by Kim Loraine
He laughs, the low, deep chuckle making me smile in turn. “We rode for days, and then when we finally found it, the dragon turned out to be a small boy who had an obsession with lighting hay bales on fire.”
“The look on his face when King Arthur and Lancelot caught him was priceless. Didn’t the boy piss himself in terror?”
“He thought we were going to throw him in the dungeon.”
I take a seat next to Brooks, the chill of the rough stone wall seeping into my back. “No. He was afraid of what his mother would say.”
“So, we took him aside and said if he ever did anything like that again, we’d send Merlin to turn him into a toad.”
“No more dragon problems after that.” Brooks’ shoulder presses lightly against mine. “Lancelot and King Arthur, dragon slayers.”
“We were always together.”
He nods. “Even when we weren’t.”
“Like brothers.”
Brooks shakes his head. “No. You and I both know exactly how I felt about you. And you know why I couldn’t truly take what I wanted. But with every passing moment my memories grow stronger and I’ve come to terms with the truth. Before I held Excalibur in this life, I thought I hated you. You stood between me and Gwen, but now I know that wasn’t it at all.” He swallows and rakes a hand through his hair. “I hated you because I wanted you and I’ve never wanted another man before.”
The air in the room grows heavy in my answering silence. I don’t know how to respond, but I don’t move away either.
“I understand you might not feel that way about me. That our connection might not be physical. But I need us to be in this together with Gwen, not just so she can have both of us, but so I can have both of you in some way.”
My blood burns through my veins, the thought of him touching me sending fire racing along my skin. In the past, knowing Arthur wanted me was something I had to hide, something I had forced myself not to react to. But when I took Gwen for the first time with him watching, I can’t deny that his gaze on me changed everything. I’d brought myself to climax to thoughts of the two of them more times than I can count.
I swallow past the lump in my throat and stare at the grime covered floor. “I can’t give you anything other than a promise that I’ll never leave. Not her. Not you.”
Brooks grabs my hand and holds it tight, the gesture more intimate than if he’d kissed me. Then he looks into my eyes and says, “Swear it. Swear on your loyalty that you’ll be ours.”
His lips are full and I can’t stop myself from staring, from licking my own and remembering what that kiss felt like in my room. He’d been rough and desperate, his hands unfamiliar and the scratch of his stubble unexpected. My cock swells at the memory.
“I swear it.”
He leans closer, close enough for me to break the invisible wall between us. But I don’t. Instead I let my fears rule me and back away. I can’t take that step. If I do, everything will change.
Gwen
My head throbs as the bone-deep cold air of early morning lays over me like a blanket. My cheeks and nose are chilled, making me wish for a heavy quilt and a warm fire. I don’t open my eyes. If I do, I’ll have to face the day and I’m not ready for that.
“She needs something more than what we can give her. She needs a real bed, a warm place to sleep, maybe even a doctor.” Lance’s voice is strained and laced with concern.
“I told you, she will be fine.” Footsteps sound as Brooks speaks and I can almost feel Lancelot pacing.
“It’s been three days. Three. You said she needed rest, but this is more than that. What if…what if she doesn’t wake? I can’t lose her again. I won’t.”
My heart swells at the words and I want to open my eyes. I want to reach out and touch him, hold him close and make him see I’m fine. But I can’t. My hands won’t move, my eyelids won’t lift, and with a growing sense of dread, I understand what’s happened.
A curse. It’s not the cold air blanketing me. It’s dark magic. And I have no way to tell either of them that I’m trapped in the dark. Frozen but aware. Sleeping forever unless someone saves me.
They’ll save me. They have to.
Brooks
“What would you have me do?” I ask, staring down at Gwen. Lance is right, this isn’t normal, and now, a cold feeling of distance fills my heart. Something is really wrong with her.
“Find a doctor. Find a village. We have nothing if we don’t have Gwen.” He kneels at her side and touches her face, his expression filled with pain and longing. “She deserves more than a cold floor.”
