by Dyan Chick
Ethan closed the door behind us and walked over to where I was standing in the center of the large suite. Lainey was right, I had my doubts that a basement room would impress, but this was a room fit for royalty. And I knew because I'd spent the last several days staying with four princes. A roaring fire burned in the corner, a large rug spread in front of it. Two couches faced each other on either side of the rug with little end tables on each end. A high four-poster bed was on the wall opposite the fireplace and unlike Lainey's room, there was plenty of extra space to walk around or fit extra people.
Ethan waited quietly nearby, his hands clasped in front of him. Being the gentleman that he was, he seemed to be waiting for me to decide if I wanted to acknowledge what I'd said. I considered ignoring the words, but I knew they were out there. "Ethan, I..."
He moved closer to me, his expression sympathetic, but he didn't touch me.
Swallowing hard, I looked down at my feet, then back up at him. "Ethan, I think I might be falling for you. But..."
He waited patiently, silently urging me to continue.
"It's not just you," I finished.
"I know," he said, closing the gap between us.
He was close enough now that if I leaned in just a little, I'd be touching him. My body responded to his closeness, my thighs aching to wrap themselves around him. I needed him the way I needed to breathe.
As if he could feel my yearning, he slid his fingers through my hair, stopping when his large hand was cradling the back of my head. When I didn't resist, he gently urged me closer. I moved with him, my lips felt like they were swelling in anticipation of the kiss.
When he pressed his lips to mine, I felt a wave of calm rush though me as the heat rose between my thighs. I'd lost my undergarments after I'd left the scene of the attack and now wetness began to slide down my thigh as Ethan wrapped his other arm around me, pulling my body against his. I could feel the bulge of his erection pressing into my thigh, making my breathing even more shallow than it already was. I wanted him. I needed him.
He kissed me hungrily, more forcefully than he had last time we were together. It was as if he needed me just as much as I needed him. His hands dropped to my hips and I felt him bunching up my dress as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. My tongue met his in a playful flicker before I bit down on his lower lip. He moaned into my mouth then broke away from the kiss.
With a growl, Ethan lifted the dress over my head. Then, he pulled his tunic off and stripped his trousers off faster than I thought possible. I stared at him for a moment, my breathing heavy as I drank in every inch of his bare skin. His sculpted chest moved up and down as he breathed, but I dropped my eyes lower, not lingering there. Past his rippling stomach, past the cut V of his hips, down to where his erection was already alert and ready for me.
My skin felt like it was on fire. I wanted to jump on him, throw him on the bed, keep him pinned down until I made him groan in ecstasy. But something told me that wasn't the way he wanted to bed me. I waited to see what Ethan had in mind. He wasn't as intense as Dane. He was gentle and sweet our first time- my first time.
Ethan moved toward me slowly. Each step he took seemed to make my heart beat faster in anticipation. Finally, he was directly in front of me again and I leaned in to him, eager to feel his touch.
He dragged his fingertips up my arm, sending a trail of goosebumps in their wake. His touch made my legs tremble. When his fingers reached my neck, he slid his hand around the back of my head and guided me to him. My breasts pressed into his chest, his erection pressed into my thigh. I thought he was going to kiss me again, but he turned my head and instead of placing his lips on mine, he gently traced his tongue along my ear. I shivered, letting out a moan.
With a playful smile on his lips, he pulled away from me then took my hand in his. Silently, he led me to the bed. Like the gentleman he was, he pulled the covers down for us and guided me down into the center of the soft bed.
He was on top of me now, staring into my eyes with a hungry expression that would have looked at home on a wild animal. He grinned, showing his sharp canines. "What is it about you, Cassia?"
I reached for his face and stroked his cheek. "What is it about you?"
He buried his face in my neck, kissing and sucking on the sensitive skin. I moaned again, surprised by how much his touch sent waves of pleasure through me. I wasn't going to be able to hold off much longer. The wetness between my thighs grew with each nip of his teeth against my skin. The whole lower part of my body ached for relief. "Please," I whispered.
