Burn for Me (Edanholme Book 1)

by Catherine Fitzpatrick

  sunk to, in surviving to rule the Dark dimension. The emotional scars would haunt his

  mate for the rest of her life. Time would reveal how deeply she had been affected by the

  intermingling of her blood with that of her Grandfather. He had not lied, could not lie.

  He was prepared to stand by his precious mate whatever the cost.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Drusal woke to a raging desire to take his female. Shudders wracked his body as silken

  manipulation stoked a monumental arousal. Eyes instantly wide open he found Cat draped

  across his chest. An untamed mass of hair locked his wrists to the bed, red gold strands

  writhed over his groin. On a groan his hips undulated out of control.

  “Cat…” With a stifled gasp he managed to control the sensations surging up his belly.

  Lifting eyelids slowly, a sly smile curved Cat’s mouth. “I was having such a nice dream….”

  She purred lazily.

  “I prefer that you be awake when we make love…” His desperate plea pierced the fog of

  sleep crowding her mind with erotic images.

  “What…?” Raising her head, the tug on her scalp brought Cat fully awake.

  “Ooops… Not a dream then?” She chuckled, embracing the thrill of fire in her stomach.

  Eyes screwed shut, concentrating on holding back his release, Drusal felt her straddle his

  hips, sheathing him in pulsing heat. The mouth covering his, laid waste to tightened lips,

  tormenting him even further. With a moan at the blazing heat rushing through her veins

  Cat moved with the same rhythm as her lover, parting her lips in invitation to devour her.

  Wrists encased in silken handcuffs Drusal used his massive strength to flip her onto her

  back. The sudden move freed his arms. Locking long legs around his back he plunged deep

  into a release that was echoed by the tightening of muscles, prolonging the wild intensity

  of bone deep ecstasy. Lifting her hips to meet the ferocity of hungry need, Cat felt her lover

  sink deeper. The tendons of his neck showed white under the translucent skin of a straining

  neck as Drusal growled out her name.

  With a sensuous shiver Cat received the full might of his release with a last surge of her hips,

  a rippling landslide of tortuous pleasure flooded outwards from the core of her being.

  Gasping for breath, every muscle in her body tensed in anticipation as a final thrust from

  Drusal drove them both beyond the confines of their tangled bodies. Coming together heart

  to heart, soul to soul in a conflagration of such intensity the afterglow left them spent, skin

  pulsing with spasms of near painful torment. Delicious little nips of pleasure that continued

  to hold them spellbound.

  Drusal’s head rested heavily on soft breasts, gentle lips touched skin that glowed with an

  unearthly fire, pale skin free of any sign of the attack that stole her vibrancy mere hours

  ago. “My Lady Vardon…” A trembling whisper reached her ears.

  “If you ever cut your hair, I will be despondent at the loss of an erotic wakening.”

  A musical laugh shook the breast beneath his lips. Taking one nipple in his mouth he nipped

  at the love tender flesh. “Ouch enough… I’m about to explode from my skin.”

  Lifting her head, fingers sinking into copper curls Cat watched the wolf recede from grey

  pearlescent eyes. “My desire to taste you is hard to resist.”

  Rolling onto his back and stretching out the muscles of his stomach, they rippled appealingly.

  Sinking into his side Cat nuzzled the skin beneath his ear, inhaling the sweet scent of vanilla

  that permeated his blood. The rush of that blood through his veins, thrilled her heart in a

  surge of desire to slice through the skin to reach the source of his life. Biting at her lip Cat

  fought down the insane desire to drink from her mate.

  “What troubles thee?” Drusal had caught onto the thread of a burning desire.

  “I really want to bite you.” Disgusted by urges that were new to her, Cat backed away

  from the enticement of naked flesh.

  “Then bite me… If you truly wished to take my blood, you would have done so in the hot

  flood of passion, in the midst of our fervent coupling.” He was right and she knew it, but

  the impulse to taste his blood echoed in her mind with greedy insistence. With a shake of

  her head Cat declined the invitation to take a taste of a male who meant the world to her.

  “I feel different Drusal. All my senses are heightened. I see colours beyond the visible

  spectrum. Tastes and smells have intensified. Touching the silk of your skin, every small

  hair feels abrasive against my fingers.” With a shamefaced gasp she touched his chest

  above the heart. “I can hear the blood pounding through your veins in fear of what I will

  do next.” Drusal captured her fingers to lift them to his lips.

  “The way your analytical mind dissects the changes in your body proves that you are in

  control, not lost in the blood lust of the Dark Court.” He allayed her fears of joining the

  ranks of a loathsome plague with a tender kiss on the palm of her hand.

  “The strength of Teyrnons blood has made you more radiant, energy vibrates in the aura

  of elements that join us together. Will you not trust me enough to dispel the mask that

  serves to hide your true form?” Running a hand up a smooth skinned forearm he tangled

  his fingers in red gold strands of hair. “I wish to see how glorious you are.”

  Wriggling in place Cat hesitated before answering him. The revelation of a face and figure

  akin to the Queen who had degraded her males for eons, was bound to place a barrier of

  distaste between them. The thought of revulsion on his face made her heart sink.

