Daughters of Lyra: Heart of a Commander (7 page)

She smiled, wide and warm,
her blue eyes shining with it. He could drown in those. They
reminded him of the pure Lyran skies. He had never seen skies like
them before, not in all his life, and he had never thought it
possible to capture something so beautiful, so powerful, in
something as small as irises.

“
There isn’t
anything to apologise for,” Amerii said and walked back to
him.

“
We have no
other food besides... blood.” He waited for her smile to fade but
it remained constant. He wondered what amused her when it widened a
little. Her fingers against his startled him and he frowned down at
their hands where they touched and then looked into her eyes. They
swam with gratitude.

It dawned on him that it
was because he was worried about her.

Her hand shifted against
his, sending his eyes falling to her mouth and his heart beating
faster. He wanted to kiss her again. The feel of her warm fingers
against his, soft and tender in their caress, made him surrender a
little of the vice-like grip he held his emotions in. He wanted to
kiss her and he wanted her to know his feelings from it.

His fingers closed over
hers and he pulled her to him, into his arms where she belonged. He
wrapped them around her and she leaned her head back, her lips
parting in silent tempting invitation. He lowered his mouth to hers
and brushed his lips slowly and lightly against hers. Warmth chased
through him, his lips tingling where they caressed hers, his body
burning where her hands pressed against his chest. She leaned into
him and he tilted his head, his tongue parting her lips to tangle
with hers.

It was divine but
frightening to realise how much these new emotions ruled him. More
than hatred and violence ever could. With these feelings, he felt
as though he was falling uncontrollably but it was so exhilarating
that he could be flying, just as Amerii had said. It was
incredible. It was intoxicating.

It was everything Regis
had said.

And at the same time, it
was so much more.

Amerii moaned quietly into
his mouth as their tongues tangled, hers gliding sensually along
the length of his, drawing more of his feelings from him. The
smooth brush of her lips over his stole more of his control and a
creeping sensation spread over his neck and down his spine. A
strange surge in awareness followed it. After that came the
familiar itch of his canines and claws, and a growing hunger for
violence.

Bloodlust.

He tried to contain it but
it was too strong, pushing at the restraints and whispering
tempting words to him. Amerii’s tongue stroked his canines and all
sense of control shattered.

Two people were
approaching.

Terrible timing on their
part.

Stepping back from Amerii,
he glared at them, his chest heaving as he fought for breath and
control. He needed control.

No.

He needed violence.
Violence and blood. Then he would have his sweet relief. He would
have his most heartfelt desire.

He would have Amerii to
himself.

If he killed these two
officers that were approaching him—this odious male and female that
were exchanging a glance—then he would have Amerii to himself
again. He growled when they both looked at Amerii, a look in their
eyes that spoke clearly of amusement and disgust. How dare they
look at her like that? How dare they think to judge her for his
actions?

His eyes
narrowed.

His teeth
extended.

The officers stopped dead
and looked at him, their own eyes wide.

The male officer’s eyes
moved back to Amerii.

With a roar, Van launched
himself at them. He knocked the female to the side, slamming her
into the wall of the corridor, and rushed headlong into the male.
The female landed hard on the deck in a crumpled heap. The male
barely had time to raise his hands before Van barrelled into him,
tackling to the ground. Van growled as he locked his hands around
the male’s throat. How dare he look at Amerii?

Amerii was his and his
alone. He wouldn’t let such an inferior male look at her like that,
wouldn’t surrender her to any male. She was his.

His hands closed around
the male’s throat, choking him. The male’s eyes slowly brightened,
turning crimson. Van grinned and throttled him. Yes. A fight for
Amerii. He would show this male that he was stronger and the male
would leave her alone. He would prove his strength to Amerii and
she would become his mate. A female desired a strong mate. One who
could protect her.

He would protect
her.

A strange light sound
punctured the rushing noise in his head—the sound of his heart
pounding and his blood thundering through his veins. He ignored it,
intent on making the male pay.

The male’s eyes were vivid
red now, fixed on him, starting to narrow.

A fight they would
have.

Van growled when the male
pressed his feet into his stomach and kicked him off, sending him
into the wall. He picked himself up and retaliated, launching
himself back at the male. The male swiped at him, catching him
across the face with his claws. Van threw a punch at him at the
same time, his fist slamming hard into the male’s jaw and knocking
him off balance.

The female was getting
up.

The light sound came
again, stronger this time. A word perhaps? Someone speaking to him?
In the haze of the bloodlust, he knew no voices, not even his own.
Someone he knew? It was familiar but gone in an instant, swept away
by the scent of fear and blood. His lust for violence increased—an
incredible thirst that he was dying to slake.

He went to knock the
female back down, flinging his arm out to backhand her, but someone
else was suddenly there.

His eyes
widened.

His hand stopped a hair’s
breadth from her face.

Amerii.

Her eyes were large and
round, her mouth open in shock, and her skin was the colour of
stars.

With a growl, Van caught
her around the wrist and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them
tight around her. Her hands pressed against his chest. She was
shaking.

He had frightened
her.

The knowledge of that
allowed him to drag back a modicum of control, enough for the haze
of bloodlust to lift and for his senses to come back.

“
Please stop,”
Amerii whispered against his chest, a light sound in a dark
world.

It had been her voice. She
had been trying to speak to him, to make him stop.

Breathing hard, Van willed
his heart to slow, and methodically shut down his feelings one by
one until he was finally in control again.

