by C. R. Jane
"A carriage?" I asked, confused.
"Yes, that wouldn't have been in your story books," mused Daxon as we began to walk. I stuck close to him, especially when we passed any plants, sure that at any minute one of the beyond beautiful flowers was going to reach out and try and eat me. "Electricity and technology can't exist in Fairie. If you were to bring a phone in here, it would disintegrate as soon as you passed through the portal. They have magic though, so it's not something they miss."
One of the birds flew over our heads just then, its long plume of orange and red feathers was like a trail of fire dragging behind it. Magic indeed.
The guys were both lost in thought as we walked, and I was distracted by the increasingly amazing things I saw along the way. That had definitely been a dragon sitting under the waterfall we'd just passed.
Both Daxon and Wilder were walking quickly so it didn't take us too long to get to the golden colored winding road. I felt a little bit like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz as I stared down at the glittering gold bricks that made up the road. We waited there for a minute, assumedly for the carriage, before I gasped in shock as an intricate, white carriage appeared in front of us out of nowhere.
Neither Daxon nor Wilder looked surprised at the sudden appearance of the carriage. There were no horses attached to it, and the carriage hovered in the air a few inches above the golden road.
"Something's going to fly into your mouth," teased Daxon, and I realized I was just standing there in shock with my jaw dropped.
Besides the whole obvious changing into a wolf thing, there wasn't anything particularly magical about shifters. For the most part, a shifter lived their life much like a regular human, the recent weird things I'd been doing excluded.
So to be confronted with vampires, hybrids, and now magical fae, it was literally blowing my mind.
Pull yourself together, I told myself. The last thing I wanted was to come across like the naive, awkward creature I was in front of Wilder's ex.
I snapped my mouth shut and playfully growled at Daxon, grateful the more sunshiny aspect of his personality was out in full force at the moment to dispel the tension of this trip...and Wilder's sullen attitude. I was very much attracted to the newfound dark and dangerous part of Daxon, but we had enough heavy right now.
Wilder got into the carriage first and then helped me step up into it as well, Daxon following closely behind. There were bench seats inside for us to sit on that were so soft it felt like you were sitting on a cloud.
My body was still sore from the events of the last few days and it felt like heaven to sit. I needed to figure out a way to get a bed made of whatever these seats were.
As soon as Daxon settled onto his seat next to me, the carriage door closed and we began to move along the road at a brisk pace.
The outside world whizzed by us, so fast I could only catch glimpses of what was out there.
"How long will it take to get there?" I asked, thinking I was going to get sick if we were in this thing for too long, comfortable cushions or not.
Neither of the guys answered and I looked at them only to see that they both were looking very...uncomfortable.
"Are you getting sick?" I asked, but the question came out breathlessly because I'd just gotten a taste of the arousal that was thick in the air.
"You smell so fucking good," groaned Wilder across from me. He was holding onto the cushion beneath him with both hands, like he was trying to prevent himself from lunging at me.
Daxon let out the most erotic sounding groan that I'd ever heard and I flushed a million shades of red, thinking I could orgasm just by hearing that sound over and over again.
"Fuck," muttered Daxon as my arousal joined theirs, I'm sure making everything even more uncomfortable.
He leapt from the seat and situated himself in front of me until he was kneeling in between my legs.
"What are you doing?" I gasped as he grabbed my dress and pushed it up so that my suddenly damp underwear was showing.
"Umm," I murmured, not sure if I wanted that, but then Daxon was hooking my thighs over his shoulders and my underwear was pushed to the side. Before I could say anything, he covered my slit with his mouth. Sucking and licking, his tongue separated my folds as he began to thrust two fingers into my clenching core. He pressed his face into me, his mouth and tongue demanding. Tilting his head up, he pushed my legs wider until I was basically straddling his face. I watched in shock...and awe, as he sucked at me. He stared up at me with lust-ridden eyes.
