by C. R. Jane
I finally decide to take a rest, although the line of party goers wanting to dance with me has only grown throughout the night. I promise them I will return, and head to the extended banquet table that sits against one of the walls, laden with every delicacy imaginable.
I'm filling my plate when I sense a presence behind me, and Aiden's words whisper across my neck, stoking the fire within me even more.
"Haven't you ever heard the legend about Fairy food," he murmurs. "Mothers across all the realms warn their children about ever accepting a bite or drink from the Tir Na Nog. One taste and your trapped in its realms forever, never to return home."
His words send shivers down my spine.
"It's a good thing that I am home then isn't it," I say, biting down on the most flavorful piece of chocolate that I've ever tasted.
"Is that how you think of it finally, that you're home?" he asks, his voice hard to read.
"Well I'm certainly hoping that I'll soon master my magic and that I won't be attacked anymore by the local wildlife, but I've never felt as safe somewhere as I do here," I tell him.
He looks strangely torn by my comment, and there's a flicker of what looks like regret that passes over his eyes. It disappears before I can really study it. He gives me a smile that doesn't stretch to his eyes and I wonder what I have said that has upset him.
"Let's see what other Fairy delicacies I can get you to try so that you have to stay here forever," he jokes, taking my plate from me and beginning to spoon various items on it. I smile at his inability to not take charge, but follow my king as he makes his way down the aisle.
***
The elegant notes of the last song fade away as the ball ends. Looking out one of the enormous windows that take up nearly an entire wall, I'm surprised that there's no hints of dawn. It feels like I've been dancing all night.
The night passed by in a blur. After Aiden and I's confusing interaction at the food table, I continued to dance with various courtiers, Aiden actually choosing to cut in from time to time. When he did dance with me he showed me the rarely seen witty side of him, telling me stories about some of the odder members of the court and the trouble they've gotten into. Some of the stories are so ridiculous that I can't help but laugh loudly, I'm sure shocking the guests around us who are used to Aiden and his more elegant, austere ways. When I look back at him after recovering from my laughing spell I see nothing but fondness and wanting in his gaze.
I notice that Aiden doesn't dance with anyone else despite the tittering and obvious glances from the beautiful women in the room. No matter what, Aiden's eyes never wander from me.
We're now walking back to my room. I'm exhausted, but happier than I can ever remember being. It's such a far cry from my years spent in the Andersons' attic that it's hard to comprehend that this is actually my life. I have a million questions to ask Aiden about what my introduction into society actually means now and if I will actually start helping him with royal matters, but I decide that it can all wait until tomorrow. I can't burden this magical night with any business talk.
Aiden opens the door to my room for me, motioning for me to go inside. He pauses at the threshold, staring at me intensely with want, but obviously waiting for some kind of sign from me that the night is actually going to lead where it's been building to.
I take a few steps into my room until I'm standing next to my bed, and gaze back at him, hoping I look at least a little bit seductive. I turn around and pull my hair to the front of my body and look back at him.
"Will you help me with this dress?" I ask softly.
His eyes flash as he steps into the room, shutting the door behind him. The room is softly lit from the full moon outside my window. His black hair reflects the silver light now, making him look more than ever like the Fairy King he is.
He slowly approaches me, taking his time to look at me as if he is memorizing this moment. His hands wait at the top of the back of my dress, waiting it seems for me to change my mind.
"Go ahead," I tell him in a throaty, sensual voice that I scarcely recognize. His fingers deftly begin to unhook the clasps and an ugly thought passes through my mind that he doesn't seem to be out of practice. I push the thought away and concentrate on the feeling of him standing so close to me, his body heat enveloping mine.
The clasps are finally undone enough that the dress starts to slide down my body. One more clasp and it slips all the way to the floor. I delicately step out of the dress and walk a little further into the light so that he can see what I had on underneath my dress. Again, I'm a little shocked at my brazen behavior. It's unlike me to be so confident. I can't help but feel beautiful with how Aiden is devouring my body like he would die if he looked away from me.
"Come here," he orders in a deeper than normal voice.
I slowly walk towards him, my hips swaying slightly as if they can't help themselves. He hesitantly lays his hands on my hips, as if he can't believe that he's really touching me. We stare at one another for a moment before his grip deepens and his lips crash down upon mine. I'm swept up in the feel of his hands caressing my body. His tongue slides into my mouth, moving in time with his hand's descent all over my body.
I keep on expecting there to be some familiarity to this moment since we've no doubt done this millions of times, but it all feels brand new. And despite the heat and the wanting that my body is still very much feeling, only pushed higher by Aiden's artful seduction, there's a little piece of my brain that is telling me for some reason that these are the wrong hands touching me. That something about this scene isn't right. I follow my body's lead for a few minutes longer, swept up in the feeling of Aiden's lips sliding down my chest, and his hands making their way beneath my barely-there lingerie. I'm only able to listen to the voice in my brain when I feel the sharp unmistakable sting of some kind of bug bite on my back.
