The Raven Trilogy- Complete Series

by Elle Lincoln

  Right now though? I’m going to let myself fall prey to his lips. I shut my eyes against the world, allowing my head to become dizzy. I sweep my tongue into his mouth, feeling his, teasing him with slight touches. Letting the desire between us build in this final hour where everything changes. I fist his shirt, dragging him closer, until my body and his beat in sync.

  Static fills the air as a voice filters in and out of it.

  I pull back with a smile on my face. Patrick’s hooded, hazel eyes pierce mine. “Ye sure do know how to distract a man for a mere moment.” He kisses me once more before dropping me to my feet.

  “New reports...” Static splits the air as Mac fiddles with the dial. “All around...” More static. I twist my hands nervously, waiting with bated breath for some kind of news as the three of us sit on the cold concrete floor and stare at an ancient radio.

  “What is that?” Balor walks in and we all shush him. I cringe just a bit and glance in his direction. With his hands on his hips and brow furrowed, he does not look impressed.

  “Radio, news,” I whisper, and catch a dirty glance from Mac. I shrug and turn back, listening to the radio.

  “All around the world reports are coming in of earthquakes striking regions. Volcanic activity is reported in the Antarctic and Hawaii. However, that is the least of our worries. Right now we are asking everyone to stay indoors...”

  I let her voice trail off before snorting. “Nothing about what’s really going on? How the hell are they going to hide this? They can’t!”

  “Shush. Patience.” Patrick pulls me into his lap where I try to settle and focus back on the droll voice of an anchorwoman.

  “Other reports of strange trees are pushing up through cracks in the earth...”

  “Wait.” I sit forward. “They have no idea what’s actually going on!”

  “What do you mean? Of course, they don’t,” Mac responds in such a gentle voice, I roll my eyes at him. “How would they know?”

  “I guess I always assumed that the government knew of your existence. Those Fae dressed up as government officials...” I wave my hands, hoping he remembers our first meeting.

  “And I told you, Fae playing dress up. We hid, Bette. We kept ourselves from ever being revealed. And for good reason.” Mac is trying to be soft, but there is that undertone of condemnation.

  I get it, I really do. “Guess we are about to find out exactly what happens when the world finds out about us.” I fiddle with my hair, pulling it back into a ponytail again and again as I wait for the anchorwoman to say something worth wild on the radio. “Anything from Cas or Logan?”

  Balor closes his eyes, listening to the others. “The sky is lightening toward morning, we will know more then.”

  I twist my face at him, unsure if he’s keeping something from me or if the others really can’t see much. I’m willing to bet it’s a bit of both.

  “A new report just came through out of North Carolina.” She pauses and coughs as a laugh booms over the speaker. “A man is claiming to be our new king.”

  “What is that asshole’s name?” I grumble. “So I can shout it as I behead him.”

  “Bloodthirsty, lass?” Patrick kisses my temple.

  “A bit.” Another rumble shakes the little store. The earthquakes are becoming second nature at this point.

  “A woman has just stepped forth in California claiming to be our queen.” I can hear the mirth in her tone and the laughter of others in the background. Soon, they won’t be laughing at all. “While men in Philadelphia and New York are claiming to be gods.” Now she loses it. “And we aren’t the only ones! They are popping up all over the world.”

  I sigh. She’s an idiot. Hopefully, some are actually taking this seriously.

  “You will have to excuse my cohost.” A man’s voice pops in. “We want all of you to know, due to the acid rain, we are taking this situation very seriously. Stay indoors for now and listen to the radio for further information.” The static breaks off.

  “That was fucking pointless.” I yawn, my eyes watering. “Any way we can get home?” I’m longing for my bed.

  “Do ye have a horse?” Patrick snickers and I elbow him in the ribs.

  “No, I doubt most people have horses. And I doubt cars even work!”

  Balor is laughing, the sound almost like a clap of rolling thunder, and I give him my best formidable stink eye. “Logan is working on a vehicle as we speak.”

