He placed the flame of his candle against the wick of mine and it flickered to life. “Shep, my husband, my love, I thank you for taking me as your soulmate, your partner, your wife. I promise to love you until the day I die.” We both turned back to Madame Angelica, awaiting further instruction.
“Shep, Lilly, you have been joined together in spirit and made promises to love and respect each other. May you find all the happiness you deserve. May you be blessed with a long and wonderful life. You are now united as one.” Suddenly the candle I had been holding fell to the ground as did Shep’s. We stepped back and watched as the two candles became one, emitting a great, shimmering glow. Shep bent to kiss me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I could hear the three women behind us, crying tears of joy. We turned . and Shep bent to hug his mother.
Serephina and Kelsha blew out all the candles. As the candles went out the sky grew darker until only one candle remained, our union candle. Shep bent to pick it up and turned to the women. “Thank you for all you have done for us, we will never forget this night. You helped make it so special for us.” I continued the thanks and praises for their efforts before making our way back to the inn. Once inside it was decided Leah would stay in my room with Serephina, and I would move into the room she had shared with her son.
There was one large, circular bed in the center of the room. I teased him about marrying me just so he wouldn’t have to sleep on the cold floor and he laughed replying, “Well that was one of the perks.” I had untied the rope that held my dress closed and pulled the satin gown off. I laid it carefully across one of the chairs, careful not to wrinkle the fabric. I started to pull the flower halo off my head when Shep stopped me. “No, let me do it.” He crossed the room to me. He was only in his under things, having taken off the borrowed clothes and laying them out next to the borrowed dress. He set the candle on the table and asked me to sit on the bed. I felt my entire body relax as soon as I sat down. Shep took to pulling the halo off my head, then ever so lightly unbraided my hair, pulling the flowers as my hair came down. When he was finished, he gently brushed my hair aside and kissed my neck.
“I didn’t think you could ever be more beautiful than you already are. When I saw you in the candlelight, glowing, you took my breath away Lilly.” He was whispering words as he continued kissing my neck then my shoulders.
“You took my breath away too Shep, standing there waiting to become my husband, showered in candlelight. And your shirt open like that, were you trying to stop my heart?” I turned my head catching his mouth with mine. The kiss started soft and slow, and his hands traveled my body. I turned to face him and wound my arms around his neck before pushing him back onto the bed. We made love that night as though it had been our first time. We fell asleep exhausted, and drunk on love and lust. I had never been happier, and my dreams that night reflected my happiness.
~Chapter Fifteen~
We were startled awake by loud thumps on the door. “Lilly, Shep are you awake? It’s me Kelsha.” I stirred, unable to open my eyes just yet. Half asleep, I lay there, hoping she would go away. After a few more attempts the knocking stopped, and I heard footsteps moving away from our door. I heard more pounding on the room down the hall and wondered if she was some sort of Neveahian alarm clock. Maybe, just a serious morning person, who hated the idea of people sleeping peacefully while she wandered around awake. My mind drifted back to my dream as I quickly forgot about the interruption. Just as I was falling into deep sleep the knock came back, louder. This time it was more urgent and was coming from multiple hands. Screams to get up and open the door were piercing. Shep shot up out of bed as though he had been electrocuted.
Clearly agitated he pulled on his pants and pulled the door open using much more force than was really necessary. “What the hell do you mean banging?” His words were stopped short when he saw his mother’s face. I was up, dressed and by the door in time to hear him ask what was wrong. “He’s on his way, you must leave immediately.” Kelsha’s words were coming fast and urgent. “I have animals out back that can carry you to Lake Aruna. I have already sent word to Barlaam. He will be waiting for your arrival. You must go now.” I pushed my way past Shep to face Kelsha.
