by Jarica James
“Are you smelling me?” he laughs. I nod and nuzzle closer, running my hand up and down his side.
“Yes, is that a problem?” I say in my best attempt at a sultry tone. He groans and puts his hand over mine to stop me from absently teasing him.
“You have to stop, you already have me hard as stone, darling," he groans. Instead of arguing with him, I tilt my head up and run my tongue along his chiseled jawline. “Don’t start a fight you can’t finish," he chides playfully, his voice strained as he struggles to remain a gentleman. I groan at his threat and the unspoken challenge, running my hand down his body and over the bulge straining against his pants.
“Now, you asked for this," his voice is husky as he gives me a long look, allowing me one last chance to back out. But there’s no way in hell that’s happening.
Bowen reaches over and slides the straps off of my nightgown, pulling it down until my breasts are exposed. The cool castle air has goosebumps rising over my arms and my nipples pebbling. My bruising is gone already, and I don’t feel the need to hold back, even my exhaustion fades at the prospect of sex.
As he brings his mouth to my peaked nipple, I run my fingers through his hair, gently tugging on his copper locks. He lets out a moan before biting down on my sensitive flesh. He loves to fight dirty, it seems. I make a mental note that he likes hair pulling. Finding out their little kinks makes this so much more fun.
“Can we not go slow? I feel fine," I beg, my voice huskier than I’ve ever heard. My entire body is on fire for him and after their rounds of teasing kisses, I’m already wet and aching for him.
“I won’t fight you on that tonight, I need to be inside of you, darling," he groans as he strips off the rest of my night dress and throws it unceremoniously off of the bed. “Man, I need to send the Spirits a thank you basket or something.”
His tone is full of admiration and lust but his words have me chuckling. Leave it to Bowen to even bring laughter to sex.
“We can send one together. Now get naked,” I insist, tugging at his clothes.
“So impatient,” he teases, but complies. Scooting off of me, he strips out of his clothes and tosses them to the floor with mine. The moment he’s within reach, my hands are skimming over his muscles. He’s gorgeous, his body literal perfection. A light dusting of freckles and copper hair covers his pale skin. His muscles are well defined, years of training with Emrick has done him wonders.
Needing more than just a look, I take him by surprise and throw him to the side before straddling his hips. Leaning down, I trail my tongue down his chest and over his abs, appreciating every dip and curve of his muscles.
When I reach the perfectly sculpted vee, I don’t bother to stop. His breathing hitches as I trail my tongue over his cock. My blow job skills are likely not that great yet, but I don’t bother to feel embarrassed.
Bowen tightens his fists in the sheets as I swirl my tongue over his cock. Parting my lips, I take him as far as I can before pulling away. His hands tangle in my hair, guiding my movements as gently as he can manage. He tries to pull away as I gag, but I don’t let him, relaxing my throat and taking him further yet. Tears are streaming down my cheeks but his answering moan makes it worth it.
Taking that as a sign, Bowen fucks my mouth more freely. I love that he’s not holding back with me, I want him, all of him.
Moments later he tenses and pulls away before he can come. He doesn’t hesitate to flip us over, grinning down at me before slanting his lips over mine. The kiss is a clash of teeth and tongue, both of us horny and desperate.
Bowen trails his fingers slowly down my body, never breaking the kiss. He swallows down every moan as he slides his fingers into my core. My legs fall open wider, giving him access. He takes advantage, pulling one finger out of my pussy only to replace it by two, his thumb grazing over my clit with every thrust of his hand. Pleasure coils through me as my hips grind into his hand, desperate for release.
My orgasm doesn’t build slowly, instead it’s sudden and intense, my cries loud as my pussy clenches around his fingers. Bowen teases me through it, picking up his pace instead of slowing me down. My cries turn to a whimper as one orgasm turns into two, leaving me lightheaded and breathless when I finally come down from the natural high.
“Please, Bo. I need you inside of me. Now," I beg, feeling even more desperate for him than before.
