The Swarm Trilogy (33 page)

Mayvis winked, but instead of reassuring me, my stomach dropped to my toes. Her demeanor led me to believe she was masking her evil intentions with a sweet exterior. I didn’t buy it for a second and I wasn’t quite sure she wanted me to. Unsettling me might have been her goal, and if it was, she was succeeding.

“When will I meet him?” I asked, hoping I’d have enough time to figure out an escape plan. I had no intention of having sex with a guy I’d never met to help them build their army of darkness. I couldn’t even fathom giving in to a plan like this. The other girls who wanted this guy could have him.

“He’ll be in here soon. Within the hour, for sure. He said he wanted to get ready for you. Make the very best first impression on you. I’d suggest you do the same for him. You’ve both been chosen for a great honor. If we can get children off of you two, our army will have power beyond imagining.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “It takes almost a year to have a baby. Then it has to grow up. Your army will be nothing by the time this kid is ready to fight for you – if he or she will even agree to it.”

“We have all the time in the world, Lianne,” she said. “The Malborn have been working toward this goal for thousands of years. What’s another fifteen or sixteen years to wait for the ultimate weapon?”

“You’re sick.” I refused to play along with this ridiculous plan. If they thought I was willingly going to submit to some guy I’d never met in order to get pregnant with his evil spawn, they were fooling themselves. They obviously knew something about this power inside me, but maybe they didn’t know I could fight. Maybe they didn’t know I’d killed before. Even if it was an accident, I knew I was capable of killing someone else in defense. I’d do it again.

Mayvis laughed again as she poured a jug of water into a washing basin. “I’m not the one who’s sick, Lianne. You are. You must understand that we’re only trying to be the most powerful nation. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what every nation wants. Sadly, most of them don’t have the forethought to make it happen. Those pathetic Fithians you grew up with? They couldn’t conquer an army of ants. And your Dalagans? Yes, perhaps they fooled the Fithians with their basic magic. But they didn’t think ahead of that conquest, did they? No, they were content to move into the Fithian land. Why? Because they’re lazy. Frankly, it astounds me they were even able to produce children whose magic was so powerful. They’re like children blowing on a pinwheel with puckered lips, lost in the moment. We Malborn plan for the future. We don’t want to be on top tomorrow – we will be on top forever.”

I wanted to make a clever retort back, tell her how they were doomed to fail, that someone would stop them. Maybe me. I held my thoughts inside, though. They would do no good right now. I was essentially trapped here. The only thing I had to worry about was this man who was coming to my room with the intent of taking me against my will and making me mother to a child who could potentially be the downfall of everyone.

Once I found a way to neutralize him, then maybe I could concentrate on finding a way out.

A hard knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.

Mayvis smiled again. Her teeth bared, in what could have been a kindly smile if it weren’t for the glimmer of malice lurking in her eyes, she scurried over to the door as fast as her short legs could propel her.

“He’s here. Oh, you’re going to like him. I promise. Why if I were twenty years younger, I might devour him myself.” Her laugh tinkled in the room, like that of a young girl in love. My stomach turned. Attractive or not, I’d never give in. Not willingly.

The door swung open. He stood there, taking up most of the doorway. His muscles bulged in all the right places. His fiery hair fell across his eyes, so like mine, a mess that begged to be swept aside. But it was his sideways smile that got me. No one else had it. Kellan.

Mayvis bowed and backed out of the doorway, leaving us alone.

“Hi, Lianne. How many years did you lust after me? Desire me? The last time we were together you were too much of a little girl to give in.” His eyes travelled up and down my body. I shivered, my stomach roiling. “Now’s your chance.”

I tried to hold my anger in. The fires burned hard inside me. Now that I was separate from Chase, there was nothing holding me back. “You tried to kill me and gravely injured my sister instead. What makes you think I’d go anywhere near you?”

Kellan tossed his head back and laughed. “You were always such a little girl until your magic took hold of you. I can see it now, how much you’ve changed. You’re a woman now, Lianne, a woman I’d be proud to hold in my arms.”

