It wasn’t uncommon for him to do so, and his underlings obeyed him without question. As soon as they were in private, Hareem pinned Raleigh with a glare. “Well? Do you have any news?”
“We’ve made some progress, Emperor Hareematek,” Raleigh said, “but we still haven’t quite pinned down a method to find the Ancient Horror, or contain him if need be.”
Hareem suppressed the urge to scream in frustration. What kind of breakthrough could have justified Raleigh’s visit if they still hadn’t achieved their current task? He clenched his fists around the armrests of his throne, trying to rein in his dragon. Losing his temper wouldn’t help anyone. Besides, he was well aware that the job he’d assigned to the benandanti wasn’t an easy one.
He didn’t think he could speak without growling at Raleigh, so he wordlessly gestured the other man to continue. “We think that we might have found a method to break Fallon Hanover from his coma,” Raleigh said.
Well, that was good news, albeit not the kind Hareem had been expecting. “So you’ve gained more understanding in how the power of the Ancient Horror works?”
“Indeed,” Rachen said. “King Stanton and his fae mate have been cooperative in that regard, as has Prince Rachen.”
Hareem already knew that his two prisoners had decided to work together with Ornoz for the purpose of fighting the Ancient Horror. Of course, that didn’t mean Hareem trusted them. He had refused to allow either of them to return to their respective homes, even if that meant the vampires were left without leadership. Similarly, he had preferred to keep Raul here instead of sending him to Ivenia so that King Selbrian could make a decision regarding his fate. Ivenia already had enough problems, what with the High Priestess mysteriously entering a coma no one had been able to wake her from.
Nevertheless, if the research of the benandanti had succeeded to finally crack the veil of darkness surrounding Fallon Hanover, they had taken a small step in the right direction. Upon first sight, the Ancient Horror’s abilities were very similar to Karein’s, but as it turned out, there were some serious differences that could give Ornoz an edge, or lead to its downfall.
Karein or Prince Kaelezrin had never been able to take over the body of another person. A twisted version of it had happened with his brother, but that was because he and Rachen had shared an egg. This meant that the powers of the Ancient Horror had also become twisted, and that, likely, the closest thing they had as a research subject was Rachen himself.
“I hope you didn’t push Rachen too far while achieving this,” he told Raleigh. “I don’t want my brother to be in any sort of discomfort.”
Raleigh winced, and Hareem knew he’d hit the nail on the head. “We’re actively trying to keep our methods as harmless as possible for Prince Rachen. It doesn’t always work. However, Prince Camden has helped a lot.”
“I imagine so,” Hareem answered, “since his blood did give Sage an immunity to the Ancient Horror’s power.”
“Sadly, that blood only works as a temporary cure,” Raleigh answered. “It will only have a permanent effect on Lieutenant Zager, something which is likely connected to their mate bond.”
“So what’s this method to wake Fallon up then?” Hareem inquired. “Get to the point.”
“Sunlight,” Raleigh replied.
Hareem stared at the benandanti, wondering if the man was joking. Sure, Fallon was a pretty old vampire, and his vulnerability to daylight wouldn’t make him burst into flames if he was hit by the sun’s rays. However, Hareem failed to understand how harming Fallon, even in the smallest of ways, would help.
“We think that the Ancient Horror lingers within all of its hosts,” Raleigh said. “It’s the only thing that would explain his extended coma. Perhaps it’s only a very small part of him that remains with Fallon, but it is enough that it interferes with the effect of naga blood to chase out the illness. Preliminary testing indicates that the sunlight would affect Fallon’s blood cells enough so that that magic would abandon his body. If that happens and if we wake him up, we have a chance of tracing the magical signature to the Ancient Horror. But King Stanton refuses to make the attempt.”
“And I can’t blame him.” Hareem rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Overlords… This is the only way?”
“Everything else we’ve tried has failed,” Raleigh said apologetically. “Unless we find the Ancient Horror, Fallon Hanover might be in a coma forever. We do have my uncle Mark researching additional sources in the United States, but so far he hasn’t come up with anything.”
