Authors: Rosalie Redd
Ram’s scalp prickled, the hair on his head standing on end. The strangers wore baseball caps on their heads and had sunglasses on, even though it was night. They appeared identical, except one stood several inches taller than the other. They walked faster as they got closer, their gait almost animalistic.
Ram’s pulse accelerated, and he scooted back, putting distance between them. Raising his hand, palm out, he spoke, his words rushed. “Ahh, that’s ok, I think I got it.”
Something about the two seemed odd, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. They stopped mere inches from him without saying a word.
The short one opened his mouth. His tongue stretched toward Ram, hitting him on the leg. Intense pain raced up Ram’s thigh. A wisp of fear caressed his mind.
The tall one pinned him to the ground with his body; the sick putrid smell like rubbing alcohol overpowered Ram’s senses. The man’s glasses fell off his face, revealing solid black orbs for eyes.
Ram screamed, the sound echoing off the buildings surrounding him.
Eyes wide with fear, he tried to scramble away, but his useless leg grounded him. The tall one’s tongue lashed out and hit him just under the eye. He couldn’t feel his leg or face, now numb with the creature’s venom.
Tendrils of fear wrapped around his heart. The beast holding him bent down, the skin on its throat expanding like a cobra collar. Two rows of serrated teeth gleamed from the monster’s open mouth, and the creature bit him on the shoulder.
Pain, hard and fast, ran into his torso. His entire body stiffened. Paralyzed, his silent scream echoed in his head.
They picked him up and carried him to their van.
When they opened the back doors, he saw two other men in various stages of transformation. One had no hair, and his eyes were nearly black. Another hunched over the wheel well, his shirt ripped off, green scales forming along his spine.
They tossed him into the van. The sound of his own scream echoed in his mind as he finally passed out.
Chapter Fourteen
Noeh’s stomach growled at the smell of fresh baked rolls coming from the Grand Hall. He approached the largest room in the Keep, eager to see the results of all the hard work the Jixies had done to prepare for the welcome feast. Thoughts of Demir and his Pride, and all their baggage, sent a shudder over his shoulders. He rounded the corner and surveyed the room. Jixies flitted about, adding the final touches to the elaborate meal.
Noeh released a pent-up breath and tried to relax.
The tables, covered in crisp white cloths, supported a wide variety of meats, fruit, and vegetables, all displayed with the artistic flair of the Jixies’ finest chefs. An apple tart, one of Noeh’s favorites, caught his eye. He made a mental note to come back that way later. Jixies skittered around the room, finishing the tasks for the feast. Jax darted past Noeh, a large tray of carved turkey in his arms, his muscles straining under the weight.
Across the room, Ginnia must have told a joke because Gaetan and Saar laughed. Council members and merchants wore their finest clothes and paraded around the room, trying to impress one another. Warriors stood in small groups, talking among themselves, the excitement and tension in the room buzzing like a swarm of bees.
Bet approached Noeh, wiping her hands on her once-white apron. She curtsied. “I think all the arrangements are done, Your Majesty.”
“Everything looks and smells outstanding, Bet. You outdid yourself.” Noeh placed his hand on the shoulder of the little Jixie who meant so much to him. “I’m sure the Panthera will enjoy the meal.”
“You are too kind, Your Majesty.” Bet stood from her curtsy, a twinkle in her eyes. “We will make sure no one leaves hungry.” She tensed and turned toward the entrance. “Do you hear that?”
Noeh followed Bet’s gaze just in time to see Demir stroll into the room. He moved with a smooth grace, his head held high and his shoulders back. Aramie and the rest of the Pride filtered into the room behind their leader.
Demir took in an exaggerated breath. As he released it, his loud sigh quieted the conversations in the room. He scanned the banquet tables and shook his head, his mouth grim.
Arrogant Kasard.
A sense of unease rippled under Noeh’s skin.
“Demir. We welcome you and your Pride with this feast. May you enjoy our gift of food and drink.”
