Unfortunately, there were a few single women who stood at a distance, but Axel tried to pay them no mind. They were the ones he had rejected before leaving to the human realm. He wished his village were at least half as large as Ft. Lauderdale so he would not be running into them all the time.
Though the engagement wasn’t real, the pride he felt in showing Jane off was. It was almost like a vision of what his life should be. The disappointment came when he remembered it wasn’t real, that in a short amount of time the mask would come off, and she’d retreat to her own side of the bed.
“What is with you? I’d think you’d be overjoyed?” Axel’s good friend, Darick, knew him better than anyone. Their minds were very much in tune with one another. Axel made sure he kept his guard up even stronger now.
“Nothing with me, but I worry about my father, as you must know.”
“Everyone is sorry that the king is unwell, but that’s what I want to talk to you about, brother,” Darick said. His hushed voice sounded concerned, and Axel listened closely as Darick told him of a band of men who’ve been making threats.
“They’re not from here. They’re from beyond the hills, though I’ve never seen them before in my travels. Everyone is afraid to step into the deep forest. That’s where they’ve made camp.”
“They’re taking advantage of my father being ill,” Axel reasoned.
“Yes, but now you’re here. Let’s make an army and chase these scoundrels away. Kill them if we have to.” Darick hit a fist into his other hand.
“Your bloodlust might be premature, but I will think about this after the picnic. I promise. I’ll send you a message when I want you to gather the men.” They nodded to one another and separated.
Axel saw that Jane was still engaged in conversation with some of the married young women. He was glad she had not been a witness to what Darick had conveyed. His plan was to keep her safe, and that meant safe from worry. He joined her, linking her arm through his where it felt like it belonged.
11
Jane
Jane— at first unwilling— now found herself enjoying this strange new land. She looked around at the fairies, amazed at how friendly and in tune with nature they were. She saw women making quick work of flower crowns, and one of the wilting flowers even came back to life with a woman’s touch. The woman brought Jane an elaborate wreath with dangling pink flowers that cascaded down her hair. She looked at Axel to get his take on it, and his dashing smile was approval enough.
She watched an intricate performance by three men who manipulated water and fire. It was such a spectacle that Jane stood up front, clapping at what she once would have thought impossible. Everyone around her accepted her and wanted to talk to her.
She was treated to scrumptious desserts and was even offered the area’s highest prized drink (according to its maker). The brewer was a lovely old woman dressed more conservatively in long swaths of cloth. Axel was busy helping his father to his chair while Jane tasted the sweet drink.
“That’s lovely,” she told the older woman.
“Yes, I made it for the prince’s new bride. Tell him what you think of it.” The woman shooed Jane away, which Jane found odd.
She realized it was finally time to meet the king and queen. The queen looked rather young to be Axel’s mother, Jane thought. Then again, she would have to be to have just given birth to Coren two years ago.
“Halloo!” said the queen, noticing Jane approaching. “I am Grace, and this is my husband Hareld. How nice to meet someone from back home. There are not many of us around here.” Jane accepted her hug.
“I’m pleased to meet you. And you, sir,” Jane said to the pale man sitting on a throne-like chair. Should she have called him Your Highness? He raised his hand in greeting and gave a smile but did not speak.
“He is not well, as you must have heard by now, but I think the picnic will cheer his spirits,” she took Jane’s hands in hers. “This must all be so strange to you.” Jane nodded.
The queen continued, “I remember when I first came here. It was telephones and cassette players I was leaving behind. And McDonald’s. What I wouldn’t give for a burger.” She laughed. “No meat here. But I hear it’s all changed very much, though my two eldest seem to have adjusted well enough.”
“Yes, I would have never guessed they are not… human.”
“Oh, but they have to be to mate with us. Scientific research has not been done, and heaven forbid it ever will be, but I’m convinced they are humans with advanced brains. Now, how this place exists, I don’t think I’ll ever know.” The queen waved her arm at the unfolding scene.
It was true. Nothing like this could happen on Earth— not these colors or glittering waters. Jane appreciated that Axel’s mother was being very nice to her, but then she felt guilty at the lie they were perpetrating, especially after what she said next.
“But leaving it all behind was easy because I did it for him,” she said looking at the king. “I fell in love with him almost immediately— like a shock that woke me from the life I’d been sleeping through. And then I fell in love with this place. It was easy to live here with the man I put above everything else.” Jane nodded, unsure of what to say. She couldn’t reciprocate the feelings, and she didn’t want to gush about her supposed love for the woman’s son.
Queen Grace’s words gave her pause. Jane’s relationship with Andrew was nothing like what the queen described. They had met through mutual friends, found they had a lot in common, and continued to date until it was time to get engaged. That’s how it should be, right?
When Axel came to find her, Jane was feeling rather uncomfortable.
“There are too many secrets,” she said.
“Yes, but we can do it.” Axel reassured her.
“No, let’s tell your parents,” she said, looking at the loving couple on their thrones. He pulled her back to him.
“What are you doing? We can’t.” His eyes narrowed in on her.
