Beneath The Shadows of Evil... Torn

by Jolynn Raymond

  The fact that Lucian seemed to be the one who had drawn her out of her shell did disturb him a bit, but he truly did believe that there was nothing between them. His first in command had managed to make her feel safe and somewhat happy here, and that was what mattered. How or why Lucian had managed to befriend her and win her trust was something he could question the vampire about at a later date after Lucian had received his just due for his part in Alliana’s beating. He would ask him carefully, not letting on that he himself wished to gain his Lady’s affection, making it seem as if he were once again questioning their relationship. Mikhal was not ready to openly take advice from anyone, be it Natalya or Lucian, he was Master, and therefore should have the answers to all things. Asking for advice was unseemly.

  “If you are simply going to stand here staring at me, then I would prefer the company of Lucian! At least he seems to have a bit of goodness inside him, and he is an interesting chess opponent as well.”

  Alliana’s words sent Mikhal into a rage, snapping him from his musings. How dare she! “Woman you would do well to hold your tongue in regards to my first in command. He is at this moment in the bowels of this castle awaiting my arrival. Your earlier denials of guilt don’t sound nearly as true when you ask for him to be by your side. I am your husband, Alliana. Me, and I am the one who will watch over you and care for you. You are carrying our child and I fully intend to ensure the health and safety of both of you whether you care for my presence or not.”

  Alliana knew as soon as the words had escaped her lips that it was the wrong thing to say, both because she didn’t want to give her husband more reason to punish Lucian, and because she had no wish to feel his wrath herself. Oddly enough though, part of her wanted to make him a bit jealous, just like she had been feeling. Let him believe she may have developed feelings for another of his kind. If it were possible to inflict any kind of emotional pain in his cold dead heart then fine, it was what he deserved.

  “Then do so from across the room please. Your presence turns my stomach!”

  Alliana waited for his demon to emerge with his snarl of angry words, waited for the beast to come out to chastise her and frighten her into submission, but he didn’t come, instead, the man before her, Mikhal the Merciless, her dear husband, came to the bed, his eyes softening as he looked at her, his chest rising and falling with breaths taken only to hold the churning fury at his core at bay, and sat beside her, much to her dismay.

  “Leave me be. I said you are not wanted here.”

  “Be that as it may, this is where I intend to stay. It is where I belong. You are my wife. This...” He placed his hand on the small mound that was her belly nestled beneath the furs. “This child is our son. I care for him and I care for you.”

  “Do you think me a fool? You are evil, pure and simple. You care for naught or nobody but yourself. Your only interest in me is the child inside my womb and once I am done being your broodmare I shall be expendable.”

  “Alliana, please, that is not true. Perhaps once that was how I felt. I know it ‘twas what I told you, and for that I am truly sorry. I admit it was what I thought. I was an evil creature controlled by the demon within, but no more. You were almost lost to me and it frightened me. It made me know that I care, made me realize what my life would be like without you.”

  “You are a soulless beast who has a dead heart incapable of caring. If it weren’t for the child, I would have perished under your loving ‘care’ long ago. I have been emotionally abused, tormented, and raped. I have been imprisoned and beaten; I have been so very distraught that I wanted to die. Is that your idea of caring for me, My Lord? If so, I would prefer the care of someone else, or better yet, I would prefer to go home.”

  His demon raged at her words. Yes all of those things had befallen her, but he did care, he loved her, and he was doing everything in his power to prove that to her now. Why couldn’t she see that? Things were different. He was being gentle. He hadn’t touched her, he had brought her a friend to help lift her spirits, and he would do anything to make her happy. Didn’t she see how hard it was to keep his demon at bay? Didn’t she know how his beast wanted nothing more than to subdue its wayward, infuriating, obstinate mate? It was incredibly hard to control the demon within, to deny his inner beast, but he did it for her, had been doing it for her, and she simply refused to see.

