| |
Moxie wandered through the deserted streets of the town alone. She should have waited for Rada, but after her conversation with Leif, she needed time. The beauty of the buildings, from grass huts to skyscrapers, took her breath away. How could so many periods coexist in one place? She almost expected freaky music and a voice-over telling her that this was where reality ended. When nothing happened, she continued walking.
She went into the first open door that looked like a shop. There were racks of clothes that were being shown off with pride.
“Another human,” the salesman said with joy. “Did Rose send you here to get jeans or was it Ellie?”
“Neither, although I bet both would have recommended this place if they knew I was going exploring. My name is Moxie, and your clothes look great.”
His chest puffed out. “I design my own line. My name is Marlin, and I own this small store.”
She took her time walking through the aisles examining the fabric's quality and the stitches. There were four outfits over her arm before she knew it.
“Wow, this place is terrific. I’ll be coming back to buy more things.” She grabbed her cash card out of her back pocket, hoping he took the kind of money she used.
“Why the frown, Moxie?”
“What frown?” She flashed him a smile while handing him her card.
“Unfortunately, that won’t work.” He looked at the cash card with disgust. “The price of the clothes is the truth, and you will pay.”
His eyes caught hers, mesmerizing her. She found herself telling him about her doubts where Rada was concerned.
When she could think, her hand went to her mouth. How had he made her speak of things she only thought of when alone?
“Your first mistake is thinking you’re the only female to have doubts about how they feel about someone. You’re not.”
“How did you get me to spill like that?”
“It’s the price of the clothes. You already decided to buy them, so paying for them wasn’t a foreign concept to you.”
“Next time, I’ll want to know the price ahead of time.”
He tilted his head in acknowledgment, but otherwise, ignored her.
“Did you have any advice?” He was folding her clothes placing them in a bag.
“Leave him.”
“What?” She almost choked.
“Leave him. Stay here but leave the hell beast. I have an extra room you can use. Ellie has several extra rooms. You’ll be in town where you are safe, but you won’t be tied to him.”
She stood there blinking like she was watching a foreign movie without subtitles, and she had no idea what was being said. When he handed her the bag, she walked out of the store thinking that man was crazy. Leave? Did he really suggest that? What was wrong with him? Oh yeah, crazy.
She walked back to the house in a daze, the thought of leaving Rada beating in her consciousness. How could he suggest that? She wanted to walk upstairs, but her feet took her into the living room.
“Hi...” her words trailed off when she saw Rada on the floor tied up. Silas stood over him, the veins in his neck throbbing.
“He broke the rules.” He said it so calmly that she saw the uncaring male she first met weeks ago.
“This is silly untie him.” She went to him. Silas lifted a hand, pinning her to the wall before she thought to mount a defense.
He snapped his fingers, and she knew what was going to happen. Rada was being torn apart by something she couldn’t see. He thrashed on the floor, screams of pain coming from him while she fought, screaming for his brothers to come save him.
When she finally slid down to the ground, her body too weak to stand, she pulled herself to where he was lying. Not knowing what was hurting him, she threw herself across him, hoping to give her life for his. They screamed together until there was nothing but silence.
Asa and Lael stepped out of the shadows looking at the bloody mess that was Rada and Moxie.
“He didn’t survive,” Asa said.
“He took her with him; we should have stopped this.” Lael looked at them, sadness seeping from his pores.
“I could no more stop his judgment than I could stop yours.”
“But I survived!” Lael hollered.
“We don’t pick when the judgment happens,” Silas told him.
“Yet you have a mate and weren’t judged.”
“You weren’t there to see it. I am a mage. What I went through would curl your hair if done to you.”
“You act like it was no big deal.”
Silas advanced on Lael. “I almost lost my life and my mate. He would have been given to another who sought my mage status.” A shiver of fear went through Silas. “What he experienced at the hands of a demon would have been a cakewalk compared to a mage. I suffered as much if not more than you did, Lael. I don’t take that for granted or what Rada went through before he died for granted. Everything is lost.”
“Lael and I will move the bodies, preparing them for burial.”
Blood and guts moved, making them jump back.
“What happened here?” Rada made his way through his deceased body. “Gross, what is that in my mouth?”
There was more movement than Moxie sat up, wiping blood out of her eyes and hair.
“What happened?” She turned to see Rada. Her memory came back. “You’re alive. You died; I died with you. What happened?”
Silas reviewed the first part of the prophecy again.
When the time comes, space and matter will try to converge to become one. When it does, the door to the one will emerge. Only he that sees the end and is willing to take the first step will begin...
He pondered the second portion knowing he was missing some of it.
When two who are equal but different meet, the next step must be taken. If one gives in and the other yields, then the awakening will begin.
What awakening or the awakening of whom? He didn’t have enough of the prophecy or the clues to figure this out. Rada must be the second part of the prophecy.
He watched as Rada helped Moxie up, and they slipped out of the room together.
