Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (11 page)

“You know, a man sees something new and unusual and they all want one, for a while. It never lasts.”

“Hmmm, I will take that under advisement.”

“It happens with women too, in fact I find myself quite enthralled with one in your party,” Devotia said as she helped me into the bubbling mud.

I glanced up at her. “Really?”

“Oh yes, the one called James? There is something about him…a strength I find quite intriguing.”

I grinned, “James is available, he is not Fae however, and he gets furry on occasion.”

“He’s a shifter?” Devotia asked, clearly intrigued even more.

“Yes, a wolf,” I answered, sinking deeper into the mud. It actually did feel quite good and after awhile you didn’t notice the stink so much.

“Hmmm, interesting,” Devotia commented as glanced at the clock that hung on the golden wall closest to us.

“I think that is enough for her first time in the springs,” Marta said pulling me out. The mud made a sucking noise as if it wanted to keep me.

I looked down and my entire body was covered in mud and I was unsure what I was to do next. “What happens now?”

“No
w we rinse you off,” Marta said.

“Come, it will not take long, then we can move on to your face and hair.”

“Great,” I replied following them into the next chamber. They positioned me under a spray of water and proceeded to use their hands to brush the mud off of me. It was a bit embarrassing, but it was their way.

When they were finished Marta handed me a long silky robe to put on. “Come, Devotia is a marvel with hair, and I shall give you a facial.”

“That would be lovely.”

They led me across the room to another chamber that looked simila
r to the upscale beauty salons in the mortal world and sat me in a cushioned spinning chair in front of a mirror. I looked in the mirror and noticed that the mud had changed my skin from almost golden to a deeper richer golden shade. I watched in the mirror as Devotia picked up a lock of my long Fae hair.

“Are you
averse to changing the color?” she asked frowning.

I bit my lip. “How permanent are we talking?”

“Oh it should not last more than a month or so,” Marta said smiling. “Then you will have to return for another treatment.”

I nodded. “All right…” I said hesitantly. I wondered what shade she had in mind and prayed that she would not turn my hair some strange shade that I would never be able to go to school with.

“Do not worry dear, we will keep it to shades that are becoming to the Fae,” Devotia said reassuringly.

I nodded as Marta spread some of the mud from the spring onto my face, now unable to speak.

“This is specialized mud for your face, mixed with vitamins and minerals to give your face a glow.”

I barely moved my head in ascent. I closed my eyes and let them do their thing. I didn’t open them again until they were finished. I almost fell asleep under their light touches. An hour and a half later I was finished.

“What do you think?” Marta asked.

I opened my eyes and studied myself in the mirror. My face glowed, brighter than it ever had, and the tone was deeper, richer looking. Marta had put make up on my eyes, shades of blue and silver, making my eyes sparkle in the light. She’d also applied some sort of gloss to my lips that now looked as though I’d eaten a dozen berries. I lifted a hand and stroked my hair, now a deeper shade of strawberry blonde, with golden blonde high lights. Devotia had styled it, pulling it back around my face and up into a bun of sorts on top of my head to show off my ears. The back of it flowed soft and smooth down my backside.

“It’s lovely,” I said with a smile.

“Well, I couldn’t do anything about your ears. However, we can fix your shape, Marta?”

“I’ve got just the thing,” Marta disappeared into another room and returned with some lacy undergarments and a tight looking dress of silvery blue. “Put these on,” she said handing me the lacy bits.

I did as I was told, feeling like a lady from the Victorian era. She’d handed me a corset. I slipped into it and felt it magically cinch my waist in about four inches, and push my breasts up giving me cleavage. It was almost hard to breath in the contraption.

“Now the dress.”

I stepped into the dress, pulling it up over my hips and slipping my arms into the thin straps. Marta zipped up the back of it and handed me a pair of shoes that were way too big. “These aren’t going to work,” I said.

“Oh dear,” Marta said staring at my feet. “You poor girl! Such tiny feet too,” she said shaking her head.

“It’s all right, I can just…” I said as I snapped my fingers and a pair similar to the
three-inch heels she’d handed me appeared on my feet. “Will this do?”

