“Lass.” Romulus’s voice was hushed, hardly loud enough to be heard over the sound of the surf. I opened my eyes and felt my breath catch.
A white horse was trotting out of the ocean, the water churning against its legs as it made its way onto the beach directly in front of us.
“Is that...”
“No, but our message has been answered,” he said. I looked at him and chewed on my lower lip. He looked as if he were a man headed to the gallows. He looked down at me, even as the horse stopped in front of us. “Last chance to stay in the mortal world.”
I looked at the white horse with trepidation. Its eyes were not like a natural horse’s. They contained entire universes, and I knew this creature was one of immense power. More powerful than the phoenix inside of me.
“I need any help they can offer,” I said, knowing the truth of it.
The horse turned to its side, a clear invitation to mount it. Romulus lifted me up, and I buried my finger’s in the horse’s mane. It felt like cool silk, and not a drop of water was on it. The lycan pulled himself up behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist. I could only hope this wasn’t a fatal mistake.
“Time to go to Tír na nÓg.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the horse leaped forward, charging back into the ocean.
Chapter 3
Merlin
My back hurt. My arms hurt. My knees hurt. Everything fucking hurt. It didn’t matter that Brom’s bed cradled me in its too soft embrace. I swear if it were possible to fall in love with a bed, I would marry this fucking thing. It would be too easy to laze the day away, especially since every time I moved, I was reminded about fighting our way out of the damn car chase.
I wondered if Brom would ever forgive me for ruining his car. Then I snorted. The man had enough wealth that he likely had an exact replacement already in his garage. If I asked politely enough, maybe he’d get me a new bike. Sure, I had my own fucking money—but why spend it when I knew how much Brom liked to show he cares?
I rolled to my back, stretching my arms out, rotating my wrists as I assessed myself. Nothing serious, at least. After Romulus had driven through Ella’s wall of fire, we’d been caught between that and a shitload of warlocks advancing on us by Madam Jupiter’s orders.
Too bad the bitch hadn’t been there herself. I’d have finished what Brom threatened before. Perhaps, if the last week had gone any differently, Madam Jupiter could have retired out of the Syndicates and lived out her long life in the countryside and disappear into obscurity. Not now, though.
“Do you intend to laze about in bed for the entire day?”
I lifted my head as Brom strolled into the room, adjusting his cuffs. He stopped at the foot of the bed, an arrogant eyebrow lifted in question.
I scratched my bare chest, lazy, my lips curling up in a smirk as the vampire honed in on my movements. “I was thinking breakfast in bed?”
It’d been a while since Brom and I had fucked; hell, it’d been a long time since he’d simply fed from me—sending us both into dizzying pleasure. And while my cock might have twitched at the memory, it wasn’t anything more than that. Since Ella had come into our lives, she was like the missing piece that made us all better. Without her, wrestling Brom in bed would be fun—but overall, lacking.
It seemed he must’ve felt similarly, as after a moment his dark eyes met mine once more before he rolled them.
“Certainly, I’ll get right on that,” he said and crossed his arms.
I clasped my hand to my chest, as if pained. “The sarcasm, it’s fucking deadly.” I forced myself to sit up, wincing as I felt a muscle in my lower back protest. I glanced up at Brom, who tilted his head in question—which I just waved off. “Nothing a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee can’t help. Maybe a handful of ibuprofen.”
I slid off the bed, biting back a groan. We’d fought hard. There had been no real worry that we wouldn’t prevail—even if prevailing simply meant fighting our way to escape. But there’d been two dozen warlocks between us and that escape. It’d gotten brutal, and we’d both taken hits. By the time Ella’s wall of fire began to fade, we’d taken out enough to steal one of their black SUVs and hightail it out of there. I’d sacrificed Brom’s Audi in a similar fate to my motorcycle’s. It’d done the trick, even if it did feel like I threw the car with my own hands and not magic.
“I’ll have the coffee ready for you,” the vampire said, turning on his heel. He slowed, looking over his shoulder “You’ve still got a change of clothes here. They’re in the usual spot.”
