Faery Queen (16 page)

“Just tell me this after we get out of here. There will be plenty of time once—”

Mia threw the vial, stopping his words. A white, swirling portal opened. Grabbing the elf by the arm, she dragged him toward it, pushing him in. The portal grabbed him in its vortex, pulling him through with a gust of wind. Mia's hair stretched toward it, but she kept back far enough not to get pulled in as she went for Sir Nicholas.

William helped her drag the man to the portal and they shoved him in. “Are you ready?”

“I cannot go with you.”

“But you said he would be angry about this,” William protested. “Do not worry. I'll explain everything to my brother. He will understand and will not be angry. Come to Bellemare with us. We will keep you safe.”

She smiled sadly and came toward him as if to hug him. William held out his arms, ready to feel her soft body against him. Suddenly, she ducked, pushing him through the portal. He gasped in surprise as he was helplessly sucked into the churning center.

“Mia.” He tried to yell, but the word was lost in the heavy winds.

Mia stood on the other side, her hand lifting up in farewell. Her image grew fainter as he was pulled away from the Damned King's dungeon. The remaining elf prisoner's free limbs reached forward as if he would come too, but the manacle held him back. The portal dimmed and he knew Mia closed it on her side, staying behind to face whatever punishment Lucien dealt her.

 

 

 

Lucien lounged before his fireplace, watching Mia's deceit unfold on his bedchamber floor. The flames moved like a life size fire play, mimicking the people in his dungeon. He'd known that Mia would try something, had expected her to, but still her betrayal angered him.

Why couldn't he command her loyalty to him? Why did she have to fight him so? Even as he craved her complete submission, he longed for her defiant nature.

He watched, his chest tight with uneasiness, as he waited to see if she would again kiss William. He heard their words in his head, even as the fire showed their actions. Finally, she pushed William through the portal she'd stolen from him—the one he'd let her take.

The hold on his chest eased. She hadn't kissed the wizard, but she did save his life, sending one of his most prized prisoners with him—Prince Ladon of Tegwen.

Lifting his hand, he balled it into a fist to extinguish the flames. He could've stopped her at any moment, kept his prisoners, but he wanted William to cause trouble between Queen Tania and the earl. Mia's rescue scheme did just that. He'd lied to Mia about Tania's intentions, purposefully told her of William's capture, all the while knowing she'd free the wizard and tell him of Hugh's imprisonment. He predicted she might free Sir Nicholas, but he hadn't anticipated her having enough of his magic leftover to free the elf prince as well. At least he still had one Tegwen prince left to him.

Prince Ladon had spent over fifty years in his prison, plagued by evil thoughts. It would only be a matter of time before those thoughts took hold inside him—creeping into his dreams, into his actions, into his temperament. It wouldn't be foreseeable, not like if he carried a demon inside of him. Ladon would fall into darkness harder than his brother, Merrick. And if Ladon failed to succumb, Lucien always had Wolfe.

Lucien wasn't concerned with Nicholas. The man was weak and it took less than a year to break his spirit fully. After he took in the demon and killed his own father, Nicholas' soul had been half dead anyway. Now, he was merely a pawn that Lucien would use to prey upon the Bellemare family's goodness. He saw many scenarios with Nicholas and the Bellemares. If Nicholas made it back to the mortal world, he would carry his demon with him. If he didn't, he would either haunt the Bellemare family with his absence or would show them just how powerful Lucien's demons were and haunt them with their fear. Any way it happened, Nicholas served a meager purpose.

With barely any concentration, he willed that Ladon and Nicholas should awaken from their troubled sleeps. He also willed that they stayed weak and disorientated, at least for the time being. Let William the Wizard split Tania from her lover first. He glanced at the bed, seeing the faery queen's image in the sudden flames. Her powers were still weakened, closer to darkness than to light. It allowed him to spy on her without her knowing. Hugh was with her and there was no mistaking the status of her former maidenhead.

“Where have you been?” He squelched the fire as Mia slipped into the room. “I woke up and you were gone.”

“Wandering the halls,” Mia answered. “I could not sleep and did not wish to disturb you.”

