Awakening the Dark Flame (The Dark Throne #2)

22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty-two

T here is no fucking way in Azeer’s name that Gaelin Atros is better in bed than me! No way! I thought as I stormed through the halls. Fucking emotions. Why couldn’t she just be like every other female and not give a damn? Just focus on the now and what I could offer her physically. Oh, no. Not Genevieve Drezmore. She needed feelings and monogamy and yet she chose to sleep with me. Even though I specifically clarified multiple times what I was and wasn’t capable of.

Azeer! Why did she have to be so difficult? It’s done, Eren, it’s over. She’s probably already under the pretty prick by now, but it isn’t going to faze me. She made her decision and now she must live with it. Never again will I offer myself to her. Gaelin claims to love her, so he can have her. He can deal with all her complicated emotions.

“Ahh!” I yelled, picking a vase up from a nearby table and throwing it into the wall across from me. I stopped, slicking my hair away from my face before gathering myself. Get it together, Lyklor. Look on the positive side. Instead of having one warm body tonight, I could have as many as I wanted. Yes, that is what I’d do.

I headed down to the gentlemen’s club in the city where I knew a few of the girls would be elated to see me. I had neglected them for too long. I had some making up to do. I chose a lively blonde, a curly redhead, and two dark brunettes. One had curly hair, the other straight. All humans of course. I led them back to my room and spent the rest of the night devouring their warm and supple bodies.

The next day I didn’t leave my room and neither did the girls. I wasn’t required to do anything before the hunt, and since our precious princess was having her needs cared for by King Fucker, my schedule was at last free.

I had each girl multiple times throughout the day. Watching as they pleasured each other. Licking up and down their bodies until they were completely sated.

We all fell asleep halfway through our mid-day exploration. When I woke, four beautiful naked women were sprawled across my bare body. I looked down at each one and felt nothing. I slid from the pile, taking the one with curly brown hair with me. I bathed with her, bending her over and taking her one more time before I had to be on my way.

I closed my eyes, imagining she was someone she wasn’t. I tangled my hands through her dark curls, remembering the feeling of Gen’s hair. Even though this woman was human, she still didn’t feel as good as Gen had. She didn’t sound the same or smell the small. Azeer, that smell. I would have done anything to smell lavender and sandalwood. Everything about this one was … wrong.

I wasn’t going to lie to myself. I picked this one last night because of the resemblance she bore to Gen. I didn’t know if it was because I wanted to punish her in the princess’s stead, or because it would be easy to replace her face with another’s. I slowed, looking down at the woman. I pulled away, unable to continue. She wasn’t what I wanted. She turned back with her dark brown eyes … not green.

“Is everything okay, ambassador?” she asked.

“Get your clothes and go,” I said, standing from the tub. I dried off and dressed as the other women began to wake up. A knock came at my door. I strapped on my weapons and readied myself for the hunt. One of the girls answered the door. When I rounded the bathroom threshold, Gen stood among them with a calm face. She looked each of them up and down and then locked onto the dark-haired one that resembled her.

“Looks like I missed the party,” she said, turning her gaze to meet mine.

“Your invitation must have gotten lost. Sorry about that,” I said, walking towards the door. I took a deep breath as I passed her. Azeer, her scent made me crazy, yet I was surprised I didn’t smell Gaelin on her. She walked ahead of me as we made our way to the front gates. She was clearly pissed, for which I smiled proudly to myself .

“You’re ten minutes late. The others have been waiting,” she snapped.

“As you just saw, I had my hands full. Had to make sure everyone was satisfied before I left.”

“Disgusting,” she snarled under her breath.

“What? You’re the only one who gets a pre-hunt dalliance? By the way, how was Gaelin? Just like you remembered. Did he give you enough love to fill your impossible quota?” I asked. She turned quickly, backing me up into the nearby wall. Her face was firm and intense.

“Not that it is any of your business, but I did not screw Gaelin last night. He hasn’t touched me since the light court. I, unlike you, have what we call restraint. But thank you for proving the point I was trying to make last night. You are incapable of caring for anyone but yourself. You don’t care how your actions make others feel, as long as you get what you want,” she said, holding her position for a few moments.

I looked into her breathtaking eyes and saw the hurt that she was feeling. That I had put there. She hadn’t slept with Gaelin, which made me glad, but also made me feel foolish for what I had just allowed her to see. I had never publicized my intimate relations with anyone, yet with her, I wanted her to see. I wanted to hurt her. And I had succeeded in that.