  “Who knew the pup was actually a grease monkey.” Mac is in a fine mood today. I’m not sure what his issue is, but I don’t know if I like it.

  Balor stands. “Come on.” He holds his hand down for me. As he pulls me up, Patrick slaps my ass. “Let’s go home.”

  I’m almost hesitant to walk out of the store, but as we do there is a running car sitting out front. Cas and Logan are leaning against it with smug faces. I just go around and climb in, closing my eyes until all the doors shut.

  “How did you get this one to work?” I shift on the vinyl as everyone piles in.

  “It’s about fifty years old. Nothing modern about it. The acid barely even dented the roof. Just took a bit of finagling and we’re off!” Logan is driving with Mac beside him and Balor to the right. The rest of us are in the back, and I’m squished between Cas and Patrick...

  Light streams over the horizon as we drive off, and I can’t help but lean forward, desperate to see the changes to our city. Ancient looking trees have sprouted up here and there. Once rotten, they now appear to glow with health. The streets are cracked, creating rough terrain. There are bodies lining the streets, their clothing and flesh in partial decay from the rain.

  Mac is again fiddling with the radio but nothing breaks free. The silence in the car is deafening.

  I want the distraction of their kisses, their touches, but now isn’t the time.

  “It’s always the time.” Patrick leans down to nibble on my ear.

  “Yeah, but I’d also like to see what state my home is in. My grandma. Kelsie. Who is going to be pissed!” I groan and let my head fall back.

  The forest looks denser and eyes shine back from out headlights. I can only imagine the field day scientists are going to have.

  “This is done, isn’t it?” I muse aloud.

  Balor grunts from the front. “Not even close. All we are seeing is trees and wildlife. Some of it. There is so much more hidden in the darkest corners of the Realm. Beasts long ago forgotten. Creatures that lived in the depths of hell.”

  “Dragons?” I don’t know why I’m hopeful about this, but I am.

  “Yes, but they aren’t friendly and will soon blaze a town and eat the charred remains of people.” Patrick’s gruff voice sounds like he has seen this happen before.

  Cas grabs my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “This, my dear Bette, is only the beginning. Soon, castles will stand in place of buildings. Kings instead of presidents. Swords and bows instead of guns.” He sweeps his hand down my face. “We must fortify, because the Fae are about to take over.”

  I close my eyes and lean against the seat. I just need a small nap before the real damage control begins.

  Chapter 24

  Bette

  A Long Kiss Goodnight

  My body feels weightless and cocooned, wrapped in arms that hold me close and tight. I burrow into cool flesh and exhale a long sigh as spice greets my senses. Feeling cared for in this way is a luxury I didn’t know I wanted. But damn, I’m never going to give it up now.

  “I know yer awake.” A soft kiss presses against my temple.

  I don’t want to acknowledge the world just yet, or the terror that has crawled its way in. The screams of melting bodies will haunt me for a long time. I have a feeling this is only the beginning of a long adventure. One I may have already failed at.

  “I’m awake but I don’t want to be.” I flutter my eyes open as Patrick pushes open my bedroom door. “Good to see the house is still standing.”

  As dawn rises in the distance, radiant strea
ks of orange and yellow dance through my windows. The color is a subtle difference to the bright yellow-white of the one I remember.

  With more ease and gentleness than I ever thought possible, Patrick lays me on the bed and begins to take my pants off. The rough fabric scratches my bare feet, which are sore and torn from rocks after running without shoes. “Mostly.”

  That doesn’t sound encouraging, not at all. I sit up on my elbows. “What is it? Grandma?”

  “She’s fine, downstairs making everyone breakfast and coffee.” I give a small sigh of relief. The fact that she’s cooking during the impossible doesn’t even sound foreign to me. Not with that mountain woman. She’s beyond handy. “There are two tears. One in the driveway and one out back.”

  I close my eyes and fall back against my bed. I had hoped that our small little house would be free and clear of anything. It really was too much to hope for. Reality always comes crashing through with guns blazing.

