"Reah, you need to wake up and have lunch with me. Karzac says he's going to put in a feeding tube if you don't wake up."
"What?" Now I was even more confused.
"Reah, just wake up, okay?" Gavril's dark eyes—his father's eyes—were begging me.
"Chash, I can't move." Even speaking made me feel tired.
"I'll help you—just let me know if I hurt anything." Gavril had an arm beneath me, pulling me to a sitting position. I was shaking and holding onto Gavril as he piled pillows behind me. He was stronger than he looked.
"Mom says I'm the only person you might be glad to see right now," Gavril brought me a small bowl of food. "Mom made this—she calls it chicken and dumplings. She says its comfort food."
"Sounds good, Chash." I'm not sure how we ended up that way, but Gavril was behind me after a while and I was leaning on him while I brought the spoon to my mouth. He even helped a couple of times when my hand shook too much. Was he only twelve? Twelve going on forty, I think.
"You'd do the same for me," he said, after he got me back down on the bed.
"I would," I murmured, my eyes closing. The food had been good—the dumplings were light and the broth seasoned just right. Lissa was a good cook. Exceptional, even, for a vampire.
* * *
"Reah, baby, wake up." I knew that voice and it frightened me. "No, avilepha, don't be scared." Tory, his dark blue eyes worried, was at my bedside and lifting me up. "Dad says I have to earn back your trust. Since I was the one who destroyed it." I discovered I had enough moisture in my body to produce tears. "Baby, you need a bath. I promise I won't hurt you. Ever again," Tory murmured into my hair.
I couldn't fight him—I didn't have the strength. Aurelius had bathed me before; now Tory was doing the same, lowering me into a tub of warm water after undressing me carefully. A puckered and sunken spot on my right shoulder now marked the ranos pistol wound. The hole was closed, leaving a mixture of red and purple bruises behind.
"Karzac says it'll go away," Tory soothed as I stared at it in shock. "It'll just take a few weeks, I think, for your body to regenerate." Tory was on his knees on the floor beside the tub and I wept while he washed me, although he was careful with what he touched. "Baby, you don't have to forgive me. I know I let it take over—I couldn't control it after a while. I'm sorry, Reah. More sorry than I can ever say." He was wiping tears off my face with a washcloth.
"Your hair is growing out," he rinsed it carefully, allowing his fingers to wander down the back of my neck. "Is it tender? Does it still hurt?"
"How about I stick my teeth in the back of your neck the next time I turn," I snapped at him. His fingers stilled.
"You could do that. I give my permission," he kissed my forehead gently then leaned me forward, kissing the back of my neck.
"None of that." Karzac arrived immediately, a crackling aura of light around him and his hands on his hips. "I have never struck anyone in my life, but that may change quickly, Torevik Rath."
"Karzac, I wasn't going to do anything," Tory muttered.
"And you will not, until I give permission," Karzac growled. Karzac waited until Tory lifted me from the tub and wrapped me in a huge towel. "Now, we will check on things," Karzac said softly as he ran his hands over me.
"Little girl, things are coming along—it is the High Demon in you most likely," Karzac said after checking my neck and shoulder. His hands brushed over my abdomen and more private areas, making me blush. Tory was watching, and that made it worse.
"No, avilepha, Karzac won't hurt you," Tory held my head against his wide chest.
"The wounds will be healed in another two weeks, I think," Karzac washed his hands after the examination. "Reah, if Shannon and Cleo were not pregnant right now, I would have them come and deal with this immediately. As it is, we will be forced to wait for the healing to come." I didn't know whom he was talking about and didn't want to show my ignorance by asking.
"I'll put my girl to bed," Tory said after Karzac left. "Karzac has a mental check on you, baby. If I get out of hand, he'll be here with a baseball bat, I think."
"What's a baseball bat?" I asked wearily. The bath and examination had worn me out.
"I'll take you to a game sometime—the vamps from old Earth play it all the time. They have leagues and the competition is pretty stiff."
