SWNOVELS Chapter CHAPTER SEVEN
Tyran wore out a trail on his expensive Fire carpet. It was a gift from the dragon queen after he rid their Realm of Kruk the terrible and his mob of killers. It was made from the purest of Silan threads that were harvested from the Silan trees only found in the Dragon Realm Mountains.
He wasn’t the type of male to worry over anything he did or said. His word was law in his Realm. No one dared questioned him and he certainly never questioned himself, yet an ugly cold snake curled in the pits of his stomach and spewed poison that sent bile boiling into his mouth. For the first time in his ancient life, he stood at a point where he didn’t know what to do or who to ask for help.
He had never lost a battle before. Fighting thousands of them gave him the gift of foresight. They were predictable and he knew when and how he would win a battle before he even stepped onto the battlefield. He thought he was prepared for his queen. He thought that after a century of staying away from her, finally he had become what she wanted him to be but after what happened last night, Noelle locked herself in the royal quarters.
She sent away every helper and all the roses they carried for her. She even refused breakfast and when the time came to go home with him, she refused to even talk to him though they were in the same car. She didn’t even take the time to see the Agailan Bridge or the silk and lavender fields that they passed as they made their way to the Mage Fortress.
Tyran was tired of making mistakes with his queen. Where he thought they were making progress, they were actually back to square one. He didn’t know what to do anymore.
He gave her pleasure. That was one part no female ever complained. When it came to pleasure, he was the master. He always knew what to do to get her off and he decided how long she rode that wave of ecstasy. In that department he was a god! He was used to females running back and begging for more, not slam the door on his face!
“Walk any further and the Fire Queen will not be happy with that carpet. Do you know how hard it is to get Silan for a carpet like that?” Drake watched as Tyran assaulted the rug with his heavy buckled black boots.
Finally, Tyran slumped onto a chair and covered his face with his palms. He muttered a series of unintelligible phrases and brushed his thick hair back. What was he doing wrong?
“This is the point when you fish out a solution for my problem, Drake.” Tyran turned to the younger male.
Drake chuckled lightly. “I have to record this for future reference. Is the mighty Lord Marge asking for my help at this moment?”
“Sometimes something tells me that you surely indulge in my demise.” Tyran settled back on his leather chair and ground his teeth together. “She was much better to handle when she was drunk. What drink did you give her last night?”
Drake shook his head as if there was no hope for the Lord Mage. “There is an easier way, Lord Mage. It’s called an apology.”
“Apology!” Tyran exclaimed with distaste. “I am not apologizing for anything. I did what I did and she enjoyed it. I will not apologize for bring my female pleasure.”
“It’s not only about the pleasure but also about the way you’ve been treating her. She’s not your soldier where you could bark out orders and she’ll follow. She’s the most complex being you would ever meet in your life; she’s a female. Females are an entirely different species. Be they mermaids, dragons, shifters or beasts, they all think alike and you need to learn to read the signs.” Drake turned to his king and Tyran looked out the window to his side absentmindedly. “This will take a long time. Anyways, first things first, go and apologize.”
Noelle sat on the large window settee that was overlooking Tyran’s impressive gardens. The place had every plant possible. It burst with rainbow colors of flowers twisting around the tree trunks. Birds and small animals popped up time and again to enjoy the sunlight as it poured from the heavens like golden fingers caressing the earth and the plants with vitality. The air shimmered with vibrancy. If only the sun could hear her calls of protest and wash away her sorrows.
Last night was supposed to be a night to remember. She had the most amazing orgasm from Tyran. The way he played with her body until she climaxed was like that of a seasoned lover. She was shocked at her response to him. He was supposed to play the barbarian in her fairy-tale, the ogre that kidnapped the princess not the wicked lover.
What made it worse was that when the orgasm hit her and she finally opened her eyes and looked at him, his eyes shone with triumph as if he had just conquered the world. He owned her pleasure, he told her. All sorts of emotions drowned her until she couldn’t breathe. Devastation, defeat, disappointment and a little hurt that he would use such an act against her. She read a lot of novels and believed that such a thing was supposed to be between two people who had strong feelings for each other. The only strong feelings between her and Tyran were hostility and anger.
She wanted to confront him earlier that morning about what he did to her but everything in her froze when she caught sight of a helper on her walk of shame from his quarters. She didn’t know what she felt. Here she was, sacrificing her entire being and beliefs for her people by being with the one male that had her hot and cold at the same time but he was busy pounding other females to even consider how she felt.
