“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said a man at the other end of the table, voicing the thoughts that were so clearly written on all of their faces.
Lochlan spoke calmly and with authority. “We all have many questions and even fewer answers, but tonight is not the time to search them out. My purpose in calling you here was to make sure we all know what we are up against.” His eyes found mine. “Rebecca, do you have anything else you want to share?”
I cleared my throat again and the number of soft whispers that had started throughout the room stopped abruptly. “There is one more thing. I don’t know if it means anything at all, I may have just imagined the it, but I saw a man as we were leaving the industrial park. I recognized him as a man I spoke with once before on my first day at the museum. Nothing of consequence, just admiring some of the artwork. I know that I hit my head during the fight, but I’d swear he was outside the garage by the car and he gave me a nod as we were leaving. I passed out just afterward, so it may have been my eyes playing tricks on me, but I thought it was worth mentioning.”
“Can you describe the man?” Lochlan asked with intrigue.
“He seemed young, but it was hard to tell. His skin was youthful, no wrinkles or anything, except a few laugh lines around his eyes. Those eyes were what confused me—they felt ancient. He was close to six feet tall and had light blond hair, almost white, and his eyes were an ice blue. When he began to talk to me, I could have sworn the room had been empty—it was like he just appeared behind me. I think he may have traced into the room.”
“Was his accent like the rest of ours?” Lochlan asked.
“No, he wasn't Irish, more like British with a hint of something else. Maybe Scandinavian?”
“Is there anything else you can recall about him—something he said or a mannerism?”
I waded through my memory of the conversation and attempted to recall if anything he had said would now have significance. “The only things that stuck with me was that he knew my name and his comment that it was good to see me and to be safe while I was here. I remember thinking it was odd to say good to see you instead of good to meet you, but I figured it was just a difference in colloquial language. I had no reason to suspect him of anything more than a friendly gentleman.”
Michael stood quickly and spoke to Lochlan in an alarmed tone. “Why would he be here?”
“Does that description mean something to you? You know who he is?” I asked, astounded. I couldn’t image that I had given them enough information to go off of but by the concerned expressions on their faces, they all had the same man in mind.
“We can't know for sure yet, but your description sounds like Merlin.” The name spoken aloud created a frenzy of chatter in the room but Lochlan continued. “Did he give you any hint as to his purpose?”
“No. I don't know anything else. What does this mean?” I looked to Lochlan for answers.
“Merlin, for the most part, keeps to himself, but he is an ancient Fae of great power and he would not involve himself in a trivial matter. His presence indicates that there is a greater danger than we originally suspected.”
The room was quiet as everyone considered the implications of Merlin’s appearance.
He continued, this time addressing his men. “As for your concerns that Rebecca was involved in setting up the trap, I’ll vouch for her innocence in this plot. It is evident to me that we have a traitor somewhere at this table and that is where our focus should lie.” When he spoke, the room stayed chillingly silent. No one moved or spoke. “Throughout my years in the Hunt, nor in any times in its history, have I ever heard of a treachery from within, but I know of no other way this could have transpired.” He took a brief pause as he met the hard stares of the men at the table. “With our protections in place, there was no way information would have left these grounds without it coming from one of us, and no one here would have dropped that kind of information accidentally.”
Several men grunted in agreement.
“We cannot afford the weakness of a traitor among us and there is no other foolproof way to test each man’s allegiance other than the Sword of Light.”
I scanned the room in a futile attempt to read the men for any signs of fear or derision. If there was a traitor in the group, he must have had nerves of steel to sit among such dangerous men and boldly lie to their faces. Despite my efforts, I could not read a single defensive posture or possible sign of guilt.
“Lochlan, no one has seen the sword for a millennia. How will we get it?” asked Michael.
“We’ll do whatever we must to retrieve it. I’ll speak with my sources to start the search and in the meantime, we must all be on our guard. There’s no telling what other information has been leaked from behind these walls.” Suspicious eyes scanned the room as he spoke. “Does anyone else have anything further for the group?”
There were murmurs throughout the room but no one offered anything aloud.
“Everyone get back to your duties, once I know more we’ll meet again.”
The men stood and disbursed. When the room was empty, Lochlan approached me. “If you'll wait a moment, I'll get these arrows out and take you home.”
I should have been more adamant that he needed rest after getting his wounds treated but I was too tired. Instead, I plopped back down on the couch with a wince, momentarily forgetting my healing wound. I lay my head on the arm of the sofa and visions of the fight flashed before my eyes. I had fought for my life and killed my assailant—not only killed him but reveled in it. I was pretty sure that once I had my faculties back, I would be horrified with myself.
The energy coursing through me at the time had been empowering, so foreign that I had felt like a passenger in my own body. I also remembered how terrified and helpless I had felt as the red caps surrounded us and it reinforced my desire to learn how to use the necklace. However, another part of me recognized that there was a malevolent side to the magic and I wanted no part of that darkness.
