Chapter 13
She lay in his arms, her eyes closed. Volcan studied her face. There was pain in her features that he did not understand. Did she still not believe him? Had he not clearly shown her how much he desired her? How crazy he was about her? How could she think that he might need other women? He knew that he would never get enough of Coreena. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was his chosen one. His queen. How could she possibly doubt that?
Coreena opened her eyes and saw him. He smiled at her.
“Hey,” he said huskily.
She did not respond. Her look was sad, but he could also see the love in it. It meant everything to him that she loved him. That she returned his feelings. Slowly he stretched out his hand and stroked a strand of her blond hair from her face. He rested his hand on her cheek and his thumb stroked her tender skin.
“Coreena,” he began, his voice gentle.
She looked away and closed her eyes.
“Look at me,” he asked quietly. “Please!”
It seemed an eternity to him before she finally granted his wish and opened her eyes. She looked at him, but he did not miss the fact that she was clenching her fists, and that her whole body was tensed up.
“Coreena, I beg you to believe me. I know that whatever you saw must have looked real to you, but it wasn’t real. Mendax and Exesor are very good at deception. If you had asked one of the other guests whether they had also seen this pair, they would have said no. Because the kiss never took place. It was a deception that was only intended for your eyes. A lie that was meant to pull us apart. Please don’t let it have been successful.”
He looked at her face. She gave no sign that she was convinced by his words.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I can’t live without you. You determine my thoughts by day and my dreams by night. I’m crazy about you. I swear to you that I would never look at another woman, let alone kiss one. I want you to become my queen. I want to reign over Ignigena with you at my side.”
A tear ran down his cheek and, involuntarily, she stretched out her hand to catch it. Her heart was telling her that he was speaking the truth. She saw the love and the pain in his eyes. After making love he had transformed, and it was Volcan the guardian, and not the warrior, who now looked down at her. He turned his head slightly and kissed her hand. Her heart welled over with love.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“So you believe me?” he asked, full of hope.
“Yes,” she said finally. “Yes, I believe you.”
Relief and happiness showed in his face.
“I must tell you something else that I didn’t tell you before,” announced Volcan.
Coreenas heartbeat accelerated. What could it be? A part of her was still looking for a catch in the whole thing. She found it difficult to believe that she, expressly, was to call such an exciting man her own. That he would make her into a queen and that she should live with him for many hundreds of years in a paradisical world. That only happened in fairy tales, didn’t it?
Volcan bent over her and pushed the cover down. He gently stroked her belly and kissed it very lightly, almost just a breath of a kiss.
“Coreena. We will soon have a princess,” he said gently.
“What?”
“You’re carrying my baby in your belly,” he explained.
Her eyes widened.
“What?” she asked in shock. “What’s that about? How...?”
“It happened the first time. I could sense it.”
“Are you trying... are you trying to tell me that I’m pregnant?” she asked in disbelief, and involuntarily put her hand on her belly.
Then she remembered the discussion between Volcan and Aerios. Had they not also spoken about the fact that she was pregnant? She was not sure. Her memory of that discussion was a little vague. Probably because she had fainted from the shock of seeing a man disappear before her eyes.
“Yes, we’re having a daughter. Aren’t you happy about it then?”
“I… it… it’s come as a bit of a surprise,” she said. “But did you really sense it? And you know that it’s a girl?”
“It was no great surprise,” answered Volcan with a smile. “I mean, it often happens the first time. Actually, almost always.”
“So have you already… lots of…?”
“No! Of course not. I meant, it usually happens the first time a guardian sleeps with his chosen one. My seed is not fertile with normal women. Neither human nor women of my or any other species. “
“What happens now? Do we really have to wait for the full moon? I mean, you’ve already got me to love you. Or does it need a full moon to work?”
“I’m afraid that we have to stick to the date. But that doesn’t mean that we need to be bored in the meantime,” said Volcan with a cheeky grin. “Are you ready for another round?”
“You’re pretty insatiable,” chuckled Coreena.
“Haven’t I already told you that we guardians are very potent?”
“Will it still be like this after a hundred years?” she asked quietly. He kissed her. Wildly and possessively.
“It’ll never stop for as long as we live,” he murmured as he moved away from her.
“How can you know that?”
“I have my parents as a good example. They’re still mad about one another. A guardian only gives away his heart once. But when he does, then completely.”
Volcan kissed her again and Coreena forgot all the fears and doubts. All that mattered was this man in her arms who threatened to consume her with his fire. But it was a fire that she welcomed.
*
“Would you like some more coffee?” asked Volcan, and, smiling, he looked at Coreena who had just eaten a massive portion of eggs with bacon and half a jar of mixed pickles.
“Hmmm.”
Volcan filled her mug with a movement of his hand and Coreena took the aromatic coffee, sighing.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me today, but I could swallow down half a pig. I hope I don’t get even fatter.”
“You’re having a baby by a guardian. You need a lot of energy for that. Don’t worry, you’ll be fat in the most beautiful way that I can imagine. When your tits really… Hey!”
