~ ~ ~
Time and again, he expected her to use her new found 'power' against him, believing she would slap him down. He'd seen it repeatedly through his entire life. Every Sídhí male was very aware of Woman's Choice. Women held power and they twisted their lifeMate into knots over every little thing, taking pleasure from the pain they caused.
Already, there were a dozen things she could use as a weapon against him.
She could have easily used her pain against him. Instead, she tried hiding how badly she hurt.
And family, every time they spoke about family, he felt her bursting with love and yearning for her family on Earth. Yet, she never once asked to contact them, even though he knew how desperately she wanted to.
Every time he turned around, he expected the worst. It never happened.
Like right now, he could feel how urgently she wanted a bath, but she refused when she thought it would cause him undue pain.
He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around this new lifeMate of his, but he couldn't fully understand her. Finally, he realized it didn't matter if he understood or not. He simply thanked God for blessing him more than he ever deserved.
He smiled down at her and picked her up, cradling his most precious mate against his chest.
Her sigh of delight, as he lowered her in the hot water, was worth every moment of pain he experienced during the bath as he soaped her up and washed her fine silken hair. Oh yes, he was in pain, an exquisite pressure he thought he'd explode from. It was worth every moment.
~ ~ ~
I snuggled deeper in Colin's warm embrace.
Sound asleep he tightened his arms, curling closer around me. A wave of love surrounded me; his sleep-filled emotion enveloped me within in a cocoon, caressing me as if he lay awake.
I trembled, realizing that even as he slept he loved me.
Who knew life could take such a dramatic turn?
The only thing that could make my life perfect would be adding my family into the mix. I knew by now they must be frantic. I could still hear Sarah's heart rendering scream of denial; her eyes had looked tortured as she watched the gate shut between us.
I shoved my worries to the back of my mind. Given time I thought Colin would agree to meet them, but I knew that decision would take time.
As long as he remained at my side, loving me the way he did, I could live with that.
The End
Glossary of Sídhí Terms
Blood Thirst - The uncontrollable urge of a vampire to drink human blood from a specific person.
Chameleon – Chameleon are race of people from Sídhí. Three to four feet tall, slender, and covered from head to toe with short, thick black fur like that of an otter. They have solid black eyes and sharp white teeth. If injected with raw synth crystal they Change into an umbra.
Chi’Kehra – Chi’Kehra is the title for the true elf monarch. In known history, there have only been two. Every elf baby is tested at birth; the baby’s hand is sliced open and dipped into pure synth crystal. Any child that has a scar after this process is declared as the ultimate elf leader, Chi’Kehra. The Chi’Kehra is the only person that can completely manipulate synth crystal in its pure form.
Dragon – 1.) Dragon shifters are a race of people originally from Sídhí. They have the ability to change their shape to that of a specific animal/dragon. Each sub-race (Clan) has various strengths provided by the synth crystal in their blood. A person’s first shift into dragon can take place before or after puberty. A shifter in human form smells human. They consider the term shapeshifter a slur as they are dragon. 2.) Dragons are a very intelligent, and highly dangerous, Sídhí animal.
Elves - Race of people originally from Sídhí. The have a rigidly strict code of honor. They give an oath of fealty to whomever they choose. First, they always give a blood oath of fealty to the unknown Chi’Kehra, second oath goes to their house, and third oath may go to their valley or their liege lord. Due to synth crystal they have increased sense of smell, sight, strength and mental capabilities. They have pointed ears, approximately a half inch to one inch taller than a mundane human’s ear. The pupil (black center) and the iris (colored portion of their eye) are larger than a mundane human’s eye.
Fairy - Race of people originally from Sídhí. Each fairy has various strengths provided by the synth crystal in their blood. Very secretive race. Most live in Atlantis Valley, which covers large swaths of land and all of the North and South Atlantic Oceans. Five castes: Royal, warrior, merchant, common, and servant. The five castes contain hundreds of sub-races, such as siren, pixie, nymphs, changelings, dwarves, leprechaun, brownie, banshee, harpy, phoenix, enchanter, mermaid, mystic… Physical and paranormal attributes vary widely between sub-races.
