by S. E. Smith
Carmen walked into the bathroom admiring the beautiful colors in the stone. A huge pool that reminded her of some of the ancient Roman baths sat in the center of the room. There was a toilet, what looked like a long, shallow sink, and a shower area that was big enough to fit a compact car in it. On the back side of the shower was a garden. It really only consisted of the two end walls and the ceiling. The two long sides were open. Why anyone would need such large areas for bathing was beyond Carmen. She had been happy with her little shower stall. It was a hell of a lot easier to clean.
She set the clothes she had gathered down on a small table and began undressing. She didn’t look in the mirror that covered one whole wall. She knew what she would see. She was losing weight again. It was hard to force herself to eat. She just didn’t have any appetite anymore.
Well, she thought with a twisted grin, I do but not for food.
The grin faded as a new image popped into her mind and it wasn’t Javier Cuello. The image was of the tall, dark haired man who had fought with her and locked her in these rooms without saying a word. Of course, she didn’t give him much of a chance.
Her face burned with embarrassment as she remembered some of the things she had said, not to mention her language. She had been in rare form yesterday. Between the fear, the anger, and feeling like her life was out of control, she had let it all out in one big temper tantrum that would have made any two year old proud, minus the inventive language.
Carmen let her clothes fall into a nice neat pile on the floor. She would wash them out and hang them to dry when she was done. She stepped into the huge shower area and turned in a circle. There were no doors to it. There wasn’t even a shower curtain. She looked up at the ceiling that had to be at least twelve feet high. She could see a series of holes where the water could come out. She was about to give up and just jump in the Roman bath when a soft, warm mist started then became slightly heavier. A startled giggle escaped her as it surrounded her in a light rain. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm spray as it fell over her.
*.*.*
Creon was still tired. He had not slept much the night before. His mind and his dragon refused to believe his mate could belong to someone else. He was determined to confront her. He would let her know that she would have to accept that she would never return to the male from her old world. Her place was now on Valdier at his side. Once the transformation was complete, she would not have a choice. Her body would be too different for her to be able to safely return to her world.
We die without our mate, his dragon added. That good reason not to let mate go.
Like you think I haven’t already thought of that, Creon bit out sarcastically before he let out a puff of hot breath. I’m sorry. I should not take my frustration out on you.
I no care. I ignore you as long as you get me my mate, his dragon snorted.
Creon fought the desire to roll his eyes. His dragon had a one track mind now. He wanted to mate and he would not stop until he did.
Like you no want to fuck your mate too, his dragon smirked.
That was the other drawback to having three parts of himself, the other two knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling. He shifted uncomfortably inside his dragon. Yes, he wanted her. He wanted her desperately. His body was clamoring to take her hard and fast at first then long and slow. He wanted to place his mark on her for all to see. He remembered Kelan’s words about how half the men on board the V’ager were in love with her. He could understand why. She was a fierce fighter and strong. Even though physically she appeared delicate and fragile, she had a strength about her that made her seem as strong as any Valdier warrior.
Creon swept over the walls of the palace. He stretched his wings out as far as they would go and glided, turning in a slight arch until he was lined up with the balcony leading into his bedroom. The same balcony he had thrown himself off of last night. He touched down lightly on the stone railing, transforming as he landed. Back in his two-legged form, he hopped down and walked swiftly through the doors. His eyes swept back and forth taking in the disheveled sheets. A smaller version of his symbiot lay sleeping in the middle of the bed. It raised its head, sending images of Carmen to him. A wicked smile curved his lips when he heard the sound of water falling. Perhaps it was time to introduce the white-haired savage to her new mate.
Creon quickly shed his clothes and walked into the bathing room. He stopped long enough to appreciate the beauty of his mate. His eyes roamed her lithe form. She was turned sideways with her head tilted back and her eyes closed, a small smile curved her lips. He ignored the fact that the smile more than likely would disappear but his desire for her only grew as his eyes swept down her slender frame. His own lips turned down when he noticed the shape of her ribs outlined under her skin. He would take care of that soon enough. He would make sure she had plenty to eat. Her short hair was slicked back from the water. He liked how it curled at the ends. She turned, letting her head drop forward. He started forward in curiosity when he saw she had something across one shoulder. The colorful image seemed to glow.
He stepped into the shower with her and reached out to touch the delicate wings of the flying creature painted across one shoulder blade. He thought for sure she would erupt into violence at his touch. Instead, she froze as if just the touch of his fingers against her skin held her immobilized.
“What is this?” He asked quietly.
Carmen kept her head down and turned slightly. She had been lost in the magic of the shower and didn’t realize she wasn’t alone anymore. A shiver went through her body the moment the man behind her touched her. A part of her wanted to cover up and another part was curious about what would happen. Her body seemed to come alive all of the sudden. It had been so long since she had felt alive she wanted to feel it for just a brief moment longer.
“It’s a phoenix,” she replied in a low husky voice.
