The Eden Series: The Complete Collection

by Stalder, Janelle

  “You doubt my affection?” he demanded.

  “I –” His mouth crushed into hers before she could get another sound out. His tongue swept inside her mouth, branding her as his. All she could do was brace herself as he completely devoured her. Still angry, she recovered from her initial shock, letting her hands grip his hair tightly as she bit down on his bottom lip, hard. He pulled back, eyes narrowed. Both of them were breathing heavy, their chests rubbing together in a way that was making it extremely difficult for her to concentrate. His tongue snaked out, running over the reddened part she had bitten, one brow raised.

  “That hurt,” he accused. He leaned in so their noses touched. “I’d do anything for you, and only you. I don’t give a damn about my father, this war, or this land. I only said what I needed to say to get him to back off.” He took a deep breath. Rain could see the worry now in his eyes as he spoke, and she suddenly felt foolish. “If he had marked you, Rain, I would have lost you forever. You could never fight against that kind of control, constantly flowing in your system. And I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t sure if you’d even be able to handle it. If you died…I’m not sure what I’d do.”

  Rain’s throat closed, her eyes burning again that day. She searched his face carefully, seeing nothing but truth.

  “Do you understand?”

  She nodded, unable to speak around the lump.

  “Good,” was all he said before bringing his mouth back to hers. This time she gave as good as she got. Both of them were frantic as their lips collided. Elex gripped her bottom firmly, lifting her off the wall. She wrapped her legs around him, holding on as he walked them over to her bed, never once breaking their kiss. Suddenly there was softness beneath her. They broke apart for a moment, regarding one another. Rain took in the beauty that was Elex when he looked truly alive. When he wasn’t sporting the stony look he wore around Aziz. His eyes were bright with passion, his wings spread in a glory of sparkling white and blue. His plush mouth was red and swollen from their kiss, his hair a mess from where her hands had been. She loved him like this.

  “And I you,” he said out loud. She smiled, reaching up to bring him back down to her. No matter what happened, as long as they had each other she’d be fine, she told herself, before losing all thought completely.

  Aziz leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. He waited patiently for Elex to respond to his summons. An ugly storm was brewing deep in the pit of his stomach. The urge to lash out was almost unbearable, but he kept a lid on it. His face betrayed nothing, a cold mask that never faltered. He had been playing this game for years, hiding his emotions and doing what needed be done, no matter the cost. Even if it pained him, he knew that examples needed to be made. There were consequences for everything and everyone. No one, and he meant no one, could be allowed to cross him.

  The door across the hall from him opened. Elex walked out, wings folded behind him, closing the door gently.

  “Still protecting what is mine, son?” Aziz asked quietly. He gave Elex some credit. If he was surprised to see Aziz waiting outside Rain’s room, he didn’t show it. “Did you honestly think I was just going to let you go and not monitor your movements?”

  Elex stood tall, his face hard as he watched Aziz silently.

  “What? No words about looking out for me? No trying to convince me this isn’t what it appears to be?” Aziz pushed off the wall, stepping closer to his son. “You dare to betray me?”

  “No, father,” Elex answered calmly.

  “Liar!” Aziz yelled, his voice echoing in the stone halls. Spittle flew from his mouth as he continued. “I will not be made to look like a fool! And you,” he spat, breathing deeply, “you will pay for your treasonous actions!” He stepped back, his voice now lower. “You have sealed your fate,” he said, just as the dart hit Elex in the neck. He winced, his hand coming to grab the needle from his neck. His eyes flew to meet Aziz’s, showing panic for the first time since he had stepped into the hall. The three soldiers that were hidden in the shadows stepped out, weapons raised. Aziz smiled cruelly, adding, “And hers.”

  “No!” Elex shouted, moving forward. The three soldiers grabbed him by the arms. Aziz watched, detached, as the drug took effect. Elex’s eyes rolled into the back of his head before his body grew limp.

