Bound By Darkness: Eternally Mated Novel

by Twombly, Valerie

  The commander rose. “Kelana. You have been placed under my command. I will hone your skills, and you will learn what is expected of a warrior. You will be sent on assignment, and when I feel you are ready, I will tell you where to search for your father.”

  Lyzander’s pulse raced. What? Where is her father, anyway?

  He is hiding in a place only your mate can go.

  Son of a bitch. He’s in Hell and no doubt Aezyla or her goons have been escorting him in and out. You realize he will kill her.

  Tegan pinned Lyzander with emerald ice eyes. Then you better hope your mate forgives you and takes you with her.

  I don’t get it. Why the hell would he go there? He’s an ancient, who is one of the most powerful among us.

  I have it on good authority that Malik is pulling together fallen angels and has his own horde of demons under his command. No one is sure what he plans, but it sure as fuck isn’t a tea party. Lucifer might be out of the picture for the moment, but the real war has only begun. Soon, we’ll be fighting our own brethren.

  Lyzander hated the thought of fighting his brothers, and it still made no sense to him. There was a lot Tegan wasn’t telling him. Why was Malik in Hell? Had he fallen and if he had what did it mean? Before, when Lucifer was in charge and an angel fell, the demon king claimed their soul and the fallen turned into a vampire. But rather than blood, they craved their soul back and would try to gain one from another. A fallen would simply drink the aura of their victim. It was an insatiable craving that many fought against. Some of the fallen had managed to keep the urge at bay. When Ashley had taken over and Lucifer was confined by the Maker, she had released all the souls he had locked up. They either found their host or continued to the next life. What the hell did becoming fallen mean now?

  Ashley and Eli are investigating Malik. In the meantime, take your mate back to safety until tomorrow. And for all that is holy, trust fate and your bond. Tell her the truth.

  Oh, he had every intention of telling her, but not for the reason Tegan thought. It wasn't to try and save his own skin but the two who were with him that night. While all three of them followed orders, the other two had been under his command.

  “Kelana, we need to go. We have a lot to discuss.” Lyzander touched her arm and wondered if it might be the last time she would allow him to caress her soft skin. Sure, they were mated. Bound together for eternity and their desires would be only for each other. However, she didn’t have to like him. As a matter of fact, every time her needs had to be fulfilled by him it could cause her to hate him even more. As he stared into her emerald eyes, it hit him with brute force.

  He couldn’t lose her.

  Tegan. Has a couple ever bonded where it didn’t work out?

  Tegan stared out the window, never turning to face him. There have been poor matches. Couples that only come together once every few years because their needs demand it. Others who manage to abstain all together, drift apart never to see each other again. Some become bitter because they cannot break the bond. It’s why we are given the six months to know if the match is a true fit.

  “Lyzander?” Kelana pulled him from his thoughts.

  “Yes. Let’s go.” He took Kelana’s hand and pulled her to her feet. She gave him a wary look, likely sensing his distress as he led her down the hall and outside. When they reached the path that had led them to Tegan’s, Lyzander released her hand, and they both shot into the sky. When they approached the space that led to his private retreat, he called her to him and she swept into his arms, folding in her wings. He tucked her tightly to his chest, memorizing every soft curve, and the way she felt against him as he took the portal back to the beach. Once there, he kept hold of her until their feet were firmly on the deck.

  As was usual in his domain, the weather reflected his emotions. Clouds were already forming in the blue sky. At least this haven provided safety to others by protecting them from his mood, or that of his mate, because he was certain she would soon turn the sky black. It’s why they tried to stay out of the human world when feeling overly emotional.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, pulling out a chair for her to sit at the table. Probably better to stay outside. Less objects for her to throw at him.

  “A little overwhelmed, but pleased that I get to hunt down my father and his minions.”

  Feeling restless, he tried not to pace. Instead, he planted his feet firmly to the deck. “I understand how you must feel at that bit of news. As a warrior, there is no greater pleasure than to defend those who are helpless to do so themselves.”

  “Has someone you loved ever been murdered?” She looked up at him with questioning eyes.

  12

  Kelana continued to stare at Lyzander. The man was a puzzle, going from stoic warrior one minute to happy go lucky the next. There were so many layers to him, it was intriguing to reveal each one and learn more about him. At the moment, she sensed distress even though he tried to hide it. Their bond was becoming stronger every minute they were together. When he let his guard slip, she would get another glimpse of the man inside the angel. What scared the hell out of her was she was beginning to like what she found. Their sex was hot, but it was more than that. For the first time since her mother and grandmother had left her, she felt safe. It was odd that her protector would come from the very people she distrusted most. However, even she realized that everyone was an individual. There were demons who were decent and tried to live a good life, and then there were those who thrived on chaos. They couldn’t kill or torture enough to satisfy their twisted needs. She’d witnessed the same in the human world as well and was certain angels weren’t any different. There was good and evil in everyone. It was a matter of which side you chose to live on. Which beast you fed.

  “Whatever you want to tell me, spit it out.” She hated waiting for bad news.

