And she doesn’t understand. I’m being controlled by my promise to Cyake. Whether she wants it or not, I will be taking her with me to Enzyria.
Can I even go back there? Mavrak’s free. It’s only a matter of time before he obliterates me and takes control of this body. I can’t be near my friends like this.
Can’t be near anyone.
That damned promise leaves me with no choice.
“What did you do to her?” Chocolate eyes full of rage focus on me.
“I didn’t do anything to her.” My closest friend will. “But I know where she is.” And I must get you to her. Stat. “If you would give me but a second, I can help you understand everything.”
To my—and Mavrak’s—relief, she finally stares into my eyes once more.
I give her everything through the Etaeryb. All the knowledge of who I am—well, half of me anyway—, who my friends are, what’s happening to Ismini.
Her wide eyes remain on mine, and her next thought is loud and clear. “He’s a . . . ”
“God. Yes,” I answer, allowing my eyes to shift from dark-blue to their true shade—a mix of blue-and-gray. Her small whimper makes my heart clench. “God of Tranquility, to be exact.”
I’m surprised Mavrak doesn’t call me out on my bullshit.
I’ve run out of time. The girl needs to be taken. Now. And I need to get away from her long enough to get Mavrak back into his cage.
She’s shaking her head. Backing away.
Beautiful, stubborn creature.
Sighing, I roll my eyes up to the heavens, hating what I’m about to do. But what choice do I have? “Fine. Let’s do this your way.” I materialize a rope into my hand.
CHAPTER 2
One week later.
– Enzyria
ZENIEL
M avrak hasn’t taken over.
Yet.
As I have for the last week, I struggle not to choke on my fear.
“You shouldn’t be here, idiot,” I chastise myself, sending another stone skidding across the surface of the pond. A week ago, I did what I’d sworn to do. I delivered Evesse here.
And I got my ass handed to me by that little spitfire in front of everyone.
She’s been handing it to me ever since, trying to hide her attraction to me. Cyake and Lizzisi decided to throw Ismini a belated birthday party a few days ago.
There was no mistaking the heat of Eve’s stare on me the entire night.
Not just because I felt it, but because I couldn’t stop looking at her either.
Unbidden, a smile pulls at the corner of my mouth.
I squash it before it can expand. This isn’t a laughing matter. Dyletri had Cy convince me to go to Evesse, all on Nylicia’s bidding, and now Mavrak’s free.
Well, not quite. I’ve managed to keep him on a leash, which is a miracle in and of itself, and he hasn’t truly begun fighting me for supremacy.
Not yet, but he will. If I don’t get him back into the void within my mind, the entire Universe is fucked.
No one knows. I haven’t had the balls to confess to my friends what’s happening. They all know I’m way more on edge than usual.
Thanks to Cy, they all believe it’s due to sexual frustration.
I don’t know if I should hug him or kill him for that.
It’s irresponsible of me not to tell them. It puts them in even more danger. Even more irresponsible for me to be here.
Then what are you doing back here? Good question. One that I unfortunately know the answer to. There’s a tiny, pathetic part of me that’s praying I’ll be able to get this under control without having to isolate myself.
A thousand years on my own nearly killed me last time.
I only retained snippets of Mavrak’s life, but the brutal solitude of those years still reminds me of his prison. The cell he’d been thrown in, the oppressive darkness that pressed in on all sides.
That isn’t the only reason.
Almost as if on cue, the faint sound of footsteps reaches me, and that luscious scent hits my nose.
Heart pounding, I turn.
Walking out of the massive archway leading into my meditation chamber is the most gorgeous female in all of existence.
After days of blessed silence, Mavrak roars to life. HER. HER. HER.
I clench my teeth. I know, you bastard. I feel it, too.
Evesse slams to a halt once she notices me standing out here. She tries to fight it, I can tell, but her eyes go molten as they lovingly caress my body.
I’m not wearing a shirt and these jeans are going to be useless when it comes to hiding my hard dick.
Leave. Now, I command myself. Don’t you fucking dare, Mavrak commands right back.
Her eyes drop lower, widening at the sight of my bare chest.
As if of their own volition, my pecs flex.
What the—
Mavrak.
Shit. No. He’s starting to take control of my body.
And this motherfucker is preening for her.
Her eyes land on my groin. Instantly, my dick pulses for her. “You fucking kill me with those eyes, female,” I growl before I can stop myself.
She startles but can’t seem to tear her eyes away from my cock.
Closing my eyes, I groan under my breath and fight the crazy urge to have her straddle my face.
“I—I’m sorry.” But she still doesn’t look away from my groin. “I . . . should go.”
“Wait!” The word leaves my mouth as she turns to bolt. I freeze in pure terror at the sound of it. Once again, beneath my normal tone is the weak echo of Mavrak’s voice.
More proof of his rising to the fore.
Evesse stops and turns to me, large, almond-shaped eyes curious.
What the hell are you doing, Zen? I have no experience with females. I’m no virgin, but my interactions with them have been few and mostly simple.
Not that I can have this one. She’s human. One wrong move and I’ll break her. More straight to the point—
My mouth opens without my consent and I start speaking, “Please. Come closer.”
