UnholyCravings (18 page)

Within moments she was standing on the same white plain, and
yet something had changed. She turned to the side and noticed that her hand was
in Donar’s, and they both held the tight braid of their entwined souls in their
hands. Soren emerged out of the light, bringing his own soul with him.

Tara reached out on instinct to touch Soren’s braid, but he
pushed her hand away.

“Allow me. You’re tired.”

“But you don’t know how to do it,” she said.

Soren ran his hand over the braid, just like Donar did
moments before. The rope unraveled in his fingers.

“We learned it in hell,” Soren explained. “One of the perks
of being a
deahman
.” He handed her the strands.

Tara sank to her knees and gathered all of the souls in
between her palms. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, then wondered if she
had the strength to go through with this. Soren was right. She was tired. Beyond
tired. What if she failed? Then she’d die, and quite possibly kill Soren and
Donar along with her.

Tara looked up from the threads and found the men studying
her.

“I can’t do this,” she said. “I’m not strong enough.”

Donar’s features softened. “You’re right.”

“She is?” Soren asked.

Donar took Soren’s hand. “Alone she is not strong enough.” He
held up their joined hands. “But together we can give her the strength she
needs to finish the task.” Donar knelt down beside Tara. Soren followed.
Together they placed their hands over hers.

Tara watched in amazement as each of the twins bowed their
heads and closed their eyes. They were so giving, so wonderful. How did she
ever get so lucky?

She owed it to them to try this, to give them both a chance
at peace.

Tara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A cool breeze
blew, and she felt the darkness that was part of the twins rise up into the
air. She sent her magic after it. Her power engulfed theirs and dragged it back
down toward them. Slowly she began to unravel her threads from Donar’s.

The process was taking far longer and required much more
energy than she had originally thought. With each passing moment she felt
weaker and weaker. Her body began to sag, her mind to wander. Then she felt
Donar’s rough fingers move against her own and Soren’s quiet presence beside
her.

Take our strength.
Donar’s words flowed into her
mind.

Let us help you,
Soren added.

Of course. Tara opened up her mind and embraced the men’s
darkness. She wrestled it, harnessed it and drove its energy into the threads.

When she was finished, she eased her hands away from the
twins and opened her palms. All of the threads were woven together, a symbol of
three souls becoming one.

Tara glanced at first Donar, then Soren. After a long
moment, she raised up the braid in between them. “It is finished.”

Donar smiled and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You’ve
done well little one. Rest now.”

Tara’s whole body relaxed under his command and her world
went black.

* * * * *

A loud buzzing sound cut through Soren’s dreams and roused
him from sleep.
What the hell…

He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“It’s a motor.”

Soren blinked up at Donar, who was already throwing on his
clothes. “Better get dressed. It looks like we have company.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but…” Donar’s whole body stiffened and his
hands stilled. “Do you feel it?”

“No.” Then out of nowhere, a strange sensation rippled up
Soren’s spine. It felt almost as if someone had sent an electric current
through his body. Every inch of his skin tingled and his mind began to fill
with a pleasurable haze.

“Fucking Nergal,” Donar said. “He’s trying to control us.”

“I thought binding with her was supposed to help us?”

“Me too. I think she’s too weak right now to be much help to
anyone.” He hardened his jaw for a moment. “We’re going to have to fight it
ourselves.”

“We can’t let him master us.” Soren looked down at Tara. “If
we’re both under
deahman
control, who’s going to protect her?”

“I know.” Donar crawled over Soren to get to the wheel. “How
do I turn this thing on?”

Soren threw on his jeans and stepped over Tara. “Here, let
me.” He put his hand on the key to turn the motor back on and paused as another
bolt of energy sliced through him, this one much stronger than before.

“No,” Donar whispered. The buzzing noise got louder. Another
boat was coming closer…

“Good afternoon, slaves.”

Soren turned and saw a small yacht float over next to them.
The woman in leather, Anisa, tied both boats together. Nergal stood at the
stern with a smug expression on his face.

