by Donna Grant
Baylon gave a final jerk of his hips as he buried himself so deep he touched her womb. He whispered her name as the climax took him.
Chapter Eight
For the first time Baylon knew what paradise was because he lying next to her. Jordyn’s arms and legs were wrapped about him as if cocooning him.
It was a place he never wanted to leave.
But even as he rejoiced in the tranquility, he knew it wouldn’t last.
She kissed his head and ran her hands through his hair. Baylon closed his eyes, and for the first time since becoming a Reaper, he wished he hadn’t accepted Death’s offer.
“Where have you been all my life?” Jordyn asked in a voice deepened by pleasure.
His cock jumped at the seductive sound. He was in big trouble if the sound of her voice could stir him so. He rose up and looked down at her. “If I’d known you were out there, I would’ve begun searching for you thousands of years ago.”
Her smile was soft and glorious. “That was the perfect response.”
“It’s the truth.”
Her smile vanished as a frown took its place. “What is it? What’s wrong? Is it that a Fae isn’t supposed to have sex with a human? Because technically, I’ve got some Fae in me.”
How he wanted to pull her against him and shield her from every horrible thing out there. But he couldn’t. She was going to have to face it all.
“It has nothing to do with you being human,” he finally answered. Baylon ran the back of his hand down her side. “It’s about who I am and what I do.”
“And that is?” she prompted when he paused.
Baylon didn’t want to tell her. He wanted to go on pretending that he was a normal Fae and there was nothing out there that could destroy the treasure he’d found.
She took his face between her hands and gazed fixedly at him. “Tell me. I can handle it.”
“You weren’t raised as a Fae, so you wouldn’t have heard of the Reapers.”
She smiled then as her hands fell away. “I know exactly what a Reaper is. They’re said to collect the souls of the dead.”
“In the human world that’s what it means.” He watched her as his words sank in.
“What does Reaper mean in your world?”
“Reapers are Fae who come for a Fae who has crimes they must answer for.”
Jordyn’s frowned deepened. “So your Reapers don’t take dead souls? They kill?”
By the way she said the last part, she thought it abhorrent.
“They do.”
“Well. That’s just weird, but whatever. The Fae have magic, so I guess I understand that things would be different.” She finished off her words with a shrug and a smile. “I bet there are stories regarding the Reapers to scare the Fae.”
He chuckled softly. “There are. I heard them all as a child.”
“What do the Reapers have to do with you though?”
Baylon inhaled a deep breath. “We’re not hindered from telling humans what we do, but we’re forbidden from telling other Fae.”
“And I’m a bit of each,” Jordyn said with a firm nod. “So you’re not sure what to tell me. What will happen if they consider me a Fae and you tell me?”
“I’ll be killed. As will you.”
Her eyes grew big as she gaped at him. “You’re serious.”
“I am. It’s not to be taken lightly, Jordyn.” Baylon rolled off her and fell onto his back to stare at the ceiling.
Jordyn moved to her side and propped herself up on her elbow. “Then don’t tell me what you do. I don’t have to know.”
“There are rules I have to follow,” he said in a tone roughened by regret.
Her chest constricted. “What rules?”
“There aren’t a lot.” His Irish brogue had deepened. “We have very little dealings with humans, which is why it doesn’t matter if they know who we are. The Fae, on the other hand, must never discover our names or faces.”
The more he talked, the more her mind began to wonder if he was a Reaper. “Why?”
“Fae are magical and live an extremely long time. In human terms, we’re immortal, since no human weapon can kill us. So the Fae have to have something to fear.”
Jordyn felt her chest tighten even more. “And the other rules?”
“No relationships. Of any kind.”
The fact he wouldn’t look at her was like a kick in the stomach. Jordyn tried to swallow past the lump of emotion in her throat. “So this has to be just a one-time thing?”
“Yes,” he replied in a strangled voice.
“I see.”
His head turned to her as his eyes blazed with some unnamed emotion. “That’s just it, you don’t. I knew I should’ve never returned to you. I told myself it was to let you know that for now you’re not being hunted. Then I saw you standing there in that silk robe.” He rose up on his elbow to face her. “When it comes to you, I have no control.”
Jordyn smiled, relief easing away the pain in her chest.
“But none of that matters,” he finished.
Her smile died instantly. “I can feel what’s between us is special.”
“I took vows.” His gaze lowered to the bed. “I’ve forsaken ever having a lover or wife or family. There can be nothing that would take me from my duties.”
There was something about the way he said duties that confirmed he was a Reaper. She should be appalled that he went out and killed Fae as he had the Dark outside her building, but those kinds of Fae were evil.
So many questions rattled around in her head, but she knew she could never ask him. No one could know that she had figured out he was a Reaper. Jordyn would never want to put his life in danger because of her curiosity.
She wasn’t sure what brought Baylon into her life that day, but she didn’t regret it. Now she understood why she hadn’t felt anything deep for any of the men she tried to date. She’d been waiting for Baylon.
It seemed wrong to have a small taste of him, only to be told it was the only time she had with him. It made her sad and angry at the same time.
