Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1)

by Kylie Griffin

  “And the new Blade Council?”

  “I’ve approached three possible replacements for Davyn, Corvas, and Yance and also two of the Guild-leaders. The new Blade Council should be inducted in the next couple of days if the Lady approves.”

  “Will your people accept the changes?”

  “In time. The Lady will guide us.”

  He issued a disbelieving grunt. “How can you place hope in something you cannot control?”

  Kymora had mentioned the Na’Chi scout’s reservations concerning the Lady. “What other alternative do I have? There are limits to what I can do. The rest I leave to Her.”

  Varian said nothing more for a while and Kalan took the time to glance around the room for Annika. The group of Na’Chi seated at the fire had grown to include children. Whatever she was telling them had them all captivated. Her gaze lifted as if she’d sensed him watching her. While her smile warmed him, he realized that this was the first time he’d seen her so relaxed and content. It caught him off guard.

  “Chosen.” Varian’s use of his title distracted him. The hint of tension refocused his interest on the scout. “I don’t wish to offend but I need to speak plainly.”

  “Call me Kalan,” he said. “Titles outside the chamber are unnecessary.”

  The man inclined his head then hesitated and the obvious sign of unease was surprising considering he’d grown used to the scout’s stoic personality. “I find it… unusual that you would so freely speak of your plans to us—”

  “As opposed to the Na’Reish style of doing things?” Varian nodded. “Open communication is important to me. How else can I show my trust in others if I hide something from them?”

  For a long moment violet eyes regarded him with solemn contemplation then Varian nodded as if he’d reached a decision about something. “How long will we live within the compound?”

  “You don’t like it here?”

  “It’s not a matter of liking it.” A slight frown marred his brow. “I understand the need for our two races to adjust to one another. The protection you offer us is essential but the surroundings and scrutiny is daunting for some.”

  “Coming from almost total isolation to coping with so many has to be hard.”

  “Yes.” Relief flashed briefly across the young Na’Chi’s face. “I’m worried the stress of adjusting might prove too much for some and misunderstandings may occur. That would only harm our cause. Is there a place we can go outside the city?”

  The issue was something he hadn’t anticipated. “I’ll see what can be done,” he promised. “I’ll discuss it at the next Council meeting and have a solution for you in less than a week.”

  “Thank you.”

  Annika’s soft laughter drew his attention away from Varian. Again he was struck by the peaceful expression on her face. She’d truly relaxed among the Na’Chi. Even while living with him there’d been an air of cautiousness about her, as if she was unsure of her place in his world. Here she held no doubt and he discovered that dis-turbed him.

  The longer he watched her interacting with the others, the more he recognized the emotion growing inside him. Jealousy. She hadn’t found complete happiness with him, among her mother’s people, yet in less than an hour she was as comfortable here as if she’d lived with them all her life.

  For a heartbeat he regretted bringing her here tonight and then flushed at the thought. His negative emotions were unjust but, if he was honest with himself, he couldn’t suppress them as easily as he wanted to.

  A shiver skittered along his spine as another thought arose from the darker side of his mind.

  If the Na’Chi left the city, would she want to go with them?

  Chapter 29

  ANNIKA finally gave up her practice of writing words and glanced at the balcony door of the apartment for the fifth time in less than an hour. Since returning from their visit to the Na’Chi Kalan had been quiet and withdrawn. She’d put it down to weariness but then he’d disappeared outside. Without his cloak.

  Shifting in her chair, she chewed on the end of her pencil and stared at the wooden door. The quiet crackling of the flames in the fireplace and the cozy warmth in the room highlighted the fact he was standing out there with little protection from the elements.

  Was he worrying about the reports of unrest coming in daily from his Commanders? Since riders had delivered the message about the Blade Council’s corruption and deceit he’d been inundated with meetings with village leaders who’d traveled to Sacred Lake to confirm what they’d heard. That coupled with Light Blades leaving the compound had to be playing on his mind.

