by McKayla Jade
SHOCKED AT HER TEASING, he watched her kneel to the side of him. He was astonished when she started kissing the edges of the cut. Then she slowly licked each edge of the wound. It stopped dripping blood immediately. She gently took hold of either side and held them together as she licked the seam. Watching her work was erotic. He could not wait to get her alone. What had he been thinking to allow this to happen in the great hall with only his warriors to shield them? As if she had read his thoughts, she paused mid lick and looked up at him. Her tongue still touching him, her mouth open, her eyes were smiling.
He felt himself grow larger in his lap. Damn this woman. He slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair. He needed to gain control of himself. This would not do to have his warriors move and the whole room see him toss their queen over the table and mount her. He needed to make excuses and get her out of this room. They may only make it to the ledger room, but he would make it away from other eyes. No one would ever see her exposed that way, no matter what his inner beast insisted. She was his.
Cassidy hesitated and glanced up at him. He would not hide his thoughts from her. She kept going. She finished closing his wound and watched it heal as though it had never been there. She stood up and looked down at the floor. He reached out his hand for her. She took it and he pulled her onto his lap.
“Warriors. You may be seated. Thank you.” He told them. Without looking back, they lowered their wings and moved back to their seats. He turned to her and whispered. “What is it that had you staring at the floor? You are not embarrassed, are you?”
She shook her head. “No. M’ Lord, there is blood upon the floor where I was standing.”
He paused. His heart skipped a beat. They had not checked Cassidy for wounds. No one had mentioned seeing her get wounded, other than her shoulder, and she made no mention of another wound. When they had shed their armor she had groaned, but said her midsection hurt from the riding. Just sore muscles she had said. Was she wrong? Was that her blood? Now he was worried. “M’ Love?”
She raised her head off his chest. “Yes?”
“Could you have been?” He paused. He was not at all sure how to ask her. “Could you have hurt yourself and perhaps not know it? Perhaps your insides?”
She was thoughtful. Uncertainty flashed in her eyes. “Let me off your lap and we should check. Now I am concerned. I had not thought of that.”
He helped her to stand and motioned to Gareth. He stood up and came back to the head table. “What is it?” Gareth asked.
He looked over at Cassidy when he said. “We need to go to our chambers, and I would like you to follow us. Perhaps bring Megan along.”
Gareth turned, beckoning Megan over and told her. “We are going to follow Hawk and Cassidy to their chambers.”
Megan looked a bit confused, but she followed Gareth. Hawk worried as they all headed up the stairs if Cassidy had internal injuries, perhaps they would not be able to see. Much less treat them. Would Alexandar be able to help? Hawk had never seen a soldier with internal wounds survive.
As the small group reached the stairs the old wizard appeared there, waiting for them. Relief swamped him and he said. “Alexandar, we need your assistance. I think Cassidy has been wounded.”
“Well, then. Let us proceed.” Alexandar took her by the elbow and led her up the stairs. All the while talking to her. Telling her it was probably nothing and he was sure Gareth could handle anything. So, he was sure there was no need for him to be there, but he would stay if she requested his presence. Hawk was relieved to hear her ask for just that. She sounded worried already and he had not meant to worry her. He knew she could have internal injuries that a human would not heal from. Could she? Since they were clearly not human anymore? He wished he had all the answers.
Once they reached the bedchamber, Alexandar told her to lie in the bed and wait for Megan to help her. He told the men they would wait in the hall. It seemed Alexandar was leaving Cassidy in Megan’s hands. Megan surely had not had enough training with Gareth yet. Gareth had far more knowledge than her. What if she missed something? Hawk paced nervously in the hall. Then he stopped. He tried to reach for Cassidy’s thoughts. She sent him reassurance she was fine.
As her thoughts touched his mind, her fear slammed into him with the force of a brick wall. She was terrified. He turned back to the door, Alexandar had closed just moments before and shoved it open. Cassidy stood there, her breeches in her hand, her inner thighs covered in blood. Her shirt tails the only thing keeping the others from seeing exactly where the blood came from. His best guess terrified him.
