Stolen By The Fae King (Mated To The Fae King Book 1)

by Bailey Dark

  I summon my courage and bravado. “What’s this about spies?”

  The creature whirls on me, his teeth bared, golden eyes bright and alert. He pauses when he recognizes me. “What did you hear?” He asks, pacing towards me.

  Panic flares within me as he approaches, slinking like a predator. I take a step backwards but bump into the wall and stumble. Regaining my footing, I glower at him. “Don’t come at me looking like you’re going to eat me.” My heart is raging in my chest, that’s the second time today I’ve felt like I’ve endured a near-death experience.

  He pauses at my words, tail flicking out sharply. “Don’t eavesdrop on my conversations.”

  So, he can at least listen. When he wants. “It wasn’t intentional,” I lie. “So, why are there spies in the palace?”

  I expect something along the lines of political intrigue. Perhaps Altair has a half-brother vying for the throne. Or maybe Fae journalists have snuck into the castle to catch the latest news on his kidnapping tendencies.

  To my surprise, the creature drops my gaze. “It’s none of your concern.”

  “Well, as far as I know, I am the only ‘mortal’ here.” I bend my fingers in air quotes, he wrinkles his velvet nose in confusion. “So, it’s about me, isn’t it?”

  He ignores me, yawning lazily. Carelessly. “What are you doing out of your room?”

  I scowl. He’s treating me like a prisoner. A prisoner he doesn’t feel particularly concerned about, but a prisoner, nonetheless. “What, are you going to drag me back there so I can wait for Altair to harass me again?” I toss my hair over my shoulder and cross my arms over my chest defensively. “Navi said I could get some fresh air.”

  The creature lies on the grass, stretching out his paws. I glance at the claws; they are covered in blood. It wasn’t a trick of the light. I feel my stomach turn at the sight. “He’s infuriating. He won’t even tell me why I’m here.” I try to hide the fearful warble in my voice with whining.

  He lolls his head to the side lazily, as if he couldn’t care less what Altair does or doesn’t tell me. I eye him, considering the situation. From what I’ve seen so far, this creature has as much power as Altair. After all, Navi listens to them both. But it was the creature who first spoke to me, even before Altair came to me.

  He seems kinder, more open to my thoughts. And while it’s strange that I can find a cat-bird monster such as this personable, he’s much more approachable than Altair. Maybe that’s just because Altair’s looks are distracting. And make me think wicked things.

  I shake my head imperceptibly, trying to collect my thoughts. I need to stay focused on the situation at hand. With someone—or thing—like this creature at my side, I could have more protection from Altair. And maybe he would even help me escape. If I play my cards right.

  The creature grins at me, which is disconcerting since it has the face of a black jaguar. I resist the urge to shudder. Instead, I sink to the ground a few feet away from him and lean back against the wall. “What should I call you?” I ask.

  He considers my question for a moment. “Acubens,” he finally says just as I’m about to press him further.

  “And you are male, right?” I gesture towards him. He sounds male to me, but what do I know about fairytale creature anatomy.

  He chuckles the sound vibrating through the earth. “I am, would you like to see?”

  I grimace. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  Acubens flares his wings and beats them gently before laying them out to rest in the sun. He rests his head on his paws. “Any other questions?”

  “Besides the overarching one of what I’m doing here?” I sigh. “So many.”

  “Since I’m nice,” he yawns. “I’ll answer three of your questions as well as I can.”

  “Very generous.” I smile sarcastically. “How long do I have to stay here?”

  “It really depends on you,” he says slyly.

  I wait for more, but he starts licking at his paws. “That’s it?” I gape. “It depends on me? Well, if that’s the case then I think I’ll head home right now.”

  “Not quite what I mean.” He sighs.

  “Then what do you mean?” I push, feeling irritation sparking in my chest.

  “Is that your second question?” He retorts.

  Damn. “No.” I don’t want to waste my questions.

  Acubens waves a paw, as if encouraging me to go on. Maybe he’s as much of a bastard as Altair is. “Anytime. I have eternity, but human lives aren’t quite as long,” he drawls.

  I scowl at him. “Why did Altair tell you to abduct me?” Perhaps if Altair won’t tell me, Acubens will.

