They had reached the edge of the village green now, and one of the women looked up as if sensing their approach. “Lorcan!”
She cast aside the vegetables she had been chopping and, gathering up her long skirts, ran to greet him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tightly, kissing him first on one cheek then the other, over and over. Before long she had been joined by several other women and most of the children. Tanzi found herself in the middle of an excited, chattering group.
Laughing, Lorcan looked at her over the head of the woman who was still embracing him. “Tanzi, if she ever lets me go, I’ll introduce you to Ailie.”
If anyone noticed what he had called her, they didn’t mention it. Suddenly, in this tranquil place, it didn’t matter. She could just be Tanzi, with no baggage attached to her name. After only a few minutes in their company, she knew that no one here would care who her father was, or what crimes he might have committed. They wouldn’t judge her by her clothes, or her hair or her ability to converse with kings and princes. The only thing that would matter to these people was what was in her heart. Fervently, Tanzi hoped hers would make the grade.
Ailie finally released Lorcan. “If you stopped by more often, maybe I wouldn’t need to hug you quite so hard whenever I do get to see you. Did you ever think of it that way, Lorcan Malone?”
Her face was youthful, but Ailie’s dark blond hair was tinged with lighter strands of gray and there were fine lines at the corners of her brown eyes. She turned around and, although her expression was kindly, Tanzi got the impression she was being carefully scrutinized. After a few moments Ailie gave a decisive little nod.
“Sure, it’s grand to welcome you here, Tanzi. You’ll be needing time to rest and heal those injuries.”
Tanzi’s gaze flew to Lorcan’s face in surprise, and he laughed. “The Spae are known for their perceptiveness. And Ailie here, as the leader of the Spae-wives, has more than her fair share of intuition.”
“Let me show you to your cottage and then I’ll see what I can do about those bruises of yours while the others get on with preparing dinner.” Ailie held out her hands so that Tanzi was on one side and Lorcan on the other. As she led them along with her, the other women and children followed behind. Tanzi had the feeling of being swept along on a relentless but benevolent tide. It was one of the most welcome things she had ever experienced.
“The men are returning with the day’s catch.” One of the young girls pointed to where a group were approaching the village along the path Lorcan and Tanzi had taken.
Tanzi felt Lorcan stiffen and saw his eyes narrow. She followed the direction of his gaze and saw two familiar figures among the fishermen.
“What the fuck are you two doing here?” Raimo and Ronab had been laughing and joking together, but the laughter died on their lips when they saw the tall figure with his arms folded across his chest barring their way.
“Hello, Lorcan.” Raimo licked his lips nervously and glanced over his shoulder as though seeking a means of escape. “You told us to come home and find a new master.”
“You know very well I meant go back to Ireland, not come here to Spae.”
“You weren’t specific.” The imp’s voice became a whine.
“Ah, will you have done with intimidating the imps, Lorcan? They’ve made themselves useful while they’ve been waiting for you, so they have.” Raimo cast a grateful glance in Ailie’s direction.
Lorcan’s frown did not diminish. He jerked a thumb in Tanzi’s direction. “This is the lady you robbed in Barcelona. She’s a faerie.” The imps took several shocked steps back. “That’s right. Be afraid, guys. Step out of line and I’ll let her loose on you.”
* * *
“Lorcan is happy here.” Tanzi spoke quietly and Ailie followed the direction of her gaze. Lorcan was sitting on the rocks with the other men, chatting as he worked at mending one of the fishing nets. His chest was bare, his hands busy and, as they watched, he threw back his head and laughed at something that was said to him. In that instant, Tanzi wanted nothing more than to be able to give him the gift of having a future in which every day was like this one. No fighting monsters, no uncertainty, no raising the dead, no sadness in his eyes. Just peace and sunlight and laughter.
“I think so, but I have not seen him elsewhere.” She was aware that Ailie took care with her answer.
“It is as if this is where he belongs.” Tanzi tried not to phrase it as a question.