But she wouldn’t fight or argue. Not when she didn’t know how much longer she had with him.
Jordyn buried the scream of frustration and put on a smile when he looked at her. “How much time do we have?”
“Not nearly long enough.”
She leaned forward and kissed him. His arms came around her as he fell back and brought her with him. He was already hard, and she ached to feel him inside her once more.
“We shouldn’t,” he murmured between kisses.
“I know.” But she couldn’t stop touching him.
She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders. Before she knew it, she was face down on the bed with him behind her.
He lifted her hips and slid into her. Jordyn closed her eyes in ecstasy as she rose up on her hands. He leaned over her, his hands on her breasts, kneading them as he placed kisses along her back.
The feel of him moving in and out of her was glorious. She moved back against him, bringing him deeper. He groaned and pinched her nipple.
Jordyn turned her head to the side and suddenly his lips were on hers, kissing her in time with his thrusts. It was erotic and sensual and unbelievable.
She wished she had the power to stop time so they could have as long as they wanted. But in truth, one night would never be enough for her. Each time she thought of Baylon leaving, it felt as if someone were squeezing her heart. So she stopped thinking about it and concentrated on what he was doing to her body.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he rasped.
She rotated her hips, smiling when he groaned again. “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop touching me.”
“I fear I’ll never be able to.”
Those words gave her hope, but for what she wasn’t sure. She became lost in the pleasure, the bliss that was Baylon’s hands and mouth on her body.
His swirled a finger around her clit, making her shudder in response.
“
Yes,” he whispered. “I want to hear you cry out in pleasure again.”
“All you have to do is touch me.”
His chest rumbled in a growl. Then he began to plunge deeper, harder while teasing her swollen clit.
She was so close to peaking. As if he knew, he paused for a few seconds before he repeated the process all over again.
It wasn’t long until she was panting, her body on fire for release. She felt his lips on her neck. “Please,” she begged.
“Not yet,” he whispered.
She whimpered as he pounded her body and aroused her even more. It wasn’t until her body was shaking, her sex swollen and primed for orgasm when he said, “Now. Come for me now.”
As if on cue, her body exploded.
Jordyn screamed her release, the pleasure so forceful that she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience.
Then she felt Baylon fill her one more time before he climaxed. The feel of him releasing his seed within her caused her peak on top of the orgasm she was already experiencing.
Long moments later, her body finally stopped pulsing. Baylon’s arms wrapped around her and brought her against him as he lay on his side.
He kissed her check, holding her tight.
* * *
Cael couldn’t remember the last time he was so furious. He returned to Edinburgh and the castle to find the others waiting for him. All except Baylon.
Fintan shrugged when Cael looked his way. “We’ve not seen Baylon since the pub earlier.”
“I’ve tried calling to him,” Talin said. “He’s not responding. Eoghan went looking for him.”
Cael turned to Eoghan, but the Light Fae stared over the city. “Should I assume by your silence that Baylon isn’t in danger?”
Eoghan gave a single nod.
Cael was going to have to prod deeper when the others weren’t around. With Eoghan, he never knew if the Fae was being his usual silent self, or if it was because he didn’t want to share what he knew.
“What did you discover?” Kyran asked.
“A lot.” Cael let out a sigh. “Death didn’t issue the order.”
For the first time in the thousands of years that he had known the Reapers, none of them had anything to say. They stared at him with various degrees of alarm and shock.
“I suspect that was my reaction when I spoke with Death. The fact that someone not only knows who I am, but how Death contacts me is … troubling.”
“Troubling?” Fintan repeated with a snort. “I’d say it’s a sight more than that.”
Cael looked around at the men. “We’re going to find who did this. What’s unclear is if they’re targeting us or Death. Regardless, we’re going to find them and end it before they can do anything else.”
“Now this order I can eagerly jump onto,” Kyran stated.
Fintan smirked. “Whoever this fucker is has no idea what’s coming for him.”
“He —or they—will find out soon enough,” Talin said.
Cael was glad his men were on board. Though he would feel better if Baylon were there. They could also use Daire, but he needed to stay with Rhi. “Before any of you get too excited, we have no clue as to who the culprit might be.”
“No Fae is supposed to know who we are,” Kyran said.
Cael faced Talin. What the others didn’t know was that Talin had been working undercover in the court of the Light, trying to get close to Queen Usaeil.
Talin thought he had kept his affair with another Fae private, but Cael had seen Talin with the female. Talin hadn’t touched her, but it was the way Talin looked at her that gave him away.
“Why are you looking at Talin?” Fintan demanded.
Talin drew in a deep breath. “Those times I’ve left the group? Well, it was to go undercover at Usaeil’s court.”
“Now that’s an assignment I’d have liked,” Kyran said with a cocky grin.
Talin looked to Cael. “No one knows. I swear.”
That’s all Cael needed to hear. He trusted his men implicitly. “We all know how treacherous court can be. Is there anyone there that gave you concern?”
“Several,” Talin said. “Usaeil spends a lot of time away from the castle as she pretends to be an American. She quite likes being a movie star. It’s a rare thing if she’s at court.”
