Wanted by the Fae: A Fated Mates Romantic Fantasy: Magic Bound Book 2 (Magic Bound Series)

by Allie Santos

  “I’m sorry.” My throat felt scratchy as the words escaped me. “I had to see you, and it puts you at risk.”

  Also, if the goblins were legit, and I managed to free magic, it would affect her entire life when she reached Fae maturity. I needed to tell her, but…maybe later.

  She looked over her shoulder as I drew next to her. She smiled wryly and returned her gaze to the city. “You didn’t ask anyone to be after you. Honestly, I’d rather risk it than never see you again.”

  The breath left my chest. She’d grown up while I wasn’t looking. And those words... Hearing them come from her made my chest constrict.

  She raised her eyebrow at my hands lovingly, cradling the dagger. “Interesting present.”

  She was right. All the events that had happened were happening to me. I never chose any of this. My guilt at picking her up subsided. Needing the change of subject before I burst into tears at the circumstances, I laid my precious dagger on the stand beside the couch and grabbed the remote before plopping on the couch.

  “Come on, let’s order room service and watch a movie.”

  Annie did the same and curled her feet under her. We clicked through channels, one of which was a couple writhing on the bed together. We simultaneously squeaked at the sight, and I slapped my hand over her eyes.

  “Brings to mind tall, hot, and dreamy-eyed.” She laughed. “What’s up with you two? I feel like I can reach out and touch all sorts of tension.”

  I acted like I didn’t know what she was talking about and kept flipping through the channels. She then began on one of her famous whining modes in an effort to get it out of me. I hadn’t heard one since I’d left. Tears prickled my eyes, and I rolled them at her to dispel the moisture.

  “Spill it.” Annie drew out the words as she repeated it.

  “Fine!”

  She grinned and made a show of adjusting her sitting position. Ignoring the tightness in my chest, I launched into what had happened from the moment I heard her voicemail. The car crash. Sabine. Roark. All of it.

  When I finished, she sat shocked, staring at me, television forgotten. “Wow. Queen. Magic. Castles.”

  I nodded grimly. Surprisingly, I didn’t spill one tear. They must have dried out after last night.

  “That brings me to what I needed to tell you.” I cleared my throat. “You know all the talk about freeing magic? It will affect you when you reach Fae maturity when you turn twenty-two.”

  Annie blinked blankly and opened her mouth, then closed it. “Does that mean what I think it means?” she asked quietly, and I nodded. “So, you’re not Fae because the Queen gave you the essence. You were going to be Fae regardless because our ancestor was part of some experiment where they got pregnant by Fae.”

  “Yep.”

  Annie went utterly quiet. Her hands fell into her face and her shoulders shook. Oh, God.

  “Ann…”

  “That’s wicked cool!” she exclaimed through her laughter as she lifted her head.

  I gaped at her. “There’s something wrong with you,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

  “Pft, sign me up. I can’t wait to be crazy strong.”

  I shook my head, wishing I had her view on the whole ordeal. Nothing more was said as she scooted closer and hooked her arm through mine and flipped through channels until we settled on a comedy.

  Our time would have continued like that if there hadn’t been a bang on the door. I shot to my feet, scared, but then I remembered we’d ordered food.

  “That should be food,” I sang and went to open the door. As soon as my hand touched the doorknob, the door burst open, and the force threw me back, all the way through the closet door.

  Groaning in pain, I sputtered dust out of my mouth as a scuffle sounded. I heard a familiar cry.

  “Annie!” I gasped, scrambling to my feet and shoving the debris off me.

  I shook as I took in who stood in front of me. Or what would be more accurate. A towering male stood clad in dark, baggy clothing, inching toward Annie. I couldn’t see his face because the hood he wore shadowed him.

  “Stop,” I screeched. Its covered head went from me to Annie and back to me. Almost like it didn’t know which one of us to take. I tapped into my Fae speed and grabbed my new dagger.

