Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (19 page)

Lorcan sensed the energy gathering in her
hands and pulled his fangs back from her neck. His eyes clashed
with the angry darkness in hers. He fought to maintain his hold on
her while fumbling in the pocket of his jacket. When his fingers
locked around the cool band of metal, he shot her a triumphant
smile and simultaneously released her from his arms. The move was
unexpected and Kat tumbled, her backside meeting the floor at his
feet. Before her gasp of outrage was finished Lorcan was on her.
Pushing her back, his hand slid up the length of her right arm as
he stretched it high above her.

Swinging the other hand that was fully lit
with flame in the direction of his head, she intended to make
certain his bell was ringing for a good week. Kat vaguely
registered the feeling of cool metal as it encircled her forearm
and a click as it locked in place against her skin. Disbelieving,
she watched the fire fade completely from her palm. At her
temporary distraction Lorcan captured the second wrist and tugged
it up with the other, manacling both in his large hand. He tangled
the other to her hair before he jerked her face angrily back to his
and demanded, “Cease, Witch!”

Kaitriana was trying desperately to pull her
hand down to see what manner of band he had placed on her. Lorcan
tugged her hair one more time then loosened his grip to move his
hand to her chin. Holding tightly, her face an inch from his, his
look was ominous, “I said cease!”

Overwhelmed by the feeling of being trapped
she gave him full measure of the only defense she had left. Jerking
her head, she drove her fangs into the flesh of the hand at her
chin. She thoroughly enjoyed the look of shocked disbelief that
accompanied his yell of pain.

Immediately he was up, jerking her with him
while immobilizing her with a tight hold. She was fighting his hold
as he dragged her to the nearby settee and dropped onto it with her
atop him. Lorcan finally managed to scissor her kicking legs
between his. Breathing heavily, his hushed words were laced with
barely restrained violence, “Last warning Kat, be still!”

She did quiet. Her sense of self preservation
penetrated her ire. She was no match for his strength and was loath
to experience any punishment he might mete out, especially when her
magic had deserted her.

When Kaitriana remained subdued after a few
minutes, Lorcan freed a hand and tapped each word out with a
fingertip against the tight line of her lips,
“Vicious…mean…little…brat…witch.” At the responsive roll of her
eyes, he jerked her higher into his arms. His whisper was
chillingly calm, “I am seriously considering flipping you over,
raising those skirts, and tanning your fine little ass, Witch. I
suggest you find a more appropriate way to respond to
me…immediately.”

Kaitriana studied his face and realized he
was quite serious. Despite her pique, she did not think it wise to
antagonize him further only to find out for certain. She directed
her eyes away with a pouty huff and stared across the room, giving
him no more than her stillness and her silence.

Her reluctant acquiescence was enough for the
moment. He would still be taking her to task over her defiance but
the fury that had built as a result of it was beginning to ebb.
Lorcan lightly traced her jawline as he calmed himself.

She could scent the wound she had caused and
her fangs lengthened unbidden. Kaitriana had her lips set so
tightly that her sharpening fangs were more than obvious.
Uncomfortable under the intensity of his gaze, knowing he knew full
well that she had responded to his scent and was unable to control
her hunger for his taste, she sulked and shifted her face away from
his view.

Lorcan had spotted the telling reaction. If
she were not behaving like such a little fiend he would have goaded
her over her inability to resist him. Instead he continued to trace
gently along the curve of her jaw and then ventured slowly down the
front of her neck. Pausing, he teased the hollow at the base and
felt her tension begin to ease. Tracing the path in reverse, he
reached around her to make a peace offering with the show of his
wrist at her lips. He had a difficult time sustaining any level of
upset with her.

Kaitriana shifted and eyeballed him sullenly
but could not help her want at the bloodscent lingering on his
hand. Her tongue darted out to flick at his wrist. Instead of
piercing the flesh, she questioned, “What did you place on my arm?”
She already suspected it was some sort of binding device but was
struggling with the idea of it. Kaitriana had a hard time believing
that he would have access to one strong enough to bind powers of
her magnitude or that he would place one on her if he did.

