A Wider Sy

A Wider Sky: Beyond Eclipse Series

by Talyis Bagley Ellison

Copyright first edition 2013, 2015

Chapter 11

"Kiowa! I know you are in there! Open the door!"

My heart pounding in my ears matched the aggressive pounding on my door.

I stood frozen, not knowing what to do. The call thankfully disconnected in time was of little consolation.

"Please Kiowa, I need to talk to you. Open the door." He continued to beat against my door. It stopped for a second and than wham! I jumped from my unbreathing statue state. "I can hear the leaves of your book turning," he managed to tease.

I rolled my eyes trying not to crack a smile, he managed to be charming even though I was angry with him.

"Kiowa, you've got three seconds to open this door or else I am going to have to take extreme measures to get this door open that you may not like."

I wasn't sure if he was serious. He wouldn't... wham! My entire room shuddered. He would. I quickly ran to my door to let him in.

There he was, midnight blue and purple hair tussled and a bit damp plastering to his forehead from exertion, and always his searing eyes. All that was missing was his usual sly smile framed by dimples that made all the girls forgive all his crimes - even I was reconsidering.

"I need to talk to you," he said in a quiet whisper, pushing me back into my own room.

"Gaelen, I never want to talk to you again."

"Yeah, I heard you. I don't know why you got so skittish but that is not what I came here to talk about and you know it."

"Well, I don't know what else there is to talk about. I think you said it all in behind the library." I kept my distance from him and stood near the door.

"What did I say?-- You are getting off the point. You disappeared Kiowa! Vanished into thin air! I was blasted 12ft nearly killed by a tree!"

Vanished? I only blasted him maybe 3ft. Not enough to knock him out let alone literally kill him.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" I folded my arms across my chest and pointed my chin up.

"This isn't the first time you've... you're different Kiowa." Oh fuck. "I sensed it when I pressed my hand against your heart. I thought you were..." he took a stressful intake of air, he was anxious. Why? I'm the one just about to be made. "What you did back there, no one has been able to do. What did you do Kiowa?"

"I think you're imagining things."

"I did not!" he growled. With a few quick steps he nearly on top of me.

"You imagined things, Gaelen," I said forcefully and scooted from in front of him to keep myself away from him. "I did not vanish into thin air and I did not attack you."

Gaelen's jaw flexed as he stopped the words from rebuttal. He started to second-guess himself. But I wondered, how I was able to disappear. I've never done that before. Maybe it was I that was imagining things, if I indeed did all he said without knowing them.

Shit. He came back to me, now I was further away from the door and he was cornering me like a mouse.

"I'm sorry," Gaelen said, feathering his strong fingers down my cheek. "I am sorry for everything today. My temper. My harsh words. But I am not sorry for kissing you and I am not sorry for asking you out." His hand travelled to the back of my neck as he drew me closer to him tenderly. "You are one fascinating woman, Kiowa Walker. And I don't mean the strange powers that you possess."

"I don't have strange powers."

"I think you do." The silk in his voice made my heart melt. "And I am not talking about the power to vanish or blast me 20ft away."

"I didn't-" I arched an eyebrow. 20ft now?

His lips pulled into that sexy cocky smile I loved so much.

"I know what I saw, Kiowa. But I am talking about the powers you have that... just... make me feel like I can be something better than who I am. You challenge me to be something great Kiowa and I love you for that."

If there are buttons to my soul that would cause it to inscribe a man's name on itself, he is a master engineer pressing all the right buttons. I quickly wrapped my arms around him and pulled towards me. We tumbled backwards towards the wall. Our bodies pressing hard into each other. Gaelen forcefully pulled my leg up, wrapping it around his hip. I could feel his hardness pressing so fervently against my core. I panted into his hard sweet kisses my body took over my nagging conscience to end it all. We were devouring each other.

"Kiowa, I think I am falling for you."

I was definitely falling for him.

His fingers combed through my hair to cradle my head in his hand, his lips slowed and grazed my neck followed by a trail of wet kisses that made me weak at the knees. His other hand held the small of my back holding me so close to him, my heart raced. I was in euphoria. I had no clue how we ended up on my bed and how I had been so bold to pull his shirt off over his head, getting a real glimpse at his strong body.

