“I knew about the rule.” No longer able to stay still, Kayden sucked in air and strode to the edge of the garden wall.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” Hurt, barely masked in Callum’s tone, sent a flicker of guilt through the prince, but he didn’t face his friend, instead closing his eyes against the rising sun.
“You’re like a brother to me. The brother that Kalli never wanted to be. I didn’t tell anyone, not even you or Emily.” Two people could keep a secret if one were dead. Better for everyone if he carried this burden alone. “I hoped it would buy me time to figure out a solution.”
“Well, have you?”
He looked into the distance at the light cascading fresh and new across the glittering sea down the hill and watched as the peasant folk began their workday in the village. His heart belonged to a woman who only visited their realm at night, and that wouldn’t change. Though the price seemed too high, and would indeed rob him of his very heart, his responsibility was to his people. “No.”
The land—and their people—could not afford Kalli taking the throne. Their father had lain sick for years, but the healers grew unsure how long they could keep him alive. His brother plotted to take control of the kingdom and it fell to Kayden alone to save everyone.
Can I betray my love to save my people?
He must choose his people, but he hadn’t figured out how to carve the beating heart from his chest. It wasn’t too late, not yet. Kalli’s discovery only accelerated his plans. Hard to believe he’d held her in his arms, had finally been able to kiss her, only to find his time was almost up. “I’ll find a way. I will find a way.”
Callum stood by his side, as he had through so many dark moments in the past, though his eyes were grave. “I’ll be here, if you need me.”
“Brother, I’m depending on it.”
Chapter Three
Monotony.
Work became a punishment –– Emily really just wanted to sigh like some lovelorn teenager and relive every moment in Kayden’s arms. Humming, she replaced books on the shelf. Lost in her thoughts, the hand on her shoulder startled her.
“Daphne!”
“Hey, Ems. Why are you all sunshine and fucking unicorns today? Humming while you put books on a shelf? I mean…Really?” Daphne, her best friend, sneered in true Daphne-fashion. Her shining dark hair, pulled back tight from her birdlike face, only emphasized the expression.
“Sorry. Off in a daydream, I guess.”
“Musta been one hell of a daydream. Tell me about it over lunch? I’m thinking Arby’s.”
“You’re thinking cheap. Let’s get some sandwiches at the deli. At least they have decent coffee.”
“Snob.”
“Yeah, right.” Snagging her purse, Emily called back to her boss, “Heading out for lunch. Need anything?”
“Winning lottery ticket and a pool boy,” Mrs. Cress answered, her traditional response.
“On it.” Emily followed Daphne out of the double doors to the parking lot.
“So, the daydream,” Daphne prodded. “Tell me about it. Since me and Rich broke up, I need to live vicariously.”
“Come on, like my daydreams compare in the slightest to the adventure that is Daphne’s life.” Ducking her head, she hoped she hid the heat creeping up her neck with her hair. Torn between desperately wanting to share the most erotic moment of her life and fearing censure, Emily chose evasion.
Daphne snorted. “Yeah, danger, sex, traffic tickets. My life is oodles of fun. Spill.”
Emily never told anyone about Kayden, but what harm could it do? Besides, she was bursting to share her story with someone… “Okay, so there is this librarian.” Beginning the story and only pausing to order her food and pay, she told Daphne about a wizard prince living in a far off land who paired up with a librarian, saved the kingdom, and ended the condensed version of years’ worth of dreams with the mirror scene. She avoided mentioning her role in the story––much too personal. Maybe Daphne would have some good advice on what the librarian should do next. “So, what do you think?”
Instead of offering up advice, Daphne fanned herself. “Girl, why haven’t you written all that down? I mean, great imagination. I know I’m not a big reader, but even I would love to read that story.”
“Story?” For a moment, Emily fought confusion. “Oh, the story.”
