Pride

by H. C. Brown

  He dragged his mouth away and fought the overpowering need to mate. No cat, we bite her to make her strong.

  “Mine.” The cat insisted.

  Dallin held the female at arm’s length and stared into her pale face. “Are you okay?”

  Lailii trembled. What had just happened? These deep feelings of lust were most unfamiliar. She pulled the sheet around her body and looked into Dallin’s face. Such a handsome face. Indeed, both he and Stryker were outstanding. She rubbed her neck. The touch of Dallin’s mouth had sent shivers down her spine. Her entire body tingled from his touch. She drew in the scent of him; these small offerings of delight charged her powers. Gods, his kiss could recharge her magyck completely. Mayhap the Lady had sent him to her, for indeed, her body grew stronger by the second.

  She tugged at the knots in her hair. “Why did you bite me? I was fearful, but I must say it was not an unpleasant experience.”

  “My venom will make you strong.” Dallin dropped his arms, and then bent to pick up his clothes. “You should prepare yourself, as both Stryker and I will need to bite you simultaneously before we leave.”

  With a frown, Lailii met his gaze. “Why?”

  “To travel into our realm, you will need to become one of us. The Lady’s instructions were to bite you. Our venom will change you.”

  “The Butcher will hunt me down. You do not understand; he is the right hand of the demon, Passio.”

  “We are fully aware of the Butcher and his allegiance. You will be safe. I promised the Lady I would protect you. I keep my word, little one.” He pulled on his shirt.

  His explanation was reasonable. She nodded. “Do you have magyck? If so, would you fix my hair?”

  “Sure.” Dallin ran a hand over her hair. “There you go.” He indicated to a chair by the fire. “Why do you not sit down and eat something? We have a long journey ahead of us.”

  Lailii touched her hair, now soft and glossy from Dallin’s magyck touch. She turned and stared at the two silver bars beside a goblet of wine. She smiled at Dallin and sat. Her hand trembled. How long had it been since she had eaten anything but stale bread, and now the idiot offered her a strange, metal bar? What cruel trick was this? Taking the unusual item between thumb and finger, she lifted her chin and sighed. “I am sorry. I do not believe I can eat this.”

  “It is an energy bar.” Dallin took the cookie from her hand and ripped open the foil wrapper. “They are from our time.” He broke a little off the end of the bar and pushed it into his mouth. “Mmm, apple-cinnamon—my favorite. Take it slow. I do not want you to puke.” He pressed a portion of the bar against Lailii’s lips.

  She took the morsel of crumbly delight and chewed slowly. Gods, it tasted so good. She reached for the goblet of wine and sipped. Dallin watched her with a puzzled expression.

  She smiled at him. “I owe you my life. When my powers are restored, I will weave any spells of your choosing.”

  The door opened before Dallin could reply. Stryker strolled in with clothes hanging over his muscular arm. He stared at Lailii and smiled wickedly. “So you could not wait for me.”

  “We both need to bite her to ensure she transforms.” Dallin shrugged. “My bite has healed her as the Lady promised.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.” Stryker grinned at Lailii. “You are sure filling out kid.”

  Lailii’s face grew hot. She glanced down. Dear Lady, her legs were exposed. She blinked. Her skinny legs had vanished and now appeared normal. In fact, her legs had never looked this good before. She pulled the sheet over her thighs.

  “We are going to see you when you get dressed.” Stryker balled his fists on his hips. “We are Pride; nudity comes with the territory. Hell, you will be sharing our tent—get used to it.”

  In defiance, Lailii stood up and dropped the sheet. What the hell, they had already seen her naked. Gods, Dallin had washed her. Too late to be a prude now. She walked to Stryker and took the clothes from his arm. She forced an expression of indifference. “Well?”

  “Outstanding.” Stryker gave her a wide grin.

  The man’s gaze centered on her breasts. She glanced down. Oh my, they are much bigger than I remembered. With a toss of her hair, she held up a pair of buckskin breeches. “These are boy’s clothes.”

  “That is all we could find.” Stryker shrugged.

  “Let her get dressed, and then we will bite her. With luck, she will transform overnight, and we can take her home.” Dallin tipped his head toward the door. “You will need to get Lance to wait with her while she finishes eating.”

