Rebel: House of Fae: A Dark Fae Paranormal Romance

by Rosemary A Johns

  Perhaps, in her poisoned haze, they were.

  "Too late," Laurel singsonged.

  The Countess howled in outrage, spinning in a circle and swiping at the myrmidons. Then she tore into the wood with a screech that was worse than the librarian’s, chased by the vengeful cloud of insects, who she'd thought that she could step on.

  Felix let out a yell of glee, and Radley beat his wings in victory. My own grin was at its malicious best. We'd all spent years wishing to show the Countess what it felt like when the little guy turned around and bit back.

  Still, I couldn't look away from Laurel. Now that the Countess had fled, Laurel crumpled. She collapsed at the base of a tree trunk with her tail wrapped around her knees.

  In the name of the forest, if her shoulders were shaking with silent sobs, then my heart would shatter again...

  I rushed forward at the same time as Beau, and we dropped to our knees on either side of her.

  Apollo honked, dropping from the sky to rub his head in comfort against her knees.

  Laurel's eyes widened in shock. "Where did you come from?"

  Apollo swallowed. "No fair, you caught me out. I'm probably in for a spanking now."

  Laurel arched her brow. "From me or the naughty fae who are hiding somewhere around here spying on me?"

  "Both...?" Apollo ventured.

  Beau bit his lip, and his gaze darted to mine.

  I shrugged. "I rather think that it's time we unveiled ourselves."

  This was going to be fun...

  I furrowed my brow. How did I make myself fade back into existence? Emerald the stern counselor had been a fun roleplay but Princess Laurel pissed off for real was something that I didn’t know whether I wanted to face.

  I’d enjoyed being invisible rather too much. If I’d had the chance to hide my title and start somewhere new, would I’ve taken it as well?

  Then I saw the warm way that Laurel lowered her knees to pull Apollo onto her lap, however, and I knew that no matter what happened, I'd always want to be with her…Emerald or Laurel, counselor or princess…and it was easy.

  Take me back to my love...

  And just like that, I was visible again.

  Laurel gasped, glancing around at my mates and I, as we reappeared in a tight circle around her.

  Laurel clenched her jaw. "Well, the gang’s all here and listening in on private conversations."

  "Let's forget all that because you're safe." I rested my forehead against Laurel's.

  My heartbeat thudded too loudly in my ears; my skin flushed with warmth even at such simple touch. It didn't matter what happened next, only that in this moment we were together in the sunlight, and the Countess was gone.

  "So, you're a princess." Radley leaned against the tree.

  "I'm also allergic to strawberries." Laurel's lips quirked. "Strange but true."

  "You were also hired to mesmerize the Fae Lords," Beau said. "Father ordered you to hurt them through their emotions."

  I drew back from Laurel, studying her.

  Laurel’s tail twitched. "Honestly, I think the Duke of Wells wanted to give you guys something to love and live for because at the start of the week, you were just lining up for that guillotine. I was meant to play with your emotions but not to break you. He told me to make you crave to live."

  I blinked. "I don't understand."

  Laurel’s smile was as crushingly sad, as when she'd watched me walking to my execution. "I know and that's the problem, don't you get it? Even now, you don't long to live, not really. Your willingness to die is frightening." My fingers clawed into the glade's floor. "The Court Fae have trained you to accept death as your due. They ripped you from family. Kept you from your culture and beliefs. Raised you to hate yourselves. Taught you that everything about yourselves must be changed, before you can be accepted or loved. They treat you like property and try to force you into bonds." Her voice hardened. "It's everything that I want to escape in my own Court and long to change there. And the worst of it...? When at last, your families come to rescue you, the Court capture and slaughter them in front of you."

  I bit hard on my lip to keep back the sob. I forced myself to smile, instead. "That does sound bleak."

  "Humor again. It can't hide everything."

  "It hides enough."

  Why had I thought that revealing the truth was a good thing?

  Beau clasped my hand, and Apollo ran his wing down my leg. I wasn't alone. My bonded saw me, and they loved me still.

  "Do you want to die?" Laurel demanded.

