SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Ten
Warm hands scaled up Lyrah’s sleeping gown and settled on her bottom, gently squeezing the cheeks as warms and moist lips teased her neck. Lyrah moaned softly at her erotic dream...but it felt awfully real--
Her eyes snapped open and she found Rhol next to her. How and when did he get there! The last time she saw him, he was recuperating in the infirmary.
“What--” her lips were covered with his as he rolled over on top of her, pinning her small body so that she couldn’t escape.
Lyrah struggled against him but soon realized the more she struggled the better her body fitted underneath him. She managed to free her hand and smacked Rhol across the cheek.
Rhol opened his eyes lazily and a wicked grin appeared on his face, transforming it completely to the point that it mesmerized Lyrah for a moment. “Are you always this feisty in the morning, my little mate.” he drew down and nuzzled her cheek and neck as he parted her thighs with his leg and placed his throbbing erection just against her sex.
Lyrah’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? You almost died yesterday and instead of thinking of your health, you are thinking of sex right now?”
“I’m not after the sex, dirani peeta. I want the peace that comes afterwards.” He rasped against her neck sending desire rippling through her body.
Even though she was trying to get him off her, she couldn’t deny that her body was raging for his. Teeth tantalized her neck down to her collarbone towards one of her nipples. Lyrah gritted her teeth to stop herself from moaning as she tried to snap him back to sanity. “What are you talking about?”
“Every time I take your body, all my tempting demons run for cover and you coax me back into the light.” his hand clasped around her breast and Lyrah’s breath hitched.
She didn’t know what he meant about all that but he seemed desperate. Several weeks ago, she would have fought him off with every breath she had but remembering just how he looked on that infirmary bed yesterday and how scared she was, she found that all the fight was draining from her. This is what a mate meant. She was supposed to be able to provide whatever she could for him. It must was supposed to disgust her but it didn’t.
Lyrah stopped struggling and looked up at the Jinn King. His eyes were smoldering with a fire so wicked it had her body quivering with anticipation. His hand let her breast go and he caressed a lock that had found its way to her the corner of her mouth away. His fingers raked into her hair and held her head in place.
Lyrah told herself that she wasn’t going to fight him for just that one day. Both of them were exhausted from yesterday. She didn’t have the strength to do so. When Rhol drew down, Lyrah’s eyes drifted closed. Rhol’s lips were warm against hers, coaxing her and teasing her with little pecks and nips here and there. All that time he sought that warm secret place only they knew about.
Rhol pushed deeper into her and Lyrah lost all thought of that being nothing but a retreat for her mate. He felt wondrous inside her, slowly moving and driving her crazy with his slow grind against her. Lyrah couldn’t hold it back anymore so she moaned between his kisses. Rhol’s hand tightened in her hair as the kiss turned demanding and his tongue plunged deep into her mouth, dueling with hers. He adjusted his weight around her and picked up the thrusting deeper and harder into her.
Lyrah’s body arched as she readily accepted his assault on her. His tattoos began to glow violet. He turned her over until he was completely over her and while one hand held her tightly on her hip, the other braced itself on the iron headboard above him. Rhol gritted his teeth as his tempo increased. Sweat streamed down the muscle-carved torso. Every part of his body coiled and expanded with the movements and Lyrah had never seen anything so enticing.
Lyrah felt her close approach to climax just as Rhol was. His tattoos shone brighter but there were as silent as the night.
Lyrah’s body tightened and she felt as if it were about to break but Rhol didn’t slow his thrusts. Finally her body exploded into shards of ecstasy! Her body shone like brightest star, basking everything in the room when her purity. Engulfing her mate with what he described as peace.
Rhol also climaxed hard and loud around her. Lyrah opened her eyes and for a moment, Rhol was not that brute Jinn King she had come to know. He was just a male in need of his mate, in need of comfort and strength. Lyrah found herself folding the large male into her embrace, holding him until the tremors of the aftermath subdued.
