept the two Egyptian females who were dressed in white robes away from her. Caleb could tell they were just trying to help her bathe but she wasn’t having any of it. He felt her energy surge for just a moment and with a hiss she demanded, “Both of you out and make sure you keep anyone else out of here until I’m finished!”

Obviously not needing any more encouragement, the two women skittered away and out the door on the opposite end of the huge bath. Yeah, his Ashlyn was definitely still upset but it eased him to see she was acting more like her old self. Standing where he was, Caleb couldn’t see her face but the rolling of her shoulders in an attempt to wind down told him she still needed space. When she raised her arms and lifted her long locks off the back of her neck, her t-shirt lifted even more exposing her bare bottom.

Caleb swallowed thickly as he was sure all of the blood in his body rushed to his cock. He was instantly hard as a rock and wanted nothing more than to press Ashlyn’s sensual body up against his. Fighting the urge was almost impossible, but for her, he demanded his body to behave. She needed time and he already knew she had issues with males. Whatever had happened to her in the past had caused long lasting effects on her personality and behavior. The Foundry surfaced in his mind and he was almost certain she had been abused by their hands.

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was ready to approach him, Caleb started to back away towards the door. He froze in place when she turned her head ever so slightly to the side and whispered, “Don’t go, Caleb. Stay.”

Inside he was torn. She wanted him to stay but if he stayed he was afraid he might do something stupid, like take her in his arms and ravish her until she couldn’t see straight. Thickly he said,

“Ashlyn, if I stay I’m afraid I’ll…I don’t want to frighten you.”

Ashlyn’s laugh sounded self-deprecating but her voice was soft when she said, “Caleb, there’s one thing I know for sure, you would never frighten me on purpose. You’re a true gentleman and I trust you. I’ll never be scared of you…only scared of myself and what I could do to you.”

Taking a slow step forward, he responded, “Darlin’, you could never hurt me. I know without a doubt you’re not that kind of person to hurt without a good reason.”

Slowly, she faced him but kept her eyes to the ground. He hated she wouldn’t meet his eyes, and didn’t understand why, because if he really tried he would be able to reach across the link and touch her mind. He would know what she was feeling and perhaps even thinking anyway. If Ashlyn ever decided to open up and share more with him, he would know all of her. He would know more of the true Ashlyn he had already had a taste of. A sweet strawberry taste and he wanted more, so much more.

Caleb clenched his jaw, fighting the incredible urges sweeping through him. He wasn’t sure if it was from what they had shared previously and the connection they had but every inch of him including his inner Sphinx was driving him to reach for her. If he dared to reach out and touch her, it would be over. There would be no stopping him from kissing her senseless and learning every gorgeous intriguing curve. When she took a step toward him he knew he had to show her what he was feeling, because if she got any closer in nothing but the dark blue t-shirt she wouldn’t have it on for long.

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had to stop her approach or he couldn’t be responsible for his next actions. Blowing out a rough breath, he concentrated on the weak link between them and opened his as far as he could. He was surprised when he already found Ashlyn’s mind open and mentally crossing his fingers, he pushed his desire straight into her.

Ashlyn suddenly jerked to a stop just out of reach and Caleb heard her take in a quick breath. She raised her hand and pressed it to her lower stomach and trembled ever so slightly. He braced himself for whatever reaction was sure to come but whatever he had expected wasn’t the reaction she gave him. Instead of anger or fear, or her sprinting for the nearest door, Ashlyn stood her ground and like a true feline looked up at him from under her lashes. Her golden eyes glittered dangerously, not from anger, but as if she was actually hunting him. More blood pooled in his already rock hard erection until he was literally in pain when she gave him the briefest of sensual smiles. All he could think was surely she knew she was playing with fire, but who knew, perhaps she didn’t.

He had warned her and yet she continued to approach him again.

Clearing his throat, Caleb quickly said, “Ashlyn, careful, I don’t think I can take…”

Before he could finish his words, she placed a fingertip against his lips. The only sound she made was “Shh.” As she reached him, she placed a hand against his chest and looked up at him. The moment his eyes met her golden ones, she revealed her own inner needs. The impact of her burning need was combustive and he almost went to his knees. Instead, he grabbed her upper arms and pulled her flush against his body. She wanted to show him what she was feeling and he was damned well going to let her feel how he was feeling.

Ashlyn’s lips parted and she whimpered ever so softly but Caleb dipped his head and captured the sound. Her lips were so sweet and he thought she really did taste as good as she smelled. Sweet strawberry and he wanted to lick every incredible inch of her. First he decided he was going to start with her sexy mouth, and with a flick of his tongue, he tasted her full lower lip. When she moaned and leaned harder against him, he slid his tongue along the seam of her lips. At first, she didn’t open for him so he nipped at her and 130

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then slid his tongue across her lips again.

With an intoxicating sigh, she parted for him and he delved into the haven of her mouth to taste her. As soon as he slid inside and tasted her heaven his body felt like it was going to explode and every part of him screamed for more. Letting go of her upper arms, he slid his hands around her to splay on her back. He tasted her and deepened the kiss until his own breathing was just as rapid as hers.

Needing to feel her tight shapely ass he had been tempted by earlier, he slowly brushed his palms down her back until he reached the small of her back where he forced himself to stop.

What was left of his sane side told him to slow down but the instant Ashlyn tangled her tongue with his and then sucked, his brain short-circuited. He had no control and his hands suddenly had a life of their own. In a fluid motion he brushed his hands down her bottom and then under the t-shirt. He groaned when his palms were suddenly against smooth warm skin. His imagination took flight and he suddenly ached with the need to keep going farther south until he could reach her sex. Instead, he fought with every bit of discipline he had and settled on squeezing her bottom and pushing her hips up tight against his to rub his erection against her.

Suddenly an incredible surge of Power surrounded him and Ashlyn cried out. The kiss ended just as quickly and he felt her entire body stiffen against him. So eager in his arms a moment before she was trying to push away from him and just like that the open link he had with her slammed closed. He realized he must have really frightened her this time and felt like a complete ass. He jerked his arms from around her and stepped away, even though his entire being was in pain from the separation. Although he was away from her, he still felt a strange warmth and glanced down to find her golden Life Power glittering over his body.

Holding up his hands he quickly tried to ease her mind, “Ashlyn, it’s okay. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have…I mean, I wanted to, but…I wasn’t trying to…fuck!”

His brain, his body, his Life Force, everything was scrambled and he had no idea how to make it right for the beautiful woman before him. She had trusted him and he had almost gone too far with her and now she looked like she was ready to run. Her hand was to her 131

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mouth and her golden eyes were huge. She appeared overly flushed but then paled rapidly. Caleb had had enough of hurting her and with a growl backed up to leave.

“No, Caleb! It wasn’t you. It was me.”

Perplexed, he stopped and looked at her before asking, “Ashlyn, it was me. I didn’t mean to go overboard with kissing you…and touching you. I can’t lie. You’re just too damn tempting.”

He almost laughed when she rolled her eyes at him. “Caleb, that’s not what I meant.” She approached him then and he suddenly had the urge to run. She was driving him crazy and he was going to explode from the roller coaster ride. When she directed his attention back to the rapidly fading golden aura on his skin, her upset slowly began to dawn on him.

Sighing Caleb reached out and touched her cheek. “Listen to me closely, Ashlyn. You didn’t hurt me. You’ll never hurt me. What just happened was you releasing your Life Power on me in the heat of the moment. That’s all. You weren’t trying to hurt me. Do you understand?”

The wheels turning in her head were obvious as she processed the information he had just given her. He knew the moment she fully comprehended his meaning because a wondrous smile lit her features. Ashlyn’s entire demeanor seemed to relax and she nodded.

“I understand, Caleb. Thank you. Now…come with me.”

Completely thrown off guard, all Caleb could do was follow her when she pulled him closer to the steps of the pool-sized bath. “Um, Ashlyn, I don’t think this is a good idea.” He couldn’t believe she was going to play with fire. Was she trying to drive him insane?

As she stopped him at the top of the steps, evidently where she wanted him, she gave him a sensual smile. “I think this is a good idea. You need a bath and I want to give you one.”

Caleb almost moaned from her words alone. She really was trying to kill him after all. Knowing he should turn around and leave as fast as his legs could carry him, all he could do was stand still and let Ashlyn test herself. He wasn’t sure if she had meant to or not but the connection between them had opened briefly. Her mind still amazed him and Ashlyn’s thoughts had shown him that she still wanted him and was willing to press her own boundaries 132

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and challenge herself. Drawing in a deep breath, Caleb prayed to the Ancients that his will and discipline were strong enough to withstand her curious exploration. If he didn’t die from his own need and wanting it would be a miracle, although he had to admit dying from an almost pleasure was one hell of a way to go. Laughing to himself, he almost choked when she stepped right up to him.

He wondered what she was going to do first but didn’t have to wait long. With the wickedest of grins, Ashlyn stepped right up to him and kissed him. Although she was more than likely inexperienced in the ways of lovemaking, he had a suspicion she would learn fast with her eagerness. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she melted against him and with a sigh licked at his lips. He knew she wanted him to open for her and he was more than willing to accommodate her desires. He parted his lips but before she could taste him, he slid his tongue between her lips and her resulting seductive laugh made him smile.

Before he could take the kiss to the next level Ashlyn pushed away, but instead of leaving him this time, she grabbed his black shirt and pulled it loose from his pants. A thrill rushed through him but also a realization he was going to be tested to the very limits of his discipline. Proving his very thoughts his libido shot through the roof when Ashlyn moved to his weapons belt. With a dexterity only a Warrior would have, she expertly undid the buckle.

Without even losing a dagger or a throwing star, she slid the belt from his waist and placed it on a nearby chair. When she bent over to lay the fully loaded belt carefully down, she revealed her tight ass again and Caleb closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply before opening his eyes again. He felt a little more in control, especially when he found her facing him with her shirt covering her lower body again, at least until she hooked her fingers under his shirt. Usually he was the one who undressed the woman but having Ashlyn undress him was an incredible aphrodisiac. The pulse of his erection felt like it was pounding through his entire body. He knew he was one huge orgasm waiting to happen but he couldn’t let it happen. Not now.

Ashlyn wasn’t ready for that.

“Focus, Caleb. Arms up.” Her directing words brought him back to what she was really doing. She was just undressing him to bathe 133

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him. Ancients knew he had to stink from the dried Wraith blood all over him. Doing as she directed, Caleb raised his arms and with a quick upward yank, Ashlyn had his shirt off and tossed somewhere behind him. As he lowered his arms back down to his sides, he couldn’t help but notice how fascinated she was with his chest and stomach. Her eyes seemed to caress his upper body and when she reached out, he held his breath for her touch. Without any hesitancy she placed her fingertips directly over where his heart beat out a rapid rhythm. He wondered if she felt it but her face gave nothing away other than the desire that was burning in her blood. Outside she seemed so calm but inside he knew she was a cauldron because she had shown him for just an instant.

Slowly she ran her fingertips down his chest to his stomach and then flattened her palm directly over the center of his tensed muscles. Ashlyn seemed fascinated with his physique, and as a Sphinx Warrior, he liked to pride himself for being in excellent shape but still he couldn’t help wondering what she thought. Always one to keep her thoughts private, she didn’t say anything but instead started to slide her hand down until she reached the top of his fatigues.

“Ashlyn…,” he croaked but before he could put something cohesive together, she kneeled down in front of him and proceeded to undo his boots. Boots were a neutral zone and he definitely needed neutral zone. Taking the time he needed while she worked his boots loose, he tried to focus on anything else besides her half-naked form before him. He thought about how sensitive she was to contact and nearness of others. He thought about her strange outbursts and how when she was near him she was so much calmer.

He even thought about the fact that she must have been horribly traumatized when she had evidently killed someone to have completely lost her abilities.

These thoughts left him worked up in a different way because he wanted to know what happened to her when she was young to be this way. Lastly, he thought about the fact they were so compatible and that their first personal contact had revealed she was his Power Mate.

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to scrape together. Yes, she was his and his body, his mind, and his Life Force recognized her as his. His inner Sphinx chimed in with a brain-numbing roar as it challenged him to make her his on all levels and Join with her. As Ashlyn poked his leg, he realized he had completely lost focus again. He lifted his foot quickly so she could tug off his boot and then planted it back on the ground so he could shift and lift the other. With a hard tug, she had that boot off as well and flipped off to the side. Slowly, she rose back up before him, and when he looked at her precious face, she was biting her lip. Ashlyn didn’t pause however but reached right for her next goal. Her fingers hooked inside the waistband of his fatigues. Before she could move to unfasten them, Caleb grabbed her hands, stilling them.

When she glanced up at him in question he said thickly, “Ashlyn, I have to warn you. I don’t know if I can restrain myself. If we continue in this path, even if you are just bathing me, I can’t promise that I won’t ravish your delectable body. I don’t think you’re ready for that.”

Ashlyn bit at her lip again making him want to kiss any sting she was leaving behind. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes again but then suddenly lifted her chin and raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps I don’t just want to bathe you. Perhaps I want to touch you, to feel you, to learn everything about you, Caleb.”

The rush of heat through his body at her words was incredible, but he didn’t dare act on it. Instead, he stood there and waited as she worked out whatever inner confusion was going on inside of her. He could see it in her expression and the way her eyes seemed to glimmer ever so slightly. He could even sense it crossing through the weak link between them. Ashlyn was tired of being alone, and he could see now she had always been drawn to him but just hadn’t been able to act on it. Just like him, she wanted to be with him but wasn’t sure how.

He opened his mouth to reassure her but she interrupted him with a heartfelt, “Look, I know I’m babbling but I want…I want to get beyond what I’ve become. I don’t want to be this broken person who doesn’t know how to be with anyone. I want you, Caleb, but I have issues being…held down. Please just let me do this to the point 135

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I can. If you don’t want to, I understand. It’s not like you’ve made any kind of commitment to me or anything.”

By the Ancients, he thought, if she even knew how much of a commitment he had already made to her. She was his Power Mate, even if they weren’t Joined, and if he had to suffer a thousand times more in this way he would willingly do it. It might kill him but it would definitely be worth it.

****

Ashlyn held her breath waiting for the inevitable rejection that he would give her. She knew Caleb wanted her but he held something back from her at the same time. She couldn’t blame him, after all she was a basket case just waiting to explode. It had taken everything in her not to tell him of her knowledge that they were possibly Power Mates and wasn’t sure why he didn’t sense it.

Perhaps he wasn’t wired that way or perhaps there was just something wrong. She didn’t know because she hadn’t lived her entire life with the Sphinx even though she was Sphinx. Elder Chloe had tried to educate her in everything but still not everything could be explained perfectly.

“Ashlyn, look at me, darlin,’” His challenge had her glancing directly at him. She could see a slight smile play along his lips before he said, “If you want to try then I want to try. I want you too.

More than you know. What I showed you through our connection is only a part of my need for you. We’ll try and see how it goes. If this is too much for either one of us, we’ll take a break. Small doses to build up both of our staminas.”

He gave her a crooked grin again and the sensuality in it blew away any second thoughts she might have had. Glancing back down at her hands, she watched as he withdrew his, setting her free to do what she wanted. She licked her lips in nervousness but she was determined. Easily undoing the buttons and zipper of his fatigue pants, Ashlyn grabbed the belt loops and with one deep breath pulled his pants down. She didn’t look, just kept her eyes on the ground, while she slid his pants down to his feet and freed him of the restricting fabric.

Slowly she stood back up and as she did Ashlyn allowed her eyes to roam over his strong well-defined muscular legs. With his strong 136

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legs, chest, and abdomen, he reminded her of a god captured in statue. When she reached the top of his thighs, she stuttered in her visual exploration but she wanted to see all of him, needed to see all of him. Biting her lip again, she forced her eyes to that part of him she was most curious about. When she saw him, her breath left her in a whoosh.

Caleb was incredible, enormous, built better than a god and obviously he was massively turned on. She had seen other male anatomies but he put them to shame. At the apex of his legs was a long shaft of pure power and it looked as hard as a rock. It stood out from his body and seemed to pulsate with a life of its own. She wanted to touch him and at the same time had the urge to run from her own uncertainties and hide.

No, she refused to run and instead braved it, glancing up at Caleb. His expression was so intense that he appeared to be totally and completely focused on her. The way he looked at her sent a thrill straight into her core and she shivered. Wanting to tempt him as much as he was tempting her Ashlyn threw caution to the wind and grabbed the hem of her own shirt. With a quick raise of her arms, she had the shirt up and off, baring it all to him. When she heard him inhale sharply she knew he was just as affected by her nudity as she was by his.

Not wanting him to change his mind Ashlyn grabbed his hands and pulled him down into the water with her. Slowly, step by step, she backed down into the warm water and he followed. He seemed to be half in a trance, and yet he also seemed to be in pursuit, but as always was a gentleman holding himself back. Ashlyn knew she had been right about him. He thought of others before himself and would take care of her no matter which way this experiment went.

An experiment which meant more to her than just a study of reactions, but to see if she could really be with a man, a man who was becoming more and more important to her with every breath she took.

She continued to guide him out into the water until they stood in the middle of the bath. The water lapped at his waist but didn’t hide his incredible manhood because the water was so crystal clear. Once he was where she wanted him, she whispered in his ear, “Don’t 137

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move. I’ll be right back.”

Ashlyn dove under the water to try and clear her head and swam over to the side of the bath. Surfacing, she reached for the bar of honey-scented soap and a washcloth before diving back under the water. As soon as she reached him, she circled to his back and broke the water’s surface. Just like she had told him, he hadn’t moved an inch but stood waiting for her. Caleb was an incredible man and was quickly taking over every one of her waking and sleeping thoughts. Everything inside pushed her to claim him as hers and it dawned on her that she really did want him more than anything.

However, she wasn’t sure if she could handle it or not, but was willing to try.

With care, Ashlyn worked the soap into the washcloth until it was completely sudsy with bubbles running out of it. It was time and she prayed to the Ancients that she could do this because she really wanted to. Stepping up close to him, she could feel the heat coming off his body even in the warm water. Ashlyn looked at his wide muscularly defined back, intrigued at the way his movement played through the muscles. Deciding this was a safe zone to start in her erotic exploration, Ashlyn placed the soapy cloth against his skin and started to wash him in lazy circles. Around and around she swirled the foamy suds over his tanned skin until she was sure he was more than clean. She knew she was stalling and forced herself to go lower until she was actually under the water and rubbing the cloth against his ass which was tight and trim like the rest of him.

Unable to resist, she leaned up against him and circled her arms around his middle. The feel of his bare skin against hers made her shiver with need, and going on impulse, Ashlyn placed a kiss in the middle of his back. She felt his muscles twitch ever so slightly and a deep purr come from his chest.

Smiling, she continued her exploration safely from behind him where she felt more in control. With the cloth in one hand and the soap in the other she created more suds and then rubbed the bubbles up and over his chest and down over his stomach. The sensation evoked of slick suds over defined muscles was sensuous and stimulating to Ashlyn. She leaned harder against him standing on her tiptoes so she could just reach his shoulder. Unsure of the 138

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drive that was running through her, she nipped at his shoulder and Caleb moaned in response.

Thickly he demanded, “Bite me, Ashlyn, please.”

Surprised and yet incredibly tempted by what he asked of her, she whispered, “Caleb, you want me to claim you?”

Caleb glanced over his shoulder and Ashlyn could only stare at his sensual mouth as he answered, “Yes. I need you to claim me…if you’re willing…because we’re…” He didn’t finish what he was going to say because she inadvertently had dipped below the waterline with her washing to stroke across his long hard erection.

He jerked against her and hissed between his teeth. She felt him reach back for her but then he jerked his hands back to his sides.

Ashlyn was humbled by his incredible control so she could work out her issues. Wanting to please him, she let go of the cloth and wrapped her hand around his cock. Innocent in the actual act of lovemaking, Ashlyn had overheard enough of the giggling descriptions from the young Egyptian females to know the basics.

The part of him that could give such incredible pleasure, she was sure, was like slick velvet wrapped around hard steel. In the soapy water, the experimental slide of her hand had Caleb instantly broadcasting all sorts of erotic thoughts to her inexperienced brain.

He flashed her pictures of both of them entwined in silk sheets with him draped over her body and between her legs, pumping in time to the beat of their hearts. Before she knew it, she was stroking her hand up and down his thickening shaft to that same incredible beat.

The sound of Caleb’s groaning purr sent spirals of throbbing need straight to her sex and she gasped.

Unable to stop her reaction, she wrapped a leg around his hip and rubbed against him. A fire was burning her alive and she thought this must be what a feline in heat felt like. No matter how much she rubbed against him it wasn’t enough and she whimpered in need. She licked and sucked at his shoulder grazing her teeth across his skin but not quite biting down. Leaning against him, she could feel the pounding of his heart and the panting of his breaths.

On and on she stroked with her strong sword hand grip in time to that internal beat and nipping at him harder and harder.

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tightened and throbbed inside. Rubbing against him just wasn’t enough but she had no idea how to ease the fiery need. She knew she wasn’t ready for him to be on top and inside of her yet even if most of her screamed for his domination. Soon she would be ready, but not yet. When she didn’t know, but she did know she wasn’t going to let him suffer because of her playing. Knowing his purr was playing havoc with her body, she decided to turn the tables and try a purr on him. Pumping the entire length of his cock with her hand, she flicked her thumb over the head and Caleb let loose with another long groaning purr. Ashlyn nipped even harder at his shoulder and then grasped the hair on the back of his head. She turned his head just enough so she could be closer to his ear with her mouth. Another stroke or two and Ashlyn knew Caleb was going to come. The thought was exciting and more than anything, she wanted him to come undone, so she purred.

Caleb bucked against her and moaned, “Ashlyn, please. Bite me now, damn it.”

With his curse, he reached back and grabbed her ass pushing her harder into the grind of her pelvis as she tried to relieve her own burning need. She wanted to come with him but this was for him.

With another bold stroke and flick of her thumb, she bit hard into the warm flesh of his shoulder. Ashlyn tasted his warm salty blood signaling the claiming mark she had left on him and Caleb’s roar rang in her ears as he came over and over in her tight grasp. In the next instant, she felt a surge of energy explode out from him.

Instantly her body as well as the water around her was covered in his glittering Life Power.

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Chapter Nine

No sooner did Ashlyn release his still erect cock and ease off his back than Caleb spun around in the water and faced her. She wasn’t sure what he was going to do but didn’t have to wait long for his reaction. He grabbed her by the arms, pulled her in close, and then encircled her around the waist. As if she weighed nothing at all, Caleb lifted her up off her feet and headed toward the side of the bath. All Ashlyn could do was hold on to his shoulders while he swiftly cut through the water.

Not completely sure of his intentions Ashlyn nervously said,

“Caleb, I want to, I really do, but I’m not ready for…um…I’m not ready.”

Caleb glanced straight at her and in a thick voice replied, “I know darlin,’ but I can feel the incredible need in you. I need to make you come. Do you trust me?”

What could she say? She had trusted him with her life not too long ago and he had saved her risking himself. She did trust him but what he had planned she didn’t know, although she was willing to try anything to ease the tense pressure within her. The thought of coming was exactly what she wanted to do, but she was nervous.

With a nervous squeak, she answered, “Yes.”

With a sensual smile that took her breath away, Caleb carried her over to the edge of the bath. Reaching out with one hand, he swept a pile of soft fluffy pink towels over so they formed an adlib bed.

Suddenly she found herself lifted up in the air and Caleb setting her ever so gently on the cushiony towels. He placed his hands on her shoulders and murmured, “Let me touch you, Ashlyn.”

Nervous, but not her usual skittish self, Ashlyn was more than willing. Her tiny nod was evidently all Caleb needed. Immediately, his hands skimmed down from her shoulders and he enticingly brushed his hands over her breasts. The feel of his rough fingertips over her sensitive nipples had her gasping, and the throbbing 141

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within her sex kicked up a notch. Ashlyn bit at her lip and she watched in fascination when Caleb’s pupils dilated ever so slightly.

He leaned forward and captured her lips, his tongue sliding sensuously between her lips and tasting the depths of her mouth.

To her disappointment, he ended the kiss but she changed her mind when he sprinkled kisses down her neck to her shoulder. He nipped at the tender skin there just as she had done to him.

Her breath caught wondering if he was going to leave a claiming mark on her but he moved downward in his exploration. His tongue laved at the top of her breasts as his hands cupped the bottom massaging and kneading until she wanted to squirm against him.

Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better Caleb’s mouth closed over her nipple. Ashlyn arched her head back and threaded her hands through his hair. Caleb was playing her body and she just couldn’t imagine it getting any better. He made it even better though, and hotter and wetter when he suckled and swirled his tongue around her areola and nipple. She whimpered from a combination of pleasure and pain. She wanted him so badly it hurt and her body screamed for him to make her explode just like she had taken him over the edge.

“Please, Caleb. I want…I want…” What did she want? Ashlyn was so beyond her experiences she just didn’t know.

“Shh.” He whispered to her and pressed her down among the soft towels. When she would have tensed from her innate fear of being suffocated from the abusive arms she remembered from The Foundry, Caleb removed his hands. She thought perhaps he sensed her need not to be restricted and yet he didn’t need his hands to hold her down in pleasurable captivity.

Caleb hovered over her and his lips and tongue performed more magic on her body. He kissed her abdomen and dipped his tongue in her naval. She laughed briefly until he eased down her body and touched his lips to her clit turning the joyous sound into moan. She arched her back and on impulse ran her fingers through his hair.

When he flicked his tongue across the sensitive nub, she gripped his hair harder, and when he sucked her into his mouth, she cried out his name.

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she wanted to feel every one of them with Caleb. Everything about being with him felt right, claiming him felt right, and Ancient’s help her, the thought of being his Power Mate felt right. All she had to do was figure out how to tell him what she had felt upon their first contact. In the end, would he run from her and hurt her more than if he had physically abused her? She could never imagine him wanting to hurt her. He was just too kind at heart and caring.

Ancients, the man was too caring as he completely blew her mind with his talented mouth. When he stopped sucking, she wanted to scream at him not to stop but then he licked right along the wet opening of her sex.

“Caleb!” she cried pulling at his hair to try and get him closer and he obliged by licking her deeper. Before she could catch her breath, he penetrated her with his tongue in a swirling, curling motion.

He pulled away just enough so he could gasp, “I’ve got you, Ashlyn. You taste incredible. Just like fresh strawberries and cream and I want more. Are you ready to come, darlin’?” Caleb’s question ended with a purr and the thought of him doing that against her had Ashlyn moaning.

“Please, Caleb. I can’t take anymore,” Ashlyn barely managed to whimper before Caleb sucked her clit back into his mouth. He played her with his tongue and teeth and then he added another layer to the stimulation. Ashlyn nearly came off the towel-cushioned marble floor when Caleb slid his thick finger inside of her tight sheath. The slide was smooth and her inner walls tightened around his finger. He sucked at her and slowly slid back out not quite withdrawing. When he added a second finger, the stretch made her sex spasm ever so slightly and she cried out. She wiggled against him and hoped in her excitement she didn’t yank his long golden hair out.

She couldn’t help it, she just couldn’t hold still. Arching and thrashing against him, Ashlyn felt like she was on the edge of something new and wondrous. Perhaps she needed to be held down, she thought, because she didn’t want him to let her get away.

Caleb appeared to pick up on her thoughts because his hand gripped her hip right over the Power Keeper mark on her skin. The touch of his hand sent heat cascading over her entire lower body, 143

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and when she looked at his blond head, she saw his Life Power coating her naked skin.

Seeing him lost in his own desire pushed her another inch to the edge of coming undone. As she watched him, he glanced up at her and his eyes held a devilish glow. He returned her stare like a predator ready to pounce and she knew he was going to take her down when the pumping of his fingers deep inside of her picked up in speed. He added a swirling movement and Ashlyn thought her eyes were going to roll back in her head.

“Caleb, please! I can’t take anymore. Make me come,” she cried.

She thought if he didn’t stop teasing and do something she would die from the need.

His voice was deep and claiming as he clearly said, “Oh, I’m going to make you come, Ashlyn, and you’ll never forget it. Ever.

You’ll never want anyone else except me.”

Ashlyn knew without a doubt he meant every word he had just spoken. With a growl, he lowered his head again and sucked her back into his mouth. His fingers plunged in and out of her and then he turned the tables on her. As she had done earlier to him, he purred with her clit still against his tongue. The vibration made her jerk against him but his strong hand held her still. Again and again, he purred and sucked and thrust into her until she screamed his name over and over. He didn’t stop, though, keeping her trapped right on the edge, not allowing her that last slide into ecstasy.

Only when tears came to her eyes from pure sexual overload, she could hardly catch her breath, and her heart pounded in her chest like it was going to explode did he give her everything. The hand he held her hip with shifted until his palm rested right over where her lower abdomen and pelvis were one. In an instant she felt him ramp up his Life Power and then he flooded his glittering energy straight into her. The reaction was instantaneous and combined with his purrs and the thrusting of his fingers, her inner feminine muscles clamped down. Ashlyn screamed over and over from the never ending orgasms that rocked her both physically and emotionally.

How long the sensual explosive waves lasted Ashlyn wasn’t sure but when she finally came back to herself she found Caleb had eased her further onto the fluffy towels and was lying next to her.

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Most of his body was to her side giving her that space she needed but he leaned over her, an arm draped over her waist. He was watching her with concern and a tangle of other emotions ran across his features so quickly Ashlyn couldn’t identify them. When he noticed she was looking at him, he schooled his features but it was too late. The one thing she had caught was that he was upset.

Not one to hold back, Caleb brushed his fingers through the tangles of her hair and murmured, “I’m sorry, Ashlyn. I shouldn’t have taken you that far. It was your first time for any of this. I was just so caught up in you and your need, I lost my head. I know I shouldn’t ask, but can you forgive me?”

Ashlyn smiled at him and wanted to ease his mind. Sleepily she responded, “Caleb there’s nothing to forgive. You were incredible, and you’re right, I’ll never ever forget what you did. In fact I want more.”

Caleb chuckled and leaned over placing a kiss on her nose. She laughed back never having felt so light and carefree in her life. If she could have had her way, she would have hidden out with him in the Egyptian bath forever and they could have lived their lives just basking in each other’s touch. However, she knew the reality of the situation and the way their lives actually were, filled with danger and a constant battle to keep the world safe from the horrid Wraith.

Still she was determined to capture every moment she could with Caleb if he would have her. Needing to know for sure of his intention, she opened the shared link with him just enough so he could feel her doubts of what the future held for them, but made sure she kept the fact they were destined Power Mates a secret.

Sighing, Caleb brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and then toyed with the long soft hair. She felt his hesitancy but he finally said, “I know the future is uncertain, Ashlyn, but I want to be with you too. We have a lot to talk about but we can take it slow. I know you’re wary of relationships and I don’t want to overwhelm you. We obviously have one thing going for us, we’re so attuned to each other’s needs that we’re going to end up driving each other crazy, putting it mildly. You’re absolutely amazing, Ashlyn.”

He laughed again and Ashlyn couldn’t help but blush from his compliment. She almost didn’t recognize herself at her behavior.

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Really, she didn’t think she had that much sensuality in her but when Caleb was anywhere nearby, her entire body came alive. Even now, she wanted to crawl into his lap and wrap her legs around him. Unfortunately, they were out of time. Ashlyn knew Elder Chloe was probably looking for her and the Warriors surely wondered what had become of Caleb.

Caleb’s expression turned serious before he said, “You’re right.

As much as I want to just spend time learning every inch of your delectable body and showing you the ways of loving, we’ve got to get going. Ethan needed me to acquisition some computer parts for him and to assist him on some surveillance, especially with The Foundry trying to invade the Complex.”

At the mention of The Foundry, Ashlyn stiffened and her heart rate went up. Her inner Sphinx snarled in agitation and she pushed upright. Caleb sat up as well, giving her space but for once she didn’t want it. She scooted right up to him and he wrapped an arm around her. Snuggling into his side, she wrapped her arms around him and inhaled his incredible masculine scent. He smelled of wildness and pure sex and she wondered when the next time she could see him naked and run her hands over him. Letting out a low moan Caleb murmured, “By the Ancients Ashlyn, you’re going to kill me.” Ashlyn heard him take a couple of deep breaths before he continued, “I need you to do something for me. As you know, all of us Sphinx males are highly protective of our females. If you would, I’d like to do some training with you. Don’t get me wrong, you’re skills are incredible, but I was hoping you could help me learn to even out my energy output so I don’t exhaust my ability quite so quickly. At the same time, I can give you some pointers on technique using your Power Sword. I know you’ve already found it to be different from the sword Joshua gave you.”

Normally, Ashlyn would have been insulted if anyone told her she needed training but she knew Caleb was right. Plus he had put it in such a polite way making it sound like he needed the help first and then he would give her some pointers. He really did have the heart of a kitten but she also knew he had the claws of the panther, which was his Power Signature. If he really wanted to, he could tear a person or Wraith to pieces. Looking up at him, she admired his 146

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expressive lavender eyes. With a sigh of her own she said, “I agree to your terms, Warrior. I must warn you, though, I plan on testing your mettle.”

****

With a swipe of his tongue, Caleb licked the droplets of blood from his forearm. Already the small scratch Ashlyn had left on his skin from her Sword was healed but she acted like she had mortally wounded him. She stood in the middle of the dusty training arena, her chest heaving with her deep agitated breaths. Her skin was flushed and the stirred up dirt floating around her glittered faintly with the slight amount of Power she had released because of her overcharged emotions.

“Damn it, Caleb. I could have killed you!” she shouted throwing her hand up into the air. Her other hand still clutched her Power Sword tightly. He watched her in amusement when she raised the copper and crystal Sword and pointed it right at him.

Continuing in outrage she yelled, “You’re supposed to even out your speed, slow it down, not stop right in front of me on a dime.

I’m good, but I’m not that good.”

Tempted to tell her the real reason why he had stopped so abruptly, Caleb thought better of it and held his tongue. He might just get sliced in two by his ferocious little Sphinx. The practice had actually been going very well. He had been regulating his Power Phasing so not to burn up his energy right away, and Ashlyn had been perfectly executing her hunt for him. His fiery beauty had no fear in her when it came to facing death, but try to get too close to her on a personal level, and she ran like a frightened deer. Except for him.

For him she softened, she melted into him, and each passing moment they were together her Life Force became closer and closer to his. Even her thoughts turned more and more to them being Joined which made him wonder if she actually knew about their potential of being true Power Mates. Yet if she did, she kept it to herself, leaving him even more confused. She was a duality, a mystery, and the most incredible sensual creature he had ever encountered. Her emotions, her thoughts, were becoming more and more open to him, at least when she wasn’t slamming down her 147

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defenses.

