SEVENTH SEAL
A Reverse Harem Tale
Lovin' the Coven
Book 7
Jacquelyn Faye
∞ Untold Press ∞
SEVENTH SEAL
A Reverse Harem Tale
Lovin' the Coven, book 7
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2020 by Jacquelyn Faye
Cover Design © 2020
All rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination and or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published by Untold Press LLC
114 NE Estia Lane
Port St Lucie, FL 34983
www.untoldpress.com
PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Porn Hub
Thanks for all your help with "Research" and getting me through "self-Isolation"
Bow chicky wow wow
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter24
Epilogue
Chapter 1
The stone door slid open, the sound of granite on granite echoing slightly in the damp smelling hallway. My heart started pumping faster as the darkened room beyond came slowly into view. The guards parted and ushered me into the dryer, warmer section of the Temple of Night. The only piece of furniture visible was an ancient table of black wood covered in scrolls and tomes. Seated on the other side of said table was Delron, poring over an open scroll and jotting notes down on a separate sheet of vellum.
"Lord Delron, she has come."
He looked up and his eyes met mine as a small smile splayed across his face. "Lady Dorothea, welcome." He stood and walked around the table, his feet shuffling beneath a hooded, heavy black robe, pausing in confusion as Yuki stepped between us and handed me a five-dollar bill over her shoulder.
"You win."
Delron stopped and blinked in confusion.
"Don't mind her." I laughed and took the money, stuffing it in the front pocket of my jeans and walking the rest of the way to greet the dark elf. "She was convinced this was a trap."
Delron chuckled and knelt before me, kowtowing in respect. When he stood, he rushed forward, closing the final distance between us, pulling something from his robe and stopping when my vampire familiar had him in an armlock, shaking it until the loose sleeve flopped down enough to expose the glowing red jewel he held in his hand. He stared at her in shock. "I mean her no harm," he said innocently.
Yuki turned her head to me, resigning herself to my judgement.
"Let him go, Yuke."
She did and stepped aside, but not before Delron rubbed his wrist and shot me an apologetic look. "You have to know, my lady, I would never intentionally harm you?"
"No. I've become jaded as of late. It seems that everybody wants to harm me."
Sadly, he nodded. "Well, from the unseleighe court you have nothing to fear. You are our goddess."
"I'm no goddess, I just want to give you back yours. God, not goddess. You know what I mean."
He nodded. "Sit, please."
"What is it you were trying to give me?" I nodded at the jewel in his hand.
"A token of thanks for resurrecting our lands and bringing back the night." He smiled and offered me the jewel.
"It's just a jewel, right? It didn't go so well the last time I touched one of these." My fingers hovered over the surface, waiting for an answer.
"It is whatever you make of it. We gifted one to your father millennia ago. He chose it to be the receptacle of his power when the higher planes called for his imprisonment."
I nodded and took it from him, holding it up in front of me. Letting my magic flow through it, I saw he wasn't lying. It held nothing, but I could feed whatever I wanted into it. Memories, magic, or power. I tucked it into the other pocket of my jeans.
"Sit, please," he motioned toward the two empty seats on the closest side of the table and went back to his. He stood until I parked my butt.
"That was a neat trick with the unicorn," I said drolly and crossed my legs in front of me.
He beamed proudly. "It was the only way to get him to you. I hope Lord Jaeren wasn't too distraught that his Yule gift was actually from us?"
Yuki snorted.
I smiled in appreciation of the entire situation. Jaeren had been so proud, but when the unicorn introduced himself to me, he shimmered and morphed into a stallion of the purest shimmering black, eyes of red, and two horns of matte ebony. He wasn't technically a unicorn, but a cousin of sorts. A bicorn of unseleighe stock. The seleighe king sputtered and began a tirade of elvish curses that lasted until Dar and Shea dragged him inside the house and got him calmed down with a glass of wine and a box of crayons.
Yuki had been convinced the entire thing was a trap and had even bet me we were going to be met with swords.
Delron sat back in his seat, clasped his hands, and positively beamed at me.
"You said you found a way for me to get to Tartarus?"
He nodded and smiled before motioning toward the guards by the door. The same grinding noise told me they left and when their footsteps returned, Elleslyn of Willowmere was between them.
"Ellis?"
"Greetings, my lady." He gave me the same reverent display as Delron and practically prostrated himself on the ground behind me.
"Rise, Lord Elleslyn. Join us." Delron waved his fingers and one of the guards grabbed a chair from somewhere and set it next to mine.
I was a little surprised when only Delron sat on the opposite side of the table, but I shrugged in resignation. I would have sat on Ellis' lap if it got me some answers. "You were saying?"
Delron lifted his hands and put them under his chin, smiling at me and nodding toward Ellis.
I turned toward him. "You can get me to Tartarus?"
