That spun a hundred questions through her head. None of which changed her answer. “Does it help if I tell you I feel exactly the same? Because it’s true.”
“It does.” He nodded toward the door. “Go on, get ready. We need to leave soon.”
* * * *
From the moment Toryn saw Isadora, he knew where his loyalty and heart lie. He never expected her to feel anywhere near the same. And yet, with everything she said, he could do nothing but believe. When she left the room, he took a minute to pull himself together.
Their time in the hotel was coming to an end. From the land line, he’d made arrangements to take Isadora to Morrigan, the only other Storm Mistress he knew.
He was scared, terrified really. There were things in his past he never told another living soul. He wasn’t sure how Isa would respond, but he was done keeping secrets from her. With the awakening out of the way, and going against his orders, there was nothing holding back the truth, other than the sheer vastness of information he was willing to share.
There was only one person who could truly help Isa understand her powers. If there had been anyone else, he would gladly take her to them instead. He had no clue how either woman would respond to the other, let alone how he would feel when the truth came out. The worst part was he didn’t know how to tell her who Morrigan was.
There were tears in Isa’s eyes when she came back and picked up the brush. “What is it, Princess?” he asked softly, wishing he could take away her pain.
Her laugh was sad. “Remember, still catching up here. The closer I get to grasping this whole new world, the further away familiar things seem.” She looked like she could fall apart as her gaze locked on his. “What was it like when you realized you weren’t human?”
He turned away, shame plaguing him. “I always knew I wasn’t human, but no one where I grew up was. Still, Reance dragged me back across the portal and I was faced with a whole different reality with strange creatures and plants. He took me to the Moonlight Citadel, and one of the mystics took it upon herself to force the awakening on me. They tied me down, and I was too young, too scared after the witch hunters. I didn’t fight.”
Her fingers traced along his jaw, bringing his eyes back to hers. “Toryn, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” she whispered.
That wasn’t it though. That’s what her uncle wanted to do to her, but he would have hurt her, would have abused her. It was only sex when he was raped, and yes, humiliating because he had no control. It wasn’t like what Remus would have done. The mystic gave him pleasure, unwanted as it may have been, but she didn’t hurt him physically. Remus would have—Toryn couldn’t go there without wanting to rage.
He shook his head, and continued, “Imagine me, barely fifteen, seduced by a siren. I told her no, but she knew how to bring me pleasure, no matter how much I tried to shut out the world. She unleashed a firestorm and eons of ancestral memories. The magic was contained to the cell, and the siren was protected by her own shields, but I thought I might explode. I was so confused and twisted that I didn’t know what to do, or what to believe.”
She took his face in her hands and kissed him softly. “Thank you for being the one who brought me over.” That took him by surprise, but she gave him such an honest smile. “You made love to me, brought me into the awakening gently, without scaring me.”
He smiled back, but he still felt like he forced so much on her.
There was a ring at the hotel phone and he hopped off the counter, pulling his shirt on as he went. “We need to go. Now!”
She stepped out of the bathroom, as she glanced at the window and froze. “What the fuck is that?”
Before she made it two steps toward the window, he grabbed her arm, above the elbow, and dragged her through the front door with both backpacks slung over his shoulder.
“Here is where your reality starts falling apart,” he told her.
Damn it, it was too damned soon. She was so busy staring behind them in open shock, that he picked her up and ran her to the Humvee, depositing her in the passenger seat and tossing the bags into the back.
He hurried to his side, and slammed his door shut before speeding off toward the freeway. She turned in her seat, still staring at the dragon. Last thing he needed was to engage it anywhere near the public.
* * * *
“Holy fucking hell, you weren’t kidding about the dragon,” she uttered.
He was calm when he replied, “If we can make it to the city, he won’t follow. He won’t risk being exposed in this world.”
Toryn took a corner at speed, sending her careening into him.
Steadying her, he encouraged, “Buckle up, Princess, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
She spun in her seat to see the forest around them. Isa clicked the belt in place, but craned in her seat to watch the black beast gracefully dodge trees. She couldn’t pull her eyes away.
They burst back onto the freeway and the dragon faded into a mist staying with them. She turned around to see the headlights coming fast, directly toward her. Trusting Toryn, she clapped her hands over her mouth and held back the scream. He easily moved them to the right side of the road without a wreck, but she was speechless.
His voice soothed her. “We’ll lose him in a minute, and then we’ll take a ride to San Francisco. I hope Sammy is ready for a flight because we need to go under the radar.”
Isa took a deep breath and combed her fingers through her still-damp hair. She couldn’t relax, the whole situation was impossible, or would have been if it wasn’t reality. “And what happens if we don’t outrun it?”
“I kill him,” he said with total confidence, as if that was the only logical answer.
“What?” She turned in her seat to stare in utter disbelief. “That thing is huge!”
“Remember, I’m the warrior, an assassin, the guy who does the king’s dirty work. Consider yourself lucky that he’s an earth dragon. If it were a fire dragon, I might have some trouble. I’m only worried how we’ll conceal its body.”
