Blood Stained Tranquility (4 page)

Siddhartha and Jesus.

What would they think of him if they could see him now, if they could see into his thoughts? A great triumph in the peace department. Right.

He was a hypocrite.

“Will you stop being so damn maudlin about it?”

The world around him was ripped away in an instant, his body and consciousness flung through the fabric of existence. The sounds of the world echoed behind him as he was dragged through the dimensions.

His body slammed back together painfully, grass reforming beneath his feet. It changed colors in waves while, above his head, stars glowed too brightly, the universe exposed. To his right, the Earth hovered like one massive ball of blue, green and brown.

He straightened and twisted his torso to search out the owner of the giant, floating satellite he now stood on. To his knowledge, no one had ever been in the
Haklanayasas
while awake. For him to be standing there?

“You’re getting frighteningly powerful.”

“Not quite. But working on it.”

Nylicia rounded a boulder, her cream colored dress floating around her in a wispy wave of gossamer. Her heeled feet floated above the grass with each step. Her form was still as see-through as ever, the stars behind her glittering through her.

Zen hadn’t seen her in the flesh since the last time he had to put her back into an induced coma. That had been almost three thousand years ago. But her projection, it seemed, was everywhere. He couldn’t freaking escape her.

Fortunately, she was one of the only beings in the entire Universe that he could be around and not lose his shit. Mavrak never stirred in her presence. Ever. And he was still having a hard time believing it, considering he knew what she was like.

“I really wish you’d stop being such a pussy when it comes to Mavrak.”

He glared at her. She probably had the power to block her sins. That was it. Everything except annoyance. That one she loved to flash in everyone’s faces.

“You’ve obviously been watching me this whole time—”

“Nah. Got things to do. Shit to see.”

“Nylicia . . .”

She stopped next to him, and tilted her head back to stare up at him with big, multi-colored eyes. “Fine. I saw what you did to that guy in the alley.”

He ground his teeth, his lips pulling back as his anger rose. “And you had the power to rip me away. You had to power to stop me.”

Nylicia blinked, looking confused. “Why would I? I enjoyed that. Lots.”

Why wasn’t Mavrak awakening yet? Surely she deserved some punishment for allowing him to do what he did. Not that he wanted to punish her, but it made no sense to him how Mavrak didn’t.

“Do not ask me to feel sorry for the bastard. He deserved every bit of what you gave him.”

“Then you go down there and punish those you see fit,” he said, growling from behind his clenched teeth.

She gave him that wide-eyed stare again. “I told you: I’m working on it.”

He ran a hand across his forehead. “Just tell me why I’m here.”

“Well, you should really be with Eves—”

“She’s awake?” He tried to dematerialize straight to Enzyria, but a little hand latched onto his shirt and actually managed to hold him in place. “The hell? Let go of me, female!”
 

He all but contorted his back, scowling down at the tiny fingers latched onto his T-shirt. She was translucent, damn it, yet she was still grabbing him.
 

“What is your problem?”

Nylicia sighed, refusing to let go of his shirt.

How the hell was she keeping him there?

“She’s not awake. But she’s somewhat aware. Staying away from her isn’t helping either of you. I mean, I know you’re busy running and fleeing, hunting down Enteax and Lisrn, fleeing again, and running some more, but—”

“I get it. I’ll go.”

Hearing that Evesse wasn’t awake kicked him in the balls, deflating all of his excitement and hope. Didn’t matter. He’d made up his mind to go to her. Now, nothing would keep him away. He had to see her. It had been two weeks. Hearing that she might be aware had him itching to bolt.

Nylicia squeezed down on the fabric of his shirt. “One more thing before I let you go. Stop hunting him down.”

Zen had no clue what the hell she was talking about. For about two seconds. Then it hit him. “Why the hell would you ask me that?”

He was so close to her now that his teeth were practically in her face.

She stared between his mouth and his eyes, blinking rapidly. “Um, pretty sure Evesse might have an issue with this if she saw us right now.”

“Damn you.” He went to grab her wrist. Instead, he was met with thin air. Yet she still had his shirt in her freaking grip. “Let. Me. Go.”

“As soon as you promise me that you’ll do as I say.”

That’s it.

He ripped his shirt off, leaving her holding the mangled fabric. She stared between it and his naked chest, a look of appreciation crossing her face.

“Very nice.
Very
. Again, though, I’m pretty sure Eve would have a problem with this.”

He ignored her, dematerializing out of the
Haklanayasas.

The last thing he heard was her voice trailing after him.

“I mean it, Zen. Leave him alone! Don’t make me make this difficult for you. You aren’t going to like it!”

Chapter 3

-
Enzyria.

Zeniel clenched his fists and tried to come to terms with the sight before him. He’d spent weeks running from the female on the bed, weeks trying to escape what she’d begun in him. And for what? Nothing had stopped Mavrak’s slow but steady fight for freedom.

One look. That’s all it had taken. One look into her glorious brown eyes had destroyed centuries of calm—which was one hell of an irony.

Though he hadn’t remembered it at first, it had been a vision of Evesse that had called him out of the darkness of Mavrak’s psyche. It had been her mocha-colored eyes that had sparked consciousness in Zeniel. He probably never would have been reborn as the God of Tranquility had it not been for her.

