by Jaime Marks
Secrets Past
Mists of the Fae
Book 2
by
Jaime Marks
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, November 2014
Text copyright © 2014 Jaime Marks
All rights reserved.
New beginnings start with a single step. Sometimes though, it takes several steps to set out and actually make things happen. This is for those who had the patience to stand by while I got it together to make a go of it and for those who always knew I would pull it off. Thanks T. for pushing me to this. Thanks S. for helping get things in order. I’ve really enjoyed this journey and look forward to seeing where it takes me.
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
Epilogue
Sneak Peak
About the Author
Prologue
Marcus fell to his knees as he watched Reyana fade from his sight. He had failed her, lost her to his twin. He couldn’t blame her for her choice not to fight. To Reyana, every life was special and sacred, especially that of the young. If Cymeryn truly held four hundred of the young of the Fae and meant to kill them the situation was dire, but that was not what held him in the grips of this pain now. He had felt it in the moment his twin touched her, there was something there and despite the situation she had chosen to go with him. She may have awakened Light, but it was Darkness that held her in its grasp now and if she gave into it, gave into Cymeryn, she would be lost.
Everything that happened around him was but a whisper as the others went about cleaning up the mess the Shade had left behind. King Mythos a Mythion, Reyana’s brother, shouted out orders making arrangements to detain the Tainted Fae, those corrupted by the Darkness of the Shade but not yet turned. Control of the Kingdom of Light had been regained, but she had been lost, and with her all hope. How could he even tell Star? Her daughter was struggling to adjust to this life as it was.
“Marcus?” He felt Grifyn’s hand on his shoulder. “Marcus, we need to fall back to the Sanctuary. We need Byryn. The Shade cannot take the unawakened or the Fae into the Darker Realms until they have turned. Even as Gray it will take time to shift her enough to take her through to that domain and longer to take her unto Lazurys. Byryn will know where we should begin our search.”
“I can’t lose her again, Grifyn.” Marcus shook his head.
“You won’t Marcus, but we need you. We will need your connection to find her.” Grifyn shook him slightly. “We need to take the Gray with us to the Sanctuary in the least.”
Marcus just stayed there. He couldn’t shake the pain in his chest. He had waited a hundred years to have her by his side only to lose her to the very Darkness that had taken her from him to begin with. His blooded twin held her in his grasp as he had a century before and he knew if she needed to she would again take her own life to protect them all. She was lost.
Mythos stormed over to him. “Get up, Marcus. Now.” He commanded. When he didn’t move Mythos shoved him, throwing him nearly across the room. Every Fae froze. “Get. Up.”
Marcus stared at him in disbelief. They may have had their differences but the Fae had never once struck him.
“I said, get up.” Mythos demanded. “You do not get to do this again. She is my sister and this time she is alive. Get up off your ass and pull yourself together.”
“If you were not my King, Mythos…” Marcus gritted as he jumped to his feet and into the King’s face. His rage boiled just beneath the surface.
“You would what, hit me? Then do so.” Mythos spat as he grabbed him by the throat shaking him. “I am not your King right now. Right now I am the blooded brother of your bonded mate and I am telling you to pull yourself together and help me get her back!” It shook Marcus to his core which was what he needed. He met Mythos in the eyes and nodded. Mythos clasped him firmly on the shoulder. “You cannot give up hope Marcus, you cannot break down because then she is truly lost. She is tied to you. You have to fight the waves of Darkness and send her as much as Light as possible to help her hold onto herself. We will help you get her back, but you need to fight Marcus.”
Mythos was right, he could feel her essence coursing through him even now. He was not only her mate but her sire and that meant that their connection was profound. It had always been thus, more so than any pairing he had witnessed, and that meant he could still reach her. He had felt it when she was in danger of turning on Earth. Her shifts affected him and his her. If he gave up, if he sat here wallowing in this pain it would only weaken her further. She needed his strength. She needed him to hold on and fight for her.
He held the King’s gaze as he spoke, purpose again filling his veins. “Grifyn.”
“Yes Praetor.” Grifyn came to his side.
“Choose two Gray to accompany us but leave three here. We need to be sure the Council is not infiltrated again in our absence. The Fae of Light will come with us. Make it quick, we leave in ten for the armory to get supplies. They will need travel packs, the cottage isn’t large enough.”
“Yes sir.” Grifyn bowed running off to make the arrangements.
“Thank you, Mythos.” He offered sincerely.
“You are welcome. Now, let us go get her back.” Mythos nodded though he looked as haggard as Marcus felt.
