Shadows of Darkness

by Stephanie Rowe

  He barely managed to drag his feet out of the water before he collapsed on the earth. His skin hurt from the contact with the hard ground, and his legs ached from hitting the bottom of the pond so hard, but it was the best pain he'd ever experienced. It was the pain of being free, of feeling his body do the things it was meant to do.

  He rolled onto his back, staring up at the sky. The black night stretched endlessly, an eternity of freedom and space. He breathed deeply, feeling his lungs expand as he drank in the clean, fresh air, as he surveyed the expansive heavens. A crescent moon shone down upon him. Stars glittered and winked, as if they were alive. "Stars," he said softly. "I forgot about the stars."

  Maya sat down next to him, not touching, but close enough that he could feel her soft, reassuring presence against him. "How long were you in there?" she asked.

  "A century. Maybe two. I don't know exactly anymore." He didn't want to move. Before his incarceration, he'd never paused for even a split second. He'd always been on the move, never still, but right now, in this moment, he wanted to do nothing but breathe in the sense of freedom. At the same time, he wanted to get up and run, just to feel his body working the way it used to, to prove that there were no more boundaries holding him back. Run and stay. Move and breathe. A thousand different emotions surged through him, a thousand different urges, and yet he didn't move. He simply lay there, feeling the earth beneath his body.

  Maya leaned over him. "Are you okay?"

  He looked at her, and, for the first time, he could see her clearly. His heart slowed nearly to a stop, and the stars vanished, obscured by the sheer force of her being. The crescent moon cast enough light for him to see every detail of her face. Her hair was a deep auburn, utterly straight as it hung over her shoulders, almost touching his chest. Her eyes were a radiant blue, framed by dark eyelashes. Her skin was a vibrant almond color, and her lips were parted. But it was her eyes that riveted him. Not just the color. The determination, the fear, and the desperation. She was battle-tough, and yet terrified at the same time. So much emotion, so much depth, so much humanity.

  Stunned, he reached up and brushed his fingers over her cheek, needing to touch her, to see if she was real. Her skin was feather-soft, unlike anything he could recall ever touching. "Like silk," he whispered. "Extraordinary."

  Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't pull away. "Was it horrible?" she asked softly. "Being trapped like that?"

  In her eyes, he saw an understanding that went far deeper than it should have. Instead of answering, he slid his fingers along her jaw. "Why do you know what it's like?" he asked. "What happened to you?"

  She managed a small smile and shook her head. "Nothing like what you endured." But there was an edge of pain in her voice that told him more than she wanted him to know.

  He narrowed his eyes. "You're hurt."

  "No, I'm fine. I—"

  "Come here." He reached up and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her down on top of him. She didn't resist, and her body was warm and flush against his. For a moment, the feel of her body against his shocked him, and desire rocked through him, the kind of sharp-edged lust that could consume a man for centuries and never let him go. Swearing under his breath, he forced himself to concentrate on the situation at hand. "My body is shot, and you're hurt. We need healing," he said. "I'm going to heal us both, but you need to let me in."

  Her eyebrows shot up. "Like in the geyser?"

  "Yeah, only more." Healing required a whole other level of connection, the kind that existed between Calydons, or between a Calydon and his mate. There was only one way to heal her, and she had to buy into it. He paused for a moment, debating whether to tell her the truth. The hesitation lasted only for a brief moment. They had no time to hide from the truth. "Do you know what a sheva is?"

  From the way her eyes widened in shock, he knew her answer was yes.

  And she didn't look happy about it.

  * * *

  Maya felt as if the foundation had just dropped out of her world at Levi's question. "Sheva?"

  At his nod, shock ripped through her. Suddenly, she understood the depth of her response to him, her absolute trust, and the fact that she could feel his emotions so deeply...and yes...it also explained her absolute awareness of him as a man when she had no time for men. She was his sheva? It all made sense, but heaven help her, that was not what she could afford right now. She tried to push off him, but his arms were too tight around her, keeping her sprawled across his chest in a position that no longer felt as comforting and safe as it had moments before. All the burns on her skin began to throb, and she had to bite back tears at the pain. "Let me up."

