‘He gets the picture’, Sula quickly interrupted him, her mind racing. ‘We must have had a brief moment of intercourse,’ she said through gritted teeth, her eyes darker than dark, shooting arrows at Shazar, before looking hopelessly at Felix, ‘It must have been extremely brief since I don’t remember it at all, but we must have for we… can read minds,’ she bit her lip, ‘I promise you, darling I didn’t know until now!’ Well, that’s not true, not really… She touched her forehead and rubbed it in frustration, hating herself for having kept it hidden, somehow not wanting to acknowledge it even to herself.
Felix stared at her, first confused, then hurt, disgusted, disappointed and angry. His emotions kept flaring and showed openly on his face.
‘A brief moment of intercourse? How could you have kept this from me? You knew?’ Felix spoke to her through their one-sided mind link.
Sula stood, facing Felix, who had tears in his eyes, wanting to touch him, to comfort him.
‘I really didn’t know, not until I met Shazar the other day and discovered that he could speak to me in my mind.’
‘You…you raped my wife?!’ Felix shot at Shazar, having decided that this man was totally to blame for all of this and next thing Felix jumped on top of him, trying to punch him in the face with a hard clenched fist. He missed, for Shazar’s reflexes, even though he wasn’t using any animal ability, were far too quick for Felix.
Shazar stood to ward off the man’s raining blows. Sula came in between them and stopped Felix from making a fool of himself, grabbing his hands. She quickly touched his forehead and he collapsed like a sack of beans. She easily broke the fall before he reached the floor and he fell into her arms. Silently, she laid him on some cushions.
Sorry love, later.
Chapter 18 Heartbreak
‘Great Yentil! You can do that too?’ Shazar exclaimed astonishingly with a flushed face.
Sula didn’t meet his eyes but when she stood and spoke it was with exasperation. ‘I don’t want him to hear what I have to say to you.’
It sounded bad and he stiffened from sudden panic, and lowered his shoulders a bit. Why was that? He was surprised by this new feeling, for fear was the one thing he hardly ever felt at all. The dread of losing his loved ones, including Sula of course, was the only thing that made him feel fear. Apart from the time when humans had killed his parents and sister, he had not known true terror. He and his brother had channelled these feelings into revenge and they had quenched its thirst with human sacrifice in Shazar’s darker days.
Sula rose above him and he felt authority radiating from her; her strong posture and serious demeanour commanded respect. He was taller than her, but still he felt small in her presence, as though she was towering over him. He stared into her narrowed eyes and saw that she wasn’t using any ability. Her slender form and female curves made his manhood burn with desire. Her serene face was so perfect in every way that it could make a man fall on his knees without even using any of her real powers.
Yes, she could even be more powerful than I am, if she wanted to be. She controls me. I could never hurt her more than I already have, but she could hurt me…She has every reason to...
‘Now,’ she started, composed, as she stared him straight in the eyes. Her eyes greener than he remembered; like a cat they almost seem to flash from an inner light.
‘So you mated with me last time we met and it must have been too quick for you to have really enjoyed it, so be honest with me. Why did you do it; to impregnate me?’ Deep down she knew the answer already, of course.
‘Yes and to…to create a bond with you,’ he stammered, losing his confidence.
‘Hmm.’ She regarded him with a composed face, trying to regain her calm. She had had twenty odd years to practise this day after all.
He gazed at her intently, startled at her quiet reaction.
‘Did I… succeed?’ he quickly asked.
‘So, I was right all along,’ she mumbled, lowering her face. ‘At first I didn’t think it possible, I hardly remember, it was such a confusing time.’
Shazar rubbed his legs together nervously, trying to ignore his arousal.
‘I couldn’t let you go when you were that close, I…had to, it was pure instinct, Sula. I very quickly used the mating technique of some rare form of male bird which can ejaculate when he enters the female straight away. It was my last option. I confess,’ he stuttered more than he liked. ‘When you refused me and started to ward me off, I remembered and used it. I promise you it wasn’t something I planned to do. However I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry for making you feel used. You were half asleep. It was a despicable act by a desperate, foolish young man. Did…did I succeed?’ he asked again with his legs crossed now.
