by R. J. Lloyd
He set me down on the sofa in the main room. A platter of foods and a pitcher of water with a glass sat on the table in front of me.
“Thank you.” The pains eased slowly as I reached for a bowl of cut fruits.
He watched as I took a bite. “Are you alright?” His voice was full of caution.
“We will have the herbs tomorrow. I will be fine.” I patted the sofa next to me. “Come. Sit. Or do you need to feed?”
“I fed while downstairs. They had a supply of my drink for travelers.” He poured my water and did as I requested.
I finished another bite and leaned into his shoulder. “Kane? Do you… ummm… How do you…” I looked at him and sighed. “I just want to know…”
He smiled gently. “You want to know how I feel about this?” His hand rested on my stomach.
“Yes,” I replied softly.
“On one hand, I get to have something I’ve wanted my entire life. And with a woman I am fairly certain I have wanted my entire life.” He ran his hand down my arm. “But at what cost? I fear the herbs not being enough. And I fear those that want to get involved in one way or another over this prophecy.” He said the word as if it was filthy.
“I…” I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to say. But before I could say anything more, there was a loud banging on the door that made me jump.
He lifted his hand and went to the source of the noise. Grabbing a dagger from the table he’d set down when we arrived, he tucked it behind him in his waistband. His hand went to the doorknob, not opening it but holding it secure. "Who is it?" There was a layer of menace in his tone.
Nobody replied vocally. Instead, Kane’s query was answered with more loud banging.
He looked to me with concern pinching his brows. "Go lock yourself in the bathroom with a weapon. There is another dagger in its sheath by my things.”
I got up and started for the bathroom. "What's going on?"
"I am honestly not sure, just taking precautions." He waited for me to be out of the room before opening the door.
I went in and sat on the side of the tub, dagger in hand. Something about closing the door so I couldn’t see any possible danger coming my way and my need to know that Kane was alright forced me to leave the door open a crack.
The entire situation sent me back to the moment my family came for me and my mother. My blood raced through my veins so loudly I could hear it, and it took everything in me to not go to the door and open it fully, worrying about Kane.
I watched as Kane opened the door and looked at a tall, slender man, adorned with a pattern of leaves and vines that snaked across his skin. His long, flowing, raven dark hair was pulled back in a braid, yet somehow, despite the gentile beauty that graces his appearnace, he looked fierce.
And his expression backed that up as he glared at Kane.
"Can I help you?" Kane looked confused, not bothering to move out the way for him to enter.
The man looked at him, the sternness in his posture almost more serious than his expression. "I understand you brought a human with you? One that you have impregnated. Is this correct?"
"I understand it's none of your business," Kane retorted, crossing his arms, not having any of this man’s inquiry.
The man placed a hand on the doorframe in case Kane tried to close the door. "You speak as if you feel you are above us. Let me make it clear that you are not. This is a Hurthfeur city. Bloodsuckers are further north. And as to it being my business, I am certain it is my business when your kind drags some human in here looking for an escape from their inability to contain their lust. You know that it is frowned upon by your elders. So, let us get on with her disposal, and you can move on and not come back to my establishment."
Kane tilted his head. "Oh, this is cute. You have me mixed up with someone of a lesser station. I am an Elder." He closed the distance between himself and the man. "You will get one chance to walk away and remember that I showed mercy. I love your kind, I truly do. But as I said, this is none of your concern, and I am not interested in any disposal. You will not be laying hands on her.”
“I do not have time for your possessiveness, vampire. I do not care for who you are or who you love. This is the way. We will not be cleaning up a greater mess later. We deal with this now.” The man attempted to push past Kane.
A growl resonated from deep within Kane’s chest. "I am King Kanedraven Rathmore. The King in the North. You will remember your station, Innkeeper." Kane stood tall, eyeing the man with no fear. “I treat your people well. I make sure they get paid more than fairly as your species is vital to this world, and I leave this place always better than I find it. Again, know your place or no more chances. Walk off.”