I stalked over to Kellan and placed my palm flat on his chest. “You think so? You really think you know me now?” I traced down his arm with a finger from my other hand. Goosebumps rose on his skin. I pressed against him, and felt his body respond to mine. Kellan’s arm circled around my waist, a low growl emanated from his throat. “I’m not a virgin anymore, Kellan. I know what it’s like to be with a man.”

He snorted. “Bryden isn’t a whole man. Once you experience what it’s like to be with someone like me, you’ll never want anyone else.”

“Really?” I purred. “Is that what Albree thought when she gave you up for the king? Weren’t you man enough for her?”

Kellan’s other hand wrapped itself around the back of my neck with a hard squeeze. It wasn’t a movement of lust, it was a warning. I wasn’t stupid enough to miss that.

“It was part of our plan. You know that. No woman would leave me for another man, particularly not someone fat and old like the king. I may have tried to kill you, Lianne, but I’ll never forget how you killed Albree. It enraged me almost as much as it turned me on.”

His hand slithered up my neck and ran through my hair. He yanked on my curls, pulling my head backward and exposing my neck. I concentrated on my breath, keeping it even. I almost had him where I wanted him.

His mouth dropped to my neck, kissing me, tenderly at first, and then, with a passion I might have returned a few short months ago. I pressed myself against him harder, hoping to convince him I was giving in to his advances. His hips grinded against me, and that’s when I knew he was convinced. I could feel his desire.

In one swift motion, I rammed my knee into his crotch. Kellan’s lips yanked away from my neck. He reeled backward. I raised a hand, concentrated hard, and pushed him into the mirror with my magic. It shattered in tiny shards all around him.

“You bitch! What do you think you’re doing?” he screamed. Blood poured from the back of his head, down onto his shirt.

“What else did you expect me to do? Give in to you? Are you really so conceited?”

I kept my hand up in the air, building an invisible wall between us. Kellan wasn’t in any condition to move, but I wouldn’t give him access to me at all. He had magic too, and unless something had changed in the time we’d been apart he didn’t know how to use it. I doubted anyone here would teach him. They wanted him for his breeding potential. I was sure they didn’t want him actually using any of it. No matter how convincing his swagger, he was a prisoner here as much as I was.

“Lianne, please.” He held out a bloody hand to me. “Don’t let me die. I know it’s not in you. You may try to convince everyone that you’re so tough, but I know you. I’ve held you in the dark of night. I know you have fears just like the rest of us.”

I dropped my hand, sure the invisible wall would hold. At least I hoped it would. “You’re right, Kellan. I don’t like hurting people, but I won’t allow anyone to take me against my will. Do you understand that? I won’t start a fight, but I will always defend myself and those I love.”

“You loved me once.” Kellan’s voice cracked. “Can’t you ever find it in yourself to love me again?” Then he leaped at me, his hands outstretched toward me. He pulled his right arm back, cocked to punch me in the face. My magical wall held, blocking him and thrusting him backward again.

The force of the blow sent him flying. This time his head cracked against the heavy wooden wardrobe. His eyes closed and his body slid down to the floor.

“Now how the hell do I get out of here?” I asked myself.

Chapter Fourteen

I opened the door, and before jumping out into the hallway, I listened for any noises that could indicate someone was in the hallway. Silence screamed at me, begging me to get out of the room as fast as I could. With a quick sigh of relief, I pulled the door open all the way. I stuck my head out and looked both ways. Again, nothing. Maybe they’d figured they’d give Kellan and me some time alone to do our business. I crept into the hall.

Did they really think that I’d give in to him so easily? Did most of the girls here give up and accept their fate? I couldn’t even fathom it.

A burst of light thrust out of the room I’d just left. I slammed my back against the wall and inched back toward the room. Whoever it was knew how to use magic and they were in my room. I could only hope it was someone looking for me. I wasn’t too cocky to admit I needed some help.

“Lianne!”

My heart leapt and I ran back to the room. I flung the door open. Bryden stood next to a glowing portal in the room.

