Monroe’s hand gently reached for him. “It’s okay, little brother,” he said, his voice choked. “It’s going to be okay.”
Only it wasn’t, not really. Taryn knew that, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Pushing back the pain, Taryn met his brother’s eyes, so much like his own. He grasped Monroe’s palm with his own, squeezing it tightly.
When had he shifted? He couldn’t remember. Then again, he couldn’t have kept his hold on his wolf form right now. He was too weak, in too much pain. “Monroe,” he gasped out. “Take care of him. He’s more important… more important than anything.”
He wanted to say more, to tell his brother that if a choice had to be made, Taryn wanted his baby to survive. His life was secondary. His son mattered far more.
Monroe nodded. “I’ll protect your child,” he whispered. “I promise I’ll protect him with my life.”
In his mind, Taryn heard Hareem roaring his agony. “No, sweeting. You can’t leave me. You just can’t.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Taryn replied in a haze. “I’ll always be with you.”
That was the last thing Taryn managed to convey before another wave of pain hit him. Finally, Taryn sent out a prayer to all the gods in existence to protect his baby and surrendered to the darkness.
* * * *
As an emperor, Hareem had been forced to make many difficult decisions. He’d imprisoned his parents and his twin and had narrowly dodged a war with Patala. He’d had to create an unlikely truce with the vampires and get used to a brother he hadn’t fully trusted.
Nothing had prepared him for the agony he experienced this day. His mate had been attacked once before, and Hareem had nearly lost his mind then. But now, it was so much worse, because this time, Hareem instinctively felt that Taryn’s injuries were far more serious.
When Hareem had felt the attack, he’d been in the lab, engulfed into yet another interminable meeting with the benandanti. The Connors didn’t like that Hareem had allowed Rachen to leave with Alwyn. The draechen lords grumbled that Alwyn’s departure meant a sign of weakness from Hareem’s part and a shakiness in the tentative treaty with Elusia.
And then, it came, the dreaded attack. Hareem had already been on the edge, but he’d forced himself to push back his tension for his beautiful mate’s benefit. Upon feeling Taryn’s fear, he immediately melted into his dragon form and flew out of the lab.
To be true, a more accurate assessment of his departure would be that he burst through the walls, sending brick and stone flying all over the place. The benandanti took cover, cursing as the lab equipment was destroyed.
“What the fuck?” Hareem heard James Connors curse.
It barely even registered at all. Nothing mattered anymore, not the Connors, not the draechen who were dodging Hareem, barely managing to avoid being trampled. At one point, he thought he heard someone grumble a “Not again,” but he seriously didn’t care about their opinion.
By the time he reached the cliffside, his mate was already facing three furious dragons, with his brother as his only defense. What the fuck was going on? How had they found out Taryn’s location? Hareem had made sure that no one was tracking Taryn down. And yet, somehow, his own people were hunting Taryn, hurting him.
Hareem wanted to gather an entire army for the simple purpose of destroying the group who’d dared to go against Taryn. He didn’t have time for that, but mercifully, there were plenty of people on the cliffside. With a roar, Hareem gathered them all around him. They instantly obeyed, changing into their dragon shapes.
By some miracle, Talrasar and Kaelezrin were there as well. The fae prince took one look at Hareem and asked, “Where do you need me to go?”
It was a wonder that Talrasar had even made the offer. His pregnancy was already showing, and his mate had grown very protective of both Talrasar and the unborn babe. Even now, Kaelezrin was frowning fiercely. Hareem couldn’t blame him, but right then and there, he’d have given his throne to have a fae backing him up.
“Taryn is under attack,” he sent to Kaelezrin. “I…”
He trailed off as he registered what was going on with his mate. Hope rushed through him as he felt Taryn create the illusion. He did his best to support Taryn, feeding his power into their bond, making the enchantment more believable.
It worked. The draechen traitors fell for the trick, and Hareem experienced a brief moment of relief. It melted into dread when he felt the piercing agony explode over Taryn, coming from his abdomen.