  While he hadn’t told her about what was going on, claiming she needed to focus on regaining her strength, others had. With a sigh, Annika placed the pencil down and closed her journal. It didn’t help knowing that her arrival had been its genesis. Kymora’s reminders that the Lady had foretold her arrival, along with the other Na’Chi, helped but it still didn’t sit well that Kalan now dealt with the ramifications.

  She rose and stretched out the kinks in her spine. The muscles in her newly healed shoulder pulled. A reminder of another problem only Kalan could help her sort out.

  Throwing on her cloak, and after grabbing his, she joined him on the balcony. The clear, moonlit night and bracing cold made her wonder how he’d lasted outside for so long without it. His hands spread wide, his tall form stood leaning against the wall overlooking the compound.

  “I know Light Blades are supposed to be tough but isn’t this a bit extreme?” she asked stepping up alongside him.

  His somber expression didn’t change at her attempt at humor but he accepted his cloak with a nod. “Thank you.”

  His cold-stiffened fingers fumbled with the tie so she took over. “You should come inside.” Moving closer, she took his ice-cold hands in hers and tucked them in against her body under her cloak. Their frosted breaths mingled. “Why are you standing out here freezing?”

  “I needed to think.”

  “About what?” She relaxed a little as he cradled her against him. His scent surrounded her, all earthy male and winter’s breath, and with their shared body warmth it didn’t seem as cold.

  “The Na’Chi want to leave the city.” His quiet statement seemed hesitant. “Varian’s worried some of your people are having trouble coping with living here.”

  Annika nodded, her cheek brushing against his chest. “I know. Lisella mentioned the same thing tonight. The children seem to be adapting easier.”

  “There are caverns in the foothills of the mountains on the other side of the lake.” He turned in that direction so that she could see the darkened mountain range beyond the city wall. “It’s isolated enough to suit the Na’Chi. They wouldn’t have to worry about crofters intruding because of the geography. With enough supplies they could live there.”

  “Didn’t you want them to begin training with your warriors?”

  “Yes. It’s only a few hours’ walk from the city so they could return here on foot or we could visit them.” He took a deeper breath. “If the Na’Chi leave the city, I was thinking of sending some of my warriors to live with them. Varian and his scouts have skills we could benefit from learning. I’d also like to establish an alliance between the Na’Chi and us. This would be a good way to start.”

  Annika liked that he was willing to discuss his thoughts with her. “Perhaps you could begin with an exchange of warriors and ideas. If you send some of your Light Blades with them, why not a few of your healers and crafters?”

  He grunted. “Kymora and some of her Servants already live with the Na’Chi. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to take that idea further.”

  She warmed to his plan. “Tell the Light Blades and the others what you hope to achieve then ask for volunteers to go with the Na’Chi. Someone keen to learn will accept the idea more readily than someone forced to go.”

  “Maybe they can go for a few months to start with,” he murmured. “Then they can return to train others. If it’s suc
cessful we’ll send more… yes, it could work.”

  Through their shared touch Annika could feel the tension leaving Kalan’s body. She smothered a yawn and wondered what it would take to convince him indoors.

  His arms tightened around her. “You should rest.”

  “I will.” She glanced up at him. “If you do, too.”

  His brows drew down low and his fingers cupped her chin. “When were you going to tell me about your hunger?”

  She pulled back from him slightly, her cheeks heating. “It was why I came out here.”

  “I wish I could give you back your independence.” Kalan’s statement made her stomach clench, more out of uncertainty than hunger. He sounded like he regretted his action of making her feed from him back in Davyn’s apartment.

  “I only need a little…” Annika glanced away, across the compound, wishing she could recall the time she’d first fed from him but her memory still hadn’t returned. “I’m sorry. I won’t trouble you for long.”

  The heat in her cheeks intensified and goose bumps broke out all over her. Kalan caught her face between his hands. His dark gaze locked with her and his lips thinned as if he’d confirmed something by looking at her.

