“I thought it was barbaric,” Kyle says as he reaches out for my mate’s hand. “Is this how you wanted it, Ally?”
Ally smiles reassuringly to him as she allows him to hold her hand. “Sure, Kyle. It’s kind of cool, don’t you agree?”
“No,” his voice is flat and he searches her eyes for the truth he knows is hidden behind them.
“We can talk later. We have a lot of guests to thank for coming. You guys go get some drinks and something to eat up in the patio area. We’ll join you soon,” Alyssa tells them as she pats Kyle’s hand.
He kisses her cheek, “Okay, we’ll be up there waiting for you. Are you sure you’re okay, Ally?”
“I am, Kyle. Scoot!”
Laura hugs Alyssa and then me. “I loved it! See you in a little while.”
Kyle shakes my hand. “Congratulations, Eden. You have a great girl here. Promise me you’ll always treat her right?”
“I promise, Kyle. Thanks for being so understanding.”
They turn and walk away from us. “I miss them already, Eden,” my mate says.
“They’re not going anywhere, Princess,” I say, feeling her heart aching as they move out of her sight.
Though I’ve never felt such deep connections to anyone other than my parents and Alyssa, I am able to feel what she does now.
A physical pain in her chest when Kyle walked away stabbed at mine as well. Emotionally, I was unaffected, but this ability to feel her pain is new. I wonder if we’ll start to feel each other’s emotions as well.
Married but a minute and already new things are happening to us!
“Come, princess, let us thank our other guests,” I tell her as I lead her to meet some of our protectors.
Linda comes towards us, and involuntarily, I remember our last kiss.
Huge mistake!
Alyssa’s body goes rigid as I hold her around her waist up against my side. “Why did you never tell me?” she asks with a tremble to her sweet voice.
“I’m sorry. I’ll tell you all about it, but later,” I say as Linda places her hand on my shoulder, then pulls me into a quick hug. “This is Linda Davis, Alyssa. She’s our fashion coordinator. She’s purchased all of our clothes and accessories for us.”
Alyssa smiles at Linda, but it’s taking a lot for her to do it. “So nice to meet you. Eden hasn’t told me a thing about you, Linda.”
Linda bats at my arm. “Oh, Eden, how could you? I thought for sure you would tell her about me. After all, I am a little bit more than just your fashion coordinator.”
Alyssa speaks to her with a sharp tone to her usually angelic voice. “I’m quite aware of what you were to him. A tutor of sorts, I see. Just for future reference, if there is ever another young man who you find in need of tutoring, I like the way Eden handles me. The gentleness you taught him does nothing for me.”
Linda’s eyebrows raise and surprise fills her eyes. “I see. I do apologize, Mrs. Fontaine.”
“No need,” Alyssa says, finally softening her tone. “It is I who should apologize. I’m possessive and jealous. Two unattractive things to be. It’s something I have to work on. Thank you for all you’ve done for us, Linda.”
As if my heart could take in anymore, pride wells up in mine. To witness the acts I’ve done with Linda and deal with them so quickly is amazing. She dealt with this so much better than I did with Kyle.
I move on to other guests and the night moves on. After meeting the entire room of people, we’re both tired. Then Galchobar looms in front of us.
“It is time. You will be transported to the transformation ceremony. It’s at another location and has been prepared by other protectors. We must leave now,” he informs us and motions for us to follow him.
“I need to see Kyle,” Alyssa says as she refuses to move.
“You will,” the old man says as he continues to walk.
She and I exchange confused looks, then follow the ancient man to our destiny.
Ready or not, here it comes!
CHAPTER 34
ALYSSA
It’s so dark. Where am I?
The last thing I remember, I was getting into the back seat of a black Bentley. The old guy, Galchobar, was driving us to another ceremony, the one where we were to transform.
Is that what happened to me? I transformed and can’t remember anything?
Running my hands over my body, I find my wedding dress is gone and another much lighter dress has been put on me.
