Sighing heavily, Endiscott turned back to the dragon, and dipped his head in an appreciative nod.
The dragon shook his head, sadness on his face. “Your path won’t be easy. I swear I aided Jayde in an attempt to free us all. However, I believe I may have made things much worse. Saressa is in the Moonlight Citadel being treated for the chimera poisoning. You should go across the veil. You would be out of her reach.”
“Would I though?”
Alenathos nodded. “Aye, you would. Her sights are set on ruling all of Faerie. Not Earth. How do you not know this?”
“She keeps me in the dark.”
“I do not envy you. For the record, had she not tricked me also, I would never have allowed her to bind me. I witnessed what she did to you.”
“Good luck, Alenathos.” Endiscott turned and walked into the ember woods, carrying Jayde, hoping to find some shelter far enough from the shore. The recent volcanic eruption further complicated his search as the forest still burned.
Endiscott had barely made it to the trees when a carriage pulled up, Reance and Toryn on the driving bench.
“Good to see you, Endiscott,” Reance greeted.
Toryn hopped down, opening the door to allow Endiscott easier access. “What happened?”
“She tried to kill Saressa. Nearly succeeded, but something happened.” He shook his head.
Reance said, “Climb in. I’m taking you to Wildlands. It’s safest there. She won’t be able to find you because it’s hidden by spells.”
Toryn climbed in with them. As the door shut, Reance snapped the reins and the horses tore off.
“You’re going to heal her?” Toryn asked with bite.
Endiscott’s brow furrowed as he stared at his old friend. He nodded. “Of course, once we’re somewhere safe. Managed to stop the bleeding but…” He squeezed his eyes shut. Somehow, Saressa being gone didn’t hurt. Peace with her absence gave him hope he hadn’t felt in so long.
“Why is it Alenathos brought you to the Fire Realm but didn’t cross over?”
Endiscott snorted. “He’s bound to Saressa. She probably forbid him from crossing the boundary. His mate resides on this side.”
“That would explain Fuerah’s foul mood.” Toryn shook his head. “She isn’t dead, is she?”
“Saressa?” Endiscott asked, his voice dull.
Toryn nodded.
“Unfortunately no, or at least Alenathos doesn’t believe so. I can’t explain what happened. She was impaled by rock, a chimera blade wedged between her ribs, I’m sure piercing her heart. And yet, the bond is still intact. She must be alive.”
“She’s at the Moonlight Citadel,” Reance answered from the front of the carriage. “They’ll heal her because they never take sides. It doesn’t matter what crimes she has committed, or will commit. She will heal, and go back to her castle.”
“I was afraid of that,” Endiscott replied.
Toryn glared back. “Will you go to Earth, or maybe another realm?”
“Can’t yet say for sure. As much as I want to swear forever to Jayde, with the bond to Saressa intact, I’m not sure I can devote myself to her, no matter where I am.”
“You still can’t give Jayde a real chance?” Toryn scoffed. “Even before that bitch ruined your intended bond, you held her away from you.”
“To prove I was worthy.” His voice cracked. “Clearly I wasn’t. I never was.”
“You can say that again. You haven’t been around her day in and day out for a century. Jayde still pines for you. She has never moved on, and never will. Her unrequited love is tearing her apart.” The bitterness in Toryn’s voice snapped Endiscott’s head up.
“I do love her! I always have.” Tears burned his eyes.
“Yet you stay with the bitch who nearly destroyed her,” Toryn threw back. “She could be happy, but she’s trapped by her heart.”
“You and her?” he accused.
Toryn shook his head slowly, a sneer on his lips. “No, oh no. She would never betray you. Don’t blame me because you are incapable of keeping your dick in your pants.”
His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. “You feel something for her.”
Silver flames danced through Toryn’s blue eyes. “A century of trying to help her let go of the pain, and I wasn’t supposed to develop some kind of emotion for her?”