That brought him to the reason for his temporary lax in motion and concentration. Ashlyn had the ability to see his aura even when he wasn’t visible to anyone else. Even though she had been concentrating on her swordplay, her mind had wandered for just a moment as she had evidently been enjoying watching his energy field. Her thoughts had been so intense for him when he sensed her desire for his Life Force to be one with hers and to feel his Life Power penetrate deep within her body. Whether she knew it or not, she had seriously distracted him and he had almost crashed straight into her. With a snort, Caleb decided he was going to need to learn more control of keeping the link closed when he was in battle and exercises like this. So lost in his thoughts, he barely caught the sudden growl from Ashlyn. Her aggravation had him refocusing on her before her mood ended up escalating into a tantrum. He realized then he hadn’t seen her throw a fit since their first touch.

With a sharp movement of her hand, Ashlyn instantly reflexed her Sword back into its Sefu Element form, which was probably a good thing because she marched straight up to him. Her eyes glittered with menace when she asked, “Did you just snort at me?”

Caleb decided to go for the truth. Softly he said, “Not at you, Ashlyn, at me. The truth is you pleasantly distract me. Your mind, your body, the way your Power glitters around you, the way your auburn hair catches the light, even the way you lick those delectable lips of yours. It’s so hard to control myself around you, including the link we have. I have to learn to narrow the connection in situations like this, and especially when we are in battle for those thoughts that aren’t fighting specific.”

Unable to resist touching her and hoping he didn’t lose a finger if he invaded her space too soon, Caleb stepped right up to her and ran his hands through the soft strands of her hair which had come undone. When she relaxed and leaned into him instead of snapping at him, he nuzzled her ear and whispered, “So, did you mean it when you fantasized about my Life Power being within you and my Life Force joining with yours.”

Ashlyn gasped and looked stunning as she blushed. Caleb was sure her sweet pink cheeks were because she had been caught in her 148

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fantasy and during a battle practice even. He held his breath as to what she would actually say and didn’t have to wait long.

Lowering her eyes, she glanced back up at him under her lashes and murmured, “Yes. I do want that Caleb because I…”

Whatever she had been going to say Caleb didn’t let her finish.

He couldn’t because she was just too damn beautiful and tempting.

Running his hands through her lustrous hair, he cupped her head, positioning her at just the perfect angle so he could claim her full lips with his. With adrenaline still running through his body from the practice battle he couldn’t have been gentle even if he had wanted to. Ashlyn didn’t seem to care though when he deepened the kiss demanding entrance into the warm haven of her mouth. He tasted her and nipped at her until the kiss itself became a part of their dueling when Ashlyn stroked his tongue with hers and sucked at his. For Caleb, this was one battle he had no desire to be the only winner. He wanted both of them to be victorious, Joined, and forever Power Mates.

A sudden noise from the high outer periphery of the stadium seating had Caleb jerking back and pushing Ashlyn behind him. In the blink of an eye, he had his Power Sword in his hand and his eyes scanned the upper reaches of the sandstone seats. He heard Ashlyn sigh behind him and he knew she didn’t like being protected like an innocent babe but that was the only action she took. It touched him that she would stand down and let him protect her, even though she was capable of protecting herself. Her action meant a lot and told him she trusted him with her life.

Even though she allowed him the lead, he felt her hand settle against his back and her mind brush against his. She was prepared to fight at his side if necessary, but he didn’t think it was going to be an issue. Continuing to scan the seating and not seeing a thing, he was unsure if there was even a need to protect her. The arena hadn’t been used for anything significant since Stormy’s Warrior Initiation, an archaic ceremony, among others, which had been finally voted down as mandatory.

“Did you really plan on using your Power Sword against me, Warrior?” came the unseen voice which seemed to echo throughout the entire cavernous arena.

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Caleb rolled his eyes and reflexed his Sword back to its Sefu form. He was fully prepared to say something rude to the Elder about spying on people but before he could Ashlyn came out from behind him. With her hands firmly propped on her hips, she yelled back, “Elder Chloe, you’re supposed to be resting. Why are you here? Is everything okay?”

Ashlyn quite obviously cared for the old woman even though Elder Chloe could be a pain in the ass with her mysterious revelations. He could tell in the way Ashlyn dropped her hands from her hips and quickly advanced towards the far side of the arena. When Caleb followed in the direction she headed he initially didn’t see anything, but then Elder Chloe stood up from where she was sitting. The woman was so small and frail, he hadn’t even seen her initially.

“Hello, Elder Chloe. What brings you to watch our training?”

Caleb asked while silently adding, among other things.

Elder Chloe slowly made her way from behind the barrier between the arena floor and the lower seating. She moved as if she was in pain and Ashlyn quickly moved up to her and assisted the elderly woman out onto the dusty floor. As usual, she was dressed in a long robe, this time the palest of blue which made her usual pale complexion appear even paler. Caleb was suddenly worried for the Elder. She looked ill and appeared to be trying to hide it, however, she still held onto her crystal topped silver walking staff as if she could wield it as a weapon at any time.

Caleb watched Ashlyn gently guide Elder Chloe farther out onto the floor. For all the toughness she tried to show to the rest of the world, Ashlyn really had the softest of hearts. It was no wonder she protected herself so fiercely at times from others. His beautiful Sphinx feline was incredible and he loved every intriguing and mesmerizing facet of her.

Trying to catch the breath which had escaped him, Caleb almost stumbled over his own feet as the realization hit him square in the chest. He was truly in love with Ashlyn. In fact when he thought about it, he had truly loved her for a long time. The little minx had worked her way under his skin from afar, which made his earlier behavior make sense. Once she had appeared on the scene, he had 150

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had no interest in other women. He had only been interested in Ashlyn and had stolen glimpses of her as often as he could. Fate had brought him his one true love but could Ashlyn get past her fears and love him in return. He seemed to be the only one she wanted to be near, other than Elder Chloe, who was her Power Protector duty and charge.

“Did you not hear me, Warrior? This is important.” Elder Chloe sternly called to him.

Refocusing on the Elder, Caleb realized he had really been lost in his thoughts and whatever she had said had upset Ashlyn. Ashlyn’s arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes were downcast like she had lost something important, or maybe even someone. He could detect the tiny nervous shivers which were running through Ashlyn’s body and caught her glancing toward the door from the corner of her eye. She was getting ready to run and Caleb’s entire system went into panic mode of having possibly lost the progress he had made with Ashlyn because of some asinine vision the Elder had imagined this time.

Gritting his teeth in an effort to control his rising temper he growled furiously, “No, I didn’t. What the hell did you say?”

Elder Chloe puffed up her demeanor before she chastised him,

“Young man, you will not use that tone with me. I am here to help you and because Ashlyn has difficulty hearing these things, you must pay attention.” Chloe slammed her staff into the ground causing a puff of dust to rise up into the air.

Feeling his own agitation rise from whatever critical issue was about to be discussed, Caleb took a deep breath and rubbed at his face. Not willing to lose Ashlyn to her panic attack, he shifted his body so he was blocking her visual of the doorway. Needing to distract her, he used the same tactic he had used earlier to ask for her help and hopefully jar her loose from her self-torment. Holding out his hand to her, Caleb sent her a quick mental thought and pleaded, Stay with me, Ashlyn. I have a bad feeling about this. Her expression instantly cleared and he breathed an inner sigh of relief when she took his hand and moved to his side. He could tell she was still upset but the side of her that was Warrior strong was already rising back to the surface and building the wall of determination 151

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that she wore like a shield around her.

Certain she would stay with him now he turned back to the Elder who had been amazingly quiet and waiting for his response.

Grudgingly he finally said, “I apologize. Please continue, Elder Chloe.”

The Elder sniffed delicately and then her eyes became distant. A great sadness filled her expression and Caleb was shocked when tears of immense grief rolled down the Elder’s cheeks. Her voice wobbled with whatever painful emotion had her as she said, “It is good that you have practiced your teamwork with Ashlyn. You will both need the skills you are sharpening and only your harmony together will save both of you.”

Chloe closed her eyes for a moment appearing to get control of herself but in the end gave up. She pressed her fingertips to her trembling lips and choked out, “It’s coming for her. She will have to face the darkness and it will try to consume her into the darkest place of hell.” The Elder suddenly stepped up to him and grabbed his arm in a grip that was surprisingly strong, “Promise me you will never leave her. We can’t lose her.”

Ashlyn was too quiet for Caleb’s comfort but at least she wasn’t running and she was holding on to his hand with a death grip. He wanted to look at her but was afraid to glance away from Elder Chloe who was in the throes of one of her strange visions. He had to keep her talking and find out what the hell she was seeing behind those strange silver eyes of hers.

Growling ominously, Caleb demanded, “Chloe, what’s coming to get her. How can I help her? I would never leave her and will destroy anything or anyone who tries to get near her.”

Letting go of his arm, Elder Chloe wandered farther into the middle of the arena and Caleb followed pulling Ashlyn along behind him. He was almost ready to grab the older woman and shake her for more information when she suddenly spun around and faced Ashlyn. She grabbed Ashlyn’s hand and in a strangled tone said,

“You must stand firm with him. Do not give in to your fears and run. He will risk his very life for you, and if you run, he will be forever lost to you.”

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her head. Sighing heavily, she said, “I’m sorry. What has been revealed is all that can be at this point. I must go and rest. Perhaps I can see more later. I couldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to either of you because I couldn’t see more. Must go.”

Spinning on her heel, Elder Chloe quickly shuffled across the floor at a speed that was contradictory to her fragile appearing state and disappeared out the door. When she was gone, Caleb realized his adrenaline was through the roof and his heart was pounding in his chest from the thought of losing Ashlyn. She held onto his hand like she was never going to let go, and when he glanced at her, she was looking up at him with such loss and devastation in her golden eyes.

He didn’t know if Ashlyn was going to fight him or not, but Caleb had to hold her. He pulled her into his arms and breathed a mental sigh of relief when she stepped straight into the circle of his embrace. She surrounded him with her own arms and he felt her grip his shirt in her fists. Even if he had wanted to extricate himself from her arms, he doubted he could. He hugged her tighter and leaned his cheek against her soft hair.

“Ashlyn, you know I would never desert you or abandon you when you needed me. We’ve been through a lot in a short time, but I feel like I’ve known you forever. I know we’re meant to be together, and no matter what danger lies ahead, I will be there for you. I won’t leave you and will risk everything for you. I would risk my life for you. I…”

Even though he was bursting to tell her, Caleb didn’t have the chance to finish his proclamation of love for her because Ashlyn leaned back and cried, “No! I would never ask you to risk yourself for me while I stood by. We fight together as a team. I’ll guard your back and you’ll guard mine. If you go down, I go down with you, Caleb.”

Her voice dropped and he could barely hear her as she finished,

“If anything happened to you and I was left alone again…I can’t let anything happen to you.”

With a growl, she spun out of his arms before he could stop her.

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away from him with her head down and her hands curled into fists at her sides. The fact she had sought solace in his arms for the few seconds she had said a lot about how much she must care for him.

He hoped she wouldn’t run away but he wouldn’t stop her if she did. If she was meant to come back to him, she would. If she didn’t, he would just have to deal with the heartbreak, even if that eventually killed him.

Everything in him wanted to reach for her but he didn’t. He held back and was relieved when she suddenly stopped in the middle of the arena. Her back was to him and he could see her shoulders rise and fall with the heaving breaths she took. After a few seconds, she quieted and glanced over her shoulder at him. He wasn’t sure how to make it okay for her so he didn’t say anything, just looked at her and allowed his connection to open wide with her. He revealed as much of himself as he could, including his upset at the words Elder Chloe had said about her possibly being at risk from an unknown entity, his fear of losing her forever, and the need and love that shook him to his very core.

He knew the moment Ashlyn had picked up on what he was telling her without words because she gasped and spinning back around she ran straight at him. She almost knocked him over when she impacted into him and wrapped her body around his. Her hands fisted in his hair and she kissed him so hard he was sure they were both going to have cuts on their lips from their teeth. When Ashlyn did something, she went all out and quite literally took his breath away. No words were exchanged but he could feel her pure need and love leak through the connection and the way she kissed him with a passionate force that wouldn’t be stopped. He could tell she wasn’t ready to reveal how much she cared about him yet, and he wouldn’t push her, but he took the powerful knowledge and kept it near his heart.

Caleb could have stood there forever with her legs around his hips, her arms around his neck, and her hands fisted in his hair. He could have held her against him for an eternity kissing her soft full lips and delving inside her sweet mouth to savor her strawberry taste. However, for now, it wasn’t to be as Khenti Michael’s urgent call through the Warrior’s Link shattered their enjoyment of each 154

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other.

Warriors! To the planning room immediately. We have a problem. Khenti Michael’s commanding voice was tense when his message pounded in Caleb’s head. Ashlyn stiffened against him and he knew she had heard Michael’s command as well. He gently eased her to the ground, and she slowly pulled back from him, seeming reluctant to let him go. When the kiss ended and he moved away from her he saw how much she hated the fact fate had pulled them apart again. He vowed to himself when the opportunity presented itself he would make it up to her and take her to new heights of ecstasy.

Rubbing at her Sefu Element, Ashlyn asked, “What do you think is up? The Gate?”

Shaking his head, he returned, “No, otherwise we would feel the increase in its dark energy. There’s something else going on and it doesn’t appear to be good by the sound of his inner voice. One thing’s for sure, though, we need to get the hell over to the planning room and now.”

With a nod of his head, he let Ashlyn lead the way and he closely followed behind her. A bad feeling swept through him and he feared Elder Chloe’s premonition was already breathing down their necks.

No matter what happened there was no fucking way he was going to lose Ashlyn. Whether she liked it or not he would risk everything for her and keep her alive or die trying.

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Uneasy and wired didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of how Ashlyn felt. Stalking down the tan colored hallway towards the planning room with Caleb shadowing her, she had an almost eerie déjà vu of having traveled this path before. She knew without a doubt the urgent request wasn’t because of the Dimensional Gate, so it could only be one other thing to bring everyone together so quickly—The Foundry. The other enemy, who at one time had been led by Turin, was coming to try and take on the Warriors and steal their precious Power Mates, at least the ones they knew about. The men who had come before and whom she had fought along with the other Warriors had known Lily was there and now knew she was at the complex as well.

Fury filled her that the monsters were coming again. They had destroyed her family before when they had kidnapped her as a child and murdered her mother. Her beautiful mother who had told her to be strong and fight and never to give up, not ever. Ashlyn had held on to those words all her life since that night when she had watched her mother bleed out on the ground. She would be damned if she allowed The Foundry destroy her Sphinx family with their human-made weapons and the bullets which could cause such havoc within the Sphinx body.

Caleb must have picked up on her thoughts because he growled deep in his chest, which only escalated her pissed off mood, because she knew he was upset. Coming up on the planning room door, she opened it with a vicious push causing it to swing open with such force it slammed against the wall. The loud punctuated crash it made had everyone jumping and staring in her direction. She hadn’t really meant to surprise everyone but as they continued to watch her she couldn’t help the urge to spin around and run. Mostly Ashlyn just hoped she would run into an enemy who she could really take her aggression out on. Before she could backtrack, Caleb 156

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encircled her waist and pulled her over to the nearest brown leather couch. His breath rushed past her ear as he demanded, “Don’t fight me on this, Ashlyn. You can be mad at me later, but I need to touch you right now. Our connection seems to be getting stronger and your swirling agitated energy is making me a bit unpredictable.”

With Caleb’s arm around her Ashlyn actually felt better, although she wondered if her agitated energy wasn’t transferring straight into Caleb. There was no doubt from what she could sense that his aggression was definitely skyrocketing. The couch he was taking them to was already partially full with Eleina sprawled on Jacob’s lap on one end and one of the Guardians Elite on the other. Caleb suddenly snarled at the man and the Guardian shot off the couch, evidently having the sense to get out of the way of a wound-up Warrior.

The moment the man had removed himself from the couch Caleb sat down, and without warning pulled her onto his lap. Sitting stiffly on his lap, Ashlyn gasped and wasn’t quite sure what to do.

She really wasn’t comfortable with outward displays of affection.

However, when he whispered “Please, Ashlyn” and his Life Power tingled against her skin she leaned back against him. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her and Ashlyn shifted so she was sure she wasn’t crushing anything important. She couldn’t help but smile at her wayward thoughts of Caleb’s physique. When Lily, who was sitting across from her on the other couch next to Hunter, winked at her, she wondered if the female had picked up on her thoughts.

Sitting there surrounded by Caleb’s strong arms and the people she was rapidly becoming more and more attached to, Ashlyn actually began to relax. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and breathed a huge sigh letting her tense muscles ease for just a bit.

Only Caleb could do this to her. Change her from the usual dysfunctional lunatic she could become into an almost normal infatuated female. Almost.

While she waited for Khenti Michael and Ethan to go over whatever surveillance they were reviewing Ashlyn scanned the room. Almost everyone who needed to be there was present including Joshua who sat sprawled in his usual leather chair in the front of the room. His Power Mate was nowhere to be seen because 157

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Alexandria would be caring for her patients and Ashlyn noted Stormy was out of the picture too. She hoped the Power Keeper was okay, not because she was worried about transferring Power anymore, but because she really liked Stormy and all of the other Sphinx women.

Skye was perched behind Ethan who still had his nose in the computer readings and Ashlyn watched as he occasionally reached back and touched her as if reassuring himself she was okay. Ashlyn had noticed the action before but hadn’t really thought about it until now. Now she realized it was a protection mode the Warriors ran in all the time with their Power Mates and Caleb did it as well.

No matter if it was for her or for him, he would reach out and touch her. It hit her then that it had to be incredibly difficult for Caleb because he really had kept his distance since he knew she was sensitive to feeling trapped. The impulse to turn around and kiss him for just being the incredibly sensitive man he was shot through her but she froze when she glanced over and caught Raven watching her. Before he could cover it, Ashlyn saw the almost longing expression on his face before it immediately vanished in a characteristically appropriate Raven smirk. Ashlyn raised a challenging eyebrow at him but all he did was roll his eyes at her and then ignore her by looking the other way. She was tempted to call him out but movement at the front of the room brought her attention back to the reason they were all gathered.

“All right, everybody listen up,” Michael called out as he walked around until he was standing in front of the redwood war planner’s desk. “Ethan’s showed me the rest of the surveillance tapes and unfortunately we have a major problem. Not good either considering the Gate may open at any moment. Ethan is picking up some odd energy readings from the Gate which Skye has indicated are telepathic in nature.”

A barrage of curses and vows to kill Turin including snarls and growls rolled around the room. Ashlyn would have growled herself but she knew there was more. Chills began to run up and down her spine because she was sure the more was going to finally rise up and bite her in the ass.

Michael held up his hands and the room instantly quieted down.

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Ashlyn held her breath and only Caleb’s gentle massaging of her neck kept her from leaping up to scream for their leader to speak.

She didn’t have to wait long because Khenti Michael delivered the news she had dreaded to hear since her escape from The Foundry.

“Unfortunately we have a more pressing problem than the Gate.

We have incoming and it appears to be a military team from The Foundry. Ethan enhanced the pictures and we’ve discovered something disturbing which definitely ties Turin to this facility, if there was ever any doubt before.” Ashlyn watched in dread as Michael reached over and spun the closest computer screen towards them so everyone could see. Ashlyn jerked up in Caleb’s lap and he snarled in unison with her movement. She didn’t want to upset him but the adrenalin-induced shaking spreading through her couldn’t be helped because of the image she was seeing. Even from the distance where she was sitting, she could perfectly make out the black Egyptian ankh on the cheeks of the fully battle-geared men.

Not just decked out in battle vests and arm gauntlets but pulling out fully automatic machine guns. The bastards would know the Sphinx Warriors’ weakness and how to get inside Complex 46. The one thing the Warriors couldn’t heal from, until it was removed, were bullets, and the number of bullets one of those weapons could unleash would be fatal.

Shifting her hands from Caleb’s legs, she grabbed onto the leather on either side of him and dug her nails in deep. She felt the hiss slowly rising from her chest and fought to hold it back. Even her Sefu Element began to make her arm itch as it called for Power because the danger was so thick in the air.

From the front of the room Joshua growled, “Son of a bitch! I thought we had cleaned out all of the Gatherers who had crossed over to Turin’s side.”

Michael quickly replied to his second-in-command’s outburst,

“We did. Evidently, a remaining few are coming directly from The Foundry. Turin was slick as it appears he had his henchmen entrenched there out of our reach for who knows how long. He was an Elder for how many years and had his own secret society and able to do whatever he wanted without being monitored. What he did to Skye and Lily is proof of that because he was able to destroy 159

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their family and experiment on Lily.”

Hunter snarled from the other couch and the sound was all Ashlyn needed to lose it. Hissing furiously she moved to get up and was relieved when Caleb instantly let her go. When she stood, she forgot to let go of the leather of the couch and came up with shreds of leather in her hands. If she had been trying not to be the center of attention, she had failed terribly because all eyes turned in her direction. The impulse of fight or flight flooded her body but this time she didn’t want to do either. This time she wanted to help all of the wonderful men and women surrounding her because the monsters on the computer screen wouldn’t be stopped this time.

Deep down she knew they were coming for keeps and Turin would be opening the Dimensional Gate to finish sealing their fate in a time of crisis.

Fighting past the hiss blocking her throat Ashlyn knew she had to say something. To her relief, Caleb was right there for her standing by her side. He took her hands in his and gently uncurled her fingers removing the shredded leather and dropping it to the floor.

In a quietly controlled voice, he said, “What is it, Ashlyn? Talk to us, darlin.’ I know you want to help us.”

Swallowing with difficulty, she looked right into Caleb’s lavender eyes. His concern and protective aura blanketed her calming her enough so she could be coherent. Turning to the group, she maintained a grip on Caleb’s hands and let his energy sink deep into her for mental balance.

In a rush she said, “These men will not stop. There is only one drive for them. To do exactly what Turin has commanded them to do because their minds are weak and he can manipulate them. They won’t stop until everyone here is dead except for those they have been ordered to keep. The Sphinx women.”

Gasps of shock and snarls of fury exploded throughout the room until Khenti Michael barked out, “Enough!” Instant silence descended except for Michael’s intense tone.

“Ashlyn, we have always known that Turin has been out to acquire our Power Mates. From what he has indicated time and again, he wants them for their abilities and to create the ultimate army to destroy us. Do you have anything else from Elder Chloe 160

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that could help us?”

There it was finally, to reveal the rest of her own personal nightmare. She was sure the whisperings of the complex about her mysterious appearance had already circulated for quite some time, and her actions of going out with the Warriors last round to fight The Foundry enemy had tongues wagging. Everyone considered her a hot head but the truth was she had to put up that front to keep people away and protect her secrets. She wasn’t sure if she could handle letting down her guard but she had no choice.

Clearing her throat nervously and glancing at Caleb, who gave her a look of encouragement, Ashlyn finally let go and spilled everything, letting it tumble out.

“Elder Chloe doesn’t have a damn thing that can help with this one…but I do. I was taken away from my mother by Turin and his men. He killed her in front of me and tied me up. I was drugged and beaten over and over again because I wouldn’t use my Powers for Turin and his henchmen. My mother had told me to never give in to them… so I didn’t.”

Ashlyn swallowed convulsively and looked away from the fury filling Caleb’s expression. She couldn’t take it if his anger was towards her and the fact that she hadn’t completely come clean with him. However, she knew she had to continue even if he never wanted anything else to do with her. The fact he was still gripping her hands and appeared not to have any intention of releasing her was the only thing that kept her going.

Her entire body was trembling at this point with the mix of adrenaline and the recall of her past suffering. She forced a deep breath into her lungs and then looked straight at Khenti Michael.

“Since I wasn’t useful for my Powers and not old enough for breeding purposes, I was used as their training tool. Because I could heal fast, they didn’t have to worry about the damage they caused breaking bones, damaging organs, or slicing me to ribbons. I could draw the golden energy and heal myself fast enough.”

Lily shot off the couch, surprising Ashlyn and everyone else when the furniture in the room began to shift subtly. With a fury of her own, Lily cried out, “Those monsters! What they did to us was unforgiveable, Ashlyn. Never forget that. You may have been able to 161

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heal on the outside but they knew, oh yes, they knew that you, or I, or anyone else there would never heal on the inside. Turin knew exactly what he was doing to break us so he could manipulate us exactly how he wanted.”

Caleb’s hands tightened on hers and Ashlyn felt his subtle pull to get her closer just like Hunter had stood up and drawn Lily into his arms. Ashlyn knew Caleb would resist his own impulse even though she could feel him suffering in his need to protect her. She couldn’t do that to him and mostly just wanted to feel him against her.

Letting go of one of his hands, she shifted quickly so he was behind her and then settled against him so he could wrap his arms fully around her.

She would never allow anyone else to cover her back like this but she trusted Caleb completely and let him know with a thought across their link. He sighed behind her and she felt the relief and a control come over him from the knowledge. Her own mind settled knowing he would always be there for her which gave her the strength to continue.

“I’m not sure how long I was there but eventually I became strong enough to overcome the drugs. One night I used my Life Power against one of the men who had abused me…and… basically fried his ass into ash.”

Skye gasped from where she sat near Ethan but Ashlyn continued because there just wasn’t time to be delicate, even though she was crumbling inside from the memories. “Yes, the killing scarred me mentally but even more so when I had to dig the tracking device from beneath my Power Keeper’s birthmark. My inner Sphinx couldn’t get over that and from then on I couldn’t use my Power and that’s why I couldn’t help any of you. The night I went with Hunter and Jacob to stop the first invasion I was shot one too many times, and probably would have died, but Caleb saved me.”

Caleb spoke up then with an authority that seemed to vibrate from him and informed the room, “She was in rough shape when I found her in the sublevel tunnel. I had no choice but to grab her and the moment I did her abilities and mine were instantaneously on full speed. It was incredible and everything just seemed to align. I 162

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knew then that…”

He went silent suddenly and Ashlyn felt his emotions swirling dangerously but when she tried to ease him as he had eased her, he narrowed their shared connection. With a growl, he finished, “All I know is we have to stop these bastards before they cause any more damage.”

The room erupted in chaos as everyone began agreeing with Caleb, with Michael, and any other Warriors’ discussion of stopping the invading force. Ashlyn noticed the Sphinx leader remained silent letting the conversations swirl up which told her he was caught up in his own considerations. She leaned back into Caleb glad not to be the center of attention anymore, at least for the men.

However, Eleina, Skye, and Lily were all looking at her with the expression of sisters who had all experienced and survived against the odds.

Finally, Michael pushed away from the war planner’s desk and began to pace in between the couches and chairs in evident deep thought. As he wove his way to the middle of the room, the noise in the room grew quieter until Ashlyn was sure a person could have heard a feather hit the floor.

When he reached mid-point, he turned around and slowly made his way back to the front. He kept his back to them for several seconds and when he turned to face the room of waiting Sphinx and Guardians, his expression was resolved. The leader truly held the expression of a man with more weight on his shoulders than he could handle and Ashlyn felt sorry for him. When would this all stop?

With a heavy sigh he finally said, “We have no choice. We must split the team. Hunter, Jacob, and Caleb I need you to intercept the invading Gatherers. It’s a shame they must be destroyed, as once they were a part of our Egyptian community and coordinators between the humans and us, but the alternative is too dangerous.

They’re determined to destroy us and have been warped by Turin.

With the weaponry they have, it will be dangerous. Caleb, do you think your Power Phasing is fast enough to take out as many as you can with Hunter and Jacob backing you up. Your speed is going to have to outrun a lot of fucking bullets.”

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Coming back instantly, Caleb responded with conviction, “Ashlyn has been training with me on how to regulate the Power and equalize my movement so I don’t burn out too fast. I have no doubt I can accomplish the mission and more than willing to risk it to get these bastards. Hell, yeah.”

Ashlyn’s inner Sphinx hissed in her mind. Everything the Elder had spoken of earlier seemed to be coming into being. For a moment, she couldn’t catch her breath with the thought of Caleb being out there on his own and exposed. They would be separated if she stayed here. Her instincts to fight by his side fired up and she decided there and then no one, including Caleb, was going to keep her from going.

Before she could speak up Michael continued, “Good, but don’t get too cocky out there. Who knows what ugliness Turin has taught them. I have faith you’ll be successful, and unfortunately, I need you to continue to Winterhaven afterwards. We need to make sure there aren’t any other females in that hell-hole and permanently shut it down.”

Ethan spoke up suddenly, “Dude, I can prep something to permanently shut it down. Something nice and explosive.”

“And I’ll more than welcome the chance to shove it straight up their ass,” Hunter growled.

With her adrenaline escalating quickly from the thought of being separated from Caleb and knowing he was going to The Foundry, Ashlyn wiggled out of his arms and rushed to the center of the room.

Without pause she firmly stated, “I’m going and don’t tell me no.

No offense intended Khenti, but I know every inch of that place from having been dragged through the place more times than I want to remember. If Ethan’s right, then getting in and out of The Foundry and back here in time before Turin gets the Dimensional Gate open is critical. Besides, if something does happen, especially with the bullets, they’ll have me there for Life Power.”

A snarling sound from behind her had Ashlyn turning around and she was shocked to see how truly furious and worked up Caleb was. She had heard time and again of the Warriors’ protective modes but Caleb was so laid back from the others she hadn’t 164

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expected him to get so worked up as she was seeing now. His jaw was clenched, his hands were fisted, and his eyes glittered dangerously. Even his Life Power could be detected just under the surface of his skin giving him a slight diamond-dust aura.

A long deep growl emanated from his chest before he commanded, “She’s not going back out in the desert again. Like hell I’m going to let her get shot up again. I almost lost her before and I refuse to go through that again. Please Ashlyn, we’ll get the mission done and you can hang here just in case the remaining Warriors need help if the Gate opens while we’re gone. With Stormy down, they may need you.” The last was said in a strangled tone and Ashlyn could tell Caleb didn’t like others touching her or even having Power transferred from her.

The other Mated Warriors snorted and laughed around the room from the free show Ashlyn knew Caleb and her were presenting. She even heard Joshua say, “Yeah, he’s got it bad. Welcome to the group.”

Refusing to let the comments ire her any more than she already was, Ashlyn looked straight into Caleb’s eyes. She fought to not get angry at the entire situation and storm out to do what she wanted to do anyway. She would control herself for Caleb if it killed her. He deserved better than one of her temper tantrums.

Not knowing how to proceed, she decided simply to say, “Don’t you remember what Elder Chloe said. What happens to us if we’re separated? If anything happened to you at The Foundry…”

Ashlyn’s words failed her as she fought with an emotion she was afraid to try and name. “Please Caleb. You need me out there. We’re a team. Remember? If I’m needed back here you can phase us at the speed of Power anyway. Don’t leave me here. Please.”

Ashlyn hated to beg, hated to make a scene like this in front of all of these Warriors and Guardians, and never gave in to anyone like this. In her heart, she knew she had to love this Warrior if she was making this much of a one-eighty in her attitudes and behavior. If he said no she would stay, at least until they took off, but then she would follow because she wasn’t going to risk Caleb’s life. If he was mad at her, then so be it, the alternative of his death would kill her anyway.

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Holding her breath to see what his decision would be, Ashlyn stood in the middle of the room and rubbed at her Sefu bracelet.

She watched Caleb while he stood there for so long and appeared to get control of the powerful wave of emotion she could feel crossing their shared connection. Fear for her safety and pure rage at the thought of anyone hurting her again rode him hard but slowly she felt him settle. Ashlyn hoped he was weighing the facts too in the chaos of his mind and see that staying together was the only way.

Finally, he moved in her direction and the expression he wore was like a great cat stalking its prey. Ashlyn wasn’t afraid of him though, because she knew he would never hurt her. When he stopped before her, he reached out and brushed a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear and she suddenly wanted more of his touch. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the trailing of his fingers down her cheek.

When he withdrew his hand, she opened her eyes to find him watching her closely. With a deep sigh and a voice that sounded weary to her ears, Caleb said, “Fine, Ashlyn. If Khenti Michael agrees, you can come, but I have to warn you, you’ll do what I say.

No argument. Understood?”

Being told what to do and following orders was never a strong point for Ashlyn but she would try for Caleb.

“Okay, Caleb. I’ll follow your lead.” He nodded subtly but she knew he still didn’t like that she was going into danger.

Ashlyn was a Power Protector though, and if they had any hope of being together, he was going to have to realize she was trained for this kind of danger. Caleb knew what she could do and that she could be as deadly as any Sphinx Warrior. Together they would be so much stronger than apart.

Now that she had permission from Caleb, albeit grudgingly given, she turned to the Sphinx leader. Would he agree to her proposal or would she have to sneak out? She watched his expression while he appeared to be considering all of the aspects of her suggestions. His eyes narrowed upon her and she wondered for the hundredth time if the Warrior not only had the rare ability of controlling the Warrior’s Link but also of reading minds.

To her relief, Khenti Michael finally directed, “Ashlyn goes as 166

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well. Caleb, I know you’ll keep her safe even if she has the skills of a Warrior. It’s just inherent in the way we run when it comes to those we care about. She’s important to all of us. I’ll reach out and let you know if the Dimensional Gate opens or anything else crucial happens and we need you to return. Now, good luck and be fast.

We’re almost out of time.”

****

Keep her safe, keep her safe, keep her safe! Khenti Michael’s words rang in Caleb’s head over and over again in time with the surges of his Life Power as he stood in the middle of the main reinforced concrete garage of the complex surrounded by black four-wheel-drive Suburbans and Jeeps. The moment the directives had been given, the planning room had emptied out with everyone rushing to their assignments. The remaining Warriors and Guardians Elite had gone with Joshua to receive additional enhanced gear in case the Gate opened early. Eleina had gone to the Medical Facility to let Alexandria know to be on stand-by and Caleb had followed Hunter and Jacob to the main garage with Ashlyn closely pinned to his side. She didn’t complain one time about his overly protective manner but his inner Sphinx had growled the whole time because Ashlyn was being placed in danger.

Caleb knew Ashlyn was right, she had to come with him, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Yes, she was a highly trained Power Protector but losing her would be the end of him because his love was growing exponentially for her. There was no stopping it and no stopping him from protecting her and destroying anything dangerous that came near her. Now he truly understood why the other Mated Warriors acted the way they did and was amazed any of them were sane.

“Caleb put this on now, please. You’re fast but the bullets are just as fast.” Ashlyn shoved a new and improved battle vest at him and a pair of arms gauntlets. The expression on her face told him she wasn’t going to let him go anywhere without the extra protection. In a way, it seemed silly to him because the gear only protected the torso and forearms to prevent Wraith from causing severe damage during battle. He knew his head would still be exposed but Joshua had done the best he could in the small amount of time he had to 167

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enhance some type of war gear. It would just have to do.

Grabbing the silver gunmetal-link vest, he slipped into it but when he reached for the gauntlets Ashlyn held them back. He was so distracted for a moment he realized she had been standing there waiting for him and he focused on her beautiful face. When Caleb met her eyes, he saw the incredible sadness and fear contained in the golden depths. Her usual confident exterior was slipping and he noticed her lower lip quiver ever so slightly.

Concern rushed through him and he reached out touching her cheek. “What is it, Ashlyn?”

He wasn’t sure if she was going to answer but haltingly she whispered, “I’m scared of losing you, Caleb. I’m not sure what to do.

I haven’t felt this way since my mother died.”

