by Rory Miles
After watching the humans destroy their world for centuries, I’ve tasked some of the smartest demons I could find to engineer a renewable energy source. That way we can stop mining our mountains for precious minerals and start protecting our world before it’s too late.
“Shera?” Anakin asks, and I realize I’ve missed an entire conversation.
I blink at him in response.
“I asked when you plan on going to see Draven.”
Lord of Shadows. Mother Faerie, I don’t know what to do about that man. He’s infuriating beyond a doubt and I’ve tied my life to his. I feel a straining on the bond when I think about him, and I know the feeling will grow the more time passes by. Fae time is much faster than time in Avernus. I could take a few hours tonight to go see him, just to check in. Lietta will be happy to see me. I can’t say the same for Sewyn, but in time I think she’ll learn to love me. Or tolerate me if nothing else.
“I’ll go tonight for a few hours.”
Beelzebub scrunches his nose. “Fae time or Avernus time?”
“A few hours Avernus time.”
He looks like he wants to tell me that’s a bad idea, and it probably is, but he doesn’t. “You can’t be gone long.”
“I know.” I stand and cross the room, dropping a kiss on his forehead. “It’s late enough now, I can head over and be back before anyone realizes I’m gone.”
Micah calls after me as I head to change, “Tell that shadow lord we miss him.”
“Speak for yourself, jinni.” Beelzebub pretends like he doesn’t like Draven, but I know he enjoyed our time together with him.
I change into dark leggings and a V-neck sweater that clings in all the right places. After pulling on some knee-high boots, I brush out my hair and look myself over. My butt looks fantastic in this outfit. Nothing to see here. I definitely don’t care what the manipulating, Unseelie, lord of shadows thinks. Nope, not at all.
“I’ll be back soon!” My words are met with three goodbyes. Micah yells that he loves me and I bite back a smile. “Screw you, jinni boy.”
“Don’t make me spank that ass,” he roars from the living room. I hear his heavy footsteps coming toward the bedroom but before he opens the door, I unleash the shadows and grab hold of the tiny sliver of Faerie in my heart and focus on traveling to Draven. The last time I traveled, all I had to do was think of the night patio and I landed there. This time, I want to go directly to the fae, so I send all my focus into the bond and let the shadows pull me to him.
When I land on my ass on a damp and filthy floor, I think I’ve really fucked up. Once my eyes adjust, and I see Draven passed out on the floor, hands shackled in iron cuffs, I curse.
Fucking fae.
I grumble as I try to sit him up. His head lolls to the side, so I smack him.
“Well, that didn’t work,” I whisper to myself. My nose wrinkles when I get a big whiff of how he smells. Mother Fae, how long has he been in here? He’s at least a week sour. I have no idea where we are, but I know I need to try and get him out of this place.
I lean against the damp wall, cringing when my skin grows wet with whatever filth covers it. “You owe me.”
Draven doesn’t respond, of course; he’s dead to the fae world.
Just peachy.
Closing my eyes, I draw my own shadows and merge them with the ones surrounding me. This time, I focus on the night patio. When I feel the darkness pull and tug us toward the Court of Shadows, I send my thanks to Mother Faerie. I still can’t land, so I end up slamming into the floor on my back and Draven falls on top of me.
Air whooshes from my lungs. “Fuck me.”
Someone squeaks.
“My Lady.” Lietta’s voice is like honey on a sore throat. “You found him!”
“Found him? You didn’t know where he was?”
Sewyn’s feet slap against stone and stop inches from my face. The little sylph looks down at me, lip curling into a sneer. “I guess you are good for something, demon.”
Ignoring her, I push at Draven until he rolls off of me. “Why isn’t he waking up?” I ask Lietta and stand up. My shirt is disgusting so I yank it off of me, letting it drop to the ground.
Sewyn eyes me in my bra, probably thinking all sorts of nasty thoughts. She reaches down and breaks his cuffs, earning a raised eyebrow from me. How in the fae did she do that? The iron clicks to the ground.
“Fae poison,” the sylph who likes me says. “I’ll go get a counter medicine from the apothecary.”
“You have an apothecary?”
Sewyn snorts. “We have much more than an apothecary, Shera.”
Well, I guess her sneering my name at me is better than being called demon.
Lietta comes back a few minutes later, a small vial in her hand. She hands it to Sewyn, who drops to her knees and gently opens his mouth to pour the bright orange liquid down his throat. Sewyn sits back on her heels once she’s done.
“That’s it? When does he wake up?”
“A few hours.”
A few hours. Mother Faerie, I’m only supposed to spend a day or so here. Whatever is happening in Faerie is going to take more than a day to figure out.
“Let me move him to the lavender suite.” I choose my rooms because I know I left an outfit here. Hopefully Sewyn didn’t throw it away.
