I shake my head, one hand gripping the sheet at my head in a fist, the other hand clutching at his hip. “I can’t, Dare. I can’t. Please!” I sob the words as the ecstasy spreads over my body, pulsing from my core outward until every inch of my skin feels like it’s electrified.
“You can, little tine. Wait for me.” The words are growled out and my entire body shivers in response.
I bite my lip so hard I taste blood. Before I can open my mouth to plead with him again, his hands tense on my hips, hard enough that I know I’ll be bruised tomorrow.
“Now!” The word is ripped from his chest as he thrusts his hips into mine in a hard tempo.
As soon as the word leaves his mouth, euphoria overtakes me and I struggle to keep my eyes on Dare as he reaches his own climax. His features tighten, and his arms bulge as he thrusts inside me once, twice, three times, before stopping, his thick length so far inside me I don’t know where he ends and I begin. Warmth fills me as he releases inside me, the sensation setting off another aftershock of pleasure.
“Mmm, yes.” I push my hair off my face and wrap my arms around him, hugging him to me.
He peppers kisses over my shoulder, up my neck, and across my cheek until his lips meet mine and he kisses me slowly. I melt into him, kissing him back and slowly tangling my tongue with his. He flicks his tongue over my bottom lip before pulling back. He slips from my depths and I feel the loss almost instantly.
Before I can complain about no longer being connected to him, he pulls the blankets back from the head of the bed and drags me under them with him. He molds his front to my back and I’m covered in his protection again. His heart beats against my back in a steady rhythm and I sigh with happiness. This is my home. With Dare beside me, ready to face anything and everything. Together.
“What would I do without you, Dare?” The question slips from my lips but I don’t regret the moment of vulnerability.
Dare kisses the back of my head before answering. “You’ll never have to find out, mo grá.”
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Too many arguments to count and days later, my head is still buzzing from a headache and my heart is heavy with the destruction of my beliefs about MECA. They might have framed me and suspended me, but I still grew up there. It was all I knew. And letting go of that safety net is something I’m still struggling with. It’s like a game of tug-of-war. My mind tells me to drop it and let them fall on their asses. My heart tells me to give them one more chance. To jump in and help repair the damage done. What a clusterfuck.
I take a sip of the tea one of the girls from the kitchen gave me. She’d taken one look at me and told me she’d be right back. Chamomile and something citrus. It’s amazing.
“Let me through, you brutes! She’ll want to see me.” The shout pings off the stone walls of the main hall and straight through my brain like a lightning strike.
I cringe and look over my shoulder and see Calder and Calum squaring off with Puck. I sigh. “It’s fine. Let him through. He’s a friend.”
Identical pairs of eyebrows rise and I shrug. Friend, ally, whatever. He’s friendly. That’s all that matters at this point.
Puck adjusts the vest he’s wearing with a dramatic huff and I refrain from rolling my eyes. It’s not like they roughed him up. They only stopped him from coming in. He’s muttering under his breath as he plops down onto the bench across from me and I bite my cheek to stop from laughing at his disgruntlement.
“Good morning, sunshine.” I smile widely at him, just to see if I’ll get a rise out of him.
He scoffs. “Good morning? Good morning? This is the worst morning I’ve had in a long time.” He reaches for my pot of tea and pours himself a cup.
I rub at my temples while I wait for him to get out his frustrations about his morning, half-amused, half-exhausted.
Puck narrows his eyes over the rim of his cup at me. “Everything all right, Ever? You seem a bit out of sorts.”
“I’ve got a massive headache that won’t go away no matter what I do. And I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.” I twitch my lips into a half smile. “I’ll be all right. I just need to make a few decisions and focus on my long game.”
“Hmm. Yes, the long game. I’ve heard that Arela heard from the Goddess. She pay any visits to you?”