Not caring what the others thought or if Ashlyn would resist being held, Caleb pulled her in close surrounding her in his embrace. Even though she had the aura of a Warrior, when he held her like this it hit him how petite she really was, true deadliness hidden in her small but powerful form. To his relief, she leaned into him and hugged him for a moment before pushing back. She still didn’t give him the gauntlets but secured them on his forearms herself. It reminded him of centuries past when the women dressed their men for battle and Ashlyn did it with the same care and detail given so long ago.

When she was done she stepped away and finished putting her own gear on. Behind her Hunter and Jacob finished securing their vests and gauntlets and then proceeded to fight over the keys to see who would drive. Caleb almost laughed when Ashlyn rolled her eyes and muttered, “Boys.” However, he didn’t. There was just too much tension running through him and it was getting worse because he knew it was time to complete a mission that was going to be both painful for Ashlyn and nerve-racking for him. By the Ancients, it was going to be nerve-racking for him.

Without really meaning to, he snapped, “Are we going to get the hell out of here or what?”

Hunter and Jacob froze and both turned and stared at him.

Hunter was the first to speak with a snorted, “Man, oh, man. Who would have thought our Caleb would have a violent streak in there.

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Okay, Warrior, save your energy for taking out the enemy.”

Caleb saw Hunter take advantage of the distraction he had caused and snatched the keys out of Jacob’s hand. With an added poke at Jacob, Hunter smirked, “Everybody load up. We’re out of here.”

No sooner had Hunter given the order Ashlyn brushed by and squeezed Caleb’s hand. He squeezed back, and would have liked to continue the contact since it balanced him, but she breezed by so quickly she slipped from his grasp. He watched her tight little ass as she rushed over to the end Suburban closest to the large drive-through exit door. By the time he caught up with her she had already popped open the back door and slipped inside. Sliding over she left plenty of room for him and he easily maneuvered up onto the seat. Hunter jumped into the driver’s seat and Jacob followed diving into the front passenger seat.

With everyone settled, Hunter revved up the engine and activated the garage door. Caleb was keyed up and ready to go but when he saw the weather outside, he ground his teeth. Heat lighting lit up the dark night sky for a moment before everything went black again, a reminder it was monsoon season in the desert. Just what they didn’t need was nature’s strobe light to increase their chances of being seen.

“What the hell? Can’t we get a fucking break? I don’t like this, Hunter.” Caleb leaned forward pointing out towards the now dark desert.

“Neither do I, Caleb, but it can’t be helped. Everyone hold on.

We’re going in without lights. Should be in position in about five and then we’ll go the rest of the way by foot to a meeting point before we cut you loose to do your damage, Caleb,” Hunter answered back before slamming the vehicle into gear and then driving out the door.

Light streamed out onto the blowing sand as it swirled around them from the winds being generated by the incoming storm.

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put to good use. The Warrior expertly maneuvered around the spread of Complex 46 even though the world outside was pitch black. Once he reached the end of the above ground buildings Hunter jerked the steering wheel and headed them in the direction of the invading Gatherer team. Caleb was torn with the conflicting emotions and Power surges going through him as they traveled at breakneck speed through the dark desert.

One side of him welcomed the battle and taking on an enemy intent on hurting his Sphinx family. The other side was worried and desperate to protect the woman beside him, even if she did have the skills of a Warrior. He could feel the same conflicts running through her and when he looked over he found Ashlyn watching him with concern but also a determination. He reached out with his hand and she didn’t hesitate at all placing her hand in his and holding tight.

Ashlyn didn’t relinquish his hand the whole short trip while they bounced around in the dark confines of the Suburban. Only the lights from the dashboard dimly lit the interior in its eerie blue and green subdued glow. Even the talk was subdued with little said other than the occasional checks from Hunter to make sure everything was a go. The closer they got to the rally point, the more his heart squeezed and hurt in his chest at the thought of Ashlyn being out there. He had to keep her safe and the only thing he could think of doing was to make sure he took out all of the enemy, not just the first few before the rest of the team engaged. He wondered if he had the strength and Life Power to accomplish it but knew he had no choice.

Too soon they arrived and Hunter pulled over behind a large up-cropping of sandstone to keep the vehicle hidden from any eyes which might be looking. The moment Hunter powered off the Suburban, Caleb reluctantly let go of Ashlyn’s hand and pushed his way out of the vehicle. It killed him that he felt her trying to hold onto his fingers a few seconds longer, but if he was going to keep her safe, he had to go. Once outside, though, he turned back to her and helped her out of the vehicle even though he knew she was perfectly capable.

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hair and the occasional raindrop touching his skin. Caleb figured it must be his Power ramping up because of the need to get ready to push into the Power Phasing, or perhaps it was just his overwrought emotional state at the thought of her in danger. Either way, he nearly jumped out of his skin when Jacob slapped him on the back.

He spun around on the blond haired Warrior who immediately put up his hands and said, “Whoa, Caleb. Save that death stare for the Gatherer assholes out there. I was just checking to see if you were ready.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Caleb saw Hunter edge up to the small group. Adjusting his protective gear Hunter nodded and directed, “Yeah, save it. You’ll need all your abilities to outrun the automatic weaponry and the bullets they’re going to be raining down on your head. I hope your training paid off, Caleb, because you’re going to need it. If you run into any trouble, don’t be a hero, ease back until we catch up with you. I figure for us it’ll be about a five minute jog to reach the enemy line, for you it’ll be split seconds before you engage.”

Caleb ground his teeth. It was going to be rough. Five minutes to reach the Gatherers, avoid their gunfire, and take all of them out before Ashlyn got there. He had no choice, though, because there was no way in hell he was going to risk her around bullets again.

Grabbing Hunter’s shoulder he ground out, “I’ll take care of it.

There’s nothing more I want to do than kick some Gatherer ass for what they did to Ashlyn and you guys last time. Give me a full five so I can get a little enjoyment in before you take my fun away.” He paused for a moment but couldn’t help the next words that came out of his mouth. “Watch out for her, will you? I know she can kick ass just like the rest of us but I’ll concentrate better knowing you’re watching out for her.”

Jacob stepped up then and said, “We’ll watch out for her just as we would for our own Power Mates.” Caleb heard Ashlyn sigh heavily and Jacob grinned at him as he continued, “Of course, she may be the one watching our ass when she grinds us into the sand, especially if we hover over her too much.”

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him.

Nodding back, he said, “Thanks. I owe you more than you know.”

Finished with the business of baring his soul to everyone Caleb turned back to Ashlyn and pulled her near. “Be careful, darlin.’ I want you safe and in one piece at the end of this. And no more damn bullets in your hide.”

He grabbed her tight then and kissed her with as much love as he could send to her in one desperate kiss since he couldn’t tell her the words, at least not yet.

Before he changed his mind about leaving her, Caleb let go and stepped away from Ashlyn even though his entire being screamed for him to stay with her. He didn’t get far, though, because right when he got ready to force himself to turn and sprint off, she grabbed his battle vest, pulling him back. When he looked at her, he actually saw tears in her golden eyes.

She leaned so close to him he could feel her breath whisper against his cheek when she whispered, “Be safe, Warrior. Please don’t leave me alone again in this crazy world.” At the end of her words, Ashlyn kissed him threading her fingers in his hair like she was never going to let him go. Her swirling emotions rushed across their shared link so quickly it was difficult for him to clarify all of them but it didn’t matter. Just having her in his arms was more than he could ever want.

When the kiss ended, he didn’t want to let her go but knew he had to if he was going to take out the enemy and keep her safe.

Setting her back gently and letting go, he glanced over at Hunter and Jacob one more time, and with a nod, fired up his Life Power and disappeared into his Power Phasing toward the incoming enemy.

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Five minutes. He had five fucking minutes to reach Turin’s henchmen and take them out before Ashlyn and the others reached the battle line to more than likely be riddled with bullets. Caleb pushed himself to the max speeding across the desert faster than his Power Signature, the panther, even faster than the lightning that streaked across the night sky. He knew he should conserve some of his energy and equalize it like Ashlyn and he had trained on but he was too wound up, too out of control with the consuming worry of her being injured.

Yes, he knew she was a Power Protector, and damn it, she had looked so good standing there decked out in her Warrior gear. She had even had the look of a female Warrior ready to do some major damage against the enemy, and he knew without a doubt she could take care of herself. Still, now that he knew the inner Ashlyn, he could see beyond that protective cloak of strength which she projected to the world and see the small girl insidethe small girl who had never recovered from the abuse Turin and his brutes had done to her, and for that they would all pay by his hand.

With a snarl, Caleb pushed his speed to the point where he could feel his muscles begin to strain against the abuse, but he didn’t care.

He would reach the Gatherers first and take all of them out before Ashlyn got there even if it left him crippled. As if mirroring his vicious thoughts, a bolt of lightning streaked across the black of night and the following rumble of thunder vibrated through his entire body. The increasing wind from the incoming monsoon did nothing to cool his overheating body, but the sudden downpour at least cooled him a bit. Unfortunately, it also made the desert a soggy soup which slowed him down. Still, Caleb made good time reaching the line of highly skilled and heavily weaponized men earlier than he had thought. The bad news was that there appeared to be more than was initially assessed.

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Instead of a dozen, there were twice as many. It didn’t matter, though, because he still had to take them all out and fast. Spying them amid the cacti and other desert plants in the dark was easy with his Sphinx enhanced vision. With no effort at all, he narrowed down his choices of who his first victims were going to be. Not slowing down in the least, Caleb pulled two silver daggers from his weapons belt and threw them with pinpoint accuracy. The deadly daggers slammed into the enemies’ throats and they both went down without a sound.

Now that he was behind the battle line and unseen, Caleb forced his body to maintain the breakneck speed to do maximum damage as quickly as he could. Time was the critical factor because the minutes were quickly counting down before Ashlyn reached the site.

Over and over in his mind the mantra repeated itself  protect her, protect her, protect her! One after another, he silently streaked by the enemy snapping their necks, stabbing them through the heart, anything to bring them down fast and silent.

Inside he hated the fact that he had to kill those who had served so well before Turin had twisted their minds over the long years until there was nothing human left to save. Caleb could feel the seconds tick by faster than he could accomplish his mission and with a surge of his Life Power he pushed himself even faster. His energy was draining too quickly and he wondered if he was going to burn out before the end of it all. He found out the hard way that he was indeed pushing too hard when he was about halfway done with taking out the Gatherers. When he rounded the one end of the formation in a blur, his killing strike just missed the jugular of one of the armed enemies.

The man clutched at his bloody neck and screamed in agony while he opened fire on anything and everything around him. The one mistake was all it took and all hell broke loose as Gatherers opened fire. The barrage of bullets was mind-numbing and Caleb barely had time to get his ass out of the way before everything around him was torn to shreds. His impulse was to dive for cover but he had no time. He felt Ashlyn reach out to him through their connection and could tell she was much closer. He could feel her fear for his safety but didn’t have the time to reassure her. He didn’t 174

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want to block her out but he locked down his connection with her.

He had no choice if he was going to maintain his concentration.

Right before her precious mind was cut off from his, he heard her cry out, Caleb! Cursing, he knew there was no way in hell Ashlyn or his brothers-in-arms could survive with the massive amount of bullets flying around. They would be slaughtered and all because he couldn’t get his ass moving. When a bullet hit his thigh, fury rose in him, and risking it all, he dumped most of what was left of his energy into the Power Phasing. The rush filled him instantly, and reflexing his Sefu from its bracelet form into his Power Sword, Caleb projected his Power outward and streaked past the remaining Gatherers. One after another he took them out anyway he could. It wasn’t pretty and he left blood and gore in his wake but again he had no choice.

He did it to save Ashlyn, he did it to save his Warrior brothers, but in the end he was the one to suffer the most. The mission was done and he had accomplished in five minutes what he probably would never be able to do again. Frozen in place in the midst of the carnage he had just created, Caleb watched the blood seep into the desert sand. He could barely catch his breath, let alone stand on his feet. His Life Power was at critical low levels, his entire body screamed in agony where his muscles had torn from the excessive force put against them, and most of all his Life Force cried out in pain for the lives of his people he had just taken, even if they couldn’t be saved.

Numbly, he stood there while his Power Sword slowly reflexed back into its bracelet form from the lack of Life Power. His legs felt like they were going to buckle and his head throbbed from the incredible effort he had just accomplished. His heart pounded so hard he barely heard the approaching sound of sprinting footsteps but there was no mistaking it when Ashlyn reached him. She impacted him so hard in a hug, he staggered backward and almost went down. Only his supreme effort of remaining on his feet and using her body as a crutch kept him on his feet.

“Caleb! Don’t ever do that again. I couldn’t sense you. I didn’t know if they had killed you or what. If you ever shut me out again like that, I’ll kick your ass, damn it. Open up to me right now,” she 175

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yelled at him, punctuating her last words by punching him in the chest. Looking down at her furious expression, Caleb could barely think straight let alone completely comprehend her words. His mind was in chaos but it cleared slightly when Hunter and Jacob caught up looking like two drowned rats from the rain. Caleb almost laughed in hysteria from the shocked expressions on their faces when they saw the massacre surrounding him. Yeah, he could just imagine what kind of insane monster he appeared to be at the moment and was surprised the Warriors didn’t yank Ashlyn away from him.

Hunter was the first to speak up. The Warrior appeared to scan for anything left for him and Jacob to finish up. “Oh man. What the fuck, Caleb? Are you okay? Were you trying to get yourself killed?

You were only supposed to reduce the numbers, not take out the whole lot of them.”

“He doesn’t look very good. I think he over did it. Ashlyn, he may need some help,” Jacob chimed in and Caleb wasn’t surprised that Jacob could tell he was in dire straits. The Warrior was uncanny with his tracking ability. Normally, it was Wraith or other enemies but he seemed even to be able to detect traces of Power.

The touch of Ashlyn’s fingers on his cheek caught Caleb’s attention, and he looked down into her golden eyes. He thought hazily that she was so beautiful with the raindrops clinging to her eyelashes and the energy which seemed to glisten on her skin. His hand shook as he reached up and brushed his thumb across her full lower lip.

His voice sounded slurred in his ears when he said, “I had to keep you safe.”

Ashlyn grabbed his face and the coolness of her fingers felt so good against his skin. Her tone sounded fearful even though she strongly demanded, “Caleb, open your link to me now!”

He really wanted to but he was so foggy it was difficult to concentrate. Being this low on Life Power had only happened to him one other time and only Stormy and Alexandria’s determination to bring him back had saved him. This time it would be the woman he loved who helped him if he could just get his head on straight. With a deep breath, he weakly reached for the 176

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connection. It seemed so far away but the slight effort he made was enough for Ashlyn to link with him. When she did connect with him, it was with a vengeance.

Even though they weren’t completely Mated, Ashlyn was still a force of Power. Her mind swirled into his wrapping around his inner mind and soothing his torment. When she hit the chaotic memories he tried to hold back from her of the past few minutes of pushing himself to the extremes to protect her she cried out.

Suddenly, Ashlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, kissing him with an intensity that took his breath away.

Her body began to shake in his arms and he held onto her tighter.

Partly for her, but mostly for him. He needed to feel her near and know that she was okay.

Her kiss was all-consuming to him, blurring out the last few minutes of hell he had gone through. She was safe and suddenly so full of Life Power he could feel her energy surround him. When she finally let him come up for air, he looked down at her and indeed she glowed with the golden energy she had rapidly collected and he knew it was for him. Her hands framed his face, and when he felt her reach inside their connection to fill him with the Power he so desperately needed, he opened for her instantly. The rush of Power that flowed into him from her made him groan. The sensual path of heat it left through his body made him want to grab Ashlyn and take her somewhere secluded so he could show her exactly what it meant to be made love to. All he could do was pull her closer in his embrace and lean his face into her soft hair. He inhaled her unique strawberry scent deep into his lungs and felt his energy level rise rapidly. She had saved his body and his mind with not only the Life Power she had gifted him but her very willingness to be in his arms.

As the feedback from his charged body fed back into Ashlyn, she slowly withdrew the Transference of Power and returned what remained to the natural surroundings. Caleb would have liked to have held her the rest of the night and not have to continue with the rest of the mission. He feared for Ashlyn’s safety even more on the last leg of the journey. Not only her physical safety, but that of her mind since she would have to go back to the place where she had been abused.

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A clearing of Hunter’s throat reminded Caleb they had an audience and even caused Ashlyn to jump in his arms. She wiggled free of his embrace right when Hunter said, “I hate to interrupt a Transference as incredible as that, but we have to finish this. We’re running out of time.”

Caleb knew Hunter was accurate in his evaluation because he could feel the surges of dark energy oozing up from the desert floor as the Dimensional Gate started its next cycling to open.

****

Gritting her teeth, Ashlyn decided it was lucky Hunter was such a skilled driver otherwise she would have had to put her fist into the back of his head. She hated riding in vehicles ever since she had been kidnapped as a child because her captors had thrown her into the trunk of a car after killing her mother. She had been thrown around in the dark interior while the drivers recklessly wove through the back roads of Yuma until they had reached Winterhaven where The Foundry resided. She had had no control then but she did now.

The only things keeping her level headed now was the realization Hunter’s Sphinx skills managed the four wheel drive vehicle on the rain slicked road with very little effort and having Caleb sitting right next to her. She was still shaken by how exhausted Caleb had looked after using his ability and taking out the enemy Gatherers.

When she had touched his mind, he had almost felt broken to her and it shook her to the core that he would risk his mental state to protect her at all costs. The man really did care for her but inside she felt she didn’t deserve him. She was too broken and yet he didn’t care, obviously wanting to be with her. She glanced over at him in the darkness and found him looking at her with an intensity she felt to the depths of her Life Force.

Caleb slid his hand across the seat in her direction and she couldn’t resist the impulse that drove her to thread her fingers with his. In the silence, she sent him a heartfelt, Thank you, through their connection for the danger he had placed himself in on her behalf. When he smiled at her and returned a You’re welcome, darlin,’ Ashlyn’s breath caught. When he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, she knew he had her heart completely in his hands.

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She was completely and totally his, even if they weren’t Joined.

Instead of being frightened and feeling the usual need to run, she felt balanced, whole, and truly alive. If they made it through the next several hours between The Foundry and the Gate, she was going to tell him she was his.

With a deep sigh and feeling she had finally been set free, Ashlyn leaned back in the seat. Caleb shifted closer to her and she leaned against him to take advantage of the few minutes reprieve before the next round of danger. She shivered at the thought of returning to the experimental mental institute where everything she had believed in had been shredded to pieces, including her Power.

However, she was returning as a strong and deadly Power Protector and Power Keeper. She would show them what she had become against the odds and make them pay.

The closer they got to The Foundry the more agitated she became, not only from the memories, but from the strange intertwining energies that she sensed in the distance. Luckily, the trip didn’t take long. Ten minutes out of the desert, ten minutes from Yuma to Winterhaven, and a final ten outside the city. Ashlyn was so wound up, she almost vibrated from her pent up energy. The only thing that kept her from climbing out of the Suburban ahead of time was Caleb holding her hand and his caress over the inside of her wrist. The distraction worked and before she knew it, Hunter was pulling off the road and onto an unlit dirt drive.

Pulling behind an up-cropping of rock, Hunter parked the big black vehicle and informed them, “Okay, guys. This is as close as we get with this beast. We’re going to have to hoof it the rest of the way in. Who knows what kind of sensors they have hooked up.”

“Leave that to me. I can Power Phase in and check out the area.

Maybe even take out a few of the assholes before you get there,”

Caleb aggressively jumped in with the suggestion.

Ashlyn panicked, knowing Caleb was still recovering from his earlier use of his Power. Grabbing his hand tighter, she cried, “No, Caleb! You just risked your neck for all of us and your system is still recovering. If you try to use your Phasing now, you’ll burn out before you even reach the building. We go in together. I promise I’ll be fine, and if I have any issues, I’ll back out and let Hunter, Jacob, 179

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and you take down this hell hole. Just give me enough time to detect if there are any other Power-holding prisoners inside.

Please.”

Only he could make her plead and if she needed to, she would beg on her knees. Ashlyn couldn’t take seeing him in the aftermath condition he had been in earlier again for her or anyone else. It had hurt her deep inside to the point she couldn’t breathe and she didn’t want either of them to be in that kind of anguish again.

“Caleb. Ashlyn’s right,” Jacob added as he turned around to face them. “There’s no need for you to use your abilities this round. Give yourself a break. We can tackle this as a team. We’ll break through the perimeter, go in and case the place to make sure the facility is clear of any other prisoners, and then blow the damn place. Worse case, we come back later to finish this off since you’ve already taken out a huge number of them in the desert anyway.”

Not sure if Caleb was going to agree or not, Ashlyn sat tense in the seat next to him anxiously waiting for his answer. When he finally nodded, appearing to agree with Jacob’s assessment, she breathed a sigh of relief. The plan was set and it was time to face her past nightmare, but before she could reach for the doorknob, Caleb lifted her hand and kissed her palm gently. She looked at him and read his deep concern for her in his eyes. Even in the face of battle, he still looked after her and treated her with such care. The man was incredible and if she had her way, he would be hers now and forever.

Caleb leaned so close Ashlyn could feel the intense heat of his body against her skin. His breath brushed across her ear when he whispered, “Be careful, Ashlyn. If anything happened to you, it would kill me. Just know, no matter what happens, I love you.”

His words of love spiraled straight to her heart but all she could do was sit there and try to get her voice to work. Before she could answer, Caleb let go of her hand and exited the vehicle. Inside she was joyous and at the same time scared to death. No one had told her they loved her since her mother had died by the hands of Turin and his henchmen. Caleb had told her he loved her and she hadn’t been prepared to answer even though she knew she loved him. Fear held her tongue because someone she loved was being thrown into 180

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the bowels of The Foundry’s hell again, reminding her of her mother’s death. She couldn’t lose him, refused to lose him.

Not wanting to be left behind, she pushed her way out of the vehicle just in time to join the group of men. Each of them was checking their protective micro-chain battle vest and gauntlets.

Ashlyn did the same and when she finished, Caleb circled her as well, making sure she was set to go. It was a strange feeling to have someone looking out for her but the sensation was incredible at the same time. His hands brushed over her protective gear, her weapons belt, and then her Sefu Element. The caress sent tingles all the way up her arm and it made her wish they were safe and alone together so she could wrap herself around him.

“Okay. If everybody’s ready, let’s get this over with. Khenti Michael hasn’t called us back yet for the Gate but I would guess it can’t be long now.” Hunter said rubbing at his Sefu.

“Hell, yeah. I’m ready,” Caleb growled. He turned toward her and his voice gentled as he asked, “You ready, Ashlyn?”

She nodded knowing she was more than battle ready but uncertain about her mental readiness. It couldn’t be helped, though, because there was no damn way she was letting any of them go in without her. “Ready to give a lot of payback to these bastards for what they’ve done to Lily, Skye, me, and whoever else’s lives they’ve screwed up.”

“Fuck, yeah. Let’s get this done so I can set the charges and blow this dump.” Jacob adjusted the small pack on his back which evidently contained the explosives Ethan had set up for them.

Ashlyn wondered how much damage they could do before turning toward the dark dirt road.

As a team, they moved forward with Hunter and Jacob in the lead and Caleb by her side. Ashlyn sped up to a light jog to keep in formation with the Warriors. In their presence, she felt she could take on anything, including those who had harmed her within The Foundry, and with Caleb within reach, a strange calmness settled within her brain. The Sphinx in her moved forward in her psyche to give her strength for the battle that was sure to come and enhanced her sight even more so she could see in the night.

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rain that stung her face. Gritting her teeth, Ashlyn wiped the water away and scanned the area around her. The grounds looked the same and yet different through her eyes now. She remembered running away in the dark as a scared girl, trying to escape from the clutches of the mental institute. The rain soaked rock laden ground, the occasional dying tree, and the trenches on either side of the road where she had hidden were familiar and yet different. She had changed inside and knew it. What Elder Chloe had started to try to heal her had been finished by Caleb’s caring hand. She just hoped that coming on the mission wouldn’t throw her right back into the quagmire of mental damage The Foundry had done to her.

Lost in her thoughts, Ashlyn almost didn’t notice Hunter and Jacob stopping in front of her. Caleb’s quick touch on her arm brought her attention back to the mission at hand and she forcibly shoved down her emotions and memories. She knew there wasn’t time to dwell on the past and needed to move on anyway. Keeping her focus was critical, not only for her safety, but also Caleb’s and the two Warriors before her. She was the only one who knew all the ins and outs of the mansion-sized building on the other side of the electrified fence they stood before. The building looked exactly as she remembered it, a dark blood red bricked building with dark windows covered with heavy-duty bars.

“I don’t like this, Hunter. It’s too quiet,” Caleb whispered.

“Yeah man. I one hundred percent agree. It may be a trap, so watch your asses,” Hunter shot back over his shoulder. “Jacob and I will go over first. Once we give you the thumbs up come on over and have your Power Swords ready, just in case.”

Without another word, Hunter flexed his legs and Ashlyn watched as the Warrior used his Sphinx strength to catapult himself up and over the fence to land silently on the other side. Jacob did the same thing landing with ease, even with the bag of explosives on his back. Both men crouched low, reflexing their Swords and scanning the area. Ashlyn did the same, letting her vision encircle the entire visible area.

She saw nothing out of place and yet the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up like crazy. Feeling like she was being watched, Ashlyn shivered against the sensation, but no matter how 182

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hard she scanned, she couldn’t find anything out of place.

“Ready over there? I don’t see anything, although my instincts tell me something’s up. I’m pretty sure they’re already expecting us,” Hunter said. “Once you two are over here hit the ground running and get your Swords reflexed. I hope your memory is good, Ashlyn because we need to be quick.”

“My memory is perfectly fine. I assure you,” she growled back.

Ashlyn felt Caleb reach for her, perhaps to reassure her one more time, but they didn’t have time. She knew she had to fire up the old Ashlyn who snarled and had attitude, but why it was so hard she didn’t understand. Without that darker part of her psyche, she would end up being a detriment and possibly cost them.

Using the self-anger building up inside, Ashlyn forced herself to crouch down and shoot up into the air right before Caleb made contact. No sooner had she hit the ground on the other side of the fence and reflexed her Power Sword, automatic gunfire started coming from every direction. She felt what had to be a bullet zing past her head but the only thing she could think of was Caleb’s safety since he had been in the process of clearing the fence. His fury was obvious as he landed right next to her with a snarl and tried to shift his body in front of her and the incoming bullets.

Even as quick as he was, Ashlyn dodged around him and with a shout over the gunfire Ashlyn yelled, “Run for the back of the house! Follow the tree line for cover! There’s a cellar door we can use to get inside.”

Knowing Caleb and the others would follow, Ashlyn didn’t look back. Lowering her head, she put all of the Sphinx energy and speed into her movement that she had. She had to lead the way and get them to the cellar doors before they were turned into Swiss cheese.

There were just too many bullets in the air and where they were coming from she couldn’t tell. Scanning the upper levels of the mansion was just not possible because she had to concentrate on the soaked ground and the tree trunks which seemed to jump out of the darkness into her path.

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through their shared connection. The intent to do maximum damage to the threat against them and specifically against her rolled off him like a dark wave of energy. His Sphinx was beyond pissed at her being in danger, and she had a suspicion if they ever made it through this, he would be like the other Warriors. He would want her not to be so engaged in battle activities like this. Smiling to herself, she realized the odds of him winning that battle wasn’t going to happen.

Although caution and a bit of fear ran through her, she was also relishing the adrenalin pumping through her system and the opportunity to do a little damage herself. That is if she could get them to safety first. With the punctuation of another bullet flying by and clipping her battle vest, Ashlyn wondered if they could get to safety. Spinning around to counter the velocity of the impacting bullet Ashlyn reflexed her Sword back to bracelet form and catapulted herself behind the nearest tree. It took a lot of concentration to accomplish the reflex but her main concern was getting her ass behind cover. The impact knocked the air out of her leaving her breathless. Before she could even regain her own balance, Caleb was there covering her body with his.

With lightning speed, he had his body pressed up against hers so she was pinned up against the tree trunk. His arms supported her while she regained her balance and senses from the spin, which only took seconds. However, her heart refused to slow down, not only from the adrenaline but also from Caleb’s nearness. He was soaked to the bone from the rain and yet the heat pouring off him instantly warmed the chill from her body. She knew then he had used his ability again to reach her and the remaining aura of heat caused steam to rise from his wet clothes and gear.

“Ashlyn, tell me you’re okay. Did the bullet get through your vest?” His voice was frantic with an overtone of his inner Sphinx growl causing the tone to be even lower.

She could feel the tremors run through his body, but at least she didn’t detect any damage to him, although his energy level was still uneven from earlier. Damn her injuries, if he had been hit…she couldn’t think about him being injured, not now.

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tree along with Hunter for cover.

Glancing around her was difficult because Caleb had his body draped around her like a protective shield. Luckily, he eased up a bit, shifting so she could take a quick look.

Yelling back, she informed him, “I’m even with the corner of the back of the house. It’s a straight shot from here and we’ll literally run into the doors as soon as we get to the corner.”

“First, we’ve got to get past all the fucking bullets,” Caleb shot over his shoulder. “You’re a weapons expert, Hunter, surely you can come up with some way to get us past this flying mine field.”

Even Ashlyn could hear the huge sigh that came from Hunter right before he said, “I’m an expert in use and training, Caleb. I don’t pretend to be the expert on weapons. That’s Joshua. I did notice, however, that the timing of the firing appears to be unusually equalized. Any ideas with that technological brain of yours?”

Caleb stood there tense against her and Ashlyn could tell he was analyzing what Hunter had just said. It was obvious his burning need to protect her and the fury of her being in danger was riding him hard throwing off his concentration. She had to help him, and on a whim, she reached up and touched his cheek. When he looked down, she reached through their link to tell him, Caleb you can do it. Find us a way.

His look became intense, completely focused on her and Ashlyn wished she could just get lost in his gorgeous eyes but now definitely wasn’t the time because another bullet whizzed by spraying bark over Caleb’s head. His eyes narrowed but he seemed to remain in control. She watched him while he appeared to be intently listening and then his lips moved ever so slightly as he counted. It only took seconds until a wicked smile spread across his face.

“I’ve got it. It does appear to be an automated system. Every ten seconds the pattern of shots change. In twenty seconds, we’ll have a window of opportunity. Get ready!” Ashlyn was more than ready to get Caleb and the Warriors out of there and knew Caleb was ready to get her out of danger too. He shifted her so she was facing more to the side and it benefited her perfectly so she could have optimal 185

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position to shoot out from behind the tree. He still hovered over her but gave her space to maneuver and would probably be closer than her own shadow the rest of the way to the cellar.

The second Caleb shouted, “Go!” Ashlyn dodged around the tree and felt him right behind her. She didn’t glance back, she didn’t slow down, she just used every bit of speed she possessed to get to the corner of the mansion and just barely in time. The moment all four of them got behind the barrier of the wall the bullets sprayed across where they had just been running. Still they didn’t slow down as Caleb grabbed the handles of the double locked cellar doors and literally ripped them off their hinges. With nothing barring the way, Ashlyn dove down the stairs with Caleb, Hunter, and Jacob behind her.

At the bottom of the stairwell, she froze. Everything looked the same, yet different. When she had run for her life from the attendants and Gatherers in this section of The Foundry in the past it had been for storage. Where before there had been clean sterile supplies and stainless steel medical equipment covered in plastic there was now nothing but cobwebs and the musty smell of rot and decay. Where there had been bright lights there was now only dimness and the rare flickering fluorescent light giving up its last bit of light.

Caleb touched her shoulder and Ashlyn nearly jumped a foot.

When she glanced up the concern on his face was evident. His voice was soft when he asked, “Are you okay?”

Swallowing back the dizzying vortex of confusion and growing fear, she gasped, “Yes. It’s the same and yet not. Everything’s old and falling apart. It’s as if they’ve let the place go and yet I can tell their evil practices haven’t stopped.”

She grabbed Caleb’s arm needing to touch him because she could sense the pain and helplessness of two tiny lives. Urgently, she looked to Caleb for help.

“I can feel them, Caleb. Please. They need our help before we blow this place.”

With a conviction and strength, Ashlyn could hear in his voice, he promised, “We’ll find them, Ashlyn.”

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time if there are still prisoners here, Hunter.”

“I agree,” Hunter returned. “We’ll have to split up. You and Ashlyn go through the rooms on this level. Jacob and I will work our way up through the main level and clear the way on the North half and then start on the upper floors. Jacob can set the charges as we go. After your done here go to the main floor and clear the South half. We’ll meet in the middle and get the hell out of here before it all blows. See both of you in ten.”

When Hunter and Jacob passed by Ashlyn couldn’t help the feeling of fear that grew within her at having the group separated.

At least she had Caleb with her because the Elder’s words of not being separated from him still rang in her ears. Determined to shake off the emotion, she reflexed her Sefu bracelet into its deadly Power Sword form and edged up near Caleb. In an instant, he had his own Sword ready to go and nodded to her. In perfect synchronization, they moved from room to room making sure there were no hiding enemies or helpless victims.

Every movement, every cue from Caleb, Ashlyn perfectly mirrored or paralleled. He would take the high, she would take the low. As he circled, she counter-circled, until they had combed every lower level room, hallway, and closet. It amazed her at the condition of the place since her memory still saw white sterile walls, shiny stainless steel instruments, clean bedding, and bright blinding lights. Now there was only gray dinginess, broken equipment, dried bloody sheets, and a darkness that seemed to penetrate her very Life Force.

Standing at the base of the stairs to the next level, she knew she had to go farther into the bowels of her past hell. Ashlyn didn’t realize she had frozen in place until Caleb gently touched her cheek.

When she looked at him, he leaned down and quickly kissed her mouth before pulling back. If she could have, she would have grabbed his hand and escaped right back out of The Foundry, but she couldn’t. She had to stay and find the last of the victims one way or another.

“It’s clear down here. Ready?” Caleb’s voice was tense but held a gentleness as he brought her back to the mission at hand. Right before she was able to answer him, gunfire erupted from above.

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Caleb roared in fury and charged up the stairs before she could caution him. Normally she knew he was careful in his actions but tonight he was on edge and appeared ready to kill anything that might be headed in her direction.

“Caleb, wait!” She cried but still he charged up the stairs and all she could do was follow him as quickly as she could. Crashing through the door, Caleb didn’t stop but rapidly began searching the other rooms. Ashlyn followed but all she saw was more dark, dingy rooms with cobwebs and flickering lighting.

It seemed hopeless that they were going to find anything until they came to the last farthest room on the south side of the mansion. Caleb circled the room several times and Ashlyn didn’t see anything but she could feel something. A dual Power which could barely be detected but her ability to sense the rare golden energy allowed her to sense the tiny sparks.

“What is it, Ashlyn?” Caleb asked approaching her.

“I don’t know but…” A memory surfaced in her mind and she spun around to face the back wall of the room. Slowly, she approached the gray peeling wall until she was right next to it. As if in a dream, she slowly reached out to touch the wall. Not understanding why, she allowed her energy to flair and surge into the wall. The reaction was instantaneous and the wall slid open to reveal a small storage room.

