Chapter 7
Saetan kneels in front of the huge dragon. He is looking for answers.
"Lord Lorn, I come to you in desperate need of your wisdom and advice. I asked Draca if there has ever been magic strong enough that could grant long life to a Queen from a short-living race. There is not such record on the Library of the Keep. I have looked relentlessly but I realized that there has never been a precedent like this before. A dream can be reshaped. I am certain of it. I have seen it with my own eyes"
The dragon looks at him and shows him the image of that web. "SSSSaetan, only an unborn dreamer can reshhhape an exisssting dream. Witch wasss powerful enough becaussse of who she issss. A dreamer can only dream once. Even if Witch reclaimsss her power, ssshe can no longer ressshape the web."
Saetan feels the floor crumbling underneath. "Then that is it, there is nothing to do. I have seen death. I have foreseen grief and despair. Daemon won't be able to survive this. Hell's fire, I won't survive this"
A thunderous voice and a chilling wind blows out all the candles at the same time. A complete darkness consumes the place. Only the Dragon's eyes are visible now.
"Why are you sssso ssssure about everything? You have more than one ssssson. Do not forget that, High Lord. There isss sssomeone else who wearsss the Black. The triangle mussst remain together and strong. Now go, there issss nothing to do but wait"
The candles burned again and that dragon went to sleep. Saetan bows to Lorn and leaves the chamber, puzzled by the dragon's words.
Daemon finds himself in the abyss looking at Witch.
"I brought you here because I needed to show you the truth. I need your forgiveness, not for what I did but for what I meant to do. First, there are some things you must see".
In front of him appears a crystal chalice. He knows it well. It belongs to Witch. She points at it and indicates to look closely. Shattered images of familiar events and secrets are revealed. An image of Daemon years ago, he remembers this moment too well. It was the first time Jaenelle laid eyes on him and him on her. A chill runs through his body. Witch looks at him and circles the chalice while speaking with a midnight voice.
"When I first saw you, I knew who and what you were. I knew all the things you did out of rage and desperation. I saw the destruction you caused and what you were capable of. I felt your pain. I knew you were one of the dreamers who brought me to this world. I saw what they did to you and what you did to them. I knew you were forced to bed my mother and my grandmother in order to stay close and protect me. I felt your disgust. I wanted to cradle you in my arms and I wanted more…much more… To you I was a 12 year girl but I was more than that. I felt rage and jealousy. I loved you but Jaenelle was not ready. In that moment, I promised that body to you. But I could not keep my promise. When Greer violated me, he destroyed my body and broke my promise. I hated that fragile shell that could not respond to my commands. I was trapped in a child's body and subdued by drugs. Witch should have never allowed that butchery to take place. But Witch was only as strong as Jaenelle was. Limited by a fragile shell that could not fight that bastard off. When you came to my court, I was a selfish creäture. I feared there was a chance you may not love me like before. I did not care as I would have retained you. I would have fought you as your Queen, used whatever weapons I had to keep you close. I don't deserve you. Last night you showed me how much you love me and I dared to doubt you. I was ready to command you to lay with me. Against your will, as your Queen and wife, I would have forced you to get me pregnant; even by drugging you. I am monstrous, just like my grandmother said. You had my heart from day one, but now it also belongs to someone else".
Daemon felt his knees giving up. What was she saying? He wondered what she thought that moment when they met all these years but now her heart belongs to someone else too.
"I have seen him. He is waiting for me and he needs me. He is here tonight with us. I can feel him inside me. Our son needed me to protect him; even against his father. I was willing to betray your trust for him. I have spent time here with him in the abyss. I've spend entire nights cradling him. Do you see him in the chalice? He is your mirror and will be stronger than you, just as you are stronger than your father."
Daemon dropped to his knees after seeing the images of Jaenelle with his son. He understood her. She did what she had to. He had been his son's enemy. He saw the beautiful boy with black hair and sapphire eyes. He also saw Jaenelle but there was something different.
'Would you ever forgive me? His name is Lucian and he will be with us in soon."
"Hi Lucian, I am your father and I can't wait to see you".
The staff had been rushed out of the Hall by Beale. Kaelas delivered the command from the Queen in a stealthy fashion. Only an experience Arcerian Warlord Prince could accomplish such a difficult task. Arcerians were accomplished hunters, the best among the Kindred.
