I nearly threw up with disgust at how pathetically foolish and dumb I was. I slammed my fists down on the ground and snarled.
Pushing myself up, I shouted, “I hate you freaking fairies and all your evil-cruel games. Now, I’m done playing! This is an illusion! This is an illusion! That means that this room is an illusion too, so let me the hell out!” I stomped my foot, believing in my heart that it would work and the illusion would fade.
I stood there, amazed and pissed. My body shook with adrenaline as I looked at the three guys in front of me. Jace rushed over as Cris and Asher slowly approached. They must have seen something that Jace didn’t.
Jace pulled me too him, “Oh Fox, are you okay?”
I sighed and hugged him back with everything in me. I sobbed out, “Are you real?”
“Yes, Charlie,” he said. “I’m so sorry, we couldn’t help you. What happened in there?”
I pulled back and asked, “You didn’t see what was happening?”
Jace shook his head. “All we could see was you and the emotions on your face. You were crying and you looked so hopeless. I was trapped, and there wasn’t any damn thing I could do to help you.” He shook his head, looking aggravated.
They didn’t see Kate? They didn’t see what she did to my mom? Oh please let it all be just an illusion. Please! Please! Please! I felt like that was my new mantra.
“Kitten, are you okay?”
I answered Asher truthfully. “No.”
Cris cut in, “Are we quite finished now? I think it is time we move on from this spot, wouldn’t you agree!?” He looked ticked off.
What the heck? I glared as he came close and touched my arm. A shiver ran over my body, one of excitement and dread. I jerked my arm away and huffed. “Fine. Let’s go!” Turning my back on him, I strolled away as if nothing had happened, as if my world hadn’t just been upended.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Crispin
To say that I was beyond tired of the game I was playing with the Chosen One, was laughable, but now I could do nothing about it. Once we had stepped through the Fairy Lands, I could do nothing but let this farce continue. The king and queen of the two courts already knew who I was, and it didn’t matter how much I tamped down my powers. They have dealt with me too many times not to know my magical signature. I suppose I could’ve gone through the trouble of putting a glamor over my face for the two royals, but that would have been a waste. They wouldn’t say anything, so I was left to let this game that the king had set up for the girl play out. I groaned inwardly thinking, oh, if only Father was still alive. I shrugged the thoughts out of my head and watched her in the bubble. It was all an illusion, and she only had to believe that she knew what to do to make it end, but she was struggling.
She was defenseless, and oh how I wanted to take her now. All I had to do was snap my fingers, but part of me was curious. I wanted to see if she could get herself out. If she could not, I would not let her fail. I would not allow anything but success. Charlize looked right at me, and though I was certain she couldn’t see me, it felt like she could. I imagined her giving me an impish, come-hither grin. My blood heated, and my body responded, hardening at how beautifully sexy she was. My imagination was a dangerous thing. Its tricks were dangerous. Wonderful, but dangerous. I watched her stomp her foot, and the bubble that surrounded her popped. She stood there, shaking and alone. I felt a desperate need to go to her and wrap her in my arms, but Jace was the one with my love. I wanted to peel the skin from Jace’s body. I should be comforting her and telling her how brilliant she was.
Suddenly, I felt disgusted, hating the feelings that seemed to be eating away at my essence. This internal war would soon end once her life was mine. Perhaps it was one of The Seven provoking these feelings. Once she ceased to exist, everything would go back the way it was. The way it should be. I gazed at her, anger creeping in. I wanted to lash out at her for making me feel less than what I truly am. I was powerful. I was the Traveller. I was someone that should be feared, a leader not a follower. It was time to let her know I wasn’t going to be a follower. In the grand scheme of things, this was my game.
“Are we quite finished now? I think it is time we move on from this spot, wouldn’t you agree?” I raised my eyebrow mockingly as I waited for her reaction.
Fire seemed to churn within the depths of her brown eyes. A sudden urge to touch her flooded my senses. So forgetting everything, I placed my hand on her arm to touch the bare skin that was exposed. Something flared in my body, shooting through every part and sending pleasurable feelings all over. I sucked in a sharp breath. If I didn’t get control and fast, I was going to take her and have my way with her. However I damn well pleased.
