by L. P. Dover
“Why are your clothes in here, too?” I asked. “I didn’t know I was going to have to share.”
Brayden chuckled and joined me. “You have it all wrong, angel. I didn’t know I was going to have to share. You seem to have picked my room as yours.”
What? There was no way the room could be his. “That’s not possible,” I shrieked. “How could someone like you have a room like this? It doesn’t match your personality at all, and what’s even weirder is that it’s exactly like mine in the Summer Court.”
“I know,” he agreed. “I guess you and I have more things in common than you realized. Now get dressed and I’ll have some food brought to us.” He licked his lips while staring at mine, but he didn’t follow through. Instead, he turned on his heel and looked back at me once before opening the bedroom door and leaving me to get dressed. Were we going to share this room together? I wondered.
Quickly, I picked out a dress, laid it on the bed, and rushed into the bathroom to take a hasty shower. By the time I got out, I used my wind magic to blow through my hair to make it dry and wrapped a towel around my body. I rushed into the bedroom to change, only to find Brayden standing in front of the open French style doors that led onto the balcony, staring out at the snowy night. There was a table out there with lit candles and two covered dishes that had steam billowing out into the cold air.
Brayden turned around and his eyes blazed with fire as he peered up and down my body. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over how beautiful you are,” he murmured in my mind. “I’m really sorry with the way I acted earlier.”
“It’s okay,” I said with a smile. “I understand that guys don’t think before they speak. I’m perfectly used to it.” My gaze drifted over to my dress on the bed and back down to my body wrapped in the towel.
Brayden narrowed his eyes playfully and said, “Do you need help getting dressed, angel? I’ll be glad to help.”
Biting my lip, I shook my head and dropped the towel to the floor. “I think I can handle it,” I muttered softly. He watched me from the doors as I carefully lifted the dress over my head and slowly lowered it down over my body. From the bulge in Brayden’s jeans I could tell he wanted to do more than watch, but he kept his distance much to my dismay.
“I told you I was going to wait until you begged for it, didn’t I?” he remarked, with a glint in his eye.
“That you did.” There happened to be a problem with that scenario, though; I was never one to beg.
We ate dinner in silence and when we were done we stood on the balcony, side by side, and gazed out across the snowy landscape of the Winter Court. The sky was completely dark, but the snowflakes cascading down gave off its own light. The stark whiteness of it lit up the land so vibrantly that you would still be able to see your way through the dark. It was amazing.
Brayden broke the silence. “When I was out looking for you earlier I ran into my mother. She heard word from Durin that it’ll be about three weeks before he can bring us the dagger.”
“That long?” I gasped. “So much can happen in three weeks. If the sorcerer steals my power somehow there will be no way to stop him.” I knew Durin couldn’t make the dagger overnight, but I secretly hoped it wouldn’t take that long. It felt like we were sitting on a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. The longer the dark sorcerer had, the more time he had to figure things out.
Brayden turned to me and took my hands, pulling me closer. “He’s not going to get your power, angel,” he murmured softly. “I know you want us to keep our distance when we are around the others, and now that I’ve thought about it I can live with that. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way. Therefore, all I’m asking is that when we are together away from the prying eyes of others that you open yourself up to me. You’ve seen and felt what I feel for you and you gave me a glimpse into what you feel for me. I want to go deeper, Ariella.”
Closing my eyes, I released a shaky breath and lowered my gaze away from his heated stare. “How deep?” I asked.
He lifted my chin with his finger and slowly closed his lips over mine, gently. “As deep as you’ll let me,” he added. “But I have some things I need to tell you first.”
And I knew what those things were going to be.
WE MOVED INSIDE, shutting the glass doors to the balcony, and settled ourselves on the floor in front of the unlit fireplace. Brayden called upon his magic, and in an instant the flames leapt out of his hand and into the hearth. I never understood how someone from the Winter Court could have fire magic.
