Predator

Chapter 14

The Royal husbands were ecstatic about Tyr’s exile from Alex’s domain but they did not understand her hesitancy to kill him. She had done it once before so they knew it wasn’t an empty threat. He had tried unsuccessfully to contact her on many occasions but was turned back at the edge of her space by her military without incident. Of the 3 remaining mates, Ian was the only one to let it go when he asked why she did not exact her revenge and did not receive a response.

She was heartbroken. He could tell every fiber of her being was hurting from his betrayal and; most of all; his absence. He did not tell the others but he had the distinct impression that; if she could; she would die without her Nietzchean mate. He did not know if her physical death was possible but she was spiritually dying already.

He informed Ares and Duncan of the extent of her depression and made them promise not to mention Tyr around her again. She did not need to dwell on him and increase her mental instability. They swore they would heed his words but reminded him that the living testament to Tyr’s existence was walking the palace halls. Jesse was every bit his father’s son.

“I know but Jesse knows his destiny lies with his mother. He was not created to rule the Nietzchean Empire. He was born for a greater purpose. Now we need to discuss our wife and find a way to bring her back to us.”

Duncan stepped forward to address her first mate. “Ian, you spend more time with her than us. What do you think she needs?”

“You don’t want to know what she needs.” They understood with perfect clarity that he meant she needed Tyr.

“Logan!” Their attention went to Ares as he paced back and forth gathering his thoughts. “She has been spending a lot of time in his quarters since this thing with Tyr happened. I bet he can give us some answers.”

Ian nodded his head. “Good thinking, Ares. I’ll talk to him but I need all of us to get her back on schedule. Ares, you need to request her company tonight. She has not serviced you in some time. Duncan, I want you to inform the boys of our decision on the Tyr situation.”

Ares reached out to his mate’s mind and discerned her location. He wasn’t happy with where he found her. “She’s in Tyr’s chambers. You’re free to go to Logan’s.” He mentally instructed his wife that he expected her presence in his quarters in half an hour and tardiness would not be tolerated. She reluctantly told him she would not be late. “I got her.”

“Good. Let’s get to work.” Ian watched the other 2 depart before he teleported to Logan’s door. Before he had the chance to knock, the door swung open.

“What took you so long?”

“Logan, I was hoping we could talk.”

The obviously disturbed mutant stepped aside and allowed Ian to enter. “We should’ve had this conversation a couple of months ago.”

“So why didn’t you come to me?”

“I thought you were fucking omnipotent! You’re supposed to be the fucking expert when it comes to her, aren’t you?” Logan brushed by Ian in a hurry to sit down. “The fucking truth is I wanted to keep her to myself.”

Ian sat across from Logan and took in his troubled demeanor. “She won’t leave you, Wolverine. She can’t mate you but she won’t leave you either.” Alex’s scent invaded Ian’s senses and threatened to overwhelm him with lust. “Damn it, Logan! Is there anywhere in your quarters that you haven’t taken my wife?”

“No.”

“What is going on with her and you?”

“At first, she just wanted my company. She wouldn’t talk much. I could smell her pain but I did my best to talk to her until she calmed enough to sleep. That went on for a couple of weeks. She would listen to me mumble shit, watch me hunt, and fall asleep. I’d put her in bed and watch her. She was hurting even as she slept, Ian.”

Ian could feel the mutant’s distress as easily as he could his mate’s. He dreaded his next question’s effect on the already upset man. “What happened to change that routine?”

“She was dreaming.” He closed his eyes and pictured her in his mind. “Her sleep was troubled. She called out for Tyr. Said she needed him…his wildness inside of her. I could smell her arousal.” He spoke the last sentence softly and hung his head.

“You took his place.”

Logan’s head snapped up and he narrowed his gaze on Ian. “I didn’t take his place. I wasn’t enough! I let the animal out; the Wolverine; and he fucked her! She’d fight him at a lower strength and lose. He took her as a prize.”

Ian sat back heavily in the chair and rubbed his eyes. “Logan, I’m not here to judge. You gave what she needed.” He made a judgment call and reached out to Ares. He explained that Duncan should not be a part of this plan because of his dominion over her heart. It would be up to the 2 of them to bring their wife back to life. “Her power makes her unbeatable. I can understand her boredom. She can’t afford to let herself be defeated on the battlefield but she wants to be taken by force in bed.”

