Destiny Redeemed

by Gabrielle Bisset

  “Once more, you’ve been a lifesaver. Thank you.”

  Amon stood up and turned to Markku. “We can’t wait anymore. I need you to get me into the Soren headquarters so I can get Thea the hell out of there. Adams will have to be the Council’s problem.”

  Markku got ready to leave. “What do you plan to do about Kiril and his men?”

  A vision of what he’d do to Kiril Gault when he got his hands on him flashed through Amon’s mind. “Leave Kiril to me.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Thea lifted her arm and the heavy chain that dangled from it and angrily slammed her hand down on the floor. The sound of metal hitting concrete jarred her but didn’t seem to faze her two fellow captives in the least. Numb from their months in Kiril’s possession, they kept their eyes firmly fixed on the floor as ordered. Their lack of defiance—of any resistance at all—saddened Thea.

  She stared at their deadened expressions and compared them to the memory of Suzanne’s still vibrant face with her gentle eyes and sweet smile. She’d watched with tears in her eyes as Kiril’s men had led her away. How long had passed since then? An hour? Three? Thea couldn’t be sure. She imagined the torture Kiril was inflicting on her, and her stomach tightened in knots at the thought of Suzanne’s caring eyes wide in terror as she bore his attack. If it was the last thing she did in this lifetime, she’d see Kiril punished for what he’d done to Suzanne and every other human woman he’d harmed.

  The words ‘this lifetime’ rang in her head. This lifetime, in which she’d finally been given a destined one. Thea began to fear that Amon’s absence wasn’t because he was devising a way to save her. She began to think that just as she’d been given him, he’d been taken away either back to Nil or to his next lifetime after being murdered by Kiril.

  The thought of Amon gone from her world, perhaps forever if he was back in Nil, broke her. Unable to muster up anger or resistance anymore, she lay down on the hard floor and curled up in a ball. The cold wrist shackles pressed next to her face as she rested her head on her hands. This would be how the rest of her forty-fifth lifetime would be—an empty, hard existence at the hands of a vicious psychopath.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks as sadness consumed her. Over and over, she sent the same thought to Amon in the desperate hope that he was still coming for her.

  Amon, please don’t leave me.

  Nothing—no sense he was near came back to her. Closing her eyes, she let the memory of their time together play in her mind as she struggled to hold on to some hope. She didn’t know how long she lay there, but as the door opened now, she saw Kiril beckon to her.

  *

  Kiril Gault stepped into the main meeting room of the Soren headquarters and walked to his seat on the dais, Thea trailing close behind him.

  “Thea, today is the day I finally become what I’ve wanted for so long. Today, I become more than just the leader of the Soren, and like a ruler, I’ll have my queen next to me.”

  As he spoke, Thea wondered if he had lost his mind. A ruler? A queen? What was he talking about?

  “Once I hear the words that tell me Amon Kalins is back in Nil where he belongs, I’ll be given the go ahead to claim you as mine. I’ll also be as powerful as the Council.”

  “Amon will never let you get away with this, Kiril. I’m his destined one. When he finds me, he’s going to kill you.”

  Thea knew instantly that voicing those words had been a mistake. Kiril’s hand shot out violently and came down on the side of her face. Pain radiated from her cheekbone to her eyes, and she couldn’t stop the tears that began to flow over her stinging cheek.

  “I thought a few hours in chains had showed you how preferable the alternative of giving yourself willingly was to toying with me with endless questions and pleading for a human’s safety. Now, instead of being more pliant, you’re just as insistent on making me hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you, Thea. Won’t you be a nice girl so I don’t have to?”

  As she stood silently staring up into his maniacal expression, Thea wondered if she would ever make it out of there alive. Every moment that went by seemed to make Kiril madder.

  “I had a destined one. Did you know that?”

  Quietly, she answered, “No.”

