Zed's Dishonest Mate (14 page)

He repeatedly closed his eyes and tried to force the visions to come, but every time he tried to peek into the future the black nothingness met him. Through the darkness the images of his future rested, but he couldn’t grasp them. He touched his flat belly, not sure if the life inside interfered with his talent. No one could do what he did, so there was no wise sage to ask or an advice column to write to. He was stuck figuring out the truth.

Zed grinned at him from the couch. He stopped and tapped his left foot. “Are you sure I have to do this?” he asked. There was a slight whine in his voice, but he was nervous and entitled to a little whining.

“Yes, but it’s okay. I’ll be with you the entire time. Stuck to you like glue.”

“Icky, sticky glue that doesn’t wash off?” He wrinkled his nose at the thought.

Zed laughed. “More like hot glue that warms your skin.”

Luka rolled his eyes. “I’m not worried about you leaving.” Maybe he was a little worried about being alone with the arbitrator. Zed’s eyes opened wider, silently asking, “really?” Luka playfully slapped his arm. “What if he decides our mating isn’t real? The arbitrator is an elf. He could send me back.” The slight tremble threatened to take over his entire body. The more he thought about it the worse the fear.

“How can he do something like that? You’re mine.” Zed grabbed Luka’s hand and pulled him down onto his lap. “If the worst happens, and that’s a pretty big if, you’re not going back. Your home is with me and I will never let you go. No one will hurt you because I’ll be by your side protecting you. No matter what. Trust me.”

He leaned into Zed. The strength oozed into him. Trust. There was that word again. Did he trust Zed? He trusted his mate more than anyone else, but…There was always a but. The guilt forced its way back in. He needed to confess his last secret and show both of them that he trusted Zed. This time he’d tell his mate everything. He opened his mouth. Then he closed his mouth.

What if Zed got angry and left him to face the arbitrator alone? What if he told him to leave? Now wasn’t the time for sharing secrets. He pressed a hand against his stomach and lightly kissed Zed’s cheek. Later, there would be time later.

“What should I tell the arbitrator?” That was another question weighing him down. From the visions to the abuse, there was a lot to share and sharing too much could be as devastating as not sharing enough.

“Everything that pertains to our mating. Avoid discussing the visions. If he asks, I’ll be there to help answer the questions without saying too much.” Zed lightly pulled on Luka’s hair. “It’s going to be fine.”

Luka nodded. “The visions are strange.” Seeing the future wasn’t a blessing, but a curse. People always wanted to know their future. They thought nothing of causing him pain to force the visions. “What about my father?” He shook his head. “No, I mean King Kane.” Kane never treated him as a person. There’s no way he wanted to refer to the elf as his father, but old habits were hard to break, especially the ones beaten into the psyche.

“No lies. If you don’t want to talk about it then tell the arbitrator. That’s it. I will make sure the conversation ends.” Zed rubbed his back.

“Okay,” he said, just above a whisper, too nervous to agree any louder.

“I’m going downstairs to meet the arbitrator.” Zed stood and placed Luka onto his feet. He pushed a strand of hair behind his pointy ears and lightly kissed his forehead. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Don’t think negative thoughts. Think of me holding your hand as we face the arbitrator together. Everything will be fine.”

Luka shrugged. He watched as Zed disappeared. Normally, his mate walked down the stairs instead of teleporting. Nothing worried him, but leaving Luka did. He smiled. Zed’s actions were sweet even though it made his heart beat faster. If Zed was worried, then what hope did he have of staying calm?

He couldn’t stay still. His feet paced back and forth as if they had a life of their own. He needed to move. If he didn’t, he’d burst. He walked with a hand placed snug against his stomach. Everything was happening too fast. From the mating to the child, his life was on fast-forward. It was only a matter of time before Zed knew.

He lacked courage. The pain prevented him from acting. The fear prevented him from trusting.
Trust
. There was that word again. Zed hated lies and Luka tried to be honest, but this secret was too big. Did he trust anyone?

The group arrived a few minutes later. Those minutes provided his mind with time to envision lots of horrible things. Luka smiled at Zed. The arbitrator walked behind his mate. Luka’s hand itched to touch Zed. He walked over and grabbed his mate’s hand before glancing over at the older elf. His heart pounded a little faster. He recognized the man. The memories weren’t bad, but they weren’t good either.

