29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kya
“ W hat?” Ryker choked out, clenching his jaw so hard I thought his teeth might crack from the tension.
“Take me, Ryker,” I breathed.
I stepped closer to him until I was near enough to reach out and touch him.
His hand flew to the back of my head, gripping my hair at the base but not touching my skin, and pulled me to him.
I gasped and put my hands on his muscular chest. It felt warm beneath my touch and I wanted to feel his bare skin against mine.
“Stop,” he grunted in a whisper. “I can’t control myself.”
I tilted my head back to look him in the eyes; the silver in them seemed brighter, glowing almost.
“So don’t.”
“Gods…this is so fucking hard,” he said breathlessly as his face moved closer to mine. I could feel his breath against my mouth.
My tongue swiped across my bottom lip before biting it.
His eyes were filled with desperate hunger, and a low growl reverberated through his chest. My breathing increased, each rise of my chest causing the peak of my breasts to rub against his body.
Wetness pooled in my core as it throbbed, begging to be filled.
His cock twitched against my stomach as I pushed my body against his.
His body scorched mine in every place it touched and I wanted more of it.
“Ryker,” I pleaded, my eyelids fluttered shut as he moved his lips closer to mine.
“Kya, I can’t.”
My heart sank and I opened my eyes. He released his grasp on my hair and pulled away from me quickly. I instantly felt the chill of the night, already missing his heat. I gaped at him.
“I thought you wanted this?” I asked. Fighting against myself to not claw my way back to him. Now that I had had him so close, I didn’t want to separate ever again.
“I do,” he rasped. “But I can’t. I’m sorry.”
I had thought perhaps that my mind was playing tricks on me in the darkness when wings appeared behind him.
But then he turned and I could see the black leathery appendages protruding from his back, his shirt ripped into slits where they had emerged.
He spread them out to the sides, the membrane was etched with scars and at the tip of the center of each wing had a curved claw. My eyes widened.
That’s why he would seem to disappear.
He glanced back at me over his shoulder for just a moment, his eyes full of sorrow, before he beat his wings once, causing a gust of wind that propelled him into the night sky.
Cold and alone in the darkness, I slumped to my knees on the forest floor and dropped my head into my hands to stifle a sob.
All at once, the veil of the bond lifted and the reality of what I had just done, what I had asked him to do rushed back into me. I had asked him to claim me. I didn’t even know it. Then it hit me. Ryker , Lord of Oryn and Worthy to Xareus, the God of Chaos.
Gods, I had been so absorbed by him that I hadn’t even thought of who he was. Feared for his ruthlessness, he and his Nation were a force to be reckoned with and, if the rumors were true, had a taste for the blood of his enemies.
Was I his enemy? The Sage female at the Temple of the Fallen God had warned me to watch out for the other Worthy.
Not only was I a Worthy with no Nation, but I was also Atarian by birth.
I had never sworn citizenship to Riyah, therefore I was still Atarian and technically forbidden.
But it would be a cold day in Odes’s grave before I let him find that out.
But he didn’t seem like he was a threat, and he did say that he wouldn’t hurt me. Mates were compelled to protect one another, not harm. But he did deny me.
Again.
He told me he couldn’t do it. What was that supposed to mean?
How could I have been so stupid to leave myself so blindly trusting not once, but twice?
I wouldn’t let it happen again. I wouldn’t leave myself to that kind of vulnerability anymore.
I stood up, feeling a new sort of resolve and confidence, and made my way back to camp. If my mate wanted this to happen, he was going to have to fight for it.
“I think you should get out here.” Odarum’s voice rang through my head.
I opened my eyes and sat up on the furs. Malina was sitting next to me in the tent with a serious look on her face. When I returned last night, Malina woke up and noted my red, swollen eyes. She never asked why I was crying, and I never said. She just stayed with me until I fell asleep.
I could hear distant shouting outside the tent. Malina and I both stood, she pulled her lips into a tight frown. My eyes narrowed, and my brows creased.
“He was here waiting outside when Nik woke up,” Malina said expressionless.
I rushed out of the tent in nothing but my tank and trousers, my hair loose and unbraided, flowing behind me.
Out in the clearing, Nikan and Ryker were standing in front of each other. Nikan, armed with his sword and a firm grip on the terra beneath him, was shouting and Ryker looked like he was about to smash his fist into Nikan’s face.
Well, I did say he was going to have to fight for it.