  At that point Mikhal wanted nothing more than to throw the jealousy she’d felt over Natalya’s claim mark in his wife’s face, but he knew he couldn’t do it. For one, she knew nothing of his curse, and for two, it would only confuse her further and make her angry. She felt it and she knew she felt it. Let the stubborn wench mull over that when the night became long and dark and she was left alone to think of him and her life here.

  It was the man in him that thought that last spiteful thought, but still he tempered even that with a new softness. He didn’t need to alienate her. Not now, not when they’d shared a moment of bonding between them because of the babe. She may deny it all, even to herself, but it was a start, one he wasn’t about to throw away because of his pride. The Lord Arcos of the past would have flung it all in her face to prove how very right he was, but now, he tempered his reaction to try and show her the truth of his words.

  “Alliana, the abuse you have suffered is all in the past. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for all you have suffered. All I can do is show you. I have changed. I care for you, and no one and nothing unpleasant shall ever touch you again.”

  “Does that include you, My Lord?” Alliana knew she was pushing her bounds and fully expected his demon to come rushing out, but she didn’t hold her tongue. Let it rise up, let it punish her, it would prove that his words were lies. She glared at him, waiting, ready, but to her surprise he didn’t strike her with hand or sharp tongue. Instead he again took calming breaths. Closing his eyes for a moment to hide the amber he knew was flashing there, and clenching his fists for but a moment before opening them and quietly taking her hand.

  “I cannot promise the complete absence of small touches such as this.” He rubbed the back of her hand softly then brought it up and laid a chaste gentle kiss upon it. “And I shall carry you if need be to your bed and to other places in the castle, my arms wrapped securely around you, but no, I shall not bed you, wife, until you ask it of me.”

  Revulsion and anger had flowed from Alliana as Mikhal had made the tender gesture of kissing her hand, and it had cut him deeply, but he showed no reaction, even though her disgust was clearly evident on her face as well.

  “Then I shall always be free from your vile touch if you hold true to your promise, for I shall never welcome you into my bed.”

  Mikhal gazed at her, eyes bluer that blue and said nothing. He reached out and ran his thumb across the mark of claim on her neck, stimulating their mating bond deep in the core of her womb, sending tingles of intense pleasure through her body. She shivered and looked away, refusing to acknowledge that his touch gave her anything but revulsion.

  “We shall see my dear. In time, you will see that I am a man worthy of your affection.” Once again his demon rebelled at what his man was saying and doing. Worthy? Worthy! What was the pitiful man, this soft hearted Mikhal who resided inside thinking? He was Lord Arcos, Master Vampire, and he was certainly worthy of anything he wanted, and most definitely good enough for the human wench lying in the bed before him.

  Mikhal ignored the beast clawing at his insides and instead focused on his beautiful wife. She was worth every ounce of pain he would suffer during the time it took to win her. Natalya had said to woo her, and woo her he would.

  “The only thing that will make you worthy in my eyes at the moment is if you will agree to leave me be. I do not wish for your presence in my chambers.”

  “Very well, Alliana. I shall not force you to accept me. I shall leave you to your own devices and send for Thalia. Spend the day with Natalya; enjoy your time alone with her, tis why I brought her here. I want you to be happy, Alliana, but kn
ow that I shall return to dine with you at seven o’clock.”

  She looked up, words of refusal upon her tongue, eyes flaring, but he held a finger to her lips, and then replaced it with his own, gently kissing her with a feather light brush of his mouth upon hers. Then before she had a chance to push him away, he pulled back the furs and placed a kiss just as gentle upon their child.

  “Seven tonight, Alliana. I look forward to seeing you then. Have a pleasant day, my love.”

  Alliana glowered at his retreating back, and then spied the earthen jug on her bedside table. She picked it up and heaved it at him, missing him by mere inches. Mikhal turned; a stunned look upon his face that quickly turned to one of mirth. She was certainly a little spitfire. “I’ll send for a servant to clean up that mess. Goodbye sweet.”

