Holding her close and tight, not knowing what else to do, he whispered softly, “What can I do? Tell me. I’ll do anything.”
She looked at him, thinking for a moment. She closed her eyes to focus on where his energy was coming from.
“He’s inside the fairy territory,” she claimed.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I see deserted lands…no one nearby…parched trees…a small opening…”
There were lots of places within the fairy territory that had been isolated. His fairies preferred living together so no one ever thought to populate those lands. Plus, the vegetation was scarce in some places, and fairies preferred to live in places with a lot of greenery. Since the trees had refused to grow in some areas, they had stayed stranded.
“Think harder, my love. The small opening…what is it? Why is it there?”
Her eyes strained, concentrating on the image in her mind. “It’s…a cave of some sort.”
He knew which part of the fairy territory she was talking about now. It was a secluded area that very rarely had visitors, if ever. It was a far walk and a difficult place to find. However, the fairy king knew his kingdom like the back of his hand. He could navigate through it easily even while blindfolded.
What was Gael doing so far inside his realm? What business did he have there? The question had been gnawing at his brain and there was only one person who could answer it: Gael himself.
“I’ll go and find him. Go inside the cabin and wait for me there.”
She nodded, and he took his leave.
It didn’t take him long to reach his destination. Taking all the shortcuts, skimming through the air, he had arrived there within a couple of minutes.
The atmosphere inside the cave was damp and dull. Kalen coughed as the heavy air of the cave made its way up his nostrils and settled down somewhere in his chest. He hadn’t been in this place for centuries now, and come to think of it, he had never thought of entering the cave, thinking there would be nothing of much importance in there.
His eyes strained to adjust his vision against the darkness inside, and once he could see clearly, he noted the scratches on the walls of the cave. The stench of blood in the air made him wonder if the person who had been scratching the walls had bled while he was at it.
He proceeded with caution, keeping a look out for anything strange, anything that could cause him harm. From a distance, he noticed a figure lying on the ground.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
“I can see you. Get up from the floor. Tell me who you are!”
Still no response.
His mind raced. Maybe the person was unconscious. A feeling of dread washed over him.
What if that was Gael?
A rush of blood and adrenaline surged through his veins as he found his legs moving fast in the vampire’s direction. Dropping beside him, he noticed the broken chains.
Had someone chained him up here?
Gael’s body was limp. It was clear to Kalen from the moment he laid eyes on him that he had been attacked. But who would do such a thing? And in such a remote area of his lands?
Had someone asked Gael to come here?
All these thoughts ran through his mind, and he realized, once again, that no one could answer them but him.
The slight rising and falling of Gael’s chest made Kalen realize, with tainted surprise, that he was breathing still. Surprised but grateful, he snapped his fingers, and a cloud appeared under him, raising him into the air. He was now floating just as Kalen was.
Face to face with him now, the vampire sensed the elevation and threw his eyes open.
“Gael, what happened to you?”
The fairy king couldn’t hold himself back from questioning him. However, it was useless, for he didn’t have the ability to speak. He was too weak. Yet, his grateful eyes looked at Kalen as though he were an angel who had come down from heaven to save him. Kalen, on the other hand, couldn’t help but notice that Gael’s eyes weren’t the same anymore. Something was wrong with them now.
Ammara waited at the cabin in anticipation with Lachen standing guard by her feet. Seeing his master in this condition always upset him, and he constantly rubbed himself against her legs to calm her down.
“Master?”
“Yes, Lachen?”
“I need you to calm down, for the sake of both of us.” His eyes pleaded with hers.
“How can I calm down, Lachen? Something has happened to Gael.”
“I know, master. But, Kalen is out there looking for him. He will be found and brought back to you, but you must calm down. Please.”
“That’s exactly the problem. Don’t you see, Lachen? Gael won’t be Gael when he’s brought back to me.”
He knew what she meant and couldn’t think of any other way to soothe his master.
Defeated, he fell to the floor, his head resting upon his giant paws when Ammara suddenly bolted up, rushing for the door.
“They’re here.”
She ran in its direction and stumbled backward when it flew open before she was half way near it. In floated Kalen and Gael.
“Something really is wrong with him, Ammara,” he explained. “His eyes aren’t the same anymore. They’re…different, somehow.”
“I know.” Her broken heart was reflected in her words.
Gael was placed softly on the ground before her and the cloud disappeared. She looked at her Council member’s sunken face and noticed the scar and blood on it.
“He’s been attacked,” she murmured, thinking of who could possibly be behind this.
She had a faint idea of who it was. So did he.
She channeled her powers to her hands which now glowed. Running them over his entire body, she tried to heal him. She closed her eyes, and her lips moved, chanting something that made no sense to Kalen, but his mouth gaped, awed at the sight.
Aware that it wasn’t working, Ammara stopped and looked at Kalen hopelessly.
“Try something else,” he whispered.
She nodded, and he once again stood awed at her radiance as she tried to heal Gael. Her whole body was glowing this time, and it turned so blindingly bright that Kalen had to shut his eyes.
