by Brenda Trim
“Yeah. And, they don’t have a super creepy dungeon where they torture and brain wash obstinate students,” Maurelle countered.
“There is more to the Edge than you know, and I cannot tell you any of it. It’s too dangerous,” Shiloh insisted. “Take the back way out of here and stick to the shadows. Shineah is only a couple blocks away.”
“Thank you for everything,” Ryker told the stranger that stuck her neck out for them. She could have turned them out but offered them asylum and he wouldn’t forget that.
His mind churned over the information Shiloh shared with them, as well as, his own experiences at the school. There was no way he could stand by and watch the crimes against Fae continue. He prayed to the Gods for strength and guidance as he set about the next step in what he suspected was going to be a very long quest.
Chapter Fifteen
“It’s good to see you both again,” Shineah murmured as they entered her store. “To what do I owe the pleasure this time?”
“We have some questions about exposing the Academy and corruption,” Ryker replied as he picked up a jar filled with herbs from a shelf. Maurelle watched him walk gracefully around the shop.
Something had changed in him since his attack. If she really thought about it, the changes began right after they arrived at the academy, with more significant shifts happening during Gullvieg’s twisted torment. She just hadn’t notice until he arrived at dinner earlier that evening.
“And, I’d like to know if you can help blunt my emotions, as well. Ever since the Headmistress tortured me, I haven’t been able to achieve that same level of numbness her manipulations gave me before,” Maurelle added.
Shineah cocked her head and looked at Maurelle. The charms on her hat jangled with the movement, drawing Maurelle’s gaze away from the Peridun’s glowing pale blue eyes. “Why did the potions stop working?”
“I’m not sure,” Maurelle admitted. “At first, they worked good, almost too good and it made me think of Ryker and our other friends. The more I thought of him the weaker her hold became.”
Shineah laughed, a light musical sound that made Maurelle close her eyes so she could fully drink in the peace it gave her. “You’ve cemented your bond. There’s nothing I can give you to override that connection.” Maurelle’s eyes snapped open and her gaze jerked to the Peridun’s.
“What? I didn’t cement anything. I can’t keep going on like this. I’m going to bring attention to myself. I’ve barely been able to stop from attacking Gullvieg as it is. And, now we know so much more.”
“You must. There is no choice. The Fae are relying on you to keep your head and bide your time. Besides, you have each other. With the strength of your bond you should rely on each other.”
When she turned her head, she locked onto Ryker’s green eyes. She saw promise and support there. If nothing else, she knew she could count on him as a friend. There was no denying he was fiercely loyal to the Fae as a whole and those he cared about.
It had to be enough for Maurelle. She wanted him and would have sex with him if he asked. As long as she reminded herself that he hasn’t made any promises it wouldn’t totally destroy her if he walked away.
She told herself that ten more times, praying she’d actually believe it because there was no way she would deny her desire to feel them join as one, and she didn’t want to lose one of the only true friends she had.
“What about exposing Gullvieg and her corruption? We just discovered there are assassins working for her,” Ryker asked while Maurelle was silently lying to herself.
“Those in power must be dismantled carefully, piece by piece. To do that, you must accept your role within Mag Mell. Can you do that?”
Goosebumps traveled over Maurelle’s skin as the Peridun asked Ryker if he would accept his role. It was an innocuous question, but something told her it carried far more weight than either of them understood.
“Of course. I cannot allow the Fae to be subjugated and controlled any longer. I will do whatever is within my power to right this wrong. I’m worried I, we,” Ryker corrected as he gestured to them both, “won’t be enough.”
“There is a rough road still ahead of you, but you’ve taken the first step. Open yourself up to the realm. Allow the elements to flood you. It will make you stronger.”
Maurelle watched as Ryker nodded and opened his palms at his sides. Wind blustered through the shop despite the windows being closed. The earth rumbled beneath their feet and all of Shineah’s candles shot fire into the air. Water was next and rushed through in a torrent that swept Maurelle off her feet.
For several long seconds, she was swept away in the current and couldn’t find a way to catch her breath. Her lungs started burning and she noticed jars and candles floating around her.
Before she had a chance to panic from the tightness in her chest, the water receded, and everything, including Maurelle, fell to the ground. Shineah and Ryker both stood in the same spot.
Grumbling, she climbed to her feet and watched the glow flow over and through Ryker. Shineah lifted her hand and a necklace dangled from her fingers. It was a spiral shape with jagged edges and a primal feel to it. “Wear this to mask your true power. If anyone discovers it, you will be in danger, as will your mother and all of your friends.”
“Will it be sensed by anyone at school?” Ryker questioned as he slipped it over his head.
“No. Now, you must return to your dorm before the assassins find you,” Shineah said with a wave of her hand.
“Thank you,” Ryker told the Peridun before they left and headed back to the academy.
Ryker’s skin buzzed and energy bubbled under a thin layer of soil. It was all he could think of to describe what he felt. The power was there and held at bay, but easily accessible if he needed. He landed in his bedroom and stepped to the side to allow Maurelle to join him. He couldn’t see her thanks to his invisibility spell, so he stopped close to his bed.
