by H. D. Gordon
“I would have been dead. But a Sorceress saved me,” he explained. “She subdued the serpent and took me to safety, and I…stayed with her.”
For a moment, Mila was silent. Then her voice took on that growl again in his head. “You stayed with her? Everyone thought you were gone. We held a ceremony in your name. Your mother cried in front of both of our families… I cried.”
Samson’s gut twisted, but he ignored it. She had every right to feel this way, but it wasn’t like he could do anything about it now. But he was going to need her help, and if he had learned anything about females from living with Surah for so long, it was that you caught a lot more bees if you used honey.
“I’m sorry, Mila.”
Mila let out a loud growl that reverberated between the trees. “You’re sorry? That’s all you have to say? You’re sorry?” She turned around and began heading through the trees, her muscular shoulders stiff, her tail held still. “You’re sorry doesn’t mean shit to me. Enjoy the buck, traitor.”
Samson sighed. Surah was lucky he loved her. He would not have come home to face this if he didn’t. Then again, he never would have left home if not for her, either.
He left the downed buck and chased after Mila, catching up to her easily. She held her head forward and refused to look at him.
Mila, please, I need your help.
Mila huffed. “Go ask your precious Sorceress for help.”
Samson came to a stop in front of her, blocking her path. “She can’t. She’s been captured, and I think she’s here somewhere. The man who has her will kill her if I don’t find her.”
“And why the hell should I care? I don’t give a shit about two-legs, and they don’t give a shit about us. Let her die.”
She went to move around him. He blocked her path again. “I can’t do that, Mila. You don’t understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t.”
Samson had to suppress a growl. He didn’t have time for this. Females could be so exhausting. He took a deep breath, completely unsure as to whether his next words would help his case, or hurt it. He said them anyway.
“I love her, Mila.”
Mila just stared at him, unblinking. She stared at him for so long that he felt sure she was going to refuse his request. Then, something flashed behind her eyes that made his heart seem to stop in his chest, and the guilt he felt over leaving her and everyone else slammed into him as hard as it first had over a decade ago.
Finally, as if it hurt her to do so, she said, “How much?”
“How much what?”
Mila rolled her eyes, something Samson remembered her doing with annoying frequency when they were younger, an odd Two Leg quality for a feline. “How much do you love her?”
Samson’s response was immediate, and though he knew it would hurt her, he also knew it was the right one.
“Like the moon loves the night and the sun loves the day.”
He was right, it did hurt her. He watched with an ache in his heart as the pain flashed behind her eyes. This was something only mates said about one another, something that, once upon a time, in a different world where different things might have happened, Mila and Samson were supposed to say to each other.
Her voice was a pitch lower in his head when she spoke, just hardly above a whisper. “You’ll have to prove it.”
“I know.”
Mila studied him, and Samson was very aware of the way her silver eyes ran over his body. “Are you up for it?” she asked.
Samson tilted his head, giving her a look that said that was a stupid question. Mila rolled her eyes again. Some things just never changed.
“I suppose you’ll have to be,” she continued. “I can’t imagine what sort of test my father will give for you to gain his assistance. He won’t be pleased with all of this.”
“I know.”
Mila huffed again and circled around Samson. He followed, thinking that maybe he wasn’t up for this after all. He knew what the reaction would be to his arrival, knew his choices would be seen as traitorous, knew this would probably be one of the most difficult things he’d ever had to do, aside from leaving them all in the first place.
But what choice did he have? He’d meant what he said.
He really did love Surah like the moon loves the night and the sun loves the day. Even if it was such a hopeless, reasonless love.
Often times, the greatest of such is just so.
Chapter 23
Black Heart
He loved the reaction she gave every time she saw him.
She looked over from the tree branch on which she was perched, her head cocking in that bird-like way. Her wide, slanted eyes glittering, the shimmering wings on her back fluttering. Bits of pink leaves floated down to the earth as she bounced up and down, shaking the branch, the claws on her feet digging into the bark.
“Michael!” she trilled. Her head cocked from side to side. “Michael is here! Wonderful! Michael is here, everyone!”
Black Heart came forward, ignoring the looks from the Fae Queen’s guards as he stepped into her palace, which was ringed with a high stone wall and composed of all earth and trees. The weather was always pleasant here, warm and moist, the sun filtering down gently through the multi-colored trees and creating rainbows where there should be shadows.
Black Heart loved this place.
“My love,” he said, coming to a stop beneath the tree in which she was perched, his neck tilted back to look at her.
She floated down from the tree gracefully, her long gown flowing and shifting in color from purple to blue to pink. Her wings fluttered once, and she landed lithely on her feet, clapping her hands and grinning widely to reveal sharp teeth.
“My love! My love!” she sang. “My love has returned!”
She flicked her hands, shooing away the two Fae guards nearest them, and snatched up Black Heart’s hand in hers the way a love struck child might do. She led him into her bedroom, which was just a close ring of trees that were so thick they served as walls. The sun shined down overhead. A bed with a silk canopy sat in the center. This is where she led him.
“What’s new?” she asked. “Tell me everything! It must be so exciting!”
