by Nina, Tara
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tor shift into man as he untwined himself from his brother’s grip and ran her way. The last thing she remembered before darkness filled her brain was Tor’s arms wrapped around her. His heat soothed her and she was at peace once again.
* * * * *
Weakling! The word repeated in his head for the nine hundredth time. He hadn’t meant to return to his room. He’d tried to walk away, but the magic drew him to her like a thirsting man to water. Seeing her near his brother snapped something fierce inside him. Did she think Sven was he? They did look identical. Few told them apart. Could Deveney?
Had Sven used it to his advantage? Had he tasted sweet Deveney’s lips? Tor didn’t care to hear the answers. Instead, he reacted. Though he tried to contain it, the bear rose to the top. In their younger days, he and Sven wrestled and fought both as man and as bear.
Now they were grown. This battle would not end well and Tor knew it. The moment her essence filled his senses, common sense was lost. The bear sprang free. He didn’t want this to happen. It would kill him to know his second skin scared her. He’d never meant for her to see him in this manner.
Now that option no longer existed. She stood on the settee peering over Sven’s shoulder. Anger and jealousy ruled him and freed the bear. Sven’s words pierced the muddled fog of his brain. Did Sven think he didn’t sense the bear’s impending release? Tor struggled for a sliver of control on his anger. Changing into the bear at will was a pleasant experience, but to change in anger meant danger. His vision blurred as he breathed deep, trying to grasp some measure of restraint. Big mistake. Deveney’s scent speared him through the brain and his cock stood on end.
Goddess Nirvana, give me strength, he prayed. For he knew if he didn’t stop, he’d mate her as a bear and kill Deveney in the process. He ground his teeth together. He wouldn’t let that happen.
Tor forced his gaze to level on his brother. His actions were completely readable as he lunged at Tor’s waist. Because he knew no other way out, he let his brother tackle him. Wrapped together, they fought their way into the hall. It didn’t surprise him Nona waited there. Her quick actions brought the door closed behind them.
Their battle wasn’t exactly quiet. He caught sight of several servants and hoped they hadn’t seen Deveney. A fight between brothers could be explained away, but Deveney… She was one thing he didn’t want to discuss.
The sight of the door turning blue stilled all movement in the hallway. Deveney’s scream penetrated the air, making him growl in response. She was in pain. The door disappeared and she fell to the floor. Sven rolled off him. Tor sat upright, transforming back to man as he moved.
“Deveney,” he gasped as he knelt and gathered her into his arms. He pressed tender kisses to her brow. “Deveney.”
She didn’t answer. He lifted her, turned, and was astonished to see the door back in place. Nona unlocked it and shoved it open. She hurried into the room before him and turned down the covers. The moment Tor laid Deveney on the bed, Nona checked her for signs of life.
Though every fiber in his being tuned in to Deveney, he stood powerless. He knew she lived, but was weak. Her faint heartbeat graced his hypersensitive ears. The sound of her breath eased on a low whisper from her lungs and still he heard it.
What happened? How had she managed such an incomparable feat of magical strength? One minute the door was there, the next it disappeared only to return just as quickly. Tor swallowed hard as he stared at the petite creature in his bed. High emotion drove him to shift into bear. Did it affect Deveney that way? Had she become so distraught seeing him as bear that she focused her magic on escape? Was that why the door disappeared? She wanted to run.
Nona turned to him and said, “She shall recover. Her will is strong as is her magic. Let her rest.”
Tor simply nodded as she left.
He watched over her for hours. Thoughts warred with one another. Did she have a family worried about her in that place she called Earth? Were they looking for her? He knew she had no mate in her life. He was the first to breach the barrier of her virginity. But still, there had to be someone back there who loved her.
Tor thrashed a hand through his hair. His father groomed him to be the best leader the Bear clan had ever known. But was following the path his father laid down before him the correct one? At this moment, he held his doubts.
