Savage Awakening: A Blood Thirst Novel (Book 2) BDSM Erotica/ Paranormal Romance/ Romance Erotica (12 page)

He looked through me burning a hole of contempt in me… trying to reach a soul that left when I realized his true intentions, “I said those words because I would say anything to have you, but I knew you desired me, and if I told you I loved you… I would have lost you because all you do is
RUN
! You’ve been running from your emotions for me since you first felt them in the cave. We know each other, you and I.”

“I don’t want to hear your lies any longer. I will find this weapon so be very weary of searching for me when I do discard you.” I shouted covering my ears.

My brother fought Allessa’s hold, “Release me Allessa she is too close to the Lycan.”

I quickly stepped away, listening to my brother’s words. “Allessa release our brother, he was right in not trusting the Lycan.”

I was finally done with him, and the Lycan finally saw me for what I was. My mother had won in the end. I couldn’t feel anything any longer.

It appeared the Lycan was in shock from my words because he was immobile for the first time tonight.

“I do not believe in these visions, he is not my mate… a mate would not feel as I do right now. I despise you, Lycan!”

Andres landed right beside me, taking me in his arms. “I will find them both and bring their heads on a golden platter and put his on a silver one, but first I will make the Lycan suffer for your pain.”

“I feel nothing, brother. Do as you wish with that dog, but I rather die than feed from it again.”

As my brother’s arms wrapped protectively around me, the Lycan became irrational again. “You promised me you would be Mine.” He bellowed becoming insane. “I demand you to be true… Fucking beg me now as I’ve heard you so many times before!”

My eyes shut at his insults. I screamed, “Cease your struggles against my sister and kneel before your King.” I watched him trying to fight both our hold on him… fighting through the pain with clenched teeth as his tattoos began forming, his whole body going rigid- shaking with his resistance, he was doing everything not to surrender, but it was out of his control. When finally one knee came crashing hard against the ground and then the other. “He is yours brother, to do with him as you wish, my present to you. The next in line for the Lycan crown, your pet.”

“Do not do this Emmaley, I do not wish to unleash on you what I carry trapped within me… but I will given no choice.” Luke snarled.

My brother grabbed my hand, “You will cease to use her Christian name and only refer to her as your Queen.”

Luke looked at our united hands, my heart beat uncontrollably… I knew they heard it. Then his eyes pierced my brother with a promise of death in his eyes.

Fearing for my brother’s safety I said, “I do not want to speak to it again, brother. I will command it to keep on its quest for Eros, and if we’re lucky they will kill each other.”

“Beauty, you are not this heartless, you Love Me… I saw it in your eyes tonight!”

“You saw nothing. I feel nothing, but the hatred I now feel for you.” I traced in front of the kneeling dog while my brother came fast behind me, grabbing me back against him, and prevented me from tearing out the Lycan’s heart. My brother whispered in my ear. “You mustn’t be close to it, or he will mate with you by force fearing all is lost.”

I knew Luke would not attempt what my brother accused him of, but I couldn’t remain in his presence… it was entirely too painful.

I turned in my brother’s arms, unable to let go because he was covered in the Lycan’s blood and had his scent all over him. I shocked myself wanting to be closer to my brother just to feel closer and smell the Lycan.

Only a couple feet away from us, I knew he watched, I felt him burning hate right through me. I wanted to turn, go to him, love that part of him I’d somehow connected to so completely, but instead I silently cried my soul away. My brother saved me from further embarrassment by taking me in his arms and carrying me away. I heard the Lycan yell, he would kill them all and do worse to me than Eros and Darius ever did combined.

I know them to be empty promises, he’d let his hate get the best of him because he was not capable of the things he promised… his plan to  end me was flawed from the very onset because he never had it in him.

I was inconsolable while my brother tried to comfort me. He strode into a massive bedroom, gently laying me in a bed when I realized it looked different from the one I was in earlier, and I brokenly asked, “Is this your room, Andres?”

