“That was crazy. How are you all so powerful?” I ask. I’m a little jealous they are so strong and could definitely take me out if they needed to.
“We’re basically bastard children of the high fae,” Flame says. He sounds a little bitter about it.
“Speak for yourself,” Glamour says, “my daddy loved me. He gave me most of my power.”
“Glamour was the lucky one out of the four of us,” Trick explains. “She was raised by her true father’s sister and passed off as her child. He showered her with everything possible because he could just say he was taking care of his niece. When the magic test for halflings came, everyone was shocked she was half-human.
“My aunt and uncle said they adopted me and they didn’t know.” She looks down at the floor. “They didn’t even try to stop them from taking me.”
“I am so sorry you all were banished here. Do you live nearby?” I want to know what they’ve been doing while they were here, and how they knew to come and find me.
“We have a little village we’ll take you to. We don’t have a portal, but Glamour can go with a crowd as long as she’s traveling in the same realm. She wouldn’t be able to take us all to Fae with her, but she might be able to find a way to reopen a portal.”
I nod. “Will we be safe from goblins there?”
“Oh, that reminds me,” Glamour says. “Come here.”
I walk up to her, not sure what to expect. She holds both hands out in front of her. They glow with a soft blue light and my chest starts to tingle. I watch in awe as the black marks on my chest are pulled out. They hover in black beads of liquid in front of my face. The blood I’d gotten on my gold dress when the goblin stabbed me does the same. The red blood hovers in between the black marks and then my dress stitches back together.
Glamour’s eyes are closed and she pulls her hands slowly back towards her causing all the beads in the air to swirl together and disappear.
“Now we should be,” she says smiling at me. I feel all warm and fuzzy all over.
“Alright,” Trick says, “everyone get close. Glamour is going to take us to the grove.”
We all get close together, holding onto each other, and Glamour closes her eyes again. This time when the blue glowing light comes from her it covers all of us. Suddenly we aren’t standing in the woods anymore we’re standing on a walkway outside of a huge log cabin.
“This is the grove?” I ask looking around.
“Yes, we are about ten hours’ drive away from Red Wing. Being able to teleport has its benefits,” Trick says. “Welcome to Halfling Grove. We didn’t get too creative with the name. All the houses in here are ours, and the whole grove is magically protected. This is a sacred place. You will be able to recharge here, and then we’ll figure out a way to get back to Fae.”
“We don’t want to go back to Fae,” I say shaking my head. “We just want to go back to the desert.”
“Well then maybe we will be able to find a way to both, my Queen,” Trick says giving me a slight bow.
“Would the two of you prefer to stay together, or do you want your own room each?” Flame asks.
“We will be staying together. I’m supposed to protect her, and I intend to stay stuck to her side,” Ky says. The look he gives me is firm and full of heat.
I just nod. “Yes, we will stay together. Please show us to our quarters.”
“Great,” Flame says and we follow him down a small side street. There’s a little cabin a lot like the first one but half its size. It has blue shutters and a matching rocking chair on the porch.
“Oh my, Ky,” I squeal, “look at how cute it is! This is adorable. Flame, thank you.” I pull my guardian forward eager to get in and look around.
“I’m going to take a bath, I tell him, and rush to the bathroom. Sure enough there’s a small tub. I fill it with water and sink down into the hot water, sighing. I’ve been feeling dirty in the desert for sure. I don’t think I remember the last time I was able to bathe. After the initial bath I drain all the water, letting sand, dirt, and blood go down. This time when I refill it, I add soap and let the bubbles build up around me.
By the time I get out of the second wash I feel rejuvenated. I air dry for a while and start to smell something delicious coming in under the door. Ky must have gotten food. I get dressed putting back on my gold dress but no longer needing the fur coat. Wherever we are, it’s much warmer.
I rush out of the room to the familiar scent of fairy food.
