The truth washes over me.
Never will the devil look at me the way Mikhail looks at Leana.
And I want that. I want it all. It won't be enough to just have his body. I want his soul. I want to brand myself on him until he forgets everything else: his past, the future, his mission.
He found the woman who would’ve been his mate. He belongs to someone else.
No!
That was his past. He's here with me now. He wants me, that much I know.
He's shown me how dominant he is and thought that'd scare me away. He hasn’t reckoned on me.
I grew up in a shanty town, which is no less than a battleground. I may not have fought with weapons, but I used my wits to survive.
Now those very skills must help me take on the biggest challenge of my life: to take on the dominance of this powerful warrior I've set my heart on.
Ariana addresses the team. "Tonight, we focus on happiness. We celebrate a union that will change the course of history." Her words are official, but there is no mistaking the emotion glistening in her indigo eyes.
Is she remembering her own wedding to Jai?
She turns and stalks out. A female Alpha. There’s no other way to describe her, even though she's human and it’s a shifter term. After a moment's hesitation, Cyrus follows her out.
I follow Leana as she heads for the door, only to come up against the broad, muscled wall of the devil's chest.
Freeze.
His palms on my waist steady me. Heat from his fingers bleeds through the thin material of my T-shirt, going straight to my core. My treacherous body leans toward him, soaking up the heat radiating from his skin. There’s a lick of woodsmoke. It's his scent. Like a junkie, I crave more of his taste, knowing it's not good for me. Knowing the more I taste, the more I'll want. More.
I jerk back.
He lets me go so fast I stumble.
I should be relieved.
So why does a part of me already miss his heat, the touch of his fingers rough on my skin?
"You'll come for the wedding, won't you?" Leana asks over her shoulder, her shrewd amber eyes taking in our body language.
He nods. "In a life as long as mine, it's important to mark milestones, to take time out to celebrate and be with the ones who matter to you."
His eyes hold mine, in them a look that says I matter too. Or perhaps it's just my treacherous heart that hopes that's what he means?
12
Kris
I stand at the edge of the garden behind the mayor's official residence, waiting for the wedding to begin. Behind me the green and brown lawn slopes gently to the sea. The scabbard with Ruby's sword lies heavy on my back, its weight a reminder of why I’m in this city.
Lights strung across the trees sparkle, the festive atmosphere only bringing to sharp contrast the isolation inside me. I am used to being alone, thought that's what I wanted. I’d been reconciled to it, until the witch came along.
At the far end, the band tunes its instruments. The guitarist looks up just then. His amber eyes glitter across the distance. It's the band from Alex's Bar.
In just a few months, I've come to recognize so many parts of this city and its people. I never thought I'd be here, watching the man I regard as a brother get married.
I knew it'd hurt to be back, but I hadn't counted on facing my past in such an unexpected way.
Or perhaps a part of me had known from the moment I walked into the courtyard of this building, when I’d seen Tara. Maybe my subconscious knew I must face up to who I was and why Brahma had rescued me all those years ago.
Now as my eyes drift across the scene, I notice a young couple holding hands on the other side, hidden in the shadows. The girl is tiny, curvaceous with dark blonde hair that falls to her waist. The male with her is young but almost six feet tall. A shifter, I realize by the width of his shoulders that are just beginning to fill out. As I watch, she turns her face up to him. Even across the distance, it's clear the male has eyes only for her. Leaning in, he brushes her lips with his, only to be flung aside.
Two other males hold him back while a third walks up to the girl. She promptly kicks him in his shins, but it doesn't even stop him.
Just then the band strikes up, their sound covering the sound of the scuffle.
As the male advances on the girl, I know it's time to intervene. Interspecies fights are the norm in the city. It's a fall out of strangers who have nothing in common having to learn to live next to each other. And while there will always be differences, it's important to educate the young to find a way to solve their differences amicably, rather than always resorting to fights.
Sauntering up to them, I come to a stop with my back to the band.