The moment the door opened an armed Gatherer rushed out straight at her. He raised his semi-automatic rifle at her but before the man could even get one shot in Caleb charged in and slammed his Sword straight through the Gatherer’s chest. The rifle went flying and clattered to the floor so hard the weapon fired a round into the wall. The noise was deafening in the enclosed space but the sound of two children’s screams was even more traumatizing to Ashlyn’s ears.

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Chapter Twelve

Ashlyn cringed amid the chaos of Caleb struggling with the dying man and the sound of the two screaming children before her. For a moment she was thrown back into the past hearing the sound of her own young scream. However, the thought of the two tiny girls she could just see in the corner who needed her help snapped her right back to the present. One with the blondest of hair and the other with the deepest of black had shoved themselves back into the farthest corner of the small room. Arm in arm, they held each other and their eyes were huge with a fear Ashlyn could still feel herself.

They couldn’t be more than five years old but the Power she could feel coming off of them was incredible at their age.

When the dying Gatherer tried to extricate himself from Caleb, both men staggered dangerously in the direction of the two girls.

Afraid the little girls would be trampled, Ashlyn shouted, “Caleb get that asshole out of here so I can get to the children!”

The situation of the presence of the kids must have finally registered in Caleb’s heated mind because Ashlyn watched as he bodily picked the man up and slung him out of the room. He followed in a rush, evidently to make sure the enemy was finished, but Ashlyn was certain the Sword wound to the enemy’s heart would finish him shortly. If nothing else, Caleb was just going to end up expending the last of his fury on a dead body.

Not wanting the two girls to be witness to any more violence, Ashlyn reflexed her Sword back to her Sefu bracelet. She shifted her body between them and the outer room to prevent them from seeing what Caleb might do further to the Gatherer. Slowly she moved forward watching the girl’s expressions carefully. They were obviously scared to death but as they watched her in unison, their crying slowed and a hope bloomed in their eyes. When she was only a couple steps away, Ashlyn carefully crouched before them. She knew there wasn’t much time but wanted to give the girls a moment 189

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to adjust to her presence.

In a soft neutral voice she said, “Hi. I’m Ashlyn. I won’t hurt you, I promise. Neither will Caleb. We’re here to help you. Do you understand?”

Ashlyn wasn’t even sure if the girls understood what she was saying because they continued to hover in the corner. She needed to get them out of there as their time was almost up before Jacob blew the whole mansion to hell and back. In desperation she reached to them with her Life Power since she had felt theirs on and off from the distance. Slowly she released her golden energy allowing it to trickle out to them. She carefully monitored their expressions and when the raven-haired girl reached out with tentative fingers for the Power Ashlyn held her breath.

The instant the girl touched the spreading energy Ashlyn felt the tiniest answer of energy back. It was so pure that Ashlyn knew without a doubt these two children were Sphinx. How or where The Foundry had found them she didn’t know, but it didn’t matter at this point. The little girl’s expression eased from fear to relief and she leaned over to whisper in the blond girl’s ear. Near simultaneously they nodded and stood up. Without pause, they ran over to her. Ashlyn wasn’t certain what to do when they entwined their arms around her because she had never been near anyone so young or small. As she wrapped her arms around them, she was scared she might actually break them.

A sound behind her had Ashlyn tensing and ready to attack whoever might be threatening but when she glanced behind her she found it was only Caleb. His muscular body took up the entirety of the door and he was like an avenging angel guarding her and the children. The look on his face took her breath away as he focused on her with such love and tenderness. She felt an incredible craving from him through their connection, not only for her, but the image of family she presented with the girls. Ashlyn was completely blown away, but not one word came to her mind, and she was left speechless.

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like they were gaining strength from her, and perhaps they did, because Ashlyn sensed the small draw on her energy. “Ashlyn, we’ve got to get out of here. We’re out of time.” Caleb urgently called to her.

She agreed wholeheartedly and grabbed the girls’ hands to leave the room but something stopped her. There was still something within the room. She could feel a small but steady energy pattern in the pile of boxes and other items in the other corner of the small room. Not wanting to, but knowing she had to find whatever was calling to her, she turned to Caleb.

“There’s something still here, Caleb. I can feel it. Take the girls.

Get them out of here and I’ll be right behind you.”

“I’m not leaving you, Ashlyn.” His voice was strained and his expression was thunderous but she had to convince them.

“Caleb. They’re already traumatized enough by this place. Please.

Get them out of here. You’ve already cleared the area. I’ll be fine and I’ll only be a minute.”

On cue, Ashlyn heard Hunter shout from outside the room.

“Come on, you guys. Mansion is clear and the charges have been set. This place is going up in five and you don’t want to be caught up in it. Let’s go.”

Caleb glanced over at her and whispered, “Please, Ashlyn. The Elder said never to …”

She jumped in before he could finish, “I know, Caleb, but I’ll only be a few feet away. By the time you get the girls out the front door, I’ll already have caught up with you. I promise.”

Ashlyn knew he wasn’t convinced but he gave in for her. She felt bad about pushing the issue but she had to find the source of the small energy that was slowly driving her mad, especially if she didn’t find it. She didn’t have time to think about it, though, as Caleb moved forward to gather the girls. Ashlyn glanced down at them and nodded ever so slightly hoping they would understand that Caleb was safe. However, they appeared to know, because they instantly grabbed his hands and didn’t make a sound when he easily lifted both of them into his arms.

Right before he turned away to head out Caleb looked straight at her and in a stern tone said, “If you’re not outside in two, I’m 191

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coming back in for you.”

He turned and rushed straight for the door but Ashlyn didn’t watch to see if he actually exited the room. Time was of the essence and she dove into the pile of boxes, bags, and debris with a vengeance. She upended boxes spilling contents everywhere, ripped bags open, shoved debris out of the way, but still she couldn’t find anything even when she ended up in the corner of the small room itself. Frustrated she stomped her foot and the action shifted one of the heavy tiles right next to the toe of her boot.

Wondering, but not hoping, that there was actually a hiding place that obvious, Ashlyn crouched down by the tile and finished prying it up with a dagger she pulled from her weapons belt. The tile stuck for a second but her Sphinx strength and determination had it popped up and thrown across the room in seconds. Glancing down into the revealed cubbyhole, Ashlyn gasped in shock when she saw the object which sparkled below in the dim light.

Crystal and completely clear was a scroll tube covered with ancient hieroglyphics. At the very end was a cap which had a Power Signature that completely resembled hers, a diamond with a sapphire pyramid. Inside was a yellowed scroll and Ashlyn knew without a doubt she had just found the Seventh Page of Seven.

Reaching down into the cubbyhole, she quickly snatched the scroll from its hiding place and shoved it into her fatigue pants side-pocket. Spinning around, she rushed out of the small room, and in a dead sprint, flew across the outer room and into the hallway. She was sure her two minutes were just about up, if not over, and fear rode her because she didn’t want Caleb coming back inside when the building was going to blow any minute.

When she finally saw the open front door and Caleb outside pacing near the two girls, who had attached themselves to Jacob, Ashlyn breathed a sigh of relief. Slowing herself to a jog she exited the building and felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders. Once the damn Foundry exploded she would never, ever have to deal with it again. The past was gone forever and her future was standing across the yard waiting for her. Caleb’s handsome face showed relief and a need that absolutely drew her in.

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who meant the world to her. So focused on reaching him she didn’t even notice the Gatherer who suddenly appeared from the far side of the mansion until Hunter roared, “Ashlyn, to your left!”

Spinning in the direction of Hunter’s warning of danger, Ashlyn knew it was too late for her even to begin to defend herself. Before the Gatherer pulled the trigger, several things rushed through her mind. The weapon he carried was the most high tech weapon she had ever seen. She wasn’t fast enough to pull up her Power to block the bullets with her Power Sword, and there was no way Caleb was going to let her go down without a fight. The split second before the Gatherer discharged his weapon, Ashlyn heard Caleb’s roar of fury and felt his Power Phase ability fire out in her direction.

The sound of multiple fired rounds had Ashlyn throwing her arms up in front of her, even though she knew it wouldn’t stop the hard cold bullets. Expecting to feel the crushing burn of metal digging into her body she was completely freaked out when she heard Caleb’s roar instantly cut off and felt his body impact into the front of hers. She was thrown to the ground and pinned under his unmoving body. The scream that escaped her wasn’t for her safety but for his. She struggled to shift him so she could see how bad his injuries were and to see if there were any more incoming bullets.

As she pushed Caleb over to the point where she could sit up, she saw that the enemy was well and finished because Hunter and Jacob had sliced the man to ribbons. Ashlyn quickly glanced around to see if there was anyone else bearing down on them but didn’t see any other danger. Her focus and screaming fear turned to Caleb, who was still lying face down on the ground, which was quickly becoming saturated with his blood.

“Everybody down!” Jacob yelled as Hunter and he dove for the ground. Ashlyn did the same covering Caleb’s body with hers as best she could because she knew they were way too close to the building.

The ensuing explosion shook the ground and the change in air pressure was so incredible Ashlyn’s ear drums popped. Her entire body lit up in pain from the debris field that rained down on her head and body. Still, she tried in desperation to cover Caleb who hadn’t even twitched in the least. Amidst it all, she reached for the 193

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connection she shared with him and found he was barely alive. She cried out in agony both verbally and in her mind from the pain which ripped through her body and her Life Force.

When everything finally settled, she shoved the chunks of brick and wood off Caleb and her own aching body. It took several moments of Sphinx healing before she could move and hear anything. By that time, Hunter and Jacob had reached her but she ignored them when they tried to pull her from the rest of the debris and kept talking to her. She heard their words but her mind just wouldn’t comprehend as she struggled to roll Caleb over.

When she finally had him over on his back with his head resting on her lap she cried out. His handsome face and neck was a shredded bloody mess, he was bleeding everywhere, and she knew he wasn’t going to heal. Whatever high tech bullets had been used had turned into hundreds of tiny pieces of shrapnel which had dug deep into him.

Knowing he wouldn’t’ survive without her, Ashlyn grabbed at the golden energy that lived in the world around her and pulled it into her body. Once she had enough in her system she pushed it down the link she shared with Caleb. She locked into his gasping breath and his struggling heart refusing to let him die. Her breaths became his, her heartbeat became his, and everything she could give him, she did.

“Ashlyn, he’s too bad off. There’s no way he can heal that way without Alexandria. Even she can’t get that kind of shrapnel out in time. We’ve got to go, Ashlyn. Let Jacob and me carry him back to the Suburban and you get the girls. Ashlyn…” Hunter’s broken voice finally reached her as she rocked back and forth, her arms refusing to let go of Caleb.

She had to blink several times to clear her vision from the tears blinding her and found Hunter and Jacob kneeling down beside her, both of their cheeks covered in tears. They knew Caleb was dying but Ashlyn refused to let him go. If he died, then so would she. She loved him with everything in her and sent that emotion straight down the link she had wrapped herself in so she would stay connected with Caleb. She almost cried out because she had hidden it from him, and perhaps herself, because she had been too scared 194

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to care for someone again and the fear of loss.

Fixing her stare on both of the Warriors, she snarled, “I’m not letting go of him, so figure it out. The energy I’m feeding him will keep him alive until we get to the Complex. Damn it, there is someone who can help save him. Lily has pulled bullets out before using her telekinesis. She can pull this fucking shrapnel out of Caleb using that same technique, so send a message through the Warrior’s Link because my concentration is busy.”

Ashlyn didn’t care if she sounded cold. Her heart and Life Force was being crushed as she felt Caleb slipping through her fingers.

She knew the constant flow of Power was barely keeping him alive and eventually she would fry her ability even if she was gifted.

Everyone had their limits if they didn’t allow their ability to rest and this was going to test her to levels she had never been tested before.

She would hold on with all of her skill and stubbornness to the end because it would be the end for her if he perished.

Hunter didn’t say a word to her but gently pulled Caleb from her lap. She shifted while he lifted Caleb into his arms and made sure she maintained a firm grip on her wounded Warrior’s hand. Hunter amazed her with his strength and patience as he carried Caleb down the long dirt road in silence. He kept a slow pace so she could keep up and still maintain the flow of energy to Caleb. Ashlyn glanced over her shoulder to check on the two girls and the sight was eerie.

In between the tears clouding her vision and the fire behind them, it looked like they were truly leaving hell behind as Jacob carried the two girls in his arms. His head was down but he must have sensed her looking at him because he glanced up. Ashlyn wanted to cry out again because the Warrior looked like he already believed Caleb was lost to them.

The distance back to the Suburban seemed to take forever when compared to their arrival. Ashlyn was already exhausted from her own injuries healing from the explosion and keeping up the constant flow of Power into Caleb. She was grateful when Jacob loaded the girls into the back seat and then opened the back of the vehicle so she could climb in with Caleb. As she scooted inside the dark interior, she made sure she didn’t let go of Caleb’s hand.

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him so his head was in her lap. Jacob jumped into the already cramped rear of the vehicle and settled in towards the back end near the door before Hunter closed it.

Caleb shuddered ever so slightly against her and Ashlyn surged more energy into him. He was faltering and she didn’t know if he was going to make it back to the Complex even though Hunter was already firing up the big Suburban. The vehicle jerked slightly when he flipped a one eighty to head back to the Complex. The silence was deafening to Ashlyn with no one saying a word but Jacob distracted her from the fears swirling through her when he reached out to undo Caleb’s battle vest to pull it off him. Ashlyn helped by moving Caleb ever so gently and once he was settled back on her lap, she smoothed her hands under his shirt so they rested palm down on his chest.

The push of energy into him was already getting harder and harder and Ashlyn realized she might have been injured in the explosion worse than she thought. She didn’t care, though, she had to save him. Closing her eyes she breathed in deeply and pulled the energy in and then blew out pushing the energy into Caleb. As the minutes passed by the action actually became painful to Ashlyn. To her it seemed the effects weren’t lasting as long because Caleb’s breathing slowed and his heartbeat became erratic. He was dying and she screamed inside at the unfairness of losing the man she loved.

A gentle touch brought her back to the surface and she looked up to find Jacob looking at her with a crushed expression on his face.

Brokenly, he said, “I know you want to save him. Ancients know, I want you to save him, but… we can’t lose you too, Ashlyn. You can only do so much for him. Please, Ashlyn.”

His begging words touched her but she knew that there was more that she could do for Caleb. She knew Caleb loved her and she loved him more than life itself.

Looking Jacob head on she said, “There is more that I can do.

When Caleb and I touched for the first time, not only did our Powers become active, but we linked. Weakly, but we linked and I knew he was destined to be my Power Mate. I think he knew the same thing, but I was too scared to ask and he wasn’t willing to 196

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push me. I love him more than anyone knows and I can’t go on without him, Jacob. I’m going to try and Join with him.”

Jacob was silent for a moment but hesitantly he said, “I know the males of our species have initiated the Joining but I don’t know if…”

Ashlyn didn’t let him finish, “This will either work or it won’t but I’m not willing to sit here and let him die, Jacob. I have to do something.”

The Warrior watched her for what seemed too long but finally he nodded.

“I understand, Ashlyn. Really I do. If anyone is strong enough to pull this off, it’s you.”

Caleb suddenly jerked and gasped in her arms as he struggled to stay alive. The conversation became a moot point to her and she leaned down over the Warrior she loved.

Closing her eyes, she dived her Life Force down the connection she shared with him blocking out everything else. She refused to lose Caleb and with every breath she took and every beat of her heart, she pushed Life Power into him and moved her Life Force deeper and deeper into Caleb’s being. She could feel him surrounding her and yet he was so weak he was barely there. He was losing the battle of wills against death even with the energy she was feeding him.

Knowing the only chance he had to survive was if she Joined completely with him and she was beyond willing to do it even if it cost her own life. She didn’t care because without him she didn’t want to live anymore anyway. As they flew down the road in the back of the Suburban on an urgent mission to reach the Complex in time, Ashlyn pushed her ability and Life Force to the max, diving deeper into Caleb. It seemed to take forever before she found his failing Life Force and knowing she had to save him she rushed straight toward the center of his being with hers.

In the last few moments before she reached his inner essence, Ashlyn drew in as much golden Life Power as she could. The action was like pieces of glass being rubbed over her skin because her ability was so worn out but she didn’t stop even when she cried out from the pain. With her Life Force rushing straight at his, Ashlyn knew it was now or never. She sensed Caleb’s heart beating its last.

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Cradling the man she loved in her lap, she whispered, “I love you, Caleb,” and pushing that love before her, she wrapped her Life Force around his. The golden energy she carried exploded through both of their Life Forces and even with the real possibility of death, Ashlyn felt more alive than ever before.

****

On the fringe of consciousness, Caleb was caught in his own internal struggle. He knew something was wrong and that Ashlyn was in terrible trouble but he couldn’t remember why. They had been on a mission and he remembered explosions that had ripped through his skull and Ashlyn going down, or was it he who had gone down. He struggled to wake up but his head hurt and his body ached like he had been run over by a semi. Still, he felt peaceful inside and for the first time in his centuries-long life, he sensed a completeness that he had ached for in what seemed forever.

He surfaced a little closer to waking and wondered where he was.

By no means was he ready to open his eyes, but using his other senses, he reached out and took stock of his surroundings. It took him only a second to realize he was no longer lying on the hard ground outside The Foundry but in a comfortable bed which told him he wasn’t in Medical. He had been on Alexandria’s patient cots enough to know that they were the most uncomfortable things ever created. Thinking about being in the Medical Clinic caused the rest of the evening’s memories to crash into his brain and he immediately freaked.

All he could think of was the Gatherer unleashing his deadly weapon on Ashlyn and pouring every bit of his Power into his Phasing in an effort to keep the bullets from hitting her. At the time, there had been no way to save her other than using his own body as a shield and he would have done it again. The problem was he couldn’t remember if he had been able to stop all of the bullets completely or if they had gone around or through him and hit her.

One thing he did know was the damage that had been done to him must have been significant because he still couldn’t come out of his half sleep to try and find her. He needed to see she was okay and alive and struggled against the physical weakness which held him down.

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The touch of a gentle hand on his cheek and the brush of Ashlyn’s feminine mind against his caused him to completely still. He could feel her now, not only her supple body draped over his but her very Life Force linked with his. He could sense her concerned thoughts so clearly and the love she had for him which easily crossed their strong Mated Link. Something incredible had happened while he was out and it didn’t take him long to joyfully realize she had Joined with him. How or why that had happened he wasn’t sure until the rest of his memory surfaced. The memory of the harshest pain ever hit him hard just as the past image of bullets flying towards his face had him cringing. Before he could react, the bullets had become shrapnel which had torn him up to the point he was sure death was inescapable. He should have been dead from an injury like that but he wasn’t. Yeah, he should have been unrecoverable without some kind of miraculous intervention. However, he was alive which meant Ashlyn had saved his life by giving him the miracle he could never repay. She had given him her very life in order to save his.

Renewing his struggles, he was determined to finish awakening to tell her how much he loved her and to see for himself that she wasn’t terribly injured by her actions in saving him. His frustration grew and even his inner Sphinx began to prowl in his mind with wanting to protect Ashlyn from anything that might threaten her.

He couldn’t though, and he growled deep in his chest at his inability to protect her and thank her for giving him the ultimate gift.

Her soft voice brushed his mind then soothing him in his weakness, Caleb, it’s okay. We’re safe inside Complex 46. Once you were strong enough, I had them bring you to your room so I could finish caring for you. Just rest and let your body finish healing. I won’t go anywhere, I promise. The tone of her voice made him realize how tired she must be, but even more, he could feel her incredible exhaustion through their connection. He realized she had gone through a lot while he was out and was shocked by how long he must have been unconscious. His love for Ashlyn grew even more with the strength and commitment she had shown. He wanted to hold her so badly that he managed to fight against the weakness keeping him down to slowly wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer.

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He knew Ashlyn realized what he wanted and he felt her cuddle in closer to him. The feel of her head on his chest was incredible as the tendrils of her soft hair brushed against his skin. Inhaling deeply, Caleb drew her sweet strawberry scent deep into his lungs before he allowed his mind to resettle back into the semi-consciousness his body so desperately needed. She was safe beside him and he knew without a doubt she was going nowhere. Caleb wasn’t sure how long he lay there healing but when he finally awoke he found Ashlyn still wrapped around his body.

Her breaths were even and he could tell she was sleeping. A sleep she evidently needed since she had been working to heal him again.

His Life Power levels were up from what she had Transferred to him in his healing sleep and now hers were low. Needing to see her beautiful face, Caleb shifted slightly so he was turned on his side and she was cuddled against him. The effort to move was much easier than earlier although portions of his neck and face were still sore but he didn’t care about the remaining discomfort.

Although the light was dimmed in his room for nighttime, there was still enough for his keen Sphinx eyesight to see by. Gently, Caleb tilted Ashlyn’s head back just enough so he could see her and brushed her soft auburn hair back. The sight of her beautiful features took his breath away but he was also worried for her when he saw the circles under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. His Ashlyn had been through a lot while he had been out and he felt he had failed because he wasn’t there to stop her suffering. He felt like an idiot because Elder Chloe had given him the information he had needed to prevent this very thing from happening.

Inside Caleb felt like he didn’t deserve Ashlyn although she had selflessly given herself to him in order to save him. He knew she loved him but would she hate him in the end because her choice had been taken away. Love almost seemed too little for what he felt for her, but he knew one thing, he would give her up if she asked.

Tenderly he brushed his fingertips over her cheeks and across her lips. Caleb couldn’t help himself from needing to touch her. He had almost lost her to the lunatic intent on killing her with that horrible weapon and bullets. Sighing roughly, he closed his eyes and just continued to run his fingers through her hair.

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The touch of her fingertips to his cheek and the brush of her mind against his had Caleb instantly opening his eyes. Ashlyn was awake and he wanted to say so much to her but all he could do was be mesmerized by her golden eyes which now held his lavender color sparkling in their depths. The sign of his Joining with her took his breath away and he knew his lavender eyes would now have her gold shimmering within them. By the Ancients, she was beautiful and he felt he really didn’t deserve her.

Softly Ashlyn said, “Yes, you do and if you’re willing to have me, I want to be your Power Mate. I admit I was scared at the idea because of my past, but I’ve always loved you, Caleb. Seeing you almost lose your life saving me made me realize what a fool I was from being scared all the time. I hope you’re not angry with me for Joining with you when really you should have been the one to initiate.”

Caleb couldn’t believe her words, almost laughing at the absurdity, but when he went to smile he grimaced. His face still hurt and could only imagine the damage that had been there if he was still healing.

Not wanting her to believe she was at fault for anything he roughly said, “Ashlyn, you did nothing wrong. You saved me risking yourself. I should be dead, not lying here with you almost whole again. I owe you everything and love you so much that I never want to let you even an inch away from me, but I would understand if you were angry and wanted out of this. It would finish killing me but I would let you go if that’s what you wanted.”

Ashlyn raised an eyebrow at him and returned, “Are you out of your damn mind? I think the shrapnel rattled your brain worse than I thought. Caleb, I love you, damn it. I want to be your Power Mate more than anything. There’s just one thing, though.”

“Name it, darlin.’ I’ll do anything you ask of me.” He meant it from the bottom of his heart. He would take as many bullets as she asked him to in her defense to be able to keep her.

Gasping, she poked him in the chest, and he knew she had picked up on his last thoughts. In a shaky voice she demanded, “Caleb, you’ll never do that again. I won’t have you die because you needed to keep me from ever getting hurt. I’m a Power Protector and a 201

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Warrior. It’s what I do, it’s what I am and having you trying to keep me from ever getting scratched will only end up driving us crazy.”

Not protecting her was something he was never going to agree to.

He knew she had picked up that thought too when she rolled her eyes but he didn’t want to discuss the subject any further at the moment. However, he was still curious as to what the one thing she wanted, so asked, “We’ll talk about all of that later, Ashlyn. Tell me what this one thing is and I’ll do anything to get it for you.”

Unlike his Ashlyn, she glanced up shyly from under her lashes and mumbled, “We’re Joined but there’s one thing we didn’t do to make it final. When you’re stronger, will you, umm…make love to me?”

Her shy request knocked the breath out of him faster than a hard punch to the stomach. The thought of making love to her caused a heat to run through his blood and if he hadn’t already been hard with her lying against him, he was now. Even though he wasn’t completely healed his body was ready to go as the blood rushed into his groin making him even harder to the point of pain. He moved his hand to the small of her back and pushed her hips closer to his.

Even with the drawstring lounge pants he had on, Caleb had no doubt Ashlyn could feel his erection pushing against her hip because her eyes became huge.

Thickly he said, “I’m well enough now. The injuries healing have nothing to do with making love to you. Just say the word, Ashlyn, and I’m more than willing. In fact I’m willing to beg for you to let me make love to you.”

Caleb meant it too and he almost shook in anticipation of being inside of her. The ache to be one with her on all levels running through him was more than just a physical reaction but a screaming need in the depths of his Life Force. They were meant to be together as Power Mates and he wanted to finish claiming her as his. He waited in anticipation for her answer, but no matter what it was, he would do whatever she wanted.

Gently, Ashlyn touched his face and breathlessly said, “I want you, Caleb, and want you to make love to me right now. I just don’t want you to be in pain.”

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you until neither of us can see straight.” He knew she wanted him as badly as he wanted her but she was afraid to hurt him. Not willing to wait any longer when he already knew she wanted her own answer to be yes, he threaded his fingers through her soft hair and kissed her.

The initial contact was both a mixture of pleasure and pain but he didn’t care. The ache from his still healing face was nothing in comparison to the pulsing throb of his cock. He shifted against her trying to find some relief but there was none, and he knew being inside of her was the only way to find his true pleasure. The addition of Ashlyn’s nails scraping across his back added a whole other layer to the sensations and Caleb almost lost it. He growled deep in his chest and shifted abruptly so his body was more on top of her and his leg between hers.

Ashlyn pressed herself against him in the most tempting of ways, and he couldn’t resist deepening the kiss. He slid his tongue between her lips and she answered by tangling her tongue with his.

She licked and nipped at him until he couldn’t handle it anymore.

He had to touch her, and with a slight shift of his upper body, he worked his hands under the blue t-shirt she wore. Slowly he slid his hand over her smooth soft skin until he reached her breast.

Anticipation rode him and the tremors that he felt running through her told him she was just as eager for his touch.

Still, he wanted to be careful with her because of her past. Even though she played the tough Protector, he knew she could still be frightened when it came to being held down. The thought of the assholes from The Foundry chasing Ashlyn down and beating her young body had his fury rising. He almost snarled in reaction but shook off his aggression because their mission had been successful.

They had taken out The Foundry and the Gatherers.

Blocking out the negative thoughts Caleb continued to tease her with his tongue and added the additional nuance of his fingers on her breast. She was so damned soft all he wanted to do was rub himself against her but he refrained. He didn’t want to get carried away too soon and cause her to panic into one of her fight or flight modes.

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gasp, “I promise I won’t go into flight or fight mode, Caleb.

Please…just touch me.” He could do no other than answer her request. Reclaiming her sweet mouth, he gently massaged her breast until he reached the areola where he softened his touch barely using his fingertips. Around and around, he circled her peaked nipple until she moved restlessly against him. Only then did he brush his palm across her pearled nipple until she whimpered with need and rubbed her body against him.

His strawberry scented Ashlyn wasn’t one to just lay there and be pleased though. No, he could tell she wanted to play as well. Before he knew it, her hands were roaming up over his back, kneading his shoulders, and then she slid her fingers over his neck. Again, a mix of pleasure and pain hit him as she inadvertently touched his healing skin. He shivered at the sensations but she tensed against him and quickly removed her hands.

“I’m so sorry, Caleb. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said with raw emotion and Caleb thought she might just break out in tears. She began to struggle against him and he feared she would try to leave him now. He didn’t want her to leave because he knew it would hurt worse than the injuries which had almost killed him.

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Caleb quickly kissed Ashlyn again in an effort to distract her from her worry about his injuries. Slowly, so he wouldn’t startle her, he took her hand in his and pulled it to his chest.

Placing her hand palm down over his heart so she could feel how alive he really was, he whispered, “I’m fine, Ashlyn. All I can feel is you turning me on and any small amount of pain left over from my injuries isn’t going to stop me from making love to you. I don’t want you to be afraid, though, so all I can say is feel free to explore my body wherever you’re comfortable. Just please touch me, Ashlyn, because I need you to.”

He didn’t want to shock her but he also didn’t want her to be worried about him. In an effort to distract her further, he combined a heady kiss with images of his body entwined with hers. The distraction worked and he felt her gasp into his mouth. He moaned back in return. Ashlyn was caught back up in the pleasure again and he was relieved when she even started to purr while rubbing her body against his.

It didn’t take her long to start exploring his body either. Her hands stroked over his chest, his nipples, and then she wove a deliciously teasing trail with her fingertips down his stomach until she reached the waistband of his pants.

Her nimble little fingers quickly had the pull-string of his pants undone, and before he knew it, she had her hand worked inside and wrapped around his erect shaft. She squeezed him with the perfect pressure, and when she brushed her thumb across the head, he nearly came off the bed. He fought the urge to pump into her hand and swore to himself. She was just too fast at picking up the images he had sent her. He had made her hot and wanting but she had turned the tables fast so now he was the one burning up with need.

Pulling away from the kiss he never wanted to end, he roughly said, “Ashlyn, I need you. I don’t know how much longer I can last 205

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especially if you keep stroking me like that.”

She smiled at him so seductively it took his breath away. She had him wrapped around her little finger just as surely as her hand was wrapped around his pounding erection. He watched in fascination when she licked her lips and was lost when she purred, “Make me yours, Caleb. Please.”

He didn’t need any other invitation but wanted to make sure she was ready. He didn’t want to hurt her. Shifting slightly, he managed to finish working off his lounge pants and then hooked his thumb in the elastic band of her panties. She arched her back so her bottom was off the mattress and helped him remove the soft cotton. Once they were off, she giggled, taking them from him and flipping them in the air. The panties went flying out of his line of sight but he didn’t care because she slid her body right up against his. The feel of her bare skin against his nearly short-circuited his brain, but he maintained just enough control to make sure she was ready.

Running his hands down her flat abdomen, he stroked and played her body until she was whimpering and crying his name. He reclaimed her lips in a kiss meant to leave her absolutely breathless and crazed with need just as it did for him. He stroked inside her mouth with his tongue while he stroked her clit with his thumb.

Ashlyn arched against him and moaned in his mouth. She wrapped her free leg around his waist and dug her nails into his back. Caleb liked the mixture of pleasure and pain from her nails and unable to resist rubbed his erection against her.

His mind was becoming hazed over from the cloud of passion-filled energy that Ashlyn was starting to feed into him. She was so caught up in the sensual experience, her natural instinct had taken over and she was transferring small amounts of Life Power to him.

The golden energy glittered around both of them, and Caleb thought he was going to come right then. He fought to hold himself back but it was so hard with Ashlyn working her magic on him.

He didn’t want to rush her but he knew he couldn’t hold out any longer. He had to be inside of her. Sliding his fingers through her feminine folds, he dipped a finger inside of her hot tight sex. He groaned from the slick wetness that met his explorations because Ashlyn was so wet and ready for him. How he was going to control 206

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himself, he had no idea but he had to try. Carefully he slid his finger and then a second inside her heat and groaned from the incredible pleasure that act alone brought him.

She arched against him and had her hands in his hair holding him still so she could ravish his mouth. When she sucked his tongue into her mouth and sent an image of her doing the same to his aching cock, Caleb knew he was lost. Yeah, she was too good having easily picked up the details of his distracting images. His trick had backfired and now his entire body trembled from his effort to hold back but he couldn’t. Ashlyn was making him come undone with only a thought through their shared link and there was no going back to undo it.

She shifted and purred in his ear and the vibration rocked him to the very core. He growled removing his fingers from her and shifting his body so he was firmly between her legs. He arched into her, rubbing the slickened head of his cock across the folds of her sex but held back as long as he could.

Caleb knew Ashlyn wanted him to make love to her now but he had to settle his libido down, at least a little, or he would be finished before he started. She evidently had other ideas because she nipped at his lips, rubbed her sex against him, and continued to use her sensuous purr on him. Her nails dug into his scalp and she became the aggressor in the kissing. His Ashlyn was burning up with need and she was going to burst them both into flames. In her excitement, she moved her hands through his hair and pulled a little too close to one of his healing injuries.

He refused to show any form of discomfort, but somehow she realized what she had done. Ashlyn froze under him and carefully removed her fingers from his hair. Expecting her to withdraw again, he was pleasantly surprised when she said, “Roll over with me, Caleb. Let me be on top. You can rest your neck and hold my hands so I stop clawing at your injuries.”

The image of her straddling his hips and looking down at him with her sexy golden eyes rushed the remaining blood in his body straight to his already straining erection. With a groan, he said, “By the Ancients, Ashlyn, you’re getting too good with the mental imagery.

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He grabbed her hips firmly, and with a quick roll, he had his sexy Ashlyn straddled perfectly above him. She stole his breath as she reached down and pulled her t-shirt up and off revealing the most perfect breasts he had ever seen. What light there was shown through her auburn hair causing it to seem like it had caught fire with the darkest shades of red. With the wickedest of smiles, she rubbed her sex against him, and licking her lips, leaned down and kissed him. He closed his eyes and let her take control, at least for a few seconds.

*****

Ashlyn was so excited and burning up with need she was finding it difficult to retain any kind of control, which wasn’t good. Poor Caleb was still healing, and although it was obvious he was perfectly capable and willing to make love to her, she kept screwing up and pawing at his still healing injuries. In an effort not to run her hands through his hair while she lost herself in the kiss that Caleb was quickly taking control of, she clenched her fingers in the pillow on either side of his head. She couldn’t stand the thought of accidentally touching the pink healing skin on his face, head, and neck and hurting him further.

Caleb kissed her hard and then sprinkled a line of gentle kisses from her mouth to her ear. He nipped her earlobe and whispered,

“Ashlyn, stop worrying about me. You’ve given me enough Life Power in the last few minutes to heal a hundred Warriors. I’m so damn turned on right now by what you’re doing to me I can barely see straight.”

Even if she had wanted to worry, she couldn’t have because Caleb pushed more thoughts of what he wanted to do to her. She inhaled sharply at the image of him deep inside of her and the sound of his moaning while she rode him hard. She gasped sitting upright and couldn’t stop from rubbing herself against his hard shaft. He was turning the tables on her as he released his glittering Life Power around her. The energy settled on her skin and sunk in until it flowed straight into her Life Force. She truly understood now what his energy could do to her because with each surge he sent to her the pressure built and built between her legs.

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coherent thought. She was burning up and when she looked down at Caleb he was smiling sensually at her. Her Warrior was purposely trying to make her lose control but that was okay because all was fair in love and war.

Returning his smile with one of her own Ashlyn planted her hands against his chest and lifted her hips just enough so his engorged cock was barely touching her. Arching her hips back and forth, she rubbed her sex against him. She had meant to drive him crazy with need but the feel of his manhood sliding in her wetness and rubbing against her clit was more than she could handle.

