Twin Flames (5 page)

Once the light had faded and the haze cleared away, they stood before a giant swirling eye. Made entirely of psychic power, the large golden circle seemed to rotate in every possible direction. It terrified her.

“Throw the jewel inside,” Devlin ordered.

Together they released the gems. On impact, the circle erupted into a swirling orange vortex, sucking them closer. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. She searched frantically for something to grab onto, but there was only water. Screaming as Devlin disappeared into the orange abyss, she shut her eyes and allowed herself to be sucked inside.

Chapter Five

Waves of psychic energy slammed into Raven, sending her to her knees. She closed her eyes, willing herself to adapt, to find the nexus of the power and absorb it. The pain in her temples was overwhelming as she tried to focus on her surroundings.

They were in a valley, surrounded by mountains of dirt. Dead trees, so white they gleamed in the sunlight, lay scattered along the dirt road in front of them. It was a dead land. Not a living creature in sight.

Devlin did not appear distressed, so perhaps all was normal. She couldn’t imagine surviving in such a place.

Every muscle aching, she took his outstretched hand and he pulled her to her feet.

“We must hurry. We are in danger.”

The road crossed a narrow strip of land that lay between the two mountains. Sweat broke out on Raven’s brow as she lost herself in thoughts of what was to come. Would Devlin’s people know him? His generation was dead and buried.

“Quicker,” he called over his shoulder. His hand tugged her along behind him. “It will be dark soon.”

She didn’t know where he thought he was going. They had traveled onto land so flat you could see for miles and miles. There was no shelter, not a single tree, just an endless blanket of dirt and dust.

Another painful mile passed before he stopped. They stood in the middle of the endless desert. He turned, a mysterious smile on his face. He took out his dagger and opened the wound on his hand, squeezing until the blood ran free.

She watched in horror as he slowly turned, the drops of blood making a circle around him in the sand as he chanted softly under his breath.

The man had lost his mind.

For several minutes he continued circling, chanting louder with each movement. As his voice reached peak volume, a curtain of wind hurled towards them from the east, picking up speed as it traveled. Devlin grabbed her by the waist. “Don’t move or it will miss us.”

What the hell? They couldn’t come this far then die by windstorm. Still, she remained in his powerful embrace, her heart pounding an erratic song that felt painful in her chest.

Her eyes were closed when the wind overtook them. It swirled around them, but despite its strength, did not sweep them inside. Surrounded by the sweeping vortex, hair a dark curtain dancing around her head, she tried to remain calm. The temptation to panic was overwhelming.

The wind dissipated, wrapping them in a blanket of calm. Turning to face Devlin, she noticed that the circle, made with his own blood, had become a hollow opening in the ground. A ladder lay along the inside edge. A quiver of unease settled in her belly when Devlin waved her forward.

Nonchalant, he stepped inside the hole onto the ladder, clearly expecting her to follow. Did she dare?

Breath trapped in her throat, she placed a foot on the metal slab. It held firm. Silent, they crawled downwards into the darkness. The second Raven’s head passed through the entrance she heard the wind return, trapping them in the pitch black. A scream caught in her throat.
Stay calm, Raven
, she repeated over and over in her head.

She needn’t have worried over the darkness. Soon after they entered, a series of torches burst into flames, sending smoke and light billowing into the darkness. They covered the passageway as far as she could see. Powerful magic swirled around them from every direction.

What the hell was this place?

Devlin increased his pace and she quickly followed. Step after step, it was never-ending. The minutes passed like hours, until she lost track of the time. When Devlin hit bottom with a gentle thud, she barely noticed until he pulled her into his arms.

His lips gently touched hers. “Thank you,” he murmured, his breath soft against her skin.

The joy in his eyes undid her. She found his mouth again, deepening the kiss, their tongues mating in that familiar rhythm.

After a few seconds, he pulled away. “We must go. The guards will come at any moment.”

The smoky air began to clear, no longer cloaking their surroundings. They stood on a cobblestone path leading into a city unlike anything Raven had ever seen. Completely underground, the houses were made from a mixture of dirt and wood. Small domestic animals she did not recognize raced around the roads, chased by small giggling children.

