“Ciyrs, you’re definitely so much more than your gift.”
I couldn’t believe he ever thought anything less. There was so much to him, and I loved everything about him. No matter my insecurities about his creepy bond with the other woman, and whatever that fiery power was. It didn’t matter; he was mine.
Chapter 7
She was simply amazing. He’d never felt as alive as he did with Eliana. The things she went through were different than his life, but in the end the only thing that really mattered is how much they connected with their own personal thoughts. They had so many things in common that it mixed with their differences creating a good balance. They took the rest of the night and talked.
In the early morning the pounding on the door started. Ciyrs sighed and climbed out of his bed. He didn’t want to leave her, but she was sleeping.
He opened the door to see the king at the door. “They need you son.”
“Is she all right?”
The king shook his head. “She isn’t awake. Gyyx can’t bring himself to do what your mate suggested. It’s time to burn that building to the ground. All of us are going. You and Eliana too. It’s time.”
“Who is going to watch the woman?”
“Gyyx won’t leave her.”
“I should have figured. Okay let me wake her. I know she wants that building to be gone. She dreamed of it, and is terrified of it.”
“Good, so meet us there. Pyra and Eden are there scoping it out. Theia is there and so are nearly all the warriors.”
“Okay we’ll be there soon.”
The king nodded and left. Ciyrs wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to have everyone there. Gyyx would want him there. He would probably want Eliana there too. He walked back in the room and smiled at his mate. Her eyes were on him.
“What’s going on?”
“We’re burning the building to the ground. Everyone is going except for Gyyx.”
She sat up and smiled. “I want to go.”
“I know. I told the king we would be there shortly. Are you sure you’re ready to be so close to the place you were imprisoned?”
“Yes, I want to know for sure the building is gone.”
He understood. He felt the same. “Okay well move your ass then. The others are waiting for us. I want to check in on Gyyx first too.”
She climbed out of bed and went straight to her bags.
* * * *
After checking on Gyyx and his mate and seeing no change he told him he had to try it. His touch had to be the key. He let him know everyone was going to be at the Wasteland so he had the whole compound to himself. It was the perfect time to bring his mate back to life.
Gyyx nodded and smiled. “Make sure it burns good brother.”
“Will do.”
Eliana had hugged him and kissed his cheek. She whispered something he didn’t hear, but whatever it was seemed to light up his brother’s eyes. He held back his jealously knowing she was his. It was still hard to see her make another man smile. Even if said man could really use the happiness.
He tugged her away and they locked the doors securing the two inside of the infirmary which was the safest place on the compound.
By the time they got to the Wasteland the others were all separated. He found Eden and Pyra and held Eliana close.
“So here’s how it’s going to work. We’re going to burn this mother fucker to the ground. If those bastards attack, we are going to fight. Ciyrs, you need to get the women out of here and back to the infirmary with Gyyx—”
Eliana spoke up. “No he needs to fight. I know what he can do. His new gift is what saved me. I somehow tapped into it. It burnt the Klimnu to a crisp. I think Eden and the queen are more than capable of taking care of themselves. We can get back ourselves.”
“Hell no woman. Fine if Ciyrs needs to stay to kick so Klimnu ass than Ero can take you all back.”
Ero stepped up and nodded. Though Ciyrs could see he wasn’t happy about it. “Let me be back up just in case.”
“Fine Ero and Ullie will take the women to safety if they attack. Otherwise we get to watch the horror of our history turn to ash. No one will ever be locked inside of that building ever again.”
Pyra was a great leader. He knew just what to say to pump everyone up. Ciyrs was too, but he was worried. He’d never fought with the warriors before. He always did damage control, and healing afterwards.
Eliana kissed him. “You’ve got this.”
“Did you really use my new power to kill?”
She nodded. “It was kill or be killed. Sometimes you have no choice.” The she grabbed his face. “Use it wisely.”
“I’m afraid that it will darken my soul.”
“Is my soul dark?”
“No of course not baby.”
“Then yours won’t be either. It’s a gift, not a curse. You were given another way to help protect your people—to protect me.”
When she put it like that he couldn’t begrudge his new power. It just meant he needed to practice with it. Just as he had with the healing, only this time he needed the enemies. No one was sure that they would even attack. His heart raced with adrenaline, and he wondered if this was how the warriors felt on a daily basis. It would explain their temper and aggression.
The first group of warriors eased their way from out of the woods and made their way to the building. Everyone else watched in silence as fire balls were thrown at the building.
No one moved. Hell he wasn’t even sure if he breathed. Smoke filled the air as the flames erupted catching fire from all the dust and debris. The cloud of smoke filled the air and he watched in awe as glass from the barred windows shattered into the air exploding with a loud crack. It was then he tensed. The first Klimnu appeared.
Its red eyes narrowed on the group. It was time. He kissed Eliana and said. “I love you, now go get your ass with the others. I need you to be safe.”
She was frozen as her eyes stayed glued to the monster going towards Pyra. He wasn’t sure why, but she seemed to have formed a special relationship with him. Maybe it was because they both had to deal with his and Eden’s bond.
“Baby, go. Ero and Ullie will take you to safety.”
