Kissed by the Wave: A Forbidden Realm Novel

by Serena Gilley

  “Slow down, honey,” the man said with a chuckle. “We’ve got all the time in the world, don’t we?”

  She didn’t answer. Kyne knew he’d better get away from there while he could, but he hovered, listening just a moment more.

  The man was persisting. “Come on, tell me. There isn’t some kind of time limit on this, is there?”

  “We’ve got time,” the woman said at last. “All the time we’ll need.”

  “Well, all right then. I sure would hate to lose you so soon.”

  “I’m here for a while,” she said, then added sadly, “Twenty-four hours.”

  The man didn’t respond. In fact, it seemed he hadn’t even heard her last words. Kyne frowned. Actually, he hadn’t really heard her speak those words, either. He’d simply been aware of them. It was as if she’d merely thought those words, yet he’d heard them. He was not used to communicating this way, but something about it seemed vaguely familiar…

  And then there was another sigh. The woman’s sigh swallowed him, wrapping him in her joy and, at the same time, an unspeakable sadness. How could Kyne be so attuned to her thoughts? Everyone knew humans weren’t telepathic, and fairies weren’t, either. Aside from certain animal species, the only creatures he’d ever encountered with that ability were the mermaids, and obviously this wasn’t…

  Or was it? By the Skies and all the creatures of the Air, had Raea cheated?

  Kyne chanced a quick peek back into the room. The man lay with his arms wrapped around the woman, and she was curled beside him. Her long, nearly white hair tangled around them. That smooth, pale skin…those green eyes…the way the man was watching her with fascination and awe…her almost tangible thoughts…everything about her could have easily passed for mermaid. She was a mermaid. There could be no other explanation.

  Somehow Raea had put legs on a mermaid and given her to this human. A mermaid—how devious! Their wager had been about humans and the human drive for sex. It had nothing to do with Veiled creatures. To involve this innocent mermaid was the height of deceit.

  Worse yet, it was a vile and cruel thing to do. That poor woman—mermaid—would be shunned by all of her kind if anyone found out about this! How could Raea do this?

  Well, if he was trying to get control over his flaming loins, this certainly helped. Anger was rapidly overtaking any feelings of desire he’d been fighting. Anger? No, that was too mild. Blind fury was more like it.

  Damnation! He had more than a few choice words to say to Raea. He’d just have to wait a while. If he found her right now, he’d likely wrap his hands around her little pink throat and choke her to death.

  Unless she might mention she was interested in some other sort of physical activity…

  No! He had to quit thinking about that.

  * * *

  Raea waited until it was good and dark to go to the boat. Naturally she wanted to give the little lovebirds some time to themselves, plus it really wouldn’t do to have anyone see her. Not that anyone would have a clue Aliya was a mermaid.

  No, she’d done a fine job of giving that girl legs, and all the other human workings, too. By the Skies, she really was a talented Wish Fairy. Too bad she wouldn’t get to show off her handiwork to anyone.

  She’d accomplished her goal easily. Aliya made a very pleasant-looking human, and from what Raea saw when she peeked into the cabin of that boat, Devin had more than approved. It was just after midnight, and the couple was sleeping soundly. They were naked, wrapped in each other’s arms with sheets tangled and strewn around them. Quite a scene to get the blood pumping, if one were into that sort of display.

  It did nothing for her, of course. She could view the whole human sexual encounter completely detached. Her only interest in this was the simple pride in having won Kyne’s bet so swiftly. Surely that was the only reason for her great interest in this case and the odd stirring inside her as she peered over the lovers.

  Yes, this feeling was nothing more than pride in her accomplishment. She could hardly wait to see the look of defeat on Kyne’s face when she told him about it. Hmm, then again, just what was she going to tell him? And what if he questioned her? How was she going to prove to him that she’d won? They hadn’t decided on that. Well, she supposed she’d just have to bring him out here and show him. All he’d need was one look at Aliya’s smiling, satisfied face and he’d know Raea had won.

  That’s what she’d do. She’d bring him here and they’d peek in the windows together. He could see for himself the weary satisfaction on the faces of the lovers. He’d hear their contented sighs, notice how they wrapped their sweaty human limbs around each other, see them turn in their sleep and caress each other. Skin was on skin, bodies ground into each other, nipples grew taut, moans and groans and sighs filled the air…

  She was suddenly dizzy. Perhaps it might not be a good idea to bring Kyne out here with her. He might question her motives again, not that she had anything to hide. Well, she did, of course, but not what he suspected. He was annoyingly suspicious.

  What if he became suspicious of other things, as well? He might figure out Aliya’s secret. True, Kyne wasn’t exactly the brightest star in the firmament. He was half human, after all, and couldn’t be expected to figure things out. She was sure her secret was safe. He’d peep in the window and see nothing more than a sweet, innocent young woman in the arms of her new lover and he’d be forced to agree that she’d won. She’d probably even make him apologize for those horrible accusations he’d made about her questionable preferences when it came to granting wishes. Finally he’d admit she had nothing to be ashamed of.

