Endre: Brothers Of The Dark Places

by Miranda Bailey

  “We can exist as we are now, but I don’t think the modern world is ready for our kind.” I could picture wars as the human world tried to use the magical world for their own ends. I saw laboratories where fairies, shifters, and others of our kind were experimented on, used as weapons. No, that wouldn’t be good at all.

  “Not at all. I lived in it for a long time. Two hundred years ago we might have been able to form an alliance. Now? I don’t know, Endre. I don’t think the Earth would survive it.” He swiped a hand over his eyes, worry etched in every line around his eyes.

  He’d aged, both of us had, but neither of us looked beyond 35. We still had a long life to live, even with our mates speeding up our ageing process.

  “What do we do then?” I asked, my gaze distracted by the giant and his woman coming in.

  “We’ve got something. One of the trackers thinks she knows where they are.” Lothar came in, his feet shedding snow and dirt all over the floor. It would disappear in seconds, our natural magic cleaning up after us often.

  Abigail came into the kitchen where we were sitting and joined her mate.

  “You ready?” She asked, her face excited. She’d been human only a week before. Now she seemed to be confident in her abilities. I’m sure Wruin has helped her with that.

  She was half-wolf shifter, but she’d never shift. She only had the magic of the wolves, and whatever genetic traces of magic that her mother had carried. She was powerful, though, I could sense it.

  “I’m more than ready, let’s go.” I stood but Wruin put a hand on my shoulder.

  “We need a plan brother; we can’t just go storming in there. Abigail should go first.” He started but I didn’t let him finish.

  “I’ll go first, thank you, she’s my mate.”

  “Abigail will go first, Endre. She can handle it. I swear. You won’t believe what she can do.”

  “I can’t help but be doubtful, Wruin, she’s only half-shifter.” I stared at her dubiously but he just grinned.

  “Thank goodness or we’d all be fucked. My mate would be ruling the world with a flick of her finger. All of it.”

  I wasn’t sure what any of that meant but he was honest, even if he did destroy lives. I didn’t like hanging back, with only the giant Lothar and Holly behind me, but I did as Wruin suggested. Before he’d totally fucked me over he’d been a good leader, and a good brother. I couldn’t forget that now.

  We left the house and went out to where a portal was now open, one of the green fairies standing there, bouncing from foot to foot, anxiety making her pace beside the green and purple portal. The fairy was human sized, but every inch of her was green, from her eyes to her hair, right down to her toes. Her long hair was in pigtails that had been braided with the ends pinned to her scalp. She looked comical, but somehow, still sexy.

  “Fern, we’re coming, calm down.” Abigail called out to the fairy. The fairy slumped in relief and her face broke into a grin. Even her teeth were green!

  I’ve seen fairies before, but never a green one. This one must be from some land I’ve never visited, I thought as we all took one final breath and looked at each other.

  “We’ll get her back.” Abigail said, her gray eyes zeroed in on mine. She was new to me but something about her calmed the dragon in me, and I felt some of my worry slip away. I shook my head in acknowledgement and she turned away.

  Abigail went first, a move I still found surprising even knowing she was going to do it. Wruin didn’t look worried at all as he waited for a second before he pushed through. He was right behind her then as she disappeared through the portal, both gone in an instant. We didn’t really have a plan, other than they were going first.

  I was prepared for anything, or so I thought. I shifted as I stepped through, my size shrinking immediately to fit my environment.

  I heard shouts of surprise, and watched as Abigail’s hands came out suddenly. A bright purple light flashed from the ceiling to crash down in a thunderous boom in the center of the ice cave I found myself in. Wruin had shifted into his dragon form, only scaled to the size needed for the room. I’d shifted in the blink of an eye, and my shifter heart burned with happiness as I let him loose to play violently with the wolf shifters now trying to escape the ice.

  Fire roared from my throat, a wave similar to napalm shooting out to singe the tail of one wolf shifter, as Abigail’s energy storm blew several out of the cave. Wruin spotted Airitech and tried to follow the fleeing wolf, but couldn’t turn in the cave. He was still too big.

