Sorry I took so long to publish this chapter. But saying "I've been seriously busy" is a good enough excuse? Because it is true :(. So anyway as an apology I have released two chapters, yay ^^.
Please review I really want to know what you guys think, its not too much to ask right?
xx
SSC
They arrived at the doors to one of the room within the spacious palace. The golden handles gleamed under the sunlight that filtered through the windows. Orlando opened the doors for them and Khan and Zahara entered.
"What is that?" She questioned immediately taking notice of her soon to be training space.
The room was rectangular in shape, ten feet wide and twenty feet long. In the center of the room was a stretch of thin black platform, with multiple wires branching out from underneath and to the outlets to the adjacent white walls.
The platform had visible white lines that separated it into three equal parts. The first segment on the far left had two, tall, reflective panels on either side. The second half was a plane, black, surface but with more sinuous wires underneath it. The last was equally simple but with stands supporting boxy, rectangular structures on top of it. They were spaced a foot part along the outsides of the platform.
Khan watched her take in the sight of her new training space, unsure of how to react.
"This is a very advanced obstacle course." Orlando said rather conceitedly as Suzette approached them with Joaquin at her side. The Augument female held a small clipboard in her hands.
"It's designed to test your reflexes, agility and trains you to be inconspicuous." Khan added, clearing up Zahara's confusion.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Suzette suddenly spoke up, grabbing their attention "My own design but the mechanics was all Joaquin." She said modestly while gesturing to the grim male beside her.
Joaquin nodded in silent agreement with his arms crossed behind his back.
"What does it require of me?" Zahara inquired uncertainly while eyeing the stand.
"There are several levels you have to pass in the track." Suzette began to explain while approaching the podium, the rest followed her.
"The first is the laser motion detectors." She said gesturing while standing at the beginning of the track. She clicked a button on a small square remote controller in her hand. There was a sharp resounding beep. The reflective panels abruptly released beams of red lights that zigzagged before them.
Zahara blinked, startled by the sight of the glaring light.
"One brush against them and the alarms go off." Orlando added from beside the Wahashi.
"Then there are the weight sensitive tiles." Suzette introduced after dismissing the lasers.
"Then of course my favourite bit, dodging bullets." Orlando grinned wolfishly. Khan could sense Zahara was a little over whelmed by all off the information she was forced to process, but she hide her fear (if she felt any) behind a passive mask. But oh so subtly she did give him an skeptical glance. Khan smirked mockingly.
"Shall we get started then? Can't dawdle." The blonde male chided a little too enthusiastically, Khan rolled his eyes.
"Fine." Zahara muttered and began to unbutton the gleaming golden buttons of her jacket. Khan's attention was immediately fixated on her, watching her nimble fingers at work. She shrugged off the material, revealing the skin tight cat suit underneath.
His jaw clenched in reaction to the urge he suppressed as his eyes hungrily took in the sight of her. The way the fibrous material hugged every curve of her chest, downs shapely hips and well toned arms. Orlando once again accepted Zahara's coat. Khan cursed himself for being too distracted to assist first.
She finally stepped out of her red pants and then picked them up before folding them over her arm. Orlando carelessly dropped the folded coat on to the floor and she mimicked his actions.
"Firstly we must prep you on how to avoid the lasers." Orlando announced.
"Prep?" Zahara echoed confused and looked to Khan. He was forced to gaze away from her long, athletic legs and to her face.
"Prepare." He expressed.
"Oh." She murmured moving her attention back to the blonde "What does that require?"
"Flexibility of course." He responded smoothly.
"Suzette will demonstrate." Khan added nodding in command to the short haired female. Suzette agreed without complaint. Orlando gestured to the sidelines which they all stepped to, waiting patiently for her demonstration.
Zahara was watching in anticipation, her eyes rapt with concentration. The young Augument took a few steps back, inhaled deeply. The red lights blared to life once more, crisscrossing across the small space. Suzette began her journey. She bent and bridged her body in almost impossible ways in between the red lines, carefully avoiding any contact.
Khan had to commend Suzette on her flexibility, Zahara was utterly amazed.
When she reached the end of the first half she pushed off her hands and sprung forward. She performed as series of cartwheels. They were rapid enough to avoid detection from the pressure sensitive tiles.
The moment she reached the surface of the last lap, pellets shot out from the box like structures. They were paint bullets but Suzette treated the stimulation like reality. She dived and dodged in a marveling grace, carefully avoiding all of the blows. Finally she reached the end and jumped forward to avoid the last bullet. She flipped mid air and then landed stealthily on to her feet, her spin straight, her shoulders squared.
"Bravo!" Orlando cheered clapping like a proud mentor. Khan and Joaquin followed his cue and brought their arms up. Joaquin was smiling intimately at Suzette, she blushed and bowed, her dark hair tumbling forward.