Gasping, she fought to keep her focus, but Caleb’s groans completely unhinged her. Her inner Sphinx purred its desire but Ashlyn was unsure how to proceed in her new role of seductress.

The feel of Caleb’s hands gripping at her hips told her he was desperate to be inside of her but he held back. He kept her poised above him, and even though he could have easily thrust into her, he didn’t. She looked down into his lavender eyes sparkling with her gold and saw the love and determination to be gentle with her reflecting in his eyes. Caleb would suffer for her if he needed to until she was ready and that fact alone made her want him even more.

With his jaw clenched he groaned, “We can stop if you want to, Ashlyn. You don’t have to go any further. Ancients know that I want you more than anything but I won’t hurt you if you’re not ready.”

Ashlyn was ready. She was so ready she was sure at any moment she was going to explode. Caleb’s effort to remain absolutely still and the expression on his face told her he was more than ready too.

Her Warrior was more than willing to suffer on her behalf and the love she felt for him gave her the bravery she needed.

Determination to make them truly Power Mates rushed through her and with one deep breath she pushed back with her hands until his hard cock slid just barely inside of her.

Arching her back, she moaned at the pressure and the stretching of her virgin sheath. Her body shook as she fought against Caleb’s hands. She could tell he didn’t want to hurt her and his natural instinct to protect her was reflected in the resistant grip of his hands on her hips. Ashlyn looked down into his eyes completely trusting him. There was no fear in her when she whispered, “Caleb, 209

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it’s okay, my love. I am yours, you are mine. Joined as One.

Forever.”

Caleb inhaled deeply and her Life Power surged through their Joined Link into him at the instant she finished the Joining vow. As he was caught up in the throes of pleasure from her energy rushing through him his grip loosened on her hips. Ashlyn took advantage pushing back with her hands so her hips pressed closer to his. She was so wet and he was so hard the long sweet slide of his cock inside her took no effort at all. The moment he penetrated deeper, there was a moment of pain but it instantly disappeared and the only thing left was a pleasure so intense she felt on fire.

Being her first time, she could only wiggle against him trying to ease the pressure and the wanting which grew even more within her. Her actions did nothing but make her want more and she whimpered with need. Caleb’s hands tightened on her hips again and in a deep growling voice he said, “Hold on, Ashlyn. I know what you need, darlin.’”

All Ashlyn could do was hold on as Caleb began to pump his hips against her. The slide of his slick cock inside of her had her moaning in no time. Each thrust penetrated deeper and deeper until she thought she would shatter, but Caleb held onto her and watched her with his intense gaze. He made love to her on so many levels she was lost to his skill. His mind brushed against hers showering her with his love, his sparkling energy surrounded her until she glowed with it, and his hands massaged her hips while he rolled his hips against hers.

Ashlyn closed her eyes riding on wave after wave of growing pressure, growing intensity, and growing heat. She bit at her lip trying to focus, but no matter what she tried, it didn’t work. She was coming undone and Caleb’s moans in her ears were driving her even closer to the ultimate explosion she knew was coming. Caleb was just as ready because she felt his mind struggle with his own control but there was no more control for either of them. The precipice was there and they were going to plunge over the edge of ecstasy together.

“Ashlyn, look at me,” Caleb groaned and she could do no other.

Opening her eyes, she looked down at him to find the intensity of 210

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his gaze even hotter than before. His hand left her hip and he reached up entangling his hand in her hair. With a gentle tug, he had her pulled down and flush against him. Every inch of her skin pressed to his while he continued to thrust into her body. Caleb kissed her then until she was dizzy and breathless, and only then did he release her from the kiss. His breath feathered across her lips as he whispered, “I am yours, you are mine. Joined as One.

Forever.”

At the end of his Joining vow, he pushed his Life Power through their link and into her body until it crashed into her Life Force. His own Life Force followed and wrapped around hers and she was completely lost in him. He was everywhere inside and outside of her and with a cry she came over and over, her inner feminine muscles tightening around his rock hard shaft. The pleasure was exquisite, and when Caleb shifted to her shoulder to claim her with his teeth the sensation intensified. Unable to stop herself, Ashlyn released more Life Power in answer and it rushed through him.

The roar of his voice filling the room as he came inside of her caused her to come again with him. Even afterward, he didn’t stop but continued to thrust inside her over and over until he came again taking her with him a magical third time. She didn’t think it would ever stop and really didn’t want it to but slowly his erotic movements slowed. Even then, he stayed deep inside of her and she was surprised that he was still so hard and erect. His arms encircled her hugging her close and she felt his lips brush gently against her shoulder and then against her hair. With a slow movement, he pulled out of her body and rolled them to their side. Ashlyn immediately missed the feeling of being one with him but the brush of his mind against hers made her know that they were still very much together. Sighing and feeling sated, at least for the moment, she snuggled up against Caleb, an action she would have never considered in the past. However, now she couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from Caleb even one inch.

Caleb’s deep voice rumbled in her ear where she rested against him as he asked, “Are you okay?”

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at the memory of his ravaged head and neck. “There was so much blood, Caleb. It would have killed me if you would have died trying to save me. You should have just let me take the shrapnel.”

She hid her face but he touched her chin until she looked up at him. His face was a mask of intensity when he demanded, “Ashlyn, look at me. I’m alive thanks to you. We’re together and I will fight to my last breath to keep us together. I love you more than anything, so you’re just going to have to understand when I say I will never let you take a bullet, or a blade, or anything else while I’m alive.”

Ashlyn understood his need to protect her just as he was going to have to understand she was a Protector and would need to protect him too. At the moment, she really didn’t want to get into a heated discussion, though, because she was enjoying the press of his body against hers. Instead of continuing the discussion, she snuggled against him and placed a single kiss in the middle of his bare chest.

She heard the breath rush from him before he roughly said, “The girls. Did they make it back okay?”

Smiling to herself, she knew the simple act of the one kiss was ramping up his libido again but she wanted to ease his mind since she felt his worry.

“Yeah. Although they look quite different, they appear to be twins. We took them to medical as soon as we got back. Alexandria did some testing on them including some genetic testing after I told her about the pure Power I felt coming off them. Alexandria said the testing came back remarkably pure. The girls are a mystery as to where they came from or how Turin’s Gatherers got their hands on them, but they are definitely Sphinx. Alexandria said they do have some human DNA, so one of their parents had to be at least partially human.”

“Interesting,” Caleb murmured while he played with her hair. “I hope they settled okay. They’ve been through a lot.”

Caleb’s fingers running through her hair felt wonderful but she managed to answer back, “Believe it or not, Jacob and Eleina have taken them in with some help from one of the Egyptian caregivers.

I’m going to work with them a bit too since they seem to be drawn to my energy patterns. Alexandria thinks they run along the same line of heritage that I come from. It’s strange that they may be a 212

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distant relative to me.”

Having someone so near to her bloodline was both exciting and terrifying. It brought an instinct out in her to protect the two tiny girls with a vengeance, but at the same time it terrified her.

Someone else to love and possibly lose if they didn’t destroy the damn Dimensional Gate. Thinking about the Gate reminded her of the crystal tube which held the Seventh Page that she had found at The Foundry right before it blew up.

Instantly picking up her memory Caleb excitedly asked, “You found another Page? Ashlyn that’s incredible.”

The most incredible wonder to Ashlyn was Caleb and she couldn’t resist running her fingers through his hair. This time she made sure she didn’t hit any of his healing skin because she didn’t want to hurt him but she oh-so-needed to touch him and feel his soft golden blond hair. Smiling up at him she answered, “Yes, I did find the Seventh Page. Unfortunately, it sounds like it may be a challenge to decipher. I promised Stormy and the other women I’d come down later and help them. I hope you don’t mind.”

Caleb’s arms immediately tightened around her until she was flush against his already hot body. She could feel his hard erection pressed against her hip and gasped at the way he rubbed up against her. Roughly, he returned, “As long as you don’t have to leave right now. I need you too bad and am just selfish enough to keep you trapped in my bed a little longer. Besides, you wouldn’t want to leave your injured Life Mate to fend for himself in his time of need.”

He gave her his most innocent smile yet but she saw the seductive gleam in his eyes. Feeling a bit devious herself, she moved closer to him until her lips were near his ear. With a whisper she answered, “No, I would never leave you in your hour of need, Caleb.

After all, I am yours and you are mine. I must take care of you.”

Smiling to herself, she reached between them and encircled his cock with her hand, licked his ear, and purred. Before she knew it, she was underneath a more than enthusiastic Caleb who had no problem in his weakness to make her come again and again until she couldn’t move one muscle.

Later, knowing she should be completely exhausted, Ashlyn found herself unable to sleep, unlike Caleb who was totally out of it.

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She had pushed tons of Life Power into him knowing his need to finish healing from the brutal injuries that had torn him up, had him sleeping deeper than usual. She felt a bit guilty about having asked him to make love to her but Caleb had been more than willing and definitely up for the challenge. Now that they were fully Joined physically through their link and intimately with their Life Forces, Ashlyn was sure it would be easier to protect Caleb.

Even though he had survived the bulletized shrapnel, in part from the warning Chloe had given about them being separated, Ashlyn had to be sure that there wasn’t anything else hidden in Elder Chloe’s mysterious visions. Had that been the only danger to him and was there still something hiding in wait for her? Was there something evil ready to take away the Warrior she loved with all of her heart? If there was, Ashlyn had to know so she could be prepared to stop it, which meant she had to find Elder Chloe.

Strangely, the woman had been missing since Ashlyn’s return, which was unusual. Because of what had happened at The Foundry, she would have thought Chloe would have already been banging on the door, demanding her to present herself.

The Elder had been with her for years depending on Ashlyn’s strengths to guard her, to protect her, and to help her deal with her episodes of trying to see the truth. Chloe could envision futures when they revealed themselves but she was by no means a pure Seer. Ashlyn thought it was no wonder the woman was slowly losing her mind. Chloe couldn’t clearly see what she needed to help the Sphinx, the Sphinx thought Chloe was an enemy half the time, and the Elder ended up even more distraught. Amid all of this and with the visions she tried to force herself to have, Chloe’s physical health was failing because of the constant façade she presented to the world.

Ashlyn had to find her, make sure she was okay, and wanted to ask for help if she was up to it. Ashlyn just wished Chloe hadn’t made her swear to silence and the secrets that surrounded her because it would have made things so much easier. As carefully and quietly as she could, Ashlyn wiggled out of Caleb’s arms and slid from the bed. Luckily, he didn’t even twitch, which told Ashlyn he was completely out of it, so she figured she should be able to sneak 214

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out and be back before he woke. On silent feet in the dim light, she padded over to the teak dresser and pulled open one of the middle drawers.

Inside she found what she was looking for, one of Caleb’s oversized shirts. Grabbing it, she pulled it over her head until it covered her almost to her knees. The shirt would have to do because there was no damn way she was putting her torn bloody clothes back on.

Just thinking about Caleb’s blood all over her made chills rush through her body.

Shaking off the morbid thoughts, Ashlyn moved to the door and opened it quietly. She glanced back to the bed one more time to make sure Caleb was still sleeping deeply. Satisfied that he would be okay until she returned, she stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. Surveying the upper level where the Sphinx rooms were, Ashlyn was relieved to see no one up and about this time of morning. Everyone had been exhausted from yesterday and needed to rest up for the next round of chaos. She figured she had time to get up to Elder Chloe and her rooms before she was seen.

Without further pause, she shot down the hallway and past the golden Sphinx which stood at the top of the stairs seeming to guard the family of Sphinx. Rapidly she flew down the grand sweeping staircase and straight across the tiger-eye marble entryway finally to push into the elevator bank area. Impatiently, Ashlyn punched the call button and waited until the elevator arrived. Less than two minutes later, she was back at the highest underground level of the Complex, through the protective gate, and into the rooms she shared with Chloe.

Stepping inside the room, and relieved at having not been seen wearing nothing but Caleb’s black t-shirt, she scanned the area quickly but found nothing. Elder Chloe was nowhere to be seen which only increased Ashlyn’s worry. Chloe had never gone missing for this long before and she didn’t like it. Since nothing could be done about it for the moment, she headed into her room and knocked out a quick shower. In record time, she showered, dried, and was dressed in a new set of Warrior’s clothes complete with her usual blue t-shirt. The only thing missing, which she would never wear again, was her blue glove because her copper colored Sefu 215

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Element was in working order. Flipping her long braided hair over her shoulder, she smiled down at the Element thinking the two of them had come through quite a lot to reach this point in life and Caleb had been the one to make that happen for her.

Knowing she needed to stop daydreaming and get moving, she turned to leave but suddenly froze in place. Her Power Protector instincts began to hum as she looked at her Sefu and fisted her hand. There was something off in the Complex and it wasn’t just Elder Chloe missing in action. The urge to find the woman grew rapidly when she began to feel the first tendrils of dark energy from the Dimensional Gate begin to reach through the walls and floor.

Being up on the highest level of Complex 46 and feeling that much dark energy meant that anyone below would feel even more concentrated levels. Caleb would feel it and awaken and Ashlyn’s urgency grew exponentially to get back to him.

Hating to delay her return to him, she knew she had no choice but to sweep the Complex first trying to find Chloe. Ashlyn reached out with her ability to detect the Elder’s energy patterns, but when the woman didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be found. Still, Ashlyn shot out of the room and searched every place she could think of including the Egyptian baths, the gathering area, the garden dome, and even medical. After several more minutes of searching the other levels, including a dangerous but necessary peak into the Staging Cavern, she decided to call it quits.

Physically shaking from the pure evil energy coming from the Cavern, Ashlyn high-tailed it back into the elevator and punched the button to take her back to the Warrior’s living quarters. She glanced up at the surveillance camera that Ethan always had on to keep track of the Warrior’s security. Whether he watched her at that point or not she didn’t know, but with aggravation from her inner Sphinx at having been that close to the center of where the Gate would open she couldn’t help herself.

With a snarl she cried, “What? Chloe’s missing and we’re all in danger. I can’t let any more of us die, damn it. No matter what, I’m going to find a way to stop this insanity.”

Complete silence was the only thing that answered her back.

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ignore her outburst. Scowling at the floor Ashlyn’s mind circled at what her next plan of action should be. Without Chloe and her less-than-helpful hints there was only one direction to take at that point.

As soon as the women were awake, Ashlyn would get with them and see what the Seventh Page held. She hoped being the last Page it would hold the answers they needed to end all of the torment and death surrounding the never-ending battles against Turin and the Wraith.

Wound up and restless, Ashlyn wasn’t sure if she could return to Caleb quite yet or not. She wanted to return to him on a desperate level but didn’t want to waken him from the sleep he needed. She knew if she went back right now the amount of wound up energy coming off her most definitely would wake him up. Deciding on stopping for a quick shot of whatever alcohol she could put her hands on Ashlyn stormed into the entertainment room. She walked straight over to the rosewood bar and grabbed a crystalline glass and a bottle of rum off the multicolored light glass display. Popping the cork, she poured herself some of the clear brown alcohol until the glass was filled to the rim and then slammed the bottle onto the bar.

Ashlyn had the rim of the glass almost touching her lips when a deep voice from the dimly lit section of the bar area drawled, “That won’t help, you know. I speak from personal experience.”

The surprise of not having detected the Warrior sitting at the back corner of the room had Ashlyn almost dropping the glass.

With a hiss she shot back at him, “Raven, you ass. You could have said something sooner. You’re lucky I didn’t blast you with my Power. Besides, you’re one to talk sitting there in the dark with a glass of alcohol in front of you, you lush.”

Even though a full glass sat before him, he didn’t appear to be touching it and his voice definitely didn’t have any of the usual slur of drunkenness to it. Ashlyn was suddenly curious as to what game Raven was playing. Unable to resist, she approached the small marble standing table where he was perched.

She could see the tension run through him as his fingers closed in fists so near the glass before him. His focus on the glass ended and he raised his blue eyes in her direction. She paused at the pure 217

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danger that rolled off him.

She also sensed the low level of energy in his system and detected his weakness when he raised a shaking hand to brush back a strand of his long black hair. The Power Keeper side of her gifts rose to the surface and before she could think better of it she reached out to touch him. He growled quietly and she instantly came to her senses snatching her hand back, although she still worried about the stubborn Warrior. He needed Life Power even though she knew without a doubt he wouldn’t accept it.

With a grim smile that didn’t reach his eyes, Raven drawled, “I wouldn’t recommend doing that, Power Protector. I hate to have your Power Mate pissed because he detected someone else’s energy on you. Besides, I’m not in the mood to kick his injured ass when he comes down to kick mine.”

Ashlyn snorted, “Like I would let you touch him.”

Raven immediately threw his head back and burst into the loudest laughter Ashlyn had ever heard. His deep rumbling voice echoed throughout the room, and quite frankly, it shocked her. She had never seen Raven this way and it was a bit unnerving. It was if he had finally gone over the edge with no way to return, especially if he wasn’t drinking to cause his bizarre behavior.

After a few moments, he quieted and fixed her with his steely blue eyes. “Thanks, I needed that. Without the alcohol, I haven’t had any form of mental relaxation.”

Ashlyn sat the still full glass of alcohol on the table across from him and put a hand on her hip. “I noticed you haven’t been drinking. Very unlike you, Raven. Have you finally turned over a new leaf or just looking for something new to numb your brain?”

She raised an eyebrow in challenge expecting him to explode.

Ashlyn knew her actions weren’t the smartest, poking at an aggressive Warrior, but damn it, she was wound up over several problems and had no way to blow off steam. Raven was just the perfect opportunity for the challenge she needed but he surprised her when he didn’t rise to the occasion.

Instead, he toyed with the glass before him but didn’t pick it up.

His gaze seemed distant and a bit confused when he said, “I’m not looking for anything to numb my brain. I have this… intense…

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feeling I need to stay sharp, to be in more control than I normally have been. There’s a danger I can’t explain coming that affects me directly, affects us all.”

He pushed the glass away from him, causing the alcohol to slosh over the rim and onto the table top, before continuing, “I have a bad feeling, Ashlyn, that something worse than before is coming and everything in me says my half-brother, Turin, is going to be the one to cause it with his meddling with the Gate. We need to do something now, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

Raven ran his hands over his face and through his loose hair before he looked directly at her, “You know Elder Chloe. Do you think she could pull anything useful out of that scrambled head of hers to help us?”

Sighing heavily Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, Raven. I was going to ask her the same thing but she’s nowhere to be found. I’ve looked absolutely freaking everywhere. Including the Staging Cavern.”

With a growl, Raven pushed away from the table so quickly both of the glasses of alcohol fell over and drizzled across the tabletop and onto the floor. His expression took on one of intensity and a raw need mixed with a haunted confusion. He rounded the table in a lightning fast move until he was standing right in front of her. He was so close Ashlyn could feel his breath on her face but he didn’t touch her. She wasn’t sure of his intentions but she refused to budge even if it meant the altercation she had initially been looking for. Still, Raven didn’t move, didn’t reach for her, only looked down at her while he appeared to be trying to pull himself together.

Finally in a low voice she could barely hear he said, “Go back to Caleb, Ashlyn. The time to be with the one you love is drawing short. I can feel hell coming and it may tear us all apart. If Chloe’s in the complex, I’ll find her, and don’t worry, I have no intention of harming her in anyway, so you can down-shift your Protector mode.

I may be able to help her see the images we need to help us win this war, even if it kills me doing it.”

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dodged away from her. Spinning around in time to see him disappear out the door, she ran in pursuit but when she got to the entry room she paused. He looked back at her from the outer doorway and the pain and loneliness in his expression took her breath away. She knew then that Raven believed he wouldn’t come out of the final battle alive, and perhaps the sudden sobriety was to live his last few days fully for better or worse.

“Raven… “she called worriedly but he just shook his head.

In a stronger voice he demanded, “Go, be with Caleb, Ashlyn. All of us are going to need his and your strengths to get our asses out of this. That much I do know.”

Raven disappeared then, leaving Ashlyn shaking where she stood. The way he had spoken sent chills down her spine because his expression and demeanor were the same way Elder Chloe acted when she was delivering her premonitions, especially the ones that weren’t going to be good.

An unexplained fear and feeling of impending doom engulfed Ashlyn to the point she could barely breathe. With a cry, she spun around and ran up the stairs, down the hallway, and burst into Caleb’s room. Inside she froze when she saw Caleb standing at the end of the bed. He was a sight to behold in his nudity, but even more was the pure infuriated aggression coming off of him. Ashlyn wasn’t sure if she should embrace him or run for cover as he snarled and advanced towards her.

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Thrashing out of a deep sleep, Caleb shot out of the bed and frantically scanned the room. Ashlyn was nowhere to be seen and everything in him told him to find her now. They couldn’t be separated because deep down he knew the danger was by no means past. In fact, it felt to him like the danger was growing by the second and would swoop down upon both of their heads. Rubbing his hands over his face, he tried to fight off the grogginess of his injury induced sleep. It didn’t work but the sudden surge of dark energy from the Dimensional Gate which was revving up to open again and the crash of his door had him snarling in uncontrolled fury.

Anger flared when he realized she had left him, because without her near there was no way he could protect her. As he inhaled deeply trying to get control, the scent of another Warrior invaded his senses and the control he was fighting to form disintegrated when he recognized it was Raven. Jealousy and fear of losing her hit him hard and with a snarl, he advanced straight towards her. Before the door had even finished slamming behind her, Caleb had her completely surrounded in his arms.

Just that quickly the anger, the jealousy, the fear, all faded away to be instantly replaced by a concern for her safety and the state of her emotions. So much poured across their shared link and Caleb could feel how she feared for him and how much she loved him. Her arms were wrapped so tightly around him he didn’t think he would ever be able to extricate himself from her but didn’t want to anyway.

He held her closer when he realized how hard she was shaking.

Whatever had happened had her upset to the point she was literally clinging to him.

Reaching between them, Caleb gently grasped her chin and tilted Ashlyn’s head up so he could see her face. When she met his glance, his breath caught when he saw the tiny tears shimmering in her eyelashes.

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Feeling terrible that he might have done this to her with his aggressive behavior, he framed her face and gently said, “Ashlyn, it’s okay. I’m sorry if I upset you but you were gone when I woke up and it kind of freaked me out for a minute. And why in the hell can I smell Raven?”

Ashlyn’s eyes glittered in aggravation for a moment but then she started shaking again and seemed to wilt in his arms. He wasn’t sure she was even going to answer him she looked so defeated, but suddenly she started talking in a rush.

“Oh, Caleb. This is so insane. I was worried the premonition Elder Chloe had told us about wasn’t over. I had to find her, but I’ve searched everywhere and there’s no trace of her. I can’t even detect the energy pulses that come off her. I was coming back up to get some sleep with you but I was too wound up and didn’t want to wake you since you need the rest. So…I decided to stop by the bar and get something to drink. When I was there I ran into Raven and…”

Caleb couldn’t help it. When Ashlyn mentioned the Warrior’s name, and knowing she had been near him, he snarled. He stiffened against her and his inner Sphinx demanded he claim her as his again. Unable to help himself, he threaded his fingers through her hair and captured her lips in a demanding kiss. He tasted her, nipped at her, and invaded the deep mysteries of her sweet mouth until she was breathless in his arms. Only then did he let her come up for air. When he looked upon her beautiful face, the look she gave him was hot and it made his own blood begin to boil. He watched her bite her lip and was surprised when she grabbed his hair to pull his head back down. With a tiny growl, she became the aggressor in the kiss, sucking his tongue into her mouth. His Power Mate didn’t relent in her ravishment of his mouth until he was the one breathless and wanting. He laughed lightly under his breath at her enthusiasm and ability to wrap him around her little finger. The sound of her intoxicating laughter eased him as she ended the kiss.

She looked up at him then with that bit of joy retained in her golden eyes but a worry still remained.

With a deep sigh, she dived back into her explanation and Caleb steeled himself for whatever bad news she had to share with him.

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“As I was saying, Raven was there, and believe it or not, he was sober. It was eerie because he started talking like Elder Chloe with an almost premonition feel. I also noticed he was low on Life Power, and before you get worked up again, no, I didn’t touch him or Transfer any energy to him. He wouldn’t have let me if I wanted to.”

With a grimace, Caleb interjected, “Smart man.”

Ashlyn rolled her eyes and returned, “I love that you’re so protective of me, but if he had needed my help, I doubt you would have just let him die.” Caleb smiled down at her. Ashlyn could be so straightforward sometimes but he liked it.

“Yeah, you’re right. He’s my brother-in-arms, but I better be there during any needed Transference unless he really is on the edge of death.”

Shivering in his arms, Ashlyn gave him a sad look. “I hope it never comes to that, Caleb, you not being there with me. I would die without you.” She snuggled up against him again and he knew she really was worried to be acting so unsure. Ashlyn was never unsure.

She was the Power Protector that kicked ass and he wanted her to be that way, to be strong, and to continue if anything ever happened to him. With an aggravated sigh, Ashlyn pushed away from him and wandered over to the middle of the room.

Throwing up her hands she turned towards him and cried, “Will you stop thinking that way? I will never let anything happen to you even if you’re trying to protect me. We stand together and fight, or we both go down trying. Together, never apart. Those are the words Elder Chloe said and those are the words we will go by.

Anyway…Raven took off after I told him I couldn’t find Chloe and told me to get my ass back to you. It seems really strange to me the way Raven acts when anything is said about Elder Chloe or when she’s near.”

“Yeah, I agree, but this is Raven we’re talking about. As a Truth Finder he’s always been a bit strange and perhaps with Elder Chloe’s unusual pattern of premonitions he’s fascinated with it all.

Hard to say.” Caleb agreed with Ashlyn and wanted to think more on the subject but now wasn’t the time. A surge of dark oozing energy from the Gate hit his system hard and he snarled. Ashlyn jumped too, and with a hiss, she rubbed at her Sefu bracelet. Caleb 223

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quickly approached her and touched her cheek.

In what he hoped was a soothing tone, he asked, “How are you doing? I know the Gate’s energy can drive anyone insane but you’ve been through a lot of change here lately. I’m sure with the Joining you’re probably hyper-aware of everything. I know I am. Especially aware of you. All I want to do is pull you in my arms and hold you safe forever.”

Ashlyn’s eyes cleared and she smiled up at him. Reaching out she touched his chest and murmured, “Well, why don’t you then. Pull me close, that is, because I really need to feel you against me.”

He needed no further invitation and wrapping his arm around her waist pulled her flush against his body. Reaching to the hem of her blue shirt, he yanked the fabric free of her pants because he really needed to feel her soft skin pressed next to his. Ashlyn appeared to be quite willing too because she wrapped her arms around his neck, tangled her fingers in his hair, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. Right before their lips met, the Warrior’s Link opened and Khenti Michael’s urgent request rang through. Warriors to the planning room, ASAP.

“Damn, it,” Ashlyn sighed. He could feel the pure disappointment coming from her but more than that the renewed worry.

Brushing his fingers through her hair and kissing her lightly on the lips he said, “You can come if you want to and listen to a bunch of hot-headed Warriors talk and probably argue. We’re just going to be planning, though, and I can send you all the details through the link.”

“My instincts tell me to go with you and not be separated, but I promised the ladies I would meet with them to try and decipher the Seventh Page. Somehow that seems even more critical now since the Gate is obviously getting ready to open.” Ashlyn rubbed at her Sefu again and he knew she was feeling the dark Gate energy just as harshly as he was.

She looked up at him with her love and need of him in her eyes.

In a soft tone she begged, “If anything happens while we’re apart, please let me know, so I can be with you. Just promise me that.”

Caleb pulled her closer in his arms again before answering, “If 224

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anything comes up and I feel the slightest danger, I’ll use my Power Phasing to get to you. We’ll protect each other, how about that?”

“Agreed,” she returned with such conviction he felt it to the depths of his Life Force.

“All right then, let me get dressed and down to the planning room before Khenti Michael starts yelling in my head.” With a smack to her bottom, he had her scurrying over to the door so she could go meet with the other women. Before she left, she turned and threw him a kiss then disappeared from his sight.

Watching her leave was more difficult than he had thought. He had been upbeat about Ashlyn going to meet with the other Sphinx women but deep down he just wanted her back in his arms so he could protect her. Growling to himself, he stalked over to the bathroom and knocked out a quick shower. Once he was done, he dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist, and stepped up to the sink.

Looking at himself for the first time since his injury and the Joining with Ashlyn he almost didn’t recognize himself. The fading marks of his injuries, which had been numerous across his face, head, and neck were almost gone but the look in his eyes would never be the same. He had gone through too much in only a few days and it was written there for all to see similar to the scrolls they were all so intrigued to comb through for answers.

He had almost lost Ashlyn before he even truly knew her, had gone through acts of incredible danger by her side, had almost died himself protecting her and would do it again, and now was completely and totally Joined with her now and forever. The glittering shimmers of her golden eyes were proof of that in the depths of his lavender eyes. The image of his reflection and seeing her a part of him had him completely mesmerized for a moment but he knew he had to get going.

With a shake of his head, he combed out his hair, shaved off the scraggly growth of facial hair that had built up while he was out, and finished the other necessities. Flipping off the blue towel, he quickly went back to the bedroom and finished getting dressed. In no time, he was decked out in his black Warrior’s clothes complete with a weapons belt filled with daggers and throwing stars. Right 225

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before he headed out the door, he went back to his closet and grabbed his remaining set of silver micro-chain protective gear. It didn’t hurt to have what he needed already just in case anything happened. In the back of his mind, he feared complete chaos was not too far away. With the urgency of needing to find out what was going on and the creep of the dark Gate energy agitating his psyche Caleb rushed down to the planning room.

Shoving open the planning room door, he found the other Warriors and Guardian Arik already spread throughout the room in the various brown leather couches and chairs. When they looked at him, all Caleb could see was relief and joy from the men. Even Raven pushed off the wall from the corner he was standing in and gave him a nod of respect. Caleb nodded back as civilly as he could because his inner Sphinx saw the Warrior as competition. Raven just gave him a smile back that said he knew exactly what Caleb was thinking.

Deciding to just ignore the tense situation, Caleb turned back to find the other Warriors coming up to him. Each one shook his hand and congratulated him. When Hunter took his hand and shook it, he punched him lightly in the shoulder and said, “Man, am I glad to see a little of Ashlyn’s gold in your eyes. Give you a little manly color in those girly lavender eyes of yours.”

Caleb punched him back, keeping the banter light and returned,

“To hell with you, man. Even with your manly color you still remind me of a girl.”

Snorts, laughter, and additional jabs at each other circulated the room while Caleb took a seat on the leather couch near Jacob, at least until Khenti Michael raised a hand and cleared his throat.

Immediately the entire room silenced and the fun instantly ended.

The seriousness of the situation was missed by no one, including Caleb. He sat forward on the edge of his seat, awaiting what new details had been revealed from Ethan’s computers and calculations.

“I’ll try and make this quick, since I know you all want to get back to loved ones and finish prepping for the Gate’s opening. Right now, we’re not a hundred percent sure when that might be as the readings are all over the place. Ethan has some theories on that subject so I’ll let him go over that information.” Michael paced to 226

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the side of the war planner’s desk and Caleb could literally feel the tension rolling off his leader.

Ethan in his usual habit flipped one of his computer monitors around to face the group before standing up and coming around to the other side of the desk. Stopping right next to the monitor, Ethan touched the glass front and said, “Dudes, I’ve never seen this before.

It’s like a roller coaster ride and makes no sense whatsoever. It isn’t the normal opening. I even showed it to Skye who said it reminds her of mental patterns and I think she’s right. I’m pretty sure Turin is trying to force open the Dimensional Gate. Don’t know when it’s going to blow, though, because it’s so unpredictable.”

Guardian Arik spoke up then with a quick, “I’ve already posted Guardians Elite to monitor the area. It’s dangerous but since there’s no way to tell when the Gate will open if it occurs due to telepathic or telekinetic interference we have no choice.”

To Caleb it made sense. They had to have some type of eyes on the situation but also thought they should have at least one Warrior down below as well to make sure instant contact could be made if anything changed below in the Staging Cavern. However, before he could put his opinion to words, a vibration shook everything around him. He lurched to his feet reflexing his Power Sword in reaction to whatever unseen danger was about to attack. Most of the other Warriors had also come to their feet reflexing their Swords as well.

Nothing was obviously present and the readings on the screen didn’t show the Gate opening but the ominous snapping sound of stone and the hairline cracks that suddenly appeared in the walls were proof of some type of imminent danger. Caleb carefully reached out through the connection he shared with Ashlyn to make sure she was okay. He didn’t want to startle her and get her all spun up again. When he brushed her mind, he found nothing remiss and when she touched his in return, he kept the situation unfolding around him from her knowledge.

Everything was stable at her level so there was no point in making her worry. Turning back to the other Warriors he said, “It appears the vibrations didn’t make it to the higher levels. Ashlyn didn’t even sense it other than the usual spike in Gate energy.”

“Eleina sent the same,” Jacob spoke up from beside him and the 227

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other Warriors who were Mated confirmed the feedback they were getting from their Power Mates was the same.

Watching the furious typing of Ethan on his computer keyboard now that the vibrations had ceased and the tense pacing of Michael, Caleb returned his Sword back to its bracelet form and sat back down on the couch. One by one, the other Warriors also eased back down except for Raven who remained standing and pacing with his Sword in his hand. Caleb noticed he kept eyeballing the door like he was ready to escape at any moment.

“Ethan, report! What the fuck just happened?” Khenti Michael demanded.

Pushing away from the desk, Ethan stood up suddenly and ran his hands through his short black spiked hair. “I can’t fucking believe it, but it looks exactly like an earthquake.”

Caleb couldn’t believe his ears. He stood up and walked straight over to Ethan’s computer screen turning it so he could see it. Sure enough the geologic reading Ethan had pulled up showed readings that just made it on the Richter scale.

Shaking his head Caleb shouted so the rest of the noisy room could hear, “That’s not possible. From my studies the ground here has always been perfectly stable. The tectonic plates settled so long ago it makes us look like teenagers in the scheme of years. It has to be the Dimensional Gate, Michael. Turin tried to bring down the complex before when the Gate was open. Perhaps he’s finding a way to do damage even before the Gate is open.”

Ethan jumped in then in a furious tone, “Dude, you’re right!

Although the Gate’s energy spiked, it didn’t open but it did parallel the start of the vibrations. This isn’t good if Turin can cause damage without opening the Gate. It would mean we’re royally screwed because we can’t even fight him if we can’t get to him.”

Khenti Michael’s voice boomed throughout the room when he commanded, “Enough!” Even Caleb cringed from his leader’s fury and the punishing look he turned on all of them. The noise in the room stopped and everyone dove for a chair, a couch, or leaned back against their chosen corner or wall.

Only then did Michael continue and he informed them, “The situation may seem dire but we will fight and we will win no matter 228

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what. If need be, we’ll force open the fucking Gate again like our Sphinx women did before without our permission and take care of business.”

It was obvious to Caleb that Michael was just as upset about this new development but he was refusing to give up. Their leader paced back and forth running his fingers through his hair. After a few minutes, he finally settled leaning back against the war planner’s desk and pinned them all with his dark blue eyed stare.

