Under the Bridge

by Dawn, Autumn

  Ash kissed like a man who knew what he was doing. Gentle, but with a leashed passion, he drew her in. Chills raced through her body, buzzing at the point of contact like live wires. He took his time about deepening it, making her chase him a little, drawing her in. When she started making needy sounds, he accepted the invite, lifting her onto his lap, swallowing her startled gasp with a heady kiss.

  Too stunned to think, she threaded her fingers through his hair, loathe to lose the lightning he was stirring. She’d never felt so good, so hot. He consumed her.

  He eased back, and she whimpered. She had to straddle him to reach his mouth. He laughed, accepting her kiss, but continued his retreat.

  “What?” she gasped. Her arms were wrapped tight around his neck, but she couldn’t pull him back. Dratted troll strength.

  “Mm, liebling,” he breathed. “You will fuss at me later if I don’t stop.”

  She scowled. He was probably right, but she ached. Horrible monster.

  A tremor shook her, and she buried her head against his neck and hissed. It hurt, and she wanted to bite him.

  “I see,” he murmured, as if she’d berated him. “I will be in trouble either way. Best I earn your good graces now, then.” He drew off her shirt before she could blink and threw it away. While she was still gaping, he opened her pants and grasped the edges, pulling until the tough denim ripped and peeled away like flower petals. He eased the legs down her thighs and left them there. “Easy, pretty girl.”

  She trembled as the night air washed over her, caressing a body laid bare to him. She hadn’t expected…

  Ash unsnapped her bra and tossed it, smiling as he cupped her breasts. “Very pretty.” He suckled, and she exploded, crying out as she rocked on his lap. One of his hands came down and stroked her backside, the other her belly. She moaned, shaking with shyness and pleasure. Should she stop him? It felt so good.

  His fingers slipped between her legs and she gasped, twisting to escape the unfamiliar invasion. He kept her in place with a firm hand on her derriere as the other made intimate acquaintance with her wet heat.

  “Shh, liebling. This is what you ache for. It is why you were angry. I am sorry. I will make it good.” On the promise, his finger began to probe her, slowly, in and out. She shuddered and began to move. Trying to escape? Seeking pleasure?

  Climax hit hard and fast. Also, the hardness inside her seemed to grow. She looked down at his lap, but he still wore his pants. “What?” she gasped.

  He kissed her cheek, licked her nipple. “You feel fuller inside, ja? I am stretching you a little. You are very tight and small. I like it, but you will not when we mate. Each time you come to me, I will take you further.”

  She shook her head. “We won’t mate. I-I won’t come t—” Her denial ended in a cry of pleasure.

  He smiled against her breast and didn’t bother to answer.

  When he finished with her—or finished her off—she was barely able to stand. Her nipples were tender from the rasp of his tongue, and she felt a little sore where his fingers had stretched her.

  Her clothes were mostly destroyed, and she didn’t have the wits to fix them with the Old Tongue right then. She looked around helplessly, panicked at the thought of Eyrnie seeing her like this. It would be…awkward. At best.

  She was afraid that Eyrnie would come unglued.

  Ash glanced at her and began to gather her things. “He is not inside, but we smell like mating. We need a shower.” He picked her up and strode for the garden gate, unmolested by the dragon flower.

  Billy squirmed in his arms. “Wait! How do you know he’s not inside? I don’t want to shower with you.” She was afraid of what she’d do if they did.

  “Trust me.”

  Hah! It was beginning to dawn on her that she’d just given herself to a troll. The troll. She’d been naked, and pleasured, and he’d mentioned a next time like it was a given. She’d just given one of the most territorial creatures ever an engraved invitation to bend her over the kitchen table any time he felt like it. She had to fix this.

  They were nearly to the upstairs bathroom by the time she reached this frantic conclusion. Twisting, she slid out of his arms and blocked the bathroom door. It was awkward being naked, and she wanted to shield herself with her hands, but that would make it harder to keep him out. “You’re not coming in.”

  He smiled as he looked her over. “Naked pixie, smells like sex. Are you too tender, liebling?” It sounded like a subtle challenge.

