Drop of Hope (The Omni Towers, #4)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Sergei watched Ariana disappear with a mixture of emotions. She reminded him of another woman he'd once known and was easily one of the most exquisite women he'd ever met. Ariana was tall, with a graceful and willowy form. And those legs. They seemed to go on for miles. Her long, dark hair shone with a brilliance even the light seemed to be drawn toward. Her silvery eyes, however, were his undoing. Every emotion, every thought, had all been reflected back at him with a guileless innocence that was staggering. She was wholly feminine but had an innate curiosity and strength he found fascinating.

It had been a long time since he'd had such a visceral and immediate reaction to a woman. He'd been a hairsbreadth away from kissing her, all audiences be damned. Something about her made him forget himself. She was utterly captivating, and that alone made her extremely dangerous. He couldn't afford to be distracted while he was still technically in enemy territory. The Coalition's alliance with OmniLab was tenuous at best.

“Well, that was interesting,” Kayla huffed and sat in her chair. “I thought Jason was going to blast you for sure. Did you feel those little icicles in the air? He was definitely losing his s**t. She got him out of here just in time.”

Sergei glanced down the hallway again, but the two siblings were already gone. Part of him was tempted to go after her so he could touch her again. He rubbed his fingertips together, recalling the softness of her skin and her scent. She'd smelled like the flowers they had in the OmniLab greenhouses. He wasn't sure what kind they were, but he now had an almost fervent desire to figure it out. The scent had been subtle but seemed to act like some sort of d**g, confusing and heightening all his senses at once.

He turned back to Kayla, wondering how much information he could glean from the former ruin rat. Kayla could be cagey when it suited her. “What do you know of her?”

“Ari?” Kayla mused with a shrug and began organizing the scattered design diagrams on the desk. “Not a whole lot, but I like her. Alec introduced us a few months ago so she could help train me. She's some sort of expert water channeler. Some of the Inner Circle people can be real assholes, but Ariana's just about as sweet as they come. Alec thinks the world of her too, but I don't think he feels the same about her brother. Jason's a handful.”

“You were to train with her? Why have you not?”

Kayla glanced up and scowled at him. “Great, now you're going to start too? Alec's been a pain in the a*s lately. That's why he sent Ari here. It's hard to say no to her, and Alec knows it.”

When he didn't reply, she blew out a breath. “Look, I've just had my hands full lately between the construction here and helping to oversee the underground river excavation. I'll eventually get around to doing more training, but I'm kind of busy right now.”

“These are excuses, Kayla. A weapon does not serve if you do not have the skill to wield it.”

Kayla pursed her lips in annoyance. “Fine. I'll train with her. Sheesh. I swear, Alec must have put you up to this too.” She was quiet for a moment and a sly smile crossed her face. “You seemed quite taken with Ariana. You know, if I decided to train with her… let's say… tomorrow…”

Sergei arched a brow, enjoying the deviousness of Kayla's machinations. It would give him the opportunity to learn more about these strange Omni abilities and more about the intriguing young woman. “You would need an escort?”

Kayla nodded and held up her hands in a helpless female gesture. They both knew the gesture was bullshit, but Sergei wasn't about to contradict her when she was plotting so well without his help. “Since I don't have the skill to wield my weapon and all that, I could really use a big, strong Coalition soldier to help protect me.”

Sergei chuckled. “How much will your assistance cost this time?”

Kayla gave him a wicked grin and leaned back in her chair. “I think another bottle of that vodka would do nicely. Pay up and you get to play escort. I'll even look away if you want to get handsy with Ariana again.”

“You have a deal,” he agreed, and his smile faded as he remembered the reason he'd originally sought her out. “I need to speak with you about another matter.”

When Kayla leaned forward and arched an eyebrow, Sergei asked, “What is the latest status of this river excavation?”

Kayla sighed. “I'm not sure. Carl's coming back soon to give us an update. When I spoke with him a couple of days ago, they were launching more probes to try to map the underground river. We're still having problems getting our equipment down to the ruins, so they need to try to find a more stable location to run the pipes. Between the original chasm, the ruin collapse sixteen years ago, and the more recent earthquake, the structural integrity of that area has been compromised.”

“I see,” Sergei replied, considering the implications. “I need to be updated as soon as you have more information.”

Kayla c****d her head and studied him. “Your people are in trouble, aren't they?”