As I was saying, she’s clearly responsible for Mavrak awakening and this fucker is making my body do things against my will.
I hate that I can’t even resent her for it.
To my surprise, she starts walking towards me. Every single step is like a sonic boom inside me.
She makes her way down the short flight of steps and suddenly she’s here, in my private oasis, her mere presence obliterating the world around me.
Fuck. I have no idea why I called her to me.
Liar.
She stops at the bottom of the steps, waiting.
Where the fuck are my manners? Snapping myself out of it, I wave a hand, materializing a marble bench right by the pond.
Eve pauses, as if surprised. When her lips curl into a small, almost shy smile, my heart thumps painfully in my chest. She begins walking towards it.
Towards me.
Last second, I materialize a cushion onto the bench. No way will my female be uncomfortable.
The shock of that thought makes me jerk.
Evesse, oblivious to my turmoil, offers me another shy smile and sits. Her eyes trail over my upper body again, and I find myself wondering what she’d think if she saw it in its true form.
Instead of unmarked skin, I’d be covered in the tattoolike red-and-black marks that signal my war Erencei DNA. Those marks would trail up to my face, and my cheekbones would be more pronounced than they are now.
And my eyes . . .
I’ve never seen myself in my previous form and my friends are constantly blocking their memories of Mavrak from me.
But I’ve seen other war Erenceis and they all have the same eyes—all-out black with glowing red irises.
Why am I even contemplating this? She’d despise that monster.
I hear an odd, pained sound in my mind, and I think it just came from Mavrak.
“So . . . ” She begins, trying to br
eak the awkward silence.
“How are you holding up?”
My question seems to surprise her. “Um, as well as can be expected, I guess. It was a lot easier to accept and understand after you . . . you know.”
Being inside her like that, even after all the dangerous consequences, was the most intimate I’ve ever been with anyone.
It doesn’t matter how many minds I’ve merged with in my life, being in hers was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
She knows it—feels it—too. I can tell. “The first time was accidental. I’m sorry for that. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Her smile this time is wide and amused, and I forget to breathe at the sight of it. “It’s okay. I kind of gathered. Sorry I went off on you and called you an asshole.”
My heart’s pounding too hard and I can’t stop swallowing mouthful after mouthful of saliva. No female has ever made my mouth water like this.
Eve shifts awkwardly on the bench, making room for me. “Would you like to sit?”
Yesss. Gods, yes.
I appear before her instantly. She startles then laughs softly. “Still not used to you guys just poofing wherever you want.”
“Poofing, huh?” I chuckle and slowly sit at the end of the bench, leaving a foot of space between us.
It still isn’t enough. All I can think about is leaning over her, pressing her back. I’d crawl over that sexy little body, nipping at her breasts—my cock pounds so hard I have to bite the inside of my cheek to hold back my moan.
She’s right there with me. She’s trying to hide it, but the moist, delicious scent of her arousal roars between us.
Does she know I can smell her? That I know how badly her body needs mine?
Evesse rolls her eyes at me playfully. “I know you guys have terms for it, but honestly, I like poofing better.”
“Which means you’ll be calling it that from now on, no matter what anyone says.”
“You’ve been inside my mind, so of course you know.”
There it is again. That reminder. As if she can’t stop thinking about it anymore than I can.
Her chocolate eyes drop down to my lips.
Mavrak growls, low and angry. Fuckkkk. Just kiss her already!
It isn’t until she licks her lips that I realize: I’m fixated on them. So obvious I know she can see.
And she wants me to kiss her. Touch her.
“You know I’ll hurt you if I give in, right?” I ask, forcing my eyes up to her.
She doesn’t reply but her expression says it all.
Damn it. This connection. It’s like we’re still trapped in the Etaeryb. Still seeing and experiencing what the other is.
Except, there’s no way that’s true. Because if it were, she’d know about Mavrak already. She’d know about the vicious creature I house within.
And she would’ve turned from me in disgust.
Talk about a sobering gut punch.
There’s no room left on the bench. I can’t put more space between us. Shifting uncomfortably, I look away.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her hand rise and pause right above my naked shoulder. Fuck me, I can feel the heat coming off her.
“Don’t. Please. I won’t be able to handle it,” I beg, not looking directly at her.
“Why?” she asks in a low, throaty tone.
Trembling, I run a hand over my face and try to swallow past the lump in my throat. “You’re human. Fragile.”
“So there’s no way you could . . .”
“Be careful with you? Fuck. I wish. But it’s been a while and—” I stop myself before the truth comes out.
Before I tell her my greatest shame.
I couldn’t bare it if she ever looked at me as the others sometimes do. With that barely hidden fear. The never-ending caution.
Eve shifts closer and I swear I feel that move all over my body. “And?” When I refuse to answer, she moves even closer. Every single centimeter that disappears between us on this bench destroys another piece of my control. “Please tell me. Why? I know we shouldn’t but you’re the only one that . . . that . . .”
And there it is. Her greatest shame. One that eats at me. “I’m the only male who’s ever made you aroused,” I groan, voice warping further.