  “Mmm,” he muses. “How should I explain it? Should I say he took a fancy to you? That your beauty and intelligence caught his eye? Women like those pretty lies. Or should I say that he had no real reason at all? He did it simply because he wanted to. But that’s not quite right either. You’ll find that no one here will answer your question, at least not as well as I have. How does it make you feel that everyone but you knows the answer to your most earnest question?”

  I stare stoically at the blades of grass near my feet. I refuse to cry in front of Acubens, and certainly not because of his spiteful answer. Answer three questions? Please. I can feel his hazel eyes on me, studying my reaction.

  “At least I can rule out two theories,” I say, forcing myself to speak.

  Acubens eyes me appraisingly. “Very good. Now, last one. And might I suggest something more light-hearted? You’re far too serious.”

  “Will you meet with me again?” I ask. Even if he’s guarded around me now, hopefully over time I can earn his trust. And then manipulate him into helping me escape. Or maybe I’ve read too many romance novels.

  “I don’t think so,” he says blandly, as if he couldn’t be bothered to care.

  I scoff. “Why not?”

  “Oh, no more questions.” He turns his head away but stares at me from the corners of his eyes. “Too bad.”

  I rise, dusting grass and dirt off of my trousers. “Too bad.”

  As I stride away from him back towards the palace, I hear him purr, “Enjoy your evening, Verity.”

  I glance over my shoulder at him in time to see him roll onto his side and close his eyes. He looks just like a cat basking in the sun. I resist the urge to smile. He’s no cat. He’s an overgrown feral alley cat with chicken wings. The sun hovers just above the horizon now, and I can feel my belly aching with hunger.

  Navi jogs down the steps towards me, her eyes glancing between me and the copse of trees where Acubens is hidden. She stops in front of me, green eyes raking over me. “You’ll need something more appropriate for dinner.”

  Chapter 7

  Altair

  Silence fills the dimly lit dining hall. Typically, I don’t mind silence, but somehow with Verity it stretches out between us like a taut cord ready to snap. And when it does, it will be both of us in pain. I purse my lips, slipping another bit of quail into my mouth.

  Across the table, partially hidden by the vase of leaves and over-sized flowers, Verity picks at her food. “Are you enjoying the quail?” I ask, trying to sound gentle and sincere.

  She lifts and drops a shoulder in a casual gesture that immediately sends a wave of frustration coursing through me. Verity doesn’t even look up to meet my eyes. I growl, dropping my fork with a clatter. This is nothing new. It’s been a week since I brought Verity into my realm, a week since we put all of our hopes in her. And she hasn’t bothered to speak to me since the first night I met her in my human form.

  Of course, she speaks to Acubens. I scowl. Acubens is the name I gave myself as the beast Maaz cursed me to be. My first inclination to tease her and use her clever plan to manipulate me against Acubens has clearly failed. If anything, I’m jealous that she feels more comfortable speaking to Acubens than to me directly. Somehow it feels like a betrayal.

  I grind my teeth, watching her sip her wine. Her neglect of me doesn’t appea
r forced whatsoever. “This can’t go on forever, Verity,” I murmur. “When will you tire of this?”

  She finally lifts her blue eyes to meet mine. “I don’t have anything to say to you unless you plan to explain your motives here.”

  I run my tongue over my bottom lip frustrated and catch her eyes tracking the movement. “I don’t.”

  Maaz has prevented me from speaking of the curse to the woman who would be the key to breaking it. If I allude to it, or if anyone in my kingdom does, the curse will become permanent. And we lose all hope. So, as much as it frustrates me to keep Verity in the dark, and as much as it angers me that she hates me for something I can’t control, I have to protect my people.

  “Then I have nothing else to say to you,” she quips.

  “Then I suppose you’ll just have to listen,” I growl. “I know how close you’ve grown to Acubens this week.”

  She purses her lips. “And what of it?”

  “Has he been more forthcoming in my motives? Or do you cling to him just to spite me?” I ask, pushing my plate aside.

  “Why don’t you ask him yourself? He’s your pet, isn’t he?” She glowers.

