A Love For Lera (Haikon) (16 page)

She’d been like that with Cavan and Cairenn. The
knowledge she had willingly touched Kori and trusted him enough to allow him
the same made him long to smirk with arrogance, and yet, it also humbled.
Showed the depth of her trust for him.

Herald Siencyn glanced down to the black wolf
who’d situated himself on Lera’s other side. He didn’t speak, just stared at
Aldric for a few moments.

“Herald Siencyn is one of the few who can recall
firsthand tales of the Haikon,” Dane said.

“Dane wished me to tell you what I know.”

“Could you?” Lera asked. “I mean, if it’s no
bother.”

A smile filled Siencyn’s face, making him even
more handsome. “I don’t mind at all. Perhaps, though, we could go outside so I
can feel the sun.”

“Of course,” Lera replied.

Siencyn turned and headed for the entrance. Dane
never moved, and Lera took a few steps. When Kori began to follow his mate,
Dane froze him with a single look. As if she sensed he didn’t follow, Lera cast
a wondering glance at him. Siencyn never slowed and had soon vanished.

“Coming?” she questioned.

“No, he’s not, little one. Not yet. We’ll be
along in a minute,” Dane answered.

Kori bit back a growl. Lera didn’t question Dane,
just continued on her way, Adric at her side. He held his tongue until she,
too, could no longer be seen.

“She may be your daughter, Sidorov, but she is
my
mate,” he bit off. “Don’t try to come between us.”

Dane stared at him with what Kori could only call
a bored expression. Which only agitated him further. It bothered him to no end
she would take an order from Dane and not even see if Kori was okay with the
decision.

“Calm down, pup.”

Dane spoke in a tone Kori had not heard since he
had been under Dane’s tutelage for becoming a soldier. His wolf raged deep
within him, desiring to prove he was no longer a pup, but a man more than capable
of making his decisions, especially when it came to
his
mate. He opened
his mouth, only to close it when Dane leaned against the thick table, hooked
his ankles and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“You need to listen and listen well, Cormac.”

A flicker of warning snaked up his spine. He
reached for Lera along their link.

‘Are you okay,
mo anam?
’

‘Of course I am. Why do you ask?’
Her love
sped back to him.

‘I worry, Lera.’
He couldn’t begin to
explain his relief at hearing her sultry voice in his head. She laughed lightly
then was gone.

“What’s going on?” he questioned, all
seriousness. He wasn’t only faced with Daddy Dane who wanted his daughter safe,
but also the Enforcer who had almost no equal in battle.

“The news has spread about Lera.”

Deep within, a need grew. A need to bring her
close where he could protect her. He hadn’t lied to her when he’d said the
safety of their mates came before everything else.

“How?”

Dane shrugged, an easy ripple of movement. “The
drefklen have spies everywhere. The forest is full of many ears.”

With a nod, Kori said, “I
will
keep her
safe.”

The power of the tiger flashed in Dane’s unique
gaze. “You’d better.”

Kori shifted his feet. “Something else is
bothering you. What did Herald Siencyn say?”

“He spoke of a prophecy. Unfulfilled until now.”
Dane ran a hand through his hair and Kori saw the worry the man tried to hide.
“You know how prophecies are.”

He did. Death was usually involved. He also knew
the last prophecy Dane got involved with he’d lost part of himself.

“What’s the prophecy?”

The emotion which flashed in Dane’s gaze would
have been fear if it was on any other man. On the father of his mate, Kori had
no idea what to call it.

“Herald Siencyn can tell you. This won’t be an
easy trip you two will be making.”

“You’re not coming?”

 “Thought you didn’t need me to help protect
your
mate.” Dane lifted a brow. “Or was that a lie?”

Kori walked to the entrance. “You know it
wasn’t.” Without slowing, he pushed through the protective barrier and scanned
the area for Lera. Not that far away by a grove of towering trees, she stood
across from Herald Siencyn, one hand buried deep within Adric’s pelt.

He groaned in relief when her head twisted toward
him. A light, previously missing, filled her eyes. Her entire person seemed
somehow softer. Once he reached her side, he slid a hand around her waist and
brushed their mouths together.

“What’d I miss?”

“Herald Siencyn was filling me in on the Haikon.”

‘You’re tense,
mo anam
, why?’

‘This is a lot for me to digest.’

He snuck a peek down at her. A gloved hand
gripped Adric’s hair, and her breathing was shallow and faster than normal.

“Forgive me, Herald, may I have a word in private
with Lera for a moment?”

