Stained Minds

by Helen Scott

  Within seconds Darius was kneeling at my feet, taking my hands in his as he looked up at me as though I was the Maker incarnate. His voice was low and rough with his own emotions when he said, “Use the bond, show me what’s going on. Let me help, please, piccola.”

  I focused on what I was feeling, the overwhelming emotions, the need for us to connect as I had with the others, the way I wanted him but was scared of what that meant, and the changes it would bring. Every single part of the inner turmoil I was feeling was shoved down the bond to Darius. His breath hitched at some point, and I tried to slow down, but I couldn’t.

  Eventually, I opened my eyes, though I wasn’t sure when exactly I had closed them. What I found was Darius staring at me, concern pinching his features. “May I share my feelings with you?” he asked, his voice delicate now, like he didn’t want to scare me.

  When I nodded, he didn’t close his eyes, but I felt the brush of his emotions sweep down the bond between us. Joy. Gratitude. Pleasure. Willingness. It all flowed to me, almost overwhelming me with the intensity of emotions, along with a healthy dose of him showing how much he cared for the others as well. Darius showed me how distressed he’d been at Gid’s unconsciousness, how he was unsure about Barclay and this message, and his concern for Cade. He cared about all of us in his own way.

  “I’ve been alive for centuries, piccola, but there is no way I can adequately express my gratitude at finding you, and my joy that you are even considering accepting me. The others think of me as cold and hard, but that is what I had to become to survive. Don’t you see? I never thought I’d find my mate, the Fates have never been so kind to me on any other matter, so I figured I would be alone until my death.

  “Finding you, Marcella, it’s like discovering my heart all over again, because it lives within you. Every beat of your heart is a beat of my own, and if your heart ceases to beat at some point, so will mine, whether our bond is complete or not.” His eyes glittered with an unexpected wetness as he finished speaking, and my own heart clenched and thudded in my chest.

  “I just want to know that you like me for me, not just because I’m your mate,” I whispered, my issue crystallizing as he spoke. It was a childish response, but deep inside, I’d never mattered to anyone. All of a sudden I had six guys who gave a fuck and I felt unworthy. Simple but true.

  “I worship you for everything that makes you unique, from your garnet hair to your shadow weaver abilities, and the way you hate wearing pants, especially right after you wake up, to the way you bite the inside of your lip when you are worried. I even love watching you interact with the others, although I won’t deny feeling some jealousy toward them.

  “Of course, I don’t know everything about you; we’ve only known each other for a brief moment in time. I can only hope that our lives together are long enough that I get the opportunity to learn everything I can about you and vice versa if that is your wish.” He paused for a moment and kissed the bumps of my knuckles on each hand. “Marcella, I will never force anything between us. If you never want to finalize the bond between us, then so be it, we will figure something out. I will always care for you and watch out for you, no matter where we both are in the world. You are my mate. I feel that down to my bones, to my core, and if you let me, I’d love to have the opportunity to court you.”

  The declaration at the end threw me. He wanted to court me? I wasn’t sure what exactly that meant, but I knew it was important. From the little I knew about my parents’ strained relationship, it was something that my father would have done with his wife, but not my mother. The thought sent a stab of regret through me. I hated that his presence invaded my thoughts, even now in this most intimate, heartfelt moment.

  Darius reached up and ran the back of his knuckles down the side of my face as he said softly, “I am not your father. What he did to your mother and his wife, among others, was unforgivable, but do not paint me with the same brush. If anything, my views are different because I am older than he is. I see the value in companionship, but never sought it out because I believed that if the Maker wanted me to be with someone, then he and the Fates would provide a mate for me, a clear, unambiguous signal that I should no longer be alone. They provided me with you, and to me, you are the most precious thing in the world. If you wanted me to, I would give up everything, money, houses, cars, my job, whatever it took to convince you that my intentions with you come from the purest place of my being.”

