Awakening the Beast (5 page)

Ranolo gazed at her for a long time and then nodded. It seemed he was thinking of something to say to her about her mother, but he sighed. “Yes, we do need to concentrate on that. Before we do, I want to ask you something.”

Illiana ran her fingers through her hair and realized that she had not braided her mates’ feathers into her locks. The raven and the hawk feathers were still in her bedroom. She had taken out her braids while waiting for her mother to wake. During that time, she thought about her mother not waking and what it would mean. It was wrong, but there was so many things whirling through her mind that she was not sure what she wanted to do. Her mother’s words went through her mind on asking for pity, but she had to push that aside.

“What’s your question?” she asked her father.

“Your mother is leader of the flock and you were set to take over for her when she stepped down. You’re also my daughter and you’re next in line for taking up the spiritual leadership of the tribe. Your mother, from what she told me before the earth shook, taught you how to lead. You would have done the best you could, led them the best way you knew how, upholding the laws if you were in her shoes.”

If she had been leader of the flock…, but that would never happen. “The council of elders would never put me as leader of the flock. They hated what I was because I was different than them. If you remember, they all look like Belik and my mother. I didn’t want to see them die, but my mother never factored in what I wanted. She focused on the flock because she couldn’t look at me without seeing you. Hearing her confession, I don’t know what to think or how to react. I don’t know if she really means it. Part of me really wants to believe her. Before she was so harsh and now she’s so fragmented. I don’t know …”

“It’s okay, Illiana. I know this is a rough decision. Lelana regrets what happened and what she said. I think that the shock’s gotten to her and the walls around her heart are crumbling. Give her a chance. That’s all she wants. She’s lost everything and her place in the world. Lelana traveled here in hopes that you’ll find it in your heart to forgive her so that you’ll help her.”

“I understand her hardship, but can she be trusted?”

Her father put his hands on her shoulders. “She’s your mother. She loves you. Lelana wasn’t lying when she told you that. Sometimes we think that we’re doing what’s best at the moment because that’s all we know. You wrote that letter for the cougars, but you didn’t know the outcome. You’d do the best for your flock. Sometimes you’re forced to put the hard choices before your own. I know it sounds harsh, but it’s true. Sometimes you hurt the ones that you love.”

“And yet you balance the will of the community and the spiritual needs of the tribe so much better than Lelana.”

“I do, but it’s taken a lot of years to do that. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t have any children, save you, and I have no mate. I forwent love to rule, keep the peace, and explore my powers. If I could do it all again, I’d make other choices, but I’d never not put the good of the tribe first. One day you’re going to have to make that choice as well. You’ll forget about what’s best for you and you’ll make what you feel is the right choice for your people. Even if that means sacrificing something you love or doing something to hurt those you love.”

Illiana heard the seriousness in his voice and thought about what he had said. “The needs of the many.”

Her father nodded. “Yes. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear. You can take all the info then decide what you are, who you are. There’s a lot you’ve learned and a lot you have yet to learn. I only wish there was more time I could teach you, but you know that you’re special. No matter what path you follow, when you leave here the spirits will lead you to greatness. You have so much power locked within you that you don’t even know it’s there.”

He was not the first one to tell her that. Coret had said she had a great destiny ahead of her. “You and Coret told me the same thing. So what is my great vocation?”

“Coret was a wise woman. She might not have been able to read the elements as we can, but she knew how to read the messages that spirit gave to her. One day you’ll be able to do the same thing. That is part of your future.”

This was not what Illiana wanted to hear. She was not ready to devote herself to a world that she could not see. It was tough enough having to navigate the world she
could
see. With everything so jumbled up, how could she survive the ordeals coming next? So much loomed on the horizon, she was not sure what direction she was going to be pulled in. “This wasn’t how I figured life would go for me. All I ever wanted was to find a mate and fit in.”

