20. THE FEMALE WHO IS DIFFERENT
Chapter twenty
THE FEMALE WHO IS DIFFERENT
Emeriel stiffened. Her insides turned cold. "No."
King Daemonikai shifted, pulling her closer as he settled on his side. More aftershocks of pleasure rocked her with his movement, and she whimpered. So full.
"I almost killed you when I rose from that brief sleep," he said in that deep, soothing tone behind her. "I thought it might be possible, so I left the bed. But it obviously was of no use. If it happens again, I might actually kill you, Galilea."
I don't mind. The words caught in her throat as Emeriel's belly dropped. Oh, she had it bad. So bad that she genuinely did not care if he killed her, as long as it was him here, spending this heat with her.
"I don't want another male, Your Grace." The mere thought was like a thousand needles dancing across her skin.
"Leah…"
Emeriel, Your Grace. Her middle name had never sounded so good coming from anyone, but she wished she could hear him call her by the name she really answered to. Emeriel.
"I can't bear another's touch," she croaked. Emeriel would die first.
"Perhaps. But you can bear your betrothed’s. It was wrong of me to take you from him, to challenge him for your heat," he grimaced. "No male should do that to another. He likely did not fight me because of who I am."
"You were in a rut."
"It does not make it right," he countered. "He was too, I could sense it. He would have fought me in a duel, for you."
“Really?"
"Yes, young princess," he sighed. "Males in rut are fiercely strong when protecting what's theirs. It's nature's way of ensuring even the weakest Urekai can defend their females during their most vulnerable heat, when other males come sniffing around. Herodis knew that. He did not engage out of respect for me."
You are my male. You would have killed him. Guilt nearly swallowed Emeriel.
"You need him here," King Daemonikai continued, reluctantly. "You know how I feel about your kind. I do not want to accidentally kill you."
I can't bear Lord Herod's touch. I don't want to. Please, don't make me.
"Do you hate me, Your Grace?" She needed to know. Though his answer might hurt her, she needed to know.
Silence.
Only the rhythmic beating of her heart interrupted the stillness of the air.
He does.
Her eyes burned.
They were locked together, and until his knot went down, they could not separate. Emeriel cherished being this close to him but wished she could turn to face him.
She wanted to see the face of the man who held her and take in his features. She longed to greedily drown in those fiery green eyes.
This heat was so painful and traumatic, yet a part of her was beginning to wish it would never end. If it kept this male close to her, Emeriel wished it would take as long as it wanted to break.
Her Beloved. Very close, yet so out of reach.
King Daemonikai would never know. He would never see how deep her feelings ran. He would never know the longing that had taken root in her heart since his beast cuddled her all those long nights ago. Nothing good could come of it.
He didn’t even like her; his silence was proof enough. The tears welled, spilling onto the sheets.
"Do not cry," the grand king said softly. "It's for the best. Trust me, little princess, you do not want me to like you."
Oh, but I do want you to. So much, it hurts.
Emeriel was in too deep. She was so submerged in this emotional ocean that she couldn't find her bearings anymore. Another tear trailed down her cheek as she tried to quell the rising panic.
His massive knot throbbed inside her, stretching her to the limit. It was uncomfortable, yet pleasurable. Almost unbearable, but Emeriel was starting to like it too, because it was him. She felt so full of him, inside.
Maybe it was for the best if another male saw her through the rest of her heat. Perhaps if she endured this, it would help her reign in her feelings for this male who would never be hers.
"When my knot goes down, I will leave, Galilea," he sighed, his breath hot on her neck. "I should not have been here in the first place. I hope Herodis makes the rest of your heat enjoyable for you."
More tears fell, hot and silent. Her heart constricted until breathing became a struggle. Already, she could feel the next wave building, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting to sweep her under once more.
"Alright," Emeriel whispered at last.
She was different.
Grand King Daemonikai watched Galilea in a peaceful sleep she had cried herself into. Moonlight came through the curtains, illuminating the tear streaks still damp on her flushed cheeks. What female would not want her betrothed to guide her through her first heat?
This one, however, had sobbed herself into exhaustion at the mere thought. He stroked a stray strand of hair from her beautiful face.
Heat hormones. They could be deceitful. Heightening emotions, reducing inhibitions, and increasing outspokenness. It had been ages since he had assisted a female other than his bondmate through their heat, he had nearly forgotten how each individual's experience could be different from another.
Daemonikai had helped numerous Urekai females through their first heat, even after bonding with Evie. Urekai females tend to imprint their young hearts, mistaking affection, adoration, and fondness, for love.