He hid his rueful smile, keeping his face blank as she lied to him. “Always the thoughtful one, are you not, sweet nymph?”

Chapter Seven

Hugh was trapped in the euphoria of Tania's embrace. He couldn't stop touching her, couldn't keep from making love to her whenever she was near. The few times she did leave him, he waited breathlessly for her to come back. Nothing else mattered. Nothing existed beyond her body, her voice, her kiss. When he closed his eyes, it was to think of her. And each time they came together, the euphoria thickened as did his pleasure. He'd never felt so free in his life—free of responsibility, of thought, of duty. There was only Queen Tania and he couldn't get enough of her.

Blinking as he became fully awake, he automatically reached for her. His shaft was hard, ready to again feel her body on his. Already they'd made love all over her bedchambers—in the bathing pool surrounded by vines, on the hard floor, on the soft bed, against the wall—and in every position imaginable.

His hands met with an empty bed. Frowning, he looked around the room for her.

“Tania?” He sat up on the mattress. “Tania, come to bed.”

Sensing she was near, he looked at the door to the bedchamber, eager to see what she'd be wearing today. The lines on her body didn't fade, but her hair stayed the same honeyed blonde. She always heard when he called and, since he had taken her against the wall, she always came to him when he beckoned.

Her midriff was bare, showing between a short, tattered gray and green skirt and a bodice that only covered her breasts. A wreath of vines twirled in place of her normal silver crown. As always, her hair flowed about her shoulders and her wings flapped behind her as they carried her forward. Her long legs were still as they drifted through the air. She didn't wear shoes upon her feet, leaving them bare.

Hugh stared at her toes, groaning in arousal. Every inch of her turned him on. His gaze traveled up her legs, to where her thighs were exposed, her sex barely covered with the skirt. Part of him wanted to say something about her going around her palace in such revealing attire, but the thought slipped away as soon as he had it. He continued his visual journey up to her tight stomach. The skirt was low enough to show her navel. The practically non-existent top clung to her chest, held on by one strap across her shoulder, while giving him the impression of budded nipples.

“Hugh, we have visitors outside the palace,” Tania said. “You should dress and come down from the tower.”

“Come to bed.” He did not care if fifty kings awaited his appearance.

“You spend all day in here.”

“I do not hear you complaining while you are in it.” He stood. Reaching over to swipe her foot, he grabbed her and pulled her down next to him. Instantly his lips were on her neck, kissing her. She moaned, responding like she always did. Each time he wanted her, he found her body wet and ready for him, her desires enough to match his own.

Running his hands along her waist, he pushed her top up to find her nipples were indeed hard. Hugh captured one in his mouth, mindlessly sucking and biting it. The small, pretty sounds she made turned him on more. Her magic fell over him in tiny dots of light, impassioning him even more. Like a man starved for release, he caressed her legs, impatiently pulling up her skirt to find her naked ass and hips. Her small hand wrapped around his arousal, stroking it so lightly that it made him ache for her tight sheath.

Her skin was so soft, so warm and he knew she'd fit tightly over his erection. Hugh dipped his finger into the cream of her body, rubbing her clit as he parted her folds. Unable to resist, he slipped a finger inside, moving within her sex so it trembled and squeezed him.

“Do you want me to tell you about the visitors?” she asked, breathless. “William is with them.”

William? William who?

Hugh merely groaned, sucking her chest harder. He loved her breasts, wanted to spend an eternity with them firmly in his mouth.

“Your brother, William.” Her voice was so soft it sounded like far off bells.

“He'll wait.” Hugh grunted, not thinking beyond her taste. “I will not.”

Brusquely, he pushed her to the side, making her fall onto her hands. Maneuvering her light body, he grabbed her hips and angled her ass toward him. Hugh pushed her skirt up so he could look at her.

Tania's wings fluttered before his face, stirring the air so it tickled his flesh. He pushed her legs open. Need pumped through him, centering in his loins. He needed her. Now.

Guiding himself to her sex, he eased the tip of his shaft inside her warm depths. It felt so good, like she was tightly carved just for his shape. He pulled her back, watching himself move within her. Tania's wings flapped harder, sprinkling them with more magic. He was learning to read her responses and knew she found as much pleasure as he.