Dark forest green eyes met his. “We were done for
now anyway.” The man nodded and walked away without a sound.

Kori gripped her upper arms and rotated her so
they were face to face. For a few seconds, he held her gaze, searching along
her thoughts for why she seemed so sad.

“You know I’m here with you through everything,
right,
mo anam
?”

She blinked a few times and tried for a smile.
His words didn’t make her feel better. He knew that.

“I will
never
let anything hurt you, Lera.
I’d die first.”

“I can fight my own battles, Kori. And what the
hell do you think you dying would do, huh? Make me happy?”

He brought her in close, her back to the trees
and him blocking her from view. Cupping her face, he kissed her. Slow, steady
swipes of his tongue. She remained stiff for a brief moment before she melted
into him. His shaft, hard and wanting, dug into the material of his pants, and
the touch of her feminine yet muscled body brushing against it only made his
craving grow.

‘We can’t do this, Kori.’

‘Why not?’

‘People are around.’

‘I don’t give a damn, Lera. I don’t like you
upset, and if you won’t tell me what’s wrong, I will do what’s necessary to put
your focus on something else.’

He slid one hand between them and found her
nipple pebbled. With two fingers, he plucked at it through her shirt. Lera
whimpered and bucked against his erection.

‘Kori!’
Her voice, throatier than normal,
fanned his own desire.

‘Yes,
mo anam?
’

She nipped at his invading tongue. ‘
Stop.’

He tugged on the nipple again.
‘Is that what you
want?’

Chapter Twelve

Lera swore flames and electricity replaced the
blood in her body. Her breasts cried out, desperate for his touch, the area
between her legs wet and needy for the relief only one could give her. Only
Kori.

‘No, I don’t want you to, but Kori, I also
don’t want to do this here.’

She nearly cried in disappointment when he
released her nipple and put his hands along her hips. The kiss ended, and he
pulled back, his gray eyes swirling with passion. She could see hints of the
amber his wolf had and knew he was close to the edge.

‘Mo anam.’

She shuddered. Two words. Two words she didn’t
know the meaning of, and yet, the way he spoke them made her feel so special,
unique.

So
his
.

“Kori?”

“Aye?” The single word hung in the air, drenched
by his thick brogue, and made things right in her world.

“What if I’m not strong enough to do this?”

Although he no longer caressed her as intimately,
his touch still made her shiver. He readjusted his hand and settled it along
the side of her face. She could still feel the length of his hardness pressing
into her stomach.

“
Mo anam
, you have the strength within
you. I know it.”

“Just…I felt so weak for so long, and now, to
know people are counting me. It’s a bit daunting.”

“What did Herald Siencyn say to you?”

She licked her lips; his gaze followed the
movement of her tongue. It amazed her how something as innocent as licking her
lips could hold a man like Kori mesmerized. A man whom, for so long, she had
believed to be made of stone. Unflappable.

‘You’ve always affected me, Lera.’
Even
his words in her mind were laced with his brogue and made longing flare again
within her.

‘Stop reading my mind, Kori.’

“But I love your thoughts about me,” he said in
an even thicker brogue, and she almost didn’t understand him. “Stop distracting
me; tell me what the herald said.”

She smiled. “He knows of an old cave system which
can lead me to the old stronghold of the Haikon. But he has no idea where
others are.” She struggled not to let fear seep through. It didn’t matter, Kori
knew.

“Why so much fear, Lera?”

Grateful he asked versus taking the information
from her mind, she told him. “The entrance he knows is in the Ramulius
Mountains.”

“I know you don’t fear dragons, Lera. What?”

“Dragons scare me, but that’s not it. I…I…don’t
do so well underground. Or in closed spaces, for that matter.” Beside her,
Adric growled low in agreement. Her insides quivered at the thought of being
below the earth’s surface for so long.

‘Vaj. I don’t like it either but we’ll get
through it together.’

Adric’s belief in her combined with Kori’s and
she felt a bit better. She petted Adric and glanced up at Kori. There sat an
odd expression on his face before it smoothed away.

“Herald Siencyn said it wouldn’t be easy. He says
the Haikon are not very trusting. Ever since the betrayal by one of their own.
We should seek the entrance in the darkness of night.”

Her mind whirled with all the information. It
wasn’t like there was a lot on her people but more the fact of what was she was
being told.

“Tonight? Then, we should go sleep now so we can
leave, well rested.”

She hesitated. There were more books to search
through, more information to digest.

“No, Lera. You need to rest.”

‘Adric?’

‘Rest is advisable, vaj. But information is
also important.’

