Haven

by Dria Andersen

  Chapter 15

  THE NEXT MORNING LILIANA AWOKE, stretching, savoring the delicious feeling traveling through her body. Leo woke her up late into the night, frantic to have her and her body was still humming from their lovemaking. She smiled. She didn’t want to leave the bed. Her smile turned into a snarl as she remembered she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Palace servants would be in the conference room, Mistress Yoru’s severe face pinched in disapproval, waiting to shove more etiquette down her throat.

  “Ugh” she said aloud. The woman was so snotty.

  She briefly wondered if she herself had been that way before Adro had hardened her. Had she been the prissy noble, concerned only with rules and the who’s who of society? Gods, she hoped not. Now that the mating ceremony had been moved up, they were double timing the lessons. Information overload. Still groggy, she shook her head, squealing when a noise sounded in her room.

  Kedric sat in a chair across from her bed. She gasped and scrambled into a sitting position up against the headboard.

  "What are you doing here?" Oh gods, didn’t Leo say he was leaving security at their door? Where were they? Her eyes darted to the door.

  "Don't worry about the guards they’re currently being entertained by my own."

  Pissed Liliana pulled her blankets up her chin. How dare they? Allowing a male into their rooms when her mate was gone was a severe breach of propriety. If it got out that she’d entertained someone other than Leo in her bedroom, gossip would bury her and her family. Gods, didn’t she just yesterday promise herself she’d stay out of scandals?

  Fear reared its ugly head as Kedric smiled at her, flexing his fingers. Disgusted with herself, she growled. He wouldn’t dare touch her now. Leo would kill him. Manifesting sweatpants and a t-shirt like the ones she’d normally wore on Adro, she threw the covers to the side. Standing from the bed, she glared at the prince.

  "I'm not having a conversation with you in my mate's bedroom." She walked into the sitting room on rubbery legs.

  He walked in behind her, a stupid smirk on his face. "When have you ever cared for propriety?"

  "What do you want, Kedric?"

  "No title, Liliana? Surely you're not so bold as to disrespect me." He closed the distance between them.

  Liliana sat on the sofa and pretended nonchalance. "If you'll remember, I’ll be a princess in a few days’ time. I'll use your title when you use mine." She raised an eyebrow and dared him to challenge it.

  "Mating to a bastard does not make one a princess, but it's of no consequence to me either way."

  "Why are you here, Kedric?"

  He stared at her for long moments, his eyes roving her body. "You came back without Kita."

  Fear choked her. “I searched for her for years." Damn it, why was she explaining herself?

  "And you found nothing?"

  She shook her head.

  "Well, then, it’s not to be. Leave it alone, Liliana and move on with your life."

  Her eyes narrowed. Was he serious? "What?"

  "That's what I came to tell you. There’s no need to further look for your sister."

  A sick feeling circled her gut. Why would he give up the search for her sister so easily? "Excuse me?"

  "Don't be naïve, Liliana. We both know Kita is dead by now. Now that you’re mated, we no longer have to go through the mockery of a courtship. I wish you nothing but the best, but I for one am glad to have the noose from my neck."

  Liliana struggled to digest his words. "What are you saying? You don’t know that Kita’s dead." She refused to believe it.

  His eyes narrowed, a calculating look entering them. He sat back in his chair. “Do you think your sister would run away and never come back? She would’ve eventually become queen. Does that sound like something your sister would do?”

  He had a point. But the leap from believing Kita ran away and didn’t want to be found, to believing her sister was dead was a huge one. One she wouldn’t take without proof first.

  “Face it. Your sister is dead, and you looking for her won’t bring her back.”

  She reeled at his callousness. Her chest tightened, and she thought she would pass out from the pain "You thought my sister was dead, yet you sent me to Adro anyway?" She swallowed the scream burning the back of her throat. She'd lost four years with her family. Not to mention the shame her friends and family endured because she left. Her life had been turned upside down as she roamed Adro, running from both the Amanda and the queen.

