Slashes of morning sun broke through the cracks in the hide covering the entry, giving him enough light to discern she was missing.
Ah, but today was their departure. Perhaps she’d gotten up early to organize her people.
Puffing, he rolled over, stretching out. He rather wished she’d remained in bed for him to devour one more time first, but no matter. There would be plenty of opportunities to ravish his mate once he had her in Krete.
My home.
A grin quirked his lips. Soon, everything would be right in his world.
His burden lightened, he rose and dressed, then ducked out from the flap into the bright morning light. A large gathering of Amazons crowded about, bearing satchels like Kleo’s. Two, nay, three dozen? He chuckled to himself and beamed brightly at the females. This was even better than what he’d hoped for. Not only warriors to help free his people, but fine mates to build a home together.
Just as he would with Kleo. If he could find her, first, in this throng. He scanned the white chitons for her burgundy locks, and frowned as he didn’t spot her.
Ainia sent him a wave, so he strode to her side. “Where’s Kleo?” she demanded.
“I would ask the same of you.”
“You mean you haven’t seen her?” Ainia’s arched brow lowered. “She’s supposed to be here.”
Unease settled in his gut. “Mayhap she’s out hunting.” Of course, the excuse was illogical. Kleo wouldn’t do such a thing. “Question your sisters. I’ll search the camp.”
The Amazon sent him a curt nod and he dashed off, sniffing the air. Flashing into his centaur form, he raced through the encampment, searching for any hint of fresh scent. Only as he neared the gates did he catch a whiff of her fragrance. Why would Kleo venture outside these walls?
He sniffed again and this time, it wasn’t only Kleo’s scent he caught. The spicy tang of male—of that male—lodged in his nostrils.
She’d gone with him. Without leaving a single word to anyone.
Had his claims truly frightened her away? The unease in his gut dropped, settling like a heavy boulder to the bottom of his being.
She’s gone.
Kleo groaned and pried open her heavy eyes. Where in Hades am I? Darkness greeted her, so thick she couldn’t even view her hand. Her muscles moved with weighted slowness. What had happened?
The last thing she recalled was Arctus’s brawny form above hers as they pleasured each other, and then, falling asleep, and after…
Oh, gods, no.
She’d awoken to a strange shuffling noise in the middle of the night. A clack and a scuffling. Determined to handle it herself, she’d exited her cave and that was when she’d spotted him. Sinon. Waiting for her outside. “One last talk,” he’d entreated.
Damn, but she’d granted the request. They’d slipped past the walls and into the woods. And after, nothing. She couldn’t recollect a thing.
Kleo winced as pain shot through the back of her head. She examined her head and detected a swollen bump and a crust of dried blood. Sinon. She clenched her jaw. That bastard. What had he done?
Her pulse raced, sending life into her muscles. Shifting, she prodded the ground in front of her. Solid enough. Flickering torches on a distant wall flamed to life, illuminating her prison. Flames enclosed in a hearth accompanied them, casting even more light. Crawling forward, she assessed her surroundings. Metal bars lined one side of the small cavity in the earth in which she sat.
A cell. She narrowed her eyes and staggered to her feet, then stumbled to the bars. The lock held firm as she attempted to wrench the door open.
“It’s locked,” a masculine voice droned. His voice. Sinon prowled forward from the shadows. “Kleoptoleme.”
“What do you want?” She glowered at him and gripped the bars in front of her.
“What I’ve always wanted. What you stole from me. An heir.” He sauntered forward, halting a step from the bars. Beyond her reach.
Ah, but he didn’t know about her new powers. The ones Artemis had bestowed on her after the loss of their child. The metal sang beneath her fingertips, ready to obey her will. But not yet. “I will never grant you one. You’re not worthy.”
“Argh!” he roared and rammed against the cage, snarling at her. “That’s no longer your decision.” As though collecting himself, he tugged down his shirt and smoothed his hands through his wild locks. “You see, you’re mine, Kleo.” Dismissive, he stalked toward the glowing hearth and plucked a broad sword from the ground beside it. He dipped the sword’s tip into the flames, twisting it about like a hunk of roasting meat.
