Nature of the Beast Outside the City, Book 1
Amylea Lyn
Published by Silver Publishing Publisher of Erotic Romance
About The e-Book You Have Purchased: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the South African Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated and is punishable by imprisonment and a fine." Cover Artist: Reese Dante Editor: Monti Shalosky Nature of the Beast © 2011 Amylea Lyn ISBN # 9781920484910 Attention Readers: This book uses US English. All rights reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The Licensed Art Material is being used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in the Licensed Art Material, is a model.
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Dedication: To my Dad. Thank you for all your love and support, for always being willing to read what I write, and for answering phone calls at two in the morning. Princess loves you.
Nature of the Beast
Amylea Lyn
Preface The others were near. He could smell them, mortal men, hunting him. The stench of their hunger clung to their skins. At one time, he would have called them friend, perhaps even lover, but now they were the enemy, chasing him through the trees, waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce. How had his life come to this? A leader among his people, a prophet, guardian and protector; how had he become the prey? He couldn't remember anymore. He knew only fire and pain, the Betrayer's scent clinging to the inside of his nostrils, burning into his soul so he would never forget. Never ever forget his life was over, thanks to one traitor; someone who he never expected to betray him. One of his own. The humans gained ground, and he began to tire. He could practically feel the heat of their torches against his back. The scent of their sweat, stale and bitter, overlapping the once joyous and soothing aroma of the lush forest around them. Gleeful shouts echoed in the wood and all others dwellers were silent; each small animal hiding deep in their burrows, laying silent witness to his last desperate flight. 6
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He knew the woods, deep in his soul he recognized his little earth sister, but his mind went blank. Everything he rushed past, each tree and shrub, every flora and fauna, had at one time been familiar to him. Now everything he saw swirled together in a mash of greens and browns, nothing distinct or unique. He didn't even know his name anymore, only the fact he had once been a man of great importance, and that he had been betrayed by someone he should have been able to trust. Everything else had vanished. He'd woken in an unknown clearing, his mind a daze as pain and confusion racked his body. How had he gotten to the middle of the forest? What had happened? He lifted a hand to his aching head, only to find his hair matted with blood; little drops dripping down the back of his neck. His tongue felt thick and uncoordinated in his mouth, making swallowing seem impossible. The cool night air drifted across his naked skin, leaving him shivering without his clothes and boots. A scent covered him, one he instinctively knew belonged to the person responsible for his unfortunate circumstances, and he growled in fear and anger. Shouts suddenly filled the air and a half-dozen men raced into the clearing, torches lighting the glade and glinting off dangerous weapons. He could smell the 7
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aggression, hate, and fear clinging to their unwashed bodies, and shuddered visibly at the sight of the vermin wriggling in their ratted and matted beards. He didn't stick around to find out why they were after him. Instead, he ran. Over rocks and roots. Through bushes and over small streams. A desperate flight to a safer place, one just out of reach of his conscious mind. If he could get a little further, evade his hunters a bit longer, he would be free. It wasn't meant to be. He tripped over an unseen root, landing with a pained grunt on the forest floor, leaves and twigs poking the sensitive skin along his front. He tried to get up, to run again, but something large and heavy landed on his back. The stench of his pursuers overwhelmed him; he couldn't get up, trapped and caught. But he wouldn't go without a fight. He bucked up, managing to unsettle the man on his back, and then turned over to slash at him with his claws. Fear and desperation fueled him and he racked across the man's face, something primal and angry rejoicing in the bleeding man's screams. He stood, slashing at another, then another, growling and snarling at them, jerking back from the torches thrust in his direction. Kill, kill, kill. His mind became a haze of 8
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aggression, an inner animal bursting forth. Kill, kill, kill! "He's shifting!" A flurry of movement followed the hollered warning. Something thick and wooden slammed into his back, possibly a tree branch, stunning him for a moment, only for a short while but enough for the others to act. Something cracked, sudden and loud, leaving a burning trail of fire blossoming on his side. Another loud sound split the air, this one right on center, causing him to double over with a howl as fire seemed to bloom and spread from his midsection upward to his chest and down toward his feet, leaving him numb. He fell, body twitching, as another object slammed into him, pain blossoming in his shoulder. His body felt heavy, the world becoming disorientated and blurry around him. He fell like a tree to the forest floor, not even able to cry out in agony as the numbness robbed him of speech. Dark shapes moving around him, circling like a pack of wolves. He tried to get up and defend himself, but his strength continued to wane and he couldn't raise his head off the ground, let alone fight off his attackers. As his world started to go dark, he heard one of the hunters speak, and sent a silent prayer to whatever unknown god may be listening. "The boss wants him gone. Let's get him tied up and 9
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back to the city…"
10
Part I:
The City and The Beast
Nature of the Beast
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Chapter 1 Raine O'Kelly walked quickly through the crowded streets, ignoring the various other people milling about, determined to make it into his building before the patrols started making their nightly sweeps. He moved quickly, yet carefully, through the crowds, making sure to keep his satchel as steady as possible. He'd rather turn himself over to the Guard before he damaged the precious items inside his bag. The cool gray sky matched the tall metal skyscrapers and cold stone streets. Even the clothing was drab and colorless inside the City. There were no colors, no trees, grass or flowers; not even the sun would dare shine down on the doomed citizens of the City. Once considered a great metropolis, the founding fathers designed the City to keep the people safe. Completely covered by a large opaque dome, the City carefully cut off everyone from the rest of the world. Only the Hunters and the Guard could venture beyond the Dome; average citizens like Raine would never see the Outside. He had to content himself with his books filled with stories of trees, flowers, and water running from something called a stream. 12
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The government liked to claim nothing existed on the Outside. The dome was there to protect its citizens from the nothingness and uninhabited space beyond it. The propaganda, drummed into the heads of every man, woman, and child each day, became accepted fact. But Raine knew the lies couldn't be true. The proof currently sat in his satchel, waiting to make their way into his building and safety. The Outside had to be real. At twenty-one, Raine had never been anywhere other than the City, one of the coldest, most sterile environments anyone could ever live in. The government controlled its people with an iron fist, even down to the smallest babe. Everything cost credits, from a ride on the public transit system to a simple glass of water. Nothing was free. No one was free in the City. Raine should know. His father, a powerful government figure, had beaten the lesson into him many a time. Raine sighed his relief when he saw the building he lived in up ahead. He could practically feel the surveillance cameras stationed along the streets following him, and the reaction didn't leave as he entered the lobby. 13
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He nodded politely to the couple exiting onto the street as he passed them through the clear glass door. He thought they might have been neighbors, but he couldn't be sure. His complex had a hundred different residences and he'd never really gotten to know anyone. He didn't mind the chosen isolation, being anonymous in a city filled with people who were watched and monitored, offered a bit of safety. A person could be arrested for the smallest offense. Even jaywalking earned a flogging. For as high tech as the City had become, the most arcane and medieval torture devices were still used as punishment. The thought made Raine clutch a bit tighter to his satchel, but he forced himself to relax and not rush. No sense in hurrying and drawing attention to himself. Staying calm would allow him to blend in to the foot traffic and get his precious contraband into his apartment, where it would be safe. Stepping into the elevator directly off the lobby, he pressed the button for the eighteenth floor, nodding to the other occupants, careful not to jostle his bag. Near the back were a young woman and her small child. Normally Raine wouldn't even look twice, but he found something so off with how still and almost dull the little girl looked in her gray dress, pantyhose and Mary 14
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Janes. She didn't jump around and play, or even whine and complain as one might expect a small child to do when confined in a tight place. Instead, she watched the lights of the elevator system as the car rose, just like everyone else. Raine shuddered. The whole scene rubbed him wrong; so very wrong. After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator finally stopped at his floor. When Raine moved out of his father's home, he opted for an apartment on the opposite side of the city from the cruel man. The apartment had a main living area with a kitchen, a separate bedroom, and separate bathroom. The single window along the far wall let in the cold gray light from outside, but Raine didn't care too much. He often left it covered. His view would be another apartment building, an exact copy of his, like the three other apartment complexes on this block. The tiny apartment didn't amount to much, but every little bit belonged to him. The living area might be rather drab and unappealing, but the bedroom? The real beauty lay in that special place. Crossing the room, Raine looked out the window and onto the streets below. They were practically empty now. A few stragglers were left, but they quickly 15
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disappeared into the safety of the buildings as the thirty minute warning alarm began to ring. Already, the Guard walked the streets, moving people on, and around the corner Raine could see a slow-moving Drone making its way toward his block. Quickly, he pulled the heavy drapes covering the window, lest the Drone be tempted to take a peek. Some people believed the Guard to be the one they had to watch out for, but Raine knew different. What the citizens really needed to worry about were the large, round orbs called Drones; the true threat lay with them. They floated around, recording a person's every move and reporting back to the main Guard Station. Raine should know, his job, along with about a thousand other people who had the same responsibility, involved running the codes for the Drones and making sure they stayed in working order. His father had arranged the position for Raine after he completed his mandatory schooling and it became apparent Raine would never become involved in the City's politics. Raine hated the job, with its little cubicle and oppressive atmosphere, but it did allow him to indulge in his secret obsession. Speaking of… Raine made his way out of his living area, stopping 16
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to turn on the television in case any Drones made a sweep and wondered what he was doing, and then wandered into his tiny kitchen to get a large glass of water. Luckily, the filter cap on his faucet helped clean the water and remove the metallic additives that seemed to be abundant in the City's supply. The cost of filtered water he used was added onto his rent by the gallon, so Raine tried to avoid using too much. Making his way toward the bedroom, Raine paused for a quick second to make sure he'd locked the front door. Noting that lock, deadbolt and chain were properly in place, he let himself relax as he turned to enter his bedroom, making sure to lock that door as well. He leaned his head against the cool metal, taking a shuddering breath, but couldn't stop the smile from crossing his face as a warm tingling sensation skated along his senses, welcoming him home. "Hello, my beauties. Did you miss me?" Another warm tingle swept over him, this time stronger, and he turned around with a grin. "I missed you too," he whispered. The cool, crisp scent of things in bloom and the sweet smell of soft soil permeated the air, coming from the many plants crowded throughout the room. The small tree 17
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in one corner nearly reached the ceiling, and a large patch of grass ran about six feet by three feet along one wall. So thick and luxurious, a person would think it actually grew up from the floor. He could lie on the little patch and feel the green stems soaking up his weariness after a long day of work. There were pots upon pots of various plants and flowers, all of them beautiful and unique. His obsession, his darkest secret, the one thing he lived for. The gift of life, in its most natural form. Inside the City, even one plant was considered contraband and punishable by death. Raine had over fifty individual plants stuffed into his small bedroom. "I've brought you some new sisters," he said softly. Kneeling next to a small bushel of flowers, colors ranging from a deep purple to a vibrant orange, Raine looked over each of the beautiful groups. He kept about six to eight in each pot, careful not to overcrowd the delicate little beings. Running a finger across a soft, slim yellow petal, he felt the flower trilling in happiness. He hummed back softly, replying in his own way. He hated the City so much. Its inhabitants reviled the things Raine needed to make himself feel complete. Without plants, his heart ached and a piece of his soul went 18
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missing. He needed nature more than food, water, or even air. They responded to him like a long lost brother, giving him peace and solace he'd never before known; and in return, he cared for them like they were his own children. Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out the five small seedlings he'd bought from a black market supplier. The small seeds were already popping open, small green stems reaching out from their tops, seeking soil, light and love. The sun would be best for them, but he couldn't keep them near the window in the living room. Too much risk. But thanks to his own unique gifts, it didn't matter if they got that or not. Plants sang for him, they always had. He could hear and understand them just as he would another person. Hell, he even had conversations with them. In his opinion, his plants were much more pleasant companions. But the greatest part of Raine's gift; he could make the plants grow. He kept them healthy and alive. He could feel when they were thirsty or in pain, or just needed him to sing to them. He gave to them, and they gave back to him. "Don't worry, babies. I'll set you up with a nice home." He whispered to the small seedlings, laughing in delight when he felt the feeble warmth on his hand in answer. The new flowers were still too young to actually 19
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answer him like their older counterparts could, but give them a few weeks and they'd soon join along in the chorus with the others. His mother had called his gift a green thumb. In fact, she had been the first to introduce him to the beauty experienced in nature. At first through books and stories, then as he got older, by small plants he hid from his father underneath his bed. He had a virtual garden tucked away. The woman recognized something different about Raine the moment he was born. After all, she'd named him Raine, for Founder's sake. His father indulged her, never turning her in to the proper authorities, even though he knew what went on under his own roof. When she had passed after Raine turned twelve, the old man cleared out and forbid anything to do with his mother… including Raine's plants. That is, until circumstances made his father change his mind. Raine's health had become so entwined in the livelihood of his plants that no longer having them around was detrimental to his health. Certain exceptions had to be made and accommodated for. He wasn't fooled into thinking his father's actions were actually to help him, however. The old man couldn't stand to lose his last connection to his beloved wife; even if that meant breaking the rules and helping his freak of a son. 20
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After Raine moved out and started to work on his own, he began collecting plants again. His father would have a coronary if he ever found out, but the man had no say in what Raine did inside his haven. Shaking his head, Raine determinedly pushed away the depressing thoughts, instead turning his attention to the small seedlings trying to sing to him in his palm. He sang back to them softly and filled an earthenware pot with extra soil collected from outside the dome. The small sack of precious soil had cost him a small fortune, but the little seeds had been well worth every credit. He pushed them in deep, one by one, and covered them with another loose layer of dirt. They would soon push through with Raine's encouragement, and they'd be strong, his new babies. They needed to be in order to survive in the harshness of the City. It was dangerous, the ability he had. The City and the Government hated citizens who were different and they couldn't control. If anyone too unusual to be accepted became discovered, they were either imprisoned or killed immediately. Raine didn't know if there were others out there like him; if there were, they definitely wouldn't be exposing themselves any time soon. Not that he blamed them. 21
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Still singing, he set the newly potted flowers in the center of the others, watering them from the cup of water he brought from the kitchen. He let the mature plants commune with the new ones, laughing lightly as they instantly started telling the small ones about their life and about him. He loved them, their happiness buzzing around him like the best drug one could take. The plants made him feel warm inside. Important in a place where cold sterility reigned
supreme
and
warmth
became
a
precious
commodity. Quietly leaving the room, he shut the door, careful not to disturb the plants. He decided to take a shower and made his way toward the bathroom. The city-wide, mandatory lights out didn't happen until nine thirty, and he wanted to make sure he actually managed to finish getting clean this time. More than once he'd had the lights and water shut off on him, long before he'd finished washing the soap off his body. It made for an uncomfortable night as he waited for the lights to come back on at seven the next morning. Controlling the electricity and water supply was just one more way the City exerted its will over everyone unlucky enough to live in it. Stripping out of his gray pants and shirt, Raine 22
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studied himself in the mirror. He didn't look half bad. His features might be a bit soft for a man, his body lithe rather than muscled because of his desk job. He might be on the thin side, with prominent hip bones and a knobby spine. He would rather spend his money on his plants than food for himself. He couldn't count height as a physical trait. Then again, most citizens didn't attain more than average measurements. Anyone over six feet instantly got relegated to the Guard. Definitely not an option for Raine's five foot nine frame. Raine sighed and turned away from his reflection, switching the shower on to get the water flowing. The shower always took a few minutes to get started, then a few more to get warm. Why did he have to be so different from the others around him? He couldn't be the only one discontent with his life. Even his looks were different from the average citizen, with his golden blond hair and bright green eyes, the color of grass, his mom used to say. He'd inherited both traits from her. Most citizens, about ninety percent of the greater population, were a light blond, almost ash gray in hair color, with gray eyes. It went with their uniform looks and uniform life. The government actually encouraged citizens to breed out any possible colored features their 23
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babies might be born with. Because of that mentality, Raine would never find a woman who wanted to breed with him. His odd hair and eye features might be passed on to another generation. Not that he wanted to marry a woman, but having the option would have been nice. Then again, he would no doubt make them both miserable, since he didn't find himself attracted to women. There were too many secrets in his life to trust another with. His plants and gift, and his desire for men. Stepping into the now-warm water, Raine began to wash himself, trying to relax as the water pelted his sore muscles. Sitting at a desk in front of a computer for ten hours straight made his entire body ache. The level of inactivity caused by staying in one position put a strain on him. After he washed his hair, he poured a bit of extra soap into his palm. His hand trailed down over his stomach and his balls tightened in anticipation of the touch to come. Raine enjoyed his self-pleasure, the only thing he allowed himself to indulge in these days, other than his plants. And one of the few times he could let himself go. Gripping his half hard erection in a loose fist, he lightly squeezed his hand, teasing along the length. His 24
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cock twitched, hard in his hand, and Raine closed his eyes, losing himself in his most favorite fantasy… He stood under a waterfall, outside the dome, deep in the forest, completely naked and aware of the hungry eyes watching him. He played with his nipples, teasing both himself and his unseen companion as they rose into hard little peaks, deliciously sensitive to the touch. He twisted them hard, gasping when the pleasure/pain zinged though him straight from his nipples to his cock. His hands followed the water trailing down his body, smoothing slowly over his skin and Raine moaned in anticipation. He finally reached his cock and ran his fingers over the rose colored head, dipping one lightly into the slit before wrapping his shaft with a tight fist. He held his cock and squeezed hard, whimpering out loud, before starting to stroke. Mmm, yes, so good. But the sensation wasn't nearly enough. He paused his fantasy for a moment to put some more soap on the fingers of his other hand, his hole clenching in eagerness. Closing his eyes, he once again stood under the waterfall and turned away to display his ass to his watcher. He reached behind himself to run one finger around his 25
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hole. He sighed with pleasure and slipped just the tip inside, teasing himself. There was a long moment, time drawn out to entice and arouse, then he slid the finger inside, wriggling around to loosen his hole's guardian muscle. One quickly became two, then three, until he thrust desperately into his ass as his other hand pulled hard on his cock. He swore he could almost hear the sound of his watcher's gasp, then low growl. Yes, watch me… want me. He squeezed his cockhead. The climax built, big and tight at the base of his spine, tingling all the way to his toes. A moment of unbearable tension drew out, then snapped and Raine came, biting his bottom lip hard to keep from crying out… Almost as soon as the last spurt of cum left him, his eyes snapped open and the guilt set in. He had to be mad, imagining performing such an intimate act for a peeping tom, like a common whore. Founders, what was wrong with him? The City controlled the morality of its people almost as harshly as it controlled the use of natural resources. Everyone prayed to the Founding Fathers, marriages were only between men and women, and each family was allowed to have one child. Boys were highly 26
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prized and most women were looked upon as breeding machines. Cursing or swearing, at least within the sight and hearing of a Guard or Drone, could easily land a person in deep trouble. Adultery earned a person several years in jail. Vulgarity was strictly not allowed, and even spitting on the sidewalk could garner a major fine and possible jail time. There were discrete places where a man searching for the company of another could find a companion for an hour or two, but Raine had only been to something like that twice since he reached adulthood. The encounters always left him feeling used and guilty. There was just something so desperate and needy about the other men during those fleeting encounters. The time spent in their company always left him longing for something more than just someone to be with for a moment or two. He wanted something lasting, something worthwhile. Hell, he just wanted someone to be there when he woke up in the morning. Again, Raine sighed. Like that would ever happen. He turned off the water before he got charged for using too much, grabbing a towel off the towel bar as he got out. Drying quickly, he heard the soft beep echo around the apartment in warning, letting him know he only had ten minutes until the power went off. He padded naked out of 27
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the bathroom, turning off the TV and lights and headed toward the bedroom. Locking the door, he forwent the bed in the center of the room, instead heading over to the grass area. Lying down, he let the living green carpet cradle him, soothing his tired body, singing softly. The living plants surrounded him, singing and caring for him, letting him stay warm as the power finally turned off, and with it the heat. Raine fell asleep almost instantly, never hearing the soft buzzing of a Drone, one equipped with an experimental heat sensor capable of seeing past the thick metal exterior of the buildings. The Drone scanned his apartment, noting the presence of more than one life form, before it sped away down the street.
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Chapter 2 Raine busily worked away at his desk the next morning, logging in numbers and codes that kept the Drones in perfect order, when a rush of movement and flurry of commotion near the entrance to the cubicle field caught his attention. Curious, as everyone else seemed to be, he sat up just enough to peek over the top of his cubicle wall. A cluster of people stood at the door, many, he noticed, supervisors of the company. He saw one of his cubicle neighbors pass by the group on her way back from the restroom. "What's going on?" he asked as she got close enough to hear him. "The Guard is here." She whispered back, before scurrying into her cubicle. A knot formed in Raine's stomach as he eased back down into his chair. Something wasn't right. The Guard did inspections all the time, but normally the company received twenty-four hour notice. This surprise visit definitely wasn't normal, and something was definitely wrong. He took another chance, and glanced over the top of his cubicle again, just in time to see two members of the 29
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Guard start down the main center aisle. His direct supervisor followed closely behind. Something about the way they walked, the cold look in their eyes and stern set of their jaws, let Raine know what they were there for. Him. Panic clawed at his throat, but he refused to let the terror take him yet. He quickly logged onto his computer, sending an encrypted message that would be nearly impossible to trace, then logged off and began packing up his things. It seemed odd; he'd been expecting this to come for so long, now that his arrest appeared imminent, it all felt a little surreal. Did he have any regrets? No, not really. If he had the choice, he would do it all over again. He only truly regretted that he'd never feel the warmth of his plants again; never see the colors the little seedlings would grow into. "Raine O'Kelly, please come with us…" A voice rumbled from behind him. The words themselves seemed pleasant, but the tone brooked no argument, clearly stating resistance would be futile. Raine wouldn't resist. "What are the charges?" he asked as he turned around, wrists held out in front of him. The first Guard said 30
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nothing, snapping cold metal cuffs around his wrists, held together by a long chain. "You're under suspicion of harboring illegal contraband," the second Guard replied, a look close to disgust in his eyes. "You are hereby detained by the Guard until the time when your trial will begin." Raine expected as much. "Very well, lead on gentlemen." He'd be polite and pleasant even though he thought he might vomit all over their shiny boots. His knees shook so badly he found it hard to stand, but he did, and followed the first Guard out, while the other fell in behind Raine. His coworkers watched with something akin to pity, but no one intervened. Easier to stand back and play observer than to risk their life for something they could never change. Raine knew this, but he still wished someone stood up for him. Once out into the street, the Guard led him to a waiting transport vehicle, pushed him into the backseat and smashed him between their two burly bodies. Raine did his best to ignore the uncomfortable silence as they traveled down the road. The people along the streets watched as the vehicle went by knowing a prisoner rode inside, each one probably silently thankful the person being transported 31
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wasn't them. By the time the transport pulled up in front of the Prison, Raine's hands trembled uncontrollably, his entire body taut with nerves. His heart pounded erratically, his palms sweating, soul dying. There would be no way to sneak any sort of plants into the towering metal monstrosity. Raine wouldn't survive. Being without plant matter would kill him, but he'd rather die than be forced to live a lifetime without his plants. That was, if they didn't kill him outright. The processing went rather quickly, which surprised him. A few other offenders sat along a bench on the far wall, and his Guards placed him there when they were finished with him. "What are you in for, pretty man?" an old, grizzled guy asked. Raine jumped. It had been over an hour since anyone had spoken to him; he didn't expect another prisoner to do so. "Um, s-suspicion of harboring illegal contraband." His kept his voice low, and Raine slid a careful eye to the Guard close by. He didn't want to get in trouble for talking when he shouldn't be. "Ah," the old man said, nodding his head. "Pornographic material? Alcohol?" 32
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Raine shook his head. "Plant matter," he whispered. "Damn boy, you know that's a death offence, don't you?" The old man whistled, sounding impressed. "You don't look it, but you've got a set on you, that's for sure…" He chuckled. Raine's eyes widened at the easy mention of his genitalia. He had a good idea what the old man was in for. "A-And you?" he asked. The old man raised a brow and glanced from Raine's crotch to his own. "Not those!" Raine said, blushing when the old man cackled. "What are you in for?" "I'm here because I'm old and no longer want to hold my tongue," the old man replied. "I'll damn well say what I please. Was only a matter of time before someone took offense to something and turned me in." He studied Raine for a long moment, before holding out one of his cuffed hands. "Name's Gus," he said. "Raine," Raine replied, shaking the man's hand. "So Gus, is this your first time here?" Gus shook his head. "Nope, was here about ten years ago when I cursed out my boss the day I retired. Stayed here for a week and got a hefty fine I had to pay. It was worth it, though. The bastard deserved every word I 33
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said," Gus muttered. Raine snorted. They both quieted down when the Guard turned to glare at them, waiting until he turned away before continuing in a softer tone. "What's going to happen to me, Gus?" Raine asked. He tried to keep the tremble out of his voice, but didn't think he accomplished it. Citizens always heard the horror stories about what went on in the Prisons, and those who knowingly broke the law were always aware, but the "free" citizens, and he used the term lightly, were not. Raine knew a bit more about what went on than the average person, thanks to his father. One of the old man's favorite threats while Raine was growing up had been threatening to have the Guard throw him in Prison. He used to terrorize the young boy with tales of gruesome and grotesque torture techniques used by the Guards. Old Gus sighed. "You sure you want to know, boy?" When Raine nodded, Gus blew out another breath. "Death. If they can prove your crime. If they can't, life imprisonment. Right now, they're probably searching your home, looking for something to charge you with. You won't be leaving here, boy. Even if they don't find anything, suspicion is enough to hold you here…" Gus paused for a moment. Raine thought he looked a bit sad and very 34
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uncomfortable. Gus looked at him, eyes filled with pity. "Don't fight them, kid. Whatever you do, don't fight, you hear me?" "Fight what?" Raine asked, really beginning to worry. Gus glanced toward the Guard, making sure he wasn't listening, before whispering, "You're pretty, boy, with your odd coloring and small body. You're like a feast to a starving dog, and these Guards are rabid." About to respond, Raine jumped in alarm when the watching Guard stepped toward him. Raine shivered at the naked desire mixed with loathing shining in the Guard's eyes. "You're up, boy. On your feet," he barked, grabbing Raine's arm and jerking him off the bench. Raine winced at the tight hold, but refused to cry out. He'd had worse from his own father, he could survive this. At least he hoped. He shot one last look at old Gus, nodding in return when the man raised a hand in farewell, and allowed himself to be led into the judging area. The judgment chamber was surprisingly large and their footsteps echoed off the cold, cement floor. One lone box, where the defendant sat, had been placed in the center of the room, facing the Judge's table. Three Judges, one for 35
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each of the three Founding Fathers sat about five feet off the ground. Each one had gray eyes and hair, looking like exact copies of the others. They looked down on Raine as though they were Armageddon come to pass. Perhaps they were. Raine sat in the defendant's box, a Guard standing on each side, his heart racing in his chest as his trial began. "Raine O'Kelly, son of City official Eric O'Kelly and Dreama O'Kelly, you are brought before judgment for the suspicion of harboring illegal contraband in the form of plant matter, a crime of the highest degree. Do you understand these charges?" the Judge on the left asked. "Yes," Raine whispered, after trying to get the word out twice. "What do you plead?" the Judge on the right asked. "Depends on what was found?" Raine replied, before he swiftly covered his mouth in horror. Not the time to let his mouth run away with him. Or a wise move to piss of the very people who could send him to the Prison for the rest of his life. Or worse, end his life. The Guard to his right reached over and slapped him hard across the face. "Show proper respect," he growled. 36
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The Judge on the right raised his hand to stay another blow, a slight smirk on his face. "A fair question," he replied. "You show spirit, definitely a trait from your father." The Judge didn't make it sound like a good thing. "What evidence was found at the defendant's place of residence?" The Judge on the left, Raine started thinking of him as Lefty, opened a large scroll and began to read. "The defendant's residence was caught on sensor, by a newly improved Drone with heat and life form seeking capabilities, as having many living objects inside his apartment. The Drone filed a report at the closest Guard Station, where they were dispatched to take Mr. O'Kelly into custody and detain him for a hearing. The investigating Guards went to Mr. O'Kelly's home, but found no sign of any living plant life, although there were large amounts of soil found deposited throughout the room. It is believed Mr. O'Kelly managed to send someone to retrieve the contraband before the Guard arrived, but as of yet, this cannot be proven." Raine's mind reeled. A Drone with heat seeking ability? Why hadn't he heard of this? There'd been nothing in all the programs he'd seen to indicate something like this was even in the works! Let alone already built and running 37
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experimental drills. Holy Founders, what would become of them when every Drone received that sort of upgrade? No one would be safe, not even in their homes. Raine's only consolation? The plants in his home had been removed before the Guard could get there and find and destroy them. He wasn't the only one in the City who collected illegal plants. The encrypted message he'd sent from his office reached another collector, one who roused the others and moved in quickly to swoop up Raine's collection. It hurt to know the plants he had loved and nurtured since they were seedlings no longer belonged to him, made him want to cry actually, but at least they'd be taken care of. Even if not by him. "So, Mr. O'Kelly, you have heard the charges against you and the evidence as it stands; what is your plea now?" the Judge on the right, "Righty" as Raine started to think of him, asked again. Raine sighed. He might have been able to fight the evidence from the Drone, but he had no way to contest the soil all over his bedroom. A not guilty plea wouldn't keep him from being judged harshly for lying about the original charges. If he pled guilty, he'd definitely receive a long sentence or possibly death. He couldn't win either way. 38
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But, he did have one workable option. He looked at the Judges, meeting each of their gazes, Lefty, Righty, and the still silent Middle. No shame. Show no shame. "I plead no contest to the charges," Raine replied, mildly surprised when his voice came out strong and steady. Go me! The three Judges shared a long look. Lefty seemed pissed, Righty amused, and Middle plain bored. They'd obviously expected him to choose between guilty and not guilty. By pleading no contest, he managed to avoid lying while not admitting to anything at the same time. Raine only hoped his quick action would save him from being put to death. "Well played, Mr. O'Kelly," Middle drawled, his tone jaded. "You are hereby remanded into custody at the Prison for the rest of your natural born life, until the time of your death. So is the verdict; do we all agree?" he asked, looking toward his fellow Judges. "We do," the other two responded in unison. "Punishment will commence immediately," Middle said, and with a bang of his gavel, Raine began his life in the Prison.
