Untamable Lover (Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony Book 2)

by Rosalie Redd

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Intro

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Author Newsletter

  Coming Soon

  Glossary

  About the Author

  UNTAMABLE LOVER

  A Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony Novel #2

  by

  ROSALIE REDD

  Copyright © May 2016 by Rosalie Redd

  All rights reserved. The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means—including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

  For permissions contact: Rosaliereddauthor@gmail.com.

  Cover Design: Fiona Jayde Media

  ISBN: 9781944419066

  United States of America

  A glossary is provided at the back of the book—click here.

  Want access to free reads, special offers, and giveaways? Sign up here for my Newsletter.

  Don’t worry, your information won’t be shared with anyone but my muse.

  Books in the Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony series:

  Novels

  - Untouchable Lover - book #1 - Available now - here

  - Untamable Lover - book #2

  - Unimaginable Lover - book #3 - Coming Fall 2016

  Novellas

  - Unforgettable Lover - prequel - Available now - here

  Short Stories

  - Come to Me: A Love in a Bottle Short Story #1 - Available now - here

  - Be with Me: A Love in a Bottle Short Story #2 - Available now - here

  - Catch Me: A Love in a Bottle Short Story #3 - Coming June 17th, 2016

  Chapter One

  Deep in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest

  Present day

  Demir was a hostage in his own body. Immovable, invisible bonds bound him tight. Unable to open his eyes, constant darkness engulfed him, an eerie reminder of how much he relied on his vision. His sense of hearing and smell sharpened, heightened, compensated for his lack of sight and only increased the knot of frustration in his gut. He concentrated on his fingers, willing them to move, but they remained motionless. The smooth, cool satin sheets caused goosebumps to form on his skin, sending a mental shiver along his nerves. His supine body didn’t flinch.

  He’d been this way for several weeks, ever since the enemy’s dart had penetrated his hide, poisoning him with some kind of mysterious liquid. How much longer could he stay like this and survive? The muscles in his arms and legs screamed to move, to flex, to exert the strength his body once contained.

  The familiar scent of his leather jacket hanging on a hook near his bed stirred his senses. Heated sunstones lined the cave ceiling and walls, yet even the warmth couldn’t bring him any solace.

  Tick, tick, tick.

  The clock on his bedside table magnified into the tolling of a bell. He wanted to grab the thing and smash it against the rock walls. The vision of the shattered timepiece and its bits scattered across the stone floor made him smile inside.

  In his current state, he couldn’t even mark his territory. How wrong was that? As a shape-shifting Lemurian Panthera, that was torture.

  The underground Keep was as much a prison to him as his own body. He longed to be free, to search out Ram and his Gossum minions, to rid the earth of the foul beasts. The battle between the Lemurians and the Gossum had gone on for millennia. His Goddess, Alora, had placed the Panthera and the other Lemurians here to win the war to ensure Earth remained a free planet. If they failed, Earth would be enslaved, and the humans would be forced to give up their most precious resource—water.

  The echo of footsteps eased through the crack under his door. He had visitors. As the door opened, a cool breeze wafted into the room, caressing the skin on his arms. A squeaking wheel in need of some oil pierced his sensitive eardrums, grating across his nerves. Fresh and clean, the scent of soap could only mean one thing—a bath.

  Quick footsteps entered. The door clicked shut.

  “Good evening, Demir.” Bet’s cheerful voice reverberated around the chamber. “I brought Til with me. It’s time for your bath.”

  Demir mentally stiffened, although his body remained still. The last thing he wanted was another bath. Grrrrrrr. The growl echoed in his mind, but no further.

  A thin film of sweat broke over his skin. The Keep’s Jixies were back and despite their best intentions, a bath would be another lesson in humiliation. He didn’t need to go through that again. Helplessness was the worst kind of torture.

  “Til, thank you for coming with me today. I can’t move him on my own.” Bet’s melodic voice only increased Demir’s anxiety, and a bead of perspiration raced over his brow, pooling along the edge of his ear.

  “No problem.” Til’s words were clipped.

  The table rolled closer to Demir. The wheel squeaked and water sloshed as if over the lip of a bucket. Demir strained against the bonds, and he tried to open his eyes.

  “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Bet asked.

  Silence stretched out for several seconds. “Yeah, I’m fine. I…I don’t know.” Til sighed.

  “What is it?” Bet’s soothing, encouraging response rolled over him.

  “It’s just—do you think he can hear us? Does he know what’s going on?”

  Of course he did, he heard every damn word, felt every touch. His anger boiled beneath his skin, hot and fevered. His need to break free threatened to drive him mad.