  A knot had formed in my throat at his words. Everything he was saying rang with a soul-soothing truth through our bond. When I pictured it in my head, it was a thin red ribbon tying the two of us together, as though blood constantly flowed between us. I wondered what it would look like when it was completed because as much as Darius was giving me an out if I needed it, I knew the bond would only pull at me more the longer I resisted it. In fact, the very idea of not completing the bond made my heart hurt and my stomach churn.

  He was being sweet, but he was also being foolish. I couldn’t stop myself from completing the bond. No way. But choosing when I did it was the only thing that mattered, and I wasn’t about to do it with a crowded house of strangers listening in on what I knew would be one of the most powerful moments of my life.

  I reached out and cupped his face with both hands, my thumbs smoothing the skin over his high cheekbones as his stubble scratched against my palms. They slid behind his head of their own accord and rested on the hair that fell down the back of his neck. We were staring at each other, my eyes entranced by his dark orbs that spoke of the night sky, except there wasn’t a star in sight. The only thing I could see was his soul, which was shining brightly in front of me as though every part of his mind was on display to me at that moment.

  Darius may have been cold with the guys before, but I had no doubt that the well of love within this man was deeper than any of us had thought possible. If still waters ran deep, then he was almost frozen over. It only reassured me that my assessment was correct, his emotions had been locked away for so long, that now that they were coming to the surface once again, they were going to be more powerful than ever. Maybe that was the mate bond at work, or maybe it was just who he was, a part of himself that he had hidden away until this point because it hurt too much to leave it exposed throughout his long life.

  “You know I can’t resist you,” I murmured quietly, though my mouth ticked up in a smile on one side.

  “Do you want to?” he asked, the dark slashes of his brows furrowing with concern.

  “No, I don’t.” My mind was clear, the decision easy. I wasn’t sure what had been holding me back anymore; all I knew was that it was gone. All that remained was me and my mate, who sat calmly in front of me.

  A rare smile broke over his face, dimples showing in his five o’clock shadow. It unlocked my heart to him just a little more. Since we had first met, I’d watched him slowly open up to me, going from stiff Enforcer to smiling mate, and it was enough to make my own heart sing with joy. Everything about this man called to me, and the time to embrace that was near.

  The magnetism between us was slowly pulling us together. I wasn’t sure when I had moved from the chair, but I was kneeling in front of him so we were both level with each other, equals in more ways than one. My lips brushed his in question, and like a match being struck, what had been slowly growing between us exploded into existence as his tongue caressed my own and he claimed my mouth. Everything was brighter than it had been a moment ago, and hunger rode the two of us hard. I could feel his through the bond, just as surely as he could feel my own.

  Teeth. Tongue. Lips. Hands. Everything was involved as we moved against each other. I was on his lap in a matter of moments, and it was only the polite clearing of a throat on the patio behind us that stopped us from completing the bond right then and there.

  Fuck.

  See?

  This was why I’d been waiting. I knew the minute I started, no way in hell would I want to stop.

  I wanted to snarl at the i
ntruder, but instead, I burrowed my face into Darius’s throat.

  “I hate to interrupt, but the Cavalry want to speak with us regarding Morgause,” Raven interrupted, sounding disappointed. I wasn’t sure whether it was because he had expected me to resist Darius longer, or whether he was just hoping to get me into bed sooner rather than later. Either that or he’d wanted to carry on watching the rest of the show. “I’ll let them know you guys are on your way. Don’t take too long though or they’ll come looking for you, old man.” I knew he had added the last part to try and get under Darius’s skin, but as I had noticed over the last couple weeks, that wasn’t working anymore.

  “We’ll be right there,” Darius responded, not taking his eyes off mine for even a moment.

  Raven harrumphed, and I heard the door open and close as he re-entered the house, leaving us alone once more.

  “Rain check?” I inquired.

  “That’s a promise,” Darius replied, before landing a kiss on my lips once again. It made me hungry for more, but I knew I had to lock those feelings down if I was going to be in an enclosed space with everyone.

  Still, I couldn’t help stealing one last kiss, along with nipping his bottom lip, before I extracted myself from his arms.

