Fire and Fantasy: a Limited Edition Collection of Epic and Urban Fantasy

by CK Dawn

  He stiffened, his eyes darting between her hazel ones. “Are you threatening me?” he choked out, everything going numb.

  She shook her head violently. “No, just stating the truth.” Gwen pulled his hand to her flat belly. “I have to protect my own.”

  The numbness burned away at her implication. “Are you pregnant?” he hissed. Hayjen crooked a finger under her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Gwen, are you pregnant?”

  “Yes.”

  Hayjen’s eyes dropped to her belly. His sister would have a child. His unmarried sister. “I’m going to kill him,” he growled, moving to go around her. His sister latched onto his arm. His angry eyes met her tear-filled ones.

  “We’re married.”

  For the second time that day, he went numb. She turned to look at him, guilt written on her face.

  “I didn’t want to overwhelm you. We had a simple ceremony. Colm and I planned on having a big one if,” she paused, “if you came home.”

  His lips moved not of his own accord. “It’s wrong to lie even if it’s to spare another’s feelings.”

  “I know, brother, you taught me that. I’m sorry for not being honest.”

  His sister was going to be a mother. “Well, Colm didn’t waste any time.”

  Gwen blushed then scowled. “I’ve always wanted a family.”

  She always had. It had been his dream too, at one time. Hayjen dropped to his knees and stared at Gwen’s skirt like he could see the baby.

  “There’s nothing there.” She smoothed her skirts so he could see her belly.

  Carefully, he touched her belly and smiled. “Hello there, baby girl. I’m your uncle Hayjen.”

  “How do you know it’s a girl?”

  “Because you deserve to have one as wily as you were.”

  Gwen chuckled and sunk down to her knees. Her smile morphed into something much more serious as she clasped his face. “I want you to be part of our lives, but you need to decide what is most important.”

  “My decision was made the moment you told me you were pregnant.”

  Her sunny smile broke out on her face. “Thank God.” Gwen gestured to her face and more tears poured down. “Damn body. All I do is cry.”

  He kissed her forehead and helped her to her feet. “Mum did the same thing with you.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Truly. As a little boy, I didn’t know what I’d done wrong. Papa had to explain to me that it wasn’t my fault.”

  “I wish they were here.”

  “Me, too.”

  “You hungry?”

  “Always.”

  Gwen led him inside and he felt a twinge of guilt at the happy smile adorning his sister’s face. He’d told her the truth—his decision had been made the moment he found out she was pregnant. It just wasn’t the decision she hoped for. Hayjen was more determined than ever to make sure no one could hurt his family.

  Time to hunt.

  Nine

  Lilja

  “You sure you won’t come with us, Captain?”

  She smiled at her rambunctious crew, shaking her head. “Do you remember the last time we descended on Sanee? Chaos and mayhem was the result.”

  “You just want to finish your book!” James shouted.

  Lilja chuckled; her men knew her well. “That may be the case, but it doesn’t make the former any less true.”

  “We didn’t cause that much mischief.”

  “Tell that to the pub owner.”

  James shrugged a shoulder and charged forward down the dock. “To the ale we go!” he shouted.

  She watched them joke and make a spectacle of themselves as they moved further away. “Hams. I have a crew made up of hams.”

  “The perfect fit, I must say.”

  Lilja stiffened then relaxed. “Damn it, Blair. Don’t sneak up on me.”

  Blair leaned against the railing, his dark eyes glittering with mirth. “Don’t be so obtuse. Then I wouldn’t be able to sneak up on you.”

  “You and your warrior sneaking skills, useless,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Increased hearing as well, Lil.”

  She smiled sweetly. “Didn’t forget.”

  His eyes narrowed and a sly smile crept across his face. Lilja stared at him with wide eyes. That look never boded well. “I am just going to go read.” She began backing away and paused when his body stilled. “No!” she shouted as she spun to sprint towards her study.