“I thought you said you were fine! This is clearly not fine!” Beyond caring who might hear him, he bellowed. Seeing the blood on her, shook him to his core. If she were bleeding inside there was nothing he could do to heal her. She would most certainly die. It could not be. He could not lose her. He would not allow it. There had to be something that could be done. He felt helpless.
“Hawk!” She squealed. There she stood almost naked in front of him with Gareth and Alexandar looking around him. “This is not right! Close that door!”
He took a moment to do as she demanded, but he left Gareth and Alexandar in the room with him.
“Out! All of you!” She demanded. “Megan and I will clean this up.”
Alexandar turned to leave, but Gareth stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking his head.
“No.” Hawk stepped forward, picked her up and placed her on the bed.
“I need to examine you Cassidy.” Gareth told her. “You know me. I have seen you worse.”
“Yes, but this is, well, it is private.” She told him. “And then too, I was unconscious.”
As she was squealing at Gareth to leave, Alexandar was asking Hawk questions he would rather not answer. “Has she had a menses of late?”
He had no idea how to answer, so he did not. Cassidy was squealing about being immortal now. “Shouldn’t this be impossible?” She wanted to know.
Alexandar continued undeterred. “Have you had any reason not to have marital relations? Has anything gotten in the way?”
It dawned on him just what it was the old wizard was asking. “No, nothing has stopped....” He did not finish his thought. He looked over at Cassidy. Quickly shutting her out of his thoughts. If she had not thought of that possibility, he would not give it to her.
He watched with hidden horror as Megan examined Cassidy’s womanly parts and cleaned her up while they talked about whatever it was women talked about. It seemed it had not dawned on Cassidy yet what might be wrong. She called him over to her. He growled and approached the bed. Not even Alexandar stopped him. He needed to touch Cassidy. She twined her fingers through his. Not looking at him. Oddly, he noticed she kept watching Megan. Taking away bloody cloth after bloody cloth. The bleeding did not seem to be stopping. Now he looked to Gareth and Alexandar.
“Perhaps you could come help me Gareth.” Megan’s voice seemed to waver just a little. If he had not had supernatural hearing, he may not have caught it.
“Of course, what is it?” Gareth sounded calm. He reached to Gareth’s thoughts. Finding Gareth as worried as he was, did nothing to help him.
“I am unsure of what to do next. I have some dried yarrow, I can try, but it’s bleeding so fast.” Megan whispered and tossed the rags into a large bowl of water. Gareth pulled her close and whispered.
Cassidy’s hand squeezed his, bringing his eyes back to her, he saw them then. Her tears. They tracked down her face. He had no words for her. He was not at all sure what was wrong or even if they could mend it. He just knew he could not lose her. He touched the side of her face with his calloused palm and she leaned into it. Leaning down close to her, he kissed her gently. He hoped the magic would call to him and guide him, as it had so many times before, but alas. There was nothing from the magic. He knew his bite could heal her, but why not now, when she needed it most? He whispered. “Ah love, I promise, you will be all right. Alexandar and Gareth a
re the best healers we know and neither of them seem to be worried.”
“Hawk. What if this means.” She gulped in air. “If this means I lost a babe? Our babe?”
So, the thought had occurred to her. He had not saved her from it, despite blocking his jumbled thoughts. He kissed her cheek, tasting her tears. “Love. I have you. I need no other, but if it is a babe you want, we shall have a whole score of them.”
She hiccupped. “Maybe not a score. May haps just a few.” She rubbed her face on his big hand where she held on tight.
He turned to Alexandar. “Do you know what the problem is yet? Has she lost a babe?”
Alexandar seemed to shake himself out of a trance and along with Gareth and Megan came to the bedside. “I do not believe so.” Alexandar explained. “I think she was bounced around so much something inside broke. All we have to do is mend it.”
“That sounds simple.” Gareth told him. “However, how do we mend her insides when we do not know what is broken?”