  “Lance? Why cannot we wait with her?”

  “Because, he has a mate of his own at home and is the safest choice. After we bite her, I will need to speak to you—in private.” Dallin glared at his lover. “Go get Lance. Tell him to wait outside the door”

  Dallin waited in silence until Stryker returned. He gave his friend a nod and turned to gaze at Lailii. Lady’s blood, his cock ached for this female. His bite had replenished her emaciated body, turning the childlike female into a beautiful woman, ripe and ready for picking. Now he must bite her again. The entire episode was confusing and against tradition. Pride bite their mates—only their life mates—and now, by the Lady’s command, he was sharing his venom with a wood nymph.

  I guess the Lady knows what she is doing. I hope she factored in the fact, the female sends my cat into a frenzy. Gods, what if he lost control and raped her? The Lady would banish him to the Underworld.

  Biting the inside of his cheek, Dallin searched his backpack for a tube of lube. No doubt, she will affect Stryker the same way. He pushed the tube into his pocket, turned to Lailii, and smiled. “The clothes will do for now. I will have the finest gowns made for you when we return to Fae Island.”

  “That place is a myth.” Lailii pulled on a pair of boots and walked up and down, testing the fit. “It is mentioned in the Book of the Fae. Some say, fierce storms and tides protect Fae Island, and only the King of the Fae may gain entrance.” She tossed her head. “I have heard many tales of the mythical Knight Watch Warriors. They are told to frighten children.”

  Schooling his expression, Dallin moved closer to Stryker. “Interesting. You must tell me those stories around a campfire one night. Come here, little one.”

  “Are you going to bite me again now?” Lailii looked back and forth between Dallin and Stryker. “Will you not first please explain what you mean by transform?”

  “We do not have time.” Stryker met Lailii’s gaze. “We must leave this place, or we will have to fight the entire Butcher’s army. We have ten men with us; the Butcher will slaughter us. Do you want to go back to the dungeon?”

  “No.” Lailii stepped between the men and lifted her chin. “Please hurry.”

  Dallin bent his head and licked across his previous bite marks. He heard Stryker moan. Without waiting, they sank their fangs into Lailii’s neck. His cat roared in pleasure. Lailii’s scent hit Dallin like a ton of rocks. Gods, he could smell her arousal. The bites were affecting her as well. She made small mews, and her nails dug deliciously into Dallin’s back. He wanted her, right here, right now.

  Drawing his fangs from her neck, Dallin met Stryker’s hot gaze. The man turned his head away and called for Lance. Dallin helped Lailii to the chair by the fire and pressed a goblet of wine into her trembling hands. “Rest a while, and eat as much as you can. Lance will look after you while we are gone.”

  “I believe I will need you close by.” Lailii met Dallin’s gaze. “I want you both to hold me. I have such strange feelings.”

  I want to crush those full lips and fill you with my aching cock. Soon, little one. “We will be back shortly, and then we will leave this dreadful place. You have my word. We will stay close for the journey back to Fae Island.”

  Dallin turned and marched from the room, indicating for Stryker to follow him. He hurried along the corridor and pushed open the next door. They rushed inside and shut the door. The room stunk of sweat and mildew. He cou
ld not care less. With a groan, he turned to Stryker and thrust him against the door, tearing at his lover’s clothes. The man grasped his hair and dragged him into a long, hot kiss. Their tongues tangled. Dallin tasted the man’s mouth, drinking in his familiar flavor mixed with the heady taste of venom and blood. He lifted his head on a sigh, and then nibbled a path down Stryker’s neck. He pushed his hands under Stryker’s tunic, seeking his lover’s hot, silky flesh. “Pull down your pants; I have lube.”

  He pulled the lube from his pocket and squeezed some onto his fingertips, then handed the lube to Stryker. The man slowly replaced the lid and dropped the tube to the floor, his eyes smoldering.

  Dallin growled. “Turn around.”

