by Nikki Hunter
Frozen in front of her, Zayn’s blue eyes fell. Color drained from his face as he stared hard at the floor. With a heavy sigh, she swung herself around, stomping for the closest room.
“Someone else can share, this room is mine and mine only.” The door slammed behind her, separating her from her mates. Against the door she slid down, curling into herself.
Emotions suck balls.
Chapter Nine
Five Children
The queen had been nice. No thanks to Kym, Camila thought as she smoothed the pearl pink silk over her torso. Swiveling in front the mirror, pride swelled in her chest. The shape of the dress showed off what little curves her natural body had. The steep neckline ran almost down to her belly button and accentuated her breasts; always a good thing. Two large slits revealed her legs up to her thighs with every step. She'd always liked her true form the best, though she never had been willing to commit to anyone long enough to show it to them.
I guess that will be different with my mates although jin only stay with their bonded until their need is fulfilled. When I give them what they need from me and my ties to the jin pull me away to another bonded, what’s happens then?
Her palms felt damp as the thoughts caused a nervousness to tick through her. So many questions left her uneasy. When she hadn’t known it was a mate bond, when she just let herself be free, it was so easy with them. A bit insta-lusty, but an attraction she couldn’t deny nonetheless.
She pulled a strand of her dark hair forward from the braided headband that she had created to frame her face. Her large lips, stained a creamy burgundy color instead of the usual bright red, parted in a sigh. Camila wasn’t ready for this royal party thrown in their honor. After the small amount of time with the fae, she still wasn’t sure she really understood them.
She wondered if hiding her true form from them was as bad as them not telling her about their pasts. Shaking her head to herself, she thought not. She was still herself, she just looked different. She hadn’t stolen, hadn’t killed, or demolished things in anger. That was all-important information that should be shared with someone who was supposed to be your mate.
Bending slightly, she reached for the silver heels that had been delivered with the dress. As she slid her foot in, a soft knock came from the door. It eased open, and Kade’s face came into view. He stood in the threshold, and Camila sent her gaze to the floor. She didn’t want the feeling of desire that prickled at her skin from seeing him in a black suit, the white button up shirt beneath opened at the top to show off the lean muscle of his chest.
“You ready for tonight?” Kade asked, shifting in the doorway. It was the most Camila had heard from the men after her explosion of emotion.
Soundlessly, she nodded. Kade pursed his lips, taking in the view. Even the pout that graced Camila’s lips — her new lips, the ones he hadn’t yet kissed — still made her beautiful. This version of Camila, her real version he supposed, was just as good as the last even if her appearance was a tad bit more plain. It was her soul that sparked behind her eyes that made her truly beautiful. Her wit, which had caught him off guard from day one, still drew him to her.
“Can I, uh, say one thing before we go?” he ventured, expecting to be shut down.
Camila stood tall, at least as tall as that small frame got her, and placed her hands against her hips. She took two steps toward Kade and peered up into his eyes. “I think you owe me a conversation, so, yes.” With a delicate swish of her hand, she turned back into the room to sit on the large bed. Camila looked at him leaning in her doorway with a smirk plastered on his face.
“What?” she asked.
“This just,” his teeth raked over the corner of his bottom lip before he continued, “looks familiar. Same as the first night with you, I guess. We’ve come quite a way since then. May I?” he asked and motioned to the spot on the bed next to her.
Camila shook her head. This time it was her that refused the close contact, avoiding the electricity that ran between them when they touched.
Kade frowned in response, but instead of arguing, he walked across the room to the large vanity table next to the wardrobe and stole the chair away. The wood of the chair squeaked against the floor as he drug in through their silence and propped himself before her. Camila crossed her legs, revealing the olive skin on her thigh. When she caught Kade’s attention snag there she had half a mind to hike the skirt up higher to torture him, but really it would be just as bad for her, so she settled with uncrossing her legs and folding her arms over her chest instead.
“Look, Camila,” her name a breathy whisper over his lips, “I’m sorry. Trust me, we are all sorry.” He reached out cupping her hand. “Don’t let this tear us apart. We need to be a united front.”
Slowly, she lifted her gaze from their hands, sliding her fingers out of his. Her gaze was cold and empty as she replied. “Who did you kill?”
Nodding, knowing this would come out at some point, Kade pulled his hands through his hair. “A fae prince.”
“Why?”
“I caught him trying to rape a young woman who had fallen unconscious after one of his parties.”
“So you killed him? You couldn’t just turn him in or something?” She sagged against the bed.
“It—I— Camila, it wasn’t that simple.”
“It’s always that simple. You don’t just kill people who did something wrong. Is there no justice here in the fae courts?”
“Please, listen.” His voice broke, “I was part of the guard. It wasn’t this queen, or even Queen Katrice, but the third queen’s son. I’d seen him run off with women at every party who never seemed to be quite in their right mind. When I followed him, confronted him, he wanted my head. He fought me. Taking his life was not something that I did lightly.” His eyes fell away from Camila’s.
“So you were punished? Sent to guard the tear?” she pushed while ignoring the well of pity she had for him that sat in her gut.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “Banished from her land, and taken in by Queen Katrice to guard the tear. I was lucky to keep my life.”
