by L. P. Dover
I nodded, pretending to understand. “You know I’m not helpless, right? I have been training for a while and I have no doubt that I could kick your ass.”
Alston bit his lip and moved gracefully to tower over me. “I think I’d like that. How about we do a little hand on hand combat outside for a while? Maybe it’ll relieve some of the tension.”
“You’re on.” I laughed wickedly. “Don’t get mad when you get your ass beat.”
He winked. “I’ll take my chances.”
My muscles ached, but I made sure to give Alston a good beating. “I think we’re done with weapons for a while. By the way, where did you learn to do what you did with your spear? I know Oren and your brother didn’t teach you those moves.” He paused and furrowed his brows, looking off into the distance. “It actually kind of reminds me of how the Summer Fae fight.”
After he said that his body tensed, but when he saw me watching him he relaxed, even though it looked forced. “Well, I don’t know where I would’ve learned it from,” I claimed. “Not unless someone from the Summer Court trained me.”
Alston laughed nervously. “No, that couldn’t be it. You don’t ever spend time with anyone from the Summer other than Calista and Meliantha, and they aren’t even Summer Fae anymore.”
I didn’t need magic to hear the bold faced lie in his statement. He still wouldn’t even look me in the eye when he spoke either. Now all I needed was to come up with a plan, but what? I wondered. My momentary distraction cost me a swift kick to the leg from Alston, making me fall to the ground with a loud thump. The breath whooshed out of me when I made impact.
“Ow!” I groaned furiously.
Alston appeared above me, smiling. “You weren’t paying attention, baby. Besides, it was funny watching you fall on your ass.”
I scowled at him and quickly got to my feet. “You’re going to pay for that,” I hissed. All I needed was a few good hits on him to incapacitate him, and then I could make a run for it. By no means was I afraid of Alston, so if he did catch me I could defend myself, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. My main concern at the moment was contacting Oren.
Alston’s wicked grin didn’t help my growing anger as we circled each other. “You are so damn sexy when you’re mad. It makes for good make-up sex.”
I rolled my eyes. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
“Oh come on, Sorcha, you know you want it. You’ve always been an insatiable woman,” he teased.
“Will you shut up?” He was goading me and I fell right into it. He loved to see me angry, and he got his wish. I dodged his attacks, except when the opportunity presented itself I went in for the hit. I landed a hard jab to Alston’s jaw, making his head turn away from me with a snap. Not wasting any time, I made a run for it, and didn’t look back.
“Sorcha!” Alston yelled. He chased after me, and with his long legs and my magic dampened I couldn’t use my earth abilities to help slow him down. I didn’t get too far before his weight barreled into me and he landed on top, crushing me to the ground. I struggled to breathe as his weight pinned me beneath him.
“What the hell was that?” he growled in my face.
I smirked. “It was a love tap,” I said sarcastically. “You deserved it for pissing me off.”
He rubbed his jaw and shook his head. “I love to see you pissed, but not like that. It still turned me on though,” he teased.
Huffing, I sighed, “Whatever, Alston. Do you mind getting off me?”
He pushed his body into me further, and I could definitely tell my anger turned him on from the hard bulge pressing up against my leg. His forearms closed me in as he leaned on his elbows, looking down at me. “I kind of like it here. You’ve never complained about me being on top before.”
Alston lowered his head to kiss me, but I turned my head away before our lips could touch. “Well, I’m complaining now. I’m going to ask again, do you mind getting off of me?”
His growl was menacing, but he slowly lifted up his body and got to his feet. “What happened to you? We were hot and heavy back home, fucking anywhere and everywhere we could.”
“Yeah, maybe ten months ago,” I mumbled.
“Excuse me,” he said quickly, alarmed.
I waved him off. “Nothing, just forget I said anything.” His grip was bruising when he encircled my arms, pulling me up against him. “Alston, you’re hurting me,” I warned, gritting my teeth.
He didn’t let me go, but held me there, studying my face. “You know something, don’t you?”