‘Thanks.’

She could feel his amusement along their link.

“Lera.”

With a sigh, she shook her head. “I will sleep
later, Kori. I have more to do inside
Agnitio infinitus.
”

“That can be done later. We need to rest.”

His tone, while deeply seductive, didn’t cover
the compulsion he let slide in. With a frown, she stepped back.

“Don’t presume to order me around, Kori,” she
snapped. Avoiding his arm when he reached for her, she stomped around him and
headed back to
Agnitio infinitus
.

‘Lera!’

‘I’m not a child who needs a bedtime.’

‘You are my mate.’

She never slowed, despite the hesitation her
limbs gave her. As if they longed to obey him and stay with him.

‘Mate, not kid.’

His growl filled her head. Goose bumps erupted
along her skin.

‘Do not test me, Valera.’

‘This isn’t a test, Cormac. This is me
exercising my God-given right to think and do for myself.’

His displeasure rumbled darkly in her mind. She
ignored it, yet hesitated at the wall. A different feeling skated along her
skin. She glanced to her left and past the beautiful sparkling blue waters,
lush green grasses, and snow-capped mountains. Her peripheral view contained
Cormac. He hadn’t moved but she could sense him trying to see what had grabbed
her attention.

Without meeting his stare, she proceeded into the
room. A smile lifted her mouth when she saw her dad sitting in her seat,
skimming the information before him.

“Daddy.”

He turned toward her. Lera moved to his side,
pressed a kiss to his cheek then dragged up another chair and sat beside him.

“How are you doing, little one?”

Adric lay at her feet, and she rubbed along his
side with her boot. One hand reached for another book and she flipped through a
few pages before answering.

“I don’t know. Scared.”

A heavy sigh filled the room. “Do you remember
when Grigori fell down into that crevice?”

Man, did she. “Yes. We’d been exploring and were
on our way home. It was getting dark when he went in.”

“And without thinking of how scared you’d be in
there, you climbed down to stay with him until we got there.”

She shrugged. “I had to stay with him. He was
unconscious. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“My point, little one,” Dane said tucking some
hair behind her ear, “is you have the strength to face your fears. Deep within
you, the same courage which had you protect your brother will rise when you go
into the cave. Plus, you have Adric and Kori.”

‘He’s right, vaj. I’ll not leave you.’

She blinked slowly. “Kori thinks I should be
sleeping.”

Dane smiled, and she realized how handsome her
dad still remained. “I’m sure he does.”

“You don’t order Mom around; why does he think he
can order me around?”

“Because that’s what we do. I tried ordering your
mom around.” He turned some more pages. “Still do.”

“And?”

A small chuckle. “Your mom would be sitting where
you are, and I would be sulking across the way like Kori is now.”

Her head snapped up. Sure enough, Kori stood
across the cavern, arms crossed and a definite frown in place. His eyes never
left hers as he prowled toward the table. He remained silent, just sat and
opened a book. She smiled.

‘Thank you, Kori.’

‘You will have to concede sometimes, too,
mo
ghrá.
’

‘I know.’

They searched for a few hours. Her eyes were
exhausted, and when Kori said it was time to go, she offered up no argument.
All of them headed outside, only to find Herald Siencyn waiting.

“Valera Grace Sidorov of the Haikon,” he said,
addressing her.

“Herald. Please, call me Lera. What can I do for
you?”

“May I touch you?”

His question took her by surprise. Beside her,
Kori tensed and a nearly unheard growl emerged from him.

“Excuse me?”

“No,” Kori said at the same time, his voice
vibrating with danger.

Herald Siencyn didn’t spare him a glance. His
green eyes remained focused on her. Lera swallowed and peered at Kori. He could
have been carved from granite for all the warmth in his posture. From Kori, she
looked to her dad, who didn’t appear surprised. There was mild concern on his
face, and that gave her more pause.

She met the herald’s unwavering stare and reached
out with her left hand. He never moved. On impulse, she tugged off her leather
glove and offered her hand a second time. His touch was feather light. Beside
her, she could feel Kori’s dislike of this situation. The herald held his left
under hers and put the palm of his right against hers. She couldn’t stop the
small gasp at the power which flared and flowed between them.

‘Open your mind to me, Lera.’
The voice
threaded through her mind, gentle and kind.

‘Herald?’

‘There isn’t much time. Even now, there are
assassins being dispatched to kill you. I can sense your distrust, so follow my
voice and enter my mind.’

She trembled from the force of his order and
fought it. She hated compulsion being pressed upon her.

