“It never was,” Laurel’s voice shook. “I loved them from the start.”
“That’s a shame. I truly regret it for your sake because I’ve mourned, and living after the death of your lover…” He broke off, looking down. Was he about to cry? Yet when he raised his gaze again, his eyes flashed with rage. “But you weren’t hired to mesmerize my son.” Wells grabbed Beau’s hair, wrenching back his head. When Beau cried out, I started to push myself up, but the ring of fae drew their scimitars. Reluctantly, I subsided back onto my knees. “So, you wish to have some honesty…?” When he shook Beau, I winced. “I hid my son, so that he’d remain invisible, untouched, and pure. In the vain hope that he’d grow to become like his mother. But you’ve turned him into a whore.”
On the name of Belenus, make him take it back…
When tears chased silently down Beau’s cheeks because he’d even been trained to cry without being a bother, I craved to kiss away each one.
“You don’t have the right to talk about your son,” Laurel raged. Her anger vibrated through the bond. The All Spells Apple Tree shook from it, until it cried blossom tears itself onto us all. “I love him, and he chose to bond with me. If you hurt him even once more, then you’ll discover why everyone fears succubi.”
“Bonded…?” Wells whispered, letting go of Beau and backing away. “What have you done, you wicked boy?”
Beau cocked his head. “I’ve chosen love over duty. I should feel shame, I believe. But I don’t.”
“Aye, you tell him.” Apollo flapped his wings.
Wells stared at Beau, before glaring at Laurel. “How have you corrupted him? All of them? I’m certain that you have no idea how special a bond is for a Court Fae. You succubi have your harem of bonded incubi, but Court Fae mate with a single lover for life. You’ve stolen that chance from my son, can’t you see?” Were his lips trembling? “The fae who…Beau’s mother…was murdered by a Seelie. I shall never be able to love another. You don’t understand that sort of love.”
When I twisted on my knees to Laurel, her expression was troubled.
“You’re wrong. Just because we love differently, doesn’t mean that we love less.” She caught my gaze and smiled. “I’ll love them as much as you loved your wife.”
“Impossible!” Wells snarled, and Lincoln hissed in outrage. “When she died—”
“You ceased to see me.” Beau pushed himself to his feet. He shook with more anger than his father, and his wings flared. “Do you think that mother would’ve wished you to neglect me? That she’d hear you calling me whore and be delighted? When she died, you died too because you gave up. You stopped being able to love...even me.” He advanced on his dad, and to my shock, Wells stumbled back. “But that’s nothing to do with being a fae and everything to do with being my father.”
Wells fell over a basket of apples, landing on his ass. The apples spilled out in a multi-colored stream.
Beau was panting hard like he’d just fought a war himself.
I slunk to my feet, holding out my hand to Felix and then Radley. I wouldn’t kneel for a moment longer. Apollo stretched out his wings, bustling towards Lincoln who honked in alarm and flew into the branches of the tree.
Coward.
The fae watched in tense silence. They were my tribe, and it didn’t matter what Wells said, I’d take them back.
“This is your doing.” Wells pointed at Laurel, awkwardly shoving himself to his feet and stumbling on the loose apples.
Perhaps, he should become a clown.
“Hey, you did this all yourself.” Laurel’s smile was sharp. “You know, it’s not too late to turn this around, don’t you?”
My lover was smart.
Just for a moment, I thought that she had Wells. Then his gaze stiffened to its haughty mask.
Wells flicked blossoms off his uniform’s sleeves. “I should send you back in disgrace to the Succubi Court.” I stiffened at the same time as Laurel. “But I’d rather you stayed and watched the fae die on Saturday.” Wow, that was dark even for Wells. His smile became sly. “Unless, they choose to reform and make it easy on you.” I was surprised by the earnest way in which he marched to me, grasping me by the shoulders. “Are you going to make her witness your execution? I’d have done anything to spare my bonded. Are you cruel or just not really in love at all?”
I clenched my jaw. Feathery heavens, he was a jerk.
Already, my lungs burned, and I was dizzy in the heat. Now, under the pressure of his question and the scrutiny of my lovers, I knew that there was no correct answer.
