by Regine Abel
And how did I thank him? By lusting after his mate. I envied their relationship and wished it were me instead. I couldn’t even put distance between us when he made love to his mate. I was a leech. A parasite. I wasn’t worthy of him. It was a good thing I was dying. He deserved to be free of me. I hoped to the Goddess I could help Amalia as my parting gift.
“They’re here,” Amalia gasped, emerging from her vision and snapping me out of my somber thoughts.
“How many, Falihna?” Khel said. “And are they alright?”
“Too many to count. I was able to lock onto at least fifteen females,” she said with a trembling voice. “By the Goddess, Khel, there could be a hundred of them in there!”
Khel cupped her face. “We are going to save them soon, my heart, all thanks to you. But I need you to tell me if they’re in any immediate danger.”
“N–No. I don’t think so,” she whispered. “I can’t lock onto the Avean twins, only the human, Shannon. The sisters must be detained somewhere else. I saw Shannon talking with a Veredian she called Valena.”
“Was she blind?” I asked.
“Y–Yes, she was. Shannon was angry, asking her why she was helping their captors. Valena said she was helping the females. As long as she induces the orgasms, the males won’t touch them sexually and the females can pretend they’re giving blood samples.”
She looked at Khel with such sorrow it broke my heart. “We’ve got to get them out of there Khel!”
“And we will,” Khel promised. “Now we know where they are. Give us a day, maximum two, to round up our troops and lay down siege so none of those bastards escape. I give you my word, that before the suns have set twice, these females will be free. I swear it.”
She buried her face in his neck, crying. Her sorrow ate at me, but I was helpless to console her – it wasn’t my place. Locking eyes with Ghan, Khel gestured with his chin for him to move us out of there. By the time we were within range for Amalia to use her ability, she had calmed enough to get to work.
Minutes later, she emerged from the vision with a horrified expression. “Goddess!”
“What is it?” I asked. “Is it another Blood House?”
She shuddered. “There are females here too. The Avean twins are here. But if I correctly understood what I saw, customers don’t come here. This is a holding facility and they swap the females every other week so they don’t burn out too quickly.”
“Hmmm. This complicates things.” Khel rubbed his chin, thinking. “We have to hit both at the same time to rescue all the females. Otherwise, they’ll empty the second house before we reach them.”
“You have enough soldiers for that, right?” Amalia asked.
Khel caressed her hair and gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, my heart, I do. Even more so with the help of the PD. It increases the risks, that’s all. Let’s go home. We have a plan to set in motion.” Then he whispered into Amalia’s ear, so low I almost missed it, “Have I told you how fucking amazing you are today?”
She giggled, shaking her head playfully before smacking a hard kiss on his lips. I turned around and looked into the distance as we made our way home.
* * *
After we returned home from our reconnaissance, Khel and Ghan spent the rest of the evening planning the assault on the Blood Houses. They coordinated with Detective Gravhin to increase the legitimacy of the operation by including the PD. We were wary of any moles within the PD ranks, so we wouldn’t inform the units of the mission until they were in flight.
This morning, Khel, Amalia and I ate a quick breakfast before Khel and I joined Ghan at the compound. Amalia had not been pleased by Ghan’s absence and asked us to warn him he should attend every morning from now on, unless told otherwise, oh and not to piss her off.
The human finally woke. We had questions for him. But after thirty minutes, it became clear we wouldn’t get anything. This man was a professional, hardened to standard interrogation techniques and in no way inclined to speak. He would require a significant amount of ‘coaxing.’ Minutes after they started going to work on him, Khel suggested I check on ‘the girls’ as this might take a while. I had no problem with violence but took no pleasure dishing it out. Between Khel and Ghan, that human didn’t need my “persuasion.”
Amalia and Jhola were in the kitchen. It wasn’t the disaster zone I expected it to be. It looked pretty orderly and some pleasant aromas floated around. Since it looked like I would have to ‘volunteer’ again as taster, these were reassuring signs.
I sauntered in. “Hello, Sehas.”
