He did as she said, feeling slightly better. The action also made him feel more tired.
“A little more,” she urged, bringing the bottle to his lips a second time. Obsidian drank. His limbs feeling more and more heavy. He fought to stay awake, wanting to know more. Wanting to…
* * *
Seconds, minutes, hours. Obsidian wasn’t sure how much time had passed, only that he felt somewhat better when he woke up. It was easier to breathe and much of the burning pain had subsided to something a lot more bearable. He was still weak though.
Demi held the water bottle to his lips when he stirred. “Drink. You need to get strong again.”
This time, he was able to drink deeply. “Thank you.” He wiped his mouth, his voice was thick and grating.
She inspected his chest. “The wounds are healing well. Would you like something to eat?”
Obsidian shook his head. “Not right now.” The thought of food made him feel nauseous. “You shouldn’t be in here.”
Her face clouded. “Of course, I should. I still can’t believe he shot you like that.”
Obsidian managed a smile, although it probably looked more like a grimace. “At least he got me in the chest, I would’ve expected a coward like him to go for the back…that’s something at least.”
She nodded once, looking worried. “He’s an ass! I don’t want to talk about him. How are you feeling?”
“I’m going to be okay, considering.” He took her hand in his. “Thank you for being here and for helping me, but you should probably go. I didn’t mean to cause any more trouble for you. I needed to be sure he wasn’t…hurting you. I wouldn’t put it past him. That male is unstable.”
“You see it too?” Her eyes brightened.
“Yes,” he nodded, “I do. It’s why I haven’t been able to stay away. One of the reasons at any rate.”
She looked relieved. “No one else does. They all think I’m being difficult. Even my father. He wouldn’t listen when I tried to talk to him earlier. He’s known Cody his whole life. I guess he struggles to believe he could be like this.”
“He should have listened.” He frowned “You shouldn’t be here though. I can’t believe Cody would lock you in here. I can only think that you must have made some sort of deal with him. Which worries me. You’re making things more difficult for yourself.”
“I’m the only person in our village willing to be in here with you. You needed help. Cody can’t have you dying on him. He’d be in big shit with your people if anything happened…wouldn’t he?” She looked worried.
“I was trespassing, so technically, he could have killed me and gotten away with it. My brother warned me not to come but I didn’t listen.”
Demi looked down. She let go of his hand, picking at the quick of her nail.
“What is it?”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” She sighed. “I wish this hadn’t happened but you’re going to be fine.” She brightened up, her eyes locking with his. “You’ll be better in a day or so and they’ll let you go.”
His eyes narrowed. “I doubt that. There must be some sort of punishment they plan on meting out.”
“I spoke with Cody. He will let you go once you’re healed. You’ll probably have to swear never to come back onto our territory again.” Her eyes were dark and hazed over for a moment and then she smiled. “It’ll be okay. He’ll let you out of here. You’ll have to swear though and stick to it.”
It was just as he had imagined. Demi had made a deal with the devil. “That’s not going to happen.”
She frowned. “You have to do what they say, Obsidian. We enjoyed an amazing night together. We are highly compatible and…” He watched her throat work. “I happen to like you very much, but this thing between us has to end. You can’t check in on me, you can’t protect me. You can’t ever come back again.”
“You just asked me if Cody was unstable and I agreed, yet you expect me to leave you with him…just like that?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “He is my mate. I hate the idea. I wish it could be different, but it isn’t. I need to face facts and—”
“I thought you were fighting the mating.”
“Is that why you keep coming back?”
The million-dollar question. He shifted, grimacing at the pain that flared in his chest. “My main reason for coming back was to ensure your safety. No one else in your pack has been willing to do that. I felt compelled. I couldn’t just leave you to your fate. And yes,” he pushed a breath out through his nose, “I did…and still do hold hope that you won’t be forced to complete your mating with that fucker, that we—”
“Stop right there.” She looked stricken. “Don’t say anything more. You’re wasting your breath. My mating isn’t going away. In order for that to happen, Cody would have to release me from my vows, which he won’t do. He already made that clear.”
“I don’t understand why he would want to force you into this. You will never be happy. I’ve never outright said this to you but don’t do it, Demi.” He shook his head. “Don’t let them bully you. Let’s escape…together…we can—”
“Please stop there!” She sounded stricken.
Obsidian bit down on his tongue to keep from finishing what he wanted to say.
“It can’t happen.” She shook her head.
He swallowed down his disappointment. “I know.”
“The ridiculous thing is that I’m sure Cody will come to regret it if we finish the mating. He’ll realize that he can’t use me to replace Brie. I firmly believe that’s what he’s trying to do.”
Obsidian nodded. “So, you’re not going to go through with it then?” He could see instantly that she did plan on doing just that. “You will never be happy.” There was urgency in his voice. “Please. I’m not saying this because I want a shot at something with you…I would love it, but that’s not the main reason. I have no ulterior motive other than wanting to see you happy. You’ll never be happy with Cody.”
“I have no choice.”