“They have food from Fae, my Queen,” Ky says. A smile spreads across his face as he cooks over the stove. It looks like he’s making something with oats and lamb. The spices laid out on the cabinet are familiar. The halflings sure are stocked. I’m beyond excited to taste something from home.
In the desert we eat cactus salad, rabbits, and the occasional larger game when Ky gets it. Human food seems so heavy to me. This is what I need.
“We have to smuggle some of this back to the desert,” I tell Ky around a mouth full of lamb pasta. It’s so delicious I forget for a minute that my half-sister wants me dead and sent foul goblins to kill me.
“We might try to take some of this for sure,” he says grinning at me. “I’m glad you like my cooking.”
We still haven’t talked about that kiss. I wonder if I should bring it up while we are having a meal at an actual table. I almost feel like I should pinch myself to make sure this is really happening.
“I’m going to go take a shower, Highness. Please eat your fill, and I will put everything away once you are done.”
He leaves and I think really hard about not having another helping for the sake of saving it for tomorrow, but that thought turns to mush after I take another bite. I am scraping the bottom of the bowl when he returns. He chuckles and I help him clean up the kitchen.
“Come on, I’m tired. Let’s go see what the beds look like,” I tell him and head down the hallway to the bedroom on the left. He follows behind me and I turn to look at him, confused.
“What are you doing?”
“This is the only bed in the cabin, Highness,” he says smirking at me. I instantly feel my heart rate speed up.
“So, what you’re saying is you’re going to be in here with me?” I say not liking how my voice catches.
“Yes, but I plan to sleep on the floor.”
Chapter Seven
“You know that’s insane right?” I ask watching as he goes to the other side of the room and sits down on the floor. He puts his arms behind his head and the muscles in his arm flex. I swallow and try to get my wits about me.
“What is, my Queen?” he asks, looking up at me.
“We’ve slept next to each other in the park and in the desert. How is this any different?”
“I don’t know, Sen,” he says rubbing the back of his neck. “It just feels more intimate – the bed you know. I don’t want you to think I’m trying anything.”
“Did you want me to think you were trying anything when you kissed me in the human dungeon?” I bring it up suddenly and figure now is as good a time as any.
“You kissed me,” he says standing from the floor and walking over to me.
“I would not do such a thing,” I say standing to meet him. “I’m royalty.”
“Royalty or not, you couldn’t wait to get your eager little tongue down my throat.” His arms have found their way around my waist.
“That was so your move, big guy. You were scared and you wanted to seek comfort in my arms.” My arms have found their way around his neck.
“Admit it, you couldn’t wait to kiss me.” He brings his face so close to mine I can feel his breath fan my face.
“Never.” My breath catches as his lips cover mine. He pushes against me and I find myself on my back. At least he angled me to the bed. I wrap my legs around him and reach between us to undo his pants. They are really difficult to unbutton for some reason. I put my hand over his package finding him hard for me. Warmth pools in my belly at the thought of be
ing with my Guardian for the first time. I didn’t know this was going to happen, but I’m so glad it is.
His hand moves to my breast while he keeps his lips firmly on mine teasing my tongue and nibbling my bottom lip. I can’t help but moan loudly as he squeezes my breast.
The door to our room flies open.
All the halflings are there. Freeze’s hair is flying around her head more than before. Flame has fire just on the tips of his hair.
“What is going on in here?” Trick looks at me like I have just kicked his favorite pet. “You are disrupting the barrier.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I don’t understand what’s going on and why I have four cock-blockers in my room right now.
“The Grove seems to be reacting to you two and your …” Flame’s voice trails off as he looks between Ky and I.
“I had no idea that sacred meant celibate,” I say, knowing that most things that are sacred just mean they are old. At least that’s what I thought anyway.
“We hadn’t really thought of it before as it hasn’t been an issue.” Glamour says. She sounds really angry with us. “Though you maybe could have had the respect to ask before doing something that could trigger your magic.”