Sergei hesitated, debating how much to share with Kayla. Unlike many of the tower residents, she would understand some of the dangers his people were now facing. But there were boundaries he couldn't cross without severe repercussions.

“We have moved many of our people here to help with the construction and river excavation, but we do not have easy access to our stockpiled resources from other facilities. Transports are costly, and there have already been too many delays with the construction.”

She frowned. “I know the delays have been worrying everyone, but I don't think anyone fully realized the scope of this project. We've had to make more adjustments than we first expected, and some of the materials we were going to repurpose aren't going to work. How bad is it on your end?”

“My superiors have some serious concerns,” Sergei admitted. “At least two or three of our leaders are heading to the area to evaluate our progress and the situation.”

Kayla's eyes widened. “They're coming to OmniLab? Does Alec know?”

“No,” Sergei replied, leaning against the wall to keep himself from pacing.

If Kayla or anyone in the towers knew how dire the situation was, it could prove to be disastrous. He had to tread carefully to prevent the Coalition's position from weakening even more. The original agreement with OmniLab stated the Coalition would withdraw from their forced occupation of the towers in exchange for the new tower construction being completed within a year. The new facility would provide a home to a thousand of their people, including many of the ruin rats.

Unfortunately, they hadn't anticipated all these delays. If they didn't make progress or turn things around soon, their entire alliance would be in jeopardy. The Coalition had too much invested to walk away empty-handed. Even now, there were rumblings about whether this agreement was truly beneficial to their people. Weapons were being shipped en masse to the surrounding camps in the event their alliance degraded completely. If necessary, they were preparing to retake the towers by force.

“Our leaders will not come to your towers,” Sergei informed her. “They will stay in the outlying areas, interview our camp leaders, and make a determination. I have an appointment with Alec tomorrow, but I had hoped for better news before then.”

“I can try to reach out to Carl later tonight,” she offered. “Communication has been spotty since he's been spending so much time underground. But I'll get a message to one of our people on the surface.”

Sergei nodded. It was the best they could do for the moment. He only hoped Carl had good news whenever he reached out to them. Otherwise, all Sergei's efforts to negotiate with OmniLab and preserve life might have been wasted.

Ariana dove into the water, her body cutting through the depths with the surgical precision of a knife. The cloud of emotion surrounding her fell away sharply until there was nothing but a peaceful serenity. The water encompassed her, caressing every inch of her skin, and she channeled the energy until she was one with it. When she could no longer remain submerged, she broke the surface of the water with a gasp and filled her lungs with air.

Even the air held the moisture she craved. While she could connect with the energy through the air, it wasn't until she was touching the water that she truly felt alive. She treaded water for a moment, each kick edged with power and infused with the elemental energy.

“Hey! Am I early?”

Ariana turned at the sound of Kayla's voice and gave her a wide smile. She'd been pleased when Kayla had contacted her about training, not just because Alec had requested it but because she genuinely liked the feisty woman. Ariana swam over to the edge of the pool with long, sure strokes and pulled herself out.

Wringing out her hair, Ariana said, “Not at all. I just needed to clear my head. I've never been able to resist diving into a completely still pool.”

“I hope it's okay, but I brought someone with me to watch while we train,” Kayla said and gestured behind her.

Ariana froze at the sight of Sergei. He walked toward her, his heated gaze traveling over her wet body, lingering on certain areas before moving on to others. She swallowed, suddenly feeling more exposed in her bathing suit than if she had been standing n***d before him.

When he was inches away and close enough she could feel the heat from his body, he took her hand. Lifting it, he held her gaze with his and pressed a kiss on the back of her hand. His voice was low and husky as he said, “It is wonderful to see you again, Ariana.”

“Oh!” She took a step backward, nearly slipping back into the pool.

Sergei's strong arms caught her, and he pulled her against him. She pressed her hands against his chest, the warmth of his skin under his shirt heating her flesh. Her fingers reflexively curled into his shirt, and she looked up at him.

“Thank you,” she managed.

He pulled her tighter against him and leaned down to press a kiss against her forehead. “You do not need to thank me. I will not let you fall.”

Ariana's eyes softened as she searched his expression. He was sincere. She could feel it, even without a metaphysical connection. The energy within him was still trapped below the surface, coiled like a serpent just waiting to strike, but she didn't sense any danger from him. At least, not to her. She sent a tentative thread of cooler water energy toward him, curious about his response.

