“You need to warm up and calm down.”
“Let go.”
Laken gripped her chin. Be calm.
“I’m scared.”
Why?
“The water moves too fast. I won’t be able to breathe, it’s too cold. The ice crushing sound, I hate it, it means death.”
Honor jumped when she heard the booming noise come from outside, the weather was attacking again. Laken pulled her head against his chest. He tilted her face up to meet his glowing gaze. Trust me. Thunder can’t come inside to hurt you.
Honor didn’t know the word thunder, was it war? Holding her, Laken went into the box structure fully clothed. He called it a shower. Honor knew why, she was covered over in very warm water in an instant. It was like being in hot soup. Honor had never felt water this temperature and most certainly never been immersed in it. In an ice dwelling, they washed one part of their body at a time with a wet leather cloth then covered up. What a strange sensation. She wondered if she would drown until she noticed a shiny thing with holes beneath her that swallowed the water. Did the structure have a mouth and throat?
My God everything here is alive.
Honor was still gasping in air, but she tried to calm her thoughts. This water wasn’t pounding down on her like the storm had. She didn’t feel as though it were attacking her. It helped that Laken was standing there holding tight to her.
Laken’s hands were sliding up and down her body. He was touching her in a forbidden way; his hands even roamed her ass in a caress. So many nights, Honor dreamed of a handsome man touching her. It was treason, what he was doing. Honor didn’t care. Her heartbeat had slowed, but her breathing had increased. With her head buried into his chest and the water dripping over her head it took a moment before she realized Laken was talking to her. He was saying he wouldn’t hurt her.
Honor didn’t think he would. Her heavy breathing wasn’t fear of him; she felt a strange sensation fill her breasts. Her forbidden area was responding to his touch—his touch; she was being touched, and the world didn’t come to an end. She wasn’t struck dead. It felt—nice, better than she had even imagined. She wondered what else he would do. Was there more? She wanted there to be more, and Honor let her body relax against him.
* * * *
As Laken held Honor, he damned himself internally. He had waited for her to call to him. He wanted her to need him—like Nanya had. His damned pride took away reasoning. He forgot that everything here was new to Honor and she had never had anyone to depend on. She hardly knew him; there was no reason for her to trust him. Honor had no experience with the elements. Her entire life was spent surrounded in ice walls. She had no understanding of plumbing, the food, her environment. How would she react when introduced to the Anivamps? There were those ice dwellers that couldn’t cope with the change, some died; the idea was unacceptable.
This was the last time Laken would take her fear for granted as a means of control. As Honor settled against him, he pulled her tighter. She could have literally been scared to death. Her heart had been hammering so hard, he thought it would burst from her chest. As it was, her breathing was rapid and unsteady. Laken sensed Caine outside the door, the doctor was pissed. Laken couldn’t blame him; the vampire was compassionate towards all creatures. Caine was the only vampire Tavish had turned who had begged to be turned. Caine hadn’t asked it for himself, he had asked because his love of knowledge could grow over thousands of years. The doctor wanted to save the world and in a sense he was.
“Bring her out now,” Caine called.
Laken turned off the water and lifted Honor into his arms. They were both soaked. Caine was waiting with a warmed blanket. He took his patient into his arms, wrapped her well, glared at Laken and strode off with Honor, leaving Laken dripping on the polished hardwood floor.
Chapter 6
The next day Honor sat in a comfortable bed, which was up off the floor, not a groove in the floor covered in furs, eating her breakfast—something called eggs, which came from a bird. Chickens. They had feathers but, like a penguin, couldn’t fly. She was drinking milk that came from a cow and Honor was now enlightened as to why you would feed an animal—if it provided other things for you. As well, she munched crunchy bread named toast that left crumbs all over her, it was smothered in sweet, sticky, delicious honey which was remarkably made from a mean bug, and bacon, a meat, that apparently came from a pig—she had yet to see the strange animal which was described to her in an offhanded way and sounded naked.