“Lhor,” Jhola greeted back, with a troubled, almost scared look on her face.
Amalia said nothing but just gave me an intense stare while absentmindedly whipping what I assumed were egg whites. Something was off. An intense wave of unease swept through me.
“You’re doing great, Amalia,” Jhola said with forced enthusiasm. “Keep going exactly like this for a couple of minutes. I need a quick word with Lhor. I’ll be right back.”
Jhola looked at me and gave a meaningful glance toward the dining hall.
What in Gharah’s name…?
Clearly, she wanted to discuss something with me that Amalia shouldn’t hear. Amalia still hadn’t said a word but kept staring as I walked toward the dining hall. It started to creep me out.
As Jhola and I got close to the dining hall entrance, she put her hand on my arm as Amalia often did. A threatening growl startled the both of us and we turned to see Amalia glaring at Jhola, snarling.
Stunned, I whispered, “Amalia?”
“She’s been weird like this for the past half hour. I don’t know what’s going on,” Jhola said with a trembling voice.
Amalia dropped the whip and advanced slowly on Jhola predator-like. Her murderous eyes were locked onto Jhola, and she alternated between growls and hisses. Removing Jhola’s hand from my arm, I pushed her behind me, breaking Amalia’s line of sight on her. She immediately locked on me instead, losing her threatening demeanor. She stood staring for long seconds before she started sniffing the air, as if trying to catch a scent. She took a step toward me, paused, sniffed the air, then took another step.
At the fourth step, Jhola touched my arm again and peered over my shoulder at Amalia. “Lhor, what’s happening?” she asked.
Amalia fell into a battle-ready stance and hissed at Jhola with such aggression, a shiver of fear ran through me. I stared in horror as dagger-sharp claws protruded from her fingers. That’s when I noticed the larger spots on her markings had darkened and were nearly pitch black.
What in Gharah’s name was going on?!
I brushed Jhola’s hand off my arm a bit more violently than intended. “Don’t touch me, Jhola. It seems to anger her,” I said with a calm I didn’t feel. I pointed to the other end of the kitchen. “Please go stand over there and don’t approach either of us unless I tell you to.”
She whimpered but obeyed. Amalia, ready to spring into battle, continued to emit a long sustained growl while her glare followed Jhola.
“Amalia,” I called to get her attention off Jhola.
Her head snapped toward me and the aggression once again bled out of her. She tilted her head to the side as she stared at me, her claws receding.
She resumed her slow approach, closing in on me. She was getting a little too close for comfort. I took a step back. She hissed in warning. Ok, she didn’t want me to move.
“Jhola, com Dr. Volghan and get Khel here ASAP.” I failed to hide the trembling in my voice this time.
Like a hunter, Amalia zeroed in on my fear and a predatory smile stretched her lips. I instinctively made to take another step back but before I could blink, she had me pinned to the ground.
What. The. FUCK!?
The whole time she’d been with us, Amalia had tried to catch me multiple times, failing miserably due to the incredible speed at which Xelixians moved. But right now, she had been a blur. A fucking blur! I tried to push her off but she hissed another warning
at me while a stabbing pain in my shoulders made me cry out. It took me a second to realize she had speared me with her claws to keep me in place.
I stilled. “Ok, Amalia,” I said shaken. “Ok, I’m staying right here.”
She made a purring sound and her claws slowly retracted from my flesh. She sniffed me again, this time rubbing her face from my chest, alongside my neck to my ears before looking at me, our lips barely an inch apart.
“Mine,” she drawled in a gravelly voice.
Gharah’s teeth!
She straddled me, her legs on each side of my hips, our sexes almost perfectly aligned. I felt her hands slide down to my chest. She took another long sniff at me before purring again. Suddenly, she tore my shirt with both hands in one powerful movement. She placed her palms on my naked chest, rubbing them over my exposed nipples. Her purring grew louder. I tried to catch her forearms to stop her, but she stilled her movement, digging her claws into my chest, latching on with another vicious hiss. I cried out at the pain and released her. She bent her face next to mine with an angry growl, which slowly faded when I showed no further sign of resistance.