Zahara was speechless. Khan watched her struggle to process what she had just witnessed. After a moment she looked to him, her eyes wide in a silent, desperate plea sanctuary.
He could only smile deviously.
"Have fun." He taunted, her gaze narrowed to slits. His grinned widened devilishly before he turned and exited the room. He felt her glare on his retreating back.
Khan was a bit alarmed by how aware he was of her absence. Ashera was a quiet shadow that followed Khan in all of his tasks that day. He missed Zahara's inquisitive questions every now and then. Ashera's blank stares make Khan uncomfortable, irritable.
When he returned to the palace that night with Ashera still as his escort. He was relieved to have arrived just as Orlando was approaching his room with Zahara. The Wahashi was walking five steps behind Orlando, knowing well to keep up the illusion.
Orlando and Khan exchanged pleasantries before the blonde left with Ashera and Khan was left alone with Zahara once more. She was silent as they entered their shared space. She retreated to the bathroom and Khan returned to his study.
He wasn't alarmed by her stiffness. He could still the lessons hadn't gone as well as she had hoped. He chose to distract himself with his work, willing to wait till she had freshened up and in better humor.
Khan was reading another report from India when Zahara entered his study. The fresh scent of jasmine soap permeated the air at her arrival. He was glad she hadn't used the Oud scented soap he detested. She was dressed in her casual black harem pants and vest that matched in colour. Her red coat was balanced on the crook of her elbow.
"How was your training?" He asked casually as she took a seat on the guest chair, after draping the coat on the head of the chair. His keen gaze was focused on the document in his grip.
"I didn't get past the first level." She grumbled, slumping back into the comfort of the cushion.
"The lasers are tricky." He murmured, his eyes skimming over the next paragraph. A few seconds passed and it took a moment for him to feel the tension that radiated off her. He glanced up at her.
Zahara's attention was on the edge of the table, not particularly focusing on anything. He observed her furrowed brows, the down turn of her lips and the brooding intensity in her eyes.
"You are frustrated." He stated. His posture straightened, he abandoned the parchment on to the surface of the table.
"You will catch up tomorrow." He didn't know why he felt so compelled to reassure her. Zahara looked to him, her features softening considerably.
"I didn't expect it to be so...difficult. Suzette made it look so easy." She murmured, shifting her seat.
"Even though I warned you?"
"Physical challenges do not affect my kind like it does humans."
"What about when your other state is triggered?" He questioned curiously.
"That's different." She grumbled. Her expression was tense once again as if uncomfortable by a memory that resurfaced in her mind.
"How?" He pressed on.
"I don't remember it."
Khan was not satisfied by such a vague dismissal. When he wanted answers, he expected them.
"Explain." He insisted.
She directed a glance of defiance, he stared back blankly. She frowned, perturbed by the cool assertion in his clear gaze. After a moment she gave in, her shoulders sagged in subjugation.
"We don't have control over it. There is just this blinding pain that begins from here." She cupped the back of her head before lowering her arm again "and it travels down my body, under my skin like a hundred needles being inserted at once. Then this darkness begins to form around my eyes."
He blinked confused by her statement.
"You lose consciousness?" He asked suspiciously. She nodded firmly, his lips pressed down to a tight, thin line.
"I have no memory of what I did, how I did it." She spoke softly, her gaze a far "It is like waking up from darkness. It's disturbing, sleeping isn't my favourite task because of the thought of never... waking up."
"I see." Khan had to admit he was stunned by the revelation, but hid it behind a mask of contemplation. He was under the impression that they were fully aware of their body's exertions when they were summoned. But her words made sense as he began to recall the dazed look in her eye when he first witnessed her other state, and then again before her liberation.
He looked to her again to find her still lost in her thoughts, he wanted to snap her out of her detachment.
"Well there are more effective ways to spend your time instead of sleeping." He cogitated, his voice a trifle hoarse. She raised her chin and met his gaze steadily.
"Like jumping over red lines?" She countered an amused smile curving at her mouth.
"The term is laser beams." He responded lively. His hands mindlessly began to toy with the edges of the piece of paper.
"But I was thinking of a more... pleasurable exertion." He directed a look of banked sensuality from beneath his long inky lashes. Unfortunately his attempts at flirtation were missed by the Wahashi. She was distracted by the Newton's Cradle.
"Pleasurable?" She echoed haughtily "I have heard of no such thing."
The firmness in her conclusion stunned him for a moment. His lips parted with the intention of diving into a more detailed explanation, but a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.
"Finally." She exclaimed knowing that it was the servant with their dinner. She jumped out of the chain and grabbed the collar of her coat. He watched her practically sprint to the main door, disappearing from his view.
Khan was left staring grimly at the door, his frustration continued to build.