by Hannah West
‘How do you think I got yours out of me?’ I murmur.
Zephyr’s face twists into a scowl. ‘Who?’
I shrug. ‘Darrack.’
‘I’ll kill him,’ he snarls.
‘This isn’t the time or place, Zephyr’ I remind him.
‘This conversation isn’t over,’ he growls.
‘Fine,’ I snap, ‘but can you direct your focus toward the issue of the moment?’ I push around Zephyr and crawl onto the bed beside the woman. ‘What’s her name?’ I ask Lucas.
‘Amber,’ he breathes then snarls when Zephyr moves closer.
‘I’m a mated male, Lucas. If you can’t control your beast then get out. I don’t have time to remove the Mark if I’m to fight you,’ Zephyr says.
Lucas closes his eyes then pushes to his feet. He breathes deep a few times then stalks to the opposite side of the room. Another male pushes from the shadows, surprising me. I’ve been so focussed on Amber I didn’t even realise he was there. He’s the same height as Lucas, with the same green eyes and sun-darkened skin. The only difference between them is the other male’s blond hair to Lucas’ dark mane.
‘Restrain me, Mason,’ Lucas orders.
Mason moves behind Lucas and wraps muscular arms around him in a criss-cross. He’s pinning Lucas’s arms to his sides.
‘Do it,’ Lucas growls.
Zephyr returns his attention to Amber. ‘Breathe, little female,’ he murmurs, before pressing his lips to hers.
Darkness rushes forward at the sight of Zephyr kissing another female, even though I know it’s to help her. My eyes tingle the way they do when they’ve turned black, and I snarl. Amber’s writhing increases, like whatever Zephyr’s doing is causing more pain. It was uncomfortable when Zephyr’s Mark was ripped from me, but not as painful as Amber makes it seem. Her back jerks from the mattress, muscle and sinew straining tight. Zephyr pulls back and she gags, coughing out an orb of gold light.
I stare at the light and think instantly of Darrack. It’s the same honey shade of his essence, but he’s in the Dark Realm, isn’t he? Zephyr catches the light, drawing my focus, and snarls. He throws it at the nearest mirror, and it ripples the surface on impact. The ripples smooth out, the surface of the mirror settling back into place, once the orb has passed through.
‘It’s done,’ Zephyr growls then looks at Lucas. ‘You’ve quarrel with the Dark Fae?’
‘Hell no,’ Lucas denies.
‘He’s stupid, not crazy,’ Mason intones.
‘How do you know it was Dark Fae light?’ I defend, not liking where this is leading.
‘Colour denotes the lineage,’ Zephyr explains. ‘Only castes of Dark Fae carry gold light, Primrose.’
‘But if we had children and they had black light, wouldn’t they be Light Fae, if they were born in the Light Realm?’ I argue.
‘Light and Dark Fae don’t mix,’ he answers, not missing a beat.
‘But surely-’
‘At all,’ he barks.
I snap my mouth shut and stare at him in disbelief. He makes the idea sound wrong, like the thought of having children with me disgusts him. It’s not that I’m desperate to have children or anything, but I’m going to live a long time. The father of any future offspring needs to love them with all his heart. If they do, indeed, inherit my light, I don’t want him looking at them with distain.
‘Why not?’ I ask.
‘We’re enemies,’ he states, like the answer is as simple as that.
‘So we’re enemies then,’ I say, darkness crackling over my skin.
Realisation dawns on his face, as if he just realised what he’s words mean to me. My disbelief punches higher. For someone so old, he’s so bloody stupid.
‘My Rose-’
‘You’ve made your sentiments about me quite clear,’ I cut in, hurt beyond words. I’m fighting back tears and don’t want him to see.
‘Please,’ Amber whispers, drawing everyone’s attention. Blue eyes meet mine, as she reaches a shaking hand to grip my arm. ‘Make it stop.’
‘Do something,’ Lucas demands, pulling from Mason’s hold.
Zephyr is at my side in the blink of an eye, resting his hand on Amber’s forehead. There’s a glare of amethyst and she slumps against the bed, out cold. Her breathing comes in ragged pants and she’s getting paler by the second.
‘She’s dying,’ Zephyr murmurs. ‘She won’t survive the transition.’