I nod. I can’t deny the unease I feel. “Fine. Can you ride with her in your arms? Or should I carry her?” I’m not as good on a horse as I once was, but I don’t want to tell him that.
“She rides with me. You might be her husband, but I am her champion. I promised to protect her.”
I drag a hand across the back of my neck and take a long breath. Is it more dangerous to take her out of here where she’s protected by wards? Or will she fade away and die before our very eyes if we don’t? “I’ll scout the area first. See if there’s anything nearby. You stay here with her.”
There’s determination in his eyes. “Be careful. There’s more outside than beasts.”
“I have Excalibur.”
“Fat lot of good that did you last night. The wolves didn’t even flinch.”
Fear curls in my chest. “It’s daylight. I’ll be fine.”
“Daylight doesn’t mean anything here.”
“I think you’re forgetting that I’m not simply a man. I am Nephilim.” I call my grace forward, the glow of my power filling the small room.
His eyes widen with a combination of pride and interest. “It’s easy to forget when you don’t use your power.” He stands and reaches for me, his fingers trailing over the glowing skin of my arm. I can’t help myself, I flinch away. Now is not the time for tender touches and exploration, no matter how much I might want him to take that step.
“Keep her safe. I’ll do my part.”
Some of the light leaves his eyes at my reaction to his nearness, but Gwen needs us to be focused. She needs us to care for her beyond anything else.
Dropping to my knees beside her, I place a soft kiss on her forehead and whisper, “We’ll figure this out. You’re going to be fine. You have to.”
I rise and turn toward the doorway, but Lance blocks my path. There’s concern in his eyes and there’s a muscle flexing in his clenched jaw. Then he grabs my shoulder and pulls me into a strong embrace. Everything in him is tense. “Return before nightfall. We both need you here.”
Unwanted desire rushes over me at the feeling of his body against mine. Damn my heart for putting me through this. I offer a curt nod and pull away before heading into the bright morning light.
My horse is ready and waiting, his coat gleaming in the sun. Mounting him easily, I head in the direction we were originally going, hoping for some sign of aid. The birds chitter and sing in the branches above my head, a canopy of wide leaves in vibrant colors hiding the sky. Hours pass and my horse stops at a stream to drink. I dismount and leave him to his rest, exploring the area on foot.
No sign of anyone near, no footprints, no dwellings or settlements. It’s strange and I wonder if the villages are only hiding behind a veil. I need Gwen to lift the magic. My angelic grace only provides me strength and speed, not real magic. Not like what Gwen can do.
I can’t lose her. I don’t know how I’d survive her death again. I certainly didn’t the first time.
The sound of footsteps on the path in front of me has my heart in my throat. I step aside, hiding behind a wide tree with my hand on the hilt of Excalibur.
“Come now, Arthur, you can’t hide from us,” a velvet smooth voice says.
Another laughs in response. “All this time, King Arthur was hiding in plain sight as a baby angel.”
I step out from behind the tree and draw my sword. “Who are you?”
The two women smile and drop into deep curtseys, their low-cut gowns affording me generous views of their full breasts. “I am Francesca, and this is my sister witch, Claudia,” the dark haired woman says.
“Witches?” Hope blooms in my chest.
“Yes, are you still burning us at the stake, Arthur?” Claudia asks.
I flinch. “I am not Arthur.”
Francesca cocks a brow. “That’s not what your aura says, and it’s certainly not what that sword advertises.”
“My name is Brooks.”
Francesca closes the distance between us and presses a hand to my chest. “And you’re definitely Nephilim.”
“I am.”
Claudia pulls Francesca back toward her and hisses, “We aren’t here for you to fawn all over him. Deliver the message.”
Message? Cold dread curls in my chest. “What message?”
“Our lady, Nimue, sent us to find you. It seems her curse has been cast.”
My heart nearly stops. Curse.