Confirming the line of her thoughts, Lorcan
released his hold on her waist and clasped her hand to raise the
arm to her vision. As he did, Kat moved her lips upwards from his
wrist to put them to the wound on his other hand. Licking softly at
the jagged edges, she glowered at the band and then him. The blood
was already ceasing to flow from the injury but she lingered over
it for the space of a few moments to gather her thoughts. When she
lifted her mouth, her tone was adamant, “You need to remove it
Lorcan. You have no right to bind me.”

He raised a brow and released her arm to cup
the side of her face. “And you need to learn to quit issuing
orders, Kaitriana,” his reprimand stung, but there was little heat
in it. His tone remained even when he explained, “When you learn
that you are never to raise your magic against me, I will remove
it. The moment you wielded your powers in an attempt to cause me
harm, you forfeited your right to use them in this Coven. If you
ever do that to me or to any other within these walls without just
cause, you’ll be too old to remember how to use your magic when I
give it back to you.” In his mind the punishment was justified and
his tone reflected it.

She brooded for a while, mulling over the
events of the evening. When she had finally gathered her thoughts,
she gave him an ever so slight nod of her head. It was the only
indication of her acquiescence. Using magic as a tool to retaliate
was frowned on by the Witch as well. Resigned for the moment, Kat
studied the ornate silver design of the slim band; it was magically
wrought, no doubt.

The piece fit well enough that there would be
no slipping it from her arm. Her words were more curious than
accusatory when she questioned him, “Where would you gain access to
this type of magic, Lorcan? It is incredibly strong and given the
tensions between our breeds, I do not see any Witch merely handing
this over.”

Lorcan brushed the curls back from her face;
she was so pretty, even in her pout. Sensing that she was no longer
angry enough to be any threat, he pulled her closer, “After my
mother died, Alaric used it to control my powers. It belonged to
her. I believe he feared me - my magic - and what I might be
capable of if I decided to hold him accountable for my mother’s
death.” Resting his chin on the top of her head, he sighed over the
memory, “He had not yet figured out what to do with me. As his
eldest and rightful heir, he could not banish me from his Coven,
but as a witch he could not tolerate my existence.”

Shocked at the revelation, her lingering
resentment was forgotten. As a young child Lorcan must have had a
miserable time until that old bastard managed to transition him.
The thought made her heart ache. Kat curled into him and nestled
her face to his throat. Her lips hovered over his skin so that her
breath tickled when she gave her solemn whisper, “I will give you
my vow that I shall not raise magic against you again.” She loved
his scent and nuzzled his neck.

As much as he loved her affection, Lorcan
rejected her promise shortly, “I will consider it Kat, but until I
determine otherwise you will wear it.” He was again only firm, not
cruel.

Grumbling, Kat perceived the punishment to be
unfair considering that he had almost bit her when he lost his
temper and she reminded him of such.

He shook his head at her statement, “Anger
was
not
the reason that I put my fangs to
your neck. My instincts were driving me.” At her skeptical look, he
tilted her face up so that she could witness the blackness
flickering over the silver of his eyes, “I will tell you this much,
little witch…if there is ever another time that I find dozens of my
young vampire warriors fawning over you, I can promise that I will
not exercise the same restraint. I will mark your neck in a way
that will leave no doubt as to who has claimed you.”

Kat bristled but then landed upon the idea
that he had been jealous. Part of Lorcan’s fury had been because he
found her in the midst of enjoying the company of his warriors. The
understanding caused her to lessen the level of dispute in her
response, “You were still planning to bite me when you were
pissed.”

“Pissed
, Kat?” When
he had finally answered her, she had seen amusement lurking in his
eyes that were once again warm gray. It spread into a grin when he
went on, “You do not need to incorporate all of Myrrdyn’s favorite
phrases as your own, you realize?” Lorcan laughed at her
ill-tempered glare, one that he believed to be more feigned than
real, and tousled her curls.

