Puppet/Master (The Vale Chronicles Book 1)

by Joel Abernathy

  Arden listened quietly before he came to a foregone conclusion. “You must think I’m an idiot.”

  “I’m sorry?” Dusk asked, seeming startled by the remark.

  “If what you’re saying is true, then chimeras exist for the Chrysalus core, and I’ve devoted my life to someone who wants to destroy it,” he explained. “That must seem pretty foolish to you.”

  Dusk’s gaze softened. “Quite the opposite. I would expect nothing less from a chimera.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You are quite literally the most powerful living beings in this word,” said Dusk. “And yet, you are driven by the deep, instinctive need to give yourself to others in the same way that Chrysalus gives itself to sustain all life. The need to belong, to submit, to be possessed by one who is worthy--or many. It is my belief that Eric took advantage of your nature, but I would never fault you for being true to it.”

  Arden wasn’t sure what to say to that. He wanted to argue on Eric’s behalf, but as loyal as he still was to his Master, Eric had been lying to him from the beginning. Or at least, not giving him the full truth.

  “I’m changing because I’ve been awake so long, aren’t I?”

  Dusk reached out and stroked his cheek sympathetically. “Darling, you’re not changing. You’re just becoming what you never had the chance to be, now that your every move isn’t being controlled and micromanaged.”

  “Then this isn’t the end of it? This… weakness.”

  “You’re not weak,” Dusk assured him. “I’ll tell you what. If you truly hate being what you are, I’m not going to force you to stay this way.”

  “You’re not?” Arden asked. “You’d send me back to Eric?”

  “No,” Dusk said firmly. “I can’t in good conscience do that. But Elan could turn you back, if you find being a chimera intolerable.”

  Arden hesitated. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

  “There is,” Dusk admitted. “Chimeras are not meant to be alone. The Chrysalus energy within you builds up if it isn’t transferred to another, and over time, it can become toxic. I’m sure Eric made sure you had plenty of opportunities to mate while you were awake for that reason.”

  Arden thought back to all the humans the vampire had provided him with, both to take blood from and to sleep with, if he desired. “But they were human.”

  “And you were a vampire at the time. It was enough to suppress your emotional needs. Now that you are a chimera again, you have Chrysalus to contend with.”

  “When?”

  “It could be a few years, or a few months. The good news is, there are signs. Increased desire, thirst for physical contact, nesting…”

  “Nesting?” Arden echoed.

  Dusk smiled. “A mate who is familiar with Chrysalus will understand your needs and be honored to accommodate them.”

  “Let me guess. A fae?”

  “Or an elf,” Dusk shrugged. “They’re the only ones who can relieve you of the excess toxin, but you may take as many lovers as you choose, regardless of kind. It’s difficult for one partner to satisfy a chimera’s needs, so monogamy is uncommon. In most cases, a chimera will have one or two primaries he considers his Masters, and it’s their responsibility to seek out others who can fulfill him when they’re away.”

  “And when the time comes?” Arden asked. “How am I supposed to choose my mates if I’m trapped with the Brotherhood?”

  “When the time comes, you will be allowed to leave,” said Dusk. “I will have a key made for you so that you can travel freely within the Vale. With supervision, of course.”

  “And who would that be?”

  “I’m certain either Vox or Harding would be happy to oblige.”

  The thought of Vox chaperoning while he courted a bunch of fae to sleep with felt… odd. But preferable to having Harding babysit him. “And what if I want you to do it?” he challenged.

  The question seemed to take the fae off-guard. Arden hadn’t even thought it possible to put him at a loss for words, but here they were. “I… that would be a conflict of interest.”

  “How?”

  “I’m responsible for you,” Dusk said, as if it should be obvious. “And as much as it pains me, I am currently holding you against your will. It would be inappropriate, and unfair to you.”

  “But not because you don’t want to,” Arden reasoned, reading between the lines.