“I don’t want to pretend anymore.” She felt dizzy then. “Are you trying to read my mind?!”
“Something’s wrong,” he said. She saw him looking around until his eyes fixed on the woman that had given her the drink. He pointed at her, and asked Jane, “Did you take anything from that woman?” The old woman waved at him.
“Yes, she offered me a drink. It was delicious, but I don’t know what it’s called,” Jane said. Why was he looking at her like that? Like she’d stolen a baby or something.
“That woman is crazy and everyone knows it. She makes spells. Who knows what she gave you! Come with me,” he said, almost dragging her away.
“Hey, let go!” Jane yelled. He turned and brought her in close.
“Please, keep quiet. I’m doing this for your own good.”
“My own good? It’s you and your secrets you want to protect,” Jane whispered. “I will tell them all!”
“If you come with me, I’ll show you where the secret portal is,” he said, looking inspired.
“You will? OK, take me.” She held onto his hand, thrilled that there was a way to go home. Now she had to tell Andrew that she would not marry him anymore. Yes, she loved him. But she wasn’t in love with him, as clichéd as it sounded. And she would not waste precious time with a man she wasn’t so deeply mad about that she would leave everything behind for him like the queen did for the king. She decided that would be her litmus test from now on.
When they reached his quarters, she put her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me you’ve had a secret portal in this room all along?”
“No, I had to get you back here before you make a fool of yourself. That witch drugged you,” he said.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I feel fine. I feel great. I feel—” she looked at him, studying his thick, muscled thighs, his chiseled abs, his goddamn sexy face. There was no holding back for her now like she had before. Restraint was no longer an option. Propriety be damned— she wanted that man.
“What?” he asked, block
ing the doorway. She approached him, thoughts of seduction on her mind. She wanted to transmit them to him.
“Read my thoughts,” she spoke.
“Huh? No.” He didn’t move a muscle.
“Then I’ll tell you what’s going on up here,” she said, removing her crown of flowers. “I’ve seen you looking at me. I know you want to touch me. I know it because I felt the cold every time Andrew touched me. I feel it now when I say his name. You can’t stand the thought of another man touching me, even though I’m not yours. But you want me to be. I see it in your eyes— the hunger. I’m hungry, too,” she finished by lying on the bed.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he said, his voice low and rough.
“What you’ve been wanting. I’m offering myself to you. It’s what I want. Your big hands all over me. Come see how much I want it.” She lifted one strap over her shoulder, and Axel bolted out of the room. Bewildered, Jane jumped up and ran to the door. He locked it!
12
Axel
I can’t. I can’t resist her anymore. Not when she’s doing things like this and inviting me into the bed. I know it’s the drink, but fuck!
Axel paced in front of the door. He ignored the banging from the other side. She’d waste her energy soon enough and, hopefully, the drink with it. How was he expected not to pounce on her after this? He could feel the freedom from her, how liberated she felt at expressing all of that.
Now that he knew she wanted him too, how could he respect what she and Andrew had? What if she would choose him instead? The idea swirled around for a few minutes as she continued to scream obscenities and bang on the door. It was strange to hear her speak that way.
When he heard silence for several minutes at a time, he went inside. She had fallen asleep on the floor by the door. He picked her up, securing her strap back on her shoulder, and lay her in his bed. With a sigh, he left his quarters and returned to the picnic to find the old woman.
“What did you give her?” Axel demanded of the woman, who was sitting by the playing children.
“It’s harmless,” she said, waving her hand as if to dismiss it, “A truth spell laced with loss of inhibition. Enjoy?”
“No, I did not enjoy. It was like she was somebody else,” he said, his hands balling into fists he knew he wouldn’t use.
“Ah. Well, then you don’t know her very well do you?” The old woman stood up. “She should be fine in a few hours.” And she walked away. Of course he didn’t know her well. He’d only met her three days ago!
He tried to make small talk with some friends and his parents, but it was no use. All he wanted to do was check in on her. He snuck away again and did just that. When he peered into the bedroom door, he saw she was still asleep.
He was about to close the door when she said, “Axel?”
“You okay?” He went inside and stood with his back to the door.
“Yes, I’m fine. But why did you lock me in here alone?”
“You weren’t yourself. I, um, had to get out.” He walked over to the bed, looking at her face. She was calm now, so he sat next to her.
“I made a fool of myself.”
He gave a small laugh. “Just a little, but it was just in front of me, so it’s okay.”
“I feel so dumb.”
“Don’t. It was the drink the witch gave you.”
“I feel dumb because I threw myself at you, and you rejected me. You must think I’m desperate and pathetic.” She sounded weepy, and he put his hand on her hair, brushing it from her face.
“Please don’t feel that way. You don’t know the strength it took for me to deny you.” He kept playing with her hair.
“Really?” she looked up at Axel, her doe eyes melting his heart.
“Yes, you vixen. You were pulling out all the stops, and I had to run away from you. That’s why I left.”
“It felt so strange, yet I kind of wish I’d had the courage to do that without the drink,” she said. He stopped his hand.
“Are you still under its effects?” he asked slowly.
