by H. C. Brown
The Magus of Fullmount plans to rule Drakka, drain the realm of its wealth, and bring all Dragonfae into the Darkside. He conjures a potion to bend young Dragonfaes’ minds, which turns them into soulless automatons and pitches them against their own kind. He uses a form of mind control over Thalia and invades her dreams, in the hope he can use her against Lumos.
The Magus’s dark magyck hinders the three travelers at every turn. During their time in the realm of Tusuns, he sends giant spiders, and fills Thalia’s mind with night terrors. Lumos fears the Magus will send his Shadow Walkers, a vicious army of lost souls, to prevent him from returning home for the challenge. His only option is to move through many different realms during daylight to avoid conflict.
Lumos’s closeness is changing Thalia into a Fae, but she is vulnerable, and in danger of possession by dark magyck. He will do everything in his power to keep her safe but time is running short and the Magus of Fullmount is poised to destroy the realm of the Dragonfae.
Chapter One
Trill
Thalia straddled Lumos’s lap and gripped Argos’s mane to avoid pitching forward. The pathway down the cliff face to the sandy beach below dropped away unnervingly. The narrow chalk trail beneath the horse’s feet crumbled at every step. Lumos curled his large hand around her waist, pulling her against the solid strength of him. Under her bottom, his coiled thigh muscles gripped the horse’s sides. She lifted her chin and drew in the clean delight of the salty breeze. Below, a stretch of white sand snaked away into the distance. An expanse of aqua ocean surrounded the island of Trill beside dense rainforests and untouched beaches with swaying palm trees. It would seem the realm of Trill bathed in the warmth of a tropical paradise.
Troubled, Thalia stared into the distance in fear of what the Magus of Fullmount might do to prevent their progress. She sighed and leaned into Lumos. How could evil lurk in such beauty, surely this place is ruled by Cymbeline? Blinking into the sunlight, she gazed at the beach and the knot in her stomach relaxed. Under a cloudless sky, white-capped surf pounded the shoreline, crashing in a spill of foam. The shore breaks rushed over the sand and turned to liquid silver in the blaze of the late afternoon sun. As the waves retreated, the wet sand glittered as if turned to the finest gold dust. She absorbed the beauty around her, and observed the gulls hovering on the thermal updrafts. How would it feel like to hover like that?
The steep pathway curled down to the sand. Her stomach dropped and she gripped Lumos’s hand. “I am a little afraid of heights. Do you believe I will be able to fly?”
“First, you must have wings.” Lumos nuzzled her neck. “Today, your ears have become most delightfully pointed, so the wings will come soon.”
She growled and pulled a face at him. “Oh, Lumos, of course, I know I must grow wings before I can fly.”
“I am teasing you, butterfly.” Lumos ran his tongue up to the tip of her ear. “We are all a little frightened of flying at first … but I will be with you, so you need not worry.”
She squeezed his hand and swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “I am more worried about your challenge in Drakka.”
“Then worry no more, little one. You have seen my dragon, he is very strong and highly skilled in battle. Indeed, he could fight two dragons of Kird’s age with ease. In truth, Kird is no threat to the Nightdragon.” Lumos shrugged then narrowed his eyes. “The Shadow Walkers are another matter. I must rely on my own skills and Pyro’s to defeat them. We are only two against an army of soulless creatures. This is why we must avoid this conflict, not because we lack the skill to fight them but because they will outnumber us by twenty or more to one. These are not good odds in any battle.”
In Thalia’s mind came the gentle voice of the Nightdragon.
“The Magus believes we are heading for the city of Tuntoch, so you must convince him of our destination. We will be traveling elsewhere. Pyro knows of a small village named Talltrees an hour or so from here. There is a tavern there to supply food and shelter for the night. Do not speak of Talltrees to Lumos but discuss Tuntoch and we will avoid the Magus’s meddling for one more eve. Lumos is aware of our conversation.”
She smiled and turned to look at Lumos. “How big is the city of Tuntoch?”