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Chapter 3 Raine heard about the Beast during his first week at the Prison. Standing in the line to receive his meal, the only real one he'd be permitted a day, two of his fellow prisoners began to fight over their placement in the queue. Raine winced when they began throwing punches, and it didn't take long before the fight spread to the surrounding inmates. Too soon, over ten men got involved in the fighting and the Guards appeared with their clubs and stun guns to break up the impending riot. One by one, the men were subdued, by any means necessary on the Guards' part. "Knock it off, you worthless dogs," the Head Guard shouted, clubbing a fighting prisoner on the head. "I'll feed you to the Beast if you don't!" Almost instantly, the melee stopped and the entire cafeteria became silent. The Guard motioned toward the two men who started the brawl. "Take them downstairs," he said, signaling to the other Guards. Raine shuddered, trying not to think about what went on down there, and accepted his bowl of gruel. Rumors flew about the torture chambers in the depths of 40
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the Prison. Inmates who went down never came back up. Raine scratched his head, feeling odd when his fingers met his scalp. One of the first things done to new intakes, Raine had his head shaved like everyone else. The small bristles felt funny, and goose bumps covered the back of his neck when the cool air brushed against the newly exposed skin. Even the women were forced to become bald; something about taking away identities. Prisoners didn't have the right to be individual. Raine shifted his bowl to his other hand in order to rub at his side. The clothes he'd been given were at least a size too big and itchy as hell. They hung off his body, sagging at the arms and legs. Quickly, Raine made his way over to old Gus, who had also been given jail time for his behavior. The old man had gotten a kick out of how Raine managed to outsmart the Judges at their own game. Gus offered to show him the ropes, since the older man was in for an extended stay as a second time offender. Gus's incarceration wouldn't last as long as Raine's, but he thought it nice to have someone he sort of knew around, even if only for a month or two. He waited until the cafeteria filled with noise before leaning over and quietly asking the one thing on his mind. "Who is the Beast?" 41
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Gus choked on the spoonful of gruel he'd just put in his mouth. Raine pounded on his back for a moment before Gus managed to cough the gruel back up. "Founders, boy, give an old man some warning, would you?" he sputtered. He wiped the sticky substance off his chin with a gnarled hand. "Now, what are you wanting to know?" "The Beast," Raine repeated, lowering his voice when he noticed many of the other inmates paying attention. "Who is it?" "Not who, boy, but what," Gus replied, setting down his spoon and looking Raine directly in the eye. Raine noticed Gus kept his voice loud enough for all the other prisoners around them to hear his story, and it seemed like everyone at their table paid attention. "No one can say for sure, but we think the Beast is an animal they brought in from outside the dome. Eerie yellow eyes and fangs the size of kitchen knives. They say, in the dead of night, when all are asleep, you can hear it howling from underneath the Prison. After someone is taken into the chambers, they feed them to the Beast. That's why they never come back. The Beast is a monster, feeding on human flesh, raping and devouring all they throw into its cage," Gus told them all in a hushed voice. 42
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"I hear the Guards randomly pick an inmate, one sentenced to life, and give them to the Beast to play with… after they're done with them, of course," Peter, a heavy set man with gray eyes and white-blond hair, replied. "The Beast killed a Guard last year," Tomas said. Older by a couple of years, Tomas appeared so thin, it made Raine feel overweight. "The Beast will eat and abuse anything; man, woman, child, it doesn't care," Closer to Raine's age, Jonsey shuddered against the thoughts. "To meet the Beast is to meet death," Gus finished. Raine wanted to ask some more, but a Guard walked by the table and all the men got real interested in their food. Raine had no choice but to drop the topic and follow suit. **** Later that night, Raine listened to the sounds of his cell mate sleeping, trying to block the cries of the unfortunate inmates the Guards had chosen for the night. Raine could also have sworn he heard the far off sound of something howling. His attention snapped away from the frightening 43
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thought when his cell door suddenly swung open and the large form of the Head Guard stood in the poorly illuminated doorway. "You," he ordered, pointing at Raine with lust in his eyes. "Get out here." Raine wanted to fight, wanted to run away as far as he could, but as he listened to someone down the hall scream in pain and humiliation, Raine remembered Gus's previous warning. Don't fight them, boy. Don't fight them when they come for you. As much as it killed him to do so, he got up from his bunk, legs suddenly feeling like jelly, and allowed the Head Guard to grab his arm to drag him from the room. Night after night, when they came for him, Raine didn't put up a fight; even while they abused his body, raping a piece of his soul every time they took him, taking his virginity and destroying what was left of his sanity. He didn't fight. He never fought back, even as silent tears streamed out of his eyes and bile clogged his throat, overwhelmed by pain. He just imagined he was somewhere else; back in his room, surrounded by his plants, safe and warm and cared for. 44
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Raine never fought back. There was no point. **** "Get moving, boy," the Guard snapped, reaching out to slap the side of Raine's head. Raine bit his tongue against the angry retort he was dying to give, and hurried to catch up to the line of inmates before him. He'd been drifting in such a state of pain, body stiff and sore from the abuse suffered the night before, that he hadn't even noticed he'd fallen behind. He found it more and more difficult to function lately, his mind unfocused and his reactions slow. Add in the pressure brought in by the almost nightly rapes, and he was fading fast in both body and spirit. Raine was well aware of what was happening, but he'd hoped he would have lasted a bit longer. He hadn't been lying when he said being without his plants would probably kill him. After his mother had died, Raine sank into a deep depression. At first, everyone believed his morose behavior was because of the loss of his mother. It wasn't until he was lying in his bed, barely conscious and breathing that his 45
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father had figured out the lack of plants and nature was actually killing him. His father rushed out and purchased a small bundle of flowers, and Raine's life had been saved. After that time, Raine was never to mention his need of plants, but he'd been allowed to keep at least one plant in order to keep himself alive. The sickness was an odd side effect of his gift, one that had never been an issue before since he'd always had access to plants; but now, living in the Prison, where it was next to impossible to get his hands on some, its was becoming a big one. Raine had only been incarcerated for just over a month and already he was beginning to feel the effects. He figured him not having plants was akin to what he had heard about a drug addict suddenly going cold sober. An ache ate away at his belly, and he kept getting the feeling like bugs were crawling over his skin. It was only a matter of time… Forcing himself to focus, he took his place in line with the other inmates, reminding himself to focus on the machine he would be operating. The large buzz saw used to cut the wooden slats was one of the most dangerous machines in the entire factory. The last man who worked the machine fell asleep on the job and ended up losing a hand. 46
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It hadn't been long after the Prison had opened that the Government realized they suddenly had a large group of free labor workers at their disposal. So every day, from six in the morning 'til six at night, the inmates were marched into a large factory, where they were forced to put together different machines, like Drones, and other things the citizens and the Government depended on. The work was hard, and more importantly, extremely dangerous; more than one inmate had lost their life while working on the different machines. A buzzer sounded, and the inmates got to work. The morning went by slowly. Raine tried to stay focused, but he could still feel himself drifting off, only the pain gathering at his temples keeping him aware. He forced himself to watch the saw blade as it cut the wooden slats in half, reminding himself that if he didn't pay attention and wasn't careful, the blade would be cutting into his hand next. He got lost in the monotony of cutting the boards, almost missing the buzzer signaling the thirty minute break given for lunch. After accepting his cup of broth, he walked over to what he had come to think of as his "group". They were all men from his cell block, and he'd been eating with them pretty much from his first day imprisoned. 47
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When he got over to them, he realized they were once again talking about the Beast. It seemed to be a favorite topic among all the prisoners. They paused when he approached. Raine nodded and then sat down to listen as they again began to whisper. "I'm telling you," Peter said urgently. He glanced around to make sure the Guards weren't near. "It's almost that time." "Time for what?" Jonsey asked, the skin around his left eye twitching in a distracting manner. The young man's nerves continuously got the best of him and it didn't help that Peter constantly predicted their doom. "For them to feed the Beast!" Peter exclaimed. He suddenly had the entire group's attention, and seemed to relish the spotlight. "Every three months, the Guards kidnap an inmate from their bed late at night. They take the unfortunate man, or woman, down to the chambers, and torture them for a while. They abuse and play with them, until the inmate is almost dead, then they throw them to the Beast to finish off." "I thought that was just a rumor?" Raine interrupted, only to earn a glare from the bigger man. "This ain't no rumor, boy! There have been a lot of 48
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unexpected disappearances among the prisoners, even more in the last five years they've had the Beast. My last cellmate was taken over a year ago. No one's heard from him since." Peter claimed, folding his beefy arms over his chest. Tomas nodded. "No one knows what actually goes on when someone is taken, but they say the Guards take problem inmates. Ones who are sick or hard to control. And they are always inmates with life sentences. They won't be missed. All we really know is that the Guards don't get out much, and taking an inmate is some form of twisted reward when they complete their assignments." The other men continued to talk, telling the graphic stories of things they had heard happening in the chambers, and Raine only managed three bites of his broth before he set the cup aside. His stomach churned, adding to his ever present nausea and when he wiped his forehead, his hand came back covered with a cold sweat. His headache had grown, from a mild irritation to feeling like someone was banging on his skull with a hammer. His hands shook slightly. The room spun around him and Raine's stomach lurched in response. "You all right, boy?" Gus asked, startling him. Concern etched his old, weathered face. Raine nodded. He didn't want to bring attention to 49
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himself by complaining. If there was one thing he'd learned in his first month in the Prison, was that any weakness could, and would be, exploited. "I'm fine," he murmured, standing as the buzzer once again sounded. All he really wanted to do was lie down and sleep, but he had at least six more hours of work to do before he could skip dinner and go to bed. The rest of the day seemed to drag. Raine drifted off twice, the second time almost losing a finger as the digit came too close to the saw. He just about cried with relief when the buzzer sounded once again, signaling the end of the day. He'd felt awful the entire shift, but it wasn't until he went to step away from his machine that Raine realized exactly how bad off he really was. The room seemed to spin again, and Raine couldn't get a deep enough breath. His hands shook, the cold sweat returned, and as his knees gave out his arm hit the corner of his work table, slicing a long gash open along his forearm. He barely had time to feel the pain before he passed out cold, striking his head hard on the cement floor. **** "What have you got?" the doctor asked as he 50
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watched a couple Guards wheel an unconscious inmate into the infirmary. "Passed out just after the last buzzer while working in the factory," one man said as he held a towel to the inmate's bleeding arm. "Cut his arm on his work table, and then hit his head on the floor." The doctor took in the small man's pale face and thin body; his clothing practically hanging off him. The man looked ill, even more so with his shaved head and the bruising under his eyes. His body was covered in contusions, both old and fresh, and the doctor had no doubt this man was one of the Guards' many playthings. Those men, if you could even call the rabid beasts that, never did take care of their toys. The inmate's breathing was shallow, strained, and fine tremors racked his body. Normally, he didn't care for the prisoners he saw, but sometimes he met a few that caused him to wish things were a little different in the Prison. The inmate was obviously underweight and in desperate need of nourishment. The doctor didn't say anything though; he knew better. He didn't want to become an inmate himself. "Well, let’s get his arm taken care of while my 51
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nurse starts an IV. The boy needs some fluids." He and his nurse worked efficiently to get the IV started and stitched up the man's arm. The cut was a nasty one, and would probably scar. The doctor wished he could do more, but with the Guard watching his every move, he only did what was necessary. He then checked the man's head, relieved to see there seemed to be nothing worse than a large bump. He became increasingly worried about the man's breathing though; the inmate's respiration still hadn't improved and the doctor was beginning to think about trying to get an external source of oxygen for his patient. Then, just as suddenly as the doctor began to worry, the inmates breathing suddenly became better. He seemed to take a deep, shuddering breath, and the doctor was shocked to see a rosy glow infuse the man's skin. The sudden turnaround was unlike anything he'd ever seen. The nurse gasped in shock and horror, the Guards tensed, and as soon as the doctor turned around he saw why. Somehow the inmate's uninjured hand had fallen to the side of the table without anyone noticing. But that didn't cause the shock in the room. The inmate's hand rested limply on the exam table, and one of his fingers lightly touched a small, seemingly insignificant seed lying on the surface. A packet of them 52
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had been removed earlier in the day from an inmate who had tried to smuggle them in, and apparently one had been missed when the nurse cleaned the room up earlier. But the most shocking thing was, without water, sun, or even soil, the seed had begun to sprout right there on the table, with just a touch of the inmate's hand. As the doctor watched the little seedling grow, he knew what he was seeing was unlike anything ever before. He suddenly wished the man would wake, so the doctor could ask him how he was doing creating such a miracle. The door to the infirmary burst open. Three more Guards entered the room, followed by the Head Guard. The two initial underlings must have alerted the others without the doctor realizing. The large man took one look at the scene and nodded toward the still unconscious man. "What a pity," he said, looking down on the unconscious face of his current favorite pet. He would miss the little man's submissive nature, but there were plenty of others to take his place. "Take him downstairs," he ordered. Two Guards jumped forward. "But sir," the doctor blurted before he could stop himself. "I haven't finished treating him." He wasn't sure why he was protesting the removal of the inmate, but he 53
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was almost desperate to see him stay. There was just something about a man capable of creating life in its most basic form that appealed to the doctor. It wasn't often he saw someone proficient in creating, especially in a world where there was so much destruction. The Head Guard narrowed his eyes. "Would you like to take his place?" The big man sneered. "No sir," the doctor whispered, sharing a frightened look with his nurse. The Head Guard grunted, and then motioned for his men to take the inmate. The doctor could only watch helplessly as one Guard grabbed the man's legs, while another grabbed him under the arms, and they shuffled him out of the room. When they were outside the room, the doctor heard the Head Guard speak, "Take him downstairs to the Beast. Let it kill the abomination before word spreads to the prisoners. We don't need a riot." The doctor's heart seized. There was no way the small man could survive an encounter with the Beast in his current state. The doctor didn't know what possessed him, but he suddenly had to save something of the incredibly odd and special inmate. So when his nurse wasn't looking, her back 54
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turned as she cleaned the instruments, the doctor reached out and grabbed the small seedling off the exam table and stuffed the sprouting bud into the inner pocket of his lab coat.
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Chapter 4 Raine woke up feeling like a dozen little Drones were buzzing around in his head. His stomach rolled alarmingly the moment he tried to open his eyes and the unfamiliar room started to spin. He quickly shut them again. Okay, probably best to avoid doing that for a while. Groaning softly, Raine tried to breathe through the nausea. One thing at a time. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was the buzzer sounding for the end his work shift. He'd stood up… and felt sick, hadn't he? Dizzy. He remembered being dizzy… he took a couple steps from his work station and then… shit! He'd passed out. Raine winced when he shifted slightly and his arm started to throb. Okay, he remembered that. He'd sliced his arm on the corner of his work table on his way down, probably hitting his head too, which would explain the headache of epic proportions. All right, he knew what happened, so now where was he? Raine shifted again, a spasm of pain rippling down his back. Cold cement floor probably meant he was in a cell of some sort, but not the one he'd become used to. This one had a feeling of space his didn't have, the cool air shifting around him, leading him to believe the cell had to be rather 56
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large. A smell drifted on the air, a mixture of musk and sweat, smelling almost wild if that was possible; untamed and dangerous. Raine mentally rolled his eyes at his fanciful thoughts. Maybe he'd hit his head harder than he thought. He tried to clear his mind as much as possible, focusing on his breathing. Okay, time to try opening the eyes again. Taking a deep breath, Raine carefully cracked open one eye, then gasped, both eyes flying open. Oh Founders, where am I? The cell had to be at least three times the size of the one Raine had been living in for the past month. There were no windows, and instead of metal bars, a large metal door on one side of the room seemed to be the only possible exit. A pile of what looked to be a makeshift bed made out of rags in the far corner opposite the door, and what appeared to be a food and water dish close by. Raine noticed all of this in a moment, but his mind was stuck on the… beast crouched near the wall, watching him. Raine couldn't take his eyes off the creature. A long fall of hair, a reddish-brown color he'd only seen before in books, hung down its hulking form and trailed to the floor, blocking its face from Raine's view. Long nails, like claws could be seen on the creature's large 57
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hands and feet. Naked like the thing was, Raine could see the molten colored bruises marking its completely hairless skin. The creature shifted slightly, a wave of muscle movement that had Raine gasping and scrambling backward before he could stop himself. The large creature tensed, and Raine forced himself to stop moving. He remembered reading somewhere that wild animals could, and would, attack at sudden movements. Raine could feel his body trembling, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure the creature could hear the rapid beating from across the room. The thing moved again, and Raine made a mental adjustment. He, for the thing was definitely male and seemingly human, judging by the fact he had the biggest cock Raine had ever seen. That cock looked to be at least eleven inches and as thick as his wrist! The huge man crawled forward on all fours, muscles rippling along its body, and Raine mirrored his movements, shuffling back one step. A low growl sounded a clear warning the man wasn't happy with Raine's movements. Raine froze, forcing himself to sit still as the man continued to crawl forward, even when every survival instinct in his body demanded he back away and start screaming. 58
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The man started sniffing Raine's bare feet, and only then did Raine realize he was naked as well. At least the lack of any discernable clothing would explain why everything seemed so cold. He shivered as the man started sniffing up his legs, that long hair surprisingly silky as it trailed along his skin, making Raine gasp in surprise. He still couldn't see the man's face, but confusion was starting to replace his previous fear and surprisingly, small tendrils of desire filled him, especially when the man paused for a long moment to sniff his crotch. To Raine's horror, he found himself responding to the close scrutiny, and backed away uncomfortably; another growl rumbled, and Raine quickly stopped moving. Right, no moving. Oops. The man stayed at Raine's crotch, sniffing at the hair surrounding the base of his shaft, and then traveling a bit lower to take deep drags at his balls. Raine couldn't stop the goose bumps from breaking out over his legs when the man's hot breath wafted over his now aching cock, making his balls draw up tight. Finally, the man moved on, sniffing at his stomach, nuzzling his belly button and making Raine's stomach jump, before working his way up Raine's chest. His nipples drew up into hard peaks, tightening painfully as the man's moist breath caressed them, and 59
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Raine mentally berated himself. Damn his body for betraying him, for reacting to this mysterious hulking mass of a man when he didn't want it to. A second later all thoughts scattered from Raine's mind as his gasp shattered the tense silence of the cell as something wet and slightly rough lapped at his nipple, sending heat straight down to his already aching cock. Oh god, the wet thing is his tongue! He's licking me! Raine's chest arched helplessly into the intimate touch, and he mewled, which received another low rumbled growl, this one sounding like approval. Why was this happening? Why was he here, with this unknown man, letting him lick him this way? I haven't even seen the man's face, for Founder's sake! Raine reached out with one trembling hand, intending to push back the man's hair from his face. Faster than he could track, he suddenly found his wrist grasped by a crushing, clawed hand and the man snarled. Raine gasped, trying to jerk his hand back, but the man didn't seem inclined to let go. Raine's eyes met a golden amber gaze, the color nearly swallowing up all the whites of the eyes, and the man flashed his fangs in warning. Raine's mind processed 60
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the slim patrician nose, strong jaw, and full lips before the realization of what he was seeing dawned on him. Amber eyes… fangs… oh god, the Beast! I've been thrown to the Beast! Raine gasped, jerking his hand, desperate to get away as his fear overrode his common sense. The Beast snarled again, obviously displeased, and used his hold on Raine's wrist to haul him forward. Raine cried out as they suddenly rolled and he found himself pinned to the cold floor by a mountain of shifting muscle. "No!
No,
please!"
he
screamed,
pushing
ineffectually at the Beast's massive chest with his free hand. Terror bolted through him as he felt a giant erection, hot and heavy, pushing against his hip. His body was too abused and tormented by the Guards to survive another forced encounter. He hadn't fought the Guards, but he didn't think he could lie down and accept his fate this time. He might not be big, or even know how to fight, but he wouldn't let himself be raped and torn apart by this beast of a man. Raine tried to squirm away, but the Beast simply trapped Raine's legs with its own, effectively stilling all movement. Raine sobbed, trying to buck the Beast off, but the man was far too heavy; easily outweighing Raine by at 61
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least seventy pounds. Desperation and terror gave him courage he otherwise wouldn't have had, and Raine arched his head up and bit into the first thing he reached, the Beast's chest, just over the man's heart. He bit down until the coppery tang of blood filled his mouth and ran down his throat. The Beast howled, and Raine distantly thought he felt something hot and wet spill against his hip, but he didn't have time to dwell on whatever the substance might be, despite his suspicions. The Beast reached down and harshly gripped Raine's chin, forcing him to either let go or get his jaw crushed by those cruel hands. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his face forcibly tilted upward so the Beast could look into it. Something flashed through those golden eyes, the emotion Raine had a hard time identifying; it seemed to be a mixture of lust, anger, and confusion. Before Raine could ponder the thought further, the Beast turned his head to the side, lapping at Raine's neck for a moment, and then sank his fangs into the connective tissue where Raine's shoulder met his neck. Raine screamed, white-hot pain lacing through his body. The agony transformed into the most mind numbing ecstasy he had ever felt. Lightning bolts raced through his bloodstream, all the way to his cock, causing it to erupt in 62
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torrent after torrent of cum, coating both men with the proof of the deed. Raine let his body go limp, too exhausted to fight the realization that the Beast appeared to be sucking at his wound, drinking his blood with every gentle pull of lips on skin. Finally, the Beast pulled back, an oddly pleased look on his face. He gathered Raine's limp body into his arms, rumbling happily when Raine didn't fight him, and carried him over to the pallet of rags. Carefully, almost reverently, the Beast laid him down, arranging his limbs so Raine would be comfortable, and covered his naked body with a scratchy blanket. He patted Raine's spiky blond head, running his hands over him in an apparent effort to soothe the tears still leaking from Raine's eyes. Raine found himself relaxing despite his desire not to, the adrenaline in his system crashing down and exhaustion creeping in. Gentle hands rubbed over his bristly hair, and Raine let his eyes flutter closed. A large, warm body curled itself around him, and although he felt a flash of a now familiar fear, Raine was too tired to do anything about it. He let himself sink into the heat, feeling warm for the first time since he'd been brought to this hellhole and had his plants taken away. 63
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The warm body next to him rumbled happily, and a few seconds later Raine swore the Beast nuzzled his temple. Just as he was about to let the unconsciousness take him, the Beast uttered a garbled word, deep and gravely, like he hadn't spoken in a long time. A spike of alarm skittered along Raine's frazzled senses, but darkness swept up and carried him away, and his last thought was he must have imagined it. There was no way the Beast had just claimed, "Mate."
