Blind Hearts and Silenced Passion (11 page)

Maeven's eyes widened, as she obviously realized Victoria
would not be swayed. She made a grab for Victoria's arm, but Victoria was
already stepping back, pulling away. If Maeven touched her now, her
determination would falter, and she could not afford that.

"Stay here," she told her mate. "Don't leave
the palace, no matter what. You will know the result of my quest."

Maeven tried to make her reconsider, to at least offer
reinforcements. Victoria refused all Sidhe help—additional people would only
hinder her—and she left the palace without looking back.

There were many words she would have liked to say.
I love
you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.

She swallowed them all, turned them into anger and fed it
into her desire to find her errant twin. Yes, this had to stop, and Victoria
would guarantee it, no matter what price she had to pay.

****

"So what happened? Did you not succeed?"

V grimaced at Remy's less than tactful inquiry. "Oh, I
succeeded, up to a point at least. You see... We succubi... We are not of this
world, not really. We are creatures of spirit, not flesh. We can have a
physical form, but we are not limited to it. We live in the astral realm."

Remy didn't point out the fact that V seemed to have a very
physical shape. Instead, he waited, suspecting she would answer his questions
without him having to ask them.

By his side, Baqir fidgeted, obviously unsettled by the fact
that V had not yet addressed the bad news the queen had mentioned. Remy took
his hand, silently willing his mate to wait. He suspected that once they did
learn the truth, they would need all of this background information to
understand it.

"Normally, succubi do not involve themselves in worldly
affairs. For the most part, we resume ourselves to wandering through the dreams
of mortals and causing mischief. But D and I... We were different.

"I was born with a special pull toward the mortal world,
which I later realized was because of Maeven. I had... I can't really explain
it, but my mind and emotions don't work the same way as for a normal succubus.
But in the astral realm, everything is about balance, so in turn, my twin was
different."

"An evil twin, to balance you out," Baqir said, his
tone completely unreadable. "And she decided to kill people just to spite
you."

Maeven tensed, but V set her hand on the Sidhe's shoulder, as
if telling her to stand down. "Like I said, I realize I am largely
responsible for her actions, which was I intervened. To banish her to the
astral realm, I had to sacrifice a good part of myself. It was a price I was
willing to pay for the safety of this world, but I never realized how deeply
she had her claws into it. She must have anchored herself to countless
silencers before she even attacked Maeven's daughter." V sighed heavily. "I
am more flesh than spirit now, and my powers are limited because of it."

"In other words, you can't do it again," Remy
concluded with no small amount of dread. "Where does that leave us?"

"It leaves us to the answer of your previous question,
and your bad news," Maeven answered. "As I said, your child is fine,
but you... There is a sort of link between you and... D."

"A link?" Remy repeated with no small amount of
horror. "Surely not... I would have noticed it by now."

"Not necessarily. If I am correct, the link was formed
through your ownership of the seal, but it was only when your emotions went
through a significant upheaval that it was truly awakened." Again, V gave
him that knowing look that Remy hated. "You must have sensed something
once or twice. Maybe in the past, you had a deeper feeling of how people
thought and felt, something you could attribute to simple empathy. I know
you've noticed it now, since you could tell things about Maeven and I that we
are very good at hiding."

Remy stared at his hands, suddenly feeling lost, shaken and
adrift. He was relieved when Baqir sat down by his side and pulled him in his
arms. "That still isn't an answer to our problem, and to handling your
sister."

"No, it is not." The queen's voice held so much
regret that Remy couldn't help but look at her. "I'm afraid, young ones,
that it is your turn to make a sacrifice. If you are to have a future, you must
sacrifice all hope for it."

Chapter Nine

The next day

Baqir stirred awake into absolute darkness. His head was
pounding, and he shook it in an attempt to clear his senses.

What had happened? He couldn't remember. They had left France
to search for allies to deal with the killings and then, he and Remy had...

