In the Beginning...

by Calle J. Brookes

  “We were talking, Mother. About him. And the babes.”

  “I see.” Kindara’s gaze was still judgmental and Mallory bristled, even though she did like the other woman. Who was Kindara to look at her that way? “Well, I’ve about finished here.” She put a bloody needle and piece of gauze on the tray beside the chair Aodhan sat in.

  Mallory lifted her gaze from the blood to the man. He did look horrible. His shirt was missing and his broad muscles were exposed for everyone to see. Slash marks, furrows that were horrific, marred his skin. Similar to what was currently healing on Josey. His arms were sliced near to ribbons. And he was pale, so very damned pale. Mallory’s breath caught.

  She hadn’t considered the possibility that Rand had hurt him. Had never even thought it. Aodhan couldn’t be hurt. It just wasn’t possible. “Are you hurt badly?”

  “No. Nothing that won’t heal.” He clenched his hands when Kindara poured an antiseptic on his arm. “Kitten, promise me something?”

  She couldn’t move her eyes away from the horrible red welts covering his arms and chest. Of the multiple stitches that held his flesh together. “Oh, Aodhan…I’m sorry. I don’t even know what happened. Why did Rand…”

  “You got between him and his mate, kitten. A Lupouix has certain instincts. The strongest involve their mates. You were the threat to what he wanted.”

  “That’s crazy! Surely he didn’t think he could just waltz in and take her from everything that she’s known? Expect her to go willingly? It’s not reasonable!”

  “A Lupoiux in a full-on rage especially a rage at a Dardaptoan is far from reasonable. We’re lucky he didn’t hurt you! Aodhan was strong enough to keep him busy until help arrived. You wouldn’t have been so lucky.” Kindara’s tone had warmed considerably. Because Mallory had been protecting her daughter? It made sense to Mallory. “Your brother is a very strong wolf. Much stronger than the ones that attacked Josey.”

  Jierra paled and shuddered. Her mother patted her on the shoulder after drying her hands were she’d washed them. “My daughter witnessed the attack. Someone had locked her on the balcony to her room. Her room doesn’t have steps to the garden so she was forced to watch the attack and do nothing to help.”

  “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Rand…Rand normally protects women. I never thought he’d hurt me before. He never has. He was the one person I knew would never hurt me. He’s a good person, I know he is. I’m sorry you all haven’t seen that side of him.”

  “How is it that you were human yet your twin not?” Kindara asked.

  “Apparently he and Uncle Jason were bitten when I was eight. They were on a camping trip…” Mallory kept her eyes trained on the still bleeding cut on Aodhan’s chest. It was the largest. The worst. “He didn’t bite you, did he? You’re not going to turn into a werewolf, too, are you? Is that even possible?”

  Aodhan held out a hand, and Mallory took it without thought. He pulled her closer, then wrapped his arm despite the fresh stitches around her waist. “No, he did not bite me, kitten. You don’t have to worry I’ll start howling any time soon. And it is possible for a Lupoiux to convert a Dardaptoan. Sometimes. It’s somewhat rare. Come. Why don’t you escort me back to our suite and I will answer all the questions you have.”

  “Like how long my brother will be kept prisoner in the basement?”

  “Like that. Come. Help me stand.” He grinned at her, a sloppy, sexy grin. “I don’t seem to be too good at it right now...”

  She looked at Kindara. “What is wrong with him?”

  “He’s lost a lot of blood. It’s made him a bit loopy. For lack of a better word.” Kindara patted Aodhan on the head. “It always has. Fortunately, these kinds of injuries for Aodhan are extremely rare. Still, see that he rests and takes it easy for a few days. No more battling with werewolves. At least for a week.”

  Mallory nodded, though she wasn’t completely listening to the other woman.

  Her eyes were trained on his. “Does it hurt?”