Pushing deep, he then withdrew, only to plunge in once more. He controlled her with her hips, riding her, moving in and out, in and out, watching the scandalously captivating display of his glistening member soaked by her body's moisture.

Tania reached between her thighs and he felt her tighten over him. It was like this each time, their bodies completely in sync, climaxing in unison. The tension built until he was desperate to spill his seed. Gasping, he clutched her to him, finding his release. Tania's cry joined his. For a brief moment, he held still, basking in the feelings before finally collapsing next to her on the bed.

Tania rolled off the bed. After they came together, she always appeared energetic when he just wanted to rest. Humming softly, she crossed to the bathing pool. Her clothes disappeared as she stepped in. His body stirring anew, he pushed up and made a move to follow her. By the time he got there, she'd turned around and was stepping out. Her body dried instantly, glistening with oils as a new outfit appeared. This one was tight from shoulder to hip with a skirt that flared to the floor. A breeze stirred and the hair at her temples pushed up on her head. The vine headpiece disappeared and was replaced by the silver crown.

“Rinse off and come with me to the hall,” she said. “The faeries would like to see you are alive. I promised them that you would come down today.”

He started to answer, only to frown as he stepped into the pool. Had he not left the room? Hugh tried to remember, but couldn't. All he could think about was his queen.

“I've put clothes for you on the bed,” she said as he stepped out, dripping wet. She blew a kiss at him and the moisture on his body dried, sending a chill over his length. Tania flew above his reach as he crossed to the bed. Seeing a folded outfit where he'd been sleeping moments before, he pulled the dark green tunic over his head and tugged on the breeches. There weren't any shoes, but he didn't care. Tania was at the door, motioning to him. Mindless, he followed her, unable to take his eyes from her. If she flew off the top of the palace, he'd gladly step after her even though he had no wings.

 

 

 

William glanced around, not seeing the faery palace. He knew it was hidden in the woods, but Mia's portal took him to its hiding spot, not to the palace. Turning to the two men on the ground, he frowned. They had awakened, but were dazed, their eyes bloodshot as they looked around in confusion. Sir Nicholas didn't even know his name, or not so much that he knew to answer to it.

Kicking at the ground, William looked for a faery ring. The cluster of mushrooms and darker grasses would let him gain entrance into the Silver Palace, or at least it would in theory. As he wasn't well-versed in reading faery rings, he supposed they could lead to other places as well. But, where there was a ring, normally could be found a faery crossing through it. Then, all he'd have to do was charm the little winged beauty and he'd gain audience with the queen.

Suddenly, flakes of silver light drifted around him and he looked up. They fell down from the heavens. The warm sparks hit his flesh. He listened, hearing the song of the faeries in the wind—the sound of rustling leaves high in the trees.

“Ah, Queen Tania.” William knew the faery queen was showing him the way. But why, if she thought to trap his brother? William knew enough of the immortal realm not to take things as they appeared. Mia had saved him, but she'd also trapped him. Did she stay behind as a martyr because she knew Lucien wouldn't harm her? Or did he follow his instincts and believe her? Or were his instincts too readily bound to his lustful passions?

There were too many questions to be answered at the moment. He would have to listen and watch, seeing Tania and Hugh together. It was no secret amongst Thomas and William that Hugh obsessed over the faery. Perchance it was time to see where that obsession would lead the earl.

 

 

 

Tania tried not to turn around to look at Hugh as she entered the hall. He followed behind her. She could feel his eyes looking at her—hot, passionate. The man was insatiable. It wasn't a bad thing, for her desire ran just as molten, but there was a time and place for such things. In the passageway right outside her great hall wasn't one of them.

Each time they made love, the palace began to brighten—not so much as before, but the silver walls were no longer tarnished and rusted. The dark lines on her body hadn't lessened, but her wings were not as gray and her hair had returned to normal. That was something. It gave her hope. And they were happy, right? He seemed happy. Hugh didn't yell at her like when he'd first arrived.