Calix, crouched by Cadence’s body touched her smooth cheek. ‘Why isn’t she waking up?’
‘Something’s keeping her there,’ Bran said.
‘Someone, you mean.’ Kaelia shuddered. ‘It’s Thom; he has her beneath the earth, doesn’t he?’
Bran nodded. ‘I suspect so.’
‘He’ll make her go into the Drauguri Sea!’ Calix jumped up. ‘Can’t you do anything else?’
Bran nodded slowly. ‘Possibly but I don’t think you’ll like it.’
‘Do it, whatever it is!’ Calix’s eyes were wild.
Without answering, Bran reached out and snapped Calix’s neck, allowing his limp body to fall to the ground.
‘You killed him!’ Kaelia screamed, throwing herself next to Calix’s still warm body.
‘Yes.’ Bran towered over them. ‘Three, two, one.’ He sent a ball of violet light into the air above Calix’s body; illuminating Calix’s angry spirit. ‘Find your girlfriend,’ Bran instructed Calix. ‘You must work quickly. When you find her, hold on to her and I’ll bring you both back.’ He fired another ball of light at Calix’s spirit, shooting him into the ground.
Kaelia laid Calix’s body into a more comfortable position even though she knew he wasn’t inside it. ‘Can you really bring them both back?’
Bran shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never done this before.’
Kaelia flew at him and pummelled his chest in an instant. ‘But you killed Calix! I thought you knew what you’re doing!’
Bran caught her hands and laughed. ‘I always wanted to break the idiot’s neck, now I feel I’ve satisfied my desire, I may be able to tolerate him more.’
‘But what if you can’t bring him back?’
‘Don’t you mean them, not just him?’ Bran held onto Kaelia’s hands, enjoying the crackles of power prickling between them.
‘I don’t care about her!’ Kaelia’s eyes widened; she really meant it.
Bran laughed. ‘We are more suited than you care to admit, Kaelia!’
Kaelia pulled her hands free and shoved Bran in the chest, sending him hurtling backwards. She trembled, she didn’t want Bran to be right but doubts slipped into her mind. If she wasn’t like him why did she secretly hope Cadence didn’t live? The warm fur of the Vallesm’s head pushed against her hand as the creature sat beside her. Kaelia peered into its amber-flecked eyes, seeing her own image reflected in them. The trouble was she wasn’t sure she liked what she saw.
* * *
Twelve
The sun hid behind clouds, casting shadows over the trees of Mortiswood, which in turn spread long shadows of their own underfoot. The Vallesm begrudgingly laid down next to Calix’s body as Kaelia requested, in order to keep it as warm as possible. Kaelia shivered inside her coat and pulled it tighter. Bran’s face was partly obscured by the soft fall of his raven hair. He had one leg bent, foot resting against a tree, and his back leaning into the curve of the trunk. Tails of his long, dark coat swathed like a cloak, the stiff collar turned up against the chill.
‘What?’ Bran’s voice was deep.
‘Nothing.’ Kaelia looked away. ‘I’m cold.’
Bran reached her before she knew it. ‘Would you like me to warm you up?’ A wicked glint illuminated his eyes.
Heat from his body caressed her. She stared at where his fitted shirt was undone by two buttons, exposing the hollow of his neck near the collarbone. A muscle tensed in his jaw.
Kaelia licked her lips. ‘It wasn’t an invitation for a come-on.’ Her voice sounded strange, even to her own ears.
Bran dipped his head until their eyes were level with each others. On the ground by Calix’s body, the Vallesm growled. ‘What was it an invitation for exactly?’ Bran asked.
Kaelia stared at him. She thought of Bay and for once, struggled to bring an image of his face to mind. Bran’s face neared hers, the soft touch of his breath flitted her lips as his closed the distance between them. Light crackled from them both, sparking two ways. Bran’s legs pressed against the outside of Kaelia’s, his thighs firm and hard. Her entire body fizzled with energy, her head whirled pleasurably.
‘Do you feel it?’ Bran’s lips brushed Kaelia’s with his words.
Kaelia breathed in, drawing sparkles of light from Bran’s lips. The light popped and crackled on her tongue.
‘Don’t deny yourself.’ Bran’s hands cupped her face, sending delicious shivers through them both. ‘Who else can make you feel the way I can?’
