Liasare had taken him by surprise. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course you do. You act as if I’m omniscient, when you know damn well I know nothing about this stuff. And then you have the nerve to be pissed at me. What’s your problem Tak?”
“I don’t have a problem.”
She eyed him, unwilling to let it go. Her eyes had frosted over and her nostrils flared as she unleashed her rage. “That’s bullshit Tak. I want to find out what it is you suddenly have against me. I aim to find out right here and now. I’m tired of this little game you’ve been playing with me. Ever since Jurek and I came back from Praestan, you’ve acted completely different toward me and I want to know why.”
Tak turned away from her and walked to the other side of the room.
“I asked you a question and I expect an answer!” The walls reverberated from her rage. Tak spun around, a look of shock spreading across his face.
“You want to know what my problem is? I’ll tell you. You are interfering in our lives. That’s what my problem is!” he shouted without thinking.
If he would have told her he hated her, Liasare could have handled that. However, she hadn’t expected this and it had taken her completely off guard. His accusation had rattled her to the core. She felt she’d been helping, or at least trying, and here he was accusing her of interfering. The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. She was preventing them from doing their jobs. Because of her, they had to move every day, going from place to place, interrupting their operations and delaying their searches. All because of her, because that damn Abaddon wanted her.
Shit, fuck, hell and everything else. Why does the bad crap have to happen to me? Tak’s right. I need to go somewhere where no one can find me, so these guys can do their jobs. Unfortunately, that fucker Abaddon would find me and wreak havoc on the universe. I am so screwed.
She dropped her head towards the floor and squeezed her eyes, trying to shut out the world around her, if only for a few seconds. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, putting her chin on her knees, trying to come up with a solution. Maybe she should just give herself to Big Bad Abaddon. Maybe that would put a stop to the disappearances and set the universe back on track.
“You don’t really think that, do you? If you give yourself to him, you supply him with the power he seeks and then we’re all fucked.”
Liasare squinted at Tak, not really wanting to discuss this with him right now.
“Our best course of action is to continue to let me teach you to effectively use mind blocking. You have to admit I have a point.”
She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. “You had a point about my interfering too. Not something I particularly wanted to hear, but nevertheless you stated the truth. I am in the way, but as I sit here and think about it, I can’t come up with a way to remove myself from your midst without causing greater harm to not only you, but the rest of the universe. Quite a dilemma I would say.”
“Well then, shall we continue?”
Liasare looked up at him and wondered why he felt so strongly about her. “Is it only that Tak, or is there something else you’re not telling me? I get the feeling you really dislike me now. Is it something I’ve done? Tell me what it is so we can move forward. I don’t like what’s become of our relationship. I liked it the way it used to be, when you teased me and gave me a hard time about things.”
He turned away from her, shaking his head. “It’s nothing other than what I’ve told you. Now are you going to try to learn this or not?” He started tapping his toe against the floor, so she knew she needed to drop it for now. She decided she would get to the bottom of this eventually.
They worked for several hours, until Liasare complained of a headache. She’d made zero progress, became frustrated and developed quite a nasty attitude. Deciding a relaxing bath was in order, she headed back to her room.
After she’d bathed, she crawled up on the bed and dozed off. Red glowing eyes greeted her, as the hooded figure beckoned to her. The voice wasn’t in her head this time, but he gestured for her to follow him. She backed away from him, trying to push him away. Soon, he was joined by his force of dark monsters, as they tried to pull her toward them. Stretching out her arms, she directed her power at them, forcing them to retreat.
Sensing her distress, Jurek flashed to their room to find her in the midst of her nightmare. Liasare was thrashing about the bed, so he attempted to grab her arms in order to calm her down. Instead, she doused him with her power, sending him crashing into the wall. The racket pulled her out of her hell, and she opened her eyes to see Jurek in a heap on the floor.
Flying to his side, she screamed his name. “Jurek! What happened?” She ran her hands along his body, inspecting him for injury.
He started to laugh, which confused the heck out of her.
“What’s going on? You startled me!”
Sitting up, he rubbed his shoulder and chest. “You think you were startled? You should’ve been in my shoes when you scorched my ass!” Then he shared with her what happened.
“I blasted you across the room? Wow! I didn’t think I could overpower you.”
He looked at her in awe. “In all my years, I’ve never felt that kind of force, Liasare. I don’t think your power has fully developed. I think it’s gaining strength every day. Let me see your arms.”
She pushed back her sleeves to reveal her markings. They had become more defined and elaborate since he’d examined them last.
“Were you even aware of how your markings have changed?”
Liasare looked at them closely and added, “Not really. I haven’t paid much attention to them.”
Jurek lifted up her shirt and pulled it off of her, revealing her upper body. He raised her arms and noticed the markings beginning to appear down the sides of her body, stopping at her hips. “And these?” he asked, softly tracing them with fingers.
“They weren’t there when I took a bath earlier this afternoon. What do they mean?”
His eyes softened as he smiled and said, “Only one thing. Immense power.”
“I don’t understand.”
