THE FLAMES SMOLDERED THROUGHOUT THE city, releasing great billowing clouds of smoke into the sky. The sun was darker here, and I could smell death on everything. It had taken us just a half a day to get to the city by train, and only Bebbenel stayed behind at the temple. Roran was displeased with that. He assigned two lieutenants to help the guard and spoke to the captain of the ships in the harbor.
While Roran had been speaking to the lieutenants, Lunella leaned between Aiko and I and whispered, “Bebbenel is a coward and not interested in military protection at all. None of us trusts him. And it’s Roran’s right to have his temple defended properly.”
Now, seeing what remained of the city, I could see he had every right to be worried. A coward would not be able to defend the temple. Bebbenel would hide and let our world crumble around him.
“They came from the south?” Aiko pointed to the worst of the destruction.
“Yes,” Tymon said. “We didn’t have any warning at all. That we were able to save most of the north and the west was a testament to our people’s determination.”
“They touched nothing on the way north to here,” Maurielle added. Her hand had not stopped clutching Sona’s since their reunion at the train.
What had happened that it felt like a reunion?
“Then they must have scouts,” Aiko reasoned. “If they destroyed the south and then touched nothing in between, they sent a scout.”
Sona shook her head. “We’ve been watching.”
“Speed,” I said.
Aiko nodded. “We can run faster than the eye can track. It does expend a lot of energy, though.”
Tymon held up a thoughtful finger. “Then we need to look for bodies that have been drained of blood, don’t we?”
“That will give us a trail,” Roran said. “How do we stop them?”
Aiko and I glanced at each other and chorused, “Lead.”
“What?” Staviz asked, unfolding his arms.
“Lead,” I repeated. “Lead does not answer to magic, at all. Every damn lock in the Stronghold was made with galena, lead. So if we lay lead lines or patches—”
“—the vampires should trip.” Aiko finished.
“We just have to make them wide enough to ensure there’s no way to avoid stepping on them.” Tymon bobbed his head sagely.
Grinning, I continued to hash out the idea. “There’s an old galena mine in the Cerulean Mountains, and Amarti-Upon-Sea isn’t that far. We can get Dorian…”
His absence hit me hard at that moment.
“We can leave Dorian to rot in the dungeons.”
I spun and found Rilen striding toward the group, and his eyes met mine. He headed straight for me and without preamble, shoved his hand into my hair at the back of my neck and covered my mouth with his.
As expected—delightfully expected—he tasted so much like his twin brother. I melted into him, enjoying his hard kiss.
“Saviors and martyrs, you taste good,” he whispered.
I laughed against his lips. “Missed you too.”
“I hope you let Roran keep his blue balls?”
“Teabag? Of course.”
Rilen laughed, and I suspected it was the first time in weeks that he had. “We’ll take care of all that later, Mistress Breaker.”
“We will.”
He took my hand and backed up one step. “We will be going after Master Dorian. As I understand it, we have an idea to protect the towns that doesn’t involve weapons we don’t have and can’t spare?”
“Lead, Master Rilen,” Aiko said. He smiled. “If you wish to make it a real trap, I have ideas.”
“What sort of ideas?” Staviz asked.
“Deadly ones.”
Tymon pointed to the twins. “You two will assist with the trials of how wide the patch must be. Mistress Sona, Mistress Maurielle, will you see to whatever Lord Aiko needs to protect our cities?” They both nodded. “Lunella, will you take Vitas to the galena mines?”
“I would recommend we not send the half-mad master to the mines,” I said. “Galena drives a person to insanity. Vitas is having enough trouble, isn’t he?”
Lunella let out a sigh. “Yes, but getting him away from this” —she pointed to the ruins— “would be a good thing.”
“Let’s all get into the tents,” Staviz said. “We’re all targets out here, and I want to pick Lord Aiko’s brain about all this.”
Putting a hand on his arm, I stopped him. “Cap—I mean General, I want to see what’s happened here since I’ve been gone.”
“Master Rilen?” Staviz asked. “Would you? We’ll still need you back here to go over what we’ve plucked from Lord Aiko’s brain, and set up a plan to… do…”
“Whatever it is we need to do,” Tymon said.