Hareem didn’t even know what to say or do anymore. He couldn’t in good conscience ask the vampire king to risk his son’s welfare for something that might not work. “Just…keep trying something else. If you don’t find other solutions, come to me again.”
Raleigh nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but a knock interrupted him. Hareem frowned. He’d asked not to be disturbed during his meetings with the benandanti. Perhaps something of importance had happened. He was always waiting for messages from Karein. Maybe his brother had sent him a missive from Rose Noire.
“Yes?” he called out.
The usher slid into the throne room, bowing so lowly his head was nearly touching the floor. “Announcing Lady Elina Eretar,” he said. “She humbly requests a meeting with Your Imperial Majesty.”
Hareem’s irritation returned with a vengeance. He’d gotten himself into his mess through his plans to take an official mate, and now, he couldn’t seem to get out of it. Even if everyone knew Hareem was focusing on ensuring the safety of the empire, Elina still insisted on approaching Hareem at the worst times.
Hareem had wanted to avoid additional unpleasantness from the part of the draechen lords, but it seemed that it couldn’t be helped. “What are you going to do?” his mate asked through their bond.
“What can I do? I don’t have the time or the patience to deal with her right now. It’s already hard enough to be without you. I’ve tried everything to be the best emperor I can be, but I have to draw the line somewhere. In the end, I never made her any promises.”
It had been his own fault for even starting the whole thing, but, fortunately, he’d never gotten to propose to her. That would have made the situation even more complicated than it already was.
This time, Taryn seemed quite happy to agree with him. As the months passed, he’d grown even more possessive of Hareem, his need to be by Hareem’s side increasing with every day that passed. Hareem ached to find him and kiss him breathless, but he carefully kept himself in check. The whole point of their separation had been to make sure his lover and their child were safe. He did steal in the occasional visit, and that was the only thing that kept them going. If Hareem randomly decided to go after him every time they felt horny, their sacrifice would be for naught.
“Somehow, I doubt you’d get much work done if we had sex as much as I’d like,” Taryn mused.
Hareem squeezed his armrests again, almost crushing the marble. He could see his mate through his mind’s eye, an ocean away, so beautiful, so wanton, needing him. Taryn lay in the shadow of a tree, completely naked, tweaking one dusky nipple with his nimble fingers. His free hand rested on his swollen stomach, and if he closed his eyes, Hareem could almost feel the life pulsing under Taryn’s fingertips.
Arousal, desire, and love rose through Hareem, nearly unbearable in their intensity. This time, he couldn’t suppress a growl. Raleigh didn’t make any comment on it, although he must have detected Hareem’s lust. To this day, Hareem wasn’t exactly sure about how benandanti powers worked, but he was fairly certain that anyone with even a drop of shifter blood would be able to smell his need for Taryn. Overlords, at this point, even a human would manage.
“I believe it’s time for me to go, Your Majesty,” Raleigh said. “I’ll keep you posted for further developments.”
“Before you go, Mr. Connors. Remember what I said about my brother. I’ll speak to him tonight, and I trust that he won’t have anything bad to say about
you.”
Raleigh didn’t answer, not that Hareem expected him to. He just sketched another small bow and exited the throne room. Hareem didn’t dwell much on his behavior. The relationship between Hareem and the benandanti was strange even on a good day. Technically speaking, they didn’t owe him any subservience, but they had decided to defer to him because they’d seen that they couldn’t possibly handle the problems of the paranormal world on their own. Mark Connors, Raleigh’s uncle, had actually decided to remain outside Draechenburg and continue the benandanti’s work as they had before. So far, Hareem hadn’t really supervised him. He made a mental note to speak to him as soon as possible
In fact, as Hareem watched Raleigh go, he wondered just how hard the Connors were trying to find a solution anyway. Lately, he didn’t even know who to trust. After all, anyone could become a host for the Ancient Horror. With Karein living half the time in Rose Noire and Prince Kaelezrin focused on his own mate, Hareem was largely all alone.
