* * * *
The land lay dark, shrouded with shadows and heavy shades. He spotted her easily. His sight was keen. He approached her silently. Not a sliver of sound betrayed his presence beneath the crashing of the crops in the wind, but her head came up immediately. Kyra peered into the surrounding darkness. She stumbled to her feet. Her voice was strong. “Who is there? Show yourself.” Yet the slight tremble of her bottom lip showed her fear. The delicate shudder that coursed through her body betrayed her terror. He saw it clearly. He was close enough to see her features clearly, to inhale the fear upon her skin, to hear the pounding of her heart. He watched her silently.
Kyra stumbled back. She sensed his presence. Her eyes narrowed and peered carefully. Her movements, though slight and slow, sent vibrations of awareness through his body. He lay low, relishing the gentle vibrations upon the ground. Her feet stepped lightly, unerringly toward him. He could hear her breathing, short and harsh. He heard her gulp, dry and hard. He felt the tightness as she clenched her fists against their quivering. He felt her tremors nonetheless. Her hair shone like a golden halo, bright and shiny against the black backdrop of the pitch-dark night. Her eyes sparkled like precious jewels, wide with alertness, darting back and forth in fear. Her skin was ashen, tainted with a sickly gray pallor. He heard the strumming of her heart clearly. It raced much too fast. The blood circulated much too swiftly to add much-needed color and life to her flesh. He saw, sensed everything. Everything betrayed her.
He waited until she was almost upon him. He rose from the cold, damp earth, slow and silent. His body stretched gloriously. Bright green shimmered on his surface, striking yellow softened his underbelly. His head rose up high, far higher than her tiny height. His eyes, though narrow slits, missed nothing. His tongue flicked out, testing the air with quick, darting strokes. The mouth yawned open, exposing the mighty fangs. He could taste her in the air, sweet and fresh. Her taste melted upon his tongue, infusing deliciously, greedily into every fiber of his being. He knew her well, her smell, and her taste. She was his.
Kyra reached out her hand in blinding darkness. She took each step as though she feared falling off the very edge of the world into an endless abyss from which she would never escape. Each foot began to drag cautiously along the ground, seeking solidness before stepping. Her hands stayed protectively before her, shielding her face and body. She paused, sensing a presence directly before her. Her hands trembled as she reached out and touched him. She froze. He watched as her eyes widened.
He was large. He was fierce. He rose majestically, displaying his magnificent body, hard and slick, for her viewing pleasure. His fangs protruded in a wanton display of vulgar power and brute strength. He watched, silent, as her eyes traveled up his distinctive yellow belly, caressing each scaly fiber upon him with searching eyes. He preened as she looked straight up and into his face. She must see him in his full, splendid form. He stiffened as the color drained from her face, her eyes widened in acute horror, her mouth open in silent terror. He hissed. No admiration lurked in the depths of her eyes. Her violent trembling was not due to awe at his majesty. She is afraid of me. He lowered his gaze. His body was complete snake, scaly and cold but mighty and glorious. But that was not what Kyra saw. He lowered his mighty head in defeat. His body coiled in despair, shame. His mate feared him. She rejected.
He sensed a subtle but distinct shift behind him. His attention never strayed from the delicate beauty far below on the ground. The attack on him came fast. Huge, venomous fangs ripped across his thick body from behind, tearing away the protection of his scales and slashing deep into his flesh. Blood, cold but bright red, sprayed through the screaming wind. Cold-blooded he may be, but he bled red like any other. His heart ached like any other. His eyes never left hers as he fell to the side and crashed to the ground. He blinked just once, capturing the sight of her to keep with him for all eternity. He stared sightless, cursing his lack of protective eyelids against the massacre about to unfold. His eyes stared, helpless, as the enemy moved. Bright-red eyes flashed dangerously in the shadows, the only warning before it struck. Kyra’s scream echoed through his head. Her shrill cry mingled with his own fading voice. “She fears me, and now she is lost forever.”