Honor occasionally glanced at the door that led to outside with misgiving. Caine had hovered over her long after her frightening experience with the elements. Honor had marveled at his kindness. After taking her from Laken, he had dried her off and tucked her in for a nap, woke her for dinner and then lulled her back to sleep insisting she was to remain in bed until morning. It was a command Honor obeyed, especially when he sat beside her stroking her forehead with gentle fingers and looking so concerned. Honor liked that look; it made her feel nice inside. Caine seemed to be guarding her and his protective persona was curious and, if she had to admit it, endearing.
Laken had been in to see her that morning and promised to take her out again, but Honor heard the rumbling in the distance. She refused to call to Laken. She needed to be stronger and stop being so scared. Yes, things were different, but she was tough. She could handle anything, at least that’s what she told herself.
Honor was toying with a piece of fruit Laken called a strawberry when she lost her reserve. From the corner of her eye came a terrifying sight. There was a baby in the room with her. Only this was like no baby she had ever seen. Its eyes glowed white and it had fangs—it was hovering in the air, staring at her. Honor didn’t just call to Laken, she dove under the bed and screamed for him, sending her breakfast tray flying; perhaps the hens couldn’t fly, but their eggs sure did—right across the room.
Within seconds Honor saw Laken poking his head under the bed. She saw more feet and knew others had come. Honor hunched over shaking; she could feel her heart hammering in her chest.
“It’s all right, Honor,” Laken crooned. “It’s only Galf, Tavish’s son. He’s a hybrid cross, half-human half-vampire; he only drinks milk from his mother. He won’t hurt you.”
Laken scooped up a blanket from the bed and draped it over her as she emerged—teeth clacking, she felt like a quivering mass. Being tough can kiss my fucking gorgeous ass. Tavish stood there holding the baby boy in his arms. The baby no longer had fangs. His eyes were bright blue. He had stunning white-blond hair. Had Honor really seen what she thought she saw? She remembered Peter as a baby; he had never flown around the ice dwelling.
“He had fangs,” she muttered.
“Yes, and his eyes glow,” Tavish said. “Galf is still getting used to what he can do. So are we. I have commanded he harm no one and he listens, but he’s curious. He’s only eight months old, after all, and he sensed you are a new addition.”
Honor realized she had a death grip on Laken’s arm. She was trying to let go, but her saner half demanded she stay pressed tight to him. When a massive polar bear ambled inside and raised a paw towards her, Honor thought she would die. She gasped in huge amounts of air. Polar bears killed people—they ripped them to shreds. Honor couldn’t help but whimper Laken’s name; he pulled her tighter, but she couldn’t calm down.
“It’s all right, Honor,” Tavish said in a soothing way. “Ursus is my bear. She follows Galf everywhere. She won’t hurt you; she’s very protective towards women and children.”
Honor tried to speak, but her words came out a babbling mess. Polar bears were death to ice dwellers, especially trapped females who were forbidden outside. She had seen the large hides of polar bears; this one surpassed all the others. The hunters in her ice dwelling had ‘saved’ a man from a polar bear. He hadn’t lasted long with half his face ripped off and an arm and leg missing—presumed eaten.
Honor pressed a hand to her chest and begged for death; she felt s
he couldn’t take any more surprises. A horrible roaring sounded in her ears, it felt like an element was inside of her. Was she a storm? What an odd sensation. It was then Caine stood before her, he had a shiny sharp looking object in his hand. He took her arm and held her tight. Caine slipped the shiny thing into her vein. Honor felt limp. She could feel her heart still pounding, but she was growing calmer.
Tavish said something to the bear and she lumbered out again. The baby was distracted by Tavish waving his fingers in front of his face. The babies’ features were so tiny. Little hands and feet kicked in delight. He looked harmless. Honor’s entire body was shaking in disbelief.
“What else is out there?” she whispered. Again she felt strangely as though she couldn’t cope. She was lost.
Laken turned her within his arms. “There are many new sights for you to see. Some will be very frightening, but you must believe me when I say I will protect you and nothing will hurt you.”
