Lucian approached the bed and Alliana tugged her gown down under the furs to cover her ankles, then pulled them back so he could put on her slippers and then help her stand. He dressed her in her dressing robe and led her over to one of the chairs that stood waiting for them, keeping an arm tightly around her, then sat her down and gathered a fur from the bed to drape over her lap.
When he was satisfied that she was warm and comfortable, he sat opposite her and began to explain the finer points of the game, pointing to each of the odd pieces and telling her its name, how it could be moved, and what power it held in the game. Alliana listened aptly, taking it all in, determined to beat him, at her very first try.
The game began, and Alliana realized at once that she truly was in for quite a battle. Lucian was skillful and he quickly had her beat. She scowled at him briefly, but her eyes sparkled with merriment. Even though she had lost to the vampire, it had been a great joy just to be out of bed and doing something that forced her to use her mind. She immediately demanded a rematch and the two faced off again.
This time, Alliana was winning. She could tell by the look of concentration on Lucian’s face. Alliana highly suspected that the vampire was hardly ever bested by another at this game of sport, and to be beaten by a woman and a beginner at that was truly needling him. She reached out to move one of her piece, judging if she truly did see the opportunity he had so foolishly presented to her, and saw that he had. She smiled widely and looked Lucian straight in the eyes and said “Check”
As if seconding the motion, her son landed a mighty kick to her side and her eyes flew open wide in surprise. Taken by surprise, she dropped the chess pieces she had been holding, causing several others to tumble off the table and crash to the floor.
“Ooh.” Alliana bit her lip in shock as her breath whooshed out of her. Her son certainly was a strong boy. Magick had conceived him, and magick was unquestionably at play in his development.
Lucian shot to his feet in alarm as Alliana rubbed her side. He knelt down at her feet, taking one of her hands in his, wondering why he had ever thought it was a good idea to take her from her bed. “Are you all right, Mistress? Shall I fetch Enid?”
Alliana shook her head emphatically. “No, please. There is no need for Enid. My son is simply making his presence known. Perhaps he felt I should have let you win that game. He merely gave me quite a kick in my ribs. I’m fine Lucian. I swear to you I am fine. Let’s get on with our game.”
“We shall do no such thing. You are going back to bed and I am going to call for Thalia at once. I shall heed your wishes about Enid, but only after I see for myself that you experience no more pain for quite some time.”
Alliana looked at him exasperated as he tried to pick her up in his arms. “Lucian, truly, it was a simple kick from my son. He does it all the time. Leave me be. I don’t wish to return to bed.”
Lucian took both of Alliana’s hands in his and gazed into her eyes imploringly. He had let her down before, and she had suffered greatly for it, had almost in fact lost her child, he simply had to make her obey now. “Mistress, I insist. I have been very lenient with my orders, but I will not allow you to remain out of bed. Perhaps we can play chess another time. Come with me, now. I will not take no for an answer.”
Alliana gazed into his eyes, seeing the true fear that lay within. Fear for her, for her child, but none oddly enough for himself. It wasn’t that he was worried that Mikhal would find out, he was honestly concerned for her safety. “Very well.”
She reached out to put her arms around his neck as he was pulling the heavy fur throw from her legs, and this was the sight that greeted Mikhal’s eyes as he stepped into his wife’s bedchamber.
All three of them froze. Alliana due to stunned surprise, Lucian out of fear that his Lordship would misread the situation, and Mikhal because he had in fact done just that. To his eyes, Alliana was wrapping her arms around Lucian’s neck to be held, and Lucian was in the process of running his hands over her thighs.
Pushing Natalya back behind him to conceal her presence, not willing to have his secret about her come into play in the little drama before him, he set his features hard as stone and looked from his wife to his first in command, then looked once again at Alliana. “My dear wife, it appears you haven’t missed me at all. Such a pity, for I missed you and have looked forward to our reunion.” Then, putting on his game face, hissing in fury as he spoke, he faced his first in command, ready to kill. “You had better have a good explanation for touching my wife so intimately, Lucian. The picture before me looks far too cozy, and I am not pleased in the least.”