The man stood, his ego baring its teeth as he was challenged by Kane. "You claim to be Kanedraven Rathmore? This is what you are saying? Truly you do not think you can fool me with this ploy, but it will not work, you leech." The man turned, the balcony that held the walkway in front of the rooms overlooked the dining area below, which was still filled with people. "This man claims to be our king. He claims to rule Naelyra and thinks he can tell me of all Emalne to remember my station."
The crowd broke out in laughter. I knew, from when we had entered the room, that there was no way that anyone downstairs could have seen Kane from where he stood then. But even if they could, it is possible nobody there would have known him either. He had made sure to keep such a low profile, and in this instance? It was coming back to haunt him.
The man turned back to Kane. "Now that you've had your charade, let us get your little toy and dispatch of the problem. I have more pressing things to do." He tried to push past into the room again, ignoring the older Emalne running across the walkway that transversed the room like a boardwalk, toward them, waving his arms.
Kane didn’t budge at all as the man's hand landed on his shoulder with a shove. He stood like a pillar against the invading force, not letting it shift him even an inch. “I warned you.” Then, he lifted his hand and pushed on the man’s chest shoving him back out of the doorway.
I ran out of the bathroom, gripping the dagger tight, just in time to see the invader crash into the post of vines that connected the loft walkway to the ceiling, causing it to crack and some of the taught tendrils to snap. He slumped to the ground with a groan and attempted to lift himself. But he was obviously injured.
Kane stalked across the balcony toward the fallen man. “The death of you will be swift. That I will guarantee for you."
"Kane!" I ran out, tugging my sweater up onto my shoulders tighter.
"Gael!" The man running towards us yelled.
I grabbed Kane’s arm. "Wait!" I held my tummy. "Prove you are who you are. I know you said that you keep your identity quiet so they can go about their lives, but shouldn't they know that you are king in some way?”
"No. They don't." The second man said, winded. "We keep his identity secret so he can move about freely without threats or attempts on his life. His request." He glared at Kane, half in amusement.
Kane eyed the old man and nodded to him. "This one is out of line, suggesting death upon humans carrying vampire offspring. I know not of such an order, and I certainly will not allow this fate to fall on my beloved. What is his punishment to be?" He held the dagger out toward Gael, who was still propped up on the floor against the pole. Kane walked back a few steps, pulling me behind him protectively.
Gael looked around the now assembled group, completely confused, yet not willing to back down. He had pulled a weapon of his own, directing the blade not toward Kane but toward me. "What is this nonsense, Thaid?” he addressed the second man. “I demand to know the truth. I will not have another incident in my establishment over yet another sex crazed vampire and his mistake."
Thaid, hands out as if to stave off further altercation, looked between the men. "Gael... I would urge you to watch your tongue. I cannot save you from what you take too far. He is Kanedraven Rathmore, your king, I assure you."
“I do not believe this set of lies!” Gael roared, coughing from the pain of what I could only guess as a few broken ribs among other things. “She needs to be put to death before she is discovered!”
Kane’s jaw set. “Listen you backwater Emalne, leave us in peace before I put you to rest.”
My hands wrapped around Kane's arm. I tilted my head at Gael. "Why would you want to kill me? What has happened that would make you do such a thing?"
Thaid waved his hands. "Come, Gael. Do as he says."
I stepped forward, not caring that the injured man still had a weapon pointed at me, even if his eyes were focused on Kane. "No. I'm curious."
Gael’s voice rose, "It's an Abomination! Against Nature and the gods! How dare you soil your body by giving life to that monstrosity! SHAME! Why would you bring the prophecy down upon our world when we’ve finally had a life with something close to peace? We cannot suffer any possibility of the prophecy coming about! And you whoring yourself with the likes of them brings nothing but death!”
Kane pulled me back, stepping in between us. Walking up to Gael, he hit him, punching him square in the jaw. “You will not speak to her like that!”
