by 1
She squeaked. “Mine.”
Therogan shook his head and growled. “H’cheri, you are confined to the stronghold until Solar is safely wed, on pain of death. You may be my niece, but I have nine nieces and I can afford to lose a few. Are we clear? You leave here and I send the shadows after you.”
She nodded and paled at the mention of the shadows.
With a burst of smoke, Therogan banished her to the far end of the stronghold and returned his attention to Solar.
It took all of his self-control not to force his frantic search for his mate. Solar gathered his power around him and faced the demon who would control his fate.
“Find your female and bring her family here to meet us. I am sure that it will be a fascinating experience for them.”
“What about the charm that H’cheri put on her?” Solar’s muscles were twitching with the urge to do something.
“That is your problem. If she truly loves you, she will come around. If not, H’cheri will be waiting for you and I am sure you don’t want that. Go. You are released to find your woman.” Therogan waved his hand and Solar was free.
He disappeared and emerged at the point where he had last held Elhara in his arms. They had been laughing and looking forward to the dawn.
H’cheri’s strong and musky scent overlaid the more delicate scent of Elhara. He needed to find her and he knew the first place he needed to look. Her cousin. The woman that she had been with the night that he met her would know where she was.
He closed his eyes and remembered the scent of the woman who had been sitting next to Elhara. It scented the edge of her coat on the night that he met her and with the talents given to all incubi, he used his senses to take him to her.
He didn’t have time to wrap himself in his glamour before she saw him.
He took three strides toward the woman and she stared at him, eyes wide. Her right hand grabbed her left and she closed her eyes just as he was opening his mouth to speak. In an instant, she was gone and nothing but a spray of sea water was left behind.
“Damn it!”
There was nothing to do now but face her family directly. It would have to wait until the morning, because he had the feeling that they would be less likely to kill him if their workshop was in the path of danger.
He was going to tackle the dwarf and goblins in the morning. If he could get them on his side, they could help with their wives. That was the sticking point. Would the Warders accept that one of their own was in love with a demon when she couldn’t even remember him?
Chapter Five
Caaverna’s Jewellers was a tidy shop and when Solar entered, a polite, young woman smiled at him. “Good morning, sir. How may I help you?”
“I wish to talk to the owner about getting a custom piece appraised.” He smiled and flirted lightly with her, but it didn’t sit right the way it had before he had met Elhara.
“Just a moment, sir.” The woman smiled brightly and disappeared into a back room. She came back with the same smile. “Please come with me.”
He followed the human and brushed at his sleeves. He was wearing Elhara’s favourite suit. She had said it made him look like a model for a businessman-of-the-month calendar.
The dwarf working at a bench looked up as he approached and spoke to the woman in a controlled voice. “That will be all, Gillian. Thank you.”
“Gwelvar Caaverna, I have something to ask of you.”
Two humanized goblins came in from a storage room and stared at him, scenting the air. One of them lunged forward with a snarl. His eyes were Elhara’s eyes and Solar braced himself to take on the father of the woman he loved.
Claws slashed and he winced as his skin parted under the male’s assault. It only took a few seconds for the dwarf to pull his son-in-law away, but Solar was bleeding on the pristine floor, his suit in tatters.
“Reytil, back up. Reycon, hold your brother.” The dwarf was no-nonsense. “Demon, why are you here?”
He straightened as best as he could and held out his hand. “This ring was on your granddaughter’s hand yesterday when a succubus bespelled her and stole it.”
“Where were you?” The dwarf’s tone wasn’t accusing, merely questioning.
“I was at the demon stronghold in Realm, bound to wait until my clan leader decided to hear my plea. For nine hours I was locked in place, waiting my turn and that was all the opportunity that the succubus needed. She attacked Elhara and I did not learn of it until last night.” He looked at the ruins of his suit. “She loved this suit.”
“Reytil knows your scent, as well as that of the female who attacked our girl. He acted out of frustration.”
The goblin had gained his composure. “How long have you been seeing my daughter, demon?”
“My name is Solar. I have been seeing your daughter for two weeks.” He dropped his glamour and let her relatives see the true him.
“Have you had sex?” The bold statement was definitely within goblin protocols.
He answered honestly. “No. I have tasted her as per incubi engagement protocols, but nothing beyond that.”
Her father sighed in relief. “Good, then a pregnancy is not likely. I was dreading explaining the possibility to Hannah.”
Solar quirked his lips. “There are no worries on that front.”
Gwelvar rapped his fist against the countertop. “Now, incubus, start at the beginning and tell us how you know our Elhara. Our wives are going to want to know and the more we are aware of, the better off you will be.”
A peculiar relief ran through him. It seemed that despite the initial attack, the men of the Warders were on his side. Now, he just had to run the gauntlet with the women and he could find out where his mate was.
Icy was a polite way to describe the trio of females facing him. Andrea, Hannah and Inora, the matriarchs of their little grouping, all were focussed on him with freezing glares.