She closed her eyes for a moment against his words and rubbed her forehead. She sighed shakily and sat down on her chair.
‘It was rape and I will never forgive you for that! But yes… I think my son Aigle is the result of your act. I fell pregnant soon after you left,’ she said grimly.
His eyebrows went up and then his face relaxed as he smiled and his eyes gleamed.
‘Aigle…’ He tasted the name on his tongue. ‘Aigle...’ and he frowned as if he tried to remember and then his eyes shown.
‘What?’ Sula asked, confused.
‘Aigle…Did you know that it means “master”?’
Sula shook her head, trying to recall why she had called him that. She always thought it meant either ‘Eagle’ or had something to do with him being agile or something.
‘The name came to me shortly after he was born and laid in my arms, when he first opened his eyes.’ Her voice grew warm when she brought up the memory. Shazar drew in a sharp breath when seeing the picture in his mind as well, and felt tears well up. Sula had allowed him to see it and he smiled at her, grateful for it. It took him a moment to regain his voice.
‘The old tongue must be in you, or maybe our ancestors are with you in spirit, whispering to you? You are very fortunate Sula. Can you hear them?’
Sula shrugged it off, not wanting to discuss spiritual matters with him. She only heard her deceased mother and Feline, but she wasn’t going to share that with him.
‘Why do you think he is mine as opposed to knowing he is? ’ A mother knows that sort of things doesn’t she? Shazar thought hopefully.
‘He is the spitting image of you.’ she replied. ‘I’ve always wondered why all my other children have something of Felix in them. Even Valera, who looks so much like me has his eyes, his mannerisms, but Aigle doesn’t. And even though I have tried to block your face out of my mind…I see it every time I look at my son. I hadn’t slept with my husband for a while when you came along nor… after you left. And when Valera came home yesterday and told me had seen an older version of Aigle; that’s when I knew.’
‘A mixture of you and me…His ears must be larger too,’ Shazar spoke excitedly, almost out of breath, he was that happy.
‘They are larger than my other son Jolaz’, yes.’
‘Well, Aigle is a full comyenti,’ The most purebred comyenti child…his heart sang, ignoring Sula’s remark about having another son. Without a doubt he’d heard and knew that that boy would only be a halfling: inferior in Shazar’s eyes. A feeling of great trepidation came over her then.
‘Felix doesn’t know or he doesn’t want to,’ she remarked, licking her lips. ‘I blocked my doubts, so it wasn’t lying, technically. But he must have noticed the resemblance as well, especially now after having seen you. But even if he did in the past; he always treated him like his own son. Shazar, Aigle is Felix’ son and he always will be. Nothing can change that.’
Shazar nodded, he understood. It was like that with Twello and him, but Twello’s real father was long dead, so for Twello there had been no other choice.
‘We succeeded after all then.’ He had a big, smug smile painted on his face.
‘We? You did! This has always been your plan, hasn’t it?’ Sula’s almond shaped eyes gre
w large. ‘If only you had followed the rules, my rules! If only I had made you take the Comyenti Oath on my plan earlier on!’
‘I am sorry for the way things went that night, I wish I could do it over and I would do things differently,’ Shazar said sincerely. Although that didn’t sound right somehow, Sula understood through their Heartmerge that he truly meant what he was saying, and at least his feelings were genuine.
‘Well, I guess Aigle wouldn’t be here then,’ and Sula relaxed her shoulders, relenting somewhat.
His stomach fluttered pleasantly in response, remembering that night and the warmth ended up in his loins. Oh, how he longed to pull her close to him, on his lap. She was after all his mate through the Heartmerge. But he reminded himself that their years of absence had prevented the merge to grow deeper and that it was likely Sula didn’t feel the same. He was in fact sure of it now; the way she looked at him with resentment. No, her heart did not belong to him.
