by Rosalie Redd
Melissa studied the fabric. It was woven and soft, like a rose petal. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”
Bet waved her hand in the air. “Not a bother. We don’t get visitors—ever. It’s been an absolute pleasure, dearie. I’m going to get you some new clothes. I’ll be back soon.”
Bet closed the door behind her. As soon as she left, Melissa undressed and stepped into the warm tub. If only she could make this her new home. A lump formed in the throat, and her stomach hardened. She needed to find another Pride, so she could be on her way again, soon.
Chapter Seven
Ram paced the small cabin, assessing the Gossum who sat with his back against the wall. A large cut ran the length of his arm, and his tongue licked the wound, sealing the gash with his saliva. The lesion would heal within the hour, which was good, since Ram needed all the healthy soldiers he could get.
Dried blood covered the wound on his thigh. Damn Stiyaha. He’d tried several times in the past few months to take down Noeh, but so far, nada. Not that he cared one way or the other about his enemy; he just wanted to keep the boss happy. A content Zedron meant an alive Ram.
The rundown cabin was a safe house, one which offered shelter in a pinch. Peeled paint hung in strips on the walls, the once energetic green now dull and gray. Mold grew in the cracks of the broken window where rain pelted the counter and dampened the wooden floor.
Bands of Gossum roamed territories in other parts of the globe, fighting other Lemurian races. Contact with other broods was non-existent. Due to the distance, there was no benefit to a coordinated network. Rumors flowed over the generations of human converts that the original Gossum were twice as big, twice as strong. Ram didn’t know what to believe. All he knew was that he was the current leader of this brood. His mission: to wipe out the Stiyaha. Once done, they would rule this planet, enslave the humans and start the long task of transporting water to Lemuria.
Jakar entered the room, his labored breaths the only indication he’d run the ten miles back to the cabin. The safe house wasn’t far from the asylum, and maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.
“Glad you could join us.” Ram raised an eyebrow, catching Jakar’s attention. He turned back around and stared out the window. The rain sounded like nails on glass to his sensitive ears. He winced at the dull pain in his head, removed his cap, and rubbed his forehead. “Jakar, please tell me we got enough Stiyaha blood.”
Jakar dumped the contents of his backpack onto the old, rickety table. Empty bottles, syringes, and a few stray needles scattered across the damaged surface. “That’s it. The vial with the Stiyaha’s blood broke during the battle.”
“Of course it did, naturally.” Ram picked up one of the syringes and ran his fingers over the smooth surface.
“At least you have the female’s shield,” Jakar said.
Ram raised a hairless eyebrow and stared at the male. “Indeed. How many soldiers did we lose?”
“Six.”
Ram pursed his lips, his fingers drumming against his chin. “So, that leaves us with what, five soldiers including us?” He turned his attention to his first lieutenant. “I think we need to make a run into Portland, get us a few new…volunteers.”
“Consider it done.” Jakar quivered, and a slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Then see to it.”
Ram’s head pounded behind his eyes. The familiar feeling was one he got often when he was impatient or needed a fix. “We can’t dawdle. I don’t think her blood will stay in my system for long, maybe a few weeks. Once it’s gone, I may lose her power.”
“We leave at once.” Jakar pointed at the Gossum leaning against the wall. “You, come with me.”
Jakar and his follower left the room.
Ram took in a long breath. Some unlucky junkie or drunk would receive the surprise of his life. Just like he had.
A slow smile lifted at the corner of his mouth. He parted his lips and ran his tongue along the razor-sharp edges of his teeth. It seemed like an eternity ago, that he’d been human, although it had only been seven months.
He no longer needed heroin, his favorite narcotic. His body would reject the depressant, but he still hungered for a sedative. His only regret? Sheri, his ex-wife. She’d left him because of the drugs. He couldn’t imagine what she’d think of him now.