  With practiced ease, he lubed his cock and Stryker’s star. The man bent over, his hands flat against the door panels, his golden ass a stark contrast to the room’s dark wood walls. Dallin grasped his lover’s hips and entered him in one long, delicious slide. He rode him hard, taking and giving pleasure. Grazing his fangs down Stryker’s back, he moaned. “Do you like this? Tell me. Talk dirty to me.”

  “Gods, yes, you know I do. Fuck me harder…ah…make me come.”

  Dallin thrust his hips, riding the wave of intense pleasure. Stryker made the soft sound, the sign Dallin wanted to hear. His lover was near climax. He gave into the bliss, and they came together, crashing in a storm of delight. Not wanting the experience to end, Dallin slipped from his lover. Breathless, he turned Stryker around and drew him close, taking his mouth in a long, slow kiss. He raised his head. “Did you feel a powerful surge of lust mixed with a deep longing when we bit her?”

  “Sure, it hit me like lightning.” Stryker met Dallin’s intense gaze. “Do you think she is ‘the one’?”

  “My cat sure thinks she is. He is going ballistic.”

  “Mine too.” Stryker rubbed the back of his neck. “But we know nothing about her. I thought there would be some sort of courtship.” He pulled up his pants. “You know, I think we should back off. We are here to do a job. The Lady would have told you if Lailii is our life mate.”

  Dallin took a packet of wipes from inside his shirt pocket and cleaned up. He shrugged. “She said that you were her other choice for me.” He rubbed his chin. “If she meant as well as Lailii, it is easy enough to find out. Only our life mate will experience Moonfire from our venom, and only our chosen one can unlock our childseed.” He grinned. “We will take it one day at a time. I just thank the Lady you are here with me, or the Spellweaver would be on her back with her legs in the air right now.”

  Chapter Five

  Lailii flexed her arms and smiled to herself. Her body looked and felt wonderful. She followed Dallin’s broad back through the Great Hall. Every flagstone throughout the Butcher of Anwyn’s castle showed signs of a bloody battle. “Did you kill everyone?”

  “Yes. I could not leave a witness to inform the Butcher of our presence. It was fortunate the Butcher left only a dozen men to guard the castle.” Dallin drew her against his armor. “The men we killed were mass murderers. It is well known they rape children, and they deserved their fate.”

  “You carry no sword, and yet the floors run red with blood.”

  “Do you remember the weapon I used to cut through the chains?” Dallin tapped a leather scabbard at his waist. “It is called a Zap. The magyck beam cuts through anything, even diamond, so I do not have to tell you what it does to a body.” He squeezed Lailii. “My men have never fought an enemy with a sword. Moreover, we do not cut down men without provocation. My men sustained injuries, but most were from projectiles. The Butcher’s men love to throw daggers.”

  They walked out into the courtyard. Lailii stepped away from Dallin, closed her eyes, and turned her face to the twin suns. She called to the Lady to replenish her powers. She opened her arms and spread her fingers, palms up. A surge of white light ignited her magyck and flowed through her body in comforting waves.

  “Holy shit.” Stryker stepped back. “Do you normally glow gold in the sun, sweetheart?”

  “I have read about that phenomenon.” Dallin stood his ground. “She is a Spellweaver. In ancient times they drew power from sunlight, moonlight, and all the senses—including love.” He chuckled. “Fuck, I bet she lights up for the right guy.”

  “No more sex with the light off then?” Stryker threw Dallin a mischievous grin. “Anything else I should know?”

  “I am guessing she has ancient magyck like plagues of locusts and the like.” Dallin ran a hand through his hair. “Some of their curses held for generations.”

  Lailii put her hands on her hips and glared at the two men. “Would you mind not discussing me as if I am not here? If you want to know something, ask me.”

  “So, is it true?” Stryker inclined his head. “What he said?”

  “Yes.”

  “Cool.” Stryker placed an arm around her shoulder. “If you ride with me, I will help you regenerate your powers.”

  Slipping out from under his arm, Lailii smiled. That would be very nice, but I would like to know you better first. “I have my own mount.”

  “There was only a donkey in the stable.” Dallin frowned. “That poor old thing will not last a day in the desert.”

  With a smile, Lailii tipped her head back and called softly. “Argon.”

