Motor City Fae

by Cindy Spencer Pape

  She fled the dungeon at top speed, keeping her pepper spray in hand as she went. Once she was out in the corridor, she looked around and took stock of her surroundings, realizing she had absolutely no idea where she was, or which way to go. Well, up was probably a good bet. The stairs were dark and cool, more carved stone. When she got to the top, she paused at another heavy wooden door. The last thing she wanted to do was to run into any more cousins, or any of Owain’s followers. She figured she probably wasn’t at court, which meant they’d brought her through a portal. One she had no idea how to find or even use, once she found it.

  She laid her ear against the door and listened. Nothing.

  Well, she couldn’t stay in the dungeon forever. She turned the door knob slowly and opened the door a crack. Great, another dark room. Her eyes were somewhat adjusted to the dim light by now and she slipped into what looked like a large pantry or storeroom.

  Now what? She chewed on her lip and fiddled with the stone amulet around her neck.

  The amulet! Duh! What had Elise told her to do? Hold it in her hand and call for help? What the hell, it was worth a try.

  To be on the safe side, she clutched the warm, smooth stone in both hands and murmured her plea out loud. “If anybody’s out there, I could really use some help right about now.”

  Both Ric and Owain blinked in their swords and handed them to their seconds, who held them up to Madog for inspection. The half-ogre was thorough, checking each blade for hidden mechanisms and testing the weight, handing them off to one of the queen’s wizards to check for spells.

  “Both swords are acceptable.”

  “Devlin, ward the area.” Llyris nodded at the wizard, who spelled the floor between gallery and dais. Once the duel began, no one would be able to enter or exit the area.

  Aidan collected Ric’s sword and started to hand it back. Suddenly Aidan’s eyes went wide. “Elise!” He pushed the sword into Ric’s hand. “Sorry, old man. Have to go!” He gestured for Blaine to come take his place, bowed to the queen and left the room at practically a run.

  “What was that all about?” Blaine paused by Madog to be searched and took Aidan’s place at Ric’s side.

  “I have no idea.” And Ric didn’t have time to worry about it now. Aidan was a big boy and could presumably take care of himself.

  “Trial by combat is to the death.” Llyris’s voice rang cool and firm above the murmur of the crowd. “Is that clear, my lords?”

  Ric nodded, glad he and Meagan were not actually life-bonded. This way, if he lost, she wouldn’t die with him. Owain tilted his chin in agreement as well.

  “Then let the trial begin!”

  Okay, she’d called for help. Now what was she supposed to do? Wait for it? Hide? She had no idea if the amulet would even work and if it did, what form would the help arrive in? Meagan visualized the softball bat she’d left on the bed in her apartment at court. Pepper spray was good, but she felt more confident with the Louisville Slugger.

  Well, whatever form help came in, it probably wasn’t going to find her if she stayed holed up in somebody’s pantry. Hitching the bat up on her shoulder, she inched toward the door.

  She was only a foot or so back when the door burst open.

  “Elise!”

  Meagan was so shocked to hear Aidan’s anguished cry that she dropped the bat with a loud clatter. “Aidan!”

  A light globe appeared above Aidan’s hand as he peered into the room. “Meagan? What are you doing here?”

  “Umm, trying to escape. What about you?” She picked up her bat and stepped closer to her cousin. Now that he was here, her knees began to shake in reaction.

  Aidan caught her shoulders to steady her and his eyes fastened on the amulet. “Did Elise give you that?”

  “Umm-hmm.” She tilted her head and looked up at him. “How do you know Elise?”

  Aidan winced. “We can get into that later. Who brought you here?”

  “Another cousin. This one claimed he wanted me to marry him, so he could beat out his older brother for the title. I’ve gotta tell you, this whole ladyship thing is proving to be a major pain in the ass.”

  “Yeah.” Aidan eyed up the bat. “Did you kill him?”

  “No, just stuffed his sorry ass in the cell where he had me.”

  “That will work. Now let’s get you back to the council meeting.”

