“Prove it’s you,” he demanded.
“How?” I asked narrowing my eyes on him.
“Do something that my Synthia would never do,” he growled.
I smiled and dropped to my knees in front of him and his men. I placed my palms to the sky and tilted my head. “I give up,” I smiled impishly.
He dropped to his knees and crushed me into his arms. “My girl would never surrender without a fight,” he whispered and then kissed me. When he pulled away from the kiss he looked at me, uncertainty shining in his eyes. “You taste different,” he admitted.
“I’m the same person; my soul is the same, but I think I changed a bit physically with the new body and all,” I whispered. He just watched me, as if he was still afraid to look away. As if he was afraid he’d blink and I’d disappear. I brought up my hands and cupped his face before I leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his lips.
“Ryder—” Eliran said as he entered the room and then stopped. “Uh, Synthia…you’re…” he scratched his head and then shook it. “I swear you’re half cat. The babes look good, and the little lady is improving.”
“That’s great,” I said and then looked to Ryder for answers.
“She had a hard delivery,” he explained.
“I missed it…” I said as I sat back on my heels. “I missed it all. I just remember talking to you…and then nothing.”
“You died,” he said with unshed tears in his eyes. “You said you loved me and our children and then you died.”
Chapter Eleven
Ryder had transformed my room, or what used to be known as the Queen’s chambers, into a nursery to give us a place nearby to protect them. The nursery was done in a soft green color with small cribs for each child that had been made from white ash wood. Aodhan had crafted a few rocking chairs for us out of the same wood, which we had settled into with the babies. Ryder had to add a crib which he made from glamour for the daughter we hadn’t known about. Aodhan had already started on the wood for the third, since he insisted she have a matching one to her brothers.
Danu shimmered in, allowing Ryder to see her for the first time since she had chosen him as an Heir and explained to him what she’d done, and what the repercussions of my death and rebirth would be. After all the mistrust created when I found out she was my mother, and I’d kept it to myself, I thought it best that he be present as she answered my questions.
“How do you propose for us to make enough Fae want to come here? You do realize that most don’t understand the laws, or the way that the Tree works, and they certainly will not understand why they need to give you enough power for you to accept your grandchildren,” Ryder said softly, his eyes taking her in and I was sure he was sizing her up. “We are surrounded by allies, prepared to go to war on our behalf, is that not enough to draw power from?”
“I’m getting to that,” she said waiving her hand impatiently. “You have other concerns to take into account with all that happened. Synthia died, and when she did, her bond with Lasair broke. That means he knows she’s dead, but more than that, the power she held is now in limbo until I decide on a new host. Liam is the likely one to inherit it,” she mused thoughtfully as she watched me. “He’s my choice, even though he’s a little damaged,” she mused as she shot an accusing eye at Ryder. “The Blood Fae are currently on their way here now, and the Light Fae won’t be far behind them. Kier has his family here already; they came when Adam sifted out abruptly. He felt the familiar bond break, and knew she was dead—it was the same with her father. Lasair, Kier, and Adam also felt the power shift, which the Light Fae will have felt as well, and it’s drawing them here. They will want proof of her death, and you will give it to them. You, Ryder, will call for Sanctuary and they will be admitted for the grieving period. They will need to see her body, and the children she birthed. You will then announce that we have a new Goddess of Faery,” Danu said as she eyed him cautiously.
“And why would we do that?” he asked as he wrapped his free hand around mine reassuringly. He hadn’t stopped touching me since I’d knelt as his feet and surrendered.
“Because we need the royal Caste members of the Fae at the Tree, so I can draw from them. They need to see her mortal body, and know that she died and has been reborn. The people will love her; she will become a beacon of hope. They will fight for her, Ryder, and your children will thrive if the world accepts them as her people will. While we have them in your hall, we will ask them to help us bless your children, and those who come with us to the Tree will share their powers with me and this world and help us to welcome your children. Synthia, Ryder was correct in his assumption that to get to him, those who wished to ascend to power would reach for you. You must show them that you’re stronger than they assumed. You’ll show them a united front, and unite them in the process. You’ve both underestimated the Mages; they have more bodies to throw at us than any of us even thought of.”
“Us?” I asked as I reached over the crib’s rail to touch my son’s cheek. He blinked sleepy blue eyes at me.
“I’m in this fight with you; this is my world, and I created it,” Danu said with fire in her eyes. “I may have made you the Goddess of Faery, but I am still bound to it, and if they want a fight, we will give them one.”
“So we show them Synthia’s corpse?” Ryder asked skeptically.
