All the King's Men: The Beginning (2 page)

"Please…" Cato bowed his head. "I'm begging. For the sake of my son, I'm begging you to help me, Argon."

"I can't." Argon shook his head. The evidence of his inner torment spilled from the depths of his bright blue eyes. What was happening to Rysk obviously upset Argon as much as it did Cato. "I would if I could, Cato. It pains me to see you and your family suffering like this, but—"

 "But Rysk has
mated
Abrial." King Cato got up and paced behind his ornate chair, frustrated. "He must be allowed to be with her."

These negotiations weren't going well. Little by little, he could feel his son slipping way. He was losing, but he refused to let that happen. He didn't want to nullify the alliance between his family and Argon's, and thus end the existence of peace between the
upir
and the drecks, but Cato couldn't let his son die without a fight.

Was he really considering turning against his oldest and best friend? Argon had rallied the drecks to the
upir's
uprising against the Dacians long ago, and a long-standing camaraderie had existed ever since. Without the drecks' help, the
upir
might still be under Dacian rule, held down by Dacian oppression and cruelty.

But the
upir
were still stronger than the drecks.
Upir
blood and
upir
venom were both hardier and more powerful than that of the drecks, which meant the
upir
themselves were superior in all respects. If Cato pushed the issue, there would be no contest in taking Abrial away from Teo by force.

This was a decision Cato didn't want to make. Argon was his friend. The drecks were
upir
allies. They had stood side by side in battle. They had shared blood and death. All to remove the Dacians from power and institute a new regime, one that was more benevolent and compassionate. And now Cato was contemplating an end to that benevolence. Shame on him. He couldn't do that. Not against his friend.

Argon stood and joined Cato by the shuttered window. He settled his hand on Cato's shoulder. "Teo refuses to budge, Cato. I'm sorry. I will try again, but I fear the cause is lost."

Teo. A dreck. The highbred son of one of Argon's upper circle. How had Teo earned the right to take what belonged to Rysk?

"Argon, you are one of my oldest friends," Cato said, lifting his head, beseeching him. "I know what I'm asking is unorthodox, but my son is in his
calling
. If he is denied, he will die. Please…you must help me. Surely, there is something that can be done."

The male
upir's
call to mate was the most powerful phenomenon within their race, and it was both valued and protected by Cato's royal council. Shortly after a male took a mate—it could be hours, days, or even weeks—he entered a phase known as the
calling
. A male's
calling
drove him into a relentless frenzy to sow his fertile seeds frequently inside his mate. It was not uncommon for a male in his
calling
to make dozens of deposits in one day, especially early on. As the days passed, the frequency to mate waned until it came to an end seven to fourteen days later. The
calling
was both bliss and agony on a male's body, and every male both dreaded and lived for it, knowing that even though he would endure extreme sexual response bordering on torture that it meant he was with his true mate and ready to create life with her. However, there was a dark side of the
calling
. If it was denied, and the male was not allowed to expend himself in his mate, mania and physical deterioration known as the
suffering
ensued.

More often than not, a male did not survive the
suffering
.

Argon squeezed Cato's shoulder, eyes compassionate. "I'm sorry, Cato. Unless Teo agrees to relinquish Abrial, I cannot interfere. Dreck laws are different from yours. I can't force
upir
law on my people or I will risk condemnation and possible forced abdication. I wish I could do more."

Cato frowned, out of options. He looked away and closed his eyes. He hated where this thoughts were taking him, but even if he didn't intend to see it through, he had to try. Perhaps just the threat would be enough to persuade Argon to make an exception and find a way to interfere with his daughter's mating to Teo.

"Even if it means war?" Cato refused to meet Argon's eyes at first, ashamed now that the words were out, exposed and hanging between them. He hated suggesting he would go to war to give Rysk Argon's daughter, but it was all he had left to bargain with. Finally, he turned and met Argon's gaze.

Argon's brow crinkled, and his face grew stern. "Certainly, you wouldn't take our two races to war over this and jeopardize our long friendship."

Cato sighed and turned away, embarrassed and defeated. "No." Quiet chagrin weighed heavily in his voice. "I wouldn't. I'm sorry for my hasty words. I'm simply…desperate."