When did I change clothes?
The sound of water dripping echoes around me as if I’m in a cave. The ground is hard, possibly cement. It’s so damn dark. A dim light shines in the distance.
I suppose I need to get to that. What the hell happened to me and why can’t I communicate with Eden?
Pushing myself up to my feet, I find them bare. When I spread my arms out I find a wet rock wall to my right. I use that to keep me steady as I move towards the light. Something squishes between my toes, making me flinch at the thought of what it might be.
This is taking an eternity!
As I near the opening, which is round, I can see it’s made from rocks; old, grey, ancient-looking rocks.
Ouch! Crap, I stepped on something.
I look down. The light shines in enough for me to make out a circle on the rock floor. As I reach for it, I can tell it’s a large metal ring with an old fashioned key hanging from it. My head jerks up as a loud roar fills the cavern.
What the hell was that?
My body clings to the cold and wet wall. The sound came from outside and now I think going out there would be a terrible mistake.
You have to go somewhere, girl!
Slowly, I creep towards the opening, staying close to the wall. Peeking out, I see dirt, then across from me two huge cages swing on chains hung from the rafters of a giant structure, much like an arena. On one side people fill stands. They’re far away, but I can still hear their yells and applause.
Dangerously close to me, a male lion paces back and forth, seemingly unaware of my existence. The large cat stops and watches something. I follow its gaze to see someone pulling themselves up inside one of the cages. The cat darts away, roaring like crazy.
Apparently, the animal does not want the person to stand up.
“No!” I hear a male voice yell, and immediately I know that voice.
God! No! It’s Kyle!
The familiar sound of Galchobar’s voice fills the open arena, yet I don’t see him. “Only minutes until the spell wears off and all will be known by the future Phoenixes. Will she make it? Or will all be lost? Once the cages open, the lion will be able to attack them. Will the male Phoenix be able to handle him on his own and save the mortal?”
What the hell is going on?
Chains rattle as the cat bats at the cage which holds my Kyle. Movement in the other cage catches my eye. It’s Eden.
What am I supposed to do?
I lay my head back on the cold wall and try my best to think of a plan.
The key on the ground has to open the cages. If I can open them and get the lion to chase me, they can go out the gate I saw at the end of the arena. I’ll have to run faster than the damn cat.
I grab the key and take advantage of the cat’s preoccupation with hitting the cages and roaring as they spin, and occasionally clank against the other.
A tall stone wall runs behind the cages, so that’s where I’m headed. Noticing my clothes, I find I’m in a knee-high, solid-white dress with a haltered top. I take a quick moment to be sure I have panties on, because how embarrassing would that be if I didn’t?
Yeah, they left them on me. Thank God!
The lack of shoes comes in handy as I begin my entrance into the arena. The cat is unaware of me until the crowd goes wild with my presence. Kyle and Eden both shout at me. I can’t make out what either of them says.
Focused on the wall, I find three stones which jut out. With my way up the wall figured out, I’m almost home free. The first step
up, I feel the wind behind me as the lion swipes a huge paw, just missing me. I make it up the wall and turn to look at the lion. He’s on his hind legs, trying his hardest to reach me.
I stick my tongue out at him. “Not this time, kitten.”
Holding my arms out to balance myself, I walk down the foot-wide wall until I reach the first cage, which Eden is in. I smile at him. “Need a little help?” I ask as I wiggle the key.
He smiles back. “What makes you think that?”
“Well, since you have it all under control, I’ll just run back out of here and let you deal with it,” I say, then turn back.
“Stop messing around, princess, and get him out first, then me,” Eden says.
I turn back as the lion goes from batting at Eden’s cage to trying to climb the wall to get me.
So distracted the kitty is. I wonder if he has to take pills for that.
Kyle looks pissed. “Is this part of your damn medieval wedding, Ally?”
Eden shouts over, “I told you already it wasn’t.”
