by Elise Whyles
Skarlet Kiss
by
Elise Whyles
Skarlet Kiss
Copyright © 2013, Elise Whyles
ISBN: 9781937325718
Publisher: Beachwalk Press, Inc.
Electronic Publication: May, 2013
Editor: Pamela Tyner
Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs
eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Back Cover Copy
Can one who served the enemy find love in the arms of a condemned man?
Una has spent her life serving Amuliana, the goddess of immortals. Now she stands on the brink of a change, one that can her give back the life she lost to Amuliana’s meddling. But the change that comes will shatter the peaceful existence she knows and give her a new understanding of love and life. Unbeknownst to Una, her ancestors were the Forsaken, immortals who were cast out for the crime of a jealous vampire general.
Liam, an outcast among the dragon clans, has spent centuries seeking the one who condemned him for a crime he did not commit. When he comes face to face with Una, he must make a difficult choice—seek revenge or save a pure heart from the darkness threatening their worlds.
The dragon warrior and the human girl will unite to face enemies they’ve never experienced as a fallen vampire general’s army stalks them. As Una gains strength, her immortal gifts are returned and she becomes a threat to the imprisoned general who’s seeking power over the immortal world. He can’t afford to let Una survive, because her life will ultimately cost him his.
Together, Liam and Una must fight their way back to the vampire world and the safety offered by her sister. Can love survive amid the treachery and danger, or has Liam finally found his mate only to lose her to the evil plaguing their worlds?
Content Warning: explicit sex, emotional torment, graphic violence
Dedication
For my fans, and for the one man in my life who always supports me no matter how weird I get. Love you, JD.
Chapter 1
“Una has become a risk.” Cold indifference in his mistress’s voice soaked through the gossamer thin flesh covering Anagor’s bones. “One we can ill afford to have. If she is found we shall all suffer.”
“Her sister still believes she is alive. Even now, after years of searching, she has not given up. She offers coin for information, for any sign of her existence.” Anagor stared down at the floor, fear keeping him on his knees. Amuliana in a mood was beyond dangerous...she was merciless. “You have forgotten, mistress, Bede is not some weakling, but rather a favorite of the queens of Hema. She has been reborn into the nation. She has the power to find her sister.”
“Yes, it is a concern.” The shadows shifted around his mistress as she moved into the firelight. The golden halo of light revealed the gaunt starkness of her features. Her visage sent a shudder down his spine; her true self revealed was as hideous as his torment.
Longing filled him to drive a stake through her, to show her the meaning of pain, yet he knew it would do little good. She’d not grant him release. Nay, she’d punish him with a longer existence.
Her cold voice reached through his thoughts. “Take Una to DeLria. The temple there is befitting her. If the journey does not destroy her, it will be up to another to do so.”
Anagor hid his wince of dismay as he bit back a sharp retort. DeLria wasn’t fit for man nor beast. The temple had long fallen in ruins, destroyed by one too many mortal warlord and vagrant over the years. Only Amuliana’s threats of harm to the mortals still following her had kept anyone interested enough to offer a token pittance of loyalty. Una would not last half a sun there, she’d be dead if not by the harshness of the temple, then by the hand of some marauder who would ensure her suffering was long, drawn-out.
“It is a hard journey,” he protested. “I doubt the mortal could—”
“She is not to reach there. Take her down the path along the Sea of Vail. The risks are great, there are countless enemies who would rid us of such tender mortal flesh. There are hazards none could imagine—sheer cliffs, icy temperatures, mortals who would dispatch her with ease. I will not risk anyone growing aware of my plans.” Amuliana smiled but there was no warmth to it. Her eyes narrowed, flashing with fury and malice as she rubbed her palms together. She paced along the dais, her nails scraping over the gold chair arm. “Do as I have bid and I shall grant you release.”