“Your wish is my command, darling,” he teases before lining himself up and slamming into me. The slight burn as he stretches me is exquisite, my eyes rolling back in my head as he starts to fuck me.
Bowen isn’t gentle now, just as he promised. Instead, he fucks me into the mattress, bruising grip on my hips. We’re using each other’s bodies tonight so we can know that we’re safe, that our hell in Winter is truly over, that we have each other again. Each mix of pleasure and pain is a reminder that the other is safe and truly in our arms.
When he reaches the end of his control, his fingers find my clit. He teases me into another orgasm as he fucks me. The moment pleasure rolls through me for a third time, he joins me, filling me as his own orgasm hits.
We stay connected as our breathing slows back down, holding each other close. I’ve never thought of myself as a needy person, but I need this connection as much as I need air to breathe, and I love that my sweet Spring King knew just how to mend my battered soul.
Chapter 12
“Bella," Gerwyn’s smooth voice whispers in my ear. I roll toward him and try to snuggle before remembering that it was Bowen I shared my bed with last night.
“Wyn?” I mumble, blinking my eyes open in confusion. He holds a finger to his lips and points to my other side. I glance over at Bowen who’s still out cold. I slowly remove his arm from my waist and slip out of the bed, following Gerwyn. He clicks the door closed quietly behind us and leads me to the washroom.
“There is an outfit waiting, change and meet me in the hall," his eyes are dancing with excitement. I hate surprises, but he’s too adorable to protest. Instead, I nod and rip my nightgown off, causing him to stop and run his eyes over my body. “Not fair, Bella," he huffs and backs out of the room, leaving me to finish changing.
Curious about what he’s planning, I quickly brush my hair and teeth before getting dressed. Still groggy, I splash cool water over my face in an attempt to wake myself up.
Why doesn’t this realm have coffee? Our only supply is all the way in New Faerie.
Trying my best to stop thinking about coffee or more sleep, I tiptoe out of the room to find Gerwyn. I don’t see him right away, so I continue out into the hall, assuming he’s on patrol. Emrick and Maddox are both snoring softly as I pass them.
Standing in the hallway, I start to feel uneasy. There’s no sign of him out here either, which doesn’t make sense. But just in case he needed to run and grab something, or someone needed help, I keep waiting. But as ten minutes pass, that feeling keeps growing until I’m anxiously bouncing in place, eyes darting up and down the silent hallways.
Relief fills me when I finally see him up ahead, long blond hair flashing in the torchlight as he walks into a room further down the hall. He wouldn’t just leave without me, which means something must be wrong. I hurry after him, hoping it’s not a big emergency. I’ve been worried how the previously frozen fae would fare as they regained proper use of their bodies.
When I reach the end of the hall, I finally get another glimpse of him as he darts into another room. I’m not an idiot, I know at this point it isn’t Gerwyn. He wouldn’t have left me, and the figure is almost all white. I’m just way too invested at this point to turn around and go back, though my guys would spank my ass for being reckless like this. Just in case the figure is sinister, I pull my magic to my fingertips.
As I turn into the room the figure disappeared into, I realize it’s the throne room. Unsurprisingly, the throne itself is gaudy and pompous, twice the size of a normal throne and seemingly carved from silver. Gems are inlaid along the arms and back, shimmering in
the dim torch light. The high back gives way to pointed metal spikes, making it appear both beautiful and deadly.
A large fireplace rests on one wall, though it’s currently cold and empty. The throne sits in the center of the room on a raised dais. A large rug encircles the bulk of the room, plush and gorgeous as it brings attention to the royalty who used to sit there.
Now that I’m in the throne room I no longer see the spirit. I groan internally as I turn in a slow circle, eyeing every corner and shadow in hopes of finding it again.
Why lead me here just to disappear?
“Hello? I saw you come in here, I only want to talk to you. I promise I won’t harm you unless you harm me first," I call out.
As if it was waiting for me to speak, a burst of icy air rushes through the room, circling around me before a spirit forms a few feet in front of me.