The voices stopped, Rhol realized as he rested his head on Lyrah’s chest while being careful not to crush her with his weight. The whispers in his mind had seized thanks to Lyrah’s purity. She was a surprise to him but one thing that he loath to admit to himself was that, he was getting addicted to this new feeling of serenity.
Carefully, he rolled to the side and sighed lightly placing one hand over his eyes.
“Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?” Lyrah peered at him warily.
Rhol lifted his hand and turned to his mate. He surprised even himself when he chuckled. Lyrah was indeed a forced to reckon with. “You have just been with your mate and that is the first thing you want to talk about?”
She shrugged her slender shoulders sending the waterfall of hair cascading down covering the breasts that had him throbbing for her once more. “This is not a union, is it?”
Rhol frowned. She just threw his words right back at him. Of course that was not a reunion. He didn’t know why but every time Lyrah climaxed and radiated her energy, it touched every part of him, lulling it to submission. The effects were still there and he greedily held on to him but a lifeline. That was the only thing he was after from his mate. “Of course not.” He got up suddenly, peeling the sheets down to his waist. Lyrah’s eyes darkened as they swept quickly down his body and she quickly looked away.
“So, are you going to tell me how it is that you got poisoned yet again?” She asked.
Was she scolding him? The last time someone tried to scold him, he ended up dead. “You don’t have to worry about such things.”
“But I have to worry about them. I’m the one who will be performing the healing session at the end of the day!” she exclaimed.
Rhol gritted his teeth. “I didn’t ask you to do that. There are plenty of Mage in the fortress to do that, not you.”
Lyrah doubted that very much. She remembered what Drake had told her the last time. They were complimentary halves of each other. If he had any problem, only she would help him. “Good luck with that.” She muttered and pulled the sheets around her body before she made her way towards the bathroom.
She heard Rhol growl behind her but she didn’t turn. He was so maddening and she couldn’t believe she was getting used to his maddening ways.
Once inside the bathroom, Lyrah shed the sheets and looked at her body in awe. It was still glowing, something that had never happened to her before. She wondered who she could talk to about this. She definitely couldn’t run back home and ask Tyran about it, ask him if experienced the same thing...or Noelle. The last thing was to have that awkward talk with the Queen Mage.
Muriel! Oh yeah, now there was someone she could talk to. She stepped under the shower and as the hot water rained down her body and hair she felt the slight displacement of particles behind her. She was not prepared to see a large hand reaching for the shower gel next to her.
“What--” She started but he was already applying the gel on her back.
“We have a meeting to attend in the city today.”
Lyrah’s eyes widened as she turned around to look at him. “I am to accompany you?”
Rhol grunted lightly. It looked like he didn’t like the idea but he had no choice somehow.
Lyrah couldn’t help but smile lightly. The last time she was in the city of Karah she was too sick to even get a glimpse of it. Of course she was not going to pass the chance to do so even if it didn’t settle well with Rhol.
His hands were extremely gentle on her back. She had never expected to see this side of Rhol but he was surprising her more and more. She closed her eyes and let his magical hand sooth away her stress and anxiety. It took her to a place she had never been. All was peaceful and serene. She could smell the freshness of the area and her mind was free of all the stressful situations she had been jumping in and out of. She didn’t mind being there for a little while. A place to escape from Rhol and everything else around her.
Rhol breathed in when they arrived at the city hall. It was crowded with people, all of them wanting to see their king and queen together. Others wanted to hear exactly what was happening in their once peaceful Realm. King Rhol wondered why he did this after such a long time. He needed to reassure his people at every chance he got. One thing he was known for was for the concern he had for his people. He could never neglect them.
“Ready?” Rhol turned to Lyrah who was sitting next to him in the car.
Lyrah turned to him and nodded lightly. She looked sensational in her royal blood-red gown. Her hair was curled and braided down her back. Her eyes were glowing with excitement. Zafrina was right. She was too cooked up in the Black Fortress that she was already losing that spark in her. Rhol wondered why his thoughts were running along this very disturbing path. So what she was glowing? So what she looked radiating in front of him? So what he felt his chest swell with pride and approval and that he couldn’t wait to show her off to his people? What the hell was wrong with him? He was accepting the weakness of having a mate crack down what he had worked for years to flawlessly build up around himself.
