Haven (9 page)

Never anything in
between.

A part of him had
not wanted to see either on the face of his mate. Her relief at hearing he
didn’t kill soothed him.

His smile, a mere
baring of teeth, showed a hint of his growing fangs. "Come, baby, I’m only
asking you to sit in my lap. I’ll behave."

Gods she was
beautiful. Her dark lashes lowered and hid her eyes. When they lifted, the need
reflected caught his breath. Moonlight filtered through her gown painting her
curves in erotic shadows. She straddled his lap, the material of her gown
bunching around her waist. Her scent wrapped around him and he buried his face
in her neck.

“Do you have any
idea what your scent does to me?” He kissed her neck, pulling her fragrant skin
into his mouth.

She moaned. "I
thought you were behaving."

He drew small
circles in slow motion along her thighs taking delight in the shudders that
shook her shoulders. He traced the lace at the bottom of her gown debating how
far he could go. "I
am
behaving. You have no idea how hard it is
for me to keep myself from sliding your panties aside," he bit her lip.
"and sliding into the sweetest-"

“Leo,” she
whispered, cutting him off.

He chuckled,
trailing kisses across her collarbone. Her skin warmed under his lips.

She moaned. Fire
raced through his blood straight to his hard on. Her hips wiggled, his control
strained.

“How quiet can you
be, Lily?” Leo fondled her breast, weighed it. His thumb brushed the taut peak
pushing through the fabric of her gown.

A moan was her
answer. She swallowed. Her neck working as she fought for air.

He pushed up her
gown higher, trailing his fingers across the smooth skin of her stomach. The
scrap of lace she called panties did nothing to hide the moisture gathering
between her thighs. He slipped a finger underneath.

She moaned again.

“One more moan,
Liliana and you’re as good as fucked.” He barely recognized the guttural tone
of his voice. His finger lightly played in the soft curls covering her mound
before he pushed into the warmth.

“Promise?”  Her
hoarse whisper traveled down his spine.

His dick throbbed,
pushed against his pants. "I promise." He pushed two fingers into her
warmth. "You'll find that I keep my promises,
iná
."

He hissed as her
inner muscles gripped his fingers. He captured her lips in a hot kiss,
swallowing her next moan. He tangled his other hand in the braids of her hair
and pulled. Her back arched, displaying her breast in offering to him. An
offering he gladly took. He licked her through the gown, teasing the silk
covered pebble. Her mouth opened on a sigh of pleasure and he groaned. Magic
flowed between them, her skin blushing, a dim light starting to build. Her
light rivaled the glow from the bright moon.

He pulled her head
down and shoved his tongue in her mouth, his grip on her hair tightening as she
drew on it, sucking on it. He pushed the strap on her gown down her shoulder
with his chin, exposing more of her body to the cool air.

"
Mi
iná
."
She was his light. He watched as that light played across her face as her magic
flared. Her caramel skin glowed, the warmth encompassed him and tightened his
chest.

He separated their
bodies, stopping his kiss only long enough to lift her and slide his pants
down.

"Leo, I need
you." Her whispered words were desperate, her eyes liquid pools of emerald
flames.

"You'll have
me, baby." He positioned her over his straining shaft.

He pushed in slow,
tortuously slow, biting down to contain his shout of pleasure. Her sex was
tight, wet, and clenching around his shaft. Liliana arched her back, driving
him deeper, her heat surrounding him. He pulled her head down for a kiss.

His hips lifted as she
rode him, his strokes deep and her walls dragging him further out of control.
Her neck called to him, instinct drove him as his fangs dropped, crowding his
mouth. He scraped his teeth along her neck, so tempted to taste the blood flowing
there, to seal them so no one could take his light. He closed his eyes and
threw his head back, away from the temptation.

Liliana rolled her
hips. She tightened on him, flexing and gripping the head of his erection.
Finding his control, Leo pushed his hips in time with hers relishing every
stroke.  Edging closer to release, their passions consumed them. His hands
released her only to take purchase down her back finding a place on her tight
ass. He used his strength to lift her up as she drove herself down over and
over again. Her hands gripped his strong shoulders balancing over his lap to
drive her tightness home. The heat of her thighs burned his skin as their magic
combined. Leo’s hands squeezed tight as her wetness slid him effortlessly
inside with each stroke.

