Sometimes love isn't right or wrong, it just is...
Ok, so I know some of you are awaiting part 2 of Lovers' Dance. I was working through my edits and decided I hated the darn story (hopefully this is fleeting) as such I went back to my loyal preternatural genre and while bouncing between my stories I wrote this one-off. Hope you get some form of enjoyment from it.
K.
UPDATE: Heart of Lies coming soon!!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Arric rose quietly from the bed, his gaze lingered on his sleeping mate. Making no sound he slid out the warm comforts of their sheets and reached for the clothing he'd discarded what seemed like days ago. It had only been a few hours, yet the time he spent with her felt as if there was no end. Both a blessing and a curse. He got dressed as quickly as possible, casting furtive glances at the bed, praying she remained in her slumber. His inner wolf whined, protesting the imminent separation from its mate, albeit temporarily. The moon had made one full cycle since she had broken the news she was expecting. Their first child, eagerly anticipated by his parents, by their people. The lineage of Raven Rock pack was enduring, and his child would one day sit upon the throne as he did.
He was Ulfric, the title happily bestowed upon him three years ago when his father stepped down from his seat of power. The enormity of ruler-ship had not fazed him, it was his birth right and he had been raised with the knowledge that one day his word would be law. Arric knelt down beside the bed, hand searching underneath it until his fingers closed around the small wooden box. Gripping it tightly he rose to his feet and sighed softly, perhaps this gift would turn the tide in his favour. He spared another glance at his sleeping mate. Soraya. Her beauty and strength had caught the eyes of many eager wolves, but she only had eyes for him. She was Lupa to his Ulfric, a true mated pair. Both alphas, both determined to protect their pack, yet he had fought so hard to resist the bond between them. Fought and lost, and now she was carrying his child. With one last glance at his sleeping mate he crept from their room, wishing things could be different but resigned to the reality of his situation. A werewolf could not refuse its mate, it was impossible.
"And where are you off too?" Thaddeus called from the shadows when Arric stepped into the dimly light hallway.
"Is it any concern of yours?" Arric growled at his Beta. They were as different as night and day, but as close as brothers. Arric had lost count of the many times each had saved the other's life. He stalked down the hallway and Thaddeus followed much to his annoyance.
"She won't speak to you, far less look at you," Thaddeus drawled as he fell into step with him. "Let her be, Arric."
"Why are you not overseeing the patrols?" Arric shot back tersely. "Although there is peace we must remain vigilant. Shall I replace you as my Beta?"
Thaddeus chuckled under his breath, knowing there was no one strong enough to usurp him from his lofty position. "Try it, Ulfric. Your mother would have your pelt."
Against his will a small laugh fell from Arric's lips. His mother was overly fond of the silver-haired werewolf at his side. Then he sighed, frustrated at the circumstances that had brought him to this stage.
"It has been six full moons, she cannot stay mad forever." He replied, hoping he was right.
Thaddeus shook his head. "You of all people should know her anger never dissipates. It dwells within her like a sickly rot, poisoning what little goodness she has left inside that cold body of hers."
In an instant Arric had his closest friend against the stone wall, green eyes bleeding to amber. "She is not cold and it would serve you well to remember what she means to me."
Thaddeus pushed him back, snorting in anger. "Be calm, Arric. I meant no insult, but Odin's beard! You are now mated with Soraya, she is expecting your pup and is the new Lupa of our pack. Do you mean to humiliate your Queen?"
"I care not about that." Arric spat out, resuming his strides down the empty hallway.
"You should care," Thaddeus replied in growing anger.
Arric growled low in his throat, reminding Thaddeus who was Ulfric by the sound.
"Leave her be, Arric." Thaddeus warned softly. "I have spoken to her and she does not wish to see you."
"When did you speak to her?" Arric asked, his wolf padded beneath the surface of his human form, sensing a threat and ready to destroy it.
Thaddeus cleared his throat nervously. "She sometimes dines with me - unhand me!"
Arric fought against his wolf's desire to cause damage, to kill. Slowly, he released his friend and moved back a few paces.
"She means a lot to me also, Arric," Thaddeus said sadly. "And it hurts me to see her like this. You should never have marked her as your own when you knew it could never be. She is not one of us. You knew this, yet you-"
"Do you think I do not know this?" Arric hissed between clenched teeth. "Do you think I do not wish things could be different?"
Thaddeus sighed, knowing the pain they were both in and unable to help in any way. "Leave her be, Arric."
Arric took a ragged breath, holding the box close to his chest. "I can't. I wish I could but I can't, Thaddeus." He shook his head and walked away. Tonight he would make her speak to him, tonight he would make her forgive him...