  She stepped closer to the couch, then dropped to sit on the coffee table in front of him. Kindara and Jierra slipped out of the room, but Mallory was barely aware of them leaving. “What…happened? Why did my brother…”

  “It was pure animal instinct, kitten. You threatened his mate, that was all he could focus on. But your brother should have had better control. I’m afraid you won’t be allowed around him until he learns some self-discipline. He is simply too dangerous to be allowed around Dardaptoan females as he is.”

  Mallory fought the urge to tell him he couldn’t keep her from her brother, but she thought better of it. The animal Rand had become when he’d threatened her had not been the brother she was used to. “Ever?”

  His expression softened slightly and he held out a hand to her. “No. Not forever. Just until he and Jierra manage to find their way. Once they are properly mated, his instincts will settle.”

  Mallory thought of Jierra’s face just before she’d been sent out of the room. Terrified didn’t even begin to describe how frightened the younger woman had seemed. Of Rand. “And if they never are?”

  “They will be. Just as you and I will be. The Goddess chose your brother for Jierra and the most basic, instinctive part of him recognizes that. They will work things out for themselves eventually. Hopefully within the next four months, though.”

  “Why? Is there a time limit?”

  He hesitated. “There is something you need to know about Lupoiux mating, kitten. The first moment they meet, something is triggered in both of them. And they can’t keep their hands off one another. And babes always result. Usually twins, sometimes triplets.”

  “Always? Are you telling me that my brother fathered twins with Jierra, and she couldn’t stop him? She mentioned it, but I didn’t believe her.” Barbaric. Disgusting. Poor Jierra.

  He shook his head. “Not even if she wanted to. And for her to be his mate, he’d have to be her Rajni.”

  “That’s...that’s horrible!” Mallory stood again. She slipped his less injured arm around her shoulder and helped him stand. “She has no choice, no rights. Just like...”

  “Just like when I took you. When the others took your sister and cousins. I know. It isn’t right, or even fair by your human standards. But it works for our peoples, and it has for centuries. Longer.”

  He staggered and she wrapped her arms around him tighter. If he fell, they would both go down, and he couldn’t afford to rip out the stitches holding him together. It took them forever to get back to his suite. Her arms ached from supporting so much of his weight and she was relieved when he stumbled to the couch. He stretched his long legs out on the cushions and watched her with a slightly doped look. “Goddess, kitten, you are a beautiful woman. Did you know that? I’m glad you’re mine.”

  She struggled not to laugh at the grin he gave. “I’m not yours.” She knew it was a lie. She was his. He had her right where he wanted her. All that was left for her to do was give in. “Lift your leg.”

  He did obediently, and she slipped his boot off his foot. Then the other. She tried to ignore the blood that stained his turquoise trousers. His or Rand’s? She didn’t want to think of it.

  “Are you going to stop with just my boots, kitten?”

  “Even if I didn’t, you couldn’t do anything about it.”

  He gave a semi-drugged/semi-sexy leer. “I bet I could.”

  “What did Kindara give you? I thought drugs didn’t work on your people?”

  “Demon blood. We’re doing an experiment. She thinks demon blood may work as a painkiller. So far it has. No side effects, though. I was so hoping.”

  Mallory shook her head at him. Sometimes, he really confused her! “Why would you want side effects?”

  “Because the demon is an Incubus, you know? A sex demon. Thought it would be fun...” His leer this time burned her, and Mal shivered. Even hurt and loopy, he somehow managed to make her hormones take notice.

  “Sleep. You couldn’t do anything even if
I let you.” His injuries were too bad, too numerous to allow for sex. And that did nothing but make her feel guilty. She hadn’t meant to get him hurt. Did others blame her for the whole thing, the same way Cormac probably still did?

  “Oh, I think I could.”

  “Are you sleeping here tonight?”

  “I do not plan to spend even a single night away from my Rajni. No. I will join you.” He pulled himself to his feet and staggered a bit. “Female. I may need some assistance, though. Pity. I so wanted to take advantage of Incubus blood...”

  With that, he fell straight forward, landing on the carpet. Mal dove to her knees beside him, panic and fear having her heart racing. Had he hurt himself? Worse?

