Mated to Evil

Don't hurt Sumba

2 Days Later

This room was beginning to drive me insane. That is on top of the nonstop nightmares and dreams of my mates. When would this stop?

I awoke this morning to the same routine. Sumba brought me breakfast and then I proceeded to get ready. Though this time when Sumba returned to pick up my breakfast tray she looked at me worriedly as I lay on the bed trying not to fall even deeper into depression. "Why don't you come out of this room today? Silva and Parker have just left to go hunting. We can have coffee by the fire and then maybe we can go explore a few caverns I've been wanting to show you." She smiled at me and I lifted my head to look at her, unsure of whether I should go or not.

The excitement for getting out of my prison had overrode my fear of Silva and Parker in the end so I quickly got up and followed Sumba back into the main part of the cavern. She sat in her chair I'd seen her on the day I was brought here and I sat in the one opposite her. I watched as she mixed cocoa, milk, and sugar until it was steaming, and then she grabbed the coffee kettle and poured out mugs half full to finish it off with the hot cocoa mixture. She looked at me and smiled as she handed me the mug. "I have a sweet tooth. I love coffee but hate it black so I make my chocolate creamer." She grinned proudly and I couldn't help but smile back at her childlike excitement for something so simple.

"So, how did you meet their father?" I asked her curiously. She held up her wrist and she had a symbol in the shape of a Pentagon with two names interlaced through it but one had turned to black unlike the bright gold of the rest of her marking. "Sumba and Patrick" were the names etched in her skin with Patrick fading to a full black. My brow furrowed and I looked at her confused. "When you lose a mate the pain is indescribable. It's like you can feel their death, no matter how painful, and upon their very last breath when your marking fades it's like your soul is ripped in half and a scorching sensation takes place of their name momentarily. Though losing Patrick was freeing in so many ways I'll never be the same without him. Mates who are deeply in love with an unbreakable bond and who lose the other tend to go crazy. Some have even ended their own life unable to deal with the constant pain and the void left behind where their bond used to be." She explained as a tear slipped down her cheek.

I thought about what Sumba said about her mate and wondered how I would feel if something happened to one of mine. We hadn't even met so would I still feel the pain and loss of their death? "I know you are scared of your mates," Sumba started. "I know that you're running from them has caused them to have harsh feelings toward you." She informed me. "I'm afraid I'll be used for my magic and simply thrown away until, if and when, they need me again." I blurted needing to confide in someone about what I've been feeling for so long. Sumba smiled at me and nodded, " I understand your fear, but without you," she pointed at my chest. "Without you, they can and will run out of magic. They will grow weaker and their bond will falter. You are their keeper. You can exchange and share power with your mates as yours is a never-ending supply of magic. You are their power station of sorts, and though they are who they are I don't believe their intentions are harmful. Or rather they weren't. So have patience and build trust." She explained to me and I nodded deep in thought about her suggestions.

Sumba and I finished our coffee and I offered to help with her daily chores. We swept the cave floors and dusted the sparse pieces of furniture. I was cleaning around the fireplace when Sumba came over to me. "Put your hands in front of the fire palms up." She instructed me. I was confused but I have done as she told me. "Now close your eyes. Picture yourself holding the fire in your hand. Molding it into different shapes. Feeling the warmth of the flames dancing over your skin. No burning you but you still feel the power behind it. " Her voice was low and soothing as I pictured what she explained. "Now open your eyes, Aubrette!" She whispered.

I slowly opened my eyes and they widened when I saw tiny flames dancing on my fingertips. I moved the flames from one finger to the next as if they were little puppets I was controlling. "Your fire elemental side is strong Aubrette. Learn to harness it. " Sumba smiled at me as she waved her hands over mine making the flames bigger and brighter.

"Their coming!" Silva ran into the cavern with Parker close behind her and I jumped up the flames immediately extinguishing. I cowered in the corner hiding from Parker as Sumba turned to them. "I told you they would come." She stated calmly as she eyes both her children as worry crossed her face. "Mother help us." Parker pleaded with her. Sumba shook her head, "I can't help you this time. " She stated sadly.

I could hear barking and growling approaching the cavern and my heart began to race as I felt the bond calling my mates to me. I could feel them getting closer with every passing second. Fear laced with anticipation flooded my body as four beasts with charred fur and burning embers spread over its body ran into the room. The hell hounds cornered Silva, Parker, and Sumba. The fourth came over to me sniffing and growling before he whimpered and lay at my feet.

I looked down at what appeared to be a badly burnt dog and hesitantly reach my hand out to stroke his head. His fur felt soft in some places but rough in others. I jerked back as my bond smashed into me and my breathing began growing rapidly. I started at the entrance anticipating their arrival a Silva and Parker cowered in the corner. Sumba sat in her chair with the hound at her feet and she looked at me smiling reassuringly but sadness still filled her eyes because of the worry for her children.

They entered one after the other and the urge to run into their arms filled my body but I resisted. I watched wide-eyed as Parker noticed me and determination crossed his face. He lifted his hand and pushed them forward and an invisible force sent the hell hounds that were snapping at his feet across the room. Parker ran over to me and did the same to the hound laying at my feet. He grabbed me roughly by the arm and shielded himself with my body.

Parker had one hand around my chest pinning my arms to my side and with the other, he held a knife to my neck. I felt the cold steel press into my tender skin and hissed when it sliced into me and warmth flowed down my neck. I knew it was only a nick by still I stood frozen unable to call on my fire element or my magic. Both felt as void as they had since I had arrived.

I watched as Brecclan blew fire from his mouth and it imprisoned Silva in a blazing inferno ring. They looked to Sumba and Parker's grip on me tightened. "Call them off." He growled at me. I... I can't." I stuttered. "You touch my family and I'll slit her f*****g throat." He told them as they moved closer and the hell hounds growled and barked at our feet. Luca smiled grimly at him, "I'll drain you before you can blink. He growled at Parker. "Let her go and we'll go easy on you," Nikolai yelled over the hounds barking. "How can I be sure you won't kill us," Parker yelled. "Because if w wanted you dead you would already have been dead before you entered this cavern." Brecclan howled at him. "My sister for your mate!" Parker negotiated and Luca shook his head. "Not until we have her Parker." He told him as anger coursed through our bond.

I was surprised when I felt Parker remove the knife from my neck. He loosened his grip on me and shoved me forward so hard that I tumbled onto the stone floor of the cave hitting my back and seeing stars when my head hit. I gasped when strong arms followed by tingles and warmth spread through my body as they wrapped around me and picked me up, pulling me to a hard chest. My vision blurred as my head pounded. I reach out o the back of my head and felt my hair saturated with a sticky substance. "Sumba. " I cried out for her. She had become my ally and I felt the need to protect her from my mates. "Shhhh.. she will be fine." A low thick voice whispered in my ear and a warmth pooled low in my stomach. I breathed in his scent as my body feels into a state of relaxed unconsciousness. "Don't hurt Sumba!" I mumbled my last word and I was devoured by the darkest finally, the terrible pain in my had stopped.