“Cheers,” I said, giving a lackluster wave. I closed my eyes, centering myself mentally, grounding my power around me. I had used a lot of my magic, and I could feel the strain it had put on my magical channels. They were like a separate nervous system, channeling magic through the body for use. Beyond being physically sore, it felt like I had a hangover. It wasn’t the worst I’d ever had, but it wasn’t a fucking morning in paradise. Once I felt grounded enough to stand with confidence, I did. Brom wouldn’t be happy if I went a bit sparky and blew the circuits in the penthouse. He wouldn’t say anything, he was much too polite for that shit, but the look he’d give me would do all the speaking necessary.
I made use of his shower, nearly as familiar with it as my own, letting the hot water soothe my aches before I found my clothes where he’d said I would. When I padded barefoot out into the living room, I was greeted by the vampire holding out a large mug of coffee. He was kind enough, or maybe just experienced enough, to wait until I’d guzzled half of the hot bitter liquid. It went nearly as far to soothe my frayed magical nerves as the hot water had my body, even if it was psychosomatic.
“So.”
A single word contained multitudes in Brom’s voice. There was so much to unpack, the Syndicate’s world essentially changing over the course of twenty-four hours. If they weren’t careful, the elders would be the ones destroying their world instead of Eleanora. Fuck, that would make things so much easier if the pisspots offed themselves for us.
“So,” I replied, and hooked one of the stools with my foot, dragging it out so I could park my ass on it and sit at the counter. I took another sip of coffee before speaking. “Ella and Romulus?”
“Safely landed in Ireland. Breakfast?” Brom didn’t wait for my answer before he turned on the gas oven. The quiet click-click-click-woosh of the gas ignition was so much louder in the silence, a reminder of our own source of fire who wasn’t at our side. I rubbed the center of my chest, trying to relieve an ache, but I knew it wouldn’t disappear until she was home. Or I was in Ireland. Or fuck all, we could go off to Timbuktu. It didn’t matter, so long as we were all together.
“Do you ever think about saying fuck everything and everyone?” I asked, staring into the black liquid in my mug. I could hear Brom cooking: the sizzling of butter, eggs breaking, efficient whisking. The man was excellent in all things he chose to do. If he wasn’t so generous, it’d be right frustrating.
“Frequently,” he answered succinctly. “But it is not advisable.” He held the saucepan up off of the flame, jerking it sharply and expertly flipping the omelette. I was lucky not to burn scrambled eggs and here he was like the top chef of the vampires. My stomach rumbled in appreciation and Brom, damn his hearing, heard it and shot me a knowing smirk. I slid off the stool and stepped into the kitchen, intent on refilling the coffee. If my hips brushed against his ass, the skillet scraping against the burner. . . well, I couldn’t claim it was an accident. I returned to my seat with a smug expression and the glass carafe of coffee.
“To say fuck everything,” Brom began again as he focused on sliding the omelette out onto the plate, before sprinkling shredded cheese over it, “would mean that there is no guarantee of safety. They would likely come after her, and as such, after us.”
He handed me the plate and grabbed a fork for me from the drawer beneath the counter. He sat back, leaning against the black marble that seemed to cover every working surface in h
is penthouse, and watched me eat as he kept speaking.
“While we could likely defeat whomever was sent, it would only take one time, one small mistake, for them to take us out or to take her out.” You would think by his tone he’d be speaking about the weather or a new book he’d read. “It would be much more reliable and effective to take complete control.”
My fork screeched against the plate. I looked up at him, an eyebrow raised in question and he simply rolled his eyes as he pushed off the counter.
“Don’t try to tell me you didn’t know where this was going.” Brom pulled out his phone, swiping the screen to open. “Since we met her, this has been brewing. Hell, this has been in play since before she was born. You need to take your place, just as Romulus will take his. And when we are in control at last, only then will she be safe.” His phone buzzed again.
He frowned at what he read on his phone and I ignored what he said for the moment. “What is it?” A sense of trepidation warred with the hope inside of me.
