by Sarah Bailey
When he released her lip, he was sure of three things. Dani was the perfect woman. She tasted like magic. And he wanted more. Claiming her completely was the wrong thing to do, but he no longer cared about wrong or right when it came to her. All he could see and want was her.
“You are mine,” he growled.
“Yours,” she breathed.
Chapter Fourteen
Dani stood outside the little shop in Camden called Spellbound. The beautifully hand painted sign above the door was dark blue with white accents. She pushed the door open, the little bell above it ringing. Inside the shop, it had a smoky, almost spicy aroma. There were bookshelves everywhere, filled to the brim with various volumes. On one wall, each shelf contained glasses of varying sizes with herbs and other such things inside them. Sitting behind a long counter, with her head in a book was a girl with auburn hair. She looked up when Dani entered.
“Hello, welcome to Spellbound,” she said.
Dani nodded.
“Hello, I’m looking for Alistair,” Dani replied.
The girl’s brow furrowed slightly. She looked over Dani for a moment. When her eyes fell on Dani’s ears, they widened.
“Oh, you’re fae. Sorry, oh gods, that was rude of me.”
Dani shook her head, smiling. Other supernaturals could tell what she was immediately, but to humans, she kept a glamour up to hide her curved ears and somewhat inhuman appearance.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll get him. He’s in the back.”
The girl hopped off the stool and went through a door behind her. Dani heard low voices for a moment before a dark haired man with striking blue eyes stepped out. He grinned at Dani when he spied her.
“Hello, I hear you were asking after me,” he said.
Dani took a step further into the shop, unsure of how to go about this. The auburn-haired girl didn’t reappear from the back room.
“Yes, I’m…” She paused, wondering if she should tell the witch who she really was.
Jamie told her to be honest when he’d given her Alistair’s address.
“Princess Dandelion Farlane, but please call me Dani.”
Alistair’s eyebrow arched up.
“You’re the king’s youngest daughter.”
“Yes.”
She wasn’t surprised he knew of her family. The shock of Gwilliana’s sudden death and King Mitah’s rise to the throne was common knowledge in the supernatural community.
Alistair waved a hand at the two sofas in the corner of the shop as he walked over to them.
“Please, have a seat.”
She walked over and sat down on the sofa opposite to the one he’d taken. A moment later, the red haired girl appeared again with a tray. She set it down and poured out some sweet smelling tea for both Alistair and Dani.
“Thank you,” Alistair said to the girl.
She leant down and kissed his cheek before disappearing again. Dani picked up one of the tea cups and took a sip. It was a brew she knew well. Fae in origin. It tasted a little like jasmine.
“So, Dani, what can I do for you?”
She shifted in her seat for a moment before placing the cup back down on the table between them.
“Two things. Both are of a delicate nature.”
He leant back against the sofa, his arm falling on the back of it. His eyebrows drew together.
“I always seem to get dragged into things that are none of my concern,” he muttered.
He looked away for a moment before levelling her with an intense gaze.
“Rest assured, you have my word whatever you say to me will not leave this room.”
Dani nodded, looking down at her hands.
Where do I even start?
“I was told you were close with Candace Highmore and might know how to get in touch with her in Hell.”
Both Alistair’s eyebrows shot up. His arm fell off the back of the sofa. Shifting slightly, he leant forward, resting both elbows on his knees.
“You want to speak to Candace?”
“Yes. I know she hates the fae, but with what’s happening… Let me speak plainly. There are those within the fae who believe she is the rightful heir to the throne even if she denounced her claim. I want to prevent a war amongst my people.”
He eyed her for a long moment before running a hand through his hair, sighing heavily.
“There is never a dull moment in this world. Okay, so say I do know how you can see Candace, that doesn’t mean I think you should. Why are you here and not your father?”
She should’ve known this would never be straight forward. This was the easier of the two things she was asking for from this witch. Or so she thought.
“My father doesn’t know anything about this. And what do you mean see her?”
He looked down at his hands.
“There are several ways to access Hell. Firstly via the gates, but you would have to sacrifice a soul to open them, which I am obviously not encouraging. The easiest solution is to enter via a portal. I know where a few of them are, but considering you want to see Candace, you’d want the one which gives you access to Lucifer.”
Dani tried not to flinch at the mention of the King of Hell. Whilst she wasn’t afraid of him, she wasn’t sure what meeting the Archangel would entail. She knew about the prophecy involving him and Candace. The one Gwilliana had insisted was about the fae.
“Why do you think I shouldn’t go looking for her?”
“I haven’t really heard from her since she left. She is probably in touch with her father and perhaps her best friend, Jax. She did leave a huge mess for your kind to deal with, did she not? It has only been a few months since Gwilliana’s death.”
Dani nodded. It had taken a month for the community to get its act together and for her father to be crowned. Her death had sent shockwaves through the entire country.