“No, nothing for me. She seems to talk in riddles. I don’t know if that’s a Goddess thing or what, but the message is basically that war is coming with the Order, I’m supposed to be named the Light Elven Kingdom’s heir and have a baby that will unite kingdoms, and Arela is going to be instrumental in helping me win the war.”
“I’m sorry I was gone so long but I was tracking down a few leads on the Order for Dare. I had no idea about any of this. I would have come back sooner.”
“It’s all good. Did you get anything useful?”
“I believe so. It’s not good news though. It’s worse than we feared. The Order is very well connected. And it’s not just within a few courts. It’s all of them.”
I blink a few times, trying to process what he just said. “All of them? Not just a few of the big players?”
“All of them.”
I slam my palm on the rough wooden table, making our cups jump. “Fuck!”
“Everything okay over there?” one of the twins calls out. I’m not sure which. I can still only tell them apart by their eyes.
I look over my shoulder. “Go get Dare. Go get everyone. Now.”
The twins look between each other. “We can’t leave you.”
“Then shout down the hall to the other guards. Don’t tell me they aren’t there. I know they are.”
Shouting ensues and I turn back to Puck, blocking out the scrambling and barked orders behind me.
“What do you think, Puck? Do you think we can survive this? Do you think we can get rid of the Order without a war?”
Puck taps a finger against his thin lips before focusing his flat black eyes on me. “I think that, no matter what, blood will be shed. I think we can protect ourselves, but there is no way to account for every eventuality.” One corner of his mouth tilts up in a grimace. “I’m sorry, Ever. I know it’s not what you wish to hear, and I don’t wish to add to your troubles, but lying to you would only do more damage.”
“Thank you for not sugarcoating it. I appreciate it.”
Heavy footsteps sound behind me like a herd of horses and I wait for all the talking at once to begin.
“What is going on?”
“Welcome back, Puck.”
“Is everyone here?”
“What’s happened?”
They all speak at once and I grin. At least I know my crew and the goblins well.
Warmth spreads over me and I know Dare’s entered the hall. “Everyone take a seat please.” Everyone assembles onto the benches and huddles around.
Dare smooths his hand over my hair and down to the back of my neck before he places a kiss on the top of my head. “Mo grá. Is everything okay?”
I try not to sigh audibly. Dare touches me and every tensed muscle in my body unclenches and relaxes. I smile up at him. “Everything is fine. No immediate danger, but Puck has some info for us and I think everyone needs to hear it so we can craft a plan and figure out our next steps.”
Puck gives everyone the rundown about the Order’s reach, and curses fly through the air like battle-axes.
“What are you thinking, Ev?” Doyle asks me.
I blink a few times to clear the fog swirling around my thoughts. “I think we need to take meetings with all of the kings, queens, consorts, and higher-ups of each and every court and kingdom.”
“I’m not sure that’s ever been done…” Dagan mutters with doubt coloring his tone.
“I’m sure it hasn’t.” I chuckle. “But why not? It’s not like we’ve been following the rules or anything.” I look around the table as everyone leans in to listen to what I have to say. I’m not sure how I’ve gotten the respect and bli
nd faith of each and every one of the warriors at this table, but it’s a heady feeling to know that my words will change their lives. To know that one decision could result in loss or gain. “Let’s start where we have contacts. Light Elven I’m sure we can get into easily enough to look around. Unseelie might be possible. Who’s got what contacts where?” I wave a hand, inviting everyone to speak up.
“I’ve got a possible in at the Unseelie as well as the Seelie.” Dax smiles.
“I’ve got a few contacts within the Autumn and Winter courts,” Eryn pipes up.
I raise a brow. I didn’t know that she had any contacts there. Either way, they’re helpful now.
One by one everyone starts talking about who they’ve got where and we form a plan. I pour myself more tea and listen as everyone works together to figure out how we can get ahead of the Order. No one wants a war. And no one wants to worry about their loved ones going off to battle. So right now, we focus on playing it smart. It’s a deadly game of chess and I intend to checkmate the Order before they can even make their first move on us.
