by Tasha Black
It was still strange to believe that beautiful woman, who was fast becoming a close friend, was the baby Jessica had been willing to cut out her soul to surrender.
But every day it felt a little less strange.
Jessica had even met Miranda’s parents. Of course they couldn’t know who she really was, so Miranda had just introduced her as a friend from work.
She was happy to learn that the Cannons were incredible, loving people, who were clearly besotted with their daughter.
Sometimes things worked out the way they were meant to. Strange, bittersweet, and just right.
“Are you okay?” Cullen asked quietly as he put his arms around her from behind.
He could see she was looking down at Miranda and Bron.
She wondered if his guilt would ever be assuaged.
Then she remembered that the pain of all that had happened was what had brought them to where they were right now.
Cullen was trying hard to be a good man.
Miranda had turned his fortune into a way to spread that good far and wide.
“I am,” she said. “I’m more than okay. I’m happy.”
She turned and he pressed a kiss to her lips.
“Get a room,” Miranda yelled up to them.
She was kidding, Jessica could tell by the smile in her voice.
But they pulled apart anyway to join Bron and Miranda as they headed back toward the mansion.
“You know we have a meeting with the board tomorrow afternoon,” Miranda told Cullen.
“Fine,” he said. “But I’m working at the soup kitchen at five and I won’t be late.”
“Okay, okay,” Miranda laughed.
“Cullen, I know you can’t cook. So what do you do at the soup kitchen?” Bron asked. “I hope you don’t try to make soup. Those poor people have been through enough.”
“Come on, I’ll tell you,” Cullen said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “You have to come with me one of these days.”
They headed off together.
Miranda turned to Jessica. “You know they love him at the soup kitchen, right?”
“You’ve helped him learn to be generous, Miranda,” Jessica said fondly.
“No, it’s not that,” Miranda said. “Well, I mean it’s a little bit of that. But mostly it’s just him. He learned everyone’s name. People just light up when they see him. They know he cares.”
“The King of Compassion,” Jessica said.
“It’s genuine,” Miranda told her. “Some people say, ‘Fake it ’til you make it.’ But he’s already there.”
“He’s so happy,” Jessica said, watching him laughing with his brother. “I’ve never seen him like this.”
“He’s a good guy,” Miranda said. “I think he just missed you.”
Jessica nodded.
“So what do you think Dorian did to surprise the party guests tonight?” Miranda asked.
“I have no idea, but I’m sure it’s going to be amazing,” Jessica laughed.
When Cullen insisted that they care for the magical creatures, Dorian realized that maybe he could mix things up for the fae in the midnight loop as well, to help break the monotony.
Each week he brought something fun for them to do. Last week he’d had the whole ballroom screaming with laughter as they bobbed for apples.
“What’s the plan today, Dorian?” Jessica called to him.
He smiled back at her. “Games,” he said, indicating the two huge duffels he carried.
“Wow,” Miranda said. “I can’t wait to see the Midnight Court playing Scrabble.”
“It’s never boring with these guys,” Jessica said.
“It’s good to be part of this world,” Miranda said thoughtfully. “Speaking of which, what are you doing with your time these days? No pressure, but when I told my parents you were a friend from work, it got me thinking. With Cullen back to oversee the finances, the foundation is growing again. If you ever feel like stopping in downtown, I’d love to see if there’s a pet project of yours we could work on together.”
“Really?” Jessica asked.
Tears sprang to her eyes in spite of her best efforts. She loved spending time with Miranda. The idea of working with her and Cullen at once was almost unimaginable. And if it gave her a chance to help others, it would truly be heaven.
“Of course,” Miranda said. “We’ll be unstoppable together.”
“That sounds great,” Jessica said.
“Miranda,” Bron roared from inside.
“Is everything okay?” Jessica asked, concerned.
“Oh, he just wants to dance,” Miranda said, rolling her eyes. “Cullen’s not the only one who gets impatient.”
“Well, go dance with him before he decides to start an evil corporation, too,” Jessica teased, arching a brow.
Miranda laughed and headed inside.
Jessica began to follow, then stopped and turned instead to face the garden.
From the shelter of the covered front porch, she could look out over the rose garden and the stone wall, and down into the woods beyond.
It was peaceful in spite of everything that had happened here.
She heard footsteps behind her and turned to find Cullen approaching, a strange expression on his handsome face.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” she replied, trying to imagine what was wrong.
“Jessica, there’s something I want to say to you,” he said.
She nodded, waiting, trying not to think the worst. Things had been good - so good that she ought to have expected the other shoe to drop.
“I love you so much,” he said, kneeling before her. “I want to give you a mortal ring to go with the fae one on your hand.”
She gasped with pleasure as he held out a slender band of gold, formed in the shape of tiny vines, with a shimmering stone set at its center.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, yes, yes!"
“Hey guys, come quick,” Tristan yelled, sticking his head out the door. “Dorian brought the game of Twister and the fae are playing it and it’s hilarious, and… oh...”