“Does it bother you? The lives you’ve taken while guarding the tear?”
“Yes and no.”
“Kade,” she exclaimed, pushing herself forward, leaning toward him, “Bekket confirmed those were innocent lives you all were taking.”
“I know. That, I am not happy about.” He paused, placing his hand against his chest, “Camila, we are magic bound to Queen Katrice. The longer we disobey the magic…”
“What?” she demanded.
“It takes our lives from us. We spared Bekket and we paid a price. When we were overwhelmed with the pain… that was her magic pulling away years of our lives. Eventually, if we don’t confront her, if we don’t undo what her magic has done, we die.”
Her lips parted as she took in a deep breath. “I won't let that happen.”
Just the thought of losing them, no matter how mad she was at them, pulled at her heartstrings.
“Do the humans have a hell?” Kade questioned, pushing the chair away as he stood.
“Yes, of sorts. Maybe not exactly how they imagine it, but there is one.”
“Each one of us knows of hell here in Treteauh. We’ve created it. We all live it.” She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Don’t think we don’t already hate ourselves as much as you want to hate us now.”
Another knock against the door had them turning away from the conversation to peer up at Bekket. His blonde hair was tucked behind his ears, away from his solemn face. “It’s time. We have to go.”
Bekket disappeared into the main living quarters as Kade walked around the chair. Offering his hand, he repeated, “Camila, I’m so sorry.”
She placed her fingers in his; the heavy feeling of want chasing its way over her arms and through her torso straight to her core. Camila wiped the moisture that had formed in the corner of her eye, a drop that had attempted to escape her, and pulled her shoulders
back. “I accept your apology, Kade. However, I don’t trust you or them.” She waved her hand toward the door, “Let them tell me their stories, but the trust you will have to gain back.”
“Anything you need,” he whispered, lowering his face to leave a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.
Upon entering the main living area, she found the rest of her mates all dressed to impress their new ally. Camila met each one of their gazes with a look of her own. A look that let them all know just how strong she was.
Bekket approached her in an auburn suit with a white button up underneath. The jacket was neatly pressed and had shimmering gold cufflinks. Holding out his unblemished hand, he spoke softly, “My lady, follow me to dinner?”
“I suppose. I would follow you lot to the ends of the earth. No matter how infuriating you are,” she frowned, knowing it was all true. The rest trailed behind them, the silk material of the formal wear creating a swooshing sound that answered each step.
Camila noted how uncomfortable Yehven looked in his own navy colored suit, the black undershirt buttoned all the way up. The curl and waves in his hair flattened as if they could be tamed.
Zayn and Lance both looked classic in their black and white outfits to match Kade, though they wore them very differently. Zayn’s shirt wasn’t buttoned at all, but flowed loosely under his jacket and revealed each layer of his abs. Lance was his opposite. The black shirt buttoned all the way up and clasped with a white bow tie.
Even with the anger that still simmered under her skin, she was proud of her mates. Honestly, she thought she could forgive them of most things as long as they started telling her the whole truth. Maybe she could even forgive herself for her own deception as long as she told the whole truth.
As they exited the space, they were met with none other than the crazy she-devil herself. Kym pulled away from the guard she had wrapped herself around and wiped away the smudge of lipstick from her cheek. Camila felt Yehven tense behind her as they took in the scene.
“Sssooooo glad you are all finally ready. Don’t you all look so grand!” Kym walked up to Bekket and flattened a small wrinkle in his sleeve. “Well most of you.”
Camila fought the urge to slap Kym right out of her skin. Kym’s unamused gaze rolled over Camila.
“Yehven, come here dearest.”
When Yehven didn’t move from his position behind Camila, Kym sighed walking around to pull at his arm.
“I’m good here,” he mumbled.
“No.” Kym was irritated as she pulled him harder away from the group. “Queen’s orders, you have a seat next to me.”
Camila spun around, ripping her arm out of Bekket’s and pushing Kym back.
“He’s mine.” She bared her teeth at Kym who laughed.
“Not tonight, dear.” Kym’s eyes sparkled with a light of humor.
“My mate. Isn’t there some kind of fae law against this?” The emotions that coursed through her tinted her skin pink.
Yehven stepped closer to her, pulling Camila back from Kym. His rough hands brushed along the bare skin on her arms leaving a trail of burning desire that created goose bumps.
“Camila,” he started cautiously.
Camila softened at the sound of her name like a gentle caress on his lips.
“What the queen says, goes.” Leaning down, he pressed a kiss against her rosy cheeks. “I’ll go. Don’t worry about it. Just remember why we are here.”
***
The queen had spared no expense and left no one off the guest list. Camila weaved through the fae that danced to the joyous music, her shoulder running into a large bearded man. The music was loud, but the voices of the fae chatting and laughing were much louder. At least some people are enjoying themselves.
The table where they had suffered through dinner had long since been abandoned. Queen Noryn seemed to think that the choice of aiding their cause was with her people. So after a small change of plans, her mates were scattered across the room selling their plan to the fae of this court.