“You know, it’s strange that a Winter Fae can wield fire. In a way, it makes no sense,” I said, mesmerized by the flames warming the room. “One would think you’d melt.” I snickered and I could feel Brayden shaking his head behind me.
“That might be why not that many Winter Fae have the ability for fire,” he responded. “As far as I know my father and I are the only ones. So I guess it doesn’t make sense.”
Brayden grabbed a blanket off the chair behind him and wrapped it around us as he sidled up behind me, placing both of his legs on either side of me. It felt natural leaning up against him and having his arms around me, feeling his heartbeat against my back. He sighed loudly and I knew what he was getting ready to talk about. I could feel it through the bond how he was worried I’d get angry. It took him forever to explain about Taryn coming to visit him and all the while it took everything I had not to break down and laugh. I was thankful he couldn’t see my face in that moment. I knew he was uncomfortable having to talk about it, but I already knew what happened … I was there. I waited on him to tell me the rest of the story about how he told Taryn he loved me, but that part of the conversation never came up.
“So you’re not angry with me?” he asked.
“Why would I be angry? You told me nothing happened, even though you did answer the door in just a towel. Next time, don’t do that. I don’t think you would like it if I answered the door in a towel with one of your warriors standing out there.”
He growled low in his chest. “Good point. I wouldn’t like that at all, but I would love to see you in a towel again.”
I laughed and turned to face him. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of chances to since I’m forced to live with you here,” I teased.
Brayden lifted a brow and pulled me up on his lap, placing his hands on my thighs as I straddled his waist. “You know I’m not forcing you to stay here,” he said in all seriousness. “You know I would never make you.”
Resting my hands on his shoulders, I ran them over his back and up to his neck where I clasped them together firmly. “I want to be here, Brayden. I just wish our time together wasn’t rushed. You’re extremely good looking and trust me, my body is screaming for you to take me, and I can feel yours saying the same thing.” Which was true, I could. The desire in his eyes along with his cock growing stiffer between my legs alerted me of that. “But you know I need more,” I added softly.
He nodded. “I know that, and we’re going to show each other more, but there’s no harm in doing it in different ways is there?”
The look in his eyes was predatory as he bit his lip and wrapped his arms snuggly around my waist, holding me down on the hardness between his legs. I leaned down, our lips almost touching, when I whispered, “What did you have in mind?”
His hand tangled in my hair, gripping it tight, and pulling me down the rest of the way so our lips touched. “This, angel. This is what I had in mind. I know that it’s a big step for us since our mating isn’t like a normal faerie bond, but with our connection we can still do everything we want in our mind and share it together. All it takes is our imagination.”
Intrigued, I bit my lip and sighed. “You know … I never thought about that. I think it could be kind of interesting, but I don’t want everything to be strictly in our minds you know.”
“Are you saying you want me to touch you like this?” he asked, sliding his hands up my bare thighs beneath my dress. “And like this?” he added, trailin
g his soft lips up my collarbone to my neck and jaw.
“Yes,” I breathed. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, but we can’t let it get too far.” Even as the words came out of my mouth I knew they were a lie. I wanted it to go further and I knew Brayden did, too. Unfortunately, I always made rash and irresponsible decisions in my life. For once, I wanted to do things slow and right.
Wrapping my legs around his waist, Brayden held me firmly and carried me over to the bed. “I’ll only go as far as you let me, angel,” he murmured gruffly, setting me down gently.
Lying down beside me, Brayden placed one of his legs in between mine and leaned over me, propping himself up on his elbow. His lip tilted up in an arrogant smirk as he lowered them to mine, crushing them to my lips in a possessive kiss. “You taste so alive, angel. I never thought I could feel so much with anyone.”
“I never knew you could feel anything,” I teased, but groaned when he growled and bit my lip.
“You’re going to wish you didn’t say that.”
