Knight of Darkness

by Kinley MacGregor

  “Either Varian or Merewyn must return to us within the half hour or else…”

  “Or else what?” Merlin asked.

  “Merewyn dies on the spot.” Morgen turned over an hourglass that was filled with black sand. “If the last grain falls and no one is here in my hall, she will draw her last breath.”

  Varian shattered the ball with his powers as his fury exploded.

  Merlin took his rage in stride.

  “I won’t let my mother have her.”

  “We don’t have a choice. You know why you can’t go there again.”

  Varian shook his head as Merewyn moved to the table where Merlin had left pen and paper. Frowning, he watched as she scribbled something, then brought it over to him.

  And as he read the words, his heart shattered.

  You told me that your mother would force you to this and that when the time came you would sacrifice me to her. It is the way of it.

  “No!” he snarled, balling the paper up in his fist. “I will not allow you back there.” He looked to Merlin for help. “Merewyn knows the traitor. I don’t. She can give him to you.”

  “Your mother will kill you if you go back there.”

  Probably so. But he was going back with his powers intact. If they wanted to take him on, let them. “Let her try.”

  Merewyn was terrified as she listened to Varian rail. She couldn’t let him go back to Camelot. She’d made her deal already, and there was nothing to be done for it.

  But first she had to find some way to make Varian see the light. She placed one finger over his mouth as he started to argue more with Merlin. How strange that he who’d told her he would die for nothing would now be willing to give his life for hers.

  No one had ever given her so much.

  She only wished that she could tell him what she felt. Tell him why she had to do this. Tell him that she loved him.

  But instead all she could do was show him how much he meant to her.

  As if Merlin understood, she pulled back. “I have to go check on…something.” An instant later, she vanished.

  Varian let out a sound of disgust. “Merlin! You can’t get out of this that easily.”

  As he started for the door, Merewyn took his arm and pulled his lips to hers. The taste of him made her silently gasp. Honestly, this was all she wanted. To stay with him and hold him forever.

  But they’d never been destined to be together. All she could do was distract him. And with that thought in mind, she dipped her hand down and slid it under his armor.

  Varian couldn’t think straight as Merewyn’s hand brushed the skin of his stomach. Wanting more of it, he melted his armor to his leather jerkin and breeches.

  She immediately slid her hand down until she cupped him. His body swelled instantly. He deepened their kiss as her hand stroked him from tip to hilt.

  And when she pushed his breeches down below his hips to expose him, all rational thoughts evaporated. All he could focus on was her.

  She pulled back from his lips, then sank down in front of him. His lids heavy, he held his breath as he watched her. She stroked his sac with the back of her soft hands an instant before she took the tip of him into her mouth. He hissed as she took him in deeper and deeper still while her tongue gently stroked him.

  Merewyn moaned at the taste of his body. If she’d learned anything in Morgen’s court, it was that men were slaves to their hormones. This was their weakness.

  But, unlike Morgen and Narishka, she wasn’t about to use it to hurt him. She wanted only to protect him, which meant she had precious little time.

  Varian’s heart pounded as she tongued him so sweetly. But this wasn’t what he wanted.

  He pulled away before he lifted her from the floor.

  Merewyn held her breath, afraid she might have angered him. But there was no anger in his eyes, only desire. His breathing ragged, he lifted her to the table before he lifted her skirt to pool at her waist, baring her to his gaze.

  She bit her lip as he dipped his hand to stroke her. Spreading her legs wider, she leaned her head back. He bent over to kiss her throat an instant before he thrust inside her.

  He made love to her furiously, driving himself into her deeper with every stroke. Merewyn held him close.

  But their time was getting perilously short.

  Her body on fire, she wanted more of him.

  Varian quickened his strokes as he pressed himself deep inside her. He couldn’t remember wanting any woman as badly as he wanted her.

  She buried her hands in his hair and held tight an instant before he felt her climax. Her soundless cries of pleasure delighted him, urging him on until he joined her.

  His body convulsing, he held her close and wished he could take her somewhere and spend the rest of the day naked in her arms.

  But his mother wouldn’t allow them that peace. She would allow him nothing.

  Resigned to the truth, he withdrew from her.

  Merewyn panicked as he pulled his breeches up and fastened them. She didn’t know what to do. Her plan had been to seduce him, and instead he’d rattled her own senses.

  She had to think of some way to keep him here, away from Morgen. Unfortunately, there was only one other way she knew.

  When he started away from her, she seized a wooden mallet from the table and struck him hard on his head. He turned toward her with an accusing look an instant before he sank to the floor.

  “Narishka!” she shouted at the woman in her head. “I am yours. Come get me.”

  She’d no more thought the words than she was snatched from Avalon, back to the colorless drab world of Camelot.

  Merewyn cringed at the horror of it, especially as she saw Morgen and Narishka waiting for her.

  “How disappointing,” Morgen pouted. “I was so hoping Varian would come in your stead.”

  Narishka laughed. “He has.”

  Morgen frowned in deep consternation. “What are you talking about?”

  Narishka pulled Merewyn to her, then turned her to face Morgen. “Are your powers slipping, my queen? Can you not feel his powers inside her?”