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Chapter 5 He rumbled happily, watching his small mate sleep. So pretty, so small, and his! He'd waited so long, since the before time, when He roamed free in the Outside, before He came to this cell. Waited for his mate, his heart, his own; and now he was here! The moment the smaller man bit into his chest, He'd had a flash of memory from long ago. The exchange of blood meant mating, and the two of them were now bound until their deaths. Wait, no… there had to be actual sex involved in the binding, but the blood exchange was a start. He gazed at his newly found mate, drinking in the smaller man's details. Golden hair, the color of the sunlight He hadn't seen in so many years. Green eyes, so pure and rich, reminding Him of the beautiful plants He'd long forgotten until the moment He'd seen those big beautiful eyes. And his scent! Gods, what a wonderful scent. Like lush forests and cool jungle nights, heady and relaxing at the same time; so intoxicating He just wanted to roll around with his mate until covered in the delicious smell and His mate was covered in His. Following that train of thought, He rubbed the combined seed they had spilt on his stomach into his skin, 65
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then did the same to the smaller man. Smooth, pale skin glistening with their seed made him hard, but He couldn't do anything about it right now. His mate needed rest after joining with him; the process of binding souls had a tendency to be a harsh and intense process, but the mating would make the experience well worth it, from what little He remembered about his previous life. This admittedly, wasn't much. The last thing He'd known before He woke lying on the floor of His cell, was being chased through the forest, naked and freezing; betrayed by someone who was once familiar… someone He couldn't remember. He didn't know who He was or even His own name. He thought it was something beginning with an A, but He really couldn't be sure. There was a fog over His memories before that time, hidden away just out of reach. But now He had His mate, all the rest didn't matter anymore. What did matter? Caring for and protecting His mate. And judging by the massive bruises and bones protruding from beneath his skin, the little man needed Him now more than ever. This wasn't the first time the Guards had thrown a man in here, although this was the first time He'd found Himself sexually attracted to one. He smiled down at the 66
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obvious bite mark on His chest; the mating mark placed over His heart said His mate found Him desirable too. He didn't understand why the other man had cried though. His little mate had been hurt by the Guards here, He was sure; He could still smell the scent of the others' seed on him, even through His own. He would have to mark His little mate more. He rumbled happily at the thought. But most importantly, his little mate was obviously frightened of him, and that would never do. Perhaps the golden haired Godling didn't realize He would care for him now. That was okay; when His mate awoke He would tell him. He wrapped himself around His mate, letting His heat keep the smaller man warm in the dank and dark cell, and joined His mate in sleep. **** The loud scraping of metal on metal jerked Raine from a deep sleep. Founders, what now? He gasped when the warmth surrounding him shifted, and opened his eyes to see the Beast crouched protectively before him, blocking his sight of the metal door. Something slid into the cell, metal on the cement 67
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floor, and then the grating sound again as what must have been a slot in the door closed. The Beast lay perfectly still for a long moment, hardly even breathing, before he moved toward the tray of food lying near the door. The Beast picked up the tray, snarled softly and flashed his fangs toward the door, and made his way back over to where Raine lay. Raine sat up, ignoring the way his body protested the movement, and shifted so his back settled against the cold concrete wall. His heart pounded as the Beast crawled closer, but his stomach growled loudly at the sight of the food tray, distracting him from his fear for a more pressing concern. Hunger. The Beast paused, cocking his head and looking at him. Raine blushed and looked away, biting his lower lip. Pain shot through his gut at the thought of eating; he doubted he'd get any of the food. The Beast didn't strike him as the sharing type. Raine sighed and tried to ignore the way his stomach was trying to eat him from the inside out. After all, he should be used to being hungry by now. Maybe if he was lucky the Beast would leave him some scraps at the end? The smell of porridge was suddenly sharp and clear, and Raine turned in surprise to see a spoon right before his 68
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face. What the—? He looked past the spoon to see the Beast crouched in front of him, a tray with a bowl of porridge and a piece of stale bread sitting on the floor, holding the utensil toward his mouth in an awkward grip. Raine didn't move, unsure what to do. The Beast grunted, touching the spoon to Raine's bottom lip, before pulling back slightly. Raine opened his mouth, still hesitant, but the Beast simply put the spoon in Raine's mouth, waiting till he closed his lips around cool plastic before carefully drawing the utensil back out. It was by far the weirdest moment in Raine's life. He didn't say that, of course, simply swallowed the bland porridge like the thick glop was the best thing he'd ever tasted and waited to see what the Beast would do next. Raine couldn't have been more surprised when the Beast scooped up another spoonful and held the food to his mouth again. Once again, Raine carefully let the Beast feed him. The whole thing was unbearably intimate, letting this large, primitive man provide for him in such a basic way. It wasn't until the bowl of porridge was two thirds gone and the sounds of the spoon scraping against the sides filled the room, that Raine realized the Beast hadn't yet taken any food for himself. The other man seemed determined to 69
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ensure Raine was fed. Raine could only wonder why? Why was the Beast so determined to take care of him? Whatever the reason, Raine could feel his earlier tension relaxing, and he began to wonder if the Beast planned on feeding him the entire bowl. When the Beast once again scooped up a spoonful and held it toward him, Raine figured the answer was a yes. "Wait," Raine murmured, turning his mouth away from the spoon. The Beast grunted and followed, pushing the spoon closer. "No, wait." He turned his face the other way, starting to feel like a protesting child when the Beast once again followed the move. The awkward play happened twice more, until the Beast sat back, grunting in irritation. The Beast took a deep breath. "Eat," he rumbled in a slow, halting growl, and Raine's jaw dropped. He talked! The Beast, taking advantage of Raine's surprise, shoved the spoon in his mouth. Raine choked over the bite, but obligingly swallowed when the Beast gave him a look that clearly said good boy. Surprisingly, Raine no longer felt fear when it came to the Beast. He found it hard to be afraid of a man who so patiently and carefully fed him, ignoring his own needs 70
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until he made sure he was taken care of. Raine found himself thinking of the man as less of a Beast, and more of victim of the City's cruel prejudices. "Aren't you hungry?" He asked when the Beast moved to give him another bite. The Beast cocked his head, as if confused by Raine's words. Moving slowly, so as not to alarm the bigger man, Raine pointed toward the spoon and then to the Beast. The Beast's eyes followed where he pointed, but only tilted his head again. Raine frowned. The Beast didn't seem to understand his words, but… what was that saying again? Actions speak louder than words… Raine carefully reached down and picked up the stale bread, and ripped off a small piece. Dipping the bread into the porridge to soften, he held his meager offering toward the Beast, hand shaking. The Beast's nostrils flared for a moment, and then he leaned forward and carefully took the bread from Raine's trembling hand, accepting the morsel of food between sharp white teeth. After taking his bite, the Beast once again held the spoon toward Raine's mouth. Raine received his own spoonful, and then fed another to the Beast. They finished off the rest of the food that way, Raine making sure the Beast received two pieces of porridge71
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dipped bread for every mouthful he got. After, the Beast placed the tray back by the door, he once again moved to crouch in front of Raine. What now? The Beast watched him carefully, those odd, golden-yellow eyes studying Raine with an intensity that made the younger man blush and shift uncomfortably. He'd pretty much figured out by now the Beast wasn't going to eat him, or hurt him, despite the earlier biting session, so what did the big man want now? "I'm Raine," he blurted suddenly, when the silence and tension stretched so thick Raine thought he would snap. The Beast cocked his head, obviously confused. Raine bit his bottom lip. The man seemed to be trying to understand him, but a barrier stood between them; the modern ideals hidden behind a primitive exterior. The Beast was dumb, no, Raine couldn't believe that. A hidden intelligence lurking in the other man's eyes, and something inside him warned Raine not to underestimate the Beast's capabilities. "Raine," Raine said again, pointing to himself. Hesitantly, he reached out, leaning forward to brush his fingers across the Beast's large chest. "You?" When the Beast furrowed his brows and tilted his head again slower 72
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this time. Raine got the sense he was trying to understand. Again he pointed to himself. "Raine." Once again moving slowly so as not to alarm, Raine reached ever and took one of the Beast's large hands in his much smaller one. He led that hand until it lightly touched his own chest. "Raine," he said, letting his eyes meet the Beast's, trying to convey all the knowledge he was trying to impart. The Beast's hand lightly rubbed across Raine's sternum. "Rrrr-ai-ne," he rumbled slowly, eyes flicking down to where his hand rested on Raine's chest, then back up to Raine's face. "Raine," he said again, this time with more confidence. Raine nodded excitedly, a huge smile breaking out across his face. "Yes!" He touched his own chest again, "Raine," and then leaned forward to touch the other man's, waiting. A long moment of unbearable tension surrounded them, and Raine could almost imagine the Beast's mind running through what was happening. Finally, the Beast gave a mighty frown and grunted. "A- Ash-sh…." "Ash?" Raine repeated, surprised. "Is that your name?" 73
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Again, Beast grunted and nodded his head. Raine got the feeling the Beast wasn't completely sure if that was his name, but decided that if the Beast wanted to call himself Ash, Raine certainly wouldn't tell him differently! He pressed his hand to his own chest. "Raine," he said softly, then reached over to touch Ash's chest again. "Thank you for sharing your food with me, Ash," he murmured, losing himself for a moment in the feel of the larger man's smooth muscled chest under his fingertips. He let his fingers lightly trace over the bite mark in Ash's chest, from where he had bitten him in what he assumed was the night before. Odd, he didn't think wounds like that healed so quickly. The skin around the wound seemed to be almost half closed, knitting itself back together faster than normal. Still, he bet the bite mark was sore and just the thought caused him to flush with guilt. "I'm sorry," he said, placing his palm over the wound, as if his touch alone could erase and heal his previous actions. He stared in shock when he saw the long gash on his own arm was in the same condition as Ash's bite mark; almost healed. He reached up to touch where Ash had bitten him, and found his mark the same as the others. What in the world? Ash covered Raine's hand where it still rested on his 74
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chest with one of his own, and Raine gasped at the flash of warmth racing up his arm, radiating from where they touched. And about jumped out of his skin when Ash began to give off a low, rumbling purr. "Founders! What…" Before Raine could get any further, Ash closed the space between them and curled his body around Raine; lower half next to Raine's crossed legs, Ash's chest leaning against Raine's knee and hip. One long, muscled arm curled around Raine's waist, and Raine forced himself not to tense up. Ash laid his head down in Raine's lap, that long, beautiful colored hair pooling around the two of them. Ash became Raine's very own living, breathing blanket, and in that moment, was no longer a Beast. He was simply a man, odd and strange as he looked, and he'd been alone for too long, seeking comfort from the only other person in his small, cold, gray world. Raine's first instinct was to pull away. Before now, in his previous life, touch was not an important factor. In fact, the last time Raine had been touched in anything close to a gentle and comforting manner had been when his mother was alive. His mother had been gone for a very long time. 75
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But as he sat there, with this giant of a man in his lap, Raine sensed something that went beyond simple comfort and into sincere need. It was like Ash needed to touch him, and Raine felt an indescribable need to touch back. Letting his hand rest lightly, Raine slowly began to rub Ash's bruised back, noticing the shape of the many contusions seemed to be long and thin, like a baton or Guard stick. Ash purred, nuzzling his face into Raine's inner thigh for a moment. Raine's cock definitely took notice and twitched, making Ash purr louder. But this wasn't about sex, even though Raine seemed to feel less opposed to the idea than he'd been earlier. No, this was about two men, who for one singular moment, let the world cease to exist and felt the comfort so long denied to them. Raine's hand drifted up from Ash's back and into his long, tangled hair. Being as gentle as possible, Raine began to work out the knots with his fingers, not pulling if he could help it, keeping his tugs as small as possible. Ash didn't seem to mind; instead of snarling and pulling away, he relaxed further into Raine's arms, purring a constant rhythm now. "What am I going to do with you, wild man?" Raine 76
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whispered, half to the man dozing off in his lap, and halfway to himself. His mind came up blank and the man in his arms just continued to purr.
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Chapter 6 Ash woke up the moment he heard the big door open. His head rested on his mate's stomach, still wrapped around his Raine, as he had been the night before. Nothing compared to the feeling of warmth seeming to come from the center of his being when his mate petted him and stroked his hair. Ash now had one mission in life. Get his little mate out of the living hell that was the Prison, and to the Outside. He'd prove himself worthy of being wrapped up in those arms. He would need a plan, but later. First, he must protect Raine from the Guards coming into the room. Six men rushed into the room, three along each side of the door, stunner weapons at the ready, pointed at him and his mate. Ash growled low in his throat. The Guards presented a danger to his mate; one Ash couldn't allow. He could smell their unease and fear of him. That was okay; he could use that fear against them. Ash snarled in rage when the leader of the Guard walked in, a sneer on his perpetually handsome face. How someone could look so normal—blond hair and cold, gray eyes the inhabitants of this horrible City seemed to prize— 78
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yet turn out to be so heartless and evil. The man's scent was similar to the Betrayer, the one who turned him to the hunters. Similar, yet not the same. Both had the stench of evil clinging to their souls. The man's scent also marked his little mate when he'd first been put in his cell. Smelling the remembered odor again made him see red with rage. It took every bit of willpower Ash had not to leap forward and rip the smug look off the face of his enemy. He knew the exact moment his mate woke up and noticed they were no longer alone. Raine's entire body jolted and tensed, the acrid smell of his fear stinging Ash's nostrils. He shifted until he covered his mate's naked, trembling body with his own; not wanting the others to look on what was his. Growling, he snapped his teeth in warning. "Mine!" Ash snarled. "Well, well, well, looks like the Beast has found himself a little pet," the Guard sneered, but he couldn't quite hide his surprise at hearing Ash speak. The Guard started to take a step forward, but caught himself. That's right, Ash thought, giving the group a sinister smile. Fear me. I have something to live for now and I'll kill you all before I let you hurt him. 79
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"Ash…" Raine whispered, his trembling hand reaching out to touch the small of Ash's back. He purred, low and rumbling, trying to tell him without words everything would be okay. The message seemed to have been received when his little mate pressed his hand harder on his back. "What do you want?" his little mate asked. Although his mate's voice shook, Ash could tell Raine tried his best to be brave. The Guard smiled evilly. "To tell you the Beast has until tomorrow night to kill you, like he has all the others, or we'll do it for him. And we won't be quite as nice. It's time to set an example of you both." The Guard leered, his gaze raking up and down Raine. Ash could feel Raine shudder. The Guard took a step forward, the bulge in his pants growing obscenely as he groped himself. "Has he fucked you yet, hmm? Ripped your little ass up with that third leg he has? Bet you liked it… you begged so prettily every time I fucked you. Maybe we should take another taste…" He laughed, and so did the other Guards standing behind him. Raine whimpered and seemed to try and tuck himself smaller, trembling in fear. 80
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The small movement was too much. The scent of his mate's fear flipped a trigger in his brain, and Ash let his beast loose, leaping forward, roaring with his teeth bared. **** Everything happened so fast, Raine hadn't realized what had occurred until the Head Guard lay dead on the ground, throat ripped out and Ash was attacking the others. One moment, he had been cringing in fear as the Guard spewed hate and venom the likes of which he'd never heard before, except when his body was being violated by the men before him. And then in the next he was thrust back as Ash leapt forward, pouncing on the man, his sharp teeth sinking into the other man's neck. At least he thought it was Ash. Standing over seven feet tall and covered in a thick pelt of reddish-brown fur, the creature before him was bigger than anything he'd ever seen before; far bigger than Ash in his normal form. Long claws flashed in the low light of the cell, and the elongated pupils in those golden eyes seemed to glow with a fevered insanity. A loud roar echoed around the room and left Raine's ears ringing as he watched the destruction play out before him. 81
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This was the Beast everyone feared. And judging by the way this Beast ripped out the throat of the Guard, they had good reason too. Someone screamed. At first, Raine thought the horrid sound was the dying Guard, but it took him a moment to realize the Guard was only making a wet gurgling sound, and the screaming came from him. Suddenly, one of the other Guards, who had been frozen in shock, stepped forward, and shot Ash with his stunner gun, causing Ash to jerk away from the Head Guard's dead body, roaring with both anger and pain. "No!" Raine cried out in warning, hand outstretched in a futile attempt to stop Ash as he leapt toward the other Guards, claws outstretched, bloody teeth bared. Unfortunately, the first Guard's shot seemed to wake the others out of their stupor. Raine could only watch in horror as the other Guards raised their stunners and fired, leaving his beast on the floor, writhing in pain as electric shocks coursed through his body. "Stop it! You're killing him!" Raine screamed, crawling forward as fast as he could, hands hovering over Ash's body as it jerked like a marionette on a string. "Please," he begged, sobbing. "Please don't kill him!" He didn't understand why, but if Ash died, in his heart Raine 82
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would never be the same. It was like their souls were entwined and Ash's pain was his own. Amazingly, the Guards stopped firing. Raine watched warily, crouched over Ash in a desperate attempt to keep him from being shocked again, as four of them kept their guns trained on Raine and the other two each grabbed one end of the Head Guard's body, one lifting at the wrists and the other grabbing the ankles. They dragged the man out of the room, a bright red trail of blood smearing the floor. The other Guards followed, and it wasn't until the metal door closed with a resounding bang that Raine finally felt like he could breathe. "Why?"
he
asked,
carefully
pulling
Ash's
shuddering body into his arms until the larger man was resting comfortably between his legs. Ash slowly stopped shuddering, shifting back into his normal, human form. Raine stroked his hand through Ash's disheveled hair as the man rested his head on Raine's chest. Every now and then Ash would twitch, his body still fighting the electric pulses floating throughout his system. "Why, Ash? Why did you jump him like that?" Raine asked again, rubbing his head against the top of Ash's scalp. 83
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Ash pulled away slightly, just enough to look into Raine's eyes, his soft amber eyes filled with both sorrow and determination. "Mate," he growled softly. "Mine. Raine. Mine… mate… Raine." "Okay," Raine replied, because really, what else could he say when the man had just killed for him. For Raine. Protected him despite danger to himself. Fed him, kept him warm and practically purred with happiness the moment Raine came near. Some things just were. Raine and Ash just were. "Does that make you mine, Ash? Are you my very own wild man?" Raine asked, tucking a long strand of hair behind Ash's ear. His heart seemed to be racing as he waited for the answer. Ash cocked his head to the side, processing. Then he nodded and smiled. Ash's smile was the most beautiful smile Raine had ever seen. Pure innocence and joy. "You-yours," he rumbled, resting his head back on Raine's chest and nuzzling into his neck to place lapping kisses on his bare skin. "Raine-Mate. Mine. Ash. Yours." Raine sighed, baring his neck for more, his skin tingling. Okay, that all sounded just fine to him. He cupped 84
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the back of Ash's head, keeping him from pulling away and ending those spine-melting feelings. This was better than anything he had ever experienced before. More than anything he had ever felt in the brief encounters at secret clubs, where Raine had been far too afraid to go beyond simple kissing and rubbing. Ash gave him the same feelings being around plants did, and it hadn't been until right at that moment Raine realized he felt better than he had since he first came to the Prison and his beloved plants were lost to him. The realization spoke to their mysterious connection more than anything else. I'll think more on that later. Raine let Ash lay him down as the larger man moved to crouch over him, devouring Raine with his hungry gaze, golden eyes glowing with a feral light. His cock jerked hard, rising from its nest of soft blond hair, and Raine couldn't fight the hungry little moan when he saw Ash's large erection pointing at him from a hairless groin. Oh my—the man is huge! Ash would rip me apart during intercourse… "Oh, Founders, Ash!" Raine cried out when Ash bent his head down and began to lap lightly at his collarbone, purring. Raine had 85
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been afraid of the sexual exploration when he'd first met Ash, but now he welcomed the rough tongue, sighing softly when the vibrations of the other man's purring caused his nipples to tighten and his skin to break out in goose bumps. Oh! There, again! Raine's breath hitched when Ash began to nuzzle and nip at his nipples, alternating between the two. The wildness in the big man called to the inner submissive mate in Raine, the light sting and roughness to the intimate touch making Raine drunk on the heady pleasure. Every little touch felt so good, magnified a million times what Raine thought he normally would have known with the touch of a normal man; like little sparks traveling through his body, connected from his nipples to his cock. Arching his back, Raine silently begged for more. Ash chuckled darkly, but acquiesced, wrapping his lips around one hard nubbin and sucking strongly. Raine gave a strangled shout, fingers clutching Ash's hair, holding him close, trying to get more of his breast into the other man's mouth. Ash growled, sounding more turned on than annoyed, and opened his mouth wider to suck in more of the skin surrounding the nipple. Raine mewled, chest arching, legs shifting restlessly. He was so hard, trembling with need as his orgasm raced through his bloodstream. Holy Founders, he was going to come just 86
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from having his chest played with! He whimpered in disappointment when Ash pulled back, releasing the over-abused nipple with a faint pop. Raine looked down to see his nipple red and sore, standing in a sharp point, tight and aching. It amazed him that a little piece of flesh was able to wring so much pleasure from his body. He shifted his gaze to Ash, who was looking at him like he was the greatest feast he'd ever seen. How could one person make him feel so much? What was this thing between them? Were they mates, like Ash claimed? And why did the thought they may not be make Raine's heart feel like it was breaking? Ash surged up and claimed Raine's mouth with ferocity, tearing all his hesitant thoughts into shreds. He opened his mouth wide, accepting his wild man's plundering tongue, sucking helplessly, tangling the two slick muscles together in a dance of need and want, of give and take, of conquer and surrender. Ash gathered Raine close to his chest and sat back on his heels, and Raine instinctively wrapped his arms around the bigger man's shoulders and legs around the other man's waist. The move brought their erections into alignment and Raine couldn't stop himself as he began to jerk and grind his cock into the one sliding next to his. The 87
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pleasure was explosive, like tiny little electric bursts riding up and down his spine, pressure building at its base. Ash pulled his mouth back, and pushed two fingers into Raine's, exploring every recess. Raine sucked on those invading digits with a fever that set fire to his blood. Ash pushed his hips harder against Raine's, keeping one arm wrapped around his waist to help move. Raine practically rode Ash's cock without the huge appendage actually being inside him. Ash removed his wet fingers from Raine's mouth, and Raine shivered as the slick digits trailed along the knobs of his spine and over the curves of his butt, until they teased the top of his crack. His eyes went wide and he looked at Ash with what he knew was a mixture of shock, hesitant need, and the tiniest trace of fear. Instinctively, Raine knew Ash would never hurt him, not the way he had been hurt before. But still the slightest trace of panic lingered when he thought about anything entering his body. Founders, other than when he was forced, Raine had never wanted anyone but himself to put anything in there. The few men he'd been with may have wanted to, but Raine had always pulled away, not wanting them to touch him in that secret pleasure zone. After coming to the Prison, and experiencing the rapes by 88
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the Guards, the entire idea had lost its appeal. But with Ash, Raine found the notion of his wild man's fingers inside him exciting, and made him actually eager to feel that large cock invading his channel soon. The need and desire for the forbidden act just felt right. He tilted his butt up and back in invitation, blushing wildly, but he wanted this, more than anything he had before. The way Ash's amber eyes darkened to a burnished gold color, hunger and need filling them, Raine new he'd made the best choice. His gasp of pleasure got lost in Ash's mouth as those lush lips descended on his again and one thick finger pushed into his hole, working past muscles trying to stop the foreign invader, causing Raine to wince at the slight burn. It wasn't a painful burn, however, more a welcoming one that made his face flush and his insides melt. Raine pulled his mouth away and threw his head back, moans bubbling up helplessly with each push of Ash's finger into his butt. "More," he moaned, using his leg muscles to help his ride that finger. "Oh, Founders, please more!" Ash growled, pleased, and slowly extracted his finger before pushing it back in, with a second added. 89
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Raine winced, tensing up for a moment at the stretch. Ash stopped, letting just the tips of his fingers rest inside Raine's hole. It took a few moments, but soon Raine's inner muscles relaxed and he eased back onto those fingers, ready for more. Ash provided exactly that with a happy purr. Nearly mindless with pleasure, Raine's entire existence focused on the fingers pushing into his body and the golden amber eyes of his lover watching him as he rode them, wanton and chasing after his orgasm. Ash started licking at his neck and cheeks, the rough sensation of his tongue adding a whole new dimension to Raine's pleasure. Tension built up inside him like a steam cooker, threatening to blow him away with its intensity. Suddenly frightened, he clutched Ash's shoulders, shaking, the pressure reaching its breaking point. "Don't let go, please, wild man, don't let go!" he begged, eyes wide. The next moment would change his life forever. There would be no more Prison, no more City, no more Guards or Drones; no more Raine. There would only be Ash, with his golden amber eyes and reddish brown hair, animalistic grace and fury. He would become Raine's world, his entire meaning of existence. The idea terrified him… that he might lose himself to this wild man; his heart 90
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and soul belonging to another, leaving him empty inside. He couldn't let go until he knew Ash felt the same. "Mine." Ash growled low, moving his free hand to cup the side of Raine's face. "You mine. Ash yours. Mates. Always." "Always," Raine panted, and in Ash's eyes, Raine saw his promise. Yes, yes, mates for always. Ash leaned forward and sank his teeth into the old bite mark on Raine's shoulder, and the stunning pleasure/pain was enough to set him off. "Ash!" he screamed, cock erupting, splashing up between the two of them. Ash growled and an answering heat spilled against his stomach and across the tops of his thighs. Gasping for breath, he laid his head on Ash's chest, shivering as Ash pulled his fingers out. There was a long moment where both men tried to get themselves under control, and then Ash carefully tilted Raine's face up to his, looking him in the eyes. "Always," he said softly. It was the first time Raine heard Ash's voice without its ever present growl and roughness. This must have been how he had sounded before his confinement; deep, soft and cultured. The word was more than a promise. It was a benediction, a factor of 91
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fate. It was what would be, and it would be for forever. From now on, there was no Raine without Ash; and no Ash without Raine. "Always," Raine replied. And he meant that with every fiber of his being.
