Warlord's Flame (Krystile Warriors Book 2)

by Owner

  Var lifted a cup to his lips. “It is good Dare is on our side.”

  Foord nodded. “Yes, our krystile powered hand coms work now.”

  Var grunted his agreement. Looking at Rel, he said, “Eat up, boy, you will need your strength.” He had probably been penalized for eating too much by his ignorant previous owner.

  Mack passed food to the dog, looked up and said, “The dog is hungry too.”

  Var spoke, “And the dog. Of course, feed the dog!”

  Rel watched the warlords and grinned.

  “I would know if you have recovered,” Var said.

  Rel nodded.

  “Then eat,” Var said.

  Mack laughed, “He means you will need your strength to hang out with us. Put some meat on your bones.”

  The boy looked at his food with new delight and ate with relish.

  Mack took a drink. “There is the problem of that king. Not only was he working for the Conglomerate, he was going to have you killed tonight for sport. Koda will never allow that to stand.”

  “Nor should he,” Foord said. “All these black marketers want our help and our krystiles. We cannot lose their respect. They attack from every direction while trying to curry our favor. Dren says a transport of Cowls is headed this way.”

  Var bristled. “I hate Cowls.”

  Would the bad news never end? He wanted to relax and enjoy his bond with Bess. They needed time to get to know each other and build trust. He walked into the trap Myra laid for them, and now, the Cowls were on their way.

  As if Mack read his mind, he said, “I should have been suspicious when Myra approached me and begged me to buy her.”

  Var waved it off. “Foord is right, we will crush this king,” Var agreed. “And we must hurry before the Cowls arrive.”

  Mack cleared his throat. “I look forward to that.”

  Var nodded agreement. “Yes, they despise him, but they also fear him. We cannot count on his subjects helping us.”

  “Perhaps the little MX can give us more information on the king and his keep,” Foord said.

  “He knew that we wanted the MX and yet he dared to take Bess and treat her as a slave.” Var was going to enjoy putting the king out of business.

  “It is a death sentence to touch the mate of a warlord,” Mack added.

  “She is not a claimed mate, then or now.” Foord pointed out harshly.

  Mack grinned and took another drink from his cup. “I suspect Var will rectify that situation soon. We have to make an example of the king. Those who attack a Warlord of Kryst do not live long to tell the tale. And those who dare to take an MX that they know we want will suffer for it. They should fear us more than they fear the Conglomerate.”

  Foord looked at Var. “Perhaps the king did not realize the girl was off limits. She wears no claiming necklace.” He tested the edge of his knife.

  Var gave Foord a look that should silence him. “She will wear one, as soon as she wakes,” he said.

  The toothpick in Mack’s mouth bobbed up and down before he spoke. “I observed a fine meteor shower tonight.”

  ***

  The night air felt cool against his face as Var gazed up at the night sky. Against the velvet darkness, the streaks of meteors appeared spectacular. They left smoke trails and some sizzled as they tore through heavens. Var inhaled the ozone scent as the fireballs streaked through the night. He shook his head in disbelief. Could the prophecy be true? His assumption that it had been an optimistic myth created by the old ones to give hope to their downtrodden race might be wrong.

  No, Var did not believe in the prophecy. He had lived too long without hope as a child. The prophecy foretold of the warlord mates being females from far away. Females with special abilities, who would bear their offspring and save their race.

  At peace, Var watched the meteor shower. Peace was unfamiliar to him. Hope was foreign. If they had a chance to save their race, then everything changed. A smile moved Var’s mouth as he stood watching a group of bright meteors streak by overhead.

  Bess.

  He wanted to find her and mate and claim her immediately. Var forced himself to be still. Bess had been virgin and she needed time to recover.

  The official mating would be more intense, more violent, more everything than what they had done tonight. He would claim her when she awoke, and mate her when they returned home. Now he waited. A decent male would show patience.

  Var did not want to be decent. He fought the savage beast within him. The thought of her heated his blood beyond reason. He had no right to her, but she was his now and the drive to mate her almost overwhelmed him.

  Almost.

  Chapter 39

  Bess stretched and smiled at the soreness in her body. Remembering Var and the coupling made heat rise to her face. He was so perfect. Just thinking of him triggered a melting in her body and her mind. Bess could not wait to see him again, to look at his face, and that big, rugged body that fit hers so perfectly. Her face hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop.

  She rolled over in the big bed and loved the feel of the sheets on her naked body. They had moved to this bed where he made love to her in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Deep inside her body reacted to her memories of what she and Var had done.

  Bess took her time remembering the ecstasy. Everything about Var amazed her, his eyes, his body, his hair, his voice, his scent. Like an addict seeking her next fix, she hungered to be close to him again.

  Coming together with Var had been earth shattering.

  Free of the drugs now, she wondered if this was how the normals felt. Except for being an empath, could she live a normal life and love a man?

  When she and Katy discussed the drugs used on them at the Facility, old feelings of resentment and hate revived within her. Bess was — more now. She could do more and feel more since leaving the Facility. The hormones that made the normals seek out companions for sex must be flowing through her body now as well.

