“You will know Isabel. It will be clear when the time comes to make your choice. Between your powers and the signs, you will know.”
She just looked at her and shook her head.
Oh! Powers! “How about the power to see through all illusion, can we work on that?”
She laughed softly, “No dear, I’m afraid that one is not something you will have. However, your mother was a powerful Foresayer in Loveryn and they can see the future. Not that you can depend on what you see as an absolute because the fine print always reads, ‘subject to change’, but it is a pretty cool gift.”
Isabel eyed her, “And how would I know if this was something that I could do?”
“Well, it’s simple really. You need to have some sacred water and a bowl. And then concentrate. A Foresayer can see into the waters and the future.”
“And where do I get the sacred water? From Loveryn I suppose?”
“Yep” she said sighing. “And until the night of your turning we are all frozen here and there. I can’t go collect some and bring it back and no one there can bring it to you. That does suck doesn’t it?”
Isabel put her head into her hands.
“But look on the bright side, there are lots of other things we can work on in the meantime. Like flying and killing immortals. Oh! Speaking of which, I got you something. A friend in the guard brought it in as a gift before your birthday but I couldn’t very well give it to you then since you would’ve thought I was nuts!”
Clearly Amele was in denial about the fact that she already thought she was nuts. Isabel watched her scurry to the guest bedroom and come back with a small dagger in a white leather sheath adorned with golden gems and placed it in her hands.
“This Princess is your Raka. Everyone in the royal house has one. These are specially made by the Fire dragons themselves and forged in the center of the earth. Once stabbed by this an immortal becomes mortal. Twice stabbed brings death.”
“Wonderful, I will probably end up stabbing myself as clumsy as I am!”
“Nope, they are magically spelled to never cut their wearer, so you’re good.” She winked at her. “Now, would you like to find a particularly unsavory Unseelie and see how it works?”
She gasped, the thought of killing one of those nasty creatures making the coffee nearly rise in her throat. “No, I absolutely do not want to find any Unseelie today. Let’s do something else instead,” she pleaded.
Amele set to the task of strapping the dagger to her thigh anyway, tightening the bands until it was a perfect fit.
“Anyway, you should wear it just in case. And sure, today you will learn about your heritage if you’d like? A halfling ought to know both sides of her race.” She grinned even as Isabel threw a magazine at her.
**************
“So what exactly am I supposed to do with her then? Seduce her? Fine. I can do that. But what about afterwards? Will I be stuck with her or will I be able to get rid of her somehow? I am not spending eternity with a half breed! How specific is the curse anyway? Do I just have to sleep with her or does she have to really love me?” He spat.
The Mage Orilius sat quietly while the immortal paced back and forth in the room. “My Lord, she must love you or the curse will not only remain but the shadows of the other worlds will seep into every place of light that there is. You know this. And if it is not you that she should love, then the curse remains as well. If she is not your heart’s true desire, then this is all for naught.”
“Who better than me Orilius? And she gives me the something I want as well. She is beautiful enough, quite actually, and I shall see her mine before the rise of the blood moon. She is mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. And if the Other wasn’t around there would be no competition at all to distract her. Isn’t there anything I can do to thwart his attentions? Specifically, isn’t there anything that you can do?” He gazed at the lithe mage sternly.
“I cannot interfere. The consequences are too great. I cannot use magic on her nor is my magic greater than that of the Elementals so there is nothing I can do. I shall read the curse again and let you know if I can find anything that may be useful but I fear that your only option is winning her heart my Lord.”
Orilius stood and began to walk towards the gate. He stopped before he got there though, his hand running through his loose hair and turned around.
“There is one thing that may create discord but would not be against the rules per-se.
“Oh?” he folded his broad arms over his chest.
“Well yes, she does come from quite a powerful lineage.” Orilius walked back to him, leaned over and whispered so softly that even the wind couldn’t share his words.
He let the idea sink in before a smile reached across his face. “Indeed we could Orilius. Begin working on this immediately.”
He bowed and began his decent from the castle.
What fun he could have. Orilius would not break the rules exactly and yet he could offer her something that she is in control of. She is not powerful enough to know that it would be false. He smiled and licked his lips. This should be very entertaining. He made his way back to his chamber, whistling all the way there. She would be his in no time at all. And she would love him for it. Then she would forget all about the other one and come home where she belongs. Of course, she would have to leave as soon as the curse is lifted which will take a few more strategic deaths, but that won’t matter because all will be right again anyway at that point. Then, all of this would be His.
Chapter 7
History was always a good subject for her, and this was especially intriguing since it was her history. Having Amele for a teacher was a definite bonus too since she had her laughing through most of it. Dragons, Demons, Elementals, Mermaids, Elves and Sidhe and not to mention all the lesser beings that spawned from them, were all real. She had asked silly questions all day like ‘did the Sidhe really fear steel and were Elves the fastest beings anywhere,’ but Amele didn’t laugh at her. She also didn’t divulge too much information about how one finds the worlds in which the other creatures exist but she assured her that they were all separate from each other. At least for the time being. She did however break some of the myths. The Sidhe feared nothing and Elves were not the fastest, but speed was a strength of theirs. The most important part and a part she made sure to reiterate constantly was that the veil between worlds was thinning and without the proper magic in force to hold the walls then the worlds would begin to merge. And you really don’t want to know what that would be like if you can’t even stand the sight of the Unseelie. She had said.
