In The End

Tanera sat tied to the chair, silently crying to herself. She should not let them see weakness should they retrieve her from the darkened room but she found she no longer cared. Everything that had mattered was lost. She had fought hard for her people, a people who deserved to be free, but still she hadn’t won. They had captured her in the end but that wasn't why she cried, for as much as she feared and abhorred the persecution of her peaceful clan, what her heart wept for was the loss of her lover, her mate, her other half. In a time of fighting and destruction, she had found someone who brought her peace and comfort. He was the reason she had kept fighting for a cause she saw no way to win, why she had believed they might have stood a chance.

She remembered when she had first met him how the sparks had flown between them. He had walked into the war room in our main hide out like he’d always been there. Her second in command walked over leaving Carlis to peruse the room as he came over to Tanera who was looking suspiciously at the new comer.

“Tanera great news I have found us a new recruit, he’s just what we need.” Quint practically gushed.

“Really?” Tanera raised an eyebrow still eyeing the newcomer with suspicion who was talking with one of her squad commanders who was flirting outrageously with him.

“Yes really. He is a great man, I fell into an ambush on the way back from the negotiations in the outlands, I thought I was done for then out of no where Carlis pops up and drives them back. He’s been with me at the camp for the last couple of months helping me train and recruit.”

Tanera looked up from her second in command to see the new arrival watching her closely. Something in his eyes spoke of hidden promise, Tanera glanced away feeling unsure for the first time in a long time.

After much persuasion from Quint she finally agreed to let Carlis stay around temporarily.

In the following months Tanera found herself living her life as normal. Planning, leading, fighting but under the surface the tension was starting boil over. In the months since Carlis had joined the ranks he had made friends among the rebels and had demonstrated great leadership qualities but still she couldn’t bring herself to become comfortable around him.

She ran into him everywhere and eventually she stopped fighting it. She found herself looking forward to seeing him, seeking him out the flimsy excuses, asking his opinions on a variety of things, so they were practically inseparable with most of the rebels encouraging it. All were of the opinion that their leader deserved some happiness in their dim world.

Tanera found herself smiling more than she had ever done before and at last the darkness that filled her heart began to dissipate.

It lead her to do something that would change their relationship forever.

“Hey Carlis.” Tanera said as she walked towards him on the way to her room on night.

“Evening Tanera. Where are you off to this fine night?” Tanera smiled, no matter what was going on around them he always had a smile.

“I’m heading back to my room to repair and fortify the defenses.” She said smiling at him.

“Oh well in that case I will let you get on your way.” He said stepping back to let her pass, it was wildly known that Tanera never used her powers in public unless she absolutely had to.

“How would you feel about coming with me?” Tanera asked him shyly, stunning Carlis into silence. “Never mind, I’ll see you around.”

Tanera brushed passed a still silent Carlis and headed to room muttering to herself about stupid feelings and being an idiot. As she arrived at her room someone placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. Taking a deep breath she composed her face into a friendly smile and turned around to greet whoever had stopped her only to gasp in surprise.

“Hey,” Carlis said looking nervous. “Look I’m sorry about just now it’s just that it was so unexpected. I know what an honour this is and if you haven’t changed your mind after my rather embarrassing display of ineloquence I would love to join you.”

Tanera just smiled and headed into her room leaving the door open for him to follow. When she heard the door close she let out a breath she had been holding. She couldn’t for the life of her understand why she was acting like this.

“Where would you like me?”

“Well I’ve never done this before. You can either sit and watch or you can help I suppose.” Tanera said looking anywhere but him. She knew he understood what she was offering but she wasn’t sure if he knew why.

He watched her silently as she set up the room and settled herself on the floor before finally looking at him.

“So what’s your decision? Are you going to watch or join me? I know it’s a big decision and I understand…” Carlis placed a finger on her lips and with a gentle smile nodded his accent.

That night they joined together on a spiritual level his inner strength giving strength to her magic making the shield around the fortress stronger than ever before but more importantly that was the night she discovered he was her predestined mate as their souls brushed each other, that was why she could not resist him and why she didn’t really want to try.

