The Fae Lord's Lady

by Lisa Kumar

  Natalie forced words through her Sahara-like mouth. "And if I refuse this option?"

  "You die," the woman said, shrugging as if she were talking about eliminating a tiresome gnat or fly. Which to her, Natalie probably was. "And I’ll give the same tale of you wanting to return to Earth. That, or I can say you ran off into the woods like a wild woman. Of course in that case, Lorh would search for you, but he’d never find you. Hiding a body isn’t hard."

  Natalie took in a rasping breath. Her questions were running out, and she didn’t have much more time left. Lorh or somebody, anybody, come soon. "It seems you have every angle accounted for. I bet you sent Sivin to attack me too."

  "Correct on both accounts. Did you ever doubt I wouldn’t be fully prepared? And poor Sivin. How unfortunate he was sent back in a body bag. He did have his uses in and out of bed."

  Bile rose in Natalie’s throat. The more Lorh’s mother talked, the more apparent it became that she contained a black hole for a heart, totally annihilating anything that came too close. However, she wouldn’t give Merna the pleasure of even acknowledging what she said. To do so would only play into her sick game.

  "I can’t sway your course here?" Natalie knew she couldn’t but still asked, anyway.

  "Not a chance. Now, your choice?"

  Natalie closed her eyes as sorrow hit. If Merna could be trusted and returned her to Earth, maybe Lorh could find some way to her. Even though she’d have no memories of him, she knew she could fall in love with him again. But if she were dead…well, that seemed like a tougher problem to solve, especially since he’d done it once and that way was now closed to them.

  "I choose to go back."

  A cold grin spread over Merna’s lips. "Smart decision. I’d not give my life for any man or child."

  "That is where we differ. I would. But in this case, it’d serve no purpose."

  "Then you’re a bigger fool than I thought."

  Like that offended her? "From you, I happily accept that assessment."

  "I can still kill you instead."

  "Just send me back." Before I wind up dead.

  Merna gave a long-suffering sigh. "Fine." With a click of her fingers, a vial appeared in her hand. "This vial will access your link and allow you to return."

  "What do I do?" Natalie asked through a throat tight with tears. This was it. In a moment, she’d no longer remember Lorh or their children. It’d be as if they’d never existed.

  "Just stand there." Merna lifted her other hand to uncork the vile.

  Natalie wanted to look away or close her eyes, but she couldn’t. She had to watch her doom.

  A sudden banging at the door froze Merna’s action. Suddenly, Lorh, his father, and Aeron tumbled into the room. Relief, sharp and giddy, sliced into Natalie.

  When the males all saw the vial in Merna’s hand, they froze.

  "Put that down. Now," Lorh snarled.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lorh’s father, Avin, stand behind Merna.

  "Oh, this?" Merna gave Lorh a smile and lofted the vial high as if to break it. "I don’t think I can do that. In fact, I —"

  Avin grabbed his wife’s wrist. "Not so fast. Give me that before you add another crime to your growing list."

  Merna glared at her husband as he took the vial from her. "What are you talking about? Let me go."

  A growl rumbled from Lorh. He took a threatening step toward Merna, his hands clenched. "We heard everything, Mother. How you tricked the poacher into murdering Natalie, how you now either planned to murder her or send her back to Earth, and how you want to get rid of my children."

  "Oh, you misunderstood my intentions."

  He gave her a look of disgust and stalked away. Coming to a stop, he slid a comforting arm about Natalie’s waist. "Misunderstood? You were trying to send Natalie back to Earth. Thank the skies, I sensed something amiss from Natalie and turned back."

  A thrill zipped through Natalie. Their bond still existed to some extent, then.

  Merna scowled. "You two formed a partial bond? I’d forgotten about that possibility. Still, she wanted to go."

  Natalie couldn’t help the snort that left her lips. "No, I didn’t." Heavens above, his mother certainly seemed to have all the warning signs of a psychopath.

  Pouting, Merna gazed at everyone in the room. "Don’t listen to her."

  "Merna, I’d be quiet if I were you," Avin said, his tone cold. "We all know what you did."

  She whirled toward her husband, anger exploding across her countenance. "Someone had to have a care for our name and reputation. The stars know you don’t."

  He shook head. "I don’t know you, wife. What kind of creature have you turned into?"