Demir smiled, yet his eyes remained cold and unblinking. He lifted his hand in greeting, fingers straight, palm facing up. “Thank you for the warm welcome.”
Noeh placed his hand against Demir’s. His skin was warm and clammy. Noeh stifled an involuntary shudder.
“I take it you found your quarters acceptable,” Noeh said.
“The accommodations are tolerable, for now.” Demir didn’t remove his palm, but instead increased the pressure.
The challenge did not go unnoticed. Noeh pushed back. “Is there something you require?”
Aramie touched Demir’s shoulder, breaking the contact between the two males. “We noticed our cell phones and tablets don’t work.”
“We have no use for human…things. Besides, the Keep lies too deep in the mountain. The rock is impenetrable and prevents any human technology from working down here.”
“That is unacceptable. We must have connection to the Internet to access our accounts.” Demir clenched his hands, his knuckles white with the force of his grip.
“It appears you’ve had more interaction with humans than we have.” The Pantheras’ height and build were closer to those of the humans and Noeh could see how they would blend in.
“Apparently so.” A flash of yellow appeared in Demir’s eyes.
“The Jixies can help you when they go to the human cities for supplies.” Noeh raised his eyebrows to annoy Demir. “Perhaps you can go with them.”
Aramie spoke, interrupting the tension between the two males. “The food smells wonderful and looks fabulous. Demir, let’s get something to eat, shall we?” She pulled on Demir’s arm.
Demir offered a tight smile, his face a mask of false sincerity. “My Pride and I are thankful for the feast given in our name.” He gave a slight bow of his head and strolled over to one of the tables with Aramie.
Noeh clamped his teeth together. He wanted to wipe that smirk right off his goatee-shaved face.
Damn Alora for forcing Demir and his Pride on our kind.
A couple of Panthera warriors, one with a gold front tooth, the other with a string of piercings around his ear, raced to the tables, their eagerness apparent in the way they heaped the food onto their plates. A Dren female wearing a well-worn T-shirt with holes in the thin fabric waited close by. Once the warriors took their fill, she seized a small amount of food and raced to a corner of the room, where she could be alone with her treasure.
Noeh’s jaw flexed as he observed the female eat her meal. He wanted to strangle Demir for treating anyone like that.
“Well, that went well.” Gaetan’s tone was flat and low.
“Eavesdropping and sarcasm do not become you.” Noeh sighed in frustration and tapped the hilt of his sword with his ring.
Gaetan stood in front of Noeh, forcing eye contact. “We must trust the gods. There is a reason they put us together.”
“To frustrate me, I’m sure.” At the mention of the gods, Noeh’s thoughts turned to his other requirement, the one to take a queen. His back stiffened. Unbidden, an image of Mauree wearing the queen’s sunstone necklace flashed through his mind. The gods wanted to torture him.
Noeh scrutinized the attendees, evaluating the mood of the room. A flash of long red hair caught his attention. No way, she hadn’t left her room.
But there she was in a form-fitting blue dress one of the Jixies must have altered to fit her small frame. She stood in front of Demir, her shoulders tight, a frown marring her lovely pale features. Demir caressed Melissa’s face, his thumb trailing down her cheek. She flinched, peered at the floor, and took a step back.
Noeh tensed, his muscles as rigid as stone.
Get away from her!
His inner beast snarled. Wrestling for control, the urge to protect ruled his brain. He raced across the room, fighting to bend the beast to his will.
Chapter Fifteen
Melissa stood in front of Demir, and a sense of unease raced down her spine. She’d come to the Grand Hall, intent on getting this meeting over with as quickly as possible. Demir was here. It was only a matter of time before he would hunt her down. This way, she could meet him on her own terms. The smell of turkey and baked bread infiltrated her nose, making her stomach rumble.
“Ah, Melissa, fancy finding you here. We’ve been looking for you high and low.” Demir raised an eyebrow, an expression Melissa saw often.
