by Serena Zane
Determined to get some warmer clothes, Beth picked up the pace. She refused to freeze to death in her own homeland. As they neared the first dwellings, Beth noted large icicles hanging from the eaves of the homes they passed. The town she remembered from her childhood no longer held any sense of warmth or comfort. Main Street was no different. Phoenix strode beside her quietly; his footsteps didn’t even crunch in the snow. She glanced behind them; there was only one set of footprints. She smiled inwardly; perhaps he didn’t want to get his feet cold.
A mercantile building stood across the town square and Beth made her way to the shop. Just like many places of the same ilk the mercantile held everything from clothing to food supplies. Beth approached the shelves with clothing and grimaced. Serviceable garments lay on the racks. Nothing that she would wear by choice, but times were desperate; she needed warmer clothing. Beth quickly checked the tags for sizes and yanked a sweater and a pair of pants off the shelf that looked as though they might work.
A clerk waited at the register.
“Do you have a changing room?”
The clerk gave her a confused look. “Um, no, I don’t think so.”
Beth sighed. “Fine then.” She turned and raised her brow at Phoenix. “Well, come on, it’s not like you gave me a chance to pick up my purse.”
The amused grin on his face wiped clean, and a frown creased his brow. “No, I sure didn’t.” He pulled out a pouch and placed several large coins onto the counter. “That should cover it.”
The clerk thanked him profusely and scooped up the coins.
Phoenix grabbed the bag on the counter with her purchases, and grasped her elbow with his other hand. “Come on. We’ve wasted enough time.”
Beth pulled her elbow out of his grip and marched out of the store. Once outside, she stopped dead. Phoenix ran into her, and she stumbled forward. His arms went around her waist before she fell, and she tried to catch the breath that she’d suddenly lost. The hard, muscled planes of his chest pressed into her back, and Beth swore she could feel each ridge. She licked her lips. “You can let go now.”
She stumbled a bit more when he released her.
“I need a place to change.”
Phoenix looked up from the ground by her feet and his eyes flashed bright blue for a moment. “You’ll have to do so once we get out of town. We’re not stopping here.”
“But–”
“No. This place isn’t right. We will not be stopping. Come on.” He strode forward towards the opposite end of town.
Beth had to run to keep up with him. The man had some long legs. Just as they reached the edge of Elysium freezing rain pelted them from the darkening sky above.
“Just great,” Beth grumbled.
Phoenix carried her new, warmer clothes and he wasn’t slowing down.
“Hey, wait a minute!” She tried to stop him and grab his arm, but he wasn’t paying any attention to her. “Fine! Never mind!” She stomped forward. She’d be damned if she would watch his sexy ass all the way to the Fortress. She suppressed another shiver, squared her shoulders, and marched on.
Phoenix glared at her back as Beth marched in front of him. They wouldn’t be in this situation if she’d just let him have the book. The swish of her hips drew his gaze. The woman had no idea what she did to him. She was stubborn, hard-headed, and gorgeous. Phoenix ground his teeth together in frustration.
They’d passed through the Veil two days before, and there would be another night yet before they reached the Fortress where the High Council stored the Vault. One more sleepless night watching her oval face with her overlong lashes, and her pert breasts rising up and down with each breath she took. The woman obviously had no idea the power she held in her hands. If she did, they might still be back at her little shop in Seattle, the tome forgotten.
Rain poured down on them, the queen had to be in a rage. Lightning lit up the sky, and thunder cracked overhead. Her blouse molded to the soft contours of her lithe body, and Phoenix couldn’t take it anymore. He felt desire course through his body, and his balls tightened painfully. He wanted her, and his body wasn’t going to let him take another step.
“Stop.” He growled in a harsh voice. “We’re making camp for the night.”
Beth ground to a halt and almost tripped over her own two feet. He grabbed her tiny waist and the wet material of her shirt slipped through his hands. He firmed his grip and pulled her against him before she fell. The lush curves of her ass pressed into his muscles and he could feel each nerve-ending clench where she touched. He’d been hard for hours, and the contact made him hiss through clenched teeth as his shaft throbbed.
“You can let go now.” Her breath came in short little pants.
He could smell her arousal. Damn the Council.
Phoenix bent his head to her neck which tilted to the side in an unconscious gesture of surrender. His lips brushed over her fluttering pulse.
“You don’t want me to.”
She let out a little moan as his mouth closed over the sensitive vein at the base of her neck. Phoenix turned her in his arms removing the heavy tote she carried with the tome. It fell to the ground with a thud. Her breasts pressed into his chest and he could feel the tight little buds of her nipples. Thunder cracked overhead and he felt her tremble. At the same time he wanted to crush her to him, he felt an overwhelming need to protect her.
Beth’s tongue tangled with his as he pressed his mouth to hers. Her long hair slapped over his arm as the wind whipped around them as strong as the passion burning through him. She pulled back. The desperation he read in her eyes tore at his heart.
