Her Dark Defenders: Breath of Air (The Darkness of Light Book 1)

by Nala Kingsley

  “Somewhat,” I muttered. It remained impossible for the throne room to be sorted back to rights without weeks of hard labor even with the assistance of magic.

  “As for the numbers, I do not know, but Marlo should be back soon.”

  I nodded and finally took another sip. The delicious creamy taste of the melted chocolate warmed me almost as much as the heat of the drink itself. Despite myself, I felt a little better, less tired and more relaxed.

  “How did you know my parents?” I murmured, half-expecting him to dodge the question.

  Indeed, he did hesitate. Then he exhaled a breath. “Once upon a time, your father asked for men to locate and kill a white hart. Do you remember?”

  I nodded. This occurred roughly a decade ago.

  “We located the white hart, but instead of killing it, we brought it to your father.”

  “I never knew who did that,” I said slowly.

  I remembered the day when my father received the champions. I had run off to the border because I wished to see a human up close. I failed, though.

  “My father wanted the hart dead because of the potency of its power. It could amplify any magic,” I said.

  He nodded. “I believe your father used it already.”

  Numbly, I nodded. While I had not met a human when I had been five-and-ten, I met one two years later. Hazel and I had grown very close, although she never knew what I was. My parents did not learn until Hazel grew deathly sick. For my sake, they attempted to heal her, but only by using the heart of the white hart had they been able to spare her.

  But nature wished Hazel dead for whatever reason, and she died the next summer in an accident. We often went out swimming together, but she went alone. A storm hit, and she never returned to shore, at least not while still breathing.

  If I had allowed my friend to die, might the white hart’s magic been enough to save my parents? I would never know, but I feared I might have cost them their lives.

  I blinked against sudden tears and glanced around, desperate to locate a means to chance the subject.

  “Why is this room so dark?” I asked.

  “I find it easier to sleep in the dark, don’t you?” He kissed my forehead and then my lips.

  I kissed back immediately, cupping his face. His stubble tickled my palm, and I finally gave in to my impulse and ran my fingers through his hair. His tongue pressed against my lips, and I parted them, but he withdrew.

  “You should rest,” he said, jerking back, standing.

  I would have been insulted, but I spied why he was suddenly uncomfortable. His cock was straining against the confines of his tight pants, and that could hardly feel pleasant. Swallowing hard, I forced myself to look away. I appreciated that he was not trying to push me into sleeping with him, most likely because I was still recovering. Still, I wanted him. I needed him. Maybe that was weak and pathetic of me, but I lost my parents and friends and acquaintances in the battle. After so much heartache and death, could one blame me for wishing to make love to a strikingly breathtaking man who clearly cared for me?

  Like it or not, I had no choice but to remain in bed. The curse was terrible enough by itself, but nearly using up all of my magic beforehand had left my body weakened. My light had dimmed considerably through my own actions. If a fairy’s magic ran dry, she or he would be close to death. Some had even died from overuse before.

  There was a tale about a fairy who fell in love with a human. This did not happen often at all. Their love, though, was considered legendary especially once the human fell sick with cancer. The fairy, Helio Eveningheart, had done everything he could to save his love, but Faith Jameson grew sicker and sicker despite both his magic and the humans’ medicine. Helio gave of himself so much that she miraculously healed after all, only that toll on Helio caused him to wither away, and he was on the brink of death. Faith brought him back to the fairies, as they had been living in the human realm. They two collapsed outside the gates of the fairy realm. He had died, and in her grief, she died of a broken heart. A tragic love story but I did not find it sorrowful. If anything, it gave me hope that one day, I would experience and share in a love that deeply profound. I'd loved before, but never anywhere close to that.

  The door shut behind Solo, and I drifted off to sleep once more.

  Chapter 12

  Before I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn’t alone. Sure enough, when I peeked Aman was there. He was staring down at me with a strange expression on his face, equal parts bewilderment and awe.

