by Jana LaPelle
"Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. I see how you and he are together. It reminds me of Alaric and me. He's my kindred as well as my guardian. When I need comfort, I turn to him, but I know it took a lot for him to say that he would begin training me because it goes against his nature in wanting to protect me. He's starting to see the bigger picture, but I don't think that Declan is there yet. So you may want to go easy on the poor guy. He came on a mission to help his prince and do his duty. In the interim he found you, and you have really thrown the poor guy for a loop." I say watching as the last rays of the sun light up the sky in a brilliant, fiery, orangey red.
“Wow, I don’t know what to say. So, his being a complete jackass back at the shooting range is a byproduct of my being his kindred?” She asks with a smirk.
Jasmine and I laugh and say, “Yes.”
“Oh, he is in so much trouble right now. He could have told me! Why would he keep this from me? Unless he doesn’t want me because I’m only human?” She asks as concern etches across her face.
"Oh, he wants you." Jasmine says, "He's just not sure how to proceed. Girl, you have that poor elf tied up in knots. He doesn't know what to do with himself." She says with a smirk.
"We need to head back. It's getting dark," I say.
Jaz is up and flittering about. Her wings take on an orangey sparkle from the sunset. "You were right Ash. I feel at home here. I think I will find a place to nest for the night. See you in the morning?" She asks.
“Take care Jaz, see you for breakfast. Sure you don’t want to come back with us?” I ask.
“No, I need to commune with the water, I’ll be fine here for the night.” She says as she flitters away across the water.
Alexia and I make it back to the house. Our trek is a quiet one. I can tell that I have given her a lot to think about. As we come up on the tiny bridge, I see that the fire pit is lit, as are all the tiki torches and there's a picnic spread out on the ground down by the brook. Declan is sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs, and I know that he's waiting for Lexie. I turn to her and say, "That's my cue to give you two some space. Go easy on him Lex." I say with a smirk and continue to the house. There's a warm glow coming from inside as I walk inside to see Alaric waiting for me.
Chapter 18
(Ashlinn)
Our gathering spot has become the kitchen in the back of the house with the open floor plan overlooking the sitting room. The TV is mounted over the fireplace, and once again TNT are scrolling through the sports channels. Millie is puttering about the over large kitchen and from the aroma that hits me upon entering the house she has a roast in the oven. I know that it will be accompanied by honey glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, brown gravy, and if I’m lucky garlic roasted asparagus. Yum! I love Millie’s roast beast. “Millie, dinner smells heavenly. What can I do to help?” I ask as I walk over to Alaric.
The pull is magnetic and being in the same room with him it's impossible to keep my distance. As I sidle up next to him at the granite covered island, he looks down at me and reaches up to tuck a wisp of hair behind my pointed ear. As he does so his finger gently runs across the tip of my ear sending a shiver down my spine. I blink, my eyes going wide as I stare up at him and whisper, "Oh my stars." His handsome face cracks into a mischievous grin. It's then that I know he did that on purpose, and I swat his bicep and murmur, "You did that on purpose! What is up with my ears? They're so sensitive."
"I'll tell you later, álainn." He says, breaking into his native tongue as he whispers into my ear, sending yet another set of tremors through my body.
I have completely forgotten where I am, until I hear, “Umhmm.” I look around to see Millie smiling at the both of us and shaking her head. Thanks to my kindred, I’ve just been caught being naughty in the kitchen, so I swat him again for good measure.
"I believe that you were asking how you could help. If you two could set the table, we should be ready in the next fifteen minutes. Alexia and Declan will not be joining us as I packed them a very nice picnic basket. About time he decided to man up and talk to her about what's going on between them. I thought she was going to take his head off this morning." Millie says with a huff.
I snort, “You should have seen her at the shooting range. She nearly shot him between the eyes. You guys should have been there. She was all sass and anger. I think she’s been holding out on us, hiding her fiery redheaded disposition.” I then recount to Millie and Hank what happened earlier today as Alaric helps me go about setting the table. I look around and notice that Nemus is unaccounted for, “Hey, where’s our resident sorcerer? He will be joining us tonight, right? I have some questions for him.”