“Gentleman, we have to carve out a worse-case-scenario plan.

I’m hoping our Power Mates will discover the answer in the Seventh Page, but if not, then we have to weigh alternatives like forcing open the Gate to get to Turin and shutting him down permanently.”

“Which means at least one of us has to run a suicide mission into the Drake Dimension,” came from the corner of the room. Caleb glanced back in that direction to see Raven advancing to the center of the room.

Stopping in front of everyone, Raven crossed his arms over his chest and announced wearily, “He’s my brother, albeit only half and by violence against my mother, but he’s still my blood and my responsibility. I’ll be the one to cross over, no one else. There’s no point in risking anyone else.”

Caleb jerked up from the seat he was sitting in and strode straight up to Raven stopping nose to nose with him. “We all know you can’t deliver the killing blow against him because he’s your blood. I’ll go with you to finish him off while you keep him occupied.”

Raven pushed up into his face snarling back, “No, you won’t. I’m not Mated to anyone. The rest of you have Power Mates, someone to love and take care of. You have Ashlyn to think about, Caleb.

Once Turin is dead, the Gate will snap shut in an instant trapping whoever is on the other side, even if they are successful.”

“Exactly why I have to go, Raven. Turin’s the reason Ashlyn’s the way she is, just like the other women he’s tormented. I am thinking about her. With my Power Phasing, I’m faster than anyone here and faster than any Wraith on that side of the Gate. Odds are, I can make it back before his heart even stops beating. And even if I don’t…as long as I take out Turin, Ashlyn will have a chance to 229

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survive, even if it’s without me,” Caleb finished on an anguished note.

What Caleb was proposing was killing him inside, but no matter the cost, he couldn’t let Turin bring their home down. The thought of Ashlyn trapped under tons of rock and sand breathing her last broke him inside faster than the possibility of being trapped forever in the Drake Dimension where he would no doubt meet his end.

With or without Raven, he was going anyway so it was just a matter of when the Gate would open next. The touch of Khenti Michael’s hand on his shoulder caused Caleb to jump.

The unexpected contact had him growling, but Michael luckily ignored his outburst and said, “As much as I want to tell both of you to go to hell, and there’s no way I would allow you to go on a mission like this, I…” Their leader actually choked up before he continued, “I accept your proposals. Both of you will go, so don’t even start, Raven, because both of you going on this suicide mission just might get both of your asses back in one piece.”

Caleb almost wanted to laugh at Raven since it was obvious he was trying to come up with some type of come back for Michael but it wasn’t happening. Michael shook his head and quietly said,

“Don’t even think about it, Raven. Save it for the planning, because this is going to be one hell of a session. I have no plans to lose either one of you to that fucking hell on the other side of the Gate.”

****

Sitting in the corner of the reading section of the entertainment room with her feet propped up on a nearby dark wood table Ashlyn sighed impatiently. She tapped on the arm of the matching chair she sat in and then in a fit grabbed the orange cushion behind her and winged it across the room. Where the other women were she didn’t know, but something was terribly wrong besides the dark energy pulsing up from the soon to open Gate. Her inner Sphinx was restless with the knowledge of an impending battle and her emotions were all over the place because Caleb was holding their Mated Link down to a minimum.

Her Warrior was trying to protect her from something that was obviously upsetting him, which was only going to drive her crazy.

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disturbance a few moments ago when Caleb had reached out to her, but once he had checked to make sure she was okay he had drawn back. The Power Protector instinct in her was roaring to life which meant the shit was about to hit the fan on some catastrophic level.

If the other Sphinx females didn’t arrive with the Pages in the next few minutes, she was going to go hunt them down.

Unable to remain seated Ashlyn stood up and began to pace back and forth among the randomly arranged tables and chairs. She had never felt so worked up in her life and could only guess it was because the worry she felt for Caleb was feeding into him, which in turn wound her up even more. As she brushed by one of the gold and orange fabric streamers, it caught on her shoulder and she whipped around and snarled at it. Grabbing the fabric with every intention of ripping it from the ceiling Ashlyn paused when laughter came from the doorway of the entertainment room. She turned to glare at whoever was making the jovial sound and found Eleina advancing over to where she was standing.

The Priestess held up her hands and greeted, “Hey, Ashlyn, it’s just me. Save the fierce Protector for the Wraith we’re going to be fighting any time now. We need you to concentrate on the Seventh Page that Stormy is bringing down.”

Ashlyn crossed her arms and tapped her foot to show her impatience and fired back, “I’ve been waiting here for several minutes. You guys told me to meet you early because of the unfolding situation with the Gate.”

Eleina tucked a strand of her white blond hair back up into the clasp that held her long hair up in an elegant twist. With a sigh she said, “I know we did and I apologize for that. Skye had a bit of an episode touching the Seventh Page and Lily had to balance her back out. Plus Alexandria basically restricted Stormy to her rooms unless she let the Healer perform a physical to make sure she and the baby were doing okay.”

Suddenly feeling like an ass, Ashlyn relaxed her stance and blew out a breath in an effort to ease the tension in her body. Apologizing she said, “No. I’m the one who should apologize. I guess I’m just wound up tighter than a spring in between the Dimensional Gate getting ready to open, Elder Chloe missing, and now I swear Caleb 231

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is hiding something from me. I can feel how stressed and upset he is, but beyond that, he refuses to open up. I just don’t understand.”

A snort from the doorway caught her attention and she glanced over to find Lily and Skye entering the room. Lily waved and commented, “Get used to it, Ashlyn. You’ll find the Sphinx males will do anything to protect you, including withholding information.

I’ve been tempted to use my telekinesis on Hunter until he tells me what’s going on.” Ashlyn could hear the frustration and disgust in Lily’s words and saw Skye nod in agreement.

Ashlyn moved out of the way to give Lily and Skye plenty of room to maneuver to the far chair she had been occupying earlier and stood by until the two women were seated. Following behind Eleina, she picked a chair next to Lily who had Skye shifted slightly behind her. Ashlyn knew this was the normal positioning so Lily could keep her telepathically sensitive sister out of others’ inadvertent reach when she wasn’t with Ethan who could buffer her.

Eleina shifted the chair next to her over, but right before she sat down, Stormy and Alexandria showed up in the doorway. The Priestess rushed over to Stormy and took the various forms of the Pages of Seven from her. Probably a good thing because Alexandria didn’t look happy in the least that Stormy was carrying so much in her arms.

Trying not to laugh at the antics of the three women, Ashlyn covered her mouth and watched Stormy roll her eyes. The Power Keeper shooed Alexandria back before saying, “Really Alexandria.

You’re getting just as bad as Michael with the hovering. I’m telling you I feel much better now that I know how to regulate my interaction with the Life Power so that it doesn’t affect me or the baby.”

Alexandria threw up her hands in obvious disgust before informing the entire room, “Will you all please tell her to take it easy. If anything happens to her or the child, Michael will kill all of us. Literally.”

Her Protector mode kicking in Ashlyn jumped up from her chair and pulled out the seat across from her.

“We’ll all keep an eye out for her, Alexandria. Don’t worry.

There’s enough skill and Power in this room we could take anything 232

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down that threatened our leader’s Power Mate.”

Looking over at Stormy, Ashlyn gave her a conspirator’s wink.

Stormy smiled back and eased back into the chair with no problem.

Ashlyn knew she was doing quite well because Stormy’s Power levels were obvious to her and she could see an even flow indicating good health.

Wanting to ease the other women’s mind she said, “I can see Stormy’s energy levels and balance quite easily. If I see any change at all, I’ll let you know.”

Hoping that the group was satisfied with her show of abilities that would help protect Stormy, Ashlyn moved back over to her chair and sat down. Eleina also reclaimed her chair and Alexandria appeared to be prepared to join the discussion of the Pages. She grabbed a chair and wedged her way between Eleina and Stormy.

Once everyone was settled, Eleina spread the various forms of the Pages of Seven out on the circular wooden table. She sat the e-Reader containing the first three Pages next to Stormy, placed the ancient Fourth Page on the table in between herself and Alexandria, and gave the Fifth and Sixth Pages to Lily. Ashlyn noted how carefully Lily unrolled the half Fifth Page settling it in front of Skye and then placed the silver Sixth Page right next to it. Finally, Eleina took the clear crystalline tube containing the Seventh Page and extended it out to her.

Surprised, Ashlyn just looked at it for a moment and then glanced up at Eleina in question. Eleina shrugged and informed her,

“We already tried to open it earlier but had no luck. We’re hoping that since it has your Power Signature it will open for you.”

Ashlyn tentatively took the scroll tube in her hands and held it carefully. The smooth crystal felt warm in her hands and once again she couldn’t help noticing the intricate hieroglyphics inset into the crystal. Rotating the tube in her hands, she positioned it so the end with the sapphire pyramid embedded in the flat circular diamond was on top. While holding the scroll tube in one hand she reached up and grasped the jeweled cap with the other. Almost immediately the warmth increased against the palm of her hand and then the end cap released.

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and then upended the tube. The ancient Page slid out and into her hand. The scroll felt soft and warm like the crystalline holder. As delicately as she could, she unrolled the Seventh Page and spread it out on the table, holding it in place while Eleina placed small silver discs on the four corners to hold it open. Only then did Ashlyn let go of the scroll and sit back to look at it.

The Page was obviously old and Ashlyn would have expected it to be completely yellowed, but what yellowing was there became whiter and whiter as the light touched the scroll until its brightness almost hurt the eyes. Instead of black lettering, the writing was of shining silver. Power Signatures framed the entirety of the Page’s edge and included every single one of the Sphinx Women’s Power Signatures in brilliant coloration. Stormy’s red ruby with an imbedded crystalline starburst, Eleina’s solar winged gold disk and silver cobra with rainbow wings, and Alexandria’s silver moon with an eclipsing sun.

Fascinated, Ashlyn shifted the Page ever so slightly so she could examine the other Power Signatures. Skye’s crystal pyramid with its golden eye and Lily’s purple amethyst with three rings of gold seemed to jump from the whiteness of the Seventh Page. Near the top was Ashlyn’s own Power Signature and she reached out tentatively to run her fingertip over the sapphire pyramid surrounded by a circular diamond. What the Page was trying to reveal, she didn’t know, but it was still beautiful to behold and extremely intriguing to her curious mind. She smoothed her fingers over the raised textures of the Page and the words appeared to shimmer ever so briefly. With the slight shimmering, came the revelation of the lightest of images which formed over the whole Page.

Ashlyn gasped when a watermark image of a Power Starburst formed before her eyes. Snatching her hand away, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The mark resembled Elder Chloe’s diamond when it glowed on the top of her silver staff, but how that could be, she didn’t know.

She wanted to mention the strange coincidence to the other women but then Ashlyn knew that would lead to questions she just couldn’t go into about Chloe. Sighing, she sat back in the chair and 234

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rubbed at her temples. Thinking about all of the nuances of her life and trying to protect the ones she cared about, not just through physical means, but also mental means, was wearing her out.

Ashlyn just wanted life to be less complicated and spend all of her time in Caleb’s arms but she didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

Not realizing how deep she had gone into her own thoughts Ashlyn nearly jumped out of her seat when Stormy excitedly asked,

“Do you know what it says or what it means?”

Rubbing at her temples again Ashlyn answered, “I have no idea and as far as reading the damn text I have no ability there either. I have no knowledge of the ancient languages or writings.”

Skye edged up just enough so Ashlyn could see her around Lily.

In her soft voice she asked, “Eleina, can you make out what it says?”

Eleina shifted closer to the Page and touched the edge of the white scroll. Ashlyn watched her squint at the lettering as if she was trying to make it clearer so she could read it. The Priestess sat there focusing on it for what seemed forever but finally she sat back shaking her head. Her expression was confused and she appeared to be a bit frustrated as she crossed her arms in front of her.

“I can only read part of it. The text is a mixture of ancient Egyptian but also the oldest writings I have ever seen in the Athenian language. All I can say is that I recognize it, but I can’t read it since I only know the latest Athenian text. What I did make out from the Seventh Page are some of the items we already knew.

Destroying the Gate involves a combination of Gate Jumping and Power Jumping. It also requires the Power and the Anchor to hold those steady on this side of the dimensions. The order of manipulation of the Power is obvious with the Power Signatures and that there must be seven females.”

Alexandria sighed heavily flipping her long raven black hair over her shoulder and in disgust said, “We already know that, Eleina.

What else?”

Eleina sat back up and tapped her finger against the Seventh Page in contemplation.

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successful and to anchor us. Once again, this Page mentions the Circle of Life and then a Center of Power, but then it switches to the oldest of Athenian texts I’ve ever seen. I’m sorry. Without someone who can read it, we’re stuck. Unless Skye thinks she can pick up a vision from it, although I’m not really willing to risk her. Without more time, I…I think we’re in deep trouble. ”

Skye spoke up with determination, “I’m willing to try. Anything to save those we love.”

Hearing Eleina and Skye’s words caused a deep pain in Ashlyn’s chest. The thought of not being able to destroy the Gate, especially with Turin gaining strength in his ability to manipulate it, was crushing. The enemy would invade and Ashlyn knew there was a very real possibility that lives would be lost this round. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing Caleb. If she didn’t die from being separated from him she knew she would go insane. There would be no stopping her from plunging head long into the Drake Dimension to destroy Turin, even though it would be a failing mission.

With a growl, Ashlyn shoved away from the table and shouted,

“No! It won’t do any good. I can’t explain why but I know this Page won’t reveal any more of its secrets and I won’t risk you, Skye.”

Jerking backward she knocked over her chair and stalked halfway to the door. The dark energy of the Dimensional Gate was exponentially rising in strength and she heard the other women gasp when their internal senses felt it as well. They were out of time and they all knew it. Death was coming in the form of Turin and he was eager to destroy them all.

Ashlyn curled her fingers into her hair, fighting back the growing knowledge and grief that she was going to lose Caleb if she didn’t do something. She had a suspicion he was considering the same because he was still overly quiet, but the grief he was feeling was crossing their link rather he wanted it to or not. She had to protect him, to protect them all, or go down trying.

Turning back to the Sphinx women who meant so much more to her now that she had opened up her heart again, Ashlyn faced them and looked at all of their determined expressions. The only thing she could do was spill her heart and risk it all.

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know it’s not going to be closing anytime soon because Turin is winning and controlling the damn thing. I can’t lose Caleb. I can’t lose any of you. I’ll die inside anyway or be an empty insane husk. I don’t want to live that way again, damaged by a madman, and left alone to die a lonely miserable death.”

Taking a deep breath Ashlyn fixed them all with a look that she hoped conveyed everything she felt inside, both the softer and deadlier of emotions.

“I’m sorry. I have to go down there and try to destroy the Gate. I believe we have enough information from what we have gleaned from the Pages of Seven at least to do some major damage. If I’m wrong then it will be my life that is lost, but if I can make any difference at all with the golden Life Power that I can draw and buy us some more time, then I’m going to do it.”

Not waiting for their demand she stop and rethink her insane mission, Ashlyn turned away and started to head for the door.

However, halfway to the door she halted in her tracks when every one of the women yelled that they were going with her. Slowly she turned toward them, knowing the tears she had held back for so long were rolling down her cheeks. This time she wasn’t afraid to show her inner fears because the strength before her and the strength Caleb gave her made her sure of the actions she was willing to take.

Looking into all of their determined faces Ashlyn whispered,

“You don’t have to do this.”

Even Skye looked straight at her with fire in her hazel eyes and said, “Yes, we do. We’re sisters and sisters stick together. All of us working as one team will make us stronger against the enemy and to save all of those we love.”

Eleina stood up and scooped up all of the Pages back into the bag Stormy had been carrying them in. Handing it back to the Power Keeper, Eleina marched over to Ashlyn and turned back to the group.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready to go with Ashlyn to kick some ass.”

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Alexandria stopped her.

“No, you don’t. You have your baby to think about. Your assignment is to try to pull any more details out of those Pages and hold down the fort. We’ll be back.”

Ashlyn swiped away her tears and with the group of determined Sphinx women spun around towards the door. Taking the lead, she marched straight out the door ready to do battle with the Wraith, Turin, and the Gate. She made it part way across the entryway when the entire floor below her seemed to surge upward. Thrown up into the air all she could do was ball up her body and try and cushion herself when she impacted the floor.

Slamming hard on her back, she gasped trying to capture her breath and couldn’t help notice the large cracks which suddenly crawled across the ceiling. Jerking upright she rolled out of the way when the large gold and crystal chandelier high above the center of the entryway came crashing to the floor. The entire level to her felt like it had risen up several feet and then plummeted back down.

The women behind her screamed right before the loudest sonic boom echoed throughout the complex but the worst was Caleb’s roar as his connection opened with her for just a second and then all was deathly silent. For one blinding moment Ashlyn couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, and couldn’t even feel her body. Numbness spread throughout her mind where Caleb should have been.

“Caleb!”

Not thinking of the consequences Ashlyn gathered every bit of golden Life Power she could reach. Rising to her feet, all she could see was a golden haze that she suspected was glowing from her eyes. Whatever had happened below, she knew it was because of Turin and the Gate and that the Warriors were trapped and in trouble. Taking a deep breath, she pushed every bit of the Power she had collected out of her body and down into the depths of the damaged Complex hoping it would reach the Warriors and the man she loved.

On and on, Ashlyn pushed the energy until she was light-headed and weak. Still, she continued to push the golden Power until her legs gave out and she fell to her knees in exhaustion and total depletion of energy. A pain deeper than any she had experienced 238

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before ripped through her.

Covering her face with her hands, Ashlyn whimpered, “Caleb, please answer me.”

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Chapter Fifteen

At first, there was nothing. No connection, no sound, no stir of the Warrior she loved deep within her. Ashlyn wanted to scream, wanted to cry out, and wanted to destroy everything around her as a blinding fury engulfed her. If Caleb was gone, lost forever to her, she didn’t want to live and would make sure Turin and his hated Wraith paid dearly on her way out. Unable to rise from the floor Ashlyn sat in an almost catatonic state trying to find the will to move and continue for just long enough to take on the final mission of her life.

Around her, the other women cried out and she knew they too were feeling the aftermath of the catastrophic event that had just happened. Some cried, some sat in silence, and others hissed and growled in such fury Ashlyn knew they were feeling the dark destructive turmoil she was.

Knowing she had to go on, Ashlyn closed her eyes and slowly began to draw more of the golden Life Power into her body. At first it entered at such a slow rate she wasn’t sure if she had been injured herself, but then she felt it. As she drew in the energy, it flowed deep within her center to her Life Force where it circled and fed into the Life Force that was still with her. Gasping, Ashlyn’s eyes snapped open and she held a hand to her stomach. Caleb was still alive and drawing strength from her.

With renewed purpose and hope, she concentrated on regulating the draw of Power. Enough to not burn herself out this time but a steady enough stream that she knew she was getting the energy to Caleb. It seemed to take forever, the action of sending him the sustaining energy he needed, but eventually she felt a change, a strengthening, and then she heard the most precious sound she had ever heard.

Caleb’s voice touched her mind loud and clear, although a bit choppy from whatever injuries he had sustained. Ashlyn…you 240

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okay? Trapped in planning room…partial collapse. Give me a minute to get…get it together. Keep sending Life Power. Can you expand again to the other…Warriors? All need Life Power.

Ashlyn took a deep breath in relief, realizing the Warriors were alive. She just needed to get them Life Power and lots of it. Glancing up at the other women, she could see their pained expressions begin to clear when their Power Mates began to reach out to them. Looks of relief touched each woman, and it was then Ashlyn realized had any of the female Warriors lost their Mate it would have crushed all of them.

With renewed determination Ashlyn came to her feet while continuing to pull the golden energy from around her and sending it through the floor to the lower levels. Although Ashlyn was concerned for Stormy’s condition, she got up from the floor with no problem. If anything her color was even better than before and her eyes glittered with a battle ready fury.

Clearly, she said, “Keep it up, Ashlyn. Your energy is reaching them. They’re still trapped, though. I’m going down.”

Alexandria and Eleina tried to stop her, but Stormy waved them off, “Don’t try to stop me. I’m not losing Michael. We’ve got to at least check out the damage and see if there’s some way to get to them. You can all come with me or stay here, but I’m going.”

The Power Keeper stalked towards Ashlyn, clearly heading for the door. Before Stormy got past her, Ashlyn stepped in her way.

Stormy glared at her but Ashlyn stood her ground. Before the fired up woman could say a thing Ashlyn demanded, “You’re not going anywhere without us. We need to stay together as a group, especially if the Wraith end up getting through the Dimensional Gate. Together we are powerful, but alone Turin will have the upper hand and try and take us out.”

Not sure what Stormy would fire back Ashlyn was pleased when the Power Keeper returned, “I agree. We stay together.” Turning toward the group she continued, “Agreed ladies?”

Even though it was a question, Ashlyn heard the demand in Stormy’s words. Not that it mattered, because every single one of the Sphinx women agreed wholeheartedly. Everyone moved over to where Stormy and she were standing, and together they marched to 241

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the door.

Taking the lead again, Ashlyn grabbed the handle of the ornate entryway doors, hoping they were still solidly in the frame. Crossing her fingers, she gave a shove and was thankful when the doors opened smoothly. A few tiny pieces of sandstone from the ceiling trickled down on them in a light dust. Beyond that, it appeared the Warrior’s living quarters had survived intact other than the cracks in the ceiling and the fallen chandelier. Hoping the lower levels weren’t completely destroyed, Ashlyn ventured over to the elevators and punched the call button. The other women crowded around her in tense silence but when she looked back at them each nodded at her indicating their readiness.

Several seconds passed with no elevator showing up indicating that perhaps they had been damaged by the unexpected earthquake-like jolt which had hit the Complex. Metallic creaking and snapping could be heard coming from below and Ashlyn almost turned to go use one of the rear emergency elevators. Just when she was prepared to go find an alternative the far left elevator showed up and the doors slowly opened. The double doors paused for a moment halfway but then popped the rest of the way open.

Ashlyn turned to the rest of the women before saying, “Perhaps some of us should use the emergency elevators. I hate to have all of us stuck on this thing and having to shimmy down the elevator cables to the lower levels.”

Glancing in Stormy’s direction, she looked pointedly at her and then her still flat stomach. Having Stormy injured in a fall and losing her baby on top of everything else wasn’t something Ashlyn was going to have happen. Alexandria must have agreed because the Healer stepped up between Eleina and her, indicating she was already calculating who was going where.

Alexandria didn’t disappoint. Without pause she directed, “Lily and Skye, please escort Stormy down to the eighth floor planning level. If you have any problem, go straight back up to the Medical Facility or higher. Ashlyn, Eleina, and I will go see what we can do to reach the Warriors. Ashlyn can feed them Life Power, I can heal any injuries, and Eleina can see if she can tap into any energy to Jump them out. If Turin can harness the Gates’ energy to cause this 242

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mess then we should be able to tap into anything left over to make things right.”

Lily stepped forward asking, “If I can get over to the planning room, I can try to use my telekinesis.”

Ashlyn immediately jumped in, “No, Lily. From what little I could get from Caleb, it seems like it is pretty unstable. Any energy-induced movement may just bring the level the rest of the way down on their heads and maybe affect the other floors above. We’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way and get the Warrior’s strong enough to tunnel their way out.”

It was obvious Lily wasn’t happy with not being able to go directly to Hunter but she nodded and moved back over to Stormy.

Really none of them were happy with the plan of action, but it couldn’t be helped. Ashlyn just knew they had to get going now, so wished the others luck before cautiously stepping into the elevator.

Crossing her fingers, Ashlyn bounced lightly on her toes to test the elevators stability and when it held waved Eleina and Alexandria in.

Both women jumped inside without pause. Ashlyn saluted the other three Sphinx women before selecting the button for the planning level. The doors creaked closed and then with pings and rattles the elevator slowly went down and down into the lower levels of the Complex. Hoping things had improved below Ashlyn reached out to Caleb checking on his progress. His strength was obviously increasing at a rapid rate as well as that of the other Warriors. It was a good thing, too, because the constant draw and feed at the distance she was having to push and the number of Warriors was testing her strength.

Just when Ashlyn leaned against the wall to rest, the elevator jerked to a stop but obviously too soon before it had fully reached the planning floor.

“Just great. Looks like we might be climbing down that elevator shaft after all,” Ashlyn huffed.

“Give it a second. My brother had Ethan put in secondary systems to these elevators as a back-up. Even if the motors were damaged, the secondary should kick in unless the overall tracks and cables were completely fried too,” Alexandria informed them.

Ashlyn’s restlessness skyrocketed. She had to get to Caleb and 243

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see him to know that he was indeed okay. Not being able to touch him was driving her crazy. Needing to feel his presence, even if it was only in her mind, she reached out and immediately found his presence strong in her mind. His deep inner voice sounded clearly in her mind. Ashlyn, stop drawing Life Power and pushing it to us.

You’re overly tiring yourself, save your strength. I need you to be able to fight if you need to. We’ve got enough energy between all of us now. You did it, darlin.’ A few more minutes of healing and we’ll dig our way out of here.

Concerned of how much healing Caleb really had to do Ashlyn started to get even more restless, more upset. All she could think of was Caleb lying on the ground after he had taken the bulletized shrapnel when he had protected her against the Gatherer. His poor face and neck had been shredded and all that blood. She couldn’t take the thought of seeing him covered in blood and suffering again.

With fury filling her, Ashlyn growled and with a curse jumped up and down jolting the elevator. Not really expecting it to work, Ashlyn was surprised when the elevator groaned, popped metallically, and then continued on its downward track. When it arrived on the eighth level, the elevator bounced roughly before the doors creaked open.

The moment they opened Ashlyn could see the incredible chaos left in the wake of the Gate’s destructive surge of power. Part of the ceiling had fallen in blocking the other elevators. To make matters worse, one of the overhead lights had been stripped from the ceiling and hung partially blocking the elevator Ashlyn was trying to get out of.

Behind her, Eleina gasped, “By the Ancients. Turin’s trying to bring the complex down around our ears. Is he insane?”

Ashlyn couldn’t help it, she snorted, “He’s beyond insane. All he can see is his desire to have all of the Life Power to himself and the ability to claim every Sphinx female in existence. Beyond that, reality doesn’t exist for him other than his fixation with killing off every one of the Warriors.”

The thought of Turin being successful and taking away the extraordinary man who had finally found her and pulled her back from the brink of her own insecurities drove Ashlyn over the edge.

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With a snarl, she forced her way past the swinging, sparking light.

With her passing, she knocked it loose and sent it crashing to the floor. Sparks from the exposed wiring lit up the darkened corner and the glass from the light bulb scattered across the floor but she ignored it all.

Not willing to waste any more time by being cautious of the falling debris and piles of sandstone, Ashlyn forced her way out into the hallway and towards the planning room. Her heart broke at seeing the damage which had been done to the level. The tan walls had spider web cracks running all through them and the ceiling was even worse with huge gaps that widened the farther down the hallway she went. The brilliantly painted images of strong Warriors, scenic landscapes, and colorful skylines that Skye had created were lying on the floor in broken disarray.

Having no choice but to continue if she wanted to reach Caleb in time, Ashlyn forged a path in between the rubble and debris.

Behind her, Eleina and Alexandria followed at the same determined pace as far as they could until they had to stop because of the total blockage only feet away from the planning room door. Ashlyn clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists at the frustration and feeling of helplessness. The uncontrollable urge to scream assaulted her but instead she stayed silent letting the fury build inside her.

“Eleina, can you use the energy from the Gate to Jump inside the planning room to get the Warriors out like you did for Hunter and me?” Ashlyn turned to find Lily, Skye, and Stormy had caught up with them. Lily’s question made sense and Ashlyn wondered if it was a possibility.

Shaking her head, Eleina sadly answered, “No. That was the first thing I thought of. The Gate’s energy is too unstable and whatever Turin is doing is making it worse. I could grab onto the energy and end up being pulled right into the pile of rubble, or worse down to the Dimensional Gate. There has to be another way to get to them, but I don’t know how.”

Neither did Ashlyn but the longer she stood there, the more frantic she became. She could feel Caleb was still with her but his silence had her worried. Fear filled her, and not wanting to stand 245

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helpless anymore, she began to grab crumbled stone tossing it out of the way. Vaguely she heard Alexandria telling her to stop but she ignored the Healer until another part of the ceiling almost dropped down upon her head. If not for Eleina dragging her back, she would have been under the rubble.

Feeling more and more helpless, Ashlyn cried out, “Caleb! Damn it! Can you hear me?”

Forever it seemed the sound of her voice simply echoed down the crumbling hallway. Ashlyn felt like she was suffocating, unable to breath, and the heavy atmosphere from the dark energy of the Gate wasn’t helping. Her fight or flight began to spin up within her and with no one to fight and nowhere to run, she started to hyperventilate. She feared she was headed straight toward an all-out panic attack. Closing her eyes, she reached out to Caleb through their shared link. She didn’t want to distract him from his effort to escape the entrapment but she had to touch him at least mind to mind.

It was then she vaguely heard sound coming from the planning room including a full-fledged cursing from the Warriors. Other than that, she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She wanted to ask Caleb how they were doing but she was afraid to throw off his concentration with his efforts to escape the debris which was evidently holding him down. However, Caleb must have known she needed his reassurance because his deep masculine voice caressed her mind briefly. I’m fine, Ashlyn. The Life Power you sent was plenty to strengthen all of us. We’re working to shift the sandstone rubble off us and then out of the way. Should be with you in a few minutes. Hang in there for me, darlin.’

Relief filled her at the sound of Caleb’s strengthening voice in her head. What she would do to be able to pull him out from the debris, but standing by was what he needed and so she would. She just hoped he and the other Warriors wouldn’t be long. The feel of the Dimensional Gate’s energy spiked exponentially in the atmosphere again and Ashlyn heard some of the other Sphinx women hiss behind her.

Ashlyn rubbed at her Sefu Element when her arm tingled from her Life Power surging toward it. Everything whispered the Gate 246

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was opening and without the Warriors that didn’t bode well. Like a premonition from hell coming to find her, the floor under Ashlyn’s feet shook ominously and she dove over to the wall, dragging Stormy and Eleina with her in an effort to escape being hit from any more falling debris. Alexandria, Skye, and Lily did the same narrowly escaping a direct hit when another chunk of ceiling gave way.

Alexandria shouted, “We can’t stay here any longer. We’ve got to get to higher ground or we’ll be trapped down here too. Joshua’s much stronger now and has managed to get loose. He’s helping the other Warriors and says Caleb is using his Power Phasing to move the rubble out of the way.”

Ashlyn closed her eyes trying to pull herself together. She couldn’t believe what a baby she was becoming lately. The love she felt for Caleb was incredible, but at the same time, the thought of losing him was killing her. Swallowing to clear her throat, she looked at Alexandria and brokenly said, “I don’t think I can leave without Caleb. I’ve never felt this…fearful…since I was young.”

Stormy reached for her and Ashlyn knew the Power Keeper was just trying to soothe her but she edged away from her touch anyway. Only Caleb could touch her when she was like this. Only he could soothe her and Ashlyn wished he was out here with her now because she was becoming more and more on edge. Flight wasn’t reasonable. She needed something to fight and needed it right now.

The answer presented itself to her only a moment later when another sonic boom seemed to shake the very foundation of the Complex. The floor under her feet shook violently and then the thick oily evil energy of the Gate seemed to coat her body. Ashlyn reared back nearly reflexing her Power Sword from the sensation.

With a hiss she shoved herself back against the wall in an effort to escape the energy. There was no doubt the Gate had opened this time and she was sure the Guardians Elite wouldn’t be able to hold the Wraith back for very long.

Glancing back towards the rubble-covered planning room door Ashlyn fought against the need to stay. Caleb was trapped but he was making progress along with the other Warriors in their escape.

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the Wraith. In the interim, however, the Elite needed help or there would be no Complex, no Egyptians, and no human world to save.

Pushing away from the wall, Ashlyn forced herself to walk past the Sphinx women. It was the most painful thing she had ever done but she knew Caleb would be okay.

“Ashlyn?” Skye asked in a combination of curiosity and dread in her voice.

Pausing in her movement back to the elevator, Ashlyn glanced back over her shoulder to the other women and quietly said, “I can feel the Gate has opened. I have to go down and help the Guardians fight the Wraith. It’s the only way to buy time for the Warriors. If they need more Life Power, I can push it to them even from down there.”

At least Ashlyn hoped she could with the amount she had pushed through her system earlier. She thought she might even have to use the golden energy if it got to the point where they were losing before the Warriors got down there. The very real possibility of her death happening in the next few minutes, either by the claws and teeth of the Wraith sucking the life out of her or frying her body from drawing too much Life Power in an effort to destroy the Gate, sobered her. Unable to communicate any further with the other women, Ashlyn forced her body to move forward.

Before she even got to the elevator, a gentle hand on her shoulder had her turning around. The rest of the women were following right in her footsteps, but it was Eleina who said, “We Sphinx women stick together. We can all tell the Gate’s opened and it can’t be good.

We have no choice but to step in and help even if our men don’t like it, and believe me Jacob is furious right now in my head.”

Caleb must have gotten wind of the plans as well, either because she had left her connection with him open wide or one of the other Warriors had told him. The need to keep her safe was obvious when he sent, Ashlyn, please, wait. Only a few more minutes and we’ll be free. Hell, Joshua may be able to Power his way out of here any minute now and I can follow shortly once I get the rest of the debris shifted. Wait for me darlin,’ please.

Ashlyn closed her eyes and took in a sobbing breath. She knew she couldn’t wait, and through the shared link she could feel Caleb 248

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knew it was extremely dicey if someone didn’t get down there now to help the Guardians. Taking in a rough breath, she sent back, I’m sorry, Caleb. I have to go. I’m sorry. Come as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting for you.

She really wasn’t sure if she would be waiting for him because of the feel of the dark energy vibrating throughout the Complex. If something wasn’t done soon Turin just might finish off the Warriors with nothing more than a telepathic thought causing the Gate to surge. Time was up and she knew it. Opening her eyes, Ashlyn pushed her way back through the debris and over to the elevator. She jumped over the broken lighting and the Sphinx women followed her including Stormy.

Ashlyn didn’t wait for the lecture that was sure to come from Alexandria because Stormy was in the elevator with them but punched the button to go down the one level to hell. The moment the elevator doors shut Alexandria didn’t disappoint as she crossed her arms and stared straight at Stormy.

“My brother is going to kill us both if we survive if I let you go down there.”

Even though the situation was dire, Ashlyn wanted to laugh when Stormy crossed her arms, stomped her foot, and shot back, “I’m coming and I don’t care what anyone says, including my Power Mate. Yes, he’ll be furious with me but he’ll get over it. I promise I’ll stay to the rear like I always do and lock myself in the Trauma Cell if needed. You need me down there, so stop trying to talk me out of it. You all are going and so am I.”

