Fueled by Lust: Caelius (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  Caelius lifted the silver necklace to the light and promptly lost his breath. His father’s finger was slowly tracing down the backside of the tooth. A slight discoloration ran alongside a hairline fracture stretching from end to end. Sweat coated his skin as he turned panic-stricken eyes to his father. He struggled to speak.

  “It’s broken.” His father plopped down on the seat next to him, eyes wide in disbelief.

  “It appears so. I have never heard of this happening before. These minerals are the hardest material on our world.”

  Pressing his forehead against the tabletop, Caelius released a deep groan. “How is this possible? I’ve wasted six months of my life walking a path that had no end.” As soon as the last word escaped his lips, Caelius surged up from his chair and grasped his father’s shoulders.

  “Inferni! Do you know what this means?” Caelius saw understanding lift his father’s brows. His words came strong and determined.

  “We have to go back to the mines for another. If you’ve touched your true mate, Caelius, you’ll know within seconds.”

  Closing his eyes, Caelius took a deep, calming breath before he revealed his greatest fear.

  “Yes, but which female? How will I ever know without repeating everything I’ve done for the last six months?”

  A firm grip latched on to his forearm and tugged him forward. “Come on. You will not know until you try.”

  Chapter 24

  Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Where are my feet? Rhia gave up trying to figure out if she was upside down, sideways, or about to plant headfirst onto whatever was on the other side of this fucked-up rollercoaster. She barely got a glance at her reforming hands before they elongated like funhouse mirror appendages toward another swirling blob of black. Grunting from the sudden impact against a thankfully soft carpet, she laid perfectly still as she tried to reason with her lungs to start sucking air. It was the juicy curse that finally kick-started her brain. She would have scrambled to her feet, if she could feel them.

  “Son of a bitch! Who the fuck are you?”

  Rhia pushed upward and managed to roll to her back. Eyelids peeled wide, she stared up at the huge man hovering over her. No wait, there were two of him now. Crap, she’d screwed up her eyes. Squeezing them shut, she counted to five and reopened them. Nope, still there.

  Four broad hands reached forward to offer assistance. Unsure which ones were real, Rhia lifted both arms and gasped when all four hands latched on and lifted her from the ground. Well, hell. There really are two of them. Blinking rapidly, she realized that she was looking at a set of twins. Identical, to be exact. And they were gorgeous. Their eyes were aquamarine, a brilliant blue with striations of green intermingled. How was that even possible? The black tunics and pants didn’t hide anything about their physique. They were tall and spectacularly muscular, just like Caelius. Both of them had the same long, dark hair pulled into a braid, deep golden tan, and sexy, lilting accent as Caelius. They were obviously from the same place, maybe even related. Hell, now that she thought about it, all the men at Heat Seekers had similar build and coloring.

  Walking on numb legs, she allowed them to pull her over to a comfortable-looking couch and ass-planted as soon as her butt was pointing in the right direction. Both men squatted in front of her and studied her like she was an exotic animal locked behind enclosed glass. She took a second to glance around what looked like a huge circus tent and then released her breath.

  “I’m Rhia. Where in the hell am I?” She squeaked when a green disk the size of a Frisbee flew across the room, slammed against the side of the tent, and fell to the ground. It had appeared from the center of that weird swirling doorway that had just unceremoniously spit her out. The twins stared into each other’s eyes until the one on the right huffed out a frustrated breath.

  “Fine. I’ll get it. If you touch her before I get back, I’m going to kick your ass.” The one on the left snorted and turned his attention back to her.

  “Rhia?”

  “Yes?

  “I’m Kyros. Numb nuts over there is Nierius, my brother.”

  Rhia tried to keep from laughing. The whole thing was surreal.

  “Uh…I figured that out.” When he smiled, she couldn’t help but do the same. His eyes instantly widened.

  “Damn. I thought you were pretty when you nearly knocked me over, but now I’m adjusting my thinking. You’re gorgeous, Rhia.” Before she could respond, he glanced back to his brother. “Well, what’s the message?”

  Nierius held the disk up and rolled his eyes. “Breach.”