  What were they talking about?

  Morgen’s interest sparked. “Why you little slut. You’re pregnant.”

  Merewyn shook her head in denial. She couldn’t be pregnant…could she?

  Well, of course she could be. At least in theory. But how would they know that?

  Narishka grabbed her by the hair and jerked her head back. “And she’s been with him recently. Her body is still marked by his touch.” Narishka ran her hand over the spot where Varian had suckled her neck. “There’s no way he won’t come for his whore and child. We have him right where we want him.”

  No! The word radiated inside her. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. Varian was supposed to be safe. And all she’d done by trying to protect him was drag him deeper into this.

  Dear Lord, what had she done?

  Varian came awake slowly to someone patting his back. Expecting it to Merewyn, he was stunned to find Beau standing over him.

  And no sooner did he focus on the gargoyle than he remembered what’d happened. Merewyn had struck him on the head with a hammer.

  “Where is my lady?” Beau asked quietly.

  “In trouble, I’m sure.”

  “In trouble how?”

  Varian didn’t answer. Instead, he rose to his feet fully intent on reclaiming her. The only problem was that when he tried to flash himself to Camelot, he stayed in Merlin’s chambers.

  “Merlin,” he snapped.

  She appeared instantly before him.

  “Free my powers.”

  “I can’t. I’m not the one who’s restricting them.”

  “Excuse me?”

  She held her hands up in surrender. “I swear I’m not the one doing it.”

  “Send me to Camelot.”

  “I can’t do that. You might not be able to return, and there’s no way I’ll be responsible for your death.”

&nb
sp; “Like you care. Now send me over.”

  “I do care, Varian.”

  He cursed at her words. “I have to protect Merewyn.”

  “And she is trying to protect you.”

  “I don’t need protection. What I need is…”

  She arched a brow at his words. “Is?”

  He’d wanted to say that he needed a way to Camelot, but those words stuck in his throat as he thought of Merewyn being hurt. Grief, raw and unimaginable, seized him. Crippled him. The thought of her in his mother’s hands made him sick on a level he’d never known existed.

  “I need Merewyn,” he said simply. “And I won’t live knowing that my life was bought at the expense of hers. Ever.”

  Disembodied applause filled the room.

  Varian frowned. What the hell was that?

  The thought had barely finished in his mind before Damé appeared beside Merlin. Tall and well muscled, the ancient god looked more like a god of war than one of fate. The only thing missing was armor, but Damé never wore armor. He’d once told Varian the reason for that was because it chafed.

  The god was dressed in a simple tunic and breeches. He had his dark blond hair tied back at the nape of his neck with a small leather cord. “Well put, Varian. But I have to say it shocks me. Never thought I’d hear something like that from the likes of you.”

  “I don’t have time for your bullshit, Damé. I have a serious problem.”

  “Yes, you do, and neither of you realize just how dire it is.”

  Merlin frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Well far be it from me ever to play sides, but right now, old mommykins and Morgen have a tool in their hands that could give them exactly what they want.”

  Merlin went pale. “They’ve found the grail.”

  “Not yet. But they have in their possession one who could.”

  Varian went cold. “They’ve found another grail knight.”

  Damé nodded.

  “Who?” Merlin asked. “They’re all accounted for.”

  “Yes, but one knight has fallen, and so another will be chosen to replace him.”

  Varian exchanged a puzzled stare with Merlin. “It has to be someone with a Merlin’s line…. Oh jeez, don’t tell me it’s Arador,” he said, using the name of the new king of Camelot, who was a Merlin in his own right.

  Damé shook his head. “Think closer to home. More to the point, think of you, yourself putting that tool in your mother’s hands.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Merewyn’s pregnant,” Merlin whispered.

  Varian’s breath left his body as if he’d been delivered a staggering blow. In fact, he felt like someone had landed a sledgehammer right in his stomach.

  Merewyn pregnant?

  “I have to go to her.”

  Damé’s cold steel gaze bit into him. “You do, and it’s over for you. Your mother has finally found the one noose to hang you with.”

  “I don’t care. I won’t leave her there to face my mother’s wrath.”

  “So are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for her?”

  “What do you think?”

  One corner of Damé’s mouth quirked up. “I think words are cheap.”

  Two seconds later, Varian was alone in Camelot.

  He summoned his armor, including his helm. Unwilling to take a single chance, he unsheathed his sword and used his powers to locate Merewyn.

  He paused as he found her, and a wave of disgust filled him. She was with the MODs of course. Where else would his mother have put her?

  Bracing himself for the fight to come, he flashed himself down to their hole. As he materialized, it took a second to get his bearings. He was in Bracken’s chambers, but the MOD leader was nowhere to be found.

  However Merewyn was. She sat on the floor, chained by her neck to an iron chair.

  She looked up at his approach with eyes filled with terror. The sight of it froze him to the center of his being as rage took hold of him. How dare they subjugate her like this.

  The instant he pulled the helm from his head, her fear melted. At least for a few heartbeats. Then it returned even stronger than before. “You have to leave.” Her words were silent, but he understood.

  “I will…as soon as I have you.”

  She shook her head fiercely as she gestured for the door.

