The Seduced

by Cheyenne McCray

  The tips of Copper’s ears burned. She backed up and pointed her wand again at Garran. “Let him go.”

  Power rose up within her just as the ground began to rock.

  A tremendous rumbling noise came from beneath their feet, like a massive hammer against stone.

  The room shuddered. Copper lost her footing.

  She stumbled backward and found herself in Tiernan’s arms. Tiernan shielded her with his body as great chunks of crystal rained down from the ceiling. Despite his protection, one icicle-sized shard just missed grazing Copper’s cheek.

  Garran and the other Drow shouted and barely kept to their feet as they bolted from the room. Tiernan grabbed Copper’s hand and they followed.

  It was no better outside the royal chamber. Rocks, some the size of boulders, loosened from above and slammed into the floor of the great hall. From below came one thundering pounding noise after another.

  Other Drow shouted and joined Garran and his guards. They disappeared through a far doorway, brandishing their swords.

  Tiernan and Copper dodged the massive rocks as the boulders fell. They headed for the stairway that would lead them out of the Drow realm and back to the meadow.

  It was blocked by a wall of dirt and rocks.

  The room continued to shake and shudder with the tremendous pounding noise. Tiernan retained his tight grip on Copper’s hand as they ran toward the doorway the Drow had disappeared through.

  Dirt filled her mouth and her nose, and her body ached from the small stones that hit her.

  When they made their way across the hall and through the Drow doorway, a great bellow came from below, and again another sound, like a massive hammer against stone.

  The passageway they were in must have been reinforced because only smaller rocks fell from above. They tumbled down the walls and dust filled the tunnel.

  Even so, Copper didn’t want to be in the tunnel. She wanted out, wanted to be able to breathe without choking on dust. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her. And it reminded her too much of her dreams.

  When they finally made it out of the passageway, Copper and Tiernan came up short, and she gasped.

  Down in the mine pit Garran had taken her to, perhaps two stories below, was the biggest creature Copper could ever imagine seeing. Its skin was bark-brown, it had long stringy brown hair, its eyes were brilliant green, and drool gushed from its mouth. It was hunchbacked with great jagged, mossy green teeth.

  In one hand the giant beast held a shield as big as a garage door. In his other, he wielded a club the size of a two-seater airplane and smashed it into the side walls. The arrowheads from Drow arrows were exploding on contact. The arrows stuck out of the giant’s huge head like tiny toothpicks and blood poured from the wounds.

  Heart pounding, she saw Garran in the midst of the battle, shouting commands. Naal, his brother and first in command, directed another troop of warriors.

  Her heart leaped in her throat when she saw a Drow bashed up against the wall hard enough to sever his head. As his body dropped, it vanished in sparkles of obsidian.

  Copper observed all this in just a fraction of time before looking back at Tiernan.

  He was gone.

  She whipped around to the other side of her and saw Tiernan holding his sword as he rushed down the cavern path to where the Drow fought the giant.

  “No!” she shouted, her heart pounding so hard now she could hear it in her ears. He couldn’t take on such a beast with a sword.

  In the next moment Tiernan’s wings unfolded from his back and he launched himself into the air.

  Despite the pounding of her heart, Copper couldn’t help but think how magnificent Tiernan looked, his great wings spread as he soared around the cavern like a great eagle. He held his sword at the ready, looking for the best angle to attack the giant.

  The huge animal-like beast spotted Tiernan and swung its club at the warrior. Tiernan deftly dodged it and flew even closer to the giant’s face. The creature roared and swiped at him with his shield. Copper screamed Tiernan’s name as the giant came inches from hitting him.

  At the same time, Tiernan distracted the giant, the Drow continued their attack, more wounds bloodying its body as Elvin arrows exploded in its flesh. The giant stumbled as great rocks that were flung from catapults slammed into him.

  Copper tried to think of a spell that would help. A thought came to her in a flash. She forced magic into the wand, magnifying the glow, and pointed it so that the glare momentarily blinded the giant.

