Authors: Cyndi Goodgame
Cas
’ eyes swam with complete desire. His smile was sweet, his mouth was curved upward. Sadness was hidden beneath, but just like always, he and I could quickly forgive the intense stress of a conversation and focus on each other.
“I
’m not sure why I ever doubted it now,” he growled letting the just before hauntings of the past be erased. “Coming from the sexiest mouth on this earth, I am quite sure I have at least made my feelings well known but just to be sure...” Cas moved our bodies vertical to where I sat just as predator and prey our relationship seemed to be. He inched my bum up over his knees still letting claustrophobia set in with the little space he was leaving me. I moved an inch back. Again. His eyes glowed almost all yellow when I moved another inch. He liked this. And that also made me term that face into a description. It was...
the loo
k.
I closed my eyes and exhaled too loud, “I feel so much better knowing you’re around to make me smile.”
His face was a statue.
“What are you thinking? I can’t read you with you like that,” I asked nervously trying to ease what I knew he was going to do. And I was okay with it. I just knew lately we were getting closer to not being able to stop.
“I am thinking many things.”
The look.
Okay. Help me here.
“What do you want me to do then?”
His eyes flickered with a certain dark look. “Oh, I have many things I want
you
to do,” he said the words so slow.
Ohhhhhh! I was reading everything wrong again. Men and women certainly walk on different wavelengths of thought patterns. I couldn
’t keep up with his wavering moods. Although, he seemed always in
this
mood even in the back of his mind. Men!
“Stop looking at me like
that
!” I puckered my brow dithering with my sleeve. I was the one with Val ancestral power that wouldn’t work on him. Besides, that power was tabled for now. I didn’t want to use it on anyone again for a long time.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m food.”
His deep, hearty laugh that escaped on the
rarest occasions vibrated in my ear. And then his thumb caressed my cheek in a slow move I’d memorized long before as his identifiable way of his own personal reassurance. It may be because he likes the softness of my skin, but I lean more on the idea that as a man he needs his own reassurances that as females need verbally, they need physically.
I am going to put it all out there
, Kissa. I know you are secluded and hesitant to think on things so personalized and intimate, but with me you should not be. I want you to be not embarrassed. I want everything with you in every way. And I know that seeing me with the turned Elves scared you. It scares me too sometimes, but I’m an extremely hard one to kill. I have to be that way for my people to feel secure. I want more than anything for you to accept that, but I understand if you don’t.
It
’s not that I don’t accept it, but rather that he is so much more than just a demonic force of nature known as the Vampire lord. He is more complex than the volatile evil man other factions think him to be. I did once. “I accept everything about you and what you may have to do and l never think less of you. But know this. I aim to make you wiser in your choices as you seem so willing to make me in mine. I don’t believe everything requires violence.”
He visibly relaxed and brushed his thumb across the tip of my top lip and then the bottom.
Thank you. You may accomplish your goals yet if I know you well enough. I’ve changed so much. But know this. My every intention above all else is to have all of you. I want everythin, Anastacia.
He started to move away like he was hesitating with what he wanted to say next. “What is it?” I asked aloud and placed a hand on his arm staking a claim that I didn
’t want him far away.
I don’
t want to scare you or make you run away.
“Then just tell me. I am not scared anymore.”
I want it all.
“What are you not saying Cas?” I plied him with yet another question with the same desperation his own inner voice had. His hand landed on my hip and stayed there stopping me from constantly smoothing out the fabric of my pants to keep my nervous heart in check.
I want to make you happy in every way and not be beholden to a rule that says you’re not mine yet. I want to take you places, make you smile with gifts and your favorite meals. Love you and marry you just like you promised me. And above all I want to be with you...in every way.
Eyes wide with surprise and happiness all rolled into one, I calmed my own raging hormones and gave him the non-embarrassed return he searched for. My hand moved nervously and landed on the center of his chest.
I swallowed once and said,
I feel the same way. Except the meal part. I...don’t want to be your meal. I mean—
He didn
’t wait for me to finish, but it wasn’t his usual pull me into a delicious like kiss and sweep me off my feet. It was a more like a too tight bear hug where we both lifted a little and then hovered just above with his arm tight around me for support.
