Hyacinth, Scarlet - Craving Owen [Tides of Love 2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove)

by Hyacinth, Scarlet

  A measure of relief coursed through Sassaki at the certainty in the man’s voice. As Lyole turned and headed back toward the town, Hash and Sassaki took up position next to the beach. The wyrms would be coming from that direction. They would be gathering at Sassaki’s parents’ lair, the closest one to Tanarak. Even their leader, Dassan, would most likely come. In the past few years, the man very rarely patrolled these waters, choosing to rely on Sassaki’s family to do so instead. This, however, would be too important to be delegated, and Sassaki feared what Dassan would decide. As a traitor to their kin, Sassaki’s hopes to survive were slim to none.

  He and Hash sat down together and waited. There was not much left to do except think, remember Owen and the time they’d spent together. Sassaki wondered why Hash had decided to come here. He wondered what would become of Kani after Sassaki was gone. The others would care for him, that much he could be certain of. Even so, the fact that he might never see them again pained him. His mind went to Alcharr, Kyllian, and Yane. Would they even manage to fulfill their plan? What would happen to them once they did?

  He didn’t know if he’d spoken the words out loud or Hash simply sensed his anxiety. “They’ll be fine and so will we,” the dragon said.

  Sassaki smiled sadly but didn’t answer. Hash didn’t know Sassaki’s kin. Even if both dragons and wyrms were reptilian in nature, they were very distinct races. With the passage of time, the wyrms had grown even more bitter and angry and would leap at the chance to tear into the dryads or anyone else who got in their way.

  Still, in spite of this knowledge, Sassaki found Hash’s presence comforting. They waited there in silence until at last, they sensed a group approach. It was Lyole, followed by the nymphs of Tanarak. Hash and Sassaki got up and met their unlikely allies halfway.

  The nymphs looked upset, and Sassaki didn’t blame them. He’d been their enemy for the better part of their lives, and that sort of thing couldn’t just be cast aside.

  “I know you don’t trust me,” Sassaki said, “and I’m not asking you to. But just for today, remember I’m on your side when the time comes. Gods willing, we might even survive if we work together.”

  He very much doubted his words had any effect at all, but Lyole seemed to be better at keeping their restlessness in check. It was a good thing, too, because all of a sudden, a chill wind began to blow. The sky was never clear in Tanarak, but impossibly, it darkened even more. Storm clouds gathered and lightning bolts shot from the sky. Sassaki felt something in the air shift, like an evil changing, unraveling. He sensed the exact moment when the enchantment fell and he was free to shift once more.

  As the water of the ocean began to ripple, Sassaki shared a look with Hash. This was it, the moment they’d dreaded ever since learning of the crystal’s failing power. Reptilian heads emerged from the water. There were so many of them…Sassaki nearly choked at the realization that he hadn’t felt them at all. Only one person would have the power to cloak the wyrms’ approach. Sassaki had been right about one thing, at least. Dassan did indeed join the invading forces.

  At last the wyrms appeared from the ocean, moving slowly as if they had all the time in the world. The nymphs fidgeted, but Lyole held them back, not giving the signal to attack yet. Rain began to fall, and as it touched Sassaki’s cheeks, it left behind hissing trails of pain.

  Sassaki barely registered it, too busy counting all the heads in front of him. He spotted everything from twelve-headed smaller wyrms to single-headed leviathans. His mother and father were also there, as well as his siblings.

  As expected, Dassan was in the lead. Together with Sassaki’s parents, the man shifted into his legged form. “Sassaki, I’m going to give you one last chance to join us,” he said without preamble. “I’m not a merciful man, but for your parents’ sake, I’m willing to forgo your mistake.”

  Sassaki was shocked, but the comment gave him hope. “I appreciate that, My Lord,” he said. “If you would be willing to hear me out, I would be very thankful.”

  Dassan arched a brow but didn’t look very pleased. “You have one minute,” he said, his voice going a low hiss.

  Hastily, Sassaki did his best to explain everything. He mentioned Owen, finding out about the crystal, the importance of destroying it. He explained the fact that the nymphs were not to blame for the war and that with the crystal gone, the area would clear up anyway.