“Yeah, the wizard prince and the sexy librarian…I think you could really smut it up, but it would make a helluva book. Lots more like the mirror bit, of course. Way more original than that Fifty Shades of Duct Tape and Handcuffs type of stuff.”
“You loved that book, so don’t pretend otherwise now. Seriously, what should the librarian do next?” Who cared if Daphne didn’t believe her, if she had decent advice?
“How should I know? It’s your story.” Daphne picked up her sandwich and went back to eating.
Emily plucked at her sandwich. “I think the librarian might be in love with the wizard prince.” Confessing it in broad daylight made her breath catch.
Daphne, oblivious to the importance of the conversation, just waved her sandwich in a circle. “Well, duh. Why else would she travel to his world, have monkey sex in front of a mirror and all that crap?”
“But what if it is real?” Confiding, she caught Daphne’s hand. “What if—?”
Laughing, Daphne patted her hand. “Real life goes like this…you’re born, you grow up and pay bills, and one day you die. Real wizardry, and royalty? Yeah, go to England for the latter, and read some Harry Potter for the former. You’re not finding any around here.” Daphne reached across, snapping her fingers in Emily’s face. “Earth to Emily. Girl, it really is a fantastic story idea and, if it trips your trigger, you should write it out. But you also need to get out more. Date. Find a lover in reality, one who’ll leave your legs shaking instead of your imagination. Know what I mean?”
“I know.” Emily sighed, glancing around the restaurant. “I’m not like you, though. I can’t just go up to a man and—”
“Why the hell not? Hey, you!” Daphne waved to their waiter, a dark haired guy, nothing special—not as hot as Kayden—and pointed from him to Emily. “You wanna take my friend out to a movie tonight?”
The guy scanned her, then Daphne, with her low-cut shirt. “Like, all of us? Together?”
“You sick fuck. Seriously? You think a couple of women are in here surfing for a threesome?” Daphne laughed and the guy blushed.
“I-um.” Seeming at a loss for words, the guy fumbled for a second and then fled.
“Well, that worked great.” Emily snorted. “Yeah, I’m invisible.” On one hand, she was resigned because no one saw her and it wasn’t surprising. On the other, Emily’s pulse slowed in relief at both the confirmation of her frumpiness and the fact she wouldn’t have to cheat on her dream man.
“You need a makeover.” Daphne smiled. “Tomorrow, after you get off work, what are you doing?”
“Same thing I do every night, Pinky. Trying to take over the world,” Emily snarked.
“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we go get you a makeover. New duds, new hair, pluck those woolly mammoths you call eyebrows. We’ll sex you up and go out. I know this place—”
Emily shook her head. “I don’t like clubs.” The noise, the crush of bodies, even the sound…all of it made her a little nauseated.
“You don’t like anything that involves normal human interaction. No buts, no discussion. Makeover and one night out. Do it for me.” Daphne batted her eyelashes.
Unable to deny her one real friend anything, Emily conceded. “One night. Then, once you see what an epic failure it is, you drop this.”
“And you write that story.”
“Deal.”
****
“How goes the plan?” Narcissa’s dark hair spread, like a blanket of night across her shoulders, as the maid brushed it carefully. Past her own reflection, she considered her husband in the mirror.
“He didn’t look as upset as I hoped. I
half fear he knew about the marriage law and was trying to keep it quiet. Unlikely, but still…” Stripping off his robe, Kalli studied the maid who averted her eyes from the now naked, and obviously aroused, prince.
Narcissa, aware of her husband’s great love of virginal maids, didn’t dismiss the woman. They’d played with others like her, most of whom quit work at the palace probably impregnated with royal seed, and this one was a pretty thing. Narcissa could think of some amusing uses for the girl. “Not unlikely. I’ve told you, Kalli, you underestimate him. The spell—”
Her husband’s eyes darkened dangerously and Narcissa bit her tongue. “Out,” the prince ordered and the maid fled. The little mouse might have escaped—something Narcissa was jealous of, as no such respite would be allowed the future queen—but there were always other nights for play rather than politics.