It was no easier on the King to relive the loss of his sister than it was for him to relive the loss of his mate. They both knew if the cost was too high, if Reyana felt all could be lost, this fight would be over before it began. The only saving grace, as much as it pained him, was the hidden connection that his twin held to her. Whatever the secrets hidden in their past he could only hope they were enough to buy them the time they needed to reach her.
Marcus held all the love he felt for her in his heart and sent it through their connection. He would find a way to reach her. He would get her back. There was no other option. He had not survived a century, guarded over the youth of her humanity and fought this hard to lose her again. Whatever had been between his twin and Reyana before, she had chosen him. She was his bonded mate, his progeny and he would get her back.
He looked up to the heavens feeling a weight and a command he could not under
stand and did not express to the others. More than any other in this room it was his right, no, his responsibility, to protect her. This was his purpose, his reason to keep going. A sudden strength and conviction filled him. They would be reunited, he would hold her again and he would protect her from the Dark Lord, whatever the cost. There was no other option.
Chapter 1
Cymeryn held her to him as they formed in his quarters. He nuzzled into the auburn waves of her hair inhaling deeply. He could feel his essence burrowing deeply through her veins and though she fought it, there was a part of her that welcomed it, reveled in it as he did. How delightful it would be to taste her, to indulge in her flesh. He should reach out to the Dark Lord, but he would savor her, claim her first.
He spun her to him, taking hold of her by her hair. “I have waited so long for this, Reyn. I am going to make you beg.”
“That isn’t my name Cymeryn, you know full well who I am.” She spat at him, her hands pushed against his chest in an effort to retain some distance between them. The defiance in her only stirred his desire more.
“Ahhhh, but it is Reyn. In this life that is your name. You need to stop pretending you are the same because we both know you are not.” He bit her bottom lip drawing it into his mouth as it bled. The sweet taste of her essence on his tongue was almost enough to push his desire to a frenzy, but he would not rush this. He would savor every moment of this. Once he had her, he would turn her over to the Dark Lord, reveling in her pain and pleasure as he filled her completely with his essence, the same essence that flowed through Cymeryn.
“Do you want to know what this pull is, why your body responds when I touch you, though you try to fight it? Hmm?” He ran his thumb over her lip watching her wince as he pressed into the bite mark. He ripped the gold necklace from her throat, watching her eyes squeeze shut as he dropped it to the floor. He knew it was a declaration of her bonding to his twin. She would not need it now. She should never have worn it in the first place.
“You’re delusional Cymeryn, I don’t respond to you at all.” She tried to turn her face from him but he tightened his hold on her auburn locks causing her breath to hitch softly.
“It is the part of the Dark Lord that runs through your veins. Lord Lazurys himself created me with his own essence. It is the pure Darkness that exists in you responding to the pure Darkness in me…and so much more that you have forgotten.” He saw the sudden panic in her eyes and it brought a smile to his face. “Yes, Reyn, we were meant to be together. You and I. There is a pull between us and you can try to deny it, but I can feel you. I know you are fighting its grasp even now, but do not worry love, I will help you to remember me. Though I may punish you for ever forgetting in the first place.” He taunted feeling recognition and confusion in her mind. It was there, buried deeply, but the knowledge, the memories were indeed there.
His hand slipped down her back as he slowly undid the silk shawl to her dress and began to work on the lacing of her corset. He suckled and bit on her neck as his hand worked. She was tense in his arms but he had loosened his grasp and she was not fighting him. He knew she was too distracted as she waged war within herself to notice. She was trying to deny what she felt for him, not certain she understood the full truth of it and she did not, but soon…
His mouth tasted its way down to her chest and his tongue trailed the top of her bodice. He felt the slight shudder of enjoyment the same time he felt the anger at the act. She tried to squirm away, but he held her fast. He tugged the loosened corset and it slipped off her breasts as fear ran through her and she ripped away from him a couple inches.
Cymeryn released her only to grab her firmly by the throat and take her to the wall. “I know what that dress means to you, Reyn. Take it off or I will rip it from your body.” He hissed. “And no misting or I will personally slit every one of the little throats of those brats I hold in my cells.”
He stepped back releasing her. She was lucky he felt like enjoying the show of her submission. He had always hated that dress and the idea of ripping it to shreds was a very close second to his needs. She closed her eyes as she slowly slid the garment from her body and Cymeryn drank in the sight of her. She made no move to cover herself, the resignation plain in her face and posture.
He undid the clasps of the leather vestments that robed his chest. “Open your eyes Reyn, look at me.” He froze a moment in annoyance as she refused, her defiance of him now feeding his rage. It irked him that he had to fight to reach her when once it had been so simple, when she had once been so free and open with him. “Open them or do I need to have one of the unawakened brats brought in to make my point. I am enjoying having you to myself Reyn, but I can play to an audience just as well.”
