Marks of Admar Read online

  “Professor. Could you come here for a moment?” Sarah turned her head just in time to watch the red crest on top of his head flare in annoyance. It was really quite striking in contrast to the gem-green scales of his skin.

  “Reader, you will have your part to play once we have gotten into the city. Until then, please keep your observations to yourself.” He turned to Kadeel and they got into a heated discussion about getting the emergency welding unit from the shuttle and using it on the gates.

  Sarah shook her head in annoyance and crooked her fingers at Tajn. When he got close enough she whispered, “Just record anything that I do for a few minutes. I think I know how to get into the gates.”

  Slowly, she trailed her hands over the wall, tracing the heat and life that she felt to the main lock on the gates. The black flecks that she had noted earlier began to move through the stone, following her hands as she drew her fingers toward the locking mechanism. She could feel something happening under her hands. However, she also could feel that it wasn’t complete. With a long look at the darkening stone beneath her hands, she drew one hand away. She used her teeth to tug one finger of her gloves loose at a time, with a whispering slide, the fabric let her skin loose from its faithful embrace.

  Trembling with anticipation, she drew her fingertips over the lock. There! That was it. At the touch of her bare skin, the rest of the mechanism assembled beneath her hand and suddenly the gates groaned and swung open.

  Chapter 3

  Sarah looked at her open palm. Nothing. There was no trace of any being on the gate. As far as she could tell, it had grown out of the stone of the planet.

  Tajn’s voice sounded from behind her, “Well, I think that we now know why this particular Reader was assigned to the team.”

  Sarah heard the amazed hissing behind her and was ducking out of the way before the professor pushed past her to enter the city. She quickly tugged her glove back into place, keeping her skin from contact with the scales of the irate archaeologist.

  “What did you do? How did you get the gates to open?!” He was vacillating between astonished and furious.

  “I told you. I felt something in the stone. I merely followed the sensation until I got to the lock then touched it directly and it swung open. Tajn has it all recorded.” She was unconcerned. He had never assaulted a team member as long as he had been a member of Alliance teams. “Shall we go in? Or would you like to discuss this out here for the rest of the afternoon?”

  Ridwal’s mouth fell open and closed with a snap. Then he gestured to the rest of the team to follow him through the gates and into the city.

  Tajn and Kadeel shrugged and followed the professor through the crystalline gateway. Sarah brought up the rear, hauling her bags with her.

  “Wow.” There was no other word in her vocabulary for it. The structures were arranged around a main courtyard, with a silent fountain in the center. All of the buildings appeared to be made of stone sculpted to resemble twined vines in amazing configurations. It seemed to Sarah’s semi-trained eyes that the city had never been inhabited, and yet her senses were telling her that there was someone here.

  The fountain in the center of the main square suddenly came to life. Water gurgling out of the spigots and arching out of the free-form sculpture in the center.

  The team looked at each other and suddenly Ridwal turned to her with a startled look, “What did you do, Reader?”

  “Nothing, my hands are full, and I am letting you guys go first. Anything going on here is not of my doing.”

  “It is my doing.” This voice was not one that they recognized. As one they turned to look, and after a moment of amazement to figure out what she was looking at Sarah almost keeled over laughing.

  Standing in the doorway to one of the largest buildings in the square was an elf. An honest to goodness, starring-in-a-fairy-tale-near-you, elf. Or, to be more accurate, a drow.

  He was about six and a half feet tall, his hair was snow white, and his skin a black so dark that it seemed to absorb the light around it. He stood in the shadows, his silver eyes glowing in the ambient light of the afternoon sun.

  Professor Ridwal gave Sarah a disgusted look and stepped forward, “Who are you and what are you doing in this city?”

  Sarah was still laughing. She couldn’t stop. Here in front of her was her adolescent fantasy and she was killing herself with laughter. Not cool. She stumbled over to the side of the fountain and took a seat on one side to try and calm herself.

  “My name is Demetrius Tahmores. I am one of the last of the Admaryn.” He let the news soak into his audience. “You are in the city of Tuari. Designed to house the next generation.”

  Sarah stopped her hysterics and splashed water on her face. Her gloves were soaked in seconds, but she didn’t seem to notice. This couldn’t be happening. No. This wasn’t happening.

  She looked up again. Yep, there he was. Ok, so maybe it was happening. Maybe she was halfway across the galaxy and seeing an elf. Sure, it could happen.

  “I am Professor Ridwal of the Alliance Archeology team. This is the archivist Tajn, and our biochemist Kadeel.” Each of the males nodded as they were introduced. Then they looked quizzically over at the professor, waiting for Sarah to be introduced. It didn’t happen.

  Sarah sighed and stood, dripping wet and fighting a grin. “Demetrius Tahmores, I am Alliance Reader Fourth Class Sarah Marks. Pleased to meet you.” She knew that she looked like hell, but the look in his eyes made her feel unaccountably warm.