“Romulus and Ella are meeting with his contact,” Brom said, lightly. When he looked up at me, his eyebrows were furrowed, his dark eyes blazed with anger. “And, more concerning, my contact within your syndicate has confirmed that your father has absconded his position as leader.”
“Well,” I pointed my fork at him. “That was easily done. Now I’ll handle the Warlocks.”
“No,” Broom shook his head sharply, “he handed his power to Madam Jupiter. She controls the entire Warlock Syndicate now.”
Chapter 4
Eleanora
The sea crashed around us, our world rippling as the horse took us deeper into the sapphire waters. We were surrounded by it. There was no protective bubble, no tunnel that kept the water off of us. It flowed around us, it snaked between Romulus and me, just as it would if we were splashing about in the ocean ourselves.
The difference was, while we felt the cool temperatures of the Atlantic, we weren’t drowning. We were separated from its waters. We flowed through it, a part of it yet set aside. This was the immutable power of the fae. I took a deep breath and air flowed into my lungs as if I were back on the beach, the faint taste of salt filled my lungs rather than the sea. Romulus’s arm was tight around my waist, his other hand gripping my thigh, even as he hunched over me. I wished I could turn to look at him, but the angle was all wrong.
Instead, I lifted my hand, fluttering my fingers through the water, feeling the cool silky texture between my hands.
This was a world I never expected to experience, and it honestly made me feel slightly giddy. I had dreamed of a world where I didn’t live as the obedient servant to my stepmother. That was grand enough of dreams for me. A kind man was what I had hoped for. But I found this instead: a destiny which allowed me to rid myself of Madam Jupiter on my own, and three men who worshiped my body and nurtured my soul. The men who led me to places I had only ever heard of.
The fae horse galloped through the water as if it were a stallion in a meadow on dry land, until at last, we rose out of the water and onto a radiant shoreline.
Ireland’s shore had been rugged, like its people, its sandy beaches promising a life if one was strong enough to withstand it. This shore was nearly its twin, but everything seemed slightly elevated. Where the beach we had left was a wet gold, the one before us burnished as if it were gold fresh from the forge. The wild greenery decorating the coastline was a cascade of illustrious greens instead of the green of mortal Ireland—tenacious and dark.
“Tír na nÓg,” Romulus spoke, and the horse shook its mane out. “The Land of Eternal Youth. Home of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the fae of Ireland.”
:Among others.:
The voice startled me and I realized the horse had spoken—his voice echoing across my mind. It turned its head, winking at me. :Welcome child of Suanach Aoife. The king and queen have been awaiting your arrival, Eleanora.:
I was struck silent . . . the king and queen? Awaited? I had just wanted help, and perhaps to meet my mother if she still lived, I thought of Romulus’s story about Dóite, and how the kings and queens of the fae must be without fault. What would such perfect creatures think of me?
Romulus nudged me and I swallowed down my apprehension. “Thank you,” I got out after a moment. “Do you—err—what is your name?”
:Kaden is what mortals often call me,: the horse answered. A telepathic horse was the least strange thing in that moment. He didn’t stop on the beach like he had on the other side. Instead, he slipped between two dunes, a path revealing itself deeper into the land. We entered, not exactly a forest, but a grove of trees which lined the dunes. They were short and squat, the opposite of the evergreens I was used to seeing at home.
We were not in them long before they ended, and the sight which lay before me took my breath away.
We were on an overlook of a cliffside, and stretched beneath us, as far as the horizon, were vast planes, a kaleidoscope of colors giving me the sense of a masterfully done watercolor painting. Even the sky was filled with colors, ones I’d never seen before and doubted I could describe if pressed.
It was no wonder why mortals who traveled here didn’t wish to return. The mortal world was drab in comparison.
:Your chaperone approaches,: Kaden interrupted my thoughts, and I felt Romulus slide off from behind me before offering me assistance.
Standing next to Romulus, his arm around my shoulders, I looked up and saw the same awe shining from his face. There was no hint of his former worry or concern. Thinking of his concern, though, it hit me hard. How much time had already passed in the mortal realm? Days? Weeks?
