Taken (7 page)

A large golden cage was carried out, as the conversations ceased. A woman stood inside, a beautiful black-haired female with wide almond-shaped eyes. She gripped the bars tightly, as she stared out with a defiant expression on her face. Keely inhaled, the expression sending her back to the night she'd arrived. The look on the other female's face, the determination in her eyes, reminded Keely of herself, and the desperation she'd once felt.

Two guards balanced the cage in between them. The concubine rattled the bars roughly. Although she was small, it was clear she was a fighter. And despite Keely's dislike of her confinement, she could see where her mate was coming from.

The guard's set the cage down, but one of them didn't release their fingers in time. The concubine launched herself at his hand, biting down with a force that was surprising. The guard screeched as he fought to free himself, much to the amusement of the vampires around him. Finally he succeeded, backing away from the cage as quickly as he could.

The concubine watched him with an expression of disdain, blood dripping down her chin. With just her teeth alone, she'd nearly severed the guard's finger. Kosmas made a funny sound in the back of his throat before adding, “See what I mean? She's feral. I'm not sure it's safe to unleash her on one of my guards. She might unman him.”

He motioned for the musicians to start up again. The amphitheater quickly filled with the sounds of Christmas music. Keely rolled her eyes. “Please,” she muttered. “I don't think one human female is likely to do much damage to a vampire, especially one of your guards.”

Kosmas laughed.

The concubines began to mingle, all except for the one in the cage. “How do you expect her to find a mate, though?” Keely asked thoughtfully. “I don't see her accepting someone, especially if she's this mad. Do you want me to talk to her?”

Kosmas frowned, his expression suddenly serious. “Absolutely not,” he forbid her, his voice low. “From what my guards have reported, she's dangerous. Do you really think I'd let my pregnant mate around her?”

“She's not dangerous, she's scared,” Keely argued. “At one time, I was in the same situation, remember?”

“No, you're not anything like her,” he rebuked, gently. “She's lashing out at everyone, something you would have never done. She refuses to see sense, choosing instead to constantly attack everyone that has tried to assist her. Let's just wait and see how this evening plays out. Maybe one of our single vampires will approach her and ease her fear. I promise you, I won't let her come to harm.”

“I know,” Keely replied, smiling softly at her mate. And she meant it. “It's one of the many reasons why I love you. Deep inside, you're just a big softie.”

He grunted, his eyes flashing at her choice of words. “I'll have you know, there's nothing soft about me, woman.” Kosmas' upper lip curled, as if he found the thought extremely offensive. Keely laughed out loud. Her mate couldn't imagine being anything less than the manliest of vampires. Fortunately for them both, he never would be.

The next hour passed by quickly. As it drew to a close, an air of expectation seem to come over the crowd. “What's going on?” Keely asked Kosmas, frowning.

“It's time for the concubines to make their choices,” he replied, lifting her hand to press a kiss against her wrist. “And I can't wait. As much as I've enjoyed this, I'm eager to get back to our rooms.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, leaving no doubt to his meaning.

They watched as the concubines lined up. They stood next to the golden cage, since the stage was no longer there. Keely swallowed hard, a sense of foreboding making her stomach churn. The concubine inside of the cage hadn't softened, not by a bit.

The women quickly made their choices before stepping away with their new mates. Finally, it came down to the Asian beauty. Olivia turned to Kosmas, a helpless expression on her face. As coordinator of the markets, she was expected to oversee it all. Clearly, she had no idea on how to proceed, not when it came to the last concubine.

Kosmas sighed before coming to his feet, a hard expression on his face. Keely knew that look well. Her mate would do what had to be done, even if he didn't necessarily like it. After witnessing the violent behavior of the concubine, she was curious to see how he would handle it.

“Concubine,” he called down to the cage. “Have you selected a mate?”

“Fuck you, vampire,” she responded, her small body stiff, as if she were prepared to fight. “I'll never pick one of you as my mate, you inhuman bastards. What kind of people are so desperate that they have to steal women? I'll die before I give myself to one of you... or he'll die first.”

“Your words have condemned you,” Kosmas replied coldly. He slowly stared out across the crowd, his black eyes flitting from male to male with a speculative expression on his face. “You'll be mated tonight, be it of your own choosing or mine. And since you've decided to be foolish, I'll be only too happy to pick someone for you.”

The amphitheater was silent. Even the concubine didn't speak, although she continued to glare at Kosmas. Keely stood up without even realizing it. She refused to believe that Kosmas would unite two strangers for an eternity, especially when the concubine was completely unwilling.

All of a sudden, Zander stepped up. His wig, hat, and beard were gone, although he still wore the red costume. It was his eyes that held Keely's attention, though, and the grim expression on his clean-shaven face. There was nothing warm about what she saw in his eyes, nothing of the kind, loyal vampire he'd once been. If anything, Zander looked cold and cruel.

“I'll take her,” he announced, in a low tone of voice that sent chills shooting down Keely's spine.

“To mate her?” Kosmas asked incredulously, his black eyebrows arched. It was the last thing any of them had expected to hear.

“No,” Zander replied firmly, slowly shaking his head as he locked eyes with the concubine. “To break her.”

A Note From Desiree Broussard
:

This book is the last book in season one!

Season two will be Zander's story. You will still get some updates on Keely and Kosmas, but the main focus of this series will shift over to Zander as he pursues his own mate.

I've also got a series planned for this universe, but it will not be on Legionnaire. You see, there's another planet close by, and not unlike the vampires, they are facing their own extinction. This world is home to a whole other set of paranormal creatures... and they play by their own set of rules. Look for this series to release in January 2015.

To get updates, please sign up to follow my blog (by email is the best way) at:
http://authordesireebroussard.wordpress.com/

I hope that you enjoyed this Christmas read, and I hope that you and yours have a wonderful holiday season!

Until we meet again...

Desiree Broussard