“Let’s go.” He growled as Saigon opened the door to the royal car and let them out. People swarmed around them taking photos and cheering them on. Rhol stepped out first and scanned around for any immediate danger to his mate. Zafrina and other warriors were also surrounding them, keeping an eye at the crowd.
Once Rhol was sure there was no danger, he extended his hand to his mate. Lyrah accepted it and stepped out and the crowd went wild.
“She’s a Royal Mage!”, “Oh, they look so good together!”, “She is so pretty, I envy her complexion!”, “She is just perfect for our king!” Those were a few of the comments jumping around the crowd.
But Rhol couldn’t pretend he didn’t hear the other disturbing ones.
“She’s the sister to the Rogue Mage King!”, “I hear he has slaughtered villages of innocent people.”, “He also sent his army to kill the Mer-Queen Seranis.”, “How awful, what is she doing here?”, “She’s not even as pretty as what people said.”, “She has brought nothing but disaster to our Realm.”
Lyrah gasped out slowly and cast her eyes towards the ground.
Rhol felt fury unfurled inside him. His tattoos turned black and they rippled on his skin as they started hissing furiously at the crowd. He gritted his teeth together and stepped beside his mate then grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers. Lyrah looked up at him in shock but he didn’t say anything as he started for the entrance.
“My queen, your face.” Zafrina stepped in front of them with concern on her face.
“She’ll be alright.” Rhol rasped and took Lyrah away.
It was not fair for his people to judge her not knowing anything about her. Yes, she was the most maddening female he had ever encountered but that was only because of her explosive personality. She didn’t even have a wicked bone in her. She was very naïve and had a lot to learn but that was alright. Rhol never thought there would come a day when he would actually want to take her side because the last thing he wanted was to encourage anything else other than the fact that they were mates and that couldn’t be helped but now, he found himself wanting to shield her from all things that wanted to harm her.
The two of them were ushered to the back rooms while the people of Karah city made their way to their seats in the hall. One of the warriors came with two steaming mugs for the both of them. The moment Rhol sniffed in content he knew the warrior had spiked it a bit.
“For the nerves.” He smiled at his king.
Rhol grunted and handed a cup to Lyrah. “Drink this.”
Lyrah accepted the cup and took a small sip. He watched the action of her licking her lips and found his body throbbing for hers. She took two more mouth-fulls and she would have taken yet another one but he intervened. He didn’t want her drunk while sitting up on that stage talking to the people of Karah!
“Good morning, my king.” The coordinator of the meeting came to them and extended his hand towards Rhol. “I am Robin and you’ll be up in ten minutes....” then he turned to Lyrah and his eyes brightened. “It’s great to finally meet you, my queen.”
Lyrah smiled politely and accepted the male’s hand.
Rhol frowned when he noticed that Robin took a little more time holding Lyrah’s hand than it should have been so he quickly moved between them. “Anything we need to prepare for?”
“Everything is in place, my king. I have great confidence that the meeting today will go according to plan.” Robin assured them.
“Good.” Rhol answered then turned to Lyrah. “Will you be okay?”
Lyrah nodded, color suddenly returning to her skin. “I’ll be fine.”
By the time the meeting was over, Lyrah was exhausted. Everyone was buzzing with curios questions about her and the Jinn King. She didn’t mind answering the questions but she was also glad that no one asked her intimate questions especially concerning what is happening in the Realm of Spells. Adorable little girls asked questions about her favorite color and if she was ever going to visit their school and help out in the community. Of course that was expected of her but she couldn’t see herself doing that any time soon until Rhol cracked down on what was really happening in the Realm. Now that Lyrah looked closely at the people of the Realm of the Dark, they were no different from the ones back home. Though they were afraid for their lives, they also had hope and faith on their king to keep them safe. She believed Rhol was doing his best to keep them safe...even if that meant that he had to take his place among his warriors on the battlefield. But Lyrah couldn’t help but worry—why did the black abomination have more effect on him more than anyone else? He got poisoned twice but the second time she felt as if it was pulling him towards the darkness, wanting him to embrace it. He never talked about it but Lyrah felt she needed to ask him about it. What was that all about?
