Fire's Embrace [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 6] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (15 page)

“Nothing else,” Rachen confirmed.

“Well, it’s a good thing then that we found out what he is in your stead,” Karein answered.

Rachen went rigid. It was quite obvious that, whatever secrets Alwyn’s identity hid, they weren’t ones Rachen wanted his family to know.

“Oh?” he said inquiringly.

“A phoenix,” Kael said. “A great fire bird that terrorized the paranormal world a long time ago.”

Alwyn felt faint just upon hearing that word. Phoenix. He recognized it. That part of him that had become more and more assertive in past weeks screeched in delight. Another part, though, dreaded what the Tersain were saying. He simply couldn’t accept the fact that he was some sort of mystical creature that had once been the bane of shifters and magical creatures alike.

“It’s only a legend,” Rachen pointed out, obviously noticing Alwyn’s fear. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Don’t lie, Rachen,” Hareem replied. “Don’t ever lie. We’re not your enemies here.”

“And what would you have me do?” Rachen inquired. “Just trust that you’ll assess the threat Alwyn represents fairly? Somehow, I very much doubt that’s going to happen.”

“You’re being unfair,” Sari said bitingly. “I think that given the circumstances, we’ve done that and more.”

Alwyn didn’t know what to say or do anymore. He wanted so badly to believe that he had the right to a life at Rachen’s side, but what if he didn’t? What if the only thing ever would be was a weapon?

“I don’t need your approval for what I know is right,” Rachen answered. “I love Alwyn, and that won’t ever change.”

“Oh, Rachen…” Alwyn whispered. “How can you love me when I’m so obviously wrong for you?”

“Don’t say that.” Rachen turned away from his family and focused only on Alwyn. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Surely you can see that.”

Alwyn wanted to scream that yes, he did see. In the end, Rachen had met the real Alwyn, and he’d still come back. That meant something. Unfortunately, before he could point that out, Karein intervened.

“Brother, please listen. While I’m the most ardent supporter of your happiness, you have to understand the situation is very complicated. Your mate’s powers are out of control. You can’t deny that.”

“Well then, I’ll take him somewhere he can’t bother you. We’ll just leave. Draechenburg will be safe and everyone will be happy.”

“Rachen, you have to reconsider,” Karein begged him. “We’re your family. You can’t go.”

“It’s the only way. If Alwyn will have me, of course.”

It was down to Alwyn’s decision then. He was torn between the need to be with Rachen and the desire to protect him. In the end, it was the genuine bond between them that won out. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he confessed. “I’d rather die.”

“You won’t. We’re mates, remember? Your powers can’t harm me.” He extended his arm, his expression so trusting it filled Alwyn with awe. “Come on,” he added. “Try it.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Alwyn replied. “It just…happens. I can’t force it.”

“Just close your eyes,” Rachen murmured. Alwyn wasn’t convinced this was a good idea, but he complied. Rachen continued to speak, his tone so low Alwyn almost didn’t hear. “Imagine we’re in bed together. I’m kissing you, making love to you.” Alwyn’s hand went around Rachen’s wrist as the other man whispered in his ear. Yes, he could imagine it now, so beautiful, so perfect, the two of them coming together again, touching like they had just before Rachen’s departure. Rachen’s hands would be so hot on his skin, his lips so delicious as they kissed him.

“And then, someone bursts in and interrupts us,” Rachen said. “We can’t make love anymore. How does that make you feel?”

Well that was a stupid question if Alwyn had ever heard one. Without even meaning to, Alwyn tightened his hold on Rachen. The coppery scent of blood snapped him out of his trance and he opened his eyes, only to see that he had indeed dug his talons into Rachen’s flesh. Horrified, he pulled back as quickly as he could. Yes, he was frustrated, but that hardly justified…

Under Alwyn’s awed gaze, the wounds closed and healed, just like that. Rachen shuddered, and a strange light enveloped him. His body glowed for a few moments, and then the odd rays vanished.

“Are you okay?” Alwyn asked, wanting to reach for Rachen again, but not knowing if he hadn’t fucked up and maybe stolen Rachen’s powers, too.