When they came out of their trance like state she took advantage of his disorientation and kissed him softly. It was like electricity flowing through her veins, she had never felt anything like it before. She went to pull away but found Carlis pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.

She couldn’t say how long it went on for but she knew she never wanted it to end. When they finally broke apart she couldn’t help but smile at him.

Tanera looked at the moon from her cell and smiled to herself. No after that night nothing was the same. Carlis had avoided her like the plague for the next month. Tanera couldn’t figure out what she had done wrong but she assumed that he didn’t feel the same and had opted to stay away than cause waves.

Tanera became withdrawn, she kept herself busy but rarely interacted with others anymore. She couldn’t understand it, mates weren’t supposed to be able to deny each other.

In her family they had special powers to help them lead and protect their people and in return for looking after their people they were each given on true mate and this person would be connected to them on every level and once they met to be separated for a long amount of time would be painful. Tanera couldn’t believe that he could just walk away if he hurt as much as she did but maybe she was wrong or maybe she hadn’t done everything she could for her people and this was fate’s way off punishing her. If so she would accept it, for she deserved it and would continue to fight for her people regardless of her pain.

However it all came to a head late on night when she tried to replenish the shield around her people and found she could not through the pain. She had depleted herself too much. She stumbled out of her room and into Carlis.

“I’ve failed.” She whispered to him. “I have failed my people, I have failed you. The shield will fall before dawn and my people will perish.” She sobbed and would have crumpled to the floor if Carlis hadn’t caught her.

“Tanera?” She heard the worry in his voice and sobbed harder. “What have I done?” He muttered picking her up and carried her to her room. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I thought if I walked away it would make it better. How can I fix this? Tanera please tell me. I’ll do anything. I never meant to hurt you.” He looked into her eyes fear and pain shining in them.

“Why did you walk away?” She whispered.

“I’m not good enough for you. I walked away because you deserve better.” Tanera tentatively reached out and cupped his cheek.

“You were destined for me how could you not be good enough? I love you.”

“You love me?” She smiled softly and nodded. “Oh Tanera I’ll never walk away from you again, I promise. How do we fix the shield?” Tanera looked away and blushed. “What is tell me, please.”

“We must love completely only a complete connection will heal me quickly enough.” She whispered unable to look at him. Carlis slipped a finger and turned her head towards him.

“It would be my pleasure.” Was all he said before kissing her.

That night was the first night they made love. They became inseparable after that. Tanera found herself the happiest she could ever remember being but that all changed the night he died in an ambush, they hadn’t even left enough to bury, just charred remains where they had burnt him after his murder. Since then she had only one purpose in her life. To kill the enemy. She cut them down with the strength of ten men, her pain guiding her. She no longer cared if she lived or died. Nothing mattered anymore.

She could no longer protect her people with her powers, since his death she was good for nothing but fighting. She at least had believed at least she could die honourably and meet him in the afterlife, but now they had taken that from her too. She stared at the high window and looked at the moon, it wouldn't be much longer now she surmised. They would beat her and humiliate her before killing her. She sighed, at least it would be over. She could have escaped had she have cared but now she just wanted it over.

Steps echoed along the corridor, it was time.

The lock slid across and the door creaked open, the light spilled in blinding Tanera temporarily. When her eyes adjusted she saw the centre of all her anger, all her hate, all her pain. The man who persecuted her people, killed her mate and now would kill her, grinning maniacally at her, flanked by four flunkies. She felt her powers begin to stir but she couldn't find the strength to use them.

Tobias grabbed her by the hair and dragged her from the chair. He stared into her eyes along time and she saw malevolence and sadism and she looked back without fear, without hope, without life.

Tobias let out a growl and dragged her close, he sniffed her hair making her cold inside but still she showed nothing to him.

“You are mine now. I’ve have taken everything you have and now I will take you and then destroy your people.” He whispered gleefully in her ear before straightening. “Move.” He said grabbing her arm and leading her forcefully to the main hall.

As they stepped into the room she saw hundreds of dark crusaders in the room stand to attention at the entrance of their leader, she had entered the snake pit. It would be over soon now.