The two comyentis were silent for a long time, both in thought. Sula glanced at Felix sleeping on the cushions.
What if the children came in now? But she said, ‘He won’t be unconscious that long, so if you have anything to say, say it now.’
‘Tell me about Aigle,’ he answered quickly.
She did, she told him what he had been like as a child; always happy and smiling. How, at times, the boy had been frustrated at not been able to do more when his body wouldn’t allow it yet. She described him growing up and now as a young man. Shazar, as his birth father and comyenti, had a right to know so she told that Aigle was caring and loving to his siblings and parents, adventurous, curious, courageous, open minded, confident, charming and thoughtful, musical and always eager to learn.
‘He left home when he was nineteen, he’ll be twenty-four this spring.’
‘Does he stay away from people?’ Shazar asked approvingly.
Sula nodded.
‘He wears a headband like you most of the time and everyone knows him that way. The villagers do not suspect anything as I wear a hat or headscarf in public, as do my other children. She felt reluctant to tell him about the shape-shifting lizard people who had attacked the family on four different occasions now; including the first failed attempt where a trap was set. She somehow knew she must.
‘And no one even suspects you are a different species all together?’ Shazar found that hard to believe somehow.
‘Rosinhill village has been rather isolated for centuries so no one has even heard of our kind. Only Felix had a book, which featured a comyenti, in his home when we first met, but he destroyed it out of caution.’
‘And you are sure no one knows?’ Shazar peered intently, and with distrust at her, as if reading her.
‘We have been safe from the Rosinhillers all this time!’ she responded a little hot- headed, her cheeks flushing. Now she wouldn’t tell him anything!
‘Hmm, tell me about your other children.’ He said as he looked away.
She only briefly mentioned Fay; twenty-eight, her first born who wandered and tried to help captured animals and prevent cruelty wherever she could. She didn’t want to draw too much attention to her. Then she told him about her third born, the domestic Valera, and her bright and active twins Almaz and Jolaz.
‘Sounds like a cosy little family,’ he smiled enviously. ‘and still your body hasn’t changed much,’ he said eyeing, her from top to toe approvingly.
‘I keep myself fit.’ She sucked her lips in out of frustration and preventing herself, with some effort, from throwing something at him.
‘You could have more children.’
‘I am sixty-four!’ she exclaimed open-mouthed.
‘Comyenti women can have babies until they are eighty or so. I told you this before-’
‘I am blessed with what I’ve got,’ I don’t want to be used as a breeder of a new nation! I have my pride.
He heard that.
‘I suppose, but you are the last halfling. We were always the last two comyentis. Your children are quartlings. Only Aigle is almost a full comyenti. We could…’
‘No, I know what you are about to say. There is no ‘we’ in us. I’m not having this discussion again! No, no and no!’
‘My… aren’t we moody today,’ Need I remind you that the comyenti duty is not only to save and protect the innocent, to be their voice, to survive but, and especially now, to continue our line…
She narrowed her eyes and glowered at him.
‘How can I forget if you constantly remind me of it? How can I ever, every time I look at Aigle?’ And she shook her head sighing. She felt hope and love radiating from Shazar, so much that it nearly drowned her. Would he never give up? His rational words masked something deeper; his selfish emotions came straight from his heart. She met his staring eyes and opened her mouth. ‘Heartbreak happens when we want other people to love us in a way we imagine we want to be loved.’ Sula said, speaking fast and, with a passion new to him. ’Love should come to us free and unchained, guiding us with its force and driving us on. However as my mother taught me if you just follow your heart, you’re in for trouble. You stop thinking. In relationships, people should not only listen to their hearts, but also to their heads. Ha, I will teach my children not to lose their heads if they fall in love!’
Shazar knew that she spoke to him directly to lecture him, but he also had the feeling that she spoke from her own experience. She had known heartbreak and he remembered again, that she had had a lover after he left.