She swallowed hard against questioning his intentions.
“You marked me, Kleo. And you condemned me. None will bequeath me a progeny. A warrior to endow with all my skills and for me to raise to one day lead my army.” He cast her a sideways glance. “Now, you will.”
She clenched her hands tighter around the bars. “I will never consent to such a thing.”
“Oh, yes, you will.” A sneer cut across his mouth. “You will, and willingly. Or you’ll never walk freely again. What’s your freedom worth to you, hmm, Kleo?”
Rage burned within her. Freedom was everything to an Amazon. How did Sinon plan to keep hers from her?
“One child. One male child. After, you are free to go wherever you wish.” He cocked his head at her. “A fair arrangement, wouldn’t you say?”
She scoffed and eyed the sword. The metal glowed incandescent. “What’s that for?”
He quirked his lips at her, but oh, there was no friendship in that twist of features. “To mark you, Kleoptoleme. Just as you marked me.”
Chapter 10
Arctus scrubbed his hands through his locks. Nay. Something wasn’t right. Him, she might leave without a word. But her sisters? Kleo would never do such a thing. Not unless she were under duress. Or incapacitated. Trepidation spiked through him as he sniffed again and caught the faintest trace of blood. Originating from… There. A branch, with a smear of dried crimson. Kleo’s blood.
Someone had accosted her. Damn, but Arctus knew precisely who.
“Ainia!” he bellowed, galloping through the encampment until he came across her. “Kleo’s been taken.”
“Taken? By whom?” Ainia tossed her head. “Very unlikely.”
“Aye, well, that cur, Sinon, has her. I found a branch with her blood on it.”
“How can she be taken, Arctus, when she’s standing right over there?” Ainia pointed to a feminine figure at the head of the crowd.
Kleo. His pulse raced. Had she escaped her captor?
He shoved through the crowd as her words landed in his ears. “That’s why I won’t be joining you. May the goddess bless your journey and bring fruitfulness to your new life.”
His throat dried and her name died on his lips. She wasn’t coming? Had Sinon somehow convinced her to stay?
Agony pulled at the threads of his chest, drawing them out in long, painful strands. His hearts laid splayed open at her feet and she stomped across them.
“Kleo?” he finally managed to whisper. “May I speak with you?”
“It’s time for you to go.” She passed a deadened glimpse in his direction before addressing the gathering. “For all of you to leave.”
He crushed his fists together. Nay. He wouldn’t accept this. Arctus dashed to her side as she stole away from the crowd and grabbed her arm. “Alala, you can’t do this.”
She wrenched off his grasp. “Never tell me what I can or can’t do. Now, go, Arctus. Before my hand is forced in another direction.”
He swallowed thickly. If he didn’t obey, would she kill him?
By the gods, why?
A tear stung his eye and he sniffled, attempting to clear it away, but as he sniffed, he inhaled. Kleo’s scent was missing.
She’d dismissed him again, heading toward the cave, so he trotted to catch up and snatched her hand, dragging it to his nose. Another sniff. No scent.
His mate would carry not only
her heady scent, but his as well. Especially after their lovemaking.
What trickery was this?
“Who are you?” he demanded, wrenching her hand upward.
“I am Kleoptoleme of the Amazons,” she hissed. “Unhand me, centaur.”
He leaned forward and inhaled, noting the absence of her scent. “Nay, enchantress, you are not. You may have deemed this ruse clever, but one thing you didn’t count on. A centaur would know his mate anywhere.”
“You’re forgetting one important piece,” Kleo droned.
“What piece?” Sinon asked, seeming bored and twirling the blade once more.
“Arctus. He will never relinquish me.” That much she was certain of.
Sinon sniggered. “He won’t be a problem.”
The cool implication of his words plummeted into her stomach. “What do you mean?” Arctus could defend himself, unless he was ambushed like she’d been.
“Behold for yourself, sweetling.” Sinon dropped the sword and strode to the cage, unlocking it.