  “I did. I do still, but she didn’t believe in what the Soren was, so she refused me. She said I had a traitorous nature, I think is how she put it.” Kiril fell silent for a long time and then mumbled, “Puritanical bitch.”

  The idea of Kiril being given a destined one while she’d been basically alone for every lifetime until this one hurt, and as Thea carefully kept her gaze focused toward the floor, she thought that the fate of Aeveren like herself was even crueler than she’d ever imagined.

  “Thea, look at me,” Kiril ordered, his voice softer now.

  As she slowly drew her head up to look at him, he reached out to dry her tear-stained face and spiky eyelashes still wet from crying. “I want you to look far more content for this meeting. It wouldn’t do to have a sulking woman standing next to me if I hope to get approval to claim another man’s destined one, even if that man is Amon Kalins and is consigned to Nil for the rest of his lifetimes.”

  “Kiril, please don’t do this. Please. It’s not too late.”

  Cupping her aching cheek, he stroked her face. “Would it make you happier to know I released Suzanne?” he asked in a sweet voice intended to convince her to believe his lie.

  Thea knew she had to go along with this act and forced a tiny smile onto her face. “That’s my Thea,” he cooed as he saw her mood improve. “Now come. I want you to sit.”

  He guided her to his chair and unlocked the shackles and chains that bound her wrists. Tossing them away from him in disgust, he gently massaged the skin on her arms where the restraints had sat.

  “Does that feel better?”

  Thea nodded. It was futile to do anything other than acquiesce at this point. She faked another small smile that seemed to thrill him.

  “Thea, you and I are meeting someone today. You may remain seated as he and I talk, but I want you to promise you won’t speak. Do you understand me?”

  Quietly, she said, “Yes, Kiril. I understand.”

  But she didn’t understand at all. Why did he want her at one of his meetings? And why did he care if she looked happy or not to this particular person? If he’d ever met Kiril, he’d seen at least one unhappy woman in chains near him before.

  Kiril finished rubbing her wrists and stepped back away from her. Thea watched as he seemed to enjoy looking at her in his chair. Unsure if he’d meant she couldn’t speak while he met with the man or not at all, Thea hesitantly asked, “Why did you take the chains off if I’m Suzanne’s replacement?”

  She instantly saw the anger grow in his face and feared his response.

  “Thea, you’re Aeveren. I would never enslave an Aeveren woman. And you aren’t the replacement for any human. Do you understand me?”

  Nodding, Thea was thankful for the moment that she’d escaped his wrath. He moved behind her, and she felt him rest one hand on her shoulder as he stroked her hair with the other.

  The man he was to meet entered a few minutes later, and Thea wondered how such an ordinary man could inspire such subservient behavior in one as brutal as Kiril. As soon as she saw him, she felt Kiril’s hand tense up on her shoulder, not out of cruelty but apprehension.

  Who was this average Aeveren?

  She watched him approach them confidently with a look of amusement on his face and decided he must be someone far more powerful than Kiril to make him respond as he was.

  “Kiril,” he said in a voice as common as he looked. “Are you ready for our meeting?”

  Thea immediately felt like an intruder, but Kiril’s hand smoothed her shoulder as if to reassure her.

  “Councilman, I’d like you to meet Thea.”

  She saw a flicker of recognition cross his face at the mention of her name, and she worked to remember if she’d ever met this stranger. But
what council did he work for? London?

  “Thea, how nice to finally meet you. I’ve been curious to meet the healer who disobeyed my edict and helped Amon Kalins.”

  Recoiling in horror, she realized the man in front of her was the most powerful Aeveren in their world—the head of the Council at Nil, the ruling council above all others. He was the man who’d imprisoned her destined one and had sent a bounty hunter to kidnap her and give her to Kiril.

  Smiling, the man said, “No need to fear me, young lady. All will be rectified soon.”

  Kiril bent down and touched his lips to the side of her face he’d hit just minutes ago. “Thea, stay here, and I’ll be back in a bit.”