Her head reeled through that scenario. “Right. That kind of carcass would send everyone into a panic. Scientists would have to find a way to explain it, and the crypto zoologists would have a field day. So now my fucked up little family is not only fucking with their world, but this one?” She groaned.
“You’re catching on.” He grinned, as if he were impressed with her logic. “However, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a dragon in this realm and it certainly won’t be the last. They’ve been in this world for as long as there has been a way to get here.”
Glaring out the window, Isa curled up into the seat. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not a spoiled little princess who thinks the world revolves around me. He was chasing us though, so obviously he was sent after us.”
“Never said you were spoiled, Princess.” He gave her an amused smirk. “You will horrify Henroyld. He was meant to be royalty with his grand schemes and his need to be the picture perfect-king. Well, your mother is obviously royalty, but in a much different way.” He laughed. “You wouldn’t fit into Henroyld’s little box, my dear. Maybe that’s exactly what the kingdom needs. Someone who doesn’t have all the messed-up bullshit to warp and twist their view of what’s right or wrong.”
“What? What do you mean?” She was more confused.
“I know you aren’t going back right now,” he added, and it did reassure her. “I mean that maybe someone with a new perspective could set things right.”
“Oh,” she mumbled absently, “I can see how you might think that with the lies you were told.”
“Exactly. It seems my old friend and mentor kept quite a few secrets from me. Like the fact he was alive all of this time, and your father. Your mother didn’t tell anyone Henroyld wasn’t your father though that was for the best. It’s no secret that Henroyld wants to find a way to take the throne from your mother. Your uncle wants to take you as his own, and I don’t mean for a night or two, but forever. Trust me, on
ce I learned that, I was ready to die to prevent your fate.”
She half-smiled. “What about you?”
* * * *
Toryn took a deep breath. “Honestly? Until you, I did what I had to do to survive and keep myself on the right side of the most powerful person.” Before meeting Isadora, he didn’t regret those choices. “Hear me out, because this is where it gets more screwed up than you might think. Reance was the king of our people until the great wars. He was the one who brought me back to Faerie, but it was my blood mother who sent me to the mystics to help me reach my potential faster. Reance had already seen what I was capable of in a vision and made the case for me to be his protégé.”
He ran a hand through his hair, wondering how much to tell her. “Reance was a good friend and I trusted him completely. Later, after the fall of our kingdom, he convinced me to swear fealty to Henroyld who kept even more things from me. Maybe Reance knows where we’ll land, but my gift of vision is nowhere as clear or far reaching as his.”
Hands flexed on the wheel, he laid it all out for her, “Henroyld sent me to keep you safe, but he never said from what. He believed me to be the man who would do all of his dirty work, including let Remus rape you in front of him.”
She gasped, but didn’t say anything as he took a deep breath that didn’t calm him.
“I wouldn’t have let him, Isa. Not only because of what I feel for you, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I could prevent a forced awakening on someone. I remember mine too vividly.”
“Damn it, Toryn. I haven’t seen a damned thing to make me question you. So have a little fucking faith in me.”
He swallowed hard and nodded. “From the day I met you, my perspective changed. My loyalty is to you, no one else. If you say run, we keep running. If you say go back, we go back. I may offer advice, but I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
They reach the city, and as Toryn predicted, the dragon was gone.
“I’ve already defied Henroyld’s orders. I was supposed to bring you back to your place after work yesterday, and wait for him to come for you. I knew that I needed to get you away from there, but not why. He’s not going to be happy when he finds me, but I honestly don’t care, because you come first. Now, always, you come first, Isadora. There is nothing I won’t do to protect you, Princess.”
“Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, and then miserably whined, “I don’t want to ruin your life. But I am, aren’t I?”
“No. Don’t you dare say that because I have never felt more alive than I feel with you, especially now that I know you feel the same. We will get to the bottom of this and find a way to make sure you are in control of your life.”
Squeezing his hand, she smiled. “You knew to get me out of there?” she asked thoughtfully.
He nodded, not sure where she was going with that question. “I have visions, though nothing compared to Reance. I knew I had to take you to the cabin to prevent Remus from hurting you.” His voice broke, the images he caught left him wanting to tear her uncle apart slowly and feed the motherfucker his own flesh and muscle, the most delicate appendage first.
She moved closer, whispering in his ear, “You didn’t see making love to me? You only saw taking me to the cabin?”
Through gritted teeth, he growled. “I saw fragments of what Remus would have done if I brought you back to your place. I took you where I didn’t think he’d find you. I wanted you safe, unharmed.”
Toryn turned onto the dirt road that went away from the city, eventually parking outside an old hangar.
Isa grabbed his arm, and when he turned toward her, she said, “You know I trust you. Right?”
“Yes.”
“And I told you that I love you?”
“Yes …”
She covered his mouth with her fingers. “And I convinced you to sleep with me, unleashing whatever this is. Right?”
He nodded, a slow smile spreading as she erased his doubts.
“Toryn, I mean every last word. I do trust you. I do love you. Once again, you got me away from a bad situation before it happened.” She meant it, he could feel it through their bond.