“Like what?” I asked incredulously. “You’re acting as if you have something to hide. Maybe you know something I don’t.”
We stared each other down until something caught his eye over my shoulder. “Fuck!” he hissed. Grabbing my arm forcefully, he hurried me in the direction of the house.
“What’s going on? What did you see?” I asked anxiously.
He kept dragging me behind him, and when I snuck a glance behind me I saw nothing. I tried to root my feet to the ground, but instead of me standing my ground it only infuriated Alston more. He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder, running the rest of the way to the house. When we got there, he kicked the door open and dropped me on the floor. Thankfully, I landed on my feet and not on my ass again.
Glaring at him, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I hope that’s not the way you take your wife over the threshold when you get married,” I quipped sarcastically.
“I just did,” he sneered. “Welcome home, honey.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
His sneer grew into an all-out wicked grin. The mask had been lifted from his face, and what I saw was not the Alston I knew and cared about months ago. His eyes showed the cruelty and possessiveness that I’d always known was there, but hidden. He stalked toward me with long and determined strides, saying along the way, “You’re mine, Sorcha, and no one is going to take you away from me.”
I began taking steps back to get away from Alston’s predatory gaze, but he kept advancing. “Why did you rush me in here? What’s out there? Or better yet … who’s out there?”
“It doesn’t matter who it is. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Like hell I’m not,” I warned him. “Tell me, at what point did you decide to turn on our people?”
He stalked closer. “The moment I lost you.”
“That doesn’t flatter me, Alston. Did you think you wouldn’t get caught?”
He furrowed his brows and opted to ignore my question with a wave of dismissal. “What I want to know is how you found out. Your memories are gone.”
I laughed sarcastically. “I may not have my memories, but I’m not stupid. You may have the house concealed, and my magic blocked, but I can still feel that something’s wrong with you.”
“You know, I’m shocked they found you. No one knows of this place, and since they can’t see it or sense us they’ll pass right on by. I would love to be able to see Drake’s face if he knew I fucked you while he was just yards away. You will be mine and mine only for the rest of your life. You might as well get used to it, even if I have to force you.”
“Wait!” I held up my hand. “Are you saying he’s actually out there right now?”
“Yes, it’s him and your worthless guardian. Isn’t it a shame you can’t join them. Oh well, at least you’ll be having fun with me in here.”
“Not likely.”
He was stalking me like a lion would before he pounced. The door was too far away, and my only chance to get there was going to be to fight my way there. I took off for the door only to be tackled to the floor by Alston’s hulking frame. He pinned my arms above my head and immediately began leaving bruising kisses along my jaw down to my neck. His laugh sounded evil in my ear, making me cringe away from him. He held both of my wrists with one of his hands while the other began ripping away my armor. I struggled against his grasp as he lifted my shirt and ran his hand over my bare breast. He was so heavy on top of me I
couldn’t move, he was just too strong. He forcefully separated my legs with his knee and ground me into the floor by thrusting hard against me.
“It turns me on when you make it hard on me,” he growled low in my ear.
“Is it going to turn you on when I kill you?” I hissed back angrily. “Because once I get out that door, you’re dead.”
He laughed. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re not getting to that door then, huh?”
“We’ll see about that!”
With all my energy, I bucked my hips as hard as I could. Once his hand wavered, I freed one of my arms and slammed my elbow hard into the side of his face. He grunted with the impact and his body moved enough that I was able to knee him in the groin. He toppled over to the side and tried to make a grab for me, except I slipped out of his reach just in time to make a run for it. Scrambling across the floor, I made it to the door and pushed it open. Drake’s eyes caught mine the moment I became visible, and relief flashed over his face.
I bolted straight for him, but the pain that radiated through my ribs stopped me. A snarling Alston was behind my back with one arm squeezing the breath out of my lungs, and the other holding a very sharp, iron knife at my throat.
