Soul Matched (The Soul Mark Series Book 1)

by Cara E Holt

  “Lorcen! Wait!” I shout and take off after him. The bastard ignores me and carries on walking.

  “Arsehole!” I mutter to myself as I hurry to try and catch up with him. He enters the forest and I jog to catch up with him before I lose him in the trees. I enter the forest but can’t see him anywhere. I stop and look around me “Where are you pretty boy?” I shout frustrated.

  I jump as hands come around my face from behind me and cover my eyes.

  “Lorcen!” I ask and I attempt unsuccessfully to pull his hands away from my eyes.

  “Hush.” He whispers in my ear. He kisses my neck and I groan and lean into him. I’m not sure what kind of game he is playing but I don’t care. I feel him move from behind me his hands still covering my eyes and then his lips are on mine and I respond with fervour. I respond to his kisses but then I don’t know why but there is a nagging feeling that something doesn’t feel right. The feelings I get when I kiss Lorcen aren’t there. I freeze against his lips and I feel him smile against mine.

  His mouth goes to my ear as he wraps an arm around my waist pulling me closer. “What’s the matter Ebony? I’m older and more experienced than little brother. I can give you what you need.”

  “Devlon!” I gasp trying to step back but he holds me in place. He removes his hands and sure enough it is Devlon that is stood before me. He smiles at me wickedly and winks.

  “What do you think you are playing at?” I demand pummelling my hands on his chest. He grabs my hands and holds them still in-between us. He looks at me with a serious look on his face then.

  “I’m taking what should have always been mine.”

  I look at him puzzled. “What, me?!”

  He smiles then and it sends a shiver down my spine. “Yes you my lovely, the throne, the world. All of it!”

  “Are you on fairy drugs?” I ask him looking at him like he’s blown it.

  He laughs then and strokes my cheek with his other hand. “I’m going to rule this realm and to do that I need a powerful queen at my side.”

  I look at him my mouth open and laugh. “Who me? I can barely open a locked door my magic is so weak. I’m a halfing Devlon! You have the wrong girl.”

  Devlon tips his head back then and laughs. He squeezes my cheeks together with his hand. “Ah, but that is where you are wrong! See I’ve been watching you for a long time and I know more about you than anyone else. See I’ve watched you blow out your candles on your cake at your seventh birthday party. I was there when you went to your first high school disco. “

  “You’re crazy!” I tell him.

  He smiles twisting a lock of my hair around his finger playfully. “That may be. You see my pathetic family and realm failed to find you, but I found you years ago. I watched you grow up, protected you.”

  I scoff. “Protected me!”

  He smiles and it is unsettling. “Oh but I did. Remember when that horrid girl Jessie Walker pushed you down the stairs at school , I broke your fall, made sure you didn’t break anything and afterwards I made sure that little bitch paid for hurting what was mine!”

  I look at him gob smacked. “You were there?”

  He nods and smiles. “Now I need your help my little one. You’re going to help me build an army that will enable me to rule the fae realm and then the human world. You’ll do it by my side as my queen. We will make the perfect partnership you and I, you see it’s in your blood to be bad.” He nibbles on my ear and it makes me shiver, and not in a good way.” You see Ebony I know exactly who and what you are, and you are no pathetic Halfling my beautiful girl. You are my ticket to everything!”

  Before I can ask him what he means he presses a kiss against my lips. “Time to go!” and the world around us blurs and fades.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  I smile as I awaken from possibly the best sleep I have had in a long time. I open my eyes and instead of seeing my room at home, I’m in a kind of cavernous room carved out of the rocks of the wall. Despite the cave man type environment the room is opulently decorated. An ornate silver mirror hangs above a fireplace that houses a roaring fire providing warmth. It hits me then that last time I was awake Devlon had been rambling nonsense about taking over the Seelie realm and having me as his queen. I sit up then, the seriousness of the situation hitting me smack in the face. Wherever I am now it is clearly of Devlon’s doing. I look down at myself and realise I am dressed in a white flowing dress, if that demented fairy has undressed me and changed me I’m going to lose my rag. Why does everyone in this god damn realm think they have some kind of claim on me! I’m confused as to how I ended up out in the woods with Devlon. The last thing I remember is leaving the delightful meeting of Nerys and her father and then the pain, the mind numbing pain that had ripped through my body.

