Forbidden Queen Complete Series: Books 1-4

by Dyan Chick

  Cormac laughed. "Now you're being shy?"

  He charged back over to where I still sat on the couch and he picked me up as if I were nothing more than a doll and turned me so I was laying across the couch on my back. He lifted one of my legs so it was over the backrest and I instantly moved my hands down to cover myself, feeling more exposed than I had before.

  Cormac rested his hand on top of mine, giving me a moment to react.

  This was what I wanted. To be closer to him, to feel him inside me. My body ached for it.

  I moved my hands away and reached for him, weaving my fingers into his long dark hair. He lowered himself onto me, and kissed my jaw and my neck my chin before his lips found mine again. He moved slowly this time, gently. The heat of the initial action had faded into something more intimate and personal. All of the animalistic desire was spent and now it was us. Cormac, my prince, finally willing to show me how he felt about me.

  His tongue found his way into my mouth and mine greeted him eagerly, performing a dance of movement as our mouths became one. My back arched as his fingers found the sensitive nub between my thighs and I lifted my hips so he could remove my undergarments. His erection pressed against my inner thigh as he continued to use his fingers to send waves of pleasure through me. I moaned into his mouth as he slipped one of his fingers inside me, gently moving it in and out while his thumb maintained its exploration of the little nub.

  He broke free of the kiss and stared down at me. The smile he wore now was sweet and free of the pain I so often saw him in. "I love you, Cassia."

  I gasped, nearly speechless at the declaration. He didn't give me a chance to respond before his mouth was on mine again and his erection slid inside me.

  Stars danced in my vision as he filled me completely. I broke free of his kiss as my head tipped back and I screamed in pleasure. All of the waiting, all of the teasing had kept me at the brink of climax and now it crashed over me in one giant wave.

  Cormac continued to thrust into me and I grabbed hold of his back, digging my fingernails into his skin for support as I gasped for air. I never wanted this to end.

  Chapter Eight

  Tristan's palace seemed even larger than it had the first time I'd seen it. The rooms were empty and the chill of the Winter Court seeped into my bones. Now that I knew the Queen, an Autumn Fae, was my mother, I knew I had no Winter blood. My ability to enter the Winter Court must have come only from the powers I possessed.

  "As long as you're here, you have free reign of whatever you need," Tristan said.

  "Does that mean I can go back to the Autumn Court when I want to?" I asked, already missing the company of the princes I'd left behind.

  "Nice try," he said. "You're here until you have completed your end of the bargain."

  I shivered and wrapped my arms over my chest. "We both know this has nothing to do with your curiosity about humans."

  He shrugged. "Perhaps."

  I scowled at him. "I thought you were my friend."

  "Didn't Cormac warn you? You shouldn't trust me," he said.

  Two servants in blue walked into the room and lowered their heads in greeting. "Welcome home, Your Grace."

  "Thank you," Tristan said. "Bella, see to it that Lady Cassia is taken care of. She'll be staying with us for a while."

  "In the Princess suite?" Bella asked.

  Tristan glanced at me and raised an eyebrow in silent question.

  I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. Whatever this was, it wasn't my choice. I didn't want to be here to play house with him. I wanted to get back to the others.

  Tristan turned away from me. "No, the grand guest room is fine."

  "Are you sure?" Bella asked.

  "I'm sure."

  "Lady Cassia." Bella curtsied. "If you'll follow me."

  "Shouldn't we start with the favor?" I asked. "I mean, don't I have twenty-four hours to show that I'm going to comply?"

  "You just met your mother and haven't had a chance to rest since someone tried to kill you. I thought you might want to freshen up before we get to business." He looked me up and down. "Besides, you smell like the Autumn Prince."

