Taken (4 page)

She almost sobbed at the thought of potentially losing him, but she somehow held it back. Instead she focused on her next words. “Regardless, having her here is unacceptable. How safe is Legionnaire for her, when there are a slew of single male vampires that are desperate for females with the v factor? And even if you intend to wait until she's grown, how could she ever have any peace with something like that hanging over her head? It's not anyway for anyone to live, especially for a child. Just know this Kosmas. I won't tolerate her being placed in the market. Not now. Not
ever
.”

“You won't tolerate?” Kosmas repeated coolly, his head tilting as he surveyed her. Keely realized her mistake, but it was too late. She'd insulted his pride, not only as her mate, but as the leader of his people.
Their people.
“So not only do you lack faith in me to make honorable choices, but you think to take over the position of decision maker to the people of Golden Harbor?”

“You've left me little choice,” Keely replied, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she struggled for control. “I haven't found one thing you've said since her arrival to be reassuring. Where is your indignation? What is your solution? It's hard to have faith in someone that seems to be struggling when it comes to the fate of this girl.”

“You still don't get it, do you?” Kosmas ground out, staring at her coldly. “She can't go back. I won't allow her to return to a group of people so lacking in compassion that they'd doom a child in the manner that they did. That alone should reassure you, but it doesn't. And suddenly I wonder if pleasing you is even possible? In your current mindset, it doesn't seem likely. Sending her back is out of the question. Here on Legionnaire is where she will remain, regardless of whether or not I've worked out the details. You'll just have to trust me when I say she will be safe and protected. If you're able to.” He added on the last part bitterly.
Sarcastically.
Clearly, her words had stung him deeply.

Zander and the guard watched her with disapproving expressions on their faces. The girl sobbed quietly, no doubt terrified beyond belief. With the blindfold shielding her face, Keely found it even impossible to guess at her age, but judging from her height, she looked to be around ten. And finally, Keely forced herself to look at her mate again. The sweet and caring lover she knew was gone. In his place stood a cold, harsh vampire, a stranger with her mate's face. And in that moment, Keely knew she'd had enough.

“Let me know when you figure it out,” she retorted, refusing to reveal her pain in front of an audience. “In the meantime, though, make sure to find other accommodations. My door is locked to you until this is satisfactorily resolved.” She looked at the girl again, grimacing inside, before adding, “And maybe not even then.”

With that Keely spun around and walked out, ignoring the devastation she felt when he let her do it.

Kosmas watched her leave, his frustration building by the moment. With Christmas looming over his head, he'd wanted to make everything perfect for his mate. Instead, his carefully laid plans were falling down around his ears, and he had no idea how to stop it.

She'd even had the audacity to throw him out of his own bedroom, something that didn't sit well with Kosmas, especially with her ex-lover watching it all. His eyes narrowed at the empty doorway, the one she'd just disappeared through. His jaw ticked as he ground his teeth together, remaining still for all of a second. If his mate thought he'd allow her to have the last word, she had another thought coming.

“Escort the girl into one of the empty rooms in my wing and assign Cara to oversee her care,” he growled out, his heated blood pumping coarsely through his veins. There was only one way to fix his problem with his mate, and his shaft was already twitching in anticipation. “In fact, I want Cara to remain with the girl until I tell her differently.” He stopped thinking about Keely long enough to shoot a warning glance at each male before adding, “She's to be treated in the proper manner that we would treat any child of her age. She's not a concubine, and she's not to be considered one. Make sure that this is spread far and wide. Anyone found treating her any differently will be put to death. Do I make myself clear?”

“Of course,” Zander replied incredulously, his eyebrows raised high, while his guard vigorously nodded his head, a relieved expression on his face. They'd all been placed into an awkward position, but one that they should have been prepared for. Kosmas wouldn't put anything past the corrupted leaders of the mortal world. It was likely that the girl was just the first of several that would be sent. It made him sick.

Walking over to her, he squatted down to gently remove her blindfold. Big blue eyes stared up at him, rimmed red from crying. Kosmas muttered a curse, hating that the child had experienced so much fear, before glaring at his guard for blindfolding her. “Should this happen again,” he growled out. “Make damn sure you don't terrify the child before she reaches Legionnaire.”

“I'm sorry,” he sputtered out. “But in our defense, none of us knew what to do.”

“I understand that,” Kosmas replied, attempting to curtail his anger out of fear of scaring the girl in front of him. He sent her a small, reassuring smile before adding, “That's why you're still alive. Now get out of here and inform the rest of the guard of what I have told you. Zander will escort her to her room. You've done enough.”

“Y-yes,” the guard replied, all but running for the double doors that would lead him to the interconnecting hallway.

