by Conn, Claudy
“It will only work for a few minutes, Z.”
“That is all I need,” I said sharply, and then I don’t know what my Seelie Hallow did, but he had them all parted from one another. There was a hushed quiet as they stared from me to the Seelie Hallow I held up.
I cleared my throat. “We have a problem. That common problem is Gaiscioch. He means to lead the Dark Fae into Ireland—your beloved, our beloved Ireland,” I said, pointing a finger at Chance. “I was lucky enough to catch a quick glimpse of some of the locations where he means to open his largest portals. He knows I have seen them, but he can’t do anything to change the location of the two largest ones, now at the last minute. It is nearly Samhain … and he is about to strike.”
I paused and looked at all the men standing about. Danté looked like a towering inferno about to burst, but I noticed that a slow smile had curved Breslyn’s lips. While it held no warmth and a whole lotta grim, it appeared he had made a decision. He took Danté’s shoulder as though to keep him in check, so I continued. “One of the portals will be opened in an unusual location in Inverness, near the river. The other portal he plans to open will be in Dublin near the River Liffey. Are we going to let him get away with this? Are we going to let him overrun our beloved land with Dark Fae and kill the innocents?”
I looked at them as they broke out in hushed murmurs that soon escalated into heated words. Danté came to stand beside me and said in the loud voice of many, the voice of compulsion, which he used only to get their attention, “My Z is right. That is why we came to Dravo. We need to set aside the past and work together now to save the future. We need to work together in order to accomplish this, as the Dark Fae have numbers that could wipe out entire cities in a matter of hours before our few numbers can save the humans.”
“Aye then,” said Chancemont, putting out a hand to Danté and looking towards me. “So be it.” He then inclined his head towards me. “Well done, beauty … well done.”
“Good girl,” Ete whispered softly as she came to stand next to me, folding her arms across her bare middle. She was clothed in a navy spandex halter, navy leather pants, and boots. She certainly was an eyeful of pretty.
I saw Breslyn turn his dark blonde head and look her over with a soft smile. Open adoration glittered in Breslyn’s eyes as he looked at Ete. I bet he wouldn’t let Morrigu hump his knee, I told myself. I looked at Danté and none too happily. He frowned, and I know he was at that moment confused and taken aback by my glare.
Back in front of the queen, I had let my guard down and had taken his hand. I had allowed him to think all was forgiven as he had taken me into his arms. For a moment back then, it wasn’t forgiven but put aside. However, it kept coming back in waves of green …
I only half listened to Rolo mumbling something about getting on with it as I watched Chance, who had turned away from conferring with his men and was now coming towards me. Ete was still standing at my side, and all at once I felt my eyes open wide as I saw Prince Breslyn take long, hard strides to get protectively between her and Chance, a threatening smile on his face.
Ete giggled. I shook my head. This was getting nowhere fast. Too much testosterone waving its big hands in every direction.
Planning strategy was going to be harder than I thought. I had to get everyone serious about the business of working together, and so I found a round table in my mind, a mind that had become nearly all Daoine as my human ‘thinking’ was left in the bleachers.
Bam, a table appeared between us, with chairs set in place. I motioned for everyone to be seated. When they all hesitated, I made a face at them and said, “Who is the real enemy? Gais—and don’t we want him destroyed and the Prison Wall intact again? Sit.”
Only Ete sat immediately, but she tugged at Breslyn and he sat beside her, still one hand on his death weapon. I turned and glared at Danté, and he pulled a chair out for me and I sat. He quickly sat himself between Chance and me.
Five of Chance’s men took up their chairs, and one grinned at Chancemont. “Wasn’t expecting this so early in the day and with your head still full of ale and Mary, eh?”
“No, aye, thank ye for reminding me, Terrence,” Chance said and leaned back on the hardwood chair to scan everyone at leisure.
Flanked by Ete and Danté, I sighed and hurriedly conjured up a map of Scotland and one of Dublin similar to what I’d seen in Gais’s chamber and laid them both out on the table.
“Now …” I started and waited for everyone to take a good look at the map.
* * *
I was in Danté’s arms as he shifted us to MacDaun, and I leaned my head against his naked, hard chest and wished the shifting would last forever. All I wanted was to be right where I was. Didn’t need a bed, didn’t need terra firma; here in the solitude of space was just fine for me.
I had asked him to take me to MacDaun because I wanted to see Sally and make sure she and her family were all comfortable and safe. We arrived, however, in my bedroom, and when I started to pull out of his arms, he detained me—firmly. He turned my face and lifted my chin so I had to look up into his gold, glittering, oh so warm and beautiful eyes. I reached back to unhook my sheathed sword; he took over and performed that office for me, sending it with his into their waiting dimension (I think of it as the Sword Closet).
Rolo hung at my thin chain belt, and I undid the belt and set my Seelie Hallow gently down on a bed of pillows by the window.
And then Danté pulled me into his arms. It was what I wanted … but I am a contrary thing and annoy myself at times because all I wanted, as I have said, was to be in his arms, but what did I do? I tried to pull away!
He held me fast and firmly, and as we silently struggled my foot hit my nightstand and knocked off a picture frame. It didn’t break, but I made a fist and slammed him in the chest anyway.