Coreena had thrown an apple at Volcan’s head. He looked shocked, then he laughed.
“What’s so funny?” asked Coreena, and glared at him angrily.
“You look sweet when you’re angry,” he said. “And you’ll look even sweeter with a round belly,” he added teasingly.
“You monster! That’s not funny!”
“Uhhh! A domestic!” said Aerios who suddenly appeared in the middle of the kitchen.
“Damn it! Can’t you ring on the doorbell like any normal person!” Coreena shouted at him.
“But I’m not a normal person!” said Aerios, pretending to be abashed. “But OK, if that’s what the lady wants.”
The doorbell rang and Coreena frowned first, at Aerios, then at Volcan.
“Happy?” asked Aerios. “Can I now get on with what I’ve come about? It really is important.”
Aerios’ mischievous expression suddenly became serious and Coreena stopped herself saying the cutting remark that was on the tip of her tongue.
“Tell us!” Volcan urged his friend.
“Merlon’s dying. We have to help him. My healing powers alone won’t do it.”
“Damn it!” groaned Volcan. He looked at Coreena apologetically.
“I don’t know how long this will take. Such a healing can take hours, sometimes days. Please take care.”
“I will do, and now go! You’re needed! Don’t let Merlon die,” said Coreena urgently. She did not want to consider the fact that the lovely elf prince could die. She had warmed to him straight away.
Volcan nodded. He got up and kissed Coreena on the forehead.
“Don’t worry. We’ll sort him out. You look after yourself, princess. Don’t take your chain off at all!”
“Let’s go then.” He put a hand on Aerios’ shoulder. “Show me the way!”
A second later both had disappeared. Coreena stayed behind, her heart pounding.
*
They materialised in the back room of a club. Merlon was lying on a table. He looked awful. His body was absolutely covered in blood. There were deep wounds across his whole body. He was in his human form, which meant that a good deal of his power was lacking. The human body was much weaker than the elf body. They would first need to help him to return to his true form. The problem was that there was a young woman standing next to the temporary sick bed. They could not do something like that in front of a human.
The woman was clearly very worried. There was more in her expression than just the horror of seeing someone badly injured. Volcan could sense the strong emotional bond between the woman and the elf. This must be Cherry. Merlon’s girl. The name suited her. Her red hair fell in heavy locks over her shoulders right down to her waist. When she looked up, Volcan was looking into two moss green eyes, shimmering with tears. He could understand his friend. This woman was a real beauty. Her figure looked good, too. Her curves were covered in a green velvet dress that showed off her large breasts and slim waist well.
“I don’t know how you sort do that, but I hope your powers can also do something about this,” she said, and Volcan only realised then that they had materialised in front of a human.
“Damn it!” he cursed, and he meant by that both their clumsiness, and the condition of their friend.
“She’s OK,” said Aerios. She found him when he was still conscious. Merlon asked her to call me. He was so weak that he had no telepathic powers left to call me himself.”
“I still think it’s better if she goes,” said Volcan decisively.
“I’m staying!” said Cherry in a voice that allowed no contradiction.
“This can take hours, or longer,” Aerios interjected.
“And the longer we carry on talking, the weaker he’ll get. So get on with whatever you can do!”
The two guardians sighed. They had enough experience with women to recognise one that was not open to persuasion.
“Right, to work then!” said Volcan finally, and they stood at the table, one to the right and one to the left of Merlon’s shoulders. Whilst Volcan laid his hands on Merlon’s chest, Aerios held the elf’s head.
“Don’t be shocked,” said Volcan to Cherry. “We first have to transform him back into his true form. The human body is too weak.”
Cherry nodded.
“I should have realised that you guys aren’t human. Will… will I… be really shocked at his appearance?”
“He’s not a monster, if that’s what you mean. Ready?” The last question was aimed at both Cherry and Aerios.
Cherry nodded.
“If you are,” answered Aerios.
Volcan and Aerios made their energy flow until the elf’s whole body glowed in a weak bluish colour, and the transformation took place. Merlon had obviously been unclothed before he had assumed his human form, because he was now lying naked on the table.
“Heavens!” cried Cherry involuntarily. Her amazed expression was focussed neither on the elf’s long, pointed ears, nor on his bluish, shimmering skin, but on his impressive sex.
Aerios grinned.
“It means that only the right one survives being entered by an elf.”
Cherry blushed. And the two guardians laughed quietly.
“Per… perhaps you guys should get on with it now,” said Cherry, avoiding eye contact with the men.
Chapter 14
Coreena had waited until deep into the night for Volcan to return, but he had not turned up. She knew that it could take a long time. He had, after all, made a point of saying that. And yet she was disappointed. Despite their little argument in the morning, she missed him. She could not stop thinking about what he had told her. She had spent a long time in front of the mirror, looking at her stomach. Swaying between panic and euphoria, she still could not believe that she was really supposed to be carrying Volcan’s child in her belly. She was indeed certain of her love for Volcan, and yet a child was a serious matter. It would bind them to one another and they now had a huge responsibility.
