by Meg Anne
Helena’s thoughts continued to churn as she retreated into herself, no longer listening to the voices that continued to speak around her. Nothing was making sense. How was she supposed to be the girl they spoke of in the prophecy? Was the prophecy even real, or was it just a story told to scare children as Gillian had suggested?
“Hush, Mira, your thoughts are so loud I can hear them as if you were shouting them into my ear. It is just a story, you and I both know in your heart you could never misuse your power so completely.”
“But-”
“Hush. I know your heart better than my own, and it is pure. You are filled with light, Helena. I am the half of you that was created in darkness. You never need to doubt yourself in that regard.”
He stopped her protest with a gentle kiss. “Come,” he said aloud, his deep voice warm and comforting, “Let’s get away from the others and spend some time under the stars.”
Appreciating the attempt at a distraction, Helena willingly stood, waving a half-hearted goodnight at the others as she followed quietly behind Von.
“Do you think that Talyrian of yours would allow a second rider?”
Helena stopped, considering. “I’m not sure. She’s certainly big enough to carry another.”
“Call for her, and let us see if she will take us for a ride amongst the stars.”
Helena let out the low warbling whistle that had become her call to Starshine. Within moments the burst of brightness in the dark sky streaked down, landing nimbly before them. With a great huff, she shook out her mane and gently pressed her face into her mistress.
Helena stroked the velvety fur lovingly, “Would you take us for a ride Starshine?”
The great beast turned its glowing eyes towards her Mate, snorting loudly.
“Please, Starshine. For me?” Helena begged sweetly.
The Talyrian studied her for a long time, Helena certain that she would take off and deny the request. Finally, she folded her front legs, bowing low.
“Thank you,” Helena whispered, as she wrapped her arms around the wide neck and hugged her affectionately.
“I promise to spend extra time brushing you tomorrow!”
Small jets of smoke shot out as if to reiterate her annoyance at the request.
“Okay,” Helena chuckled, “and give you a special treat.”
The Talyrian flapped its wings, suddenly impatient to be off.
“Alright my beautiful girl, let’s go.”
With that Helena quickly mounted, pulling Von up behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pressed against her, his lips leaving a trail of fire along her neck as he placed gentle kisses against the bared skin. Suddenly, the Talyrian flapped its massive wings twice more before launching them into the air.
Von let out a startled cry, unprepared for the takeoff. Helena laughed as his arms squeezed her tightly, the sound a joyful tinkling that followed them into the night.
They flew amongst the stars, the weightlessness of flight doing much to alleviate the anxiety she had been feeling these last few days. Feeling Von pressed against her back didn’t hurt either. They hadn’t been properly alone since leaving the Palace, and she had missed those quiet moments with him.
“I can feel you thinking. What could possibly be distracting you from such a view, Mira?” Von asked in his soft rumble.
“I was just thinking about how this is our first time away from everyone in days.”
“I would say that’s a reasonable distraction,” he murmured before biting down gently on the back of her neck.
She shivered in his arms, the heat of his mouth more noticeable with the cool breeze washing over them.
“Perhaps we should take advantage of it,” he whispered in her mind as he continued to nibble and lick the skin he could reach.
“I think you might be right,” she responded, her voice breathless even through the bond.
Helena nudged Starshine and the Talyrian started her descent.
Soon they were landing in a small clearing in the forest. The ground was dappled with moonlight and there was the soft burbling of a stream in the distance. The night was cool, but Helena felt nothing but heat as Von pulled her against him.
Starshine’s eyes glowed in the darkness, and she let out a soft huff before padding away from the couple.
“It’s like she knows what we intend,” Von murmured with a chuckle.
“She’s smart. I have no doubt she does.” Helena agreed before adding, “She won’t stray far though.”
Looking at her, he brushed his fingers gently down the side of her face. She pressed into the caress, her eyes closing as she did.
“You look beautiful bathed in moonlight, Mate. I think it should be all you ever wear, at least when we’re alone.”
His voice was a harsh rasp that moved along her skin, phantom hands plucking at the bindings of her gear as they undressed her.
“Which one of us is in a hurry now,” she teased, remembering their first night when her magic had done the work for her.
“Don’t mistake me, Helena. I have every intention of taking my time enjoying you tonight. I’m just ready to get started.”
No longer in a mood for teasing, Helena’s eyes opened to meet his, the hunger shining in their depths a twin to his own.
They stayed there, holding each other under the watchful gaze of the stars for a heartbeat before his lips were on hers.
The kiss started gently, but it wasn’t long until he was groaning low in his throat and deepening it. Helena responded in kind, her mouth parting under his as his tongue slid in to taste her. As they kissed, Von’s hands, both real and phantom, continued their exploration of her body. She could feel garments slacken before falling to the ground, and then the gentle breeze swept against pleasure-heated skin.
His hands were gentle as they traced a path along her back, although the skin was rough from his time wielding his sword. She felt them settle at her hips before following her curves back up and resting just below her breasts.