Ethan didn't hesitate. Knowing exactly what I wanted, he slid inside me in one fluid stroke. We both gasped in unison, satisfied relief coupled with pure bliss as he thrust inside me.
He pulled me closer, our bodies working together in a perfect rhythm. Ethan's movements were tender, his touches gentle. And with each passing second, I felt my attachment to him grow. How could I doubt my feelings for him? We had a connection I couldn't deny.
Ethan pressed his lips to mine and wrapped his arms around me, rolling me on top of him. When he was on his back, he broke free of the kiss. I sat above him, looking down at his beautiful face. "I think I'm in love with you."
He took my hands, our fingers interlaced together. "I love you, too."
Chapter Thirteen
As I laid in Ethan's arms listening to his breathing, I let my mind replay the events of the evening. Someone had broken into the room I was alone in. While I had no proof the assassin was there for me, it sure seemed like too much of a coincidence to not be connected to me. Then, there was the Orc going crazy and threatening Lainey. I never did ask her what it was she refused to do. I wondered what a courtesan would say no to when it came to an Orc client. I liked Lainey, though, and it seemed inappropriate to ask. Not that it mattered anymore anyway, the Orc was dead. At Ethan's hands. Which was something I never expected to see.
I looked over at the sleeping Spring Prince. He looked so peaceful while he slept. Like a work of art; perfectly sculpted and proportioned. I tried to settle into his arms while telling myself that I shouldn't worry about things I couldn't control. But that wasn't possible. I needed to know what was happening.
Quietly, I lifted Ethan's arm from my waist and shimmied off the bed to avoid disturbing him. On the floor, I found the borrowed blue dress and pulled it over my head. I was sure my blonde curls were a mess, but there wasn't much I could do about that right then. So I tied them in a knot in the back of my head as best I could. Then, I tiptoed to the door and glanced back at Ethan. His breathing was still steady and even. Holding my breath, I turned the doorknob, hoping it wouldn't make too much noise. The door was well oiled and opened without a sound. I wondered if that was typical maintenance in a brothel. Having discretion was probably a major selling point.
I crept down the stone hall, the cold floor seeping into my bare feet. Wishing I had thought to grab my boots before I left the upper room where I'd stripped for the bath, I wiggled my toes to keep the blood flowing and contained. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going or what I was looking for. All I knew was that something didn't feel right. I wanted answers. Especially about the Fae female who climbed into a brothel.
At first, I thought I had to be the target, but the more I thought about it, the more I started to wonder if her knife had been meant for a visiting dignitary. Who usually used the room they'd placed me in? Was it empty and that's why it was chosen? Or was there a specific person she was targeting. If that was the case, was it meant to be me or someone else? If it was me, how did she know I was there?
Voices sounded from behind one of the closed doors in the dark hallway. Each of the doors had a celestial symbol on them and from what I could tell, the sound was coming from the room with a full moon on the door.
I crept toward the door and pressed my ear against the painted wood. Two male voices carried through the door. They were muffled and difficult to make out. None of the words were clear but after a minute or two of listening,
I was almost sure it was Cormac and Tristan. Why were the two of them in the room together? Was Dane in there with them?
Something slammed on the other side of the door and one of the voices raised to a yell. Whatever the wood was made out of, it prevented me from hearing the details, but I could tell there was an argument going on. My heart raced and I wondered if I should intervene. From what I'd seen of the two of them, they should never be alone together. They could very nearly kill one another. Another slam. Another round of yelling.
Silencing the little voice in my head that told me it was a bad idea, I turned the handle and opened the door.
Inside the room, there were two Fae males staring at me that I didn't recognize. I was so sure it was Tristan and Cormac's voices I'd heard. How had I been so wrong? "Sorry," I mumbled, tugging the door closed behind me.