  He released a soft snore, and air finally filled her lungs again. Just passed out. From blood loss? Or from the demon blood?

  Mal considered calling for help, but had second thoughts. He was just sleeping, what good would calling a healer do? Just reassure her? Did she honestly need that? He pulled his hands up and pillowed his head on his crossed arms, the same position he slept in most every night. His breathing was soft and even. Sleeping, and peacefully. What more could a healer do for him?

  She stood, then pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. He’d be so cold there on the floor. She spread it over him carefully, ensuring the blanket covered as much of him as possible. It wasn’t easy; he was such a large man. Strong.

  Yet Rand had managed to do so much damage to him. What if Rand had gotten a hold of her? Even with her defense skills, Rand would have seriously injured her. Probably worse than Josey had been injured. Aodhan had protected her.

  Immediately. Willingly.

  Her hands were gentle on him when she brushed the hair off of his forehead.

  He’d been hurt, protecting her. How was she supposed to come to terms with that?

  Chapter Thirty

  She sat by his side for hours, running her fingers through his hair, and ensuring he didn’t jerk around, opening stitches. Making sure he didn’t develop a fever, or any of the other complications they’d had to watch out for with Josey. It gave her plenty of time to think. To worry.

  Why was she so resistant to the idea of them being destined for one another? Was it only because of the rape? Was it because he’d forced the changes on her? Was it something in him? In her?

  Everyone in her family seemed to accept the idea of Rajnis completely. Everyone except her. What did that tell her? What could she do about it?

  She fell asleep cuddled against him with those thoughts repeating over and over in her mind.

  ***

  She didn’t know how many hours had passed since she’d fallen asleep on the floor next to him. She did know that he was awake, and so were his hands. And other parts of his body. Her tunic was open, her bra exposed. Opened and parted. His mouth was doing tantalizing things to the skin her bra normally covered.

  Mal arched against him before she could stop herself. “What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself.”

  “Not by doing this. You taste so sweet. Why haven’t you let me taste you here before?”

  Mal thought about pushing him away, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. “Why are you tasting me now? I didn’t tell you that you could.”

  “No. That you didn’t do. But you were here beside me, looking so beautiful. So damned tasty. I just had to have one little taste.” His teeth nipped at her neck. “Just one. Or three, maybe.”

  For the first time in a long time, heat burned in her gut. Sexual heat. Hot, intense, healthy lust. It brought tears to her eyes. Her fingers sank into his hair and she pulled gently. He paused, then looked at her.

  “Kitten? Do you want me to stop?”

  Mallory shook her head. “Will you...kiss me?”

  He didn’t have to be asked twice, but he seemed to understand that she wasn’t asking for heat, but for gentleness. He brushed his lips against hers, then pressed a little harder, a little deeper.

  Mallory slipped her hands from his hair and locked her arms behind his shoulders.

  He kept the kiss gentle, tasting and teasing her. She ran a light hand over his shoulder and down his chest. The stitches were rough beneath her fingers. She pulled her head back, breaking the kiss. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For not hurting my brother. For not…” For not pushing her. She couldn’t understand why that suddenly mattered so much to her, but it did. He hadn’t pushed her; he’d come close a time or two, but she had always had the knowledge that he would stop if she told him to.

  She had...trusted him.

  That realization was what frightened her the most.

  After those initial few days she hadn’t feared him at all. Why?

  Was it something in him or something in herself? Or was it because they were somehow fated to be together; fated and therefore it was out of their control?

  “Mallory? Do you want me to kiss you? To touch you? Or do you want me to stop?”

  She pulled in a deep breath, the movement pushing her half-naked chest against his. The burn of his skin scorched her. “I...I don’t want you to stop.”

  His eyes widened just a tiny bit and his hands tightened on her back.

  “Whenever you do, just tell me, ok? I will never do something you do not want.

  You are my Rajni, and your happiness is what matters. Even in this.”

