Page 19 of Tempted
Mahkah, my ever level headed beast of a man. The one who appears to be big and strong—which he is—but carries the weight of our mental burdens because his capacity for empathy, devotion, and healing are unparalleled. No words need pass his lips for me to hear his message. It’s in every beat of his heart. “I am with you. I am yours. All will be right in the end.”
My beautiful Luta glares daggers at his friend, at his brother. He who is always full of light, a smile for everyone who crosses his path and the charm to match. He’s a wiley one, who can manipulate the mind so seamlessly, you’d never know it was happening and I can see him working that magic now, only he’s not yet strong enough to combat that of dark magic. When he turns to look at me after however many failed attempts, I watch as he shuffles through his emotions. Wrath. Sorrow. Acceptance. Love—Fierce and unyielding, blinding love.
Ezhno’s the only one still roaring his fury, fighting his binds, and cursing Tanda for all to hear. The Big to my Little, even if I’m not so little. The fighter. The enforcer. My strong-willed, temperamental monster of a being. Yet a gentle giant all the same. Always so at peace in the water and with me. His laughter booms as loud as his rage and it’s those things I hold dear to my heart as the tears stream down my face while watching him fight for us all, despite knowing what he’s up against. I keep his bravery with me as I turn from him to face my final mate, the one I no longer recognize.
“They are your brothers,” I exclaim, trying to stay calm in the wake of my shock from all of these revelations.
“They are my competition. It isn’t right that I share my bonded with any others so they must die, no matter how hard the sacrifice. I know we’re meant to be, I’ve seen it.”
His words are stilted, coated in dark magic that’s making my skin crawl. For the hundredth time I can’t help but think that this isn’t Tanda. This isn’t the man I’ve loved all my life. This isn’t the man who only three days ago saved an innocent baby turtle from the hungry birds as it made its way to its new oceanic home. Tanda, the kind-hearted man who spreads hope and joy to all who seek him out. The man who gives so much of himself freely to his people, his time, energy, and love. Love is always the greatest factor. It’s the most powerful force in this world and he has it in spades, despite growing up with a family who expected more from him than he’s ever known how to give. He’s gifted in ways that the rest of us aren’t. He’s a seer, meaning his power of sight is truly something of the gods and unlike anything I’m capable of. It’s a beautiful gift, truly, but his father always saw it as a curse and made him to feel like he needed to do more, be more. Always.
I have to do something.
I have to do it right now or I’ll be too late.
Tanda is gone to the dark place none of us should ever go.
Filling my lungs with air, I close my eyes and reach my hands toward the heavens, calling out to the power of the moon and seeking the help of my grandmother goddess.
“Please, Toci. I call on you to save these men and this tribe. I ask that you heal Tanda’s heart and offer peace to the rest of their souls in response to their grief for I am a willing sacrifice, a life to be given in their place. Though I am only one, I have come into my power and ask that you take back your gift along with my blood as a payment for that which has been wronged here on this land tonight.”
Holding my hand out, I throw my energy to Tanda and his father, holding them still as they’ve done to the others in our homeland, trusting my instincts to guide my way through this unknown magic. With my other hand I sweep it across the expanse of space holding my mates, snapping the ties that are binding them loose, and with magic I did not even know I had, sending them away to a safe place in the blink of an eye. No more than a whispered, “I’ll find you again one day, for we are destined in this life and the next '' to offer them any contentment with my choices. What I wish I could say is, "True love transcends all time. No matter how far life takes us, we will always find each other. We are destined."
The looks of pain and fear etched into their faces was nearly enough to cripple me, but my need to save them is overriding everything else.
With another swish of my hand and the call to the earth, I plead for a jagged rock to meet my fingertips and sigh with relief when one reaches my palm.
“I cannot undo what you have done, Tanda. The power you have stolen must be given back freely and of your own will. I can only offer you my love in my final moments of life and pray to our goddess that we may have another chance in another life. I hope you find peace and let go of the greed consuming your soul and the selfishness which has pulled you away from me so often these last months. I will always love you and even in your darkest place, I hope you carry my love with you forever.”
I hear his screams of terror and pleading for me to stop when the edge of the sharpened stone slices across my neck. Dropping to my knees one final time as my blood pools on the ground, mixing with my tears and the elements as my sacrifice is complete. When I fall further into the earth, I silently beg the goddess that my sacrifice not be in vain.
Chapter Eleven
Felix
Holyshit.
How is this possible? Was I reincarnated?
Oh my fuck. Are my parents really my parents? No! They aren’t. I remember my parents. I’ve been lonely and miserable, trying so hard to meet unrealistic expectations all my life and for what? To disappoint an asshole mother who’s not my mother? No wonder she’s always hated me.
This is a problem for another day. Focus Fe—Tozi. Reincarnation. It’s a big deal.
“This is going to sound crazy, but I think I’m reincarnated,” I echo my thoughts aloud to the men surrounding me.
“We always knew you’d come back to us, Zii,” Raini states, as if it were simply a fact. Like, reincarnation is just a natural part of life.
But maybe it is.
The old me is clashing hard with the new me and I’m struggling to breathe as I realize that I woke up and had a full blown orgy with men that I knew and hadn’t realized that I actually didn’t know because even though I do know them, I didn’t know that I knew them until it just… I don’t know… happened.
Does that make sense?
No?
Cool, cool. Not to me either.
“Zii, breathe nice and slow for me,” Mahkah says, getting all up in my space and taking control with his calming zen effect. I do as he says and make the decision here and now that the old me wins. I am goddess blessed and a special part of this world. I’ve been given another chance at this life and a second chance at fixing what Tanda broke. Maybe I can even help him along the way?
