“Quit thinking so hard. It’s late, and we leave at first light.” She scooted away from him and pulled the shift over her head, tossing it to the floor. “I’m not drugged anymore, I promise. Now, let’s go to bed and worry about the rest in the morning.”
How could he argue with that? He checked the screen on the fire, blew out the oil lanterns and shucked his boxers on the way back to the bed. Lana waited on the crisp sheets, warm and smiling.
“Now that’s more like it.” She held up an arm and he lay down beside her.
Their bodies had already grown attuned to one another—they meshed perfectly as they moved together, neither initiating or accepting the kiss that consumed them both.
He was already hard—had been since the ceremony—and he reached down to find Lana swollen and wet, ready for him. She was just as eager as he, biting down on his shoulder as he rolled her to her back and plunged inside.
“Amazing,” he said on a groan as her inner muscles gripped him like a fist.
Her broken little whimper when he moved let him know she was just as into this as he was.
Des tried to take it slow. He propped himself on his elbows and leaned down to suckle her pebbled nipples, teasing each in turn into an even harder peak. Her nails dug into his shoulders and her spine bowed. She twined her legs around his, allowing him a better angle for deeper penetration.
“Harder,” she murmured, her head thrown back, tossing against the pillows.
His control snapped and he took her hard and fast. He let his weight rest on her, bringing his face down to hers so he could kiss her. Lana must have approved because she gripped him close and sucked his tongue into her mouth.
A few moments later they each gasped for air and Lana let out a wail, almost a howl, as her climax hit, milking his cock. It was more than he could stand and he joined her, shoving as deep as he could go and releasing, over and over until he was sure he’d be nothing but a dehydrated husk come morning. Even when he thought he’d black out, he kept coming, Lana’s seemingly endless orgasm dragging out his own like never before.
Lana bucked her hips and a leg snapped on the bed, sending them tumbling. Des managed to catch the headboard, steadying them, before they hit the floor. His cock was still lodged deep in her channel, and he really, really didn’t want to move.
“Did you hear cheering from downstairs?” she asked breathily after he managed to roll them carefully to the side of the tilting bed and drag in a breath.
“Uh-huh.” No question about it, the entire bar had heard them going at it like minks and breaking the bed. He couldn’t help a stirring of male pride, along with the inevitable embarrassment.
Lana’s chuckle puffed warm air against his sweaty shoulder. “Well, at least they know the wedding was consummated. We’ll have to pay Pak and Anys for the bed.”
Des laughed into her hair. “It was worth every penny.”
* * *
The next morning before dawn, Lana took a bath while Des worked his magic to clean their clothes. She was in a fabulous mood, despite the fact that they still had to find a way home and put a stop to the demon drug empire once they got there. They’d pulled the mattress onto the floor for the rest of the night and after another round, had gotten a good night’s sleep. This morning Lana looked at the broken bed frame and laughed like a lunatic.
It took Des about thirty seconds to repair it with magic, now that he was thinking with his brain instead of other body parts. Not that she was complaining. Her own parts still tingled with the memory of the night before. While last night might not have been a wedding night in the truest sense of the word, it had felt like one, and Lana was very afraid this was the closest she was ever going to get. Other than obedience, she’d meant every word of what she’d said last night. She’d never tell him, of course, but to her, the vows had been real. Des was her mate—probably the only one she’d ever have. Lupines, like normal wolves, mated for life. She would love Desmond Sutton until the day she died.
Now, though, it was time to resume their trek. She climbed out of the tub, dried off and dressed before Des had finished his own quick wash-up. While he pulled on his jeans and shirt, she checked their packs and bedroll, making sure everything was cinched tight and ready.
Anys waited for them in the nearly-empty barroom with a hot breakfast prepared and a knowing smile on her face. The porridge wasn’t unlike oatmeal, and with a generous dollop of honey, it was pretty edible. There was something similar to bacon on the side, and Lana snarfed down her portion, barely refraining from swiping Des’s.
As they were finishing their meal, Uther walked through the door and ordered a mug of the honey-beer, sitting down uninvited at their table.
“Are you sure you want to cross through Underhill to get back to Earth? Llyris is none too fond of lupines, or Wyndewin for that matter.”
“My sister is Lady Green Oak,” Des said. “We’ve done some favors for Her Majesty. We’ll be okay.”
Uther narrowed his gaze. “So you’re part of that crew of humans and lupines, eh? I’m familiar with Aidan of Green Oak and Alaric the Bard. I’ve also heard about the Owain business. Nasty. In that case you should be fine. You said you have a map?”
Des nodded and pulled out the map of Faerie surrounding the portal from Makra.
“You’ll come out here, in gnome territory, near the eastern border of the region controlled by Llyris. Walk west, to the first village, then head to the nearby keep—believe me, you won’t be able to miss it. My people aren’t exactly subtle when it comes to castles.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen a couple,” Des said. “Who’s the lord of this one?”