  "No. We need to talk." It was so dark outside she could barely make out his features, but she could feel the weight of his gaze burning into her. "You know what a sheva is?"

  "Levi, let me go!"

  His arms softened, and she scrambled off him, trying to reclaim her space. "Of course I do. Who doesn't?" She walked several yards away, then turned to face him, her fists bunched at her sides. Her heart was thundering, and she was shivering from the trip through the water. "A sheva is the Calydon's soulmate. She's destined to bond with him, and once the bond is complete, he will lose her, turn into an insane killer, and destroy everything that matters to them. Once he goes rogue, the only way he can be stopped, aside from a flat-out assault by the Order of the Blade, is for her to kill him, and then she's destined to kill herself because she's so upset he's dead." Oh, God, seriously? That was just the worst fate ever. "So, yes, I know what a sheva is. Why are you asking me?" Oh, she had a bad feeling she knew exactly why he was asking, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe he wasn't going to make some dire pronouncement that their souls were inextricably intertwined, hurtling them toward certain doom that would eviscerate them both. She rubbed her arm and winced at the pain. She knew blisters were starting to form on her skin.

  He propped himself up on his elbow. "You feel it too." His voice was low and husky, sending shivers along her spine.

  "Stop. I feel nothing except I'm freezing cold from the water, and my skin is burned from the steam." When he opened his mouth to argue, she held up her hand, as if that would hold him off. "If you're going to bring up the sizzling connection between us, or mention the way your touch makes chills race through my entire body, you can just give up. That's nothing more than basic Calydon lust. You know how you guys are, all hot and bothered, and I’m the first female you've encountered in a long time. That's it." The words sounded so good, but even as she said them, she didn't quite believe them. For heaven's sake, he'd been able to talk with her psychically. It wasn't like that was a talent she normally had when she met a hot guy. It didn't help that her skin felt like fire was eating away at her flesh either.

  To her irritation, he grinned, his teeth glistening in the moonlight. "No woman has gotten me hot and bothered before. You're the first. I'm very disciplined. So, it's not that."

  "Oh, God, of course you would be the one Calydon who would be all disciplined about sex." She shook her head, running her hands through her hair as she paced restlessly. Her body hurt in a thousand places from their recent escape, but she didn't care. She couldn't stand still. There had to be another explanation. "Listen, it's just lust because you've been chained up for so long, and because I've been, well, a little stressed. We're strung out, so we're drawn to each other as a respite from what we've been enduring. Besides, I'm already committed elsewhere, thanks so much, and there's no space for some fate-driven love affair that will destroy us both—"

  He sat up so fast that she didn't even see him move. "There's another man?"

  Her heart stuttered at the anguish and fury in his voice, and she sank to her knees, her legs no longer able to support her. "Oh, God, how can you care? You don't even know me."

  He rolled to his knees, and knelt before her, cupping his hand around the back of her neck. His touch sent chills cascading down her spine, and she had to fight not to lean into him. "Are you involved with another man?" H
is voice was like ice, striated with a deep anguish that made her resistance fade.

  "No," she said softly. "I'm not involved with another man. I'm not dating anyone or sleeping with anyone. I just made a bargain to save my kingdom, and part of that bargain is me."

  His fingers tightened on her, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. "You don't get to deliver yourself to another man. I can't take it."

  "You can't take it?" She sighed in frustration, his words increasing her tension. She knew of only one reason why he would react so strongly and possessively to a woman he barely knew, and she didn't want it to be that reason. "You don't even know me, Levi. You can't care that much."

  "I do know you," he said, his fingers softening into a sensual massage on the back of her neck. "I know you're brave enough to hire two dangerous Calydons to help you find me. I know you've got the courage to go deep beneath the earth and track down a man known only for the swiftness of his assassinations. I feel the desperation that's driving you to make these choices, and I sense the fear that haunts you, that you refuse to bow to either of them. Yeah, I don't know what, specifically, your situation is, but I know you. My body and my soul have already claimed you, and I'll protect you from harm, no matter what, and you know it." His voice roughened. "And I can't let you give yourself to another man. It's impossible."

