Soren's Bondmate (7 page)

"You should have told me the moment you grew tired."

"I didn't know I was tried and besides I wanted to please you."

"You will please me by not endangering yourself again."

"Alright." She scooted off his lap. "We can return to the clearing after we eat and you can practice some more."

"No. Today you will teach me to link my mind with yours." He stood, took her hand and led her toward the bathing chamber.

"Really? That's wonderful," Skye said, excited. "That will make us very powerful and we'll know each other's needs."

"And, I will know when you tire."

Skye jerked her hand from his. "I'll be the judge of that. Remember?"

# # #

Soren pulled the brush through Skye's hair from the crown of her head to the golden tips. With each stroke she hummed with pleasure and slumped a little more on his knees until she swayed with relaxation. He smiled, steadied her with a hand on her shoulder and ran the brush through her hair again. She tipped her head back, sent him a dreamy smile and puckered her lips. He kissed her then set the brush aside, divided her hair into three thick lengths, braided it and tied it off with a leather cord.

She collapsed against him, her legs dangling on either side of his as she raised her arms and hooked her hands behind his neck. The move lifted her breasts into the air. He took it as an invitation and slid his hands over them, feeling her nipples harden beneath his palms. He kissed her forehead and a small wisp of blue mist formed between them.

Skye stirred her finger through it then sat up, turned around, straddled his lap and faced him. "I've been thinking about this mating fever. I think there might be a way for us to control it." She stroked her hands down his face and sent him a shy smile. "Not that I mind being chased by you but I think we're the kind of people who like to be in control. Right?"

Soren nodded. "How do we control it?"

"When the mating fever spikes you get hot and I get cold. I need you to warm me and you need me to cool you. A mutual need, right?"

"Yes."

"Linking our minds is another mutual need. It makes me feel safe and it makes you a better fighter. I think if we're linked it would give us a way to control your fever and decide when we want to be together, physically that is." She shrugged and gave him a questioning look. "What do you think?"

"It's worth a try." He grasped her waist and adjusted her on his lap then brushed his hand over his arm where the blue mist was beginning to form. "My fever's increasing. How are you feeling?"

"Chilled." She pressed the back of her hand against his cheek. "See?"

He took her hand, grabbed the other one and chafed them between his, warming them. "Okay, let's try this. What do I do?"

"I'm going to link my mind with yours. Your natural instinct will be to put up a guard. When that happens try to open your mind instead."

Soren nodded and a few nano-units later he heard his name spoken but Skye's lips didn't move. Before he could control his reaction he jerked back away from her and the link was broken. "You said my name."

Skye smiled. "Yes. Do you want to try again?"

"Yes."

"Okay, this time I'm going to ask a question. See if you can send me the answer."

He relaxed, opened his mind and concentrated. A moment later he smiled and thought, "Thirty-two. How old are you?"

"Twenty-six." Skye smiled. "How do you feel now that we're connected? Fever still increasing?"

Soren held out his arm. The blue mist was gone. "Seems to be working. Let's break the link and see if my fever increases again."

Skye broke the link. "If your fever increases then we'll know keeping our minds linked will control it."

She started to scoot off his lap but he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her toward him. "Stay. I like having you close."

Smiling, she slid forward and rested against his chest with her head on his shoulder. "You make me so happy, Soren."

He held her for a few moments then set her up and held her in place with his hands on her shoulders. "Look at me."

Skye looked at him then laughed and answered Soren's unspoken question. "Yes, I can conjure meat." She waved her hand and a platter appeared on the table next to them. It held several kinds of braised meats. She pointed to one. "This meat comes from a mammal that lives on Tundra. It can be domesticated and milked. The milk can be made into cheese." She pointed to the second meat. "This is a fowl that lives here." A basket of fruit, bread and cheese appeared next to it. "Water, milk, or juice?"

"Water."

She conjured water for him and milk for herself before she picked up a piece of bread, put a slice of meat on it and offered it to him.

Soren took a bite while he maintained the mind link with her. "How long can we stay in each other's mind?"

"As long as we like. Once linked it doesn't really take any effort to stay that way. Blocking a thought takes more effort." Skye popped a small fruit into her mouth, chewed it then swallowed. "Would you like me to teach you to block a thought now?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Your memory is still blank so you can't block anything from the past so you'll have to think of something you don't want me to know right now. When I try to find it then you try to build a barrier around it to keep it from me."

"What kind of barrier?"

"Something like a wall to keep me out."

"How will you know if I've thought of something?"

Skye laughed. "I won't but you'll feel it when I find it. It will feel like a touch, like this." She touched her fingertip to his cheek.

"Okay, I'm ready."

Skye smiled while she searched his mind. The only memories she found were the ones he'd made since he'd woken up in the shelter and a few hazy images of several people and two twin boys. She continued her search then finding nothing more she withdrew. "I saw a warrior who looked like you but he had gray eyes. He was with twin boys."

"I think the male is my brother and the boys are his sons. Did you find anything else?"

"No."

Soren smiled, wrapped his arms around her and stood up.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He laughed. "If you'd read my thoughts you'd know." He hugged her, carried her to the bed and lowered her onto it before he dropped down over her. "Kiss me."

"I thought we'd controlled your fever."

"We did. This is just me wanting you."

# # #

Two units later Soren held Skye while she slept. A quick smile curved his lips as she dreamt about an argument she'd had with her brother when they were younger. In the dream Berit chased her but every time he got close she threw up a krystal barrier and he ran into it, bounced off and hit the ground on his butt. She'd laughed and taken off again while he shook his fist at her and climbed to his feet.

He was still smiling when the dream changed and a wave of sorrow blindsided him. Now Berit stood next to Skye with his arms around her while she wept. A stone monument with the images of two people carved on it stood in front of them and he knew instantly that these were her parents and she was mourning their loss. He tightened his arms around her and nuzzled her cheek. "It's okay. I'm here."