I swallowed hard. His chest was incredibly strong, muscular and lean.My fingers traced the angry red raised lines that crisscrossed his body like an "x" marking the spot of whoever had plundered his body before. Oh my, Gaelen had a tattoo. He tried to hide it with a beautiful tattoo which to my surprise was beautiful and tender. It captured the earth's sky, the universe in its complexities. It was in real black tattoo ink and alien tattoo ink as well, shifting and changing with iridescent stars against the inky black lines.

His hand captured mine holding it still from touching the painful scars that were hidden behind the star tattoos. His searching eyes gave a glimpse of insecurity but one for a nanosecond, he was back to dominating Gaelen possessing the space he always want to control. And that space was now me.

"What happened?" I asked.

Green orbs looked terrified upon me and then searched my expression like reaching out desperately for a life preserver.

"My defect. I got sick and had to have emergency heart surgery. It was during the first few weeks of Eclipse. We were in Siberia and Taxa and Bane had arrived a few days before. I was playing with them and then I couldn't catch my breath.

"You know how Taxa is, he is pure athlete and strongman, even when we were five years old. I just couldn't keep up. And my heart couldnt manage the strain anymore. I went into cardiac arrest while playing Y'vori tag. It's pitiful.

"I got sick before Eclipse. My best friend, Before Eclipse was... anyways, my best friend was nothing like Taxa or Bane. I worry about how I appear to my Seconds even then at five years old, I just knew I couldn't be myself with them.

Siberia was horrible. I missed my best friend back home. He was so generous when we'd played. He compensated for me and didn't make me feel alienated. But I guess my parents didn't see it as a problem, Before Eclipse. They thought that I would grow out of being sick because Y'vori don't get sick. They probably thought it was because I was being exposed to too much human's environmental pollution in the city we lived in.

"But when I got sick in Siberia... My parents were not pleased to say the least and they realized that their future king was a defect. Their son was a loser. But it was worse because Taxa and Bane now knew I had the defect.

"It was awful because we were in the midst of war and the only medic close to us was insufficient. So we had to find a human heart surgeon." Gaelen paused and then smirked in his cocky way to hide his wounds just like he covered them with his beautiful tattoo. "Well, I am alive. And my heart is still ticking. It's strong. Don't worry Mouse."

He thumbed my lips up trying to smooth away my frown.

"Take off your shirt," his voice was rich with masculinity. He could turn to passion on a drop of a dime.

I hesitated but then pulled the turtleneck over my head and set it aside. I sat nervously waiting for his response, his rebuffs; and please, his approval. Every single touch maybe my body quiver I was so nervous, my belly was a second from exploding with butterflies.

Please, don't break my heart. I mantra'd.

He just studied me, no expression on his face to give me any hints if I were an Aphrodite or hideous gorgon. I had fairly moderate size bust and I liked wearing comfortable underwear instead of the frilly expensive ones probably should have bought for occasions such as this one. The kind of lingerie a general's daughter gone rouge would have, like Sebol probably had.

He just starred at me, the seconds where years. I reached for the sheet to pull it to me and cover up, but Gaelen pried it out of my fingers. He didn't allow me to grow more timid. He already had his hand behind my neck to pull me closer to him.

His kisses were like heaven, urgent but polite and passionate. My spine tingled feeling his fingers play against my back. I let him cover his strong body over me, warming me. I had never seen Gaelen so content and happy than in that moment. Everything that weighed on him had crumbled and we felt perfect together.

His hand snuck down by stomach to my jeans button and a the fluttering butterflies burst from my center. I trembled with anticipation just knowing his hands were so close to venturing. His groan of pleasure entered my body like hot steam when my jeans opened to his minstrel choices.

What was I to Gaelen? Was he going to make love to me or play with me? He didn't even know what I really was. If he found out, could I trust him to still care for me? His hands swiftly grabbed my jeans to pull them down my thighs. I quickly sat up and...

Damn. Rebellious tears started to attack me, filling my eyes with treacherous water.

I did not want to become a crying bubbling idiot who couldn't simply make-out without getting emotional. Gaelen fell to his small side of the bed on his back and huffed. I had already lost him. He was no longer interested. My teeth felt like nails, my emotions were running havoc over my entire body and my heart sank.