Arric opened the door quietly and slipped inside the spacious room. His gaze went straight to the large windows, knowing she would be there. Her scent filled his nostrils and he inhaled deeply, ashamed at himself for needing her so much. But he could not let her go. She was his.
"I wish to share your bed tonight." He said firmly, walking towards her.
She refused to turn from the window, her attention locked on the night's sky. Her night gown flowing like a white river around her frame. The bright moonlight illuminated her face, danced over her bare arms as she undid the catch before flinging the panes open and allowing a rush of cold air in.
"Go away, Ulfric." She said in a tired voice.
Arric's heart simultaneously burst with joy at her speaking to him, and ached at her unfriendly words.
"Lyssa,"
"Go away." she repeated as she turned to face him. "I want you to go away. Go back to your mate and leave me be, Ulfric."
Arric gazed upon her like a starving man. Her dark brown eyes giving off an inhuman glow as she tossed her head back, causing her curly hair to bounce around her shoulders. He wanted to touch her, could feel himself closing the distance between them without conscious thought.
"I brought you something," he said, holding out the box.
She made no move to take it, instead she fiddled with the talisman around her neck. Lyssa noted the tightening of his mouth. Knew he despised the magic that kept her thoughts from his. The talisman was a godsend, without it she would have welcomed her first and second death gladly. A living vampire, that was what she was. A living vampire secreted away with the Lycans for as long as she could remember. Raised as one of them yet always knowing she was different. The Raven Rock pack had been kind to her, and her Uncle. They had kept them safe for all these years, but things changed and she knew it was time for her to leave the safety of this land and find a new life for herself. The life she thought she could have here was nothing more than a childish illusion. Her stare never wavered as she observed the man she loved with every fibre of her being. Her wolf-king. A low hiss eased past her lips. He was no longer hers. Instead he had mated with Soraya, impregnated her, made her his queen, and reminded Lyssa of her place.
Outsider. Demon spawn. Blood hag. Soul stealer. Death. All the names she knew many whispered behind her back. She was not one of them, but she could not join the vampires either. To do so would be a fate worse than two deaths! Living vampires were a rare commodity. There were only a handful of them left in existence. They would breed her, breed her continuously to make more living vampires before her first death. Then once she truly was undead they would breed her one last time to make a creature so foul-
"It will never happen." Arric assured her, placing the wooden box on the window sill. "Even with this," He fingered the talisman around her neck. "Even though you hide your thoughts from me, I still know them. Lyssa, my heart, let me stay with you tonight. Do not send me away. I love-"
"No," She moved away from him, putting some much needed distance between them. They were bound in a way no one understood. Lycan and vampire, the fury of life in contrast to the cold touch of death. He had marked her first, not Soraya; and he had been her first blood. Perhaps it was fate's way of saying they were all doomed. Such a love was never meant to be. They had been foolish in their youth.
"Never speak those words to me, Ulfric."
Arric was suddenly in front her, moving with a blur of speed that had her pressed against the hardness of his body as his arms curled around her. "Say my name."
"No."
"Lyssa," His voice was a deep bass, the beast inside him woke. Scenting and confused. This was its true mate, this barely warm form with the dark skin and dark eyes and wild hair. But it did not smell of wolf, it was not pack. Arric took a deep breath to calm his wolf. "Say my name."
"No," she whispered, eyes glowing with power. "You chose her, you swore you wouldn't, yet she carries your babe inside her. She is Lupa to your Ulfric, and I am leaving."
Lyssa easily broke his embrace and with inhuman strength flung him clear across the room. Arric landed in a crouched position, growling in anger as she backed up until her hand bumped into the table where her most prized possession lay. It was his sword, the blade of the rightful heir and passed from one generation to the next. He had given it to her the night he made her his. The night they claimed each other for eternity.
"I will not let you leave," The gravelly tone of his voice a warning that his wolf was rising to the surface. "You are mine and I will not lose you."
"I belong to no one." She said coldly, drawing the sword from its sheath. "You showed me that when you took a mate."
"Will you kill me?" he asked, still crouched. "With my own sword?"
"It is my sword and I will slice you open if you come at me." she replied. "If it is death you seek, I will happily oblige."
Arric smiled. She was his fierce warrior, and deadly with that sword. His smile died as he pondered her words and her stance. She meant it. He rose to his feet, holding his hands upwards. He knew what she was capable of, had made it his goal years ago to ensure she was skilled in all weaponry so she could protect herself from harm. Never did he think she would draw a sword in anger on him though.