The sorcerer blinked and his eyes seemed to come back in to focus. “It is quite simple. She simply needs some of your poison, Hawk.”
“I would ask you, how you know this, but I have a feeling the answer would not be any clearer than the mud on my boots.” Hawk stated.
Her face was red, but he was not sure if it was from the idea of not having any privacy to do what was needed or she was already upset. He would do anything to keep her from hurting.
“Can you all leave? Or do you need to stay?” She whispered.
He smiled down at her. “You are the queen here. You can tell them to leave if you wish.”
She smiled. He loved her smile. She glanced at the others and asked again. “Could you all please wait outside the chamber?”
They watched the three until the door closed behind them and when it did, she turned to him and kissed him. “It is strange, I can feel the bleeding on the inside of me. Now that I stop to really feel, I can tell my guts have a tear in them. There is a lot of blood.”
She was incredible. Was there a talent she did not possess? He could not remember a time when he could feel that deeply within himself or perhaps, he had never been hurt as badly. If she could ‘see’ inside herself could she ‘see’ inside others. Later when the danger had passed, he would ask her and talk to Alexandar about this. “Perhaps it is different, but it is not a bad thing. This could be extremely helpful.” He told her. “For now, however, let us get you healed.” He sat on the edge of the bed next to her and kissed her again. The magic seemed to take over. He watched those ice blue eyes get darker.
SHE WRAPPED HER ARMS around his neck pulling him closer. Suddenly she wanted to bite him. She had never felt an urge so strong. Instead she kissed his neck the way he always had her. Then she kissed his neck again, this time nipping his ear lobe. She could not seem to wait any longer. The magic called to her. It sent tingles across her skin making every hair stand on end and every nerve ending sizzle. His blood called to her. She hesitated only a moment and then hesitantly bit his neck. Even without fangs she pierced his skin and as soon as his blood hit her tongue, she felt the healing. She raised up to her knees, still holding tight to his neck, she drank.
The magic hit her hard. She struggled to hold on to him, her claws digging deep into his shoulder. It was so powerful. It coursed through every vein and muscle. Healing everything as it went. Every sore muscle, every cut on the outside, then inside, and then the final worst one. The tear in her guts. She could feel it mending, just like when she had mended Hawk’s wing. It felt cool and soothing and when it stopped her eyes flew open.
“Hawk, it is the strangest feeling. I can tell you for certain, I am healing.” She murmured to him, still not raising her head off his chest. She was exhausted, and if she was honest, still felt a bit strange about taking his blood. She needed the comfort his strength provided and the protection his arms and wings offered. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her hair back from her face so he could see her better.
“That is good news. I am still stunned you can really feel that.” He told her.
“It’s almost like I can see it. Like looking inside, myself. I wonder if I can do it for others.”
Alexandar, Gareth and Megan came back into the room then. She pulled the bed covers up higher and snuggled into his chest. “She feels the healing already beginning.” He told them as they approached the bed side. Gareth turned back and shut the door behind them.
“That’s fantastic news!” Alexandar clapped his hands together.
“How is that possible?” Gareth wanted to know.
“Are ye sure, M’ Lady.” Megan asked.
She let them all ask their questions, then quietly answered them. She sat up a little straighter and asked one of her own. “Alexandar? Why do I have these abilities? It can’t be just because the bond Hawk and I share.”
The old wizard came closer to the bedside, taking up the chair near the headboard. He brought it in front of them so he could sit facing her. “My dear girl. Do you remember all those times I visited your father?” At her nod, he continued. “I was not there for just your father. Do you remember the day Lucifer was born?” He kept asking questions and she kept nodding yes. “Do you remember how no one could get near him, but your touch gentled him?” She smiled then.
“Of course, I do, Alexandar.”
“That was the day your father and I knew for certain.” He began explaining. “We knew you were as gifted as he was. You see, dear one. You are, as your father was, a Sorcerer beyond compare. That’s why your father never insisted you be a lady like your mother had become.”
