Feel the Burn

by MacDonald, Nicole

  ‘Alek. Alek, wake up.’

  He swallowed convulsively, head jerking, and his eyes finally opened. The pupils narrowed then widened while she peered at him.

  ‘Kassie?’ he rasped, his voice sounding as rough as hers and he twisted to the side, spitting dust out, then tried to struggle to standing. Kassie braced her feet and helped pull him up before spotting Rumal just beyond.

  ‘Check Cat,’ she ordered unnecessarily, the man already moving toward her, and Kassie hurried to Rumal. Rumal managed to stand but blanched pale and gripped his head with a groan, squeezing his eyes shut.

  ‘Hurt?’ she asked needlessly and he cracked an eye open, the gold iris dark.

  ‘Hmmm.’

  Kassie embraced him, throwing her arms around his waist and ignored his grunt of pain while she called her energy up and let it flow through them both. His back rose and fell in her hold with a deep sigh of relief, and his hands smoothed over her back a moment later. Tipping her head up, she looked questioningly at him. His skin looked its normal mocha and a smile spread while he looked down at her, eyes swirling rich gold.

  ‘Thanks, gorgeous,’ he reached to stroke the ever present curls back from her forehead then lifted her for a quick kiss.

  ‘Now, how’s Cat?’

  They walked to where Alek sat, Cat lying across his lap and the man looked up at their approach.

  ‘How’s she doing?’ Kassie asked and dropped to her knees beside him.

  ‘Not sure,’ Alek said with a tentative, hopeful tone. ‘But her energy feels better. Can you see?’

  Kassie held a finger up, calling her energy into the tip and when the amber light glowed bright she reached for Cat. Before she had a chance to touch her, Cat started to glow the soft, healthy red and Kassie gave a cry, exchanging a delighted grin first with Alek, then Rumal.

  ‘Why doesn’t she wake up then?’ asked a croaky voice and Kassie turned to see Sian and Daron coming.

  ‘It feels like she needs more rest,’ Kassie called, her voice high with excitement. ‘Kind of like after the ball.’

  ‘God, I hope not for as long,’ muttered Sian in the husky tone and the others who’d come to, and now gathered around them, chuckled. Kassie sat back on her heels with a sigh of relief and looked at Sian with a smile about to speak when a distant voice from behind beat her to it.

  ‘What’s wrong with Cat?’

  Kassie’s breath lodged in her throat at that soft, instantly recognizable, Scottish burr.

  The look of horror on everyone’s faces when they slowly twisted and looked her way made Loi petrified of turning to see what lurked behind. With a nervous gulp she wobbled onto her knees, wishing desperately for her sword, and twisted, looking over a shoulder. She stared in bewilderment at the rough area of sand, and rocks, and trees, eyes searching for danger but seeing nothing.

  ‘Screw Cat,’ Kassie’s voice sounded odd, hollow, and Loi turned back to find her friend pasty and pointing her finger. ‘What’s wrong with you?!’

  The pointed accusation only added to the current confusion Loi felt since waking under a bush and discovering she’d been wrapped fully in a sheet. She had no idea where they were or what was going on and now Sian and Kassie crept toward her like they stalked something dangerous.

  ‘Come on, guys, this isn’t funny!’ she exclaimed while trying to untangle her legs, not wanting to be trapped when they reached her. ‘What’s going on, why are you looking at me like that. You’re freaking me out!’

  Loi looked down and gasped in shock. Her green energy hadn’t just extended with her anxiety, it claimed her body, flowing green down all her limbs until Loi didn’t recognize herself.

  ‘What’s happening?’ she shrieked.

  Sian and Kassie’s mouths dropped and they lost the intense look of apprehension. Loi stumbled to her feet, heart going a million miles an hour when she felt the sheer life under her feet. Every living thing within the earth cried out loudly, their calls of joy reverberating to her core and a moment later the energy sucked back in, to that spot behind her heart. Loi swayed and gulped, suddenly wanting to cry after getting such a fright. She stared wildly around wondering what had caused it.

  ‘Where are we?’