  My cheeks heated and I bit the inside of my lip to keep from saying anything. It wasn't like we'd tried to hide what we'd been doing before I left. I licked my lips, recalling the feel of Cormac's mouth on mine. It seemed like so long ago and I wanted so badly to get back to him, but I was going to have to be patient. I felt like saying something to anger Tristan, but it was going to be a long enough visit as it was. With a sigh, I collected myself. "Alright. Rest first. But after we discuss the questions you have, I have some of my own."

  He lifted an eyebrow. "Another bargain?"

  I shook my head. "No, no more bargains or favors. If we're going to do this, you have to start being at least a little nice to me. You took me away from the others right as I'm beginning Queen's Trial. I'm going to need your help."

  "I never thought I'd hear you ask me for help as a friend," Tristan said. "I think you'll find that I can be civil. Kind, even, once you get to know me."

  I pursed my lips. I'd seen those sides of Cormac. I'd seen the nice prince, the one who cared about others. I'd also seen the trickster and the shameless flirt. "We'll see."

  Tristan inclined his head toward me and turned away. I watched him walk for a moment, feeling more confused than ever about him.

  I followed Bella up the grand staircase and down the hallway into a part of Tristan's palace I hadn't seen during my last visit. We only stayed one night last time, so I'd seen the room that he put me in as well as a sitting area and a dining room. This time, I was being placed in a different wing of the palace. I wondered how big this place really was. Shivering again, I rubbed my palms on my arms to warm myself. Some clothing more suitable for this court would be nice to try and eliminate the chill.

  We stopped in front of a door and the servant opened it for me inclining her head toward the room. "Would you like me to set up a bath, my Lady?"

  I peeked into the room and saw a large four-poster bed, a few chairs around the fireplace, a dressing table and a wardrobe. It was a nice room, and there was room for a tub on the floor, but I couldn't help a flashback to the last time I took a bath in a room like this alone.

  I stared at the window, sheer curtains filtered the sunlight and thicker curtains were pulled to the side. I wanted to cross the room and make sure it was locked, but that still might not be enough to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling that I wasn't safe. "I think I'll pass on the bath, thank you."

  "I heard about what happened to you, about the attack. We know they were after someone else, but it must make you nervous to be alone. I can stay with you, or I can show you to the springs under the palace. They're harder to access and there are no windows," Bella said.

  "Springs?" I had never heard of springs being used in place of a bath. We had spring water brought into the human town I'd grown up in. It was sold for ridiculously high prices and said to cure all sorts of ailments. I had never been to any of the pools that were supposed to contain this magical water. "That would be nice."

  "This way, my Lady. I'll show you, then I can bring you fresh clothes."

  I stepped away from the door, and Bella closed it behind me.

  "Tristan won't mind?" I asked. He seemed rather set on sending to me to my room and I didn't want to get Bella in trouble.

  "I doubt he'll mind. If you're important enough to stay the night in your own suites, I think he wants you to be comfortable. It's rare that he has guests that stay at all. Sure there's the occasional party or diplomatic visits. Sometimes they unintentionally stay the night, but they’re never put up in a nice room. They all get the standard guest rooms. You're on the family floor. All the suites here are for royalty. We didn't get any warning about you, and there's going to be a lot of gossip, care to fill me in?"

  I laughed, Bella's honesty was refreshing after dealing with Tristan. I liked her and I hoped that I would get to spend more time w
ith her while I was stuck in the Winter Court. "I'll be here for a few weeks. Tristan and I have an arrangement, I owe him a favor, as it were. And until I pay it off, I will remain here."

  I couldn't think of any reason why I shouldn't just tell her the truth, so I did. It was another first for me. Since arriving in Faerie, I had kept most of my true intentions to myself. There was something liberating about being honest.

  "And here I thought you were the mysterious future princess we keep hearing about," Bella said.

  My brow furrowed as a surprising rush of jealousy surged through me. "What do you mean?"

  "Nothing," Bella said. "Just speculation among the staff. His Grace sent orders a few days ago to prepare the princess suite. We've wondered if that meant he finally met someone. His heart was so broken after he lost his last mate. It would do all of us good to see him happy again."