  Perhaps the Facility was right to drug them. This desire burned inside her, the flame was out of control. It was an inferno she felt driven to feed. A fiery need only Var could assuage. If all the normals felt this, that explained a lot. She giggled. That they could they accomplish anything at all with feelings like this coursing through them was amazing.

  That a male such as Var, with all his strength, all his power, and all the violence he held within himself... That he could be slow and gentle and caring with her made her heart fill with love for him again.

  Bess’s yelp of surprise ended in a giggle. Though there was no sound, Var stood in the room with the closed door behind him.

  The most beautiful creature ever, he moved toward her like a great cat stalking prey.

  Var pulled her to her feet and stroked her hair. “I will claim you as my mate.”

  He held her still, looking into her eyes. “You will wear this. It is my mating gift to you.” He opened one hand to show her a silver necklace so finely crafted that the metal resembled lace. A single strand of the lacy metal hung down and held a larger piece of lacy silver.

  The teardrop shaped pendant at the end of the lavaliere captured her attention. A symbol adorned the metal around the stone of cerulean blue. The stone was about the size of the end of her thumb, but in the shape of a teardrop. The beautiful jewel sparkled with a fire from within. Bess thought she might lose herself if she gazed into it too long.

  Var stepped behind her while she held her hair out of the way.

  She shivered at the cold of the metal and the warmth of his hands.

  He moved in front of her and knelt on one knee. “I claim you as mine. You wear my binding and will obey and serve me. I will provide for your needs and will honor you as my claimed female. I will mate with you when we return to my society. Then I will claim you before all.”

  Her teeth chattered so hard, she didn’t try to speak.

  Chapter 40

  Var listened to the crackling of the fire. He was unaccustomed to the we
ight of the female on his chest, but he wanted to be as close to her as he could get. Var stroked her hair. Masses of fiery red hair, the colors made him think of flames. She was soft. Everything about her was soft and she smelled good.

  She was waking. Var tipped her face up to him. The vulnerability in her eyes turned to caring and touched his soul. He murmured sweet endearments to her between gentle kisses.

  His blood heated with the soft sounds she made. Var nuzzled her neck and found a spot that made her lose control. She squirmed and moaned and moved her body against him when he kissed and licked that place.

  He moved his attention to her ear where he kissed and licked until she cried out. Excited by the smell of her arousal, he continued his gentle assault of her body with his mouth. He laid her back and moved so his mouth was at her breast. While he kissed and licked the nipple that hardened as if begging for his attention, he circled the aureole with the pad of his thumb. She twisted and writhed in his embrace.

  Her scent called to him. He wanted her, would own her. She was his. No male would ever touch her except him. The light in her eyes, the soft sounds she made, were for him alone. Her exquisite body belonged to him, too. So this was what it felt like to be mated. The fierceness of his passion was something he would learn to live with.

  This female had the ability to undo him, to break him as he had never been broken before.

  Many had tried.

  When she opened her emotions to him, they flooded his soul. His senses lit up with her emotions and feelings. She was sharing something unique and special with him. He moved lower and pulled her legs over his shoulders. Var had to taste her. Had to experience this while she let him feel what it did to her.

  Her back arched. He held her tight, his hands on her hips to keep her still for his probing, tasting, loving. When he saw her face, saw her delicate little hands that clung to his wrists, he knew she was determined to hang on to him. She tossed her head from side to side, making those little sounds that pushed him to a place where his soul was ripped apart. It was a primordial place where all his power and strength were concentrated on her. She was in control here, his mate.

  When she found her release, she screamed out. Her body went soft after that, as if all her muscles were exhausted. He could stand no more. Var rose above her and, spread her wide with his knees. A sound like a sob broke from her throat. He was touching her and she was sharing her feelings, so he knew there was no need for alarm. Var kissed her again, softly, gently.

  He entered her slowly using all his control to insure that he did not hurt her. His mate’s desire burned through her being and into his own. It was a raging fire that left only their need for each other. His own desire scorched him. When the flames met, the conflagration threatened to consume them both.

  Var groaned when he seated himself inside her. Her small hands clutched at his shoulders. He experienced something akin to a blooming of his soul when her nails tore at his shoulders in her desperate need to find fulfillment.

  The release he, alone, could give her. Ferocity raged within him.

  She tightened, stilled and screamed his name as she climaxed.

  “Bess!” Var groaned, feeling her orgasm like an ocean rolling over them both. He pumped into her.

  Sated and breathing hard, he rolled to his side still holding her close. He nuzzled her while he placed kisses on her face and neck.

  Her body was languid against him. They held each other, arms and legs entwined as though they could not bear to part.

  After a time, he loved her again. He started slowly, taking his time at first, then faster and harder. She wanted him and let him feel her desire.

  Var had never felt closer to a female. He had never felt closer to anyone.

  Her gift freed his heart from the horrors of the abuse he had suffered as a child. Var pulled her closer until every surface of their bodies that could touch, did.

  When they finally pulled apart, he felt a physical pain. Alert, he looked at her eyes.

  She felt it too, but she smiled at him. “It is the pain of parting,” she said.

