Layla
If it had depended on me, I would have sat in the back. But since Varian asked so nicely, I was seated at the center of the first row, a few feet from the dais steps, where he was with his mother and Mahaeru.
Varian was able to delay his coronation for four months, but his mother wouldn’t have it anymore. She knew he had been doing it on purpose, so she went ahead and organized everything. All Varian had to do was show up to his coronation.
My chest swelled with pride as I watched Mahaeru take the crown from Queen Natsia and placed it on Varian’s head.
“I give you King Varian of the Summer Court,” the goddess said, her voice ringing loud across the hall.
The guests clapped and cheered. Their contentment bled into me and I smiled wide with them, happy to share this moment with all of Wyth. Everyone had come for the occasion: King Cadewyn, Queen Amber, Queen Hayley, General Ashton, Prince Nox, Princess Amaya, and more. I was told King Altan and Queen Zora of the Dawn Court had been invited, but they had been quiet since the last battle with Vasant, when they had surrendered to the evil fake king. The Dusk and the Day Courts sent a pair of nobles to represent them, and the Autumn Court hadn’t answered the invitation. I had heard that they had been quiet for quite some time now, even though Prince Redley had shown up for the battle.
That was worrying to me since I had business with them. I glanced to my side, to where Willow stood—the young fae girl we had rescued from Haijen.
After we cleaned up the mess Sanna and the ogres had caused, Varian and I went back to that cursed realm. Varian took loads of gold and other precious items and traded all of those for Haijen’s slaves and his crown back—he wouldn’t wear that crown anymore, but there was still a sentimental value attached to it. Enchanted by the riches, Haijen didn’t blink an eye. We sent the humans back to their realm and brought Willow with us. Now, we had to locate her family, which we assumed was the Autumn Court because of her hair color. Unfortunately, she didn’t remember much about her life before, as she had been too young when she was taken, and according to Mahaera, who had examined her, her memories had been affected by the tragedy.
Speaking of Mahaera, I had finally met the other two goddesses. Mahaera had come to check on Willow first, but she had once also come to have tea with me—as if that was something a powerful goddess often did. And Mahaere had come twice to help me dress up for important occasions—the first official dinner I had with the nobles of the Summer Court, and for the coronation.
I was still not sure if the goddesses were three different fae, or if they were one and the same. And when I asked, no one seemed to know the answer, or care for it.
After the cheers subsidized, Mahaeru guided Varian and his mother to the ballroom adjacent to the grand hall, where the party began. As expected, Varian stood at the edge of the dance floor, greeting his guests one by one. I went into the ballroom with Willow, but stayed to one side, happily taking in the sight.
Soon, the dance floor started filling up with couples dancing … and Varian excused himself from the long line of guests still waiting to greet him and made his way to me.
“What are you doing?” I asked once he approached me.
“Taking my mate for a dance.” He extended his hand to me. I stared at it for a moment. By now, everyone in Wyth knew we were mates. “Come.”
“But the guests—“
“I’m king now and I do whatever I want. And right now, I want to dance with my beautiful mate.”
I couldn’t say no to that …
With a smile, I slipped my hand in his and let him lead me to the dance floor. The other fae stopped and stared, some with smiles, some with curiosity written on their faces. It wasn’t every day a fae mated with a witch, was it? Especially one who had been mentored by another witch, one who caused grief in the lives of so many of them.
I couldn’t blame them if they were wary of me.
Varian halted in the center of the dance floor and turned to me. With a happy glint in his dark green eyes, he placed a possessive hand behind my back and pulled me to him.
I stared into his eyes, practically lost in them.
After the battle against Sanna, after killing her, I almost left. Again. Varian had been heartbroken when I mentioned it to him, but he had promised to do whatever I wanted, so even though he had unshed tears in his eyes, he handed me a medallion so I could leave.
But once I had the medallion in my hands, I realized I didn’t want to leave. And it wasn’t because there wasn’t any other place or person waiting for me. It was because I didn’t want to leave Varian.
Varian—my home. My mate.
I wanted to be wherever he was.
That was it.
Four months had passed since then, and despite the politics, which bored me to hell, life had been like a fairy tale. Queen Natsia had mentioned a wedding a handful of times since then, but I was happy the way we were right now.
One day, I would marry Varian. Why wouldn’t I if I loved him? If he was my mate and I had no intentions of ever leaving him? But there was no need to rush that.
For now, I enjoyed his company, his touch, his smile, his hands on me one day at a time.
“I’m sorry you weren’t by my side during the ceremony,” he said, his tone serious.
I nodded. “It’s okay.” Mahaeru had explained it to me before. I was Varian’s mate, but I wasn’t his wife, which meant I wouldn’t become queen and I shouldn’t be a part of the ceremony as he was.
It made sense and I respected it. Honestly, I had no ambition to be a part of his kingdom, much less to be queen. The idea actually terrified me. When I voiced that to the goddess, she assured me it would grow on me, and I would happily become queen one day.
We would see about that.
“Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?” he said. Again.