I give a sharp yelp and push Aiden away. He stumbles backwards from the suddenness of my movements.
"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice heavy with the arousal we were both feeling.
"Something bit me," I reply, starting to feel lightheaded.
Aiden pulls me away from the bed and looks behind me. I give another tiny scream. There, sitting on my bed, is the largest spider I've ever seen. It's black and furry, with fangs so large that it's easy to tell that there is some kind of venom dripping from them. Basically, everyone's nightmare is crawling across my bed.
Aiden lets out a growl and walks towards it, but I miss whatever he does to it as my lightheadedness turns into a full out loss of consciousness. I feel Aiden's arms catch me right before I crash to the floor.
***
Bright sunlight streaming in from my balcony rouses me from my slumber. I try to sit up, and give a start when I notice the weight of someone's arm around me. Looking behind me, I calm down when I see that it's Aiden. He look so peaceful in his sleep, a far cry from the force of nature he is when awake.
I carefully slide out from under his arm, my skin tingling a bit as his calloused hand passes over my almost naked body. My raging lust from the night before has disappeared. Gazing down at him he's still beautiful. But unlike last night, it just does nothing to me. Last night feels like a dream, like another person was inhabiting my body. When I stand up, I feel a pain in my back reminding me how the night ended though. I hurry to the full length mirror in my room and examine my skin. There's a giant welt on my back with a red ring around it. Clearly a spider bite. I pull a robe on and walk out to the balcony, gazing at the clear, lavender sky that signals another perfect day. I wonder if Fairie just only has perfect weather. I look down at the village again and once again see that it looks perfectly still, as if there's not a single soul who inhabits it.
I hear Aiden get out of bed and walk towards me. He envelops me in his body and wraps both of his arms around me. I try not to flinch. In the bright light of da
y I again wonder at my actions last night.
"How are you this morning, My Queen?" he whispers into my ear.
His hard length is pressed against me, the magic of last night evidently not lost for him.
I try to keep my voice even. "Quite well thank you. Last night was wonderful, well everything besides being attacked by a giant spider. How did that even get in my room? Is that a common bug for Fairie?"
"That was one of the more poisonous species that we have in Fairie. I would not have expected it to be in these lands, let alone in your bedroom. We're lucky that your Fae healing abilities seem to be kicking in stronger. That could have been serious. I fell asleep making sure you were alright."
I'm touched he was so worried, but the fact that I've been attacked by three species of creatures since I've been here is a little concerning. I turn to face him, pulling my robe tighter around me as I do so. He pretends not to notice.
"Aiden, is there something else going on that I need to know about with these attacks the last few weeks?"
He attempts to smile reassuringly but its belied by the fact that I can clearly see how concerned he is by the worried look in his eyes.
"I'm sure it's nothing my darling. The introduction of your powerful magic to the land after so long is probably just changing Fairie a bit. I'm sure the wildlife, and anyone else, will settle down soon."
The "and anyone else" part of his sentence is what has me concerned.
My mind switches to a different kind of worry however when he softly grasps my face, smoothing my cheek with his hand. He leans in, brushing his lips against mine. Despite my best intentions, I stiffen, unable to return the kiss for some reason.
Although I'd like to think it's just the bright light of the day that has me nervous, I remember the overwhelming feeling of wrongness that I felt after we got hot and heavy last night. What happens if we just can't ever get back to what he claims we once were?
I obviously do a poor job of hiding my hesitance because Aiden quickly pulls away from attempting to kiss me.
"Second thoughts?" he asks wryly, a vein pulsing in his forehead as he tries to keep his face neutral.
"Just a little tired," I say lamely.
"Are you even trying?" he asks, moving to the side of me to lean on the railing.
"I just wish I could remember," I tell him. "You have all the memories of our story, but I have nothing. What if we're just too different now? What if that Eva was a much better version than who I've become after all of these years?"
"You are much better than that girl," he spits out bitterly and with such rancor that I take a step away from him surprised, his statement at odds with his earlier assertions that we were supremely happy before. He turns to me and grasps my shoulders, his grip a little too tight for my liking.
"Just promise that you'll try, that you'll remember that feeling from last night. I'm never going to give up on us. I'm never going to let you go," he tells me passionately.
Although I know Aiden was going for a heartfelt plea, everything he said came across somewhat like an obsessive oath, and I feel uneasy.
Unable to say anything, I simply nod and hope that the smile I give him doesn't look like the grimace I think it does.
It must do the trick because he kisses my cheek and finally lets go of my now aching shoulders, striding out of the room. After I hear the door shut, I walk back to my bed, checking for enormous spiders first, and attempt to go back to sleep.
He's delighted with the progress I have made in flying and brags to anyone who will listen about my abilities. I get the feeling that we're both racing towards the final product of myself, Him to use me as a weapon to get whatever He wants, and me to use myself as a weapon against Him.