“It is the main trading city of Trill. The people here are a race called ‘the Boars,’ a tribe that deals in suffering and closely related to a race known as the Rams.” Lumos gave her a squeeze. He had immediately recognized her deception aimed at the Magus. “They run slave ships along the coast to the port of Tuntoch. There are slave auctions every day.”
She snuggled against him and inhaled the Fae’s delicious scent. Her stomach quivered. Goddess, she wanted to be alone with him. Her mouth watered at the thought of tasting him and sliding his cock against her tongue. The though heated her swollen nipples and they dragged unmercifully against the rough material of her shirt. She forced herself to concentrate on the conversation. “And the Boars, what are they like?”
“They are pigs.” Lumos’s breath hitched in his throat and he moaned then bent his head close to her ear. “I can smell your arousal. Gods, I am so hard for you, little one.” He lifted her shirt. “I am dying to suck these hard little buds.” He caressed her breasts with his rough fingertips driving her crazy with lust. “I want to bury myself deep inside that tight little ass of yours.”
Liquid flooded her folds. Her tight breeches rubbed against her hard swollen clit and sent flames of arousal shooting up her spine. He skillfully tormented her nipples and she squirmed against him, aware of his erection riding between the cleft of her bottom.
She rubbed her bottom against his hard length. “I ache for you.”
“I know. I will find a place for us tonight… I promise.” He brushed her cheek with a kiss. “You must try and get some rest, close your eyes, and I will wake you when we arrive.”
* * * *
Lumos rode in silence beside Pyro. To avoid the Magus scrying them, he had cast a sleeping spell over Thalia a few minutes before they left the busy road to Tuntoch and taken an uneven cart track to the small village of Talltrees. The amount of people traveling to Tuntoch had surprised him. Not only Boars herded groups of slaves along the road—he recognized many of the races from the neighboring realms. Both he and Pyro had pulled the hood of their cloaks over their heads to conceal their Fae features. He covered Thalia’s sleeping form under his cloak and held her against his shoulder. He noticed beads of sweat forming on her forehead and bent his head to press a kiss on her salty flesh. Not much longer, little one.
He urged Argos by another slave trader and cast his attention over the row of exhausted slaves. Covered in dust with open sores from the chains tying them together, the slaves followed the Boars’ horses in silence. Most were women, but some were slim, young men. He forced his lips into a pleasant expression to prevent anyone noticing his disgust. Many of the Boars’ customers preferred the stamina of a young male and paid a good price for a pretty male sex slave.
He averted his gaze and took in the beauty around him—the bright flowers dotting the lush green fields, the abundance of trees heavy with ripe fruit—such a stark contrast from the pain and suffering he had witnessed on this road. He ground his teeth, forcing down the raging desire to pull his sword and destroy the Boar slavers.
“I know this angers you.” Pyro moved his horse closer to Lumos. “For the Dragonfae to stop this disgusting practice, we would have to obliterate the entire race of Boars. In my time, we purchased as many slaves as we could from the auction and set them free but, ultimately, the Boars recaptured them.”
Lumos snorted, the sound making Argos’s ears prick up. “The Dragonfae have discovered new realms of late. Mayhap we can settle the slaves far away from these people?”
“Unfortunately, we did much the same and those people began trading in slaves, too. They have this practice set in their minds as the only way to make a living.” Pyro cleared his throat. “We can only truly save Nomags and Fae, and for this
I am sorry.” He pointed to a small village nestled in the trees. “Ah, I see the village has thrived over the centuries, for the tavern is much larger than I remember. I will go ahead alone and secure a room for you. I will ask them to send up a meal, but I think it would be better if they do not know about Thalia.” Pyro stretched and let out a long yawn. “I will sleep in the stable with the horses and Brew. I can fend for myself overnight and keep watch.” He gave Lumos a wink. “I am sure you can amuse yourself without my excellent company.”
Lumos chuckled. “Oh, I am sure I can think of something to occupy my time.”
* * * *
Thalia woke to the smell of roast chicken. She stretched and gazed up into Lumos’s green, sultry eyes. “Hello. Where are we?”
“In a safe place.” He raised one dark eyebrow. “I have obtained a splendid dinner for you and a tub of hot water to bathe away the aches of our journey.” He offered his hand. “And this bed will accommodate us nicely.” He pulled her to her feet.