‘No,’ Lucas shouts.
‘Can’t you do something?’ I ask Zephyr.
‘I cannot,’ Zephyr answers then tilts his head and looks at Lucas. ‘But, perhaps you can.’
‘I’ll do it,’ Lucas vows.
‘Bite her.’
Lucas and Mason suck in a breath, shock painting their faces.
‘Mate a female without her consent?’ Mason snarls. ‘It’s forbidden!’
‘Then she’ll die,’ Zephyr answers his gaze turning my way. ‘Some things are worth breaking all the rules for, Lucas.’
My insides grow warm at his meaning. It’s against the rules for Zephyr to mate a Dark Fae, but he broke them for me. I still want to punch him, but the urge is softened by his romantic words.
‘Mate her or lose her, Lucas; those are your options,’ Zephyr counters.
‘It’s against our laws,’ Mason argues when Lucas stares down at Amber.
‘You think I don’t know that?’ Lucas growls, the air growing thick with the scent of undergrowth and green places.
‘Lycan only get one mate,’ Zephyr intones, like he’s reminding Lucas of the fact.
Lycan? I look between Lucas and Mason in awe. They’re wolf shifters?
‘We do,’ Lucas agrees.
Amber’s back bows from the bed her scream renting the air. Blood gushes from her mouth and nose, staining the bottom half of her face red. It snakes down her neck and puddles beneath her shoulders, the mattress too drenched to absorb it. How much blood does she have left? Blue light crackles over her skin, wrenching another scream from her lips.
‘Help her!’ Lucas demands.
Zephyr shakes his head. ‘I’ve done all I can, Lucas. You must claim her or let her go.’
Lucas closes his eyes, like he’s in pain. The smell of wild woodland and fur pulses into the air, a heavy sensation settling on my shoulders.
‘She can’t leave me,’ he whispers and looks at Mason. ‘I can’t lose her.’
Mason swallows hard then nods, and Lucas doesn’t hesitate. He sinks impressive fangs into the juncture between Amber’s neck and shoulder. She chokes on her next scream but relaxes beneath him, a sigh escaping, as she stills in his arms. Lucas groans, closing his eyes. When they open again blue wolf eyes stare back at me, replacing Lucas’s green. He releases Amber’s neck and laves the bite with his tongue. I watch, fascinated, as the wound heals before my eyes. My fingers itch with the need to touch the bite Zephyr gave me. Watching Lucas bite Amber makes me feel like a voyeur.
‘It’s done,’ Zephyr breathes.
‘She’ll live?’ Lucas asks, voice more animal than man.
Zephyr nods. ‘Congratulations on your mating.’
He pulls me close and I tuck my face against his chest. Purple light blazes bright around us and I wince. He really needs to warn me before he teleports. I swear I’ll be blind if I’m not careful. When I open my eyes we’re back in Caleb Harrison’s home.
CHAPTER 17
‘The hell!’ Caleb barks.
Anima catches the plate he drops and hands it back to him in one fluid motion, before taking a casual bite of her food. Caleb shakes his head and takes his plate to the breakfast bar in the middle of the kitchen.
‘Damn fae, popping in and out all over my house,’ he grumbles. ‘Just give me some damn warning next time. I almost had a heart attack.’
‘What’s a heart attack?’ Navi asks from the other side of the breakfast bar.
‘Mer don’t have them,’ Zephyr says.
‘But what is one?’ Navi persists.
‘Shut up, Navi,’ the brunette to his left answers.
Navi grins at her, his grey eyes soaking her in. She elbows him in the ribs and his grin widens, gaze adoring.
‘You are well?’ Anima asks me.
I hear her unspoken question and nod my head. ‘I’m here by choice.’
She beams a dazzling smile and that strange, silvery light pulses over her skin. Anima pushes from her seat and pulls me into a hug. I hesitate for just a second, before hugging her back.
A loud crash sounds from upstairs and we break apart. Everyone looks at the ceiling, like it has the answers. The air electrifies and my darkness surfaces.
‘Primrose!’ Aric roars from upstairs.
‘Dad?’ I squeak in response.
