“I’ll tell you what I’ve told him. My warriors and I kill soldiers, not innocents, and if we can’t keep it in our pants until we get home… well, then we pay for whores.”
Sera shook her head. “I finally understand why Sky always says everything is his fault. He thinks all his suffering is a just punishment.”
She took the knife away from his neck and hid it in her robes. She took a piece of cloth, fumbled with her many pockets and removed a vial. Sera cleaned Storm’s cut and sighed, kneeling at his feet.
“I know you will put me to death for this. Before you do, know that Sky lives for nothing but you. You’re his sun and when he’s away from your light, it’s like the breath of life leaves his body.”
Storm placed a large hand on her shoulder.
“You did what I wanted you to: protect him from anyone and anything, including me. No harm will come to you, Sera. Yet you are delusional, old woman. He does not love me. All he sees is that blood-thirsty monster whose touch makes him sick to his stomach.” As she was cleaning him, Storm rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache taking over.
“I should not speak, as it is not my place, but I fear that boy will never tell you himself,” Sera said.
“There were never any lovers. There is no hate. There is only you in his heart. That boy loves you more than I’ve ever seen anyone love another. When you’re gone, he only longs for you. So much so that he does not eat or sleep. He does not leave his quarters if he is not forced to because everything that awaits beyond that floor is hate hidden in spiteful comments.”
Storm knew Sera, well, he knew of her, and she wouldn’t have lied about this. Yet it didn’t matter.
“Even if what you say is the truth, it makes no difference. He cannot accept me as I am and that will always, always keep us apart.”
“I am not sure I follow, Dragon.”
Storm stood to look out the large window. Like every room on this side of the floor, it overlooked the lush gardens surrounding the south side of the castle. Between the building and the defensive walls, there was nothing but trees and flowers, all crisscrossed by tiny dirt paths. Storm had chosen this side for their chambers for Sky, who’d loved the gardens when they were kids.
“I am a warrior, and not just any sort of warrior. I am a conqueror. I fight, I kill, and I subdue. It is and always will be a thrill, it brings me pleasure. You should have seen the look upon his face today. He was disgusted by how much I enjoyed enforcing my punishment.”
Sera came behind him and placed a small, yet strong hand on his back. “Have you ever asked him? Did he tell you that?”
“I’d have to be mad to try having that conversation after today.”
“No, but you’d be brave beyond belief to go to him and find out the truth about everything. You might be surprised,” Sera said, her voice softening to a honeyed tone.
Storm turned just in time to catch the small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. He dismissed it, knowing that another attempt at winning Sky’s heart would make him the loser. Again. He had a feeling he wasn’t equipped to survive losing Sky once more. It had happened one too many times and he couldn’t bring himself to hope.
Storm’s life would be what it had been for a long time: empty, dangerous, and filled with the sweet torture of having Sky close without him being truly Storm’s. Dread suddenly overwhelmed him and he found it hard to breathe. Storm needed Sera to go, he needed to be on his own when he fell apart. He turned briskly to face her, gave her a little nod and walked back to his desk, plopping down on his chair.
Sera made a soundless exit. As his loneliness and emptiness of the room closed in around him, Storm felt the need to stand and try to walk off the heavy feelings. His breathing grew labored. He took large gulps of air, but nothing seemed to reach his lungs. Storm dropped to his knees, rubbing his hands over his face. He wanted to scream, he wanted to destroy everything. He wanted to sell his soul, give his life, anything to have Sky. Yet that was never going to happen.
The king had been extremely cunning. He’d pretended to give Storm an option, a way for both of them to get what they wanted. The Dragon had however been too young to understand. Whatever choice he’d made, it would have yielded the same outcome: losing Sky. There had never been a way around it.
CHAPTER VIII
The Cleansing
SKY WOKE UP WITH a start. His head hurt. He noticed he’d been brought to his bed chamber, cleaned, and taken care of. He sat up, leaning against the pile of pillows on the bed and rubbed his head. All he could remember was Storm’s unhinged rage as he pounced, his hand grabbing Sky’s shirt and squeezing. Sky should have been afraid, but all he could feel was pain, a deep gash in his heart at the thought he would never have Storm as he wanted.
