by Shona Husk
She hesitated and realized that she couldn’t avoid the question when she had expected him to answer. “Then I am present.” Although the idea of seeing him with someone else would be gut wrenching, she was still thinking in human terms. Perhaps in a few centuries she’d think differently.
The corner of his lips curved. “You weren’t serious.”
“I wanted to know what your answer would be. A thousand years is a long time.”
“You’re thinking in mortal years. Time is different. In my mind, we weren’t apart for years. It doesn’t feel that long and yet I know that much time has passed. Even watching Caspian grow up through the mirrors, it was hard to see him change so much in what felt like a short amount of time.”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t wait too much longer, or I would have been old.”
He laughed. “After I’d gotten over the initial hurt, I checked on you in the mirrors. I needed to know you were all right. Any other requests?”
“You need to honest with me from here on. Tell me what you plan, what you want and need. I may not grasp the complexities of Court life at first, but give me a chance and I will.”
“I’ve tried to protect you.”
“Yet you gave me a mirror so I could see what you were dealing with.”
He sighed. “If I’d thrown all of this at you, you would have run. I remember you freaking out when I first told you that I wasn’t human.”
She smiled, remembering. “But I got over it. You need to trust me.”
“I do.”
“Do you? Do you really trust anyone?”
He hesitated. “No. Not completely.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I want to. I want to be able to tell someone everything and see if they have any better ideas, but in that same breath, I fear they will turn on me and betray me for a better deal.”
“But everyone in this house is here for you.”
“Because of deals or blood. Dylis guarded my son because I could free her lover, Bram. He owes me his freedom, so he’s on my side. Verden supports me because I will overturn his penalty. Taryn only helps because she wants to be free of Court to be with Verden. No one is here because they want to be.”
“Caspian?”
“Is marked by blood. Sulia would use him against me if she could.”
“And what about me?”
“You are here because I didn’t tell you the whole truth before getting you to agree to be my wife.” His lips twisted into a bitter smile.
Jacqui slid off the bed. “I’m here because I love you…that doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook though.” She stood in front of him so he had to look her in the eye. “I want you to swear that you will tell me the truth and not hide the small print.”
“You want to make a deal with me?” Both his dark eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Most people don’t willingly make deals with fairies.”
“I’m not most people. I’m going to be your wife, mother of your child, and apparently savior of two worlds.” Most people didn’t wake up one day and find that they had to shrug off their soul for the greater good.
He looked at her for a moment. “You know most deals mortals make turn sour. You might hear truths you wish you could ignore.”
“Like what?” What nasty secrets was he hiding?
“Like I’m bringing forward my mother’s execution. If I wasn’t, we would’ve had more than just tonight. We would have had a few more days.”
“I need months, not days.”
“You have hours.”
“I know, and we are letting them slide by.” However, she wasn’t going to do anything until he agreed to stop giving her half-truths.
He was silent for several heartbeats. “I don’t want to bind you in a deal that will last for more time than you can imagine. I trust you with my heart; I will learn to trust you with Annwyn. Can you trust me?”
“I can.” She hoped he wouldn’t fail. Forever was a long time in Annwyn.
He swept her into his embrace, as if he couldn’t resist touching her any longer. She turned her head to catch his lips. His tongue flicked against her mouth and she opened to him, her body pressing against his. His hand slid down her back to cup her butt and keep her there. While heat flared, she was aware of the seriousness this time. It was more than fun. It was deliberate.
“You’re thinking,” he whispered.
“I can’t help it. It feels so premeditated.” They were going to have sex and make a baby with magic—tonight. Now. It was supposed to be fun and easy, not calculated like political strategy.
“The result is, but the rest isn’t.” He released her and shrugged out of his coat, letting it fall on the floor. Then he undid his belt and sword, and added them to the pile of clothes. “I think I still have sand in my boots.”
“You haven’t stopped to bathe?” He was in the same clothes, not just the same coat.
“I haven’t had time—in either world.” Then he was undoing his shirt and pulling off his boots.
She couldn’t do this that fast; she needed a moment to catch her breath. But she knew she only had a moment, and everything was racing ahead whether or not she was holding on or ready.
“Why don’t you go run a bath?” There was no way he’d have a quick shower. The ocean was one thing, but actual running water was another. The whole time she’d known him she’d never seen him have a shower. He’d wash his hands in a sink of water rather than under a running tap.
Felan looked at her, his shirt open, revealing the hard planes of his stomach and the narrow line of hair that disappeared into his trousers. He looked good, fit and lean, and in his prime, and he always would. As she would. She wouldn’t age anymore.
“Will you join me in the bath?”
“Yes.” That was an invitation she couldn’t refuse. She’d never been able to say no to him, which is what had gotten her into this situation in the first place. When she was around him, she stopped thinking with her head and used her heart instead. “I’ll bring some wine in.”