Rilen gave a short nod, and as the masters all walked to the tent, he led me to the stables, with Roran trailing us.
Roran cleared his throat. “Are you still mad at me, brother?”
“Can you not tell?” His words were clipped.
“I can’t. Because you’ve closed yourself off from me. And you damn well know that.”
We walked into the stable and stopped. Rilen waited for his twin to catch up and stared at him.
“That’s right. I have. Because you seem to think that this is a game.”
“Since when?” Roran’s words were quiet. “I tried to stop Dorian from going over there.”
“Why? You don’t seem to understand what he is.”
“Old and crotchety and lacks insight when it comes to Savion.” Roran stared hard at his brother. “You know I’m right. It doesn’t matter what he thinks he was going to do. When it comes to Savion, you know how he’s always, rightfully, spoken of him.”
“What is it he thinks he’s doing there?” Rilen looked bored.
“Ostensibly? Rescuing the Breaker who has quite adroitly rescued herself.”
Rilen rolled his eyes. “And his secret motivation?”
“To kill him. It’s always been to kill him. He would have climbed the Spine to kill him if he thought it wouldn’t have sucked the air from his lungs to stop him.” Roran folded his arms.
“Can you blame him?”
“I don’t. But using Kimber as an excuse? Come on, brother. We both know that’s stupid and dangerous. None of us knew what it was like over there.”
“He didn’t trust me?” My eyes danced between them.
“He didn’t trust Savion,” Roran said. “He never did, and with good cause. But he was a crusader, using you as an excuse to go charging through the Chasm. I’m sure he does want to rescue you, but I’m afraid he wants to kill Savion more.”
“What does that matter now?” Rilen asked.
“Now,” Roran snapped. “Until yesterday at dawn, we had no idea that Kimber was alive. So don’t be a jackass. Now we have to go back over there to save his ass.”
“If he hasn’t killed the king already.”
Gasping, I put a hand over my mouth. “He doesn’t know that I’m here. Dorian doesn’t know that. Savion wouldn’t tell him, either. He’ll hold Dorian hostage, lying about where I am!”
The twins looked at each other, and I could feel their disagreement melting away.
Rilen was the first to break the silence. “No, ilati, that’s not our first worry.”
“Dorian is not rational when it comes to Savion. We’re afraid that he would go there and let you be sacrificed to exact his revenge.”
My jaw fell open. My eyes roamed between the two of them, and I couldn’t contain my shock. My voice was a mere squeak when I finally found it.
“Sacrifice?”
It took both of them a moment to nod.
My knees trembled, and I was afraid I was going to land on the floor. “He would do that?”
“We don’t know, Kimber,” Roran answered.
“It’s been festering for three thousand years,” Rilen added and slipped his arm around my waist when he saw I was about to fall.
“Three thousand…”
There was another silent look shared by the brothers, and Rilen sighed. “Savion and Dorian are a part of the reason the Spine was raised.”
Roran nodded. “And why the Gate is locked.”
I looked at the horses in the stable and back to the two of them standing there. “We don’t have time to tour the city. We have to get Dorian before he does something stupid enough to raise the Spine again.”
Rilen gasped, and Roran jerked back.
Roran asked, “Do you think the magic of S’Kir would do that?”
I nodded. “Can’t you feel it? When we were joined with it, the magic became easier to understand.”
Rilen tilted his head. “I have been so angry and worried about you and Dorian and my stupid brother that I haven’t been listening.”
Roran narrowed his eyes. “Stupid, brother?”
“Would you prefer idiotic?”
“Eh. Six of one way, half a dozen of the other.”
I shook my head. “Are you done fighting?” They nodded together. “Good. We need to get Staviz to release some soldiers to us. Ones who have been trained with guns and are good with swords.”
“You don’t ask much, do you, ilati?” Rilen smirked.
I eyeballed him. “Have you learned how to use a gun?”
He looked sheepish. “Not with any accuracy.”
Staring him down, I admonished him with a tease. “You know, I can’t be the only warrior in this relationship.”
“Who taught you?” Roran questioned. “I thought you were a prisoner?”
“The rebel vampires have their own plans, and Aiko was able to sneak me out and teach me. I also had more guidance under Odom at the Burnt Woods.”
Roran stepped back and growled. “Odom?”
