by Kay Maree
The Dirty Dozen
DAMSELS EDITION
A DAMSEL ANTHOLOGY BROUGHT TO YOU BY
KAY MAREE
Contents:
COPYRIGHT
WARNING
Cassandra’s Curse
Screwed
Saving Lucy
Haunting Gina
Lucifer
Under the Bridge
Silent Echoes
Dante
The Salvatore Princess
Callie
Love & Friends
Black Hearts Bleed
COPYRIGHT
© 2019 by following Authors:
Cassandra’s Curse – Erin Lee
Screwed – Natasha Thomas
Saving Lucy – Lorah Jaiyn
Haunting Gina – Tressa Rabbit
Lucifer – Natasha Thomas
Under the Bridge – Tee Smith
Silent Echoes – Aleisha Maree
Dante – Natasha Thomas
The Salvatore Princess – Ann Mickan
Callie – Gemma Arlington
Love & Friends – Lola Denvers
Black Hearts Bleed – K. A. Hillman
The right of the above authors to be identified as the authors of these works has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical or mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the authors.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
WARNING
The following stories have adult content.
Some may contain graphic violence and dark emotional scenarios which may trigger some readers.
Proceed with caution.
You have been warned.
Cover Design– Susan Horsnell and Kay Maree
Format – Susan Horsnell
Cassandra’s Curse
THE DIRTY DOZEN – DAMSEL EDITION
Erin Lee
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
CASSANDRA’S CURSE
Copyright © 2019 by Erin Lee
The right of Erin Lee to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical or mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
BLURB
Dormant wings aren’t the biggest of Princess Cassandra Exley’s problems. Betrothed to Prince Zane, an evil man with eyes for her sister, the damsel must find a way out of the palace. She must escape the Land of Exley before a royal wedding set to destroy her dreams.
She isn’t alone.
Colton, a tiny man who can offer no promise of rescue, vows to do what he can for the princess who secretly tends to him – if only he can shake the royal witch’s curse.
When Cassandra’s father demands wedding plans move forward and Colton be killed, Princess Exley must show an entire kingdom her worth; beginning with those who’ve questioned her and ending with – Colton?
Can true love defy an entire kingdom?
What’s a damsel to do when the fairy tale ends and real life begins?
Could it start with a tiny man? And who might rescue who?
DEDICATION
For my superman.
I did not need saving but if I had, I’d have picked you.
I don’t need saving.
I am not a princess.
I am a queen.
Anonymous
BACK IN FAIRYLAND
The Kingdom of Exley
Like my adoptive mother, I almost always kept my wings tucked away. In fact, they were somewhat weak from lack of use. In that one way, I was close to human. And there were benefits to this. Since I ran or walked almost everywhere, my legs were strong and quick. I’d never raced, especially a creature of the human sort, but would bet good pixie cash I could outrun anyone in the Kingdom of Exley. It was part of what made everyone doubt I was a true fairy princess at all. But that didn’t matter, not anymore. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I had purpose.
I ran back to the dance, a little thrill traveling through me for being able to do something for this mysterious, shrunken human stranger. Everyone at dances had always treated me as if I were invisible. I was the one no one quite believed was a real princess simply because I came off more human than fairy. They called me a freak and told me I belonged in the circus. At least my peculiarity would come in useful now. I wouldn’t have to explain to anyone where I was taking all the food. On my way, I even grabbed Colton—the strange little man—another seed husk full of wine. When I returned to him red-faced, out of breath and bearing a small feast, he smiled at me.
“Did you run?” he asked in disbelief.
“Well,” I gasped, “I hate when people stare at my wings, or laugh at them, or—”
“No, I just meant... You really hurried, for me? You didn’t have to do that, or any of this. The last thing I want to do is cause trouble for you. Be careful, please. And, thank you.” He had a wide, easy grin. It was like nothing I’d ever seen from the fairies. Our realm simply wasn’t that way. In the Kingdom of Exley, people were on their own and it often showed in frowns.
“Well, here,” I said, passing a second meal through the bars. “I hope you enjoy it. And don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”
“Thank you,” he said, his expression sobering as he peered at me. He sat with his food, not even eating it. Then, he sniffed.
“Are you... Crying?” I asked. I could see moonlight reflecting off his wet eyes. He had to be. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he half-laughed, half-cried. “Nothing’s wrong. I just haven’t seen a bit of kindness for a long time. Now on top of visiting me, you’ve brought me all this food and wine. Fast as you could too; as if I matter. I don’t even have any way to thank or repay you. Human money doesn’t work here and even if it did, the witch would have taken it away.”
