by C F Rabbiosi
Exhausted, there’s nothing I could think to say that would matter. “What do you—” His haunting pools of quicksilver snatch my words away. He touches down the middle of my chest and I soak in his warmth.
“I could not save you from him, my Calypso.”
I step back, the loss of his touch an unnatural pain. “You got what you wanted.” I turn away, and strong hands snap me back.
“No.” He holds me against the wall and presses his face into my neck. “I have not protected you.” His voice pushes through me. “But I vow to kill him, even if it means my life for what I must do.”
“I don’t blame you for what’s happened.” Held against his chest, I breathe him in, allowing his essence to fill me like I’ve dreamed of every night since I lost him. “I love you,” I say hollowly. “And nothing has changed that.”
“You were the only thing that kept me alive. I had to get back to you.”
He seeks comfort at my lips, but I can’t give it to him. I whisper against them, their near touch overwhelming my senses. “Goodbye, Kassien,” I say, though all I want is to wrap my legs around him and melt into his skin. It’s not sex or lust that makes me yearn to bathe in his light, it’s the constant feeling of being treasured.
He holds me and I’m stuck tight, his pulse thundering against my chest. “Tonight a mating ceremony will take place.”
“Will you be staying then?”
His eyes shine as he lifts them slowly to me. “Yes. But—” He presses his kiss against my hand then holds it to his cheek. In his smile is sadness, something hidden, but I’m so glad he’ll be here. I feel safer with him and my mother than I have in so long. “I overheard Gerakon talking to Eladia,” he deflects, “about a strange reaction Kraetorr experienced to protect one of the women.”
“I think Drakon was so shocked when it happened that he let Glenda go to bed without getting the mark.”
“He also tried to talk to her about something else that seemed urgent, but she faded away.”
“Faded away?”
“The connection dissolved, and in quite a show of lights, she disappeared.”
“What about the weapons?” I ask, wishing I could shoot a specific few of the Koridons real quick before the day ends.
“They are hidden once more.”
Somewhere I hope Kassien has access to. I still don’t trust Drakon or any of his lot, even with the new laws in place. “Any idea what else Gerakon wanted to tell her?” I ask, instinctively touching my stomach.
He shakes his head. “No. I cannot imagine.” He kisses my palm and clutches it as though it were precious. “There is something I must tell you. I cannot leave your side. I will stay here with you, but the cost is high.”
I tense in his arms. “What are they going to do to you? Please, don’t stay if you can’t bear it. I won’t be able to live with myself.”
“I took you from your world selfishly and nothing will stop me from protecting you in this new one. You may belong to Brekter by law, but I will be at his back ready to snap his neck if he ever touches you again.” His fingertips tremble over my bruises.
“I found out who I really am because you took me. Though I suffer at Brekter’s hands, I still think this is the best we could ask for in regards to our people.” It hurts to say the words, knowing the villages may one day be safe but at a tremendous price for us few.
“I suspected your father may be Drakon or one of his spawn,” he says.
The age difference between us glares, and I wonder how old my half-brothers are. Drakon has many offspring, but he must have had them a long time ago before their children stopped surviving here. And that many heirs is no doubt the reason he has become so powerful. “I don’t want anything to do with that monster.”
“You’re so much more like your mother anyway. Except that she’s far scarier.”
I beam up at him. “She found you.”
“She saved me. In my last moments. Tenak is gone, but if your mother had not come for me, I would have left my body as well.”
I pause, feeling the sorrow of Tenak’s loss. “I’m so glad we’re all together. It isn’t under the best circumstances, but I don’t care. I’m so happy.”
“Calypso…” His voice somehow rumbles into my core, a soft stroking that pulls at the desire I try to tamp down. “Three years, then you are mine eternally.”
“Oh,” I murmur, knowing what I have to say, though I don’t wish to. But he has to know. “I could never leave my child, Kass.”
“But he would be in the best of hands. Raised well. You will not consider it?”