He couldn’t speak anymore. He could barely even think. Lost and desperate, Hareem launched himself into the air. He tried to hold onto his connection with his lover, willing Taryn to fight, to stay with him. For a while, Taryn held on, but then, with one heart-breaking promise, the werewolf lost consciousness.
At that point, Hareem’s soul seemed to shatter. The weight of his guilt and sorrow seemed too much to break. His wings faltered and he might have fallen from the sky if not for the knowledge that Taryn was still alive. Taryn needed him.
Of course, he didn’t have much luck in putting up a façade of calm. His magic started to emanate from him, stirring snow into the clouds. “Emperor Hareematek,” a voice reached out to him, snapping him from his trance before he could create a blizzard. “You need to remain calm. We’re with you. Just don’t lose hope.”
It was Prince Kaelezrin. Hareem was deeply grateful to both him and his mate for deciding to join the expedition, but he couldn’t possibly express that gratitude in words. His full focus remained on Taryn, on the hope that any moment now, his mate would recover and reach out to him again.
A million memories flashed through Hareem’s mind. Taryn’s smile, the sound of his laughter, the way he’d moan and writhe at Hareem’s touch. His swollen belly as their baby grew inside him. It couldn’t be over. Hareem refused to believe it. There was too much he hadn’t said, too much he hadn’t done, too many mistakes he hadn’t fixed. So many regrets, all of them piling on top of Hareem, pointing out what an idiot he’d been.
He had wanted to do what was best for Taryn, for everyone. He had wanted to build a better world, where his son could grow up safe and loved, without having to hide. He’d failed abysmally. The only thing he’d managed so far was to piss off the wrong people. But Elina and everyone like her would pay the price for their transgression. If something happened to Taryn, the world wouldn’t have to worry about the Ancient Horror. Hareem would be the one to destroy it, to destroy everything.
The trip seemed to take forever, and never once did Hareem feel even a stirring of their bond. Perhaps it was better this way. If Taryn had been conscious, he would undoubtedly have to endure a lot of pain. As things stood, Hareem could only rely on Monroe’s affection for his brother and hope that the werewolves had truly been prepared for Taryn giving birth.
Finally, they reached the mountain range where the werewolves had taken refuge. Hareem could still see the damage the attacking draechen had done. They were obviously gone now, but Hareem had every intention to hunt them down.
“There are three rogue dragons in the area,” he sent to his men. “One of them is Elina Eretar. Find them and bring them to me.”
He kept half of the draechen with him, and of course, Princes Kaelezrin and Talrasar. His heart in his throat, he flew to the mountain side and landed next to the caves.
The illusion protecting the sanctuary of the werewolves was strong. He’d never have known the place was there if he hadn’t taken that information from Taryn’s mind. Nevertheless, he had to respect the secrecy of it, even if the delay irked him.
He ordered the rest of his men to stay behind, a good distance away from the caves. Shifting into his human form, he gestured for the two princes to follow. Kaelezrin, who had been in his dragon form, changed into his human one. Holding his mate’s hand, the two men trailed after Hareem.
Hareem led them to the caves, or rather, where he knew the caves would be. As he approached their destination, however, a bolt landed straight in fron
t of Hareem. He dodged the projectile with ease, but he had the feeling it had never been meant to hit him in the first place.
“Stay where you are,” a voice sounded from the shadows. “I won’t warn you again.”
Hareem ignored the threat. “Do not try to get between me and my mate, Prince Jud’enealh. You won’t like the result.”
Oddly, he didn’t recognize the sound of his own voice. He seemed to be speaking from underwater, or rather, from a void of pure sorrow that was quickly consuming his consciousness. The elf prince didn’t seem very happy about Hareem’s loss of control. He stepped forward, glaring at Hareem. “You’re not in any condition to see him. Not to mention that you’ve already done enough.”
“Step aside, elf,” Kaelezrin said. “This is none of your business. We’ll go through you if we have to.”
Talrasar pressed his hand to his mate’s shoulder, but it wasn’t Kaelezrin he addressed. “Enough of this,” he told the elf sternly. “You don’t have the right to keep Emperor Hareematek from his mate and child.”
Hareem didn’t even wait for a reply from the elf. He just pushed past the man and entered the caves. He felt the magic trying to keep him out, but his determination was such that not even the strongest spell could have kept him out.
