“Yeah, right.” He snorted. “What happened with Leukos then? That didn’t take long at all.”
Claire blinked a good couple of times. “How do you know what happened between Leukos and me? How do you know we even had sex?”
Magnar looked up at the ceiling and then back at her. “Come on Claire, a male doesn’t react in the way that Leukos has for a female he hasn’t bedded.” He snorted. “Not just that, he clearly had a good time. The male certainly wasn’t scared off by your affections. I’d say the opposite was true. Ekon will feel the same. You’ll fit right in with our kind. Most Ferals – present company excluded – tend to fall in love quickly.”
“What was it you said? It’s sex or love and no in-between.”
“Very little in-between but that’s pretty accurate.” Magnar nodded. “I think we should head out.”
“Okay.” Her heart thudded anxiously. Her knees felt like they were going to knock together if she didn’t watch out.
Magnar gave her a half-smile that…well, it made her more nervous. She watched him shift. With the high ceilings and wide doors and windows, their buildings had been made to accommodate either beast or man form. Come to think of it, it was probably why the units were so sparsely furnished.
At this point, she was getting used to being picked up and carried off. As long as Magnar flew slowly, she didn’t get nauseous or nervous anymore.
She did feel a little sick though. Why couldn’t Magnar let her leave? He was so insistent she meet this Ekon character. From the sounds of things, even though they were brothers, he and Leukos were not on the best of terms. Leukos was the king and yet Magnar kept referring to Ekon as the rightful king. Something had happened. Did she really want to be at the center of everything?
No!
Not a chance!
Back to her original plan. Meet the guy, have dinner and get the hell out of there.
Magnar landed on the ledge of a particularly large building. Larger than most of the houses. They were all very strange structures. Tall and tower-like, with an entire house built at the top, with no way to get up or down. No stairs. No elevators. No ladders even. The Feral had to shift to fly in and out of their houses. There was no other way to gain access. It was much the same as where Leukos and his people stayed. Difficult for humans to wrap their heads around.
Magnar settled onto the edge of the ledge and shifted. He helped her through the entrance.
Claire almost fell on her face as soon as she saw the man standing there. He looked exactly the same as Leukos. The same hair. The same shaped eyes. His eyes even had the same hue. She’d come to realize since spending time with Ferals that their eyes were slightly different. All that yellow color but different hues. His back was straight and his smile was somehow different. It seemed more reserved. Not as—
“Leukos is my twin brother,” the man announced, unnecessarily.
“You look almost exactly like him,” she exclaimed.
“Although we came from separate eggs, there are those who have called us identical.”
Claire continued to scrutinize his face. “I wouldn’t say identical.” He was just as tall. Maybe not quite as built. Ekon was wearing a pair of jeans. No shirt.
“I’m the better-looking one,” Ekon laughed.
She locked eyes with Magnar who didn’t react to the stupid joke.
Once Ekon sobered, he pointed at a table. “Dinner is already here. Magnar mentioned that you might be hungry.”
Her mouth watered. Now that he mentioned food, she could smell the delicious scents coming from the dishes on the table.
“This is Claire, by the way, and Claire, this is Ekon. I hope that—”
“You can leave us now.” Ekon waved a hand dismissively, not taking his eyes off her. “I think I’ll manage from here.”
“As you wish, sire.” Magnar inclined his head. Claire could see how tense Magnar’s jaw had become. He looked her way. “I will come back later to—”
“That won’t be necessary,” Ekon interrupted, sounding like a man who was used to getting his way.
Claire cleared her throat. “I would appreciate it, Magnar.”
“It won’t be necessary,” Ekon repeated, with more force to his voice.
“I’m here completely against my will.” She watched as Ekon pursed his lips, his face turning a faint shade of red. Claire didn’t care. So far all she’d seen was Ekon acting like a Class-A jerk. “I didn’t want to meet you at all and quite frankly, I’d be happy if—”
“Please can the two of you enjoy a meal together,” Magnar broke in, pointing at the table. “You’re hungry, Claire.” He pleaded with his eyes. “I will come back.” He looked Ekon’s way, almost daring him to argue.
Ekon looked pissed. His eyes blazed and those muscles on either side of his neck were roped. He finally nodded once.
Magnar breathed out in a sigh. “Remember what we talked about.” She wasn’t sure who he was talking to. Maybe to both of them.
They watched as he shifted and left, Claire with growing trepidation. This was going to suck. The Fallen king was a dick. At least, that was her first impression of him. She’d promised Magnar to give this a real try and she’d do that much for him.
“Let’s take a seat, can I pour you some wine?”
She shook her head, walking over to the table but not sitting down. “I’m so tired and so hungry that I’m afraid I’ll get tipsy in a hot minute. I’ll just have a water.”
“Help yourself.” He pointed to the food. He picked up a beautiful gold jug. It had an ornate handle. He poured some water into a golden goblet. Come to think of it, the cutlery looked like it was made from gold as well. Claire sat down at the table and picked up a fork. It was heavy.