“Please.” She begged, her lips still tangled with his own.
His fingers teased the soft globes, gently running back and forth on the undersides before splaying beneath them and lifting her breasts a bit higher. She could feel them grow heavy in response, aching for the feel of him.
He pulled back from her, studying her body, now bared, before him. His thumbs lifted to brush against the tips of her breasts, turning her nipples into tight buds before lowering and taking one into his mouth. His fingers continued to pluck and tease at the other as he pulled back to blow softly on the wet tip.
Helena let out a low moan, her head falling back. She could feel her braid brush against her skin, the sensation an additional tease that had her gripping Von’s shoulders.
Von’s answering growl was pure male satisfaction as he dropped to his knees before her, his mouth continuing to kiss and lick down her belly.
Helena licked her swollen lips before biting down on the bottom one. Her hands stroking Von’s hair as she watched him lick up the skin between her hip and thigh. Her heart was racing, and she was struggling to catch her breath.
Von’s hands slid around her hips and grabbed her ass, pulling her into him as he licked up the center of her. Helena gasped, pleasure shooting through her as he lapped at the small bundle of nerves. She felt Von’s hand slide down the back of her leg, coaxing it to bend so that he could lift it to rest on his shoulder. She teetered, but he steadied her without stopping his assault.
Watching his head work between her legs was quickly pushing her over the edge. She could feel those phantom hands playing with her breasts while his real one teased and circled her entrance. Helena’s hips were rocking into him, begging him to fill her. Her cries becoming wild as he finally relented and slid two fingers inside her.
Around them, wind began to whip through the tree, its intensity growing with hers.
“Von!” she cried, his name a plea.
“Yes.” He ordered, “Come for
me.”
Helena shattered, her muscles clenching around his fingers while he greedily sucked on her bud.
The wind died down as quickly as it had appeared, but all around them leaves began to fall from the trees.
Von looked up at Helena, his gray eyes molten as he gave her one last lazy lick. He chuckled, lips still against her when she struggled to keep her eyes open.
“Oh no, you don’t. I’m nowhere near done with you yet.” He said in her mind, her limbs going liquid at the promise.
Still kneeling before her, he pulled her down to him. Without releasing her, he quickly laid out her clothes to create a makeshift bed and then laid her down while getting rid of his.
She lifted a hand to his face, pulling his lips to hers.
“I love you,” she whispered before their lips touched.
“And I you,” he replied as he slid into her fully.
Helena moaned and arched into him, her body stretching to accommodate his length.
“Now let me show you how much,” he purred as he began to thrust.
“We’re going to be here awhile,” she finally said, her voice panting in his mind.
“Oh, Mate. You have no idea.” His laugh was wicked as her nails scraped down his back.
Their cries were lost among the trees as he proved how much he loved her there beneath the stars. Again, and again. And again.
Chapter Eighteen
Helena fought to keep her eyes open as Shepa moved beneath her; the steady rhythm of the wolf’s easy lope lulling her to sleep. She had barely slept last night due to Von and her not making it back to camp much before dawn, not that she was complaining.
Blinking rapidly, she struggled to focus on the scenery around her, before she embarrassed herself by falling sideways off her mount. While they were not quite at the Daejaran border, they were only a handful of days away and were finally starting to move into the more inhabited parts of the borderlands.
Around them the effects of the ban were evident. The people were poor, their small houses in disrepair and their children running around in scraps of cloth that looked as though they’d barely make it through another washing.
Her heart tugged in her chest as the little ones stared at the procession with acute distrust in their eyes. That they were so young and still had that kind of reaction spoke volumes to the quality of the interactions to which they were accustomed.
Ahead of her Von let out a sharp yell, holding up his fist in the air. As one the group slowed to a full stop. She let her concern flow through the bond.
He twisted in his saddle to meet her eyes, ordering as he did, “Find Kragen or Darrin. Do not leave their side.”
Before she could respond with how she felt about that particular order, he was off Ronan and Serena close behind.
She let out a low growl, annoyed at being left out. Sighing she looked around at the grim faced men encircling her; eyes scanning for the familiar faces of her Circle. They were not far, only a couple men away in fact.
She motioned for them to come join her and watched as they wove their way over to her on their horses. Kragen’s bulk would be much better suited to the fierceness of a Daejaran wolf, she thought errantly.
“Kiri?” he asked, his voice low.
She shrugged as she responded, “I’m not sure what’s going on, Von told me to stay with you.”
His jovial face became serious, brows lowering over vigilant eyes.
Darrin moved so that he was in front of her, his shoulders stiff and his lips set in a harsh line.
The horses and wolves were snorting impatiently, but otherwise, it was quiet. The clear blue sky had filled with dark gray clouds as they had progressed throughout the day, the dark sky now adding to the ominous undercurrent surrounding them.
They waited for what felt like an hour, but it could not have been more than half that before Von, and his small party returned to the group. None were smiling.
“What is it?” she asked, while she attempted to decipher the emotions she felt flickering though their bond.