  She barely saw Tiernan through the brilliance of the light as he dove toward the giant’s head. Her heart stuttered as he swooped down and drove his sword into one of the beast’s brilliant green eyes.

  The giant screamed and flailed. More rock rained from the ceiling.

  * * *

  Tiernan’s blood boiled as he buried his sword in the beast’s eye. No doubt this was one of the great giants of Underworld, of the kind Owain and his giant lion had fought to the death centuries ago.

  The giants were beasts, truly no more than animals, used as guards at crossing points to Otherworlds. What was such a creature doing this close to the surface of this Otherworld?

  The beast started swinging its club toward Copper where she wielded such powerful light with her wand. Tiernan’s blood pounded in his ears as he drew his dagger and flipped it through the air, end over end. The dagger buried itself into its target, the beast’s other pupil.

  The giant screamed and screamed, blindly spinning around with the dagger and sword jutting out from its huge eyes. It swung its club again and nipped Tiernan on his chest, the power of the momentum slamming Tiernan against a cavern wall.

  Tiernan caught himself before he tumbled to the cavern floor. He soared into the air, his chest aching and his breathing coming in harsh gasps.

  With a great bellow, the beast dropped its shield and club to reach for its eyes to pull out the sword and dagger.

  The Drow attacked in full force, taking advantage of the giant’s blindness and the fact that its hands were now empty of shield and club.

  Copper’s wand light dimmed, surely to keep from blinding the warriors.

  Tiernan spread his wings and soared to the center of the mine to join the rest of the Drow. He flew over a huge pit from which the beast must have emerged.

  He circled until he landed in a crouch. He drew his wings back in and watched the beast at the same time his gaze searched the room for a loose sword.

  The giant had ripped both of Tiernan’s weapons from its eyes and flung them to the rock floor. They hit with a clatter that was nearly lost in the roars of the Drow as they attacked.

  The beast tried to reach for its shield and club again, but was blinded from Tiernan’s weapons having pierced its pupils.

  Tiernan spotted his sword gleaming in the rubble. He dove for it and barely avoided a swinging fist as he snatched up the weapon.

  When his feet touched the soil, as one he and Garran bolted for the giant’s feet. With a broadsword, Garran slashed one of the tendons above the giant’s heel at the same time Tiernan sliced the other.

  The giant bellowed again, the sound so loud the walls shuddered and more rock rained from the ceiling.

  Both Tiernan and Garran rushed to get away from the flailing giant. Tiernan took to the air and Garran bolted with legendary Elvin speed.

  The beast wavered, its body swinging forward. Then back. Forward again.

  With a bellow that rang through the chamber and caused more rock to fall, the giant slammed to its side on the rock floor.

  The blind giant tried to push itself up but the Drow slit its massive throat. It took several warriors to hack at it neck. Deep brown blood spurted and gushed from the wounds.

  Copper’s stomach churned and she held her hand over her mouth. She could barely hold back the bile rising in her throat.

  All the while the giant struggled, knocking Drow from their feet with its huge arms and sending them flying. One of its f
ingers nearly hooked Tiernan, but he swung his sword down in a huge arc and cut off the giant’s finger.

  Finally, the giant gave one last shudder and stilled.

  For a moment the Drow, Tiernan, and Copper were silent, watching blood flow from the giant’s throat like a river gushing over a waterfall. Eventually the bleeding lessened until it was but a trickle.

  Garran and Naal climbed over the rubble and approached Tiernan. The Drow king had a stoic expression on his face. When he reached Tiernan, Garran held out his arm, and they clasped one another’s forearms at the elbow in the handshake of old.

  “Thank you, brother,” Garran said with a deep nod. “You are free to go.”

  “You better believe he is,” Copper grumbled from above. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  The Drow helped free the passageway so that Tiernan and Copper could leave.

