Haven (7 page)

Her father started
to leave, but turned back, with a weary sigh. “Who are you? I don’t know you,
or your family name." He closed his eyes. "My baby is to be bonded to
a man I know nothing about.”

His weary tone
ripped her apart. How did everything go so wrong?

“I am Leonalph
Tegan.”

Her heart stuttered,
and she reached blindly for a chair. She plunked down as her knees gave out. Oh
Gods. She didn't think… she'd forgotten about the king's illegitimate son.
Foolishly when she saw the crown, she'd thought of a cousin, but never…

Her family was done.
There would be no living this down.

Arian gasped. Her
eyes speared Evan, her finger shaking, pointing in accusation. “Liliana is
your
daughter. You allowed her too much freedom and this is the result. We'll be
ostracized.”

“Arian, hush and go
make plans for a
di êjê
befitting our station. My wealth assures we will
not be put out of society.” Her father was one of the richest merchants on
Legba, which guaranteed the ceremony would have to be a large affair. There’d
be no brushing this under the rug. She lowered her head, how she wished Leo had
bound them at Haven.

With one last look
at Liliana, Arian did as bid, leaving the room with a ruffle of skirts.

“
Baba
,” she
whispered, aching to find a way to fix this.

Her father ignored
her, instead, his attention wholly on Leo. “You are Leonalph, Death’s
Messenger, and the king's bastard?”

She flinched at her
father’s callous question. Leo’s sharp nod was his only answer.

“And your brother,
Xavier is leader of the Amanda?”

 “He is.” Pride
straightened his shoulders and Liliana's heart contracted, squeezing painfully
as a rush of longing pervaded her body.

She didn't think it
possible for her to be more attracted to him as he stood before her father
unapologetic for who he was.

“Then my daughter is
in good hands. We will not shame you with the
di êjê
.” He turned to her.
“And you…” Evan shook his head, a heavy sigh moving his shoulders. “For once
act appropriately and show your mate to the sleeping quarters he’ll be using
until you're mated. Though, it seems that ship has sailed.”

Liliana blinked. Her
father's words stung. He'd never in her life raised his voice or said a harsh
word to her. His disappointment shamed her. It was no less than she deserved
though. Because of her recklessness, her family would be cast out of the
society her mother relished. Embarrassment, anger and heat burned her cheeks.

She motioned for Leo
to follow her and walked stiffly down the hallway she'd romped through as a
child. This was really happening. She would be mated, and for all intents and
purposes she knew nothing about Leo. He was Death's Messenger, one of the most
powerful hunters in all seven realms. Gods, just the thought of it made her
faint. How could she not put that together when she saw him in the office with
his brother? How could she keep up with him? He would run her life. She’d be no
better off with him, than with the prince. And her family's money would give
her no leverage with him. His family ran the Amanda, and had done so for as
long as written history dictated. Their wealth far outweighed her father’s.

  The guest room was
across the hall from her room and she hesitated at the door. Her parents’ room
was two doors down, nothing would happen. It didn’t matter. His nearness would
play hell on her sleep tonight. She opened the door and blinked at the
brightness. Windows from floor to ceiling covered two walls. The entire
ceiling, made of glass, made the room appear as though floating. A large bed
covered in soft, supple, blue sheets her mother probably paid a fortune for,
took up the middle of the room… and all of her focus.

Gods, get a grip!

She cleared her
throat. "This panel dims the windows." She indicated the crystal
panel next to the door. She pulled down on a small lever and the windows
frosted, dimming the room to a low intimate glow. Nerves made her hands shake
as she continued to explain the control panel to him.

"The bathroom
is, is hidden. This button will open the d-door. There is a closet inside the
bathroom where you'll… find anything you need." She stuttered through the
demonstration.

 “I know how the
panel works, darlin’.” Leo tipped her chin up, pulling her gaze from the panel.
"You're angry."

Liliana snatched her
chin from his hand. "No, not really. More angry with myself. I'm mated to
a male I don't know at all. I just realized the price for my impulsiveness."