She turned away and continued down the hall. I followed at a safe distance. Head clear, Eren. You can’t be worrying about her right now . I had a mission to accomplish; then, maybe after, I’d speak with her and try to explain. But what was there to explain? This was who I was, even though I never allowed her to see it. I had told her and she still expected different results.

We rounded the corner to the doors where Evinee stopped us with a young alfar male at her side. He was tall and well-built, with a slender torso and waist. He had one blue eye and one green. His hair was a dark caramel brown and cut in a shaggy fashion. His imprint could be clearly seen, as the black marking started at his left eye and trailed down the side of his face in a thin line, down his neck, and into his shirt.

“Princess Genevieve, Eren,” said Evinee, bowing to Gen. The boy bowed as well. “This is our newest recruit, Tryverse Feynar. His power is illusions. He is an artist when it comes to the mind. He can build mental walls and make you forget things, replacing them with other memories you never actually experienced.” Evinee smiled in excitement.

“It is an honor to serve you on this mission, Princess Genevieve,” he said, giving her another small bow.

“How old are you, Feynar?” I asked.

“Thirty-eight, Ambassador Lyklor,” he said.

“But he is already extremely gifted with his powers and his battle tactics. Believe me, he will come in handy,” said Evinee, obviously taken with the young alfar.

“It is always nice to have an extra set of hands. Welcome to the hunt, Tryverse. I look forward to seeing you in action,” said Gen. She nodded and then headed to the platform to call her ragamor.

King Drezmore and his brother Rythlayn Drezmore were standing at the edge to see us off. The king kissed his daughter tenderly, looking down at her with an adoring expression.

“Good luck, my daughter,” the king said softly.

“She won’t need it,” interrupted Rythlayn, pulling Gen into an embrace. “From what Torean tells me, she’s a Drezmore on the battlefield through and through.”

“I’m learning, but I still gave a long way to go,” she said humbly.

“I wouldn’t say that,” said a female voice from behind me. Lady Winnow Fellwood, the court seer, approached Rythlayn’s side gracefully. She looked at Gen with a soft smile.

“Lady Fellwood,” Gen said, with a nod. “What do I owe this honor?”

Fellwood looked a Gen for a long moment before speaking. “It is exciting to see your success,” she said quietly. “I am so thankful to Azeer he gifted me the vision of you all those months ago. How far you’ve come in such a short amount of time.”

Rythlayn chuckled. “Yes, well, that is to be expected. Drezmore stubbornness and all.”

Gen elbowed her uncle playful.

“Well,” continued Rythlayn, “we ought not keep you any longer. The faster you go out, the faster you’ll return. Happy hunting, niece. ”

“Thank you, uncle,” Gen replied.

Winnow Fellwood approached Gen, moving her lips to her ear and whispering something to her. When she pulled away, Gen’s smiled beamed from ear to ear. Winnow nodded, taking her leave from the platform.

The light court was already on the ground, mounted on their slow and useless horses as the sun set on the horizon. We took into the sky and the search for the creatures began. Two hours later, both the light and dark court had found nothing. I flew next to Gen.

“We should take to the ground. It’s hard to see anything up here at night,” I suggested. She looked aggravated and stressed. I knew what this mission meant to her; she didn’t have to tell me. It was the first hunt her father had trusted her with. She didn’t want to disappoint him.

She exhaled and nodded. “You’re right, but I think—” She stopped as her whole body went stiff, and her eyes widened. Black consumed the whites of her eyes as she lost complete control of her body. She was having a premonition. Before I was able to take a breath, she slid off Tarsyrth’s back and was sent plummeting to the ground.

I sent Eeri diving towards her as her limp body flailed in the open air. I leaned against Eeri’s back, trying to increase her speed, to get underneath Gen before she hit the ground. Eeri’s strong wings flared out, steadying her in the air as I opened my arms to catch Gen.

She fell hard into my body, but she was alright. I slid one of my hands back into Eeri’s slit and moved Gen’s hair out of her face with the other as she began to wake. She looked around in shock and confusion.

“It’s okay, I got you,” I whispered, checking her over to make sure she was truly okay.

“Guess we never considered what would happen if I had a vision while flying,” she said, embarrassed.

