Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (10 page)

Crehon strode off the beach and over
to his horse, Abraxas, who was secured to the trunk of a palm tree.
He untied the leather strap and mounted. Lightly tugging at the
right reign, he directed Abraxas to where the sand met the coral
paved street, back to his temple located in the middle of the
city.

Last night after the envoy arrived
unexpectedly, he had a brief opportunity to advise his military
council about the situation they were facing. Although he was
feeling more confident with his decision since having spoken to
Atargatis, he still had one more hurdle to bear. He had to divulge
the demands from Cythera, plus his choice to stand and fight, to
his beloved wife, Magna. She was the source of his strength but
this wasn’t going to be an easy task. Especially once she realized
that if this didn’t go the way he hoped it would, there’d be a
chance she’d become a widow. He knew if that happened Emperor
Straton Ethos would claim her for himself. He would not allow this
to happen.

Crehon had to stay strong and not let
her see or feel the uncertainty of his emotions. Yes, he was
confident with his decision, but in the back of his mind there
would always be a small degree of unease.

Crehon’s mind drifted to the
monotonous clomping of the horse’s hooves against the paved street.
He was startled to realize Abraxas had already stopped just short
of the winding steps that led up the mountain to the sanctuary that
encased his temple.

In front of him, on either side of the
bottom steps, were seven foot high, perfectly squared, stone
pedestals, each with four columns holding up an embellished pitched
roof. Within the confines of each set of columns was a marble
statue of their patron god, Poseidon, who held in his hands the
sacred symbol of the Atlantean people, a trident. Every male member
of the Imperial family had this symbol tattooed on their person. It
was a representation of great honor and respect. His was located on
the left side of his chest and he wore it with pride.

Crehon was barely off Abraxas before
one of his servants was standing in front of him, bowing his head,
and offering to take the horse to the stables. Crehon nodded in
approval to the servant and watched him walk away with
Abraxas.

The breeze tousled his short wavy
brown hair and he stood there for a moment, basking in the warmth
of the sun. Inhaling the fresh air he noted the sweet smell of the
blooming pink frangipani flowers and the cool ocean breeze, and
then let out a long calming breath.

Before he took the first of many
steps, he extended his arms halfway in front of himself, placed his
palms facing upwards, bowed his head to his god and said a quick
prayer.

As he climbed up the stony path, he
was thankful this once that it was a lengthy ascension. He wasn’t
looking forward to the conversation he was about to have with
Magna.

He reached the top of the mountain and
walked across the courtyard leading to the steps of his
temple.

It was grand in scale, twelve
Corinthian columns in width and nineteen deep. Built of the native
white stones, it could withstand any outside attack.

Once inside he asked one of the nearby
servants where he could find his wife and the woman directed him to
his imperial bedchamber.

He headed there immediately only to
find Zimora, Magna’s best friend, leaving the chamber. She was
walking away in the opposite direction and hadn’t seen him. The two
women were inseparable. He was glad their paths hadn’t crossed as
he was always a little uncomfortable around her. He knew she had
feelings for him, ones she kept locked away inside. He shook off
thoughts of Zimora and braced himself as he opened the
door.

He stepped into the room and found
Magna sitting in front of her dressing table while her personal
servant was entwining white ribbons throughout the braids in her
long ebony hair. Magna was looking at her reflection in the large
shiny bronze disc that hung on the wall in front of her.

Crehon knew just how lucky he was to
have such a beautiful woman to call his.

“
I’m finished, your
highness. Is there anything else you require of me?” the young
woman asked.

“
No, I’m fine. Thank you.
You may go now,” Magna responded as she stood up to walk over to
her husband.

The
servant left the room, silently bowing her head at Crehon as she
walked by him, and then quickly closing the thickly carved wooden
door behind her as if she couldn’t get out of the room fast
enough.
Odd,
he
thought. It wasn’t her normal behavior.

Embracing him, Magna whispered in his
ear, “You were gone when I woke up this morning. Where did you go?
I was lonely.”

Having not quite worked up the courage
to tell her the truth, he answered. “I went to the beach to see the
sun rise across the ocean.” He looked away guiltily and steeled
himself.

“
Magna, there is something
I need to discuss—,”

“
Before you tell me what
you need to, there’s something I have to tell you as
well.

“
What is it?”

“
I’m worried about
Carnaxa,” she said as she released her hold on him and walked over
to sit down on one of the chaises.

“
Why is that?”

“
My sister has been acting
strange lately. Late last night while you were gone for your walk,
I saw her sneaking out of the temple. She was walking so fast I
couldn’t catch up to her to ask her where she was going at such an
ungodly hour. She wasn’t in her chamber this morning
either.”

Crehon had caught a quick glimpse of
Carnaxa spying on him from behind one of the columns in the
temple’s atrium during his meeting with Hektor. He hadn’t thought
much of it at the time.

She was a vibrant young lady, with no
suitors in her life, at least none that were serious. He just
assumed she was innocently ogling Hektor’s good looks.

Surely
Carnaxa had not been with Hektor? Though he was certainly blessed
by Aphrodite, he wouldn’t have had time to seduce her, would
he?
Doubts swirled through his mind. He
would get to the bottom of Carnaxa’s disappearance at once. The
security of the Empire could be at stake.