"What's wrong?" he huffed, but unlike Matthias it was more of concern than annoyance.

"I can't," I barely whispered because if I gave my words more voice I knew I would cry.

"What's wrong?" He turned to me lying on his side. His green globes checking me over.

"I love - l liked, "I flustered.

Instead of a prideful glint of future manipulation that I remembered, Matthias giving me when I said the L-word. Gaelen kissed the crown on my head and cradle me against the soft spot of his chest. He just gently shush me and I finally for the first time relaxed in a man's embrace, I was in the moment.

"I grew up with... I thought he..." I said after just laying with Gaelen for a while still trying to piece together what I would tell him and keep my dignity. "I wanted him to know that I love-" Damn that word keeps leaking out of this rainfall confession.

"You thought his soul wrote your name? "

In a sense, "Yes. But he chose someone else."

I felt anger start to build, replacing my feelings of loss. Matthias chose someone else. Matthias didn't have the excuse the Y'vroi had for falling out of love with someone. To lie about my baggage even to protect my human identity wasn't worth it. I had to admit in-truth for my benefit, so that I could move on, one day.

"It's okay to say you loved him, I can tell you did because I hear the pain in your shaking voice." Gaelen's voice vibrated against my back as he spoke, it was so incredibly comforting and sexy.

"I didn't know what love was... I did love him. He knew I did. But, I don't love him anymore, actually now, I hate him. "

"The wounds are still very fresh." He sat up and brought me with him. "Listen Mouse, I care for you too, a lot. I am still trying to figure it all out. There's something about you that is unlike anyone I have ever met or probably will meet. You are very special to me. I promise I won't do anything with you until we both know for sure."

"But we can kiss and hug?" I whispered hoping I didn't make myself super fragile in his mind that I was a nun.

He draped his body over mine, his face so close, I could smell his wonderful mint mouth. His fingers played with my braids at my temples, a sweet prelude to the most passionate kiss I've ever had.

"Yes, we can kiss and cuddle."

I crossed my arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, before we both realized together we were trying to devour each other. Our legs intertwined between and are bodies rolled from as far as the small dorm bed would allow. It was quick becoming too hot to handle without losing some self-preservation, but I wanted it. I trusted him to keep his word to not let it go to a level we were not ready for.

"I can't. I can't." I panted as more images flashed in my mind of Matthias and pushed Gaelen away.

"Why?" Gaelen kept me trapped beneath him, his elbows framing my face as his hair swooped above me haloing him like a dark raven angle that read my soul.

"I can't?"

"Mouse, Mousey with her little secrets. She scurries away from me at all times. Tell me."

I bit the inside of my bottom lip and squeezed my eyes shut, don't cry, don't cry.

"Tell me. I promise, I won't judge. You can trust me Kiowa. I trust you with the knowledge of my defect. It can not be worse than my defect."

I sighed, considering how terrible it would be to talk about Matthias aloud - to him.

"I'm a virgin." I said quickly.

I noted that the pupils of his eyes enlargened and even became more radiantly. He was happy by with this knowledge. It made me hesitate because he seemed more like a fox and I, a lamb at the moment.

"I have done things though," I continued hoping that would dampen his spirit of conquest a bit. I didn't. He seemed more intrigued. "I made a promise to myself, that I won't do anything unless I knew whoever I gave my virginity to, cared for me."

"I more than care for you." Gaelen kissed my forehead and soothed my temples with his thumbs so lightly. "Someone broke you heart and spirits."

"Yes, the boy I cared a lot for,"

"The same boy," his voice was protective.

I nodded. "He is from my neighborhood. We did some things... but I wasn't enough for him - or I because I wouldn't go any further. I am not sure, but... He was my best friend and I thought if he touched me, if I allowed him to touch me, he would love me. He didn't care for me and now I am here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I wanted to marry him. I thought he felt the same way about me because he was suddenly one-day he wanted to be physical with me. So I thought he mutually cared for me as I him."

Gaelen huffed and then pulled away from me, his skin flushed with sweat. He wouldn't look at me so I became very nervous. Did I disappoint him? I knew I just wasn't ready for this. Especially not ready to become physical with Gaelen when he knew so little about me or what I am.

"I am going to take a quick shower," I scrambled away from my bed which seemed smaller than any bed I had ever shared my entire life.