I rolled my eyes. “Just three hundred times.”
“But it’s true. I mean, you’re always beautiful, but there’s something about you tonight …” He bit down on his lower lip. “You know what? We’re leaving.” He promptly let go of me, to hold my hand tighter and march us out of the ballroom.
“Varian? What are you doing?”
He didn’t say anything as he took me past the guards at the ballroom’s entrance, through a long hallway, up the stairs, into the royal wing of the castle, and into his chambers—our chambers. I had moved in with him to this bedroom a couple of months ago and I was still not used to it.
“Less talking, more kissing,” he whispered, turning to me. He kicked the door closed and pushed me against it, ripping a small gasp from my lips. He wrapped his hands around my wrists and brought my hands above my head. “I’ve been wanting to take off this dress since the moment I first saw you in it.” He leaned into me and grazed his soft, soft lips across the skin of my neck.
“I thought you would like this dress,” I whispered, slightly out of breath.
“Oh, I loved this dress.” He pressed his hips on mine, pushing his hard-on against me. I gasped again. “I’ve been fighting this ever since.” He brought his lips to my chin. “I don’t want to fight it anymore.”
Then his mouth was on mine and I was lost. Every time Varian put his hands on me, I lost … I lost my mind, I lost control over my body, I lost everything. All that mattered was him, his body, his hands, his skin—all of him touching me.
In a matter of seconds, the dress was on the floor, forgotten.
Gentle as always, Varian picked me up and deposited me in our bed. Then he stepped back and stared at me, naked and exposed. Without breaking his hungry stare, he took off his fancy clothes, and then the hunger was inside me as well. The man was completely ripped, his dark golden skin smooth over the hundreds of muscles lining his entire body. He was perfection in every way, and he was mine. Only mine.
“Come here,” I breathed.
One corner of his lips tugged up and he obliged. He covered my body with his warm one and I let out a satisfied s
igh. How I loved when we were skin to skin, when he looked at me as if there was no one else in the world. I loved it all.
I loved him.
“I love you,” I said, looking directly into his eyes. I had only said it once before, not long ago, and the words had felt foreign back then. I had known I loved him, but my mind was still not ready for all of what came with it. But now it was. I was finally willing to surrender my mind and soul to my handsome mate. “I really, really love you.”
“Good,” he said, holding my stare. “Because I really, really love you too.”
He moved, aligning himself with me, and then he thrust forward, entering me in one swift move. I gasped out loud, holding on to his shoulders as if my life depended on it. “And I’ll show you just how much right now.” He started moving in and out, in and out, fast and hard, without mercy.
“I’m counting on it,” I said, my voice breaking between moans.
Indeed he showed me, taking me to heights I hadn’t imagined possible to reach. And the best part was that I was sure he would never let me come down.
This was our own kind of fairy tale, and I knew we had finally reached the happily ever after.
* * *
***
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Norah is a demon hunter, one of the best graduated from the Blackthorn Hunters Academy. When she’s sent to investigate a case concerning demons in a small town, she runs into a very arrogant vampire. Her first instinct is to kill him, after all, he’s a supernatural and demon hunters are taught to end all evil.
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Cain is a vampire prince. Because of his status, he’s in charge of making sure humans don’t find out about his kind. During a routine investigation, he bumps into a very sexy demon hunter and he wonders what she’s doing on his way.
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How well could this end?
About the Author
While USA Today Bestselling Author Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life as a wife, a mother, and an author. She resides in North Carolina and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.
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Shorts
Into the Darkest Fire
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Rite World: Blackthorn Hunters Academy
The Demon Kiss (Book 1)
The Hunter Secret (Book 2)
The Soul Bond (Book 3)
The Shadow Trials (Book 4)
The Infernal Curse (Book 5)
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Rite World
The Vampire Heir (Book 1)
The Witch Queen (Book 2)
The Immortal Vow (Book 3)
The Warlock Lord (Book 4)
The Wolf Consort (Book 5)
The Crystal Rose (Book 6)
The Wolf Forsaken (Book 7)
The Fae Bound (Book 8)
The Blood Pact (Book 9)
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The Wyth Courts
Winter King (Book 1)
Spring Warrior (Book 2)
Summer Prince (Book 3)
Autumn Rebel (Book 4)
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The Fire Heart Chronicles
Heart Seeker (Book 1)
Flame Caster (Book 2)
Sorrow Bringer (Book 3)
Earth Shaker (Novella)
Soul Wanderer (Book 4)
Fate Summoner (Book 5)
War Maiden (Book 6)
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The Everlast Series
Destiny Gift (Book 1)
Soul Oath (Book 2)
Cup of Life (Book 3)
Everlasting Circle (Book 4)
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Willow Harbor Series
Hunter’s Revenge (Book 3)
Siren’s Song (Book 5)
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Breaking Series
Breaking Free (Book 1)
Breaking Away (Book 2)
Breaking Through (Book 3)
Breaking Down (Book 4)
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Standalones
Daughter of Darkness
Summer Prince Page 11