And for eleven thousand years, he’d existed with an emptiness in his stomach that crept up on him at random times.

Nylicia’s answer every time he had asked?

“What do you want me to do? You will remember when you are supposed to remember. It is not my fault I cannot remember what vision I showed you the day we first met. A long time has passed since then and I am a very busy female.”

Filthy little liar. She knew. She made sure that
he
was the one sent to fetch Evesse weeks before.

That day had changed everything. He had stared into Eve’s eyes, and even from across the street the
Etaeryb
had opened up. The moment his mind connected with hers, he’d seen everything. He’d seen her whole life leading up to that point and every one of her struggles. Her small hands pushing at her stepfather’s face and her frenzied breaths as she struggled to pull away. The vase breaking and her bloody fingers holding tight onto the shard that saved her and ended that piece of shit’s life.

And Evesse had ended up dying anyway, killed by two Aviraji when they had first kidnapped, then ritually sacrificed her friend.

Ismini had been thrown into that vortex and Eve had chased after her, refusing to abandon her even in her last moments. She was a fierce woman. A faithful friend who protected those she cared about. Because of that, she had died. All under his watch.

His job was to protect her. He had waited thousands of years to meet her. And now, seeing her in the state she was currently in had officially pushed him past the point of feral.

Mavrak’s reemergence may have had good reason, but it didn’t make accepting the truth any easier. Zen’s fear of Vengeance was too ingrained in him. The memories of the things he had once done cut too deep. The guilt even more so.

Yet, he knew and understood that his life was meant to come to this moment. He was meant to stand before his woman, struggling with the darkness within him. It was the most humbling realization of his existence. A
 
real
 
knock-him-off-his-feet-and-glue-his-ass-cheeks-to-the-floor
 
moment.

Even understanding the facts, his fear was gleefully pony-riding his synapses. If Mavrak took over before Zen gained any form of control, total Armageddon would come next. There would be no escaping it. The only way to stop him at that point would be to kill them both.

Before Evesse, that might have been a viable option. Now that she had begun to mate to him, and he to her? He would unleash his retribution on the whole of the Universe before he allowed anyone to take his life. As long as it was tied to Evesse’s, no harm would come to him.

What a messed-up predicament to be in. He had sworn to destroy himself before he would ever allow Mavrak to regain control again.

Stop focusing on it. Not now. You’re just adding to the frustration.

Much, much easier said than done. Staring down at Evesse, remembering why she was like that—remembering his failure to protect her—sent a whole lot of adrenaline and anger surging through both him and Mavrak. Just what the bastard needed to grow nice and strong.

Zen clenched his jaw. He needed to leave. He was out of control and he was putting everyone in danger just by being there. But he couldn’t go without touching Evesse and trying to get through to her.

He approached the bed, his heart hammering as he took her in. The covers were tucked around her waist. Her chest rose and fell with each breath. He took in her thin face. Her pert nose. Even when closed, her eyes retained their Asian-like tilt. Her small but plump lips were parted as she breathed. The thick strands of her black hair fanned out around her, covering her small shoulders.

“So beautiful.” His voice came out as nothing more than an awe-filled whisper.

The female had been stunning when she was human. As a stronger, more powerful being, she’d nearly broken all of his resolve to stay away from her. Now, she’d been resurrected with the powers of a goddess—powers that glowed beneath her creamy skin.

Careful not to jar her, Zen eased down on the bed next to Evesse. He tried to keep his hands to himself, but that was damned impossible. He was a sick bastard for what he was contemplating, but he had no control over it.

Touch her . . .

Instinct gave the command, merging with the voice of the demon inside him and multiplying. Mavrak had been on a mission since Zeniel had first locked eyes with Eve and seen her past. He was determined to do what he considered important above all.

Take her.

Devour her.

Avenge her.

Zen let his eyes trace the curve of Eve’s upper lip, then the lower one. They both fell open and he forgot to hold his breath. One sweet exhale from her nearly made him fall over.

He felt weak in a way he’d never felt before. Not even when he’d first awoken as Zeniel, after centuries of torture and starvation, had he felt as light headed as he did now.

Stop breathing, you moron. Stop.

But he couldn’t. Panting, he leaned closer, eyes frozen on her mouth. Just one taste, that’s all he needed—one
deep,
thorough
taste.

A small gasp left Evesse and the air fluttered across his lips. Lips that he found himself licking as he got caught up in the sudden desire to suck on her tongue and taste her.

Touch her, damn you!
Mavrak cried from within him.

No, damn
you
. And shut the fuck up.

Still, Zen gave in, obeying the orders and hoping for some relief. His hand seemed ridiculously large when he lifted it toward her face. The closer he got, the more her aura roared beneath her skin. Red, yellow, and sparkling black swirled, reaching out toward him. His fingers were shaking by the time they made contact. Slowly, lovingly, he traced her thick, black eyelashes. The colors followed his move, almost as if they were begging for his touch. Her aura flared, reaching out and intertwining with his red, gray, black and blue one.

So fucking gorgeous.

So mine.