by Bailey Dark
“Is that a question? Because I think the answer’s obvious.”
“No.” I said, trying to keep my eyes focused on his face instead of everything going on below. “I mean—forget it.”
A sharp wind blew through the alley, sending a chill up my spine and blowing my hair into my face. A haze of hair obscured my view and I quickly grabbed at the loose tendrils, removing them from my lashes. The beast before me didn’t seem like the kind of man you turned your back on—and lived.
I glanced up again toward his face, only to see that in those few seconds, his entire posture had changed. He was stiff, back rigid and nostrils flaring. Heat radiated from his eyes and his pupils were dilated beneath the patches of flickering light.
My breath hitched in my throat and my heart thundered wildly. Everything about the look on his face screamed RUN, but I didn’t.
Instead, my stomach fluttered in anticipation and a warmth spread through every inch of my flesh, down to the deepest parts of me.
It took me a moment to fully register this feeling for what it actually was: desire.
I’d probably hit my head at some point because it was the only explanation for my inappropriate reaction. Especially considering that the last time I even felt a glimmer of this was before the shadows had found me, ten years ago.
And it wasn’t just because he was, well, hot and naked. If a woman had needs, even a woman who was running for her life, she could still have them met quite easily.
No. This was on an entirely different level—one that would likely only lead to trouble.
Whoever this man-beast was, I couldn’t risk sticking around to find out. I had barely taken a step back, when faster than I could blink, he was right in front of me.
* * *
Chapter Two
Elosel
The fair-haired beauty that stood before me pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, causing the flesh to plump.
My heartbeat thrummed wildly in my chest as her small hand pressed against my bare chest to keep me at bay. I shivered at her touch.
Her scent was unique, a heady mixture of pheromones I could not place. Our breaths floated between us like fog upon a placid lake.
“Who are you?” she whispered, husky notes coloring her voice.
It had been a long time since I came upon a fae that did not know my face.
She looked fae and even smelled fae, but there was something about the icy hues of blue speckled in her otherwise emerald eyes that spoke of something much more complex.
Whoever—no, whatever—this creature was...she seemed lost. “My name is Elosel. I am Alpha and King of the Blueblood pack. You are in my territory.”
Her brow furrowed as she took a step away from me.
“Your territory?”
I craned my neck down to take a closer look at her. A pink flush appeared on her cheeks, but she did not back down.
“You have no idea what you are, do you? No idea that you just stumbled into the middle of a war between beings like me and those like you.”
“I don’t know you and I sure as hell don’t trust you.”
“If I wanted to harm you, it would’ve already happened.”
“How reassuring.” She stepped further back, “But I’m not what you think I am. I’m not what those things think I am.” She shoved past me, causing the loose hood of her sweater to fall, revealing more of her lovely face.
“You are one of those things.”
The woman spun on her heels. “What?”
“They are hunters that obey the will of the Unseelie Court. You may not be Unseelie, but you are fae—at least half. In fact, I am not certain what sort of fae you are, but your scent gives it away. What I would like to know is how you have stayed hidden all these years.”
I swept my gaze over her figure. The fabric of her waterlogged clothes clung to soft curves and toned form, making my hands clench with the urge to touch her. If what she said was true—if she truly did not know who or what she was, then she was the perfect choice.
It was unheard of for an Alpha of my years to be without a mate. My duty was to the pack and by not doing so sooner, I made us appear weak to the other shifters.
There was no tolerance for weakness when tension continued to rise between the packs and the fae courts. I needed a mate, one that was not influenced by the conflicts of my people, but one that would obey my stand as King and Alpha.
“The hunters would not have been able to find you if fae blood didn’t flow through your veins. What’s your name?” Her eyes darted to the cars that passed by just outside the alley. I took another step in her direction. “Running would not be wise. As I said, this is my territory. There is nowhere you could go in this city where I couldn’t find you.”
Fear—and perhaps a bit of anger—replaced the shock I had seen before.
She raised her chin up, “My name is Anna.”
I held my hand out and uttered a small spell beneath my breath. A coat appeared in my hands and I wrapped it around her shoulders. “Come. I’ll walk you home, Anna. We have much to discuss.”
She pulled out of my reach once more. “Why should I trust you?”
“Because I am the only one that can keep you safe,” I growled irritably. “I can see the fatigue in your eyes, Anna. You want to stop running. You want to live a life that is not dictated by fear and isolation. I can give you that...I can give you freedom.”
“And how would you do that?” Reluctantly, Anna burrowed deeper into the coat. Dark circles rested beneath her beautiful eyes. “Everyone who’s tried to protect me from those shadows has ended up dead.”
“I am the King. It’s a title that was given to me because of my father’s bloodline. But I am also the Alpha of my pack, a status that can only be earned by those who possess a natural talent for the arcane arts. Not all wolves can summon a coat out of thin air.” I smiled as clothing began to manifest on my body, concealing my nudity (which she had been conveniently avoiding). Though the show of magic seemed to impress Anna, there were those within my pack that felt the need to challenge me. “I can protect you.”
