FOREVER KNIGHTS: #12 Primal Intent

Her rage was as virulent as the storm surrounding them.

A storm I summoned to try and douse the fire. Before I knew I was too late.

“I’m no longer a child in awe of a handsome man whose kind to me.” She spat. “I’m grown and intelligent enough to see through your continued refusals to give me a single name.”

The name of who’s behind it. The murderer.

Charles Danbury. He looked down at her tight lipped.

“Are you telling me you can’t tell me or you won’t?” She snapped.

He leaned down to her level; almost a foot lower, to whisper to her his answer. She caught the faint aroma of trees and earth. A wild scent that was solely his.

“Won’t.” He said simply. Sensuous lips curling into a cruel smirk. For a moment she was entranced. Than her eyes flipped back up to his.

“Don’t toy with me, Alazar. What’s happening to my people?” She clenched her teeth.

Near to striking me. He knew. One corner of his mouth arched.

“You enjoy knowing what I don’t, don’t you.”

“Not particularly.” He said dryly.

Especially when there’s naught I can do about it.

His voice was filled with certainty. “You speak of your peasant woman.”

Since it wasn’t a question, she didn’t bother answering. Her mouth tightened further at his next words.

“It’s funny, Sweetheart. How you only come running out into these woods to see the monster when you wish to demand answers. If I was all the things you accuse me of, shouldn’t you be more cautious?” His blue eyes narrowed. Seeming to glow in the meager light. Then they flared yellow.

She gasped. But when she would’ve retreated, his arm around the small of her back kept her immobilized.

“Perhaps,” His tone hardened into something nearly malicious. “If you offered me anything in exchange I might be more inclined to cooperate.” His gaze slid over her hungrily. “I’m no longer yours to command, Little Queen.”

“Aren’t you?” She lifted blonde brows haughtily as she pushed at his arm, finding his grip unrelenting. “Are you not one of my NightGuard. Ordained to obey my every command.”

Not a chance.

“Perhaps if it’d been the queen that knighted me, she’d have remembered that part and such words would’ve been said…”

“Are you dangerous?” She swallowed looking at him.

You’ve known me all this time and you don’t know the answer to that.

“More fierce than you can imagine. More brutal then you’ve feared. But I’m no threat to you.”

Her face softened at his words. “I’ve seen you bring animals back to life, Alazar. For me. How could you burn a woman at the stake?”

“Yes, how could I? That wouldn’t make sense at all, now would it?” There was a dangerous note to his low, calm tone but he released her to step back and eye her.

“Why don’t you age?” She blurted. “In all the time I’ve known you, not an inch of you has changed. Wrinkled, or withered. You’re as handsome today as you were when I first saw you.”

“Then why have you quit coming out to me?”

“I realized I could not love a man so cruel and calculating. One that’d let my people be harmed when they know who’s doing it.”

“That’s you, not me.” His eyes glowed yellow and there was a hiss in his tone as he accused her.

“All you wanted from me was Nightway, wasn’t it? All this time?”

“Yes, clearly. I’ve invested over a decade in getting to know you, spent almost all of my time with you, and it was always to steal from Nightway from you. Because obviously I’m a man well suited to being restricted to running a castle all day.” He spat contemptuously.

Are you mad, Woman?

She faced him darkly. Eyes angry slits.

“I could strangle you for all you’ve done.” She said coldly.

“Try.” He fully faced her in challenge. The same tone and expression marring his features.

She tipped her head sideways, tossing her hair from her face as she jutted her chin defiantly.

Leaving that delicious neck exposed. He walked towards her with the predatory look of an animal. The lightening flashing around them. Reflected in the blue of his eyes. Piercing her as he circled to stand at her back.

She jumped slightly when she felt him move the hair over her pinched shoulder, with the back of his hand. She tensed but didn’t move.

He caught the tops of her shoulders and pulled her against him to inhale her scent. He rested his nose and chin along the side of her neck and jaw. His soft breaths teasing her ear. He ran his palm from her ear down over her collarbone.

Every muscle in her body was tense. She swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding.

Her blood and flesh bear her secrets. Containing her thoughts and memories…It’s intoxicating.

When she’s this close she can’t hide from me. And I learn a little more about her I hadn’t known before.

He envisioned her memory of earlier tonight. When she’d prepared for bed. Opening her window to the rustling of night creatures. Brushing out her soft hair. Watching the candle’s illumination through the golden veil of it as she’d tugged the comb through. Then she’d unbuckled her gown and let it slip from her shoulders.

As long as he was making contact with her skin, he was in touch with these recollections thus the vision ceased when she wrenched her body from his grip and spun to face him.

The storm raged behind her.

When lightening flashed it was reflected in his blue eyes, a white slash tearing through them.

She shivered.

“What?” He asked.

“You watch me like something that’s lived entirely too long.”

How true that is!