The older woman’s face remained neutral. Then she sighed. “It is not my story to tell, Tanzi. If he wants you to know—and I don’t see why he would not, since he clearly cares about you very much—Lorcan will share it with you in his own time.”
They had been in the island for a week, and Tanzi’s injuries were almost healed. She wasn’t sure if Spae itself had some therapeutic qualities or whether the potions Ailie applied and the massages the other woman gave were responsible for the speed of her recovery. Or perhaps it was the unique way of life here. There was a sense of serenity and community that she had never known, or dreamed existed until now. Whatever it was, Tanzi felt a sense of well-being that was disproportionate to the knowledge that they must soon be on their way again.
“Tell me what lies in store for us when we leave here.”
Ailie turned her face to the sea, looking beyond the seen into a distance only she could perceive. At first, Tanzi had been unsettled by this strange extra sense the Spae possessed. She had quickly grown used to it and found it curiously soothing. “The Isles of the Aesir are not what they seem.”
“What does that mean? Are they even more dangerous than we have been led to believe?” The lack of information on the charts was frustrating. It would be useful if Ailie could tell them what to expect.
“Sometimes, what we are led to believe may simply be an illusion.” Tanzi waited patiently, but Ailie shook her head. She gazed out at the line where the sea met the sky. “I cannot see more. All I know is that the Isles of the Aesir lie beyond that horizon. Yet none of our people, no matter how far from Spae we have strayed, have ever seen them. That in itself is strange, is it not?” The group of men had dispersed and Lorcan was coming toward them. Ailie rose to her feet. “I do know you will be tested again when you leave here, Tanzi. Perhaps not physically next time. Trust your heart. It already knows the answer.”
That’s exactly what I am doing, Tanzi thought as she watched Ailie pause and exchange a few words with Lorcan. If only my heart wasn’t in agreement with my head. They are both telling me there is only one solution. She looked at the point on the shimmering horizon where Ailie had stared for so long. Next stop, Valhalla.
“Come on, Searc.” Lorcan’s appearance beside her tugged her away from her thoughts. “Ailie tells me there’s a grand feast planned for tonight. Let’s go home.”
Home. Lorcan didn’t know what he’d done to her with that simple word. How could he? He slipped an arm around her shoulders and they walked in silence to the two-roomed cottage they had shared since their arrival on the island. The interior of the tiny dwelling was half the size of Tanzi’s bedroom back at the faerie palace. The front door didn’t quite fit, so a fierce wind whipped straight off the ocean and rattled the window frames. There was no bathroom or kitchen, so they had to share the communal village facilities. But it contained her big, beautiful Irishman, and that made it home. The only home she had ever known. The only one she ever wanted.
“You’re quiet this evening, Searc.” Lorcan threw his long frame down onto the sofa that almost filled the living room and patted the seat next to him.
Tanzi sat down, curling her feet under her and resting her head on his shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about the Spae. You told me that they judge others only by what is in their heart.”
“Yes.” He ran his hand down the length of her hair.
“That is how you
have always judged me. You looked beyond the pampered sidhe princess and found the real me.” The hand stilled and she lifted her head so that she could look at him.
His eyes on hers were the endless, unreadable blue of a summer sky. “It is what I always try to do.”
“When you were injured fighting the zombies, you healed almost instantly.” He didn’t respond. “Are you of the Spae, Lorcan?”
Pain replaced the blue, like rain clouds scudding across the heavens. “Once I was.”
He turned away, his bent head and hunched shoulders conveying unspeakable anguish. Knowing that words would not do, Tanzi slid her arms about his waist from behind and rested her cheek between his shoulder blades. He remained stiff and still in her embrace for a long heartbeat before a sigh racked his whole body.
“My mother was one of the original Spae-wives. My father was an Irish fisherman. When they wed, she chose to live a mortal life.”
Turning, he drew her into his arms, seeking her lips in a kiss that seemed to draw the very soul from her body, until Tanzi could no longer tell where she began and he ended. “I need you so badly right now.”