All coherent thoughts left me.
I fisted his hair, pulling him into me, my hips writhing against him. “Daxon," I moaned. He devoured me. Like I was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. Like he never wanted it to end.
I couldn’t hear if he was growling or moaning into me, but I felt the vibrations on my tender sex. Over and over.
My whimpered pleas filled the carriage along with the sucking sounds as he continued to devour me. Abruptly, I remembered that Wilder was right there, watching everything. My gaze locked with his. Wilder looked manic, on edge, like he didn't know whether he wanted to kill Daxon or join in. His cheeks were red and his breaths were coming out in gasps. A quick glance down and I could see a very large erection in his jeans.
Seeing evidence of his arousal did it for me. Suddenly everything tightened inside me as Daxon did something magical to my clit with his tongue.
Pleasure coursed through me in an almost violent rush. My hips thrust frantically against his mouth, desperate for more friction. Daxon licked and sucked eagerly as the tremors racked my body as I fell over the metaphorical cliff.
His fingers slipped out of me for a moment, but then his tongue pushed in. Fucking me.
He growled into my aching flesh, setting off another orgasm. The second one was shocking and almost painful in its intensity. I felt tears escaping as I helplessly convulsed in my seat.
The carriage came to a stop just then, and Daxon's movements paused. The air was filled with the sound of all of our combined breathing and the scent of sex was so overwhelmingly thick, any species would be able to smell it.
"Fuckkkkkk," Wilder cursed as he adjusted himself, his gaze still frozen on mine.
Through my orgasm haze, I heard footsteps approaching from outside, and I pushed Daxon away, struggling to fix my underwear back into place and pull my dress down. Daxon moved off his knees and slipped back into his seat. His mouth and chin still glistened with my juices, which he proceeded to wipe with a hand. But his eyes... Oh, those hungry eyes were locked on me.
I got my dress fixed just in time for the carriage door to open. There was a tall, thin...fae standing there. At least I assumed he was a fae. He had long pointed ears which had always been a tell in those stories.
He was also freaking beautiful with features that looked like they'd been carved from marble. He delicately sniffed the air, his cat-like eyes going immediately to mine. He gave me a predatory grin, and I shifted on my seat nervously...and still aroused.
"Don't even think about it," growled Wilder as he jumped up from his seat and leapt to the entrance, making sure the fae couldn't see me. Daxon was stiff in his seat and I glanced at him. All signs of his previous lust were wiped from his face. His eyes were cold as he stared where Wilder was blocking the fae from view. Daxon looked like he was plotting murder.
Wilder stepped down out of the carriage and I saw that the fae was a few feet away now, staring determinately at the ground.
"With me at all times," Daxon reminded me in a tense voice and I nodded, my voice disappearing in my nervousness at what was ahead. At least the two orgasms in the carriage had distracted me for a while. Because I felt like a mess.
Daxon held tightly to my hand as I stepped out of the carriage. I gasped in shock as I stared up at the castle in front of me. It looked like it was made from glass. The walls were perfectly smooth and shining, not a blemish to be seen on the gleaming walls. There were countless turrets and towers, and the top of the c
astle was so high up in the sky that it was surrounded by clouds.
Talk about intimidating.
We began to walk towards the bridge that led to the castle doors ahead of us, doors that were at least twenty feet tall at my guess. Wilder seemed to be intentionally walking right in front of me so he could continue to block me from view and Daxon was practically vibrating next to me as he gripped my hand tightly. There were fey guards every few feet along the bridge. None of them looked at us as we passed by. I took a glance down at the water underneath the bridge and lost my footing when it appeared to be the same blood red color that I'd seen at first.
I blinked and it was gone.
"Alright, sweetheart?" Daxon murmured as I regained my balance and began to walk again. I just nodded in response, my insides twisting up.
We got to the massive doors and the fae, who had continued to look at the ground during our walk, knocked three times. The sound of his fists against the glass echoed around us, sending shivers down my spine.
