He was still smiling when the dream changed and a wave of sorrow blindsided him. Now Berit stood next to Skye with his arms around her while she wept. A stone monument with the images of two people carved on it stood in front of them and he knew instantly that these were her parents and she was mourning their loss. He tightened his arms around her and nuzzled her cheek. "It's okay. I'm here."
Skye sighed and the dream changed to a scene in a partially burned building where she huddled in a corner while three males approached her. Two of them grabbed her while the third tried to inject her with something. She screamed and fought, slowing them down long enough for Berit and several other warriors to appear and deal with the three assailants.
Seeing the memory of those males touching her and knowing what they intended to do to her enraged him. Before he could control himself a growl of rage left his lips and Skye jerked and let out of small gasp. Disgusted with himself for upsetting her he caressed her back until she relaxed again and the dream changed.
Now, she, Berit, the warriors who'd fought off the attackers, and several females sat around inside a shelter, eating and talking. Lightening lit up the sky around them but the sound of thunder was blocked by the walls as sheets of rain rolled down them obscuring the view of the outside area. One of the warriors moved closer to Skye and put his arms around her. She leaned against him and smiled at whatever he said to her.
A spike of jealousy stabbed into Soren. Who and what was the male to her? Was he someone she cared about? Had she considered taking him as a mate? If so then why hadn't she?
He pulled her closer until her breasts flattened against his chest and one of her legs slid between his. He hadn't chosen her, but she belonged to him now and no other male would touch her ever again. He was tempted to wake her and demand she tell him what this male was to her.
A small grin settled on his lips as he chose another method and slipped into her mind again and asked, "Who is this male who holds you?"
"Mijel."
"What is he to you?"
"The son of my father's sister. He's one of my warriors."
"Your warriors?"
"Yes, when a krystal conjurer or enchantress is born into a family the males form a fighting unit and protect her."
"You can make krystal for them?"
"Yes, because like Berit they're related to me. We're very lucky though as we have two more conjurers in our family, Raina and Zanlie."
"They're mated?"
"Yes, but remember they can conjure krystal for not only their mate but any warrior who is related to them."
"How many warriors are in your unit?"
"Berit and his five warriors plus Raina, her mate, Jerret, and her brother, Dalon and their ten warriors and last of all there's Zanlie, her mate Byler, her brother Tyvon and their ten warriors. Oh, and Mijel." Skye thought for a moment then said, "Thirty-five including you."
There was a small pause then Skye asked out loud, "Soren, are you ready to go to sleep now?"
"You're awake?"
"You woke me with your questions."
"I thought I was being covert."
She shook with laughter then leaned up and kissed him. "I was dreaming about something that happened in the past. You weren't there so when you began asking questions it woke me."
"You could have told me you were awake," he grouched, irritated to be caught spying on her memories.
"I was enjoying your questions." She smiled. "You didn't like Mijel touching me."
He rolled her onto her back and hovered over her. "Does it please you to know this?"
Skye slid her hands over his shoulders, hooked them behind his head and tugged. When his lips met hers she said, "Yes. As much as it pleases you to know how much I want you."
Chapter Five
Thirty cycles later Skye sat on the flat top of a large boulder while Soren threw white krystal toward a target at the far end of the sheltered valley. He hit it and another shard appeared in his hand. Before she could blink it was on its way toward the target in a blur of motion.
Soren smiled then climbed onto the boulder and sat down behind her with his legs on either side of her. He tugged her back until she leaned against him and rested her arms on his drawn up knees.
"Tell me how you fight other krystal warriors," he said.
"It depends. If we're all together we form a triangle with me, Raina and Zanlie at the points. The warriors stand in lines between us and cast krystal at the enemy."
"The females should be in the center where they'd be protected."
Skye shook her head. "No, we each take a side and protect the warriors from the krystal that's thrown at them. Since you can throw dark krystal you'll be placed in the center. From there you can turn and defend us from every direction."
"What happens if two dark krystal warriors meet?"
"They either both withdraw or only one walks away alive."
"Could we be ambushed?"
"No. Enchantresses can sense the presence of other conjurers and enchantresses. Also, the majority of the Crimeryn's conjurers and enchantresses were abducted from Edyn and mated against their will. They broadcast their presence in hopes that they'll be rescued."
"They can be freed from their mate and live?"
"Yes, if you kill him since the mating was forced."
"What happens if a mated enchantress is abducted?"
"It depends," Skye said. "If the person who abducted her tries to mate with her it would kill her. If he didn't touch her then she'd live for a while until she grew weak and died." She brushed her hands over his arms. "You don’t have to worry though because only the enchantress dies. Her mate doesn't."
"You said enchantresses lived and died with their warrior," Soren reminded her.
"If he dies then she dies because she needs him to sustain her."
Soren tipped her back and stared into her eyes. "You will not die. Ever. I demand this."
"Soren—."
"You will never be taken from me but if you are you will know—I care about you and you will survive until I come for you."