He shook her and she looked at him licking her lips. “I—I don’t know if I can leave you.”
“It’s all good, sweetheart. I have something they don’t but I won’t be able to focus until I know you’re safe. So please for my sanity, go.”
It was then a strong hand wrapped around her arm yanking her away. She looked over her shoulder to see the fire spreading, but the Klimnu were coming in droves. All the warriors were fighting. He gave her one last look before joining the fray of the fight. He’d never felt so exhilarated before. The women were gone, and now he could focus.
A Klimnu snuck up on him. It cackled and scraped its claws down his cheek. “Why would they let you stay around? You’re nothing but the useless healer.” it said with a voice full of hatred.
He glared and didn’t even bother wiping the blood from his face. “You just made your last mistake underestimating me.”
His hand lit up and the heat surrounded him. His hand burned with a flame that begged to come free. In a movement too fast for the Klimnu, Ciyrs snapped. He wrapped his hand around its bony neck and incinerated him. The scent of burning flesh filled the air and then he disappeared into a pile of ash. “Holy Fuck,” he said and ran towards the king. There were three on him and Ciyrs heard Eliana’s conversation with Pyra. They wanted him. But he wouldn’t let them have his king.
He charged the one who jumped on Criea’s back. The instant his hand touched the Klimnu the beast erupted into flames and ran around shrieking in pain until he disappeared into a pile. Seemed Ciyrs was pretty fucking powerful. The heat from his hand traveled down his body until it felt like he was surrounded by a wall of flames. Only the flames weren’t there. He felt them bubbling beneath the surface.
Chapter 8
I hated leaving Ciyrs, but I h
ad complete faith he could take care of himself. Eden held my hand digging her nails into the flesh of my palm. I felt her nerves as if they were my own. She was scared. No scratch that, she was fucking terrified.
“Hey, it will be okay.”
She looked at me pleading.
“Seriously Eden, you’ve mated to the legendary Denynso who has the fiercest reputation where I come from. Plus you’re carrying his child. He won’t let anything happen to anyone. Plus Ciyrs has his new gift, and I can tell you right now, it will come in handy.”
“You really believe it?”
“Of course I do. I have faith in them all, and you should too. You know your mate and mine.”
She nodded and a small smile curled her lip up. “Thanks. Sorry I’m not usually this much of a pussy. It’s the hormones I swear. Makes me crazy. I’ve never cried so much in my god damn life.”
“It’s okay to cry. I’m scared for them too, but I can’t focus on that. What we need to focus on is getting Gyyx to listen to me and freaking pleasure his unconscious mate. I know it sounds terrible, but I think his touch is the key. Every time he touches her more intimately her body reacts. So he just needs to shock her awake.”
Eden nodded. “I know, but he feels it’s wrong. I can appreciate that, but he’s more stubborn than Pyra.”
“I can see that.”
“Ladies how about less talking and more moving faster,” Ero grumbled and then a Klimnu appeared.
“You,” it said looking right at me. “You killed him you stupid cunt.”
I gasped. This must have been the other one. Ero moved in front of us, and the Klimnu backhanded him sending him flying backwards. He landed against the tree shaking it to the roots before falling to the ground—unconscious. Of course.
Ullie stared at the Klimnu, but I saw something was off. He didn’t look scared, nor did he look like he cared one way or another about us. It was up to me. I had to save them. Eden, though I didn’t know her well enough was important. She was pregnant and important to my mate, so therefore she was important to me. “Now would be a good time to use your fancy connection,” I whispered.
She shook and I felt her fear. The Klimnu laughed.
Its cackle sounded just like the one who kept torturing me. The anger rose and I pushed the queen and Eden behind me. It cackled again.
“You measly human, you are no match against me, and your warrior here—well he isn’t who he seems. He’s a traitor and won’t be a help to you.”
The queen gasped, but I didn’t react. It didn’t surprise me. I hadn’t seen him around much. He didn’t say anything. He paled knowing he was ousted, and if we managed to make it out of this he was screwed. The others would tear him apart.
I held up my hand when I felt the burn. Seemed Ciyrs was always going to be able to sense when I needed his help. That must have been our special connection. Apparently we didn’t all get telepathy. Again I was able to tap into his power. My hand shot out and wrapped around the Klimnu’s throat. “Die you mother fucker!”
The scent, the feel felt the same as before. Only this time I got dizzy. Hands held me up as I killed my second Klimnu. Ash covered my hands, and I wiped them on my jeans. It was deja vu. All over again I found myself locked in that damn building trying to find my way out. The panic took over until I felt a sting across my cheek. I shook my head and brought my hand to my face. “That freakin’ hurt.”
Eden blushed. “Sorry you just seemed to be lost there for a minute. We really need to go before more come. You just killed that thing and I don’t want to stick around for more.”
“We have to get Ero,” I said.
I backtracked and found him on the ground. He wasn’t as big as the others so it wasn’t as hard to help him up. The queen and Eden both came to help and working as one with the queen’s hidden speed we made it back to the infirmary without any more attacks. Ullie was gone. Eden banged on the door, and I pushed her aside pulling the keys from my pocket. Ciyrs slipped them to me before I was pulled away.
