by Glenda Diana
"Touch me," she whispered. "Embrace me and let me feel your heart against my ear."
Zebual hesitated for only a second and then he wrapped his arms around her holding her close and burying his face into her damp hair.
Arysa let her hands move over his back as he held her. "Step back now." She let her arms drop from around him.
Next she held out her hand to Connor. Before she could say a word he was holding her within his arms and pressing his body to hers. Arysa inhaled and then let her arms drop to her side.
She took one step back and then another. Her gaze moved over Zebual taking in his appearance before turning her dark green eyes upon Connor giving him the same thorough inspection of his appearance. It was so easy, she thought dropping her gaze to the floor. The music within her came to life ... soft words fell from her lips just before another pain clenched her body and made her stumble back against the wall.
Both men took a step forward as if to assist her, but the dark smoldering green eyes stopped them. Her breath panted from her lungs as the pain took her to new heights of awareness. She gave a soft growling noise when the pain faded leaving her soaking wet with the effort it had taken on her.
"This game ends now," she panted out, gritting her teeth. "I will not ever go through this torment again."
"Arysa ... "
"Nay!" she shouted, her eyes glowing at Connor. "Here and now!"
The sound of movement made her turn to see Mrs. Reed standing in the doorway.
"You knew, yet you played the game that they played," Arysa spat out.
"'Tis no game, lass," the older woman said softly. "'Tis the only way. If I could change this for you, I would."
Arysa dropped her heated gaze and took a deep breath. The world that was called darkness was her own world ... but in that world she and Connor had built a shelter of light and love ... a place to raise children and to prosper ... all of which brought their hated enemy to their doorstep.
"The man that loves me and that I love accepts me as I am," she panted out. "Which of you accepts me as I am?"
"I do," Zebual whispered, his worried gaze moving over her.
Connor shot him a glaring glance. "He lies! I do, Arysa. Always."
"Shifting of shapes did not hide the love of my heart, just as it did not hide the enemy. One touch is all it took to detect the truth." Arysa looked from one man to the other. "I know which of you is Lucian."
Connor smiled and with his laughter came the shifting of his form. "Very good, Arysa." Lucian said, with a nod of his head. "You and your powers have prolonged the inevitable. You have wasted time that to most is precious, but I had little say in the matter. It would seem that your sire thought it was a great challenge, not only for me to conquer, but to see just how well you did. He now has his answer and as you say the game ends here. This time no magic will deter me from my goal. This time your powers are too weak from their lack of use."
Arysa was having problems following his words. The pain within her was becoming unbearable. Drenching sweat seemed to course from every pore in her body. Time was at an end for her. Bracing her hands on the floor and raised her eyes to that of her enemy. "Do your worst, Lucian. Kill me now or I vow to have the force of your existence within me."
"Nay," Zebual started to step closer to her, but stopped when Lucian raised his sword to strike her. "You would take her life?"
Lucian smiled. "Aye, I would. She is mine and I will not lose her to you yet again."
Zebual shook his head. "I had hoped to have forever with you. For so long I had waited to hear the sound of your voice, the joy your laughter brought to me, and I hungered for the taste of you upon my lips. I have found that existence is not worth having if I cannot have you. I would gladly give my life so that you may live free from this man. For in this life, in our life or that which comes after, I will always wait for you."
Lucian moved forward, but just when he would have struck Zebual blocked the blow that would end Arysa's existence. Warm blood soaked his leg as the sword slashed through meat and bone. Blinding pain threatened to engulf his mind, but he fought to hold on. Raising his sword he met the next blow with a clash of his own sword.
The gentle hands of Mrs. Reed helped Arysa back away from the fight taking place before her. The blood of Zebual was dripping on the floor. Though her body was being racked with pain, Arysa pushed the hands away and stretched out, touching the droplets. Pulling her hand back, she stared at the blood smeared upon her fingertips. It wasn't her life that would be forfeited this day, it was Zebual's.
"Nay," she cried out, lurching to her feet.
Lucian laughed. "He bleeds like a mortal," he taunted. "And he withers and dies like one too. What could you have possibly seen in such a creature?" When Arysa took a step toward him, he raised his sword. "Your powers are useless this time around."
She knew that it would take precious minutes to concentrate on her inner music to bring her sleeping powers up from the depths in which they slept. Minutes that would cost her the life of her love.
"Her powers might be weak, but mine are not, Lucian."
Arysa turned around to see Mrs. Reed and Justin standing behind her. Then she noticed Hanah, Tairam, Reese and Edmond standing just behind them.
"Do you challenge me, old woman?"