  Now things in the Forbidden Realm would go on just as they had, and no one would be breathing down Raea’s neck about which wishes she granted and how much time she spent around humans. Not that she spent too much time with them. It was her job, after all.

  Yes, she would go find Kyne. He needed to know about this and she needed to gloat. It wasn’t like this was something she could go brag about to just any fairy. But Kyne would understand.

  And he’d be impressed. She’d proven her point in record time. He’d have to acknowledge she was more than efficient at what she did. His golden eyes might even fill with respect when he looked at her. She liked his eyes. There was something just a bit different about the heated amber of Kyne’s eyes…

  Not that Raea was unduly fascinated by them, or any other part of him. Really. Kyne was different. So what? Everyone had unique traits and characteristics. She herself had one wingtip that was slightly more rounded than the others. It was just the way things were. She was not going to get caught up in rumor or speculation. Whatever color Kyne’s eyes might appear, he was nothing more than just another fairy to her.

  All she cared about was seeing the disappointment of failure in his eyes when she told him how easily she’d won the bet. He’d try to deny his frustration, of course. His eyes would get smoky and he’d order her to prove it. She’d just laugh at him and lead him out here, to the lake. Then she’d smile and point to the couple on the boat, wrapped around each other, moaning and sighing and touching in intimate places.

  Places where fairies never touched each other. Places that were usually ignored. Places that Raea never even thought about, except here lately, around Kyne. But that was just healthy curiosity.

  Everyone probably wondered about Kyne from time to time. It was only natural, considering the rumors that swirled around him. How could she not wonder? Was he half human? If so, it would stand to reason that he might have certain noticeable human attributes. It was perfectly understandable, then, that she might occasionally steal a quick glance at Kyne, at that area of his anatomy. A couple times she even thought she noticed…

  But that was ridiculous. If Kyne really did have these human attributes—well-developed human attributes—it wouldn’t be a secret. The Fairy Council surely would know about such a thing. His fairy parent would have been chastised and Kyne would have been sent away somewhere. Half-breeds were never toler
ated. Fairies had distanced themselves from this sort of mingling eons ago.

  Despite the fact that fairies and humans had some similar basic physical attributes, in every way that counted they were different. Yes, infants were incubated in their mothers’ wombs, just as humans were, but fairies sprang into being there by far different means. Fairies did not reproduce through carnal, human means.

  The fervent Child Wish of two Committed Fairies was as different from human biological intercourse as night was from day. The results were different, too. A fairy was born only when truly wanted, on a specially chosen solstice and only to parents who were prepared to give him or her their very best. Fairies chose their partners specifically for these practical purposes, not for foolish human passions or romantic notions of love. Humans certainly did not approach procreation in any sensible manner. At least not a large percentage of them, as far as Raea could tell.

  No, if Kyne was human in any of those respects it would never remain secret among Fairykind. He would be discovered and rejected. As such things should be. Everyone knew what danger it could be. Millennia of peace and harmony among their kind would be upended.

  It had taken generation after generation of fairies living carefully passionless lives to evolve beyond the carnality of their past. Fairies, of course, could engage in carnal joining activities. It was physically possible. Ages ago fairies had been no better than humans, ruled by desire and enslaved by the whims of their own bodies. But that desire led to discord and passion bred resentments. Fairies were led astray by their lust, falling prey to lascivious humans and jealousies within the Forbidden Realm. Creature turned against creature and war threatened to destroy all of them. The Fairy Council had been formed to oversee the construction of the Veil and to monitor its maintenance.

  Frail humanity was relegated to the mundane world, while the magical world concerned itself with the pursuit of peace. Carnal desire became a thing of the past in the Forbidden Realm. Things were so much better now that fairies had rejected their shameful past behaviors.

  Still, though, they all knew what they could be capable of.

  And that, of course, was why it was so forbidden. Fairies were free from that bondage but they still needed to be cautious. Giving in to those old ways could lead them back to the destructive behaviors of their past, those actions that made them no better than humans. That sort of thing was fine for base creatures and was useful as a way to control humans, but it was ruin for fairies. Just thinking of what it must be like—all that touching and moaning and writhing—was dangerous for them.

  Her skin suddenly prickled. Was it cold out here over the lake again? It must be, though she usually was unaffected by cold. Very unusual.

  Well, she’d simply wish herself well and get on with business. And right now, business was to find Kyne and give him the good news. Where would he be right now, in the middle of the night? Was he alone? If not, what was he doing?

  Her skin got all prickly again as the image of those two lovers on the boat flooded into her brain. But something was different; the man was changed in her mind. He’d become Kyne, somehow.

  Raea faltered in mid-flight. A strange sensation came over her, an odd quickening deep inside. In an instant she could picture all of Kyne’s not-quite-fairy body. What this did to her she wasn’t entirely sure she liked.

  She enjoyed it, but definitely didn’t like it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Aliya stepped out into the moonlight. She was getting better on these legs, though after all her activity they were feeling a bit shaky. But surely that was to be expected. She’d noticed in the past how tired Devin’s partners seemed to be after a night’s lovemaking.