  Three steps. She only made it three steps before a large arm wrapped around her middle and the other was tickling her neck. “Stop!” she screeched in between bouts of giggles.

  “Not until you admit that my skills are far superior and that you couldn’t survive without me!”

  “Never!” she growled between teeth.

  “Okay then, Captain.”

  The tickling intensified so much that she couldn’t breathe. “I give,” she wheezed. “I give. Your skills on land are far superior to mine and I couldn’t survive without you.”

  “Not quite right.”

  “You couldn’t beat me in a swimming race and you know it.”

  Blair paused in his tickling. “I will concede that.”

  He set her down and Lilja straightened her clothes, scowling at him while he grinned. “No more of that.”

  “I can’t help when the fancy to tickle you strikes.”

  “Sure you can. It’s called keeping your hands to yourself.”

  “Where’s the fun in that, Lil?”

  Lilja smiled at his good-natured ribbing. It wasn’t often that Blair was playful. When he was, she treasured every moment. “What are you doing this evening?”

  “Fishing, lounging around.”

  “Fishing?” she scoffed. “When is the last time you fished for fun.”

  “My point exactly.”

  “Mmhmm…well I am going to finish my new book, so don’t interrupt me. Then, I may go for a swim.”

  His face grew serious. “This close to other people?”

  “I’ll be careful. When I get back, most of them will be so deep in their cups that if they managed to spot me, they would doubt what they saw.”

  “Just keep your senses.”

  “Always do.”

  She waved and sauntered into her room, excited at the prospect of an evening to herself. Grabbing her snack off her desk, she moved to the nest of pillows and blankets in her window seat. With a grateful sigh, she sunk into the nest and squirmed until she got comfortable. Time to find out if the maiden found her true love.

  What an ending!

  Lilja blinked and rubbed her eyes. She glanced around the room, squinting. No wonder it was hard to see the words. Almost all the light had faded from the room. She laid her book down and stretched as she stood. A happy groan escaped her. Why did stretching feel so good? She dropped her arms, scanned the room and spotted her seal skin.

  She marched toward it and snagged it off the rung. She couldn’t wait to go for a swim. The seal skin suit made it so easy to glide through the water with speed. Lilja slipped on the one piece suit created for speed and wrapped a robe around herself. She snuck out of the room and out to the railing. Quickly, she surveyed the area. No one was around. She threw her robe over a barrel and climbed over the railing. Lilja sucked in one last breath before pushing off the side of the ship and into a dive.

  Her skin tingled all over as the sea welcomed her back. She sucked in a breath and grimaced in pain as the air was shoved out of her lungs and her gills opened. The transition wasn’t painless, but it was manageable. Lilja allowed herself to sink to the ocean floor, sand cushioning her knees. She opened her eyes and pushed the tendrils of her hair out of her face. There was nothing like swimming in the sea. Life teemed everywhere. Fish, crustaceans, corals, and sea stars decorated that land she called home.

  Peace engulfed her, causing her to lie back and float. She soaked in the murmur of the sea. The quiet melody it was always singing. Little fish darted in, tempting he
r to give in and join their game of tag. Lilja swatted at them playfully and enjoyed her peace. When the little inhabitants of the sea went silent, she smiled. She sat up—her hair floating around her—and smiled at the dark creatures waiting for her silently.

  The Leviathan.

  She pushed from the sand and glided towards the beasts feared by many. She stopped before the alpha and hummed a little tune. All the Leviathan hummed in excitement. They loved to race. Lilja held her hand out in offering. The immense beast slid forward and bumped her hand, its black eyes never leaving her. She smiled and darted below her new race partner, gaining a head. Her muscles burned as she swam as hard as she could. A series of happy hums vibrated through the air. The race was on—it wouldn’t be long before they passed her.