“No, but I remember how I felt,” she said, sitting up. “And I’ve never felt that way about anyone before, even Andrew. It’s how I’ve felt since our hands touched at my house... lightheaded, giddy.”
“I think you’re still under the influence of the truth-telling drink,” he said, standing up and away from her.
“What if I am? It’s the truth isn’t it?” She went to the other room, and he heard her fumbling around with the food.
Axel sat forward on his bed, his mind swimming with the possibilities. He couldn’t do anything now. She still might not be in her right mind, but he would reconsider the next day if she still felt the same way. He didn’t think he could live with himself if she thought he’d taken advantage of the situation.
That night was the most uncomfortable for Axel, and he was sure he didn’t sleep a wink. Not only was Jane lying closer to his side than usual, but he was also receiving messages from Darick about the army.
Though he hated war, Axel knew what had to be done. He relayed the plan to Darick. The next evening, they would convene at the gathering place and discuss tactics to rid themselves of the threat. Darick said he’d spread the word. Axel rubbed his forehead, wondering how he’d gone from downtown nightclubs to building an army in his homeland. And with Jane breathing softly next to him.
13
Jane
The next morning Jane’s eyes fluttered open to see that she was alone. Remembering the day before, she smacked her hand on her forehead. She felt like such a loser. Throwing herself at a man? She’d never done such a thing and had even judged women that did such things.
She thought about what would have happened if Axel hadn’t been such a gentleman. He could have easily slept with her. But he didn’t.
And yes, she was frustrated again. She appreciated his restraint, especially because she didn’t want to be a cheater. She wondered if maybe she didn’t know herself too well since all she could keep thinking about was being intimate with Axel. If she was being honest, the thought consumed her.
Jane moved along the quarters, ate a few pieces of fruit, and decided to take a bath. She didn’t want to bother anyone at the main house, so she grabbed more of Genevieve’s clothing and went down the tree on her own. Jane stepped inside the cave-like room and was surprised to find the torches lit when she had alerted no one.
Then she heard a splash in the water and gave a yelp.
“Oh, shit. You scared me,” Axel said, his torso sticking out of the water. He pushed his wet hair to the back.
“You scared me! I didn’t know you’d be here. Are you naked in there?” she asked. A warmth spread through her at the view.
“Do you take a bath with your clothes on?”
“No, but… Don’t come out yet. I’m leaving,” she said picking up the clothes she’d accidentally dropped. The temptation in the room was filling her nostrils and prickling at her skin.
“Wait,” he said, inching further outward. Jane watched his hips emerge and felt her pulse quicken. He stopped. “Let’s talk about yesterday.”
“What about yesterday?”
“Do you remember?” he asked.
“How I made a fool of myself, and then you shot me down? Twice? Yes, I distinctly remember feeling the sting of rejection.” She put her hands on her hips. Andrew had never denied her. Not that she put herself out there for him often.
“The last thing I wanted was to take advantage of you in that condition. I’d think you’d be grateful for that.”
“Yes, I am, but now I’m just all confused.” She turned around, feeling that she couldn’t do this anymore. Her emotions were all over the place, and after yesterday Jane didn’t know what she wanted anymore. She heard movement in the water drawing near her and then droplets hitting the cave floor. She sensed he was walking toward her, and she closed her eyes.
When he touched her shoulder, Jane felt a sudden relief, like this is what she’d be
en waiting for all of her twenty-seven years. He passed his finger from one shoulder to the other along her back causing her to shiver. Both of his hands slid from her shoulders to her fingertips, and she welcomed his hands in hers.
The first time she felt his lips on her neck Jane almost blacked out. It was that same sensation she’d felt the first time he’d held her hand at the BBQ. She saw a vision of flowing waters glistening in the sunlight and filling her with an unknown euphoria. When he kissed the other side of her neck, her vision returned, the torches once again in front of her.
His lips continued along her back. He grabbed both straps that were sitting on her shoulders and slid them down her arms. She felt the cool draft hit her nipples that were aching for him. When he finally reached around to touch her breasts, she leaned back on to him, throwing her head back on to his chest. She could feel his manhood pushing against her behind, and her heart raced in anticipation.
He turned her around then, and their eyes met, both searching the other for the answer to the need they felt within. He held her at arm’s length, looking at her breasts, and she gave him a shy smile which he followed with his own charming grin. Again he touched her breasts, this time playing with her nipples. She opened her mouth, her breathing heavy now. When she gathered the courage to look down at his perfect body, she saw his large erection.
Axel noticed the direction of her gaze and pulled her hand down for her to touch him. She complied, wrapping her palm around his thickness as his eyes slowly closed. He kissed her then, pushing her hand away, and he grabbed her face with both hands.
Jane wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips discovered each other further, their tongues exploring a growing tension Jane could no longer withstand. She pulled him closer, wishing her clothes would finish falling off, delighed each time he kissed her neck and then sucked on her nipples until they hurt from such pleasure.
A Touch of Spring: Spellbound Series Book 1 (The Spellbound Series) Page 4