Tempting Clover (The Trouble With Elves Book 2)

by Decadent Kane

  “Is that so? You think I would not be a challenge for you without my magic?”

  “Exactly.” Reed grinned. Always go for a man’s pride.

  “What do you propose, elf?” The goblin had turned. Clover wasn’t free but Reed could see the strain ease up on her features. Her eyes held both gratitude and worry.

  “Fist fight, anything but magic counts. The first to go down wins.”

  Malik charged Reed and he took that as an acceptance. The little green goblin moved faster than Reed anticipated. He flung his whole body into Reed, knocking him back. His arms clasped around Malik and squeezed until he heard a crack and he hoped it was a rib. The goblin broke loose and swung missing once, twice, then connecting with Reed’s kneecap on the last swing. Pain shot up his leg and he resisted the urge to fall to the other knee. He would not go down so soon—he refused.

  “Did you like that, elf?”

  Reed ground his teeth. “You hit like a frog.”

  Malik grinned. It was Reed’s turn to start the dance. He kicked out his leg straightening the sore knee and then putting weight back on it. He walked sideways toward him and then to the other side until he came in close enough to land a blow. His fists came up and he held the left one up to guard. The right ready to advance.

  “So it’s like that?” The goblin’s hands drew up to match Reed’s. His beady eyes didn’t waver.

  Reed slid in to punch his ugly mouth with his right but at the last minute slid down for a side sweep in an attempt to knock the goblin off balance. Malik jumped effectively clear of Reed’s legs and then fell on top of that same leg. There was a loud ‘snap’ and Reed tried to keep his balance as hot pain seared through him, causing dark flashes of circles and light, spotting his vision. He bit his cheek so he wouldn’t cry out and his eyes squinted shut for the briefest moment before shooting back open to keep a watch on the goblin.

  “Reed!” Clover yelled and he looked over at her. She was headed his direction when he really wanted her to run the other way. Didn’t she know that? Were all females this sentimental? It was just a little fight, a break. Nothing he had never had before. It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like elf balls, but he could handle himself. He stood on his one good leg and concentrated on the goblin. He blocked out as much of the pain as possible. As long as he didn’t stand with the knee, then it didn’t feel so bad.

  Malik didn’t even bother to look back at Clover. His face became serious. “She is mine, elf. You have no claim to her.”

  “She’s not some object to be bargained over. She’s a living soul. She belongs to no one.” Reed hopped on his good foot keeping upright.

  “She is a living soul, my living soul.”

  Reed looked over at Clover. Her hair whipped in the breeze and the dress barely showed the contours of her feminine form. She was worth this. He knew it, with all of his heart.

  “Don’t look at her!” The possessiveness of the goblin’s voice broke Reed’s train of thought bringing his attention back to Malik. A deep scowl etched on his face, and his eyes turned from black to red. The goblin came at him with flying fists and Reed hopped out of the way. The little man slid to halt and turned to face him again. Smoke came out as he exhaled a breath and somehow Reed knew that could not be a good sign.

  “Come on. Let’s get this over with, Ugly.” Reed wiped the sweat from his brow. The breeze cooled him a little. Win or lose, this was it. The fight must end. He couldn’t stand much longer on the one leg.

  Malik stormed over to Reed, and, faster than the elf could see, a fist slammed into the back of his good knee dropping him down to the ground. Malik’s head came crashing at Reed’s face, making contact with a sickening thud.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Stop! Malik, please!” Clover called out to the goblin who could kill the only man she wanted. She saw Reed on the ground, not moving. Her body screamed to go to him, to check him and make sure he was okay, but the goblin stood between them like a giant brick wall ready to cave in on her.

  “Please what, Pet?” The words bit into her and she winced. He enjoyed this. She could hear the amusement in his voice.

  “Please don’t kill him or hurt him anymore. He’s knocked out. You won.” She reached for the elf on the ground. Her fingertips almost able to touch his flesh. If she could just see if he was okay—

  Malik grabbed a hold over her before they came in contact. “Have I won? And what is my prize? What will you do if I leave him?” He forced her to look at him.

