Ultimate Passage: New Beginnings: Box Set ( Books 1-4) (38 page)

B
arz looked at his brother
. He’d spent what felt like a lifetime hating Corzine for Alina’s death. He almost lost two people with her death, for he had been surely working on losing his brother, forcing Corzine toward taking his own life with his fury and silent accusations. Barz was lucky that Corzine had not taken his life because of what happened with Alina. He knew Corzine had thought of it. He had seen it in his eyes.

He nodded at Corzine, put his arm around his brother. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, barely containing his emotions.

The redheaded Taya, her blue eyes rimmed with red-shot whites, had tears that were ready to flow. She was clearly as taken with the tragedy of their situation. Her hair, down to her waist, half of it had come out of the braid she’d put it into sometime during the day.

He put his other arm out, almost on instinct, to give her comfort. She was stiff in his embrace, next to Corzine. He held them both tightly. The brother he’d almost lost, and the woman he was beginning to have fierce feelings for.

For Kormic twins to marry, both had to agree on a mate. He was certain that Corzine would agree. Especially after what he just said, that he’d had feelings for only one other woman, other than Alina. He knew it had to be Taya. The one Barz wanted.

The one Barz wanted for himself.

The one he did not want to share. Not even with his brother.

The woman he could not have because his culture demanded that he and Corzine agree on a mate and both have her. Corzine may agree to Taya, but Barz could never agree with sharing her. He’d shared everything with Corzine, all of his life, from the time they shared their mother’s womb. He would share anything. He would share his last breath with Corzine. But he could not share this redheaded woman who displayed her emotions on her shimmering skin. He would rather deny himself the pleasure of having her with him than to share her.

He swallowed the bitterness of his feelings for her. He would have to find a way to deny himself this woman. He did not want to admit it, that he could not share her. He could not bear the idea of his brother’s hands being on her, exploring her curves. The thought of his brother’s cock piercing her body made Barz want to roar in anguish. The only way to avoid that happening would be to deny any attraction to her.

He inhaled the redhead’s scent. Taya, he let her name roll in his mind, not allowing his lips to give life to his feelings.

Taya pulled back, looked at Corzine and him. “I have a question.” This she addressed to Barz.

Corzine pulled away, sat on the stone bench.

Taya’s breath was soft on Barz’s arm, she looked up at him and it was everything he could do not to seize her lips captive within his own. It was as if they were the only two on Kormia. Not one else, nothing else.

He would have to leave the building tonight, if not to get release, at least to get away, to let the demons in him that wanted her so badly to find peace.

“Ask.” He grunted the word out, afraid she would read the desire he had for her.

“Earlier, you had a dispute with the Kormic. After Marni—” She tucked a lock of hair that kept drifting to her cheek behind her ear. “What was that dispute about?”

Barz looked at Corzine, unsure how much he should tell the redhead, unsure if his brother would fill in what he did not. “He thought the right place for you and Corzine would be in the keep at night.”

“What’s the keep?”

“It is a locked and guarded dwelling. Designed for prisoners.”

“What? Why? Why would they want to put me, or even Corzine in the keep?”

“You, because you are Asazi. Corzine, because he is blamed—has assumed responsibility—for what has happened to Alina, so he is to blame, in their eyes. And because they were not sure he would not try to assist you.” He looked away. “As your mate.”

She pulled away from him. Barz was actually surprised she’d stayed as long as she did. Her pulse beat furiously in her temple while she was in his arms. He did not know if it was because of Corzine or himself or some other combination or reason.

She crossed her arms over her heaving chest, her breathing ragged, agitated, jaw jutting forward in anger. “As? My? Mate?” She began that incessant pacing she did which drove him crazy. Mostly because every time she turned, her hips twitched in a certain way that made him want to throw her against the wall and take her from behind.

Barz tried to explain. “When he said you were to be kept in the keep because you were Asazi, I—” He rubbed the spines on his head, running his fingers over the knobs, massaging his temples. “I told him you were our mate. To prevent them from putting you in the keep.”

She stopped her stalking, clenched her fists. “I do not know if I should thank you or hit you.”