He looked at Zed once more before turning to face the arbitrator. He forced a smile as he tried to remember the man’s name, but nothing. Luka reached out with his left hand, holding onto Zed with his other hand. The arbitrator extended his hand. The touch made him want to pull away and scrub his skin. The elf felt cold and slimy. Maybe it had more to do with someone other than his mate touching him. The reason didn’t matter, he pulled away and squeezed Zed’s hand.

“It’s nice to see you again.”

The arbitrator nodded. Luka had never talked with the old elf. Unlike demons and vampires, elves weren’t immortal. The elf standing in front of him was the oldest elf in the city, centuries older than Zed. Visions flashed of the arbitrator at a party standing next to Kane.

“Young prince, I’ve heard alarming stories from your mate about the king.”

Luka nodded. “I’m sorry but I’ve forgotten your name.” It was a simple change of subject, but he needed it to make sure the conversation wouldn’t be about the past. King Kane no longer mattered. Only the future mattered.

“Owen Lincroft. I prefer to be called Arbitrator Lincroft or just Arbitrator. Most use only my title. I, too, consider it my name.”

“Arbitrator?” He questioned. How can someone not use his name? Was a job more important than a person’s identity? Luka didn’t think so, but he kept that to himself. Zed would be proud at his discretion.

The elf cocked his head. His eyes narrowed slightly as he waited for Luka to talk.

“I won’t talk about King Kane. You’re here to record our mating. I want to swear before you that Prince Zed and I are fully mated.” He squeezed Zed’s hand.

“All in good time.” The arbitrator laughed, but it sounded forced and fake. “Let’s discuss how you got here. I’m curious. I want to know how the two of you found each other.”

Luka shook his head. He wouldn’t talk about the visions. He turned and looked up at Zed. His mate pulled him closer.

“Fate brought us together,” Zed said. “The same fate that designated us mates. We were destined to find one another. That’s how it happened.” Zed smiled. “My mate doesn’t want to talk about the past. He’s moved on and wants to live his life and plan for the future.”

“Of course. What proof do you have of your mating?” the arbitrator asked. “Elves exchange rings, but the two of you didn’t do that. Remember, lying to an arbitrator has serious consequences.”

“Sir, I’m unable to create a ring.” Luka squeezed Zed’s hand. “I’m half-elf and half-human.”

The elf stepped back. “Really.” His expression turned sour. “Are you aware of this?” he asked Zed.

“Yes, and my mate is perfect. I don’t care if he’s human, elf or a combination of both. He’s mine and that’s all that matters.”

Luka nodded. “Even if I can’t create a ring to give Zed, It doesn’t change that we are mates.”

“I see. Well there’s not much else I can say.” The arbitrator reached in his bag and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.

“What’s that?” Luka asked. The pen was beautiful, made of pure gold with diamonds decorating the center part of it. The paper looked old and about to fall apart.

“It’s special paper and a special pen. The paper will record the mating and it will be the only proof you will need if someone challenges the two of you again.” The elder started to write on the paper. “Let me finish signing it, and then the two of you need to sign it.”

Luka smiled and nodded. The old elf was nice, but still Luka didn’t like the man. He felt uncomfortable. A part of him screamed not to trust the elf. Maybe he just didn’t trust his own race anymore. Maybe his distrust at everything around him clouded his judgment. He reached for the paper.

The elder pushed the sheet toward him. Luka reached down and picked it up. He smiled, looking at the eloquent writing. He closed his eyes and sighed. Before he could remind Zed that he couldn’t read it, his mate pulled the paper from his hands.

“Let me see it before you sign it.” Zed read the paper. He placed the paper on the table and patted Luka’s head. “Everything is in order. I’ll sign it first.”

Luka backed away as Zed moved to the table. He watched his mate lean in and signed the document that would bind them in the eyes of the supernatural society. He turned to look at the arbitrator as he moved in from behind. Luka smiled, but froze before his lips arched all the way up. The arbitrator’s face lost all kindness as he sneered at Luka. Luka turned to Zed. His fear forced his mate to turn around. Zed moved toward them, but it was too late.