  Kyros snorted. “Duh. They’re going to be in deep shit for letting this happen. Talos should’ve at least jumped in behind her. He’s the senior on the watch. I’m going to tease the shit out him as soon as his rotation is up.”

  Shrugging, Nierius tossed the disk onto a table. “Maybe he thought there were more humans about to overrun the entry site. Perhaps he made the correct decision to stay.”

  Rhia’s brain latched on to one word and failed to hear anything else they were saying. Human. She’d been right. Caelius isn’t human. That wasn’t a master illusionist trick he’d pulled in the parking lot, and she hadn’t dreamed the whole thing up. He was an alien. She snapped out of her stupor when something tapped the outside of her calf. “Huh?”

  Kyros’s eyes were questioning. “Are there more humans coming, Rhia, or are you it? Why are you here?”

  Swallowing hard, she croaked out her answer. “I’m…it’s just me. I’m here for Caelius.”

  Kyros immediately stood and backed up two steps. “Oh. Are you his mate?”

  Mate? Oh, shit. Right. That was the word Caelius used for spouse. “Oh, no. We’re not married. We’re, uh…friends. Is he here? In fact, where exactly is here?” There it was again, that long stare between the brothers like they were having a full conversation just by reading each other’s eye movements and facial tics. They both stood very still for several moments and then shrugged. Rhia rose from the couch and held her palms up. She needed answers.

  “Hey, I’m getting a little freaked out here. Can you at least give me a clue on what I just got myself into?” Her eyes widened when the brothers moved forward in unison and clasped her hands. Kyros’s voice was gentle.

  “Come with us, Rhia. It’ll be okay. We’ll help you find Caelius. He came through earlier, but he’s not answering our calls. We need to take you to the outpost so you can wait there for him.”

  Frowning, Rhia pulled her hands back. She was relieved they easily released her. “I didn’t see you call him. What are you talking about?”

  Nierius’s brows drew together, a confused expression crossing his face. “You’re not aware of us, are you? How can this be?”

  Frustrated, Rhia let her arms drop to her sides. “Look. I really need to speak with Caelius. I don’t know who ‘us’ is, and I certainly don’t know where I’m at.”

  Slowly, Kyros reached out and lifted her hand. He brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Turning her arm, he stared at her wrist while he stroked up and down her palm. Soon, Nierius lifted her other hand and did the same thing. His voice was mesmerizing.

  “So, Caelius isn’t your mate? Has he kissed your lips, Rhia?”

  Confused, she looked back and forth between the brothers, now standing close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from their skin. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I’ve kissed him. Why does that even matter?”

  Their lips lifted into a sensuous smile as they glanced to each other and then refocused on her wrist. A chill ran across her skin. Kyros leaned forward, as if he wished to share a secret.

  “By any chance, did he react in a peculiar way after that kiss?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “As if he were having convulsions or in pain?”

  “No. Why would he?”

  Neither said a word as their fingers slowly traced her palm and drifted up to her wrist. They held their fingers over her
pulse point for several seconds and then looked at each other. Utter disappointment showed on their features. She pulled her hands away, and they didn’t stop her.

  “What is it about all this wrist touching? Caelius did that, too. What does it mean?”

  Kyros shook his head, his eyes sad. “Nothing, sweetness. Nothing that you should worry about. It’s our problem, not yours. We need to go now.” Nierius stepped back and gestured for her to come with him. When she complied, Kyros followed.

  Not expecting to encounter bright sunlight as she slipped through the opening, Rhia slammed her eyes shut. Had it taken hours to pass through that door? Impossible. When she finally blinked through the brightness, she promptly lost her breath. Magenta grass, yellow trees, green rocks, beautiful translucent sky, and three large pale-purple moons hovering high above had her mouth dropping open. If that wasn’t mind-boggling enough, Nierius was leading her toward what looked like a huge silver bullet. The thing hovered a foot above the ground, not more than five feet away.

