by Jaime Marks
“Alright,” she nodded reaching out and sensing Star out of habit.
He smiled warmly. “Star is fine, actually if I had to guess I would say that we will be having two bonding rituals on Friday. We saw them before we came to you. She and Byryn have definitely cemented their bonds.”
She gave him a coy smile. “And the boy’s still alive? You’re slacking my love.”
He chuckled, “Yes well, she was beaming she was so happy. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such peace in her. Who am I to interfere? Besides, I’m actually fond of Byryn. I just enjoy tormenting the boy.”
The three of them laughed.
“Their bonding will go a long way towards breaking the binds that Alayne had forged in her mind,” Cymeryn offered seemingly lost in thought.
She reached over and took his hand and he smiled weakly at her and brought her hand to his mouth kissing it. “Tell me, Cymeryn. I can sense the turmoil in you, what happened? And why are you both blocking me?” They both knew how she felt about it. For them to be blocking her now, knowing how upset she was with Cymeryn, and the way that his Darkness was pulsing…whatever they were hiding had to be bad.
He glanced to Marcus who shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter what order she hears it in.”
He sighed meeting her gaze. “Alayne came for Staryana. He sensed her awakening.” She tensed as panic ran through her but Cymeryn pulled her close, comforting her. “Shh, Rey, he did not reach her. She does not even know he was here. I would sense it if he reentered the realm and he was fairly wounded when Lazurys called him home.”
“Then what happened?” She touched the mist with her essence trying to figure out exactly how her brother had managed to pull anyone from her realm. It was clear he couldn’t summon her or Star but if he had found some way? The repercussions could be devastating.
“There was a point where he had us pinned down. Demytria and Kato were not there yet. I am unsure what he would have done as Crytos is now dead and Syneous was badly wounded but if he had managed to get past us none would have been able to stop him. Tatyna…” He trailed off a moment as pain laced through him. “She put her sword through his back allowing us to break free, but he grabbed her and pulled her against his chest using her blade to connect them. She told me, in her mind, that she would rather die than to suffer Alayne’s possession, to do what I needed to and take him down.” He looked off into the distance. “We encompassed them in a sphere of Light essence, trying to use Gray to protect her. Alayne was failing, but Lazurys reach through his essence, his blood that flows so strongly through the Shade and apparently now through Syneous, and pulled both of them and those in close contact with them to him.”
He used his blood. It was the only link he would have had to this world. Could he use the same methods against them? Why hadn’t he pulled Cymeryn to him in the same manner? The Light. They all held Light essence.
“That is my assumption as well,” Cymeryn reasoned responding to her thoughts. “He had been able to pull me to him in a similar manner when I was Supryn. However, after you flooded me with Light, Alayne had to rebalance my Darkness before I could enter the Darker Realms. It was happening slowly on its own though I suspect it would have been more of a balance between Light and Dark as I am now, had they not interfered. As it was I had begun to shift to Gray, even with the essence Lazurys had pumped through my veins. That shift is what allowed me to better hide my actions as I defected.”
It made sense, but if she knew her brother he would be trying to find some way to utilize that ability now that he knew he could pull those he owned from her realm. She would have to consult her Father and ensure they could prevent his attempts.
She turned her attention back to Cymeryn knowing there was more to what happened. He hadn’t told her what happened to his progeny. “Tatyna?”
He turned away unable to face her. The female was a sensitive issue for them as it was, one they avoided. They had never actually discussed it but there was no escaping the connection he felt to her or the need he had to correct his mistakes and do right by her. He had all but raised her and groomed her to stand by his side before he pushed her aside for Demytria. All of it had been an attempt to fill his need for Reyana, which filled him with guilt.
“We don’t know what condition she’s in or what they will do to her,” Marcus finished when his brother remained silent.
A single tear ran down Cymeryn’s face and she pulled him to her kissing him. “Will you go to get her back?” She hated the idea of him leaving, but she couldn’t deny him the right to protect his progeny. “I would never expect you to abandon her.”
He shook his head. “I cannot. Lazurys took them directly to him, to the Dark Domain. I am unable to breach it without him knowing and going to Lazurys is not an option. Even together I do not believe we are strong enough to face him. He will never allow me to leave, using me as leverage to get to you. I will not sacrifice you or our young, let alone the fate of the realms, to save Tatyna. As much as I may wish to save her this, there is naught I can do.”
“Can you sense her? I know you were…close at one point,” she spoke quietly not really wanting to discuss the odd relationship between him and Tatyna. “I can sense how much she means to you, Cymeryn.”
He kissed her reading her clearly but didn’t comment on it. “Normally if I focus I can still sense her, but the connection is weak and now she is out of my reach. She is lost for now. If she reemerges into the Darker Realms I will know, but it will be a risk. Lazurys may well have taken her. He wants me back, I have felt his pull. He will not pass up the chance to use her to draw me in and once he has me, regain you. We will have to reassess it if it occurs. For all I know they will simply torture and kill her to punish me…” He trailed off again with obvious frustration.