"Do you think I
would hurt you, Liliana?" Leo looked into her eyes. “Or is it because I’m
illegitimate?”

"I don't know
what you would do, Leo. You hated me not even two hours ago. I don’t care that
you’re the king’s basta-" A single tear escaped. Damn it. Everything was
catching up with her, sending her emotions reeling. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean
that.”

Leo smiled. "I
didn't hate you, Liliana. I admit, I didn't want to be mated, but that doesn't
mean I'll treat you bad. There's a lot I have to give up to mate, I was angry
at that."

"My selfishness
has caused you and my parents to give up a lot." She ducked her head,
swiping at her damp cheeks.

And yes, selfishly
she knew she too would have to give up a lot. Her four years of freedom flashed
before her. Like a daydream it scattered, taking her hope with it. She would
never get that freedom back.

He raised her chin
again and kissed her deeply. "I don't like the situation we're in. I
thought to avoid Legba for as long as I was alive. I'm sorry if I took out my
family issues on you." He said softly against her lips.

"I'll try and
be a good mate for you, Leo, I swear it."

"No more nasty
notes?" he joked.

Liliana laughed and
swatted his chest. "And no women, Leo, I won't allow you to stray."
She thought of the Dziva.

Leo stiffened and
backed from her. "Despite the circumstances of my birth, I don't cheat,
and I won't tolerate a mate that does." His eyes were hard, the green ring
around the iris glowed.

Liliana shuddered at
the intensity. "Well. At least that's one thing we have in common."
She turned for the door. "I'll leave you to get settled."

"Liliana,"
his voiced stopped her at the door. "We'll get to know each other. I don't
want to be stuck in a miserable mating any more than you do."

She nodded and
stepped into the hallway. She had to get her riotous emotions under control.
She headed for the kitchen intending to go out the back door. When she rounded
the corner, the smells assaulted her. Fresh teacakes, baked by the woman she
ran to when her childhood problems were overwhelming. Her mother's maid
arranged teacakes on a china server, her movements brisk and efficient. Her
marbled cocoa skin had onyx lines gleaming in the morning sun from the large
windows. A petite woman, her jet-black hair was pulled back tightly in the bun
she'd always worn. Her simple dress pressed within an inch of its life, clean
despite the work she did.

"Bea." She
whispered.

"Oh, my
Lily." Bea raised her head, tears pooling in her dark eyes.

Liliana rushed into
her outstretched arms. "Gods, I've missed you."

Bea pulled back and
held her at arm's length. "Let me look at you."

"There is
nothing different to see. I promise."

"Sit, then, and
tell me about everything." Bea grabbed small plates and served them both
the small confections she'd made. She fixed them a glass of cool juice and sat
across from Liliana. "You've surely stirred up things around here, but
then, that's not unusual for you."

She blew out an
exasperated breath. "I've made such a mess of things, Bea."

Bea snorted.
"Child, from the day you could walk you were making a mess of
things."

Liliana smiled.
"Well, I'm not so sure you can fix it this time."

"My Gods, Lily,
mated. I've never seen your mother so mad. If you had a death wish, it may have
been easier to just deliver yourself to Death's Messenger and have it done
with."

Liliana's eyes
widened and she choked on her juice.

Bea looked at her
sharply. "Liliana Arias Marcolev."

She laid her head on
the table.

"So 'tis true?
I just called my under maid a liar. In the name of all that's holy." Bea
laughed. "I told your father you had more guts than brains."

Liliana winced.
Gossip flowed faster than the breeze in Legba. "There is nothing funny
about the situation, Bea."

"Sweetling this
is just too hilarious." She continued to laugh, holding her stomach.

"Do you have
any idea how much trouble I'm in?"

Bea held up a hand,
tears of laughter trailing her face.

Liliana watched for
a moment before the contagious laughter shook her shoulders. A smile crept and
a chuckle escaped before she pinched her lips to trap it. "It's not
funny."