A pack of wolves surrounded him the moment he burst into the caverns. They bared their fangs at him, snarling and growling. Hareem snarled back. He could have easily wiped them out with one ice spell. His dragon was itching to do it, especially since he knew they hadn’t been exactly nice to his mate.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to attack anyone. A large black wolf appeared in front of him, and silence fell over the caves. Instinctively, Hareem recognized him as the Alpha of the pack. Monroe released a low growl, but instead of trying to dissuade Hareem, he gestured Hareem further into the cave.
Hareem didn’t speak. He didn’t even acknowledge Monroe in any way. He just ran past the Alpha wolf, deeper into the cave. The scent of blood reached his nostrils, making his stomach roil. He followed it to a small nest of blankets and froze.
The sight of Taryn’s still body threatened to crumble what was left of Hareem’s reason. Ice bloomed under his feet as he stepped closer, the air growing frigid around them. Finally, he knelt next to Taryn, afraid to touch the werewolf lest he accidentally harm his mate even more.
Strikingly enough, his dragon’s cold magic didn’t subside when he came closer to Taryn, but neither did it affect the unconscious shifter. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t so strange. After all, they were mates. Taryn had always been Hareem’s greatest strength and his greatest weakness, from the very first moment they’d met.
Trembling, Hareem lay down next to Taryn. He cupped Taryn’s cheek gently, wanting to hold his lover close, but feeling that if he tried to do that, his frail mate would shatter into a million pieces.
There were countless things he’d have liked to do then, but he was no healer. He did, however, have a responsibility, and someone else he loved who called out to him. A little, dim light glowed in his heart, giving him a measure of calm. Hareem remembered that not all was lost. He still had allies on his side, and his mate was still breathing. As long as Taryn remained alive, Hareem would never give up.
Hareem brushed a kiss over Taryn’s cheek, then got up. He found Prince Talrasar close by, and he beckoned him closer. “Please,” he said, “help him.”
“I will do what I can,” Talrasar replied.
Kaelezrin went with him, and together, the two princes took Hareem’s place next to Taryn. Forcing himself to look away, Hareem scanned the cave for the man who was basically his brother-in-law. He found Monroe leaning against the wall of the cavern. He carried a small—entirely too small—infant in his arms.
Confused emotions flooded Hareem. On autopilot, he went to Monroe’s side and extended his arms. Monroe wordlessly complied and handed the baby to Hareem.
It wasn’t the first time Hareem had been around newborns. He and his twin were just a little older than Karein. While Karein hadn’t exactly been the most lovable baby, it had served Hareem to at least know a little about young children.
Of course, Taryn’s child was nothing like Karein. He blinked wide eyes at Hareem, and Hareem noted that one of the beautiful orbs was ice blue and the other green-gold. He had a tuft of jet black hair that reminded Hareem of Taryn. He was lovely, but at the same time, so very quiet. Too quiet.
“Is he all right?” Hareem asked Monroe.
“We don’t know,” Monroe answered. “We’ve tried to feed him, but he won’t eat. He hasn’t even cried since he was born.”
Hareem’s heart fell. He knew what it meant. It rarely happened for dragon children, because they hatched from eggs and weren’t actually born like mammals. However, even for them, problematic pregnancies could lead to brain injuries.
He needed to get his son to a healer. Talrasar was already doing his best with Taryn, and his mate still hadn’t awakened. This was such a disaster. Hareem cradled the baby to his chest, feeling lost, helpless, and afraid.
At last, a low whimper came from Taryn. The small werewolf stirred on the blankets as the healing light coming from Talrasar began to dim. Still holding his son, Hareem rushed to his mate’s side. “How is he?” he asked Talrasar.
“I did what I could,” Talrasar replied. “Unfortunately, I’m not as strong as I used to be. If I push myself to much, I’d take chances I can’t afford.”
Hareem could understand that. Talrasar had already risked a lot just by helping Taryn. Hareem could tell that his lover’s color had improved, but the pallor had trickled into Talrasar.