  “We wyrms are water creatures,” he insisted. “Since the necromantic crystal will no longer pollute the ocean, we’re better off there anyway. I’m sure the dryads will be willing to compromise.”

  Dassan actually looked amused. “But you have not even discussed it with them, and you expect me to go on your hopes and opinions to stop what is, in effect, a righteous action.”

  Obviously, he had not been impressed by Sassaki’s arguments. “It might seem like a righteous action to you,” Hash piped up, “but the Imperium will not be impressed. In their name, I urge you to cease and desist.”

  Dassan snorted. “I’m not afraid of the Imperium. These are our lands. Let them come if they want to fight me.” He waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve heard enough. Choose your side now, Sassaki. I don’t have time for more foolishness.”

  Sassaki met his mother’s eyes, his heart aching at the undisguised pain he saw there. She knew what he would choose and that no matter the outcome of the battle to come, he would be lost to them. She had never been a warm mother—it would be impossible for one of their kin—but in her own way, she loved him. Sassaki regretted leaving her behind, and his father, as well, but he didn’t have a choice.

  Straightening his back, he answered, “I already have.”

  The words seemed to trigger some sort of switch inside the wyrm army. Dassan and his parents turned back into their animal form and lunged toward Sassaki. Lyole gave the order of attack, and water swirled around them, fighting to push the wyrms back.

  At the same time, Sassaki and Hash changed shapes as well. In dragon form, Hash shot toward the sky, his fire breath sending scorching waves over the wyrms. The wyrms retaliated, their huge bodies making the ground shake. In turn, Sassaki found himself fighting his furious leader. The other wyrm was bigger, older, and stronger than him, so his chances didn’t look too good.

  They were outnumbered and overpowered. Just as the wyrms began to get out of the water and climb on the beach, the storm around them shifted, turning even angrier. The wyrms screeched, their motions turning erratic and uncoordinated but even more violent as the odd bloodlust invaded them. It was an energy storm, Sassaki realized. Fuck. This was the last thing they needed. The crystal’s destruction must have created the necessary energies for it to happen.

  Ripples of light fell across the beach, turning the battle even more chaotic. Sassaki could no longer see or feel Dassan. He received several blows from nymphs who confused him with an enemy wyrm—or maybe just wanted to hurt him and took advantage of the occasion.

  Dazed, he tried to look around to find Hash. Finally, he spotted the dragon just as the other shape-shifter got struck by a lightning bolt and fell out of the sky. On instinct, Sassaki turned into his legged form, dodged all the fighting bodies, and rushed toward his lover.

  He reached Hash just as the other man shifted and shook his head, looking a bit confused, but otherwise unscathed. Before any of them could move or even say anything, a flash of blinding white swallowed their vision, then began to dim. When at last the light cleared, a deafening roar sounded. Above them, a white dragon loomed, and several other men appeared in the water. The dragon steered them all away from the still-agitated wyrms and onto the beach.

  “What in the world is going on?” a handsome redhead shouted.

  The dragon shifted and turned into a man that bore a striking similarity with Hash. He made his way toward Hash and Sassaki, glowering. “Do I even want to know why you’re here, little brother?”

  Hash shot to his feet. For a few seconds, he looked like he intended to spout something back, but instead
, he took a deep breath and whispered, “We don’t have time to argue. I really need your help, Chek.”

  The other dragon—Chek—made no further comments. Instead, he took position in front of Hash. His companions joined him. There were two elves, the redhead who also seemed a shape-shifter, and two other men, both with exotic human looks. One of them, a slender blue-eyed brunet, was pushed behind the wall of muscle formed by the other five.

  “In the name of the Imperium, stop this at once.”

  The wyrms just screeched. “I already tried that,” Hash said. “Didn’t work for me either.”

  The blond sky elf stepped up. “Let us try. Greetings. I’m Prince Tallean of the Sky Elf Kingdom and this is Prince Wren.” He pointed toward the other elf as he spoke. “I urge you to stop this madness.”

  “Do you really want a war with the dryads, the dragons, two elven nations, and the Imperium?” Wren offered. “How can you possibly think you can win?”

