by Amy Patrick
I rolled into the nest, surprised to find it felt different from before. It was lined completely with the softest white fabric, which seemed to be stuffed with down or something similar. It was like lying in a cloud.
“You like it?” Lad beamed at me, following me in and falling back into the luxurious bedding. “We have pillows, too.” He dragged a plushy white pillow from the side of the nest and plumped it, inviting me to try it out.
I lay back on it, sighing in pleasure. “So this is what you were so busy putting the finishing touches on today. It’s perfect Lad—really—I couldn’t imagine anything better.”
He grinned, obviously thrilled at my approval. “I’m not finished. I have something for you.”
Setting another pillow aside, he drew the delicate origami box from its hiding place. I felt almost guilty I’d seen it already. Almost. Knowing he’d made it for me and carved those precious words into it had kept a spark of hope alive in my heart during some very dark times recently.
Pulling the delicate folds apart, I drew out the exquisite carving and turned it in my fingers, appreciating all over again the love and labor—and precious memories—that had gone into making it. “It’s incredible,” I whispered. I read the inscription again, and just like before, got a little choked up. My heart literally ached with the weight of the love I had for him.
My voice was raspy when I told him, “I have something for you, too.”
His eyes flared with delighted surprise as I pulled a small velvet bag from my pocket where I’d stashed it after changing clothes. Suddenly, it didn’t seem like enough—not compared to his wonderful gift. But then nothing would ever be enough to express how much I loved him, how happy I was to be his bond-mate.
Shyly, I lay the bag on Lad’s open palm. He widened the drawstring opening with a finger and then turned the bag over, pouring out its contents. A single shiny stone dropped into his large hand.
“It’s from our secret pool,” I said. “I found it on the bottom. I’ve been keeping it in my room—even when we broke up I couldn’t bear to get rid of it—it was my memento of you and our special place. A couple weeks ago I took it to the jeweler on Main Street. He looked at me like I was crazy—I know it doesn’t hold any actual monetary value—but he agreed to polish it and drill a hole through the middle. I thought you could add it to your necklace.”
Lad immediately reached behind his neck and unclasped the leather cord he wore. He slipped off the other stones and replaced them with the one I’d given him then put it back on. He lay his hand over it, pressing it against his bare skin.
“This is the only one I need—the only one that means something. I love it. I love you. I’m the luckiest guy in the world—in two worlds, actually.”
“No. I’m the lucky one.” I stretched up to kiss him, and he kissed me back with enthusiasm, but then he pulled away again. Before I could get in a word of complaint, he held up a finger.
“I have one more gift for you.” Crawling across the nest to the ancient chest, he drew out the aeflute that normally resided in his room—the one he’d played for me so long ago when he’d first taken me back to Altum as a child. That tune had lingered in my mind all my life, playing through my dreams and fragments of memories of that mystical long-ago night.
“Oooh. Mood music,” I joked. But as Lad began strumming, my amusement faded.
The melody was achingly beautiful, tender and enchanting like something you’d only hear in a dream. And then he sang for me for the first time ever.
The words were so personal, so filled with love, I was crying by the end of the first verse. And his voice—no sound had ever touched my heart like this. I had thought Nox’s voice was magnificent. If Lad had been born a Dark Elf, there wouldn’t have been a mansion large enough to hold the fan pod he would have amassed. His singing was so alluring there was no way to adequately describe it.
The song ended, and I went up on my knees and reached for him. He set the instrument aside and moved closer, allowing me to touch his face.
“That was… why have you never sung for me before?”
“Remember what I said when you asked me before why I wouldn’t sing for you?”
“Sort of. Something about me stalking you forever—no I’m kidding. You said you didn’t want to unfairly influence me.”
“That’s right. I wanted you to love me for me, not for any Elven advantage I might have.”
I stared at him, wide-eyed with astonishment. “Does that mean you have musical glamour as well as leadership?”
“It means,” he murmured, dusting my face with light kisses as he wrapped his arms tightly around me, “I have all sorts of skills you have yet to discover.”
My stomach flipped at his words and suggestive tone. Then Lad rocked me back and pressed me into the soft cloud-like bedding. I gasped at the rightness of the feeling. The weight of him over me, his heat all around me was so good, I thought I might actually swoon—or whatever the lying down version of that would be called.
“I am so ready to make you mine,” Lad whispered against my cheekbone, and I knew it was true. The unmistakable response of his body to mine backed up his words, and if that wasn’t enough evidence, my emotional glamour was brimming and spilling over with his desire. He was about to burst into flames.
I was too. My craving for him was so overwhelming, all I could do was nod in fervent agreement as his hot lips worked their way to my ear, my jaw, my neck. He concentrated his attention there while his hands roamed and teased me until I could no longer keep still. My breaths were coming in short pants, my nerve endings in flames, hips lifting against him in an urgent plea.
“My beautiful girl,” he whispered. “Let me see you.”
He slid the straps of my dress from my shoulders and set to work on the tiny buttons that held the front together. There were too many of them. It was taking too long.
“Hurry,” I whispered.
Lad smiled, actually slowing down, and began kissing me between each button, prolonging the torture.
