by S. E. Smith
“She no longer needs your protection,” Ha’ven said gravely “I will assume it.”
Creon frowned as he looked at the huge male staring intently back at him. Was this the same one that only earlier said he had no desire to settle down? Now he wanted to assume responsibility for a human female that was obviously not well. Creon shook his head again.
“Not with this one,” Creon said quietly. “She is not well. I am not even sure she will survive, my friend. You saw her. She grows weaker each day. Abby and Cara have been going to see her daily and she still does not respond to them.”
“She responded to me,” Ha’ven growled, waving his hand to the door behind Creon. “You saw for yourself.”
Creon raised his eyebrow at the dark tone in his friend’s voice. “She runs from you just as she runs from the rest of us.”
“She is my mate,” Ha’ven bit out darkly.
“She’s…” Creon’s voice broke in shock as he stared in disbelief. “Are you sure?”
Ha’ven drew in a deep breath before responding. “Yes.”
He didn’t elaborate. How could he when Creon didn’t know of the power he held inside his body? His friend thought all their power came from the gadgets they enjoyed. He did not know that the gadgets they created were merely tools for focusing the power held within their own bodies. He could no more explain how his power intertwined with the human female than Creon could explain how he, his symbiot and his dragon all knew when they found their mate. It was a force of nature they did not question, just accepted when it came as being a part of who they were in the universe.
Ha’ven shifted to the right and breathed a sigh of relief when Creon stepped aside to let him pass. He knew he had shocked his friend. Hell, he was still in shock. He never expected to find his mate in a species unknown to him.
Nor did I expect my mate to not be willing when I found her, he thought suddenly as he walked out of the dining area.
No, this was definitely a new experience. He frowned as he hurried through the corridors following the quickly fading swirling colors of the female’s energy. His own surged as if trying to absorb it.
The female had walked away from him. In fact, she had not only walked away from him but she refused to even look at him.
When was the last time a female did that to me? He wondered silently as he reached a section where the corridor divided.
The traces of color were gone. He turned, glaring at the intersection where the hallways divided. He had three different directions in which she could have gone.
“Which way did you go?” He muttered softly. “Show me,” he whispered and waved his hands outward.
Colorful bands of energy burst from his fingers moving a short way down one corridor before moving back to try the next. On the third corridor, glittering sparkles of energy flared as his own touched the residual energy left behind as the female passed down the corridor. Ha’ven’s lips curved in triumph as he moved down the corridor to the left.
He sent small bands searching periodically trying to find which room she may have entered. He paused when a large set of doors on the right suddenly burst into color.
“You are mine, misha petite,” Ha’ven growled. “You cannot escape me.”
*.*.*
Emma raced through the empty corridors. She wanted to get back to the safety of her and Sara’s living quarters. She would find the dark cloak she used to hide her pale coloring and escape into the gardens. She would hide so deep that no one would ever find her.
She pushed open the door leading into her living quarters and rushed through the elaborately decorated living room down the hallway to her bedroom. The floor-length black cloak lay on the end of her bed where she had dropped it early that morning. Sweeping it up in a hand that trembled violently, she pulled it around her like a suit of armor and headed for the balcony doors.
Pushing the double doors leading out onto the balcony open, she drew in a deep breath of the scented night air. A feeling of calm swept through her. This is what she wanted.
I don’t want to feel again, she thought fiercely to herself. Feeling hurts too much. I don’t want to remember. I just want to fade away like the stars do before dawn.
But, they do not fade away, a husky voice whispered in her mind. They are still there, unseen but there.
Emma gasped and looked around the balcony. She turned in a circle, backing up until her hip bumped against the balustrade running along it. Her eyes widened in fear and she raised her hands to her temple.
Am I finally losing my mind? She wondered in terror. Am I going to go mad before I die in this strange world?
You are not losing your mind, misha petite, the voice responded softly before hardening. Neither will you die.
Who are you? Emma whispered silently as she let her hands drop to her side.
No answer came. Emma bit her lip to keep the cry of frustration from escaping. Twirling around, she ran to the steps leading down into the garden. She ran down the long winding paths heading for the edge of the garden where it overlooked the ocean far below.
She was breathing hard by the time she reached the low wall. She half fell, half leaned on the smooth stone. Her whole body trembled, exhausted as overwhelming fear choked her.
What was happening to her? Was she turning into something else like the other women? She knew strange things had happened to the other human women. She had been out in the garden late one night a few weeks ago when two dragons had flown over her. She had hidden under the thick branches of a tree and watched as they landed on the balcony high above her living quarters. Trelon Reykill had shifted and turned in time to catch Cara as she changed back into a human as she touched the top of the balcony. Cara’s giggles had echoed through the cool night air but that was not what had given Emma goose bumps. It was the fact that a human could change into something else.
Never! Emma thought fiercely, looking down at the glittering water. I can never fit in and there is no way to get back home. There is nothing here for me.
