16
(Fenjaday)
Hailu, X’lea
.
“I wish we had some idea of the time,” Melia said as she regained consciousness.
“At least you can sleep where you are.”
“Fitfully,” she admitted.
“Did you catch what Loti said earlier? You’re pregnant – but from me, not him.”
“Only until my miscarriage starts, apparently. That’s what the drug was for, I guess.”
“Are you cramping?”
“Only that one bad one – before he … got me.”
“Then, for now, you’re still pregnant. I wish I could touch you, hold you – so that I could give you strength – maybe even the strength to keep carrying our child. Keep the baby, and we still win.”
“How did he know? Did you know somehow?” she asked.
“I don’t know. It’s possible that the other guy knew. He’s powerful – though many stronger sensitives can feel the newly-conceived. Our little one already has a distinct leya imprint. I guess I should have made sure I had something with me,” Yuri said grinning guiltily.
Melia giggled. “I should have denied you a little longer,” she replied.
“You really think you could have? When we had nothing better to do and hormones raging as they were?”
“No, not really,” she said grinning back at him. “It’s quick, but I don’t feel bad – not about having your baby, anyway.” Her thoughts returned to the attack. She shuddered and tried to keep back the tears. “Besides, if I hadn’t already conceived with you – in love, he might have managed it instead – in hate. My egg might have lived long enough for him – especially if he has a Yerdua helping him.”
Yuri nodded. “Yerduan magick is not to be underestimated. I’m sorry about him. I wish I knew what I could do to make things better.”
“Just be here for me,” Melia said. “You can’t help Loti being scum.”
“I should have known. He’s always had strange ways, and was very mad at me for warning some of his ex-girlfriends. But I never thought he’d stoop to actual… rape.” He said it softly, as if ashamed to have to say the word.
Melia shook with the terror again, feeling him returning even before he started down the stairs. She cried out when Loti entered the room, carrying a pair of drinks. “No! Not again!”
He put down one of the drinks and put the other on a stand next to the bed. He reached over and stole a kiss from her, pressing his tongue into her mouth, even as she slapped him as hard as she could.
Loti grabbed her hands and pushed her against the bed again, rubbing suggestively against her.
Melia felt herself tensing against another assault.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have time this morning,” he said, kissing her again. “You taste good – no wonder my brother likes you so much. Maybe later? I will have to replace what I steal of my brother’s after all.” He fingered her lustfully.
“Go to Hell!” she told him, kicking at him with her free leg. “Even if you steal Yuri’s baby from me and put another in my tummy, you cannot replace the love that I have for him – nor erase the hate I have for you.”
“That’s not the way to talk to your husband,” Loti scolded. “And if you keep attacking me, I’m going to have to secure you better.” He stood and put a cloth on the bedside stand. “That’s for when your blood starts. Have your breakfast, you need to keep your strength up.”
“You won’t ever be my husband. Only Yuri can claim that title.”
“Assuming he survives to escape this dungeon,” Loti replied, walking over and placing another cup between Yuri’s thighs and placing the straw in his mouth. “Drink up, little boy.”
Yuri looked up and sprayed a mouthful of liquid all over the man. “My fiancée is right. It’s a shame I never saw you for what you were. You are no longer my brother. I disown you and will make sure my father disinherits you – it’s the best you can hope for now. Even if you manage to kill me, the truth will emerge. You will die a lonely man – I can’t guarantee you’ll be old though.”
Loti scowled at both of them. “I wish I had time to ravage her again – it would serve you right, Brother, for all your superior, egotistical, elitist behaviors. I’m sure you know that A’mara don’t tend to live long lives in X’lea.”
The man turned and left the room, flicking the light as he went, plunging them into darkness as the door slammed behind him.
Melia lay down again, tired from the confrontation. “What do you think is going to happen, Yuri?”
“I don’t know,” he replied quietly. “I’d like to think that my father is on his way to rescue us. But I don’t know if anyone knows where we are.”
“Loti felt nervous – as if he’s afraid we’ll be found.”
“He should be. He’s a dead man walking,” Yuri replied.
“Was breakfast drugged too?” Melia asked.