The doors opened at his knock, not making a sound as they smoothly slid open. As the doors moved I saw an enormous room ahead, with what looked like a sparkling throne made of diamonds at the very end.
The room was completely empty, and like how the outside had been, was so bright I struggled to keep my eyes open.
There was a heaviness to the air though, and I could taste something metallic on my tongue as I breathed.
"It's the magic," Daxon murmured to me. "This is one of the most powerful places in all of Fairie."
"And this is where we're going to find Daria?" I asked.
Daxon just hummed noncommittally.
Perfect.
We walked down a long, ice blue carpet that stretched from the door all the way to the enormous throne. It muffled our footsteps as we walked. As we got closer I could see that the throne was made up of the same glass-like material as the rest of the castle, except there were diamonds embedded throughout it.
We were just a few feet from the throne when Wilder stopped so suddenly that I almost bumped into him. There was tension threaded throughout his body, and I couldn't help but place a hand on his back to try and relax him
It didn't work. If anything, he stiffened even further.
"Enough with the crap, Daria," Wilder growled suddenly to the empty throne in front of us.
The air filled with the sound of tinkling laughter and sparks began to appear right above the throne.
I blinked and there sat a stunning female...and she was completely naked.
It caught me off guard. Her skin was a silverish color and she was lounging on the throne, her more than ample breasts thrust out as she made herself comfortable. She had long black hair, so long that it trailed to the ground and curved around the throne. Her eyes were a crystalline green color and they trailed hungrily along Wilder's form, not paying any attention to Daxon and me.
"I hate this bitch," Daxon muttered under his breath, not that he could really talk because of Arcadia, cough, cough.
"Hello lover," she purred, her voice so sensual it seemed to caress my skin, making me feel hot and achy as I stood there.
She got up from her throne smoothly and walked around Wilder, trailing a finger across his chest. He stood there stiffly, not responding to her, but not stepping away from her touch either.
I saw red.
Without thinking, I made a move to lunge at her, and Daxon just caught me before I threw myself at her.
"Easy girl, we need her," Daxon said soothingly as he held me tightly against him.
The beautiful woman's attention turned towards Daxon, still ignoring me despite the fact that he held me in his arms.
"You've brought people to play with us," she said nonsensically, giggling again and hopping up and down in apparent delight.
"Over my dead body," drawled Daxon.
Her smile dropped then and she shot Daxon a shrewd glance. "Daxon, isn't it? It's been a long time since I've seen you."
When he didn't say anything to her, her lovely lips pursed in anger. She stood there, staring at him awkwardly.
"You can quit with the bullshit, Daria. Your powers aren't going to work on me."
She pouted, a dangerous look in her eyes as her gaze finally landed on me.
"I suppose it's because of this girl, Daxon? Her scent's all over you."
"That would be correct," he drawled. "This is Rune."
"Rune," she purred as she looked me up and down, obviously finding me wanting.
"Rune, this is Daria. Queen of the Light Fey," Wilder said dismally, finally saying something.
Her eyes flashed to him. "Why, Wilder, I would almost think you weren't happy to see me. It's been almost five of your earth months, hasn't it? I know you must be dying for it."
"I've actually come for help," Wilder said, avoiding responding to anything she'd just said.
My insides burned. He'd been with this perfect creature right before I'd come into town.
A wave of self doubt hit me. How could I compete with her?
"Whatever you're thinking, stop it. You're a goddess in every way. It's not even a competition," Daxon whispered in my ear.
Daria looked over at us at his words, and I was suddenly wondering just how good the fae’s hearing was; the way her eyes were glimmering nastily at me suggested she'd heard every word that Daxon said.
"You're here for help?" Daria asked Wilder, those expressive eyes of hers narrowing in disbelief. "You'll be staying tonight though, correct." She said it more like a statement than a question. At this point, both of Daria's hands were on Wilder's chest, and Daxon was having to actually exert effort to keep me from lunging.