I closed my eyes against the beauty of the world around us and buried my face into the lycan’s chest as sadness overwhelmed me. What of Brom and Merlin? Were they all right? Did they know we entered this land? Did they still hold to their hope that we would return within their lifetime?
I wanted to turn back, to throw myself back into the boundary which separated us from them. I would swim and claw my way back to them, my regret and heartache fueling me.
“There’s no need to be so dramatic, child.” I felt Romulus stiffen at the new voice and looked to see who’d spoken. “Time works differently here for each mortal. The king and queen will see to it that you return in an appropriate time.”
“Master Puck.” Romulus’s voice was humble and respectful as he bowed to the fae creature who’d appeared beside us. Puck? Like the one from Shakespeare? I looked at the creature curiously.
He was short, coming up only to my shoulder, and while he walked on two legs, his lower body resembled that of a deer’s. The rest of him was human, though he did sport elegant antlers on his head. He wore an elaborately embroidered vest, so colorful it reminded me of the travelers who were known for their extravagant wagons and caravans as they traveled across Europe.
He bowed, sweeping his hands out to the side, and looked at me with a cheeky grin. “The one and only. I have been tasked with escorting you through this land. Never fear, I shall not mistakenly take you to the Summerland. That’s only happened once, though I still maintain the buggers deserved it.”
I frowned. “Summerland?”
“It is our version of the afterlife,” he said, and looked towards Kaden. “Do you mind continuing on this journey? I must admit that while I’d not mind letting the lass ride me, the wolf is not to my taste.” Kaden whickered, which I knew most certainly was a laugh. Master Puck gestured once more to the horse. “If you would, my weary travelers? We must make haste. Unless, my dear lass, you’d care for a ride with me?”
My face burned bright and I felt Romulus shift beside me.
“No, thank you,” I stammered out as the fae looked to Romulus with knowing.
“So it’s like that then,” he observed more than asked.
“Aye, it is,” Romulus answered anyways, his voice low and nearly a growl. Worry flared up as I looked at the lycan. What would happen if Romulus fought Master Puck? I knew very little of the fae creature,
except what I’d heard from plays, but I knew he was powerful.
Master Puck shrugged, a grin still on his face. “You can’t fault me for trying.”
Unsure of how to respond to a fae creature propositioning me, I turned back to Kaden, and with a slight assist from Romulus, I was able to mount once more. When Romulus didn’t follow, I looked down in question.
“Need to stretch my legs,” he explained, and I wanted to roll my eyes. Clearly Master Puck had rankled him. But if it made him happy to walk between us, then he could do so.
“Come on, now,” the fae called, already disappearing down a trail on the left. Kaden followed and we began our descent into the planes.
“It’s been some time since a mortal came into our realms,” he chattered on as he walked beside us. He filled in the silence between us easily enough. Well, perhaps that wasn’t right—he did not so much as fill the silence as talk so much we couldn’t respond. But it afforded me the opportunity to look around without feeling rude as he prattled on about some juicy gossip that, if we lived here, I’m certain we’d find highly entertaining.
We arrived at the base of the cliff and the meadow’s sweet smell washed around me. As I closed my eyes in pleasure, memories began fluttering through my mind like a butterfly. My mother.
“Master Puck,” I said, interrupting the fae. He didn’t seem to care as he turned on one hoof and cocked his head. “Do you—” I hesitated. “Is my mother here?”
“Oh yes,” he said, nodding and turning to continue on. “It’s where we’re going now.”
“But you said it’d been some time since a mortal came here,” Romulus pointed out. Puck turned and walked backwards, shrugging.
“What is time?” It was a fair question, if not utterly frustrating. “Time is not linear like it is in the mortal world—or I should say not as it is perceived in the mortal realm. It’s quite chaotic, time is. With the right skills and enough power, time is meaningless. Sort of how gravity stops working at a small enough scale—except the other way around. On a large enough scale, time is nonexistent. And Tír na nÓg is very large indeed.”
Throne of Embers: A Reverse Harem PNR (Beautiful Secrets Book 3) Page 2