Creon traced the edges of the beautiful creature painted on her skin. He had seen others with such images on them but never one as beautiful as this one. The intricate lines ran from the top of her shoulder down to her hip. The creature had a delicately curved head with small feathers rising upward. It reminded him of the woman standing in front of him. There was a look of sadness in its eyes, as if it had experienced too much pain and suffering. The back of it curved down in a smooth line until he reached the tail feathers that were long and flowing, reaching down to touch the slight curve of her ass and wrapping around her hip. It was painted in glorious shades of reds, pinks, and soft purples. The artist had taken the time to make each individual feather unique. It was clearly a labor of love for the artist. It was as if the creature on his mate’s back had captured a part of her essence for all time.
“It is beautiful, like you. What is so special about this creature?” He asked in wonder.
“The phoenix is a mythical creature from my world,” Carmen said lifting her head to stare straight ahead. “It lives eternally, going through a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth until it grows old,” she whispered.
He leaned forward so he could hear her softly spoken words and slid his arms around her waist. He tilted his face just enough so he could feel her warmth against his lips. He heard the pain in her voice. This creature symbolized something very important to her.
“What happens when it grows old?” He pushed quietly.
Carmen turned in his arms and raised her face to his. The water from the shower clung to her long eyelashes like tears. She looked deeply into his dark eyes, as if assessing whether she should stay or try to escape.
“It builds a special nest then stands in the nest and is consumed by fire,” her eyes darkened with sorrow. “From the ashes of the old phoenix a new one is born to live another lifetime.”
Creon raised his hand to gently cup his mate’s cheek. “I feel so much pain inside you. It tears at me. Let me help you. Let me take away your pain,” he said hoarsely. “Let me shoulder it for you so that you can rise again.”
; Tears burned Carmen’s eyes. She stiffened, refusing to give in to the desire to let someone else take her burden from her. She had made a promise she would never forget. Her hand moved down to her flat stomach. She clenched her fist against it. She had risen three times from the ashes. It was time to return to Earth and build her final nest. Only when she was done, she would not be reborn but would seek everlasting peace instead.
“No,” she responded, pulling away from the temptation.
Carmen quickly stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel she had laid out, wrapping it around her. She tucked the ends between her breasts to hold it on before grabbing the clothes that she had brought into the bathroom with her. She needed to get out of here. She needed to go home. She had things to do, people to see, someone to kill. She had to find her sister, Trisha and Cara.
Without turning around, she spoke just loud enough for him to hear her. “I have to speak with my sister, Trisha and Cara. We need to be returned to Earth,” she said in an emotionless voice before she walked out of the room.
Creon let out a small curse under his breath. His plan to claim her had changed when he saw the image on her back. He needed to know what was hurting her. His symbiot had examined her thoroughly while she was sleeping. It had sent him the information as soon as he arrived back. She had numerous old scars that his symbiot had healed. It had been concerned about how close many of them had come to her vital organs.
By the time he walked into his bedroom, Carmen was dressed in one of his shirts and a pair of his pants. His shirt went almost to her knees and she was busy rolling the legs of the pants up. He couldn’t resist the chuckle that escaped him.
“You look like a child playing dress up in my clothes,” he observed.
Carmen flashed him a dark look. “I don’t have any other clothes except what I was wearing and they are dirty. I’ll wash them and return yours as soon as I can put them back on. I am assuming from your comment that this is your apartment. Since I hope to be out of here by later today I won’t ask for my own place to stay. I want to see my sister and friends then I want transportation back home. I need to return as soon as possible.”
“Why?” Creon asked leaning back against the wall.
Carmen flashed a quick glance at him before turning her head again. She really wished he would put some clothes on. The towel he had wrapped around him didn’t cover near enough to make her comfortable. Hell, nothing about him, dressed or not, made her comfortable. Her body was hypersensitive where he was concerned. She had never been with anyone but Scott. He was the only male who had ever seen her without her clothes on except for the doctors who had operated on her. Even her GYN had been a woman. A wave of guilt flooded her as she realized that she could think of Scott and it didn’t seem to hurt as much as before. She clenched her jaw. She would not let her confusing feelings for the man standing across from her dissuade her from her path.
“I have things to do,” she said, turning away. “I was supposed to meet someone.”
“Scott,” Creon asked with a deep growl.
Carmen swirled around in shock and rage. “How do you know about Scott?” She asked fiercely.
“Who is this male?” Creon demanded, standing straight. “I will not return you to him. You are mine now. You cannot return to him.”
Carmen paled. “I am not yours. I can never be yours. I will go back to my planet. With or without your help. I’ll never give up.”
Jealousy bit deeply at Creon. He would not let his mate be under the impression that she would ever return to the male she left behind. Her life was with him on Valdier now. It may take time but she would come to accept it. Neither of them had any other choice.
He strode forward until he towered over her. He forced himself to ignore the distress in her eyes. Gripping her arms tightly, he pulled her against him and pressed his lips against hers in a fierce, possessive kiss that spoke of his claim.