Soren Artur’s method gifted their people with possible extinction. Wait and see, his father proclaimed. Our world shall never die. The bloodlines must remain strong and pure. Tor rubbed the back of his neck, trying to relieve the solid knot there. Strong and pure were no match for the curse that ailed their world. It wasn’t an exact illness the healers could fix, but a much more elusive problem. With each passing day, the turmoil between clans increased.
Tor sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the magnificent sleeping woman. Was Maven’s idea their saving grace? He desperately needed to speak with the magi. He walked over and stood in front of the mirror.
“Maven,” he whispered, hoping to reach the magi without waking Deveney. “I know you hear me and I know you meant well. We need to discuss this idea of yours. Please heed my call and answer. The woman you’ve sent here is in danger. She cannot stay. You must contact me and tell me how to send her back.” He paused. Uncertainty warred with his father’s ideals as he considered her idea.
He glanced at Deveney. He couldn’t keep her. Not after what happened. He’d almost killed her. What if he couldn’t control himself during a passionate bout of mating and turned into the bear with his cock buried in her heat? Her body wouldn’t withstand the torture. Though he knew she wielded strong magic, he couldn’t take the risk of ripping her apart. Losing her meant losing the woman he loved. Though he hated to admit it, he had fallen in love with Deveney. He’d found his lifemate.
He didn’t trust himself or his ability to control his inner beast. Though he knew returning Deveney to Earth condemned him to a life of impudence, he’d rather suffer that pain than live with the knowledge he’d caused Deveney’s death.
Tor swallowed his stubborn pride and prayed he was making the right choice. Hopefully, the other clansmen held stronger control over their inner beast than he. If it became evident they also lacked the ability to maintain their forms during sex and these Earth women became endangered, then this experiment would be stopped. But if they succeeded in keeping their beasts at bay, then Maven’s way would save them.
By the Goddess Nirvana, he prayed they were stronger men than he.
Tor turned back to the mirror and continued in a hushed tone. “If there are more women there with magical chakras, they must come here of their own free will. They cannot be coaxed, lied to or put under one of your spells. I will not have it. This idea of yours needs further discussion. You must be made aware of the impending complications that might arise. Please heed my summons before sending anyone else here.”
After several long moments of silence, he shook his head and turned away. All he could hope was his message reached Maven. Tor’s shoulders sagged and his head pounded as he forced his legs to work and carry him out of his bedchamber. He couldn’t risk being close to her without touching her, tasting her or mating her.
Outside the door, he pulled the mic from his pocket and summoned Nona. When she arrived, he asked her to watch over Deveney.
“Tor, she needs you by her side if her magic is to heal. Your chakras have combined. Two shall live as one…”
Tor lifted his hand, stopping her speech. “It is to be this way. When your sister answers my call, find me. Deveney is to be returned to her world at once.”
“Tor—”
He cut her off. The plea in her sad eyes added another slice to his heart. Nona was like a mother to him and the pain he saw was real. She ached for him just like she ached for her unmated sons.
“It is to be. Deveney must return to her home called Earth.” As he turned he muttered under his breath, “If I killed her, I could not l
ive.”
Nona stood silent, watching him walk down the hall and enter an empty bedchamber. She’d heard the words he’d spoken under his breath. “Fool,” she muttered. “Overgrown, hardheaded fool. Without her, you shall die.”
Chapter Nine
Obinu welcomed the men into Ophidian Palace. One by one, he greeted the visitors for this week’s cairnts match. The attendees differed from week to week, as did the location of the game. Hopefully for him, the crowd would be great. His coffers were in need of being replenished. By the rules, four to six sat at a table and he’d made sure of everyone’s particular seating. One player at each table controlled the cairnts deck, shuffled and dealt. The leader of the hosting house assigned each table’s dealing player. Obinu grinned, knowing he’d selected skilled men for those positions. If all went well, the Serpentes clan’s impoverished condition would shortly be rectified.