She needed a glass, or two, so she could stop thinking. Tomorrow she could think and worry. Tonight she just had to breathe and enjoy…and make a baby. No pressure. She was sure her one ovary just stopped working out of shock.
He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her. “Don’t take too long. I wouldn’t want the water to get cold.”
“Remember you have to turn the taps on for the bath to fill.” She smiled against his lips, knowing that he hated even watching water run.
He flinched. “Are you sure you don’t want to get the bath going while I get the wine?” he said between kisses.
“You survived the ocean; you can turn on a tap.” She pulled away. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Her stomach was already a mass of tumbling knots, a mix of excitement and nerves.
She opened the bedroom door and slipped out. As much as she’d like to just stand in the hallway and gather up her courage before going downstairs, that wasn’t going to happen either. She didn’t want him to catch her in the hallway. She wanted it to look like she was cool and together, even though she knew he was pulling exactly the same trick. She’d seen the shadows in his eyes and the tension. He just wanted to get the next few days over with and move on, and she felt the same way. They would be together; they just had to push through.
With a smile on her face, she went downstairs, hoping she could slip into the kitchen, grab a bottle of wine, and run back upstairs before anyone saw her, but she never got that lucky.
Lydia and Caspian were sitting at the kitchen table along with Taryn and Dylis. They all looked up from their card game as she walked in. Did they all know what she was supposed to be doing? She swallowed and forced her smile a little wider. Did they even think she was Queen material?
“I just came down to get a bottle of wine.” She pointed at the pant
ry. “Is that okay?”
“Help yourself.” Lydia gave her a genuine smile that was betrayed by the sympathy in her eyes.
Great. They all know.
Dylis rested her chin on her hands. “Remind Felan that mortal wine is alcoholic.”
Taryn elbowed her. “Would you like candles or something else?”
That was when Jacqui felt the heat creep up her neck and burst on her cheeks. “No.” Would she ever have any privacy again? “Just some space.” Time, extra time. Another week, a month. A year would be better. She wasn’t ready to be someone’s mother.
She busied herself pretending to choose a bottle of wine. There was plenty to choose from. In the end, she went with a merlot, a soft red, mellow…it also had a screw top. She took two glasses out of the cupboard.
“You won’t need them,” Taryn said.
“I’m not swigging out of the bottle.” She wasn’t eighteen anymore.
“You need to drink from the horn.”
Oh. She placed the glasses down. So much for normal and relaxing. They were still all looking at her. “I’ll just be going back upstairs.” Could this be more awkward?
Taryn got up and hugged her. “Good luck.”
That would be it.
“Thank you. I think.” Now please let me escape. Her nerves had wound up even tighter, and she couldn’t be feeling less in the mood if she tried. Maybe a swig from the bottle on the way up wouldn’t be so bad.
She got to the kitchen door and glanced back. They had resumed their card game, but even that looked tense, as if they were trying to pass the time. Everyone was waiting. Everything was riding on the next few hours. She unscrewed the bottle and started up the stairs, but she didn’t take a drink. No, she’d do this right, and if that meant drinking from the old horn, she would.
By the time she reached the bathroom door, her heart was thumping like she’d run up and down the stairs a dozen times. The taps went off; she could picture him stripping off the last few items of clothing and waiting for the water to still before getting in. He was waiting for her. He needed her and wanted her. She could do this—after all, it really wasn’t anything she hadn’t done before.
It was almost like setting the clock back seven years.
After tonight, they would be back to where they were before everything went wrong. Instead of moving on and forgetting, perhaps going back and redoing and fixing things was exactly what was needed. Her lips curved. There wasn’t any place she’d rather be than with Felan.
She opened the door and slipped into the bathroom.
Two candles flickered on the bathroom vanity, the horn between them. Felan was already in the bath.
“I thought you might have changed your mind.”
She shook her head, unable to find any words. She placed the bottle down and began undressing, aware he was watching her every move. She fumbled buttons and tried not to look at herself in the mirror.
Maybe it was the scent of the candles, or maybe there was magic in the air, but when she stepped out of her panties, she was feeling more settled—more aware of the naked man in the bath and the way his attention was warming her in all the right places.
She didn’t need him to tell her what to do. She picked up the ancient silver-tipped horn and filled it full of wine, then stepped into the bath. Felan ran his hands up her calves and drew her down, so she knelt over his thighs. He wrapped his hand over hers around the horn and took a drink before offering it to her. The metal was cold against her lips, but the wine was warm on her tongue. She took a long drink. The alcohol hit her stomach and spread, warming her blood and making the room fade away until it was just her and Felan. He took the cup from her and drained it, then let it fall into the water.
Around her the water went completely still, so not even a ripple broke the surface. Her skin prickled with anticipation that she couldn’t blame entirely on the wine. The magic was in her. She could feel it sliding around in her blood, washing away the anxiety and replacing it with desire.