  “Right with you on that one.” She followed him out the doorway and down a hall. When they reached an arched alcove, she saw an unconscious guard slumped on the floor. “Your work?”

  Aidan nodded and showed her the police baton he held in the hand that wasn’t on her shoulder. “I was in a hurry.”

  “How did you know where I was?”

  He pushed her into the alcove in front of him. “The amulet has the equivalent of a GPS spell on it. It automatically showed me the nearest portal and led me to you.”

  “Cool stuff.”

  Aidan nodded as he followed her into the alcove, where a shimmering curtain of energy blocked her vision.

  When it dissipated they were in the main portal chamber of the court.

  “I should warn you before we go in…” He was practically dragging her down the corridors at a run, two guardsmen from the portal chamber keeping pace.

  Meagan was really glad she didn’t have her heels on.

  “Warn me about what?” She was panting and her hair was probably a total disaster. Wasn’t the queen going to love this!

  “Ric challenged Owain to a duel. They were getting started when the amulet triggered.”

  “Damn it! Is he going to win?” Her blood ran cold at the thought of Ric dying on the end of a sword.

  “I have no idea. They’re both good. The thing is…”

  He paused at an ornately carved door, pulled Meagan close and whispered, “Ric told them you were engaged. It was a stalling tactic to keep Owain from forcing the vote with your seat empty. I backed him up, so did Blaine. So if you’re going to turn him down, do it after today’s meeting.”

  Turn him down? Not in this bloody lifetime. She motioned to the guards to hurry up and open the door. She had to see for herself that he was alive.

  When the doors opened, the sounds of clanging metal crashed into the hallway. Meagan clutched Aidan’s arm tightly as they stepped inside. They were stopped at the doorway by one of the queen’s guards. He closed the door behind them and they leaned up against the carved oak panel. Meagan watched in horror as Ric and Owain circled and danced. She only tore her eyes away for a second when one man in the gallery stood and stared at her before he made a run for the far door. Another of the queen’s guards grabbed him by the shoulders and held him in place.

  “My cousin Diarmud?”

  “Afraid so.” Aidan returned her whisper, but both of them kept their eyes focused on the fight.

  Both men were bleeding and breathing heavily. Meagan recognized a shimmering dome of power around them, like the one Owain’s assassins had erected at the truck stop, but this one was transparent, allowing the audience a full view of the combat. Blaine Black stood behind Ric and another man she didn’t recognize stood in the far corner. The queen and her bodyguard watched from the rail above the fight.

  Meagan whimpered as Owain’s sword sliced into Ric’s hip. The same leg that had been hurt last time.

  “Shh. Don’t distract him!” Aidan let her clutch his hand, didn’t seem to mind how tightly she squeezed. She didn’t think Ric was even aware of her presence in the room, he was so focused on the fight. Owain’s eyes did fly wide and that moment of distraction cost him, as Ric’s sword bit into his shoulder, causing his own weapon to clang to the floor.

  Owain slumped and Ric’s weapon flashed, pausing right at Owain’s exposed neck.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Mercy, my queen?”

  Ric didn’t even look at Llyris as he asked. The question was routine, but he knew Llyris too well to think she was going to let him spare Owain’s miserable life.

&n
bsp; No, the queen would use this as an excuse to make somebody else, namely Ric, the villain in Owain’s demise.

  “Granted.”

  The dome vanished as Ric pulled back his sword.

  Shocked at Llyris’s pronouncement, he let his eyes flash to the queen, which proved to be a critical mistake. Owain ’ported in a knife, which he buried in Ric’s chest.

  He felt the burn, but his reflexes kicked in to bring his sword back around and shove the blade into Owain’s throat. Blood fountained, metallic-smelling and thick as Ric slumped to his knees. He heard screams, thought one sounded like Meagan.

  “Meagan!” His own voice sounded distant. He looked down at the blade sticking out of his chest. He’d be okay, he thought. It looked like it missed the heart or lungs and Llyris’s healers could fix about anything else. As long as they did it soon. There was an awful lot of his own blood pouring down his tunic.