He was gaping at them, suddenly realizing what he had interrupted.
“What’s going on?” Tabitha asked, sticking her head out, too.
“They’re getting married,” Tristan whispered and elbowed her.
“We’re getting engaged,” Cullen corrected him. “At least we were.”
“Don’t let us interrupt,” Tabitha said, dragging Tristan onto the porch to watch.
“What’s everyone doing?” Miranda asked, appearing in the doorway. “Oh my God.”
She disappeared back into the house.
Jessica looked to Tabitha.
Tabitha shrugged.
A moment later Miranda came sailing back out the door with Bron, Sara and Dorian in tow.
“Okay,” Miranda announced. “You can start now.”
“But I already—” Cullen began.
Jessica cleared her throat loudly.
Luckily, he got the hint.
“Jessica Bell,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I chased you through realms and across time. I want you by my side forever. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she cried.
The others clapped and cheered.
Cullen slid the ring onto her finger, then stood and swept her into his arms.
As he spun her around, she heard the joyful celebration of her friends, the cries of the night birds outside, and the music spilling out of the midnight ballroom.
Jessica Bell was living in two worlds.
And she truly had the best of both of them.
“I will love you forever,” Cullen whispered in her ear.
She closed her eyes and envisioned the two of them - hosting family dinners with all their friends as the years went by, children running around the table, visits to the fae realm with gifts for their magical friends.
Even forever didn’t
seem long enough for all the happiness she foresaw.
***
Thanks for reading King of Pain!
Have you read all of the Rosethorn Valley Fae books? Check out the rest fo the series here:
https://www.tashablack.com/rvf.html
In the mood for some steamy shifter action? Want to read about when a hunky, single dad from the neighboring town of Tarker’s Hollow meets a curvy con-artist that just might steal his heart?
Then keep reading for a sample of Axel, or grab your copy now!
https://www.tashablack.com/axel.html
Axel (Sample)
1
Axel
Axel Swann took a deep breath, anticipation building in his chest as the change took hold. He let the air out with a whoosh, his whole body expanding as he dropped to all fours.
By the time his hands hit the lawn, they were no longer hands.
Tender blades of grass tickled the pads of his massive paws.
He shook his thick pelt and lifted his snout to the swollen moon, drinking in the delicious sounds and smells that rushed toward his enhanced senses.
Fall had begun working its magic on the landscape. The colorful leaves still held fast to the trees, but he could practically hear their stems loosening, and he could taste the edge of cold in the fresh night air.
He loped off towards the trees, yearning for the scent of pine that his paws would kick up. His muscles sang as he leapt.
He had so few chances to indulge the beast within, and it had been so long…
“Hal, is that a bear in the neighbors’ yard?” a woman’s voice called from the deck next door.
“It’s not a bear,” the husband yelled back in a bored way.
“I think it’s a bear,” she repeated.
“Edith, it’s not a bear,” he said. “We live in the suburbs. There’s no bear.”
Axel froze, holding his breath.
There was a loud crackle of static, followed by the faraway sound of wailing.
He sighed, and let his body shift back to its human form.
The scents and sounds faded.
And his sense of fear returned.
Shit.
He scuttled back to the house, grabbing his bathrobe from the back porch in one hand and the baby monitor in the other.
He managed to get inside and lock the door before Edith could come over to investigate. But he knew she’d be over in the morning to tell him all about the animal she’d spotted in the yard.
He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.
Shifting at home was a risk. The backyard was so small - just a wooden fence, and an expanse of lawn with a stand of pines in the back.
But it wasn’t like he could go anywhere else.
No matter how seductive the call of the moon, Axel would never leave the radius of that baby monitor.
He placed the monitor on the kitchen table and pulled on his robe, tying it firmly around his waist.
The baby had quieted, but Axel would check on him anyway. He liked any excuse to visit Noah in the night.
The doctor had told him not to hold and feed Noah so much if he wanted him to sleep through the night, but it was difficult to let the little fellow cry alone in his own room. Given their situation, Axel figured he’d rather err on the side of indulging him.
He moved through the dining room, still decorated with his ex-girlfriend’s frilly tablecloth, through the living room with his big chair and small fireplace, and up the creaky stairs.
Noah’s door was the first one at the top of the steps.
Axel stood in the hall for a moment, listening.
No sound came from inside, but he wrapped his big hand around the knob anyway, and closed his eyes before easing it open, as if not watching the door might make it quieter.
The room was filled with Noah’s sweet scent. Technically, Axel knew it was mostly the scent of baby powder and the delicate detergent he used to wash the baby’s sheets and clothing. But there was an undertone of pine and cinnamon he swore was the woodsy scent of his little one.
Noah was asleep again, his little body splayed on the crib mattress, tiny hands open wide like stars, the moonlight from the window playing up the dimples of his chubby cheeks.