I unlocked the door and we dragged Ero inside. Gyyx was sitting by his mate’s side and his eyes widened. He jumped up and pulled the doors shut locking them.
“What the fuck happened?” He wrapped his arms around his mother and held her close.
“Klimnu attacked. Ciyrs sent us with Ero and Ullie, and now we’re here,” I said and shrugged before dropping into the chair. Gyyx carried Ero’s body to the empty cot.
“Yes, but how did you get away if Ero is out. Where’s Ullie?”
“He is a traitor to our kind,” the queen said sadly.
“What do you mean mother?”
She sighed. “He is working with the enemy, and he got away.”
His eyes flared with anger but then he seemed confused. “Then how did you manage to get back?”
“Ciyrs’s mate... She’s a badass who tapped into his new gift and saved us!” Eden replied and for the first time since meeting her I didn’t see her as a threat, and I felt like I fit a little better.
He chuckled and planted himself back in his chair next to the woman who was the biggest mystery to us all.
We waited and waited nervously for the men to come back. None of us wanted to see our mates hurt. Hell none of the warriors. I nibbled my lip praying everyone would come back safely.
* * * *
The feel of his hands woke me up. I smiled and jumped up into his arms. “You’re back!”
“Of course I am baby. How are you holding up?”
I looked around and saw the room was full of warriors. All of them seemed to be all right. “No one is dead?”
The room went silent and then everyone laughed.
“No baby, we’re all good. Some bruising and shit, but those bastards are gone. At least for now. We kicked ass, and the Wasteland building is gone. Burnt to the ground.”
I nodded as my eyes filled with tears. “Good. How’s Ero?”
“He’s fine,” Ero said and smirked. “I heard you were pretty badass while I was out?”
I shrugged. “Someone had to do it,” I replied and smiled.
He shoved me and then paced across the room. Everyone was fine. The Wasteland was filled with Klimnu ashes, and I was home. I pulled Ciyrs down for a kiss and swore I’d appreciate him every day. He was the perfect mate for me—flawlessly perfect.
Ciyrs pulled me to the side and we sat against the wall. Everyone was hyped up over the fight and talked about his power. I knew he was awesome, and I knew how the power felt. It was addictive, and I had only used it twice. From the conversations he killed over twenty Klimnu on his own. I was proud of him. Seemed he was finally getting the recognition he should have always had, but he smiled and leaned back with me.
“I don’t feel my soul darkening baby.”
“I told you.”
“I’m not so afraid of it now.”
“Good, because again it saved my life. Because of you I’m okay and so are Eden and the queen.”
He nodded and kissed my head. The silence was nice. We were in our own little world. No one could enter it. I felt his love shatter the rest of the chill that had once surrounded my heart. I was finally free from my past and all the things I had always feared didn’t matter anymore.
Chapter 9
Ciyrs felt a change. Eliana was less tense, more relaxed, and more affectionate. It felt like she wasn’t worried about anything anymore. It matched how he felt. There was still the issue of Ullie, and the idea that the Klimnu would come back. They weren’t going to give up just because they lost some of their kind.
They were fighters, and they were violent bastards. They got off on other people’s pain and suffering. Now that they knew where they were coming from the security would raise. Everyone would be on the lookout for Ullie, and King Criea would be the one to decide what happens to him. He personally wanted to rip his head off. They had sent him to protect the women, but instead he let the Klimnu attack, and it could have gone a completely different way. That was the pro
blem.
Pyra was aching to go kill him too. Eden could have died. He could have lost his whole family in one short period. Ciyrs figured the warriors would be keeping their eyes open even more than usual.
He stood and stretched bringing Eliana to her feet. “Can we go home now?”
“I want to check on our mystery woman first. Gyyx needs to stop being so damn stubborn, and he was probably going to, but we came banging on the door before he had more than an hour alone with her.”
They walked over to his lost brother. “Hey dude, sorry things didn’t go as planned.”
“I’ll do it, but not here. I won’t make this medical. I want to take her home with me. I want to clean her up. I want so much,” he said softly.
“Then do that. She will be okay with you. I have a feeling she’d probably rather have that kind of privacy anyways.”
“You really think so?”
“I do. I don’t know why. I can’t explain it, but it’s this feeling I get. I learned a long time ago to follow my gut. I think you should take her home. Make it more personal rather than medical. This place is too sterile.”
“Hey it’s supposed to be,” Ciyrs said freighting offense.
Gyyx chuckled. “Okay but if something bad happens, you’ll come right?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.” Gyyx picked her up in his arms and Eliana made sure her body was covered fully.
“He’ll be okay and so will she. I hate seeing him so sad. His eyes match the sorrow I saw in hers before she went unconscious.”
Ciyrs didn’t want to think of anything sad. He wanted to take his mate home and make love to her all night long. He wanted to celebrate his new gift. He wanted to celebrate life. He figured the Klimnu would need to regroup and maybe they’d get a break from attacks; at least for a while.
But what does that mean for later? Are they gone for good or just regrouping to bring a massive force the next time around?
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