Cold water splashed across his naked chest and face. Kyra’s screams continued to echo through his head. “Help me. He is not breathing.” A sharp slap heated the hard flesh across his cheek. Eris came up sputtering and roaring in rage. He seized a large hand as it made to move away from his stinging face. His eyes opened.
“Thyone. I shall kill you for this.”
Kyra grabbed at him quickly. “Eris let go of him. He only sought to help you at my bidding.” She scratched futilely as his hand clenched tighter around the man’s throat. His victim’s face reddened, and his eyes bulged. Kyra screamed again, “Eris, stop. You will kill him.” She forced herself between the men. She was unable to break the physical contact, but she stared into Eris’s eyes, breaking the eye contact. Her voice was soft, pleading. “Eris, please cease.” Eris pushed the man away. Thyone coughed and sputtered as he scrambled desperately out of arm’s reach.
Kyra laid a calming hand on his chest. His heart beat frantically beneath her fingertips.
* * * *
She sighed in relief. Earlier she had awoken to a strangled, muffled sound beside her. She had studied Eris’s face in the dim morning light and found him still. Believing nothing was amiss, she had snuggled closer to him. That was when she had noticed the true stillness. There had been no heartbeat beneath her cheek. Kyra had sprung up. The next distressing thing she had noticed was his snake. The marking was still, stretched in abandon across his chest. That in itself had not been disturbing. In fact, she would have disregarded it completely had it not being lying belly-up. As she had leaned closer, she had seen the head was angled to the side, the jaw gaped open, and the forked tongue lagged out, lax, lifeless. She had raced out of the tent, unconcerned of her unclad body, screaming for aid and rushing for a pail of water.
She sighed heavily once again. The panic she had felt was total, complete. She had no idea how she would have faced another day had something happened to Eris. She waved Thyone away as she curled up against him. Her body shivered as she latched desperately onto him. Her voice left her in a broken whisper. “I thought you dead. I awoke, and you had ceased to breathe.”
Eris gathered her closely. His hand soothed her rumpled hair. He inhaled deeply before replying, “It was naught but a bad dream.” He continued to comfort her. He stroked her back slowly and soothingly as her trembles abated. He whispered reassurances against her hair until her breathing became steady once again. He whispered in a low, brittle voice, “You are afraid of me.”
Kyra’s head came up with a jerk. Her head rocked urgently side to side. A denial was about to spill forth from her lips. Eris silenced her with a gentle finger. “You fear me. I can protect you from anything, Kyra, except myself.”
* * * *
Kyra sighed heavily. She peered at her companion in the cart but remained quiet. It was patently apparent Aurora was not accustomed to silence and lack of entertainment. She could not stop her mind from wandering back to Eris’s uncomfortable statement this morning. Having the words tumble from his lips in a pained tone was not her greatest concern. What bothered her was admitting he was absolutely right. She was terrified of his beast. She was not brave like the image of the woman carved on the wall of the holy temple. How could the serpent have possibly chosen her?
“I take it things did not go quite as predicted with regards to my tutorage?”
Kyra remained silent. Aurora eyed her in speculation. “Mayhap I should have offered a more personal sort of tutorage. You are welcome to witness the bonding between me and Thyone this night if it will help you.” Aurora smiled deviously and added, “Or mayhap I should come and aid in your mating with your Eris instead.”
Kyra’s reaction came fast and hot. “I need no tutorage from you.” From the way Aurora had a
lready drawn away slightly, Kyra knew she had just fallen into a trap, her violent reaction had been predicted, and the provoking words had been intentional.
Aurora laughed in delight. She stretched her body and purred with satisfaction as she whispered boldly, “The scent of sex taints your skin this morning, so I shall surmise the plan to have been a raving success. But forgive my ignorance, I find it rather odd the way the two of you seem to be avoiding each other. Was the sex not as good or rewarding for either of you?”
Kyra bristled. “Not that it is any of your concern, but the mating was splendid. Now concern yourself with matters pertaining to you or cease with your mindless prattle.”
Aurora narrowed her beguiling eyes. Her lips lifted slowly at the corners into a sensuous smile. “Discussions about delicious men and their performance in bed are never mindless prattle. Why, in my daily life, there exists nothing else to converse about.”