  Aziz looked at the unconscious form of his son, a mixture of emotions turning inside him. He turned to walk down the hall, calling out over his shoulder, “Bring him.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  “We’re in a desert, I thought it was supposed to be hot,” Logan complained, holding his hands out to the fire.

  “It’s night time,” Wolf replied. “It gets cold.”

  Logan looked at him, deadpan. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  “I hate sand,” Moose stated. “I miss grass.”

  Aiden pulled the blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders a little tighter. Logan was right, it was damn cold when the sun went down. The army had camped for the night after a hard day of travelling. As far as he could see in all directions it was sand, sand, and more sand. They had started off northward after Hakim had ridden off with his convoy. The Sand People would not be a part of the war, he had informed them. They felt it was not their war. Aiden didn’t blame them, to be honest. This whole war had been centered on the other side of the land, where they had no business. The only thing linking them to it was Aziz, and Aiden didn’t really think that justified demanding their assistance.

  “I can’t wait until we reach the Emerald Forest,” Logan grumbled. “As soon as I see something green and not sand I think I might kiss it.”

  “That’s about the only thing you’ll be kissing,” Wolf commented dryly. Aiden snickered.

  “Maghon is waiting for me, I’ll have you know,” Logan defended.

  “Uh huh, sure she is,” Wolf countered. Aiden saw something fly through the air out of the corner of his eye. When he turned to look it was just in time to see Wolf dodge the bundled blanket Logan had thrown at him. “You throw like a girl.”

  Everyone laughed, except Logan of course. “Ha, ha, very funny,” he said. “Now give me back my blanket.”

  With a wide grin, Wolf wrapped the extra cloth around his shoulders. “It’s mine now.”

  “Damn it, Wolf!” Logan launched himself over the small fire tackling Wolf to the ground. Aiden and Moose watched in amusement.

  “Should we place bets?” Moose asked, smiling.

  “My bet is on Logan,” came Elisa’s voice from behind them. Aiden turned to look at her, happy to see she was looking herself again. He had noticed she’d been looking stressed lately. He wasn’t sure if it was the war or something else, but whatever it was she seemed to not be worried about it now. He patted the ground beside him for her to take a seat.

  “Nice, Elisa,” Wolf grunted as he fought with Logan. “Way to support your future husband.”

  “Just don’t bruise his face, Logan,” she called out.

  “That would be a shame,” added Moose.

  Logan wrestled away the blanket, jumping back from where Wolf lay sprawled on the ground. Both were breathing heavily.

  “I’m going to have sand in all the wrong places for months now,” Wolf complained, sitting up. He spat on the ground a few times in disgust.

  “You two really are like Jameson and Turk.” Aiden turned to see Diana standing there with an amused expression on her face. “I don’t know if I should feel sorry for you,” she directed to Elisa.

  “Probably,” Moose commented dryly.

  “How are you, Diana?” Aiden asked, focusing on her. She looked tired and pale.

  “Fine,” she answered with a weak smile. “Thank you for asking, Aiden. I was hoping I could speak to you, Elisa,” she continued, turning to look at her. “Privately.”

  Elisa stood, her expression serious again. The two girls walked off, away from everyone else.

  “What’s going on with her?” Logan asked. They all turned from watching the girls
to look at Wolf.

  “No idea,” Wolf admitted. “She won’t tell me.”

  So he wasn’t the only one who noticed, Aiden thought. They sat in silence for a moment before Moose started handing out packages of dried meat and bread. Aiden was getting really sick of this meal.

  “We need to tell Jameson,” Diana said as soon as they were out of earshot.

  Elisa stopped to face her. “I know,” she agreed. “I just think Aiden should know first, and I can’t bring myself to tell him.”

  Diana sighed. “Maybe if Jameson knew, he could help us figure this out.”

  Elisa looked over to where the boys sat. They were eating and laughing at something Logan was saying. Every time she looked at Aiden she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Especially at times like these when he looked so happy. How could she bring his whole world down?

  “What about my father?” she asked while she continued to watch her friends.