She looked across the table. There were quite a few dishes on offer. From fresh fruit to thick steaks. There was rice and potatoes. Salads and bread. There were several vegetables, both raw and cooked. It was a feast. As hungry as she was, Claire found herself holding back. “I meant what I said about not wanting to be here. I’m not one of your kind. Humans are different from Ferals.” After the things he had said, she felt she needed to point that fact out to him.
“I know.” He nodded. “Magnar has told me all about your species. I’m sorry we have gotten off on the wrong foot. Please eat.” He gestured to the food. “Let’s get to know each other. How was your time with Leukos?” His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. He picked up a fork, piercing one of the steaks; blood leaked from the meat.
Claire swallowed thickly. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s private.” What did he think she was, a spy?
“Good answer.” Ekon smiled and it was eerie, he looked so much like Leukos that for a moment she was tempted to believe it was him, but she couldn’t get past the fact that he was different somehow. The same and yet very, very different. Not in a good way either.
“Are you enjoying your time with the Feral?” He took a sip of his wine. “Are you sure you won’t try some? I could pour you a small glass? It’s a vintage Bordeaux. This particular year was a reserve.” He put his nose to the goblet and inhaled appreciatively.
“I’m fine...thank you.” She helped herself to some chicken. “I was enjoying myself just fine until I was abducted.” She glared at him.
Ekon chuckled, taking another sip before putting his glass down and cutting himself a slice of meat. It was almost raw. Claire kept her eyes on her own plate.
“I was mated… I had a female…a life…I…” he began.
Claire looked up at Ekon who was looking at the far wall. “My female’s name was Esla. She was expecting our first clutch. You know our females lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young?”
She nodded.
“They have three eggs, which hatch within a short while of being laid.”
Claire nodded, not too sure where this was going. She helped herself to some salad and what looked like a home-baked bread roll.
“Have you been told about clutch sic
kness?”
She nodded. “Yes, I know it claimed the lives of all of your fertile women.”
“All, save one. I lost my Esla to the illness.” He put his fork down with a clang.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” This conversation had turned heavy fast. Wasn’t it a little early to bring something like this up? Claire didn’t want to seem insensitive, so she kept her eyes on him, waiting for him to continue.
“It was the worst day of my life.” His eyes had hazed over. His whole body had become tense.
“I can imagine.”
“You can’t! I’m sorry, I know you’re trying to be polite, which I appreciate, but you can’t imagine. I lost the love of my life and my beloved young. My heir as well. I lost them all that day. I had to watch Esla suffer for a whole week before she passed. It was hell! I still have nightmares about the ordeal.”
“How long ago did this happen?”
“The tenth anniversary of her death is coming up. She was one of the last to die of the illness. I was devastated. A broken shell of a male and then he came…he came, and he took the last thing I still had. The last thing I cared about.” He slammed his fist on the table. There was a cracking noise but nothing broke. Red wine spilled over the side of his goblet but miraculously it stayed upright.
Claire sat back in her chair, her eyes were wide, her heart raced. She clutched her hands together on her lap.
Ekon inhaled a deep breath. He took a sip of his wine. “My apologies. Even after all these years it still rattles me. I hate him…I hate my brother.” His whole body bristled with raw energy.
Claire wanted to leave. She wished she could just stand up and excuse herself and walk out. It wasn’t possible. She was stuck up there with a man who held a serious grudge.
Her stomach growled at that moment. What the heck was wrong with it? With her? She shouldn’t be hungry, and yet she was. Her mouth salivated looking down at the chicken. The tomatoes as well. They were the small ones. The ultra-tasty ones.
“You see, my brother never took a mate. He tried once and… It doesn’t matter. It never happened. If he had done so, the same thing would have happened to him, as to me. Neither of us would have been capable of producing an heir. As it turned out, it ended up being me…heirless and powerless. There was a loophole to usurp my throne and my twin took it. My own brother. Leukos couldn’t wait to use me as a stepping-stone to benefit himself. Looking back, I am sure he had always been waiting for an opportune moment.” He swallowed another mouthful of wine. “You see, Feral males don’t mate a second time. We mate and bond for life. Our pricks destined to never again fill with blood. Making mounting another female impossible. Making taking another mate impossible. A king is not a king if he cannot produce heirs.”
“You’re impotent?” The word slipped out. Why was she there then? This didn’t make sense.
“I can see you are confused. Everything has changed for us since meeting humans. We are in troubled times. It seems that males who lost mates have had their hunger reawakened. Myself included. I can mate again. I can mate, produce heirs, and thus I can take my crown back.”
Claire put a forkful of chicken into her mouth. Chewing was better than saying ‘Good for you!’ in a really sarcastic way. It was on the tip of her tongue.
“I can’t forgive Leukos. My mate was barely in her grave.” His shoulders slumped. “Not even a month and he stepped up to take the crown. My crown!” he growled the last.
This guy had some serious issues.
“What do you think of your precious Leukos now?” he spat. At that moment they didn’t even look like twins. They looked nothing alike.
Claire swallowed her food. “I’d like to think he had a reason for doing what he did. Truth be told, I don’t know him very well.”
“He had a good reason.” Ekon scowled. “A good reason for kicking me when I was down. For taking what was rightfully mine. He wanted to be on top. That’s why.”