Anagor felt a flash of elation at the words, his tongue brushing over his aching gums. The nubbins where his fangs once shone seared with agony. As quickly as it had come, the pleasure faded, the promise was hollow as well he knew. He bowed before he struggled to his feet, his spine cracking and popping with the movements. He shuffled from the room, down the narrow passage to the main temple room.
Hovering in the doorway, he stared at the fair-headed woman tending hundreds of lit candles. Young, powerful, she was unaware of just what her place was...and he would do as he’d been bidden. Once on the trail he would drink and drink until his hunger was assuaged. It would do them both good—he’d know death, and she would taste her fate. A feeling of warmth stole over him, an easing of the agony he’d long since grown accustomed to.
* * * *
Thick, rolling clouds kept the air moist as Liam paced the confines of his home. Ice covered the stone walls, snow swirled and danced along the floor of the cave. He shivered, the rattle of scales music to his ears. After two hundred years, he was finally able to break out of the horrid humanoid form.
Padding to the mouth of his cave, he stared out. White clouds soared around the mountain’s peak. Snow danced along the ledge, piling where it was easiest. The air was cold, crisp, sweet, much as it had been when he’d grown up in the Highlands.
He tapped his claws against the stone, his eyes searching through the mist, for what he did not know. The need to search, to find an answer to the elusive want had plagued him for days, disturbing his hunting, his rest. Nights were filled with the image of a female, her hair flowing over her shoulders, wide, trust filled eyes staring at him. Her hands outstretched, reaching toward him. The visage tickled at his memory of another woman, one dressed as a slave, following the footsteps of a vampire…one he’d feared.
Curling his tail around himself, he settled on his haunches, shoulders hunched against the chill as he stared out over the human realm. Faint, his hunger stirred. Soon he’d need to hunt, both for food and for the one who had done him ill. The sharp point of his tail beat a slow, steady rhythm against the floor as he tilted his head, listening to the howling winds, the bitter screams of the winter weather, and the elusive sound of a beating heart.
* * * *
“Do not dawdle, Una, our time grows short.” Harsh, bitter, Anagor’s voice scraped along her nerves as she hurried through the stone corridor. Stale air and dust sat in her throat, gagging her as she scurried among the debris. The sound of claws on stone sent shivers up her spine as some unseen vermin darted from her path. The heavy cloak she wore hid the shimmering fabric of her priestess robes but did little to battle the cold soaking through to her flesh.
“’Tis cold, this place we are being sent.” Una shivered and ducked beneath a heavy beam. Her hand pressed against the icy stone as she struggled to maintain her balance on the uneven ground.
“You may think so.”
Anagor’s sneer pricked at the ready temper she’d struggled to control. Biting her lip, she kept the sharp retort to herself. She glanced up,
her gaze falling on the thick wooden door Anagor stood before. He grinned as he gripped the handle and pulled. Dust and pebbles rained down as it creaked and groaned in protest before scraping along the ground to open. Shock ripped through Una as the pale streak of light spread along the frozen ground, wrapping around her with its icy chill.
Snow slapped at the ground, swirling in a maelstrom of white. It blew through the portal into the opening, piling around her sandal clad feet. Teeth chattering, she rubbed at her arms as Anagor stepped back, reaching for her cloak, all but shoving her into the freezing air.
“Duty does not wait for one who whines,” he snapped, his grip tightening around her arm.
Bitter winds lashed at her dress, whipping the fabric around her legs. Her cheeks and toes burned, and fog formed in front of her with every breath. Her skin tightened, prickles of heat dancing along the surface. Wrapping her arms around herself, she fought to ward off the chill even as she felt it sinking deeper into her skin.
“My lord, I would hurry, but this wind...it is so cold, I fear I’ll freeze.”
“Nonsense. Amuliana would not send you forth to freeze. You have served her well.”
Una stumbled, her hand catching at Anagor. Pain ripped through her, shredding her heart as she wavered, yet it wasn’t her pain. Rather, it was his. His pale eyes stared at her, hate stirring in them, along with something else. Something terrifying.