  Darius

  I knew who the Cavalry were. Had known for centuries, and it was why I dealt with them as little as possible.

  In this world, I was considered an Ancient. I’d roamed the streets as a boy during a time that wasn’t even truly covered in history classes anymore.

  I was old, and what I’d said to Marcella was the utmost truth.

  I’d never expected the Fates would give me anything so precious as her. Had never anticipated that after a long life filled with more misery than joy, I’d be handed her, like a gift to a child upon Christmas morning.

  And yet, as admittedly old as I was, that was nothing compared to the Cavalry.

  The times of King Arthur were considered mythological now, even by our people, and yet, here were four of the Knights of the Round Table, downing more mimosas as they were seated around a sculpted pool.

  I knew it was a façade. Knew that news of Morgause’s Awakening did not bode well for any of the creatures who lived upon this planet, but they had good game faces.

  With my mate’s hand tucked into mine, we wandered toward the extended patio area beside the swimming pool. There was enough seating for twelve, and I had no doubt that the remaining Knights would make an appearance at some point.

  “We’ve had time to google Morgause,” Raven declared the second Marcella and I had sat down.

  I rolled my eyes. “And that’s where you get your facts from? Google?”

  He shrugged. “Better than anywhere else.”

  Rhys grunted, stretched out his arms and cracked his knuckles. “According to most of what you’ll find online, Arthur is mostly a legend. A myth, but he wasn’t. He was very real, and he was far more important than any living human can imagine.”

  “Okay, I’ll bite,” Cade stated gruffly, and I heard the fatigue in his voice and knew that he was the next male on the list to focus on. Half the brotherhood had been downed with mysterious complaints, and they needed to be at the top of their game if we were dealing with the Mothers and Father of all our kind. “Tell me what’s real and what’s BS.”

  Drake tilted his head to the side. “You prefer the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

  “Is this a fucking joke to you?” Barclay growled, jerking out of his seat and slamming his hands down on the table. “She was in my head. In my fucking head. Laughing and controlling me—keeping me in my wolf form against my will—”

  Rhys lifted his hands, the gesture meant to appease. “He is correct, Drake. They deserve answers.” He shot me a look. “Perhaps you should explain what you know, and we will fill in any gaps or correct any errors…”

  That they were only willing to feed us ‘just enough’ information irked me, but I was used to dealing with them. Even if I avoided them for the most part, we’d connected more often than I’d like over the years and I was accustomed to their ways.

  I reached up and pinched the bridge of my nose. I felt Marcella’s hand cup my knee, and the warmth that flooded me at the tender touch was enough to have me reaching for her fingers, and entwining ours together.

  “Who do you believe the Maker is?” I asked, starting at the beginning.

  Gideon frowned. “The creator of all.”

  “Yes, but his identity. Who is He?”

  Barclay’s mouth worked. “You mean, He existed?”

  Drake chuckled. “Without doubt.” His eyes flashed with fire, though, making his amusement a lie. Considering his allegiance, that made sense.

  “Merlin is the Maker. Over the years, his legend has been watered down into fairy tales and lore, but that is the best way to hide the truth, is it not?” I rubbed my chin with my free hand as I cast Rhys a look—one that said he could recount this particular part of the story, a story that all Ancients were aware of. “It began with Arthur. He was the heir to the kingdom of a Briton stronghold as the son of Uther Pendragon. Or so it was believed.”

  Rhys nodded. “Merlin, the wily bastard that he was, cast himself in Uther’s appearance, raped Ygraine, Arthur’s mother, and begat an heir, enchanting Uther with the belief that he was the sire. When she became enceinte—”

  “Pregnant,” I translated for those of the group who didn’t speak French.

  “Uther had no choice but to wed her. Merlin perpetrated this act four more times, creating four heirs who were tied to the kingdom, tied to power, but who were half his spawn.”

  Marcella straightened in her seat. “Why?”