Instead of going to his quarters and scream at him for using her the way he did, she retreated to hers and locked the door. Helpers came knocking on her door bringing her a change of clothes and food but Noelle didn’t have the strength to even get up and open the door. She didn’t want anyone to see her in the state that she was. She was supposed to be the great Fae princess, the Queen of Mage; yet at that moment all she felt was that lost little girl after the death of her mother. No one paid attention to her because everyone was busy tending to her mourning father and preparing her mother for the ceremonial cremation. No one ever noticed that she too had lost someone dear to her, that she too needed someone to lean on, that she too was suffering inside and needed a hand through the hard times.
Noelle curled into a ball and silently wept her pain away just like she did when she was younger. She comforted herself, murmured encouraging words to stay strong and that maybe in the bleak future that she faced, something good was going to come out of this loveless union she had with the Lord Mage.
Finally Noelle had opened her doors when she heard Drake. It was time for them to go home and he had come to check if she was ready. Noelle reluctantly accepted a change of clothes from the second in command. She looked deep in his eyes and almost burst out in tears at the sorrow she saw there for her. He felt sorry for her! Of course they all did. What did she expect to gain by being in a Union with the most feared male in the enchanted world?
Now, after a long journey across the beautiful lavender and silk fields, after crossing the magnificent Agailan Bridge and after passing the great monument of the war gods, Noelle found herself safely tucked in her new quarters at Tyran’s great fortress. It wasn’t like the ancient fortresses where the gates were guarded by gargoyles or in was made of stone and wood. It was a modern fortress made of modern materials. It was a Spanish style mansion on top of the hills that over looked the city of Agore. It had the biggest gardens, a very impressive courtyard and the largest pool Noelle had ever seen.
Tyran’s quarters were situated at the back where it faced the gardens and the neighboring forest. Noelle thought the view was breathtaking and if she wasn’t so upset with the Lord Mage she would have gone out to the balcony and enjoyed the wind and the sun on her face. Instead she followed the helpers straight to the sleeping quarters and quietly watched as the day went by.
In just a day, Noelle had watched as her entire life crumbled in front of her. She didn’t even know where to start salvaging for what little remained. With a sigh she looked up to the sky.
“Mother, I don’t know what I’m doing but I hate who I’ve become in this past day. Please help me. Show me a sign of some sort....” her voice became desperate. “please.”
There was a soft rap on the door. She turned her head slightly over her shoulder as the lock automatically unlocked itself and the door swung open. She didn’t have to guess who it was as the tall, dark Lord Mage entered. He stopped at the door, his presence overshadowing everything in the room. Noelle couldn’t help but bite back a gasp of awe. Tyran never ceased to take her breath away. His silver eyes were a shade darker and bore into her as if searching for something. He stood like a sentinel watching over her. She was shocked that even after she was seduced last night and abandoned for another female, her body still stirred in his presence.
“I am...sor...sorry.” The words were muttered between his deliciously full lips.
Noelle felt something fluttered in her stomach. Did the Lord Mage just apologize to her? She reminded herself that she was still very much upset with him. He had another female leave his room just that morning! He didn’t even have an ounce of care for her. All this was punishment for running away from him...yet the corner of her mouth twitched when she turned her entire attention to him and saw how lost he looked. His fists curled and released like a cornered animal wanting to flee. He looked helpless and if she didn’t say something, he was going to turn around and walk away.
“What are you sorry for?” She asked him as she slipped her bare feet off the settee and let them softly land on the fluffy carpet. The silk black traditional gown flowed down her body as she stood up and crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve done a lot to apologize for, you know.”
“For everything...I’m still...” he searched the entire room as if the words were written on the walls.
“Learning to be my King?” She supplied.
He nodded quickly. “Yes...and at the helicopter pad back in the human world, I didn’t...”
“You didn’t mean to leave me there?” She quirked her eyebrow at him.
He cringed visibly. “Yes...you are my queen, you are my female and I must honor you in every way possible.”
Noelle felt something like hope bloom in her heart. “But I meant it when I said I will fight you.”
He rolled his broad shoulders like a panther. “And I will try in every way I can to get you to trust me enough to stop fighting me.”
