by M Guida
“I claim you now and forever. You’re mine. You’re my mate and have my heart. I will protect you with my life.”
With one final pulse, his sweet release followed mine. Something warm burned on my breast as if wax had been poured on it.
Breathlessly, I clasped his cheeks. “And you belong to me. I would do anything to protect you, Lucien. I love you.”
“And I you.” He collapsed on top of me, still pulsing inside me. I couldn’t help but wonder that saying he loved me took everything out of him.
I twirled my fingers in his damp hair. “Are we mated now?”
He kissed my neck. “Yes. You wear my mark and I wear yours.”
“Where?”
He put his hand on my breast. “Here.”
A pair of golden wings just like Lucien’s had been tattooed right below my nipple. I smiled. I really did belong to him.
“Do you bear my mark?”
He smiled. “Yeah, I do.” He lifted slightly.
I touched his chest. “You have a pair of silver wings. Just like mine.”
“Yes, I do.”
I bit my lip. “Are we the only two who have mated, do you think? Poppy said that most supernaturals wait to do this until after they leave the Academy.”
“We’re not most people.” He slid his hand down the side of my body, caressing every curve, making me shiver.
He laughed. “I like making you tremble.”
“You would. But two can play at the game.” I squeezed his sweet ass.
He gasped. “You’re a little minx, but to answer your question, no, we’re not the only Defenders who are mated.”
“We’re not?” I smiled. “Dante and Katona. They’re mated, aren’t they?”
“Yes, they are. And now, we’re the second ones to follow down their path.” His husky voice awakened a desire that only he could fill.
For the rest of the night, we explored our bodies, learning how to please one another until we were exhausted. I fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe and cherished for the first time in a long, long time.
Chapter 25
For the rest of the weekend, we indulged in enjoying each other’s body. We decided to be like Dante and Katona and not announce it. Mostly I decided that, because even though I pledged myself to Lucien, I couldn’t hurt Bo.
Lucien said Bo would know anyway, but I didn’t care. I refused to hurt him any more that I already had. I even decided not to tell Poppy or Katona what we’d done. Bo didn’t deserve to have our mating rubbed in his face.
On Monday, after all our classes and dinner, we were back in the classroom ready to practice the Puriforgio Virueus.
“I’ve been thinking.” Poppy put down another pop can on the table. “If Ryker can sense when we use the spell, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”
A male voice spoke. “You were practicing when I wasn’t here.”
I closed my eyes and mumbled, “Shit.”
Anton emerged out of the shadows. “And no, Raven. I’m not going to make you stop. In fact, I feel it’s imperative all of you learn to master this skill. You’re the Defenders, and we will need your help.”
A hush ran over the room, and no one seemed to breathe.
Lucien broke the silence. “Ours? Why?”
“Have you been using your psychic shields when you have touched your weapons together?”
I gritted my teeth. “No.” Like always, Anton avoided answering a question.
“If you recall in your powerful objects class, if you do not use your shield, then the objects can control you…or someone else can use them against you.”
“You mean like Ryker,” Lucien said.
Anton nodded. “Or his children.”
Bo folded his arms. “You’re not going to tell us exactly what’s happening, are you?”
Anton stood in front of the classroom. “The first step is for you to all bring forth your psychic shield. Then and only then should you touch your weapons.”
We formed a circle like we always did around the can and clasped our weapons.
“What have you accomplished so far?” Anton asked.
No one said anything. I looked around the circle and then blurted, “So far, the only thing we’d been able to accomplish is tossing the can across the room. We’ve tried to move it back onto the table again but failed miserably.”
“That’s better than I thought you’d done,” he said. “That gives me hope.”
I didn’t know if I should be angry or happy.
Anton spread out his arms. “Now, call forth your psychic shields. Cledore.”
I closed my eyes. My heart fluttered and tingles swooshed over me. All the hairs on my body stood on edge.
Anton smiled. “Good, very good.”
A rainbow of colors spread over us, and we touched our weapons.
“Concentrate,” Anton said. “Concentrate on the can. Instead of moving it across the room, I want you to lift the can straight in the air. Move as a team. Trust each other. Now. Puriforgio Virtueus.”
The can hovered a few inches and fell back down.
“Try again,” he urged.
The next time, the can slid across the table and spun around and around.
We practiced again and again, still struggling to lift it up, but we couldn’t do what Anton wanted. After two hours, weariness set in, and we stumbled out of the room.
By the time Holiday break came, I felt like a zombie. Anton had pushed and pushed us as if our lives depended upon it. Maybe they did.
At the terminal of the Celestial Lightrail Express, Lucien kissed me goodbye.
I stared into his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m not going to see you for a month.”
“You could come home with me,” he said.
Meeting his family scared the life out of me. What if they didn’t like me? I tilted my head. I could see Julie’s dad’s black Escalade waiting in the snow.
“I’d love to, but I can’t. I have some explaining to do with Julie and her family.”
He winked. “I’ll see you soon.”
We slowly unwound from each other and I grabbed my bags. Julie waved excitedly from an open window. “Raven.”