Marta smiled. “You are almost ready, just one more thing…” she said grabbing a bottle and spraying me. “There, isn’t that a lovely scent?”

It was the same scent as the mud springs. “It’s divine,” I answered.

Devotia and Marta both looked so proud. “Now it is time to feast with the King. Do not eat too much and ruin your figure.”

“I won’t,” I said, following them out of the spa and back toward the main hall of the palace. We passed many Goblins who stopped and stared at the three of us as we passed by, many of them male.

“You do look a million times better my dear,” Marta said with a smile. “The King is going to be delighted.”

“I am glad he will be pleased,” I said, hoping that he would use his boons soon and on something frivolous.

Chapter
Fourteen

“Princess, don’t you look scrumptious! I see my lovely ladies got their hands on you,” Gareth said taking my hand and spinning be around. “Why you do look good enough to eat.”

I blushed. “Thank you, your Highness.”
              “Now I thought we already established that you were to call me Gareth,” he said.

“And you are to call me Abbey,” I replied with a bright smile.

“So I am indeed my dear, sweet, delectable Abbey,” Gareth said with another lecherous grin as he tucked my hand through his arm and guided me to the table.

“Your chefs have prepared quite the feast, Gareth,” I said taking in the table and all of it accoutrements.

“They did take your appetite into consideration, my dear Abbey as I am quite sure you prefer your meats cooked, so there is a selection of both. You really should try the fresh Manticore and Perytons. I think you will find them both quite tasty.”

“Manticore?” I asked as Gareth pulled my chair out for me.

“Oh yes, it’s a beast similar to the lion, quite fierce and hard to take down, but delicious none the same.”

I recalled my Mythology class and an image came to mind. “Don’t they have a human faces?” I asked as Gareth took a seat next to me.

Gareth laughed. “No, now that truly is hysterical,” he said laughing some more. “No, no human faces, just the face of a beast, similar to perhaps an orangutan in the mortal world. But you will not find a Manticore in the mortal realm, only in the forests surrounding the Dark Territory.”

I nodded, thankful that I’d asked, even thoug
h he’d laughed at me.

“That is not quite true. The Queen has been known to send them to the mortal world,” Cole said matter of factly as he joined us.

“They don’t last long though,” James said with a wolfish grin from just behind him.

“And the P
erytons? What sort of creature are they?” I asked curiously as my guards and friends began to join us.

“Perytons are winged stags, v
ery similar to deer, but lethal. Their horns are tipped with poison and they are carnivorous creatures, unlike their more gentle counterparts. Their meat is quite tender and not gamey tasting at all.”

“I look forward to trying them both,” I said with a smile. “Have you tried them Thomas?”

“I have, I think you will like them Princess,” Thomas replied. “Gareth, will the ladies be joining us this evening?” he asked waiting before he took his seat.

“Devotia, Marta and Gertrude will all be joining us,” Gareth replied, signaling the ladies to come forward.

Thomas held out a chair for Devotia before taking his own seat. James sat down, but at Thomas’s glare he stood up again and helped Marta into her seat. Cale too pulled out the chair for Gertrude, but I knew it was only because he didn’t want to look bad next to Thomas and James.

“Abbey said that you were a shifter,” Devotia said James as we waited to be served.

“I’m not a shifter. Shifters are other creatures. I’m a Werewolf, Lycan. There is a distinct difference,” James replied with a glare at me.

Devotia looked fascinated. “Really? What is that?”

“Shifters were blessed by the goddess Diana, they are her creatures. Werewolves were created by the King of Arcadia.”

“Oh I believe I have heard this story before,” Devotia said with a smile. “Wasn’t he insane?”

“That is one theory, but he did created lycanthropy, and changed his sons into wolves.”

“So if you bite someone…” Devotia asked with a sensual smile.

“Naw, it doesn’t work like that. You won’t go all furry when I bite you.” James grinned.

Devotia giggled.

“Which is a good thing considering James uses everything at his disposal in the fighting ring,” I said. “He is quite a good fighter,” I told Devotia.