  Dorothy, you’re not in Kansas anymore. She promptly burst out laughing and stopped dead in her tracks. Nierius pushed something on the side of the silver thing and part of the hull slid backward. Once it fully opened, she saw a console that would rival the space shuttle and figured it to be some type of alien craft.

  “I knew it.”

  Nierius gestured for her to get inside. “Knew what?”

  Rhia tried to collect herself. When she was able to suppress the hysterical giggles, she gestured back to the tent. “That thing back there. It was some type of transporter, right? I’m definitely not on Earth anymore. Where the hell am I?” Kyros stepped to her side. He was smiling.

  “Welcome to Insedivertus, Rhia. We call ‘that thing’ the vortex. It connects our worlds, obviously. We’re Insedi. I’m glad that you’re not frightened. In fact, you’re taking this rather well. Come now, sweetness. There’s someone that’ll want to meet you very soon.”

  “Who?”

  Kyros slipped onto the seat next to hers as Nierius moved to the front of the vehicle. The door slid effortlessly back into place without a sound. He patted Nierius on the shoulder and then leaned back.

  “The emperor. He’s on his way.”

  Shaking her head, Rhia gazed out the window as the vehicle whisked them away from the tent.

  “Of course, let’s meet the wonderful Wizard of Oz while I’m at it. Why not?”

  * * * *

  Kallon felt Ulixes’s shoulders begin to slowly relax. His cries of anguish had ceased moments ago, yet he’d not released his firm grip. He could still feel the tight bands of his arms hugging him close, and he never wanted them to move. He was surprised when muffled words blew hot against his T-shirt.

  “I can’t believe I did that. Forgive me.”

  Kallon continued to stroke the soft hair under his palm. “Never apologize, Ulixes. That had to happen. It was killing you.”

  “You don’t think less of me? A warrior should not act as such.”

  Chuckling, Kallon leaned back and caught the edge of a hard jaw with his fingertips. Slowly, he raised the handsome face until those warm brown eyes finally met his. They were bloodshot, and dried tears streaked like silver trails across his cheeks. He was beautiful.

  “You’re wrong, Ulixes. It takes a very strong male to allow that much trauma to escape. Keeping it inside is what makes you weak. I’m in awe of you.” Even though he was loath to move from this intimate position, Kallon knew that Ulixes needed some breathing room to get his shit together. Lifting a leg so he could roll off to the side, he was surprised when Ulixes refused to release him. He drew his knees up and trapped him on his lap.

  “No, please. Stay like this. It comforts me.”

  Feeling as if his heart would burst from the confession, Kallon willingly settled back into place. Ulixes lowered his head and pressed his cheek against his chest again. The shirt was still damp with his tears.

  “Of course. I’ll stay as long as you need. Do you wish to talk about it? If not, I can be quiet with you. Whatever you need.” He felt Ulixes take a large draw of air and slowly exhale. His voice came husky and low.

  “I…I would like to speak of it. It feels as if a large barrier has broken, and I need to deal with what has fallen out.” Kallon remained quiet. This was crucial to his healing.

  “I was nineteen when I was asked to leave my family’s home. It’s my first memory of experiencing rejection. Obviously it has sat unaddressed all of these years, but I see it clearly now. I spent the whole of my youth fighting my growing interest in other males. I thought I was broken. We’re taught from an early age that only the unclean and insane lie with the same sex. Not until my eighteenth year did I finally act on my feelings. I met another that shared my curiosity, and we became fast friends. One day our exploration went further than simple touches or soft kisses. I remember feeling blissful and finally at peace with myself as I entered his body. It felt natural, and I was finally free. We were still fully joined when my father came upon us in the barn.”

  Kallon could feel Ulixes’s fingers tighten in his shirt and his breath shuddered before he could continue.

  “My father kicked us apart. The pain was excruciating. I remember hearing the screams of my friend as he was pummeled over and over until he suddenly grew quiet. I was rendered helpless and could only watch as the life faded from his eyes. I thought for sure I would be next, but my father just looked at me in disgust and spat upon me. He made me bury my friend’s body in the garden. He wouldn’t speak to me after that. I was his only son, and if anyone knew, I would be castrated, strung up to a tree by our home, and left to rot for all to see. His concern was not for my wellbeing, but the dishonor it would bring to the family. My little brother was born six months later and I was sent away to become a soldier. I only saw him when I would pass through our village and my mother would bring him to me. This went on for years.”

