Destiny Redeemed (15 page)

“You
certainly are a tenacious one, Althea. All I told him was to make sure it’s
safe before calling me.”

Satisfied,
she smiled. “I see.”  However, a moment later, she asked, “But why did you just
call me Althea?”

Amon
realized his verbal slip up but decided not to choose that moment to explain
his ability to see into other people’s minds.

“That’s
your given name, isn’t it?” he said with a wink.

“Yes,
but it just sounded odd coming out of your mouth since I never told you my full
name and I rarely use it.”

“Well,
then Thea it is from now on unless you instruct me otherwise,” he said lazily
as he nuzzled her neck. “Are you ready, love? Gethen tells me it’s safe.”

Thea
nodded and wrapped her arms around Amon’s back. Holding her tightly to him, he
focused on Gethen’s location and in seconds, they disappeared from his bedroom
on their way to Soren headquarters near London.

*

Moments
later, the couple reappeared just outside the doors to a large meeting room.
Upon seeing them, Gethen and Markku began to make their way across the large open
vestibule.

Thea
immediately turned to Amon, fearful of what lay ahead. “Where is this place?”

“We’re
right outside London at the Soren’s headquarters. Don’t worry. Everything is
going to be all right. Just remember what I said and promise me you’ll keep in
mind that this isn’t who I am now.”

Amon
kissed her sweetly, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Gethen standing in
front of him and Markku right behind him. “Markku did as you ordered, and
they’re waiting for you.”

“Excellent.
Let’s go in,” he said as he squeezed Thea’s hand.

Just
before the doors opened, Amon turned to her and mouthed, “Remember, I love
you.” Before she could say the words back to him, they walked into the room and
thoughts of love vanished before her eyes, replaced by fear and horror.

“Amon
Kalins! What the fuck did they do to you?” a man’s voice bellowed from the
front of the room. The head of the Soren, Kiril Gault stood on a dais
surrounded by three human women naked in shackles. Behind him was a large gilded
edged chair with a deep purple cushion that resembled a throne.

Tall
and dark with black hair, Kiril’s eyes were the most beautiful shade of violet
Thea had ever seen. He was striking in a terrifying way, the complete opposite
of Amon, and her hand reflexively tightened on his. She tried to keep calm,
remembering the effect her emotions had on Amon, but the sight of the three
handcuffed and naked women frightened her. But if she was sure of nothing else,
she was sure she was safe as long as Amon was by her side.

“Kiril.
I live again,” Amon said in a voice Thea didn’t recognize. Its timbre sounded
far more powerful than she’d ever heard from him. And almost as terrifying as
the man who now stood just feet in front of them.

“Of
course, I owe it all to Gethen and you,” Amon said, turning his head toward his
friend behind him and then back to face the Soren leader.

“Gethen,
how have you been?” Kiril asked and then without waiting for the answer he obviously
cared little to hear, continued, “Why have I never gotten a Sidhe for myself?
He seems invaluable to have, does he not?”

Thea
watched as Kiril tugged on the shackles of the dark haired human near him, and
she hurriedly rose to kneel in front of him. When she began to massage his
thigh, Thea averted her glance, afraid of what she might see next and
preferring to look at the throngs of men lining the sides of the room seemingly
oblivious to anything but Amon and Kiril.

“I
would be lost without Gethen. That’s true,” she heard Amon answer.

“And
is this something for me? You know I prefer my slaves human, but she’ll do
fine. I’m going to need another one soon when I’m down to only two.”

Thea’s
entire body stiffened in terror, and she was sure Amon was beginning to feel the
first effects of her emotions. In her mind, she heard the words he’d said.

I
promise I won’t let anyone hurt you. Trust me.

As
her grip on his hand eased, he gently stroked the back of her hand with his
thumb, but his voice became even sterner than before.

“She’s
mine.”

Kiril
seemed surprised by the tone of the words and laughed nervously, “No problem. I
guess that means you won’t be partaking of the girls this time?”

Thea’s
eyes darted from one girl, to the next, and finally to the last one. Partaking
of the girls
this
time? 

