by Rosalie Redd
Even as he thought this, he knew he lied to himself. There was no way he’d ever let another male near her.
He stilled. A new recollection came to the forefront of his mind. My son. He was responsible for another life now. The elation he’d experienced before at the idea of a child turned cold as fear snaked its way into his heart. What had he done?
He balled his fist. A new determination rocked his world, changing him at his core. Adrenaline raced through his veins, flushing out the fear. He’d do anything to protect his son and his child’s mother. A lump formed in his throat—he just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
*****
I’m such a fool. A fool who is pregnant with the king’s child. Shaking, Melissa sat on the edge of her bed, her legs and arms cold, as much from the dropping temperature in the room as from her broken heart.
She’d whispered into his ear that she loved him and he hadn’t even responded. With his arms encircling her in his embrace, she’d been so happy, so content and had longed to tell him what was in her heart. Nipping his earlobe, she’d gathered her courage, and whispered the three words into his ear.
He hadn’t reacted, not one bit, nothing. The coldness of his rejection stung, the bitter taste of bile fresh in her mouth.
She was strong, and she’d get through this—for her baby’s sake as well as her own.
Her clothes still fisted in her hands, she brought them to her chin, holding them close. His scent lingered on her dress and on her skin. Shame swept through her, sending a tremor down her entire body. I’m going to take a bath, wash you off of me, and move on.
Jutting her chin out, she threw her clothes across the room. Despite what she told herself, she could never move on.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Melissa buttoned her blouse, forcing the knobs through the eyeholes with reckless care. Although she’d taken a bath and washed Noeh’s scent from her skin, she couldn’t get rid of the ache between her legs or the emptiness in her heart. Sleep had been a futile attempt and she’d tossed and turned most of the day.
The latch on Noeh’s door clicked and his footsteps echoing down the corridor were a reminder of the distance between them. A new wave of grief and humiliation squeezed her chest. She fisted her hand and slammed her knuckles against her thigh, bruising her leg, but the pain staved off the tears, at least for now.
She grabbed the brush from her dresser and ran the bristles through her hair. What would she do, now that she was pregnant with Noeh’s child? A knot formed in her stomach. She braided her long hair, but the simple task only increased her frustration.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Melissa tensed and glanced at the door. “Yes? Who is it?”
“Demir. Open up.”
She froze with the hairband between her fingers. Fear raced along her nerves, sending warning bells to her brain. “What do you want?”
Slam. The wood shook from the impact.
“Open. The. Damn. Door.”
Her heart pounded, the sound loud in her ears. “Go away. N…Noeh’s in the next room.” The lie slid easily from her lips.
“Funny. I thought I saw him in the Grand Hall a few minutes ago.” His usual sarcasm had an extra, aggressive, edge.
The doorknob twisted, and for once, Melissa was thankful Noeh had locked her in here.
“We need to talk. Open the door. Now!” Even through the thick wooden door, his heavy breathing reached her ears.
“No.” The word came out a whisper, but he’d hear her.
Slam.
The door shook.
Slam.
The wood cracked from his weight.
She stepped back, her muscles taut with fear.
Slam.
Splinters flew through the air. A chip landed on her dresser, next to the hairbrush. Her mind shut down, and she stared at the wood, trying to comprehend its meaning.
The door burst open. Demir’s chest heaved from his exertion. He focused on her, his yellow eyes narrowed into small slits.
She bolted for the other side of the bed, anything to put distance between them, but Demir was too fast. He pushed her up against the wall, caging her in his arms. The smell of rancid bacon permeated his breath. She turned her head in disgust.
“You should be mine—” His nostrils flared, and his eyes widened. “Y…You’re pregnant?”
He pulled back, but didn’t let her go. His gaze searched her face. “How could you do this? That should be my babe growing inside you.” Demir’s tense muscles strained as he fought to control his anger.
“I went into heat,” she said. “I-I couldn’t control my body.”