She was breathing heavily as she began backing up. Retreating from him. “The peasant.” She demanded as a reminder of what she’d come here for.

His shoulders straightened. When he answered her his voice had changed from softly beckoning to cold and certain. “She was a NightVille peasant woman. Her name was Alice, the only child of an elderly couple. One of your precious Lords lit her afire to persuade her to give the whereabouts of the rebels. She refused and thus was allowed to burn alive. Her pleas and screams ignored by the villain tormenting her. She died with great dignity. Maintaining more courage and loyalty then most men can lay claim to. Because she was silent to protect her loved ones.” He finished with derision. He was as disgusted as she.

Likely more so. Since I felt what she’d felt when I touched her.

“Why did you not save her?” Riaura couldn’t help asking.

“I couldn’t. Sometimes I’m too late.”

She scoffed. “How could you be too late?” She shouted.

His eyes narrowed briefly before he turned and walked away from her. “You’ve come a long way from the girl I knew.” Not a compliment.

“It was an unnecessary death!” She changed the subject to the one she was cleaning to.

As ammo against me.

“No lord of mine would dare such impertinence!” She clicked her tongue. “How can you look as if you’re as repulsed as me and still not tell me whose doing it?”

Because you’re a trusting fool who trusts him more than I.

“That, love,” He tossed over his shoulder. “is because sometimes you are not as clever as you think you are. You’re not always right in the company you choose to keep.”

“Would that be you then?” She rushed after him. Catching his arm and spinning him around. “Tell me who.”

His face was expressionless, and he made no move to speak. He merely stared at her unblinkingly. I’ll not tell her anything more tonight. I’m tired. I haven’t slept in far too long.

“You share pieces of my life and all my secrets...yet hold yours so close to you.” She objected, voice heightening.

His only answer was his full lips spreading into that hated smirk.

“All I know about you is your name and the grains of wisdom you gave me over the years. Tell me who you are!”

Clearly this bothers her more than the suffering of a peasant. That disgusted him.

“I’d as likely show you everything as you are like to give me your cold heart.”

She shook her head. “You only want Nightway.”

“Of course.” He said dully. Having watched the play of emotions across her face.

“What are you, Alazareth?”

“Something you couldn’t begin to understand. But if you’d listen to me, trust me, what we could do together would be limitless.”

As our happiness could be. If she’d just let go of these idiotic notions Danbury has planted in her head!

She turned away. “You’re less than naught to me, Alazar. Don’t deceive yourself.”

Lies she tells herself. He shook his head.

“You’re a blind woman!” He snagged her lower back and pulled her roughly against him. Spinning her to plant her against the tree behind him.

She squeaked.

Finally realizing she’s cornered and can’t talk her way out of this one. He let her go to put a palm to each side of her. Caging her in like the dark predator she seemed so keen to remember he was.

Thunder rumbled above. Lightening slashed the midnight sky like flying daggers. Illuminating his hard features. His simple white tunic, rolled at the sleeves, glowed in the sudden brightness. Cinched by the leather belt at his waist. He was unreadable as he leaned forward to pin her in.

Her palms pressed the rigid bark of the tree next to her hips. Slipping into the crevices.

Wishing she could fade into them, likely.

His voice came out in a warning hiss. “I’ll allow you to bide your time, love. Make your decision quick, however. I’ve been patient long enough. And refuse to continue.” He straightened, allowing her space but not stepping away.

“Are you threatening me or telling me you’ll finally give up?”

He was silent, a muscle in his jaw ticking. Careful what you ask for.

You may regret that.

“What’s wrong, Alazareth? Nothing to say for once?” She taunted.

“Never silenced.” His lips tightened. “I’d once thought you deserved better than the evil cripple. Now I’m not so sure you aren’t his perfect match. In every way.”

“You’ve never even met, Charles!”

Doesn’t matter.

“I know what he is.”

“You’re the affront.” She said venomously.

I am? He’d never been so tempted to slap her. Wondering if there was any chance it’d make her hear reason. It wouldn’t…Shaking his head he backed away from her and went to leave. Disgusted.

“What, Alazar? Don’t you shake your head at me! If you’ve something to say, say it.”

You wouldn’t like what I’d have to say, I assure you.”

“You say such things with naught to back it.” He sighed. Shoulders slumping as he refused to turn back to her. “I’m not evil. I’ve never harmed you, nor caused you pain. Yes, I’ve secrets. But I also have reasons for keeping them.”

“Come to me tomorrow night, you know where to find me. I’ll tell you what I can, then.” Then he faded into the dark. Flashes of lightening marking his path. And the rumble of thunder punctuating his last words.

Sighing she began fumbling her way back to the castle.

Alazar circled back behind her to verify she made it back safely. Hearing her thoughts as she went. She wants so badly to be fair queen with a reasonable hand.