  Devlon says he’s known me since I was young but how? How did he manage to find me when no one else could? I climb off the bed and move over to a large wooden door, I try the handle expecting it to be locked but to my surprise it isn’t and it opens revealing a cavernous hallway lit by candle light. I have nothing on my feet and the floor is cold beneath them but I continue down the corridor. I can hear noise towards the end of the corridor. I walk towards it and follow it as it veers off to the right, towards the end of this length of corridor are two large metal looking doors carved with what I realise are images of barguests, like those that tried to attack me back home in Weston. As I near the doors they open as if sensing my presence and I stop dead at what I see held within the room ahead. Inside a large room are various creatures that I thought only existed in story books or in episodes of Grimm. At the bottom of the room sits Devlon on what looks to be a type of throne. He spots me and stands clapping his hands together.

  “Here she is, your future queen!” He announces to the room that all fall silent and stand back to create a pathway down the middle of the room. “Come!” He demands smiling wickedly at me and beckoning me with one finger. I hesitate but then decide I need to find out more about his crazy plans and try to figure out where I am, so I take a deep breath and step forward trying not to let my gaze fall on some of the hideous creatures that are stood around the room. I arrive before Devlon who is now stood leaning on his seat and I almost laugh when I see the ‘throne’ is a replica of the one from game of thrones. Devlon sees me examine the throne and smiles. “See what I’ve done there Shee-ra. “

  I frown and settle my gaze back on him. “Where am I Devlon. You need to take me home.”

  Devlon laughs and gestures with his arms to the room around us. “Ah but my sweet, this is your home now. Well at least until I invade the Unseelie court and take the castle for myself.” He walks towards me and I take a step back. He notices this and frowns. He grabs my wrist in his hand and before I know what he is doing a gold band is snapped around my wrist.

  “What the hell?” I ask trying to pull out of tight grip.

  He grins again stroking the band now sealed around my wrist. “This is just a little something to make sure you don’t try to sift out of here my little minx.” With his grip still tight on my wrist he pulls me behind him up the stone steps to his throne and sitting down he pulls me onto his lap. I try to protest but he ignores me so I sigh and stop fighting him and fold my arms in protest. Devlon wraps a possessive arm around my waist and he kisses the top of my head like I am his new favourite pet. The various creatures around the room restart up conversations and music resumes . I now take a look around, there appear to be a mix of fae, and what looks like ugly grey trolls and some horned scaly creatures with tails. All look very relaxed and like they are at some kind of party or celebration.

  “Why am I here Devlon? What possible use am I to you?”

  His mouth drops to my ear. “You are everything.” He tells me fiercely. “I have been planning this day for a long long time. You and I are going to do great things together.”

  I shiver as his breath blows into my ear, is he smelling my hair?! “What do you think of our temporary kingdom?”

>   I sigh. “Are we in a cave?”

  He laughs against my ear, the movement of his laughter making me jostle in his lap. “Indeed we are my dear but I promise you it is only temporary. When we defeat the fae courts, we will have a new castle built and my queen and I will have the best of everything.”

  The door at the entrance of the room opens and a face I recognise walks in, it’s the fae Lady Rhoswen who had been at court the night I was introduced to the fae dignitaries in the Seelie court. The one who had stood staring at me from across the room like I was an irritating piece of chewing gum on her shoe.

  “Well.” Devlon says from behind me. “I hope you have news!”

  She stops before the steps to where we are sat and drops into a curtsy.

  “I do have news my king. The witch will arrive this evening.” She smiles adoringly at him but when her eyes fall on me she scowls.