“Er- Eh… sorry,” she mumbled holding her hands up in apology to the large man. The room itself had distracted her. The walls were made with such beautiful gold architecture that she had peeled herself away from the group, abandoning their mission, so she could gawk at the wings that were molded into large archways.
Pursing her lips, she caught Bekket shaking hands and smiling warmly at a couple. When he saw Camila coming his way, he extended his arm for her. His gentle hand intertwined with her fingers, and as soon as they touched, he pulled her close to him. His conversation with the couple never stalled, he just kept telling them of the pleasantries of Queen Katrice’s land- of what could be theirs if their queen should so choose.
Buttering the crowd up, she saw. Camila was never good at that. The only thing she was good at selling was, well, sex. She snorted internally at herself thinking about how she wasn’t a prostitute, but merely a merchant of love.
She scanned the room, overlooking the throngs of fae who were busy kissing; some even on the verge of sex, they took it so far.
Somewhere in this room were the rest of her mates. She found Zayn cornered by a large woman, her breasts pouring over her gown. While he looked like he was trying to be smooth, she could tell that he knew he was as trapped as he looked. As he looked up and caught her gaze, Camila wiggled her eyebrows at him, giving him the okay sign with her fingers before she winked and turned away. If anything, he deserved to squirm for a bit; they all did for the truth they kept from her.
The party of people swayed and rocked like sea before a storm and pushed at them where they stood. Bekket gave her a sideways glance, a crooked half smile lifting the corner of his mouth.
When the conversation seemed to break she leaned in to whisper, but had to shout above the music and crowd. “I’m going to find the others, you seem to be doing well here.”
Bekket waved to the couple as they melted into the crowd, his body turning flush against hers. She wrestled with the leftover anger she had in the back of her mind when his gorgeous features and strong muscle were so close.
Shit. - Keep it together. Shit. Shit.
“Not so much for the politics of war?” The small stubble on his chin was rough against her cheek as he leaned in to speak into her ear.
Camila shook her head with a solemn look. “Do you really think any of this will do us good?”
“It’s unlikely. I’m sure the queen has already made up her mind. She just wants to watch us squirm under the scrutiny of her court.”
“What happens next if she wants to start this war?”
Bekket pulled back, his eyebrows lifting in the humor of Camila’s innocence in all this. “We will meet Queen Katrice to declare war on her lands if she does not seek resolution to the problem… which I’m sure she won’t.”
“Hmm, what do you want to get out of this? Do you get her crown?”
He thought for a second. “I want peace for my people. Under my rule or hers.” Bekket tilted his head to where the queen sat high above the crowd on yet another throne.
“Do you want to be king?” Camila pushed.
“I mean, they have no children. My father passed away many moons ago so it would technically go to me. But no, I don’t particularly care for the crown. I want this.” Bekket tangled his fingers in her dark brown hair and eagerly pressed his lips to hers. As she kissed him back, in her own moment of weakness, he moaned into her. Both his hands dropping to her waist to hold her firmly against him.
Heat radiated off of them, searing them together. Camila’s hands reached up, tangling in his shirt. Her head spun as she lost herself in the demanding slide of his tongue. Their lips crushed together in waves of need as Camila tilted her hips against Bekket.
With a huff of breath, he twisted to press her against the nearest golden column, their lips never breaking apart as he did.
Bekket held himself against the column to shelter Camila with his wide chest. Tantalizingly, his body brushed against hers. A
soft noise, barely heard above of the commotion of the room, slipped from Camila as she bit his lip. She tugged him closer by the lapels of his jacket.
She could feel the bulge that was quickly growing in his dress pants and she rocked her hips against him. Bekket released a groan, his head falling down to taste along Camila’s neck with each wicked flick of his tongue.
“Camila,” he murmured into her collarbone.
At the sound of her name, she froze and pushed him back with her palm.
Bekket stumbled away, blinking at her. Their bodies ached from the sudden loss of contact. Camila stared at him hard, her lips a bright red from the kissing. Bekket’s erection pressed against the fly of his pants as he unashamedly stood before her.
Camila’s eyes turned dark and cold, “No. You don’t get to lull me with the attraction of our bond. Playing it to your advantage as if I’m too much of an idiot to think for myself.” The tip of her finger pushed into his chest as she rasped, “You couldn’t find the time to tell me -any of us - that you were fae royalty?”
Bekket hung his head, a hand running up to tuck his hair behind his ears. “Look, you want to hear I’m sorry? ‘Cause I’m not. Would you all have believed me anyway? Trusted me as the nephew of that wicked person?”
“Honestly,” she hissed, “I want you to go back in time and do it fucking right”.
“Well that isn’t going to happen, babe.”
With a flick of her hair, she twisted back toward the crowd of people and shot him a heavy glare over her shoulder as he stood watching her carefully with narrowed eyes.
Chapter Ten
One Dance
Scowling, Camila pondered if she was being too hard on Bekket and the others. So far they seemed to have legitimate reasons, but bitterness sat so heavily in her chest that she couldn’t even think.
Swiftly, she turned and stomped away from him. The dancers swayed to the sweet music, bumping into Camila as she strutted away from Bekket and the whole conversation. Mid-step, fingers wrapped around her slender wrist, pulling her backwards.