She pulled her arm quickly away and huffed. “Fine. Let’s go!” Turning away, she strolled onward.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nikko
I wasn’t faring well, and I felt it in every part of my body. I was dying, and this time, it would be for good. I vaguely wondered how I could feel so much pain as a ghost, but I assumed it was due to the fact that I was only half dead. The further away I was from Charlie, the worse my pain became. I could see the tendrils of magic that connected us together; they were becoming more and more translucent. I had been feeding off of Charlie’s power to maintain my tether to her. When I would pull on her power, the magic that bound us together would brighten, and the tentacles would pulse. This was my life.
I didn’t want to hurt Charlie, and there was no telling what would happen if I kept feeding off her magic. What if I drained her? Would that kill her, or at least, leave her vulnerable for Kate and Tammin? Even if it drained her, but she still lived and it made me alive once again, I couldn’t do that to her. I knew that feeding off her was hurting her. I was as sure of this as I was the knowledge that I loved her. If I could clip the cords that linked us together and rid her of this burden, I would. I only hoped that, if I could do it, this time around wouldn’t be as painful as the first.
I knew what I had to do. I would stop feeding off her like one of those vampires, and I would do it by stopping the pull of her magic. The further I was from Charlie, the weaker the cords that bound us. I would let the cords that wove our soul’s together fail. In my mind, I imagined there would be an audible sound of heartache and sorrow, a sound that I would remember for all eternity.
“That is if I continue to even exist!” I said aloud. I closed my eyes and willed the power flow to stop. I cried out in pain as the ebb and flow of magic no longer coursed through my body. My back arched, and I panted, gasping in desperation. I pounded my fists against the box, but my knuckles didn’t connect with the wall.
“So this is what Charlie sees when I’m not whole. She sees nothing really. How cool is that!” I laughed. I had always seen myself as a whole person, not someone that you could see right through. It was surreal. My eyes were glued to the fading substance that was me. “One and a half hands gone. I just wonder when the rest of me will disappear, but at least I’m not a nasty mosquito anymore. No more sucking on Charlie like she’s a lollipop! Score one for the good guys!” I said with a grimace.
Shaking my head, a devastatingly funny thought streamed through my mind. Where did my hand go? Is it still attached to me? Or did it cease to be? Will I no longer exist in any world?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Charlie
“Welcome to: Will, Desire, and Temptation!” a lovely voice intoned.
I swallowed and looked over at the guys, but they were gone. Splendid, I thought a little cynically. Where did they go this time and what the heck did that mean… Will, Desire, and Temptation?
I yelled, “Why are they even here? Come on, Your Majesty. Why did you want them with me if they’re not even going to be here?”
I groaned and closed my eyes, dreading the next phase of this crazy game I was playing. I hated all of these mind games, but clearly, fairies thought they were freaking fantastic! I heard a buzzing noise followed by a loud pop. I opened my eyes a
nd saw Ziggy floating in front of my face. His hands were placed on either side of his little hips, and his legs were spread wide in his best imitation of Peter Pan. He was barefoot, wearing nothing but a dark brown loincloth around his waist with a leather strap that ran diagonally up his sternum and encircled the upper half of his body. A bandana was tied around his forehead, keeping his long, blond hair off his face. I looked at his wings and sighed. They were wonderfully mesmerizing, their green, golden hue making his dark, golden eyes captivating.
Ziggy flashed his sharp teeth, “Whatcha doing here, sweet cheeks?”
“Ziggy, hey! No, what are you doing here?” I asked excitedly.
“Oh baby doll, I think I asked you first.” He cocked his head to the side, sighing. “Are you in some kind of trouble again? I have my sword now. I can protect you from these fairies that only wish they could be as cool as us pixies!” He pulled out a sword that was strapped behind his back. He held it up and grinned devilishly.
I giggled. “I have to play some kind of game in order to see the king.”