  Blaine’s hands wrapped around him and eased him to the ground. He heard his tunic rip, felt the burn of magic as Blaine laid his hands on Ric’s chest. “Get me a goddess-damned healer!” His vision was starting to blur, but he forced his eyes open as Meagan ran to his side.

  “Don’t you dare die on me, damn it! Not when you just promised to marry me.” Trust his Meagan to have learned about that already. Ric tried to smile.

  “He’s not going to die.” That was a woman’s voice, vaguely familiar.

  “Lady Storm.” That was Blaine again. “If you can stabilize the wound, I’ll get the knife out.” Ric decided he really owed Blaine a drink after this. He let his eyes close as he felt a second set of healing hands on his chest.

  Meagan gripped his hand on the side away from the wound. There was a horrendous burn as the blade was removed and the world went black for a moment.

  “The council will recess while someone cleans up the remains of Lord le Faire. And someone else find his heir.”

  Ric heard Llyris in the back of his head as his brain started to un-fog. The murmurs of the healer had stopped, along with the pain in his chest, so he figured it was safe to open his eyes and sit up.

  The first thing he saw was Meagan kneeling above him, tears streaking her beloved face. “Don’t cry. It’s over.”

  “Never, ever do that again, do you understand? No more swordfights. Ever!” She sniffled, wiped her eyes with the back of the hand that wasn’t clutching his.

  He sat up and drew her into his arms, neither of them worrying about the blood. “Shh, love. I’m fine.” He buried his face in her tangled hair and remembered why he’d been fighting Owain in the first place. “And where were you? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine. I’ll explain later. Right now we need to talk to the queen.”

  “You know what I told her?” He was more scared now than he’d been facing Owain. What would he do if she denied him?

  She pulled back far enough to look him in the eyes.

  “Did you mean it?”

  He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. “If you’re interested. Otherwise, please go along with it for today and you can dump me publicly tomorrow.”

  “Only if you want me to.”

  They were whispering, but Ric didn’t forget for a moment that every eye in the place was still on them. He bent and kissed Meagan on the mouth, shutting her up.

  Then he whispered in her ear. “I love you. We’ll sort out the rest when we’re alone.”

  She nodded, her eyes bright with tears. “Back at you. Now let’s do this council thing.”

  Ric unfolded his legs and they helped each other to their feet. Owain’s body had disappeared and most of the blood was gone, except for the pool where Ric had been lying. As soon as they stepped away from it toward the railing, servants descended on that mess as well.

  “Majesty.”

  Llyris nodded briefly at Ric and before turning her steely gaze on Meagan. “I see Lord Green Oak managed to find you, Lady Rose.”

  “He did.”

  “She was abducted by Neal of Rose.” Aidan joined them at the rail. “We left him in a cell, but I’d like to take a couple of guards back to retrieve him.”

  “And the videotape.” Meagan said.

  Llyris nodded. “Go.”

  Aidan left and the queen turned back to Meagan and Ric. “Lady Rose, the bard here claims you agreed to marry his sorry hide. Did he speak the truth?”

  Meagan nodded. Ric was proud of the way she stood up to the queen without flinching. “He did. Is that a problem?”

  Llyris tilted her head from side to side. “He is sworn to my service. So you tell me. Is it going to be a problem? After all, there is still the matter of a geas, is there not, bard?”

  “I am willing to accept the consequences, Your Majesty.” Ric bowed his head, praying the queen would take out her anger on him instead of Meagan.

  But apparently, his amazing halfling had some ideas of her own. Ric watched as Meagan narrowed her beautiful green eyes and gave the queen a smile so cool and calculating it was worthy of Llyris herself.

  “Since I believe there is still a vote scheduled today, I don’t see a problem. You want my vote, you release Alaric from your service and the geas.”

  “I could still have you killed.” Llyris lifted one eyebrow. Ric couldn’t tell if it was anger firming the queen’s lips or—could it be approval?

