Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(58)

"Satanan? Satan?"

"Hard to say if they're one and the same, though the legends of the humans' Satan may well be based on Satanan. Goddess knows, they had reason to fear him. But he never lived in a place called Hell. Satanan was very much a creature of the Earth, as we all are.

"When Satanan was imprisoned in the blade, so too were the souls of the others. An entire race. Since Daemons are energy creatures instead of blood and water, the life forces that were left behind were only wraiths of the original. Draden. Without minds, without souls, they live by sucking energy from Therians, especially the Radiant. Like all nature's creatures, they learned to reproduce or they would have died off."

"What would happen if the Daemons were ever freed from the blade?"

"They'll flow back to the draden, reanimating them to their original form. But since the Daemons in their true form are cunning, sentient beings, they'll return to feeding the way they did millennia ago, on the pain and fear of the creatures they captured."

"Animals?"

"Humans. Most often children. By the thousands."

Kara shivered. "They won't be freed, will they?"

"No. Only through the will of all the Ferals and the blood of their Radiant will that scourge be released upon the Earth again. And none of us will ever let it happen."

The draden seemed to be pressing lower.

"Get down, Kara."

She slid down the rock, pulling her knees tight to her chest as Lyon squatted in front of her.

"What's happening?" she asked. "The circle seems to be getting smaller."

"It is. I can feel the edges of it. The dome usually covers the entire rock, but we're down to about six feet by six. I'm shoving at it as hard as I can, but my power's drained too far. Until we get you ascended…"

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to. They both knew her Ascension was suddenly in serious doubt.

A dog barked in the distance. To Tier surprise, Lyon answered, mimicking the sound rather amazingly.

"They're coming."

"That was one of your men?"

"A dog bark is a natural sound around here and draws less attention than shouting. Especially at this hour."

"Yeah, I guess a roar would stand out."

He reached behind him, his hand gripping her knee. "Whatever happens, I want you to know I'm proud of you."

"Why?"

"Because I know how scared you are. It throbs around me like a pulse beneath my skin. Yet you're solid. Demanding a weapon. Trying to guard me."

His words warmed her.

"You'd have made us a damned fine Radiant."

Would have. If she hadn't been Mage. The warmth died in a wash of cold.

"Here come my men," Lyon said as he crowded her against the wall.

In a pounding rush, a swing of knives, and a shout of magic incantation, the Feral Circle burst wide again, and the draden were flung away. Lyon rose and pulled her to her feet beside him. In the dradens' stead, stood three Ferals, watching her. In Tighe's eyes, she saw deep disappointment, in Jag's, wary curiosity. And in Paenther's nothing less than raw hatred. Any hope she'd harbored that the men might come to her defense died with that blast of enmity.

"How's she radiant if she's Mage?" Jag wanted to know.

"Black magic," Paenther growled.

Lyon shook his head. "I think she's part Mage. And I don't think she knew it. But that discussion will keep until we get home."

"Leave her for the draden," Paenther urged. "We'll never ascend her."

Kara recoiled from the hatred in his voice.

"I said we'll discuss her fate when we get back to the house," Lyon snapped. "For now, she's your Radiant, and you will protect her with your life. Whether you like it or not."

Tension pulsed between them, but Lyon was fully in charge. His hand landed on her shoulder. "I want you to stay radiant as long as you can, but you've got to stay covered. If any humans see you, it'll cause problems."

Jag tossed a black bundle to Lyon, and he shook it out, revealing a hooded robe, like the ones in her nightmares. A shudder went through her, but she let him put it over her, hiding her light, casting them all back into the night's shadows.

The robe had obviously been made for a Feral The hem pooled on the ground at her feet, the sleeves hanging below her fingertips. Running in this thing wasn't going to be fun.

"Roar," Tighe said. "Her radiance will only draw the draden back faster."

"She will be protected. No more discussion. We're going." He pulled the hood over her head until she could barely see out.

She grabbed up the robe, holding it high enough that she wouldn't trip over it with one hand, while Lyon took hold of her free hand.

"We're going back through the woods, the same way we came when I drove you over here this afternoon. Keep your head down and run."

Paenther led the way, Jag close behind him. Tighe took up the rear as they ran up the steep, rocky path and into the woods. Lyon held her tight, pulling her nearly off her feet, but she flew beside him, knowing he was her only hope of survival, in so many ways.

As the tree limbs tore at her hood, desolation clawed at her courage. They didn't want her. They didn't trust her. Yet they couldn't get another Radiant until she died. Even Lyon, who said he believed her, couldn't promise he'd protect her. Because his goal, his own desperate need, was to get a Radiant ascended.