A Slash of Savagery (Wiccan-Were-Bear) (9 page)

Vex said, “The book contains detailed information about one of the oldest and wealthiest covens in the history of our people.  If someone could translate the texts, they might be able to uncover unimaginable wealth.”

“I hope they never translate it then,” she said, sniffing with derision.

“I doubt they will.  Mishka’s had the book for only a year, but the people who owned it before him had been trying for centuries to figure out what language it’s written in.”

Brone thanked his
family
for protecting his mate.

Cella said, “I’ll let you know when the meeting with the serpents is set up.  Arissa will be sad to see him go I think.  He marked her in a life-debt.”

Brone shut and locked his door and then turned to his mate.  Tugging the blanket down slightly, he uncovered her arm and found the mark that Cella mentioned.  His mate was now tied to the serpents forever.  A life-debt could not be broken outside of the death of the one who was supposed to be protected.

“You are a wonder, my mate,” he said, pulling up the blanket.  He settled on the bed and waited for dawn to call him to sleep.

Chapter 13

Arissa woke to something tickling her cheek.  She brushed at it, trying to reclaim sleep, when it tickled her again.

“Wake up, my lady,” a soft voice whispered.

Her eyes popped open, and she found herself staring into the eyes of a young child.

“Little One?” she asked in awe, touching the cheek of the boy lying in front of her.  He was wrapped in a blanket.  His hair was black and shaggy, but his eyes were the same golden color of the dragon she had cuddled up to the night before.

“My name is Sang.  You are my
kore
.”

“Hmm?”

“Savior,” Brone’s deep voice rumbled behind her.  She rolled to her back and smiled up at him.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, beloved,” he said and leaned down to brush a kiss to her lips.  “You are Sang’s savior, and he is forever in your debt.”

“Aw, that’s cool.”  She turned back to Sang and said, “I’m Arissa. You’ve met my mate, Brone.”

Sang’s gaze flitted past her to Brone and then settled on her again.  “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, kiddo.”  Tears pricked her eyes and she hugged him.   “I’m glad you called to me.”

“We’re meeting with the serpents at ten o’clock, beloved.  Cella brought clothes for him.”  He gestured to a chair with a pile of clothes on it.

“Come on, Sang,” she said, sitting up and stretching.  “Let me show you where the bathroom is and then we can have breakfast.”

He slipped off the bed with her, clutching the blanket around his thin body.  “It’s nighttime, though, right?  Why do you eat breakfast at night?”

“It’s part of being a vampire’s mate.  My eating schedule is all screwy.”  She winked at Brone, and he half-smiled in that way she loved.

After turning on the shower for Sang, she left him to get cleaned up and then went into the closet to change her clothes.  Brone leaned against the doorway, his arms folded and his presence imposing.  If she wasn’t crazy about him, she would be afraid.  But she
was
crazy about him.

Stepping to him, she hugged him tightly.  “Thank you for standing up for me.”

He let out a growling sigh.  “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me, beloved.  Did you think I would allow you to be harmed while you tried to protect a child?  You are full of light and love.  It’s my honor and duty to see you safe.”

“What’s going to happen to him?  What happened to Restik?”

Brone told her that the serpents were coming to see the child, and that Mishka had traded the child for a valuable book.  She had a feeling that Restik hadn’t been easy to bargain with, but whatever else had happened in the meeting, Brone kept to himself.

Sang skipped into the closet as Arissa was buttoning a pair of leather pants.  “I love the Ninja Turtles,” he said, pointing to his T-shirt with the four turtles emblazoned on it.  “My dad’s a ninja.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Sure, but he’s not a turtle.  We’re serpents.”

She chuckled and ruffled his damp hair.  Slipping into a pair of heels, she led him back to the bathroom and brushed his hair.  “How long were you gone from your family?”

“I saw four moons pass by from my cage.  Sometimes the vampire master would chain me up outside.  He kept me in my shift a lot, and a lady with long, gray hair cast a spell on me to keep me hidden when he would take me places.”  He cocked his head.  “But you knew I was there.”

“It was the chain.”

“I’m glad you saw it.  No one else ever did.”

When his hair was tangle-free, she took his hand and they reentered the chamber where Brone waited.  He escorted them to the break room where a table was set for two and domed platters filled the counter.