The heated energy within him flared for a moment and then dimmed ever so slightly, as though she'd calmed some of the flames. He was regarding her with a question in his eyes. Had he sensed it? She bit her lip, wondering what would happen if she sent him more energy. Caution, she decided, was best for now.

Ariana glanced down at his darkened clothing and gasped, realizing she'd made another faux pas. “I'm so sorry. I've gotten you wet.”

He gave her a wicked smile. “I have no complaints, Ariana. It is a small price to pay to have you pressed against me.”

Ariana bit her lip but couldn't hide the smile his teasing words evoked. She glanced at Kayla, who was watching them with a knowing smile. The Coalition ambassador was too distracting, and Ariana had made a promise to Alec. She took a reluctant step away from Sergei, desperately needing some distance.

“If you're ready to start, Kayla, I think we should probably begin training.”

Kayla grinned and gestured between the two of them. “You sure you two don't want some alone time? I could always go play by myself for a while if you guys want to play with each other.”

Ariana blushed and covered her face with her hands. Sergei threw back his head and laughed as he put his arm around Ariana's waist. “Do not worry. Go train with Kayla. If there are no objections, I would like to watch. I would enjoy learning more about your abilities.”

She peeked up at him through her lashes, weighing the sincerity of his words. Sergei was difficult to read, but she had the distinct impression he truly was interested in learning more about their ways. “All right.”

With another gentle squeeze, he released her and took a step back. Kayla pulled off her overwrap and tossed it on a nearby bench. Putting her hands on her hips, she eyed the water with trepidation. “Okay, how do we do this?”

Ariana knelt and lowered herself back into the pool. She motioned for Kayla to come closer. “You can either join me or sit on the edge. It's shallow enough here that you can stand, but it's fine if you want to stay there. You just need to be touching the water to use it as a focusing object.”

Kayla sat on the edge of the pool, letting her legs dangle over the side, and slipped into the water. She looked up at Ariana expectantly. “Okay. Now what?”

“Go ahead and reach out to the energy in the pool like we did last time,” Ariana instructed. “You're not going to manipulate it yet. I only want you to refamiliarize yourself with the energy to determine which threads belong to the water element.”

Ariana waited patiently while Kayla explored the energy threads in the pool. Ariana had only trained once with Kayla several months ago. They'd made arrangements to meet again, but unforeseen circumstances had cut their planned training sessions short. By the time the attack on the towers had ended, most of OmniLab was reeling from the news that the new tower was being built and a treaty had been brokered with the Coalition.

Part of Ariana was inspired by Kayla's courage to embrace the unknown. Up until that solitary training session, Kayla had never even seen a pool, but she'd willingly jumped into it, determined to learn about their ways. It was difficult to imagine what it must have been like for her growing up on the surface. Ariana wasn't sure she would have been able to manage her talents without the calming sensation of immersing herself in water. But then again, their abilities were a bit different.

Sergei moved closer to watch them. Ariana glanced at him and then turned back to Kayla, determined not to look at him again. She needed to focus on teaching, not ogling the enigmatic foreigner.

Once Kayla appeared to be finished exploring on her own, Ariana said, “I'll need you to create a small connection with me. We won't be sharing power, but you can use the connection to follow along while I manipulate the water. Once I've shown you what we're trying to accomplish, I can guide you through emulating the energy flow.”

“Easy enough,” Kayla agreed, and Ariana felt her reach out with her energy threads.

Accepting them, she intertwined them and felt Kayla's careful exploration along their new bond. In some ways, it was like teaching a curious child. Usually, when sharing a metaphysical connection, exploring it was akin to tugging on someone's hair, lifting their skirt, or blowing on their ear suggestively. It was only through years of practice that they learned the different nuances of manipulating energy and forging bonds. Kayla had missed all those experiences with her untraditional upbringing.

Ariana cupped her empty hands and held them out in front of her. Gathering the energy threads around her, she used them to tease some of the water out of the pool and into her outstretched hands. Once the water had filled her hands, she released the remaining energy threads.

Kayla watched in rapt fascination. “That's incredible! Is it my turn?”

Ariana smiled. “Yes, but do you mind if I reach out across the bond to correct your energy manipulations? Alec warned me you were sensitive to power fluctuations, and I don't want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

Kayla shrugged. “No, that's okay. If I'm expecting it and know what's going to happen, it should be fine.”

Ariana nodded and motioned for her to go ahead. With an undeniable natural ability, Kayla swept in and began manipulating the water into the air. Her technique was a little off, so Ariana offered some mild verbal corrections while adjusting the energy threads.

