by Brenda Trim
She slowly blinked her eyes open and the empathy he saw in her whiskey eyes floored him. “Good morning, little Firecracker. How are you feeling?”
She eyed him warily and sat up, not looking as refreshed as she should. Through their bond, he sensed her fatigue was both emotional and physical. “I could be better. How are you?” she asked sincerely.
He ran his hands down both her arms and wrapped them around her back. “I’m fine. You didna sleep very well. You had nightmares. Care to talk aboot it?” He was anxiously waiting for her reply, realizing he wanted her to share freely with him. He wanted her to trust him with her heart. He already carried part of her soul, but he wanted more.
“Yeah…” she responded, glancing down before once again meeting his gaze, “but somehow I don’t think you’re going to want to talk about it.”
“What makes you say that?” Curiosity had him wondering what she had to say.
“Because my dream wasn’t about me. It was about you,” she shared, “and I don’t understand it all.” His confusion eclipsed his curiosity.
“Can you see the future?” He wondered if she had a special ability like Elsie and her sister.
“Okay, that was completely random. To answer your question, no I can’t. Why would you ask that?” She tilted her head to one side, clearly as confused as he was.
“Supernaturals are no’ the only ones who have special abilities. Some humans do, too. Elsie has premonitions and her sister is telepathic,” he replied.
“Elsie has premonitions? Holy shit, I had no idea. I am going to have a long talk with that girl when I get back. Anyway, no I can’t do anything like that. I’m just an ordinary chick.”
“Och, you are anything but ordinary. So, what were you dreaming aboot? Me, tying you to my bed and taking your luscious body?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“No, it wasn’t anything like that.” Her serious expression wiped the smile from his lips. “It was a nightmare. At first, I had no idea it had anything to do with you. I found myself in the bedroom of an old castle and before I could make sense of anything, I saw a demon torture, rape and murder a woman,” she swallowed thickly and shuddered in his arms. Her description sounded exactly like what had happened to his mother and he suddenly didn’t want to hear what she had to say. He didn’t believe in coincidences. Was it possible Mackendra shared his dream?
*****
Mack watched several different emotions cross Kyran’s face and debated continuing. Vampires, she realized, were no different than humans. They experienced love and loss like anyone else and felt emotions deeply. She had seen the utter devastation Kyran had suffered as a young man and it had broken her heart. She had never stopped to consider that vampires may have feelings. She shook her head at her narrow-mindedness.
It had become clear to her that everything was heightened for supernaturals, whether it was sexual encounters, anger, or grief. And, because of their long life, they suffered for centuries, if not, longer. She couldn’t conceive of experiencing what Kyran had been through and then carrying that burden for seven hundred years. She understood him better now. She had always believed when her mother had told her she couldn’t fix anyone, yet now, she wanted to help Kyran find peace. Instinctively, she knew it would probably be easier to climb Mount Everest unaided.
“You doona need to talk aboot this. ‘Tis still light oot. Why doona you try and get some rest. I’m going to use the restroom,” he said, trying to dislodge her from his lap.
She refused to allow him to ignore this, wanting him to talk about it. “You’re not going anywhere, Kyran. Look at me. The woman had long, dark-brown hair and I think you know what the demon did to her. I saw you sift out of a wardrobe with a sword and kill him. What I want to know is who she was to you.”
He gazed at the ceiling and didn’t respond. She placed her palm on his cheek and felt his jaw clench beneath her fingers. “Tell me, Kyran, please. I’m your Fated Mate and I need to know this.”
“Why?” The question held a world of pain and anger and nearly made her flinch. She had been through too much and come out the other side for her to cower now. Besides, if she ever hoped to make a life with the vampire she had fallen in love with, she needed to get him to open up.
“Because, I need to understand you and I think this event was key in shaping the man you’ve become,” she explained and crawled into his lap until she straddled his hips.
He placed his hands on her waist and she felt his fingers sink into her flesh. He gripped her so hard she knew she’d have bruises later. She kept silent, allowing him time to find the words. “The female was my mamai,” he responded in a voice husky with emotion.
“And the man in the hall?”
Kyran let his head fall back onto the shelf behind them and looked at her through hooded eyes. She saw resignation in his stormy grey depths. “My da.”
“Why did this happen?”
“The archdemon was after what they all want, the Triskele Amulet, and they waged war on us in an attempt to steal it. My da was the previous Vampire King. My family has protected the amulet since the beginning of the Tehrex Realm.”
She nodded, recalling his explanation of the amulet and how it had certain powers. One of which was the ability to free Lucifer from his frozen prison in the ninth circle of hell. Her personal favorite use of the amulet was to kill a demon and its soul. She was all for making sure they couldn’t be reborn. “It makes sense why your parents were targeted, but where were the Dark Warriors and why didn’t they help your parents?”
“The Dark Warriors didna exist then. Zander formed the group after our parents were killed. I am the one who failed them,” he confessed. She saw the self-loathing for his perceived failure.
“Now you listen to me mate, you are not responsible for what happened that night. You did nothing wrong.” She wasn’t surprised that he blamed himself, given that she could feel the depth of his despair.