“Probably. I didn’t keep it in my mouth long enough to find out. It’s also entirely possible he’s giving us different drugs. He doesn’t care if I die, but he wants to keep you strong enough to produce an heir for him. I expect yours would have another dose of whatever he gave you last night – trying to steal our baby from us. Mine is probably an actual poison.”
“Why is he like this? What did you do to him?” Melia asked, wondering if she’d managed to get into the middle of a hornet’s nest.
“Nothing, Melia. Except warn his girlfriends about him. If you saw the kinds of flypploids he liked to collect – even some old-fashioned paper magazines… He’s a mess. I just didn’t think it went as far as this or I would have had him locked up years ago. Of course, I’ve been away for a couple of years, so maybe there’s more to this I didn’t know about.”
“I wonder if we can practice some of our leya skills in here,” Melia wondered, sending him a kiss.
“That works,” he replied. “Send as many of those as you like! It will help me remember what we had in the factory. Just don’t knock me over!”
Melia giggled. She did something else.
“That tickles!” he complained.
“That was the point!”
“Unfair. You have your hands!”
She giggled some more. “I love you, Yuri!”
“I love you too, Melia! But if you want to try to do something useful, try focusing on my magna-cuffs. If I can get out of them, I can give Loti something to complain about when he comes back.”
“I’ll try, but I’m also feeling very sleepy right now – like maybe there was also something on his tongue when he kissed me,” she replied.
“I wouldn’t put it past him, unfortunately. Flypp it!”
She reached her senses towards his magna-cuffs, but her fatigue overtook her.
♥
Fashi got out a cold breakfast in the room they had identified as the dining room. Belmara grabbed the jelip milk from the chiller.
“We really need to do something about kitting out a kitchen, Fashi,” she said.
“We’ll take it up with the Curator next time we talk to her,” he replied. “I’m sure she’s reasonable.”
“Good morning. I hope you’re ready to meet with the Dellans,” Mirach said as he came in.
“I hope you’ve worked out some sort of neutral place to meet,” Belmara said derisively. “After Loti’s stupidity yesterday, I wouldn’t put it past him to invite them here.”
“You really should give him the benefit of the doubt,” Mirach replied.
“Why? I judge people only on their own actions. Thus far, Loti has not shown himself to be particularly valuable to us… except that he can recognize each one of us.”
Loti came in at that moment. “I will hold onto anything that makes me valuable,” he said.
Belmara couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
<His imprint,> Fashi noted mentally.
Belmara looked at him more critically.
“I was just caring for our prisoners,” he excused.
“Since when did that include kisses?” she asked. “Unwanted kisses at that.”
She felt the man’s lustful thoughts towards the young woman he had kissed. She felt his betrayal of his brother’s trust.
“Even our organization doesn’t normally rape its young women,” she said scathingly. “And your brother’s fiancée at that.”
“You are Balan now,” Mirach reminded.
“I am Neví,” Belmara argued. “I still have some honor! More than either of you!"
“Balan, Neví, Uugli, it hardly matters what you call it,” Mirach said. “The Curator remains at the helm and he authorized all of Loti’s actions.”
“I will mention these actions when I speak with the Curator,” Belmara replied.
“I would appreciate it if you did not,” Loti replied, clearly embarrassed.
“Your words say all I need to know. Go back to your debauchery, you leech!” she snarled at him.
Loti left hurriedly.
“He is your superior,” Mirach reminded.
“Only until I inform the Curator of all that has been happening here!” she retorted.
Mirach rolled his eyes and left the room.
♥♥♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on [Goodreads](coming soon) for me.
Buy at: (coming soon to Books2Read, Scribl, LBRY and Lulu - paperback.)
Other Chapters of this set
Birth of the Neví - coming soon on Whaleshares - otherwise, scroll way back on Steem (like summer 2018.)
Name of the Neví - Chapter 1
Mind of the Neví - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- Terrenden Atlas Page - Hailu, X'lea, Kranisis
- Terrenden Atlas Pages (six maps of Almara and Kranisis.)
- Character Guide and Image Credits
- Calendar and Glossary - for Name of the Neví but these two parts are true throughout.
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2019 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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