  As she watched them walk to the opposite side of the room, she began to breathe normally again. Her mind racing, she attempted to understand why the head of the Council at Nil would be meeting with the head of the Soren, a group that was the Council’s worst enemy. And then she realized the first sign of hope since she’d been brought here—the councilman had said all would be rectified soon.

  Amon’s alive and still free!

  *

  “Kiril, I need to know everything is ready here. I don’t want Kalins escaping another time.”

  “I know. He won’t. His powers won’t work here next time.”

  “And he’d better show like you think he will, Kiril.”

  Looking back at Thea sitting quietly as she waited for him, he said confidently, “He’ll show. Even if she weren’t his destined one, he’d come for her.”

  “Kiril, you seem very attached to Kalins’ destined one. I’d hate to have to use my influence with the Directorate and see you end up losing her.”

  Turning back toward the councilman, Kiril silently cursed the power he held over his life. “I won’t let anything go wrong this time. When he comes to get her, my men will capture him and he’ll be yours to take back to Nil or do whatever you want. Fuck, I don’t care if you kill him.”

  Kiril saw the hatred that appeared on the councilman’s face any time Amon was mentioned. He’d never explained what he’d done to him, but Kiril imagined it had something to do with the man’s last lifetime in the outside world before he’d accepted an offer to serve in Nil. Whatever had happened, his need for vengeance was as raw as Kiril had ever seen in another.

  “I have your word you’ll help me with my claim for Thea when this is all over?”

  “I told you that would be your reward, if you choose it. Claiming another man’s destined one is only allowed in very special cases. But as the head of the Council at Nil, I’ll happily attest to the impossibility of him ever fulfilling the role of destined one for her.”

  “Something’s concerned me about this, though. How will you get my claim approved knowing who I am? I don’t see the Directorate approving anything for the leader of the biggest outlaw group in our world.”

  The councilman brushed off Kiril’s fear with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Now how are we doing with the humans?”

  Kiril remained concerned about how he’d get past the Directorate but was forced to answer his question. “We’re fine. On track with what we planned. I just sent another one to our place outside the city today. I’ve got my people working around the globe, but they’re fucking stubborn creatures.”

  “I’ve only seen you with females, Kiril. Do you handle the males too?”

  Kiril couldn’t contain the look of disgust that crossed his face. “No. I’ve got others who like it that way.”

  The councilman let out a sinister laugh. “Of course. What was I thinking?” Looking around, he asked, “Where are your usual girls? I was hoping to see the one I had last time.”

  “Nope. She’s the one I got rid of today.”

  Not trying to conceal the anger in his voice, the councilman said, “Even though you knew I was coming?”

  Kiril saw that he’d made a serious mistake and quickly added, “I have two others I keep and dozens I could have here in a matter of minutes. Just tell me what you want.”

  As he saw the other man walk back toward Thea, he knew exactly what he wanted. Hurrying to catch up to him, he continued, “Suzanne was a brunette. I can have one just like her here whenever your want. Do you want me to get one now? All it takes is a phone call.”

  All he could do was watch as the councilman walked up to where Thea sat and stood over her grinning. “C...Councilman...” he stammered. “She’s Aeveren.”

  Kiril saw the councilman’s grin grow even wider. “I know exactly what and who she is, Kiril.”

  “Come with me, Thea. I’d like to spend some time with you.”

  *

  Thea took his hand and rose from the seat, so nervous she felt her legs might give out at any moment. She had no idea where the head councilman from Nil was taking her, but the look on Kiril’s face told her everything about what he intended to do with her.

  “Kiril, I’m going to use my usual room. And I don’t want to be disturbed.”

  Thea walked with the man she hated as much as Kiril to a bedroom close to the room she’d been in with Suzanne and the others. As he closed the door behind her, she waited for the horror to begin, understanding now why he’d chosen to disrespect Aeveren ethics once again.