Black Heart smiled, sat down on the bed. She immediately climbed on top of him. Her strange, beautiful face inches from his. His heart quickened.
“It is, my lady,” he said, running his hands down her waist. “It is, indeed. It’s going even better than I expected.”
Her wide, slanted eyes sparkled. She clapped her hands, bouncing him up and down on the bed. “You’ve killed the Sorcerer King!” she giggled. “The king is dead! The king is dead!”
Black Heart grabbed her wrists and moved her arms around his neck, leaning up to kiss her soft throat. She giggled again softly.
“Not yet, my love,” he whispered. “But soon. Very soon. I have his daughter, too.”
She pulled back, the grin still wide on her face. “Surah Stormsong? You’ve captured her? Where is she? I want to meet her! Bring her to me! Bring her!”
Black Heart kissed her neck again. She shifted her hips, quieted.
“I have no intention of doing that,” he said. “I’m going to kill her.”
She pulled back, her red mouth drawing down into a pout. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You have all the fun! Bring her here and I will kill her! A test! I’ll give her a test she can’t pass! It will be wonderful!”
Black Heart sighed and laid back on the bed, propping his hands behind his head. “Too dangerous, my love. I’m sorry, but no.”
She bounced up and down again in anger, her legs tightening almost painfully around him. “I can make sure it gets done! You don’t think I can! Shame on you, Michael! Shame on you!”
He stared up at her. “You didn’t do so well with the Sun Warrior. You told me she would be hopelessly outmatched. What happened with that?”
The Queen’s eyes narrowed and her voice lowered, as it only did when she was truly mad. Sh
e spoke between sharp, clenched teeth.
“She was,” she said. “She was outmatched. I placed thirty of my best warriors against that girl, and she slaughtered them all like they were nothing more than annoying insects. You should have seen it! I underestimated Alexa. I won’t make that mistake again. I will kill the Sorceress princess myself! You’re selfish! That’s what it is! You are a selfish man! Just like all men!”
He pulled her down to him roughly, pressing their bodies together, kissing her neck. She tried not to, but she giggled. He spoke softly against her skin. “Because of that, the Vampire King is dead, and I have only rumors to base the claim that he killed Syris Stormsong. I’m sorry, love. I won’t risk it.”
She pulled back again, a slight flush on her cheeks, her chest heaving. “Where is she now? The princess? Who is watching her?”
Black Heart hesitated. She threw up her hands, crossed her arms over her chest. “You left him with that brother of yours! Fool! You are a fool! He has proven he can’t be trusted! Michael is a fool!”
His teeth clenched. “Watch your tongue, my love.”
Her head cocked, grin slowly returning. “Or what? You’ll cut it out?” She leaned down. “You just try! Just try! Just try!”
Black Heart smiled. She was so lovely when she was angry. “Of course not, my love. Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Her eyes narrowed. He pulled her to him again, their chests flush against one another’s.
“He is my little brother, and he deserves one more chance to prove himself. I’m giving him that. Charlie loves me. I know he does.”
She licked his throat, making him shiver. “But he also loves this princess,” she mumbled against his skin. “You said he’s loved her since he was a boy. Would you betray me for your Charlie Boy? Would you?”
Black Heart didn’t know the answer to that question, but he knew what she wanted to hear.
“Of course not, my love.”
“Fool! You are a fool then! Why not just kill the princess right now? You already have the Black Stone.”
“There is no risk, so I am no fool. Even if Charlie does try to help the princess, I won’t give him time to break her restraints. I’m going back as soon as I leave here. And as long as her father still has the White Stone, we need her alive for leverage. Each Stone is capable of canceling the power of the other, so I need them both before I make my move.”
He lifted her skirt and ran his hands up her thighs, knowing this would cut off any response. Her skin quivered under his fingers. He kissed her neck. “Besides, I thought you’d be pleased I made time to see you.”
She sat up and began working at his belt. “Of course!” she sang. “Always happy to see Michael! We will be quick! Princesses to kill and kingdoms to steal!” She laughed. “Quick! Quick! Quick!”
Black Heart smiled. “Quick enough.”
Chapter 24
Theo
She was lucky she was a woman.
He smiled and looked into her eyes. Of course, her cheeks brightened softly and she returned the gesture.
“I don’t think you understand, Tyra,” Theo said, voice as smooth as velvet. “Dark magic was used to portal into the castle by an…unsavory person. You were the person on watch over the security spells that are supposed to keep out just such people during the time of the breech.” He tilted his head, regarding her with false gentleness. “Just explain to me how that can be. It is a matter of great importance.”
Tyra’s brow furrowed in thought, her cheeks still flushed from Theo’s penetrating stare. He could tell just by her face that she was attracted to him, and he had no patience for idle talk just now. He could also tell she was hiding something.
He took a half step forward, leaning down to catch her eyes when they dropped to the floor. He placed his large hands gently on her shoulders. She looked up at him with wide eyes.
“It’s all right, my lady,” he said, his voice a low purr. “You can tell me what’s on your mind.”