"What seems to be the problem here?"
Five pairs of eyes turn on me. Three human males against one shifter. The male being restrained is strong enough to take on the other three, and yet he doesn't fight back. Interesting!
I turn to the girl, who wears a look of such rage on her face that I know the shifter male is going to have his hands full, even though she’s human.
When I raise an eyebrow, she bursts out, "This dumbass here is my brother. He doesn't like the idea of my dating Max."
At the sound of his name, the shifter growls low in his throat.
"Oh?" I turn to said dumbass brother, who wears a look of utter frustration mixed with tenderness on his face. He loves his sister and is watching out for her. Another Alpha male. Even though he's human, he'd take on the strength of a shifter to protect her. For a second it takes me right back to the hermitage where I grew up with my Ascendant brothers and the scraps we got into, with our teacher often having to mediate. A sense of life repeating itself flows over me, and I can only marvel at how certain cycles never change.
"You," I say, "are one lucky girl."
Her eyes widen and she exclaims, "I am?"
I nod.
"For your brother loves you like his own heart, enough to take on the might of this shifter who could have taken on all three of them in a heartbeat. But your shifter boyfriend's holding himself back too; because, well...you can guess why." I nod toward the shifter male, not saying anything else. I don't want to put into words the emotions I see in his eyes.
"Oh!" The girl looks from one to the other. "Stubborn alpha males," she says under her breath.
"That they are," I agree.
Both the shifter and the human male turn gleaming eyes on me. They're holding themselves back. They know better than to take me on, knowing I'd wipe the floor with them. Yet I also see confusion on their faces. They're wondering why I haven't cracked their heads together to settle the score between them.
"You both care about her," I say. "If you fight, you are only going to hurt her when both of you just want to protect her."
"Jeez. Sorry, Sonya," dumbass brother says. A nod from him has his friends releasing her shifter friend.
Sonya runs to him and throws her arms around his shoulders. "Max," she gasps. The shifter's eyes meet mine over the girl's head. I recognize the whiff of dominance about him. He's only just coming into his power; yet, already I see the signs of the struggle that is to come. His natural assertiveness and the need to take care of his own wars with tenderness, this sense that he needs to give his girl space to be herself. "You held yourself back today, Max. You didn't hurt your fellow humans. You did the right thing," I tell him.
Max flushes at the praise and stands taller, his arms pulling the girl to his side, partly covering her from the anger still simmering from her brother.
"I know you don't like me, Dorian," Max tells the human, "but don't you think it's wrong to form an opinion of me based solely on my species? Perhaps we should get to know each other better, give ourselves a chance to be friends?"
When Dorian glowers, Sonya sticks her head out from behind Max. "Don't be all macho, stupid. Max is giving you a way out of this while keeping your pride. Take it."
Dorian snaps his eyes onto her before
looking at Max. Taking a few steps forward, he holds out a hand. "Friends...for now," he mutters.
Max takes his hand and shakes it. I see his forearm muscles flex just enough for Dorian to swivel his head back to Max with a grudging nod of respect. "At least you're strong enough to take care of her when I'm not around," he growls.
"I could teach you guys some cool defensive moves." Max nods toward Dorian's two friends. "So next time they do a better job of holding down a shifter."
"Hey, not fair,” one of the other boys protests. "We had you there."
"Nope." Max grins. "Far from it."
"Deal," Dorian replies as the two fist-bump with more warmth. As they turn to walk toward the beach, Sonya is in between the two of them.
She looks over her shoulder, raising her hand in farewell.
"That was smooth." Ethan walks up to me. Turning, I realize the place is now packed with a mix of species. In the time I spent resolving the fight between the teens, most of the guests have arrived.
Ethan adds. "You'd make a good mentor for the younger males."
"Me?" I ask surprised. "Not sure if I have the talent or the patience for that."