That was a surprise. “You know Odom?”
“He was Savion’s dungeon master.”
I nodded. “He was. He was also the man who smuggled my pregnant mother out of West S’Kir to safety.”
Rilen stared. “Excuse me?”
His brother grimaced and rubbed his neck. “Uh, yeah. We kind of need to talk about that.”
Slowly, and very displeased, Rilen swiveled his head toward his twin. “Talk. About. What?”
Touching the back of Rilen’s hand around my waist, he turned back to me. “Savion is my father.”
A string of words in a language I’d never heard spilled from him. I didn’t know what he was saying, but I knew he was swearing.
A lot.
“This just makes everything more complicated…” Rilen twisted his lip.
My forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What makes you say that?”
“He’s your father?”
“Who raped her mother repeatedly,” Roran added. “The only thing that’s more complicated is she’s half vampire. And needs blood to live.”
Rilen rolled his eyes. “How many times did you have her bite your dick, brother? Does it look like pilsu cheese yet?”
I burst out laughing.
“None, thank you very much. I was waiting on that.” Roran cocked his head. “Do you have… fangs?”
“Are you really ready to see that?” I asked.
Taking my hands in his, Rilen turned me toward him. “You feel no loyalty to him.”
I paused and thought for a minute. “Is there a way to go beyond the words, ‘hell fuck no’? Because that’s probably not even as far as I’d need to go. I had a father. He taught me to use the sword I carry. He gave his life for me to live when the boat went under. I will always carry his name.”
Rilen brought his mouth to mine and kissed me. It was soft and suggestive, and I caught Roran’s smile out of the corner of my eye.
I held my hand out to him, and he grabbed it. I pulled him in close.
“I don’t want you fighting. Dorian can be his own idiot if he likes, but the idea that you two are at odds hurts my heart.”
“It’s the nature of brothers to hate and love each other at the same time,” Roran said with a wink. “You’ll get used to it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Roran. Do you have an erection again?”
“When don’t I around you?”
Rilen whispered in my ear, “It was the dick comment.”
I twisted and looked at him. “That’s only ninety percent of your conversations.”
Roran tried to look offended, but in the end, just shrugged. “Guilty.”
I couldn’t believe how happy I was to be back with the two of them. I belonged here, with them. No matter who my sire was, no matter what I was. These two—three—were home.
“We don’t have time to tour the city,” I whispered. “We have to go after Dorian. I won’t let him die because he’s stupid enough to go after Savion.”
Rilen nodded as Roran took my other hand. “Let’s get back to Staviz. You can see the city when we’re back from saving Dorian from his own arrogance.”
* * *
I legged up on the horse, and every part of my lady-bits screamed in protest.
It was a delightful scream, though.
Roran and Rilen had worshiped every part of my body late into the night.
They were starved for me.
I had been starved for them as well.
There had been dozens of orgasms, and falling asleep between them made me realize I was finally home, safe.
The beautiful, sleek black mare I sat on was calm and well behaved. She didn’t whinny or paw the ground at all. Standing stock still at a solid sixteen hands, she merely surveyed the surrounding area.
“She suits you,” Aiko said, trotting up next to me.
“She’s beautiful,” I nodded. “I am used to slightly misbehaved horses.”
Chuckling, he leaned in a little closer. “It’s an animal fit to bear a princess.”
My stomach clenched, but I knew that he meant it as a compliment. The rule was clear in all of S’Kir.
The daughter of a king was a princess.
No matter how she was begotten.
Ugh.
I wasn’t ready for that.
No one knew, except the twins and Aiko. I wasn’t going to share that knowledge either, not until we had Dorian back, and I could talk to him about what all this meant.
I gave Aiko a weak smile and shrugged.
Taking a deep breath, I asked him the question I didn’t really want the answer to. “Do you need blood, my lord?”
He pinched his nose and nodded. “I do, Mistress.”
“You should have come to me before, Aiko.”
I kicked the horse into motion, off behind the headquarter tents near the Chasm. Aiko followed a moment behind me.
He pulled his mount to a stop next to me. “I did not think that…”
I caught his hesitation. “Think what?”