Sky pushed the covers away and slid out of bed. He was only wearing his trousers; his shirt had been removed. Barefoot and in his current state of undress, Sky left the room, thinking he needed to just walk around, even if it was a stroll confined to the floor he and Storm occupied. He found himself walking towards his husband’s chamber, the one he used for work and council meetings. He heard voices through the half-closed door. It was Sera and Storm. He turned his back to the door and leaned against it. If they moved towards it, he could quickly walk away.
Holding his breath and doing his best to hear them, Sky started trembling. When he heard Storm talking about their wedding night and the hurt he had felt, Sky wanted to run inside and fall to his knees, apologize for everything. He knew how badly he’d screwed up, but hearing it from Storm’s mouth, the pain so palpable, it broke Sky’s heart. He wanted, no, he needed to make amends for all the hurt he’d caused his husband.
Sky couldn’t move. He just hid there, outside the room, door cracked open, and listened. He could barely breathe by the time Sera told Storm how Sky really felt. No, Storm could not find out like that! It was the worst thing that could happen.
Only his crippling fear prevented him from rushing into the room and making Sera stop. Of all the times he’d dreamed about Storm realizing how much Sky loved him, this was the worst way. Why would Storm believe Sera, when he was convinced Sky would never accept Storm’s warrior side. It was all wrong. Seeing Storm like that, angry, powerful, bathed in fresh blood… it had left Sky breathless with want. He needed to say something about it. He took a few deep breaths and pushed himself off the floor to a sitting position. Bit by bit, he pulled his knees up and hugged them, trying to steady himself. He could do this, he needed to do this.
Sera stepped out of the room and kneeled in front of him. She took his hands in hers and gave them a reassuring squeeze, then walked away. It was time Sky stopped cowering away and hiding behind excuses.
Storm did not hate Sky and had a very twisted view of what Sky thought and felt.
Sky stood on shaky legs, using the door to keep himself up and to straighten, then inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he took his first step toward Storm. You can do it, one foot in front of the other, he silently encouraged himself, clenching his fists and cringing at every squeak of the wooden floor. When his vision came into focus, he saw Storm wrapped in a ball on the floor, his back to Sky. His shoulders were moving as he sobbed. Sky stared at him. The Dragon was on the floor crying. It did not fit with the blood-thirsty warrior, not one bit.
The war-waging future ruler of Vis was however nothing more than one of the many shades that painted the picture of Storm. Sky realized how purposefully blind he’d been, refusing to see his husband for everything that he was: the boy Sky had once known, the warrior everyone thought they knew, and the wonderful lover and husband Sky never even knew he had.
Sky slid across the floor on his knees, wrapping his arms around Storm the moment they made contact and gripping him tightly. Storm responded, turning in Sky’s arms and locking his hands around his waist, burying his face in Sky’s chest and continuing to sob.
I caused this. It’s pain I’ve inflicted. He knew he’d been afraid when he had been dragged
to the castle and told to marry the Dragon. Sky had been angry that he’d been given no say in the matter and he’d wanted to crush Storm’s skull with his bare hands because of it.
In the short weeks that had led to the wedding, Storm had tried to get Sky to talk, to get reacquainted with each other, but Sky had refused all his future husband’s attempts. Storm getting too close made Sky’s blood boil and his cock stir fueling his anger, which hashed out the dreadful events of their wedding night.
Sky still knew Storm’s words by heart. He also knew his husband had been right. He was nothing but a spoiled brat with no idea what real suffering was, lashing out at someone he was clearly attracted to. He pulled Storm higher, having his head rest on Sky’s shoulder and rocked him.
“I’m sorry, Storm. I’m so sorry,” he whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek. “I’m such an idiot, I’m sorry.”
Storm froze in his arms, suddenly becoming very silent. He pushed off Sky’s body and sat in front of him, crossing his legs.