  “Annika, I made the choice to feed you freely. I don’t regret it. I was merely implying that I wish I’d been the one addicted, not you. You’re never to be ashamed of needing to feed from me, do you understand?” Low-pitched, hard-voiced exasperation filled his words. The sincerity and conviction in them shook her. “I won’t go through the experience of losing you again.”

  No human will ever let you drink from his or her vein willingly. If you want to survive you have to take what you want. Savyr’s fierce demeanor as he’d held her by the neck and forced her to look at the body of the human boy she’d killed still had the power to make Annika shiver. Her tears had earned his disgust but that had been nothing compared to the shame she’d felt for being Na’Chi.

  For so many years she’d been reviled, and now, here was a man who understood. Kalan’s gift of love and acceptance was worth a lifetime of addiction to him. The unconditional acceptance she saw in his gaze left her with a strange, freeing joy and it gave her the courage to face the memories of her past and shove them down where they belonged—the back of her mind.

  Letting Savyr’s hatred and anger make her feel less than worthy would always haunt her but Kalan’s love would help combat it. It didn’t make the nerves in her stomach any easier to squash but she could say the words in her mind out loud without cringing. “I need you, Kalan.”

  A slow smile lit his face. “I’ll always be here for you.” He tugged a lock of her hair. “Let’s go inside where it’s warm. I’ve had enough of the cold.”

  Once inside he helped her out of her cloak, shed his then pulled her in close to him. The hard feel of his body against hers, and the faint throb of his pulse at the base of his neck stroked both hungers. She swallowed hard then shivered as a spiral of need curled deep in her, tightening so fast it bordered on painful.

  “So, how do you want to go about this?” he asked. “In here, or in the bedroom?”

  She detected a sudden increase of heated spice in the air surrounding them and stared up at him in surprise. He steered her toward the bedroom, making the decision for her. “This… excites you?”

  His smile turned into a wicked grin. “Your mouth on me anywhere excites me, Na’Chi.”

  Her pulse leapt at the way he drawled her name. She let herself be drawn into his room. He lit the single brazier. “Wouldn’t you prefer I do this in the dark?”

  “I can handle watching you feed, Annika.”

  She blinked as he stripped out of his shirt. “But—” He stepped toward her and cut off her protest with a kiss. The unexpected dominance of his action thrilled her. He was neither gentle nor rough, just demanding. The pressure of his lips and the way his tongue teased then thrust into her mouth ignited her desire like a striker placed to dry tinder.

  Annika’s soft groan and the way she melted against him gave Kalan immense satisfaction. That she’d been hesitant to approach him to discuss her need and now her obvious anxiety over feeding from him tore him up inside. Kissing her had been his only solution. But if he worked this right, the experience would be pleasurable for both of them.

  He backed toward the bed, drawing her with him, never breaking the kiss. He felt the edge of it behind his legs and slowly eased them both down onto it. The delicious weight of her lying on top of him had him hard in a heartbeat. The softness of her breasts pushed against his chest with her every breath. The curve of her hips fit in perfect alignment with his and the way she writhed against him brought him close to the edge.

  “Slow down.” He caught her bottom lip between his teeth, gently nipped it then threaded his hands through her hair, loving how the soft strands slid through his fingers. “We’ve all night.”

  Her eyelids lifted slowly and the blue within her hungry gaze only became darker as she scowled at him. “You started this, Light Blade.”

  He chuckled and slid one hand along her body until he reached her thigh then, keeping his gaze locked with hers, he pulled the hem of her dress slowly upward. His fingertips grazed the softness of bare skin as he drew the material up over the curved swell of her buttocks. Annika’s pupils dilated then her eyelids fluttered shut. Using both hands he gripped then kneaded her flesh, pushing her hard against his erection. She gasped and her fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders.

  “Kalan, I need more…” Her hissed admission then the unconscious undulation of her hips against his wrenched a groan from the back of his throat. The scent of her filled his head as he inhaled. Hot musk.

