The Beast Within

by D L Goddard

  Alexandros was incredulous. How in the name of all that was good in the world had Lirima transported the incredibly elusive Black Mountain Dragon from Laconia into the Keeper’s Castle. The thing was unbelievably dangerous and notoriously bad-tempered. But it was nocturnal and hated light and it looked like their torch had seriously upset it. Alexandros jumped when a large hand grabbed hold of his wrist. Marcos whispered for him to follow, the torch was doused instantly. The three men strained to hear the almost silent sound of the monstrous beast as it stalked them in the darkness.

  Alexandros ground his teeth in frustration. Once more, he was delayed reaching the Keeper, giving the Enchantress the extra time she needed to carry out her plans.

  “Forgive me Keeper, but I think you may just have to take care of the Enchantress yourself for a little while, but even though she has made sure we can’t interfere … I swear to you … I will not forget … I will not abandon you …”

  Instinctively … he ducked pulling them all to the ground. A black burst exploded where the three had been standing, singeing stray locks and body hair. Somehow, they had to get out of this and get through the other door. And who knew what else lay behind that one. Making up his mind in an instant, Alexandros drew his sword; the indigo flame filled the room alerting the dragon immediately to their presence. The Troll King raced toward the creature, weaving and dodging, hearing the dragon thundering toward him. He swung … it was now or never.

  **********

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Mir and Val stood in their customary positions on either side of Anya. They knew time was of the essence but if they were going to try and bond with Anya and heal the wound made by Arahir’s magical severance then, it was going to have to be done their way. They knew Arahir would still be part of the joining because Anya carried his spark, his life would be like a comfortable wave of love over their lives, not intrusive or interfering, but an assurance that they were loved.

  The brothers wanted to make this as different for Anya from the first joining with Arahir as possible so that she would be able to remember their bonding without confusing her time with them with that of her beloved Beast. They wanted Anya to recall her time with Arahir as something truly special, a memory she could cherish, but they didn’t want her to find it difficult to separate the then, and the now. Even though Arahir had been incredibly generous with his time with Anya and so giving concerning them, knowing she needed them all, but hating the linked joining, the twins were honest enough to admit they would love to have Anya all to themselves.

  With twins on Serenor, three was the perfect joining, but four was too many for everyone. But for the poor Beast, he had been outnumbered at every turn. Only the single night they had been able to give him and Anya in the meadow had allowed Arahir to truly show Anya as himself and make love to her as he had always wanted to. But even then, the Beast had felt the twins seeing and feeling everything they had done together, so he had ensured they understood that while he realized they were part of their linked family bond, Anya was his and she belonged to him. He made sure they understood as he made love to her that they knew she was his, body and soul.

  Petty? Maybe …but certainly understandable. The twins knew they were being warned. And to be honest … they had taken far more liberties than they ever should have. It was because of this that they had gotten themselves linked to Anya in the first place. Looking back though, they had been so in love with the beautiful woman that they couldn’t have done anything less. When weighed against what they had wanted to do, Mir and Val had been remarkably restrained.

  But because Anya was joined to the Beast as all this was going on, not only had they made him very angry and very jealous, but the increased tension had made it impossible to control Arahir’s nearly out of control beast and he had ended up having to release his desires or else the beast would completely take over. In the end all he had been able to do was ensure the worst of the beast’s excesses stayed caged, and no harm came to the young woman Savage had sent to his cell. He had felt as if he had betrayed his mate and his bond and the twins were to blame. If they had not been teasing Anya so much and stirring all sorts of needs inside her, the beast would not have gotten out of control and Sally would never have happened. And while the Beast blamed himself for being unfaithful to Anya, it was definitely the twin’s fault and in the end they had owned up to it when Anya had scented her Beast on Sally’s skin.

  The hardest part of their joining was the knowledge that while being asked to bond with Anya was certainly no hardship, the realization that Arahir was going to die, sacrificing himself to save them all, hung over their heads like a thundercloud. The three were so upset, none of them really felt like making love right at that moment. But if they didn’t, when the final link was sundered, Anya’s flame would go out like a blown match. She had nothing to secure her that was strong enough to keep her with them when her heart was taken from her. The last link would be so savage and so painful; she would quite simply give up.

  Time was definitely running out. The Light changed tactics. The lighting around them dimmed and they suddenly found themselves in a ‘space’ of plush comfort. They were lying on the biggest bed any had ever seen with such soft furs and plush pillows that their bodies sighed at the feel of the textures against their skin. The ‘walls’ if that was what they were, looked to be flickering flames, but no heat came from them. Every color flame of the elemental spectrum was constantly shifting across the edges of their vision. Everywhere they looked, they appeared to see the color and warmth of being an elemental. Even the bed and the linens were shifting flame colors. It gave the trio such a feeling of belonging and such peace they finally began to relax.

  Sweets sounds lingered in the air and caught them up in a harmony of fiery notes and sensual rhythms. Their senses responded to the lush feel of the conflicting textures of soft silken skin against their own and the contrasting brush of sumptuous fur. Startled, the twins realized they were all naked. Anya’s beautiful tempting body was displayed most enticingly before their eyes. Anya moved little but her dark red lips whispered weakly.