  I yawned. Why? My body should be nearly recovered, yet I remained weak. Perhaps I had not eaten enough. Marlo had promised to cook for me, but he had also left to learn about the fairies.

  “What do you need?” he asked me.

  “To not be startled awake.”

  His smile slowly formed. “You woke of your own accord.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

  “No?” He leaned close and stroked my cheek. “I would wake you in a very different way.”

  “Oh, yes?” I shut my eyes. “Go on then. Wake me.”

  Aman continued to stroke my cheek. My skin tingled, especially when his fingers went down to the tender skin of my throat. He placed small kisses along my jawline, and I couldn’t help myself. Eyes still closed, I pursed my lips, and he kissed me, taking, claiming, almost vicious, his hand heavy and tight on my throat. It was so erotic but also tender that I broke off the kiss to moan.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked with a smirk.

  He had woken me, woken a fire that was dark and delicious. The others had started the embers, but now it was a roaring blaze, and I couldn’t tell which one of them I wanted more. Right now, although it was most likely wrong, I wasn’t going to bother to choose. I was all sorts of messed up at the moment. Pushing any of them away seemed like a reckless, unwise, pointless idea.

  The door opened, and finally, some light entered the room. Baxon strolled in carrying a tray with a silver dome over a plate.

  Aman groaned and straightened. He muttered something to Baxon that I didn't overhear, winked at me, and then left. I couldn't help myself but check out his front and his ass. Aman was leaving with quite the package.

  I shifted to a sitting position, and Baxon placed the tray on my lap. When he lifted the tray, I began to laugh.

  “Do you not like oysters?” he asked.

  I just shook my head. “You.”

  “What about me?” he asked, his tone vaguely sounding innocent, but the suggestive lifting of his eyebrows told me he knew exactly what I was referring to.

  “You know what the humans say about oysters.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That they’re an aphrodisiac.”

  “And that means?” He missed the mark for being naïve, but that did not bother me any.

  “That oysters makes one… what’s the ‘H’ word?” I tapped a finger to my cheek.

  “You’ll have to tell me if oysters affect fairies.” He lifted a shell to my mouth, and I slurped the oyster down while holding his gaze. “Well?”

  “I’m not sure yet. I’ll need more to test.”

  Baxon had me eat another, his other hand resting on my shoulder. As he gave me another, his hand slid down my arm. For the fourth, his hand was back on my shoulder. The fifth, he glided his hand down to rest on the top of my breast. The sixth and I was all but eating out of his hand as he tweaked my nipple through the material of my simple nightdress. I wasn’t even sure when they had changed my clothes, but my nipples were tight mounds poking out through the thin fabric.

  Once he finished feeding me the last oyster, he leaned down but instead of kissing me, he sucked on my other nipple through the nightdress. A shot of pure pleasure rifled through me.

  When he pulled back, I was certain my gaze was one of lust.

  “Do you want more?” he asked with a wink.

  Yes, my body and heart cried.

  “No,” I murmured.

  He smirked. “I’m too
hot for you to handle. I was afraid of that.”

  Bold and daring, I grabbed his hand and pulled up the bottom hem so that he could feel just how wet I was.

  “Can you handle that?” I whispered.

  “I will claim you here and now,” he growled.

  I so badly wanted to give into him, I did, but the thought of the others had me hesitating.

  Baxon was back to smirking. “When you are ready, I will give you the night of your lifetime.”

  “I hope you can do as you claim because I would hate to be disappointed.”

  “Never,” he drawled, his finger lifting my chin.

  Baxon left, and he took with him a piece of me. Honestly. The others had as well. Soon, there would be no parts left over for me.

  I couldn’t help myself. My hand glided down my flat stomach, and my fingers brushed against my slick folds. Two entered, and my thumb rubbed against my clit. I couldn’t stop thinking about Marlo’s winks, Baxon’s rubbing, Aman’s flirting, and Solo’s charming tenderness. I remembered their kisses, and I imagined seeing those hard cocks, and I pretended to ride them, and I came hard.