“That people would be so unwilling to even speak to me, never mind share blood.” He sounded defeated—and I couldn’t blame him. The only people who spoke to him, beyond polite, trite hellos, were Drez and Staviz.
They were enthralled, and I thought that might make up for it.
Clearly, I was wrong.
Climbing down off the horse, I tied her and Aiko’s to a picket line. There were some empty chairs and tables under the tree, and I chose one to sit in.
Aiko’s demeanor was sad. He was disappointed and alone, and my sore bits made me feel guilty.
He shook his head before I could say a word. “No. Your men love you. I can see that. They are dedicated to you. I will find my way in this world. I will find another to take blood from as soon as I can.”
“I do wish this was all different, Aiko.”
“I don’t, siqinira.”
He pulled his chair close, and I offered my arm.
“Kimber? Where are you?” Rilen walked out from behind the tents. “It’s time—”
We all froze. Aiko’s fangs poised above my wrist, and Rilen’s face locked in surprise.
I finally forced time to move again. “Lord Aiko needs blood, and I am the only one willing to give him my wrist, apparently. We can’t ride into Savion’s lair with our only vampire lacking blood.”
His visage unlocked, and he walked over. “Really? No one at all? I was sure that one of our lovely druid ladies would want to know that pleasure.”
Motioning me to stand, I had no choice. Rilen sat in the same chair and pulled me back into his lap.
I gave him a questioning glance. “Rilen?”
“This is not a terrible pleasure you should bear alone, ilati.” He brushed some wild curls away from my face. “If the mistress is willing to offer, we will take guard.”
I leaned into his ear, suppressing a smile. “Jealous?”
“Protective,” he answered. “You should not have to do this alone.”
“I’m not alone.”
But I realized what he was really doing there. He didn’t trust Aiko yet. Not with me. He could trust all the intel the man shared, and the updates to the maps and the information on Savion’s army…but when it came to me, and my sharing my very blood with him, Rilen wasn’t ready to trust him.
“It’s perfectly fine with me if Master Rilen wishes to stay. Sharing is not always private.”
“He needs the blood, Rilen.”
Bobbing his head, Rilen agreed. “I know, ilati.”
Aiko gave a sad smile. “You’ll keep her on your lap?”
“I will.”
Fighting him was going to be too much trouble and too much time. We had to get going.
I held out my arm again, and Aiko adjusted his chair and distance. Leaning my head into the crook of Rilen’s neck, I closed my eyes.
“Brace yourself,” I whispered.
“What?”
But there wasn’t time to answer.
Aiko’s teeth found my vein immediately, and the moan escaped me. His lips barely moved, encircling the wounds. He pulled on my blood, and I squirmed, the sensation lighting up my sex.
He pulled again, again, again, each time sending a jolt through me, straight to my core.
Finally, I exploded. The orgasm had me arching my back, pressing myself into Rilen.
Rilen covered my mouth with his and swallowed my screams. His arms were tight, holding my body against his as the utter bliss raced through me.
Another smaller one followed as Aiko swiped his tongue to seal my wrist.
He dropped a quick kiss on my palm.
Before I could say a thing, he stood and bowed stiffly. “Thank you, Mistress Breaker. Have you need of mine?”
“No, Lord Aiko. I’m still more than a week away from the bloodlust.”
He nodded, and untied his horse, leading it away.
Rilen stared at me in his lap. “Every time? You come every time?”
“For now,” I whispered. “Aiko said as I grow used to taking and sharing, I’ll learn to control it.”
Rilen stood with me in his arms and walked to the patient horse on the line. “You didn’t sleep with him?”
“Love, I already share a bed with three men. I would have broken all of your trusts if I had. The blood was enough.”
He helped me up on to the horse and held the reins from me for just a moment.
“He loves you, Kimber.”
I let out a long, slow breath. “I know.”
Offering the reins, he stared up at me. “And you? Do you love him?”
A small pause held in the air. I bit the inside of my lip and stared at Rilen’s handsome face and worried look. Grabbing the reins, I finally answered a moment and lifetime later.
“I could.” My hand found his cheek. “But Rilen, always remember that I chose you over him. And I always will.”
“The blood…”
“Let’s get Dorian back. Then we can fight, argue, and have make-up sex. Good deal?”
He smirked. “A very good deal, my lady mistress.”