Whether Stormy had wanted to come or not she really had no choice. The already damaged elevator jerked to a stop with an ominous metallic pop. For a moment, Ashlyn thought they were going to be permanently stuck in the damn thing but then the elevator suddenly dropped the last few inches with a slam. The lights flickered and then everything was engulfed in pitch blackness.

“Fucking Gate,” Ashlyn huffed. She had never suffered from claustrophobia before but she could honestly say she was feeling it now. Everything in her screamed to get out. Caleb must have sensed her emotional upheaval because even in his situation of being trapped he was still trying to reach out and soothe her. Knowing 249

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that everyone’s survival might just depend on those trapped in the elevator with her Ashlyn fired up her Life Power. The energy glowed to the surface of her skin giving everyone in the elevator light to see by. She knew they had to get out of there and figured the other women were thinking the same thing. Out of the corner of her eye, Ashlyn saw Eleina fire up a Power Sphere in her hand while Lily shifted over in front of the group.

“Lily can you use your telekinesis to put up a wall of energy to protect everyone from the back blast I’m going to cause?” Eleina asked. “I can blow out the doors but can’t control the kick back.”

“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Lily answered. Ashlyn watched as Lily held up her hands. Immediately a shimmering appeared before them and Ashlyn was amazed by the protective wall Lily formed with nothing but her mind. Eleina took a deep breath and let loose with her Power Sphere. The impact was huge causing the double doors to blow outward, ricochet off the floor, and slam against the far wall.

Even with Lily’s protective shield, Ashlyn still felt the kickback of the energy and quickly stepped in front of Stormy to adsorb anything that might have been headed her way. It was like a kick to the gut but she took it, just like she had taken everything else in life, with determination and a stubbornness not to be brought down.

After a second of recovery and a deep breath, Ashlyn pushed past Eleina and Lily so she was standing outside the elevator. Where she stood, she could just make out the roughly carved doorway in the sandstone. The door was right before her and she could see though it into the dark Staging Cavern. Turin had evidently taken out the lights on this level, but at least structurally it looked intact. From the flickering of light just out of her line of sight, she knew the Gate was open. The stench of Wraith and Guardian blood was heavy in the air. She crinkled her nose against the smell but wanted to cover her ears even more. The sound coming from the cavern was a cacophony of clashing metal on metal, the screech of Wraith, and the shouts of men.

Worse was the sound of Turin in the background cackling gleefully about the fact that he was winning. Ashlyn snarled in anticipation of proving him wrong and reflexed her Power Sword ready and willing to use it. Alexandria, Eleina, and Stormy reflexed 250

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their Sefu into the Sword form right after her while Lily and Skye stayed to the rear.

Ashlyn knew their Sefu Elements were in the form of thumb rings so at the most they could reflex a powerful Dagger. However, the two women always proved to be unstoppable with their telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Every single talent would be needed if they were going to keep the evil creatures at bay.

Ready to fight to the death to protect her home, Ashlyn moved towards the open door but before she got to it a figure blocked her way. Snarling, she raised her Sword ready to attack but held at the last moment when she realized it was Arik. Covered in both his and Wraith blood the head Guardian looked a mess. It was obvious he was already exhausted from his pale complexion and the way his crystalline Ankh marking on his cheek stood out against his skin.

With a gasp he shouted, “I hate to say it, because I know the Warriors aren’t going to be happy with you being down here by yourself, but I’m glad to see you. The Wraith are already getting the upper hand and the Trauma Cell is packed. Warren and Jenny are doing great, though, Alexandria, so if you could lend your Sword arm for a while.”

Before Alexandria could answer, a number of loud excited screeches filled the cavern, which indicated to Ashlyn the situation wasn’t good for the Guardians. Arik turned back towards the battle and with a curse dived back into the frightful battle. Ashlyn figured it was as good a time as any to put her Power Protector skills to use.

Right before she pushed through the doorway to engage, she sent a thought to Caleb hoping he would hear her. I love you, Caleb. If he answered back, Ashlyn didn’t know, because she forcibly narrowed their shared connection. She knew he was fine and couldn’t risk any distraction from him right now. Every bit of her concentration and deadly talent had to be focused on the battle.

With that in mind, she pushed forward and stepped into the Staging Cavern.

Drawing in a deep breath to steady herself, even Ashlyn was taken aback by the brutality in the cavern. The Wraith had been so vicious there were Guardians who had been ripped to shreds, disemboweled, and white skinned from having their very lives 251

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sucked out. The Guardians had taken a monumental hit. It was no wonder Arik had looked so broken. What Turin and his beasts had done brought a new level of fury to Ashlyn’s Life Force and in hatred she looked into the spinning wickedness of the Dimensional Gate.

White, red, and black lightning shot throughout the periphery of the Gate reflecting off the red mineral lines running through the gray stone of the cavern. The Gate’s violently spinning appearance was as it always had been when it was open, but this time there was something new. At the very outer circumference was a thin line of silver and Ashlyn recognized it immediately as Turin’s telepathic ability. She knew it better than anyone, except maybe the twins, because he had used it on her again and again.

His goal had been to force her into the weapon he had wanted but she had refused. Many a night he had attacked with his blackish silver energy and she had resisted with her gold. He couldn’t break her then and he wouldn’t break her now. With a furious scream, she dived headlong into the waves of black-eyed Wraith and their clawed hands and sickled black swords which some of them carried.

She swung and sliced with a fury that was swiftly taking over her mind because she knew she couldn’t fail, couldn’t stop, and couldn’t let Turin win.

All that was left of the kind and innocent side of Ashlyn hid away while she unleashed the darker, violent creature within her which she had buried for so long. Caleb had been the one person who had finally brought sanity to her mind, but in order to save him and the others, she would have to let all that go and let the darkness take over. Wraith after Wraith she brought down with a vengeance, and in the back of her mind, she vaguely noticed the other Sphinx women were doing the same.

Alexandria had finally lost it and transformed into her sleek feline form. The elegant but deadly animal was clawing its way through many a Wraith. Eleina was a skilled Priestess Warrior and coupled with her Power Spheres she was doing some heavy-duty damage too. Arik was paired up with Stormy who was doing her best, considering her condition, and Lily and Skye were causing their own chaos with their telekinetic and telepathic powers.

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Still, with all of their abilities, fighting skills, and pure determination to beat the odds, Ashlyn could feel they were slowly slipping. Each step forward to winning was inexplicitly pushed back two by the sheer numbers of Wraith. Worst of all, was Turin’s growing whispers in her mind feeding on her insecurities and the images of Caleb dying under tons of sandstone in agony. Before she could even react because of the distractions caused by Turin, a Wraith sunk its poisoned claws into her back.

The creature immediately began drawing the golden energy from her body. Spinning around with a hiss, she dislodged the beast’s claws from her back and sliced the Wraith’s head from its shoulders. No sooner had the creature hit the floor Ashlyn was reengaged with another one. Over and over, she dodged most of the Wraith’s greedy contact as best she could but Turin kept attacking her mind again and again. He knew just the right buttons to push until she was frantic and uncertain of herself leaving her open for a Wraith to take the advantage.

The creature slashed out with its claws and caught her across the jaw, knocking her to the ground. Jagged pain exploded in her head and she could feel the long slashes in her skin and the blood running down her neck and into her shirt.

Instantly, Caleb forced their connection open. She could feel he was beyond pissed and more determined than ever to reach her.

She grabbed onto his inner essence that was securely wrapped around her Life Force with everything in her and instantly came to her feet. Caleb was her anchor, the one who kept her sane, and the man who loved her more than life itself. In turn, she loved him with every breath she took.

With a cry, Ashlyn fought off the evil influence of Turin and held on to the pure love and energy that Caleb was sending her way. Her powerful Warrior was giving her the strength she needed, but she wasn’t sure if it was enough to fight against the odds surrounding her. It had to be enough though, otherwise they were all damned.

Shaking off the negative thoughts, Ashlyn took a breath and raised her Sword in preparation for her last stand. She pushed her way deeper into the reaching claws and gnashing teeth of the Wraith.

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life from her seemed insurmountable but just when Ashlyn started to feel overwhelmed again, she felt Caleb move within her mind.

His voice was urgent and demanding in her head with his plea, Please, Ashlyn, hold on. I’m coming.

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Pissed beyond reason, Caleb slammed his body into the remaining pile of rubble over and over again in an effort to free the last of the Warriors. His super-charged body was still humming with enough energy to accomplish moving the sandstone with the speed of Power Phasing, but the amount of debris seemed insurmountable. However, with the patience which was always his, he had almost accomplished it with the help of Joshua’s Power Bursts and Hunters pure muscular manipulation.

“Fucking hell,” he growled with a fury that resonated in his voice.

“I need to get to Ashlyn. I can’t believe we’re fucking stuck in here while our Power Mates have to hold off the Wraith. I can feel her suffering. How in the hell do the rest of you handle this?”

“Are you kidding me? You’ve seen the way we act. We don’t. We go off the deep end every time we even think our Power Mate is in danger. In fact, I’m going to kill something if I don’t get out of here,” Ethan snarled as he used all of his weight against the last of the debris blocking their way out into the hall.

Caleb growled long and deep before demanding, “Just keep working at it, Ethan. As soon as you have enough space for me to squeeze through I’m gone.”

Glancing over his shoulder he asked, “Joshua, are you healed enough yet to jump yourself down into the Staging Cavern?”

Caleb knew Joshua had the ability to surge his Power into his Sword to get from one place to another. It was dangerous each time the Warrior did it but in the circumstances it was more dangerous not to.

“Almost,” Joshua shot back. “I’m working on it and should be ready in about five, if not sooner. This fucking sucks not being able to reach Alexandria. I’m going to rip Turin’s black heart right out of his chest.”

Raven chimed in from where he was still partially trapped, “Take 255

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a number. He’s mine. I don’t care what kind of power is keeping me from killing him, half-brother or not, I’ll find a way.”

“Gentleman, if you would be so kind to concentrate on digging us out,” Khenti Michael tensely commanded. “As much as I love my brothers-in-arms, being crushed against Jacob isn’t the way I would like to express it.”

“Sorry, Khenti. One more time and I think I’ve got it.” With one more surge of his energy, Caleb Power Phased forward to slam into the debris pile. The micro-chain mail he decided to bring with him earlier helped to stop some of the damage of impacting the stone but not all of it. He felt his shoulder pop and grimaced at the pain but the reward was the pile shifting enough that with another burst from Joshua it completely shifted off Michael and Jacob. Quickly, Caleb helped Hunter and Ethan pull Michael and Jacob the rest of the way out from under the stone.

As gently as possible, they leaned the two rough looking men against the wall. Joshua finished dragging Raven the rest of the way out and deposited him against the wall too. All three men were torn up but Caleb could already see they were healing with their Sphinx healing ability. Now that his leader and the other Warriors were free, all Caleb could do was pace back and forth while his shoulder healed and Ethan and Hunter continued to open the gap in the rubble so he could shoot through.

Back and forth, he wore a path on the dusty floor, his mind spinning with the need to reach Ashlyn. He could feel her weakening physically and with each blow she took, each small amount of Life Power stolen by the Wraith, and each mental attack she suffered from Turin made him die a little inside. Clenching his fists, he growled under his breath and tried to reach out to her through their Joined Link. He could feel her resisting him, however, and he could tell she did it because she didn’t want him to suffer.

Little did she know he already felt her torment and was suffering from their separation.

Needing to escape, Caleb almost grabbed Ethan away from the rubble pile blocking their way but held himself back. Ethan was using his hand-held to plug in calculations on the best leverage and impact point to move the debris pile the fastest. Many of the 256

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Warriors were into brute force but Ethan’s technique was working faster than just slamming into the wall. Caleb watched Ethan shake his head indicating he was satisfied with what he was seeing.

Reflexing his Sefu into the Power Sword form, Ethan aimed for the outer edge near the middle of the pile. With one massive swinging arc of his deadly weapon, he impacted the crystalline blade against the stone and the resulting crescendo of ringing sound vibrated throughout the entire pile. Within seconds, the large pile of sandstone began to shake and large pieces broke loose, cascading down the pile to scatter across the floor.

Ethan waved Caleb back and yelled, “Get back, it’s going to shift.”

No sooner had the warning been given then the stone and loose sand crumbled to the side and inward into the room. Caleb backed up along with the other Warriors who either moved on their own or were assisted by others. Raven being the ever-stubborn one waved Hunter off and refused to move. The pile scattered further inward heading straight for the dark-haired Warrior but still he refused to budge. Just when the pile reached him it came to a stop within only inches of his legs. Caleb wasn’t sure what possessed the man but he leaned forward and flicked some of the smaller pebbles off the pile.

Caleb just didn’t understand Raven but it didn’t matter right now. What mattered was the shift of the pile was enough that he could get out of the room and to Ashlyn. Not waiting for any instructions, Caleb revved up his Power and pushed it straight into his Phasing ability.

As he shot forward and out the door, he heard Khenti Michael shout, “Caleb, wait!”

There was no waiting, though. He had to get to Ashlyn and save her. He could already feel her energy plummeting even while she fought with a viciousness that only his Power Mate could. The fact her Power was dropping that fast meant one thing. The Wraith had dug their claws into her. Outside the door, he found more debris in his way but it wasn’t as compacted like the pile Ethan had just shifted out of the way.

With a thunderous roar, Caleb forced his way around, over, and through each section of rubble which blocked his way. On and on he pushed until he finally broke free into the section of hall where 257

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there were smaller piles, which he easily maneuvered around. His throat closed up at the damage that Turin had done to their home.

Even Skye’s beautiful artwork was knocked off the walls and crushed on the floor. Fury rode him and with another push into his Phasing he shot down the hallway and to the elevators.

When he got there it was obvious to him the elevators were not an option to get down to the Staging Cavern. All of them were blocked and damaged and when Caleb pushed the button to the last one there was no response. With a curse, he spun around and ran back out into the hallway. Glancing down to the far end opposite the planning room, he was relieved to find less damage had occurred. The pounding in his heart at the thought of not being able to reach Ashlyn eased up when he realized the emergency back-up elevators would be accessible.

Shooting down the hallway with another burst of Phasing, he reached the end and turned to the left. The hallway blurred around him he was moving so fast, and with nothing in his way, he reached the back-up elevators almost instantaneously. Holding his breath, he reached out and punched the call button, praying to the Ancients that they worked. He blew out his breath in relief when he heard the mechanical sound of the elevator when it moved in his direction.

The second the doors opened, he jumped inside and jammed his thumb into the control panel.

Reaching out to Ashlyn as the elevator doors closed he sent to her, Ashlyn, hold on darlin,’ I’m almost there. There was no response from her but he could still feel her fighting which was the only thing keeping him sane. A huge accomplishment considering his inner Sphinx was going crazy at not being physically near her when she was in obvious pain and danger.

It didn’t take long and the elevator jerked to a rough stop arriving at the Staging Cavern level. The doors opened and Caleb was out in the blink of an eye, Phasing down the long narrow passageway towards the battle. At this level, the passage was nothing more than a tunnel carved into the sandstone and the only lighting was long strands of filament lights no bigger in dimension than a pencil. The lights ran down the entire length of the tunnel and had lit up when he entered because of the sensors also installed 258

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in the tunnel. Caleb made quick time since there was no damage within the tunnel and reached the back side of the Trauma Cell almost immediately. The only thing to slow him down was when he reached the security door and had to punch in the secret code.

Luckily his mind was still with it enough that he could remember it the first time and punching the enter button he heard the locking mechanism unlatch.

Barely waiting for the door to unlock, Caleb grabbed the handle and jerked the door open. The reaction he caused when he suddenly made his appearance in the Trauma Cell was instantaneous. Several of the female medical technicians screamed out in panic when they saw him. He could only imagine he looked a mess with half-healed cuts, bruises and sandstone coating his body and skin.

Holding up his hands he shouted, “Easy, it’s me, Caleb.”

The screaming came to an abrupt stop but the technicians still looked white as ghosts. Caleb almost jumped himself when he was suddenly bombarded by Stormy who came out of nowhere to give him one of her bone crushing hugs.

Her voice was shaky when she cried, “Thank goodness, you’re here. It’s not good, Caleb. We need you and the other Warriors.”

Gently, Caleb set her aside to take in the total chaos within the Trauma Cell. Even with Warren and Jenny leading the trauma team, they were hard pressed to keep up with the injured and dying Guardians who kept entering the Cell. Men were on the cots, on the stretchers, even on the floor bleeding everywhere with little hope of instant healing because they didn’t have the abilities of the Sphinx.

Caleb knew if Alexandria could have, she would have been hovering over each one of the injured. The fact that she wasn’t said a lot to the situation. The obvious growl of her feline voice told him she had transformed into her feline form. The sound of Wraith screeching and the definitive impact of a body against the double doors had Caleb running to the entryway. Caleb heard Stormy call out to him but he ignored her because the sound of Ashlyn’s furious snarl turning into a high-pitched whimper completely freaked him out.

With a snarl of his own, he reflexed his Sefu Element to his Power Sword right before he shoved open the door with every bit of 259

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strength he could. The force of his shove threw several Wraith into the air because the creatures were trying to get through the door.

The gruesome beasts tumbled head over heels until they landed hard on the ground in a sprawl. Caleb watched in revulsion when the creatures shook their grayish skinned heads right before they scraped their claws on the cavern floor and rose to their full heights.

The impulse to tear the creatures limb to limb was tempting but he ignored them and searched the cavern for Ashlyn. It didn’t take him long to find her.

His beauty was still hanging in there. She fought next to Eleina with a vengeance against the Wraith that were trying to reach Lily and Skye. It was evident she had been clawed several times and her normally healthy golden skin tone was a bit pale because of the Life Power the fucking Wraith had stolen from her. Behind her, Lily was braced in the exit holding the creatures back with nothing but the power of her mind. Skye appeared to be helping her with some type of telepathic energy they shared but he could tell they wouldn’t last long. Both twins were becoming quite shaky from their efforts and Caleb knew he had to get them inside the Trauma Cell before they ran out of energy.

While the Wraith were drooling all over themselves in their effort to reach the women, the creatures had their back to him. Caleb took advantage firing up his Power Phasing, and in a lightning streak, shot straight into the pack. The Wraith couldn’t see him, couldn’t detect him, and one after another he took the beasts down until the floor was covered in their blood and entrails. The sickening scent of their blood even made him nauseous but it was the least of his worries.

More Wraith advanced out of the Dimensional Gate with the command of Turin who was just out of site on the other side inside the Drake Dimension. Caleb knew he only had moments left to get the women inside the Trauma Cell. With monumental effort and his own fury growing at the insurmountable odds facing all of them Caleb continued to Phase among the Wraith slashing and destroying as many as he could.

Once he finally reached Ashlyn and the other women, he stopped before them. Eleina, Skye, and Lily gasped in surprise when he 260

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slowed down to normal speed and visually manifested before them.

Not Ashlyn, though, she had been tracking him the whole time.

Connected to him she knew exactly where he was at all times. The look she gave him was so full of love and relief at him being there he felt humbled. Unable to stop himself, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. He had time only for the quickest of kisses before he had to let her go, but her lips touching his was enough to charge him up for the next round.

Yelling over the screeches, screams, and shouts echoing off the walls of the cavern, Caleb directed, “We’ve got an opening to the Trauma Cell! Move it.” With no time to spare, he reinforced the gap in fighting Wraith and Guardians just enough so Ashlyn and Eleina could squeeze through, flanking Lily and Skye.

In a dead-on sprint, the women reached the Trauma Cell doors and Ashlyn jerked open the door while Eleina pushed Lily and Skye inside. As soon as they were in, Ashlyn shut the door instead of going inside which didn’t surprise him at all. His chest tightened at the thought of her remaining outside in danger, but the look she gave him told him there was no point in challenging the issue. She was staying with him and fighting just like she always did.

He sighed heavily, continuing to fight off the Wraith and brushed his thoughts against her mind. He showed her the fear that rode him so hard when he thought of losing her and hoped she understood worrying about her was going to be a distraction. Her mind lovingly brushed back against his and her voice tenderly whispered in his head, I’ll stay to the rear Caleb as long as I can, but we need to find Alexandria in that mess. Nodding he sent back to her, I’ll find her, Ashlyn. Just stay here and stay safe. I love you.

Hoping his strength would hold Caleb took a deep breath and Phased back into his lightning fast motion. Wraith after Wraith fell by his hand and the other Guardians fought alongside him. Too many of the Guardians Elite had fallen tonight and if the other Warriors didn’t start to show up more of them would fall. He wondered if his thoughts had conjured them because almost immediately a thunderous blast and furious roar echoed throughout the cavern. Wraith flew up in the air and even a few sizzled at the surge of Power. Joshua had evidently healed to the point his Life 261

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Power had evened out and he had performed his way of jumping from location to location.

Caleb could hear the Warrior snarl and curse while he fought his way through the Wraith. When he came out on the other side closer to the Trauma Cell, he was carrying Alexandria in his arms. Still in her feline form, she wiggled in his arms like she was trying to get free.

Caleb wanted to laugh when Joshua thundered, “Enough, woman! You will control yourself back into your Sphinx form and help the injured Guardians.”

Joshua appeared to be in no mood for conversation anyway even if Alexandria had been in her true form. Caleb could no longer see the couple but he heard Joshua bang on the Trauma door until someone opened it. Shortly after the door was slammed shut, the next thing Caleb knew Joshua was fighting right next to him.

“Listen, Caleb. The other Warriors are on their way down. Khenti Michael and Jacob are still a little rough, but they have enough strength to fight, as long as this nightmare doesn’t go on for very long. Are you still strong enough to cross over with Raven and take out Turin?” Joshua’s tone sounded like he really didn’t want to ask the question, but Caleb could tell his Warrior brother knew they weren’t going to win this round unless they did something risky, but necessary.

Caleb glanced back at Ashlyn when he heard her gasp. He could see her eyes fill with a deep tense fear, which was rarely seen in her expression. Knowing that she was overwhelmed to the point she couldn’t hide her emotions behind the mask she normally kept in place made him feel like an insensitive idiot. He hadn’t planned on letting her know what the Warriors and he had discussed but his ingenious Power Mate had weaseled the knowledge out of his mind.

She was just too incredibly close to him and now knew the suicide mission he was going on. He could detect her upset at the knowledge of the insane act he was going on in order to try and save them all. Her fear grew even more because she now knew he had planned to protect her from the knowledge.

Needing to touch her before he had to engage in the fighting again, Caleb shoved several Wraith away from him. In a surge of 262

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Power, he Phased across the cavern and stopped right before Ashlyn. Unsure of what she would do, he was heartened when she reached up and brushed her fingers down his cheek. He took her shaking hand in his and kissed her knuckles gently.

“I’m sorry, Ashlyn. I didn’t mean to upset you but I didn’t want you worrying more than you already are. I can’t take seeing you like this anymore, having to rely on your old ways of protecting yourself, and becoming the vicious Warrior who takes another piece of the innocent child inside of you away. I just want to make all of this go away for you. I can do this for you, for me. It’s what I am and what I do, protecting the one that I love.”

With a desperation that shook him to the core, he grabbed and drew her into his arms for one last kiss. He claimed her with all the emotion, need, and love that he could in the one kiss before letting her go. Not wanting to turn away but knowing he had to, Caleb forced himself to leave Ashlyn where she stood.

Right before he stepped away, she grabbed his hand and said,

“Please be careful, Caleb. Come back to me because I will be coming for you, if you don’t. The Power Protector in me can’t just stand by and watch you be destroyed by Turin and these horrible creatures. I wouldn’t want to live without you anyway because I love you too damn much.”

Squeezing her hand, Caleb had no choice but to let her go when another set of deranged Wraith charged headlong towards them.

With a vicious snarl, he dived at them in an effort to keep them away from his woman. With the fastest of Power Phasing yet, Caleb shot forward and raised his Sword. Using all of his strength he swung in large arcing swings effectively taking out several of the deadly creatures. Dispatching them in a bloody heap on the ground Caleb dived into the battle again and again, inching his way toward the Gate.

Halfway to the Gate opening, he began to lose speed even with Ashlyn using her Power Keeper ability to feed him golden Power.

His body was just wearing out and each Phase exhausted him a little more. Just when his worry shot up about not reaching the Gate, the rest of the Warriors showed up and relief ran through him until he got a close look at them. Joshua’s comment on them being a little 263

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rough was an understatement. Even with the Power Ashlyn was again sending their way, Michael, Jacob, and Raven looked like they were going to fall over. Luckily Ethan and Hunter were charged and ready to rain destruction on the Wraith.

With violent growls, snarls, and straight out cursing, the rest of the Sphinx Warriors jumped in with deadly Power Swords and pure grit. Caleb felt his own ability rev back up with the team back together and Khenti Michael coordinating their battle maneuvers through the Warrior’s Link. The main goal communicated was to get Raven and him to the Gate and so the dance of danger began.

Sphinx pushed forward through the mass of Wraith to carve a path while Wraith and the Gate itself seemed to block their way. The silver edging of the Turin-telepathically-enhanced Gate kept surging power outward throwing off Ashlyn’s golden Power. Caleb felt her fear swiftly turn to determined fury and he was awed by the energy which suddenly flowed out from her.

Back and forth, the forward progress and the loss of advancement continued on until Caleb thought it would never end.

Again, his Phasing ability began to falter and he slowed down even though he pushed his body to the point where muscles stressed, tendons tore, and bones cracked. His body healed with each new injury, but he was still faltering until the point came when a Wraith got hold of him.

The creature’s claws dug in deep, instantly pulling Life Power from him and before he knew it, he was down on the rough floor on his back with the Wraith reaching for him. Ashlyn’s scream of fury echoed not only throughout the Staging Cavern but also in his mind making him even cringe. An incredible surge of golden Life Power came from her and spread out in a huge wave across everything followed by a golden glowing dagger which imbedded into the skull of the Wraith instantly killing it.

With the energy came another round of strength, although not as much as previously, but enough to get him off the floor and fighting again. He was proud of Ashlyn and reached out to tell her but the effort it had taken for her to send out energy without charging up the Wraith had left her a bit stunned. He could feel the temporary fuzziness of her thoughts and caught the quickest of glances of his 264

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Power Mate leaning against the back wall.

Everything in him wanted to go to her, but he knew he couldn’t and instead sent her all of the love he felt for her. The time was now or never for him to get across the Dimensional Gate with Raven and kill Turin to stop this madness. It would never end for him and Ashlyn or the other Warriors if they didn’t do something and he was willing to risk it all to free Ashlyn and his Sphinx family. Glancing over at Raven who had managed to work his way over, he met the Warrior’s serious eyes and nodded. It was time. Gathering his strength around him, he sent Ashlyn his undying love one more time before he rushed for the Gate.

****

Temporarily stunned by her overzealous actions, Ashlyn leaned against the back wall of the cavern and shook her head. Her mind was fuzzy but there was no mistaking the love which Caleb sent her way. She grabbed onto the love in desperation and found entwined in the precious emotion almost a feeling of hopeless goodbye. She couldn’t handle goodbye and losing Caleb, the one person who brought sanity to her mind, completeness to her Life Force, and the sweet love he surrounded her in.

No! She refused to lose him and refused to allow him to cross over to the Drake Dimension. She knew deep in her heart that even if he was successful in destroying Turin, he didn’t have the strength of body to Phase back in time when the Gate closed. He would be trapped forever in the dark dimension and inevitably die there alone among hateful creatures.

Inside her tired body, the Ashlyn of old rose to fight for her Power Mate. A cold fury surrounded her mind and strengthened her body until everything was crystal clear. She knew what she had to do either with or without the other Sphinx women. The odds of destroying the Gate and surviving were slim but she had to try with what knowledge they had gleaned from the Pages of Seven.

If only the other women would help her gather and shape the Life Power, then she would take on the danger of actually firing the enhanced energy into the Gate. If she failed then it would be on her head only and wouldn’t matter because it would mean Caleb would be killed by the insane mission he was going to do anyway. Ashlyn 265

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shoved herself away from the wall and joined Eleina and Arik in the fight at the rear of the battle formation.

Shouting over the noise she said, “Eleina, this isn’t working. The Warriors are too weak from being crushed in the collapse earlier and Turin has tapped too deeply into the Gate. We have to try and destroy the damn thing before we lose Caleb and Raven on their suicide mission. Please help me. I’m going to do it either way but I’ll be more successful if all of you help me shape the Power. Help me complete the Circle of Life.”

Eleina instantly nodded and yelled back, “Stay here. I’ll get the other women, but we’ll have to be quick, otherwise the Wraith will be on us in no time.” She paused for just a moment asking, “Are you sure about this, Ashlyn? Without our Anchors we may lose control?”

Without pause Ashlyn answered, “I’m positive. All I need you all to do is help shape the Power and I’ll take it from there. Once I have the energy, it will be all me. Worse case, I’ll be fried.”

Ashlyn tried to make light of her possible demise but the usual stoic Priestess’ pale blue eyes filled with grief and a touch of hopelessness. She seemed to be edging on the loss of hope like everyone else appeared to be doing even though they tried to keep up the mask of determination. Ashlyn knew the expression all too well because she had seen the signs reflected back in her mirror all her life. Still, Eleina was a true Warrior holding her head high and rushing off to the Trauma Cell.

Arik touched her shoulder making her jump but he quickly backed off evidently sensing her keyed up energy. Raising his voice to be heard over the ever increasing noise of battle he yelled,

“You’re taking a huge risk, Ashlyn. I can’t back up this plan, although I understand why you’re doing it. Part of me wants to demand you stop, but part of me knows if something isn’t done we’re going to lose this battle. Is there anything I can do?”

Looking the Guardian straight in the eyes she said the one thing that needed to be said, “If I don’t make it out of this and Caleb does, make sure he’s taken care of…tell him I loved him…and I hope he finds happiness again.”

Her voice breaking, Ashlyn turned away and rushed over to the 266

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Trauma doors just in time to meet Eleina and the rest of the Sphinx women exiting the Trauma Cell. She blinked her eyes several times in an effort to clear the damn tears threatening to spill. She didn’t have time for the softer side of her emotions right now. Needing to be hard, she forced a growl from her inner Sphinx and suppressed the innocent child inside of her who still tried to surface.

Stopping in front of the Sphinx females, she nodded to each of them before saying, “We don’t have much time. I’m asking you to help me, but there is no obligation. Either way, I’m attacking the Gate but I’ll be more successful with the enhanced Power.”

She turned to Stormy and continued, “You don’t have to do this.

You need to keep your baby safe. I can start the process.”

Stormy immediately jumped in, “No! I can do this. All I will be doing is collecting a small amount of initial energy and then immediately transferring it to Eleina. I’ll be fine and if Alexandria detects any issues she can remove me from the circle.”

“What about our Mates being the Anchor?” Alexandria asked with concern lacing her voice.

Ashlyn quickly glanced at the battle line and knew there would be no chance for their Power Mates to help them. “We’re on our own ladies. We do this or I go on my own with what I have.”

Lily grabbed her hand. “We do this together. No matter what because all of us want to get our men out of there in one piece.”

The agonized shout of a Warrior cut through the air of the cavern indicating their time was up. Ashlyn knew it was Jacob and Eleina confirmed it when she screamed, “Jacob!” Ashlyn felt for her and watched as she grabbed on to Stormy and Alexandria for support.

In an agonized tone, Eleina cried in a rush, “We have to go now.

They’re in trouble. Just like the Pages say, form the circle. Stormy starts by drawing the Power and we’ll work through each step. I’ll jump it, Alexandria will change it, Ashlyn and Skye will focus it down, and you’ll center the Power.”

Skye suddenly spoke up from behind Lily, “But Ashlyn’s not the actual center. She just forms it to the center. Won’t she be hurt?”

Ashlyn could tell Eleina was coming unhinged because her Power Mate was struggling. Taking the lead, she directed, “We have no choice. I’ll adlib. Now come on. Join hands.”

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Quickly reflexing her Sword back into its bracelet form, Ashlyn positioned herself and the rest of the women followed suit, joining hands. The only one not in the circle directly was Skye who rested her hands on Lily’s shoulders almost like she was the electron which would spin around the circle. Ashlyn would have laughed at the image normally but all she felt inside right now was an inevitable sense of loss if this didn’t work.

Making sure everyone looked ready, Ashlyn initiated the risky act of harnessing the Life Power by shouting, “Ready when you are, Stormy.”

Immediately, Stormy closed her eyes and Ashlyn literally felt her draw Life Power. Her own Power Keeper abilities recognized a kindred spirit and the tiny crystalline pyramid on her hip tingled.

Stormy was quick and efficient when she called the glittering energy. It flowed from the ceiling, the walls, and the floor to pool around her feet. The small amount she had drawn wrapped its way up her body until it resided in her arms and hands. Ashlyn knew when she was done, and Eleina must have recognized it too.

With a quick efficiency, Eleina tapped into the wispy glittering energy and jumped it around the circle of women until it picked up a velocity which only increased the level of Power within it. Ashlyn could tell when Eleina reached the point where she couldn’t speed up its revolutions anymore. The Priestess was out of breath with the effort but her eyes glittered when she nodded to Alexandria.

Ashlyn wasn’t sure what to expect next but her curiosity was answered when Alexandria appeared to concentrate completely on the vortexing Power. Slowly the energy changed from its glittering wispy form into a more refined silver glow. Ashlyn suddenly realized Alexandria must be changing the very molecular form just like she could change her own physical makeup to a feline.

After a few moments, Alexandria sighed and drooped physically within the circle. The act of controlling the energy and manipulating it into a form which could take out the Gate was taking its toll on the women. Ashlyn thought it had to do with not having their Power Mates anchor them and hoped the Power would be strong enough to do what they needed to do.

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concentrated on what the other women were doing. Lily was next capturing the energy with her telekinetic ability and forcing the shape and size of the Power into an arrow. Ashlyn thought that was the perfect weapon which could be shot directly into the Gate. Skye joined her sister with her telepathic ability. Although Ashlyn couldn’t see the interaction, she could see the results on the Power arrow.

Slowly rotating around the center of the circle, the arrow was perfectly shaped and sharpened to the deadliest of points. The silver energy contained inside of it glowed with an intensity which was almost blinding. As the arrow finished its final revolution, Ashlyn reached out and drew the rare golden Life Power to herself. When the Power arrow reached her, she transferred the golden energy to the silver, effectively encapsulating it in gold. The exterior gold would suppress the silver Power until the timing was right. Ashlyn hoped on impact with the Dimensional Gates periphery the arrow would do whatever magic it was supposed to do.

She didn’t care how difficult this was going to be for her or if even killed her as long as it put an end to the Gate and everyone’s suffering. Supposedly according the Pages of Seven, it was supposed to Jump the Gate into oblivion, but who knew since they didn’t have the full translation of the Pages. There was no choice though, because the Warriors were on an agonizing spiral to suffering and death. It was time and Ashlyn could only send up a silent prayer to the Ancients that she was successful and offered up her life in bargain because she would do anything to save Caleb.

The sound of Caleb’s frustrated roar rang in her mind.

Immediately she let go of Stormy and Lily’s hands breaking the Circle and grabbing for the Power arrow. Wrapping her hand around the arrow, she knew in an instant that it was a mistake because grabbing the thing was like touching a live wire. It occurred to her then that perhaps she really wasn’t the one who was supposed to hold on to the damn thing because her physical body felt like it was being electrocuted.