I manage to land on the bed, which is the only plus since I’ve been in Faerie. After I roll him off of me again, I head over to the chest of drawers and open the first one. There are several soft shirts and a few pairs of night shorts. Since Draven is still under the influence, I take a quick bath, relishing the feel of washing off the filth from that cell. I’m not sure how to drain the tub, or how it was filled with water, so I just leave the dirty water behind and wrap up in a fluffy towel. Lietta can help me figure out how to work the fae bathroom. I use another towel to dry my hair the best I can. The clothes Draven bought for me are soft and feel wonderful against my skin.
When I open the door, I find Draven sitting up in bed. “You’re here.”
“Uh, hi.”
“I’m here,” he says.
“You are.”
He wrinkles his nose. “How did you find me?”
“The bond brought me to you. Had I known you were in locked up, I might’ve rethought my plan.”
Draven collapses back onto the bed. I eye the comforter with contempt. It’s going to be filthy.
“Why were you imprisoned?”
“Vukan caught me off guard.”
The Lord of Fire?
“What does he want?”
Draven sighs. “Many things. Too much to explain. How did your revolt go?”
I snort at his casual tone and lean against the wall. “Wonderful, you’re looking at the High Lady of Hell.”
A full-dimple smile breaks across his face. “That’s great news.”
“I only have a while. I can’t be gone for very long.”
“Of course,” he says. “Lady Mara will come any day now. I agreed to help her.”
Biting my lip, I sit on the edge of the bed far away from his filthy pants. “Will you be well enough to help?”
He laughs. “Worried about me?”
“A little.” I shrug. “Do you need Beelzebub to help?” He mentioned a vacation. Investigating the disappearance of a wanted criminal counts, right?
“No.”
I pick at the bedspread. “Okay.”
“Shera, I’m so happy you are here, but I feel like death warmed over. Will you come again tomorrow night?”
“Sure, I can do that.”
“Thanks, love,” he says moments before he begins snoring loudly.
A soft knock sounds before Lietta peeks in the door. “My Lady, is he well?”
I point to the sleeping fae. “He woke up. Now he’s sleeping.”
She runs her hands over her apron. “He’ll sleep for a while.”
“That’s all right,” I say. “I’ve got plenty to do in Avernus.”
“My Lady?�
�� she asks when I turn to go.
I glance over my shoulder at her. “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“I’d do it again. Take care of him. I’ll return when I can.” With that, I let the shadows cover me and transport me back to Avernus.
Everyone is sleeping when I arrive back at the apartment. Grabbing a glass of water, I pace back and forth in the kitchen. Draven was in prison. Poisoned. Creator, what did he do to get himself in trouble and why is a Seelie fae lord poisoning an Unseelie fae lord? Drinking the last of my water, I set the cup on the counter and head to the living room.
I sit down on the couch and drop my head into my hands. The sounds of my men sleeping are comforting, and yet, I can’t shake the deep discontent settling into the pit of my stomach. It’s a horrible idea, I know it is, but I can’t stop thinking about Draven on the floor of that cell. The Lord of Shadows is going through more than he lets on, and Lady Mara could arrive at any minute to demand his help. How will he manage the Seelie threat and Lady Mara’s requests?
If I go to help him, I’m abandoning my new position. I don’t want to give up my throne so soon after I’ve gotten it. . . but, my stomach revolts at the thought of letting Draven handle whatever fuckery is happening in Faerie. With the time difference, I could manage both. It would take careful planning, but if I keep track of the time passed in Faerie, I could be there a week and only miss out on a day here. When Lucifer was high lord, he wasn’t needed every day to make things run. A little absence here and there wouldn’t draw too much attention.
Sharing my time between Avernus and Faerie will be difficult, but it’s something I need to do. The carpet is soft beneath my toes when I tip-toe to Beelzebub’s room. When I open the door, I’m surprised to find him awake. How long has he been lying in bed with his eyes open?
“Something’s wrong.” He sits up and eyes me. “What is it?”
Is that the bond we share telling him, or just him being really good at reading me?
“Draven needs help.”
He scrubs a hand over his face, gold band straining against his biceps. “Shera, you’re High Lady.”
“I’m also Lady of Shadows.”
“A position he manipulated you into,” he points out.
“True, but, it’s bad, Beelzebub. I found him locked in a cell with iron cuffs.”
He glances up at the ceiling, letting out a resigned sigh. “How long will you be gone?”
“I’ll spend a day there, which will be about an hour or two here, and then go back and forth until I know he’s safe.” I don’t mention my plans to stay more than a day. First, I’ll go and figure out what Draven needs, then I’ll decide how long I can stay in Faerie without disrupting my rule here in Avernus.
“You don’t owe him anything.”
I sit in the chair next to the bookshelf. “I know that. It isn’t a matter of me feeling obligated. I won’t be able to rest until I do something to help.”
“Your position here is not yet secure. You can’t be gone long. Demons will notice.”
I nod in understanding, I’ve already accounted for that. “I promise. A day there, then I’ll return.”
He pats the bed, so I get up and sit next to him. Brushing my hair away from my face with his fingers, he pulls my mouth to his. “Be careful,” he whispers against my lips. “If that fae causes you any harm, I’ll kill him myself.”