“There is always a choice. Your family, your people, that male,” he growled, “they would all have you believe that there is no choice but there is. They—”
“Cody is going to have you executed if I don’t go through with it.”
“That fucking coward!” he snarled.
“Surely he can’t do that though, can he?” He could see panic well in her. “He plans on skewing what happened that night…making it sound like you forced me. Like I’m so distraught over what happened that I don’t remember it clearly. So distraught, I can’t even go through with the consummation of our mating.”
“I also trespassed…several times.” Fuck!
“He’s going to spin it so that it looks bad…really bad. He wouldn’t get away with it though, would he? Your people would fight it, wouldn’t they?”
Obsidian nodded. “They would try. I’m not sure what kind of good it would do. The trespassing alone, especially when I was implicitly banned from coming back here…that might already be enough.”
“To kill you?” Her voice was shrill.
“I broke that prick’s ribs. I rutted you. I trespassed. He might just pull it off.” His gut churned. “I will accept my fate though.” He gripped her hand firmly in his. “Don’t do it! Don’t finish the mating because of me.”
“What?” she half-yelled. “You can’t be serious? I’m not letting them do this. I won’t let them hurt you anymore.”
“It’s my choice and I—”
“It’s my life. You came to protect me, and now I must do the same for you. You’ll be decapitated with a silver blade and I will still be forced to stay in the mating anyway. It will have been for nothing.”
“Fight this!” he urged.
“I can’t. It’s tradition. It’s how things—”
“It’s bullshit!”
“I know that. Unfortunately, the elders and the leaders of the packs feel differently. I have fought this. I’ve tried to change their minds. I’
ve begged. I’ve pleaded…I’ve done everything I can think of. None of it has helped. I refuse to stand by and watch them kill you, Obsidian. To watch them accuse you of things you didn’t do. I care too much to let that happen.”
His chest warmed. “You care?”
She rolled her eyes, a small smile toying with the edge of her mouth. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be in this cage if I didn’t.”
“Don’t do it! Don’t go through with it, unless you change your mind about him. Forget about me and—”
“That’s not going to happen. You have done everything to protect me. I mean,” her eyes moved to his chest, “look at you. This happened because you were trying to help me. It’s my turn to help you. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you. I can help you.”
“But at what cost? No, you—”
“We’re not going to argue,” she insisted. “We have ten hours left.”
“Ten hours?” He frowned.
“Before I have to go to…before I have to leave you.”
“To go to him?”
She didn’t say anything. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Obsidian had to hold back a roar.
“I don’t want to waste that time arguing,” Demi went on. “You keep referring to your brother, Mountain, I think you said his name is. Are you guys close?”
Obsidian wanted to argue further. He had to try to change her mind. Instead, he nodded. “Mountain is my twin brother.”
She gasped. “You have a twin?”
He nodded. “Yes and to answer your question, yes, we are close. My brother is my best friend. I could not imagine losing him. I cannot comprehend how it must have been for you to lose your sister.”
“Terrible.” She looked down at her hands and then back up at him. “Are the two of you identical?”
Obsidian nodded. “Yes, although, not completely. There are subtle differences. The biggest though, are our personalities. I am a loner. I do not fit in at all. I have been told that I don’t play nice.”
“I would have to disagree.” Demi smiled. It was sad, twisted his heart and his gut. “I think you’re one of the nicest people I have ever met.”
“Thank you, Demi.” He smiled back. “Mountain is well liked. He is the highest-ranking of the non-royals.”
“Oh yes, I forgot about that. You guys have kings and queens.”
“Yes, the royals have golden markings, where we have silver.”
“I prefer silver.” She put her hand back on his chest for a moment. Her touch felt like heaven. “Your wounds are looking much better after your rest.”
“I am beginning to feel…more myself.”
“Tell me more about your royals. Who is your king?”
“His name is Granite. He is mated to a human female.”
“I hear that, like the vampires, your species is taking many humans. Ours are too.”
“Yes.” Obsidian nodded.
“Where are…?”
“I don’t want to talk about my king or human females. I want to know about you, Demi. I know we will never be together, but I will feel better having known you…even if it’s just for a few more hours.”
“Okay.” She smiled shyly. “What do you want to know?”
“Your favorite food. We can start there.”
“That’s easy…ribs. It doesn’t matter which form they’re in. The only thing that changes is whether or not they’re basted and grilled or raw.”
“Your wolf likes basted ribs on the grill?”
She grinned ruefully. “Yeah.”
He chuckled, clutching his chest and grimacing when his wounds pulled tight.
“Are you okay?” She leaned over him, her eyes filled with concern.
“All good!” he pushed out. “Now, tell me what you enjoy doing. Do you have any hobbies?”
“Baking. I love to bake. My favorite is making all kinds of cookies.”
He sucked in a breath. “No! I love cookies…in fact, I happen to think you scent of them. The vanilla kind with real butter and sprinkles on top.”
She smiled shyly at him. “Really? Cookies?”
He nodded. “Cookies are my favorite.” Just like Demi…a firm favorite. There was this tugging inside him. “You definitely scent of them.”
