by JK Ensley
“Open your eyes, Sharna. Look at me.”
Slowly, she managed to obey.
“What would ever make you think something such as that, my love? Listen to me. If your womb is ripe, dearest wife, you carry our child as we speak.”
Her brows furrowed as she desperately searched his mysterious onyx eyes. “But… but… you never stopped, Kias. Not even once. You slept within me, my love, and never did you—”
“Oh… I see.” He interrupted her protests. “You assumed I was not satisfied because I remained hard within you.”
She sucked in a quick breath. “Kias…”
He smiled then and lightly kissed her trembling lips. “Yet… the opposite is true, my love. You satisfied me so completely, so utterly unimaginably, I did not want to stop. My desire for you was so great; I could only pause with each climax.” He gave her a wry smile. “Ahh… The way you moved under me, Jezreel, the cute little noises you made, the taste of your bare flesh upon my tongue. You very nearly killed me, Sharna. Twice, I thought I would lose consciousness. Never have I even heard of such pleasure as that. You own me, dearest wife. And I can do nothing… save your bidding.”
His deep kiss and honest confession melted away her fears and filled her soul with immeasurable joy.
Jezreel sniffed. “I love you, mi Shafeal,” she whispered.
He smiled sweetly. “You were meant for no one else, mi Sharna… and neither was I.”
Kias gently lifted Jezreel in his arms, continually kissing her sweet lips as he carried her back to their soft, welcoming bed.
*****
“Aye now, after the report we received, I dinnae expect tae find much in the way of cats roaming aboot these trees.” Vittorio laughed. “My heart swells at the sight of ye, wee kitty.”
“You will find we are much harder to kill than you may have imagined, Guardian,” he purred. “Now that you’re here, I wish to know what has happened to my lovely Ajená. Did you find her?”
“Aye, wee kitten, who is this lovely little flower ye speak of?”
Syadar transformed. Standing toe to toe with Vittorio, he growled once before politely resuming his elegant feline manner. “Now, Angel boy, if I am a kitten in your eyes, I should love to meet the ones you call cats.” His demure smile could have easily been taken as a smirk. “And, if you must know, the big burly one among your kind, he told me that my Ajená was missing. He even came here looking for her. Alas, he never returned to tell me good or ill concerning her. I know not if my life mate yet lives. She sings within my heart. Yet I would gladly surrender another one of my lives to hear her singing within my ear. So tell me, wee Angel. Does my Ajená yet live? Will Jenevier return to me, whole and beautiful and delicious, as she was when last we met?”
Vittorio’s obvious growl was mixed in with his astonished words. “Jenevier? Life mate? Aye, Cat, ye’ve lost yer bloody mind, ye have.”
The chocolate colored cat, Syadar, Prince of the Darthian clan, only sighed. “Why can you colorless flying beasts not see what’s clear before your eyes? Do you choose to be blind? Or is it a common disease among your kind?”
“Aye now, ye listen tae me, ya wee fur Prince. If yer speaking of the Angel who owns my heart, yer treading on extremely thin ice. My lass wouldnae become the life mate of a Byzanthian. Nae withoot at least confiding so in me. Are ye the reason Vareilious refused tae let her come here? He swore she wouldnae return tae Byzantha, nae as long as he drew breath.”
“Is Vareilious the one who looks like his muscles forgot to quit growing? The one who claims the build of the Titans of old?” Syadar’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Aye, that’s him all right.”
Syadar purr-laughed. “So, he feels the need to warn her away from me, does he? It seems my lovely Ajená is a collector of rare hearts, is she not?”
“If yer calling my Princess this Ajená person, then yes. She seems tae be blessed with that damnable ability. Why?”
“I simply find it funny. That’s all. The brawny Guardian, Vareilious, was it? He claimed almost the same entitlement to her as you now do. Was it your child she carried when she came to me during our Month of Joining?”
“Ye go too far, Kitty. Dunnae say she joined with ye.”
Prince Syadar resumed his cat form and leapt onto a low hanging branch, gracefully twitching his tail back and forth just above Vittorio’s head.
“Was it your child she carried?” he asked again.
