Transformation by M J Marlow (new reading TXT) 📖

Daren sternly. “All challenges are waived until tomorrow.” He turned back as he heard Bastian’s cry of alarm,and turned the infants over to their mother. She smiled down at them, her face pale, her weariness claiming her. Leonin took her hands in hisand she looked up at himand shook her head. He refused her denialand gave her as much of his strength as he could spare until he saw color return to her. Leonin leaned downand kissed her on the forehead. “You are needed here, sister,” he said gently as he laid his hand on Bastian’s shoulder. “You can not leave your mate alone with a newborn sonand daughter.And I,” he continued as he smiled at her, “selfish beast that I am; wish to know you as I never was allowed in our former life.” “Get you gone, lords,” the healer hissed at them both. “The little mother needs her rest now.” “Bastian?” Leonin called from the door as he realized he had not been accompanied there. He saw the man’s faceand knew his answer. “You will allow the new father to remain, healer,” Leonin told the female. “For I swear you would need an army to move him from his mate’s side.” He moved outsideand smiled as he saw that his edict for celebration was being taken to heart. Streamers of flowered vines were being hung as the Chen were singing the song of birth. He saw Bastian’s captainand approached the man. The lord Dregar was just rising to his feet from his pallet, shaking off the man’s offer of assistance. Leonin met the creature’s eyesand nodded; liking what he saw in the male’s mind. “The blow was struck quickly,” the lord Dregar told Leonin. “My menand I fell hardand in great pain.” He frowned as she searched his memory. “One of the outer scouts sent word of an approaching transport,and then we fell.” He unfurled his wingsand stretched. “I will send out scouts to search.” “What of the woman, Captain?” “She is being held by the Chen, lord,” the Captain told him. “They keep her quiet until such time as she may be interrogated.” He looked over at the hut where Bastianand Zen were resting. “My good lord Bastian has a true prize in his mate, your sister.” “I believe she has finally found the one male worthy of her heart,” Leonin nodded. “Her first was a bargain for protection; her second,” he looked over at Daren, “was a bargain for compassion. But this man, Bastian,” he smiled, “wished her honestly or not at all.” “He would have refused her from her father,” the Captain nodded, “until he saw her need. Even then,” the man continued, “he was determined the choice be hers; though his heart lost at the sight of her.” “I charge you then, Captain,” Leonin nodded, pleased to hear his assessment of the man’s character confirmed, “that full watch be kept on your lordand lady while they are here.” He looked over at Daren. “I must have words with my noble cousin.” The Captain bowed his headand Leonin moved over to the pens holding Darenand his men captive. “Cousin, you are not pleased with your accommodations?” “I came here for assistance…” “You came here to damage, cousin,” Leonin broke in coldly. “Had you any love for my sister, you would let her be.” He tried to look into Daren’s mind, but it was blackand roiling with such negativeand violent emotions, he could see no true thoughts. “You had her for a time. Be content.” “I will have her back, cousin,” Daren told Leonin, his eyes hardand cold. “I do not acknowledge this new bond of hers. It was an arrangement made her through the force of her sire’s will…” “You aremistaken, cousin,” Leonin broke in, his anger mounting. “What our sire may have chosen for my sister has become a bond of true affectionand honesty. Can you say yours was the same?” He saw Daren flinchand look away. “No,” he nodded. “You took advantage of her compassionate natureand convinced her it was an act that was necessary. You did not need her, Daren. What she gave you could have been found in another.” He saw he was making his point. “You lied to her, cousin, to have her.” “She was meant to be mine, Leonin!” Daren snarled. “She would have been mine had your evil sire not caused her death!” He looked at his cousin. “I could not take a chance of losing her again! Can you not see that?” “What I see, my cousin,” Leonin said coldly, “is a man more like my sire than his own son! How dare you force my sister into a bond she would have given you honestly once.” He turned to see Chen’yaand her elders standing behind him. “Have you heard enough?” They noddedand Leonin turned his back on Daren. “Your judgment?” “This one’s challenge is invalidated,” Chen’ya said coldly. “His claim is based on liesand manipulation, not truth.” She motioned to the guards. “Release the king Nydare. Heand his men are leaving. They are not welcomed back.” Daren stepped out as the door opened to the penand glared at Leonin. He vaulted up into the skyand his men followed him. They only flew off a few miles before they landed. Daren paced, his expression dark with rage. How dare that insufferable Leonin deny his claim! As Zen’s older brother,and heir to Zoran, he was within his rights to do so; but he had done it in as humiliating a fashion as he could find. How had he known of the truth of the bonding? It must have been by Zen’s own words, for Daren knew Leonin could not read him. His rage mounted. She had betrayed him? He would see her on her knees for such an act! “They shall not keep our Queen,” he told his men. “Zenyssa