  “How bad it is?” If he is mentioning it, then it is worth mentioning.

  “Fae creatures keep passing through, trees are sprouting up. Foliage foreign to Earth. Ya know, the usual.” I snort at his quip. Nothing about this is usual. Nothing at all.

  “Are gods really popping up now?” And where the hell were they to help prevent this? Surely their magic would have aided in some way. No matter how fucking small.

  “Rat bastards.” The humor fades from his freckled face and his cheeks redden in anger. “Mark my words, they wanted this.”

  “Why do I feel like we are so far behind everyone else in this?” We are, I know we are, but why?

  “Because we are,” comes the dirty confirmation.

  My brain lights up with a memory. “Aengus knew where his father was the whole time.” Patrick’s eyes light up with the information. “I wasn’t sure if you guys had heard that or not.”

  “We did not. Where is he?” His voice is eager, hungry with the knowledge of the one god who can control the rest.

  “The Isles. He said that with the merge it will only be a matter of time before he’s released from his prison.” I really do question that theory though.

  “I’m not so sure of that.” Patrick voices what I’m thinking. “The Fae are not stupid. Annoying shites, but not stupid.”

  “But do you know where he was referencing?” I push. I don’t want that conversation to be for nothing.

  “Aye, I do. But it isn’t one island.”

  “That figures. He gave me a nonanswer?” I throw my hands up in frustration. What else is freaking new?

  “I didn’t say that.” I eye him up, trying not to let those freckles distract me.

  “Then what?” My annoyance is growing. I thought I had contributed in some way.

  “It is a group of islands. North of Ireland. I only know the location. Not exactly what it means.” I pinch my lips, feeling rather unsatisfied. “We all survived this long without our God King. We can survive this. Do not worry.”

  I lean back, trying to absorb his words. “Why is he so important anyway?”

  “Depends on who you ask. Some say he is, some say he is not. He is a druid by nature. God second. It makes for an interesting combination. Would it make ye feel better if I sent someone off to find him?” I really don’t know if it would make me feel better, because I don’t know how much he would be able to help. And with what?

  “No. I guess if he can break free of his prison then that will happen,” I growl, really thinking about it now. “No, send someone. What if he doesn’t break out of his prison. Why is he in prison?”

  “He isn’t. The Fae imprisoned him. There’s a difference there.” I should have known that. “I’ll send someone to find him.”

  “What about us? Our goals keep changing. What now?” What happens when we wake? What do we do?

  “We keep our corner of the world safe. That is what we do.” He sounds so sure of himself, so confident, that I can do nothing but believe him. Even as the world shakes underneath us and the worlds blend into one.

  “Tell me something to distract me.” He pulls the covers back and rolls me over to tuck me under them. I have half a mind to roll back out and seek a shower, except... electricity. We don’t have it.

  “Once upon a time…” The roguish smile he gives me is contagious. Allowing me to forget about the loss of hot water. “A little boy found a dragon.”

  I can’t help but laugh, picturing a small redheaded young Patrick, creating havoc everywhere he goes. “A dragon?”

  “Oh, aye, a dragon.” The way he says it crawls under my skin. In a good way. “He realized he could tame the dragon and keep it as a pet.”

  “I think this was a movie.” It was, it definitely was.

  Patrick crawls in beside me after thumping off his boots and snapping off his suspenders. Of course, he does all of this with a brow wag. “No. This is real, I swear it.”

  “Okay, what happened with the dragon?” I roll to my side, enjoying the bedtime story more than I could have imagined.

  “The dragon became his best friend. Together, they explored lands long ago forgotten. Until one fateful day, they rode home. There, the now grown lad and grown dragon met a woman. Fair skin, blood red lips, and dark hair.”

  My lips kick up, either he’s talking about me or snow white. I’m on the fence still. Though I’m going to pretend he’s actually talking about me. It makes this all more romantic.

