by Lexi C. Foss
“Oh?”
She bit her lip, the motion distracting me before she continued. “Everything just feels off. I can’t really explain it, just a sense of wrongness. But I know it’s her.”
“Off how?”
She sighed and draped her leg over mine. I couldn’t help but notice that it put her hips dangerously close to my reach. If she kept that up, I was going to be useless in this conversation.
Her glittering blue eyes met mine, holding me captive. “It’s just, I think I keep hearing her. In my head. But unclearly.” Her gaze darted around our oasis. “She feels very here.”
I stiffened and immediately unlatched the door I kept over my roaring power, sending the ground around us rumbling. But I only found Claire and her bond-mates in blissful harmony, nothing dark. “I don’t feel anything.”
“I didn’t mean here,” she murmured, smiling. “But with me somehow.” She shook her head. “Honestly, I think I’m just exhausted from everything. It’s probably all the sex.” Her eyes glittered with intent as she slid her hand across my shirt, parting the buttons to expose my abs along the way. She let out a long breath of appreciation. “Sometimes I can’t believe all of this is real.”
I couldn’t take it anymore and ran my hand over her hip and down her thigh, squeezing while putting my thumb just close enough between her legs to give her a hint of anticipation. Her breath hitched as I massaged her knotted muscles. “It’s very real, little flower. We’d do anything for you.”
Her expression sparkled with delight, then turned mischievous. “Even dress up in a real suit for the Solstice Ball?”
I grimaced, but my heart leapt that she’d brought it up. “I thought we’d agreed on jeans.”
Her fingers ran lower across my abdomen, causing my muscles to clench. “You’d look good in silk, I think.” She licked her lips and then leaned in, replacing her touch with her tongue.
I rumbled my agreement. If she wanted silk, I’d wear the damn silk. Fuck, I’d go naked. I didn’t care, not when she was doing…
That.
I groaned when her mouth came dangerously close to my beltline, and the ground trembled as my powers threatened to lose control.
“I can’t, little flower,” I said through gritted teeth.
Gods, I wanted to, but I felt my control slipping. Either we needed a full mate-bond to keep me grounded or I needed Vox here with us. Regardless, I would never do anything that put Claire in danger.
She didn’t argue, her understanding written into her features. “You shouldn’t be afraid of your gifts,” she whispered, nestling back up into my neck as she wrapped her leg around my hip again and pressed her entire body into mine.
My aching cock underneath the thin layer of my clothes protested when her thigh pressed into my shaft, but she stilled when I gripped her hip to keep her from moving.
“I’m not,” I promised her. “I’m just careful with you.”
She chuckled and lazily swept her fingers over my chest. I indulged her mouth with a tender kiss. “Perhaps later, then,” she suggested, delight in her voice. “If you need the others with us to feel safe with me, then they’ll be happy to oblige, I’m sure.” She gave me another kiss, this one more forceful. “But promise me that one day it can be just us. Maybe your World Tree with our earth and our love.” She adored all her bond-mates, but it made me feel like an entirely new fae that Claire wanted me all to herself.
My hand went to its possessive hold on her neck again as I tasted her. “That’s a promise I can keep, when we’re ready.” When the bond between us was so strong that even the earth would move on command.
She poked me on my nose. “And you’re taking me to the ball.”
I nodded, nipping her lower lip. “You have a deal, little flower.”
Claire
I pinched my lips to the side. Something’s missing. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
My makeup was subtle, my hair was tousled in long blonde waves down my back, and my blue dress had the most amazing sweetheart neckline. It accented my curves in all the right places without being too clingy. The fabric also matched my eyes, which was a plus.
But something wasn’t right.
I tapped my chin, my gaze on my reflection in the mirror. This sense of uncertainty weighed upon my shoulders, holding me captive in my three-inch silver heels.
What is it? I wondered. What am I not seeing?
