by G. K. DeRosa
Ryder’s fingers trailed up and down my arm, the gentle touch soothing my continually frayed nerves. He thought my perpetual nervous state was from lack of sleep, which probably didn’t help, but it wasn’t the only reason behind it. Even though things had been calm between the human and supernatural realms for years now, small skirmishes still prevailed.
Lucifer had kept his word all those years ago, confining the demons to the Underworld once his seat at the Etrian Assembly had been granted. Over the years, some demons were even allowed access to the human world after a lengthy screening process. Instead of providing a fair compromise, it only led to more discord. Why were some Underworlders allowed in and others not? It exacerbated the situation and led to more resentment within the Azarians.
It was a good thing so many supernatural slayer squads had been assembled since our departure from Darkhen Academy. They patrolled both realms with the Gargoyle Guardian Council and provided the stability needed between our worlds.
Ryder and I had gone back to Darkblood a few times after I graduated to help train the new instructors. It had been surreal to see so many students step up to fight.
As for me and the team, we retired only a year after graduation. With Drake gone, and Raf transferring to a new team to be by Cinder’s side, things were never quite the same.
“Are you sure you’re up for this visit tonight?” Ryder’s voice drew me from my inner musings. “You should be resting, not entertaining guests.”
“They’re not just guests, Ryder. They’re our family and best friends.” And I’d missed living near them like crazy since we left Draeko almost a year ago.
After I graduated from Darkhen Academy, Ryder and I traveled Azar for a year, visiting all seven realms and even spending some time in the Nether Lands where Ryder’s mom lived. It kind of creeped me out to be so close to the Underworld, but Emi assured me we were safe. She did have a close and personal relationship with Lucifer after all. We didn’t see dear old dad much at all, which was perfectly fine by me. Ryder hadn’t even told him where we’d moved, but I had no delusions the devil couldn’t find us if he wanted.
Thanks to my father repaying our little debt to him, Lucifer had no real reason to seek us out. I hoped it remained that way.
After gallivanting around Azar for the year, Ryder proposed on a visit to Darkhen. We’d come to check on Cillian and the teams, and he surprised me by getting down on one knee in the middle of the training room. It was devastatingly perfect, and of course I said yes. It only made sense he’d ask me to marry him where we fell in love. Even if it had been strictly forbidden.
A smile melted across my face as I remembered the look on his face as he stared up at me. There was so much hope and love blazing from his dark eyes it nearly swallowed me whole. I’d never felt so cherished, so beloved as I did that day.
“What are you grinning about?” Ryder asked, nudging his head against mine.
“I was just remembering the day you proposed. It was the happiest day of my life—until about two weeks ago.” My gaze drifted down to our daughter once again.
“I see I’ve been replaced.” He smirked. “You only have eyes for her now.”
I swept my lips against his, softly at first, then with a fire that rivaled the one crackling in the hearth. After all these years, his heated kisses still made my insides clench.
A year after he proposed, we were married and decided to settle down in Draeko. Besides Darkhen Academy, it had been the only home I’d ever known in the supernatural world. And there was no way I was spending the rest of my days in the freezing Winter Court. Especially since Drake was gone. I saw him a couple times over the years, but it seemed like a lifetime ago now. Last I’d heard, he was the King of Spring Court but that’s a whole other long story.
It was nice to be near Kimmie-Jayne and Fenix, and of course Cinder and the whole Skyraider clan.
“Come on, Luna, just lie down. You don’t have to sleep if you don’t want to, but at least rest.” Ryder pulled me down beside him on the couch, and I lay my head against his firm chest.
I ran my hand over his stomach, still marveling over the perfect dips and contours of his abs. I tipped my head up to meet his loving gaze. “You know, I think I love you more now than ever before.”
A broad smile spread across his stubbled jaw. “I know I do,” he whispered. “I never thought I could be so happy living in a Podunk town in the middle of nowhere with my wife, a baby, and a wily unipeg in the backyard.”
I chuckled. When Cillian told me they were retiring Zeus, there was no way I could say no to taking him in. “I love you, Ryder.”
His arm tightened around my waist as he drew me closer. “The word love seems entirely too insignificant to fully express what you mean to me, mini minx.” He kissed me on the forehead as my lids grew heavier. “Now rest.”
I must have slipped off to sleep at some point during my musings of the past because when my eyes fluttered open I found myself in bed. Cheerful chatter filled the house, seeping under the doorway of our bedroom.
I pushed back the comforter and ran into the bathroom to splash some water on my face and run a brush through my disheveled hair. I didn’t dare look at myself too closely in the mirror or I’d never get out there to see my family.
Creeping out of our bedroom, I paused in the hallway, peering out into the great room. Kimmie-Jayne and Fenix ran around the kitchen chasing after the twins as Rose Ashley watched her little brothers’ antics from atop the kitchen island. She giggled as they ran their parents in circles.
In the living room, Cinder held our baby girl as Raf looked on adoringly. They’d only just gotten married a few months ago and were still in that cute honeymoon phase. Cillian and Calliope had come too, and the two angels fawned over the cooing infant.