Endiscott looked away. He had no good answer. More importantly, he had no right to be jealous. Toryn hadn’t touched her, and even if he had, he wouldn’t begrudge either his or Jayde’s happiness if that were the result.
“Don’t worry. She doesn’t feel the same, and I can’t claim to have ever felt anything as deeply as you once did.”
“Still feel,” he burst out, glaring daggers at Toryn. “Yes, I made mistakes. I can’t change what happened that night at the lake, but I swear I was coerced, not that it makes a damned bit of difference.”
Toryn sighed heavily, staring off in the distance. “Look, she’s yours, no matter who you belong to. She came for you. That says it all. Doesn’t matter that I developed true emotions for her. I’m not the one she loves.”
“This is a mess. Why did I have to go along with that damned bet?”
“Because you’re a noble bastard even when you shouldn’t be.” Toryn gave him a sad smile.
“Not noble enough. I managed to screw up by not bedding the one woman I needed more than sex. How in the abyss does that happen?”
“By being honorable, and doing what you said you would.”
Endiscott looked down at Jayde, still unconscious in his arms. “I would have given Jayde anything and everything she ever wanted if it hadn’t been for that one mistake. I don’t even know how it happened. Everything was twisted around.”
“I’m sorry. The blame is Saressa’s, not yours.”
“Mine too. If I’d been stronger, if I’d been smarter, or maybe didn’t resist Jayde for so long, none of this would have happened.”
Reance glanced back. “Saressa would have found a way to tear you two apart. Somewhere in her cold, black heart she loves you. I don’t believe she meant to, but you’ve warmed her.”
He huffed a laugh. “No. That woman can’t resist my body, but she doesn’t love me. Once, I thought she did, but she has since proven me wrong.”
“She does.” Reance turned back. “She hates that she does. It’s why she enjoys punishing you.”
His heart wrenched as his gaze dropped to Jayde. “Please, let’s talk about anything else. Why did Jayde come for me?”
Toryn sighed. “Saressa sent a battalion of hellhounds after me the last time I came to you. I killed them, but they nearly took me down. Jayde healed me. She decided she couldn’t let you stay there. Something had to be done.”
“She healed you? What magic did she take?”
“Nothing.”
Endiscott looked into his eyes and saw what he expected. Deep and abiding affection for Jayde. “You should have convinced her to stay with you.”
Unshed tears made Toryn’s eyes shine. “Her heart belongs to you.”
“You would be better for her.” He winced as he said the words.
“I could love her, but I’ll never bond to her. It wouldn’t be fair, to either of us.”
“Still better than me,” he whispered.
“Leave this realm, and you’ll be what she needs.”
Question was, could he?
Chapter 12
A chill travelled down her spine with the trickle of cool water on her too-warm skin. Sandalwood, and almond oil mixed with musk, filled her senses. A smile pulled at her lips as she turned into Endiscott’s big, hard body.
A dream, a welcome dream.
The chilled cloth pressed against her tender back, and a lance of pain swept through her. She remembered the ice embedding in her back, then the dragon flying them over the Water Realm.
“Not a dream,” she whimpered, her eyes flying open.
“Shh, you’re safe with me,” Endiscott murmured.
“I needed you awake before I finish healing your body.”
Her mouth fell open. “You would heal me?” She caught parts of Endiscott’s discussion with Toryn. The truth hurt, but she needed to know his touch before she could let him go—if she could let him go.
His hand caressed up her side, over her shoulder, and caught her chin, locking their gazes together. Passion, desire, love, all burned in his warm brown eyes. “If you’ll let me,” he whispered.
Foolish, definitely, but she couldn’t resist. All these years after he chose another woman, against his will or not, and she couldn’t pull away to save her heart.
Jayde nodded slightly and his lips brushed over hers. His heat flooded her as he released her face to trail his fingers down the contours to her aching peak. He pinched the tight bud and she moaned, pressing tighter to his naked flesh.