Zephyr scoops me into his arms, as Aric appears in the kitchen doorway. His black eyes look impossibly darker, the whites drenched in ebony. Black veins stain the skin around his eyes, his light bleeding into the flesh. Midnight hair writhes around his shoulders, caught in the energy crackling over his skin. A silver tunic and black leggings hug the strips of muscle carving his frame, and he looks menacing as hell.
‘Release my daughter, he snarls.
‘Put me down,’ I breathe, fearing for Zephyr’s life.
I need to calm the situation, before someone gets killed.
‘Mine,’ Zephyr answers, ignoring my request.
Rage pours from Aric and my darkness turns frenzied. I squirm in Zephyr’s hold, sensing the building energy from Aric. Zephyr tightens his grip to the point of pain and I squeak in protest.
‘Put me the hell down,’ I hiss.
Zephyr bares his fangs and hisses back. Though his gaze never leaves Aric, I know the threat is directed at me. My shock turns to anger, but before I can respond he teleports us to Caleb’s bedroom. He opens a portal in the mirror and carries me through, finally placing me on my feet.
‘Zephyr-’
He blasts an essence orb at the exit mirror, shattering any chance of Aric following. I glance around the room to get my bearing. We’re in Zephyr’s bedroom, in the Light Realm. He turns to face me and I stare right back.
‘Primrose-’
‘You hissed at me,’ I say, folding my arms across my chest. ‘Hissed at me.’
‘You were being unreasonable.’
Anger narrows my eyes to slits. ‘Excuse me?’
‘I couldn’t let you go with him,’ Zephyr shouts.
‘I wasn’t going to go with him,’ I shout back. ‘My intention was to calm him down, Zephyr.’ I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, releasing some of the tension. ‘So he wouldn’t kill you.’
Zephyr’s feral expression softens. ‘You were worried for me.’
‘Of course I was! My dad is very powerful, and it doesn’t take a genius to see he wants you dead.’
Life is so cheap to the fae. They live such a long time, and they don’t care if they end somebody’s eternity. Maybe it’s because they live so long that they don’t value what they have, while they have it. Mum was stolen too soon, her light extinguished before it had a real chance to shine.
Zephyr sighs and pulls me into his arms. I rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart. It’s a reassuring sound, one I need to hear right now.
‘I’m sorry, Primrose.’
‘You could’ve handled that so much better,’ I say, not finished chastising him.
‘His clothing provoked me,’ he admits.
I pull away to look up at his face. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Aric was wearing the traditional attire for a father during a Bonding Ceremony,’ he answers.
‘His silver tunic,’ I murmur. ‘It matches my mating gown.’
Zephyr nods. ‘It’s tradition for fae to wear silver during a Bonding Ceremony.’
His sadness mists the air around us, and I understand why. ‘We’ll never have that,’ I breathe, fingering a button on the front of his tunic. ‘We’ve missed our chance.’
He takes my hand and kisses my palm. ‘You’re still mine, Primrose.’
Alissa pops into the room behind a flare of amethyst. ‘As ever, Zephyr you’ve ignored my wishes to do things your way,’ she hisses.
Zephyr hugs me to him as we turn to face her. She’s paler than the last time I saw her, with grey lacing her black hair. Her dress is still see-through, though and I sigh at the sight of her nipples.
‘I’ve done what’s right for Primrose and myself, a factor that doesn’t matter to you,’ Zephyr answers. ‘Primrose is my mate, and you cannot take her from me.’
‘Everything I’ve done is for you or your sister,’ Alissa scoffs. ‘You brought this girl from the Realm of Man, determined to mate her even though she didn’t want you. I begged you to return her, but supported your choice when you refused, despite having endured her fate myself. And you tell me I care not for your interests?’ Alissa moves closer, incensed. ‘You may have disliked my counsel because it opposed your wishes, but do not delude yourself into thinking I did anything for my own gain, Zephyr.’
‘And yet you’re here to take Primrose from me,’ Zephyr argues.
‘Why in the runes would I take your bonded from you?’ Alissa demands.
Zephyr stiffens against me. ‘Bonded?’
‘I’m upset you negated the traditional ceremony during the equinox, but a Blessing Ceremony can be arranged,’ she answers.
‘Are you saying we’re bonded?’ I ask, needing to be sure I’m understanding this right. ‘We didn’t do the ceremony during the equinox.’
