“Haven’t you made me feel bad enough already?” Seth growled into his hands, sensing my presence.
“I’m not sure, have I?”
Seth looked up and drew in a deep breath. “Layna.” He exhaled my name as if he were surprised by my presence.
“Were you expecting someone else?” I stood in the doorway, watching him, unable to move any further.
“I thought you were that wretched friend of yours again.” He shook his head. “I swear, she’s going to put me in my grave one of these days.”
“What does she have to do with any of this?”
He shifted on the bed, his face shriveling up in pain as he moved. “You might want to ask her. I’d hate to get on her bad side.” He managed a laugh.
“Let me see your back,” I demanded, marching over to the cot. The last time I’d seen him he was bleeding horribly.
He shifted his body around carefully, soft moans escaping through his lips. “I’m fine, really. It’s you I’m worried about.”
I gasped, no longer able to hear his words. The three gashes were deeply imbedded in his skin. The majority of the bleeding had stopped, but the wounds were red and swollen. “Why hasn’t anyone healed you yet?” Anger swelled up inside me. “The last thing you need is for this to get infected.”
“I suppose they wanted me to suffer a bit because I brought you here.” He laughed, but then it turned to a groan.
I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Insane and cruel is what it is. Regardless whether or not you brought me here, they could have at least attended to these wounds. This may hurt a bit,” I warned him, lifting my hands and placing them on his back. His muscles tensed under my palms, but he refused to make a sound this time. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the energy around me. In my mind, I called to it, beckoned it to join my own energy to close his wounds before the infection began. My palms warmed over his skin as the prickling sensation crept down my arms. I’d healed myself many times before, but never had I felt the overwhelming heat which flowed from my hands into him. It was different, sensual and intoxicating. I drew in a deep breath, savoring the feeling as it rushed into my very soul.
“My god, Layna,” Seth whispered. He turned around before I had even finished and pulled me onto his lap. He slipped his hands up my back, his lips falling to my neck, causing my body to awaken.
“I wasn’t done yet.” I breathed heavily as I opened my eyes.
“No, we’re not,” he replied in a husky voice, leaning over and capturing my lips.
Our kiss deepened, the hunger could no longer be contained as our hands roamed over each other’s body. Seth’s excitement grew beneath me, pressing against the area in between my thighs.
“Layna!” Kesi’s voice appeared out of nowhere, causing me to jump. “Get away from him!”
Seth’s face fell into my chest and he growled. “Get out of here, Kesi!”
“Sorry, Seth. I can’t do that. Your father wants to see you now. And, if I were you, I wouldn’t want to keep him waiting.”
Seth slowly lifted his face up and looked at me, worry lines creasing over his forehead. “I guess it’s time for you to meet my father.”
I swallowed hard, not knowing if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Chapter 22
Seth and I walked through the maze of tents, his hand holding tightly onto mine. We had passed many people, and while most of them turned and nodded in Seth’s direction, they greeted me with their ominous glares. Obviously, they didn’t take well to outsiders. I snuggled in a little closer to Seth, wishing I could crawl inside myself and disappear. In truth, I’d never really fit in anywhere. I didn’t know why I thought this place would be any different. Just because these people were in fact Naturals, didn’t mean they would accept me. Besides, they had already proven their worth to me by refusing to heal his wounds.
“I take it they are not very fond of me.” I stifled a laugh, doing my best to avoid their faces. “You said they were waiting for me.”
“It’s not that they don’t like you. It’s more they are afraid of you.” He tried reassuring me by squeezing my hand. “Not only are you blood related to the Regent, but the prophecy foretold great loss and destruction to the entire sector if the “One” appeared sooner than she were meant to.”
I glanced up at him from underneath my lashes. “The One?”
“Yes, Layna.” He looked down smiling, but no humor reached his eyes. “The one who will save this sector and bring it together again like it had been in the past.”
“And they seriously think I’m that person?”
“Yes.” He nodded, his attention focusing back in front of us as he pushed through a sea of people. “And it scares the hell out of them. These are peaceful people. They may have magical abilities, but none of them have fought in their life. They fear change.”
“So, basically, they would rather hide under this shield for the rest of their lives?” I may not be the “One” these people thought I was. In fact, I knew I couldn’t be. But didn’t they realize with their magical abilities and their numbers that they would have a pretty damn good chance at taking down the Capital? “What do you think? Do you believe I’m the “One” as well?”
“I’m not sure, Layna. But you are the only person who could replace the Regent. You are the only female descendent of the founding Regent besides your sister.”
He did have me there.
“So, this prophecy…tell me more about it.” Not only did the story interest me, but it also distracted me from the people around us. “How would the sector be destroyed if she arrived before it was time?”
His jaw tensed and he swallowed hard. “She would be killed.” The way he reacted to his answer sounded like he really believed this dumb story. “After that, the border would be pulled in, allowing the ravagers full access to the sector, except for a certain few.”
“Is that it?” I asked, my voice coming out more sarcastically than I’d intended. “I mean, that doesn’t give me much to go on. Who even came up with this prophecy?”