A few had imprinted on him, and if the fixation did not wear off by their first heat, their bodies mistook him for their male. A complex situation too, as they often could not bear another’s touch but the male they imprinted on.
Typically, Daemonikai often found himself torn, hesitating as he searched for compatible males for them, but his efforts were frequently met with tearful pleas from their parents, who would come kneeling and pleading on the fortress grounds.
Then, there was Evie's persuasive insistence.
"A female’s first heat is a delicate situation," she would remind him. "Scared, panicked, the girl is unsure of what to expect. They need to be with someone they not only trust but feel safe with. That young one chose you, my dearest. Trying to find them a compatible male is not only needless but futile and time-wasting. Every moment you are not there, that girl is not only terrified, but in severe pain."
His bondmate had been right, of course. And so, Daemonikai had always been there to help.
He made sure not to take their heats for granted, treating them with respect, making their first heat a memorable one. He had seen many first heats in his long life, he couldn't put a face to most of them anymore.
But this one was different. This one felt different.
Daemonikai reached out, unable to resist the urge to touch. Gently, he combed his fingers through her silken hair. Cool and fine as moon-spun silk, they slid through his fingers like water.
Galilea was his first Syren. And, more importantly, the first female to trigger his rut before he'd even touched her.
Usually, Daemonikai needed to mount them before his primal instincts kicked in as if to assess, ‘Do we care about her? Alright then.’ But this…this had never happened before, not even with Evie.
"Oh, you are so defective, my dear mate," Evie used to tease him early in their bonding. He could still remember her soft laughter as she shook her head, patting his cheek. "Do not worry, I love you like that."
It used to bother him that his rut didn’t trigger for his own bondmate unless he mounted her first, but thankfully, that changed two millennia later. Yet, this young Syren...
Daemonikai's eyes traced the delicate lines of her face, the long lashes resting on flushed cheeks, the bow-shaped lips slightly parted in sleep. She was so young, a mere fledgling compared to his ancient self. He felt a pang of guilt for having touched her at all.
A Urekai youngling would have been fifty to eighty years old before experiencing their first heat, remaining a youngling until at least two hundred. But Galilea...the girl didn't look to be a day over nineteen.
What the hell was Mother Nature doing to burden such a young creature with the tumultuous changes of Syrenhood and then thrust her into the fiery furnace of a full heat?
Herodis must have triggered her Syren traits. A knot of jealousy in his gut, an emotion he quickly buried. He liked Galilea, probably more than he liked any other female at the moment, but she was not his. Nor did he want her to be.
The nightmares had awakened him, and he had almost killed her. Each day, the shadows in his heart grew darker. More menacing. It was…troubling.
Where was it leading to? What would happen when he could no longer contain this darkness?
And he still needed to track Vladya.
With a sigh, Daemonikai rose from his seat and dressed quietly.
Aekeira was fraught with worry. Em was late. Worryingly late.
She was supposed to have returned yesterday, but there was no sign of her.
With Amie’s help, they covered Emeriel's chores to avoid drawing attention to her absence, but with each passing hour, Aekeira's restlessness increased. She had slept horribly, like a restless spirit, tossing and turning throughout the night.
Where was Em? Was she safe?
"I can't just stay here and do nothing." Aekeira paced. "What if it’s her full heat? What if she's scared? What if she needs me?"
"You needn’t worry so much," Amie said. "I’m sure she is with the kind high lord. She is safe with him."
"I can't help but worry, especially if she's in heat." Aekeira shook her head, filled with so much concern. Em's upcoming heat had been a source of fear for Aekeira for so long, though she tried to hide it. To be strong for Em. "She's going to be so scared. I need to be sure she's okay."
Amie's brow furrowed. "How exactly do you plan to do that? You cannot sneak out of the fortress. Slave master Tyke will find out."
Right. That cruel Urekai hated her. Ever since Lady Merilyn had saved her from his whip, his animosity towards her had worsened. Today, he'd piled on a mountain of chores for her. Leaving the fortress would undoubtedly invite his wrath.
"And, you can't go to Lord Vladya," Amie added. "Word is, he's not yet back to the fortress."
Aekeira's gaze fell, trying to hide the conflicting emotions spreading through them. She had tried not to think of him these past few days. But, deep down, she worried. Was he in the woods again? Was it voluntary, or was it the feral madness?
With a heavy sigh, Aekeira forced herself to sit on her bed, the worry twisting her insides into knots. It wasn't just Em she feared for. She also feared for the male who had insinuated himself into her life and thoughts, refusing to leave.