  “No. I’ve never witnessed the murder of one I love. I’ve watched many I care for die in battle.” The lines around his eyes softened. “My own brother became a fallen many years ago, and I have not seen him since. He didn’t come back when Ashley released the souls, so...” He took in a deep breath. “I have to assume the worst.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a brother.”

  He nodded. “Theo. But you would not know since I have removed all photos of him from my sight. I find them too painful.”

  Her chest tightened and she wanted to comfort him. At least she knew what happened to her family, as horrible as it was. It had to be better than always wondering where they were and whether they were alive. For a warrior such as Lyzander, it had to be a burden knowing your brother was a fallen angel. Would they one day meet again in battle? What an awful thought.

  “What else did you want to tell me?”

  Rather than sitting, he knelt in front of her. “Every step you have taken to seek revenge has led you to this moment. You have some hard choices yet to make. Killing your father is not going to be easy, and the Maker knows that. It’s why she chose for you to become a warrior. Except for an elite, we are the most powerful of the angels. I also believe it is one of several reasons why we were brought together.”

  “And by combining our power, it will help me defeat my father?” She already felt stronger than ever before, but she was still unsure what it meant or how to harness it. Hopefully, Lyzander would help guide her. He placed his hand on her thigh, and she enjoyed the warmth that spread over her.

  “While it will make you stronger, you will still not be equal to your father. I’ve lived for thousands of years and not even I could kill him on my own. It would take more than one warrior to bring down an elite such as your father.”

  She thought about his words. He had warned her earlier that it was not going to be an easy task. Not something she wanted to hear, but even she realized she had to be smart about this. A war was never won by running into the battle without knowledge on how to take the enemy down. This was no different. Did she want to die in the process? Not really, but s
he was willing to sacrifice her own life to get the job done. Kelana simply had to make sure she didn’t die before her father could be brought down. “Are you offering to help me?”

  “I would never allow my mate to go into battle alone. If you will have me, I will be at your side fighting until my last breath.”

  His last breath. Kelana found she didn’t much like the thought of him dying. He was too beautiful to die, and she was starting to like him. A lot. “I would be honored, but I get the striking blow.” There was one sure way to kill an angel, a blade forged in Hell’s fire plunged into their heart. The trouble was getting the chance to do so. She’d heard stories among the demons of those who had tried, failed, and died miserably. Angels were rather funny about getting stabbed. Seemed they didn’t take too kindly to it.

  He gave a nod. “You get the striking blow.”

  “But that wasn’t what you wanted to tell me.” She sensed there was more. A lot more.

  “Call it what you wish. Fate, the Maker, they are one in the same, but we were brought together for a reason. Another warrior could have been placed in your path, but I was the one chosen. I believe it was to test your character and your inner strength, but most of all... Your capacity to forgive.”

  Her muscles stiffened as a rush of dread raced over her. “What are you trying to tell me? What do I need to forgive?”

  “I’ve followed my leader’s commands without question. I’ve killed more demons than I can count, but only once in my existence have I ever regretted my actions. One time that I would beg for forgiveness but not for myself. For those under my command.”

  She swallowed bile as her heartbeat sped up.

  “Kelana, I was there that night. And while I did not make the blow that killed your family, I was in command of the two who did.”

  Her chest seized. She couldn’t draw a breath.

  “I didn’t understand the full extent of why we were ordered there until I sensed you. I felt the angel within you and immediately realized what your father had done. It was too late for me to stop the murder of your mother and grandmother, but I could protect you.”

  She ordered her muscles to move, but they remained locked tight. She let out a silent scream as piece by piece her world came crashing down around her.

  “I planted the memory of your death in the minds of the two with me and told your father you were dead.”

  “Why?” she choked out. “Why save me?”

  “Because it was wrong. None of you deserved to die. You were all innocent.”

  “Yet you allowed it to happen. You did nothing to stop it.” Finally, her anger took over. “You’ve lied to me this entire time.”

  “I never lied. I only withheld the truth. In the beginning, I had no idea you were the child in that room that night.”

  Another thought came to mind and she dreaded asking the question, but it needed to be answered. She had to know. “Did you realize who I was before you completed the bond?”

  “Yes. I discovered you were that little girl when you dreamed the first night.”

  She clenched her fists tighter and clamped down her jaw. “You mated me out of guilt.”

  “I mated to protect you.”

  Words never stung worse. They were like salt on an already festering wound. “And now you expect me to forgive you? I’m supposed to forget that you were there on the worst night of my entire life?” She wanted to throw up but managed to still the churning in her gut.

  “No. I ask not for forgiveness for myself but the two men with me. We were all following orders from our commander, but they followed mine. I only ask you to consider not killing them. However, my life is yours to do with as you see fit. I owe you that much.”

  Rational thought escaped her, but at least she was coherent enough to realize it. Space. She needed to be away from him. “Let me out of here,” she demanded.

  “I can’t let you loose on the world in your current state. Our emotions wreak havoc on our surroundings.”

