Closing his eyes, he searched. Aided by the new energy signature he gave off, the AllFather found his errant son at once. The connection between them was complete— Xairn’s mind was open and vulnerable. Now to lure him back to the Fathership, the AllFather thought, cackling with unholy glee. And I have just the bait to do it.
“Up here,” he directed, motioning for his Alpha and Beta guards. They were carrying a heavy cage between them, climbing ponderously up the broad steps of his throne room. When they reached the top, he directed them to place the cage and its miserable occupant directly before the green-etched throne.
“Is it as you wish, my master?” The Alpha guard bowed to him, waiting for new directions.
The AllFather patted the thick shoulder approvingly. “It isss.” He should have done this in the first place, he told himself. Instead of having a son naturally he should have simply grown one in the flesh tanks. The vat-grown soldiers that made up his private guard and almost all of the Scourge population now were so much more malleable and tractable than Xairn. Then again, Xairn was his ticket to immortality so he supposed he couldn’t complain too much. All the trouble he’d had raising the boy would be worth it once he absorbed his son’s life force and power into himself. Once he became immortal.
A small movement from the occupant of the cage drew his attention. Stooping, he peered between the metal bars which were etched with the same, twisting green runes that covered his throne. “Well, my dear. How are you feeling thisss fine day?”
A soft, pain filled voice answered him. “Why have you woken me? You wish to torment me again?”
The AllFather tsked disapprovingly. “Why would I wish to torture you? You know the flavor of your pain no longer givesss me pleasure.”
“Then why? There must be a reason. Or will you finally kill me? I am close to death already—I can feel it.” The soft voice broke. “Please…let me die.”
“Not yet.” The AllFather smiled, his lipless mouth stretching into a skeletal grin. “Sssomeone is coming to sssee you. You would not wish to misss his visit, I think.”
“Who? Not—”
“Sssilence,” the AllFather hissed, closing his eyes. “Be sssilent and let me concentrate. You will sssee him in good time, my dear. In good time.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Xairn closed his eyes and let himself drift. Lauren was resting comfortably in his arms and Little One was curled up asleep on one side of his pillow. For the first time in his whole life, he felt completely and totally at peace and it was a wonderful feeling. Wonderful and yet…strange as well. There was something inside him now—some force or power—something he hadn’t felt before they made love. It puzzled Xairn and troubled him a little but whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be hurting him. It was simply there—a soft buzzing in the back of his mind, telling him he was changed.
It’s probably nothing, he told himself. Just the release of tension that was building up for so long. And what a release it had been…
They had made love several times, working themselves to a sweet exhaustion before Lauren had finally untied him and they had collapsed on the bed. Xairn reflected that it was extremely satisfying to finally consummate their love, to give in to the urges that had been tormenting both Lauren and himself for months now. He wondered that he hadn’t thought of taking the submissive role before but it simply hadn’t occurred to him. Male Scourge were always dominant. In fact, he wondered if one of his kind had ever allowed themselves to be subjugated by a female before. Probably not—such an action would have been seen as a sign of weakness in any male. But Xairn didn’t care as long as it allowed him to be with Lauren.
It was ironic in a way—he was one of the last real Scourge and yet he was the first to bow to the dominance of a female. And I will do it again without hesitation, he thought, stroking Lauren’s cheek tenderly. Any male would be proud to call her mistress. Would be lucky to give himself to her during lovemaking.
Of course, though their lovemaking had been amazing, it wasn’t bonding sex. Part of him—the savage, possessive Scourge part of his soul—still demanded that he take her completely, that he make her his beyond the shadow of a doubt. But Xairn found it easier to ignore that part now that the worst of his sexual thirst had been quenched.
Besides, bonding sex with a Scourge meant pain—not just for Lauren but for any female who lay with a Scourge male. There were no full blooded Scourge females left and no other species was equipped to handle that size and thickness of a Scourge male’s primary and secondary shaft. The results of bonding sex with an Earth female would no doubt be severe agony and probably injury—even if he was gentle, which he was certain he couldn’t be. He knew his Scourge instincts well enough by now to know that as soon as the urge to bond took over, he would be incapable of tenderness during the act.