Honor realized she hadn’t been hurt by the encounter, but she was scared shitless. A baby with fangs? A polar bear? What was next? Was there really the abominable snowman? There were vampires so why not other monsters? What was that white streak in the sky? Did the sky catch fire? Would she burn? Honor pulled from Laken’s arms. Her world had fallen apart because she wanted freedom. She had exchanged her known hell for an unknown hell. Honor sat on the bed.
“Damn,” she whispered in a forlorn tone.
“Laken, I think it would be best if you took Honor to your room. For the next week, you’re free of all duties,” Tavish said.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Laken replied.
Honor felt the blanket she was wrapped in tighten; her face was covered and she was lifted into Laken’s arms. She should have protested; she wanted to, but for some strange reason she felt numb—as though she wasn’t in charge of her body. What had Caine done to her? The liquid in the vial was water; at least it looked like water. Honor gave her head a small shake.
She could tell she and Laken were moving at a fast rate. Laken had her in a grip too tight to even wiggle. Honor couldn’t see anything but thought it might be for the best—no more surprises. Before long Laken settled her onto a soft surface. He gingerly took the blanket from around her face. Honor blinked. They were in a beautiful room.
The soft surface she sat on was a massive bed. Honor fingered the material Laken called a quilt. It was different than the doctor’s place—homier. Laken said this was his room, Honor was amazed, ice dwellers didn’t have their own rooms; everything was shared. There was a door to his room for privacy; it was treason and yet Honor was glad it was there. Things hung from the walls in Laken’s own room—pictures, he called them. Nothing in the pictures moved, it was like time was frozen in them—spooky.
Strange pieces of furniture were set in a tidy way. There was a dresser—an odd box with tiny caves Laken called drawers to keep clothing in. Her people had no need of them—they wore their furs or heaped them in piles. There was a wood box of sorts with glass and behind the glass were tiny objects. Honor stared hard at them and began to shake. They looked like small motionless people and animals. Did Laken shrink these things and stick them in a glass cage? More magic?
“Honor?”
“Those poor creatures in your cage, did they suffer?”
Laken gave her a blank stare before catching where her gaze was centered. He strolled over to the cabinet and removed an object. Honor stared at it, wide-eyed. Laken held it up and turned it in his hands.
“This is what’s known as a knick-knack, a figurine. It’s porcelain and never at any time was it alive. Like the statue you saw in the pool only smaller. Didn’t you have any type of toys growing up? A doll or life-like thing you played with? A stuffed bear at least?”
“No, not that I remember, and why would I have a stuffed bear? Bears are deadly, why would you encourage a child to play with such a dangerous thing?”
“What did you do for fun?”
“Sometimes Peter and I played hide-and-seek. He was closest to my age; we really had no one else to play with.” For some odd reason she saw Laken stiffen with the mention of Peter’s name. “The elders told stories. Mostly we helped clear more tunnels. Talek said the bigger the labyrinth, the harder it would be for the vampires to find us.”
Laken put the object back. He went to sit by her on the bed and took her hand. Honor’s first thought was to snatch her hand back, but it felt so nice to be touched. His fingers were so large compared to hers, and his contact was never hurtful. The bed dipped where he sat, and it was hard not to press against him.
“You ran from your home, Honor.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t swoop in and steal you, you found me. I didn’t force you from your loved ones. I had thought, foolishly, because I hadn’t kidnapped you, that you would be grateful for being here. I didn’t realize the extent of change you would endure. It was dumb of me. We have brought ice dwellers here before but none had never seen outside at some point or time—even the females.”
“Everything is so different,” she murmured. “I hadn’t really thought things through when I left. I needed to escape. I think I could have begged Talek for my life if I hadn’t run, his vanity would have been appeased—but I couldn’t go on with the un-living. I thought I’d teach myself to hunt and I would find someone who wouldn’t look at me like I shouldn’t exist.”
Laken cupped her chin in his hand. “I’m happy you exist.”
“But for what purpose?”
“Right now all you see is the bad in my world. Everything scares you. Let me show you the good. Let me help you understand what seems scary really isn’t.”