  Tiernan was so angry with Copper he did not speak to her until they were through the Drow door and out into the sunlight.

  Sweat and blood covered him. Dirt streaked both his and Copper’s clothing and faces. His breathing was harsh and his blood pumped in his veins like fire from the rush of adrenaline that continued to flood him.

  The moment the door closed behind them, Tiernan took Copper by the shoulders. “What in the gods’ names were you thinking? First of all, you could have been killed by that giant, and secondly, you could have been bespelled by the Drow king.”

  Copper pushed his hands away and glared back at him. “I was doing just fine till you arrived. I would have been out of there before that giant attacked if you hadn’t come down and caused a freaking scene and delayed us.”

  Heat blazed through him. “You were kissing a godsdamn Drow.”

  He swore he saw the corner of Copper’s mouth quirk, as if she were amused. “Jealous?”

  Tiernan scowled. Jealous? Of course not, not with this maddening woman. Yet the sight of her kissing the Drow had sent fury through him, fury that he could not explain. Even the thought of it made him want to punch the bastard.

  “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?” he shouted instead of voicing the thoughts raging in his mind. “You could have been spelled. Then you could have been kept by the Dark Elves forevermore.”

  “I was.” Copper placed her hands on her hips. “Spelled, that is. At least some. But I’m a witch and it had little effect on me. Not that it’s any concern of yours.”

  Tiernan growled. He found himself wanting to shake her again.

  That or kiss her.

  The thought of kissing her again, the image of his lips on hers, chased every other word out of his mind. He was almost relieved when she whirled and strode back around the stone outcropping until he couldn’t see her anymore.

  He sucked in a deep breath between his teeth. Testing the barriers while trying to find a way out of this prison must have roasted his brains.

  12

  By the time a couple of weeks had passed, Tiernan was certain he was stuck with the most illogical, maddening, impulsive, fiery being he had ever known. Worse than her sister by far.

  From the beginning she had vexed him. Her impulsivity toward the Drow and not taking them and their actions seriously; her use of gray magic that far exceeded Silver’s; the fact she would throw herself in the line of fire to save others, as she had when she used her shield to save him; the way she unintentionally teased him sexually, yet denied him what they both wanted; the way she argued with him about most everything.

  And that damnable bee familiar had stung him no less than six time—just in the ass alone—since he had been trapped with Copper.

  His need for her was driving him out of his mind. To wake with her every morning in his arms, yet not actually be able to touch her the way he wanted to, was the most incredible torture.

  His need to get back to help the other D’Danann became more intense every day. He wished he knew what was happening. He had to assist them and rid that world of the damned Fomorii before the demons and the warlock accomplished their goal and freed Balor.

  And he sincerely wanted to unite Copper with her sister because it was so important to both of the sisters.

  This day he had just finished testing the barrier again and had tied his hair and Pixie creations back from his face. It was close to noon.

  He was hungry—there was never enough food in this damnable place and he was heartily sick of apples. He had the desire to slam his fist into something. Gods, would they ever make it out of this prison? What he wouldn’t give to be back in his home in Otherworld.

  He frowned. His handfasting with Airell was not long in coming, and he had yet to determine a solution that would be to everyone’s satisfaction.

  It was not possible. No matter what choice he made, someone would suffer.

  Yet, how could he wed a woman heavy with another man’s child? But he would not allow her to be disgraced, marked, and banished from the Fae realm.

  Somehow, someway, he would work this out.

  When he came back to the center of the meadow after tying his hair and braids back, he saw Copper climbing up and disappearing into the branches of the apple tree.

  “What in the name of Underworld are you—” he started as he stood under the tree and looked up.

  Tiernan couldn’t speak anymore. He couldn’t even think. He was directly under Copper and could see clearly beneath her vine-and-leaf dress.

  As she climbed up the tree, she was bared for his eyes. His mouth grew dry and he swelled against his leather breeches. His hands itched to touch her. His body ached to be with her.

