Up In Flames (Netherworld Series Book 2)

by Olivia Hutchinson

  She jumped over logs and ducked beneath branches without having any real destination in mind. She had a general idea of where the portal was, but no inkling of what she had to do to get it open, if she was even able to open it at all. She didn’t know how long she could run in this…dimension? She didn’t know what it was or how far she could go before she hit a wall or if she could just keep running forever, hiding in their sequestered world.

  She hadn’t looked back, hadn’t slowed down, but Liam caught her just the same. His arm snaked around her waist and she was pulled against his chest.

  “No,” he growled in her ear.

  “I won’t be the main course in a fairy backyard barbecue,” she said, breathless.

  He spun her in his arms and she had to brace herself on his chest to keep from getting whiplash. “You are staying with me. You are not to leave my side, do you understand?”

  “I will not be their victim. You, at least, have a fighting chance. I have none. I’m not strong like you. I’ll just get you killed. Please, let me go,” she pleaded with him.

  “You want a fighting chance? Then you don’t try running off. You stay close to me because the only way either you or I are going to come out of this in one piece is if we stay together. If you run off, I’ll be forced to follow you, thus abandoning the fae in the middle of what’s supposed to be a celebration of our cooperation with each other. I don’t think they’ll take too kindly to that and from what it sounds like, giving them any excuse to come after me is exactly what they’re looking for. At least now they’re disguising their true intentions with pleasantries and they’re unaware we know of their plans.”

  “What are you going to do?” she asked him when she saw the anger written on his face. The blue of his eyes had grown dark and she swore for a second she saw a wisp of smoke come out of his nose, but she knew at that point it had to be something she just imagined. All of the stress was causing her mind to play tricks on her.

  “If they want a problem with me, I’ll give them one,” he growled before wrapping his hand around her upper arm and pulling her along next to him.

  By the time they got back to the hut, Heidi was beyond winded. She was gulping for air but she had allowed him to drag her along. She didn’t want to anger him any more than he already was, and from his face she could tell he meant what he said. He looked downright scary. She almost pitied the fairies for enraging him as they had. She never wanted his anger directed at her.

  She didn’t know if she trusted Liam or not, but so far he had been nothing but kind to her. She had no reason not to trust him, except for the fact that he had signed his name onto the contract with the fairies, but that had only been for her benefit as far as she knew. She didn’t believe there was any other way for her to get out of the situation she was facing now without putting her faith in him.

  Running had been a stupid idea. She hadn’t known where she was going to go or how she was going to get out of fairy-world. It was like a bad amusement park ride that she couldn’t get off of. A prison where all the guards wanted to set her on fire. Liam was her ticket out of there. She waited for a sinking feeling in her gut, the one that would tell her she couldn’t trust him and was on her own, but it didn’t come.

  He locked the door and turned to face her once they were inside.

  “What are we going to do?” she asked. She stood back as he passed her.

  “Nothing at the moment,” he said, pacing the small room.

  “Then when?”

  “Tonight, after the party. I don’t think they’ll try anything until later. Perhaps not even until the morning. They’re so focused on this party.”

  “What if you’re wrong?”

  He put his hand through his hair. “Then we’ll deal with it then.”

  She nodded. His pacing was beginning to wear in the earthen floor, but he continued nonetheless. She twisted her hands in front of her as she watched the myriad of emotions flicker across his face.

  “We need to go for another walk before we’re due back,” he said, finally stopping in front of her.

  “Another walk? Why?”

  “We need to find the portal. And then we need to figure out how to open it.”

  Liam led the way out of the hut. He allowed them to be visible to the passersby and even nodded toward Caiside, the same fae who had escorted him in the night before. Going in the direction where he knew the portal to be would have been impossible to do unnoticed. They had to cut directly through the center of the village, which would only make their escape later all the more dangerous.

  He noted the position of the huts and the best locations to stay out of sight. He didn’t know what the portal would allow through, not until he was able to find it. His only experience with portals had been when he was younger and he visited the fae village in Ireland with his father. That had been a completely different experience. The fae of Glas weren’t of the same disposition as the ones from Péine. He had respected those fae. They hadn’t filed their teeth to give the appearance of barbarism or had such violent inclinations.

  Their portal had been small, no wider than a door. It had been at the base of a tree that opened into an identical tree on the other side. The fae hid all of their villages for their own protection. The best way for him to think of it was that it was cloaked. It was as if the village was enclosed inside a large bubble with only one way in or out. Eventually they’d hit a line they’d be unable to pass.

  “Let me know if you feel any surges of magic,” he told her as they walked through the trees. He knew they were close, although how close he couldn’t tell. Having a witch’s help should make the entire process go a little faster, but he was able to sense magic although perhaps not as well as a fae or a magic-wielder.

  “Sure…” she said, glancing around.

  They wove back and forth, until he felt the smallest pulse. “There,” he said. “Do you feel it?”

  “Uh…”

  He was surprised she hadn’t felt it before him. She must not have gone through any considerable training to hone her senses to magical properties.