  No one answered and they all looked past her at something to the right. Loi went to twist when arms wrapped around her, turning her and Sabyn gazed down. He looked exhausted with deep, deep lines like he’d been ill and yet his face seemed to glow with such an expression of joy that Loi’s throat went tight with emotion.

  ‘Goddess?’ he whispered and lifted a shaking hand to smooth back her hair, mussed from wrestling out of the sheet.

  ‘Ye-es?’

  His eyes kept moving over her face, the expression of delighted disbelief not budging. Dampness hit her cheek and she blinked in surprise then panicked when she realized he cried. Loi reached her hand to his face.

  ‘Sab! What’s wron—‘

  His lips cut off the words and snatched the air from her lungs. Shrugging off the confusion Loi hugged him closer, responding to the feverish kisses with passion while vaguely aware of the others cheering.

  *~*~*

  Chapter Forty Two

  The smell of salt on the air confused me and I blinked, eyes blurry and sleep clogged, while my mind refused to tell me what the hell was going on. The low wooden ceiling I stared at looked familiar but I couldn’t quite place it, yet. Then the room swayed and I gasped, throwing my arms out for a hold on anything. Sheer panic hit when my brain registered it. I sat abruptly and cracked my head on the top of the berth bed.

  ‘OW!’

  The panic subsided to some extent with the ringing of my head and I stumbled out of bed before freezing when the room tilted again.

  The same room.

  Everything—exactly—the—same.

  Oh god, no, no please no, my gut clenched in horror when my scrambled brain seized on the idea that I’d dreamt it all. The door creaked open and I gasped a sob, eyes filling with tears while I stared miserably at Ignatius.

  ‘Love?’

  I gulped in shock and frantically blinked the tears away, barely daring to breathe. Alek’s navy eyes watched me, a warm smile spreading on his gorgeous face.

  I burst into tears.

  ‘Cat!’

  Alek hastily swung the door shut when she sank to the floor in a sobbing mess, reaching her side a moment later and scooped her onto his lap. Due to the size of the room it took only a subtle shift for him to lean against a wall before his full focus rested on the girl in his lap.

  Cat’s arms around his neck, the weight of her on his lap and the smell of the hair that wafted under his nose, tickling like always; the things he’d dreamed of when chained to the wall in Jenviet’s chamber. Alek didn’t speak while she mumbled away, her lips against his neck tickling, making him chuckle. He slowly ran his hands up and down her back in a soothing motion. The short hem of the shirt she wore made her bare skin irresistibly accessible and he slipped a hand in, fingers splaying across her back while his other hand wove into the mass of red hair and he turned his head, kissing the side of her face, nuzzling her ear before kissing the tears away from her eyes. Without intending it to, his energy rose and Cat pulled back, her eyes a deep sensuous green, and stared at his arms.

  ‘Al,’ she breathed in amazement.

  He smiled, staring at the gold energy clearly tinged with red.

  ‘Seems permanent too,’ he whispered, his lips against her lips and her eyes rolled in pleasure, rousing his energy further. It didn’t burn like Cat’s but some experimenting with the girls, while Cat had still been out of it, revealed he could do more with it; use it in an offensive manner and potentially even heal, though it looked like he’d need quite a bit of practice.

  Part of me wanted to know more about the obvious merge of our energies but mostly, I wanted his lips.

  So, so much better than in my dreams, I thought and flashed a grin before tilting my head for another. Alek chuckled at me when I pulle
d back, smoothing my hands up his neck and along his jaw, running a hand through his hair with a lingering sense of disbelief. I shuddered when his hand beneath my shirt moved over my back.

  ‘What?’ he asked, dark brows slanting over his eyes, fingers pressing against my spine and it happened again; that delicious full body shudder. I pulled a hand back, pressing my fingers to my lips while flushing with emotion.

  ‘I just can’t get enough!’

  The words croaked out and we both laughed. Alek moved his hands to cup my face and I nearly swooned, eyes fluttering when another shudder ran through me. I felt his breath on my face and he pressed feather light kisses over my cheeks, the bridge of my nose and my closed eyes before he pulled back and I blinked.

