Chapter 9
The next morning they were still no closer to finding her. She’d now been in the hands of the Klimnu for nearly two days. He could feel her, but she was fading. He no longer felt her fear, or her will to fight. He didn’t know what they’d done to her, she’d somehow shut him out, but he knew it was bad. She wasn’t the same anymore. He knew he hadn’t gotten to know her well before she was taken, but he knew. Eliana wasn’t Eliana any longer.
He paced the room and Ero came in holding his stomach. He was bleeding pretty badly, but Ciyrs didn’t care. He had pretty much lost all hope of ever finding her, and if she died a part of him would too. He wouldn’t be good for anything.
“Hey, uh, I know it may not be a good time, but can you?” Ero walked over to him slowly. Everyone was leery about Ciyrs. No one knew how he was going to react at any given moment. He wasn’t stable.
“Sit.”
Ero nodded and sat on the table.
Ciyrs laid him back and closed his eyes. He felt both parts of him. The one no one knew about and his healing side. He was tempted to test his new power, but deep inside he couldn’t. It didn’t matter how lost he was. He would hurt one of his brothers. He called to his good half and healed him. It felt good on his fingertips. The heat from his power flowed into Ero.
Ero’s eyes fluttered shut and he moaned. Ciyrs was used to this. His power had that effect on them all. It was why it was so private. He knew his warrior brothers would be embarrassed if someone saw their raging hard on after he patched them up. It was why Pyra hated it when Eden healed.
He felt Ero’s hand reach for his and he let him grip his fingers as the healing finished. Sometimes he thought the warrior did it on purpose. He was hurt more times than not, and the thoughts of him having feelings for him had crossed his mind more than once, but he shook it off.
He just wanted someone to care. Ero wasn’t like them all. He wasn’t as big or as strong. He was an orphan and the king and queen basically adopted him when he was a kid. For all intents he was Pyra’s brother, but he was a jack ass most of the time. Like he had to make up for what he lacked in size.
“Enough,” he said and Ero opened his eyes blushing.
“Sorry, you would think it wouldn’t do that to me anymore.”
Ciyrs sighed. “It’s normal, but I need to be alone please.”
“Still no luck in finding her?”
“No and she’s giving up.”
Ero shrugged. “A real mate wouldn’t.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Ciyrs glared at him and in one swift move held him in the air by his throat.
“You stupid fucker. You need to learn to keep your damn mouth shut. She is my fucking mate. How dare you!”
Ero struggled in his grasp but Ciyrs was gone. All the control he held over the years and he broke. His hand heated up and his warrior friend screamed.
He wasn’t aware of anything after. He blacked out and when he opened his eyes he tugged at his arms. He was restrained to a bed. “What the hell?”
Pyra came into view, then Eden. Her face was streaked with tears. “What’s wrong baby doll?”
“You don’t remember?”
“Uh—help me out here, because I so obviously don’t know what’s going on. Why the hell am I being restrained?”
“Ciyrs you injured Ero badly.”
He shook his head. “No I wouldn’t do that. He can be an ass, but we all know why.”
“You did. I had to heal his wounds. I don’t know what you did, but his flesh around his neck was burned, like he was in a fire.”
Realization dawned on his then. He didn’t remember but he remembered the feelings. “Oh fuck.”
“Where is he? I have to apologize. He just made me snap, I know that much. I healed him, and then he made a comment about Eliana not being a real mate and I lost it.”
“Fucking shit, he knows better by now. No wonder you lost it, but how the hell did you burn him?”
“I seem to have gotten a new power. One I’m not sure will be good until I get a handle on my temper.”
Eden tensed. “What kind of power?”
“Not the good kind baby doll. At least if it’s used on friends.” Ciyrs shook his head. “I am two different people now. A part of me heals and the other part of me destroys. I’m torn between good and bad and I have no fucking idea what to do. I need Eliana, I need my fucking mate.” Then he broke down and sobbed. Eden climbed on the bed and wrapped her arms around him pulling him close.
“Shh, we’ll find her. I don’t know how but we will.”
“It’s no use. I don’t feel her anymore.”
Eden pulled back and her brows knitted together. “I do.”
“What?” He felt a bit of hope.
“Yeah she isn’t doing well, but she’s still alive.”
“Don’t fuck with me baby doll.”
“Hey don’t!” Pyra growled.
“Oh calm down he’s just excited.” She brushed his tears away. “She’s alive. I bet she shut you out. Probably not on purpose either. I think it’s time I reached out again.”
He shook his head. “But the baby. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not. But I’m doing it. We need her back. I won’t be able to go on feeling your suffering on a daily basis Ciyrs. Your pain is my pain.”
He nodded understanding because she understood what he went through. Her pain was his too.
He looked at Pyra who growled. “Like I have a choice. She won’t listen to me.”
Ciyrs had to bite back a smile. Eden was a stubborn woman, and he knew she was the key to finding Eliana, or so he hoped.