“Not
this time.”

“So,
what can we do for you, old friend? Is Markku serving your needs?”

“He
is. But I need a bit more. I have a bounty hunter after me.”

Kiril
pushed the human off his leg, and as she fell to the floor in a thud, he
casually stepped over her and the chain that connected her to her two fellow
slaves. One giant step off the riser and he was standing in front of Amon.

“Fucking
Council! A bounty hunter, eh? Obviously, we can kill him, but they’ll send
another and another. Not that I have any problem killing off every single one
of the Council’s lapdogs, but it’s just such a fucking hassle.”

“Exactly
what I thought. I could’ve killed him when we met earlier, but then I’ll just
have to deal with his replacement. I know there’s a more efficient way.”

Kiril
paced back and forth past Thea and Amon, and when his back was turned, Amon
snuck a glance at Thea. His blue eyes seemed so intense, but she could see the
man she’d grown to care for in them. The quick wink he gave her told her he had
everything under control, and Thea gave him a small smile to let him know she
understood. Still, the idea of him with any of those women rambled around in
her head as she worked to remain strong and believe that the man he was here,
in front of this awful man, wasn’t the real Amon.

Kiril
stopped his pacing and stood in front of Amon. “Well, there certainly are
avenues to explore, but they involve magick much darker than you usually
prefer.”

Thea
sensed Amon’s apprehension and her own coiled inside her. Darker magick was
something she’d heard of many times over her existence, though she’d never known
anyone who dared to use it.

“Whatever
it takes. Just make sure anything I do is safe for Thea and Gethen.” Amon was silent
for a moment and added, “And I want Markku to stay with me after we perform the
spell. He’s good with the magick, and he owes me.”

“As
you wish.”

Amon
turned to Gethen and gestured for him to come closer. “Take Thea outside and
wait for me. If you feel she’s not perfectly safe at any time, call to me and
I’ll know.”

He
took Thea’s hands in his and squeezed them gently. “I need you to go with
Gethen now. Trust me. I’ll be out in no time. I promise.”

Fear
raced through her. “No, Amon! You said I’d only be safe as long as I was with
you. Let me stay. I’ll be okay. Please.”

He
cradled her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes as he shook his
head. “No. I don’t want you involved in this. You’ll be safe with Gethen. He
would never hurt anyone I love. Gethen will let me know if anything happens
that you need me.”

As
he handed her to Gethen, tears begin to well up in her eyes and he caught one with
the pad of his thumb as it hit her cheek. “Don’t worry. I need to do this for
your safety as much as mine.”

Gethen
began to pull her away, but Thea wrenched her hand free and threw her arms
around Amon. “No, please don’t do this. Whatever it takes, we can find another
way.”

Amon
pressed his cheek against the top of her head. “Thea, I can’t let these people
see me weakened, and your emotions are already taking their toll on me.”

“But
what if the spell calls for doing something...” she said hesitating, “with
these women?”

Smiling,
he whispered, “There is no other woman I want. I promise I won’t do anything
that involves any women.”

Thea
looked up at him and hoped she saw a look of sincerity on his face. Forcing a
smile, she nodded. “Please be careful. I’m not okay with the dark magick thing
either.”

“I
promise, love. And when I’m done, we’ll celebrate at the house.”

As
Amon released her hand, Thea reluctantly followed Gethen out of the room
without looking back, too afraid to see what Amon was going to do.

Chapter Twelve

By
the time they returned to Amon’s, it was late and Thea quickly excused herself
to call her sister. The three men sat in Amon’s study discussing what would
have to be done about the Council’s intention of forcing Amon back to Nil. As
Markku railed against the dictatorial nature of Aeveren laws, Gethen sat
quietly staring out the window.

Needing
some peace and quiet, Amon said, “Markku, take the night and go enjoy
yourself.”

“For
real? Amon, thank you!” Markku answered as he leapt out of his chair and made
his way toward the door.

“Just
be back in the morning,” Amon warned.