“My older brother,” Uther replied. “Sir Galen Goldenhair, though he’s a minor vassal, not one of the council lords like your brother-in-law. Give him this, and he’ll get you to court.” He handed over a folded piece of parchment with a waxed seal pressed into it. “I’m not technically allowed back in Seelie lands, but my family and I still get along. It should also get you into the portal house on this side, which is manned by gnomes. Though they pay lip service to Llyris, the gnomes pass messages through their territory from time to time.” He described the cottage they were looking for and how to identify it.
Lana wasn’t surprised this portal was inside a building. The Fae liked to keep all gateways into their world carefully guarded.
“Thanks.” Des tucked the note into the pocket of his jeans. “Any surprises around the far side of the portal?”
Lana snorted. “Like it being perched on the side of a cliff?”
“Ah, came through that one, did you? Ouch.” Uther finished his beer and Anys was instantly at his side with another.
“Just a little.” Lana finished her…well, tea was probably the best thing to call it. “Again, thank you. If you ever decide to hang out in the human realm instead of here, look us up. You can find us through the Detroit safe house. I guarantee Aidan won’t give a shit about the Queen’s opinion.”
“My thanks,” Uther said. “But for now, I’m content here. There’s a woman I’m thinking of life-bonding with, if she’ll have me.”
“What—not going to just grab her arm and claim her?” Lana still had trouble believing in that barbaric practice.
“Not if I expect to live with her for a thousand years or more,” Uther said with a laugh. “It may be the law here, but I’m not that stupid.”
A few minutes later, smiling and well-paid, Anys and Pak waved them off from the door of the inn, while their daughters waved from an upstairs window.
Uther walked them to the edge of town. “Travel safe,” he said as they went through the gates. “Tell Galen I send my blessings.”
And then once more, it was just the two of them, together on the road.
* * *
The day was still young when they reached a modest, two-story thatched cottage on the edge of a small settlement. The runes carved into the door matched the marks Uther had sketched on the back of his letter to his brother
. Lana knocked while Des waited with a defensive spell ready to cast. A local man with pink hair and wrinkled green skin opened the door, and Lana held out the letter with Uther’s seal.
“We need to travel Underhill,” she said quietly. “Uther has vouched for us.”
“Come in.” The man ushered them into a small, tidy parlor. “Wait here. I will fetch the master.”
They removed their hats and gloves. Des took a seat on the edge of a straight wooden chair and Lana paced before the small stone hearth. The ceiling was almost uncomfortably low, making her feel as if she was in a child’s playhouse.
The reason for that soon emerged from the hallway. “Greetings. You are a long way from home.”
“We certainly are.” Lana smiled at the gnome who entered the room. “And we understand you’re the gentleman who can help us get back.”
“My name is Benedick Gimble,” the gnome—a perfectly formed person of perhaps three and a half feet, with ears not quite as pointed as an elf’s and a rounder face—said. “Please, take off your cloaks and have a seat.” When he gestured toward a small, dainty sofa, Lana politely accepted, sitting cautiously on the edge so she wouldn’t hurt it. Des introduced the two of them and again mentioned Uther’s name in recommendation.
“Not many from your world find their way to others.” Gimble sat in a chair by the hearth and puffed on a pipe as he spoke. “I would hear the story of how you came to be on my doorstep.” The faintly British, stilted speech was familiar from some of the Fae they’d met through Aidan, so it didn’t strike Lana as overdone. For the most part, she kept her mouth shut while Des told their story.
“I have heard something of your previous exploits,” the gnome said. “And I can understand why you need to get home. Follow me.” He stood and led them through an archway into a hall. “Mind your heads.”
Lana and Des both had to duck as they followed him up the stairs. The ceiling up here was even lower and sloped on both sides, with gabled dormer windows letting in light. It was clearly used for storage, with chests and a handful of dressers and shelves. The servant followed at a discreet distance but didn’t say a word. Lana suspected he was guarding his boss’s back.
Gimble led them to the largest armoire, a big, boxy thing that smelled of cedar. “Through the wardrobe, then. My brother Roderick will meet us on the other side and point you toward Galen’s castle. Let’s go.” He stepped into the wardrobe and vanished.
“Thank you,” Des said, then more quietly, “A wardrobe. Could this be any more cliché?”
“Yeah. We could click our ruby slippers and find out it was all a dream. Now watch for moths in there.” Lana pushed him ahead of her and smiled. Finally, things seemed to be going according to plan.
Which meant she’d be watching the sky for falling pianos.
Keeping hold of Des’s hand as she followed him into the wardrobe, she held her breath and didn’t let it out until her feet touched down on a softly carpeted floor on the other side.
“Here we are then.” Gimble’s chipper voice was clear before the fog of the portal dissipated. “This is my brother Roderick. Roderick, these are the two lost Earthlings. Show them the way to Galen’s tower.”
Another gnome, who could have been a clone of the first Gimble, waited with a big smile on his face. “Just about two miles from here is all. You’re practically home. How about some tea first, then?”
“We really should just go,” Lana said. “There are demons causing trouble in Detroit—we need to get back there to help stop them.”
Roderick’s face fell, but he nodded. “Righty-ho, then.”