“But I don’t understand. Why rush us out now, Jax has never seen us before. He will have no idea who we are. Shouldn’t we stay long enough to get a look at him? At least we will know what we are searching for?” I really didn’t see the cause for panic. We could all blend in and maybe learn something about this man before attacking him blindly. Kelsha interrupted my thoughts. “He knows you Lilly. He has been watching you and your mother for years. He saw you with Shep as well. He used to know Akayleah before he was evil.” I noticed a small glance given to Kelsha from Leah, a look of warning not to speak further. It was subtle and I don’t think Shep noticed it, but it was there. I chose to keep it to myself, instead focusing on the matter at hand. “Why is he coming here Kelsha? I assume you can hear him coming right?”
“That’s right, and the closer he gets the louder his thoughts are; it’s like he is screaming at me.”
“Why? Why is he making this journey?”
“He knows you’re here Lilly. He is coming for you.”
“How does he know?”
“I don’t know. He is keeping his informant hidden in his thoughts, he knows of my gifts.”
“Well, I guess we better get going. How much time do we have?”
“A little over an hour, it will take at least 45 minutes to reach the Lake. The sooner you are safely aboard Barlaam the better. Barlaam is one creature in Neveah that Jax fears.”
She spoke with confidence but there was fear written on her face. I turned to pack up the few things I had brought with me and was surprised to find Shep standing there with my things packed and ready to go.
I had also failed to notice Serephina and Leah had disappeared until they were leaving their room with their packs loaded onto their backs.
“What about you Kelsha, aren’t you coming with us?” I asked. She shook her head no, and disappeared down the hallway. I felt horrible leaving her behind and had no problem unloading my thoughts on Shep. We were not just going to leave her here with a madman on his way.
“Serephina, I thought you said she was coming with us, why are we leaving her behind?” I asked.
“She refuses to leave her people, but will help from here as much as she can. Don’t worry about her safety. She knows how to handle Jax.” This stumped me.
“What do you mean? How does she know how to handle Jax?” I demanded.
“She has a history with the man. It does not change where she stands, it makes her a stronger ally.” Serephina said in response, her tone clearly stating she was done discussing Kelsha.
Well, I didn’t know how to process this information and decided I didn’t have time to think about it. We had to get out of there.
The four of us made our way to the back of the inn, looking for the animals Kelsha had told us about. I had expected horses of some kind, not a Pegasus and a small Dragon. I really should not have been surprised by the sight of these magnificent creatures, but I was. I knew in the back of my mind we didn’t have the luxury of time to stand, mouths gaping, staring at these creatures. I looked at Shep who stood frozen, watching the beasts.
“Well which one is for us?” I asked, slightly afraid to climb up on either of them. He shook his head. “I don’t know Lilly. I can hardly believe what I am seeing.”
“I know Shep, but we have to go, now!” Luckily Serephina made the choice for us. “Lilly, you and Shep will ride Lucy and Akayleah and I will ride Jasper, now get up there! She is really very gentle.” She was pushing me toward the dragon and my little bird was hovering over my shoulder, humming a tune I thought might be meant to give me courage.
I grabbed Shep’s hand, pushing him in front of me. “You first,” I urged him. The blue dragon had specks of red in her scales and when she looked down on us there was kindness in her eyes. As though s
he was trying to soothe us, she playfully nudged her nose at Shep. Shep had no choice but to laugh and reached a hand out, lightly touching Lucy’s face. “She is so soft, not scaly at all,” he said with amazement. The dragon lowered herself to the ground, and waited for us to climb up. Shep went first and situated himself in front. “Come on Lilly, there is plenty of room up here.” His smile spread across his face and giddiness danced in his eyes like a little boy on Christmas. I laughed and grabbed Shep’s hand for help climbing up. Once up I realized I was comfortable on Lucy. It felt like I had ridden her a hundred times before. There were reins for Shep to hold onto, and I held onto him. I glanced over, watching Serephina and Leah climb up onto the Pegasus, as though they had ridden one a million times. They were full of confidence and comfort. “Ready?” Shep asked. “I’m not really sure what to do here.” I giggled at this. “I’m ready, just flick the reins like a horse, and see what happens.”