"I'm here, Princess," Nemus says, always so serious, as he enters the room.
“Nemus, you know I don’t like being called princess. Ashlinn will do just fine.” I huff.
While the roast is resting, we all go about companionably moving all the dishes to the table. Before long Hank goes about carving the roast, I look over to see Tolin and Torin sneaking rolls and swat them both with the towel in my hands. "Save some for the rest of us." I scold.
"Millie, I know our schedule the last two days has been crazy, but I promise tomorrow we'll be back on track. No more late dinners, it's almost nine, so no cleanup for you. We'll all chip in and clean up after we eat. Thank you for fixing this amazing meal. You know it's one of my favorites. I'm famished, and I'm ready to dig in before twiddle dee and twiddle dumb over here eat it all." We all settle in for a hearty and delicious meal, and as I look around, I realize just how blessed I am. Everyone is talking amongst themselves, laughing and joking around, but most of all it just feels right. Dinner is over before I know it, and we set about cleaning off the table while Tolin and Torin continue to eat, and I catch myself staring at them trying to figure out how two guys can eat so much.
Torin looks up and catches me staring. Through a mouthful of roast, he asks, "What? Is there food on my face?" He looks so serious with eyes wide, waiting for me to answer.
I can't help but laugh, "No. There's no food on your face. I just can't fathom where you put it all. One plate and I'm done, but you two may actually be on your fourth helping." I say in an astonished tone.
"I don't keep track." He says and Tolin chimes in with a grunt. "You should see Fergus put away the food. I know that he can best us on any giving day."
“Who’s Fergus?” I ask as the rest of us continue to clear the table and clean up.
"He's one of us. Alaric left three of us behind. Fergus, Lorcan, and Ēolieus were to gather intel, to keep us in the know for when we get back. Ferg is the biggest of all of us and is known for his brute strength. He's kind of a huge guy, and on the eating front, puts the two of us to shame. Just be glad that he's not here. He would've eaten the whole roast on his own."
As everything is put away and the dishwasher is started, we sit back at the table. TNT excuse themselves to go check the "perimeter," and we dim the lights like last night. I have so many questions I'm not sure where to begin, but the one thing that has been eating away at me all day are the words in my Mom's letter. "Nemus, I noticed you watching Alexia today after Declan and Alaric left. Do you mind sharing your thoughts?" I ask. "In Mom's letter to me, she said that Lexie is not what she appears to be. Do you have any idea what that cryptic message might mean?"
Nemus considers my words and steeples his hands in front of him. In a calm but serious voice, he says, "I suspect she may be from Druid descent. I have suspected it since meeting her. It can be determined with a simple incantation. I will be able to determine if my suspicions are true. If that is the case, then we should be able to unlock her majic. It will be difficult at first because the bloodline is weak. She has lived her entire life in the Mortal Realm, but I think with some training, she will be able to wield her majic. She will have to become my apprentice in the arts if that is what she desires. The two of you will hav
e to train under me in developing your elemental majic. As a druid, she should have an affinity for one or possibly more elements and will be taught to master that element. You, on the other hand, will be trained in all elemental majic wielding."
As surprising as his announcement is, I can tell he is still holding something back. "Wow. I hadn't considered that." Alaric's hand is on my thigh and is proving to be a distraction. "Before we continue, I think Alexia needs to be here. She needs to hear this as much as I do. For tonight, I believe that she and Declan will need some time to work through everything. So how about we start fresh tomorrow? We also need to be aware that Declan will lose his shit when this bomb is dropped on him. We'll have the whole day ahead of us, and we will tackle it one thing at a time." Suddenly, I'm drained and realize just how long the day has been and how emotionally exhausting it has been. I lean into Alaric, and he takes control.
