by Rosalie Redd
“I’m here, kitten.” He brushed the hair out of her face, and she looked into his eyes. A sense of worthlessness bore down on his shoulders, and he hated that he couldn’t help her.
“I love you.” Her whispered words came out on a short breath.
He gripped her hand, and her fingers tightened in his grasp. A loud rip tore through the room. She cried out. Noeh’s heart pounded in his chest so hard, he could hear the blood rushing through his veins.
“Scalpel.” Gaetan held his hand out to Bet.
“Gaetan, remember your promise.” Melissa coughed. Blood flew from her lips.
Noeh’s thoughts blurred. He couldn’t think. Promise? “What promise?”
Noeh searched Melissa’s face, and realization hit him hard. She doesn’t think she’s going to live.
He stared at Gaetan. “No. You save her.”
Gaetan continued to work. Noeh grabbed his arm, the scalpel raised in the air.
“I can’t save them both.” Gaetan met Noeh’s look.
Noeh squeezed his Haelen’s arm, and the scalpel fell from his grasp. “You have to. I can’t watch her die. I can’t be like my father.”
Gaetan’s eyes softened, and Noeh shoved his friend’s arm away. He stepped back and stared at Melissa. Blood stained her lips, and her eyes glazed over. No! His worst nightmare stared back at him. Death was near, and he couldn’t do anything to stop it.
The sound of the babe’s cry broke the silence.
Gaetan cradled Noeh’s son in his hands. He passed the infant to Bet and cut the cord. She took him to the dresser and swaddled him in towels.
“Save her!” Noeh demanded.
He pushed his friend, and Gaetan almost fell off the bed. He stared at Noeh, flecks of amber flashing through his eyes.
“I’ll do what I can.” Gaetan pursed his lips together then returned his focus to his patient.
Gaetan inserted what seemed like a clamp into her vagina, and the blood stopped. He straddled her body, his knees squishing into the damp mattress. Chest compressions kept her heart pumping. A thin line of blood trickled out of her mouth.
Water droplets fell onto Noeh’s arms. It took him a moment to realize they came from his eyes. He’d seen enough death to know Melissa didn’t have long to live. His bonding bands would ensure the he followed her. He wasn’t afraid—he didn’t want to be here without his little kitten. Father, I understand now. Love is worth the risk.
Gaetan worked, but his movements slowed. He glanced at Noeh. His downturned mouth and creased eyes were all Noeh needed to see to know his friend didn’t think she’d live.
The sound of cooing broke through the fog in his mind. Bet held his son in her arms. He was the most precious gift Noeh had ever received. A mixture of joy and sadness filled his heart. His beautiful baby boy would grow up without either parent.
“Bet, please take the babe down to the infirmary. I’ll be there soon to attend to him.” Gaetan’s voice was low, strained.
“Of course.” Bet cradled the babe to her chest and left the room.
Heat raced up Noeh’s neck and into his face. No, this couldn’t happen. A new determination expanded from the depth of his being. He wouldn’t let his son become a child king. His son deserved loving parents.
Memories of Melissa flooded his mind—how she gave him her coy smile, the one that set his heart tripping—her strength in battle as she trapped Mauree—how she stood up to Demir, refusing his advances. He imagined their son, his beautiful face forever ingrained in his memory. She was everything to him—she was his life.
It’s amazing what you can do if you try. Melissa’s words gave him hope. She’d believed in him, and he’d learned to control his beast once again.
He pulled on the energy within, reaching for the connection. The contact was stronger than ever, fueled by his love for his mate. His beast responded, pulling on the threads, connecting the two together as one.
Noeh clasped Melissa’s hands in his own. He focused the power and sent the force down his arms. Tendrils of energy snaked their way under her skin. He recognized her essence, everything that was his queen. Pushing the energy further into her body, he searched for her soul. He fed himself to her, as much as he could give, and then some more.
A small pinpoint of energy blinked in her core. He wrapped tendrils of love and passion around the source, feeding her, nourishing her, giving her everything he had. A soft pulse emanated from her spirit.
Hope swelled within him, sending a shot of adrenaline through his body. Using the added fire, he fed the energy to her, teaching her how to connect to the threads. He would give her every ounce of his vitality to save her. As long as she survived, his son would have at least one parent to raise him. Their souls melded together, and her heart beat stronger. He continued to feed her until he had nothing left, and the darkness took him.
*****
A strange sense of well-being brought Noeh to that state between sleeping and waking. As he woke, the smooth texture of warm sheets and a comfortable pillow greeted him. Soft fingers caressed his face, leaving tingles of delight in their wake. He breathed in the scent of carnations and mint. A peace he didn’t know existed enveloped him. I could stay like this forever.
No, you can’t. Our son wants to meet his father.
Startled at the voice in his head, he roused himself awake. A pair of emerald eyes stared back at him, their vibrant green one he knew all too well. Melissa. He stroked her face and studied every detail. His fingers slid to the back of her neck, and he pulled her into a tender kiss.