Rachen himself looked a little surprised. “Never better,” he said, sounding a touch dazed. To illustrate his point, the dragon created a fire spell. It flared brighter and stronger than ever before. Alwyn gaped, but he supposed it made sense. He was a fire bird, and Rachen a fire dragon. They had truly been made for each other.

“See?” Rachen asked with a smile. “I told you I’d be all right. Now, will you come with me?”

“Okay,”Alwyn whispered. “I’ll follow wherever you take me.”

It was crazy, but what else could Alwyn do? What other options did he have? Stay here as a prisoner and a test subject? He couldn’t hurt Rachen. That much seemed clear. Here, he was a time bomb, but with Rachen, he could just live and love.

A voice at the back of his mind reminded him that he wouldn’t be Alwyn for much longer, that this illusion, and possibly this body, was fading. It had been strikingly easy to use his talons and they’d emerged more naturally than the first time. Not to mention that to his knowledge, Alwyn hadn’t been able to do the flying thing when he’d arrived here.

But he’d deal with that when the time came. For the moment, he just wanted to enjoy the moment and the love that bloomed inside him more and more every time he looked at Rachen.

It occurred to him then that the Tersain might not let him leave. He tensed and turned toward the draechen family. “You can’t go,” Sari said, right on cue. “You’re the only chance my mother has of recovering her powers.”

Alwyn’s heart fell. Sari was right. He couldn’t turn tail and run. It sounded like an amazing idea in theory, but Alwyn had to face his responsibilities. Even if he hadn’t taken Eanera’s powers on purpose, he still couldn’t let her fight the condition on her own. “Is she still aging?” he asked.

Sari nodded. “She forbade me to contact Father, because she didn’t want him to see her that way. At first, she claimed that it had to be temporary, and that she would get her powers back. But now…” Sari released a heavy sigh. “I spoke to Father this morning. He should be arriving today.”

“My family is flying in, too,” Camden Isaiat offered, speaking for the first time. “They’re bringing the documents with the information on the legend of the phoenix.”

Alwyn glanced toward Rachen, noticing the way the other man twitched when Camden mentioned the legend. What wasn’t he saying? What was he afraid of? Alwyn couldn’t discuss it with the rest of the group here. He had to get Rachen in private.

Rachen met his gaze and heaved a pained sigh. “Fine,” he said between gritted teeth. “We’ll stay. But if I see someone—anyone—make a wrong move and try something against Alwyn, you’ll all regret it.”

“Fair enough,” Karein replied. He didn’t sound resentful at being threatened by his brother. In fact, he seemed relieved. Perhaps he understood how Rachen felt, because he himself had a mate he was protective of.

In fact, Karein might have let them get away with Rachen’s vagueness, but Talrasar didn’t. “So now that we have that sorted out, care to tell us what you know? I highly doubt that we should be relying on the legend, when you went to the source of this whole thing.”

Rachen said nothing. He just stubbornly remained quiet, obviously realizing that there was no point in lying now but still reluctant to reveal his findings. On his part, Alwyn was tired of being afraid. He just wanted everything to be out in the open.

“Tell them, Rachen. You have to trust them. Otherwise, how can you expect them to trust us?”

Rachen didn’t seem happy about the suggestion. However, he nodded. “They told me pretty much the same thing,” he began, “that Alwyn is actually a phoenix. Originally, he was created by avian shifters from the energies of the planet. They were the ones who used him as a weapon in an attempt to take over the paranormal world. But he turned out to be too difficult to control, and he was locked up.”

“Locked up?” Hareem arched a brow. “How can you lock up a phoenix?”

“There was a box…They called it the Phoenix Chest. Apparently it was made for exactly that purpose. It’s missing now but…”

Alwyn couldn’t hear anything more after that. In his mind’s eye, he saw it, the dreaded box, his prison. It had held him captive for centuries, isolating his energy from the earth, keeping him trapped in a void. He could remember the torment of it so clearly, enduring in an existence that made no sense, unable to understand why he’d even been created.

He fell to his knees, screaming, clawing at the floor, trying to escape, to find a way out. He was suffocating. He couldn’t see. It was too much, too much and he just wanted to die.

Familiar arms wrapped around him, squeezing him close. “Shush, baby. You’re okay. I’m here. You’re safe.”