“When we get home, I think we should have straps and a saddle made for you, just in case,” I said, smiling at her.

She laughed faintly, as I looked down upon her beautiful face. My fingers still stretched through her hair. Her body, cocooned into mine for safety. She looked up at me, and everything around us faded away for a brief moment.

I shook my head, trying to snap myself out of it. No, you idiot, you are not doing this. Especially with her . It cannot happen. You are smarter than this. You’ve worked too hard to let her destroy everything. You have nothing to gain and everything to lose. I pulled back, letting my hand fall from her hair.

“Hang on. I’ll take us to the ground,” I said, sliding my other hand back into the slit. She wrapped her arms around my neck, her body laid against mine. Her hair tickled my face as it fluttered in the wind. We made our way down to the others and I helped her off Eeri. She gathered everyone around to tell what she had seen .

The creatures were in a nearby cave just south of our current position by a wide creek. We took off towards the location, looking for the creek and cave she had seen. Twenty minutes on foot and we stumbled across the exact location from her vision. I pulled my black sword, activating its dark magic. The light court guards looked amazed as they stared at our advanced weaponry.

That’s right, light pricks. Be jealous, you incompetent, inadequate pieces of crap, I thought with a smile. Our first group scattered near the mouth of the cave. As soon as they entered the darkness, creatures spilled from every surface, crawling from the walls and ceiling like insects. There had to be at least five dozen of them that emerged all at once.

They were the most backward creatures I had ever seen. They walked on all fours, bent backward with their stomachs facing up instead of their backs. They had arms and legs, but they were tall and lengthy, bent unnaturally as they scurried towards us. Their faces were deformed and oddly shaped, with no eyes and a large mouth full of teeth. Their necks spun around, allowing their faces to turn in every direction.

We attacked. The creatures fought with their legs and feet, bending and flipping in unpredictable patterns. Their long. horn-shaped nails on the end of their feet slashed and stabbed anything that came close. I heard Gen call for Otar and he appeared instantly. Good. I hated the little asshole, but he wouldn’t let anything happen to her .

One creature came charging towards me. I flung my blade at its leg as the thing came snapping forward quicker than a whip. My black blade cut through the leg without resistance. I went for its other leg and then its head, dismembering the creature as Gen had instructed. I charged into the ever-growing pile of creatures as the dark and light fought side by side.

Otar flashed from creature to creature, using his six sharp hands to tear through them like confetti. I guess he was good for some things. I turned towards Gen, making sure she was on top of things. Her face radiated pure, evil delight as she sliced and chopped the creatures to pieces. Azeer, there was nothing sexier than a female who knew her way around a sword.

Gaelin appeared by her side, defending her back as they worked through the crowd. Someday, I would kill him. Though it was low on my list of things to accomplish, every time I laid eyes on him, the task rose a few hundred spaces.

After forty-five minutes of chopping and dicing, the last of the creature’s horde was torn apart by none other than the Ambassador of Lies and Manipulation. We were all exhausted, but the job wasn’t done. We made camp a quarter mile from the creek as we gathered the remains of the creatures to burn. It was going to be a long night. We made a burn pile and set their bits and pieces on fire as the foulest smell filled the air.

We rotated groups of males and females to dig the deep graves that would house their ashes. Gen, of course, insisted on being one of the first to volunteer, so the others would have some time to rest. The light court helped, using their powers to move the dirt and roots out of the way. I went into my tent and undressed, removing my blood coated armor. I washed my face and changed into a loose shirt and clean pants.

I heard Otar’s voice outside, laughing as he mocked the light alfar about their dead king and stupid queen. I couldn’t help but smirk at his brilliant methods of torment.

I sat in the chair, pouring myself a glass of whiskey. I thought of all the ways I could apologize to her for what she had seen back home, but that wouldn’t change the fact that she had seen it.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my head. One female. To be with one female for the rest of my life. It seemed so unnatural and wasteful. Why would anyone want to be with one being and refuse the joy others could bring them? Though, since I had been with Gen that first time, I hadn’t experienced another that felt the way she did. If I was honest with myself, I had been looking for a reason to bed her again and the sacrifice ritual opened that door for me. I had played on her pain and offered my comfort, making it seem like I was doing her the favor, when really, she was giving me exactly what I wanted.

