LustingtheEnemy (8 page)

Chapter Seven

Three weeks later…

Dawn light filtered weakly through the trees as Akeisha
stood on a small hillock and pressed an unsteady hand to her brow.

Yesterday the
Scantia
forest had been alive with
light and laughter as the
larakytes
had gone about their daily chores.
Today she could barely take in the scene before her.

Destruction. Chaos. Fear.

The humans had finally done it. They’d all but destroyed her
people.

The burned remains of the home she’d shared with her father
smoked faintly below her, a scent that mingled in the breeze with horrid whiffs
of charred flesh.

She shuddered, nausea roiling in her gut. But she’d already
retched until there was nothing more to retch. She could only find solace in
the fact her father had been spared, along with their handful of servants.

When humans had torched the
larakyte
homes in the
early hours of the morning, she’d woken to the distant screams of what she now
knew had been someone burning alive. She’d barely had time to wake everyone in
the household before they’d escaped to the underground cellar.

They’d almost choked to death on the smoke and incredible
heat as the house above roared with flames, but somehow they’d survived. Her
hand dropped to cover her mouth. Unlike most of the
larakytes
.

No tears came. Her grief had long ago dried up. All she
could do was comfort her people with their haunted eyes, those who’d lost their
parents, their children, siblings.

The cowardly humans hadn’t given the l
arakytes
a
chance, not the women, the children, the sick or elderly. The bastards had
burned houses without discrimination, without mercy.

She’d been right to leave Judas and his people. He might
accept their antipathy, she couldn’t. His people would never get over their
prejudices. Oh god. Had the attack come from his command? Because right then it
was all too evident he’d chosen the
Zanneeans
over the
larakytes.

Human over shifter.

She stifled a gasp as pain, sharp and savage, flared. Rage
as quickly seethed. How self-centered and stupid she’d been hoping Judas would
follow her, would beg to take her back.

Bloody hell.
She’d been a fool to think that Judas
would be the answer to all their prayers. A fool to believe he cared about her
and her people.

Her dad stepped beside her, his face gaunt and blackened by
soot, his skin underneath pale and pulled taut with anxiety. “There’s nothing
here for us anymore.”

She nodded dully, guilt and shame spreading through her body
right along with the anger. “Of course.”

It was her fault these people were dead. She’d encouraged
them to remain in the forest. She’d promised salvation and instead, had brought
damnation.

“Don’t blame yourself.” Her father’s voice cracked, “I made
the final decision to stay. Not you.”

“I talked you into it,” she said hoarsely, “and don’t dare
deny it.” She looked away from him, to the straggle of people gathering before
them, awaiting instruction. She locked an arm through her father’s. His
trembling confirmed he wasn’t up to the task of leadership. Not now. Perhaps
never again.

Her voice rang out clear and steady, the antithesis to her
inner chaos, her grief, guilt and rage. “Attend to any injuries. Salvage
whatever you can. We leave in an hour.”

The forest may have given her and her people a false sense
of security. The desert would provide no such illusion.

Sand and intolerable heat equaled death.

But she knew of a safe place, somewhere sacred to shifters.
The oasis in the desert; the caves, was somewhere they could not only survive,
but thrive.

She could thank Judas for that at least.

She would lead her people to safety.

A screech high overhead caused her to tilt her head back. A
golden eagle. A
myskyt.

Her hands locked into fists. Judas would soon know of the
success of the raiding party. Did he care, let alone remember who she was? He’d
made her believe he loved her. And she’d fallen for the act, for him.

Not anymore. Never again.

She squared her shoulders. She’d learned her lesson.

Shocked gasps sounded from the straggle of people below. She
frowned, scanning the
larakytes
who all looked skyward. She looked up
too.

Golden eagles descended in ever-tightening circles from
above, their outstretched wings looming larger and larger.

A snap of branches diverted her attention away from the
skies. She swung around. Her eyes widened at the panther emerging from the
trees, coat blacker than the glistening oil found underground.

