Open World

by Casey Moss

  She fought down her qualms and danced. Dancing was her passion. Dancing made her who she was. Dancing had brought her to this moment.

  Her hips swayed as she strolled to the middle of the platform. To the beat of the techno music, she swiveled, then dipped, and on the upswing, plucked off her hat. The locks she had tucked up and under cascaded down about her shoulders. She flung the hat behind her. High stepping down to the front edge, she tossed her hair about with a couple of head shakes. She yanked the sash and shucked it into the DJ booth. Cheers rang throughout the hall.

  As she sauntered back to where she started from, she loosened the tie of her top. Once it was undone, she drew a deep breath. Each night this part made her momentarily anxious, but she knew it was a necessary evil of her job. Grabbing the ends of the ties, she inhaled, willing her mind to shut down all emotions, to turn cold and unaffected. Due to all the practice over the past several weeks, the whole process only took a matter of milliseconds.

  She had become a master of desensitizing herself when need be.

  She turned and flashed the audience. Beyond the lights, whistles and woos called out over the music, and money appeared on the edge of the stage.

  To continue her enticement of the crowd, she held the fabric of her top over her tits and rotated her hands while turning in small steps and circling her hips. She faced front again, bent over with straight legs and tossed her hair about. As she stood, she slipped off the top and tossed it behind her.

  Hope pranced to the dancer’s pole at the front of the stage, climbed it, twisted on it, and hung off it upside down by her legs. Slowly, she slid down, rolled over and lay flat on her stomach. Rising to her hands and knees, she flipped her hair out of her face and her eyes adjusted to see who was sitting in the audience. She did a quick scan for her friend.

  Her gaze settled on the man immediately in front of her. A pair of dark, haunting eyes, eyes she never thought she’d see again, stared back at her.

  “Why, hello, Opal,” the voice drawled with sarcastic emphasis on her stage name.

  Hope gasped and fainted.

  PART NINE

  Battle Round—1

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Marry,” Hope said out loud and faint.

  “Good, she’s finally coming around,” a woman’s crackly voice stated. “Come on, honey. Open your eyes for Ruby.”

  Hope opened her eyes, noticing a few of the ladies were bending over and peering down at her on the couch. Someone had been kind enough to dress her in her tee shirt and shorts. She looked to Ruby, then glanced next to her. Alden sat beside her with a concerned expression on his face.

  “Buzz! Oh my God, he’s here,” she bawled, trying to sit up. Many hands pushed her back onto the couch. Her eyes rapidly scanned the people in the room. “Where is he?”

  “He wasn’t granted access to this area,” Ruby supplied.

  “Good. I don’t want to face him quite yet.” She turned her head to Alden. “I want to marry you, but first I have to divorce Buzz.” At his shocked expression she added, “When he abducted me, I believed he used some kind of drug. I don’t remember a ceremony, but from what he said we stopped off and got hitched. That’s probably why he’s here. He thinks I’m his.”

  “Um, sweetie,” Ruby cooed. “I meant to tell you earlier that I intercepted a call from my friend. There’s no record of a marriage between the two of you anywhere. He lied. You’re a free woman. Always have been.”

  Hope beamed at Alden. “Sorry about the wait, but I have my answer.”

  “And?” He questioned with mock inquisitiveness.

  “I’ll marry you. Of course I’ll marry you.”

  He pulled her off the couch into his arms, giving her a tight hug.

  “I know why Buzz came,” he whispered into her ear. “And it’s time we confront him.” He let her go to sit on the couch, closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He moved as if he were listening for distant sounds, cocking his head one way, then another. He opened his eyes. “He’s out back. Do you feel strong enough to join me and go out there?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I can join you. I’m strong as long as you’re by my side.”

  Alden turned to Ruby as he helped Hope up from the couch. “I ask that you and the ladies wait here inside where it’s safe. Okay?”

  She and the other dancers nodded their acquiescence.

  Outside, they found Buzz pacing and seething.