“How did you get here? How did you know where I was?” I ran into his open arms. My lips landed on his, burning with desire. “They wanted me to make babies with him.” I motioned over Bryden’s shoulder. Instead of pointing at Kellan, my fingertip pointed at Chase walking through the portal. He snapped his fingers together, closing it.

Bryden looked at Chase and then back at me, his eyebrow cocked toward the ceiling.

“Not him.” I shook my head. “Him.” I pointed in the same direction, but this time both Chase and Bryden saw Kellan lying on the floor. He started to stir. I was glad he wasn’t dead, but I had hoped he’d be out longer than that.

Chase leaned over and grabbed Kellan by the collar. He jerked Kellan up to standing, then threw him against the wall. Chase’s grip didn’t relent. He pushed Kellan up the wall until Kellan’s feet dangled a couple inches above the floor.

Chase stuck his nose into Kellan’s face. “If you ever lay a hand on her again, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

Bryden’s arms tightened around me. I kissed him on the cheek. I couldn’t imagine how he was feeling. He had to watch Chase rough up the one guy who’d always stood between us. Bryden never had a chance to get his own hands on Kellan for the things he’d done and I knew he wanted nothing more than to hurt Kellan.

“Drop him, Chase,” Bryden said. “Looks like Lianne already took care of herself.”

Kellan looked from Bryden to Chase. “Is this your hired dog?” Kellan asked Bryden. “You’d need one. It must be hard to be a cripple. You’re probably not even able to fully please Lianne. If only she knew what it was like to be with a real man.”

Bryden’s arms dropped from my waist. He turned toward Kellan, clenching his fists. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”

Bryden shrugged my hand off his shoulder. Chase dropped Kellan’s feet to the floor and stepped back. Stupid men and their egos.

“You don’t need to do anything. He’s neutralized,” I insisted. “If he could access his magic, he would have by now. I don’t think we have anything to fear from him.”

Kellan squinted one eye and pointed at Bryden with his index finger. “Except you. You have everything to fear, don’t you? You’ve always feared me, you insignificant little maggot. You won her by default. If any other guy would have been interested in her, she’d be in his arms.” Kellan gestured toward Chase. “Like this guy. He’s more Lianne’s type. Tall, strong,” he paused and smiled, “whole.”

Bryden glanced at Chase. I saw the look in his eyes. He was jealous of Chase. I grabbed Bryden’s arm. “Don’t let him get to you. He’s only trying to bait you into a fight.”

But Bryden wouldn’t relax. He continued to stare at Chase while Kellan laughed manically. “So, it’s true, isn’t it? You’re afraid Lianne will really want him. When all of this calms down and life goes back to normal. Who do you think Lianne will choose? You or him?”

Bryden raised his arm toward Kellan.

“That’s all you’ve got, isn’t it? A little magic? You’ll always be weak, Bryden.”

Bryden rushed at Kellan, moving as if he’d never been injured as a child. His legs worked together in perfect harmony. Kellan’s eyes grew wide when Bryden’s fist streaked through the air, landing squarely on his jaw. He slipped to the floor, knocked out again.

“How did you do that?” I asked, stunned. Bryden spun around to face me. “I mean, your leg. I just saw you last night and you were hurting so much. What changed?”

Bryden glanced at Chase and back at me. “His friend gave me something. It’s helping a bit.”

“Johna?” I asked Chase. He nodded, but wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Wow, impressive. I didn’t realize her expertise with herbs was so expansive. Or is it magic?”

“It’s not magic,” Bryden said through gritted teeth. “It’s a concoction she had me drink. It won’t last forever – but it will last long enough.”

“Long enough for what?” I asked.

Bryden stalked over to my side. He wouldn’t look at Chase or at me. Chase stared at the ceiling.

“What aren’t you two telling me?” I asked.

“It’s nothing, Lianne. Just trust me, okay?” Bryden loped an arm around my shoulders. I melted into him, not caring how he’d changed physically. I loved him before and I’d still love him when it wore off. I just hoped he knew that.