Choices (Mists of the Fae Book 6)

by Jaime Marks

  Choices

  Mists of the Fae

  Book 6

  by

  Jaime Marks

  Mist of the Fae Series

  Revelations

  Secrets Past

  Shades of Redemption

  Protectors and Kings

  Connections

  Choices

  Dynamics (coming November 1, 2015)

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in, or introduced to any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without the express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are fictitiously used. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. On a side note if you happen to be a Fae and think you have a claim that you have been portrayed in this book by all means feel free to contact me in writing so we can debate the semantics of your existence ;)

  Certain content and scenes may not be suitable for readers under the age of 18.

  This is an adult paranormal romance novel and recommended for an adult audience.

  First Kindle Edition, July 2015

  Text copyright © 2015 Jaime Marks

  All rights reserved.

  Dedication

  This one goes out to my readers. I write because I enjoy it, but I publish because so do you.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Prologue

  John lifted his head as the door opened watching Wytheryn come in with a gagged and bound Kylion slung over his shoulders. He smirked knowing how much Byryn was gonna lose his shit when he figured out that they took his little brother, not to mention pretty much every female currently under his protection. If things worked out the way Syneous thought, it should drive him right over the edge. Sometimes he really enjoyed being the bastard he was. Byryn was a self-righteous prick that needed to be taken down a few pegs. The fucker wasn’t better than anyone else and it was time someone put him in his place.

  “We have to move quickly. The girls are all isolated in the hall where Staryana and Felycia’s quarters are located. If Byryn realizes we have taken the boy we won’t be able to reach them. He has Claimed him as his son.” Wytheryn rushed over helping him unlock his binds with one hand. “The others are out in the hall. We had to take out the guard that was outside your door so we can’t screw around. If we don’t pull this off before they find him you may as well start picking out our tombstones. You are playing are too many games, Atlyion. Even I can no longer tell which side you are really on.”

  John smirked cupping Wyth’s face to give him the reassurance he knew he needed. “I won’t betray your Master, Wytheryn. If we pull this off we won’t even have to screw over your brothers. I’m getting us all what we want.”

  Wytheryn grunted pulling back dismissively. “You would do well to remember who I belong to before you overstep even more boundaries than you already have. For your sake I sincerely hope you wouldn’t be so foolish.”

  Running his eyes down the male’s sculpted body he bit his lip and shook his head. “We don’t have time for me to forget.” He grinned devilishly looking past him to the others. He’d had his eyes on Wytheryn for a while but he’d never been able to get close. After this was over he’d have to look into why he’d been returned to the Brood and see if there was an angle he could work there, especially if he was suddenly short a protégé.

  Tyson and Luke came in dragging the Guardian and propped him against the wall, the three of them looked to him for their orders as they worked on restraining the Fae. They all knew this was his task. He’d been the one to bargain with the Brood and Syneous had laid this on his shoulders.

  He was gonna fucking kill Kyle for not coming clean with him before they walked into this mess. Shit, Staryana was his sister? It wasn’t like John didn’t get where the fucker was coming from but he’d stepped over a line that he wouldn’t be able to come back from. If he’d have just cut his shit and leveled with him maybe he might’ve been able to figure something out, but now? He didn’t know if he could even save his protégé this time. Alayne might actually let Kyle’s Father kill him for this despite whatever use the High Priest had for him.

  He’d have to worry about that later. Kyle was coming with him whether he liked it or not. The longer he stayed here the harder it would be for him to save face. If they played it right maybe he could convince them that Kyle was trying to work another angle in case they failed. He’d have to think of something or his protégé was as good as dead and the idiot might not realize this but John wasn’t gonna just stand by and let that happen unless there was no other choice. He’d make damned sure that he paid for his betrayals, but Kyle was fucking his.

  John thought over their options as he quickly stretched his arms and legs. They were sore as hell from being restrained and the pain Star had inflicted on him earlier. Damn that bitch was hot. He would have to be sure to repay her at some point, but his focus right now needed to be on pulling this off, getting them all out of here alive, and reclaiming Steph.

  “Wyth, you and Tyson go get Kyle. I think the two of you can handle it if you use the tunnels. He might fight you but the two of you should be able to manage him, just don’t let him get chance to cast. Knock him out if you have to but avoid using the guns. He’ll try to force you to kill him before he lets you to take him because he isn’t gonna want to face Alayne; but if you tell him that I have his sister he should fall in line. There’s a weapons cash at the end of the hall hidden in a recess, take what you need and do what you have to. We,” he motioned to Luke, “will get the girls. Where’s my nine?”

  Luke tossed him his gun and an extra clip. “Locked and loaded, John. We’re good to go.”

