Songs of the Earth (7 page)

Ushna released an animalistic rumble, baring his blunt, human teeth before he struck and bit me hard on my left pec. I smelled the blood, felt the pain, and relished the feel of him sucking and running his tongue over the bruised flesh. The door opened, someone walked in, and I reacted, pushing Ushna off me. I fell to the floor in a crouch between Ushna and the door, bellowing a roar at the intruder who was already retreating as I grabbed the leg of the nearest chair and threw it at the now closed door. The chair shattered and the door groaned in protest, but I barely noticed as an arm snaked around my waist, and a hand gripped my hair.
"I'm not fucking done with you yet," Ushna said roughly in my ear before he tossed me face down onto the desk and penetrated me from behind. I pushed back into him, needing more. Ushna's fist in my hair snapped my head back, bowing my back. Goddess, I still needed more. I whimpered as Ushna lifted my leg on top of the desk, opening me up, spreading me for him. He pegged my prostate every time he thrust, electrifying me, I was almost there, and that's when I felt it. The thumb Ushna dug into me as he powered into me with hard, deep thrusts caused a sharp twist of pain triggering a release so intense it made my chest seize and my breath stop. I spilled seed down the side of the desk as my orgasm caused me to clamp down on Ushna. The hand in my hair tightened and he ground his hips into my ass, yelling his release to the ceiling.
Ushna let go of my hair and I closed my eyes as I laid my sweaty forehead on the desk. My breathing was ragged and I trembled with aftershocks. My muscles felt liquid. My scalp tingled and I ached deliciously. I shuddered as Ushna pulled out and I still didn't move.
A tentative hand touched the small of my back. "Tristan, are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
I smiled into the wood of the desk, feeling the gouges I'd made in the surface. I tilted my head back and looked at Ushna so he could see my smile. There was fear in his eyes. I don't know if it was because I nearly lost control, or how he acted, but there was no need for it.
"Again?" I asked, grinning.
Relief spread across his face. "You're a fucking crazy man," he groused as he helped me up.
"I'm only crazy for you," I replied before I kissed him gently, languidly this time.
A timid knock sounded at the door. I looked around the demolished office; scarred desk, a broken chair, all kinds of crap on the floor and in none of it could I find pants. I did see my shirt, or what was left of it. I couldn't recall how it'd gotten torn to pieces. Ushna didn't look for his clothes. He cracked the abused door enough to see who it was.
Gregori laughed in the hall. "Man, you guys are a riot. It didn't matter where I went in this house. I could hear both of you clear as day." Ushna huffed in aggravation. "It's cool. I figured you'd need these. What the poor guard was trying to tell you before you chased him out was they're holding visitors at the gate. I went down to see who it was and spoke to Nathan and Neesie. The warriors won't let them on the property until Tristan gives the word."
"All right," I yelled, "let them in."
Peels of rancorous laughter came from Gregori, the pervert, before Ushna shut the door in his face. At least he'd brought us some clothes. I was going to use the torn shirt to clean up Ushna and myself before we got dressed, but he pulled a pack of handy-wipes out of the desk drawer. We tried to straighten the office a bit before we left but it was useless. It would need more time than we had at the moment to fix the mess we'd made.
Ushna grabbed my hand before we left the office. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" Tentatively he touched the bite mark on my chest.
I didn't know how to convey to him that I was good, more than good in fact. I was glowing like a roman candle. Sex was relatively new for us, and we hadn't had a chance to discover what the other liked. I needed to put his fears to rest because I was definitely going to want a repeat performance. I reached down and lightly squeezed his balls, watching his nostrils flare and his beautiful bi-colored eyes dilate.
"It was awesome."

I stood on my front porch and watched my brother's jeep come down the driveway. I thought it was a little much, but Corey insisted I have five warriors with me besides himself. It was my brother, for Pete's sake. I didn't have anything to fear from my own family. But Corey wouldn't budge, and I had made him captain of the guard, so I'd capitulated and that's how I found myself surrounded.

I was nervous. I rubbed my sweaty hands on my jeans. I hadn't seen my brother since Ushna and I had left Tribe Enkidu. Ushna helped me keep up on my family. It was only recently I'd realized I may not have been as connected to the world as I'd thought. I watched the dust cloud follow Nathan's jeep and worried about the type of reception I'd have when he found out what I'd done. Telling my brother I'd purposely revealed our family bloodline wasn't a way to make nice with estranged family members. It had been necessary and I would do it again to protect Ushna, but it didn't mean my brother was going to agree with me.