Devlin’s tug on her arm stopped the examination. “We must get to the palace before the guards.” He hurried them down an empty dirt passage, through a cave. When they exited, Raven drew a sharp breath.

An enormous crystal palace stood before them, the windows made of rose quartz. The stairs and doors resembled sapphires. Not translucent, the thick crystal at once both hid and revealed the inside. It was the most incredible thing she had ever seen.

Oblivious to her reaction, Devlin hurried her to the entrance and the circle of enormous armored guards. As they came closer, the guards fell to the ground, their faces in the dirt.

“Rise.” Devlin placed a hand on one guard’s shoulders. “Tell my brother I have returned.” The guard he had touched jumped to his feet and raced inside. The rest slowly rose, still bowing.

“You may look me in the face. I am not a spirit.” Devlin laughed, his eyes dancing in amusement. “You may even touch me if you wish, to see if I am made of flesh and bone.”

One of the guards did indeed touch Devlin’s shoulder as if unable to believe he could be real.

“I am afraid I can’t trust my own eyes. Is it really you?”

Raven jerked around at the deep voice, feeling Devlin tense at her side. A man, one who could only be described as compelling, walked into the light. He vaguely resembled Devlin, but his face held the strain of many years of sorrow. His long, dark hair glimmered purple in the torchlight while his pale skin held a gleam of power. His aura was so powerful it was visible to the naked eye. She was immediately drawn to him, feeling the pain he kept so well hidden.

“Chalice.” Devlin dropped to his knees to kiss the signet ring on the other man’s hands. “I presume you are king.”

“Indeed. And you have found your savior.” Raven tensed while Chalice quietly studied her, his gaze amused. “She is not what I would have imagined.”

Not sure whether to take offense, she simply ignored the exchange. A twinge of sorrow weighed on her mind. Now that Devlin was home, she would return to her own time, leaving him behind forever. It hurt to think about. In the time they had been together, she had grown fond of him. Hell, who was she kidding, she was half in love with him.

His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her with him inside the crystal vision. The moment she stepped through the doorway onto the translucent floor, a feeling of peace swept through her, causing a smile to play upon her lips.

“It’s fortified by positive energy.” Chalice explained. “It is a refuge for our people who are battle scarred from centuries of warfare.”

It truly was a sanctuary, Raven thought as she followed the men through the narrow corridor. Waves of soothing energy permeated the air, more than enough to heal any frazzled soul.

“The Council has convened in anticipation of your arrival. They wait in chambers.” Chalice motioned towards a long hallway on their left. “Do you wish your woman to appear as well?”

Devlin shook his head. He turned to face her, his eyes strangely bright. “She is ill and needs to rest. Have one of the women take her to my chamber and present her with proper clothes.”

Relief poured over her in cold waves. Already overwhelmed, she wasn’t ready to meet more of Devlin’s people before she had time to gather her thoughts and rest her aching body. She felt like a worn rag that had been twisted in every direction until only bare threads held it together.

Chalice nodded his assent. “I’ll send for one of the women.” He motioned to a guard who stood several steps behind them. “Take my brother’s woman to his rooms. Isabella will take over from there.”

The guard nodded and offered his arm. Raven pushed back her irritation at Chalice’s words. She was not just his brother’s woman. She had a name. She swallowed a harsh response and took the guard’s proffered arm. It did not matter what these people thought of her. She wouldn’t be here long.

The chamber was exquisite. It appeared suited for royalty, which was apparently what Devlin was. How had she, a mere mortal, ended up in such a place?

The walls that surrounded her were pure amethyst. They cast a purple haze against the floor made of refined crystal. The bed, draped in dark blue coverings, stood in the center of the room. She would have jumped into it, curled up and taken a nap had there not been a petite woman sitting in its center.

The power in the woman’s gaze startled Raven. She froze where she stood, failing to acknowledge the guards abrupt departure.

“So, you are his woman.” The golden-gazed goddess slowly moved from the bed to walk towards Raven. “I am to make you presentable.” She walked past Raven to a closet that appeared from the wall. “This will do.”

A quick motion and a golden robe similar to a toga lay on the bed along with a pair of silky white pants. “You can wear this inside your rooms. Once it is decreed you can travel in public we will find you something else.”

