Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(40)

"The goddess stone is sacred. A place where the Earth's energies are focused most strongly. It's where you will connect to the Earth. Once you've connected, you'll potentially be able to access the energy anywhere you can access the Earth. Every Radiant is different."

"Isn't the Earth everywhere?"

"Let me put it another way. Anywhere you can touch dirt or rock."

"Oh. No pulling the energies in the house, then."

"No. Not usually. I knew of one Radiant who was able to pull through other materials in an emergency, but she was old and powerful. It's been known to happen, but it's rare."

Lyon squeezed her hand, his touch almost affectionate, then released her.

Answering affection welled inside her. Strong and confident, he was as gentle and patient with her as anyone had ever been. And his simplest touch consumed her with fire. A fire she was almost certain he shared.

She was falling for him. In a big way. Which, unfortunately, was not a good thing. Not when the Pairing had chosen another for her. As if some game of kiss-the-immortal-shape-shifters could honestly choose her husband. How ridiculous. And awful. Yet she couldn't deny the blue glowing from Vhyper's fingertips. There'd definitely been something mystical at work. But whatever that mysticism was, it hadn't been her friend. If it had been, she'd be marrying Lyon, with only a token grumble at having the choice taken away from her.

The way things stood now, as soon as he got her ascended, he'd walk away. But really, what made her think he wouldn't have anyway if there hadn't been a Pairing? If her husband wasn't some preordained mystic thing? A man like Lyon could have any woman he wanted. He would never, in a million years, need to settle for average.

Kara crossed her arms, shielding herself from the brisk wind as much as the disheartening thoughts.

Lyon jumped down onto the goddess stone, then held out his hand to her again. "I'll invoke the Feral Circle, then we'll get started."

She tucked her hand in his and let him help her down. "What's the Feral Circle?"

"A blind of sorts. If any humans pass by, they won't see us. If anything happens, they won't hear."

She gave him a skeptical look. "What's going to happen that's going to make that kind of noise?"

The look he gave her was almost amused. "Nothing bad. Come have a seat."

He led her to the center of the stone where she'd sat facing Hawke that morning. While she sat cross-legged in the middle of the stone, Lyon raised his hands and face to the sky, looking as wild and exciting as the wind tossing his mane of golden hair. A rush of pleasure pressed against the insides of her chest as she watched him. He was gorgeous. Thrilling.

But the pleasure slowly turned bittersweet. If only he could be hers. Even just for a little while.

After a few moments of murmuring incantations, he lowered his arms.

"Why didn't Hawke do that earlier?" she asked.

"It's not needed the first time, when all you're doing is letting the Earth learn you. It's usually not needed for the first two to three days, but Hawke said he was able to pull a surprising surge through your hands earlier, and I don't want to take any chances."

"Chances of what?"

"Your raising fire when a human's watching."

"Oh."

He squatted in front of her. "I want you to try to pull the energy yourself this time."

"I don't know the words."

"The Radiant needs no words. You are the conduit, the channel for the energies. They'll seek you and be ready at your command once they become accustomed to you."

"And that's what we're doing?"

"Yes. Close your eyes and think about the power rushing into you through your hands. In your mind, imagine you're pulling the power from the Earth."

"Like a vacuum cleaner?"

A flicker of amusement softened his features. "Like a vacuum cleaner. Try it, Kara."

She closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was sucking the rock up through her hands. But imagining had nothing to do with reality. Except, she wasn't human, was she? And she needed to start opening her mind to the possibility she could do things humans couldn't. Other than heal quickly.

Concentrate, she told herself. Be the vacuum.

The rock began to tremble under her, heating beneath her hands. Her eyes snapped open, her gaze jerking to Lyon's. "Is this supposed to be happening."

"Yes." But he was clearly surprised. "Keep going. Keep pulling."

"O-kay." She closed her eyes and concentrated harder. This time she imagined herself a bigger vacuum. Industrial-strength. The trembling increased until she started to worry that the rock would break apart and tumble them into the raging river far below.

"Lyon?" she asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"Keep going, Kara." His voiced was laced with excitement. "You're doing well."

The rock beneath her hands began to feel hot, nearly too hot to touch, but she didn't move, telling herself to just keep vacuuming. If she sucked too hard, could she turn the world inside out?

And suddenly it wasn't heat going into her palms, but a jolt of hard-charging electricity that rushed into her body. Kara yelped and jerked her hands back, staring at Lyon with disbelief.