They walked across the room Tobias’ grip on her arm bordering on bruising in an attempt to get a reaction but she was going to give him nothing more he’d already taken enough from her, her pride was all she had left.

He threw her to the floor in front of the thrown which he then sat himself on looking around malevolently at his minions before smiling maliciously looking to her with evil indulgence.

“Ah Tanera. Have you met my second in command, General Carlis?” She could see the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes but she kept her face blank as she turned and looked up into the eyes of one person she never thought she would ever see again. They had found her one weakness and managed to exploit it not once but twice. As she looked into his eyes all she saw was indifference and felt her heart break all over again. How could her mate not feel the pain she had felt by their separation? How could he not feel? How could she have been so wrong?

“Ah so you recognize him then?” Tobias laughed maliciously and welcomed Carlis with a warrior’s handshake. “I couldn’t have got this far without him. Now Carlis as I promised, she is all yours, for all your hard work. I can’t wait to see her after you’ve finished with her. Now go have your fun children for tomorrow we will finish this.”

With that Carlis dragged her to her feet and dragged her form the room. Once they were out in the corridor Tanera came out her shock, processed what was going on and started struggling. For the first time since she thought he had died a year ago she actually felt fire and passion burn inside of her being. She wanted to fight, she wanted to know why he had betrayed her. They were true-life mates, they were made for each other, they lived for each other and he had betrayed her for power and fear. It was extremely rare for anything other than death to separate mates, she didn’t understand but she would.

Tanera felt Carlis tense as she began fighting before thrusting her up against the nearest wall, pressing himself into her. His body pressed between her legs so she couldn’t kick him and held her tied hands above her head as she struggled against him. He held her tightly as he looked into her eyes and suddenly surprising Tanera, he smiled. It was a smile of relief, of happiness and a smile of love. It took her breath away. The fight in her died.

“Tanera… Oh god I was so worried. I heard you had become almost suicidal since they staged my death. I was terrified I’d lose you. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you and how glad I am to see that fire back in your eyes.” He whispered sounding out of breath and then as though he couldn’t hold bad any longer he kissed her with a passion that transcended time and place, nothing existed but them. Their passion and love the only thing that mattered. Tanera had never been able to deny her mate and although she didn’t had answers and indeed still feared them, she gave herself over to him there in the hallway not caring if a whole century of Dark Crusades came through.

Finally Carlis pulled back breathing heavy before giving her one last quick passionate kiss before dragging her down the hallway and into his room. After bolting the door, he slowly turned to her and pulled out a small knife. She stood still, barely breathing as he walked towards her, unsure whether she could trust him still.

Carlis took her by the wrist and then shredded her bonds and after a moments hesitation let her go and gestured to one of the chairs. Tanera tentatively sat down and glanced around the warm inviting room and spotted the large four-poster bed in the corner and tried not to let thoughts of the past cloud her judgment. Carlis stared at the floor before looking into her eyes and speaking.

“Tanera before I tell you how I ended up here I need you to know that when I met you, it changed my world, my life had always been shades of grey and then I met you and my world was suddenly full of bright colours, that’s why when I first met you I shied away from you, even though my mission was to get close to you.

“You have to understand I grew up here my father was a general to Tobias’ father and much more. He was a confidant and a friend. When I grew up I was to be the same to Tobias.

“When you rose up as the rebel leader fighting the good fight and actually started winning, Tobias decided the only way to bring you down was from the inside. So he sent me in, as his top general no one knew me outside of the Dark Crusaders, but then I met you and everything changed. I knew instantly as you did but I fought hard against it. You were the very opposite to everything we’d worked towards.”

He moved towards Tanera and clasped her hands. When she didn’t pull away he took and deep breathe and continued.

“I was supposed to lead you to an ambush where we could take you out but I couldn’t so I convinced them I needed to be taken out of the equation. Which was why we faked my death, I thought you would be better without me but it hurt you just as much me, didn’t it?”