He shrugged and looked at Delron for an explanation, just as in the dark as I was. I didn't let go of him with my eyes. He was even more handsome when he thought I wasn't looking at him. I probably stared a little too long. It wasn't until Yuki pinched me that I turned back to Delron who was practically grinning at me.
"How is Ellis supposed to get me to Tartarus?"
"The same way your father made his way there."
"My father was dragged kicking and screaming by a horde of pompous angels. I fail to see how Ellis can accomplish that?"
His grin broadened a little.
I stared at him blankly until realization reared its ugly little head. "You want me to have a baby?"
"Aww, hell no. Come on, Master." Yuki stood and started tugging my arm from the rest on my chair.
"That was your whole plan? Get me pregnant and piss off the higher planes enough that they tossed my
ass into Tartarus?"
"Can you think of a simpler solution?"
"There's gotta be a bus or something. Taxi? Charon? Anything but producing an offspring? Plus, what makes you think it would even work? I'm not a god, I'm just a Dot."
He scoffed. "Your father used his jewel to pass his mantle onto you. You give birth, put his godhead back into the gem, and pass it back to him upon your arrival. Do you not see the beauty of this plan?"
"I don't want to have a child! Not now, probably not ever! And if I do, it's going to be with a mate of my choosing, not yours!" I glanced over at a very meek looking Ellis. "No offence."
"None taken, Lady." He scowled at Delron, too. "This is what you discussed with mother?"
Delron nodded, not sorry in the least.
"Your mother was in on this, too? Why am I not shocked by this revelation?" I scoffed.
"I am truly sorry. Had I known, I never would have agreed."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Agreed to what?"
"Becoming your Aiqua."
"Her what?" Yuki pulled me and my chair away from Ellis.
"Aiqua. I do not know the word in the common tongue?" He looked at Delron for a translation.
"The closest word you would have in the mortal realm would be…everything?"
"You want to be my everything?" I blinked at the absurdity.
Ellis looked thoughtful and said something to Delron in elvish.
Delron looked at me and nodded. "Everything or anything. It is a position of honor among us. He would be whatever you need. Friend, guard, servant. Confidant, counsel, kin. Lover… Or perhaps even husband. His role is determined by your need."
"Pardon?"
"I devoted my life to you, Lady. In whatever capacity you would have me." He lifted himself from his seat and prostrated himself on the floor beside me.
Yuki lost it and started giggling.
Delron beamed.
I wanted to run. "Ellis, stand up. Delron, you're insane. Yuki, let's go." I stood up and walked between her chair and mine, not wanting to step on Ellis in my haste to retreat.
The guards didn't know what to do as I practically ran for the exit. They kept waiting for Delron to say something. "Lady Dorothea," he called softly.
I slowed but didn't stop. "What?"
"Think about it. You know my plan is the only way."
"Bullshit. It's the only way you can think of. I'll find a way to free my father, with or without your help."
"By your leave, my lord," Ellis said to Delron with a small bow as he hurried toward Yuki and me. When we were out of the room, I stopped and turned toward him.
"Go home, Ellis."
He sighed and shook his head. "I cannot. Upon my oath I am now bound to you heart and soul."
"But I don't want you."
It was one of those moments when I realized I said something hurtful and stupid as soon as the words flew out of my mouth unfiltered. His face fell and turned to shock as the tears flowed from his eyes. "If that is your wish."
"I want you to go home, find a nice spidery princess, get married and have lots of dark elf spider thingies." I shuddered at the thought.
"Had I known before I made the pledge, I would have been happy with that. But, alas, that is not what the stars have written for me now."
"Whatchu talkin bout, Ellis?" I squinted in confusion.
"An Aiqua without a Varni has no purpose. My life is forfeit."
"Say that again? Slowly."
"If you will not have me, I have no purpose. I shall go. I am sorry for the subterfuge on part of my mother. Lord Delron is his own creature and I make no apologies for him. As for me, I am sorry to have troubled you, Lady. I shall take my leave." He turned and headed back toward Delron's study.
"Master?" Yuki hissed.
"Don't look at me. I didn't fucking know." I turned and looked at the broad shoulders slumped in defeat as he trudged away. "Ellis, come on. We'll figure it out. Later. Away from here."
He stopped walking but didn't turn back toward us. "You will have me?"
"Just come on. Let's go. This place gives me the willies."
He nodded and turned back toward us. His expression unchanging. "There is no later, Lady. Either you will have me or not. Do you accept my oath?"
"We'll discuss it back at my house."
"Lady…"
"Master." Yuki actually sounded worried.
"What?" I glanced down at her.
"Say yes. Or he's going to off himself."
"What? How do you know?"
"Because I can feel it coming off of him. He's already resigned himself to his fate. It's like a vampire swearing fealty to a lord. Fuck, it's like being a familiar. If the master doesn't want you, you die. Say yes!"