It was only Taryn’s absence that truly hurt, though. The few hours they stole together every couple of weeks helped a little, but they also made Hareem feel lonelier when he had to return to Draechenburg. This enduring separation was slowly driving Hareem insane. If not for his bond with Taryn, he’d have probably lost it already.
Unfortunately for Elina Eretar, he was just about to take that pain out on her. She didn’t seem to realize she was basically walking into the den of a wounded animal. She entered the throne room with her head held high and a smile on her full lips.
“Your Imperial Majesty,” she purred, “thank you for receiving me on such a short notice.”
“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Lady Elina,” Hareem replied, deciding to go with a more diplomatic route first. “Unfortunately, my time is not my own. What did you wish to speak of?”
“I admit something important has been on my mind as of late,” she said, approaching the throne more. “A few months back, you invited me into your life. I admit I had hope for something more. I… Well, I didn’t want to presume, but I truly hoped that…” She gave him a shy look and trailed off. “But I’ve already said far too much. I just… I had to see you. I trust you’ll forgive me.”
Hareem was tired of playing games. He had no intentions to prolong this further and make the situation more embarrassing than it already was. “There’s no need for apologies, Lady Elina. In a way, I’m grateful for your visit. It is true that at one point, I had every intention of claiming you as my official mate. However, right now, Ornoz has my full focus. I couldn’t possibly go through with my original plans. ” He smiled to take the bite out of his words. “Of course, you’re always welcome at court, although, as you know, right now is a difficult time for all of us. Now, do you have any other concerns?”
Elina blinked at him. She obviously hadn’t expected this reaction, although Hareem couldn’t imagine what she’d thought would happen. Either way, even he realized he’d been callous with her, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. In the end, he was the draechen emperor. She had been wrong to even make any demands of him. This entire visit was completely out of line, not to mention that it wasn’t real emotion that had ushered her into action.
Anger flashed through Elina’s gaze for a fleeting moment. It passed as quickly as it appeared, and Hareem might not have seen it at all if he hadn’t been paying attention. “Thank you, Your Majesty, no. I wouldn’t dare to keep you further from your duties. I am, as always, humbled by your dedication to Ornoz. With your permission, I’ll be leaving Draechenburg today.”
“Of course, Lady Elina,” Hareem answered. “You’re free to go.”
She bowed lowly in front of him, much like the guard had done earlier. “I live and die by your command.”
Hareem dismissed her with a wave. As she abandoned the throne room, though, it occurred to him that he’d just made another enemy.
“Are you afraid of her, Hareem?” Taryn asked through their bond. “Or do you regret not mating her? How can I convince you that you’ve made the right choice?”
Hareem closed his eyes, once more completely focused on his mate. Elina vanished completely from his mind as he allowed himself to feel what Taryn did. He undid his pants and gripped his swollen prick, imagining it was his mate’s fist around him instead of his own. Or better yet, Taryn’s tight little ass.
A memory drifted in his mind, one of the many times he and Taryn had been together in this very room. Taryn had taken to shifting into his wolf form and sitting through all of Hareem’s meetings. When Hareem was done and they were in private, he’d change into his human shape, rubbing his young, naked body against Hareem. He would straddle Hareem’s lap, teasing his dick through his pants until Hareem was wild with lust.
Finally, Hareem would tear off his clothing and bury his aching dick into Taryn’s welcoming heat. The memories were so vivid Hareem could practically feel the hold of Taryn’s channel tightening around his prick. Hissing, he rubbed his thumb over the leaking head of his dick, his need rising more and more as he felt Taryn touch himself.
It was only a ghost of what they could have done if they’d been together, but at the same time, it was perfect, beautiful, and carnal in a way only sex with Taryn could ever be. Sooner than Hareem expected, he found himself on the brink of climax. His mate was close, too. Hareem could feel it, as if they were flying together in the eye of the storm.
“Come for me, sweeting,” he sent to his mate. “Let me feel you.”
With a mental cry, Taryn came, and a wave of bliss swept over Hareem, propelling him over the edge. In spite of the physical distance, his bond with Taryn glowed with their love and shared desire. Hareem lost himself in it, in the nearly overwhelming nirvana.