Wells wanted to prove that my type of love was lesser than the Court type.
I clenched my hands, desperately not looking at Radley or Felix.
“Don’t answer me now,” Wells said with a faux kindness. “After all, the Dean’s gone to all that effort of building the guillotine. He’ll be disappointed if we don’t offer him some sort of spectacle on the Day of the Wicked. Plus, I’ve heard that there are a number of betting pools going around as well.” He stroked a strand of my hair behind my ear, and I fought not to flinch. “Just repent, reform, and return home with Beau and me on Saturday.”
I drew in my breath. This was it.
Let my bonded understand…
“On two conditions,” I stated.
Felix gasped.
“Stick your conditions where the sun doesn’t shine,” Radley growled. “What crap are you trying to pull?”
“Go on,” Wells encouraged.
Laurel’s bond burned through me, easing the pain in my lungs. Even as she stared at me in shock, her love helped me live.
“The first condition is that all the fae survive the culling,” I forced myself to say.
Wells nodded like it was the simplest thing in the world.
I gritted my teeth. “The second condition is that Laurel’s not hurt at all and isn’t kept as a prisoner.”
“Don’t you dare do this,” Laurel hissed.
“Done.” Wells clacked his boots smartly together.
The branches that were lashing Laurel to the tree slithered away, freeing her. When she slumped, Felix and Beau rushed to catch her. She glared at me, and my balls ached like she’d pressed the wedgie ward on my pants.
“You’re in for some serious non-kinky trouble,” Laurel warned.
“Yeah, I figured.”
Radley snatched me by the shoulders, dragging me away from Wells. “What on Belenus’ glowing cock are you doing?”
“We tried, but Wells has won.”
“Ah, I see.” Felix gave me a knowing look. “We must listen to our leader. He’s only giving our Head of House what he wants.”
Beau’s head shot up, at the same time as Apollo let out a delighted hiss.
I fought to hide my smile.
Number Two on the Wicked Bucket list coming up…
“My sensible wicked boys.” Wells didn’t attempt to hide his smile or his relief. After all, he’d been working towards this for a decade. If he hadn’t hurt Beau, there’d be a tiny part of me that felt sorry for him. The tiny part that remembered all the times Wells had protected me from the Countess. “At last you understand your position. I’ve longed to know that you were safe. You do know that my flock of hundred are precious to me?”
“Oh, I feel precious.” Felix rolled his eyes.
I stuck on a mixture of my holy and pious face. On my feathers, let this work… “Your Grace, just grant me one thing.”
Perhaps, I’d overdone the double whammy of faces because Wells peered at me suspiciously. “Highly unlikely.”
Radley patted my shoulder.
I tried again. “You’ve tamed me. I’m reforming, but you know that I’m wild and free and… I need a way to say goodbye to that. A last chance to get it out of my system. It’s Beltane Night tomorrow…”
Wells snorted. “Hundred percent for effort, Lord Spring, but not a chance.”
“Please,” I begged. Wells’ eyes widened, as I grasped onto his sleeve. The
other fae had sheathed their scimitars and their wings were beating in excitement even at the mention of the Beltane. They could sense it too: the call to the ancient magics. “Let my tribe worship their god one last time. At Court, we’ll never be allowed to again. We can welcome in the summer and then, after that, we’re yours.” Wells looked conflicted, as his gaze met mine. “Look around at this flock that you call precious. Can’t you see how important it is to them?”
Wells glanced around at the fae and then uncertainly, back at me. He cleared his throat. “Hmm, so you’re asking me to call in a huge favor with the Dean just for the House of Fae.”
I tilted my head. “Then ask for a Beltane Dance for the entire school. The Dean can make out that he’s rewarding them for… I don’t know… throwing less elves than normal to the kraken or something. Look, you’ve taken everything from us. Let us say goodbye to our old life, so that we’re ready to say hello to the new.”
I could be as poetic as Apollo when I tried.
Wells’ lips pinched. “That was a good speech. If only you put as much effort into following the Dictates.”
“Now let’s not go mad.”