With an almighty howl, the Vallesm launched itself between them, catching them both off guard and causing them to stumble apart. Kaelia shook her head, dazed. The Vallesm glared at her. Its head hung low, the points of its teeth glinting angrily. Hackles sprung up along the ridge of its back and it deliberately advanced towards Kaelia, stopping as the tip of its nose touched her chest. Its growl rumbled through Kaelia’s ribcage, shaking her. She threw an annoyed glance at Bran, who had returned to his nonchalant position of leaning against the tree.
‘What have you done to me?’ Kaelia trembled angrily. ‘Did Thom inspire you?’
Bran laughed. ‘You’re not under my thrall, if that’s what you mean.’
‘You’d hardly tell me if I was.’
Bran lifted his head. ‘You’re not. I can’t do that to you. Enthralling by blood is a Draugr trick. You forget I’m like you.’
Kaelia clenched her fists. She didn’t know who she was angrier with; Bran or herself. ‘I’m nothing like you.’
‘You are, Kaelia. You know it even if you can’t admit it yet.’
The Vallesm suddenly launched at Bran, catching the necromancer in its immense jaws, pulling him to the floor. From his position, neck held fast in the creature’s mouth, Bran’s eyes shone with pain.
‘Will you call off your pet?’ his voice rose, bordering on hysteria, as the Vallesm increased pressure. ‘Or do I have to kill it? You know I’d love to.’
Kaelia reached the Vallesm in two leaps and tentatively touched its hunched withers. ‘Release him, that’s enough.’
The wolf’s jaw opened and the creature howled before charging off into the dense woodland.
‘Come back!’ Kaelia ran after the wolf, stopping when she couldn’t even see the route it had taken. Her heart sunk; the Vallesm must have thought she didn’t want it. ‘Don’t leave me!’
Bran’s breath parted the curls hanging over Kaelia’s left ear. ‘Are we really alone?’ Mischievousness lifted the timbre of his voice.
Kaelia froze. The hairs of her head prickled with the electricity humming between her and Bran. ‘Don’t get any ideas.’
‘Tell me.’ Bran lowered his mouth against her ear. ‘Who were you telling to stop? Me or the wolf?’
Kaelia pushed away from him. ‘The Vallesm.’
‘Good.’ Bran ambled beside her, following her back to Calix’s body and the unconscious Jade. ‘It seemed like you cared about me and I enjoyed it.’
Kaelia turned around and made to slap him but Bran caught her hand. ‘Stop fighting me,’ he said.
‘Stop giving me reason to.’ Kaelia wrenched her hand free. She stomped over to Jade and pointed at her. ‘Why don’t you turn your attention and powers into doing something useful? Do something to Jade.’
Bran was beside Jade in a flash. ‘You want me to free her from Thom’s hold?’
Kaelia rolled her eyes. ‘Obviously. You think you’re all that, so prove it.’
Standing above Jade’s body, Bran splayed his hands, streaming violet light. The light caught Jade, levitating her body into mid air. Bran’s eyelids closed but his eyes moved erratically underneath them. His lips matched the same speed as his eyes; his words of old magic dancing whispers in the air.
Jade’s back formed an arch, her shoulders and feet dipping down, stomach curving upwards. A blue glow radiated from the back of her shoulder before a blue, spidery mass crept from underneath her skin and crawled up through the stream of Bran’s light and onto his arm. Jade’s limp body crashed
to the floor. The spidery mass reached Bran’s neck, climbed up and squeezed into his ear, disappearing completely.
Bran’s face twisted. ‘Happy now?’
Kaelia hesitated and watched Bran slump to the floor, long limbs twitching. Spidery legs protruded from his nostrils and the blue mass bulged out before squeezing back inside him by way of his mouth.
Bran clutched at his neck, clawing at it. ‘Help!’ he implored.
The part of herself she didn’t like, pulled at Kaelia. It would be easy to let Bran die. She remembered Calix and sense took control. Bran had to be alive to bring Calix back and, she thought begrudgingly, Cadence too. ‘What can I do?’
Kaelia nervously reached for Bran, the usual sparks crackled between them as she cautiously placed her palms above his chest.