“I love you too.” He kissed her softly before grabbing their bags and climbing out of the large SUV. She rolled her eyes and followed.
Chapter 24
Before Isadora made it to the little trailer next to the hanger, Toryn pulled her against his body and held her close. “I need to warn you before we go in there. Try not to be too surprised. You’re about to meet a satyr. He can fly a plane and owes me a favor.”
“Okay,” she answered slowly.
“Don’t be offended by his coming on to you.” He looked down at her clothing and shook his head. “You had to wear those pants with that top, didn’t you?” He chuckled. “You are going to drive the poor guy crazy.”
“What? Why?” she frowned down at herself. “I like this outfit.”
“You are always tempting, but the way those clothes hug your body, you look edible.” He licked his lips, his eyes caressing over her curves and growled, “You are edible.”
She went from confused to curious in no time as his first comment sank in. “Wait, you mean half-goat? Satyr as in the mythological creature?”
He nodded. “Furry from the waist down, hooves and don’t forget the horns. Though, the only thing hornier than a satyr might be a nymph, and even then I’m not convinced. Except most nymphs, Scotty excluded, will sleep with anything.”
Isadora had the distinct impression that Toryn was going to enjoy the next few minutes. She sneered at him, “I can handle myself.” With that, she strode up to the door full of sass and let herself in since the sign did say to “Come on in.”
Toryn wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her close as he called, “Hey Sammy, I need a favor.”
“Mmm, I smell ecstasy and elemental beauty. Have you brought me a treat?” The voice was a rich, seductive baritone. The owner came into the room with an easy smile that was quite thrilling.
Sammy’s bronzed skin was smooth over lean muscle. Golden curls fell around his sculpted shoulders. She hardly noticed the horns in his mane. Sammy’s warm brown eyes sparkled as he took her in.
She had to bite the inside of her cheeks when he stepped around the counter and she saw the thick golden fur that started just below his hips, and ran to his hooved feet. Not to mention the fact he was only wearing a leather loincloth which barely contained the enormously scary bulge.
She looked back at Toryn, who winked at his old friend as he explained, “Sorry Sammy, not sure she could handle you. Besides, we need a ride to San Fran.”
Normally, she would argue that jab, but she glanced back to that straining leather and decided it was better to not tempt him further because he was huge—like tear-a-girl-in-half huge.
Sammy pouted. “Sure, take all the fun out of my night,” he huffed.
Toryn chuckled, thankfully pulling her gaze from the satyr’s crotch.
“Wait, you two are an item?” Sammy hopped up on the counter, spreading furry legs wide, thrusting his hips forward slightly, emphasizing his erection which a blind woman couldn’t miss with two-inch thick onyx sunglasses. He wore a peculiar grin. “And here I thought you gave up on women eight or nine years ago because of a pretty little forbidden princess.”
“Isa is the reason for that common misconception. It’s a lot harder to call out a woman’s name when your partner has the wrong parts,” Toryn explained as his hands caressed her side, soothing.
“Ooh, I heard about that. Certain nymph got cranky over your little blunder.” He chuckled with an appreciative grin at her. “So you’re Isadora. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Great.” She rolled her eyes. “Everyone seems to know who I am.”
“Oh sweetheart, he only told good things, and you did so torture poor Toryn. No wonder he went to men in an attempt to keep his mind off you. You’d be hard for anyone to forget.”
Tor
yn interrupted, “Still willing to take us to San Fran?”
He gave Toryn a pleading look, pouting and all. “For a kiss from this lovely lady.”
When she looked at Toryn for an out, he nodded with sparkling amusement. “As long as you ask her nicely and she agrees.”
What?
Unsure, she turned back to find Sammy barely an inch from her.
“Oh please mistress, one little kiss and I’ll even be good. I won’t follow temptation to caress and lick all of your creamy skin.”
“That’s the only way we’re leaving?” she asked suspiciously.
“Just one little kiss,” he assured her, moving closer, his chest brushing against her breasts.
Toryn’s hands curled around her hips. “Go ahead, Isa,” he murmured.
“One kiss, and if you get too touchy feely, I won’t have a twinge of guilt when I send you flying across the room.”
That was the wrong thing to say, because he not only believed her, but it seemed to excite him. He pressed the whole length of his body into her, pushing her into Toryn who only sighed as Sammy’s hot mouth found hers. It was a deep, wet kiss, but his hands stayed at her waist, not moving a millimeter.
As much as she hated to admit it, goat-boy kissed quite well. Though not as well as Toryn.
Sammy shivered all over and took two big steps back, biting his full bottom lip. “San Francisco it is.” He gave Toryn a look full of envy. “I am now sincerely jealous of you, Tor. I haven’t been kissed like that since the wood nymphs’ orgy. Sadly, Isadora is a touch repulsed by these sexy legs.”
Isa shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry, still not used to the faerie thing.”
“Ooh, newly awakened changeling? Well, in that case, I hope to meet you again in a few months.” He led them out to a hanger with a small plane. The satyr began his routine between lustful glances in her direction.
Storm Mistress Page 18
