by Rosalie Redd
“You mean King Noeh? Well, my guess is he thinks he’s the king.” Aramie raised her eyebrows. “And he’d be right about that.”
“King, schming. Any king can be overthrown and this one is in sad need of it.”
“Really, Demir, you think our small band of Panthera can oust the Stiyaha king with all his warriors? Oh, and don’t forget about the Jixies who appear to worship him.” Aramie resumed her pacing.
“Ye of little faith. What makes you think we can’t?”
She stopped. Their eyes met. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “There appears to be no second in command.”
“What about Saar?”
“Really? That buffoon?” He rolled his eyes. “Bring down the king. The rest will fall in line, ready and waiting for someone to tell them what to do. Then, all that is his will be mine.” Demir smiled. An image formed in his mind of Melissa, who was under the protection of his nemesis, Noeh.
Aramie frowned. “What’s this really about, Demir? Melissa?”
He got right in her face and towered over her. “I told you to stay out of it. I won’t warn you again.”
She didn’t back down, but stood her ground. “What’s your plan?”
He curled his lip. She wouldn’t show weakness in front of him. Doing so would knock her down in the Pride rankings. Second in command was something she was proud of.
“That’s under construction. We should go out for a battle soon—maybe a fresh Gossum kill would get the creative juices flowing.” Demir stroked his goatee, and a sly smile crossed his face. A kill. Yes, indeed.
*****
Ram shivered. He’d never liked the forest, with its tall evergreens boxing him in, a multitude of bugs, and constant moisture. He stood at the base of a tall fir, sheltered from the impending rain. It would be hard to see in the dark night if he still had normal, human eyes, but he didn’t. He could see just fine.
The toe of his high-tops nudged something round and wet. He picked a mouse up by the tail, and the smell of rotting flesh seared his nostrils. Grimacing, he tossed the creature aside. The rodent rolled down the stream bank and landed at the edge of the river. Roiling foam crested the top of the rushing water, the bubbling sound causing a shiver to run over the scales on Ram’s back. When he was a human child, he’d almost drowned. He’d never lost his fear.
“Why the Stiyaha prefer it out here, I’ll never know.” Cool mist coated his hairless arms, but he refused to let that bother him. He waved for Jakar and his minions to gather around. “Has anyone found any sign of a Stiyaha? A large footprint, a broken branch, oh, I don’t know, a horrible smell, perhaps?”
Jakar glanced away. The minions grunted and bobbed like overzealous puppies waiting for a stick.
“No, I didn’t think so.” Ram picked up a rock, hefting the weight in his palm. The waiting grated on his nerves, not that he had any left. He tossed the rock at a tree, and a large branch crashed to the ground. “Keep looking. When you find something, report back at once.”
The Gossum blended into the trees, branches swaying as they moved through the forest in search of their elusive enemy. With the stinger on the end of their tongues, their sharp teeth, and jagged claws, they were made to hunt, made to kill.
Ram caught Jakar by the shoulder. “Wait.”
Jakar bowed, his evil grin making even Ram do a double take.
“We’ve looked for several nights, and no sign of any Stiyaha. What do you make of that?” Ram eyed Jakar, aware that underneath his calm exterior was a certifiable madman. Although cunning and devious, Jakar was loyal to Ram, and had been since the day he was remade from human into Gossum. Ram enjoyed the allegiance while he could. There was never much long-term loyalty among the Gossum. Constant turnover, due to the numerous battles with the Stiyaha, kept the need for new trainees high.
Jakar rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Something distracted them.”
“Ya think?” Ram shook his head. Despite his frustration at their inability to find a Stiyaha, the effort Jakar and the new recruits put forth pleased him.
Jakar’s forked tongue whipped out of his mouth. “Do you smell something?”
Ram’s tongue had far more sensory receptors than his nose and could discern the faintest scent. The smell of pine needles, elk, spiders, and all manner of forest creatures were around them.
“What is that? It’s cat-like—” Ram couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face, adrenaline rushing through his body. Success. “A Lemurian.”
