Slavers of Antar

By DocPaul

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Chapter Sixteen: Lazarus

“Would you like something to eat?”

“Yes,” said Michael answering for both of them. They were in the special quarters Thoth assigned them. Maria was lying on a lounging sofa, resting. Michael hated the way Thoth stared at her.

“You have members of our crew.”

Irritated by Michael’s constant interruptions, Thoth smiled cruelly. “A few. The young boy is a nice addition. He is young. We can train him for stud.”

Maria shook her head in disgust. “He is a child.”

“You find our ways distasteful, Princess, and yet, you more than anyone know why we are as we are.”

“Destiny. Yes. I know.”

“Your mate need not be here. I am only interested in the history of the Granilith, from the moment it reappeared into Earth’s future, and why it was originally created. You are a direct descendent of those who sent it forward.”

“Michael knows as much as I do. He has learned my history.”

Thoth startled, staring at Michael. “I would think your history was too long to learn.”

“You thought wrong.” Michael’s voice was brusque, irritated by the man’s dismissal of him. “I know more than you do by far.” There was something off about Thoth’s questions. He lived the history. He had to know it. “Why are you interested in a machine that no longer exists? Your predecessor, Khivar had it in his hands for over twelve years. What is there to know, that you could not find?”

“We could never get it to initiate into full power sequence. It had controls we could never  decipher and overcome.”

“And you want to know why?” Maria guessed.

“Yes. A thousand lifetimes of curiosity.”

Maria looked at Michael, who shrugged. What did it matter? Michael smiled back at Maria and then he told the story. 

“When the original Royals, the hybrids, sent the Granilith to the future, first they took the original healing stones sent back in the original Granilith by the creators and the Commander, and melded them to individuals. Each group—mating group found that they identified to a special stone, one tuned by their children that had yet to be born. The Commander and his mate had two stones, one for their twins—the creators, and one for their son, the future Commander—Rath. They melded their two stones with the essences of the hybrid King into The One. The remaining stones, three—where held by the Princess and her human mate who was altered, the Queen and her human mate, also altered, and finally two special humans, one altered, and the other not. The three stones resonated at special unique frequencies, ones that only the direct descendents of those three mating pairs could control. When they sent the Granilith to Earth’s future, it was guaranteed that only their children’s children would ever be able to use the Granilith to its full potential.”

“They created keys, a fell safe device,” said Thoth in wonder, finally understanding something that had eluded Khivar. “Resonating—the one woman, Liz, she resonates at an unusual frequency. I remember a woman-Tess, she too resonated.”

Maria nodded. “Yes. When they first melded into the stones, tuned them, they all moved into the Balance, touched The Great Understanding. They did not realize how they did it, and in truth it was millenniums beyond their ability to understand. The power of the Granilith took them there. They bent the matrix of their lives, joining themselves and each other into an unbreakable unity.”

“The resonating woman, she was a part of the Granilith.”

“Yes, her, the woman you had, Tess, and another called Courtney. They were Immaculates housed in Temple until it was time.”

“Tess—” Thoth’s eyes narrowed. “I remember her. She called herself an Immaculate, and what exactly that meant was never understood.”

“She died with Khivar. He destroyed her world, as an example.”

“I remember her. She was a defiant little thing. She threatened to cut the thread of my life.”

Maria felt sick. Poor Tess, she couldn’t have known that killing Khivar wouldn’t stop him from existing.

“The Granilith,” asked Thoth as he stood walking the room. “Why did they build it?”

Maria laughed. “You should know. You are the reason—the creator of your own destiny.” Maria tried to sit up, to get comfortable, but she could not. Michael leaned down, helping her. He stayed at her side, sharing the lounging sofa with her.

Michael held Maria’s hand.  “The children of the Commander, the twins, they had a special intellect, unrealized. Their mother had not been changed by their father yet, and she was a special human—a focus for power, their father’s power. They were conceived in a union of a great focus with a great power, and that unique aspect of humanity—Ingenuity was theirs. They had an understanding of molecules, matter and energy that was evolutionary steps beyond their parents, the humans, and even the aliens—your people. Somehow, their minds could see beyond what was evident, and they touched the Great Understanding—like children at play. They built the Granilith to protect Earth, and themselves.”

Michael stared at Thoth. He was a man of another name, but he was the same. “You couldn’t lose the Granilith could you? They sent it forward to an unknown future, out of your reach—and still you came.”