  Her throat tightened at his declaration. She felt the absolute truth of his words, and it was shocking how good it felt to be claimed by him. She'd been battling solo for so long, and to have someone by her side just felt surreal. "You don't even know what I need," she whispered. "Don't make promises you can't keep, and you don't have the right to tell me what I can and can't do to save my kingdom."

  He studied her. "Tell me what's going on. Tell me everything."

  "Everything? Oh, God, it's so much." She took a deep breath, but the thought of what she was walking into was suddenly too much to take, on top of what she'd just been through with Levi. Despite her denial, she knew in her heart that he was right about the sheva bond. Dear God, how could they survive what was happening between them? The only possible choice was to split up, and hope that somehow, some way, distance could save them both…but just the thought of walking away from him made a sense of gaping loneliness swell within her, an emptiness even more all-consuming than when her parents were killed, leaving her and her sister alone when they were so young. She shivered, instinctively wrapping her arms around her torso to hold in what little body heat she still had. She was still cold, so cold, and her skin was burning from the trip up the geyser. A raging cold within, and a searing heat on the outside, all of it so intense she felt like she was going to be sick.

  His eyes narrowed as he assessed her shrewdly. "Come on. Let me heal you first." He held out his hand to her. "Neither of us will get anywhere if we don't heal. The only way I can do it quickly is through the sheva bond. Don't let your fear trump your intelligence about what needs to be done. We need each other, and we both need to heal. We don't have enough time to do it naturally."

  She looked down at his hand, and she knew it wasn't just a healing hand that he was offering her. It was the first step down a path that would destroy them both. But if she could save her kingdom first...well...that was her duty. If saving her kingdom meant accepting the sheva bond and all the torment it brought, then she had to face that fact. She knew she needed his help. That was why she'd come for him.

  What was more important? Her own survival, or her kingdom's? There was no decision to be made. She had a duty to her people, and this sensual, lethal warrior was her only chance.

  She supposed there were worse ways to die than by aligning herself with a man who was so incredibly sensual that his voice seemed to caress her every time he spoke. He was a deadly assassin who was willing to use every last bit of his considerable skills to protect her. So, yeah, it could be worse, right? This was a legitimate chance to save her kingdom and satisfy all her lifelong fantasies about a knight in shining armor sweeping in to serve and protect her, so that was good. There was only the slight drawback of either becoming a sex slave to a man she'd never met, or having to slay the warrior who was already winning her heart with his honor, his bravery, and his kindness.

  "Okay. Let's do it." Slowly, still trembling from both cold and fear, she put her hand in his cramped and frozen fingers. He grinned and wrapped his fingers around hers, tugging lightly.

  She let him pull her against him, taking a deep breath as she allowed him to enfold her against him. When she'd embarked on this journey, she'd been ready to sacrifice herself to make this happen, but dying a horrible death and having to kill her own soulmate was a completely different situation. Then again, gaining an ally like Levi was also different, and she wasn't going to deny that having Levi as her partner was an incredible gift, in a thousand ways. "I can't die until my kingdom is safe," she said. "I've made a promise. We can't complete the bonding until I've fulfilled my duty."

  "Your duty." Irritation flickered on his face, it was gone before she could react, replaced with a thoughtful expression that told her that he had no intention of letting her sacrifice herself. She braced herself for his argument, but he didn't bring it up. "I won't let you die," he said simply, referring to the sheva bond, not the fact she'd bound herself to another man in return for her kingdom's safety.

  She sighed. "I appreciate the sentiment, but let's not lie to ourselves. Fate decrees that's our ending—"

  "We'll figure it out." He grasped her hips and pulled her against him. "Come here. You need me."