Rolling on top of me, he spread my legs with his knee and pushed his groin up against me. I bucked underneath him and moaned. I never had a chance to put on underwear, so the only thing between him and me were his jeans. The roughness of them teased my sensitive flesh as he rocked his hips back and forth, dipping and thrusting against my core.
“Touch me, Brayden,” I demanded heatedly.
He stopped immediately and gazed down at me, grinning from ear to ear. “Are you actually begging me, angel?”
Grabbing him by the shoulders, I fisted my hands in his shirt and pulled him down to me. “Oh no, I’m not begging you …” I said, kissing him firmly on the lips, “… I’m telling you.”
Brayden chuckled, but opened his mouth further, letting his tongue mingle with mine. “Whenever the time comes for me to make love to you, Ariella, you will beg me. Of that I am certain.”
“I told you I’m not the begging type.”
He chuckled again, and without breaking contact with my lips, he hooked a finger underneath the strap of my dress. He slowly glided it down my shoulder inch by inch until he freed my breast. Trailing his tongue down my chin to my neck, he carefully flicked my taut nipple with his tongue and closed his lips around my tender flesh, sucking greedily.
I moaned and arched my back into his touch, whispering his name. His hand removed the other strap of my dress and released the other breast. I ached for the feel of his skin on mine. Quickly, Brayden sat up and pulled off his shirt, throwing it to the floor. He gazed down at me with his hooded brown eyes and I up at him. His chest was hard and smooth with nothing except pure, lean muscle. My dress was bunched up at my waist, leaving me exposed and spread open to him as he watched me lying there beneath him, waiting. Waiting for what I had no clue.
Gently, Brayden trailed his fingers up my thighs, and when his thumb rubbed over my sensitive flesh I gasped. Lowering himself onto me again, he licked and sucked one of my nipples while circling his thumb across my clit. Only when he pushed a finger into my opening did I almost lose control. I was so close to begging, but I bit my tongue to keep my words silent. My breathing accelerated along with Brayden’s. I was so deliciously close to the edge that when he pushed further inside me I lost it.
His fingers pumped relentlessly as I jerked and bucked against the bed, gripping onto the bed sheets. “Brayden,” I shouted as the orgasm started to heighten.
“Let it go,” he groaned. “I want you to let it go, angel.”
Gliding his fingers in and out harder, I finally opened myself up and let the orgasm spill throughout my body. It felt like liquid fire as the tremors from my release spread to every nerve ending of my being. It felt amazing. Breathing hard, I closed my eyes while Brayden lay down beside me. When I opened them, I couldn’t stop my gaze from wandering down to his waist where his cock bulged against his jeans. Biting my lip, I started to unbutton his pants, but he stopped me by placing his hand on mine, halting me.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, angel, by doing that. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” he asked.
“Trust me,” I said, exposing his rigid cock, which lay heavy against his stomach. “I want you to close your eyes and concentrate on my thoughts. I’m going to show you a good time now.”
Closing his eyes, he settled back onto the bed while I positioned myself beside him and took his penis into my grip. His body jerked as I stroked him gently at first, but then picked up my pace, squeezing him tightly. The images I sent from my mind to his were completely different. In my thoughts I was riding him hard, milking him for all he had. It was but a taste of what our life could be like if we just let it get to that point. Brayden groaned and thrust his hips with my movement just like he was in the thoughts I sent to him. Faster and faster I tortured him, wanting more than anything to straddle his body and make love to him the way I was in my thoughts. Brayden finally let go, groaning as his release came hot and swift. We both collapsed against the bed, breathing hard and satiated.
I kissed him on the lips and cuddled up beside him as he wrapped his arms around me. “That was very interesting, angel. I must say, you better be careful thinking those thoughts. I would hate for you to arouse me at the wrong time.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it would be good to be in the middle of addressing the court and suddenly have a complete hard on. I’ll try to keep my thoughts to myself, but it might be kind of difficult,” I admitted ruefully.