He was a goner. He
tried everything he knew to slow his climax but to no avail. His orgasm was a
fire that raged down his spine and tightened his balls in pleasure. Her eyes
locked on his as she rocked her body, grinding on him. Her orgasm rolled
through her as her hands dug deep into his back nearly breaking the skin. She
came, pulling at his throbbing erection and his control. He followed her over
the edge, his hips lifting as he drove into her body. He was flying. Her mouth
opened in a silent scream. A haze of pleasure fogged his mind, and he collapsed
back into the lounger, dragging her down on his chest. Liliana burrowed into
his neck her mouth on his pulse.

"No, baby"
He pulled her from his neck. He couldn't allow her bite. Couldn’t allow the
blood exchange before the
di êjê
.

She whimpered and
wiggled and he hardened again. The mating frenzy would ride them until they
completed their bond, and he planned to enjoy every moment on her beautiful
body.

He stood up still
joined with her body. He dragged the cushion from the lounger and tossed it on
the balcony floor and laid her down, her hair spread out. He positioned himself
at her entrance and drove in. She was beyond wet, her orgasms still sending
tremors through her sated body. Leo closed his eyes and growled. Her nails
raked further down his back and she lifted her hips, meeting him thrust for
thrust. Yeah, he could do this all night.

LILIANA DIPPED HER
HEAD to hide the yawn threatening to crack her jaw. She'd been sitting in her
mother's living room for the past two hours learning etiquette and history from
the royal archivist. The woman was in charge of passing down history to future
generations. It was required since she would be marrying into the royal family.

“Lady Marcolev!” The
slap of the silver pointer against the table snapped her to attention.

The historian stared
at her, her narrow lips pursed. The petite woman was Eshu. Her family had
served the royal house since before recorded time. Metalie Yoru was dressed in
the traditional gown of a beautiful and sedate silver, marking her station as a
royal employee. Her purple and blue hair was faded with age, but shinier than a
polished diamond. A large, single braid trailed her shoulder reaching her
stomach.

'Lady Marcolev, you
need to pay better attention. Not only are you marrying into the royal family,
but into the Amanda as well. The protocol I am attempting to teach will keep
you out of more situations like the very one you’re in now.”

Liliana suppressed a
sigh and the urge to jump across the table at the smug lady . “Why didn’t I
have to go through this when I was betrothed to the prince?”

The archivist
eyebrows lifted. “If you’d successfully mated with the prince, these lessons
would’ve been conducted once you took up residence in the palace. That will not
be the case with this mating. If we make it to the ceremony that is.”

The barb hit its
mark, pissed, Lily crossed her arms over her chest. “We've been at this for two
hours Mistress Yoru, and quite frankly you've just regurgitated history we
learned in finishing school.”

Metalie narrowed her
eyes. “Very well. What do you know of the history of the Demi, and the start of
the Amanda?”

“The Amanda started
after our war with the humans. They were started as a way control and monitor
traffic to and from Adro.”

A smug smile tipped
Metalie's lips. “Wrong, that is the type of misinformation little girls fresh
out of finishing school regurgitate to others. If you're to be the mate of
Death's messenger, then you'll do well to pay attention and keep your bad
attitude to yourself.”

Heat climbed Lily's
neck, the bite of her temper rushing through her chest. “Fine, tell me what you
think I need to know, and be quick about it. I don't want to hear any more
about who beget who, and whose cousin had a million babies.”

The two women
stared, neither breaking eye contact. Finally the archivist rolled her eyes and
turned back to her presentation. She moved through a few screens and pulled up
an artist rendition of the Great War. Lily sucked in her breath at the
heartbreaking scene. Blood ran in a river at the bottom of the painting. Humans
and Demi in various positions of death littered the ground, while the gods
turning their backs were scattered throughout the darkening sky. Something not
quite black, but dark enough hovered on the edge of the scene, sinister and
waiting, almost happy at the destruction playing out. The artist captured the
devastation in a way that brought tears to her eyes.

“Doesn’t it break
your heart,” Mistress Yuru whispered. Clearing her throat she carried on. “The
Divine were the first humans the gods and goddesses created. They were made
from the soil of the earth and given the breath of life. They were beautiful to
look at and it wasn't long before the gods that made them started to lust after
them. As it always is with lust,” she gave Liliana a pointed look, “the gods
were unable to keep their hands to themselves. That’s where the Demi come in.
Born from gods and humans. Demi-gods.”