  "The moment I saw you," I said, "I longed to live. But I can't do that if my tribe are enslaved. They don't have a clue what the predators are like at Court."

  "But we do," Felix added.

  "Then we live, we fight to save your tribe, and we become free together." Laurel dragged me into a kiss that was all fierce warrior spirit. She sucked on my lower lip, sliding her hand to stroke across my hardening prick in my pants, and I groaned. Then her tongue explored my split lip, and the spark of pain mixed with the pleasure. "What did I tell you about getting hurt?"

  "My apologies." I licked across the seam of her lips.

  She tongued ruby sparkles from her mouth to mine. I shivered, as the swelling went down, at the same time as the cut healed.

  Laurel pushed me back with a slinky wriggle. "There you go. It’s lucky that you're just so pleasurable to kiss." Then she turned to Beau. "Now it's time that I claim the final member of our fated bond." Beau ducked his head, and she chuckled. "You need to watch for this part."

  When Beau peeked from underneath his long eyelashes, she waved her hand through the air and the box of chocolates appeared on her palm.

  "Boom!" Radley fist pumped.

  When Laurel raised her eyebrow, Felix grinned.

  "We were all hoping that Beau would be the final bond." Felix nudged me with his foot. "Especially this one. Don't pretend that you didn't get up to delicious kinkiness on your night together."

  Beau blushed, and I smirked. "A gentleman never tells."

  "Ignore these daft rascals, and choose your favorite food," Apollo urged.

  Beau wet his lips. "Peaches."

  Well, what a surprise.

  Laurel nuzzled along Beau's neck, before selecting a single dark truffle and tossing the remainder of the chocolates into a patch of nettles.

  Radley straightened. "Hey..."

  "I don't need them. I've selected the only bonded who I'll ever want." Laurel's smile was like bathing in the hot sunshine after too many harsh cold winters.

  It was addictive.

  Laurel placed the chocolate between her own plush lips, before clutching Beau by the back of the head and tonguing the truffle from her mouth into his. He groaned, as the truffle melted between them in the kiss.

  She swiped the melted chocolate from his lips. "Sweet as I thought you'd taste.”

  It was no wonder that Beau was tenting his pants. I'd almost come from the sensual sight of the two of them together. It was even hotter than I'd imagined.

  Suddenly, a flame surged above Beau's head. It shimmered like a promise of love. My own bond blazed inside me, and when I glanced up at Radley and Felix, I could tell by their own flushed cheeks, that they could feel it too.

  The bonds were complete and finally, we were united.

  Then the flame faded.

  We were together, bonded, and fated. I'd never wanted to live so much for my lovers, and I'd never had so much to lose.

  "What does fated mean?" Felix’s voice was quiet in the hush. "We looked it up but still...why us?"

  "I wish I knew.” Laurel still didn’t let go of Beau like having found him at last, he was too precious to risk losing. “I've been thinking about it ever since the flames appeared. I'm royal, which means that it's possible but... It's so rare, even I thought that it was a myth. Perhaps, it’s a prophecy that we’ll save your people or just that we're fated to rule my land well…? You do get that you're now princes? At least, you will b
e once the official ceremony happens."

  Okay, I hadn't thought about that. Marquess had felt too much of a responsibility. Would I one day be able to rule beside a Queen?

  I pushed myself up, holding out one hand to Laurel and the other to Beau. "Princesses and princes shouldn't sit on the floor."

  "Newsflash, royalty can sit in dungeons as easily as commoners." Laurel allowed herself to be swung to her feet next to me. "I guess you know that."

  I squirmed. "Sounds familiar."

  When I wrapped my wings around Laurel, she laughed. Then the rest of my bonded swept around us in a claiming heat of wings and kisses. I thought that I’d burst from joy.

  Until a Nephilim with milky-white skin and deep brown eyes stalked out of the trees. He was flanked by a gang of female vampires, including the one with Barbie-pink nails, who shot me a nasty grin.

  Neither Oscar nor Barley were with them.

  Perfect, the asshole Paranormal Prefect Patrol had arrived to discover us snuggling with the counselor.