‘Please, Valera Grace. This is the only way.’

His hand clamped on her wrist, his thumb pressed
hard on her pulse, and she was flooded with sensations and blinding light. All
function was sucked from her, and she collapsed. Kori’s arms saved her from
hitting the ground. Every sound was amplified, especially the growling. It took
her a moment to realize why. Her father, Kori, and Adric all rumbled deep in
their throats.

She struggled to focus, and when she accomplished
that, it was to see Herald Siencyn on the ground before her, on all fours. The
hood from his cloak hid his face.

“Lera, are you okay?” Kori asked in a concerned
tone.

“I’m…I’m fine.” Her mind whirled with information
it couldn’t quite process and make sense of. Swallowing to get moisture back in
her throat, she felt the numbness lingering in her legs. “Herald?” She
struggled to get closer. “Herald Siencyn, are you okay?”

“Lera,” Kori muttered.

She ignored him and reached out to touch the man
before her. With her hand upon his shoulder, he lifted his head and she barely
contained her shock. Where once a youthful and extremely handsome man had been
lingered, now was one whose gaunt face showcased the sharp bones. Tanned skin
had become pearly white, green eyes the color of the forests were opaque.
Hollowed out cheeks and reed-thin lips completed the man staring back at her.

What the hell?

Dane dropped to the ground beside him and said,
“Herald Siencyn, let me help you.”

“No, not this time, Enforcer. This is my last
sun.” Siencyn reached for her with a hand more resembling a skeleton’s than
anything. She met him halfway, Kori’s strong hand anchoring her and filling her
with confidence she didn’t necessarily feel. And yet, she could sense his sadness.

‘Kori, what’s happening? What happened to him?’

‘He’s about to pass onto the next world.’

‘But…he was so young before.’
And he’d
touched her before this happened. She tugged on the hand Kori held, determined
to do whatever it took to keep him safe.
‘Let go. I don’t want it to happen
to you.’

‘No.’
His grip tightened, and she knew to
continue to struggle would be futile.

“The truth, Valera Grace, is within you,” Siencyn
rasped.

She stretched out her fingers and finished
joining them. The skin resembled old paper to her, like any sudden movement
would tear it. “Why?”

“I dreamed of meeting a Haikon. I’ve lived long
and well, Lera. Don’t worry for me. Go reunite the Haikon, convince them to
rise from where they’ve hid.”

Adric rose and walked to the man where he gently
rested his head upon his shoulder and gave him an embrace the only way a wolf
could someone in his position. The herald’s other hand settled into the plush
coat of her vaj, sinking deep.

Tears she didn’t understand gathered on her
lashes. This man she barely knew. Why would he draw such a reaction from her?

“Dane?”

“Yes, Herald?”

She swore there was sadness in her father’s tone.

“I have a favor to beg of you.”

“Ask, Herald Siencyn, and if it within my power,
it will be done.”

“Carry me to my trees?”

Dane bowed his head. “It would be my honor,
Herald Siencyn.”

Before her, her father lifted the frail man into
his arms. She was forced to release his hand.

“Take care of her, Cormac MacLochlainne.”

“Yes, Herald.” Kori’s voice was somber. He had
risen and gently encouraged her to do the same.

“A sincere pleasure, Valera Grace Sidorov of the
Haikon. Adric. My sincerest pleasure.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Her dad’s gaze skimmed hers before he turned and
strode off into the trees, his steps determined. She didn’t move until they
vanished from sight.

“Kori?”

“Come,
mo ghrá
, we’ll await your father at
his cabin.”

“I…I don’t understand. What happened?”

“His time was over here.” He brushed his lips
along her cheek.

Kori faced them in a different direction and,
with a hand at the small of her back, encouraged Lera to go. Once outside
The
Medius,
they shifted and headed to the home she’d grown up in on her visits
to Savoy Valley.

He ran beside Lera, Adric on her other side.
Lera’s coat was a stunning reddish color. Beautiful. She moved with the grace
of a pure wolf, not a shifter who was just learning how to utilize her other
shape. They followed her lead. He knew a much shorter way back to Dane’s, but
much like in Washington, he could feel her need to run and allow something else
to take center stage. In tandem, they streaked through the Panteras. Animals
ran or hid at the appearance of three large predators.

Had he not been mated to Lera, he would be with
Dane and some others attending to Herald Siencyn’s burial. As it was all he
could do was send another in his family to represent the MacLochlainne Clan.
His duty, first and foremost, was to his mate and keeping her safe.