As I waged an internal debate, my eyelids grew heavy and before I knew it, Lochlan was murmuring for me to wake up, his warm hand lightly touching my arm. He had changed into a clean shirt and I couldn't see any evidence of his wounds.
“Sorry, I guess I was more tired than I realized.” I stood on legs that were thankfully steadier after my power nap. “Is your chest okay?”
“It's fine, now that the iron has been removed, it won't take long to heal. I grabbed this for you.” He held out a t-shirt, soft and faded.
“You didn't have to do that, but thanks.” I faced the wall and put on the clean shirt. His smell enveloped me and my eyes slowly shut while I soaked in his woodsy scent.
“You okay?” he asked, a hint of humor in his voice.
My eyes shot open and heat burst in my cheeks while I desperately tried to think of what we were talking about before my mind detoured down Hoochie Lane.
“Iron prevents you from using magic?”
Good save.
His eyes were still laughing but he let my indiscretion slide and led us out of the room.
“For the most part. It makes it difficult to trace, heal, or do any magic that requires substantial power.”
We made our way to the elevator and down to Lochlan’s car. Once inside I asked a question that I had wondered about on a number of occasions.
“Was that the extent of the Hunt, the twelve of you?”
“There’s thirteen here in Ireland when our leader is among us and more back in Faery.”
I was ridiculously curious about the Hunt and figured I'd ask questions while he was in an accommodating mood.
“Does your leader normally live here?”
“Yes, but he’s been gathering information in Faery.”
“I remember you saying that your leader is called the Erlking? Does that mean he’s the king of the Hunt?”
“That's his title but he’s not exactly a king. It means he’s the leader of the Hunt but we aren’t bound to any particular lands as
a kingdom would entail.”
“A while back you said the Hunt had government ties—do you follow Queen Guin?”
“No, the Hunt isn’t ruled by the Seelie queen. Although we often ally with her when it suits our purpose. We have no desire to wage a war against her, but we have no true allegiance to anyone but our own. That’s why it's such a grave insult to have one among us turn traitor.”
“So, the queen didn't command the Hunt to stay here and keep Fae out?”
“No, it was more like a good fit to our natural proclivities. The Hunt seeks those who would run, which tends to be the guilty and scared. Prior to the Fae returning to Faery, the Hunt roamed both Faery and Earth tracking prey wherever the trail led.”
“Do you hunt humans?”
His eyes cut over to mine and I could see a feral glint in them. “At times, but they aren't the challenge that Fae present.”
It was clear that he liked the chase, the exhilaration of the hunt. I wondered if the men became a part of the Hunt because that drive was already a part of them, or if being a part of the Hunt created the drive.
“How do you end up in the Hunt? Are you forced into it or is it something you choose?”
“We have no desire to have a fellow hunter as a brother if he doesn’t want to hunt. In my case, I was raised by our leader so I was practically born in the Hunt, it’s in my blood.”
I took in what he had said and when I compared the Hunt to a military organization, it didn't sound nearly as horrifying as it had been depicted in legend. Granted, they didn't have to report back to the Pentagon or some other governing body, but I had never suffered the delusion that the US Army Rangers or the Navy Seals were exactly Boy Scouts.
Before long, we pulled up at my apartment and Lochlan turned off the car. There was only a twinge of pain in my chest as I stood and I wondered when I took off the bandage, just how much of the wound would be left.
Lochlan walked me to the door and followed me in, scanning my small home. “Gather your things, you’re moving to my place at the club.”
For a moment I was too stunned to respond. “What are you talking about?”
“I think we both know you have more going on with you than you care to admit and with Merlin in the picture, you’re in too much danger to stay alone.”
“But you just said there’s a spy in the Hunt, why would I want to live there? Plus, those guys don't want me there, they made that perfectly clear.”
“My apartment is in the same building, but it’s not a part of the club. I can keep an eye on you that way.”
“Keep an eye on me? At your place?” I was dumbfounded and my rounded eyes reflected my surprise. “Why does it even matter to you if I'm in danger?”
“You've got secrets, Rebecca, whether you know the depth of them or not. I think you could be of help in this fight and I'm not letting you get killed.”
I rolled my eyes and his arms crossed over his chest, both of us gearing up for a verbal battle. “Your offer to protect me is deeply touching, but I think I'll pass.” I attempted to push past him but his solid body formed an impenetrable barrier between me and the stairs.
“Too foolish and naïve to accept help when she clearly needs it,” he said under his breath.
“Excuse me?” My frustration and exhaustion stoked my temper from zero to fuming in seconds.
Lochlan stood in front of me and leaned down toward my face as he spoke. “You heard me, you’re letting your sensitive little feelings walk all over your good sense and it's going to get you killed.”
“Screw you, Lochlan. I’m not going anywhere, certainly not with you.”