With a grin, she went onto her tiptoes to sniff his neck. “Have you bathed already? You smell better than the chicken!”
“Aye, I would have woken you to quell my lust, but, in truth, I wanted you to get some rest.” Lumos grinned at her wickedly and squeezed her bottom. “I plan to keep you wide awake for most of the night.” He pulled out a chair at the small round table. “Eat. You will need your strength if you plan to savor all the delights I have to offer.” He took the seat beside her.
She inhaled the aroma of the delicious meal, lifted her fork, and ate ravenously.
“This is wonderful.” She glanced around the sparse room. Apart from the bed and table, the room was bare and not one chair graced the glowing fireplace. The view from the dusty window showed the redbrick wall of the building next door.
“The wine is very good, too.” Lumos pushed a goblet toward her. “I have four bottles.” He grinned sheepishly.
She lifted the goblet to her lips, and considered him over the rim. Goddess, he looked good enough to eat. Her stomach gave a familiar flip-flop at the thought of having him inside her mouth. It would seem, she had nothing else on her mind of late. She emptied the glass of wine and held it out for a refill then drank again. Lumos would want her to be relaxed for his lovemaking. The thought of him touching her with his strong fingers, soaked her folds. Anticipating the thrill of his warm lips on her nipples drove her crazy with the need of his immediate attention, she caught her lover’s instant reaction to her arousal, the flare of his nostrils, and the way he moved around in his seat to ease the pressure on his erection.
She smiled and in slow deliberation, ran her tongue across her bottom lip. His green gaze moved from her mouth to her straining breasts and back again. She placed the empty wine glass on the table and pushed to her feet. Moving slowly with a sway of hips, she crossed the room to the bath. “I think I will take a long soak in the tub.” She peeled off her clothes, bathing in his hungry expression.
“I will pour some more wine.” Lumos refilled the glass and handed it to her. “Do you want me to wash your hair, sweetness?” He kneeled beside the tub and reached for the soap.
She emptied the goblet in three swallows. The rich, aromatic wine spilled across her tongue, down her throat, and warmed her belly. Her head grew delightfully fuzzy. “Mmm … yes, thank you.”
Resting back in the tub, she allowed him to wash and rinse her hair. When he slid his soapy hands down her arms and across her chest, she purred, enjoying his touch. She arched her back, pressing into his warm palms. He growled deep in his chest, and swirled the suds in small circles over her breasts then pulled at her tender nipples. She lifted her hips to allow his hand access to her folds and Lumos chuckled wickedly. He caressed her mound and slid his long fingers delightfully into her pussy to circle her sensitive clit. She moaned, wanting so much more. “Lumos, you tease me so. I want you, now… Please.”
“Your wish is my command. “ Lumos flexed his muscles and sliding his strong arms under her, lifted her from the tub.
The sweet man dried her with a spell and lay her down on the bed. She looked up at his face and reveled in his lustful expression. Her gaze lingered on his handsome countenance, his full passionate lips, and on his exquisitely formed body. She moaned at the sight of the heavy cock, pressing hard against the front of his pants. The tight dragon skin did little to hide the thick pulsating rod rearing to be free. Lumos slid onto the bed, and drew her into his strong embrace. He used his hot mouth to tease the bite on her neck. His sharp fangs pierced her flesh, sending lightning bolts of pleasure straight to her folds. He lapped the tender spot with his wet tongue repeatedly driving her mad with need. Throwing her head back, she undulated in a surge of erotic pleasure and moaned. Her lover kissed a tantalizingly slow path down her chest, circled each breast then suckled hard on her tender nipples.
“Gods, Lumos, that feels so wonderful do not stop, I beg you.”
“I want to feast on you. Open your legs for me, sweetness.” Lumos slid between her legs and lowered his head. “So wet… Gods, you taste like honey.”
She bucked at the swirl of Lumos’s devastating touch. Gods, he knew how to drive her to madness. She cried out, her hips undulating as if with a mind of their own and gripped handfuls of his hair. The soft, silken strands captured her fingers, arcing with blue magyck at her touch. With a slow slide, he drove his hot fingers inside her and her womb clenched. He used his mouth to suckle then his sharp teeth closed around her clit, and his devastating tongue flicked and circled driving her to madness.