"Do you know?"
Bea took a deep breath and wiped her face. "Do you know, when you were
about ten I told your father you had enough guts to kiss death on the mouth and
escape unharmed?" She broke off in another peal of laughter. "Even
for you, Lily. This is over the top."

"I didn't do it
on purpose."

Bea shook her head.
"Of course not, dear. These things just happen to you." A fresh peal
of laughter erupted. "My Gods, mated to Death's messenger. Only you,
Lily."

Liliana crossed her
arms over her chest. "No need to be so amused about it." Her lips
twitched and she gave up, once again joining in Bea's laughter.

Bea sighed. "I
have missed you. Life has been downright dull without you getting into
trouble."

"I was not that
bad."

"When you were
five you decided to take the sky lifts all on your own. We found you at the
portal room in the Amanda's office chatting to the officers on duty."

"I was
curious."

"You scared
twenty years off my life. When you were fourteen we caught you on top of the
palace parapets trying to fly."

"Hey! That
wasn't my fault. Kedric and Kita dared me."

"You have a
streak of mischievousness in you a mile wide, Liliana."

She smiled.
"What can I say?"

"What have you
been doing these past years?" Bea sobered.

"I've lived on
Adro for all four of them."

"More guts than
brains," she muttered.

"I was careful,
Bea."

"What did you
do on Adro?"

"I wandered
around." Liliana told Bea about the things she saw on Adro, careful to
avoid the real reason she went.

An hour or so later,
Bea crossed her chest and sent up a quick prayer. "You are too much,
Liliana." She stood and gathered their dishes.

"That's what I
hear." She sighed, and then added, "I also looked for Kita."

The plates dropped
with a hard clang. "Lily."

She held up a hand.
"I know, Bea."

"Is that why you
left?" Their eyes met. Bea's dark ones concerned.

"I had to do
something." She wouldn’t tell the woman who raised her that she was
practically kicked off of Legba. There was no telling what Bea would say or do
to the royal family when they arrived.

"You were told
to leave it alone."

"She's my
sister, Bea."

"Your sister
was responsible for half the trouble you got into as a child. Her and that
demon prince." Bea shuddered. "I for one am grateful you'll not have
to bond with Kedric."

That made two of
them. Liliana shuddered. "It wasn't as bad as that."

"And the
arguments?"

"Sisters argue,
Bea." The knock down drag out fights they had could hardly be classified
as normal behavior.

"I'll never
understand this hero worship you have for Kita. She was a mean and spiteful
child and I hated the way she was allowed to treat you."

"That's not
true." But close. Kita and Kedric together certainly made her childhood
hard. Hell, here she was well into her adulthood and they were still doing it.

"It's the
truth." Bea’s voice invited no argument. "You refuse to see it.
Remember I'm the one who cleaned your various scrapes and bruises. I wiped your
tears when they were mean to you."

"She's still my
sister." It was lame, but the only argument she had. To avoid mating with
Kedric, she would've traveled to Azreal herself.

“I wish you would
let it go, Lily. There’s nothing but trouble going down that path. Please,
trust me on this.”

She heard the
warning in Bea’s voice and flinched. What could the woman know that she didn’t?
“You know something.”

A quick jerk of her
head showcased Bea's aggravation. "Liliana, your stubbornness will get you
into trouble one day."

"That day has
come." Her mother's voice from behind her lowered the temperature in the
room. "The king's messenger arrived. The royal family will be here in two
hours. Let's be presentable, Liliana, and for the Gods' sake, try not to
embarrass this family further."

Liliana swallowed
the angry retort. "Yes, mother."

Arian left the room
on silent feet and Bea breathed out a frustrated sigh. "That woman."

"I can't
believe you still work for her." Liliana raked a shaky hand down her face.
She wanted to question Bea more but she dropped it for now. She would talk to
her later about it.

"Go do as she
says, Lily. No need in the two of you fighting so soon after the first
one." Bea turned her back and started straightening the kitchen.

Nausea rolled, the teacakes threatening to come back up. She had
to face the prince. She could only pray they would not be left alone.