  She turned to Dallin. “My horse will come. Can we please leave now? I need to be outside the castle grounds.”

  Dallin mounted Courage and held out his hand to Lailii. Pulling her across his thighs, he spurred his horse forward to lead his troops under the portcullis and across the drawbridge. His eyes widened. In the distance, a white horse approached. The warhorse thundered to a halt in a cloud of golden sand. His long, sparkling mane and tail flowed as if in slow motion. The magnificent beast reared high, pawed the air, and spun in a pirouette.

  Lailii threw Dallin a grin, slid from his arms, and walked toward the beast. The horse pranced forward, every muscle quivering. Dallin held his breath. The beast looks unbroken. To his delight, Argon nuzzled Lailii’s outstretched palm with his pink, velvet nose. The girl spoke softly to her mount, her small hand grasped a handful of mane, and she leapt with ease onto the stallion’s back. Lailii rode toward him, grinning like a monkey. To his amazement, she controlled the beast without bridle or saddle. “Ride between me and Stryker at all times. We must cross the dunes. On the other side, my brother is waiting at the river with the rest of my troops.”

  “That is at least a twelve hour journey.” Lailii moved her horse between the men. “We will need to rest the horses. Will we be making camp tonight?”

  Dallin’s cock pressed hard against the front of his pants. She would share their tent tonight. The sight of her full breasts and all that silky, platinum hair brushing her peach-colored skin would be hard to resist. He swallowed. “My main concern is getting over the first dune and out of sight. The Butcher will not be too happy when he returns tonight to find his men are dead. I am guessing he will be hot on our trail.” He met her silver gaze. “The air is still. Our prints will be in the sand, making an easy trail for any numbskull to follow.”

  “Do I really belong to you now, Prince Dallin?” Lailii tossed her long hair over one shoulder.

  “Yes, you belong to me and Stryker.”

  “Then I will weave spells on your command. I will protect you to the best of my ability.”

  “We have magyck. Each of us has a special talent. Dallin has the ability to cloak, to become invisible, and I am a Dream walker.” Stryker snorted and shot her a glance. “What can you actually do?”

  “I can weave any spell you require.” She giggled. “I can command the wind to wipe away our tracks. Tonight, if you wish to cook or stay warm, I can conjure a black fire, which produces no smoke or light.”

  “That will be very useful. Can you build an invisible force field around your body as a defense?” Stryker shot Dallin a glance. “Or jump from one place to the other?”

  “No.” Lailii frowned. “I assume wh
en you say ‘jump’ you are referring to something other than bouncing on one’s feet?”

  Dallin touched her hand. “We can move short distances instantaneously.”

  “If you can form a protective barrier around your bodies, how did your men get injured during battle?” Lailii curled her fingers around Dallin’s hand.

  Without thinking, he squeezed her small fingers. Her touch thrilled him. He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, you cannot fight through a barrier or discharge a weapon; it would bounce back.”

  “I have much to learn about your realm. Will you teach me your magycks and any other things you deem necessary, so I may please you both, my lord?”

  Dallin grinned. Oh, sweetheart, you are killing me. “Do not worry; we will teach you everything you need to know.”

  * * * *

  The twin suns had reached the highest point in the sky by the time Lailii and her rescuers climbed the crest of the first sand dune. Lailii looked down the other side to the shifting, crimson sands, shimmering in the midday heat. On this side of the desert, desolate sand in every shade of red spread out in an endless carpet of dunes to the horizon. Grit filled her mouth, and sand clung to her sweat-soaked skin. She turned to Dallin. “Shall I obliterate our tracks now, sir?”

  “Yes, thank you, and please, little one, my name is Dallin.”

  Argos danced on the spot, his tail flashing from side to side. Lailii waited until the troops filed down the other side of the dune. She turned Argos to the west, and then opened her arms and summoned the wind. At first, a light breeze brushed her hot skin. Far in the distance, the wind roared. The twin suns darkened, hidden behind a wall of sand. The magyck storm whipped up the desert floor, forming a line of golden vortexes. They grew stronger and danced across the sand in mini tornadoes, swirling away any traces of their journey. At a clap of her hands, the wind dropped, and the oppressive heat returned.