  He shook his head. Being trapped with this woman was definitely making him addled. Yet every minute he spent in Copper’s presence made him want her even more.

  Lust, he told himself, it is merely lust.

  He forced himself to move away from beneath the tree so that he could no longer see her. “Get down,” he commanded, folding his arms across his chest. “You could fall and injure yourself.”

  “Oh, get a grip,” came her muffled voice from within the branches of the tree.

  Tiernan had to resist the urge to go back under the tree where he could watch her make her way farther up and then down again. A sweat broke across his skin, and he was unable to stop visualizing her nakedness beneath her dress. He gritted his teeth. How much more he could take of being around this beautiful, sensual, maddening woman?

  He heard a rustle coming from the tree, then two thuds as two of the reddest, most perfect apples fell to the ground. A few more rustles and Copper swung down from a lower branch one-handed and landed easily on her feet.

  Copper gripped her wand tight in one hand as she scooped up the two apples. She’d taken to carrying her magical instrument everywhere with her, afraid that one of the mischievous beings in the bubble would make off with it.

  She retrieved the apples and her dress hiked up and showed her upper thighs. “Better eat these now.” She straightened and presented Tiernan with an apple.

  He scowled as he took the apple, focusing on his anger. “Do not climb the tree again. You could have fallen.”

  An annoyed expression crossed Copper’s face. “Get over yourself, Tarzan.”

  She tried to brush past him, but he dropped the apple and caught her by her arms. “I am quite serious, Copper.”

  Annoyance turned into an outright glare. She yanked her arms away. “You don’t tell me what to do. That’s it. That’s all there is to it.”

  She pushed past Tiernan, grumbling all the way to the shelter, and he heard the words arrogant, controlling, and jerk.

  He did not know what made him do it, but something burned within his body, something more than anger, more than concern for her safety.

  In a few strides he reached her at the rock outcropping. She whirled around with fire in her eyes, but he backed her up against the wall of smooth boulders.

  He braced his hands on the rock to either side of her face. She dropped her apple and placed her free palm ag
ainst his chest, as if to shove him away—

  He took her mouth with a rough and angry kiss.

  Copper caught her breath in surprise and her mouth parted, giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue into her warmth as he assaulted her with his kiss.

  In the next second Copper was kissing him back with the same fiery intensity, putting her own anger, her own frustration into it. She slid her hands from his chest to his shoulders and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her wand poked him in the back of the head, but he couldn’t have cared less.

  She tasted so sweet and smelled of apples, cinnamon, and woman. Where before his kiss was punishing, now it grew into something passionate, sensual, and needy. He groaned as she slipped her tongue into his mouth, demanding as much as he was taking.

  Copper clamped her legs around his hips and pressed herself tight against him. He wanted to take her right up against this rock wall, now. To possess her. To own her.

  He grasped her buttocks, turned them both away from the rock, moved to the center of the clearing, and sank onto his knees in the thick grass where he laid her on her back. She dropped her wand and it rested in the grass beside her.

  He braced himself above her, his breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. She was so beautiful beneath him, her mouth slightly parted, lips swollen from his kiss, her eyes heavy-lidded with desire, and her beautiful hair tousled.

  A light glinted in her eyes as she looked up at him. “I can’t help it, but I want you so bad,” she said in a husky voice. “Is it really okay to do this? What if you can’t find a solution and you have to marry Airell?”

  Tiernan pressed his lips to her forehead. His arms trembled with the passion wound up within him and the force it took to control himself. He gently brushed his mouth over her soft skin, and she sighed.

  “I will find a way, little fire.” He pressed a kiss to her nose. “I will find a way.”

  He raised his head, and his gaze met hers. He saw nothing short of raw desire—and need. Need for him.

  “All right.” She moved her lips to his, kissing him with such intensity that he groaned into her mouth. She slipped her soft tongue through his parted lips and sighed.