  “Excellent news. Are we any nearer to locating the Cauldron?”

  She shakes her head. “I’m afraid not my king but we have narrowed it down to three possible locations.”

  He dismisses her with a flick of his wrist. “Good work Rhoswen, go and mingle and relax, we will meet to plan later.”

  A look of irritation crosses her face briefly but then she smiles at him and drops into a curtsy and moves off into the crowd.

  “Why is she here?” I ask my eyes following her to where she now stands chatting with a strange creature who is half man half something else, his legs covered in fur.

  “Lady Rhoswen is one of my most loyal court members. She like me is tired of us hiding away from the human world and of tip toeing around our elven neighbours.”

  “I don’t like her.” I tell him my eyes still watching her closely as she moves around the room socialising.

  Devlon laughs at my back. “She didn’t much care for you either but that was because she thought you were half human.”

  I manoeuvre myself on his lap so I can see his face. When I meet his gaze he is observing me with one eyebrow raised. “You have a question my dear?”

  I nod. “What do you mean she thought I was half human. I am half human.”

  Devlon smiles a knowing teasing smile like he is coveting a secret. “Ah you have so much to learn my clever little thing.” He strokes my cheek and I try not to shiver in disgust, I am fast realising that if I stand any chance of getting out of here I need to keep him on side.

  “Are you going to teach me?” I ask my eyes not leaving his.

  He holds my chin with his hand. “All in good time. All in good time.” He holds out a fisted hand to me and I look at him puzzled. He opens it and sat on his palm is a ring with a large blue sapphire stone set against a silver frame. He takes my hand and pops it on my left wedding finger. As it is slid on it shimmers and then almost moulds itself to my finger. “What do they call these in your human world? An engagement ring? “

  I look down at the ring that now looks like it is magically bound to my flesh. “I think you are supposed to ask someone if they wish to marry you before you stick an engagement ring on their finger Devlon.”

  He smirks confidently. “I don’t need to ask. You and I, we are fated Ebony. This stone,” he says rubbing his hand across the blue sapphire. “I chose it because it matches your eyes.”

  I daren’t look up at him, the guy really does have an infatuation with me, in fact I would go so far as to say that perhaps in some weird psychotic way I think he may actually care for me and that is what I must use to my advantage.

  “So tell me of your evil plan to rule the world?” I ask him and his eyes glisten in delight at my question.

  “Ah a strategist never reveals his game plan not even to his persuasive future wife.” My heart dips in defeat inside, he might be a little crazy but stupid he is clearly not. He leans in then taking my chin in his hand and kisses me, my first reaction is to pull away but instead I remain frozen and let him kiss me. I too have my own game plan! He pulls back and his eyes are lit with desire that makes my insides crawl. In many ways he looks so like Lorcen but his heart is dark and disturbed. I wonder if Lorcen has noticed I am missing. I don’t even know how long we have been gone. A memory flashes then of him laying me down in a hospital bed and calling for a healer.

  “Was I ill, before we came here?” I ask Devlon trying to piece together how I ended up in the forest with him.

  “Not ill no, you have begun awakening but thanks to your dearest mother you were not able to fully awaken.” He taps my chest with a finger. “All that magic is trapped in here due to the spell placed over you to hide and conceal you until you are eighteen. I however know how to undo that spell, and then we will get to see you as you truly are!”

  A troll like creature comes to stand and bow before us. “My King, the council is gathered and our guests have arrived.”

  Devlon smiles delighted. “Excellent.” He stands taking me with him and places me on my feet. “ I must leave you now, you can stay and mingle or return to our room.” I shiver inside when he says our room, please god tell me that room I awoke in was not his! The thought of staying in here with all these hideous and creepy looking creatures chills my blood.

  “ I’ll return to my room.” I tell him and before I know it he has sifted us back into the room I awoke to find myself in a short while ago. He holds me against him and gazes intently into my eyes. “ Now I have you, I will never let you go. The thought of my little brother pawing at you makes my skin crawl, touching what is mine!” Like a two sided Lego head he goes from cold and stark to all smiles.