  Heat and desire rushed through her at the feel of his body against hers, and she bit her lip. God, how much did she want to bury herself against him? The urge to wrap her arms around him and claim him as hers was so strong she could barely keep from doing it. "I don't like needing anyone." But she didn't fight him as he lowered them both to the ground. He stretched out on his back and tucked her up against him, nestling her into the shield of his body.

  She sighed again, this time with a sense of peace and satisfaction she simply couldn't deny. His body was lean and muscled, and it just felt amazing to be encircled by his arms and pressed up against his side. The heat of his body seeped into her, deep in her belly where she was the coldest. He was like a great source of sensual power, wrapping around her, and making her want intimacy and a connection she didn't have time for. He was sheer muscle and strength, everything that she didn't have herself.

  He wrapped his arms more securely around her. "Close your eyes."

  She hesitated for a moment, afraid that if she really let go, she would have no more defenses against him. The temptation he presented was simply too strong. Maybe it was the sheva bond, or maybe it was simply him. Either way, his allure was mounting by the moment. "But it's not safe. We're being hunted."

  He smoothed her hair back from her face, a touch so gentle and tender that tears sprang to her eyes. God, how long had it been since she'd felt safe and treasured? A lifetime, it seemed. How could she walk away from what he offered her, just because they were fated to some disastrous end? Who knew what would happen before they even got to that point? Maybe this was her last moment of peace and safety. Maybe he was her gift, that moment she'd been craving her whole life, and now, she had it, for this one instant.

  "Sweetheart, I can hear, see, and smell every living creature around us for thirty miles. I'll know if danger is approaching. Close your eyes."

  His voice was unyielding, his arms tight around her, and suddenly, she didn't want to resist anymore. She just wanted to stop fighting so hard to stand on her own, and she wanted to lean on him, and allow him to help her. Plus, her body was absolutely killing her from the heat.

  Reluctantly, she let her eyes shut. The moment she did, she became even more aware of the feel of his body against hers. His legs were tangled with hers, his bare foot against the back of her calf. She could feel the slow and steady thud of his heart, and she could feel his ribs expand with each breath he took. Yes, he was the cold steel of a warrior,
but he was also a man who had suffered, a man who breathed the same way she did. A man who, no matter how much she resisted, she was connected to.

  He touched her mind, a strong warmth that eased deep into the furthest recesses of her soul. Tell me why you're scared.

  She sighed and snuggled more deeply against him, her body relaxing against his strength. Bad guys are hunting me.

  He chuckled, his chest moving beneath her cheek. I gathered that. Why are they hunting you?

  She yawned. They want to suck the life from my kingdom.

  His energy began to move through her body, healing each cell as it went, like a magical white light chasing away the deepest cold from her. You're the queen?

  Technically, but only because my parents are dead and my older sister is in a coma. If she can revive, it's hers. She thought of Elisabeth, slowly dying, and tears filled her eyes. The shadow wolves hunt our kingdom every few decades, preying upon the souls of the powerful. They attacked when I was little, and killed my parents. My sister has been queen ever since, but they came again five years ago, and almost killed her. I've been trying to figure out a way to protect the kingdom ever since, but they're gathering on the horizon again, so I'm out of time. They're coming for me. I'm the only one in my family left, and once I'm dead, there's no one to protect our kingdom. She thought of all the villagers standing on the hill to the south of her kingdom, watching the ever-darkening sky as the shadows gathered, and how they'd all looked at her to save them. I need to secure the kingdom's safety before the shadows take me.

  What are the shadows? His voice was soft and soothing, lulling her to sleep.

  A dark energy from another realm. It takes the form of wolves, but they aren't real wolves. I don't know exactly what it is. I tracked Rohan down because he's an expert at defeating dark creatures, but he said he can't stop them. He and his team are trying to keep the village safe until I can secure their safety. She yawned again, surprised by how relaxed she was when talking about the horrors she was facing. Somehow, being with Levi made her feel less vulnerable. He made her feel like she had a chance, which was funny, since he actually increased the odds of doom and disaster.