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Chapter 7 Raine spent most of the night and well into the next morning talking with Ash. They curled up together on Ash's pallet, Ash holding Raine close, almost as if he couldn't bear to let him go. Every now and then he would lean over and lick at the bite wound he'd given Raine, but Raine could tell he was pleased. Ash would get a look in his face that seemed to say yes, this is mine. I claimed him. My Mate! And the love making would start all over again. They didn't do anything extensive, mostly rubbing off together and hand jobs, but their simple lovemaking was so explosive and pleasure-filled Raine didn't care. It didn't matter what they did, just that they did it together! He was sure the cameras watching them were getting quite an eyeful. Why does the thought of someone watching us excite me? Raine had long expected he had an inner exhibitionist in him, but he didn't want to be with lots of men. Watching was one thing, being passed around like an appetizer was something else. Been there, done that… never wanted to experience anything remotely similar ever again. Of course, with the way Ash was holding him, he 93
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didn't think his wild man would be willing to share. In truth, Raine didn't mind the possessiveness in Ash's touch and actions; it was actually nice to have someone there whose entire world revolved around him. Before, Raine had always been alone. But now, no matter what happened, Ash would be there by his side, ready and willing to fight for him. Did he love Ash already? It was hard for Raine to say. He felt drawn to the other man more than anything else in his life, even more than his plants, and that definitely said something. Ash was an amazing man, or as Raine had grown fond of thinking him, wild man. If the future was kind, and the Founders were watching over them, Raine could come to love Ash. Just as he was sure eventually the big guy would come to love him. Over the course of the night, after a much needed nap due to their recent activities, Raine talked with Ash, each sharing their life experiences. Ash didn't have much to share, because of his memory loss, but he seemed to enjoy hearing about Raine's life. Ash listened carefully and his vocabulary seemed to improve by leaps and bounds. When Raine asked him about the sudden change, Ash shrugged. "Other… men," he said, looking to Raine to see if 94
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that was the right word. Raine nodded and Ash's lips twitched in a half smile, continuing. "Other men not talk. They yell and try to kill. Ash, I fight them and they die. Not want to kill the men, but have to." Ash looked at Raine, trying to see whether or not Raine would blame him for the desperate actions of other men. Raine couldn't find it in himself to judge. Ash had already shown he wasn't the type to attack without provocation. Ash had defended him from the Head Guard, leaping forward and killing the other man when he thought he posed a threat to Raine. And from what Raine had heard when he'd been out in the main population with the other prisoners, most of those inmates would react badly to being thrown to the Beast, some even attacking first if necessary. Raine kissed Ash lightly, letting his lover know he didn't fault him for his actions, and turned the topic to other things, like his home life. He told Ash all about his mother and father, and how his father treated him after his mother's death. Ash's brow furrowed and he paused to find the words to express how upset the story made him. "How you be so hurt?" He asked after Raine had told him about the incident where he'd almost died without plants. "You special. I know. Make life with thoughts and hands. Man should be proud you are son." 95
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Raine smiled at his lover's indignation and support. He was glad Ash didn't seem put off by his gifts, but he thought maybe his wild man didn't completely understand all of what Raine meant. That was okay. He and Ash didn't have much time left, the deadline the Guards gave them was approaching fast, so he wasn't going to worry about trivial things; not when there was so much more he wanted to know and learn about his wild man. "What about you?" Raine asked, patting his lover's chest. "Are your parents out there somewhere, proud of you?" Ash frowned, and got very quiet. "I not know…" he said finally. Raine thought he looked very sad. "No remember before here." He gestured around their drab prison cell and then looked back at Raine. "Been here long time," he sighed. Raine frowned. "Do you remember anything?" he asked, rubbing his hands across his bite mark on Ash's chest, using the motion to soothe the bigger man, like the light touch usually did. As soon as he processed the question, Ash's entire body language changed. No longer was he sad and remorseful. His muscles were tense and a low growl built up in his throat. "The Betrayer," he growled, eyes flashing. Raine 96
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winced when Ash's grip tightened on his arm. "Calm down, wild man, it’s okay… shh, it's okay," Raine whispered, soothing the Beast until Ash once again sat back and relaxed his hold on Raine's arm. "Who is the Betrayer?" Raine finally dared to ask, once he thought Ash had his beast back under control. Ash frowned again. "Why I am here. Not know who, just know smell. Find him when we leave here. I will," he said, chin stubborn and eyes burning with a need for vengeance. "Okay," Raine conceded. He couldn't really argue with that. Anyone in Ash's position would want revenge, too. But the topic reminded Raine of another question. "How are we going to get out of here, Ash?" Ash cocked his head to the side, processing Raine's words. He didn't have to do that as much as he had before, but sometimes he still got confused and had to think the words through before he understood. It was like the animal part of him was controlling over half of his body, and the human half was desperately fighting back for control. "Together," Ash finally said. Raine smiled. "I know, wild man, together. But how are we going to get out of here? To escape?" A light lit up Ash's eyes and Raine could tell he 97
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finally understood. "Kill them," Ash said, flashing his fangs in a sinister smile. Raine shivered, surprised how easy it had been for him to forget Ash was a dangerous man, still mostly a beast as the others often called him. Ash immediately tugged him closer for warmth and comfort, and Raine sighed. If anyone could be deemed safe around Ash, it was him. Like Ash kept telling him, they were Mates. "Are you sure you can take out them all? What about their stunners?" he asked, replaying in his mind the horrible moment those guns had been turned on Ash before. "I don't want you to get hurt," he whispered, burying his face in Ash neck. Ash purred and stroked the back of his head. "Not leave you," he promised, gently placing a finger under Raine's chin and lifting his face back up. "Always." "Always," Raine whispered back, words ringing with promise between them. Ash leaned forward and kissed his lips, a gentle brush so faint Raine couldn't be sure he actually felt anything at all. "So what's the plan?" he finally asked, more to himself than Ash. "They're going to be back here in just a couple hours and there is no way we can escape if it's two against however many they plan to use. We'll be 98
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slaughtered before we even make it to the door. I doubt they'll come in to feed us today, so that's out too. No, we need a distraction, something that will bring them in here before they plan to; something that will throw them all off…" Suddenly, without warning, Raine found himself thrown against the ground, a large beast of a man watching him, growling softly. "A-Ash?" Raine asked softly, voice quivering. He looked into those amber eyes and saw no sign of his lover. Once again Raine found himself face to face with the Beast. Raine gulped audibly. "W-Wild man?" Ash lowered his face, lip up in a snarl. "Scream," he growled. And then Ash pounced. Raine did as told, screaming in fright, rolling out of the way just in time for Ash to land where he'd been laying, claws out. "Ash, what—" he asked, finally getting to his feet and backing away. Ash followed his movements, reaching out to lash at him every time he got too close. Raine didn't understand what the crazy thing before him thought it was doing! His lover crouched down, stalking his prey, trying to back him into a corner. 99
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Ash pounced again, and in the last second Raine darted out of the way, his shriek echoing off the cement walls. Round and round they went, until Raine gasped for breath and sweat was dripping off Ash's straining muscles. "Ash, please!" Raine cried, backing away again and tripping over the pallet of blankets where only moments before the two of them had been cuddled close. There was no time for him to move when Ash pounced and raised his claws to strike. The metal door on the other side of the room burst open and two Guards rushed in, stunner guns raised and ready to fire. Before they could get much past the door and without missing a beat, Ash swung his arm around and leapt, catching one Guard across his arm with his claws, rendering the appendage useless, and slashing the other in the face. Before either man could scream, Ash had one large hand wrapped around each man's throat; Raine watched with grim fascination as they both turned red, then purple, and finally went limp. Ash held them a few more moments to be sure they were gone, and then dropped them unceremoniously to the ground and began to pull their uniforms off. "Ash?" Raine whispered, uncertain. He tensed when Ash turned around, not sure what part of his lover he would 100
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see; the gentle giant he had come to care for, or the Beast he'd been chased by. But when Ash turned around, there was nothing but warmth evident in his eyes, and Raine slowly relaxed. "Hurry," Ash said, waving Raine closer. He crouched down to fumble with the unfamiliar laces, grunting as he finally pulled the boots off one of the Guards. As soon as Raine came close enough, he tossed the smaller pair of pants at him and one of the jackets. "Ash, what—" Raine began, looking back and forth between Ash and the military regulation black uniform in his hands. "Dress," Ash ordered as he began putting on the bigger of the two Guard's pants. Luckily, the man was only slightly smaller in the waist than Ash and about the same height. Suddenly, Raine understood what Ash had done. He'd listened to what Raine had been saying and figured out a way to get the Guards to come in early. "Holy Founders, Ash, you're a genius!" he exclaimed, quickly shimmying into the too-long pants and oversized jacket. It seemed odd to be wearing clothes again, even ones at least three sizes to big. He'd gotten used to being naked with only Ash around. 101
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He was busy buttoning up the jacket with shaking hands when Ash knelt at his feet and helped place then in the big boots, tucking the bottoms of his pant legs into the boots, making them less noticeable. When they were done, Ash handed over the Guard's cap, placing the black, bulky object on Raine's head and helped him roll up his sleeves a bit. Raine noticed Ash had tucked his long red hair under the hat, and now that he was without the silky tresses and wearing the uniform, the man could pass for a Guard as long as no one looked too close. Now all they had to do was sneak out and hope no one noticed they were gone yet. If there were cameras in the room, hopefully Ash had kept their battle close enough to the door that the surprise attack hadn't been seen. Raine hoped the cameras were trained on the sleeping pallet, since that had been where the two of them spent the most time. If the camera focused in on the door, they'd be screwed by now, but it was a chance they would have to take. Hopefully whoever watched the cameras this shift hadn't been paying close attention. Raine stood by the door, acting as a lookout as Ash dragged the two Guards over to their pallet and threw the blankets over them, trying to make it look like the two of them were still in the room and were sleeping. 102
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"Come," Ash said as he came back over to the exit and took Raine's trembling hand in his more steady and sure one. He gave Raine a soft kiss, perhaps to help bolster his courage. "Must hurry."
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Chapter 8 They were lost. No, not lost. Just trapped in the middle of a labyrinth of corridors and dead ends galore! Seriously, who would put a high security holding cell at the center of a maze? Raine snorted. Probably someone hoping if a prisoner did escape, they'd get lost long before they managed to find a way out. They'd been out of their stone cage for almost five minutes now, and as more and more time went by, tension creeped into Ash's body. Even walking as quickly as they were, their escape was taking them too long. Raine tried to convince himself they were coming closer and closer to the exit. More and more guards were appearing in the many corridors and not all of them were on duty it seemed, so Raine assumed they must be near the barracks. They were running out of time here and very soon the dead Guards would be discovered. Every second that ticked by was like another nail in the proverbial coffin. If they didn't get out now, they never would. Raine bit his tongue to hold in his gasp of alarm as Ash jerked him back around the corner they were just coming around. Raine froze, barely daring to breathe. 104
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Someone was coming their way! Ash's claws lengthened, ready to kill whoever came around the corner, which would only serve to draw attention to them. They'd be caught for sure. Looking around the hallway wildly, most of the doors had keypads and card slots, so no cover could be found inside one of those. And with the hallway being so brightly lit, there was no way for them to just blend in. Despite the uniforms they were wearing it was almost painfully obvious they were not Guards or soldiers. Then, about halfway down the hall, Raine spotted a door slightly ajar. Thank Founders! Tapping Ash on the shoulder, he pointed to the open entry. Ash raised a brow then nodded and hustled Raine down the corridor and into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Facing the door, the two stood completely still, and Raine had the horrible image of Guards pushing their way in and them getting caught. Outside, they could hear the sound of people talking and walking by. It wasn't until after they passed that Raine heard Ash give an audible sigh of relief, one Raine echoed. Damn, that was a little too close. Turning away from the door, Raine glanced around the room they had chosen to hide in. A control center of 105
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some kind, with a bank of computers facing a group of TV monitors along one wall. Cold and sterile, only one computer in the whole room had been turned on and judging by the codes on the screen, the data looked oddly similar to something Raine worked on at his work station at his old job. Maybe they had been in luck stumbling into this room. Raine's eyes landed on a half eaten protein bar and partial cup of coffee. That was odd. Had someone been in here recently? He started to point that out to Ash when the key lock outside the door engaged and the handle started to turn. Without missing a beat, the moment the door opened far enough, Ash grabbed the man entering and slammed him against the wall, holding the man against it by his neck. The small man squeaked, and his blue-gray eyes went wide behind thick glasses. "Hold on, wild man," Raine said, rushing over and laying a soothing hand on Ash's shoulder. Ash relaxed his hold slightly, but he didn't let the other man go completely. Raine really couldn't blame him. The guy didn't look like much of a threat, but until they were sure, Raine didn't want 106
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to take any chances. "Who are you," Raine asked, studying the other man, whose eyes were fearfully flicking back and forth between him and a snarling Ash. "O-Owen. Owen Sanders." The man's voice croaked, trembling, and Raine mentally readjusted his thinking. There was no way this guy could be a soldier or even a Guard. Hells, he looked like a stiff breeze would blow him away given half a chance. Raine might not be a big man by any means, but Owen made him seem Ash's size. With his big blue-gray eyes, made even larger by his glasses, and fine, white-blond hair, the man wasn't the usual color of most citizens. He was closer to the desired coloring than Raine, but not by much. He couldn't have been an inch over five-six and a hundred twenty pounds soaking wet. The pretty little kid was probably a computer monkey, judging by the gray slacks, shirt and lab coat, which were a far cry from the military-like uniforms he and Ash were wearing. Raine glanced at his lover, who still growled softly at the frightened man, flashing a bit of fang. Ash obviously wanted to kill the young man, and Raine kept reminding himself that it would probably be a good idea. Less 107
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exposure and chance of capture that way. Still, the kid might be able to help them. But in order for that, Raine needed to get Ash to back off a little. And since Raine had the language skills, he needed to take control of the situation fast. Owen might respond better to Raine, being closer to his age and size. Raine just had to convince Ash of that. "Calm down, wild man. I think we can use him," Raine murmured, low enough he was sure Owen couldn't hear them. "Just follow my lead, okay?" Ash didn't look pleased, but he gave a short, stiff nod, letting go of the man's throat and dropping him to the floor. He took a step back, enough so Owen wouldn't feel crowded, but close enough to help Raine if needed. Raine shot him a quick thank you over his shoulder. He turned back to Owen, who coughed and rubbed his throat, using the door behind him to brace himself as he stood. "Who are you?" he asked, and Raine noted his hands were trembling. He found himself slightly impressed when the other man straightened and gave them a stern look. "You're not supposed to be in here. It's a restricted area." Raine raised a brow. "Really? Then why did we find the door open?" He smirked when Owen's face turned red. 108
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"Shoot," Owen mumbled, raking a hand through his soft, white-blond hair. "I always forget to close the door all the way." "How old are you?" Raine asked. The kid seemed way too young to already be an employee of the City's control brigade. "Twenty. Why?" Owen replied. Raine shook his head. The kid was practically a baby. And although Raine wasn't much older compared to Owen, Raine had years of experience on him. He glanced over at his lover, who carefully watched the interplay between the two men. Ash had more years mentally than both young men combined. "I'm Raine O'Kelly." Raine said, and then motioned to Ash. "This is Ash. And you're going to help us get out of here." Owen's eyes practically bugged out of his head. "What!" Ash bared his teeth in warning and Owen lowered his voice. "What in hells are you talking about? Get out of the Prison?" Suddenly it seemed to dawn on Owen exactly what Raine meant. "Oh my Founders, you're not Guards, you're escaped prisoners…" Quick as a bunny, Owen tried to dart around Raine 109
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and rush over to the computer, where he could sound the alarm. But if Owen was a bunny, then Ash was one of those fabled wolves Raine had read about in his mother's old books and Owen soon found himself slammed back up against the door, Ash growling in his face. "That wasn't very smart," Raine replied, crossing his arms and acting if he had not a care in the world. Owen shrugged slightly, but didn't take his eyes off Ash. "Yeah, well, I had to try. Can you blame me?" "Nope, which is why I'm not going to have Ash kill you right now," Raine replied, motioning for Ash to let go, which he did reluctantly. Raine moved forward and got in close to Owen and did his own weak imitation of Ash's snarl. "But pull another stunt like that and I'll happily let him rip you open and feast on your entrails. You got me?" Owen swallowed, and nodded. "Good. Where is the nearest exit?" "Two corridors down, third door on the right. Leads to a locker room and there is a door in the back that serves as an emergency exit. So how am I supposed to help you?" Owen asked, taking a deep breath, watching Ash warily. Raine held back his grimace. He felt sort of bad for scaring the kid, but his fear was a small factor in their escape. The kid will get over it. 110
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Raine pointed to the blank computer monitor where he assumed Owen had been working before. "You're going to hack into the system for us, and shut the whole thing down. We need to get out of the Prison, and more importantly, out of the City." Owen looked boggled. "Leave the City? But there is nothing on the Outside! That's why the dome is there, to protect us from the nothingness. The Founders brought us here in their mighty ships when they were fleeing their home world and now we live inside the City for our own safely… the Outside is just a myth. There's nothing there!" Raine recognized the propaganda. He had heard the same thing most of his life, from his father, from his teachers, from his bosses, and especially from the Government. He looked over at Ash, taking in the claws, the teeth, and those now lovely golden eyes. There is something out there. Ash is proof. And whatever is on the Outside has to be better than being trapped in here. "We'll take our chances," Raine replied and with a flick of his wrist, Ash pushed Owen toward the monitors. "Get busy. And don't even think about setting off an alarm," Owen sat down and started typing. "Ash will kill you and we'll still get out. You'll just be dead. No skin off 111
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our backs, but if that's what you really want…" Owen blanched, but typed quickly. Raine knew his kind. The kid wouldn't risk his own life for the Prison or even the City. He probably figured they'd be caught by Drones before they even made it outside the City's walls. Raine grinned as he sat down at one of the other computers and turned it on. Now the real fun would begin. He hacked into his old work system and typed in a disabling code to ground all Drones, warping and twisting the access codes until it would take hours for someone to shift through and set to rights, Raine grinned a bit maniacally. He'd never been more grateful than he was at this moment for his father getting him his previous job. "We have five minutes to get out before the Drones go down and alarms are raised," he told Ash, logging off and starting procedures to shut the computer down. Hitting the enter key, he turned to see Owen doing the same, his face alarmingly pale. "What did you do?" Owen asked. Raine raised a brow. "I made sure there was nothing to stop us from getting out. Not even the Government." Owen looked terrified, but Ash? Ash looked so damn proud 112
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of Raine, Raine thought he would burst. "What will you do with me now?" Owen asked, face pinched. "It's not like you need me anymore. I'll stay here when you leave. I won't tell anyone. I promise." Raine glanced at Owen, who stared at him pleadingly, and then at Ash, who frowned and shook his head. Damn, they couldn't take the chance of the kid running and raising the alarm. He looked at Ash, who nodded. Raine sighed. "I'm sorry, Owen, but we can't take that chance." Before he had even finished Owen flew out of his seat and raced toward the door. Ash caught him before he was halfway across the room, and covered Owen's screaming with his hand. "Ash?" Raine asked, unsure of what his lover intended. He didn't want to hurt the kid, but Ash tended to be more animalistic and his instincts would tell him to eliminate the possible threat before it became one. So, Raine was surprised when Ash simply pinched a portion of Owen's shoulder between two fingers, holding tight until the kid passed out. He lifted the unconscious boy back up, slinging Owen's dead weight over one shoulder as though the small man didn't weigh a pound. 113
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"Take with," he murmured. "Kill." Ash wasn't saying they would kill Owen, just that the Government most likely would when they found out his role in the escape. "We'll take him with us," Raine decided, sighing. There was no other choice. Ash nodded and headed toward the door. "Hurry to Outside." Raine followed behind him, stepping into the hallway and closing the door to the room they had just left. "Yes. Hurry."
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Chapter 9 The flight through the deserted City streets was one of the most terrifying moments in Raine's entire life. He panted with exertion, sweat trickling down between his shoulder blades, legs feeling like jelly from trying to keep up with Ash's grueling pace. Damn him, he's not even sweating or breathing hard! Ash stopped in an alley, checking carefully around the corner of the building they were leaning against. Raine took a moment to take in a deep lungful of air. As stale, recycled air filled his lungs, Raine tried to calm his racing heart. They barely escaped through the emergency exit before the alarms started going off. Ash and Raine made it almost a full block when the spotlights flashed, rotating in circular patterns, scanning for the escaped prisoners. The sirens sounded, high and loud, echoing off steel and concrete; the pair's desperate dash to freedom took on an urgent edge, their unwilling hostage still unconscious, hanging over Ash's shoulder. Ash ducked around the corner and motioned for Raine to follow. Raine stuck right behind him, eyes 115
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searching frantically in the shadows for unseen dangers. He could hear the stomping of patrols who were probably doing a grid search for the escaped prisoners, but luckily no sign of any Drones yet; which meant Raine had done pretty damn well screwing up their system. He gave himself a mental pat on the back, and then turned his attention back to Ash, who disappeared as he went around another corner. Does Ash know where he was going? Raine had the sudden horrible thought they were running around in circles. "Ash?" he whispered, hurrying to catch up. Ash glanced back, but continued to move. "Ash, do you know where you're going?" Ash nodded but stayed silent. Raine gritted his teeth and tried not to be annoyed. "How?" Raine asked in an exasperated whisper. Ash finally stopped to look at him, the move so unexpected Raine bumped into his chest and nearly knocked Owen off his shoulder. Ash's eyes were alight with a fevered intensity Raine had never seen except when they were making love. He tapped the side of his nose, and gave Raine a wolfish grin. "Smell it. Clean air and green life." Ash started hurrying back on his unseen path, apparently 116
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following his nose. Raine sighed and gave a shrug. Heading toward green was a good idea. He of all people was aware of how rare anything living and green was to the City. They entered an older section of the City, one long ago deemed unimportant and most of its inhabitants forgotten. Judging by how the Government treated the citizens it kept track of, being forgotten wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Raine noticed a few people peeking through blinds or ducking into alleyways, but no one stopped their flight to freedom. After all, if you didn't see anything bad, you couldn't be punished for your ignorance. Raine had learned the lesson well. They were close to the sides of the dome; the buildings were less populated and practically crumbling. Long since abandoned, no one stopped them as they continued to get closer and closer to freedom. Raine would bet there wasn't even a Guard Post anywhere near here. Ash had obviously not just smelled for the Outside, he had been checking for the scent of patrols. Then Raine felt it. Gasping, Raine froze stock still, absorbing the sensation he had been so long without. The strumming 117
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warmth under his feet and tingle of welcome, and soft chorus of hellos fed his soul and let him know salvation was near. The Outside! Raine felt the plants out there reaching toward him with invisible fingers. A rush of tears entered his eyes and Raine didn't try to stop them from falling. Looking around him, he could suddenly see all the things that had been hidden before; like the vine crawling up the side of one of the abandoned buildings, or the small daisies peeking up through one of the cracks in the cement. All around him, life bloomed. The Outside pushed its way into the Dome, and fought to take back what was once its own. Thank you, Founders… thank you! "Mate?" Ash murmured, pausing, obviously waiting for Raine. Ash looked at him, eyes questioning. Raine shook his head. "I'm fine," he whispered, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Let's go." They ran some more, an unspoken need arching between them, telling them it was time. Raine nearly danced with every step he took, invigorated, his soul singing along in answer to the siren call only he could hear. They were close; he could feel the truth of it deep in his bones. Ash ducked behind some ruins, and if he hadn't 118
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reached out and snagged Raine's arm as he went by, Raine would have run right past him, so lost in his own thoughts and feelings he hadn't noticed. Tucking Raine into a corner where he would be hidden, Ash laid a still unconscious Owen next to him. "Patrol," he said, and Raine's eyes widened. The Government knew about the hole in the Dome? "Here?" he asked, feeling like all his hopes had been dashed. How were they going to make it past the patrols? "I didn't think they came this far into the old section?" Ash shook his head. "Only two." He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Raine's brow. "Stay. I come back." Raine nodded at first, then before Ash could turn away, reached out and pulled his mate's face down to his own for a deeper kiss, branding his taste on his lover's tongue. "Be safe, wild man," he said, trying to not let his fears overwhelm his faith in his mate. Ash nodded. "Stay," he ordered one last time, and then he leapt over the small wall between them and the patrols, the slight air displacement the only sign he was once there. 119
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Raine stayed silent and still, even though doing so took every ounce of strength he had not to peek over the wall and see what was going on. Straining to hear, Raine thought he heard the sound of a scuffle, followed by a cut off shout, and then, to his horror, the faint popping sounds if a weapon discharging. Raine gasped, and then bit his lip to keep from crying out. Guns? They had guns? Founders, they must have a shoot to kill order, and that was why they didn't have stunners. Anything to keep the citizens from leaving the City. Had Ash known? Was he hurt? Lying out there in the street, bleeding to death, too hurt to cry out for help, while Raine stayed hidden behind this crumbling old wall? Raine had nearly worked himself into a fit by the time he noticed the sound of slow, shuffling footsteps heading toward where he was hiding. Searching frantically for something to defend himself with, not knowing if whoever was coming was friend or foe, Raine spotted a rather large piece of the crumbling wall lying not two feet from where Owen lay. Crawling quickly, silently cursing every imagined sound he made as the footsteps got closer and closer, Raine swung the large piece of cement at the hulking shadow just as the bulky shape came around the corner. 120
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Ash caught the weapon easily, and raised a brow at him. Raine let out a burst of air, relief sweeping through him. "Ash," he whimpered and threw himself at the bigger man, wrapping his arms around him tightly, only to freeze when Ash hissed. Glancing up at his Mate's face, Raine could see the flash of pain in his lover's eyes before they were quickly blanked. Pulling back, Raine ran his eyes over the other man, gasping in alarm when he noticed the shiny wetness coating Ash's left hip area, soaking through his stolen pants. "Founders! Ash you were hit? They shot you!" Ash stubbornly shook his head and pushed Raine back before he could start poking and prodding the area. "Worry later," he rumbled, shuffling over to Owen and attempting to lift him. He couldn't quite mask his wince of pain since Raine was watching him so intently. "Leave now." Raine hurried over to Ash's side, and reached out to take Owen from him. "Here, I'll carry him. You keep a look out and watch our backs," he insisted, taking the small man's dead weight and flipping him over his shoulder, trying not to grunt as he nearly fell over and Ash had to steady him. He had a feeling that unless he insisted, Ash 121
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would try to carry Owen and protect Raine. The man had enough pride and stubbornness to equal ten fleets of Guards. Ash watched him, arms still outstretched to take Owen at the first sign of Raine faltering. Raine huffed a breath and glared. "Come on. The sooner we get through the crack, the sooner I can set him down." Ash studied him for a long moment, then nodded and turned to walk away, holding his side to try and stem the flow of blood. Raine followed close behind, silently cursing Owen the whole way. Ash was obviously in pain and Raine couldn't check to see how bad the wound might be because he had to worry about their extra burden. It would be easier if they could leave him. Maybe they should? As Raine walked past the two felled Guards, he mentally changed his mind. If they were going to leave Owen, they should have left him back at the Prison. Now it was far too late. Leaving him here would get him killed. Or worse. Raine walked as carefully as he could around the two Guards, almost tripping over one of the dead men's feet and dropping Owen. He managed to right himself before Ash could try to help. He didn't want to cause Ash any more injuries than the other man already had. 122
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"I'm fine," he panted, hefting Owen a little higher on his shoulder, gaze focused on the man sized crack in the dome he could now see. "Let's keep going. We're almost there."