Chapter Thirty-one
“Sire” The one word was spoken as Lucian rose and backed away from Alliana, his hands falling to his sides. Shock, confusion, and a touch of anger filled him as Mikhal advanced forward into the room, looking as if he were ready to tear his throat out. Lucian knew his master was seeing things all wrong, and he needed to explain, the question was, would he have time. Mikhal the Merciless wasn’t known for his patience or understanding, and right now he looked as if the death of his first in command was utmost in his mind, followed closely by a beating for his wife.
The entire scene had been nothing but innocent, and if his Master retaliated against the Mistress because of it, Lucian knew Mikhal would be making a grave mistake that he would regret later. Both of them were free from blame here, and Lord Arcos had to be made to see that before harm came to anyone.
Mikhal advanced closer to Lucian, his hands fisted, the amber glow of his beast lighting his eyes giving testament to just how close to the edge he was. Lucian held up a hand, urging restraint, and tried to reason with him.
“My Lord. You have mistaken my actions. I in no way was attempting to compromise the Mistress. We were playing chess and she tired of the game. I was merely going to carry her back to bed. There was nothing improper in our actions.”
“Your hands were on her legs, and she had her arms around your neck. It looked quite improper to me. Have you a habit of touching my wife’s thighs? And what of you Alliana? What have you to say for yourself?”
Alliana had pulled the fur throw back up to her chin as it became apparent just how angry her husband was to offer herself a meager barrier of protection from his wrath. She had sat a moment, watching, hoping Lucian could smooth things over and that Mikhal would see reason, but it was clear that was not to be. Her devil of a husband was determined to see the worst in both of them, and convincing him otherwise certainly wasn’t going to be easy.
Her own eyes flashed with irritation, over his doubts about her character, matching the fire in her husband’s gaze, and she held her chin up proudly, refusing to cower before him. She had done nothing wrong and yet here he was, acting like the beast that dwelled within him once more. Hadn’t he promised things would be different before he left her? It appeared now that his promises were as worthless as all his other sweet words.
“Leave him be you monster, and stop your disparaging thoughts about me as well. How could you think such a thing? I am carrying your child. I suffered a...”
Mikhal growled low, silencing her, male dominating female, mate-to-mate. He’d felt her apprehension, her body’s instinctive response to his displeasure, and then was astonished when it was quickly replaced with anger. She certainly had regained the use of her sharp tongue while he was away, and normally that would be a good thing but it mattered naught now though. She had betrayed him. Alliana could defend her little tryst all she wanted, get as mad as a hornet if she was so inclined, but he would still get to the bottom of what had been going on when he walked into the room.
His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her, seeking her guilt, sensing her out, feeling for her shame, but it did not come. Still, he had seen them with his own eyes, and he refused to be cuckolded in his own home. She was his and no one would lay a hand on her without severe punishment.
“Silence wife. I shall hear your tale after I have dispensed with this traitor.”
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br /> “No! You shall hear me now.” Alliana rose to her feet and the fur throw fell to the floor, revealing her rounded belly to her husband for the very first time. Mikhal’s eyes were immediately drawn to the swell that gave testament to the fact that his son was growing quickly in her womb, and his expression changed at once. Gone were the thoughts of her deceit. They were replaced by feelings of awe. He rushed forward and dropped to his knees, arms encircling her, face pressed to her stomach, and though she hated him, hated what he was, there was no way she could deny the bond they shared.
Alliana gasped in shock at his actions as he nuzzled her and their child so very gently, stunned once more at his ability to go from beast to man in a mere second. She heard him whispering soft words against her stomach and looked down at the crown of his head, her heart doing a tiny flutter at the sight of him paying homage to the child they had created, her fingers suddenly longing to grasp the dark gold curls. Even she was moved by the sight of the monster so shaken by the proof of his child.