“Are you ready to return to the Black Fortress?” His voice cut through her thoughts as she went around greeting the members of his court who were present for the meeting.
“Already?” She looked up at him with a frown.
Rhol’s eyebrows arched up. “Is there anything else that you would want to do?”
Lyrah bit onto her lower lip and turned to Zafrina who was watching them a few meters away. Sometimes the female’s close scrutiny got goosebumps on Lyrah’s skin but she doubted if the female wished anything ill for befall on her. “I would like to see more of the city and since you still have a few people to talk to, I thought I would take Zafrina with me.”
“Dirani peeta--” Rhol’s warning growl was cut short by Lyrah’s groan.
“Oh, come on. What can possibly happen to me when Zafrina is around? I mean the only reason she is the second in command is because she’s exceptional, right?”
Rhol’s jaws clenched together as his eyes bore into hers. Finally he sighed and nodded. “Fine, but take care of yourself at all times.”
Lyrah grinned and did something that got both of them awkward, she leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek. Her face flashed scarlet as everyone around them tried to hide their grins. “Thanks—uhm--see you in a bit.”
Rhol nodded then coiled his arm around her neck and pulled her closer then whispered. “Keep your mischievous streak in check because if I have to come and save your skin again...” the warning went on unheard but Lyrah was pretty sure the punishment was going to be severe.
She pushed away and looked at his smoldering eyes. Her heart leaped in her ribs and she swallowed hard before she tried to smile but failed and instead she nodded and walked away.
As she approached Zafrina, she saw the other woman roll her eyes and stand up straight.
“I had a feeling whatever you told the king had something to do with me.” Her expression had Lyrah smile.
“Oh, come on.” Lyrah smiled. “It’s not so bad getting stuck with me for several hours while the king concludes his meeting here, is it?”
“You are the one to say that because you never get stuck with yourself, do you?” Zafrina looked over Lyrah’s shoulder and gestured for two more warriors to join them. “So, where are we going?”
“Shopping!” Lyrah exclaimed and led the way out.
“Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?” Zafrina muttered as she followed Lyrah out.
“My king.” Rhol turned around and he was surprised to see Stef and Leon, the two remaining Nosferatu Aryan brothers. He frowned when he saw how pale Stef’s face was. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.
Leon’s eyes darted up about the crowd and he was distressed so he sent a low wave of energy into the air, making everyone a little uncomfortable. He was risking being identified within the hall Rhol quickly grabbed the young male’s arm and led him away to the private quarters behind the hall.
Once inside, Rhol snarled and snapped at them. “What the hell!”
Suddenly, Stef’s legs buckled under him and he staggered on to the floor with blood running down from his nose. Rhol’s eyes widened as he rushed to pick him up.
“What happened, Leon? Did you encounter the Ghouls again today?” Rhol asked him.
Leon had always been the intrusive one and from what Rhol could see, the young male was retreating from reality. He was going back to that dark spot deep within him where he felt safe. The last time it happened in the Black Fortress, due to his telepathic abilities, he broadcast out a lot of his distress and everyone got jumpy and paranoid for a while. Now, it was about to happen again.
“Leon!” Rhol’s tattoos burst out from his back and latched onto the male. One snapped against his cheek, trying to bring him back to reality.
Leon blinked several times at the sudden attack on him and focused his eyes on Rhol. “He’s here.” He whispered in utter terror.
“Who is here? Leon! Stef?” He turned to the male on the floor and Stef’s eyes had turned over in his head. His body was jerking as if he was having a seizure and more blood gurgled out of his mouth.
What the fuck was going on?
“Who the fuck is here, Leon!” Rhol snarled at him.
“The last High Priest of Aidan—Rowan.” Leon answered clasping his hands over his head. “He is very strong that he has been able to attack both Stef and I using our abilities. He can attack anyone who is able to manipulate energy....I can feel him close by.”
