Forbidden Craving

by Gena Showalter

  “Good,” the man—vampire?—said. “Now, I’m going to remove my hand. If you scream to draw your lover in here, we’ll kill him without hesitation. Understand?”

  We’ll. We will. There were at least two in the room with her. Good to know.

  She offered an affirmative nod, even though her mind screamed “No!” over and over again.

  Somehow, she had to warn Valerian without luring him into an ambush. What could she do?

  Think, Shaye, think.

  As promised, the man removed his hold on her mouth. She dragged in a shaky breath. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “We are dragons, and we are going to take you home.”

  Dragons. The enemy. They will ravish you and burn you, Valerian had said. She shook her head, tendrils of hair slapping her cheeks. “I am home.”

  She was, wasn’t she? She’d finally found the place she belonged. Not just temporarily but forever.

  “That’s what the others said, as well, but they didn’t sway us from our purpose, and you won’t, either.”

  “You can’t take me. I won’t let you.” She’d promised Valerian she would stay. She would not break her word.

  Valerian! her mind shouted. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the dark. She counted four silhouettes, each larger than the last. Weapons of all shapes and sizes were strapped to their bodies.

  “We can do whatever we want,” one of the men said, clearly amused by her spirit. “Sit up, dearling. Slowly.”

  He was one of those. The Hero of Sexist Elitism.

  She did as instructed, clutching the sheet to her chin.

  “I’m naked,” she snapped. “I need clothes.”

  “Here,” said a man to her left. “Put this on.”

  A gown was shoved over her head, surprising her.

  “Why are you doing this?” she demanded, quickly pulling the garment the rest of the way down. Gossamer silk, practically see-through. Whatever. It would do.

  “Poseidon has returned to punish the nymphs for breaking our laws. Now stand up. Keep your arms at your side.”

  Poseidon. The Greek god of the ocean. He was in Atlantis? Determined to dish out a few spankings. Unease churned in her stomach.

  She inched from the bed as quietly as possible, hoping the dragons wouldn’t sense her exact location. The door was to the left, and she inched one step forward, two. Then she broke into a full run.

  Strong arms anchored around her before she reached the door, bringing her to a dead stop.

  “You’ll pay for this,” she grated as she flailed. “Let me go.”

  “Woman, I warned you.”

  Knowing he meant to knock her out, Shaye increased her struggles. She used moves she’d learned in self-defense class, slamming her elbow into his stomach, stomping on his instep, dropping, but to no avail. “I hope you’re cursed!”

  “No worries. I am.” A heavy sigh. “I’m sorry to do this, but you’ve given me no choice.”

  “Liar! We always have a choice!”

  His hold on her tightened.

  One of the other dragons snapped a stream of words she didn’t understand and her captor loosened his hold. A moment later, someone else approached her. This one muttered a new series of unintelligible words, and a wave of lethargy swept through her. Her eyelids drifted shut, so heavy she could no longer hold them open. Sleep beckoned her, as alluring as any nymph.

  Help, she tried to scream, knowing this moment—this might be her final moment in Atlantis. If she fell asleep, she would be taken from Valerian.

  Help...sleep...sleep...no! She shook her head. Scream! She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged.

  And still sleep called to her, luring her.

  “She’s a fighter, this one,” someone said, his awe clear.

  “I’ve never seen such determination.”

  “She should have dropped by now.”

  “Sleep, woman. On the morrow, you won’t remember any of this.”

  What! No. No, no, no.

  She prized her memories of Valerian. He’d gifted her with her first taste of contentment. First taste of pleasure. Her first taste of hope...

  Strength abandoned her limbs, slowly or quickly, she wasn’t sure. Time had ceased to exist. Utter darkness continued to creep gnarled fingers inside her mind.

  Fight...fight...can’t leave him...can’t forget him...can’t...sorry, so sorry...

  She knew nothing else.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  WITH HIS DUTIES COMPLETED, the palace fortified, his guests welcomed properly, Valerian raced back to his bedroom. Urgency filled him. He wanted Shaye again. He hungered for her. The more time he’d spent apart from her, the more crazed he’d become. He needed her.

  And he sensed that she needed him, too. A moment ago, he thought he’d heard her voice in his mind, calling out to him.

  He quickened his pace, speeding through the hallway, through the door. He would strip and crawl into bed beside her, if that’s where she was, and awaken her with his mouth between her legs. She would scream his name, and the sound would echo between—

  He stopped abruptly. He stood at the edge of the bed, golden rays of light streaming over its emptiness. Only rumpled sheets remained.

  “Shaye,” he called.

  When silence greeted him, he spun, searching other areas. She hadn’t been in the bathing pool; he would have seen her when he passed.

  “Shaye?”

  Again, there was only silence. Thick, frightening silence.

  Where had she gone? He didn’t want her roaming the halls without a guard. He wanted nothing taken for granted where her safety was concerned.

  He didn’t allow himself to panic—yet. Her scent permeated the air—she’d been here very recently—but there were other scents... His nose crinkled, and he frowned.

  Dragons?