  "You couldn't very well stay in Legba." He shrugged his shoulder. "Once our mating failed, it would’ve come out that I had already bonded with your sister. And if I couldn’t mate with you, then my mother would’ve lost the dowry to which your father had already so generously given us half. I would've been disowned. You know how my mother is."

  "You selfish bastard." Her throat hurt, raw from the tears of anger she kept back by sheer stubbornness. He would not see her cry.

  "Let's be realistic, Lily. I couldn't let the circumstances of my mating get out. You know my family was in need of the money. My mother would have flayed me."

  “All for money.” She whispered.

  “My father smartly turned that money into riches for the kingdom. Would you have really wanted to let the whole kingdom down, Lily?”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  He scoffed. “You’re being dramatic. It’s for the best, the gossip would’ve been excruciating. Do you want people talking about you like that?”

  “They’re probably already talking about me. If you haven’t heard, I was nearly blown up in the middle of market square. Between that, and me running away from our mating, what’s one more thing for them to gossip about?”

  He waved away her words. “I took the brunt of that gossip. One sister runs away to avoid mating, then fine. But two sisters? Everyone scrutinized my every move. Had it not been for me being the prince, I would’ve been shunned from society.”

  Liliana blew out an indignant breath. His nerve! “Then maybe I should tell them why I left. I can explain in explicit detail how you had your security drag me to the condo you keep in the business district where you whipped me for hours. Hours. And when I no longer had the energy to heal myself, you dumped me at an illegal portal and threatened my life. I think their prince’s predilection to violence would be a suitable distraction, don’t you?" She spat.

  His nails dug into her skin as he grabbed her arm, snatching her from the couch. "No one would believe you."

  She gasped as he tightened his grip on her arm and used the other hand to pull her hair. "I can’t imagine I’m the only person you like to hurt. I’m sure you’ve left a trail of palace servants who’ve suffered your beatings. I’ll tell everyone who will listen how their next king likes to beat on women."

  He loosened her hair and grabbed her throat. "If you value your life, and your mother's position in this society, you will keep that bit of gossip to yourself." He flung her against the wall.

  Air whooshed from her lungs on impact. She slid to the floor with a whimper. She coughed, fighting to get air to her starved lungs. "If you touch me again, I'll shout it from market square."

  He pulled her up by her hair. "By the gods, you’ve never known when to shut up. Your whipping was twice as long as it should’ve been because you wouldn’t shut the fuck up. Maybe I'll stay for a while. What do you think Death’s Messenger will do if he comes back to this room to find the guards chatting amiably in the hallway and the two of us in his bed?"

  Her heart lurched. Leo would kill them both. Nausea rolled, bile clogged her throat.

  Kedric smiled. "Yeah, that's what I thought. It's over Liliana. Consider this your first and final warning."

  "Fuck you." She spit in his face.

  His slap snapped her head back. She thought vaguely of screaming for the guards, but he squeezed her throat, cutting off her air. Black dots danced before her eyes. She clawed his arm, fighting to free her neck. Noise in the hallway was louder as the
door crashed opened. Liliana closed her eyes in relief when Kedric was pulled off of her. She slid to the floor gagging, heaving in gulps of air.

  The light dimmed and Fallon's figure swam before her. She watched with a sense of detachment as he slammed Kedric against the wall. The plaster cracked behind the prince’s head from the force.

  "Touch my sister again and your life is forfeit. Do we understand each other?" At Kedric's nod Fallon tossed him to the front door.

  One of the guards lifted the prince, the others headed towards Fallon. One growl from him stop them in their tracks. Walking backwards, they carried Kedric from the room.

  Fallon kneeled next to her. His hands were gentle as they roamed her body for injuries. Finding none, he sighed. "Trouble."

  She coughed. "I didn't mean to…"

  He lifted her gingerly. "Yeah, I was told these things just happen to you." He placed her on the sofa, and disappeared, coming back a moment later to sit across from her. He passed her a dishtowel wrapped around ice.