“So,” Kosmas said, his tone lightening considerably. “Where was I? Oh, yes,” he continued, patting the girl awkwardly on the head. “My name is Kosmas, and I'm the leader here. I'm sorry that you had such a scary trip to our world, but here on Legionnaire, it's really not so bad. In many ways, our world is very similar to Earth. I hope that one day you will consider it home.”

Kosmas knew he was rambling, but what else could he do? His experience with children was very limited. He was much more comfortable in a battlefield.

The child remained quiet for a moment, studying him with her wide eyes. After a moment, she nodded as she asked, “Are you a king?”

Zander chuckled softly behind him as Kosmas considered it. “Yes, I suppose in a way I am,” he agreed quietly. “And because of my position, I can assure you that you will be safe. In a moment, I'm going to have Zander to escort you to your new room. After that, you'll be joined by Cara. I think you will like her. Cara will see about getting you some new clothing and food. Before you go, though, can you tell me your name?”

“Abby,” the girl murmured quietly. “I'm thirteen years old.”

Kosmas and Zander exchanged surprised glances. As small as she was, she could have passed for someone much younger. He wondered when her last good meal had been. “It's nice to meet you, Abby,” he replied, coming to his feet. “Are you ready to go with Zander? After your trip, I'm sure you must be hungry and tired. We will speak again soon, though.”

“Okay,” she replied, with a shrug. The fear was gone from her youthful face, much to Kosmas' relief. Still, he couldn't help but wonder at what tribulations she'd already experienced in her short life. Too many, if the sadness in her eyes was any indication. It made him want to rage at the leaders that let the children of their world suffer so. Unfortunately, Earth was full of orphans, their parents dead from disease or hunger. It was a sad state of affairs.

At that moment, Brownie chose to make an appearance, his nose low to the ground as he ran in Kosmas' direction. He wore a red ribbon tied into a bow around his neck, with a bell attached that jingled as he ran.
Even the dog wasn't safe from Keely's Christmas spirit.

“A dog,” Abby exclaimed, her face lit up with happiness.

“His name is Brownie,” Kosmas explained as the dog stopped next to him, his tail wagging as he stared at the girl. “Would you like for him to go with you, and help you adjust to your new lodgings?”

Abby nodded, sending him a small smile. For some reason, Kosmas thought they were probably rare. It made him sad for the child. “When you're ready for him to leave, just set him outside of the door. He knows the palace well. He'll have no problems finding his way back to me.”

She reached down to tentatively pet him. Brownie immediately rolled over, a silent demand for a belly rub. The dog was notorious for those. His preferred method of greeting someone was stomach up, and he wasn't above pressing the issue to make sure his needs were attended to. There was no doubt about it. The dog was spoiled, and he'd just found another willing body to lavish attention on him.

Zander gently took the girl's hand to lead her down the hallway. Kosmas trusted him wholeheartedly to see to Abby's comfort. “Brownie, go with Zander,” Kosmas ordered, but it wasn't necessary. The dog trotted happily behind them as they left, without a backward glance.

For once, Brownie's desertion didn't bother him. In fact, he was glad his pet had something to occupy his time. Shit was about to hit the proverbial fan when he saw his mate, and he didn't need any distractions.

*

After returning back to their rooms, Keely sat in the chair in front of the fireplace. She felt empty and drained after their confrontation, her thoughts slow and lethargic. Kosmas' words and reaction, even the way he'd stared at her with an expression of distaste on his attractive face, had devastated her. The pain within her was indescribable, obliterating every other emotion that she might have felt.

Why did it have to happen at Christmas?
It was her favorite holiday, but it was so much more. What she'd been planning with Kosmas was a dream come true, at least for her. It represented the fulfillment of her deepest fantasy, a tradition that she could anticipate for the rest of her life.

How many years had she secretly hoped to one day find love, just to have reality prove that is was nothing more than an unrealistic notion? As an adult, Christmas had always proven to be the hardest time of the year for her to get through. Not only did she miss her family, but it was a cold and stark reminder that she was alone. And during those lonely, dark nights of the holiday, when there was no food or electricity, she'd cried, wishing for something completely different. In her fantasies, she was happy, with a handsome man that loved her, and the warmth that came from being with friends and those that cared. Together, the holidays would be an endless time of joy, celebrations, and peace, complete with food and gifts. And after the evenings would end, the long midnight hours would began. In her lover's arms, her Christmas would be complete.

And with Kosmas, she'd allowed herself to believe that her dream might finally see fruition. The upcoming Christmas celebration meant more to her than even Kosmas knew. But it had blown up in her face. The following night was Christmas Eve, and their relationship couldn't be any bleaker.