Tears blurred her vision as she sank shakily down onto the low wall. She stared out over the ocean, becoming almost hypnotized by the rolling waves as she let her mind drift. Her body moved without her realizing it, turning around until her legs were over the side of the short wall. In her mind, she could almost see herself dancing and twirling across the gentle swells like she used to do with her mom and dad in the dance studio. How she longed to be with her parents again, surrounded by their love and safe in her own home.
She closed her eyes, lifting her arms up and out as she imagined being back in the dance studio with her mom and dad. The cloak fell from her shoulders. She shivered as the cool night air brushed along her bare arms. Sliding forward so she could stand up, she reached for the imaginary hand of her father as he smiled down at her. She wanted to dance again. She wanted to sing. She wanted to…
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” A dark angry voice demanded harshly.
Thick arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her backwards and out of her memories. Emma’s eyes flew open in alarm and she gasped as she realized she was hanging over open space. She would have fallen to her death if the male had not grabbed her.
A low, animalistic cry built deep inside her as she realized that the image in her mind was just that… a memory from her life before.
*.*.*
Ha’ven’s heart thundered in his chest and he was actually shaking. He didn’t know if it was from adrenaline, anger or fear. It didn’t matter which one it was, he didn’t like it and it was the fault of the female in his arms.
“What were you thinking?” He demanded.
He pulled her back over the low wall and set her down. Once her feet were on the ground, he roughly turned her around and shook her. When she looked up at him with wide confused eyes, he let out a low tortured groan before capturing her parted lips with his own and pulling her against his hard body. Fear and relief warring inside him.
Ha’ven moaned as
the taste of her washed over him. The moment his lips touched hers he knew he was in trouble. The power Aria had unleashed surged through him and flowed around them. From the corner of his eye he could see the bands of power swirling around both of them, encasing them in colorful whirling ribbons of energy.
He moaned louder as he felt the shift inside himself. It felt like a huge weight was being lifted from his shoulders. The feeling of relief was impossible to describe. He had never felt anything so….
His body jerked and he gasped as pain suddenly overcame the pleasure he had been experiencing. He rocked backwards, grabbing his crotch as the first wave of excruciating pain eased into a second, longer one. He breathed deeply through his nose as he fought to stay on his feet while the tiny figure he had been holding seconds before fled into the darkness.
“I hate to say this but that looked painful,” Adalard commented as he stepped out of the shadows.
Ha’ven pulled in a hissing breath as he glared at the retreating figure of the woman who had been in his arms just moments before. He finally turned his heated glare on his younger brother as he slowly straightened up. He closed his eyes as another wave of pain, thankfully lesser than the first two, washed through him.
“What are you doing here?” Ha’ven bit out harshly, slowly opening his eyes again.
“I was worried about you,” Adalard admitted before he grinned. “It looks like I had a right to be. She kneed you pretty good.”
Ha’ven grimaced as he turned and sat on the low wall. He breathed deeply as he sent a small amount of healing energy to his bruised crotch. He had definitely not been expecting the female to do that. Normally when he kissed a female they were more interested in doing something much more pleasurable with his balls. Relocating them up to his throat had never been one of those things.
“That was… painful,” Ha’ven finally admitted. “And very unexpected.”
Adalard chuckled as he sat down next to his brother. “So, what was all that about?”
Ha’ven threw Adalard a disgusted look. “It is called kissing. I thought you would know that by now,” he remarked dryly.
“I know what you were doing,” Adalard responded with another chuckle. “I’m talking about the fact that you both were glowing bright enough to be seen from the Spaceport orbiting the planet.”
Ha’ven drew in another breath and realized he didn’t feel the crushing pressure inside that had been his constant companion since Aria’s betrayal. A small satisfied smile curved his lips. His mate was turning out to be an enigma he was determined to solve.
“That is what happens when you discover your true mate,” Ha’ven finally responded to his brother’s observation. “I had heard stories. We all have. I thought it was a myth that when a true mate is found their powers merge, becoming one. Father,” he grimaced as he stumbled over the unfamiliar use of Melek’s position. “Father said the same thing happened when he was with mother.”
“But, that female is not from our world,” Adalard pointed out. “From everything I have seen and heard, they do not have the ability to manipulate energy the way we can.”
Ha’ven looked up into the night sky and sighed. “My mate can. I do not know if she does not want anyone to know that she can or if she is unaware of it but the fact remains, she can.” He looked over at Adalard. “I need her, Adalard. I can no longer control the power that builds inside me. She is the only thing between me and total destruction,” he reluctantly admitted.
Adalard hissed loudly as he stared in disbelief at the male who had been his biggest role model. He had never known Ha’ven to lose control. He had known he had changed a lot after his capture but he had never dreamed the situation was so dire.
“What are you going to do?” Adalard asked sharply.
Ha’ven grinned, suddenly feeling more like his old self. “I’m going to claim my mate,” he said.
Adalard’s eyebrow rose as he looked skeptically at his brother. “She didn’t look like she was interested in being claimed from where I was standing. What if she refuses?”