“I think you scared her, Kalli.” The amusement in her tone did not reflect the chill of worry dancing across her flesh, raising goose bumps. Sometimes, she feared Kallicrates suffered from madness. Although she shared her husband’s love for dark play, she wondered if his joy came from the pain rather than the sexual release.
“I’ve warned you not to speak of these things in front of others, wife.”
Pretending not to be affected by his fury, she picked up the brush and resumed the taming of her mane. “I slipped.”
Yanking it from her, Kalli struck her, smiling as her head reeled from the sharp and immediate pain. She’d been raised to deal with his temper—her power lay in her flesh, if not her words.
Rising, she dropped her night robe. Her body would silence him. The cool white flesh of it tempted him, taunted him—her tool whenever he went too far. “I do apologize, your highness.”
Bowing her head in subservience she never felt for her weak-minded, cruel husband, she hid the smile at his already impassioned expression. Never failed…
“You’ll pay a penance for it, of course.”
She nodded, stroking one red nail down his chest. “As I was asking, before I made my error, the spell…it was never as strong as you intended. For her to escape nightly, travel here to be by his side…”
She trailed off, watching his eyes. Like a little boy, seeking comfort, he pulled her close to him. “I don’t know how they are doing that. At least Emily still doesn’t realize the reality, but I worry—”
“Hush, my pet. I told you, I’m working on that. Soon she’ll not bother to dreamwalk to his side. Her new reality shall consume her and we’ll be rid of the bitch forever. Then Kayden will be forced to abdicate, your father will succumb and we will rule.” Stroking his face, she felt the muscles tense in his jaw and recognized her error before his hand caught her breast, twisting the nipple so sharply and painfully that she gasped.
“I will rule. You will not rule.” Kalli looked at her, that dark thing inside him so close to the surface she wanted to shudder, to hide from it.
“Yes, my Lord. You will rule.” Consoling him again, she pulled his lips to hers.
Or you would die like your father and I will rule…Either way…
Chapter Four
The dark crawled slowly over his land and Kayden watched as fires and candles lit up in the city below. The growing glow illuminated people living their lives, loving, dying, all of them dependent on him to keep them safe. Turning to his father, a few lamps allowed him to see the formerly strong man, now hardly a shell of the figure he’d been only years before.
Years of wasting illness that none of the healers could cure, that nothing he did could fix, had sucked the life out of the old man while Kayden kept his vigil. Kept his kingdom.
Kept his word.
He’d promised his father, long ago when the illness seemed like something that might pass, he’d keep the people safe.
He’d not known, at the time, the price might be his own happiness.
With a final stroke of his hand on his father’s withered one, Kayden exited, the weight of his sorrow shed one footstep at a time. He needed to be what Emily wanted now—the carefree magical prince of her dreams—rather than the man who carried this burden. If his time with her came to an end…
No, he wouldn’t consider it. Not yet. There had to be a way.
Shaking off the last dregs of his worries like a dog might shake off the chill of rain, he strode into his own rooms, finding no comfort in their familiarity. He’d learned long ago, she would appear to him, first. They could go wherever he wanted, no border halted their passage but that of the rising sun—or her determined mind, if it snapped her free of her dreams.
But always she came to him. He’d planned for it, going wherever he wanted her to appear, for so long it became habit to prepare for her arrival. Tonight he would just talk to her and not allow the temptation of her flesh or the needs of his people to distract him.
Alone, he could talk to her. He could tell her his plans, and they could figure this out. But when she shimmered into being, her usual soft gown coming to life with the first breath she drew, desire overruled reason. He had to taste those lips, especially since they were set in a pout almost as if she doubted his affection after his display last night.
Taking her face in his hands, he allowed himself just a taste, a sip of the mouth that tempted him for so many nights he’d lost count. She opened for him, a delicate flower unsure of its ravishing beauty, her tongue meeting his as if afraid to come out and play.