His hands caressed her breasts, circling her nipples and raising them into tight peaks. He leaned forward and took one into his mouth, flicking his tongue over her skin. She moved closer, her hands sliding over his arms to rest on his shoulders. As his teeth raked her nipple, she moaned and let her head fall back. Desire consumed her. She smelled it, tasted it—reveled in it. As she lowered her hips, she felt him hard and ready. She moved, letting him slid against her without entering. She wanted him—the heat was in her blood.
She opened her eyes and looked into his. They were pale and bottomless, and in them she saw his endless love and lust for her. His hand slid down her back and cupped her butt, working her over his length. It wasn’t enough; she needed to feel him inside her. She slid her hand between their bodies and angled his shaft so she could take him into her core.
His breath caught as she sunk onto him, and he filled her. She leaned forward to kiss him, her nipples brushing his chest with every movement. Her skin was sensitive to every touch, her body awake in a way it hadn’t been before. Spring. Life. Fertility. Magic.
The magic was working; she was sure of it.
He kept his hand on her hip, keeping a slow rhythm when all she wanted to do was go faster and feel the rush that was building to release. His tongue traced her lip and slipped into her mouth, their moans echoing around them. She rode him harder, the edge growing sharper, the heat in her blood burning hotter, like she was a sun, expanding and consuming everything she touched.
Her back arched, and she shuddered, unable to hold on any longer. For a moment she was sure she died and saw everything. She saw Felan gasp and hold her hips hard against him as she came. She felt the heat of his seed in her body, and her body accepting the offering as the magic swept through her, taking over for biology. She wanted to watch more, but she felt rather than saw a snap, and she was back in her skin, leaning against his chest, trying to catch her breath. His hand smoothed down her back. His heart echoed in her ear, racing as fast as hers. When she closed her eyes, the image was there. She’d been out of her body for a moment, she was sure of it, and yet she hadn’t been scared—only amazed at what she was seeing and feeling.
But now in the cooling water, she didn’t feel any different. Maybe she’d imagined something magical happening because it needed to happen so badly. It would be a few weeks before she could be sure. And by then if it hadn’t worked, it would be too late. She bit her lip.
His hand stilled as if sensing the change in her. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. She had to trust the magic and Felan. Trust a fairy. But he was more than that. He was the man she’d fallen for, the one who always came back for her, regardless of how long he’d been away. Of all the women in the world, he’d fallen for her.
She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. He turned to catch her lips, his fingers tracing her jaw.
“I think it worked,” he murmured.
“What makes you say that?” If they had both felt something, then surely it had?
“There was a moment when I felt magic run through me, like electricity.”
That made her smile. “You’ve been electrocuted?”
“Lightning…long story, stupid dare when I was a lot younger.” He moved beneath her and adjusted her weight on his thighs. “Did you feel anything?”
“Yeah.” But she didn’t know how to explain it.
“I guess we cross our fingers now.”
“And our toes.”
His lips twitched as if he were about to smile, but it never formed. “I love you.” He cupped her cheek and placed a simple kiss on her lips.
“I love you too.” Her legs began to ache from being cramped in the bath. The candles were flickering and reality pulled apart the small moment they’d shared where nothing else had mattered.
She wanted that back, if only to pretend for a litt
le longer that the fates of two worlds didn’t rest on them. Using his shoulder as leverage, she stood up. It was only as she stepped out of the bath she realized the water had been perfectly still the whole time. It had never once lapped at her skin or sloshed around. She watched for ripples as he got out, but there wasn’t a single one. When he pulled the plug, the water slid down the plug instead of gurgling.
“Fairy silver keeps the water calm.” Then he picked up the horn, washed it in the sink, refilled it with wine, and offered it to her. “Once more before I leave?” He smiled, his eyes glittering in the candlelight.
She took the horn from him, and heat and lust tumbled through her body. She wasn’t pregnant yet, as it hadn’t implanted and taken hold—would the drinking from the cup guarantee that? What if it didn’t? What if it only got the whole process kick-started? There was still a big chance it wouldn’t happen. Once more wouldn’t hurt.
“In bed this time.”
Chapter 14
He’d left her sleeping, curled up under the quilt, her hair tangled around her face. She hadn’t stirred as he’d eased out of bed, and he didn’t want to wake her. He’d paused for a moment to watch her sleep before quietly closing the door. In the hallway he put on his boots and shrugged into his coat, the cup of life and his sword hanging from his belt. The house was quiet, but he knew people weren’t sleeping. He would like to sleep peacefully again. For too many months, maybe years, he’d been waiting for this moment. Now it was here, he still wasn’t ready.
He hoped the magic had worked.
He thought it had, but until he’d seen the proof in her human technology—the ultrasound she wanted, that he now wanted to see—he wouldn’t believe it. The stairs creaked as he walked down them. The TV was on, so he went into the front room.
Dylis, Bram, Lydia, and Caspian were watching the news. He was aware that their attention quickly turned to him, but he was looking at the numbers scrolling across the bottom of the screen. The death toll listed by country. He should have acted sooner. At least he wasn’t waiting another week.