Is Em safe?
Is Lord Vladya safe?
Grand Lord Vladya stirred, disoriented. The air hung heavy with the damp scent of moss and earth. The rhythmic drip... drip... drip... of water off the cavern walls. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through a crack in the rock ceiling.
This time, it was the cave.
Not just in any cave, but one on the outskirts of Urai. Vladya had no memory of how he ended up here, miles from the border. His last recollection was sparring with his soldiers in the training yard. And...nothing.
His head throbbed with a familiar, agonizing pain. Rising unsteadily, he stumbled towards the cave's entrance. His clothes were caked in dirt, as if he had run through every forest in the kingdom before finding refuge in this cavern.
Outside, the sky was ablaze with the golden hues of dawn, the bright sunlight piercing his eyes painfully. Had he been unconscious for a day? Weeks?
He reached for a messenger bird perched on a nearby branch, murmuring a few hushed words before sending it off. Returning to the cave, he sank down onto a moss-covered boulder, clutching his aching head in his hands. And, waited.
"Your Highness?" Yaz's voice broke through the haze of pain. How much time had passed?
"In here," he rasped, his throat dry and scratchy.
Yaz appeared at the cave entrance, flanked by two soldiers loaded with supplies. Vladya accepted the offered waterskin, splashing the cool liquid over his face and neck.
"How long was I gone?" he asked Yaz as they made their way out of the cave, his voice still rough.
"Two days, My Lord," Yaz said, concern coating his tone.
Damn it. Daemonikai would have noticed his absence by now.
"My Lord?"
"What is it, Yaz?"
"Permission to ask—"
"Denied."
"Your Highness..."
"I do not want to hear it." Vladya knew Yaz was very worried about him, but he did not want to deal with Yaz's worry right now.
If he were lucky, he would not have to deal with anybody's worry.
He simply wanted to get back to his abode, have the healer prescribe something new for his headaches.
Because, apparently, the current so-called medicinal concoctions he’d been taking were nonsensically ineffective.
At the fortress, he passed through the familiar intersection and was almost at Blackstone when he heard a familiar voice.
"Lord Vladya?"
Vladya did not turn. "Not now, Ottai."
"Yes, now," his friend insisted, his voice firm. " And if you do not grant me your time, I shall follow you all the way to Blackstone. And mark my words, I shall plague you until you give in."
Vladya stopped with a resigned sigh.
"Figured as much. Everyone, leave," Ottai ordered. Within seconds, the meeting of paths was deserted, except for the two of them.
"It is the madness, is it not? It creeps closer. Tell me what troubles you, Vlad."
Vladya met his gaze. "Nothing."
"You know better than to lie to me," Ottai hissed, stepping closer, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You vanished for days, now you return with bloodshot eyes, as if you haven't slept in weeks."
"Fine. It's the madness. I lost track of time. Zoned out for days." He stated bluntly. "What are you going to do about it?"
Ottai paled, his anger replaced with a wave of pity and sorrow. "Vlad..."
Vladya turned and began to walk away, unable to bear the weight of his friend's concern.
"Tell Daemon about this. Please." Ottai's plea hung in the air.
Vladya stopped, whirling around. “And what difference would it make? He already contends with enough burdens. He does not need the weight of my own struggles."
"Is that what you tell yourself? You think the grand king will not wish to know that his closest companion is battling feral madness? Since when do you lie to yourself?"
Vladya rubbed his throbbing temples. "I have a headache the size of a dragon's egg, I cannot do this right now."
"He sought you. Repeatedly. He even left to hunt for you, before news arrived that he had to attend to some urgent matters for days."
"What urgent matters?"
"I know not. My point is, you must tell him." Ottai pinned him with a stern look. "If you do not tell him, I will."
Anger flashed in Vladya's eyes. "Why is it so important to you?"
"You think I do not know what you are doing?" Ottai shot back, anger mirroring Vladya's own. "Your sanity deteriorates rapidly because you are not fighting this. You are NOT putting up a fight. You think I will let you? You think I would let you run away like a coward?" He closed the distance between them, jabbing a finger into Vladya's chest. "Think again! I. Will. Not. Let. You."
Vladya blinked slowly. For a man who rarely lost his composure, Ottai was truly furious.
"So, you either tell him, or I will. Do you hear me, Vladya?" With those final words, Ottai turned heading towards Mabblewood.
Vladya took a deep breath. His headache worsened.