Nathan pulled up and parked next to Gregori's hideous pumpkin orange 1978 Mustang. The Ford was like an oversized highway caution barrel and it had earned Gregori merciless ribbing. Neesie was the first to get out of the jeep. My little sister was now a grown woman and it made my heart twinge with regret that I hadn't gotten to see the transformation. Her chestnut hair was long, flowing down her back. She wore a fitted white T-shirt, black jeans, and what the hell? Combat boots? What had happened to the pink frills?

Neesie ignored the men around me and ran at me, threw herself into my arms and immediately started to cry. Ah, hell. What was I supposed to do? Tentatively, I patted her back.

Nathan got out of the jeep more slowly and took in my guard with a wary eye. Ushna put a proprietary arm around me and it almost made me smile. Nathan noticed the gesture and glanced at Ushna, his eyes searching for something. Whatever it was, he must have found it because he nodded his head.

Though Nathan approached with caution, he came all the way into the circle of warriors and embraced me. Neesie was still crying on one shoulder so I could only return Nathan's embrace with one arm. Nathan clutched Neesie and me to him in a strong bear hug and I swallowed around the lump in my throat.

I blinked rapidly to clear my vision; the lump in my throat had grown to great proportions, stealing anything I'd planned on saying for the moment. I buried my face in Nathan's neck and allowed myself this moment as I pulled my siblings closer to me, giving them comfort as I took it.

"I love you, guys," I whispered and felt Nathan's shoulders shake in response. I held him, my fist wrapped in his shirt.

It was Neesie who broke our circle by stepping back. She was tall enough to be eye to eye with me now. She took my face in her hands, looking at me with solemn brown eyes. I knew my face had changed. The edges were harder and more lined, where I'd once been soft and youthful. Neesie placed a chaste kiss on my lips and looked behind me at Ushna. Her eyes went liquid as she threw herself at him, starting to cry again.

Nathan was brushing tears from his face, becoming aware of our audience again. I saw the questions in his eyes. Ushna and I herded everybody inside to the living room, where Gregori was waiting. Neesie and Nathan greeted him with a friendly hug and everyone found a seat as the warriors posted themselves in the hall outside. Difficult to believe that at one time, I'd thought our house too big for Ushna and me.

We took the couch. Gregori slid in next to me and reclined, stretching his arm along the back of the couch. Neesie took a chair facing us, her pretty face red and puffy, a box of Kleenex sitting in her lap. Nathan chose to stand.

"Before anything is said, I want to apologize," he began. "The last real conversation you and I had, Tristan, was an argument over whether or not to cut yourself from Theo." Nathan raised his hands, palms up in supplication. "I didn't understand why you'd separate yourself from your Twin Flame. I couldn't comprehend how badly he was hurting you until I saw the poisoning the day of the Breaking. We naturally cherish our Flame and I couldn't understand… Tristan, I honestly didn't know what you were going through. I didn't mean the words I said to you that night…"