  “Come and make love to me my darlings, even if it’s the only time we have together, I want to have you both in my arms before I leave you forever.”

  Shocked they looked fully in her face and saw just how weak she was, how wan and pale. Unable to delay any longer, the twins began making love to their heart’s desire in earnest. It was easy really, she was everything they ever wanted, and by their delay they could have risked losing everything. Anya was jolted back into awareness as she felt the heat from their bodies and the fire of their lips sliding over her skin, seeming to burn where they touched. She was seeing her body responding of its own accord and arching in pleasure at the things they were doing to her.

  Anya had felt herself drifting from her consciousness until the Light had taken them wherever ‘here’ was. Anya knew they hadn’t actually moved because she could still feel the openness that was always felt inside the Light. It seemed the Living Light had changed their environment but not their position. The Light was trying to help relax them in any way she was able. It brought her back to herself by degrees and whatever Val and Mir were doing with their tongues and teeth, hands and flames, brought the drifting Anya back to herself fully.

  Anya found herself being drawn tighter, being so sensitized that the slightest touch, the lightest kiss made her arch in pleasure. The twins wanted Anya to be made love to by them, to lie back and enjoy herself while they familiarized themselves with her delicious beautiful body. Lost in a world of ecstasy, rising higher and higher until she felt she would explode, she felt Mir lever himself into position. Val was immediately beside him, it was as if the twins were as close together as they could be. Alarmed, she raised herself on her elbows to say something. Mir smiled; the smile was full of promise and secret pleasure as he told her not to worry.

  The twins instantly flame blended, becoming MirVal her lover. He plunged himself deepl
y within her, swiftly and violently. As he entered Anya, she flamed around him feeling the most exquisite unbelievable feelings fill her. Anya screamed in sheer ecstasy. She couldn’t have ever thought to feel anything like the twins blended together, buried inside her. Fiery tears fell from her eyes as they held one another, moving as one flame, the intensity of their combined passions causing an inferno of triple colors to fill the ‘room’ obliterating everything around them.

  Anya screamed as her body felt it was tightened until tension and her passions took her over. All she could feel was her world had narrowed to a need for release. But the feelings were so intense and so absolutely mind-blowing that she wondered how she was able to keep them all in. She felt a subtle shift in her lover as he whispered in her ear.

  “Almost there my Anya, are you ready my love?”

  “Yes … ohhh … yes please …”

  MirVal changed placing Val in the fore, changing his aspect and becoming ValMir. Whatever that meant to the twins, the pace and intensity changed. Anya barely had time to take a breath before her flaming body, blended completely with ValMir and they exploded into a brilliant fireball of white hot heat and intense passion. Their bodies seemed to lose themselves so completely that a circle of light captured them and bound them together. They were encased in a glowing halo of warm gold that captured them so completely that they nearly forgot to breathe; their desires were so intense, so unbelievable that they felt the circle bringing them closer and closer until the light filled them all completely. They felt the links of their joining form, felt them inside one another’s heart and soul; roaring and screaming in joy as the orgasm took them over, drowning them in a sea of extravagant passions and shuddering exhaustion.

  Their flames dimmed as they separated lying one on either side of their beloved Anya on top of a surprisingly intact bed. They were snuggled, replete and deliriously happy, the twins finally had the one thing their lives had been lacking for millennia … a soul mate. And to top it all off, their soul mate was Anya. They snuggled even closer, as if they could again just sink into her skin. Finally, she belonged to the twins. She smelt of sex and sweat and of … home. Their home now was anywhere she was … Anya was quite literally … their world.

  Mir sat up suddenly. His head cleared as suddenly as if ice had been thrown over him.

  “It didn’t happen. We didn’t feel it?”

  Val stared stunned.

  “But we bonded with Anya as he told us. Maybe we missed it.”

  Mir shook his head vehemently.

  “No. It just didn’t happen.”

  “So what do we do now?”

  Val really was worried what it could do to Anya.

  “Will she be alright?”

  He pulled Anya onto his lap as he stroked her lovely silken hair then, kissed the top of her head.

  “We will go find the Troll Alexandros and Keplin and find out what is happening. It has to mean that Lirima isn’t getting everything her way. Our son stays here. Anya won’t stay even if we beg her so I am going to save my breath. But … we will need our clothes first.”

  Mir leered at Anya as he spoke the last words. She giggled feeling more at ease with the twins than ever before. Smiling lovingly at the two men she loved she spoke to the Light.

  “Dear Light, could you give us back our clothes please? Thank You.”

  Suddenly the clothing appeared on a pile on the bed, but it wasn’t what they had been wearing, instead she had given them soft leather boots, pants for the men and a split skirt for Anya, a long-sleeved shirt and soft leather jerkin for them all. They were clothes to move and fight in. The trio looked at each other. Worried … the twins looked at their now soul mate Anya. Anya shook her head.

  “No … whatever happens, we will be together. I will not lose my mate ever again. This time I will be beside you both, no matter what happens.”