  Liliana hissed as she brought it up to her cheek. "Yeah, well, I may have helped it along this time with my smart mouth." She grabbed the glass water he offered gratefully. She winced as she swallowed. "What are you doing here?"

  “Occasionally I get visions. After what happened yesterday, Xavier and I thought it prudent to be closer to you and Leo.”

  She set the cup on the table and lowered her head. “Leo will be furious.”

  “Furious? We’ll be lucky if my brother doesn’t burn this kingdom to the ground.” Fallon stood and rubbed a hand over his face. “Shit, Trouble.”

  Lily rubbed her neck, closing her eyes tight. He was right, Leo would kill the prince.

  He sighed. “Stay here, I’ll replace the guards at your door.”

  He left the room, and Liliana let the tears she’d been holding stream down her face. Gods damn it she was tired of crying. She got up and washed her face in the bathroom sink. She was done crying. The next person to hurt her would regret it.

  ***

  Leo left the surveillance room, no closer to finding out anything than when he went in this morning. It was frustrating as hell. He looked down at his watch realizing how many hours had passed. He cursed. Lily was probably beside herself with boredom. He made a beeline to the conference room to rescue her from the wedding planners. Finding the conference room empty, he frowned. He stopped a passing servant.

  “Has there been anyone in this conference room today?”

  The servant shook his head. “Earlier the archivist was here, but she left once informed Lady Marcolev would be unavailable today.”

  “Unavailable?” He asked sharply.

  The servant shrugged. Dismissing the man, Leo rushed for their room. What could possibly have Liliana unavailable? The guards at her door were different, giving him the first clue that something had happened. Opening the door a little harder than he planned, he called her name, pausing in the doorway as he spotted Fallon sitting in an armchair. His brother’s face was lined with worry. His heart sped its rhythm as he scanned the room for Liliana. She came out of the back wearing sweats. A blooming bruise colored her face along with fingermarks staining the skin of her neck. He rushed to her side.

  Fury exploded through him as he got a full look at her. Fangs burst from his gums, his claws grew, and cut into his hands. His vision went straight infrared, the beast tearing from his body. He leapt back from her to avoid hurting her, but his voice was a dangerous growl.

  "Who touched you?"

  Eyes wide, Liliana backed up a step. "Leo?"

  He turned to his brother. "Who put their hands on my mate?"

  "Calm down, Leo, it was handled." Fallon kept his tone low, placating.

  "I didn't ask if it was handled. I want to know who. Put. Their. Fucking. Hands. On my mate!"

  Liliana looked up at him and stepped closer. "I'm okay, Leo."

  But his beast was far from appeased. He scooped her into his arms, careful of his claws.

  “Put her down, Leo and calm yourself.” Fallon knew better than to step any closer to brother in his Cagyn form.

  “I want the guards I left on her in the commander’s office, now!” The deep growl of his voice showed how close he was to losing control.

  Fallon looked like he wanted to argue but Leo's look silenced him. Leo fought for control as he walked Liliana back into their bedroom. He lay her on the bed, his hands clumsy as he searched her for other bruises. He backed himself into the corner of the room as he fought to control his baser instincts. His beast was urging him to mark their mate, to mark her so every male near her knew to whom she belonged. The threats to her were numerous and the beast had had enough.

  "Baby," her voice stroked over him. "I'm fine, Leo."

  He breathed hard, his chest heaving up and down as he fought to subdue the beast and change back to his human skin. He clasped his hands in front of him, fighting the need to snatch her into his arms. Liliana rolled from the bed.

  "Don't." He closed his eyes and fought harder. "Give me a minute."

  She kept coming until her cool touch brushed his arm. He opened his eyes and stared into hers. She didn't say anything, simply looked at him until his body settled. His claws receded along with his teeth and he breathed easier. He changed back to his human skin on a shuddering sigh. She opened his arms and stepped into his chest. Her body trembled and Leo rested his head on her hair and held her.