“
Don’t worry about your
sister. I will have one of my men keep an eye on her and report her
whereabouts directly to me.”

“
Thank
you my amora,
love
. Now what did you want to tell me?” she reminded
him.

He closed his eyes briefly, inhaled
deeply and let out a long breath through his nostrils. The moment
he’d been dreading had finally arrived.

He walked over and sat next to her on
the chaise, taking her hands in his. He looked directly in her eyes
and saw her love reflected back at him.

“
I have something important
I need to tell you,” he said seriously.

“
You’re scaring me. What is
it? Is it my sister?”

“
No. No, it’s not your
sister,” he assured her. “What I have to discuss with you is far
greater than that.”

Her worried eyes searched his
face.

“
Last night when I left the
temple while you slept, it was because one of the guards sent a
messenger to notify me of an unannounced ship that had arrived in
our port.”

Magna’s eyes narrowed at the
realization of his lie. “Is this when you said you went for your
‘walk?’”

“
Yes. Not knowing what was
going on, I didn’t want to worry you.”

“
So you decided lying to me
was the better choice?”

“
Yes,” he repeated sternly.
“Please listen and let me explain. The ambassador from Cythera was
on the ship. He came here to deliver a message from Emperor
Ethos.”

He paused waiting to see her
reaction.

“
What— what was the
message?” He could hear her trying to restrain the panic in her
voice.

“
He has issued an
ultimatum. I must either allow Atlantis to join forces with him
under his rule or he will call us to war. The fleet carrying his
warriors has already set sail. If I agree to the Emperor’s terms,
the ambassador will send word back to them and they will turn
around and go back to Cythera. But if I do not agree to his
demands, they will continue their journey here to claim
Atlantis.”

Magna pulled her hands out of his and
held her right hand up, motioning him to stop talking.

“
There’s no need to
continue. I know my husband well enough to know what decision
you’ve made,” she said as the tears started to roll down her
cheeks.

Looking away from him, she got up from
the chaise and walked over to the window, sobbing harder as she
looked down the mountain and across the land that was her
home.

Crehon rose from the seat, walked over
to her, circled his arms around her waist from behind, and drew her
closer.

There was silence between
them.

“
I’m scared. What if I lose
you Crehon? I can’t live in a world without you.”

“
Please don’t say that. You
have my word everything will be okay. I’ve already spoken to
Atargatis and his guard will rise with us and fight.”

Caressing her arm, he tried to console
her even though deep down he knew there was a possibility he
wouldn’t be able to uphold his promise.

“
You can’t guarantee that
nothing will happen to you,” she cried out as she cupped her hands
over her face and lost what was left of her control.

Crehon turned her around and pulled
her hands away from her face, then placed his finger under her chin
bringing her eyes to meet his.

With the pads of his thumbs, he wiped
away her tears.

He hated to see her cry and he hated
it even worse that he was the cause. But he had to stand up for
what he believed in, no matter the consequences.

Lifting her up in his arms, he carried
her over to their marital bed and laid her across the soft hides.
Slowly climbing above her, he claimed her lips.

She tried to pull away. “I can’t do
this now.”

He gently pulled her face back to his
and recaptured her lips. She tasted so sweet. He needed more of
her. “Let me love you,” he whispered against her lips.

He could see the desire in her eyes,
and she parted her lips allowing him access to explore
her.

Giving in, her tongue met his and she
let out a soft moan. Feeling his growing erection against her
thigh, brought out a wanton response in her, and she started
undulating beneath him.

Releasing her lips, he reached up to
pull the thin white layer of linen off her shoulder, revealing her
right breast. Cupping her perfectly round peak, he captured it in
his mouth and teased her hard little bud with his tongue, pulling
it between his lips. It drove her crazy and he felt her movements
become more frantic.

The scent of citrus on her skin wafted
into his nostrils driving his arousal even further.

Gods,
how he wanted
her.

With his other hand he explored lower
until he felt the hem of her tunic and hiked it up higher around
her thighs, revealing her perfect triangle of manicured
curls.

He placed his hand against her sex
using two of his fingers to separate her moist folds.

She arched into him.

“
Undress me,” she
moaned.

He sat her up and helped her pull her
clothing over her head. He tossed it onto the marble floor,
shedding his own clothing afterwards.

Gently, he pushed her back down
against the bedding. Starting at her neck, with slow and
calculating licks, he teased his way down her pale unblemished skin
toward the scent of her arousal.

It called to him. He had to taste her
now.

Placing his hands on the insides of
her legs, he nudged them apart and lowered his body in between
them. He looked up at her mesmerizing emerald green eyes then
dropped his gaze back to his prize. The outside of her sex was
glistening with her desire.

Magna lost control when he took the
first taste of her. She writhed against his mouth, wanting
more.

He stroked his tongue against her pink
folds and felt like a god. Licking upwards he found her engorged
clit and pulled it into his mouth, nearly causing her to leap off
the bed.

She was breathing heavily now but was
unable to catch her breath because she felt her spasms beginning to
peak.

He felt her tensing and knew she was
about to release. He was ready for everything she had to give
him.

Grasping the back of his head, Magna
entangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer to her,
giving him full access to lap up all her juices.

Before she completely came down from
her orgasm, she grabbed him and pulled his lips up to meet hers.
She stroked her tongue along his wet lips and lured his gaze to
hers.