Her clothes were already gone, same as his. She didn’t care, she needed more. Reaching for him, she curled her hand around his hip, drawing his straining length against her stomach. The movement reminded her how deep the ice had penetrated her body.
“Let me do this for you. Simply relax and enjoy. When you’re whole, you can repay me anyway you wish.” He gave her a grin before bending to close his lips over her taut nipple.
“How long do I have you?” she whimpered. Not that the answer would deter her.
He shook his head, meeting her gaze. “I don’t know, Jayde. I want to say forever, but as long as Saressa is alive, I can’t promise that.”
Blinking back tears, she nodded. “At least a day and night?”
“Yes.”
The ache grew, and she wrapped one leg around his waist placing his hard length against her core. “Only one man I’ve ever needed like this. Please, give me everything you have for as long as you can.” Then she’d seal away her heart and leave Faerie forever.
“I wish—” he started, but she dragged his face to hers and took his mouth in a feverish kiss.
He groaned, pulling her tight.
She froze, the pain ripping through her entire body.
“Easy, Jayde. I’m supposed to make it better, not hurt you worse.”
Dizzy, she nodded. Her vision grayed at the edges. Agony burned. Then pleasure, sharp and insistent, coursed through her as the pad of his finger rubbed hard circles around her swollen pearl.
“Scotty,” she gasped, her hips rocking into him. “You—I need. Oh please.”
He pressed inside with one finger, and she cried out as the pain from her wounds drowned in the pleasure of his touch. Pulling his finger from her, he pressed in two, rubbing her walls, stretching her body.
Her hands tightened on his shoulders as his tongue danced with hers. Stars flashed before her eyes as climax hit and she screamed her release. Wave after wave of pleasure swept through her, mending her body, making all but her heart whole.
He swallowed her cries, drawing out the orgasm until she could hardly breathe, let alone move. When he finally drew his hand from her slick heat, he licked his fingers before sucking them clean.
“Better than I ever dreamed,” he murmured before nibbling his way down her body.
Her legs squeezed tight as she realized his destination. “That’s… you… what are you doing?”
She’d been with a few men over the years, in desperate attempts to feel something more than overwhelming loss. It was never enough. And none of them had ever thought to taste her desire, let alone bring her to the point of madness with his hands before sinking inside.
A tear leaked down her cheek.
* * * *
Endiscott paused and looked up at Jayde. A wet trail traced her cheek. “Tell me you haven’t waited for me. Please, tell me you haven’t wasted all these years.”
“My heart has always been yours. I tried to let other men in, but they can’t fill the hole you left in my heart.”
“Toryn could make you happy.” A shard of ice went through his heart, but he spoke the truth.
“He couldn’t. He’s not you. I tried to feel something more than friendship, but there’s nothing.”
His own tears fell. “You should be happy.”
She laughed bitterly, her gaze never wavering. “Are you happy with her?”
“No. She isn’t you.”
“Then no more talk of others if it’s me you want.”
Nodding, he dropped his head to the apex of her thighs and took a slow lick of her heat. Her eyes grew round as her mouth fell open on a gasp.
A frown marred his face. “No one ever tasted your sweet nectar?”
“No one,” she squeaked.
“I’ll change that. You’ll know how a man should touch you by the time I’m done.”
Surrendering, her eyes slammed shut as she fell back. He would drown out the pain he’d caused with pleasure. Trailing his tongue through her wet heat he groaned. Sweet, savory, a craving he’d never sate.
Her fingers tangled in the blankets as her back arched, her breasts heaving with her erratic breath. “Scotty, Scotty, Scotty!” she pleaded. He gripped her quivering thighs, her body shaking, rocking with the intense pleasure rolling through her as he sucked her pearl. She came apart when he dipped his tongue into her heat, his cock aching to push inside the tight walls. Her desire coated his tongue, and he lapped up every drop.
Once she was boneless, he crawled up her body and propped himself over her, waiting for her hazel eyes to open.
Jayde was the woman he was meant for. Every fiber of his being indicated his love for her was pure. Blinking, she wore a lazy smile. “It can’t get any better than that.”