“It’s more than force, Ian. She wants to be completely dominated. Tyr is the only being who ever conquered her.”

“Thank you for your candor and your help.” He rose to his feet and paused at the door. “Logan, I think you’re wrong about not being enough for her. You are the only man she has ever had a relationship with; outside of her mates; and she has given you control over her life.” He opened the door and glanced over his shoulder. “Aside from children, you have given her more than any of us has been able to. I think you are more important to her than us in many ways.” He left quietly and smiled when he felt Logan’s distress bleed out of his body.

From that moment forward, Ian and Ares alternated from making love to their mate and fighting her for possession of her body. They went as far as ganging up on her together a couple of times. It was a bigger challenge for Alex because she had to quickly alternate between different power levels. Every time she reduced herself to Ares’ strength, Ian would beat her easily and both of them would claim her. A few months later, Ares challenged her for another child. He won and was gifted with Brennan.

The rest of the archives contained more attempts on her life; which she beat back easily; and a partial healing of her troubled spirit. Riddick had been reading for 2 days and was struck with another question. “Athena!”

In a golden flash of light, the goddess appeared before him. “Yes, my Lord?”

“I’ve read in the archives of the mate that Alex killed for his betrayal but; other than that; there is no mention of him. He isn’t in here at all.” He scattered the flexis about in frustration and glared at the Archivist. “Where is he?”

“She erased him from the library, my Lord.”

“Then tell me about him!”

“I cannot.”

“Why?”

“Aside from the fact that he existed, she removed all memories of him from everyone’s mind.”

Riddick turned to the monitor and brought up the blurred image of the mystery man. “Who is that?”

“That is him. These archives were important parts of her history so she could not delete them but she distorted the image so he could not be recognized.”

“Why didn’t she remove him from the flexi? With her power, she could have easily done that.”

“I don’t know. Maybe she left him there as a reminder to herself or a warning to others.”

He sat back with his arms crossed behind his head thinking about the pieces of the puzzle that was his wife when he heard her.

“Richard?”

He bolted up and ran out to the main chamber to find her standing just inside the entrance. “I’m here, baby.”

She jumped into his arms and tightly embraced him. “And what exactly are you doing here?”

“Reading about my woman.” He pulled his head back and looked at her beautiful face. “I missed you, gorgeous.”

“I missed you too, sexy. I’ve got some time before I’m required elsewhere. I thought we could go for a swim.”

“Before you’re required elsewhere?” He arched an eyebrow and observed her downcast eyes. “You mean before you have to service one of the others.” He set her down and lifted her chin. “I wouldn’t want you to run late by having to scrub my scent off your body and; believe me; you will have to scrub because I want to fuck you senseless.”

“So you won’t even spend some time with me unless it is for sex?”

“I’ve been without you for 2 days. I crave you with every part of my being. It’s too early in our relationship for me to control my impulse to claim you. I’m…sorry.”

“Fine.” She whispered brokenly with a tear in her eye. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She was about to turn away when her eyes focused over his shoulder on her statue. Her brow furrowed as she narrowed her eyes and gazed at her likeness.

Riddick saw her eyes widen and turned to see what changed her demeanor so quickly. The power level of the Phoenix force that was stored here had diminished since he arrived. He looked back at Alex and didn’t see an increase in her power signature.

“I have to go.” She turned quickly and headed for the door. “I will be completely at your disposal tomorrow.”

“Alex, whose disposal are you at today?”

She stiffened slightly as she walked out and whispered barely loud enough for him to hear. “I’d rather not say.” Then she was gone.

“Fuck! She’s going to Tyr!” He started towards the door when Athena halted him in his tracks by materializing in his path. “What?”

“My Lord, just a moment please. Why did the creator become unsettled when she looked upon the statue?”

“The power in that statue has decreased by a third since I first looked at it two days ago.”

“Perhaps she…”

“No. It isn’t in her.” He pointed at his eyes. “I could see no change in her. Someone is stealing the Phoenix force.”

“That is not possible. I would have seen anyone who enters here!”

“Not if you aren’t allowed to see his image.”