“The scent is similar to the redheaded female we captured—Melissa.” Jakar whistled low, one of the many signals the Gossum used.
Stealing in from the trees, the other members of their party returned from their search.
Jakar frowned, and his brow creased between his eyes. “What brings them here?”
“Good question.” Ram breathed in deep and flicked his tongue, committing the new scent to memory. “Let’s go ask them, shall we?”
Chapter Twenty
Noeh paced across the throne room, his feet following a path well-worn into the stone from countless kings. He hadn’t slept well. An uncomfortable hard-on and images of Melissa feeding from him had kept him awake. He ran his hand through his short hair. This kind of complication—he didn’t need in his life.
A memory crossed his mind, one he hadn’t thought of in a very long time. As a young child, he’d walked in on his parents in the throne room, but they hadn’t noticed. His father had trailed a finger down his mother’s cheek before pulling her into a passionate kiss. Their love was powerful—strong enough to produce two black bonding bands around his father’s neck—and that was the source of the problem.
Once his mother had died from the scourge, his father was destined to join her, even though he wasn’t sick. He was bonded to her through the bands, and he couldn’t live without her. The grief of losing his love, his other half, had killed him as sure as a sword through the heart. His father couldn’t save his mother from the great scourge, and because of the bonding, they’d left a child to rule a kingdom.
A movement caught Noeh’s attention, bringing him out of his reverie.
Saar leaned against the doorframe, his boots crossed at the ankles. A toothpick dangled from the corner of his mouth. “You seem pent up. Want to spar?”
Noeh glared at him. “Not now.”
Saar matched Noeh’s gaze, holding his own against his king. “Well, maybe you need to.”
Gaetan pushed past Saar and sat in one of the tall wooden chairs. He rested his chin on his cane, reading Noeh’s every move. “What’s got you so worked up?”
“Nothing.” Noeh resumed his pacing.
“Yeah, right.” Saar snorted.
Noeh’s face warmed, his anger just under the surface. “You want to know what’s bothering me? The welcome feast.”
“What about it?” Gaetan asked.
“The banquet was a major distraction. We need to find Ram.”
Saar pushed himself away from the doorway and sat in one of the chairs next to the ornate wooden table. “Agreed. We should send out a squad to find and destroy him.”
Gaetan leaned against the handle of his cane. He rocked back and forth in his chair as if the pain in his leg bothered him. “Where should we start? They could be anywhere.”
Saar moved the toothpick around in his mouth from one side to the other. The movement caused the scar across his lip to gyrate unnaturally. “We start where we found them last, at the asylum. Even though it’s been several days, we should be able to pick up a scent or a clue as to their whereabouts.”
“Meet me at the porte stanen at nightfall.” Noeh’s chest tightened. Waiting until sunset irked him, but they couldn’t go out during the day. The sunlight would burn them to a crisp, killing them in a matter of minutes.
Saar rose from his chair and as he headed for the door, he gave Noeh a curt nod. “We’ll be ready, Your Majesty.”
Gaetan didn’t say a word, but a
smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
“What?” Noeh asked.
“Do you want to tell me what else is bothering you?”
He couldn’t hide his emotions from Gaetan. His longtime friend knew him like no one else, and for that, Noeh was forever grateful. Noeh sighed, exhaling a long breath. “I know you mean well, but this is something I have to work through on my own.”
“This is about the queen, then. I suspected as much.” Gaetan stood from his chair and placed a hand on Noeh’s shoulder. “I don’t envy your position, my friend, but trust in the gods. They know what they’re doing.”
“I have little faith in the gods, as you well know. Where were they during the great scourge?” Noeh’s anger simmered beneath his skin. “They ignored us for hundreds of years, and now they force us to take in new inhabitants, telling us to treat them as kin. To top it all off, they tell me to take a queen. I don’t like being told what to do.”
“I’m sure you don’t, but I trust you.”