“Asked if I could have sex?” I say. “That’s a little forward.”
“So is doing it when you’re a guest in the house,” Freeze says.
“We just won’t do it,” I say with a lot of regret.
“You don’t understand. Your sexual energy is already disrupting the magic. You have to leave, or we will all be unprotected,” Trick says, and then like he remembers who he’s talking to, he lowers his voice. “I am sorry my Queen, we didn’t know, but now you must leave the grove until it is safe for you to return.”
“All this because we were trying to get some after a long day?” I ask. I can’t believe this is happening. Maybe I should have asked if this would be a problem, but I never would have imagined this was a thing.
“Yes,” Glamour says stepping into the room. She’s changed into a purple robe and braided her gorgeous hair in one long braid. She looks sleepy but still breathtaking. “Come with me. You have human money, right?”
Ky nods. “A little.”
Before we can say anything, she’s blinked us right out of the grove and in front of another hotel. It’s just like the one we saw in Red Wing, but this one is called the Lazy River Inn.
“Go in and rent a room. Get this out of your system.” She waves a hand at us. “You have to be back in two hours though. Not a minute later.”
“Why?” I ask feeling a sense of doom.
“Because that’s when the grove locks down. You won’t be able to reenter until morning, and you’ll be sitting ducks for the goblins. Here’s an amulet that will bring you back. I soaked it with my magic. You can only use it once,” she says. “Have fun, you two.”
For someone who was angry at me, that last comment was kind of cheeky. We walk in and find this front desk lady to be way nicer than the last one we encountered. I tell her so and she smiles at me. Might as well make someone else’s night. Where the hell did that come from? I’m not a nice fae. When do I care about making a human’s night better?
Maybe it’s all the sex magic we’d disturbed the grove with.
We walk to the elevator side by side. Ky has our key in his hand. “That was kind of a mood killer,” he says.
“I agree. Maybe when we get upstairs it will be different.” I don’t know how I’m feeling at the moment. I had been ready to go, but now after the lecture and being transported somewhere else, I found myself distracted.
The room is what I imagine a normal human hotel room looks like. There’s a bed and a little locked cabinet. The sign on it says there are nuts and airplane bottles inside. I know what nuts are, so I am assuming it’s more food.
“Ky, open that cabinet,” I say. “I think there’s food in there.”
Ky opens the little door with some force and pulls out the tiniest bag of peanuts ever. I take them from him and watch as he pulls out a tiny bottle of clear liquid. He opens it and drinks it.
“Ugh, this is gross. What a terrible tasting alcohol!
“Oh, yes, we definitely need alcohol,” I say remembering what we’re supposed to be doing here.
After my second tiny bottle I realize it doesn’t matter. There isn’t enough alcohol to make me any more relaxed.
“So, I know we just sort of fell together because of the banishment and because we were in danger, but I’m kind of glad you want me.” I sit on the bed and stare at the plain white wall behind Ky’s head. When had we reached such an awkward point in our relationship?
“That’s not true,” he says. “Sen this is not just because of the banishment, or because we’ve been thrown together and are in constant danger.
“It’s not?” I say sitting up a little straighter on the bed. He pulls me up so I’m standing in front of him.
“I’ve wanted this for so long, my Queen,” he says as his lips brush up the side of my face. I inhale sharply, breathing in his scent. He smells all man, like he’s been running through the woods chopping down trees and killing things with his bare hands. It causes my stomach to tighten a bit.
“You have?” I have to admit I knew there was an attraction but I didn’t know he actively wanted me. Since the kiss at the jail it had become a bit clearer, but it was a heated moment for both of us.
“Of course, it was never possible in Fae, when you were so much higher than I. I didn’t know when they said you’d died what I was going to do with myself. Then, by chance, Gia came to me.”