  “You can have me, just please no more.” Her eyes filled with tears. She was giving up her soul for Reed. God, she loved him. She was pathetic. When Clover saw him stand up for her, her heart broke in half. She knew he’d lose. She knew what she would have to do. The decision didn’t come light, and as long as Malik didn’t kill her elf, then she’d go with him, willingly. It didn’t mean she had to like it, and maybe somewhere down the future, she’d find another loophole, something else to free her. She’d never stop searching for it. Never. She looked into Malik’s red eyes slowly changing to black. They never showed her reflection. This close they remained a flat black, cool, calculating.

  “I see your will is bending. This elf means so much to you that you would give your soul to keep him alive. How delightful.” Malik licked his lips. “I will keep him alive, but we can bring him with us. Call it a treat. After all, I still need your desire and if I’m not mistaken this is the elf who had created such wonderful juices in you, right?”

  Clover nodded, but lost hope. She had willingly given up, and now he could use Reed against her, forever. She cursed herself for a foolish choice in words. Had she learned nothing? She should have been more clear about leaving Reed out of it entirely.

  “It is done then, win, win for both of us. Don’t ever say I never gave you anything, Pet. He can be your coming home present.” Malik snapped his fingers and nothing happened. His head slowly turned to his hand.

  Clover had expected to be transported to the nether, to go to the goblin’s home. Malik snapped his fingers again looking down at them in disbelief, but he had let her go. She took a few steps back.

  “What is this? You did something didn’t you?” Instantly, his anger boiled over and flung out to her. He grabbed her arm.

  “That is enough, Goblin.” The Sage witch had risen. Malik must have forgotten about her in all the excitement.

  “You are doing this? You, a witch? To me? I am the most powerful goblin in this realm or the human one. I’ve lived longer than all of you pathetic ones combined.”

  “I’m only partially a part of the magic holding you back, Goblin. The rest is hers.” She pointed at Clover.

  “Me? I’ve done nothing. Malik, I swear to it.” She didn’t want him to go back after Reed while he lay there so defenseless. Her heart poured out to the elf on the ground. She wanted him to wake up desperately.

  “You gave your soul for another, child. The Goblin can no longer harm you. You have given the purest form of gift, and in return, Mother Earth has granted you a magic so great the goblin has no hold. But what you take, you must give back.”

  “What!” Malik spun around and advanced on the witch. His green skin turned a bright orange color. His anger rolled off him in menacing waves. He grabbed the witch magically by the throat and began to choke her.

  “Stop! Malik!” Her hand flew out and Malik flopped backwards away from the witch, away from Reed. He landed on his goblin green ass. She looked down at her hand. She threw him… Clover hadn’t even touched him, she couldn’t even blink herself back and forth places, but she held a power now.

  “How dare you!” His voice came out in a roar, and in a burst of speed he rushed up and had his hands tightened around her wrists. He pulled her into him. The thin cotton dress didn’t contain enough padding between her tender flesh and his scratchiness. She winced as his fingers dug into her. “You’ll pay dearly for this, Morsel. I think I’ll flay your little lover alive. Bring his skin back and then repeat the process. P
erhaps I’ll let him watch as I take you to my bed.” His tongue snaked out and licked her skin.

  Anger burst from her. It had boiled up from the deep recesses of her inner self, and after years of the goblin’s abuse, after all the frustration, it had to be stopped. She was a good person. She’d never harmed a soul. She’d spent time with the needy, loved kids, hell she didn’t even kill fish. Sure, she cursed sometimes and maybe she liked to tease men, but that didn’t make her bad. A burst flew out of her body and knocked Malik away from her. It was as if something had released within her and set her utterly free. She liked who she was, who she had even become, despite Malik’s cruelty. Perhaps even because of the goblin.