Chuckling, I kiss him again. “Thank you. Will you let Anakin and Micah know?”
“They won’t be happy about it.”
“I suspect not.” Sighing, I stand. “I have to help him. I’m not sure if it’s the bond, or something else, but I feel it in my black heart. Draven needs me.”
Beelzebub smiles. “Go show those fae fuckers what demons are made of.”
A vicious smile cuts across my face. “See you soon,” I say before the shadows whisk me back to Faerie.
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To be continued…
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Thank you for boarding the crazy train. Shera is my favorite succubus and I love how she went from 0 to murder in this book. The first part of this story is one of revenge. Coming soon is a story of growth for everyone. Curious to see what the future holds? Check out this excerpt from Her Reign, coming Summer 2020.
Her Reign - Tainted Power Book 2 Preview
Shadows slide off of me, revealing the dark marble floor of the night patio. As it always is in Court of Shadows, the sky is shrouded. There’s no telling how much time has passed since I’ve been gone. It should have only been a few hours. Switching between Avernus time and Faerie time is something I still need to get used to. A vicious scream in the distance chills my demon blood.
Freaky fae fucks.
Turning, I try to peer through the darkness, but in the shadow lands you only see what the Lord of Shadows wants you to. Another bloodcurdling cry has me stepping to the edge of the patio.
What is that creature?
Taking one step down, I still when the force of a thousand eyes is weighted on my skin. Whatever it is, it’s been watching me. Having never explored the grounds, I take another step down. What could it hurt? I’ve got my demon magic and my fae powers. When my shoes hit the plush lawn, a low rattling sound surrounds me.
Maybe this isn’t a good idea.
Call it reckless, or just plain stupid, but I take another step, too drawn by the mystery of the shadow land. For a demon who just took over Avernus, my steps are cautious, slow. I guess I’m not totally daft; at least I realize how bad of an idea this is. Especially after my experience in the living forest, fearann beò. When I take another step, a sudden spike of awareness trickles through the bond I have with Draven. Either he was sleeping when I arrived, or he really needs to work on his focus.
Awareness quickly morphs to concern. He’s probably wondering why I haven’t come to him.
The rattling is closer, growing so loud I can hardly hear my thoughts. The depths of the darkness shift, a ripple of change, and I stiffen. Is there more than one creature? Flicking my gaze around the blackened night, I grow weary. I’m not infallible, and when the rattling grows so close I can no longer feel the erratic beating of my heart, I realize I’ve made a mistake. Whatever’s out here, it’s dangerous.
Fingers grip my arm, yanking me back, and the rattling ceases.
“Shera,” Draven’s voice pours over me like sweet wine. “What’re you doing?”
I glance at him, then back to the darkness. “I heard something.”
“You can’t go out there without me.”
“Is it really that dangerous?”
He meets my gaze, green eyes flickering between light and dark. I take the time to really look at him. The last time I’d seen him; he was in bad shape. After rescuing him from a prison cell, I returned to Avernus for a short while, long enough for the worry to eat away at me. My shadow fae looks tired, black circles mar the bronze skin under his eyes.
“For a demon, yes. Lady Mara’s creatures roam freely in Unseelie land.” Draven pulls me closer. “They will do their best to snare your interest. When they do, you won’t notice them closing in. You’ll need training to properly protect yourself.”
Well, shit.
I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t venture out too far. I had yet to learn much about Court of Nightmares, but something tells me I shouldn’t let those creatures lure me out into the dark. I’m barely welcome in Faerie as Draven’s Lady of Shadows, there is no telling what would be done to me if the wrong being got ahold of me.
“Come inside. Lietta will be happy to see you.”
I’m not surprised he doesn’t mention Sewyn, like a melting ice cube the little sylph had barely warmed. We head into the castle, leaving the night patio and my near fatal encounter behind.
Ten minutes in Faerie and I almost die. This whole coming to help Draven suddenly feels very silly; what good will I be against creatures like that?
Inadequate. It’s not a feeling I’m familiar with, but for the fi
rst time, I worry I may be just that.
Mother Faerie, don’t let me make a fool of myself on my first day here.
About the Author
Rory Miles is an emerging fantasy romance author. This is her second reverse harem book. She loves cats, memes, gifs, books, writing, her children and her husband. Especially when he makes fried chicken. She loves writing about romantic shenanigans and does her fair share of reading. Her all time favorite books are: #whychoose.
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For new on more adventure filled romance, make sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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Also by Rory Miles
The Waters - Enchanted Magic Book 1 - Fantasy Romance
The Wanted - Enchanted Magic Book 2 - Reverse Harem
The Untamed - Enchanted Magic Book 3 Coming Fall 2020
Her Retribution - Tainted Power Book 1 - Reverse Harem
Her Reign - Tainted Power Book 2 Coming Summer 2020
This I Know - Historical Reverse Harem Fantasy Coming Fall 2020
This I Know Part 2 - Historical Reverse Harem Fantasy Coming Winter 2021