  Sure enough, within moments the first of the dark shining beasts whipped above her and moved ahead. Dark shapes surrounded her, gliding in and out in patterns that astounded her in their beauty. Breathing out, she paused and continued to glide through the water. The alpha paused, noticing her slowing, and swam back to circle her. She was out of shape. No beast or man could outswim a Leviathan but she used to be able to keep up for a time.

  She smiled when a young one bumped her with its nose and rubbed against her side. A sound like a purr rumbled out of the youngling when she scratched behind its dorsal fin. Lilja grinned as, one by one, each Leviathan of the pod moved in to receive its own massage. Last was the alpha—he circled her and rubbed against her finally. When she scratched him, the purr almost startled her in its loudness. Carefully, she ran her hand along his fin and floated above. She hummed her race song, hoping he would allow her to ride with him.

  Without warning he jerked forward, startling a squeak out of her. He stopped at the sound and twisted back to nuzzle her leg. Lilja smoothed a hand down his side, letting him know it was okay—she was just surprised. The beast straightened and burst forward again, but this time she was prepared. She grinned as he raced against the rest of the pod, weaving in and out of his brethren, trying to impress her.

  When they arrived at the coastal shelf, Lilja let go of his fin and swam around him. Again, she held her hand out respecting his choice to say farewell. He bypassed her hand and bumped her in the face. Honored and surprised, she wrapped her arms around his snout, avoiding the huge sharp teeth, and kissed his slick skin. “Thank you for the honor,” she hummed. Lilja waved to the pod as they faded back into the darkness and slowly swam towards the harbor where the ships bobbed.

  She stopped to flip a crab over and smiled as it scuttled away. The little crustacean would live another day. Satisfied with her swim, she moved towards the moonlight dancing on the water. Breaking through the surface, Lilja sucked in a breath. Her gills closed, forcing the water out of her lungs. She coughed, sputtering up sea water until her lungs were finally able to suck in great lungfuls of night air. She scanned the area before climbing up the rope ladder, which hung over the railing. Speedily, she reached the railing and hauled herself over. Lilja threw her robe over her seal skin and spun, moving towards her room.

  The Lure would be strong, so she needed to get to her room. Something slammed into her back, crashing her into the hallway wall.

  “Gods, you smell good,” Blair growled, pressing his nose against her neck.

  Hell.

  Lilja closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Blair, you need to think about what you are doing.”

  “What?” he asked, sounding dazed as his hands caressed her waist and his nose skimmed her jaw.

  She gritted her teeth. “You are reacting to my smell. It’s science, Blair. Hormones. This isn’t your choice. It’s my protection. You are supposed to want me. It’s who I am. It’s just the Lure.” His hands clenched on her waist then moved to the wall on either side of her, his face never leaving her neck.

  “Damn it,” he mumbled against her skin. “YOU. JUST. SMELL. SO. GOOD.”

  “I know, it’s just the Lure. Once my scent leaves you, your senses will come back. You need to step away.”

  Blair pressed his face further into her neck. “I’m sorry, Lil.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about, it’s not your fault.”

  He nodded and then jerked himself from her and stumbled down the hall.

  Lilja pushed off the wall, watching him stagger away. “Sorry.”

  “Damn sirens,” he mumbled, shaking himself. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  She tightened her robe and slunk into her room, closing the door. Stupid Lure. It turned men stupid around her. Lilja began to shrug off the robe sticking to her skin when something pricked her gill. Something suspiciously sharp and short, like a dagger.

  “You will answer for what you’ve done.”

  Hayjen.

  Nothing like ending your evening at knife point.

  Lilja breathed shallowly so as not to provoke the man behind her into doing something they would both regret. “Calm down, Hayjen.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down, murderer.”

  She winced as her neck stung and she felt blood trickle down onto her collarbone. “Okay.” Her eyes flitted to her desk where she had daggers stashed. If she could move him in that direction, she might be able to defend herself and knock him out. A tendril of fear snaked through her at the plan forming in her mind. Maybe if she went limp she could use her dead weight to unbalance him and get away. But she also ran the risk of being cut.

