Beyond Reach, page 37
part #3 of True Calling Series
“Right—this way,” Dad says, stepping out as soon as the doors glide open. Swaying slightly, I look around me to get some lock on our surroundings. The underground tunnel looks remarkably similar to the Clementia tunnel infrastructure, and I idly wonder if the same architect built this. Dad stops in front of a door and turns to address us. “There’s an automatic transporter through here which will take us to a Velo station. Once onboard the Velo, we’ll travel to Saoirse’s secret weapon: their underwater military command center. We’ll be protected there.” Everyone starts talking at once, but Dad raises his palms. “There’ll be time for questions later; let’s just concentrate on getting out of here safely.”
We file through the door and step onto the transporter—which looks like a flat, motorized runway—one at a time. Dad explains how to strap our wrists to the side, and once we’re all secured, he taps in the code and we move rapidly forward. My hair whips out behind me, and Cal splutters loudly. My lips lift at the corners. A buzzing vibration starts in my feet and steadily builds until my whole body trembles as we travel speedily ahead. It’s not unpleasant though, quite the opposite in fact. After a couple of minutes, my hair starts to drop down around my shoulders, and I know we’re approaching our destination.
Cal’s hand steadies me as I step off. Hordes of people swarm onto the platform in front of us, impatiently pushing toward the stationary Velo. Soldiers attempting crowd control are losing a fighting battle, but somehow it doesn’t descend into mayhem. After what seems like an eternity, we’re finally on board.
I always enjoyed this mode of transport on Novo, but being back on one of these dredges up too many painful memories now. I’m vaguely aware of Dad speaking quietly into a mouthpiece, and I wonder what’s going on now. Taking a first proper look at him, I can tell he’s sustained a serious injury to his left shoulder. Blood still flows freely from the wound. Judging by the way that he’s slumped against his seat, I can tell he’s getting weaker and requires urgent medical attention. I press the button to release my harness. Cal’s hand rests atop mine. “What are you doing?”
“I need to check on Dad.”
“There isn’t anything you can do for him right now, and you need to think of the baby. You took quite a nasty fall back there. Are you feeling okay?”
Dad’s eyes widen and he stares at me open-mouthed. At least I know his ears are functioning normally if he heard that from three seats down. My skin flares in its usual way, and I shift uncomfortably in my chair. But Cal gets his wish; no amount of persuasion would pry me out of this seat now. “I’m fine, stop fretting.” Leaning into his side, I kiss his cheek. “By the way, what you did back there for my dad was amazing. And kind of disturbing too, in a freaky-hot-Rambo-type way, but we won’t dwell on that.” Laughing, he looks at me in a way that destroys my insides in seconds. “Stop that,” I say, swatting his hand.
“I’m can’t wait to get you alone,” he whispers in my ear. That he could be even thinking of that at a time like this is mind-boggling. I guess he shares my one-track mind.
“You’re incorrigible,” I say, but I’m smiling as I shake my head. Grabbing my hand to his mouth, he brushes his lips against my skin in slow, sensuous strokes. I’m way too afraid to look over at Dad, so I stare straight in front of me instead. Commander Remus looks deep in thought. I wish he’d the ability to silently communicate, because there are things I need to ask him. In particular, what promises did he make Mom, and why? He looks up and catches me staring. Neither of us breaks eye contact, and I can tell he knows that I know something. He nods his head imperceptibly, and I acknowledge the gesture.
Then the ten-second warning announcement rings out, advising us to prepare for imminent departure. We ease out slowly at first into an enclosed tunnel. Then the front panel wall retracts, and I gawp in amazement as we glide out into the hidden depths of the sea. Water swathes the Velo on all sides and it has a soothingly calm quality to it. The pace accelerates and we whizz smoothly ahead.
Trying to have any form of conversation when we’re moving at high velocity is impossible, so I’m trapped with my thoughts. Leaning back against the headrest, I try to empty my mind and just chill.
A sharp pounding in my head, one that strikes deep within my skull, makes me wince out loud.
That’s the only warning sign.
Gushing images flood my mind, like a river that’s suddenly burst its banks delivering torrents of water in every direction. My head buzzes with jittery excitement, just like a mad sugar rush. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of memories float in front of me. Flitting here and there, imaginary arms reach out to grab them.
Then I’m assaulted by a memory so savage, so abhorrent, that I feel as if the ground has been swiped from underneath me. A deep trembling starts to build in the pit of my stomach and quickly coils its way into every cell of my being. I can’t stop the violent shivering that rocks my body, and my lungs scream for air.
“Zane,” I call out silently in frantic desperation.
“Zane, please hear me. I need you.”
The silence is soul destroying, and in that moment, I believe I’ve finally reached my limit: The point of no return, the juncture where my heart cracks and splinters, sucking my breath and my will to live.