  Bet shuffled across the floor, away from Demir, the sound of her soft leather shoes imprinted on his brain. “I don’t know. Gaetan told me that he hasn’t responded to any form of treatment. It’s as if he’s—”

  “No, don’t say it.”

  “Oh, sweetie, if you aren’t up for th
is, I can get someone else.”

  “You’re King Noeh’s chambermaid. Why do you do this?”

  “Demir saved Noeh’s life. It’s the least I can do for this honorable male.”

  He winced. Honorable was the last thing he was. He’d had a lot of time to think about why he’d taken that dart for Noeh. During a battle in the middle of a small clearing, Ram had aimed the dart straight at the Stiyaha king. Noeh hadn’t appeared to hear the click as their enemy fired the gun. In his Panthera form, Demir had jumped in front of the projectile’s path. His impulsive choice had changed everything. If he could raise a sarcastic eyebrow, he would.

  Instead of getting rid of his rival, and taking his place as king of the Stiyaha and the Jixies, he’d saved Noeh’s miserable life and ended up in a coma. That had worked out great, hadn’t it? The only good to come from the deed was some clarity. Whatever was in that dart had paralyzed his body, but purified his mind. I have much to atone for.

  “All right, Bet. If you can do this, so can I.”

  Blankets lifted off his body, and the cool air swirled over his exposed skin. The only garment he wore was a pair of loose briefs tied at his hips, courtesy of the Jixie tailors.

  “Oh, my,” Til purred.

  “Your cheeks are red,” Bet said.

  “I can’t help it. Look at those muscles. I didn’t realize Panthera were so…firm. I guess I expected a thinner build.”

  “Okay, enough ogling, let’s do this before the water gets cold.”

  Gentle hands lifted his head and placed a towel on his pillow. Water dripped into the bucket, as if someone wrung out a rag. A warm, wet cloth started at his brow and circled around his face and ears. The sensation should’ve felt good, but instead, a scream built in his throat. He didn’t like others touching him.

  Tepid water from another rag dripped over his feet. They tag-teamed him, and he dreaded where they would meet.

  “What does Gaetan think will happen to him?”

  Bet didn’t respond right away, and a chill ran over Demir’s arms. He ached to know, yet, part of him didn’t want to hear her answer.

  “He’s been like this for almost a month. If he doesn’t come out of it soon, Gaetan thinks he’ll get weaker and—” Bet stopped washing Demir’s chest and a stream of water trickled down his side.

  “Bet, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. Please don’t cry.”

  Bet’s crying? Over me? He’d been nothing but rude to her. A wave of guilt raced along his spine.

  Bet sniffled. “I’m ok, thank you. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened to Noeh if… The Gossum are brutal creatures. I despise their evil, hairless hides.”

  “Uh, Bet? What now?” Til’s voice wavered.

  A lukewarm washrag lay draped over the top of Demir’s thigh. He pushed against his invisible shackles, desperation making him want to turn into his panther form and lash out. As much as he tried, his body remained still, lifeless.

  “Let’s turn him over and untie the string. We’ll wash his backside first.”

  The rags disappeared from his thighs and abdomen. Footsteps converged on his right and small, strong hands pushed under his back and legs. Against his will, he rolled onto his left side.

  Soft fingers tugged at his shorts. The string holding the two sides together fell away, revealing his buttocks to the two female Jixies. He tensed, waiting for the reaction he knew would come.

  A quick intake of breath.

  Skin slapping, as if a hand had covered a mouth.

  Silence.

  “C’mon. Let’s be quick. Don’t keep this warrior waiting,” Bet said.

  “The…scars. There’s so many.”

  “Til. Help me wash him.” Bet’s tone turned harsh.

  Demir’s face burned. The disfigurement was a constant reminder of his failure. Bet and the females who washed him were among the few who had ever seen the tracks. Not even his once-beloved Eleanor knew of the lines that marred his body and soul. The female Jixies’ reactions brought back the embarrassment and pain as if he’d earned those scars yesterday.

  Lukewarm water rubbed against his rough and mottled skin. The rag’s torture made him scream inside. His mind fogged. The pet frog he’d had as a child surfaced in his thoughts. He’d captured the small creature by the bank of a stream one night. The frog had lived for several days, until his constant touching killed it as surely as the lack of water. A new appreciation for what he’d put his little pet through raced across his mind.

  When they were done, they rolled him onto his back. As if he needed any more humiliation, they washed his groin. He endured the cleaning as best he could. What choice did he have? Soft hands retied the string at his hip, covering his maleness and giving him a modicum of privacy.

  “He looks so peaceful. I wonder how he got those scars,” Til asked.

  “I doubt we’ll ever know,” Bet replied.

  “Should we trim his beard?”

  “Aramie likes to shave his face and clip his goatee. We’ll leave that for her.”