  "I'm sure," I said.

  "Now tell me about this favor," Bella said. "You don't mean an actual favor with the Winter Prince, do you? I can't imagine anyone would make that mistake."

  I winced, feeling the sting of her words. I'd come a long way since I made that bargain and I felt like I was a different Cassia than the Cassia who was foolish enough to strike that deal.

  "I like you," I said. Bella didn't hold anything back, she reminded me of Lainey and I wondered how she was coping with the week off of work. Perhaps Tristan could send her to come here and keep me company. "But I've had a long day. I'd rather not talk about Tristan anymore."

  We passed through the sitting room, and down the long hallway lined with portraits of tapestries. Bella stopped in front of another door and opened it. "I like you, too. And I hoped he was preparing that suite for you. We could use someone like you to keep him on his toes. He needs someone to stand up to him from time to time."

  I smiled. "I do my best."

  She gestured toward a set of stairs behind the door. "The springs are in the basement, and naturally heated so you'll feel warmer as you get closer. Only the royal family and distinguished visitors are allowed access so you should have some privacy."

  I looked down the stairs, they were made of stone and lit by a strange orange glow coming from somewhere down below as the only light. It gave the illusion of walking right into the center of the earth. I shuddered and wondered if I should have stayed in my room. A strange smell filled the air. It reminded me of eggs left out too long.

  "I'll return shortly, you won't be alone long," Bella said.

  "Unless you'd like some company?" Tristan's voice came from behind me.

  "Your Grace." Bella dipped into a curtsy.

  "Leave us," Tristan said.

  Bella curtsied again and scurried away, not looking back.

  Tristan was alone. He never seemed to travel with guards the way he had made me do.

  "I can go if I'm interrupting," I said.

  "There's plenty of room, and I'll be on my best behavior," Tristan said. He extended his arm toward the doorway. "After you."

  Part of me wanted to turn around and stomp back to the room I had been shown to, but there was also a flicker of curiosity that I couldn't quite extinguish. Tristan seemed to be in one of his good moods and he had let on that he'd try to be nice. Part of me longed to be near him, which startled me, but also drew me in closer.

  I looked at the dark stairs again and back to Tristan. He was waiting calmly, giving me time to make the decision. He wasn't pushing me, or trying to convince me, or threatening me in any way. He was simply waiting. I knew from his expression that if I wanted to make a scene and run off, he wouldn't stop me. He was giving me a choice in this when he hadn't given me a choice in whether or not I wanted to come and spend time at his palace with him in the first place. I probably should've walked away, but the curiosity won and I lifted up my skirts so I could descend the stairs.

  As Bella had said, the temperature increased with each step. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was surprisingly warm. When I reached the bottom, I looked around the cave like space. Several pools of water were surrounded by uneven rock formations stretched as far as I could see.

  Flickering torches lined the walls giving the space a warm, orange glow. Some of the pools were large enough for only one or two people and a few of them were large enough for a dozen or more.

  Under the torches, I saw hooks with towels and robes waiting for bathers. As Bella had suggested, there was no one down here. No one except for Tristan and myself.

  I turned to find Tristan and was surprised, though I shouldn't have been, to see that he had already removed his clothing. Shocked, I turned away from him. I'd seen him naked once before when he had greeted me at his bedroom door wearing nothing. I heard a splash and turned to see Tristan had selected one of the smaller pools. If I joined him in there, it was going to be very difficult to not bump into one another. I also knew that if I selected a different pool, he would either be insulted or join me anyway.

  I silently cursed for not undressing before him and jumping in one of the larger pools to give me some more privacy or space. I’d given up the chance to control the situation. Hesitation was costing me and it was a good lesson to learn moving into Queen's Trial.

  "Do you need me to close my eyes?" Tristan asked.