His bold eyes caught hold of hers. She recoiled as though
hit.

Her vision blurred into a red haze as simmering rage boiled
into full blown, out-of-control wrath.

Not content with destroying her home, her people, he’d come
to claim victory himself?

Her father’s breath whooshed out sharply beside her. “A
nightmix.”

She didn’t respond. Her stare didn’t once falter from Judas.
And somehow the intensity of her emotions perceived his change long before he
became human. Long before he stood statue-still and gloriously naked.

The grays, along with perhaps twenty more horses loaded with
saddle packs, which she guessed were also shifters, stopped to form a
semi-circle around their king.

When two of the eagles swept down and settled onto his
outstretched arms, she couldn’t help but think he looked more than just a king.
Even with the long, jagged scar along his torso he was beautiful, a nefarious
idol, bold and invincible.

With death all around her, it only made his betrayal cut all
the deeper.

Her heart pounded, loathing filling her veins. She took two
jerky steps forward, eyes burning. “Because of you, many of my people are
dead.” She gritted her teeth, then spat, “Innocent people who didn’t know the
meaning of violence died their own special kind of hell—burned in their own
homes!”

One of the eagles resting on Judas’ arm, screeched, wings
outstretched and beady eyes glaring at her. Judas’ jaw tightened but he stayed
silent as he brought his arms forward, easing one eagle and then the other onto
a branch at shoulder height.

He stepped closer, so that they were only a few yards apart.
“We both assumed Raffia’s and Vasilous’ death would suppress the followers. No
one could foresee how it would instead trigger further revolt.” His stare
searched hers. “I had nothing to do with this attack.” His eyes glittered. “But
you can rest assured that those involved have been dealt with.”

She swallowed back the bile lodged in her throat, for the
first time aware of the dried blood spattering his arms and chest. A wave of
heat flushed her face. “It’s too late for my friends though, isn’t it?” Tears
formed, blinding her. She pressed a hand to her belly. “Too late for the
children.”

Her father stepped beside her, clasping her forearm.
“Akeisha, I’m not sure we should blame anyone but the men who—”

She shrugged free, allowing the rage to fully take her.
“This isn’t just about what happened here this morning. He’s a
nightmix
,
Dad. He’d slit our throats the moment he loses control of his beast. He’s just
the same as the men—his men—who killed our friends…family. Untrustworthy.
Treacherous. Dangerous.”

The pain cutting across Judas’ features meant nothing to
her, not in that moment, not when the people she’d known and held deep
affection for were piles of ashes waiting to be carried away in the next wind.

She stepped forward, her hand becoming paw. Raising her arm,
she looked into his eyes. And stilled.

If eyes were mirrors to the soul, then he was pure and true.
She could read his inner pain and sorrow, his belief in her.

Oh god.

Despite her accusations, she couldn’t mistake the love in
his stare. Unconditional and without reservation.

Her arm lowered to her side as hostility drained right out
of her.

She’d just lost her home, her people. She couldn’t lose the
man she loved too.

Besides, this wasn’t her. Fiery independence didn’t equate
to aggression. It wasn’t how the
larakytes
behaved. That should have
been the behavior of a
nightmix.

Except Judas had shown nothing but integrity and honor.

Sobs overtook her body. When she crumpled it was Judas’ arms
she felt around her. And she was glad. Oh so glad…

She woke to the sound of creaking wheels and the rocking
motion of a wagon. She moaned, half-recalling the sickly potion someone had
poured down her throat to help her sleep. It must have been one of Fontaine’s
concoctions.

She felt Judas sitting beside her even before she opened her
eyes. A burst of shame hit her front and center as she looked up at his serious
face. The toxic emotions she’d carried around for so long had fermented into a
hate she’d directed at the wrong person. “Judas, what I said…I didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t you?” He raked a hand through his hair, looking pale
and somber even dressed once again in his king’s traditional robe. “Perhaps you
were right.”