Noeh’s recent outburst was uncalled for and Gaetan’s faith drained Noeh’s anger away in an instant. He rolled his shoulders and tried to forget about his commitment. What he couldn’t get out of his mind, and what was really bothering him, was the picture he drew, the one of Melissa wearing the queen’s necklace.
*****
Noeh came to the training center to burn off some of his frustration. So far, it wasn’t working. Sweat ran from his shoulders down his back, the wetness a sign that at least his body was getting some benefit from the exertion.
His sword swooped down toward the target, the movement smooth and fluid, shaving inches off the sparring dummy. The feel of the weapon in his hands drove him forward as he cut the air again and again, shredding the form into piles of straw and material.
“I figured you’d show up here sooner or later.” Saar held the point of his sword down in deference to his king. “Let me know if you want to spar with someone who will hit back.”
“Count on it.”
Other warriors filled the training facility, the sound of their maces and short swords ringing in the air. Noeh stopped to drink water from his pouch, quenching his parched throat.
Ginnia’s soft laughter caught his attention.
In one of the corners, away from the males honing their battle skills, she played with one of the dummies. The mannequin wore a pink and yellow polka dot dress. She patted the figure on the head, stepped back, and scrutinized her work.
Noeh chuckled to himself. Ginnia was like a daughter to him. His heart expanded, and he longed for something he would never have.
A hand clasped his shoulder, making him jump.
“A bit touchy, aren’t you?” Mauree traced her hand down his arm, her eyes bright and mischievous. “I thought you might like a massage.”
Noeh backed up, out of her reach. “No massage.”
His mood changed, darkened just by her presence. The beginning of a headache pounded in his skull, and he rubbed his temples with his fingers.
Creases appeared around Mauree’s eyes, and their brightness dimmed. “I’d hoped we’d get a chance to talk. About the ceremony.”
Noeh stiffened. The sweat on his back turned ice cold, and his hair stood on end. His stomach roiled at the idea of Mauree as his queen.
“What do you want, Mauree?”
“Time alone with you, for one. I’ve been planning for the ceremony, even if you haven’t.”
“You’re wasting your time. I told you before, I choose my queen, not you.”
“Are you telling me it won’t be me?” She smiled, but there was no joy in her features. “Tell me, Noeh. Look me in the eye and tell me I’m not your best option, your best hope for a queen.”
She was right, and that burned him. The other females didn’t have the internal strength needed to be queen.
When he didn’t respond, she raised her eyebrows. “That’s what I thought.” Reaching up, she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Don’t worry, Noeh, I’ll do my best to please you.”
Deep inside, Noeh’s beast roared. His marking for justice pulsed over his right eye. I curse you, Alora. May you rot on Lemuria. He’d never felt so trapped in his life. Knowing he would bond to the female despite his feelings, he cringed at the prospect of spending night after night in bed with Mauree. Sick to his stomach, he turned to watch her leave the training facility. Her ass swung back and forth with confidence, her heeled shoes clicking on the stone floor.
Ginnia stopped in front of Mauree, halting her departure. She wagged her finger back and forth in front of Mauree’s face. “You’re a meany, too mean to be the queen.”
“Get away from me, you fool.” Raising her chin, Mauree stormed from the room.
Ginnia shrugged and smiled. She hummed and skipped away, back to the dummy with the polka dotted dress.
Although Noeh yearned for Ginnia to be right, he didn’t see any other ending to his nightmare. He gripped his sword with renewed vigor and purpose.
“Saar, let’s spar.”
Chapter Twenty-One
After a long soak in the bath, Melissa dressed and spent extra time brushing her long hair. She scanned the room where Noeh’s grandfather had stayed and was now her temporary lodging. The green and blue comforter over the large bed beckoned. Uninvited images of Noeh invaded her mind, and her pulse picked up.
As much as she wished she hadn’t fed from him, she could never forget she had. Her fingers tingled at the memory of her hands caressing his broad chest and strong arms. A chill ran over her skin, and she shivered.