“That’s exactly why I need to speak to her. I know she has no love for the fae, but even she will understand the implications of a war between the clans. It caused devastation throughout the fae community in the US.”
Alistair sat back again, his blue eyes intent on hers.
“I will help you.”
He put his palm out and blue smoke coiled in it. It evaporated a moment later leaving a small blue stone in his hand. He placed it on the coffee table and pushed it over to her. Dani picked it up and turned it over in her hands.
“When you wish to find the portal, you need to say ostende mihi viam. It will guide you.”
She mouthed the words ‘ostende mihi viam’ before slipping the stone into her bag. She wasn’t sure whether she could trust Alistair, but she had to put her faith in the witch.
“Now, you said you had two things you wished to speak to me about.”
Looking up at him again, she tried to work out how to put this. After Jamie’s confession, she realised they had to do more to keep anyone from breaking them apart. She’d accepted his claim on her, even if it wasn’t fully complete yet. That part would come later. They were due to meet at ObliVion this evening. There she would breathe a human before she let Jamie have her in the way he craved.
She was no longer nervous about him biting her. Especially not after he’d bitten her lip. It sent shivers down her spine and made her pulse spike. Desire coated her veins rather than repulsion. And yet, him claiming her would not be enough. She had to secure her future with the vampire because even though a relationship between them was forbidden, she wanted it anyway. If she wasn’t a princess, it would’ve been easier. But she was. And this was the only way she could fix it. To make sure they were permanently bonded to each other.
“This is going to sound a little insane.”
Alistair snorted.
“As if wanting to visit the Queen of Hell is not insane enough for you.”
She shrugged.
“I’m doing that to protect my people and my family. This is… personal.”
He smiled, blue eyes glinting.
&nb
sp; “Go on.”
“I’m aware blood magic is forbidden amongst witches.”
That made his smile drop.
“It is, but your kind have no issues with such things.”
She looked away, trying to work up the courage to ask him what she needed. She couldn’t very well go looking for this in her father’s library because she was watched at all times.
“I need to know how to create a blood bond.”
“That shouldn’t be too much of an issue. I have books on the subject, although I’m sure you could find that out yourself considering you have access to the royal estate.”
“I’m not talking about blood bonds between the fae. I’m talking about a bond between a fae and a… a vampire. An unbreakable bond fused with magic. I know of its existence.”
Alistair’s expression didn’t change for a long moment. The silence between them suffocated Dani. She’d known this was going to be an awkward conversation. She’d spent much of her life locked away, leaving her time to read extensively. That’s how she knew these bonds existed, but her father didn’t keep books on how it was done.
“Let me get this straight, you want to permanently bond yourself to a vampire?”
She nodded, not meeting his eyes.
“And here I thought I’d heard about everything the world had to offer.”
A vampire and a fae. That wasn’t what he was surprised about. She knew it was because she was a princess of the fae and the implications of it were far reaching. Dani had already made up her mind about Jamie. Best friends and lovers. He told her he’d never let her go. This was how she proved she’d never let him go either. How deep her feelings for him ran.
“Can I ask you who it is?”
She finally met Alistair’s eyes. There was only curiosity in them. No judgement.
“Jamie did say he knows you.”
“Jamie…” His brow furrowed. “Wait, Gavin’s sibling? He’s back in London?”
“Yes, that Jamie.”
Alistair threw back his head and laughed.
“By the goddess, this is… unexpected.”
Dani couldn’t help but smile. She knew all about Jamie’s reputation for trouble. When Alistair finally settled down, she bit her lip.
“It’s not what you think. He’s my best friend and if my father finds out, he’ll make sure we never see each other again. I’m willing to do anything to prevent that from happening. I can’t be without him.”
“No judgement here. I have books on this subject, if you give me but a moment, I will find the right one for you.”
She nodded as he stood. At least he wasn’t telling her to get out of his shop. She’d happily pay for his services. She just hoped he would keep his word about this staying between them.
Alistair moved amongst the bookshelves, his eyes intent on the spines, tapping his finger against his chin. This was the first time she’d had a proper conversation with a witch. He was unexpected. Completely at odds with how her tutor had described them. Behind those blue eyes lay a man who was self-assured and powerful.
“How did you know I would be able to help you with these things?” he asked.
“Neave told me you knew Candace, but when I heard you were a witch, I decided to take a chance and see if you knew anything about fae magic.”
His fingers traced over two books, eyes intent on the titles.
“I study all forms of magic.”
Her senses tingled.
“You’re not just an average witch.”
His eyes flicked over to her, eyebrow raised.
“Am I not?”
She shook her head. Dani’s ability to sense things flared as she stared at Alistair.
“No. I’d go so far as to say you should be head of the Grand Coven with the power you hold in your little finger. Except you don’t want that. This shop tells me you want a quiet life with the woman you love, but you seem to be dragged into all sorts of mishaps regardless. Perhaps it’s the curse of your power. Your full potential.”