"What does avilepha mean?" I had one more question as he covered me up in my bed. They'd put me in the bedroom I'd had at the palace before—Gavril said that Tory almost had a meltdown when someone suggested moving me to my house. Gavril, too, had eventually convinced me that Tory was nearly suicidal over what happened between us. It was the reason I'd tolerated Tory's presence after the claiming.
"It is the High Demon's language—it means my love. M'hala means my heart. Hala avilepha, m'seidra camethei refieoru is the declaration of love from the male High Demon to his female High Demon mate. It means my heart's love, you are mine forever." Tory lifted my left hand to kiss it.
"What do you call," I shivered, almost unable to voice the remainder of the question. I didn't have to.
"Nelimalu—the claiming," Tory kissed my hand again. "It is violent, m'hala. I had already asked my father to do what my uncle had done for his twin daughters—arrange for anesthesia and aftercare. The Thifilathi took matters into his own hands. Reah, I never meant to hurt you—not like that. I wanted to hurl myself into a wall or off a cliff afterward. It almost made me crazy. Connegar arrived and put me under for a while, then Mom had Ry watch me like a hawk afterward. I am so sorry, love. The Thifilathi will never do that again. This is the way Kifirin made us—to claim our mates in Thifilathi form. Dad says it ensures that all the babies a High Demon female bears will belong to her mate and no other. Something in the Thifilathi saliva makes changes in the female's body and it will only recognize his seed after that."
"Tory, what are you saying? What about Aurelius?" I was upset again.
"Aurelius knows, m'hala. In fact, he was demanding that we find a way to keep you from suffering during this whole thing. We all know how that turned out." Sarcasm coated Tory's words.
"Where is he? Are you sure that's true—that I can't have anyone else's babies?"
"I shouldn't have said anything," Tory muttered. "I should have known this would upset you. I can't say that for sure, love, since you're not a hundred percent High Demon. I do know that the High Demon females—all of them in the past—have only borne their mate's children. Aurelius is on assignment—I can't say where because even I don't know. He belongs to the Saa Thalarr and they keep that information to themselves. It's to protect them in the long run. He might have told you if you'd been here, but you weren't. Even if you knew, you wouldn't be able to say it to another person—knowledge of that race protects itself."
"Tory, I don't know how I feel about this. Before—well, before things happened, I think I cared about you and worried over what Aurelius might think. Multiple marriages are allowed on Tulgalan, but mostly it is the men marrying more than one wife. Rarely is it the other way around, although it is allowed, just as the other is. I thought I was betraying Aurelius when I felt something for you. But now," I sighed helplessly.
"Reah, it will take time. It does with every High Demon female who is claimed. The pain and hurt have to go away, and the male has to make amends and try to regain his female's trust. It is a long road, m'hala. Say you'll take that road with me. Give me a chance, Reah. What you see in front of you is the only thing that will touch you, now. I know how to be gentle, avilepha. I will give you only pleasure from now on. The pain is over. My claiming marks are beautiful, love, and a reminder that you suffered in the claiming. The Thifilathi is satisfied. He will not harm you again."
"Tory, how do I know that? I only recently learned I am part High Demon. I don't know your race." I tried to roll over and turn away from him. What was I supposed to do? Just believe everything they said? Why hadn't they warned me about this ahead of time? Why?
"I wanted to talk to y
ou. Dad and Uncle Jayd wanted to wait until closer to time so you wouldn't have a long period to worry over it. Once the Thifilathi has chosen his mate, he will hunt ceaselessly for her until he finds her. It is always better if he can claim her under controlled circumstances."
"So, your father," I began.
"Well, Kifirin placed my mother in a healing sleep, so she wasn't awake for the claiming," Tory sounded embarrassed. "She woke in pain, though, and she wouldn't let anyone touch her at first. Uncle Reemagar finally found her and convinced her to let him heal as much as he could. That's how that happened. Mom doesn't know that Dad told me," he added. "Mom has Kifirin's claiming marks too. He put his teeth in her neck first."
"But she has other children," I pointed out. Erland Morphis was Ry's father, and Gavril was Gavin's son.
