“Tis not enough. Leave us be. Hannah is innocent. She did nothing and you are as insane as Marishka to believe she would.”
Lucian hissed in shock at Alliana’s tirade. He had heard her unleash her tongue in his direction, but for the Mistress to be so bold towards the Master, towards the Lord of the castle, to her mate, was unthinkable, and the fact that Mikhal hadn’t taken her and bodily forced her into silence left him stunned. Mikhal the Merciless was in full game face now, pushed there by his wife’s insolent tirade, yet still Alliana stood ramrod straight, challenging him with a look that spoke of hatred and fury. How could his Master let her act in such a way? While it was true he himself allowed Natalya liberal use of her tongue, something such as this would never be tolerated.
Mikhal, immediately sensing Lucian’s confusion and disbelief, knew the reason at once and briefly flashed at look at his first in command. It said mind your own affairs or I’ll take my wrath out on you. Lucian, stunned by Mikhal clear understanding of his thoughts, looked away, and turned back towards the three women, his hands itching to grab Hannah and drag her away. She had caused far too much trouble in the castle that night, and he longed to get to the bottom of her lies.
The air in the chamber crackled with tension as the five pairs of eyes stared at each other. Hannah was making little mewling sounds as Mikhal’s gaze raked over her; his demon looking to tear her limb from limb. Alliana stood defiant, determined, Natalya still a bit unsure about the truth of Hannah’s tale but determined to stand by Alliana till the truth came out, Lucian on edge, waiting for word, unsure of how to proceed, Mikhal full of fury and an untamable need to protect and subdue his mate. All of them ready to jump out of their skin.
Mikhal snarled, the sound effectively cutting off Hannah’s little sounds of distress silencing her at once. His displeasure echoed through the room and the roar that followed chilled all that were present to the bone.
“ENOUGH!” The demon inside was winning this battle; he had been pushed too far. He was the Master, the Lord, and would be obeyed. Alliana was being foolish, gullible and stupid, and he couldn’t allow her to try and dictate what was right. She was his wife, not his equal, not his Master.
“Give me the girl.” When Alliana didn’t move Mikhal took a threatening step towards the women, fingers curling, fangs glistening, eyes glowing hotly in the semi darkness of the candlelight.
Alliana threw out her arms and pushed Hannah behind her, towards the bed where Natalya lay, taking a step back. She was trembling with fright but refused to back down. Mikhal the Merciless was not going to lay his hands on an innocent girl.
“No.” Her voice shook with her fear, but still Alliana wouldn’t relent.
Mikhal took another threatening step forward, his face a mask of evil. Gone were the handsome blue eyes that had stared into hers as they’d made love. Gone was the dashingly gracious man who had wooed her through dinner, given her a beautiful wedding ring under the stars, loved their child and made her feel loved as well. Here was the monster. The beast she always knew would return. Here was her proof that her husband was still as evil as he was on the day he first abducted her. She had been a fool to let her guard down, but no more.
“Give me the girl, wife. Do not disobey me.” He growled low, trying to issue an order that would go straight to her core but she resisted and stood tall.
“I am and I shall continue to. I knew your promises of change would prove to be lies. Look at you. You are still the vile creature I always knew you were. Your sweet words were dipped in poison, My Lord, and now your true self has come out for all to see. I will protect this girl with my life. With your son’s life, for I believe in her innocence. You are too quick to judge. All you see is a lowly human, a nobody, simply a woman to hurt and toss away when you are through. Well I won’t have it.”
Mikhal had had enough. He lunged for Alliana, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her away from Natalya and Hannah. She cried out in shock and fear but brought her hands up to beat him upon the chest. Mikhal tried to wrap his arms around her, to hold her still so he could subdue her without harm but she was in a fury and battered her fists against him.
“Stop it, wife. I will simply question the girl and get the truth. I am trying to protect you.”
“You will terrorize her into a confession for something she didn’t do. Leave me be. Let me go. I hate you.”
“Lucian, take the girl.”