  His lips curved in a smile, riveting my eyes to them and I couldn’t resist reaching to touch them, meeting his gaze when I did and I watched it darken. He opened his mouth and gently fastened his teeth over the tip of my finger, his expression shifting to predatory and he released my finger then seized the back of my neck, mouth closing forcefully over mine.

  Alek pushed away from the wall and lowered her to the floor, his mouth devouring hers. The intense rush of lust at the moan she gave made his head spin and he pulled back, breathing hard. Cat’s pupils looked huge, eyes slanting coquettishly, her lips in a teasing smile.

  ‘Mmmm,’ he murmured when he brought his lips to hers again, more than ready to continue until an annoying portion of his brain pointed out there would be time later. With an internal grumble, Alek sighed and sat up, offering his hands to Cat who accepted them with a confused quirk of a brow. A disappointed ‘humph’ escaped her lips when they stood. Catching her by the hips and pressing his body against hers he grinned when she groaned, grinding against him and ducked his head to her neck, sucking the pale flesh and bit, making her gasp and knees buckle before she caught herself.

  ‘Al!’ she smacked his arm, grumbling. ‘Don’t tease if we aren’t going to…’

  ‘Oh we are, princess,’ he promised unable to stop the growl of desire creeping into his voice. ‘But we should go upstairs, see the others. What do you last remember?’

  Her eyes went wide and vague while she thought about it, the sensual expression vanishing.

  ‘Oooh…I’m not sure. I remember her,’ Cat shuddered then motioned her body with a grimace. ‘I remember her inside.’ She frowned, still thinking and then looked to him with a soft, grateful smile.

  ‘Then your light, Al. You pulled me out.’

  Alek returned the grateful smile with the addition of a gentle kiss.

  ‘I owed you one,’ he said, rubbing his nose against hers before straightening up. ‘You don’t remember anything else?’

  Cat shook her head and cast a bewildered look around.

  ‘Nope. When did we get on the ship?’

  ‘Three days ago. So you don’t remember talking to those aboard? Or having a bath? Alek probed.

  Cat looked down in surprise.

  ‘Hey! I’m not wearing my chainmail!’

  Alek laughed and walked to the trunk, lifting the heavy lid and motioned to her.

  ‘No you’re not. Come change out of your bed wear, it looks like I’ve got a few surprises for you.’

  Cat started to walk over then jolted to a stop, holding her left hand at head height and gaped at it.

  ‘My ring!’

  Until then I hadn’t noticed anything wrong with it. It looked fine, perfect, at first glance. But then you noticed something wasn’t quite right. The ring had melded to my skin, the white gold band and gemstones all sunk, set into the skin. I didn’t notice him move, so focused on the ring but Al stood at my side his large hand encompassing mine.

  ‘It was like that when I found you after the explosion,’ he explained, running his thumb over the tourmaline. It wasn’t uncomfortable thankfully and I stared at it before shaking my head in disbelief.

  ‘Well I guess I can’t lose it now,’ I muttered.

  It felt strange and yet so right to put normal clothes on and I pulled my shirt off, not thinking about it until I felt the hum of energy and turned to look.

  Alek’s eyes locked on me, the gold red energy resonating from his skin while his eyes roamed mine. I bit my lip to hide a grin and nonchalantly pulled a clean shirt on.

  ‘What?’ I asked coyly.

  He shook his head, silent, and a smile spread across his lips, eyes still locked on me. I shoved the shorts down to my ankles and kicked them to the side then purposefully leaned over the edge of the trunk for a pair of pants. When I pulled out, straightening up, he stood right behind me, strong legs pressed to mine and warm hands spread over my bare ass.

  ‘Tsk.’ I leaned back against his chest and mocked him. ‘Later, remember?’

  ‘Tease,’ he admonished, lifting his hands to cup my face and bent to kiss me. ‘Get dressed before I change my mind.’

  ‘Is that supposed to be a deterrent?’ I arched an eyebrow.

  He laughed while moving away, hands safely behind his back, and those navy eyes twinkled at me.

  ‘As soon as night falls you’re all mine,’ he promised when I finished dressing. I ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to neaten it.