  I could feel my cheeks heat. Thankfully, I was probably rather pink already from the temperature of the room which might hide my embarrassment. I played with the fabric on my sleeve as I considered what I should do. I still had time to run back up the stairs and find the privacy of my own room, but that was probably what Tristan wanted me to do. I was getting tired of his games and I had only just arrived here.

  I didn't want to spend the next several weeks with him thinking he could control me by putting me in situations that made me uncomfortable. Then, I realized that the only one making me uncomfortable was me.

  Fae didn't have the same sense of privacy that I had been raised with. I was the one who was giving him the power over me here when he might not even see nudity as an issue.

  Before I could lose the nerve, I pulled my tunic over my head and covered my breasts with one arm. Then, I dropped my skirt to the floor in a puddle around my toes. I still had my underclothes on, and while they were sheer, they had enough fabric for me to feel like I was maintaining some sense of decorum. Even if it was a human trait, it was still so engraved in me that it felt like too much to be completely naked with Tristan.

  I stepped over the fallen skirt, and walked to the small pool. Sitting down at the edge, I dipped a toe in, testing the warmth. It was warmer than I was used to for a bath, but not hot. Feeling braver, I dangled my legs into the water, relishing the sensation of the warmth. With a sigh, I slid into the pool. Water came up to my waist and I quickly ducked down so it covered my shoulders before releasing my arm from over my breasts. Now that I was in a small pool with Tristan, I wasn't sure what to do next.

  He grinned at me, his icy blue eyes traveling from the water level up to my eyes. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

  "How did you know I was coming down here?" I asked. "Can you read my mind?"

  Tristan shrugged. "On occasion, I see flashes from things inside your mind. But they don't seem to be things that have happened yet. Just things that might come to pass."

  "Like what?" I asked, my pulse rising as I recalled the vision I had of the two of us entwined.

  "Are you sure you want to know?" He moved a little closer. "I have to admit, the things that I've seen have been rather delicious."

  I pursed my lips and bit back a snappy retort. He was bating me. The more time I spent with him, the more easily I was able to read him. He wanted me to get mad at him, but I didn't know why. I narrowed my eyes, trying to get a read on him and the pieces started to click into place. "You read Bella. Not me."

  "Or maybe I just wanted to come down here," he said.

  "You came down here for me," I said. "You sent me away, only to meet me here later. You push me away, then get closer to me. You flirt with me, but don't act on it.
"

  "Have you stopped to think about the fact that maybe you're just as confusing to me?" He stood, water running down his sculpted chest and over his washboard abs. Tiny waves lapped around his hips, just barely covering his manhood.

  I tore my eyes away from the waterline and looked up at his face. "I never hid anything from you. From the moment we met, I told you the truth."

  "Have you, princess?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

  "Yes," I said. "I told you everything."

  "You've kept nothing from me?" he asked.

  My brow furrowed. What was he trying to get from me? Had I kept anything hidden away from Tristan? When we met, I didn't know about the magic I held or my ancestry. He'd been with me every step of the way while I learned about myself. "Nothing."

  He let out a frustrated sigh. "Of course you haven't."

  "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

  "Nothing," he said, climbing out of the water. He stood on the edge of the pool, his wet body glistening in the warm, flickering torch light. "I'll send Bella for you. Stay as long as you like. You have a few more hours to rest, but I'll need your assistance tonight."

  I leaned against the side of the pool. "Good. I'd like to get this over with so I can return to the Autumn Court."

  He nodded, then turned and walked toward the wall and grabbed one of the robes off of a hook. He threw it over himself and walked out of the cave, not looking back at me.

  Feeling equal parts irritated and anxious, I lowered myself into the water, holding my breath while I went under. Three weeks of Tristan's moods was going to be difficult to endure.

  Chapter Nine

  Below the water I felt like I had silence and peace the first time in weeks. There was something liberating about freeing yourself from your senses and existing below the surface. I held out as long as I could, slowly blowing bubbles out of my mouth to prolong the amount of time for a good stay under. Finally, my lungs started to protest, and I broke through to the surface, gasping for breath.