Kleo eyed the door as he opened it, but decided it was better to wait for the right moment to escape.
Or to deliver punishment.
Sinon tilted his head for her to follow him. She did so, staying a few paces back. Bright sunlight struck her vision while they ascended a set of stone stairs into the open. The searing rays of the sun shone down upon them, making her skin perspire. They stood on a cliff, hundreds of feet in the air, low, billowing clouds spanning as far as she could see. Sinon stopped beside a small clear pool and waved for her to peer within.
Curious, she obeyed, squinting into the blurring waters. Is that me? Sure enough, someone who looked very much like herself addressed a crowd of Amazon warriors.
Sweet Artemis. An enchantment?
“No one is going to come to your aid, because they believe you left of your own accord. They’re heading off to Krete, and you’re going to stay here until you bear me a child.”
Oh, how she detested him. Kleo fisted her hands and scowled at the fiend. “What makes you presume I won’t kill you right now?”
He tsked. “Because then, you’ll never be free. You see this cliff? It’s impossible to climb down. I made an arrangement with the sun god. Only once I have my heir will he reveal a path away from this mountain.”
Apollo? A flame of anger shot through her. The sun god had made this War personal for her the moment he’d sent that boar to attack them.
And she would have vengeance.
“What say you?” Sinon crossed his arms and regarded her with a smug grin, likely concluding he’d won.
“You’re forgetting something. I’ve already bred with Arctus. I might bear his child instead of yours.”
Disgust flickered in those sinister orbs. “You’ll have to stay until you bear mine, too. If you behave, I might allow you to keep the other child.”
Might allow? Ugh. Never would Sinon touch any child of hers.
No way off this cliff? Hmm. She pursed her lips and stalked to the edge, peering down into a thick blanket of clouds. No view of the ground below. Sinon hadn’t lied. The walls of this cliff were too sheer to climb, for most people. With her powers, she could fashion hooks and climb down using them. First, she’d have to incapacitate Sinon.
How? When he’d challenged her all those years ago, she hadn’t let him win. He’d bested her, fairly. Sinon was a formidable opponent.
If she revealed her powers at the wrong moment, she’d lose any advantage. Yet the notion of bedding him sickened her stomach. She refused to ever carry his child again.
What other options were there?
She whirled around, and Sinon had returned, brandishing the glowing sword. “You’re going to let me mark you, and should you ever attempt to flee, this mark will remind you that you’ve sworn to be mine until you’ve fulfilled your oath.”
“Are you trying to intimidate me, Sinon?” she scoffed. “Your sword doesn’t scare me. I’ve already been branded once.” She shrugged aside her chiton to reveal the coin-sized branding above her right breast. The marking was one they received during their initiation. Even the smallest cry during the searing would be enough to banish one from the Amazon clan.
“We shall see. Now, take it off.” He jerked his head for her to remove her clothing. “Kneel, Kleoptoleme, and surrender to my will.”
Arctus closed his eyes and followed the pulsing call of his mate. He transformed into earth, sailing through the air. Like this, he floated on the breeze for miles.
After many threats, the imposter had disclosed Sinon’s plans. The secret cliff. The demand for an heir.
The intent to breed with Kleo.
He shuddered and focused on locating the mountain. Soon, it came into view, and steadily he climbed its sheer cliffs, his trail of earth shooting through the clouds. Once at the top, Arctus paused and molded into the dust coating the surface of the cliff. He assessed the situation. Kleo was on her knees in front of Sinon, who held an incandescent broad sword in his grasp.
Ugh. He meant to brand Kleo. The twisted fiend.
Not if I save her first.
Steeling himself once more, Arctus sank below the surface, gliding toward Kleo. Beneath her, he floated to the surface, his soil rising into her open palms. She inhaled sharply.
Aye, Alala, I’m here. He prayed she would sense his presence and know it was him.
Slowly, he surrounded Sinon’s feet. The male raised the sword to Kleo’s flesh. No more time. Arctus shot through the ground, his soil forming a solid coating around the male, encasing him in earth.