“It wasnae,” Vittorio answered, looking away. “That’s my only wish, my one hope,” he mumbled.
“So, let me see if I have this straight, Vittorrrio.” Syadar elegantly twirled his Rs. “When Ajená last came to me, she was not manacled. Yet, she carried a babe within her. I know now she owns the hearts of at least three Guardians. There’s you, the muscle-headed one, and her precious Varick… the one who claimed the mask of the Northern Prince, Alzeen. And, it seems, a fourth man was the one she blessed with her fertile womb. Yet, she married me.”
“I dinnae take ye for a liar, wee Prince. But I know Jenevier. She dinnae marry ye. She dinnae join with ye. An’ she certainly doesnae relish the thought of being bound, nae tae anyone. I wouldnae hold my breath if I were ye.” Vittorio narrowed his eyes. “I may just have tae side with Vareilious on this one. She’ll nae be coming back here, Kitty. That I can guarantee.”
“Perhaps you do not know your Princess as well as you’d hoped, wee Guardian,” Syadar purred. “My Ajená did marry me, by her own words, under the largest Mother Tree nearest the Bordering Ponds. She held me against that tree while she spoke the words that bound us. Alas, no. She did not join with me. Not yet, anyway. And no matter what you or that bloated oaf of a brother of yours says, she will return. She cannot help it. This place calls to her. It’s in her blood. She was destined to come to Byzantha before she was born, even before her mother was born. This place, this forest, these Kitties… they beckon her. And her blood calls out to them as well. Fear not, Guardian. She will know no harm on Byzantha. We love her madly, as she does us.”
“Aye, nae more riddles, Prince Syadar. I came here tae help ye. I expected a realm full of swollen corpses an’ untold misery. My soul was renewed when I beheld the land covered with enchanting felines instead of dead wee kittens. So, do me the honor of some plain speech an’ tell me what befell yer realm. An’ what it is ye know, that I dunnae, aboot my Angel.”
“Fair enough.” The giant cat leapt from the limb and came to stand before Vittorio. “When the demons came, when hell came knocking upon our door, it was devastating. Our females got most of the cubs safely within the tunnels. Alas, we are lovers, not fighters. The casualties were astounding. We gave up many lives that day. The only ones unable to return were the extremely old cats, and the especially reckless ones. If a cat was on its eighth or ninth life, well, you don’t have to be a fortune teller to divine their fate.”
“Aye, so it’s true then. Ye do boast nine lives. I’ve always wondered if that was just an old saying. Glad tae see it rings true. The Guardians will cheer when they hear how the second layer yet thrives. Now, aboot my wee lass, if ye please.”
“Yes, well, my Ajená is a mysterious one, I will admit. When I first saw her standing within the forest, trying to touch leaves and mushrooms at the same time, I knew I had to get to know her.” Syadar’s purr deepened as his memories swirled back in time. “I’m certain I don’t have to tell you this. But she was the most beautiful little flower I had ever seen… my Ajená. I was intrigued by the fact she could obviously hear the music. I mean, either that, or she was a mad woman rubbing on moss and poking toadstools. Only people from Byzantha can hear the music. Did you know that, Guardian? And it was plainly obvious, she wasn’t from here.”
“I’ve only ever heard stories aboot yer musical foliage. It dinnae shock me when ye said Jenevier could hear it. Whether she’s from here or nae, that wee lass is full of surprises. An’ the best part, she nae even realizes when she does anything special. She just accep
ts things withoot question an’ goes on.”
“Perhaps that’s why she ends up in so much trouble,” Syadar purred.
“Aye, ye say it true, Brother. Ye say it true.”
Vittorio’s outward smile was radiant, but it didn’t compare to the smile dancing across his heart. Just the thought of her took his breath away.
“She wasn’t afraid of me,” Syadar continued. “Silly girl. She rubbed my head and talked to me just like I was a common house cat from one of those other layers. Forget the fact I nearly stood face to face with her while on all fours. Anyway, she was a bit shocked when I spoke. But when she scratched the purrfect spot, transforming me into a man, she only sighed and rolled her eyes. Kind of like she was saying… Here we go again.”
Vittorio only chuckled.
