by Cat Marsters
“I did it for you!” the boy toy shouted. “He robbed you of that human child!”
The Queen looked up at the baby one of her flunkies was carrying.
“My lady, I did not rob you of anything,” Ruarc said carefully. “I gave the human parents honest advice. They bargained.”
The Queen was silent for a long moment. Maria remained utterly still, not even sure she could mind-speak to Ruarc without someone overhearing.
“I have many consorts,” the Queen said eventually. “I have only one mind-speaker. Have a care,” she said to Ruarc, “you do not become captured or injured again when I may have need of you.”
With that, she took back the baby and swept away, her entourage following behind. The cries and pleas of the boy toy faded into the mist.
Ruarc looked down at Maria, and winked.
Chapter Nine
It took a second to find her voice.
“Okay,” she croaked, painfully aware she was only wearing a thin shirt and the air was glacial, “what the hell just happened?”
Ruarc grinned, holding out a hand and pulling her to her feet. He was no longer freezing cold -- in fact, he looked and felt disgustingly healthy.
“In a nutshell? We’re safe. And I’m fine.” He inclined his head. “Thank you.”
Maria shrugged, aware she still held the crowbar that had nearly killed him. “Just returning the favor,” she said, unable to meet his eyes. Her gaze dropped to the pink, healing wound on his stomach. “Yo, what the hell happened with this deathly wound you had? Were you faking that?”
“No. Stick a crowbar in anyone’s stomach and it’ll kill them -- with a faery, it just makes it much quicker. And much, much more painful.” He took her wrist, lifted it to his mouth and brushed a gentle kiss over the healing marks left by the Seelie’s crucifix. “Fae royalty can cure pretty much anything.”
“The touch of a king, huh?”
“Absolutely.”
“And,” breathless, because he was still holding her wrist, his thumb stroking the delicate skin, “are you really her only mind-speaker? Can’t any of the other faeries do it?”
“None in her court. There might be some Wildfae who can do it. I know there are a couple of Seelie. But you know what?”
Maria licked her lips. “What?”
“I really don’t care about them. Maria?”
Her breath hitched as his thumb stroked her palm. “Yes?”
“Can I kiss you now?”
She wanted to pretend to think about it. She wanted to make him wait. But unfortunately, her body had other ideas because it blurted, “Hell, yes!” and threw itself at him.
Ruarc laughed, caught her, and bit her lower lip gently. But Maria didn’t want gentle. He’d nearly died, and she had to feel how alive he was now. Smooshing her nearly-naked body up against his, she kissed him hard, commandeering his mouth and bossing it around with her own.
“I want you to know,” she gasped, breaking away for a second, “that I only saved your life because you saved mine.”
Ruarc nuzzled her jaw, his rough stubble delicious against her skin. “Sure,” he agreed.
“And now we’re even, right, faery?”
“Mmm,” he said, his voice a low vibration that sent a pulse of arousal through her. “Well, not quite. I mean, you did nearly kill me.”
“Hello, you nearly got me killed yesterday! I was just getting payback.”
His hands skimmed up her thighs, over her hips. Cupped her bare ass. Stroked her. “Well, maybe we’re even,” he said. He licked at the healing scar on her chest where the crucifix had burned her and she shivered. “Cold?”
Turned on, actually -- but yes, in truth she was still cold. She nodded.
“Then I’d better warm you up.” He kissed her, long and deep, the sort of drugging kisses she’d dreamed about as a teenager and dismissed as imaginary when the reality failed to live up to her imagination.
But Ruarc… Ruarc kissed like he was made for it. His tongue stroked into her mouth, darting under her fangs, licking at her playfully. Maria wrapped her arms around him, suspending everything else and just reveling in the pleasure of kissing him. Only her thin shirt separated her chest from his, kept her breasts from rubbing all over his delicious hard pecs and tight nipples.
In fact…
Ruarc frowned, confused, as she pulled away, but smiled as she started tugging buttons open. He slipped his hands inside her open shirt, sliding them over her waist, her hips, cupping her ass again. Pulling her against him. This time, her bare breasts flattened themselves against his chest, and her nipples puckered to aching points. Ruarc slid one hand up her body, his fingers caressing lightly as they went, over her ribs, the side of her breast, her collarbone, her neck, and he cupped her head as he kissed her, more wonderful drugging kisses.
But drugging kisses weren’t enough. Maria wanted more, a lot more.
I’m so glad you’re alive.
His lips traced a damp trail down her neck, his hand following. His thumb brushed her nipple.
Likewise, he murmured in her head. The soft caress of his fingers was almost more than she could bear, but then his tongue found the pulse in her throat and his teeth nipped her gently.
