Chapter 1
Pyra raced to the infirmary carrying a limp Eden in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her lips were pale with a bluish hue. Her body was cold and the wounds on her neck hadn’t stopped bleeding. The Klimnu had torn into her, and no one knew how their bite affected humans. She was the first human to be attacked—that they knew of.
He shoved the door opened roughly not willing to set her down to use his hands. “Ciyrs!” he yelled and his voice echoed in the building rattling the glass cabinets.
His friend came running looking pissed like he wanted to rip him apart until he saw Eden’s lifeless body in his arms. The words died on his lips and he ran over to them with wide eyes.
“Shit, what the hell happened to her?”
“Klimnu attack.”
Ciyrs paled. “Here lay her down. I need to get some things.”
“Hurry up brother she is fading and too fucking fast!”
He rushed around the room doing who knew what and Pyra was starting to lose his patience. Finally his brother, and the healer of the Denynso, sat on a rolling chair and slid toward the gurney that Eden lay on. She didn’t move, and he could barely see her breathing. If it weren’t for their newly formed link he would think she was already dead, but she was alive. His mate was a fighter.
Brushing her hair from her forehead he prayed she’d be okay.
Ciyrs went to lay his hand on her but before even the tip of his finger touched her; Pyra roared and shoved him off the chair and across the room with a growl. He slammed back against the hard wall shaking the building with the force of his body and fell to the ground.
Luckily Ciyrs was the calm one of them. Instead of blowing a gasket he stood and shook it off only shooting Pyra a ‘fuck you’ glare. “I have to touch her to heal her.”
Pyra shook his head. “I’m sorry it was instinct and she’s injured, plus the bond is brand fucking new.
“I know I sense it. I won’t touch her inappropriately.”
He sighed. “I know, but I can’t watch.” He spun around and leaned his back against the gurney hoping his body heat and closeness would help her fight and heal.
He knew the moment Ciyrs touched her. The room heated exponentially and he felt his inner magic immerse into her body. He turned just as her torso lifted into the air and she took in a large breath. Her eyes shot open and then she screamed. The piercing wail hurt his ears and glass shattered. The whole compound would hear her pain. He couldn’t take it. It was blinding indescribable pain and he wanted to kill.
Pyra roared, but news travelled fast, and when he would have slammed Ciyrs into a wall he was restrained by not only his brother warriors, his brother, but his father laid a hand on him trying to soothe him. He hadn’t even realized they were there until strong arms held him back.
“He’s helping her.”
He shook his head and tears slide down his cheeks. “It’s hurting her.”
“No son, it’s not—not the way you think it is. She was dead. He’s bringing her back to life.”
Pyra froze. No way. She couldn’t have been dead. But when he looked, really looked at Eden he saw the signs. The blue on her lips was still present.
Ciyrs’s hands laid flat. One was over her heart and the other on her head. His eyes were shut tight in concentration and sweat poured from him. His face was pale and his hands began to shake. He realized what his brother was going through to save his mate. He’d never be able to repay him and owed him a great debt.
He wondered what it would do to her. Ciyrs hadn’t ever brought a human back to life. He knew with another Denynso it would mean a link was formed between the healer and the saved. He didn’t like the thought of them having a link.
“It will be like a brother and sister relationship, son. Nothing more.”
“How’d you know what I was thinking?”
He shrugged. “Because that would be my first thought as well. The most important thing is that he saved her, and she will live because of his gift.”
“I know, I’ll never be able to repay him.”
Finally Ciyrs removed his hands from her body and opened his eyes. Pyra physically watched as the magical link formed between them. Her eyes widened and so did his brother’s. It was like something inside them recognized each other and when he bent to kiss her, Pyra tried to move, but again he was held back.
“It can ruin the healing magic. They have to bond.”
He growled. “I know, but we just bonded before her attack. It’s too fresh.”
The king placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “You’ll survive. Ciyrs is your brother.”
So he watched as his good friend kissed his mate. Only he didn’t kiss her lips, he kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek. “My sister,” he whispered and every voice in the room went silent waiting to see what happened. No one dared to even breathe. She was the first human to be healed, hell to be brought back to life in their long history.
She smiled when he helped her sit up. Her neck wound healed right before their eyes and hers latched on to Pyra’s. She smiled at him and then looked at Ciyrs. “I can never thank you enough. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Ciyrs nodded and helped her stand, and she wrapped her arms around him hugging him close. He made it brief before unlatching her arms from around him. “Go see your mate before he rips my head off.”
She nodded and turned to him. She blushed and walked over to him. She was quiet and docile, and he wondered if she would regain her temper. He sure as hell hoped she did. It was part of her charm.
When she walked right into his arms he was thrilled and curious. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
He was confused. “What are you sorry about?”
“Scaring you, I felt it. It was strange. The whole time you held me, I felt your pain and suffering. It nearly suffocated me, and I tried to wake up, but I couldn’t.”
“It’s okay Eden. You’re alive now.”
He looked over her head and saw Ciyrs watching them. His eyes shined, but there was something else in his expression, protectiveness.
He led her over to him and pulled him into a hug. “Never am I more appreciative than I am right now, brother. Thank you.”
He nodded and smiled. “It’s surreal, I didn’t think it was going to work. I also don’t know what the affects will be so I need to keep an eye on her and keep notes for future reference just in case, not that I plan to have to do that again. I’m utterly and totally drained. I need to freakin’ sleep for a week.”
“Rest and I’ll keep track of any strangeness. First, it seems her temper is gone.”
Ciyrs laughed. “It will probably come back. Her body went through a horrible ordeal, and she was technically dead.”
Those words made him shudder; he didn’t want to think of what would have happened had Ciyrs not been able to save her.