Of course, the spirit couldn’t just walk in, it just had to scare the shit out of me first.
It takes everything in me, but I manage to bite back the scream I want to let out. But screaming like a scared little girl doesn’t give me the badass queen vibes I’ve been striving for.
“Hello, little one,” the spirit gives a low bow before standing back up. Now that she’s close, I can see a long dark gown and long silver hair. Her skin and hair almost look like they’re made of light, but I can still make out her features. Her eyes are a pale lavender, and almost familiar. Her eyes seem kind and wise, which is unexpected from any spirit residing in Winter. Then again, she’s unlike any of the other spirits I have encountered here.
“Who are you?” I ask, studying her curiously. She doesn’t feel malicious, but I’ve learned long ago to stay vigilant.
“I am Elandria. I was the Queen of Winter,” she pauses, letting her words sink in for a moment. My breath catches at her admission.
“What happened to you?” I ask in little more than a whisper.
“I was murdered when my husband went mad," her voice echoes with sadness. “He was once such a good man but being born a royal he was conceited. It was his downfall, his greatest hurdle to being a great king. He tried to gain power however he could, but once he brought the stone to the castle it was over. He started to lose his mind, and as time went on it just got worse and worse. He was powerful, unstoppable, and stark raving mad.”
“I’m so sorry,” I offer, though it has little impact on what she went through. I can’t imagine watching the men I love slowly slip into madness.
She offers a kind smile before continuing. “We were told by the Spirits that the stone was for our land. It’s almost like they knew the end was coming and were trying everything they could to prevent it. But still my husband refused to listen. The council and I tried to make him see reason, to make him realize Winter would suffer without it, but he refused. It wasn’t long before talk of war was at every council meeting. He was obsessed with scheming, growing secretive and paranoid until most of us were seen as a threat.”
“Oh gods,” I say softly, knowing this isn’t about to end well for her.
“He said my words of protest were treasonous and locked me in the dungeon. I died down there without food or water. I don’t think he told anyone where I was, and no one came to save me. That’s why I made sure the same didn’t happen to your mother or you. The stronger spirits were able to use their magic to get you occasional food and water, it was the best we could manage.”
Tears run down my face and a shiver runs through my body. It could have been me. He could have thrown me down there and let the realm fall into ruins.
“I’m so sorry. That’s an awful way to die. But why are you still here, grandmother?” I ask, trying to rein in my emotions. Not only did he rob me of my parents, he robbed me of a grandmother who would have loved me as much as her people.
“I wanted to tell you how thankful the spirits are to be out from under his control. Once you killed him, they were all able to be set free. The king used the stone of Winter’s power to imprison their spirits. Each time someone dared to question his rule, he added another spirit to his army. You truly did a service to this land. I’m so proud of you. I love you and your father, and I wish it could have been different. Find the stone, Arabella. Balance the realm, it needs you,” she finishes speaking and gives me a loving smile. I blink back my tears as she fades away, the emptiness she leaves behind breaking my heart. I know she won’t be back now, but I’m glad she’ll finally be able to rest.
My name being called in the distance pulls me from my unexpected heartache. Heading back the way I came, I rush down the hallway toward him. He looks up at the sound of my footsteps echoing in the hall and I can see the panic on his face.
“Where did you go? I looked all over this hallway," he gasps out, his hand over his heart as he tries to calm himself. Not wanting him to worry, I quickly explain everything that happened. I’ve never really seen him lose control and I don’t want to see it now. They’ve worried enough about me to last a lifetime already.
Gerwyn listens attentively, a flicker of pain crossing his face at the mention of my grandmother.
“She wasn’t to blame for his actions. Your grandmother was a fine woman. She cared about the people," he says sadly. His words make me feel better, I’m glad the people of Winter knew at least one good ruler. “Come on, beautiful.”
Gerwyn pulls me through the maze of hallways. He still won’t tell me where we’re going, but I don’t pry. Excitement creeps back in as I watch his smile grow, his panic forgotten and replaced by happiness. I’m not sure what he’s found here to put that expression on his face, but I’m more than willing to find out.