Loud chittering and squeaking sounds through the hall and I look over my shoulder expecting Anarchy and Chaos to come flying at me. Instead it’s the whole horde of Arela’s gargoyles. They’re flying at us like they’re about to attack but instead they all stop dead mere feet from us and form a wall and face away from us. Anarchy and Chaos perch on my shoulders both chattering and making noises. I look them over but they don’t look hurt, only agitated.
“What the hell?” I ask out loud, hoping someone has an answer.
“Interesting,” Puck mutters.
“What? You know what that means?” I ask him.
Arela comes running into the hall, looking upset. Brodie, hot on her heels, almost runs her over as she stops short at the sight of the gargoyles all forming a wall between our table full of warriors and whatever is on the other side.
I’ve been so focused on the wall of baby gargoyles and Arela’s arrival into the hall that I didn’t notice the man and woman entering the hall.
The woman clears her throat. “Excuse us. Is this a bad time?”
The gargoyles all growl and my eyebrows fly up into my hairline. The man with her steps in front of her, his hand going to the knife at his belt. He’s stocky but I’d bet he’s quick. His brown hair is cut short to his scalp and he’s got a few scars on his forearms. Not a stranger to a fight then. The woman is curvy and willowy at the same time. Her hips are full, her legs are long, and her evergreen-colored hair falls around her round face in ringlets.
“Not a bad time, although our gargoyles seem to dislike you. Care to explain why?” I shout over the low rumble of growling.
“We’re here to see Ever Leath. Amren sent for us,” the woman replies, peeking over the man’s broad shoulder.
I look at the curious faces around me, hoping someone has an answer as to who this chick is, until a light bulb goes off. She’s here with her mate. They’re both leath cine. Holy shit. They’re like a week early.
“Arela, call off the gargoyles please. Someone please go get Amren, and everyone else, continue your planning elsewhere. Perhaps the war room?” Very rarely do I like to give orders like I just did, but honestly, I need a minute to process that this couple just walked into the main hall of the Goblin Kingdom and might have some answers to all the questions I’ve got about Dare and me.
One by one, the gargoyles head back to Arela, but Anarchy and Chaos stick with me, their small tails swishing back and forth in an aggravated rhythm. What is it about this couple that is setting them off? I step toward them only to have a large hand wrap around my arm above my elbow.
“Ever, wait.”
Dare steps so his body is mostly in front of mine and I try not to roll my eyes. I know something is off but I’m not sure what. Something about this couple has put me at ease. Far more at ease than I should be with strangers in my general vicinity.
“How did you get in here?” Dare asks, his own hand going to the knife at his belt.
“We walked through the mound, of course,” the woman replies.
“You just walked through? We have wards in place that should have stopped you or at least set off alarms,” Dare replies, keeping his attention on the couple as Dagan and Dax fan out toward the hallways leading out of the main hall.
“I disabled them. We didn’t want to get skewered before we had a chance to speak with Ever. We’ve been traveling for a long time to get here.” The woman steps in front of her companion. “May we have something to drink?”
I nod, enchanted by her melodic voice. “Of course. I’ve got some tea right here. Will that be okay?” I step away from Dare’s back and wave to the table.
“That would be lovely.” The woman steps toward me only to stop when the clamor of steel leaving sheathes echoes through the hall. “I am not here to harm anyone. I’m only here to speak with Ever.” She nods her head toward me. “I’m assuming you’re Ever?”
“The one and only.” I wave. “Perhaps we should wait for Amren so he can confirm you are who you say you are and then we can sit down and chat?”
“Fine by me.” She clasps her hands in front of her and looks around at everyone before turning her gaze back to me. “You’ve got quite the family here.”
“The very best.” I smile. I’d like to ask her name, but I’m waiting for Amren to come in and confirm who she is before I drink any more of whatever calming vibe she’s throwing off.