I had been prepared to give the man an earful when Kane swung at him, but being swept behind his large frame threw me off guard.
Rubbing his jaw, that was clearly broken, Gael started to rise, not lowering his blade.
Thaid stepped back as did the several other Emalne people that had gathered around us. "Gael. Back down!"
“I do not wish to fight you,” Kane growled, “but you will lower your weapon and explain this fear and what your people have been doing to stop this misguided prophecy talk.”
Kane held a hand out to the man to help him stand, presumably to calm the situation. But Gael did the opposite of cooperating. Instead, he lunged after Kane, snarling, moving to pin him against the wall while reaching for me.
Caught off guard, Kane was shoved toward the side slightly, exposing me to the man’s sharp instrument, aimed right at my chest. I gasped, stumbling back, barely missing being impaled on Gael’s short sword. But Kane’s next move was not as miscalculated. He swung forward, lodging his own dagger into the side of Gael’s chest, burying it to the hilt.
"It didn't have to be this way," he said, pushing Gael away, letting him drop to the floor. Walking over the bleeding man, he looked over the broken railing, peering out over the hushed crowd. "I am Kanedraven Rathmore. Know my face now. I will not tolerate harassment of myself, my kind, or Auriena Raulson, who should be regarded as your queen." He wiped his dagger off on his sleeve, turning to look for me.
Seeing me now on the floor, he rushed to my side. "No..."
In the shuffle, I had fallen. The impact sent a shockwave through me that sent my vision into blackness as I struggled against the crashing waves of pain. It was starting to engulf me as I curled in on myself both physically and emotionally. I tried to move to sit up, but I don’t think my body cooperated an inch. It was all I could do to not pass out… or scream out.
He scooped me up and kicked the door closed behind him as he took me back inside to the lounger in the sitting room. "Auriena? Auriena!" His voice was desperate for me to respond.
The door slowly opened, the creaking alerting Kane to a commotion outside where we’d left the still growing crowd. His head whipped around to look back, and I followed his gaze, trying to see what was going on through blurry vision.
Two men carried a groaning Gael away. Thaid, on the other hand, slowly walked in. "King Rathmore? Should I call a healer?"
"Call a healer, yes. Immediately." Urgency pushed his words out fast, and he turned to back to me.
Kane’s hands roamed my body as he checked for bruises, injuries and even a heartbeat. All I could do was breath out slowly and try to respond, but it came out in a whisper, “He didn’t hurt me. I fell.”
Thaid bowed his head. "Yes. Right away." Then, he disappeared the way he’d left.
I heard Thaid as he exited barking out orders, “You two, stand guard over the room here. You six, guard the entrances up here. Nobody comes in or out without me or without my or the king’s approval. Do you understand?”
Kane, still hovering, inspecting the last couple inches of me, sat on the seat next to me, pushing my tangled hair back away from my face. “It looks like we won’t need to search for the herbs. They’re bringing you a healer. I am confident that Thaid will bring his best.”
“Mhmm…” I moaned, gripping my stomach and curling in more.
Moments later, Thaid returned with a woman who carried a bag. She was equally as tall as most of the Emalne men that I’d seen. And while slender as well, her figure was notably feminine. The markings she bore were featherings of herb-like plants that adorned her skin from where her joints connected.
She crossed the room without introduction, kneeling down next to me and opening her bag. As she started to pull something out, Kane grasped her wrist. “She is everything to me. Without her, none of you matter.”
For a moment, I saw her jaw flex. But she relaxed, looking up at him with soft eyes. “Then you had better let me help her, haven’t you?”
Kane stood out of the way but behind her, watched her every move and inspected everything she used. "She is with child and fell trying to get away from Gael.”
"I am aware of the fight." The woman spoke airily. "And I am aware of her condition. Everyone here is." She pulled out a large crystal and set it on my abdomen.