I no longer know who I am.
“Zane, I remember. EVERYTHING.
I know what we did.
I know who he is.
Now it all makes sense.”
END OF BOOK TWO.
To be continued.
Keep reading for an exclusive look at Light of a Thousand Stars (TC #2.5)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Siobhan Davis writes young adult science fiction fantasy romance books, and she is the author of the Amazon bestselling True Calling series. The first book in her new Saven series was released in December 2015.
A self-professed teenager forever—at least when it comes to books, music, and films, Siobhan is totally addicted to teen fiction and superhero/blockbuster movies. She loves baking, shoes, bags, makeup, anti-wrinkle cream, anything pink, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Robert Pattinson (definitely Team Edward).
Before pursuing a full-time writing career, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in Human Resources over the last twenty years.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
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TURN THE PAGE TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM LIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS (TRUE CALLING #2.5)
LIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS
A True Calling Novella
Ariana Skyee has been the center of Zane Anders’ world for years. They got together as a couple ten months ago so Zane finally has the girl of his dreams. Life should be peachy.
But it isn’t.
Haunted by a shared secret that threatens to destroy their relationship and claim their sanity, Zane is on a one-man mission to prevent Ari from falling apart.
Then Commander Skyee drops the biggest bombshell of all, and everything Zane has taken for granted about the future is shattered overnight.
Always and forever: That’s what Zane has promised Ari.
Keeping that promise is about to become the hardest thing he will ever do.
CHAPTER 1
I step back and survey my handiwork. It’s a damn fine job, if I do say so myself. My heart blossoms to life in my chest when I imagine how Ari will respond to it. It’s been challenging keeping all this a secret, but what good are romantic gestures if the girl is aware of them in advance. I grin widely as I mentally visualize her reaction.
“You look like The Joker on steroids,” Gil says, approaching from behind. He stands beside me and I pin him with a look. “Awesome job, bud,” he adds, slapping me firmly on the back.
Casting a secondary glance at the cave, I have to agree. Rows of sparkling, colored lights hang from left to right at the back of the cave, the illumination reflecting off the slate walls creating a magical, eerie glow all around the space. Gil helped me lay the maple decking that now adorns the entire floor area of the cave. The white and black art-deco style table and chairs are from Gil’s pool house, and the sound system has been relocated temporarily from my bedroom for the night. Cushions of various sizes and shapes are dotted artfully in the corner on the right, and several vases of lilies, lavender, and baby’s breath line the perimeter of the cave. Inhaling deeply, I breathe in the delicate feminine scent that reminds me of my girlfriend, and my lips tug up at the corners.
Our romantic relationship is still new enough that it brings a smile to my lips every time I think of her. My heart flutters wildly as I picture her beautiful, wide blue eyes, expressive lips, and luminous skin. Gil sighs beside me. Rousing myself from my obsessive thoughts before they consume me, I turn and face him. “Yeah, I’m just that awesome.”
The cave is tucked unobtrusively on the edge of the golden sandy beach that stretches for a half mile on the furthest fringes of the Lexington estate. Gil’s family vacation estate is a staggering display of opulence, wealth, and obscene excess, which normally doesn’t sit all that well with me. But when I was trying to locate a special romantic setting to celebrate Ari’s fifteenth birthday, there wasn’t anywhere else that fit the bill so perfectly. Gil’s mom is a total snob, but for some reason, which I can never fathom, she has taken a real shine to me, and nothing is any trouble for her darling son’s favorite childhood friend.
“Are you sure your parents are okay with this?” I arch an eyebrow as I stare him directly in the face.
“Dad’s in New York and Mom’s in Milan, but she’s cool with this. Chill, dude, it’s all in the bag.” He shoots me a knowing look.
“And is Syl still okay to prepare the food?” Syl is the Lexington family’s head housekeeper, and she always personally looks after them whenever they vacation here, which is mostly all summer long and on extended weekends at other times during the year. The estate is on the outskirts of Westport, which is a popular seaside town in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Conveniently, only two hours drive from Woodstock—where I live full-time and Gil lives whenever he’s not down here— we make good use of the house whenever we can. Syl dotes on Gil, and considering she’s been in the Lexington’s employ since before Gil was born, he’s like the son she never had. In certain ways, Gil behaves more like he’s Syl’s son than an offspring of the notorious Lexington dynasty. Gil rarely acts like a spoilt rich brat. Mostly he’s unassuming, and uncomfortable playing on his wealth or status. Of course, to his parents, he is the black sheep of the family, though they’ve long since given up trying to make him tow the line. I secretly think Syl is proud of Gil for the way he shuns the norm and refuses to be anything but himself.