“You should never apologize for anything.” Storm placed one shaky finger over his husband’s lips when Sky tried to speak and shook his head. “You never had a choice, Sky. If you had, you would have never chosen to marry a monster like me. I forced you into this, then got angry because you didn’t take it with a smile.” Storm rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. “Everything has consequences. You shouldn’t do stupid shit if the consequences don’t sit well with you.”
Sky leaned forward and cupped Storm’s cheek, brushing it with his thumb. “You are not a monster. Even if you were, I don’t care. I don’t think I did for a moment. I was just angry I was never asked if I wanted to marry you.”
Sky shrugged and dropped his hand, looking away from his husband. “I loved you since the first moment I saw you. I repressed everything because… well, because you sent me away. And on our wedding night it all came back, reminding me of how I thought everything about you was so amazing. It was too late though, I had pushed you away.”
Storm blinked, opening and closing his mouth, yet said nothing. Sky was getting worried and fidgety. Maybe confessing to his husband hadn’t been the brightest idea he’d ever had.
Sky jumped at the sound of his husband’s voice. It was strong and commanding again.
“Sky, I saw you in the courtyard. I saw how you looked at me when I killed those bastards. You were horrified, you looked like you were going to be sick. Yet you want me to believe you don’t think I’m a monster, or that you don’t mind it?”
Sky hung his head in an attempt to hide his face, feeling the hot, deep red spreading. “That, husband mine, had nothing to do with repulsion. Umm… how do I say this?” Sky shrugged without looking at Storm. “I’ve never seen you like that and it was quite a vision. It… it made me want you in such a desperate way, and then I realized it was too late. I’d lost you long ago. I was never as smart as Eagle when it came to you.”
Sky tried to smile, but the tears were already falling down his cheeks. Storm’s strong hand pushed his chin up and Sky could not resist the nudge. He locked eyes with Storm, waiting to be let down.
“My love, what the hell does Eagle have to do with anything?”
The choice of words threw Sky off. Why would Storm call him that? Why be so gentle and act so clueless about the true love of Storm’s life.
“Don’t just throw words at me, Storm.” Sky slapped Storm’s hand away. “You two are together. I saw how you cared for him, how you punished those men for hurting him. It’s obvious!”
Storm cupped Sky’s face with both his hands, squeezing it when Sky wanted to push away. “You fucking listen to me now! I’m not with Eagle or with anyone else for that matter. I care for him, I promised his father I’d watch over him when he died in my arms.”
Sky closed his eyes, the amusement on Storm’s face too much to bear. He felt Storm’s hands slide to his shoulder and shake him. “I’ve loved you every second of my life since the moment we met. You could never do anything to make me stop; no one could, although they did try. Everywhere I went, word of you and your new conquests made its way to my camp. It was so fucking difficult not to leave the battle ground and rush back here to kill whoever dared touch you!”
“There was no one,” Sky yelled. Storm laughed and pulled him into his arms.
“I know that now. I just… after our exchange on our wedding night, I had no reason not to believe everything I was hearing about you.”
Clinging to Storm’s shirt, Sky sighed deeply, feeling nauseated, but he had to know. “How many lovers have you had, Storm?”
“Since we got married? None. Before that? None. I did have… how do I put this? An Estas trainer of sorts.”
Sky pulled back enough to see Storm’s eyes. “You had one of those women who teach you all about sex?”
“A man, not a woman.” Storm shrugged. “I never cared for women in that way. I just didn’t want to disappoint you, so he taught me a few things.” A pinkish blush colored Storm’s cheeks. Sky thought it was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.
“But you sent me away. You made me leave and I never heard from you again until your elite guard came to my home and told me I was to marry you. Why should I believe you won’t send me away again?”
A strangled noise came out of Storm’s throat and he looked pained, Sky started shaking. His husband stood up and extended his hands, waiting for Sky to take them. When Sky gave in, Storm helped him up, then walked him to their bed chamber. Storm pecked his lips with a warm smile, then put pressure on his shoulders until Sky sat on the bed.