Tyra looked down again. Then, all of a sudden, she burst into tears, her chocolate hair falling into her face and her hands coming up to cover it. Theo raised an eyebrow and suppressed a sigh. This was exactly why women shouldn’t be able to run kingdoms. They were always crying for no apparent reason. No control over their emotions.
Well, Surah had control. It was one of the reasons he liked her. He suppressed an eye roll and patted Tyra’s shoulders.
“Tell me what troubles you,” he said, his voice slightly less gentle.
She ran her sleeve underneath her nose, swiping at tears and snot. Theo swallowed back disgust and made sure his smile was in place.
Her voice trembled when she spoke. “I didn’t have a choice, my Lord,” she said.
More sobs racked her chest. Theo’s eyes narrowed. “A choice in what?”
Her words came out so broken he could hardly understand her. “B-Black Heart…he…he had my son!” She was becoming hysterical. Theo let her continue. “He-he said he’d kill Tony if I didn’t cooperate. I was so scared! You have to believe me!”
Theo’s mouth was tight. “What did he ask you to do?”
She swiped at her nose again. “To lower the spells blocking portals inside the dungeons. I-I didn’t know what to do. He had Tony! He had my son! He showed him to me through a vision spell, showed him bound and gagged and unconscious!” She grabbed his wrists. Theo resisted the urge to yank free of her touch. “What else could I have done?” she sobbed.
“Did he return your son?”
She nodded, her eyes hopeful. Theo turned to leave. “Then enjoy your time with him, because I’m sure that King Syrian will want you brought forth on treason.”
Tyra began to sob again, asking over and over what else she could have done. Theo opened the door of her chamber and turned back, his gray eyes cold and hard.
“You could have been loyal to your kingdom,” he said, and then he left. He could hear her sobs all the way down the hall.
He was angry. He basically had nothing to go on and time was running short. He could practically feel the heat of the situation on his neck. Everything he’d wanted for so long was just within reach. King Syrian had promised his daughter’s hand, and all Theo had to do was find her. It was proving to be easier said than done.
But he was not quite out of ideas yet. There were others who might know more about the princess and her whereabouts.
The tiger was gone, having disappeared along with Surah, so he was out. Not that Theo would have relished trying to strike up a talk with that beast. That left the Warlock and Surah’s two personal guards, Lyonell and Noelani.
He decided Bassil would be his next stop, and the Warlock had better be forthcoming. Theodine Gray’s patience was wearing terribly thin.
Chapter 25
Samson
Samson followed Mila through the jungle. She didn’t say a word.
He wished he could explain himself to her in a way that wouldn’t hurt her feelings, in a way she could understand, but he knew there was no use even trying. The ways of the jungle were too reinforced in her—too reinforced in all of them—that loving a Sorceress would sound like insanity.
Samson supposed it sort of was, but his instincts pushed him onward. He had a gut feeling that if he didn’t reach Surah in time, it would mean her death. And, that, as insane as it may be, could not be allowed to happen.
He knew he would have to face his kind at one point or another, now was as good a time as any.
The two of them slinked through the undergrowth, the ground soft and moist beneath his paws. He kept tilting his head up to test the air, taking in the clean, untouched smell of it.
There were many things he missed about his home, and the smell was one of them. You didn’t get air like this where there were people. You didn’t get plants this green or silence this deep or sunlight as soft as this, either.
Mila kept moving onward, no doubt leading him to her father. She didn’t look back even once to see if he was still followi
ng, didn’t slow down to make sure he wouldn’t lose her. She navigated her way over downed trees and swam across cool rivers and slipped between the plants easily.
Samson, though he was nervous about the task ahead, liked watching her move. She was so at home here, her powerful muscles shifting under her dark fur, silver eyes flicking back and forth. Her head and tail were held low, her progression silent. Mila had grown into a fine female while he’d been away. An alpha.
This made him think of Surah, as most of his thoughts led him to. People didn’t label themselves alphas, but if they did, the princess would certainly be one of them. He wondered what she was doing just now, knew she was probably scared but calm, trying to figure her way out of whatever situation she’d found herself in. He supposed that made two of them.
Mila came to a stop in front of him, and Samson was so absorbed in his thoughts that he had to lock his forelegs so as not to run into her. Her head swiveled as she looked back at him.
“You sure you want to do this?” She asked him silently.
Samson’s tongue flicked out, running over the blue and black fur around his mouth. “Yes,” he said.
She stared at him a moment, her round, silver eyes pinned to his. She looked like she didn’t want to say what she said next. “You’ll probably be fighting Reno.”
Samson looked at her a moment, then laughed internally. “Reno? You think I should be worried about fighting Reno?”
She didn’t seem to share in his amusement. “He’s not the same as he was when you left. He’s no longer a cub. He’s grown strong. Fighting him is no laughing matter.”
Samson went to move around her. “I’m sure he has. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
Mila blocked his path, her head held low between her muscular shoulders.
“I’m not worried,” she snapped. “What have I to worry about? I accepted your death a long time ago. It’s you who should be worried. Reno has lived life here, among the beasts, while you have laid atop fluffy pillows on the bedroom floor of a Sorcerer princess. You would be a fool to underestimate him.”
