by C. A. Storm
Wrapping his arm around his mate, Bard gently pulled her from the crowd with a murmured, “Come on, darling. I want to get you out of here. We’re going to go crash at my place, so I know you’ll be safe.”
It was a testament to just how drained his mate was, when she just nodded, wrapping an arm around his waist as he escorted her out of the Village and to his truck. She only paused once, as they reached the puppy pack. She gave each one of them a tight hug.
“We’ll see you soon, guys. Erik, you watch out for the boys ‘til we get back, okay?” She asked, holding the young man’s gaze steadily.
With a nod, Erik gave her a small grin, “Yes, ma’am.” Towards Bard, he said, “Take care of her, sjef.”
Clasping Erik’s shoulder, Bard grinned, “I will.”
As they drove away from the Village, Harper leaned against his side, and he kept one arm protectively curled around her shoulder. It made shifting gears a bit of a juggle, but somehow, he managed.
Rousing her from the light doze she had slipped into, Bard gently kissed her forehead. “We’re here, darling. Come on, I’ll show you around later. Right now, let’s go take a nice, long bath and cuddle.”
Her sweet, husky laughter was music to his ears. “I’m on to you, Mister Wolf. ‘Cuddle’ is code for nookie.”
“Well, I wouldn’t complain if there was some nookie involved,” Bard admitted, but his grin was tender as he lightly stroked the back of his fingers over her cheek, “But I’m just as happy to spend the night holding you and talking. We moved pretty quick, and it’s been a busy few days, so I’m all for just being lazy and laying around.”
Rubbing her cheek against his hand, Harper admitted, “Lazy sounds really good right now.”
Taking her hand, Bard gently lifted her out of his truck and escorted her into his home, his wolf instantly relaxing now they had their mate safely tucked into their own den. He hadn’t realized just how tense he and his wolf were still until that moment.
Things could have gone wrong in so many ways.
Putting those thoughts out of his mind, Bard said instead, “Welcome home, darling.”
He gave her a quick tour of the downstairs, of his work space and studio, of the front area that had been converted into a store. He showed her the common areas, the large kitchen and dining room, and the spare rooms often used by friends looking for a place to crash when in Grand Lake. He may have accidentally-on purpose forgot to show her the secret door into the basement. There would be time for that, after they had been mated for a while.
Sweeping her up into his arms, he carried his giggling mate up the stairs to the loft. “It’s not exactly a threshold, and I figure we may want to start looking for a place that we can make ours together, but my home is now yours.”
Carrying her through the bedroom area, he took her directly into his large, custom bathroom, insanely pleased he had thought to clean his place. He was also inordinately proud of the custom bathroom he’d had installed, which not only included a huge shower, but a jacuzzi tub more than big enough for both of them.
Yep, life was going to be good. Very good. Starting now!
Chapter 33
Harper stared blindly at the contract spread out before her.
She had already signed the damned thing, already gave her grandparents exactly what they wanted. She was officially no longer a Llewellyn. Legally, her name would be Morgan—at least until she and Bard made it to a Justice of the Peace, anyways.
With the same cold, efficiency that epitomized the Atlanta Llewellyns, since she had chosen to leave her family; they were cutting all ties. She still had the trust fund her father had set in her name, but the money didn’t really mean anything to her. She had built her own, rather comfortable, nest egg working for Daniels, Jameson & Walker, and if she kept on a few of her former clients that still wanted her on retainer, she wouldn’t have to worry about money any time soon.
Yet, none of that was why Harper’s mind wasn’t focused on the legal forms of familial dissolution. Nope, her mind was quite firmly lost in the warm, hazy bliss of “newly mated” life.
The week had passed in a blur, she and Bard pretty much spending all their time up in his loft, only emerging to eat. He had even closed his motorcycle shop for the week, putting a sign on the door that said, “Just Married,” and turned off the phones. All of them. Including her cell phone.
They had romped through his shop, had sex on nearly every surface, in every possible position, and spent hours just cuddling. Seriously, they really just cuddled and talked. She had mated an unapologetic cuddle-slut.
Then she had stumbled on his dungeon.