“I want you, but I will never abandon my child. I’m sorry.”
“No.” He holds me once more, stroking the back of my head, desperate movements, as though it sinks in that we may never be. “Do not apologize. I never should have asked it. But my need for you is so strong I am blind to all else.”
“And you will want a child, won’t you?” I ask. He had an overwhelming desire to have my body, but the production of an heir was a huge part of it.
He takes a deep breath and moves toward the stairs. “Something has come up, in fact. It will be painful for you. But I fear it is my only choice.”
“What are you saying?”
“Eladia has ordered…” He shakes his head and moves away. “I would leave, but I love you too much.”
“Just talk to me,” I say to his back, wishing I could go wherever he’s going. “I don’t understand.” He descends out of sight, and I trust that whatever must happen now, I don’t want to know before a good night’s rest.
The sun comes up too quickly as I fade in and out of sleep. Vaerynn sneaks in and leaves three gowns on the vanity, and anxiety clenches my stomach. I get up slowly so as not to disturb Momma, and find the ceremony dress that’s bigger than the other two. Holding the shiny black and gold material against me, I wonder who will be mated tonight in that awful show of power and domination. I should have asked the sovereign to do away with that barbaric ritual as well—after all, we’re giving up most of ourselves to become Koridon mothers, so why can’t they give up some things too?
“Caly?” my mother says. “What is that?” She sits up and gestures for me to hand the dress to her.
I toss her the one that will fit her. “We’re to attend the gruesome mating ceremony of one of the girls tonight.”
Blond Alice gasps and flies out of bed. Out of breath, she places her palms on the window and feels all around the glass.
“Will it be her?” my mother asks and throws the dress on the floor. “I won’t watch this tonight.”
“I don’t know, and I don’t blame you.” I slip the dress over my head and fix my sky blue locks in front of me. “But she’s supposed to be wed to a really nasty character, so I hope not.”
“Isn’t there a way she can marry one of the others?” Mother walks up behind the crying girl looking out upon the sea.
“Kjartonn has some sick obsession with her, and he’s the commander’s son. I don’t know if there’s anything that can be done.”
“Oh, there is,” blond Alice says and knocks on the glass. “It’s so beautiful out there in the ocean, isn’t it?” Her voice sounds soft and far away as she marvels at the vast waters rippling with pink rays of the sunset. “If I could walk into it just one more time.”
“Alice,” my mother says, turning the girl to face her. “Just do this. Pull out every reserve of bravery and… ferociousness that our women have burning inside. You will let him have you, but only because you’re going to find his weakness. Only because you are going to find a way to destroy him from the inside out.”
“I can’t stop him from destroying me first,” she says, blinking tears down her cheeks.
“Yes you can. They don’t know how strong we are, little one. Show him. Show them all.” Mother hugs her and their images blur through my stinging tears. She holds her, rubbing a hand softly along her back. “I was terrified when Drakon came to me in the night, but as awful
as it was, it changed me forever. It gave me power to be loved by the enemy race. I was special. And the daughter that resulted was a reason for me to live when no other existed. Having a child is joy of the purest kind and worth every last pain on earth, dear girl.”
Blond Alice bows her head. “I don’t know if I can do this. I look into the future and only see darkness.”
18
Once summoned, we follow the slave Andromeda down to the banquet hall along with Glenda, black-haired Alice, and Jane. The Koridons await us under candlelight, heads bowed to the floor, and in the middle, Arek crouches over Mary-Shelly’s sprawled-out body.
Blond Alice stumbles, and Mother keeps her steady. She shakes with relief but a sob still escapes her as though she had prepared herself to get mating over with to Kjartonn. We kneel together along with the others and my pulse spikes at the sight of the entangled bodies, their skin dancing under the candle flicker.