“I’m here.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” The words were a groan against her lips.
“I’m all healed, Lorcan.” She stood up, pulling her sweater over her head and moving to unbutton her jeans. “And I need you, too.”
When she stood naked before him, he gripped her waist, drawing her to him and holding her between his knees. He moved his mouth to claim one already stiff nipple, grasping it with his teeth and sending a thrill through her entire body. Tanzi’s primal moan echoed around the tiny room as he suckled her with slow, teasing motions, alternating the softness of his lips with the roughness of his teeth.
She sank to her knees between his legs, tugging his fly open. His cock sprang free of the restraining material and Tanzi dipped her head, licking along his shaft. Lorcan jerked in his seat. As she eased her lips over the head of his cock, he groaned and let his head fall back. She relaxed her mouth, working him deeper. When he struck the back of her throat, Lorcan tangled his hands in her hair, easing out of her mouth.
“Too much.” His voice was hoarse.
He stood up, his jeans sliding farther down his hips, and gripped Tanzi under her arms. Lifting her so that her upper body rested on the sofa while she knelt on the floor, he positioned himself behind her. Tanzi couldn’t wait any longer. As she felt his thumb caress her back passage, she let her hips rock back. His cock, huge and throbbing, filled her immediately.
So many sensations filled her that Tanzi was begging him for more before he’d even moved. Lorcan stayed still, hilted deep within her. The only movements were Tanzi’s own grinding motions, and she pleaded with him, gasping out her longing. When Lorcan finally began to drive in and out, it was with slow and precise motions, his pelvis thrusting, his hips rotating against her as his thumb continued to tease her. His other hand reached around to stroke her clitoris. He was in complete control, circling the throbbing nub in time with his thrusts.
The deeper he drove, the less restrained he became. Jolts of pleasure shimmered up and down Tanzi’s spine, and her cries of pleasure mingled with Lorcan’s groans. She heard him grunt above her, thrusting in even harder. He tightened as he pushed into her once more before a growl escaped his throat and he came inside her. Tanzi whimpered, taking him as far inside her as she could and gripping him tight to hold him there. Lorcan held on to her hips, grinding his pelvis against her, making her feel every last jolt that ran through him. His powerful orgasm, together with his fingers teasing her clitoris, rocked her over the edge and she screamed as her own climax tore through her.
With his body still shuddering, he pulled out of her, sitting on the floor and cradling her in his lap. “Ah, shit, Tanzi. You know what just happened? I was so mad with wanting you, I forgot to use any protection.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, her own voice shaky. “We forgot. We were both part of that wonderful madness.”
* * *
The feast was over and the villagers sat around the campfire, talking quietly or drinking as they gazed into the flames. Tanzi’s eyelids were drooping with tiredness, and Lorcan kissed the top of her head. “Go to bed, Searc. I’ll be with you soon.”
Nodding sleepily, she waved a hand to the group before making her way across the green to their cottage. Ailie watched her progress, a thoughtful expression on her kindly face. “What do you want to talk to me about?”
Lorcan laughed. “I never could hide anything from you, could I? Can we go to your cottage and talk there?”
“Things must be serious if you need privacy from the rest of the village.” Nevertheless, she rose and walked with him to her cottage, which was set back slightly from the edge of the green. She gestured him to a chair next to the fireplace and pulled up a stool, seating herself close to him. “I don’t like secrets, Lorcan. And you are storing up trouble for yourself if you don’t tell Tanzi everything. She is not just any girl.”
“I already know that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But you’ve no idea how complicated this is. I’m hoping you’ll simplify one part of it at least. That way I may not have to keep a secret from her after all.”
“I’ll do my best.” She placed a hand on his knee. “I care about you. It would do me good to see you happy at last.”