Remy! Baqir shot to his feet, the dull ache becoming
irrelevant as his entire sense of self focused on something far more important.
He could feel Remy nearby, his instincts guiding him where his eyesight could
not.

Normally, shape-shifters could see quite well in the dark,
but for werewolves like Baqir, those powers had their limits. Underground,
there was no light to catch, not even through their sensitive eyes. There was
only the oppressive darkness, so deep it felt almost palpable, scratching over
Baqir's skin, cutting his breath.

There was nothing Baqir would have liked more than to find
his way out of this moon-forsaken place, but instead, he went deeper. It didn't
take long before he heard Remy call out his name from the dark.
"Baqir?"

"I'm here," Baqir replied, moving quickly through
the rocky terrain. "I'm with you."

In no time at all, he was at Remy's side. They couldn't see
each other, so Baqir peppered his mate's face with kisses. In turn, Remy
touched him everywhere he could reach, clearly reassuring himself that Baqir
was truly there.

It was when they finally broke apart that Baqir realized the
reason why he'd been able to move with reasonable comfort through the darkness.
"I know this place..." he whispered to himself. "But...
How?"

"Baqir? Qiri? What, what is it?"

His mate's voice anchored him to the present and he let out a
breath, focusing on the sound of Remy's heartbeat to steady his own.
"My... My mother, Erdi and I lived here for a time, when Erdi was very
young, before we became silencers."

In fact, it was the last place they'd lived in, before his
mother had been killed and Baqir had been forced to take up a role he'd never
wanted so that his brother would survive. He'd sacrificed so much to finally
have his revenge, and in the end, he hadn't managed to keep Erdi from the life
he himself loathed.

"What are we doing here?" he asked. "What sort
of trickery is this?"

They were more rhetorical questions that anything else, but
Remy still answered him—albeit with an inquiry of his own. "What do you
remember?"

"Not much," Baqir admitted. "My assumption is
that something went wrong after we left Paris."

Blanchefleur and Dread weren't here. Had they betrayed him
and Remy, or were they simply trapped elsewhere? Nothing made sense. He was so
tired of being confused, and now, he felt like he was failing his mate on top
of everything else.

Well, there was no point in staying here and dwelling on his
doubts. "Come on," he told his lover. "We're getting out of
here."

"Wait..." Remy whispered. "I think... There's
something I have to tell you."

Baqir wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. He wished he
could see Remy's face so that he could read his mate's expression.
"Something? What?"

"I'm not sure how I know, but I think I'm
pregnant."

Baqir froze. It had not occurred to him that them having sex
could result in a child, but now that Remy mentioned it, it made a lot of
sense.

He didn't doubt it for a moment. In fact, he wasn't as
surprised as he should have been. "I see," he said, gently cupping
Remy's cheek. "It's all right. Don't be frightened. I'm here for
you."

At that, Remy released a small sob of relief and fell into
Baqir's embrace. "Sorry... I'm sorry. I'm just... I don't understand how I
even know. This is all so confusing."

Baqir understood his mate perfectly. "I agree," he
said as he caressed Remy's hair. "But let's start with the beginning. It's
high time we left this place, don't you think?"

Remy did, and hand in hand, they made their way toward the
exit. Remy stuck close to Baqir, and Baqir held on tightly to his mate. Neither
of them could see, but Baqir had the advantage of being accustomed to this
place, so he could navigate it without the need for anything else except
memory.

It was largely why his mother had chosen it. The deep cave
opened through two exits, and its corridors were labyrinthine. It would be very
easy for someone unaccustomed to it to get lost. Before her death, his mother
had deemed it a good place to shake off pursuers if necessary. In the end, it
had all been futile, but the knowledge she'd instilled in Baqir was still
there, and it served him well.

The cave was quite large, so it took them a while to make
their way out. Once they emerged from the darker depths, the trek became
easier, since Remy started being able to see as well. His face was very pale
and he was sweating, and for the first time, Baqir realized how difficult the
journey must have been for Remy. It had undoubtedly brought out bad memories
from the years he'd been blind.