Ryder’s gaze flickered to mine as if he’d sensed my presence and a huge smile lit up his face, revealing that dimple I loved. “And my beautiful wife, the adoring mother of my child, and the love of my life is awake,” he announced.
Heat flushed my cheeks as everyone turned to face me. A flurry of voices rang out with congratulations and then hugs came next as a line of open arms awaited me.
“She’s gorgeous,” said K.J., pulling me into her embrace. “Are you finally going to tell us her name now?”
That was the other reason we’d invited everyone over. We still hadn’t decided on a name. It was silly, but a part of me feared that once we did, it would make her real. No one could find a baby that didn’t exist, but once she had a name, it was official.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked, glancing around the room.
“He should be here shortly,” Ryder answered. “He went to pick up my mom.”
As if my thoughts had summoned him, a portal whooshed to life in my backyard, the brilliant blue lights streaming in through the sliding glass doors.
“Great,” I mumbled. “Now our neighbors are going to think an alien ship just landed.”
Cinder chuckled, moving beside me, cradling our little one in her arms. “Your nearest neighbor is like half a mile away. I think you’ll be fine.” She glanced down at the baby and smiled. “She’s perfect by the way.”
“Thank you.” I pulled her into a side hug, unable to tear my gaze away from my daughter.
The front door whipped open, and Garrix and Emi-Lou walked in. My mother-in-law came straight for the baby, oohing and ahhing as she neared. “May I?” she asked Cinder.
“Of course.”
Emi’s face lit up, the sparkle in her warm hazel eyes reminding me of Ryder’s. “Oh my gods, she is just the most precious little thing.”
Garrix eventually made his way over after greeting the little dragons running around the house. He may have not been a good father to either Kimmie-Jayne or I, but he was an awesome grandfather to those kids.
“Where’s my little princess?” He stood over Emi and fussed over the baby. Her tiny fingers curled around his big one, and a smile rarely seen on my father covered hi
s face. “Oh, she’s going to be special, this one.”
He’d already come to visit her once. As soon as she was born I insisted he come to confirm her warlock-ness. Even though I could feel her power from the first moment I laid eyes on her.
“So are you going to keep us in suspense?” Garrix asked as he snuck the baby into his arms.
“Yes, tell us!” Cinder squealed.
Ryder moved beside me and curled his arm around my waist. “I’ll let you have the honors, Luna.”
“After much debate, we’ve decided to name her Azara Emi.”
A round of whoops and applause filled the room, and for a moment, the panic that had taken permanent root in my chest lessened. Azara Emi was here, and no matter what the future held for her I was certain each and every person in this room would give up their life to keep her safe.
Because we were a family and no matter what, that’s what family did.
* * *
THE END
* * *
Where are my #TeamDrake fans? Read on for a special sneak peek of my brand new series featuring the ice prince, Royally Hitched! And you can already preorder it here.
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Sneak Peek of Royally Hitched
Blurb
A fight to the death…
Or at least that’s what it feels like when my twin sister and I are pitted against a dozen ruthless Fae females in a competition to marry the Spring Court prince. On live television.
If we can survive eight weeks on Royally Hitched, we’ll earn our freedom and a one-way ticket home to the human world.
All we have to do is play nice with the mean girls and stuck-up ice prince. Oh, did I mention we shouldn’t even be here since we’re not actually Fae? Well, no one knows that—yet.
As girls are eliminated and the competition heats up, things take a lethal turn. Someone wants the prince dead, and we all become targets. When he’s almost killed, unexpected feelings come over me. Panic. Pain. Sadness. The idea of losing him actually hurts.
And what’s worse… my sister feels the same way.
Chapter 1
Prince Drake
* * *
I can’t believe Elrian’s making me do this.
I stomped to the window, my jaw clenched tight and my teeth grinding. Sweeping the gauzy yellow curtains back, I watched as the camera crew infiltrated the palace. Massive cameras, booms, lighting equipment; all the modern human equipment felt out of place against the rough hewn stone walls of the Spring Court castle. With each step they took along the winding cobblestone pathway, my blood pressure intensified.
I never should’ve agreed to this.
Whipping the curtains shut, I trudged away from the window and slumped down on my bed. My fingers dug into the silky sheets. There was a time their cool feel used to comfort me; they reminded me of home at Winter Court. Now they just annoyed me. They were a constant reminder that I wasn’t home. I was a stranger forced to live in a foreign court, in a bed haunted by my dead bride.
Unbidden, my eyes moved up to the immense gilded frame hanging over the mantle. A portrait of our wedding day – Miranda Daffilia, the princess of Spring Court and myself, Drake Wintersbee, the Winter Court prince, a happier couple there could never be. Or at least that’s the picture the canvas drew. In reality, we were forced to wed, like most royals. I didn’t love her and she didn’t love me, although she fawned over me like all the other ladies at court. She didn’t know me. She was in love with the idea of the Winter Court prince. In my twenty-four years, there was only one person who truly knew me, and I lost her. I shook my head, forcing out the unwanted memories of my time at Darkhen Academy.