  Yet what were the Prick Patrol doing in the dangerous woods in the middle of the day? They didn't usually patrol like this. They couldn’t have been following us since we’d been invisible.

  Don’t let the Dean have set his spies on Laurel...

  "How entertaining." The Nephilim ran his hand over his golden hair. "A magic trick. The Countess and the counselor go into the wood, but then poof...the Countess vanishes, and the House of Fae's wickedest appear instead."

  "You should see the one I do with the saw, the magic wardrobe, and the dwarf," Felix smirked. "Now, if you've had your fun, why don't you leave?"

  The Nephilim's eyes narrowed. "Because you're here, and it'll be even more entertaining to watch your punishment."

  "Excuse me, have you forgotten that you’re students? How dare you talk to me like that?" Laurel put on her best stern voice. Was it wrong that it still made my prick perk up? "I'm a staff member, and I'll be reporting you to the Dean."

  "We're not breaking any rules." I moved in front of the Laurel, despite the fact that she had a hundred times the power as a professor than me. "We have Chores Passes. They're like Get out of Jail cards, only you're still in jail."

  "I didn't realize that they granted you permission to have orgies," the Nephilm said, primly.

  "Look, asshole," Radley growled, "I don't know what lame orgies you've been to, but we're dressed. I prefer my kinky fun wild, dirty, and naked." The Nephilim vibrated with rage, when the vampires snickered. "Who were you following?"

  "Our orders were to keep an eye on the Countess. Where is she?" The Nephilim demanded.

  "Oh, hanging around somewhere," I offered, sweetly.

  …in pieces…I didn’t add.

  "What you haven't figured out about this school is that there's only one way to survive, and that's not to fight the system. The Dean promised me if joined this patrol, then I'd be guaranteed to graduate."

  When the Nephilim sauntered closer, the vampires circled.

  "So, what happened to Oscar?" I asked, casually. "Or Barley? Do you think they'll graduate?"

  The Nephilim stiffened, and the vampires whispered fiercely amongst themselves. "I won't fail like them. You think that rebelling will save you, but it won't. I'll prove it. I'll take you and your love bird counselor back to the House of Fae. She’s your weakness." No, no, no... Why did the asshole have to be right? "Your Head of House will discipline you for corrupting the Court Fae as much as his counselor, and I can't wait to watch as you’re finally tamed."

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Wicked Reform School, House of Fae, Orchard

  Thursday 29th April

  My shoulders slumped in the intense afternoon heat. Even under the shade of the All Spells Apple Tree, the warmth was like a smothering blanket. I dragged in ragged breaths.

  My knees ached, and my thighs burned from the hours that I’d been forced to kneel on the grass, since the Paranormal Prefect Patrol had marched my lovers and me back to the House of Fae. Wells had ordered us into this public kneel, while the rest of the fae watched on curiously and farmed the neat ranks of vegetables.

  I almost missed their patented sneers.

  So far, the fae had only managed the jerk level of the Nephilim who’d marched us back to the House of Fae as prisoners between his Prick Patrol and then disappeared inside the golden turret with Wells.

  I needed to get them to brush up on their sneering skills.

  Yet they must’ve been intimidating enough because the gang of vampires had fled as soon as the Nephilim wasn’t with them. Even kneeling in shame, the Fae Lords’ reputation was still enough to freak out the other Houses.

  I gazed over the farm, pond, and further to the blue-haze of the mountains. This had been my home for a decade and in just over a day, I’d be leaving in one way or another.

  Wow, I wouldn’t miss this place at all.

  If I had a party hat, I’d be wearing one.

  My outstretched wing bushed against Felix’s, as he knelt next to me. He shot me a quick smile, before sneaking his hand from behind his back and stroking across Apollo’s head.

  Apollo fluffed up his feathers. “It’s an honor to kneel with you for one last time, My Lord.”

  “Swans don’t kneel, remember?” I said, fondly.

  “Then I sit next to you in solidarity.” Apollo raised his beak. “I’m proud to always be by your side.”

  “Let’s call it a sit in.” Radley grunted, shifting on his knees to ease their ache.

  Beau’s wings quivered. “I wasn’t aware, all those times that I watched you being shamed at Court, how painful this was.”