“You told me that possessing me had nothing to do with vengeance but I know it has everything to do with you wanting to prove a point. I ran away from you for over a century. You were more than upset with me. I tarnished your reputation and wounded your ego. Any male who went through what you did has a right to try and punish me. I would punish myself if I could too—”
“Because you were selfish and proud.” He took a step forward.
Noelle sighed and nodded. “My curiosity is why now after all this time? What are you planning to do to me?”
Tyran stopped and looked at her with that hunger and possessiveness he had had last night. “Because it was about time I took back what was rightfully mine. You are mine, Noe, and I will not let any male as much as look at you without repercussions.”
A growl emanated from the words and caused Noelle’s womb to clench and her nipples to bud. She swallowed visibly as she tried to remember how to breathe. Tyran looked so sinful in his King attire of well tailored leather pants and a silk black shirt. This was still the most handsome male she had ever laid her eyes on. He didn’t have to do anything other than quirk his mouth or eyebrow to get her fighting for breath. All she had to do was teach him manners and he’d be perfect. “I’m not your property.”
“But you are my female. I survived the last century without you because I knew you would return to me. I knew it would reach a time that you would return home. You were scared I know. You were young and I gave you that time to grow and accept your destiny.” He stated.
Noelle felt heat creep up her cheeks. There had never been a night that she went to sleep without thinking about her dark knight. She always had his warrior face haunt her dreams. She ached for him at times and even wanted to return home just to see his face but she feared the consequences of what she did. She didn’t plan on going back. She felt ashamed of her selfishness and the trust Tyran had for her. He believed she was going to return to him but she wasn’t going to. She didn’t think he would have wanted her back either. “With time you would have forgotten about me.” She avoided his stare by looking at her feet.
Tyran moved forward and cupped her cheeks forcing her to look up at him. “It is as impossible as living without a soul. You are my soul-mate, my life-mate. I would never have forgotten you nor would I have left you out there in that strange world alone. All the time that you were in the human world, I was there with you. I had someone watch over you and made sure you never had to suffer. I couldn’t physically be there because of the mating bond but I knew where you were at all times.”
Noelle gasped in surprise. There were times when she felt a presence but she told herself it was because she was missing home too much. “Yet you didn’t claim me then.”
“You wanted freedom, princess, and I gave it to you. I gave it to you for as long as I could bear. Mates call to each other and your call got too loud that I couldn’t ignore it. I had to claim and bring you back.” Tyran gritted his teeth as his eyes darkened even more.
Noelle didn’t move. Her tongue peeked out to moisten her lips and she heard the purr that came from him. It was almost animalistic as he followed her tongue over her lips.
As if hypnotized, Tyran drew towards her lips but she couldn’t keep what was eating her inside quiet. “What about the helper I saw leaving your room in the Gateway residence this morning? You can’t tell me all this and expect me to just accept!” she pushed him away and moved a safe distance where she could stop and think for a moment.
Tyran frowned. “I have a lot of female helps, I will not refuse. I also kept a harem before yesterday...”
Noelle felt her heart squeeze. She was not a very jealous female because she had never had something to be jealous about but now she felt like she wanted to scream at someone. She didn’t even want to imagine Tyran with any other female which was puzzling since she didn’t want to be with him. “So all this time...”
“Yes,” he answered. “I did and like every other male I had my needs. I’m not telling you this to hurt you. I’m admitting because I will not lie to you.”
But it still hurt like a bitch. What did she expect? A male as potent as the Lord Mage being celibate because his queen fled for a century! She felt a light headache creeping in on her. “What happened to your harem? Are they still working here?”
“I sent them away the moment I decided to come for you. I have never been with any other female from the moment I revealed myself to you. I can’t be with anyone else other than you--just like you can’t tolerate any other male other than me.” He said.
Noelle nodded lightly. She replayed last night. The way it felt great to be his center of attention. The way he cooed her and kissed her like nothing before. Did he ever do that with the other females? The other females were more experienced than she, how did they see to his pleasure? She had no idea where to start if she wanted to return the favor. She didn’t even believe that she was thinking about being with Tyran again. Her stomach somersaulted as she turned towards the window again. Her cheeks pinked at the wicked thoughts that played in her mind. She knew a bit of how to take care of a male from some movies she watched and books she read. Would Tyran find her wanton if she tried the things on him?
