Wild Magic Two: The Dark of the Sun- a M/M shifter fantasy romance

15- Midnight

CAIN—

They didn't attack until almost midnight. I hadn't slept at all, every bit of my senses focused wholly on Riece's small tent. He hadn't eaten a bite of the dinner his men had prepared and brought to him, pushing it around his plate before finally setting it aside and excusing himself. He had sobbed quietly in his tent for almost an hour, although the sounds were so quiet I knew only I could hear them. Dear gods, it was a test of my willpower to hold myself still as my own eyes burned.

I had to stay strong. For myself as much as for him. Even if I could get past the overpowering fear of betrayal, of opening myself up to another man to use and discard like so much trash, I was just that— trash. I was an Akaran peasant, turned slave, turned mercenary, turned robber, who wasn't worth the dirt on the Emperor of We'ren's boots. Just because I'd been on the right side of the law for the last year, didn't make me any better of a man. I was poor, used up, broken. He was golden sunlight to my shadowy past and broken spirit. He would find a man or woman someday who had as much pure noble in their blood as Riece, and they would be happy together. They would make each other happy.

The thought was supposed to help me stay away from him as he sobbed himself to sleep, but it only made it harder, for it set my beast on edge that there were others near its mate. Its unprotected, unmarked mate. For neither of us had failed to notice that our scent had been completely wiped clean off our mate's skin. Not a bit of me remained. And my beast demanded that I rectify that.

Then I had only to remember the horror and pain in Riece's eyes as I screamed in his face like a madman, bruising his delicate skin with my dirty, cruel hands, to keep myself under control and away from him.

With that thought, the exhausting cycle repeated itself and I was back to remembering why I had to stay away.

Once the entire camp was asleep but for River, who was left the first watch, I relaxed but didn't fall to sleep. So I was fully aware of the rustles in the brush behind me, and the footsteps of at least two dozen men moving stealthily through the forest.

I immediately moved from one tree branch to another, my paws silent against the bark, my tail twitching as I balanced 30 feet above the men as they converged on the camp.

I had to stop them before they reached it.

My mate is in danger, I thought, my beast growling in acquiescence.

We dropped down directly in front of the first man, killing him before he could even cry out. And then two more were dead before the fourth screamed out his death cry, and the others were alerted.

As were Riece's men, for I heard River cry out a warning to the camp, then the rustle of men waking and grabbing weapons.

Just as a familiar, hated scent met my nose, and my worst nightmare glared down at me with hatred and disbelief.

"Cain?" Kile whispered in disbelief, just as ten more men moved up to back him. Many of the men I recognized, some I didn't. But the way they all watched me, none were my friends.

RIECE—

I was a pathetic mess, but I managed to keep it close to the vest, as they say, so no one could see how viciously Cain had broken my heart. Robert and Dasan were quick to report to Lhiam, who came looking for me within half an hour. He begged forgiveness for Cain's actions, and pleaded with me to let him look into the matter.

I managed to brush him off, telling him it was my fault. I had pushed him too far, too often, and he'd understandably snapped. I told him I wasn't upset, and saw it as in no way Lhiam's or even Cain's fault.

"My ire will not fall on your kingdom, Lhiam. Please, don't worry about that."

He seemed offended that I would think he was only thinking for his kingdom and his people and not worried about me as a friend, but there was relief there too. One of his citizens— a castle guard no less— had attacked the Emperor of the realms. It could have started a war.

If it wasn't my fault that the man had snapped. And if I hadn't deserved every bruise his fingers left on my skin.

I had pushed and pushed and pushed, and he'd finally broken. Just not in the way I had been hoping. I'd hoped to break through his barriers, and make him fall for me. Instead, I'd ripped through and unleashed a rage he'd kept tightly leashed before I'd poked at it.

So I calmed Lhiam, then Dasan, who begged me not to punish Cain as soon as Lhiam was gone, then Lhiam again, with Edon at his side. Only, the second time Lhiam came to try to talk to me about what had happened, I knew I was fooling no one. Because my eyes had swollen from my stifled tears, and Edon's attentive, warm, compassionate gaze made a few stray drops fall against my will.

"He's gone," I finally whispered, trying to end the conversation before I broke down. "And if he comes back, it won't be for my sake. Can we leave it at that? Please?"

Lhiam opened his mouth to argue, but Edon's hand on his arm silenced the larger man immediately. Then Edon was dragging Lhiam out the door, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Cain fears so much. But he'll beat that fear soon, and he'll spend the rest of his life making this all up to you. Our kind are not capable of denying our mates. Believe me, I tried too... and it almost killed me. He's nearby, and he'll beat this soon. You'll see."

Lhiam was aghast at Edon's words, and it made me realize that Edon may know or have at least guessed what Cain is, but Lhiam wasn't aware in the least.

Until now.

It also, of course, was Edon's way of telling me about himself. I barely had the energy to face the idea that the sweet, timid Edon had some kind of animal in his soul. If my heart wasn't breaking, and my mind wasn't frazzled with regrets and pain, I would have been curious about his animal. As it was, I barely acknowledged the confession for what it was.

Edon's words may have given me hope before, but Edon hadn't seen the almost insane tint to Cain's rabid eyes as he held me up against the wall, my back throbbing from the impact and my arms on fire from his fingers and calloused hands holding me up so cruelly. He hadn't seen the way he spewed venom at me, as if I had betrayed him, reviled him, done something unspeakably cruel to him.

When all I had done was try to love him.

Although I tried to convince myself no one could see how deeply I hurt, I knew it was a lie. So I left as soon as I could gather my men and things together. I was followed, as usual, by two of Lhiam's men, and I barely cared to note whom he had sent to guard me as I left the keep behind for the last time.

For I could never return to that place that held some of my happiest and most painful memories.

I went through the day as if in a daze. My men said nothing, but I could feel their concern. And Lhiam's men kept their distance, their eyes on the forest around us rather than on me the entire day.

When I was unable to keep going, my body sagging with exhaustion as my heart cried out for the silence and comfort of sleep, I made us camp out for the night, though we had travelled only hours. And when I was finally able to escape to sleep, I was woken to the screams of a dying man, and River's cries warning of attackers.