“Yes, you open the gates and call for sanctuary. You allow the other Castes to see and grieve for Synthia and the Blood King will call for blood, be assured of it. You’ll call for the final rites, and in doing so, you’ll have the Elite Guard come in to carry her away, but as they do, Synthia will follow them in to show her new status. Also, your people need to know she stands beside you, and that together you are united. They will also know that she will no longer feed from you, but you’ll feed from a Goddess, one who stands beside you and is yours alone. Your handmaidens and I will watch over the children while the preparations are made. Synthia will be prepared, and then we will proceed. You two need to ‘talk’ first, as I can see the beast pacing inside of you, Ryder. He’s anxious to get to his mate,” she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
“No,” I said as I turned to face Danu. “We won’t win them over that way. We let the babies win them over, and we don’t have to tell everyone exactly what happened. We can show them a united front and I can speak to my father so that he can see for himself what’s going on. I’m here, and very much alive. The rest of the Fae probably felt a shift in power, but they don’t know why. If we tell them what I am, we lose the advantage we have against the Mages. You’ve made it clear that I’m to be a secret weapon that the Mages won’t see coming, so we follow through with that. Lasair is a different matter though, and Madisyn as well. We need these people on our side to fight the Mages and I just don’t think a complicated ceremony will send the message we want. Danu, burn the body. We don’t need it and it’s probably better to get rid of it rather than having someone discovers it and starts some sort of stupid conspiracy theory that will tear these people apart with speculation. The Fae are already on edge, let’s not give them fuel to light a fire.”
“Synthia,” she said softly.
“These are going to be our people, and they don’t need a big elaborate show to get the point across. I’ve been studying my Fae history and politics with Dristan pretty well and I know that the presentation of newly born children for monarchs can be a call for sanctuary as well. I say we show them our little miracles, and then we ask them for their help. We win them over by being honest and being fair. I’ve seen how the Fae behave, and from what you have told me, I don’t think my role will be like any of the other Fae Heir, Queen or whatever you want to call it has experienced before, I want to be someone they love and trust. I want them to love my beast for the same reasons I do, because he’s brutally honest and he does the tough stuff, and not because he’s the strongest, but because it’
s what’s right for his people. How long do you think it will take for those who are coming to help us raise enough support so we can bring them to the Tree and give you the power needed for the blessing?” I gave Danu and Ryder a worried look and sighed. “I just need my children blessed and accepted by this world, and then hopefully everything else will fall into place.”
Danu pressed her lips together tightly and looked at me with a faraway look in her eyes before she exhaled. “They will have to meet us at the Tree in no more than two weeks. Any longer and the results could be dire. I will start the preparations on my side, and do what I can to strengthen myself—and the land—for the blessing. I am here for you, daughter; you need only call for me. If anything goes wrong with the children, I need to know. I won’t be in the dark where they are concerned, not as I was with you,” she said softly.
I swallowed hard at her unspoken words and warning, and nodded in acknowledgment. “I understand. Thank you, for saving me. Can you please get rid of the body while I go and ‘talk’ to my King? Oh, and one more thing,” I said as I leveled her with an uncertainty in my heart.
“Yes?” she asked.
“If I am like you now, what does that mean for us?” I asked as I tightened my hold on Ryder’s hand. “Can we still be together?”
“Of course, Synthia,” she said with a soft smile. “I knew you wouldn’t stay away from him even if the Gods had decreed it. By being together and bringing forth life, you had bound your selves together before your rebirth. That’s something not even the Gods would mess with. Love has its own rules. Ryder is immortal, so you don’t have to worry about outliving him either. Now, I need to go get rid of the body.”
I stood up and moved to hug her, and whispered against her ear. “Thank you, mother,” I said as I kissed her cheek and watched as she looked at me uncomfortably. I was willing to bet that she didn’t get affection very often. That was about to change now that she had grandchildren. I would make sure of it.
*~*~*
With the babies securely tucked in their cribs and being watched over by Keeley and Meriel, we stepped into Ryder’s adjoining room and it was awkwardly silent between the two of us. I watched as he walked to the bed, and sat down on it. His body language was stiff, and when he finally looked up at me, his expression was unreadable.
“You died,” he repeated. He shook his head as if dispelling the knowledge from it. “I couldn’t breathe without you in my world.”
I stepped closer to the bed and kneeled at his feet. “It hurt you, and I’m sorry for it. But honestly, Ryder, that’s how I feel when I think of you leaving me, asking me to leave because you’re tired of me, or not loving me back. I love you so much it scares me.” I whispered as I raised my eyes to his. “It hurts to feel something so much and to have the other person not know or be unwilling to return those feelings. That’s what I feel for you; that’s love. And yes, at times it hurts like a bitch, Fairy. But I didn’t leave you willingly; I’m still here and even death couldn’t take me away from you in the end.”
He smiled and it took my breath away. His eyes grew heated, and wickedness took root in them as he pulled me up into his arms. He tossed me onto the bed and crawled up my body until he straddled my hips. “You wanted my love, Pet, well, you have it. The only question is; can you handle it now that you’ve unleashed it.”
“Oh, I think I can handle it, Fairy,” I replied.
He lowered his mouth and kissed my forehead and then my cheek, slowly, his teeth pulled at my earlobe as he growled. “You sure about that?” he asked as he sifted over and lowered his teeth to nibble at my bottom lip.
“Better than that, I love you back. I absolutely, unwaveringly love you.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked as he pulled at the white silk dress I wore. “Then marry me, Synthia, fucking marry me and make me yours as I want to make you mine. Forever,” he whispered breathlessly.
“Forever is a very long time,” I replied, enjoying his teasing.