“Amele, did you know my parents?”
She looked up at her and smiled warmly. “Of course I did hon. They were a magnificent couple and shone like the moon and stars when they were together. Keiren so fair and graceful, always willing to lend a helping hand and Norgelon dark and handsome and charming of course, but not at all what you would imagine when you think of the sole heir to a powerful throne. He was very kind and gentle. Except in battle of course. I would not have liked to face him on the opposite side of the field and I am one fierce foe.”
Isabel just grinned, images dancing lazily through her mind for a moment.
“Thank you Amele.”
She just nodded and winked at her.
Yawning and somewhat excited about the dreaming thing tonight she walked over and gave Amele a hug.
“Wish me luck!”
Amele just smiled at her. “Awe honey, you don’t need luck. Your blood is the kind that makes it.” She grinned. “Now go say hello to that lovely Prince for me,” and she shooed her out of the room so she could turn on the tv. Amele really liked to watch tv. Old movies were her favorite and oddly enough she said it reminded her of the good old days. What good old days could she mean?
Shaking her head and smiling she went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Putting on her pj’s she slipped under the covers and fell into a deep sleep within minutes.
“Good morni
ng, Isabel.” She felt the fire of his hand before she opened her eyes. He was brushing it lazily through her hair. She shuddered softly at the feel of the warm lightning of his touch and squinted against the morning sun.
She was lying next to a cave with a waterfall that pooled next to her. Small bits of the cold spray tickled the skin on her bare arms and she smiled, looking towards Bodhe.
When her vision came into focus she nearly passed out. Necklace around her neck that gives her sight, check. Is it possible that he was ‘glamouring’ his looks down when they previously met? Double check. She sat up and stared at the being propped up on his elbow in the grass and was mesmerized. If there was a slight glow yesterday, he was positively beaming today. The deep green of his eyes was like liquid emerald lava and dear god, that body. Really?
And she’s supposed to resist this how? Thanks mom, for giving me a gift that will make a man who is already taken from the finest paintings on earth and turned him into a true God. Golden coils wrapped around his defined arms just below his rippling muscles and rings also adorned one of his ears. The white tunic and pants that he wore today made his skin look deeply tanned which was a stark contrast to the white flowing hair. He grinned at her boyishly.
“Princess, you are looking at me as if we have never met.”
“But Bodhe, we haven’t. You were right, my mother left this for me.” She lifted her hand to the pendant never taking her eyes off of him. “It’s given me the sight a little bit earlier than expected. Why did you not appear this way when we met? I mean, you weren’t different in the way that Amele was different, but this you is quite mmmmmm, I don’t really have the words.” Actually, she did have the words but she turned crimson just thinking them.
He laughed softly. “Well, I didn’t want to scare you too much Isabel. It is a lot for a mortal to gaze upon the Sidhe’s true form and not fear. I did not mean to deceive you; I just wanted you a bit more prepared. It seems I do not need to make that decision for you any longer.” He smiled. “Do you fear me now?”
“Oh yes, I fear you immensely at the moment. Give me just a second.” She smiled turning over. This time her dress matched his but again, it was simple and long. The front was a low ‘v’ and she felt strangely beautiful in it. She could get used to the dress thing. It was an improvement over the shorts and t-shirts for sure. The material could not be more plain as it wrapped around her like a flowing cocoon but she felt sexy. Or was that just him again? How on earth was she ever going to get through this night without jumping him? The blush of red rose up her chest and painted her cheeks. She rose and turned to him taking a deep breath and then it was his turn to stare. The sexy feeling suddenly turned to awkward as his eyes scrutinized every inch of her. Resting on her eyes she could feel him even from the ground, heat waves gently licking her skin. She felt closer to feinting than she ever had in her life and had he not risen to steady her, she just might have.
“Are you well Isabel?” He looked at her concerned.
“Yes, it’s just I…well I…” she put her hand to her face as he looked at her quizzically, his radiant, gorgeous body rendering her speechless.
“Oh, it’s nothing, really,” she blushed again, feeling the color flood her cheeks. She felt like a bumbling idiot now!
“Isabel, I don’t want to force you to do anything, but since the fate of the worlds are resting in your choice, I think it’s only fair that you let me apologize for upsetting you the other night.”
“It’s forgotten Bodhe, I promise.” She melted into the electric touch of his hands on her arms.
“Well, that is not really the way we apologize here.”
“Oh no?” The heat from nearly fainting just barely beginning to recede.
He brushed the hair out of her face with tenderness and cupped her face in his hands. “No Princess, this is how I apologize for being so callous.” He kissed gently over each of her eyes and then to the tip of her nose. He grazed her forehead and gently swept her mouth up with his. His tongue softly licked at her lips until they parted for him and then groaned when he slipped in her mouth.