  “She captured their hearts and together they explored. The end.” His freckled smile is full of childlike amusement. His story is a simple child’s dream. I love it. Hell, I wanted to be a ballerina when I grew up, but instead I died and met some crazy men. Okay, schematics, Cas says I didn’t really die. But to me I did.

  I lean in, brushing my lips against his, capturing what his imagination held as he told the tale. “You are a terrible storyteller.”

  “Oh, no, its but true.” He kisses me once more before pulling away. “I’m waiting for the dragons to emerge.” The whispered confession against my lips has me pulling back to really look at him.

  “You seriously had a pet dragon?” Is this conversation happening? My reality has deviated so far off course I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t anymore. From here on out, I’m going by the general rule that if someone can imagine it then it’s probably real somewhere.

  “I did. His name was, or rather is, Teren.” I love learning crazy things about these guys.

  “Was?” I hope he is still alive.

  “Was. Is. Don’t really know.” His reply is so candid I can’t help but wonder if he’s hiding pain under that mask. The pain of a lost childhood pet.

  I only ever had a goldfish and that relationship didn’t last long. Fair fish aren’t meant to last. Except if your name is Kelsie. That bitch always kept them alive. I now suspect magic was at play.

  “I thought you lived in Ireland?” Like on Earth.

  “I did. But there used to always be a portal to the Realm.” Until it was cut off. He doesn’t have to say the words I know to be true, the dark spot that lingers in the past.

  “Do you think he will come find you?” A dragon. I wonder if I’ll get to meet him one day.

  “Perhaps. I know he will love you.” He kisses me briefly. “Enough talking. More doing.”

  His body slides on top of me as his lips catch mine once more. His spicy scent grounds me to the here and now, even as butterflies light up my stomach. I don’t hesitate. I kiss him with a bruising passion that comes with the threat of an unknown future. Neither of us knows where the world will be once we wake from this dream. Or how we will keep the panic from consuming all of the humans.

  Until then, I can forget, I can lose myself in his passion. His charms.

  I wrap my body around his, drawing him closer to me, needing more of him as my head swims and my eyes close. The building desire weighs down my body as sensitive waves of lightning spiral down from each kiss, each swipe of his tongue against mine, and each fucking nibble. He breaks away
before ripping my shirt from my body.

  My hair and arms get caught in the fabric but he only chuckles, tightening the cloth, and holding my arms above my head. His lips capture mine once more.

  Cool air hits my nipples, hardening them. But Patrick doesn’t skip a beat. His hand cups my breast where his thumb lazily draws circles around the bud. His lips pull away to trail electric kisses down my neck.

  “I rather like seeing you whimper.” I didn’t even know I had. “I’d rather you scream my name instead.”

  That can happen. I can make that happen. “I’m going to need to soundproof this room.”

  Thought flees as he spans his hand enough to reach each nipple now. Over and over and over. My body becomes ridged, hovering on the edge of an orgasm just from him touching my nipples.

  He releases my shirt holding my arms and pushes me back onto the mattress. His zipper is loud in the room. The warmth of his dick lying against me becomes too tempting of a treat. One I don’t even bother to resist. With an easy lift of my hips, I draw him inside.

  The hiss of his breath against my skin sends shivers running down my body. I peer down, watching as he enters me fully, slowly rocking out and in. My eyes are riveted on the erotic dance of our bodies as the pressure builds.

  A tug against my hair pulls my gaze up to his hazel eyes. His swollen lips part before bruising mine again and again. His rhythm becomes frantic and I lose myself in the sensation. His roar of pleasure throws me over the edge into the abyss of electrical pulses that rush through my body.

  “I’m not done with ye yet.” He rolls over. moving me with him to straddle him. My hips don’t waste time moving. His hands grip my hips, and I stare down at my leprechaun for a brief moment before throwing my head back and letting the woes of the world die away.

  For a little while, at least all is right in my own world.

  Chapter 25

  Casseus

  Stuck in My Head