“Please… go faster,” I urged him.
His low laugh curled my toes. “We’ve waited all this time—I’m not going to rush through it now. I want to savor you.”
“What if someone comes? What if something happens to stop us?”
His expression got deadly serious, his tone low and chill-inducing. “Nothing and no one is going to stop us—do you hear me? Someone could come and chop the tree down, light it on fire, and I won’t stop. I’ve wanted you too much for too long. This is going to happen. Now relax and let me take care of you.”
I sighed in defeat and also in pleasure, watching him unbutton and kiss his way down the center of my chest. When he’d finally undone the last one, he peeled the fabric away from my body and stopped, staring. His expression was worshipful. His pulse was racing like I’d never felt it before.
“You are too beautiful,” he whispered as his fingers stroked my exposed skin.
The pleasure of his touch was so acute I could barely speak. My voice was a husky whisper. “Lad—I need you. Now. Please.”
He made a hoarse sound that was somewhere between excitement and pain. Apparently my wait was over. He drew the dress the rest of the way down my body then stood to remove his own shirt and pants.
I’d seen him shirtless many times, of course, but we’d never been completely unclothed together before. His body in the light of the moon and the firefly glow was almost unreal—even more perfect than I’d imagined. The magnificent chest, arms, and abs I knew so well were matched by powerful legs and hard masculine muscle everywhere I looked. His tan skin gleamed like polished bronze in the muted light.
I was dying to touch it, to feel him all over. And for him to touch me everywhere. My skin was fire-hot and exquisitely sensitive. All my nerve endings were awake and tuned to Lad as I waited for him to settle that long, beautiful body over me, for the intimate contact I’d been so eagerly anticipating all these torturous months.
A fiery glow lit his eyes, sparking every part of my body and mind to full attention. “No more waiting,” he whispered as he lowered himself over me, bringing our bodies into perfect alignment.
After that there were no more words.
The vows we’d spoken during the ceremony tonight—some aloud, some mind-to-mind—had joined our families, our futures, even our hearts. But as our bodies joined and became one for the first time, I discovered there was another way to make a promise, and it required no words at all.
* * *
We lay together, our breathing gradually slowing. One of my legs was thrown bonelessly across his body. My head rested on his chest right over that inhumanly fast heartbeat.
That heart belongs to me now. Forever.
“You know… people talk about ‘losing’ your virginity. But I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything,” I said. “I feel like I’ve… gained something.”
Lad chuckled. “You have—your very own sex slave who’s going to follow you around day and night begging for your very special attention.”
I smiled at that, and one of his big hands cupped my head, his fingers playing in my hair. He lifted a bit to see my face.
“Now you see why we can only bond with one person for eternity.”
“Yes,” I whispered. “It’s like we’re the same now—I mean—it’s difficult to express. I feel different… like you’re a part of me that could never be removed, like you’ve always been… or something.” It really was impossible to put into words. All I knew was that I’d been changed—and that our love never would.
“Yes.” He nodded and relaxed again, staring up at the night sky. “That’s exactly what it feels like. I can’t ever imagine even wanting to do that with someone else.” Gazing down into my eyes again, he said, “You were always the only one for me, Ryann. I feel like you were born just for me. I was meant to find you that night in the woods. Thank the gods you wanted me, too. Otherwise, I would have had to re-enact some of the darker faery tales and kidnap you and drag you down to my underworld as my prisoner.” He laughed.
“As if I could resist this.” I tightened my arm around his waist, loving the texture of his skin, the heavy muscle under my hands, the feel of our bodies pressed close together. “I never want to leave this nest.”
He folded me even closer against him. “Me either. I never want to do anything—ever again—except love you.”
“Then don’t.” I kissed his neck and let my toes wander up his bare leg. I was flattered to feel the racing pulse beneath his hot skin. He was excited again—already.
He let out a combination laugh-growl and rolled to his back, dragging me onto his chest. “You won’t get any argument from me. I suppose we’ll have to eat something eventually. Or maybe I’ll just—”
A huge thunderous noise rolled through the woods, quite literally vibrating the tree and our nest. Lad lifted me to the side and we both sat up straight, alarmed. My heart throbbed in sharp, painful pulses.
“What was that?” I hissed as he got to his feet. “It sounded like an explosion.”
He was staring at something over the nearby treetops. He gave me his hand and tugged me up to stand beside him. “Look.” His outstretched arm pointed in the direction of town.
Just as I turned my head to follow his finger, another powerful blast rocked the woods. I jumped and cringed, raising an arm defensively out of instinct.
An eerie orange glow lit the horizon. My fingertips dug into the tensed muscle of Lad’s forearm. It had definitely been an explosion—and now something big was burning in Deep River.
One of my hands came up to cover my mouth. “Oh my God. I hope no one’s hurt.”
“Ryann.” Lad turned me to face him, gripping my shoulders tightly. His face was grim. “I’ve spent most of my life watching the world from this vantage point.” He paused, his lips pressing into a tight line. “I’m not certain, but I think… I think that was your tea factory.”