As if on cue, she felt the babe kick. Mikhal looked up at her in shocked disbelief, his mouth opened, his eyes wide with wonder, his head shaking back and forth as he laid his palms on her belly. “Was that? Did he?”
“Yes, that was our son. He is an active boy, always kicking his mother. In fact, it is he that caused the scene you walked in on husband, not the intimate goings on you suspect. Your son kicked me mightily a short while ago, and I cried out in surprise. Lucian became concerned though I assured him it ‘twas nothing, and insisted I return to bed. He had just convinced me, on bended knee mind you, when you walked in. I was merely reaching my arms around his neck so he could lift me, and he was simply doing the job you entrusted him to do. You should be grateful for the care he has taken of me, not enraged over an illicit affair that never happened.”
Mikhal’s demon tried to rise to the surface, fighting against the man who would chain him and keep him silent. How dare this woman, his very mate, speak to him as such and tell him what to do and how to act? She was not his equal; she was his lesser half. She should be silent. She should be cowed by his mere presence. She should bow before him and beg forgiveness until he was certain of her innocence.
Mikhal could feel his beast clawing to get out, it battered him inside as surely as the babe kicked Alliana, but it wasn’t to be. He had grown over the time they had been separated; he had gotten a tighter handle on the monster that dwelled inside him. He’d learned to subdue his evil half, even when it lusted for blood, rage, and fear. Yes he fed, yes his beast still thrilled at the panic of his victims, but Mikhal had learned to control himself in many ways. He denied his hunger until Natalya wasn’t around, put up with the woman’s constant insolent tongue, and had even confided his feelings for Alliana to her despite his demon’s screams of protest, and now, even though his beast was infuriated, his man was dazed with the miracle that was his wife and child, giving the raging demon no chance in hell of surfacing.
“Alliana I...” Mikhal didn’t know what to say, and the fact that he was actually at a loss for words surprised him as much as it did everyone else. The emotions he was feeling right now were overwhelming. At first he had been so very jealous, simply enraged at the thought of Lucian touching Alliana and her responding in return, but then this had happened. The sight of his Alliana’s belly swollen with the proof of their child made his heart soar, and the fact that he had moved within her as well caused a lump to rise in his throat. How was a man to react to such powerful emotions and remain strong and in control? It was unsettling.
A small sound from across the room saved him from further musings, and thrust him into yet another turbulent situation. Natalya had disregarded Mikhal’s orders to remain in the hall when she heard his voice rise in anger. She had reasoned that if her friend was in danger because of Mikhal the Merciless, then the hell with his commands. It mattered not that he had shoved her back violently, hissing at her to be still, if there were a chance he was going to harm Alliana, Natalya was going to intervene. She had been brought here to help Alliana after all, and she certainly wasn’t going to remain cast aside out in the corridor if her friend was in danger.
She had watched as Mikhal took the other vampire by the neck, then smiled as her friend had admonished Mikhal the Merciless, clearly becoming in control of the situation. Natalya had waited as the drama played out, seeing if Alliana needed assistance, then cleared her throat to announce her presence, and went forward into Alliana’s bedchamber, not wanting to disturb the touching scene unfolding before her, but not being able to wait any longer to let Alliana know she had arrived at the castle.
Watching the Master vampire as he kissed his wife and son, there was no longer any doubt in her mind that Mikhal the Merciless did indeed care for Alliana. She had suspected as much in the past few days as they had ridden back to the castle, her asking questions that went unanswered time and again until he snapped at her to silence her tongue, always sensing the presence of turbulent emotions and confusion coming from the mighty Lord Arcos.
It had been apparent in the few words he had spoken to her that he did have a tender spot in his heart for Alliana, because every time he mentioned her there was a softness, a special aura of peace that seemed to surround him. Yes, his thoughts about his feeling for her may be troubled, and he was definitely distressed because he had thought her to be lying in bed on the verge of a self-imposed death, but his feelings were very real.
