by Lacey Thorn
An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
Fanning Her Flames
ISBN 9781419910555
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Fanning Her Flames Copyright © 2007 Lacey Thorn
Edited by Helen Woodall.
Photography and cover art by Les Byerley.
Electronic book Publication August 2007
This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.
Fanning Her Flames
Lacey Thorn
This book is dedicated to the following people:
To my brother who was the first to introduce me to fantasy and sci-fi books. I found a new love and I thank you for it.
To my little Chewie, you make me proud!
To my fellow froggies, may the pond waters ripple often with our waves of celebration!
And last but never least, to Shel, Mel, and Kel, who help me keep my sanity with plenty of girls’ nights out!
Prologue
As it once was
Asme looked up at the man who had just placed an eagle on her lower right abdomen. The flesh was numb but she could still smell where it had been burned into her skin. This man called himself the prince. His brother still held her arms tight across her chest. All of the claimable women on her small island home were now held by their new mates. These men had stormed their island and forcefully taken possession of it and now them. Asme felt sorrow. Now they would all suffer the same fate because this man, this prince, had taken instead of speaking with the women and asking if they would share the bounty of their unblemished island home and allow the warriors to court them.
The high priestess of the goddess’s temple had placed a curse on the Isle of Altair and all who now lived there.
“Then know this, Warrior. Because you take instead of seek, because you cause the goddess to weep. In this take heed my words to hear, for a time of reckoning soon will near. In five times five the Guardians will arise, five women marked by the goddess’s eyes. Of fire, earth, water and air, four will become the Guardians of Altair. The fifth shall ply the mystic realms and draw them together in the valley of Elms. When the five are united in this mystic place, only then will the curse be lifted I place. Cursed to battle to hold what you take, this is the hand dealt you by fate. Warriors fierce with muscles and brawn shall pray for the day of the Guardians to dawn. For only through them will peace come at last. The Guardians united shall atone for your past. So protect and serve when once they appear, or be cursed to live forever in fear.”
The prince of course had scoffed at the idea of a curse but the priestess had taken a dagger to her palm and dripped her blood on the altar before speaking the sacred words to begin their plight.
“Marked with blood to seal the curse. You have sealed your own fate and that of all of your warriors, Prince. You will know no peace until they come. Remember my words and guard them well. For if one shall die all will be lost.”
Asme had been given the task of making sure that all the women on Altair knew of the curse and made preparations for the coming of the Guardians of Altair. The high priestess had known that she could trust Asme to see this task done. After all, the high priestess was Asme’s mother.
So now she stood on the steps of the sacred Temple of the Goddess and witnessed the rite of Warrior Claiming Law. According to Warrior Law, which they would all now be subject to, once a woman was claimed, marked and bedded, she would be the undisputed bonded mate of the set or group of warrior brothers who had claimed her, a new way of life for them all. Only now when women were so scarce were the groups of brothers forced to share a mate instead of each seeking their own. Asme now belonged to the prince and his brother.
The prince stood and he and all the warriors in the courtyard yelled their triumph to the heavens. These men, who had suffered the loss of their home, their wives, daughters and mothers, now had a place to live and women to start over with. The prince held his hand up for silence and spoke to his warriors.
“You may now bed your mate!”
To Asme’s horror many of the women were pulled to the ground right there and mounted. As the women didn’t wear much clothing—their tops consisted of two scarves tied together behind their neck, wrapped around their chest, each cupping a breast and then tied behind their back, and skirts that fell to their ankles made of black scarves attached to a black band of lace—this wasn’t hard for the warriors to accomplish. The skirts were shoved up out of the way, the tops untied and moved aside.
Asme felt her own body being tugged down to the steps. The prince’s brother held her hands high over her head with one hand and untied her top with the other. The prince knelt between her thighs, shoving her skirt to her waist before spreading her legs wide. He quickly untied the laces on the brown pants that every warrior wore but didn’t remove his belt of weapons before pulling his long, thick cock out and placing it at her pussy. As she felt no lust for this man in this moment she was dry as could be.
The prince scowled down at her before spitting on his hand and using it to moisten her enough to allow his cock entry. Asme gritted her teeth and refused to cry out as he used her body for his pleasure. He was large and she had not yet known a man. Tears leaked from her wide-open eyes but not a word left her mouth. She could taste her own blood where she was biting into her bottom lip. The prince turned away from her face, bending down to latch onto one of her nipples. He sucked and fucked, using and abusing Asme as only a man can.
Once she thought she saw a look of compassion and remorse cross his face but it was there and gone too quickly for her to be sure. Finally he reached his release and spilled his cum in her pussy, throwing his head back and roaring his triumph for all to hear. Finished, he pulled from her and put his cock back in his pants and stood up to retie his laces.