“You need to leave. You have no authority in this Nation, Lord Ryker.”
“I don’t care where we are. As I told you, I’m not leaving until I speak with Kya.” His voice was cold and calm.
Seeing Ryker standing off with Nikan over me appealed to me in a way that I would never admit.
I reached for those swirling shadows inside of me as I walked over to them, Malina right next to me.
Ryker whipped his head in my direction, and he shot me a brief smile.
He didn’t take his eyes off me the entire time as I approached and stood before them.
Nikan stepped between me and my mate. I glared at him as Ryker curled his lips back and snarled at the male. Odarum was standing off to the side but alert to the situation. Malina narrowed her eyes at Ryker’s reaction. She remained silent but watched our interaction closely.
“Kya, get on the horse and get out of here. He’s a Lord and could see you as a threat, just like that Sage said.” Nikan’s blue eyes bore into me.
“You dare insinuate that I would harm her?” Ryker stepped closer behind Nikan and I could have sworn I saw his eyes flare.
“Kya, leave. Now,” Nikan snapped at me.
A ring of fire encircled Nikan. And we all jumped back except Ryker, who stepped through the ring and approached Nikan until there were nearly nose to nose.
“Do not ever command her again,” Ryker seethed.
“Ryker,” I warned and Malina’s head snapped to me.
Ryker backed away and snuffed out the fire before locking eyes with me again, and his features softened just slightly.
I felt Nikan grip the rock below with his terbis and I grabbed his arm to stop him from attacking. Just as I was about to open my mouth to protest, Malina spoke.
“No. Fucking. Way,” she balked. “You have got to be kidding me. Him?!”
I nodded, unsure of how she put it all together.
“What? What about him?” Nikan asked, spitting out the last word like it was acid on his tongue.
I sighed, then removed my hand from his arm. I moved around him and stood next to Ryker, careful not to touch him. Ryker’s hand twitched next to mine as if he was doing the same. I felt a deep comfort being in his presence.
“Nik, Ryker is my mate,” I spoke softly, hoping to lessen the blow.
Malina smiled brightly at the admission. But Nikan’s face remained hard.
“He’s a Lord, a Worthy! No two Worthy have ever been mated. How do you know he isn’t just playing tricks on you? We’ve all heard the rumors of his bloodlust. If he sees you as a risk to his status, he would take you down in a heartbeat.”
Ryker took a protective step in front of me, glaring at Nikan with malice in his silver eyes.
I felt him pull on the bond, as if he needed the reassurance that it was still there and Nikan’s words hadn’t taken it away, making the bond feel tense and anxious.
I moved between them and put my hands up, angry that someone would question my word and insult my mate.
Gods, these overprotective males…
“Nik, Lord Ryker is my mate. I know it for certain. Even Odarum confirmed it. And just for the record, he has prevented himself from sealing the bond, even when I asked him to. If he were so eager to eliminate me, he wouldn’t have done that.”
“Asked him to, huh?” Malina made an amused sound and quirked an eyebrow, but I ignored her and continued.
“He could have killed me on sight. Not to mention, if he truly was a threat to me, do you really think Odarum would just be standing there? Do not question our bond. And you will not harm him.” I looked down to the ground beneath us before giving him a knowing look.
With a frustrated grunt, I felt Nikan release his hold on the terra. I spun around to face Ryker and narrowed my eyes at him, his eyebrows raised as he flinched.
“And you,” I snapped. “You need to explain your reasoning for last night.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” He flicked his eyes from me to Nikan then back. “Could we speak alone?” he asked quietly.
I nodded and turned my head to look at Malina. I jutted my chin toward the tent, and she smiled and winked. She turned and grabbed Nikan’s shoulders, spinning him around and pushing on his back to get him to walk toward the tent.
“Get moving, you overbearing brute. The Worthy lovers need some privacy,” Malina chipped gleefully, bouncing on her toes.
Odarum walked away with them and dipped his head in acknowledgment.
“Overbearing indeed. And he’s your… brother ?” Ryker questioned.
I turned back to him, and he was staring at the two walking away, no doubt noticing the obvious physical differences. I tried to hide my amused smile as I nodded. This wasn’t the first time that people questioned our familial ties.
He nodded slowly before looking down at me. “Is he a half-brother?”
I couldn’t hide my amusement any longer, and I chuckled. “Where we come from, blood has nothing to do with family.” I turned my head and gestured to them. “His name is Nikan. And the female is Malina, my sister.”