  “Go away little goblin.” Her voice came out calm and fierce. “Do not come near me or mine again or I will use whatever magic Mother Earth allows and wipe you from this realm and the next. I’ll cast you off into the nether, trapped for all time.” The words sprung from her lips, like someone talked through her and it felt so real, so right. She believed herself. She could do it. Malik stood and took a single step forward. Clover didn’t want to kill him. She could see him differently now, not as her powerful capture. He was a sad, lonely creature, seeking acceptance, even if he did it in all the wrong ways. She arched her brow and lifted her palm. Malik backtracked, shrunk into himself seeming to know he’d lost. In a blink, he disappeared.

  A pressure lifted from her, as if she had been carrying a ton of water on her back. She stood tall, proud. Her gaze brushed over the scene before her. The Sage witch wiped the dirt from her clothes but smiled at her. Reed lay still on the ground. Clover ran over to him. A dread pooling in her chest. Please don’t let him die. Her voice weak inside her. Her heart shattered into tiny pieces as she realized he wasn’t breathing.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Clover blew air into his mouth and pushed on his chest. Everything inside her screamed for him to come back. Her muscles were sore, her body weak, and all she wanted was him. Tears left hot streaks down her face. She shouldn’t have let him fight, shouldn’t have gotten him involved. Reed stayed still when Clover stopped the few seconds to see if anything she had done helped. With nothing left to do, she bent down and placed a single kiss to his lips. He would be gone. She couldn’t bring him back no matter how much she pounded on his chest or did CPR. Her actions remained useless. She curled into him, wanting to feel him so near and wishing she could have given him something in return for all of his help. “Oh Reed, I wish I could have told you...I love you.”

  She felt his chest move.

  “You do?” He coughed.

  “How’d you? What did you? You were dead. You weren’t breathing.”

  “I guess Mother Earth gave me a second chance.” He moved his leg around. “Fixed me up too. It’s not broken anymore.”

  Idis laughed bringing Clover’s attention up to her. She disappeared and a breeze ruffled her hair.

  “I should punish you for making me worry.” She smiled and thanked Mother inside, with all her heart.

  “Making you worry? I was the one trying to save you. Why didn’t you run?” He sat up and moved his legs. They seemed fine.

  “Run when you were getting your elf ass handed to you? I couldn’t just leave you all defenseless now could I? What would you have done if he’d hit your pretty face elfman?” Her brow arched. He was the sweetest kind of devil and this foreplay wasn’t enough. She needed to feel him, to wrap herself around him.

  “I resent the remark.” He stood, taking her up with him. He picked her up easily in his arms, and she instinctively snuggled in. God she was such a mushy-mush.

  “I can walk, you know.”

  “I do know. But I have a punishment to instill in you, Elfess. The kind you won’t soon forget.”

  The way the word Elfess rolled off his tongue sent delicious shivers down her back. She did not fear his punishment; she welcomed it. Reed took them into the covers of the forest where leaves cascaded blocking out the view from up top and no one around for miles. Anticipation coursed through her as he laid her down on the soft grass and crushed his body onto hers. Clover’s breath hitched and her heart pounded. She needed him. Her fingers loosened his shirt and tried to pull it off him. When that didn’t work, she pushed him up a little and ripped the material down the side to get to his flesh.

  “Impatient are we?” His breath hitched as her hands found skin.

  “No more than you.”

  Reed moved his lips to her neck, kissing, nibbling, then biting down on the little crook. She gasped with pleasure and clung to him. He moved his way up to her ear and his hot breath fanned over her skin. He kissed the corner of her mouth.

  “Say it again.” His lips hung above hers, waiting. She could feel the words across her mouth.

  “Say what?” she whispered.

  “You love me.”

  Clover smiled and arched herself up into him, desperately seeking the lips he kept from her. “I love you.”

  He claimed her then, his mouth overtaking hers with such a fever, she thought he’d burn her up with him. Her clothes were suddenly too much of a barrier between them and they had to be removed. She struggled as his tongue dipped in and out of her mouth. Hot, enticing, slick, and devilish.