He couldn’t explain it to her. It would take all night and he wouldn’t know where to begin. He couldn’t very well blurt out the truth, could he? I never knew what happiness was until now. But this is fleeting because in a few days I have to hand the woman I love over to the Valkyrie and walk away from her forever. Instead, he did his best to give Ailie a reassuring smile. The troubled light in her eyes told him he’d failed miserably.
“What do you know about the true King of the Faeries?”
She looked startled. “Moncoya?”
“No. He is not the rightful king.” Briefly he outlined the story Cal had told him about the baby boy who had been spirited away during the massacre of King Ivo and his family. “It is said that he grew up with no idea of who he really was. I want to know if he is still alive and where I can find him.”
“Does Tanzi know you are searching for him?” Trust Ailie to get straight to the heart of the matter. Trust her to know who Tanzi really was.
“No.”
“I understand now why you wanted to be private. It’s clear that Tanzi has no great love for her father, but the discovery of a challenger for the crown will have an overwhelming effect on the faerie dynasty. It will rip them apart. And, knowing her, I can tell that is something about which she will care greatly.”
Lorcan didn’t need any reminders of how much his actions would hurt Tanzi. His own conscience told him often enough. “Will you help me?”
With a nod, Ailie closed her eyes. Lorcan had seen so-called seers at work in the mortal realm. Their tricks and convolutions always amused him. The Spae had no need of crystal balls or cards. Ailie did not need to go into a trance or utter an incantation. She could simply discover what she wanted to learn by turning her thoughts inward. When she opened her eyes again a few minutes later, her expression was distant. “He is still alive.”
“I wish him no harm, but you’ve no idea how much I wanted to hear that he wasn’t.” He tried to say it in a lighthearted tone, but it wasn’t funny. Of course he wanted Moncoya defeated. He just didn’t want to feel he was the one betraying Tanzi.
“That thought does you no credit. Merlin Caledonius is correct. This is the man who can restore the faerie dynasty to its former greatness. He has both strength and a fierce sense of what is right, although at present he may not always use them wisely. If anyone can defeat Moncoya, he can.”
“So who is he? And, more to the point, where can I find him?”
Ailie shook her h
ead. “I can’t answer either of those questions. I gained only a vague impression of your challenger. All I can tell you for sure is that he does not look like a faerie.”
“How the hell does that work, since he was born a pure-blood faerie?”
“I can only tell you what I see.” Ailie reached up a hand to pat his cheek. “Don’t hide yourself from her, Lorcan.”
He smiled. “Sure, in a cottage that size, wouldn’t it be impossible to play those sorts of games?”
She shook her head, a trace of sadness in her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
CHAPTER 17
Tanzi came slowly awake when the mattress dipped as Lorcan joined her in the bed. He fitted his body to hers, spooning her from behind, and she murmured appreciatively as he lifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck. His hand moved over her breasts and down to her hip, so that he could pull her back against him. Tanzi wriggled with pleasure and then gasped when his erection pressed between her naked buttocks.
“Hold on to that thought.”
He moved away and she heard him grab a little foil wrapper from the nightstand. Lightning fast, he had the condom on and returned to wedge his shaft between her cheeks. He lifted her knee and shifted position so that the head of his cock was pressed up against her entrance. Tanzi pushed back against him and she was already so wet that he slid into her. He felt so good. Rock hard, filling her completely. When he could go no farther, he lifted her hips to settle her closer to him while his hands reached around and stroked her breasts and stomach.
They writhed slowly in unison. When Tanzi tried to encourage him to go harder and faster by squirming against him, Lorcan held her still. “Oh, no you don’t.” His chin was pressed between her shoulder and her neck. “This time, we’re going to take it nice and slow.”
Obediently, Tanzi stilled and he pumped himself gently into her with tiny movements. The slick little sounds of their bodies moving in time made her crave more. She ground her teeth together, determined to do as he said and enjoy the exquisite agony.
Harlequin Nocturne May 2016 Box Set: Dark JourneyOtherworld Renegade (Nightsiders) Page 46