  “I’ll tell Jameson first. It’ll be his choice about who else needs to know,” Diana answered.

  “Okay.” Elisa turned to look back at the witch seeing the same conflicting emotions she was feeling mirrored in Diana’s face. “What do you think he’ll do?” she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

  Diana shook her head, silent for a moment. She looked up at the moons, partially hidden by the cloudy night, before looking back at Elisa. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  Elisa remained by herself after Diana left. She looked out at the desert thinking about the man whose homeland it was. She had never seen Aziz in person, wasn’t even sure what he looked like. The sorcerer had always been a presence in her life since she was a small girl, a man of myth it often felt like. He was that monster parents would warn their kids about. Somehow, he never felt real. But Elisa knew differently. She knew he was very much a real force to be reckoned with, and now she was heading straight for him. What would Eden be like when he was gone? The concept of peace was almost foreign to her after so many years of preparing for war. It was hard to contemplate a life without it.

  Strong arms circle her waist from behind. Wolf rested his chin on her shoulder, pulling her close.

  “What are you doing over here by yourself?” he asked softly.

  “Thinking,” she answered.

  “Should I be worried?” he teased. She turned in his arms, letting her own wrap around his neck.

  “Never,” she replied with a smile.

  He returned her smile, kissing the tip of her nose. “What did Diana want?” She couldn’t hide the way her body automatically stiffened. Wolf observed her closely, his brows pulling together in concern. “You know you can always tell me anything, don’t you?”

  Elisa nodded before letting her forehead drop to his chest. One hand stroked her back reassuringly. When Aiden had first arrived in Eden, Elisa had been sworn to secrecy about his origins. At the time, she and Wolf had been at each other’s throats, so it hadn’t bothered her to keep a secret from him. But now things were drastically different. He had been so bitter back then, when he finally learned the truth, knowing that she had kept it from him. She could only imagine how he would feel when the newest secret came to light, and finding out it was her that had discovered it. Could she really keep something of this magnitude from him again?

  She looked up into his beautiful face, and the loving way he looked back at her. “I’ve discovered something,” she whispered tentatively.

  He quirked an eyebrow. “What kind of something?”

  She sighed, looking away for a moment. “Something that could possibly ruin a friend’s life,” she confessed. She turned back to him. “I’m conflicted over revealing it. I don’t know what it means, not just for this person, but for all of us. I told Diana,” she continued. Wolf’s mouth flattened as she said the last part. “Only because I thought perhaps she knew already herself,” she explained quickly.

  “And did she?”

  Elisa shook her head. “No one did, so far as we know. Except Alistair,” she told him.

  “How did you find out then?” he questioned, his face serious now.

  “I got a clue about where to look and found a letter Alistair had written, probably in case something happened to him, like it did.” She paused. “I want to tell you too, but part of me doesn’t want to burden you with this weight. Especially considering how close you two are.”

  Realization dawned on him. “Is it about Aiden?” Elisa nodded. “Tell me, Elisa. Only so you’re not the only one to carry it. That’s what I’m here for – to share whatever burdens you may have, so that it is easier on us both.”

  Elisa smiled, tears brimming in her eyes from gratitude. She eased up onto the tips of her toes, kissing his mouth softly. “I love you,” she said as she pulled back.

  “Don’t think you can easily distract me, woman,” he joked.

  Elisa titled her head to the side, giving him a mocking look. “I think we both know you’re easily distracted,” she argued.

  Wolf chuckled, giving her hips a squeeze. “Tell me,” he urged.

  She took a deep breath. “Once, when I was attending a mass, Alistair came to speak to me afterward. We stood before this painting in the chapel I had never noticed before. It was of the Goddess holding a small child. Do you know it?”

  Wolf thought for a moment. “I don’t think so,” he admitted. “I’ve never really paid attention to any of the paintings in there.”

  “Well it’s beautiful, so I stopped to look at it. Alistair was the one who painted it.”

  “I didn’t know he painted.”