One of the males crossed the room in a heartbeat and set his hand on top of mine. "Please, stay a while. We were just discussing you."
The hair on the back of my neck stood and I knew I was in danger. This had been a very bad idea. Why hadn't I listened to the little voice? My jaw tensed as I realized it was that hunter intuition I'd laughed about. I should have listened better to Cormac. "No, thank you. I must be going. I'm expected."
"No you're not," the second Fae said. "They're all asleep. It's just us. Come on in for chat."
I pulled my hand away and turned to run, but someone grabbed hold of my arm and yanked me into the room. I heard the door slam behind me as one of the males pushed me into a chair.
He was tall and scruffy looking. With wild brown hair and bushy eyebrows. I wouldn't have even guessed he was Fae if not for the pointed ears. He was stockier in his build than the princes, shorter, and thicker, but he looked strong. "We need to know everything you have planned for Queen's Trial. You leave anything out, we'll kill you."
I sat on the chair, grabbing the edges of the seat, trying to figure out what was happening. Despite the haggard appearance of the one Fae, both males wore expensive looking clothing. I was grateful they were wearing clothing at all after the Orc situation. "Who are you?"
One of the males slapped me across the face. I gasped and pressed my open palm against the stinging on my cheek.
"Answer the question," he growled.
I narrowed my eyes at my assailant. He was tall, with long dark hair and nearly black eyes. His nose was crooked, as if it had been broken and healed incorrectly. I wanted to memorize his face because I knew my princes would ask me for every detail. "I can't answer your question."
He lifted his hand and I flinched. He held it above me. "Answer."
"I don't have any plans for Queen’s Trial so you can hit me all you want, but you're not going to get any answers from me."
The dark haired male hesitated, as if unsure of how to respond to me. Then, just when I thought I might have reasoned with him, he slapped me again.
This time, I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth and I reached up to check on the wound. Sure enough, when I pulled my hand away from my lips, crimson blood coated my fingertips. "You're going to regret that."
"Your escorts aren't here to save you now," the scruffy one said.
"I just watched one of those escorts you mention break the neck of an orc with his bare hands." I let the words sink in for a moment. "I can't imagine what they'll do to you when they find out you hurt me."
"We're not trying to hurt you," the dark haired Fae said.
I gently touched my sore cheek in response.
"Look, we know you're going to be a contender at the Trials, we need to know what you are planning," he said.
I narrowed my eyes. "You sent the assassin, didn't you? All of this is about some stupid competition."
"Assassin?" the scruffy one scratched his head.
Just then, the door flew open, sending shards of wood flying. I covered my face and turned away from the flying debris. When I looked back at the doorway, I saw Ethan, Cormac, Dane, and Tristan staring back at me.
I didn't wait for instructions. Seizing my opportunity, I bolted from the chair and ran to the door, dashing between Dane and Tristan until I was standing behind all four of my princes.
"Your Grace," scruffy said, getting on his knees. "We didn't realize she was your champion."
Cormac took a step toward the cowering male. "Dwane. I should have known. How did you even gain entry into the Winter Court?"
Dwane still had his head down. "My mother was Winter, father Autumn."
"So he's yours to punish, Cormac," Tristan said. "Unless you'd like me to assume the responsibility."
"He committed acts of violence against another Fae in your court, Tristan. He's yours if the punishment is severe enough."
I was surprised to hear the venom in Cormac's voice. What were they going to do to these two?
Tristan stepped forward, leaving me standing right behind Dane. I moved closer to him until my shoulder was touching him.
"For attempted murder?" Tristan asked. "The punishment is death."
"We weren't going to murder anyone," Dwane said. "Honest, we just wanted to hear her strategy. Your Grace, our family has been struggling ever since the war and this year, we have our Isla. She has a chance to win the Trials. We wanted to give her every advantage. It's no different than what any other house is doing right now. Even your girl was illegally raised in the human world."
"What was that?" Cormac said.