Argon stepped toward Cato again, his robes swishing against the stone floor as he shifted from his human form into the blue-toned being he was in his natural state. He only showed himself in his blue-skinned, blue-eyed, black-haired persona to those he trusted most, and Cato knew it. "I know, my friend. This is hard on us both. I hate seeing you like this, and I think of Rysk as my own. I will talk to Teo again and do what I can, but I fear my attempt to convince him of giving up Abrial will be in vain. He is most ardent in his desire to keep my daughter."

Cato nodded. "I know, Argon, and I appreciate your kind words. I will convey your sympathies to Rysk and Jonet."

Jonet was Cato's queen, and even now, he could feel her anguish as she paced in the hall outside Rysk's chambers.

He and Argon embraced, and then Argon solemnly left the Great Room to return to his own palace. Once alone, Cato hurried out to check on his son. As he approached Rysk's quarters, a cry of agony ripped the air, and as he rounded the corner, Jonet turned to catch his eye. Her face was soaked with tears, and her hands worried in front of her. Her fingers twisted and clenched around each other. When she saw him, she stopped and silently implored him for good news, but the look on his face must have told her the situation was grim.

"No? Did Argon not agree?" she said, beside herself with agitation as she wiped tears from her cheeks.

He shook his head. "Our laws are not their laws. I can't force him to take Abrial away from Teo. And Teo refuses to cooperate."

Jonet broke down in violent sobs. "But…our son…"

As another agonized cry rent the air from Rysk's chamber, Cato wrapped his arms around his queen and closed his eyes. It looked as though they would lose their son. Unless Argon could work a miracle, it was only a matter of time until Rysk slipped away on a distressful sea of misery.

* * *

Rysk beat his fists against the wall, screamed until his lungs and throat burned, and clawed at his own skin. Without Abrial, he was lost. He needed his mate, needed her more than he'd ever needed anything. His body not only ached, it throbbed with the weight of agony so great that it crushed him. He had heard tales of
suffering
among the males of his race, but this was nothing like he expected. It was a hundred times worse.

Fragments of stone crumbled from the force of his fists as he continued to pummel the walls that held him prisoner. He was getting stronger. His pain made him powerful.

Turning his attention to the door, he threw himself against it. Again. And again. Not long before, he couldn't even budge it, but now, he felt a slight give. Once more, he flung himself against the barrier. With each impact, the wood gave a little more…and a little bit more…until finally, the wood splintered. Once more, he used his body as a battering ram, and the heavy wood cracked. Again and again, until…

The door exploded in a burst of splinters that showered the hallway. His parents stood several paces away, eyes wide, mouths opened in silent surprise. He hadn't time for them. Abrial was all he could think of.

Free of his prison, he raced toward the stone staircase that led to the dark courtyard, where he stopped and honed on Abrial's essence. Pursuing guards caught up to him and tried to restrain him, but he tossed them away as if they were dust. Nothing could keep him from his mate.

"Rysk!" His father called after him, rushing into the courtyard. "No! Don't!"

It was too late. Rysk was already away, sealing the fate of both races with every step as he raced into the dark forest. Faster than the wind, strengthened by his
calling
, he dodged trees, scaled the mountain separating his home from Abrial's, flashed through the fields, until he came to Premier Argon's palace moments later. Abrial remained quarantined inside. He could sense her sorrow, her suffering. She needed him, too.

Finally near his beloved, his body calmed enough for him to mist into her room, and there she was. His Abrial.

"Rysk!" She threw herself into his arms, sealed her lips over his.

Everything was right again. Everything was as it should be. "Abrial. My love. My world." He buried his nose in her hair and rained urgent kisses on her skin. His hard body pulsed to claim her. "Come with me." At last, he had what his heart and body needed, and her arousing fragrance was almost more than he could stand.

He was about to steal her out the window when the door to her chambers flew open. Teo charged in, sword in hand. "Get away from her!" His blue eyes flashed red then turned a furious blue. Clearly, he wasn't going to let Abrial go easily. This bastard wanted a fight, and Rysk was willing to give him one if it meant Abrial's hand.