  Abigail tried to blast her father with some kind of red energy, but only managed to stop the smaller black wolf on his heels. The heat started to make the ice melt around us as mayhem took over, and I scanned the cave, looking for Thyra but water kept dripping into my dragon eyes.

  I found myself facing off with a gray wolf, a large beast without fear in its eyes. He snarled and nipped at me, but I blasted him with fire and that was the end of him. He disappeared totally and I turned, trying to find Abigail. Had Airitech managed to get her out before we arrived? Had he harmed her?

  I’d know, surely I would know. I used my tail to whip four younger shifters away from Holly as she kicked out fiercely at a white female wolf that was launching herself at the woman. Lothar swung a giant sword at another female, but she turned tail and ran as I cleared out her compatriots. Wolves ran from the cave, their yips a communication to the others to get out while they could.

  I was about to turn to search for Abigail when I felt movement at the lower part of my back, just above my tail. Something was moving on me. I felt it move up my back, a she-wolf, trying to bite into the soft spot at the back of my neck with a vicious, shaking hold. I flexed my wings and flew into the ceiling, a move that stunned the wolf. I landed to see it was the black wolf that had tried to flee with Airitech.

  I shifted into my human form and put my foot to the wolf shifter’s throat. She rolled to her back, her eyes staring up at me with fear mixed with defiance. She knew not to expect any sympathy though; she was part of Airitech’s pack. They were all outcasts in our world.

  “Where is Thyra?” I growled at her, my boot pressing into her throat harder as she tried to slink away. “Stay still. Where is Thyra?”

  I knew I was being unreasonable but I could do little to stop it. Her gray eyes moved, to an area of the cave where a part of the ice hadn’t melted. It formed a wall and I went behind it to see Thyra there, bound and gagged.

  I magicked away her bonds and she ran to me, her legs wrapping around my waist as her arms went around my neck.

  “Endre! Thank goodness! What was all that noise? And the light, that light was brutal! I thought I’d go blind from it!” She was babbling as she covered my smooth face in kisses. I didn’t care, she was safe.

  “Let’s get you out of here.” I said, looking around to make sure it was safe to get back to the portal.

  Airitech was being tracked by the same green fairy, Lothar and Holly were with her, the black she-wolf was chained in another corner, and the rest of the pack had either escaped or were dead. I glanced at one of the still forms in a corner before I averted my eyes. There had been a time when killing another of our kind was punishable because there were so few of us left. Now we were so many a few lives didn’t matter. At least to Airitech, I still counted every life precious, even if they chose the wrong path. They could change.

  Not everyone had escaped with their lives, but the one that was most important to me had. I’d take that as a win.

  I saw Abigail and Wruin in his human shape once more and went to them, Thyra still wrapped around my waist. I was starting to wonder if she’d ever let me go again. I’d take that as a win too.

  “I’m taking her home. I need to put up more protection if they snatched her in the front of the house.” I didn’t ask what would be done with the captives. That was Wruin’s business.

  “Wait. Endre. That one you captured, the little female wolf. She’s...” Wruin stopped, and I turned to look at
him. Abigail was crouched in front of the woman and I knew why the wolf was familiar now. She was a more delicate version of Wruin’s mate.

  “What the hell?” I asked, looking between them.

  “Abigail has a sister. A sister that wants to strangle her. Can you take her back with you?” Wruin implored me with his eyes; they had to take care of the others. “Send Taka and some men down here. We’ll sort the rest out.”

  “Sure, give me her chain.” I took the end of the silvery chain as Abigail handed it to me. The end was joined to a collar around the wolf shifter’s neck.

  It wasn’t silver, we weren’t purposely cruel, it just looked like silver. She followed behind me, sullen as I pulled her close so that we could go through the portal.

