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An excerpt from Anom'tan
Bright
stars flashed behind Sayvor’s pinched eyes. That and the stabbing agony
in his head were his first clue that he’d not only been attacked, but
also that he’d survived.
“Easy, Savy. I’ve got you.” Commander Bryck’s voice whispered into his mind while strong arms helped him to slowly sit upright.
He
blinked, trying to clear his vision, but even the dim silver glow of
the demon realm was too bright. His head throbbed. There was something
he should be telling Bryck, something important. It tugged at his mind,
sending spears of pain through his head one after another. He raised his
hand to touch his damp forehead and knew that dampness was blood. Why
was he bleeding?
Oh yeah, the attack…
After
the hit, he had tried to escape. He’d been holding Flayvor’s hand when
he’d tried to return to Niflheim. Back to the base for their unit. Back
to safety.
He
folded his empty hand into a fist and reached telepathically for his
brother’s mind. When he was with Flayvor, he could be strong. Together
everything would be okay. But where he expected to feel the connection,
there was nothing but a deep painful void. “Where’s Flayvor?” His
brother had been with him before the attack. Was he alright? What if
Flav had been hurt?
The air turned thick as he gasped through the panic.
The
Commander’s arms tightened. “Was Flayvor with you? Can you tell me what
happened?” His voice dropped lower with each growled word.
Sayvor
leaned into the Commander’s arms, accepting his strength. He had to
tell Bryck all he could. But he couldn’t focus his thoughts. This might
be Flav’s only chance. He had to remember. “We were finishing from a
tasc. Going somewhere. And then… Someone jumped us from behind” His
memories of that moment faded even as he tried to recall them. It wasn’t
enough. Why couldn’t he remember anything helpful? It hurt so much, not
the physical… but he was failing his brother. He wasn’t strong enough.
It would be his fault… I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”
The
Commander’s face came into focus for a moment and the glimpse of fear
on that usually stoic man was enough to make him tremble.
“Was
Flav hurt? Or taken? Please, Bryck, we have to save him!” They had to
be together. Alone they couldn’t stay in the mortal world or complete
tascs or maybe even survive. There was no way that Bryck could
understand.
“We’ll
save him. We’ll get him back.” Commander Bryck’s voice rumbled through
him. “I won’t lose you to the madness. I won’t let that happen.” Those
strong arms raised him from the ground, carrying his long frame almost
like a child. Into the base their unit used, to his and Flav’s room.
Sayvor
couldn’t help but reach out mentally for his missing brother. He
reached and reached and felt nothing. The emptiness echoed inside of
him. He needed his twin, just as his twin needed him. Together they were
strong, but apart, they would break under the strain. Their souls would
be damaged by the same powers that allowed them to work in the Anom’tan
unit. The Creator’s blessing would become a curse. Only having a
partner would protect him from that end. Without Flayvor…
He would break.
“You will not break. We won’t let you.” A feminine voice whispered quietly. Spyce. She sat beside him. One of his hands was enclosed in her grasp.
How
could she know what he was feeling? She still had her mate. She didn’t
have to fear the madness. He curled into a ball as another set of arms
surrounded him. Spyce’s mate, Mayce. They were both Synn demons like
him. Maybe they would understand.
“Shh...
of course we understand. It will be alright.” Spyce whispered while
Mayce rocked him. “He’s so fragile, Mayce. We have to do something.”
“Trust
the Commander. Bryck will find his twin in time. The attackers will
pay.” Mayce’s low purring voice vibrated through Sayvor’s body. “Did Wyk
contact Pahele? Does the demon lord know what’s happened?”
“I
know.” Pahele’s voice was like wind, blowing away the fear and filling
Sayvor’s body with a will of its own. “Stand up, Sayvor. I’m sending you
all back to Midgard.”
Sayvor’s
body stood and as Pahele grasped his shoulder, he felt healed, whole
and complete once more. Warm strength flooded down through him, leaving
him tingly with power. Mayce’s arm stayed around him and for that he was
grateful, because his knees barely held him even with Lord Pahele’s
help.
“I’m sending you to Nail’s home in Brooklyn. You will be safe there from our betrayers.”
His mind spun. “Our tasc was in Brooklyn.” They were being sent back to where it had happened.
Lord Pahele’s deep voice was gentle. “Your brother is still there. Being closer to him may make the difference in his survival.”
It made sense, but still filled him with fear.
“Your
unit’s tascing duties will be reassigned to allow your unit to regroup
and hunt for Flayvor.” Pahele’s hand tightened and the sensation of
being pushed through the realms washed over him in a tide of dizzy
motion. Even as his master’s grip faded, the voice whispered into
Sayvor’s mind, “We will not abandon your brother. He will be returned to
you.”
Master
Pahele’s strength disappeared and with it all of Sayvor’s willpower. He
sagged and would have fallen if not for the strength of his comrades.
It was a challenge, but I managed to keep the excerpt PG. But be assured, the rest of the book is for adults only. Read more at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHMKHCJK
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