"Ry and I were born to surrogate mothers, using Mom's DNA in donor eggs. The Larentii manipulated them—they were Mom's eggs when they were finished. Sissy came the same way Ry and I did. Gavril came the traditional way. But Mom isn't High Demon. She's vampire, but before that, she was a quarter Bright Elemaiya and a quarter Karathian Witch. We think that had something to do with all this."
"But I'm only a quarter High Demon." I pointed out.
"But you have every one of the High Demon gifts, according to Kifirin. Now that Aurelius has given you blood, you're immortal. That was the only thing we were all worried about."
Tory had just let something slip that I didn't know. "When did Aurelius give me blood? I don't remember that." Tory saw that this upset me.
"Hush, baby—I didn't realize he hadn't told you. I think he gave it the night you spent with him. Did he give you something to drink?"
"Yes, but it was fruit juice."
"That's how they give it to those who aren't vampire or werewolf—in juice of some sort. It helps mask the taste. Think about it, Reah—have you had to void, since then?"
I had to think for a moment to realize what he'd been asking me. It dawned eventually. "No," I replied, "but that was sporadic before then. I've gone for days before without having to—you know."
"It's the High Demon in you—your body was almost completely efficient, just as mine is. Now, that is complete and you won't age past a certain point. You may look like you're in your early to mid-twenties eventually, but no older than that. You're not susceptible to diseases anymore, either." He turned me gently until I was looking up at his face again. "Reah, I love you. I think I was hooked the minute I first saw you. My Thifilathi certainly made his feelings known during the full moon only a few days later. If you hadn't still been recovering, things might have happened sooner. I don't know whether that would have been a good thing or a bad thing. That's why the female High Demons are kept away from the males for the most part—so they won't be taken unaware or by the wrong one. You weren't locked up, Reah. It was only a matter of time." Tory's dark blue eyes looked right into mine as he bumped his forehead against mine. "We belong together, Reah. I hope you can get over the claiming someday and come to love me." He flouted Karzac's orders and kissed me before folding away abruptly. I lay there and stared at the ceiling for a very long time afterward.
* * *
"She didn't scream or call me names, and she only cried a little," Tory sat heavily on one of his mother's guest chairs inside her study. Lissa watched her son's face—he wasn't as upset as he had been before going to visit Reah. Karzac had already been by, saying that Tory had bathed Reah without taking too many liberties.
"Honey, take it slow, all right? I know you want to be with her right this minute, but she has to digest all this first." Tory's eyes were a darker version of Lissa's sky-blue. With his dark hair, he looked quite handsome. "Torevik Rolfe Rath, are you listening to me?" Lissa was attempting to get Tory's attention.
"I'm listening, Mom."
"The problem we'll have, I think, is working things out between Reah and your Uncle Norian. Not to mention Lendill." Lissa was testing the waters; Tory knew what Lendill had done. Sure enough, a curl of smoke came from Tory's nostrils at the mention of Lendill's name.
* * *
"Lord Morphis, what did you learn?" Erland Morphis knew things had become serious if Wylend was calling him Lord Morphis.
"Lissa says that Karzac has estimated around two weeks for recovery, my King," Erland bowed respectfully, flashing a thousand-watt smile. His son had inherited the same smile.
"I almost don't know how to go about this—I've never found anyone that I wanted in this position before," Wylend sighed.
"I heard she didn't react badly when your great-grandson went to make amends with her. That may be a good sign."
"Will it not be awkward, though?"
"No more awkward than the Falchani twins."
"Well, there is that," Wylend agreed. "I do not intend to interfere or encroach upon her relationship with Torevik."
"You will not. You are quite busy, my King. I think things can be worked out." Erland was still smiling.
"I am most displeased about the length of time she has remaining with the ASD."
"Norian does seem to have a tight grip on her. Do you think that might be worked out in some way?"
"Look into the rules for me, Lord Morphis."
"Of course, my King."