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Part II:
The Outside and The Betrayer
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Chapter 10 The Outside. Large trees covered in green and yellow leaves, stretching taller than most buildings inside the dome, danced along with the slight breeze in the air, bringing the scent of lush forests and tropical flowers to the fore. Colors bloomed in every shape and size, bright and open, beckoning the passersby to stop and smell. Grass and bits of leaves littered the ground, making a multi-hued carpet for travelers to walk or rest upon, whichever struck their fancy. The trickling sound of a stream running over rocks could be heard not far in the distance, and songbirds serenaded their mates in a chorus as old as time itself. Inside the trees and hiding under the bushes, small animals peeked out at the unexpected guests, before scurrying away back to their dens. The Outside was paradise. Raine couldn't believe his eyes as he followed along behind Ash, trying to take in all the wonders strewn about around him. Everything before him was unlike anything he had ever imagined, and he had imagined a lot. But he couldn't have pictured all the colors and scents, all the amazing plants reaching out in welcome, or the trees— taller than any man—calling Raine to lie down in their 125
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sheltering embrace. They were so different from the plants he had known before, who were soft and quiet in their presence, not about to draw attention to themselves for fear of being discovered and destroyed. The Outside plants had a wildness about them, more power and presence than anything Raine had come across. The chorus of voices whispered along his senses, filling him with renewed strength and purpose. The plants seemed to be welcoming a long lost guide or leader into the fold, filling Raine with a power he didn't know how to handle. But he welcomed the sensation, all the same. Hefting Owen a bit higher, Raine shook his head and forced himself to focus. He needed to concentrate on his mate and not the plants surrounding him, no matter how much he wished to lose himself in them. Ash was hurt and although the bleeding had almost stopped, Raine figured the pain his lover felt must be enormous; they needed to find somewhere to stop and rest before Ash's wound got too bad and Raine ended up trying to carry both men. "Ash?" Raine asked, finally breaking the silence. Ash didn't seem to hear him and kept walking, limping greatly now. Raine called his name again, and again, no response. Raine really began to worry. It wasn't like Ash to ignore him; not at all. 126
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"Ash!" Raine rushed forward and grabbed his arm, jerking him to a stop. Ash turned around and snarled, pain and madness swirling in his eyes. Raine gasped and took a step back, surprised and unsure what to do now. This wasn't his lover, wasn't the man who held him and made love to him so tenderly and voraciously; this wasn't his mate. "Wild man?" Raine whispered, trying to get through, as the Beast before him just continued to stare. It took a long moment, but finally, the madness left Ash's eyes, leaving only pain, and the tension seeped from his broad shoulders. "Mate," Ash replied, voice rough and sorrowful. "Sorry, mate. Sorry. Hurts." He went to take a step and seemed to falter, almost falling. Raine rushed forward to wrap an arm around his lover's waist, as best he could with Owen still draped over his shoulder. "Ash! Hush love, it's okay. I've got you." He held on until Ash seemed to steady before stepping away, but didn't go far. He needed to get Ash somewhere safe and secluded, where he could set Owen down and check Ash's slowly seeping wound. "Ash, is there somewhere we can rest?" he asked, shifting so he was able to steady Owen with one arm on the smaller man's legs in case Ash needed him again. "I need to 127
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check your wound and put Owen down." Ash looked at him for a long moment, then down at his own wounded hip, before nodding. "I find," he said and then made to move like he was going to leave and start searching. Raine grabbed his hand before he could get too far away. "You're in no condition to go traipsing through the wilderness, Ash. There has to be another way…" Almost as soon as Raine said the words, he felt the soft echo of thought from one of the plants. He stopped talking and closed his eyes, opening himself to the knowledge being imparted. He listened for a long moment, and then began to smile. He took Ash's hand. "Come on, I know where we can go," he said, and led Ash off the path. He led them deeper into the trees, following the soft thread of sensation leading him over fallen logs and across a small stream, until he reached a small mountain. It resembled
something
man-made
that
nature
was
reclaiming. But Raine wasn't focusing on that. He was too busy following the tingling feeling that told him to climb, until he reached the small cave halfway hidden by ivy and bushes. "Thank you little friends," he whispered. "Will this work?" he asked, turning to look at a 128
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bewildered Ash as the other man struggled to climb the last little bit of the mountain. Raine noticed Ash's breath seemed increasingly labored, and he really began to worry. Ash glanced into the small cave carved into the mountain, and then back at Raine. He nodded. "For now." Raine grinned and followed Ash into the opening, careful not to damage the plants guarding the entrance; they would serve both as a screen to hide them from the outside world and a first warning system if they were disturbed. Carefully laying Owen along one wall, Raine turned back to Ash, who was struggling to sit down. Raine winced at the pained movements and rushed to help. Ash glared at him and his fussing, but let him help anyway. His lover probably didn't appreciate the worry. After all, Ash was supposed to be the big strong mate; he was supposed to find them shelter and start the fire to cook the small animal he killed with his bare hands, and so on and so on. Well, tough cookies. Raine let Ash lean on him. His wild man was going to have to learn; Raine might be small, but he was perfectly capable of stepping up when needed. "Let me take a look at your hip," Raine said softly, and started easing the sticky material of Ash's pants down without waiting for a response. Ash hissed, but didn't stop him. Raine finally got the pants far enough down Ash's 129
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thighs to give him an unobstructed view of the wound. Raine closed his eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath, trying not to gag at the sight of blood and broken flesh. Barbaric. There was no other word for the weapons used to create such pain and suffering. The hole in Ash's hip was about the same width as his thumb, and looked deep. Raine palpated the wound slightly, throat closing when it spurted blood, whimpering in apology when Ash gasped. "I think it's still in there," he said, meaning the bullet. Ash grunted, jaw clenched, but said nothing. Raine glanced back at the wound, and then at his mate, then back down again. "I-I don't know what to do next," Raine stuttered. He suddenly realized how very out of his depth he really was. Give him a Drone's hard drive or a flower's broken stem, and Raine could have either of them fixed in no time. But when it came to healing gunshots and human sicknesses, Raine was probably the last person someone wanted on their team. Ash cupped the side of his face and guided him up until Raine was looking him in the eye. "Water," he said, motioning down to his wound with his chin. "To clean." "Right." Raine nodded, taking strength from Ash's 130
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steady gaze. "I'll go get water from the stream. Stay here," he said, placing a quick, yet heartfelt, kiss on Ash's lips before scurrying out of the cave. He shot a quick glance at Owen as he was leaving, but decided there was nothing he could do about the younger man right then. Ash was his priority. Besides, it wasn't like Ash was completely helpless and unable to defend himself. If Owen woke up and started causing problems, Ash could handle anything the smaller man threw at him. Raine carefully made his way down the hill, and then hurried as fast as he dared to the stream. He was getting closer, could hear the trickling of water close by, when he suddenly tripped and landed hard, breath whooshing out of him. It took him a long moment to roll over on his back and gain his breath again. Sitting up, he tried to see what had tripped him. A tree root stuck halfway out of the ground, and Raine could hear the tree silently berating him for not watching where he was going. Raine apologized to the tree, and then stood up, dusting himself off. The tree is right, he told himself. Rushing around and not paying attention will only get you hurt. And then where will Ash be? Raine made his way much more gingerly toward the stream, breathing a sigh of relief when he arrived without further incident. 131
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Then cursed. How was he supposed to transport water back to Ash if he didn't have anything to carry the water in? Raine smacked his forehead a couple of times. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he cursed, berating himself. Looking about, Raine didn't see anything that could be used to carry water. Damn it all! Finally, without any other options, Raine sat down and removed one of his borrowed boots. Hopefully it would be able to hold enough water to clean out Ash's wound. A boot might not have been the most sanitary of vessels, but it would have to do. Raine dipped one boot into the stream and then back out, breathing a sigh of relief when it seemed to hold the water fine. Apparently the boots weren't exactly made to be breathable. They were more about function than form. He giggled for a moment when he thought back to the Guards in the City. They all must have stinky feet. He giggled again, this time a bit more hysterically, and shook his head. Now was not the time to lose his cool. Ash depended on him. He didn't have time to freak out. He went to leave the stream, boot of water in hand, then stopped, shrugged, and sat down to pull off the other boot and filled it as well. Better safe than sorry. Plus, walking with one boot on and one off would be very 132
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awkward. Standing back up with two boots filled with water, Raine took a second to wiggle his bare toes in the mulch on the ground. Much better. By the time he returned to the cave, he was surprised to see the boots were still completely filled. Relief filled him when he spotted Ash sitting where he had left him, but noticed the other man barely acknowledged his return. He was too busy watching something else. Raine turned to look and spotted Owen, who sat up with a glare on his face. "Where are we?" he demanded, but even his supposed anger couldn't hide the tremor of fear in his voice. "The Outside," Raine replied, ignoring Owen's sputtering and hurrying over to Ash's side. Setting the boots of water down carefully, he examined Ash's wound, before picking up and using half of one boot to clean off the area. He noticed Ash's questioning look and slightly amused grin. Raine shrugged with a smile and continued to clean the area. "It was all I could find." He needed a cloth of some kind. Glancing around, he finally spotted something that could work. "Owen, give me your lab coat." When he received no response, he turned to see if the other man had somehow left without them noticing. 133
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Owen stood at the cave entrance, mouth hanging open as he gazed out at the lush forest surrounding them on all sides, no dome or City in sight. He was trembling, breathing hard like he had just run a race. "No," he whispered, blue-gray eyes wide. "This can't be right. There is nothing outside the City. They told us. There is no Outside… I need to get back. They need me. There is no Outside. I have to get back!" he whispered over and over, trying to convince himself. Raine rolled his eyes. He didn't have time to worry about Owen's sanity and denial right now. He needed to focus on his mate. "Well, obviously they lied, Owen. Now give me your lab coat!" Owen jumped at the sound of Raine's voice, and turned to look at him, eyes dazed. It took him a moment, but he obeyed, shrugging out of his lab coat and handing the long, gray jacket over to Raine, who began to tear the jacket into long strips. Owen looked down at Ash's injured leg, seemingly confused. "You've been shot?" he murmured. Raine sighed, and tried to force down his anger. "Yes, he has, by Guards when we escaped. Now move over so I can bind his wound." Owen moved aside and Raine crouched down next to Ash, getting ready to bind the 134
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wound when Owen stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "You need to take the bullet out," he said, eyes a bit more clear. "Or else the wound will become infected and he'll die of sepsis or shock." "How?" Raine asked, but Owen was already walking away, muttering to himself, "This is all a dream. I'll just lie down, and go to sleep. When I wake up, I'll be back in the City, back at my desk at work. This is just a dream…" He proceeded to do just that, laying down next to the far wall and wrapping his arms around himself. Raine shook his head. Owen would be of no help for a while. "I don't want to hurt you." He looked back to Ash, who watched his steadily. "But he's right, you know," Raine whispered, feeling his throat tighten. "The bullet has to come out." He cleaned the area one more time, then his hand and especially his fingers. "Okay?" he asked. Ash nodded, looking apprehensive. "Do it," he growled, taking a deep breath. Without giving Ash time to reconsider, Raine took a fortifying breath and plunged his fingers into the wound. Ash roared, the sound so loud it startled some birds outside the cave and sent them flapping into the sky, and left 135
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Raine's ears ringing. "Almost there," he intoned, feeling the tips of his fingers brush something. Ash didn't reply. His face scrunched up and his jaw was clenched. Just when Raine thought his mate couldn't take it anymore, Raine was able to pinch the object between two fingers and pull the bullet out. "Got it!" he exclaimed, holding up the little metal jacket with two bloody fingers. He quickly set the bullet aside and began to pour water over the reopened wound that was once again seeping blood, and bound it with the strips of cloth he had torn from Owen's lab coat. "Amazing that one little thing could cause so much damage," he said, looking up with a smile, one that quickly disappeared when he saw the look on Ash's face. Those amber eyes were narrowed with a feral glint, and his face had started to elongate, and he sprouted what looked like fur all over his body. The aura around the larger man was dark and dangerous, something animalistic and deadly. Ash was changing into something Raine had only seen once before. The day Ash killed the Head Guard. "Ash?" Raine whispered. "Wild man?" Ever so slowly the animal side faded and his Ash was looking back at him. 136
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"Mate?" Ash asked, the strain in his voice betraying the inner battle he'd had with his beast. Raine nodded and cupped his face. "I'm here, wild man, I'm here. Always," Raine murmured, as he wiped the sweat collected on Ash's brow. But how long would Ash be?
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Chapter 11 Raine was going to beat someone… preferably Owen if he grumbled one more time. It had been almost two days since their escape from the City, and Owen had done nothing but mope and complain about being stuck in the Outside. Finally, Raine offered to lead him back to the City and the Guard if he really wanted… back to face charges of aiding and abetting escapees, and possible murder charges for the dead Guards. The threat served its purpose and had shut the other man up pretty quick. But Owen's whining didn't bother Raine as much as Ash had. Only a few hours after the bullet had been removed, Ash developed a fever. It came inexplicably, and when Raine went to change his bandages, Ash's wound was red and not looking good. If they were still in the City, Raine would have rushed him to a doctor immediately, but here in the Outside there was little they could do. Of course, if they were still in the City, they'd both be dead right now. Raine would take a fever over that any day. Raine made almost constant trips to the spring to get water to bathe Ash's face and body, to try and keep the fever down. He changed the bandages and cleaned the 138
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wound as much as he could, even though it was starting to turn a reddish-purple color and pus slightly. Raine did everything in his power he could think of to care for him mate and to help him get better. His efforts weren't working. That morning, after Raine had gone out to collect firewood and to try and find some fruit for breakfast, he'd returned to find Ash incoherent; mumbling in his sleep and burning up with fever. Raine immediately checked the wound, and what he found caused him to rear back, gagging at the rotten stench. Almost completely black, oozing yellow pus and blood, the wound looked even worse than it had just the night before. The entire area surrounding the wound was an angry red, and Raine knew without a doubt the bullet wound was infected. How it had managed to get infected so quickly, Raine didn't know. With Ash's different genetic make-up, nothing in Raine's previous life gave him the knowledge he needed to deal with this situation. Not that he would know much about treating gunshot wounds to begin with, but a human would have been easier to deal with than a beast man. What was he supposed to do? There were no doctors, no hospitals, and no medications, nothing Raine could do to help his lover. Raine kept going over the 139
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options as he once again hiked down to get water to bathe Ash's body. All he could think of was to keep his lover cool and hope eventually the fever would break. It still made no sense the wound was as bad as it was. When Raine had bitten him and Ash had been beaten by the Guards, he'd healed rather quickly. So why wasn't he healing now? Perhaps the worst part of Ash being so ill was the two of them hadn't had any time to be together since escaping. Not that they really could with Owen always around, but Raine really missed the intimate touching between the two of them and craved more. He couldn't wait to feel Ash pushing into him with his monster cock, riding him, claiming him, owning him with every thrust into his body, Raine yielding to his mate the way only he could. Raine moaned helplessly as his cock instantly hardened at the image. He wanted nothing more than to pull his cock out of his pants and stroke himself to completion, but Ash was waiting for him back at the cave. Raine sighed and thumped his unruly cock hard, trying to make the stupid thing go down. It worked, but took a while. I really wouldn't want to do anything right now anyway, at least not while Ash isn't able to enjoy it with me. The memory of their steamy encounters in their prison cell ran through Raine's mind. And there went his cock again. 140
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You shouldn't be whining about not being intimate with him. If you don't get that infection under control, you may never get to sleep with your mate again! Choosing to ignore his erection this time, Raine dipped his boot into the water, letting the small stream fill the heavy leather to the brim. Owen had already made a snarky comment about letting Raine's lover die and how they had been better off in the City. Angry and fed up with Owen's constant complaints, Raine did something he'd never done to another person; Raine slapped him. Owen stood there, stunned, hand raised to his rapidly reddening cheek. Raine told Owen if he wanted to leave and try to make it on his own in the Outside, then by all means, leave. Owen, seeing no way he could do this, wisely decided to shut up. Unfortunately, Raine had been forced to leave Owen with Ash a few moments ago, telling the other man if anything happened to his mate while he was gone there'd be nowhere, in the City or the Outside, Owen could hide. Before he left, Owen had been sitting next to Ash, wiping the sweat off his brow. Raine sighed as he watched the second boot fill with water. Owen wasn't a bad person; just someone stuck in what he thought was an impossible situation. Raine didn't understand why Owen couldn't let go of the City and 141
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try to be happy. No matter what Raine said, Owen seemed determined to eventually return. Raine was starting to think they would have been better off leaving Owen in that office and letting the smaller man take the chance with the Guard. Suddenly, Raine had the sense he was being watched. Glancing around, he noticed nothing different in the surrounding area. Raine gave a mental shrug and turned his attention back to getting water. But the uneasy feeling didn't leave. Again, Raine looked around the area, noting the gentle breeze making the trees and tall grasses sway. Nothing seemed different, and nothing was wrong exactly, but something just felt off. It was only when he stopped and listened, tuning out the trickling sound of the stream, that he realized what made him uneasy. There were no birds chirping. No sounds from any of the small creatures he'd always found lively and inquisitive. They weren't making a sound; almost as if they were too afraid to call attention to themselves. Almost like there was something else out there, something far more deadly and dangerous than anything else in the area. Raine shook his head at his fanciful thoughts. Now he was just letting his imagination run away with him. Wasn't he? Still, an uneasy feeling encompassed the area, so 142
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Raine finished filling the boot and quickly made his way back toward the cave. He was about halfway back on his trek, when he heard an angry roar so loud birds jumped out of the trees and flapped into the air. The sound made his blood run cold. "Ash!" Dropping the boots, Raine took off running as fast as he could, jumping over roots and through bushes, heart pounding in fear. What had happened in the few moments he had been gone? What had Owen done? Was Owen hurt, had Ash hurt him? What was he going to find when he got back to the cave? A million thoughts ran through Raine's mind as he raced back to the cave. He didn't notice the dark shadows behind him, following along at a more sedate pace. Raine burst through the ivy covering the cave entrance, only to stop in shock. Ash, or the very large, hairy version of his lover, was growling and taking pot shots at Owen, who was backed into a corner, looking terrified. The Beast was back, and he was not happy. Not at all. "Stay back," Owen cried the moment he spotted Raine standing at the cave entrance. "He's gone crazy!" 143
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"What happened?" Raine asked, taking a hesitant step forward, only to back away quickly when Ash turned to growl. Owen tried to move away from the raging beast, but stopped and whimpered when Ash immediately turned back and swiped at him with his claws. "What did you do?" Raine demanded. Owen glanced over at him like he was the crazy one. "Nothing!" "Nothing?" Raine scoffed, trying to work his way around Ash so he'd be between him and Owen. Ash swiped his claws at him too, but swung wide and missed. "He wouldn't attack for nothing, Owen. Now what did you do!" "Nothing, I swear, Raine!" Owen yelped when one of Ash's claws scratched a long gash across the length of his arm. "I was just watching him like you told me, and Ash was super feverish and dreaming. Suddenly he got really hairy and growled something like betrayer and attacked me! I didn't do anything!" Owen shouted the words by the end of his explanation, then screeched when Ash roared in response. Raine was almost to him by now, and Owen did his best to keep Ash's attention. Finally, Raine squirmed his way into Owen's corner, facing Ash with his back to Owen; much to Raine's relief, the Beast backed off a bit, but continued to roar and growl. Something inside seemed to recognize 144
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Raine as its mate, and thankfully, seemed unwilling to hurt him. Although, the Beast didn't seem happy with the way Owen clung to Raine's back. Raine did his best to put some space between the two of them, to calm the Beast, but Owen wasn't having it. He grunted, and clung even tighter. Raine sighed; he could really use some tranquilizers right now. One for his crazy mate, and the other for the panicking barnacle on his back. "Okay, Owen, I believe you. I think this is due to the fever. It's causing flashbacks," Raine explained, trying to keep his voice calm and reasonable. The last thing he wanted was for Ash to deem them a threat and attack. "This would never have happened if we were in the City," Owen declared, and Raine glanced over his shoulder with a scowl. Ash growled and took a swipe at them, almost as if he understood. Both men yelped, and Raine backed them further in the corner. "Shut up, Owen! You're not helping here!" "Sorry," Owen murmured, and Raine rolled his eyes. He highly doubted the smaller man's sincerity. Raine turned back to Ash, and studied his eyes; searching for some sort of recognition to fill those narrow pupils and overblown amber orbs. "Ash, lover, mate… it's Raine," he said softly, 145
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easing down until he crouched at Ash's level. The Beast growled, but made no move to come toward him. Raine took the action as a sign of encouragement and decided to continue. "Come on, wild man, come back to me…" He took a step forward, ignoring Owen's whispered warning. "I'm here, mate. I'm here and nothing can get you. You're safe. We're all safe." Raine kept speaking in a soft, soothing tone, over and over, only relaxing when Ash's growling lowered in volume and the extra hair on his body no longer stood on end. "That's it, love, come back to me. We're going to get you better. I promise. But you have to come back to me now…" Raine held out one hand and ever so slowly, Ash nuzzled his face into his palm. He heard Owen behind him sigh in relief and Raine echoed the sentiment. That was until he saw the dark shadow moving from the outside of the cave and through the entrance. "Ash!" Raine cried in warning, but it was too late. Ash turned toward the shadow, but it moved at a faster rate of speed and bowled him over before he even had a chance to turn fully. Ash and the dark shadow, which slowly took on the shape of a very large cat, the likes of which Raine had never seen before, began to fight each other. They snarled and spat, slashing at each other with claws and 146
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teeth. The large cat was covered in blue-black fur and resembled the pictures of panthers Raine had seen as a child, except on a much larger and deadlier scale. The cat had a distinct advantage over the injured, furry humanoid Ash and was able to move around Ash's strikes. It wasn't long before the cat had Ash on the ground, teeth snapping toward the fallen man's throat. Raine screamed again, and moved forward to help his mate, but quickly found himself blocked by two more cat creatures; one a slate gray color, the other the color of fine tree sap. Every time Raine attempted to go to his mate's side, the two cats would lash out at him, and Owen would pull him back. Raine shouted at the attacking cat, trying to block a cowering Owen from the carnage. Ash did his best to fend off the attacking cat with one hand around its neck. Another shadow entered the cave, this one distinctly human in shape. "Enough!" The human man ordered and all fighting ceased. The man wore leather breaches, a vest and kneehigh boots. Ruggedly made, but giving the man a rich and distinguished look. Obviously a leader, the big man had a short blade at his side and a strip of leather across his forehead, imbedded with precious stones. Rich, brown hair 147
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hung to his shoulders and his tan skin gleamed in the low light of the cave. His golden amber eyes moved over the scene with something akin to disdain that quickly morphed into confusion. The three cats backed off immediately, moving to protect the new human, and Raine rushed to his mate's side, Owen right behind him. Raine hesitated when he knelt next to Ash's side, unsure where he should touch his lover. Nearly every inch of his fur covered skin revealed cuts and bite marks, the blood turning his reddish-brown fur into a dark mud color. "Oh my wild man, what did that thing do to you?" Raine whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. He let his fingers air-brush over Ash's bloody body, whimpering with every new injury he found. My poor love. Oh Founders, my poor mate! "Rai-ne," Ash rumbled, voice more ragged than Raine had ever heard before. "A-Always-s, m-m-ate." "Shh, baby, always, I'm here." Raine ran his hand lightly over Ash's hair. He was so caught up with worrying about his lover he didn't realized Owen was screaming at the newcomers until the sound of his voice echoed around the cave. "What is your problem? You don't just go around attacking people! Cant you see he's sick?" Owen hollered. 148
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He laid a comforting hand on Raine's shoulder, and Raine had the sudden sense Owen would become a very good friend if he could only let go of his need to return to the City. "Why are you in my territory?" The man asked, completely ignoring Owen's accusations. He took a step forward, the move commanding and intentionally hostile, only to stop suddenly, frozen in shock. "Ashlon?" the man whispered, staring down at Ash and a closely hovering Raine, surprise quickly replaced by horror in his amber eyes. Raine got the feeling his entire world was once again going to be flipped on its head. The man rushed over, only to jolt back when Ash snarled, and despite his injuries moved to block the other man's access to Raine. The leader stared at Ash as though he'd never seen the man before. "Ashlon, be in peace. It is me, your younger brother, Maltok. Do you not remember me?" he asked. Raine thought he could see a bit of resemblance in the shape of his eyes and chin. Maltok studied Ash's halfanimal, half-man characteristics with a look of despair. "What have you done to him?" he demanded, glaring at Raine and Owen, but didn't dare move any closer for fear of Ash's claws. Owen glared right back. "We didn't do anything! 149
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They," he pointed over at the three cat creatures, all of whom had backed up to the cave entrance looking fearful and confused, if animals could express emotions, "came in here and attacked us with no provocation at all! Raine had just managed to talk him down when the black one over there came in and tried to kill him!" Maltok studied Owen for a long moment, an odd look on his face. Raine bet he'd never been spoken to that way before, especially by someone who was barely over half his size. Maltok was easily six-three, and could probably bench press a Droid with ease. Man, these cat men put the City's Guard to shame. "It is not normal for a Katria to be in a half form." "So that excuses them attacking us?" Owen asked in outrage. Raine needed to get a handle on the situation before Owen completely lost his calm. Plus, Ash was injured very badly now, on top of his fever and bullet wound, and needed immediate medical attention. Maltok, his brother, might be able to help. If his claim of being related to Ash was true. If Ash didn't have a memory of the man, they couldn't be sure. "Katria?" Raine asked, moving closer to Ash so he could support him. Ash never took his eyes off his supposed brother. Maltok frowned, but seemed to accept the change in topic easily. Raine almost smirked when he 150
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thought maybe the big man was slightly scared of Owen. "We are Katria," he said, motioning between he and the other cats, and then toward Ash. "Man and Beast. Born with the ability to change forms. But never before has there been a Katria who is both at one time." He looked at Ash again, both awed and disturbed. Ash growled, and no one could have been more surprised than Raine when Maltok obediently lowered his gaze. Apparently the man didn't want to chance his brother reacting badly to a challenge at this point. "How did he come to be in this form?" Maltok asked, sadness lining his voice. Raine's heart filled with sympathy for the man, but his main concern was Ash. He glanced over at the other cats, remembering Ash's claim of being betrayed by one of his own. Ash hadn't identified any of the other men as the Betrayer, but Raine couldn't take the chance when they weren't in a position to defend themselves. "Ash really needs to see a doctor," Raine said, stroking a comforting hand through Ash's hair, smiling lightly when the movement earned him a little purr. "I think this is a conversation for another time." He gave a Maltok a significant look, and then glanced at the other cats. Maltok stiffened, as if he had forgotten they still had a rapt audience. 151
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Maltok turned to the other cats, and pointed to the black one. "For what reason did you attack my brother?" he asked, a deadly edge lingering in his voice. Apparently he wasn't as concerned as Raine about the injuries to his mate, but Raine wanted to scream. Ash's body was still burning up, and the blood loss was not helping. The black cat slowly morphed into a tall, naked, dark-haired man, who shuffled nervously in the face of his leader's displeasure. "My apologies, my lord. We were on patrol when we saw the human," he nodded at Raine, "and then heard the sound of an angry, rogue Katria. We followed the human and witnessed the rogue," he balked when Maltok growled, obviously displeased with his brother being described that way, "he—he was getting ready to bite the human's hand. We decided to intervene before damages could happen." "He wasn't going to bite me," Raine whispered, taking off his threadbare shirt to use the thin fabric to try and stem some of the blood from a bad bite wound on Ash's back. All the men turned to look at him, seemingly surprised Ash accepted his touch. "He was nuzzling." Maltok watched the tender way Raine tended to his brother for a long moment, before daring to ask the question no doubt floating through all of their minds. "Just what are you to my brother?" he asked, taking a step 152
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forward. As soon as Raine saw him move, he knew Maltok had made a mistake. "My mate…" Ash growled, and despite Raine's cry of denial, he leaped at the perceived threat to his mate. And all hell broke loose again.