  Squeezing his eyes shut, Kallon could only imagine the horror that so many males had faced on that planet. To bury a part of your nature so deeply had to be beyond traumatizing. He could see now why Ulixes had so easily embraced Insedi citizenship. The pace of Ulixes’s breath increased, yet he spoke no more. He was lost in the memory and needed to move forward. He gently rocked the lost male and spoke softly to him.

  “What else did you see, Ulixes? Share it with me so I can understand.” The broad shoulders gradually relaxed and he finally spoke.

  “My brother was too young to comprehend the animosity between adults. He was unable to hold his tongue. He spoke excitedly of his brother and my father overheard. I only know this because my mother was the last one I ever visited. My father had beaten her for her secrets. I kissed her good-bye, yet always searched for their faces when the troops passed through her village. I never saw them again. I tried to move on with my life. Any intimate encounter that I had with a male was furtive and quick. Fear kept me from ever acquiring that feeling of freedom again. It became nothing more than a bodily function. Eventually I stopped seeking out others like me and just took myself to hand. I’ve not lain with anyone for over five years.”

  Ulixes surprised him when he lifted himself away from his chest and looked him directly in the eyes. Those warm brown orbs were searching. For what, he couldn’t name. Lifting his hand, Kallon ran his palm across the strands of dark hair falling past broad shoulders. It seemed forever mussed, yet still perfect. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his damp forehead.

  “Go on, Ulixes. There’s much more to share. I see it in your eyes. Trust that I’ll not betray you or think less of you. It’s impossible.” The statement seemed to appease whatever angst had taken hold of his gut, for his breath released on a soft sigh and he continued.

  “I must tell you of Basilius. I loved him, Kallon. And it destroyed me.”

  Kallon swallowed hard and refused to break eye contact with him. He needed to know that whatever was revealed, it would be accepted, and they could move on. He was complet
ely surprised by Ulixes’s request.

  “Can I go home with you, Kallon? I don’t want to be within this cold, dark place any longer.”

  Nodding, Kallon rose from his lap and extended his hand. Lifting him to his feet, they stared at each other for a long moment. Kallon felt fear hit his gut. They were so close to the crux of Ulixes’s crippling emotions, he worried if they stopped now, they may never reach this place again. Ulixes quickly dispelled that paranoia by grabbing him into a tight embrace and whispering softly against his ear.

  “Don’t worry. I can’t stop this if I wanted to. I’m raw and I want to heal. Help me.”

  Kallon gripped him tightly and whispered back, “All you had to do was ask.” Stepping back, he lifted his palm and felt weak with relief when Ulixes’s warm hand touched his. Linking fingers, he smiled and led him from the hangar.

  Chapter 25

  Caelius shivered as soon as he rounded into the third tunnel. The fine hairs along his arms rose and tight chills skittered across his flesh. He stopped and pressed his palm against his chest.

  “Here, Father. This is the one.” Lifting his flashlight, Caelius moved further into the cavernous enclosure. He heard a faint clicking sound, and the area lit into a twinkling brilliance. No matter which way he turned, the lower half of the rock walls revealed the history, as well as the future, of his race. Rounded indentations told him other warriors had located their conprobatus ball here and had lovingly chipped their way around it until it fell smoothly into their waiting palms. Darkened rock, the size of a fist and protruding several inches out from the smooth walls, revealed those that had yet to be claimed.

  Nestled inside each ball lay the ultimate gift bestowed by their world. Though shaped like the tooth of a predatory animal, the mineral was actually a key to unlock the Insedi’s human DNA. Caelius remembered the day his father shared the legend handed down from one generational male to the next. It was his twelfth birthday and the talk with his father had been valued more than the presents scattered about the room. From that day forward, he’d craved for the moment he could stand in this very spot. The story still brought chills to his flesh.