  Chapter Two

  Alliana sat staring at the closed door of her chambers in stunned disbelief, filled with both confusion and anger. What had come over her husband? He certainly hadn’t acted like he’d done in the past, even when she’d deliberately provoked him, and this new unpredictability left her as shaken as his old behavior. At least before she knew that given enough time and provocation, the demon within would come out, now, he seemed calm and in control, and worst of all, set in his quest to prove to her that he was a man and not just a monster. Was his plot to subdue her, lull her into complacency, and then smash her heart into bits once more by turning cruel just when she’d begun to believe she was truly safe in his presence? She supposed it could be some sick, twisted, new game of amusement since he dared not truly beat her. Whatever it was, she was determined to never let her guard down regardless of his sweet words and vows of devotion.

  Her heart was pounding and her head was whirling by his change of personality, for she found it nerve wracking and very perplexing. Yes he had spoken tender words of assurance before he’d left her, but she hadn’t believed him for one second, and now he was proving her wrong. The evil beast that was her husband had just kept great restraint when dealing with her rejection of him, and to add to his misdeeds, he’d actually smirked at her when she’d thrown the jug, looking amused instead of flying into a rage. He was like a chameleon, always changing; his true self-hidden from view, disguised by his elegant surroundings and courtly manners.

  Oh she didn’t care for this new turn of events at all. Here she had settled into her life, as horrid as it was, thinking she’d known what to expect to some degree, and then the mighty Lord Arcos came back and threw something new at her. He’d been gentle with her and shown reverence for their child. He’d also shown fierce jealousy and protection for the both of them, all things a loving husband and father would do. The problem was he wasn’t a loving husband; he was a monster.

  Despite that fact, Alliana had to accept that for whatever reason, he hadn’t raised his hand in anger, though initially he’d been beside himself with rage when he’d suspected her deceit. No, instead he had allowed the beast to emerge but it had been tempered, then to her shock, he had fallen to his knees when faced with the proof of the babe within her, all traces of his demon wiped away by his awe. Those were not the actions of a soulless vampire. He’d shown restraint, and tenderness, and ... love. In front of others no less!

  And to make it all worse, far worse, she had felt a twinge of something stir in her heart as she gazed at him paying homage to his son. She’d looked down upon the crown of his head and felt a stirring of tenderness in her own breast for the man who was whispering tender words to the babe within and caressing her so gently. She could not deny having been moved by his actions.

  As for the jealousy though, well that didn’t even bear thinking about because she had to be mistaken in what she felt in that moment. Alliana refused to even acknowledge that there had been a brief flare of possessive rage inside her at seeing the mark of claim upon Natalya’s neck. It had to have been sheer anger over what he’d done to Natalya, because he had dared to drink from her friend, not because when they shared the same act it was an intimate affair that her husband should not engage in with any other woman. The idea that jealousy was involved was ludicrous. It simply was.

  Alliana made a loud cry of annoyance at her husband’s latest round of unpredictable behavior and swept the mug that matched the shattered jug to the floor as well. It was all too much. She simply wouldn’t think about him and she damn well wouldn’t sit and make polite conversation with him over dinner. Oh she would dine with him, she had no choice but to do as he said, but nothing and no one could force her to speak.

  A soft knock on the door brought her out of her reverie and Alliana called out for the person to come in. Thalia opened the door with a smile, and rushed forward, excited by the addition of Natalya and Hannah in the chambers next door.

  “Good morning, Mistress. I helped Hannah get Mistress Natalya settled. She has been fed and is resting now. I imagine she shall sleep for a good part of the day. Is there anything you wish of me?”

  “We can spend most of the day doing as we please Thalia, but my husband has ordered me to have dinner with him later.” Alliana’s servant did not miss the look of irritation that passed over her Mistress’s face at her announcement. To be truthful, Thalia had hoped that Alliana would be just a bit happy with the Master’s return. She seemed to have bouts where she became frightened by the rapid rate of her pregnancy, and Thalia thought that it would perhaps be a good thing for Lord Arcos to be in residence while his wife was with child.

  “Then I shall be sure to have a bath prepared for you, My Lady. Which gown would you like to wear?”

