Warrior's Dawn (Fire and Tears)

by Isabo Kelly

  She frowned. “What’s the difference?”

  “A passing love… It eventually goes away. If an elf and human have maintained a relationship until that point, the separation is extremely dangerous to the human. To their sanity, their health… The effects of the elf-fire addiction do a lot of damage after long-term exposure.”

  Her eyes widened. “How does a ‘true love’ change things?”

  “That’s the kind of love that can last through the years, the kind that strengthens over time, bringing a couple closer. There’s no real risk because they won’t separate.”

  “Until the human dies.”

  He rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks. “That’s another…side effect. The human’s life is extended to match their mate’s lifespan. Another reason the pairings, when ended, can have such dire consequences. If the human has lived long enough, most of the other humans they loved have died. There’s nothing left for them once the relationship with their elf lover ends.”

  “Is this why the pairings are so rare? Not because of the addiction but because of the possible outcome of a relationship?”

  He moved his hands from her face to her shoulders, then down her arms in a long caress. He couldn’t stop touching her even though the elf-fire was threatening to overwhelm him and throw him off track. He forced his desires down, knowing this conversation was too important to get wrong.

  “Most elves aren’t willing to take the risk,” he confirmed. “It…it’s not pretty, the separation, when it happens.”

  “Does Layla know?”

  “Ulric told her.”

  “And they’re willing to risk it?”

  “As I said, they have a love they think can survive.”

  Mina lifted her chin in a slight nod and focused on the back of the couch, her eyes narrowed in thought.

  Althir tried to keep his hands from trembling, but maintaining his composure was getting harder by the minute. He wanted her desperately. But he wanted her to tell him she loved him more than he’d ever wanted anything. That need kept him still and quiet while she considered what he’d just told her.

  “Not many people know about this, do they?” she murmured.

  “No. We don’t tell others often. It’s considered…elf business. But even inside Glengowyn it’s not spoken of much. Outside of romantic ballads.”

  “Yet you’re telling me.”

  He stopped running his palms over her arms and dropped them to her lap, taking her hands in his.

  “Why?” She faced him fully, her gaze assessing.

  He didn’t flinch away, allowing her to see every emotion he was feeling.

  “Why?” she repeated.

  “I love you. And the thought of losing you kills me. But…what we have can’t just be sex, or you’ll be in danger. If you don’t… I can’t stay here with you so close and not come to you. Not now. I won’t be able to resist you, Mina. But if you ask it of me, I’ll leave Sinnale and Glengowyn. To keep you safe.”

  “You think leaving will keep me safe?”

  Her tone was flat and even, impossible for him to read. Her expression was as closed as his was open. She hadn’t reacted at all to his admission of love either. The faint hope he’d been harboring shriveled, and he straightened away from her.

  “Yes. You’ll be safe from any dangers brought on by the elf-fire once I leave.”

  “And if I get involved with another elf?”

  The very idea tore open his chest with a pain he could barely fathom. He only realized he was growling and his fists were clenched when he noticed the wary look on her face. He forced himself to relax.

  “You’ll have a similar issue. If he loves you. If he doesn’t, you’ll have the kind of affair most humans have with elves—temporary.”

  “My…exposure to you won’t make things worse?”

  His jaw tightened but he forced out an answer. “No. Each…encounter is unique.”

  “So I could sleep my way through the males of Glengowyn, so long as I didn’t fuck any of them more than two or three times, and not risk insanity. Correct?”

  “Correct.” Pushing the single word through his clenched teeth made it sound more like an animal grunt than language.

  “And if I only want you?”

  “We might be able to risk one more night together. But then…”

  “Then you’ll still have to leave.”

  His nod was sharp and stiff from the tension holding his body.

  “If I don’t love you.”

  Another single, sharp nod.

  “But what if I do love you?”