The edges of the glass dimmed a fraction, flickering beneath the fluorescent lighting. I just couldn’t stop staring at myself and wondering what—
“You look gorgeous,” a warm voice murmured from behind me. A pink butterfly kissed my cheek following the words before settling on my pointed ear like an ornament.
I blinked at my reflection, everything suddenly right. “How strange, yet oddly beautiful.”
“You or the butterfly?” Exos mused, coming up to stand at my back. He wore one of his trademark suits, making our attire match for once. Except somehow he still wore the formal outfit better than I did. Benefits of being the king, I supposed.
“Everything,” I replied, shaking my head and shifting to face him. “Ignore me. I’ve felt a little off all day.”
He cupped my cheek and drew his thumb across my lip, his gaze thoughtful. “Off how?”
I knew that look. If I didn’t give him an answer, he’d press me for one. And we didn’t have time to play that game right now. Besides, Exos was my mate. He’d understand, or maybe even be able to put me at ease.
“I just feel like I’m missing something,” I admitted. “That’s weird, right? I can’t think of anything I might need tonight other than what I’m wearing.”
Exos’s sapphire irises smoldered as he reviewed my appearance, his full lips quirking at the corner. “Oh, I don’t know. Are you wearing panties?”
My cheeks heated. “Exos.”
“Are they blue like this dress?” he pressed, his hands finding my hips. “Shall I lift your skirt to see?”
I laughed and shook my head. “One-track mind.”
“Can you blame me, Claire?” He eyed my neckline. “You look amazing in this dress. It makes me want to attend the ball with you and the others, just to have a reason to stare at you all night.”
My heart skipped a beat, my tongue sneaking out to dampen my lips. “So I look okay?”
“More than okay, princess. You’re stunning.” He bent to brush his mouth over mine. “Vox and Sol are going to have a hard time not bringing you home early. I give them two hours max before they can’t take it anymore and need you naked between them.”
I shivered at the heat of his words and the picture they painted. “Would you join us?”
“If you wanted me there, yes.” Another kiss, this one longer, more sensual. “I would do anything for you, Claire.”
My blood warmed, lighting a flame deep within my soul that burned for Exos alone. My spirit mate. My king. My love. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close, not caring at all about my makeup. All that mattered was his tongue and the way it embraced my own.
I would do anything for you, too, I whispered to him.
I knew how he felt about sharing me. He’d commented once to Titus that he didn’t mind sharing in my pleasure, but watching me with another wasn’t an activity he particularly wanted to experience.
And yet, with Cyrus, he seemed rather open to it.
Maybe our bond had changed his view.
You changed my view, he corrected, his palm flattening against my lower back. Seeing you happy makes me happy. When you smile, I smile. He pulled back just enough to nuzzle his nose against mine. “I love you, Claire.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered, closing my eyes. Everything about the moment felt right again. This was what I was missing—my mates. Being apart from them left me feeling empty and alone. They were my life now, my circle, my completion. I sighed against Exos, resting my cheek on his chest as I hugged him hard. “Thank you.”
“For what?�
�
“For helping me feel better.”
“Anytime.” He kissed the top of my head. “It’s been a whirlwind these last few months. Try to have some fun tonight. You’ve earned it.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to a ball,” I marveled, amused. “Of all the things to do. I seriously thought dances were over after high school.”
“Welcome to the fae world.” He squeezed me once more before loosening his hold. “I’ll take you dancing sometime, just the two of us.”
I cocked a brow at him. “You dance?”
His lips curled. “Oh, Claire. You have no idea.” With that, he released me and led me to the door. “Vox and Sol are waiting and I can feel their impatience.”
Yeah, I could feel their nerves as well through the bond. I couldn’t talk to them the way I did Titus, Exos, and Cyrus, but emotions traveled easily between all of us. Such as Sol and Vox’s annoyance at Titus’s amusement. My fire mate found their formal attire comical, something he’d clearly remarked on a few times in their presence.
I turned toward my makeup to touch up my face, only to find myself being led toward the door with Exos’s palm against my lower back.