Mary-Shelly’s arms are lifted above her head by powerful hands, and red hair spreads out, contrasting with her snow white skin. Arek’s face remains steady, a testament of his dedication to breed, despite his objection to laying with a human. His back ripples with muscle as he holds himself above her and her knees fall effortlessly apart for him. I do a quick check for Kassien, but don’t find him. Gasps fill the air. I’m humiliated for my friend and look away, but a silent scream pulls me back to the scene, the echo of such emotion…
Arek meets blond Alice’s eyes dead-on. He carefully guides his shaft through Mary-Shelly’s open legs, and her body buckles as he moves inside. She gasps, her fingers digging into the ground to push against his force, but Arek remains fixed on the one he wants. The one he’s always wanted.
His pace quickens as he holds blond Alice hostage. He makes love to his new mate without ever spiritually touching her. It’s Alice only, and being in her eyes allows him to be in her body. Mary-Shelly’s back grates against the floor as Arek works her, unnatural thickness thrusting in and out. She wraps her legs around him and lightly touches his ass, and Arek falters, distracted by her affection. She’s trying to please him, but I fear what he’ll do to her in the heat of the moment if she angers him.
He shakes his head and resumes the pistoning of his hips. Blond Alice squeezes my hand and they stare at each other, a slight moan slipping from her mouth. Arek groans and slams in one last time, and my breath catches as he knots Mary-Shelly. He grips her shoulders and holds her against him, her choked utterances muffling into his chest. Every muscle in her body tenses as his seed pulses. He digs in deeper as his climax continues to push through her and his skin beads with sweat.
Blond Alice collapses and lies on my lap, the spell between them broken. Now he will father a child with Mary-Shelly and she will be thrown to the mercy of Kjartonn. The Koridons stand and walk in a circle around them until Arek pulls away and is handed material to wipe his new mate down. He starts at her face and gently works his way down her chest, then places it over the nakedness between her legs. Taking her in his arms, he keeps her waist slightly elevated so his seed isn’t lost, and carries her away.
I stroke Alice’s hair and catch my breath, searching again for Kassien. “It’s over,” I purr. “We’ll go to bed now.”
“He was gentle with her,” she sobs, not caring who hears. “I thought he would brutishly fuck her. I thought it would make me feel better.”
Some of them do, I don’t dare say to her. If I weren’t part Koridon, there are times at which Brekter would have torn me to pieces. “I’ve noticed the connection between you and Arek. I’m sorry he couldn’t be your mate.”
“I hated him at first. More than the others even. But something comes to life inside me that I can’t explain when he’s near.” She swallows with a shiver. “And I felt him more than ever just now. What’s happening to me?”
“When Brekter makes me lie with him, I’m screaming inside the entire time. I understand.” What I can’t tell her is that I still end up responding to Brekter sexually, but that may be because he knows how to push a woman’s body to places she doesn’t want to go.
Kjartonn and Kraetorr move in front of us and blond Alice cringes. The servants clean the altar and everyone in the room takes their positions back into deep bows upon the floor. I put my arm around blond Alice. “No. Not another ceremony tonight?”
She jumps to her feet and backs against the wall, trying to speak, but only managing to shake her head.
“She really doesn’t want to marry you, Kjartonn,” I say, standing in front of her. “There must be another that can take your place. This isn’t right. You can’t possibly want someone who hates you.”
Kjartonn tips his head and a slow, mad smile creeps along his lips. “She is mine. I have thought of nothing else since I felt that slick little crevice between her legs.” He holds her by the waist and flicks his tongue on her neck. “I will have her and when she is mine, I will abuse it until she can’t move anymore.” He takes her by the back of the neck. “Perhaps a ceremony can be done away with and I can take you now.” His thickness probes against her and he lifts her by one hand, her feet kicking above the ground.
Kraetorr strikes a fist into his back and he lets her go with a hiss. “You will wait until she can be yours properly,” he says to the lust-crazed Koridon. “Now let us take Calypso.”
“Wait,” she calls out, but they grasp my arms on each side.