“No.” She sat up, ignoring the sudden dizziness, the baking
heat of the wagon that left her throat parched. “The only ones to blame were
the men who committed the crime. I was just…I wanted to condemn someone
other…other than myself.”

“Angel. You’re not at fault,” he said gently. “Not even
close.”

“But I am. I encouraged everyone to stay in the forest. I
wanted to save my people, unlike—”

Judas leaned close. “Unlike your servant who was raped and
stabbed before she was left to die by the humans looking for you?”

She nodded stiffly, feeling the blood drain from her face.
He sat so close, yet she’d never felt more alone. “Yes.”

He touched her face with a gentle hand. “I’d never do that
to you, angel.”

“And yet you stayed away for three weeks.”

He shook his head. “Not by choice.” He clasped a hand to his
chest. “My wound became badly infected. It was said only the will of the gods
and Fontaine’s medicines saved me.” His thumb traced her lower lip. “I know it
was the dreams of finding you that kept me alive.”

“You really mean that, don’t you?” she whispered.

“On my life,” he said hoarsely. “You must know—I love you.”

Her breath caught, her heart thumping with joy. Only when he
said, “Angel, come here,” did she throw herself into his arms. No holding back.
No second guesses. No doubts.

She wanted to be wrapped in the security of his hold and
never let him go again. God, she’d been so stupid. The man she’d hoped to make
fall in love with her had been the one man who’d snared her heart.

She’d been too damn scared she’d lose him too, lose yet
another person she loved. Instead she’d turned on him, accused him of the most
unspeakable acts to assuage even a little of her own guilt.

But he was right. There was no blame to be laid on anyone’s
shoulders but the perpetrators who’d committed the terrible acts of torture and
murder.

It was past time she accepted it.

The carriage jolted to a stop. Footsteps sounded and the
back door opened. The scent of fresh water wafted inside the hot interior as
her father peered in. “Ah, you’re awake. Good.” He grinned. Underneath his
obvious excitement he almost looked…serene. “You’ve got to see this place! An
oasis in the desert.”

She smiled, not wanting to burst his bubble by telling him
she’d not only seen it, but had planned to bring their people here. “Okay. Just
give me a minute.”

His grin widened, satisfaction lighting his eyes. “No hurry,
take your time.”

Her father approved of seeing her in a
nightmix’s
arms? But of course he did. Not only was Judas a king, he carried shifter blood
in his veins too. And he’d proven a
nightmix
wasn’t something to be
feared. His human blood hadn’t tainted his
larakyte
half. Just the
opposite.

As her father’s light footsteps faded, she pulled back and
looked up at Judas. Her mind whirled. “The oasis and caves—they were part of
the solution you spoke of, weren’t they?”

He nodded. “It has been my lifelong mission to protect any
remaining shifters. We’ve been using the caves to hide them until they’re ready
to integrate back into society. More and more humans are coming to terms with
the shifters they’d once thought were human.”

“So you’re getting humans to accept us as humans first
before they come to know us as shifters?”

“Yes, that’s it exactly. There are many more humans than
just Fontaine who welcome us as part of a diverse world.”

She released a slow breath, aware hope was already filling
the void that’d once overflowed with so much anger. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He smiled, warmth emanating from him. He stood and held out
a hand. “Let me show you something.”

After following him past the clear water of the oasis and
many of its surrounding, lush trees, he stopped. She stilled beside him, mouth
falling open.

“My father’s palace,” she whispered. Though she’d been young
when they’d had no choice but to abandon it, she remembered it clearly. “But
how?”

“After your home was pillaged and all but turned to rubble,
I had it rebuilt, every stone carted here and reassembled. I knew the forest
wasn’t going to protect the
larakytes
forever.” His lips pressed into a
grim line. “If only I’d known how badly your people were suffering, I would
have revealed my plans earlier.”

“I can hardly believe it,” she whispered, awed and shocked
in equal measure. “It’s incredible.”

He’d done all this even before he’d known her. Done it
without expecting anything in return except the satisfaction of knowing he’d
saved even more shifter lives.