Sang settled in a chair next to Arissa as Brone brought the platters over to the table and lifted the domes.  “Oh wow, that smells awesome,” Arissa said as her stomach rumbled.

“Your tummy sounds angry,” Sang said, lifting a glass of apple juice and taking a sip.

“It’s mad since I went to bed without having a snack.”

She chose a quiche and added a scoop of hash browns and strips of bacon to her plate.  Brone busied himself heating up SyBl for his own meal.  After some thought, Sang chose a waffle the size of a dinner plate, and topped it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.  He devoured it quickly and moved on to the other items on the platters while she and Brone talked about the meeting with the serpents and he chimed in with tidbits about his people.  When he had polished off a bowl of hash browns, a plate of bacon and sausage links, and two ham and cheese omelets, he let out a large belch and covered his mouth with his hands, giggling.

“Sorry, Milady, it has been a long time since I’ve eaten anything this good.”

“I’m sorry I gave you raw steak last night,” she said.

“That tasted good, too.  My beast liked it.  The bad vampire wouldn’t feed me if I didn’t win the fights.  Sometimes I did win, but sometimes I didn’t.”

Her heart cracked.  “You don’t have to fight for him anymore.”

“I’m glad.”  He smiled at her.

Brone stood and said, “We should meet with Mishka and the
family
before the serpents arrive.”

“Are you ready to see your family again, Sang?”

He nodded as he stood and reached for Arissa’s hand.  “You’re not mad at me for biting you?  I couldn’t help myself.”

“Of course not,” she assured him as she walked between him and Brone down the hallway.  “Plus, the tattoo is pretty cool looking.”

She had chosen to dress in a way that showed off the tattoo from the marking, pairing her leather pants with a black satin vest and clipping her hair back at her nape with a jeweled barrette.

They rode the elevator to the first floor and joined Mishka and the
family
in Mishka’s office.  Sang stayed by Arissa’s side, holding her hand tightly.  “They’re not going to hurt you, Sang,” she promised, smoothing back the hair from his face as he looked up at her, “they’re my family.”

He gave her a small smile, his eyes darting around curiously.  “You’re not a vampire.”

Mishka came around his desk and knelt before the small boy.  “She is not like us, but she is our family because of her mate.  She married into the family.  And you are her brother by blood, yes?”  He gestured to her tattoo.

Sang nodded.  “She is my family now, the one I will protect with my life.”

“Then you are also part of our family.”

Sang seemed to relax a bit, and Arissa mouthed
thank you
to Mishka, who stood and smiled at her.  She had a feeling that he was being extra sweet to Sang because the serpents were coming and were probably pissed at all vampires.

Sang walked with her and Brone as they followed the
family
to the War Room.  A small group of males of Asian descent were gathered in the far corner of the room.  She felt a prickling awareness along her skin, like the slither of scales, and she shivered.  Her power was reacting to the serpents, maybe because of the tattoo and her bond with Sang.

A male stepped forward from the group, his face carved in disbelief.  She could tell immediately that he was Sang’s father, and she attempted to let go of Sang’s hand but he held her hand tighter.

“Papa,” Sang said.

The man dropped to his knees in front of Sang and rested one hand on his shoulder.  “I thought you were lost to our ancestors, my son.”

“I failed.  Mother was killed because I was not strong enough to protect her.”  Sang hung his head, and Arissa’s eyes filled with tears at the sorrow that emanated from him.

“No, my son,” the man said, “it was no one’s fault, especially not yours.  You’re free now, and that’s what matters.”

Sang squeezed her hand and then released it slowly.  His father enveloped him in his arms and held Sang as he cried.  She leaned against Brone and he comforted her as her own tears fell at the sweet sight.  She hadn’t known the little boy long, but she was greatly affected by this reunion.

After a few moments, Sang let go of his father and scrubbed at his eyes with one hand while reaching for Arissa’s hand again.  “Papa, this is my
kore
, Arissa.  She is a witch and saw me when no one else could.”

The male stood, holding his son’s other hand, and looked at the tattoo on her arm.  His face was unreadable, and she wondered if he was upset that Sang had marked her.  But then he smiled and bowed his head.  “Thank you for saving my son’s life, Arissa.  My family is forever in your debt.”