*****
Melissa wrapped the towel around her body, the fabric soft against her skin. The burn marks, a few shades darker than her natural ivory, were fast becoming a distant memory thanks to her body’s quick healing ability. They would take a bit longer to mend than normal since she hadn’t fed, but they would still heal. The warmth of the bath disappeared, leaving a trail of goosebumps down her arms. She grabbed another towel from a nearby pile and squeezed the water from her long hair.
A pile of clothes lay close by. She must have fallen asleep in the bath as she hadn’t heard Bet return. After her ordeal with the Gossum, was it any wonder? She’d survived, somehow. Now she was in this magnificent Keep, but she couldn’t fantasize about staying here. She had to dress and leave. A tall male with a pair of blue eyes, one framed by a dark mark, haunted her. The sooner she disappeared, the better. She’d heard rumors another Pride lived in the Olympic Peninsula. That was her destination.
Melissa dressed in the clothes Bet had left for her. The gray shirt was a bit too long, the dark pants a bit too big. At least they covered the worst of the burn marks. She sighed, thankful for the opportunity to clean the grit and grime from her body, even if she couldn’t clean out her memories.
Her body shook from her need to feed. If she didn’t get some blood from a male soon, she’d start to show signs of insanity. Delusions and suspicious thoughts would lead to aggressive, reckless behavior. Ending up like that wouldn’t be good. She inhaled and forced herself to concentrate, to steady her quaking body.
She headed over to a table filled with grooming accessories. Brushes, combs, perfumes, and various vials of makeup lined the table. A small, round mirror hung on the wall, and she took in her appearance for the first time since the Gossum attack. Her heart thudded.
The lines from the cuts on her cheek and lip were still visible. The bruise around her eye was a nice shade of yellow, fast on its way to healing. The skin under her eyes sagged, evidence of her exhaustion and her need for blood. A soft groan erupted from her throat. She couldn’t stare at herself any longer. Her own image brought back the torture she’d received at the hands of her enemy.
She grabbed one of the brushes from the table, concentrating on the handle to focus her mind. Handmade, the edges of the wood were sanded to a smooth finish. Strong, animal-hair fibers poked from tiny holes. She ran the brush through her hair. The clean, wet strands landed against the thin fabric of her shirt in a rhythmic cadence that soothed her.
The sound of quick footsteps caught her attention. Bet walked into the room. “I brought you some more drying cloths—just in case you need them.”
“Thank you.” Melissa liked the small female already.
Bet placed the towels on the stone shelf and straightened them to perfection, her plump face jostling as she moved. She tightened the apron around her generous midriff and wiped her hands on the stained material.
“Bet, there’s so many baths here. You mentioned earlier that others weren’t scheduled to come in for a while. What did you mean?”
“The bath hall is used by all the Stiyaha. There are different times for male, female, and co-ed bathing.” Bet took a step closer to Melissa. “You happened to come in here during an off-time. Noeh authorized it.”
Melissa stiffened. Noeh’s words echoed in her mind. My guards will escort you home. She remembered the look on his face—lips drawn, eyes boring into her—and her skin tingled, but not from fear. He made her uneasy, in a way she didn’t want to think about.
“I see you found the clothes I left for you. You were asleep when I brought them.” Bet scanned Melissa’s body, her warm eyes creasing with amusement. �
��You are so small. They fit you like a tent.”
An ache crept into Melissa’s chest, and she choked on her words. “These will be fine. Thank you.”
“You can’t walk around in those, sweetie. You need some decent material to wear. I’ll have the tailors make you some new ones, something nice.”
“Please, that’s not necessary. I’m leaving as soon as I’m healed.”
“Oh, I had the impression you’d be here for a while.” Bet took a step back, her eyes narrowing. “Where will you go? Back to your own kind?”
Melissa’s body shook, and her head spun at the prospect of returning home to Demir. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, but her jumbled thoughts kept any sane, polite response bottled inside. Instead, she blurted out the painful truth. “No, I can’t go home. I won’t.”