“Emmaley, I do not trust you to sleep anywhere else in this house while the Lycan is out there. I will do anything I can to prevent you from meeting your fate with that monster.”

“Yes brother, I will not fight you in this.” I answered feeling so tired. “May I impose by asking for some privacy first? I wish to wash away all this blood, the smell of the beast from me.”

“I’m sorry, but remembering your robe, I must ask. Did he force you sister? Did he force to mate with you?”

I flinched at his words, tears welling up in my eyes because I’d been weak, and I had let myself believe his need to protect me was pure. I never sensed he was after anything with me, I thought he just wanted to keep me close- love me in some way, given the chance. I’d been so wrong because he’d been the worst out of the three.

“No brother he did not… he was kind, gentle. I believed his lies, completely making a fool of myself. He’d asked me to marry him, and I believed he loved me, so in time who knows I might have given him everything, willingly... it is why you found me when you did. I did run from him. I’ve been running from him since I met him.”

“Has it happened then, be honest… did he take your virtue? Has the prophecy taken place?”

“I have not lain with him, brother. I believe he was waiting for the full moon.”

He smiled, showing his relief. “You were weak. Allessa was wrong in allowing him to take you. You will soon realize all these feelings you have for him are effects from the spell the witches cast. All you need is time… and for me to put an end to your dependence for his blood.”

I nodded, “I wish him gone from our lives.”

“Nothing would please me more sister. Allessa is seeing to the monster, I shall help her and send her to you so she may properly dress you. I too will bathe in your old room. Allessa fixed the window, so you have nothing to fear. She will fix everything, she always does. There is much we have to discuss, but rest we will speak tomorrow before our journey home.”

As soon as the door shut behind my brother, I easily found the bathroom and ran to the glass shower stripping away the robe as I went in. I turned the silver knob to the hottest temperature waiting for the water to wash away my tears, his blood- my troubles. I was mesmerized looking at his blood flowing down my skin to mix with the water in a swirl before disappearing down the drain. Looking upward, I cried soundless tears for allowing myself to be caught by the witches and almost falling in love with the beast when all I represented to him was a means to an end. After Darius, I promised myself never to trust again… but this was so much worse, just a few sweet words, some not so sweet but tempting just the same, and promises- unbelievably, it was all it took to leave me with half a heart.

I knew Darius loved me, I had entered his mind, witnessing all his emotions for me… first hand, but the Lycan… there was nothing to clue me in but his actions. Now, I just carried the knowledge he thought to use me to trap Eros and end me from the very beginning. The Lycan still thought to fool me, pretending to care. I needed to find the weapon, it was key to gaining my freedom from all those who sought to use me for what I represented.

I leaned my head against the hard, small edges of the rocks covering the shower walls, bracing against the adjoining wall. Wondering how I would continue, knowing the Lycan was the only one I could drink from. I needed to stay strong and keep him away from me … perhaps drinking his blood from a cup. My brother could keep him a prisoner and extract his blood until we found an alternative and send him away. This would have to be the way of things until I came up with a better plan. Maybe my brother would be able to capture Darius… and then, I’d be able to make the dog pay for the pain he caused me. Make the Lycan watch as I enjoyed another’s blood.

I smiled,
surest way to teach the dog a lesson because I think I just may manage to make him hate Darius more than he hates Eros.

No, what am I saying… this is not who I am.

Stop, just forget him. Forget them both
. I knew I was wrong to purposely put them against each other. My pride had been hurt and now I sought to hurt his- acting childish instead. It would be simple… I would make myself forget- that would be his punishment.

Washing myself, I noticed things were blessedly quiet within the house. My sister and brother must of taken the Lycan somewhere outside knowing I didn’t have to feed until two days from tonight because I was no longer exerting so much power in order to survive.

