Eternal Flame

by Valerie Twombly

  “Garin and Seth, go prepare the others for the possibility of war. Marcus, I will speak with you,” Aidyn said.

  Garin and Seth bowed. “Yes, my lord.” Then vanished.

  Once they left, Aidyn turned to Marcus, the mental push he received from his king meant he better not fuck up. “Let go of my sister, Marcus, and claim your mate.” His voice gentled. “I fear she may need our protection.”

  Chapter Seven

  Hot water rolled across his body, he wanted to burn the sting of Aidyn’s last words off his skin. “Claim your mate.” He reached for the soap and scrubbed, wondering if he could wash away his desires. It wasn’t working. He imagined her hands running down his chest. Soft, wet, naked curves pressing against him.

  “Fuck.” He reached for the faucet and forced it to cold.

  Once toweled off, he threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, strapped a dagger to the outside of each thigh and tied his hair back. He scooped the amulet off the nightstand as he walked by and placed it around his neck then flashed to the mountains.

  He entered the Cave of the Gods. His senses reached out and scanned the area, no dragons. Hopefully, they were hunting, and he’d be gone before they got back. No telling how they would react if they discovered him in their territory. He’d like to think Caleb would turn the other cheek, but who knew if the Draki would still consider this cave a neutral zone.

  It had been years since he last came here. He’d forgotten how majestic it looked. The walls swirled with iridescent colors of blues, greens, purples and yellows. Tiny veins of diamonds and rubies shimmered throughout. Steam rose from a pool in the center of the cave, sending droplets of water scattering on the rocks. At one time, the water was used to birth their children. The mother would sit in the shallows and birth the child into its warmth. He stared at his reflection, there hadn’t been any children born since the war. The thought of his mate’s belly swollen with his child caused him to smile. Would this be the fresh start the guardians needed? He shook his head—not with the curse looming over them. A cure had to be found.

  He moved to a large, flat rock along the edge of the pool and knelt on both knees. Removing the amulet from around his neck, he placed it on the rock in front of him. His fangs extended, and he bit into his wrist, blood splattered on the amulet. His sacrifice complete.

  Marcus chanted, speaking the traditional draconic language, a language humans had forgotten long ago. For centuries, it was the only language immortals used until the English language was born.

  “Zarek, ithquent di haurach, god of fate. Vi vrak di ithquent lasauic, a child of god summons thee.”

  “What do you wish, my son?” a stern voice called from behind.

  Marcus spun around on his knees and looked up at the god who towered over him. He never knew what to expect, this time Zarek wore a pair of faded jeans nestled low on his hips. His jet black hair was pulled into a single braid— were those leaves and a stick poking out of his hair? Oops. He feared he might have interrupted the god's playtime. Too fucking bad. A god could choose to ignore a summons, except when summoned to this place. They were bound by their own laws to appear.

  Zarek glared, his gaze burning a hole in him. “Well?”

  He hid a smile. “Father, I have come seeking knowledge. You’ve blessed me with a mate, but she is human and I don’t know what to do.”

  “Ah yes, Cassandra. She is a beautiful woman and will make a suitable mate,” Zarek said.

  He bowed his head. “Thank you, Father, for giving me another chance.”

  “Eliza’s death was not your doing. Some things are beyond your control.”

  His jaw clenched. “Why? Why did you not save her or any of the others?”

  Zarek’s nostrils flared, and he bared his teeth. “It is not for you to question what I do, Marcus.”

  “Yes, my lord.” He lowered his eyes and awaited his fate. He expected the god to strike him down and wondered if his death would be swift and painless or if Zarek would torture him for days until he begged for mercy.

  He would not beg.

  “You think you could withstand my punishment and not beg for mercy?”

  “Yes, my lord.” This time his gaze met the god's swirling silver eyes, and he showed no fear. If he was struck down, then so be it.