“What’s the catch?” She asked.
“The catch?”
“Well, why are you so generously willing to put up with my problems? You don’t know me, so you must gain something from it.” She tiled her head, “I want to know what that is.”
I crossed my arms over my wide chest, “My protection comes under one very specific condition.”
“Which would be?”
“Marriage.”
She scoffed, “That’s not funny.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Anna stepped back with a wariness in her eyes. “I’m a stranger to you.”
“And?”
“Why the hell would you want to marry me?” She glanced around as if looking for anywhere to bolt from my sight. “You want to marry a stranger with a million problems of her own? Someone you have only known for five minutes?”
“My reasons are my own.”
She shook her head, “You have to be either crazy, or some kind of sicko if the only woman you can get to say yes, is me.”
“I assure you I am neither of those things.”
“That’s exactly what a psychopath would say, isn’t it?”
A growl echoed from my chest, “You are exhausting, you know that?”
“I mean you’re a king after all, right? Don’t you have a harem of women willing and ready?”
“Yes, and yet here I am, offering this privilege to you.”
“I still don’t understand why.”
“I can’t explain something you will never comprehend. Your choices as I see them, are either to live by my side—or die by the hands of those who hunt you.”
Anna shifted uncomfortably and crossed her arms over her chest. A million thoughts swirled in her lovely eyes as I waited in silence.
“This is crazy.”
“Not as crazy as choosing the alternative.” I stated.
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“I’m going to need time to think. I’ve been searching for answers for a long time and I don’t know what to make of any of this.” She threw her hands into the air, “The life you live isn’t reality in my mind.”
“It’s not your reality, and yet you acknowledge to being chased by creatures no mortal knows of, and talking to a man who was moments ago, a wolf?”
“I didn’t say my logic made sense. It just is.”
I raised a thick brow, “Well, now that you’ve explained yourself so clearly . . .”
“Just because you’ve seen the crazy stuff doesn’t mean you automatically believe in it. The mind does plenty of weird things to protect us.” She exhaled, “And my reality is that I am hunted and I’m afraid that I’ll never live in peace.”
“Whether you like it or not, this is your reality. This world. My world. No more games. What is your decision?”
Her nose scrunched up at my words. “You presented a solution to my problem, but I’m not convinced it’s my only choice.”
“Then you choose death.”
“I’m still alive after this long,” She said, “maybe I don’t need you.”
“You don’t know what you need.”
“What I need, is to go home and rest. I’m tired. So freaking tired of all of this.”
Foolish, woman.
She was making a mistake. A mistake that would doom her if I didn’t do something to stop it.
I carefully offered my hand. She quirked a finely arched brow in my direction, until I explained. “Your ankle is injured. I simply wish to see that you return home safely. The hunters are still out there.”
“I’ve been on my own for a long time, Elosel. And the last thing I need to do right now, is add even more problems to my life.” She shuffled past me, “I’m fine, and I’m going home.”
“Anna—”
“Please,” she raised her palm at me, “I said I’d think about it. That’s the best you’ll get from me right now. Thank you for your help.” She shook her head, “Just please, let me go.”
Every instinct within me wanted to grab her by the waist and hoist her over my shoulder, but I knew she’d only fight me further if I did.
Instead, I did as she asked—mostly.
I let her go, but I had no plans of leaving her side until she was safe. As safe as she could be without a warrior like me protecting her.
She could argue all she wanted, but the truth was, she had no idea how to stay safe in our world. It was a miracle she’d lived as long as she had. . . and I had a sinking feeling that her survival . . . was no coincidence.
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Chapter One
Altair
The purple hue of the dusky sky is fringed with orange. The sun is rising, though the daylight hasn’t yet driven out the night. The stars are still visible, winking above the city and the palace. From the roofless tower, I can hear my people below. The sounds of the city echo towards me, reaching high into the sky. Music and laughter. Laughter that will soon fall silent forever.
I narrow my eyes, staring angrily towards the mountain range in the distance. I can almost see Maaz and her Bloodbane witches soaring over the mountain peaks on their deadwood brooms. But it’s only a flock of birds.
I’m running out of time. The night is disappearing, and the days are passing too quickly. I relish the night. Every morning, as dawn approaches, I can’t escape the memory of the day Maaz cursed me. Cursed me to become the beast she saw when I refused her. I close my eyes, envisioning the moment.
Maaz, dressed in the blood-red gown slinked into my throne room as if it were hers already. She had dragged her long, black fingernails across my throat and down my chest, grinning.
I will never forget that grin. Cursed, she had said. Cursed for a thousand years or until I find a Bloodbane witch to break the spell and bind herself to me willingly. Cursed to die, along with all of my people, at the end of the thousand years.
And time is running short.
My stomach twists as Maaz’s cruel smirk flashes through my mind again. The wind caresses my cheek, and I open my eyes to stare down at my city once more. My coat snaps out behind me as the wind speed picks up. It’s coming from the West, towards the mountains.