  “You take her from here, and I’ll kill her.”

  Varian paused at the sound of his mother’s voice. Turning, he saw her and Bracken standing in the center of the large room. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Don’t bet on it, boy.”

  Had it been anyone other than his mother making that threat, he might have. As it was, he knew she wasn’t lying. Looks like they’d have to play another round of Let’s Make a Deal. “What do you want, mum?”

  “World domination. Bloodshed. War. Not much really. But I’ll start with you delivering to me the grail knights.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Then you’ll have to die.”

  “What? No more trying to convert me?”

  “Not really. I’m tried of wasting my time with you. But I wonder how strong you would be while I tortured your plaything in front of you?”

  Varian shot out a blast at his mother. It caught her and Bracken and knocked them off their feet. He turned to free Merewyn only to learn that his magick was useless against her chain.

  His mother laughed. “You didn’t think I’d make this easy on you? The bitch belongs here with us. She made a deal with me, and hell will freeze before I release her.”

  “Hmm…it appears Lucifer’s munching icicles.”

  Varian looked past his mother to find Damé standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

  Narishka pushed herself to her feet. “What are you doing here?”

  He snapped his fingers, and Merewyn let out an audible gasp as the chain fell from her throat. “Collecting my property.”

  “What?” Narishka breathed. “You can’t do that. I have a contract with her.”

  “Yes for one moon cycle and that ended while she was in the valley. Technically, Merewyn is free. At least she was until she sold her life to me for Varian’s.”

  Varian’s jaw went slack as he stared in disbelief.

  “She wasn’t allowed to tell you,” Damé explained. “I wanted to see if you were worth the price of her life or not. Lucky for her, you stood by her side even when it appeared she’d betrayed you and Emrys. Good man. Now, her life belongs to me.”

  Narishka shrieked in outrage. “You can’t take her. I won’t allow it.”

  “You can’t stop me.”

  As Damé started toward them, Narishka lashed her hands out.

  Varian had no idea what his mother was throwing at Merewyn, but he didn’t care. Without hesitation, he threw himself over her to protect her.

  The shot went through him like a blast of painful lightning.

  Merewyn cringed as she felt Varian shaking. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but when their eyes met, all she could do was stare in horror.

  Gone was the beautiful dark-haired knight who’d stolen her heart. In his place, was an old, twisted man.

  Damé cursed at Narishka, who showed no remorse.

  Instead, she laughed. “Well, I’d planned to make the chit hideous again. But this will do. You take her for your own, Damé, and Varian can live knowing no one else will ever touch him while you get to screw his plaything. Poetic really.”

  Cursing, Damé sent his own blast at Narishka. It struck her hard, knocking her against the wall and singeing her hair. Bracken took a step forward, then cowed back as Damé gave him an arch stare.

  Damé turned to face them, and in the next breath, they were back in Avalon.

  Merewyn was still holding Varian against her.

  “Come, Merewyn,” Damé said. “Time for us to leave.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t leave him. Not like this.”

  “You made a deal with
me.”

  “Please,” she begged, as tears suffused her eyes. “You don’t know what it’s like to be deformed and hated. I can’t abandon him to that cruelty.”

  “Go,” Varian breathed, trying to push her away. “I’ll be fine. Besides I’m used to it.”

  “No,” she breathed, as her tears started to fall. “You don’t deserve this.”

  Damé cocked his head as he stared at her. “So what are you saying, Merewyn? Do you love this man?”

  “Yes.”

  “Truly? You would rather spend the rest of eternity locked to an old, twisted man when you could spend it with me?”

  She looked at Damé, who was truly the epitome of male beauty. His face and body were flawless. His power absolute.

  Even so, Merewyn didn’t hesitate with her answer. “Only if that man is Varian.”

  “Look at him when you say that.”

  She did. His skin was gray and pockmarked. His fingers twisted. But his eyes were still that clear, beautiful green.

  “Do you still want to stay with that? To marry him?”

  “Yes.”

  Damé stepped forward. “Think about what you’re saying, Merewyn. Think about what it means.”

  Before she could respond, she saw a clear image of Varian’s twisted form making love to her. Of his gnarled, warted hands on her body.

  It should disgust her, but for some reason she wasn’t repelled, and for the first time she understood what Varian had meant in the valley when she’d been ugly.

  “I don’t care what he looks like.”

  “Hmm…well then, prove it to me, and I’ll rescind our agreement.”

  A wave of fear went through her. “Prove it how?”

  “Kiss him.”

  “Is that all?”

  Damé laughed. “Isn’t it enough?”

  Varian cringed as Merewyn faced him. If he looked half as bad as he suspected, he wouldn’t have blamed her had she run for the door. “You don’t have to do this.”

  She stepped into his arms. “Yes, Varian, I do.” She brushed the matted hair back from his face. “I don’t care what you look like. It’s you I love, not your looks. Your humor, your kindness, even that little snuffle snore you make when you sleep.”

  “I don’t snore.”

  She laughed. “Yes, you do.” And with that she pulled his lips to hers. Merewyn wrapped her arms around his shoulders as Varian nipped and teased her mouth with his crooked teeth.