“She noticed my clan markings. Called them tattoos, or some such nonsense, and went on to tell me all about Alzeen. She didn’t have to say she loved him, it was written all over her face. Even her scent changed when she spoke of him. Ahh, that arousing scent. It very nearly did me in.”
Vittorio snorted. “Aye, Brother, tell me aboot it.”
“Then I made the mistake of consent. I told her she could trace me.” Syadar sighed. “I still don’t know where I got the strength to stop. She consumed me, my essence, my marrow, my will… everything. The innocent look on her lovely face, the growing fear in those magical eyes when I growled…” He sighed again. “It was that child-like fear that stayed my paws, the only thing that could. I knew she was clueless to the ways of our kind. Yet, curiosity being what it is on this layer… Anyway, I had to know why everything about her seemed to fit in with our world, when she so obviously did not.”
“So? Tell me. What did ye do an’ what did ye find oot?”
Syadar purred and licked his paw. “I sought out the real Alzeen.”
“Aye, did ye now? An’ how’d that go for ye?”
“Horribly, as you can well imagine. He is rare and beautiful, even among his clan. Prince of the Northern realm, he is. Bloody hell,” Syadar grumbled. “Anyway, she had stood by my side in front of my father and claimed all my Months of Joining as hers. Wicked little girl.” He purr-laughed at the memory. “I knew she didn’t have a clue what she was vowing, but she did it… for me. She had only just met me and she was already loyal to me, defending me. Doing what she thought would be best for me with not a care for herself in the whole thing… I was in awe of her.”
Vittorio only nodded his head in knowing agreement.
“So, whether he was a rare cat of noble birth or not, I had to talk to him. I claim the same birthright, the same status as he. Yet my Ajená was already in love with her Alzeen. It was a hard decision to make.”
“An’ what did he tell ye?”
“Did she ever speak to you of her great grandmother, Bellevine?”
“Aye, she did. That’s the one what gave her the locket that saved my life. But my wee lass dinnae know much more than the dream Bellevine had of her birth. An’ the fact the old woman had left her many treasures with her passing.”
“Yes, well, it seems great grandmamah was a witch. And a powerful one at that. At some point in the past, Alzeen’s father, King of the Northern clan, served as her familiar.”
Vittorio gasped. “Her familiar? Ye mean… the woman could visit layers? A mortal?”
“It seems so, yes. Yet I’m not real certain how mortal she was. And that’s not even the best part,” Syadar purred.
“Aye, spit it oot, man. Yer driving me mad.” Vittorio thought he actually saw the cat smile.
“As I said, Alzeen’s father, the Northern King, was her trusted familiar. But at least for a time, he was a bit more than that. Alzeen claims Bellevine as his birth mother. It seems our Alzeen is your Jenevier’s great uncle.”
Vittorio staggered slightly.
“Oh, there’s more, Guardian. Much more,” Prince Syadar purred. “They await her foretold return… anxiously.”
*****
The rich smell of fallen leaves and pine needles reminded her of Munenori, putting an uncomfortable twist in the pit of her stomach. She missed Jinn. She had fallen in love with the breathtaking land as well as the honorable people. She shook her head, trying to forget, trying to restrain the homesick feeling rising up within her. This was supposed to be her home. Ashgard, the land she was born in, the realm of her people. But Jenevier knew this place hadn’t fit her in a looong time.
Thankfully, he squeezed her hand at that moment. The warmth of his skin upon hers, the flash of his smile, the spectacular green of those gorgeous eyes—suddenly she was a kid again. Giddy at the sight of him, tickled with the futile (more than likely) expedition they were on, and just happy to feel so loved. For one single moment she let the ethereal world she now lived in slip away. No magic, no wings, no glowing swords. Not today. Today they were just two lifelong friends playing the ultimate game of hide-n-seek with a third, Jezreel.
“But how will we find them? Ahriman’s magical orb showed me all the many times you entered these woods, Alastyn, and came out empty-handed. Did she tell you some secret way to find her?”
“You don’t have to remind me of all the lonely days I spent in these woods, Jenevier. And no, she didn’t reveal any secret to finding her. Actually, she told me if I didn’t go with her that day, I would not be able to find her.”