I love you
, Anastacia
.
“You seem to like changing up what you call me?” I leaned the best I could from where he held me up.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Yes. Is that okay?” he looked weary.
“Oh yes. I think.” He usually used my name to make his points and hold my attention for serious things. I didn’t always like
serious
. It was overrated.
Think?
I blushed and held my breath without notice or care
. I kind of like what you already call me.
Breath
my sweet Kissa. Sekhmet. The great lioness of my own legend of Ra. You will be as great, my love.
His hands wrapped mine to his chest in a tight twist of fate that wound itself all the way around and held on, but it could be loosened. For that, I was sure. I just hoped that I could unfold the twists of my own choosing and not lose the ones I loved. Fate was a bitter enemy and I would be lurking at her corner before every turn to keep what I hold dearest.
“Stace.”
All my many names.
“We will find your father.”
I know he means it. I just hope he
’s alive when we do.
Epilogue
In Tyranny lies only failure.
That’s how you know when you know. The single most frustrating person in the world can ignite fury and desire in one setting. When their touch makes your skin feel alive and itchy like you can’t get the buzz enough. Cas was my dark light. He made me feel.
Love doesn
’t describe what I feel for Cas. It’s a consuming drive to not be without him. A senseless knowing that he is the end for me and that the mothers knew it would happen. I can’t find any other being that could fulfill the longing and emptiness that my life has survived with until now. He needs me. He wants me. He fights for me. He has jealousy and fear and danger and the same all consuming desire to not be away from me unless he has too. That is more than just something that can be summed up into one word called love.
And this wretched curse of a destiny.
A governing body has not one reason to feel
all powerful if its people are not governed by its laws. It is not eloquent, but it is a force, a dangerous servant and a fearful master. It’s like hitting the metaphoric nail on the head with the comparison of my possible existence equaling to that of a faction leader above the factions. There’s never been one. It is humbling and quite possibly the most frightening thing I will ever do in my life. But Borgon aims to take it from me. I can’t help but wonder if the mother’s thought far enough ahead that if the ones I love are taken from me to get me to that spot, I might not take it.
Side Scene
from
Cas
’ POV of Stace meeting Cord for the first time and other important scenes
I ditched the Bronco for my loaded to the max Silver Hummer. Right now I was fine because she was safe.
Forget that I agreed to let Lee go with, but I needed my eye on him. Yes, he was feeding me information on Borgon, but I knew where his loyalties lie and she was sitting way too close to him. He was not the traitor she thought he was. He just loved her too much and it would get him killed.
But wouldn’t we all.
“Would ya
’ll control yourselves. Reading you is killing me. If this is what I am in for, I’ll be dead by week’s end from male testosterone alone.”
I hated that she could read them all so well, but what could I do about it.
When I pulled the car to a stop, Stace was filing away the already asymmetrically linebacker formation Ryan had his men in. Like this was a damn fight.
He was just here for her.
I flanked her as Calum took the other side. Tolerating Hunter boy had become a necessity to keeping her safe. Being his friend wasn’t in the picture, but faked it for her. He and I were both aware of our roles to each other in respect to keeping her safety first.
She noted their sizes and the fact that every
Were was built like an ox. She noted too many things about all guys.
Their scout was sent out along with ours. They met in the middle and agreed on a position to meet. This was all standard.
In the field she asked internally, but not to me specifically, what his name was again so I answered.
Cord Ryan.
Thanks.
Her noting how hot the
Were punks were was not making me calmer. She remarked about scars. I could show her scars in better places than where she was looking. Heck, I blocked my mind from her. She needn’t know some of the thoughts that raced through my mind involving her.
Then she looked at Ryan.
A little too much.
She noted his clothes specifically and even focused on the brand of jeans. Was that what she liked?
She touched the side of her face pressing the temple in on the left side.
Before I could ask the problem, Ryan reached for his hea
d mimicking her actions. It was hell to see he did have some kind of power with her too.