Kyra eyed her curiously. “I can think of one other thing you would find pleasure in discussing—yourself. Feel free to enlighten me on the glamour of your life.”
“You, my beautiful Kyra, are much too serious and indubitably too intelligent to fall into the gaping, endless pit called love. Sex is not to be equated with love. The differences between them can fill entire oceans. Who needs love? It is not a materialization of anything specific. It is simply a feeling, abstract within the heart, which renders the body lifeless and the mind foolish.” Aurora leaned in closer and whispered, “I would much rather have the physical aspects of the loving. There is nothing that can compare to the hard thrusting within a woman’s heated center. To feel the touch of a man’s bold caresses, the stroke of his lusting tongue, the pumping of his loins against yours, that is what really matters.”
Kyra tilted her head and eyed Aurora beneath lowered lashes. “Have you never experienced love, then?”
“Foolish girl, one can only reach this state of avoiding tender feelings and appreciating the cold, hard aspects of mating as a direct result of having experienced love. Having your heart crushed, your dreams burst as easily as a soap bubble, by the actions and words of a cold-hearted, callous man can change the viewpoint of the most innocent.” Aurora reached out and caressed Kyra’s chin tenderly. “You have the making to become a most prominent figure in a wealthy man’s harem. You possess a whimsical quality that inspires a man’s imagination while a sultry appearance evokes his sense of challenge.”
Kyra shook her head. “I have no intention of becoming a toy, tossed around and fondled by the hands of men simply based on their wealth.”
The striking woman laughed in delight. “Not just wealth, my innocent creature. There is lofty status to consider as well. And let us not forget the strength of his man rod.” Aurora sighed blissfully. “Kyra, learn to love that which you can hold within your hand, rather than lose something your heart fails to hold.”
* * * *
Eris spotted the great walls in the distant horizon. He sighed in relief. At first light, he had quickly vaulted his mount and sped to the forefront, leading the procession. He had kept steadfastly as far away from Kyra as he could manage throughout the day. As much as his body craved her, arousing and clenching at every sight of her, his mind refused to accept her terms. She roused the beast within him, carelessly, thoughtlessly. Yet it was not what she truly wanted. The beast was a part of him, so in essence, she could never accept him completely. The fear in her eyes was all the evidence he needed. He refused to bed a woman who was afraid of him, no matter the attraction she possessed. He turned his attention fully to the wall ahead. At least here there would be sufficient distraction.
Distraction, however, came in a most unexpected form. Loud choruses and vibrant cheers greeted them as they crossed the threshold of the wide gates. Children ran up, shouting and jumping. Men and women cried out in delight, throwing stemmed flowers and brightly colored petals in merry celebration. Eris had been dumbfounded at first, until he spotted the true target of their zealous welcome—Kyra. He leaned back in his saddle and clutched the reins fiercely as his horse threatened to buck in protest. Risking a quick glance behind him, he spotted Kyra upon her perch on the cart. Her expression felt like a stab to the center of his heart. Despite the bright smile pasted to her face, she appeared lost. Worse yet was the single word the people continued to chant, the word that fell from the lips of adults, faces alight with wonder, the word was shouted from the lips of enthusiastic young children, dancing and skipping in the path before them. A single word that brought to mind the time he had likened her bearing to that of the queen herself. The word echoed through his head and pounded through his chest. “Princess.”
Eris felt a surge of protectiveness for Kyra. If he felt such confusion and awe at this present welcome, he could not even begin to guess at her shattered emotions. She must have questions and uncertainties bumping around in her pretty head. But as much as he felt the urge to go to her, to lend a comforting presence to her dilemma, he hesitated. His reasons were not solely selfish. He needed to ascertain exactly who she was and what dangers she may face before exposing her to it. He could not do that and hold her hand at the same time. He dismounted.