Her mind came to a screeching halt. She wanted to be with Tyran again. She wanted to feel him over her. She wanted to hear those words pass thickly from his lips.
“I’m sorry.” The apology sounded uncertain as if he didn’t know what he was apologizing for.
Noelle too didn’t know what he was apologizing for. Her silence must have made him think she was upset but she wasn’t. She was curious and hot. His presence had brought all sorts of feelings and she was trying to figure out what to do with them.
“I want to see the gardens.” She turned to him abruptly and caught him by surprise.
A slow sexy smile appeared on his face that had Noelle counting to ten to keep the butterflies in her stomach from fluttering. “Of course—”
“My king.” Drake entered and acknowledged Noelle before turned to Tyran. He moved forward and murmured something to him that Noelle couldn’t quite make out but knew it wasn’t good when Tyran’s face changed.
“Where is she?” Tyran practically snarled at Drake.
“In her quarters.” Drake murmured.
Tyran turned to Noelle. “I...I’ll need to...”
“It’s okay. Go and tend to your problems. I’ll find my way down to the gardens.” Noelle assured him, a little frightened when she saw his eyes had morphed to completely white with energy. She felt it swell in the room and knew whatever happened had the Lord Mage infuriated.
He gave her a curt nod and stormed off with Drake right behind him. She sighed and bit her lower lip. He mentioned a she and though she didn’t want that jealousy to spark in her again she couldn’t help but wonder what she would make Tyran so angry and distraught. Oh how she wanted to go and search the rooms to find her but instead she went out into the warm sun. She silently sent a prayer of thanks to her mother. She made good progress with Tyran that day. She didn’t want to destroy it by sneaking into his business but she definitely planned to ask him about it later.
“Lyrah?” Tyran’s voice broke as he took his sister’s cool, small pale hand into warm ones.
The convoy from the Great Hall was ambushed by Ron’s rogues and it cost him half of the warriors. Storm was able to save Lyrah but he was so wounded that his pureblood beast, the Leo, emerged to try and protect him. Drake was down in the courtyard where the beast was contained to try to calm him down enough to bring out the male and tend to his wounds.
Beasts were as half man as they were animals. The animals in them were not like shifters where they could just take shape of the animal. The animal was an entity. It thought, it translated its thoughts to its keeper and in dire times like those, it protected its keeper from even the people he deemed his friends.
“Brother mine.” The tiny female tried to smile up at him.
Tyran swallowed back the bile that rose up in his mouth. His little sister who was always vibrant and cheery was now lying on a sick bed, her once shimmering skin pale and broken.
“I’m going to get every rogue that is responsible for this and make them pay, I give you my word.” He gritted his teeth.
Lyrah’s big dark eyes settled on his face ever so lovingly. She was always like that. She was light and life all tied together in the small bundle. Her silvery hair that flowed down to her waist was now faded and tangled. “Vengeance is not the way, brother mine. You know that first hand. I will not allow you to go out there and get yourself killed. I’m alive and it is all that matters.”
“My warriors!” his voice dropped down dangerously.
“Your warriors fought bravely in your honor. I will not have you take more of them out there to be killed.” She breathed in hard and closed her eyes for a moment as if trying to gain her strength.
Tyran was anxious every time she did that. “Tell me what happened?”
It took a moment before Lyrah opened her eyes once again and looked at him. “We were supposed to leave the Great Hall yesterday morning but I still had a lot to do. I couldn’t stand it when everyone pointed their fingers at you for starting this war...I did what I could to stop the rumors and called for a congress with the Lords and Ladies. Most listened to me but the rest thought I was....your puppet and I was merely following your orders.” She raised up her hand and touched Tyran’s cheek tenderly. “I did not believe for once that you would start a war, my dearest brother. I know you, I see your soul and spirit and you are the Mage of light—”
“I’m not...” Tyran buried his head in his sister’s hair as something dark and nasty twisted in his gut. He could almost see himself bathing in the blood of all those responsible in harming his sister.
“Oh, but you are. You would always protect and you have honor. You would rather walk into a battlefield and die than break that honor that is to your people and all the innocents. It’s who you are. It was one reason why Ron targeted you.” Lyrah’s voice broke as she drifted into sleep.
Tyran’s head shot up. Why did Ron target him? “What do you know, sister mine?”
She muttered senselessly before sleep took her over.