  Meagan nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “You could. But then you wouldn’t have my vote, now would you? Face it, I’m more useful alive than dead and after seven hundred years, it’s high time you found a new toy anyway. Let him go. Please.”

  “You make a valid point.” Ric watched the queen’s face, unable to breathe. He could swear the corner of her mouth almost—almost—twisted into a smile. Then her bored expression returned and she waved her hand. “Fine. Keep him.”

  Ric felt Meagan stagger, knew her relief was as overpowering as his own. “Thank you, Your Majesty. We continue to be your servants.”

  “Yes, well, right now, you are a pair of decidedly smelly servants. Go change your clothing so the council can reconvene, will you? I wish to put this entire cursed business behind me.”

  “As you wish.” Ric bowed and Meagan dropped a curtsey as they hurried out of the room.

  “My place or yours?” Meagan’s laugh was a touch hysterical as soon as they left the council chamber.

  “Mine’s closer.” He ached to pull her into his arms, but was afraid that if he did, the witnesses were going to get an eyeful. “This way.” Taking her hand, he practically dragged her down the corridor to his room. As soon as the door closed behind him, he pulled her close and pinned her body against the door.

  “Meagan, will you marry me? For real? Be my lifebonded mate?” He searched her face for any signs of doubt or hesitation. “I’m sorry I never got to properly ask.”

  “I love you, Ric.” Nothing but unbounded love shone in her bright green eyes. “Marriage, life-bonding, whatever you want to call it, I’m already yours.”

  He crushed his lips down on hers, sealing the promise.

  They had more to discuss, but the details could wait.

  Apparently, Meagan couldn’t, based on the way her clever artist’s fingers were stripping off his clothing.

  He helped by pulling the tattered remains of his tunic over his head. Meagan whimpered as she spotted the new pink scar on his left pec, which she leaned in and kissed.

  “No more of these. I can’t take it.”

  “I’ll try, love. Now that I’ll just be a musician, I think I can manage to stay out of knife fights.”

  Her giggle was weak, but at least it was a laugh. He continued. “And no more getting kidnapped for you, either. Do we have a deal?”

  “Deal.” She stepped out of her skirt and tugged off her jacket and blouse. Ric let out a groan as she pulled him back into her arms, his naked erection pressing against the soft skin of her belly. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra while she wiggled her panties off with one hand.

&n
bsp; The adrenalin rush they were both still riding made foreplay redundant. He slid one hand between her thighs, found her already wet and swollen, while she nipped his lips between impatient murmurs. He put both hands under her arms and lifted, pressing her back against the door with his chest to hold her in place. Then using one hand to brace himself, he positioned his cock with the other before sliding home into her hot, tight sheath.

  Oh, yeah, home! She wrapped both arms around his neck, both legs around his waist and dug her teeth into his shoulder while he pumped into her in short, fierce strokes.

  In a few lightning-fast seconds he felt her muscles tighten, heard her breathing hitch and she gripped him with arms, legs, teeth and pussy as she peaked, a wordless cry muffled by his skin.

  The tight pulsing of her channel felt like a fist and it only took Ric a couple more thrusts before he exploded himself, driving so deep into Meagan that he felt like he could drown. He fell forward, his face against the oak door, his chin resting on the top of her head and struggled for breath.

  “Wow.” She gently kissed the spot where she’d bitten him, which Ric had no doubt would be a bruise later on.

  And he didn’t care a bit. His Meagan was welcome to mark him whenever and however she pleased.

  But all he could manage to say over the pounding of his pulse was, “No kidding.”

  “I suppose we really need to clean up and get back.”

  He heard the wry humor in her tone and smiled.

  “Yeah, probably. Think you can blink yourself something to wear?” He was ridiculously proud of how far she’d come with her magic.

  “Yeah. But I sure as hell hope you’ve got a shower in here.”

  Everyone was waiting for them when the court reconvened, but Meagan didn’t give a damn. She wore jeans and a cotton sweater, while most of the other councilors wore formal attire, but she didn’t give a damn about that either. Or the fact that both she and Ric were grinning from ear to ear.