by Jana LaPelle
“Shhh… Baby girl, I’ve got you. I’m so sorry. I never wanted this for you. Tell me what I need to do to ease your suffering.” My mother asks while rocking me in her arms, smoothing my hair back from my face. We’re both on our knees before the landing to the stairs.
In a wobbling voice, I say, “Take me to the roof.” I can barely breathe as I utter the words.
Danu whisks me up, and before I know it, we are on the roof of the Keep. She must have traced us here. I hear a commotion below as my vision continues to fade in and out. The storm has increased as I listen to the thunder rumbling through the air surrounding me and can feel the electrical charge of the storm all around us. I’m focused on my inner turmoil when I hear a loud screech of a large bird as it draws near.
"No! You will not take her!" My mother says as I slump to the ground wrapped up in my internal struggle.
I'm not sure who she is talking to, but I feel myself being grasped in what feels like large talons. In a desperate attempt to keep my plan in place, I say, "Jasmine, get word to Jasmine," before the darkness overwhelms me.
Coldness has wrapped around my entire being. I have never felt so much coldness before. As I surrender to it, I realize that I'm in the clutches of a giant raven and I'm being carried up and away from Glenndale Loch, away from my mother, and Lexie. As the blood contract begins to leech into my very being, I can no longer fight the pull, and I succumb to darkness.
My consciousness stirs, and I jolt back to the present, to wings flapping and rising away from the keep. My mother is furiously slinging insults toward my abductor along with wayward balls of fire, but she and her insults are fast moving out of range. My disorientation dissipates as realization sets in. I was only out for a moment, but it feels much longer than that. I look up again to meet beady, black, intelligent eyes looking down at me. I’m not sure what terrifies me more, the fact that I’m being abducted by a giant black raven or that I know that this is an intelligent being. The pain that flared to life moments ago is settling in, and I’m positive that as long as my bond to Alaric is blocked, it will be there, a cold, deadened weight in my chest. Where once there was light, warmth, and love... Now my soul is crying out for our kindred and our lost connection.
The night is now dark and ominous. The storm is building in intensity. Lightning erupts from the storm clouds all around me as my hair whips about me in the vicious wind. Looking down, I see that we are now over the forest and my fear of heights kicks in, our altitude is dizzying but before I close my eyes I see a tiny little speck heading straight for me. I can't believe my eyes. It’s Jasmine. She is desperately trying to make her way to me. She looks like a tiny little silver bullet that is being buffered by the wind. The closer she gets to me I can see that she has one arm out in front of her, her tiny hand fisted as if she is going to punch right through someone and she is on a collision course with me and my kidnapper. Her wings are fluttering at a furious pace and reflect the flash of the lightning that is coursing through the night sky.
Once she reaches me, she latches on to me for dear life as she wheezes, clearly out of breath. Then she says, "Ash," she breathes heavily taking deep, gasping breaths, "Why… are… you… being carried away by a Sky Sentinel?" She asks while she continues to catch her breath.
"I don't know! As the blood contract took effect, I felt an overwhelming urge to get to the roof. Danu and Lexie were able to get me to the top of the Keep, but I blacked out for a moment. When I came to, I was being lifted away, and Mother was yelling insults up toward this, overly large bird. Jasmine, you know I'm afraid of heights, and I can't look down. Where are we heading?" Another wave of pain rocks through me as I feel for a brief moment Alaric reaching for me before the dark majic snuffs out the connection. I breathe through the misery of not being able to connect to him. The pull to be closer to the dark prince is lessening, and I'm not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing since we are getting closer to our destination. I can breathe easier, thankful that the choice was taken from me once the giant raven abducted me. I no longer had to make the decision to make my way toward Tarron consciously. It has helped with my internal turmoil over my kindred and mate bond going silent. I’m struggling to assimilate all the conflicting feelings and strife of what has happened. My breathing becomes shallow as I realize that I’m moving further away from Alaric and closer to the Fomorian dark prince. I’m close to blacking out again.
I wake with a start when I feel that we are descending. Jasmine has managed to hide in my clothing. Not my hair, never again, my hair. I can see that we are outside a Keep. Not as nice as Glenndale Loch and much darker in appearance but impressive, none the less. There are about twenty men astride their mounts all surrounding Tarron on either flank.
I stagger as I'm released from the claws that imprisoned me before, and I drop to the ground in an unceremonious heap. All fight has left my body, and I am as weak as I have ever been. Someone reaches down to gently pick me up and then places me in Tarron's arms. I attempt to fight for even just a moment before all my strength leaves me. He is the total opposite of Alaric, and yet I feel the dark majic wrap around me circumventing my connection to my kindred and substituting Tarron in its place. I begin to tremble at this new found realization. My soul cries out in confusion. Our soulmate is Alaric, not this dark prince. I long to voice my thoughts but I find that I'm oddly mute. I breathe in heavily and for one insane moment find comfort in this imposter's arms. All strength evades my being, and the horror of how the blood contract will work its dark majic on me has begun to sink in. I find that I'm helpless but to succumb to darkness as the group urges their mounts forward.