  “Stars above,” Hayjen muttered, pulling her back against his broad muscled chest. “What is that bloody smell?”

  Lilja blinked. The Lure. Either the Lure would work in her favor—distracting him enough that she could escape—or it would anger him enough that his lust would turn to something sinister. His nose pressed behind her ear and his hand tightened.

  “What is that?” he demanded, his voice tight. “It’s like chocolate, citrus, and sin.”

  She squeezed her eyes closed and tapped into her sultry side. “What do you think it is?” She lifted a hand and ran it along the fingers gripping the dagger. “My body is calling to you.” His voice hitched. Carefully, she drew a pattern on the forearm wrapped around her body. “Can’t you feel it?”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” Hayjen panted even as he pulled her closer, molding her to himself. “What is happening?” he whispered.

  “Biology.”

  A hot tongue glided up her neck causing her breath to stutter out in shock. He paused then jerked away, pulling her wet hair from her neck. “What the hell?” The arm around her body released her and touched one of her gills. “What in the hell is that?”

  Lilja seized the moment of his distraction and wrenched the dagger far enough from her neck that she was able to slither out of his arms. Her hand stung from the cut, but she barely felt it as she lunged for her desk. Hayjen crashed into her, causing her to hit her head on the corner of her desk. Stars dotted her vision and her stomach rolled. Blindly, she kicked out and was satisfied when she felt her foot connect and a curse exploded out of Hayjen. She crawled to her knees, the world spinning around her. She needed to secure a dagger. He wasn’t in his right mind. A hand landed on her hips and flipped her over. Lilja grunted and lashed out, hitting whatever she could. In a quick maneuver, her hands were pinned beneath knees as Hayjen sat on her hips. No matter how she bucked, the giant man didn’t move.

  “Stop moving,” he growled.

  “So you can kill me? I don’t think so!” she hissed, the pain in her head so bad that tears dripped from the corners of her eyes.

  “I said stop it.” Cold metal touched her collarbone.

  She stilled. The dagger danced along her skin, pushing her hair from her neck, and paused on her gills. Lilja’s eyes slammed shut. By seeing her gills, he basically signed his own death warrant. Blair would never let him escape with her secret. “Don’t,” she pleaded.

  “What are you?” Lilja felt him lean forward to study them. “What are these?”

  “Just forget what you saw and
leave.”

  “No, I want answers.”

  “I don’t have any.”

  “Lies. Stop lying to me.”

  The darkness in his voice made the hair on her arms stand. She swallowed and uttered something she rarely admitted out loud. “They’re gills.”

  Silence reigned in the room except for their harsh breathing. “You can breathe underwater?” he questioned.

  She went to nod, but froze when the nausea overwhelmed her. “Yes.”

  Hayjen stiffened. “The dreams are real,” he murmured. “Look at me.”

  Lilja squinted through her pain and met his untrusting eyes.

  “Did you save me from the Leviathan?”

  Staring back, she didn’t blink. “Yes.”

  Hayjen’s mouth pinched and the skin around his eyes tightened. “Why?”

  “Because it was the right thing to do.”

  “Damn it.” He pulled the dagger from her neck and slammed it into the floor. “Then why Mer?” he cried. “Why? She was only a little girl!”

  “Hayjen.”

  “Why her? Why not me?”

  “Hayjen.”

  “What?” he yelled, glaring down at her.

  “Look at me.”

  His eyes filled with confusion. “I am looking at you.”

  “No,” she said softly. “Look at me. Who do I remind you of?”

  “No one. You’re too unique to look like anyone I know.”

  “You’re looking but not seeing. Think of possibilities. Who looks similar to me?”

  Hayjen’s eyes scrutinized her face. He paused when his eyes met hers. They just stared at each other until suspicion, recognition, and shock flitted through his gaze. “Mer.”

  Relief shot through her bones. The guilt of keeping the truth from him had weighed her down more than she’d realized.