Before long, she gave up once more and broke into tears. He took his cue to embrace her.
“He’s alive, Ammara. That’s what matters now. He needs to rest. Don’t worry.”
“That’s not the problem. I know he’ll be okay.”
“Then what’s wrong, my love? You know I hate seeing you like this.”
She felt his heart beat against her skin and was surprised at how fast it was racing. He needed to be told. She had to tell him.
“He’s not a vampire anymore, Kalen.”
For a moment, he was unable to grasp what she had just said.
“What?” he finally managed to ask.
“Whoever attacked him must have turned him mortal.”
Silence.
From the corner of the room where the small window stood, Heather silently witnessed the scene from the outside. She had been there when both figures had floated into the room and ogled at what was happening before her.
Chapter 9
“What are you doing here?”
Kalen and Ammara were both astonished when Heather had rushed in through the door.
“How did you know where we were?”
The fairy king sounded angry as though he had been trying to hide this place from everyone. Had she followed them?
Neither of them had known her for long, so they stood unsure of her intentions. However, Ammara had noticed the concern in her eyes for Nina and resorted to the conclusion that she was one of the good ones. She could be trusted.
Ignoring their presence completely, Heather fell to her knees in front of Gael and placed his head on her lap. Part of Ammara wondered if there was something going on between the two. Why was she showing such concern for the vampire?
She raised her eyebrows and looked a
t Kalen, who shrugged in response. Even he didn’t know what was happening.
Clearing her throat, Ammara started to give an explanation as to what had happened to Gael. She felt as though she owed that to the woman who sat parallel to her now. Sensing this, Heather spoke up. “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
Ammara stared at her, perplexed. How did she know?
As though reading her thoughts again, she stated, “I have been here since Kalen drifted in with Gael.”
So she hadn’t followed them there, after all. Unless she was lying to them.
“I was so shocked that I couldn’t force my feet to move.”
She now pointed to a window at the far end of the room. “I watched from there.”
The room fell silent again until she decided to speak once more. “I’m sorry if you feel like I was intruding on your property, but something told me Gael would be here. I sensed something wrong, and my instincts dragged me here.”
Kalen and Ammara looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Perhaps they had been quiet for far too long because Heather had to speak up once again.
“I’ll take care of him now.”
“How?”
“That concerns me, not you. I will take care of him.”
Her voice was sharp, and she was determined to have her way. They nodded.
Ammara knew she meant it and that she would cause him no harm.
“We aren’t stopping you.” Ammara’s honey-like voice filled her ears. “We trust you.” Seeing Heather nod, she continued, “By all means, take him with you. So as long as you don’t keep his whereabouts hidden, we won’t object.”
“I have no such intentions,” she informed them.
“Where are you going to take him?”
“Back to the Shadow Claw den.”
“Very well, then.” She looked at Kalen, who instantly understood what he had to do.
Snapping his fingers, another cloud appeared under Gael. “This will help take him there.”
Another nod. Heather was staying oddly silent now, and they wondered why.
“Is everything okay, Heather?” The fairy king spoke up this time, and she shot him a look.
She looked back at the Caillagh when she claimed, “I know both of you are hiding something.” The fierceness in her eyes was now replaced with a silent plea, and Ammara averted her gaze, staring at the ground now. “It would be best if you tell everyone the truth.”
Ammara was studying her face now. Her features depicted a young girl, but her eyes held wisdom. Why was she just noticing this for the first time?
Her lips curved into a smile when she spoke now, “Of course. You’re right.” She walked over to the shifter and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, catching her off guard.
Unwilling to display her shock, she smiled softly. “Thank you.”
Just then, Gael’s eyes flew open and fought to adjust to the light. He saw Heather’s face first, and Ammara rushed to grab him a drink of water. The cloud carried him up to the sofa and placed him gently on it, his back arched slightly this time.
His eyes drooped and he struggled to get his words out. He gulped the water in a second and asked for another glass.
“What happened to you, Gael?”
His words clawed at his throat, unwilling to leave his mouth. They scratched and scratched until the water flushed them down his throat again.
Ammara’s hands were glowing again as she formed her ball of light once more, the same one that she had left as a power bank for Nina. However, Gael needed energy immediately, and so she channeled the ball at his chest, causing him to scream out in pain for a second.
Heather clutched her heart, but she trusted the Caillagh enough to know that she would never hurt one of the Council members intentionally.
Gael’s eyes opened wider now, but his voice came out softer than it usually did. He did not sound like himself.
“I…I don’t remember much.” He was still fighting to get his words out. The trio remained silent, staring at Gael. “Someone…attacked me? In the cave….”
“What were you doing in the cave, Gael?” The fairy king just had to put the question out there.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” The fairy king sounded unconvinced.
“I don’t know.”
Heather spoke up. “I’m going to fix you right up, Gael. Don’t you worry. I was just about to take you back to the den and–”
He cut her off. “I won’t go to the den.”
She was puzzled. “Why not?”