AFTERWORD
Thank you for reading HIDDEN DARKNESS, Book Four of the Hidden Saga. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and if your fingers aren’t too tired, on Goodreads as well. Reviews really matter and help other readers find great books!
There is more to come in the Hidden World. Book 5 of the saga, HIDDEN DANGER, releases in May 2016, and is available for pre-order now. Here’s the story:
The Dark Council has struck a shocking and powerful blow against the Light Court and its human allies, defying their own king, Nox, and seeking to re-establish Dark Elven influence and domination over the human world.
While Ryann and Lad work to restore production of Magnolia Sugar Tea, Ava is forced to return to the Dark Court to face her mother and Audun, the head of the Dark Council, and learn the consequences for disobeying their orders. With no other choice, she sets off on a road trip with her former fiancé Culley, whom she does not like and does not trust, and leaves behind Asher, the intriguing and much too tempting human boy she met in Deep River.
Along the way she’ll discover the truth behind Culley’s mission in Altum and the disastrous effect it will have on the human race. But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this mysterious Dark Elven guy with his alluring and deceptive glamour, and Ava will find herself torn between two possible futures as she sets her own course through the Hidden world.
Turn the page for a sneak preview of HIDDEN DANGER…
Hidden Danger
Chapter One
The blood rushed to my head, making it hard to think.
All I knew was one minute I was sitting at one of the three stoplights in this dinky little town, and the next my car was being blown across the intersection as if it was a cardboard paper towel tube tumbling in a windstorm.
I wasn’t hurt—at least I didn’t think I was. I was still strapped into my seatbelt. In fact, it constricted my chest and ribs painfully as I hung suspended from it, my hair in my eyes, my hands still clenching the steering wheel.
Trying to get my bearings and figure out what was going on, I glanced to the right—oh God. The passenger side was crushed. That’s why the car was tilted to one side. I seemed to be in the one pocket of the front seat that remained intact.
Chunks of glass protruded from the frame of the windshield like the few remaining teeth in a bare-knuckle fighter’s mouth. Through the opening, the upside-down view of the street portrayed a chaotic scene. Debris was strewn across the road—things that did not look like car parts. And people running. Everything looked orange. Maybe I had a head injury after all. No—the orange glow was fire. I could smell it.
Something—a building, or maybe a huge truck—was engulfed in flames. I could feel the heat of it, though I didn’t have a clear view of exactly what had exploded. Yes—an explosion. That was what it was. Had to be. I remembered something slamming the car, rocking it up onto two wheels. And then, just as the car righted itself again, another blast hit and sent me rolling side over side.
Maybe one of those big fuel trucks had crashed into a power pole and blown up. I strained to see more but in my restricted, and increasingly uncomfortable, position, I couldn’t spot what was burning. What if it was a fuel truck and it was right next to me? My car could catch on fire, too. That thought brought me out of my dazed state.
I need to get out of here.
Pressing one hand against the ceiling for support, I fumbled for my seatbelt clasp, pressed the button. Nothing. Ugh. It was stuck or something.
There was a metallic screech as someone wrenched open my car’s door, which now that I was looking at it was oddly bent.
“Ava? Ava!” Asher’s face peered through the opening, shockingly white and creased with concern. Then his expression relaxed. “Oh thank God you’re alive. When I saw this little convertible on its top…”
Elation and relief rushed through me in a cool stream. “Hi,” I said. “Can you get me out? My head feels like a water balloon that’s about to burst.” My voice was shaky. Before I’d s
een his face, there had been no tears threatening, but now it was all I could do not to lose it.
“You bet. Just hold on a minute, baby. I’m gonna getcha.”
Dropping to his knees, Asher slid an arm under me, taking some of the pressure off of my chest. I drew in a breath, the first full one I’d been able to take since the crash. The influx of oxygen was heavenly.
Just as I had done, Asher pushed the seatbelt’s release button then pushed it again. He turned his face toward mine. At this angle, our noses practically touched and his eyes were a bit out of focus. Beads of sweat covered his forehead.
“I’m gonna have to get something to cut this with, okay? I’ll be right back. You just hang in there.”
“Ha ha.”
He smiled at me. “That wasn’t meant to be a joke, but I’m glad to see your sense of humor didn’t suffer any damage.” His eyes scanned me quickly. “Anything else hurting?”
I shook my head, jostling what felt like the entire volume of my body’s blood content. “No. I’m just shaken up. And it’s a little hard to breathe.”
The creases came back to his face. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t take too long, okay?” The words were an anxious whine.
“I won’t. I promise. You can time me if you want.”
He withdrew from the car, and I watched as he got to his feet, watched his boots retreating. Because I had nothing better to do and I was starting to feel a little claustrophobic and panicky, I did count. “One, two, three, four…”
By the time I got to twenty, Asher’s boots were back in sight. At twenty-five, he was once again crowded into the squashed front seat with me, this time holding an open pocket knife.
“How’d I do?” he asked as he slid the knife under the seatbelt near the clasp and began moving his hand in a sawing motion. His other arm was beneath me again, I supposed ready to catch me when the belt was severed. I could hear his rhythmic breathing as he worked.