Skye sighed and the dream changed to a scene in a partially burned building where she huddled in a corner while three males approached her. Two of them grabbed her while the third tried to inject her with something. She screamed and fought, slowing them down long enough for Berit and several other warriors to appear and deal with the three assailants.

Seeing the memory of those males touching her and knowing what they intended to do to her enraged him. Before he could control himself a growl of rage left his lips and Skye jerked and let out of small gasp. Disgusted with himself for upsetting her he caressed her back until she relaxed again and the dream changed.

Now, she, Berit, the warriors who'd fought off the attackers, and several females sat around inside a shelter, eating and talking. Lightening lit up the sky around them but the sound of thunder was blocked by the walls as sheets of rain rolled down them obscuring the view of the outside area. One of the warriors moved closer to Skye and put his arms around her. She leaned against him and smiled at whatever he said to her.

A spike of jealousy stabbed into Soren. Who and what was the male to her? Was he someone she cared about? Had she considered taking him as a mate? If so then why hadn't she?

He pulled her closer until her breasts flattened against his chest and one of her legs slid between his. He hadn't chosen her, but she belonged to him now and no other male would touch her ever again. He was tempted to wake her and demand she tell him what this male was to her.

A small grin settled on his lips as he chose another method and slipped into her mind again and asked, "Who is this male who holds you?"

"Mijel."

"What is he to you?"

"The son of my father's sister. He's one of my warriors."

"Your warriors?"

"Yes, when a krystal conjurer or enchantress is born into a family the males form a fighting unit and protect her."

"You can make krystal for them?"

"Yes, because like Berit they're related to me. We're very lucky though as we have two more conjurers in our family, Raina and Zanlie."

"They're mated?"

"Yes, but remember they can conjure krystal for not only their mate but any warrior who is related to them."

"How many warriors are in your unit?"

"Berit and his five warriors plus Raina, her mate, Jerret, and her brother, Dalon and their ten warriors and last of all there's Zanlie, her mate Byler, her brother Tyvon and their ten warriors. Oh, and Mijel." Skye thought for a moment then said, "Thirty-five including you."

There was a small pause then Skye asked out loud, "Soren, are you ready to go to sleep now?"

"You're awake?"

"You woke me with your questions."

"I thought I was being covert."

She shook with laughter then leaned up and kissed him. "I was dreaming about something that happened in the past. You weren't there so when you began asking questions it woke me."

"You could have told me you were awake," he grouched, irritated to be caught spying on her memories.

"I was enjoying your questions." She smiled. "You didn't like Mijel touching me."

He rolled her onto her back and hovered over her. "Does it please you to know this?"

Skye slid her hands over his shoulders, hooked them behind his head and tugged. When his lips met hers she said, "Yes. As much as it pleases you to know how much I want you."

Thirty cycles later Skye sat on the flat top of a large boulder while Soren threw white krystal toward a target at the far end of the sheltered valley. He hit it and another shard appeared in his hand. Before she could blink it was on its way toward the target in a blur of motion.

Soren smiled then climbed onto the boulder and sat down behind her with his legs on either side of her. He tugged her back until she leaned against him and rested her arms on his drawn up knees.

"Tell me how you fight other krystal warriors," he said.

"It depends. If we're all together we form a triangle with me, Raina and Zanlie at the points. The warriors stand in lines between us and cast krystal at the enemy."

"The females should be in the center where they'd be protected."

Skye shook her head. "No, we each take a side and protect the warriors from the krystal that's thrown at them. Since you can throw dark krystal you'll be placed in the center. From there you can turn and defend us from every direction."

"What happens if two dark krystal warriors meet?"

"They either both withdraw or only one walks away alive."

"Could we be ambushed?"

"No. Enchantresses can sense the presence of other conjurers and enchantresses. Also, the majority of the Crimeryn's conjurers and enchantresses were abducted from Edyn and mated against their will. They broadcast their presence in hopes that they'll be rescued."

"They can be freed from their mate and live?"

"Yes, if you kill him since the mating was forced."

"What happens if a mated enchantress is abducted?"

"It depends," Skye said. "If the person who abducted her tries to mate with her it would kill her. If he didn't touch her then she'd live for a while until she grew weak and died." She brushed her hands over his arms. "You don’t have to worry though because only the enchantress dies. Her mate doesn't."

"You said enchantresses lived and died with their warrior," Soren reminded her.

"If he dies then she dies because she needs him to sustain her."

Soren tipped her back and stared into her eyes. "You will not die. Ever. I demand this."

"Soren—."

"You will never be taken from me but if you are you will know—I care about you and you will survive until I come for you."

Skye stroked her hand over his cheek. "Soren."

"Say this. Say you will survive." He knew he was being unreasonable but just the thought of her death sent him into a blind panic and he felt the urgent need to mark her as his. Without thinking he grabbed one of her hands, held it tight and reached for the band on his arm. He squeezed it and it slid down his arm and onto hers then after a moment it split into two bands. He slid the wider one back onto his arm then put the second band on her other arm. "I claim you and wherever you go my bands will remind you that you belong to me. Now, promise me."

Skye touched the bands on her arms then placed her hand on his chest. "How'd you know the bands would split apart like that?"

"I don't know. It just felt right to do it."

Skye leaned forward, kissed him and sent him a flirty grin as she ran her finger down his chest, circled his navel with a fingertip and traced a path down to his cock. "Your memory is coming back. Let's celebrate."

Soren caught her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Don't think you're getting out of promising me to survive. Now, say it."

Skye narrowed her eyes. "You can't make me."

Soren grinned then flipped her over his lap, pushed her cloak out of the way and swatted her bottom three times. "Promise me."