A cooing sound interrupted them. He stopped. Breaking contact, he sat up and stared at his son cradled in Melissa’s arm. He’s so tiny and so beautiful.
Tiny to you, maybe.
He heard Melissa in his head and gazed into her eyes. We can communicate telepathically?
So it seems.
Well, this might come in handy. He’d finally seen Gaetan about that itch in his ear. He would go completely deaf in both ears, sooner rather than later. The deafness was his one weakness, something that would not heal.
Her smile made his chest ache with love. Wow. I feel everything you feel. Your love overwhelms me. Can I touch him?
Of course. I don’t think he has fangs—yet.
Noeh raised his eyebrows and peered at his son. He had a cute button nose and blue eyes. A tuft of blond hair sprouted from the top of his head. Noeh fondled the fine strands, delighted in their softness. His son had two dark lines that shot out from his left ear and onto his cheek like a crab’s pinchers. Suspended between the two points was a black dot. His marking. Noeh’s heart swelled at its beauty.
“Does he have a name?”
“I was thinking of Anlon. It means ‘champion’. Do you like it?”
“Anlon is perfect. What a little spitfire he’s been already.”
Noeh glanced around the room. The last thing he remembered was pushing all his energy into the female he loved. “What happened? Did I pass out?”
“You blacked out on the edge of the bed and ended up on the floor. I recovered enough that Gaetan helped me get cleaned up. Bet and a few of her friends replaced the bed. Saar laid you on top. You’ve been out for several hours.” Melissa stroked Anlon’s arm and caressed his fingers.
I am blessed to have such a wonderful family. Warmth radiated through his chest.
Whoa. Emotion overload. It’s going to take some time getting used to this sharing a soul thing. Thank you, my love. Melissa’s smile lit up her beautiful face.
I am the one who should be thanking you. You made me whole in all the ways that matter. He looked behind him at the picture over the bed, the one with him and his parents playing a game of stones when he was a child. The markings under his eye pulsed, and the swirls thickened as his compassion and faith restored. May everyone be as blessed.
Epilogue
Rain pelted onto Ram’s face and arms, the cold wetness creating goosebumps along his skin. Voices, indistinguishable, penetrat
ed through the fog in his brain. He took in a large breath, and the air caught in his throat. Intense pain radiated from his chest, and the skin over his ribs burned.
He opened his eyes. The bare bulb in the cabin came into focus.
He sat up in a rush. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and the ache in his chest almost took him out again. Fresh air raced down his windpipe, and a large whoosh echoed around the room. Glancing around, he took in his surroundings. He was on the floor. A rolled-up sweatshirt lay behind him, a makeshift pillow for his head. Quiet enveloped him. He peered at the males in the room.
“You’ve returned to us.” Jakar stood from the rickety chair and approached Ram.
Ram opened his mouth to speak, but his tongue was slow to respond. He touched the spot on his chest with his fingers and stilled. Stitches. He glanced at his torso. A long red welt ran from the base of his neck to the waistband of his jeans. A thin wire protruded at uneven points, evidence of a bad sew job.
“I did the best I could.” Jakar shrugged.
Feet shuffled as the three other Gossum in the room moved away from Ram.
“What happened?” Ram’s tongue started to warm up, but the words came out muffled.
Jakar crouched down to Ram’s eye level. “You—umm—I found you in a tree snag in the river and pulled you out.”
Ram grabbed onto the windowsill, the wind and rain still getting through the boarded up window. His legs wobbled, but he managed to stand on his own two feet.
“We didn’t know if you’d ever wake up.” Jakar backed up, out of the way.
Ram stilled. “How long have I been like…this?” He waved a hand over his new scar.
“Two weeks, give or take a day. Although Noeh crushed your heart, a few strands were still attached. I knew you were alive because you hadn’t disintegrated.”
Memories flooded Ram’s mind. Noeh’s fist connecting with his chest. Incredible pressure. Blackness. He was lucky to be alive. Good thing his body was so resilient.
He turned to Jakar. “What of Noeh?”
“He lived.” Jakar swallowed and held his ground.
A chill ran down the scales on Ram’s back. He’d failed. Zedron wouldn’t be pleased. Ram reached for his billfold, but his back pocket was empty. His stomach clenched. “Where’s my wallet?”
“All your things inside were soaked, so we laid everything out to dry.” Jakar extended his scrawny hand. “Over there. In a pile on the counter, by the vodka boxes.”
Ram took a step toward the tabletop. A wave of dizziness hit him. He leaned against the windowsill, his heart pounding. Taking in a couple of breaths, he forced himself to move. His body was weak from lack of nourishment, but his need to see her powered him forward.
Credit cards, an unusable Taco Del Mar lunch card, and a myriad of folded papers sat in a stack on the chipped Formica countertop. He grabbed the bundle and rifled through the unimportant items. Where was the picture? His pulse picked up as his fingers neared the end. At the bottom of the pile was the photograph of Sheri. Tension drained from his body.