  ‘No.’ I informed him with a cheeky smile while we walked out the room. ‘You’re all mine.’

  ‘Possessive much.’

  ‘After those hellish weeks, damn straight.’ I emphasized my point by grabbing his ass and giggled at the jerk of surprise he made mid-stride. He reached back to grab the offending hand with a narrowed look, lips curling up.

  ‘Don’t push it,’ he warned, visibly fighting a smile. ‘I’ll have you bent over before you can blink.’

  I scowled and gestured with my free hand while he dragged me along.

  ‘Again, how is that a disincentive?’

  After having her so out of it for the trip back to the ships, it felt fantastic to see Cat really awake. Alek held her hand high while helping her up the stairs but before she could step out onto the deck, jerked her back so her chest hit his.

  ‘Behave yourself,’ he growled in mock anger and with a quick glance over her shoulder to check the others weren’t within view, scooped her up so to kiss her firmly. She flushed, nearly sparking with annoyance and frustration when he set her down and smacked at him.

  ‘Damn you,’ she grumbled and he grinned, squeezing her ass.

  ‘Payback.’

  The voices of the others caught her attention and her small hand found his. Alek lifted it to his lips, touched to see the glimmer of tears at the gesture.

  ‘No, kitten,’ he said softly. ‘No tears now. We’ve won. It’s all done.’

  They walked out onto the deck, fingers entwined and rounded the corner to the open area of the main deck. Loushka, sprawled in the evening sun with Kerak, and Phroma, lifted her head and looked their way, giving a soft call. Looking up from their conversations and card games, the crowd of soldiers, allies and their friends, shouted out greetings.

  Rashid, leaning against the ship’s rail with Leseach a respectable distance from him, her ardwyr bristling while it regarded the Lieutenant from its position between them, called,

  ‘Welcome back, Princess.’

  Cat didn’t appear to hear him. She stood frozen on the spot, jaw dropped and staring, eyes locked on Loi who stood up from the box seat she shared with Sabyn.

  ‘She doesn’t remember anything beyond Jenviet’s final appearance,’ Alek called, to clarify the astonished expression Cat wore.

  I ignored everyone while staring, mouth working.

  ‘Loi?’ I asked incredulously and those around us started laughing. Loi nodded, rolling her eyes and walked to me with her arms wide.

  ‘Indeed,’ she said when we hugged tight. ‘Back from the dead apparently.’

  ‘We swear it’s true!’ Kassie cried indignantly from behind Loi. Tears welled up again and I pulled back to stare at her.

  ‘HOW?’

  ‘You and Alek,’ Loi’s beaut
iful doe-like brown eyes shimmered with tears and a shy smile spread. Her eyes looked past me and I saw Sabyn watching, his expression of adoration and joy so intense it felt inappropriate to observe. Then his eyes moved to my face and the smile lightened.

  ‘Cousin! Good to see you up.’

  I grinned while pulling Loi in for another hug and she groaned, rolling her eyes while everyone laughed.

  ‘Don’t tease,’ I said feeling my throat hitch. ‘Watching you die was bloody awful.’

  ‘You should have seen their faces when I sat up,’ Loi said, with a hint of dark humor. ‘They were all ready to put me back down again.’

  ‘Were not,’ Sian called from where she sat with Daron. ‘We just thought you might need an exorcism.’

  ‘Or a stake,’ muttered Kassie, making Loi and I laugh.

  ‘So how?’ I asked again, still not understanding. Kassie hopped up and came over, wriggling her way between us with a smile, an arm around our waists.

  ‘When Alek helped to kick that witch out of your body, Cat, it released Loi’s energy. Worked a treat.’

  I shook my head in amazement.

  ‘Only on Gar’nyse.’

  ‘Indeed,’ agreed Kassie.

  ‘And how are you feeling, Your Highness?’ The resonant voice made me crane my neck, spotting Gredel before my eyes rested on Chaieth.

  ‘Chaieth! You made it,’ I beamed at the centaur. ‘Where’s Belsesus?’

  The moment the name left my lips I knew it. All eyes dimmed and Chaieth shook his head.

  ‘Didn’t make it. Larvaste and Oomoth too.’