The moment she appeared, I wasted no time in running toward her, except I didn’t get too far when I was stopped by an invisible force. It felt like a thick, unbreakable glass wall, sturdy and indestructible. Oren ran up beside me and punched it with all the force he could muster. The only sounds I heard were his audible cry of pain, and the bones that broke into tiny pieces in his hand.
Alston bellowed, “Having problems getting through?”
“You’re done, Alston! Let her go!” I ordered, gritting my teeth.
Sorcha was angry, her chest heaving with furious breaths as she searched for an escape. Our eyes met briefly, and I hoped she understood the message I sent to her. Just off to her left, on the ground, was her spear. It was the only weapon there that could kill Alston, other than Oren’s dagger he had strapped on his belt. However, that was a lost cause since Oren and I couldn’t go past the barrier.
Panic showed behind the surface of Alston’s gaze, but he was trying to hide it. I could usually handle tense situations, but this one was more difficult considering Alston was unstable with a knife to Sorcha’s throat, and it wasn’t just an ordinary knife either.
“Do you see what I see?” I pointed out to Oren.
He shifted angrily on his feet. “Unfortunately, yes. The knife is made of iron.”
Alston planned it well. He held the iron knife in a gloved hand. If he wasn’t wearing that glove, the iron would’ve eaten through his skin in a matter of seconds. “She’s not going anywhere,” he said, squeezing Sorcha tighter against him. The knife grazed her skin when he moved, causing it to sizzle and burn on contact.
She hissed in pain. “You’re going to pay for that!”
“Not if you’re dead,” he replied darkly.
My anger boiled over the edge, the dragon stirring underneath my skin, ready to kill. No one threatens what’s mine, except I knew Alston’s admission was not a threat. He would kill her to keep her from me. I could see in his eyes how obsessed he was with her.
Backing up from the invisible shield, I spread my arms open in invitation. “You don’t want to kill her, you fool. This is about me. It’s always been about me, and your jealousy over the fact that the one woman you want is destined to be with me. You’re a coward hiding behind the dark sorcerer’s evil, and what’s worse is that you feel like a man apprehending her when she’s at her weakest. You’d be shitting yourself right now if she had her powers.”
He snarled. “I would rather see her dead than in your arms. If that means I have to hide behind walls to have her, then I will. She’s mine!” The knife touched her skin again, making her grimace in pain. Only one slight jab and that iron would flow through her veins and kill her. I had to do something.
“Why don’t we fight for her then?” I asked, ready and determined to end it quickly. “Whoever wins gets her. Unless you’re too much of a chicken shit to fight me.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Sorcha shouted in disbelief.
Alston ignored her and narrowed his eyes at me, contemplating my offer. “How do I know Oren won’t try to steal Sorcha away if I win? How do I know you’ll keep up the bargain?”
“You have my promise, you worthless traitor.”
Alston chuckled, and thankfully dropped the knife from the Sorcha’s throat, although he still held her in a vice-like grip against his chest. “You really are an arrogant dick, you know that. I need you to also promise that no one will come searching for me and Sorcha after all of this is over.”
Oren grabbed my arm, and hissed in my ear, “Are you crazy? Either you are very arrogant and stupid, or you’re extremely confident. If you fail, we lose her. Think carefully, Your Highness, because if you lose I will not let him take her. You condemn us both to death with your promise.”
Promises were sacred with our people, and once you made one you had to uphold it. If you didn’t there would be consequences, mostly resulting in death. Keeping my eyes on Alston and Sorcha, I leaned over to Oren and whispered, “Trust me.”
Oren scoffed in outrage, and forced himself to back away. Sarette was nowhere to be seen, and we had planned it that way. We didn’t want her appearing until the time was right. Impatiently, I announced, “Do you accept the challenge, or are you going to hide? What better way is there to prove how much you want her by fighting me? We both know her very well, Alston. She doesn’t like weak men. You’ll never get her love if you cower behind your fear.”