LEO SHRUGGED HIS
SHOULDERS to ease the tension gathered. He paced the room, edgy, the need to
escape Legba at the top of his mind. His communicator beeped on his hip, he
looked at the display.

He sighed.
"Yeah?"

"How's
everything going?"

"Just as we
expected. They rolled out the red carpet." He didn't bother adding that
they would have gladly wrapped him in said carpet and tossed it off the highest
point of Legba.

“I suppose you
couldn’t possibly do what I asked you and take her to the royal family first.”
Xavier didn’t sound particularly surprised or angry.

Rather than admit to
his brother his concern for Liliana he opted for changing the subject. “Did you
look into her sister’s disappearance?”

Xavier let out a
deep suffering sigh. Leo squelched the urge to laugh. Gods it was so easy to
rile his eldest brother.

 "Liliana was
right. Kita was in the club. She disappeared from here."

"What did you
find?"

"Nothing, at
least not for around the time of her disappearance. We're checking earlier
records next. For now though, there are no portal log entries, no surveillance
footage. There's a portal record of Kita coming through to Adro during the new
moon five years ago. We caught sight of her once more when she came to Haven
for a club night." Frustration and worry colored his tone. "We'll
check the Oras, but so far nothing. She literally disappears, Leo."

That didn't sit well
with him, but he could do nothing until he got back to Adro. "Thank you
for checking." Now to figure out how he would tell Liliana. "Do you
think their father knows anything?"

"Even if he
did, we can't question him on a family matter. You know how the Eshu are about
what they deem family matters. If he knows something, he has made his peace
with the Eminzu or they would've helped Liliana when she went to them. The fact
that he didn’t come to the Amanda when she went missing is telling."

"What does
Fallon say?"

"He thinks
Kita's disappearance is the beginning of something, but it's hidden from him.
It could be something going on in Legba, some family enemy, or something
political.”

Her father was a
very wealthy merchant. It made sense, but still… it wouldn't hurt to be thorough.
"I’ll rush the
di êjê
along on this end. I'll be back on Adro
helping in a couple of weeks or so, depending if Liliana wants to take the
bonding period here."

Xavier grunted
"Call us when the date is set."

"X." He
hesitated, rubbing his hand across his hair. "Can I have your permission
to speak with Rugaba?"

 Xavier sighed.
"I already intended to ask for an audience. Consider it a gift for your
mating."

Leo's heart thumped
in anticipation. "What do you think his answer will be?"

"Rugaba is
unpredictable on most days and nasty as hell on the rest, there's no telling
what he'll do. He may leave it up to the Eminzu, and you know the way they will
go."

 Leo suppressed a
growl. Yeah, he knew the way the Eminzu would vote. Once mated, he would have
to give up his position in the Amanda. Take something lower, and out of the
line of fire. The Eminzu were crazy on mating and continuing the family line.
The sole purpose of their machinations was to make sure a family line stayed
pure and if not pure, as strong as they could make it. The ancestors wanted
only the strongest to survive.

Xavier broke into
his thoughts. "Call
baba
."

Dread pooled in his
gut. "Does he know I'm in Legba?"

"Who knows what
baba
knows? I warned you all your dangerous hijinks would catch up with
you."

"What the fuck
does that mean?"

"You're about
to be mated to a willful and stubborn woman. Good luck, it's no less than you
deserve."

"Thanks for
having my back, bro." He hung up on his brother's laughter. He stared at
the phone as though waiting on it to bite him. He sighed and dialed his father.

He answered on the
first ring. "Are you okay with everything, Leo?"

So he did know. Leo
relaxed and shook his head at how fast gossip traveled within the world of the
Demis. "I'm fine,
baba
."

 Ranolph cleared his
throat. "I understand how important your job is to you. I'll approach the
Eminzu on your behalf and ask them to allow you to stay with the Amanda.”

Touched, Leo
swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'll handle it,
baba
. I've
requested an audience with Rugaba."

Silence met his
statement.