“My mother,” he said flatly. “She was a seer, and she predicted a lot of things that came to be.”
I didn’t want to doubt anything Kali had said. I loved her. But even as a seer, she may have taken her vision a different way than it was intended to. It may have meant something totally different. “What visions came to pass?”
Seth sighed deeply. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Yes, I want to know everything. Tell me.”
“The death of your parents.”
His words rumbled through me, causing me to stop. I didn’t care if I was in the middle of a hoard of people, didn’t care what attention I may have brought myself. Kali knew my parents were going to die. If Seth had known his mother predicted that than others had to have known as well. “Why didn’t anyone stop it from happening?”
Seth stood in front of me and took my shoulders in his hands. “Layna, your parents were warned. There wasn’t anything anyone else could do. But they did make sure to save you. They ensured your safety by keeping what you are a secret. That has to mean something. You were special to them. To my mother, father, and the others who had lost their lives to protect us.”
“Us?” I glanced up at him, doing everything in my power to hold back the tears. “Where do you come in in all of this?”
His eyes flickered briefly with sadness, but it quickly disappeared and a slight grin came upon his lips. “I’m the one who is supposed to help you bring the sector back together and hold the boundary. Apparently, together,” he raised his eyebrows, “we’re supposed to be a pretty powerful duo.”
The way he said his last sentence finally caused me to laugh. “Really. Well, apparently someone is mistaken. I can barely protect myself with my powers, let alone bring an entire sector together and hold a boundary.”
His hands slid down the length of my arms, causing a sudden burst of warmth to rush through me. “You healed me, Layna. So, I
don’t want to hear you aren’t capable of doing something.” His blue eyes bored into mine. “I’ve also seen your strengths and your weaknesses even though we’ve only been together for a short time. You were born to lead this entire sector, save the humans and the witches from extinction. And I’ll try like hell to see you carry it out, even if I have to give my own life for it to happen. There are people here who can help you bring forth and control your power. Let them see you for who you are, not who your sister is. They can and will finish what my mother started that day in the oasis before we were discovered by the council. Trust me, Layna.” He leaned down, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Together, we will make this sector a better place. Not part of it, but the entire thing,” he mumbled into my skin. “But for now,” he picked his head up and took my hands, “we need to go see my father. If we survive him, we can survive anything.” He smirked, causing a slight dimple to appear on the side of his left cheek.
I wasn’t sure what he meant by “surviving his father”, but his words made a knot form in the middle of my gut. I knew who his mother was, but I had no idea about his father. But either way, my heart told me to trust him, and the heart never lies.
Chapter 23
After maneuvering through more people and a few more tents, Seth came to a stop in front of a larger tent. He stood in the entranceway as I hid my small frame behind him. His width and height created the perfect shield for the unknown. It wasn’t that I was frightened, it was because I was a stranger amongst them. I had no idea who is father was or what he was like.
“It’s about time you got here,” an unfamiliar, deep voice approached us. “He’s been waiting for you. You know he doesn’t like to wait on anyone.”
Seth nodded his head, acknowledging the man, but remained silent. The muscles in his back tensed, and it took everything in my power not to reach out and offer him comfort. For I had no idea if my touch would help or hinder him. Besides, for right now, I thought it would be smart to stay as still as possible.
The sound of footsteps raced away from us, and Seth reached his left arm back, taking my hand, offering me the comfort instead. He gave it a gentle squeeze as more footsteps sounded. This time coming in our direction. The muscles in the pit of my stomach cramped, my breath halting in my throat. I was fully aware of my heart beat. Fast and steady. The organ ready to jump from its cage.
“Son,” a vaguely familiar voice spoke in front of Seth. Where had I heard that voice before? “After all these years, you’ve finally returned.” His words were gentle, crafted with care and a sense of relief. But this did nothing to ease the tension of the muscles in Seth’s back.
Seth nodded. “Father.”
Then it dawned on me. I had known that voice. Recognized it from a distant memory in my past. Keeping a steady grip on Seth’s hand, I stepped around his body. I had been right. But why hadn’t I noticed the resemblance. Of course, I hadn’t known Kali was his mother either. The familiar figure, although much older now than before, stood in front of us. Like Seth, his shiny, dark hair flowed to his shoulders. His delicately sloped nose, high cheekbones, and perfectly sculpted chin were similar as well. The only differences were the eyes and their build. While Seth resembled a warrior; broad shoulders, arms twice the size of his, and sculpted chest and abs, this man was tall and slender. His eyes the color of muddy water.
“Re.” Holding back the excitement fluttering inside of me caused my voice to crack.
Re drew in a quick, deep breath. His eyes widening as if he had seen a ghost. “Layna.” He exhaled my name. His gaze darted to Seth, eyes narrowed as he took a step back. “Does she—” He had been unable to finish his sentence.
“Yes, Father. She remembers,” he spoke up as if he could read his mind. “More than she wishes to,” he added.
