Taming the Queen of Beasts

<strong>ELIA</strong>

Fear screamed in her ear and pounded its fists at her chest, but as Reth held her, his hands clawed in her hair, cupping her skull, his face twisted in desperation, she knew he was right.

She didn't know how, or why they'd been led here. But he was right.

In a flawed heart, it wasn't possible to love more than they did.

And that meant something.

Help us, she prayed. We need you. Help us.

The wind hurtled around them, lashing hair to cut her cheeks, and clothing until it tore, closing in with every breath until it seemed it would pour down her throat and rip her guts.

A predatory snarl ripped out of Reth's throat and without letting go of her, he raised his eyes—now golden with his lion—and roared at the wind, and the voices, "SHE. IS. MINE!"

Before her eyes, it was as if his skin began to glow, glittering gold.

His chest heaved, his shoulders rising and falling, the tendons of his neck standing proud, his entire body trembling with the effort to hold them off. "I LOVE HER! YOU CAN NOT HAVE HER!"

And with every breath, the glittering gold light eased from his skin, expanding in steps, as if he blew up a balloon, a sphere of light that slowly, slowly swelled to envelope first her, then the air around them.

And where the wind touched it, it shrieked.

And where the smoke blew against it, it curled back, ribbons of fire eating it alive.

Reth's breath heaved, tearing in and out of his throat with guttural groans. His body shook with the effort to resist them, but the light kept growing, wobbling and shivering.

When it was large enough to have pressed the wind away from their bodies, Reth grated out, "We have to move. Now."

Holding her to his side, he turned and took a step, groaning as if it hurt him.

"Reth, are you—"

"Keep walking, Love. Just keep walking."

At first, he held her under his arm, against his side, to shield her. But with every step, his effort increased, the resistance immense. His teeth were bared, his breath hissing between them. His body was steel, every muscle rigid, not an inch of give in him. He trembled like a leaf in the wind, his breath shuddering. And the gold sphere remained, quavering under the onslaught when the voices shrieked, Reth groaning as if he felt the pain of their attacks. But he did not give in.

With every step, his weight grew heavier on her, until he was leaned on her shoulders and she propped him up, whispering encouragement.

The wind didn't touch her within the bubble and the sound from outside was muted—but that only made his breath sound heavier, louder, clawing through the air like it would slice her eardrums.

She'd never seen him struggle like this. And despite her fear of what was to come, she prayed for him, for his strength to be rewarded. For his determination. For his heart.

Please, please, don't let him give up.

Step by slow, painful step, they moved through the traverse and every thought left Elia's head except that they make the next step, then the next. That her strength not give under his weight. That his heart not give under the strain. That his body not surrender.

"I love you, Reth," she whimpered. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," he croaked, then dropped his chin and closed his eyes with a groan of pain. "I love you… even to death."

Elia's breath caught and she bit her lip to stop herself from breaking down. If he would fight for her to the limits of his strength, she would be strong for him.

She whispered her love with every step, whispered her admiration, her joy in him. Her attention was on him so entirely that when his eyes went wide and he stumbled and they both dropped, barking their knees on hard dirt, she cried out.

Reth was on all fours, his chest heaving, his head up and staring. "We did it." His voice grated as if his throat was raw. "We did it."

Elia looked up. The golden sphere still surrounded them, but it bulged towards them as if it had hit a barrier. And beyond it, sparking and snapping, like the contact drew lightning from the clouds of darkness outside it, that wall of roiling wind.

Elia's entire body clenched in fear. She clung to him, her mouth open as her mind screamed…

This was it.

The wall of darkness had blocked even the pinpoint of light from the other end of the traverse. The only light around them was the light of his shield, his love. And it shook, quivering and snapping, like a tent in the wind.

Reth, still on all fours, didn't move, his mouth open to suck in air, his back heaving up and down, sweat streaming down his cheeks.

"Reth," she whispered, praying for the strength she needed. She cupped his cheek and turned his head to face her.

"I'm loving you… Elia… I'm loving so hard… But… I can't… hold it… Love." Above them, the sphere rippled and bulged, like something tore at it, trying to break through.

The voices screamed.

"I know. You're almost done, you beautiful man," she whispered, smiling at him through her tears. "You did it, Reth. Thank you. Your heart… you humble me."

His fingers clawed into the dirt and stone beneath them. "I love you, Elia. Never doubt it."

"I don't. I never have."

"You have to remember… My love. Creator's love. Take it… with you. When they come… take it with you, Elia. Remember…"

"I will. I do—"

Reth bellowed in pain as the top of the sphere tore and the wind rushed in. One of his arms gave and he sagged on that side, his body shaking as if he would convulse. But he gritted his teeth and fought, snarling, as the wind threatened to tear Elia's hair from her scalp. The screams of the voices, crowing.

"OURS!"

"SHE COMES TO JOIN US!"

"SHE'S OURS!"

Elia pulled his head to her, wrapping her arms around it to protect him from the wind, laid her lips to his ear, and whispered, "I love you, Reth. To my soul. Even to death."

Then, before he could respond she raised her head. "Do you hear that, you evil fucks?! I love him! I love the Creator! I love our people! There is love in this place and it will defeat you!"

They roared, screaming, shrieking, and rushed in, invisible hands of air, tearing at her clothes, her hair, shoving between them, determined to part them.

She clung to him, but despite scrabbling her feet on the ground, pulling as hard as she could, the voices had hands and eyes, mouths. Together, she and Reth were dragged through the dirt to the edge of the cliff.

Reth roared and tried to push them back, to hold her safe, to cover her with his own body so they couldn't reach her. Dust and pebbles pelted them from every side. The voices screamed and claws tore at their skin.

"We told you we would take him!"

"We will take all of them!"

"You will die and they will die!"

"You should have listened sooner!"

She fought and strained, and Reth did too, but they were being torn apart, the hands too strong.

She pleaded with the Creator to save him, to save them both, but death rang in her heart like a bell.

It was time.

It was time.

Reth roared as one of his legs was pulled over the edge and he had to let go of her, scrambling to keep himself from falling.

Without the cover of his arms and chest, the wind blinded her and her hair lashed her skin, cutting like tiny knives.

"Elia! I can't—"

"It's okay, Reth!" she screamed, gripping his face as he lay on his stomach in the dirt. "It's my turn to save you."

His eyes flew wide.

"I love you, Reth. I see now. I see how it has to work."Â

"No, Elia, I can protect you—"

She shook her head and smiled at him, her beautiful, magnificent male. Her mate. Her True Heart's Call. "No, Reth. That's just it. There is no protection. I have to go willingly, because I love you. I have to go so they can never take another soul, ever again."

There was a shriek of rage from the voices, and the wind roared, but Elia smiled at him. His chest spasmed.Â

"I love you, Elia. To eternity."Â

"I love you, Reth," she whispered. "Even to death." She lowered her lips to his, her fingers clawed into his hair as the voices became frantic, tearing at them.

But there was no effort to it anymore, Elia realized. No more fight. And they couldn't take her when she didn't fight. They had no power.Â

"Goodbye, Reth. See you in the Creator's hands. See you in forever," she whispered.

"NO! Elia, WAIT—!"

He threw an arm out to grab her. But with peace—and love—in her heart, Elia released him and was whipped away in a black tornado of screaming pain.