The Land Of Shadows (17 page)

“We are here!” Luna’s broken whisper stops my improper thoughts dead in their tracks.

The Living Springs peek at us from between plush green trees. The rocks are covered in a vibrant green moss. Everywhere the sounds of happy birds and insect life can be heard, as if the springs are the very place from where all of nature gets their source of life.

Satisfied in reaching our first destination so quickly, a smile of contentment settles on my lips. “This will be a perfect place to rest for a while. You should go wash while I find something to eat.”

When Luna walks closer to the springs, I suck in a breath. She looks breathtakingly beautiful as the colors swallow her. An array of purples, blues, yellow and green form a soft cloud around her.

Is it too late to take her and run, just run and hide? The whole past two days have been unbearable between us, and I’d give anything to make it right. She deserves to be loved every day.

I go to Luna, simply because I can’t resist her. I take her hand and ignore it when she flinches from my touch. I wade into the water with Luna. For a moment, I have to close my eyes. The blessedness washing over me is enthralling. I grip Luna’s hand tighter and pull her closer until she’s in front of me.

I can stand and stare at the violet water all day long, but as I lift my gaze to Luna, I know it’s her I want to look at forever.

My heart expands achingly in my chest. I slip my hand around her waist and it firmly on her back. I pull her to me until she’s pressed tightly against my chest. I wade deeper into the mouth of the spring until Luna has no choice but to lift her arms around my neck and hold on. Satisfied that I have her where I want her, I scoop up some water and let it flow over her cheek.

Droplets fall over her lips and the sparkling light keeps my eyes glued to her mouth.
‘I truly regret hurting you, Love.’

Luna just nods, turning her face away from me. My eyes drink in all of her, from her silky short hair to the creamy length of her neck. I can’t resist and brush my fingers along the soft skin.

‘I am so enamored with you. I cannot understand what happened these past two days. Where did things go wrong?’

The saddest of smiles plays on her face.
‘Love is the most precious of gifts you can give to another. It is a part of you. Not only does it mean you will die for that person … but you choose to live for that person.’

Luna takes hold of my other hand and presses it over her heart.

‘If it was not in my destiny to die I would gladly have chosen to live for you.’

I shake my head because her words hurt more than anything she has ever said to me.

“You are not going to die!” My harsh plea sends birds into the air above our heads and brings leaves drifting to the water. I cup her face and look deep into her eyes.
‘You cannot tell me this and still believe you are going to die. Believe we are worth fighting for, Luna! Choose to live for me!’

When tears sparkle on the edge of her lashes, I know she’s not going to. She’s giving up.

~*~

Luna~

Storm is right, the past two days were a total disaster, but I now have to fix what I can and finish my destiny no matter what else is thrown my way.

When Storm holds me like this I so badly want to believe that he can one day love me the way I love him. He at least finds me adorable, and for the life of me I don’t have the faintest idea what enamored means.

‘Luna…’
I’ve dreamt about Storm saying my name that way for as long as I can remember. I drink in every line on his face.
‘I want you to be mine.’

Still no words of love, but at least he wants me in some way. It’s better than nothing.

‘How? Alder is back at the village.’
I ask the question standing in our way of being together.

‘Awo bonded us guardian and charge. He can oversee our vows. Alder is corrupted, I do not believe in him.’

Stunned, I look at him. “You really want to do this? With me?”

My stomach clenches when he moves us to the shore, and while lifting me out of the water he places warm kisses along my cheek and neck. “Only you, Love. There is no one else I want.”

Storm sets me on my feet on a soft bed of grass. As he reaches for my shirt a wave of pain sears through my body. I collapse into his arms as I’m sucked into a flash.

‘She is certainly a fragile little thing.’
Varia sneers dangerously close to my ear.

‘You said you would not hurt her!’
Carter shouts.

I lift my aching body from the floor and the fierce burning in my throat makes me wish I was back at the spring so I can drink from it.

“My new toy is up for round two.” Varia’s eyes savagely focus on me, and it’s with a cold fear I realize she’s looking at Alchera! I’m in Alchera again.