  John nodded as he checked his shit and measured him with respect. The kid was coming into his own. He’d pretty much been a fuck up until recently. “I’m impressed. We pull this off and we’re set. There’s no room for mistakes. You still have two more to help?”

  Luke motioned to the door, “They’re in the hall.”

  “Good, they’re with us. There should be at least three Guardians in that hall aside from dealing with Star and Steph, which is gonna be a bitch. Hopefully we can subdue them and get them out of the Palace before their guards even realize they’re gone. We’ll need to move as quickly and quietly as possible. Felycia’s difficult but those two have real power. We need to get them under control quickly. We’ll use the kid to manage them. Luke, bring him.”

  When they all nodded they joined the others in the hall and took the passages that had been carefully mapped out and explored by Tomas. Things hadn’t gone according to plan, t
hey’d been fucked up from the start, but it looked like they were finally starting to work out. There was no other choice. He needed to have her back and if he failed, John wasn’t stupid, his awakening was coming and he’d die before he accepted Redemption at Byryn’s mercy.

  Chapter 1

  “How are you?”

  Kyle looked up and measured the King of Night as he appeared, the male that now owned his life. He wasn’t kidding himself. There was no going back from this. His Grandfather’s punishments were ruthless and he’d almost killed him several times in the past over choices he’d made to protect his brothers. This went well beyond the restrictions the High Priest had given him. He’d betrayed his line, his rank, and his mentor. No one lived through the penance for those offenses.

  None of that mattered anyway. The real issue was that Alayne had been cultivating his connection with his sister pretty much from birth, he’d been planning this for years and now Kyle was standing in his way. No one stood between his Grandfather and something he wanted this badly, not if they wanted to live to tell about it. One way or another he was on borrowed time, and that was before he took into account that he’d aligned with Alayne’s greatest rival to protect Star, not to mention possibly his own.

  It wasn’t clear where Byryn stood in all this. When he’d stopped by earlier he’d seemed to be just as much of a dick as usual, but his only focus had been on protecting Star and those he cared about. It was something he could almost respect, if he could actually trust the prick. He still wasn’t sure if it was all an act and they may spin a good pitch but he’d need proof before he bought in. He’d have to talk to his sister before he’d just conceded to accepting her relationship with Byryn; let alone considered working with him to protect her.

  “Bored,” he admitted keeping the rest of it to himself. He didn’t know a lot about Cymeryn but he wouldn’t show him fear or weakness, not if he could help it anyway. Besides until he sorted things out he couldn’t show his hand completely. As much as he wanted to trust him he needed to be sure and there was a lot to take in. “I thought you wanted me in classes and training or some shit?”

  “I do, in a respect, but I am still trying to reason a few situations out,” Cymeryn replied studying him as he set some booklets on the desk. “I am debating what type of guard detail you will require and exactly how much of a target that will place on you. I need to discuss it with Byryn and Marcus before I decide. In the meantime, I have brought you more materials to work through.”

  “The unawakened will target me regardless. They view me as weak and I betrayed both my mentor and my sire. In their eyes, I’m an easy mark,” he shrugged flipping a packet open. “This is too easy. I need something else to keep me going.”

  The Fae? Was he even Fae now? Whatever, it didn’t really matter whether the former Supryn was Fae, Shade or something else entirely. He held his life in his hands. The way he was looking at him like he’d said something amusing was annoying.

  “Kyle, I believe you will find things are far different here than you are used to. This is not the world of the Shade,” Cymeryn reasoned. “Most of the unawakened would not even consider to bother you unless they sought your friendship, and those who would will likely also be aware that I have taken an interest in you. A good portion of them would refrain simply to avoid mine or Byryn’s scrutiny. They will choose targets of a lesser profile knowing the penance if they are caught. We do not tolerate such behavior here.”

  He huffed with a roll of the eyes, “Everyone knows Byryn hates me and the feeling is mutual. He’s already made it clear that if I so much as trip into someone I’m done. They’ll take me out just to gain his favor.”

  Cymeryn breathed deeply as he leaned back against the wall studying him. “It is true you will have to prove yourself to him, and I suppose in some respects he to you. Your history makes this a difficult transition for both of you as I am his Grandsire and I have all but taken you on as my ward. Whether you understand this or not, the two of you have much in common, the least of which is your desire to protect Staryana.”

  At least that much was true. Byryn had always protected Star from everyone except himself. It was why Kyle purposely manipulated and steered him sometimes. He couldn’t reveal his connection to his sister back then but Byryn had never made any attempt to hide the fact that he considered her his. He’d had the ability to manage situations freely that Kyle couldn’t.