  “You thought you could escape me, woman?” He bellowed.

  Hope took an automatic, fearful step back.

  “You will not address her anymore, Mabuz,” Alden’s strong voice boomed in the quiet night.

  She watched the interplay between the two men. The scene reminded her of two snarling wolves with hackles raised, circling one another, seeing who would be the first to fight for territory. Wondering why Alden called him by a different name, she stepped back again, not wanting to be in the middle of the men’s interchange or entwined in the vibrant colors they emitted.

  “Who says?” Buzz asked caustically.

  “I as her lifemate and bonded partner say. She is mine and is protected under my power,” Alden stated boldly. A beautiful turquoise encapsulated him.

  The rich and intense shade of orange surrounding Buzz expanded and pulsed. “You lie,” he roared.

  “Nay, I do not lie. You may ask her yourself. She is still under the protection of our clan. You and your deranged father, Marcab, the king of clan Caesachapel, will not have this family’s power for your mad rule. You will never be king.”

  Buzz screamed in rage. His arm shot up, and the turquoise color around Alden snaked out toward the vexed man.

  “No!” Hope charged Buzz. Before she could reach him, he held up his free hand. She hit an invisible wall, which knocked the breath out of her. Hope dropped to all fours. In her peripheral vision, she watched Alden buck and shake and fall himself. She didn’t know how she knew, but she realized his life force was being drained. If Buzz were to continue, Alden would be dead in minutes.

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the scene, willing her mind to think of something to do to help. Within seconds, images, thoughts, feelings and an overwhelming knowledge bombarded her mind.

  A cackle from Buzz brought her back to the present.

  She rose from the ground, staring at Alden’s unconscious body on the concrete. Mustering every bit of anger she could, she directed a powerful glare at Buzz. Slowly and quietly she began to recite the prayer as Aithne told her to do while she rubbed the stones of her necklace.

  Buzz slammed his head back with a hearty laugh. “You have no power over me, wench! You have shunned your old ways and have not been enlightened so don’t think you can even try to fight in this battle.”

  She paused in the prayer and said, “Oh, but I do know who I am. When I was on my knees just now, it all came flooding to me. I am Quies, a mystic and dancer for clan Aliachapel. Alden, or Armino as he’s known in our clan, and I were bonded mates before we lost our way from each other. But no longer. Alden and I have bonded again. You and the rest of your enemy camp will not succeed in obtaining mine, or my family’s, power. Ever!”

  She held up her right arm, fingers up and palm out to Buzz. A bright white glow encompassed her extremity. With a keen eye, she watched fear creep into Buzz’s features, his countenance morphing from pride to intimidation, his color from orange to sulfur.

  The white glow increased. Her arm shifted into that of a bear’s—thick, hairy and with sharp, curved claws at the end. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever!” The angelic-like brilliance, which had been accumulating around her hand, streaked out of the tips of the claws and hit Buzz in the center of his forehead.

  Buzz released an ear splitting howl. Grabbing his head, he sank to the ground and turned a death-pale gray. “You have won this round, my dear Quies, but you and your family will not be forgotten. I will return an
d exact my revenge.” He let out a second wail, and in a flash, was gone.

  “Well done, love,” Alden said in a hoarse voice from below. “You dispatched him quite nicely. Seems that you broke the hold he had on you. You won’t have to drink any more of that herbal stuff Aithne gave you. Though I’m proud of you, I’m embarrassed for myself. I wasn’t expecting him to be so powerful. His skills have increased considerably this time around, and I must say he took me by surprise.”

  “Is he dead?” She dropped to the ground next to her fiancé.

  “No, unfortunately not. He’s just gone to lick his wounds and wonder where he went wrong. He’ll probably step up his attacks on Faith.”

  “What? You said she was safe. We have to go help her.” Hope jumped to her feet.