“Come on, Jayde. I haven’t been inside you yet.”
“We should correct that oversight.” Her eyes travelled down his body and his cock became impossibly harder. A hint of fear passed over her face for a brief second before a desire-filled smile swept across her lips. “What are you waiting for?”
“You to tell me no.” He shook his head and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Never thought I’d have you like this. Want it to last forever.”
“Me too,” she breathed.
He shifted between her legs and positioned himself at her gate.
“Please, now,” she moaned.
Pressing in, her walls enveloped him and their souls touched. Perfect, resplendent, made for him. All too soon he would lose her. Again.
Her fingers trailed up his body before winding into his hair, pulling his mouth down for a kiss that spoke of all the same emotions he’d buried over the many years. Never would this be enough.
He sank to her end, relishing the sensation of her body accepting his, a part of her. His heart thundered in time with hers, their breath in sync. Her magic flared around him, searching for a way into his heart. Saressa’s bond held fast and he froze, wanting to cry out at the unfairness of having his destiny ripped from him.
She looked into his eyes, a fresh tear sliding down her cheek. “Make love to me,” she whispered.
If it were in his power to give, he would, and her request was certainly in the realm of things he could offer. He kissed her as their bodies melded.
* * * *
His bond to Saressa was real. Still, Jayde’s bond materialized and sealed, leaving her bound to Endiscott while he was bound to another.
Wanting to brand herself with the memories, Jayde tightened her legs around Endiscott’s hips, pulling him deep into her. Her breath caught as he filled her body, her soul. His emotions rolled through her. Love, stronger than she believed possible, threatened to drown her.
She rolled him over, rising above him. His hands caressed up her thighs as his gaze locked on hers. “My destiny,” he cried, as his hips bucked and his grip locked on her waist, holding her there as he poured into her, bringing her release.
He rolled her to his side and gathered her in his arms. “I feel alive when I’m with you. Something I haven’t felt in so long I forgot what it was like.”
“Come to Earth with me,” Jayde blurted out desperately. Her eyes squee
zed shut, knowing he wouldn’t, probably couldn’t. “Sorry, that’s hardly fair.”
“I will never let Saressa touch you. If I go with you, she’ll follow. If you go, my heart shatters, but at least you’ll be safe. The things she would do to you—I could never live with myself if Saressa had you in her clutches. She’d give you to Aeremaius. I watched what he did to your mother.” He winced as the words he’d meant to keep secret tumbled from his lips.
Her eyes squeezed shut as she rolled away. He pulled her back to his chest and held her tight.
“Please, don’t speak of details. I know it was bad. I can’t—don’t want to know.”
“Sorry. I’m so sorry. Everything was ripped from you and it’s my fault.”
“No. Saressa’s. Aeremaius’. Not yours. You did nothing wrong.”
“I failed you.”
“Don’t do that. She gave you no choice. No more talk of anything outside these four walls. Give me all of you until you go.”
“You have all of me for as long as I can give it.” He pulled her leg over his and rubbed his crown through her slick folds. “I need you, Jayde.”
“You have me.”
He slid into her, wiping out all thoughts of anything but the two of them.
Chapter 13
Three days later, Endiscott woke curled around Jayde. His heart broke with the knowledge he was out of time. Every moment they spent together, he fell harder, as he tried desperately to remember every smile, every laugh, every cry of his name when he brought her over the edge.
His heart was so full of love for Jayde, he realized whatever emotion he held for Saressa was twisted and wrong, not to mention pathetic next to the bright light Jayde filled him with.
Sending her away would shatter his soul, leaving a shell. One small consolation, Saressa couldn’t hurt him any worse. Jayde would have a chance at happiness. His joy ended when he walked back into the Water Realm.
Toryn would arrive for Jayde any moment. He needed to know she was safely away before he crossed the border, surrendering himself to his bond mate. Perhaps she’d go too far and finally kill him.
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