  He took a step toward me, and I trembled. With a quick motion, I threw it, aiming at its cloaked face. It embedded into his leg, instead, and I cursed. Without evening blinking, he gripped it and tossed it to the side. Whoever it was tensed and looked behind me with his head tilted. In the next instant, black wings erupted from his back, and he wrapped his arms around Annie. With a running jump, he went through the window, shattering it. Glass rained down everywhere.

  “Annie!” I rushed after her with every bit of speed I had, preparing to lunge out of the window. I could only hope I managed to grab onto the winged thing’s legs before I plummeted to my death.

  Before I could push off, a body bowled me to the side. Instinctively, I pounded at the broad chest above me, hitting for all I was worth. Roark’s voice finally registered, and I sagged.

  “They took Annie,” I whimpered.

  “I know,” he cooed and pulled my head to his chest.

  “It was a thing. I think it was a demon. It had black wings,” I rasped.

  “It was a gargoyle,” a second, male voice said.

  Through my watering eyes, I saw a familiar form staring out the window. “Rian?”

  I scrubbed my face, pushed Roark out of the way, and stood. As I approached Rian, he watched me with tightness around his eyes. My gaze bounced between Roark and Rian.

  “Let’s go after them now,” I said, determination coursing through me.

  “We can’t,” Rian said after breaking the tense silence. “I don’t know where he went, and the full moon is tomorrow night. Maybe after…”

  My mouth opened and closed. “N-no?”

  He didn’t look at me. Tears formed again and blurred my sight. My mind rushed as I tried to figure out what to do.

  “No.” I shook my head. “No is not an option.”

  I dropped to the floor and closed my eyes. Roark could go, and if I had to beg him, I would.

  I opened my tear-filled eyes and focused on the bigger blur. “Roark.” I stopped when my voice cracked. “Find her, please.”

  The blur knelt before me. Hands cupped my face, and I squeezed my eyes shut. His thumb wiped away tears. “Shh, Rae. I’ll do whatever you ask, but please don’t cry.” Roark sounded pained, and he crushed me to him. I gave in and clutched him close.

  “We don’t have enough time. Conan told me we need a hallucinogenic so we’re able to see the goblins.” Rian sighed. “There are limited sources where we can acquire the powder.”

  Roark tensed, and I looked up to see a sour expression on his face. “Don’t tell me it’s the damn lizards.”

  “Yes,” Rian said grimly. “I spent the time running from werewolves. Conan had to steal powder from him after he refused to sell to a Fae.”

  Powder? It sounded like some drug deal.

  “By any chance was it Lucian?” Rian’s surprised gaze settled on Roark.

  “How did you know?”

  “I’ve studied him well,” Roark said, turning to me. “I know where he lives.”

  “We can split up.” I was breathless with excitement as a plan began forming. “Rian can go search for Annie. Roark and I can go get the stuff and meet with the goblins.”

  Roark exhaled, and I realized he hadn’t liked the thought of us separating but he’d been willing to do it for me.

  Rian nodded slowly. “That works, but I wouldn’t know where to begin searching for her.”

  “I have connections in this world,” Roark said, “Favors I’ve collected over the decades in search of answers on how to unbind magic. One is from a powerful witch that can practice blood magic.”

  “You’ve been incredibly busy, Roark,” Rian said sarcastically.

  I was surprised, too, but in the gran
d scheme of things, he’d been alive for a long time. Even if he came to the human world only once a year, it would make sense.

  “You left me in charge of guarding the portals. I didn’t leave often, but I took advantage of the situation when I heard rumors.” Roark’s eyebrow flicked up, obviously not giving a crap what Rian thought. “She has a shop called Mystic in the French Quarter. You’ll have to take a portal to New Orleans. Tell her all three of her debts to me will be fulfilled if she helps you find Annie.”

  Pulling away from Roark, I rubbed my sleeve over my eyes and approached Rian. “Thanks, Rian, and please hurry.”

  I poked his chest and stifled my guilt at not being able to go with him. Sniffling, I went to the couch and clutched my head as a migraine started.

  “I will return with her,” was all Rian said before he left with Fae speed, the door slamming behind him. I had no doubt he would, but I just hoped she was okay when he managed to get her.