Only a month ago, Jaenelle's pregnancy hadbeen confirmed by Karla. Everyone was delighted by the news. But now she faced one of the toughest challenges that a pregnant Queen has to face. The Rut. 3 days of excruciating, violent, volatile and relentless sex drive that was part of a Warlord Prince's nature. A moment that she endured plenty of times with wicked mischief but must face now with fear. The infamous Rut happened at least once a year. Her pregnancy made her vulnerable and unable to use Craft.
She knew what she exposed herself to but she also knew she had to face it sometime during her pregnancy. It was overdue. Knowing the proximity of it, she had taken some precautionary measures. "If you have to go to war, at least bring all your weapons" she told herself. She had a cold box installed in her room and Mrs. Beale prepared a lot of cold snacks and fruit. She doubted herself as soon as she heard the thunderous roar through the Hall. "Hell's fire and May the Darkness be merciful".
A ferocious male storms through the room and stares at her. A path of ice was left through the hallway. This Warlord Prince was riding the killing edge. Anyone and anything would be treated as an enemy. Jaenelle swallows as fear sets in. She has to face 3 days of non-stop sexual pounding by the Sadist. Not an easy task but certainly not a sacrifice either. Daemon knows and recognizes her during The Rut but a primal instinct controls a male during it. There is no reasoning and no control,only desire. Many witches have not survived and Warlords have fallen when crossing the path of a stronger male.
He locks the room with a Black shield. No one is getting out of this room for the next 3 days. Oh, sweet agony! Jaenelle can't seem to shake the irony of that thought. The enraged Prince studies his prey, circles around her, assessing his surroundings, scanning for threats. In less than a second, he jumps her and round one starts. May the Darkness protect us my child! That is the last thought Jaenelle has as the mating dance starts.
She lost sense of time but hours later, wakes up next to Daemon. At some point, they fell asleep. She hurries to the cold box and grabs a snack. Her body is sore. She has taken a pounding. Instinctively, Jaenelle holds her tummy and hurries to get some food. Mercifully, she had enough time to finish before a deep voice echoes through the room. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Nowhere darling, I was grabbing a snack. I needed to regain my strength and energy". Daemon is clearly studying her response. He gets up and in a second he is trashing the cold box. He always moves in a feline way but when dominated by The Rut, his cat-like reflexes were sharper than ever. There was no finesse in the way he handled the food. Hopefully the cold box will still work since they have 2 more days to endure. He lifts her on his shoulder and takes her to the bathroom where the next round starts.
Now that Daemon is taking a nap, she allows her mind to wonder. It is true that Daemon has more power than any other Blood male but The Rut is not about power at least not when in the bedroom. It is about physical stamina and strength. In those days the witch's body is challenged mercilessly. A conundrum between unrestraint pleasure and physical exhaustion. How many times can a body be taken to a climax? The process repeats itself over and over. It may sound like a woman's dream but there is also fear. She thought of Mr. Beale and Mrs. Beale and her meat cutter. She seemed to be fond of that thing. Beale was huge! Mother Night! She could only imagine what Mrs. Beale had to endure. That man had to burn of lot of energy carrying that woman in and out of the bathroom. No wonder she terrified Daemon. Then again, Mr. Beale was not a Warlord Prince. Thanks the Darkness for that! Jaenelle's mind was going dark places now. What about Marian? Lucivar was a wall of muscle, fury and physical strength. She couldn't help but to feel a mixture of pride and horror for the heart witch. Marian is strong.
Somehow, between snacks, funny thoughts and a whole lot of merciless sex, 3 days had passed. Her joins felt like jelly. She smiles and feels proud of herself. Pregnant Jaenelle went to war with the Sadist and made it out in one piece. Her love for Daemon and their child gave her the strength she needed to survive the infamous Rut.
She traces Daemon's hair with her nails and admires the beauty of the man resting next to her. He looked so peaceful. Gone was the raging stallion that stormed into her bedroom 3 days ago. A magnificent stallion in all his glory wakes up and looks at her. "Did I hurt you sweetheart?" There is worry in his eyes but the loving tone is back. Her husband is back.
"No darling, how many times have we've been thought this? You were rough, selfish and rudeless while in Rut and that is just the way like it... I am kidding",Jaenelle said when she saw Daemon's expression of horror. "I married you Daemon and that includes the Sadist, so I am eagerly willing to dance with him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to sleep and don't you dare wake me up".
She looked at the destruction of the room and realized she will have to go shopping very soon. Redecorating and baby goodies, which sounded mighty fine to her. She giggled and fell asleep.