Every muscle was locked into place, including her jaw making it difficult to breath. Even her mind was slowly being fried and she felt Caleb trying to help her from the distance. However caught up 269

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in his own struggle, he couldn’t, and she felt his absolute frustration, fear, and fury that he was losing her. She could hear the violent snarls he released from the distance but he was trapped within the sea of Wraith. A new determination filled her to save him and she fought her way through the white light blinding her to realize Eleina was calling to her.

“Ashlyn, let go of it. It’s too much.”

Ashlyn understood what the Priestess was saying but she wasn’t backing down on destroying the Gate. The Power arrow was formed for better or worse and she was going to use it. Fuck it if she was fried in the process. Saving the Sphinx, her home, and the man she loved totally and completely was more important than her life.

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, she vaguely noticed Arik pushing all of the Sphinx women back into the Trauma Cell except Eleina who stood guard over her. Ashlyn hoped she wasn’t going to get the Priestess killed in the process of her own inability to handle the energy coming from the Power arrow.

Barely being able to see, she called to Eleina in a dry hoarse voice, “Clear me a path if you can. Doesn’t need to be all the way. I don’t want you getting trapped in that mess. Just enough so I can fire this thing.”

Ashlyn’s jaw locked back up and she couldn’t get another word out. Eleina must have understood though, because she stepped in front of her and began hacking away at any Wraith which got in the way. Arik joined them in the battle, which helped a little in their progress, while Ashlyn forced her legs to propel her forward. It was painfully difficult with her muscles locking up but she managed it.

The Priestess and Arik fought forward until it was obvious they were going no further.

Arik turned to say something but Ashlyn gritted out between her clenched teeth, “Stop. No time. Got to get rid of this thing. It’s burning me up. Just get down, now!”

Both of her fighting escorts dived down. Using the golden Life Power stored within her own body, Ashlyn propelled the Power arrow straight at the Dimensional Gate. The only thing between it and the spinning black hole of evil were Wraith that were instantly fried when the arrow passed among them. The impact of arrow to 270

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Gate was phenomenal and more than what Ashlyn had expected.

The instant it sank into the edge of the Gate near the silver outer periphery the back blast was catastrophic. Wraith, Guardians, Sphinx, all were knocked to the ground.

Ashlyn would have been knocked down too but her golden energy was ensnared by what was left of the Power arrow and the Gate. The impact of the back blast left her lightheaded and weak but she was alive, at least for a few seconds more. She noted with an initial strange detachment that on the positive side, it appeared Turin had lost control of the Gate and it was now destabilized, which meant it would now close. On the negative side, she was trapped by all of the unstable energy surrounding her like a gold and silver lasso and was slowly but inexplicably being pulled into the violently spinning Gate.

Struggling, she tried to fight the pull that was dragging her across the rough cavern floor, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t escape her entrapment. The fear she fought so hard to ignore all of her life began to torment her as she knew without a doubt her time was up. Still she fought when the energy tightened around her painfully pulling her ever closer to the Gate.

She knew the instant she made contact she would be disintegrated by the incredible energy. There would be no stopping it and thinking of the man she loved being left alone and bereft crushed her inside. Ashlyn cried out at the injustice of finally having found the man that made her whole and who loved her even with all of her insecurities only to die after spending such a short time with him. Even those thoughts scattered when a jolt of lightning energy shot through her body. Every muscle within her body tightened and spasmed until she was sure she was being torn apart. Lost in the agony of the moment, she couldn’t help her reaction and cried out in fear to Caleb.

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The sound of Ashlyn’s tormented voice screamed in his ears and in his mind. Caleb could feel Ashlyn’s Life Force struggle within her fighting with a will to live beyond anything he had ever witnessed.

Still, she couldn’t break free from the entrapping bonds of energy which were slowly killing her. He had to get to her before it was too late and his inner Sphinx roared inside of him in a desperation that ripped at his heart.

He fought to get up off the ground but it was so difficult. His body and mind were still numb from the aftershock of the energy wave that had blown through him. Even his Power Sword had reflexed back into its Sefu form because of the unbalanced energy within him and in the atmosphere.

Struggling against his weakness and natural gravity, Caleb forced his body up into a sitting position. When his eyes finally cleared he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Everyone within the Staging Cavern had been blown off their feet and were sprawled out on the floor just like he was. Wraith, Guardian, Sphinx, all of them wore disoriented expressions and appeared to be trying to gain their senses. In the midst of it all was his precious Ashlyn who was fighting desperately for her life. She had called out to him in pain but he knew without a doubt she wouldn’t ask him to help her. She would rather die than risk his life in saving her.

For him there was no second thought to risking himself. Ashlyn meant more to him than anything, and if he lost her, he was done.

He wouldn’t want to go on because she had tempted his very Life Force for so long. Now that she was his, he could never accept losing her. He had to get to her. He had to save her before it was too late. If only his fucking energy and body would let him.

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reached along their shared link and brushed her mind. She immediately jumped in fear because she was so lost in her fight to escape the Gate which was slowly drawing her in and killing her.

When she realized it was him, her mind brushed against his almost like she was saying goodbye. His heart beat painfully in his chest at the sensation making it even more difficult to reach out, but for her he would push through the weakness.

Mind to mind, he urged, Ashlyn, I need you to transfer some of the golden Life Power to me. I know you’re in pain darlin’ but you can do it. Let me help you. Ashlyn, for Ancient’s sake, answer me.

Please!

He could feel the heavy exhaustion embracing her and watched in growing trepidation when she slid closer to the gaping black hole of violence. Time was running out as well as the distance before his Ashlyn was vaporized from being drawn into the edge of the Gate. If she would only fight a little more. Perhaps she felt his desperate mental plea to do just that because she finally replied back, I don’t know if I can Caleb…

Her words faded away from his mind and he felt like she was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. He refused to believe she was fading from him and fought with everything to reach her. Grabbing onto anything that he could, Caleb dragged himself over the floor, Guardians, and Warriors while avoiding the deadly Wraith to reach her. As he crawled along, his eyes focused on Ashlyn and he didn’t see the Wraith near him reach out. The creature grabbed onto him with its claws and what energy he had was suddenly being taken away. With a roar of fury, Caleb tried to throw the creature off, but it was tenacious wanting to recover as much as he did.

Infuriated by what was happening around him and the fact he was going to lose Ashlyn because he couldn’t reach her, Caleb lost it.

Not clearly thinking he grabbed the creature by the throat and with what little Life Power he had left he began to beat the hideously fanged face.

The Wraith screeched but still dug its claws deeper into his arm and chest. He knew he wasn’t going to last long but if he couldn’t reach Ashlyn in time then he was going to go down with her. His 273

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mind began to darken and deep inside he cried for what could have been between his beautiful Power Mate and him. He had finally found the one woman who made him feel alive and gave him purpose and now it was all going to end that quickly.

Caleb’s heart stuttered in his chest and he was sure the next breath would be his last. He wanted to push the last bit of love he had in his body to his Ashlyn before he died but didn’t have the strength to reach her through their shared link. Just when he heard the victory screech of the Wraith, it was drowned out by the most incredible feminine roar he had ever heard. Ashlyn was instantly there in her full glory within him using their Joined connection to fight for him. The sudden rush of golden energy would have taken his breath away if he had had any at the time. Instead, he could only sit there and be filled by the Life Power until he felt his entire body vibrate from the gift Ashlyn had given him.

Punching the Wraith with a renewed strength, Caleb had the beast thrown away from him and was on his feet in the next split second. He would have told Ashlyn he owed her everything but she was already gone from his mind. She had indeed given him everything and when he looked at her, his breath froze in his chest because she appeared to be unconscious. Without the Life Power to fight against the Gate, she was yanked forward at an astonishing speed and straight towards the energy that would instantly destroy her.

“No!” he roared and with a Phasing move faster than any he had ever accomplished previously Caleb shot across the distance separating them. Not caring if he met his end with Ashlyn or not, he wrapped his arms around her and dug his heels into the floor. He would never let her go no matter what. Even when his arm was hit by a part of the Gate’s energy and the dagger-sharp pain ripped through him when his arm was split open. Not even when he felt the warmth of his own blood run in rivulets down onto the floor.

As the silver and gold energy surrounding her dug into his body and began to fry his neurological system he simply ignored it. There was no way in hell he was letting go. Gritting his teeth, he yanked Ashlyn back with his body, and with his Phasing ability, he could only reverse her forward motion a couple of steps. The Dimensional 274

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Gate began to close but with that closure came a greater force like the Gate was drawing in as much as it could before disappearing.

Caleb fought against the pull and pushed every bit of his energy into yanking his Ashlyn to safety but he couldn’t and it infuriated him. He couldn’t lose her this way and didn’t want to watch her die.

He pulled her close and he desperately wished he could protect her with his body so that when they hit the Gate he would die but she would survive. He nuzzled her hair breathing in and capturing her strawberry essence even amongst the stench of blood and Wraith.

Gasping in sharply from the stinging pain of the energy surrounding them he tried to focus simply on her and the shuddering breaths she took. Her body was so stiff in his arms he thought she would shatter in to a million tiny pieces of crystalline energy. He loved her so much he wanted to just stand and fight for her life forever, but he couldn’t. His own Life Power was fading too fast because of the events of the night and her fading Life Force so attached to his.

Caleb maintained his hold on her even when the Gate’s energy jerked viciously pulling them closer towards its destructive embrace. Not caring anymore, he snarled in fury, “If you take her, you take me, you bastard.”

His heart broke but at least he would be with Ashlyn in the after-life and she would be free from this unending nightmare. Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to the Ancients, “Please make it quick.

Not for me. For her. Don’t let her be in pain anymore. Do whatever you need to do to me, but take her to the other side in peace. Please, I love her.”

“And I love you, Caleb.” Her gentle voice called to him and he opened his eyes to look at her.

He thought he had hallucinated, but there she was looking at him with her haunted golden eyes sparkling with his lavender. The evidence of their Joining was still there, and even in death, they would still belong to each other through all space and time. He realized he could die peacefully now with her but one thing held him back. Ashlyn had no intention of dying or letting him die.

He knew it without a doubt when they were jerked forward and his protective arm surrounding her was hit by the Gate’s energy.

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The pain was excruciating and he took it in silence but Ashlyn screamed, “No!” She threw up her hands in an effort to try and harness the golden Power in the atmosphere but it was too much for her. She only pushed them back a couple of steps but Caleb knew it wouldn’t be enough to save them.

The Gate collapsed further and the pull became so intense it yanked both of them forward again. Ashlyn screamed and tried to throw up her hands but she was too close. Caleb wrapped himself tighter around her in an effort to protect her but he knew the moment they hit the now bright hot white energy of the Gate they were both done. He brushed his hand through her hair needing to feel the soft strands one more time and kissed the sensitive spot below her ear.

Wanting to tell her he was sorry, that he wished he could save her, and most importantly that he loved her one more time, Caleb drew in the breath he believed to be his last. Before he could actually deliver his last words to the woman he loved, a streak of movement shot between them and the Gate. A blinding flash of silver light temporarily blinded him and another surge of Power surrounded him and Ashlyn. He expected pain and death but instead there was only a jolt and he found himself free on the ground with Ashlyn in his arms.

They were free but the fact didn’t quite register with him yet. He didn’t understand what had happened but was more than ecstatic that it had. He could sense Ashlyn was completely stunned, almost unconscious, but she was safe in his arms, exactly where he wanted her to be now and forever. He couldn’t believe fate had given them a second chance and shakily glancing up he was shocked to see who had performed the miracle.

Elder Chloe in all of her glory stood before the ever-shrinking Gate, her golden robes and silver-gray hair blowing around her from the vicious wind being generated. The Gate still spun like a cyclone getting ready to make landfall and was continuing to shrink, but in comparison to the Elder it seemed enormous. The Elder’s diamond topped silver staff was firmly held in her hands which she had evidently used to set them free. Caleb could see it was still trapped in the energy of the Gate and from the rigidness of 276

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Chloe’s body she wasn’t going to be able to set herself free.

Caleb tried to shift Ashlyn to the floor so he could try and save the Elder but he was so tired and so depleted of Life Power. He glanced around the cavern to see if anyone at all could act to save the woman but there was no one. Even the Wraith were out of it, still on the ground, but he was sure the creatures wouldn’t be down for much longer. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath. There was no doubt it had to be him, especially since he had a small amount of energy left. Opening his eyes, he glanced back up at the Elder and began to shift Ashlyn from his lap.

Surprising him, Elder Chloe turned her head just enough to look him in the eye before shouting, “No! You can’t save me, Warrior.

Let happen what will happen. It was the price I was willing to risk for Ashlyn...”

The Elder suddenly screamed when her staff was jerked farther into the spinning Gate and the energy whipped out and struck her.

She stiffened for a moment, her robes smoking around her from the energy burns inflicted, and then Elder Chloe snarled in fury. The sound surprised Caleb but what he saw next surprised him even more. Before his eyes, the Elder began to change. Her stumped posture altered so that she was standing straight and her pale aged skin smoothed out into an even complexion of blushed honey tones.

The long silvery gray hair she was so well known for brightened into the palest of blond bordering on sun-kissed white. The elderly age which had been her existence melted away into a youth that was extraordinary.

Before Caleb could even begin to grasp the meaning of it all, the mystery deepened even more. He could only sit there on the ground and watch while silvery wisps of energy began to rise off Chloe’s upper back along her shoulder blades. The energy coalesced and spread out behind her until what appeared to be ethereal wings extended from her back. Not completely solid they shimmered like a mixture of smoke and silver glitter in a beautiful pattern of lace and feather. Caleb was sure his mouth was hanging open at the mystifying sight and could only whisper, “Ancient.” Barely had the word been uttered the Elder was jerked further into the Gate and her agonized scream cut through the air.

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Ashlyn jumped in his arms and he sensed her return to consciousness with a vengeance. She struggled in his arms and he knew she was trying desperately to get up to save the woman.

Unable to gain her feet, Ashlyn cried, “Save, Kara! Someone save Kara, please!”

****

She hadn’t meant to utter the name Elder Chloe had forbidden her ever to say in front of others, but in her panic Ashlyn had let it slip. Not just slip but shouted for all of the Warriors, Guardians, and Wraith to hear. Everyone who had been in existence in these battles for centuries would recognize the name meaning the ultimate love of the Ancients. Ashlyn could have kicked herself, but right now she didn’t give a damn because the one who had rescued her off the streets and given her a new purpose in life as a Power Protector was dying. Ashlyn couldn’t bear to let her perish because she had been trying to save Caleb and her life. Again, she struggled in Caleb’s arms but she was too weak to get up.

Turning to him she begged, “Caleb, please, help me. I can’t let her die.”

His handsome lavender eyes filled with an inner sadness, but the love he felt for her came across the connection they shared and surrounded her until she was breathless. He looked deep into her eyes and then leaned in close so his lips were near her ear.

She could just make out his words when he said, “I know darlin.’

She means a lot to you, I can feel it, but you’re too weak. Stay here and I’ll bring her back for you, Ashlyn…no matter what I have to do.”

At first Ashlyn didn’t understand Caleb’s words when he shifted her in his arms and settled her down on the cavern floor. She watched in confusion while he stood up towering so tall and strong over her. When he took a step toward the Elder, he wove precariously on his feet, and it was then she understood what he was telling her. He was too weak for what he was about to do.

When she looked at the path he had to take she saw there were too many Wraith gaining consciousness for her Caleb not to end up being touched by one of them. A touch that would be fatal if he couldn’t avoid them. He barely had enough energy to even move let 278

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alone take on a single Wraith and rescue a woman who would now be suspect to everyone for her secrets.

Panicking Ashlyn reached out for him and called, “Caleb, no!

Come back. I need you, damn it!” He didn’t stop though and she suspected it was because he knew if she lost the Elder it would haunt her forever. Knowing Caleb, he couldn’t let that happen.

Refusing to lose him because of her own weakness, Ashlyn closed her eyes and reached out for the golden Life Power. If she could only get enough in her system to transfer to him it would give him a chance.

The energy responded as it should but her body didn’t. When the energy touched her body it felt like knives digging into every one of her cells and she sobbed in frustration. She tried to force the Life Power into her body but she couldn’t hold on to it. She recognized in misery that she had pushed herself to the point of Power Keeper burn-out battling the Gate.

Having heard about it from Stormy and the others, Ashlyn thought it would never happen to her but here she was sitting on the ground unable to pull the Life Power into her system and watching the man she loved walk into the arms of a certain waiting death. Worse, he was doing it for her because she wasn’t strong enough to protect, well…

“Damn, it!” she uttered in frustration as Chloe, who was Kara, who was her charge for protecting, screamed out in agony again.

Ashlyn felt Caleb surge what was left of his energy to Power Phase to the Elder. She reached out one more time to stop him, but when she connected firmly with his mind, she sensed the Wraith clawing out for his leg. Pure terror of losing him ripped through her but right before she screamed out, she witnessed Raven come out of nowhere slamming into Caleb and knocking him back. Caleb landed so hard on the ground next to her she heard the breath whoosh from his chest. In an instant, he sat back up and grabbed her. She could feel his protective mode kick in as he gathered her closely in his arms.

Obviously infuriated at the insult to his person he yelled, “What the hell?”

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Ashlyn couldn’t even detect any energy in the man, she didn’t know.

Whatever was driving him had to be incredible because the expression on his face showed a man who was risking everything and demanding all of himself. If the pure fury coming off him was any indication, he could have taken out an entire army of Wraith, and Ashlyn shivered at the sensation. She had always thought Raven was insane but his actions now proved it for her.

Without pause or evident consideration for his own safety, he propelled himself straight toward the Gate and the still trapped and suffering Kara. The moment he impacted Kara, Raven’s entire body locked up, and Ashlyn was sure he was going to disintegrate instantaneously, but he didn’t. How both of them hadn’t been instantly fried, Ashlyn could only guess, but Raven’s actions knocked Kara loose and both of them impacted the cavern floor so hard they were knocked apart. Without something holding the Gate any longer to the Earth dimension, it snapped shut with a loud boom.

On the floor, just below where the Gate had been, Kara curled in upon herself into a little ball and her ethereal wings disappeared.

Ashlyn fought to reach her, but Caleb wouldn’t let go of her. She knew why even as she fought against him. Kara was lying in a circle of waking Wraith and doomed to die by their touch.

Watching in terror, Ashlyn saw Kara’s staff, her only method of defense, dissolve into what appeared to be a Sefu Element. The mercury-like silver length with its attached starburst diamond spiraled up her arm to encircle and settle around her neck. Ashlyn couldn’t believe what she was seeing, not only the secrets which Kara had even kept from her, but the fact Raven was still struggling to reach the woman in the face of having no energy left.

Ashlyn’s own energy wasn’t much better and she started to become light-headed. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely and totally defenseless. All she could do was droop in Caleb’s arms, which immediately tightened around her. She would have liked to stay there in his protective embrace forever but several screeches from awakening Wraith had her jerking back to wakefulness.

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into his intense gaze. She could tell he didn’t want to say the words, which were troubling him, but he forced them out anyway.

“Ashlyn, darlin,’ I don’t want to ask you this, but we need your Power Keeper ability. The Gate’s closed but we’re still stuck with too many Wraith. Just one more time, Ashlyn and I’ll take you anywhere you wish to get out of this mess.”

His words thrilled her that he would do anything for her but sadness filled her because she knew she couldn’t help them. She hated it but tears filled her eyes and she cried, “I can’t, Caleb! I tried but it hurts. Hurts more than even I can handle. I…I think I burned myself out. I’m so sorry.”

“Ashlyn, listen to me. I can buffer for you. We’re Joined, darlin.’ I can ease the pain, protect you from the inside. Do you trust me?”

Did she trust him? She had trusted him from the moment she had first seen him, the quiet Warrior with the lavender eyes, and she had loved him. Loved him even before she had admitted it to herself because she was so lost in her insecurities. With him she knew she could do anything.

Grabbing his tattered, bloody protective vest she said, “I do trust you, Caleb. Let’s do this.”

With a nod and an encouraging smile, Caleb completely encircled her in his arms and pulled her tighter against him. She rested her head against his chest so she could hear his strong heartbeat and closed her eyes. Immediately, she felt him fill her and surround her Life Force with his. She even detected Caleb when his very essence spread through her body to buffer her from the pain that was sure to come.

“Now, Ashlyn,” he whispered against her hair and she knew it was now or never.

Taking a deep breath Ashlyn called out to the golden Life Power again and instantly it came. She cringed when the energy flooded her but just when she thought there would be pain there was only the weakest of discomforts because Caleb was there for her. She heard him grunt at the impact of the Life Power to his system while he buffered her from the pain but that was the only indication it had affected him.

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because she couldn’t put him through more than he had already gone through for her. As quickly as she possibly could, she absorbed the energy until her body felt like it was ready to explode from the Power. When she looked down at her hand, which was clenched against Caleb’s chest, she saw her skin held a golden glow. It was the sign indicating she was ready to transfer. After a quick check of Caleb’s system to make sure he had enough Ashlyn took a deep breath and pushed outward. The energy burst from her body and with Caleb’s help, she made sure the Power only went to the Warriors and none to the Wraith.

The creatures sensed the transfer, however, and screeched in glee. Their glee was short-lived when none of the Life Power became theirs and the tone turned to one of hungry fury. Wraith struggled to get up and attack but it was too late for them. The Warriors were already rising and standing over them in all of their powerful glory. Ashlyn watched tiredly within the safe embrace of Caleb’s arms while the Warriors made short work of the last of the Wraith. She would have loved to join in on the finale but just didn’t have anything left to give and could only attempt to push away from Caleb and stand up.

Before Ashlyn even moved the slightest, Caleb must have picked up on what she wanted because he scooped her up in his arms, stood up, and then gently eased her down until her feet touched the cavern floor. Even after she was firmly standing, he still didn’t release her from his embrace, especially when the sound of Raven’s snarl filled the cavern with deafening effectiveness. Ashlyn jumped and scanned the area to find the black-haired Warrior standing over Kara’s still unconscious body with his Power Sword in hand.

“Enough, Raven!” roared an obviously pissed Khenti Michael, who was now healed and evidently still ready to take out any enemy that moved. “Save it for now.”

Their leader turned to Ethan who had a hand-held micro-computer in his hand and asked, “Gate status, Ethan.”

“Dude…uh...I mean Khenti, the Gate’s down. Will be for at least a week. Turin failed again, the asshole,” he finished and Ashlyn watched him flip his hand-held and pocket it with a flourish.

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Ashlyn. He appeared overly lost to his inner thoughts and with a scowl on his face he thundered, “That may be so, but he cost us lives, cost us Life Power, and nearly cost us our Power Mates, so in essence, he won. He’s showed us how under-prepared we really are and the slow backward slide he’s inflicting on us.”

His shoulders sagged before he finally seemed to register his surroundings. The fact Stormy came charging out of the Trauma Cell and across the cavern to crash into his arms probably helped to snap him out of his morose thoughts more than anything, so Ashlyn thought. She herself knew how having someone to care for and who cared for you could save you from yourself.

Glancing up, she found Caleb looking right back at her with love in his eyes and felt it to the very depths of her Life Force when he brushed his fingers through her hair.

Capturing her attention back to the dire situation, Khenti Michael continued, “Raven, stop with the growling at those trying to help with the Elder or get your ass moving and get her into the Trauma Cell yourself. Fuck!”

Ashlyn couldn’t help it, she struggled to free herself from Caleb’s arms when Raven reflexed his Power Sword back to bracelet form, spun around, and scooped Kara up off the floor. However, his actions were gentle as soon as he made contact with her unconscious form. He carried her over to the Trauma Cell and disappeared inside. Ashlyn still couldn’t help the protective streak that went through her. Caleb wouldn’t let her go, though, and when she looked up at him in question he soothingly said, “He won’t hurt her, Ashlyn. Trust me.”

Again, she would always trust Caleb so relaxed in his arms again.

She just wanted the night to end and to be able to run, to escape, and couldn’t prevent her visual quest for the exit door. Even though the intense instinct to run reared up in her, she still held onto Caleb. She didn’t want to leave him and sought out his hand with hers. Immediately his large hand engulfed her smaller one. He bent down and kissed her tenderly on the lips before pulling back and refocusing on their still wound up leader.

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powerful glance while his serious blue eyes met every one of the Warriors.

“This has been one hell of a battle and I just don’t have the energy to deal with an after-action tonight. We have time. We’ll do it tomorrow. I also don’t have the energy to yell at our female Sphinx on their latest adventures of trying to get themselves killed, so I’ll let you all take care of your own Power Mates. I will say thank you, though, for getting our asses out of the deep shit we found ourselves in tonight, ladies. There’s still hope and I encourage all of you to continue with finding out how in the hell to stop and destroy the Gate, but once again, include us. Any of us losing our woman will be catastrophic and will kill us quicker than anything.”

Glancing around Ashlyn found the other women had come back out of the Trauma Cell except for Alexandria who hopefully was helping Kara among all her other injured patients. Each Sphinx female was firmly wrapped up in their Mate’s arms and appeared a bit pale at Michael’s words. Ashlyn herself felt Michael’s words deeply and a chill went through her. She could have harmed Caleb terribly if she had died and he had survived. Feeling shaken, she looked at his beloved face. Her love for him was so incredible it took her breath away and reaching up she touched his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Caleb. I never wanted to hurt you like that. I just couldn’t lose you to the hand of that monster, Turin. My intent was never to leave you alone, I promise.”

Caleb smiled down at her and whispered, “I know, darlin’.”

The next thing Ashlyn knew he was kissing her and his hands were intimately running through her hair. The kiss he gave her was filled with love, with dedication, and with a determination to keep her forever. The intense emotions rushing across their connection from him shook her to the core and all she could do was return them with just as much enthusiasm as he was sending her way.

What she would do to be alone with him and just to be held in his arms. She almost laughed because she could have never imagined wanting someone this much and trusting her heart so easily as she could with Caleb. Her entire world had been set right by this incredible man even in the face of utter chaos.

The sudden clearing of a throat had Caleb pulling away, and in 284

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disappointment, Ashlyn forced her concentration back to the Khenti’s wrap-up speech. She expected anger from Michael but instead he only smiled at them.

“As I was saying, we’ll continue to search for a way to destroy the Dimensional Gate. We’re close but need to keep working for a solution because time has run out for us. I don’t know…I don’t know what the next opening of the Gate will hold for us. If the Ancients are truly with us, then I hope Elder Chloe…Kara…or whoever she is, will have the answers we need.”

Khenti Michael then turned to face her directly and Ashlyn stiffened in Caleb’s arms. Her action immediately caused Caleb to shift her ever so subtly so his body was protectively hovering over hers. She prayed their leader wouldn’t be insulted by the action and luckily Michael didn’t appear insulted. Instead, he continued like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

“Ashlyn, I hope you will help us with this mystery. I’m not sure how much you know about Elder Chloe…Kara…but you have been protecting her for quite some time now and I hope you can help us with this. Perhaps if she is up to it, she can help us with the Gate and how to destroy it, if her unique characteristics make her what I think she is. Perhaps tomorrow after we all rest you can meet us in Medical where we’ll move her and talk more on this and don’t worry, she’ll be safe. She just risked her neck saving you and the rest of us. No matter what her mysteries are, I believe she is with us.”

Ashlyn really wasn’t sure what she could offer but she wanted to help. Nodding she replied, “I will, Khenti. Kara hasn’t shared everything with me but I can offer what I have. I have to tell you I’m not sure if she can help or not. There’s something wrong and it is slowly taking its toll on her. Like the other Ancients, she may not be with us much longer either mentally or physically.”

“Understood, Ashlyn.” Michael nodded before returning his attention to the entirety of the room.

“Now, I command the rest of you to go clean up, eat, and get some rest. Spend some time with your Power Mates and we’ll re-attack tomorrow. Be careful moving about the complex and make sure you use the emergency elevator banks. Obviously there’s a lot 285

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of fucking repairs that need to be done, thanks to Turin.”

Michael turned slightly before continuing, “Arik, I need you to call in the clean-up crew for this Wraith mess, and Joshua, have Alexandria move the injured up to the main Medical Clinic level as soon as possible. Now get out of here. All of you.”

Instantly, the Staging Cavern erupted into mass movement.

Warriors, their women, and Guardians Elite, including Arik, rushed for the trauma cell to one of the few ways left to get to the upper levels at this point. Ashlyn knew Alexandria was going to be pissed having her medical area invaded with such large quantities of exhausted, cranky, and still keyed up Warriors and Guardians, but there was no helping it.

She suspected that Joshua, who was already in the lead, would be able to soothe her before things got out of hand and she transformed into her feline form. Ashlyn had to smile because she really did respect a woman who could form claws and fangs to tear into any evil creature that could threaten the sanctity of their home.

Her smile didn’t last long, though. She was torn between escaping the remaining chaos, the thought of only having a week with Caleb before the Gate opened again, and having to try protecting Kara from the Warriors who would demand answers from her even though it appeared she wasn’t considered an enemy. On top of those reasons was added trying to figure out the Pages of Seven which absolutely refused to reveal the last of its secrets in destroying the Gate.

Everything suddenly became too much for Ashlyn and her fight or flight kicked in. There wasn’t anything left to fight so it would have to be flight. Ashlyn didn’t think she could handle sharing limited elevator space with all of the other exhausted complex inhabitants so was strongly considering shimmying up the elevator shaft of the main elevators which were down. This time, though, she wasn’t going to run without Caleb. He was a part of her now and she refused to leave him in the chaos or anywhere else. Hopefully, he would understand her need and come with her, otherwise she was afraid she would completely fall apart.

Turning in the direction of the main door, Ashlyn made sure she had a tight grip on Caleb’s hand and stepped toward her planned 286

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escape route. She didn’t say anything to him, only opened up completely to let him feel the raw emotions running through her.

Expecting him to follow her, she was completely taken off guard and off balance when he pulled her back.

Spinning around she found herself firmly embraced in his arms and flush against his body. His need and desire for her was obvious even after everything which had just occurred and the fatigue which she could sense in him. When she would have questioned him, Caleb leaned down capturing her lips in a kiss that left her gasping for air.

She leaned in giving herself to the sensations he was spinning within her with his talented tongue and his incredible raw Life Power. A Power which Ashlyn could suddenly feel brushing her skin in erotic caresses. She shivered against him and when he finally released her from the drugging kiss all she could do was stare up into his mesmerizing lavender eyes.

“My sweet Ashlyn, you don’t have to run anymore, you have me. I can make the world stop for you anytime you need it, anywhere you want it.” He smiled at her then and looked up at the energy that surrounded them.

Ashlyn glanced up as well and was left speechless at the sight.

The Life Power which flowed from Caleb, both surrounding them and slowly flowing into her, was not only glittering like diamond-sized stars, but also tiny flecks of gold. Partially of him and partially of her the energy swirled around both of them forming a protective cocoon. Completely awestruck, Ashlyn watched all of the Warriors, Sphinx women, and Guardians outside of their private space slow incrementally until they completely stopped. Ashlyn gasped, realizing Caleb had just managed to speed both of them up in place to the point where everything else, everyone else, just stopped.

The sensation was incredible to Ashlyn and she was humbled by the gift he had just given her. It was only Caleb and her in a pocket of space and time with no one to interrupt, no threat to deal with, and only each other to get completely lost in. She wondered how long he could keep them within the private domain he had created, and on impulse, stood on her tiptoes to capture his lips in a returned kiss of passion and need.

287

Christine Murphy

Caleb’s deep laughter rumbled in his chest and she felt his smile against her lips. He pulled back and looked at her as if nothing and no one else existed for him. In a joyful tone, he said, “I’m not sure how long I can keep us in this state but if you keep pressing your body against me in that way it won’t be for long. This takes concentration and you’re tempting me beyond reason. I just wanted to let you know that I’ll always be here for you, Ashlyn, no matter what. If you need to fight, I’ll fight with you. If you need to take flight, I’ll take flight with you. Just know that I can also make it all go away for you and it can just be you and me like this, together in our own private world, because I’ll do anything to make you happy.

You’ve gone through enough in your life and I want you to feel joy again. No matter how crazy our life gets I want you to know that I’ll always be yours and that I will always love you.”

The joy in Caleb’s eyes and in his Life Force touched her deeply.

Reaching out to him through their Joined Link, she connected fully with his wonderful mind. His thoughts told her his joy was partly because she had kept hold of his hand when she had gone into her flight mode to bring him along versus leaving him behind. She knew without a doubt he was forever a part of her life and she would never be alone again and she was determined to keep it that way no matter what.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her body firmly against his. She loved the feeling of his strong muscular body against hers and the evidence of how much he was loving it in return.

Looking into his handsome face she softly replied, “I love you, Caleb, and will never leave you. You’ve brought me more joy already than I could have hoped for in a thousand life times. I rather stay within your arms inside of this cocoon of peace than run anywhere else. You’re an incredible man and I’m honored that you’re mine and that I am yours.”

Caleb ran his fingers through her hair, and Ashlyn closed her eyes at the pleasure running through her. She wanted to purr and rub up against him some more but she didn’t want to distract his concentration. She wanted to stay within his protective energy safe from the outside chaos for just a few moments longer. When she 288

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opened her eyes, she found Caleb looking at her with loving worship in his eyes.

His voice was low and thick when he said, “I am yours, you are mine. Joined as One. Now and Forever.”

He leaned down claiming her lips again, and Ashlyn couldn’t help but become lost to another of his entrancing kisses. The moment he let her come up for air, she breathlessly whispered back,

“Now and forever, Caleb.”

And the now, she hoped, would last for just a little bit longer within his arms and within his sensually caressing Life Power because right there and then all she had to do was love and be loved.

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About The Author

Traveling throughout the United States and locations throughout the world, I finally found the perfect place to call home and settled down in a small town outside the Tampa Bay area in Florida.

Looking out my back lanai, there is a small pond where the wild-life will gather and the flowers bloom in exotic pinks and purples. This is my place of peace and freedom that I have searched for and where my husband and crazy African Gray Parrot, Raider, hang out with me. It’s the place where my creativity runs wild as I spin tales of adventure and passion. I have been writing in my head since I was a teenager and I finally realized I needed to capture these unique characters, civilizations, conflict, passion, and love in writing. To capture the strong, spirited, and powerfully attracted characters and all of their adventures and share it with others who are searching for that very thing to make their lives more exciting. If I accomplish nothing else in life, I hope to share the romantically magical worlds and the lovers that I see with all of the passionate readers out there.

Red Sage Publishing

The Leader in Women’s Erotic Romance Sensual fiction written for the adventurous woman.

Featuring the best in women’s ultra sensual and spicy fiction, satisfying your desire for more.

Visit our website and discover delicious temptations and spicy fantasies!

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Document Outline

- Sphinx Tempted

- Prologue
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen

- About The Author

- Red Sage Publishing

Table of Contents

- Sphinx Tempted

- Prologue
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen

- About The Author

- Red Sage Publishing