by Kim Faulks
"Thank you for coming my brother." Malik stepped forward to clap the new arrival on the back. "I knew you wouldn't let us down.”
"Yeah, well. The mistress had to be convinced." He cut Alexander a glare cold enough to freeze in the Arabian Desert. "It seems there are still some hurt feelings when it comes to the vampire."
"Me?" Alexander searched his memory for the reason. He found none. "I have no idea what the damn woman is talking about."
"Seems Makkah is still sore about Kasia leaving her for you."
"Bloody hell. How long is it going to take this woman to get over it?" Alexander threw his hands in the air.
"Women. Never. Get. Over. It." Sakhr growled. "But, I'm here, which has to count for something."
"Now that we've got that settled, let's get back to saving Natalie. Every minute we waste is a minute too long when she's with Kaige." Grayson growled stepping forward to meet the Arabian warrior.
Sakhr eyed the human, for a second Alexander thought there might be a problem, then the Arabian nodded and stepped back. "Then, follow me and keep close, human. You don't want to be stranded out here."
They followed Sakhr through the blinding wind heading for the shimmer on the horizon. This land was protected by gods older than time itself. They could've wandered around in this desert for eternity without ever finding their way into Makkah's camp. The fact she sent the warrior gave him hope. If only she could put the past behind them to save Natalie's life they had a chance—a slim one, but still a chance.
It felt like they'd been walking for hours, each step in the headlong wind was getting harder to push through. The howl filled Alexander's ears and stung his eyes. He kept pace with the human as they trudged through until in a blink the wind stopped dead and they were finally there.
He remembered the first time he found himself in Makkah's clutches as a newborn vampire. The sights of vibrant reds and yellows, of chiffon dresses and hand spun rugs was still as vibrant today as it had been then. He inhaled deep. Cardamom and star anise cut through the desert fog to sharpen his senses. He heard Grayson cough and sneeze, drawing the attention of the warriors who milled outside the golden tent—Makkah’s tent.
"Why are they here, Sakhr?" One dark-skinned warrior asked stepping forward, hand hovering to the hilt of his scimitar.
Alexander eyed the male. The muscles of his arm flexed, ready for the kill. One word from his leader stopped him. "Kasia."
His eyes widened, but didn't move as they shoved aside the curtain and stepped inside the tent. The massive room was sparse. A table sat on one side adorned with grapes, figs, dates and chalices. His gaze drifted through the sheer walls, leaving nothing unchecked.
"So you've come here after all with your tail between your legs, vampire. Brava to you for having the balls to come crawling back."
There was movement behind the curtain, a slithering. Silk sheet shifted, the sound would've been seductive to anyone else—but Alexander knew better.
He felt the rush of anger like a runaway locomotive. The brakes useless, he was unable to stop. "You want to do this now, Makkah?"
She rose from the bed and parted the sheer wall, moving silently, her gaze piercing his. "Yes, I want to do this now."
"Vampire," growled Malik. A warning he understood all too well.
"It's okay. We're all going to get this out in the open so we can more on, aren't we Makkah."
No one moved as the Algerian Goddess made her way across the floor, naked as the day she was created. Her hair moved as she swayed, the soft dark curls swayed in the air. A living Medusa if ever he saw one. Her breasts were full, upswept. Her nipples were peaked, drawing his gaze. He had bed this woman a thousand times and each time was just like the first. But sex was one thing. Love, now that was something else.
"You look at me with lust in your eyes vampire, but steel in your heart." She threw her head back into a haughty laugh. "You always were an emotional being."
"And you are a cold, calculating bitch."
His words stopped her cold. Makkah leveled him with a deadly glare from her seductive brown eyes. "At least I don't send those I love to their deaths."
He tried to stop the words from penetrating the armor, but he was already broken. He'd failed Kasia then, just as he'd failed her now.
"You still love her, don't you vampire?"