Thoth stopped angrily. “Oh course I came! Do you have any idea the hell you—they, the Earthlings created for us?” The man was violent, his mind shattering objects in the room. “You sent them to us. You sent the two worst vipers in the known Universe to Antar, and we haven’t known a moment of peace since. The King and his evil sister! Zan and Vilandra! You sent us the reject hybrids!”

~~~

“Liz, are you sure it’s Maria?”

Liz glanced at the guard. “I’m sure, Julia. We—we have a special connection left from the Granilith. I’d know her anywhere.”

Julia sat back, Ava watching them uncertain if she should speak. She didn’t know this Maria person. Julia bit her lip, thinking of all the scenarios.

“They could be here to rescue us.”

“They could be captured as we are,” suggested Liz.

Thoth would like that. The Princess, last remaining Anterraan. “I hope not. I sincerely hope it is a rescue.”

“I’ll work on the panel again.”

Ava stopped for a moment. Her face went blank. They followed her glance to the door. A man stood there. He was rat-faced with an evil sneer. His eyes found Ava, and he smiled.

“What is it?” Julia grabbed Ava’s hand.

“Nikolas. I heard he was sent North. Guess he is back.” Ava stood, but Julia held her back.

“Ava—”

“It’s okay. I can handle it.”

~~~

Nikolas walked around Ava, his hands moving her hair, lifting it to place his mouth on her neck. Ava swallowed a growing revulsion.

“Touch yourself for me,” he said, untying her gown. It pooled at her feet.

“I want to lie down.” Ava hated the fear she heard in her own voice. Nikolas gestured to the bed, his eyes never leaving her form as he watched her slowly moved naked onto the bed, fluffing up the pillows.

“Did you know that the King—Thoth recognized you.”

“I don’t know him. Never met him before I came here.”

“Strange, he said that he knew of you, that you were Tess.”

Ava frowned at that. Liz called her Tess as well. “He is mistaken.”

Nikolas chortled his voice high pitched and unnatural. “I know. He realized it when there was no recognition. It is why he gave you to me.”

Ava bit back the need to respond. He was malevolence, and there was nothing outside of that. “Do you want me to begin?”

Nikolas took a seat in a chair pulled up real close to the bed. Sloughing back, he nodded for her to begin, his eyes dark and penetrating.

Ava closed her eyes concentrating on moving away from that room, away from that bed, and the prying eyes of Nikolas. Biting her lip, she could taste the blood as she searched.

He wasn’t there.

Holding back a cry of alarm, she searched for him. He was always there. Always. Eyes watched her from the darkness. Gleaming, they followed her every move.

A predatory smile curved at her lover's lips.  The man stalked forward, image of him, then a panther morphed back and forth, skin moving over muscle and bone, velvet over steel.

Ava's heart sped up, her breathing hitched. A deeply primal part of her screamed. Run! Run! Escape! He was faster and trapped her within strong arms before she could take a step. He never scared her before. Heart trip-hammering, Ava closed her eyes.

"Look at me. Look at me." She was helpless to deny him, glancing up, caught in the fire that was in his eyes. "I need to know—do you want to do this? Do you want me to make love to you? Just say yes—or no." The voice was deceptively calm but Ava heard the anxiety.

"Yes, yes. Yes. Please. Yes." There was something different about him. The feel of him was firmer, not all gentleness, but a touch of power. He pushed his hips forward in reply to her plead. Ava could not quite repress the gasp when his cock brushed up against her folds, probing. "Oh, please," much softer but ragged.

The bed was soft, but narrow, and he was nude as she. A fast thrust of hips and Ava groaned as the large man's cock penetrated, her hand straining to hold him closer. Their mouths met again, hot and sweet, tongues tasting and caressing caught in the desire. His hands slid around and down Ava’s back, following her spine to her hips. Cupping the full roundness there, he angled her for his thrusts, opening her for his touch, as his mouth sucked greedily on her tongue.

Ava's mouth rolled away from his lips and she moaned at the intense sensations rampaging through her. She trembled, in passion and fear. Never had she been with another man in this deeply intimate way. She wanted it, needed it, but was nervous that she would never find him, that this was all she could have. Was it foolish to love a ghost, a specter created by her imagination to protect her?

Another thrust, deeper this time, Ava cried out softly, “Oh”. He paused, held himself off her, protecting her from his full weight, his eyes watching her, waiting. Ava moaned. He understood. Her lover understood. She didn’t have to explain. God, but she loved this man.