I focused on my breathing to deal with the pain. Her claws receded once more and she looked at the wounds they left behind with a frown. Amalia began to rub her sex against mine in slow strokes, her eyes not straying from mine. Her hands on my chest softened as she began to trace slow circles around my nipples with her thumbs. Goddess forgive me, but I could feel myself hardening, despite the pain.
“Amalia,” I said slowly, “you have to stop. I’m not your mate.”
“Mine!” she repeated, accelerating her stroking motions. She licked my jugular and said “mine” once more.
“Amalia… please,” I pleaded. “You have to snap out of this.”
She purred as she lowered her hands to the waist of my pants. My eyes bulged in horror as she began to pull. “Amalia, stop!” I shouted. She hissed angrily, her eyes turning menacing.
The kitchen door burst open as Dr. Volghan, Ghan and Khel stormed in. I almost wept with relief. Minh took a step toward us, calling out her name. She immediately hissed at him, digging her claws into my sides and lower abdomen. I screamed in pain and bucked beneath her. She turned an angry glare at me, probably thinking I was once again trying to resist. But something on my face must have gotten through the haze. She eased her claws out of my flesh with a soft snick.
Having quickly assessed the situation, Ghan grabbed Minh. “Stand back. You’re making her aggressive.”
Goddess bless him!
She turned to face him, lured by the voice. She temporarily paused her gyration over me while she examined Ghan from head to toe. After a moment, she began to purr again.
“Strong,” she whispered at him before resuming stroking herself on me.
“Amalia...” Khel called out softly.
Her head snapped up to him, startled for a second. Then a slow, joyful grin blossomed on her lips. “Mate!” she said before closing her eyes. She tilted her head back and started stroking herself faster against me, moaning.
“Amalia,” Khel called out more forcefully, “yes, I am your mate. Come to me, my mate. You have to let him go. I’ll take care of you.”
She opened her eyes and stared at him groggily with a frown.
“Let him go, Amalia,” Khel repeated, approaching her slowly.
Her frown deepened as she turned to stare at me. “Mine!” She turned back to Khel, still frowning. “Mine.”
“No, Falihna,” Khel said, looking calmer than I felt. “I am yours.”
She glanced back and forth between Khel and me, confused. He was within touching distance. He carefully extended his hand toward one of hers, lifting it off my waist.
“Come with me. I’ll take care of your needs,” he coaxed, pulling her gently to him.
She dug the claws of her right hand into my waist, yelling “Mine!” I cried out in pain.
“Stop Falihna! You’re hurting him!” Khel said with urgency.
I could feel his genuine fear for me. To my surprise, I didn’t feel any jealousy.
Khel pointed at me. “Look, he’s bleeding. You’re hurting him. You don’t want to hurt Lhor, do you?”
“Lhor…” she whispered, distraught, as her claws eased out of me.
“Come, my heart,” Khel said again, cautiously lifting her hand from me.
He wrapped both her arms around his neck as he gently picked her up. I laid still, feeling battered, blood oozing out of me from the various puncture wounds. He walked away, whispering gentle words in her ears, as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“My mate!” She covered his face with kisses and tore at his clothes.
“Yes, my heart, I’m your mate.”
As they crossed the threshold of the kitchen’s doorway, she cast one last intense look in my direction, mixed with sadness and confusion.
I winced, trying to get up from the kitchen floor, bleeding all over the place. Minh rushed to my side.
“Slow down, son,” Minh cautioned me. “I need to assess how badly she injured you.”
“Beaten by a tiny girl.” A mocking grin so like Amalia’s stretched Ghan’s lips. “Need me to carry you?”
“Fuck off, and go fetch that wine you owe me,” I snapped back. “What the hell just happened, Minh?”
“Yes, Minh…” Jhola echoed, still shaken, “what happened to that precious girl? It’s like she was possessed.”