Gil has Syl wrapped around his little finger. Hell, she’s wrapped around his entire hand.
“It’s all under control, everything you wanted. You know how she loves organizing events, and I think she’s a sweet spot for you too. Though, I’m still her number one. Guess I’m just that awesome too.” He grins widely, and I catch a glimpse of the dimples the girls go wild for. Gil’s movie-star good looks, cheeky boyish charisma, and his powerful second name are a heady combination, and the girls just can’t get enough of him. Or him, them. While there is only one girl for me, one girl a night is probably more apt to describe Gil’s dating predilection. Gil may be my best friend since forever, but he’s still a major player. Sometimes I wonder how we’ve managed to stay friends for so long, but I figure I’m like the Ying to his Yang and vice versa. I’m the voice of reason that tries, and often fails, to keep him on the straight and narrow, and he is the devil on my shoulder, daring me to take risks and throw caution to the wind.
He thinks I’ve become a total loser since Ari and I officially hooked-up, but that’s only because I can’t bear to be apart from her for any length of time. Following Gil around various parties and clubs, trying to keep up with the endless list of girlfriends and hook-ups, is not Ari’s idea of a fun time. Nor mine. That said, I’m loathed to become one of those guys who dumps his buddies as soon as a girl arrives on the scene. So, I try to keep a balance, as best I can. And it’s not that Ari doesn’t like Gil. She thinks he’s a riot. It’s just that I don’t want her around that scene.
“You’ve got it bad, Zane,” Gil says, effectively distracting me from my compulsive inner monologue.
“What?” I scrub a hand over my jaw. Feeling light bristles brush against my fingertips, I make a mental note to shave.
“You’re so far under the thumb that your head is barely above ground level these days.” He shakes his head.
“What?” I ask again, feigning ignorance.
“Such a wasted opportunity. You’re seventeen, Zane. Seventeen, not seventy!! You should be out there playing the field, not tying yourself down. Plenty of time for that in the future. Though I will admit, that Ari’s smoking hot. She may be only turning fifteen, but she’s rocking some serious curves. What I wouldn’t give …”
“Don’t even attempt to finish that sentence,” I threaten, half in jest.
He effectively ignores me. “That reminds me,” he says, digging his hand into his pants pocket. “I wiggled an overnight pass for you.” He drops a set of keys in my hand. “The poolhouse is yours for the night. Total privacy for you and Ari to do your thing.” He winks suggestively, and I resist the juvenile urge to roll my eyes. “You can thank me tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Gil,” I say, fitting the keys back in his fist, “but that won’t be necessary. You know it’s not like that between us.”
“What? You went to all this effort,” he says, gesturing toward the cave with his palms outstretched, “and you’re not even planning on getting laid? Lame, dude. So lame.”
I stifle a yawn. “Seriously, Gil, how many times do I have to tell you. Ari is only fifteen. We’re waiting ‘til she’s older.”
“You want to be careful that your man-bits don’t shrivel up and die. Ari won’t thank you for that when she’s ninety and you finally hook-up.”
I shove him playfully in the stomach, and he stumbles back. “You’re more than making up for my apparent inadequacies.”
“Isn’t that the truth, bro?” He cocks his head to the side mischievously. “Why’d you do all this then?” There is a serious note to his tone. Only Gil could ask a question like that and not know the answer.
“It’s her first birthday that we’ve celebrated as boyfriend and girlfriend, and I want to make it special. Besides, I love her, and I want to make her happy.”
Gil keels over and mock pukes on the ground. I fist my hand in his shirt and yank him to his feet. “If you could manage to go out with the same girl more than once, you might understand.”
“Monogamy is seriously over-rated.” This time I don’t resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I keep forgetting that you guys haven’t been together, together, for that long. She’s been such a big part of your life for years that I always forget that,” he admits, dropping down onto the sand.
Ari and I have known each other since we were ten and twelve, respectively, and we were BFFs for two years before we officially became an item. My whole world has revolved around her for years, and I honestly can scarcely remember a time when she wasn’t the center of my universe.
Slumping down beside him, I nod. “I know. I can’t believe it’s only been ten months. Best ten months of my life.”
He pins me with a look of extreme disdain. “Dude, you seriously need to get out more. You are fucking pathetic, you know that though, right?”
“Pathetic and proud,” I acknowledge. Nothing in this world is more important to me than Ari. She’s more than just my girlfriend; she’s the core of my entire being. And I couldn’t give a damn who knows it either. Our fathers worked together in the military, and that is how we had first met. She’d seemed so young to me back then, and I had barely paid her any attention. I was fourteen when my dad was killed in action. Ari’s father—Malcolm—took me under his wing, and I began spending more and more time with him and his family. Ari and I gradually grew closer until she was as close a friend as Gil.