He didn’t even blink, which annoyed me, and then he said, “Z, you need to know what you saw wasn’t real—Morrigu was on me as soon as I shifted inside the library. I went to the palace looking for you, and, Z … she was already naked and on me before I knew what she meant to do. I swear to you, enfant, she came at me, and I was about to extricate myself when you arrived on the scene and misunderstood it all.”
I sniffed, as I had nothing to say to this, and he sighed heavily and continued, “My sweet love, I thought you knew … understood … what I feel for you—”
A knock sounded at the door, and I wanted to scream. Had he been about to tell me what I had wanted to hear? Did he love me? Was he going to tell me so?
“Radzia …?” Sally’s voice at any other moment would have been a delight to my ears. At any other moment—however, I put a finger up at his face and made eyebrows at him that clearly said this conversation would continue later, and then I went to the door and opened it wide.
Sally hugged me to her, and we stood like that for a long time before she said, “I won’t ask how you two got here without my seeing you enter—as I’ve been constantly going back and forth to the window and your room here, looking for your return. It’s been days, Radzia …”
“Days?” I had forgotten that time in Tir was so different, and it must also be different in the Dark Realm. “What day is it, Sally?” I silently berated myself. I should have realized. I should have sent her word that I was fine. I should have—
“Why, ’tis Wednesday, the twenty-ninth,” she said, appearing surprised that I didn’t know.
“Halloween in two more days!” I screeched this and turned to Danté.
He nodded and clenched his teeth. We had lost valuable time in the Dark Realm and would have a great deal to do. “You and your family are well? Have there been anymore disturbances?” Danté asked Sally while I frowned over the time I had lost. Halloween was upon us. We would have to work fast.
“Yes, though they keep asking what is it we are being protected from.” Sally eyed Danté pragmatically, which was her way—had always been her way.
“And what, wise Sally, do you tell them?”
Danté smiled sweetly at her.
“I tell them that there are things beyond our control and they must trust me.” Sally smiled and added, “And they do.”
“Excellent,” I said and gave her hands a squeeze.
“So then, will ye be telling me what this is all about, or do I guess?”
“What would you guess?” I asked curiously.
“That it all has something to do with the People of the Light … whom your father and his father before him faithfully served. Radzia, I have always known.”
My mouth dropped open, and she smiled, obviously amused. I shook my head as I asked, “Sally … what do you know about the ‘People of the Light’?”
“I know that when your father hired me, he said I might notice things, and that your family was not the average sort. We talked about legends, and he asked me if I believed in the possibility that there were Druids who served to help the Fae keep up the ‘Wall’ against the Dark forces. I told him that I did, and he hired me on the spot.” She sighed and then touched my mouth to close it. “So I have always known … things were not quite as they seemed.”
I was speechless, and so Danté stepped in. “Sally, we have a few things to do, so we will be in and out, but first tell me, any word about Aaron Dunbar?”
“Despicable villain,” she almost spat. “No one has seen him about, but I have a feeling he is still lurking around, going in and out of his home at night. The word about the village is that he is into black magic, and everyone steers clear of both the bed and breakfast place, which is still empty, and the Dunbar estate.”
“Why do they think that, and why do you think he is still lurking about?” Danté’s wonderful brows were drawn together. I was staring at him, I knew, but I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to trace the tattoos on his chest with my tongue. I wanted him to trace mine near my hip and thigh with his—and hell, what was I thinking with Sally in the room? Nuts—I had to be nuts from my time in the Dark Realm.
“Because he wasn’t finished,” Sally said simply, and I thought with perfect logic.
“Thank you, Sally,” Danté said with a gentle touch to her shoulder. “Radzia and I will be for the next few days in and out of MacDaun. You aren’t to worry, but don’t … please don’t go into town or anywhere off the property during this time.”
“Don’t intend to, darlin’—we have all the supplies we need right here at MacDaun,” she said with a decided movement of her head. She winked at me and turned to leave, but I went after her and hugged her again. She patted my back, and then she was closing the door after her. I turned to find Danté backing me against the wall.
“Now … as I was saying …” His voice was low and husky as he bent his head to mine.
“Yes, just what were you saying?” I asked as he ground his hard shaft against my belly and I longed for it … er … elsewhere.
I looked him up and down and, oh man, he was something. His cock looked as though it was just about to tear through his leather pants as he moved suggestively in a beat that had me about to reach down and stroke it.
I am just a stupid, immature child, because do you know what I said? I said, “Stop. What do you think you are doing?”
He scooped me up impatiently and said on a husky note, “Don’t you know, love? Don’t you know?”
He lowered me to the bed, and I watched as he thought away his leather pants and stood before me with that huge, wide rod of his dancing to the tune of ‘expectations’.
“No—I don’t know, Danté … What are you doing? What do you think we are doing?”
He bent over me and touched my face. “Z … do I have to spell it out for you? I thought you smarter than that.”
“Well then, you are wrong. Spell it out for me so there can be no mistake,” I whispered.