And then she came to brilliant life.
Her body awakened under his touch. His desperate need for her, a need to feel her skin, taste her passion, flooded through him. Emily moaned, her head rolling back on his arm until she could meet his gaze with her own wonder-filled one.
How she doubted her magic, her allure, when he starved for her attention, was beyond his comprehension. “Kayden,” she whispered.
“I planned for us to talk of important things,” he explained. “I’m sorry. I gave in to temptation. I wanted to see if I could kiss you without you vanishing.”
“I’m still here.” Her voice was almost a breath of sound, as if she too worried about breaking the enchantment of their bodies entwined.
“Yes, you’re still here.” Her smile urged him to again sample her mouth, so sweet and enticing.
This time, the kiss blazed through him. Her arms twined around his neck and her body pressed flush to his. He could feel her breasts, so teasingly unbound under her gown, squeezed against his chest and wondered what it would feel like to have her body, her fully naked body, under him on the bed, splayed out for his pleasure.
Tugging at the fabric, he managed to pull it over her head, revealing her skin to his hungry gaze. “I planned to talk.”
His hands, as if they had minds of their own, filled with her creamy breasts and he enjoyed her soft gasp. She found her voice, even though it was husky in her passion. “We’re not talking.”
“No. I should let you dress again. I should turn away.” But he didn’t. He captured one of her ripe, hardened nipples in his mouth, suckling it deep into the recess of his mouth and then rolled it around on his tongue like some decadent fruit he longed to sample.
“You’re not doing that, either.” Her nails dug into his shoulders, urging him not to stop, and he backed her onto the bed.
“No, I’m not. You’re not complaining.” His hand found her mound, found the sensitive center of her passion and flicked it just to watch her body arch.
“Kayden.” Urgency lit her tone, her desire obvious in her flushed breasts, her panting breath, and the moist heat flowing in her slit.
“You can tell me to stop.” But he didn’t want her to. Didn’t want to talk when he could shove his tongue between her legs, lap at that hot haven that he so long imagined.
Allowing himself the liberty, he kissed her there, where the scent of her need for him was so rich and hot like honey. He wanted to push inside her with his aching cock, feel her writhe for him, and listen to her shout out his name.
But he pressed her legs fur
ther apart instead, burying his face between them and driving her higher until her hips arched into his face. Her voice, when she cried out, was that of a woman lost to the loving he gave her.
She was his.
The thought of someone else, some unknown man in some unknown world, taking this because responsibility forced him to give her up was unacceptable. She would remember him, ache for him, be marked by him.
Allowing his magic to awaken, he dipped one finger, hot with his power, inside her. He found the spot that made her cry out, no words just sound, and rubbed it while his mouth continued its torture of her clit.
She was close, so damned close, to climaxing for him, her legs trembling around his head as she clamped them in her need. He raised his head, finger still moving fast and hard inside her. “Shatter for me, my Emily. Come apart for me and only me.”
Catching the delicate flesh between his teeth, he sucked her clit inside his mouth, rubbing it fast and hard with his tongue while increasing the pulse of magic from his fingertip to her womb.
Her scream echoed in the silent room, a plea, a battle cry, surrender. Triumph roared through him because he’d brought her over the edge. The hot fluid of her release trembled out of her and he lapped it up, longing to press his cock into that clenching channel.
But resisting.
He couldn’t have her only to lose her. He’d never survive it.
As she panted, her flesh shaking and shivering in her ecstasy, he lay beside her, pulling her body close to his.
“Kayden,” she whispered again. His heart wrenched. How could he ask her to stay when even he wasn’t sure how to keep her here? How could he tell her their years of being together could be coming to an end?
He wouldn’t. Not now. Tomorrow. He would tell her tomorrow.
“I’ll get you a glass of water. Will you fly with me, my lovely Emily?”
Smiling the masking smile he knew she’d be familiar with, the playful look he shared with only her, he brushed her soft hair back from her brow.
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