Skye stroked her hand over his cheek. "Soren."
"Say this. Say you will survive." He knew he was being unreasonable but just the thought of her death sent him into a blind panic and he felt the urgent need to mark her as his. Without thinking he grabbed one of her hands, held it tight and reached for the band on his arm. He squeezed it and it slid down his arm and onto hers then after a moment it split into two bands. He slid the wider one back onto his arm then put the second band on her other arm. "I claim you and wherever you go my bands will remind you that you belong to me. Now, promise me."
Skye touched the bands on her arms then placed her hand on his chest. "How'd you know the bands would split apart like that?"
"I don't know. It just felt right to do it."
Skye leaned forward, kissed him and sent him a flirty grin as she ran her finger down his chest, circled his navel with a fingertip and traced a path down to his cock. "Your memory is coming back. Let's celebrate."
Soren caught her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't think you're getting out of promising me to survive. Now, say it."
Skye narrowed her eyes. "You can't make me."
Soren grinned then flipped her over his lap, pushed her cloak out of the way and swatted her bottom three times. "Promise me."
Skye wiggled then said, "Make me."
Soren chuckled, pulled her pants down and swatted her bare butt five more times. "Say it."
She shook her head and wiggled her bottom again then gasped when he swatted her several more times then slid his hand between her legs and pressed two fingers into her. He pumped them in and out then rubbed his thumb over her clit.
"Oh, Soren." Her voice was soft and breathy. She wiggled again.
He withdrew his fingers, swatted her three times then pushed three fingers into her, stretching her as he strummed her clit with his thumb. "Say it and I'll let you come."
"I promi
se that I will try to survive until you find me."
He scowled and lifted her until they were eye to eye before he linked his mind with hers. "You will not try…you will do it. Now say it."
She nodded. "I promise I will survive until you come for me," she thought, then added, "Can I come now?"
Soren laughed, pushed her pants down until they were twisted around her ankles then grasped her waist and lifted her above him until her knees rested on either side of his shoulders. He grinned up at her then licked her pussy.
Skye screeched with surprise. "What are you doing?"
"Having a snack." Soren licked her again then swirled his tongue around her clit. "Place your hands on the back of the chair and leave them there."
She complied and moaned with pleasure when his tongue slid between the lips of her pussy and into her. "Oh, Soren."
"Get rid of our pants."
She did and he lowered her until the head of his cock brushed against her pussy. He held her there for a moment then slowly lowered her, entering her inch by inch until he was all the way inside her. She pressed down onto him, wiggled and moaned again.
"Tor, I know what you're feeling." He read her thoughts and knew she was nearly frantic to come. He lifted and lowered her while her arousal and excitement grew, ramping up his own until his need to come matched hers. He pushed up into her, grasped her hips and rocked her back and forth, dragging her clit over the short hairs at the base of his cock. She screamed his name and shook with pleasure as she came. He held his own orgasm back as he tightened his hold on her and continued to thrust into her. She moaned, shivered and came again, throwing him into an explosive orgasm. He pressed into her and groaned her name.
Skye collapsed against him. "Oh, Soren. I love you so much."
He kissed the top of her head then settled her on his lap and wrapped his cloak around her. "You will rest now."
"I'm not tired."
"You will rest for fifteen micro-units. When the time is up you will teach me to throw dark krystal."
"You sure are bossy."
"I am a warrior."
"So am I."
Soren placed her hand in his then held them up, comparing them. His hand was twice the size of hers. "I am a powerful dark krystal warrior. You will obey me, little heart."
Skye snorted then laughed. "Okay, you win, for now." She snuggled against him then sighed with pleasure and contentment. "I've never felt this strong before. It feels amazing."
Her words sent a wave of satisfaction and contentment through him. Knowing she belonged to him and that only he could provide for her increased his need to protect her. He held her closer, made sure she was warm then thought, "Sleep now."
Skye laughed then yawned and a moment later she drifted off and began to dream about walking in a beautiful garden with him by her side.
Soren smiled. Since she'd placed him in her dream he knew he could talk to her without waking her. "What is this place?"
"I think it might be your home." She looked around. "You told me that the flowers on the gazebo were named 'Warrior's Delight' by your father in honor of your mother."
"When did I tell you this?"
"When you caught me in your dream the first time."
"You should have told me about this place."
"You don't remember your dreams?"
"Not always."
"Oh," she thought. "I'll tell you from now on."
"What else is here?"
Skye turned and pointed toward the house in the distance. "Do you recognize the house?"
"No." Soren took a step toward it then stopped. Something, maybe Skye's presence, held him back. He looked around the garden and realized the edges were hazy and he couldn’t see beyond them.
Skye picked up on his thoughts. "This is all I saw in your dream."
Feeling somehow threatened, Soren wrapped his arms around her, glanced around one last time and thought, "Wake up, Skye. You must teach me to use dark krystal now."
# # #
Skye picked up on his urgency and opened her eyes. "What is it?"