“Hold on Lilly.” And with that he flicked the reins and added some grunting noises I assumed were relayed to the dragon as “let’s go”.
Go she did. I held tight to Shep’s waist as this creature pummeled the ground below. I turned to see our companions were following closely. The beast ran smoothly for its size, and what she lacked in speed she made up for by covering large quantities of land. Lucy had been traveling . for some time. Just as I was beginning to relax, she turned, glancing at Shep as though looking for approval. He flicked the reins again yelling, “Hawww!” He was enjoying himself immensely. At the last “Hawww” Lucy left the ground. I let out an involuntary yelp, and cinched Shep’s waist.
Within seconds, we were flying high above the trees of Neveah. Shep was shouting with excitement, “This is awesome Lilly!” I smiled, rather enjoying his unguarded excitement for this beast. I relaxed against Shep, now that we were flying smoothly. My Aria was resting nicely on my shoulder. The patchwork land below was an assortment of colors, breathtakingly beautiful. I wasn’t sure how long our journey would be, but I hoped it wouldn’t end too soon. I was rather enjoying the feeling of closeness to Shep and the freedom this beast was offering. I kissed the back of Shep’s neck, and he turned his head to me, smiling, and kissed my nose. I let out my breath and held on for the ride.
~Chapter Sixteen~
When Jax arrived in Antiope the town looked deserted. The residents had retreated to their homes, anticipating his arrival. He knew Kelsha had warned them he was coming and their fear of his arrival made Jax proud of himself. He was a fearful man if nothing else and these people should fear his arrival. They were obedient to Kelsha, and he knew that would be of help to him. Kelsha would try to resist him, she always did. She would also give into him, she always did. He knew her secrets, her desires, and he used them against her every chance he got.
He rode silently through the village, taking note of the burned out candles and flower petals that covered the ground. He deliberately led his horse over them, crushing the wax and flowers under hooves. He could feel eyes peering at him from inside the shelters. He thrived on this. Fearful eyes, watching his every move fed into his ego, making him even stronger. He rode slowly through town, making a show of it. When he reached the Inn he found Kelsha waiting on the porch for him. She was not fearful of him, never had been. No, he thought of her as his partner, his eyes, and his ears.
He had found her broken hearted, but helped replace her once loving heart with a hateful one. He supposed he loved her in his own way and her him. They had never let things get that far. They could be physical with each other without getting too emotional. They shared a mutual respect. Both had been shafted by love, both had risen above the pain. She had always been loyal to him. He was worried her loyalty may be compromised with the appearance of her long lost sister. He had fond memories of Miss Akayleah. He had hoped, all those years ago, Akayleah would have been the one to stand by him in his reign of terror. His disappointment in her and her desertion was vast. He couldn’t believe his luck when he came upon Kelsha, sister of Akayleah, broken and bitter, ready to stand by him in an effort to make those who hurt her pay.
“That could all be compromised now,” he thought if Kelsha found a soft spot in her heart where her sister was concerned. However, she knew all of Akayleah’s secrets, which may prove useful in the future, but bloodlines ran deep in Neveah. He wasn’t so sure she could disconnect from her sister the way he had from his family. He knew her heart was burned, blackened, but she still had a heart. Not like him. His heart had been ripped out and discarded the day Annika fled. Oh, the evil in him had been brewing long before that, he was well aware, but her betrayal had been the final turning for him. He never once looked back. His only regret was not bringing her home before now. He knew he had to be patient, not make any hasty moves. His patience had paid off. She was here now, and she would never leave again, not alive anyway.