He watched her tense, but she did as he asked and he removed his robing as she watched, her eyes reluctantly running over his flesh. He knew it only made it harder to fight him. The body he revealed was so much like that of his twin’s. It was confusing to her senses even if the mind rejected it.
“Come here.” He commanded. She glared at him as she slowly walked across the room and he chuckled at her insolence. He grabbed her face in his hands once she was in front of him, staring into her eyes as he sensed her thoroughly, seeking out what he needed to free her mind. He could feel the blocks clearly but she was too closed to him yet to release them. Soon. Soon she would remember all they had lost.
“Finish disrobing me.” He demanded.
Her tentative hands worked the clasps on his leather leggings as he stared into her eyes in satisfaction, enjoying the fire he saw. He allowed more of his essence to flow into her. He had never turned a Fae in this way, never taken them like this. Cymeryn was ruthless to all, breaking them under new levels of anguish and pain until they begged him to stop. He had always relished at the taste of their fear and hatred of him. With her, however? He would take her to those heights of pain, but only once she wanted them and she would want them. She would beg him to take her there once he had turned her.
It was not enough to simply possess her, control her; he would own her. He knew there was a part of her that wanted him and he would feed it, cultivate it until it consumed her as his essence overtook her. This would not be the soft passionate love of his twin. He would hurt her, there would be pain, but only enough to leave her wanting, craving more. He would make her beg, but not to stop, to give her more.
He released her as she slid to her knees and he shifted his weight to allow her to pull off his boots then his pants as he watched. She tried to move back from him as she stood but he gripped her arms and pulled her closer allowing his hard erection to run down her body.
“There is no need for shyness, Reyn. Afore the next morn you will know every inch of my flesh and I yours.” He spoke softly, an air of seduction in his voice. Taking her mouth he thrust his tongue past her lips so quickly she could not block it. His sex spasmed as he drew her body flush to his and he pressed its length against her stomach.
For a moment she began to melt into his touch, her hands lightly running up his back as she lost herself in the contours of a body that Cymeryn knew was almost identical to the one she was familiar with. He resented it, but he would use it to his advantage.
He slid his hands down her body gripping her by the ass. Picking her up, he carried her and slammed against her roughly when they met the wall. Her eyes peeled wide as she felt the length of him press against the sweet folds of her core and the reality of who held her sank in.
“So delicious,” He murmured, nipping randomly along her flesh.
“I love him, Cymeryn. I will always love him. You will never have the hold on me you want.” She whispered, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice now.
He captured her mouth nipping at her lip. His hand roughly massaging her breast as he grinded against her, massaging her with his hard cock. A soft moan escaped her lips. “Are you trying to convince me, or yourself, my love?” He smirked at her before biting roughly at her neck sucking hard at the ten
der flesh. He pierced it just enough for her blood to flow slowly over his lips.
The involuntary gasp as her body arched against him was a sweet victory, but not enough. It was taking every ounce of control he had not to just take her, not to slide right into that sweet moist flesh of hers. And oh how sweet it was that she was indeed moist. Her body was very ready for him. It knew what it wanted, but she would beg before he would take her. She would want to feel his flesh inside her before he was done.
Ripping away from the wall he took her to the bed and dropped her roughly onto her back. She stared up at him, her eyes raking over his body as he stood before her. He had to chuckle at her sudden shake of the head. “Not so easy to resist the temptations of my flesh, Princess?” It never had been for her, but it was not yet time to remind her.
“Shut up, Cymeryn.” She spat.
A devilish grin slid over his lips as he contemplated her beautiful body and all he could do to her. “Gladly.”
He dropped to his knees gripping her by the ankles as he pulled her roughly to the edge of the bed before him. She pressed her legs tightly together at the knees. His instinct was to rip them apart, overpowering her, but he bit back on the urge. He gripped the back of her knees and roughly thrust her legs up with one hand. Biting and licking her flesh from behind her knees to her core, he pushed his tongue in as far as he could manage, flicking slightly at her opening. Groaning at the sweet essence of her wine on the tip of his tongue, he reveled in the shudder the vibration of his mouth caused in her. He slid his thumb into her thrusting it in deeply over and over as he continued to suck and nip at her legs.
When he felt the tightness of her knees begin to slack he released her letting them slide to his shoulders as she opened herself to him. It was a concession of sorts. He could feel her, a bond long forgotten between them strengthening once more. Continuing to work her core, he slowly worked his way up the inside of her thigh before he bit roughly at its base drawing blood. He latched on to the tender flesh, biting and sucking at it as her body arched off the bed, her feet digging into his back.