  The fae’s golden-brown complexion turned rosy at his cheeks. “Of course I do,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “You are only just beginning to realize what you are, Arden. The power that lies within you, to enchant and beguile whomever you please. There will be no shortage of people who are drawn to you, fae and otherwise, but you are beholden to none. Certainly not me, nor to Eric. It is my hope that before you make any serious decisions about your future, you will come to accept that.”

  Arden considered his words. “Eric is my Master,” he said finally. “But he’s never been my lover. He’s never wanted me that way. Not all of me.”

  “And that hurts you,” Dusk said quietly.

  Arden thought about it and shrugged. “Sometimes, but I was never awake long enough for it to be that bad. I always wished…” He trailed off, realizing that was more than he felt comfortable sharing. He wasn’t sure why he was telling Dusk any of this, but the fae was easy to talk to, oddly enough. “It doesn’t matter if he met all my needs or not. He wanted me. No matter how, it was enough to be by his side.”

  Dusk listened in silence, but Arden couldn’t help but feel like there was something more he wanted to say.

  “What is it?” Arden finally asked.

  “Nothing,” said Dusk, standing. He offered his hand to help Arden up and the chimera reluctantly accepted it. “I should get you back home. It’s getting late and you need rest.”

  Arden should have bristled at the fact that Dusk was calling the Brotherhood’s lair home, but he was more off-put by the fact that the word resonated with his heart.

  He had to get out. Somehow, some way. He was getting too comfortable, too attached to these people he was supposed to hate.

  Chapter 15

  Dusk

  Silver water rippled along the surface of the pond, streaks of moonlight dancing below. The fish beneath flitted up to the surface and back down, leaving little pockets of disturbance in their wake. The air was still and the night was silent. Just the way Dusk preferred it.

  He closed his eyes and laid back in the cool sand. The grains gave way to his fingertips as he traced the curve of a name he wouldn’t allow to cross his conscious mind. The whole point of the lucid dream was to rid himself of what was fast becoming obsession.

  If he didn’t watch it, it was soon going to be as obvious to the others.

  “Nice place. A little cheap, though, isn’t it?”

  Dusk’s eyes flew open and he sat up to find Leo standing by the water in full uniform, studded boots and all.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “We’re bonded, love. If you want to keep me out of your thoughts, you’ll have to start putting a sign on the door.”

  Dusk sighed, pulling his knees to his chest. “If I’d known I was going to have company, I would have put on clothes.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Leo asked, coming over to join him. He sat down on the edge of the bank, looking up at the sky. “Seriously, you have one of the most powerful imaginations in the universe and you could conjure up any number of worlds, but you choose this place?”

  “This is a foreign world to me,” Dusk reminded him, stretching out with the water at his back. He looked down at the sand, smiling fondly as he drew his finger through it in a straight line. “This was the first place on the surface I came to on my mission.”

  “Yeah, sometimes I forget you’re old as dirt.”

  Leo threw a hand up to block the stone Dusk tossed at him.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit that couldn’t wait until I was awake?” />
  “Maybe I just missed you.”

  Dusk gave him a look.

  “Okay, fine. I wanted to know what happened at the party. Elan came back in a funk.”

  “And that’s different from usual?”

  “Come on. I know something happened.”

  Dusk sighed, dipping his toes into the water. “Alright, fine. I may have chewed him out for bringing Arden to see my mother.”

  “Why? She was going to meet him eventually.”

  “Not if I could help it.”

  Leo raised an eyebrow. “You realize how that sounds, right?”

  The fae dragged his fingers through his hair. “I know, alright? But I was hoping to put it off for at least a little while longer.”

  “Why?” Leo asked. “I know she kind of does her own thing, but I can’t believe you don’t trust her.”

  “I do,” he admitted. “It’s not that.”

  “Then what is it?” Leo put his hand over Dusk’s and the gentle touch made him feel even worse for keeping secrets. Especially given the intimate nature of this one.