  She drew a deep breath. “I’m saying no.”

  He tilted his head. “Ja, I hear it. One last kiss, then?” He didn’t wait for her answer.

  He didn’t kiss her on the mouth.

  Billy groaned and rolled over. The morning light was creeping in, so she pulled her pillow over her head. Dratted troll.

  His last “kiss” had made quite an impression. She’d managed to shower, and then slept like the dead.

  She felt her body quicken as she remembered how his tongue had felt on her. His hand had gripped her rump, holding her still while he enjoyed himself. The fact that she’d liked it had seemed almost incidental; she’d nearly had to beg before he’d grudgingly finished.

  Lying in bed wasn’t helping. She tossed the pillow off and slid off the bed, halting as she saw something lying on a chair. A white rose lay across a pair of low-rider jeans. A pair of pretty panties and a bra lay on top, along with a practical black t-shirt. She had no doubt who had left these gifts.

  She could smell something cooking as she came down the stairs. Ash was barefoot at the stove, his shirt hanging open as he flipped an egg. He looked like a “morning after”. She frowned. “You’re underdressed.”

  He glanced at her new clothes. “Looks good on you.” He checked the oven, murmuring absently, “Pony wears no shirt; why should I?”

  She growled, but he was cooking, so she didn’t push. Instead, she started to make tea…and hesitated. With a sigh, she bypassed her regular tea and grabbed some Earl Grey.

  She noticed Ash looking at her pleasantly toward the end of the meal and frowned. “You owed me some clothes. It doesn’t mean anything that I’m wearing them.”

  He blinked mildly. “I wasn’t thinking about your clothes.” His smile was slow, sly. “You tasted very sweet, pixie.”

  She blushed, unable to meet his eyes. She didn’t want to talk about that.

  “It is how I keep my mind on business, you know. I tell myself that I will never taste that again if I…lost my concentration. Now that I know your flavor, I will not forget myself.”

  She shot him a look. “You’re talking about eating me, aren’t you?” It should have been more sobering, but for the look in his eyes.

  “I take my food very seriously,” he agreed, but there was a smile lurking around his mouth. “I prefer to eat you many times instead of once.”

  She grimaced. Great, troll humor.

  14. Lurking Under a Rock

  “You seem a little off today,” Eyrnie commented as he drove her to class. He’d been a little late that morning and hadn’t come inside, so Ash’s behavior hadn’t been a clue.

  She winced. She hadn’t had time to think of what she should tell him. Obviously, the details were none of his business, but he might have a right to know that something had happened. After all, he’d made it plain that he was courting her. “Ash kissed me.”

  The truck swerved a little, but it could have been worse. After he’d righted it, he waited a long moment before speaking. “I see.” It was tightly contained, but she could tell he was very, very angry. The red light in his eyes kind of shouted it. “Do I need to turn around and go beat him?”

  She sighed. “No.”

  He glanced at her sideways and then pulled into a parking lot. “Define ‘no’. He got permission first?”

  “No.”

  More silence. “You liked it?” The steering wheel creaked ominously under his grip.

  “The details aren’t really your business, but I thoug
ht it was fair to warn you. You were honest about your feelings, so…” She didn’t care to add anything else. More words would just get her in trouble.

  “I see. You are aware he’s a troll, of course. That he eats people.”

  She made a face. “He reminded me this morning. I know that.”

  “So it’s about the sex,” Eyrnie said flatly.

  Her eyes widened. “We didn’t…I mean, there wasn’t any…” She shut her mouth before she said something she’d regret.

  His eyes missed nothing. “I get it. He turned you on, and you lost your head. You think he’s safe, and I’m not…because you’re afraid to care for me.”

  Billy gaped at him, unsure how he’d made that leap. Worse, she didn’t know how to reply. He didn’t have any claim on her; he was her friend. If he ignored her when she told him that, what could she do?

  He nodded to himself and got back on the road. He wasn’t a very patient driver, though. He had a certain gleam in his eye that she distrusted, too.

  She had to find a way to guard her dreams!

