by Y. M. Roger
And Rafal bellowed again – this time loud and angrily – as he jumped to his feet before continuing.
“No Runa!! Damn you! You do not win the game that easily!” The Crowned Prince stood and simply shouted at the open sky while the wind whispered through what was left of a once behemoth structure – whisking the ashes and structural debris in a slow-moving dance, “I will find you both and finish this as it should be!”
Rafal and Guyanni just looked at each other, dumbfounded, until a muffled ‘oomph’ drew their attention off to the side. It was quickly followed by a pain-filled groan and Sila’s gruff voice.
“My lord?”
Rafal sped over to Sila’s side – even pushing impatiently past Guy – and pulled his Black Guard up by the chest of his uniform to demand more information.
“Who di . .”
But before Rafal go the question out, a timid yet familiar voice answered from the far side of the pond.
“Jaylis.”
Dalis’ voice seemed almost ominous in its innocence as they all turned to look in his direction – the steward must have made his way out the residence and into the enclosure directly behind them. He held up a boot with the upper part completely torn off.
“This is his.”
At which point Dalis quickly dropped it and stepped back in disgust. In doing so, he spied a very familiar item peeking out from under a drift of glass shards, and he reached down to grasp it.
Hondo glanced at Rafal, suspicion riding both him and his wartrige that something was just not right here. All of this destruction …
“How do you know the boot belonged to …?” Hondo began until he was uncharacteristically interrupted by a pre-occupied yet characteristically attentive Dalis.
“Because his foot is still in there, Prince Hondo.”
Hondo momentarily looked shocked before he let his face become one of stone again and turned to Sila – Rafal’s hand still tightly grasping the newly-promoted Captain’s uniform.
“And how is it that you are still alive, Guard?”
Sila only gave Hondo a passing glance for his growled demand – while Hiroto actually hissed aggravatedly at the younger Prince, even though Sila inwardly tried to calm his impatient friend – as he passed a gentle touch over the back of Rafal’s hand on the bluish-green swirl that was now well-defined there. Sila held the Crowned Prince’s icy gaze.
“She lives, my Lord,” Sila’s voice was taxed, as if he forced the words rather than spoke them – his breath only slightly yet still detectably spiked with her peppermint scent. Rafal’s beast gruffly acknowledged something was certainly different about the trustworthy guard.
He carries the aroma of her magic as well, Rafal. They must have healed …
“Jaylis thought to murder them,” Sila continued, “Such that you would blame thieves …”
Sila was interrupted with the appearance of Dalis who held the broken Keeper out for all four of them – but especially for Rafal – to see.
“I found this, my Lord,” Dalis swallowed hard as he held out the broken Keeper in a trembling hand toward Rafal – the tears already welling in the old steward’s eyes. He knew his dear Rafal’s heart must be breaking, “I am sure they are …”
Rafal felt a mixture of renewed anger and hurt wash over him as he stared up into Dalis’ face – the depth of his voice not masking the betrayal he obviously felt.
“How long have you known, Dalis?”
Again, Hondo and Guyanni seemed to be at a loss, although the increasing design on the back of Rafal’s hands caught Guy’s eyes. Both he and his beast breathed a long, low and satisfied breath as a look of understanding passed between he and Sila.
Hondo’s wartrige snarled in question and confusion. Were they missing something here?
Dalis fell to his knees in front of Rafal, granting his beloved Prince the gift of seeing him and Mischief without request – the monger this time holding Rafal’s pained gaze without faltering.
“Only this morning did Mischief figure it out, my Lord,” there was a tenuous pause, but Dalis’ focus never waivered from Rafal’s increasingly hard glare, “But since she spent the night in your bed, we … well, we …”
Even though his beast remained silent, its indictment rang loudly through Rafal’s mind regarding his withholding their bonding last night.
“Your Chiyoto believes that she has disgusted you. Again.”
And all of the anger and despair inside of Rafal boomeranged back at himself – if he had only claimed her last night …
Rafal’s hands released Sila’s uniform and his head fell dejectedly downward as the Crowned Prince sagged back until he was sitting on his feet – fists and teeth clenched in frustration as both he and his beast reached the same conclusion at the same time.
Runa sees the attack as instigated by you … because you refused the Ilişki. Deep sigh that Rafal felt physically within his own chest. It is why they have been, as your Chiyoto would say, ‘hidden’ from us.
Until Hondo’s questioning voice broke the silence.
“But you said she was untouched?”
Rafal’s head machine-gunned to glare angrily at his brother, both he and his beast growling threateningly. Hondo and his wartrige only growled back unthreateningly – as brothers will do.
“Physically yes, but she was weak and in need of …,” Rafal’s curt, bitten-off words were interrupted by an even more incredulous Hondo – as Guyanni began to help Sila to his feet.
“And yet you did not … Holy gods, Rafal! You did not return her …”
Hondo never finished his accusation as Rafal and his beast roared simultaneously and dove at Hondo – the wartrige growling at Hondo to stop as Rafal’s beast snarled endlessly at Rafal to do the same.