But her people are suffering and whispering of her behind her back. They blame her for their unhappiness. They don’t believe she could live in the Castle with a man and not know what he was doing to her people.

Even I have wondered.

He knew she was frustrated. Talking to me about the nightmares is the only time she seeks me anymore.

She suspected he was the one sending her the visions.

Which is true.

But she thought he did it to make her come to him.

When in truth it was because he wanted her to see what was happening to them. To experience it.

He admitted to himself that he didn’t object to her crying to him of their suffering and letting him hold her, caress her while she sputtered and wept. But I don’t like seeing her cry. And I don’t enjoy making her suffer.

“Where have you been, Little One?” Charles Danbury was livid. His eyes containing red rings around the irises. His tone vicious even as he said the endearment. He was in his chair sitting in the foyer. Under the light of the candles marking the railing of the stairwell.

“I had a nightmare. I thought the woods would soothe me.”

“The woods. Or your lover?”

She gave him a sideways look. Her hair a wild tangle over her shoulders and the nightdress muddied and clinging. “That’s an inappropriate accusation, Charles.”

“Inappropriate is what you’ve been doing. I should have you whipped.” His teeth ground.

“Should you?” She spat equally as viciously. “In my castle? And who’d whip me, Charles? Will it be your hand?”

Only then did he realize he’d gone too far. His eyes turning brown and softening. “I would never! I was just so worried for your safety!” He cried. Starting to sniffle.

But she was still looking at him askance.

His dark words not so easily dismissed. “You know there are Dreads in those woods. It’s purported they can make one come to them against their will. Hunger for them. An enchantment they can cast over the innocent to make them hand over things they’d otherwise never dream of sharing with someone of their ilk.” He frowned mournfully. “Is that what’s happened to you, Little One?” His brow was thickly knitted and his eyes so soft as to appear almost feminine.

“I know the myths, Charles. But does anyone know if they’re anything more than that?”

“They’re seducers, deceivers and defilers!”

“I don’t believe the man I know is a killer.”

“They hunger for flesh!” He expostulated. Cheeks purpling under the dim glow of candles marking the stairs above him. “’Tis said they drink the blood of other beings. Leaving deep wounds.”

“Amusing tale.” Her eyes narrowed. “He’s never sprouted fangs or pierced my skin nor sprouted wings and flown away.”

“He is evil!”

“Is he?” She gave him a sideways look. “Who’s killing peasants in my village, Charles?”

“Wh-What village?” He turned his head to the side. Suddenly looking at the wall sconce near him.

Her eyes narrowed.

“I’m truly beginning to doubt that he is the darkness infecting Nightway like a plague.”

“But you, yourself have said he doesn’t age!” Charles objected. “How could that be?”

“A woman died in NightVille tonight. Someone tortured her.” Riaura said softly.

Charles frowned and looked back at her. The softness draining from his eyes and his eyebrows flattening. “I’m so sorry.” But there was no inflection in his tone.

“Are you behind it?”

“How could you?” His face crumpled. “Little One…” He whispered in betrayal. “I…” Then he collapsed out of his chair onto his side. Rattling on the floor. Teeth clattering as he went into one of his episodes.

The next night was the first of winter in Nightway. Bringing with it a bitter chill. And a frosty bite. Alazareth was stationed as Guard in the Bailey. Watching over the bridge from the courtyard near the Gaming Ground. He wore his heavy armor, adorned with the massive fur cloak pinned to his shoulders to keep the armor from icing and permeating into his bones.

A nice night for a stroll. He thought ruefully.

He’d just done a walk through of the Bailey to inspect all the corners. Ensuring every Guard was on post and alert. It was finally a moment he could relax. He looked up into the night sky. Watching as it seemed a million stars fell from the night sky when in truth it was only the scatter of slow snowflakes making their way down. Melting as they touched him.

Slowly he turned and when he lowered his head to look in front of him, he felt the frigid bite of a blade against his throat beneath the helmet. “I waited for you in the Grove until dark.” His voice was accusing.

“And I refused to come.” She hissed. The fur trim of her cloak teasing around her hair and face. As she peered up at him. Pushing the edge of the blade hard enough against his windpipe under his jaw that he was forced to turn his head up.

He reached up and yanked his helmet off. Pushing into her dagger as he forced his chin down to look at her through betrayed blue eyes. “Do it.”

She breathed heavily. Her shoulders lifting. Breath crystalizing in the night air.

Alazar felt eyes of other knights on them. But I don’t give two shits.

“Why didn’t you come?” He bit out. Tucking his helmet under his arm.

If she was going to slit me, she’d have done it by now.

Grunting she dropped her dagger to the snow and turned away. Dismayed with herself.

With her weakness. He watched her go as he lowered to pick up the blade. Running his thumb absentmindedly along the tip as he watched her go.

And finding it as sharp as his throat had told him it was.