"Nathan " I started.
"No. Let me finish. I called you selfish. I called you a coward. I told you that you'd brought dishonor on our house, on our name. I only agreed to help you because I thought you'd drag Theo through the council proceeding to teach him a lesson and then be smart and forgive him and take him back."
Ushna grunted under his breath and drew closer. Nathan looked at Ushna and said, "I didn't know what Theo had done."
I snorted in disgust at Nathan, causing him to look back at me.
"You told me what you saw and I didn't believe you. Since the blessing of Shamash, there has never been a recorded case of betrayal. It doesn't didn'thappen. I thought you misread what you saw, Tristan.
"You insisted on the Breaking and I saw the poisoning and I still didn't understand. You almost died…" Nathan's voice broke, tears flowing unchecked down his cheeks. "You were so sick and the only one you'd allow near you was Ushna, and then you left. Things started to come out about the people who slept with Theo. More came forward and by then it was too late. You were gone and you weren't talking to me. All these years, it's been Ushna who called and let us know you were okay. Until this last call…" Nathan's voice hitched again with emotion. "I thought…" Nathan crossed the room and went down on his knees in front of me. "I said terrible things and I thought you hated me. You can hate me as long as you're happy."
I ran my hands over my face, hiding my eyes and struggling to control my emotions. All this time I'd thought my brother believed me to be this horrible coward.
"Tristan, are you happy?"
I felt Ushna's comforting touch on the back of my head. Nathan gazed at me and tried to collect my thoughts.
I dropped my hands and looked at my elder brother. "I never hated you, Nate. I was hurt. It took so long to heal." I rubbed my hand soothingly on Ushna's thigh. "And yes, I'm extremely happy."
A wave of relief washed over Nathan's features and he laid his forehead on my knees and cried silently. I ran my hand over the his shoulders to calm him. Neesie knelt next to Nathan and wrapped a slender arm around him. We let him get it all out. Years of worry and fear were released. I may not have cried alongside my big brother, but it didn't mean I was unmoved. I'd already spent my time with silent sorrows and this didn't make me sad. I had my family back and I couldn't have been happier.
After Nathan wound down, he settled in a chair across from me and I took a good look at my brother. He'd always been handsome, but he'd gained a certain air about him it I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was a change in him that was tangible.
"Why are there so many warriors here?" Nathan asked, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room. I wished I had a little longer to enjoy having my brother back before we got into this. Ushna took my hand and Gregori rubbed the back of my neck. I might as well get this over with.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Nathan gave me a questioning glance as I stood and lifted my shirt to reveal the double helix of iridescent snakes on my torso. He paled so quickly I thought he was going to pass out. Neesie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide.
Nathan jumped up and grabbed my shirt, forcing it down. He tried to pull me toward the door.
"I need to get you out of here now. I have to hide you." Nathan was bordering on frantic.
I attempted to pull away from him but his grip was unyielding and he relentlessly dragged me toward the door.
"Nathan, stop!" I pried at his fingers.
"Let him go!" Ushna reached toward Nathan, but Nathan dodged him. He lifted me in a fireman's carry, momentarily driving the air out of me.
"Nathan!" Ushna roared. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the warriors in the hall block the doorway and Nathan's only way of escape.
"You don't understand, Ushna, I've got to get him to safety. He's in danger."
"So help me, Nathan, if you don't put Tristan down, related or not, I'll hurt you to get him back." My lover was going to tear my brother limb from limb if I didn't do something.
I could feel Nathan vibrating with tension under me. I awkwardly tried to rub his back. "Nate, bro, we're way past hiding. Please put me down. My guard won't let you leave with me."
"I made a promise, Tristan," Nathan pleaded.
"Nate, you're going to put me down and my guard will stay where they are. Corey, you hear that? The guard is to stay put. Nathan is only trying to protect me."
"I hear your command, Xenres," Corey replied.
Nathan sucked in his breath, "They know?"
I awkwardly patted Nathan's back again. "A lot has happened since I last spoke to you. Put me down and we'll talk about it."
Hesitantly, Nathan put my feet on the floor but before I could stand I was grabbed again. "What the fuck!"
Ushna and Gregori had me in the farthest corner from Nathan, both of them standing in front of me. I shoved at them.
"I'm not going to talk to my brother like this."
"He tried to take you," Ushna snarled.
"He was trying to protect me. He doesn't know what's going on," I reasoned.
"Three guards are to stay in the room if we go back to the couch."
Un-fucking-believable. I was negotiating to be able to sit down. "Fine!" I snapped. This was ridiculous.
After Corey stationed two of the guards in the room, Ushna let me go back to the couch and I had to contend with him and Gregori practically sitting on top of me, along with Corey hanging over my shoulder. I made myself breathe deeply a couple of times to keep from snapping at them. I knew everyone had my best interests at heart but come on! I wasn't the precious Hope diamond.
"Nathan, do you know what this is on my body?"
Nathan had gone from white to green. "That's the sign of the line of kings, the direct descendants of Enkidu, First of the Lycans, Servants of Shamash, and the God of Justice."
"Why did it show up now? Do you have one too? Why wasn't I told, though as you can see the cat is out of the bag now. Why did Father never claim his birthright? I thought the line of King's was broken three hundred years ago."