Ava’s eyes lower sultry as he moved her to climax, her hands gripped in his, their fingers entwined. He pinned her to the bed, as her legs went up to hold him, grip him hard between her thighs. Putting her head back, her mouth opened to scream.

When Ava groaned, he moved closer and murmured, "Relax, let your body accept. I will make it so good for you. Trust me."

Ava couldn’t talk, she nodded, her mouth going to his shoulder as he sped up, the thrust hard and deep. Her teeth bit into his shoulder, she could taste his blood mingling with hers. Unable to stop herself, she screamed as she climaxed. Lying back, exhausted, she could feel him moving away. Too soon. No!

“Don’t—” She struggled to breath. “Don’t go yet. I need you.”

His eyes were gentle, more like the ones she knew so well. “What do you want from me, little one?”

"In. I need you in me. Please—now." The needy begging surprised her. Could that be her voice? She felt more than satisfied, but the need to touch him, to really touch him kept eating away at her, deep inside.

"Not yet, baby. I need to talk to you.” The man leaned down, his mouth gentle across hers, his tongue tasting the blood on her lips. “Don't want to hurt you. Can't hurt you.” He seemed to be talking to himself more than her. “I need to find you. Where are you?”

“Waiting. I’m waiting for you—all my life.”

He kissed her deeply. “I couldn’t feel you—my old hearts were full, but this one, this stronger heart only knows you. Enjoy the feeling. I will be there as soon as I can. Be ready."

As he spoke, his fingers were stroking into her, loosening and caressing at the same time. Ava's legs were quivering in pleasure at the sensations his fingers were producing. Her heart was pounding in her breasts as she started to pant, straining to get the oxygen she needed.

Suddenly all the pleasuring stopped. He withdrew his fingers, rolled to his knees, trapping her beneath him. The bed dipped as he moved his hands upward, leaning over Ava. His hands spread over the satiny skin of her breasts, his hands shaping her breasts, teasing the aroused nubs, as he leaned in to suck her into his mouth. He slid back and forth between breasts, now and then flicking at her nipples with a tongue, then the edge of his teeth, and finally to bite down gently. Ava 's ardor had cooled when he had removed his fingers from inside her, but now, every flick of his tongue, brush of his teeth went right to her pelvis. She raised her lower body, brushing against him, as a throb through her entire body became so intense, her hips thrust up in response.

"Eager, babe? Patience. We will both enjoy this much more if we don't rush it." A long hand smoothed over her stomach.

"Hey! Who grabbed whom, and was inside without a by your leave, thrusting to climax? Where did you get all this—restraint?"

He laughed, chuckling softly as his mouth laved upon her body. He felt hunger for her, need and lust, but so much more. She was the beat of his heart. "The panther may have been loose for a while but the old man is back in charge. And he knows slower is sweeter. Lasting." Fingers returned to worrying her nipples.

Ava grasped the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss so fiery that the man was ignited, his body jerking forward to press onto as much of Ava's skin as possible, arms crossing over her back, one leg lifting to curl over her hip, and around her ass. Ava was effectively trapped against his body as he ravished her mouth. After several moments, his head lifted so that they could take a breath. In a gasping voice, Ava noted, "I think—the panther's—back."

A long, rich laugh and then a look so feral and dangerous that Ava caught her breath in response. Her mouth was possessed again. Taken. It was the only word. Taken, as another part of her would surely be very soon. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of it. Hurry. Hurry.

Long fingers sought her opening again, this time exploring deeply and thrusting gently in. Ava moaned and shoved back, wanting an even deeper penetration, wanting him again. After a few moments, he withdrew his hand again, to Ava's protest.  "Please, please, I need you. I’m ready. Please!"

She could feel the heat of his cock as it nudged between her thighs, replacing his fingers. Adjusting position, he moved forward in a steady, slow drive nudging, breaching the tight entry.

He stilled when he was all the way in, one hand gliding back and forth over Ava's hip in a comforting connection. Voice tight, "Tell me you love Me. Tell me that you’re waiting for me."

With an effort, Ava opened her mouth. He had to be kidding. She could barely breathe, and he wanted to talk. She took a shaky breath. Oh. Oh, that is—ok—full. So full. That is good. Oh, god, yes—so good! When Ava grunted and adjusted her body to moving upward into his groin, he pulled out slipping back almost immediately. Out and back. Over and over. Deep and sweet. Power restrained. Ava could feel how much he was holding back—for her.

