by Lexi C. Foss
It knocked the stranger’s footing out from under him, causing him to lose his grip for just a moment.
I sprang out of his hold, grabbed the nearby rocks of the walls, and commanded them to pelt him.
Only, he deflected them with a flick of his wrist, his icy gaze glowing with his dark essence. “You’re going to regret that, princess.”
“I think I’m going to regret a lot of things,” I countered, calling on a heftier brick to fly in his direction.
He shoved it aside before whirling into a gray cloud.
My lips parted, shocked by his disappearing act.
Which was exactly what he wanted—a distraction.
Shadowy ropes tied around my torso, yanking me backward into the nearby portal. “Oh Fae, no,” I said, trying futilely to break the smoky bands, but they just reattached every time I sliced through one.
And then the doors closed.
I dove toward the buttons, but he was faster, his hand appearing to key in a foreign code that definitely didn’t match the destination I had in mind.
“Oh dear,” he murmured, materializing beside me. “It seems I need to confess to committing a crime. I hope you don’t mind Midnight Fae, darling. Because you’re about to meet a whole council of them.”
Chapter Two
Aflora
I’d never been a particularly violent person, but I really wanted to kill the smirking lunatic sitting across from me. He’d wrapped my wrists in some sort of impenetrable smoke before shoving me into a chair in what appeared to be a reception area of sorts.
Only there wasn’t a receptionist.
And the room was anything but welcoming.
Snakelike vines climbed the walls, their beady red eyes glowing intently at the ends. I seemed to be the object of their focus, their rattling tails hissing to an ominous beat that unsettled my insides.
Every time I moved, they slithered faster. Just as they did now. The crazy Midnight Fae across from me tsked out a warning, suggesting I not irritate the guardian serpents, causing my jaw to clench. Not only wouldn’t he tell me his name, but he also refused to explain why he’d bitten me.
I shuddered, the sensation of his fangs in my neck still very tangible and real. He’d left behind some sort of inky bond that I could feel more than see.
I smacked at it again, then flinched as the wall hissed louder in response.
“What are they?” I demanded.
“Magicked vines,” my captor drawled. “Protects the royal grounds from intruders. Which, if I’m understanding their writhing correctly, they believe you’re a threat. So I would stay put, princess, or they might just bite.”
“Like you?” I snapped.
His lips curled. “Hmm, no, my bite inspires pleasure.” His icy blue eyes glanced at the snake closest to my head. “Their bite, not so much.”
I opened my mouth to offer a retort, when the ebony doors at the end of the hall swung open and a dark-haired male dressed in long, flowing robes stomped toward us. “What is the meaning of this, Shadow?”
Shadow? I eyed my companion. Really?
I supposed he did have a penchant for disappearing into thick clouds of smoke.
“What would you like me to say?” Shadow asked, his arms sprawled out across the back of the couch in the epitome of lazy nonchalance. “The Earth Fae Royal and I got a little carried away, my fangs slipped, and wouldn’t you know? Her blood reacted to my bite.”
My lips parted at his horrible recollection of what happened. “Carried away? Fangs slipped?” I repeated, jumping to my feet, only to be snatched back by the vines slithering across the wall.
I screamed, the smoke around my wrists tightening as a snake wrapped itself around my neck and squeezed to silence the sound.
The newcomer sighed and produced a wand. “Release,” he hissed, waving the violet stick through the air.
A sizzle of energy kissed my skin, the darkness of it in direct contrast to my earth essence inside. I shivered, the wrongness leaving me unnerved even as the snakes and my smoky bonds disappeared.
My knees buckled on instinct, sending me crashing into something hard and masculine.
Shadow.
His chest met my nose, his arms wrapping around me as he caught me before I could hit the ground.
I nearly growled, but my modesty took precedence first.
After fixing my blouse and skirt, I shoved him away. “Don’t touch me.”
“That’s not what you said an hour ago, princess.”
A growl unlike any I’d ever released before burst from my mouth as I launched myself at him, desiring to do the utmost damage. Only, he caught me up in his arms again, chuckling the entire time.
“See what I mean, Father? She’s a wildcat who can’t keep her hands off me.”
Father?
I shook my head. Who cares? “I’m going to kill you!”
“Try” was Shadow’s arrogant reply.
Gah! I wanted to scream, to call on a tree to pound this dick into the ground, but my powers refused me here, my access to the source cut off through some means of dark magic. Otherwise, I would have used it to escape as soon as we arrived.
“You bit her,” Shadow’s father said.
A genius, he clearly was, because I still had the marks on my neck from the attack. And if I had my arms free, I’d have pointed to it for reference, just in case he needed to see it up close. But Shadow had me locked up against him, my breasts smashed to his chest as he held me captive in his far-too-muscular hold.
Shadow smiled down at me. “As I said, one thing led to another and—”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” his father demanded, cutting off his jackass of a son.
“Well, I thought it’d just be a taste, but yeah, I’m pretty aware of the mate-bond snapping into place. Why else would I have voluntarily stepped into this dreadful place if not to report the mistake?”
Mate-bond? “What mate-bond?” I wrestled in his arms once more, but he held me with the ease of a much stronger fae.