‘No,’ he rasped. ‘No light.’
‘Then what do I do?’ Kaelia was confused.
Bran touched a hand to his lips. His face twisted in agony. ‘You need to kiss me.’
‘Yeah, right!’ Kaelia snorted. ‘I wasn’t born yesterday.’
Bran’s eyes widened and he thrashed around, moaning in anguish. ‘It’s the truth!’ he muttered.
Kaelia shook her head. ‘I don’t believe you.’
Bran grasped for her but before his fingers could close around hers, his hand dropped to the ground and he stopped moving. Kaelia waited to see the rise and fall of his chest but it remained still.
‘Unbelievable. This is ridiculous.’ Kaelia looked around nervously but there was no-one else to be seen, no-one to bear witness.
Kaelia slowly lowered her face to Bran’s and tentatively pressed her lips against the paleness of his. His lips were cold and unresponsive. Then, Bran’s hand clamped around the back of Kaelia’s neck and his eyes popped open, laughter dancing within them. His mouth hungrily pulled at hers, his tongue darting between her surprised lips. She pushed at his chest but Bran was fast and rolled her over until he was on top of her.
‘Got you!’ Bran’s lips left hers for as long as it took him to speak. ‘You didn’t take much convincing to kiss me!’ His eyes glowed strangely purple, the same colour as the light engulfing them both.
Kaelia was on fire. Every fibre of her burned with an intensity she had not experienced before. Sense told her to push Bran away, as far as was possible but something akin to lust consumed her. Fingers of intoxicating power caressed Kaelia, stroking her flesh alive with tingly goose-bumps. The combined energy lifted her mind into a euphoric haze. It didn’t even feel as if it were her hands loosing themselves within the softness of Bran’s hair, from the dreamy feeling encompassing her, the hands could belong to anyone.
Bran, struggling to keep control and not abandon himself entirely to the seductiveness of their united power, gleefully soaked up Kaelia’s energy. She was soft, compliant, under his hands. Exerting the most self-control he had ever mustered, Bran released her.
Kaelia looked up at him, a momentary wounded look flashed across her face before she drew in a ragged breath. Her eyes narrowed as the euphoria lessened. ‘You tricked me!’
Bran rolled off her and lay on his back beside her. Stretching his arms out, he hooked his hands underneath his head. ‘And you enjoyed it.’ His eyes were darker than ever as he turned his gaze to her. ‘Admit it.’
Kaelia hastily jumped to her feet and brushed bits of undergrowth from her coat. ‘I don’t fancy you.’ She repeated the words in her head.
Bran laughed. ‘You could’ve fooled me. I’d like to see what you’d do to someone you do fancy.’
Kaelia turned her back on him. ‘The power surge went to my head.’
Instantly, Bran was behind her and pressed himself against the rigid line of Kaelia’s back, enjoying how she fitted perfectly with him. ‘A power you’ll only feel with me.’
‘Why?’ Kaelia didn’t move. ‘Why only you?’
Bran lifted up her hair and kissed the back of her neck, causing her to shudder. ‘I’ve told you before. We’re two sides of a coin, Kaelia. Alike yet different but together ...’ his voice trailed off.
For a moment Kaelia could read his mind. ‘Explosive.’
* * *
Calix couldn’t see a thing. He rubbed his eyes. Nothing.
‘Bran!’ he shouted, hoping the necromancer could hear him. ‘You did this on purpose!’
Calix stumbled in the suffocating darkness. The ground was hard and lumpy, making it impossible to move without tripping over. He changed tack and instead of walking normally, slid one foot after the other in an attempt to maintain balance. Holding his hands out in front, Calix pressed forwards. He held his breath before remembering he was dead and spirits didn’t even need to breathe. He tried not to breathe but it felt alien and he ended up spluttering, gasping for air regardless. An image of the library at Mortiswood Academy floated into his minds eye and Calix recalled a book Harriet had made him read, a book on old magic and the power of words.
Pressing his hands over his eyes, he said strongly, ‘Eyaer, blikja.’ Withdrawing his hands, Calix punched the air. He could see. ‘Thank you, Harriet. Cadence, where are you?’ he shouted, hoping she could hear.