  He touched her face. “Get dressed. I will do my best not to tear your clothes off. I must deal with — things.” He did not want to mention the coming battle yet. Let her bask in the rosy afterglow he knew she experienced now.

  Bess nodded and rewarded him with a big smile that warmed his heart. Little by little, the girl thawed out the coldness within him. He would never be the same.

  When Var saw his shoulders and upper arms, there was no sign of the scratches he had been sure were there.

  Chapter 41

  Var set a com vid on a flat stone. A life sized holograph image appeared above the vid. A blond warlord gazed at them with blue eyes that were so light they were almost clear.

  This must be Koda. Bess realized her mouth was hanging open in amazement. She closed it.

  “Good work destroying the com blocking device.” The image said. “And I see you found an empath.”

  Var nodded. “Dare and Foord dismantled the device and got the krystile.” He gestured to Bess. “We found the empath whose name is Bess. She is secure.”

  “Only the one, then.” Koda looked at her. “We were making ready to come after you.”

  Var shook his head. “I think that is what the Conglomerate wanted. This whole setup was a trap designed to catch us after we found the empath. STS reinforcements landed just after our transports.”

  Koda frowned. “I thought as much. The five tribes of warriors I sent should be enough to make an impression. They are unloading now. While you were not able to communicate with us, we were still able to monitor Conglomerate dialog. Messerat interfered in our business, and he tried to kill one of mine and he took an empath under our protection.”

  Var spoke beside her. “Messerat will not be a problem after today.”

  Bess shivered at the Warlord Leader’s coldness. A small woman appeared in the image, standing beside Koda.

  “Claire.” Bess blurted it out before she could stop herself.

  Claire smiled at her. “Bess, it’s good to see you. We’re relieved you’re alive and well. Destiny and Anna are already here. We look forward to your arrival.” Claire touched her little finger to the corner of her mouth. A gesture easily unnoticed, but it spoke volumes to Bess. Claire glanced at Koda, gave him a quick smile and exited the picture.

  Bess smiled. The empaths had developed ways to communicate with each other that did not require them to speak. Sometimes they spoke in each other’s minds and sometimes they used gestures to signal to each other. Claire had just told Bess that she should trust Var. She really was going to sanctuary with some other empaths.

  Var’s attention was on the holo image as the warlords discussed plans for the upcoming battle. Bess slid her hand into his. The empaths were safe. Var had been truthful from the beginning. It made her deceit feel so much worse.

  ***

  The army of warriors arrived. Var gave her and Rel over to Dare for safekeeping. And the dog. She felt the seriousness of that from both of them. Dare had blond hair that came to his shoulders. He kept it tied with a piece of leather at his nape. His eyes were the blue of the sky at midday. Dare was their technical wizard. He leaned forward and slouched with his arm propped on the horn of the saddle while he watched the activity in front of them.

  From their slightly elevated hilltop, they watched the tribal warriors organize themselves on the plateau. They mounted the largest horses she’d ever seen. Rel explained to her that the animals were paccar. They had spikes on their shoes to insure that anyone they trampled underfoot would be injured. As if that wasn’t enough, they also had a spike sticking out of the center of the helmets they wore. Bess frowned when she felt the thoughts of the beasts. They were eager for the coming battle.

  The warriors, dressed for battle presented a frightening force. Most of the males braided their hair, at least the strands closest to their faces in what Var and Mack called ‘war braids’. Bess shudde
red to think why they did that.

  They wore armor similar to what Var and Mack were wearing. Var’s armor had leather over the metal and covered most of his body. In addition to his spiked forearm bands, he wore plates on his upper arms that covered his shoulders. Each of the arm plates held a large, intimidating spike that jutted out from the back of the elbow. Metal extended from the front of their boots to cover their knees. The knee coverings were images of skulls. The already large warlords and warriors appeared even more formidable in their armor. Their appearance along with their emotions made up the stuff of nightmares.

  Most of them had two swords strapped to their backs and other weapons fastened to their bodies. Over the outside of their armor, leather strips and harnesses held weapons. Curled whips, hatchets, and axes, all hung within easy reach. Their gloves even had metal spikes on the knuckles.

  The blue eyes that looked out from the slits in their helmets were unnerving. Many of them had put paint on their faces which only added to the fear they surely instilled in their opponents. These people trained to fight. Although they were difficult for Bess to read, she felt their eagerness to indulge in the glory of battle. Finally, she shielded against their emotions. They came to use their array of weapons, to draw blood and take lives.

  She felt small and intimidated by Var in his armor. Did he sense her unease? His eyes softened and he stroked her hair. He leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. “Do not worry, little mouse, this is what I do.” Var straightened and gestured to Dare.

  “Warlord Dare is in charge of your safety during the battle. You and Rel will stay with him and follow any orders he gives you.” Var looked down. “And the dog.”

  Rel, sitting on his horse beside Dare, looked very serious when he placed his fist over his heart and then continued with the salute the warlords used. Bess knew this was heady stuff for a young boy like Rel.

  She could find no words to say to Var. Bess nodded to him and murmured her agreement before he pulled his paccar around and rode to the now organized warriors.