Rough, calloused hands touched her arms, spreading warmth into her skin, soothing her ragged nerves. “Tell me about it, dear.”
Melissa’s emotions warred within her. She wanted to tell this strange, pleasant female everything, yet a part of her held back. She settled for something in between. “I can’t go back. There are too many memories. Too much pain.” Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away, determined to remain strong.
Bet rubbed Melissa’s hands, the warmth continuing to flow into her body, calming her.
“You lost someone, didn’t you?” Bet’s words were a mere whisper.
Melissa nodded, unable to speak.
“That’s ok, sweetie, we’ve all lost someone. You can tell me.”
Melissa glanced into Bet’s eyes. They were like warm coffee with a hint of milk. Something in her stomach fluttered, as if butterflies had somehow found their way in. Bet cared.
She squeezed Bet’s hands, thankful for the support. It had been so long since she’d shared her feelings with anyone, she’d almost forgotten how.
Melissa shook her head and walked over to the nearest bath. She played with the water as it bubbled up to the surface, enjoying the soothing warmth against her palm. The water danced over her hand. The unsynchronized movement captivated her, like watching a fire.
“Life with William was wonderful. Such an affectionate, loving mate. He cared for me, and I for him.” Melissa’s chest constricted as memories filtered into her mind. She missed him more than she could say, even after all these months. No one could ever replace him. “He’s gone now; there’s nothing left for me there.”
“I’m sorry. You must’ve loved him a great deal. What about friends? Don’t you want to go back to your friends?”
They’d all abandoned her once she’d become pregnant. Their constant taunting and ridicule echoed in her mind. Freak. Scat. Mutant. She couldn’t return for more. Even worse was the constant attention from the males. After William died, they’d sniffed around her until Demir put her in his crosshairs. Then, he was the only one she’d had to fend off.
She pulled her hand out of the water and turned to face Bet. “There’s no going back for me now. I need to move on.” Raising her chin, she pasted on her best smile, the one she hid behind, the one she used to armor herself.
Bet pressed her lips together, and she blew out a quick breath. “You could stay here.”
Melissa’s mask wavered, and she choked back a tear. She couldn’t forget Noeh’s words. My guards will escort you home. “Thank you, but I can’t stay.” She wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t welcome.
Chapter Eight
“Noeh, you home?” Ginnia’s voice penetrated through the door to his bedchamber.
Noeh wiped his sword and placed the towel back into the well-worn leather bag. The weapon hummed ever so softly, savoring the fresh cleaning. Placing his most trusted companion in his scabbard, he went to the door.
“Knock, knock, Noeh.”
“Who’s there?”
“Orange.”
“Orange who?”
“Orange you gonna let me in?” Ginnia laughed.
Noeh opened the door to the one Stiyaha who had him wrapped around her finger. Her scent of ripe pineapple wafted through the entryway. A warmth radiated through his chest, and a soft chuckle built deep within him. He let the chortle out, and the sound reverberated off the walls.
“You fall for that every time, silly Noeh.”
Ginnia, Gaetan’s beloved younger sister was an adult female, but still acted like a young child. She’d had an accident as a newb and never fully recovered. The tragedy damaged her brain but also endowed her with uncanny foresight. He paid close attention whenever she had a vision.
“It’s good to see you today, Ginnia. What brings you here?”
She held up a large burlap bag. “Want to play a game of stones?” She hefted the heavy bag onto Noeh’s desk and opened it. Several sunstones spilled onto the wood surface, the bright gems polished to an immaculate shine.
Noeh tousled her short brown hair. Several stray strands stuck out from her head. He grinned and kissed her on the forehead. “I wish I could, but I’m on my way to see our new guest.”
“Awwww.” She stuck out her tongue. “Oh, well, you aren’t ready, anyway.”
“Ready for what?” His nerves jolted to life.
“Ummm—I forget.”
For a moment, he’d expected a vision to surface. She was hard to understand at the best of times, so he’d learned over the years how to interpret when one was on its way. Most of the time, he got it right. He laughed and gave her a big hug.