Did he use glamour on his kisses yesterday too to lessen their impact? Moaning softly into his mouth her arms explored the soft rippling mass of muscles and she thought she was going to lose it. How can any one being be made so perfectly? Descendants of Gods indeed! But then, so was she in fact! She felt the little buzz of electricity between them and everywhere he touched it felt as if a fire was in its wake.
“Can you please remind me to make you apologize often Prince?” She smiled up at him and he began laughing.
“I will apologize to you every day for the rest of eternity at least 10 times a day. And speaking of apologizing, I do have a bit of a present for you if you’re interested?”
She forced herself to pull away from his heated touch, her lips burning for more of him.
“A present? Is it my birthday?” She looked at him bemused.
“Well, actually yes, it was a few days ago. So we will consider this belated.”
He kissed her grinning mouth with less fervor than she would’ve liked and then took to the sky with her. Taking little nibbles of his neck and shoulder while they were mid-flight was making them both glow with bright golden light. If it had been night surely they would have looked comparable to a shooting star in the sky.
He moaned and growled at her, hands tightening around her butt. “Isabel! I am trying to give you a present woman!”
How could she not taste him right now? She was pressed against his hard body and they were flying through a magical world. Impossible. Her mouth had its own mind at the moment and it would not be listening to reason. Her bold behavior was beginning to feel less bold and more normal to her now. She was nearly shaking just being this close, her hands getting wound up in his hair as her mouth explored.
She laughed and whispered huskily to him, “Then you wish me to stop this?” Her mouth glided across the flesh that she could reach, her hand moving into the v-cut of his top. Her tongue and teeth darted across every inch she could manage while being flown. Suddenly the wind stopped and he grabbed her head, bringing her mouth to his. She was consumed by his tongue, hot and searing against her own. Could they do this while they flew? Feeling extremely brave, her hand trailed down his lean torso, reached down to touch his pants and found him huge and throbbing against her palm.
“Bodhe,” she moaned, and his flight picked up again landing in a field somewhere. Her hands were untying the braids in his hair with one hand and trying to remove his clothes with the other as soon as the grass was warm against her back. His tongue flicking in and out of her mouth and biting into the soft flesh of her neck was so consuming. Her simple garment was lifted over her head with one sweep and they were flesh to flesh, glistening under the morning sun. His hands sought out her perfect nipples quickly followed by his mouth teasing them into tight little buds. She writhed and moaned beneath him and his hard shaft was pulsing against her with need. His hand slid down her stomach and cupped the wetness between her legs, his thumb moving back and forth over the little nub that crested it. Isabel’s head went backwards and her back arched up, her whole body screaming for him.
“Bodhe,” she purred, “please…” Her voice trailed off to be replaced by moans.
He just grinned at her as her body shook and squirmed beneath his expert touch. “Please what, Princess?”
She could hardly speak through the panting, that wonderful rush rising up from within her stomach. “Please don’t stop Bodhe, please.” She said shaking and then reached for him, grabbing his enormous flesh in her small hands.
He gasped and she looked up at him with animal hunger in her golden eyes. “Oh no my sweet, today you will get to melt beneath my touch as I will melt you every day for the rest of your eternal life once we are together.”
Well alright, if you insist. Melting, check. Eternal life together, still being left open for debate. But God was his argument a good one!
His mout
h began its journey down the flesh of her stomach and when he found the honey between her legs they both shuddered in bliss. He took his time lapping at her tender folds as she lay there completely succumbed and every time she thought she would explode he stopped to nip at her inner thighs, grinning at her wickedly.
“Does the Princess like my tongue here?” He asked, licking her into a heated frenzy.
“Yes, God yes Bodhe.” Panting and begging him for release he finally complied and gave her body the first most mind blowing orgasm she ever had. And he even licked her clean afterwards.
When the stars faded from her eyesight and she could bear to raise her head from the grass she looked at him to see him grinning from ear to pointed ear. She laughed and bit him softly. “Mmmmm, when I can speak again, I will tell you how incredible that was,” she murmured softly and laughed.
He ran his hands through her hair gently. “Il meilev ruoc nii” I want more.
“Insatiable, aren’t we?” She whispered before she realized she understood him speaking in his tongue.
He looked at her astounded, “Isabel, how did you do that?”
The cloud of passion quickly dissipated by the confusion struggling within her. “I don’t know, I couldn’t really understand the words more so the intentions. It’s strange, I don’t really know.” She looked as puzzled as he did.
Chuckling softly all the sudden, “Well aren’t you going to be full of surprises Princess. A Senseti as well as surely a great Foresayer and Time Sifter. You will have quite the resume I should think.” He gazed at her proudly. “Would you care to see your present now?” he asked as he nibbled on her legs lightly.
“Oh? You mean that wasn’t it? Pity, I was going to ask you to repeat that a few times a day until you get tired of me,” she laughed.
“Just a few? You far underestimate my hungers dear, but no, that is not your gift. And how in any world could I ever tire of you? Absolutely impossible.” He smiled and reached up for her mouth, kissing her again. The grass was radiating heat through the bare flesh that lay upon it.
Immortal Dreams Page 6