  At that, Dassan seemed to hesitate. As the energy storm began to quiet into a dark, bitter rain, Sassaki’s mother turned into her legged form.

  “Perhaps they are right,” she said. “Maybe we could give Sassaki’s idea a chance.”

  Sassaki held his breath. His parents had always been high in favor with the court, and the presence of their unexpected allies might help.

  “I offer you my word that we will look into this situation officially,” Chek said. “It is true the Imperium never bothered to control the situation in the plague lands. It’s high time that changed.”

  Dassan didn’t move to attack them, but he didn’t shift either. He seemed to be contemplating his options. Sassaki knew he didn’t have much time to add arguments before Dassan decided the entire debate was pointless.

  “I swear to you, Your Highness, that I will gladly die at your hands should things not work out.”

  At that, Dassan really did shift. He was smirking, Sassaki realized. “Do you think I am a fool?” he asked. “I can take your life any moment I want. In fact, all of you are most valuable to me dead. No one will ever find out the young elven princes were even here.”

  A wave of his hand brought the rest of the wyrms forward. At the same time, a strange feeling of warmth filled him then, and Sassaki knew that, for some reason, his mate had ignored all common sense and come to Tanarak as well.

  In a strange development, Dassan gestured for the other wyrms to stop. Three slender figures appeared from the harbor. Owen rushed to their side, his expression a mix of relief and fear. “Oh, thank God,” he said. “Thank God you’re okay.”

  “Owen, what are you doing here?” Sassaki asked. “It’s not safe.”

  “How could we abandon you?” Owen said with a smile. The dark-haired human who’d appeared with Chek gasped.

  “Owen? Owen, is it really you?”

  Clearly, the man was Owen’s friend, Connor, but their reunion could not take place right now. A low growl sounded from Dassan. “Won’t you introduce us?” he asked in a hiss.

  Sassaki wanted to scream. What could have possessed Owen to come here, knowing that they would end up smack-dab in the center of a war?

  “This is Owen,” he told his leader, unable to contain the hostility from his voice.

  “I don’t care,” Dassan answered. His gaze was fixed on someone else. “Who is he?”

  Sassaki stared in confused disbelief as his best friend left their side and headed toward the wyrm. “K–Kani, Sassaki’s friend,” the mer introduced himself. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  To his credit, Kani didn’t even flinch when Dassan pulled him close, nuzzling his neck. He caressed Kani’s hair, whispering softly in his ear. Sassaki’s hackles rose and he took a step forward, ready to jump to his friend’s defense.

  Before he could do so, however, Dassan directed his attention toward the assembled group. “In celebration of finding my mate, I will give you one day to discuss the issue with the dryads. If arrangements can be made, we will attempt a truce. If not, well…Well, you won’t get another chance.”

  Kani briefly broke away from Dassan after whispering something in the wyrm’s ear. Dassan nodded and Kani made his way to Sassaki. He hugged Sassaki tight, murmuring, “Thank you for everything. Until we see each other again, farewell. You’ll always be my best friend, my brother.”

  Sassaki’s heart was breaking. “You don’t have to go with him.”

  Kani smiled sadly. “I do, and you know it.” He shrugged. “I’ll be fine. I’m his mate. He won’t hurt me.”

  Kani said his goodbyes to Fayre and Owen, as well, and indicated for the rest of their companions to take care of Sassaki. After that, he returned to Dassan’s side. Pulling Kani’s hand, Dassan wordlessly led his troops back into the water. Sassaki helplessly watched his friend go after the wyrm leader. He continued to stare until all the wyrms vanished, at the same time remembering all the moments spent with Kani in the past years. All that was lost now. Whatever Kani said, Sassaki didn’t trust Dassan not to hurt the mer.

  Sassaki turned toward the nymphs, angry and brokenhearted. Kani had sacrificed himself to buy them time. He hoped the bastards appreciated it.

  Thankfully, the nymphs looked chastised. No one made any further comment on Sassaki’s presence, and the small army returned to Tanarak. Sassaki was completely disheartened. How could he even convince the dryads to consider a truce with the wyrms in one day? It would be impossible, and Dassan fucking knew it.