Ruarc? Promise me -- can faeries break promises?
No. It’s the same as lying.
Then promise me you won’t fuck around in my head ever again. Some things she wasn’t totally ready to open up to anyone.
His fingers made circles around her nipples. His other hand kneaded the soft flesh of her buttocks.
I won’t fuck around in your head, he promised, unless you invite me. And drifting in during dreams doesn’t count.
She swallowed, remembering how that particular dream had panned out. If you drift in and I don’t want you there…
I’ll go. Just tell me. He raised his head, and his eyes were fierce. I don’t read minds without permission, Maria. I never have, and I never will. I can’t help seeing the shape of your thoughts but I will never invade them. You understand?
She cupped his face, felt the roughness of his shadowed jaw, and realized she understood a little more than that.
Yes, she told him. I understand.
He kissed her again, fiercely, taking control this time. Shoving his shirt off her, he molded her body against his, flattening her breasts against his chest, jerking her hips into his. Beneath the torn and bloody khakis he wore she felt the press of his erection and rubbed herself against it.
Ruarc groaned, but Maria figured he couldn’t be having as good a time of it as she was. Completely naked, she tilted her hips and opened her legs, wrapping one around his waist.
He was pretty hard, his cock standing up and pushing against her through his clothes. She could feel the heat and the strength of it and as she angled herself against him, she felt it throb against her pussy.
Christ, Maria!
She smiled against his mouth, nipped his lip without drawing blood, and rocked her hips against his. The friction was incredible, rough fabric against sensitive flesh. Clinging to him, her arms wrapped so tight around his shoulders there wasn’t a gap between them, she slid her other leg up and down his.
She was wet now, and as she rubbed her pussy against the hard bulge of Ruarc’s cock she felt the heat building inside her. Her clit was pressed against the coarse khaki, and if she just angled herself --
Tightening her grip on his shoulders, she swung her other leg up, locked her ankles together behind his back and rubbed her calf against his naked waist.
You’re killing me, Ruarc moaned inside her head, his mouth on her neck again.
That makes twice in one day, she told him, grinding her hips against his. I could come like this, she added in a mental whisper, and he groaned out loud, biting into her neck.
Damn, she wanted to bite him. Wanted to taste that sweet, cool faery blood, feel it slide down her throat. Her hips rocked faster as she thought of it, riding him hard, feeling his cock swell and throb throug
h his clothes. The rough friction of the wet fabric, slick with her own moisture, was driving her mad. He’d hardly even touched her -- hadn’t put any part of his body between her legs without clothing in the way -- and yet she was about to come.
And I haven’t even bitten you yet, she thought breathlessly as she shook and trembled against him.
Ruarc shoved her back against a pillar, thrusting his hips against hers, mimicking sex, stroking her clit with his cock through his clothes. The carved marble was rough and cold, so very cold, against her back, but the contrast only spurred her on.
You can bite me any time you like, came his voice in her head, and she broke, her fangs tearing into his neck, her orgasm hitting as her tongue touched his blood.
So intense was the pleasure that she almost missed the sound of his zipper opening, but she didn’t miss it when his bare cock took the place of the rough fabric abrading her folds. Dragging one hand down his body, she grasped the hard, thick length of him and guided it inside her, her head falling back as he filled her.
He fucked her hard, pounding into her as she pulled on his blood, and it was only the memory that he’d recently been so close to death that made her stop, swallowing the last mouthful with heady pleasure.
Why’d you stop? Ruarc asked, his hand slipping between them to fondle her clit.
Didn’t want -- she closed her eyes as new waves of pleasure crashed over her -- to weaken you. You did nearly die pretty recently.
Do I look like I’m weak to you? Ruarc growled, and she opened her eyes to see his eyes glowing an unearthly blue. The Queen totally dosed me.
Even as he spoke, the pillar behind Maria gave a creak.
I think we’re too much for it, she told him, and unwrapped her legs to kick off from the unsteady marble column, knocking Ruarc off-balance and sending him crashing to the floor.
It ought to have hurt when she crashed down on top of him, but with his sparkling faery blood rushing through her veins and the force of the fall shoving his cock deeper inside her, she didn’t notice at all.
Astride him now, she arched her back, taking him as deep as she could, smoothing her hands over his chest. The wound on his stomach was almost completely healed now, just a fading pink mark she stroked gently.
Ruarc’s hands were on her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh as he pulled her harder into each thrust. Now that her body was no longer shielded by his, the cold air made her skin tingle, her breath clouding in the air.
It’s so cold here!