The arbitrator wrapped his arm around Luka’s neck. The room started to spin. He tried to focus, but the room kept changing, forcing Luka to close his eyes. He grabbed his stomach, trying to keep his last meal inside. He still felt the room spinning, but he no longer had to watch it happen. Soon the spinning started to slow and then stop. Luka pulled forward, but a hard, painful grip stopped him from moving forward. Luka’s legs threatened to give out.

“Crude, but effective,” the arbitrator sneered. “Welcome home, my prince.”

Luka looked for Zed, but he wasn’t there. No, Zed didn’t disappear, they had. Luka shook. Elves couldn’t teleport, but they had. He looked around the room and felt his stomach drop. It was the one place he never wanted go.

Luka’s fear hit like an electric shock. Zed dropped the pen, turned, and rushed toward his mate, but it was too late. The old elf had one arm wrapped tightly around Luka’s neck. His mate gasped for air as he tried to push the older elf’s arm away. Their bodies, partially there and partially somewhere else, existed temporarily in two places. The spell was a crude version of his natural teleporting ability.

“Don’t do this,” Zed ordered, tucking away the fear. Weakness would add to the danger.

The old elf never acknowledged him, choosing to focus on the magic. The spell struggled to take hold. Zed moved toward them, but stopped. Interfering might have devastating results. His fangs extended as he helplessly watched the elf touch his mate. Luka tried to break free, but the firm hold prevented any leverage.

The seconds ticked by like hours. Zed stood, unable to interfere. The spell almost broke apart. The magic weakened, but then strengthened. Elves lived attuned with nature, trying to go against elf magic left the spell unstable. It was like a cow trying to swim. Some things weren’t meant to be.

He clenched a fist. Nails tore into flesh as Luka was pulled further away. Their eyes met. Violet-blue, terrified eyes pleaded for saving, and then nothing. They completely disappeared.

Zed cursed. The entire incident stunk of Kane. The elf king never let anything go. If someone snubbed him, Kane took great pleasure returning the favor. Revenge for the cold-hearted elf ranged from removing the offender from a job to murdering his entire family. Even he couldn’t predict the elf king’s vindictiveness, and he’d seen the man at his worst. Now, the elf king had his mate. He glared at spot where Luka disappeared.

“Bishop,” Zed yelled. His second-in-command barged into the room. He turned toward his trusted friend.

“What’s wrong?” Bishop asked. The older vampire, stiff and ready for an attack, looked around the room as fingers tightly wrapped around a long, silver blade. The light reflected on the deadly steel.

“Luka’s gone.” It hurt to say the words. Voicing what happened made the situation real. It was like a dream that only existed in his imagination until someone was told. When that person shared the dream, then it became even more real. It was no longer contained within one person, but shared. Telling Bishop made the situation real. No longer able to stand by and do nothing, he looked at Bishop. “I’m going to get him back. You’re in charge until I return.”

“What happened?” Bishop reached out and grabbed Zed’s arm.

He closed his eyes and forced his body to stop to answer the question. The responsibility of being territory leader weighed him down. His responsibility wasn’t only to Luka but the entire territory. “The arbitrator used a spell. Something to get past the blocks that allow only me to teleport in and out. He grabbed my mate and forced him to leave the building.”

The reality sank in. Overconfidence made people do stupid things, like setup a meeting with someone that would harm his mate. The arrogant certainty that nothing would happen left an easy opening, waiting to be exploited. The leader of the vampire territory had been stupid and careless. Something he couldn’t afford to be.

Zed never trusted the old elf, but elves couldn’t move like him. They were the tortoise in the old fable. That made him the overconfident hare that slept during the race and failed to win. All because he believed it was beyond an elf’s capability to teleport.

Luka believed Zed would keep him safe. His stupidity inadvertently let Kane get too close. Now he needed to save his mate.

This time Kane wouldn’t hurt Luka. All he needed to do was find his mate. Nothing else mattered. Fate brought them together and it seemed equally determined to keep them apart.

Without another word, he disappeared and reappeared outside of Roman’s building. With a determined stride, he walked through the front door.

“Tell Roman I want to see him, now,” Zed demanded.

“Prince Zed,” the guard stuttered.

Zed growled at the man’s reluctance to move. Today wasn’t a good day to meet someone who didn’t jump at his orders.