"The girls begin training tomorrow after a good night's sleep. We'll reconvene here tomorrow at eight am. Ashlinn is tired and needs some rest. Everyone have a good night, and we'll see you all in the morning." And with that, he whisks me away to my room. Correction, our room. As we step in, I lean against him and sigh. I'm so exhausted. Last night I got little to no sleep, thanks to Danu, and I'm still really drained from my awakening. The longer that I'm in my kindred's arms, the more awake I feel, and then I realize something.
“Have you been giving me energy all day?” I ask.
Alaric looks at me not sure what to say, then decides that truth is his best option, and says hesitantly, “Yes, maybe I have.” Watching me quizzically, waiting for my reaction.
“I should be pissed at you right now, but I’m not. Thank you. I had no idea you were pushing energy my way until just now. Will I be able to do the same for you? And what is up with the ears, seriously?” I ask.
He chuckles and says, “They are an erogenous zone for us. I was unable to resist. They’re adorable. But I think that they may be hypersensitive, not at all what I was expecting.”
"I thought that I was going to pool on the floor right there in the kitchen in front of everyone. Why would they be hypersensitive? I noticed yesterday how touchy they were." I say as Alaric gently reaches out to stroke my ear. My response is immediate, and my knees buckle. He pulls me into his massive torso and cradles me in his arms. The bond kicks in and the pulse thrums between us, the pull to him intensifies, and I find that I'm wrapped around him in seconds. Our lips crash together, and I feel as though I'm on fire. Oh. My. God. His touch is electrifying. My body begins to hum as he continues to caress me and the flame of desire is stoked. My hands are tangled in his hair, and I am wrapped around him like a twizzler stick. Our tongues continue their mating dance and Alaric hauls me up into his embrace, so that I can wrap my legs around him. I am quickly losing control of my need when Alaric pulls out of our kiss. I find that I am whimpering, “No. Please.” I beg.
"Ash, we need to stop." He says breathlessly, the voice of reason. "Come on. You know I'm right. We should wait until we get to Faerie. As soon as we get back to Glenndale Lock, I'll arrange for our binding ceremony, if you're ready for that?" He carries me over to the big overstuffed chair in the corner of the room by the window, and he sits down with me still in his arms, settling me on his lap. "So, what do you think?"
"I think that we should leave for Faerie in the morning?" I say with a cheeky grin. "But seriously, how soon are you talking? I'm not sure how much longer I can handle this pull. The longer we are together, the stronger it becomes. I know we agreed to take things slowly. But is this normal? Do all kindred feel the pull so strongly? Right now I just want to throw caution to the wind and complete the bond." I reach up to caress his jaw and then with a wicked smirk I bite my lower lip as I focus on his ear. Gently, I run my finger over the point of his ear. His eyes close, and a shutter runs through him, as I straddle his lap and run my hands over his pecs. I cradle his face in my hands. He looks at me with shuttered blue eyes and the moment becomes very intimate. His hands have settled on my hips tugging me forward. We lean into one another, our foreheads resting against the others, before our lips meet in a gentle kiss, a promise of what is to come, our future together. "Promise that we'll always be together. Now that we've found one another I can't imagine being without you."
“Always. Stuck like glue, remember?” He says solemnly.
"So then, as scary as it may sound, I say that tomorrow, we make arrangements to leave for Faerie as soon as possible. Can we hold the binding ceremony in the meadow where the Tree of Life is located? That just feels right to me. Are you okay with that?" I ask cautiously, as I straddle him, cupping his handsome face in my hands.
"Anything for you mo grá. I agree, the sooner we arrange the binding ceremony, the better. To answer your question about the pull we feel, I think the longer we're together in the Mortal Realm, the more intense the pull will become. Here, we have been separated for eighteen years, and the bond is now feeling the delay in Mortal Realm time. Most kindred complete the bond in a matter of months or weeks if not sooner once they've discovered one another. Eighteen years is unheard of, so the bond is riding us both hard. The longer we are together in this realm, the more intense the pull will become, until neither of us is able to deny the need to unite as one and complete the bond. Hopefully, these intense needs will lessen once we get to Faerie but that may not be the case. I just want to make sure that you’re ready for this step emotionally, and not just physically.” He says staring deep into my eyes, and I realize I could get lost in the intensity of his stare.