As if on cue, someone screamed on the other side of the room. Rhol felt dread settle deep inside his chest as he got up and went to see what was happening. Of course Rowan was also part of this situation if it had anything to do with the Dark Energy. He was the one who first tempted Aidan to embrace it in order to become the most powerful male in the enchanted world! Even after the destruction of Aidan and his army and the imprisoning of the Dark Energy, Rowan disappeared into thin air. Everyone believed he had died in the attack but there was no actual proof.
Was he the one trying to bring the dead back to life and altering the pure energy with the dark arts? He must have help from sorcerers. Fallen Mage and Bachu’anes made the worst enemies!
Rhol arrived into the hall and found several of his Mage warriors together with some of the Members of his Court and a few remaining people jerking on the floor, blood seeping out of their bodies like rivers!
Rhol’s body ran cold as he felt he saw the black and brown clothed male with overflowing white hair standing in front of him eying the fallen people with malice that was bordering with insanity.
Rowan!
Although the male looked much older with his deathly white skin pulled hard against his bones. His mouth was pulled back in a snarl and inside were a pair of nasty-looking fangs. His hands had black claws and the way his body was twitch and jerking, Rhol knew the dark arts had already taken over his body. But had he been all this time?
Several Jinn warriors had surrounded him with their tattoos already detached from their bodies ready to attack the menace but Rhol dreaded the outcome. A cruel smile appeared on Rowan’s face as he thrust his hand into the air. The first Jinn warrior to attack was rendered immobile in the air. He screamed in agony as his body was lifted from the grounded and suspended above the other warriors. Suddenly a shredding sound echoed in the hall and the Jinn’s roared sent every small hair on Rhol’s body stand up.
Rowan and ripped away the Jinn’s tattoos from him and they were reduced to a black inky substance oozing down the warrior mingled with his blood.
Rowan smashed the warrior’s body on the wall and the sound of cracking bones was as loud as ever. The smell of fear overwhelmed Rhol as people scream and scrambled out towards the exit. Rhol threw his head back and roared his retaliation. Absolutely no one was allowed to hurt anyone under his watch and protection—but there were so many people around him wanting his attention.
Although he was still trying to figure what was happening, Rhol wasn’t going to stand there and watch while his people got slaughtered like a bunch of animals. He removed his blade and flashed right in front of the male killing his warrior.
As he was about to stab the male, Rowan shifted away, his robes obstructing Rhol’s attack on him.
“Rhol, just the male I was looking for.” He purring, his raspy voice sending ripples of dread down Rhol’s stomach. Rowan grinned and his fangs glimmered in the light. “Long time no see.”
“Rowan! What are you doing here?” Rhol tried to attack the male again but Rowan was quick at avoiding Rhol’s attacks. During that same time, the other warriors also attacked him and Rowan slashed his blackened claws against him, decapitating some and severely injuring the rest.
Bile rose up Rhol’s mouth as his warriors dropped down on the ground one by one.
“I have a message for you, Rhol. Your time is getting closer.” Rowan answered. He looked down at his bloody claws and licked away the blood then grinned up at Rhol. “By the way, did you like a little present I left for you at the Ghoul cave? I helped you clear up some of the pests, you should thank me.”
“That was a mass killing using the dark arts. What are you planning on doing? What is all this?” Rhol demanded.
“Oh, this is bigger than you and me, Rhol. The show has yet to begin and guess who is the main actor of it?” Rowan held his hand up and pointed at him. “You are.”
“I will never be part of you plot, Rowan!” Rhol roared and attacked the male with everything he had. Rhol slashed, punched and kicked catching the male now and then but still Rowan was a little too fast for him.
“You have no choice!” Rowan snarled back spurting out black blood. “If you want your little mate to wake up alive another day, you have no choice!”