Liliana sat up. This
wasn't the same history they were taught. They were told they were made by the
gods.

“History tells us
the death of the first Divine started the unrest among them. They were made by
the gods, but not of them, so they were mortal. It was then they noticed the slow
aging of the Demis. Jealousy started the first fights and the war soon after.”

“The war between us
was started because the Divine realized they were mortal?” Liliana sat stunned
amazed at the disparity between the histories she was taught as a child.

“The fear of death is
a powerful motivator, as Prince Leonalph knows. They did everything in their
power, and it was remarkable power, to prolong their life. Experimenting with
magic darker than anything belonging on earth. In doing so they unleashed the
ultimate evil.” Metalie sighed and shook her head. “Soon the earth ran with the
blood from both races, gods and goddesses fought on both sides, driving up the
body count until Adro herself cried out for an end. The primal source pulled
the gods from the war, leaving to two races to fight for themselves. Except,
the Divine didn't play fair.”

“Ofeeree.” Lily
whispered. Stories of the evil villain were whispered among the children at
sleep overs. Used by nannies to keep wayward charges in order.

Metalie cleared her
throat. “Yes. He was formed from pure black magic, no soul resides in that
being, nothing to tie him to any type of humanity. He turned the tide of the
war towards the Divine, and soon the Demi went into hiding. Adro created realms
for each race to give them shelter. But Ofeeree was not content to just rule
the Earth dimension, he wanted everything, every dimension to belong to him. To
stop him from encroaching, the most powerful families of each realm got
together, each giving a portion of their power. A binding spell was created
from the magic, and after more deaths, more chaos, Ofeeree was finally bound.”

“Why did the Demi
not come out of hiding then?” Lily sat forward propping her elbows on her
knees.

“You've seen the
realms we were given, you've spent time on Adro, would you give this up for
that?”

“But the primal
source. We need it more than the humans.” Every year families traveled to Adro
to access the primal source, to soak up the sun as it were. Though the realms
were made for the Demi, their dimensions did not hold the true power of the sun
or the cosmic energy Earth held on its surface. Only an echo of that power.

“It was decided that
to keep the peace, we would remain where we were. We would keep our magic, and
our technological advances to ourselves. Only venturing out once a year to pull
in power from the primal source. It was why the Havens were created. To give us
a safe place to pass through to Adro and to give the Amanda a way to keep track
and accounting of who was where.”

Lily frowned. “Why
did it matter? Why keep track of who's going to sunbath for a week?”

Metalie crossed her
arms over her chest in a rare showing of temper. “Would you want an Apophi
demon roaming Adro unsupervised, randomly taking souls? Or shall we send a pair
of un-mated Benu to seduce half the population of any city they enter, leaving
the poor women enthralled and near death?”

Lily shuddered,
neither sounded like a good idea. But, since she'd snuck onto Adro, she knew
there were ways around the Havens. “So since I'm going to be marrying into the
Amanda, tell me about them.”

“The Amanda were
created by Rugaba. He initially was given responsibility of the Demi, it’s said
as punishment from the primal source. During the war, because of the primal
source's edict, he had to step back from both us and the humans. He created the
Eminzu to govern us, and the Amanda to police. Along with policing the Demi,
the Amanda are responsible for protecting the humans from us, and our magic.
Your new brother-in-law is current leader of the Amanda and has been in his
position for close to three centuries. He took over for his father Ranolph
Tegan, who had served for close to a millennium. According to tradition, Prince
Leonalph will be asked to step from his position as Death's Messenger and take
a less dangerous job.”

Lily's heart
dropped, and remorse filled her.

“Regardless, he will
be known as Death's messenger for the rest of his life and you will need to act
according to that station.”

She rolled her eyes.
And they were back to how she was supposed to act. “What else will I need to
know? Can we wrap this up?”

“Goddess, but you
are a rude female. We cannot just 'wrap this up'. Your lessons will take place
every day until the day you’re bonded. So you may as well get used to it.” Metalie
started to pack away the gear she'd brought for her presentation, her movements
jerky broadcasting her aggravation.

“So I'm not the only
one you drive crazy?” Leo's deep voice broke through the tension.

She didn't hear or
see him come in. Her heart thudded at the sight of him leaning against the door
frame. He wore a black V-neck shirt with a pair of khaki colored linen pants,
looking impossibly handsome. Her fingers itched to touch him. The fatigue and
boredom she'd felt with the etiquette lessons dissipated and were replaced with
anticipation. The smile on his face sent heat through her body.