"Oh! I don't know," he chuckles. "You resolved a fight between two Alpha males and they were from species who don't trust each other. That's not the easiest thing to achieve. It's also exactly what is needed. It's important for species to get along to protect the future of this city."
A future I must protect.
My hand brushes the scabbard on my back. I carry the sword out of a sense of responsibility, conscious of its weight on my back. A sense of unleashed power about it makes me want to pull out it out, to hold it, test it, see the damage it can wreak. Like Tara, who breaks through all my defenses.
It's as if thinking of her conjures up her scent. The smell of green apples brushes up against my senses just before she walks out from the building on the opposite side of the garden.
The dress pours over her. My fingers flex, wanting to trace those curves, that sweet space where her waist tapers in before flaring to meet her hips.
I make sure to stay hidden in the shadows. Yet her eyes are drawn to where I stand. Her eyebrows twist before her gaze moves on. My muscles relax. A breath I'm not aware of holding rushes out.
She walks to the fringe of the crowd just as the band switches to playing a softer song.
Leana steps onto the garden.
Radiant, she wears a cream lace sheath. One shoulder bare, the other is fully clad. The dress is cinched in at the waist before flowing to her feet. She's so radiant that even at this distance, her happiness is infectious. Holding a small bouquet of wildflowers which Mikhail himself gathered for her, she walks to him.
The crowd parts for her, every face wreathed in a smile. When she reaches Mikhail, he takes her hand and presses his lips to her fingers.
In the tradition of the shifters, he picks up a knife handed to him by Ariana and cuts his right palm. He waits while Leana does the same to her left. Then they hold hands, letting their blood mingle.
Mikhail bends down and kisses Leana on her lips, slanting his head, his hand around her waist. They are both beaming when they break apart.
Mikhail holds up their joined hands; and this time when the music strikes up again, it's a joyous clash of sounds. Then silence.
The crowd falls back.
All except two figures.
Ethan leaves my side to walk up and join Ariana. Together they approach the newly bonded couple.
Ariana kisses Leana on her cheek and hugs her. She nods to Mikhail and addresses the crowd:
"Leana and Mikhail's official bonding is not only the union of two souls but of two species: immortals and shifters. I now offer the fealty of humans to this union.” She takes the sword that Cyrus hands her. Cutting her palm, she holds it up for all to see as the blood runs down her wrist.
Then Ethan moves forward. Taking Leana's hand, he kisses it. He bites his palm with his fangs; and as the blood pours down, both he and Ariana place their hands over the couple's joined palms.
The four are united for a second, the species blood-bonded.
A cheer goes up, and the crowd throws more wildflowers at them.
There are no words needed.
The shifters among the assembled raise their heads and howl in celebration. The humans join in next, their high-pitched voices trilling out, rising-falling.
For the first time, the vampires join a celebration in the city. A slow clapping pulses around the garden, once, twice, a third time, rising in crescendo each time.
It's as if a signal has been given for the feral wolves in the forests to howl back. In the distance, the roar of a lion pride can be heard. The very air is drenched with joy. For this short time, all species are united in happiness. It’s an electric moment that vibrates through all those assembled.
Then it's the turn of the Ascendants.
I raise my sword and walk forward. Though everyone's eyes are on me, I’m only conscious of a green-eyed gaze following my progress.
Reaching the newly bonded couple, I slash a slice across my palm. As I do so, it feels as if Ruby herself is there with me in spirit to witness this marriage, to bless the couple and the union of the species.
Holding up my clenched fist, I let the blood drip to the ground. "Everything that is mine is yours, brother, and your mate's. I swear my fealty to you."
My words ring through the space. Then Mikhail steps forward, embracing me, and kisses my cheek. "And me," he says. "I will always be there for you and yours." His eyes dart to where Tara stands.
I don't react to his silent acknowledgement of all that is unsaid between Tara and me.
Stepping back, I drop to my knees, take Leana's palm, and kiss her fingers.