Collecting himself, he gave her steady look,
“Kat, before you dig yourself a hole you cannot escape from,
remember that I did not bite you.” When she opened her mouth to
argue, Lorcan pressed a single finger against her lips, “You did
bite me though, didn’t you?”

At his scolding and presentation of the
aforementioned hand to her face, she became flustered enough that
she flushed with embarrassment. When she raised her gaze sheepishly
back to his, he went on, “Tis lucky for you that I do
not
have a way to remove those sharp little teeth;
otherwise, I might be taking away more than your magic tonight.”
Her look turned indignant before she saw laughter looming in his
eyes and felt the rumble of his chest.

Kat’s smile returned but she drove a balled
fist into the center of his chest as she accused, “Beast.”

Catching it, Lorcan winked at her and kissed
her hand before releasing. His hand circled her nape and he nudged
her head to the side to expose her neck, “You asked for my mark
tonight, Witch. Do you still want it?” He was tense as he waited
for her answer.

There was still the issue of his magic and
Kaitriana had little doubt they would argue over it again, but
their quarrel did not cause her to doubt the rightness of what was
between them. She knew this warrior was meant for her and she would
not pretend otherwise. Kaitriana affirmed with a single nod but
there was shyness in her questioning gaze as she lowered her
lashes, whispering, “Do you still want me to have it?”

Lorcan slid his lips over her jawline, his
voice husky, “I would give it to no other.” Gliding downward, he
pressed his mouth against her pulse and gave a light nip, “Do you
truly understand the significance of this in our culture?”

She shifted to give him better access, but
her gaze was locked on him when he lifted his lips. More questions
were lurking there. His mouth hovered above hers as he gazed deeply
into those dazzling eyes, “It means that I intend to take you as my
mate.”

The anxiety left her and she smiled warmly at
him. She had been worried he might be delivering information on
some startling consequence that was top-secret in Vampire society.
Her voice was breathy when she tucked her hand into his, “Every
fiber tells me I am meant to be where you are. There is something
deep within me that
knows
you; is it not
the same for you?”

She was beguiling in her sweet confession. He
squeezed her hand when he answered simply, “It is the same.” He
held her hand tightly, the intensity of his gaze hypnotic. Lorcan
delivered a light kiss to take the sting from his upcoming lecture,
“Kaitriana, I will protect you and see to your every need. I adore
your spirit but I am the leader of this Coven; as my mate you must
always be cognizant of that. I demand obedience from every vampire
in the Coven but I would expect it more from you.”

His breath against her mouth made her shiver
with longing, making the task of following every word difficult.
She shook herself and refocused, attentive once more as he
explained, “There will be times that we disagree and in private you
can express yourself and argue with me as strongly as you like.
Always, in the presence of the Coven or any other in the Realm, you
will align with me and respect my dictates.” Caressing her cheek,
his eyes searched hers, “I must have your agreement in this
Kat.”

Lifting her hand to toy with his hair, her
expression was strained with concern. She offered with a tentative
smile, “I can give you my vow…to do my best?” She gave him an
eagerly hopeful glance. His uncompromising frown was expected and
Kat laughed nervously. She took the time to push a stray lock from
his brow before returning a sober gaze to his, “Lorcan, I am
the
Chosen. That position is of equal
consequence to the Witch faction as the Warrior of Light is to the
Vampire. Myrrdyn has groomed me to assume a role of leadership
within the Realm. I am opinionated and willful, but I
too
am a leader. I understand this may be a difficult
concept since your females defer to your men and rarely strive for
Warrior status.”

Leaning back she calmed the annoyance that
had gained ground within her and dropped her hands into her lap,
“Transitioned or not, I have a role to fill in the Realm,
together
with the male that takes my vows.
I do not intend to be a Vampire female that waits at home for my
mate. If you want me, you are stepping smack into the middle of the
Prophecy,
with
the Chosen of the Warrior
Caste.”