I wake as Tarron's mount paces. My exhaustion is palpable. I can tell that sunrise is just moments away. In my confusion, I look up and ask, "Where are we going?"
The wrong face looks down at me to say, “The Mortal Realm. I will keep you out of The Morrígan’s reach as well as Alaric’s.”
No, no, no…. I reach out through our bond and struggle to reach my kindred. For one brief moment, the spark flares to life but before I can communicate my predicament, the connection is snuffed. I can't help the miserable sob that issues forth from my inner turmoil. I can't reach my kindred. I feel lost in my despair. I slump against my captor and succumb once more to darkness as the pull of dark majic overwhelms me.
I wake to the smell of the cool, salty air of the sea surrounding me. I'm not sure where I am, but I’ve been placed on a comfortable bed. A window has been opened just a crack. There is a certain damp, chill in the air, and I shiver while I look around to take in my surroundings. The day is dark and dreary, and I'm not exactly sure of what time it is. In the distance, I can hear the crash of ocean waves.
“It’s only about time you woke, sleeping beauty.” Jasmine quips from across the room.
Sitting up, I rub at the spot in my chest that feels cold and barren and my breath hitches before I ask, “How long have I been out? And where are we?”
Jasmine looks me over with a critical eye before she says, "You've been asleep for about five hours. So not too long in the grand scheme of things, it's early morning here. You're back in the Mortal Realm, Ashlinn. We're situated somewhere on the ocean cliffs of Ireland, the Old Country. Once we arrived, Tarron carried you into the manor, and up to this room. That’s when I was discovered. I threatened the sexy incubus with a good old fashion pixie dusting if he came anywhere near you or me while you were sleeping."
I can’t help the small smile that forms on my face, as the thought of that scene clicks into place in my mind, and I say, “No, you did not.”
"I assure you, that I did. The arrogant male did not heed my warning. You should know that before he left you to sleep, the dark prince invited a witch in who attempted to cast a dark spell over you. It all happened so quickly that I really didn’t have time to react. I think the intent was to cause memory loss. The sneaky bastard thought that he could take your memories of A
laric and family from you through dark majic. I don't know exactly what happened next, but there was a deafening sound as the spell backfired on the witch, by the time she was ushered out of the room she was drooling and had no idea as to who she was. It was like she was a babe learning to speak and walk all over again. I've never seen anything like it. Ash, your talisman saved you from having all memories of Alaric wiped from your mind." Jasmine concludes as she settles on the bed beside me.
I take a deep breath as I mutter more to myself than Jasmine, “Lexie made sure to protect me. I owe her, big time.”
"Yeah, you do. Whatever she did to your talisman is pretty wicked. Tarron reached in to try to remove it and quickly found himself forcibly repelled, slamming into the opposite wall. I couldn't help my mirth as it just poured out of me. Before he could try anything further, I threatened him again with a double pixie dusting, which is twice the fun. But if he has his way, I won't be here long, Ash." Jasmine says with a sigh. "Prepare yourself. He will be here shortly. Garrik and another are stationed outside your rooms. It would appear that Garrik has been more than accepted into the ranks of Tarron’s horde. Why don't you take a quick shower and change before the "Master" arrives? And Ash, you need to take care of yourself. You know what I mean? I don't care how all of this is affecting you right now, there is more than yourself to consider."
"Jaz, I know you're right. And I will do my best. Right now, I'm famished, and I think that I could eat an entire buffet on my own." I pause before continuing, "I miss him so much. Our bond… It's there, but I can't reach him… My heart feels so heavy. I don't know if I can do this. When I was in Tarron's arms, it was so confusing. The dark majic is messing with me, Jasmine. Like it was trying to override my feelings for Alaric and transfer them to Tarron. I'm really scared that this is all going to go downhill fast."
"Listen here, princess, you are carrying a child you conceived with your kindred. If for one moment, you feel yourself being drawn to the dark side you just remember that. Do you hear me? I know you're feeling lost without Alaric. I know he's your anchor, but he will be here before long. You just need to stay the course. Get Tarron to trust you and willingly give you a few drops of his blood. Got it?" Jasmine is now in front of me, my face in her tiny hands as she stares intently into my eyes, furiously fluttering her wings in her agitation. Message received, loud and clear.
Before I can utter a word, we vaguely hear footsteps coming down the outer hallway. I instantly tense as I feel the dark, oily pull of that wicked contract as Tarron draws near. The pull is similar but different from the kindred bond. It's not pure. By design, its pull is intended to deceive, but it's magnetic none the less. I swallow hard and back away from the door as I feel his approach, part of me is drawn to him, and I find that I am torn in my attraction to him, and he hasn't even walked in the room.