“You’ve already thanked me twice,” I said. “And listened to my silly problems all night.” Then, the alcohol spoke again, “But if you really want to repay me, will you tell me more about the witch and why she shrank you?”
“Why? Well, I can’t really talk about that now. For now, I’ll just say there was something I wouldn’t do for her.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”
“Not at all. Your interest is quite flattering to be perfectly honest.”
I was glad he was focused on his food, because I felt myself blush. “Have you any family anywhere?”
“No, I’m just a traveler. Should have ran off with the circus, now that I think about it. I build things. I try to teach people too. It’s complicated.”
The circus. Does he think I belong there too? I wonder if he’s ever been… “How did you happen across the witch? Most everyone here stays as far away from Regina as possible. Simon’s been warning the entire kingdom about her for years.”
The wine was working on him now too. He spread his hands comically and said, “Traveling,” with a bellowing laugh.
With his silly gesture, I hated more than ever to see him in that cell. He was no thief and certainly no danger to anyone. He was really a nice guy – even if he was a human man.
“She heard me speaking at an inn. That’s what I do. I travel and speak to people while working on their homes. I care about sustainability and the forest. Most don’t like what I have to say. She did. Or, looking back, maybe that was all an act. It should have upset her as much as anyone. Like I said, it’s confusing. I just need to sort it out.”
“Well, what do you have to say?”
“I don’t think it would apply to you folk, being immortal, anyway. In short, I talk about how I think we should live. Just sharing thoughts. I just wish all the species could get along. But they say I’m a dreamer and they really aren’t wrong.” He yawned. “I’m a little drunk. I’m enjoying your company very much, but I must ask your forgiveness if I happen to doze off.”
“Of course,” I said, feeling my cheeks flush again. I was shocked to realize how foreign it was to be welcome anywhere. No one had ever wanted me around, not since my adoptive mother died.
“Can I ask you something now?”
“Please,” I said.
He paused, and then, “I don’t want to offend you, so I don’t know how to ask.”
“It’s okay,” I urged.
“I don’t mean to be calling you a liar or anything, but I don’t know how else to put it. Did someone really call you “ugly” as you put it earlier? I don’t think you made it up, trust me on that. I just don’t understand.”
All that nervousness over me thinking he doubted my word? In our land, a girl’s opinion didn’t count for a thing. Why should he even care? Was it because I had brought him food? Was this how human men worked?
“You were worried I’d be offended just because you didn’t believe something I said?”
“No, I do believe it,” he pleaded, desperately.
“I’m not offended,” I smiled, wondering if he would be what the humans called a feminist. “And I don’t understand some of the things you worry about. Yes, he—Prince Zane—insulted me in front of everyone. What’s so hard to imagine?”
“Just... Why, or how, or... What did he say, exactly? How did it come up?”
“Well, I do believe ‘why’ was already covered,” I said, pointing toward my back. “I don’t know how much of a story there is, but here’s what happened. The Realm of Fairy is divided into kingdoms or tribes. Each kingdom has a palace containing a crystal that keeps us safe. The climate is controlled and we are generally invisible to you humans and some other beings unless the witch becomes involved like she did with you. The two most powerful crystals are held by the Sol and Luna tribes. We are the Luna fairies,” I paused just to be sure I hadn’t lost him. He nodded his head. “One day last year, my father—that’s King Exley—invited the king of the Sol fairies—Orion—and his tribe over for a festival and feast. I knew what business was to be conducted because my father had told me ahead of time. King Orion knew as well. His son—Prince Zane—did not. I had mixed feelings. It was my mother’s one wish for me, that I find someone who made me happy. She used to tell that one day I would find a man who thought I was as beautiful as she did. He wouldn’t care that my wings were mostly dormant. It wouldn’t matter to him if I was royal or not. She said it didn’t even matter what species he was. God, I miss her.”
I stopped to wipe tears from my eyes. I felt foolish. I was spilling my guts about my petty problems to someone who was locked up and wondering if he was going to be maimed the next day. But there was no stopping. I beheld the traveler and was amazed to see him looking at me with rapt attention. He motioned with his shrunken human hand for me to continue. He was ring less. Was he what they called a damsel too?
“I asked myself all that morning, ‘could this be it?’ I had never met Prince Zane. My imagination only allowed me to build him into a handsome, loving husband-to-be. But that was hard. I was disappointed the second I saw him. He strode with his chin in the air ordering his servants about with an arrogance that would have been comical if not so unfortunately real. He spoke to anyone but the two kings with an overwhelming condescension. I almost cried at the thought of having to get used to. My husband, my new life, was to be this? Still, I managed to keep myself together until the announcement. Later, I crossed paths with him once before dinner. We bumped into each other. He seemed annoyed until he saw my collapsed wings. Then, it was plain disgust that creased his brow. ‘Do excuse me, please,’ he sneered nastily. You know what? Even that didn’t prepare me for what he did later.” I wished I could slow my words but they kept tumbling out. If the stranger thought this part was bad, wait until he heard about the mattresses.