Kyle keeps glaring at me as I answer him. “Of course it isn’t, Kyle. God! What kind of monster do you think I am? Now, if you could try to swing over here to me, I can jump on the cage and unlock your door. Eden, can you keep the kitty occupied while I do that?”
Kyle pulls on two of the cage’s bars, then leans forward. The cage slowly starts swinging in my direction. Eden taunts the cat on the other side of his cage. As he gets the cage close, I jump. Grabbing onto the bars, I find I’m thin enough to slip through them.
Kyle’s hand reaches out and grabs me, pulling me to him. He holds the bar with one hand and wraps the other around me. I feel his face in my hair, then his lips on my cheek.
I close my eyes with how good his warm breath feels on my ear as he whispers in it, “God, Ally. What’s going on?”
His face is so close as I look up at him. The confusion on it does something to me. My hand runs up into his blonde curls.
“Kyle, are you okay?”
“Not really,” he says, his voice soft. The motion of the swinging cage pushes our bodies together and my breasts up against his broad chest ache for him to touch them.
This is wrong!
The swinging slows enough for me to pull my body away from his. I use the bars to pull myself to the cage’s door as I say, “I’m going to unlock the cages, but don’t get out of it until I take off, letting the cat chase me. Then you guys get out and run to that gate over there. I’ll come as soon as I know you two are safe.”
Kyle crosses the floor to get to me, holding me to him again. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you do that, Al. I’ll take the key and do it.”
I tweak his nose. “You can’t fit through the bars of Eden’s cage,” I say as I shrug my shoulders.
“Fuck,” he hisses.
Reaching out of the cage, I put the large key in the hole and turn it until it clicks. The door opens a bit. Kyle catches it, holding it closed. He releases his hold on me. “I’ll get the cat’s attention so you can slip out of my cage and jump into his. You be as careful as you can. Promise me,” he demands.
“Of course I will,” I say as I move to the side of the cage closest to Eden’s. “Hey, leave that kitty alone, you big bully. Let Kyle play with it for a while. Swing over here and pick me up. I need to save you, my prince.”
Eden laughs and turns away from the cat as Kyle begins banging on the bars in his. The lion moves right on over to the far side of Kyle’s cage, leaving me open to switch cages.
As Eden swings, the cages are close enough for me to simply grab one of Eden’s bars and slip from one to another without much effort. His mouth is hot on mine as he kisses me like he thought he might never see me again. Heat sears through my body as his tongue flows over mine, claiming my mouth. He has to hold me up as my legs give out.
Reluctantly, he eases his kiss and releases me. “I’ve missed you, princess.”
“I can tell,” I say, almost out of breath.
Our heads rest together at our foreheads. “My heart nearly burst as I watched that lion chase you,” he says as his finger traces a path down my stomach, leaving electric tingles in its path.
“Mine almost burst when I saw you in this cage. You about ready to get out of here and start our honeymoon?” I ask, running my hands over his back, down to his fantastic ass.
Yeah, we need to get out of here and consummate this marriage!
Eden takes the key from my wrist. “I heard you telling Kyle your plan and I cannot allow it, princess. I’ll do it.”
“Eden, please. I can do this. Let me.”
The shake of his head ticks me off. “No, baby. I just can’t do that.”
The lock clicks, and he almost jumps out when I stop him. “Eden,” I say, and he turns. “I asked you to let me.”
Although the spell Galchobar put on us has our telepathy blocked, he can read my eyes. They’re saying to let me do what I had planned, or I’m going to be pissed, and who wants a pissed off bride on their wedding night?
He pauses and considers what I’ve asked. “Alyssa, this is very dangerous.”
“I’m supposed to do this. I can feel it. Please allow me to,” I say.
Eden holds the door open just enough for me to slip through it and says, “May Our Creator be with you.”
I place a kiss on his cheek as I move past him, hopping out of the cage and running back towards the opening I came out of. The lion’s roar lets me know he sees me.
