“I know I sense it. I won’t touch her inappropriately.”
He sighed. “I know, but I can’t watch.” He spun around and leaned his back against the gurney hoping his body heat and closeness would help her fight and heal.
He knew the moment Ciyrs touched her. The room heated exponentially and he felt his inner magic immerse into her body. He turned just as her torso lifted into the air and she took in a large breath. Her eyes shot open and then she screamed. The piercing wail hurt his ears and glass shattered. The whole compound would hear her pain. He couldn’t take it. It was blinding indescribable pain and he wanted to kill.
Pyra roared, but news travelled fast, and when he would have slammed Ciyrs into a wall he was restrained by not only his brother warriors, his brother, but his father laid a hand on him trying to soothe him. He hadn’t even realized they were there until strong arms held him back.
“He’s helping her.”
He shook his head and tears slide down his cheeks. “It’s hurting her.”
“No son, it’s not—not the way you think it is. She was dead. He’s bringing her back to life.”
Pyra froze. No way. She couldn’t have been dead. But when he looked, really looked at Eden he saw the signs. The blue on her lips was still present.
Ciyrs’s hands laid flat. One was over her heart and the other on her head. His eyes were shut tight in concentration and sweat poured from him. His face was pale and his hands began to shake. He realized what his brother was going through to save his mate. He’d never be able to repay him and owed him a great debt.
He wondered what it would do to her. Ciyrs hadn’t ever brought a human back to life. He knew with another Denynso it would mean a link was formed between the healer and the saved. He didn’t like the thought of them having a link.
“It will be like a brother and sister relationship, son. Nothing more.”
“How’d you know what I was thinking?”
He shrugged. “Because that would be my first thought as well. The most important thing is that he saved her, and she will live because of his gift.”
“I know, I’ll never be able to repay him.”
Finally Ciyrs removed his hands from her body and opened his eyes. Pyra physically watched as the magical link formed between them. Her eyes widened and so did his brother’s. It was like something inside them recognized each other and when he bent to kiss her, Pyra tried to move, but again he was held back.
“It can ruin the healing magic. They have to bond.”
He growled. “I know, but we just bonded before her attack. It’s too fresh.”
The king placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “You’ll survive. Ciyrs is your brother.”
So he watched as his good friend kissed his mate. Only he didn’t kiss her lips, he kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek. “My sister,” he whispered and every voice in the room went silent waiting to see what happened. No one dared to even breathe. She was the first human to be healed, hell to be brought back to life in their long history.
She smiled when he helped her sit up. Her neck wound healed right before their eyes and hers latched on to Pyra’s. She smiled at him and then looked at Ciyrs. “I can never thank you enough. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Ciyrs nodded and helped her stand, and she wrapped her arms around him hugging him close. He made it brief before unlatching her arms from around him. “Go see your mate before he rips my head off.”
She nodded and turned to him. She blushed and walked over to him. She was quiet and docile, and he wondered if she would regain her temper. He sure as hell hoped she did. It was part of her charm.
When she walked right into his arms he was thrilled and curious. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
He was confused. “What are you sorry about?”
“Scaring you, I felt it. It was strange. The whole time you held me, I felt your pain and suffering. It nearly suffocated me, and I tried to wake up, but I couldn’t.”
“It’s okay Eden. You’re alive now.”
He looked over her head and saw Ciyrs watching them. His eyes shined, but there was something else in his expression, protectiveness.
He led her over to him and pulled him into a hug. “Never am I more appreciative than I am right now, brother. Thank you.”
He nodded and smiled. “It’s surreal, I didn’t think it was going to work. I also don’t know what the affects will be so I need to keep an eye on her and keep notes for future reference just in case, not that I plan to have to do that again. I’m utterly and totally drained. I need to freakin’ sleep for a week.”
“Rest and I’ll keep track of any strangeness. First, it seems her temper is gone.”
Ciyrs laughed. “It will probably come back. Her body went through a horrible ordeal, and she was technically dead.”
Those words made him shudder; he didn’t want to think of what would have happened had Ciyrs not been able to save her.
Chapter 2
I felt different. I knew I had died, and Ciyrs brought me back to life. Shit. There were so many mixed feeling inside of me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel like me again. How I felt about the man in front of me now was different than it was before that monster attacked me. I couldn’t even remember why I fought against our bond. Now it felt like second nature. The bond with the healer was a different story.
It was a good bond, and I could feel a part of him inside me. It soothed me and made me feel safe, like nothing would ever happen to me again.
‘You’re my sister now’, his voice echoed in my mind and my eyes widened. It was strange hearing voices in my head, but I knew his words were true. It felt like I had known him forever.
Pyra smiled at me, but the worry in his eyes still lingered. I could feel his suffering. He hated himself, blamed himself for the attack. How was he supposed to know there was going to be an attack at that very moment? I didn’t blame him.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged his giant body. I tipped my head back staring at him willing his sadness away. “Stop blaming yourself.”
His eyes watered but he shook his head. “That’s not going to happen, Eden.” Then he brushed my hair away from my face. The touch sent a million sensations through my body.