Backing away from him, Una trembled. Her fingers clutched at her clothes, wrapping them tighter around her. Each step back she took, he advanced two, his eyes fastened on her throat. He grinned, a merciless expression which revealed blackened nubs for teeth and puss filled gums.
“What is this?” Una swallowed, the rising fear pushing any thought but escape from her mind.
“My penance has waited too long, Una. I will have what I seek this night.” Anagor licked his lips, his eyes darkening with hunger.
Whirling, she darted through the snow, her lungs burning with the chill as she strove to get back through the portal. She slipped on the icy ground, her sandals offering no resistance to the slick footing. She clawed at the air for purchase, desperate to remain on her feet.
Screaming in pain and horror, she hit the ground, his weight upon her. Scratching at the ice and snow, she fought to get to the opening even as it closed with a long, drawn-out groan of relief. The flickering light of the lanterns faded into blackness.
“By drinking of you, I will be granted the boon I need.” His rancid breath washed over her face. “I shall walk the other side.”
“Nay!” Una screamed as he rolled her over, his weight settled across her midsection. “Let me go, you monster!”
“How true that is.” Anagor laughed, grabbing her hands and holding them to the ground with crushing strength. He bent closer, his gray hair tickling her throat and jaw. “It is the only way, child. Do not fear death, but welcome it. Too long have we suffered at the hands of that fiend. Now we shall both have what we deserve, what is ours by right.”
Pain seared like a brand through her as he bit into the tender flesh of her throat. Arching away from it, she uttered a garbled scream as her mind raced with images.
Glowing eyes from the darkness. Blood spilling across the ground. A kneeling woman, her tattered clothes stained. A fallen warrior cradled in her lap. Tears leaving trails of silver down a dirty face. Panic and desperation in the woman’s eyes.
Pale, his eyes haunted, Anagor stood, his grip tight around the arm of a child.
“No! Please, do not take her.”
“It is the only way.”
A fresh wave of pain seared through the vision and Una screamed. She sucked in a breath only to gag at the sweet, cloying scent of blood filling her nose. Biting, kicking, scratching, she rolled, scrambling to her feet when Anagor hissed in agony, her knee finding its way into his groin.
Her fingers shaking, she grabbed for the dagger lying at her feet. Tucking it into the rope belt she wore, she turned, gathered her skirts, and ran. Anagor’s furious roar gave strength to her legs as she scrambled across the flat openness of the landscape. Soon the screams of the wind masked even that sound, leaving her alone. Ice and snow pelted her face as she fell to her knees, her gaze darting about. Spotting a dark shape before her, she swallowed, her throat aching.
“Please, goddess, do not forsake me.” Dagger in hand, she rose, her eyes searching behind her for a moment before she advanced upon the figure moving through the snow.
Sluggish, her limbs heavy, a peculiar warmth stealing over her, she advanced slowly. The howling wind did little to distract her as she crept forward. Relief, however short lived, flowed through her when she recognized a man leading a horse. Beyond him, she could barely make out a shelter of some sort.
“Please, please help me.” Stifling a scream, she landed with a thud on the frozen ground. Panic swelled as she glanced behind her before crawling toward the man who moved away from her. She sobbed in agony. “Help me.”
Ranting in a strange language, the man waved at her, darting away from her as though she were an evil spirit. A spear in hand, he threatened her, his hand pushing away the horse. His words growing in volume and ferocity, he vanished inside the dwelling.
Una shivered, her eyes heavy. Sweet mother, please don’t let me die this way.
“You will not die this night.” The soft voice filled her head. “Your end was written long before this moment, and this is just the beginning. Rest, young Una. Rest, for tomorrow you will meet the one who hunts you again. Tomorrow will bring the beginning of the rest of your life.”