“My dear sweet, delectable Abbey, don’t tell me that you train in the fighting ring?” Gareth asked.

“I do, everyday,” I replied with a smile.

“I find that even more intriguing,” Gareth said studying me. “Tell me more about this training.”
As he spoke, dinner was served. A plate of meats was placed in front of me, all cooked, thank goddess!

“What would you like to know?”

“Do you fight hand to hand combat?” Gareth asked, taking a bite of the purplish colored meat on his plate.

“I do fight hand to hand co
mbat. I learned quickly to fight Jujitsu and Karate. Along with that I also fight with swords and throwing knives.”

Gareth’s eyes opened even wider, and a grin swept across his face. “I would l
ike to see such a demonstration. Perhaps you would enter the ring with me?”

“Sire, do you think that wise?” Gertrude asked softly from his other side. “She is not one of us.”

Gareth glared at Gertrude. “You will stay out of it,” he said to her before turning back to me. “What do you say, my dear Abbey? For one of the boons that I hold, I want ten minutes in the ring with you…”

I studied him. Goblins were very
strong and aggressive fighters. It would be a difficult challenge to take him on. And I really didn’t want to be killed in the ring either, so I decided to add a stipulation. “All right, however we fight only to third blood. The first one to bleed three times loses, and no death blows, agreed?”

Gareth grinned. “Oh yes, agreed. I am quite looking forward to it,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

I was only slightly worried. I was pretty hard to kill. We Fae are fairly tough creatures. He would have to take my head clean off for him to kill me, or pull my heart from my chest, anything short of that would not kill me. It’d hurt like crazy, but I wouldn’t die. Goblins too were very tough to kill. They regenerate limbs within seconds and that includes their heads. You would have to take their heart out of their body and smash it into tiny pieces, or eat it as I’ve heard has been done, and it sounds disgusting, to kill them.

“As am I
, Gareth,” I replied.

“After supper then?” Gareth grinned.

“I would like to check on my warrior first if you don’t mind,” I said with a smile. “But after that I am all yours.”

“If only
, my delicious little Fae Princess,” Gareth said softly.

I blushed. I’d walked right into that one, I thought. “Gareth, you flatter me,” I said fi
lling my mouth with a slice of Perytons. “Mmm, this is quite good. It tastes like pheasant.”

“It does, now try the M
anticore,” Gareth held a bite on his fork for me to try.

I leaned forward and put my lips around his fork, sliding the meat off with my teeth and into my mouth. He’d given me the raw meat, not the cooked
, so it was a bit harder to chew, but the flavor was good. It was juicy and tasted quite a bit like a rare Angus beefsteak. I licked my lips and closed my eyes enjoying the taste of it. I’d always been partial to steak, but this was like heaven in my mouth.

I opened my eyes and smiled. “That was the most incredible thing I have ever tasted in my life,” I said.

“So you like Manticore?” Gareth said with a grin.

“Very much,” I agreed.

“Enough to bring you back to visit me in the future?”

“Y
ou don’t have to bribe me with Manticore to get me to come back and visit with you Gareth. I would come back even without the Manticore to lure me here.”

“You are very u
nlike your Fae cousins, Abbey.”

I frowned. “How do you mean?”

Gareth grinned. “Your cousins are quite afraid to come here. They think us a bit strange and barbaric.”

“What would give them that impression?” I asked, not understanding.
I glanced down the table at Cole and the others who were busy chatting up Devotia and Marta.

“We Goblins tend to be greedy in all things, and we can be harsh when crossed. We are not an enemy anyone would wish to have. We do, I suppose fight in barbaric ways, when the rules aren’t clearly set or if it is war.” Gareth said thoughtfully.

“So are you telling me indirectly, Gareth, that I might need to add some boundaries to our fight?”

Gareth’s grin was wicked. “Perhaps you might want to discuss terms with Thomas or one of your Fae warriors before we begin.”

“I will do that,” I said with a raised brow and a half smile. “If you will excuse me? I will check on my warrior and meet you in thirty minutes?”