  I slumped on the couch. We had been okay only moments ago. Why was Annie always being ripped from me? My head dropped into my hands again. The couch dipped seconds later.

  “You should get rest,” Roark said in a low tone. “We leave before the sun comes out tomorrow.”

  “We can’t go now? I want to get it over with.”

  “No, we have to take a portal to Arizona. If we leave in the morning, we can get there by nightfall. A perfect time for dragons. Like all Unnaturals they prefer night and it’ll be more probably he’s not home. It’ll make it easier for us to search for the powder if he’s gone.”

  “I-I didn’t fight it off.” My voice sounded small. “After throwing my dagger, I froze.”

  He said nothing for a while. It wasn’t until tears seeped out that he tilted my head up, forcing me to look at him. “You wouldn’t have been able to. It takes a practiced fighter to take down an older gargoyle. He was winged. It indicates his power. It’s better that you weren’t near him, or he would have taken you both.”

  Disappointment stabbed at me. If only Ty had taught me how to fight in hand-to-hand combat…

  Focusing on Roark, I asked something I never thought would come out of my mouth. “Will you teach me how to defend myself?” There were crickets as his eyes traced my face. He looked away from me but nodded slowly, I bounded to my feet and demanded, “Now.”

  He stood, too, already shaking his head. “You must rest.”

  Pressure built in my chest. I was a bundle of stress and leftover adrenaline. I had to do something. I stepped close to Roark and shoved him. He didn’t move an inch.

  “Fight me.” I shoved again, using my core this time. It took all my effort, but I made him take a step back. “Fight me, dammit,” I sneered and smacked his chest once more.

  The swirl of emotions battled within me, needing some sort of outlet. The magic in my chest expanded and bubbled. Fury boiled under the surface of my skin, itching to escape.

  He growled, and his eyes glinted back at me. “Stop. You’re not in the correct mindset. I do not want to hurt you.”

  A laugh burst out of me, and even to me, it sounded hysterical. “Hurt me? You’ve hurt me so much already. This will be nothing.” I shoved again.

  “No,” Roark bit out forcefully.

  My shoulders slumped, and I looked down at my feet. Before I knew what had happened, I crashed into the large plush couch.

  I hopped up and charged him, throwing out my fist at the last second. He disappeared, and my arms windmilled. There was a shove on my back, and I stumbled forward.

  When I whirled around, he stood behind me, a savage expression on his face. He prowled closer, and I swung at his face, placing all the rage I had in the punch. My fist managed to graze his chin. I gasped, stepping away from him. Staring down at my pulsing hand, I clenched and unclenched it, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’d hit him.

  “Do you feel better?” His eyebrow flicked up, unfazed.

  My eyes narrowed at the condescending tone, raising the anger to the surface once more. I lunged at him, taking him by surprise. He toppled over to his back with me on top of him, hands wrapped around his throat.

  The naked desire reflected in his gaze made my lungs seize and sent an answering rush through my body. I swallowed hard and tried regulating my erratic heart as I released my tight hold on his throat and pushed to my knees.

  With my movement, I managed to rub against his shaft. I gasped at the sensation that erupted. It felt so good. A groan fell from my lips, and I froze as sensation traveled through my nerve endings. My body responded to the tingle shooting up my channel, and I thoughtlessly ground down, seeking the heat his thick member coerced.

  Throbbing, I undulated again, a moan tearing from my mouth. My breast grew heavier, rasping against my bra with renewed sensitivity. He sat up with me still on top of him, hands wrapping around my waist to keep us connected. His lips found my neck and nibbled. Another gasp ripped from me. I ran my hands up his clothed back and into his hair, tugging my hands through, urging him closer.

  Roark bit my neck. The pressure sent a shock to my nerve endings. The delicious sensations running up and down my body, warming me, were like nothing I’d ever felt. I wanted him—no, I craved him. I was mad with desire, and I shook to tear the clothes from his body.