  Every nerve in his body jumped and his muscles flexed. “If you love me, you’re the one taking the biggest risk. I wouldn’t risk your sanity, though, if you have any doubts at all. I’d leave rather than see you hurt.”

  “Yet you’re hurting me now. And still you sit there.”

  His brows lowered. “I’m hurting you? How?”

  “By assuming I don’t love you. But assuming what I feel for you is passing,” she hissed the last word, striking him with it like a slap.

  She might as well have issued him a physical blow because her words jolted him back.

  She poked him in the chest. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was knowing you could die opening that bloody List vessel? Can you even comprehend what your death would mean to me? I have lost everyone I’ve ever loved to this war. And I had to sit by and wait and wonder if I was going to lose another love. A love I never even hoped I’d be able to keep for myself, but at least knowing you were alive would be something. And then you nearly died! I haven’t slept in days. I keep waking up thinking I imagined your recovery, that you lied to me about elves being able to survive the bloodletting required. You with your superb ability to lie!”

  Her tirade had him so stunned, he didn’t think to stop her when she stood and started stalking in a tight circle around the couch.

  “Even knowing you were healing in that damned sickroom, I’ve been sick thinking about what could have happened. What might have been. How very close I came to…to watching you die too. And you sit there and question my feelings for you! You tell me now we could have a future! How dare you?”

  That brought him to his feet in front of her, stopping her in mid-circuit. “How dare I? What exactly did you want me to do, Mina? Tell you I loved you and we could have a future before I opened the vessel? You expected me to make things worse than they already were?”

  “Damn you, Althir. If you love me, you should have told me!”

  “Why? So you might suffer even more if things had gone wrong and I died? I didn’t know you loved me.”

  “Well, what the hell did you think I felt?”

  “I have no idea. You weren’t exactly upfront about your feelings either. At least not since our first meeting and your statement that you wanted to kill me.”

  “I still want to kill you. For putting me through this. For breaking my heart. And for not trusting me.”

  “Mina.” He took her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake so that she glared up at him. “I trust you more than any other living being.”

  “Then no more keeping secrets. No more leaving out important information. Like we could be together. Like you do love me. If you really feel that way, you can’t keep it to yourself. Not anymore.”

  His anger and tension and frustration evaporated when he saw the dampness rise in her eyes.

  “Mina.” He pulled her into a tight hug, refusing to let go when she made an effort to tug away. “I love you,” he said against her hair, kissing her temple. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. In a way I can’t even explain. So deeply it’s impossible for me to fathom. Before you, I was so cynical I didn’t consider this sort of emotion even possible. Now… I don’t want to think about my life, my future, without you.”

  She sniffled, and he felt the dampness of her tears through the material of his tunic.

  “I didn’t think a future was possible either,” she said. “But…
I wanted you nearby, to know you were alive and safe and…that if I really wanted to, I could always say…hi when I saw you passing.”

  The very idea of her greeting him like an acquaintance struck him as so absurd he started to laugh. “My love, if you’d tried to pass me with just a casual hello, you’d have found yourself up against the nearest wall with my mouth on yours and my hands everywhere. There was never an option of us reverting to virtual strangers.”

  She hiccupped a soft laugh. “You paint a very sexy picture, though.” Turning her face up to his, she said, “I would welcome your mouth, your hands.”

  What little control he’d had over his need for her slipped away. He kissed her, leaving her in no doubt that he wanted her. Needed her.

  Loved her.

  And to his awe, she returned his kiss with an equal passion.

  “I do love you,” she said against his lips. “Don’t you dare doubt that again.”

  “How could I? I’d be able to tell if you were lying.”

  She took his mouth again, her tongue thrusting against his, and he tasted her like she was the most exquisite of wines. Something to be savored and cherished.

  Taking her to his bed, he held her close, for a long time just caressing her through her clothes, kissing her wherever there was available skin. Though the elf-fire was a burning ache in his blood, he felt no drive to rush, no desperation except the overwhelming need to please her. He teased and tempted until she writhed beneath him. With tender care, he took her hair down from its usual bun and let the silky waves of blond fall across his palms.