  “Oddly enough, Acubens has been rather distant since you arrived,” I lie. I watch her closely, and I don’t miss the satisfied smirk that flashes across her face.

  “How strange.” She sips her wine nonchalantly.

  I grin ferally at her. “It seems he’s more your pet now.”

  “Jealous?” She asks, propping her chin in her hand.

  My heart pounds faster at her question, at the sly way she eyes me. I’ve never met a woman quite like Verity. Despite the way she’s been thrown into this foreign, magical world, she holds her head high. When I speak to her as Acubens, she doesn’t seem even slightly afraid. She may not be a stoic warrior like Navi, but she has a strength within her.

  “What if I am?” I ask, a little breathlessly. I want to hear her answer. It’s been so easy to learn more about her as Acubens, I feel an indescribable pull towards her.

  I know she cries when she watches some human entertainment called The Notebook. I know now why she refused to eat the main course two nights ago; she hates mushrooms. I know that she misses her parents, and she thinks about them every day. All day. And I know she wants to return to them. And that hurts me.

  Her lips part softly at my question. “What…?”

  I rise, hands pressed against the table as I lean towards her. “What if I am jealous?”

  She inhales sharply and my eyes drop to her chest. “Stop it.”

  “Stop what?” I ask, eyes glittering.

  “Stop joking around with me,” she snaps. “I’m not in the mood.”

  My eyes flash furiously at her words. She jokes enough when I’m Acubens. I shove the vase aside, opening up the line of sight between us so I can see her more clearly. “What makes Acubens so different? Better than me?”

  “He doesn’t intimidate me, for one,” Verity says fiercely. “He’s nicer than you.”

  I scoff. I know I haven’t intended to be kinder to her as Acubens. If anything, I’ve tried to be more aloof with her, knowing that she plans to manipulate Acubens for information. To pit us against each other to her advantage.

  She jabs a finger at me. “See, what is that? I feel like every time I see you, you’re always mocking me. These dinners are hell.”

  “Would you rather eat in your room?” I ask coldly, the icy feeling of rejection wrapping itself around my chest.

  “I would,” she retorts, eyes flashing.

  A wave of anger floods through me, sending tips of my fingers tingling. “Am I really so vile?” I whisper.

  I slam my chair backwards, sending it clattering to the dark marble floor. Verity flinches at the sound. I stalk around the table towards her, the flames of the fireplace illuminating my scowl. I know Verity isn’t pleased to be with me. I know she suffers. But so do I.

  I’m in front of her before she’s had a chance to rise from her chair. She twists to face me, glowering at me as I pause in front of her. I study her. She’s even more beautiful now, dressed in a wine-red silk gown that perfectly accentuates her petite frame. I swallow thickly, lost for a moment in her blue eyes.

  But her scowling lips are enough to draw my mind back to the situation at hand. There’s no time for her stubbornness. No time for her to foster her resentment of me. I stoop over her, propping my hands on the arm rests of her chair. I lower my face to hers, hovering only inches from her lips. Her eyes lose the furious edge as they rove over my face.

  “What are you doing?” She asks softly.

  She’s beautiful. But she doesn’t care for me. If anything, she hates me. I watch her as she fidgets under my gaze, biting her plump lips. Those lips. I can’t decide if I should nibble on them or simply yell at her for frustrating me so thoroughly.

  Suddenly, she drives her hands into my chest, knocking me back enough for her to squirm out from under my arms. She darts towards the door, her silk skirts tangling in her legs. “Verity, wait!” I shout, reaching for her.

  But she slams the door behind her, I can hear her footsteps echoing down the hall as she runs. I drag a hand over my face, cursing myself for being too impatient. I shouldn’t have loomed over her, glaring. Of course she would run.

  Finally, I stalk through the door, determined to follow her. “Where did she go?” I ask the guard stationed nearby.

  He points towards the entrance of the castle. I jog after her, hoping to catch her tucked away in some corner. But she’s nowhere to be seen. Outside the castle, I find the gate open and the guards missing. I whirl on the soldiers who trailed me out, eyes flashing.

  “What the hell is going on here?” I snarl.