He had ideas for her daughter as well, but chose to keep those to himself for now. As for the elf, well she would be no problem to dispose of. Akayleah may be a different story. She had grown soft during her time on the other side. She was unstable to him. Not a sure bet. He guessed her son would be her weakness and planned to use that to his advantage. Her son, now he may pose a problem. Jax had been informed on Shep’s ability to regenerate, but Jax knew the one way to hurt Shep, through his heart. Jax knew much more about Shep then he or his mother could imagine. His knowledge would serve handy for him
“Hello Kelsha. My, you are lovely today.” He smiled his killer smile, working his charm. At first glance, Jax was a very handsome man, tall, dark, mysteriously handsome, with long, jet black hair he wore loose and messy. It wasn’t until you looked deep in his eyes the evil within began to show. Kelsha stood to face him. She had never feared Jax. No not feared, admired maybe. She had learned many things from Jax, one of those was the ability to hide one’s true soul. She was a master at hiding herself, portraying what people wanted her to be. That was how she so successfully persuaded many of the Specials to follow her to Antiope. The people here trusted her. That could prove to be their biggest mistake.
“Hello Jax, you're looking good yourself.”
“Why thank you ma’am. Might I be invited in for some warm food and drink? I have been traveling for some time.”
“Of course fine sir, please, after you.” She held the door open for Jax. She had been listening to the Specials thoughts and no one was the wiser when it came to her relationship with Jax. Many were watching, waiting to attack should any harm come to Kelsha. Their thoughts sometimes broke through her exterior and guilt would creep in. She was quick to close the cracks and push the guilt away. She shut the door behind them. The Inn was empty at this time of morning. Her only overnight visitors had departed early this morning at her urging. The window shades were closed. She was alone with Jax.
“Where are they?” He asked.
“Who?” She answered, batting her long eyelashes.
“Oh now Kelsha, don’t be coy! You know exactly who!”
“Hmmm, well, I might be inclined to tell you if you do me one little favor.” She was an inch from his face, voice coming as only a whisper. It had been months since she had last seen Jax. The sight of him made her body tingle inside. She was hungry for him. She fully intended to have a piece of him before she gave him any information.
“What am I to do for you, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Well, Mr. Bane, nothing is for free, including information. That is what you’re after right, information?”
“Are you bribing me?” He grabbed her by the shoulders, firmly. Her head fell back, revealing her cleavage, exposing her neck. “You know I don’t take lightly when it comes to someone trying to hold out on me?”
“Maybe I need to be punished,” she replied with a mock laugh. His mouth devoured her neck, working its way down to her cleavage. He stopped at the top of the thin piece of cloth that was being used to hold in her breasts. He paused long enough for her to look up in wonder. “What are you waiting for?”
She demanded.
He flashed his wicked smile before taking the cloth between his teeth and ripping it from her body exposing her breasts. He took her angrily and rough. She cried out with every slap, every bite, and every pinch. Just as he was to enter her, she pushed him away, teasing his manhood. She stepped back, revealing the welts from his belt, and the bruises from his teeth. She danced for him and touched him viciously. She let her tongue explore his entire body. With his manhood in her mouth she could feel him begin to quiver, ready to explode. She looked up, giving him her devilish smile before she made her way up his body. She pulled his head back and buried his mouth on hers before she finally allowed him to enter her. She rode him until they both burst with pleasure and pain.
After she had her fill of him she crawled off, leaving him naked and limp. She showered and changed her clothes. She found him waiting in the same place, the center of her Inn’s dining room, where they had been intertwined minutes before. She didn’t bother with formalities when it came to Jax. She knew she was just his play thing and was expected to help him further his reign. She was okay with that. She didn’t love Jax. She respected him and what he was doing, but she did not love him. She had loved once, many years ago, and was left broken hearted and alone. That was when she found Jax, or he found her. Jax helped mend her heart, but the ache of loss never went away. He was so different from the man who broke her heart. She took comfort in his instability and anger. He was always brutally honest with her, yet always made her feel as though she was worth something to him.
Neveah Box Series (Neveah Box Set Book 5) Page 13