  Anya walked up to the two men who were now her whole world. She knew no matter what went on, their son would be safe. The Light would make sure. But she would not let Mir or Val out of her sight. Anya also meant to find out what happened to Arahir. The trio came together in a tight hug that lasted several minutes. The men now had their heart’s desire. All they had to do now was survive the Enchantress and their future would be before them. Holding tightly to her men’s hands, Mir on the right and Val on her left, they waited.

  Anya lifted her head once more.

  “Light … I want to thank you for everything you have done for us. Thank you for giving us a private place where we could be ourselves.”

  “You are most welcome my Anya, please find my Keeper, he is still alive, although barely.”

  “I will dear one, please look after Arahir’s son. He will care for you when he is grown. I will return for him if at all possible.”

  “What do you wish of me my Anya?”

  “We need to be where Alexandros is. I have a feeling the others are with him. Could you send us there please Light?”

  “Of course … but all is not well. They are only now at the last door, it will be easier if I send you to the hallway, just follow the doors he opened after you arrive.”

  The trio felt themselves being moved as if they rippled in the air. When they found their feet they stared in horror. Dead and dying Ogres were everywhere, blood painted the walls and floors. Suddenly, they were tossed off their feet as something exploded shaking everything around them. They heard yelling and a deep roaring. Scrambling back upright, they looked at one another, fearful for the Troll King and his companions. ‘How many of them had survived?’

  Mir and Val looked around one last time. There was nothing they could do that wasn’t already being done. The best they could do is help those in distress right now. Val nodded his head.

  “Let’s go.”

  Val was already moving. Catching him up, they ran together, desperate to find out what was happening to their friends. No matter what happened now, everything hinged around stopping the Enchantress before she completed the binding ritual and from their surviving final link it was obvious that had not yet happened.

  Picking up speed, the trio raced through the empty darkened dungeons. They were desperate to reach their friends. Suddenly they stopped. The last door was finally open.

  **********

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Arahir shook his head. He felt groggy after everything that had happened to him. A lump in his chest had formed when Anya had bound with the twins. It was wonderful because she was alive and so was his son. But, he had lost her forever and Arahir couldn’t quite believe it. Even though Lirima had broken the joining to Anya, nothing she did could prevent him loving Anya with all he was. There was no one else in Arahir’s heart and he couldn’t ever imagine being with anyone else either. ‘How could he have given her away so easily?’ No, that wasn’t it. It hadn’t been an easy decision, it had been the hardest decision he had ever made. He would have bitten his own tongue off rather than give her to anyone else, but she was dying; there was no more time. So … he gave her into the arms of the twins. Now … they were joined and she would never be his ever again. Hot tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them fall, he had made up his mind. The Keeper had one last duty to finish before Seren held him in her arms and he set his mind like stone on the task he still had to do. It was the last thing he was ever going to do in his whole long life.

  Arahir looked up. Out the corner of his eyes … he saw movement. The show was about to begin.

  **********

  Anya, Mir and Val raced to join Alexandros and the others. Skidding to a stop, they saw the Troll King, Keplin and Marcos lying flat on their backs. In the Troll’s clenched fist was a glowing sword, pulsing and throbbing with a strange, eerie sound. The trio at first thought everyone was dead and they rushed to their sides, seeing if there was anything they could do to help. But as the twins knelt to Alexandros, the Troll King stirred. Groaning, he sat up, stunned and amazed at what had just happened. They helped him stagger to his fee
t as Anya helped Keplin, who struggled gamely, covered in cuts and bruises everywhere skin was visible. Anya watched the twins then help Marcos and introductions were made. Alexandros sat hurriedly and shook his head. It seemed they were all in as bad a shape as Keplin, scratched quite badly and bruises were showing everywhere. The explosion had knocked them about, tossing them into the stone walls and stone flags. They needed to take a rest but they couldn’t; they were running out of time.

  Anya crouched beside the massive Troll, leaning against his huge arms.

  “Can you tell us what happened Alexandros? What happened to the Ogres? It looked like a massacre out there.”

  The great Troll looked at the tiny lovely woman. Shaking his head once more, he tried to remember what on earth had started this mess.

  “We managed to get through the first dungeon door, but the bitch had spelled it with the Keeper’s blood. When we realized the sword I carried was the one the first Keeper had given my ancestor, Keplin discovered it could be used to sever the spells. And it worked beautifully; it sliced through the door like a hot knife through butter. But as soon as the door opened, the blasted thing exploded outward, hurling sharp splinters of wood that suddenly formed from the door, straight toward us. It was like hundreds of wicked little spears aiming at all the Ogres that were gathered around the opening. Keplin and Marcos pulled me down at the last minute. If they hadn’t, I would be dead by now. But we lost so many good men, and even more were badly wounded.

  I was careless and I didn’t understand just how badly the Enchantress wanted to keep the Keeper. As we passed through the doorway, we heard a scraping sound. Somehow, Lirima had managed to transport one of the deadliest creatures from my world. A black mountain dragon is totally unpredictable and to be able to bring one of them here was absolutely unbelievable. It killed most of our able-bodied after the first explosion. We thought this was the end for us, nothing we tried hurt the beast.”