  “Oh I haven’t given it a thought. I certainly don’t care what he thinks of me. The only reason I care to dress in one of my finer gowns is because I am so very tired of these nightshifts and dressing robes.” Thalia wasn’t sure if the flush that came over Alliana’s cheeks at her words were caused by anger or because she was flustered by her little fib, but she suspected it was the later.

  Thalia went to the wardrobe and pulled an emerald green brocade gown from within. The waistline had been moved up to fit just under Alliana’s breasts to accommodate her ever increasing stomach, and frilly white satin had been added at the neckline to conceal the growing swell of her breasts. White lace dripped from each long tapered sleeve and the wide skirt belled out in a shimmering swirl. Thalia thought it was one of Alliana’s most beautiful gowns and knew it would bring out the deep green of her Mistress’s eyes.

  “I think this one is lovely, My Lady, and Hannah has already altered it.”

  “It matters naught to me.” Alliana’s tone was sharper than she had intended. To be honest, the thought of dinner with Mikhal the Merciless made butterflies flutter around in her stomach. How could she be expected to spend time with that despicable beast? Her eyes softened at Thalia’s hurt look and she smiled. “I’m sorry Thalia, the green gown will be just fine. I don’t know what has gotten into me. I seem to fly into a rage at the slightest provocation. Perhaps my husband’s foul attitude is wearing off on me.”

  To that Thalia had no comment. She simply let Alliana’s remark go and hung the gown on the outside of the wardrobe, then went and sat on the bed. “What shall it be today, Mistress? Embroidery or poetry?”

  “Actually Thalia, I would like you to send for a servant to bring me a bite to eat. It seems I am always hungry these days. The nausea has passed and now I find myself ravenous every hour of the day.”

  Thalia smiled. This was a good sign. The babe was growing at a fast pace and Alliana needed to eat just to keep up with the child within her womb. “I shall send word to the kitchen at once, Mistress.”

  The babe chose that moment to kick her in the ribs and Alliana’s hand flew to her stomach. “I believe my son is saying ‘thank you’.” Both women smiled and Thalia moved to do as Alliana had requested, very pleased with the turn of events that day. She had a new friend in Hannah. The master was back to watch over the Mistress, and Alliana was hungry. All seemed to bode well for those around her.

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  As Thalia was getting Alliana settled, Hannah was slipping out of the castle to run to her true Mistress. The new Gypsy witch, Natalya, was now fast asleep after her tiresome journey, and Hannah knew she had to run and tell Marishka that the Master of the castle was home.

  She darted through the forest, paying close attention to her surroundings, knowing she couldn’t be seen. It wasn’t her usual time to visit her Mistress, she’d never before come during daylight, and the risk of being seen was tenfold to that of at night, but it couldn’t be helped. The Master could be sending search parties out as soon as darkness fell, and she knew that Marishka had to be prepared.

  She arrived at the cottage, out of breath, and timidly knocked on the door. She feared Andor, hated the way his eyes traveled over her as if she were as lowly as horse dung on his boot, looking as if he’d like to tear her to shreds in the most painful manner. He made her blood run cold every time he looked at her, but it was worth it. The love of her Mistress was worth it. When there was no answer, Hannah knocked again, this time harder, knowing she literally needed to wake the dead.

  Finally, the door swung inward, as if on its own, the person doing the opening staying well back in its shadow. Hannah hurried in and shut the door behind her, only to come face to face with Andor. She cried out, startled by the look of pure hate he gave her and shrank back, turning her head, searching for any sign of Marishka.

  Andor growled, not pleased at all at being woken by Marishka’s little whore. How dare this lowly bit of cattle disturb his rest? He reached for her, grabbing her arms in a vice like grip and pulled her to him, wrapping one arm around her body to still her struggling limbs and yanking her head back with his free hand to expose her neck. Hannah made little sounds of terror and opened her mouth to cry out for her mistress but Andor hissed in her ear to be silent or he would tear her throat out. He was enjoying her fear, could smell her desperation, and was soaking it all up. It had been far too long since he’d had a young thing in his arms and he intended to take full advantage of Marishka’s deep sleep.