Brayden chuckled and nuzzled his nose into my hair, breathing me in. It was getting late and I was extremely tired. Moving to the Winter Court, fighting with Brayden, and then ending up in his bed was a lot to absorb in one day. Yawning, I reached down and pulled the covers over his body and mine.
“Goodnight, Brayden,” I whispered in his mind.
“Goodnight, angel.”
Brayden told me three weeks is what I had until Durin showed up. I had three weeks to enjoy my life before everything ended, and I was going to make sure I made the best of the days I had. Even if that included going against what I thought was right and finished what I started with Brayden. It was too late to go back, and it was too late to stop from jumping … I already leapt.
THE SECOND MY eyes opened to the dawn I knew something was wrong. I could feel and smell the evil approaching like a distant plague threatening to spread its curse on our land. Brayden sensed my unease and immediately awoke beside me, his gaze alert and ready.
“What’s wrong, angel?”
Sliding out of the bed we just spent the night together on, I quickly ran to the window and peered out. I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were coming. Alasdair was almost there and he wasn’t alone.
“Shit! He’s coming, Brayden,” I shouted, alarmed. “The sorcerer is almost here.”
Brayden cursed angrily and quickly jumped out of bed to put on his armor and grab his sword. I did the same thing and had everything fastened except the vambraces on my arms. I was busy lacing them up when Brayden stopped in front of me with a scowl on his face. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you’re not going out there with me,” he argued.
I huffed, “Don’t start with me, Brayden. You know I’m a good fighter.”
He walked past me out into the hall and down the steps with me following close behind. “Yes, I know you’re a good fighter, but you are what the sorcerer wants and with your Summer armor on he’ll find you in an instant. I don’t want to keep you from defending our people, but this is the one time I need you to stay behind.”
Before he could open the front door, we froze in place as the horns blared from one of the palace towers. The dark army was almost upon us. We both rushed out of the house and ran up the path to the palace. Warriors were everywhere, gearing up and forming lines in the front yard of the palace. The Winter Court gates were closed and locked, but with the sorcerer’s power I had no idea if his army could get past the gates. Our gates were strong and the Land of the Fae infused its own magic to the protection of
our courts. Alasdair was either extremely bold or extremely cocky to attack a whole court without his full power, or maybe he was testing us. Either way, we all knew what he wanted … me.
Brayden watched as his second in command, Coran, assembled the warriors. He was torn between his obligation to me and to his court, and I could see the turmoil in his eyes and feel it in his soul. He didn’t want to let either one of us down.
Knowing I couldn’t let our true feelings show, I kept my face blank while I talked to him silently, “Brayden, go. It would be easier to fight alongside you, but I understand your reasoning. I’ll be fine, I promise.”
He sighed. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, Ariella. It is binding. If you break it you will face the consequences.”
“Yes, I know, caveman. That’s why I said it. Just be careful out there.”
He wanted to kiss me before he walked away, but we both knew he couldn’t. I wasn’t going to let him fight this battle on his own. I had my own plans and it didn’t involve me sitting idly by and watch everyone fight because of me. However, those plans got sidetracked when Brayden grabbed a hold of Lukas, who happened to be one of his best warriors. Lukas had long, dark hair pulled back and wrapped with his thistleburch chord. Kalen would do the same thing with his instead of wearing it around his arm or wrist, and he was also the one who educated me about the special thistleburch trees. They only grew in the Winter Court, but they were perceived to give off strengthening powers. Every time I saw Brayden, and even now, he had his wrapped around his wrist. I was pretty sure he never took it off.
“Lukas, I need you to take the princess somewhere safe and guard her for me. Do not let anyone get to her, you understand?” Brayden ordered.
Great! Now how was I going to get away and glamour myself? I couldn’t let Lukas see what I could do. He bowed to Brayden and said, “As you wish, Your Highness. Do you want me to take her to the king and queen?”