  A pleasant warmth spread through his body. Aramie, his second in command, had spent quite a bit of time by his side, taking care of him. Her constant chatter had helped ease the loneliness.

  When Til spoke, her words were soft, quiet. “Really? Isn’t that interesting.”

  Silence filled the room.

  Bet cleared her throat.

  “What? I was just admiring. He’s a handsome male in a rugged sort of way.”

  “That’s enough. Time to go. Now. We’ll come back later and change his sheets.”

  “Okay—”

  Smooth fingers pulled the sheet up and tucked the soft material around his shoulders. The towel was removed from beneath his head. Now that the bath was done, his racing heart slowed back to its normal pace.

  Water sloshed and a squeaky wheel crossed near the foot of his bed. Clothing rustled and soft footsteps padded toward the exit. As the door opened, a cool breeze blew across his face. He relished how it tingled his skin. A desire to go with them rose to the forefront of his mind, but he couldn’t and that burned deep in his gut. The door closed behind them, and he was left alone with only his tortured thoughts to keep him company.

  Chapter Two

  Aramie scanned the training facility, searching for her next opponent. Several Panthera males and a few females worked out either alone or in groups. The room stank of sweat, assailing Aramie’s sensitive nose. Her jaw flexed. It was only a matter of time before one of the males challenged her, again.

  As Demir’s second in command, she’d assumed the tenuous role of interim Pride leader. Even though she and her sister had been with the Pride less than a year, she’d risen in the ranks through sparring match wins and her impressive number of Gossum kills. She refused to relinquish her authority, and she’d had to fight a few males to remind them why she’d earned her position.

  Although she had the ability to lead this ragtag group, she ached to find a cure for Demir. Her chest tightened. Demir continued to deteriorate. Her Pride leader still looked healthy, but his organs were slowly shutting down.

  Gaetan, the Keep’s Haelen, had analyzed the empty dart casing. He’d found nothing but untainted, ancient water. The old healer had exhausted all of his options trying to find out how that had put Demir in a coma, but so far nothing had worked. He continued to give Demir fluids on a regular basis, but Demir wouldn’t last much longer.

  Tension tightened Aramie’s insides, clenching her stomach into a ball. Aramie wouldn’t give up—she couldn’t imagine life without her Pride leader. Biting the inside of her cheek, she headed for the closest rack of weights and grabbed a twenty pound dumbbell in each hand. She lifted the load, silently counting the number of hammer curls.

  Sidea walked into the room. Aramie relaxed, the tension leaving her chest.

  “Hey, sis!” Sidea approached, her wide smile brightening Aramie’s mood. “Got your message you wanted to talk. What’s up?”

  Aramie placed the weigh
ts back on the rack and glanced around the room. No one seemed to notice them. Adrenaline surged through her bloodstream as her excitement got the better of her. She stepped closer to her younger sister and lowered her voice. “I ran into Ginnia in the Hall of Scriptures. She showed me an ancient text describing a place called Blue Pool. The scripture spoke of a sacred blue sunstone, one that might heal Demir.”

  Sidea gripped Aramie’s arm. “That’s fabulous. Where is this place?”

  “That’s the problem, no one knows.”

  Her sister’s shoulders slumped, but she gave Aramie a slight smile. “You want to look, anyway, don’t you?”

  Aramie couldn’t stop her own smile as it tugged at her lip. “You know me so well. The description leading to Blue Pool sounds familiar—we have to try.”

  “When are we leaving?”

  “I wish we could go immediately, but the sun’s still out. We’d burn to a crisp if we left now.” Aramie exhaled. “It irritates me that we’re forced to be night creatures. We leave at nightfall.”

  Sidea wrapped her arm around Aramie’s shoulder and leaned in. Her breath tickled the back of Aramie’s neck, sending a chill over her shoulders. “Perfect. Until then, we should burn off some energy. Kitani and Jonue look like they need a good spar. You interested?”

  Aramie scanned the small crowd of warriors in the training center. In the far corner, Kitani and Jonue seemed focused on their tasks. Jonue was in the midst of a push-up, her hands and toes pressed firmly against the mat.

  Kitani held a large weight in each hand. She raised them to her shoulders and pushed the heavy metal over her head. When she moved, the thin shoulder strap on her shirt revealed the scarred puncture wounds at the base of her throat—the sign of a mated female.

  She caught Aramie’s gaze. Her eyes brightened and a smile crossed her face. She lowered the weights, patted Jonue on the shoulder, and pointed at Aramie. Both females jogged over.

  “Sidea, check out these muscles.” Jonue flexed her bicep and winked.

  Sidea squeezed Jonue’s arm and nodded. “Nice, very impressive.”