Suddenly, Alwyn could breathe again. The darkness dissipated, and he found himself in Rachen’s familiar embrace. The smell of smoke tickled his nostrils, and he gaped as he realized half of the room was blackened and scorched. “Oh, gods,” he whispered. “What…Rachen, please tell me I didn’t hurt anyone.”

“You didn’t, baby,” Rachen answered. “I got in the way before the flare could hit them.”

Alwyn glanced over Rachen’s shoulder and saw Karein and Hareem were the only ones still present in the room. Everyone else must have been evacuated during Alwyn’s little fit.

“I think it’s safe to say that you are, indeed, this mysterious phoenix,” Hareem said, “and apparently not too happy about what we’ve learned.”

“Would you be if you’d spent centuries trapped in a tiny box?” Rachen inquired bitingly. Alwyn shuddered but managed to keep himself in check this time. When he was in Rachen’s arms, everything seemed better, safer. He could lock the dreadful memories somewhere at the corner of his mind where he would never touch them again.

“Don’t let them do that to me again, Rachen,” he whispered, hating the weakness in his voice but unable to hide it. “I wouldn’t be able to survive it again.”

“Not to worry, baby,” Rachen soothed him. “As long as I’m around, no one is going to hurt you ever again. And I don’t plan going anywhere anytime soon.”

The fierce protectiveness in Rachen’s voice made Alwyn smile. He relaxed in the dragon’s arms. He was so tired, emotionally and physically drained. Apparently, that burst of magic had come with aftereffects.

Fortunately, Rachen’s brothers noticed and respected that. “We’ll leave the two of you alone for a while,” Hareem said. “You look like you need it.”

“Thank you,” Rachen replied. “We appreciate that.”

The sound of the door opening and closing told Alwyn that the older Tersain brothers had left the room. Finally, Rachen got up and took Alwyn in his arms. It was a little embarrassing to be carried like this, since Alwyn would have liked to be strong for his mate. Even so he placed his head on Rachen’s shoulder, allowing the dragon’s strength to calm down all of his fears.

Rachen carried him into the sleeping quarters and placed him on the bed. Alwyn looked up at Rachen, and their gazes locked and held. “Do you truly want to be my mate?” Alwyn asked softly.

“Oh, baby,” Rachen replied. “I already am.”

“You know what I mean. Not all matings work out. Do you really want to be with me?”

Rachen didn’t immediately reply, but by now, Alwyn had learned to stop misinterpreting the draechen’s silences. Often, Alwyn had been predisposed to thinking the worst of Rachen, even if the man had never given him a real reason to doubt. But now…Now Alwyn didn’t want to be afraid of himself anymore. Rachen loved him. Alwyn could see it in his eyes. The rest didn’t matter.

When Rachen answered, Alwyn’s guess was confirmed. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life,” the dragon said. “You have to understand, baby, I’m not exactly the easiest guy to be around. Overlords, I wasn’t even alive until this year. So I think that the two of us were really made for each other. I’m really an idiot for waiting so long in the first place. No illusion should have been powerful enough to fool me. But it’s crystal clear to me now, and I think it must be to you, too. To tell you the truth, the only thing I can think about is claiming you.”

Rachen’s words pushed aside the lingering traces of Alwyn’s apprehension. He extended his arms and simply said, “Come to me.”

The dragon didn’t wait for any further invitation. He joined Alwyn on the bed, crawling on top of him. Rachen’s eyes were hotter than any fire as he scanned Alwyn from head to toe. Just that glance felt like a caress on Alwyn’s sensitive skin, and he found that he couldn’t take it any longer.

He pounced on Rachen, crushing their mouths together like he’d wanted to do for what felt like ages. With a growl, Rachen kissed him back. He expertly took control of the kiss, feasting on Alwyn’s mouth, practically devouring him.

The time for talking was over. Alwyn now craved to finally be Rachen’s, to feel the dragon inside him. Their clothes were a hindrance for both of them, one Alwyn immediately got rid of. If he wanted to be perfectly honest, he wasn’t sure how he did it, but one moment both of them were dressed, and the next, the garments were torn away from their body by an unseen force.