“Only it wasn’t rightfully yours anymore. It sounds like you lost the right. I’m sure the rules are in place for a good reason.” Claire wasn’t specifically trying to defend Leukos. She was saying it like she saw it.
“Nonsense!” He gripped the table. For a second it looked like he might stand, then he thought better of it. “The move he made was optional…not written in stone. He had a choice. He didn’t have to do what he did. Particularly in such dark, troubled times. He was my best friend. It was the three of us, Magnar, Leukos and me. He ruined everything.” His fist hit the table again…hard.
Her goblet of water spilled. Claire watched as it slowly soaked into the white tablecloth.
She heard Ekon breathing hard through his nose. Then he gave his head a quick shake. “I’m scaring you. I’m sorry.” He shook his head some more. “I needed you to know my story.”
“You stole me from your brother because you hate him and want to punish him, do I have that right?”
“I heard that he had taken a serious interest in a human female. That this female was worthy of the crown…of being queen.”
“How would you know that? I wasn’t on Feral soil for even twenty-four hours. That’s a crazy assumption to make.”
“And yet it’s true. Leukos has legions of males scouring his territory looking for you. I fully expect him to wage a full-scale war before long.”
She gasped. “Over me?”
“Yes, human, over you. That means that you are special. That you are worth a lot to him, and since I am the rightful king, the first-born twin, the stronger, by far, I…” He seemed to weigh his words. “I felt it only fair that I have the opportunity to meet you and to try to win you for myself.”
It wasn’t a shock to hear him say it and yet…it still rattled her. “You can try, but I’m not sure you’ll get it right.” He wouldn’t! Not even if he was the last man on the planet.
Ekon smiled and for the first time, it actually reached his eyes. “Good to know there is a small chance.”
“It would be a really long shot. Your chances of success would be little to none.” None! They were zilch. Zero. She was too afraid to say it.
His smile widened. “I love a challenge. How is the chicken?” He pointed a fork at her plate.
“Actually, really good.” She looked down at her food, shocked to see how much she had eaten.
“Good!” He put a piece of meat into his mouth. Ekon chewed and swallowed. “Tell me something about yourself.”
Really?
It looked like it was going to be a long night. She held back a sigh. “What do you want to know?”
“Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m an only child.”
“You’re lucky.”
“I’ve always wanted siblings,” she shrugged, “so we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“You only feel that way because you don’t have siblings. If you’d grown up with them, you would feel very differently. I remember Leukos stealing my toys when we were small. He seems to have developed a taste for taking what is mine from a young age.”
Holy shit! Did he ever let up? She nodded once, putting more food into her mouth.
“What is your favorite color? Mine is… Can you guess?” His eyes lit up.
“Gold.”
Ekon laughed. “Well done! You are an intelligent female. Magnar was not mistaken on that one.” He made it sound like Magnar may have been mistaken on other fronts. “Now tell me your favorite.”
Claire wasn’t actually sure. She said the first thing that came to mind. “Green…I think…”
“Ah, green,” he cut her off. “Green for envy. Leukos was always envious of me. Of everything I had and of everything I achieved. He hated the plans I had for the future.” He ground his teeth.
“Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of nature. Trees, grass…those things are…”
“He was jealous!” He cut another piece of the steak. “I must tell you a story. Leukos and I were twelve
or thirteen. I was working hard. I knew I would be taking the throne from our father. We…”
Claire had to bite back a yawn. She buttered her bread, trying hard to pay attention to what Ekon was saying.
Chapter 20
Magnar heard Claire snore softly. She was using her arms as a pillow. Her fingers were stuck in the butter dish. He found himself hoping she didn’t need to scratch her nose.
“Why are you smiling?” Ekon asked. “This is a disaster. The human fell asleep while I was talking to her.”
Magnar bit down on his lower lip to keep himself from laughing. “I warned you that she was tired. I told you it would be better to wait. You insisted on meeting her tonight.”
Ekon glowered as he stared down at her. His arms were folded across his chest. He looked tense and unhappy. Magnar couldn’t really blame him. He would feel the same if a female fell asleep on him during dinner. Then again, chances were good Claire would have fallen asleep with him as well if she’d been dining with him instead. She was really that tired. “Don’t take it so badly. It’s not you. It’s the situation.”
“I don’t think she likes me.” Ekon shook his head.
“You haven’t given it much chance.”
Ekon frowned. “Are you sure Leukos has feelings for this human?”
“Yes.” Magnar scratched his chin. “You know how close he is to declaring war. He’s fucked off you took her. That wouldn’t be the case if he didn’t give a shit.”
Ekon kept his eyes on Claire, who chose that moment to give a bigger snore. She licked her lips and made a cute moaning noise.
“You were right. She’s intelligent.”
“I told you.” Magnar nodded. He allowed his eyes to dip down to where her dress rode up on her thighs. “And sexy as fuck!”
“She’s okay…I suppose.” Ekon didn’t look so sure.
“What do you mean? Look at her.” Magnar held out a hand in Claire’s direction.
Hate Awakened: Book 3: The Feral Page 15