Tyran narrowed his eyes. Did Lyrah find out something about Ron that made her his target? What did she know? He wished he could wake her up but lines of fatigue and pain etched her once flawless face. He moved away from her. she needed to rest. In the mean time he was going to call for an audience. This had gone for too long. As the healer and helper re-entered Lyrah’s quarters, Tyran stalked to the courtyard where the Leo refused to back down.
It was a beautiful beast; a lion with the thickest black and gold mane and muscles made to stalk, hunt and kill. The Leo however was a much larger version to the normal lion. It reached a male’s head when standing on all fours. It was a magnificent animal.
“He will not let me help Storm.” Drake ran his hand over his brow as the Leo prowled to get to the males surrounding him. Large manacles were clamped around his neck and his hind legs. He was bleeding from different cuts and wounds around his body. He roared with rage as the males tried to get to him.
“Get the hell out of here!” Tyran snarled at his soldiers. He was not losing any more warriors that day. He ripped his shirt off of his body and threw it to the side. Slowly he turned to the agitated beast and held his gaze with his hypnotic one.
“Drake, call to your dragon.” He hissed to his second in command.
Drake moved a good distance from the show was and let his beast take over. It was easier now because he had done that a lot of times but in the beginning it was a painful process that no one wanted to redo. Bones popped and elongated as thousands of large ruby-like scales rippled on his skin. His pupils narrowed down into slits between the violet irises. His body elongated as he roared with the sheer power his dragon was emitting.
Drake expanded and expanded until he filled one side of the courtyard. He roared again as expanded his iridescent ruby wings into the sky.
The Leo caught whiff of what was happening and answered Drake’s call with a challenge. Tyran watched as the Leo pounced hard on ground and cracked the manacles on his hind legs. One more hard knock and that metal was going to shutter!
He quickly wound a binding spell on the manacles. He wasn’t the male to use his power against his warriors but he had no choice. The Leo was infuriated by the act that he lashed forward and pawed Tyran’s cheek.
Three deep grooves appeared on Lord Mage’s cheeks as the Leo pounced back and forth wanting to get rid of any danger to Storm. He anxiously eyed Drake’s dragon but the dragon waited orders from his keeper.
“Red, seize his mind!” Tyran barked to Drake.
The beasts, when turned to their counterparts had psychic abilities. It was so that they could communicate with the others while in animal form.
Drake’s dragon, Red, roared and did what he was ordered to do. Immediately, Storm’s Leo whined as if he had been bitten and shook his head. He thumped his paws on the hard floor and knocked his large head on the steel pole as if it would help to get rid of the physic grip but Drake’s dragon held on.
The Leo roared with so much rage, the windows rattled in their hinges. It was getting dangerous because not only was he fighting the physic grip but he was also fighting Tyran’s spell.
Every time he pounced against the manacles, sparks flew all around them.
“Hold him tighter!” Tyran barked as lightning began to pulse around him. Hot white energy crawled over his bare chest, around his arms and legs. The energy was so much that it lifted him up from the ground and swelled around the courtyard sending winds gushing around them. Leaves and twigs slapped against them as the winds picked up speed.
The Leo is too distraught and we are only making it worse! Drake psychically warned his king when he saw what Tyran was about to do. It could kill Storm!
I will not lose another warrior today! Tyran roared as he gathered the white hot and pure energy around him. He was going to force the Leo back inside his keeper and if the animal fought on to remain dominant, it could kill Storm together with his beast.
He positioned himself in front of the enraged beast. He was pure energy now from head to toe. Even Drake’s dragon was getting agitated with the immense power surrounding him. He began to flap his wings in an effort to take to the sky and flee. As Tyran was about to force his will on the beast, a soft magical voice filtered into the chaos surrounding them. It was singing a song; a lullaby for a scared child in stormy nights. It told of the brave warriors that went out, despite of their fear, to hunt down the ghouls that ate their children.
The hunters lead on;
Sweat on their skins and fear in their hearts;
The rode for hot days and the cold nights;
We go where we fear;
But for our children it’s a burden we bear;
Tyran knew that song. It was a Fae song and it sounded enchanting in the Fae mother-tongue. His heart stopped the moment he looked down and he saw his Fae princess approaching the wounded Leo while lulling it to cool down. This was not a wounded unicorn or a frightened child. This was a warrior’s beast trying to protect his keeper.
She was in terrible danger!