by Alice Wade
More touches along his mind, caressing his soul through that interaction. “You’re real? Not my imagination?”
“I’m real.”
Warwick! She tried to pull away, but his strong grip held her to his body. She whimpered in response but still writhed to get free.
His thoughts caressed hers as he said, “I’ve dealt with Warwick. You’re safe.”
She wasn’t ready to be calmed and fought against his hold again, “He was after Lainey too!” At the thought of the woman, Kailani opened her eyes and looked around. Talon loomed over her, cradling her beaten body in his strong and amazing arms, and Lainey looked over his shoulder not hiding her tears of joy from anyone. “Lainey.” Kailani sighed out her name and asked, “Dace?”
“I’m all right. So is Dace. We’re both fine.” Lainey cast a quick glance over her shoulder and found Dace just a few feet away. He watched the scene but his eyes only held one focus—Lainey.
The vampire closed her eyes for a moment in relief. They had survived. Thankfully. When she opened them again, she gasped at the emotion she read in Talon’s beautiful blue eyes as he gazed down at her with a pained expression. Kailani lifted her arm, clenching her teeth through the pain and cupped his cheek, “You came back.”
“I said I would. Did you think me a liar?” he teased, thankful beyond words that he arrived when he did. One more minute and Warwick would have killed her.
“I didn’t doubt you, Talon. I doubted your father.” The tiny laugh she tried to give sent tendrils of pain throughout her body, which set off a fit of coughs that hurt every inch of her body. She decided to just lay there still and unmoving in his arms until it all passed. She could stay here forever if that was allowed, for this wasn’t something she believed she’d be able to do again.
“Can I please take you somewhere more appropriate now?” He stood with her in his arms and didn’t wait for her to reply. Through their link he felt every pinch of pain and did his best to comfort her knowing it was useless.
“Use my old room.” Dace added from behind Talon, meeting the vampire’s look with one of utter respect. “I’m not using it much lately and its only one flight down.”
The two stared at each other for a moment longer in a silent greeting before Talon moved, ignoring the elves and everyone else at the moment. Kailani was his priority and he wanted her settled. Lainey trailed behind, ready to step in and care for her when Talon needed to leave.
Her eyes danced over the elegant beings lining the room and mumbled something against his chest. “You succeeded.”
“Yes, but I’ll give Warwick this credit. If he’d not attacked you and I didn’t feel your terror, my father would have rejected me again.”
He felt his mate stiffen in his arms, smothering the moan in the fabric of his shirt and waited for the pain to cease to ask her next question, “You felt me?”
“Twice. Once when you were thinking about dying and another when you were.”His emotions got the better of him at the memory and depth of her despair.
“You felt me. I couldn’t feel you.”
“Does it matter? I’m here, and I brought the elves,” he replied.
“But I didn’t feel you, and I tried.” Her lovely face tilted towards his as he was descending the stairs, “Was that beautiful elf woman Cuilwen?”
He laughed that she could be jealous at a time like this and kissed her forehead, “Yes, but you have nothing to fear. She knows all about my sick fascination with you and will not interfere.”
“Sick fascination. Hmmph.” That was enough for her to hear at the moment. She wasn’t in a position to defend her right as Talon’s mate.
He kicked open Dace’s door and moved directly into the bedroom. With a look of distain, he took in the bleak furnishings and depressing amount of blankets or sheets but laid her down anyway. “I’ll need to get you blankets, but you should be fine right here until I do.”
Lainey spoke up from beside him, “I’ll get them Talon. I’m also going to find Adara. She and I can clean her up and start the healing.”
He looked up at her while he knelt next to the bed and smiled. “Thank you Lainey.” When he looked back to his mate, his heart soared with emotion. “I love you, Kai.”
She smiled. “That’s good, because I love you, too.”
Talon’s beaming grin alerted her, for she knew that look and groaned. “What now Talon?”
His grin got bigger. “It appears I’ll never be leaving your side again, so get used to it.”