  I came out, Thyra still wrapped around me, shivering in my arms, the wolf on my heels. Taka was there, and I handed the wolf off to him. “Do something with her and then go find Wruin through the portal. He needs you.”

  I missed the stunned expression on Taka’s face or I’d have taken her myself.

  I put the evil version of Abigail out of my mind, and went to the house. Thyra needed my attention. The rest could fuck off.

  10

  Thyra

  My whole life my name has been mispronounced. Kids at school used to tease me about my thighs, using my name as the pun. I’d rolled my eyes a million times and walked away. Hearing Endre pronounce it, hearing him speak it so softly as he pulled a fur over me in the bed, was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard. I’d stopped shaking now, and clung to him out of content rather than fear now.

  I’d heard the screams, saw the light, and suspected it was him but I wasn’t sure. I’d just been terrified of being blown up by purple lights. Now I was safe again, and for the first time, I thought maybe staying put was a good idea. If men can just blink in and out and kidnap me, then being out in the world on my own wasn’t a good idea.

  “I don’t want you to stay out of fear though, Thyra.” He said against the top of my head, his hand on my leg where I’d thrown it over his hip.

  I leaned into his chest to inhale his scent, a smell that only Endre had, and kissed the skin there. “That’s it, though, Endre. I was leaving out of fear. I know I’ll be safe with you. Without you, I’d not only be alone, I’d be unhappy. I’d rather die happy and with you, than alone.”

  “I won’t let that happen.” He growled, pulling me closer.

  “I didn’t think you would.” I found his lips, silencing him for the moment.

  I was safe again, even if that bad guy was still out there.

  It was hard to believe I felt desire again so soon after escaping from that ice cave and being kidnapped but I did. I needed him again; I wanted to explore him this time and drive away that fear of mortality that had left me trembling for so long. Earlier today he’d focused on me, I’d barely touched him. I wanted to know how he felt, how he smelled, what he tasted like in all of his secret places.

  “Thyra, you should rest…” I stopped him before he could finish.

  “No, you let me worry about me, Endre, you worry about how you feel. Just you. You can worry about me, about Wruin, about Airitech later if you’d like to, but for now, it’s just us honey. Nothing else matters.” I ran a finger under the edge of his black shirt, revealing bare skin.

  His chest stopped moving as my finger went further, his eyes locked on mine. I glanced up and into his magical eyes. Our link was broken for now, I could not feel him, but I hoped I would feel him later, in my head and in me.

  I pushed my fingers up his shirt, and found his puckered nipple. Circling my finger around it I felt it grow tighter beneath my fingertip. I didn’t know men’s nipples were so sensitive.

  “Don’t you want this, Endre?” I asked, teasing him with my voice as he went to his back and I straddled him. “To feel my mouth here, hot and wet? Don’t you, Endre? Haven’t you dreamed of it the same as I have?”

  I spoke low, quiet, wanting to cast a spell over him.

  His eyes watched me now, my finger revealing his bare nipple to the night air. I saw his eyes widen and knew he wanted it to go further.

  “Yes. Touch me, Thyra, please. I can’t think of anything but you touching me.” I felt a surge of desire course through my body as he spoke, his hand coming up to pull my head down to his in a wet kiss.

  I pressed my lips to his, running my tongue over their soft plushness.

  Endre pulled away, gasping for air as he looked into my eyes.

  “You’re sure, you don’t want to sleep?” His words were a plea for permission to let himself go.

  “Yes, Endre, please, let me do what I’ve wanted to do for so long.” I looked down at him before moving my hand down to where he couldn’t pretend he wanted me. My eyes closed as I felt him hard and ready for me, throbbing in my hand.

  “Then do as you please with my, Thyra. I am yours in all things.” I watched him, wondering if we were still alone. I don’t know what the others were doing but they were leaving us alone for now.

  I pulled out the pillows to prop his head up, threw a fur to the foot of the bed, and he watched me undress.

  I revealed my body to him, though he’d seen me earlier. Not like this though, not in the soft candlelight Endre’s magic had provided for us.