  He hurried through the entire palace: the dining hall, where he received curious glances, the training room, the weapons room in case she’d gotten lost. He’d been remiss in his duty toward her. He should have taught her the layout of the palace.

  Everyone he encountered, he demanded to know if she had been spotted. No one had seen her. In fact, several warriors were looking for their women, as well.

  “I can’t find Brenna,” Joachim said, worry thick in his voice.

  So, Joachim had taken Brenna from Shivawn—or maybe Shivawn had given her to the man. Valerian didn’t know and at the moment he didn’t care. All that mattered was Shaye.

  “I can’t find my bed partner,” another said.

  “I can’t find my human.” Still another.

  Hearing this, Valerian finally allowed his panic free rein. He sprinted to the cave. Surely Shaye hadn’t led all the women into the portal. She’d promised to stay. She’d told him she desired time with him. She had been so close to giving him her love; he’d sensed it.

  Had she changed her mind?

  Sweat trickled from his skin. Tension thrummed and pulsed.

  Had she lied in order to trick him into lowering his guard?

  No. No! She wouldn’t have left him willingly. She wasn’t a liar.

  The last time he’d seen her, she’d worn a soft, sated expression. Vulnerability had glinted in her eyes as she vowed to trust him. She’d said she craved fidelity from him, and those weren’t the words of a woman intent on leaving.

  That meant only one thing. She had been taken. But where? And by whom? Had his enemy returned more quickly than he’d anticipated? If so, why had they taken the women and not killed a single nymph?

  Battle strategy. Take the ones response for strengthening the nymphs, leaving the nymphs weak and vulnerable to injury.

  Hands fisted, Valerian swung around and backtracked, heading to the
top floor, leaving the coldness of the cave behind. He ran into Broderick.

  “Something’s wrong.” Broderick scrubbed a hand down his face. “The women. They’ve vanished.”

  “They’ve been taken. It happened within the last few hours, so there’s a good chance they’re still here. Keep searching, and send a full contingent to the portal.”

  Where else could he look? He’d searched the palace from top to bottom.

  Valerian stalked into the dining hall. Layel had returned to the table, staring into emptiness, sadness radiating from him.

  If the women had been taken out of the palace and into the Outer City... It wasn’t a place for unarmed females. Demons would eat anything, for they survived on fear and carnage. And demons would most definitely view the women as succulent treats.

  “Layel,” he said. He knew the vampire and his people had no responsibility in this. He trusted the male without question. “I need your help.”

  His friend jolted upright. “It is yours.”

  “How many of your people can withstand the light?”

  “Most of us can.”

  Vampires could scent humans like no other race. “Please, I’m begging you. Take your vampires through the forest and into the city to search for our women. The dragons have taken them.”

  In a movement so fluid it was almost undetectable, Layel stood. “I will do as you’ve asked. Do you stay or do you go?”

  Valerian debated. If he stayed and Shaye was in the city, she wouldn’t know Layel and would fight him, perhaps getting hurt in the process. But if Valerian left, and she was still inside the palace, perhaps being hidden and held against her will, the dragons waiting for the opportunity to push her through the portal, he would never forgive himself for leaving her.

  Indecision and frustration ate at him. Go? Stay? “I will go,” he finally said. He’d posted guards at the portal. The dragons would have to fight nymphs and females to get through. “Ready your men.”

  Layel nodded and rushed off.

  Valerian raced into his room and gathered the dragon medallion he’d tossed aside when making love with Shaye. He stuffed it in his pocket before hunting down Broderick, who had another contingent of armed warriors stomping through every room, questioning other nymphs and vampires. “I’m going into the city. Send a messenger if the women are found...whatever condition they’re in,” he added starkly.

  Broderick gave a stiff nod.

  Alone, Valerian paused and...cried. He wanted Shaye surrounded by a hedge of protection, wanted her back at his side, healthy and whole.

  He would trade his own life for hers. Gladly. Without hesitation.

  Stop blubbering like a baby. Go and fight for your woman!

  He grabbed the Skull and raced outside. The vampires possessed an unnatural speed. They would move much faster without him, and as much as he wanted to reach Shaye first, he would rather not hinder them.

  At the outer gates, the vampires had already gathered, preparing for the search. “Don’t let me slow you,” he told Layel. “Move as quickly as you can, and I’ll make my own way. Gather any human females you find.”

  Layel’s eyes glowed bright, vivid blue. “We will find her, Valerian. I won’t rest until we do.”

  Valerian turned away before he broke down a second time, just fell to his knees and sobbed. Loss wasn’t new to him, but this particular loss would kill him.

  “Go.” The single word was hoarse, scratching his burning throat. “Go.”

  The vampires leaped into action; one moment they were there, the next moment they were gone. Valerian entered the stable and mounted Henry the centaur. They raced around trees and quicksand, and he continually shouted Shaye’s name. Sometimes he paused to listen for a response.

  Finally he concluded she wasn’t in the forest.

  She wasn’t in the Outer City, either. None of the humans were, and none of the residents claimed to have seen them. He scoured every shadow, home, hill and valley until dusk. With every second that passed, his frustration magnified. So did his fear.