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Chapter 12 "Well, that certainly didn't go well, did it?" Raine said nothing, ignoring Owen's snarking, keeping his face buried in his knees. He couldn't believe what happened. His mate was out there, somewhere, injured and being "cared for" by a family he no longer remembered. And where was Raine? Sitting at the bottom of a big freaking hole that served as a prison cell, stuck with a whining, sarcastic Owen, unable to look after and protect his mate since they'd been brought to this stupid village. Raine looked up at the heavy wood grate covering the top of the prison hole, and sighed. Founders, could this get any worse? After Ash had tried to attack his brother, the other cats had rushed forward to protect their leader. Fortunately, Maltok had easily evaded the blow Ash tried to give him, and managed to catch his brother as the other man collapsed, body finally giving out after all the stress and injuries he had endured. Raine had little other choice than to follow along behind the other men as Ash was quickly lifted and taken out of the cave, carried deeper and deeper into the forest. It seemed like they were walking forever, Raine growing more and more worried by the moment, and 154
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then suddenly they were in a clearing, Raine and Owen surrounded by more giant cat men. Maltok walked off, calling for the village healer, and Raine had been escorted to his current prison cell. They didn't have time to study and look at their surroundings before they had been tossed into the large hole and the wooden bars thrown over the top. Raine got a quick impression of a village blended seamlessly with its surroundings filled with many people before bang, shoved in the hole with nothing but dirt walls. No mention had been made of Ash's claim of Raine being his mate. A soft thrumming near his toes had Raine glancing up to see a small plant starting to burrow through the dirt between his feet. Raine spread his feet a bit wider apart, smiling softly when the small plant trilled a soft thank you. "Are you even listening to me?" Owen demanded, startling Raine out of his musing with the plant. "Not really," Raine replied, keeping his eyes on the quickly growing plant. Standing at almost an inch tall now, the little bud showed no sign of stopping any time soon. "How can you just let them take him from you and throw you in a cell?" Owen huffed in annoyance, standing over Raine and blocking what little light was available for the small plant. Raine glared up at the other man. "Maybe I'm used to it. I was in the Prison and a 155
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citizen of the City. I'm used to things being unfair," Raine replied curtly, turning his attention back the small plant between his feet. The flower was almost three inches tall now and had a small yellow bud on the end. "It doesn't seem to matter how hard I try, nothing ever goes my way. I can't even take care of my mate when he needs me the most. Someone out there betrayed him, and is possibly hurting him right now, and once again, I'm helpless to do anything! So excuse me if I don't want to dwell on that fact!" Owen took a step back, looking surprised. The small flower between Raine's feet trembled in the force of his despair and anger, and started to wilt. Raine immediately turned his focus back to the flower and focused his thoughts on helping the little thing heal. "It's not fair," Raine whispered. "The Outside was supposed to be our haven… not another obstacle for us to overcome. I just want my mate, and to be happy." He looked up at Owen, tears in his eyes. "Is that too much to ask for?" Owen shook his head, unable to respond. "I don't know," he finally said, surprising Raine with the wealth of sadness in his eyes. "Why is it so important for you to go back to the City?" Raine asked, only then realizing in all their time 156
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together, he had never asked Owen why he wanted to go back. He'd just been annoyed by Owen's complaining. Owen's eyes widened, and then he sighed and sat down next to him. "It's not like I like it there, you know." He sighed again and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't. There are so many rules and regulations, it's all I can do to stay one step ahead of the game and keep my loved ones safe." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old and tattered photo. Raine eyes widened in surprise. Most people kept their personal photos on holo-vids these days. He accepted the picture when Owen held the ragged paper out to him, eyes widening in surprise when he saw a much younger Owen together with an older man and woman, most likely his parents, and two young boys, both sharing Owen's light blond hair, but instead of blue-gray eyes, the little boys' eyes were a shimmering silver-gray. "My parents," Owen said softly, reaching over to lightly brush his finger across the woman's face. "My mother." He then caressed the image of the two boys. "And my baby brothers." Raine looked at him in surprise. "Brothers? But couples in the City are only allowed to have one child per pair?" Owen smiled, but it was without humor. "I know. 157
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Believe me, I know. My father died when I was very small. I think I was about four at the time. Some sort of industrial accident. After that, it was just me and my mom. Then, about ten years later, she met Howard and married him. Since it was a new marriage and Howard didn't have any children of his own, my mom was given permission to carry again. But she had twins. They were an accident, the two babies, but a welcome one." Owen sighed, and Raine noticed how tired he seemed. The sigh was bone deep; nothing a simple good night's sleep could ever try to fix. "At first, there was talk about splitting the boys up, putting one into an orphanage to keep with the rules of the City. All of us were horrified, but there didn't seem to be anything we could do. And then mom found a loophole." He chuckled lightly and shook his head. "I have no idea how she found the thing. But according to the rules, there is only one child born per couple allowed. At least that's how the Founders worded the law. Since technically mom only had one birth, with two children as the result, she was allowed to keep both boys. We didn't get to celebrate long though. Mom died a few weeks later, after getting an infection from the birth." Owen wiped away the tears trickling down his cheeks. "Howard didn't stick around long after that. Moved on and left us to fend for ourselves. Last I heard he'd married another woman and they had a 158
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daughter together." Raine gasped, then moved over and put an arm around the crying man's shoulder. "So it's just you and the boys?" Raine asked, feeling a heavy guilt settle over his chest when Owen nodded. He'd never imagined Owen had a family out there waiting for him when they took him out of the City. Normally, Prison employees didn't have families. Too much of a liability. Raine had never thought Owen might be a special case. Maybe if he had, they could have done something different. "I'm so sorry," he whispered in shame. Owen looked up at him in surprise. "You didn't know. They're probably with my grandfather right now, but he's too old to take care of two six-year-old boys on his own. The man can barely take care of himself. They need me." "And we dragged you out here… I'm so sorry Owen. If we had known we—" "Would have what? Left me there to die?" Owen interrupted, shaking his head and smiling slightly. "You and I both know I would have been killed for letting you escape. Add in the fact I helped you get free, and I would have been executed on the spot. So there is no reason to feel guilty over that." He sighed again and looked down at the picture in his hand. "I just wish they were here with me. 159
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I really think they'd like being here." Raine raised a brow and Owen gave him a watery laugh and waved his hand to encompass the room. "Well, not in here. But on the Outside. I think they could have been happy out here… there is something so freeing and good for you in the wild. I feel like this is the first time in my life I can really breathe." He smiled. "I would have liked the boys to experience that." Raine impulsively hugged the sad, smaller man close. "I promise you, Owen, if there is any way for me to help you go back to the City and get the boys, I will," Raine swore, and Owen smiled the first real smile Raine had ever seen him make. He looked down at the picture of the boys, grinning. "They look like little trouble makers. What are their names?" Owen laughed. "They are! Just last week they decided they weren't going to take baths any more, so they completely filled the bathtub with toys." Raine laughed along with him. He could just imagine the two little boys carrying little plastic buckets full of toys into the bathroom and trying not to get caught. "Lucah, he's the ringleader," Owen explained, pointing to one of the boys in the picture. "I swear that boy spends all his time coming up with ways to get into trouble. But he's very protective of his brother. Now Micah, he's the sensitive one. The first to give you a 160
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hug when you need one, and the first to cave when they've done something bad." Owen grinned as he put the photo back in his pocket. "They keep me on my toes, but I wouldn't change my life with them for the world." Raine smiled, a wistful feeling filling him. He'd never really thought about having children himself, but now that he had a mate, Raine wondered if having children was possible for them? Something about the way Owen talked about his brothers really made him think about his and Ash's future. Well, as long as they still had a future. Right now, a life together looked rather questionable. A loud roar broke the silence the two men had lapsed into, causing both to jump. Raine immediately recognized the sound of his mate's fury. "That's Ash!" he exclaimed, stumbling to his feet and running over to stand directly under their cell's entrance. Above him, he could hear people running and screaming, men cursing and women crying out. Ash was still roaring, and Raine hoped his lover wasn't massacring the entire village while he was stuck down in a giant hole. He looked over at Owen, eyes wide. "Founders, what's going on up there?" Before Owen could answer, the wooden grate above them was thrust open and Maltok dropped down into the 161
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cell. "He's tearing apart the village!" Maltok explained in panic, golden eyes wide. "He went wild when he woke up and the healer was treating his wounds. He won't let us touch him and keeps calling for you." The large man glared like the entire situation was Raine's fault. "And whose fault do you think that is?" Owen asked, sneering right back. The small man really didn't seem to like the big guy. "If they really are mates, like they claimed, you separated them when one is injured! How would you react if you and your mate were separated?" Maltok stared at Owen like he'd never seen the man before. "I-I do not know. I have yet to meet my mate." There was something in the way he said the words that made Raine raise a brow, but there was no time for him to worry about deciphering hidden messages now. His mate needed him. "Take me to him," Raine demanded, and much to his surprise, Maltok immediately moved to the side of the hole and laced his fingers together to give him a boost out. Within moments, Raine pulled himself out of the hole and ran toward the area where Ash's cries were coming from, not even waiting for Owen and Maltok to get out of the hole. He pushed his way past people, many of whom 162
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snarled or hissed as he moved past. One woman even swiped at him with her claws, only to be blocked by Maltok who had finally caught up with him. But all of this was hardly noticed as Raine pushed his way into a large wooden structure that looked like an oversized hut, past the Katrian guards posted outside and into utter chaos. A very naked, still hairy Ash crouched backed into a corner, looking worse than he had before. Covered in blood and half-wrapped bandages, Raine's mate was pale and pissed, striking out at anyone who dared get too close. The moment he noticed Raine, Ash opened his arms to his mate. "Ash!" Raine cried and started to run toward him. He got no more than halfway there when someone grabbed his arm and jerked him to a stop. Ash snarled, the sound loud and filled with rage. "Let him go," Maltok demanded, stepping forward with a much winded Owen to remove the other man's hand from Raine's arm. Raine realized the large man holding him was one of the Guards from outside the building he had rushed past. He must have followed Raine in to stop him. Once free, Raine rushed into Ash's outstretched arms. Ash immediately pulled him close and down onto the floor to crouch over him, burying his face into Raine's neck. Raine's cock instantly responded to the close 163
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proximity, and Ash's hardened in answer as he started to purr. "Mine," Ash growled, licking and nipping at all the flesh he could find. He paid exceptionally close attention to his bite mark on Raine's shoulder. "Mine," he snarled at the watching crowd, baring his teeth in a fearsome hiss. "Shh, wild man, Of course I'm yours. Always, remember. I'm here now, so its time for you to get better so we can be together…" Raine soothed, running his hand over Ash's tangled hair and fur-covered back. "Calm down, Ash, it's all right now. Breathe, wild man, breathe." While Raine talked his mate down, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Maltok had ushered all their watchers out of the hut, until only Raine, Ash, Owen, Maltok, and an older man who Raine assumed was the healer, were left. Ever so slowly, the tension seeped out of Ash's body, and he rested heavily against Raine on the floor, face against his chest. Raine continued to cuddle and pet his lover, taking heart in the soft purrs vibrating between them. "You really are his mate, aren't you?" Maltok said, awe in his voice. Raine smiled and nodded, warmth filling his belly. Yes, they were mates, and nothing could ever change that. 164
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"They already told you!" Owen grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. To Raine's surprise, Maltok simply smiled at the smaller man, revealing a set of heart stopping dimples. "Yes, but I truly see it now," he replied. Owen rolled his eyes and harrumphed. Maltok looked a bit mystified as he studied Ash's grip on Raine. "It is not normal for a Katria male to be mated to another male. Something like this is practically unheard of. Mating is for the breeding of kits, and that isn't possible between two men. The council will not be pleased and may have an issue with the pairing." "What does this mean for us?" Raine asked, tightening his hold on Ash. There was no way he could stand to be parted from his wild man now, not after all they had already been through. Maltok sighed. "When Katria mate, the mating is for life. And we Katria live for a very long time, only aging when we have found our mates, to make way for the next generation of leaders. But even then, we live for a very long time. The council may see it within their right to try to break the pairing. Ashlon is the oldest male of the Alpha Chief. He will be expected to breed and produce kits for the continuation of the line. So far, the council was only making due with me, but with Ashlon back, they may try to 165
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force a breaking, for the benefit of the tribe." He looked slightly disturbed with the idea. Bile rose in Raine's throat and he fought down the urge to throw up. "Have you completed the mating?" Maltok asked. "I-I don't know," Raine replied, head still spinning over the news he could possibly loose his mate. "How do you know?" "You must bear each other's mating marks and consummate the mating. Once completed, there is no way the council could break you two apart. To do so would mean the death of both mates," The old healer explained, pulling things out of a cloth bag and filling a bowl with water from a bucket in the corner. Raine jumped, having nearly forgotten the man was there. "We, well, we haven't, you know… yet," Raine stuttered, blushing madly. "We weren't exactly in a place where that was feasible at the time. And I don't know what you mean by mating marks…" "But you guys are mates!" Owen declared, giving Maltok the stink eye. "Look at them, Raine is the only one who can get through to him. You can't tell me they aren't mates when you see that!" he demanded, gesturing wildly. Raine was impressed Owen championed them so hard, but then again, being locked up together did tend to breed 166
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closeness. He glanced down at Ash, rubbing his cheek over the top of his lover's head. Raine knew that for a fact. Maltok smiled, not seeming to mind Owen's ire. "Yes, perhaps you are right. Forgive me?" he asked, and to Raine it almost sounded like he was flirting. Owen blushed, but frowned further. "Go spend the day in your prison hole, and then we'll talk," he mumbled. "You should have known that already, Maltok," the old healer interrupted, stepping forward to kneel next to Ash's prone form and rewrapping some of the bandages that had come loose. Ash started to tense, but Raine's hands rubbing up and down his back had him sighing and relaxing again. The old healer grunted, happy with Ash's response. "Oh, and how is that, Jobe?" Maltok asked. The old healer shook his head and Raine thought he heard him mumble something about "younglings and their lack of observation." "They bear each other's mating marks," Old Jobe pointed out, motioning to Ash's chest and Raine's shoulder. "I've barely spent five minutes with them and even I can see the bond radiating between them." He motioned for Raine to help him turn Ash over on his side so the healer could get to the wound on his hip. The moment he saw the swollen, blackened mass, he scowled. He instantly set 167
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about cleaning the wound and pulling out a small blade. Raine barely had a chance to react before the old healer sliced open the wound, letting the pus and blood flow out. Maltok wrinkled his nose at the putrid smell, Owen gagged, and Raine gasped. Ash didn't even seem to feel it. "How did this occur?" Jobe asked as he cleaned the wound with clear water from a skin attached to his side. "He was shot," Raine mumbled. Maltok growled and Ash tensed in reply. Old Jobe immediately sent a quelling glare over his shoulder before turning back to Raine and giving him an encouraging look. He motioned for Raine to continue the story while he went back to squeezing the wound and cleaning away the pus. "It was while we were escaping the City. Ash got shot by Guards just before we got out of the Dome." "The City!" Maltok exclaimed. He growled low in his throat, face turning a furious shade of red. "Why was he in the City?" "We met in the Prison," Owen responded, motioning between the three of them. "I think they were in a cell together and managed to escape. I helped." Raine thought it rather convenient Owen forgot to mention the part about his refusal to help in the beginning, but decided to let the little lapse go. 168
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They were out of the hellish place now, and it was all that mattered. Maltok dropped down onto one knee and took Owen's small hand into his large one. "Then I am eternally in your debt. Thank you for rescuing my brother and his mate." He kissed Owen's hand lightly and started to purr. "If there is anything I can do for you, to repay you for your bravery, please let me know." Old Jobe snorted at Maltok's theatrics, but Owen blushed deeply. Maltok held Owen's gaze for a long moment, then turned his attention back to Raine. "How did he come to be in this prison?" Raine looked down at the dozing Ash, then back toward his younger brother. Ash hadn't identified Maltok as the Betrayer, so Raine supposed they could trust him. If they were going to find the Betrayer, they might very well need Maltok's help. Raine explained to the group how his unique abilities led to his imprisonment. His head hung in shame when he told them about the Head Guard's abuse, the beating and rapes he was forced to endure every night. Old Jobe patted his hand, giving Raine the strength to continue. He mentioned the rumors about the Beast, the most feared thing inside the Prison… who turned out to be Ash. 169
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Owen was visibly shocked. No doubt he had heard about the Beast and to find out it had been a poor, abused man would be hard to reconcile with the stories told. Raine explained how he had been thrown to the Beast, after becoming too ill to perform the duties the Guards expected. He told them about Ash's amnesia, and how his memory of the Betrayer had kept the other man company in the long years before Raine had come along. He let them know Ash protected and defended him at every turn; taking on a room full of guards not once, but twice. Raine then told the other men about their harrowing escape, and consequently meeting Owen. Finally, he described the journey to get out of the city, and how Ash got shot. "…I was coming back from getting water from the river when Ash's delirium took hold and he attacked Owen. You and your warriors showed up, and well, you know what happened after that. You brought us here, to the Katria village," he finished, feeling exhausted after the long tale. Ash slept all the while, this time much more restfully than he had been the past few days. Raine ran his hands over his mate's now hairless back, relieved to see his lover back in human form. He also felt a distinct cooling to his mate's overheated skin. He hoped the lack of heat meant the fever was finally breaking. By the end of Raine's story, Jobe looked worried, 170
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Owen stunned, and Maltok seemed extremely troubled. He began pacing and running his fingers through his hair. "When my brother disappeared, my father, who was Alpha Chief at the time, blamed himself. They had been fighting over Ashlon needing to mate and continue the family line. Father had picked him out a bride and everything. Ashlon refused to be bound to someone who wasn't his true mate. He left, and was never heard from again." Maltok sighed, looking much older and more tired than ever. "My father was devastated and not six moons after Ashlon's disappearance he passed on to the Great Above. Ashlon has been missing for just over five summers now. We still send out search parties every few months." Maltok shrugged, flushing and glancing away from Raine's surprised look. "I never believed my brother dead and was determined to find him. In fact, the most recent search party should be returning by the end of the week. Our cousins should be returning with them from their trade mission. Hopefully they will help Ashlon remember. He, Sashan, and Rashan were always close." "How would he know the woman wasn't his mate?" Owen asked. Raine wanted to know too, curious how the council would react to Ash bonding with a male. Maltok smiled. "By her scent," he replied, "We Katria have an amazing sense of smell." He smiled at Owen 171
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again, eyes half-lidded. "Ash doesn't remember who the Betrayer is, only his smell. He's determined to find him and exact his revenge," Raine said, running a hand over Ash's beloved face. "As is his right," Maltok declared, nodding. "Although, if he had never gone to this City, he never would have met his mate." He smiled down at his big brother resting peacefully against said human. "I think he would believe it all worth it." Maltok glanced at Owen again, and realization washed over Raine. Maltok's eyes were possessive, yet giving. Full of want and need. Love and desire. It was how Ash always looked at Raine. Holy Founders! Was it possible? What were the chances? Owen must be Maltok's mate!
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Chapter 13 Raine sat on the small stool facing the window, letting the small, nearly inexistent breeze play over his overheated face and naked chest. He lounged on a woven rug just under the window, wearing only leather pants, letting the air dry off the thin layer of sweat covering his body. The heat was the one thing he really had an issue with, the weather was always so damn hot! Of course, it didn't help he'd been stuck in the wooden shack for days now, unable to leave for fear of reprisal from both Maltok and the council. It didn't take long for them to start sniffing around. Raine closed his eyes as the barely-there breeze wafted over his face again, sighing softly. Truthfully, he didn't hate the shack, or even the Katria village. He was just grumpy and tired, unable to sleep until he knew everything would be okay and his mate was safe. Rising, Raine wandered over to a table running along one wall of the hut in the kitchen area, picking up a wooden cup and pouring a glass of water from a large wooden pitcher. It had been left there so he wouldn't have to leave the hut for water. He surveyed the shack, which in all honesty, wasn't really a shack by any means. His new 173
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home was actually similar in size to the hut Raine had first found Ash in, constructed as one large room, divided into many smaller living areas by use of dried vines woven into screens hanging from the ceiling. The kitchen couldn't really be considered a kitchen, since there wasn't any running water or cold storage for food. The sleeping quarters were located on the opposite side of the structure, with a bed made out of a large, feather-stuffed mattress on the floor covered in furs, and even had an area off the back of the shack where a bathing chamber had been erected, complete with large wooden tub and wooden shelving for clothing. His new home wasn't a bad place to be in, almost comforting in its simplicity, and from what he understood, rather large compared to most of the homes in the village. But without Ash awake there beside him, everything seemed foreign. Not to mention embarrassing. He'd been forced to ask Maltok where the bathroom could be found. Who knew that there were bathrooms with no running water? Raine hadn't even known things like an outhouse existed until he'd been shown. Thank goodness his and Ash's shack came with one of their own, and they didn't have to share the communal outhouse with all the other villagers. Apparently, being the son of the former Alpha Chief had its privileges. 174
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Thank Founders. Raine hadn't realized just how repressed and socially awkward he was until he was faced sharing a toilet with dozens of others. Back in the City, something like public bathrooms would be seen as a horror, not the norm. Getting used to the distinct lack of privacy among the Katria people would be a challenge. Raine glanced over at Ash, noting his mate still slept, blissfully unaware on their bed, and relaxed slightly. Ash was, thank Founders, swiftly on the mend. Now that the old healer Jobe had treated his wounds, Ash seemed to improve by leaps and bounds. No longer hairy, his mate seemed to be recovering just fine and his fever had broken a few days before. But still Ash slept on, completely unaware of the turmoil his return had created throughout the Katria village. At first, Raine had been worried about Ash sleeping so much. Old Jobe assured him it was normal for a Katrian to sleep deeply for days after receiving a trauma; it was nature's way of insuring the health of the individual would be made better before they shifted again. Raine wasn't so sure, but what did he know about Katria shifters and their healing abilities? He did know Ash still hadn't awakened, and Raine was about at his wits' end; he needed his mate. Hearing a knock coming from outside the shack, 175
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Raine turned to face the door just as the heavy wood pushed opened. Owen walked in, carrying a tray of fruit and dried meats. He wore leather pants like Raine, and all the other men, in the village. Owen also had on a leather vest, and his pale skin bore a slightly golden hue that hadn't been there before. The Outside was good for him, Raine decided. "Hope you're hungry!" Owen called, voice cheery. He kept it pitched low, not wanting to wake Ash. Raine smiled and motioned his new friend over to the kitchen. "I can't possible eat all this, Owen. I'll be as big as a house!" he exclaimed, chuckling. There were bananas, grapes, some sort of brown fuzzy fruit with a sweet green center that had quickly become his favorite, and lots of dried meats. Picking up a piece of meat, Raine gave the tough, dried chunk a hesitant sniff. "What is it?" he asked. "Venison," Owen replied, rolling his eyes as Raine began nibbling on one corner. "And I know it's a lot of food, but I was hoping, well, we weren't just feeding one, you know?" Raine sighed, setting the deer meat back down on the platter, his appetite suddenly gone. "I know what you were hoping but…" "No change?" 176
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"No change." Raine looked around the screen blocking the sleeping quarters from the rest of the home, where his mate slept. "How are things out there?" Raine asked, nodding toward the open window where he could hear the sounds of the Katria going about their daily business. Owen sighed. "The villagers are nice enough. Maltok sent out an order we were to be left alone. But the council?" He scrubbed a hand over his face. "The council is a whole other story. They're demanding Ash be presented before them, and Maltok says they aren't happy about Ash mating a man. He's managed to put them off, saying Ash needs time to heal, but if he doesn't wake up soon, they're going to make a decision anyway. It won't matter if Ash is able to defend himself. Rumor is, the council will demand a break in your mating, and at least two members are pushing for Ash to bind with one of their daughters." Raine's knees gave out and he sat down sharply on a stool; feeling like the bottom of his stomach had just dropped out. Lose Ash? Raine couldn't bear the thought. Ash had quickly become his entire world. They'd forged a bond in that dank little prison cell, learned to love and trust each other during their flight from the City, and Raine knew in his heart neither of them would survive without the other. 177
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"So, basically you're saying if Ash doesn't wake up soon and complete the mating, I'm going to lose him?" Raine asked, unable to hide the quiver in his voice. Owen quickly walked over and wrapped his arms Raine, who sat there, trembling. "Maltok won't let that happen, Raine," Owen sounded very sure of the large Katrian leader. "He says it's time for change in the village, and these changes are going to start with you and Ash. We just need him to wake up so the plan can get going…" Raine clung to Owen, trying to stem the tears running down his cheeks. "I won't let them take him from me, Owen. I hated being controlled in the City and I won't stand for it here." He sat back, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "I've faced challenges unlike anything else in my life for Ash; some shifting cat men are not going to stop me either." Owen smiled. "Then I suggest you wake your lazy mate up and demand he claim you properly. I'll go talk to Maltok, and get this show on the road." "Oh yeah, you've been staying with him, haven't you? How's that going?" Raine asked. He really wanted to ask if Maltok had claimed Owen for his mate yet, but no doubt that would send Owen running for the door. He was a skittish little thing. Owen blushed fiercely, looking down to stare at his 178
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boots, not meeting Raine's knowing gaze. "It's… okay. Awkward sometimes, but…" Owen flushed an even deeper shade of pink. "Not all bad." "Just give him a chance, Owen," Raine said wisely. "Don't let him go before you even give yourself time to know him." Owen nodded, face sheepish. "We've talked, about that, the sex stuff and the mating thing, but I'm just not ready. He said he'll wait, but I'm not sure he will. What if I never get comfortable being with him, or what if he gets tired of me? I mean, have you seen these Katria people? They're gorgeous! Tall, strong, lovely, and I'm just… me. Plus I have to go back for Micah and Lucah soon. I can't ask him to wait for me." "Have you told him about that?" Raine asked. Owen shook his head. "I was going to, but then he started talking about feelings and stuff, and I don't want him thinking I only want to be with him because I need him to help me. I want to be with him because I, well, like him." Owen stood there, looking so lost and cute; Raine had to fight down the urge to smile at the befuddled younger man. Owen wouldn't appreciate being laughed at. "Just take everything one step at a time, Owen, that's all you can do. I think maybe if you talk to him, Maltok would understand." 179
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Raine would have gone on, but suddenly Ash moaned his name from the sleeping quarters. Raine shot to his feet. "Ash! Oh my Founders, he's waking up!" Raine exclaimed, and ran over to Ash's side. His mate tossed and turned on the bed, still lost in dreams. **** He was dreaming. It had to be a dream. Nothing moved around him but darkness; no light, no sound, no sign of any life at all in the dark void. "Mate!" he called out, but his voice stuck in his throat, coming out as nothing more than a whimper. No, this couldn't be happening! Where was his little mate? How could he protect his little one? How could he when he found himself trapped in this darkness? Had they taken Raine away? Had the council broken their bonding, like the familiar man who claimed to be his brother had said they would? He may have been unable to respond at the time, but he heard what the man had said. He wanted to complete the mating, but needed to make sure his Raine was safe first. He needed to get out before Raine could be sent away, out into the unknown, 180
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with no one to care for him. What if the Betrayer found him? Hurt his little mate? Handed Raine over to the hunters or the Guard, to be used and abused like he had been before? NO! He struggled with the darkness, trying to break its taut hold on him, but the darkness became shackles, binding him in this nothingness to keep him from where he needed, and wanted, to be. With his little mate. No matter how hard he fought the bindings around him, they got tighter and tighter. What if he was too late? Had the council had already sent his Raine away? Would the Betrayer get his mate, leaving Ash all alone in the darkness, drowning and suffocating? No, that wasn't possible. His mate wouldn't just leave him. He was strong and would fight. Unless his mate was already dead and the brother who claimed him as family had lied. "Mate!" he cried, and this time the desperate words came out a hoarse whisper. "Mate?" he tried again, this time louder. The darkness surrounding him moved and warped, coming closer, trying to deafen the sound of his cries; to keep him in the void until the shadows could devour him. "Please, Mate!" he screamed. "Raine!" 181
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Suddenly, a small pinpoint of light grew from a far distance. He struggled toward the light, continuing to call out. Each step through the shadows weighed him down. But he was determined. He kept moving toward the only spot not covered in darkness, his one shining light. The light grew brighter, and brighter still, until he finally heard the one thing he'd been waiting for. He nearly wept with relief. "Ash?" a sweet voice called, far away but getting closer. Ash moved faster, but the shadows leapt forward, trying to stop him. "No!" he cried, swiping at them with his claws. "Mate!" He needed to reach his mate, complete the ritual before it was too late and the council handed Raine over to the Betrayer. The light grew brighter, so close now; he could almost feel the warmth and smell the sweet, musky scent of his mate. The shadows made one last bid to keep him, and nearly bowled him over. Struggling back to his feet, his energy began to wane, a soft whisper on the non-existent wind telling him to give up. Just when he thought he couldn't go on, and the light began to fade, he heard his little mate's voice again, so sweet and longing. He responded, renewed with energy. 182
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"Come back to me, wild man. It's okay, I'm here, Ash. Come on mate, wake up…" He struggled through the last few steps, then threw himself into the light, his mate's love, the shadows scuttling back, defeated. **** "Ash?" he asked, smoothing a hand over his mate's sweat drenched face. "Love?" "I'll go get Mal!" Owen said, hurrying toward the door. "Don't send him over anytime soon. We're not leaving this shack until my mate has claimed me," Raine declared. Owen blushed in understanding, but nodded his head with a smile on his face. "Have fun!" he called before darting out the front door, closing it with a sharp bang behind him. Raine chucked softly. Oh, he planned to have a lot of fun. Ash still moaned, mumbling softly. Raine couldn't tell exactly what was being said, but he caught his name a lot, along with what he thought sounded like "the Betrayer". Rubbing a soothing hand over his mating mark on Ash's chest, Raine tried to calm his lover in the hopes of helping bring him around. "Come back to me, wild man. It's okay, I'm here, 183
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Ash. Come on mate, wake up…" Raine said softly, over and over. Ash's eyes suddenly snapped open, and Raine found himself staring into two golden orbs. Ash's body might not be furry, but his beast lurked just under the surface. Raine thought he'd never seen a sweeter sight. "There you are," he whispered, brushing back a lank piece of hair from his lover's forehead. He smiled, and before he could react further, Ash's mouth was on his, seeking to devour him whole and Raine surrendered to the heat and need of his mate. This time they weren't going to stop until Raine had been claimed, and nothing, nothing, could ever threaten to tear them apart again. **** Ash opened his eyes to see his little mate smiling above him. His green eyes filled with both worry and relief. Ash realized he was lying on a soft fur pallet, blankets pulled high over his chest. The walls were wood, and after a moment of panic at being closed in, a rush of relief filled Ash. He could break through the walls easily if needed. He heard the sound of many people, children laughing, women gossiping, men talking in hushed tones. So unfamiliar from 184
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the forced silence and oppression of his cell, the sounds actually relaxed him. Well, that and the sweet scent of his mate sitting so near, surrounding Ash with his musky perfume. "There you are," his mate whispered, brushing a strand of his sweaty hair off his forehead. He studied Raine's face for a split second, noting the tired smile and dark circles under his eyes. His little mate had needed him, and Ash had to make sure nothing could ever separate them again. There was only one way to keep the darkness back, and it was time. Time to claim his mate.