  “Be calm, my love. She is safe. Quite safe with her protector. They’ll give Buzz a run for his money. As for you…” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap. “It pleases me you’ll be my wife. Now, I will always be able to keep an eye on you, help deliver you from the bondage of your past and keep you safe into the future. But don’t keep secrets from me. Like that business about you being married? We’re in this life together. Okay?”

  “Okay. No more secrets. I’m glad we’re together. I love you.” Hope willingly submitted into his embrace with a smile.

  PART TEN

  Last Battle

  Chapter Twenty

  Faith stirred in Tavis’s arms. She rolled to her side, draping his arm over her and holding his hand with hers close to her chin. When he snuggled up next to her in the spoon position, she felt a surge of protectiveness. Possession welled up inside of her. She knew she’d do anything to keep her love close to her and safe.

  “You know we’re going to have our work cut out for us now that Buzz failed to claim hope,” Tavis murmured into her hair.

  “Mmm, I suppose so,” she responded without agitation or fear, naturally knowing he referred to their upcoming battle with Buzz, otherwise known to the clans as Mabuz.

  “Alden and I believed he hoped to capture one of you. He wanted to bring you back to his clan and exploit your powers. We’ve been lucky up till now.” He embraced her tighter. “We’re going to have to be extra strong against Buzz. He won’t be too pleased that we’ve bonded.”

  She brought his hand to her lips and kissed a knuckle. “What about my sister? My cousin? I know Alden is with Hope, but what if Buzz still has a hold on her like he had with me in our dreams? What about Cassandra? There are only two of you. How are we supposed to protect her?” She rolled to her back, trying to quell the disquieting thoughts about her family being in danger.

  Tavis found his pants at the end of the bed, put them on and stood. After Faith followed suit, he encircled her in his arms again. She leaned her cheek against the soft, cotton fabric of his shirt, enjoying his musky male scent brought on by their lovemaking.

  “There’s no need for concern about your family members. Hope will be protected by Alden. Plus she has her own powers now to fight Buzz alongside Alden. As for Cassandra, from what I’ve noticed, I think she’s known her purpose for quite some time. Her mate will be along shortly, if he isn’t already in the neighborhood.”

  Faith, her arms around Tavis’s waist, pulled back and gazed up at him with a puzzled expression creasing her brow. “So you think Cassandra’s already gone through her enlightening? If she has, why hasn’t she told us?”

  “Because it’s not her place to say anything yet. You had to come to it on your own and with your lifemate like she has to.”

  “Ah,” she said with a nod. “I see the way of it.”

  “Good. Now let’s get cracking on your training and plan for how we’re going to get Buzz, or Mabuz as is his real name, to leave you and your family alone.”

  Dressed in sweat pants and t-shirts, Faith and Tavis made their way out to the back yard. She didn’t like the idea of learning attack and defense moves on the rocks that comprised the desert landscaping. Tavis told her if she went down it’d toughen her up and make her not want to go down.

  Thank God the horrible nightmares she’d experienced had ended. Faith couldn’t imagine trying to learn what she needed to if she wasn’t rested. Her new nail-biting concern was that Buzz was biding his time and would catch her unawares. She wasn’t sure what was worse anymore, him invading her dreams or the waiting for him to mount his offensive. Good thing she was rested. Now she could concentrate all her energy on becoming stronger with her powers and focus on Tavis.

  Now that’s a pleasant thought.

  Maybe if she played her cards right, they could take a little jaunt to the beach and have some fun. She liked those trysts they had been having, the little naps where they would conjure up the soft ivory beach and be naked and free, exploring the surroundings and each other.

  “Faith?”

  A deep husky voice cut into her thoughts.

  “Faith? You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”

  She looked at Tavis and grinned sheepishly. “Um, no. I was thinking a trip to the beach is in order, perhaps?” She sensuously trailed her hand down his arm and coyly batted her lashes.

  “I’ve created a monster.” Tavis shook his head. “Maybe after you complete your lesson we’ll go.”