And yet, he had been so brave, and he still was. The first
thing he did once they could see each other a little was to smile at Baqir.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Baqir had never been more humbled than at that moment, and he
vowed no one would ever hurt his family. Never again. Words of love and
gratitude were on his lips, but now was hardly the time for them, so he just
smiled back, held on tighter and continued to guide Remy toward the exit.

As it turned out, by the time they reached the mouth of the
cave, a different sort of darkness had set over the world. Baqir found himself
reluctant to venture into the shadowed forest with his mate in such a delicate
condition.

"We'll wait until daybreak," he said. "We
should be safe enough here, and by morning, we'll be more rested and
recovered." It was regrettable that they didn't have any supplies, as food
would have been invaluable, especially for Remy. Fortunately, they at least had
a water source inside the cave—a small underground stream—where they could sate
their thirst and wash up. That would have to do until morning, because Baqir
simply could not leave Remy's side.

Remy didn't seem too put out at the prospect of spending the
night in less than comfortable circumstances. If anything, he was amused.
"Maybe we can even figure out why you have your ears and tail out,"
he commented idly.

Baqir blinked, having not realized there was anything
different about him. Now that Remy had mentioned it, though, he noticed it too.

It should have alarmed him, especially when he realized that
he couldn't retract said ears and tail, but his reaction was more along the
line of "hmm, that's interesting." He was intrigued, and it made his
tail wag alarmingly.

Remy made a grab for the disobedient appendage, and the
moment he took hold of it, arousal swelled over Baqir. A niggle at the back of
his mind had him wondering if maybe he'd experienced something similar before,
but Baqir didn't let it bother him for too long.

Soon, they were kissing, and Baqir forgot about worrying,
about over-thinking and wondering and asking questions. Only he and Remy
remained, and the peace and passion they could find in each other's embrace.

It didn't matter that they were in a cave that held many
heavy memories for Baqir and too much darkness for Remy's comfort. It didn't
matter that they didn't even know how they'd gotten here. They were together now,
and the rest—the fear, the future, the world itself—could wait.

They ended up on the ground, impatiently clawing at their
clothes. Baqir managed to maintain enough composure to not tear them off
altogether, since they would probably be needed once he and Remy had to leave.
That was as far as his control went, though, because beyond that, he was
completely lost to it, to the moment, to his mate's taste, touch and scent.

Somehow, despite the fact that they were both beyond
desperate, they managed to make a small nest out of their own clothing. After
that, all bets were off. Baqir felt like he hadn't touched Remy in forever,
even if that couldn't possibly be the case. At the same time, he was almost
afraid to do so.

He'd never given Remy the gentleness he deserved. Their few
times together had burned with the same frantic need, because they were never
quite sure what tomorrow would hold.

Perhaps for that very same reason he had to do things
differently now, because gentleness was just as precious as passion and their
desire held more than just lust. But maybe Remy felt the same, because he
sneaked out of Baqir's hold and climbed into his lap.

Whatever thoughts he'd had before, Baqir could not dispel the
enchantment Remy had set on him. And so, he waited, letting his precious mate
do as he wished.

Remy didn't rush, and for that, Baqir was thankful. As his
mate licked and nibbled on his throat, Baqir got to caress Remy's back and
sides, exploring all the silken skin at his disposal. He groaned when Remy
nipped slightly on the juncture between his neck and shoulders, reminded of the
promise Remy had made him. Remy had said that he would claim Baqir the same way
Baqir had claimed him. The idea filled Baqir with possessive fire and he
tightened his hold on his mate, all the while grinding his erection against
Remy's ass.