Gateway - A gateway is a permanent ‘doorway’ that allows people or inanimate objects to travel instantly between Earth and valley (see valley) or between valleys. A mundane human cannot see a gateway, but they can go through a gateway if touching a Sídhí or holding a piece of synth crystal.
Halfling – A halfling is an individual who is half one race and half another.
Khatt – A khatt is a large Sídhí animal. Very family orientated. They live in large herds. Babies are called kit - litters of three to five. Omnivore, though they prefer meat. They will adopt a human upon occasion. Long lived - several centuries.
LifeMate – When a person is drawn toward another person by the synth crystal in their blood. Two people who are perfect soul mates. Two people who fall in love and bond. LifeMates are miserable when apart from each other.
LifeBond - The lifeBond is a permanent mental bond between two lifeMates. The bond allows them to feel each other’s emotions. The bond cannot be broken once formed.
LifeBud - The LifeBud is a physical organ in a Sídhí brain that allows a lifeBond to be created between two lifeMates. The bud can be destroyed before a bond is created, but not afterward.
Mia Cara - Literal translation: my beloved.
Morag - A nocturnal insect with a blackish oval body with grooved wings and several dozen legs. It makes an irritating buzzing/belching sound, but is not very loud.
Mundane (human) – A mundane is a normal human with no synth crystal in their blood, normally born on Earth. Some valleys have a few mundane settlements. The Dhark Valleys keep mundane humans as servants/slaves and a source of blood for their large vampire population.
Port – See teleport.
Puberty - The developmental period every teenage Sídhí goes through. In a twenty-one day period, a Sídhí youth will start out stick-thin and develop into their adult body and abilities. The youth is always hungry during this time.
Sídhí (aka Immortal or home world) - 1. A Sídhí is a person that originally lived (or descended from people who lived) on the home world of Sídhí. 2. A formally mundane human who has been injected with pure synth crystal or received a venomous bite from a vampire. 3. Sídhí is the original home world of non-mundane humans.
Sídhí is pronounced: Sid He
Synth Crystal - 1. The purest form of energy, it was created by the highly advanced Ancient Ones on the home world of Sídhí tens of thousands of years ago. Synth crystal makes normal (mundane) people immortal and increases all of their natural abilities. It also gives them other extra-ordinary abilities. 2. It is the strongest known substance on Earth or Sídhí 3. Each source (or spring) of crystal has a slightly different set of characteristics in it.
Synth Crystal Spring - A spring of Synth Crystal can be grown. Crystal in liquid form is poured into an underground chasm or cavern. The crystal grows until it fills the underground abyss. Each spring is subtly different as the crystal leeches microscopic material from the surrounding nature. Pools of Synth Crystal can be seen above ground, but growth (expansion) can only take place underground.
Teleportation (aka port) – Teleportation is the ability of a vampire or dragon shifter to move from one location to another in the blink of an eye.
Umbra - Race of
people originally from Sídhí, believed extinct. They had a very slight odor, a very mild aroma of sea salt; most immortals could not smell them. Very short black fur covered their entire body. Like an otter, the fur was water repellent. The fur also acted as insulation that entirely muffled their heartbeat. They had poisonous teeth and claws. They had the ability to disappear like a chameleon.
Valley - A second dimensional valley covers the same geographical terrain as Earth does. Most Sídhí live within the protection of a valley. A valley can only be entered by a gateway or by porting. Valleys were created thousands of years ago. The most respected theory of how valleys came into existence is The Second Dimensional Balloon Theory.