~*~

To love is to give your heart away and never expect it back.

Storm~

Panic threatens to choke me. I lift Luna against my chest and carry her to where we can find some shade. I sit down under a large Willow and cradle her in my arms.

Time passes and I feel helpless as I stare at her peaceful face. My heart overflows with love for her. I say the words that will bind me to her for all time, “Awo, I pray, bind me to this woman on this day. Join our souls as one. Let nothing be able to separate us for all time, without end.” Tears slip over my cheeks as I make my vow. “I will die for her.”

Luna’s lashes flutter and then she finally open her eyes. She stares at me in silence, and I know she heard every word I just vowed.

“We will never live as two again,” she whispers with a look of amazement on her face.

“With Angels as our witnesses we are now one, Love. You are my wife. You hold my heart in your hands and I promise before Awo to always be by your side.”

A frown settles on Luna’s brow and I have to say it wasn’t quite the look I was aiming for.

“Your heart?” Deep in thought she sits up. “Save a heart!” The sudden exclamation startles me. “Do you feel saved?” she asks me.

I’m starting to worry. Did she hit her head that hard? “What kind of question is that?”

“It is the beginning of my destiny. Save a heart-” I shake my head, silencing her. I don’t want to hear about the stupid destiny. I get up and pull Luna up as well. I won’t get angry with her, she must just be nervous because of the vows and what is customary to follow. I’ll go catch something for dinner and reinforce the twister walls around us to keep Raighne, and especially Rue, out.

“Where are you going?” she asks when I start to walk away.

I stop but don’t bother looking back. “I am going to give you the space you are in need of while finding something to eat for us.”

~*~

Luna~

I can only gape after Storm as he walks away from me. I don’t think I will ever understand him. I’m trying to talk to him about my destiny that includes him and he gets up and walks away! How does his mind work?

As the sun starts to set, there still is no sign of Storm. I head back to the spring. A soft light shines from within the pool of water.

I’m all alone. Who knows when Storm will return? I might as well bathe. It’s even more beautiful here at twilight. I can’t resist any longer and strip my slacks and shoes off. I wade into the pool and the water is divine, cooling my heated skin.

I shudder when the same feeling of tranquility from earlier washes over me and I spread my arms wide so I can fully embrace the blissful sensation. I walk deeper into the water until I have to swim, then I stop and lie back, letting the water swallow my body. It feels heavenly, being surrounded by the pressure of the water. My worries slowly slip away as I keep myself under the water. It is a moment of peace I desperately need.

I watch the violet lights play under the water and then close my eyes, holding myself there, not thinking about time, troubles, or responsibilities. An arm suddenly snakes around my waist and pulls me out.

“Are you trying to end yourself?” Storm’s anger blazes hot over me and I flinch back. The peacefulness I just experienced shatters and I feel saddened by the loss.

“The water felt good. I was just enjoying it.” I sputter the water out of my mouth and start to shiver slightly.

“By drowning yourself?” A hot breath rushes from Storm’s mouth and the stench is awful. “You need to think only of Alchera and Void!” Storm brings his face right up to mine and his icy eyes don’t look cold with anger as I expected they would … they look dead.

“Calm down, Storm.” I feel uneasy, scared even. Storm has never talked to my like this. “Why are you so angry with me?”

“You cannot fail! Your destiny is all that matters!” I stare at him, shocked by his words.

A breeze blows over my wet skin and I realize I’m standing in front of Storm in only a cami and underwear. It’s all soaked and leaving nothing to the imagination. Embarrassment flushes my cheeks hot and I cross my arms over my chest.

Rage burns in his eyes as he glares down at my miserable attempt of covering myself. “
Now
you cover yourself? First you parade around half-naked and now you want to cover yourself? Do you not think it a bit late?” A threatening look flashes on his face and fear ignites in my heart.