“She’s all yours now, Godar,” he told his brother. But Godar just shook his head before he ripped a scarf from her skirt and started wiping her thighs with it. It was only then that the prince noticed the blood that marred the creamy skin of her still-splayed legs. His eyes flew back to her face and he noticed the bloody portion of her bottom lip that still bore the impressions of her teeth. Silent tears still seeped from her eyes and the sight of her like that tore at the ice that encased his heart. For the first time he noticed how young she was. He would have never expected her to be a virgin at twenty-four. Women in his culture were claimed on the passing of their twenty-first summer. He felt shame for what he had done to this woman he had taken as mate and that made him angry. “Do with her as you wish. I will see about turning this temple into a residence for us.” With that he strode away and didn’t look back.
Godar looked down at Asme and gently wiped her tears from her cheeks. He wiped the blood away as best he could and gently fixed her clothing before easing her into his arms and heading for the temple as well. Asme realized he was heading to the bathing room and realized he must have come across it when he and other warriors were searching the temple for women. He placed her on her feet, just inside the door. He pointed to one of the tubs of still-steaming water and pointed to himself before motioning to the door.
Asme understood several things then. The first was that this brother was nothing like the prince. No, this man seemed kind and gentle but she was still aware that he was a big man and, looking at his pants, one with a very big erection. Second was that he couldn’t speak.
“You cannot talk, can you?” Asme asked of the silent Godar.
He shook his head no, yet at the same time she heard a velvety voice in her head say, No, unfortunately I cannot speak to you, my love.
She blinked at him in sharp surprise. “Did you say something?”
Now it was his turn to look surprised. He shook his head no once again and thought, If only you could hear the words of my soul. I have so much to say, so much to share. I would tell you of how things were for us before and why the man you know as prince is not the man who I have always known and loved as brother. I would tell you of hearts broken by dying mates and children. I would tell you of a beautiful island that we called home and that is now no longer inhabitable. I would tell you how beautiful you are and that I wish nothing more than to see you smile.
Asme was amazed by the fact that she really could hear him speaking in her head and thanked the goddess for this gift. She smiled at Godar and asked, “You only wish to see me smile? And what about that other weapon you now carry?” She glanced meaningfully at his straining erection.
Godar answered in his mind. I would never take you without your consent. I will mate with you only when you are accepting of me.
Asme stepped forward and placed her palms on his chest. “Perhaps we could start with a kiss, my noble warrior.”
Godar bent to kiss her but stepped back as it dawned on him what had just happened. This beautiful woman who his brother had just claimed as their mate could hear him. She could actually hear the words that no one had ever heard before. You can hear me, he thought.
“I can hear you,” Asme agreed softly. Then she tugged him down and kissed him gently on the mouth. She finally pulled away and stroked her hand down his cheek and over his jaw. She turned and headed to the tub, disrobing on the way.
I will leave you. He spoke in her head.
Asme turned, completely naked, and faced him. “There is no need. You are my mate now, as I understand. Besides I would love it if you would talk to me like you wished. I would like to know everything but especially about you and your brother.”
So while Asme bathed Godar told her of all that the warriors had endured. He spoke of how they had buried their women and female children. How most of the warriors had hardened with the task. He spoke of how their island had started dying as well. First the fresh island water had been contaminated and then the lush plant life had begun to fade. There was nothing these strong men could do but leave and search elsewhere for a new place to call home. A strong storm had landed them on the shores of the Isle of Altair. That is how they arrived and claimed this island for their new home. Then they had discovered that not only was there fresh water and a food supply but women as well. The warriors sought to rebuild not only their homes but their culture and way of life as well.
“Is there no way to blend warrior and goddess law? Is there no way to bring harmony?” Asme asked.
Godar seemed to think about it for a moment before he smiled and nodded at her. I have some ideas but I will wait and see how my brother responds before I get your hopes up, my love.
Asme smiled. “What is your brother’s name, Godar? Or am I to refer to him as Prince?”
His name is Micah, Godar thought with a sad shake of his head. He was rough with you and I am sorry for that. I will not make excuses for his actions for there are none but I will share this with you. Micah lost not only his bonded wife when the disease swept through our island but three young daughters as well. The oldest was just three, the youngest mere weeks.”
Asme felt sorrow at his words. So there was more to this man, this prince of warriors than met the eye. He had loved once and lost everything. That would be hard for anyone. “What of you? Did you lose anyone special?”
Godar shrugged and thought, Who could love a man with no voice?
Asme sat forward and cupped his face again. “I could,” she told him. “Your voice is more beautiful to me than any other I’ve ever heard.” She kissed him thoroughly then, letting his tongue into her mouth and placing hers in his as well before easing away and sinking back into her tub of water. He smiled at her and stroked a finger down her cheek. She would learn much from this man with no voice. She would listen, learn and plan. She must see to the comfort and happiness of her own people and she must see to the preparations for the coming of the Guardians.