“Forever is a very long time, Pet,” he said as he delivered a toe-curing kiss. “And I swear to the Gods, if you ever make me feel as helpless and lost as you did when you died, I’ll tie you to my fucking bed and use you as my plaything. I’ll place that bed in a cave deep inside of Faery, where only I will find you. Fuck bubble wrap, I’ll just hide you and keep you safe.”
“Is that so?” I taunted as I kissed him back. “I seem to recall you liking me as your plaything no matter what I do.”
“You made me feel something I have never felt before in all my time alive; fear and helplessness. When Ristan cut you open to save our children, I wanted to kill him, and the beast was right there egging me on.”
“Fairy, if you don’t soothe this ache you’ve created, I’ll be tying your ass to the bed,” I threatened grumpily.
“Is that so? What if I tie you up instead and keep you here until I’ve sated this need to touch you?”
“We have responsibilities, Ryder,” I whispered as I rolled him over and climbed up his body as I pushed him down on the bed.
His hands cupped my face as he pulled me down and kissed me hard. He removed our clothing with glamour, and smiled against my lips as he drove his need inside of me. I cried out at the intrusion of his cock as he filled me brutally, swiftly. I pulled away from him before he could thrust again and got on my hands and knees presenting him with my ass. I looked over my shoulder and watched as he took my naked backside in from his viewpoint behind me.
“You can’t run from me,” he warned playfully as he slowly shook his head.
“Who’s running? Get over here and fuck me, Fairy,” I smiled seductively as I shook my ass at him.
It didn’t take him more than a second to sift behind me and fill me again with what I needed. I growled with approval at his roughness, but then I took control. I placed my palms flat on the bed and anchored myself on all fours as I prepared to use him; he remained still and I used his cock to pleasure myself. I pushed against him, and didn’t stop until he was buried inside me.
I repeated it, enjoying the growls of pleasure as each one left his lips and I used him to impale myself over and over again.
“Damn,” he whispered throatily.
“Do I feel dead?” I laughed as I turned to watch his eyes glowing. I loved them when they glowed with hunger. It was something I’d never thought to admit, but I did. His hunger turned me on and made me want to be dirty for him.
A power surge seemed to build within me along with the sensation of an orgasm, and helplessly, I pushed it into him and watched as his brands leapt to life, pulsing with untold power. I was his Fucking Fairy Happy Meal, and he was getting a huge power feed from fucking me, and I was in control.
Well, I was until he flipped me over onto my back and took over. He stopped slamming into me, and slowed down, taking his time. His cock rubbed over my opening, and then would sink a few inches inside, only to pull out and slide over it again.
“I’m in control in the bedroom unless I give you permission to be, Pet,” he rumbled with a knowing smile as he slid home inside of me. My back lifted from the bed as a scream tore from my lips. “After we present our children to our people, I’m going to kiss every inch of you and I promise to not leave anything untouched. I’m going to make you beg for my cock, and then maybe I’ll let you have control of my cock…maybe,” he growled as he rocked his hips and entered me with a swift, deep thrust.
“Ryder,” I moaned and cried out as the orgasm he’d created ripped through me and the world exploded into shattered, prismatic colors. I felt him grow taut, and his movements grew hurried as he joined me in release.
When his breathing grew regulated, and he stretched out beside me, I smiled like a sated cat that had just been fed a juicy, fat tuna. “I couldn’t imagine losing that,” I admitted with a soft kiss to his lips.
“I feel like I could
take on the world with you by my side,” he whispered seductively.
“Good, ‘cause you may need to,” I whispered thickly. “We need to get moving so we can get started on raising support for the babies.”
“Marry me, Pet,” he whispered and my head swam with the words.
“No,” I surprised us both by saying it. “Not like this, Ryder, not because you’re upset that you almost lost me. Ask me again when we’ve had time to process everything that’s happened.”
I wanted him, and yes, I wanted to marry the beast, but he’d been through a lot. We both had. It was an emotional overload, and we were both still riding the waves of it. Faolán was still out there, wounded, but alive.
“You almost killed Faolán?” I asked, narrowing my eyes on him.
“He moved, or he’d be dead right now. If he hadn’t sifted when he did, and you weren’t bleeding out…I’d have tracked him until I found him, and I’d have killed him for what he did, for everything he’s done to you.”
“Thank you,” I said before I pulled him closer for a kiss and then pushed him away. “As much as I like our ‘talks,’ it’s time to go show Faery that I am still alive, and bring them together.”
Chapter Twelve
I stood in the nursery as Faelyn and Keeley dressed the babes for their presentation to the Fae. It was unreal to know I had three children and my beast had asked me to become his wife. Not that I wasn’t happy with him doing so, but the timing wasn’t something I was willing to chance him regretting later on.
He’d been through a huge shock, and while I was thrilled with the idea of marrying him, I wanted him to ask me because he wanted it and not because he’d thought he’d lost me to death’s cold clutches.
Danu’s plan had held merit, but in the end it wasn’t how I wanted to win the people over. We needed them to be peaceful as we presented the babes. It was imperative that they allow us to speak and bring them over to our side for Danu to draw from their strength to bless the babies.
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