I hurried and got into the car. “Hey.”
Julie looked beautiful, wearing white earmuffs and a blue sweater that matched her eyes. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to come for the holidays after your wild departure,” she said reproachfully.
I winced. “I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you or your family in jeopardy.”
“Okay. But no more surprises.”
My cheeks burned, and I buckled my seatbelt.
She pulled away from the station. “Raven, what gives?”
“Lucien and I–––”
Her eyes widened with excitement. She squealed. “Shit, you did it?”
I laughed. “Will you stop?”
“Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easy.”
By the time we pulled into her driveway, I had told her everything that happened. Julie was beside herself with giddiness, but she promised to keep it a secret.
I had some fast talking to do with Julie’s parents, but they forgave me for leaving the way I had, even if they didn’t really understand. I got caught up in decorating the tree with her family, wishing my mom was here.
On Christmas Eve, I sat in the dark quietly staring at the tree with its twinkling lights. Ever since Mom had been kidnapped, I got a lump of emptiness in my belly during Christmas. We used to get a real tree every year and decorate it. Some of the ornaments went back generations. Now all of them were gone, thanks to Faas’s fireballs.
The doorbell rang and Julie went to answer it.
A few moments later she returned and rushed over to the couch, holding a red box with a big white bow. “Raven, someone sent you a present. They left it on the doorstep. I bet it’s from Lucien.”
“Really?” I took the box. It was heavy. “Did you take it out of a cardboard box or something? There’s
no card.”
“No. It was just by itself, like this. Come on.” She crossed her legs and giggled. “Open it. Open it.”
I didn’t sense anything evil and slowly tore off the shiny paper. My heart soared and warmth erased the loneliness I was feeling. “Oh, my God.” Tears tugged at the corners of my eyes. “It’s a Phantom of the Opera music box.” My voice cracked.
“Let’s see.”
My hands shook as I took it out of the paper. The Phantom’s white mask and a red rose were painted on the outside. When I opened it, Think of Me played. “I can’t believe Lucien did this. This means so much to me.”
Julie hugged me. “I told you. He’s really into you.” She whispered into my ear, “And you guys are married.”
I sniffed. “Mated. Not married.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “From what I hear, it’s better than marriage. Maybe someday, I’ll be as lucky as you.”
I cleared my throat and patted her knee. “You will. Any guy would consider themselves lucky to be with you.”
I stared at the beautiful hand carved music box, counting my blessings on having Lucien as my mate. I could hardly wait until I returned to school to show him how much I cared.
Break was finally over. Julie drove me to the station. I squirmed in my seat.
“Will you relax?”
I pressed my face against the window like a little kid, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. “I just can’t wait to see him. It’s like half of me was missing.”
She pulled into the drive. “I still can’t believe this broken-down place is actually a train station.”
I laughed. “It is.” I gave her a big hug and jumped out of the SUV. “I’ll see you in the summer.”
Julie grabbed my arm. “Raven, I know you’re all choked up with love, but Ryker’s still out there. He’s still looking for you. You need to be careful.”
I hadn’t thought about Ebenezer Scrooge. I sighed. “I promise I will.”
I climbed out of her car, grabbed my bags, and rushed over toward the depot as fast as I could, my arms and legs pumping. I burst into the station and scanned for Lucien.
“Looking for someone?” A husky voice made my insides quiver.
I whirled around and threw my arms around his neck. “Lucien. I’ve missed you so much.”
He kissed me deeply, making me realize how much I needed the taste of his lips, his masculine scent, and his arms around me.
“And I’ve missed you,” he grinned. “Did you have a nice holiday?”
“I did, but it would have been better if you would have been there.”
He clasped my hand. “You didn’t have any problems?” We stepped further into the station and as a light shone on him my heart stilled. The joy on his face faded to a gauntness and tightness I hadn’t noticed before.
“No sense of evil?” His voice held a slight tremor, and for the first time, I detected fear.
“No, I didn’t. Why?”
“Good. I was so worried…” He released a loud, heavy sigh. There was pain deep in his eyes, as if he were reliving a nightmare. Deep emotional pain, so naked and raw, that I cursed herself for not seeing it before. Lucien prided himself on always being in control, always rising above the others in keeping his emotions in check almost to the point of being arrogant, but he’d changed. He didn’t look like the same guy I’d left three weeks ago. Suddenly, he reminded me of a war warrior coming home from a weary battle, trying to forget old hurts.
I cupped his rugged cheek. He had grown a shadow of a beard, when he had usually been clean shaven in the past. “Lucien, what happened?”
“Ryker.” Hate and fear reverberated in the name, almost as if it had turned into a curse word. “He hit our kingdom hard over the holiday. Gunnar was with him.”
A shiver of fear crept down my spine.
“You saw him?”
Lucien nodded. “He looks like an avenging angel with his radiant face, but to my people, he’s the angel of death. He has the power to heal his people and kill mine.”
He turned away as if struggling to gain his composure. I gave him the time he needed and waited, even though I wanted to ask a million questions.