This was why I needed to take more physical defense classes. I’d grown used to relying on my element, which apparently didn’t work in this dark realm.
“Our mate-bond,” Shadow murmured. “We’re connected now, princess. Forever.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“It’s what you are, right? An Earth Fae Princess?” He cocked his head to the side. “Or are you a queen as the only Earth Fae heir?”
“Enough,” his father inserted, his cloak billowing around him with power. Blue eyes—the same color as his son’s—narrowed at Shadow. “You realize you could be excommunicated for this.”
Shadow shrugged. “Saves me from another year at the Academy.”
A low, angry sound rumbled from his father’s chest. “And what about the girl? Interspecies mating is illegal. They might demand her death, or worse, your death.”
Wait, how’s his death worse than mine? “I don’t even want to be here,” I said, furious. “And you can’t kill me. I’m the sole heir to earth. If I die, the element dies with me.” Not exactly true. Someone, maybe Sol, would probably take over my access to the source. But hopefully, they didn’t know that.
His father didn’t even look at me, his smoldering gaze on his son. “Take her to the dungeon and lock yourselves inside. You know the way. I’ll come for you if and when the Council needs a comment.”
“Excuse me, but I’d like to give a comment right now,” I demanded. “Your son bit me against my will, then kidnapped me and brought me into this realm. I shouldn’t be here. Nor can you keep me here. The Elemental Fae Council will not stand for this.”
Well, they might.
Being bitten by a Midnight Fae definitely broke several of the interspecies laws governing fae relations. But it was against my will. Queen Claire would side with me. She knew me well enough to know I would never do something like this.
“I’m the sole Earth Fae heir,” I added. “My people rely on my connection to the source
to thrive. Every moment you keep me here is—”
“Enough,” Shadow’s father bit out, his expression resembling stone. “The Midnight Fae Council operates very differently from your own. If you have something of importance to say, your intended will deliver the information on your behalf, as females are not permitted within the Council Chamber.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. What kind of backward-thinking realm had I been swept off to? Nope, better question… “Who the hell is my intended?”
Shadow chuckled. “Me, darling.”
“What?” I sputtered. “He assaulted me and you want to let him speak on my behalf?” Un-freakin’-believable. “This is utter wallopberries.”
“Utter what?” Shadow asked.
“Let go of me,” I replied instead. He didn’t deserve an answer to that query or any other.
“Can’t do that, princess. I’ve been ordered to take you downstairs. Council rules.” He gave an unapologetic shrug that had me itching to punch him.
“Now, Shadow,” his father said, the command in his tone sending a shiver down my spine.
What in the pixie dust have I gotten myself into?
Shadow lifted me off the ground as if I weighed nothing at all—which, compared to him, I probably did. He had at least a foot on me, the bastard.
“Put me down.”
“And you questioned my nickname,” he muttered in reply. “Issuing demands left and right just like a goddamn princess.”
“Because you insist on manhandling me,” I snapped, wishing more than ever that I could access my gifts. I’d wrap a vine of my own around his neck and see what he thought of it. Then I’d take a tree root and smash his skull.
The beautiful image behind my eyes dispersed as he kicked open an iron door and began descending the steps.
Every part of me iced over at the very real threat of going underground.
“Shadow,” I whispered. “Please.”
He frowned at me. “Please what? It’s not like I’m going to hurt you. Yet, anyway.” He shook his head. “Seriously, I expected a little more fire, princess. Instead, you’re as weak as a youngling.”
My jaw clenched even as my heart began to pound.
Each step brought us deeper underground. My lungs began to seize from my inability to pull in a breath.
Elemental Fae didn’t belong here.
Elemental Fae required sunshine.
Elemental Fae died underground.
It took weeks, sometimes months, but just the very threat of being taken somewhere so dark and murky had panic freezing every limb.
Shadow said something, but I couldn’t hear him over the harsh beating in my ears.
My back hit a soft cushion that I barely felt.
Stone and vines and unspeakable things danced through my vision. A dark cloud. New voices.
Fight, some part of me urged. This is all in your mind.
Yeah, pretty sure the gargoyle statue glowering down at me was pretty damn real.
Oh, I’d read about those. They shot lasers from their eyes. Good. Fun. Why was one in my cell?
Shadow appeared to be talking to it.
Right, because they were likely old friends.
Except they seemed to be arguing.
Maybe I’d get to watch the stone creature flay my “intended” alive. Mmm, I’d enjoy that very much. Warmth began to stir inside me at the thought, my initial terror subsiding beneath a much more violent wave.
As long as he didn’t keep me down here for long, I’d be fine.
Which meant I needed to pull myself together and find a way out. Not an easy feat considering he’d locked the door.
What kind of idiot willingly puts himself in a dungeon?
“A smart one,” Shadow replied.
My brow furrowed. “Did I ask that out loud?”
“No, but you practically shouted it at me.” He winced and collapsed onto a pile of pillows on the obsidian floor.
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
He tapped his head. “Use your mind, princess.”
Yeah, because you’re so great at using yours, I thought sourly.
He snorted as if he heard that.
Then I realized what he meant.