“Can we go home now?” he asked holding me close.
Home? I didn’t have one really. That cabin was nice, but if I was going to be honest, I was a little afraid to be left alone after what happened. Pyra sensed my fear.
“There is no way I am letting you out of my sight.”
I nodded and a fire tried to come to life. My temper would be back, and when it was, when I didn’t feel so damn serene, I’d kick his ass. I turned and waved at Ciyrs. It was strange, but I almost felt like a little girl looking up to her big brother. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that bond. That feeling of anger kept growing, and I would bide my time and wait patiently. My anger was my crutch. It’s how I survived so long.
He tipped his chin and I was led out of the building. Pyra tensed and his hand tightened on mine.
“Can I just pick you up and run. This is bringing too much back.”
It was the fact that he asked and how vulnerable he sounded that made me agree.
“This one time, but don’t get used to carting me around.” Yes. I was starting to feel slightly normal again. He lifted me in his arms and ran. It felt like the wind was whipping in my face, and before I could ask we were standing on the porch to a different place.
“Welcome home,” he said with a smile and placed me gently on my feet. I raised a brow. There was no more arrogance in his voice. It seemed both of us were going through a change, and I wondered if his normal cockiness would come back like my temper was.
I refrained from saying anything mean because he was seriously upset. I followed behind him and gasped. His home was not what one would expect. Most men, human ones anyways, were known to be slobs. But his home was sparkling clean. I was afraid to walk across the floor.
I sighed and kicked my shoes off before setting them nicely against the wall.
Pyra laughed. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Oh, yes I did. You’re place is super clean.”
He sat on the couch and patted the spot next to him. I eyed the spot and sighed. My head was full of so much and all I wanted to do was rest.
‘Come sit with me, love.’
I reeled back. “What the hell is that?”
“It’s part of our bond, a link was formed and we have the ability to speak through the mind.”
‘Are you fucking kidding me?’
His chuckle reverberated in my mind, and I felt his relief.
‘Your temper is coming back, I was worried.’
“Talk out loud it feels like you’re yelling in my head.”
“Until you get used to it, that’s how it will feel. It’s normal from what I’ve been told.”
“You knew this was going to happen?”
“Yes,” he replied.
Fire burned inside. “You didn’t think that might have been important to mention before we fucked?”
His mouth dropped open, and I saw the hurt in his eyes.
“Is that what you think we did?”
I wanted to scream, to yell, and to say yes, that is what I think it was, but I couldn’t and I lowered my head shaking it. “No.”
He sped towards me and lifted my chin. “We made love Eden, and whether you like it or not things between us changed the moment I came inside of you. You’re mine and I’m yours. I do hope you will love me someday.”
He leaned in and kissed me. All it took was one touch and I was gone, melted into a puddle of growing messy love. He was right.
I moaned and wrapped my arms around him urging him to lift me in the air. I had almost died. Certainly that meant something needed to change. Life was too short to be so pissed off all the time.
His body shook and he carried me to the couch. When he sat down he situated me on his lap and I straddled him without breaking our kiss. I pushed my lower body against him and his hands gripped me tighter as if he was afraid to let go.
When I pulled back his eyes glowed and I was breathless.
“Well, does that mean you’re okay with our bond now?”
I shrugged. “You’re growing on me. I won’t promise not to get mad or freak out, but I’ll try not to be a complete bitch.”
He nodded. “I can live with that, and you’re not a bitch. You’ve had bad things happen to you.”
I tensed and eyed him. “How do you know?”
“Your memories.”
“You’ve seen them?”
“Only a few, but it just happened during the bond. It opened you up to me, allowed me to get to know you on a closer level.”
I went to pull away but he gripped my hips.
“Hey it’s part of the bond, Eden. I didn’t invade your mind on purpose. Your mind opened up to me.”
I sighed not liking that he’d seen some of the darker things in my life. Tears fell from my eyes before I could stop them. I was not a crier, but I guess dying kind of changes a person.
“Oh love, it’s going to be okay. I don’t judge you, and if I ever make a trip to Earth, I’ll hunt him down and kill him.” Pyra was pissed, and somehow that made it better.
It was in that moment I couldn’t ignore how I felt. The growing love was taking over all the hate that I held buried inside of me. He knew of my darkest secrets and still wanted me. And I knew that he wasn’t just throwing out words to make me feel better. If I ever took him back with me, he would hunt my stepfather down and kill him. Should I have been scared? Hell yes. Was I? Not even a little bit.
Chapter 3
Pyra carried Eden to bed when she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. He saw the moment she decided to stop fighting the bond. After that the silence stretched between them, but it was no longer uncomfortable.
He never thought the day would come that he felt calm and at peace. It wouldn’t last, but it was nice for the time being. Stripping off his clothes he got into bed and pulled Eden next to him. He wouldn’t be able to be away from her, at least not for a while. His brothers already knew he was going to be spending more time away.
As far as he could tell, so far she was fine and functioning well after her attack. She hadn’t really seemed too chatty, but he didn’t think that was really anything new.
