Wholly untrue, but they'd already had this argument. She refused to see him as anything more than his grandfather's tool. And that was not why he'd seduced her.
There for a time, in her precious arms, he'd almost been normal.
He wiped at his swelling lips. "It wasn't the whole reason. You are quite stunning when you're not slapping me."
She glared at him.
Thorn braced himself as he considered the implication of what they'd done. "So what are you planning to do with the baby?"
"I wanted it ripped from my womb the moment I learned of it, but I've been told that it would kill me in the process. With it being of demonkyn blood, I have to deliver it."
Those words bit him to the core of his soul. Just once, he'd give anything to be something more than the despised progeny of his father. "He'll only be a quarter demon."
"One drop is as good as total."
He winced. Of course it was. He should know that by now. "Then give him to me. I'll raise him."
Her eyes flared with angry passion. "I'd sooner cut his throat the moment he's born."
"Then you are planning to keep him?"
She shook her head. "I'm planning to put him where you'll never find him. Hopefully, he'll be mortal and will die quickly after his birth. If not ... I'll take care of it."
He glared at her. "That is your son you're speaking of!"
"What would you have me do? Suckle it on the milk of a goddess? To what purpose? To strengthen it?"
"Brigid..." He moved to touch her.
She quickly stepped away and raked him with a bitter hatred that scalded his tongue. "Never touch me again. Go to your grandfather and tell him you have failed. Neither of you will ever take possession of this child."
And with that, she was gone.
*
Brigid returned to her chambers as her fear and loathing warred with the love she felt for both the demon who'd seduced her and the child he'd given her.
How could she have been so foolish? But then that was Thorn's greatest power. The ability to deceive and to make enemies trust when they shouldn't.
Aye, he was a dodgy bastard. And she'd been so lonely these years since her husband had been slain, and Tuireann had grieved himself to death over losing his sons. Her own grief had made her weak. And she'd longed for comfort and companionship.
There for a time, she'd thought Thorn the most perfect man ever born, and he'd eased the constant agony in her heart. Had filled her days and nights with such great happiness.
Until Gwyn ap Nudd had told her what Thorn really was.
Who he served.
Grandson of Noir. The oldest, darkest primal power of evil. The essence of the worst of all kind. Closing her eyes, she placed her hand over her stomach where her son was barely the size of a bean.
"In your heart, you will have the ability to do the greatest of good."
Or the worst of all evil.
"What troubles you, daughter?"
She turned at the melodic sound of her mother's voice. In the form of a maiden, the Morrigan was as beautiful as always. Her raven dark hair was braided around her head in an intricate pattern.
Before she could stop herself, she ran to her mother and held her close. "What have I done?"
"What we've all done at times. You followed your heart and it led you somewhere you didn't want to go." Her mother placed her hand to Brigid's stomach. "Breathe, daughter. All will be right."
"Do you know that or do you believe that?"
"Is there a difference? We make our own truth with what we believe."
Brigid scowled at her. "As spoken by the goddess of fate?"
"Who better to know the truth?"
She was right, and Brigid loathed her for that. "No one can ever know who his father is."
"Then don't tell them."
Brigid nodded. Aye, she'd keep this secret. And she'd make sure that her son was forever safe from harm. Forever beyond the reach of evil. He would be a son of the Tuath De, and even though she probably should, she wouldn't withhold his birthright from him. He would be the last of her sons. She felt that with every part of her goddess being.
She'd buried one son already, she would not lose another.
"I shall name him Cadegan. The son of battle and glory." And in addition to life, she would give him the one thing that she dare not entrust to any other. The one thing that would protect him from harm and keep him safe from all.
Her father's shield.
So long as Cadegan didn't shed human blood, he would be safe from his father's reach.
Her mother brushed her hand over Brigid's furrowed brow, smoothing it with her fingers. "Good and bad lives in the heart of us all. It is the choices we make, large and small, every day that determine our future. Have faith in your child, Brigid. For while he holds his father's blood, he also holds yours. Once he leaves you, his life will be his own. And as with all living creatures, he'll have to find the courage to face and battle what his enemies throw at him. Whether he stumbles, falls or ultimately triumphs is a decision only he can make. For there is no true failure in life, child. There is only giving up one day before we would have achieved success."
"But if he unites with his father?"
"His father was born of Paimon's blood. Yet he spurned it and is now on our side."
"For today. What of tomorrow?"
"It will come and we cannot stop that. But we don't have to fear the morrow. We only have face it." Kissing her cheek, her mother left her.
She was right and Brigid knew it. Whatever happened, she would do her best by her child and hope. After all, hope was the greatest gift, and the single greatest curse of every living thing.
Read on for a sneak peek at Sherrilyn Kenyon's upcoming League novel
BORN OF BETRAYAL
Copyright (c) 2014 by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
1
It was all-out war.
Prime Commander Galene Batur stared at the report of The League attack on an Andarion outpost where almost two hundred civilians had been mercilessly slaughtered.