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Chapter 14 Raine gasped as Ash practically tore his leather pants from his body, and then set about sniffing and licking every piece of bare skin he could find. "Ash? Ash, love, wait just a—ah!" Raine's train of thought abruptly cut off as Ash wrapped his hand around Raine's cock and began to pump with single minded precision. Raine's words turned into moans and gasps of pleasure as his mate stroked him. "Oh, oh, oh!" Groans were forced out of his throat when Ash latched onto a pale pink nipple, and Raine gasped, sure he would go out of his mind before they were through. As if trying to be careful of his much smaller mate, Ash gently lowered Raine onto the thick furs covering the bed, and then settled himself between Raine's thighs. "Mate," he growled, nuzzling into Raine's neck to taste the salty sweat on his skin. "Mine! Only mine!" Raine's brain was fuzzy with pleasure, and he never wanted this moment to end. Raine got the sense his mate understood the pressure they were under to complete their mating, and judging by the size of the erection digging into his hip, more than willing to see Raine completely claimed. Ash began working his way down Raine's body, nipping just hard enough to leave small red marks 186
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blossoming all over his pale skin. Raine felt like Ash was making his claim for everyone to see. Raine's gasps of pleasure turned into a scream of dazed shock when Ash's face reached his flushed erection, and without hesitation, devoured the cock in one gulp, taking the throbbing flesh deep into his throat, rumbling and increasing in suction. Raine couldn't stop himself from babbling even if he wanted too. "Oh, lover. Ash! More, more, more, don't stop, don't stop," Raine cried, head turning side to side, face twisting in need as he thrust helplessly into the dark warmth surrounding his cock. "Please!" he sobbed, feeling his orgasm just out of reach. Oh Founders, had he ever felt anything so decadent and wicked? Raine highly doubted he had. In a twisted moment of logic, Raine now understood why all those Guards had wanted their cocks sucked. The feeling was unlike anything else in the world. All thought quickly flew out of his mind as his brain shorted out, ears filling with static, as Ash pushed his finger into Raine's hole, the burn of the dry finger in his tender backside just the thing to push him over the edge. "Ash!" he screeched, jerking helplessly into his lover's mouth as he filled the warm cavern to the brim with his release. His mate growled as he accepted everything Raine 187
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had to give, sucking until Raine stopped spurting cum and fell limp onto the furs. Purring with pleasure at the taste, Ash lapped at the still rigid flesh with his rough tongue, sending Raine into another spiral of pleasure. The ache and need was almost too much for Raine, and yet, still not enough to sate him. "Ash," he whimpered, shifting and wriggling until he managed to turn onto his stomach under his mate. Finally getting his knees under him, Raine raised the lower half of his body to his mate's gaze, exposed and vulnerable, while keeping his chest on the furs. He shuddered as the cool air from the open window brushed across his hole, causing it to flutter and Ash rumbled at the erotic sight. "Please mate," he begged, face burning, looking over his shoulder to his lover, green eyes filled with supplication and need only his mate could address. He watched in confusion as his mate began searching frantically for something, roaring in frustration when whatever he searched for couldn't be found. "Ash, what—" Raine's question was suddenly answered when Ash dove toward his butt, and began frantically licking his hole. Apparently, his mate had been looking for something to ease the way of his claiming, and not finding anything, decided to improvise. Not that Raine was complaining. 188
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Oh Founders, he wasn't complaining in the slightest. Gasps and cries filled the shack as Ash rimmed Raine within an inch of his life, pushing his way past the guardian muscles trying to block his way into paradise. Sweat broke out across Raine's brow as he pushed back onto that slick muscle driving him out of his ever loving mind, practically sobbing as his mate introduced a finger, then two along with his tongue into his butt. Riding his mate's tongue and fingers soon became not enough, as his muscles quaked in desire to be filled with something bigger. Much, much bigger. "You now!" he practically begged reaching back to jerk at his lover's long hair, not sure if he was trying to pull his mate away or tug him closer as another shudder of need racked his body. "Please, Ash, lover, mate! I need you in me, please, please, please!" Ash's snarl in response sounded more cat than human, and he immediately pulled back and flipped Raine over. Raine stared up into his mate's molten gold eyes. Quickly spitting into his hand a few times, Ash slicked up his cock, spread Raine's legs wide and lined up with his hole. He pushed carefully but insistently until the large head of his cock popped into his mate. 189
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Raine gasped, pain flaring bright, thankful when his mate froze, waiting until Raine gave him the signal to continue. It hurts, he thought, gritting his teeth as his eyes burned with unshed tears. Yes, Ash's cock in him did hurt, although not as bad as what he'd gone through in the Prison, but still enough his erection started to wilt. He wondered if he'd been foolish to believe he could ever have a deep, binding relationship with his mate. Raine had never been stretched so full before, and it was only the head of Ash's cock inside him! How could he possibly take more? "Raine?" Ash rumbled in worry, causing Raine to look up. Seeing the strain on his mate's face, Raine knew he had no choice. They needed to consummate their binding to ensure they'd never be separated again. Raine closed his eyes and focused on breathing, trying to relax the clenching muscles attempting to strangle Ash's cock. He could do this. He could put up with the burning and pain of penetration long enough for Ash to claim him. After that the two of them could stick to blow jobs. Raine smiled up at his mate, decision made. "It's okay," he whispered, slowly moving a hand down to cover his wilting cock. "I can take more now." Ash watched him for long moment, then nodded and slowly began to push more of his monster cock into 190
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Raine. Raine bit his tongue hard, tasting blood, to keep from crying out as he was filled. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ash's balls brushed against the cheeks of Raine's butt, and his hips were flush with Raine's. Raine let out a gust of relief, a little awed. I did it? I took him all the way in… wow! Reaching down, Raine ran his fingers down to where he was stretched tight around the monster invader, in an unconsciously erotic gesture. The human body was truly an amazing thing to be able to fit something as big as Ash's cock inside. Watching his mate's face, Raine could tell he was once again trying to give him time to adjust. Raine closed his eyes and tried to do his part by willing his body to relax. It took a while, but eventually his body eased enough to allow Ash to move slowly, circling his hips. Raine felt like his mate's big cock was trying to stir up his guts. He moaned softly; pleasure/pain sparking up his spine. Ash growled, and began to slowly thrust, pulling out until just the head was inside Raine's body, then shoving back in with enough force to make Raine grunt. By the fourth thrust Raine started to notice a real change. The pain of penetration ebbed, and dark, drugging pleasure took its place. "Oh, oh, Founders, Ash… more!" he gasped, 191
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clutching his mate's strong shoulders, nails leaving little, red half-moons where they dug into Ash's skin. It was good, so very surprisingly good. Raine's erection stood up from his groin, back at half mast and filling fast. Ash seemed to hear the plea in Raine's voice, and began thrusting harder, growling low with every thrust. Soon the sound of skin slapping on skin echoed throughout the room, along with grunts and cries from both occupants. Sweat ran off Ash in rivulets, splashing onto Raine's chest, doing nothing to help him cool down. Reaching down with a flailing hand, Raine managed to grab onto his now bright red cock, pumping furiously, mewling in need. Batting his hand away, Ash wrapped his large palm around the straining shaft. Raine's orgasm rushed over him like a freight train, and right before climax hit, Ash caught him in his golden gaze. "Bite me!" he snarled, and Raine was helpless to deny his mate. Leaning up just enough to reach his mate's heaving chest, he bit down on the previous mating mark, drinking down the spicy blood flooding his mouth. He ripped himself away from the wound as his body shattered with bliss, shouting out his orgasm for the entire village to hear. Before he could come down from his high, Ash struck, sinking his fangs into where Raine's neck met 192
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his shoulder, officially claiming him for all time. Pleasure peaked again, the bite acting as the stimulant for another orgasm, and there was a strange stretching of his hole as Ash's cock seemed to expand and lock in place. Oh founders, he's knotting me! Like wild animals do to their mates… The last thing Raine saw before he blacked out was the face of his mate contorted in joy as warmth filled him on the inside. They could be separated no more. **** Consciousness crashed over Raine like a wave, bringing with it deep aches and exquisite pain that could only be caused by an intensely loving and intimate encounter with a caring lover. Smiling before he even opened his eyes, he replayed the feel of Ash inside him, and the way his mate had claimed him, fangs sinking into his neck, growling low as he filled Raine with his seed. His mate. Sitting up quickly, furs falling down to pool around his waist, Raine realized he was alone in their home, Ash nowhere to be seen. 193
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What was up with that? Ash had claimed him, the ache inside him testified to that fact, so why wasn't his mate still in bed with him, getting ready to go another round? Before Raine could contemplate his missing Ash further, someone knocked at the door. Raine didn't want anyone to catch him in bed after a wild romp with his mate. Scrambling up, he quickly donned his spare pair of leather pants, since Ash had shredded the other pair, and a vest, then went to answer the door. Opening it, his eyes burned as he was temporarily blinded by the light streaming in. Once his vision cleared, Raine found himself staring at possibly the biggest man he had ever seen. At least six-nine, the giant towered over Raine by at least a foot, and each one of those extra inches appeared to be pure muscle. Red hair, so bright it almost looked orange, and eyes the palest blue he'd ever seen, the man was absolutely gorgeous. It wasn't until he quirked his lips in amusement that Raine realized he'd been staring. "Oh, um, can I help you?" he asked hesitantly, not sure if the giant was going to be offended by his staring. Thankfully, the man simply smiled, revealing bright white teeth and fangs. 194
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"You must be Ashlon's mate," the man rumbled, his voice so deep it was a heavy rumble echoing inside Raine's chest. "I am Sashan, cousin to Ashlon and Maltok. My brother Rashan and I have just come from an expedition to search for our lost Alpha heir." Sashan, bowed low, surprising Raine. "I came to extend my thanks for rescuing my cousin and returning him to the village. And to extend my welcome." Raine smiled at the obvious sincerity the man portrayed. He remembered Maltok saying Ash and his cousins had been pretty much inseparable when they were younger. Apparently, his mate had been sorely missed by the man before him. "Thank you," he said, extending his hand to shake Sashan's, smiling widely at the other man's gentle grip. Obviously the big man didn't feel the need to exert his massive strength on the poor human. "I'm just glad we're both out of the City." Sashan stood to his full height, nodding sagely. "The City is no place for the Katria. It eats a man's soul. I was only there once, many years ago at my brother's insistence, and never wanted to go back." Raine nodded. Eating souls is an understatement. The City decimated them. "Where is your brother?" Raine asked, noticing 195
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Sashan stood on his door step alone. With that thought came the realization of how rude Raine was being. "Would you like to come in?" he asked, blushing. Sashan shook his head. "I only stopped by to introduce myself and to welcome you to our village. Rashan claimed he needed to visit with our father, and will probably stop by later. I will let you get back to…" Sashan sniffed, and then much to Raine's surprise, the large man blushed, "what you were doing." Raine tried to sniff discreetly at himself, only then noticing he reeked of sex and his mate. His face heated and it was all he could do to meet Sashan's gaze and not turn tail and run back into his shack to face his humiliation in peace. "Uh, right, sorry about that. Newly mated and all. It's nice to meet you," Raine mumbled. Sashan nodded, and Raine watched the play of muscles on the other man's large back as he walked away. Despite how awkward the conversation had become, Sashan was the first person, other than Maltok and Old Jobe, to truly make him feel welcome. Raine promised himself he would do all he could to ensure a rekindling of the friendship between his mate and Ash's cousin. "What are you still doing here?" Owen asked, jogging over to Raine's front door from the village's center. 196
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"I thought you would be at the council meeting with Ash?" Raine blanched and he felt like he'd been slapped. "Ash is in a meeting with the council? Already?" Owen nodded. "Both he and Maltok are there. They're meeting with the council, and then the village is having a party to celebrate your mating." "Damn him!" Raine cursed. Running into the shack, Raine grabbed a pair of boots, and stuffed his feet into them, cursing his foolish mate the entire time. How dare Ash face the council without him? Didn't Ash realize they were partners for life? Did his mate think just because Raine wasn't Katria he didn't get a say in what was going to happen and a chance to defend their union? What an idiot! "Can you show me where the council meeting is?" Raine asked a wide-eyed Owen as he raced back to the front door. Owen nodded, and the two of them set off, jogging through the village, hardly paying attention to the people they passed. Neither of them saw the angry eyes of the Katrian watching them; never realizing the Betrayer was once again plotting his next move to destroy the Alpha Chief heir, knowing the little human masquerading as Ashlon's mate was the perfect target. 197
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Owen pointed to a large wood building, located in the exact center of the village, opposite the cooking fires. Raine nodded, and pushed himself a little faster, fully prepared to burst into the meeting and demand to be heard. Just as he reached the door, Raine heard raised voices and then his mate's voice rose above the rest. "I will accept the co-position of the Alpha Chief with my brother and provide an heir, as is my duty to the tribe…" It took a moment for the words to register in his mind, and when they did, Raine's brow furrowed in confusion. How was Ash going to have an heir? Raine was male and since he couldn't have children then how…? No. Oh Founders, please no! A buzzing sound filled his ears and he couldn't hear any more of what was said. Not that he wanted to. Turning his horrified gaze to Owen, he could tell by the look in the younger man's eyes that he had heard the words and understood their meaning as well. Raine could literally feel his heart breaking. Ash claimed him, and now his mate, the one person Raine had sacrificed everything for, had just allowed the council to break their union.
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Chapter 15 Raine stood away from the crowd, watching the Katria revel in happiness at the official return of their Alpha Chief and his new mating. Music flowed, people sang and danced around a large bonfire, Katrian females preened under the attention of their male counterparts, and no doubt there would be much mating and claiming tonight before the celebration's end. Little did they all know, their beloved Ashlon had basically renounced his union to Raine and agreed to mate with a Katrian woman and provide heirs for the tribe. Even now Raine forced himself to swallow his bile as he watched the number of women flutter and flaunt around his mate. No, he's your former mate. Raine tried to ignore the sharp pain spearing through his chest at the thought. The longer he stood there and watched his tall, strong mate laugh and talk with his brother and different members of the village, the more he knew he couldn't stand by Ash's side. It had been foolish for him to ever think he would be welcome. He saw the sidelong glances of curiosity and disdain shot his way. He wasn't wanted here. There was no way he could stay. It was time for him to leave. Taking one last look at his former mate, Raine did 199
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his best to memorize the other man's face. The memory would have to last him a long time. Forever, in fact, especially if he was going to live as long as the Katrian Elders claimed now that he and Ash were mated. In the physical sense, at least. Maybe there had only been something emotionally on Raine's half. Nothing would surprise him at this point. Once again, he was used and then thrown aside; unwanted, unneeded. Unloved. It was like being back in the Prison, being raped by the Guards all over again. Only worse. Founders, it was so much worse. He had loved Ash with everything he had in him. Would have done anything for the other man. And with just a few words, Ash had ripped out his heart, spat on it while the dying organ strived helplessly to beat, and then proceeded to rape his very soul. The betrayal left him cold and broken, and not even the soft thrumming of concern from his plant friends could warm him back up. He'd never feel warm again. He studied the way the firelight glinted off Ash's red-brown hair, how his golden eyes were filled with happiness, full lips creasing into a smile. The image burned 200
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into Raine's brain for all time. Then he walked away. It's for the best. At least this way you are leaving on your own accord. Founders know how crushed you would be if you stuck around only to be asked to leave later. It's better this way. He had just reached the edge of the clearing when a voice calling his name stopped him. Raine turned to see Owen barreling toward him. "Raine, where—where are you going?" he asked, voice wary. Raine glanced away from the other man quickly, unwilling to see the pity in his friend's pretty, bluegray eyes. "Go back to the party, Owen," Raine said softly, turning to go. Only the hand suddenly gripping his arm stopped him. "You're leaving?" Owen asked, incredulous. "Just like that? Did you even talk to him about what you heard? Maybe it wasn't meant the way Ash said it? Maybe—" "Maybe he isn't replacing me with someone else? Someone who can bear him the children he, and the damned council, so obviously want?" Raine was surprised how steady the questions came out, despite how the words tore at his insides. "Maybe he didn't cave at the first sign of opposition and break our mating?" Raine's harsh inquiry 201
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came out as a whisper, nothing left of him on the inside to push the words out, the last little bit going with the question, leaving him hollow. "I'm sorry," Owen whispered, and when Raine glanced toward him, he could see the younger man's eyes shining with tears. "It's not your fault," Raine replied, not having any more words to try and soothe his friend. "Do you want me to come with you?" Owen asked. Raine almost said yes. Looking back over at the large bonfire, he could just make out Maltok's smiling face, and anger bubbled up from nowhere at the handsome man. It was his fault they were here. If he'd never found them hiding in that cave, Ash would have never found out about his past, and the two of them could have lived as mates for the rest of their lives. Part of Raine wanted to take Owen with him, just to punish Maltok for his unconscious part in Raine's misery. But looking over at Owen, the selfish thought made Raine feel like crap. He could never do it. Owen would be hurt as well. He may still deny the attraction to Maltok, but he would accept their bond one day. No matter how much Raine wanted to, he wouldn't inflict the crushing pain he felt on anyone. Owen would be dead inside without Maltok. Raine would survive. He'd survived before; his 202
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mother's passing, his father's disinterest, his prison sentence, all the rapes and abuse. Ash would be one more notch on his messed up belt of life, a memory to pull out in the dead of night when no one else was around to see his pain or to watch him cry. "You should stay," he finally said, glancing at Owen, and then over at Maltok. Overcome by emotion, he suddenly pulled the smaller man into his arms, hugging him tight. "Don't let them take him from you," he whispered in Owen ear, fighting back the sob that wanted to escape. "You deserve happiness and love. Go get your brothers, and then take Maltok and run. Don't let them do—don't let them do to you two what they did to us," he entreated. Raine backed away, waiting just long enough to see Owen nod, tears streaming down his face. With one last glance back toward the fire and the man who was his entire life, Raine turned and ran in to the forest's waiting arms. He ran as fast as his feet could carry him, not slowing until all the sounds of the celebration behind him faded, replaced by the soft calls of crickets and the creaking of the trees as they stretched. He ran until he could run no more, the tears falling freely from his eyes and blinding him from his path. He ran until his breath burned in his lungs and his heart pounded so fast the organ felt like a 203
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drum in his chest. Raine ran until there was nothing left to run from, stopping and dropping to his knees in a clearing as he began to sob, replaying memories of a golden time better yet forgotten. He never saw the dark shadow following him. **** Ash searched the thick crowd for his mate, trying to catch a flash of golden hair in the firelight. There were too many people around for him to truly smell his mate, the scent lost among the many bodies writhing in the night, but he thought he saw his mate with Owen toward the edge of the clearing, so he began walking that way. He nodded politely to all the people who called out greetings, and carefully removed the grabbing hands of the many single women vying for his attention. Foolish things. Didn't they realize he was mated? Just because Ash had agreed to father a kit for the council didn't mean his mate bond with Raine was broken. The council had agreed to find him a female Katria who would agree to bear him a son, and then to step aside so the child could be raised by him and Raine; especially when he had made it abundantly clear there was nothing they could do to 204
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destroy the bond between the two men. He told them that if they continued to push, he had no problem taking his mate and leaving the village. Ash smiled when he pictured Raine chasing after their child. His loving little mate would make a wonderful father to their kits. Perhaps Raine could even have a biological child of his own. The sudden image of a little blond baby with sparkling green eyes came to mind, and a pang of longing filled Ash's heart. He and Raine would have a family, while he and Maltok would rule the Katria together. An ideal life, one he had never dared to dream of while locked away in the Prison, and the simplicity of it was enough for him. Most surprising was the way Maltok stood by his side and defied the council along with him. He'd even admitted that Owen Sanders was his mate, and as soon as the little man accepted him, Maltok planned to bind with him. The news sent the council into an uproar. Both heirs to the Alpha Chief position had male mates? How was this possible? Mates were for breeding and duty, not pleasure or love. How could this be? Ash explained that it did not matter how the bond came to be, only that the bond was present, and nothing, nothing, could supersede the true bond between mates. Not even the High Council. 205
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Finally, a deal had been struck. He and Maltok would share leadership of the tribe; Ash as the Alpha Chief and Maltok as the Under-Alpha Chief. Ash might be Alpha Chief by birthright, but for the past five years Maltok had been Alpha Chief by experience. To share the leadership of the Katria tribe was only fair. Ash agreed he would also provide kits to ensure the next generations of Katria had an Alpha Chief, but only under the strict guidelines he and Maltok had come up with before the meeting. Finally, and rather ungraciously, the council had agreed. But first, the problem with the Betrayer had to be dealt with, a top priority as far as Ash was concerned. He refused to bring a child into a world where he couldn't be sure he could properly ensure its safety. After the Betrayer was found—and he would be found—then and only then would he and Raine sit down and decide how to plan their family. Reaching the edge of the clearing, Ash was surprised to find Owen standing alone and in tears, but no Raine. Where was his mate? Why was Owen crying? "Owen," he asked. "Where is my mate? What has happened?" "Oh, like you really care!" Owen snarled, glaring at 206
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him. "Why don't you go back and play with your little females. That's what you agreed to, isn't it?" Ash actually took a step back, not sure where all of Owen's hostility came from. The man actually looked at him like he hated him. "Where is Raine?" he asked again, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. "Where is my mate?" Something was not right. Ash could feel it deep in his bones. His instincts warred between shaking an answer out of the smaller man and staying calm. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath. Raine would not be happy if he damaged their friend. And his brother would probably try to kill him if he harmed the other man's mate. "You don't deserve him!" Owen continued to rant, as though he hadn't heard Ash's questions. "He's given you so much and this is how you repay him? By tossing him aside like a piece of garbage not worth your time or devotion? He was right to leave. So go back to your new mate, whoever she is, and leave your old one the peace he needs!" Ash's mind reeled. "He left? Raine left? My mate left me?" He asked, horrified. "Why? Where is he?" He growled, snatching a wide-eyed Owen with one clawed hand and baring his teeth. Ash lifted the smaller man off the ground, his arm sprouting reddish brown hair. 207
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He'd only half shifted. He still hadn't recovered his full cat form, not after being held in captivity for so long. Right now, he needed to find his mate, and if this puny little human thought to stand in his way, then Ash would show him the error of his ways. "Ashlon! Unhand Owen this instant!" Maltok growled as he ran over to Owen's side and attempted to jerk him out of Ash's grip, but the small man didn't budge. Ash was far too strong. "Where is my mate!" Ash roared. "You gave him up!" Owen cried, kicking his feet ineffectually at Ash's stomach. "We both heard you. Why would he stay where he wasn't wanted or loved!" Shocked, Ash actually dropped Owen, giving Maltok time to tuck his trembling mate behind his back. Ash stared, bewildered by the wild accusation. "Gave him up? I would never give up my mate? Why would you think that?" Owen pointed his finger at Ash, ready to lay into the bigger man; or rather, he would have, if Maltok hadn't blocked him, unwilling to let his mate be harmed by his unstable older brother. "Raine wanted to go to the council meeting! We arrived just in time to hear you agree to have a baby with some female. How was he supposed to react? He stood 208
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there, shocked, as he listened to the man who supposedly loved him more than anything, agree to break their mating and get with some woman just so he could be the Alpha!" Owen crossed his arms over his chest, eyes mutinous. "If my mate treated me that way, I would have left too." He glanced over at Maltok with a pointed look. Owen's words slowly trickled into Ash's mind. Raine heard Ash agree to bear a child to appease the council. Oh gods above, Raine thought he had agreed with the council to break their mating, and that Ash was to have a new mate? "What have I done?" Ash groaned, burying his face in his hands. He should have brought Raine with him to the council meeting, but instead he tried to spare Raine the ugliness. And as a result of his actions, his mate thought he was being replaced and ran away. "It wasn't your fault," Maltok soothed, laying a gentle hand on his distraught brother's shoulder. "He didn't understand. We'll find him and then you can explain everything. I promise, my brother." Ash nodded, but didn't reply. His brother turned and explained to his own mate exactly what Ash had agreed to for the council. Ash cursed himself for a fool. Perhaps Owen was right. Maybe he didn't deserve his mate. To disregard Raine's feelings the way he did. No! Raine might 209
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be better off on his own, but Ash was a selfish creature, and nothing short of death could make him give up his mate. He would just have to find the precious man and make up for his idiocy for the rest of their lives. A cause Ash would gladly devote himself to. "Sashan, we need your tracking skills, my cousin," Ash heard his bother call off toward the bonfire. "Ashlon's mate is lost in the woods and we need to find him, fast." "Raine is lost?" a very deep voice asked, coming closer to their edge of the clearing. Just as the man reached them, a soft breeze shifted through the air, and the scent of the newcomer reached Ash's nose. Ash grabbed the large redheaded man, claws sinking into the big man's throat as he bashed the other Katrian into a tree, using the other man's bigger body weight to his disadvantage. Cries of shock and distress came from his brother and Owen, but the man before him and his scent stoked Ash's fury. Multiple hands tried to pull him off Sashan but their efforts were wasted. Only one person could turn him from his path now, and that person was currently lost to him. "BETRAYER!" Ash snarled, face contorted with rage. The big man's blue eyes went wide and shook his head in denial. He couldn't move too much, since Ash's claws were firmly dug into the man's neck. 210
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"No!" he whispered desperately. "Never!" "I smell you!" Ash hissed, digging his claws a bit deeper, relishing the blood trickling from the punctures and over his fingers from the wounds. The other man didn't move, submitting to his Alpha like he'd been born to. Realizing his prey didn't fight back cooled some of Ash's rage, but not enough to let the other man go. "I smell you," he said softly, almost daring the other man to deny being the one who betrayed him to the hunters all those years ago. "Ashlon, are you sure?" Maltok asked, standing close enough to see the madness in his brother's eyes. "Sashan is our cousin. He was with me that night, hunting on the opposite side of the forest from you. How can he be the Betrayer you seek?" Ash glanced over at his brother with narrowed eyes. Was it possible? Taking a deep breath, he focused again on the scents he smelled. The Betrayer's was there but the scent wasn't as strong as Ash had originally thought. Another smell wafted off the other man, like fresh turned soil and spice. The smell was much more natural and familiar, and now that he thought about it, probably the man's natural scent. The Betrayer smelled like moss and mildew, with an underlying scent of evil. 211
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This man may not be the Betrayer, but someone close to him definitely was. "The other scent on your body, who does it belong to?" Ash asked, not releasing his hold. He wouldn't until he got the answers he sought. "I don't know, Alpha. I haven't been around anyone else to get their scent on me, only…" Sashan trailed off, eyes wide with dread. "Only?" Maltok prompted, laying a soothing hand on Ash's arm. "He wasn't with us, the night you disappeared. He claimed to be visiting our mother's grave, but now I wonder…" Sashan swallowed thickly, unable to go on for a moment. "It can't be him. It can't be!" "Who?" Ash roared, at the end of his patience. "Who is the Betrayer?" "My brother. My twin… Rashan."