Chapter 5
(Alaric)
She's gone. I haven't been able to connect with her no matter how hard I try. Our bond is still there, but it's being blocked. In my agitated state, I've been unable to shift back. My panther wants its mate. He is desperate to protect her and the babe she carries, and now she has been torn away from us by our advisory. Our roar echo's throughout the valley as we pace back and forth, our tail twitching. My heart is but a cold, dreary, empty hole in my chest now that I cannot even sense her presence. As the realization sets in, I unleash my beast on everything and everyone in my path. Nothing will stop me from finding her. Nothing and no one, I can feel that I'm losing control of my panther and that he's taking over. I can no longer direct him. In my anguish of losing our connection to one another, I allow myself to relinquish control to my inner beast. He will find her. He is driven by instinct, and I place my faith in him as I retreat further into the background. I know there is a plan, but I can no longer remember what it was or what it was supposed to accomplish. My only thought is to get to her. To Ashlinn, to our mate, nothing else matters now.
I hear voices calling to me from behind, but I cannot allow that to keep me from her as we race toward where instinct is driving us. We tune everything out as we continue our path running through the trees back through the forest that we have already traveled. The storm is dying down, and dawn is approaching. I know we are getting closer to our mate. I give him free reign as he races toward her faster than I have ever run before. I know that it is a dangerous thing to allow my beast total control, but in this very moment, I have ceased caring. The only thing that matters is getting to Ashlinn.
As the sun begins to rise, we come upon an abandoned dolmen portal. It’s about five hundred yards ahead of us. There they are, Tarron and his men poised to walk through the portal at sunrise. My panther roars, and we charge the group. Our muscles bunching as we race toward the mound, knowing we will be too late. Tarron turns his gaze towards us as he acknowledges my war cry. His face is blank, utterly devoid of emotion before he turns back to the dolmen before him. As the sun crests the horizon, the inside of the portal begins to shimmer and then flares to life. I'm four hundred yards out as I watch Tarron carry our mate through the portal, taking his entourage with him. The bastard is carrying an unconscious Ashlinn, and our roar can be heard echoing throughout the valley. He should never touch her! Two hundred yards out I see the portal begin to close and another roar issues from us again. One day will pass in the Otherworld but fourteen days will pass in the Mortal Realm. She will be without me for fourteen days, and I give into my inner beast as our roars reverberate throughout the Realm.
I vow at that moment that I will show him no mercy. I will tear the selfish bastard, limb from limb. My wrath will have no limit and will not be contained. Now we wait. We will avenge the wrong that has been done here this day.
Chapter 6
(Ashlinn)
There is a quick staccato knock on the door to the room, and I watch as the doorknob turns very slowly before the door begins to open. I've pressed as far into the corner away from the entrance as I can go without looking as frightened as I know myself to be. Tarron peers through the opening, his vivid green eyes find mine and the attraction is instantaneous. I inhale sharply as I bite down on my lower lip. I know that my eyes are wide as I watch him enter the room. I can literally feel my soul revolt against the imposter before us. As I stare at the dark prince, I concentrate on the pull toward him and try to visualize the artificial bond compared to my kindred and mate bond. Slowly, I'm beginning to distinguish a difference.
“You’re awake.” He says as he continues to observe me and I’m shook from my revelry.
I decide to take a snarky approach, “Yes, I believe that is quite apparent, captain obvious.”
He rewards me with a crooked grin, and I swallow again because any woman, no matter her preference, would find him extremely attractive, in a bad boy kind of way. His dark, dirty blond hair is somewhat long and unruly with golden blond highlights and is swept back away from his forehead. He's sporting day old scruff. His face is angular but in a good way. Thank the gods he doesn't have dimples.
Still smiling he says, “Are you hungry? I would like to invite you to break your fast with me. Are you agreeable?”
Feeling defiant, I say, “I am hungry but would prefer to eat in my room with Jasmine.”
"Ah… yes. The prickly sprite, I have been threatened numerous times with a pixie dusting. As soon as I can arrange it, she will be going back to Faerie. I did not bargain for you and a companion." The dark prince says sternly.
“I assure you Prince Tarron that I did not bargain for this set of circumstances, so the pixie stays!” I say sternly.
“If it will make you feel more at ease then I will allow her to remain. As long as she behaves herself, no pixie dusting any of my men and she will not interfere where I am concerned. What happens between us from this moment forward is between us.” Tarron says in a tone daring me to become argumentative.
"You have my word. Jasmine will be my chaperone, and that is all. Sh
e will only interfere if you cross a line that should not be crossed. That includes seducing me using your incubus pheromones. You will respect me and my wishes. I gave you an option before that did not include forcing my hand." I state resolutely.
He eyes me curiously and then says, “Very well. But that does not mean that she can pixie dust me whenever she wants. I mean it, Princess. If she miss behaves just once, I will send her back to Faerie. Now that that’s settled, how soon will you be ready for breakfast? I will arrange to have the morning meal brought to the outer chambers.” He says questioningly. His serious eyes have not left mine.
"I have no clean clothes and nothing to wear other than what I have on now," I argue as my chin lifts in defiance.
“Of course you do. I saw to it that there were plenty of clothes for your use.” He moves to another door and opens it with a flourish. I’m astounded by the vast amount of dresses within the closet, dresses, upon dresses, upon gowns, upon items of clothing that I will never wear day to day.
I snort as I ask, “Where is the day to day clothing? What am I supposed to wear to train in?”
