Studying the readout, she glanced back at him. “You don’t have enough original human DNA to make you a Titan, but you have enough of it to make you more than what the modern humans think is normal.”
“Huh?” Ari’s expression slackened. “I don’t get it.”
“It’s a misconception among modern humans that only aliens have psychic powers, but it’s actually the other way around.” She explained, replacing Ari’s readouts back on the home screen. “The original humans on Earth were the ones with the psychic abilities. When the Akurn scientists added alien DNA to them, it diluted that ability until only a recessive amount remained in the general population. So, the more ancient human DNA someone has, the more psionic powers they inherit. I haven’t heard of anyone having this high of a reading since, well, since before the great flood.”
If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear he was an originalAdamoulike she’d thought before. But they all died thousands of years ago. Didn’t they? She squinted at the handsome man before shrugging. “Oh well, let’s get back to what we know. I’m really glad you aren’t a Titan, but we’ve got to figure out how to access the psychic powers you do have. Have you done anything you could control?”
His grin was infectious. “Yeah, watch this.” He held up his palm. After he scowled at it, a small ball of fire rolled over his skin. His wide smile made the corners of his eyes crinkle. “Cool, eh?”
“Is it hot?” Morgan asked, extending a finger just before touching it. No heat, just light. “Very nice.” She glanced at him. “Anything else?”
His eyelids lowered, his sultry intent clear. “We could always try that Dreamwalk thing again.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Morgan laughed. “You nut. You…” A sharp crackle split the air, instantly shifting the vibration beneath her feet. “What the…”
She never finished because the world around her erupted.
A deafening boom reverberated from the outside corridor. The walls pulsed with the force of an explosion.
Everything inside Morgan screamed for her to move, to run, but there wasn’t time. A blinding flash of light seared through her vision, and an acidic stench filled the air with burning metal.
In the split second that followed, something—or rather, someone—slammed into her with the force of a freight train. Ari. His body, all muscle, collided with hers, knocking the breath from her lungs. She stumbled back, but before she could fall, his arms wrapped around her, strong and unyielding. The impact drove them both to the floor. Ari’s weight pressed her down, shielding her from the worst of the blast.
Morgan coughed as her ears rang with the aftershock. Her skin tingled from the heat washing over them. Her heart thundered, each beat drowned out by the relentless ringing in her ears. Rolling vibrations of the ship’s structure trembled under her, as if the explosion had caused the very bones of the vessel to rattle.
Ari’s body was a protective barrier, his broad back taking the brunt of the heat and debris that rained down around them. The air was thick with dust and smoke, making it hard to breathe. Ari’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm against her, keeping her grounded amidst the chaos.
For a moment, everything else faded away—the noise, the danger, the acrid smell of burnt metal. The only thing she was aware of was the solid, reassuring presence of Ari covering her. His face was close, his breath warm against her neck. His arms, still wrapped tightly around her, were like iron bands, unyielding in their resolve to protect.
Morgan’s mind raced as she remained pinned beneath him. She wanted to move, to push him off and assess the damage, but she knew, instinctively, that he wouldn’t budge until he was sure the threat had passed.
His voice, when it came, was a low, urgent murmur in her ear. “Are you okay?”
All she managed was a brief nod, her throat too tight to form words.
The heat from the blast dissipated, and the tension in Ari’s muscles slowly eased.
As the smoke and dust settled, it looked like the immediate danger had passed. Tears filled her eyes. How close were they to getting caught in that deadly blast? But more than that, how close was she to losing whatever started between her and Ari?
As his grip on her loosened, just a fraction, her eyes met his. For a heartbeat, the chaos of the ship faded into the background as she connected with him in that one electric moment. A type of connection that went far beyond words.
It took everything Ari had to unwrapped his firm hold around Morgan. Placing his palms on the hard metallic floor, he raised up to check her out, just to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Satisfied she’d suffered nothing worse than several bruises, he rolled and extended his hand to help her up. “What thefrukjust happened?”
Morgan took his hand and stood, swiping a lock of golden curls out of her eyes. “I don’t know, but it sounded like something exploded.” She glanced around. “Thank the goddess it doesn’t look like any vital systems were affected.” She ran to her workstation and called up her floating, transparent monitor. After a few swipes and taps, she straightened with her hand over her heart. “Yes, all right. Everything is good.”
The sound of hissing and growling from the outside corridor came close.
“Uh-oh. Here comes the scavenger patrol.” Ari pushed her behind him. He might not know how he’d do it, but he’d make sure no one laid a hand on her.
The first alien rushing through the door was the smaller, dirty yellow Ozevroc waving his weapon in their direction, followed by a group of guards that swarmed around him and Morgan. Ari didn’t need a translator to know they were warning them not to move. As they growled and mumbled, they poked their blasters or solid spears in time with the sounds they made.
“Buzz off, snout squad.” Ari growled back, shoving the weapons away when it got too close to Morgan.
None of them moved. He’d become the target of the steady glare from four sets of beady-black eyes each of them had. At least they left Morgan alone and focused on him. Win-win.
One of them whistled, and the Grand Poobah himself waltzed in. High Chief Walls or Wells… something or other.
Morgan deftly whipped around Ari and faced the Ozevroc leader, who growled.