"It didn’t work
for me," his father said after a moment. "I hope it turns out
differently for you."

"Have you told
Sharine what happened?" He tried to keep the bitterness from his voice.

 Ranolph scoffed.
"I have not seen your mother in over six years. When all of you are mated,
I will ask to be released from my own."

Leo's heart lurched.
The consequences of his father's actions… all at once fear overwhelmed him.
"
Baba
, you'll be banished." It came out a hoarse whisper.

"My sons spend
all their time in Adro. I can't see the harm in living my final years where the
primal source dwells and getting to see you and your brothers, besides I’ll
have no use for my magic with my sons to protect me. Once all three of you are
mated, I won't have to worry about how my actions will affect your match.
Goddess knows I don't want either of you to end up with a female like your
mother."

Fury spiked.
"She is no mother to me."

Ranolph sighed.
"Leo, you’ll be haunted by your mother's actions for eternity. I'm sorry
for that."

"I'd rather not
talk about it,
baba
."

"One day when
I'm brave enough, I'll tell you the truth of your birth. Until then, please be
careful. I look forward to meeting your mate."

"You will
remain in Edin then?"

"I'm at peace
with the decisions I've made in my life here, so yes, I’ll live out my days
here until I'm banished."

A knock on the door
interrupted what he would have said. "I gotta go." He closed the communicator
and walked to the door.

Liliana stood on the
other side dressed in a formal gown of peach silk. Cinched at the waist, it
draped her body perfectly. Doubts about their mating dissipated as she stood in
front of him, her shy stance giving her a sexy vulnerability. Unable to resist,
Leo pulled her into his room and closed the door. He leaned her against it and
kissed her, possessive need driving him. She was just what he needed after the
conversation with his father. He covered her body, pressing her into the door,
yearning to be as close as possible. He cursed the small braids in her hair and
debated tugging down the knot sitting atop her head. It shouldn't take her that
long to redo it with magic.

As though she read
his mind, Liliana pushed against his chest. "Don't you dare. It took me
thirty minutes under my mother's watchful eyes to get the proper bun."

"I like your
hair down." He nibbled on her ear, inhaling deeply.

Gods, the scent of
her.

His hips jerked,
grinding into her. All the blood in his body flooded south. Vivid images of
taking her against the door flashed through his mind. He swallowed a moan.

"While we’re on
Legba I have to be presentable and respectable. No noble woman walks around
with her hair wild." She mimicked her mother's haughty voice.

Leo felt bad for
her. Her body vibrated with anger. Of course, it did nothing to quell his
arousal. If anything the fire in her eyes sent flames licking down his spine.

"What
happened?"

A grimace tightened
her face. "My mother and I don’t get along. At all." She sighed.
"We’ve had another fight. Don’t worry about it."

She stared at him
with a mixture of anger and heat. Her breath came out in short gasps and her
body trembled.

He smiled. He could
do nothing about the first, but as to the heat... "I could help you
relieve that anger." His voice deepened. He gathered her gown in his hand,
bunching the material, in an effort to reach her skin.

She traced the
bronze lines on his arm lightly and his whole body reacted. Running her hands
through his hair, she arched her body into his, grinding on his erection.
"I'm having a hard time around you in your true form. Those Cagyn
pheromones are making it hard to think past wanting you inside me."

Shit.

His cock bobbed in
reaction. He could get with that.

"How long
before the royal family gets here? Deal's off now that we've spoken with your
father.” He leaned down, sucking on her neck.

“Not enough time for
what you're thinking.” She tilted her neck to accommodate his kisses.

He growled and bit
her neck. "Gods, you are gorgeous."

She lifted his head,
and kissed him. Leo grabbed her leg through the slit in the dress, wrapping it
around his waist. He could feel her mound beneath the silk and he rolled his
hips. Her gasp of pleasure spurred him. He needed to feel her skin against his,
needed it almost as much as his next breath.

He started to rip
off her dress when there was a knock on the door. Leo snarled in warning, the
sound pure animal. Liliana slapped her hand over his mouth to stifle the sound.
He licked at her fingers intending to ignore the door.