When one of his port guards informed him of Sven Artur’s arrival, excitement slithered through his veins. Good. He rubbed his hands together. The prey had landed. Obinu’s tongue flicked in and out of his thin lips.
Since his return from Bjorn Palace, sleep eluded him. Undeniable suspicions grew and took root. He knew the bears hid something of grave importance. Being denied a meeting with Tor Artur had been an arrogant mistake. Obinu hissed in remembrance of the wasted trip across the Diabhal River to the Isle of Avalonia.
He hated crossing the river. Unlike his cousins of the Water Glider Serpentes, he preferred not to get wet. But he had to admit, the trip hadn’t been a total bust. He did learn the bears had a secret and planned to learn the truth of it this night.
Obinu lifted to his full height of six feet and eyed himself in the reflection gleaming off the spotless black marble wall. A thin smile graced his lips and his oval, glassy black eyes sparkled in the light. He admired his pale-green skin and considered it to be a lovely shade.
With a flick of his wrist, he smoothed his bald, scaly head with his palm. He’d chosen a mid-knee-length jet-black robe, which fit snug across his lean muscled chest and hung loose from the waist down. Every clan had their color. The Serpentes clan was black. Obinu owned every shade of black imaginable in a variety of different styled robes and he loved it. Black matched the core of his soul.
Turning on his heels, he marched into the main banquet hall to the left of the entranceway. He’d chosen this room for the cairnts game due to it being the largest of the three halls in Ophidian Palace. Ten round tables with chairs were situated from one end to the other and were spaced well apart for ease of movement by every species of clan member who chose to gamble this night. He may be the least favored of the clans, but he would not be outdone as a host.
Once word got around about tonight’s game, he bet his next hosting obtained a full house. And a hefty profit for his clan. Attendance at his events always gathered low numbers, which reinforced his belief that his clan was least liked. A quick flick of his tongue and he got the taste of female essence poised and ready for sex.
Glancing around, he did a quick head count of the females he’d hired as entertainment for the evening. Twelve. Good. These few women were not yet mated and chose to enjoy the attributes of promiscuous sex. That changed once they crossed paths with their destined mate. Once they were mated, no other male would or could have sex with them. They belonged to one male and he to her for eternity. An unstoppable sigh slithered through his tight lips. Mated. A feat even he hoped to accomplish, and soon, before he turned one hundred and snake became the keeper of his outer shell.
A shiver shot down his back. Obinu paused on the top stair leading into the room. Though he tried to redirect his thoughts, he couldn’t. He dreamed of a family of his own as he scanned the women, hoping maybe one of them was destined for him. Nothing fired to life in his veins and his chest tightened, knowing none were his to claim as mate.
No mate equaled no offspring. Without offspring, leadership of the clan fell into the hands of another male of the Serpentes clan. He shot a glance to the table where two of his cousins sat wooing the affections of one of the ladies. Bo and Heno Pythos maintained more brawn than brain. In his opinion, neither fit the bill for command, but they did come in handy as assassins when necessary. When Bo nodded in acknowledgement his way, Obinu smiled and did the same as he walked past.
Without many women around, men found other outlets for their pent-up frustrations. Gambling, arguments and fights tended to go hand in hand. The last game ended in a bloody brawl, which nearly brought down an entire wing of the Lioness clan’s home of Lennart Palace. After that, Obinu came up with a diversion that would lower the tension level of the players. And hopefully it encouraged more gambling and more income for his clan through their losses.
Women. The perfect idea. The women occupied the players’ attention while his dealers handled the cards and leaned the games in favor of the house. In his mind, this was a winning situation all the way around. The men got laid and his clan got their money. He’d planned it so a woman entertained every table and two sat at the master of ceremonies table…his.
The women here tonight came from Oksana Leopardi’s home for the unmated female. They were known for their skills and their voracious sexual appetites. Out of the corner of his eye, Obinu spotted Greyson of the Wolf clan escorting a redhead into one of the twelve privacy booths he’d had set up for his guests. He grinned. The night was off to a promising start.