  "I’m the same as I’ve always been. It’s you who’s changed." Tears welled up in her luminous eyes, but when neither husband nor son fell for it, she spat on the ground.

  "You will stand trial," said Avin.

  She sent him a nasty grin. "You can’t do that. That’ll ruin our name."

  "You should’ve considered that possibility before you embarked on this course. Our name will survive, human blood and all."

  Seeing she wasn’t going to manipulate him and finding no friendly faces in the people around her, she cursed. Natalie’s ears burned from the vitriol.

  Merna pointed a finger at both Lorh and Avin. "You’re both traitors. I want nothing to do with either of you."

  "I think that can be arranged," said Avin.

  Lorh nodded. "Done."

  Just then, guards entered the room. Lorh jerked a thumb toward Merna. "Take her away."

  15

  As soon as his mother was out of the study, Lorh’s rigid posture wilted, and he slumped against her side. Everybody else stood there as if they didn’t know what to do or say. They probably didn’t. Poor Aeron looked almost as dazed Lorh. The urge to rush over and comfort him made her twitchy, but she couldn’t leave Lorh. The tremors from him arrowed straight for her soul.

  Even though her heart still threatened to thump out of her chest, sympathy for Lorh surged forth. He’d just found out his mother was an evil schemer who would stoop to murder to get what she wanted. That would have to floor anybody.

  Lorh turned a face lined with weariness toward her. Remorse shone in his eyes. His voice broke as he spoke. "I’m sorry, Natalie. I never guessed her hatred and mechanisms would ever go so far."

  She rubbed her hands soothingly over his back. "You’re not responsible for her actions."

  "Still, I should’ve seen it." He shook his head, the disbelief at his blindness bleeding through the movement. "The clues were there. I knew she was more cold-blooded than any other fae woman I’ve ever meant."

  "We never want to expect the worst of family members, that they could betray us in that way."

  "Yes," he breathed raggedly.

  Avin walked up to them, his tread heavy, which was telling since she didn’t often see that from someone fae. "I’m sorry, Natalie, Lorh." He laid a hand on Lorh’s shoulder. "For what it’s worth, I never was privy to your mother’s plans. If I had been, I would’ve put a stop to them."

  Lorh nodded. "I know. You were never as zealous as her in your beliefs."

  Avin sighed, a pained expression pasted on his face. Natalie nearly gawked. It was the most emotion she’d seen from him — now and ever, if she remembered correctly. "I’m afraid I let her guide my beliefs too much. Her potent poison was…soul-stealing and captured many in its false sweetness. It destroyed more than I care to admit."

  Lorh seemed to understand exactly what his father meant because he looped an arm around the older man’s shoulders and gave him an awkward side hug. Somehow, Natalie knew this was the most physical contact they’d had in a long time. Given the fae lifespan, that was a long time, indeed.

  Pulling back with a slight smile on his lips, Avin said, "We’ll have to talk soon about how to proceed. Her treachery was far-reaching, and there are other problems besides her to address."

  Lorh no
dded. "Tomorrow morning at nine we’ll meet here."

  "I’ll leave you alone. I know you and Natalie have much to discuss." Avin motioned to Aeron. "Come, let’s leave your parents to their privacy. I believe I’ve been remiss in learning what kind of young man you are. It’s time to change that."

  The comical look of surprise from Aeron almost made her laugh. A warm feeling ignited in her chest. At least something good had occurred from this disaster of a day.

  Soon, Aeron and Avin had left the study, leaving a tense silence to fill the room. Lorh broke the quiet. "We need to talk."

  Anxiety built within. From her experience, those words never meant anything good. "Okay."

  "Let’s sit down."

  Swallowing her nervousness, she followed him across the floor to a set of chairs near the fireplace. Once they were seated, she gazed expectantly at Lorh. He cleared his throat, not looking at her. "Natalie, after what happened today, I will understand if you decide to return…home to Earth."

  She blinked to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Home to Earth? Didn’t he know this was where she belonged now? Surely, he didn’t think she would leave now, over his mother?

  But then, except for knowledge of his mother’s betrayal, what had changed so much during this day? For him, probably not much, because he hadn’t known if she’d change her mind about staying.

  Well, it seemed she’d have to show him.