Wilder finally took a step back so that he was out of reach.
"What's this?" she asked incredulously. Wilder's gaze flickered to me for the first time since we'd stepped foot in the castle.
Daria let out a harsh cackle, far different from the tinkling, melodious laugh she'd had at first. This one was menacing, and the hair on my neck rose as the heaviness in the room grew.
"I love her," Wilder said. I shifted in Daxon's arms, happiness and unease coursing through me.
He hadn't said he loved me before this. Of course, I'd known that he did. I'd felt it. But to hear him announcing it so proudly to his gorgeous, perfect ex...
It felt so good.
"What did you just say?" Daria whispered dangerously. She whirled towards me. "Has he told you he was in my bed every night for months? Did he tell you how perfect he thinks I am, how I'm the best he's ever had?"
A breeze suddenly whipped at my face as her words slashed against me.
I said nothing, just stared at her stoically. Of course he hadn't told me any of that. We still knew next to nothing about each other, really.
I glanced at him and my insides leapt like they did every time I saw him. It didn't really matter to me though. I hoped somehow to have forever to know him. It only mattered that my soul already seemed to know him, that my wolf knew him.
He was mine.
She laughed again, and it sounded even uglier this time. She turned towards Wilder again, throwing herself against him as her lips met his. It didn't matter to me that he wasn't returning her kiss and that he stood there shocked.
Daxon was no match for me then. I shifted suddenly, pouncing at her and knocking her away from Wilder and to the ground. A growl ripped from me as the urge to kill washed over me. I was just about to tear out her jugular when I was pushed off her.
By Wilder.
"It's alright, pretty girl. I know I belong to you. Come back to me," he purred as he stroked my fur soothingly. My wolf perked up at his touch and gave him her full attention, stepping away from the fey queen and nestling against him. My tail whipped Daria in the face...because my wolf was petty like that.
"You little..." Daria suddenly said, and a blue pulse hit Wilder's chest, knocking him back a few steps. I dashed towards him but he held up his hand to stop me. I turned and bared my teeth at Daria w
ho had stood back up, her attention not on me, but on where she was sending her magic at Wilder. He stood there, staring back at her, no emotion on his face.
"Give it up, Daria. It's not going to work," he said, his voice hard.
Her lovely face fell, and the blue pulse of magic abruptly disappeared.
I transformed then, throwing my dress back on quickly. "What was she doing?"
Daxon smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "The light fae can control lust and sexual urges at will. Unless you're truly in love."
"Is that what she was trying on you at first?"
"She tried it on both of us. It didn't work." He gave Wilder an appraising look, like he was seeing him as competition for the first time.
"It's going to be history repeating itself," Daria said softly, paying Daxon and I no attention as she stared longingly at Wilder. Her pain was tangible. I could see her heart breaking right in front of us.
"It won't be, because it's never been like this before," Wilder told her gently.
She continued to stare at him mournfully for what felt like forever until she finally sighed and turned away. With a wave of her hand she was suddenly clothed in an elegant ice blue dress, embroidered with diamonds like her throne. Her hair became intricately braided with a silvery ribbon threaded throughout it, and a crown that looked like it was one solid diamond appeared on her head. Daria sat daintily on her throne.
"What exactly is the issue with...Rune?" she asked Wilder, uttering my name like it was disgusting.
Before I could announce that I was of the opinion that we needed to leave right now, and under no certain circumstance was I trusting this chick to help, Wilder sighed in what seemed like relief. He then launched into the whole saga of the hunters...and my newfound scent.
Daria kept her face blank, revealing nothing as she listened to Wilder. There was only a faint glimmer in her eyes when he described the hunters shooting at us as we tried to get away.
"Well, that's all very touching, Wilder. But what exactly do you think I can do?" she said, a smirk appearing on her face that made me want to throat punch her.