We end up outside of a door I don’t recognize, and I eye him curiously. He just grins at me before opening the door and rushing inside. The room is actually the base of a tower, with a steep spiral staircase winding up to the top.
“You woke me up to climb all these stairs?” I joke. He gives me a look that clearly portrays how little he believes my whining and I chuckle. “Fine, race you!”
I take off at a run, going as fast as my short legs can take me. I hear Wyn bark out a laugh behind me and the thumping of his feet on the stairs lets me know he took the challenge. I love a good competition, and I let that urge me on. When he starts to catch up, I start to zigzag at random, which takes longer but doesn’t give him a chance to pass me. A trick I learned from racing Bowen too many times to count. My Spring King loves a good chase.
“Cheater!” he yells, attempting a stern voice. I giggle, but my running starts to slow as my body reminds me that I’ve been through hell. How many stories up is this damn tower?!
“Can we call it a tie and be done running, I might die," I wheeze out dramatically.
“Oh, thank the Gods. I didn’t want to be the one to back out first, but my legs went numb around one hundred stairs ago," he whines, and I bust out laughing at his ridiculous words. My spirit is lighter than it’s felt since waking up.
By the time we make it to the top my legs feel like jelly. The door opens to the rooftop. It’s thankfully not covered in snow, but the frigid air has me shivering violently. I’m definitely not dressed for this.
“I thought ahead," Gerwyn says softly, pressing his cool lips onto mine as he drapes a thick cloak around my shoulders. Somehow, I didn’t notice that he had one on him this whole time. He pulls the hood over my head and fastens the neck clasp. The moment he does, an unexpected warmth envelops me, and I sigh in relief.
“Thank you, Wyn. This is amazing," I say, giving him a quick hug. “Now why are we on the rooftop? It’s still dark outside.” The stars and moon are reflecting a soft light onto the ground below, but not enough to truly take it in. But I bet winter is gorgeous from up here.
“I wanted to show you one of my favorite parts about living in the Court of Winter. The sunrise here is magical," he gushes, guiding me over to the edge and pulling me into his lap as he sits down. I snuggle my back against his chest and stare off into the distance, content to enjoy the stars fo
r a moment.
Wyn seems to have timed it perfectly. The stars start to fade from our view as the sun comes up. As it starts to rise, the whole landscape seems to glow in an array of colors. The intense and bright colors of Faerie brighten with the early morning rays and it’s the most breathtaking view I’ve ever taken in.
The white snow glitters under the warm rays of the morning sun, in a kaleidoscope of iridescent colors. When I first laid eyes on Winter, I thought everything here was mainly white, but from up here I can see how wrong I was. The bright green branches of the trees, the blue and red flowers that grow around the castle grounds, the purple and charcoal gray stone in the mountains all give colorful contrast to the white of the snow. I even spot a lake in the distance we couldn't see from the ground, with teal algae reflecting brightly across the thin sheet of ice covering the lake. Each time I turn my gaze, another new sight catches my eye. I can’t wait to actually explore each land someday, see it grow and change as we breathe life back into it.
“It’s amazing," I whisper emphatically, basking in the beauty I never thought I’d find in the Winter Court.
He grins and pulls me with him as he stands so I can see better over the edge of the tower railing. Now that the sun is fully rising, the colors are even more visible. As the world brightens, the colors seem to dull down to what I’m used to. It’s still picturesque, but nothing will top how magical it was during the start of sunrise.
Seeing Wyn so happy and at peace as he stares into the distance makes it even better. He rarely gets moments of pure joy like this, we’ve been jumping from one chaotic mess to the next since meeting. It’s nice to just have a moment together with no stress or worry.
Having a king from each court seemed intimidating at first. Now that I know them better and get to see the love Bo and Gerwyn each have for their home court, it truly makes sense why the Faeries chose that. They’ll only help balance Faerie, ensuring each court gets the love and appreciation it should.