Carlis looked to her for confirmation, the need in his eyes apparent. She nodded and realized dimly that her face was wet with tears. She hadn’t cried since the Dark Crusaders had killed her family when she was fifteen.

Carlis dragged her close and held her tightly, stroking her hair, before continuing.

“When you went to my grave unprotected they grabbed the chance. I saw them bring you in two days ago, I saw for myself that you had lost the fire I loved you for I had never been so terrified in my life. I went to Tobias and asked if I could have you, I claimed I wanted to break you myself after having to put up with you for over a year and he agreed.”

Tanera took in everything she had learned, he was here, he was alive. Her heart sung with joy but then her head cautioned, he’s the enemy now. She pulled back.

“You’re the enemy then?” She asked quietly, no inflection in her voice. Carlis drew back quickly.

“No!” He said forcefully, clasping her arms. “No, in the beginning yes but no more. You are my mate and nothing or no one could make me turn from you. Not ever again.” He said in a firm voice. “There’s so much to tell you but all you need to know right now is it that it’s been a busy year. I have been working within the rebels, when Tobias attacks next week I assure you the rebels will finally attain the freedom you’ve fought for.”

“Why?” Was all Tanera could choke out, it was too much. All she could think was he was here her brain couldn’t get passed the fact he was still alive.

“For you. It’s all for you. You opened my eyes to love and happiness. You made me care about your people as you do and… you made me love you.”

Tanera sat for a long time in silence trying to comprehend it all. Everything was going to be okay. Then finally she realized what he had said.

“You love me?”

The tension in Carlis’ body relaxed and he pulled he closer. “You have no idea.” He smiled before he pushed her so she lay down in the chair before caressing her face. “You are so beautiful,” he said reverently. Then he kissed her and her world exploded into colour once more. His hands were everywhere at once as he reacquainted himself with her body. Tanera felt like she was drowning in sensation, it had been over a year since the last time she had lain with him and never had he told he loved her before.

Soon she found herself naked, beneath an equally naked Carlis and her instincts finally kicked in. She knocked Carlis underneath her and her hands and mouth where everywhere, nipping, sucking, biting, touching, caressing, kissing her way up and down his body relearning everything that drove him wild finally reaching his straining erection. She looked up at Carlis and smiled at the lust in his eyes before leaning down and licking the tip of his erection. She teased him for a while watching as he tried not to squirm before she finally took him in her mouth and lead him towards completion.

“Tanera, I…” The expression on his face made her smile. It was full of love and tenderness and longing.

When she felt him getting close she slowly ease off before leaving him with one finally kissed to the tip, before turning and walking towards the bed but just as she reached it she found herself tackled to it by a large warm body. She hit the bed laughing.

“You’re teasing me.” He accused. Mock glaring at her as he leant over her making her laugh again.

“I’m not teasing, I just thought the bed would be more comfortable.” Carlis raised his eyebrows at that.

“Were you not comfortable? Well let me make up for that then.” He slowly started caressing her body, kissing and caressing her into a frenzy. When he finally slid a finger inside her, he found her wet and ready he stopped.

“So you have missed me.” Carlis said smugly as he slowly slid his finger in and out of her. Tanera found herself lost to the sensation and unable to answer coherently. At her soft moan he smiled. “I take it that is a yes then?” Unable to take the teasing any longer he slid his finger form her and slid up her body until his face was level with hers kissing her softly before murmuring, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispers as he slid into her. At once she felt complete as though a missing part of her had been replaced and in a way she supposed it had. She gave herself over to the sensation of him thrusting in and out of her. She looked at him and noticed his intense look.

“Your eyes are glowing. Your powers are returning, aren’t they?” She nodded feeling them surge through her and crackle around them. It had been six months since she even felt the slightest tingle from her powers and having them return full force was a real rush.

Their love making became frantic as their need for each other became to much and suddenly Tanera found herself spiraling into oblivion Carlis following closely behind.

As they lay together panting Tanera thought how bleak life had looked a few hours ago now she couldn’t believe how bright the future looked. For the first time in a long time Tanera drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face feeling warm and content in the arms off her mate.

Tomorrow was looking to be a bright new day.