She nodded not sure what she could do to ease his pain as she ran her hand through his hair. “I’m sorry Cymeryn. I know she was important to you…”
“I do not wish to discuss it, Rey. You ease me merely by your presence. I have no need to relive those memories or the state of my mind when I made those decisions.” He kissed her roughly. “I do not wish you to think of it either.”
Marcus raised a brow. “We agreed no more secrets brother, what is it you hide from me?”
Cymeryn met his gaze. “Only that which I cannot bear to relive mine twin. I am sure you will know it in time. I block nothing of my past from you that I do not block from myself. The information is there if you wish to know it but you cannot expect me to broadcast it or purposefully relive it.”
Nodding he left it go sensing the pain in his twin. “Fair enough.” Instead he turned to her. “There is something more, Reya.” The twins glanced cautiously to one another. “Something that might upset you.”
“What is it?” She couldn’t imagine why they were acting like this if all of their family was safe. “Was someone hurt in the attack?”
“No, love, everyfae is safe, but…there is some information that has come to Light.” Marcus brushed the hair out of her eyes and kissed her. “One of the unawakened that was brought here, Kyle...”
“He was one of the two that hurt Steph, right?” She asked.
“Yes, Rey he was, but you must bear in mind that the choices that the young of the Shade make are molded by their sires and their mentors. There is a pack mentality amongst them. The weaker will always submit to the will of those stronger and John was by far the dominant of the two of them,” Cymeryn provided. “Whatever the boy has done in the past, much of his actions were not his own will.”
She studied them both with shrewd eyes. They were trying to soften some blow she couldn’t see coming.
Marcus sighed, “Kyle is Syneous’ son. He is Star’s brother.”
Her eyes widened. “Sean never told me he had another child.”
Marcus looked away. “He wouldn’t. He was there to control and manipulate you, Reya.” He hesitated, “Kyle is seventeen, but he has two younger brothers…as does Staryan
a.”
Realization seeped into her being. She hadn’t wanted to admit the truth of her marriage before. Really it seemed like another life now, separate somehow from all of the other lives that now combined to bring her to this moment. Still, she had loved Sean, trusted him. Over half of her human years had been devoted to him and their life together. He may now be the Shade Syneous, but he had once been her husband and she had thought he loved her.
“How old are they, Marcus?” She demanded her anger rising.
“Do you really want to know, Rey?” Cymeryn murmured. “I can feel the pain and anger in you, love. It will only cause you more pain to know the depths of his betrayal.”
“I have a right to know,” she replied flatly. “I’ll find out when Star decides she wants to meet them anyway and we all know she will.”
Marcus sighed kissing her again. “Phillip is fourteen and Calvin is seven.”
She let out a hard breath as the pain pierced her heart and he drew her into his arms. It shouldn’t hurt this bad, her marriage had basically been over for a couple years. She’d known that he didn’t love her anymore. In the end he had treated her more like a possession than his wife. She had moved on, twice in a respect. Marcus and Cymeryn owned her heart and she carried their young within her. There was no part of her heart that still belonged to Sean but this cut deeply.
Their marriage had gone through a lot of rough patches but they had always come through it better than before. At least that was what she’d thought. Both of those boys had been conceived during periods that things between them were good. It gave her a completely new insight into their relationship.
Tears ran down her cheeks as the truth registered and Marcus held her tightly. He had been with her, watching and protecting her through it all. He understand exactly where her mind was. “Shh, Reya. It’s in the past love. I know it hurts but it doesn’t matter now. Whatever your marriage was, however Sean betrayed and hurt you, he gave you Star and that is all that matters.” He gently rubbed her back, comforting her. “Your daughter is a gift and she is a strong, beautiful, young female. Regardless of anything else, she is the blessing that makes it worth it.”
She nodded against him. “You’re right. I just need to remember that.” And forget the bastard her Father had been because he wasn’t worth the pain she was allowing him to inflict on her even now.
She reached behind her for Cymeryn and he took her hand moving so that he was against her. They embraced her between them, their essence flowing through her, soothing her. She focused on them trying to close out the fear that betrayal always breeds. The fear that you can’t trust your own heart.
Cymeryn kissed her head. “We would never hurt you that way, love. I promise you, our hearts, our bodies, belong only to you. No Fae else could ever compare,” he whispered in her ear.
“We could never bear to be without you, Reya. You are the only one we want.” Marcus gently lifted her face to his kissing her. “Let us show you, love. Let us take away the pain.”
She lost herself in their embrace. The gentle caresses, the tender kisses, she needed them now. The past was gone. She couldn’t change her choices and there was no telling if she did if it would’ve made things better or worse. If the only good thing that came out of her marriage to Sean was her daughter then that was enough. She was soon to be bonded to both of her mates and they loved her more than anything.
Chapter 13
Steph opened her eyes slowly feeling peaceful and rested. She looked at Mythos and he leaned down kissing her softly. His blue eyes shone brightly with golden flecks and his long hair lay over his shoulder down to his chest. She reached up twisting the soft golden brown strands in her fingers. There were gold highlights that shimmered in the luminance of the Light that flowed over his skin. He looked like a Greek god…her Greek god.
“How did you sleep, caria?” He asked her quietly brushing the curls from her eyes.
“Perfectly,” she murmured kissing him.