I realized now
I was scared
because all I ever wanted was a normal life, and it was something I would never have. Darius once warned me that I would never lead a normal life. I thought it was due to some terminal illness, but now I understood perfectly well what he meant, what he tried to protect me against. I would never know what it would feel like to truly be loved by someone who wasn’t after me because I would make him the richest, longest living being to exist. What was the benefit of being so powerful if I would live forever alone, never to trust anyone? Maybe Darius had all the right answers after all.

Just
as I was shutting off the water, my sister walked into the bathroom, “Sister, I have news. Please do not be alarmed by what I am about to say.”

She tensed, “The Lycan escaped, but do not worry because he may not gain entry- I’ve put up mystical guards. The good news in all of this is, just before… I was able to immobilize him and Andres drank from him. I believe this is the answer we are looking for. If Andres drinks from him then you won’t have to because you can drink from Andres. I am hoping this will slowly allow for you to drink of our brother’s blood and eventually have no more need for the Lycan’s blood.”

“Did Andres follow him?”

Her green eyes, same shade as our brother, light up when I ask about Andres. She hands me a warm towel, while I hastily dry my body, tie it around myself, and walk out of the shower. “No the Lycan won’t go far as long as you’re here.” She looked at me waiting to see how I reacted to the news.

“I’m fine sister, do not worry, I’ll do what I have to as long I don’t have to see the Lycan again.” I finished drying myself waiting expectantly for her.

She had a look of approval before shutting her eyes. I felt the warm caress of material weaving on my skin, so I looked down seeing I now wore a golden silk nightgown with a crisscross low open back. I looked down at the thin nightgown, and felt she and my brother planned something that didn’t feel right. This was not the night gown to wear while my brother slept in the same room.

My eyes must have said all I was thinking because she said, “He is not truly your brother. You and I are half-sisters because we share the same father, but Andrea my mother was the most powerful witch of her covenant. Before becoming queen, and before I was born she was lovers with father’s right hand man the Duke of the Northern Lands of HerLa. He married her and she became pregnant, having twins, Andres’s brother died many years ago in war.”

“Shortly after Andres’s father saved the King’s life, but didn’t survive the attack, killed in war with the Lycans, so father did what he thought was necessary and adopted Andres as his son giving him his name, and later marrying my mother. It is why my mother didn’t oppose the union between your mother and our father. Please understand our brother has dedicated his life, after you were taken, to finding you. He is the only one capable of truly loving you without greed coming between the two of you.”

“Why did you wait all this time to tell me?” I asked shocked because they planned a union between us. It was there in the light of her eyes, expectancy shown on her face.

“He wanted some time to pass for you to actually get to know him, without the pressures surrounding your birthright. Our kingdom expects to be reunited with their Queen. Father made it known that you would be found and immediately after married to our brother, it is expected. He wanted the royal bloodline to continue. You are the purest carrier of the royal bloodline, but not only do you have it- you exceed it. You have the blood of dragons and gods. It is as father decreed, his last dying wish.”

My eyes closed from the sudden sharp pain. I would not know my father. She’d just hastily said the words and the last hope I held on to was gone. A hopeless dream all along. After all these years hearing about him, only now to find out he was dead. If Darius knew and never told me, I would never forgive him because we spoke of him so my times, I’d carried so many hopes I would see him again. “How long has he been dead for?”

“Two years, about the same time the Lycan king was killed. We believe Eros assassinated both kings, so he would be the only king from the three kingdoms looking for you. He believed Andres would be too consumed by pain to continue his search without father. We, the Dragons, Lycan’s, and Vampires are the three most powerful kingdoms, Emma. He did everything he could to keep the vision from coming true. He’s obsessed he is the one.”

I traced in front of her, not too gently shaking her, “Please tell me father is still alive… that he lives because there’s just so much I can take. I can’t believe Eros would kill my father, he loved me. Through it all, I know he loved me, he would not tear me up this way… inside. He was cruel, but not like this.”