His paws thunder behind me and his roar sends heat to my back. I dart into the opening and fall back against the wall as the lion runs past me, then I fly back out the opening.
Kyle and Eden are running to the gate as I see another lion released at the far end of the arena. It takes off after them.
I run at that lion as I hear the roar of the other lion, which has turned around and found me again. With that one behind me, I run straight for the other and jump over its back as the lion who follows me crashes into him.
Seems lions don’t take kindly to being run into!
They fight each other while I double up my speed and run for the gate. Eden holds it open as Kyle yells, “They’ve stopped fighting each other and now they’re after you. Run! Hurry!”
A paw swipes at me, catching the material of my dress as it flies behind me. I hear it rip and pray my whole backside isn’t exposed. Through the gate I run, right into Kyle’s waiting arms as Eden locks the gate.
The tug on my dress from Eden examining just how close one of the lions got to me turns my attention from the tight hug Kyle has me in. “I’m okay,” I say as I pull away from Kyle and turn to Eden. “Are my panties showing?”
Kyle answers, as I’ve turned my back end towards him, “A little. Why’d you put on red panties with a white dress?”
At that moment, I realize the spectators are all cheering and applauding.
How crazy is that? I never noticed them until it was all over.
Galchobar’s booming voice comes from somewhere, but again, I don’t see him. “She has succeeded.”
Eden points up and Kyle and I join him in looking in that direction. Galchobar floats down to us, landing gently on the rocky floor in front of us. Kyle leans over. “I’m not this guy’s biggest fan,” he says, drawing the old man’s attention.
“Nor am I yours,” Galchobar says. “Yet your connection to our very special creature means we must co-exist.”
“What does that mean?” Kyle asks.
A flash of light fills my eyes, leaving me blind. My body falls, but many hands catch me.
What’s happening to me?
CHAPTER 35
KYLE
I’ve been kidnapped and placed in a clear box!
Another cage, and the second time I’ve been abducted on the same night. Ally and her new husband have told me this is not part of their medieval wedding, but what the hell else could it be?
And where in the hell is Laura?
After that comp
letely fucked up wedding, Laura and I went up to the patio.
Okay, I have to get this straight. Who gets married in an abandoned, old-as-hell church that’s falling down? Also, who wants to take the vows my Ally has? She was never one for this type of thing.
My Ally is sweet and innocent. She’s not some theater major with a penchant for BDSM. Then this fucking guy comes along and suddenly she is?
No way! I’m not buying that!
I can’t remember how I came to be in a cage with a lion pushing it around, but I did. Ally saved me and her new husband, then it all went dark. And now here I am.
The scene in front of me is surreal. I’m at the back of a crowd of red, hooded, cloaked people, trapped in this clear box, which is raised on some type of platform.
It’s night time. The only light comes from a massive fire in the middle of the congregation. Why I’m here is a mystery.
God, please don’t let me be a sacrifice!
The last thing I remember was hugging Ally, then she turned around and I saw her red panties.
On that note, when I held her to me, she reacted. She’s not over me, not by far. As a matter of fact, I feel closer to her than ever. I wonder what happens if she’s married but decides to dump him to be with me?
“We are here to witness the new Phoenixes' rebirth. You are all witnesses to the change of power,” the complete asshole who officiated my Ally’s wedding says as he rises from nowhere up into the air.
Seriously! Who or what is this old dude?
The red-clad mob in front of me begins to chant something I don’t understand. After three minutes of the mind-numbing chant, thunder rings out, shaking my glass cage.
I didn’t see any lightning!
The old dude shouts out, “Your Phoenixes are here. They have served this planet for over a century. Their time has been served and they are free to go home.”
The cloaked audience stops chanting and falls to their knees. Throwing their arms up in the air, they say, “Praise be to Our Creator.”
Okay! This is a new kind of nuts!
A horrible shriek sends my hands to my ears.
Hey! I’ve heard that sound before!
His Sweet Torment: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance Page 123