“Of course,” Gareth said standing up as I stood. “Take your time, Princess.”

Cole stood as well; ready to escort me from the room. “Princess,” he said offering me his arm.

It took me forever to walk out of the room in the short tight dress Marta and Devotia and dressed me in
, even with Cole’s help, and even longer to get up the stairs. I could not wait to change out of the constricting dress. The corset was killing me, but first I wanted to see Daire. I made my way down the hallway to his room and gently tapped on the door and opened it.

“May I come in?” I asked peeking around the door.

“Abbey,” Daire smiled, looking much better than he had earlier.

I moved more fully into the room, and started toward the bed with a smile. I froze when it looked as though Daire was having a fit of some sort. His eyes grew wide and he was choking on his words. I looked to Cole. “What’s wrong?”

“What in the name of all that is holy are you wearing?” Daire chocked out.

I glanced down and frowned. “A dress? What about it? It’s not like I’ve never worn one before.”

“It’s…it barely covers you!” Daire said sitting straight up in the bed.

I rolled my eyes. “Now you’re talking nonsense. I wear less than this at the beach.”

“We aren’t at the beach! We’re in the Goblin King’s frigging palace, and don’t think I am happy about that, I’m not. He’s a…they are…they like…” Daire said, not finishing a sentence.

I grinned at him. “The male Goblins appreciate a female body? Is that what you are trying to say? I figured that out on my own, thank you very much.”

“Are you
trying
to make the Goblin King interested in you?” Daire asked as Cole grinned and slipped quietly out of the room.

I sighed. “No, but I like him. Gareth is a tease, but he knows I am not interested.”

Daire leaned back into his pillows clearly miffed. “Well then why don’t you go back down there to him.”

I sighed. “I will have to in a few
moments; he’s challenged me in the fighting ring.”

“What?” Daire practically shouted. “Have you completely lost your mind?”

I rolled my eyes again. “We’ve agreed to no killing blows and we are only fighting to third blood. I wanted to ask you if there were any other stipulations I should ask for when battling a Goblin, but if you’re gonna be a jerk, I will go ask Cole.” I started to get up to leave, but he grabbed my arm.

“I’m sorry, I over reacted,” Daire said gently tugging me back down to sit next to him. “It’s just
...Goblins are ferocious fighters and if he bites you it will leave a scar, something about their teeth. Negotiate for no biting. Please Abbey?”

I smiled. “All right, no biting. Anything else I should ask?”

“No you already stipulated the other rules and those will do. I can’t say I’m happy about it.”

I leaned forward and brushed his hair from his forehead. “You don’t need to worry about me. You need to rest, get better so that we can get back to the Faerie Mound. The Queen is going to be after us, I want you healthy enough to help me fight her.”

“Is that all you want me better for? To be your guard? You seem to have moved on…”

“Would you stop being an idiot?” I said with a sigh. “Are you going to make me say it? Fine. You’re mine. You will always be mine. I love you, Daire. I’ve loved you forever and a day. You are the one that is meant to be mine. Not Gareth, not some mortal boy, you. And no, I want you better for me, not to be my guard, but to stand by my side and fight with me and love with me. It nearly destroyed me when the Queen took you. When I thought you might die. So if you don’t want me, tell me now, because I don’t think I will be able to handle it if you wait and do it later.”

Daire leaned into me, putting his hand against my cheek, and stared into my eyes. “I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in all of my two hundred years on this Earth. I left because you deserve someone better than me, someone worthy enough to take the throne at your side,” Daire whispered those last words against my lips, just before he leaned in and kissed me.

I melted against him as my hands made their way up his chest and into his hair, pulling him closer, intensifying the kiss. I sighed as his tongue tangled with mine. He pulled away a moment later and we were both breathing hard. “You are worth mo
re to me than the throne, Daire. If I have to choose between you and the throne, I’m going to choose you. I’ve already lost you once. I’m not going to lose you again. I love you.”

“I’m not going to allow you to give up the throne for me,” Daire said with a smile. “We’ll work something out if there is problem.”