  “I just don’t want to see her hurt. I wish you would let me talk to her, see for myself that’s she’s safe. I’m not gonna hurt her. You can be here yourself, or hell even Byryn, though he might kill me when I’m done because I fully intend to see that she understands how Dark Byryn really is.”

  “Was, how Dark he was, Kyle.” The male sighed, “We have spoken with your sister and she is still processing her feelings. She has agreed to only see you once Byryn is comfortable that you are not a danger to her and with him present.”

  “That’s bullshit. He’ll never let me see her. He doesn’t even believe I’m her brother, not to mention that he fucking hates me. On top of that, I’m the one person here who will tell her the truth about him and won’t pull punches,” he argued. “How am I supposed to believe everything you tell me when I can’t even see her with my own two eyes to know that she’s alright?”

  “I understand your frustration. I know how worried you are for Staryana, but I swear to you, Kyle, you have nothing to fear. I know Byryn better than any and I would never allow him to harm her. I am bonding to her Mother and I love the girl as my own,” he offered. “If you give this time I believe I can reason with Byryn, but he must see what I already know for himself. The two of you have been rivals too long for him to so easily set it aside. In time actions will speak for themselves and each of you will view the other in a new Light.”

  Grinding his teeth he gave a curt nod, “I’m trying, my lord.”

  “I know. It took a great deal of strength to embrace such a leap of faith as you have. The love you have for your sister is clear and it empowers you.” He paused meeting him in the eye, “I am proud of you, son.”

  Some of the tension bled from him and a warmth spread through him at the male’s words that only confused him more. He didn’t really know how to react to it. No one praised him for anything other than letting his Darkness take hold and they were never proud of him. When they did notice such things he was more than likely punished for it, not praised. It was the part of him that Syneous and Alayne tried so hard to break.

  “Kyle, what do you know of your lineage outside of your Father?” Cymeryn prompted. “Do you remember your Mother?”

  Shaking of his thoughts in confusion he had to think about what he asking. “Why?”

  It was the first time anyone asked about his Mom. Syneous and Alayne never talked about her and when he’d brought her up in the past he’d paid for it. If anything Shade generally wanted to know more about his Father because of his masking. Only the highest ranking Priests knew he was Alayne’s grandson.

  “Please, sit with me a moment.”

  As he sat beside the male on the bed Kyle tried not to cringe or flinch but it wasn’t exactly comfortable for him to be close to any male in an intimate setting. More often than not they wanted something he didn’t want to give and he still wasn’t sure why Cymeryn had spared him or what role he expected him to play. His essence washed over him a moment and it eased something in him but that only put him more on guard. He still couldn’t figure out what he felt between them.

  “I will not harm you, Kyle, and I understand why you do not trust me. I know that in the world you were raised there was always a price, but I swear to you, the only debt I expect paid is your loyalty.”

  “Forgive me, my lord, but loyalty can be expected to be expressed in many ways,” he replied watching him carefully.

  Cymeryn sighed, “Indeed, but I expect it only in the form of your continued cooperation and hopefully one day your trust. I asked about your Mother because there is so
mething about you that is…familiar to me. It is something that I cannot ascertain. I sense no deception in you and I know that you did not block me when you opened yourself, but I did not fully delve into your past. Clearly Alayne has taken to masking the lineage of his line and such efforts have proven unreliable in the past. I am merely trying to understand if there is some connection between us that we do not yet know of.”

  “It’s hard for me to trust anyone, Cymeryn.” He flinched half expecting some form of correction for dropping the formality but the King only sat studying him and his reactions. “I won’t deny that I felt like I could, no should, trust you. I don’t know if it was something you did, or what, but there was this draw to tell you everything. In some ways, being between you and Lord Marcus felt like…like being home. It…it doesn’t make sense. I couldn’t and still don’t know what that was about, but you have to understand, that doesn’t mean that I’ll ever trust it.”

  The male smiled warmly, “You will in time, once we prove to you that you have nothing to fear from us. It will merely take time to adjust to your new reality. What you experienced is why I ask about your Mother, however. I have felt similar from you. I wish to try to understand the reasoning and it is not something I experienced with your Father.”

  Rubbing his face with a groan he nodded. “I don’t talk about Mom often. Alayne and Syneous didn’t really tolerate it. No one understood the connection we shared or why it still tears me apart that she’s gone so I tend to shut it out as best as I can. It’s hard to remember her sometimes, but I never really forget. She raised me. Everything good in me that I am came from her…and every weakness I embody.”

  “It is not weakness, Kyle. In many ways it is a strength that you have held onto your values and remain true to yourself despite all you have endured. Will you tell me about her? I did catch glimpses of her in your mind, but not enough to know about her or the life you shared.”