I focused my gaze on the wispy brunette standing beside my image, fully regaled in my dress uniform, golden medals hanging from the light blue sash. I barely recognized this younger version of myself so full of hope and optimism. I blew out a breath and the tension in my shoulder blades slightly dissipated. Marrying Miranda hadn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. Though vapid, she was a sweet girl, a caring wife and a dedicated princess. Despite what her father, King Seris, believed, I had nothing to do with her death and I truly mourned her passing.
Two sharp knocks on the door tore me away from the image of the fake smiling couple overhead. “Who is it?”
“Who do you think?” said a deep voice through the timbre.
A smile pulled at my lips as I rose and traipsed to the door. Arcaidian’s grinning face greeted me through the crack. He stuck his long nose in before I could refuse him entrance. Not that I would. The Winter Court emissary was my only friend here at Spring Court.
“You’re looking more morose than usual, my prince.” Arcaidian’s lively blue eyes raked over me. “How do you expect to win over these twelve beautiful ladies with a mug like that?”
I rolled my eyes and grunted. “Winning over one of those Fae ladies is the least of my worries.” I shrugged with a quick glance over my shoulder to the window. “Besides, I could wear a paper bag over my head, and they’d still all drool at my feet.”
Arcaidian chuckled, turning toward the window and pulled the curtains aside. “I hate to admit it but it’s true. What a curse you bear, Drake. I only wish I had your problems.”
I grunted in response and joined him to peer through the glass. Though my friend wasn’t the handsomest of Fae, his bubbly personality more than made up for it, and he rarely had any issue finding female company. I followed his line of sight to the production team making their way to the castle’s front gate. The director’s spiky purple hair immediately caught my eye. Dax’s popularity had reached nearly superstar status in the human world since his off the charts rating of his debut reality show, Hitched. Now he and executive producer and Hollywood legend, Sheppard Hawk, were hoping to duplicate that success with their latest and greatest venture, Royally Hitched.
And who was that lucky royal? Me.
“I still don’t understand why you’re so bitter about this,” said Arcaidian, interrupting my internal musings. “To me, it seems as if Elrian did you a favor.”
“By broadcasting my love life on live television?” I snarled. “I think not.”
He patted me on the shoulder with a stupid grin. “Drake, you’re looking at this completely wrong. “This is the most say you’d ever have in choosing a spouse. You should be thanking your brother instead of condemning him. And have you even looked at the girls’ headshots? They’re all gorgeous. If I were you, I’d make the most of this little eight-week adventure.”
“We’ll see.” I glanced up at the ornate clock on the wall. It was nearly time to meet with the production team to go over logistics. In a few hours, there’d be cameras in every corner of the palace and cameramen following my every move. This was going to be a nightmare.
A series of thunderous cracks against timber sent my gaze toward the door. There was only one person at Spring Court who’d dare knock at my chamber in such a manner. Arcaidian’s eyes followed mine, a smile quirking up his thin lips. Once he schooled his expression, he marched to the door and opened it with a flourish.
“Your Royal Highness.” He dipped into a bow before King Seris.
I gritted my teeth and inclined my head.
“Is everything prepared for the crew’s arrival, Drake?” he boomed. King Seris may have intimidated most Fae, but they hadn’t grown up with my father. King Melrian’s mere presence sucked all the air out of any room, immediately icing the blood of the most steely Fae. Seris was a kitten in comparison.
“I’m about to meet with the production team momentarily.” I moved to the closet and began unbuttoning my tunic, hoping he�
�d get the hint. “I’m sure everything is as it should be.”
His mossy green eyes lit up, the hue in sharp contrast to his deep auburn hair. “There is a lot riding on this, Drake. It would behoove you to behave. That is if you wish to keep your residency here at Spring Court.”
And that truly was the rub. Because I didn’t. I had zero desire to remain here, but I had no choice. My brother, the king, had forbidden my return to Winter Court. With Seris without an heir, I was in prime position to take the crown once the old coot stepped down.
“Of course, Your Highness,” I gritted out. “I assure you everything will go without a hitch.” Pun intended.
Arcaidian’s hand shot up to cover his mouth to suppress a chuckle.
Seris’s eyes shot toward my friend, his pudgy lips curled into a sneer. “Arcaidian, will King Elrian be joining us this evening for the opening ball?”
“No, I’m sorry, Your Highness, he will not be able to attend. He sends his deepest apologies. He hopes to make a trip to your fine court in the coming weeks.”
The king’s expression fell as he wrapped his thick arms across his protruding belly. “That is quite irksome. This whole circus was his idea after all.”
“And a good one it was,” said Arcaidian. “Your people will surely appreciate the chance for a commoner to become royalty.”
All across the Fae realm there had been growing unrest amongst the lesser Fae, but none more so than at Spring Court. With the opening of the borders in the human world, the lesser and less savory Fae inhabitants had not been allowed to cross over. The lords and ladies were the first to be granted access to this new and highly sought-after realm. Besides, it was much easier for them to blend in with the humans. As with all high Fae, they were lithe, attractive creatures. That was not always the case with the other half of the population – trolls, goblins, and mixed races with their alabaster horns, wrinkly skin and sometimes-gruesome appearances weren’t welcomed by the President.