He placed his fingers over her lips while he looked around. "We are being hunted. Provide clothes for us then teach me to use dark krystal."
She called on the elements and a nano-unit later they were dressed. He slid her off his lap and steadied her, then moved away from her and held out his hands.
Skye conjured the deadly shards and Soren threw them to the other end of the small valley. They shattered and pieces of them scattered and disappeared among the glistening white shards, somehow sucking the light away from them and throwing the area into shadow.
Soren walked down to examine it then returned to Skye, picked her up and carried her to the side of the valley where the cliff rose several hundred meters above them. He placed her with her back against the rock wall then stood in front of her. "I want you to conjure a krystal shelter around yourself."
"I can't conjure krystal for you if we're separated by a krystal wall."
"Then make a shelter around yourself with as small an opening as possible but remain behind me."
Skye built a shelter with a roof and two full walls on either side of her. In front she formed a half wall. Soren nodded with approval then took up a position in front of her and held out his hands. "Begin."
She conjured the shards and he threw them at multiple targets across the valley floor. After thirty micro-units he stopped and turned to her. She dismantled her shelter and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, slow and deep, tasting her and dueling with her tongue until she collapsed against him. He smiled against her lips then patted her bottom and stepped away.
"How do you feel, little one?"
"Strong."
"Good, because we're no longer alone."
"Groaners?"
He shook his head. "No, these warriors try to move silently."
Skye searched the area with her senses but didn’t pick up on anything. "It's not Berit. I'd sense his presence."
"Who else can you sense besides me and Berit?"
"You and Berit because you are closest to me and other conjurers or enchantresses. Whoever these warriors are they have a conjurer with them but she won't be able to sense my presence."
"Could an enchantress?"
"We'd sense each other at the same time although if she was being held against her will she'd probably try to hide her response to my presence from her captor."
"Can you communicate with another enchantress or conjurer?"
"No, I can only link with you now."
Her answer pleased him. It was another connection that only the two of them shared. He linked his mind with hers. "From now on no talking out loud."
"Very well," Skye thought.
"Stay behind me and follow my commands without hesitation."
"The same goes for you. Remember I've been fighting these type of battles for a long time."
He snorted and sent her an irritated frown. "We'll move to high ground and locate them before they find us.
"There's a path to the top of these bluffs at the far end of this valley but it's very steep and difficult to climb."
"We'll make it," he thought and led the way to the path she'd indicated. "Is this an animal trail?"
"Yes."
"Have you been to the top before?"
"Yes, once."
"Describe it to me."
"It's flat but covered with large groups of boulders we can use as cover or to build a shelter among if needed. The north end rises higher and has an ice cave. It's usually occupied by one of the larger predators."
Soren looked behind them, saw their prints in the snow and frowned.
Skye picked up on his thoughts. "I can do something about the nearest prints but not the ones farther away."
"That will be enough." Soren waited while she erased their prints then he began climbing the path. Every few steps he reached down, grabbed Skye's hands and pulled her up next to him. A thick layer of ice coated the path and the
rocks making every step treacherous. Occasionally his foot slipped and he'd slide back a small distance before he caught himself. Halfway up the cliff he pulled her behind a large boulder and wrapped his cloak around her to warm her. "Rest for a couple micro-units."
She nodded. "I don't sense her getting closer to us."
Soren examined their back trail then the area around them noticing the colors of the rocks, ice and shadows. "Can you make our cloaks match our surroundings?"
Skye smiled and with a wave of her hand the cloth changed to a swirled combination of gray, whites and icy blues.
Soren ducked his head, kissed her lips and thought, "Ready?"
"Yes."
He turned, chose a path and led the way, repeating the pattern of taking a few steps then pulling her up next to him. Once they reached the top he stopped next to a large boulder and surveyed the area he could see.
Skye pointed toward an opening in several boulders. "That way leads towards the edge overlooking our shelter. Perhaps we'll see their ship from there."
Soren nodded and held out his hands. "Dark krystal."
She produced it then followed him from shadow to shadow through the boulders. After a few micro-units they reached a large clearing. Soren searched the area around them making sure they were on the highest peak and the enemy couldn't look down on them. "Stay close."
"Okay."
"Don't stop until we reach those boulders."
She grabbed his arm. "Wait! I sense a Krystali conjurer nearby. They must have followed our footprints to the valley."
"Can you tell how close she is?"
Skye concentrated for a moment then pointed behind them. "They've begun climbing behind us now."
"We must hurry and find a defensible position for the battle." He didn't wait for her consent. Instead he took off across the clearing with her moving one step behind him.
They were halfway across when a huge creature stood up on its hind legs and roared with rage before it dropped onto its six clawed paws and charged. Soren shoved Skye behind him and threw the dark krystal. It hit the creature in the shoulder and bounced off.
A nano-unit later a shelter formed around them and the creature crashed into it, and went to its knees. It shook its head, rose and batted at the shelter giving them a glimpse of six razor sharp claws.
Soren's Bondmate Page 6