His tiny eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if he disapproved of whatever he was dreaming about.
“It’s okay, buddy,” Axel half-whispered, half-sang, caressing his son’s pillowy cheek with a calloused index finger. “Daddy’s right here. Daddy will never leave you.”
Noah smacked his lips in his sleep and his forehead smoothed.
Axel felt his heart melt, for the millionth time.
“My boy,” he whispered.
Axel stayed just where he was for a long time before finally sneaking away for his own night of sleep.
The next morning, he woke up early and headed to the Tarker’s Hollow Community Center, as planned.
The air was crisp and fragrant, and Noah was making happy growling noises.
“You’re excited to see your friends, huh, buddy?” Axel murmured to him as he dug in his pocket for the keys to the building.
He and Noah enjoyed their mornings at the baby playgroup once a week.
Axel had volunteered to open up the place and clean up the toys at the end, hoping to get in good with the tight group of stay-at-home moms who seemed to run everything in town. After all, Noah would be going to school with their kids one day - Axel needed to prove he was a trustworthy presence for playdates.
But so far it hadn’t seemed to win him much goodwill. No matter how friendly Axel was, the women hadn’t taken a shine to him. The other single dads in the group had theories on that, but Axel didn’t like to presume. He hoped that in time he would be accepted.
Balancing Noah on his left hip, he opened the door and jogged up the stairs to turn on the lights.
The huge arched windows that lined the north side of the room looked out over verdant views of the Tarker’s Hollow College campus and soccer field.
The space used by the playgroup was as big as a ballroom. It had been used for the high school’s required dance classes back in the fifties, as his great-aunt liked to remind him.
Now, it was mainly rented out for parties and used by the playgroup twice each week. Axel could only afford to close the shop one morning each week to attend with Noah, but his buddies Dax and Chase came Wednesdays and Fridays with their kids.
He opened the big closets on the near side of the room and pulled out a nice selection of toys for different age groups.
Noah was too little to do much more than lie on a play mat and kick his legs, but the toddlers at playgroup used the bikes and the toy kitchen and other items they cycled through week by week.
Satisfied with the offerings for the “big kids,” Axel lowered his backpack to the floor, opened it with one hand and pulled out a fuzzy blanket. He spread the blanket on the floor and sat down with Noah just as heavy footsteps jogged up the stairs.
“There’s Noah,” a voice boomed.
“Hey, Chase,” Axel said with a grin. “And hello, Jacob!”
Chase Bowman always brought his nephew to playgroup. His sister worked a nine to five in the city and Chase’s job fundraising for the college meant he sometimes worked late nights. He’d told Axel that when he’d asked for flex hours so he could spend mornings with his nephew, the dean had granted his request on the spot.
“How are you guys?” Chase asked, spreading out his own blanket and sitting down with little Jacob.
“We’re great,” Axel said.
“You look tired,” Chase said sympathetically. “Were you out late last night?”
Axel knew they were alone, but he glanced around out of instinct before replying.
“I can’t really run with the moon these days,” he said. “I tried last night, but the neighbor yelled something about bears and then Noah woke up…”
“Wait—what?” Chase asked.
“Well, I try to be quiet, but the
yard is so small…” Axel began.
“You tried to shift in your yard?” Chase asked, incredulous. “Dude, that’s hilarious!”
“It’s not hilarious,” Axel said, though he was pretty sure Chase was right and he was just too grumpy to see it. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t leave Noah.”
“Why didn’t you call Hannah Harkness?” Chase asked, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “She watches him all the time.”
“Who watches him all the time?” Jenny Wilks-Andrews asked brightly from the stairwell.
Chase’s eyebrows shot up.
Jenny was a shifter too, so her hearing was enhanced. She was also a stay-at-home mom and thick as thieves with the little clique of mostly human moms that ruled the roost at play group.
“Hannah Harkness,” Axel said. “How’s it going, Jenny?”
“Great,” she said firmly. “Daniel is having a pleasant day, right, Daniel?”
“Horse,” Daniel trumpeted and galloped over to the rocking horse Axel had set up by one of the windows.
“He’s getting so big,” Axel said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“He’s only in the eighty-seventh percentile,” Jenny barked out defensively.
Dear Lord. He had done it again.
Axel could never seem to say the right thing with these women.
“I only meant he’s so active and so tall,” he said quickly.
But the damage was done, Jenny brushed her hands together as if she were washing herself clean of him, then took off for the top of the stairwell where her best friend, Megan had appeared with her newborn.
Chase rolled his eyes and Axel smiled. At least Chase understood.
“Anyway,” Axel said. “Hannah’s only in high school. It’s fine for her to watch Noah during the day when I’m at the shop. If anything goes wrong, I’m in shouting distance. But not at night. Besides, summer’s over - she went back to school this week.”
“What are you going to do?” Chase asked, his eyes full of sympathy.
The opening bars of Hungry Like the Wolf rang out suddenly.