“No sense in reapplying lipstick, Claire. The guys will just destroy it.” He pressed his lips to mine for emphasis and opened the door before I could protest.
Sol and Vox stood in the hallway, their expressions morphing from nervous to clear appreciation as they caught sight of my gown.
“Oh, wow,” Sol said, awed. “You remind me of the azure meadows in the heart of Earth Kingdom, only even more alluring.” He stepped forward and captured my hand, bringing it to his lips. “Hi.”
Butterflies took flight in my stomach at that little word, the way his deep brown gaze twinkled with it almost shyly. I went to my toes to kiss him properly on the mouth. “Hi.” I took in his crisp black-and-white tux. “While I love you in jeans, you do wear this rather nicely.”
His lips twitched. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I kissed him again before turning to a mute Vox. The silver around his black irises seemed to thicken as he gazed at me, giving him an unearthly regal glow.
He swallowed.
Twice.
And cleared his throat.
“Try using your air,” Titus called from a few steps away. “I hear that helps with speaking.”
Exos chuckled at my back. “Can you blame him for being a bit speechless?”
“I certainly don’t,” Cyrus mused, joining us. He looped his arm around my waist, tugging me to him without acknowledging the others, and captured my mouth in a hungry kiss that left me shaking with need against him. “Now you’re properly warmed up.” He winked and nipped at my bottom lip. “Your natural blush is so enticing, Claire.”
“It is,” Vox agreed, his voice sounding a bit hoarse. “She’s magnificent. You’re magnificent.”
Now it was my turn to be speechless.
Between Cyrus’s embrace, the heat radiating from Exos, Sol’s compliments, and Vox’s nerves, I felt a bit overwhelmed.
The only one who didn’t seem to be flustering me was Titus, but catching his gaze from the other room, I understood why. He served as my rock, the one grounding me to the moment and lending me strength where he knew I would need it.
He blew me a kiss and winked.
All of these males played a different role in my sanity, bolstering my courage, taking care of me, and respecting me in ways I never could have anticipated.
I was seriously the luckiest woman in the world. No, in all the worlds. However many there might be.
I shook my head on a laugh. That was a topic for another day.
Tonight I wanted to have fun, just as Exos suggested.
I would spend the evening with two of my intended mates, forget about everything else, and just enjoy myself. Because my life? Yeah, my life was pretty fucking amazing.
And I had all my mates to thank for everything.
“Let’s go to the ball,” I said, eyeing Sol and Vox. “I can’t wait to dance with you both.”
Exos
“What’s wrong?” Cyrus asked as soon as the door closed behind Claire.
I twisted my lips to the side. “Something’s coming.” I felt it rising all day, this sense of wrongness settling over my shoulders and knocking my world off-kilter. “She sensed it, too.”
“Hence your distraction,” Cyrus murmured.
I nodded. It hadn’t been part of the arrangement for me to go to her in the room, but I’d sensed her need for emotional relief. “She deserves a night of fun without her mother hanging over her head.” Or whatever this dark, doomful energy meant.
“I don’t feel anything,” Titus said, joining us in the hallway. He’d overheard our conversation, not that I’d tried to hide it from him. As Claire’s mate and one of the strongest fighters I’d ever met, he needed to be involved in the discussion.
“It’s a disturbance in the spirit.” I folded my arms and leaned against the wall. “It feels like a gray cloud lingering on the horizon that refuses to leave. Claire mistook it for something she was forgetting. But I recognize it for what it is—a bad omen.”
“Someone is playing with magic that doesn’t belong here,” Cyrus translated. “Dark Fae magic.”
Yes, that was exactly what I felt. “Do you sense it, too?”
“Only through Claire,” he admitted. “But it reminds me of Kols.”
I snorted. “Feels harsher to me.”
“But you know what I mean.”
“I do.” The energy signature was similar in origin, marking it as belonging to the infamous Midnight Fae, which we commonly called Dark Fae.