Minh cleared his throat, assessing me, and mumbled, “It is not my place to discuss a patient’s condition with third parties without consent.”
I gaped at him. “Are you serious? I feared she’d kill Jhola and she clawed the shit out of me. I know she didn’t mean to hurt me, but Jhola is right, it’s like she was possessed.”
“She’s in heat,” Ghan said flatly.
I assumed as much the way she was rubbing herself on me. “But why threaten Jhola and Minh?”
“Because they threatened to take her mate from her in her time of need,” Ghan said.
“I’m not her mate.” I peered down at my bloodied chest. “Amalia knows that very well.”
Ghan shrugged. “Amalia’s primal side has claimed you.”
“I agree with Ghan,” Minh said. “Amalia’s subconscious considers you her mate. Hence she went after you. But her conscious mind knows better and tried to stay in control. A battle she’d obviously lost by the time we got here.”
“Are you saying she considers Ghan her mate as well?” I said, bewildered.
“No, she doesn’t.” Ghan folded his arms, his voice curt.
“She fucking purred at you!” I challenged.
“Yes, she purred at him.” Minh’s voice was conciliatory. “But she doesn’t see him as her mate. She didn’t claim him as hers like she did you. She acknowledged his strength and purred at him because his constitution makes him a desirable sire. He’d pass strong genes to their offspring and be a good protector. But that’s where her interest in him ended.”
“This is so fucked up…” I mumbled. “How long is this going to last? Do we need to avoid her from now on?”
“Khel has ordered Rehmannia leaves to make tea for her. It will prevent this unfortunate side effect of her season. They should arrive tomorrow.” Minh helped me cover up as best I could with my torn shirt. “In the meantime, it’s best you’re not in her presence without Khel nearby. Since she considers him her first mate, he’ll be able to keep her off you. The other males on the estate shouldn’t have any problems with her, but should still give her a wide berth.”
“Why me?” I hated being singled out.
Ghan glared at me as if I was dense. “Because you’re Khel’s other half. The sooner you all accept that, the better off we’ll all be.” He left without a backward glance.
CHAPTER 22
Amalia
I was mortified. What in the world was wrong with me that I growled, hissed and clawed at people like some rabid animal? Jhola! How could I attack gent
le, kind, loving Jhola? She was like a mother. And Lhor… my sweet Lhor… I hurt him and almost raped him. I could never erase from my memory his shouts of pain and the blood pooling on his chest. What kind of a beast am I?
A clawed one.
Oh Goddess… I have claws!
I looked at my hands in horror. They appeared normal right now, but I remembered all too well the painfully sweet feel of them pushing out the tips of my fingers. The power, the rage, the possessiveness. Mine. I recoiled as the primal need lurking within tried to resurface.
“He’s not mine!” I shouted out loud.
Mine, that wretched inner voice persisted. Why couldn’t I leave him alone? Reading that damn Book of Law had made my possessiveness worsen. How can I face Lhor – or any of them – ever again?
And Khel… I began to sob. My wonderful Khel, my mate, my strength, my rock. He exceeded any wish, dream or hope I ever held for a mate. He made me happier than I deserved. He gave me everything, forgave everything, and dealt with the shit I kept laying at his feet. And still, that wasn’t enough. I had to keep pushing, causing more problems and giving so little in return.
He’s going to leave me.
The thought had haunted me since he found out I couldn’t give him an heir. He was a pillar of honor. But with each passing day, we both discovered more sides to me that would give anyone pause. When Khel accepted my request to Fasten, he thought he got a demure, somewhat submissive female that would keep him alive, help him save his land, and give him an heir. Instead, he got a stubborn, willful freak who lusted after his cousin, brought assassins to his doorsteps, couldn’t give him an heir, grew claws like a wild beast and threatened the lives of his loved ones.
He’s going to leave me.
The way I’d behaved, publicly rubbing myself over Lhor’s cock. Goddess! How humiliated Khel must have felt. By Xelixian law, there weren’t many cases in which a male could repudiate his mate. But I’d given him plenty.