  I pulled off my shirt, his shirt now that I thought of it, and let my long hair fall around me. The dark blond curls hid my breasts, only my nipples peeking through.

  With a deep breath I pushed my pants away, the material sliding down my smooth thighs, revealing my bare flesh to his eyes.

  He looked at me, drinking me in with greedy glances. I saw him swallow beneath me, anticipation making him nervous. I was beside him now, on one side of the bed, him on the other.

  He sat up on the bed, clothed except for his shoes.

  “Take my clothes off, Thyra.” Endre needed me to do this for him, I understood that, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the fact that I’d be stripping away layers of him with each item removed.

  I went to him, kneeling so close I could smell his scent. I placed my hands on his powerful hips, trailing my fingers up his side before kissing him. I pulled at the bottom of his shirt. I felt his skin, so like silk as I pushed the shirt away, breaking our kiss only as I slid the shirt over his head.

  I’d seen his magnificent body earlier. A flat stomach, no extra weight anywhere on the sculpted form of his muscled body. I loved the way the tight roundness of his ass felt in my hand as I splayed my hand over the area.

  He gasped, my touch intimate, arousing him. I smiled at him as I moved my hands to sides, squeezing the firm flesh in my hands.

  I leaned forward to swipe my tongue over his nipple with a slick stroke, first the right, then the left. He gasped loudly as I took the left one so I sucked it into my mouth to tease him more.

  I felt him sway on his knees. I clutched at his shoulder to steady him.

  When he was firmly in place again I moved my hand up, my had splayed over his heart. He’d done that to me to form the connection. I felt it now, as little more than a feather inside my head as he watched me, his eyes pleased at what I’d done so far.

  The dark rose color of his nipples was similar to mine, but his tempted me so I bent down to lick them. Air hissed between his teeth again and I heard a groan from within his chest. I liked the silky skin tickled my tongue as I licked them.

  He loved me licking them and pressed his hips into me, his movements uncontrollable. I sucked at the small beads next and his groans became louder. I knew wherever Wruin and the others were they could probably hear him.

  He panted, and he groaned as he pressed into me and I knew he didn’t care who heard him.

  “Thyra. My heart. Oh shit, don’t stop doing that.” He stopped speaking as I sucked harder at his nipple, and my hands began to move, lower, stroking his stomach into relaxing.

  I could feel his stomach quivering against me and pushed with my body, pressing him back into the bed to lie fla
t.

  He moved and undid his pants, and pushed the garment to reveal his naked body before me.

  He was as hard and bare as I was, his body totally without a single hair accept on his head. I moved between his tanned thighs, delighting in his masculine feel. Even his legs were bare.

  I moved over his abdomen, kissing his belly button as I slid down, around the flat plane of his stomach that I decided I loved, down to his freed cock.

  I brushed my lips over him, exploring the way he felt and the way he’d respond. Hard and hot. Heat, a scent all of his own, and hard silkiness. I looked into his eyes and saw his fascination, his arousal.

  I grinned at him, a devilish grin I knew, and spread his thighs open with my hands. He was so aroused that even that touch caused a response from him. I saw his cock, hard and thick, up close for the first time. I couldn’t close my fingers around it, but knew it fit just right inside of me. Whether I’d get it in my mouth was another matter, but I’d like to try.

  With a long stroke I licked from the base to the tip, my tongue flat against the bottom of his cock. I paused at the tip to make tight circles with my tongue. His head was thick and aroused, ready to be touched, throbbing with the pressure of his blood filling it. He wanted this as much as I did.

  I flicked my tongue under the edge, tight, darting flicks that had his hips twitching.

  I felt his thighs quaking and knew he was close. I wanted to make him come, but I wanted to taste him coming in my mouth. I sucked him deep, trying to take him all but failing. I heard him groan above me, his hands in my hair, guiding my pace.

  “Thyra, please, either let me come in your mouth, or fuck me, but please, stop this torment!”