He shrugged. “First, when I said you were our mate, he wanted to put Corzine in with you. They agreed to let us stay here, on the provision that I vouch for you.”

“And did you?”

She looked so angry, so insulted, he could not help the laugh that erupted from his mouth. The sound of his own laughter was so foreign to him, for a moment, he gave pause.

T
aya’s body
still reacted to having been in such close proximity to him. Her soft rose color of desire became orange when he laughed. Why was he laughing at her?

Then it hit her. His laughter. A sound so foreign, she hadn’t even given it a second thought.
He had laughed.
She’d never heard him laugh before. She’d seen him smile, once or twice, at his nephew, Feroz. But laughter? Never.

Wait. Maybe she’d misheard him. Her head spun from all the information he’d dumped on her. “You told them that I’m Corzine’s mate?”

“Our mate.” Corzine interjected. A wry smile on his face. “He told them you are
our
mate. It’s the Kormic way with twins.”

A look of fury passed over Barz’s face. And before she could react to that or find out why, Corzine stood and continued.

“It was actually very smart.” Corzine paid tribute to Barz.

“No. No it was not smart. Not at all. Have you two lost your minds?” She rubbed her hands through her tangled braid, let it loose and began to unravel the plait. Nervous energy, probably. “Is that why we are in this cabin, with one bed?”

“You do not need to worry.” Barz’s voice was gruff. “I will not spend the night here.”

Taya trusted Corzine. He had never given her a reason not to. But they weren’t at their camp. She felt nervous. And all this mating talk . . . “Oh, the curses you will not spend the night here. You absolutely will. You will not leave me here, alone, unchaperoned with your brother.”

“You think I would make a good chaperone?” Barz’s voice was low as he stepped close to her.

Too close. His eyes drilled into hers, his face inches away. She backed up into the wall, he stepped closer. She felt her body and face growing warm and knew the telltale color was showing, without looking at her arms or needing anyone to tell her.

He put an arm on each side of her, trapping her in, while he came closer. His eyes bored into her, straight into her soul, his breath warm against her cheek. “I think I would make a very poor chaperone. Probably fall asleep on the job—or something.” Barz’s voice was low, dangerous. His hips were fingers length away from hers. She fought the urge to look down, to see . . .

Taya took a deep breath to get composure, to break his spell, then lowered herself a few inches, ducked under his arm, and whirled away. “Maybe I need both of you to be chaperones.”

His hand caught her arm, stopping her egress. “It could be that . . . since we are both your mates . . .”

She gasped. Oh, she had not thought of that. No, not at all.

His chuckle was sensuous, sexy. “We are both
pretending
to be your mates after all.”

She wrenched free from his grasp. “Do not toy with me, Barz.” She put her hands on her hips, turned to face Corzine. “Have you nothing to say?”

Corzine scratched at his head, his fingers moving between the spikes, as if he were deep in thought. “He kept us out of the keep.” He turned away, as if there were other things he had to worry about.

She glared at Barz. He gave her a slow wink, then turned and walked out of the only door. Was she a prisoner here? What was she supposed to do? Would the Kormic still help? Still go out looking for Cinia tomorrow?

“Corzine?”

He turned her way.

“Where did you and Barz and Alina live?”

“Here. It’s customary in our culture. The men go live with the tribe of the woman they take as their mate.”

She had so many questions. “Was it tough? Sharing a woman? Could you ever do that again?” Yes, she had a personal reason for asking, but she didn’t want him to know that. She barely wanted to admit to it herself.

“It was not difficult.” He cocked his head, studying her. “Ah, I see. I forgot about your time with Saraz. Yes, I see what you are asking.”

She blushed, her arms turned the color of dark reddish-pink. She was tongue-tied. She shouldn’t have insinuated or probed. It was really none of her business. None at all.

He continued, “We do not share the bed. Not in that way. We were rarely home at the same time. There was never an issue.”

“No jealousy?”

“Between Barz and I? No, why would there be?”

“I am not sure I could share someone, in that way. To know that there is another person doing the same things with them, maybe differently, maybe better.”

