Soul Binder (Soul Saga (Book #2))

by Todd, E. L.

  “I will send a messenger to your husband to notify him of your well-being and the birth of your son,” he said as he walked to the door. “Have you decided a name?”

  Penelope didn’t look away from the infant in her arms. “Rhonian,” she said. She looked up at Aleco. “In honor of the man who saved our lives.”

  Aleco looked away, embarrassed by her overwhelming gratitude. He never expected to be a namesake to someone else. He stood there in silence, unsure what to say. Aleco finally found the words. “I am very honored, Penelope.”

  She smiled and kissed her son on the head. “So are we.”

  Orgoom Forest

  30

  Aleco found himself caressing Accacia’s Soul Catcher in bed that night. His fondness of the two children, Sadie and Vance, blanketed him with depression. He didn’t realize how much he wanted a child until he met them. And he only wanted to have them with one woman; Accacia.

  He fell into her Soul Catcher and selected a memory on the wall. He knew it depicted their time together because his visage was in the image covering the wall. Aleco was about to select it when he felt the hesitation course through his body. He felt addicted to the memories in her Soul Catcher. That he couldn’t continue on without her essence in some way. Aleco knew how unhealthy it was. He pressed his hand against the wall and fell forward.

  The bedroom in Asylinth Cottage was warm with a roaring fire that heated the bedchamber. Aleco saw the fire flicker down, but he didn’t throw in another log. He knew it was unnecessary. Accacia lay on the bed and watched him stuff items into the pack on the floor. She didn’t know what he was planning.

  “Aleco, what’s going on?” She sat up in bed and watched him. They just finished dinner then watched the snow fall outside the windows in the parlor. Afterwards, Accacia walked upstairs to the bedroom with Aleco behind her, which they did as a routine every night even if they weren’t planning on sleeping for several hours.

  Aleco covered himself with the heavy cloak that always hid his face. He tightened the strings of his boots and belted his sword to his hip. “Get dressed, Accacia,” he said as he shouldered his pack. “And dress warmly.”

  “Why?” she asked as she rose from the bed. “Where are we going?”

  “I want to show you something.”

  Accacia looked outside the window. The snow stopped falling, but she knew it was still freezing. She didn’t know what they were going to do outside in the dark. The guards had been called away from the border, but she still thought it was risky to venture outside—she would probably die of hypothermia.

  “Come on,” he said as he tossed her clothes to her.

  “It’s freezing outside, Aleco.”

  “You’ll be fine.” He grabbed her coat from the rack and helped her into it. “Don’t be a baby about it.”

  Accacia shook her head as she put on her boots. She didn’t know where they were going or what they were going to do, but she knew Aleco would never put her in harm’s way. She trusted him.

  Aleco walked down the stairs and entered the parlor, approaching the front doorway. His pack was on his back and it was stuffed with a bulky item. He opened the door and allowed her to walk through first. The bitter chill bit her skin as soon as she left the asylum of the cottage and her teeth chattered. Aleco wrapped his arm around her and marched her through the forest. The tall trees blocked the moon and the stars with their extending branches, sheltering them under the shadow of their form. Aleco led her forward; able to navigate through the forest with the abilities he gained through his years of experience.

  Accacia leaned her body against him as he guided her deeper into the forest. His scorching body heat thawed her torso and extremities. They walked for several minutes before they came to a wide clearing in the middle of the forest.

  A small patch of grass was free of snow, while the rest of the forest was buried under mounds of the heavy powder. It was obvious that Aleco shoveled it away earlier in the day when she was visiting with Father Giloth in Asylinth House.

  Aleco removed the thick blanket from his pouch and laid it on the ground then sat on top of it. Accacia followed his movements and sat beside him. Aleco withdrew another bundle of heavy fabric and laid it at their feet. He removed his clothes from his body until he was naked under the light of the stars. Accacia looked at him with an incredulous gaze. “What are you doing, Aleco?”

  “What?” He laughed. “You are going to take off your clothes, too.”

  “I am?” she asked through chattering teeth. “Do you want me to die?”

  Aleco smiled at her. “Do it, Accacia. Trust me.”

  She stared at him for a moment, trying to find the joke in his words. He couldn’t really expect her to do it.

  “Do you want me to do it for you?” he said with a smile.

  “So you are being serious?”

  “Yes, Accacia,” he said. “This is basic skills. My body heat will keep you warm under the blanket. If anything, those layers of clothes will only constrict your circulation and make you colder.” Accacia didn’t move at his words, so Aleco untied her shoes and slipped them off then began to undress her.

  He pulled the blanket over their naked bodies and Accacia immediately felt warm next to his unrelenting body heat. She pressed her skin up against his, and he circled his arms around her, making her feel the full blaze of his physique. Aleco heard her sigh in comfort. “I told you,” he said.

  Accacia looked up into the sky and realized why he brought her here. The stars were bright and beautiful after the snowstorm that swept through the forest. The open glade allowed them the opportunity to look up into the sky and admire the captivating sight of the universe. “It’s beautiful, Aleco.”

  “I knew you would like it,” he said as he kissed her on the head.

