***
“So are you going to show me your tricks, or are you a fake?”
Marone had sat firmly beside his shackled prisoner. To his surprise, Kate put her hands on his lap, her voice low and seductive, “What if I told you I could get you everything you could wish for and more.”
He paused. Without moving his eyes from hers, he released her shackles, not sure if he was becoming aroused from her nearness, or from her words.
“What do you mean?” he asked quietly.
“You can have Sataal and the stones; I can help you have unimaginable powers. Maybe I could even perhaps allow you to be…”
“What?”
“Be the next Supreme Ruler.”
“How did you? I never—”
“Well, I guess I can read minds, too.”
Marone was shocked, and thrilled, but forced himself not to show his feelings. Frowning he said, “Okay, so you give me everything I want. What do you want in return?”
“My team set free from Talokta.”
“Oh, so you are not on good terms with Lord Talokta?”
“I work for an Earth organization called Divisions. We travel and explore new civilizations using the Black Star Portal, your Door of Endless Light. We were on Ahmadeus less than a week ago when we got captured by Talokta’s fleet, and we have been his prisoners ever since.”
“Ahh, the Door of Endless Light. Yes, those doors are present on many planets. So, are you suggesting that I attack Talokta as a distraction while you somehow grab your friends, Sataal, and the stones and bring them over here?”
“Sounds a lot, doesn’t it? No, of course not! Use your imagination. If I concentrate, I can change form into anything I choose.” Kate stopped herself from swallowing at that moment. She had his attention now. Don’t lose your nerve, girl.
She was hoping all this new information she possessed from goodness knows who, was not someone playing a trick. She did not know who to trust, and maybe never will. But right now, she despised this sleazy prick.
With the help from the elderly couple giving her this gift of form (the only name she could think of…and for a limited time of course!) plus the added instructions she figured she should be okay. But, the other mysterious entity had the ability to freeze time, at least for a couple of seconds! She knew it had nothing to do with the old couple; they seemed to be holding back from telling her anymore than just what was necessary at the time. But this entity sensed she needed more.
Why couldn’t they have given me more precise details when I was with them?
Well, something about non-interference.
Sounds like crap to me!
“Are you going to demonstrate? You are keeping me in suspense—”
Marone stopped mid-sentence.
Kate had instantly disappeared. So the fools who had blabbed excitedly about this when she was restrained were correct. However, this time there was no bright light, she just disappeared before his eyes. He leapt to his feet and held his breath in excitement.
“Are you still there?”
“Of course! I haven’t physically left the room. I guess my molecules are flying as free as a bird.” He heard a giggle.
“This is incredible!” Marone could hardly contain himself. What a weapon he would have!
“You don’t use a ring scanner do you?”
I don’t even know what that is!
“I heard you! You spoke to me in my mind. Can you‑can you walk through walls?”
“I don’t know. Would you like me to try?” her taunting sexy voice replied.
Kate could see herself, speak and use telepathy. The answer is all in one’s perspective. Talk about getting out of your comfort zone! She understood this was because she was within a different dimension. To everyone else present on the “normal” plane of existence, she was invisible. She began thinking about all sorts of things she could get up to when a loud blaring noise made them both jump. Marone fiddled with the large ring on his finger. She noted it was similar to Talokta’s.
“Just cancel the sensor alarm. That is an order!”
She giggled again. Her presence was playing havoc with his ship’s security sensors.
“Yes, Lord Marone, I can go through walls. I don’t think I am allowed to walk through or into an organic being though.”
“Why not?”
Let’s just say this little gift I have comes with limited rules, guess it may be the basic model, not the advanced. I have to obey or I just may lose it, besides, I don’t have the stomach to try that at the moment.”
“Whose rules?”
“They told me they call themselves the Elder Gods.”
He hesitated, his knees suddenly felt heavy. “So are you in touch with them?”
“They did come and explain a few things in a vision I had while I was meditating. Apparently, that’s when your guards found me on the floor in the cell. Guess it was a lot to take in.”
“Can you make yourself reappear at will?”
“Yeah, I think so. It takes a lot of thought energy. I’m only relatively new at this. I think I need practice, but either way, it draws much energy from me.”
With that said, Kate reappeared instantly, making Marone jump, as she was standing right beside him at that point.
Marone’s knees gave up and he slumped to the floor. Something she found a trifle amusing, but she stifled a laugh. Here she was, supposedly a prisoner, a mere female, having a Trimadian master fall to his knees before her!
He found his voice, “So, you are the Chosen One. And you are in my presence. The stories were all true.”
He looked at her with pleading in his eyes, his hands wringing and whispered, “You should stay with me, Kate. We both could give each other so much.”
“But not my freedom! Nor my teammates’ freedom. You must let me go on my way with my friends.”
“What makes you think Talokta is any different? You would still be his prisoner.”
“I have to go where my colleagues go.”
And find answers to a lot of questions.
“So is there nothing I can say or do to convince you otherwise?”
“No!”
Marone felt like the little boy who had received all the birthday presents he had ever wanted and then had them cruelly taken from him. He could not believe what was happening. He had a living breathing goddess, and she was going to run out on him. On him! The great Lord Marone! No one ever refuses him! Well, if he could not have her, nobody would.
In a burst of insane fury, he rose to his feet, extracted his Gloctol and shot Kate smack in her chest. The force sent her crashing back onto the wall and to the ground. Only the shock gave her a moment’s reprieve before the pain registered. The most agonizing, diabolical feeling ripped through her nerve center. Her mind almost switched off from the deadly assault. Her body started shaking uncontrollably. She looked down at the scorched material now melted into her chest. She was dying.
She heard the guards entering. Silence, then the sound of liquid being poured from the gourd into a goblet.
Marone stood over her with scorn. “Not so powerful now, are we, queenie? You didn’t read my mind that time, eh? Sorry, but there is no way Kalvich is going to ever have you.” He turned his back and carried on drinking.
Kate’s mind could almost literally see stars. Her next thought was less than eloquent. Fucking asshole.
Kate wanted to gasp but that required effort.
So this is what it feels like to die.
Yeah, but not today.
That marvelous, omnipotent feeling washed over her again. She opened her eyes and examined her chest, her dress was ruined, but there was not a mark on her skin. It pissed her off though. The instructions that were relayed to her contained the fact that this could happen, but not to fear it. Ramming the Gloctol down Marone’s throat was one inspirational thought she toyed with. But instead, she stood quietly up and smiled.
“Sire!” a guard choked.
Marone whirled around. The guards were frozen in utter amazement. After witnessing Kate lying on the floor with a hole in her chest and smoke dissipating in the air, now, apparently with, no harm to her she had stood and faced their now silent, pale faced master.
“Now Lord Marone, will you carry out my wishes before you really start pissing me off?”