* * * *
Una bolted upright. Wrapped in a thick, warm cloak, her feet bound with tall boots, her gaze swept the interior of the structure. Simple, rugged, the inside was neat and tidy. A fire snapped and crackled in the central hearth, wood stacked neatly within a box next to it. From the rafters a decorative sash hung, watching over them. Across the room she could clearly see the man sleeping, his chest rising and falling. Next to him a woman who she assumed to be his wife and a small child slept peacefully.
The firelight flickered and danced over a small statue of a pudgy fellow sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed. Una leaned toward it, her eyes narrowing as she studied it carefully. With a start she blinked, awareness sliding into her mind, it wasn’t a child’s toy or some misbegotten gift. Nay, it had more significance than she’d imagined. Perhaps it was the mark of their beliefs? With a quick shake of her head, she turned her attention to much more pressing matters.
Tilting her head, she listened. The wind had died down, but the danger still lurked. She wiggled from the bed, her heart beating a rapid tattoo against her ribs as she crept across the floor. Una reached for the door-flap and peered out. Deep gray light spilled across the land. Snow still fell, lightly, almost happily. Several beasts stood hunkered together, their heads bowed against the weather.
She glanced over her shoulder, noting the family hadn’t moved. With a silent thank you, she slipped out into the grayness. Long, haunting, the sound of a voice echoed in the wind and she shuddered.
Gathering the warmth of the borrowed cloak around her, she turned and ran. The laughter that followed her chilled far worse than the cold. Anagor, it seemed, was once more on the hunt.
Chapter 2
The scream of agonized fear pulled Liam from his restless slumber. Wings unfurled, talons sharpened, he was in the air before he’d even thought. Swirling through the clouds, his eyes scanned the ground. Barren lands stretched out, dotted with speckles of darker blue marking ice, a blanket of white wrapping around them.
His vision caught the first hint of life, of distress. A blood trail through the snow, not straight but jagged. The scent familiar, the metallic taste upon his tongue. Another scream and his eyes focused on the struggling figure below. Hair streaming behind her, tattered clothes tangling around her legs as she fought her way through the deep snow, was a young female. Behind her, a pale, skeletal monster chased her. Liam gasped when the bea
st vanished and reappeared, drawing ever closer to her.
Folding his wings against his sides, Liam dove. The transformation into his human form came mere seconds before his feet hit the ground. He growled in warning as the beast slammed into him. Lips peeled back from his swollen, diseased gums. Blackened nubs peeked from the flesh, blood spilled over his lips to wet his face and clothes.
“You dare to interfere?”
“You dare to hunt in my territory?” Liam grabbed him by the throat, his hand tightening with each passing beat of his hearts. “I suffer none such as you, vampire.”
“Get out of my way, lizard,” the vampire snarled. He swung, his intent clear as his claws narrowly missed Liam’s face. A wild, terrifying look in his eyes revealed a lack of remorse, of emotion, as he launched himself forward again.
Liam ducked, his hand going to his sword. He whirled, lunging forward as the girl screamed, her body toppling beneath the vampire’s weight into the snow. Terror filled her eyes, her scent, as she kicked at her assailant.
Grabbing a handful of stringy white hair, Liam lifted the vampire’s head and placed his blade along the stretched column. “Leave the girl alone. Else you know suffering.”
“Nay, I cannot.” The vampire scrambled forward. The sharp blade cutting into his throat did nothing to slow him. He clawed at the earth, his nails scouring the ice. “It is within my grasp. Yes, yes! Do it! Come, lizard, give me that which I seek. So close.”
With a quick, upward motion, Liam dropped the dead body and stalked toward the young woman. Twin trails of blood flowed from her neck and soaked into the top of her attire. Ice caked in her hair, on her lashes as she cried softly.
He knelt, pushing the heavier outer clothing aside and grabbing the thin gauze of her underskirt. Ignoring her sputtering protests, he ripped a wide piece off, folding it up and pressing it against her wounds. His fingers made short work of knotting the rag around her throat and tying it off.