The old priestess, Asme’s mother, had not been playing with words when she had informed the prince that Asme was already a princess. Asme and her mother were the last of the direct descendents of the goddess’s blood line. Asme was known to everyone on the Isle of Altair and they all knew she was the last of the line of Mahiki, Blood Princess, a title given only to the princess who was of the direct blood line of the goddess herself. The title would end with her as the prophecy written in the goddess’s book stated. Now Asme finally understood why the line of Mahiki ended with her. Because from this day forward nothing would ever be the same for any of them again.
Chapter One
Farrah had discovered her ability to make fire by accident when she was thirteen. She and her mother, Solame, had gone to the old temple, now the home of the Princess Asme and her warrior mates. While her mother spoke with the princess, whom Farrah had always known as Aunt Asme because of the close friendship shared by the princess and Farrah’s mother, Farrah had stumbled upon a bow and quiver of arrows left unattended in the garden.
Farrah had only wanted to look at them and perhaps see how they worked. She was just trying to nock an arrow into the bow when an old woman, one of the elders of her people, came around the corner and yelled at her. Farrah dropped the bow and jumped back from it, startled by the woman she had not noticed was there. Then she heard laughter from a set of young warrior twins who followed the elder woman and one of the boys scooped up the bow as they continued to their mother, Aunt Asme.
Farrah felt consumed by anger at the sound of the laughter of this youngest set of her Aunt Asme’s little warriors who even now continued to point and laugh at her. Adding insult to injury was that they were nearly half her age and knew exactly how to shoot the bow, how to nock the arrow, when she had no idea. This made her even angrier as she thought of the ways of a woman now that they all lived under Warrior Law. Girls were brought up in the same caste systems as their mothers but they all knew that once they passed their twenty-first summer they would be claimed, mated and if their mates were from a different caste then the women would be taken from all they knew and placed with their husbands’ family.
Her Aunt Asme had at least persuaded her mate, Prince Micah, to allow the caste systems to remain and in the beginning the warriors had become a part of the caste of the woman they had chosen for mate. But as children were born and grew it became the warrior way that mates joined the caste of their warriors. As the caste systems that made up each village were so different it was often expected that a woman would have to learn an entirely new way of life if she was mated outside her own caste.
Farrah was part of the fire class as was her mother. It was the job of the women of their caste to man and protect the village fire. They made sure the flame never died out. They cut and supplied the needed wood and kindling, they made sure the torches were lit at night and were never low on oil. They made sure the prince’s home was never without. It was hard work but the girls’ training began almost as soon as they could walk. These women were designated by their red veil tops, a symbol to all that they were the makers of flames.
Aunt Asme was a member of the healers. These women were trained in the art of healing the sick and wounded. They also were responsible for the upkeep and care of the animals, chief among these the shebana beasts, brawny four-legged creatures with a long mane and tail that the warriors often rode. These women were recognized by their black veil tops, a reminder to all that they often held the decision of life and death in their hands.
Also among the village were the women of the earth whose jobs it was to see to the planting and growing of food,
flowers and trees. When something was removed from the earth and used by their people for food, shelter, or some other need these women saw to the replanting as well as the harvesting since the earth was sacred and no part removed was ever to be wasted. They wore the color green in their veils to show their tie to the grasses and leaves that covered their island home.
Next were the women in blue, a close resemblance to the flowing waters they oversaw. These were the ones who kept the water clean and life-sustaining. They carted the water into the main well in the village, ensuring that it never ran dry. Pumps were maintained so that no caste was ever without this greatest of all needs. These women held an enormous responsibility that was instilled in them as young children. For without the life-giving sustenance of water everyone and everything would cease to exist.
Finally were the women in white. Farrah wasn’t sure exactly what their job was but she always saw them out in the village. She knew that they always seemed to have a bird of some sort on their arm and she had often wondered if they weren’t talking to these winged creatures in some way. She prayed to the goddess that she would not end up mated to anyone in this caste as she had a fear of the flying fowl.
All of this went through the thirteen-year-old Farrah’s mind as she listened to the laughter of the young boys. At their age she was gathering kindling, helping to replenish the oil in the torches and doing various other chores that were expected of her. Yet here they were playing, and playing with a bow and arrow no less. Something Farrah would love to learn to use.
Farrah burned with anger. She clenched her fists tight and when she opened them there in her palm was a small ball of flames. She stared at it, mesmerized by the colors and warmth. Most amazingly of all was that it didn’t burn. She was so transfixed by it that she didn’t notice her Aunt Asme come to her.