  Lyole led him to Yane’s quarters and told him to get some rest. Owen stayed with him, hugging him, whispering comforting words. Sassaki accepted the caresses, hating the guilt that appeared within him whenever Owen’s hands touched his skin. Later, Hash joined them. They didn’t make love, but simply their presence helped.

  Sassaki’s mind whirled as he tried to figure out what to do. Dassan was no fool. He would use this extra day for his own benefit and gather more troops, perhaps attack the plague lands from all sides. What could they do to stop this disaster from happening?

  He was so lost in thought he didn’t feel the approaching army until they were close to Tanarak. Startled, Sassaki shot out of the bed. Together with Hash, he ran outside. Once there, they met Lyole who busied himself with arranging medical assistance for the injured. There had been no fatalities, but some of the nymphs did suffer grave wounds.

  “What is it?” the nymph asked.

  Sassaki smiled as he watched familiar figures materialize from the dark night. “It seems we might have a chance yet.”

  Kyllian was lost in the shapeless darkness. His limbs felt heavy and he could not move a muscle. He remembered very little since his decision to cast the powerful spell on the necromantic crystal. Was he dead? If so, the entire thing disappointed him. He’d expected something more…intense after the existence he’d led.

  In the void, his memories were his only company, and Kyllian focused on remembering the good times, not the bad. Perhaps he would meet his loved ones again in a new life. Stranger things had happened, like him falling in love.

  An acute pain coursed through him as he realized he’d never see his men again. The pain doubled and Kyllian felt as if an implacable force were pulling him inexorably toward an unknown destination. A warm power surrounded him, smoothing his way, and slowly, Kyllian opened his eyes.

  At first, he didn’t register what had happened. When his vision began to clear, he caught sight of Sandros’s familiar figure sitting by his side. “Sandros?” he croaked out. “What?”

  “Welcome back, my friend,” the other man said. He looked pale, but his eyes were as alert as always. “How do you feel?”

  “I’ve been better.” Kyllian experimentally tried to get up and found with surprise that he could move. “Considering the circumstances, though, I’d say I feel remarkably well.”

  Judging by the décor, they seemed to be in the dryad palace. The room they were currently in looked a bit like Yane’s, but it was more spacious and ornate. Kyllian surmised that if the dryad palace
still stood, he must have succeeded in his task.

  Sandros chuckled weakly. “I’m glad you’re better. You gave us quite a scare. I understand Owen was quite brokenhearted. Alcharr, Yanentah, Sassaki, and Has’hendral weren’t very happy about it either.”

  As Sandros spoke, Kyllian spotted a slumbering silhouette on a settee next to the bed. It was Owen, looking more gorgeous than ever, but at the same time, exhausted. Dark circles shrouded his closed eyes, and even in his sleep, he seemed restless.

  Kyllian gave the human a concerned look, then turned toward Sandros. “What’s happened? How long was I out?”

  The door opened even as he finished talking. For a few moments, Yane stared at him, then rushed inside. “Oh, gods…You’re awake.” He knelt next to the bed and took Kyllian’s hand. “I can’t believe it.”

  “You were out three days,” Sandros said. “Rallion and I have been struggling to feed you energy, but it seemed to be failing. Fayre left for a healer, but the storm that started after the destruction of the crystal stopped all boats.”

  “Wait…Back up. What happened in Tanarak, and what in the world was Fayre doing here in the first place?”

  “Helping out, apparently.” Yane sighed. “You see, as Sassaki told me, the wyrms were ready to attack, when Owen, Fayre, and Kani showed up. It seems Kani is the mate of the leader of the wyrms. So, in the end, the man agreed to a meeting with me and surprisingly, even believed the story of the crystal. He granted us a temporary truce until we manage to deal with it in the astral realm.”

  To Kyllian, that sounded suspiciously like the wyrm intended to use them to cleanse the area of the crystal’s influence and take the spoils afterward. He didn’t say it, however. It was, after all, the responsibility of the dryads to destroy the crystal. “What else?” he inquired.

  “Well, Hash’s brother and his mates arrived. Rallion, a half fae, helped out with your healing. And yesterday, Sandros arrived. We’re gathering a group of mages and magically inclined creatures to go attack the crystal.”