“That's very good, but you'll want to use thinner and longer threads for more accuracy. If you're trying to manipulate a large quantity quickly, you can use the other ones. Over time and with practice, you'll gain more control.”

Kayla frowned in concentration but managed to do as instructed. When her hand filled with water, she grinned and let out a loud whoop. “I did it!”

Ariana laughed at Kayla's enthusiasm and glanced over at Sergei. Curiosity, wonder, and unmistakable desire was etched on his face as he gazed at her. Her stomach fluttered, and she wondered, not for the first time, what it would be like to touch him and kiss him. Aware her expression mirrored his, she lowered her head and took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

Kayla's laughter distracted her, and she jerked her head up. The former ruin rat was perched on the stairs of the pool and darting her gaze back and forth between her and Sergei. Mortified, Ariana clamped down on their shared connection. Her hands flew to her face which must be turning several shades of red. She debated whether to try living underwater for the next year or so. Maybe by then she'd remember she was supposed to be the teacher in this scenario instead of daydreaming about their observer.

“What is wrong? What happened?” Sergei's concerned voice broke through her embarrassment.

His question brought on another wave of laughter from Kayla. Ariana sighed and admitted, “I forgot about the shared connection with Kayla. She picked up on a few things she shouldn't have and didn't have the grace to pretend otherwise.”

Sergei arched an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Oh?”

Kayla snickered and pretended to fan herself. “Oh yeah. Let's just say I'm going to need another dunk in this pool to cool off after we're finished. Ariana's not quite as sweet as she appears.”

Ariana gaped at Kayla. Did she really just tell Sergei that? Her eyes narrowed on the former ruin rat.

“I'm not sure you need to wait,” Ariana admitted and grabbed Kayla's wrists, yanking hard. Kayla tumbled forward, splashing into the cold water. She came up sputtering and wiped the hair out of her face. The two women stared at each other for a moment, and Kayla grinned.

“Okay, I totally deserved that.”

Ariana nodded and splashed at Kayla, who shrieked and dove toward her. A splashing and giggling mini-war ensued for the next several minutes until they were leaning against the side of the pool, holding their sides and breathing heavily from laughter.

“Well, I must say, the entertainment is definitely top notch,” a man said from the side of the pool.

“Carl!” Kayla jumped out of the pool, rushing over to him and soaking him with her embrace.

He bent down, wrapping his arms around her, and kissed her soundly. Ariana watched them for a moment, their unmistakable love and desire for each other staggering in its intensity. She'd thought only their kind could share energy bonds, but some force almost as powerful drew the two of them together.

When Carl finally released Kayla, he glanced over at Sergei and Ariana. “Too bad I didn't get to see the whole show.”

Sergei leaned over the pool and held out his hand to Ariana. She accepted, and he lifted her easily, pulling her out of the water and against him once more. He wrapped his arm around her, and she looked up into his gray eyes, wondering if there was more to these non-sensitives than she ever imagined. Sergei was studying her intently in return, and she reached out to him again with her power. He was all heat compared to her coolness.

“Yes,” Sergei murmured, his gaze lowering to her mouth. “It is too bad. The show was quite enjoyable.”

Carl cleared his throat, and Ariana looked over just as Kayla poked him in the side and shook her head. Carl raised an eyebrow at Kayla but didn't comment.

“When did you get here?” Kayla leaned against him. “I wasn't expecting you back in the towers for another few days.”

“About an hour ago,” Carl replied. “We've had another little snag at the underground river. I'm about to go meet with Alec to discuss it. I thought you might want to come along and hear the details.”

“Dammit. So much for good news,” Kayla muttered with a frown and glanced over at Sergei. “Yeah. I guess we need to take care of it. It would be nice if something went our way for once.”

Sergei hesitated and looked down at Ariana again, regret etched in his features. “My apologies, but I must also attend. Any issues with the river affect my people too.”

“Of course,” Ariana said with a small frown, sensing his unease. He was difficult to read, but she was able to pick up on some of the stronger emotions. He was extremely worried about whatever news Carl had brought from the surface. “I hope you're able to get the situation resolved. Kayla, any time you want to train again, please let me know. It was a pleasure.”

Kayla grinned. “Yeah, you just want a chance to dunk me again.”

Ariana returned her smile, not bothering to deny it. “Of course. That's just an added benefit.”