“But I don’t understand. Why would he hate your wings? Does he not know of the kingdom you come from? Your wings are beautiful. For fuck’s sake.”
Blushing, I pressed my finger to my lips. There was no way I’d ever be able to explain it all to him if he interrupted me. Our kingdoms had twisted, deeply rooted histories. My wings were a sign that we were destined to fail and only a true princess would ever offer a future Sol king proper heirs. I figured it best to just get out as much as I could and hope the stranger could follow. It wasn’t like humans were dumb. At least, I hadn’t heard they were.
“All through dinner I could barely manage to look at him. I spent the full meal in strange hopes that he would transform somehow. ‘That’s my future,’ I kept thinking. ‘The whole life I’ve lived up to now is now supposed to revolve entirely around this... Jerk!’ Then came the announcement: ‘Friends, nobles,’ my father said, standing. All fell silent and looked at him. ‘I am pleased to announce that by next spring, the two most powerful houses in all of Fairy, Sol and Luna, will be bound by marriage. A union that no other ten kingdoms added together could hope to disrupt.’ I wanted to die right then on the spot.”
The traveler shook his head, muttering curses that made me want to laugh out loud. Humans swore a lot. But I’d heard that too.
I kept right on going. “I saw the prince raise his head in interest. He knew he was about to receive a bride, but who? He looked hungrily at my half-sisters. ‘And so, I have offered to King Orion for his son Zane,’ who Father gestured to, ‘the hand of my daughter, Cassandra,’ and he gestured to me. The prince’s eyes followed my father’s hand and widened in disbelief when they landed on me. All I could do was smile nervously. Before I had a chance to wonder how he’d react, he screamed, ‘What?’ He slammed the table with his fist and stood. He looked in outrage at his own father. ‘Can this be true? Could my own father have agreed, on my behalf, without my knowledge, that I should take that? That translucent purple-winged hag as a wife? My first wife, no less! The very thought of soiling my dick by siring an heir with a woman that not even a commoner would touch! She isn’t even full-blood royalty!’”
Colton drew in his breath at my words as I turned a shade of crimson.
“And then everyone was quiet, and staring at me. What was I supposed to do after that? I looked into the eyes of a few people. I could tell they were enjoying my anguish. I ran out, just before the shock wore off and I began to cry.”
“I feel bad for doubting you,” the stranger said in quiet amazement.
I wiped away a few errant tears and smiled. “His ‘apology’ wasn’t any better. He found me later on a balcony. He didn’t put a hand on my shoulder or ask me to look at him or anything. He just said, as if he were granting the largest favor in history, that I could be his wife. If... And then he listed a bunch of conditions! No talking, no touching him, things like
that. Right down to how he supposed he’d try to father an heir with me, so long as I kept covered up and quiet. He’d just be doing his duty, he said. And, he’d be allowed to bed any fairy he wanted; ones with better wings.”
“And you’re going to marry him... In the spring? Still?”
There was no point in explaining the dynamic with my half-sisters. “Oh, yes... Politics... I suppose I should be honored. My name will go down in history. The kings have wanted this union for ages. In truth, I’d rather anything.”
“Is there nowhere to run?”
The human circus, maybe, but that’s about it. “Any kingdom I fled to would just send me back here. Then I’d be punished, and in the same situation, only disgraced on top of it. And to flee into the wild isn’t possible either. Trust me, I’ve thought about it. Our territories keep us invisible to mortals, as you know. That spell is only broken when the witches are involved or through good luck and peculiar circumstance; things I have none of. My mother left for some reason; I’d assume the same or so she could finally be seen by the humans in the real world. I can’t imagine it but she was a courageous one. That’s how she got caught. Or, maybe, and this is never spoken about, she found true love. That breaks the curse too.”
“Hmm,” he said thinking.
“What?”
“Well, at least you haven’t given up hope. That’s good. I don’t think you should. Everything happens for a reason. That’s what I like to say and what people often say in the human world.”
“What? How do you know? I don’t feel the least bit hopeful, I’ll have you know.”
“Alright, sorry,” he said, looking away. And then, “You say you’ve accepted your future, but I see too much life in your eyes for me to believe that. I’ve seen the eyes of hopeless folk, believe me. They’re dead. They stare off into space, taking nothing in, giving nothing out. I could be wrong. These are just some of those thoughts I share in my travels. Or maybe I’m just drunk.”