Rhol’s eyes widened. This is what he was afraid of. This was the weakness that he was trying to avoid all of his life, the day his mate’s life was in danger because of him. Finally he understood why he didn’t want his mate there. Fury unfurled deep inside him to the point that he couldn’t even reason. All he wanted to do was to rip the male in front of him into pieces and bathe in his blood! How dare he threaten his mate’s life. Rhol was not leaving that hall until Rowan was dead! The fury engulfed him, the blackness bleeding over his eyes. He heard himself growling like a mad dog. His tattoos slithered away from him and solidified behind him, their silky crystal form gleaming in the light and promising nothing but bloodshed.
“That’s it, Rhol.” Rowan took a step back. “Let the darkness you’ve always kept locked away out. Embrace it and take your position amongst us.”
Rhol shook away the whispers inside his head. “No!” He rasped and attacked the other male.
Two of the spiky tentacles shot forward and stabbed into Rowan’s body. He was fast but Rhol was faster. The tattoos curled around Rowan’s body and pulled him forward. Rhol’s shook away his braid twisted it around his arm. His tattoos forged a spiky armor around the braid. He smashed the armor on Rowan’s chest and the male’s body went sailing to the other side of the room and crumpled down like a broken doll.
Rhol didn’t expect him to get up but Rowan chuckled and stood up. His broken bones snapped back into place and he wiped away the black blood running down his chin. “Is that the best you can do?”
“I’m just starting!” Rhol went on to attack Rowan again but the male flashed away.
“I’m not here to fight with you Rhol—but do know this, you are not strong enough to take me on...yet.”
Rhol eyed the male with loathing and disgust.
“You can get stronger than that but you have to accept who you are.” Rowan told him.
“Don’t you dare fuck with me or my mate or I will bring the fires of hell to your doorstep.” Rhol warned.
“I’m counting on that.” Rowan hissed as his body began to disintegrate in front of Rhol. “I will be seeing you again soon.”
“No!” Rhol wanted to follow Rowan’s energy trail but suddenly it disappeared as if it had never been.
Rhol looked around and there was so much blood and destruction around him. Someone must have called the ambulance because soon enough people were being moved towards the hospital. Rhol was glad Lyrah was nowhere close to that place.
“My king, allow me to attend to your injuries.” Someone asked.
Rhol looked up at the female then down to his hand and that was when he realized that he was also injured. He nodded and the female began cleaning up the cuts and bruises of his hand.
“My King.” Saigon came forward looking as bad as he did. “The Aryan brothers are been taken to the Fortress infirmary as we speak. Also, I have sent warriors to get Eve as well.”
“Good. Contact Zafrina and make sure Lady Lyrah is taken straight to the fortress instead of coming here.” Rhol stated. The fury was still burning so strong inside him. He always felt fury before. He knew his temper never always scored top marks for being easily controlled but he had never lost reasoning during one of its moments like the way he did when Rowan threatened to harm his mate if he didn’t comply with whatever plans the psycho had for the enchanted world. He looked down at his fingers and they were trembling. His mind was also a little fuzzy. He needed to calm down soon.
“Yes my king.” Saigon bowed and was about to leave when Rhol stopped him.
“How many warriors have we lost today?”
Saigon’s eyes darkened with sadness. “Four Mage warriors, seven Jinn warriors. The civilians had weaker minds and a total of ten Mage were lost to us. About twenty civilians are being treated in the hospital and are doing well.”
Rhol nodded lightly. “Let’s back to the Fortress. We need a crack on this before it gets worse.”
“Yes, my king.” Saigon went off to make sure the convoy was ready to make its way back.
Rhol was anxious to return and make sure Lyrah was alright. He didn’t know how much Rowan’s abilities affected people who were not in the hall. Lyrah was very susceptible to energy waves and he ha feeling she might have realized that something evil was lurking around. He just hoped she didn’t try to locate it, for her own safety. Now that Rowan threatened her safety, Rhol had no choice but make sure she was always watched over. Rowan had just declared war on him and the people of the Realm of The Dark. Rhol was not going to let the male get away with it. He was going to bring out the big guns and hunt him down like an animal!
Rhol’s eyes darkened with undiluted fury and anger as he made his way out of the city hall.