She gently touched my tears, “I’m sorry dearest, but I cannot lie to you. Father searched many worlds looking for you. He had Andres covering as much ground, they were never together… always searching. We lost so much when you were taken. Our loving family separated, each member fighting war after war in search for you Emma. We have all suffered and now to finally have you with us… it is our greatest victory. We will finally know what it is to be happy.”

She hugged me then, breathing me in for the first time, finally able to take the time to cry. I tried to comfort her the only way I knew I could. “Please don’t cry. I will do as you ask. I will honor my duty to our family, give you the happiness you so deserve.” I said realizing now, I’d been so stupid, still held hope that Eros would change, had changed. Now I knew how hopeless it truly was.

Everything was lost to me, all I had left was to make my brother and her happy and honor my father’s last dying wish.

She interrupted my thoughts, “It will all be fine soon, I just needed to let out some of the emotions I have been carrying with me, for so long… pretending to be strong in front of our brother. He loves you, you know. Mother gifted him with the visions, she wanted so badly for it to be him. She knew you would capture his heart with your good, caring heart, and your exquisite beauty. She just wanted him to be happy.”

“Everyone is obsessed with visions of what is to be. I’m tired of hearing of such predictions… I only seek to have my family whole.” I smiled at her, not wanting to show her my heart was breaking because she asked me for so much. I always wanted to be free, but in truth I was never fated for freedom.

Is there anyone fated to such bliss because the things we want most and work our hardest to gain, the ones we think will bring us happiness are the same things that pull us down, caging us. Andres would chain himself to me with the hopes of happiness when I couldn’t love him the way he hoped, yet by the time he realized this it would be too late for him.

We were still talking when we heard Andres walking into the bedroom. I stiffened as I smelled the Lycan’s blood while smelling the clean masculine scent of the soap he used. No matter how much I tried I couldn’t escape the Lycan, his blood, and whatever else it was that drew me to him. The flipside was at least I didn’t have to look at silver eyes while I drank.

She smiled gently at me, “Don’t worry he knows to take things slow with you. Take all the time you require, just tell him what you need. He just wants to be kind, gentle with you.”

She held me whispering in my ear, “He’s afraid you’ll run away, please try to dispel his fears where you are concerned.”

I tightened our embrace, “Of course sister, all will be as it should be.”

She smiled one last time, turned lifting her hands to remove the barrier she’d placed on the door so we wouldn’t be heard, and left.

I waited until I heard her leave the bedroom… feeling for the first time the drops of water fall from my hair, against my lower back, then took a deep breath for valor, and stepped out of the bathroom.

He was waiting a few feet from the bedroom door. My sister was right… he feared I would leave. I thought of what to say to lessen his fears, feeling I owed him as much, and tried to make the moment less difficult than it was. “I wish I would have met our father, somehow found you before his death.” I stopped a few feet away.

He nodded searching my eyes, for what… I didn’t know. “I’m sorry you’ve lived such a hard life, Andres.” His eyes closed at my words, so I asked him, “Are you gifted in the arts such as Allessa is?”

“To some degree, I didn’t have much time to learn… fighting as I was. And when I was young and carefree, I didn’t take the time to learn always chasing after some new girl.” He said smiling. He had a nice smile making me wonder at the life I would have led, had I grown up with my family.

I appreciated he was reminding me it wasn’t always difficult times. “Maybe she can now find the time to teach us both… so we aren’t as dependent on her, she needs the rest.”

“You don’t need her to teach you. You have more power than all of us combined- rooted within you.  What you need is to learn to tap into the source of your power.”

“Easy for you to say, with me it’s sporadic at best.”

“You’re afraid of your own strengths.”

“I can assure you, it’s not the reason.”

He is looking at me with a strange expression again, so I quickly change the subject.

“What was father like with me?”

“He was so different with you than from how he’d been with all of us. You were his
Sun, lightened up his features every time you were near, he couldn’t get enough of your company. He had all the time in the world for you, I can’t say it was because it was what your mother expected because most of the time she argued he was spoiling you too much. It was you, you were infectious.”