I scowl, probably a reminder from Maaz. A gloat. A boast. She thinks she’s won already. Fury sweeps through me, sending my blood singing with blood lust. I swing my arm towards the flag pole beside me, where my banner proudly waves, and drive my fist through the wood. It splinters loudly, and the pole breaks in half. It clatters to the stone floor of the tower, the flag coiled beneath it.
I stare down at it, at the black hawk poised to strike on the background of red fabric. My crest. My boot falls over the hawk as I drive the heel of my boot onto the hawk, soiling the flag. It’s a useless symbol, anyway. Behind me, I hear the soft sound of Navi clearing her throat.
“When did you get here?” I ask, kicking the flag away.
She stoops and collects it from the ground. Always the loyal and patriotic soldier. “When you destroyed a perfectly good flag pole with a single punch,” she says soberly. She folds the flag and cradles it in her arms.
I scoff. “Just let it go, Navi. That flag won’t mean anything soon.”
“Quitting right before the end?” Navi asks, her green eyes flashing. “I expected more than that from our King.”
“King,” I echo softly. “A failure, you mean.”
“Altair,” she whispers, placing a thin hand on my shoulder. “There is hope yet.”
I turn to her, twisting my shoulder out from under her touch. She tucks her long hair behind one of her pointed ears as I stare coldly at her. “Don’t feed me lies, Navi.”
“Your Majesty, the scholars have identified the one who may be the key to ending the curse. We know where she is now.” Navi’s eyes glitter. “Let me retrieve her.”
“They found her?” I ask as the sun’s first rays slip over the horizon. Disbelief taints my voice. We’ve searched for her for hundreds of years, many of the scholars said it was impossible. That her existence was only a legend, a rumor.
I have waited almost five hundred years for this moment.
“I will go,” Navi says.
“No.” I turn to the rising sun. “I will.”
Chapter Two
Verity
The lipstick is too red for my tastes, a sharp contrast to my ivory skin. I sigh and wipe at it with a towel, smearing it a little. Tara clucks her tongue at me and uses a finger to gentle nudge my face towards her. She takes the towel and adjusts the makeup.
“What’s on your mind? I thought we decided on that lipstick yesterday,” she says. “Let’s go nude.”
I puff out my cheeks as she rummages through her makeup bag for a more natural lip. “I wouldn’t say that I’m getting cold feet . . . but I am apprehensive, let’s say.”
She paints my lips with the nude coral tone. Much better. “You don’t have to do this, you know. You can back out now if you want to, run away even. I’ve got your back.”
“Tara, you know I can’t,” I say. “My parents, well, they need this.”
Tara purses her lips and steps back to survey the whole picture. “God, you look gorgeous. Come look.” She maneuvers me in front of the floor-length mirror so I can see myself. “You’re the prettiest bride in the world.”
Dressed in a sleeveless ivory lace gown that hugs my figure before falling loosely to the floor in twirls of tulle, I do look the picture of a bride. Even if I don’t quite feel it. “The nude lip looks much better,” I remark, twisting my head to the side to admire my hair.
Tara, my maid of honor and best friend, adjusts her purple gown and huffs. “Henry is such a manipulative bastard.”
I know instantly what she’s talking about. We’ve had this discussion many times since I first accepted Henry’s proposal. “Hey.” I eye her. “It’s not unusual for a husband to help his in-l
aws financially.”
My father ended up with expensive medical bills after his chemotherapy a few years ago. He and my mother pay them off little by little, but they won’t have made a dent in the debt by the time they pass. And worrying about the debt falling on my shoulders has made them physically sick numerous times. We do what we can. Henry saw the struggle and promised to help if I married him.
“Yeah, but most men don’t bribe women into marrying them with that,” Tara says pointedly. “I mean, would you have married him if he hadn’t led with that offer?”
I sigh. “No. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe.”
Tara snorts.
“Henry is a good man. He can be kind and affectionate. And he obviously knows how much I care about my parents, that’s a good sign.”
“He’s also a bit of a dick most of the time,” Tara says as she picks at her manicured nails.
“Okay, maybe more often than not,” I mumble. “What are you doing? You’re supposed to help me feel confident in my decision, not try to talk me out of it.”
She grips my shoulders and stares intensely into my eyes. “What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t have your back? I just want you to be happy, are you going to be happy with Henry?”
“I . . .” I take a slow breath in, “I . . .”
She frowns, “Verity.”
“I need some fresh air,” I say, waving my hand in front of my face like a fan. In less than an hour, I’ll be walking down the aisle towards Henry. I’ll be binding my life to his for the foreseeable future. It’s a lot.
A lot a lot.
Tara ushers me towards the door. “Go outside and get yourself together. I’ll come get you in time for the ceremony, and if you change your mind just text me. I’ll drive the getaway car.”
I flash her a grateful smile as I hurry to the back door leading out of the manor. Henry picked the venue for the ceremony and reception; a beautiful villa on the hills of Connecticut. I peek out the door before I exit, checking to make sure no guests are lurking around, or Henry for that matter. But the way is clear. The villa is a sprawling house with several wings. I picked the most secluded one to keep my big reveal a secret, and to give myself some privacy to think.