is oursand will be returned to us by force, if necessary.” He turned to Steyd. “Have a drug brought, Steyd. Dose their waterand bring the village down.” He looked back towards the village, his fists clenched. “When they have fallen, we will take our Queen.” “But lord Bastian…” “Can have their pups!” Daren hissed over Steyd’s objections. “I will have what is mine! The Nydare will have their Queen returned!” * Zen woke up several hours into the nightand sat up slowly. Her body protested the movement stilland she got to her feet carefully. She saw Bastian lying on a cot nearbyand went to him, stroking his cheekand smiling as he sighed at her touch. She went to the crib where their children layand looked down into their brilliant green eyes. She touched them, assuring herself that they were well. Arin, their son,and Atav, their daughter; Zen smiled; named for those who were loved. She felt the call of the night airand moved outside slowly, wondering at the silence. Shouldn’t there be a guard on duty, she wondered as she moved into the square. Someone moved up behind herand a large hand clamped over her mouth to still her cries. “Leave the missive,” Daren’s voice sounded in her ear. “We have what we came for now. There is no need to delay further.” He put his arm around Zen’s waistand pulled her close. “Peace, cousin. You make me drop youand it ends in a way neither of us wish.” Zen looked downand saw that they were already several feet off of the ground. She didn’t care. He had taken her by forceand she had no wish to go with him. She bit his hand and he clamped down harder, covering noseand mouth togetherand cutting off her air. She clawed at his hand as the air was shut off from her lungs, until she passed out. Daren shifted her into his armsand continued flying off with her. They arrived at the Aerieand he took her to the laboratory, where he strapped her face down on the table. He sat downand waited beside her until her eyes opened again. The emotions he saw there made him frown, but he was determined. “You are back among us,” he said to her simply, “where you belong.” He ripped open the back of her gown. “You shall be one of us again, my Queen.” “No!” Zen cried out in protest. “You have no right! I belong with my mate,and my children.” “We have a child, cousin,” Daren reminded her. “He would have his mother returned to him. I would have my mate returned to me!” “I do not want you, Daren,” Zen told him. “I want to be with Bastianand our children.” She was looking up at him now, her pleas showing in her eyes. “Cousin, please do not do this heinous thing to me. As you love me…” “I do love you, cousin,” Daren broke in, laying his fingers over her lips. “That is why you are here. I will not be parted from you, my lovely one. I will never let you go again.” He nodded to Thaya. “Begin.” When Thaya did not do as he asked, he slapped her. “Leave us then, female. I will do the work myself.” He looked up as alarms began to sound. “They come already?” Zen was left alone, relief flooding through her at the interruption. She pulled at the straps holding her down, but they would not release. She was still so weak, her mind cried as her body began to shut down. She could hear screamsand shouts of anger, weapons fireand sounds of combat, as she lost consciousness. When she came back from the darkness, it was to find a Marek looking down at her with a pleased smile on his face. “Princess,” he bowed his head to her as his men freed Zen from the strapsand helped her up. “It appears we arrived just in time.” He found a coverand put it around her. “Your captorand his people have eluded us, but they will stand judgment for this act against you.” “How did you know to come here, Marek?” Zen asked him as she went with him. “It was an act he had not planned.” “We were watching the village,” Marek told her as he caught her as she swayed. He frowned as he saw how pale she was. “You are ill, Princess?” “I have recently given birth to twins,” Zen told him. “I am still wearied from that act.” Marek picked her up in his armsand her body moved into his, remembering. “I would go back to my mate now, Marek.” “You are to be brought to the Governors for your own protection,” Marek told her as they left the Aerieand boarded his transport. “Your lord will be told where you are.” He saw the mutinous look on her face. “It is as the lord Tepit wishes,and his edict are not to be disobeyed, Princess.” He took her into a cabin, where a sweet-faced brunette was waiting. “Princess Zenyssa of Norest’un,” Marek made the introductions; “this is my lady wife, Arienne. Beloved, she has recently given birthand will need your assistance.” “It shall be my honor, my lord husband,” Arienne bowed her headand helped Zen to the bed. “Please, lady,” she said gently as she helped Zen sit, “allow yourself to rest. We will reunite you with your children soon enough.” Marek nodded his head, knowing his sweet wife would see to Zen’s needs. Seeing the two of them together was strange. He had never thought there would be a time where his former mateand his current lady would be in the same place together. But Arienne had insisted, in her role as a healer, to be allowed to come with him. He could not deny her the request, as he had the feeling that her talents would come in handy. He had not been wrong. He went to the control areaand took a seat next to the pilot. “Send a messenger to the Tehari,” he said to the man. “Inform