Guardians of Hellfire (Guardians of the Fae Book 2)

by Elizabeth Hartwell

  “Let us hope so.”

  “Cole,” I whisper, my emotions burbling just below the surface, “I . . . I’m sorry. I wanted to ask you about your sister but it doesn’t matter. I’m just so sorry that I put you in this position. All of you.”

  Cole pulls me into his arms and hugs me. It’s the first time he’s been so affectionate with me since the fight, and it helps. I melt into his embrace, letting myself be enveloped in his muscular arms. After a moment, he pulls, back, lifting my chin so that I’m looking into those amazing amber eyes.

  “You did what you did to protect Jacob and Tyler. All of us,” he says softly, stroking my cheek. “Princess, there is nothing to forgive. Do not fret.”

  He lowers his lips to mine, kissing me, and warm, tingly fire courses through my body. In my arms is a man, a good man . . . no, a perfect man, at least in every practical sense. Brave, strong, dedicated, kind, and a warrior. He’s a philosopher king at heart and he’s given me so much. Even more, I feel like I could melt into him, give myself to him. “Cole—”

  “I know,” he says softly as he pulls back, stroking my cheek again. “The others will return soon. In the meantime, you should rest. When you wake, we will have our path ready.”

  “And if Cassina’s—” I ask, but Cole kisses me again, deeper this time, and I can feel desire fill my body. I’ve never had one-on-one sex with any of my Guardians, but right now, I certainly want to.

  “If Cassina herself arrives with her mightiest handmaidens and the rest of the Queen’s Guard, my brothers and I will stand against them until we cannot stand any longer. For now, though . . . rest, Princess.”

  A part of me wants to protest, wants to feel more of Cole. I want to feel his lips on my skin, to have him take me back to the bedroom to kiss me between my legs before filling me with that magnificent cock of his, to take away all my fears for a time and make me forget everything.

  “Cole . . .” I start before letting out a jaw-cracking yawn. “Hey,” I murmur, feeling woozy, “what did you do?”

  I don’t get to hear Cole’s response as I go limp and Cole catches me in his powerful arms. All I feel is his strength as he carries me to the back and the kiss on my forehead as he tucks me in.

  Chapter 4

  Eve

  I feel the warmth first on my big toe, and I giggle, keeping my eyes closed as the soft, wet kisses work their way over each toe and the sole of my foot. “That feels good, but if you keep that up, I can’t guarantee you won’t get accidentally kicked in the nose.”

  “It’s worth the risk,” Jacob’s amused voice answers as another set of lips starts kissing the inside of my wrist, “but that’s not me.”

  I open my eyes to see all four of my Guardians arrayed around me, my body naked and their eyes gleaming as they all kiss me, Tyler working his way up my legs while Jacob and Noah each take an arm. Cole, whose cock looks so delicious close to my face, pulls back to lean down and kiss me deeply as Tyler’s tongue touches my pussy and I moan into Cole’s kiss.

  Four lovers. Four different lenses of perfection, each of them totally dedicated to me. Jacob finds my nipple and tugs with the playful roughness that’s his style while Tyler’s soft, dedicated tongue and lips search for and find every pleasure nerve and spot in my pussy. My body’s on fire, and suddenly, I feel a pressure build in each breast before it releases, and I realize . . . oh, my God, Jacob and Noah are drinking from me!

  I nurse them, the strange pleasure combining with Tyler’s talented tongue as I grow closer and closer to coming. Cole’s right there, swallowing every moan and gasp, taking it all and giving it back to me.

  I feel my hips lift as I tremble on the edge, Tyler sucking at my pussy until he suddenly pulls back. Noah and Jacob are next, and I break my kiss with Cole to look in shock as Tyler grabs at his throat, a choked strangling sound coming from his lips. His skin starts to flush green, and he falls back, foam coming from his lips.

  “Tyler, no!” I wail, trying to sit up, but Jacob and Noah collapse too, and Cole’s lips start to tinge green. “Cole!”

  “Your . . . no—” Cole gasps before he falls over, and I sit up, my four Guardians dead, as nearby, a new face, a dark creature in nearly all-black armor like a knight, stands, chuckling.