  “Pleased to meet you Sarah. I am a little sensitive to sunlight I’m afraid. If you would come with me, I’ll give you a tour of your quarters during your stay.” Demetrius turned sideways and gestured for them to join him in the shadowed hall. He was attentive to all of them, but Sarah felt his eyes on her almost at all times. In the dark of the hallways he almost disappeared. Only his white hair and burning silver eyes marked his position in the darkness.

  It was creepy, yet at the same time heat was pooling in her belly. His eyes burned into her as if he had already become familiar with her flesh, and wanted more. She shivered in response. Although she couldn’t see his face as he passed by her, she could have sworn that he smiled.

  Each of the team was assigned quarters for the duration of their stay. Professor Ridwal objected at first, but when Demetrius pointed out that the building that they were staying in had no historical value, he capitulated and allowed them to enter the rooms.

  As each of the other team members was assigned a room, Sarah began to shift nervously. First the professor entered his quarters, Kadeel was escorted to his, then Tajn. Finally it was just Sarah and Demetrius.

  “Um. So. Why is the city unused?” She felt it necessary to fill in the silence as he paced next to her.

  “The last of the population designed it to be used by the next generation. That is why the field generator is in place.” His rich melodic tone both soothed and put her on guard at the same time.

  “Which new generation? I don’t see any of your people in the Alliance. What happened to them?” They were now heading further into the underground passages than she was comfortable with. She trailed her hand out to leave a psychic trace on the walls to lead her out again.

  “They have yet to be born. But I have seen them.”

  “How? How could you see them if they haven’t been born yet?” Her brittle tone was shrill even to her own ears.

  “You see the past? That is why you introduced yourself as a Reader?” He waited for her nod, turning again down one of the many corridors. “I see the future. It is one of the psi talents of my race.”

  Sarah stopped for a moment. “Wow, what a coincidence. It is one of the talents of my race as well. We only have a five percent psi rating though.”

  “Ah, how…interesting.” His hand came to her back and began to gently steer her down the hallway once more.

  “Where are we going?” She was getting really nervous now. Surprisingly his hand on her back was not causing
her to read his emotional state. In fact, it was like it wasn’t even there. Except for the heat from his palm that was making its way through her system.

  “There is someone I would like to introduce you to.” His grip became a little more possessive and moved from her back to wrap around her hip.

  “What about the rest of the team? Shouldn’t they be included in this kind of thing?” Her startled eyes focused on his face. The clearly sculpted features and strong jaw line stood out in the dim illumination of the hallway. There was a definitely amused twist to his lips. She found that even at this close range she had to watch his face for a hint of his emotions.

  “They are currently utilizing the amenities in their rooms. They won’t notice we are gone.”

  “Gone? Gone where?”

  “Just to the main underground hall, the place that I have been living in for the last few years.”

  “Oh, how many years would that be exactly? According to the ancient myths and legends, your kind live for a really long time.”

  “Your race still tells stories of us? What kind?”

  “Oh, fables and fairy tales of the elves are many and varied. But generally your species is depicted as tricksters. Horny tricksters.” She tried to edge out of his grip, but his fingers tightened on her.

  “Horny? I am unfamiliar with that term. What does it mean?”

  “Ah. They spent quite a lot of time trying to seduce humans.”

  “Hmm. A worthy goal, if they were anything like you.” He paused for a moment. “Has your species always been this attractive?”

  “Umm. I suppose so. I have fairly regular features. The only thing out of the ordinary about me is my height. I am a little too tall for my species standard.”

  He did not say anything else, just kept walking with her in his grip, deeper and deeper into the maze of passages.

  A strange sense of calm came over her as she went into the passageways. It was as if part of her had been here before. She knew without a doubt that she could find her way to the surface in only a few minutes.

  “Here we are.” A door slid open in front of them and a soft light spilled into the corridor.

  Chapter 4

  "Sarah Marks, I would like to introduce you to the memory of the Admaryn People, the main computer core, Aissa. Aissa, this is Alliance Reader Fourth Class Sarah Marks, of the planet Earth.”

  His introduction was remarkably formal, but it made sense to Sarah as she stepped forward and a female voice greeted her.

  “Sarah, it is a pleasure to meet you. We have been waiting for some time for your race to leave its planet.”

  “Waiting? For what exactly?” Sarah took a seat at the table which slid from the wall, in the chair that Demetrius held out for her.

  “Dem? Did you want to explain, or should I?” Aissa’s voice was a pleasant chime of female tone.

  “You may Aissa. I have to check on our other guests.” He disappeared into the shadows around the door. Leaving her alone with the computer.

  “Well, now that we are alone, do you want the long version or the short version?”

  “Start with the short and go from there, please.”

  “Alright. The red planet in your system was once home to a penal colony from Admar.” Sarah blinked in astonishment. “I believe that your species calls it Mars.”

  “When your species began to develop, a few of the members managed to cobble together a shuttle to travel to your world. They burrowed under hills and set up a quiet colony in the heart of the human inhabited areas. The almost all-male population soon began to seek out human companionship. It was regarded by some as a form of bestiality, but continued unchecked.”

  “Wow. Flattering.”