"In a matter of days you have become the center of my universe, I can't imagine not being near you, sharing my days with you, laughing at the guy's antics with you by my side, dealing with any problems that come our way together, sharing my grief with you. You have become my center, you balance me, and without you, I will not be whole. I know this now, and I thank the gods and goddesses that you have been given to me. Danu may not be happy with the fact that you are mine, but she'll have to get over it because I'm not going on this journey without you." Realization suddenly dons on me, and I say, "Snap. I've been so focused on myself that I forgot that you're a prince and with that comes duties and responsibilities to your kingdom. What about your parents? Do you think they will like me? I'm definitely not ready to help you rule a kingdom. I don't know the first thing about life at court or Faerie for that matter. Jasmine wasn't kidding when she said that she had to prepare me to be introduced at court. Alaric what am I going to do?" I'm so agitated right at this moment I climb off of his lap and begin to pace. "Your parents will not approve of me. How could they? I'm no one but an orphan sent to another realm."
He stops me and pulls my face up to look at him, demanding my attention, “First of all they’re going to love you. How could they not? Once my father sees how you use a bow that will be enough. Secondly, you are not a nobody. You are the daughter to Danu, which not only makes you a demigoddess at the very least but a princess, and not just any princess. You by lineage are considered a High Princess to all of Faerie. So what if you don't know about life at court? That's something that you will learn in time. Don't worry about all those little things. Besides, my father is nowhere close to relinquishing the crown to me." He says, reassuring me as he pulls me to a stop from my pacing. "My parents were there when I was appointed your Guardian by Danu and The Dagda. They know that you and I are kindred, and that we'll eventually have our binding ceremony. None of this is news to them. At first, my mother was not happy that I would be binding to the daughter of Danu. The two of them have never seen eye to eye, but she has come to terms with the match, even though she and Danu still don't get along. You are nothing like Danu. She'll love you."
“Why don’t they get along? Tell me more about your parents?” I ask with a huge yawn as exhaustion sets in.
"Alright, it's getting late, let's get ready for bed, and I'll tell you all about my parents after we lie down and prepare
for our night's rest." He says and urges me toward the bathroom.
“Okay, you’ve got a deal.” I yawn again and go to get ready for bed.
(Alaric)
Ashlinn is right, the longer we're together, the more intensely the bond is pulling us together. My need to be close to her and protect her is riding me hard, not to mention the need to complete the mating bond. For all of our sakes, I hope we can get back to Faerie before I throw caution to the wind like Ashlinn said. Danu would have my head on a silver platter. I turn down the bed and dim the lights as she walks out of the bathroom in this little, baby doll nightie with matching boy shorts the color of the midnight sky. I groan as I look into her eyes knowing that I will have to wait a while longer before I can have my way with her. She's my beautiful petite, elven, demigoddess. She’s my princess. I love the way her golden brown skin appears to glitter even in the dimmest of light, and I could get lost in her hair. For me she’s perfection.
"Come on álainn, time for a bedtime story."
She smiles at me and asks, "What was that you called me? You used the term earlier tonight if I recall."
“Beautiful, it’s Irish Gaelic.”
“What is handsome?” She asks.
“Dathúil.” She wrinkles her nose, apparently not liking the sound the word makes and says, “Okay, will you work with me on language as well? I’m like a fish out of water.”
“Anything for you, mo grá.”
“What was that?” She asks again with a laugh.
"My love," I say, watching for her reaction.
"I like that one," She says, smiling, "Okay lover boy, let's get to the part where you bring me up to speed on your parents." She says with a cheeky grin and then lets out a huge yawn.
"I will tell you as much as I can, but you need sleep too," I say as we settle down, but before we can get too comfortable, I hear the front door downstairs thrown open and someone is running up the stairs. Before I can move, there's a pounding at the door.