by Idella Breen
Maz grunted. “Well, that explains a lot. Honestly, I expected something like this. All the dead had the marking of a curse, we just didn’t know what from. I just didn't want to believe it was the worst case scenario.”
He nodded as if to himself before looking up and pinning Snow with a hard gaze. “Now with that taken care of, would you mind explaining what the three of you are doing here in my bank while it is on lockdown? You are Snow of the Bennett family, correct?”
She nodded and jutted out her chin meeting his gaze unflinchingly. “We were looking for you.”
He frowned. “Me? Whatever for? What does the Bennett family want with me?”
“I want to know the whereabouts of Grangor, the Goblin King.”
Maz went silent for a moment, his jaw hanging open in complete shock before he burst into laughter. “My King! You wish to find my King! Ha!”
Snow glared at him which only seemed to make him laugh harder. He was interrupted by a thundering growl that shook not only the windows but vibrated the entire room. Everyone turned to Cait who was glaring at the goblin with amber eyes.
“Answer the question,” her voice was rough and unforgiving but her hold on Snow's hand remained gentle.
Maz awkwardly cleared his throat before he reached into his desk drawer and pulled a blue key out from it. He held it out for her to take. Snow held the key in her hand before looking back up. “What is this?”
“The key to one of the Goblin King's kingdom’s entrances.”
“You’re giving it to me just like that?”
Maz sighed. “Yes, Ms. Bennett. Your mother is on the United Monster’s Council and if she sends one of her people, especially her own daughter, to get in contact with my King, then I am obligated to aid in whatever way possible.”
Snow nodded accepting this explanation. “What did you mean by one of the entrances?”
“As you know, our King is always on the move.”
She nodded so he continued. “He is able to do this because his kingdom covers miles upon miles of uncharted underground tunnels and caves.” He pulled a small white stone from another drawer and handed it to Cait. “When you are close to my King the stone will glow a bright green. It reacts to his crown so that he may be found when he is needed.”
Snow nodded. “Where do we start looking if his kingdom is so vast?”
“The last I heard, he was around Lake Wenatchee State Park. So, I would begin your search there. The entrances to his kingdom are hidden where you would least expect to find them but that key will work in any of them. I’m sure your friends can sniff them out if they try and the key will grant you access.”
“Thank you, Maz.”
The goblin nodded and motioned to one of his guards. “He will escort you to one of the exits. We don't want you getting lost or attacked again on your way out, do we?”
Snow smiled hesitantly as an involuntary shudder ran down her spine and the three followed the guard out of the office. The clearing of a throat made Snow turn back around.
“Snow?” Maz asked.
“Yes?”
“My King is mighty, but he is also respectful of those that command it. Do not request it, demand it.”
She smiled and nodded at the advice then left the office.
* * *
It only took them around two hours to make it to the state park, but there was no denying the fact that they were all exhausted, having not slept for close to twenty-four hours. Beck had been kind enough to do the driving. Cait refused to leave Snow’s side and was basically attached at her hip. Lake Wenatchee State Park was beautiful, Snow couldn’t help but think. They now stood at a small beach overlooking a mountain range that stole her breath away. She couldn’t help but wonder what this place looked like in the winter, her favorite season. The mountains were magnificent as a backdrop to the lake that spread out before them and the surrounding forest filled the air with the musky scent of pine that sweetened the breeze around them.
Cait squeezed her hand gently, but when Snow looked over to her wife, she was still looking out at the scene before them. Beck spoke, before she could, drawing both of their attention.
“I suggest we split up and search for an entrance into the goblin kingdom. What do you think Snow?”
She nodded absently and he pointed to the left. “I’ll start on this side of the forest. I can cover a lot of ground very quickly. You and Cait can search on the other side. Give a howl if you find something. I’ll alert you if I uncover an entrance. Is that acceptable?”
Once again, Snow nodded, but she was distracted by the warmth of her mate that for some reason seemed to be increasing incrementally. Beck nodded. “We will meet back here in an hour regardless.”
With that, he took off into the sky in his crow form and headed off towards the forest on the left. Snow watched him leave before shrugging and gently pulling Cait along with her towards the right of the lake.
She was a little concerned, as Cait hadn’t spoken since her outburst with the bank manager. Her wife had been completely silent and wouldn’t even meet her gaze. Snow led them along one of the trails heading in the direction they needed to go and still Cait remained silent. Only the sound of their shoes and the snapping of twigs was heard as they walked along the dirt path.
The silence was beginning to become awkward, so she decided to try and get her wife to open up with what might be bothering her. Snow had a hunch she knew what it was but she wanted to hear it from Cait. She turned to confront her wife only to suddenly get pushed up against a pine tree. The rough bark pricked along her spine. She was about to complain, but burning amber eyes stole the breath from her lungs, and soft lips, the words from her tongue.
Snow moaned and arched up into the hot hands that were rubbing her stomach and feeding the burn that had begun there. She always craved Cait. The woman was the air she breathed and the blood that fueled her heart. She always wanted her but most importantly, she would never deny her wife when she sought out comfort from her.