Grasping my shoulder, she pulls me to my feet and hugs me. Then she brushes her lips over mine, sending a burst of love and warmth through me.
The band clashes their instruments, adding their sound to the echoing applause.
Even as it dies away, Ethan and Ariana step back.
Cyrus immediately steps up to wrap a scarf around Ariana's palm. He doesn't let go immediately. A look of pride and sheer adoration sweeps across his features as he stares down at her bent head.
And I can't look away. I’m riveted as he brings her hurt palm up and kisses it.
In that moment, Ariana, too, is just a woman, tired from her responsibilities. Weary. She lets herself sink into the tenderness of the moment. Her heart will always belong to Jai. But just in that moment, she lets Cyrus take care of her.
Is it a sign for me? Should I allow myself to care for Tara?
Once again, Leana breaks the silence. Palm against my cheek, she says, "You will always have a home here with us, Kris. Never forget I’m family."
As I am about to respond, a new voice rings out. "The silent one you were, Kris, and yet you were also the one the women always fell for." Male, deep. Familiar.
Another pipes up. "Typical. See him after so many years, and of course it is to find him with the most beautiful woman in the gathering."
I turn to see two men, one dark-haired and one dark blond, both tall and square-jawed with identical dimples in their chins that deepen as they smile.
They walk up to me and clap me on each shoulder.
"Zayn! Aaron!" I grip each of the twins around their neck. They let me hug them for a second before each wriggles in my grip, trying to escape. They'd done the same as skinny boys who liked to swim with me in the cold mountain river near the hermitage.
"Where's Logan?" Mikhail asks as they pull away.
"Here." A third male walks up, just a little shorter than the twins, leaner too, with dark blond hair, sculpted features, and a torso that fills out his shirt. His ultramarine eyes shine so clear, it's as if they can see right into your soul.
Like the other two, he’s dressed casually with jeans and a dark shirt tucked in. But in his hand, he holds flowers.
Lotuses.
He walks pa
st us to Leana, who stands in the circle of Mikhail's arms. When he hands over the flowers, she gasps. "These are so beautiful. So rare."
"Not as rare as you." Smiling, he half bows to her. "I’m Logan."
"A fellow Ascendant." Leana completes his sentence. "Mikhail has mentioned you. And Zayn and Aaron."
At that, the twins walk toward her, their steps so in sync it's clear they are related not just physically but also on the psychic plane.
Reaching Leana, they drop to their knees in front of her. Each of them takes one of her hands in his, kissing her. "We swear our fealty to you," says Zayn, the younger by a few minutes and the more vocal of the two.
The twins straighten and step back, even as I notice every single female gaze in the gathering on them. Not unusual. Individually, they are breathtaking. Together, the twins are overwhelming, almost blindingly beautiful. And they are so in tune with each other, it's like watching a perfectly choreographed dance play out, the rhythm meant to seduce.
Leana notices too, for she chuckles. "You are giving our female guests a heart attack." Turning to Mikhail, she beams. "This was your surprise? You knew they were on their way already when Ariana mentioned them this morning?"
"Not quite..." He looks down, the tips of his ears glowing bright red.
"Hey, he blushed. You ever see Micah blush?" Aaron chuckles.
"No. Never," Zayn replies. "Not even when we went swimming naked and the female lion shifter cubs from the neighboring pride stole our clothes. Mikhail was the only one who dared walk out completely naked and—"
Frowning, Mikhail raises his arm to cuff Zayn, only to have him dance away. Zayn moves to stand behind Leana, placing her between him and Mikhail, effectively stopping Mikhail in his tracks.
"So, if you didn't invite them—" she says, puzzled.
"I did."
All eyes swivel to me.
"When Mikhail mentioned he was going to propose to you last week, I reached out to them. Told them to get here as soon as they could. Besides, a simple ping on the psychic network we share is all it took."
Claimed: Paranormal Romance (Immortals, Vampires and Shifters) (Many Lives Book 4) Page 5