‘The ceremony is for show,’ Alissa answers. ‘You already carried Zephyr’s Mating Mark. All that’s needed to complete a bond after that is the joining of flesh.’
‘How do you know we, um, joined that way?’ I counter.
She rolls her eyes, like it’s the stupidest question. ‘Your lights are woven, Primrose. Any fae with breath in their body can feel it.’
I stare at her in shock. All this fuss over bonding and I did it without even realising. I feel like such an idiot, yet warmth fills my chest. I claimed Zephyr and I don’t regret it.
Something occurs to me and I look at Zephyr. ‘Did you know?’
The sudden joy I’m feeling teeters on a thin ledge. Zephyr acted like we weren’t bonded after last night, but is it all an act? Even if it is, does it matter? I initiated the horizontal mambo, so I’m to blame.
‘No,’ he answers and I feel his sincerity.
I shake my head in wonder, unable to deny the sense of relief I feel.
‘Come, Daughter,’ Alissa commands. ‘We must prepare for the Blessing Ceremony.’ A shiver rips down my spine at her calling me Daughter. ‘We must let the Realm see it’s future queen and settle any discord.’
‘Queen?’ I squeak.
Why does everyone insist on me being Queen?
Alissa smirks at my discomfort. ‘Come,’ she orders. ‘I know your discomfort with our fashions. I will take you to the dressmaker and she’ll make you a gown.’
Gone is the cold demeanour from before, when Alissa insisted I had no choices. I think of her little speech to Zephyr, and how she’d argued with him in my favour. The woman is the most mercurial creature I’ve met, and it makes me wary. But she’s loyal to her children and fiercely protective.
I follow her to the door, where her entourage of women await, and turn back to Zephyr. ‘I’ll see you later?’
‘I’ll be waiting for you at moonrise, my rose.’
CHAPTER 18
I’m in another silver gown, a crown banding my forehead. The silver metal has been braided into my hair, blonde strands woven into a spectacular design around it. Alissa approved of the lace I chose to make my mating gown, before leaving me to work out the details with the dressmaker. Once she left I added the black bodysuit underneath. It’s made from a glittery material that shimmers when I walk, silhouetting my frame beneath the lace. The bodysuit is backless like the dress, displaying my wing markings.
‘It’s
perfect,’ I say.
The dressmaker smiles and bows low. I fidget, thinking I’d escaped such things when I escaped the Dark Realm. Mating Zephyr nixed that for me though, and I don’t like it one bit.
My gaze slides back to the dressmaker. She has indigo hair and lilac skin, with matching violet eyes. She’s got a body built for sin and I’m itching to ask what she is. She made my outfit from thin air; spinning the ideas I gave her into existence. You’d think I’d be used to the crazy stuff by now, but no. Things fill me with fear or amazement here, and it’s exhausting.
Her eyes widen as I step from the little plinth she had me stand on. The floor in here is organic and my feet are bare, meaning I leave a trail of flowers as I move across the room. She stares at me like she wants to say something.
‘I’m a Lumen,’ I tell her.
She nods. ‘And Dark Fae,’ she murmurs staring at my wing markings.
‘I thought you knew.’
She shakes her head. ‘Nobody told me.’
I hesitate, wondering whom else Zephyr hasn’t told.
‘Your markings are the darkest I’ve seen,’ she says. ‘Does,’ she closes her eyes, like she’s drumming up courage, ‘does Prince Zephyr know?’
I snort at her concern. ‘If he hasn’t figured it out by now then he’s an idiot,’ I tease.
She grins, cheeks turning a darker shade of purple. ‘But Queen Alissa is ignorant?’
‘We haven’t had chance to tell her, yet,’ I murmur feeling a spike of worry.
She studies me. ‘I pledge to craft beautiful garments for you, Majesty.’
‘You don’t need to worry about that,’ I answer hoping to get away with something less formal once the ceremony is over.
Her smile falters. ‘You wish to dismiss me?’
Worry creases her features and blind panic saturates the air. I curse when she starts sobbing and hurry to pull her into a hug. Her skin lights with neon freckles and she jerks away.
‘I didn’t mean to touch you,’ she apologises.
‘I touched you,’ I counter. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, what are you? Why did you light up when I touched you?’
‘I’m a sprite.’