  “Wrong answer. I should have known not to trust you. You’ve done nothing but lie to me since I met you.”

  His mouth drew into a thin line. “And you didn’t have an agenda when you went to Ashley and asked for her help?”

  How dare he throw her own situation in her face. “She asked me to help find you and I did. Bonding with you permanently was not part of the plan,” she yelled.

  “No. I did that on my own because you need my protection and my power if you want to even think about facing your father.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Most of all, you need me with you if you want to succeed.”

  “You arrogant bastard. Get out of my sight.” She clenched her fists ready to pummel him into oblivion.

  “I will leave you here to cool down, but I will be back.” His wings appeared and he shot into the sky.

  Kelana’s entire body ached as she slumped into the chair, but it was her heart that hurt the worst. Tears started as droplets on her cheeks, and then turned into a stream. Her anger softened into heartache. Her trust had been broken, but that wasn’t the worst of it. She looked up into the vibrant blue sky that reminded her so much of Lyzander’s eyes. “I could have loved you one day,” she whispered. Dear god help her, because she was sure she already did.

  * * *

  Lyzander floated above, keeping an eye on Kelana. Her pain shot through him and mingled with his until it was difficult to tell if the emotions were hers or his own. Either way it didn’t matter, he had hurt her and that was something he could never forgive himself for. He truly did believe the Maker had put them in each other’s path for a reason. It was too much of a coincidence for him to believe otherwise. Somehow, he had to earn back his mate’s trust, but how?

  “I could have loved you one day.” Her whispered words reached him and cinched tight around his heart.

  “I loved you the very moment I completed the bond,” he whispered back. When an angel chose to make the bond eternal, it sealed the deal. He had allowed Kelana to become part of his very essence. Part of him. Everything he was and would become from that day forward would be shaped by her. Every action he took or choice he made, she would be in the forefront of his mind. Affecting him in ways she would never understand. Nor would he. It was only in this moment of pain that he realized how much she meant to him.

  There were reasons many angels chose not to mate or postponed it for centuries. It softened their sharp edges. Many believed it affected their ability to fight, and perhaps they were right. A mate was a tool an enemy could use for leverage if given the chance. That was one reason all nephilim, once mated, shared their mate’s power. It was a built-in protection mechanism. However, Kelana wasn’t a true nephilim. She was a nephalem. Would she gain his power? He had not thought to question it until now.

  He scrubbed his face in frustration. He needed to fix this but was clueless. Making the decision to leave and seek advice was probably the smartest thing he could do right now. She would be safe here, and it would give her time to cool off. Lyzander summoned the portal out. Once on the other side, he opened a link to the one person he knew would give it to him straight.

  Eva.

  Zander! Oh, my heavens, I heard you were back. She appeared in front of him, her snow-white wings beating in a gentle movement to keep her afloat. “What the hell? Why are you only now contacting me? I should kick your ass.”

  He chuckled. Evangeline had sass. She had to be tough as nails, being mated to Seph, a reaper, couldn’t be easy. The angel was called out at all hours to escort those damned to the gate of Hell. They were also the only angels who could enter Hell and come back out on their own. Reapers were bound both to Heaven and Hell and were what Lyzander liked to call the bad-asses of angelic society. “I’m glad to see you, Eva. Sorry but things have been a bit...complicated since I returned.”

  “Tegan told me. He thought you might reach out to me at some point,” she replied.

  “The angel is too wise for his own good at times.” He let out a
deep breath. “I fucked up, Eva, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

  “Take my hand.”

  Lyzander didn’t hesitate and accepted Eva’s outstretched hand. When they connected, she drew him into a portal where moments later they landed on firm ground. An expanse of forest surrounded them and it was snowing. Large flakes drifted downward on a gentle breeze and landed on top of each other, forming a thick blanket on the ground and surrounding naked tree branches nestled among the needles of the enormous fir trees.

  “Your favorite place,” he commented, enjoying the serenity of the peace that surrounded them.

  “Yes. Only Seph has ever been here.” She looped her arm over his. “Let’s walk.”

  Lyzander was honored to be allowed in Eva’s sanctum. All angels had a place they created only for themselves. A retreat to break away from the stress of their duties, and they tended not to let others in. He had always thought of Eva like a sister, and the fact she had brought him here meant a great deal to him. They started down a path that was free of the deep snow that surrounded them. Leave it to Eva to keep the place perfect.

  “What’s it like being mated to Seph?” He broke the silence.

  She giggled. “He is a piece of work. You know reapers can be moody, overbearing, and at times, downright demanding. Stubborn, I forgot to add stubborn, but he is the love of my life. Like all of you males, he also has his tender side that he shares with only me. Tell me what happened. What did you do to turn your life upside down?”

  Rather than speak in words, he connected to her mind and gave her his memories, being sure to leave out the details of his torture. That was his burden to bear. Alone.

  “Oh, Zander I’m so sorry. What Malik ordered you to do is unforgivable. He had no right to impregnate a female who wasn’t approved, and he should have lived with his shame like any of the rest of us would have.”