  But I didn’t stop fingering myself. I kept going until I came a total of four times, one for each.

  Only then was I able to drift off to sleep again.

  When I woke, a simple emerald-colored dress lay on the foot of the bed with matching slippers. I changed into them and left the bedroom. The cottage seemed cozy enough, especially the fire blazing in the hearth. No one seemed to be here, which struck me as strange, and I opened the door and stepped outside.

  Fresh air greeted me. The sun shone brightly, and I inhaled deeply. Although it was February, winter led no dominion over this place, wherever I might be.

  A soft neigh sounded, and Marlo rode up on a majestic black stallion. Beside him trotted a unicorn, pure and majestic, her spiral horn a rainbow of pastel colors.

  “Do you feel strong enough for a ride?” he asked.

  I nodded, already petting the unicorn's silvery mane.

  “Good. I have a surprise for you.”

  I bit my lower lip. “Do you have news?”

  “I do. As there is nothing you can do about the fairies for now, won’t you wait an hour for your surprise first?”

  The faces and names of my friends flash through my mind, and I hesitated.

  “Your friends all survived,” he murmured.

  Although I longed to ask how he knew which were my dear loved ones, I trusted he was not merely telling me empty words. I did not wish to think of the carnage, of the lives lost.

  I leaped onto the unicorn, and we rode bareback toward the northern forest. Both animals easily guided themselves through the trees as there was no path, and we soon reached a clearing.

  I gasped. A blanket had been laid out along with several trays, two goblets, and a barrel.

  Marlo lifted me down from the unicorn, and he held my hand to guide me to the blanket. He had brought grilled quail with mango and arugula, sweet and sour cabbage soup with dill, and caramel apple pork chops, and the mulled wine was unlike any I had ever tasted before. We ate, drank, laughed, kissed, talked, embraced. Hands wandered, but we did not cross a line too badly. At least not yet.

  Toward the end, we rolled around some, I did not recall why, and when I ended up on top, I pressed against him, rubbing hard, kissing him deeply, loving the feel of his thick cock through the folds of my gown.

  His hands gripped my hips, guiding me to press even harder, faster. I nuzzled against his neck, and I licked the tender skin there.

  “Fuck me,” he groaned.

  In response, I grounded against him harder and bit his neck. With a low growl, he rolled me over.

  “If you don’t want to, we have to stop now,” he grunted.

  I did. I so badly wanted him, but the thought of Solo, Aman, and Baxon had me placing a finger to his lips. He still rubbed his cock against me, against my skirt, against my clit. The pressure was too much, and I couldn't handle it. Pleasurable waves washed over me, and I gasped out his name.

  Marlo winked and stood. Was it me or did the front of his pants look wet with pre-cum?

  What the hell was I doing toying with them all? I was nothing more than a tramp, taking advantage of good guys who were going out of their way to keep me safe from harm.

  I ran a hand through my hair. “Are you okay?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Anytime I hear a woman scream my name in the throes of passion is good for me.”

  I grimaced.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. “You don’t like the idea of me with other women?”

  My cheeks had to be flushed. I was too embarrassed to say anything, so I started to clean up.

  He laid a hand on mine. “Violet, I understand.”

  “You don’t. You can’t. I don’t understand.”

  “It’s all right,” he insisted.

  “What is?” I dared to lift my gaze to him.

  “The fairies you saw dead, how many were there?”

  “Roughly two dozen.” My throat constricted. I hadn’t expected him to change the subject and to such a sorrowful one.

  “Twenty-six died,” he said, “and as many injured. None of your closest friends were killed, and only one council member, Jamie.”

  My heart sped up. I supposed it could have been far worse, but twenty-six dead remained far too high a cost.

  “There is one other,” he added. At my nod, he said, “Badger, I believe he was one of the healers?”

  Again, I nodded.

  “He was one to perish, but not—”

  “Through overextending himself,” I murmured.

  Marlo nodded, and I closed my eyes.

  “I am sorry,” he murmured, running his hand up and down my back.