  “I may be even uglier than you can ever imagine…” Sliding from the bed Cat headed for

  the bathroom, grabbing a long silk robe on the way.

  “I doubt that you could ever be ugly to mine eyes…” A throaty growl sent shivers down

  her spine, a spike of intense desire throbbed in the pit of her belly. Shaking her head in

  disbelief, at his seeming unconcern, Cat locked her face into an image guaranteed to shock.

  “Are you so sure…?” With a snarl she whipped round, fangs extended, features distorted

  in a sharp featured mockery of her human face.

  “Smart arse…” Drusal drawled leisurely, locking his arms behind his head to lounge back

  on a pile of feather pillows, an appreciative grin on a gorgeous face. Cat collapsed against

  the bathroom door consumed by giggles.

  “Where did you learn such language?” She lisped around the length of fictitious fangs.

  Willing them to be gone, she glared at the grinning, totally unruffled male on the bed.

  “Listening to your friends, that epithet suited your bloody minded attitude exactly.”

  Pearlescent grey eyes locked onto her mouth, a small frown twitching at dark brows.

  “You are bleeding Iscatya...” Mirth swaged to concern in seconds.

  Lifting a hand to her mouth Cat swiped a drop of blood from her bottom lip, to examine

  it minutely. She slid down the doorframe. Boneless with the revelation the fangswere real

  enough to cut her lip. A cold spasm of fear ran down her back. Vampire…

  I’m a vampire.

  Drusal rushed to her side. Lifting the finger covered in blood to his mouth he sucked it

  from her finger, the taste of a drop of blood a sheer intoxication of elements.

  “Cat…” His fingers dug into her upper arms
, to shake her from the stupor of disbelief.

  Cringing at the force of his gaze, too far gone to listen to reason, Cat feared for her life.

  “I’ll go away… Stay in the Dark Court forever. Don’t kill me… Please….”

  Drusal was shaken to his soul by the cold fear in her voice.

  “I have no intention so demeaning to our bond.” Wrapping her in a cage of strong

  arms Drusal sent out to the frightened female the wealth of his commitment to a

  joining he was powerless to deny, whatever the cost to his immortal soul.

  Cat was too traumatised to listen to false reassurances. She had to get away, far away.

  Translocating from his arms she made the fundamental mistake of not envisioning a

  destination, no point of reference. A basic error a frightened female overlooked in a

  mind-numbing state of panic. Her atoms re-grouped in limbo, caught between the plains

  of existence. The air around her glowed with a pale red gold light, the ground felt solid

  beneath bare feet. Dropping to her knees she cried out a plea, a longing to be free of

  the curse that took her from her love, her family, her friends.

  Iscatya come to me… A voice filled with wonderment stilled the torment in her soul.

  My child, rise to fulfil thy destiny.

  Unable to deny the command in a voice filled with music Cat eased to her feet. A vista of

  lush meadows and fruit laden trees bore no resemblance to any on earth. A blood red

  sun hovered in a pink tinted sky. Tying the belt of a skimpy silk robe tight around her

  waist she walked slowly towards an incongruous huddle of log cabins. She scanned the

  horizon waiting for the axe to fall, for her life to be condemned by the Fates, the deities

  of the Sidhe Drusal held in highest esteem.

  “Your life is not forfeit Iscatya.” The figure of a stunningly beautiful woman shimmered

  into being a few steps in front of Cat, offering to her the deference of equals.

  “I am named Alastrina, the Defender of Mankind. The Guardian of the oppressed, and

  the present keeper of the Crystal Swords of Justice.” The white clad female smiled with

  a shy curve of ruby red lips.

  Cat returned the greeting with a touch of fingers to forehead, arm arcing wide as she

  bowed low to a lovely apparition. A soft laugh tickled her mind with a touch so tender

  it reminded Cat of Shayla’s love.

  “We are kin, Shayla and I, which means my attachment to her Granddaughter is also as

  strong in love, as is hers.” A small hand cupped Cat’s cheek, lifting her eyes to gaze upon

  a visage shining with calm sincerity.

  “Why am I here, if not to be judged?” She shrugged, at a total loss. An undirected jump

  to molecular level should have scattered her atoms across the Universe. It appeared

  she had been hijacked. Big brother had been watching and waiting to snap her up.

  “All that transpired was necessary to bring you to us.” An ambiguous reply didn’t offer

  any real answers. The Deities of the Fae seemed to be as annoyingly evasive as the

  rest of the race when it came to giving up the truth. Bemused by the veiled gratitude

  in the voice of an angel Cat shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand any of this.”

  The sense of worthlessness in her mind made her cringe at the loss of a dream to secure

  freedom for the Sidhe.

  “You are far from worthless Iscatya. The Fates have watched you since the second of your

  birth. The power of thy life force is unpredictable.” Cat snorted in agreement.

  “In the short time you have been in possession of Sidhe heritage, you have proven to be

  all that Istirina is not, compassionate, selfless and equal to the task of Sovereignty.”

  Taking hold of Cat’s hand, Alastrina breathed a contented sigh.