“Touchy, touchy. Jeez, you sound like an old man.” She yanked playfully on his arm.
“I am an old man.” He yanked back on the hand he held captive. “Just look at these wrinkles.” He smiled, casting her a sideways glance.
“Hmm, I was noticing them earlier, actually.” She smirked teasingly but refused to meet his shocked gaze. “I was just thinking… Wonder how many of those were my fault? Then I thought… Wow, how conceited can one person be—to think I would be the sole cause of your worry lines?”
“Well, let’s see.” He pretended to be deep in thought, calculating the probability. “I would say you caused about… hmm… all of them.” He jerked her arm, pulling her in to him. Wrapping her in a loving embrace, he pressed her against his chest. “Do you have any idea how much I love you? Can you possibly fathom how happy I am right now? Just walking through the woods, holding hands, laughing with the love of my life—it’s more than I could have possibly hoped for.” He tucked her curls behind her ears and gently stroked her soft cheeks. “You are my halleluiah, Jenevier—my own little piece of heaven. This time when you leave, I’ll either go with you or be lying cold beneath the ground. Those are your only options. Understand?”
She wrapped her fingers around his that were stroking her cheek. “Hey, don’t say things like that. You will not die when I leave. You love me too much to up and die on me. And I did not lie to you, Alastyn. You know I cannot stay here forever.”
“Yes, that’s why I said I would be going with you.” He kissed her forehead as he tightened his embrace.
“But Daichi—”
“Ah, yes, Daichi,” he said, cutting off her words with a handsome smile. “He’s even more glorious in person, Naga.” He chuckled. “I do believe you played down his good looks just a bit. Don’t you think? Perhaps you were afraid I would be a tad bit jealous of him.” He winked down at her. “Well, I’m not just a tad bit jealous; I’m swollen with the damnable feeling. What man wouldn’t be? He’s the epitome of perfection, Milady. Yet with all his glory, he’s still less than you deserve.”
Jenevier furrowed her brow, unable to hide her confusion. “You met Daichi? When?”
“Last night. After you filled in all the missing bits of your life, you cried yourself to sleep in my arms. Daichi came when your essence began to scatter. Said he was pulled to you, to your misery. He knew you were shattering and he came running to you. I watched as he wove you back together. It was… the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Well, aside from your smile.” Alastyn lightly tapped the tip of her nose then quickly kissed her there. “He is an incredible creature, Jenevier. You are bless
ed beyond imagining.”
“I know. I don’t deserve him. Actually, I’m sort of surprised he didn’t force me to go back with him.”
“I begged him not to.”
“What? You begged Daichi for me? And you yet live?” She chuckled.
“I not only begged him to let you stay, I begged him to share you with me.”
“Share me? And I ask again. How is it you yet live?”
“Do not tease me, my love. I spoke my heart to Daichi, told him I was but a man. He already knew everything about us. Everything we shared and everything we have been denied as well. I simply asked him to grant me what few years I had left in your arms. In the span of eternity, I would be nothing more than a blink, a mere afterthought to him.”
“You said these things? To Daichi? What did he say?”
“He didn’t say anything. He just gave one sharp nod of his head, then left. Are you angry with me? I told him I hadn’t mentioned anything to you about it. My request was completely selfish, and he knew it.”
“Of course I’m not angry. A bit confused, befuddled perhaps. But not angry.”
“So, will you? Will you stay with me?”
She looked at the pleading desperation in his enchanting eyes and melted again. “Tell you what. I promise to stay until I have to leave. How’s that?”
He smiled and tweaked her nose. “That’ll do, for now.” He kissed her forehead again before releasing her.
Jenevier let out a long breath, looking around hopelessly at the ancient trees. “So… you just want to walk around and call out her name?” She chuckled and tossed a toadstool, hitting him in the back of the head.
Alastyn smiled. Turning toward her, he tossed a larger one back at her. She tried to dodge the brown fungi, but failed.
“I thought perhaps you could use your Angel powers and locate her for us,” he said mockingly.
She playfully punched him on the arm.
He laughed and mussed her hair. “Actually, I hoped she would be able to sense you or vice-versa. You two still share that weird sister-vibe thing, do you not?”