Markku
barely got the words “no problem” out before he vanished, leaving Amon and
Gethen alone.  Amon studied his friend’s face as he sat looking off in the
distance. He watched him squint his eyes, as if he were in pain or remembering
a painful experience, and the expression accentuated the scar next to his eye.

“What’s
on your mind, Gethen?”

Gethen
slowly closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them and turned to face Amon,
he looked older than his former master ever remembered seeing him.

“I
feel a calling home, Amon. All my years away have been with you, and I remain
grateful for your saving me when none of my own kind would. But you don’t need
me with you anymore.”

Amon
sat silently, a lump forming in his throat. Even though the seven lifetimes
he’d spent with Gethen were a mere fraction of the many he’d enjoyed, he
couldn’t imagine a lifetime without him in it. The last year had been torture
not only because he’d been in Nil but also because he’d been without his
friend.

“What’s
causing this?”

“No
matter what I ever have been to you, you’ve always been more than a master to
me, Amon.”

Gethen
turned back toward the window and continued. “But now you don’t need someone to
care for you. You’re no longer alone, and while the love I feel for you will
always be, it’s time for me to go home to my world.”

Amon
struggled to keep his voice even as emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
“You’re wrong, Gethen. I didn’t need someone to take care of me. That was never
why I needed you. You have been my closest friend, my confidant. That you
appeared as my servant was always a disservice to how much you’ve truly meant
to me over the lifetimes we’ve known one another.”

The
two men sat in silence, each consumed by his own thoughts and feelings, until
Amon asked the question that both knew the answer to. “When will you leave?”

In
a voice that betrayed the pain he felt, Gethen answered, “I think sooner is
better than later.”

Amon
stood from his chair and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’ll let Thea
know we’ll be leaving this week.”

Upstairs,
Amon found her in her bedroom looking at the clothes Gethen had gotten for her.
Through the cracked door, he watched her hold each shirt, sweater, and dress up
to her as she posed in front of the mirror. Her happiness mixed with the
sadness he felt from knowing he was losing his closest friend, and he became
lost in thought watching her.

Without
him noticing, she opened the door and found him standing there. “Amon? Are you
okay?”

Silently,
he nodded and took her hand in his as he led her across the hall to his room.
Closing the door behind him, he gently pulled Thea to him and bent to kiss her.

“What’s
wrong, Amon?”

“Nothing.
I just missed you,” he said quietly as he trailed his lips down her neck to her
collarbone.

Stroking
his hair, she whispered. “You never have to miss me. I’m all yours.”

Amon
moaned against her neck as his tongue danced over her skin tasting her. Gently,
he scraped his teeth over her neck as he sucked and nibbled at her.

“Thea...”
he whispered huskily near her ear, his voice full of desire. “I loved your
jealousy earlier.”

Feeling
her back away from him, he opened his eyes and searched hers for what troubled
her. Suddenly, he felt a wall between them keeping her from him.

Thea
dropped her eyes to the floor to avoid his stare.

“What
is it? Why won’t you look at me?”

Quietly,
she said, “I don’t know if I can be what you want.”

“What
are you talking about? You’re everything I want.”

As
she raised her eyes, Amon saw fear and sadness in them.

“I
don’t want to be jealous of other women. I’ve waited all these lifetimes for
someone meant just for me. I want to know—need to know—that person wants only
me.”

Slowly,
he approached her and took her hands in his. “Thea, I don’t want any other
women. It’s only you.”

“And
I’m jealous. I can’t bear the idea of you with those women from that place
today.”

As
she spoke, her eyes grew wider making her look even more vulnerable as she
stood there so small in front of him. But he knew better. He knew the beautiful
woman looking up at him had a strength beneath that sweet appearance.

“I
told you that I’m not that man I had to be there. Kiril’s a pig who enslaves
women. And I’ve never been with any of his slaves. Never.”

Amon
saw that she remembered every word of what Kiril had said and wasn’t entirely
convinced by his admission. “Never, Thea.”

Bending
down, he kissed her lightly on the lips and then whispered, “And anyone else
I’ve ever been with you should just think of as practice for you.”