  She stepped in close to him, cupped his penis and balls in the palm of her hand and massaged them through his pants. “But don’t you want my mouth around you again?” she asked, lightly gripping his package. His cock jumped under his clothes, became hard.

  “Yes. Always,” he said breathless. “But in a bit. You need to be prepared as best as you can. So work now. Play later.” He grabbed her wrist, removed her hand and turned her toward the view of the mountains. “Like I was saying, you need to master the steady stream of energy. Orbs work well for initial attacks, but you’ll need more firepower than just those brief flashes. You’ll also need to know how to block an incoming stream at the same time.”

  “Okey dokey.” She pinched his ass.

  “Faith.” He growled. “Please be serious. If you aren’t, there will be no hanky panky for you.” He wagged his index finger at her.

  “Oh, all right,” she grumbled and held her arms straight out, palms facing away from her and toward the mountain slope in the distance. In moments, a bright amber glow surrounded her hands. The color inched outward in a weak stream.

  “Okay, well, that’s a start,” disappointment laced Tavis’s voice.

  In a flash, Faith spun on him and zapped him with a laser-like streak of amber light. Tavis fell to the ground on his rear. “Was that better?” she spat out the question, her temper piqued.

  “Yes, much,” he replied, unsteadily rising to his feet. Once back up, he bent forward with his hands on his knees as if to catch his breath. “Now why couldn’t you do that before?” He straightened upward.

  “Because I’m not in the mood to do this right now. I want to do something else,” she said seductively and winked.

  “And I told you we’ll get to that in a bit. Now, try it again.” His arm waved out to the open area. “Buzz won’t care if you’re in the mood to fight or not, so you have to be ready at all times.”

  With a long, over-dramatic sigh, she turned back to the mountain and lackadaisically put her arms back in the air. The stream she produced drooped from her hands like a hose running out of water after the current was stopped.

  Tavis huffed, and out of the corner of her eye, she watched him raise his arm. Before she thought twice, her arm shot in his direction and she blocked the turquoise stream he propelled at her. Spinning toward him, she targeted him with her other hand, shooting out a streak of light. “You think you can try your warrior tricks on me, Dolon?”

  “No, my lady.” He ended his stream and raised his hands in the air in the universal sign of surrender.

  She halted her stream at the same time as well and placed her hands on her hips. “That’s what I thought. So do you think I need more training? Or do you think we can stop thi
s nonsense and attend to better matters?”

  “Fine. You win. You’re prepared to encounter Buzz. Seems you’ve been ready for him since you’ve enlightened. You know something? I’ve just realized you’ve been messing with me. The knowledge to fight him off has been in you all along, hasn’t it?”

  “Yep. You’re quite correct, my good man,” she said with a lusty laugh.

  “I should have known better.” He reached out as a devilish gleam darkened his eyes, grabbed her and swung her into him.

  His lips descended upon hers in a demanding kiss, his tongue snaking into her mouth and warring with hers. She matched the ardent pace of his kiss with her own fervor, melting under his passionate touch. He walked backward as he kept his mouth on hers and sat on the ground beneath a towering palm tree, keeping her close and placing her on his lap, never breaking the contact of their lips.

  “As much as I’d love to go to the beach,” Tavis said, briefly stopping the kiss, but keeping his lips close to hers, “I’m really not in the mood for a nap.”

  “That’s all right,” she crooned, shifting from his lap to between his legs. She removed her shirt and bra to expose her breasts for him and cupped his cock again. “Here is just as good as there, if not better.”

  “What about your sister? Cousin? The neighbors?”

  “Cassandra is out at her friend’s property. You know where Hope is. The neighbors over there are too far to see us. We’re hidden from view of the ones on the side with all the trees and bushes.” She slipped his sweat pants down. His thick shaft stood at attention amongst the downy hair of his crotch. “No underwear? You naughty boy, you,” she commented as her fingers formed an O around his penis and loosely grasped it. Sliding her hand up and down his length, she felt it pulsate and grow even harder. A quiver of delight strummed through her and her nipples hardened.