In a flash of light Shazar suddenly recalled Feline’s words from that day: “She loves Felix and another, but it’s not you.” He had hidden that memory from Sula very well. To find out who it was she had loved, he dug in her mind presently, while it was vulnerable and still open to him… He saw images of a woman he instantly recognised: it was the same woman who had spoken those words…The woman he had accidentally killed. Felix’ sister had been Sula’s lover.
~~~
For a moment Shazar was put off guard and nearly gave himself away with his own images of Feline and what he had done to her… He quickly and skilfully shut his feelings down, including his dread. Sula was never to know, or she would become his enemy and that was his worst fear.
‘That’s one of the reasons you came back, isn’t it?’ Sula asked him. When he didn’t answer, and his mind abruptly went blank to her, she felt suspicious about what he was hiding.
‘Felix feels it, that’s why he won’t leave you out of his sight; because he knows you will try to do the same thing again!’
You are fertile…
Her eyes widened at that.
Shazar had shocked himself with that thought. Some thoughts were not to be controlled, nor were his senses. She was ovulating.
I couldn’t help but notice. My whole being senses it, sorry! It might be the Heartmerge; it might be the bond we still undoubtedly have, however weakened over the years. Me being so close to you has strengthened it again. I…find you irresistible.
She got up, anger painted on her face and radiating from her whole being.
‘But I promise I will behave myself this time!’ He composed himself quickly. ‘I won’t try anything on you… or your children: I swear it on my Comyenti Oath!’
He crossed his hands over his chest.
‘I respect you, and even your husband, too much and I am not a young fool any more. I have learned. And if we did mate I would want you to enjoy it.’
‘Get out,’ she responded calmly.
He shouldn’t have said that last line; that was just the final straw for her.
Your dare touch your heart? Creatures big and small give me strength! You follow nothing but your desire and you hide your lust behind your “comyenti duty”! You despicable man!
‘Excuse me?’
‘You heard me. Now get out!’
‘But you said I could meet your children?’
‘You have been impudent! I have to think about it first, now leave.’
He got up slowly and w
alked over to the door rubbing his chin as if beaten. He turned to say something to explain himself, but changed his mind. Even though they had a Heartmerge, and communication should have flowed easy, it wasn’t as trouble-free as he had imagined this special bond between two comyentis would be; eliminating all misunderstandings. Were they just too different? Did they want two different things?
With a pang in his heart he concluded, No, I know the true reason now, something I didn’t want to see but should have seen coming; she has become human…
But he had shielded his thoughts to her and just nodded, avoiding her eyes.
~~~
‘I’m so sorry, love. It’s not going to change anything,’ Sula said softly, her voice trembling and her head dropped low whilst the couple were seated on their bed.
Felix heard the words, heard her voice, but couldn’t take it in. He, on more than one occasion, had wondered though. Sometimes the boy reminded him too much of Shazar, even if Felix had only known the comyenti a couple of days; days he wished he could clear from his memory. If he had had the courage, he would have followed the dwarfs to the Summer Palace and asked the unicos about the Well Of Forgetfulness. Could the well water really wipe out a selected memory, or a specific person, from one’s brain? If so, Felix would have chosen those two days: when he met Shazar, and the pain that followed after. For days and weeks his wife had been acting strangely after their parting, estranging herself from him, however visiting his sister and confiding in her, rather than in her own husband!
‘You were drugged, we both were. It wasn’t your fault,’ he said quietly, trying to not let his emotions overpower him. ‘We both were victims of his arrogance and stupidity,’ she heard the unspoken words added in his mind. Tears were falling down his face, his eyes misty.
They sat on their bed for the rest of the evening. Soon after Shazar left, the children had come home and found their parents in their bedroom, and normally when that happened, they knew they needed privacy. This time the children instantly sensed something was wrong, and after a short reassurance from their mother, they retired to their own rooms.
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy) Page 42