  He backed off and ripped her dress down the front. He tore the bra away and admired the tender nipples seeking attention. She moistened between her legs and anticipated what he would do. He moved her panties over, and as his head came down over one heaving breast, a finger slid slowly inside her. He captured her nipple between his teeth and she moaned beneath him, bucking into his palm, aching for more. His finger maneuvered within her, rocking her back and forth. Her body wiggled, pumping into him faster, aching for more of him. Reed moved to the other nipple and sucked in. A slick finger brushed along her asshole. Barely a whisper of a touch but enough to have her bucking beneath him. She wanted him everywhere and as soon as possible...two years of pent up frustrations and she intended to let all of it loose on him.

  “Reed, please, I need you in me. It’s been years.” Her whole body shook. He pulled back and removed his clothes. He stood in all his elfin glory. Smooth rippling muscles cascading down with a thin trail of hair leading to his protruding cock. She arched, begging him to enter her with her body.

  “My elfess...” He captured her mouth and the tip of his cock brushed against her wet waiting lips. She rocked her hips, focused on helping him inside. He laughed when she didn’t succeed. “Consider yourself punished.” He pulled her up and slapped her ass as he entered her clear to the hilt. He felt enormous and filled her so full her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she gasped. She rocked her hips back and forth with him as he sat with her in his lap.

  He took one pert nipple in his mouth and twisted the other between his fingers thrusting his shaft deep inside her pussy. Her body coiled, tightening, searching for that wave she knew rocked around the corner. It ebbed and rushed up to greet her. Clover held her breath and the first spasm of her orgasm surged over her creating a tidal wave of pleasure. She called out his name as her walls tightened around him and she rolled her hips keeping the sensation moving. She milked him and he groaned. “I’m going to come.”

  “Do it for me, love,” she said

  He halted his pounding, gave her a wicked smile, and turned her over so she rested on her hands and knees, doggy style. “Not just yet, I think.”

  With his hands on her hips, he slowly inched his cock back inside her. He pulled back and slammed into her. Clover arched her hips to meet him. Her body already rocking high on her orgasm, wanton, waiting, begging for more. A thick finger slid into her anus causing a shudder to rake over her body. The sensation so forbidden and overwhelming she instantly came. She felt him swell and he gasped his release into her when she tightened around him, bucking her release with his.

  “You were so tight.” He gasped in her ear as if he’d run a marathon. She cuddled into him and he pulled them down to lie on the earth. “I told you once I’m not
the kind of man who wants just anyone, Clover.”

  “And what do you want of me?”

  “I want you as my mate. I’m a one elfess kind of guy and I expect you to be a one elf woman.”

  She giggled. “I’m pretty sure that won’t be a problem.” She never wanted anyone more than she did Reed. He wrapped strong arms around her and her eyes fluttered closed.

  Safe.

  Steele Your Soul

  Decadent Kane

  Available now on Amazon

  Stolen souls, an evil drow elf, a dark eyed beauty named Pepper, and a king who doesn’t take kindly to the loss of his goods...Captain Joren Steele has his hands full.

  Continue on to read a preview of Steele Your Soul...

  Chapter One

  The cabin door flung open, banging against the wall. A scrawny elfling fell at Captain Joren Steele’s feet. He saw small hands bound by twine, skin caked in dirt, and the pungent odor of fish wafted off the boy. Joren scrunched his nose.

  “I caught him below, Cap’n. Stowaway.” Tide narrowed his gaze at the elfling. Tide was hard, skilled, and a drow. But he always handled himself and what needed to be done on and off Joren’s ship. Almost a mate, but not quite fitting. Drows could be downright menacing when they chose. Tide came from the Drow King, to watch over his... percurements.

  The elfling glared up at Joren with hate in his dark eyes. He couldn’t have been more than thirteen, hadn’t even grown into his elf ears yet. His clothes were mere scraps covering a thin frame. “Where did ya hitch a ride from, boy?”

  He spat in Joren’s face. Joren raised an eyebrow. The boy appeared as a brave little raccoon. He couldn’t be angry. The child was scared but stood his ground. Out of the corner of Joren’s eye, he spotted Tide’s fist clenching.