  The guards rush forward, inspecting the area. They drag two of my men from nearby bushes and drop them at my feet. Red-fletched arrows protrude from their necks. Navi appears at my side. She rips one of the arrows from a corpse and tosses it aside. “Bloodbane witches.”

  I stare out into the darkness beyond the walls of the castle. Verity is out there. “I want everyone searching for her, do you understand?” Fury and panic are welling up within me. “Find her!”

  Chapter 8

  Verity

  Altair is infuriating. He’s vile, sadistic, and a bully. I endure dinners with him because I’m meant to, because I don’t know what they’ll do to me if I don’t. But every time he opens that perfectly shaped mouth, I want to slap him. And then kiss him.

  God, he’s driving me insane.

  I sweep down the halls, nearly tripping over the long skirts of my gown. The castle may be large, but I’m feeling claustrophobic knowing that Altair is under the same roof. I just need fresh air. I shake my head, trying to forget the tingling sensation that swept through me when he bent over me. He was just trying to intimidate me; I tell myself as I push out into the night air.

  It meant nothing. Whatever he wants from me, he isn’t getting it. And that frustrates him. It frustrates him enough to imprison me in his arms to keep me close to him. I take a deep gulp of the night air; it smells faintly of jasmine. My core heats at the memory of his eyes on my lips. I could read his intentions in those eyes. Why did I want it so badly?

  Stockholm syndrome, I realize. Of course. I’ve been kept here so long and treated well enough that I don’t see my captors as my captors anymore. Unconsciously. I furrow my brows, considering this. I don’t feel like I have Stockholm syndrome—but then again, what does it feel like?

  The gravel of the main drive crunches under my shoes, the only sound on the grounds. The only sound. I stop, a few yards from the guardhouse and the main gate. It’s oddly quiet. No murmurings of the guards by the gate, no night birds singing, or even crickets chirping. A cold sense of dread settles over me, and the hairs on my arms stand on end.

  Something is wrong.

  Suddenly, a woman materializes beside me, dressed in a blood red cloak. Beneath her deep hood, her eyes glimmer wickedly. On instinct, I step ba
ckwards, but I stumble over my dress. Her hand snakes out from the cloak and snatches my wrist before I fall.

  “Let me go, who are you?” I try wrench away from her.

  A second woman appears on my other side, she lifts a hand. Her nails are long and pointed, curling inwards. I open my mouth to scream as she brings her hand down and strikes me. Pain lances through my temple, and then shadows cloud my vision, the scream lodged in my throat.

  When I wake, I’m on cold, hard stone. But not the stone of the castle, it’s too rough for that. And too dirty. I lift my cheek from the ground, groaning as pain throbs through my skull. Bits of dirt and dust cling to my cheek, I don’t bother wiping them off as I try to rise into a sitting position. I manage it, after a few tries. I shiver, cold wind from behind me rushing past me towards a light in the distance.

  Where am I? There’s a fire nearby, illuminating my prison. Rough stone walls arch above me with crude drawings of animals and Fae. A cave, I realize. I’m in a cave. I scoot backwards until my back is pressed against the wall, my dress snags on a rock and tears. It’s a mess of dirt and rips anyway. I wrap my arms around my bare shoulders, holding myself for comfort and warmth.

  There’s no sign of the two women I saw before I blacked out. The light in the distance must be the entrance to the cave, is it already day? I must have been out for hours. The situation gives me a strong sense of déja vu. Though I suppose I was lucky I ended up in a castle the first time. I frown, staring into the flames of the fire, how many more times will I be kidnapped? I’m practically an expert now.

  I hear footsteps echoing in the darkness of the cave, from deeper within. I turn my head sharply, heart pounding. Somehow, I’m more frightened than I was when I woke up in the castle. More frightened even than when Acubens snatched me from the hillside on my wedding day.

  A woman melts out of the shadows, her hood drawn down. From her eyes, I can sense that it’s the first woman I saw. She smiles sinisterly, and I imagine that all of her teeth have been sharpened into points. She moves closer to the fire, and I see it was a trick of the light. Her blonde hair is matted considerably, as if she hasn’t washed in weeks, but there are no dirt smears on her pale skin. She watches me, leering, while another woman joins her.