He bent his head to kiss her shoulder and told her, “Liasare, I wish I could tell you that I knew, but I don’t. I only know that the more deeply colored the markings and the more profuse they are, the more powerful the Praestani. You, my love, have more markings than anyone I’ve ever known or heard of.”
She laced her fingers with his, drew in a long breath and then released it. “I’m frightened by this and what it may mean. Am I going to turn into some kind of freak? Some kind of anti-Satan or something because if I am, I’m not sure I’m up to that kind of task.”
Jurek cupped her face in his hands and replied, “Look, I don’t know. I only know that for some reason, you were given a gift of awesome power. We are going to have to figure out why and to what purpose it needs to be used. I won’t let you make the same mistakes I made Liasare. I refuse to let you go through life, living with regrets for sins you committed. But you can’t let your fear of this power stop you from doing what you were put here to do. You are a part of the prophecy, or maybe the prophecy is about you and I only play a small part. Whatever the case may be, we’re in this together. I’ll not leave your side. I told you from the start I’ll protect you and that’s a promise I plan to keep. Now I would like to extract a promise from you.”
She nodded and he continued. “I want you to promise that you won’t let fear control your destiny. I want you to let your power of Light guide you. Remember that Praestani power belongs to the Light, not the Dark. Let it guide you and don’t fear it. It will shape you and teach you what it wants you to become. In the meantime, I’ll try to teach you everything I can or I’ll get Tak to do it.”
Liasare pulled away from Jurek and picked up her shirt, intending to put it on, when he put his hands on her, stopping her.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
She looked at him and then
back down at her shirt. “I would rather you teach me.”
His mouth pressed into a firm line. “What happened?”
Shaking her head, she answered, “Nothing. I just think I would get more out of it from you.” Refusing to look at him, she picked at an imaginary speck on her shirt.
“Look at me,” he demanded.
“Can you never ask, Mr. Bossy?”
“Please?”
She was hoping to throw him off, but it didn’t work.
She lifted her eyes and he saw the conflict in them. “Liasare, I can read your mind. It is but a simple thing for me to do. Please tell me.”
“No way. You’ll be angry and then all hell will break loose and I don’t want that.”
Jurek bristled, but said nothing for a few moments. “If that’s your preference, then I’ll be happy to teach you.”
“Good. Can I ask you something without you getting all bent out of shape?” Liasare wondered if she wasn’t making a mistake by this.
When he nodded, she told him how she wondered if it would be better if she were sent away from everyone, perhaps isolated somewhere, so they would be more effective in doing their jobs.
Jurek was on his feet in a blur of motion, standing in front of her, radiating fury. “Have you lost your mind? That’s the exact thing Abaddon wants … to get you alone, with no protection so he can trap you in hell and steal your powers. Then he will take over the universe. Liasare, how did you come up this crazy idea?” His mouth had hardened to a thin line and his eyes were darkened orbs fired with silver sparks.
“I … I thought it would be best because I feel I’m interfering with everything.”
Jurek’s fisted his hands until his knuckles were nearly bursting through his skin. “Interfering? Interfering with what? We need you here. I need you here. You’re the Key to everything. Don’t you understand any of this yet, Liasare? Because tell me now and I’ll spend however much time it takes to clarify things for you.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Shit Liasare, you’re it! The dreams, the visions when my mother came to you. When Larensa came to you. You’re it. Have you ever heard of Apollyon, The Destroyer?”
“Yeah, but...”
He held out his hand, his palm facing her. “Stop! Let me explain before you go off interrupting and getting your panties in a wad.”
“Excuse me? Tell me you did not just say that!” Liasare was on her feet as fast as she had ever moved. It momentarily shocked both of them, but she was so irked at him, she had a one-track mind. “Don’t you start getting all alpha on me now. I won’t put up with that crap.”
He got right in her face and growled, “Then we’re going to have a problem, because where you’re concerned, I’m nothing but alpha, sweetheart.”
They glared at each other, chests expanding and contracting with their heaving breaths, until finally they both backed down.
“You need to get one thing clear, Liasare. You are mine. I don’t share you with anyone. I demand things from you, but when I do, it’s usually for your own good. It’s my nature. I rule, as will you when we return to Praestan one day. Whether you like this or not, you agreed to this.”
“When? When did I agree to this?”
“When you became my mate.”
“Come again?” she asked, for she was sure she was mistaken.
“I told you when you agreed to be with me, before we ever crossed that threshold, that there was no going back.”
“Oh, and I was supposed to translate that to mean, ‘Liasare, if you sleep with me, you will become my mate and rule Praestan with me?’”
“Yes, dammit!”
Turning her back to him, she brought her hands to her head and rubbed her eyes. Then she gave her head a vigorous shake. Jurek gave her a puzzled look and cocked his head at that odd angle as he sometimes did.
Taking a long deep breath, she said, “Jurek, that doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“Well, it should.”
He was like arguing with a brick wall and her frustrations were skyrocketing with every second that passed.