  “She knows me better than anyone except for you,” he said softly. “I guess I’m just not in the mood for any new insights where Arden is concerned.”

  Leo listened in silence, and Dusk knew he’d already put it together. He would have felt guiltier if he’d thought there was even a chance his feelings toward the chimera were unknown to his mate. They didn’t keep secrets. It was the one rule of their relationship. Most of the time, the bond their souls shared made sure they didn’t even have the option.

  “You’re getting attached.”

  “Getting?” Dusk laughed. “That would be an understatement.”

  Leo’s grip on his hand tightened. “You’re immortal, my love. You’re not dead. You don’t need to feel guilty for something that would happen to any fae in your position.”

  “I’m not just any fae, I am the prince and the leader of the Brotherhood. It’s my responsibility to look after him. To protect him, to nurture him. Infatuation isn’t part of that.”

  “Uh. He’s a chimera,” Leo reminded him. “That’s definitely part of the whole nurturing bit of the equation. They thrive on physical affirmation.”

  “It’s different,” Dusk muttered. “Aside from all of that, he’s technically our prisoner. It would be wrong, even if he wanted me the same way.”

  “I’m not saying otherwise, but there’s a difference between acting on what you feel and beating yourself up over it.”

  Dusk sighed. “Maybe you’re right. I’m just afraid of doing or saying anything that’s going to set him further back.”

  “He seems to be adjusting well. He hasn’t tried to escape in a while.”

  “He still wants to go back to Eric. He still believes Eric wants him.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because he said as much,” Dusk answered.

  Leo hesitated. “He still doesn’t know the bastard was going to sell him to my uncle, does he?”

  The fae shook his head.

  “You have to tell him at some point, Dusk. It’s not fair to you or him to keep him in the dark, thinking you’re the one keeping him from his loving master.”

  “And if I tell him, it will break his heart,” said Dusk. “He’s already lost so much. Who am I to take his purpose from him without giving him another to replace it with?”

  “And how do you plan on doing that?” The elf wasn’t even bothering to hide his doubt. Or his concern.

  “Arden isn’t a typical chimera,” he murmured. “He was trained as an assassin. He craves a mission as much as anything. I was thinking, if we could integrate him into the Brotherhood, show him what it’s like to fight for something that truly matters…”

  “You want to take a living vault of Chrysalus and make it a member of the Brotherhood?” Leo asked in disbelief.

  Dusk scowled. “You don’t have to phrase it like that.”

  “That’s exactly how the board is going to phrase it,” he shot back. “Chimeras don’t fight, Dusk. Even if they did, they’d never trust Arden. Hell, I wouldn’t trust him.”

  “I’m not saying you should, not all the way. But the only way to get someone to trust you is to give a bit in return.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “We could start small,” he insisted. “Prince Lavien is coming to Praya for an auction next month. We could try him out.”

  “God, you are serious,” Leo groaned.

  “Arden is desperate to get out, and it’s only a matter of time before he actually finds a way,” said Dusk. “If we give him a taste of freedom, and some actual responsibility, he may decide he likes it. That he wants more.”

  “And you think a high-profile mission is the best way to do that?”

  “Like you said, the board won’t be happy about it, but a successful mission is the surest way to change their mind. Besides, he’ll never leave the sanctuary of Praya and we need some bait to get to the prince. He’ll recognize me, and something tells me Vox won’t be into the idea of wearing a leash and bondage gear.”

  Leo grimaced. “Please don’t give me that mental image.”

  Dusk snickered. “Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

  “You say that like you haven’t already decided for both of us.”

  Dusk smiled sweetly, slipping his arms around his mate’s neck. “I’m not being bossy. You just like making me happy.”

  “Oh, do I?” Leo challenged. Dusk pulled him back down into the sand, his naked body surging underneath the elf’s as he drew him closer.