  I recoil as he starts walking toward me, lifting a hand that begins to glow green. “Mine.”

  “No. No!”

  “No!” I gasp as I sit up, covered in slick, alkaline sweat. I tremble, my body flushed with equal parts desire and horror at my dream, but the dream felt so real. It felt like a prediction that I’m poisoned and that my Guardians are going to be killed, that the bond we’re sharing is nothing but a death sentence to them.

  Worse, though, is that the side of me that momentarily reveled in the death of the handmaidens wants my Guardians to die . . . but why? I can understand taking a sort of fierce joy in the death of the handmaidens. They were hurting my men. But my Guardians care for me and I care for them.

  The room’s cloaked in shadows, a ray of moonlight just peeking through the window. I’ve slept for longer than just a nap. I slept most of the afternoon away, but I still feel exhausted.

  Exhausted, horrified, and aroused. My nipples are hard, although apparently, lactating was just a dream thing because my top’s still dry. My panties aren’t, though. They’re soaked through, and right now, more than anything, what my body wants is four big . . .

  No. I don’t just want that. I want my Guardians, all four of them, to be able to bond with them and be reassured that my bad dream was just that, a bad dream. I want that bond that I started to feel with them back.

  I tremble, reaching for the light sheet that Cole’s tucked around my body, and the moonlight catches on my bracers. They gleam in a golden whiteness, and the shine helps center me, to focus on the here and now. I’m not going to poison them. I’m still in control, and these bracers are going to help.

  Still, as beautiful as they are, the ornaments that started with a slightly pinchy feel have become an itchy, tight weight. It’s that itch that runs around and around in my head, never ceasing. My dream. The more I think about it, the more I’m sure it’s a warning. I need to be careful, heed it, and make sure I don’t hurt my Guardians. Cole can say what he wants about protecting me, and I don’t doubt the sincerity of his words or Tyler’s heartfelt declaration, but I can’t let them waste their lives.

  There’s something else in the warning too, but right now, I have no idea what it is. I try to think about it more, but before I can, the dream starts to grow hazy, and I can hear voices out in the other room. I slip out from between the sheets and approach the door. As I do, I see that it’s cracked open. I kneel down, listening and watching as best I can.

  Noah’s sitting on the couch, his staff in his hands, while Jacob stands behind him, his sharpening stone out, the metallic whisper slipping through the air as he draws his blades back and forth.

  “This is really bad,” Noah says before looking over his shoulder at Jacob. “And do you have to use that damn stone?”

  “Yes, and yes it is,” Jacob says. “Cassina’s going to demand vengeance, not to mention Lysette. That crazy bitch will come for blood.”

  “You never liked her anyway,” Tyler says from out of my field of vision. “But we seriously are walking into danger.”

  “Bank on that,” Jacob says. “Cole, I have to ask you though. You know I respect you, even when I give you shit. But your sister . . . what the fuck, brother? You have a family and you never told us?”

  Cole, whose voice is closer to the door than the others, sighs. “I would prefer not to discuss it, Jacob. She is powerful and knowledgeable, but there are reasons I have not said anything. We will head to The Vale. That is where she is.”

  “The Vale,” Noah says, and I watch him shiver. “Are you sure about that?”

  “I know that you see The Vale as a cold and dreary place, Noah. It is not your idea of a vacation, but it is my homeland. That’s where my sister is, so
that is where we are going.”

  “What if we never find your sister or she refuses to help us?” Jacob asks. “We should have a contingency.”

  My breath catches in my throat as I hear them all go still. It’s so silent you can hear a pin drop as they ponder Jacob’s words solemnly.

  “Well,” Cole finally says, “if there is no other choice, then—”

  Thunk.

  Noah’s and Jacob’s heads both jerk up as I back away from the door, cursing my clumsiness. I was so nervous, so intent, that I literally bumped my head on the door. Fuck!

  I quickly turn and run back to the bed, taking a flying leap and smacking the headboard against the wall, making even more noise.

  I pull the covers over my head just as the door cracks open. Doing my best to maintain the façade, I pretend to be snoring.