  After rising from her chair, she plopped herself in his lap. His eyes widened, and she bit back a smile. She took his face between her hands. "Lorh, you are my home. You and the children. That woman tried to ruin all our lives, not just mine. And you, more than anyone else, have lived with the effects of her behavior. Me? I’ve gotten off lightly. I’ve lived twenty-five years in ignorance of the past. You’ve had no such luxury."

  He stared at her, frozen, as if he couldn’t believe what she was saying. Or that she was real. Then his head lowered, and he was kissing her, first passionately and then tenderly. His fingers tunneled through her hair, and he groaned against her lips. She clutched at his shoulders, never wanting to let go.

  When they drew back, another flash of the past blasted her. Reaching up, she caressed his cheek with a shaking hand. "Esteis." The name, by which only close family and friends knew him, trembled upon her lips even after she had said it. She savored the sound. Eh…stase.

  Tears sprung up in his eyes, spilling over until they formed rivulets down the smooth skin of his cheeks. His hand came up to cover hers. "You remember."

  She used the pads of her fingers to wipe away the moisture, even as tears welled in her own eyes. "Yes, though I’ve been a stubborn fool up until now."

  He shook his head vehemently, causing stands of that glorious hair to cascade over her face. "No, you were simply scared and coping the only way you knew how. I grew impatient, expecting too much, too soon."

  Lorh tightened the hand about her waist, molding her tightly to him. His hand wandered up her back and left fiery trails of sensation in its wake. She hummed in contentment, snuggling more deeply against his warm, hard body. Since she itched to do some exploring herself, her hand crept up his chest. The feel of taut skin over muscle felt so familiar, so right, that she knew she’d done this a million times in the past.

  She buried her face against his chest. His heart, strong and steady, beat for her and their children. "Just so it’s clear, I want to stay."

  His breath tickled her temple. "I guessed that, but are you completely sure?" The hope in his voice couldn’t be disguised.

  "Yes." Natalie didn’t have to think about it twice. Her life back on Earth was but a pale mockery of what she had here. She could always use her link to visit family and friends. That Lorh was still so concerned about giving her a choice made her love him even more, if possible.

  Oh, without a doubt, he would use everything he had within his vast arsenal of seduction and shared memories to keep her here. But he’d need none of them.

  An important thought popped in her mind. "Our bond is reforming, isn’t it? So are we still married, or do we have to go through the ceremony again?"

  From what she could recall, the ceremony was much like the ones she’d witnessed on Earth, except for one large difference: spells. These spells sometimes tied the couple together so intimately they could sense each other’s emotions and even talk telepathically.

  A soft smile formed on Lorh’s lips. "The bond is solidifying, but to make it complete, we do need to have the ceremony performed again."

  "Tomorrow?" She didn’t want to wait any longer than that.

  As if he knew her thoughts, his eyes grew hooded with desire. "If I could have it done tonight, I would. But tomorrow will have to suffice."

  Lorh pulled her head toward his and let his mouth travel down her cheek before capturing her lips. Her arms slipped about his neck, seeking a stronger hold on him. His tongue gently probed the seam of her lips, searching for entrance. She gladly granted it. Their leisurely kisses soon turned more fervent until they finally broke apart, breathing heavily and grinning at each other.

  She was home, and she loved it. "What now?"

  His infectious smile rivaled the spring sunshine. "The children."

  Natalie didn’t have to be told what he was thinking. "Let’s tell them." She couldn’t wait to see the delight on their faces. If it were anything like the happiness flooding her heart, their joy would be measureless.

  Lorh set her away from him. "We’ll have to finish this later," he whispered wickedly in her ear.

  She flushed. Only one more day, and then they’d be completely each other’s in every way. "I’ll hold you to that."

  They shared a huge grin and exited the chamber, hand in hand. Though picking up the lost threads of their life together would take time and patience, they could overcome anything. Even crazy mothers and death hadn’t stood a chance.

  About the Author

  Lisa Kumar is a wife, mother, and romance writer who grew up in small-town Indiana. She now resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and two sons. When not spinning tales of romance and fantasy, she can be found with her nose buried in a book. Her scholastic background is in psychology, which enabled her to get low-paying jobs in the human services sector. Needless to say, she much prefers to write.