The scent of her embarrassment reaches me.
Unable to handle her feeling that way, I turn to face her once more. “You have no reason to be ashamed baby.”
Her eyes widen.
Shit. Mine do, too.
Did I just call her baby?
Her still wide eyes bounce between both of mine, disbelief and desire shining in them. I swallow, heart speeding up, Mavrak screaming in my head.
Quick—quicker than any human has the right to be—, she lunges forward and kisses me.
I lock down every single muscle by sheer force of will. Struggling to stay sane, I inhale sharply—my exhale breaks off into a groan. A needy, tortured sound.
Eve whimpers against my lips, pressing deeper.
YES! Did that come from Mavrak, or me? Another more surprising thought follows.
Who the fuck cares?
She nips at my bottom lip and my answering moan seems to echo through the air. Suddenly, she pulls back, lips moist. Cheek flushed. Her eyes duck and her scent spikes with embarrassment again.
“W-what?” I manage to ask.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I can tell you didn’t want—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” She jumps at my loud tone and I force myself to gentle it before continuing. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”
She shifts, thighs pressing together. Teeth coming down on her lower lip.
When I hear her tiny whimper, I bite through my own lip, cooper flooding my tongue.
Her lids rise, eyes finding their way back to mine.
Her pupils are blown. Full-on black. In her stare, I see my eyes flash red.
Not black-on-red. Just red.
Doesn’t matter. In a split second, I’m off that bench, and I barely stop myself from dematerializing away from her.
“Zeniel?”
By the pond, I bend over, hands on my knees, teeth-bared as I struggle to wrestle him back down.
The heat returns, flooding the back of my head, spreading down to my spine. Fool. Fucking fool. What the hell did I think? That I could be near her, wanting her as much as I do, Mavrak wanting her with the same fury, and that it would be okay?
The heat spreads down into my swelling muscles, a scorching wave of violence in my blood, and I can feel my body beginning to change. Get out. Now. Leave. Can’t. Not without trying to explain to her. Can’t leave her wondering.
“It can’t happen. Us. No matter how much I want you, it can’t.”
“Why? Because I’m human. That’s it? Is this about me being genetically inferior?”
“You are no such thing!” I yell, shooting upright. My eyes are still red. Not only do I sense it, but her shocked expression confirms it. It’ll be a matter of seconds, minutes at the most, before the whites of my eyes turn black.
Before she sees the monster I am.
“Listen to me. I’ve been inside you. I know what makes you who you are. You are one of the most amazing beings I’ve ever met,” I say, letting her look into my eyes a few seconds longer. “This is about me. I—” Taking a deep breath, I resolve myself to the inevitable. She has to know so that she’ll understand why she has to stay away from me. “I have a horrible creature inside me. Ask the others. He is a danger to you and everyone around me.”
No! Never her!
What the hell did he just say?
Evesse stands, expression shuddering, and gone is the open, aroused girl and her soft eyes. That nonchalance she knows how to fake so well falls over her like an armor. “Fine. I get it.”
I barely hear her words. Once, eons ago, Mavrak lost all sense of discrimination. He went after all. Men, women, children. If you had done a great injustice to someone, hurt them in
anyway, he would have gone after you. Regardless of the reason.
Now, all these millennia later, he’s telling me there’s a sinner in existence that he would never harm?
Never! There’s a pounding to the side of my head, almost as if the asshole’s somehow punching me. She is everything!
The world around me is still. Oh so very still. I’ve stopped moving. Hell, I think I’ve stopped breathing.
Eve’s staring at me curiously.
I take a single step back away from her. There’s only one thing in the entire Universe that could be powerful enough to control Mavrak in such a way.
Gods damn it. Nylicia lied to me. She said . . .
She said I wouldn’t die from mating with someone. She didn’t say I wouldn’t be mated, period.
That treacherous little female played one of her word games with me.
And I fell for it! After thousands of years of watching her do it to others, I fell for it.
Let me have her, Mavrak orders. Or I’ll take command of what’s mine.
Like fucking hell you will. One last look at Evesse, one last silent plea for her forgiveness, and I finally do what I should have done days ago.
I leave.
CHAPTER 3
One week later.
– Enzyria
ZENIEL
L et me explain something about Nylicia.
No one can hide like her. No one. If the female doesn’t want to be found, guess what?
The. Female. Won’t. Be. Found.
Just ask Zex.
An entire week passes before I can locate her. It’s now been two weeks since Mavrak awoke.
One week since I realized the truth of what’s happening to both of us.
And in that week, Eve’s fragility has been eradicated. Nylicia had the time to switch out both her and Ismini’s DNA, but she’s been hiding herself from me.
After millennia of me helping her. After all the secrets I’ve been forced to keep from all the beings I love.
For her.
The sense of betrayal is overwhelming. I searched everywhere for her, even went to Kremia, but nothing. Just her body, lying in the same bed I left her on two-thousand years ago, deep in the stasis I helped put her in.
A body utterly consumed by a Fieren.
Then again, that’s what existing trapped in one for sixteen-thousand years will do to a female.
Ryze Series: Books 1 & 2 Page 26