Mikal
I tried to stay perfectly still as her hands explored my body. Never had a female’s touch affected me so much. When she touched my manhood, I couldn’t take any more. I rolled her onto her back and took her mouth with mine before I started undressing her.
She was perfect and unlike any of the females here. She was soft to the touch and her skin creamy in color. I could see the slightly colored red streaks in her soft wavy hair. Lost in pleasure and desire, she instinctively opened her legs to cradle my body.
As I rocked my hips back and forth, never had I felt anything so good. My soul reached for hers as our powers joined. She opened her eyes and I saw them glowing. I could feel her pleasure as I emptied inside of her.
As we laid there breathing heavily, she said, “What was that?” I couldn’t help but laugh. I felt so happy, so peaceful and so complete.
I looked into her beautiful eyes and asked, “Do you feel any different?”
“Yeah, I do. For the first time in my life, I feel… peaceful.”
“I should have talked to you about this first and I’m sorry.”
“I can feel that you are!” She sat straight up. “How can I feel what you are feeling?”
“I’m trying to explain.” I sighed and pulled her back down to me. I held her close as I explained. “It’s been over a 1000 years since anyone has heard of true mates. I don’t know how it’s possible but you are mine. I’ve known it for a while but I didn’t know what to do.”
“Because I’m human?”
“Yes, but you’re also part Cusas.”
“And part witch.” She said absently.
“Witch?” I asked incredulously.
“I don’t know, that’s just what I was told.”
“Hmm, we’ll have to investigate that more later.”
“So I’m your mate, that’s why I felt such a pull toward you?” She asked and I just nodded. I loved having her in my arms.
Chapter Sixteen
“Come on Ambriel, it’ll be fine.” I kept prodding her to visit the dining hall. We had stayed in my rooms…our rooms…until it was time for third meal.
“Everyone will look at me funny. My eyes are still glowing.” Ever since we had joined, both of our eyes still glowed.
“Mine are glowing as well. They won’t look at you any differently than they do me.”
I held out my hand for her to take. When she laid her hand in mine, I could feel us connect in a way that I didn’t understand. I didn’t know if it was a true mate thing or a witch thing.
As we left our rooms, Arron was waiting for me in the hall. “Commander, are you…” He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed our glowing eyes and entwined hands. “Commander, your eyes are glowing…so are hers.” He cleared his throat and swallowed hard.
“I know Arron. I guess it’s because we mated? I don’t know.”
“Congratulations Commander!”
“Thank you Arron, but for now let’s not announce it publically. A few will know but that can’t be helped.”
“Yes Commander.”
I could feel her worry as if it were my own. Because of what happened with her parents, she feared for my safety.
“Let’s go, Ambriel.” We walked to the dining hall where I found Lukke already there. Sitting across from him, he said, “I see you’re mated.”
“Are our eyes still glowing?” I asked as a servant sat a plate in front of me.
“Yes. But I think the entire castle felt the power surge as soon as you joined with her.” I could feel Ambriel’s discomfort and I could understand her feelings. Our joining was a private matter.
“And the rumors?” I asked before taking a bite.
“Most think that you mated Nanya. Even though I am happy for you, I don’t think mating a human will go over very well.”
I felt Ambriel stiffen beside me. She knew how the Cusas felt about humans.
After third meal, I took her to the battle room where I found Damien and Chadas waiting as I had instructed. As soon as Ambriel spotted Chadas, she stopped mid-step and I could feel her fear.
“Ambriel, you still need to be trained.” She looked at me with huge scared eyes, but they weren’t glowing anymore. “What’s wrong?”
She stared at Chadas. Why is he wasting our time with this human? He should just kill her and get it over with. If she was dead, then she couldn’t be used against us anyway. “Chadas doesn’t understand why you are wasting his time. He thinks you should just kill me. If I was dead then I couldn’t be used against you,” she whispered so they were unable to hear her.
“Damien, you will train Ambriel.”
Looking at Chadas, I let him hear the warning in my voice. “Damien, do not let Chadas anywhere near Ambriel. If I catch him close to her, it’ll be his head,” my eyes shot to Damien’s, “and yours. Understand?”
“Yes Commander.”
“Training will start tomorrow morning.” Both males left the battle room.
I led Ambriel back to our rooms. Kissing her with everything I felt, we enjoyed each other most of the night before falling asleep with our bodies entangled together.
Amber
Waking up much too early the next morning, Mikal was already up and dressed. “Good morning, Mate,” he said with a huge smile on his face. I rarely saw him smile. It made him look younger…happier.
Wondering about his age, I asked, “How old are you?”
He smiled even more if that was possible. “I’m turning one-hundred this year.” One hundred, oh God! I’ll be dead before I turn one-hundred. I started to hyperventilate and he came to me immediately. “Calm down, Ambriel.”
“Calm down?! I’ll be dead before I turn one-hundred. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!” I kept repeating over and over.
“You won’t. You are part Cusas, part witch. You’ll live a long time. How old are you now?”