Cait slid her tongue into her mouth and Snow gasped as the slick muscle slid against her own and dominated her mouth. The werewolf hummed deep in her chest and pushed her further against the tree, pinning her. Snow moved her hands only to quickly realize that they were both held captive above her head.
“Cait, I want to touch you.”
The werewolf shook her head and invaded her mouth again. All she could feel was Cait, all she could taste was her lover, all she wanted was more of her wife, and even as the heat from the woman scorched her heart like a burning flame of passion, she still craved more. Snow bucked helplessly against the woman to try and relieve the burning that was spreading from her lower belly to her center. She whined at the intensity of the heat and Cait growled from deep within her chest and trailed her free hand higher until she came into contact with the soft material of Snow’s bra. The ice princess moaned and pushed her chest out begging to be touched.
With a swift movement, Cait pulled back from her assault on her mouth, pushed up her shirt along with her bra, and latched onto a pert nipple. Snow cried out in pleasure and attempted to touch her wife again but her hands were still bound above her head with one of Cait’s hands.
“Cait, let me touch you.”
Once again the werewolf ignored her plea and pulled the nipple between her teeth, biting lightly, but sending shocks of pleasure throughout Snow’s body, forcing the woman to rub her thighs together in a desperate attempt to relieve some of the ache that was building within her. Cait latched onto the neglected breast and gave it the same attention stoking the fires of desire in her wife and bringing her close to the brink of insanity.
“God, Cait!” Snow slammed her head back against the rough bark and squeezed her eyes closed in pleasure. Her mind was going blank and yet she felt she could hear the rushing of her blood in her veins.
Her wife began to trail open kisses down her chest, stomach, coming to a stop at her denim shorts waistband where she sucked gently leaving a
red mark. She had finally dropped Snow’s arms and the woman wasted no time in burying her hands into red locks and pushing her hips forward in desperation. The werewolf gazed up at her as she took the zipper of her jeans between her teeth and slowly pulled it down. The button popping open followed, and in one swift movement her wife’s hand slipped into her waistband and touched the burning heat that was blooming for her.
Cait gasped then moaned. “You’re so ready for me,” her voice was husky and sent a shiver of pleasure down Snow’s spine. The brunette had the faint idea that she was dealing with both the wolf and her wife but all she cared about was that Cait touched more of her at that moment.
“Please!” she gasped out as her center ached in pain and the need to be touched grew unbearable.
Cait pulled her chin up. “Look at me,” she whispered.
Snow pried her eyes open and was met with the hungry amber gaze of her lover. Cait smashed their lips together as she slipped two fingers easily into Snow’s burning center. The woman cried out into her lover’s mouth and jerked forward at the welcome intrusion. With each thrust of the werewolf’s hand, Snow rose to meet her. The brunette wrapped her left leg around Cait’s waist to grant even more access.
A third finger was added, and Snow cried out as her toes began to curl, with one final thrust, Cait teased the throbbing bundle of nerves with her thumb and Snow slammed her head back against the unforgiving bark of the tree, screaming as she came undone, her mind turning white as the heat of her lover consumed her.
As she came back to her senses She could feel Cait’s breath puffing against her neck and her fingers were still buried deep within her center. Snow gently lifted her wife’s head and was met with the electric blues that let her know that the wolf had relinquished control for the moment.
She whispered, “Cait, are you okay?”
Her wife’s face was flushed and her lips swollen but her eyes were clouded with bared emotions. Cait shook her head and took her bottom lip between her teeth. “I almost lost you.”
Snow nodded as she rested her hand on the werewolf’s cheek and rubbed her thumb back and forth along the soft skin. “But you didn’t.”
“But—”
“You didn’t Cait. I’m still here. It doesn’t matter what almost happened or what could have happened. I’m here, alive, and that’s all that counts. Cait, my love, we have been through many trials together and we have faced and beat death back every time it came to claim us.”
“But I promised to protect you.”
Snow smiled softly. “And you did.”
Cait released a breath and all the fight seemed to seep out of her along with it. She bent forward and rested her head against Snow’s. “Okay.”
“Good, because I’m always right.”
The redhead smirked. “Are you now?”
“Don’t you know this by now? How long have we been together?”
“Snowflake, no matter how long we are together I feel like there will always be new things for me to discover about you.”
“Yeah, but the most important thing is that I’m always right.”
Cait laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
The two smiled at one another but were interrupted by a loud cawing sound. It took them a minute before they realized what it was. Cait smirked. “Looks like Beck found an entrance.”
Snow giggled. “We didn’t help much did we?”
“He owed us one anyway.”
Snow did up her pants then straightened out her shirt before looking down when Cait took her hand in her own. “Ready?”
Smiling, Snow nodded and Cait pulled her forward. Together, they went in search of the tengu.
Chapter 10
Snow frowned. “This is it?”
The tengu nodded.
“It’s a tree.”
Beck nodded again. “It is.”
Turning to him, Snow’s frown deepened. “How are we supposed to enter a tree?”