“NOOOOOOOOO! Let me go.” Alliana fought him with all her strength. She was like a mad woman in her effort to be free. Mikhal, his demon reacting to her fight with lust and fury, roared as his hands clutched her arms. He released one and moved to pull her head to the side. He would silence her tirade and calm his little hellion by showing her just who her Master was.
He brought his mouth downward, seeking the twin punctures that claimed her as his, a low growl rumbling in his chest, as he held her struggling body, and then it hit him, not only her fear, but the fear of the babe within her womb. Pure terror washed over him in waves, pouring out from Alliana and their son. Mikhal paused, held her in arms as strong as bands of steel and steadied himself against the onslaught, and in the silence he could hear their hearts. Not just Alliana’s, but also the babe’s as well again, and as before, there were too many heartbeats. He heard them, racing far too fast. Rapid beats of mother and child, beats of fear, beats of fury. Pounding hearts, thudding, racing in a flurry, rushing on, driven by adrenaline, beating in rage and terror. It hit him that his child was truly afraid of him, and in that moment, the demon fled. His beast disappeared, only to be replaced by a man with a bleeding heart.
Mikhal felt the child’s silent scream, its confusion and mad need to be comforted and calmed. He felt it kick within his wife, the blow landing on his own stomach that was pressed so tightly to Alliana’s. His child wanted nothing to do with the man who was scaring its mother and the babe’s pain cut him deeply. Feeling untold agony, needing to make things right, Mikhal kissed her then, as his heart broke and his fury was washed away by his pain. Mikhal kissed her face and then his mark as his features slid back to that of the handsome man who longed to be loved by her and knew full well that he had dashed his chances for that ever happening yet again.
“Alliana. Oh Alliana. Please. Don’t be afraid. I wouldn’t hurt you, sweet. I mean only to make you listen, to calm you. Please.” He placed his hand on her belly, his eyes full of hurt. “Tell him sweet, oh let him know his father means no harm.”
Still she struggled in his arms but the horrible fear subsided nonetheless. He kept his hand on her belly and stroked it though his action filled her with revulsion and he looked into her eyes, pleading for forgiveness for the beast that had handled her so roughly. He kissed her mark, lapped at it, calmed her without her consent and she melted against him, unable to resist. Part of him knew that he had to do what was right and question Hannah whether Alliana liked it or not, but for right now, for this small moment in time, all that mattered was quieting the fears of his wife and child.
Hannah chose that moment to shriek as Lucian made a grab for her. Alliana stiffened in his arms; the short-lived lull had come to an end. She pushed away and staggered back, Mikhal, not expecting the shove against his chest suddenly found his arms free. He made to hold her again but Alliana flew at Lucian who wisely backed away from the still shrieking Hannah.
Lucian held up his hands in a show of surrender. He would never dare to touch the Mistress, and had no wish to harm her. Alliana stepped before him and placed her body between Lucian and Hannah, moving close so the vampire had to retreat to avoid contact, effectively using her body as a barrier between Lucian and Mikhal and the door.
“I am taking Hannah to the tower room. The sun has risen and she will be safe there. Natalya, do you think you can move?”
Natalya nodded, dumbfounded at the turn of events, and slowly rose from the bed as Mikhal continued to plead with his wife.
“Alliana. Don’t do this. I swear to be gentle with t
he girl.”
“Lies! All you speak are lies. I’ve seen just how very gentle you can be, My Lord and I find you lacking.”
“Alliana she must be questioned. What of Marishka?”
“You find her. She is your sister. Bring me proof, true proof of Hannah’s deceit and I shall give her to you myself. Until that time, she is under my care and not a hair on her head is to be touched by you or any of your evil clan. You claim to care for me, My Lord, well prove it by doing as I ask. Show me you have compassion, and spare Hannah. If you refuse this wish of mine, be certain that I shall hate you with a heart that is so very cold, for all the rest of my days.”
“Very well, Alliana. You may act as her savior, but be warned. When I find the girl has committed treason, nothing on this earth will save her from my wrath. We shall speak of what happened in this room tonight, later.