His eyes tightened, and the edge of a frown creased his bottom lip. “What you have done is unspeakable. No male will want you now.”
Adrenaline rushed through her body as the truth of his words hit home. He was right. What male would want her when she was pregnant with another male’s child? Holding her chin up, she defied him. “Then I shall live on my own.”
“Don’t forget, I own you. I can look past…this.” He glanced at her midriff. “Noeh can only protect you for so long. Sooner or later, you will crawl to me, begging to be my concubine.” A smile crossed his face as he rubbed his finger down the side of her cheek.
She cringed. His rough touch was nothing like Noeh’s soft caress.
“Let me go.” She pushed against his chest.
“Why do you resist me? I would cherish you, give you anything you wanted.” His voice lost its power. He shook his head, and his eyebrows knit together.
Hurt and pain was all she could see in his eyes. He’d lost his Eleanor and his compassion along with her. His broken heart had warped his mind and his soul. “I can never be what you want me to be—what you need me to be. If you love me, release me from your servitude.”
His jaw twitched. “No.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes. She might never be free, but she would do everything in her power to protect her child. Gathering all the determination she could, she opened her eyes, and squared her shoulders. “As much as you want me to, I don’t love you.”
“You will,” he said. “That’s why William died, so we could be together.”
“What?” A chill ran across her arms.
“Back at the cabin, I could’ve saved him, but I didn’t.” His eyes turned into yellow slits once again. “You are mine.”
Her mouth opened and closed. She gripped his arms, fisting his black T-shirt in her hands. “No! No!” Disbelief shocked her into a state of immobility. She stared at the male who’d let her mate die. Contempt, hot and fast, bubbled to the top of her emotions.
“I hate you!” Melissa pounded her hands on his chest. Over and over her fists connected, sending shockwaves up her arms. Not that she cared, she wanted to feel the pain somewhere besides her heart.
Demir’s grip on Melissa’s arms tightened, stopping her assault. Tears flowed down her cheeks, and she couldn’t look him in the eye. Bastard.
Quick footsteps behind them caught her attention. A morsel of hope bloomed in her chest.
“Release her.” Aramie’s voice was stern and forceful.
Demir flinched. Claws dug into Melissa’s skin, and the smell of her own blood made her head spin. He released one of her arms. Melissa pulled against his vise-like grasp, but couldn’t escape him. With slow and deliberate movements, he turned to face Aramie.
Before Melissa could blink, Demir backhanded his warrior. She ricocheted off the edge of Melissa’s bed and landed in a heap on the stone floor. Her shoes left a black smudge in her path.
“How dare you interfere! Leave now, while I still value you as my second in command.”
Aramie wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and stared at the blood on her fingers. A tic started in her jaw. She pushed herself to a standing position and faced her leader. “Demir, you’re obsessed—sick. This isn’t you.”
“Maybe this is the real me.” His low, menacing words came out in a snarl.
A cool sheen of sweat broke out at the back of Melissa’s neck. Aramie was right. He’d gone over the edge.
Aramie lifted her chin and glanced between Melissa and Demir. Her nostrils flared, and she glanced at Melissa’s midriff. Her eyes widened, then narrowed, eyebrows pulling down in concentration. “Demir, please let her go. She’s pregnant with an innocent child.”
Her words must have hit home, for he released his grip on her arm. A mask of pain and torment covered his face. “You need me. You have no one else to turn to. I won’t wait much longer.”
His words snaked their way into Melissa’s spirit. She moved past him and fled from her room, eager to escape this nightmare.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Noeh stood in line in the Grand Hall behind one of the Jixie tailors, eager to fill a plate of food for Melissa. When she’d left him in his room today, he couldn’t bring himself to follow her, not under the circumstances. He clenched his jaw at the memory, but couldn’t stop the ache that built in his chest. Once filled with food, the plate in his hand would be a peace offering, one he hoped she’d accept.