Wells’ gaze became flinty. “Talking of Dictates, where’s our Countess? The Nephilim over there told me a strange story, but what’s your version?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know where she is and I don’t want to think about her. I’ll be seeing enough of her after Saturday, right?”
Wells’ expression softened. “I’ll talk to the Dean about the dance. Perhaps, you do deserve to celebrate your last night here.”
The fae cheered, breaking ranks, and swinging each other around in joy. Their laugher was like bright musical notes, which shimmered in the heat. I’d never heard such laughter in this orchard before.
Why should something so beautiful be suppressed? Stunned, Wells forgot to yell out how many Dictates they were breaking.
The Nephilim stormed forward, snatching up a green-and-pink apple from a basket and hurling it at me. I hissed as it struck my temple. When I reached up, my finger was painted with scarlet.
I swayed, and Laurel dashed forward. She caught me, wrapping her tail around me.
“This was meant to be a shaming.” The Nephilim stuck his snooty nose in the air, as he grabbed another apple. His voice shook with rage and pain. “Why do you believe them? Command your fae to hurl the apples at them, as we agreed. They’re outcasts. I’ve taken every dirty mission from the Dean for decades, and he hasn’t rewarded me with so much as a gold sticker. Yet now you intend to grant this rebel an entire dance?”
The Nephilim lobbed the second apple, and it struck Apollo’s back.
The fae fell silent.
The hush in the circle was deadly. My lovers along with the rest of the fae drew their scimitars with a lethal swoosh.
When I looked at Wells, as he prowled towards the cringing Nephilim, I realized that I’d never seen him truly angry before.
“How arrogant you are. Your compulsions don’t work on fae, yet you’d still try and command me? You dare in my House to attack both a marquess and a sacred swan?” Wells grabbed the Nephilim by the neck. “They may be wicked but they’re fae. You’re nothing but the Dean’s puppet.”
“Everyone’s the Dean’s puppet,” the Nephilim gasped.
“Not anymore.” Wells tossed the Nephilim at Radley’s feet. Radley’s eyes lit up like a dog with a new chew toy. “Have fun.”
Yet before I could enjoy the sight of the Nephilim scrambling amongst the apples, my throbbing head joined with the burning of my lungs, until I could no longer stand. My knees buckled.
Why was everything so dark?
Dizzy, I reached for Laurel, who was hollering something, but I could no longer feel her, even though she was holding me up.
My head fell back, and my eyelashes fluttered. My breath was raspy and uneven.
I couldn’t breathe…
My eyes closed.
Would this be the time that the darkness claimed me, and I never woke up? Had I at last been caught by death?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Wicked Reform School, House of Fae Staff, Bedrooms
Friday 30th April
When my eyes fluttered open, I squinted against the light that ghosted halos across my retinas.
Had I died? Was this heaven?
I was lying on something silky and soft. I was still wearing my pants but I was bare chested. My temple no longer throbbed from the apple’s blow, and there was an exotic sweetness in the air like paradise.
Except, without my lovers, it could only be hell.
I clenched my hands. Whatever happened next, I knew that my bonded would wish me to face it like they were still wing by wing with me.
Even if they would never be again.
“Hey, if you’re awake now Sleeping Beauty, can you help me do up my dress?” Laurel’s voice called.
What on Belenus’ shining balls…?
Weak still, I struggled onto my elbow, blinking to clear my sight.
The room was windowless but bright with hundreds of candles that magically hung upside down from the ceiling like wax bats. White gardenias grew from the walls, tangling in blooms, which explained the Garden of Eden scent.
This must be one of the staff bedrooms in the tower. But why was I in Laurel’s personal rooms? I glanced down at the silk sheets that were bunched in my hands.
The last thing that I remembered was losing consciousness, and now Laurel was acting like we’d had such disappointing sexy times that she’d decided to pull on her dress and make her excuses?
Perhaps, that was why I was deliberately forgetting the intervening hours.