  “Teyrnon fought to survive his imprisonment, in doing so, his gentle soul undermined the

  rampant nature of the vampires. With you as their Queen, the blood lust can be further

  tamed. Assimilation into the modern world will be hard for them but not impossible.”

  Cat shook her head. Her brain was on mental overload.

  “Your blood was necessary to subdue a depraved thirst. I accept the method of obtaining

  it was a little harsh.” Vibrant blue eyes flashed with shame at an innocent female’s

  enforced pain.

  “Harsh…?” Cat’s laugh was brittle, the fangs that denoted all she had become dropped

  from the roof of her mouth with a sharp little click.

  “I’m a vampire. I’d call that counterproductive.” Cat began to pace across the grass.

  “I wanted to drink my lover’s blood. I ran from him before he decided I was too dangerous

  to live. That’s not harsh, it’s monumentally cruel.” Blue tinged flames flickered over her

  skin as Cat’s anger grew hotter at the continuing manipulation of her life.

  “Be at peace child.” Alastrina stood calmly serene in the face of a mounting storm.

  “All that you have suffered has an end product. The life force you now wield has all the

  attributes of the Sidhe and vampire nations combined. The hunger for your male’s blood

  taunts you because he is your mate, no more than that.” Another vague answer to Cat’s

  heated anguish. A frown curled her nose. Questions teemed restlessly in her mind.

  “Are you implying it was purely lust? Not the need to feed that made me crave the taste

  of his blood?” Rubbing her hands over her face, she tried to make sense of the creature

  she had become.

  “Exactly…” The radiant smile on Alastrina’s face made no sense at all.

  “And you condone that…?” Bewildered by the conflict of Sidhe and vampire under her

  skin Cat sank to the grass, fingers digging into peaty soil for solace and comfort.

  “You have become the ultimate warrior, endowed with all that makes the Sidhe and

  vampire nations powerful. With that power yours to call at need, a peace between both

  races can be achieved.” Sitting to face Cat, the strange female held out her hands to a

  girl who only days ago had lived an uncomplicated human existence.

  “I feel your anger. I also feel the sadness in your heart.”

  A single tear slipped over Cat’s cheek.

  “I want to save the Sidhe. I want to give them a home where they are free to live as

  families should. I fail to see what I can possibly do for the vampire nation.” The serenity

  of Alastrina’s aura drifted over her, quieting the despairing doubt’s in Cat’s mind.

  “Give them a home too. Offer them a world where Sidhe and vampire can co-exist. Their

  thirst can be re-directed, you have been shown the way.”

  Cat laughed a deep, infectious belly laugh at the wayward direction that thirst would take.

  “With my blood in their veins, the modern vampire can only feed from its mate. They will

  be able to sustain their life force with real food? I can live with that… Drusal might be a bit

  shocked when I sink my fangs into his neck. But hey… It’s for a good cause.” The laughter

  slowly subsided, to the intensity of a woman who had reached beyond a limited existence

  to accept the power play of the Fates.

  “Why me… Why not Teyrnon…?” Emerald eyes locked onto the stunningly beautiful female

  who had abased herself at her feet, she wanted full disclosure.

  “Because he is not you… Turn your palms up Iscatya Edan-Fire, the Lady Vardon.”

  Cat twitched at the intimate addition to her titles.

  “I name thee Gu
ardian, future bearer of the Swords of Justice,Mother of a new more

  enlightened nation.” Fire burned along Cat’s arms in a branding of the names of the swords.

  “The right arm supports Saoirse, Freedom. The left wields Breith, Doom. Will them to you

  Guardian.” Releasing Cat’s hands, Alastrina sank back on the grass, an eager light of

  expectation burned bright in vibrant eyes.

  Two swords hovered over Cat’s palms, in a blaze of blinding crystal blue light.

  “Take hold of the hilts Iscatya…”

  Locking her fingers on the cool crystal she fell under the spell of music, immersed in a heart

  warming, thrilling song of welcome. The vibration ran up her arms to settle in the region of

  her soul. Touching the tips of the swords together above her head, they emitted a sensory

  chorus of pure joy. All the flaming colours of the elements swirled around the seated girl,

  forming a cloak of brilliance, a multi-hued garment, impenetrable to any form of magic.

  Cat caressed the swords with tongues of blue flame, accenting the azure blue of the blades

  in a wave of acceptance that shot a bolt of pure energy into the sky. The ground shook with

  the happy violence of the blast.

  With a soft sigh she released the swords, to hear their muted song lingering in her mind.

  “Why relinquish such a glorious gift?” Cat’s voice trembled under the burden of power

  that could literally tear the world apart.

  “Because it was time...” Was she was destined never to get a complete answer to simple

  questions? Lifting her head Cat breathed out a sigh of longing for a life less complicated.

  A nagging thought came to the forefront of her mind in a welter of confusion.

  “Mother…? You said mother of a new nation.” Wriggling in place she watched a sly smile

  curve across ruby tinted lips. Alastrina extended a hand, to place it on Cat’s stomach.

  “Twins…”

  Mouth falling open in shock Cat glanced down at the hand hovering over her flat belly.

  “That’s impossible… It’s only been two days.” Mouth suddenly dry she gulped down a