  “I’ve wanted to do this since I saw your hair down when we were in Sorcerer territory,” he said. “So sexy.”

  She smiled. “I rarely get a chance to leave it down.” She closed her eyes as he threaded his fingers through the locks and gently massaged her scalp. “That feels wonderful.”

  “I plan on doing this a lot,” he said.

  “Good.”

  He stroked her hair, enjoying the sensation, the luxury of having her so relaxed and free. Then he stripped her slowly, taking his time with each garment, kissing newly exposed skin for long, drugging moments before exposing more.

  She was perfect, beautiful, and his. And he proved his possession with each touch. When he finally freed her breasts, his groan slipped out. “I will never get enough of you,” he murmured, then he took her nipple into his mouth, sucking her with an insistence that had her moaning and gripping his hair to hold his head in place.

  Though he knew he could spend hours simply lavishing attention on her breasts, he finally pulled away to finish removing her clothes. Then she removed his clothing in another slow and drugging exploration with her mouth on his skin this time. Nothing had ever felt so smooth and perfect as her lips on him, covering him, sucking him into her heated mouth.

  They caressed and kissed, licked and teased almost leisurely, time nothing to the need to memorize and explore each other fully. He sought out every spot on her body that made her moan, every soft, vanilla-scented inch of her that made her melt. And she uncovered places he didn’t even know he’d find erotic, touched him in ways that left him breathless.

  When his tension had surpassed any ability to continue slowly, he cupped her face between his palms and kissed her, hard, as he slid inside her. For a beat, he held still, savoring the wetness and heat that surrounded his cock. Then he stroked out and back in again. Her muscles tightened, drawing out the friction and pleasure. Still he couldn’t rush, didn’t want to hurry. He rocked into her in a steady, slow rhythm, swallowing her sounds of pleasure, relishing each gasp and cry.

  For the first time, they didn’t have to worry about making too much noise and he took advantage of that as well, giving pleasure until she cried out, calling his name in a shout that echoed around his room.

  “I love you,” she said again as she settled from her orgasm.

  The statement, so honest and true, robbed him of the last of his control. He pumped into her a few hard times then gave in to the almost painful pulsing gasp of release.

  He collapsed over her, his heart racing, and hugged her close, murmuring his own love against her sweat-soaked hair.

  “The elf-fire… That was different,” she said, her voice a little hoarse.

  “Yes. Better even than my ability to spot a lie.”

  “What?” She lifted his head so he was looking her in the face.

  “That kind of elf-fire reaction… That only happens with couples who are in love.”

  “More than just sex,” she agreed, placing a soft kiss against his lips.

  “I should warn you, though.”

  She groaned. “Now what?”

  “To make sure you age as I do, that our bond stays strong, it’s important for us to make love a lot.”

  “How much is a lot?”

  “A lot. Regularly. Every day.”

  “Hmm. Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, that could get tiring over the years.”

  He scowled because he could see the glimmer of humor in her eyes and knew his expression would amuse her. The sound of her giggle was a reward all its own. “I think I can maintain enough stamina to satisfy you on a daily basis,” he said.

  Her breasts jiggled with her laughter, drawing his attention. He turned her chuckle into a gasp when he bent and claimed one of her peaked nipples with his teeth. He watched her face while he suckled her, as pleasure made her close her eyes.

  “As you can see,” he whispered, blowing cool air across her wet nipple, making her shiver, “I’m well up for the job of ensuring our future together through regular sex.”

  Her hips bumped his and she opened her eyes. He’d grown hard again, still buried deep in her body. “I’m going to enjoy our life together, aren’t I?”

  “I will do everything within my power to ensure your happiness, Mina.” He kissed her softly. “You won’t ever have cause to regret the risk you take with me.”

  She smiled, open and vulnerable, the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  “What risk?” she said, before kissing him.