“And when she is?” Fintan pressed.
“She spends a lot of time in her rooms. There’s rumor she’s taken a lover. I can confirm that fact.”
Eoghan looked at Cael and raised a brow in question.
Cael was equally curious. “Who is the lover?”
“That is the question,” Talin said with a twist of his lips. “Some have suggested it’s a Dragon King.”
Cael didn’t like that news at all. “Does Rhi know?”
“Daire would know that better than I,” Talin answered.
Kyran crossed his arms over his chest. “How can we go after someone if we don’t know who it is? We don’t even have any suspects.”
“Could it be a human?” Fintan asked.
Eoghan grunted and gave a shake of his head.
“I agree with Eoghan,” Cael said. “The mortals think of Reapers in an entirely other light. They have no reason to fear us. Besides, it would take someone with magic to send the message from Death.”
“It’s not like we can ask past Reapers,” Kyran said.
Eoghan turned to Cael, his face lined with dread.
“They’re dead. Death saw to that when they tried to side with the Dark during the Fae Wars,” Cael said to him. To the others he explained, “Eoghan and I are the only ones left of that group. Besides. The only way we stop being Reapers is when we die.”
But Eoghan didn’t look convinced. Which made Cael begin to think back to the time of the last group of Reapers.
Chapter Nine
Jordyn woke to Baylon lying between her legs, his mouth on her sex. She moaned and grabbed his head. His tongue was doing amazing, erotic things to her.
She opened her eyes to see it was still dark outside. Jordyn had fought to stay awake, fearing that she would fall asleep and wake to find Baylon gone.
But he was still with her. Why couldn’t she have some magic that gave her the ability to prolong time to keep them secluded?
She sighed as her mind went empty as pleasure swarmed her. It wasn’t fair that he had such power over her body as he did. The orgasm was growing closer. She tried to keep it at bay, but Baylon wouldn’t let her. She screamed his name as she climaxed.
Her sex still throbbed with her orgasm when he thrust inside her. She reached for him, loving the feel of his weight atop her.
* * *
Cael sent Talin, Fintan, and Kyran away to see what they could find about anyone having a grudge against the Reapers.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asked Eoghan when they were alone.
“Leave it.”
Cael shook his head. “You know I can’t. Why isn’t Baylon here.”
“He will.”
“But he wasn’t here where I told him to be.” Cael sighed. “Baylon doesn’t disregard orders. If he’s not in danger, then my only other conclusion is that it’s a female.”
When Eoghan didn’t answer, Cael clenched his teeth together. He understood why Erith made them all vow never to have any sort of relationships, even friendships. The only ones they could depend on were other Reapers.
Those were the rules that protected them. If others knew who the Reapers where, they could try and take advantage or turn them. Their jobs were difficult enough without that added burden.
“Give him the night,” Eoghan said.
Cael looked at his old friend. It was uncommon for Eoghan to speak, and even rarer when he asked for something.
“Do I need to be worried?”
Eoghan’s gaze lowered to the ground before he swung around and looked back over the city.
That was all the answer Cael was going to get, but it was all he needed. Whatever Eoghan saw must’v
e been serious.
It was the last thing the Reapers needed right now. It wasn’t the first time Cael had seen a Reaper try to forsake his vow.
Bran, one of the first Reapers, had fallen in love. Cael and the others discovered the relationship and demanded Bran end it. Instead, Bran turned against them. The result had been catastrophic – for everyone.
Cael prayed Baylon was smart enough to walk away from the female before it was too late. Cael didn’t want to lose another Reaper.
Without a word, Cael veiled himself and thought of Baylon. He was immediately taken to a flat in Edinburgh. Cael looked at all the books in wonder as he turned around.
Then he saw the bedroom. Upon the bed was Baylon making love to a half-Fae female, her cries of ecstasy filling the flat.
Cael immediately teleported to Daire. He was surprised to find himself at Dreagan, though it took everything he had to remain veiled.
The room they were in was large, and upon the bed lay the Light Fae, Rhi. She was unharmed, though he saw the burn in her shirt that indicated Dark magic was used on her.
Daire unveiled and let out a sigh. “The Dragon Kings’ magic is powerful. It’s damn hard to remain here veiled.”
Cael unveiled himself and nodded. “The Kings wouldn’t be happy to know we’ve been here. They know of us, but they’ve not had reason to interact. Perhaps we should keep it that way. I don’t want them as enemies.”
“Absolutely,” Daire said. He then looked at Rhi. “There was a battle involving Ulrik. I didn’t see him send the magic at her, but it could only have been him. Also, most of the Kings have come to see Rhi. Rhys is here often. And when he comes, he stays for awhile.”
“Curious.”
“Con healed her below. I’m not sure why she still sleeps.”
Cael shrugged absently. “Only time will tell.”
“There’s something else.” Daire glanced at the bed and the sleeping Fae. “Rhi had another visitor today.”
Cael raised a brow. “Who?”
“A Warrior named Phelan.”
“So the Warriors are still around. And ones who control their god instead of the god controlling them. Impressive.”
“There are several Warriors at MacLeod Castle,” Daire said.