  "Don't cry, ina, I didn't mean to scare you." He felt self-conscious. He'd not lost control of his beast since he was a boy, and twice in her presence he’d done so.

  Liliana hit his arm. “I’m not scared of you. I‘ve just had a shitty couple of days, ok.” She sniffled and snuggled back into his arms.

  “I’m sorry for losing control. The mating instincts have me on a hair trigger.”

  She shook her head at him. “It’s okay.”

  “I need to go take care of this.”

  “Let it go, Leo. It’s over.”

  He grunted in answer, he disagreed, but he’d let her think otherwise. “You should lie down.”

  She sighed. “You’re always trying to get me into bed.”

  “Of course.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Fine.” She pushed him out of their bedroom.

  He smiled back at her and waited until she closed the door. Once he heard the click he turned back to his brother, the fake smile dropping from his face.

  “Leo…” Fallon started.

  “I don’t want to hear it, Fallon. You’d do the same.”

  “Of course.” Fallon stood, no use denying the truth of that. “Xavier is waiting for us in the commander’s office.”

  Leo paused at the front door of the apartment. “You called X?”

  “The prince was involved.”

  “What?” Rage simmered again below his skin. His beast rumbled, his fangs aching his gums as jealousy ripped through him. The prince was in their room. Had she invited him? Was there something he’d missed? Insecurity flashed through him, his normal distrust and cynicism taking over his concern for Liliana. They had been betrothed, could they still have feelings for each other?

  He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose.

  No way.

  He didn’t imagine the heat between he and Liliana, and he certainly didn’t mistake the look in her eyes when they kissed. Not to mention the terror on her face whenever the prince was mentioned. There couldn’t be lingering feelings between the two.

  “I’ll fill you in on the way to the office.” Fallon said grimly.

  He let go a string of curses. Shaking the last of the jealousy. “We’re not leaving until I put guards I trust on her.”

  Pulling out his communicator he called the Atlanta Haven looking for men he’d personally trained. He didn’t want ones from this realm looking after Liliana. Especially if the problem was Prince Kedric. He picked two men he knew wouldn’t be swayed by the Legba monarchy. Quiet men, but vicious. A Benu
and Cagyn, he’d been training them for a couple of months now. Xavier was worried about him when he left Haven, Leo thought having the men with him would alieve his brother’s stress. Until he could find a permanent solution to security for his mate, he wanted them to shadow her every move. He was no longer taking chances with her life.

  It only took the soldiers half an hour to reach the officer’s quarters. Leo let them in, grateful for their haste. He quickly briefed them on what had happened in the past couple of days.

  “I have to leave for a little bit, no one is to enter this room until I return. Understood?”

  They nodded in silence. He went back to check on Liliana and found her asleep on top on the covers. Satisfied, he and Fallon left his temporary apartment, marching with quick feet to the commander’s office. The two guards he’d originally assigned to protect her stood in the office at attention. Xavier sat on the commander’s desk, his arms crossed over his chest, and his legs crossed at his ankles.

  His rage exploded at seeing the male’s faces, but he kept it under wraps. That is until he saw the smug look they give him. Neither guilt nor remorse showed on their face.

  Oh, that wouldn’t do at all.

  Changing into his Cagyn form, he used his magic to slam one of them into the wall. The other he grabbed around the throat, lifting him off the ground.

  “Leo, mind the furniture please.” Xavier uncrossed his legs. “We did borrow this office after all.”

  He nodded. It was a valid point. “Explain to me how my mate got hurt under your watch?”

  The guard was gasping, clawing at Leo's arm.

  “He can't talk while you're choking him. Maybe let enough air in for him to talk.” Fallon suggested as he took up a spot on the other side of the desk.

  Leo smiled and lifted his claws a fraction. The guard hissed and sucked in small huffs of air.