Nevertheless, Talrasar gestured for Hareem to give him the baby. Hareem wordlessly complied. It might have been selfish of him, but at this point, the most competent person to deal with this problem was Talrasar.
Light emerged from the fae prince’s hands once again. Hareem pet his mate’s hair, all the while willing Talrasar’s treatment to work on his son. Someone must have heard his prayer, because at last, the baby released a small coo, then started to cry.
Instantly, Taryn’s eyes snapped open. “My baby,” he gasped out. “Where’s my baby?”
Now almost ashen, Talrasar handed the child to Taryn. “We need to get them to Rose Noire for further treatment,” he told Hareem.
“Isn’t there someplace closer we could go?” Hareem inquired. Crossing an entire ocean hardly seemed beneficial for his sick family. “Or perhaps we could try to contact them instead, so that someone could come here.”
“It would be a waste of time, Hareem,” Talrasar answered. “Since the High Priestess’s sickness, most of the healers cluster in Rose Noire and they are understandably reluctant to leave.”
It was so strange. Talrasar had never called him by that shortened form of his name. It spoke of a familiarity that Hareem and Talrasar had never acquired. It also suggested that Talrasar felt far sicker than he looked, which certainly wasn’t a good thing.
Meanwhile, Taryn finally registered Hareem’s presence. “I knew you would come, Hareem,” he said with a dazed smile. “I knew you wouldn’t leave us.”
Hareem kissed his mate’s temple. In his heart, he could tell that Taryn wasn’t at all well. Talrasar had mended his most immediate injuries, but using magic seemed to have put quite a lot of strain on his body and his mind.
Kaelezrin gathered his mate to his chest and shot Hareem a dark look. “Rose Noire it is then.”
It was both a statement and a question. Hareem just nodded. They weren’t out of the woods yet, and as much as he hated to admit it, the two princes were right in that Rose Noire was their best bet to get adequate medical attention. Taryn could easily relapse, and their baby was so small and frail. But Hareem had to believe that they could get a second chance. He had to believe that, if he wanted to preserve his sanity.
A strong hand landed on his shoulder. “I want to come with you,” Monroe said.
“You’d leave your pack?” Hareem asked. “I don�
��t know when you’d get to return.”
“Taryn is more important. He and that baby are my family. I won’t lose them again. My beta can handle the pack until Taryn is better.”
It occurred to Hareem then that Monroe certainly had his priorities in order. What could he do? He agreed.
Chapter Twelve
It seemed hard to believe, but Hareem had never actually been to Rose Noire. Before his parents had approached the Norrenddare family to push for Karein’s marriage to Sari, their two nations hadn’t been all that close. After that, Hareem hadn’t gotten the chance to visit the reclusive fae.
When his plane landed in Rose Noire, though, the last thing Hareem had in mind was sight-seeing. Just like he’d feared, both Taryn and the baby had taken a turn for the worse. The baby had eaten very little, and much to Hareem’s dismay, Taryn had fallen unconscious again. At this point, Hareem was so terrified he could hardly think.
The moment the doors of the jet opened, he took his mate in his arms and carried him outside. He’d have liked to hold his son, too, but he couldn’t do so. Fortunately, Monroe followed him, the tiny baby in his care. Prince Jud’enealh trailed behind him, still gripping his crossbow. Prince Kaelezrin was right by Hareem’s side, carefully cradling his weakened mate.
Hareem had managed to contact Rose Noire beforehand, so there were a lot of priestesses already waiting for them. They flocked around Hareem, guiding him to the Temple. “Right this way, Your Imperial Majesty,” one of them said.
The king himself was in front of the temple. He greeted Hareem with a nod, and Hareem noted that he looked quite pale himself. From inside, Sari and Karein emerged. No one spoke, far too aware of Hareem’s urgency. They waited quietly as the priestesses guided Hareem to one of the rooms. Hareem followed their instructions and placed his mate on the bed. Meanwhile, Monroe brought Hareem’s son inside. To think, Hareem and Taryn hadn’t even gotten the chance to decide on a name. For some reason, they’d never quite found the right time to discuss it. Hareem choked a little as he wondered if they ever would.
Emperor's Consort [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 5] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 20