Stay here. His words from their earlier conversation reverberated in her head. She fisted her hands. It wasn’t in her nature to take orders. She inhaled, letting her agitation build.
Her stomach rumbled. She hadn’t had a chance to eat anything at the welcome banquet. Her mouth watered at the thought of something tasty to staunch the ache.
She peered at the door. Her resolve set in. She’d show him.
As she gripped the door handle, the knob turned in her palm. The soft click of the latch sounded loud to her sensitive ears. She glanced down the hallway—no one. The Keep was quiet, most of the residents asleep in their chambers. She wanted to sleep, too, but her need for food and her desire to go against Noeh’s orders moved her forward.
The aroma of the leftovers from last evening’s banquet drew her to the kitchen as sure as any ant following a trail. An arrangement of apples, plums, and bananas sat on a small table. Shelves and cabinets made of the finest oak lined the walls. The counters, carved from the natural lava stone, were short so as to accommodate the small stature of the Jixies. The tops were spotless from the constant polishing and gleamed in the low glow from the sunstones placed over the cooking surfaces.
Her stomach growled. Where had they put all the food?
Against the far wall was a large stone structure with a wooden door. She pulled on the handle. A cool breeze caressed the exposed skin on her face and arms. The stone cavity was full of the meats, cheeses, and desserts from the welcome feast.
An apple tart sat front and center on a shelf within easy reach, a note on top bearing the single word ‘Noeh.’ A smile curled at the corner of her mouth. Adrenaline hit her in the chest as she snatched up the tasty dessert. It served him right.
She found a fork in a nearby drawer and dug into the food. As the sweetness touched her tongue, she shivered with delight. The act of lashing out at him, even in this tiny way, eased the ache in her chest.
Licking the last of the syrupy sauce from her utensil, she turned on the faucet and cleaned the dish in the sink. As she washed the plate, her mind wandered to Noeh. The memory of his scent, and the feel of his warm skin, made her fingers tingle. She ached to touch him again. Stop thinking about him.
She opened cabinet after cabinet. Her movements were fast and jerky, evidence of her flustered state. She found the right cupboard and put the dish back on the shelf. As the cabinet door closed, her reflection glinted off the glass. Red
cheeks and an engorged mouth were sure signs of her desire. She stared at herself for a long moment, trying to understand her hunger for a male she couldn’t have.
A likeness of Demir appeared above hers in the glass. She closed her eyes and tried to shut the image out of her mind.
“At last, we are alone.” It was his voice, the one she knew all too well.
Melissa stiffened and held her breath. She fought the urge to flee and turned around to face him.
He stood in front of her, palms up, as if she were a timid animal. His gaze focused on her mouth, then pulled up to her eyes. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Yet, that’s exactly what he’d done. Her stomach clenched into a ball.
He grabbed a lock of her hair and caressed the fine strands between his fingers. “You remind me so much of her.”
Her body trembled. Fueled by the blood coursing through her veins, she retreated from him. The back of her legs hit the edge of the countertop. She lost her balance. Momentum forced her to sit, and her knees splayed apart.
Demir placed himself between her legs, spreading them further. Setting his hands on the cupboards, he caged her between his arms. His scent of rich musk and incense made her head spin.
“My sweet Eleanor.” Demir closed the small gap between them, and his arousal pushed against her mound. He leaned in, his fangs grazing the delicate skin next to her ear. “Come back to me.”
Melissa tried to swallow, but her mouth was like sandpaper. She pushed against his chest, trying to force him back. “I-I’m not…your Eleanor.” The words tripped over her tongue. Her adrenaline spiked as fear of his retribution spread through her body.
He stilled for a brief moment before he curled his arm around her waist. Although his movements were slow and sensual, she cringed at his touch. His scent clung to her skin, marking her as his.
“Melissssssa.” He purred her name, his breath sending shivers of dread down her spine. “I will pamper you, treat you like a princess. All I ask is that you become my concubine.” He licked her earlobe, pulling the soft flesh into his mouth, nipping at it with his teeth.