Sorcha’s lethal gaze could’ve killed me where I stood, and in that moment I was glad she didn’t have her powers. She obviously didn’t approve of my methods, but I had to do something to get that knife away from her throat.
Alston glared at me for a few hard minutes, and then finally relented. “I accept,” he answered, slowly releasing Sorcha from his grip.
Although, what happened next was definitely a Sorcha move and one I should’ve expected. She punched Alston square in the nose, causing blood to spray out and splatter across the ground. “I don’t accept!” she snapped angrily, glaring at both me and her blood-drenched captor. “How dare you both negotiate my freedom in front of me? I can fight my own battles with or without my magic. Never have I ever needed a man to fight for me, and it sure as hell isn’t going to start today.” Directing her venom to Alston, she said, “If you want me, you’re going to have to fight me, not Drake.”
“No!” I ordered forcefully.
“And …” she began, holding up a hand to cut me off. “If I lose, I will willingly stay in the mortal realm with Alston.”
Alston gleamed at the new proposition, and immediately set his hungry eyes on her. “Sorry, Prince Drake, but I believe the princess has offered me a better deal.”
I hit the wall in protest. “Dammit, Sorcha! For once why can’t you swallow your pride?”
She tore her eyes away from Alston and smirked at me. “If you know me as well as you say you do then you should be used to it by now.”
“Sorcha!” Oren demanded. “Don’t do this!”
Sorcha’s face softened with a hint of a smile. She didn’t say anything, but mouthed the words ‘trust me’ to him. Oren threw his hands up in the air and punched the wall again. “You both are going to drive me crazy! What the hell is she going to do?”
Shaking my head, I replied, “I don’t know, but I’m dying to find out. She’s always been one of surprises.”
Sorcha picked up her spear and advanced on Alston. “Let’s get this done,” she spat at him.
“With pleasure, baby.” Alston licked his lips and advanced, looking like a wolf searching for its prey. Hearing him speak to her in that voice made my blood boil and the dragon inside me tense. The thought of him touching her made me want to kill him. How I was going to be able to watch the fight, I didn’t know. Alston deserved a slow and painful
death.
Sorcha looked fierce and focused as she circled Alston. Her concentration was perfect when we would train together, and I knew in that moment that nothing could break her. Clenching my fists, I knew the attack was about to start, and I dreaded it. Alston struck out first and dove for Sorcha’s legs, determined to get her to the ground. If he pinned her with his weight it’d be all over for her. His size was his only advantage whereas Sorcha was agile and light on her feet, and deadly with her spear.
Sorcha landed some good blows to his face, but Alston kept going strong. The prize was right in front of him, and he wasn’t going to stop until he had her. He was relentless, and I was helpless having to watch. All Sorcha needed to do was stab him with her spear and it would end him; however, things took a turn for the worse when Alston threw Sorcha to the ground and grabbed her spear. Sorcha landed hard on her knees and turned around in time to watch Alston snap her spear in half, and throw the pieces to the ground as if it were trash. His evil laugh penetrated the air, knowing he hit her with a low blow.
She flinched when she heard the audible crack of her spear splitting in two, and immediately afterwards she let out the loudest war cry I’d ever heard. Her spear was sacred to her, and Alston just destroyed it. Breathing hard, I knew she was livid when all I saw on her face was vengeance. “This isn’t good,” Oren claimed. “She’s pissed and we both know how impulsive she can get when she’s like that.”
“Yes, I know,” I agreed. “I’ve seen her make mistakes when I was training with her in our dreams. She lets her emotions get the best of her sometimes, especially when she’s really angry.”
Sorcha’s rage consumed her, and that rage blinded her. Alston got the upper hand, and took her to the ground, straddling her waist. Her legs were pinned beneath his body while Alston’s arms held hers to the side. Alston winked at me, and I scowled at him before he looked down at Sorcha. “Do you give in?” he asked her.
When she didn’t answer he slammed her head into the ground. She winced and screamed in pain. With her jaw clenched, she lifted her chin defiantly. He repeated, “Do you give in?”