“Where are you taking me? Let me go!” The room grows deathly silent, and in that moment I realize that not only is Kassien absent, but so is Scarlet. Something has come up, in fact. It will be painful for you. But I fear it is my only choice, Kassien had said, and I can feel the heat of his hand against my cheek again.
They appear in the doorway and fire bursts inside my chest. “No! You—” Anger blinds my judgment, and I snap my wrists out of their hold. They jolt back as though a shock hit them, and I run.
“She was to be spared the details of this night!” bellows Kassien, and I slam into his arms. “Listen to me.” He bends down to take me prisoner in his eyes. “Under the new law, I must be mated to a woman in order to remain here with this outlying clan. I want nothing more than to leave! I want to take you and run away forever so badly I can hardly breathe.” Of course I could never allow that. This isn’t one of my novels, I can’t ride off into the sunset with my prince and leave my mother and best friend to the wolves.
You’re going to—” I bury my head in his chest and find Scarlet’s hand next to him. “I know you have to—” Nothing I say can come anywhere near describing the gutting dread welling up inside me. And it doesn’t matter anyway. I was there, I agreed to the new Koridon law as well. I hate that I can’t justify the anger and betrayal I feel.
“Go back to your room, my love,” he says and strokes my hair. “You know what is in my heart.”
“No, I can’t bear this! How could you agree to this union?” I say in defiance against what I already know.
“Because the woman Scarlet is special to you and with me she will be safe.” I look over at Kjartonn, who cracks a wicked grin at blond Alice. She cocks her head at me, fear and urging splashing her face. Kassien leans into my ear. “And I promised I would do whatever I must to protect you from Brekter. So tonight, our families are joined.”
“I’m sorry,” Scarlet says, barely audibly. Her smoky colored eyes drip with tears, making her eyes sparkle the same vivid color of her gown, and I can’t hate her. Of course Kassien is still expected to marry one of us and go along with this new world. And through the twisting and blurring of the candlelight around me, something inside knows that if it had to be anyone, I’m glad it’s my best friend. And I’m glad it’s him. So why does everything inside me burn? Fury from being trapped here, pregnant with the enemy’s child and all the confusing things I’ve felt since meeting Kassien explodes, and my spirit melts. My legs fail and Kassien holds me up.
“Forgive me. And trust me,” he says, holding the back of my head as I cry.
“I
stand by them.” I take a shuddered breath and make out my mother through the blur. “This prince is one of the only decent mates in the lot.” She takes me in her eyes. “And there’s nothing to be done about it now. She’ll be safe with him.”
“Of course,” I bite out and shove Kassien away. Inside, I want Scarlet safe too. Happy even. And out of all of them, she would be so happy with—
“I cannot abide it!” Gerakon tears through the crowd, and Drakon takes hold of him.
“Control yourself,” Drakon snarls into his face. “You have a duty, like all of us!”
“But there is something to be said about this union,” he cries out, blinking rapidly. His connection to Scarlet has finally broken him. But it won’t change this. Nothing will.
Drakon’s sons stand threateningly against him, and he slumps in defeat. He shakes his head at Kassien, a desperate message silenced as they drag him away.
“Now take her out of here,” says Kassien, moving threateningly against Drakon. “You swore she would be spared from this, but here she stands.”
“Were you going to be married and keep it from me?” I ask him, hurt flooding my voice.
“Of course not,” he replies. “I wanted to spare you the misery of knowing our exact moment together and tell you gently within a few weeks. I think only of you.” He turns back to the commander. “Now get her out of here!”
The space between them sizzles and power radiates from Kassien’s great form. Drakon’s hardened demeanor softens and he backs up ever so slightly. “Well, of course she will be escorted out,” he says, brushing off his cowardice. “It was not expected that she would be difficult.”
Kassien smirks. “Now I know you lie.” He runs his hands down my shoulders. “Go on to bed.” He then turns abruptly, leaving me to my only wretched choice. “All of you! I will privately take this woman, Scarlet, as my bride I think the word is. And I am changing tradition. There will be no ceremony tonight.”