  “Me neither, but he told me that day. When Aiden mentioned that he had whispered something about a painting before he died, I knew instantly what he was referring to.”

  Wolf’s mouth dropped open. “Smart,” he complimented.

  “I have my moments,” she replied dryly, earning another squeeze from him. He stayed silent so she could continue. “I went to the sanctuary that night, while the rest of you looked for the shooter. I swear, Wolf, I stared at that painting for hours trying to figure out what about it was so important that Alistair would have made it his dying words. I just couldn’t grasp what he meant, and I started to wonder if maybe I was wrong. Then it occurred to me that perhaps there was something hidden, something I wasn’t seeing.

  So I took the painting off the wall, and there it was – a folded piece of paper. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest. I ripped it off, hung the painting back up, and ran to Alistair’s gardens so no one else would see.”

  “Where is the letter?” Wolf asked.

  “Buried,” she replied, “beneath his favourite fig tree. I didn’t know what to do after I had read it, so I just hid it again. The thought of anyone else seeing it made me panic.”

  Wolf reached both hands up, stroking back her hair gently. His palms felt warm against her cheeks. “Tell me what the letter said,” he pressed.

  “It was about the prophe –”

  “Someone approaches!” a voiced called out loudly. Elisa jumped looking around Wolf’s body to see a storm of sand, no doubt kicked up from the hooves of many horses, headed their way.

  “Grab your bow,” Wolf ordered, turning to run back to the fire. Elisa saw that Logan, Moose, and Aiden were already on their feet. Elisa joined them as they all moved forward to where her father and the King stood.

  “Are we expecting someone?” Turk asked tightly.

  “Not that I know of,” Jameson replied.

  The dark night made it impossible to see anything. Elisa’s heart raced. She strung an arrow, readying herself.

  “Hold fire!” a voice called out. Jameson put up one hand to halt everyone. Elisa lowered her bow, but kept it ready.

  “Identify yourself,” he called back. The sound of many horses filled the quiet night. Elisa blinked against the sand blowing through the air.

  “If you don’t know me by now,” the voice answered, amused. “I�
��d say you’re getting even older than I thought.” Elisa saw her father and Jameson relax, an easy smile spreading across the King’s face.

  “It’s about time you got here,” he replied lightly.

  The group drew closer and Elisa could finally make out the front rider in the darkness. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized him. Her eyes found Wolf, and she saw a grin stretch his mouth.

  “We might be Riders, my lord,” Hawk, chief of the Riders said. “But we can only go so fast. I’ve been pushing my men for days to reach you.” The Riders pulled to a stop. Elisa could see the exhaustion on each of their faces. “Did you have to move so quickly?” he asked, dropping down from his horse. Hawk stepped forward, grasping forearms with Jameson.

  “We wanted to make it a challenge for you,” the King jested.

  Hawk’s deep laugh filled the air. “No doubt you did.”

  “It’s good to see you again,” Jameson said seriously. “I wasn’t sure if you would decide to join us or not.”

  Hawk nodded solemnly. “I’ll admit, it was hard to leave our women. Sunny is…well she’s not doing well, but I couldn’t just sit around and let you buggers have all the fun. Where is he?”

  Jameson stiffened slightly. Before he could reply, Callum walked up from behind Elisa where she hadn’t seen him, and went to stand beside his brother.

  “Hawk,” he greeted in his deep voice. Elisa couldn’t help but admire the younger Prince, although she’d never admit it to Wolf. There was something very appealing about Callum in a way a wild horse was beautiful, not just for his looks but for the mystery surrounding him. He was striking, with his long, dark hair and deep brown eyes. His jaw firm, covered by only a brush of hair. But he also seemed unpolished, as if no one could manage to tame him or force him to uphold the rules of the court he was born into. It surprised Elisa how different he was from what had been said of him during his youth in the Capital. She could understand why Rose would be taken with him. And yet, despite that wildness she could see, there was also a stillness; a quiet, contemplative feel from him that said nothing and no one went unnoticed by this younger, hardened Prince.