  The portal was at the base of a large pine tree. The hum of the energy only intensified the closer he stepped toward it. Nothing was visible to the naked eye, but the magic there told him he had found what he was looking for. And it was small.

  Just as he had suspected, the portal itself was no bigger than any standard sized door. Their best chance was to sneak out on foot. He could transform on the other side if they were pursued, since the fae’s magical protection prevented him from doing it inside the village.

  The other thing he was able to deduce was that they would be unable to open it. Not without fae magic, which neither of them possessed. He would need a fae to open the door. Kidnapping wasn’t his first choice, but it seemed to be the only choice he had.

  “Let’s go back,” he said, turning to her. She was standing behind him, looking expectantly between him and the tree.

  “We’re not leaving?”

  “I can’t open it.” She should’ve known that.

  “Damn it,” she breathed.

  Her use of profanity startled him and he looked at her for a long second. He hadn’t heard her curse before—not that he minded—but he had seen her as meek and mild. Certainly not the type to utter profanities. Apparently he had been wrong. It made him wonder what else he was wrong about where she was concerned.

  When she turned around, he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her back toward the village. They walked around the perimeter for several yards before breaking through the tree line. When he saw Roarke, flocked by his minions, he headed in their direction.

  The sun was dipping below the horizon. The evening festivities would continue long into the night.

  Heidi drank the wine that was placed in front of her. It wasn’t the best wine she had ever had, in fact it was more water than alcohol, but she drank it nonetheless. The fae played an ancient song of drums and fiddles, crudely performed b
ut still it would’ve been delightful to listen to if it hadn’t been played by the monsters who tried to murder her. They danced and laughed in front of where she sat. Flashes of filed teeth and wings kept her from believing they were anything like her, even for a second.

  Her stomach was tied in knots and what little food was placed in front of her, she only nibbled at. Anticipation gnawed at her. The waiting was slowly driving her insane. What she wouldn’t give for them to be free of the place. If she never saw fairies again, it would be too soon. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to see Peter Pan again without having nightmares. She wanted to scream I don’t believe in fairies over and over again until all of the fae dropped dead. But somehow she didn’t think it would be that easy.

  Her only saving grace was Liam. Without him she would be dead already and the fairy monsters would be spitting on her grave. In such a small amount of time she had come to rely on him not only for her safety but also for the comfort he so willingly provided her. She was a complete stranger to him and yet he did more for her than most people would be willing to. The warmth of his body and the security of his arms when he held her had been just about the only thing she had needed to make it through.

  He sat next to her, discussing something she didn’t understand with Roarke. She could feel his tense muscles when his arm brushed hers, but he appeared relaxed and calm while he talked with the fae king. Roarke wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and pulled her into the conversation with them. It was clear the girl was uncomfortable from the way she seemed to cringe away from her father’s grasp but she smiled widely. Heidi doubted Roarke had even noticed Rhiannon’s odd behavior, but it made Heidi question the girl’s affection for her father.

  Roarke released his daughter and Rhiannon stood, looking down at Liam expectantly. Liam turned toward Heidi and placed a hand on the top of her thigh. What felt like electricity shot up her leg and melted in the juncture of her thighs. Heidi could feel her eyes widen slightly as she looked at him, surprised at her reaction.

  “Stay here,” he said before giving her a light squeeze that almost brought her off the bench. She didn’t understand him until he stood up and took Rhiannon’s hand, leading her out to the makeshift dance floor.

  Heidi wanted to demand that he stay. She couldn’t fathom why he would leave her there, let alone to dance with one of them. He had appeared to despise them just as much as she did, but perhaps he didn’t. Perhaps Rhiannon was the exception.

  Why would he dance with her? Of all of the women there, he chose to dance with Roarke’s daughter. Heidi couldn’t stop the pangs of jealousy that twisted her gut.

  She tried to force herself not to look, knowing it would only serve to upset her more, but found that it was impossible to tear her eyes away from their spinning figures. Liam towered over the top of Rhiannon’s head, but that didn’t stop him from looking like he belonged on that dance floor. Their feet were a blur on the grass as Rhiannon spun in his arms.

  Their lips were moving although anything she might have overheard was drowned out by the laughter of the fae that surrounded her.

  When Cliona leaned down behind her, she jumped in her seat. She had been so focused on the dancing couple she hadn’t even noticed the fae sneak up behind her.

  “You would almost think he belongs here,” she said, her voice a hiss in her ear. Heidi sat erect in her seat, refusing to turn to meet the eyes of the hateful woman. Cliona had voiced the exact thing that had been running through her mind but she wouldn’t allow the woman to get under her skin. If anything it made her hate her even more than she already did, something she didn’t believe was possible.

  The words had been designed to torment her, but Heidi instantly knew them to be untrue. As easy as the dancing appeared between Liam and Rhiannon, Heidi knew without a doubt that Liam didn’t belong there. It wasn’t just his lack of wings and physical appearance that differentiated him from everyone else there. He was kind, patient, and had integrity. If the way he had treated her was any indication, he was the exact opposite of every fae she had ever met. He didn’t belong. Neither of them did.