The pants and moans he heard as he walked past made his ball sac tighten. He paused, trying to remember the last time he’d participated in a night of pure pleasure. Looking up, he saw the two women he’d handpicked to attend the host’s table. They stood beside the privacy booth next to his table. Both smiled directly at him and motioned for him to join them. Not paying attention as he walked, he tripped over a pair of feet. The woman’s body was hidden by the tablecloth, but the closed-eyes, open-mouthed expression on the man’s face explained it all.
Obinu quickened his pace. It’d been too long since he’d enjoyed the comfort of a female. There was time before the games began and Sven’s arrival from the port to enjoy the attributes of two fine, willing women. The moment he reached them, they stepped inside the privacy booth. He took their hands and guided them to the silken, plush mat and stacks of pillows on the floor.
“It’s been awhile for me, ladies.” He smiled, then flicked his tongue rapidly in and out.
“Ahhh,” the brunette proclaimed as she untied her sarong and let it fall to her waist, exposing a perfect set of large, supple breasts. “I like a man with a good tongue who knows how to use it.”
Obinu relaxed, letting the brunette slide up his body, rubbing her breasts along every inch of him. He lost sight of the blonde as the brunette straddled his face. But he didn’t have to see her to know she knew how to utilize her mouth. A hot tongue licked from his anus to the tip of his cock, then tormented the slender slit before swallowing him whole.
Yes, he decided as he flicked his long tongue deep into the sheath of the wet, wild woman on his face. He needed this if he were to keep his mind clear and focused on obtaining information from Sven Artur.
* * * * *
Daylight streamed through the window, heating Deveney’s face. She stretched, yawned and rolled onto her back. There wasn’t one inch of her that did not hurt. Even her brain ached. And it took a great effort to open her eyes. But she managed to pry her eyelids apart. The bright sunlight made her squint and jerk the covers over her head.
Was she sick? The intense nausea, total body pain and migraine she’d suffered through the night were worse than any flu or illness she’d ever experienced. Bed spins were nothing to the whirl of violent symptoms that afflicted her for hours in the dark. It might not have been so bad if the sickness had been one steady, icky sensation at a time. But no, this event mixed every disgusting, pain-riddled ailment possible into a flash flood of pure soul-searing magical mischief that controlled every ounce of her from the root of the hairs on her head to the tips of her
toenails.
Magical mischief! That was it. Deveney almost cried at the severe shards of heat that pierced her brain. She grabbed her head without lowering the blankets from her face. Next time, don’t think so loudly, she reprimanded herself.
Lying still, she did a mental check of her body. No broken bones. That was a good thing, considering she’d fallen through a door. But what had happened to the door? Thinking back, it came to her on a hot rod of information straight to the forefront of her brain. It vanished.
Deveney shot upright as the image relived in her thoughts. The spin inside her head shifted to hurricane force, making her realize sudden movement increased the intensity. Pressing both palms against her temples, she tried in vain to stop the swirling motion.
Determined not to be defeated, she held her head while inching her way out from under the covers and to the bed’s edge. She had to get up. She needed to know what happened. She needed the one person she could ask about this magical disturbance. And that was exactly what she felt certain she suffered from, a severe episode of uncontrolled magic. This magical mischief, as Maven had labeled it. Deveney thought she had it under control.
What made it return? Why had she lost control?
Because of Tor.
She stopped dead as she clung to the bedpost at the foot of the bed. He had been in danger. She merely reacted to help him. Was that it? Had she simply tried to help? As she took a step down, stars shot behind her closed lids. One, then two, then three to the floor, she counted in silence and even those thoughts echoed and increased the pain.
She took a deep breath. At least being upright, the spin cycle of her brain slowed. Sharp sensations as if someone poked her with a hot fork penetrated her eyes and shot to the back of her brain when she coerced her lids to open. She accomplished pulling them apart into slender slits, just enough to see. Step by slow step, she reached the mirror.