As he shuffled to the front of the food line, the Jixie in front of him caught his attention. The tailor wore the traditional white shirt with cufflinks around his wrist. A yellow sunstone hung from the chain and swiped through the scrambled eggs as he gathered his food.
“You might want to tuck that in.” Noeh pointed at the cufflink.
The Jixie glanced up at Noeh, and his face reddened. “Oh, so sorry.” With quick fingers, the little male tucked the stone into his sleeve.
“Well, well, look who’s here.” Mauree’s voice was unmistakable. She approached him, her long, forceful strides making her hips move with an exaggerated swagger.
Noeh concentrated on his task, avoiding the scrambled eggs and selecting a hard-boiled one instead. “What do you want?”
“Come now. Is that any way to treat your future queen?”
He tensed. Future queen? Craya, no.
“Look at me.”
Her command spiked his anger, and he clenched his jaw.
She pulled on his arm, and the plate crashed to the ground. The egg rolled across the stone floor until one of the Stiyaha warriors squished it.
He stepped out of line and clutched her arm, pulling her away from the crowd. When he spoke, he couldn’t quite keep the disdain from his voice. “What is it, Mauree?”
“You slept with her—that Dren, didn’t you?”
He wrinkled his brow. “What did you say?”
“Don’t try to deny it. I stopped by your room this morning. The sounds coming through the door—” She curled her lip. “She sounded like a stuck pig.”
He released his grip on her arm. “I didn’t realize my personal life was any of your business.”
Mauree slapped him. The sound rang throughout the Grand Hall, silencing the other conversations. The sting on his cheek burned, and he resisted the urge to touch his face.
Everyone turned to stare at the two of them, the others in the room awaiting the drama about to unfold.
The air chilled, and Mauree’s breath formed little crystal clouds. “Why am I not surprised you’d bed her? You always did have a way with the females, didn’t you?”
Noeh didn’t respond. His ugly history as a young warrior flooded his mind. He’d bedded several of the popular females in his early days, enjoying the thrill of the chase and the sweet taste of victory.
“What’s the matter? Am I hitting too close to home? Say something!” The cords in her neck stood out, making her features gruesome.
Noeh’s inner beast awakened, and his anger burned just below the surface. Forcing himself to remain calm, he took a deep breath. “Never speak to me like that again, or I shall put you in the dungeon for insolence.”
“How could you do this to me?” She raced at him, throwing punches at his face, his arms, his chest. He grabbed her wrists and forced her hands to one side of her body.
“Your time is almost up,” she spat. “The new moon will be here in three days.” She fought his grip, but he was too strong for her.
“You must take your queen, a Stiyaha female, or lose your crown. I know you will pick me, and when you do, I will banish that Dren to the far side of the Keep.” She shook from her tirade, a grimace on her face.
“In three days, I will do as the gods have decreed and take a queen, following the scriptures as I promised. You, Mauree, will not be queen.” A weight lifted from his shoulders at his decision. “I would relinquish my crown before I made you queen.”
An audible gasp escaped from the others in the room. Mauree, whom everyone thought would be queen, would never be.
Mauree’s mouth fell open, and her eyes widened. He released her. She stumbled back until the back of her legs connected with a table.
“You—you—” she stammered, pointing her finger at him. “You will regret this. I’ll make sure of it.”
“If you step out of line, even one inch, you won’t see the walls outside of the dungeon for a full century.”
She exited the Grand Hall, the cold, stale air going with her.
The crowd of onlookers glanced away, as if embarrassed. It was his own fault he’d ended up in this predicament. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced at the food line. Now, he’d have to start over.
Ginnia approached Noeh. “You ok? Why you making that strange sound?” She stared wide-eyed at him.
He closed his mouth. “You didn’t hear anything.”
“Yes, I did. You moaned. Do you need to see Gaetan?” She squinted at him, her mouth drawn up at one corner. “You don’t look so good to me.”