Cassidy’s tears blurred her vision and she blinked. “I miss them so much. I am sorry. Please continue.”
Hawk kissed the top of her head.
“All that battle training was to prepare you for this life you live now.” He held up his hand when she started to speak. “Let me finish. He, nor I, had any idea things would turn out this way. I had no way of knowing Henry would destroy your family and home. We just knew you were destined to be more than a mere noble lady.”
She cleared her throat and quietly asked. “So, you knew I could speak to the animals and I could hear their thoughts?”
“I did.” He paused, “And so did your father.”
She had to swallow the lump in her throat. “He loved me anyway? I could have told him?”
“Ah no, my girl. He not only loved you. He was proud of you.” Alexandar told her. “That’s why I was always there. I was watching you. That way, if things happened your father could not control, I would be there to help.”
She looked as confused as he was. So Alexandar explained. “There were times when your, talents, shall we say? Got you into a bit of trouble. Like the time the stablemen told your father he intended to make Lucifer into a fine pair of breeches. You proceeded to make the mice and rats in the stable attack him. When he ran outside to escape them, birds attacked, and so it went. All manner of creature was after him. The man refused to work near the stables again.”
Her shoulders shook with the laughter bubbling up inside her. She could not seem to help herself. “I remember that day. I was so scared he would make good on his promise.” She told the group. Megan and Gareth had taken seats near the bed. “Lucifer was not even a year old yet. I was determined to keep him in my room.”
And what did your father tell you?” Alexandar prompted.
She blushed remembering. “He told me ‘Horses stay outdoors!’ I remember he also found a new stableman who was wonderful with the horses.”
Alexandar grinned. “Do you happen to remember his name?”
She started to shake her head but stopped herself. “His name was.... Lear! His name was Lear! Oh Alexandar!” Her heart pounded fast in her chest. “He is here! In this realm! Lear is our stableman!”
Alexandar waited until she calmed down. “Yes, he is your stableman. Now an immortal stableman and yours to command. He will never leave your service again and truly
never has.”
“How is it, I did not recognize him?” She wondered out loud.
Alexandar grinned. “Perhaps, magic was involved.”
HAWK WAS JUST AS INTRIGUED as Cassidy was about how Alexandar had pulled all these amazing people together. Never one to question a gift he did not ask too many questions. He did have one plaguing him, however.
“Alexandar? Was I part of your plan for Cassidy?”
The old wizard eyed him. “No. What you are thinking, is not correct. I began building this realm long ago. Never knowing who would be king or queen. As time went by and warriors were brought to my attention each one had their place. Be it a carpenter or blacksmith. Then the stars aligned and the king and then the queen were shown to me.”
He thought that over and then asked. “This realm becomes whatever it needs to be?”
Alexandar confirmed. “You are on the right track, my boy. It is whatever each of you needs it to be.” He pointed at Megan. “She needed to be valued. Here she is valued as a healer. New to the arts perhaps but valued the same as Gareth.”
“As valued as I am, I love my place here as Cassidy’s maid and I say she needs her rest. Let us leave her to it.” Megan interjected.
“Agreed.” Gareth arose from his chair and placed them back across the room. “We will see you all in the morn. Thank you Alexandar, for giving us all a little more insight into this new world.”
“You are welcome.” He followed the other two out of the room.
The door latched behind them and Cassidy smiled at Hawk. “We should rest.”
“Mmm. Hm.” He growled in her ear. “We should. Besides, I do not want to hurt you further. Let us give your body some rest. Good sleep, love.”
She snuggled down into the bed. Her back facing him. “Good sleep, husband.”
Chapter 23
Hawk woke with Cassidy sleeping quietly in his arms, her hair strewn about on the pillow. Her rear was pressed into him. Making for a very happy morning. He wrapped his arm around her and tucked her up tight to his chest. He murmured in her ear. “Wake up, little one. The new day has dawned.” He kissed her softly on her cheek. She turned within his arm stretching and smiled. “Good morning, Sire.”