Neither Sila nor Guy dared intervene as the two powerful and muscular Princes rolled in a thunderous, gnashing heap over the debris that littered the ground – Sila leaning on Guy for balance. Even though he would live and was slowly recovering, the Black Guard was still drained physically due to the severity of his injuries and initial loss of blood.
Dalis, with his Mischief in complete disbelief of the brothers, stood slowly and stepped back – the loyal steward knowing the tussle would not last long. Their Prince Rafal was just thoroughly frustrated and heartsick over his shioliah – he and his beast needed an outlet so that they could think again. Mischief simply ranted about the insane Crowned Prince as acting in character – Dalis ignored the monger.
Finally, blood weeping from the multiple glass cuts covering them both, the Princes’ eyes locked on each other, their chests heaving with aggression, and their hands practically cinched at or around each other’s neck, the brothers paused – Rafal’s frame still somewhat looming above Hondo’s although the sheer physical competition seemed at a clear deadlock. Hondo breathed a cleansing breath and gently leaned his forehead up and into Rafal’s chin since he could not reach the forehead of the Crowned Prince due to their height differences.
“What can we do, birader?” the younger whispered in earnest, “Speak. We are yours.”
Rafal closed his eyes and rubbed his nose in Hondo’s mussed hair – both he and his beast taking comfort in Hondo and the wartrige – Rafal’s grip on his brother tightening, if such were even possible. His body barely yet noticeably shaking with his emotion.
“I need her, Hondo,” Rafal breathed unevenly as his beast mixed with his voice, “They are our kahrolasi life.”
Words. So. Very. Quiet.
Dalis internally felt his Mischief take back everything the monger had ever said about Rafal and begin to lose its sanity with words of “wisdom” – all of which Dalis promptly ignored because most of it was monger gibberish.
But, still, the ‘take back’ part in and of itself was amazing for his Mischief with respect to the Crowned Prince.
Dalis
cleared his throat and stepped forward – every predatoral eye in what was left of the enclosure keenly focused on the elder steward.
“Her mamere, my Lord.”
Rafal straightened as he shook the glass from his bloody jebba, “What?” The Crowned Prince began to adjust and brush off his other clothing while Hondo simultaneously did the same.
“When we talked yesterday morning, Hanımefendi Chiyoto said she was to visit her mamere and then return home.”
Sila and Guyanni shared a look of concern between them – both of them somehow knowing for what the visit would be – although neither said a word verbally.
Rafal paused as a look of consternation passed across Hondo’s face.
“Mamere?” Both Hondo and his wartrige grunted, “Who uses that antiquated term? Is your Yasak from some ancient courtier bloodline that remains in the shadows, birader?”
The edge of Rafal’s mouth tried to quirk upward just in the slightest – his gaze drifting upward to the sheer destruction of the once expansive enclosure.
“You could say that,” Rafal’s beast roared loudly with impatience at the delay – loud enough that everyone heard it.
And took pause as they glanced at him in wary question.
We must find our mate, Rafal.
Rafal thought for only a moment, then turned his attention to his faithful Dalis.
“What time is the later shuttle tonight?”
Dalis smiled knowingly as he answered – his dominant and in-charge Crowned Prince Rafal had returned.
“Get this taken care of, Dalis,” Rafal made a sweeping motion with his hands, “And see to Sila’s needs.”
Sila let his hand drop from Guy’s shoulder and stood to demonstrate that he would be fine – that he and Hiroto were ready to serve.
“My lord, we are. . .”
And Rafal grinned just slightly as he interrupted his Guard Captain.
We have chosen well. A low rumble in Rafal’s chest.
“Then secure this area, Captain, and the residence with those you trust – dismiss the rest immediately,” Rafal ordered as he silently acknowledged his beast – yes, they certainly had made a good choice with Sila.
And he and his beast did make a good team … when they worked together … but could he trust the beast after this?
No more secrets, Rafal. You have my bond. We are one. There was a momentary pause before the beast finished. Denka.
Rafal breathed in his beast’s warmth and complete sincerity as Sila straightened with the task just entrusted him.
It was clear on Sila’s face that it truly just occurred to the loyal male that Rafal really meant for them to be his Guard Captain – it had not simply been a word game with Jaylis earlier. Both he and Hiroto stood in reverence and bowed to their Prince.
“Consider it already done, my Lord.”
The genrathe, Rafal, Rafal’s beast urged.
“When we return, Teyman Guyanni will help in the final vetting of those you select as trusted.”
Guy simply nodded his head in acknowledgement to Rafal as well as to Hondo. But Hondo looked at Rafal who motioned with his head for Hondo and Guy to accompany him.
“When we return from where, Rafal?”
But Rafal was already moving toward the exit and did not answer verbally. So, Dalis answered softly for him – although he knew only Captain Didas could hear him.
“From getting our delightful Hanımefendi Chiyoto,” Dalis breathed almost silently to himself and to his Mischief, “Prince Rafal’s Empress mate.”
Mischief chattered and somersaulted inside of him – Dalis urged him to sleep or he would have no energy for his Cheo tonight. The monger, of course, vehemently denied such a kichigai accusation – the virile monger (Mischief’s own description, of course) would always find enough energy for his edible Cheo.