“Ohhhhh, no. You are so not in my head.” I’d have a colossal headache otherwise.
“No, I’m in your blood, Princess Flower,” he replied, sounding exasperated. “Seriously, do you not study the mating of other cultures where you’re from? Because I had to take an entire semester on your weak kind last year, and while it’s proving to be useful now, it bored me near to death.”
“We are not weak,” I countered. “And for your information, yes, I took one class on fae politics. You want to talk about boring, that course takes the lily cookie.”
“Lily cookie?” he repeated, arching a brow. “What the fuck is a lily cookie?”
“I thought you studied my kind, Shadow. Perhaps you missed that chapter in your book.”
He snorted. “Whatever.” He stretched out his long legs, crossing them at the ankles as he relaxed further into his makeshift bed. “We’re going to be here a while, princess. Best get some rest before the Council delivers their verdict.”
Sleep. Yeah, that was going to happen.
Even with him giving me the bed—a gesture I refused to evaluate—I would never be able to sleep down here. Not with him lurking so close. Or that stone gargoyle hanging out in the corner.
I met the creature’s red eyes and flinched.
As a product of the earth, I should be able to command him.
But the source refused my call just as it had since I arrived in this hell.
“What if I have to use the restroom?” I asked, looking for a way to leave this cell.
Shadow pointed at a bucket in the corner. “Enjoy.”
I gasped. “That’s unacceptable.”
“What’s unacceptable is you still talking. I said it’s time to sleep.”
“Yeah, because I take orders from you. Oh, wait…” I rolled my eyes and stood up, pacing across the rocks in my heels.
Why had I dressed up for Glacier, again? Because I wanted to impress him. And he stood me up.
Which meant he wouldn’t be looking for me later, and when he tried to call to apologize, he’d just assume I was ignoring him.
Pixie sticks.
Maybe Sol would feel my missing energy.
Yes. Yes, he would. He’d alert his mate, Claire, and they’d search for me. But would they know to look here?
I blew a raspberry with my lips.
“Wow, do not make that sound again,” Shadow said, giving a theatric shudder. “Talk about an irritating noise.”
“Similar to your voice,” I replied sweetly. “Maybe we are intended to be together.”
He smirked. “You have no idea, baby.”
“Seriously, cut it out with the nicknames.”
He blew me a kiss. “You love it, princess.”
That’s it. I took advantage of his prone position, jumping on him and straddling him, and sent my fist directly into his too-perfect nose.
A sensation of victory warmed my veins at the sight of his blood, only to have it washed out of me by a cold wave as I suddenly found myself beneath him on the floor.
“Not a smart move, darling,” he murmured, my wrists locked over my head beneath one of his hands.
How the heck did he do that?
“Magic,” he breathed, replying yet again to the thought in my head.
“Stop that.”
“Make me,” he countered, dropping his head to my neck.
“Shadow.”
“Aflora.” His hips settled into mine, his lips caressing the bite mark on my skin.
“What are you doing?”
“Enjoying myself,” he said softly, his tongue tracing my throat. “You remind me of the sun. Warm, yet brutal.”
I squirmed beneath him, which only caused him to lie more heavily upon me. “Don’t you dare bite me again, Shadow.
”
“Mmm, but it was so fun the first time.” His incisors skimmed my pulse. “And you moaned so beautifully.”
“Because you enchanted me!”
“Only partly,” he replied, not sounding the least bit contrite and far too intrigued. “I didn’t expect to enjoy it,” he added in a whisper. “But I did.”
“Shadow,” I warned.
He sighed. “Relax, pet.”
“How can I relax with you on top of me?”
“You started it,” he returned, nipping my chin on his way back up. “You tried to break my nose with a poor excuse for a punch.”
“Poor excuse for a…?” My eyes widened. “You’re such a dick!”
“Tell me how you really feel, darling,” he taunted, cocking his head to the side. “I’m listening.”
“I want to kill you.”
“Yes, and…?”
“Gah, would you just get off me, please?”
“Please?” he repeated, snorting. “My, but you are a polite little girl, aren’t you?”
“I am not little.”
“You act like an innocent child.”
My blood boiled at the unveiled insult. “You know nothing about me.”
“Likewise.”
“Pixie dust, you are impossible. Get. Off. Me.”
“Pixie dust?” He actually appeared confused. “Wait, is that your version of a curse?” When I didn’t reply, he started to laugh. “Oh, sweet girl, the things I’m going to teach you.”
“Not if I kill you,” I muttered.
A pair of dimples flashed as he studied me intently. “I truly hope you try. Punishing females is a favorite pastime of mine.”
“As is raping them, apparently,” I tossed back.
His eyebrows shot up at that accusation. “Rape? I’ve barely touched you.”
“You bit me against my will!”
“You were quite willing, Aflora. Trust me.”
“Because you freakin’ cast a spell over me or whatever it is you did.”
“Freakin’?” He shook his head and tsked. “Fucking, darling. The word you’re looking for is fucking.”
“Dear gods, just get off me already!”
“No.” He had the audacity to bend and brush a kiss over my lips. I immediately tried to bite him, which earned me an amused sound. “You need to rest. There’ll be trials ahead.”