Metalie bowed her
head. “Your majesty.”

A look of surprise
darted across his face before he hid it. “That's a first.”

Leo's dry tone
brought a barely there smile to the archivist's face.

She grabbed her bag.
“If you'll excuse me.” She turned to Liliana. “We will resume tomorrow.” With
that threat she left them alone.

Lily stood, wiping
her hands along her jean shorts. “Hi.” Shyness left her voice a whisper as she
approached him. Despite last night she was unsure of his reception of her.

“Hi,” he said
softly. He pulled her the remaining distance into his arms.

He dropped a whisper
of a kiss on her lips, sending her heart into a tailspin. She melted at his
sweet greeting.

“How did you sleep
last night?” A mischievous grin converted his face from the stern handsomeness
she’d grown accustomed to, into gorgeous.

She smiled, and
looked up from under her lashes, “I slept wonderful for some reason.”

He chuckled, the sound
sending a thrill to her lady parts. He trailed kisses along her neck. “We
should get out for a bit,” he whispered.

LEO CUDDLED HIS MATE
closer. Aggravation from her etiquette lesson seeped through their connection.
Getting out would be a perfect way to relax her. He sniffed right where her
hair met her neck, inhaling against the warm spot, her smell turning him on
like nothing he'd ever experienced.

“Maybe we can visit
the market place, I’ve missed our pastries so much since my time on Adro.”

He loved the smile
on her face and wondered if he'd ever be able to tell her no for anything when
she smiled at him. The oversize t-shirt she wore slipped off her shoulder and
he couldn’t resist a nibble. She tilted her head to the side, tightened her
grip on his waist and moaned.

He hardened,
pressing his body into hers. “You know what that sound does to me,
ina
.”
He reveled in the feel of her and wondered where they could escape her mother’s
prying eyes. Some place they could sequester themselves so he would have her to
himself.

Grinding into her a
little more, he groaned. He didn’t want a quickie with her. He wanted something
slow…drawn out. He wanted space to devour her. “Go get dressed, before we get
in trouble.”

Reluctantly he
stepped back.

“Let me change into
something proper and we can leave.” She kissed his cheek and slipped past him.

He eyed her
retreating figure in the short denim that hugged her ass, giving him all types
of ideas. The shorts showed off her shapely legs and damn if he didn’t want to
chase her down the hallway. He pushed down the predator within him and turned
his back. If they didn’t get the
di êjê
finished soon, he was going to
explode.

***

“You're meddling Rue.”

Rugaba stopped his pacing and stared at
the intruder. Azra, the god of death sauntered across the courtyard, his steps
insolent and leisurely. Rue came to his solarium to think, he had no need for
company.

“What are you doing in Alafia?” The god
rarely left his realm.

“I came to see what you were up to. There
are rumors floating around, I thought I'd come to the source.” Azra folded his
arms over his lean chest and eyed his brother. “Something you want to tell me?”

“What could I have to tell you that you
don't already know?”

“I'm to understand you're doing favors for
an old friend…again.”

Rue grimaced. To say Azra and Oya didn't
get along was an understatement. “What has that to do with anything?”

Azra sighed. “Rue you know what happens
when we meddle with the creatures on Adro. Not to mention, what happens to you
when that viper is involved. Leave it be.”

“They are not creatures, brother. Besides,
they’re our creation. You would allow them to die knowing we could help?” He
cringed as he recognized the words Oya used with him when she defended her
tribe.

“They are ours no longer, let the primal
source deal with whatever it is.”

“So you imagine
when
Ofeeree
destroys the earth, he'll not be looking for another place to take?”

Azra scoffed. “Please, he and what army?”

“Oya's tribe is the only thing standing
between Ofeeree's followers and the army of souls he's going to try and take
back. So scoff at my favor all you want.”

Azra frowned and uncrossed his arms. “They’re
locked away, bound tighter than Ofeeree himself. Or don’t you trust the magic
your Oya so preciously covets?”

Rugaba ignored his brother’s barb. “It's
part of the prophecy. Ofeeree will search for a way to rebuild his army, most
of whom were sent into the deepest reaches of this realm. Guarded by the very
same woman you openly mock. Do you not think he’ll come after those souls?”