The water had damaged the photo, warping it into a bizarre outline of her image. Sheri. He caressed the faded picture with the tip of his finger and held on as if it was his lifeline.
“Ram? What do we do now?” Jakar asked.
There wasn’t an option. There was only one course of action open to them. “We try again.”
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Untamable Lover, book 2 in the Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony series featuring Demir…coming Spring 2016!
Wonder what life was like in the Keep before the great scourge? A novella presenting Noeh’s parents - Nicholai and Leonna will be available March 5, 2016. Turn the page for a preview of Unforgettable Lover…
Unforgettable Lover - Available March 5, 2016
The Betram ritual, when the full moon occurs on the summer solstice, is a sexual rite—and a requirement—for all unbonded Stiyaha of age. The irresistible urge to mate drives their inner beasts. Some succumb and transform, while others hide behind masks. None can escape the compelling need.
For Leonna, Betram offers one night of freedom from a destiny she doesn’t want. Eager to participate, she’s drawn to a formidable male whose tenderness burrows into her soul. Despite discovering she’s below his status, she is caught up in their passionate frenzy, and loses her heart to a male she can never have.
Though reluctant, as an unbonded male, Prince Nicholai must participate in the Betram ritual. Because he fears harming anyone he gets close to, he dons his mask and vows to stay in human form. What he doesn’t expect is the intensity of his hunger for a certain honeyed female hidden behind a disguise. As much as he longs to forget her, he can’t, for she’s unforgettable.
To pre-order Unforgettable Lover, click here
Unforgettable Lover
Chapter 1
A remote region in the Pacific Northwest
600 years ago
“Why are we here, Maman?” Leonna raised her hand to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight.
A calm breeze filtered through the pines, whisking through the branches in a soft caress, but the familiar sound didn’t calm her nerves. On the contrary, the wind ratcheted up her excitement, her desire, her need. The prospect of participating in the Betram ritual sent a surge of adrenaline into her bloodstream. The evening’s rite was her chance to be free, if only for one night.
Maman glanced at her only daughter. Despite the scarf draped over her thin frame, the older female couldn’t hide the obvious pain evident in her stiff back. “This is a special place, Lea, one that changed my life. The Rock of Roan can change yours, too.”
“You really believe in the power of the stone?” A flutter built in Leonna’s gut.
“Roan’s rock and the sun brought your father and me together during a Betram ritual.” A familiar glimmer crossed her mother’s features, and her pale blue eyes held a radiant shine.
A small clearing surrounded the large boulder as if the old growth trees were afraid to get too close. Moss covered the stone’s northern edge, and the rock seemed out of place, a relic of a different time.
As Leonna approached the old sentinel, morning dew coated her toes. She glanced at the youth sandals she’d outgrown. New shoes were not an option, not with her father’s declining health. She touched the seashell in the center of her necklace. The smooth texture eased the ache in her chest, at least for the moment. With her brother, Corbin, in the tryouts for the warrior class, she was the only one to help her parents with the honey cart. Her sense of honor burned a hole in her soul, but she wouldn’t let her parents down.
Maman circled her finger in the air. “Turn around, Lea.”
A thrilling shiver crept up Leonna’s arms.
Maman’s cool fingers caressed the back of her neck as she flipped Leonna’s braid over her shoulder. The long hair tickled the skin on her arm leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. The chain holding her most precious gift slid from around her neck, and the cherished trinket landed in her palm. The rare shell, gi
lded in fine gold, reflected the sunlight.
Maman had obtained the rare object in trade from one of the humans who shared the forests and lived in strange dwellings made of mud and wood. Given to her when Leonna was a child, this piece represented hope. Leonna never took the necklace off, even wearing the jewelry to bed. She felt naked without the familiar weight against her chest.
She faced her mother. “What—”
Shhhh. Maman held a finger to her lips. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, the creases of her skin wrinkling, aging her before her time. “You must be ready for the ritual.”
The warmth from the early morning sun already coated Leonna’s skin in a fine sheen of sweat. The temperature would soar later. Today was the first day of summer, and tonight was the full moon. The occurrence happened approximately every thirty years. The pull of the sun and the moon on the same day brought out their beast, along with the urge to mate.
Betram was a Lemurian festival created to celebrate life and allow the beast the freedom to rut for one night without attachments, without restrictions—and to prevent the havoc that would ensue otherwise. All unbonded males and females of age were required to attend. She’d been a newb during the last ritual, too young to take part in the events. This time, at thirty-two, she was old enough. Now, she couldn’t wait to participate.
“What do you need my necklace for?” Her heart tripped at the thought of losing her precious piece.
“The energy from the sun works in tandem with the magic in the stone, infusing the gold with good luck.” Maman looked into the distance. A small smile curved her bottom lip. She placed her palm on the rock, caressing the smooth surface with her fingers as if remembering her own ritual many years ago. “Find a place that suits you, and leave the necklace there. Return before nightfall and good luck shall be yours.”