  A part of me rationalized that this was too quick. The intensity of my desire was too much. It didn’t make sense to my human brain, but it made sense to my Fae senses. They wanted to claim him, pull him inside me, and wring every last bit of him until he had nothing left to give. I wanted to show him he was mine, and he was stupid ever to lay a finger on anyone else.

  I sat up and shucked my shirt to the side in a quick motion and reached down to tug his up, exposing his pale, chiseled stomach. The scars were what I remembered as I greedily ran my hands over the indents of his abs, trying to imprint his flesh to memory.

  The jeans between us created friction that sent a delightful shiver down my spine every time I rubbed over the thickness encased within. My memory flashed to the shadowy outline of what it looked like when he’d screwed Sabine. Anger made my motions jerkier, and I grasped him harder, rubbing myself on him like a cat to a post. A groan ripped out of him, turning agonized when I found a rhythm. I ceased to be as instinct took over me.

  I leaned down to his neck and bit him hard. I gripped my leggings and shucked them off, along with my underwear. His eyes glinted up at me, feverish and wanting. I unbuttoned his pants and tugged them down in jerking motions.

  He sprung free, hard and long. The rounded tip was reddened and swollen under the lighting of the room. I needed to mark him everywhere. Our breathing melded and quickened together as I settled on top of him. His hard length rubbed against my slick core. I trembled and helplessly arched over him, the movements sending tingles up my spine. That familiar trembling sensation built from my toes. My pace quickened, and he jerked me against him in desperate motions. He wasn’t even inside me, but he was driving me crazy.

  Lights seemed to explode behind my lids as warmth spread. I moaned helplessly and clawed his chest as he tensed under me. Roark groaned gutturally and arched under me, his movement lifting me from the ground as he came in hard jerks. Expecting semen to trickle in the aftermath, I was surprised when there was none.

  I slumped forward in an exhausted puddle, burying my face in his chest, and tried to concentrate on my breathing as I smoothed my hand over his sides. He’d almost slid into me, and I wanted him to so badly, but the sensation of him rubbing against me had been too good for me to stop.

  As bliss subsided, pain took its place. I was a mess. I missed Annie, and I was angry at myself. The pain of everything he’d done was still in my mind, but he felt so good. Despite my release, I still wanted him, and I knew it wouldn’t fade.

  So why not?

  I’d already resolved that it didn’t matter who I had sex with. It would be sex. Purely pleasure for pleasure’s sake, and it wouldn’t mean anything. Why not give in to the all-encompass
ing feelings he brought out in me?

  A light bulb went off in my head. When Roark and I first met, he’d proposed a similar situation. Get this desire out of our system. I’d said no at the time because I thought I was waiting for something special, but now that I knew better, it didn’t sound like a bad option.

  He fiddled with my bra strap, fingers brushing my skin and causing goosebumps to erupt down my body.

  Plus, he’d make a great distraction.

  Pulling myself up, I sat up further on his legs and gripped his still hard erection. He jerked up with a moan, his face contorting. He grasped my arms hard and flipped me, so he was on top. He held my shoulders down as he breathed hard.

  I froze, realizing he was huffing. His breath came in harsh exhales as his head hung above me, eyes closed. He muttered something, but I couldn’t hear it. I continued playing with him. Pushing off the ground, I brought his head to my entrance. A guttural groan ripped from his throat.

  “Wait,” he gasped.

  “What?”

  “Do you forgive me?”

  “I want you for sex,” I said evasively.

  He reacted as if the words had shot him, and he pushed back, letting me go. He stared at me in utter shock.

  After some time of him just watching me, I sat up and slid my clothes back on. My face burned when I realized he was still mostly dressed.

  “I want to have sex with you, Roark.” I threw it out there, shamelessly. I could tell I’d shocked the hell out of him. “I want you. I want the feelings you wring from me.”

  “Can you ever forgive me?” he murmured, hope in his expression. It made my chest clench, but I shoved that feeling down.

  “I want sex. That’s it. You and I will not be happening in any other capacity. Ever,” I said bluntly, and his face went expressionless. “Think about it. I’m going to take a shower.”

  I ran out of the room before he saw how forced my attempt at confidence was.

  22