Remy's response came with a speed that surprised even Baqir.
With a small hiss of his own, he crawled down Baqir's body and took Baqir's
cock in his mouth. He licked, sucked and teased, swirling his almost vicious
tongue around the head of Baqir's prick. Baqir had wanted to allow Remy the
complete freedom of choice, but he ended up gripping Remy's hair anyway. His
muscles went taut as he struggled to contain his more dominant impulses. It was
not for naught, because his mate proceeded to show his appreciation in the best
way possible.

Remy soon started to bob his head up and down Baqir's dick,
and the wet heat of his mouth threatened to shatter Baqir's every resolve.
Perhaps Remy aimed to do exactly that, because when Baqir stubbornly held on,
Remy sped up, humming around Baqir's dick, sucking so hard he hollowed his
cheeks.

Baqir spluttered, and his grip on Remy's hair tightened to
the point where he knew he must be harming his mate. Remy seemed actually
encouraged, and he went on to caress Baqir's tail with his hand, adding another
layer of sensation.

Remy was also far more wicked than Baqir had realized,
because just as Baqir was about to come, his mate stopped his ministrations on
his dick. Much to his embarrassment, Baqir couldn't help a moan of protest. He
snatched his hands away from Remy, knowing that if he didn't do so, he might
act rashly and lose control.

Remy grabbed Baqir's wrist, keeping him from pulling away.
"I want you. Now, Qiri."

They were simple words, but they still shut down Baqir's
attempts to keep some modicum of composure. It didn't help that Remy decided to
point out exactly what he had in mind by positioning himself right above
Baqir's aching prick.

It was Baqir's turn to act and to speak, and he set his hands
on Remy's hips, both to steady his mate and to stop him. "I don't want to
hurt you."

"You won't," Remy assured him, and his smile held
no doubt, only relief and desire. Baqir had no defense against that.

Remy slowly pushed down, and Baqir gritted his teeth and
stayed completely still as his dick was slowly engulfed in the haven of his
mate's channel. The only thing they'd used for lubrication was saliva, so it
couldn't have been easy for Remy to take.

Baqir carefully watched his mate's face for any signs of
pain, but he found none—only a wide-eyed expression that echoed and matched the
same burning passion that coursed through Baqir's veins. Even with his
instincts of protectiveness stronger than ever, he could not deny this, or the
truth of how well they fit together.

They moved slowly, lazily, taking their time with one
another, enjoying and drawing out every second of their union. At first, the
pace was more of a gentle rocking, with Baqir staying for the most part still
and allowing Remy to get used to the penetration. It progressed from there, but
they never strayed beyond the limits Baqir himself had set. Their desire for
one another was not tamed, never tamed. It was simply a different manifestation
of it, one which they both embraced openly and willingly.

The pleasure spiraled higher and higher, rising steadily,
like soft raindrops pooling together to form a maddening hurricane. The apex
came naturally, following the same progression they'd silently decided on. Remy
lowered his mouth over Baqir's throat and bit down, and as white-hot
pleasure-pain shot over Baqir, their bond glowed golden, brighter and steadier
than ever.

Overcome by the weight of the sensation and emotion, Baqir
came. He felt his knot expand, binding them together, and it went beyond the
carnal, to the point where he could distinguish realities and truths that he
and Remy had acknowledged, but had been so uncertain about.

He saw his child, nestled deep inside Remy, a bright glowing
light around him or her. He felt Remy's confusion and awe and pulled his mate
even closer, in every way that he possibly could.

"I love you so much,"
he sent out through
their bond.

"And I you,"
Remy replied.

And Baqir welcomed and reveled in that sentiment, so much so
that he almost missed the foreign element permeating their shared embrace. The
glow around their child was not the magic of the bond. It was something else,
and it seemed to pepper them both, like a fog that made everything except the
two of them misty.

Baqir was deeply unsettled, and it shattered the afterglow
that could have been very pleasant indeed. Remy must have realized something
was not right as well, because the first thing he uttered once he caught his
breath was a hesitant question. "What is going on, Qiri?"