Oh Lord, the look on his face when she had accidentally triggered the secret switch that opened the hidden door leading down into a basement. Even now, she could clearly recall the look of shock and embarrassment on his face, his stuttering as he protested he hadn’t really been trying to hide it, he just didn’t want her to know about his dark secret until she was too in love with him to even think of leaving him.
More intrigued than upset, she had asked him to show her.
She had married a geek.
His “dungeon” was the ultimate Geek Cave. A huge table, complete with a digital tabletop, dominated one room, surrounded by heavily carved, heavily cushioned chairs. Three of the four walls were covered with bookcases, stuffed filled with books. Gaming books, everything from Dungeons & Dragons through Vampire: The Masquerade, obscure games from Europe; and boxes, and boxes, of board games she had never even heard of.
Apparently, her mate was a Dungeon Master, one who regularly had friends over, so he could run them through an epic fantasy campaign that had been going on for over thirty years.
Supernaturals playing fantasy roleplaying games. An actual werewolf who roleplayed vampires.
Calmly, she had told him that he could keep all his games, if she could keep all her romance novels.
Somewhere between him stripping her naked and then having her ride his cock while he sat in his “Master Throne” to more than one screaming orgasm; they had come to a mutual agreement to not tease one another about their preference in past-times.
Though, she had drawn the line at calling him Master anywhere outside of their bedroom.
A girl had to have standards, after all!
Still grinning, Harper looked up as she heard the door of her shoppe open, the gentle chimes of a bell announcing someone had come inside. Rising to her feet, she peeked around the corner to see who had come in.
Killian Sinclair stood there in all his dark, elegant glory.
Instantly, his eyes settled on her and he dipped his head. “Mistress Llewellyn,” he began, but Harper held up a hand to forestall him.
“Actually, it’s no longer Llewellyn. I’ve been officially disowned,” Harper admitted with a shrug, “And Harper is fine. Please.”
“Very well, Harper then,” Sinclair actually graced her with a faint smile.
Even if only to herself, Harper would admit that if not for the fact she was utterly head-over-heels in love and lust with her Viking, that man’s smile, even the faintest hint of one, could cause panties to spontaneously combust. Wow.
“How can I help you, Lord Sinclair?”
“Killian, please,” he replied, a rueful grimace on his face, “I find that I’m actually quite exhausted at only being referred to by a title or my last name. Anyways, to answer your question, I’m here to offer you a position.”
“A…what?”
“A position. I’m a currently forming my personal team. When I agreed to take over the responsibilities of serving as the Lord of the Unaffiliated, I must admit that I underestimated just how big a responsibility that would be.” His brow furrowed. “I do not do that often, so I find myself scrambling to build a network of individuals I can rely on.”
“But…I’m not a Sidhe,” Harper said. “I’m not Fae, I have no connection to the Courts, at all.”
“Technically, Harper, that’s not entirely
true.” The corner of Killian’s mouth quirked up. “You see, as a Morgan witch, you’re descended from the union between a Tuatha and a mortal. That’s where your wilder magic comes from, enabling you to tap into the same natural forces that we draw upon. So, while you’re not ‘fae,’ so to speak, it’s precisely because you’re only distantly so that adds to your appeal.”
Feeling the need to sit down, Harper suddenly recalled her manners. “Uh, sorry, can I get you something to drink? Would you like to have a seat so we can discuss this?”
“No, no, that’s quite okay, Harper. I merely wanted to offer you a position as my solicitor. It would only be on retainer, and mostly involving affairs outside of the Court, dealing more with the Mortal-side of affairs.” Holding up his hand, he said, “Please, just think it over. There would be a healthy benefits package, and you would of course receive a suitable monetary compensation, but I was most impressed by your poise and your mind.”
Placing his sunglasses back on, Killian dipped his head in a formal half-bow, “Now, if you’ll pardon me, I should get back to dealing with Court affairs. Oh, and congratulations on your mating. Your wolf is a very lucky man.”
With that, he left.
When Bard came up behind her, moving silently for once, Harper just leaned back against his chest as his arms slid around her waist. One massive hand was spread possessively, protectively over the gentle swell of her stomach.