  That’s what Devin called it. She liked how it sounded. Much more tender than just “coupling” or “joining,” although both of those certainly fit. She knew now what it felt like to be completely joined to another being. Standing here on the deck of Devin’s boat, she still felt as if she were beside him. He had become such a part of her she felt they could be separated by miles and miles of water and still be as one.

  It was wonderful, and terrible. She loved him in a way that she’d never understood was possible. She knew he loved her. How on earth could either of them go back to their lives tomorrow? It would be like severing a part of themselves. It would be awful.

  How could what Raea said about humans be true? How could a mere twenty-four hours of this bliss be enough to cure such a deep-rooted obsession? There was simply no way. Raea must have been wrong.

  Not that she thought her fairy friend had lied or intentionally misled her. Raea simply had no understanding of how strong this desire was, or the depth of obsession it created. After all, how could she?

  Then again, maybe not all humans were quite as passionate as Devin. Perhaps Raea had seen other humans overcome their obsession this way because in those cases the obsession was less developed. Perhaps in those cases twenty-four hours of passion might be enough. That would make sense, she supposed.

  But it did not feel like enough. She could no longer be sure if the thoughts she was attributing to Devin were truly his, or if her new humanity was clouding her understanding. Perhaps she was the one with the deepening obsession and Devin was well on his way to being cured. Could that be it? Was there a chance he might be saved when this too-short time was over?

  She hoped so. But then again, she did not. She wanted this longing, this deep, heated craving between them, to go on and on forever.

  A gentle sound behind her alerted her to Devin’s presence. She could feel him in the air, almost as surely as she could if they were in the water together. Obviously her new human senses had not fully taken over; deep down she was mermaid. She was simply learning to feel Devin’s thoughts as subtle vibrations on the air instead of in water.

  And she could feel them quite clearly right now. He wanted her. Again.

  She turned to him, her body already responding to his desire. He had only to look at her and she felt herself sigh. The sensations began as his eyes swept her. He loved her body, and she was only too willing to offer it to him yet again.

  He left the shadows of the doorway where he’d been watching. It was dark and they were alone, so neither of them had bothered with clothing. In the moonlight his skin looked smooth and solid, like the polished rock along the bank where Aliya sometimes sunned herself in cool weather. But she knew when she touched him he would feel warm and very alive. The sparse hairs that covered his suntanned body would tickle her. Everything about Devin sent her reeling with pleasure.

  “Hey,” he said. “I woke up and you weren’t there.”

  “I came out to look at the stars.”

  “Just so long as you’re still here.”

  She smiled at him. “I’m here, Devin.”

  “But you’re going to leave me soon, aren’t you?”

  She paused. How could she answer that question? She didn’t want to answer. At least, not with the truth.

  “Talk to me, Aliya,” he said.

  The pain was evident in his voice. She felt it in the air, saw it on his face. It was her pain, too. Just the thought of leaving him brought stinging tears to her eyes. She’d heard of such a thing, but certainly never thought to experience it for herself. She didn’t like it.

  “You’ll have me long enough,” she said and tried to smile. Maybe it was the truth, too.

  She didn’t dare let him ask any more questions. The answers could only be more painful. It was better to spend their time in more pleasurable activity. She moved to him, letting her skin rub against his. Yes, there were much more pleasurable activities than talking about leaving.

  She leaned into him and kissed his lips, allowing her emotions to flow over him like warm water. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her, his kiss parting her lips to let her taste him fully. She drew his tongue into her mouth and felt the tingle that ran through her as he teased her with it.

  The boat rocked gently on the waves and Aliya felt herself sway
into Devin. He was hard against her when her hip pressed against his appendage—his cock, he had called it. She tiptoed and turned just slightly to feel him pressed against her right there at the juncture of her legs. A flame ignited at the core of her being and she thrust herself closer to him.

  But the motion of the boat kept her unsteady on her feet, and even with Devin’s arms locked around her Aliya could not support herself to take him in. It was delicious torture, his hard humanness brushing against her, but she unable to welcome him inside.

  “You’re so perfect, Aliya,” Devin whispered, his kiss moving from her mouth to a sensitive spot near her ear. “I want you in every way possible.”

  She loved knowing he was pleased with her, but there was a stab of guilt, too. Perfect? No, that was an illusion. The parts of her Devin now knew best were only temporary. In mere hours all this would be gone. That was about as far from perfect as things could get.

  “Come into me, Devin,” she begged, desperation taking over.

  He just laughed, a low, rumbling sound that sent waves of longing over her with force enough to buckle her unsteady knees.

  “Not yet,” he murmured. “First I’m going to convince you to stay with me forever, Aliya. That’s what I want with you—forever.”

  She couldn’t protest. He would recognize her lies when he heard them. Perhaps she owed it to him to be honest, but as his hands and his mouth explored her body with deliberate patience, her voice was lost inside her. All she could do was sigh.

  He started at her neck. His breath was moist and his mouth was hot. Slowly he nibbled at her skin and trailed down to her shoulders. He cupped her breasts in his hands and she sagged against him as he carefully rolled one tightened nipple between his fingers.