  Still, I keep my eyes closed as I feel the covers pulled off me and the cool night air hits my stomach, where my tank top’s pulled up. I let two more breaths pass before yawning and scrunching my eyes tighter. “Come on, guys. You’re sweet, but I need sleep.”

  “I once watched a rendition of Hamlet being performed by a gang of condemned prisoners that included a one-armed grandfather as Ophelia,” a voice says in a low growl. “Their performance was more convincing than yours. You can cut the act, Princess. We know you were listening.”

  The jig up, I open my eyes and see Cole, bare-chested and beautiful in the moonlight. His muscles are taut and lean, and I can’t help but feel my nipples tighten again. He’s masculine sex brought to life in moonlight and cloaked in shadow and magic, and my body wants him so badly I’m almost panting with want. He’s standing at the foot of my bed, and I want to grab him, to pull him down here on top of me and demand that he ravage my body until I scream in pain and pleasure. “Cole, I—”

  “I’m not angry. But what did you hear?”

  I want to lie, but it’s impossible. Instead, I clench my hands into fists, digging my nails so hard into my palms that I feel them cut into my flesh. I use the pain as an anchor to staunch the desire burning through my body. I can’t even understand why I’m feeling this way. Whatever changes are going on inside me, it’s making me a horny bitch. Maybe it’s normal, but since discovering my Fae side, my libido has seemingly shot through the roof.

  “Nothing,” I lie through my teeth, hating how breathless I sound. “Was going to use the potty when I heard you guys talking. Figured you needed your personal time.”

  “Don’t lie, Princess,” Cole growls, a hint of anger coming through as he surges forward and catches me by the jaw. He’s closer now. I want to kiss him, and I think he wants to kiss me too, but he’s not going to until I tell him the truth. “Not now, not with what is at stake.”

  Fuck it. If I can’t lie, then I might as well tell the truth. “Will you be able to . . . do what’s necessary if it comes to that?”

  Cole cups my cheek with a soft hand, and I flinch slightly, wanting almost to turn and bite his palm. I can smell the salt in his skin, the blood running through his veins, and it smells . . . attractive. This definitely wasn’t something I could do even a day ago.

  “It will never, ever come to that.”

  I nearly groan. He has no idea what his touch is doing to me. Or maybe he does and that’s why he’s doing it? At the same time, a voice in the back of my head says he’s not being forthright with me.

  “How?” I moan as he strokes my cheek with a thumb and I turn to nuzzle against his hand. “How do you know? And what is it about your sister you don’t want the others to know?”

  “It is a long story,” Cole says once again, sitting down on the edge of the bed and stroking my arm. I can hear his heartbeat speeding up, and in the moonlight, I can see a slight gleam of sweat on his forehead.

  “Tell me. We have time,” I whisper, kissing his fingertips before taking one in my mouth and sucking it slowly.

  Cole groans, and I can feel his desire coursing off him in waves. “I can’t.”

  Fuck me, this is so hard. I want him. And I can tell, despite his telling me no, that he wants me too. “Cole . . .”

  His eyes drop to my chest where my nipples are showing through. It’s the final straw, and I see his amber eyes flare with desire. I reach forward, cupping his cock, and he leans into me. I can feel his cock, already swollen, jump in my fingertips, and I’m ready to ravage him, to take him and fuck him as hard as I can in order to sate the hunger inside me. Our lips are close, almost touching . . .

  “Ahem.”

  The sound snaps through the room, and we jump back from each other, Cole almost slipping off the bed. Only his natural grace and strength allow him to look halfway balanced as he stands up, and I can see Tyler standing in the doorway. “Everything’s ready. Time to go.”

  Before we can reply, Tyler disappears. Cole looks over his shoulder at me, and I can see the bulge in his trousers, his chest still heaving as he tries to slow his racing pulse. “Everything will be okay. Stop worrying, Princess.”

  Chapter 5

  Eve

  Dear Alyssa,

  I know you’ll get this after I’m gone, and that’s okay. I wanted to call you, but well, I wasn’t sure if I could go through with it if I heard your voice.