He looked at her, uncertainty shining in his gray eyes before he finally said, “A warning.”
She sat up straighter on her mount, eyes widening in disbelief.
“A warning for us?” she asked aloud for the benefit of the men around her. “Who would want to leave us a warning, and how would they even know we would be coming through here?”
The soldiers began murmuring and shifting around her, their unease palpable. There was a soft click, and Gillian descended from the carriage.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, her eyes narrowed as she took in the scene.
“The town has been leveled, the buildings burnt and the bodies,” Von’s face seemed to pale, and he swallowed thickly before continuing, “what remains of the bodies has been left for us to find.”
Helena felt her stomach twist; it must be terribly gruesome for her Mate to be so affected by the sight of a few dead bodies. She felt his gratitude as she sent a wave of her strength to him.
“What did the bodies look like?” Timmins asked sharply.
Serena opened her mouth to respond before quickly closing it again, her face tinged with green. Quickly she dismounted and rushed away from the group before heaving into a nearby bush.
Concern gave way to outright fear as she watched her friend continue to be sick at what she had seen. From the corner of her eye, she saw Gillian play with the small gem hanging from her necklace, her own face worried as she stared at Serena.
“They were shriveled as if they had been sucked dry. Their skin was bleached of color, except for the eyes which were pure black. All had their mouths gaping open, stuck in a scream that will never end,” Ronan finally said, shuddering at the recollection.
The murmurings grew in strength at the news.
“How do we know it was a warning?” Helena asked, her voice strained.
“The bodies were lined up beside the road. If they weren’t a warning for us, they were certainly a message to someone.”
“What could do something like that?” Helena asked. At the silence she turned towards Timmins and Joquil, “What could do that?” she demanded again, her voice blending into the harmony of many.
Timmins’ eyes were troubled, but he shook his head mutely.
“I do not know, Kiri, but I will send a message to the Capital and have our scholars search through the records to see what they uncover.”
“Do it at once.”
With a clipped nod Joquil set off back towards the cart that carried his supplies.
Helena’s unease and fear were reflected in the lightning flashing in the sky.
“We will stop here for the day,” she ordered.
“Helena,” Darrin protested.
Unleashing the full force of her swirling gaze at him, she snapped, “That was not a request.”
He flinched at the harsh edge of fury in her voice and nodded meekly, “Yes, Kiri.”
Turning back towards Von and Ronan she added, “Gather as many men who are willing, we will ride back to the bodies and give them a proper burial. They have suffered enough; it is time to return them to the Mother.”
Ronan opened his mouth, but Von stopped him with a shake of his head. He could feel her determination and anger vibrating through him. She would not be denied.
Swiftly dismounting from her wolf, she let out that low warbling whistle.
Starshine circled the group once before landing a bit away. Helena made her way over to the Talyrian, comforted by the thought of such a beast in the face of potential danger.
“Mate?” Von asked, concern laced in the word.
“This is something I need to do.” She responded without looking at him.
“Let me do this for you. Spare yourself this burden, Mira.”
“No. These are my people; I was unable to protect them once. I will not hide from my duties to them now.”
“Helena,” he said once more, the voice in her mind a gentle ple
a.
In response she mounted Starshine, using the pressure of her thighs to convey her readiness to move.
They were in the air between one heartbeat and the next, flying over the procession and straight towards the devastation that awaited them.
Bile rose in her throat as she noted the seemingly endless row of bodies. Each had been placed with precision, by height. The smallest of the bodies so offensive she could not bear to look at them.
Over the rise, she could make out the Rasmirin soldiers coming to assist with the burial, but she could not wait.
Starshine landed softly, smoke curling up from her nostrils as the glowing eye studied her mistress. Helena placed a palm on the velvety neck, before stepping away.
I need to dig a grave, she thought; debating her options. Each one of these people deserved their own grave, but as there were none left to tell the stories of their lives or remember them, she would settle for one mass grave. The thought of any of these people not being with their loved ones was unbearable. At least this way any that had been family or lovers could at least go to their final rest together.
Helena eyed the scorched earth dispassionately, looking only for the best place to dig. Her eyes finally settled on a patch of land at the base of a mountain. There was a small stream burbling to its side, the weak sunlight glittering off of it prettily.
Taking a deep breath, Helena dove into the depth of her magic, calling it to her. She felt the comforting strength of Earth and the gentle play of Air before her magic went to work. The ground before her shuddered, she heard the startled cries in the distance and felt Von’s own shout within the recesses of her mind. She ignored them all, continuing to focus.
Dirt rose before her, rising in a funnel that spun and twisted as it gathered speed. She looked to her left, and the twisting earth followed, moving up out of the ground. She let out a soft breath, and the dust settled into a giant mound of dark earth leaving a chasm where it had once been.
That much done, she stepped towards the tiniest body, her eyes blurred as she saw the streaks of dirt and tears that remained on the hollowed out face. While the body was practically weightless, still she trembled as she carried it over to the hole. She lowered herself carefully down and leaned forward calling her magic towards her once more.