  In less than a minute he threw their boots and clothes onto the floor and they were skin to skin. Annika still straddled him, a shy smile on her face as she settled herself over him. She clasped his hand in hers and took it to where her softness was pressed against him. Bare flesh parted and his heart thumped erratically as her wetness coated his fingers.

  “I like the feel of you here.” Her husky whisper deepened as her fingers trailed over his length, her touch feather light, a torment and a pleasure. “There’s an ache, a burning tightness that gets hotter when I think of you filling me here.”

  Her eyes widened as he delicately parted her folds and pushed himself inside her. She shuddered, her eyes closing. Kalan ground his teeth together as her inner muscles clasped him hard. Nothing could ever compare to how her body responded to him. He loved her uninhibited response.

  His hand shook as he reached for the dagger he’d set aside as he’d undressed. With a flick of his wrist he sliced the fleshy part of his thumb and returned the blade to its sheath.

  He felt Annika stiffen and glanced up to discover her just sitting there, her eyes closed tight. Her nostrils flared and he knew she could smell the blood trickling from his thumb.

  “It’s all right.”

  “No, it’s not.” He saw her swallow hard and ached as she shook her head. “I can’t do that now, Kalan.”

  “Why not?” he asked, quietly, wishing she’d open her eyes. They both needed to experience this together. He wanted to erase the last of her doubt and fear. Was he pushing too hard? He hoped not.

  She let out a sharp, ragged breath and finally opened her eyes. The violet color was gone, obscured by the red of hunger, flecked with blue. “I don’t want it to spoil what we share… there’s no intimacy.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  The thought of proving her wrong heightened Kalan’s desire. He lifted his hips and drove himself deeper inside her. She cried out and he took great satisfaction in the way her muscles grasped him then released. He did it again, liking the way she trembled. A slow smile spread across his face.

  “That’s pleasure, Na’Chi, and until you feed from me you’ll never know whether there’s any intimacy.” He stilled, wanting her to make the choice to continue. “You mightn’t have any memory of before, but I remember the rush of hea
t inside me when you fed and I know it’ll be the most intimate, most erotic thing we can share.”

  The sight of Kalan’s defined muscles straining as he held himself in check, his cheeks flushed with desire, the hard thickness of him inside her body, proved almost irresistible. Annika swallowed hard, too aware of his scent; a combination of molten spice and the metallic odor of his blood flooded her senses.

  He wouldn’t force her to feed from him. The choice was hers. He’d always given her that power.

  She reached for and linked her fingers with his then lifted his hand toward her mouth. The scarlet trail of blood ran down his inner forearm and if she let it, it would reach his elbow in a matter of heartbeats. Locking her gaze with his, needing to see his reaction, she caught the trickle with the tip of her tongue and followed it to its source.

  Her tongue exploded with flavor. Lady’s Breath, he tasted so sweet. Hot and sweet. His scent and taste ran through her, and her hunger grew. She swallowed and licked her lips. The heat in Kalan’s green eyes burned brighter, his long fingers tightened around hers.

  “I need more.” Her voice was hoarse with need. She felt him jerk inside her, and her muscles contracted around him. They both groaned softly.

  “I’m all yours, Annika.” Kalan’s deep voice stroked her almost like a physical caress. “All you have to do is claim me.”

  She let herself go, giving herself permission to do as her body demanded, just this once. She fed both hungers, rocking her hips so she could feel him moving inside her and her mouth latched onto the shallow wound he’d made at the base of his thumb.

  “That’s it,” Kalan hissed and began to push in a rhythm counterpoint to her, his desire reflected in his eyes. A shudder shook her at the feel of him buried inside her.

  Annika bit into the fleshy part of his thumb, instinct driving her and she suckled hard. Hot sweetness filled her mouth and as she swallowed she swore the taste of him added fuel to the fierce burning consuming her from the inside out.