Chapter 2
Gavril was snuggled against my left shoulder as we sat on his bed, doing research for his latest report. I was feeling better and wondering (with much trepidation) when the Director or Vice-Director might summon me. I'm sure Karzac had made them aware that I'd be healed enough for duty in another week. They had weeks on Le-Ath Veronis—a seven-day period instead of the eight-day that Tulgalan employed. It depended upon the planet, its government and how they wanted their months divided. Le-Ath Veronis had twenty-eight day months, exactly. Tulgalan took thirty-two days in their moon turns and fourteen moon turns to travel around its sun.
"Here—it says that Wasternell nearly destroyed itself with chemical warfare around three thousand years ago," I pointed out the specific passage. We were reading through archaic records translated directly from an old language, which was extremely difficult to wade through. My thoughts turned to Aurelius too, and whether he would return before I was sent out again by the ASD. Tory came to see me often, and we usually went to the pool area or the arboretum. He mostly wanted to sit with me pulled against him. We talked. He told me more about the High Demons and their history. I was still having difficulty reconciling all of it as part of my history, too.
"We need to find the reason for their war," Gavril brought me back to the present.
"Wars are usually over land, religion, money or something of that nature," I leaned my cheek on Gavril's shoulder.
"I should have known I'd find you two together." Lissa walked into Gavril's bedroom. His room had turned into our favorite place to study. My stomach felt queasy, suddenly—this is how I'd learned the last time that the Vice-Director wanted to see me. "Reah, Vice-Director Schaff wants to talk to you in my office. Do you need assistance getting there?" This time was no different from the last, except too many things had happened since then.
I didn't need assistance, as much as I might want Gavril or Tory to go with me. I shivered at the mention of Lendill Schaff's name. At least my strength was returning and my shoulder wound was much better. Lendill couldn't hurt me as badly this time. Karzac kept reassuring me that the scar from the ranos pistol wound would disappear completely in a few weeks. Tory's claiming marks would be with me forever.
"Re, don't worry," Gavril whispered as I slid off his bed. While most boys his age might have coverlets depicting sports teams or musicians or some such, Gavril's was a studious deep green with matching pillows. He'd picked it out himself—I'd asked about it.
"Thanks, Chash." I gave him a quick hug before walking past Lissa and out Gavril's door.
* * *
"Reah, we'll be sending you to Pheslik—drakus seed is showing up there," Vice-Director Schaff got right to business. He had such a handsome face an
d it covered the demeanor and cruelty of a viper. I did my best not to shiver in his presence, or give myself away when all I wanted to do was weep. I also wanted to ask him about Bel, Hish and Max, but that might bring about more abuse.
Gavril might know if the wizards from Mandil were still being held in the palace dungeons. I hoped so—I wanted to see them. Alone. I had my doubts, somehow, that Bel was in this as deeply as Director Keef seemed to think. I worried about Bel and the others—were they being mistreated? Vice-Director Schaff had certainly done his best to mistreat me. I'd never had a seizure in my life, even when Edan was doing his worst.
"You'll be going out again with Rylend and Torevik, but under an assumed name this time. I'll have your new ID and credit chip waiting when the healer releases you." That was my dismissal so I rose, gave the best respectful dip of my head I could and walked out, my legs feeling like rubber.
* * *
"How did it go?" Norian Keef walked in only moments after Reah had gone.
"She'll never trust us again," Lendill sighed.
* * *
Aurelius was leaping from one tree to the next, using vampire speed. Spawn were littered throughout the jungle, but he couldn't take all of them at once. He couldn't risk folding away from them, either—that could attract the attention of a hidden Ra'Ak. He also couldn't fold away from the planet—a Ra'Ak could track him by the use of that power, which in turn would place others in immediate danger.
Aurelius was glad these spawn were easily confused—they were young, having been taken from the local population not long before. Aurelius figured they were less than a month old—barely having sloughed away their human appearance. A concentrated effort had been made to take over this portion of the planet; Birimeran technology was in its infancy but it was there, in the highly populated areas in the north. In the southern jungles, the native population was less educated and more superstitious. Those still retaining their humanity spoke of the spawn as gods or godlike, with the speed and agility that any Ra'Ak spawn gained when turned. Aurelius had already sent mindspeech, asking for help. It was scheduled to come soon. He hoped it came—now.
Demon Revealed (High Demon Series #2) Page 2