“You called me a breeder female.”
“It’s a term vampires use for a woman of childbearing years.”
“It’s forbidden to have a child.”
“Those are ice-dweller laws, not the laws of the coven,” Laken said.
Honor jumped up—then placed a hand to her woozy head. “Laws, always the damned laws.”
“The laws are in place not so we can die—but so we can live.”
“So you can bleed us dry.”
“Have you been bled dry?” Laken smiled as he said this.
“No.” She knew she sounded petulant.
“You grew up hating your laws. You don’t understand ours yet. Once you heal, you can see others and judge for yourself if they’re happy. For now let me try to help you to not be as scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
Laken stood up and went to her. He brushed a lock of hair from her face. His thumb trailed a line down her cheek. Honor stood still but she shivered. It was so strange to have a man touch her without hurting her; it was so nice, comforting. Honor had always wanted to be comforted and the action came so easily to Laken.
“In your world, touching is forbidden; in my world, it’s everything. I know it frightens you—I hear your heart pounding, but I won’t hurt you.”
Honor knew her heart wasn’t thumping wildly in her chest from fear. When he touched her she felt her belly flip-flop. Peter was her first real kiss, but it was done in malice on her part—to prove a point. There was no malice in Laken’s soothing gesture. Honor had a decision to make. She could cower at little glass figures and other strange objects, and roaming animals, or she could be the person she knew she was. She was a fighter; she had met the monster vampires and she was still alive; she had looked into the eyes of a polar bear and lived. Honor had braved the ice-clapping thunder sound. Maybe it was time she lived up to her name.
“Show me your world. Teach me, I’ll be brave,” she whispered.
Laken smiled.
* * * *
The first thing Laken wanted to teach Honor about was flight. If ever a scary situation erupted, he would need for her to be still and cling to him—not take a swing at him while in the air like a pro-boxer—she had a helluva right hook, for a human female. The sky outside was overcast and another storm was brewing, but L
aken felt they had some time. There were shelters if he needed them.
“Honor, I’m going to take you in my arms, and I want you to hang on,” Laken said.
“What are you going to do?”
“Fly.”
Laken pressed her close to his chest and leaped into the air. Honor cried out. She clung to him. Her eyes squeezed closed. Laken could hear her heartbeat quicken. She was scared but not terrified. He didn’t take her far, just a little ways over the tall foliage within the perimeter of the fence.
He could tell each time she looked down; her heart rate shot up and she clung tighter. When Laken touched ground, he let Honor slip to the forest floor. Her knees buckled for a brief moment, but she maintained her footing.
“That—was—horrifying.” She gasped; her teeth were clacking together and Laken couldn’t help thinking she was so damned cute.
“And yet you live.”
“I was always told you would be surprised with what you can live through,” she muttered.
“If ever I feel you are in danger, I will need to move quickly, and Honor, I’m a fast son of a bitch.”
Her eyes rose in surprise. “Yes, I suppose you are.”
“There are animals here you have never seen. Anivamps walk the compound—much like Ursus who is a hybrid animal-vampire. They won’t hurt you, but the animals over the fence will. I know it sounds strange, but you are safer with the Anivamps. Never go over the fence, it’s too dangerous. There is enough area around here to keep you occupied.”
The sky rumbled again and a flash of lightning lit the sky. Honor jumped back into his arms. A slow grumble from the skies made her tremble harder. Laken ran his hand over her soft hair.
“The ice cracking makes that sound; it means death, and I’ve seen it firsthand. Why do flames shoot across the sky like cruel fire waving a wicked fist?” she asked.
“Thunder and lightning usually go hand in hand,” he explained. “It’s best to be inside during a bad storm.”
Laken pulled her into a cave and held her when the rain began to fall in heavy sheets. He stroked her hair and her arms. She was wearing a silk blue teddy. All breeder females wore the same garment, with many colors and styles to choose from. When the clasps on the bottom were opened it meant she was breeding with two chosen human males. Honor’s were closed.
A Vampire To Watch Over Me [Vampire Coven Book II] Page 8