I looked up at Ellis who seemed a little shocked to have an ally in my court. Shocked but hopeful. He tore his eyes from Yuki and slowly lifted them up until his met mine.
You already have a Jaeren. He's in the same boat as Ellesyn. What's one more? Yuki's pleading argument in my head was worse than her words.
I found myself nodding at Ellis. "Fine. I accept your oath. Now can we go home?"
"Yes, my Varni." He practically skipped in excitement to me and got down on one knee, bowing his head.
"Oh, get the fuck up. Come on. I need a drink."
Turning, I strode back the way we came and didn't stop until we exited the temple and found Delanir milling about the entrance majestically, as only a unicorn could. Even an evil one.
You seem distraught. His mindspeech made me wince. Out of all of the ones who could talk to me in my head, he was by far the loudest. Kind of like a deaf uncle who spoke at thirty-times the normal volume because he spent too much time around exploding ordinance in the military. Only it wasn't because Delanir wasn't deaf, it was because he was a friggin' unicorn. It was like asking a dragon to whisper.
I am distraught. Could you take us home, please?
As you wish, Master. Though, I do not think I can carry three.
Take them, then. I can find my own way home.
Through the shadows?
I nodded. I might as well. Please take them home. I think I need a drink.
And when the vampire has a fit of shits when she realizes you will be alone as you drown your sorrows, what excuse should I give her?
None. Just stop her from looking for me. Not kidding, I need some me time here. And it's a shit fit, not a fit of shits. That's what happens when you get bad tacos.
He bowed his head.
"Get on Delanir. I'll shadow walk home."
"Yes, Master," Yuki answered and gingerly stepped on the bicorn's offered foreleg, settling herself neatly behind his neck and gently running her fingers through his silky mane.
"Be careful, my lady," Ellis answered and deftly hopped up behind her.
"What does he mean be careful?" Yuki shifted, intent on getting off the bicorn just as he slashed a portal home through the air with his horns and stepped through.
Maste–
Her mindspeech was cutoff as the portal closed behind them.
I lifted my hand to take myself back to Cedar Falls, but I knew if I did, I'd just end up sulking at the diner. I needed something way stronger than that, and I knew just where to find it. Which worked out perfectly with my mother still in Cedar falls. The chances of running into her were nil. Maybe not nil, but certainly greatly reduced.
Calling the shadows to my hand, I pulled myself into the shadow realm and stepped out into the alley between the Daystrum Cleaners and Tir Na Nog, the biggest Irish pub in Ashville. I had puked so many times in that alley in my youth, I knew it by heart. And smell. It brought back so many happy memories, I found myself smiling from nostalgia as I walked around the corner and pulled open the heavy oak door with the brass handle.
The smell of corned beef was the first thing that assaulted your nose as you walked in, then the smell of beer and polished wood warmed your heart. Waving at the hostess, I pointed at the bar. You needed to wai
t to be seated for booths and tables, but not the glorious, majestic oak bar with the hammered copper top.
"Dorothea?" The burly bartender stared in shock as I ambled up to his domain.
"Heyla, Mr. Connors." I smiled at his mustache, still wondering after all the years I had been going to the pub, how he managed to eat or drink anything without swallowing a half a pound of hair. He had just started growing it the first night he had taken over as bartender from his father. That had been twenty years ago. Now, it dangled long enough to brush his shirt. It was no wonder he was so fond of it. It was the only hair gracing his head.
"Still as beautiful as ever."
I grinned at him.
"Usual?"
"Yes, please. And make it a double."
"Rough day?"
"Rough couple of months. Rough, but good."
"Good. How's your mother?" He whispered the question.
"Fine? Why?"
He set my whiskey sour in front of me and frowned. "Well, it's not every day the High Priestess steps down without someone in mind to take over. Everyone thought it was going to be you, but you hightailed it out of town first."
"Excuse me?" I gripped my glass and stared at him in shock. Mr. Connors wasn't a witch, but his wife was. He was as human as they came, but between his wife and the number of drunk witches that got blabby-mouthed after a few dozen beers, he was almost as bad as Marge in the gossip department.
He stood up straight, realizing I didn't have a clue. "She didn't tell you." He wasn't asking, he knew.
"Tell me, what?"
"That your mother is an asshole." A drink slopped down on the shiny metal bar beside me, and a very drunk Nestor Flume slopped down in the seat next to me. Mr. Connors started wiping down the bar, quickly polishing his way away from the conversation.
"Nestor? What the hell is going on?"
"You tell me. The coven would fucking looove to know." He clinked his glass of straight whiskey against mine and poured the rest of it down his throat before leaning against the bar and holding his head up with his hand.
Seventh Seal: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 7) Page 1