"Aye, I do. Last time it was not needed, for Arysa's powers were strong, but this time I will not stay in the shadows and let you harm my granddaughter."
A bright glowing light shimmered from Mrs. Reed and the cloak of concealment fell away.
"Grandmother," Arysa whispered, taking a step toward her.
Lucian lifted his head and laughed. "I should have known. What can you do to me, old woman? My powers far surpass yours. You might be from the High Ruler's bloodline, but I have killed and gained powers that you will never be able to claim victory over."
"Perhaps," Justin said, stepping forward. "But then it will not be her powers alone that you will face."
Zebual reached Arysa just in time and with his weight he pulled her to the floor and covered her with his body. The room grew blinding bright as six powerful forms took aim at one being. The smell of smoke filled the air around them, but it was the screams of terror that rocked the room. When Arysa tried to move from beneath him, Zebual held tight with all his might.
Slowly the sounds receded and the stench evaporated.
"My grandmother," Arysa cried out as she fought to get loose.
"I am fine, lovely."
Zebual rolled out of her way and slowly sat up. Arysa ran to her grandmother and hugged her in an almost frantic embrace. "Ease up or you will hurt her, love," he murmured with a smile.
Arysa eased her hold and stared at the face of her grandmother. "Why? Why did you hide from me?"
"If you had known who I was then I could not have been assistance to you. Lucian would have detected the truth, thereby taking our surprise away."
"I thought I had lost you."
"You should have known better, lovely. I would never willingly leave you. Using the disguise of Mrs. Reed I was able to be here whenever you needed me."
Arysa turned toward Zebual just as a bright light moved over his outstretched leg, healing the wound that Lucian had inflicted. He gifted her with a smile, when he noted her stare upon him. "Why? I don't understand," she whispered.
"'Tis easy to explain," he stated, getting to his feet. "When Lucian came to battle me the first time you were the only one that had the ability to use your powers ... we could still shift our shapes, but that was the limit of our capability. When the battle reached a point where you thought I would die, you used your powers."
"But you said that I wouldn't have the ability to assist either of you."
Zebual moved to stand before her. "And you didn't. Instead you used your skill and that wonderful mind of yours. You stopped the battle the only way you knew how."
"And how did I do that?"
"You don't recall?"
Arysa shook her
head. "Nay, all I remember is watching the battle and then next I knew I was waking to a world where I had no memory."
"What you did was actually very clever." Zebual murmured, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close.
Arysa cupped the side of his face and smiled. "If it was so clever then please explain to me why do you look like you do?"
"Well, everything has a price, my love."
"I find you just as attractive as before, but I think I'm going to need further explanation."
"You cast us in a time span. Those that lived in Syra were here with you, while Lucian was left to find us."
Arysa shook her head. "Now, I am more confused than ever."
"You used your powers in the most effective way you could. You were here at Syra with us, but you were lost in sleep. Lucian knew where we were, but he could not return to finish the battle and claim you until you had awakened. He could not detect you because of your loss of memory, which provided the necessary time we needed."
"How long did I sleep?"
"If estimated by the time of mortal men then we would be speaking centuries. During your absence the Grand Counsel called me forth. I was asked one question. What did I want most of all? The answer was you ... I wanted you and your love for all of time."
"And what did they say?"
"That's when they set forth limitations. You would awake to a world unknown to you, to a man that you did not recognize and we were to begin again. If I could make you love me with all that you had, then my crimes against my clan would be forgiven, but if not my price would be a slow death. That is why I look the way I do. Each second of each day without your love drained me. The only thing that could release me from my withering state and heal me was you ... your love, your touch and the taste of you upon my lips.
"Every time I looked at my reflection, my hopes of ever gaining your love shriveled. How could one so alive and beautiful love one such as me? Then you did something I never expected ... you fell in love with me. To have your love once was beyond my dreams, but to have you fall in love with me again was the greatest gift I have ever been given."
"How could I not love you?" Arysa whispered. "Since I was a young girl, you have been the very source of my being. It was you who drew me out into the woods. It was you who filled my dreams. And it was you with whom my heart became one. Your outer appearance has never had anything to do with how I feel for you. But, I am still somewhat confused. What about the dreams that tormented me?"
"The dreams of the battle were needed to help you, so that when the time came you would remember." Zebual rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. "The other dreams were necessary for me. I wanted you so desperately and it was the only way I could have you. I wanted you to remember what we had. But while the Grand Counsel ruled that I could not interfere with you and your memory during your waking hours, they said nothing about when you were asleep."