The sword clanged to the ground and the soil muffled Sinon’s howls.
Arctus enveloped the male, tempted to squeeze the life right from his unworthy lungs.
“Wait.” Kleo launched to her feet and scowled at Sinon. “Uncover his face.”
Grudgingly, he complied. Sinon didn’t deserve any last requests.
Kleo glared at the male. “You’re not going to brand me, Sinon. Neither are you going to keep me prisoner. Never will you breed with me. Yet this, I will do for you. Though because you have wronged me, so have I wronged you.” She plucked the sword from the ground, its gleam viciously red.
“Uncover his marking.”
Much more happily, Arctus agreed this time, and he muffled the male against any screams.
Kleo gripped the hilt and pressed the incandescent blade to the male’s upper thigh, across the mark she’d cut into him all those years ago. Flesh sizzled and melted, the mark vanishing.
The male writhed against Arctus’s hold, but stilled after Kleo finished and set aside the sword.
“Release him.”
Arctus dissolved, floated to beside Kleo, and shifted into his centaur form. He snared her hand and squeezed tightly, following her scrutiny to Sinon.
The male grimaced as he prodded the flesh around his injury. Then he sneered at Kleo. “You think this is finished?”
“Yes, it is.” She stepped forward, her hands glowing an argent hue, and a spike of metal formed in her palm. “I never told you what the goddess Artemis granted me after my loss.” She twirled the foot-long piece of metal about in her hand. Sinon’s rounded gaze followed it, awe and fear in his eyes.
The spike hovered above Kleo’s palm and, suddenly, it flung forward, halting just below Sinon’s chin. The male froze.
“Come near me or any other Amazon again, and this spike won’t stop next time.”
The muscles in his neck flexed and a bead of perspiration trickled down the side of his face.
“Nod that you agree.”
The slightest bob of his head.
“Good.” Kleo spun on her heel.
“Where are you going?” Sinon rasped. “Take this thing away.”
“No,” Kleo called over her shoulder. “Only when Arctus and I are far from this place will the metal fall.”
“The next time we meet,” Sinon’s words echoed, “I will kill you, Kleoptoleme.”
Arctus growled low,
but Kleo held him back. “He’s mine. Don’t forget that. Mine to spare, mine to execute.”
He dipped his head. “Aye, Alala. You are right.”
“Good.” She halted and half-twisted toward Sinon. “May we meet again on the battlefield of the Great War. Make no mistake. It is you who will meet your doom there.”
They paused at the edge of the cliff and Arctus muttered, “I truly wish we’d killed him.”
She shrugged. “Not like that. There’s no honor in such a death. For whatever Sinon may be, he is still a warrior.”
Arctus frowned, puzzling her words. “You are wise, lass.” He scanned the sheer cliffs. “I can float you to the bottom.”
She arched a brow. “I can descend on my own.” Curving her lips, she employed her powers, her hands glowing, and produced two sharp metal hooks. “Beat you to the bottom.”
Then she leapt off the side of the cliff.
And, his heart racing, he followed.
Chapter 11
Kleo swung from hook to hook, their sharp, spiked ends sliding down the sheer cliffs and creating sparks while they skated downward.
Beside her, a trail of soil plummeted toward the ground.
She beamed at Arctus and then scowled in determination to beat him there. The ground approached and, as she leapt down, they both arrived at the same moment.
After transforming, Arctus stood before her in his human form. “I feared I’d lost you. That you’d left me.”
“How did you know I didn’t?” She angled her head and studied him. How had Arctus found her?
He stepped to her and clasped both of her hands in his large, warm ones. “Your scent. The imposter Sinon employed didn’t carry your scent, or mine.”
She stiffened. “Wait. Did you tell anyone of this?”
“Ah…” he hedged, releasing her hand to scrape the back of his neck. “I might have proclaimed to the entire Amazon camp that I’m your mate.”
“You brute!” She swatted at his arm, but he ducked, grimacing.
“Pray pardon, lass. I was beside myself with fear for you.”
Earth's Mark (Lords of Krete Book 2) Page 8