  Where was she? She wasn’t...dead. No, no. He could barely even think the hated word. He would have sensed it. As her mate, he would have known the moment death came for her, just as he’d known when his twin had died, all those years ago.

  He left Layel and the vampire army in the city with instructions to continue the hunt—they could see in the dark while he could not. Valerian returned to the palace.

  When he reached the gates, he dismounted and ran inside without a word. As he ran, he withdrew the dragon medallion from his pocket. The crystal door opened before him and closed behind him.

  The palace was eerily silent, his men nowhere to be seen.

  “Broderick,” he called. “Joachim. Shivawn.”

  He ground to a halt, the fine hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention. He sniffed, encountering the same faint scent from his bedroom.

  The dragons were here.

  Valerian quickly withdrew his sword from the sheath at his side.

  “Your men are otherwise occupied,” a voice said above him.

  Darius.

  Lips thinning in a fierce scowl, Valerian looked up. There, circling him from the second-floor parapet, was the entire dragon army.

  “What did you do with my woman?” he demanded.

  “By the time you discovered her missing, it was too late. We had already sent her home, nymph.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  “WAKE UP, SHAYE.” Shake. “Wake up.”

  Shaye heard the voice from a long, dark tunnel. Yes, she thought. Must. Wake. Up. Trouble was nearby. Trouble for her and for Valerian.

  Consciousness gradually worked through her mind, chasing away the darkness.

  “Wake up.”

  Slowly she cracked open her eyelids. Sunlight glared down at her, and orange-gold spots danced through her vision. Dry cotton filled her mouth. Sand and salt coated the rest of her. Her dress was stiff, as if it had been soaked and dried right on her. The sound of lulling waves greeted her ears, soothing, familiar. Yet...wrong. The smells weren’t right, either. Yes, she smelled salt, but not orchids or storms.

  “Valerian,” she called. Her throat felt raw, scratchy. “Valerian.”

  “Do you want the herb, honey? Someone. Help! Get me valerian root!”

  “No. I want the man. My man.” Her attention veered to the speaker. Her... “Mom?” She rubbed at her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been haunting the beach since you were taken. Are you—” her mother gulped “—okay? Did they hurt you?”

  “I’m fine.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Ameena kneeling in the sand, dark hair hanging in tangles around her face. Dirt smeared her blade of a nose and the sharpness of her now gaunt cheeks.

  Shaye crawled to her. “What’s going on?”

  “I want to go back,” she said, never looking Shaye’s way. “I’d give anything to go back.”

  Go back... Understanding clicked. Yes. The dragons had invaded Valerian’s bedroom, had threatened to take her to the surface, wipe her memory, then had rendered her unconscious.

  Well, the memory wipe clearly failed.

  She hugged the woman and shoved to her feet. Her equilibrium was off balance, and she swayed. Her mom wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Tamara asked.

  “Yes, yes. I’ll be fine.” Shaye massaged her temples to ward off the dizziness. She scanned the area. Other women were scattered across the beach. Some sitting up. Some still lying down. Others were walking around, frowning and obviously confused. “Ameena, help me talk to the others. Any who want to go back, we’ll try together.”

  When the world finally righted itself, she cataloged her surroundings. W
hite-gold sand stretched as far as the eyes could see. Waves crested to the beach, leaving sea foam in their wake. The sun shone brightly, no hint of crystal.

  “I was here when you arrived,” her mom explained, realizing the direction of her gaze. “I’ve questioned everyone who awoke. Most can’t recall their own name, why they’re here, or even how they got here.”

  “There was a boat docked over there.” Her mom pointed to the right. “The men inside helped get you to the beach, but they didn’t know anything, either. I did see the initials OBI on the side, though, whatever that means.”

  “I still don’t understand why you’re here,” Shaye said, pinning her with a frown.

  Tamara’s expression contorted. “After you disappeared, the police arrived at the tent. They didn’t believe us when we told them what had happened. They laughed at us, said you girls had probably paid strippers to pretend a mass abduction. All I could think was that you were gone, I’d never see you again, and the last words between us had been harsh.”

  “I—” Shaye had no idea what to say. Her mother had never shown her such a vulnerable, repentant side.

  “I haven’t been the best mother. I know that,” the distressed woman rushed on. “And I know things will probably never be comfortable between us. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  Tears burned Shaye’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around her mom. “Thank you for that.”

  Tamara hugged her back, expelling a shaky breath.

  “So you’re happy?” Shaye asked her.

  “Now that you’re here? Yes.” Her mom drew back and wiped at her own tears with the back of her wrist. “I think Conner truly is the love of my life, and Preston seems to like me. They’re at opposite ends of the beach, passing out flyers with your picture and asking if anyone’s seen you.”

  Wow. For the first time in her life, her mother was acting like a loving mother. As if they were part of a real family But...she had a new family, too. “I have to go back, Mom.” She wanted—needed—Valerian. He probably thought she’d left him on purpose. If he wasn’t—No! She wouldn’t think of him as dead. He was strong, the strongest man she’d ever encountered. He would have gathered his army and defeated the dragons.