“Who or what is a Kols?” Titus interjected.
“A Midnight Fae Royal,” Cyrus replied. “Cocky bastard, but a hell of a lot of fun at parties. You’d love him.”
Titus’s auburn brows rose to meet his hairline. “You’re friends with a Midnight Fae?”
“’Friends’ might be a bit of a stretch.” It wasn’t like I called upon Kols regularly. We just saw each other at the occasional political function.
“For you,” Cyrus clarified. “I adore the bastard.”
I shook my head. “Of course you do.” They had similar personalities, despite their clear fae differences. “You should reach out to him, see how things are going over there.” Last I heard, there was some sort of war breaking out between the two classes of Midnight Fae.
“Yeah, once we solve our problems with Claire’s mom, I’ll follow up.” Cyrus slid his hands into his pockets. “Unless you think this is all somehow related.”
“Nah, Elemental Fae can’t use dark magic.” Only the Midnight Fae had access to darker energy. Some believed it was their affinity for human blood that enabled them to reach the harshest recesses of the fae power. More likely, it was tied to their overall nature more than anything else.
I shook my head. “It might feel like Midnight Fae energy, but I don’t see how that could be possible. Regardless, we need to look out for Claire. I want her to have an enjoyable evening.”
“Which is why you didn’t tell Vox or Sol,” Titus added. “You want them all to have a good time.”
“Yes.” I knew Vox wouldn’t be able to enjoy himself if he was too busy watching out for Claire. Same with Sol. “It’s better if we just watch from afar. I don’t think anything will happen, but I want to be there just in case.”
Titus rolled his neck, his excitement palpable. “Works for me.” The Fire Fae was clearly born for this kind of job. “Let’s do this.”
“So eager and ready to fight,” Cyrus murmured. “Some might say you’re burning a bit hot for it, really.”
“What can I say?” Titus drawled. “My last opponent didn’t give me much of a challenge, so I’m looking to up my game.”
“Hmm. Maybe next time your opponent won’t go so easy on you.”
Titus snorted. “Are you saying you lost on purpose?”
“You know I did.”
; “You two fought?” I asked, interrupting their bickering. “And Titus won?”
“I let him win,” my brother admitted. “Claire wouldn’t have been all that happy with me for killing her fire mate.”
Well, that was true. Still… “I can’t believe you let him win.” I glanced between them. “I want to see a rematch.”
Titus grinned. “Happily.”
Cyrus sighed dramatically. “So eager for another beating.” He peered at the Fire Fae. “Were you dropped on your head often as a child? Or were you always this dumb?”
Titus narrowed his gaze. “Were you born an ass? Or did all that power just go to your head and turn you into a colossal prick?”
My brother laughed outright. “I was definitely born this way.”
“That’s what I thought.” Titus pushed away from the wall. “Are we going to continue standing around here flirting or go protect our woman?”
I smiled. “I knew I liked you, Titus.”
“I’d say the same, but I’d be lying,” he replied, leading the way to the door.
“I’m telling you, he’s not the brightest mate of the bunch,” Cyrus mock-whispered. “Unless he’s on fire, in which case, he burns rather bright.” A flame broke out across my brother’s hand with the words—a flame that sizzled and died beneath a light spray of water.
Smoke billowed around Titus not a second later as he defended himself from Cyrus’s retaliation.
And an elemental blend of fire and water broke out around us.
I sighed. “Yeah, this is how we inconspicuously attend a ball to guard Claire.”
The two males chuckled. “I promise we’ll behave,” Cyrus said. “Mostly.”
“Mostly,” Titus agreed, smirking.
Oh, Claire.
The things I do for you...
Sol
“What is that?” Claire asked, her focus on the Earth Fae’s carriage waiting for us in the Spirit Quad.
“It’s tradition,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. I mean, Claire deserved the full Solstice experience, and I damn well planned to give it to her. And that included providing the transportation most fae were accustomed to receiving for the ball.