  I wanted to tell you, firstly, that I love you. Our whole life, you’ve always been there for me, and I realize now that I probably could have done more for you.

  The past week has taught me so much. Life’s complicated. I mean, seriously complicated. Guess having a sister who’s in love with a shifter while I juggle four Fae lovers is pretty easy compared to having to deal with my own internal battles.

  I’ve never told you about why I became a cop and why I had a problem at the beginning of the wars. Experiences molded my feelings. Right after Mom and Dad died, we were in the hospital. A vamp attacked you, and I had to watch. I’m sure you can get the details from the hospital, if the records are still there.

  It filled me with so much hatred for a time . . . but sometimes, evil isn’t about what you do. It’s who you are inside, and that’s complicated. Sometimes, those we think of as evil might not be that evil at all.

  I’m struggling with that myself. I’m going to have you as my strength. The one who was right all along.

  Just don’t let my admission that you were right go to that cute little head of yours, okay? I’m still your big sister.

  I love you.

  Eve

  I’m tempted to say that I’m going to come back, that I’m going to be the superhero ‘Lyssa’s always seen me as, but I can’t. My hand’s trembling too much and tears sting my eyes. I honestly don’t know if that’s the truth, and I can’t lie to her.

  I feel a soft hand on my shoulder, and I look up to see Tyler, his eyes soft and understanding. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I reply, quickly tucking the letter into an envelope and scribbling my address on it. “We can go.”

  I stand up, but Tyler stops me. Turning my face toward him, he brushes a tear away with a thumb, nodding. “Now you’re ready.”

  I hug him, laying my head on his chest for a moment. I want to tell him so many things, but there isn’t time. Still, he hugs me back, and it helps reassure me that whatever’s going on between him and Cole, it’ll pass. They’ve been exchanging these looks, but I haven’t sensed the right time to ask what it’s about. Still, I have a feeling it’s about me.

  Outside, it’s a beautiful night. The moon’s huge and the stars shine brightly over the city. It’s going to be a strange journey, but it’s time. I see a post office drop box on the corner and drop the letter in, closing the hinged door with a soft clang. “Well? Where to?”

  “Nature is always our ally,” Noah says as we climb into a department SUV. The Chief told me that when I’m ready, just hit the button inside and the GPS will notify the department where to pick it up. Convenient.

  “Platform nine and three quarters. Next stop, the faerie realms,” Jacob says after we drive out to the woo
ds. He shuts off the engine and sticks the keys up in the sunshade. “Everyone out.”

  I follow them into the trees, surprised to find a perfect circle in the middle of a thicket. “Is this where you came in?” I ask, and Noah nods. “Well . . . how do we get back?”

  “It’s a magic gate,” Noah explains, touching a few of the trees. “For humans to go to our realm, they have to know the locations. For us, we just need to attune ourselves with our world and we travel through a ‘plane’ or ‘the Gray,’ as we like to call it. Places like this are just convenient arrival points since we know they’re usually isolated. No use popping out in the middle of Times Square.”

  Good point. “Okay . . . well, how do I do it?”

  “You won’t need to do anything. You will be our passenger. On the negative side, that means you need to carry everything.”

  The four Fae shift into wolves, three silver, one a near-midnight black. They’re massive, magnificent. “Wow,” I whisper as I gather their clothes and stuff them in the satchel before bundling their weapons into something I can carry. “Amazing.”

  I reach out to the nearest, Noah, unless they somehow moved while shifting, and run my hand through his fur. It’s soft and luxurious. I love it. I love this creature in front of me and the Fae that he is inside. He looks at me with golden eyes, and I try to reach out with my mind, but my bracers are preventing me from touching them.

  Suddenly, Noah nudges me forward, and I realize that I need to make a choice of whom I get to ride across the plane to the faerie realm. I reach out and put my hand on Cole’s head. He stands out with his black mane. I wrap my hands in Cole’s fur and bury my nose in his neck, inhaling his scent as I feel him tense. We’re about to take off, and I spare a glance up at the sky, where I can just see the lights at the top of some of Haven’s tallest buildings glimmering against the mountains.