He climbed onto the bed, and with a slow lowering of his lashes, my clothes were gone and his hands were cupping my breasts. He groaned, and his voice was a low-throttled engine humming with desire as he told me, “I love you, Radzia MacDaun, and I want the ceremonial joining of our names …”
I put my arms out, grabbed hold of his huge biceps, and drew him even closer. “You got it, fella … cuz I love you too.”
He was on me then, his tongue deep inside my mouth teasing my throat, calling on the response that was always his to command, and his hands, those magic hands worked my body.
I broke away from that kiss because I wanted to touch him. I found his cock and groaned with pleasure as I felt its length and width between my fingers. It was dripping and throbbing, and I used my Fae strength and pushed him onto his back so that I could get into position to lick his pulsating dick before taking it into my mouth. He said my name so loud I thought they would hear it in the next county.
I kissed and sucked and nibbled and licked and felt myself ready to explode when he grabbed me between my legs with his magic hand and made me do just that. And then while I was still shuddering with the aftermath of my climax, he rolled me onto my back, held his dick to my breasts, and whispered, “I love your big, beautiful tits—Z, they are so tantalizing, you make my mouth water. I look at you and get a hard-on that won’t let me be. I want you all the time. Z … you drive me mad with desire …”
And then he was suckling at one nipple and then the other as his body moved against mine, as he spread my legs with his knees and positioned himself there. He wanted me to ask for it, and I gave him what he wanted because it was what I wanted too. I wanted him to understand me. “Danté, ram that big thing in me … fuck me now.”
“No,” he said. “I want this to last …” And then he moaned as he took his cock in his hands and rubbed the opening between my legs, making me wet and hot. As I bumped into him begging for more he said, “Z … you are so hot and wet, and I want to fuck you now, but first …”
He moved into position, held my ass up to meet his face, and buried his tongue inside of me—lapped and nibbled until I raised up higher and my back arched with the exquisite release that shot through me once more, exploding in my veins and making me convulse with pleasure and the aftermath of pleasure over and over again. I made sounds that I didn’t know I had in me—and then while I was still shuddering from the aftershocks, he slammed his big cock into me and drove me wild with primal need all over again.
He reached around my butt and made a tentative entry there with his finger as he pleasured me with movements I had not thought possible.
Then he suddenly pulled me on top of him without allowing our bodies to separate as he continued to pump me full of his huge and talented dick, and I reciprocated with enthusiasm. I was lost to him, to the way he made love to me.
There was no separation of mind and heart—there was a melding of two into one, and I had no doubts. He made me feel—no, not just feel, he made me realize—that there was an invisible force, a bond between us, as though no one else existed, nothing else mattered.
Then he whispered in my ear, and his tone held a reverence of feeling, “Z … you make me come to life inside … here.” He pounded on his chest while his dick throbbed inside me and I felt the beat of his hunger. His words were poetry to me as he said on a growl of emotion, “Where they say a Fae doesn’t have a heart, where my essence beats, that is where you are. You fill my mind with who you are and make me more than I am or ever could be without you. Z—I am yours always.”
His words blasted all other considerations into nothingness. There was only Danté and me, and now I knew completely what my mother was going through. I realized why more than ever; I felt the ‘why’ I’d only partially understood before. She had slipped into illusion if only to bring him back. I knew in that moment I wouldn’t want to live without Danté.
We made love for hours. He took me in every position with a passion I had never before known. He took me in ways that made us burn everything around us. Let me tell you this, Fae stamina in general is legendary, but Danté—whew, there is no other I can imagine like him. I was sure the human in me was calling for a r
eprieve, but I didn’t listen. I wanted everything he had to give.
It was nearly dawn. “Rest now, my enfant … we have a few hours and then we must go and find the warlock and finish him.”
“Why? What does he matter now? The queen has closed the pit …” I looked at him for confirmation. “Hasn’t she?”
“No—although I can’t fathom her reasoning,” he said on a frown.
“Perhaps she thought he might return there to contact Gaiscioch?” I offered.
He considered this. “She was hoping we could draw Gais out, so that may be true, but I think it is deeper than that. It is always deeper than that with the queen because she is ‘far sighted’. Gais found a way to get out early on, but only for a few hours at a time—now it won’t be long before he is out permanently. Perhaps she hoped we could get to the pit and lay in wait for him there where she believes the warlock means to aid him?” He sighed heavily. “She also thinks he means to use the warlock against us while he attacks.”
I snorted with disbelief. “Why? We have his number.” And then I frowned. “Wait a minute … when did she tell you that?”
“As we left her—she whispered the message on the channel between our minds.”
“I have a feeling the pit is not the kind of place Gais will come through. It is too gypsy for him. He won’t want to work his way out of the pit.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I saw him up close and almost too personal, and I also know there is only one way to kill Gais and that is ruthlessly.” I shook my head. “I am going to kill him, and, Danté, I know how now. I mean to trap him and then slowly take his immortal life so that he knows he is finished, but I don’t think it will be at the pit. He will be suspicious of the fact that the queen has allowed that portal to remain open.”
Danté considered this for a moment and sighed heavily. “Nevertheless, we must find him. We both need to have him dead … for I wish to avenge you, my love, for the pain he has caused you.”