“No nightmares?”
She shook her head a playful smile spreading across her lips. “Nope.”
He raised a brow watching her. “Now you make me wonder what you dreamt of.”
“That bath was sublime,” she murmured changing the subject as she smiled coyly. “Thank you for having Haylia draw it for me. I have no idea what she used but it eased the aches in my muscles.”
He smiled watching her. “I thought you might like that.” His voice had that seductive lilt that it took on when his thoughts were bordering on inappropriate. It was tempting to tease him but there were so many rules and lines they couldn’t cross. It was better not to risk testing both of their control.
Light rolled through her and she lifted her hand studying it. She had no idea if she was awakening or what it all meant. Nothing about anything made sense. It didn’t even match up with what they knew about the unawakened.
Mythos sighed, “I am going to have to go see Alysse. I do not wish to leave you, but she stated I would need to come see her when signs of your awakening began to manifest. I think we need to better understand what is happening with you.”
She nodded absently, not really happy about the idea but there wasn’t anything they could do about it. “I don’t really want you to go, but it’s a reality of our lives for now. We can’t really avoid it.”
“Speaking of things we cannot avoid.” He sat up slowly looking off into the distance. “There is something that came to Light when we confronted John and Kyle that I need to speak you with you regarding.”
She cringed sitting up to face him. She’d already shown him everything but she could just imagine what John came up with. “What?”
He looked her over. “Kyle is Staryana’s brother. Her Father’s son.”
Her eyes widened as realization slowly slipped in. All the times he’d been watching her, trying to keep her away from Byryn, and how he persisted despite the fact that he never actually pursued her. Byryn kicked the shit out of him and he still wouldn’t back off. They’d all assumed he wanted her, that he’d been freaking obsessed, but really he’d never looked at her that way now that she thought about it. Hell he had just about stalked her, but she’d never seen any other signs that he was attracted to her. He was her brother?
“Shit. Does she know?”
“No, she is awakening. We will need to discuss it and what it will mean, but he has pledged his allegiance to Cymeryn. He is the one who confirmed the attack.” Mythos sighed, “I do not know what to make of the boy, but his lineage puts us in an uncomfortable situation. Staryana will likely wish to know him and of her other brothers that we knew nothing of before now, but it is unfair to expect you to have to deal with his presence.”
She drew in a long breath considering it. “Yeah, I don’t know how I’ll feel about it. John is the major issue but I’ve never really considered them separately before. John controlled everything that night…Kyle. I don’t know…” She trailed off considering it. Really she had always thought he was just along for the ride. From what she remembered he did what he was told and enjoyed the benefits of it. Not everything from that night was clear, there was a lot she couldn’t remember and a lot she didn’t want to.
Mythos pulled her into his arms as she shivered. “Do not think about it for now, caria. It is nothing that will be decided today. He is to be restricted until Cymeryn feels he can be trusted and ensures that you will be able to handle his presence. It is possible that Cymeryn may well deem he does not trust the boy.”
She nodded feeling his Light wash over her and eased against him. Her stomach grumbled at her and they both laughed.
“It is getting a bit late. I suppose we should make our way down for meal. Marcus had said it would be ready shortly.” He kissed her head. “I am going to freshen up.”
He released her and she looked down at her night gown and robe. She hadn’t felt like getting dressed after her bath. “Yeah, I’m gonna go get changed. All my clothes are in my quarters.”
&nbs
p; He looked her over. “You could move some in here if you wish. That is, if your comfortable spending the eve in my arms. I will never dishonor you.”
“Is that allowed?” She asked watching him. “And are you sure that’s a good idea? We push our limits so as it is.”
He smiled as his eyes ran over her shamelessly and the growl in his voice was almost enough to melt her. “First, I have yet to push our limits, caria. I may enjoy teasing you and it might take me to an edge, but I have yet to take liberties with you that are well within my rights.” He pulled her close kissing her possessively. “When I taste you, it will be because I am sure you are ready and I will be in complete control.”
She shifted so she was straddling him and kissed him back, letting her hunger flow into him as she gently rocked against him. His desire surged as he gripped her tightly and she felt his resistance snap a moment before he rolled her onto her back, his sex pressing into her core through their clothes. When he pulled back she smiled mischievously up at him.
“I love you, Stephynia,” he whispered.
“And I, you, my King.” She kissed him again. “Now, go get ready for dinner.”
He smiled rolling off of her and rising from the bed. She fixed her clothes and stood as he watched her. “I will meet you in the sitting room.”
“Alright.” She smiled and turned leaving the room.
Walking across the suite she almost stopped before entering her room. Something nagged at her, but really it was ridiculous, right? Her guards were in the corridor and Marcus and Cymeryn had dropped in letting them know the threat had passed for now. Besides, Mythos was just in the other room.
Shaking off her paranoia she opened the door and walked over to her closet opening the way. She gasped as John grabbed a hold of her throat guiding her out of the closet and against the wall. He glanced out of the room cautiously before quietly closing and locking the door. His body pressed against hers as he kissed her roughly and she wanted to gag. Light surged to her skin so quickly she couldn’t stop it and he released her jumping back on a curse.