“Lucian, you are to stay at my wife’s chamber door until someone comes to relieve you. No one is to pass in or out. When the other sentry arrives, rest up, for when night falls we will be off in search of Marishka or proof of this one’s guilt. Alliana, I will be back to see you this evening. Have a good day, wife. You may feel free to rest in bed. There is really no need to stay in the tower room. You and your group of ladies will not be molested. That is a promise.”
Alliana made a sound of disbelief then turned her back on him, taking Hannah by the arm and escorting her from the room. Natalya followed at their heels; all felt the eyes of the Lord of the castle and his first in command burning holes in their backs as they went.
Lucian hesitated a moment, looking at Mikhal, wanting to speak to his Master about what had transpired, but knew he didn’t dare. His duty was to watch the women. He followed them out, grim faced, and took up a stoic stance by the closed chamber door. Mikhal exited the room as well and gave Lucian a long look as he walked passed him. Mikhal knew it was time to confide in Lucian about the Empathy spell. His first in command had known that his Master could feel his disbelief when Mikhal had allowed Alliana to be so bold, and it was time to reveal the true depths of his talents.
Working together, they could formulate a plan to catch Hannah alone so he could find out what was truly in the girl’s heart. The problem was, even then, it wouldn’t be tangible proof for his dear wife, and if he told Alliana of the spell, then she would immediately think that all his tender feelings had arisen from simple magick as well.
Mikhal clenched his teeth in frustration and snarled in fury at the latest turn of events. His life had certainly been turned upside down the night he decided to steal away the tiny Gypsy girl who was now making his head and heart spin. He shook his head ruefully, thinking back on all the things Alliana had said and at her audacity in the face of his power. She was a rare one, that was certain, and he wouldn’t give her up for anything in this world, but oh did she try his patience.
Chapter Eighteen
Once again Lucian found himself following his Master down the corridor, dreading the meeting that was to come. The scene he had just witnessed had been unbelievable in some aspects and infuriating to be sure in others, and Lucian knew that it had occurred because of him. His only hope of avoiding punishment, not that he deserved to be pardoned, was that he had truly been needed in helping Natalya. The woman could have perished in the blaze, suffocating from the smoke if it hadn’t been for his timely arrival. The fact that his aide to Natalya had left Hannah free to run had to be dealt with though, and Lucian knew Mikhal was furious over the fact that the girl had reached his wife.
They arrived at Mikhal’s chambers, him slamming the door open as if it were a bit of kindling instead of a heavy oak slab, the noise it made as it crashed against the wall booming through the halls and chamber before them. Lucian followed, closing the door for privacy, then stood and waited for Mikhal to act. He knew not what was coming. A series of blows, a verbal lashing, a conversation about what they would do because of the turn of events of the morning, so he simply stood waiting, eyes lowered, mouth silent. Finally, his Master spoke.
“I should gut you slowly and feed you your bloody entrails for allowing that girl her freedom. None of this should have happened. None of it! I am not pleased with your actions Lucian. You failed me.” Mikhal was beyond reason at the moment, so incensed was he over Hannah’s deceit and Alliana’s deplorable defense of the girl.
“Forgive me, Sire. I will not make excuses for my behavior. I did allow the girl to slip past me and reach the Mistress. It was completely my fault.”
“Yes, you did. My wife and son could very well have been harmed. I don’t have to tell you what would have happened if they had. As it stands though, I shall overlook this discretion because you were assisting Natalya. Tis only a happenstance of that severity that gives you excuse to have left your post. My wife would have been devastated if anything had happened to the girl.”
“Thank you M’Lord. I am grateful for your forgiveness.” Lucian’s voice held sincerity but it was not tinged with any hint of groveling. He knew he had done wrong and knew he was lucky to be spared, but he also knew he was somewhat in the right in this instance because of Natalya. That he would have accepted a severe punishment was a fact, but it was also true that he wasn’t going to be a simpering pansy gushing on about his thanks for being spared the pain, simply because he wouldn’t be feeling the lash.