  The bright lights of the stars reflected in Aleco’s eyes and emitted a blinding shade of blue, highlighting the beautiful color of his irises. Accacia stared at him for a moment and admired his handsome features. She leaned over and kissed him gently, letting her lips linger on his for a long moment. “Thank you for taking me out here,” she said.

  Aleco pulled her to him and held her against his chest. “I wanted you to strip off your clothes for another reason, too,” he said with a smile. His eyes sparkled mischievously as he let his hands roam over her body.

  “So you tricked me? You just wanted to get me naked?”

  “Yep,” he said.

  “Well, you didn’t have to formulate this elaborate plan,” she said with a smile. She ran her hands up his chest and felt the muscles of his body. “You can see me naked whenever you want.”

  “Can I get that in writing?”

  Accacia laughed loudly. “Yes,” she said. “I’ll sign it with my blood.”

  Aleco rolled on top of her and parted her legs with his hips, leaning over her small body. He pulled her waist closer to him and pressed his erection against her. “Good,” he said as he kissed her neck. “I’m going to need documentation.”

  Accacia ran her hands down his back and enjoyed the feel of his lips on her skin. She moaned quietly as his lips trailed down her stomach and towards the apex of her thighs. She wanted to stop him, but she was losing her control over her desire with every second. “Aleco,” she whispered. “Stop.”

  Aleco immediately pulled away and looked at her. She never commanded him to cease his touch on her. He feared he had offended her. Rather than risk the possibility that she may not mean it, he decided to release his hold on her, not wanting to ever violate her in any way. “What’s wrong?” he asked with a voice full of concern.

  Her fingers ran through his hair and he closed his eyes at her touch. “We can’t do that here. Someone might see us.”

  Aleco smiled at her. “Is that the only reason why you asked me to stop?”

  She nodded.

  “Anytime you ask me to stop, I will do so immediately,” he said as he kissed her. “But please don’t ask me to unless you mean it.” He looked aro
und the glade. Aleco knew there was no one near them nor would anyone stumble upon them in the middle of the night. “No one is going to see us, Accacia. And I couldn’t care less if they do.” He grabbed her hips and pulled her toward him then returned to kissing the source of her desire. She moaned as he explored her body, and Accacia gripped his hair as he pleased her. He pulled away and leaned over her, ready to be inside of her. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked playfully. He knew she didn’t.

  Accacia pulled him inside of her and sighed happily at his entrance.

  “I didn’t think so,” he said with a moan. He kissed her as he made love to her under the stars, and she gripped his back harder than she did normally since she had to keep her moans inaudible. Accacia parted her lips, breathing into his mouth, but she was too overcome with pleasure to return his kiss. Her nails dug into his back as she felt him move inside her, stretching her with every thrust. “I don’t want you to stop. Please don’t.”

  Aleco increased his pace. “Never.”

  Her hands ran up his back then cupped his neck. She felt the pleasure build inside her, and she was losing control. She wanted to keep her voice down but was unsuccessful. “Aleco,” she yelled. “Aleco!” Aleco brought her into a climax and she cried loudly as the feeling rolled through her body. He smiled triumphantly as he watched her head roll back, overcome with pleasure. A moment later, he followed right behind her, emptying himself inside of her.

  Aleco rolled off of her and cradled her in his arms. Accacia rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She felt happy and satisfied. The temperature under the blanket increased with their lovemaking and the heat reached to the end of Accacia’s toes. She looked at Aleco, who was looking at the stars in the sky. Accacia decided she would rather watch Aleco instead.

  “What are you looking at?” he asked without turning to her. Aleco could see her in his peripheral vision.

  “You.” She smiled.

  “There isn’t much to see.”

  “I disagree.” Accacia saw the light leave his eyes at her words. She knew something was bothering him, which she found hard to believe since they just made love at his insistence. “What is it?”

  Aleco said nothing.

  “I thought I could ask you anything.”

  “You can.”

  “Then why aren’t you answering me?”

  “I said you could ask me whatever you wanted to know. I didn’t say I would answer you.”

  Accacia stared at him, silently pressuring him to answer her question. She knew he would eventually. He told her everything. At least she thought he did.

  “I—I just don’t deserve you,” he whispered.

  “That isn’t true.”

  “Yes, it is, Accacia,” he said with a sigh. His eyes were still glued to the celestial heavens up above. He didn’t have the strength to look at her. He was ashamed.

  “We all do things we regret, Aleco.”

  His voice became harsh. “And what have you done, Accacia?”

  She thought for a moment. She couldn’t think of anything. “Well, I didn’t return to Father Giloth one afternoon like I promised. I came back to the house after dark, and he was frightened something had befallen me—I felt horrible for hurting him.”

  Aleco shook his head. “So, basically you haven’t done a single thing.” Accacia didn’t respond to his words. She didn’t know what to say. It was true. She hadn’t committed a single crime. She had never killed anyone. She hadn’t even killed an animal. “I used to be a monster, Accacia—I’ve done unspeakable things.”

  “Let it go,” she said as she hugged him. “You aren’t the same person, Aleco.”

  “That doesn’t vindicate me for my crimes. I deserve to be put to the sword. You were right to deny my love to begin with.”