Ambassador of Lies and Manipulation. Azeer, if that title wasn’t accurate. Still, the humiliation of that night haunted me. I wanted so desperately to redeem myself with her, and then she refused me, which only deepened the blow. I shot the amber liquid down my throat and screamed in aggravation. Dammit, this female was making me lose my mind.

Hypothetically, if I were to try the whole one female thing, what’s to say she’d even give me a chance after this afternoon? What if I screwed up? Which I was sure to do. And then there was the whole emotional side of things. I don’t know what the hell love is . I don’t even know if she truly does .

Though, since her arrival, I had seen a change in the king. He was so cold and unfeeling before he discovered her. Now he joked, smiled and doted on her, even kissed her in public: something I had never seen him do even with his wife or concubines. Then there was Lily and Zerrial. He had changed for her. He had committed himself to her … a human.

The king was happy. Zerrial was happy. Was it because of the love they felt for those around them? Gen did make me happy. She made me laugh and smile more than I ever had, even around those I trusted the most. I liked anticipating what smart things would come out of her mouth. I would find myself making stupid jokes just so I could see her nose crinkle as she laughed at my stupidity. And then there was the way she handled Calavi. Azeer, how masterfully she conducted herself.

She was smart and deadly. She was clever and calculative. She was truly my equal. I liked that I couldn’t predict everything she did. It kept me interested and guessing. Could I give her what she wanted? Could I love her? Then there was the matter of her marriage. The thought of any of those stupid pricks laying a finger on her made me want to commit treason.

I stopped, straightening in my chair. I did want her. I wanted to be with her, and I could deny others as long as I had her in my bed each night. That was where she belonged. Under me, besides me, on top of me.

I smiled at the memory. I took another shot of whiskey and stood up, gathering my courage as I made my way to her tent. I would win her over. I would give her what she wanted, and then whatever came next would be up to her. I didn’t know if I could love, but if anyone could make me feel that emotion, it would be her.

I got to her tent and flung back the openings, expecting to see her seated at the table, but the tent was empty. I looked back at the guards.

“She went to bathe at the creek, Ambassador Lyklor,” one of them said.

I nodded, stepping inside to wait for her. I looked over at the bed in the middle of the room. I imagined how I would take her tonight. Every position, every angle. No one would be getting sleep in the camp; I could promise them that. I smiled, imaging her bent over the wooden table. Then on top of me as I sat in one of the chairs. Her legs sprawled across my lap.

I made my way over to that same wooden table, dragging my finger across the surface with a smile. Whiskey and a bowl of oranges waited for her in the middle. The scent that reminded her of me. She would accept me. She wanted me and couldn’t escape it. Couldn’t escape us. The alcohol and fruit were proof of that.

The flaps of the tent fluttered open. I turned with a smile, expecting to see my beautiful princess, but instead, Gaelin’s tall, broad figure tramped inside. I glowered at him, changing my mask from seducer to tormentor. I sat in the chair that I would soon take Gen in as he stopped a few paces in front of me.

“Looking for something? Because I can assure you, you are in the wrong tent,” I said, peeling back the flesh of an orange.

“What are you doing here?” he grumbled.

“Waiting for my princess, of course. You?”

“Where is she?”

“Getting clean for me.” I winked at him.

He cleared his throat as his hands tightened into fists. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Gen was right, I drove him crazy.

“She is too smart to allow you anywhere near her,” he snapped. Oh, he was going to make this too easy for me.

“Would you like to compare notes, or would you just like me to tell you how many times I made her cum the first time?” I said, taking a bite into the orange, the juice spilling to my chin.

“She wouldn’t.”

“Oh, but she did. Begged for it actually. I had to fight her off for weeks until I eventually gave in. She can be quite the seductive little minx. Though, I wouldn’t expect you to understand, since she had to bed you in order to survive.”

“She would never choose you over me, Lyklor,” he said, walking towards me assertively.

I stood, meeting his dominating stance with my own. After he calmed a bit, I poured a glass of whiskey and took an orange peel, twisting it before dropping the peel into the whiskey. I held it up to his nose, twirling the amber liquid in front of him.

“Smell that?” I asked calmly. “Whiskey and oranges. She has the combination everywhere, if you hadn’t noticed. In her study, her seating area, even her room. It’s the scent she smells when she is with me. It’s my scent. The smell she can’t get enough of. I would think it’s safe to say she’s already chosen. You lose, Atros.”