As an incubus, this kind of female hostility was unusual, but each of these women had their wards up high and wide. Their mates were standing behind them and backing them up.
Inora scowled at him. “You are telling me that you, an incubus, are in love with our little Elhara?”
He nodded. “I am and I have been since the moment I first set eyes on her.”
Hannah, Elhara’s mother, asked, “Where was your third date?”
He grinned. “Mini golf. We putted around a pirate ship for five rounds, until the sun set and the lights came on.”
“You met her during daylight over the last two weeks?” Hannah fought a smile.
“I did. It seemed the best way to put her at ease.”
Inora leaned forward, “So, you were the reason she was humming and whistling?”
He darkened with embarrassment. “If you say it was so, I guess it was.”
“What are your intentions toward her? From what we could see before she left, her mind had been purged of any memory of you.” Andrea smiled.
“I intend to find her, to give her new memories to replace any lost forever and to start again.”
Hannah smiled and got to her feet, pulling him to his. “That was the right answer.”
She hugged him and he closed his eyes at the similarities of scent between Elhara and her mother. He missed her so much after just one day that if he concentrated, he could sense her off in the distance.
“She is in Realm. You can find her there.” Hannah patted his cheek. “When she found the rose petals in her hair, she sobbed like her soul was shattering. If you can fix that, I will be forever in your debt.”
A lump of emotion jammed in his throat. “There is no debt where true love walks. I have your permission to seek out your daughter?”
Reytil came up and stood with his arm around his wife. “You have our permission. Now, remind her who you are.”
Solar smiled and left the home in a puff of smoke. He cursed as he came out of his shift and walked through the halls of the underwater city.
To his shock, the Warder who
had disappeared in a spray of seawater shot out of the wet lock and skidded across the floor on the legs that appeared the moment her tail dissipated. A familiar face shot out of the wet hatch a second later and when the woman screamed, Hector glared at him and lowered his trident into a defensive position.
He raised it as soon as he spoke, “Solar, what are you doing here?”
“I have come to ask your lady a question, King Hector.” He bowed and smiled.
Hector was still keeping his body between his woman and Solar. It was cute to see him so protective. “It will have to wait a moment. Beatrix, go and throw something on.”
As the Warder scuttled away, the two men were staring at each other for a moment before Solar laughed. “So, you finally have her?”
Hector grinned, stowed his trident and wrapped a short skirt around his hips. “Yes, and if you hadn’t spooked her toward me, I am not sure how long it would have taken for my wife to show up.”
“I need to ask her if she knows where her cousin is. I have lost my lock on my mate and am unsure as to the containment arranged for the one who attacked my woman to begin with. She’s a tricky bitch and I wouldn’t put it past her to try again.”
Hector came forward and clapped him on the shoulder, offering hospitality and a quick luncheon.
They talked about women in the broadest sense and Warders in particular. When Hector’s mate returned to their company, she was dressed elegantly but simply and the pride in the sea king’s face was unmistakable.
Solar looked forward to the day he could look at Elhara with that same gaze.
Hector introduced them. “Beatrix, this is my friend, Solar. He is an incubus and has been searching for his destined mate.”
She reached out to shake his hand and Solar felt his body shift into the appearance of her ideal mate, unsurprised to see his arms matching Hector’s skin tone.
Startled, she released his hand.
He grinned at her. “Pleased to formally meet you, Beatrix Warder. I have come here with a question.”
She sat next to Hector and nibbled on a bit of tuna. “What is the question?”
“Where is your cousin Elhara?”
“Wait. Is that what you were doing the night that I first saw you?”
His grin was all the answer she was going to get, but something about her phrasing puzzled him.
Hector began to laugh, loud and long.
Bea covered her eyes.
“Elhara is staying with her goblin grandparents. They are warded against intrusion so that is probably why you haven’t been able to find her. Eckar and Helora.”
“I wish I could stay, but I have to find her. Time is running out.” With a wave and a cloud of smoke, he disappeared.
Chapter Six
Time, he was missing time. Instead of being the day that he had left the human world, a week had passed.
It must be one of H’cheri’s curses. He quickly opened his pocket and examined the ring, cursing when he saw the hex wrapped around the metal. As he unravelled it, the nature of the power was obvious. It was designed to delay him and when he asked the goblins of the Crimson clan about Eckar and Helora, it was confirmed. They had left for the leprechaun city a week earlier.
Before jumping into the leprechaun city, he used his senses to scan for Elhara. She was weak, but she was there.
He pinpointed her exact location and tried to jump, but a warded shield around the facility held him out until it was too late.
* * * *
Draining energy, burning eyes and a rolling, evil laugh rang through Elhara’s thoughts. She fought, but the creature was pulled off her and she was able to breathe again.
“Elhara is far better than me and she is almost dead. This demon is responsible.” It was Asha’s voice. The demon screamed.
Asha shouldn’t kill. “Asha. Stop.”
Her voice was weak, but Eckar and Helara were holding her up. She stared at the demoness gripped by the power of a Warder.
She tried to speak again. “Ash, don’t kill her.”