This is what your anger is all about, me not being dressed? “I was bathing. I did not parade-” My voice falters as his face grows even darker. It’s a look I haven’t seen before. My heart launches into a fast, unsteady beat as Storm grabs hold of my arm. It is not his normal cool touch that leaves my skin tingling. A hot sensation flares up where his fingers wrap around my arm. A new fear grips my insides. This is not
my
Storm! Something must have happened to him. It must be Void using Storm!

“You have become rather uncontrollable lately. I think it is time for you to be put back in your place.”

Whatever he is talking about, it doesn’t sound good. He is really starting to scare me now.

“Storm, what-” His hand closes around my neck, ending my words with a piercing cry. He raises me into the air and as he hisses at me the smell of rotten eggs wafts over me.

I try to pull back, but it only angers him more, and as he increases the choking hold on my neck a searing hot fire starts to burn in my throat. I claw at his arm, hitting wildly to be free. Storm lets me go with a hard shove and I hit the ground with an impact that has me plowing a groove though the pebbles and rocks.

I glance at the night sky but there is no moon to help me tonight, not that it will be of any use against Storm. I ignore the cuts and scrapes from the fall and get to my feet.

Storm slams into me, taking me right back to the ground. He straddles my waist and pins me down. “You want to seduce him?”

‘I want to seduce who?’

“Then let us get him out of your mind once and for all so you can focus on your destiny!”

He slams his mouth against mine. His lips are scorching hot on mine. I try to turn my head away, but he grabs hold of my jaw and hold me in place. He yanks me up against him. The skin of his toned arm burns me where we touch. I cry into him as the pain increases, scalding me like a hot iron. The smell of my burning flesh soon fills the air.

‘Storm, stop! I thought you cared. How can you do this to me?’

I cry out to him with my heart, hoping he will hear me if by any chance he is caught in some twisted spell, otherwise I am in serious trouble.

‘Luna, what is wrong?’

Storm’s concerned voice sweeps through my mind with the cool wind that is second nature to him. I open my eyes, bewildered by his caring tone while he’s hurting me.

‘Why are you doing this to me?’
I try again. I consider drawing the last of my energy to form an orb, but then I will truly be left drained.

His mouth moves down to my shoulder, leaving a trail of burned skin behind. I try hitting and kicking at him, but then he bites, and I’m sure he is drawing blood. Shock stuns my mind and I elbow him solidly in his jaw. With one more kick I manage to get him off me and crawl away.

For the first time in my life I feel weak and vulnerable. I am going to have to fight the man I love and I don’t understand why.

He comes at me again and tears almost overwhelm me. “No, Storm! Stop!”

He grabs hold of my leg and drags me back. He flips me around and crouches over me. Like a pathetic little girl, I can’t even defend myself because I love him.

Then, suddenly … he stops and shoves me away as if I’m nothing more than trash.

~*~

Storm~

I’ve been trying to figure out what happened earlier, how I managed to get to Luna so quickly. Just as I realized I have built up so much energy that I created a lightning bolt which carried me to her, the wave of pain hits. I should’ve known something was wrong when I didn’t feel her anymore. The wave of fear and pain is so sudden that for a moment I’m not sure what to make of it, until Luna calls to me.

Horror and anger crashes over me when I see a man on top of Luna. I grab hold of him behind the neck and fling him to the side, away from my wife. I don’t give him a chance to get up and throw a lightning bolt at him, but he moves just in time. He jumps to his feet and then shock fills me as I look into my own eyes.

It can only be that demon. “Mara,” I spit her name as my anger freezes the ground all the way to her feet. “I am going to enjoy killing you.”

“I prefer to be called Varia … for now.” Her voice sounds like the hissing of an entire nest of snakes.

Luna rolls onto her side, curling into a small ball at my feet. The action rips at my heart.

“Some pair you and Alchera make,” she says to Luna. “I should put Alchera out of her misery myself.” Varia sneers at us as she takes a crouching stance. She changes back to her own image and ash rains down on the ice-covered ground. “She might taste just as good as you, drops of morning dew … mmm-mmm-mmm, truly luscious.” She licks her lips.