Although my powers continue to grow, it gets harder and harder to remember what I am doing this for. Every time I have to put a smile on my face while He gets a feel in while we're in public, a little part of me dies. I've now tasted two men's touches who I loved and it's a far cry from His desperate grasp. I feel like I've been abandoned by everyone I have ever loved. He casually let slip that Beckham has become betrothed to a Duchess from one of the provinces in the south. I think snidely that a duchess is a far cry from a queen but I can't help but feel massacred at the news. There's of course the very real possibility that He is lying to me to hurt me, but after my incubus's willing departure, I'm a little jaded at the thought of everlasting love at the moment. Besides, it would be hypocritical to expect Beckham to pine away for me forever when I so willingly left his side.
He's continued to lock me in my room due to my "bad behavior." I feel very much like an errant child rather than the person who's supposed to be in charge. While my room had been a respite from Him, a place where I could escape and practice my magic, after the stolen memories I made with my incubus, it feels just as much a prison as the rest of the castle.
I'm wallowing in depression one day when I hear what sounds like a war cry from a large group of people right outside the castle walls. I walk to my window to see what's going on. My heart leaps in my chest as I see what looks like hundreds of my people storming to the castle. What most worries me about the situation is that my gorgeous incubus lover is on horseback, leading them all.
I watch as they approach the far gate. The incubus's power must be on high because the guards at the gate open it up with just a few words from him. When I see Him striding out the inner door to the large group, I panic. I'm not sure what magic He possesses but I know enough to be very afraid of what it could do to an innocent person.
I use my magic to undo the bolts on my door and rush past a few startled guards towards the winding staircase that leads down to where everything is happening. I hear guards rushing behind me but a quick blast of my lightening ensures that they will stop following me. As I rush through the final door, to the front courtyard, I stop in my tracks. He and my incubus are facing off alone while the rest of his ragtag army watches silently behind him.
"When I win, she's mine," I hear my incubus say as I stare at the scene in horror.
He must sense me, because He turns around to greet me.
"Ah, my darling. I'm so glad that you got here in time for tonight's entertainment," He grins at me, twirling a long broadsword around in His hand. "This creature was just catching me up on something you've been hiding from me. Naughty, naughty, sneaking behind your husband's back with your nasty little lover."
His tone is light, but there's immense rage seeping out of His body.
"You know this is an interesting conversation. You've already given up so much for one lover, what will you give up for this one?" He says with a smirk.
My incubus for his part is looking very brave considering the malice stemming from his opponent. He's also holding a long broadsword and although I imagine that he is very capable with it, I'm afraid that this is a battle that he will be outmatched in.
My first thought is to try and reason with Him. If there's a way to get out of this situation without showing all of my cards it would still be best for my plan. I still don't have a handle on my powers, and Lexi hasn't sent any word that she's found a spell to counteract the curse. I take a step towards Him, holding up my hands in supplication.
"We can talk about this," I tell Him stupidly, watching terrified as the anger waiting just below the surface of His smile shows itself.
"As much as I can assure you we'd all be interested in a play by play of your affair with the palace whore, I'm afraid that I've got a busy schedule today and a tussle with your ex-lover just wasn't on my list."
With those words I watch as His black eyes spread until the white of his iris can no longer be seen. My incubus is still standing unwaveringly with his sword held aloft.
"Eva, get behind me," he tells me. I can feel hi
m pulsing out his incubus waves towards the king to try and weaken His defenses.
"You haven't figured out yet that your Queen holds more seductive power in one finger than you do in your whole body, have you little monster?"
He laughs cruelly, appearing entirely unaffected by the push of seductive power my incubus is releasing.
"You were affected that night though," I stutter out, growing more and more fearful about how this all will end.
He turns his black eyes towards me. "That was all you, my darling," He says, and without further ado shoots a black, inky burst of power straight through the heart of my incubus.
The incubus wavers for a second, before sinking to his knees, a look of shock written across his face. Faintly I can hear the small army he brought with him erupting in panic and running in every direction, but the thumping sound of my own heartbeat is drowning out the chaos.
"Clean this trash up," He orders to the guards that had started to gather behind me. He then walks out of the room without another look at me or the incubus who is currently bleeding out onto the stone floor of the courtyard.
Numbly, I rush to my lover's side, placing my hand upon his wound. Any thoughts of hiding my magic have disappeared. I've never tried to heal with my magic before, but it must be possible. It's hard to see his face because of the tears that are streaming down my own face, but I pour all of the love I feel for him into his wound. There's blood gushing all over my hands and splattering all over my clothes, but I ignore it all, concentrating on healing what I've realized is a giant hole straight through the center of my incubus's body.
I'm pouring all my energy into him, and imagining that the blood loss is slowing, when I feel his hand touch my cheek. I look over at his pained face. Keeping one hand on his wound, continuing to pour all of my energy into it, I press my other hand over his.