Sila squeezed Dalis’ shoulder in quiet acknowledgement of the steward’s under-breath comment as he stepped away and toward the building, “It begins, faithful one.”
Dalis nodded almost blankly to the new Black Guard Captain who simply chuckled to himself as he determinedly strode toward the residence – his gait demonstrating that he was definitely not yet back to full-strength, although both Dalis and Mischief heard clearly the loud triumphant hiss of the chestryl in Sila’s wake.
Stopping as he was about to turn out of sight, Rafal called back to his loyal steward.
“Dalis?”
But Dalis only waved to their Prince in reassurance – whatever other issue Rafal had thought of, they would take care of it – he and Captain Didas along with Eieshen and a few trusted others would have everything under control here.
“We will handle everything, my Lord! Just bring them home safely!”
Even though – Dalis looked around him at the enclosure again and sighed – he and Mischief realized what Dalis had just said was more than a tall order given the destruction around them.
But Rafal simply acknowledged Dalis with his usual stern nod as he disappeared through the doorway.
He and his beast intended to do just that.
Tazirr awoke to the soft almost sensual snoring of his Afacan nestled warmly against him – her silky blonde tresses – the only hair on her entire body – interspersed with his stiff, dark brown beard as her breaths poured down and through his rough-hair covered chest. And even though it was evident from her breathing that his newly-claimed female was deep in sleep, the lock her legs had on his left thigh and the inflexible hold her fists had on his hair on either side of his head were set in stone.
He was not going anywhere any time soon unless he woke his female to do so.
That brought a low chuckle rumbling through the Huntmaster’s chest as he let his hand gently massage Afacan’s wonderful cheeks that covered her ample hips – the motion eliciting a high-pitched though not unpleasant crooning both in her chest and inside Tazirr’s head. His eyes only slightly responded in surprise as the sound reached deep inside of him and grabbed hold almost as tightly as her physical grip on his body.
And Tazirr could not contain the contented smile that consumed his face – he was mated. He had actually claimed this beautiful dangerous female that was now attached to him and had laid her hard. And Tazirr praised the Makers for her as he took a deep sniff of her poison-laced hair that mixed with the smell of their sex now permeating his chamber.
He let his head fall back on the bed in serenity.
But, within moments, he felt himself grow in length with the thoughts of her beneath him again – how her red eyes had been riveted on him – her words and her physical submission affirming her full obedience to him.
To us, my handsome brute. To their master. Tazirr felt his Neşeli rumble with delight inside of him.
Tazirr acknowledged his beloved zehirakre – for so long they had been alone – had actually resolved that such was the life meant for them.
Until now.
Tazirr opened his mouth and bit his Afacan on the scalp, subsequently letting his teeth loosed enough to let them begin tugging rather roughly on the mouthful of hair the action had earned him.
“Now they are ours to possess and protect, my Neşeli,” Tazirr’s hand grasped Afacan’s right leg where it lay locked on his thigh and began lifting it methodically toward his mouth as he avoided his swollen manhood with the motion.
Yes, my brute. All that they are belongs to us, his Neşeli sighed in satisfaction, But the final conditioning may take a little longer since they truly are yilan.
Neşeli sounded calmer than he had ever been – especially given that he had just admitted their female was certainly dangerous and unpredictable – a fact that made Tazirr chuckle once again.
Unpredicatable and deadly and all theirs.
Yes, they were certainly mated.
Afacan raised her head so that her eyes met Tazi
rr’s – not even an inkling of distress on her face as Tazirr continued to draw the top of her thigh straining toward her stomach, her knee toward her breast – though her body began to tense somewhat.
“I need you again, my Afacan,” he moved his hips to rub his enormous erection against her center as he leaned forward just enough to nip the knee he drew upward – his actions eliciting a smile across her heavenly face as a husky yet shrill sound called across his mind.
“My Tazirr hungry, yes?” Afacan’s gaze never left his and her lips never moved with the phrase as she raised herself with the obvious intention of sheathing him.
And Tazirr saw those extremely long fangs descend once again as her body tensed further, her head seeming to draw back in striking position. But Tazirr answered her obviously offensive advance with an insistent and threatening growl that rumbled up from inside of him as he simultaneously rolled to pin her head to the bed with a handful of her hair and raised his torso over her – the other hand keeping that long, beautiful leg pinned close to her head now.
You see, my Tazirr. Conditioning is definitely still needed – no alarm; a simple internal statement of fact from his zehirakre.
And Tazirr let his fangs present, and his emerald eyes shown forth in all their brilliance.
In response, a face of almost childlike mischief adorned Afacan’s visage – complete with her own set of extensive fangs, although Tazirr could see the slight fear and the very clear aggression beneath it. He smiled more inwardly than outwardly – his Afacan wanted to play.
And yilans played through striking.
It took most of Tazirr’s strength to keep her strong, muscular body subdued as he positioned his hips at just the right angle – his hands never releasing the hold they had on her – and drove into her to the hilt.
There was nothing gentle about his assault.
Afacan’s scream at his invasion once again echoed around the room and across his mind – his mouth just beside her ear as he ground out his words while trying to control the desire she heated in him – so kahrolasi beautiful!