“So sorry! I was in the middle of grinding an herb, and if it wasn’t bottled correctly, it would be of no use.” Amren waltzes into the main hall with a smile on his face. He heads straight toward the couple without a hitch in his step and holds out his hands.
“Simone. Tanner. How are you? It’s been so long.” He grips both of Simone’s hands in his, giving them a squeeze before he claps a hand on Tanner’s shoulder.
“This who we talked about Amren?” I watch all three of them closely, waiting for any guile or trick.
“Of course.”
“Care to explain how they got through the wards without any alarms sounding?” Dare asks, placing fisted hands on his hips. Under his breath, he mutters, “We’ll talk about how you knew strangers were coming later, mo grá.”
I grimace and nod. Damnit. I forgot to talk to him. It’s been on my never-ending to-do list but I thought I had more time. Guilt runs through me and my stomach cramps. This conversation isn’t going to go as smoothly as I’d hoped.
“I see you’ve been working on your abilities.” Amren smiles over at Simone like a doting father and I clear my throat. “Simone has the ability to see wards and disable them. It’s a very taxing skill, and one that isn’t easy to master, but it looks as though she’s learned a great deal since the last time I saw her.”
Simone laughs, a deep and throaty sound. “Training with Druids has its advantages.” She winks at Amren before turning her attention back to Dare and me. “Is this the couple you spoke of?”
“Aye, that’s them. Perhaps we’ll clear the hall a bit and get a spot of tea before we dive into it, shall we?” Amren walks Simone toward us, and I lay a hand on Dare’s bunched forearm.
“I know you’re not happy right now, but they’re here to help us.”
“How do you know that?” he asks.
“Because I asked Amren to help us figure out what is going on between you and me so we can put our minds at ease and focus on the threats coming at us from all sides.”
Dare frowns. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to. They weren’t supposed to show up for another week. I kept pushing it off with all the other crap going on.”
Dare nods and pulls me into his side. “I know we’ve got a lot going on. Just remember that your safety is as important to me as breathing. I need to know if someone strange is going to be around you so I can prepare for the worst.”
“I know. I’m working on it. I promise it wasn’t intentional, Dare.”
“I beli
eve you. Let’s get this over with. We’ve got a lot of things happening at once and we need to be ready for anything.”
I smile up at him and shuffle back toward one of the chairs at the large table. He sits, and before I can take a seat beside him, he pulls me down into his lap and places a kiss where my shoulder meets my neck. I grip his hand in mine, entwining our fingers, and let the feeling of home wash over me. No matter what this couple tells us, Dare and I are meant to be together. Fuck the mating signs, and fuck the missing pieces. As a matter of fact, fuck fate and her twisted plans. Rules are meant to be broken, and I’ll break every damn one to keep Dare by my side.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
After my mental pep talk and the hall clearing, it’s as silent as a mausoleum in here and the lack of noise makes me shift in Dare’s lap.
“Soo… where do we start? Introductions? Explanations? Our life stories?” Dare runs his hand down my side and squeezes my hip. He knows I’m nervous and I babble when I’m nervous.
“How about you tell us how you met?” Simone suggests, leaning forward on both of her elbows.
I look at Dare and smirk. “Do you want the long version or the short version?”
“As much detail as possible please.” Simone smiles.
“Well, I was looking for information about what was going on in the Light Elven Kingdom when my partner, Doyle, and I stopped at a Fae bar…”
For about an hour, we go back and forth, adding details where the other missed something, and explaining our story up until this very point. As each detail falls on the strangers’ ears, I feel naked. Stripped bare and on display. It’s not a feeling I’m used to or necessarily comfortable with but in the hopes that this couple, who’s like Dare and me, can tell us what in the hell is going on between us and what to expect, I’ll suffer through the awkward situation.
“Hmm, interesting. Don’t you think, Tanner?”
Tanner nods and looks between Dare and me, his shrewd gaze missing nothing. “And you don’t hear each other yet?”
Throne of Secrets (Wicked Kingdoms Book 3) Page 12