Casting the spell hadn’t taken any effort at all after whatever had happened in Shineah’s shop. He was desperate to see Maurelle again, so he let go of the spell. Her lush curves reappeared, making his body sing with desire.
Stepping closer, he ran his hand down one of her arms. She was absolutely perfect. Her body spoke to him like nothing he’d seen in the brothel earlier. His heart stuttered, and his blood surged at the female before him. Eyes filled with pure desire penetrated him on a cellular level.
His gaze traveled to her turquoise and pink wings as they glowed at her back. He loved seeing proof that he was turning her on. It was a sign that she loved what he was doing to her. A Fae’s wings glow during sex if they are extremely aroused.
His hands landed on her sensual hip as she tilted her head back and purred, “Do you still want me, Prince Charming?”
“Fuck yeah,” he breathed. Not very eloquent, but he was strung tight and needed more of this outstanding female.
“Good. And, just so you know I’m not asking for promises or expecting more than tonight,” she told him.
“You’re fucking perfect,” he declared as he pulled her closer to his body.
She threw her head back and laughed. The simple act brought an answering smile to his lips. She wrapped her fingers around the back of his neck. Her seductive demeanor set his world on fire. “Are you going to kiss me?”
In answer, Ryker lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. Her soft, full mouth warmed as it danced over his. Electricity zipped between them where their lips meshed. The energy that sizzled between them was more addictive than the power he’d received at the Peridun’s shop.
His hands traveled up and down her sides and to her backside. No way could he keep his hands off her. If he stopped touching her, his hands itched to explore her curvaceous figure. Truthfully, he wanted to strip her bare and fuck her that second, but he wanted to give her more.
For reasons he didn’t comprehend, Ryker wanted to eradicate all males from her mind. He made no promises to her and refused to
consider their future with the current situation too fraught with danger.
Or were those excuses he told himself? He was a young Fae. As immortal beings, he had a long life to find the female he wanted to spend it with. Honestly, the thought never occurred to him until the moment he was about to be intimate with Maurelle.
He’d never been this close to another being. The trust didn’t flow one way. Ryker trusted her to have his back and always be there for him. And, it went far beyond this moment. He was anxious to join their bodies.
And, not only because he was horny as fuck. He wanted to sink deep inside her soul and connect on that level, too. Part of the reason his last encounter with Maurelle was so explosive was the acceptance and allegiance he felt from her.
Swallowing her moan, he picked her up and carried her toward the bed. He’d been with several females, but his hands shook as he carried Maurelle. The way his chest warmed and filled to bursting was so new, it seemed like his first time with a female. He set her on the wood floor, and it almost robbed him of his control when she lifted her leg and wrapped it around his hip, bringing her core in contact with his groin.
His patience was nearly gone as he cursed her clothing and he shoved the fabric of her pants down. She toed off her shoes and kept her hands on his shoulders for balance. Ryker tugged his shirt above his head. It got caught up on his wings, making him curse.
“Here. Let me,” she murmured. Her hand touched his wing, stopping his struggles. His head went back, and a groan ripped from his throat when she caressed his wing joint before clearing the fabric.
Turning around, his hard cock jerked against the fly of his pants. She’d already removed her top and the sight of her breasts overflowing the top of her bra distracted him at the same time it had his breath coming out in pants.
He was transfixed as he watched her hands go to the button of her pants. Every move she made was sexy and sensual with the innate grace of the Fae. Eager to take her to pound town, he kicked his boots off then to the side before his fingers tangled in her silky hair.
His lips explored hers while his free hand roamed her body. She stopped in pushing down her pants when their tongues tangled hotly. His fingers grazed one breast, making her nipple pebble through the sheer fabric of her bra.
Maurelle mewed as she reached down, fumbling with the snap on his jeans. He kept up his exploration, reveling in every inch. His hand was at the apex of her thighs by the time she opened his pants. All he could think about was the wetness seeping through her panties and then her hands shoving down his pants.
His cock sprang free, making him break the kiss so he could suck in a breath. His wings moved on his back while he watched her take in his body. Her eyes glowed and she licked her lips, reminding him of their last encounter.
It was tempting to push her head down and have her take him into the hot cavern of her mouth, but he wanted more this time.
“Fuck,” Ryker murmured. “Are you sure about this? Once we get started, I’m not stopping until you scream my name.”
Stepping closer to him, she brushed her body along his in a sensual slide. “There’s nothing I want more,” she told him and unbuckled her bra letting it fall to the ground. Her arm instinctively went up to cover her breasts, and he saw a moment of uncertainty.
But his Braveheart wasn’t one to let anything stop her. Lifting her chin, she dropped her arms and arched her back, making her nipples brush his chest. Pride in her courage swelled at that moment,
She’d been teased for having a different figure than most Fae females. He’d heard the talk about her around campus, yet she didn’t allow that to get in her way. She reached for what she wanted with both hands. Watching her fight for her desires gave him the courage to do the same.
It was the only reason he was taking action against the injustice he saw all around him.