The fire was building, an agony that wanted that demanded more. Ava brought her hands over his shoulders, her hands running up his back to grip his shoulders hard. She held onto him desperate to feel the full length of his body, her body begging in words she could say. Oh. Just the way he liked it.

The bed was squeaking as they jerked back and forth. Their bodies were slipping in the sweat that coated their skin and eased the pattern he had set. Then he hit a place inside that shot liquid fire through Ava's whole body and she cried out.  "Oh, yesss. Oh yesss. More—more—harder—harder—oohh."

The man’s own voice had ceased to function, only grunts and pants snuffing hard from the hot face pressed to Ava's neck. The rhythm that he had started, slow then fast thrusts, was long lost. His movements became more erratic and frenzied. Deeper and harder, as fast as he could manage it. Ava had to extend a hand to keep from being slammed into the headboard. The force of his thrusts, all that muscle engaged, was straining Ava's own strength and she could feel her arm muscles begin to quaver under the onslaught.

Suddenly Ava's release came upon her. Her whole body tightened, back arching, mouth open, eyes shut, muscles clenching hard, splashing warmth over his cock. He grunted as Ava's internal muscles grabbed him. He thrust twice against the pressure and cried out as he spasmed inside his lover.

Ava felt herself melt into the bed, slipping into a dreamy state with a long sigh. God, he was good. He turned her to her side, his chest resting firmly against her back as his arm came around her. His head fell onto her shoulder and his big body snuggled against her, chin at the join of Ava's neck and shoulder, his nose up into Ava's sweaty curls. A low,  "I love you—so much," huffed in a warm breath into her ear. Unable to speak, Ava grasped the long arm that came around her middle, pressed her head back against his shoulder moaning her answer.

Ava slowly opened her eyes, her breath heaving in her lungs as the sweat dripped off her body. Nikolas was at the foot of the bed watching her, his eyes dilated. He looked exhausted. Ava reached for a cover. Moaning, she turned to her side, curling up into a small ball, her eyes closing tight. She heard him leave, a tear moving down her cheek to the sound of a door closing.

“Kyle,” she whispered in her last breath before sleep overtook her.

~~~

Isabel’s hand rested on Kyle’s still chest, and suddenly under her palm, it raised. Kyle suddenly sat up, coughing, his hand going to his chest. He said, “Ava!”

Isabel stood back in shock, her hand burning. She looked at the palm expecting to see a burn, but it was normal. Max gathered her close, his arm circling her, pulling her away from the bed as the medical team returned to check up on Kyle.

Kyle moved to his side, he continued to cough as his hand rubbed his chest. The pain, it was still there, but different. The tightness of his chest had alleviated, and slowly, he was able to breathe.

Isabel quickly looked over to where Alex and the others had stood. They were gone.

“Kyle, can you talk?”

Kyle nodded, struggling still with his breath. He felt—tired. Achy, but not in a bad way. Actually he felt—sated.

“Yes,” he said thickly. “My son—”

“We’re going for him, for all of them.” Max assured Kyle. Kyle nodded. He closed his eyes for a moment, and he reached outward, his new heart beating a heavy cadence. Liam.

~~~

Liam was lying on the bed. His body ached. They had taken him twice. He was a sperm donor, and the way they extracted his seed was not in anyway pleasurable. He felt milked.

Liam.

“Dad?” Liam rolled out of the bed. Standing, careful of his sore body, he looked around the protective room. Impossible. His father was far away, and even he couldn’t penetrate the protection. Liam sat down gingerly, disheartened by his need to see his father, his need to be free.

Liam, patience. We will come for you. We will not leave you.

“Dad?”

Liam closed his eyes, and suddenly his face lit with a smile. His father. He could feel his father, strong, and alive. He felt—love.