  Eyrnie wasn’t there after school. He’d sent her a vague text about a family emergency, apologizing that she’d have to drive his truck home. From that, she assumed that he’d traveled by the fae roads. That couldn’t be good.

  Billy found Eyrnie’s spare key in the magnetic box under the wheel well. Unlocking the door, she tossed her stuff inside and climbed in, rolling down the window to release trapped heat. She was concerned for him; this wasn’t the reprieve she’d had in mind. Something was very wrong if he had to dash off like this.

  The ignition clicked when she turned it on, but the engine wouldn’t turn over. She frowned and tried again. Nothing. Was the starter going bad?

  “Need a hand?” Jason glanced at her face, and looked through her open window. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder. “You were muttering.”

  She sighed and turned the key in demonstration. “I think the starter’s bad.”

  “You got battery power? See if the radio comes on.”

  She turned the key the other way and the radio obediently turned on.

  “Yep. Looks like the starter needs to be replaced. Where’s Eyrnie?” He looked toward the school at the herds of students leaving for the day.

  “He had a family emergency.” She’d have to see what he wanted done about the truck. She could arrange for a tow if nothing else.

  “Need a ride?” He gestured to a yellow lowrider with curling black flames. “The car’s out of the shop.”

  She smiled despite herself. The car suited him. “Sure.” She grabbed her stuff and locked the truck, taking the keys with her.

  He unlocked his car and held the door open for her, surprising her with his old-fashioned courtesy. His words as he slid into the driver side were more like what she expected of him. “Ah, alone at last.”

  She snorted softly. “This is not a date.”

  “Course not. If we were on a date, I’d have brought flowers.” He looked over his shoulder as he backed out of his parking spot.

  “Oh, dear, I’ve been missing out,” she said, deadpan. She didn’t want to pursue this topic any more, so she changed the subject. “So, tell me about your car.” Thankfully, the topic was enough to distract him all the way to her house.

  Ash leaned in the doorway of her house as they pulled up. Arms crossed, he regarded Jason with a mild expression that made her uneasy.

  “Interesting,” Jason murmured, noting Ash’s bare feet and unbuttoned shirt. “He looks comfortable.”

  She winced and hopped out of the car. “Yeah, thanks for the ride.”

  Jason got out, too. Resting on arm on the top of his car, he looked her over, seeming amused. “You want to catch a movie tonight? My treat.”

  She huffed out a breath. He wasn’t afraid of competition, was he? “I’m…involved with Ash.” She wasn’t always sure what that involvement entailed, but she wasn’t about to provoke a troll, not over a guy she had no interest in.

  Jason looked at Ash, a subtle excitement in his gaze. “He’s not afraid of competition, is he?”

  Ash started walking their way.

  “Bye, Jason.” Billy walked quickly toward Ash, placing one hand on his chest in faux greeting. She pushed a little.

  He allowed her to stop him, sliding his arm around her waist. “Liebling? You brought a dinner guest?”

  The way he said it made her shiver. “He has places to be.”

  Ash glanced at him. “Pity.”

  Jason winked at her. “Later, then.” He met Ash’s gaze one more time before sliding back into his car.

  Her shoulders relaxed as he drove off. She turned to go inside, but Ash’s arm didn’t move. She glanced up at him. “Eyrnie had a family emergency. He left me the truck, but the starter went bad. Jason gave me a ride home.”

  He frowned, but let her go, following her inside.

  She set her backpack on the bench and sniffed the air. Dinner smelled good, and she could see cookies on the table. Grabbing a cookie, she went on, “I’m worried about Eyrnie, and we need to do something about his truck. I don’t want to leave it there.”

  “I will take care of the truck,” Ash said, stirring a pot on the stove. “Call him.”

  She tried, but got the answering machine at his house and on his cell. She frowned and tapped her fingers on the table. With a fae, family emergencies could mean anything from accident to outright battle.

  Ash handed her a cup of hibiscus tea. “Let’s eat, then we can investigate further. You may need your strength.” He’d made Pho soup, and it was delicious. By now, she expected only the best from his cooking.

  As he was finishing, he said, “I’ll get the truck if you’ll clean up.”