  “Rest and relax and I will come back to you as soon as I can.” He leans in then and drops a kiss on my lips and then sifts out of the room.

  As soon as he is gone I wipe my lips with the back of my hand, I’m not sure how much of his lips on mine I can stand and I worry about how soon he will expect more than just kisses, which is why I need to come up with a plan to get out of here! How I can do that though when I have no clue where we are is beyond me. I flop backwards on the bed and sigh in frustration at my situation. I touch where my mate mark is under my dress and pray that he will come and find me soon. I close my eyes and replay the last time we kissed in an attempt to erase the memory of Devlon’s lips on mine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

  I awake with a start and sit up in the bed, I look down and I’m dressed in a silk chemise that leaves little to the imagination. I feel eyes upon me and that’s when I find Devlon sat in a chair facing the bed watching me intently with a drink in his hand, one leg resting on his other knee. Self-consciously I pull the cover up to my chest and Devlon smirks in response, he takes another sip of his drink but his eyes never leave mine.

  “What are you doing?” I ask him feeling increasingly uncomfortable under his careful scrutiny.

  “Watching you sleep. It is a favourite past time of mine. Except for the part where you spoke my brother’s name.” He scowls as he mentions his brother.

  I shiver. “So you’ve watched me sleeping before?” I ask feeling ever so creeped out by this latest bit of information.

  “Many times. I’ve lay beside you many times too and held you as you slept.”

  Okay now I am freaked out, this borders on creepy stalker territory.

  “I used to love those little Bunny pyjamas you used to wear. “

  I must be showing the shock on my face as he grins. “You would cuddle into me to, like you needed my closeness.”

  The bunny pyjama’s he refers to where a set my parents bought me for my tenth birthday. They were white with little pink bunnies all over them. How often had I lay asleep with him in my room watching me and god how often had I slept with him lay beside me in my bed!

  I’m too freaked out to speak so I just sit there looking at him wondering what other crazy stalker things he has done over the years. He stands then and makes his way over to the bed wearing just a pair of white boxers. He climbs into the large bed beside me and placing his hands behind his head he looks at me expectantly.
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  “We shouldn’t share a bed.” I tell him edging off it to stand, to which he laughs and pats the empty spot beside him.

  “Don’t make me make you my sweet. Now be a good girl and get your ass here!” He says it playfully but I can see the darkness and the threat behind the soft words. Feeling sick inside I lie awkwardly beside him and try not to scream when he puts an arm around my waist and pulls me to him so I am laying side on with my back against his chest.

  “Sleep my little demon.” He whispers in my ear and I find myself growing sleepy.

  I awake to the darkness of the room, all the lights have been turned out. I can feel Devlon’s breath against my ear and it keeps me from moving reminding me whose arms I am in. I feel sick with myself how can I just lay here in bed with him without putting up a fight, but I need him to think I am coming round to the idea of being here with him, I need to gain his trust enough that he will let his guard down slightly and hopefully give me a window to get the hell out of here. A thought occurs to me then that gives me an idea. Lorcen and I dream of each other and now my magic is beginning to awaken maybe I could use our mate connection to contact him via a dream. I’m not sure how to attempt this but I close my eyes and keep the thought of Lorcen in my mind and of my need to see him.

  I take in my surroundings and see I am in what appears to be a study. Stood with his back to me is Lorcen. He is stood leaning on a large oak desk with maps covering its top. He bangs his fist on the table and sends a number of maps falling to the floor. I walk around the desk so I am facing him across it. His face is etched with worry and frustration. I reach out my hand to touch his but it just passes through his. My stomach sinks when I realise he can’t see me. I wave my hands in front of his face but get no reaction. Come on I think to myself you got yourself this far. I close my eyes and will him to see me, I feel a vibration pass through my body. I open my eyes and say his name.