Her father patted her knee. “And that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

Chapter Four

Belik stayed with Lelana while they waited for Illiana and Ranolo to return. Ohanzee was silent while they cleaned up their home from the earth’s rumbling. Lelana sat at the loom and ran her fingers over the threads. He picked up a few things, but felt another tremor within the earth and heard loose rocks slide down the hillside. The trembles made him uneasy. His co-mate did not have any answers regarding the cause of it.

“What is taking them so long?” Lelana asked.

“It takes a long time to speak with the elements and discern what they’re saying. If they’re talking to the earth directly it can take a while. It’s a stubborn thing. They’re both mystics and you know how it goes with priests.” Ohanzee stoked the fire in the hearth.

Lelana laughed. “You really think that my daughter is a mystic? When did all this happen?”

Ohanzee glanced at Belik, but he did not say anything. Belik sighed. “Lelana, there are many things that have changed since the last time you saw Illiana. She can do so much more than you give her credit for. You never wanted her to be different. You would’ve rather her go into the outer edges of the forest and become one of the priests who took a vow of silence.”

“I wanted her to be a productive member of the flock. It was destined that she become the next leader, but we both know that the elders never would’ve supported her. I never supported her when it came to Christopher,” Lelana said in a hushed voice.

Some unreadable emotion passed over her face and it seemed something had sunk in. “Ma’am, I’ve always respected you considering your position in the flock. You have to realize that your daughter left the forest she was heartbroken. Illiana found another life here, one where she belonged, figured out what she can do, and who she can truly be. You never thought how your daughter would feel leaving her home.”

Lelana slammed her hand down on the loom. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You have no idea what it means to rule over several hundred souls and to know every decision that you make affects all those people.”

“This has nothing to do with the ruling of souls. It has to do with how you treat and think of Illiana. You have to remember that she’s something more than your daughter.”

“Don’t think you can lecture me about—”

The door opened and Illiana came back in. Ranolo was not with her. She clutched the door frame. Her face was pale and her features drawn. Whatever they had done had taken a lot out of her. Ohanzee dashed over and caught her. She flashed a smile while he led her to a chair. She sat down and took a sip of water.

“Are you okay?” Belik asked.

She nodded. “I’m fine. It’s been a long day.”

“Did you discover why the earth was rumbling?” Ohanzee asked.

Illiana ran her fingers through her locks and released them around her shoulders. Belik loved it when her hair was unfettered and sparkled in the firelight. He knew the day had taken a toll on her from everything that had happened and she had been at it for a couple of hours with Ranolo.

“The earth was stubborn. We had to go deep, deeper than I’ve been before. It was cold and problematic to breathe, but there was a beating within the earth that I’d never heard before. Then we came to a warmth. It was fire, living fire that flowed like a river underneath the ground. It was angry, fighting with the earth for dominion, but the earth wasn’t going to give in. As they fight, the fire rises within the mountain where you see the black smoke pouring from. And I keep hearing this song when I touch the fire.”

“What does that mean?” Lelana asked.

“It means that the fire and the earth are not going to stop warring until one of them wins. When that happens then the fire will rise out in a great force. I saw it.”

Belik glanced at her and saw the haunted look in his mate’s eyes. A feeling of dread went through him. That did not sound like a good thing. Too many questions went through his mind of what was going to happen.

“What is going to happen to the village? To the tribe?” Ohanzee voiced the questions for Belik.

“Ranolo is trying to figure that out. The earth quaking is the element’s way of fighting the fire. It was so vast I couldn’t see it all. We all must face it. There is a war going on deep beneath our feet.” She took in a deep breath and focused her gaze on her mother, but did not say anything. “Forgive me, but I’m going to sleep for a little while.”

Illiana walked past them into their bedroom. Belik heard the door latch and glanced at Ohanzee. He nodded. They both needed to be with her to see that she was okay. Belik went into the bedroom. Illiana turned toward him from the bed.

“I can go if you want.”

Her smile did more to ease his heart than any potion or news. Belik saw within her some inner peace that he had not seen before. He knelt before the bed and took her hand in his. Her skin was warmer than before. “I don’t want you to leave. I need you and Ohanzee. I need to know you’re still here. I need someone to remind me that I’m alive and human.”