“Then you must no’ have seen the entire memory and what I did after. I never remembered it all before tonight,” he denied her platitudes.
“You mean the path of destruction you carved through your house? Yeah, I saw that. And, no, you aren’t to blame. You were doing what the Goddess demanded and protecting others. If you hadn’t done anything, those skirm would have killed you, the rest of your family and probably many others. And, don’t forget, that because of you, they didn’t get the amulet. There was no one else there to stop them. I am sure your parents were proud of you.”
She held his gaze and she saw tears sheen his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. “I didna save them. I was the only one capable of defending them and I cowered in a cabinet. I didna act soon enough, I watched her be raped and killed, Mackendra.” He lowered his head in shame.
“Kyran, you have to remember that you were young. You weren’t the strong warrior that sits before me. You didn’t have the skills you have today. Had you acted any sooner than you did, you would have been slaughtered, too. Your mother knew that. I saw her shake her head warning you not to come out. It seemed as if her eyes implored you.” She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head.
He lifted his head and captured her gaze. “She wanted me to keep my brathair and puithar safe. They were just three years old. My da locked them in the safe with the amulet, knowing that was the safest place for them. I used my rage to plow through the enemies before they were found.”
“You saved them and the world while you were at it, yet you sit here seven hundred years later, blaming yourself. The hardest thing to do in life is to forgive yourself. I’m sure your siblings have never once placed responsibility on your shoulders, so why do you?”
His eyes flared in surprise as he contemplated her words. “I want to believe it wasna my fault, but I close my eyes and I see my mamai all over again. I should have acted sooner.”
“Coulda, shoulda, woulda. You can’t change the past and you have more than paid you penanc
e for your perceived failures. You can never erase the loss of a loved one. Normally, time lessons the pain, but you haven’t let go in order to begin the healing process. Losing someone so close to you, especially, a mother, leaves an indelible mark. Your heart and mind may never be the same, like you have pointed out, but they don’t have to stay broken. Stop beating yourself up and live,” she implored him. She understood all too well how difficult it was to cope with the loss of a parent.
“You have no idea how lucky you are,” she pointed out, thinking of her own childhood.
“How so? Given what I’ve been through and done in my long life, I wouldna say I’m lucky,” he replied, placing a kiss on the side of her neck. She arched her head to the side, giving him better access.
“You had parents who loved you and loved one another. If you’re going to hold onto anything, hold onto those memories,” she continued as he kissed her sensitive skin.
“You sound like Zander. He is the romantic of our family and credits that to how much our da loved our mamai.”
“Tell me what it was like to have such loving parents,” she entreated, unable to hide the longing in her voice.
“Our house was always filled with laughter and love. You could scarcely walk into a room withoot seeing my da kissing my mamai. And, she was always smiling. She would sing us to sleep and when the twins were born I would go into their nursery just to listen to her sing again. I havena thought about the sound of her voice in so long,” he divulged. She felt his smile against her neck.
“Tell me aboot your family. Do you have any siblings?” Kyran whispered in her ear.
“My father was an alcoholic and abusive to me and my mother. He left us when I was twelve and I have no idea if he is alive or dead and I don’t care. My mother never remarried and never had any other children. She died in a car crash when I was seventeen. After that, I went to live with my aunt until she died of breast. I have been alone ever since.” He stopped kissing her neck and she missed it immediately. His lips were softer than an angora sweater and she loved how they felt all over her body. She didn’t understand the power this vampire had over her. Somehow, he made her forget the heartache of her childhood and was instantly overcome with desire.
He opened his mouth to respond and she kissed him to stop his words. “I don’t want your pity. I told you that so you realize you have so much more than that one horrible night. Your parents left you with a lifetime of love and adoration, focus on that. Now, I have a question that has been bugging me since I woke up. How did we share this dream, or, whatever?”
“I doona believe we shared a dream. Zander has power over dreams, no’ me. We shared my recollection of the events that night. You see, Fated Mates are able to communicate telepathically with one another,” he shook his head, thinking. “I didna think our connection was that strong yet. Typically, this only happens after the mating has been completed.”
“So, what you’re saying is, I’m special,” she said with a smile.
“Och, no doubt aboot it, lass,” he said, with the sexiest grin she’d ever seen. “Verra special,” he said as his lips hovered scant inches above hers, making her long to taste him. She was about to close the gap and take the kiss she yearned for when the glow of his eyes stopped her, reminding her he wasn’t human.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Inhuman or not, Mack was undeniably attracted to Kyran. As impossible as it was, she managed to put her desire for him aside. “Why do your eyes glow? I’ve noticed it several times now,” she inquired. She noticed it had happened when they were in intimate situations, one of which had involved her blood.
“I’m sure you’ve seen them glow because it happens when I’m aroused…which is constantly when I’m around you,” he admitted, frustration clear in his tone.
She smiled at her feminine power over him. What she knew of Kyran, he needed control and to lose it over his body’s reactions must be driving him crazy. She turned her body and straddled his hips, settling her core against his erection. She wiggled and laughed at his groan. “Is it dark yet? We need to get going,” she said, as she continued to tease him with her movements.