He growled and flipped the table over. The glass from the bowl and whiskey shattered on the floor. The guards appeared instantly in the doorway. I held my hand out to them and smiled, signaling I was okay as I drank the whiskey from my glass, amused by his temper tantrum.

“You don’t deserve her,” Gaelin roared. “You will destroy her. Everything good inside of her, you will corrupt and take. Because that is all you do is use and take. She deserves better than you. You do not deserve her!”

“Oh, and you do?” I asked, my temper beginning to flare. “Please, enlighten me. How is the alfar who forced her to be his mistress, forced her into a life of servitude, forced her into his bed, deserving of her? Oh, and let’s not forget how you just stood by idly and did nothing while that vile, gruesome, disgrace of an alfar king, who you pledged your undying love and loyalty to, raped and destroyed her every night! In what world do you think she could ever love you? That she would ever allow you to touch her, let alone be with her? Tell me, Gaelin, please, because based on the evidence, you have no room to judge my actions.”

“I never forced her into my bed. She chose to give her maidenhood to me. And my hands were tied with Lysanthier. You know there was nothing I could have done,” he said, lowering his voice.

“She gave herself to you because she was trying to stay alive. Because she wanted you to keep her secrets. Because she wanted to find her sister. You say you love her, but your actions say the opposite.” My rage was getting the best of me. “How could anyone allow the person they love to be mutilated and tortured while you lay under the same roof?” I screamed.

“If you were a true alfar male,” I continued, “you would have killed the bastard long before he even had the chance to hurt her. Even if it meant losing your position, or even your head. You could have even gotten her out. Sent her back to The Frey. But no, instead of getting her to safety, you were selfish. You wanted to keep her, even if it meant allowing her to be beaten, raped, and destroyed.

“You sat there and said nothing. Did nothing! You choose to ignore what was happening to her, because it made you feel uncomfortable. Because it made you angry. She was on her own, dealing with all of it by herself and where were you? Pouting in the corner like a bitch.” I sneered at him.

He dropped his head, burdened with my words. “You’re right. What happened to her is my fault. I live with that every day, and yet I can’t let her go. I don’t deserve her,” he said in defeat.

I finished the whiskey. I had pushed him far enough. “Neither of us do,” I said, breathing deeply.

A guard appeared in the doorway. He was out of breath and sweating. He was badly injured and bruised as he panted for breath.

“What is it?” I demanded.

“The princess. She was taken,” he said, falling to his knees.

“What? What do you mean taken?” I yelled, walking towards him.

He shook his head as fear flooded his face. “She was bathing at the creek. Another and I were keeping watch. Something attacked us from behind. The other guard’s head was ripped clean off without hesitation. They beat me and I thought I was going to die. I passed out just before they took her. I am sorry, Ambassador Lyklor. I am so sorry,” the guard cried.

I picked the coward up off the floor and unsheathed my ulyrium dagger, preparing to end his life.

“Stop!” yelled Gaelin from behind me. He approached as I held the fucker up off the ground. I was shaking in rage as I peered into his eyes. “He’s the only one that can identify the creatures that took her. We need him for that, then you can kill him. ”

“For once, you make a good point, Atros,” I said, dropping the guard to the floor. I stormed out of the tent into the center of the camp. “Everyone, gather, now!” I demanded. They surrounded me. “Princess Genevieve has been taken by a group of unidentified creatures!” Otar appeared next to me in a fit of rage.

“What? What do you mean she’s been taken?” he yelled, stomping his feet on the floor as he grabbed at his head. “Where were you? You are supposed to protect her, you stupid fuck! Ah, the gift, the gift! No, no, no!” he yelled as he went into complete frenzy. His back erupted into spikes along his spine as his other four arms appeared on the sides of his torso.

I grabbed him by the neck, bringing his haunting yellow eyes to mine. “We are going to find her,” I said firmly.

“What does she matter to you? You don’t care. All you do is take and hurt. I will find her. I will protect her and my gift!” he yelled, disappearing into thin air.

I looked back at the crowd of alfar.

“Leenia,” I demanded, “go back to Doonak. Inform the king and gather as many able bodies as possible. The rest of us will begin to spread out and search for any sign of her or the creatures. She was taken by the creek. Any findings, report directly to me. Let’s move!” I yelled.

My stomach turned as a panic I had never experienced before spread through me like wildfire. If something had happened to her … no, she would be alright. She was strong. She had to be alright