The baby inside of her kicked again, reminding her there was more at stake than just their relationship. Pretty soon, they wouldn't just be mates. They would be a family. She wanted it to be a happy one, but their disagreement was a serious one. And the fact that his men had taken a mortal child disturbed her deeply.

The doorknob rattled, the sound loud in the quietness of the room. Keely jumped, anticipation washing over her before quickly changing to dismay. She wasn't prepared to face Kosmas, not yet. The events of the evening were still too fresh to her, his utter disregard of her feelings too grating. She came to her feet before turning to face the sturdy door. “Go away,” she yelled petulantly. “You've already made your feelings pretty clear. I don't want a repeat, at least not tonight.”

Kosmas didn't demand she let him in, nor did he even try the doorknob again. Instead, the tall wooden door came crashing in, revealing the furious vampire standing in front of it. His dark eyes flashed with anger as they briefly rested upon her as he stepped in, his mouth set in a tight line.

Without saying a word, he picked up the door. It dwarfed him by several feet, but he carried it easily. Turning back to the opening, he rammed it in. Surprisingly, it held, blocking out anyone that might have been curious enough to peek in from the hallway. It looked horrible, though. Even the frame would have to be replaced.

Keely stared at him with an aghast expression on her face. “You're going to have to take it back off,” she informed him, waving her hand at the ruined door. “Because you decided to put it back with your body on the wrong side of it. I meant what I said, Kosmas. You're not sleeping here with me tonight.”

The very air in the room changed. As he stared at her he slowly started to advance, his steps measured. “Who said anything about sleeping?” The anger in his eyes changed to determination, everything about his body, from the sensual twist of his lips to his walk, screaming seduction. Kosmas had a dangerous air about him, but it wasn't fear that filled her. It was lust, and her arousal was increasing by the second.

“Stop,” she ordered him, her voice low, sounding more like a plea than a protest. She held up a trembling hand, as if it would be enough to ward him off. Even from a distance, Kosmas had the ability to storm her defenses. Up close, she wouldn't stand a chance.

He didn't comply. “You're my mate,” he informed her harshly, as if she needed a reminder. Instead of pulling her to him, he slowly walked around her, stopping at her back. “Your blood runs in my veins, just like mine runs in yours. Yet you want to deny me, to cast me from my bedchambers like a piece of trash?” His hand wound in her hair, easing her head back to expose her throat. “Never.”

Kosmas lowered his head, the edge of his fangs brushing against her skin pleasurably. Keely shivered, but she was no longer cold. In fact, she'd never felt hotter. “I won't accept this,” she warned him.

“Oh, but you will,” he grated. “You'll accept every hard inch, and you'll beg for more. And after it's over you'll apologize, and you will give me your word that you'll never behave like that again, especially in front of others.”

“So this is punishment?” Keely spat, yanking her head away from his mouth. At least as much as she could. His hand was very effective at holding her in place. “I'll never apologize for protesting against the girl being taken. And I'll never forgive you for humiliating me in front of your men like that. For God's sake, Kosmas, she's just a child. How can you even condone such a thing?”

Kosmas released her hair, spinning her around to face him with a speed that made her gasp. “And how could you ever believe that your mate, the man that you agreed to share an eternity with, could be such a vile creature? Had you shown me just a little bit of faith or trust, I would have been happy to convince you of my decision to keep her here. But you didn't, did you? No, instead you decided to humiliate me as a leader, and yourself in the process.”

He didn't release her. His fingers tightened around her upper arms, like thick bands of steel. “Her name is Abby,” he informed her, his voice harsh. “She's thirteen years old, and she's an orphan. She has no family to return to. There is nobody in your past world to keep her safe, nobody to protect her from the way of living that still makes you cry out in your sleep. But you, you would condemn her to that?”

“No-” Keely protested, but he cut her off as his face bore down into hers.

“I'm not done,” Kosmas bit out. “You have a rather bad habit of speaking before you think, don't you? Be thankful that there were only two there, and both men are loyal to me. Had more vampires witnessed your little outburst, you would have made a laughingstock out of us. My right to rule could have even been challenged. Vampires aren't human, Keely, and after all this time, you should have realized this. My word is law, and it's expected that my mate will comply with my wishes. In public, we have to remain united, or it makes me weak. Do you want my leadership to be challenged?”

Keely shook her head. “No, of course not. I'm sorry about her circumstances, and I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions, but it doesn't change the fact that you treated me like dirt. What about my feelings, Kosmas? I mean, you acted as if I should have read your mind or something. I deserved an explanation, but I didn't get it. I still haven't. You hurt me. Badly. I can't just get over it in an instant, and I can't even begin to try until you give me some kind of reassurance. I have to know what your plans are for her. Otherwise, I don't see our problems getting resolved, not any time soon.”