I looked back at Gaelen as I crossed to the bathroom, he was still looking at my ceiling, his chest rising quickly, oblivious that I had left his side. We were so close to becoming intimate and now he was silent and cold. I quickly scurried into my bathroom.

Showers are so cleansing. When the hot water hits your body with a force it forces your mind stop thinking and allows thoughts drown down the drain. Once I felt like my thoughts had settled into being calm and rational, my libido cooled, I was able to finally able to think clearly. I washed my body, removing the wonderful intoxicating scent that was Gaelen that lingered on my body from our making out and my mind was also cleansed.

I practiced my speech over and over again in my mind. I was afraid to speak it aloud and then worry that I was giving up on a chance at love.

"Gaelen?" I pulled my white terrycloth robe sash tightly around my waist, but my room was empty. My tablet screen was open and its projection on my wall made my mouth drop. My dossier was pulled up broadcasting the pages and notes across my wall and Gaelen was gone.

***

So much happened so quickly I should have known it was going to crash and burn. I knew I should have stayed away from Gaelen from the get-go. Especially after nearly causing him to fall down the flight of stairs. I had practiced in my head to pull away from him but now I was torn because he had pulled away first. I wanted to find out how much he knew, how much he wondered about my real identity.

More importantly, I wanted to know if he still cared about me.

Nothing good could come of us, I kept telling myself. Hourly I worked on trying to convince myself but the more he stayed away, the more I loved him. I was falling in love with him. I couldn't admit it to him, I was too afraid and too used to being rejected, but I did love him.

The rest of the week, we were like two ships passing in the fog, so close but safely avoiding crashing into each other. He even skipped Professor Windsor's class to my surprise. This was a bad sign, given the lecture Windsor gave him to do better in class.

Lance and I hung out but Gaelen was a white elephant forcing a façade of secrecy onto our discussions. Even though Gaelen hadn't spoken to me, Lance was afraid to be close to me. Had Gaelen told him about my dossier?

After a few days, he finally came back to class and braved another lecture from Windsor that I happened to overhear on my way to do some research work for the professor. But his avoidance behavior wore into the middle of the semester. Although I would see Gaelen in our three classes, he was unnervingly keeping his distance from me. My only consolation was his icy reception towards me was somewhat warmer when we had seat assigned next to each other. In Professor Windsor's class, it seemed like we were back to being friends, be it, not really talking-friends but his mannerism towards me were not at all strained with uncertainty. He'd often leaned towards me as if we were still sharing the same tablet, reading together like we did in the first few weeks of school.

He trailed his stylus tracing my knuckles and the veins in my wrist lazily while listening to the lecture. He always seemed like he was on the verge of breaking this strange mutual vow of silence but he also had to focus because Windsor was really being hard on him. His fearless and flirtatious ways was succinctly Gaelen, but most of the time I saw him in fear in Windsor's class.

The Professor constantly directed his attention to the back row where we tried to hide. Windsor's directed much of his discussion questions towards Gaelen to answer. Today he seemed on a real bender to get Gaelen to cite the different fossil and geology identifications of prehistoric earth.

"Wrong again, Mr. Borgia!" Professor Windsor wrapped his pointer on his lectern even making even me jump. Gaelen slumped in his desk, still holding his posture of complete authority, his legs tossed long in front of him, but he stifled a shallow intake of air hinted to the inner stress he was feeling. Gaelen answered again, attempting to make a witty, cocky joke along with his answer.

"Mr. Borgia we all await for your correct answer. As we all await our future leader to truly take a stand," Windsor barked.

It was a low cut, I held my breath for him feeling his frustration. He tightly knitted his eyes closed and slightly shook his head. I lightly tapped his hand with my stylus, his jade eyes drifted open big and liquid-y with intensity. I pointed to my tablet where I had quickly scribbled the answer. His jaw clenched in hesitation, surrender I wasn't sure but I was thankful he answered the question.

"Finally, Mr. Borgia." Professor Windsor's eyes seemed to settle on Gaelen a few seconds longer with disappointment before he finally remember he had 100 other students in the lecture hall paying attention to him. "Tomorrow I invite you to our field lab which I am sure you will enjoy as we conclude our classes until the end of the festivities."