  Truly, he thought, what risk indeed.

  About the Author

  Award-winning author Isabo Kelly has a gypsy soul, which she’s indulged wholeheartedly over the years, living in Las Vegas, Hawaii, Germany, Ireland and New York. There’s no telling where she might end up next (though Italy keeps coming up in conversation). After finishing her Ph.D. in Zoology in Ireland, she buckled down to concentrate on writing. She’s published numerous science fiction, fantasy and paranormal romance novels, short stories and novellas. Her work has been short-listed for many awards, and reviewers have used words such as fast-paced, passionate, emotion-filled, adventurous, and page-turning to describe her stories.

  Isabo currently lives in New York City with her brilliant Irish husband, her two sons and her mad dog. You can visit Isabo at her website www.isabokelly.com or email her at isabo@isabokelly.com. She loves hearing from readers. You can also find Isabo on Facebook www.facebook.com/IsaboKelly and Twitter www.twitter.com/IsaboKelly.

  Look for these titles by Isabo Kelly

  Now Available:

  The Heron’s Call

  In The Gloaming (print collection)

  Tales from Lachmuirghan (print collection)

  The Promise of Kierna’Rhoan

  Fire and Tears

  Brightarrow Burning

  The Darkness of Glengowyn

  They’ll risk forever death for one last chance together…

  The Darkness of Glengowyn

  © 2014 Isabo Kelly

  Fire and Tears, Book 2

  Nuala of Glengowyn hasn’t left her home city in over a century, but not by choice. Her skill as a weapons master has made her a prisoner of her people. Held apart, protected in the extreme—until Sorcerers attack the human city of Sinnale.

  Sent to supply her unique magical arrows to help the humans, she is far from free. The elf king and queen have sent a bodyguard, a fearsome warrior who
se reputation has no rival. The only man she has ever wanted. Einar of Glengowyn.

  Einar is known as a battle-crazed destroyer, so feared among elves he’s called by a single name: Darkness. And he has only one weakness—Nuala. Their union is forbidden, for melding their magics could destroy Nuala’s gifts. Yet as they journey to the war-torn city, no royal decree is a match for two hundred years of pent-up desire.

  But even if they escape the war zone, their lives still hang in the balance. They must confront their sovereigns and prove love makes them stronger—or face their deaths.

  Warning: This book contains a deadly elf hero, a heroine who’s his match, a lot of sexy misbehaving, some hard language, racing through the streets, owls, arrows, evil Sorcerers, wicked minions, and a very dangerous elf king and queen.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for The Darkness of Glengowyn:

  Removing a final stray pin, she set it with the others, rubbed her fingers across her head, then reached for the strap of leather holding the end of her braid. She jumped when she felt Einar’s hands on her shoulders.

  The sensation, both familiar and new after all this time, sent a tremor of heat through her belly. With only that brief contact, she could already feel the Shaerta rising. Her nerves danced. She drew in a deep breath, absorbing Einar’s scent, and the heat in her stomach spread through her abdomen to her core.

  Turning to face him just then would destroy what little resistance she had, so she kept her body motionless, her gaze on the street.

  He skimmed his hands down the length of her arms, leaving a hot chill along her skin and forcing her hands down to her sides. Then he leaned in and said against her ear, “Allow me.”

  She wanted to melt into him but couldn’t manage any movement, closer or away. He released her wrists and shifted to her braid, untying the leather strap, then slowly separating the strands.

  Heart pounding, Nuala closed her eyes, the wash of sensation from having his hands on her overwhelming and perfect. She concentrated on the play of his fingers up her braid, the gentle run of his palms over and through the strands, the heavy fall of weight when her hair was fully freed of its confines, and the merciless thrill of him brushing her hair, his fingers threading over her scalp, pulling the thick locks away from her face. She tilted her head back at his urging, giving him access to better massage her temples. Without realizing she would, she groaned.