She squirmed and her elbow nearly landed in his face but he deftly dodged it. She kicked and cried trying to get away. He let her go and she thrashed around on the bed. Her body broke out in a sweat, and she ripped the blanket from her body. It was then the scent of her arousal hit him and he gritted his teeth. Of course.
“Touch me,” she said and let her legs fall open. He watched her and waited to see if she was going to wake up.
When he touched her skin it was a hot as lava, much like his felt when he was over emotional. Her back arched off the bed, and he realized she was actually hurting. He didn’t know if she’d be pissed, but he sat up and leaned over her before he yanked her bottoms off. She didn’t even open her eyes, and when saw how wet she was he nearly lost it. Whatever was going on was real, but she wasn’t aware of what her body was feeling.
She shivered and moaned when the cool air kissed her burning skin. He slid her legs flat and kept them apart. When he slid his hand up her thigh she groaned.
He ran his finger over her slit and her hips jerked and she sobbed. Tears slid down her cheeks. “It hurts, please make it stop.”
He didn’t know what was going on, but she was in a major state of arousal and he couldn’t figure out why it hadn’t woken her up. He rubbed her clit with the tip of his index finger and her mouth fell open on a drawn out moan.
“Wake up love,” he said hoping she’d open her eyes. He felt wrong touching her without her permission, but it seemed to be helping.
She stuck out her lip when he stopped his movements.
“EDEN!”
Her body jerked and her eyes fluttered but still she didn’t wake up. He sat and watched her without touching her. Not even five minutes later she was crying again. Sobbing about the pain, and he’d had enough. She could kick his ass later.
He climbed on top of her bearing all his weight. “Wake up, Eden.” Then he slid inside of her.
Her eyes shot open and she gasped. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“You were hurting love, I tried waking you, but even yelling at you, you didn’t even try to open your eyes. Do you still hurt?” he asked and twisted his hips. He slid in deep hitting her g-spot and she screamed.
When her eyes focused she glared. “Why am I so fucking turned on right now? Did you do this on purpose?”
His eyes flared. “No, I just explained to you what happened. You didn’t wake up until I was buried deep inside of you, love.”
She eyed him but then nodded confused when she realized he was telling the truth.
‘I would never do anything without your permission unless it was an emergency.’
He felt her anger disappear and she kissed him, sliding her tongue into his mouth and pressed her lips against his with a force he wasn’t used to.
When she pulled back he could have sworn he saw orange, but that was impossible, wasn’t it?
“Fuck me,” she said and her voice ended on a growl.
“Shit, you’re so fucking hot.” Then he plowed into her hard. He’d worry about her changes later; right now he needed her more than he needed his breath. She moaned and groaned crying out and scratching his back. She went wild.
When she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist pulling him deeper inside of her he gasped. She felt different and he knew exactly what she felt like. She changed, and it was because Ciyrs saved her. He had to tell him, but now he rode his mate hard. Her whimpers and pleas were driving him into a lust he couldn’t manage, and his
eyes glazed over. His inner beast took over fucking her, and she loved every damn minute of it. She met each movement and her breathy pleas drove him over the edge.
The bed creaked and groaned, and she screamed when the mattress collapsed beneath them. He rolled quick and kept her from getting hurt.
“What the hell?”
He grunted when his back landed against the wooden frame, but he smiled so she didn’t notice, but she did.
Why did you do that? You can’t let yourself get hurt.”
“I can and I’ll always do my best to keep you safe no matter what, love.”
“Do you?”
“Hmm?” he asked and grunted when he tried to move. A sharp pain shot up his spine and he mentally cursed. “Do I what?”
She blushed and looked down. “Love me?”
He was shocked by her question. Couldn’t she feel it? Humans were strange. “Of course I do. Do you feel it?”
She shrugged and pulled off of his body and stood holding out her hand to help him up. “No, not really; I mean I know you care for me, but—”
“Eden, I’ve loved you since the first touch. I didn’t think you were ready to hear it. Hell, you just started to be able to tolerate me.”
The tips of her ears turned red and she nibbled her lip. “Oh, well that makes sense.”
He stood slowly and his back cried in protest. He moaned and sucked in a breath. He didn’t want to worry her, but she saw his pain and spun him to look at his back. She gasped and placed her hand on the place where the wood splintered in his back.
Her hand caught fire and he felt magic. It was similar to Ciyrs’s and then the pain in his back started to disappear. He turned his head to the side and watched as her hand glowed green. She was fucking healing him.
He was stunned speechless as he stood still. When she yanked her hand back the glow disappeared, and he felt no pain.
“How—how did I do that?” She stared at her hand holding it away from her. “Did he give me his gift?”
Pyra didn’t know the answer. “Love, I’ve got no fucking clue how you did that. He brought you back; maybe it’s some residual power?” He didn’t believe that for a minute, but he could see she was on the verge of panic. Her eyes were round and wide and she was pale. Her body began to shake, and then she fell to the ground and convulsed.
Loralia & Bannack's Story (Uoria Mates IV Book 4) Page 9