I tried to reach out, feel the pain she displayed, but the only indication of weakness detected was her headache. It didn't 't hurt too bad because she was friggin
’ calling him a GQ model and sizing up his every section, even the damn earring he insisted made girls crazy. Could this get any worse?
They stared each other down, pouring out the same crazed emotions. And without any words, she knew he was the one missing from our little insane asylum of misfits.
Her mind zoned in on me. Oh,
now
she remembered me! I never let go.
How again did I end up the only girl in this equation?
I’ve wondered the same thing. It seems we all want the same treasure. You!
She smirked at me and then winced like her head still hurt.
“Scorpion?” Angus urged his leader to move back. Like she would hurt him now! She might. Once she knows who he really is.
Scorpion?
My hand possessively went to her hip.
Wasn
’t this their party?
“Princess Anastasia.”
Cord put up his deep, smooth ass drawl to reel the girl in. He wanted her rattled and unfocused on me. Too bad he had both hands fisted like he was going to hit her. She didn’t read it right and she didn’t like it. I sure didn’t correct the misconception.
Cord winked at my girl so I pulled her tighter to make the point. They both had odd expressions like they had a secret I couldn
’t read.
“The faction leaders have informed me of the past transgressions confounded upon you. I have on good word that the ultimate goal was for my safety only and it was not the intention to outright lie to your faction if not for your apparent disregard for the other factions having a say in how we can work as one team.”
Was he mad or what?
“I agreed to aid the Hunter faction
’s leader to housing the twin Valkyrie’s heir in the warehouse. I agreed to tracking you down and making sure you didn’t come to any harm, but to make sure it appeared so. I agreed to stay out of your life for your safety. But now that has to change.”
She asked me for help, but I couldn’t give up the one item of information that could make her dislike me. She would make the right choice once she knows him more.
“What do you mean?”
He was like a kid; he was so ready for this. He wanted her to like him.
“I am Cord Ryan, son of Luper Ryan. I would be most welcome to talk with you alone if that is permissible with your bodyguards?”
She thought he was cold, but she noticed other things too. Didn
’t she know I could read her too well? It was killing me.
“Why?”
asked Calum tight-lipped.
He is one of us
, Stace. He knows already.
How do you know this?
She turned to me and I pleaded silently for her to just say goodbye and leave.
“I will not hurt her. It is my own safety I should think to be worried about.” If he kept up the rudeness, he should!
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
Yes! He wanted to die.
Ryan mentioned he knew Green and Hathown were here. As if that would stop him from what he wanted to do.
“We back up the lines, I watch your every move, one move out of line, I
’ll strike you dead before you look my way,” Calum said for us both.
Why was Szar staying quiet? This was his sister.
Ryan’s wall of men moved back at his nod and ours followed suit. I looked over to Szar who was frozen in his standard glare.
“Am I supposed to know w
hat you mean?” she asked him. Ryan glanced my way.
Oh, yes. I nodded to him
letting him know I could hear.
“Your Vampire boyfriend hasn
’t enlightened you?”
Oh yes. I can hear you dogbreath.
“I’m guessing you’re about to tell me hence the separation.”
I knew that Cas could probably hear anyway. He is a Vampire.
You got that right! She couldn’t hear me unless I wanted. I wasn’t ready for her to have that skill down yet.
“You are the goddess. You tell me.”
“I’m not sure that’s accurate, but for moving this on a little faster, surnames now announced, let’s proceed. I have you to smooth over, fathers to appease, and my hair to wash, so if it pleases you... ”
He rubbed his chin like she
’d baffled his mind. Join the club. “You’re not at all what I expected. Feistier than ever.”
“That seems to be the consensus, yes.”
His smile left him and I chilled knowing he was going in for shock to make her on his side, “Anastacia, you are in great danger. I was there at the bonfire for your birthday. You took down my leader and made the way for me. You are well protected, but I have on good word also that the ones who want you dead are well guarded and I’m left at the other factions mercy. I was there at the party, but Thorn had you before I could. Guess he won the pissing contest. I will admit I have been unmerciful towards the other factions for any action that might have been taken to endanger our way of life or yours. We cannot control our natural instincts and therefore I have to preserve our people and yours. The other factions want you to believe that I, my faction is disagreeable, but I aim only to ensure our way of life and yours. Our people are not expendable and nor are you.”