“I’ve got nothing. All I know was that Rada was to be judged and found not worthy. How he survived, why she survived, I have no answers for you. As for the prophecy, if I knew or understood it, I would share it. Right now, you know as much as I do. We go forward.” His eyes rested on Asa. There was no way he would pass the test. The oldest never did.
_____
––––––––
MOXIE WAITED UNTIL Rada closed the door to his room, hopefully, their room, before leaning against him. Her nose wiggled, taking in his scent. The ache in her neck thrummed as she arched it. There was a swishing sound in her ears and heat in her veins.
Rada pulled his shirt over his head. She could feel the wetness between her legs.
What happened downstairs? What was happening now?
He approached, not making a sound or disturbing the air around him.
Her nerve endings jumped, an intense shock going through her when he leaned over her, whispering into her ear.
“The boy finally knows what he wants, and he’ll move heaven and earth to get it.”
There was a stumble in her chest as puffs of air made his eyelashes move.
“The girl enjoyed the chase but wonders if the capture will be half as fun.”
When she left the house this morning, she didn’t know what she wanted. Marlin’s invitation for her to live elsewhere spilled blood. It was hot and sticky, clinging to her fingers as it dripped to the floor. It was death, the ending of everything. Then it was gone, just perceived reality, she told herself. That didn’t change the fact that leaving was the last thing she wanted to do.
What would tomorrow bring? She batted the thought away as his lips pressed on hers. He nibbled on her lips. She knew what he was doing and opened for his tongue to slip through. The taste of berries sweet and tangy with a hint of salt overcame her.
The weight of his tongue as it lashed against her made the erratic thump in her chest continue. He moved back before picking her up to carry her into the bedroom.
He took his time slipping her clothes off. Each move brought flashes of pleasure enough to tease but not satisfy. When he was done, he stood back and took off the rest of his clothes.
“Moxie.” She knew this was the next move for them, the right move. It probably should have been done earlier, but kissing was more important to her at the time.
“I want this.” His head was shaking. Her hands went to her arms to stop the sudden trembling.
His hands covered hers. “You have to understand. I don’t know what will happen next, but I believe you’re my mate. The only one I will ever get. If you don’t want that...”
Mate. Not demon queen or slave, but the other half of his soul. Mate. There was wetness on her cheeks, and her lips trembled.
“I never thought to find anyone who would put up with the baggage I bring, let alone love me.” She wanted to be in his arms, but he had to know first. “I love you, Rada. I think I started to understand when we were outside of time. But I wasn’t sure until after I talked to Leif and Marlin.
He kissed her, his lips moving over hers like butterfly wings in the wind. She pressed, needing him harder and deeper. His mouth opened, allowing her in to touch, stroke, and duel with his tongue. Picking her up, he tossed her on the bed.
Pleasure coursed through her when he showed his strength and his gentleness.
She peppered kisses down his neck rubbing her nose against the base. His scent invaded her with a sense of peace as the thumping in her chest invaded her veins and her pussy. She throbbed to get closer to him.
Rada moved down, using his tongue to lick the sides of her breasts. It left fiery trails of sensation behind. When he took her nipple into his mouth, her hips arched. Her fingers threaded through his hair, the softness of it calming her while the suction on her nipple fired her up.
“You’re playing with me.” He gave a low sensual growl connecting with her center. Rada took her other nipple in his mouth, sucking until it was a hard little nub. He blew on them. She squirmed, the warm air sending shards of pleasure through her.
She grabbed his shoulders, bringing him down on her, allowing her hands to roam over his shoulders and back. He sucked in a breath as the heat of her fingers trailed over him. They rolled back and forth on the bed, trading caresses and kisses.
Rada rolled her to her stomach, smoothing his hands down her back, following them with kisses and whispered endearments. When he reached her lower back sucking the skin at the base of her spine, whimpers left her as her body coiled up, begging to be released.
He crawled up her body to whisper ‘not yet’ in her ear. When he laid on her pressing her to the bed, his heat permeating through her, her mind spun out of control as she gave little mewling sounds.
“Rada, please.”
He smoothed her with his body as his hell beast came to the surface. His mouth changed, reforming, two canine teeth dropping. He bit her on the shoulder. She screamed, her orgasm coming from the intense pleasure laced with pain. He licked the bite before turning her over and surging deep inside of her.
“You bit me.” Her legs circled his waist while she stared at him.
“Maybe.” He withdrew and surged deep again, knocking all reasonable thought away. The room was filled with groans and murmurs of pleasure as they were covered with sweat and smiles.
Moxie felt herself readying for another climax. She strained to reach it as the light she only ever saw when she was weaving became as clear as the sun. A connection between her and Rada was lit up. The more they moved closer to the ultimate release, the thicker the connection became until she was sure they would forever be tied together.
“Come with me.” His voice rolled over her like waves crashing against the shore. She saw the highest mountain peak; he was standing on the edge. When he moved his hips, reminding her of the rapid-fire of her gun, she threw herself over the peak, following him to the ground.
Today was a good day to die. He caught her, never letting her hit bottom. Together they floated in a pool of his making. Life took on a new meaning—where there used to be one, now there were two.