“I just turned eighteen.” I watched his face pale slightly. “What?”
“By Cusas standards, you are still considered a child. Your powers are now growing by leaps and bounds. In our society, you are not considered an adult until the age of twenty-seven. Shit!”
I felt the tears moisten my eyes when I heard the regret in his voice, felt it in his soul. He came to me, “I’m sorry Ambriel. I wouldn’t change a thing. You are my mate and we were meant to be together.” When I felt the truth in his words, I relaxed a little.
“By human standards, eighteen is considered an adult.”
“Well, you are human. Maybe…I don’t know…one fourth?” We both laughed and I felt better. He stopped and looked at me in surprise.
“What?” I asked.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you laugh. I like it.” I smiled and he grinned. “Okay, if we don’t get started, we’ll be late and you need training.” That caused my smile to fade.
“Agh, I don’t want to go.” I covered my face with a pillow. He laughed as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up.
Sitting by myself in front of Damien, he asked, “Okay Ambriel, what do you have the most trouble with right now?”
That was an easy question to answer. “I need to figure out to keep the voices out.”
“What do you mean?” He asked with his head cocked, studying me.
“When I’m around a large group of people, I can’t keep their thoughts out of my head. It gives me a headache. Can you teach me how to block them?”
“Can you hear me?” Damien asked.
“Oh course. I also heard Chadas yesterday. That’s how I knew he thought Mikal should just kill me.”
“What?! No wonder he isn’t allowed near you.”
“Yeah.”
“Tell me what I’m thinking.” He said with doubt in his voice. No way this human can read my mind.
“No way this human can read my mind.” His eyes went wide. “Can you teach me to block everyone?”
“I can try. Chadas is more equipped to handle something like this. Okay, let me think,” he said
.
“I don’t know if it helps, but Des said to picture a big thick wall that keeps everyone out. The only way to listen was to open a door for a specific person.”
“I’m not even going to ask how you know Desambriel.”
“He’s my father.” I chimed in. I felt better today and chattier than I had been in a long time.
His eyes were wide as he stared at me. “Okay, let’s try picturing a wall.” He grinned.
We practiced for hours, until I was unable to hear his thoughts without opening a door. For the first time in a long time, I felt real hope. I also felt as if I had gained a true friend.
“Okay,” he said with a grin on his face, “What’s next?”
“I don’t know. I can sometimes see the future but I don’t know how you can help me with that. It happens when it happens.” I shrugged.
“You’re just full of surprises aren’t you,” he laughed.
We worked on calling and controlling my premonitions for the rest of the week as well as blocking the voices. I spent my days with Damien and my nights in Mikal’s arms and bed. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I belonged. That all came to a screeching halt when I realized I had to learn to fight. Damien taught me some basic moves and then paired me with Nanya. Her looks and grace intimated me. She held and wielded her sword as if it were a part of her arm.
Standing outside on the training fields, other warriors paired off. I saw their glances and snickers each time I tried to block Nanya. She was graceful and skilled where as I was clumsy and uncoordinated.
“Okay Ambriel, try again.” She came at me and I barely counteracted her movements. I wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t hurt me if she got the chance.
I knew that Nanya didn’t care for me so I let the door in my mind open a little. I can’t believe I have to train a human. What was Mikal thinking? When I become his mate, the first thing I’ll do is kill her.
Turning to Damien, I said, “That’s it, I’m done.”
“But you haven’t mastered the sword yet.” He retorted.
My eyes quickly darted to Nanya and back to him again, hoping he understood. I smiled as I said, “I’m done.”
He must have gotten the message as he said, “Okay. I’ll work with you some more later on.”
“What about me? Mikal wants me to teach her.” Nanya said with a stern voice.
“It’s fine Nanya. I’ll teach her. Don’t worry about it.” Damien said before she stomped off.
“Thank you.” I said with sincerity. Damien looked at me and smiled a little.
“You don’t like her.” He stated.
I laughed and said, “She was thinking that when she became Mikal’s mate, she would kill me.”
“Why are you laughing?”
I looked at him incredulously and said, “Because I’m his mate.”
His eyes widened as he said, “But you’re human!”
I liked Damien and felt as if I could speak freely around him. “Not really. My mother was part witch and my father is Cusas. I guess I’m a little human.”
He laughed as he said, “Well that explains a few things. I’ve never known any humans that wield as much power as you do. A witch maybe, but not a human.”
“My father says that every two thousand years or so there will be a powerful Cusas born and that’s me.”
Chapter Seventeen
Mikal
It had been a few weeks and it was now time to take Ambriel to the human realm with me. To say I was a little nervous was an understatement. I worried that taking her back would make her want to stay. I also knew the Santiarns would be out in force.
“I’m ready,” she said as she walked out of the bathroom. She was stunning in her black leather pants and white formed shirt. Her hair hung down and was wild looking. I don’t know how I resisted her for as long as I did.
“You’re beautiful. You know that?”