  I stood. “I wish to return now if that is all right.”

  Marlo nodded, and I numbly crossed over to the unicorn. Somehow, I had lost not only those twenty-six but also my parents all over again.

  Chapter 13

  The unicorn nuzzled against me as if she could sense my distress. I patted her mane and started to walk away back in the direction of the cottage. Once trees blocked my view of Marlo, I halted and attempted to gather my bearings. Where might we be? How far away from the castle?

  Could I dare to leave the quartet and return home?

  “A fair maiden and her unicorn,” a clear, charming voice said.

  I grinned, turning slightly to see Solo. “Fair?”

  “Noble, majestic, wondrous.” Solo shrugged, his arms spread. “As for me, I am nothing more than a rogue, a rascal.”

  “Hmm. Rascal is such a fun word.”

  “I am loads of fun.”

  “I’m sure you are.” I swallowed hard. “Where is the castle?”

  “Your castle?”

  “Yes, my castle. Not many humans have castles, and I wouldn’t want to go to any of theirs… Angels don’t have castles, do they? I doubt demons do too so…”

  “I could tell you,” he said, “or I could show you.”

  “Show me.”

  He stepped closer, and the unicorn sniggered. “I would rather show you something else,” he murmured as he lifted my chin.

  I kept my eyes open for this kiss. He did too, and I saw lust there and something else, and suddenly, I clung to him as if he were all that mattered, my nails digging into his back through his shirt.

  “Solo…”

  “What would you ask of me?” His tone was husky, breathless.

  The unicorn stomped her foot.

  Solo grinned. “I’m surprised the unicorn likes you so much,” he remarked.

  “Oh? Why wouldn’t a unicorn love me?”

  “You aren’t exactly innocent, and I can tell you aren’t a virgin.”

  “You have no way to know if I have been promiscuous or not.”

  “You misunderstood. I never said you were promiscuous. I do not think sleeping with a man whose company you enjoy is altogether vile.”

&n
bsp; “I suppose that is one way of saying it,” I said dryly.

  He laughed, his teeth shockingly white against his tanned skin.

  “You would have me lay with you, and Aman with him, and Baxon him, and Marlo him. If you all had your way, I would be on my back more hours of a day than not.”

  “Oh, not just on your back,” he said, trailing his fingers lightly over my back, standing so close our bodies were flush together. “On your stomach, bend you over, on my lap, upside down…”

  “Upside down?”

  He grinned roguishly. “That is preferable with the tongue.”

  I shivered in delight, loving the sound of that.

  “You might have been with fairy lovers before,” he said, “but clearly you have not been properly loved. You have some experience.”

  “And that is ideal for you, isn't it? A little bit of experience so you can still open my eyes, but so you don't have to tell me to spread my legs."

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “Have you ever had it…” His hand wandered over my ass.

  I shivered. “You mean up the…”

  He nodded.

  I wrapped my arms around him and swayed closer to him. “I wanted to. I tried to, but he was so nervous he couldn’t.”

  “He couldn’t,” Solo repeated blankly.

  I nodded. “He tried and was ready to push it in, and he lost it.”

  “He lost his erection while with you?” Solo clucked with his tongue. “Never with me,” he assured me.

  My shaking hand touched his chest. “I need you to show me where my castle is.”

  "I could show you where your tower is," he joked, tugging one of my hands near his bulge.

  I yanked my hand free. “Come on now.”

  “Yes, yes.”

  Solo abruptly swept me into his arms, my legs dangling over the one. I tucked my arm under his neck as he started to walk.

  “We’re leaving the unicorn behind?” I asked.

  “She’ll follow if she wants to,” he said, not breaking stride.

  We passed through the forest, Solo making sure my hair and dress never caught on any of the branches. Abruptly, the trees ended, and we stood before an expansive pond, a waterfall filling it. How I hadn’t heard the crash of the waves until now, I didn’t know, although I supposed the beating of Solo’s strong heart had drowned out most other sounds.