“I never thought of it because I grew up knowing. And in Alina we found a woman that we both cared for deeply. And she for us.” He patted her shoulder. “You are Asazi. You will never have to worry about that.”

“Never?” She fought to keep the sadness from her voice. Not because she’d ever want two men, but because she wasn’t sure that what she wanted from a man would be Asazi.

M
arissa nodded
. “Yes Finn. He was talking to me. He is worried that he will not be able to be there or to see the baby.”

“What he is worried about does not concern me. I have no interest in making Saraz happy.”

A soft knock on the already open door interrupted them. Marissa wasn’t sure if she was glad about that or not. She had to get Finn to see her side of this, else they would have too many problems. Problems like not getting to return to Earth.

Norn peeked his head around the corner. “I am not disturbing you?”

Finn grunted. Marissa shook her head, no.

“I overheard you. I did not plan to, I was coming to speak with both of you, but I can see that you were discussing the very topic that I was going to discuss with you.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed. Marissa’s curiosity was piqued. What would Norn want to discuss about Saraz?

Norn put his hand on Finn’s shoulder. “I know this has been a lot. Finding me alive, having Saraz be such an intrusive part of your life.”

Finn nodded.

“And now to learn that everything we grew up knowing about our people, about the Kormic, about our god, our religion, our origins . . .” Norn stopped talking. As if he were waiting for Finn to speak.

The pause became long, very extended. Marissa wanted to interject something into the silence. She could not handle the uncomfortableness, but she did not know what to say. This was something that Finn had to deal with, and the one who was best equipped to help him was Norn. She looked at his father, beseeching him with her eyes to help his son, to help the man she loved.

Norn took a deep breath. “You intend to go to Earth, and not to return. To live on Earth with Marissa and your child. As the stories on Earth say, happy ever after. That’s correct?”

Finn frowned, as if it were a trick question. “No. I plan to get Ali and bring her back here to get you. Then I plan to not return. And live with Marissa, my child, you and Raiza and Feroz.”

“And if I asked you not to return? Not to bring Ali back? To leave me here?”

Finn slapped a closed fist into his open palm.

Marissa jumped from the resounding smack.

Finn put his arm around her. “Sorry. I did not mean to alarm you.”

Her pulse raced uncontrollably. She raised a shaky hand to her temple, rubbing it. “It’s okay.”

“No. It is not. And I did not mean for that outburst to happen.” He turned a steely glare toward Norn. “Explain yourself.” His tone brook no argument, gave no quarter.

“This is not your fight.”

“And it is yours?”

“More so than yours.” Norn answered back immediately.

“And why would that be the case?” Finn sat down.

Marissa knew he took a seat because if he didn’t, he’d be pacing and driving her crazy. Pacing was how he handled his anger, how he channeled his energy.

Norn rubbed his jaw, as if he may be thinking what he wanted to say. “I cannot discuss all of the minute details with you.”

“So can you at least tell me what your plan is?”

“To make things right.”

“That is it?”

“Promise me you will not return here. You will not bring Alithera back. You will start a new life on Earth.”

Marissa wanted Finn to agree to this. She wanted to be glad that Finn would not be returning to Kormia with Alithera. Her dislike for the Asazi woman had not wavered. But if Finn did not return Alithera to Kormia, then Marissa did not want to be on the same ranch with her. She would have to come up with another solution. But that was later. After the baby was born. After she was home.
Oh, who cares, as long as she and her baby were back on Earth, safe and sound. Alithera wouldn’t matter then.

“Promise me.” Norn insisted.

Finn stared at his father, rose to his feet, and walked out of the door.

Marissa looked at Norn, tears in her eyes.

He took her hand. “I will make sure that Saraz is allowed to enter to see the baby. I will talk to the Elders. They know my heart. They know my intent for the Kormic people. They also know my feelings for Saraz.” He patted the top of her hand. “Rest easy. I will pave this way for you. You are Finn’s chance for a life of happiness.”

“But Finn . . .” She pushed unruly hair out of her face. “He has his own goals. And he is hell-bent on them.”

“That’s Finn.”