Carmen erupted against him, fighting as he expected earlier. He didn’t make the same mistakes as he had in the transporter room. He held her close against his body not giving her an opportunity to use her legs against him. His hands kept her arms pressed tightly against her side. His mouth kept her from using her head.
Unfortunately, her mouth was still a lethal weapon, he thought as he felt the sharp sting and the taste of blood where her teeth bit down on his bottom lip.
He pulled back reluctantly. “You are mine, mi elila. We cannot survive without you. The sooner you accept this, the easier it will be for all of us.”
Carmen refused to look at him. She kept her eyes glued to his broad chest. Everything inside her wanted to give in but his words stung. She bit her lower lip until she tasted her own blood mixing with his.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “I have to go back.”
“Why?” Creon demanded in despair.
Carmen did look up as the sound of anguish broke through her own grief. “I have to kill someone.”
Chapter 7Creon stared moodily out the window. His mate’s revelation that she needed to return to kill someone had taken him by surprise. She continued to confuse him. Every time he thought he was beginning to figure her out she would say or do something totally different than what he was expecting. He was so confused he did the only thing he could to help him understand the situation… he sought out his mother for advice. There were some things in a warrior’s life that he excelled at and others when he knew he was totally over his head. In the case of understanding what to do with this female, he decided his best course of action was to seek help from another woman. That was why he was now standing in his mother’s living quarters instead of charging off to meet with Ha’ven like he was supposed to.
“Creon, what is it?” Morian asked in concern as she walked into her living area from the library down the hall.
He turned to look at his mother. She was still very beautiful. Her hair was still as black as the midnight skies when the moons did not rise. Her eyes glowed with a soft warm gold. Her skin had a few new wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, most of them appeared after his father’s death. She moved with the natural grace of a Valdier princess. When his father died during an accident while hunting, he had feared she would follow soon after. For several months her grief had been so tangible he felt like he could reach out and touch it. It had been several years since his father died and at times he still felt the deep grief inside her. She missed her mate. He knew his father was not her true mate. They had married to forge a stronger relationship between two powerful clans, making them into one. Both of his parents came from the Houses of Royalty. It was said his mother was a priestess for the Gods and Goddesses whose lifeblood flowed through their veins and whose blood gave life to their symbiots. His mother knew things that others missed. She could communicate with all the symbiots and her love of the plants that lived on their planet was evident. If he didn’t know better, he would swear that she could talk to them and vice versa.
“I need your help, Dola,” he responded solemnly.
“Of course,” she said placing a comforting hand on his arm. “It is about Carmen?”
He nodded not sure where to begin. He moved to sit down on one of the plush chairs near the window. He decided to tell her everything that had happened so far. Maybe she could see what he could not.
“She is hurting and refuses to allow me to help her,” he said as he finished retelling her everything, including about the image on his mate’s back and her desire to return to her world to kill someone.
Morian stared at her son’s drawn face. It was obvious the young girl’s pain was radiating outward until it was affecting Creon and his dragon. Perhaps it was time she visited the young girl herself.
“Perhaps she needs another female to talk to,” Morian suggested. “I will go see her. There is a dinner planned for this evening. I had the seamstress make a few outfits for each of the women based on the information Zoran sent me. It will be a good excuse to spend time with her.”
Creon let out a relieved sigh. “I would appreciate it. She is not talking to me again. Once I refused her request to see her sister and friends and take her home, she turned her back on me and refused to say another word. That worries me more than anything else,” he said with a pained expression.
Morian opened her mouth to respond when a rapid knock on her outer doors stopped her. She was not expecting anyone else. Rising, she was startled when the knock sounded again, this time even harder.
Morian hurried to the door and pulled it open. A guard stood outside looking very grim. He bowed respectfully to Morian but his eyes were searching behind her.
“My lord, we need you,” the guard said urgently.
Creon stood up, frowning. “What is it?”
“It is the human female,” the guard said grimly. “She escaped your chambers by knocking her guard out. We have recaptured her but she is fighting us. I am afraid she might get hurt.”
“Oh dear,” Morian said, her hand going to her throat. She turned to Creon who was striding forward. “I will go with you.”
Creon nodded, a tight expression on his face. “Take me to her.”
*.*.*
Carmen ignored the throbbing in her ankle. She had hurt it when she kicked that last guy. These guys were harder to take by surprise. She was beginning to suspect the warriors on board the V’ager had been playing with her. She wouldn’t be surprised if they had been coming to pick a fight with her just to relieve the boredom of being cooped up on a warship for long periods of time or she was a novelty to them because these guys were totally serious.
She had escaped by slamming a vase upside her guard’s head. It had taken a fair bit of acting on her part just to get the guy to open the door to check on her. The loud scream and crash had finally done it. She had sent Harvey out for flowers for her. She had made up a story about how she would love to have some flowers to decorate the apartment with. After a few sniffles and a few flutters of her eyelashes, Harvey had reluctantly given in. She figured she had one chance to escape with Harvey and tall, dark, and confusing out of the way. Hell, she didn’t even know his name!