Elhara did a quick personal inventory and found the necklace radiating power and the warmth of her memories. She made the connection quickly.
Asha was staring at her in amazement. “El, how are you…you are awake?”
“I won’t say I am fine, but I am awake and my memories have stopped unravelling. The charm is slowly rebuilding my thoughts and the healers here think I should have everything back in place by the end of the week.” She remembered overhearing every word around her, including her cousin’s heartfelt visit.
Elhara could feel the rupture of the wards as something powerful came through them. The demoness smirked for a moment before a knife slid through her and jutted from her ribs. A demon made of shadows disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.
The demoness dropped to the floor, her back arched obscenely over the hilt of the dagger. Blood pooled under her and she was gone in seconds.
Asha looked up at the leprechaun male holding her and her eyes were puzzled. “What the hell just happened here?”
Watching her cousin pass out was shocking. “Asha!”
It was no use. The caregivers quickly checked her and whispered to the dark green male holding her. Elhara was stuck in bed watching events.
“Who are you, sir?”
The man turned to her with gold eyes bright in his dark green face. “I am Tuartha, High Lord of the leprechauns. Your cousin’s husband.”
Elhara leaned back into the pillows, her grandparents on either side. “Lose your mind for a few days and everything goes whacky.”
She was comforted by the caregivers and her grandparents, everyone assuring her that her memories would soon be complete again. Whatever she was trying to remember would come to her and she needed to let things take their course.
Deep in the night when everyone had gone, she had an epiphany.
Elhara sat in the care centre and let her mind show her what it was remembering. Red skin, black hair and a smile that made her heart beat faster even in memory.
When she whispered his name, she could swear that he was right in front of her. “Solar.”
Her apparition smiled and reached to lift her from the bed.
The leprechaun guards were frozen in place, as if time itself was standing still. She smiled and reached for him like a child for a parent.
As he lifted her in his arms, she felt the click of rightness and asked him the one question that she couldn’t let go of. “Who are you?”
He grinned and she felt his magic taking them from the leprechaun city. “All in good time, beloved. All in good time.”
Secure in his arms, she hung on and when he pressed a kiss to her forehead, she smiled.
“Welcome to my home, Elhara.”
Instead of the dead of night, they were in bright light. A home made of crystal with a thousand points of light illuminating every inch of it was truly a wonderful sight. “We are still in Realm?”
“We are. The outskirts of the demons’ demesne. Few want to live with this much light, so I jumped at the chance to take it as my own.”
He placed her carefully in a bed strewn with flower petals.
The rainbow of petals started a memory, but she couldn’t quite make it take shape. She settled in her green wrap and smiled when her companion threw a blanket over her. “Thank you.”
He brushed his hand along her hairline and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “No need for thanks, simply rest and recover. I will be near when you wake.”
She was drifting off when she asked, “Will you let them know where I am?”
“Of course. Now, sleep and dream of me, Elhara.”
He left her alone, but she knew he was nearby and a smile curved her lips. “Solar.”
* * * *
He drummed his fingers against the table and spoke to the figures in the mirror. “I have her, she is safe now, but her memories are still incomplete.”
There was a bank of mirrors and he was speaking to H
igh Lord Tuartha as well as Elhara’s family at the same time.
Tuartha nodded. “It will take time. You should not have taken her without warning me.”
“Would you part with Asha for a moment if you had a choice?” He gave the leprechaun a serious look and the man grinned.
“No. She is mine and she will stay with me, or I will follow where she leads. Either way, I would not part with her.”
Reycon and his wife held hands and he pressed a kiss to the back of her wrist. “Take care of our daughter, Tuartha, or the Crimson clan will shred your pretty green hide.”
“The same goes for you, Solar. Our daughter is the best thing in our family and I will not see her hurt again.” Reytil’s eyes were not hid by contacts and the slit pupils were narrowing in a not-so-subtle threat.
“I am not letting her out of my senses.” He tried to keep his tone solemn, but he was so relieved that she was with him once again that a slight catch came through in his speech.
Ilora nodded. “Call us if you need anything. We will begin planning the wedding. How many folks do you think will come from your side of the family?”
Hearing a demon clan being described as a family gave him pause. “I will guess at two hundred?”
Ilora blinked, “That is all? Huh. A small wedding of six hundred to start, but we will prep for a thousand. A Warder has never wed a demon before, so it will be something that Realm will want to see.”
Suddenly thrust into the role of groom, Solar asked, “What do I need to do?”
Ilora grinned. “Nothing. This is her day and her family will make it special. All we need from you is that you show up.”
The men he was looking at just rolled their eyes and nodded at their wives’ enthusiasm. He took his cue from them and smiled and nodded. “I have to arrange for food, so please excuse me.”
The ladies looked a little perturbed, but Tuartha simply waved his hand and disconnected the communication.
Sighing in relief, Solar went to harvest some fruit from his garden. The green and living space was his treasure and the crystals provided the plants with all the light and shelter that they needed.