When she finally fell sleep, exhausted, it was already two o’clock. She dreamt about her daughter. In her dream she was the most beautiful baby that the world had ever seen, with big, blue eyes and her father’s red hair.
A figure materialised next to Coreena’s bed. It bent over the sleeping person and carefully opened the clasp on the chain that Volcan had given her when she was a little girl. Then it laid the chain on the bedside table and reached its hands out again to the sleeping Coreena. A greenish energy ray from the creature’s fingers wove a net around Coreena’s head, and Coreena awoke with a scream that was thrown back at her by the energy net, and it resounded in her own ears. Not a sound went outside the net, but she did not know that, and so she carried on screaming loudly for help.
“Save your strength!” snarled the figure. “No one can hear you. The net of silence doesn’t let any sound out. You’re just wasting your energy.”
‘Volcan! He’ll come. The chain!’ thought Coreena.
The figure shook its head and pointed to the bedside table. Coreena’s eyes widened with horror. She tried to grab the chain, but it disappeared before her eyes, and it appeared in the creature’s hand as if moved by a ghost hand. Then it had disappeared again and was suddenly hanging from the ceiling lamp.
When the figure grabbed hold of her, she put up a fight and screamed, although she knew that no one could hear her. Suddenly they were in a room with stone walls and small window slits. She had no idea where she was, but it seemed to be a sort of castle. It was dark. Only the torches on the walls gave a little light. On the floor there was a simple straw mattress, in the corner was a chair and next to it a wash stand and a pot. Obviously this was meant to be a sort of prison for her. She did not know exactly where she was, but it was definitely not in her world.
Her abductor sat her up and made a gesture with his hand. The energy net around her head disappeared. Coreena’s head was still buzzing from her own screaming. Adrenalin was shooting through her veins and her heart was pounding uncomfortably. She would not have been surprised if her heart had literally jumped out of her chest, because it felt exactly as if it would do so at any moment. Coreena stared at the creature. It looked like a mixture between a human and a reptile. The scaley skin shone in a dark green colour by the glow of the torches and its eyes had red pupils. Its mouth was lined with numerous small, but pointed teeth.
“What’s all this about? Who are you? Where am I? What are you planning to do with me?” Coreena blurted out.
“Rather a lot of questions,” hissed the creature. “But I want to answer them for you. I am Exesor. You are in Abyssus. In my castle. I will prevent the marriage between you and the guardian.”
“So why didn’t you just kill me instead of risking Volcan rescuing me?” asked Coreena, and she looked challengingly at Exesor.
“Because it is forbidden. I cannot kill the guardian’s chosen one. And as far as your sweetheart is concerned – he’s going to be busy with the rescue of this elf for a while, and by the time he realises that you’re gone he may not manage to get you out of here in time. If he doesn’t die in the attempt anyway. My castle is well protected. No, my little one. Don’t bother hoping that you’ll be rescued.”
“And if the deadline elapses, what happens to me then?”
“When the date passes, you’re no longer a chosen one. I can kill you then!”
An icey cold shudder ran down Coreena’s back.
“This injury to the elf – is that your doing, too?”
Exesor grinned smugly.
“Yes, I can say with pride that I set all of that up. I organised a few ice elves to attack Merlon and to injure him badly enough so that your sweetheart will be occupied with his healin
g for at least two days. A plan that is simply genius, don’t you think?”
Exesor pulled his face into an ugly grin, then he pushed her so that she fell backwards onto the mattress. She screamed in surprise as she landed hard on the mattress. She picked herself up and glared angrily at her attacker.
“I hope Volcan comes and burns a hole in your ugly face,” she spat at him.
An energy ray from Exesor’s hand struck her and, overcome by acute pain, she screamed again.
“I can’t kill you. But I can torture you. So don’t put me to the test. Otherwise you’ll suffer as never before in your miserable life!”
With these words Exesor turned and left the room, the door locking itself behind him. Coreena stared for a long time at the locked door, until she suddenly burst into tears. Sobbing, she threw herself onto the mattress and cried herself to sleep.
When Coreena woke up she needed a while to orientate herself. When she realised where she was, and what had happened, she jumped up and ran to one of the window slits. Outside she could see a dreary landscape of small craters and hills and a few naked, strange-looking trees. The window slit was too narrow to consider it as a way of escape. But even if she could have fit through, escape would be impossible. She was a good ten meters above the ground and also she did not know where she would run to. She had no powers that allowed her to move by teleportation. So she could not flee from this awful world. Her only hope was that Volcan would rescue her.
“Pretty shitty,” she murmured.
She had been looking out of the window for at least an hour without seeing a living creature. Everything out there appeared to be dead. What a wretched world, and what a stark contrast to Volcan’s blooming paradise. On recalling their love play at the waterfall, tears came into her eyes. How much she longed to lie in Volcan’s arms again. She had really fallen in love with this man. Everything could have been so beautiful. The fairy tale was so close to becoming real. And now she was sitting here, waiting for death.
Volcan's Fire (Guardians of The Elements #1) Page 11