Just hearing her disrespect Luna is enough to make me lose it. I throw an electricity orb at her, larger than the one that killed me all those years back. She shimmers just in time for it to only catch her arm. Her screech echoes through the springs, making even the trees tremble, and then she’s gone.

With the immediate threat gone, I rush to Luna’s side. I have died a thousand deaths tonight while hurrying back to her. The emotions and thoughts Luna projected to me raised the hair on my body. I’m just about to reach for her, when she flinches away from my touch, curling into an even smaller defensive ball.

“Love, it is me.” I soften my voice to a gentler tone. “You know I was gone looking for food. You heard me calling to you.” I take a tentative step towards her and my heart aches when her hands cramp tighter around her legs.

I’ll have to try something else. I hunch down so I look like less of a threat to her.

‘Can you at least look in my eyes and see that they are violet. Varia’s were blue my old color.’

Luna sits up and slowly lifts her face. Tears fill my eyes and I don’t hold them back. Seeing the red welts cover her once perfect white skin is more than any man should have to bear.

‘Let me see what she has done to you.’
I let a cool breeze chill the warm air around Luna. Luna wipes at the ashes on her arm and when she whimpers, I feel it in the pit of my stomach. I let rain fall around her, to wash away the ashes.
‘The rain is to wash the ash off you, and cool you down.’
Luna quickly looks away when I attempt to move close to her again.

My touch is tender and cool when she finally allows me near. She wipes at her mouth and her hand comes away with ash. As my arms slide in under her, her first reaction is to push me away, but I move faster. Before she can get away from me, I have her in the pool. She stops fighting me and starts to rinse out her mouth.

‘Show me what happened.’
I need to know what happened so I can fix it.
‘Let me see inside of you.’

~*~

Luna~

I stare at the water as I try to recall the memories.

The first one is of when he was choking me. I shake my head violently to rid myself of the memory. I’ve only ever kissed Storm and to be assaulted like that shocked me to my core.
‘No.’

Storm’s arms tighten around me and anxiety beats in my chest.

‘Shh … look at me. See me.’

I glance up at him and the moment I see his violet eyes my heartbeat starts to slow and the panic subsides. I take a deep breath and take in his unique scent.

I clear my throat and try to talk. “She made a weakling of me.” My voice is hoarse and my throat hurts. It’s with a horror I realize all the signs were there. “I smelled her and still I thought it was you. Her eyes! She didn’t know you are my guardian and when she grabbed my neck…” My voice disappears as sobs choke me.

‘Moments before she did the same to Alchera and I let her do the same to me. I let a monster touch me.’

Storm stops caressing the ashes from my neck. I can’t look at him when he lifts my face to his. The embarrassment is too great.

‘How could I even think you would do such a thing … something like …?’
I take a trembling breath
‘How am I going to save Alchera if I am such an easy person to deceive?’

“Do not let her do this to you, Love. I should have been here.”

I reach for Storm’s face but stop when I see how burned they are. “My hands! How am I going to kill her if she wasn’t affected by my touch?”

Storm takes my hands and places an icy kiss on each palm. “Are you sure she was not affected? Did you try and defend yourself?”

His question only reminds me more of my failure. I drop my head to his chest. The mixture of the storms brewing inside him, the blizzard clashing against the desert winds smells comforting. Wave after wave of emotion crashes over me and I realize Storm is just as upset by the attack as I am.

“I am so sorry for leaving you unprotected. I never thought she would attack you.” His touch is soothing as his fingers softly continue to rub the ash from my face and neck. “You will save Alchera, because not only is it your destiny, but you are the bravest woman I know.”

I take hold of his hand and for a wonderful moment I hold it between mine. “My shoulder hurts most,” I whisper.

Storm moves closer and the cold that comes with him lessens the burning sensation all over my body. He cleans the ash of the bite wound and I move a little closer to him still, wanting more of the coolness he has to offer. When Storm’s icy breath blows over the burning trail down my neck, I close my eyes in delight.