Into the Ashes [The Arcadians 2] (4 page)

brothers, Tristan and Savitar, had

ruled the Iron City, or the Citadel as

it was more commonly named, and

they had little time for frivolities.

Like any major city in Arcadia where

there was a mass of inhabitants, there

was also a lot of crime. Arcadia was

a

world

where

males

vastly

outnumbered females and because of

that, females were in jeopardy of

being taken by male rogues and

forced into mating with them.

Arcadian

females

were

gentle

creatures that did not like violence

and were supposed to be taken care

of and loved by their chosen mates,

living without fear.

The Iron Palace had an elite

fighting force that worked diligently

to track down these rogues. As

leaders of their people and warriors

to the core, Kadan and his two

brothers led the fighting forces and it

was their duty to ensure the safety of

all females within their region and

put down the rogues that brought

disgrace to their people.

Finding a mate was the wish of

every male on Arcadia. Males were

always born in sets of three, and all

had golden skin with dark hair and

features. Females of their species

were born with the same dark hair

but kept their skin pale by staying out

of the sun. It was very rare for a male

to be born with lighter-brown hair,

and those who were became highly

sought after as breeding partners.

Kadan and his brothers were of the

few males in the Citadel born with

lighter-brown hair, but they had yet to

feel the mating pull. They received

numerous offers to mate with

females, but as the Kings of the Iron

Palace they would not chose a mate

until they felt the time was right.

Sure, they had their share of bed-

partners but all three brothers had

been careful never to spill their seed

inside a female. When they had

younglings it would only be with the

mate of their choosing as their

offspring would one day rule the Iron

Palace in their stead.

The Kings had often spoken of the

female that would complete them.

They had wanted a sweet, gentle

female like the mother they had loved

so dearly. It had been a collective

dream of theirs to have a mating like

their parents, one filled with love and

laughter. Since their passing in the

great battle against the rogue uproar,

there had been little laughter in the

halls of the Iron Palace and Kadan

waited for the day that their mate

would bring that light back into their

lives.

But all thoughts of having a sweet,

docile mate went out the window as

soon as the green-eyed goddess

appeared in their hall.

Kadan’s heart had stopped when

the tiny female had looked up at him

and his brother Tristan. Suddenly,

everything seemed to click into

place.

She was the one he had been

waiting for.

The tiny female had black hair, the

color of most Arcadians, but even

though most of it had been pulled

back, several locks framed her

perfect face in spiraling curls he had

never seen the likes of. Though what

was most astounding was the color of

her eyes. The bright, shocking green

had hit him with the force of a sword

blow and when their eyes had met he

instantly knew she would be the one

to complete his soul.

“She is the one,” Tristan had

whispered in his head through their

bond.

Kadan couldn’t have agreed more.

At her sudden appearance Kadan

knew exactly where she had come

from. A few months ago, their allies

and friends to the east had claimed a

mate from another land, brought to

them by the Gods themselves. Kadan

and his brothers had yet to meet their

friends’ new mate, but they had sent

their congratulations and also heard

the rumors of her amazing power.

Never had he thought that he and his

brothers would be similarly gifted

with a mate chosen for them by the

Gods, but here she was.

“We claim her as our mate!” Kadan

had shouted before any of the males

in the room could approach the tiny

goddess.

Suddenly, the tiny female was up

and running. Kadan watched in

amazement as she worked her way

past several obstacles with a

shocking display of agility and skill

as she headed straight for the front

entrance of the hall. Tristan bellowed

out an order for warriors to block the

exit, ensuring she would not escape

them as he and his brother quickly

followed her. He had not expected

some of his warriors would try to

challenge them for the right to claim

her. Both he and Tristan had snarled

in rage at the thought of some other

male touching her soft skin.

She was theirs!

When he caught her to him,

Kadan’s heart had pounded as he

looked down at the treasure he held

in his arms. She was the most

beautiful female he had ever seen

before. Spiral curls of black hair

framed her perfect face and her

enchanting green eyes shone with an

inner light instead of glowing out like

his. Feeling her in his arms, he knew

in his heart she already belonged to

him and his brothers.

Riding high on possessive fury

Kadan’s only thought was to bind her

to them by creating the blood bond

right then and there. Kadan had never

expected for their new mate to fight

him. He wanted to chastise her, but

he could not stand seeing the terror

on her face.

“Calm yourself, green eyes. We

will not hurt you.”

Her eye seemed to grow even

wider. “What the fuck? How the hell

can I hear you in my head?”

He frowned at her, unused to

hearing such language from a female.