Kailani actually scowled, a facial expression that made her look annoyed. “And why is that?”
“When I do, you get hurt. You can’t be trusted to be left alone, love. You’re a menace to yourself!” Talon laughed and leaned in for a gentle kiss, brushing his lips over hers, trying not to hurt her.
When Kailani felt those lips against her bruised and swollen mouth, she didn’t care about pain. She returned his gentle caress with one of heated passion, crushing her mouth against his in a passionate kiss. She’d missed him too long, and the thought of never seeing him again was still fresh in her mind.
Talon allowed her the moment and gave her control over the kiss. He waited until they were breathless before he pulled back and cupped her face with both hands. “Seriously, Kai. I almost lost you. I can’t live without you, so no more stunts.”
“Please don’t lecture me Talon,” realizing her words were driven more from her raw emotional state, she softened her tone. “You left me first. Not the other way around. I didn’t think I’d see you again, so I didn’t care if Warwick killed me or not. I had nothing to fight for anymore. I prayed he’d kill me when I realized you weren’t coming, which meant you’d been unsuccessful. Surviving that wasn’t something I could have handled.”
“You were not so convinced I was dead, Kai. You were calling to me to save you.” He wasn’t comforted hearing she wanted her death even at the end.
“I hoped. You made me promise never to lose that, but when you didn’t come…” her words trailed off. “I wasn’t wrong in clinging desperately to that faith, for here you are.” Her eyelids drooped with exhaustion when Talon placing sleeping coercions on her. She said one last thing before she went completely under, “I love you.”
Lainey arrived with blankets, and an older woman with a basket of healing supplies. Adara forced into the room and shoved Talon away, looking down at the vampire who was finally sound asleep. “She’ll heal fast Adara, so you won’t need all your herbs. Just keep her safe and get her clean. I’ll be back and give her what she really needs in a bit.” He rose and placed his hand on the matron’s shoulder. “Thank you for coming.”
Adara smiled, and patted his hand. “I would do the same for any in my family, Talon. You’ve done more for me in the past week than my own children have done in a lifetime. I’m not ashamed to offer my assistance; just glad I could help.”
Talon gave her shoulder one last squeeze and moved as if to leave. He knew that the broken bones in Kai’s body were knitting together even as he stood there, so loitering about wasn’t going to help. She needed rest, not to be disturbed by him hovering nearby. He surveyed what he could see of her shredded neck with a frown. That too would heal by the time he turned, but it angered him that she’d been injured. When Adara knelt by the bed and began cleaning the blood away, Talon knew he was in the way and left.
In the main living room, Lainey waited, nervously pacing and wringing her hands. The moment Talon emerged, she was in his arms and hugging him tight. “Thankfully you came when you did. He was using spells we couldn’t fight. He had Kai in a matter of moments and…oh Talon, it was horrible.”
“Shh. It will be all right now. At least I hope it will be all right. I brought thirty-four warriors with me, more than I would have hoped, so now we have a chance to fight back.” He held Lainey against his chest
and felt her heart beating rapidly. “You haven’t fed, have you?”
“No. Not since last night.” She said from the folds of his elven outfit.
“Go find Dace. Get strong. Kai will need both of us to help her get through this.”
“What are you going to do?” she mumbled, not ready to let go just yet.
“Clean the mess upstairs, introduce the elves to our world, and get them settled.” Talon pulled Lainey away from his chest in order to see her face. “No ‘afterwards’ today. I need Dace to help with those introductions.”
She frowned but nodded in agreement. “I’ll deal with it.”
“That’s a good girl. Now go. Kailani will be awake in a short while. I only knocked her out long enough for her to be cleaned up and for her body to heal.”
“All right.” She mumbled again, gave one more hug then pulled back. At the door she turned and gave him a look filled with profound emotion. “Welcome home.”
Chapter Fifteen
The sound of padded feet woke Kailani and she rolled over to find the bed next to her was empty. She opened her eyes quickly and looked towards the door just as Talon’s back disappeared. As she listened, she heard voices in the front room, a soft spoken woman, to be exact then Talon’s deeper musical voice replying.