He listened intently but there was no answer. Raven-black, clumpy earth stretched as far as he could see. Crystal rocks embedded in the earth, glimmered in the surreal gloom. Calix swallowed, the enormity of the task threatening to consume him. If he couldn’t find Cadence quickly, he wouldn’t be able to return to his body and they’d both be dead, except she would live again as a Draugr whereas he, Calix, would be nothing more than a mere ghost.
* * *
Cadence’s legs ached from standing. She couldn’t understand why they hurt if she was dead. Dead people didn’t feel things, did they?
‘Yes.’ Thom’s clipped voice answered.
Cadence jumped. ‘You read my mind?’
‘My realm, my rules.’ Thom patted the sofa next to him. ‘Come here.’
‘Next to you?’
Thom nodded, still in his more human form. Neat, straight, white teeth enhanced his coaxing smile. He fixed Cadence with his bright, fire-red eyes. ‘Let me show you my world. You will never want for anything. Give yourself to me, Cadence.’ He held out a hand.
Cadence’s feet moved seconds before her mind relented. She was within his arms and on his lap by way of an answer. ‘I’ll live for ever?’ Her eyes glowed hungrily. ‘I’ll be immortal?’
‘If you do as I say.’
Cadence nodded slowly. ‘And you’ll look human?’ She gestured at him. ‘Not like, well, you know, you?’
‘I can look however you want me to look as long as you promise to be mine.’
Cadence thought about Calix. Images of her life flashed before her.
‘You cannot return to your old life.’ Thom’s eyes pierced into her. ‘You can start a new one with me.’
Cadence appreciatively drank in the sight of him. She adored how dangerous he looked, the sharp angle of his cheekbones, the fan of his long eyelashes, the soft swell of his plump lips. The word “immortal” bounced around inside her head. Kaelia wasn’t immortal. A laugh slipped out. ‘Okay, make me immortal.’
Thom smiled. ‘Kiss me. You must give yourself to me, wholly.’
Cadence closed her eyes and kissed him, an undeniable excitement coursing through her. Thom’s large hands raced over her body, freeing her of her clothes until she was naked.
‘You are mine?’ He was above her, pressing her into the softness of the sofa. ‘Say it.’
Cadence wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him. ‘I am yours, Thom.’
He darted his tongue into her mouth. Scooping her into his arms, he rose and carried her to the water. ‘You will rise again from the Drauguri Sea.’
Cadence was lulled into a strange sleep as the Draugr carried her. She awoke as the viscous sea reached Thom’s waist, dampening her bottom and feet.
‘You must walk until your lungs are full.’ Thom set her down. ‘I will wait here.�
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Cadence shivered although she was not cold. ‘You will not walk with me?’
Thom shook his head. ‘You must walk alone. You must be willing to give yourself to me. This is the final step, Cadence, and you will live for ever.’
Cadence closed her eyes and walked until the strange liquid sucked her below the surface. The natural instinct to gulp for air only served to fill her faster with the Drauguri Sea water. It was surprisingly painless, everything faded and Cadence knew she was dying for the second time that day.
Thom waited patiently until Cadence had been under the sea for a full ten minutes before he strode through the water and reached into it, feeling for her. His hand closed around her sodden mass of hair, pulling her out of the water. He wiped a huge hand across her face to clean it of the blue water, then flung her over his shoulder and waded back to the land.
* * *
‘Cadence!’ Calix cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed out her name. ‘Where are you?’
He had nearly given up hope when a strange, dark sapphire sea drew into view and he spurred onwards, guessing it to be the edge of the Drauguri Sea.
* * *
Cadence opened her eyes. ‘Is it done?’
Thom’s mouth curled upwards at one corner. ‘Almost.’
‘I thought that was it!’
Thom trailed a large hand across her sapphire-stained skin. ‘You have to give yourself to me.’
Cadence frowned. ‘I thought I had.’ Thom squeezed her thigh and it was then Cadence saw the Draugr was naked too.
‘You have to give me all of you,’ he purred.
‘I have to have sex with you.’
The answer was already written all over Thom’s face. ‘Yes, the union must be consummated.’ He lowered his head and kissed her, his hand snaking between her thighs, tickling her, teasing her.
Mortiswood: Kaelia Awakening (Mortiswood Tales) Page 20