  “The homeworld found out about the activities, but made no effort to check the slow migration of the penal colony to Earth. It was only when children began to appear, born of both bloodlines that they became concerned. When those children exhibited the talents of their fathers, the High Council of Admar decided to take action. They were unaware of the rapid maturity cycle of the humans, and by the time they had acted, three generations of half-breeds had been born. A veritable army for those who had flouted the laws of Admar.”

  “Okay, what happened then?”

  “Genocide. Your species was almost wiped off of your world. Any human living near the settlements was killed outright. The contamination of the mixed bloodlines was thought to have been wiped out, but that was not exactly accurate. When the Alliance Trade Federation found out that a second attack was to be mounted against your world they declared it a protected zone. Satellites and random checks kept it safe. No species was to be allowed near your world until you had made it into space without interference.”

  “Well, that explains a lot. But what happened to the Admaryn?”

  “A virus. One of the exploratory teams brought back a virus that dropped the fertility rate down to one in twelve. With the exceptionally long life spans that were endemic to the Admaryn, it was hardly noticed for the first fifty years. Within four hundred years however, it became a serious concern. It was suggested that genetic samples be taken from Earth to assist in increasing the fertility rate. The Alliance refused to allow them anywhere near it though.”

  “The Admaryn agreed to wait. They would keep uninfected personnel in stasis until the humans entered space. Only eight were found who would be suitable to combine with your species, and that were willing to do so.”

  “Combine with?”

  “Have children with. It was far too late for any biochemical solution. Only direct reproduction would be effective.”

  “Direct reproduction? With whom?” Sarah was getting a disturbing feeling. She knew where this was heading.

  “The human females that the Alliance was to have sent to Admar when they became available. Like you.”

  “I don’t think that I signed on for that.”

  “Don’t you find Dem attractive? Your pulse, pheromones, and vocal tremors are indicating arousal.” Aissa’s tone was almost maternal. Sarah wouldn’t have been surprised to hear the computer let out a ‘tsk’.

  “I do, honestly. But no one wants to be wanted just because she is the only one of her species to have turned up in over five hundred years.”

  The deep melodic voice sounded from behind her, “One thousand five hundred actually.”

  Sarah’s head slowly sank down until it was touching the table. Then she began to thump her forehead rhythmically against it.

  His long elegant fingers closed over her shoulders and drew her upright. “I am glad that you are attracted to me, because when I saw you in my visions before I went into the tank, I wanted you more than any woman I had ever seen before.” His lips were on her neck, trailing up to her jaw line.

  She turned to face him, he took her mouth with his own, his tongue tracing around her mouth before delving deep inside. Her mind was frantically searching for contact, frustrated when it couldn’t find him. Her hands fisted in his tunic, trying to replace the lack of closeness of the mind with physical contact.

  “Dem, Sarah. As encouraging as this is, I think a more private venue would be more appropriate.” Aissa’s voice was wry. Sarah started and broke the kiss.

  “Holy…!” Sarah tried to free herself from Dem’s grip. But it was like iron.

  This was rather uncharacteristic behavior for her. She normally did not jump into the arms of strangers within two hours of meeting them. Let alone try to drag them into her while in a computer bank hundreds of feet below the surface.

  “Sarah, it’s alright. I have seen it.” The silver eyes bored into her and then she felt his mind touch hers. “Fifteen hundred years ago, I saw us together. It was the only reason that I volunteered to go into the tank. The knowledge that if I waited for you long enough, you would come to me.”

  She was speechless, the visions that he spoke of flashed through her mind. His body over hers, her paler limbs tangled around him as they writhed together. She saw herself through h
is eyes, and started in shock. He was showing her his memories, but in it she was wearing the scarlet set of underwear that Amy had given her. She had not yet worn them. How could he know what she looked like if not through precognition? There was no other way.

  As easily as if he were lifting a child, he raised her in his arms and began to walk out of Aissa’s room and to what she could only guess were his own quarters. Her gloves and robes kept her from feeling his skin next to hers and she was desperate for sensation.

  He placed her gently on the edge of the enormous bed that took up a large portion of the room. He swiftly shed his tunic, then his trousers. Sarah let out a nervous laugh as she realized that he had left his boots on. Her own fingers fumbled with her boots. Drawing them off, dropping them on the floor without ceremony.

  His boots fell next to hers and then his hands were drawing her to her feet once again. Moving to release the belt that kept her outer robe in place. It fell to the floor with a slither of fabric. The inner robe was whisked over her head seconds later. She was left wearing her bright blue lingerie and the grey elbow-length gloves.

  His erection twitched in reaction as he viewed her from head to toe. Dem’s hands went to her hips. She felt her heart pound and wetness drenched her panties as the heat from his palms wrapped around her, sliding her panties down over her hips.

  Her bra clasp she took care of herself, reaching behind her to flick the hooks loose.

  “Let me. I have waited a long time for this.” His voice had gone dark and husky. A shiver went through her, bringing her nipples erect, scraping the inside of the loose fabric that clung to her shoulders.

  His hands stroked her neck and caressed the straps of her bra off of her shoulders. She let the silken straps slide down her arms and shivered once again. She reached out to touch him, then gasped in frustration as he held her hands away from his body.