He waved goodbye to his brother, who shouted, “Good journey to you,” as he stepped back through the portal, this one just a shimmering alcove in the wall.
“This way,” Roderick said. He led them through a labyrinth of rooms, not too different from his brother’s cottage on Makra. They ducked—literally—out the front door after the gnome. He pointed west down the road. “Off you go. Good luck.”
“Have fun storming the castle,” Lana cackled after they’d gone a few hundred yards down the road. “Those two crack me up.”
“Huh?” Des gave her a look as if she were speaking Swahili.
“You’ve never seen The Princess Bride?” He couldn’t really be that pop-culture illiterate, could he?
Des shook his head.
Lana rolled her eyes. “Damn, Sutton, you really need to get a life, you know? Kick back. Have some fun. Laugh a little.”
He shrugged. “Let’s get home first. Then you can criticize my taste in movies.”
The weather here in Faerie was balmy, so they stashed their furs in the pack. The sunshine and warm breeze made for a much more pleasant hike than the past few days, and they picked up some speed. Soon they spotted a hamlet in the distance, and on the hill above it, a tower-style castle. They got a few strange looks as they passed through town, but nobody bothered them. In short order they stood outside the gates of the keep, holding up the letter from Uther.
Two guards let them past the gate, calling something up to another two who guarded the double doors of the castle itself. Again Des showed the letter with its seal, and again they were passed through, until eventually they found themselves in the great hall.
Lana looked around, soaking in all the late medieval regalia, from swords on the wall to brightly colored pennants and intricately woven tapestries. Modern touches had been added discretely, including a few John Wayne movie posters and an iPod set up in a corner by the hearth, currently playing country music.
“It takes all kinds,” Lana muttered. “We should introduce him to Ordwel.”
“Shh.” Des nudged her forward, where they waited on a bench facing the dais at one end of the room, between two long trestle tables. Maybe ten minutes later, a blond male elf came in, dressed incongruously in a western-cut suit and cowboy boots, his long hair pulled into a neat queue in back. He read the letter, then without conversing more than minimal politeness required, led them through the house to a portal. Most of the Fae noble houses had a portal to the palace, and from there, they could get to Aidan’s house in Grosse Pointe. Home.
They thanked Galen and stepped through into the familiar portal chamber in the Seelie palace, an enormous octagonal marble room filled with portals. To Lana’s surprise, they found a welcoming party. Tobias Bootle, brownie and one of Aidan’s right-hand men, waited on a small stool beside the guardsmen.
“Well, there you are!” He jumped up and came running to shake their hands. “A lot of people are waiting for you. Let’s go.”
* * *
Before they knew it, they were rushed back into a portal and out into Aidan’s decadently comfortable Grosse Pointe library.
“Oh, my goddess, I can’t believe you’re finally here.” Elise ran into the room and launched herself at her brother. “Greg and the others are on their way. We were so worried about you. And when Vin showed up, no one knew whether to believe him or shoot him.” As soon as she was through hugging Des, she turned on Lana and squeezed the breath out of her. For a tiny thing, the little Wyndewin packed quite a punch. When had she stopped being shy and diffident? Now that she and Aidan were together, her happiness seemed to warm up everything about her.
Aidan followed behind her and gave Lana a more restrained hug and clapped shoulders with Des. “Good to see you both. The shit has hit the fan around here while you were gone, so we’ve got our work cut out for us in the next few days.”
“Food first,” Des said. “And some real clothes for Lana, if there’s anything here you can make fit.”
Lana could have kissed him. She didn’t want to have to explain the tunic that had been her basic undergarment for the last few days.
Of course now that they were home, there was no touching allowed—at least not when anyone else was around. She cast a surreptitious glance at Des’s collar to make sure the mark where she’d bitten him last night didn’t show. Letting her cousins see that would be a major pai
n in the ass and she didn’t think he’d bothered to heal it.
“I’m sure we’ll find you something.” Elise led the way to the home’s grand central staircase and hauled Lana into the master bedroom, where she started pulling clothing out of drawers. “Bronwyn will have lunch on the table by the time the rest of the crew shows up, which should be soon since I’d guess they’re breaking every speed law between here and there.”
“Probably.” Lana had no doubt her cousins would break the sound barrier getting here if possible. “Do you know if my parents were aware I was missing?” She didn’t always check in with them on a daily basis, so there was a chance—a slim one—that Greg hadn’t let them know.
Elise winced. “Yeah, they know. It gets worse, though not for you. My parents flew in earlier than planned. Des will get that surprise as soon as he gets back downstairs.”
“Why, doesn’t he get along with them?” Lana watched while Elise magically enlarged a spandex sports bra and matching panties before handing them over.
“They get along okay, but you know how much Des hates to be fussed over, and our mother is a fusser.” She tossed a pair of stretchy workout leggings on the bed. They were probably full length on Elise, but would pass for capris on Lana, which was fine. One of Aidan’s gorgeous Irish fishing sweaters was a decent fit over the top, coming down to cover her hips and only needing a little roll at the cuffs. With a pair of fluffy socks, Lana felt almost normal again, even if the look was straight out of the eighties.
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