Kailani sat up, pulled the blankets up around her lap and toyed with the fringe while she waited.
Her head hurt, as did her body, but the healing attributes of her kind were incredible. All of her broken bones were nearly mended, leaving behind a dull ache that spread everywhere. She touched her face and neck, feeling that the worst of the damage there too was nearly healed. Warwick had beaten her badly this time and luckily for her, Talon had arrived right when it mattered most.
A heavy depressed feeling pressed on her heart when she realized just how close it was. Nervously, she smoothed her hair with both hands, waiting for Talon to return and she wondered what was taking him so long.
There was a familiar nudge in her head as Talon checked to see if she was awake, “Kailani?”
“Mmm, I’m awake. Who’s here?” She asked, trying not to sound nervous. She wasn’t in the mood for theatrics and did her best to battle the jealously that threatened to break free.
The door opened before she could hear his reply, and her handsome elf blocked the door frame, concealing whoever stood behind him. He stood wearing nothing by a pair of pants, his perfect chest bare exposed. He must have crawled right out of bed to greet whoever was out there. “Kai, love, there is someone here that I’d like you to meet. Only if you are in a mood for visitors,” he added quickly.
Kailani smoothed her hair one last time, tucking strands behind her ears in an act of making herself presentable. She knew this would be Cuilwen, Talon’s former lover. “I’m fine, please show her in.”
He watched her cautiously for a moment, turning to make eye contact with Cuilwen before he stepped into the room. He was at Kailani’s side in two stride, taking a seat next to her on the bed and collected her into an embrace. He didn’t miss her slight wince when he pulled her to his body.
The woman that entered stole Kailani’s breath. She was tall and thin, built firmly, but she carried herself with a certain seductive sway that radiated sexuality. Long blonde hair cascaded around her upper body to dangle just above her waist. But it was her face, her perfect elven face that had her speechless. Cuilwen was by far the most beautiful woman Kailani had ever seen. A moment of insecurity burned her soul.
“My love, I would like to introduce Cuilwen, First Maiden for the People and right hand of Iondwë Daerwen.” The woman dipped her upper body bowing, but never removed her warm brown eyes from Kailani, reading her most minute reactions.
“Cuilwen, I’m pleased to finally be able to introduce you to Kailani, my mate.” His arm squeezed her shoulders as he made the introduction, reassuring her that under no circumstances did he regret those words. Kailani calmly watched her, showing very little reaction.
Cuilwen watched back, measuring each of her facial twitches or eye ticks. All in all, even after being beaten near death and brought back from the brink, this woman was stunningly gorgeous. No wonder Talon had fallen for her. From what he’d said about her, she was feisty, so this submissive greeting seemed slightly out of character. It caused Cuilwen to pause before she spoke. She wanted to give Kailani time to adjust to the fact she was here, standing in the same room with her.
Kailani cleared her throat after a pregnant pause. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cuilwen. Welcome to…” she suddenly realized she had no name for here, “…our home.”
Cuilwen smirked. “I’m honored to be here, Kailani. I honestly have been quite curious about the woman who has stolen Prince Talon’s heart and soul so effectively that there is nothing to share.” She entered the room and found a chair. “Are you feeling better today?” Cuilwen’s eyes roamed over her face in critical evaluation, “You are healing remarkably fast,” she added.
Kailani felt a flash of anger at her arrogance which sounded awfully close to an accusation of some sort, but Talon cleared his throat before she could react, “Kailani, Cuilwen is not familiar with vampire healing abilities, so she meant no offense.”
Cuilwen’s eyes widened in surprise then quickly added, “No, of course I meant none.” Her face split with the most breath taking smile in embarrassment, “I’m guilty of being too pushy, so I’m sorry,” she paused taking a breath thinking through what she really wanted to say to put her at ease, “Kailani, I’m not here to challenge your attachment to Prince Talon. He’s made it quite clear what you mean to him, so I’m only here meet you.” She smiled again. “To see his ‘light’ as he calls you, and the subject of what he has been blathering about no stop for the past two weeks.”