  Zarek’s laugh echoed through the cave. It bounced off the walls and slapped Marcus in the face. “There is a reason you are the king's second-in-command. You are stubborn to the core, a true warrior of the gods. You live for the fight, Marcus, and you have no fear, well, except for one.”

  He raised a dark brow, waiting for Zarek to finish. He scoffed; he had no fears.

  “You are afraid of one small human female.”

  Ok, so he did have one fear. “I don’t fear her, I fear the curse and what it will bring upon her should I succumb.” He tilted his head. “Why a human mate?” If the gods wanted to play matchmaker, there were other immortals who would have been more compatible.

  Zarek crossed his arms over his chest. “Long ago, humans often mated with immortals. It was not uncommon for the Draki or even the demons to take a human mate.”

  “What happened?” He sat back on his ankles, since he was about to get a history lesson.

  “Humans began to forsake their gods, wars started over whose god was better, blah, blah.” He waved his hand. “Basically, it was a pissing contest. In the end, the dragons and demons went into hiding, and humans forgot they existed. They became myths.

  “It was then I decided to create my warriors, guardians to watch over our foolish children. We suspected that someday, the children of these mixed relations would come back for retribution.”

  “Retribution for what?”

  Zarek rolled his eyes. “When the immortals went into hiding, their human parents sent the children with them. They didn’t want to become outcasts in society for breeding with monsters.”

  That explained a lot. “I assume that is how both species became shifters? Human DNA?”

  “Exactly,” Zarek replied.

  No wonder problems with many of the demon factions were on the rise. They were pissed, abandoned by their ancestors. He would have to remember to have Lucan check the ancestry of some of the missing humans. He’d be willing to bet there was a connection. Maybe these missing mortals were ancestors to the humans who bred with the demons. The children now sought revenge for being outcast.

  “What about the curse?”

  “Ah yes, the curse. Drayos was sneaky with that attack. You must find the cure and break the curse.”

  No fucking shit. Drayos placed the curse on every guardian. They had no idea, at the time, what it entailed, not until it claimed its first victim. When one of the warriors started acting crazed and actually killed the human he fed on, Marcus used his healing power to look inside the vampire for any abnormalities. What he found horrified them all, his entire soul turned dark. No light left, only evil. He tried everything to heal his friend but to no avail. Instead, he removed his head. When he checked the rest of the males, he found the same shadow lurking inside them, it varied in size. No one understood what triggered its growth; it was different for every individual. Ticking time bombs, all of them, and the sad truth was, if left unchecked, they would decimate the human race. Perhaps that had been Drayos’ plan all along. Revenge on the humanity.

  “Rise, my son,” Zarek commanded.

  Marcus obeyed and rose to his feet; the god still towered over him. He watched Zarek bring his wrist to his mouth and sink his fangs deep then thrust his bleeding wrist toward him. “Drink and you shall receive the knowledge you desire.”

  He obeyed, took several pulls of the warm life force, noting the taste of raw power. Images filled his head so fast he fell to his knees.

  Zarek reached down and touched Marcus on the head. “You have what you seek, my son. Your cure lies in the eternal flame. It holds the key you seek to unlock your curse.” Zarek vanished.

  “What? Hey, come back!” He scrubbed his
face, fucking riddles. He had what he needed to convert a mate, but now he had a headache named Zarek.

  * * * *

  Aidyn, I have what I need and am coming back to see you. Maybe the king would be able to answer the riddle.

  Excellent, I am looking forward to finding out what you have learned.

  He gathered his amulet from the rocks and flashed straight for Aidyn’s office. When he arrived, the king looked up from his paperwork.

  “Marcus, sit.” He motioned toward a large leather chair directly across from his desk. “Tell me, were you successful?”

  He shook his head and began to relay the imagines that burned in his memory. This information was vital to every single guardian because it told of the binding ritual and how a human could become immortal.

  “The female must endure that?” Aidyn asked, his back going rigid. “Certainly, they could be placed in stasis to ease the pain. I mean it’s a complete change in their anatomy to be able to process blood as we do.”