He waited as the crowds parted. A hushed silence fell over the rejoicing people. Eris spared another glance at Kyra. Still no glimmer of recognition lit her features. He turned his face forward. He expected only the leader of this place to command such respect. The sight that greeted him made him blink. A tall, sturdily built female with such a pale shade of blonde hair it bordered on white, stepped forward. There was only one word he could use to describe her—striking. Eyes of crystal-blue sapphires blazed into his. Her lips lifted at one corner. “You were expecting a man. Alas, they are away on manly warfare and have left the duties to this lowly woman.”
Eris could find no response. She had guessed his thoughts precisely. He introduced himself instead. “I am Eris of the House of Andromeda, hailing from Argos.”
The woman’s gaze swept over him slowly. Intelligent eyes wandered patiently over him, assessing every feature from the top of his rumpled hair to his dusty, sandal-clad toes. Her next statement left him equally dumbstruck and bewildered. “Ah. Eris, meaning the one who is strife, how apt. And you speak with the accompaniment of the snake’s fork-tongued lisp. So she has managed to find you.”
As she made to move past him and rush to Kyra, he daringly halted her with a hand to her elbow. “Please. There are matters that need discussing before you approached Kyra.”
The tall woman stared at his constraining hand until he removed it. “Why would I wish to dither in my welcoming greetings? It has been an age since I have seen Kyra.”
“You will find no recognition in her eyes.” Eris opted for the most direct explanation. This female did not have the appearance of one that could be unduly obstructed or easily redirected. His heated, dangling testicles clenched and withdrew, seeking protection behind the flaccid length of his shaft. Her stare was icy cold. Fortunately for his painful sacs, it lasted no longer than a heartbeat.
Eris followed quickly as she turned suddenly and strode back up the stairs. She issued just a simple statement, and the merriment continued. “Welcome.”
Eris glanced back. He winced as he noticed the people flood and pounce upon unsuspecting Kyra. Her eyes were wide with surprise and confusion, yet she appeared to be in no immediate danger. He forged on after the quickly retreating figure. He caught up with her as she entered the palace doors. Before he could utter a single word, she turned abruptly and demanded, “Why is she so unlike herself?”
Eris blinked. “Kyra?”
The woman hissed in impatience, “Yes, my sister. You come here as her escort. How is it you seem ignorant?”
Eris drew back at her direct speech, clearly holding insulting undertones. His voice was brittle with barely restrained anger. “She has lost all sense of her memory. We appear ignorant as we are just that—ignorant. Now either you establish some modicum of hospitality and emulate some sense of
decorum or I shall take her and leave this arrogant place.”
The woman laughed in true mirth. Her voice held pure amusement. “It is good. You possess character. Come. There is a lot that requires explaining.” She spun on her heels once again and called for a slave. “Bring Aikaterina to me immediately.”
Eris followed her, admiring the huge palace as he went. They continued until they reached what must be a grand counseling chamber. Huge figurines and extravagant statures stood tall and erect between impressive, sturdy pillars. An exotic fountain was built just outside the doorway leading to the courtyard. It filled the chamber with the echoes of delicately flowing water, trickling and gurgling. The surroundings held his attention only long enough for him to glimpse the occupants. He had missed this basic element before, or perhaps he had disregarded it, but the people of this land were truly beautiful. What alarmed him though was that this rare, fragile beauty was not restricted to the females only. The men were equally pale skinned, smooth, and porcelain like, with ruby-red, plush lips and wonderfully colored, thickly lashed eyes. The males were tall yet slender in build. Eris frowned. He had envisioned many things in his life, but never before had he envisioned a city filled with beautiful men.
The woman settled into a great chair and gestured for him to do likewise. “I am sister to Kyra. And as she is named ‘like the sun,’ I am named in a similar fashion, ‘shining or bright.’ Call me Aleka.”
Eris slid gratefully onto the wide tripod stool and nodded politely. “I am pleased to meet you, Aleka. You mentioned Kyra had come seeking me. Why was that?”
Aleka settled back. “She left abruptly one morning sprouting nonsense about a vision she had had during the course of the night. Apparently, she had to find a certain member of the House of Andromeda. She was not very forthcoming with information, but she made it abundantly clear that this mission involved a certain message she wished to relay. As I recall it was something about the coming of a devious demon.”
Tangles and Temptation Page 17