I plowed my way past him and marched upstairs. Grabbing my pajamas from my room, I headed into the bathroom and slammed the door. I wasn’t even sure why I was so adamant that I wouldn’t move to his place. It had more to do with how the suggestion had been presented rather than the idea itself, which meant he was probably right, but I was too angry to change my mind. I wanted a hot shower and the comfort of my own bed so that I could pretend for a brief moment that everything was normal. I stripped off his shirt, along with my blood-soaked pants and underwear, and was about to check the stab wound, when the locked handle clicked and the door flew open.
“Holy crap, Lochlan, what is your problem!” I yelled, yanking a towel off the rack and covering myself as best as I could.
“You are my problem. I have a lot of shit on my plate, the last thing I need is a spoiled little girl making things more difficult. If I say you need to stay at the Huntsman, you’re staying at the Huntsman.” His voice grew husky and his eyes roamed my body.
“If you make me, I’ll run the first chance I get,” I said defiantly, acting the petulant child he accused me of being.
“I could always tie you up.” As he spoke his eyes deepened to a dark blue and his voice became guttural.
His statement sucked the air from my lungs and I replied breathlessly, “You wouldn’t.”
He stepped closer so that our faces were just inches apart. “Try me.”
His soft words sent an erotic coiling sensation into my core and I could feel my breasts ache to be touched as my entire body came alive.
And then it hit me.
He was using his Fae mojo that Ashley had talked about—stirring up my sexual sensations to make me a puddle of goo so he could get his way. Instantly, I was back to furious.
“Don’t you dare use that Fae shit on me!” I seethed.
He pulled back. “What are you talking about?”
“Making me sex crazy so you can use me and get what you want—I know you were doing it so just stop.” I spat my venomous words at him and his face went blank.
His upper lip raised in disgust as he spoke. “Before you go accusing me of shit, maybe you need a taste of what I can do. Then you’ll know you had no one to blame for your wet cunt but yourself.”
As he spoke, an intense aching pleasure spread through my body and I fell to my knees. I dropped the towel and gaped up at my torturer.
My savior.
My everything.
A guttural moan ripped from my throat as my hands went to my engorged breasts and I whimpered, “Please.”
“Please what, Rebecca?” he said in an almost a whisper, his heated eyes taking in every inch of my naked body as I ground my hips and writhed on the floor. All I could think of was his cock filling me, completing me, ending this torture.
Not torture, agony and bliss, all at once. I ground my thighs together, rolling my hips and mewled as I imagined my mouth on his engorged cock.
“Please … stop.”
It took all my mental fortitude to say the word instead of asking him to take me, touch me, fuck me. And as soon as I did, the painful need vanished leaving me panting and my clit pulsing.
“Get out.” It was spoken on a breathless whisper and I didn’t meet his eyes but he must have known that after that display, there was no way I would go with him.
He left the bathroom and as I lay on the floor, the front door slammed shut. I felt played with and powerless, but it didn’t compare with my frustrations at my own body. Whether my mind had wanted it or not, his magic stirred up a lust in my body that was all consuming and I had been powerless to fight it.
Still feeling the after effects, I reached down to touch my clit, hoping to ease the burning ache, and exploded in the most intense orgasm I had ever experienced.
17
The next morning, I lay in bed for hours as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky. After having a night for my body to recover, my chest showed no evidence of a wound and the scratches and black eye were gone. I was healing inhumanly fast and there was no denying it.
However, that didn’t seem to weigh on me as much as the lesson Lochlan had instilled the night before. I had been so sure that his powers were to blame for my intense lust whenever I was near him. As angry as I was at him for his teaching method, he was right. He had never used his magic to manufacture my feelings. I was still li
vid, but he was right about our chemistry.
The attraction between us was entirely natural and utterly undeniable. Instead of owning it, I had insinuated that he was manipulating me into having those feelings. There was no confusing my natural arousal to the blinding, all-consuming lust his power had provoked. How was I to know he wasn't using his powers on me until I experienced the difference for myself? I got why he needed to show me the difference, but the way he had done it was inexcusable. Almost as if he were punishing me, making me writhe on the ground naked—no one should degrade another person like that.
That power was exponentially more frightening than anything else I had learned so far and it reinforced my decision not to move to the Huntsman. It would be easy for someone to lose themselves completely when subject to the Fae mojo Lochlan had used on me. Reduced to a mindless body, living for one thing and one thing alone.
Sex.
Fucking—raw and carnal and as crucial as the air you breathe.
When I was lost in that sexual haze, I knew for a certainty that if I wasn’t touched, stroked, filled … I would die. Just remembering the feeling had my breasts aching and my clit throbbing in need. I refused to give in and relieve the pressure, so instead, I rolled myself off the bed and made my way downstairs.
It was Sunday and my plans consisted of laundry and taking a personal day, which meant no bra, no pants, and binge watching Netflix. I was several hours into my blissfully uneventful day when Ash texted. There was no way I was going to tell her what had happened at the garage and give her a reason to come back here. I hated lying, but sometimes, it was necessary.
Ash: Made it home and slept all day yesterday—how’s it going there?
Me: Great, been nice and quiet, watching Versailles
Ash: u sure? No new sightings or information?
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