It was so very easy to forget all of his problems within the physical pleasure, so easy to imagine that all of the loss he and Taryn had experienced was nothing more than a bad dream. But that only meant that, when the high of the bliss faded, Hareem was struck even harder by the cold loneliness of the throne room.
His breath caught as he remembered that his mate was so very far, lost to him until he found a solution that appeared to elude him no matter how much he struggled. Hareem swallowed around the sudden knot in his throat, angry with himself for his weakness. He shouldn’t be losing hope. His mate was relying on him to fix this.
“You will,” Taryn soothed him through their bond. “I have complete faith in you. And once it’s all over, we can be together again, you, me, and our baby.”
The thought made Hareem smile. Overlords, he couldn’t wait to be a father. He hated that he couldn’t be with Taryn through this delicate time, but they had their mate bond, and through it, Hareem could feel everything Taryn did, including the stirrings of incipient life within Taryn.
He was so lost in thought that he almost missed the new knock on the door. Grumbling, Hareem wiped himself down as much as he could and fixed his clothing. His garments wouldn’t pass muster if he had to face a shifter, but he really didn’t care. What was the use of being an emperor if he couldn’t masturbate in the throne room from time to time?
“Yes?” he called out, much like he had earlier. Really, he was tired of all these meetings. What he really wanted to do was to fly out there and take matters into his own hands, but instead, he had to linger here and delegate, and deal with scorned draechen females. Overlords, sometimes he really hated being an emperor.
This time, however, it wasn’t a draechen who demanded his attention. The guard led a pale-looking Alwyn into the throne room. “I need a word with you, Your Majesty,” Alwyn said, his voice quiet and subdued.
“Of course, Lord Cyraltin,” Hareem replied. He’d grown to like the little sprite, since he’d brought so much joy in Rachen’s life. “What is it?”
“I want to go home,” Alwyn blurted out. “I need to leave Draechenburg.”
* * * *
“Leaving?” Rachen stared at Alwyn in disbelief. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”
Alwyn winced, and Rachen realized he’d raised his voice at the sprite. He’d also grabbed Alwyn’s arm and was squeezing it rather tightly. He never did that. With Alwyn, he always tried to remain gentle, to push back that part of him that told him he’d never be good enough and just believe. Perhaps this was why this news felt like such a betrayal.
“It would be just for a brief visit,” Alwyn said, not even trying to pull away. “I need to see my family.”
“But why?” Rachen inquired plaintively. He knew he should be letting go, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. In his heart, he feared that if he freed Alwyn, the other man would just disappear and never return.
“You have to understand that Alwyn has been in Draechenburg for quite a while now,” Hareem said from behind him. “With us being in lockdown, Elusians were forbidden from coming here. It’s understandable that Alwyn wishes to visit his family.”
Hareem’s palm landed on his shoulder, and Rachen turned, glaring at his older brother. He’d have asked Hareem what in the world he knew about being estranged from a loved one, but then, he realized Hareem was in the perfect position to give advice on that. After all, he’d been forced to separate from his pregnant mate.
Rachen took a deep breath and did his best to calm down. Deep inside, his dragon was mortally wounded. No matter what Alwyn said, Rachen knew there was more to this than just a simple visit.
But Rachen couldn’t keep Alwyn tied to him. It wouldn’t be fair, not when so many months had passed and Rachen still hadn’t managed to get his act straight. Not to mention that Alwyn had been acting strangely as of late. It might have had something to do with the increasing strain the benandanti’s efforts put on Rachen, but somehow Rachen doubted that.
Well, he could accept rejection like anyone else. He released Alwyn’s arm and forced a smile. “I understand. Will you be coming back?”
“Of course,” Alwyn answered. “My father did agree on it with His Imperial Majesty.”
Well, that was an answer to the question Rachen hadn’t asked. It seemed strange, because Rachen had begun to believe that Alwyn truly was his mate. Apparently, he’d been mistaken.
Emperor's Consort [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 5] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 18