And for what?
Human vanity? How she hated their inferior species. Humans had never brought her anything but utter misery. Now they had brought her a whole new bloody war that would cost the lives of countless Andarions. Cost her the lives of her soldiers, who would be forced to protect their repugnant species.
How she wished she could bomb them all into oblivion.
"Commander?"
She looked over her shoulder at her lieutenant commander's call. Dressed in the standard red-and-black Andarion command uniform, Talyn wasn't just her second-in-command and adjutant, he was the only male she'd ever trust at her back.
At twenty-nine, he stood head and shoulders above her, and most everyone else. Muscular and unbelievably handsome, he wore his long black hair in typical Andarion warrior fashion--tiny braids that were held away from his face by a red band. Her only complaint with him was the well-trimmed moustache and goatee he'd started wearing lately. It was a current fashion trend she didn't care for. At all. But he thought it made him look more masculine and sexy.
As if he needed help in either of those departments.
Still, his presence caused her heart to soften. It took everything she had not to reach out and cup his beloved cheek. But he wouldn't approve of such open affection before the rest of their troops.
Her Talyn was always prim and proper. Always circumspect.
"Yes?"
Talyn saluted her. "I have an urgent message for you from the royal house."
Galene forced herself not to wince. It must be the queen wanting information about the attack she had yet to gather.
Sighing that she didn't have more reports to offer, she headed for the secured line. She placed the link in her ear before she opened the channel.
Instead of Queen Cairistiona, it was Prince Nykyrian who popped onto her monitor. Unlike his fraternal twin brother, Nykyrian appeared human with his white-blond hair and green e
yes. The only part of him that betrayed his Andarion roots was his set of fangs ... along with his height and military prowess. While she might not appreciate his human half, she definitely respected his exemplary war record and battle skills.
She gave him a curt bow. "Your Highness, to what do I owe this honor?"
"I know you're busy, Commander, and I hate to take your attention away from our troops for even a second, but I have serious business to discuss with you. The Alliance has decided that we need a single military leader we can trust to oversee our joint forces and armies as we fight against The League. Your name was the first one to come to our minds, and we are all in agreement. We'd like to offer the position to you."
Stunned, she stared at him, amazed by the offer. "I'm honored, Highness."
"If you need time to think it over..."
Was he serious? Who in their right mind would turn this down? This was a dream appointment anyone would kill to possess. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Galene would command the single largest military movement in the history of their United System of Planets.
"No, Highness. I would love to lead Alliance forces. I only have one concern. I know that part of our forces are Phrixian and Caronese." Misogynistic troops and armies that would balk heavily at taking orders from a female commander.
"You'll be assigned a male adjutant for handling them ... a Tavali commander. Likewise, you'll be responsible for dealing with the Qillaq directly since they won't take orders from a male."
That was certainly true.
It was rare for any army to be as integrated with both sexes as the Andarions were. Male or female didn't matter. Only competence and lethal skill did.
"When would you like for me to start?" she asked.
"Immediately. The Tavali are on their way to you right now. With a transport and your new adjutant. The two of you will be flown to their northernmost base, where The League has been making their heaviest strikes. All we'll need is for you to name your successor for the Andarion armada, until the war is over."
Galene gestured to Talyn. "We will see it done."
Nykyrian inclined his head to her. "Welcome aboard, Commander. May the gods smile upon you. Always."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I promise, I will do you, your mother, and Andaria proud."
"I know you will." He cut the transmission.
Galene stared at the blank screen as she considered this latest twist of fate.
Wow. She, the daughter her parents had callously thrown out from their house when she was just a girl, was going to lead their combined forces in the war against The League. If they won, she'd be eternally famous.
If they lost, she'd be executed for treason.
One hell of a gamble. But then, as the Andarion armada prime commander, she'd die if they lost, anyway. At least as their allied military leader, it would all be in her hands, and if they failed, she alone would be to be blame.
Thrilled and a little scared, she turned toward Talyn.
His beautiful white eyes glowed with loving pride. "Congratulations, Commander."
She smiled at him. "I shall name you the new prime commander of the armada."
He shook his head. "I will go with you to The Tavali."
"No ... you belong here."
"I belong at your back, Commander. Protecting you. Always."
"Talyn--"
"Mom," he stressed the word, making her realize that she'd dropped their strict military behavior first, by using his given name. "I will not stay here while you interact with others who could betray you. You will need a support staff you know is loyal to you and above reproach. Now more than ever. If you think for one moment that I will stay behind while you risk your life for all of us, you don't know me at all." His gaze burned into hers. "You go. I go."
She wanted to beat him. But how could she? "You are ever my pride."
"And you are ever my cherished mother."
Smiling, she pulled his head down so that she could press her cheek to his. "I love you, mi tana."
"I love you, too."
She fisted her hand in his hair. "I should order you to stay."
"Only if you wish to see me court-martialed."
She tugged at his hair. "Don't tempt me, scamp." Releasing him, she stepped away with a frown. "Call Commander Ilkin. We can promote him."