"I didn't mean any disrespect, Your Grace," Dwane said. "You have every right to hide her in the human realm. It's not my business."
"You certainly made it your business when you trapped her in here," Ethan said, stepping forward to join Cormac and Tristan.
"They didn't send the assassin," Tristan said, turning to Cormac. "They aren't skilled enough to even know that Cassia's not in the Trials."
"She's not?" Dwane said. "But everyone has been saying she's the one to beat."
"Who says this?" Cormac said.
"It's all over the Autumn Court. The fact that you and the other two princes were championing a single entry instead of one per house," Dwane said.
"Now we know why someone tried to kill you," Dane said quietly.
"Guards," Tristan called. "Take them away."
Dane grabbed me and moved me away from the doorway just as four guards walked into the room. They must have been waiting just outside the door for Tristan's orders.
Dwane and his friend were silent, heads hanging in defeat as they were escorted from the room. I had never felt like my life was in danger while I was in the room, but I wasn't sorry to see them go.
"Does this mean I have to worry about monsters and Fae trying to kill me now?" I asked.
"We're not going to let anyone or anything kill you, Cassia," Cormac said. Then he turned to Ethan. "Keep her with you tonight. The rest of us are going to follow up on that lead."
"What lead?" I asked.
"We'll talk about it in the morning," Cormac said.
My shoulders sank. Back to the secrets with Cormac.
He walked out of the room followed by Dane and Tristan. My heart ached as I watched them all leave. Especially since Tristan never even acknowledged me once.
Ethan's warm hand took a hold of mine. "You weren't in the room so I summoned the others."
"Thank you," I said. "Am I ever going to get to know what's going on here?"
"You will," he said. "Give them more time. I don't think they want to tell you until they know the truth."
"Do you know what they found?" I asked, then frowned. It was clear from Ethan's expression he was in the loop. "Of course you do."
Ethan sighed. "Please, Cassia. Just this once, let someone else take care of you for a change."
Chapter Fourteen
There were worse places to be than snuggled in Ethan's arms. Far worse. His warm, firm chest pressed against my side as his arm that was embracing me rose and fell with my breathing. I adjusted, burrowing as close to him as I could. Even though I felt safe with E
than, it was difficult to sleep knowing that there were Fae out there looking for me. Why did they all think I was part of the Queen's Trial nonsense? I had no interest in competing for a title. I didn't like the rules and pretentious nature of the court. I was sure the Fae Court wasn't much different than the human Royal Court. All I wanted was to get some help figuring this magic out and start finding out where I fit in to this place. I wanted a home and the ability to take care of myself. And if I was being honest with myself, I wanted my princes. All of them. Maybe even Tristan.
The problem was I wasn't sure I was good for them. I knew how Ethan felt about me and I knew how I felt about him, but there were people trying to kill me and monsters breaking free of the Under for me. Was I bringing them down with me? What if someone tried to break in again? What if they hurt Ethan instead of me?
Ethan kissed the top of my head and I turned to look at him. In the dim light of the dying fire, I could see his green eyes staring down at me. "You need to rest."
"How can I?" I asked. "I don't want anything to happen to you."
Ethan chuckled softly. "Oh, Cassia." He pulled me tighter. "How do you think I feel about you?"
"It's not you they're after, though," I said. "I'm risking all of you by staying with you."
"Cassia," Ethan said. "How do you think I knew you were in trouble tonight when the Orc threatened you? Or when you went missing from the bed?"
"You told me you could sense where I was," I said.
"It's so much more than that now, Cassia."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I knew you were in danger. I could feel it as if you were calling to me," he said.
My heart pounded against my ribs and my memories spun back to the night at the wedding. When Ethan had told me about how Fae mate. "Are you saying?" I couldn't finish the thought. My chest tightened and I held my breath, afraid to hope that he felt as strongly about me as I did about him. Even if I thought he'd be safer without me, I couldn't imagine being away from him.