Natalya didn’t know how that was possible for a creature of the darkness such as him, but she knew in her heart that it was, and the scene that had just played out before her, the jealousy, then the overwhelming tenderness he had shown for both Alliana and his son, gave credence to her beliefs. She sensed within him not one, but two creatures, a tender man, and a wild beast and knew that for years the beast had reined in blood and terror. Now it was clear that the man held the demon in check and Natalya wondered time and again if Alliana were the sole reason for the change. Whatever the cause, it eased her mind to see the proof of his feelings.
Mikhal turned when Natalya cleared her throat, and Alliana looked up. Her face froze in shock, her knees weakening at the sight of her dearest friend walking towards her in this castle of hell she called home. Mikhal felt her trembling and instantly swept her up in his arms, carrying her across the chamber to her bed, depositing her quickly before she could protest, wanting her safely tucked in before the fireworks started.
Alliana batted at his arms, sputtering, and then crying out in anger, pushing him away and trying to see around his body. When that failed, she began to try and scramble out of bed, but Mikhal would have none of it.
“I know you have questions, and you are probably furious, but you are not getting out of bed.”
“Leave me alone! I am not an invalid. Natalya, what are you doing here?” Alliana stared at her friend in stunned disbelief then turned on Mikhal again. “Was she your secret quest? Was she the reason you have been gone? Did you go off and take my friend from her family? Why? What were you thinking?” In her tirade, Alliana had alternately pushed Mikhal away and then pulled at his sleeves, shaking him; both wanting him gone from her sight and needing to slap him senseless.
Mikhal was delighted to see the return of the fire in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks, despite her obvious ire. He wasn’t certain what had transpired while he was gone, and there was still the business of why she had been in such great pain that one day to be gotten to. He also had to take into account that his absence might have helped her improve so very much, but whatever the reason for her renewed passion, right now he had to simply be thrilled with the fiery spirit that was his Alliana.
“Yes, Natalya was my quest. When I left here you had no will to live, wife. You lay abed, not speaking, barely eating, wasting away. I knew not what to do. Then, I found out about Natalya. I was told actually that you were lonely, and I wanted to see the spark in those green eyes of yours again, so I went to your clan and got her. She was not taken Alliana,
she was paid for.”
Alliana looked from Natalya to Mikhal, then back to Natalya who looked down quickly, her eyes not being able to hide the pain her abduction had caused her; then turned on Mikhal once again, livid over his actions. “My friend is not a horse to be bought, and you couldn’t have paid a bride price because she had a husband. Gypsy women are not for sale and are not normally sold, so silver or not, you did in fact ‘take’ her. Tell me, what of Danior? Is he lying dead in his grave because you wanted his wife?”
Natalya knew she needed to stop this. Alliana looked healthy but there was always the chance that she was still fragile and getting upset couldn’t be good for her. “Alliana, it’s all right. I’m all right. I admit it has been hard, Danior, well he... he has been paid and I am here. It will be an adjustment, but I truly am happy to see you, my dear friend. I must say you look well. I had prepared myself for you to be upon your deathbed.”
As she spoke, Natalya had approached the bed. Mikhal quickly moved aside so the two could talk, it was after all, the reason he had brought the other woman here. As Natalya sat on the bed, she took Alliana’s hand in one of hers, and used the other to push back the hood of her cape. As she did so, the mark of claim Mikhal had left upon her neck became visible, and a sudden uncontrollable feeling of jealousy rushed through Alliana at the sight of it.
Her reaction stunned her. Why did she feel jealousy, jealous over the monster who was her husband? It was insane. Why not simple rage that her husband had had the audacity to drink from her friend? Alliana didn’t know for sure, but she did know that the thought of her husband holding Natalya and drinking deeply of her blood gave her a very unpleasant feeling. Never before had she been envious of Natalya, but at that moment, she didn’t want her friend anywhere near her husband. The feeling stunned her, enraged her even, but it was there nonetheless.
Beneath the Shadows of Evil... Taken Page 42