  “Oh, this is nothing.” I tried for flippant but I failed. “Try it for two days in a row because you magicked the Countess’ wings to flash: Kiss Me, I’m Horny.”

  Felix chuckled. “Still worth it.”

  When my stomach growled, I groaned. Then I glanced longingly at the overflowing baskets of apples that Wells had placed around the tree. To see them and be unable to bite into their sweetness was torture, even if I knew better than to willingly eat a spelled apple.

  Wells knew how to punish without the Countess’ brutality.

  “Hey, if you guys don’t concentrate, then I’ll kick your asses at the Spot the Skvader game,” Laurel’s voice called from behind me.

  Strictly speaking, we should’ve been contemplating the sins of loving our counselor and the disgrace that we’d brought on our House. By the public nature of being placed symbolically under the All Spells Apple Tree that represented the Court, our humiliation alone should’ve transformed our wickedness.

  Instead, we were playing a game of Spot the Skvadar with that counselor. Worse, she was considerably better at it than we were.

  “You already are kicking our asses,” Radley said.

  “I didn’t want to be the one to point it out…” Laurel laughed.

  I sneaked a glance over my shoulder at her. The branches of the All Spells Apple Tree had lashed her to its trunk. Pink blossoms rained around her. She leaned against the tree like she owned it, rather than was a prisoner.

  How hadn’t I seen that she was a princess?

  Laurel arched her brow. “I spy Mr Bunny peeping at us from behind the red apples. That makes ten. I win, huh?”

  “I dutifully pass on my skvader crown.” Felix sighed.

  The skvader squeaked, hopping along the branch. He turned and waved his tail at us.

  “Furry asshole,” Radley snarled.

  I grimaced. “Another image that I’ll never bleach from my brain.”

  “And here’s one more,” Beau hissed. “My father, his evil swan, and that fascist of a Nephilim have left the tower and are marching towards us. I know father, and he looks as grim as if he were going to war.”

  “Bring it on.” Radley’s eyes blazed.

  “Even worse news,” Beau added, “he’s gathering soldiers at his wing.”

  My chest tightened. I clasped my hands tighter together behind
my back.

  Why were the other fae falling into ranks behind Wells and following him like cygnets behind the cob?

  The fae encircled the All Souls Apple Tree, until the sun was shut out, trapping us in a green and gold night.

  My lovers and I were caged.

  My heart thudded, and my breath was too rapid. Nothing good ever came of Wells’ gathering of the House: rituals, executions, and shamings.

  Why couldn’t there be an occasional rave thrown in?

  When Wells stalked towards my mates and me with his back so straight that it looked like it could snap, I raised my head.

  Whatever happened next, I was the leader. My lovers might be wing by wing with me, but the one thing that I’d learned this week was that I couldn’t run from the responsibility of my rank and title and I wasn’t ashamed of it.

  I was the Marquess of Spring.

  Wells scrutinized us intensely enough to make me squirm. Lincoln stood smartly at his heels.

  Then Wells reached out his hand and brushed it down Felix’s bruised cheek. “Who hurt you? Was it the thugs in the Paranormal Prefect Patrol? I shall report them to the Dean and ensure that they’re most severely dealt with. No other House has a right to bully my fae.”

  The Nephilim’s smug smile vanished, and his mouth opened and closed in shock.

  Brilliant.

  Felix took a moment to consider (just to give the Nephilim a taste of his own terror), before he shook his head. “You can’t bully someone who’s invisible.”

  Wells blinked. “I don’t have time to deal with your existential crisis. In fact, your counselor should’ve been helping with your delusions. Instead, she took advantage of your trust.”

  “Just like you requested.” Laurel’s voice was low and dangerous. “I take it that we’re being honest now? They know. Why not let them choose who they love, when the Day of the Wicked is so close? It’s only part of my method.”

  Even though I knew that she was lying, it still hurt.

  Wells’ eyes became ice-cold. “I’m not inclined to believe you. You’re protecting them. I know love; I’ve tasted it. And I know that you have too. You love them, as much as they do you. Is that part of your method, counselor?”