Ziggy whistled, sheathing his sword. “So you’re the one all these fairies have been talking about. Nice.”
I shrugged. “If you say so. So what are you doing here? After getting captured the first time, I would have thought you would be done with this place!”
Ziggy leaned back, stretching his body. He casually crossed his arms behind his head as he placed one foot over the other. “Well, if you haven’t noticed, I’m quite the lady’s man. Yeah, I’m all about the ladies, and there are plenty of ladies here.”
“Seriously?”
He cracked his knuckles. “As serious as Dory when Mother Nature has kicked in.”
I rolled my eyes. “Speaking of your sister, how is Dory? How is Magpie?”
Ziggy righted himself, coming in close. “Mags—she is wonderful.” He held up his thumb. “And Dory?” He rotated his thumb so that it was now pointing down. “Well, you know The Hag, The Nag. That freaking wench of a sister of mine thinks she can tell me what to do. She thinks she can control my life. Well, she has another thing coming. I will—”
Ziggy’s words were cut off as Dory decided to make her presence known. She hit Ziggy on the back of the head. I heard a smack, flip-flip, and boom. Ziggy flipped end-over-end and landed with a thud.
“I can hear every single word you say. What are you doing here?” Dory glared at her brother.
I beamed and looked her over. She was dressed in an elegant blue gown with glass slippers. Her white hair was tied up in a bun, and her iridescent wings seemed to be moving as fast as hummingbird wings.
Ziggy flew up to meet her and muttered, “You know I like a little mischief in my life!”
Dory shook her head. She groused, “Play time is over. Father said you need to come home.” She grabbed his arm and then turned to me. “Nice seeing you again, Charlie.” She flashed her sharp teeth. Ziggy shrugged, winked, and then they were gone.
I blinked and looked around. A sensual voice filled my ears.
“Hello…” An astonishingly attractive woman strolled my way.
“My name is Thespilia. I am the caretaker over this realm of Will, Desire, and Temptation.” She smiled at me. “Nymphs are best known for these three things.” She stepped closer. An exciting gleam sparked in her eyes. “And you are the lovely Charlie, our very own Champion. The Chosen One!” She took my hand, and I let her. She grinned, and I found myself grinning right back.
I felt a little dazed. I tilted my head to the side and greeted her. “Hello. You’re so pretty.”
Her grin widened. “I hope you find the realm of Will, Desire, and Temptation worth your wildest imagination. What can you withstand? What do you truly desire? Will you be tempted to stay here forever? Or is your willpower stronger than your need?”
“Why is it called that?”
She laughed; it was a rich sound that I wanted to hear again. I looked into her crystal blue eyes and then traced my way over her body. When I first saw her, I only looked at her face. Now I swept my eyes up and down her figure. She had long, curly, red hair that touched her waist. She had on a sheer, white gown that left nothing to the imagination. She was as stunning as Aphrodite was described to be. She was every teenage boy’s fantasy. Heck, she was probably every man and some women’s fantasy.
“You are about to find out,” she said sweetly. “Nymphs spread desire and temptation. Will you be able to fight it?”
“So, basically, this place and you are big ol’ balls of temptation and desire, and I have to do whatever I can to survive it?” I proclaimed.
“Precisely, my clever girl. You can’t imagine how long it takes some people to figure that out. They get too caught up in the sensations.”
I interjected, “You are gorgeous, but what do you do if that person isn’t attracted to you? I don’t like girls in that way, and there are men that don’t like girls in that way.”
“Oh sweet girl, you don’t want me, but you will want someone! I am merely the catalyst to your carnal pleasures,” she purred. “Now, close your eyes.”
I could have fought her, but what was the point? I needed to finish this so I could get Nikko back, so I closed my eyes. I felt a tingling sensation spread over my body as a thick lethargy set in. I felt myself falling, falling, and falling into a blissful state of unconsciousness.
I felt hot breath against my cheek as she breathed, “Sweet girl, will you fail or will you conquer your deepest desires?”
I came slowly back and opened my eyes. I was lying on a white, plush rug, and the room was dimly lit so I couldn’t really make out to much.