Still, he could look into her beautiful

green eyes for the rest of his days. “I

have created a blood bond with you

so that you can hear me,” Kadan

explained.

“Blood bond? Is that what you

were doing making me drink your

blood? Are you a vampire? Or a

demon? Am I…dead?”

Kadan smiled down at her,

knowing she had many questions they

would have to answer before they

settled into a life together. “Nay,

mate. You are not dead.”

It was getting harder to think as his

cock swelled in his leather pants,

throbbing incessantly with the need to

take her. He needed to get her alone

so he and his brothers could claim

her properly, away from prying eyes.

Her eyes narrowed on him. “What

did you call me?”

Tristan cleared his throat. “Brother,

this is not the place to have this

discussion.

Perhaps

we

should

adjourn to our chambers.”

Kadan looked around and saw that

they were surrounded by their elite

guards, who had formed a circle of

protection around them, facing the

growing crowd of curious onlookers.

“You are right. We shall take her

upstairs.”

The little female in their arms

twisted around to look at Tristan

before focusing back on him. “Is that

growling the way you talk? What

are you saying? Why are all those

people staring at me and why are

you two trying to squish me?”

Kadan stroked a gentle hand over

her hair, enjoying the silky feel of it

under his hand as he moved back

slightly so he and his brothers would

not crush their newfound mate. “Let

us adjourn somewhere we may

speak more freely.”

She studied him, those brilliant

green orbs serious. “Are you going

to kill me?”

“Nay, green eyes. I can promise

you that you will never have to fear

that I will ever harm you. I would

give my life to keep you safe.”

Her brows furrowed at that. “Why?

You don’t even know me.”

He sighed. “Come. We shall speak

of this in private.”

She let out a startled cry as Tristan

picked up her slight form and started

from the room toward the large

staircase heading upstairs. As Kadan

quickly followed, he reached out to

their oldest brother through their

mental bond. Savitar had avoided

coming to the spring festival by going

out on patrol, but they needed him

back at the palace, immediately.

“Savitar,” Kadan called out to his

brother, opening the bond so that

Tristan

could

join

in

the

conversation.

“I am busy, brother. I told you, I

will not attend the festival this eve,”

Savitar growled, obviously annoyed.

“There

has

been

a…

development,” Kadan said.

“We need you home. Now,”

Tristan interjected.

Concern filled his voice as Savitar

responded. “Are either of you

injured?”

“Nay. It is nothing like that,”

Tristan replied quickly. “We have

found our mate.”

Silence greeted his statement.

“I have blood bonded with a

female who appeared in our hall,

sent by the Gods. She is the one. I

know it. She belongs to us.” Kadan’s

voice was filled with conviction.

“Show me,” Savitar demanded.

Kadan did as his brother asked and

replayed the events that had occurred

in the hall, starting with the

appearance of their mate. He knew

that the replay of his own memories

was nothing compared to the real

beauty of their mate. He waited in

silence for his oldest brother’s

response, and was not disappointed.

“I am on my way,” Savitar

growled.

* * * *

What the hell was going on?

Raven gasped as the giant demon

holding her bounded up the stone

steps, carrying her through several

dark corridors. He moved so quickly

it was difficult to see everything, but

from the looks of things, she had

somehow been transported to a castle

in a foreign land.

No, not just foreign…alien.

She liked to believe that she was a

pretty open-minded individual, but

this was so far out of her frame of

reference it wasn’t funny. Intellect

told her that these…demons were a

different race and it was a good sign

no one had tried to eat her or stick

her with a sharp pointy thing. But

what the hell was with the big dude

biting her and calling her his mate?

She needed answers. Now.

They

reached

an

enormous

doorway with intricately carved

doors. The carving on the panel was

a large depiction of three warriors

holding swords with defeated foe at

their feet. It was frightening yet

beautiful at the same time. The man

carrying her shoved the door open

with his shoulder, careful not to jar

her as he did.

Raven blinked in surprise as she

looked around the enormous suite.

The room had three large couches off

to the side made of what looked like

a soft leather that surrounded a large

fire pit that burned a bright blue.

There were two cutout windows and

a large stone balcony that overlooked

the beautiful dark-pink sea at the far

end of the room, leaving the room

open to the cool breeze coming off

the water. The walls were made of

the same bronze-colored stone as the

rest of the castle, but she barely had

time to see the rest as the demon

carried her into one of the three large

doorways that branched off from the

main room.

Panic had Raven struggling as she

saw he had taken her into a bedroom

with an enormous bed covered by a

shimmering silver blanket. His growl

had her snapping. “Oh really? Do you

think growling at me is going to make