He looked annoyed. "Imagine if people just minded their business. I could have just gotten her the necessary herbs and taken her home.”
"My kind is not exactly excited when a vampire brings someone here since usually, the women are in fear for their lives either from the vampire that is keeping them captive or from your kind as a whole. You must be aware that my race holds women on high. Your kind, as a whole, hold nothing on high." She set the crystal under the lounger then rubbed her hands together before holding them over her head, palms facing up. "But Gael should respect who you are. You have shown our people generosity. He is simply more effected, more prone to such violent reactions, since his sister was killed for being in your human's condition, for being impregnated by a vampire."
Kane stood and put his arms behind his back as he paced. He was visibly upset and rightfully so. "Yes, I understand all sides of it. But if his sister was having a vampire's child, why would he want to kill others for the same thing? That doesn't seem like the right motivation."
The woman sprinkled a handful of herbs into a mug of hot water that Thaid brought her and stirred it slowly. "He felt she was forced into the situation. I believe his sister was paying off a debt owed to another vampire. Some woman that was running Everwinter while you were away. From what I understand, his sister could not fulfill a leather order the woman demanded, so, in trade, she was gifted to one of the woman's men for a period of time. And in that time, she became with child. But despite his efforts to show her mercy by bringing her here, the woman came and ended Gael's sister's life... and the baby's." She tipped my head up and pressed the mug to my lips.
Parting them slightly and allowing the mixture to coat my tongue, I swallowed. Laying my head back down, she used her finger to wet my lips with the liquid, followed by my temples, a line across my neck. Then she pulled my top up above my stomach, reaching for a small towel.
She continued, “This woman spoke of the prophecy and how it would ruin us all. Ever since, there’s been a growing number of Emalne that have banded together to stop all pregnancies that have resulted between any race and a vampire. They are not often, as you know. But Gael searches for them. It is as if he’s taking his rage over his sister’s death out on all of those poor women.” She looked up and met Kane’s gaze. “He is trying to hurt every vampire by hoping he’s killing someone he loves. I do not believe that he is concerned with the prophecy. I believe he uses it as a tool to gather allies in his endeavors.”
She went back to nursing me, drapin
g the towel over my hips after lowering my pants quite low and rolling my top up just under my breasts. Kane growled, and I heard Thaid’s footsteps grow distant and the door shut.
Dipping her fingers into the herbal mixture, the Emalne woman painted a swirling design over my skin as she chanted something in her language. Instantly, I felt the pain start to ease.
Turning my head to find Kane, I saw him pace back. When his eyes fell on me, he smiled. But his smile changed when they landed on my belly.
“What?” I tried to look down, but the woman pressed my forehead back, still chanting something softly.
“Your belly,” he breathed.
I started to feel panicked. “What? Is something wrong?”
She huffed. “This would be easier if I didn’t have to fight your emotions.” She went back to her ritual.
I looked back at Kane. His expression held something different once again. If I wasn’t second guessing everything, I would have said it was… bliss.
His eyes snapped back to mine. “Sorry. It’s just that…” He blinked, confusion tugging at his brows. “You’re showing more.”
“Showing more?” I reached to try to cover myself.
“Shhh…” She pushed my arms down.
He knelt down next to the woman and took my hand. “You have the tummy of a woman that is expecting child… round. I saw it when we were with Boutrol, but you were clothed. Seeing it now, bare, it’s…”
“Scary?” I tried to finish his sentence.
“Beautiful,” he corrected me.
My head dropped back, and I sighed in relief. “So, you’re calling me fat?”
“No!” He practically jumped up. “Not. I would never call you…”
I started laughing. “I am just kidding!” I reached out for him. “This explains the pains if it’s growing that fast.”
He took my hand again, his fingers entwining with mine. Kneeling down again, he pressed his lips to my temple next to the herb mixture. “Yes. That it does. And I’m sorry for what happened. If I had been in control, you would not have gotten hurt.”