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Chapter 16 A twig snapping startled Raine out of his noisy sobs. Unsure what wild animal wanted to sneak up on him and make him its next meal, Raine whipped around, gasping when a large shadow unattached itself from the surrounding forest. It took a long moment, but Raine recognized the man for who he was, what with the bright red hair and tall, muscular build, and he let out a sigh of relief. "Sashan, what are you doing out here?" he asked, standing up, wiping away the stubborn tears still clinging to his cheeks and brushing off the dirt collected on his knees. "I followed you," Sashan replied. Something in his voice made Raine's hair stand up on the back of his neck. As the large man got closer, Raine realized he was alone in the middle of the forest with a man who could easily snap him in half. But why would he be afraid of Sashan? He had been so nice earlier. So why did Raine have to lock his knees in place to keep from running away as the other man got closer? Something's wrong here. Something really doesn't feel right. But that didn't make sense. He didn't get a dangerous vibe from Sashan earlier. In fact, Raine had 213
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likened him to an overgrown lap cat, not this sort of dangerous predator stalking toward him like something out of the darkness itself. "W-Why were you following me?" Raine asked, a slight tremble running through his body. As the bigger man came closer, Raine allowed himself to take a step back. "Why?" The big man asked, voice sounding oddly amused. "I noticed you running away, crying. We wouldn't want you to get lost in the forest now, would we? Many people have been lost to us, disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again. Ashlon would be devastated if that happened to you." The other man chuckled slightly, as if he found the thought of Ash in pain funny. Suddenly the man stopped, Raine noticed exactly how close he had gotten. Well within striking range. He gulped audibly and tried to calm his racing heart. Sashan's face was covered in shadows, but Raine felt his gaze like irons raking his skin. "Oh, but wait, Ashlon doesn't care for you anymore, does he?" Sashan said, smirking by the tone of his voice. "After all, he did replace you, didn't he? Poor little human… maybe you should have stayed safe inside the City where you belong." Raine hung his head, pain lacing through his chest. Sashan's words beat at his already wounded heart. He 214
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wasn't paying attention, so lost in his own pain that he let out a squeak of surprise when the other man suddenly reached out and Raine quickly found himself pulled flush with a large, muscled chest. "Although I think I could see the appeal you have. Not my usual type, but I could take you just the same. And no one, not even Ashlon, would stop me." Straight, white teeth flashed in the moonlight, and the clouds parted just enough to illuminate the other man's face. Raine jerked back, gasping, but the other man had a good grip on his upper arms, and wasn't about to let him go. "Who are you?" Raine asked, voice trembling as he stared up into eyes so dark brown they were almost black. Those eyes were not the pale blue he remembered Sashan having before, and the cruel smile would have looked foreign on the gentle giant he'd met earlier. This was not Sashan. "Ah, I see you've finally realized I am not my dear brother, not that I liked being compared to the big buffoon. I'm smarter and so much more willing to do what is necessary to see my family rise above the rest." The big man smiled again, but to Raine it resembled a sneer. "You're Rashan." Raine suddenly realized. Sashan had mentioned a brother, but Raine hadn't realized the two 215
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men were twins. Apparently, Rashan is the evil twin. The realization didn't make him feel any better. "I see my brother mentioned me," Rashan replied. "Did he also mention that he, Ashlon and I were inseparable as children? At least until I realized what a mistake it was for Ashlon to be the next Alpha Chief. But I took care of that at my father's request." The big man glared. "And then you brought him back." "You! You're the Betrayer? Why? How could you betray your cousin that way?" Raine realized how badly his situation was turning out to be. He was caught by Ash's Betrayer, and had no mate to save him. Raine would have to save himself. He needed to keep Rashan talking until he could come up with a way to take the other man down. The thought stuttered to a halt as he once again took in the other man's enormous size. Maybe a plan of escape would be a better idea. "My father was first born!" Rashan snarled. Raine cried out as the hands around his arms tightened painfully. But Rashan didn't stop. "Ashlon's father challenged him for leadership of the tribe. Said he was unfit to lead. After his defeat, my father was disgraced and the council refused to stand with 216
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him. He became an outcast and we as his children were cast in the same boat. I may have only been a youngling at the time, but I knew the judgment wasn't fair. My mother killed herself only a month after the challenge, and my father became despondent, doing nothing but plotting his revenge against his own brother. Sashan and I were left to fend for ourselves. I decided I would destroy my uncle and his offspring if it was the last thing I did." "Why? Why punish Ash for something his father did?" Raine still didn't understand. What had happened was tragic, but it didn't seem like a good reason to turn a man over to the City. Nothing was good enough for that. "They took everything from me!" Rashan snarled, face contorting in fury. "My family, my tribe, and my birthright! So I was going to take them back. After Ash was gone, his father fell into despair. It was almost too easy to slip the poison in his nightly ale. Within a few moons, he was dead and I was one step closer to being Alpha. But then that idiot Maltok kept sending us on missions to seek out his lost brother, and I never managed to get close enough to him to poison him too." Rashan growled low. "And then you, silly human, somehow managed to save my cousin from the Prison where I arranged for him to be kept, and brought him home. You've ruined everything!" Rashan shook Raine so 217
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hard he thought his neck might break, his head snapped back and forth with the jerky movement. "But how did you get him to the City?" Raine asked, doing his best to keep the other man distracted. Sociopaths like Rashan would want to gloat over their accomplishments, and as long as the other man talked, he wasn't ripping Raine into little pieces. "I thought the Katria had nothing to do with anything that went on under the Dome?" Rashan gave him a proud grin. The sight made Raine want to throw up. "I made a deal with some officials I met when Sashan and I visited there many years ago on a scouting mission. I would provide them with game, and show their hunters how to find the best meat, if they would take care of a little problem for me. Since fresh game is so scarce, those greedy bastards quickly agreed. All I had to do was slip the sleep draught in Ash's cup of ale the night he and I hunted together, bash him over the head once he passed out, and the City's hunters took care of the rest." "And your father?" Raine asked. For a moment, Rashan looked confused. "Did he have anything to do with the plot to kidnap Ash and kill his brother?" Rashan's confused expression cleared, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That old man wouldn't know 218
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how to plot a proper vengeance. He was a great leader, but losing his position destroyed him. He's so lost in his own mind he doesn't even realize his brother has been dead for almost five years." He cackled madly. The time for talking had come to an end. Rashan wound down, and Raine knew death was on its way. He only wished he had one more moment to see Ash, even if the other man didn't want him anymore. He couldn't help but wonder if his mate would even look for him, and if he did, what would happen when he found Raine's used and discarded body. Would he cry? Would he hunt down Raine's killer? Or would he simply walk away and say good riddance? How awful it was that Raine could never be sure. "Your father was evil and everyone in the tribe realized it. That is why the council didn't stand by him when my father challenged the bastard." Raine gasped in surprise and happiness at the sound of the beloved voice coming from behind him, then choked in fear when Rashan immediately turned him around, pulling Raine's back to his chest, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other hand around his neck. Raine nearly wept in relief at the sight of his strong and handsome mate facing them from across the clearing, golden eyes snapping with fire and rage. Behind him, 219
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Maltok looked equally furious, and Sashan's face showed his heartbreak. "Rashan, how could you," Sashan whispered, tears filling his blue eyes. "My brother, how could you betray me this way?" "Oh, shut up Sashan!" Rashan snarled, his breath hot and fetid on the side of Raine's face. "You knew Father counted on us to return our family to the rightful place in the tribe. But instead you were too weak to do what needed to be done. Not like me! You rolled over and exposed your belly to our cousins and uncle, became their friend and confidant. You make me sick! I am disgusted we even share a face! You are a weak and spineless man and I am ashamed to call you brother!" Each word landed like a crushing blow to Sashan, who despite all Rashan had done, still loved his brother. Tears gathered in Raine's eyes for the devastated man. Sashan was devastated. Rashan had taken his entire world away, and then broke it apart in front of him. Poor Sashan. "Let Raine go, Rashan," Maltok declared, stepping forward to his brother's side. "We know you are the Betrayer. Your fight is between me and Ash. Let the human go." "And why, pray tell, would I do that?" Rashan 220
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sneered, his claws dancing across Raine's throat in an obvious threat. "I kill him and Ashlon loses everything he holds dear. Then I get to kill Ashlon. It seems like a winwin situation for me." "This is your last warning," Ash growled, his skin sprouted reddish brown fur and his eyes became golden slits. "Let. My. Mate. Go!" he roared. Raine felt the moment Rashan's body tensed and shifted from prey to predator. He looked up at Ash with wide, panicked eyes. "Fine. You want him, try to save him." Everything happened so fast. Ash and Maltok leapt across the clearing, snarling with rage. Raine screamed, a searing pain spreading across his throat as Rashan slashed the pale flesh open before dropping him to the ground. Ash leapt onto Rashan as the other man transformed into a large, orange, striped tiger. Maltok fell to Raine's side, wrapping his hands around his throat to try and stem the flow of blood. "Stay with me, Raine!" he demanded, pulling the smaller man into his lap as he did his best to staunch the flowing blood with his hands. When it became apparent trying to stop the blood with his hands wasn't working, he laid his brother's mate down just long enough to rip off his vest and wrapped the cloth around the gaping wound. The 221
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blood made it too hard for him to apply direct pressure to the wound, and if he pushed too hard, Maltok risked the chance of cutting off Raine's air supply. Luckily, Rashan hadn't given Raine an instant death blow, just inflicting enough damage that if they didn't get him help soon, he would die. Raine didn't pay attention to what was going on around him. He thought he heard Maltok speaking, but the garbled words sounded like he was underwater and everything seemed warped and blurry. The only thing he could see clearly was his mate, his wild man, in furry form, fighting against the biggest tiger Raine had ever seen. Although Ash had more maneuverability, being on two legs and in a humanoid form, Rashan was obviously stronger and had more power behind his blows. Rashan swiped at Ash with his claws and Ash managed to duck, but he stumbled, and it was apparent Raine's strong mate was beginning to tire. He wasn't fully recovered from his sickness. Raine was helpless to stop the tears falling down his cheeks. His mate was losing and there was nothing he could do, except lie bleeding on the ground and watch his mate die defending him. "Ash…" Raine managed to garble, blood dripping from his mouth. His mate glanced his way and Raine could see all 222
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the love and care the other man felt for him. How could he have doubted an ounce of devotion? There was nothing he could do now, but pray Ash survived and Raine got the chance to make up for his lack of faith. Please! He begged silently, unable to form the proper words through his ruined throat. Don't let him die. Founders please. I just found him, don't take him from me! Help me help him… please! Suddenly, Ash growled, and all the participants of the battle watched in shock as a bright flash of light completely covered him. When the glare cleared, a large lion, dark, golden-brown in color with a reddish-brown mane stood proudly. The Beast roared and with renewed strength the lion attacked the tiger, and the battle began again. This time between two evenly matched opponents. A soft thrumming filled the air, as the trees began to sway slowly back and forth, without the aid of a breeze. Warmth crawled up Raine's body, starting at his feet and moving up, through each of his limbs and finally concentrating at his throat, where the heat turned into a bright, burning pain. Raine gasped and Maltok reared back in shock. Raine's throat slowly mended itself together, as the cries of his brother and sister plants filled the air with their rage. He watched as a tree branch lashed out and caught the 223
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tiger across its rear flank. The big cat snarled and turned in a flash, ready to attack whatever came at him from behind. The tiger seemed confused when it found nothing. Then another tree lashed out, this time catching the tiger across the left shoulder. He snarled and swung out at the branch, only to be hit on his right side by another one. Over and over and over the trees and plants swung out; branches slapping and cutting into the tiger's fur, and roots lifting to trip and block the cat's retreat. The tiger yowled in pain, but he couldn't get away from the trees. The forest let its fury be known, directed by the small man lying on the ground not far from the battle, calling upon the power inside himself to save his mate. The lion backed up, uncertain, but let the forest have its reign, moving over to nuzzle his injured mate. The lion licked the blood off his mate's throat, trying to see what damage had been wrought. What he found was a surprise. The gaping wound had closed, the slashing claw marks had disappeared; leaving the skin smooth and unblemished, save for the stylized scar across Raine's throat, winding across the pale skin in the design of a length of ivy and leaves. Raine looked up into the golden eyes of the giant lion above him and smiled softly, lifting a hand to run his 224
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fingers through the coarse, reddish-brown mane. The tiger gave one final cry before falling to the ground, blood covering its orange fur, the pelt turning into a dark rust color. The trees stopped swinging, and the tiger turned into a limp and unconscious Rashan, lying naked on the forest floor. The lion padded over to the unconscious man, looking down at the beaten shifter. A moment later he transformed back into the tall, strong Alpha Chief. He looked down on his cousin, sadness and disappointment playing over his chiseled face. "Rashan, first son of Talmon, I find you guilty of treason toward your tribe and attacking the Alpha Chief and his mate. Your punishment is death." The order rang through the air, a decree, and the forest went silent as they all, every living creature in the woods, waited for the death blow to fall. "I'll do it," Sashan said. All three men turned to see the large man struggle to stand up on wobbly legs. "Sashan, I find no blame with you in Rashan's actions," Ash replied softly, walking over to place a comforting hand on his cousin's shoulder. "Are you sure you want to be the one to end his life?" Sashan nodded, never taking his eyes off the prone form of his brother, lying broken on the ground. "I am sure, 225
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my Alpha." the big man said, finally glancing at Ash, jaw clenched so tight it might shatter, stubborn tears refusing to fall from his eyes. "He betrayed all of us. As his twin, it is my right." "Very well," Ash said, looking older and sadder than he had ever been. "His death is yours." "Thank you, Alpha," Sashan whispered. Without another word, he walked over to his brother, and knelt at the other man's side. Sashan stared at the mirror image of himself, then carefully reached out and brushed a hank of red hair off his brother's forehead. "Forgive me, Rashan, as I will eventually forgive you," he whispered. Suddenly, he transformed into a large orange tiger and ripped out the fallen man's throat. Raine looked away, unable to watch such a horrible scene. Damn Rashan for destroying so many people in his quest for power. Too many would forever bear the scars of one man's actions. Ash walked over to Sashan, back in his human form, cradling his dead brother in his arms as he cried silent tears. He laid a hand on the other man's bowed head. Sashan looked up and nodded. They were united in betrayal and grief. Ash nodded and then walked over to pick up his 226
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small mate. Although the wound had been healed by the plants his little mate loved so much, Raine still lost a lot of blood. Ash wouldn't let his worry rest until his mate had been checked out by the old healer. "Maltok, help Sashan bury the body," Ash said as he walked away, taking his mate back to their home and their tribe. The Betrayer was gone, dead at the hands of the very ones he had deceived. Raine finally felt like he and his mate could move forward with their lives. They had a lot of loving and life yet to begin. Both were more than ready to get started.
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Epilogue Three Years later Ash ran through the village as fast as his feet could carry him, dodging around people and kits, waving absentmindedly as they called out in greeting, as he headed toward the medical hut. He could see his beautiful mate, blond hair shining brightly in the morning light as Raine paced back and forth in front of the wood building, wringing his hands nervously. When his little mate spotted him, Raine's face filled with relief and his grass-green eyes filled with joy. "There you are!" he called, grasping Ash's hand in a tight grip. "Am I too late?" Ash asked, somewhat out of breath. He'd run as soon as Maltok reached him from deep in the forest where he had been speaking with Sashan, and his heart pounded in anticipation. "Not yet, it's almost time! Maltok said he'd find you and I'm glad you hurried. Come on!" Raine's voice betrayed his excitement and he dragged his mate into the hut, through the building, and into a back room where a young Katrian woman with golden colored hair labored on the birthing bed. 228
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"It's about time you got here," Old Jobe scolded, as he got blankets and hot water ready. "I thought the two of you were going to miss the birth of your child." "Papa!" a young voice called from the other side of the room where he sat, happily and safely ensconced in his nanny's lap, "The baby is coming?" The two year old boy's golden eyes were bright with excitement, and held out his arms happily when Ash reached over to pluck his son up. "Yes, Callam, the kit should be born soon," Ash replied, nuzzling his son's reddish-blond hair happily. "We will be here when they do." After returning to the village the fateful day of Rashan's death, Ash and Raine had a long talk about what they both wanted for their future. Ash explained the agreement he made with the council, and after Raine got over his anger at being left out of the decision, the two decided that starting a family would be no hardship. Both decided each would get one biological child, and they would use the same female to bear them. Both would be present when the child was conceived. Ash's child would be born first, to appease the council quickly and so the two men could live their lives in peace. They had been blessed to find a female Katrian, Amalia, who had similar coloring to Raine and she agreed to be the donor mother. After many humorous attempts to get Raine over his 229
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squeamishness over touching and being intimate with a woman, Ash's biological son, Callam had been conceived. They thought it fitting to name the boy after Ash's late father. A lot had happened between then and now, things that shook the very foundation of the village to its core. Events Ash wouldn't ponder or bring to the happy occasion of their new kit's birth. But through everything they faced, the Katria stood strong, fighting hard for their way of life, and loving even harder. Now, Amalia lay on the birthing bed, prepared to give birth to their second child; Raine's biological child, and they couldn't wait. "Is Maltok coming?" Raine asked, looking around for his brother-in-law. Ash shook his head. "He, Owen and the others will stop by later." Raine nodded. "I'm glad everything worked out with them. I was really worried there for a while." "Me too," Ash replied. "It was a bit crazy. Oh, and Sashan sends his regards, but doesn't feel ready to leave his cave yet." Ash got quiet, thoughts about his reclusive cousin making him sad. After Rashan's betrayal, Sashan had moved out of the village and into a cave near the City, supposedly keeping watch for more Hunters and Guards. 230
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But they all knew the truth. He was hiding from the turmoil of what his brother had done, fearful he would be cast in the same light. "Don't worry, love," Raine soothed, using the tone Ash was now familiar enough with to know his mate was doing his best to soothe him. "His happiness will come soon enough, you'll see." Ash looked at the man who made up his entire world and found himself nodding in agreement. "I have no doubt, mate." "Did you ever think we would get this far?" Raine asked, snuggling under Ash's other arm and leaning over to kiss their little boy's pink cheek. Ash leaned down and brushed his lips over the edge of the scar that wrapped around his mate's neck. They both got quiet as Amalia began to deliver the babe. "I had hoped," Ash replied softly, smiling as with one final push, the babe was free and gave a loud squalling cry when the old healer tapped its little foot. "Even in the Prison, I hoped I would be free to love you someday." "It's a girl!" Old Jobe announced, and a collective cheer sounded in the room at the news. Jobe cleaned the baby with quick and efficient moves, then swaddled her in a blanket and handed the little bundle over to a teary-eyed Raine. 231
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"She's beautiful," Raine whispered, stroking one little red cheek and then the little tuft of golden-blond hair. The baby opened her eyes slightly, and Ash gasped when he saw the bright green color, and then smiled. "What will you name her, love?" he asked, leaning over to place a soft kiss on the baby's brow. Raine looked up at him, eyes wide, and then smiled brightly. "I think I'd like to name her after my mother, Dreama." "Hi Dreama," Callam cooed to the little baby. "I'm Callam, your brother!" Both men laughed, and Ash tousled his son's hair before leaning over to the baby again to place another kiss on her forehead. "Hello, Dreama. I'm your father and I will love you and protect you for all your days," he promised, repeating the same words he said at Callam's birth. The baby let out a piping cry, and Raine nudged Ash's side slightly. "Look at the doorway, Ash." Ash did as he was bade, and saw a small green vine winding its way toward the small family. When he looked at Raine, questioning, Raine shook his head. "That's not me, love." Ash looked down at his little daughter, and noticed 232
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one of her tiny arms had come unwrapped from the blanket. She reached toward the vine slithering across the floor with an equally tiny hand, cooing softly. Apparently their daughter shared much more than Raine's stunning, good looks. Smiling happily, Ash tightened his arm around Raine's waist, nuzzling that soft blond hair. "I love you, my mate," he whispered. Raine gazed back at him; eyes alight with love and happiness, while they listened to Callam talk softly to his new baby sister. "I love you too, wild man. Always." The End
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About the Author
Amylea Lyn is a little odd, a lot weird, and just plain strange. At least that's what everyone tells her. She lives in Nevada, filling her laptop with too many stories to count and trying to ignore the yells of her football-obsessed siblings in the background. Most days, Amylea can be found sitting in her favorite chair after work, bugging those around her for fun tidbits to make her stories more interesting. When she's not writing, Amylea spends her time daydreaming her fantasies while talking to herself without realizing it, experimenting with different baked dishes that she force feeds her brothers, and plotting ways to get back at her psychotic cat. All in all, she likes to think of herself as pretty normal…even if it's only by her own standards. Website: www.amylealyn.webs.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/AmyleaLyn/100001651775372 Blog: www.amylealynromance.blogspot.com Email:
[email protected] Also by Amylea Lyn:
Available from Silver Publishing: Outside the City Nature of the Beast Available from All Romance ebooks: Dream a Little Dream Haunting 101 Available from Dreamspinner Press: Meant to Be