  “You can do whatever you want to me, just like Kiril, but it won’t change anything. I am Amon’s destined one. I love him and belong with him. What you’re about to do is against everything we are. How can you do this?”

  “I have no intention of raping you, dear. What am I? A pig like Kiril? No. I did that to punish him for doing something against my wishes.”

  The councilman sat on the bed and motioned for Thea to sit in a nearby chair. When she had, he began talking to her almost as a father would to a daughter.

  “I’d like to tell you a story, Thea, and I’d like you to pay very careful attention. Unlike you, I’m a relatively young Aeveren not even in my thirtieth lifetime. Until my twenty-fifth lifetime, I’d lived as other Aeveren had, meeting my destined one in my fifteenth lifetime and dealing with the everyday joys and sorrows of life.”

  Thea watched as he breathed deeply before continuing, as if the next part of his story was far more important.

  “We were happy—as happy as anyone else. We’d lived through bad times and good, and by my twenty-fifth lifetime, I was fortunate enough to be part of the English landed gentry. We had a beautiful little girl, and life was good.”

  “Sir, I’ve heard enough stories like this one to know something happened. But what does this have to do with me?”

  “Thea, I’ve read your history. What happened in your thirteenth lifetime?”

  Memories that had been buried for lifetimes flooded her mind. “No, please don’t do this.”

  “You were a healer, as you are now, in a small village near Rome.”

  “Please don’t do this. You have no right to know my past.”

  “I’m doing this for your own good, dear. What happened?”

  Thea buried her face in her hands. She hadn’t thought about anything of that lifetime in so long. She’d worked so hard to forget everything she’d suffered. Now it was back, a memory as fresh as if it had happened only a lifetime ago.

  “He killed me.”

  “Who, Thea? Who killed you?”

  “My lover. I’d been with a man who was married to someone who wasn’t his destined one, and I’d let him convince me that we weren’t wrong to see each other,” she cried.

  “And why did he murder you?”

  Thea began to sob remembering the moment she’d realized the man she’d loved planned to leave her. “I was pregnant with his child. He said he couldn’t hurt his wife that way.”

  The councilman sat silently as Thea struggled to continue. “He was furious at what had brought me such happiness and told me I had to get rid of it. Get rid of our child! When I refused, he told me he was leaving me and never wanted to see me again. But I loved him! I couldn’t just let him go. I was having his ch
ild.”

  Shaking, she remembered the last time she saw him, the last day of her thirteenth lifetime. “Why are you doing this? Why would you want me to remember this?”

  “Because it’s important to your future, dear Thea.”

  Confused, she shook her head in disbelief. “How can causing me to remember one of the most painful memories of my existence help me?”

  “What happened, Thea?”

  “He murdered me! He pretended he wanted to reconcile with me and had me meet him in a secluded spot. After professing his love and his apologies for his behavior, he took out a piece of cloth and held it to my face. As I scratched and clawed to get away from him, he smothered me! He killed me and the child he didn’t want!”

  Thea wept uncontrollably as she said the words she hadn’t spoken in more than twenty lifetimes. The painful memory hurt as much as it had all those lifetimes ago when she’d realized how she’d died in her thirteenth lifetime.

  “Why would you do this to me?” she asked as she wiped the tears from her face.

  As if he hadn’t been affected by her story, he continued what he’d begun earlier. “What do you know of your destined one?”

  Defiantly, she answered, “I know he loves me.”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “I know what you’re going to say. Amon’s done some awful things. I know. He told me. But that’s not the man I know.”

  Rising from the bed, the councilman walked past Thea to stand near the wall. “So Amon Kalins has become a new man since last year when he manipulated time and took a woman away from the man he knew to be her destined one?”

  Thea sat silently not knowing what to say.

  “Or he’s become a new man since he was very much like our friend Kiril fucking enslaved human females?”

  Thea couldn’t control the shock at hearing this accusation and knew her face showed it.

  “I guess he didn’t tell you about that, or did he deny it?”