  “Because he had a plan,” Jasper explained, fingers tightening around his glass. “Four children to sire four new species. Each of Merlin’s heirs inherited some of his powers. Morgana—she was the darkest. Her powers called to the Moon, and it called to her. Blood was her medium and she became the Mother of the Vampires.”

  “Arthur, his powers were of Earth, but more tied to the humans he led. He could ‘walk’ through minds. Be it in the waking world or the sleeping,” I explained, shivering a little at the power those four siblings had between them. “Then, as he aged, he garnered abilities over time and other mediums…”

  “He was the Father of the Walkers,” Raven breathed, shooting Cade and Keiran a look.

  I dipped my chin. “Yes. Morgause, she is the Mother of Shifters. She could turn into any creature she willed. Four paws, two wings. Predator or prey. She could morph into their shape.”

  Barclay gulped. “Like me.”

  “Indeed.”

  Alexander’s tone was grim as he said, “Then, there was Elayne, the final child and the youngest. She could control the elements. Master them in a way that even bested Merlin himself.”

  “She was the Mother of Druids,” Gideon stated, his tone grim.

  “She was that. But, of them all, they were there because Merlin made them, and that is why he is the Maker. He forged you all. Made you what you are today,” Drake rasped.

  “I always knew it was weird that there was one of each of us in our brotherhood,” Keiran commented, his tone steady, measuring. “But it was for a purpose, wasn’t it?”

  Keiran, as ever, was far too adept at reading between the lines, and my shoulders hunched in response. I didn’t have time to put that into words, however, for Jasper explained, “That is our doing.”

  Cade scowled at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “I owed the Cavalry a favor,” I admitted. “And when you owe them a favor—”

  “They will collect,” Gideon replied, his tone stark. It came as no surprise to me. After all, he’d called in the Cavalry himself, even knowing that to owe them anything was akin to a blood debt.

  Rhys smirked. “We always collect, and we’re always willing to offer favors when the time is right.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Cade demanded, his a
rms bunching as he leaned on the table, agitation and fury ricocheting around each word.

  “It means that sometimes, we’re in the right place at the right time to offer help,” Drake admitted with no shame.

  Because I knew as much, had known it forever, I wasn’t as irritated as the others obviously were.

  “There is little point in being perturbed by this,” I stated firmly when I could see each of the brotherhood’s agitation begin to morph as had Cade’s. “It is the way of it. It has been the way of it since the Cavalry rode under another name. They work to a plan which is unknown to us.”

  “Doesn’t mean we have to like it,” Keiran grated out.

  “Of course not. No one wishes to be played,” I retorted, “and if I, a council Enforcer of the Maximus line, had allowed myself to be played by these ingrates, then you, as mere brothers, should cease your whining.”

  “It’s a good job we love you, D,” Rhys retorted, giving me a kissy face that had me rolling my eyes and Marcella’s other mates gaping at the byplay.

  “Fuck off,” I retorted, but I shot him a grin.

  “You’re friends with them—”

  I pinned Barclay with my gaze. “I have known them for a long time. When you are ancient, you will understand.”

  “If we live that long,” Raven grumbled.

  Rhys grunted. “If you are who we think you are, you’ll do more than live a long time.”

  “Who do you think they are?” Marcella asked, her tone quiet. I shot my mate a look, saw the placid expression, the lack of tension in her body, but her eyes were afire, and Maker help me if my cock didn’t want to combust at the sight.

  Calm on the outside, gentle even, but on the inside, Marcella was anything but. She wasn’t sure what she was yet, but I knew. She was at war, and having been that way my entire life, I knew how that felt, and I both empathized and adored her for sharing a similar plight.

  “Not they—you, as a unit,” Drake retorted. “It’s very rare for five such strong brothers to make it out of Eastbrook—in the same year, a child of each Sire… Gideon came to our attention first. Before you were even tatted up to your eyeballs, you were powerful. Incredibly so for a Stained.” He rubbed his chin. “With Darius on hand, it was easy to keep tabs on you all. It also helped that you were friends before you were ever brothers.”