Mikhal snarled, turning on Lucian, his eyes burning with the fire of unspent rage as he sensed the hint of obstinacy in his fist in command. “I didn’t absolve you, Lucian, forgiveness has nothing to do with this. You had a reason to leave your watch; it was sound, though the fact that it put my wife in harm’s way makes it unforgivable just the same. I need you though. I need you whole, and any punishment I might feel you deserve would simply be a waste of time. Let this entire turn of events be a lesson to you though. You are to come to me no matter what if things do not seem right.”
“I realize that I have become enamored with my bride, and I also realized that many find that fact odd. Regardless of that, it is true. She is my mate and I wish to spend time with her and any who wish to whisper gossip about my abilities as a leader because I enjoy my wife’s company will find their tongues cut from their mouths and hung around their necks to remind others of the price of speaking when one should hold ones tongue.”
Mikhal strode to the sideboard and poured a mug of scotch from the jug there, turned back to his first in command, and motioned to the chairs before the hearth. “Come, there is something I need to tell you, then we must talk and devise a plan that will rid our lives of Hannah, Marishka, Andor, and the danger they pose.”
Lucian did as he was bid, and settled into the chair, looking into the dead hearth, trying to make himself relax. He was surprised that his Master hadn’t chastised him and was of course pleased, but he also wondered about his odd behavior since he had taken his mate. The Mikhal the Merciless of old would have struck him down with glee, but now. Well now, day by day he seemed to be becoming a different man. Was it the Mistress’s influence?
He too found her charming, and she was of course beautiful, but many women were, including the fiery Natalya, but in his eyes that was all they should be, simple object of art. They were to be gazed upon, bedded when the need arose, dallied with, and of course the women who served them had another darker purpose at times, but the way his Master was treating his wife, the liberties he allowed her, were astounding, and Lucian simply didn’t understand it.
He was honestly shocked that they had left Natalya’s chamber without the servant girl, and couldn’t understand why Mikhal hadn’t simply torn the girl from his wife’s arm despite her pleas. She was a mere woman after all. What did her wishes matter, what of her tears, especially in a case like this? Hannah posed a danger yet the Master left the girl in proximity to his wife. It was all very odd.
He heard Mikhal give a low growl and turned to his Lord, wondering at what had caused him to issue the sound, and found that Mikhal was looking at him with eyes full of rage, rage th
at had not been there before. An even deeper sense of confusion filled Lucian as he looked back at his Master.
“You wonder why I am so angry with you, Lucian? What brought on the sudden snarl?”
Lucian’s eyes widened, what was this? Mind reading? What magick had come to play here?
“I felt your doubts about me, felt your confusion and guessed from where it stemmed. You do not question my ability to rule, have not had traitorous thoughts, which has of course saved you, but your doubts about my behavior, your feelings of outrage about what happened this morning anger me all the same. You wonder why I allowed my wife to dictate the course of events. Am I right?”
“Yes, Sire. How...?”
“Patience Lucian, tis a secret few know and I am loathe to tell. You wonder why I care for my mate when she is a mere human. You think I should have taken the girl regardless of how my sweet wife screamed. In your opinion I should rule her with a fist as hard as I rule the rest of those who reside here. Am I correct?”
Lucian couldn’t deny it. He wouldn’t outright lie to his Master, and something told him it would be a very dangerous thing to do anyway. “Yes, My Lord. Yes to all of it. I admit to my shock, to my curiosity. Your mate is a lovely woman, sweet and charming...” Mikhal snarl told him immediately that it wouldn’t be wise to let on that he too found the Mistress enchanting, though it was in a completely innocent way. To feel otherwise would be suicide. No one touched the mate of a master Vampire.
“Forgive me, My Lord. I meant no disrespect. I am still confused as to her behavior though. Tis not... normal.”
Mikhal sighed as he reined in his anger. Lucian meant no slight; he knew that, even now as he questioned the way Mikhal chose to handle his wife’s sharp tongue and unruly manners. It was simply mystifying to the man, and he had encouraged him to answer truthfully.
Beneath The Shadows of Evil... Torn Page 25