With the second
knock, her body tensed. Leo sighed in frustration. Panic in her eyes tugged at
him, and washed away his erotic plans.

"All right.
Settle, baby." He rubbed her back and moved her from the door.

"Lily?"

"Yes,
Bea?" She relaxed and reached to open the door.

Leo slammed his hand
against the wood and shook his head. He sent a pointed look to his groin. Her
eyes widened, the color deepening as a flush bloomed in her cheeks.

"The royal
family will be here in five." The maid called through the door.

The color drained
from her face. "Ok, we'll be down."

"Now,
Liliana." Bea said.

"You have to
dress up," she whispered, moving his hand from the door.

Leo growled. The
impending meeting with the royal family was already becoming a pain in his ass.
With a simple spell, he changed back into his dress uniform, forgoing his human
skin he usually donned. It would be necessary to remind all parties involved of
his parentage.

Liliana nodded in
approval and opened the door. A Cagyn maid stood anxiously in the hallway.

"Cagyn?"
Leo raised his eyebrows and gave her a pointed look.

She flushed in guilt
from her earlier words about his race. "Leo, this is Bea. Bea, my mate,
Leo."

He nodded to the
maid and guided Liliana down the hallway. The back of his neck itched, and
tension tightened his shoulders. Liliana stiff at his side, and the maid's soft
tread at his back, the whole procession took on the tone of a funeral march. He
hadn't seen the royal family since his mother dragged him before the king when
he was a child. Permanently burned into his mind, the incident had kept him
from visiting Legba long into his adulthood. He swore he wouldn’t step foot on
the realm for as long as he lived. He sighed. And here he was, back for this
stubborn slip of a woman fate tied to him. If nothing else, the night was about
to get very interesting.

As they rounded the
corner into the receiving room, Liliana stiffened. The royal family stood as
they entered, their expressions varying. The king's solicitor stood behind
them, his face wary. The queen gasped and looked at her husband with daggers in
her eyes. The king nodded to Leo politely.

He took a long look
at the male who was his biological father. The resemblance between them was
striking. They carried the same strong jaw, almond shaped eyes, and proud nose.
Leo's eyes were a darker shade of gray than the kings. Resentment bubbled and
for a moment rage rose. Liliana's body brushed him, her hand gripping his
tightly, and just like that the rage dissipated. Bitterness however, was not
easily set aside.

"Your highness,
may I present…"

"We are well
acquainted." The queen cut off Liliana.

 Kedric held his
hand out to Leo and they shook hands.

The smirk on the
prince's face was puzzling, as was the look he sent to Liliana. "You have
done well for yourself, Leonalph."

"Allow your
father to handle this…distasteful situation, Kedric."

“Mother, there is
naught we can do. The Eminzu have marked them.”

“He's right Kaylin,
we're only here to dissolve the agreement between our families and put this
business behind us.” The king continued to stare at Leo, his eyes narrowed.

Fuck you
.
Leo's lips twitched with the urge to say the words aloud. Gods, he wanted
nothing to do with this. Screw protocol, he would take Liliana, complete the
bonding and damn the consequences. And if the prince kept eyeing his mate as
though he had carnal knowledge of her, he would rip that fucking smirk from his
face.

“Your highness, if
you will sit, my mate has the required documents.” Arian flitted around the
room nervously, brushing imaginary dust off of their prized possessions. “We're
completely embarrassed…“

“You should be,”
Kaylin narrowed her eyes. “This is no way for a noble family to behave.”

“Mother.”

“No, Kedric. I'll
not sit quietly while you are disrespected by this usurper, and his silly
twit.”

Leo stiffened. Tales
of Kaylin reached well into other realms. She was feared as much for her sharp
tongue as well as her quick temper. Liliana's mother looked stricken. It was
said she shunned nobles from Eshu society for the slightest infractions. Their
current situations would probably put Liliana’s parents well outside of any
acceptable social circles.