She broke eye contact. Breaking the moment. “Um…my baby brother also loves cookies. His name is Serge,” she spoke quickly. “He’s a real goofball. I think you guys would get along.”
“I do too. Do you have any other siblings?” And boom, just like that, sadness was back and he could have damn well kicked himself for being the one to cause it. “Mountain is my only sibling,” he quickly added. “He recently mated.”
“Oh.” Her eyes brightened. “Good for him.”
“It’s quite a funny story actually…how he and Page met.”
Demi leaned down on her thighs, getting comfortable. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
“He was on the hunt.”
She frowned. “Hunting for deer?”
Obsidian grinned. “Not deer, no ‒ humans. He was hunting humans.”
“Humans?” Her brows lifted in shock.
Obsidian chuckled. “Let me tell you about the hunt first and then we’ll get to Mountain and his initial meeting with Page.”
She nodded once, waiting for him to continue.
They must have talked for a good couple of hours. Both of them trying to avoid what was coming. The clock kept on ticking. Obsidian wished he could stop it. Wishing even harder that he could do something to stop where this was headed. He’d never felt more useless in all of his life and it had nothing to do with the holes in his chest. All of them felt like they were right through his heart.
Chapter 18
The talking woke her up. She wasn’t sure when she had even dozed off. Sometime after Obsidian had fallen asleep.
“Listen to the female,” someone urged. “She is right,” he spoke under his breath.
Demi turned over onto her back.
“She’s awake,” the same person said.
She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, when she took in the male on the other side of the bars. “You must be Mountain.” She couldn’t believe how alike they were. Their bone structure, their eyes…everything. Mountain’s hair was a touch shorter, a little more styled but otherwise, they were carbon copies.
“Hello,” another male said, he was standing next to Mountain.
“Hi, I’m Demi.” She waved a hand, feeling a little unsure when she saw the golden tattoo.
“I’m Shale,” he smiled.
Obsidian growled softly, it sounded like a warning.
Demi looked down at him, noticing how he had pulled himself up into a semi-reclining position. “How are you feeling? Do you want some water?” She lifted the bottle.
“I can see why you are taken,” Shale said.
“Stop that!” Mountain growled. “My lord,” he quickly tacked on. “You’re not helping things.”
“The wolf is quite a pretty thing…doting too.”
“Demi,” Obsidian snarled. “Her name is Demi.”
Shale nodded once. “No need to be testy. I see what you mean,” the prince addressed Mountain. “Obsidian definitely has feelings for the female, despite them not knowing each other very long.”
“We are just friends,” Demi interjected. It wasn’t entirely true, since friends weren’t supposed to be attracted to friends.
Shale snorted. “Not a chance. No wonder your mate, the Alpha, is so pissed off at this whole situation.”
Obsidian growled low. His whole chest vibrated. His teeth looked like they had sharpened slightly. “Demi was forced to mate that prick.”
“I know the whole story,” Shale said, sounding bored. “Mountain filled me in.” He looked her way. “The fact of the matter is that you are mated.”
“They haven’t—”
He put up a hand. “I know it hasn’t been consummated. I have a nose…last time I checked I wa
sn’t an idiot.”
Obsidian clenched his jaw. “I just got out of a meeting with the Alpha and what he had to say was damning.”
“All lies,” Obsidian snarled. Demi put her hand on his chest and he instantly calmed.
“Not all of them.” Shale shrugged. “You did rut his girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend my ass!” Obsidian muttered.
“That’s what promised means. The female…Demi was his girlfriend at the time.”
“I hadn’t agreed to anything, so that’s not technically true.”
“The male thinks she was his girlfriend at the time, and you rutted her. Several times if I’m not mistaken. You trespassed and had your wicked way with her. Unfortunately, you picked the wrong female. Then you proceeded to beat up the Alpha when he called you out on it.”
“That’s not how it happened,” Obsidian snarled.
Shale ignored the outburst. “You trespassed several times more, threatening not just to beat but to kill the Alpha.”
Obsidian rose up to a sitting position. His muscles bulged. “The fucker deserved it!” he shouted.
“I know he did.” Shale nodded once. “Again, Mountain filled me in, but it looks bad. It looks seriously fucking bad. To make matters worse, he’s hinting that the rutting wasn’t completely consensual. He says you are having a hard time being with him…sexually because you can’t get that night out of your mind. Now I know that it’s probably really because you want more of that,” Shale spoke to her, pointing at Obsidian, “and none of that.” He pointed behind him, to where the door was located. Hinting at Cody.
Demi felt her cheeks heat.
“He’s spinning it differently,” Shale said.
“I know,” Demi replied.
Shale suddenly looked serious, turning to Obsidian. “That male will take your head.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “He has called a meeting in an hour.”
Her twenty-four hours would be up then.
“He is going to decide on your fate,” Shale said. “You need to take Demi up on her offer.”
“That’s bullshit and—”
“He’s right,” Demi said. “I’ve been trying to tell Obsidian that. We don’t have a choice here.”
Savage Dragon: Earth Dragons Series: Book 2 Page 13