“You didn’t think that you’d get away from me that easily,
did you?”

Soren stepped in between Tara and Nergal. “Stay away from
her.”

Nergal laughed and the electricity running along Soren’s
spine amplified. Soren knew that he had to untie the boat and get them out of
there. He tried to move, but found he couldn’t.

“Nice to have you boys back.” Nergal nodded to Anisa. “Good
work my dear. There may be hope for you yet.”

Anisa frowned, then retreated until she stood just behind
Nergal. “Your wish is my command, master.”

“Come on home, boys.” Nergal motioned them to the boat.

The electricity surged once more and Soren used all of his
energy to stand still. Donar was already moving, but then again, he had a much
stronger
deahman
than Soren, and as such, the darkness had more of a
control over his psyche.

Soren glanced over onto the deck of the other boat and
noticed something interesting. Nergal stood with his hand outstretched, his
body tense. Beads of sweat formed around his brow and his jaw tensed with
concentration. This was difficult for him. Nergal had to concentrate to
maintain his hold over them. If Soren could distract him somehow…

Soren’s inner darkness growled and then his feet started to
move of their own accord.
Damn.
He tried to fight the darkness, but it
was no use. He’d have to play along until an opportunity presented itself.

He followed Donar over to the other boat and stood beside
Nergal.

“Good.” Nergal lowered his hand and smiled at Anisa. “You
see, dear? All it takes is some self-control—and knowing where your enemy’s
weakness is located.”

Myriad emotions crossed Anisa’s face; anger, fear,
self-loathing. Then they were all replaced with a cool mask of indifference. “Yes,
master.”

Nergal nodded to the other boat. “Once a weakness is found,
you exploit it. Always.”

“Yes, master.” Anisa flexed her fingers at her sides.

“Good. Now untether us from the boat and burn it.”

Soren blinked in shock.
Torch the boat?
But Tara was
still on it, unconscious.

Anisa also seemed to be confused. “You said that Urian’s
orders were to take the
Iatros
back and clip her wings.”

“I know, but he’s wrong.”

“Killing her will kill the twins.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. My hold on them is strong. There’s a
chance that they will survive the strain. I’m willing to take the risk.”

Soren tried to move. When that didn’t work he tried to
speak. Then he cursed his body for not responding to his commands. A quick glance
at Donar told him that his twin was suffering the same fate.

We need to wake her.
Donar’s words floated through
his mind.

We can speak with each other in our heads?

I guess so.

Why?

I think Tara has linked us somehow. Can you move?

No.
They needed that distraction, but what could they
do? He stared at Anisa as she unhooked the boats and sent them adrift.
Wake
up, Tara. Please…

When they were about one hundred feet away, Soren saw it—movement
on the other ship. A surge of hope rushed through Soren, momentarily confusing
his inner darkness.

“Look out, Tara,” he yelled. “They’re going to burn the boat!”

Nergal faced him and held out his hand. “Shut up, slave.”

Electricity shot through Soren’s spine. His whole body
screamed in pain as he fell to his knees and cupped his face in his hands.

Nergal turned back to Anisa. “Torch it.” He let out a
frustrated noise when she didn’t move. “Quickly, girl. Quickly.”

Anisa raised her hand and removed her glove.

* * * * *

Hurry, Tara. They’re going to burn the ship.

Donar’s words pierced the fog in Tara’s mind.
Burn?

Nergal’s here. He isn’t paying attention to me. I have
enough freedom to speak with you, but not to move my body.

What’s happening? Where are you?

Start the boat and get out of here as fast as you can.

Where’s Soren?
Fear struck her chest in the silence
that followed.

He’s hurt, but he’ll live,
Donar said after a moment.

I’m not leaving without you.

No, you have to go.

Tara stood and rubbed her eyes. When the world became clearer,
she found herself looking directly into the crimson eyes of the female warrior
she had encountered back in the hotel room. Anisa was taking off her glove.
Donar stood to one side of Nergal, but Soren was out of view. Tara reached out
with her magic and felt his pain.