  “Perhaps that would work, something to keep in mind. There’s more.” Hesitation rang in Marcus’s voice. This was news even he didn’t want to deliver.

  “Something tells me this isn’t good. What is it?” Aidyn asked, leaning forward.

  “Zarek showed me more. You must see for yourself.”

  Aidyn stood, his palms flat on his desk as he leaned closer to Marcus. “Are you feeling strong, Marcus?”

  “Yes.” He’d been given an extra boost from Zarek, after all, so he could afford to lose a bit of blood. He began to stand and offer his wrist when Aidyn placed his hand on his shoulder.

  “No, remain seated. I don’t need your blood.”

  “What?” His brow creased. Guardians took memories from humans by entering their mind, but with other immortals, they needed their blood to pull memories or visions.

  Aidyn placed his fingertips at Marcus’s temples then closed his eyes. Energy pulsed through his body in tidal waves.

  “Sonuvabitch!” Aidyn moved back to his seat. “We must kill Odage now for certain. He intends to release hell’s most violent demons into the human realm.” He blinked then looked Marcus in the eye. “What the hell did Zarek mean by the eternal flame?”

  He lifted his shoulders. “I was hoping you knew.”

  The king leaned back in his seat and laced his fingers together then dropped them below his unshaven chin. “I need to think on this as well.”

  “Do you know the history between the humans and the dragons?” Marcus asked.

  “Of course, they once mated. It’s how they became shifters.”

  “How did you know? I was never given that history lesson.”

  Aidyn arched a brow. “I’m your leader. I know many things.”

  * * * *

  Odage sat on his throne and caressed the smooth, black marble of the dragon’s head. He surveyed his surroundings, pleased with the finishing touches placed on his sanctum. Soon it would be filled with humans carrying his spawn.

  The auction had proven fruitful with the purchase of two Kothar slaves, a male and a female. The woman he sent off to care for Veronica, and the male was now stationed with his minion Roman. Everything was coming together as planned, time now to focus on building his army and finding the amulet.

  “Odage,” the omnipotent voice echoed across the room.

  His body stiffened and palms began to sweat. “Yes, my lord?” Somehow he managed to keep the fear from his voice.

  “I have a job for you. The vampire Marcus has been gifted a human mate. You will find her then take her from him.”

  Odage scanned the empty room. He recognized the voice came from the pits of hell, but he still wanted reassurance that his master had indeed not manifested in the flesh. “What will you have me do with her, my lord?”

  The voice let out a wicked laugh. “Consider her a gift from me. Do with her as you please.”

  “Thank you, my lord. I shall enjoy this gift.” He licked his lips. What sweet victory stealing the healer's mate would bring him. The thought of having her in his bed caused him to grow stiff.

  “I only ask for a few drops of her blood, that is all. Now, what progress have you made on the amulet?” the voice demanded.

  His master spoke of the amulet of Tobor. Odage knew it well. He'd discovered the broken amulet while searching in the Carpathian Mountains. The glistening object caught his attention, and being a dragon, he quickly scooped it from its hiding place. Its design intrigued him. An arrow cast in gold with an enormous fire ruby in the center. When he wrapped his palm around it, the power had vibrated through his entire body.

  “I have a plan, my lord.”

  “Good, see that you do not fail.” Invisible, icy fingers curled around his throat, restricting his airway. “Or else your punishment shall be severe.”

  He tried to speak. When the biting grip left his neck, he dropped to the floor, gasping for air. It took several minutes for him to regain his composure before he stood. He needed a plan to find the vampire and take his female.

  “Roman!”

  Roman quickly entered the throne room, dropping to one knee. “Yes, my liege, how may I serve you?”

  He gave a look of impatience then waved his hand for the servant to rise. “We will be leaving shortly. Prepare for a trip to New Orleans. There’s a certain female I must pay a visit to.”

  “Yes, my liege.”

