By the Magic of Starlight (The Forbidden Realm) (12 page)

“But…”

He gave a fiery grin and hovered over her.

“No buts, Raea.
This
is my wager, and I’ll give you a whole week to accomplish it. Do you still say you’ve been granting the right wishes all along? Or are you ready to admit your motives are less than pure?”

“I’ll take your stupid wager, Kyne. So what do I win when you lose?”

He thought for a moment, smiling that lopsided, sizzling grin that was really starting to bug her. His golden eyes studied her carefully and his skin was taking on a bronze shimmer under the starry sky. Was the night air getting chilly? It must be, although Raea could never remember being affected by weather temperatures before. But something was making her skin prickle.

“If you win, I’ll give the Fairy Council a glowing report about you,” he said.

“You ought to do that anyway.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself.”

“I can afford to be,” she said, giving him a heated grin of her own.

“And you’re not the least bit worried what I’ll expect on the off chance I might win?”

“All right, tell me. What would you expect me to do if—by some miracle—you win?”

“Grant a wish, of course.”

By the Skies, what was he up to, asking for wishes? Not that it mattered, of course. She was going to win this without half trying. Kyne and his stupid wager were doomed.

She nodded and held up her hand. “All right, the bet’s on, Kyne.”

He smiled and laced his fingers through hers in the familiar Fairy Covenant. It didn’t feel like the usual covenant grip, though. She wasn’t sure what it was, but darned if more strange prickly sensations didn’t start out in her fingers and travel through her arm. To her surprise, in seconds her whole body was tingling and warm.

Well, so much for blaming it on the cold night air. Parts of her were positively burning. What was wrong with her tonight? She pulled her hand away quickly, throwing off her balance so that she tottered a bit.

“I need to get back to work,” she said, fluttering madly to regain equilibrium. “I’ll see you later. When I watch you deliver my glowing report to the council.”

“Or perhaps when you’re granting my wish,” he said, searing her with a smoldering leer.

“Enjoy the rest of your night, Kyne,” she said as she spun and headed off in whatever direction would take her away from him.

“I’ve enjoyed it so far,” he called back behind her.

She ignored him and shook her head, trying to be rid of the feel of his eyes on her. Was there something off with the moon phases, perhaps? She felt strange.

She waited until she was nearly to shore, then glanced backward to watch Kyne dart off, his form so much more solid and defined beneath his orange glow than she was accustomed to seeing. He was not like other fairies. Maybe that explained why she had such a hard time figuring him out. Kyne was somehow… different.

Not that she was prepared to speculate on what that difference might be. Her mind was just running away from her, that was all. She was not about to let herself wonder if maybe, just maybe, those rumors about him could possibly bear any truth. They were ridiculous, after all. No one could possibly take any of them seriously.

Kyne—it was said—was half human.

Kissed by the Wave

Look for more great romances from Serena Gilley!

Available from Forever Yours

Beyond the limits of sight, magical beings live in the Forbidden Realm. The two worlds were once connected, but the desires of man forced their separation. Now, desire may bring them back together…

Aliya is a mermaid with an obsession. Though contact with humans is strictly forbidden, she can’t seem to stay away from the incredibly handsome Devin, who visits her lake night after night. Her body and soul have never been drawn to anyone like this before. Deciding that her longing for Devin is worth the risk, she goes to him. As their lust for each other deepens, Aliya grows to need his touch as much as she needs water.

Devin believed Aliya was a perfect fantasy his mind created—until the breathtaking mermaid swims to shore. Courtesy of a magical wish, Aliya is newly human, and she and Devin give in to their passion again and again. But Aliya’s mortal form is only temporary. If they don’t have the strength to part ways when the time comes, their illicit love could rock the balance between the realms forever…

*     *     *

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 by Susan Gee Heino

Excerpt from
Licked by the Flame
copyright © 2014 by Susan Gee Heino

Excerpt from
Kissed by the Wave
copyright © 2014 by Susan Gee Heino

Cover design by Christine Foltzer

Cover copyright © 2014 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

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First ebook edition: October 2014

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ISBN 978-1-4555-8453-6

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