Beck moved forward and patted several places on the thick trunked tree that seemed to be slightly out of place in the forest of thin trees. After a moment of patting seemingly random places his hand fell on something and suddenly a large square piece of bark popped open making Snow jump slightly. The tengu pulled the piece of bark back to reveal a wooden door hidden behind it. He nodded to her and she moved forward to inspect it.
“It’s a door.”
“It is.”
“In a tree.”
“Snow, I think we should open it now. Remember, we are crunched for time,” Cait said patiently while trying to hold back a smile.
The brunette frowned but pulled the blue key from her jean pocket and slipped it into the intricate keyhole, turning it. There was the sound of several bolts and gears clicking into place, then the door shuttered. Hesitantly, she pushed down on it and the wooden door gave way opening forward. She leaned over the threshold. The light from outside shown inside the tree and revealed that the tree was in fact hollowed out. It was hollowed into what seemed to be a tunnel going down into the ground but was shrouded in darkness due to its depth.
She pulled back and turned to her wife. “It’s a hole?”
Cait couldn’t hold it in anymore and chuckled. “Yes, Snow. This is how we enter the underground kingdom.”
“Do we just jump in? Where does it go?”
Her wife shrugged. “It’s like a slide. It will take us down into the tunnels.”
Snow frowned. “Do we have to go this way? Aren’t there like stairs or something?”
“Okay, princess. Where is your sense of adventure?”
“I can’t see the bottom.”
“Believe me, there is one.” Cait smirked when her wife huffed.
“How about it then? Shall I go first, Princess Snow?” Beck asked and the brunette turned to him only to see he was also trying to hide a smile.
“Fine, I’ll stop being a big baby. But Beck has to go down first, to make sure it’s safe.”
The tengu bowed. “It would be an honor.”
Snow moved out of the way to allow him to get by her. With a short glance back he jumped through the door and disappeared into the darkness. Snow gasped and looked down the hole but could see nothing. After a few minutes, there was a soft echo followed by Beck’s voice.
“All clear.”
Snow turned back to her wife and Cait was grinning. “Shall I go next?”
The brunette blushed but shook her head. “I’ll go.” Hesitantly, she stood at the threshold of the entrance and after taking a deep breath, she jumped. The nauseating feeling of free falling flipped her stomach and she screamed only to release a grunt when her butt slammed against wood, and suddenly she was sliding down, gaining speed with each passing second. The wind whipped against her face as she looped and turned at an ever increasing speed. She was just beginning to relax when suddenly the slide underneath her disappeared. Screaming, she landed hard against rock and yelped when something touched her arm.
“It’s just me, Snow.” Beck’s deep soothing voice settled her nerves and she relaxed allowing him to help her to her feet. She rubbed her backside gingerly and hobbled forward wincing slightly. “That wasn’t fun.”
She heard him chuckle. “It wasn’t so bad though.”
“Says you.”
The sound of something hitting the ground behind them made them pause. “Cait?”
The light from her fire burst forth illuminating the darkness and revealing her wife’s smirking face. “Land on your butt?”
Snow frowned. “You landed on your feet, didn’t you?”
Cait nodded.
“I hate you.”
“You love me.”
“I do. But, I also hate you right now.”
“Ladies, shall we go?” Beck interrupted them before they could get into another argument.
Cait nodded and pulled out the stone Maz had given them back at the bank. She held it out for her wife to take. “I’ll lead since I have the light. Snow, I want you to stay
between us.”
“Is there something dangerous?”
Cait shook her head. “I only smell goblins. But, this is their domain and some aren’t as welcoming as others.”
Snow nodded, and when Cait started walking forward, she followed. After a moment of walking in silence, the brunette decided to voice the questions that had been bothering her since finding the door in a tree.
“Cait?”
“Hmm?”
“I thought this was supposed to be a kingdom. But, it’s just a bunch of tunnels.”
“It is a kingdom. But, it’s also a bunch of tunnels.”
Snow frowned. “I don’t get it.”
Cait turned down one of the off shooting paths and answered after a moment. “I guess you could say that the goblins live in a kingdom of tunnels and caves. Each tunnel is like a road to a different town but as a whole, it is a kingdom. Grangor always resides in the kingdom but he moves from town to town.”
Snow looked around at the surrounding walls of the tunnel and placed her hand against the cold and smooth stone. “What does a town look like?”
Her wife shrugged and turned down another tunnel after a brief glance at the stone in Snow’s hand. It still seemed white to the brunette but Cait seemed to be taking direction from it so she figured it might be changing color slightly. “I’ve never been to a town myself, as I’ve never had a reason too, but I hear they have plumbing.”
Snow frowned when her wife turned back to grin at her. “Very funny.”
“I thought so.”
“What the Captain is trying to say is that they are advanced like above ground, but are scattered about in the tunnels. To my understanding, they are established in caves that have been carved to contain several houses and a few businesses. I’ve heard that the different towns trade with one another, as some have different resources than others, but they are all ruled under Grangor.”
“Why are there no lights?”
Beck nodded. “Goblins can see in the dark.”
“Can you?” she asked curiously.