“Sure, I’ll get right on that, as soon as I remember why I’m sprawled in your bed.” Where was Laurel? When I glanced around the room, I noticed a spiral staircase that led down. Wow, they truly were spoiling her if she’d received a suite of rooms or at least, Wells had been desperate to hire her. “And just so we’re clear, that’s in no way a complaint.”
Laurel climbed the staircase, appearing in degrees like a striptease. She was naked. Her hair hung wild and loose, and her tail swung behind her. I longed to lick her tail, sucking on the tip to make her moan.
I was glad that the sheet covered my bottom half, or Laurel would’ve known just how excited I was to see her. Wait, succubi could sense pleasure. She already knew. By the smug smile on her gorgeous face, she was flattered and feeding.
I shrugged. Who wouldn’t get hard at the sight of those tits?
Laurel carried an evening gown over her arm. “Professor Wells had a moment of compassion when you fainted, and allowed you to be carried here with me.”
“Did it hurt him?” My eyes narrowed. “I collapse; I don’t faint. It’s more manly.”
Laurel smirked. “When you collapsed in my arms in a manly way, I asked Professor Wells if I should take you to the Medical Center, but he said that this is normal for you.” She stalked towards the bed. “Tell me, fae should be able to breathe, right?”
Just for a moment, I couldn’t.
I choked, as my fingers tingled, and my back arched.
Laurel’s eyes widened in alarm, and she tossed her dress onto the end of the bed, before crawling over to me and gripping my face. “I’m sorry. You’re okay. Don’t faint…collapse…again because of me. You’ve already slept for a day and it’s almost time for the dance.”
I drew in a deep breath, forcing myself to hold it and push down the burning in my lungs.
I would dance with Laurel tonight.
I knew now that Number Eight on the Wicked Bucket List would be to dance on the Night of the Beltane.
Belenus, in the name of the forest, let me live to worship you one final time.
“I’ve wasted an entire day…?” I panted, struggling to get up.
“Hey, take it easy.” Laurel eased me to sit propped amongst the pillows.
"I'll just take a nap, shall I? I mean, it's not like Belenus expects there to be ce
rtain rituals completed with flowers and blessings and... Okay, now I'm hyperventilating again and I haven't even got to the part where I promised to put on a prom for the entire school. The witches will transform me into a toad, if I take away their chance to let down their witchy hair. Could you love me as a toad?" I grasped Laurel's hand, earnestly.
She squeezed my fingers. "Nope, I'd probably just sell you as a familiar." Then she laughed at my shocked expression. "Trust me, if I can love you lying in my bed worrying about being turned into a toad, then I'd love you if you were a frog, lizard, or even a skvader. You're mine."
"Thanks for that." I smiled but struggled to swing my legs out of the bed. "But also, I'd rather remain a fae. On my wings, I owe this to every student."
Laurel's tail whipped out, pinning me to the bed. Then she straddled me, grinding her naked ass against my prick, which hardened further.
"And what do they owe you?" When Laurel slid her hands down the sensitive edges of my wings, I trembled. "Don't you get it? You're bonded now. I've been caring for you inside, and out there, your bonded mates have been working those rituals to prepare for the Beltane. The duties aren't yours alone anymore. Tonight's going to be the most special of our life because it’s our official bonding." Then she squirmed against me. “Hmm, is that your scimitar I can feel or are you just pleased to see me?”
I spluttered with laughter, adjusting my sword safely away from her. "I love you," I murmured. "I love all of my bonded."
"We know." Laurel's lips curled into a smile. "Honestly, the entire House of Fae didn't even need to be asked to help because they're so excited and grateful. Then Radley press-ganged the rest of the school with the aid of a Dance Committee. Guess the name of the dick who volunteered to lead it?"
"Well, in this school that doesn't narrow it down."
Laurel chuckled. "Oscar, the pure blood. I thought he hated you?"
I remembered the way that Oscar had looked in the Dean's office with his shaved head, and how he'd expected nothing but humiliation. Then his surprise, when I'd helped him, instead.
Perhaps, the other students did have a chance to save themselves.
"People can change," I said. "Plus, I've come to see that sometimes we don't know people at all."
Rebel: House of Fae: A Dark Fae Paranormal Romance Page 22