She smiled. “I like hearing you say it.”
She walked over and took my hand before gently kissing my lips. I smiled as I took out my transport crystal. “Are you ready?” I asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I let the warmth encase us both as the portal opened. Hand in hand, we stepped through.
“We are in Chicago!” She exclaimed.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, we are. The Santiarns are out in force here.”
“You do realize that humans can see me, right?”
“I know. It’ll be okay.” As we walked to the end of the alley, I said, “Close your eyes.” As she did so I said, “I want you to feel for the enemy. That’s how we track them.”
A short time later, she opened her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s not working. I could always tell when they were near me but at a distance, I can’t feel anything.”
“It takes time, but you’ll get the hang of it.” I closed my eyes and when they opened again they were glowing. “This way.”
We headed down a crowded street and I spotted the one that had eluded me these past few months. “I see him,” she said.
He weaved through the crowd until he just disappeared. “Where did he go?” I asked in a frustrated tone.
Ambriel looked at each person until I heard her whisper, “He’s right there.”
Following her gaze, I saw a human with his back propped up against the side of the building. He looked normal as he people-watched. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m positive.”
We headed his way. It didn’t take long until he took off running. Trapped in a dead end alley, he stood with his hands raised in surrender. “Please don’t hurt me. You can have all my money…please.”
Without taking my eyes from him, I asked, “Are you sure Ambriel?”
“Yes! How could he see you otherwise?” She hissed out.
With my sword drawn, I slowly advanced on him. The tip of my blade was coated in Zeaium and one small cut would force the Santiarn to release the human.
With the tiny trickle of blood, the human fell to the ground while the enemy stood strong. The fight was over before it began since the he didn’t have a sword. That was one of the drawbacks of using a human as a host.
I couldn’t believe how much easier this was with her by my side. Where they were able to elude us before, Ambriel could not only spot them, but she could understand what they were saying.
“Have you always been able to see us? See the Santiarns?”
“Yes, since the first time I watched you fight in the mall parking lot.”
“I remember and was puzzled at how you seem to look straight at me.”
After a successful day of hunting the enemy, Ambriel and I headed back to our rooms where I held her in my arms.
Lying in bed with her, my lips found hers as our tongues rejoiced with the reunion once again. They twirled together in a slow mating dance while my hands caressed every inch of her body then my mouth followed their path. Finding her ready for me, she spread her legs to welcome me in. Slowly rocking my hips, I caressed her cheek and I kissed her passionately. It didn’t take long until I felt total bliss and she called out my name before we fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms
The next morning, I was up early to meet with my warriors. I kissed Ambriel’s forehead before leaving even though she was asleep. She deserved to sleep in.
Amber
I vaguely remember Mikal leaving and smiled to myself. For the first time in forever, I felt like I had a home. I nestled back into the soft covers as sleep overtook me. I was startled awake again by the sound of the door opening.
“What did you forget?” I called out. When nobody answered, I opened one eye and saw Nanya standing there.
“So it’s true? He mated a human?” She seethed.
I leaped out of bed, but before I had time to do anything, she grabbed my arm and opened the portal, pulling me through.
I didn’t recognize where we were but I did recognize the enemy that was everywhere. “Good luck, h
uman.” Nanya said with a vicious smile.
I grabbed onto her as she tried to leave but she shoved me down. Determined not to be left behind, I grabbed her leg. She tried to kick me off but I held on as if my life depended on it…because it did. As she kicked, I tried to grab her other leg as well and it caused her to fall.
I rolled on top of her trying to…I don’t know what I was trying to do. I didn’t want her to leave me. She was too strong and easily threw me off which caused me to hit my head. Feeling a little stunned, I wasn’t quick enough when she opened the portal and left.
I spotted a knife she had dropped in the scuffle and quickly picked it up. Wearing only my nightgown, I didn’t know where to hide it. Trying to think quickly, I crossed my arms and hid the knife underneath them. Hopefully I just looked cold.
Taking a good look at my surroundings, I was in an abandoned warehouse surrounded by four Santiarns. They were just staring at me with their eerie red eyes.
“This is the one we seek.” I heard one of them say.
“Yes. Go tell Ornias that we have the girl.” One of them turned and left. That left three here with me.
I didn’t understand how Nanya could do this. I knew she didn’t like me, but this was a death sentence in the worst way. What if they tortured me first or forced me to help them with whatever plan they had in mind? She wasn’t thinking about her people, this was cruel and vicious. I closed my eyes and tried to feel Mikal, but I could only feel my overwhelming panic and fear.
A creature larger than the others came in and looked at me with victorious red eyes. “Finally, we have her.” He grinned which made him look even more menacing. “We need your blood.” He drew a large knife as he slowly advanced toward me with a vicious grin showing off his sharp teeth. I watched it from a distance as he descended on me and pushed the knife deep inside my chest. I tried to ignore the scene in front of me. Des told me that I could gather information so I walked around looking for an escape route.
I Can Hear You Page 13