“Och, little Firecracker. You’re rousing the beast, be sure you’re ready for what comes next,” he admonished and wrapped his hands around her hips. She expected him to still her, but he pulled her down and increased the friction. Turning the tables on her, he made her crazy with the need for more.
“Later,” he promised. “We need to get out of this building while ‘tis dark.”
“Mmmm,” she moaned, wanting it to be later right now.
“We need to go,” he added and she saw the regret in his gaze.
He was on his feet before she could object. She envied how steady he was given that she had to hold herself up. If she hadn’t felt his desire for her she would question it. But then, according to him, they were Fated Mates which was a foreign concept to her.
She had found out more about him in the past few hours than she had in the entire time they had been on this foreign planet. The idea of carrying a part of his soul had frightened her initially, but then there were times like this when she felt more connected to him than she had anyone else in her life.
Steadier, she grabbed her backpack off the floor and tied her boots. “Come on, Pip. I’m going to take the sign down and unlock the door so someone can find the women. That way, we have time to put distance between us and them. Drag them out here so it’s easy to find them and remove the tape from their mouths,” she instructed. Pip had been grooming himself, but stopped at her call and jumped into her arms.
“Be careful who you boss around, lass,” he said in a flat tone of voice.
“Would it help it I said please, leech?” She tossed a smile over her shoulder and walked to the front door, ignoring his response.
“Okay, ready,” she told Kyran, when she returned. “Someone will be along soon to untie you,” she said to the women.
“I have to pee. You can’t leave us tied up,” one dragon protested the same time the other snarled at them. “You had better run fast and far because when I get out my boyfriend will hunt you down and roast you.”
“The same one that was supposed to come hours ago? Och, I think we are safe from your imaginary boyfriend,” Kyran shot back.
Mack hit him in the stomach. “We haven’t harmed you and I even fed you. You’ll be released soon, I’m sure. Come on,” she told Kyran, pulling him behind her.
They made it to the backdoor and Kyran paused. He cocked his head, likely listening to see if anyone was outside. She did the same and was surprised to hear people laughing and talking in the distance. He opened the door and they stepped into the empty alley behind the building.
The night was warm and there was a light breeze. The noise of the city was so different on Khoth. There was no honking horns or blaring sirens, only the sounds of people.
When she heard the sound of wings flapping, she looked to the purple sky in a panic. Dragons were flying overhead and from their circular pattern, she wondered if they had seen them. “What do we do now?” she asked in a whisper.
“Now we go to Tatenen,” Kyran told her.
“What?” she blurted in surprise then lowered her voice. “I thought we were going to Mt. Batia.”
“Aye, we are, mate. But I need to go to the highest point possible to get our bearings. Unless you happen to have GPS for the island in that pretty little head of yours,” he teased.
“Very funny, leech, but do you think that’s a good idea? That is where Legette is and he seemed to want you pretty bad. We want to get to safety, not walk into the lion’s den,” she replied sarcastically.
“Hold on to me, lass. This is your favorite part,” he murmured, ignoring her question. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She tightened her grip on Pip and before she had a chance to close her eyes, they were sifting. It was nauseating and she didn’t know if she would ever get used to the sensation. Luckily, he stopped
within seconds. They were in another alley, but she still couldn’t see Tatenen in the distance.
He quickly took in their surroundings and she had no doubt he knew where every creature was in their vicinity. Gone was the sentimental guy she had gotten a glimpse of. In his place was a lethal warrior. She could see how most would be intimidated by him, but she admired his strength and ferocity.
“Shite, I canna get a good view of the ramparts. We need to be closer. It wouldna be a good idea if I sift into the middle of a group of Máahes,” he explained. He leaned his head down and captured her lips in a kiss right before he sifted, causing dizziness of an entirely different kind.
He chuckled when she clutched him tightly. The rush of arousal coupled with the lightheaded sensation from sifting was a disconcerting combination. The kiss did distract her and alleviated some of the effect. “I think you need to kiss me every time,” she confessed when they stopped again.
He threw his head back and released a low chuckle. “You’ll get no argument from me there, Mackendra.”
“Are you ever going to call me Mack?”
“Nay,” he husked and brought his lips back to hers. Several alleys later she was humming from head to toe with desire for her vampire. She was strung so tight that she thought she’d shatter with the slightest touch from him. No man had ever affected her so deeply with his kisses.
“Up to the castle walls now, lass. And I’ll have to deny you your kiss this time. There isna room for distractions,” he said as he scanned the area ahead of them. “There are two guards and no way to avoid them.”
“In you go,” she told Pip as she put him into her backpack for safe keeping. “I like those odds,” she murmured, pulling her knife out and gripping it in her right hand as she wrapped her left around Kyran’s waist.
She held back the disorientation as best as she could, certain they would come up against at least two dragons the moment they stopped. She stumbled a couple of steps as Kyran released her abruptly. The world came into focus at the same time she found her footing.