“You seem confused,” she says, a grin turning up the corners of her mouth. “Your beloved lies sleeping, isn’t that true?”
“Yes. What did you do to her?”
“Oh. It wasn’t me. She’s been cursed. But, never fear, we can take you to Nimue. She’ll lift the spell.”
I shake my head. “There’s always a catch. What price would I have to pay?”
Claudia twirls her blonde hair around one finger. “The question is, what wouldn’t you pay to see Guinevere restored?”
She’s right. The answer is simple. I’d pay any price. “Take me to her.”
She shakes her head. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple. After all, you could easily strike Nimue down with that sword.” Then her hand grips my wrist and Francesca does the same to my other arm. “First, we’ll need to gain some leverage.”
My wrist burns where the handfasting spell was wound around me and the world spins. We appear in front of the castle ruins and I find Lancelot pacing as soon as I open the door.
His eyes are wild, face pale and drawn. “Anything? She’s been crying out, but she can’t seem to move her body. It’s like…like something is holding her down and she can’t break free.”
I swallow hard and look behind me. The witches can’t get inside because of the wards, but I’ve no doubt, given enough time, they’ll be able to break them. “It’s a curse Nimue cast.”
“What? How?”
Shaking my head, I sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Tell him the rest!” Claudia shouts. “We’ll lower these wards, eventually. Gwen is getting weaker by the minute.”
“What are you thinking bringing them here? Those are witches.”
“They can take us to Nimue. She’ll lift the curse.”
“At what cost? Do you honestly think she’ll let us go about our quest?”
I clench my jaw and glance over his shoulder at Gwen. Her waxy pallor and shallow breaths make me nervous. She’s not well. “Does it matter if we lose Gwen?”
Lance takes in a long breath. “No.” He walks to Gwen and scoops her into his arms. “If something happens to her, I’ll kill you myself.”
“I’ll let you.”
Then, the three of us leave the safety of our shelter and join the witches. The two women smile with a wicked gleam in their eyes.
“Oh, Lancelot, are you sure you want to waste your life with these two? We can show you a much better time and you won’t have to share,” Francesca says.
Lance ignores her, staring straight ahead, Gwen’s cheek resting on his shoulder.
Francesca pouts. “Party pooper.”
Then Claudia takes her sister’s hand and a gold light builds in the fabric of reality in front of them, expanding into a portal. “Go ahead,” she tells us. “You first. We wouldn’t want you getting lost.”
I place my palm on Lance’s shoulder and we start forward.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Claudia says. “Not so fast.”
We stop and I look her in the eyes. “What is it now?”
“I’m afraid we can’t let you into Nimue’s home without taking possession of Excalibur. I’d be very stupid to give you access to her and send you in with a weapon of such strength.”
Icy fingers of apprehension clutch my heart, but Lance catches my eye and nods almost imperceptibly. I unsheathe Excalibur, the blade singing in the air, and hand it to her.
Then, together, we walk into the portal, ready to face the woman who holds Gwen’s fate in her hands.
Chapter Twelve
Lancelot
My ears are filled with a humming so strong, it makes my teeth rattle as we walk through the portal. Gwen’s body is limp in my arms and I want to scream and rage at the woman who did this to her.
“Stay calm,” Brooks whispers. “We’re basically defenseless at the moment.”
I clench my teeth. “You just gave them the one thing we need to stop the apocalypse.”
His palm settles on my shoulder and just that bare touch offers me a modicum of comfort. He’s here for me as much as he is for Gwen. “I did. But we’ll get it back. Excalibur won’t work for anyone who isn’t worthy. They might think getting the sword means they have the upper hand, but if they can’t use it, there’s nothing but steel in their hands.”
The spinning world around us rights itself and the nearly unbearable vibration in my ears stops. Standing tall and ominous before us is a castle fit for a terrifying ruler. High walls, spiked and dangerous at the top, surround the high towers.
“Holy hell,” Brooks breathes.
“She’s built herself a fortress.”
