4. Abassan Vai
Chapter 4
Abassan Vai
V ai didn’t recognize the spiritual ‘flavor’ of the mind intruding upon their protected dream-state. Only a being well-trained in the corrupt Malvani Arts could assert themselves so decisively. They would soon find Vai was also very well-trained.
Because he was vigilant, Vai snatched a deeply buried, crucial snippet in the brief, wide-open moments the stranger’s mind connected its dream-state with theirs. A single word powered their hunt.
Roquemarel.
The intruder’s vicious glee held the ephemeral knowledge that Arden and her beloved PrideFamily sisters were being sought.
Vai had perfected Psychic Camouflage, protecting them in their dream-scape. But daydreams were not protected.
His heart overflowed with emotion. His Honored Mates were as in love, and in lust, with them and each other as he, Rally, and Kano were. Such powerful feelings would inevitably leak into their waking lives, becoming detectable to seeking soul-destroyers while separated from their Mates.
Arden and Shane daydreamed about them, and a soul-destroyer now had their psychic scent.
The emotion-filled time between an Honored Nessa being Called to Mate and Claiming her Mates, Sealing their MateBond, was a favorite time for nefarious beings to snatch beloveds from the care of their Lio Mates.
The evil-ones were double-fed by the sweet emotions of love and desire, then the sheer terror and utter despair wrought by stealing the Honored Mates.
He’d hoped they’d all be together and MateBonded before the danger he sensed stalking them found his Mates.
I was mistaken.
The intruder had shadow-trailed the spiritual scent of their nascent MateBond and followed it into Vai’s dream-scape.
He, Rally, and Kano needed to officially bring Shane into their Coalition and Declare for Arden, making their intensions abundantly clear to both. Their enemy would try to feed any doubts they harbored and separate them.
Vai took Arden’s face in his hands and kissed her softly, his love pouring into her from the gentle press. His scalp tingled as her love answered his. He spoke from the depths of his heart.
“ Arden, I Declare for you. I will be Claimed by you and no other.”
Rally wrapped Arden in his arms, giving her a deeply passionate kiss that left her panting.
“ I Declare for you, Arden.”
Kano turned her with a gentle grip of her hair. He bent low to her lips.
“ I Declare for you, my beloved pet.”
He kissed her gently and pulled back. None touched her as Vai spoke.
“ Shane, do you know what is happening?”
Arden and Shane reached out to hold hands. Vai loved that they comforted each other even as he felt ripped by their need to seek it.
“ No, but it feels important. And urgent.”
“ Yes, loves, there is no more time for enticement. It is time for decisions and commitment.”
Shane took a deep, steadying breath.
“ Shane, will you join our Coalition seeking Arden ’ s Claim upon us? We will love you all our days and unite in devotion for Arden unto our last breaths.”
Shane exhaled with an audible whoosh.
Vai was stretched thin for interminable moments in a waiting stillness. Rally and Kano suppressed their emotions as much as they could.
Vai sensed that Shane loved them, but that didn’t guarantee commitment. He hoped Shane had sensed enough about them in their brief time together to try.
Please have the strength to trust us and step into the unknown.
Shane was strong and sure.
“ I will join your Coalition.”
A faint, far-away hiss floated through the swirling mist around them as Rally’s joy burst through their dream-scape with a sweet, powerful rush. Shane and Arden moaned at the power of it. Kano growled.
Vai grunted, then groaned, as he sensed the release of a tension so tight in Rally, it painfully ached when released. Rally panted, overwrought by emotion, healing through his mutual love with Arden and Shane.
Thank you, Abah-Sah.
Kano wrapped Rally and Shane tight in his arms, his voice deep and filled with joy.
“ Welcome to our Family, Shane.”
Shane’s voice was muffled in the fierce hug, but he never let go of Arden’s hand.
“ Thanks, Kano.”
Kano relaxed, allowing his relief to show.
“ We Declare only once in our lives. To be joined in Coalition, to be Claimed by Arden, is something we ’ ve longed for.”
Shane spoke softly, meaningfully.
“ I understand. I ’ m happy to be here with you, too. I feel like I already belong to Arden.”
Arden’s tone was possessive and sure.
“ You do , Shane. Vai, Rally, Kano, you are all mine . I feel it in my heart, down to my bones. What do I need to do to Claim you?”
Rally’s need bled through.
“ Take Shane. Claim him for your own. Find us! Claim us! Only then will this soul-destroyer no longer be a threat.”
The words of the verse poured out of Vai in a torrent, embedding them deep in Arden’s memory, so she would not forget.
"Where serpent ’ s gaze meets cosmic skies, A Reptilian Realm where secrets lie. In slithering dance and wisdom old, The path awaits as stories unfold.”
“ Do you have it, Arden?”
“ I got it.”
A slow, scratchy voice wended its way around them. The sound cloying and intrusive.
“ You will search forever and never find them. Always searching. Your MateBond never complete. Bereft. Alone. Hopelessss.”
The dark presence would plant doubt if it could find fertile ground.
Vai clothed the precious, vulnerable spirit-flesh of his Honored in the dream-scape, making sure they had that small, but clear, measure of protection around them.
“ Ignore that weak attempt to influence you.”
An angry hiss drifted over them.
Arden was fearful.
“ If the verse has my clues, does this mean that thing knows how to find you, too?”
Vai would hide nothing from his Mates. They were strong and smart and deserved the truth.
“ Perhaps, my beauty. What is important here is you finding us, not them. They fear us.”
A defiant snarl swept through their minds. Vai ignored it.
“ Arden, Claim Shane and stay the course. Focus and find us. That ’ s where to pour your energies.”
Shane looked to Vai.
“ Can ’ t we just wake up?”
“ Yes, but then whoever this is would have a spiritual pinpoint on your location. And perhaps ours, too. It ’ s best to defeat its purpose and push it out while we dream together.”
A stabbing force of doubt crashed into them.
Vai used his Emotion Absorption, feeling the strength of his opponent draining his energy well. It didn’t matter. If he became a dry husk protecting his loves, he would do it.
Arden made a small sound of distress as she sensed the invisible battle around her, but her strength held firm. Shane was as determined.
“ How can we help, Vai?”
There was a way.
“ You can Reality Anchor me. This evil intruder wants you to feel fear and steal your happiness. Think about things that bring happy feelings. It will fight you, perhaps revive ugly memories. Rebuke that. Remember the good. It strengthens me and feeds our Bond.”