I am going to explode.
Shimmers of desire curled in her belly and crawled screaming up her spine. Hot, so delightfully hot, he moved his fingers, raking at her nerve endings, driving her closer to the edge. She wanted more—gods she wanted him to take her now, completely. She craved to have his hard length sliding deep in her pussy stretching her and claiming her. She tipped back her head, and fell deliriously into wave after wave of shuddering delight. Sensations ripped through her, destroying her for any other male. The deep guttural snarl that came from her mouth surprised her.
“Lumos … please … I need you inside me. Mate me now, please, I want all of you.”
With a long feral growl, Lumos rose up on his knees. His hooded gaze swept over her assessing her. He lifted his wet fingers to his mouth and slowly licked each long digit, his dark green orbs locked on her face. Goddess, he was magnificent. The candlelight brushed over his chiseled, muscular body, and glistened on the pearl of wetness on the head of his thick cock. She wanted to reach up and push an errant strand of ebony hair from his face. Her mouth watered with the desire to lick the sweat shimmering on his broad chest. She took in every delicious inch of him, imprinting his image in her memory.
“I want you, too, but not here in this run-down tavern.” Lumos trailed his damp fingers down her arms. “You deserve better than this disgusting room and even if you were fully Fae, it is not safe here for your moonfire.” He tensed and turned to stare at the door. “Damn.” He sprang from the bed and reached for his pants.
A shiver of fear ran down her back. The sudden change in Lumos’s eyes, from iridescent green lust to hard cold jade, frightened her. She slipped from the bed and went to the saddlebags piled in the corner of the room. Dragging out the small bundle of clean clothes, she dressed swiftly. “What is it?”
Lumos turned toward her, shaking with anger. He said nothing. The next second, the Nightdragon slid into her mind.
“Pyro sent word—the Shadow Walkers have entered the village. If necessary, Lumos will distract them so you may get to safety. Get your things together and take the back stairs to the stable. There is another village about an hour’s ride north called Longbrook—this is our rendezvous point. Do not go there tonight. Take the road west and travel about three miles to Hartly. There are farms on the outskirts, with haystacks and barns. You must hide there tonight. You will find the connecting road to take you to Longbrook some three miles west. We will mee
t you at the tavern in Longbrook at noon tomorrow. Say nothing about this to Lumos. The Magus may be scrying us. Keep up your shields.”
Fear gripped her stomach. “I am not able to ride alone. What am I to do?”
“Take Albert—you know this horse is safe and reliable. You must conquer this fear, Thalia. Lumos does not need to be distracted when he is fighting the Shadow Walkers. We must know you are safe. Do you understand?”
She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Aye, I understand, but what if something happens to Lumos and I miss the rendezvous?”
“Take the Gate beside the Goddess’s shrine in Longbrook. Wait for the image of a cat on top of a pillar and go through to Farrell. This is a safe realm for the Fae. The next Gate is beside the palace of King Bajah. The Gate to Drakka depicts a statue of a dragon in a city square. Do not wait for us—go straight to Drakka. You will be welcome there—the king is aware that you are Lumos’s mate.”
Pulling her cloak around her trembling body, she smiled hesitantly at Lumos and straightened. She must play out this charade for the watching Magus. “If you are planning to ignore me tonight, I am going to get some more wine.” She picked up her saddlebag and headed toward the door.
I do not want to leave Lumos. She bit hard on her bottom lip and reached for the doorknob. The next moment, Lumos crushed her against his hard body. He gave a long, feral growl and nuzzled her neck, lapping at the bite marks.
“I am not planning to ignore you, witch, but I have no plans to share you either and the locals have by now heard your moans of pleasure.” He grinned. “They will be at our door waiting for their turn.”
Forcing her voice to remain calm, she glanced at him over one shoulder. Goddess, his eyes held a sadness that seeped into her heart. What if the Shadow Walkers kill Lumos, I will be alone in this strange world? How could she live without him? She touched his face.