“You don’t need to worry. We’re both here for you,” Ohanzee said.

She laughed. “What about my mother?”

“She’s having dinner with your father. They arranged it before all of this happened,” Ohanzee replied. “I think we needed some time away from her. You need the space.”

“You have no idea,” Illiana remarked.

“At least you have a mother who cares for you and a father who made an effort to get to know you,” Ohanzee said.

Belik saw Illiana wince at the comment. Ohanzee’s parents had died when he was only a child. His sister had raised him. “That might be true, but you weren’t there to see how Lelana treated Illiana.”

“I don’t need to know what happened in the past. I see how she treats you now. I’m saying that deep down you know she loves you. She wouldn’t have had you if she didn’t,” Ohanzee pointed out.

Illiana nodded. “I know. Coret said my mother fought to keep me while she was pregnant because it was a grueling pregnancy. I think that with my father leaving, her parents dead, and the flock to deal with, it was all too much and she didn’t know how to handle it. I got the worst end of her affection which was none at all, I guess.”

Belik sat on the edge of the bed next to her and kissed her cheek, moving down the side of throat. Her skin was supple and she smelled like cinnamon. “How about we forget about the talk of parents and focus on us?”

Illiana captured his lips. They were soft and enticed his pleasure at the slight touch. Her fingers caressed the side of his face and moved down his cheek. He shivered. All Belik wanted was to bed her no questions asked, but again the need to be with her overwhelmed him because being in her arms erased all the cares of the world.

Ohanzee slid in behind them and moved her hair from her other shoulder. He kissed her until she broke their kiss and moaned, “Good idea.”

Belik pulled away from her and got undressed. Being together with his two mates would only bring them closer together. It was what they needed to drive the ideas of the darkness that lingered in his thoughts and what was to come. He dropped his clothes and his shoes by the side of their bed. He studied the other man kissing his mate, and felt a stab of jealousy for a moment, but there was nothing for him to be jealous about. Ohanzee would always take care of Illiana if something happened to her.

Knowing they were together made his heart skip a couple of beats. Illiana broke the kiss with his co-mate and stared at him. She help out her hands, beckoning him back into her arms. Ohanzee kissed her shoulder and glanced up at him. Belik saw the desire taking over the other man. Ohanzee’s animal nature, the primal need to be with his mate, blended with Belik’s own longings. It wasn’t about shifting and being together. It was the animal instinct that drove them to embrace their passion, and it was only with these two that Belik had been able to really accept that part of him and give into it without worrying about the consequences.

He took Illiana’s face between his hands and kissed her lightly. She got to her knees and trailed her fingers along his torso. Belik jumped when she hit a ticklish spot on him and broke their union to laugh. A mischievous look was in her eyes.

“You’re a minx,” he scolded.

A slight blush appeared on her cheeks, but she did not respond. Instead, she stripped her shirt off and tossed it to the floor. Ohanzee worked on untying her pants, but he ignored that and slipped his hands over her breasts. A soft moan spilled from her lips at his touch. Her nipples firmed from him running his thumbs over the round areolas. Belik brought his lips to her chest and kissed her lightly, marking a trail up to her neck and collarbone. He nibbled here and there, sucking in the skin. The taste of her was like cinnamon and citrus. Sometimes it was muskier depending on what animal she leaned toward.

A bolt of pleasure speared him, hardening his cock, at the exact moment his love cried out and went stiff against him. Through their shared link, he felt her come to orgasm from Ohanzee massaging her clit. Belik rocked with the waves that flooded his mind, but held onto the control—that had taken time to master—as long as he could before giving himself over to the bliss they all shared.

“God, I love it when you make that sound,” Ohanzee said to Illiana.

“It is very pleasing,” Belik agreed.

“How can I not when I have the two of you with me?” Illiana turned her head and kissed Ohanzee.