He turned to her fully. He didn’t look upset by her words, merely curious.
“Does your father know just how sharp your intuition is? How powerful you really are?”
“No. He should’ve guessed considering I inherited my mother’s condition, but he prefers to bury his head in the sand when it comes to me. She died when I was young. Her condition… my condition is a curse.”
Whilst Dani shouldn’t strictly be telling him any of this, she didn’t care. Being able to talk openly about what she suffered was something she craved. Even Jamie didn’t really understand the full implications. She’d not explained it properly because it was all connected with the awful memories of her mother’s death. The ones which plagued her dreams.
“Might I ask what you suffer from?”
“I don’t know what it’s called. All I know is when I breathe humans to replenish my magic, it causes a reaction in me which can only be cured by a sexual release.”
Alistair nodded, turning back to the shelves.
“I’m afraid the book I need is in my home rather than here. If you wish, we can retrieve it together.”
Dani stood and walked over.
“I would.”
Alistair smiled at her before blue smoke coiled out of his hand and in front of them, a portal appeared.
“Just a moment.”
He walked around the counter and stuck his head in the door of the backroom.
“Grace, I have to go home to get a book. Won’t be long.”
Dani couldn’t hear the muffled response, but as he stepped back, the red haired girl appeared in the doorway. She nodded at him and took a seat behind the counter. Alistair turned and walked through the portal with Dani trailing after him. Having been in many portals, she was greeted by the usual rushing sensation before they both stepped out into a large living room. She waited by the sofa whilst he looked through his neatly stacked bookshelves. Dani was a little taken aback by how tidy the entire place was, but she suspected it had nothing to do with the witch in front of her.
“You have a very nice home,” she said.
“Trust me, this was a mess before Grace moved in. If anything is out of place, she has a go at me.”
He turned and grinned at her as he pulled out a book. He flicked through it and tapped the page he landed on.
“Here we go. I suppose you will be able to read this without any issues. It is fae.”
He picked up a bookmark from his desk and tucked it into the book before closing it and handing it to her.
“Thank you. I will return it when I can.”
“No rush. I don’t often have fae asking for my help.”
She smiled at him. Now she had everything she needed to secure her own future and her people’s.
Chapter Fifteen
Walking into ObliVion, Dani felt better than she had done in weeks. Now she had a plan. There were still so many variables and things that could go wrong, but none of that mattered. Smiling to herself as she made her way through the crowd, trying to spot Jamie, she wondered what he’d think of her outfit. A skin tight, short black dress, leaving very little to the imagination. She got several looks from various fae, shifters and vampires.
He’d said he’d meet her inside, but she couldn’t see him anywhere in amongst those on the dance floor. Heading towards the booths near the back, she froze. There he was, wearing a grey shirt which matched his eyes, with the top buttons undone. Whilst she almost melted at the sight of him, who he was with troubled her.
Jamie was in a booth surrounded by six women. All of their eyes were intent on him. And they were human. One of them leaned into him and Dani felt her heart crack.
What the hell is he doing with them? Why was I stupid enough to think he meant it when he said there was no one else?
The pain in her chest grew until it was unbearable. Jealousy flooded her veins. She wanted to curse the very ground he walked on and maim all those women for being near him. How could she ever
have trusted Jamie? A vampire. After everything they’d told each other. All the pleasure and pain.
Jamie’s silver eyes met hers across the room. He must’ve seen her expression of anger and pain because he was up faster than the eye could track and by her side the very next moment, leaving the six women staring after him.
“Dani,” he said, cupping her cheek.
She shoved his hand away.
“Don’t touch me.”
She felt stupid and ashamed of herself. Jumping to conclusions was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. Her feelings for the man in front of her were a tangled mess. She’d tried to unpick them so many times. The glaringly obvious emotion she felt bound itself around her heart like a vice. And she wasn’t ready to admit to it.
“What’s wrong? I was waiting for you.”
“Are you sure about that? From where I’m standing, it didn’t look like it.”
He glanced back at the booth he’d been sitting in, frowning. Jamie wasn’t quite like other vampires who rarely expressed emotions. His were always clear as day on his face. At least to her they were.
“I was passing the time.”
“With six women?” she hissed.
She knew she was acting irrationally. Jamie didn’t belong to her. They weren’t a couple. She had to get that into her head. Drill it down deep so she’d remember at times like this. Except all her rationality had fled the building.
“I was just talking to them. They came over to me. What’s gotten into you?”
She stared at him for a long moment and became increasingly aware other people were turning their way. Making a scene would draw unwanted attention from people she hoped wouldn’t recognise her.
“Doesn’t matter. I should go.”
He caught her by the arm before she had a chance to move and dragged her away from the dancefloor and down a corridor off to the side so they were alone and hidden in shadow. He pressed her against the wall and pinned her there with his arms either side of her head. He leant down, his nose brushing against hers.
“Are you jealous?” he asked.