“Well, it doesn’t. How can that possibly make sense? I had no idea you were even the fucking king! For the love of God, someone help me knock some sense into this man! Ugh!” Liasare noticed her arms had begun to tingle so she started to rub her hands against them, and something caught the corner of her eye. Glancing down, she realized the tips of her fingers were glowing and turning a pale shade of violet.
“Oh, holy shit! What the hell is happening to me now?” she yelped as she extended her hands. Long thin bolts of violet light began to shoot out from the tips of her fingers.
In a soft, calm voice, Jurek suggested, “Sweetheart, close your hands very gently. Curl your fingers within your palms. That’s right. Don’t be afraid because it’s your power and it can’t hurt you, only others. It won’t hurt me either, because it recognizes me. Let’s test it. Give me your hand, love.”
“No! I don’t want to hurt you,” she cried.
“You won’t hurt me, love. I promise. That’s what I want to show you. It’s my power that’s within you. It will recognize me and will come to me if you hold out your hand. Please Liasare. Do this for me.”
She opened her hand and Jurek saw it quivering. The streaks of light shot forth, almost like they were searching for something. He held his hand out and the light headed straight for it and entered him. As it recognized him, Jurek’s power rose from him and met Liasare’s and the two streaks joined right above his palm, where they danced and merged as one.
“Oh my God! Aren’t they beautiful?” she asked in amazement. Their colors swirled within each of them, blue and green for him and violet and rose for her. Then the tendrils of power blended together, creating a masterpiece of indescribable beauty.
“Hold out your other hand,” Jurek told her. She did as he asked, and the second bolt of energy shot directly toward Jurek, hovering around him, waiting for him to offer himself to it. He finally held out his other hand and the second streak mimicked the first, doing a beautiful dance as their powers played together.
“Liasare, what do you feel?” he asked, his voice deep and husky.
“My arms tingle and it sort of tickles.”
Jurek turned his palms outward so they faced her and the power from him seemed to increase. She sucked in her breath at the sensation it began to create in her body. “Look at your markings now, love.”
She looked at her arms and her markings were nearly glowing. Instead of being black, they had taken on an iridescence, picking up blue, green and violet hues, shining bright as the stars in an inky sky.
“Gods, you’re so beautiful. This sharing of power ... we can do this sexually too. All over our bodies, Liasare.”
“Can I kiss you?” she whispered.
His voice raw with emotion, he answered, “Since when have you had to ask for permission?”
Still joined by their power, she touched her lips to his, and their energy erupted between them as they kissed. The current soared through their bodies, leaving them desperate with need for each other. She was naked and in his arms before she could even form the thought.
“Slowly, Liasare. I want you to see as much as feel this. It’s an amazing thing, much like the first time when you gave yourself to me. Everywhere our bodies meet, our power will be visible. It will waltz together, as if it has done this a thousand times before. See?” He motioned with his eyes and when she looked to where their torsos touched, light erupted between them, making them glow.
“Alaric...” and as soon as she said his name, his power flared all the brighter. “Whoa!”
“It’s obvious I like when you call me that,” he smiled. And then he said, “Liasare, I love you, with all my being.”
When the words left his lips, her energy filled the room with a brightness that nearly blinded them.
“Oops!” she laughed. “Alaric, I love you too. Will it always be like this, with our energy?”<
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“I suppose so. As long as we live.” He lifted her then and entered her, swiftly, without any hesitation, and their bodies became more alive than either of them ever thought possible. The sensations coursing through their veins, their nerve endings, every cell, were astounding. Their breaths mingled as every possible inch of them pressed against each other, wanting to merge themselves as much as physically and metaphysically possible.
“Liasare, open your eyes for me. I want you to look at me when we share our love like this. I want you to see what happens.” She did as he asked and was stunned by the exquisite beauty of his silver eyes and the color of their merged energy. Moments later as they climaxed together their power emerged from their bodies, surrounding them in its rainbow of colors until finally everything receded, leaving them breathless and damp with sweat.
Still joined, Jurek walked to the bed where he lay down and placed Liasare on top of him, unwilling to release her. She nestled her head into his neck, inhaling his spiciness, and tangled her fingers in his hair.
“I thought the first time we made love was the greatest moment of my life, but I’m going to have to move it down a notch. This was epic Alaric.”
Jurek shifted her so he could look at her. Smoothing her hair back and running his thumb across her lower lip, he said, “I have to tell you a thing or two. I will agree with you. I have always thought that making love with you was an extremely pleasurable act. This transcended everything I have ever experienced before. This was spectacular. Liasare, I am deeply in love with you.” He rolled over so he was on top of her. “I loved you from afar at first, and then, well, you know the rest. Today moved my soul, Liasare. You are a part of me. When you said my name, I could feel my energy surge from me, almost as if it wanted to hold you itself. And I want you to call me Alaric. It brought me such pleasure hearing my name roll off your tongue. But perhaps, only on special occasions, or behind closed doors. I’m afraid of what my reaction to your use of my name will be in front of others.” He laughed.
“Damn Alaric, for such a hard ass, you sure have become a softie.”
Dangerous Lovers Page 139