"Yes, ma'am. And I'll personally assemble an Andarion security team for you."
Galene rolled her eyes at his paranoia--as if she couldn't protect herself. She would argue that with him, too, but he was far more stubborn than she was when it came to such things. Years of fighting his steel will had taught her that.
"See it done quickly."
He saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."
Her heart swelling with love and pride, Galene watched him leave to carry out his orders. In all the universe, he was the only family she had. The only family she needed.
You should have been a surgeon, Talyn. It was what she'd drilled into him from the cradle. But her ever-defiant boy had refused, and followed her into the military as soon as he graduated primary school.
Evil little booger. Stubborn and headstrong ...
Just like his father.
No one could ever tell him what to do. The gods knew she had tried. Many times.
Now he would follow her into war. It was the last thing she'd ever wanted for him. But there was no way to keep him out of it. The time had come for all of them to choose a side.
At least this way I can keep an eye on him.
And she would tear apart anyone who threatened her baby.
Sighing, Galene took a moment to look around the Andarion command center that had been her home for years now. Talyn had been here, at her side, almost the entire time. It would be weird to adjust to a new army. A new way of doing things.
But she was nothing if not adaptable.
Okay, not really. She hated change passionately. But she liked to lie to herself about her inflexible flexibility.
Still, a whole new chapter was about to begin for both her and Talyn. She didn't know what it would hold, but she couldn't wait to see where it led her.
An ill wind blows to all ill things.
A chill went down her spine as she remembered her father's old saying. She only prayed that this time, he was wrong.
2
Fain felt his stomach shrink with dread as they dropped anchor and called for the Andarion contingency they were here to pick up.
I fucking hate you, Jayne. This was why he didn't have friends. Why he didn't want them. Because they invariably did shit like this to him.
His brother Dancer, and Dancer's friend Jayne, thought it was funny to volunteer him to be the adjutant for a female who hated his guts with the fire of a million suns.
It wasn't.
The last time he'd seen Galene, she'd shoved his ass into a public arena with all his business hanging out, and had locked the door behind him. Something he'd been beaten for, and not just by his parents, who'd been horrified by the indecent display.
He couldn't wait to see what Galene would do to him this time.
Probably shoot me.
If he was lucky.
If he was really lucky, it wouldn't be in his balls.
Sighing irritably, he stood up to get it over with. There was no need in delaying the inevitable. He might be a lot of things, but a coward had never been one of them.
And it wasn't like he hadn't been shot before. At least this time, he had on battle armor. As long as she didn't shoot him in the head or groin, he would survive the encounter.
Physically, anyway.
Dignity ... might be a problem. They were oh-for-seven on that one.
He hesitated by the door and pulled down a helmet so that he could add an extra layer of protection between his groin and whatever might go flying at a part of his anatomy he'd like to preserve. Though, to be honest, he wasn't sure why, at this point. Not like he had many chances to use it anymore.
Don't g
o there.
Chayden clapped him on the back. "You all right, Hauk? You look like you're about to hurl."
Fain cut a glare toward his friend. Hurl? No ...
Kill. Definitely.
"I'm fine."
Fain's little brother came out of the holding area to stand next to him. "I'm with Chay. You look a little green, drey."
Fain dodged Dancer's hand as his brother reached to touch his forehead, and barely resisted the urge to slap him. "I know you were just a kid when I ran off with Omira. But do you remember the fact that I was pledged to an Andarion female before I married her?"
Dancer's jaw dropped. "No. I have no memory of that at all. Who were you pledged to?"
Fain faced the ramp that was lowering in front of them. "Prime Commander Galene Batur."
Dancer's curses rang in his ears as Fain headed down the ramp toward the one female he was sure would gut him on the spot. As he scanned the gathered Andarion soldiers, he kept the helmet carefully positioned.
Just in case.
His gaze went straight to her, as if it was drawn there by magic. Damn, was the first thought that went through his head. As with all Andarion females, Galene had been a gorgeous teen. But the adult warrior waiting on them had to be one of the sexiest, most beautiful of her kind.
Tall, lithe, and exquisite, she was dressed in a standard red-and-black Andarion battlesuit. One that hugged a body made to be privately worshiped by naked activities.
And often.
He sucked his breath in sharply as an involuntary image of her wrapping those long legs around him went through his mind. He hadn't been this attracted to a female in a long time. Not since the last time he'd seen her.
Every part of him was alert and panting.
And he was twice as glad now for the helmet at his crotch. I should have worn looser pants. Gods help him if he had to sit down with a hard-on this fierce. That pain alone might kill him.
Focus. Something much easier said than done.
What the hell had I been thinking when I walked away from that?
Young and stupid didn't quite cover it. But then, there'd been extenuating circumstances that had forced his hand. Things that had made staying with her completely out of the question. Maybe I should have fought harder.
Yeah, right. It hadn't been that simple.
A fight, he could have won. What they held over his head had been totally out of his control.