He caught Grayson shift beside him. The human was uncomfortable with Alexander's love. Well, he'd better get used to it. "Yes, I love her just as much now as I did back then."
"You should've let her stay with me. I could've protected her. I could've given her everything she ever wanted."
And there is was. The final fuck you he'd been waiting for. He dropped his gaze to the ground. "We need your help to save her, Makkah. We can't do it on our own."
Silence. Alex felt his resolve shatter. If Makkah refused there was no way the three of them could battle Kaige's army—Natalie would be lost to him forever.
"This comes with conditions."
The cold, dead space in his chest flared to life. He wrenched his head up, eyes boring into hers. "Go on."
"I will be accompanying Sakhr and the others to where they have Kasia hostage."
"Natalie." He reminded her and was cut down with an icy glare. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat. "Go on."
"I will also be bringing Kasia home with me. You and the Djinn may reside here as well, if you wish. But this is non-negotiable. Take it, or leave it."
"Just hold the fuck up." Grayson snarled, stepping forward. "No."
Alexander felt the raw surge of power rip through the tent and hit him like a bomb. Malik hissed. Grayson cried out and stumbled back, the human was no match for Makkah. Alexander spun and surged forward, grabbing hold of the human before he hit the ground. The look of shell-shocked terror was one he'd seen before and no doubt see again.
He covered his ears and screamed. "What the fuck was that? Was that a bomb?"
Alexander shook his head and pain lashed his temples. "No, you idiot. That was her. Now, sit there, don't move, and let me handle this."
Grayson nodded slowly and licked his lips. "Yeah, okay. One thing." Grayson grabbed his arm, his fingers digging into his cold flesh. "She can't stay here. I have to...."
The look of pain in the human’s eyes made something ache inside. Either way this played out, Grayson would lose. Alexander nodded. "It's alright. I understand."
The grip on his arm tightened as Grayson growled. "I love her dammit."
Alexander nodded, feeling the weight of this man's burden. He had no right to demand he sacrifice his love, so that they might have a shadow of theirs. "We all do.”
Grayson released his hold and he turned toward the Algerian bitch. "No deal, Makkah. We'll find another way."
The smug look on her face shattered for an instant, before the mask slid into place. In that moment he saw how desperate she was to have Natalie. How whatever emotion she might have trapped deep down inside, it wasn't love. He would never let the woman he loved endure a lifetime of misery and pain--he'd rather die trying to save her.
"No. No. No. You cannot mean that." Malik barreled into him. He flew through the air. Fabric tore as he grabbed hold of the curtains. The Djinn was on him in an instant. He caught the blow on his jaw. His head snapped to the side, the pain instant, but it was nothing compared to the agony he saw in Malik's gaze. "I refuse to let this happen, vampire."
"He's made his choice. Let him go." Makkah's words cut like a sword into Alexander's soul.
Malik straddled him on the ground, wrapped up in the sheer curtain. "You can't leave her to die!"
He reached for Malik's fists, trapping them in his own. "I'm not leaving her to die. But there has to be another way. Would you have her trade one shackle for another and force her to live here?"
The Djinn stopped fighting, crumbling against his hold. One lone tear slipped from the corner of his Malik's eye to slide down his cheek. The weight of his pain was too great. Alexander loo
ked away, catching sight of the warrior Sakhr standing in the doorway. Something passed between them, something that gave him a spark of hope in this moment of despair.
"It's time we left. Come on, Malik."
The Djinn shifted his weight, allowing Alexander to slip out from underneath. Makkah remained motionless as he brushed off his trousers and held his hand out for his immortal brother. "It was a mistake to come. We'll find another way."
Neither Malik or Grayson spoke another word as they followed him. Alexander brushed the curtain aside. Sakhr was nowhere to be seen as he left the tent and made his way out into the busy walkway.
He focused on getting them out of there. There was still a long way to go and each minute they wasted was one minute to long. Keep fighting, Natalie. We're coming. Please, just a little longer my love.