"What a wicked man you are ... for an angel." Arysa laughed.
"What dreams do you speak of?" Justin turned to Arysa's grandmother. "Did she mention anything to you about dreams?"
Arysa's cheeks turned warm.
"Leave off," Zebual said, with a soft laugh. "You embarrass my woman."
"Now that sounded positively possessive to me." Justin said and then took a step back when Zebual's blue gaze began turning red. "I was jesting, my friend."
With the tips of her fingers, Arysa turned Zebual's face to hers. "That night in your room ... you were the white creature I saw?"
Zebual nodded. "During the daylight hours I had to transform into the shape of my clan."
"Wings and a halo?" she asked, teasingly.
"Almost." Zebual smiled. "Before the first battle between Lucian and myself, you had seen my true form. But again, the Grand Counsel had set down its rules forbidding me to do so until this episode came to a close. In your dreams I prevented you from touching me for that reason and also I feared that if you had seen me in the form of my clan that you would have been frightened of me."
"Never have I feared you," Arysa whispered, staring up into his eyes. "Always will I love you."
"I believe this is getting much too sweet for my ears," Justin murmured loudly.
"I must agree," Edmond said, with a laugh. "I think it's time we departed this scene."
"Not a sweet bone in my man," Hanah murmured and then laughed as her husband took her arm and pulled her down the hallway.
Reese and Tairam nodded at Zebual and Arysa, a smile upon their lips as they followed their friends.
Grandmother smiled at Justin. "Well, it looks like it's just me and you. Come along, my friend. I will have to see if I can find you a mate. It would be a shame for a handsome man like you to grow lonely."
Justin held up his hands. "No, thank you. I don't care for anyone to play matchmaker with my future."
Zebual and Arysa listened as the hall out side their room grew quiet. He pulled her close to his body and held her tightly. "I dreaded this day to come and yet I hungered for it."
"What happens from here?"
"I make love to you."
Arysa smiled, as she kissed the base of his jaw. "That sounds wonderful, but I what I meant was with the Grand Counsel. What will they do now?"
"I have been forgiven for my transgressions. You see, among my clan there was and always will be one factor above all else ... one of the first lessons we are taught is that love is the greatest gift of all. I merely pointed out that this gift should not be limited to certain societies or culture. Love has no limitations and that when it all comes down to the basics ... we are all created by the same hand of the Universe. Love is love ... no matter who or what we are."
"I can guarantee that my clan will not see it so. In fact, the High Ruler is going to be very displeased to learn that one of his high ranking officers has been terminated this day."
Zebual shook his head. "Nay, the High Ruler knew the terms that the Grand Counsel had set and he also knew that his officer had more in his favor. Once he hears of Lucian's termination and how six out numbered his one, he will not feel so badly beaten."
Arysa leaned back to look into his eyes. "And what of my grandmother?"
Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her tip of her nose. "She will live with us for as long as she likes ... and be safe. Also, the Grand Counsel has decided that Syra will be the new territory for those wishing to be ... different. Outsiders and troublemakers will not be sent here, but those wishing to live a life far different than the ones we had been created for will be sent to us. So, soon we could very well have several that reside within Syra's borders."
"Will you explain about the decay of our garden?"
"Syra is much like me, without our love she was slowly dying. Our love will make her flourish yet again.
"I only have one more question."
Zebual laughed. "And I know what that is." Before she could respond, he stepped back and with a wave of his hand he transformed into the man she remembered ... her Connor. "There, Connor Zebual Bayne, at your service. Am I now more pleasing to your eyes?"
Arysa smiled. "You have always been pleasing to my eyes, my love. But that wasn't the question I was going to ask."
"It wasn't? What then is your question, my heart?"
"When are you going to make love to me?"
His laughter filled the room, as he swung her up into his arms and began carrying her out of the room and down the hallway.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To our room on the second floor ... our haven. Then I am going to make love to you over and over. I will give you my seed to nourish inside your warm womb ... and I will cherish you for the rest of our days."
"Well then, let us hurry, for I hunger for you," Arysa murmured.
THE END
About the Author:
Glenda Diana has been writing for nearly 17 years. She's better known to most of the e-publishing world as, Glenda D. Tudor, the creator/founder of the popular newsletter "E-Book Ecstas
y" and for her romance novels and short stories.
You can find out more about Glenda and her writing by visiting her website at: http://glendatudor1.tripod.com
We invite you to visit Liquid Silver Books
http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com
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Some Rough Edge Smoothin' - Louisa Trent
Weekend Games - Chris Tanglen
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The Pickup Line - Louisa Trent
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