  “I know where you could start,” Dusk purred, lowering his hands to the other man’s hips. He grabbed Leo’s cock through his tight pants and felt it thicken in his grasp.

  The elf’s eyes darkened as he ground into his mate’s touch. “You know, we could just do this in real life.”

  “Why not both?” Dusk asked, kissing him.

  “You raise an interesting question,” Leo moaned, pulling his belt off. He undressed the rest of the way, pressing his body up against Dusk’s bare flesh.

  The fae’s tongue whispered against his lover’s neck as Leo pushed between his legs. He’d never allowed another male to take him the way Leo had on so many occasions, but the idea of imposing any limitation on their intimacy had never seemed necessary. Leo had touched every part of him and left his mark in places no one else would ever see.

  The moment Leo’s long cock entered him, his body tensed and folded, his arms wrapped tight around the elf’s neck. He bore through the pain until it became pleasure and their lips met once more. The taste of belonging clung sweetly to the other man’s lips and when Leo delved deep into his body, Dusk felt like a part of himself had been returned.

  He’d never longed for someone the way he longed for Leopold, and while this thing he felt for Arden was distinct, entirely its own creature, it was the only infatuation that had ever compared. He knew that there was only so long he could pretend like it didn’t exist, but for now, he’d take solace in the companionship of the one person who would always understand and never judge him.

  Chapter 16

  ARDEN

  “You’re sure you’re ready for this?” Vox asked, looking Arden up and down.

  Other than the fact that the leather straps around his thighs were chafing him, Arden had never been more prepared for a mission in his life. It was his first trip up to the surface, and he knew that balancing the Brotherhood’s aims with his own was going to require focus and discernment.

  “I’m sure,” Arden said, trying to be patient even though the ghoul had been fretting over him ever since Leo had agreed to allow him to go on the mission in the first place. Arden still wasn’t sure what concerned Vox more: the fear that he might run away, or the fear that he’d get hurt on the job.

  Somehow, Arden didn’t think he’d be comforted if he confessed that he had no plans of actually escaping on this mission. He told himself it was only because Eric was nowhere
near Praya and he’d never escape the continent if he tried, and not because he wasn’t yet ready to leave the ghoul and the others he’d grown attached to just yet.

  “Come on, he’s a killing machine,” Harding snorted. “You act like he’s a baby bird.”

  “He’s not a vampire anymore,” Vox snapped.

  “Right. He’s a chimera, which means no one on this planet, especially an elf, would be willing to let him die,” Harding shot back. His gaze traveled down to Arden’s mostly bare chest and his lips quirked into a smile. “Especially not looking like that.”

  Arden smirked. He had to admit, Harding had good taste in fetish gear. Between his bouts of anxiety, Arden had caught Vox sneaking appreciative glances. If they’d had any time to spare before the prince arrived, he would’ve been tempted to persuade them both into joining him in the bed.

  Vox frowned, but he seemed to concede that Harding had a point. “I just don’t like the idea of a bunch of creepy elves slobbering over him on that stage.”

  “I thought you weren’t jealous?” Arden challenged.

  “You screwing around with people you choose is hot. You being treated like a piece of meat for the sake of this mission is the exact opposite.”

  “That’s sweet,” Arden said, leaning over to kiss Vox’s mask where his lips would be. The gesture seemed to take the ghoul by surprise and earned a laugh from Harding. “But this is my decision. I want to prove myself to the Brotherhood, and this is how I’m going to do it.”

  “Fine,” Vox sighed. “Just remember, if you need us at any point, all you have to do is signal.”

  “I know all my safe words,” Arden assured him, stroking a black lock of hair behind Vox’s ear. “Just be sure you guys are ready to grab him.”

  “You don’t gotta worry about that,” Harding snorted, chambering his weapon. “This baby’s loaded with enough sedative to take out ten chimeras, let alone a fancy elf. Learned my lesson after last time.”

  “Good,” said Arden. “Let’s go.”