Chapter 9
Neither the cover of darkness nor the downhill draft could keep Natalie safe. She huddled against the rocky ledge, watching the wolves and the Minotaurs—waiting for the demon to appear. Hours passed, still Kaige remained hidden and an uneasiness settled deep in her belly.
Leron's words replayed inside her head. Whatever illusions you have about my brother helping you, forget it. It is in our nature to be cruel. It is in our nature to consume. She gripped the rock face, feeling the slate crumble. Deep down she knew the demon couldn't be trusted, none of them could, but she had come here with a plan—the only one she had left. All that was left to do was shed what was left of her human heart.
Sleet tuned to snow, falling light and then heavy to block her view and still she waited. The silence gave her thoughts time to take hold and as she crawled back underneath the ridge, the past came back to haunt her. Immortality, for her, was a farce. She shouldn't be able to feel the cold. She shouldn't be able to feel pain, and yet here she was. Her frozen heart aching for those she loved.
The sound of her mother's laughter echoed from a long forgotten memory. She grasped hold of the recollection, giving it life. She was back in her bed, the sheets drawn over her head, listening to her mother's footsteps edging closer. She clenched her face tight, her teeth clamped tight on her lip, trapping the giggle. Come on Natalie, I know you're awake under there. Don't move. Don't even breathe.
The bed dipped. The springs moaned. Natalie curled her toes, knowing what was coming—not wanting to move. Are you awake under there, Natalie? I think you are... I think the toe monster is hungry….
She let out a whimper, her lips smashed together, smiling. The scratch on the sheet seized her thoughts, she could almost see her mother, walking her fingers under the bed sheets, reaching for her toes to tickle until she squealed and begged for release. God she missed her Mom.
This had been their thing, until the day her father packed his bags and left. Life wasn't the same after that. The skies of her memories darkened and the sweet sound of her mother's laughter faded. I miss you Mum. I miss you so much...
It'd been so long since she thought of her mother, or the vague memories of her father. He'd been a good dad, working long hours. Her parents barely fought, but they barely laughed too. They were just there and then one day her father disappeared.
She never heard of him, or saw him ever again. Was he hurt? Missing? When was Dad coming home? Her mother had no answers and the questions were endless. Her mother repeated the same thing. Her father worked a stressful job. Long hours and little reward and then the company went bankrupt. The police came, they found a body. Then all of a sudden the bills were paid, they had money to live. His life insurance would see to their survival. But money wasn't important to her then, just as it wasn't important to her now. Only love mattered.
Stars collided inside her mind, and everything fell into place, from the help of a stranger in an airport, to the devotion and love of an animal for it’s mate. Her complicated human life now seemed so simple—love and be loved. How could she have been so blind for so long? She'd wasted years being a soldier, searching for the father she lost in every man who treated her bad, fighting... running when all along Grayson waited and Alexander searched.
The snow drifts blurred as her tears slid down her cheeks. She made no move to wipe them away. This moment was hers, to mourn for what she'd forgotten and what she'd never have again. Dreams of something that resembled a normal life ended the moment Kaige came into her life. The hope of one day having a family of her own was killed when her throat was torn. The yearning of one day finding her father destroyed. There was no coming back from this. This goddamn animal inside was restless, ready to kill and consume. Alexander and Malik wouldn't survive—no one and nothing could.
The howling wind swallowed her choked cries. The valley blurred, and slowly darkened. Natalie wept until there were no more tears left, and until the last traces of her human heart left her. Her hold on the immortal being inside, slipped.
The animal snarled in greeting, rising to the surface as she stood. She made her way out of the enclave and back toward the ridge. The steep decent would take her directly into view of Kaige and the others. Once she started, it wouldn't be long before they knew she was coming. She glanced back at the darkening tiny cave searching her heart for a sense of loss—there was none. With each step she felt her old self slip further and further behind and the animal took its place.