His mouth is still moving over my skin. Now he’s kissing the side of my neck and my brain is going fuzzy. I feel warmth between my legs and press myself against him. I want this. I want him more than anything. We are in constant danger in a strange land nestled within an unprotected human hotel room, and all I can think of is getting him inside of me. Now.
I grab the back of his neck and pull him to me pressing my lips against his. He doesn’t stop me as I push my tongue through, and battle for possession of his mouth.
My whole body warms and our individual magic seems to come together creating a delicious buzz within me. I want more. I need more.
“Please, Ky,” I say pulling away from his mouth.
“Oh no, my Queen. I’ve wanted this far too long to rush it,” he says, and a coy smile appears on his face.
“You seemed in a hurry earlier,” I say, breathless.
“I planned to lay you down and take my time, trust me.”
He lifts me by the waist and lays me down on the bed. Taking my dress in his hands he pulls it up so my underwear is exposed and then runs a hand from my thigh to my calf before removing my sandals. The touch is so electric I shiver and bite my lip. He’s going to kill me with this slow torture.
After my sandals are off he kisses the top of my foot and all the way up to my thigh before moving to the other leg. I groan at his slow pace and wiggle on the bed. I want him to get to the good stuff, but he puts a hand on my stomach stopping me from moving.
He traces his fingers over the top of my panties and then down both sides. It takes everything in me not to press my hips up towards him. I lie there panting and waiting. He pushes my dress up a little more and kisses my stomach. This time my hips move up on their own.
He chuckles, the ass.
The laugh vibrates over my stomach and sends a little jolt to my core. He leans back and looks down at me. There’s a lot of lust in his eyes and I think maybe I can convince him to speed things up. I pull my legs out from under him and stand up.
“You still follow my orders don’t you, Guardian?” I say with my authoritative voice.
“I do, Your Highness,” he says. I can tell he’s unsure of what I’m about to do.
“Good. Lie down,” I say, and smile.
He does as he is told like a good little Guardian, and I pull the dress over my head. The only thing I’d worn under it was the underwear, s
o I stand before him naked from the waist up with my hair covering my breasts. I’m going for ethereal. Hopefully that’s coming across.
I hear him suck in a breath, and that’s the reaction I was looking for. Moving towards him I climb on the bed between his legs and undo his pants, pulling them down. He’s wearing a pair of tight boxers but I can see he’s excited. I lick my lips at the sight of him, large and hard for me. The warmth spreading through me grows hotter.
I move over him and press my sex against his before bringing my lips to his. He raises his hips grinding into me and I feel him get harder as I become wet with need. I push my tongue into his mouth and move myself up and down on his erection. It eases a little of the ache, but once again I can’t wait for him to be inside of me.
Moving back, I pull the boxers down and free his length. It springs up ready for me, and I instantly take him in my hand stroking up and down, getting a feel for him. He is smooth and the look in his eye alone is a turn on, but then he moans.
The sound of his pleasure at my hand has me shaking with desire. I stand from the bed and take my panties down, feeling the cool air hit my heated flesh. I move back up and straddle his thighs not quite ready to take it all just yet.
I bend down to kiss him and rub my naked heat against his hardness. I can’t stop the moan that escapes my mouth. I’ve teased him and me enough. I move over him lifting myself and grabbing his cock so I can line it up with my entrance. I guide him just inside and we both suck in a breath. This is perfect. The little sparks of magic that had moved between us when we kissed spark to life and ignite.
I slide slowly down until he fills me completely and settle in on him remaining completely still. We look at each other and he brings his hands up to interlace them with mine. Before I start to move, I make a decision.
“Guardian, put your arms up and do not move them until I tell you.”
“Yes, my Queen,” he says a sexy smile on his lips.
His arms flex but he doesn’t move them. I push myself forward and back rocking with him deep inside of me. This feeling is unlike any other. His hardness inside of me and the magic flowing between us, it’s like we’re meant to be. I’ve never felt more connected to another being, and we’re just getting started.
A Broken Seelie Christmas Page 5