He tousled her hair. “Ah, Ginnia, if there was anyone I could confide in about this you’d be the one.”
“I should tell you something, but I forget.”
“That’s ok. You can tell me later.”
“No, I need to tell you now. It’s important.” She twisted her hands together and frowned.
He lifted her chin and brushed back a stray strand of hair. “I should get some food to Melissa, but we’ll meet up soon, ok?”
Ginnia nodded, her focus never leaving him.
Noeh retracted his hand and headed for the back of the line.
“Wait!” Ginnia ran after him, her hair flying around her head like wisps of smoke. “Is Melissa going to be queen?”
His heart constricted, but he forced the words out. “She can’t be my queen. She’s not Stiyaha.”
“So, she’s Lemurian.” An innocent smile crossed her face.
“Ginnia, honey, the scriptures state my queen must be Stiyaha.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure…” His breath bottled up in his chest. He whipped his head around and glanced down the hall. What if she’s right?
“Ginnia, you’re a genius.” He kissed the top of her head and sprinted out of the room.
Chapter Forty
Melissa rushed down the corridor still flustered from her encounter with Demir. Her breaths came fast, and as she breathed, her pants tightened around her waistline. Even though the pregnancy was new, she already showed. That was very unusual, even for a Dren’s normal three month gestation period. A kernel of dread formed in her chest.
She paused to rest, placing a hand against the rough rock of the corridor. The stone’s coolness seeped into her hand, providing a small bit of relief.
A flash of light from the sunstones caught her attention. An urge to follow the crystals overwhelmed her, like something, or someone pushed her along. Goosebumps formed along her arm.
Resisting the impulse, she turned around. After all that had happened, she needed answers. She’d face Noeh and deal with the consequences. Resolve tightened her nerves.
The sound of clicking heels echoed from around the corner, and Mauree emerged into the hallway. A smile, one filled with false sincerity, broke across her face. “My, my, fancy meeting you here.”
A large dose of adrenaline increas
ed Melissa’s pulse.
As Mauree stepped closer, her nostrils flared. “You’re pregnant. Craya!”
Melissa raised her chin, but didn’t speak.
A tic started in Mauree’s jaw and her fist clenched. “I suppose Noeh’s the father.”
“Get out of my way.” Melissa bared her fangs.
“Best put those pointed things away.” Mauree waved her hand in Melissa’s face. “I have something to tell you before you hear it from someone else.”
“There’s nothing you have to say I want to hear.” Melissa pushed past Mauree, intent on putting as much distance between them as possible.
“Not even who Noeh selected as his queen?”
Melissa stopped. A sudden coldness hit her in the stomach. “He selected someone?”
A slow smile pulled along Mauree’s mouth. Melissa wanted to wipe that smug grin right off her face.
“Indeed. He selected me. I’m going to be Noeh’s queen.”
A wave of dizziness hit Melissa. He’d selected Mauree? Putting her hand over her mouth, she bit the soft spot between her thumb and finger, her fangs piercing her flesh, a drop of blood rising to the surface.
“What’s the matter? Nothing to say to me?” Mauree’s laugh echoed down the corridor.
“I don’t believe you.” Fighting back tears, Melissa let her anger reign. Power welled up within her. Is that…my shield? Nearly two weeks had gone by since Ram had taken her power. Her blood must be wearing off inside him and rejuvenating her.
“You should go ask Noeh yourself. I believe he’s headed to the Portal Navigation Center to see Rin.” Mauree walked around Melissa, her perfume clogging Melissa’s olfactory nerves. “By the way, once I’m queen, I’m going to have so much fun making your life miserable.”
A pain so deep wracked Melissa, causing a shudder to run through her entire body.
As Mauree sauntered down the hall, Melissa wiped the blood from her hand onto her shirt, staining the material. She needed to hear this from Noeh’s own mouth. Steeling herself for the confrontation, she headed for the Portal Navigation Center.