Lying on the bed, he stared up at the ceiling. Extending his mind outwards, he reached for the others, sending them feelings of hope. Rescue was on the way.

~~~

Kyle waved away the offer of water. “I’m fine.”

Sean had grabbed Kyle in a huge hug after the doctor declared him to be in good condition. He stood back allowing Max in closer to the bed, but only barely.

“You scared us,” Max said, his arm still around Isabel.

“I scared myself.” Kyle shook his head. “As soon as I see Alex again, I’m going to give that damn Eminent a black eye. He watched me die.”

“He was here,” Isabel told Kyle. “He waited for the door to open. I heard it.”

Sean, at the end of his wits, looked from Isabel to Kyle. “What the hell is this damn door everyone keeps talking about?” Again! He was the last to get anything! Last to find love. Last to hear the damn door. Hell, he couldn’t find the damn thing.

Kyle smiled at his friend’s irritation. “It’s metaphoric, Sean. The door is a place in your brain, your mental processes. It opens to allow awareness, to touch the Great Understanding. We are connected in the Balance, and the door has opened to allow us to enter.”

Kyle shut his eyes and reached out and touched the fabric. He could see it clearly—space, doubled back, folded in ripples of time. Smiling, he could feel Liam, Michael and Maria, Julia, and Liz, and he could feel—Ava. Kyle’s eyes opened suddenly.

“We must find them!”

Max squeezed Kyle’s shoulder. “We will.” Max’s eyes narrowed as Kyle winced a little in pain. “What?”

“Nothing. My shoulder is a little sore.”

Max glanced down at Kyle’s shoulder, his eyes finding a fresh bite mark. Lifting a brow, he gestured to it, and Kyle stared it, his face fusing with color.

“You want to explain the bite?”

“Not really.”

“What bite,” asked Sean, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He was missing out on something again.

Max ignored Sean’s mumbling under his breath about being neglected. “Then maybe you could tell us what happened? How you were able to come back. Kyle, you were dead.”

“I had to die to live.” Kyle explained. “My two hearts were fighting with my new one. Something had to give, but they were tied together, sharing the same circulatory system. My body literally had to shut down, then be restarted, to allow my new larger heart to take control. My two hearts are no longer functioning. They will slowly atrophy to vestigial nodes.”

“What jumpstarted you?” Max asked. He followed Kyle’s glance at Isabel who looked at her palm in wonder. The burn, it had been like a huge electrical charge. “Isabel?”

Kyle smiled, sharing a glance with Isabel who shook her head. “No, Max. Our baby. The baby opened the door, and the charge came from somewhere else.”

“Our baby?” Max put his hand over his unborn daughter.

“She is very evolved.”

Sean sat on the edge of the bed. “So where did this charge come from?” Kyle coughed, sending Max a pleading look. Sean saw that. “Oh no! None of that now! I want to know—we all want to know!”

“A woman called Ava. She is a prisoner with the others. I felt her—connected to her in a special way.” Sean lifted a brow. Kyle sighed knowing Sean would not let it go. “Let’s just say we got heavily ‘involved’ and it was enough energy to jumpstart my heart.”

Max bit back a smile. He looked at Kyle’s wasted body. The man was tired. Pulling on Sean, he led Sean and Isabel out of the room. “Kyle is tired. Say goodnight, Seanie.”

“Wait! Involved? There’s a double meaning in that! Involved?” Sean’s face brightened as he got it. “That’s a code word for sex! You had sex and it brought you back from the dead.” Max pulled the protesting Sean away. “Sex! He had sex. He was reborn out of an orgasm? What the hell is going on? Why is everyone else having sex but me?”

~~~

Sean pulled another circuit. Upset, he didn’t even bother to talk to Jonesy. Sick. He was sick of all this crap. The Universe was changing, fast, and he was standing on the sidelines. No girl. No connection. Hell, he couldn’t even have excellent mental sex.

The component stuck. Sean’s usual good humor and respect for all things mechanical was lost. He took a heavy tool and banged the crap out of it. Hitting it repeatedly, he watched as the entire interface blew apart.

Great. He would have to fix that as well.

Reaching into the damaged area, he went to remove the broken pieces. His hand hit an open conduit panel. It was still charged with stored energy. The charge ran through his hand, shocking him. His body jumped, and he rushed his bare hand into a jagged piece of metal, ripping it to shreds.

“Awwww!” Sean pulled his torn hand out, clutching it to his body tight as the blood spilt. Wrapping a rag around it, he cursed the entire way to the medical bay. Hell, he finally gets a great injury, and his girl is missing.

~~~

Julia sat up suddenly from a deep sleep. The pain…her eyes flooded with tears as she clutched her hand to her body. Breathing through the pain, she cautiously examined her hand, flexing the fingers a few times.

A part of her expected to see blood, torn flesh, and something else—she expected to see Sean’s hand. Another part of her, the clinical doctor expected to see nothing. Phantom pain.

She was wrong on both accounts. Her hand had a red line, a deep crease running in a jagged line. It was hot and angry, but the flesh wasn’t torn, and there was no blood. Feeling her head for a fever, she accepted the unusual. Lying back down, she stared off out a ceiling port, the stars in the sky wondering when he would come to find her.