The Second Dimensional Balloon Theory - During the Great War, Chi’Kehra (see Chi’Kehra) gathered tremendous amounts of raw synth crystal and began pushing the raw energy into the gateways connecting Earth and Sídhí. Before he could finish - whatever he planned - he died. The energy had no guidance. The gateways overloaded and all the energy exploded outward toward Earth. The explosion created massive valleys, teleporting all living creatures from Sídhí to Earth, and permanently sealing the gateways between Sídhí and Earth.
Vampire - Race of people originally from Sídhí. Due to synth crystal they have increased sense of smell, sight, strength, mental capabilities, teleporting ability, retractable incisors, and retractable claws. A vampire has the ability to suck blood or bite with venom. Their venom can Change a mundane human into an immortal vampire.
Clan vampire - Vampires who eat normal/solid human food and (may or may not) drink the blood of a mate or that of an animal. In direct sunshine their eyes turn solid black with no whites. They have a strict code of honor. They detest dhark vampires and elves.
Dhark vampire (aka Exile) - Vampires who drink the blood of humans and do not eat solid food. In direct sunshine their eyes turn solid red with no whites.
NOTE: The Glossary of Sídhí Terms contains handpicked words that apply to the above short story. A complete glossary (much longer) is available at Jodie's website.
List of Characters
Miranda Trellick
Race: elf/vampire - exile
Height: 5'10"
Hair: white blonde; long, layered to her hips; tends to curl at the ends
Eyes: Caribbean blue
Age: 17
Relationship: Sarah is her older sister
Colin (aka Chi’Kehra)
Race: elf
Height: 6'9"
Hair: midnight black; to his shoulders
Eyes: Hunter green
Age: 3,104
Mirk
Race: Chameleon
Height: 3'8"
Fritz
Race: vampire - exile
Height: 6'5"
Hair: Blond
Sarah Trellick
Race: elf/vampire - exile
Height: 5'10"
Hair: white blonde; long, layered to her hips; tends to curl at the ends
Eyes: Caribbean blue
Age: 19
Sarah (Miranda’s sister) appears in Forbidden Temptation of a Vampire and Vampire’s Forbidden Territory.
Mentioned in passing:
Gerald - Chi’Kehra's spy on Earth
W.L. Kylupspur - author on Sídhí
Captain Gabriel (aka Gabe) - Head of Colin's personal guard
Bella – Healer
Dear Reader,
Thank you for choosing to read Beloved LifeMate: Song of the Sídhí #1.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Jodie B
Website: http://www.jodiebcooper.com – Website has snippets, deleted scenes, and current information.
Sídhí World News Blog: http://sidhinews.blogspot.com - micro (or short) stories published as news clips.
Books by Jodie B. Cooper
Sídhí Summer Camp #1
Forbidden Temptation of a Vampire
- Jared & Katie's story
Vampire’s Forbidden Territory
- Jared, Katie, and their cabin mates
Song of the Sídhí
Beloved LifeMate
- Miranda & Colin's story
A Dragon's Dream of Love
- Leah & Derek's story
Stolen (Love)
- Eric & Katrina's story
Guardian’s Beloved Mate
- Guardian Alexander and Lizzie (Leah’s mom)
Sídhí World News
- Collection of micro (or short) stories published as news clips on the blog Sídhí World News.
For a current list of published books and snippets, please visit Jodie's website.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Walk in the Woods
Chi’Kehra
Death
Prisoner
Woman’s Choice
Glossary of Sídhí Terms
List of Characters
Books by Jodie B. Cooper
Picture Credits
Photograph used for cover: http:// www .dreamstime. com/free-stock-photo-yellow-rose-rimagefree4817685-resi3241390 Yellow Rose Copyright Gingergirl ~ Fonts used: http:// typodermicfonts. com/pages/web-fonts
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Walk in the Woods
Chi’Kehra
Death
Prisoner
Woman’s Choice
Glossary of Sídhí Terms
List of Characters
Books by Jodie B. Cooper
Beloved LifeMate: Song of the Sídhí #1 Page 6