  Mallory nodded. She understood the significance of what she was doing. It was decision time. If she they did this, there was no going back.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Aodhan shivered, seeing the trust that shone in her green eyes. She meant it. She finally wanted him. He brushed a strand of red hair off her forehead, catching a small bead of sweat with his fingers.

  She was frightened of what they were about to do. Frightened of him? Frightened of the sex itself? He kissed her ear, tasting the sweet, perfect taste of his female. No other female in the world would taste quite like her. He murmured soft noises designed to comfort as he stood and did his damnedest to pull her up with him. He didn’t care if he opened every one of the stitches holding his skin together, but he knew she would. That mattered. So despite the urgings of his body to scoop his female into his arms he refrained. “Come, kitten. Our first time together should be in our bed.” He held out a hand to her, waiting for her final decision. “Please?”

  He’d never forget the slightly vulnerable, slightly excited look his female turned up at him in the moment that she took his hand.

  ***

  Her vestis was partially undone, her feminine flesh exposed and beautiful. Her skin there was the palest of white, telling him that his female did not sunbathe often at least not with too much skin exposed. Her nipples were reddened from his earlier attention. His mouth watered in anticipation of her taste. But he wouldn’t rush her. Aodhan had to let her lead. Had to give her all the choices.

  Aodhan backed up until the back of his knees hit the mattress, then sat. It put her above him, and he sensed instinctively that was what she needed. He guided her hands to his shoulders, then slipped his hands down the vestis hanging open. He was careful not to touch her skin. Not yet.

  He slipped the turquoise silk off her shoulders, letting the material pool around her feet. Her bra followed. His hands rose and he cupped her, running his thumbs over her nipples. The skin puckered and he smiled when she gasped. “You are beautiful. Here. And everywhere.”

  “I have scars. From when he cut me.” Her head went back proudly, almost as if she was daring him to dismiss her claim. He’d seen the silvery lines along her sides. “They are ugly.”

  “He was ugly. Never you. And you are not the only one with battle scars, my little kitten. Mine own body bears the marks of my past.” He brushed loving fingers over the marks on her skin.

  She shook her head. “Dardaptoans do not scar.”

  “Unless the wounds are grievous. Do these make me ugly?” He traced the lines from swordfights long ended. “Or these, perhaps
? I gained them fighting to protect a young girl from a band of Civil War deserters. Sixteen men died that day, but that girl was safe.”

  Her fingers followed the path his had taken. “No. What all have you done? What have you seen?”

  “More than you can imagine. But what I see now is what I have been waiting my whole life to see.” He fought the urge to wrap his hands around her waist and pull her tightly against him. Then he thought better of fighting it and did just that, holding her for a moment before she leaned back. He flicked her nipple with his tongue. Her breath caught again, and that thrilled him. He covered one nipple with his mouth and sucked it deep.

  She arched against him, her moan turning to a squeak that had him smiling. Responsive. His female was responding to her male.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Had any man’s touch ever felt like his? Mallory didn’t think so. Couldn’t remember. Her knees threatened to buckle and she told him, resisting the urge to beg him to never stop. He wrapped his hands around her thighs. He buried his face in her stomach. “Goddess woman, you smell good. Tell me what you want, and I promise you I’ll give it to you.”

  “I want…” What in the hell did she want? Mallory didn’t think words could even describe the need filling her. “More.”

  His laugh tickled her abdomen, and Mallory squealed. The sound freed some of the inhibitions that had taken hold of her for a moment. If she was going to do this and she for damned sure thought she was she was going to do it right. Her fingers sank into the chestnut curls above his ears and she pulled his head up. “Kiss me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She dove into the kiss just as hot and hard as he did. Then her hands were everywhere, his were everywhere, and for several long moments they absorbed the taste and feel of each other.

  Mallory didn’t know how she ended up on the bed, but she strongly suspected she’d crawled up his lap. He wrapped a strong arm around her waist and turned them both until the turquoise silk of his blanket was beneath her back. He leaned over her, strong and fierce. A warrior.