“How fitting.” He tightens his hold on my shoulder and I feel our connection surge through me.
The gates open and a beautiful woman stands before us. She tilts her head to one side and smiles. “Oh, good. Company.”
Unease twists in my gut. “We’re here for one reason, Nimue. Lift her curse.”
She laughs and waves her hand, Gwen’s weight disappearing from my arms as her body vanishes. “Oh, no. You’re here for so much more than that.”
“Where have you taken her?” I scream, running toward her, but I’m caught up in a vise grip around my heart. Pain has me writhing and falling to my knees. It’s as though a boulder is sitting on my chest.
“Now, now, we won’t have any of that.”
I can’t breathe. Nimue’s power is terrifyingly strong.
“That’s enough,” Brooks barks. “You have what you want. We gave you Excalibur.”
“Oh, but I need more than that. I need your loyalty darling.”
“You’ll never have that.”
She shrugs. “Hm, well, then I suppose you’ll never have your beloved knight, your queen, or…your little prince or princess.”
Everything stops at her words. Little prince or princess.
“What are you talking about?” Brooks asks.
“Why, hasn’t she told you? There’s a child growing in your wife’s belly right at this very moment.” She grins wickedly and looks from Brooks to me. A cackle erupts from her throat. “Oh, but who is the father? Isn’t this a pickle?”
She releases me from her crushing hold and I collapse, gasping for air, desperate to find Gwen and ask her if this is true.
“She’s…” I begin, but lose my words. I can’t fathom Gwen carrying my child. The thought fills me with pride and fear.
“Oh, you poor, tragic knight. Either way it’s his, you know. Just as she is his.”
“They are both mine,” Brooks says.
She grins and shakes her head. “Now, if you want her, you’ll come with me.”
In a flourish of skirts and flowing hair, she whirls around and leaves us, knowing we have no other choice than to follow.
Brooks is at my side, hands on my arms, helping me to my feet. “Are you all right?”
Am I? I take a long breath and nod. “Gwen is pregnant.”
He clenches his jaw. “It has to be yours.”
“D
oes it?” I tug my arm free of his grasp and follow the path Nimue took. “She’s your wife. Surely you claimed your right as her husband.”
“Just the once…while you were with us.”
“That’s all it takes.” I try to hide my frustration, but every step forward the two of them take seems to put more distance between us. They’ll be a family. They won’t want me in the middle of that.
Brooks is right behind me, his presence domineering and commanding. “Lance, don—”
The words die on his lips as the floor disappears from under us and we’re falling into blackness. I hit the hard stone floor with jarring force. My teeth rattling and pain shooting up my spine upon impact.
“Fuck,” I grumble. “Brooks? Where are you?”
“Here. I’m okay.” His voice sounds from somewhere to my left, but I can’t see through the heavy darkness.
“Where are we?”
Torches burst into flames around us and I can see the four stone walls, the small barred window, and a slab of rock that serves as a door. “This seems an awful lot like a dungeon.”
But why? Why would she lock us away if she needs our help? “She plans to drive us mad until we agree to her demands, doesn’t she?”
Brooks nods, his features accented by the shadows cast in the torchlight. “And it may well work.”
“It may not even matter. If we don’t stop the end of the world, we’ll all die.” I shake my head and run my hands over the walls, searching for some kind of way out. The bars in the window are iron, made to keep any fae creatures at bay while still serving to imprison all others. I can’t accept this fate. Brooks sits in the corner, head in his hands as I let anger get the better of me. I shove at the slab, desperate for escape, to get to Gwen, to reclaim Excalibur. This isn’t how it ends.
“You’re wasting your time, Lance,” Brooks says.
“Are you being serious? There’s no chance in Hell I’m going to leave Gwen and our child in the hands of that sadistic woman.” I shove hard against the stone and let out a frustrated groan when the blasted thing doesn’t move an inch. “Some husband you turned out to be. You’re just going to sit there and let her die?”