Ushna placed a hand on my arm, interrupting me. "If you don't stop asking questions, Nathan won't have a chance to respond."
I couldn't help it. There were so many things I needed to know. Neesie was holding Nathan's hand. When she noticed me looking, she glanced away quickly.
"What the hell! Am I the only one who didn't know?" I accused. "Neesie knew and I didn't!"
"I was nosy," Neesie said defensively, "I found Father's journal a couple of years ago, and I made Nathan explain it to me. It's not Nathan's fault, Tristan."
"Stop, Neesie. Tristan has every right to be angry." Nathan said, "I'll never be blessed with the Insignia of Enki. Only the firstborn of the royal line bears the mark."
My heart beat hard in my chest. I wasn't firstborn, I was second. Nathan was firstborn. I grabbed Ushna's hand as my chest constricted with pain. This was going to be much worse than I'd thought.
"I'm so sorry, Tristan," Nathan barely whispered. "You weren't to know, ever."
"I think you'd better start from the beginning." My voice was even, not betraying the vortex of emotions that was threatening to flatten me. I didn't mind now that Ushna and Gregori were practically sitting on top of me. Gregori took my other hand and squeezed gently.
"Father wasn't an only child. Everyone thought so because he wanted it that way. He was a secondborn twin. I remember seeing his brother, Ammar Javed Ksathra Janick, and Ammar's wife, Rebecca, twice. When they came to visit, Father reminded me to never speak about Ammar and Rebecca. I was too young to really understand the subterfuge that was going on, and Father explained it was dangerous to both us and them on the rare occasions when they stopped by. I did as Father bade and kept the knowledge that he had a brother to myself.
"The last time they came to the house, Ammar was badly hurt. He was dying and Rebecca was injured, as well as in labor. Ammar's personal guard had dropped them off and left. A group had been hunting Ammar who called themselves 'Abd-al-Majid,' the 'Servants of the Glorious One'. Father said they were assassins who'd been hunting the royal Enkidu line since Bahram Majeed Ksathra's reign.
"Father called Gregori's father, Kassian Borchetta, the only Magi he trusted who had some ability for healing. He hoped that Kassian would be able to save both Ammar and Rebecca.
"It was too late for Ammar and he died before you were born. Rebecca was brokenhearted. Your father was her Twin Flame, and when he passed she lost the will to live. She expired soon after she gave birth to you."
I was numb and didn't have the energy to react to his cruel words. "Kassian performed a spell while you were being born. Ammar had made Kassian promise he'd do the casting; if Kassian didn't, it would bring certain death to Ammar's heir. So Kassian did as promised and performed the spell that bound your powers and identity at birth.
"As I held you in my arms for the very first time, Father made me swear an oath I'd protect you with my life. I'd keep you safe and be ever vigilant against the assassins. Your life above mine. I was nine years old, Tristan, but I swore the oath and meant every word. I'll protect you, my King, until my dying day. None of this makes you any less our brother. We love you just the same. Goddess help me. Tristan, I'm so sorry."
"Why didn't you tell me after F-father died?" I could barely spit out the bitter words.
"Father believed you'd be in less danger if you didn't know. He wanted you to lead a normal life. Something Ammar couldn't have. Always moving. Always running from the assassins. Father wanted more for you."
"Well," Ushna said, "that explains the binding the Goddess found. It doesn't explain why it weakened and broke in the first place though."
Gregori looked to Ushna. "Actually, I think the Breaking weakened it. It says something about the spell if I couldn't detect it when the Breaking was performed. You couldn't smell it. I wonder if the binding had been with Tristan so long it camouflaged itself with Tristan's essence."
"Whatever it did, the spell was able to hide itself from the Goddess," Ushna replied.
I knew I should be paying more attention to the conversation, but I honestly couldn't have cared less at the moment. Who was I? I thought I was Tristan Javed Ksathra Janick, second son of Ramsey and Rose Janick, brother to Nathan and Neesie Janick. Mr. Average. I was none of these things and I felt as if I was adrift. What did this mean for Ushna and me? My tribe?
I wasn't going to go into hiding. I wasn't going to run. Ammar had run. He and his wife had still been caught and killed. But if I stayed in one place, wouldn't it make it easier for the assassins to find me? Could I find the assassins first? Either way, Ushna was in danger simply by being with me. I guess Nathan had one thing right about me. I was selfish. I wouldn't give up Ushna, and I'd kill anyone who tried to take him from me.
"Tristan." I looked up at Gregori. "You realize once the word gets out, people are going to be coming here to be near you. You're the first visible royal in over three hundred years."
"There will be those who will challenge your authority," Corey pointed out. "They won't believe you're king and will challenge you. I only have fourteen men. There is too much territory to cover to keep you safe. I need to put up cameras and perimeter sensors. I need more men."
I looked at Nathan. "I need access to my
inheritance."
"You inherited Ammar's accounts as well."
I stared at Nathan. A hundred things on the tip of my tongue and though I didn't say them, Nathan read them on my face.
"Ushna can give you our lawyer's name and number so you can get the transfer under way."
I rose from the couch. My bones felt old and brittle as I walked over to Neesie, who'd been curiously quiet through this whole ordeal. I gave her and Nathan quick affectionate kisses before turning to leave.
"I'm going to my office." My tone made it perfectly clear I didn't want company as I left the living room and the ugly revelations that changed everything about my life. My office was already broken. I reasoned that a few more broken things wouldn't matter before I got it cleaned up.