“It’s been…so long.” Re’s attention came back to me. A gleaming smile suddenly came upon his face. “My how you’ve grown into such a beautiful woman. You look exactly like her. It’s remarkable.” He finally moved forward, his hand approaching my face as if I were a delicate flower. But before he could touch me, I released Seth’s hold on me and lunged into Re’s arms, grateful for everything he had done for my parents— everything he had done for me and Seth that day.
He was the only link I had to my parents. A person they trusted with not only their lives, but mine as well. If it weren’t for him, the other guy, and Kali, Seth and I would more than likely be dead, a fading memory of what happens when you cross the council.
Re hugged me tightly in his arms as if he were holding onto a memory as well. Finally, he pulled back and took my arms. “Don’t get me wrong, Layna,” his smile slowly faded, “I am happy to see you. Unfortunately, for your own safety, and in order to preserve what’s remaining of the sector, you must leave.”
The hopelessness and rejection crashed into me like a tidal wave, leaving me speechless. This wasn’t the man I remembered. The man I knew from my past would never turn me away.
Strong hands grabbed me from behind, and before I knew what was happening, Seth was in front of me. “Where do you expect her to go?” Anger welled up in his voice. “She can’t go back to the Capital or anywhere near the border. They are hunting her. This is the only place she will be safe. These are her people. Not mine. Not yours. Hers. And I’m not leaving her.”
“This is your fault!” Re pointed an accusing finger at his son. “You will be the downfall of the entire sector! You knew you weren’t supposed to go near her. The prophecy foretold—”
“Fuck the prophecy!” He clenched his hands into fists. “If she goes back to the Capital, she gets killed. If she goes outside the safety of this god forsaken shield, she gets killed. Any which way you look at it, she gets fucking killed. How is that going to bring the sector back? She can’t replace the Regent if she’s already dead. People are dying out there, Father. Entire villages no longer exist, and the ones that do, are quickly crumbling away in front of our eyes. I’ve seen it. She’s seen it. We have to stop this before it goes any further.”
Re stood there, calm and collected. Neither Seth’s anger nor his words seemed to have any impact on him. “She isn’t ready to fight, and neither are these people. They want peace, and they have exactly that and more while staying under this shield. If the sector falls apart around us, then so be it. We will still be here, safe from the Regent.”
Seth laughed, the sound dark and menacing, causing chills to creep up my spine. “And do you think the Regent herself does not hold enough power to take this shield down? Because I have news for you, Father, she will destroy this shield like she has destroyed everything else. You know as well as I do all this is only temporary. And if you do think otherwise then you are a fool.”
“Say what you will.” Re took a step back, his face still concealing any emotion he may have had. “I swore to your mother, her parents—” his gaze shot over to me before falling back on Seth—“that I would protect these people until the time came.”
Something touched my arm, and I jumped. Glancing over, Kesi was now standing beside me. She motioned the words “let’s go” silently with her lips as she took my hand. Seth gave me a quick nod before resuming his argument with his father.
Their voices faded away as Kesi led me back through the maze of tents. “What’s going on, Kesi? How did you get here? And how do you know Seth?”
“I’ll explain everything to you,” she whispered, glancing around to make sure nobody had been paying attention to her. “But first we have to find a spot that’s a little more secluded.” She hooked her arm through mine and led me through the village.
She had a lot of explaining to do.
Chapter 24
“He told you about the prophecy, right?” Kesi sat down on a fallen tree trunk, her brown eyes searching mine.
We were a short distance away from the village of tents, making me wonder just how much ground the shield protected. If these Naturals did have the ability to conceal themselves, and hundreds of others, under
neath this magic dome, why weren’t they ready to fight? Didn’t they realize how powerful they were when banding together like this?
I took the spot next to her and placed my hands in my lap. “I think so. He said something about me being the “one”, and how I will bring the sector back together.” I shifted uneasily on the stump. “But he said I was too early. We weren’t supposed to be together yet. And”—I glanced up at her, anxiety settling in the pit of my stomach like a giant boulder—“that basically I’ll die.”
A comforting smile invaded her lips as she reached over and placed her hand over mine. “Did he mention why you two aren’t supposed to be together yet?”
“No, he didn’t.” I shifted my gaze away from her and focused on the tree in front of us. We were meant to be together. I could feel it, and so could he. He promised to protect me. In fact, he already had. Many times. I couldn’t think of a reason why everyone wanted to keep us apart. As bad as it sounded, but as truthful as it was, he was the only place where I truly fit in. I felt safe with him.
“Well,” her voice trembled slightly as she rubbed my hand, “you said he told you that you were going to die. Did he happen to mention who would be responsible for killing you?”
I jerked my head up and looked at her. “No, he never said a word about that.” Could his mother really have predicted not only the exact moment of my death, but also, the very person who ended my life?
She drew in a deep breath. “I didn’t think he would have. But I’m not sure if it’s my place to tell you.”
“Kesi, tell me!” I spun around and took her by the shoulders, holding back the urge to shake the truth out of her.
“Okay, fine.” Her body relaxed in my arms. “But don’t hate me for it.”
Forbidden: an Adult Paranormal Witch Romance: Othala Witch Collection (Sector 12) Page 10