“You wanna go for a ride?” She smiled, her childlike eyes sparkling with love and affection for her king.
“Can you be more specific?”
“About what? The ride? No, that’s not fair.” She touched one of the sunstones imbedded in the wall and scrunched her eyebrows, as if deep in thought.
“We must hurry. Important visitors will be in the Grand Hall very soon.” She peered at him with wide eyes.
A sudden coldness hit him in the chest. She’d had a vision after all. “You’re kidding, right?”
“You know I don’t kid you, silly Noeh. We need to go. You don’t want to be late.” She put her hand in his and pulled him toward the door. “Oh, and we need to get your new female friend, too.” She ran down the hall, leaving Noeh behind.
He stared after her, a sense of dread easing its way into his chest. Visitors? The Keep never had visitors.
One minute later, Noeh knocked on the central bath hall’s door. Ginnia had better be right, or he would look like the biggest fool. Why that mattered, he wasn’t sure, but he filed the thought away for further contemplation.
Melissa opened the door. A ripple of recognition crossed her face. She tensed her shoulders, and her mouth drew into a thin line. Her adverse reaction hit him in the gut. He stilled, and his thoughts froze. His own reaction confused him, and he clenched his teeth in frustration.
When his brain resumed functioning, he spoke, but his words came out sharper than he intended. “You need to come with me.”
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes. Can’t it wait?”
“No, it can’t.” He held out his hand.
Eyes as green as emeralds narrowed and her lips pursed together. His gaze focused on her mouth. An overwhelming urge to kiss her ran through his mind.
She placed her palm on his hand. “Why now?”
He pulled her close to him. “Something important is happening.”
She stared into his eyes, searching. When she swallowed, his gaze landed on her mouth again.
“Let’s go.” The words came out in a low, demanding growl.
He didn’t want to scare her, but he wouldn’t relent on this. Pulling her away from the bath hall, he ran down the corridors, one after another, Melissa in tow.
Noeh stopped abruptly at the Grand Hall, causing Melissa to crash into him. Her soft body molded to his backside. Heat raced over his shoulders and into his chest.
The sound of his pounding heart competed with the pandemonium of voices. Gaetan, Saar, Jax, Mauree, several warriors, and a few co
uncil members roamed the room, some in intense conversations, some with agitation on their faces, others with curiosity. All seemed oblivious to the purpose of the gathering.
Someone had moved the chairs and tables against the wall, creating an open space in the large room. This accentuated the fine draperies with pictures of long ago battles and scenes of home. Each tapestry was a constant reminder to Noeh of everything lost and everything still at stake.
Ginnia sat cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the room. She stared at the ceiling as if waiting for something or someone. The hair on Noeh’s scalp stood on end. A sense of apprehension filtered into his stomach.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Gaetan approached, leaning on his cane more than normal. “Ginnia told us to meet here. Do you know why?”
Noeh didn’t have time to answer. The temperature in the Keep fell thirty degrees. Everyone’s breath froze mid-sentence. All conversation stopped. Goosebumps formed on Noeh’s arms, and an overwhelming sense of dread weighed on his chest.
Melissa pressed closer to him, but he didn’t dare turn to look at her.
A small, bright light appeared in the middle of the large chamber. It swirled and grew, spinning faster and faster. A strange careening sound filled the room, like a thousand crickets on a warm summer’s night. The light exploded. A rush of air knocked everyone to the floor.
Melissa cried out, and Noeh, with instincts as old as time itself, covered her with his own body.
Chapter Nine
Noeh cradled Melissa’s soft body, his arms caging her, protecting her from the worst of the blast. The feel of her skin sent tendrils of electricity over his biceps. A part of him wanted to stay like this, holding her close.
Others around him roused, their grunts and exclamations sounding far away, muted from the ringing in his ears. His eyes slowly adjusted from the brilliant light.