Ryker stepped out of his pants then pushed Maurelle’s pants down her legs. Once they were both naked, she sat down on the mattress and scooted to the top. Crawling over her, he licked and nipped his way up her torso, starting above the apex of her thighs. She writhed and moved her legs on the comforter underneath them.
As soon as he reached her face, he held himself up on his elbows and pressed his lips to hers. He swallowed her gasps of pleasure while his tongue slid inside her mouth and danced with hers. His hips moved of their own accord, making the tip of his shaft run through her slit.
Their combined arousal permeated the air, spurring him on. Leaning on one elbow, Ryker used his other to caress her body. Unerringly, he found the taut flesh of her hard nipple.
Maurelle’s palms shot to his chest as a gasp escaped her throat when his cock rubbed over her clit. Squeezing her breast, he plucked at her nipple, building her pleasure.
When she drenched his shaft, he grabbed it and slid it between her legs to ensure he was properly lubricated. Her mewls increased as he rocked back and forth. Unable to take anymore, he thrust into her body with one hard move. Her gasp followed by a scream filled the room and no doubt woke his dormmates.
Maurelle’s tight, hot sheath gripped him perfectly and nearly stole all reason. A flicker of sanity penetrated for one second, and he wondered about pregnancy. “Did you um…employ one of those methods Shiloh talked about?”
“No, but I have herbs to drink when I get back to my room,” she promised.
Trusting her, he withdrew then shoved deeper, testing her response. The force pushed her head closer to the headboard. “Brace yourself for a wild ride, Braveheart,” he husked. He didn’t want to hurry the process, but the power in him was wild, and adding to his primal need for Maurelle.
A low growl left his throat as he pumped in and out of her body. Her hands were flat against the wood above her head, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her hips surged when he retreated. Her breasts bounced with their movement, drawing his eye with each thrust.
His wings lifted off his back, and he’d bet they were glowing as bright as hers were beneath her back. One of her hands came up and traced the top of his wing. The way her torso lifted, changed her position tilted her pelvis, allowing his penetration to go deeper.
Pleasure stole every thought except how exquisite she looked and how good her body felt. She made him insane with need. Lowering his head, he claimed her lips with a passionate kiss.
Her lips took over and poured her all-consuming desire for him through the bond Shineah talked about. Ryker never had a bond like this with anyone else, but he fucking loved it. It took sex to the next level.
Her core squeezed him right as his balls drew up tight and his spine tingled. He broke the kiss and lowered his head to her nipple while he moved a hand between her legs to rub her clit.
His fingers pressed and pinched and in no time her core spasmed around his shaft while she moaned. She didn’t cry out his name, but he’d take all the sexy sounds she made while climaxing. He loved hearing her pleasure, and he wanted to hear it over and over.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room as he pounded her body and kept her orgasm going. He increased his pace to a frenetic speed before he thrust one last time and froze in place. His head went back, and his wings flared out to his sides. Conscious of his dormmates and other residents close by, Ryker held back his need to shout his release. He grunted as he spilled his seed inside her body. His magic exploded out of him in the next instant, bathing them in blue light and cocooning them in a warm breeze.
“Wow,” Maurelle murmured as she ran her hands over his shoulders. “That was incredible.”
“Yes, it was. You up for round two?”
Maurelle lifted one eyebrow. “Someone’s full of himself.”
Ryker rolled his hips. “I think it’s you who’s full of me,” he teased.
She chuckled and kept one leg around his hip while lowering the other. Before he knew what she intended, she flipped him to his back. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Prince Charming.”
Ryker was in trouble with this delectabl
e female. He hadn’t intended to fall for her, but the more time he spent with her the more he was losing his heart to her. It should terrify him. Instead it electrified him and made him anxious for more.
Chapter Sixteen
Maurelle’s muscles jumped and her heart raced. Being called to the mess hall instead of attending classes was unusual, and had her mind going in a million different directions. The most prominent thought that continued to surface was whether or not Gullvieg discovered they were plotting against her.
This was another reason she added to her list of why she hated the Headmistress. The female was stealing all the post-sex glow Maurelle was rocking. Her body was sore in all the best ways, and she couldn’t stop smiling after making love to Ryker all night long.
That is, until all of the students were called to this gathering. She wanted to think about everything Ryker said to her and enjoy the fresh memories, but that wasn’t in the cards for her. Or, him she thought when she saw him descending the stairs.
Awkwardness suddenly made her start wringing her hands. This was ridiculous, she thought. They had sex. It wasn’t the first time she was with a male, and hopefully wouldn’t be her last with Ryker. But acting like an uncertain female was not her at all.
Forcing her hands to her sides, she waved to him and the others that were right behind him.
“Hey, beautiful,” Brokk called out. “Am I still allowed to call you that?” he asked as he glanced from her to Ryker and back.
“Of course,” she replied immediately. She didn’t want Ryker to think she expected more from him. She went in with her eyes wide open. “Compliments are always welcome. Do you guys know why we are being dragged to this meeting or whatever.”
Ryker smirked at her, but his eyes still held unbridled heat. He still wanted her. Of that, Maurelle was certain. She’d take that as a good sign. “No idea. There hasn’t been any talk around our dorms, either.”