Understanding and confusion dawned on Athena’s visage. “No. It can’t be. He is dead!”

“The people she kills go to that dimension she created to suffer for all eternity, right?”

“Kortoth is what it is called and there is no escape from that dimension, my Lord.”

“You sure about that?” He turned and left the stunned goddess behind as he went to stop his mate from succumbing to Tyr’s influence.

She materialized in the sitting room of Tyr’s chambers and paced nervously about trying to decide if this was a mistake. Before she could think about leaving, the decision was taken from her.

It was a scent he knew all too well. Whenever he smelled it, his blood would burn through his veins and the animal in him ached to claim her. He peered into the next room and watched her pace absorbed in thought. He quietly stalked up behind her and waited until she turned and ran into his chest. “I didn’t think you would show.”

“You requested to see me.” She stared into his eyes as he walked her backwards into a wall. “I am required to do as you ask.”

“Mmhmm.” He leaned forward to nuzzle her hair and whispered seductively. “Tilt your head to the side.” She obeyed instantly and her eyes fluttered shut when he gently bit her neck. He growled softly when he heard her heartbeat accelerate.

“Tyr…” She gasped. “I don’t…know about this. Too…soon.” Her head was spinning from his sensual assault and her need for him grew. “Tyr…” Her vision clouded over and a feeling of lightheadedness moved in to take her.

“It has been too long, Alexandra.” He wrapped an arm behind her back and caressed her cheek with his other hand. “Give up, baby. You know you can’t win.”

“I don’t want to win.” She whispered in a tiny voice. Her legs buckled beneath her and he swept her limp body up in his arms. She held on to his neck and sobbed into his chest. “I hurt, Tyr. I wanted to die when you weren’t by my side.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” He gently carried his crying wife to his bed and laid down with her still burrowed into his chest. Her sobs made his heart heavy with regret for the pain he caused her. “I’m sorry for everything I did.”

“You promised me.” She pulled away a bit and stared into his watery eyes with tears streaming from her own. “I entrusted myself to you and you lied to me. Why did you tell me I was all you needed and betray me like that?”

“You are the only one for me but…”

“Don’t give me that bullshit story about a political mating!” Hysterics started to take over her and she slapped his chest. “You could’ve destroyed that Pride or I could’ve forced them to join your Empire and you still could’ve maintained your oath to me! I wasn’t enough! You wanted to mate her!”

He rolled on top of her and pinned her arms down beside her head. His mouth opened but no words came out. Tears ran freely down his face as he searched for an explanation that would heal their pain torn hearts. “The reason I did it means nothing now. The son Freya bore me is the reincarnation of Drago Museveni. Tamerlane would have been the undisputed ruler of the Nietzchean Empire if you hadn’t destroyed it.”

He held her face between his palms and spoke in a broken voice. “I want you to listen to me and believe my words. I have NEVER loved any woman other than you.” He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “Do you believe me?”

“I don’t know.”

His eyes flashed to hers and his gaze was imploring. “Alex, look into my mind, my heart, my very soul and tell me you believe me!”

She slipped into his thoughts and searched his entire being for any kind of deception. She found none. His words and feelings were true. “I believe you.” She pulled him in for a deep kiss and both of them felt a wave of long overdue relief run through them.

They were startled by the loud crash of Tyr’s door being kicked in and looked up to see Riddick standing beyond the protective barrier. “Get your hands off of my wife!”

“She is my wife too!”

The shield that was supposed to keep anyone without the inhabitant’s DNA signature out bent against Riddick’s will and allowed him to pass. “Alex, get out of that son of a bitch’s bed and come here!”

“Yes, my love.” She moved off the bed and obediently started towards Riddick when Tyr grabbed her around the waist. She looked up into his desperate eyes and smiled. “I have to go, baby, but I’ll be back.”

“Alex, no. If you go with him, he’ll make you leave me.” He buried his fingers in her hair and touched his forehead to hers. “Don’t you see, love? He doesn’t want us together. None of them do!”

She turned questioning eyes to Riddick and her pain returned. “Richard, are you really intending to use your influence over me to force me to let him go?”

“Alex, he betrayed you more than once. He doesn’t deserve you! Now come here!”