She watched as he raised his hand and the tips of his fingers transformed into thick claws.  Scraping the claws across his bicep, he spoke words in a language that she didn’t understand and every serpent, except one, dropped to his knees and slammed a fist into the floor with a sharp sound.

“I am honor bound to you forever, Wiccan Arissa, by blood and oath.”  Sang dropped to his knees and slammed his fist into the floor as well, and for a brief moment, there was only reverent silence.

The serpent who still stood, she knew, was their king.  He bowed his head to her as she met his gaze.

She said softly to Sang’s father, “I’m honored.”

His father stood slowly, as did the other serpents, and introduced himself as Dae.  Mishka strode toward Tosh and they shook hands.  The vampires and serpents mingled and talked while Brone and Arissa stood with Sang and Dae.  After awhile, Tosh came over to them and shook her hand and Brone’s.

“Thank you for saving his life, Arissa.  The marking binds you and Sang in a life-debt.  Anyone who sees it will know that you are part of our nest and to be honored and protected.  My warriors have pledged themselves on Sang’s behalf.  If ever you have need of us, you only have to call, and we will help in any way.”

Tosh met Brone’s gaze and something unsaid passed between them.  Tosh turned away with a nod and walked back to his people.

Sang said, “I think we have to leave now.  May I visit you?”

“Whenever your father says it’s okay,” she promised, going to her knees and hugging him.  “I’m so glad we’re friends, Sang.”

He kissed her cheek and then slipped from her arms, taking his father’s hand and walking out of the War Room with the serpents.  She sat on the floor, leaning against Brone’s legs.

Mishka said, “I have not heard of any serpents binding themselves in a life-debt before.  It’s an ancient custom.”

“Arissa’s special,” Cella said, smiling at her.

“Yes, she is,” Brone said, stroking the top of her head.

* * * * *

Brone offered his arm to his mate and she took it, smiling at him in a way that made him want to forget they still had work to do.  Unfortunately, they did need to work and the time for her to work at the coven’s store was drawing close, and he would be there, guarding her.  They’d only been mated a few days, and he felt extremely possessive of her.  He didn’t want her to leave his sight, especially not during the daylight hours when he would be unable to help her, but he did trust the males he had chosen as guards for her.

He left her at the front desk and kissed her cheek before going down into his chamber to check out the mini kitchen.  The installers had finished the previous night, but he had insisted it remain a surprise for his mate, so the workers hung drapes from the ceiling to hide the work as it was completed. They worked quickly, and thanks to Cella’s input, Brone knew that Arissa would love the kitchen.

When he walked through the door, two workers glanced at him and then returned to work.  Cella, who was supervising them, said, “It looks wonderful.  Arissa will adore it.  Do you think she peeked at all?”

Brone half-smiled.  “She promised she wouldn’t.”

Cella said, “The fridge is stocked.  SyBl for you, drinks and snacks for her.”  She crossed to the two overhead cabinets and opened one.  “This one has dishes, and this one has non-refrigerated snacks.  I saw her get a Nutter Butter package from the vending machine once, so I made sure there were a few bags in here.”

“Nutter Butter?”  He raised a brow.

“Peanut butter sandwich cookies.”

He shook his head, happy that Cella had noticed foods that Arissa liked to eat.  Brone knew she loved coffee when she first woke up and had been sure to have a coffee maker included in the kitchen.  He spent each mealtime with her, but he hadn’t recognized half the foods she enjoyed eating.  He’d just never cared about the food that mortals ate.  At least not until Arissa became his mate.  He wanted her to be happy and to feel that he was taking good care of her.  The kitchen was a start.

As the workers finished, he looked over the work.  The dark wood cabinets matched the other furniture in the room.  Green and gold flecked the black granite countertop, and the stainless steel appliances — coffee maker, refrigerator, and microwave — lent the kitchen a clean, modern appearance.  He turned to face the wall where the flat screen TV now hung.  Wires connected the TV to a satellite box, Blu-Ray player, and stereo.  The couch before it was made of soft, black leather, and Cella had added a few dark green pillows and a coffee table made of glass.