Questions filled her mind as she searched for her clothes. Why
did Nergal have so much control over them? Didn’t her queen tell her that her
union with Darien had allowed him to slip from the
deahmans’
grasp and
be his own person? Perhaps the bond was too new, or more likely, Tara was too
exhausted to offer up any more magic to protection. The sex and weaving had
tapped her out. Even now, she felt the exhaustion at the edges of her mind,
calling her back to unconsciousness. Never before had she felt such a drain on
her magic. It was almost as if her life force was slipping away. It was so
tempting to close her eyes and let the blackness take her.

No.
She couldn’t give up, she decided as she slipped
on her underwear, pants and bra. Her magic might be waning and she could very
well be dying, but she had to save Donar and Soren before she let herself fall
into limbo. She didn’t go through all of that work only to lose them. She
dismissed her shirt—it would only get in the way—and returned to the deck.

Run, Tara. Get out of here, now.

She ignored Donar’s voice and untethered the anchor from the
side of the boat. Then she picked it up. Shit, it was heavy. Tara let out her
wings and stepped to the edge. One look down and she remembered that she was
over water. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stumbled back. Her magic
was weak. Would she be strong enough to cross the distance between the boats?
What if she failed?

Hurry, Tara.

Tara looked over at the ship and saw the female warrior
point her hand at the boat.

If she flew over the water, there was a chance she could die
like her sister.

If she stayed on the boat, she’d definitely die in a fiery
grave.

Shit.
Tara went up onto the side of the boat once
more and closed her eyes. Then she spread her wings, and jumped.

Something exploded beneath her feet, and she realized that
Anisa’s magic had hit the ship. Tara held onto the anchor with two hands and
opened her eyes. She was flying. Over water.

Her magic slipped and she began to fall.

Focus on me.

Tara searched for Donar on the other ship with her magic.
She quickly located him and focused her gaze on his concerned face.

Come on, you can do it,
he said.

Slowly, she began to move toward him.

Don’t look down.

She peeked beneath her and saw nothing but water.

I said don’t look down!

She felt her chest constrict and her breathing became labored.
The anchor was so heavy. She was going to die, she knew it.

Keep moving.

Tara slowly moved forward, keeping her gaze locked on Donar.

Tara, look out.

She turned in time to see Anisa send another line of fire in
her direction. Tara whimpered and flew higher, out of the reach of the flames.
Then she changed direction and headed toward Anisa.

What are you doing?
Donar asked.

Trust me.

Anisa shot again and again, and each time Tara was able to
evade her attacks. Finally Tara reached the female warrior and circled her
above her head.

Anisa shot at her again, and this time the flames brushed
against her skin.

Tara cried out as pain sliced through her body. She loosened
her grip on the anchor. It fell toward Anisa. The warrior tried to get out of
the way, but it was too late. She caught the anchor in her chest. Tara watched
as Nergal’s fighting machine grunted and toppled over the side of the boat.

Tara closed her eyes and let her magic radiate from her
wings, creating a bright light. Nergal covered his eyes and ducked inside the
boat before the brightness seared his skin. Anisa wasn’t so lucky. Tara’s magic
caught her face. The woman struggled, trying to disentangle herself from the
heavy anchor’s chain as the bright magic set her left cheek on fire. She screamed
as she was dragged under.

Tara watched the bubbles rise up out of the water. Waves
rippled along the surface as the female warrior struggled below. First there
were many waves and bubbles, then they lessened. Finally, they ceased
altogether.

Tara landed on the deck and wiped her hands together.
One
down.

She felt large, rough hands on her wings. She tried to turn,
but the grip only tightened, holding her immobile.

“Come here, you little bug.”

Tara was dragged back to the end of the ship. Nergal took
her wings in both hands and bent them together at an odd angle. Tears stung
Tara’s eyes as pain lanced her body once more. She fell to her knees.