Tyr pulled her behind him and Riddick responded to threat against his mate by rushing his enemy. In the process of tackling Tyr, the two large men crashed into Alex knocking her hard to the floor.

The impact to her head sent jolts of pain through her skull and bright spots of light shooting behind her eyelids. Her senses picked up her mates fighting a couple of feet from where she lay. The blow to her head began to clear their influence over her and she felt a massive threat approaching one of her own.

She rose unsteadily to her feet and clutched her head when a vision appeared before her eyes. She was looking through the eyes of another as he followed Ares across the palace grounds. Her mate did not appear to notice the stalker. She tried to make sense of what she was experiencing as it horribly became crystal clear when a hand with her power surrounding it came into view.

She mentally and verbally yelled a warning that came too late. “Ares!!!” Riddick and Tyr froze in mid-punch and turned to their wife. Alex saw Ares spin around to face the man behind him and watched as her power slowly and painfully burned him to ash.

She screamed in agony as her body shared the pain of her husband’s death. As she thrashed violently on the floor, her two mates rushed to her side to help but; caught in the painful throes of Ares’ death; she unwittingly batted them aside. “NNNOOO!!!”

The heartbroken, gut-wrenching scream resounded through the palace halls for all to hear but it tore Ian’s being apart from the inside out. The Royal Family was under attack and they ran in search of their ruler.

Duncan and Dean came from their chambers; met up with Brandon and Brennan in the hall; and they followed Alex’s screams. Jesse gathered Tamerlane from his room and entered his father’s chambers with the others right behind him. Ian and Jarod were the last to arrive after having to recover from the mental backlash of pain they received from Alex.

They watched as her physical pain was slowly being brought down to manageable level. When she got to her hands and knees, her two combative mates went to her aid once again and she felt their mutual contempt when their hands touched her phantom burned flesh.

She pulled her arms up and slammed her fists into the marble floor in anger. The ground quaked beneath everyone’s feet and a giant crater was formed by the force of the impact. “I. Have. Had. Enough. Of. Your. Shit!” The flames returned to her eyes and her voice was like thunder. The shock of everything was setting in and she became confused. “I need Ares.” She glanced around the room in a daze until Ian came into view. “Ian, my love, where is he?”

He walked up to the love of his life with tears rolling down his handsome face. “Alexandra, he…the gardens…”

She appeared instantly in the gardens and fell to her knees by a smoldering pile of ashes. Ian and Jarod teleported the rest of their family to the site of the greatest tragedy they’ve ever faced. Alex was rocking back and forth with the ashes of the man she had spent over six millennia with falling from her fingers. “Kortoth.” She whispered.

Ian stepped forward and knelt beside her. “What did you say, love?”

“He’s in Kortoth and I’m going to get him out.”

“Why do you think he’s in Kortoth?”

When she turned to look at him, her blazing eyes had tears of flames flowing from them. “The Phoenix killed him.” Darkness closed in on her and she passed out in Ian’s waiting arms.

“Riddick, I need you and Tyr to take her to your chambers.” He stood and passed her unconscious form to her new mate. He saw both of them open their mouths to speak but cut them off abruptly. “Don’t argue with me on this! It will take both of you to control her when she wakes up. Duncan, I want everyone in my rooms next to hers. I’m going to the temple.”

“Ian, don’t bother going to the temple.”

“What are you talking about, Riddick?”

“Someone has taken part of the force stored there.”

Ian glanced around the gardens for a moment before he turned back to his family. “Jarod, take Duncan and the boys to my room now!” As soon as his son did as he was ordered, Ian took Riddick, Tyr, and Alex to her bedroom.

Riddick placed his wife in the center of their bed; restrained his anger when Tyr crawled in beside her; and turned to Ian. “If I read those archives correctly, only a person that already possesses part of the Phoenix force can take more of it. That means us…her mates and none of our power signatures have changed.”

“That isn’t something we need to think about right now. We need to keep her out of Kortoth.”

“I thought she couldn’t enter that dimension.”

“She’ll find a way if it means saving one of us and; when she gets in there; her life and the life of your unborn son are at risk. That place will turn her power against her and; if she doesn’t get out before your son comes to term; he’ll die at birth.”