She had known he had quietly come in through the side door, had felt his presence even if her unheightened senses had no chance to detect the stalking predator protecting his mate and unborn child…or children, because Ulvfangs tended to come in multiples. Fucking potent bastard wolves.
“Well, darling?” Bard asked, resting his chin on the top of her head and rocking her gently in his arms.
Shrugging, Harper turned her head so she could brush her lips against the underside of his bearded jaw. “Hard to say no, but we’ll see how it goes. For now, we have other things to worry about.”
“Oh? Like…?” Bard teased, his hand slowly stroking down her abdomen, causing her to squirm delightedly back against his firm body.
“Well, we have an elopement to plan, a dinner with your pack to dread, final preparations for opening weekend next week,” Harper began ticking them off on her fingers. “We’re going to have to look for a place to live, formally adopt the Puppy Pack, I have witch practice with Soo and some of the local coven witches, you have D&D tonight with Strange and the gang…” She teased, giggling as he buried his face in her hair with a groan of defeat.
“Argh, wench,” he growled in his best Viking voice, picking her bodily up in his arms as he made his way towards the stairs, “We’re going to have to discuss your priorities!”
And taking her up into the loft, Bard proceeded to teach her how to properly prioritize. Again, and again, and again, as the Viking Werewolf Beast repeatedly claimed his Sassy Southern Belle.
The End…
…for now!
Thank You!
Sincerely, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for reading A Glassy Lady!
I hope that Harper and Bard were able to entertain you, inspire you, and make you laugh.
There is much more to come in the world of Cœur de Lyon, many more stories begging for their chance to shine!
Until next time!
C.A. Storm
Christopher M. Coyle
Coeur de Lyon: A Renaissance Flair
Welcome to the world of A Renaissance Flair. This world masquerades as a fantastic escape from the ordinary, for the ordinary, as a Renaissance and fantasy-themed village and resort, but beneath the façade lies a hidden truth: fairies and monsters are real, and they love to come and play with Mortals.
All titles in this paranormal romance series feature gratuitous nudity, naughty bits, sex, lots of cursing—both figurative and literal—sex, some violence, lots of leather, shapeshifters—both foreign and domesticated—witches, Sidhe and fairies, some vampires, a dragon or two, sex, booze, dashing heroines, sassy heroes, and loves that come in all the different varieties found in real life. Oh, and don't forget about the sex. And the cursing—there are witches and fairies involved, after all! If you're looking to have some good, naughty fun, enter the Faire with Flair and lose yourself in the magic!
Current Titles in the Series
My Faire Lord – Sam & Rik
A Glassy Lady – Harper & Bard
A Wolf in Period Clothing – Coming soon!
Currently, all titles are available on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited!
Coeur de Lyon: After Dark
When the sun goes down and the shadows dance in the flickering torchlight, as the children are tucked away so the adults can play, that’s when the real monsters come out to partake in the pleasures of the night.
Once a week, the Cœur de Lyon Renaissance & Fantasy Faire stays open throughout the night. For Mortals, it is a time for the adults to have fun, without children and teenagers around, to partake of good food, free-flowing booze, and enjoy live music and revelry. For the monsters, the Uncannies who cannot or will not walk in the sunlight, it is also their time to revel, and to feed.
The After Dark series is a spin-off that takes place in Cœur de Lyon, the world of A Renaissance Flair series. These stories are a little darker and more mature, but are still romances at the heart, where love can wear many different faces and come in many different forms. Each story is a stand-alone, but since they take place in the same world, there will be familiar faces and some interwoven story threads here and there.
There are some monsters worth bumping into After Dark!
Upcoming Titles in the Series
Her Bloody Knight – Coming soon!
About The Author
Currently residing in Honolulu, HI with my partner of many years, C.A. Storm is the obvious pen-name for Christopher M. Coyle, a not-so-young grapic designer and former tabletop game designer who has finally gotten off his own Irish ass and making a serious go at writing novels.
I’ve been a Yeoman in the U.S. Navy, a professional editor and game designer, a graphic designer, and worked more odd jobs than I care to remember. I’ve been lucky enough to live all over the world, and I try and bring in a bit of that experience into my writing.
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