Her feet sank into the snow as she crested the peak and slowly made her way down. She moved slower than she wanted to, fighting the urgency to end this once and for all. Part of her wanted to reach for the connection with Alexander—to feel the comfort of his love once more. But this would only cause him more pain. She swallowed the need and kept her pace, crossing the valley along with the night.
Natalie knew the moment she'd been sensed by the wild horde. A wolf let out a howl that pierced the blizzard winds, alerting the others. Nightmares were conjured. The grunts and the smells of her enemy returned. She could almost feel their claws on her skin, the feel of their breath against her flesh. She fought the urge to turn and run.
A howl cut through the sleet and was quickly followed by another and then another. She kept pace, her feet sinking until the ice reached mid-way along her calves. She'd lost feeling in her toes. Her feet were nothing more than blocks of ice, the dull sensation spread along her thighs and into her hips, the ache a gnawing hunger, leaving her empty. There was no trace of the old Natalie now.
Massive dark shapes circled her through the snow. The wolves had found her and they were determined this time not to let her get away. There was nothing they could do to hurt her. There was no pain they could inflict that hadn't already been done—no torture she didn't already live with. The hulking shapes circled her as she slowly made her way across the valley. The orange flames of a fire was the first thing she saw, the open mouth of the cave the second and then there she was—the one responsible for it all—Kaige.
Natalie rounded the blazing inferno and moved closer into the cavern. The howling wind died away as her maker pushed herself away from the wall and moved toward her. Kaige reached for her and it was all she could do not to end it here. This was it. This was the beginning of the end.
Natalie closed her eyes, not wanting to see the wicked gleam and cruel smile she knew was waiting for her. Kaige tightened the grip on her neck, nails dug, piercing her skin drawing out a whimper. "I've waited for this moment for so long. I held on to the faith that one day I'd be looking down on his corpse and smiling and you... you've been the instrument in all of this. You've been the stake to his heart and I can't thank you enough." Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "The valley will be littered with the bodies of your lovers... all of them Natalie... all of them."
The bones of her jaw ached as Kaige forced her head. Pain was what she held onto. Pain was all she had while inside a revolving door of torment waited for her. What have I done... what have I done?
Her lips met her maker's, soft, sensual. Kaige probed her mouth with her tongue, forcing it inside. Natalie's body trembled, fighting her maker's will, holding her lips closed
until her teeth rattled. A soft chuckle echoed inside her head, that's it, fight me... I love it when you fight.Kaige would kill Alexander, she would kill them all, everyone she ever loved—everyone who loved her.
She'd hoped that saving Alexander would be enough. That knowing she was exiled with this bitch would be the end of it all. She was wrong and now she'd not only put herself in danger, she was the one who led Alexander and Malik into this trap. Alexander's words taunted her Don't leave me like this. I can help you, but we have to stay together. Natalie. Natalie.
She foolishly thought that handing herself over to Kaige would be enough, that knowing Alexander was hurting would be the pay-off, but at least he'd still be alive. He'd still be able to move on with his life, even if it was without her. He could find someone real, someone that wasn't a reproduction of the love he lost. She'd be hurting too, but the pain would've been worth it. The hope she had was fleeting, sucked down in a whirlwind of death where no one would survive.
Natalie stiffened, as Kaige's mind probed the barriers of her own at the same time her tongue plunged into Natalie's mouth. Images of the dead were strewn across every memory of the men she loved. They screamed inside her mind. But she never flinched as the shackles snapped shut around her wrists. Natalie was back in the depths of hell once more.
Chapter 10
Kaige stepped back, smiling, her mouth glistened with crimson. Natalie licked her lips and tasted blood. The bitch bit her. Kill them... kill them all. The animal whispered and for the first time since she stepped off the plane Natalie shivered.
If you kill them now, this will all be for nothing. The secrets will stay hidden and the torment will continue—do you want that? The animal stayed silent. To kill Kaige and her beasts would be easy. But the search for the truth was anything but. She held onto this thought as the beasts moved in. Hungry eyes seized her, shifting closer.