  “Oh. Okay, here’s the keys.” She had no concerns about his ability to fetch the truck; he was a troll. If he wanted to, he could probably carry it home.

  She stood and reached for her dirty dishes, relieved that he was leaving. Jason had made things awkward, and they’d been unsettled before that.

  “Wait.” Ash touched her gently, his face stern with concentration. He seemed to fight some instinct, his eyes searching hers as if reminding himself of…something. His mouth touched hers, and his kiss tasted of violent restraint.

  She responded cautiously, then with a sudden spurt of hot lust. Shaken, she eased back, but he didn’t release her mouth. He kissed her until they both shuddered, pulling her hard against him.

  He tore his mouth away, breathing hard. “I want you.”

  It took a moment to clear her head. “I deserve a man who loves me.”

  His hands stayed firmly on her hips, but she could feel him take a mental step back. He didn’t say anything to trivialize her statement. After a moment, he looked at her intently. “Would you like it if I could feel that? It would make it harder, you know.”

  Harder to leave her, taking his offspring? Harder if he slipped and bit her? Trolls were jealous types. She knew he had to be angry over Jason, but he hadn’t hurt her; he hadn’t even yelled.

  She glanced at the dinner table. He’d eaten before he dealt with her, a pretty significant fact when dealing with a troll. “Are you saying you can’t love?” she challenged him.

  He pondered that. “I suppose I could. It’s not natural to my kind, you know.” After a moment, he let her go. “I’ll be back.”

  I’ll be waiting, she thought.

  She didn’t like doing dishes, but it did let her do something mindless. Since she didn’t want to think about Ash, she let her mind wander. It was as she was finishing the last dish that she glanced aside and saw her teacup. Entranced, she stared at it, suddenly fascinated. Rinsing her hands, she dried them, looking at it all the while.

  Inexplicably, she began to shake.

  Drawing a deep breath, she went to the pantry and looked at the big jar of rosebud tea at the top. She pulled it down and set it on the butcher-block counter, quickly snatching her hands away. Her chest felt tight, and she swallow
ed hard.

  She thought about the pillar she’d created at the college, the way the power in her seemed to be awakening. She thought about something her mother had always told her was far too advanced for her. Grabbing a handful of barley flour, she sprinkled it on the counter. Swallowing hard, she said, “Show me Eyrnie.” The power in her stretched and yawned, and the flour shimmered. It took the shape of a pooka.

  She held her breath. This kind of seeking was supposed to be too difficult for her, and she’d never managed it in the past. Now, it took little effort, and the three-dimensional image was sharply defined. Eyrnie’s pooka form stood over a fallen pooka. Eyrnie’s chest heaved, and he bared his teeth. The pooka before him backed off, limping badly. There were other bodies on the ground.

  A smaller pooka rushed forward and became Eyrnie’s mother. She threw herself to her knees beside the fallen pooka, weeping. Dismayed, Billy could only presume it was Eyrnie’s father.

  Ash spoke from beside her, making her jump. “Is it her mate?”

  She stared at him. “I don’t know,” she whispered. The image dissipated.

  She ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t know how to get to the Dream Lands. It looks like it would be too late to help, anyway.” She glanced at the tea, distracted. “She poisoned me,” she said softly. Her heart ached.

  Ash followed her gaze to the tea, and his frown cleared. “Ah. You figured it out.”

  She gave him a dirty look.

  “You wouldn’t have listened if I’d told you directly,” he said mildly.

  “How did you know?” she demanded suspiciously.

  “I pay attention to my food.” He absently began scraping the flour together, already in cleaning mode. For a troll, he sure cleaned a lot.

  Still upset, Billy crossed her arms and slowly paced. “She was trying to keep me powerless. She forgot the tea when we were in the Wood, though. Maybe she thought I wouldn’t give her trouble. I don’t know.” She thought about the production her mother had made of finding just the right trees at a certain time of night to travel. “She didn’t want me to know how to make gates.” She caught herself running her hand through her hair again. She looked at Ash, who was finishing the dishes. “You know how to make gates.”