The female was helping the
male officer up. Van looked at them both as they turned to face
him. The male wiped his hand across his face, clearing blood away
from his lips. Van’s jaw tensed and he couldn’t bring himself to
look into the male’s eyes. It wasn’t guilt making him look away. It
was a desire to retain control. If he looked at the male, he would
lose it again. The bloodlust would demand his head for the way he
had looked at Amerii as though she was a potential mate for
him.

The two officers saluted
him.

Van cleared his throat and
slowly released Amerii, allowing her to come out of his embrace but
not letting her go completely. His arm remained around her, keeping
her close.

“
My apologies,”
Van said with a bow of his head. “I was not in control of myself.
Please report to the infirmary and have them attend to your
injuries. I will report my actions to Emperor Varka and ask his
forgiveness.”

The two officers bowed and
went to pass him.

He hesitated a moment and
then frowned.

“
Halt,” he said
and cursed himself for what he had done. He couldn’t risk the ship
discovering what had happened here, not because it would disgrace
him, but because it would disgrace Amerii. “If you speak of this
matter to anyone, there will be consequences. As a member of
royalty, Princess Amerii deserves your kindness. Refrain from
discussing what you witnessed here.”

They nodded, saluted, and
then walked away in dead silence.

He knew they wouldn’t dare
speak of what had happened to anyone. Every member of his crew were
loyal Varkans, placing royalty above all else, and obeying all
orders given to them. They would probably never even mention who
had attacked them in the first place. Matters of bloodlust were
rarely spoken of. Varkans protected the identity of those who had
suffered and hurt another Varkan because of it, for the simple
reason that they wanted the same courtesy extended to them should
they come under the influence of it.

Amerii touched his hand,
the light caress dragging him out of his dark thoughts. He turned
to face her and was surprised to find her smiling.

“
I am sorry. I
have not only compromised you but I have frightened you,” he said
and placed his hand over hers.

“
I knew that
you wouldn’t hurt me,” she said with a sigh. There was no trace of
fear in her eyes as she looked at him. “I only wanted you to stop
before you killed that man. I understand why you did it—because you
wanted to protect me... because I am yours... it shocked me, that’s
all. I promise. I wasn’t scared.”

She smiled wider and shook
her head as she reached up and swiped her thumb across his cheek.
The action made him aware of the cut that dashed across it. It
stung as she caressed it and when she brought her hand away, he
couldn’t help looking at the blood on it. What had he done? Not
only had he compromised her, but he had attacked his crew. He
closed his eyes and his jaw tensed. How could Amerii want a monster
like him? He had been so close to hitting her. Lost in the haze of
the bloodlust, he had barely been able to stop himself. If he had
hit her, he didn’t know what he would have done. Such a low,
violent creature wasn’t worthy of her. She deserved better. She
deserved a prince, a male who would keep her safe from such a
violent world as his, from such a dark heart.

His fists
clenched.

He would kill any such
male.

Amerii was his. Without
her, he couldn’t function, couldn’t think or even breathe. The
thought of her leaving made his throat tight, stealing his air. The
idea that she might think him a monster now that he had proven
himself one made his heart clench. It ached in a dull strange way.
He rubbed the spot above it on his chest, trying to alleviate the
pain.

“
You have seen
me for what I am now,” Van whispered at his hand, rubbing the same
patch of his sternum. The pain wasn’t going away. It was only
getting worse. “I am a monster, Amerii, a creature of bloodshed and
destruction. I am a beast unworthy of you. You would do better to
risk the Wraiths and return to your ship than to remain here with
me.”

Her hand appeared in view,
steady as a rock as she placed it over his where it continued to
rub his chest. He stopped, looking at the way she had curled her
fingers over his and checking her with his senses. She was
surprisingly calm, only a hint of anger lacing her
scent.

“
You are not a
monster,” Amerii whispered back at him. She stepped closer,
narrowing the gap between them. He could feel her heat, could hear
her heart beating steadily, and feel her soft breath on their
hands. “Look at me, Van, please?”

The imploring edge to her
tone made him do just that. Lifting his gaze, he looked into her
eyes and saw tears shining in their blue depths. Not tears of fear,
but of sadness. He checked her again and realised that what he had
thought was anger was actually sorrow.

“
You were
defending me,” Amerii said and her hand left his, coming up to
capture his cheek. The touch was light, tender, and the pain in his
chest dulled a little. “I don’t think you’re a monster... or
unworthy of me. I wanted to see you again. I even thought about
going to see Sophia and Regis because I thought perhaps you would
be there.”

His heartbeat doubled at
that confession.

“
You did?” Van
said, needing to hear her say it again, needing her to tell him
that she still had feelings for him and that he hadn’t frightened
her away. The daughters of Lyra were strong, but was she strong
enough to love him? Regis had discovered love and had found a way
to temper the bloodlust around Sophia, but Regis was far older than
he was. Royalty aged slower than normal Varkans. Van didn’t know if
he was strong enough yet to do as Regis had done, or whether he
would ever be strong enough.

And Amerii deserved to be
loved.

“
I did... I
wanted to see you Van. I was so happy when you appeared on that
screen. I was so happy when you asked me to come here. I’m still
happy now. Nothing has changed. I know about Varkans, enough to
prepare me for anything that you might do. Sophia has told me all
about the bloodlust and how Regis reacted. I wasn’t surprised by
your reaction to the male, and I know if it had only been the
female you wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. You were trying to
protect me from the male... because you see me as yours. I want to
be yours.”