Rysk bent forward, stance open, arms wide, fingers curled like claws. He bared his fangs and hissed. His dark gaze landed on the sword. Teo was dangerous. He could hurt Abrial, but in Rysk's hyperprotective state, he would die before he let Teo near her. She was his, and he would protect her.

"Teo, no!" Abrial latched onto Rysk's arms and slid behind him, inching toward the window as she tugged Rysk to go with her. "Let me go with him. Release me. I beg you. I don't love you, Teo. I never wanted to be with you."

Teo snarled, shimmered, and then shifted to blue as his eyes flashed red again. He bared his own fangs. "No. You are mine," he said to Abrial. "You were promised to
me
, and I will have you. I won't give you up to this…
heathen
creature!" He cast a disgusted, repulsed glance toward Rysk.

Rysk bristled and unleashed a warning growl. "She belongs to me, Teo. She is
my
mate. It is my
right
." He shielded Abrial, keeping her behind him.

Teo took a menacing step forward, his upper lip curled into a snarl. "And her father vowed her to me, in front of our families, in front of our council. That is
my
right. Yours is secondary to mine."

"No!" Rysk was on the verge of losing control. If they weren't allowed to escape soon, he would kill Teo. Not that he cared about Teo at the moment. Right now, his main concern was Abrial…to protect her. If that meant killing Teo, then that was what he would do.

"Yes!" Teo stormed forward, the muscles in his arms flexing as he raised his sword.

Rysk tried to push Abrial out of harm's way, but Teo moved swiftly and captured her wrist. "She is
my
mate, not yours, Rysk!" He began to pull her away.

With a roar, Rysk snapped his fangs, his sight sharpening as his eyes flashed yellow. Everyone knew not to touch a male
upir's
mate in such an aggressive way. Doing so was the best way to bring on a mated-male rage, and in an instant Rysk was on Teo. Mated aggression took hold.

Teo flung Abrial aside as he tried to defend himself, but Rysk was too powerful. He clawed, he bit, he battered Teo relentlessly, throwing him against the far, stone wall. The sword clattered to the floor, and Rysk went for it at the same time Teo did. But Teo was too slow. Rysk rolled, clutched the hilt inside his fist, flung himself to his back on the floor, and brought the sword up over him as Teo lunged forward. The blade impaled Teo, straight through his heart. After a breathless, conflicted moment of victory, Rysk tossed Teo off him and to the side, using the sword as leverage.

The sound of guards storming through the palace reached his ears as Abrial took his hand and helped him off the floor.

"We must go," she said. "Now!" Tears streaked her face, but joy that he had defeated Teo shone from her eyes.

He stole one final glance toward Teo, who lay in a puddle of blood, and then he turned, grabbed Abrial around the waist, fused his essence with hers, and projected them into a tunnel of vapor to their secret dwelling carved into the side of a mountain. A cave he had found while exploring.

As he and Abrial gave themselves over to the primal love between them, as well as to Rysk's
calling
, they remained oblivious to the aligning powers within their races. Time and again, he claimed her, and her body accepted what he gave. The beauty of new life sprang forth in her womb, and it seemed the world was theirs.

Teo's family was outraged by their son's murder. They appealed to Premier Argon for justice even as they sent war parties to find Rysk and Abrial. While Argon and Cato convened to arbitrate a solution, one of the hunting parties found the lovers and killed Rysk in a bloody battle. Beside himself with grief, Cato ceased all discussion with Premier Argon and sent an army to annihilate what he could of Teo's immediate family in revenge for his son's death, but many escaped and fled to safety, away from Cato and his army. Cato retrieved Abrial, pregnant with Rysk's unborn child, and refused to hand her over until his grandchild was born. Upset with this turn of events, Argon insisted on Abrial's return, but Cato refused until she gave birth. Abrial was grief-stricken. Her mate was gone, and their two families, who were at one time friends, were now at odds with one another to the extent that war seemed inevitable. A little over eight months later, she gave birth to Rysk's son prematurely. She named him Rysk after his father.