The point of his goatee tightened against his face as he smiled, and his short ponytail held back all but a few wisps of his dark brown hair. His scent of musk and incense wafted into her senses, spiking her anxiety. He stroked her face in a soft caress, his coarse thumb rubbing down her hot cheek.
She flinched and backed away. A scream threatened to escape her lips, but she held it in. She stood as still as possible, but her hands trembled, betraying her fear.
Demir wiped his hand on his pants as if he had touched something filthy. His face tightened, his eyes narrowed. “Don’t worry, you’ll get another chance to make that up to me.”
His hot breath sent a tremor of dread from her ear to the base of her neck.
“Melissa.” Noeh towered behind Demir, his Stiyaha height overshadowing the Panthera leader. His breaths came hard and fast, his eyes flecked with gold.
“Noeh.” She took another step back from Demir, relief pouring through her like a cool shower on a hot summer day.
Noeh moved closer to Melissa, standing between her and Demir. “Is there anything I can get you? An ale perhaps?”
“An…ale?” Melissa gave a stilted laugh. “Yes, please.”
Demir backed up and rolled his shoulders. He tilted his head from one side to the other in a nonchalant manner. “Ale is not what she needs, Stiyaha.” He peered at Noeh, tsked, and shook his head.
Noeh’s face reddened, and his jaw clenched. He stood with his legs apart, his right hand tapping the hilt of his sword with his king’s ring. “And what would that be?”
Demir was going to tell him. She didn’t want Noeh to know the extent of her need, but she couldn’t bring herself to confront Demir. She swallowed and anticipated Demir’s response.
Demir examined his fingernails on his left hand, as though interested in every minuscule detail. “She needs to feed. She has all the classic signs of blood starvation.”
“Blood starvation?” Noeh raised his eyebrows. He glanced at her.
A quick heat raced from her chest to her cheeks. Her embarrassment complete, she couldn’t hold his gaze, so she stared at her feet.
Demir smiled. “Pale skin, dark circles under the eyes, and general malnourishment are all signs of blood starvation.” He winked at Melissa. “She’s weak and needs to drink blood from a male. She will come to my quarters. I’ll take care of her needs.”
Adrenaline rushed through her body at the thought of feeding from Demir. “I’m fine, really.”
“I’ll do it,” Noeh said.
“As her master, it is my right.” Demir’s upper lip curled into a nasty snarl. He lifted his shoulders, his chin firm, his arms loose at his sides.
She didn’t want to feed from Demir. He’d push her to be his concubine. The thought sent goosebumps up her arm.
“She is my responsibility. Alora placed her in my care.” Noeh stood his ground, determination and conviction etched into the lines of his face.
Silence stretched between the two males and spoke louder than any words could. Deep within, the Keep rumbled. The ground shook. Melissa felt a slight swaying as the rumbling subsided.
Demir lifted his head and rubbed his chin while he evaluated Noeh. “Very well. I couldn’t possibly go against the wishes of a god, now could I?” He raised his hands in mock surrender and took a step back. He pointed to Melissa. “We will meet up again soon,
slave
.”
As Demir walked away, Melissa’s body shook and her mind spun. There would be a price to pay for this.
Strong, warm hands gripped her arms. She lifted her chin and peered at Noeh. His eyes were on fire; flecks of gold swirled in the pale blue. Above his right eye, the second line of his marking pulsed from black to gray to black again. She didn’t know what that meant but doubted it was good. His full mouth pinched down into a scowl.
“I told you to stay put.” Noeh’s curt words cut into her.
“Really? You thought I would?”
“You should have told me—about the blood.” His eyes darkened.
She flinched and pulled away. “It’s personal. What difference would it make?”
Not that you would care.
He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath. “This will have to wait. Once I have finished with the other guests—”
“You expect me to thank you?”
He peered down at her, his strong features rigid, his mouth set. “Thank me or do not, as you please. But I can’t let you continue to suffer, not under my watch.”