  “I was right for accepting you into my heart—you have always been there.”

  “You wouldn’t be lying beside me if you knew my crimes, Accacia. And I would judge you if you stayed.”

  “Nothing in your past will change our present, Aleco. I know you aren’t the same person. You are a great man. I don’t care about the man you used to be.” Aleco avoided her gaze and continued to look into the night sky. She could feel the anger coursing through his body. He hated himself. “Tell me the worst thing you ever did, Aleco.”

  He finally looked at her. “Why?”

  “I’ll prove it to you,” she said. “I will still be here after you tell me. It will change nothing.”

  Aleco sighed. “It will change everything.”

  “Try me.”

  “I don’t want to lose you.”

  “You won’t,” she said firmly.

  He rolled on his side and looked at her, pausing for a moment before he spoke. He committed so many crimes that it took him a moment to pick out the most heinous action of his past. “I captured slaves and delivered them to their masters,” he said quietly. “I forced them into an existence worse than death. I used anyone I could capture—even women and children.”

  Accacia felt her heart stop in her chest. She processed his words in her mind for a moment, unsure if he [really said them. It was a confession she never thought he would admit. She couldn’t imagine Aleco doing that. “Why?” she whispered.

  Aleco saw the despair and pain in her eyes. He could see the tears bubble beneath the surface, and he knew Accacia was no longer his. She couldn’t forgive him for this. “It was my mission,” he said quietly. “The Chief told me to do it. I didn’t have a choice.” Aleco felt his own tears fall from his eyes. He hated himself more than ever.

  She kissed his lips gently then ran her fingers through his hair, feeling the strands in her fingertips. Accacia held him close to her and kissed his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Aleco.”

  “I understand if you want nothing to do with me.”

  “The revelation is painful, yes, but it doesn’t change my feelings for you, Aleco. I know you would never do something like that now. If anything, you would protect those people. You released the slaves from Morkarh, setting them free. You are a good man, Aleco.”

  The pain in his chest evaporated at her words. She really meant what she said. She still wanted him. “Thank you,” he said as he hugged her. “I didn’t know what I was going to do if you left me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I know.”

  They sat together in silence for a few moments. Accacia wondered if he had ever done something less sinister, but just as horrible. “Can I ask you something about your past, Aleco?”

  He tightened his hold on her. “Yes.”

  “Have you ever—raped anyone?”

  Aleco pulled away from her. “No, Accacia. I have never had any interest in that. Like I already told you, I like my women both willing and awake.”

  Accacia breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I admit that I am a horrible person—was—a horrible person, but I would never do that. I’m sorry that my brother isn’t the same way.”

  She stared at him for a moment and looked into his blue eyes, which were identical to Drake’s. Everything about their features was exact in comparison, but Accacia could no longer see the similarities. They didn’t even look related. “You are nothing like him, Aleco. I never thought you were.”

  Aleco kissed her. “I know,” he said. “I’m glad you realize that.”

  Accacia leaned closer into him, and the couple looked up into the sky, admiring the stars that sprinkled across the expanse of space. A bright star was shining to the left of the forest and Aleco identified it, pointing it out to Accacia. He seemed to know the name of almost every star. “That is Sisteen,” he said as he indicated the brightest star of the sky. “It was my mother’s star.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “My mother always used to say that was her star. If she knew where it was in the sky, she would never be lost.” Aleco stared at the heavens then returned his look to Accacia. “She told me we could share the star together. It is mine
as well.” Accacia met his gaze and smiled. She loved hearing him discuss his family in such a loving way. She never expected him to be so sentimental. “It can be yours as well, Accacia.”

  Her lungs halted in mid-breath at his words. Aleco was offering something so personal and intimate with her, an event he only shared with his mother. “I couldn’t possibly accept, Aleco.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “Why not?” he asked.

  “I feel like I am intruding.”

  “Not in the least,” he said. “My mother would have loved you, Accacia. In fact, I’m certain that she does. You make me happy. I haven’t felt this way since—I can’t remember when. She would want me to share it with you.”

  “I am honored,” she said as she smiled at him. Accacia was impressed with his knowledge of star-mapping. He seemed to have more experience than the Naturalists who studied in the forest for their entire lifetime. “You are very knowledgeable, Aleco.”

  “In what way?” he said with a smile. “Are we talking about the stars—or something else?”

  “I guess both.”

  “I thought so.” Aleco held her hand in his as they looked at the sky.

  She enjoyed seeing him so happy. Accacia saw the stark transformation from when they first met until this point in time. It was like she knew two different men. The Aleco she knew now was open and gentle, loving and tender, nothing like the angry brute she knew before. She wished he hadn’t lived such a painful life, that his life wasn’t full of so much regret.

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “You don’t have to ask my permission to ask me something, Accacia—just ask.”

  “Why did you join the guild to begin with?” she asked. “And why didn’t you just leave if you hated what you were doing?”

  Aleco pulled his hand away and sighed. It was a complicated question with an even more complicated answer. “Well, I did leave the guild—eventually, as you already know. I couldn’t stand the actions of the Chief and his decisions anymore—there was another reason as well.”