“I just won’t.”
Ammara spoke this time, “But, why not, Gael?”
He knew he had to give the Caillagh a response.
“I don’t want anyone to see me while I’m this weak,” he explained, his voice dropping really low.
She nodded. “Would you rather stay here?”
“No,” he replied, “I’d like to be taken to my mansion.”
“Okay, I’m sure Heather won’t mind looking after you there, either.”
She nodded to show the Caillagh that she was right.
“I want you to be there, too, Ammara.”
Not wanting to question him because of his fragile state, she mumbled, “As you wish.”
Kalen wasn’t about to let Ammara out of his sight for even a minute, and so announced that he would be going with them, too. No one objected–not that they had the liberty to in the first place.
They took their leave from the cabin and ended up in Gael’s mansion just an hour before the sun was about to set.
It didn’t take a genius to see that Gael was exhausted at this point and needed to rest.
“I’ll help him get cleaned up and put him to bed,” Heather confirmed.
Gael spoke, “Make yourselves comfortable. Pick any room in the mansion.”
They nodded in response.
“Rest well, Gael.”
With that, they retreated out of the mansion, settling onto the moist grass outside. They had a perfect view of the sunset and watched in silence as the sky broke into a million colors. Hues of red, pink, and orange spread across the sky as the sun sunk into the horizon.
As the darkness settled around them, and the stars illuminated their faces, Kalen started speaking.
“Ammara,” he started, unsure of whether he should ask what he was about to ask.
“Yes, Kalen?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Back in the meadow, when you realized that something had happened to Gael, you were murmuring Asther’s name repeatedly.”
She nodded, not wanting to interrupt his train of thought.
“I’ve been wondering…and don’t take this the wrong way, please…promise me you won’t take it the wrong way,” he pleaded.
“I promise.”
He decided to come right out with the question that had been bothering him. “Does your heart belong to me or Asther?”
Ammara’s face broke into a sad smile. She had always feared this question. Not because the answer would break Kalen’s heart–surely, it wouldn’t. She had always feared that she would do something to make him feel that way. What she had feared most was now standing in front of her, staring at her right in the face.
“My dear Kalen,” she started, breaking into tears now, “I have always loved you. It has always been you. It will always be you. There’s no questioning–”
He cut her off. That’s all he had needed to know.
Seeing the forlorn look that she now wore, he muttered, “Sorry,” and turned to leave.
“No,” Ammara cried out as she darted forward and grabbed his wrist. She pulled him down and held his hand in a tight grip, stopping him from escaping.
Kalen sighed, and said, “Ammara, I know you want to talk, but this just isn’t the–” Before he could finish his sentence, Ammara kissed him.
He pulled away and Ammara said, “Please, Kalen. Please, I need
you to kiss me. I need you to just…,” She kissed him again, wildly this time, and almost reluctantly, Kalen kissed her back.
She wildly tore at his shirt, and he pulled it off as he said, “Ammara,” but she didn’t let him speak, kissing him fiercely as she started unbuttoning her shirt and took his hands to place them on her waist.
She wanted him to hold her, to tell her she was beautiful, but he did nothing like that. He simply let his hands stay where she had placed them for a second before letting them fall back to his sides.
“I love you, Kalen,” she said breathlessly between kisses.
He held her face, and whispered, “I love you too,” before he pulled off his trousers and kissed Ammara’s neck.
She pulled him and he fell on top of her, gently placing kisses on her shoulders, on her arms, and between her breasts as she clumsily grabbed onto his penis and began to stroke it.
He closed his eyes as he left a trail of kisses down her stomach and then moved up to her neck again and slowly pulled down her panties, moving down between her legs and prying them apart. Ammara stretched her arms out over her head and held on to the headboard just as Kalen placed his tongue on her clit and Ammara moaned.
Kalen smirked and whispered, “Not so loud.”
Ammara moaned again and said, “Fuck the pack,” as Kalen licked and sucked on her.
“I’d rather fuck you,” he said as he inserted two fingers into her, and she opened her legs wider for him, gasping as he moved inside her.
Ammara sat up suddenly and climbed on top of him, positioning herself so that he could enter her, and they moved together as they held onto each other. Ammara wrapped her arms around Kalen’s neck, and his hands moved up and down her back as he guided her gently at first, and then harder and harder until he could feel himself coming close.
She threw her arms around his neck as she opened her legs and, slowly, he positioned himself between them.
Ammara gasped as Kalen entered her again, and she reached for him, kissing any part of him that she could reach. She clawed at him desperately, and Kalen held her hand as he slowly made love to her, but his mind was elsewhere, and Ammara could tell.
“Kalen,” she moaned, and Kalen kissed her lightly on her face as he went deeper, and she closed her eyes and arched her back, letting him in. She ran her fingernails down his back, pulling him closer to her, and he steadily moved in and out, picking up the pace as she directed him. She pressed her mouth against his and then raised her legs in the air as she reached climax.
The Broken Barrier (Shadow Claw Book 4) Page 7