  Chapter Eight

  The aroma of Columbian coffee and chocolate wafted to her nostrils when the doorbell rang. She glanced at her grandmother’s pendulum clock on the way to the door, eight thirty a.m. When her eye looked through the peephole, she freaked. Marcus. Oh shit, I’m a mess.

  She'd jumped out of bed earlier and thrown on a pair of gray yoga pants and a pink tank top. Her hair was piled on top of her head and cheeks flushed. Her erotic dream had gone from weekly to every night since he'd brought her home almost a week ago.

  She opened the door and swallowed her fear.

  “Marcus, nice to see you. Come in.”

  “I’m sorry, Cassie. I know it’s early, but I just got back into town and wanted to make sure you were alright.” He walked through the door.

  “That’s sweet of you. Yes, I’m fine, much better than the other night.” She tried to ignore how her body reacted to his presence, but damn, she wanted to touch that broad chest and make his muscle’s dance beneath her fingertips. Her eyes traveled down the black T-shirt that molded around his hardened muscles to the faded jeans that sat snug on his hips. She stopped at the belt line, not daring to look farther. The way he touched her was still fresh in her memory. How was it, the man who brought her such ecstasy in her dreams was standing in front of her?

  “I’m glad to hear that. I brought you some beignets, still warm even.” He handed her a white box.

  She let out a squeal of pleasure. “Beignets are my favorite! Come have some coffee and share these with me.”

  “I’ll stick with the coffee. I’m not much of a sweets eater.”

  She turned and shot him a raised brow. “Really? You have no idea what you’re missing then.”

  He laughed. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  She placed the box on the table and moved to grab another mug. “Cream?” Then filled the mug with coffee.

  “No, thanks, black is fine.” She hid a smile. No, he wouldn’t be the “cream” type. If a wager were made, she’d say he was a beer drinker followed by a tequila chaser.

  She placed the mug in front of him, and he reached for it, their fingers touching. She pulled away and sat on the opposite side of the table. While trying to steady her breathing, she placed her hands in her lap so he couldn’t see them shaking.

  “So how was your trip?” She struggled to steer her mind in another direction to keep from blushing.

  He sipped his coffee. “Good, very informative.” He took another sip then placed his mug on the table. “Cassie, go to dinner with me. Please.”

  She stared at him as if he we
re an alien. He’d warned her before he left the other night, but she didn’t think he’d do it. Hell, she never expected him to show up this morning, but here he sat at her kitchen table as delicious as ever, leaving her feeling like a school girl.

  “I’d like that.”

  “Great, six work for you?”

  “Yes.” Crap, what am I going to wear? Her mind was already doing a mental sort through of her closet, trying to decide on the best outfit. Maybe Jill could come over and help her pick something out.

  “Great, I’m looking forward to it.” He rose from his chair. “I have some things I need to take care of. See you tonight then.”

  She walked with him to the door. He turned his silver gaze upon her. “Okay, I’ll see you later.” She leaned toward him, her hands planted on his chest and kissed his cheek. Her lips lingering for a moment before she stepped back. “Thanks again for everything.”

  After he left, she leaned against the door, her heart racing. She hadn’t meant to kiss him, but an invisible magnet pulled her in. When her hands touched his chest, ropes of muscles moved beneath her palms. She’d wanted more, her body burned from the inside out.

  “Christ, that man will be my undoing.” She glanced at the clock, shit, only nine hours to get ready. I’d better get started.

  * * * *

  He stood on the other side of the door. “What the fuck just happened?” He’d practically begged her to go to dinner with him. His determination had melted the minute he'd walked through the door. Even worse was when he went to leave. Her hands on his chest and those velvety lips on his face. Shit. He'd had to restrain himself to keep from pulling her close. His mouth watered to taste every inch of her, consume her. He’d scented her arousal, adding it to his own. Never in his existence had he wanted a woman so desperately, not even Eliza.

  He sucked in a breath and blew it out slow. There was no more fight left in him. His inner voice said he would have her, she was his, and he always took what belonged to him.