“We can’t do this,” she cried.
“Why?” His lips didn’t stop moving. He couldn’t pull away from the sweet honeysuckle taste of her flesh. Her rich blood raced under her luminescent skin and the scent nearly drove him wild. His teeth burst fourth and he knew if she looked, Beth would see flames dancing in his eyes.
“Because, you want something you can’t have.” Her voice sounded torn.
He glanced up into her gray eyes daring her to meet his demons. Desire written in her gaze. Silver sparks of light speared their depths, and pleaded for him to overcome her doubt.
“No. I only want you.” He kissed the tip of her collarbone and ran his hands down her back. “They want the book. Not me. It’s never been me.” His hand slipped under her wet shirt and her cold skin felt like smooth ice under his palm - ice he desperately wanted to melt. “Please, don’t deny this. Don’t deny us.”
Her lips parted and she let out a whisper of surrender, “Yes…” Beth’s hand came up around the back of his neck and her small, slender fingers pressed into the muscles drawing him to her.
His heart leapt as their lips touched. He pressed her against his body.
Beth drowned in a world of sensation. His hands grasped and pulled her into his rock-solid muscles and his heavy arousal pushed into her belly. Rain poured down around them, but she didn’t feel cold. Desire raged through her veins and she matched him kiss for kiss. She knew it would be like this. Only one man could make her burn with want. When she’d seen the golden glow of her perfect mate around him in the shop, she’d known this moment was inevitable.
His hand slipped around the curve of her ass as he lifted her.
Beth swung her legs around his waist, the bulge of his arousal settling directly at her core. She pressed against him.
Phoenix took several strides and Beth felt the bark of a tree bite into her back. Fresh tears stung her eyes as all the sensations threatened to overwhelm her. She kissed him with an urgency wanting this moment to last forever, yet knowing that it couldn’t. He dispatched their clothing in his haste, and her naked skin welcomed his touch. Beth knew that things would go back to the way they were soon enough, but she’d denied herself for far
too long. The Fae were a naturally sensual race, and her body screamed for him to take her.
Phoenix caught her face between his hands. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” She wasn’t about to deny herself the ultimate pleasure of being with her one true love, her match. She might not get this opportunity again.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” Beth leaned forward and licked the pulse at the base of his neck. “Take me Phoenix. Do it now.”
He let go of her face, and locked his gaze with hers as he repositioned himself, and drove straight into her center.
Beth’s world shattered into a million tiny stars.
Arlen ground his teeth together. How dare she? He watched from the bramble bushes not fifty feet from where his intended let herself be taken. She would pay. Once he had her alone, she would answer for her whoring actions. But he had to wait. Now was not the right time. He would wait. Soon they would be vulnerable..
Chapter 9
A hand covered her mouth, and Beth let out a startled gasp as her eyes flew open. A strong lithe arm grasped her around the middle, and dragged her backwards towards the concealing line of bushes around where she and Phoenix made camp.
“Shhh. I won’t hurt you. Just remain quiet.”
She recognized his voice; Arlen, Prince of the Fae. Just her luck.
“Now, I am going to remove my hand. Promise not to make a sound.”
She nodded, intending to do no such thing. The prince removed his hand, and she turned on him.
“Just what are you doing?” Beth demanded glaring at his handsome face.
“You belong with me. I’m taking you home.” Arlen reached out and grasped her wrist before she bolted.
Beth tugged trying to get free. “What if I don’t want to go with you?”
A slow smile spread across his face. “I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice.” The air around them started to shimmer.
Beth screamed.
Phoenix’s eyes flew open. Beth. With preternatural speed he followed the sound of her scream. Arlen, Prince of the Fae, stood in front of her holding her wrist and the air around them wavered as though they were barely there. Phoenix didn’t hesitate. He rushed forward and slammed into the prince’s body knocking him away from Beth.
They landed in a tangle of arms and legs. Phoenix took advantage of the moment of surprise, and pressed into the prince’s neck with his forearm. A rage unlike any he’d ever known flowed through him making his vision turn red. Fangs exploded from his mouth. The blood pumping through the prince’s veins called to him. As he started to lower his head, small hands pulled back at his shoulders.
“Don’t.” Beth’s voice barely registered in his ears.
Phoenix shook and continued to lower his mouth towards the waiting artery. The Prince had threatened to take what belonged to him. That was not acceptable.
She tugged harder at his shoulders, “Phoenix! Don’t!”
Phoenix stopped and let out a breath. “Why not?”
“Because, if you do this it will create a war and I don’t think you want that.”
“I wasn’t the one that started it,” he growled, but moved back a little to give the prince some breathing room. “He threatened you.”
“I know, but he had his reasons.”
“Which are?”
“He thinks I’m his intended.”
Phoenix glared at Arlen. “Not going to happen.”
The Prince was silent under his arm, but the look in his eye stated that Phoenix would have to kill him before he gave up on Beth.
Phoenix increased the pressure on his throat. “Not going to happen.”