“Ah, Kitten, I see why I am here. So, tell me, do you think they chose a good subject in this game of desire?” Asher said as he stepped out of the shadows.
His black as night hair was tied back, making the scar that ran from his temple to his eye visible. He was wearing nothing but black leather pants.
Dang, he doesn’t have much in his wardrobe?
I sighed.
He was a drop dead gorgeous subject. I was one lucky gal to have so many attractive guys after me. I frowned. No, they only wanted me because I was some kind of potpourri machine that pumped the air full of pheromone-lust. Thanks, Mom, for the wonderful sins you had placed inside me.
I bit my lip and looked at Asher worriedly.
Asher’s eyes flickered bright red as he looked down at my bottom lip clasped firmly in my teeth. I quickly let go.
He growled, “Kitten, you shouldn’t bite your lip when you have me at your disposal.” He flashed his fangs and leered at me suggestively. “It would be my pleasure to sink my fangs deep into that pretty little mouth of yours. I’m willing to bite any part of your body that needs extra attention. I promise, Kitten, every inch of that beautiful body will be pleasured. I am a man of my word, and I never let a gorgeous body walk away unsatisfied.” Asher considered me closely. “Allow me to show you.”
Sweat broke out over my skin at the erotically sensual images bombarding my mind. My chest felt like it was closing in on itself. The room started to spin and take on a whole new form. There was a whooshing sound, and I looked around. Asher was still with me, but now we were in a dark bedroom. The only furnishing in the room was a bed, and Asher was sitting on it.
He smirked and patted the bed beside him. “Come sit down beside me, Kitten, and I’ll show you pleasure you’ve only read about.”
Chapter Thirty
Charlie
I was beginning to forget why I was here playing these mind games. My head was fogging over, and my body was heating up. The air around me was permeated with need. I felt nearly intoxicated in the knowledge of what Asher was suggesting, and the arousing images were still rushing through my mind of him biting me in places that no guy had ever touched.
The images would flash. Naked. Skin on skin. Hands gliding. Moving. Mouth opening. Two, sharp, erotic fangs penetrating my flesh.
I stumbled over to the bed and sat down heavily. �
�Aren’t you supposed to be helping me get out of here, not seducing me into bed!?” I glanced down at the bed I was already in and nearly laughed. How ironic.
He chuckled. “Haven’t you realized this yet, Kitten? I am a vampire! Vampires desire giving and receiving pleasure. Right now is the perfect opportunity for me to give you all the pleasure you can take. I am not going to let this moment pass, not when it’s right in front of me.”
It felt like ice cold water was poured all over my body after he said that. It was like I just woke up. I was pissed. That seemed to be all I needed to shake me out of my lust-infused-miasma and back to where I should be. I narrowed my eyes. If I would allow him, Asher would take advantage of me in this place until he was satisfied. Not caring where we were or why we were here.
What a good friend he is!
I frowned. Really, Asher isn’t a good friend, and he never professed to be one either. He has been very clear on what I mean to him. Sure, he will do whatever he can to protect me, but I’m nothing more than a walking blood bag with strong magical qualities.
I stood up and turned to him. “I’m sorry, Asher, but playtime is over, and I have a friend to save.”
Asher frowned. “What?”
I sniffed. “You heard me.” His eyes widened as I put my hand on his chest and gave him a little push. Asher was gone. “Ha! I did it. So what do you have for me next, oh queen of this realm?”
She popped into view a few inches from my face. “Oh, I cannot believe you could turn him down? Bad boy vampire—he is so yummy. But, I couldn’t let him leave without being satisfied, now could I?” She winked at me. “Maybe you were wrong about what gender you prefer.” She ran a hand down my arm, giving me goosebumps. “Are you sure I can’t be the one to give you pleasure?”
I shook my head. “I’m sure you could, but I’ll pass. So is the game over with now?”
“Oh, my lovely, the game is never over.” She snapped her fingers, and she was gone.
A Ghost of Magic: Chosen Saga Book 3 Page 14