Ruarc gave a devilish grin and in one swift movement had her on her back on the cold floor. Then I’ll warm you up.
He tilted her hips and drove into her, and the shock of it had her foot kicking out against the marble pillar, which shuddered and groaned. When he lifted her hips clear off the ground and rose up on his knees, impaling her, she gave a low moan and heard a loud crack from above. Dust showered them both.
I think we’re breaking it, she told him.
I don’t care.
Your Queen might, she said, and he groaned and said, Hold on.
And then again, in between breaths, he’d moved them from Faery back to his apartment, hitting the edge of the bed and falling to the floor with a thump that had him rolling away from her.
“No,” she cried, empty, but Ruarc was on his feet in seconds and pulling her up with him. Eagerly, she rubbed against him, stripping off the rest of his clothes, but before she could push him back on the bed and take him inside her, he turned her around and pressed his gloriously naked body against hers.
Maria…
His chest was hard and strong against her back. His fingers caressed her breasts, pulling at her nipples. Between her legs his cock jutted, rubbing the sopping wet folds of her pussy.
I have this fantasy, he told her, licking and nibbling the back of her neck, about sliding into you from behind and feeling that soft round ass of yours against me when I’m inside you.
Maria’s pussy clenched. He thrust gently against her, his tongue doing wicked things to her neck.
You do not have fantasies about me, she said, trying to sound disapproving and failing completely.
Are you kidding? I spent half of yesterday so hard it was painful. I want you every way there is, Maria. I want to suck and lick you all over. I want to fuck you from behind like an animal. I want to take you in the shower under the running water. I want to see my cock in your mouth. I want to bury my head between your legs and lick you until you can’t remember your own name.
Waves of lust so strong she could barely see through them washed over Maria. Her knees buckled and Ruarc held her upright, his hands leaving her breasts to grip her shoulders. There was uncertainty in his touch.
“I’m sorry,” he said out loud. “I went too far --”
No. She spun in his arms, pushed him back on the bed and knelt to take his thick cock in her mouth. Not far enough.
* * *
It was only later, after Ruarc had made good on his promise to lick her until she forgot her own name, then pressed her up against the double-height window overlooking the city and fucked her so hard the glass broke and they went plummeting through the night sky, that Ruarc’s wings shot out from his back and Maria remembered she was having blissful, multi-orgasmic sex with a faery.
Too exhilarated to care, she let him fly her back inside the apartment and lay her down on his bed, where she sprawled, utterly exhausted.
“You can fly,” she said, her voice husky, regarding the iridescent blue and green wings dominating the room.
“Yep.” He shook them, sending clouds of glittering dust to the ground. “Most faeries can.”
She stared for a while, watching him shrug his wings away. This hadn’t been about blood. It hadn’t been in a dream. It had been real, gloriously, wonderfully real, and she’d wanted every second of it.
“You’re a faery,” she murmured.
“You’re a vampire.” He stood there watching her, his face impassive.
“Why are we supposed to hate each other?” Maria asked.
Ruarc’s shoulders lifted, doing interesting things to his chest muscles. “I have no idea. Do you hate me?”
Carefully, she shook her head.
“I’m very glad to hear it. I don’t hate you either.” He sat beside her on the bed, took her hand in his. “Reckon there might be a place for a vampire and faery together?”
Okay, she’d been in a harem for seventy years, but even she knew this song. “Somehow,” she teased. “Someday, somewhere.”
Epilogue
She found him in a basement apartment with stains on the carpet and light fittings that rattled every time the subway went by. In his lap was a girl with track-marks scarring both arms and vampire bites swelling her white neck.
She looked about eighteen. Evidently his tastes hadn’t changed much in seventy years.
Maria narrowed her eyes.
“Hey, gringo,” she called, and his head snapped up.
“Who the hell are you?”
“I am someone,” she hefted her stake, “who will not do nicely.”
Cat Marsters
Cat lives in a village in south east England, which, while not quite a fairytale setting, is nonetheless very pretty and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of AD 1087. She shares a house with only slightly batty parents who hardly ever tell her to get a real job, and a musician brother who knows there’s no chance she’ll ever get one if he doesn’t. Cat doesn’t have children but she does have cats, who are her babies in every sense except the biological one.
Cat has been writing all her life, but in order to keep herself rich in shoes and chocolate, she’s also worked as an airline check-in agent, video rental clerk, stationery shop assistant, and laboratory technician. She’s aiming for a fairytale cottage, and asks all potential Prince Charmings to apply in writing with pictures of themselves and their Aston Martins.
Visit’s Cat’s web site at http://www.catmarsters.com.
Cat Marsters, Sundown Investigations 1: East Side Story