He tightened his grip on my hand. “We lost a lot of good people. People I had known since I was a small boy. At one point… I didn’t know if we’d escape the slaughter… We couldn’t get word to the other kingdoms. Somehow they’d broken off all communications… Until…”
“Until what?” I couldn’t keep my silence anymore.
“The Golden Phoenix and his followers, they pushed Gunnar and the other dark demons back, but they weren’t defeated. My dad thinks they were only testing us… Analyzing our weaknesses…”
“Oh, Lucien. I’m so sorry.”
He lowered his head. “I blame myself for this.”
“Why? Your father is the King and leader of all the other kingdoms. That’s why Ryker would focus his attacks on him. If your father’s kingdoms fall, then the others will fall one by one.”
He laughed bitterly. “No, you don’t understand. Ryker didn’t start this aggressive attack until after I claimed you. Our mating prompted Ryker to strike out.”
A shock of something terrifying shot through me, draining the blood from my face and turning my fingers and toes numb. This couldn’t be happening. How had Ryker known?
“I almost didn’t come back, but Dad insisted that I did. He says we needed to find the key up on Mt. Elbert. We have to master the Puriforgio Virtues spell.” He gripped my shoulders. “And we have to find my brother, Armond. He’s the only one who can stop Gunnar and save my people.”
“Lucien, I can help.”
He shook me hard. “No. I want you to stay away from my kingdom. I couldn’t bear to lose you. Promise me, you’ll stay away. Promise me.”
Desperation and determination echoed in his voice and in his eyes. He was one step away from losing his shit. I wouldn’t let him break down here in front of those who looked to him as being the leader, the one to keep them together.
So I lied. “I promise. I’ll stay away.”
“Thank you.” He released his firm grip and stepped back. “Hey, do you want something to drink? Train won’t be here for another thirty minutes.”
“Sure.”
“Café latte?”
“Yeah, that would be great.”
He gave me a quick kiss and headed toward the café. His broad shoulders were stiff and his gait was a little slower. I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but I did. Ryker had hurt him deeply and taken something out of him.
Ryker and his precious son had gone after the guy I love, nearly broken him. He had kidnapped my mother, stolen Lucien’s brother. His crimes continued to mount up and I swore one day I’d make him pay for every single one of them.
Chapter 26
More students were gathering in the train station and I was lost in my own world watching Lucien stand in line when a deep voice brought me out of my thoughts.
“Hey, beautiful.”
I jumped. “Bo.” Unlike Lucien, he looked good. His blue eyes were bright and rested, and his hair had gotten a little longer. He had the same handsome face.
He tilted his head. “Lucien told you?”
“About Ryker’s attacks? Yeah, he told me. Your kingdom didn’t get hit?”
He shook his head. “No. None of the others did. Just the Golden Demons. We didn’t know until after the Golden Phoenix pushed the Dark Demons back. My dad thinks the Phoenix and his followers kept the demons at bay from the rest of the kingdoms, but he doesn’t think it will last long.”
Guilt settled on me like a leaden blanket. Here, I was decorating the tree and drinking spiked eggnog with Julie and her family, and Lucien and his people were fighting for their lives. “Crap.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I had no idea any of this was happening. I wish I would have known.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
I dropped my arm. “What?”
�
��Ryker’s upped his game. His son is deadly. He might even be unstoppable.”
“I can’t stand around and let Ryker pick every kingdom off.”
He gripped my arm. “We won’t. The Defenders won’t. You can’t defeat him without us. Don’t let your feelings for Lucien make you lose your head. That’s what Ryker’s counting on.”
Something in his voice made me gasp. Bo knew. He knew Lucien, and I had mated. I could see it in his eyes.
I was about to say something when he gave me a big smile.
He folded his arms and winked. “By the way, did you like your Christmas present?”
“What?” He could have knocked me over with a feather.
“The Phantom of the Opera music box. You got it, didn’t you?”
My eyes widened. “That was from you?”
He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I wanted to give you something to remember me by. Merry Christmas, Raven.”
He left me standing there with my mouth wide open. Never in a million years would I have suspected that Bo sent me the music box. I always thought it had been Lucien, but of course, now that I thought about it, Lucien couldn’t have. He’d been fighting in a war. Sending Christmas presents wasn’t high on his priorities––surviving was.
“Raven!” Mina ran up and hugged me. “It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you.”
“Mina!” For one glorious moment, my troubles melted away. “You’re back. How are you feeling? Are you okay?”
She twirled around. “Never better.”
Her color was back and the awful frost covering her skin was gone. Her purple and white streaked hair looked bouncy and the giddiness in her eyes had returned. She seemed to be Mina again.
“I’ve missed you. The room hasn’t been the same without you.”
I decided to omit that after Thanksgiving, Lucien was staying with me almost every night. I looped my arm through hers. “We have a lot to catch up on.”
She nodded. “All the kingdoms have been a buzzed about what happened with the Golden Demons. My mom almost didn’t let me come back here.”