"Lyssa, her wolf called to mine." He began to explain for what seemed the hundredth time. "You have lived with us since before you could walk, you know what happens between wolves. I tried, my love, I resisted for so long but my wolf felt her call and I had to answer."
"I know what happens," she sneered, holding the sword in preparation. "And I know you enjoyed your mating. I felt it, Arric! Had you no thought for my feelings? Knowing we are bound in an inexplicable way, you did not even care enough to shield me from your union with Soraya. You were so eager to mount your bitch that you did not even shield." The glow dimmed in her eyes as her mouth trembled slightly. "Why would you force me to experience that? Why?"
The shock he felt made his usual high temperature plummet. He had not known his Lyssa had felt his thoughts when he first mated with Soraya. Why did he think the intensity of his coupling with his wolf mate would have blocked his unusual mental connection to his vampire love? He was a fool. It was no surprise she had fled the safety of their home with her Uncle six months ago to find the talisman she now wore. Odin's heart! He was such a fool.
"Lyssa," he called in a voice hoarse with pain. "Oh my love, forgive me."
"She's Lupa now, queen of the pack and she hates me," Lyssa said. "She's always hated me, because she knew you were her mate." The first tears fell from her eyes. "But I ignored her because you were mine - I thought you were mine. You marked me, you let me mark you," She straightened her shoulders and glared at him. "I am a vampire and you are Lycan. I was a fool but no more, Ulfric. Leave before I make you leave."
"No." Arric slowly made his way towards her. "I am yours, Lyssa, since we were children, I have always been yours," He touched the tip of the sword, pressing it down. "No wolf's bond can break our connection. No Lycan, vampire, warlock, succubi, no being on this earth can make me stop loving you. I am sorry, my love. Forgive me." He fell to his knees, face wet with tears as he looked up at her beauty. His eyes bled to amber as she dropped the sword and stroked a soft hand through his shoulder length brown hair. Her touch caused the wolf inside him to pace its mental confines. This was its true mate. It was not Lycan, the wolf could not understand that part, but it understood belonging. This being belonged with it.
Lyssa helped him to his feet and led him to her bed. They laid together, simply holding each other as the moon made its way slowly across the sky.
"I will love you always." She whispered as the power in her gaze seduced him into a relaxed state. He knew she was willing him to sleep, and as Ulfric he could fight her powers with his own; but he chose not to. She willed him to sleep in her arms and for the first time in six full moons Arric was at peace.
When he woke it was to an empty bed. Without opening his eyes he knew she was not there, he could not smell her, nor hear her heartbeat. Arric climbed off the bed, a smile on his face as he hurried to the door. She would be with the young pups, she always spent her mornings with the young ones. Today he would speak to Soraya, remind her of his first and ever-enduring love for Lyssa. As Ulfric his word was law and he had upheld his part. The Lupa was with child, their pack safe, the kingdom in peace. He had done his part. Now he could be with his true mate and no one would dare question it.
As he exited her room, he came face to face with Thaddeus and Lyssa's Uncle. The old vampire looked weak, stricken in fact.
"She's gone." Thaddeus spoke first.
Arric shook his head, stepping back into the room. "No. She would never leave me."
"Ulfric," Thaddeus produced a sword from behind his back. Arric's heart fell when he recognized the blade. Thaddeus knelt before him, sword held above his lowered head. "My King, she wished to return this, for your sons she said."
"No." Arric felt the world closing in on him. She would not have left him. "No. You lie. Where is she?"
"She is gone." Thaddeus said with finality.
Arric howled, one long torturous sound that bounced off the walls and caused a chorus of answering howls to ripple through the castle. His people heard his pain and the noise of guards rushing towards the room filled the hallway.
He turned towards the window as he took the sword from Thaddeus. His friend reached out to comfort him but Arric stepped back.
"I will find Lyssa and bring her back. It is not safe for her outside our lands." He said with determination.
"Arric," Thaddeus began to reason. "Think of your Lupa, she is with child-"
"Soraya is safe, my Lyssa is not. I cannot live without her, Thaddeus," Arric said right before he spun on his heels in a blur of speed and jumped out the windows. His wolf howled, the sound pouring out from his human lips as he ran like a being possessed. He felt the press of others close on his trail. Thaddeus would follow him wherever he went without a doubt. Arric ran even faster as he picked up the faint traces of her scent. She would head towards the river, to throw them of her scent. He moved like lightening, unleashing his power, sending it out, seeking her thoughts through the bonds they shared.
I am coming for you, Lyssa. He sent the furious mental message to her, moments later her sad laughter ran through his mind.
Oh, my wolf, you couldn't catch me if you tried...