Ha’ven shrugged and rose to his feet. “Then I’ll kidnap her and hold her until she agrees. It shouldn’t take more than a day,” he said flexing his shoulders. “Have you ever known a female who could resist me?”
Adalard stood and shook his head. “No,” he admitted. “But, I’ve never known one to try to rearrange your balls before either.”
“She’ll be eating out of the palm of my hand before the sun sets,” Ha’ven responded confidently. “She was just surprised tonight.”
Adalard stood watching as Ha’ven started back toward the palace. He thought about the look on the female’s face as she kneed his brother and shook his head. If the look of fierce determination was anything to go by, he had a feeling it was going to take a little bit longer than a day to get the female to cooperate.
“I don’t think it is going to be as easy as you think, brother,” Adalard said doubtfully as he started after him. “I think you have met a female who is as stubborn as you are hard-headed.”
Chapter 7
Emma stood on the balcony to her room later that night. She had rushed back to the safety of her bedroom after she escaped from the dark male who had grabbed her in the garden.
He did save my life, a small obstinate part of her admitted. If he had not grabbed me, I would be fish food right now.
Yes, but he didn’t have to kiss me! She argued silently with herself.
Frustrated, she realized that she would never be able to sleep. Her body was humming with unexpected energy. She felt like she had stuck her finger in an electrical outlet only to discovered it was live. Every nerve-ending in her body was tingling, especially where he had touched her.
She had waited over an hour, staring intently out into the darkened garden for any sign of movement before she finally grabbed the little courage she had left and stepped out onto the balcony.
At once, the cool dark silence cocooned her in its magic. She closed her eyes and soaked in the sounds of the night. She loved the darkness.
Walking over to the railing, she leaned on it and looked up at the stars. She wondered where Earth was in relation to where she was at now. A sense of longing engulfed her as she thought of the small, blue marble that had been the only home she'd ever known until now. She lowered her eyes, letting them sweep over the dark gardens with their strangely lit plants. A movement under one of the trees to the left drew her attention.
Emma gasped as a dark figure stepped out of the shadows of the tree into the moonlight. She stumbled backwards in fear as Abby’s words about a threat echoed through her mind. Turning, she bolted for the door leading back into her bedroom and safety.
“Wait… please,” a familiar deep voice called out.
Emma paused with her hand on the door as she recognized the voice of the man who had kissed her earlier in the garden. She fought between the desire to run and hide and the need to find out what he wanted. Drawing in a shaky breath, she reluctantly turned until she was facing him. She stared at him in silence, wary of what he might do next. As a safety, she kept her hand on the door just in case she needed to bolt inside.
“I never properly introduced myself,” he said, stepping onto the first step. “I am Ha’ven Ha’darra, Crown Prince of the Curizan.”
Emma tilted her head and studied him silently, waiting to see what else he had to say. She really didn’t care what his name was. She was more interested in why he had kissed her. A light blush rose as she remembered the heat of the kiss and the feel of his arms around her. She swore she could feel electricity moving through her body when he touched her. That was what had scared her so much. She had never felt so alive before.
She bit her lower lip to keep from smiling when he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the next when she didn’t respond to his introduction. She honestly didn’t know what he wanted or why he was even talking to her. It wasn’t as if she had done anything to encourage his attention. In fact, she would ha
ve thought after she kneed him he would have done everything in his power to avoid her. A low curse filled the air as he waved his hand at her.
“Most women are impressed when I tell them who I am,” he grunted out in annoyance.
Emma couldn’t keep the twitch of amusement from curving the corner of her mouth or lighting up her eyes at his statement. It was obvious he was not used to women ignoring him. Studying him in the soft light of the moon, she could understand why. He was huge! Emma guessed him to be well over six and a half feet tall. He had broad, muscular shoulders. She had felt the hard muscles under her palms when he kissed her. She also knew there was no way she could wrap both of her hands around his forearms. Long dark hair hung down his back almost to his waist. He wore a long-sleeve black silk shirt tucked into black pants that hugged his thighs. She blushed as her eyes brushed over the front of his pants. She wondered briefly if the rest of him was built as big as well. She was mortified by her thoughts. She had never thought of a man’s...
Emma blushed a brighter red and was thankful that it was dark so he couldn’t see her rosy face. She remained silent instead, curious as to what he would say next. She had to lower her head to hide her amusement when he growled in frustration at her lack of appreciation for his position.
“You are called Emma?” He asked with a frustrated glare.
She lowered her chin in acknowledgement. The smile that had been threatening to escape disappeared when he climbed the next two steps. Her eyes darkened with mistrust when she realized he stood on the balcony not more than a few feet from her. Her hand tightened on the door and she started to open it when he asked his next question.
“Why do you not speak?” Ha’ven asked, desperate to keep her from leaving.
Emma briefly closed her eyes before she looked past him into the dark garden. I can’t.
“Why?”
She didn’t know how to respond to his softly spoken question. If she answered him then she would be forced to remember. If she remembered then the nightmares and feelings of what she had gone through and what she had lost would overwhelm her.