She chanced a dirty look at me. She knew I was hiding things. I was hiding more than she would ever know.
“I don’t believe that anyone is expendable. I’m sure they have a good reason for leading you to believe what you do. However, I think that now that I am safe and there is no reason to spend so many resources on keeping me that way, we can spend more time finding a way to work as one team, as a group. This danger you say I am in, who from?”
“You don
’t know?”
No freaking no!
Her voice was shaky, “No, I only recently found out what I do know, so knowing any enemy other than you was not on my know list.”
“Well, mark me off as your enemy but not anyone else.”
“Done, but who have you derived at naming my enemy?”
Good. She could see that he had a game plan and that he was hiding secrets too. Heck, I sounded like a pubescent teenager fighting on the playground.
“The group that calls themselves the new leaders who include Borgon and his death wish cronies would have you dead, my lady.”
She already knew this, but he wanted to show off what he knew. “Let
’s say we are not enemies. Let’s say that we can come to an agreement where you will work with the other factions—
“No! I will work with you, not the factions themselves.” He touched his hand to his temple and then his ear ignoring her bargaining terms.
“Okay! Why?”
“Anastacia Anat Hathown, you
’ve been lied to for a very long time. I was made to keep quiet. I could have never predicted the recent events, nor could have predicted that you and I would be standing here today, together the way it should have been long ago.”
I was sick and tired of her head hurting like it was now. If whatever he did made her in pain like the Hunter boy, I wouldn
’t stand for it. She had a right to comfort.
“Why do you act like you know me?” she held her head as he did his own.
“Because I do. I will show you.”
Oh no! Cord held a hand up to me like I would actually, friggin
’ obey his command. Someone’s hand behind me grabbed at me and held me there.
“Let
’s see what happens. He promised he wouldn’t hurt her.” Szar was the voice of reason. I wondered when I actually started listening to his advice, but I think he was right this time. He better be!
Great! Now I
’m taking advice of her Valkyrie twin who wouldn’t stick upfor her when wolf boy was being vulgar. This wasn't the first time he'd done it, just the first she'd ever heard.
She tensed when he got closer making him back off.
“Do you think I will hurt you?”
“I really don
’t know that for sure?”
Good girl.
“I wouldn’t hurt you. I need to show you something. And I’m betting you need to show me. You know, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours like before. Unless you require me to just remove clothing and get it all out in the open. I could make it happen.”
Ha! Listening to her
tell him off in her mind despite the cool she held on the outside was like dessert before the meal. She was dessert all the days of the week and I’d barely had a taste yet. She called the cuss a nympho psychopath, nailing him for what he was. She also noticed the guy stripping for her in front of the whole crowd and friggin' noted his abworks again.
I saw it in her mind. She knew he was marked. She grabbed his arm like she might pass out.
“How?” she asked.
“And you?” he hinted to see my girls body like it was a friggin
’ invitation party. When his friggin' eyes drifted down across my girl’s body, I lost it. It was a good thing Szar was holding me down.
“And this explains the name they called you. They know you have it?” She nodded to all of his men and then to us.
“Yes and yes.”
“And you knew I had one?”
He flashed like the devil at her liking her nativity. “Yes, but not what. It is Orion surrounded by the sun I’m guessing. I imagine at closer inspection, I might find myself represented down there too.”
“Do you know the meaning?” he asked.
“No, but I’m wagering to guess that you’re the scorpion that killed Orion and I’m somehow the link between them all.”
“Wow, gorgeous, sassy, and smart.”
“What do you want?” Her voice turned icy.
“Do you see what you missed?”
What was his aim here? Szar started to release me, but when my feet gave away that I would take off towards her, he pulled me back. My fangs extended.
“May I?” he gestured to her shirt looking straight at me.
She nodded and up her damn shirt went. When he friggin’ dog touched her I went ballistic.
“Szar, I don
’t want to hurt you.”
“Then hold your ass still till this damn show is over. She is already going to be mad enough without you going all caveman on her.”