He looked into my eyes and said, “I wish one day you could gift me with a daughter as infectious as her mother. I know it is soon to be speaking of this, but after so many years of war and death I wish to know the joy father felt in those few years, with you.”

I looked beyond him towards the window. “I wish I could remember. I’ve tried to remember him, our short time together… so many times.” He walked towards me raising his hand and touching my shoulder, “It does the heart no good to dwell in the past.” I held my breath at his touch, my heart no longer having room to love him in the way he expected- making his touch difficult to accept.

I looked up to him smiling over the pain I felt, masking it. I exhaled my held breath when I said, “You’re probably right. I had so many plans of meeting him one day, and look at us now.”

“Yes, look at us, just as father wished us to be.” His fingers started to trace my lips. I caught movement in the distance beyond the window.

“He watches us, I saw silver eyes flashing in the night.” I whispered.

He turned towards the window, but the Lycan no longer stood were he’d been. “There is nothing he can do Emmaley, I have guards surrounding this place. Our sister has ensured our safety with her spells. He is fortunate I’ve given orders that he shall not die. No harm will come to him because your life depends on his.”

“Did you drink enough of his blood, Andres?” I asked him because this was the reason he’d come into this room. He wanted to test his theory, and I was eager to be freed from the beast.

“Yes, the blood that runs through the Lycan is very strong. I was able to drink much, and even after drinking him, he got away. I understand the appeal, power attracts power.” He said lifting his white shirt making his upper body ripple as his muscles stretched. He threw his shirt on the floor between his feet.

I thought of warning him that I would never love him as he wished, but instead the words came out wrong and I said, “Please sit on the chaise, it will be easier to drink from you.” I didn’t have the strength to break his heart, so soon…who knew, time had the power to change everything, maybe in time he would end up being my prize and not the other way around. The chaise I spoke of was underneath the window my eyes kept reverting back to.

He did as I asked, his green eyes illuminating all of me… the room. I looked beyond his eyes not wanting to be drawn in by them and concentrated on the window. It was not difficult for me to do since he was lower than I, and I found those silver eyes watching me… daring me to unleash the side he’d said he kept tightly locked away.

If there was anything I knew about myself with all certainty, it was I never turned away from a challenge. “It may hurt a little at first, but I promise not to lose control, and I’ll try to cause you the least amount of pain.” I said walking up to him.

His eyes never leaving me, watching me intently as I approached, he began breathing me in. He drew in his breath and held it, excitedly anticipating what was to come.

“Where would you prefer to drink from?” His question took me by surprise as I stood between his legs. It felt so wrong… him and I, but he believed in us and more importantly it was father’s dying wish.

He was too eager for this, my mind reproached.

I wondered if I was even really here, in front of him, willing to carry out my sister’s plan, by trying to make this work, because now studying him I couldn’t deny the resemblance he shared with Darius.

I had to hinder my urge to run from him… quickly remembering what my sister had confessed.

“I don’t know, where would you feel most comfortable with, your wrist?” I nervously asked while silently pleading he would say yes.

“I need my hands to hold on to the chaise. I don’t want to lose control with you, either. He said it apologetically, and I was thankful he would try to keep his hands off me. He grabbed the chaise’s arm and the front end of the seat’s cushion as he leaned back, closing his eyes with his head resting back.

His vein rapidly fluttered against the skin on his thick neck, his breath quickening with his pulse.

He was trying not to use his light on me. I was grateful to him because he did seek to make this just about nourishing me. I placed my hand by his head, holding onto the backrest, needing the stability and fortitude for what I was about to do while my other held his shoulder as I took in a breath, leaned in, and bit him on his neck. His eyes shot open as I closed mine savoring his blood. There was something very recognizable about his blood… control, it penetrated the cells- I knew it, perhaps in myself or from someone else.