“We’re both going to need to be sitting for this, I believe,” Storm whispered and then got onto the bed, leaning against the headboard and pulling Sky into his arms. He took a few deep breaths, and then relaxed into the pillows, closing his eyes. Sky couldn’t look away from Storm’s gorgeous face. Even now, tired, tormented, and stained in dried tears, Storm was still the most beautiful sight in the whole world.
“I never wanted to be away from you,” Storm started on a shaky voice. “I fought him for it, but he wouldn’t budge. In the end, I had to give in and do as he asked.”
Sky didn’t have to ask who it had been. Storm’s voice always got a cold, unmistakable touch whenever he spoke of his father.
“He requested a meeting early in the morning. He told me I was to marry an Estas princess to forge an alliance.”
“The whore they are trying to make your concubine now?”
Storm shook his head. “Her sister. They’ve already married her off. I said I wouldn’t. I was in love with you and would never marry anyone else. We’d just had our first kiss the night before, do you remember that?”
How could he ever forget that?
“Father threatened to have you killed and end ‘this nonsense’ as he called it. I said I’d rather follow you to the grave than marry anyone else. He threw duty at me, said he wanted the lands an alliance with Estas could win him. See, he wanted to go to war and have his own little empire…
“I knew he’d do anything to get his way and I wanted you to be safe. So I told him I’d win it all for him. All the countries he wanted bowing at his feet, I’d serve them to him on a silver plate. He agreed, with one condition: for you to leave.”
Storm tilted Sky’s face up and kissed his lips. “I swear, I did not know it would be so soon. Had I known you’d be taken from me in the middle of the night, I would have told you everything. Hell, I wouldn’t have fought with you over a stupid book!”
Sky chuckled and snuggled closer to Storm. “I’m sorry for always thinking the worst of you. I knew you better than that. I guess I did not want to trust the instincts of a teenage boy.”
“Please, don’t apologize. If the roles were reversed, I might have thought the same of you. It does not matter now. I don’t care how long it took us, we’re finally here, baring our souls to each other. I love you, Sky. Always have, always will. Nothing and no one will ever change that.”
The enorm
ity of what he’d done hit Sky full on. The fighting, the bloodshed, it had all been for one purpose, to win Storm his freedom. To allow Storm to be with him. Would his marriage to the Estas princess have yielded a different outcome? Unlikely, except Storm might not have been a fierce warrior and he would not be married to Sky right now. The king would have still wanted the entire world to bow to him.
All their conversations on war and military strategy came back to him. Storm had been great at fighting, but his purpose was always defense, not to become the conqueror he was today. Storm had sacrificed so much of himself for Sky. Sky hoped it had been worth it. As he kissed his husband with all the pent-up passion he had, Sky silently swore to do everything he could to make it worthwhile from then on.
CHAPTER IX
The Paradise
DESPITE HIS BEST EFFORTS, Storm still failed to do what he wanted the most. Take his husband to bed and rediscover his body, this time without Sky being inebriated. He wanted Sky to choose him, as he had that night, but without the excuse of alcohol. He had struck out, however. Their deep conversation had been interrupted by a loud, incessant knock that Storm could not ignore. He had followed one of his warriors to his father’s quarters. The king demanded a full report on the state of the fighting, on why Storm had not come straight to him.
The king was a pompous idiot, Storm knew that now. He had been piss-poor as a warrior, so he had married twice to secure lands and alliances. Later, the king had wanted to use his son for the same purpose and when Storm had refused, he’d nudged him just enough to turn him into a fierce conqueror, completely untouched by the idea of shedding the blood of hordes of enemy warriors. Storm had to recognize his father’s qualities. The man always knew what weaknesses to put pressure on, how to manipulate, how to turn everything in his favor.
The king’s second wife was also great at whispering in his ear, chanting him songs of praise and making him feel as if he ruled the entire world. She was so good at stroking his ego, the king had forgotten who had won him his many lands, who the soldiers were loyal to and who his subjects really feared. That made for an advantage Storm did not want to draw attention to, not yet.
Sky and Storm (Warriors of Vis, Book One) Page 6