Two weeks? Kailani’s head shot to the side and her wide eyes said it all, “It was only a day here.” She whispered. “One day.” Since he’d returned, she had spent the majority of that time asleep so had not had a chance to talk with him yet. Two weeks? He’d been in his elven realm that long? Hopefully soon they’d be able to talk in order to receive a full story as to why he remained so long when he was only planning on staying a few hours.
“It’s the difference in our planes of existence, Kai. The elves are held in a different state of time, which shifts and is never constant.” He slanted his head reading the unspoken question to his delay in her eyes, “My father was the cause of my delay, love. He needed time to identify who the missing elf was and determining if he would offer us assistance. He does nothing quickly, and it took longer than I anticipated, that’s all.”
Kailani’s mind rolled through this inconceivable notion when another thought struck her and her molten silver eyes once more pinned Talon’s icy blue orbs. “How did you eat?” A fear snaked up her spine when she saw Cuilwen stiffen at her words. No, no. He wouldn’t have. No, he wouldn’t do that…would he?
Kailani closed her eyes when he didn’t reply, feeling the horrific weight of what his lack of response meant. He knew she was working through his silence and eventually would rationalize he needed to do what he did to stay alive. Finally, when she opened her lids once more, a smile pulled the corner of her mouth as she said, “As long as it is no longer needed, I’m fine.”
Relief flooded through him when she accepted what he had to do and moved past it. His hand caressed her cheek slanting his face to hers and gently kissed her, just enough to say ‘thank you’. He then turned to face Cuilwen with a new joy causing his eyes to sparkle. He had not realized how worried he’d been at how Kailani would react to this and now that it was past, a huge weight lifted off his soul.
With a lighter heart, Talon went on to explain more of the current situation, “Cuilwen has been seeing to the organization of the thirty-four elves who came with us, Kailani. She’s helped to clear out rooms and get the wards around the building reset and s
trengthened.” He looked directly into her eyes and said with passion, “They will not be able to get through again.” Kailani wasn’t watching him, though. She still watched Cuilwen with cautious eyes, but he saw no jealously, only curiosity.
“Thank you,” Kailani said confidently, finally finding her confidence, “How did Warwick get through anyway?”
“With this,” Cuilwen produced a bronze disc from her pocket and held it out for Kailani to see. It was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand and had dragon designs etched into the face.
“What is it?” Kailani leaned forward trying to get a better look. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“Neither have we,” Talon added, “It was created by the kidnapped elf and embedded with my house symbol, Kai. It enabled Warwick to cross my wards without being killed, because they thought he was of my bloodline.”
Kailani paled as she realized they could do it again. Lainey was in danger and they needed to get her away from here. “Talon—”
“I know what you’re thinking. Cuilwen has changed my wards, Kai. We know who the elf is now. He’s a skilled warrior in magic and weapons named Athradien. He knows my house as well as my magic, but we have an advantage now because he will not be prepared for Cuilwen’s magic. He will not know to counter her mark.” Talon forced Kai to face him, “Love, they can’t get through.” He said it so confidently that Kailani blinked a few times before she allowed herself to believe it. “Trust me, love,” he added as he reached up and stroked her face. “We’re safe.” He finished with a whisper.
“Safe,” she repeated. When Talon nodded, she sighed as she turned to Cuilwen, “Thank you.”
The vulnerability of this tiny dark haired woman touched Cuilwen. She saw her strength and knew her distrust came from her recent ordeal. That alone earned her respect for as she looked into her mate’s eyes, Cuilwen saw her strength growing with each pulse of her heart. The weak hearted never really recovered from such an attack, but this Kailani, this woman, well she was slowly fighting her way back. It was impressive. Cuilwen lowered and touched her forehead, “You are welcome, friend.”