“Phoenix,” Beth sighed next to him, and he felt her breath on his ear, “Of course it’s not going to happen. I’m not meant for him. However much he might like to think so.”
Phoenix struggled to control the rage that poured through his body. The red faded slowly from his vision. He looked over the glaring prince then at Beth. A pleading look had entered her eyes. Phoenix took a deep breath. “Fine. He’s given me an opportunity anyway.” He rose, and brought the prince up with him.
“What do you mean, an opportunity?”
Phoenix walked the prince back up against a tree and held him there. “Get the rope out of my bag.”
“What opportunity? I’m not going to help you hurt him.” Beth had crossed her arms under her breasts. She looked as though she wouldn’t move unless he filled her in.
“The whole reason the Elders want the Tome is to protect it from his mother.”
Beth gasped. “Is that true?”
Phoenix turned his gaze back to the prince and raised an eyebrow.
Arlen turned his head, which was the only thing that was mobile at the moment, and looked at Beth. He cast his gaze down at Phoenix’s arm and back up to her.
She made a frustrated noise. “He can’t talk unless you release his neck.”
Phoenix didn’t want to budge, but she was right. He relieved some of the pressure on Arlen’s neck, just enough to let the fairy talk.
“Is it true?” She asked again.
“My mother does want the book... but that is not why I came after you?”
“How can I believe you? You lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you everything. There’s a differ –” His words were cut short when Phoenix reapplied the pressure.
“You see, he wants the book. His mother is the reason I was at the shop. She wants to use the black tome, and not for good reasons. Like I said, we have an opportunity.”
“I’m listening.”
“We can send word to Her Majesty that we have her son. In exchange for his release, she agrees to leave vampire–kind alone. If she doesn’t, he dies.” Phoenix looked directly into the prince’s hate-filled eyes, and noticed the flash of understanding pass through them.
“I won’t agree to kill him. I can’t.” Beth stepped forward as though she would intervene.
“I understand you can’t be part of this. However, you don’t have much choice do you? He’ll take the book first chance he gets, if he can. This is the only way the Elders will agree to let you keep the tome in your possession, regardless of whether or not you are the Guardian.”
Beth’s gaze clouded over and a guarded look passed over her beautiful face. Phoenix knew he’d just blown his chance to have a lasting relationship with her, but he had a duty to his people. He couldn’t let them down.
“So be it then. How do you propose to contact her?”
“When we reach the Fortress we can send a messenger. It’s not that far from here. Only a few more days walk. If we can get horses at the next village then we can travel that ground much faster.”
“Horses. Right.” The only downfall of the Other Realm, no vehicles.
Phoenix watched her face and knew the moment she accepted the inevitable. “Get the rope.”
Beth let out a frustrated breath and stormed off towards their campsite.
Phoenix turned to the prince again. “She’s mine. Don’t get any ideas. If she comes to any harm you will answer to me.”
“You don’t scare me Enforcer.”
Phoenix shook his head. “And there’s your mistake.” He swiftly lowered his mouth to the prince’s jugular biting hard. The bittersweet flavor of royal blood flooded his mouth, and Phoenix closed his eyes for a moment savoring the taste. When the prince went limp in his arms, Phoenix smiled and pulled back, rasping his tongue over the bite to close the wound. He didn’t want Beth knowing he’d taken the prince’s blood. She had enough to deal with.
A rustling sound came from the brush beside them, and Beth stepped out holding the rope. She looked
from the prince laying against the tree to Phoenix.
“What did you do?”
“Just put him to sleep for a while. He’ll be easier to handle that way. Pass me the rope.” He reached out and took it from her, making quick work of tying up the prince.
“That won’t be able to hold him you know.”
“It will.”
“How? He can teleport anywhere he chooses. He’s the damn Fae prince!”
Phoenix couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. “The rope is enchanted. No creature can use its powers while tied. It will hold.” He hefted the prince over his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s gather our gear and get moving. It’s more imperative now than ever to keep out of sight. They will be looking for him.”
“How will we get horses then?”
“When we get to the next town you will stay outside with him. I will go in and arrange for our transportation.”
Without anything more to say between them, Beth and Phoenix packed the camp and headed out for the next town. It was more than half a day’s walk, and they had a lot of ground to cover. Neither one wanted to talk about what happened the night before. Phoenix found his gaze drawing back to her mouth time and again and remembered what it felt like to kiss her. He didn’t want the night before to be the last..
Chapter 10
The Fortress rose before them like something straight out of medieval times. Black towers rose towards the sky imposing their wrath on anyone looking upon them. Large statues graced each side of the drawbridge that led into the fortress; huge wolf-like beasts that looked as though they would tear your head off - if they were alive.
Beth let out a nervous giggle. Of course, that was silly. They were just huge stone statues. Their eyes weren’t really following her as she passed under their shadow. Fae weren’t normally asked for an audience by the High Council of Elders, and those that were rarely - if ever - came out.