Raven could do nothing more than stare. “You are?” she asked as her fingers trailed the silky clothing.

“I am Isabella.” The barely veiled hatred in her eyes sent a shiver through Raven. “These clothes may disguise you, but you will never belong here.” She slid gracefully through the room until Raven could feel the other woman’s breath on her own cheek. “You will never have our prince. Do not think to try. He belongs to us, not some stranger with unclean blood.”

Before Raven took a breath to respond, the woman vanished.

Well, that had gone well.

She fell back against the bed. If that was any indication of how she would be received by Devlin’s people, the sooner she could slip back through the portal, the better.

***

It had been a thousand years, and yet Devlin could still not abide being brought before the Council. These were the men that had doomed his people to endless war. He despised them and everything they stood for.

He took a deep breath to gird himself for the upcoming confrontation. He would live by their rules for now, with the knowledge that their overthrow was fast approaching. The time when the monarchy would once again rule his people was closing in upon them. He had seen it in a vision. The very vision they had banished him for. It no doubt terrified them he had found his way home, for now the prophecy would be fulfilled. They could do nothing to stop it.

The circular room lay before them and he walked inside, his brother at his left hand.

“We will accept your return if you do your duty and take a mate from our people. You shall not mate with the Minoan you brought with you.”

The crackly voice of the head Councilor stirred many a bad memory. He knew what they planned. To force him to mate with one of the many consorts they had installed in the castle over the years. The prophecy could not be fulfilled unless he bonded with his soul’s twin, and they would do everything in their power to prevent that from happening.

He stepped inside the circle of flame and faced them.

“I will do my duty. I have brought my mate from the other world.”

“Unacceptable.” The Flame of the Council slammed his fist on the marble table before him. “You will not bond with a woman whose blood is tainted. It is forbidden.”

And you will banish me again if I do so
, Devlin finished silently.

Pushing back his rising temper, he responded. “What would you have me do? She is the other half of my soul. That is how I was able to find my way back.”

The angry white-haired giant raised his fist yet again. “Do you wish us to send you back? You betrayed us once. We would be fools to trust you again. You have one moon passage to pick a woman from the consorts.”

Chalice tensed beside him, but Devlin knew he would not fight the Council. “What will you do? Banish me again? You would force my woman to remain in this place and watch as I betray both her and myself? You ask too much.”

“You mistake me, Prince. You may have returned, but you still must prove where your loyalty lies. The woman you brought back is of the enemy’s blood. You may keep her as your whore, but you will not bond with her. I warn you. You will not be banished again. The Council will bring down a death sentence if you fail us again.”

Devlin forced himself to calm. If he lost his temper, they would kill Raven without thought, and he would die along with her. He took three slow, deep breaths. “Be assured, I will do my duty.” He turned on his heel, leaving the chamber in chaos behind him.

Blood in his ears, he didn’t hear Chalice until he was right up on him. Reflexes quick as silver, he had a knife pulled before he recognized the other man.

Chalice looked worn, though young. His worry lines seemed to multiply before Devlin’s eyes.

“Brother, you must tread carefully.” Chalice took the blade from him, flipping it into his palm. “They will not hesitate to kill you. That would accomplish nothing.”

“Damn. You’re the king. Stand up to them for God’s sake.”

“You misunderstand my intent. Politics resembles chess, you bide your time then strike when the other is least expecting it.”

“You helped them banish me once. How can I trust you?”

Chalice shook his head, his dark hair spilling around his shoulder. “Go to your woman and seek your solace. I will not let them interfere.” As Devlin turned away, Chalice grabbed his arm. “You cannot bond with her. Our people will never accept it. You must take a mate that will solidify our family…our rule.”

Devlin jerked from his grasp. “You can all go to hell.”

***

“This has been rather a lot for you, hasn’t it?” Devlin’s husky voice roused Raven from her sleep.

“I must have been exhausted.” She sat up slowly, the bedspread wrapped around her bare breasts.

“Shy?” He leaned forward, pulling the thick covering down to reveal her pebbled nipples. “There’s no need.”

She gasped, but made no move to stop him when he leaned down to taste one of the nipples he had uncovered.