  Cliona moved away from her and Heidi relaxed slightly in her seat. She went back to picking at the drumstick that was still on her plate, determined not to drink any more of the mind-clouding wine she had been served. She kept Liam in her line of sight, but no longer worried about his dancing with the princess.

  When they came back to the table a few minutes later, Rhiannon sat but he remained on his feet. His palm rested lightly on Heidi’s shoulder and she turned in her seat to look up at him.

  “Dance with me,” he said, his other hand extended to help her to her feet. He wasn’t giving her an option, so Heidi clasped his hand and stood. His other hand remained on her shoulder as he ushered her in front of him.

  The music had slowed and the fae were weaving around the space. She didn’t know the dance they were doing and was thankful when Liam steered her toward the back of the crowd. Not that she worried about embarrassing herself, she was just thankful to not be in the middle of a throng of fae.

  He turned her and clasped both of her hands, turning her and moving her around. She just followed his lead and went where he gently pulled her. She had never danced these dances before and was grateful he made it easy for her.

  When their chests were touching he spoke, his voice so low she almost didn’t hear him. “We’re getting out of here.”

  She met his blue eyes, not sure of what had changed, but something had. Had it been something Rhiannon had said to him?

  When she was silent, he said, “Just go with it when the time comes.”

  Heidi continued to allow him to spin her around in his arms for what seemed like an eternity. One dance turned into another faster one and that one turned into another until the thoughts of escaping almost fell out of her mind. She was caught up being so close to him, the smallest touches of his hands gentle but firm on her skin. When the music slowed again, he pulled her tight against his chest and her breath caught. We’re just dancing.

  His gaze was fixed on hers, his deep blue eyes melting into her. She couldn’t help the way her heart sped up in her chest when he looked at her or the way her stomach tied itself in knots when he would brush up against her. She couldn’t help the way he seemed to steal her breath when his palm snaked around the small of her back and he pulled her tight against him.

  Over and over again he would touch her like that and then the dance would require they separate. The cold from where the heat of his body had been pulled so cruelly away from her would chill her skin and then he would be against her again, filling her with a liquid fire that was threatening to make her combust. His fingers trailed along the sensitive flesh of the inside of her forearm and her hair stood on end. Every part of her body he touched—her arms, her hands, her back—all burned with his smallest touch.

  His eyes darted to her mouth and back again before he hoisted her from the ground so they were eye level. She couldn’t help but cling to his shoulders, her fingertips digging into the powerful muscle. Her breasts were pushed almost painfully to his chest and she could feel the pounding of his heart against hers.

  They weren’t dancing anymore. The music that played around them faded into the background and all she could focus on was him.

  His eyes never left hers and she felt herself floating in their depths. When a small breath escaped her lips, he closed the inch that separated them.

  She thought the kiss would be sweet. It wasn’t. He was ravenous, just as she was, and the warmth of his mouth assaulted her. Her eyes flickered closed and his tongue found hers, quenching a need she hadn’t even realized she had. There was no beginning, no end, only them in a tangle of passion that had erupted from her core.

  Moaning against his mouth, she clung to him, not wanting him to stop. His palm cupped her backside, pulling her closer to him than she had thought possible. The hard length of his cock dug into her thigh and pulsating heat erupted from betwee
n her legs.

  She could feel him moving, his body rubbing over the juncture of her thighs in a way that made her ache for him even more than she already was. Her fingers entangled themselves in his hair as she felt herself cry in a way that would make anyone watching think she was more of a whore than she was already proving to be.

  When he released her, she was panting. When he set her on her feet, she had to force herself to let go, although it was more difficult than she thought it should be. When he stepped back, she almost didn’t let him. The cold seeped in and she looked at him, her desire apparent in her burning cheeks and swollen lips.

  So was his. He was breathing heavily, his eyes wide. He looked almost shocked and for the life of her she couldn’t understand why. His breathing was just as ragged as hers, his mouth just as swollen. They stared at one another until Heidi slowly became aware of her surroundings. They were away from the dancing, away from the tent and the tables. They weren’t far from the tree line on the edge of the village.

  They were making their escape.

  5

  They had stopped behind one of the homes, the light of the bonfire barely illuminating their figures or anything else around them. Had the only reason he kissed her been to escape the dance floor and the prying eyes of the fae? That thought and similar ones raced through her mind as she stared at him.

  “Rhiannon will open the portal for us,” he said, shutting up any thought that wasn’t related to their getting the hell out of fae-town.

  “Rhiannon?” Her disbelief had her firmly rooted to where she stood. Why would the fae princess, Roarke’s own daughter, take the risk of helping them escape? It didn’t seem plausible.

  Liam took a step toward the tree line but stopped when he saw she wasn’t moving.

  “Roarke has promised her to the warlocks. She’s to form a union with the son of their leader, a mean son-of-a-bitch named Cole. From what she said while we danced, she’s against the match and is leaving with us.” He clasped her hand. “Now.”