“You’ve been rather mean,” was the next thing she said. Her voice was like a siren call.
“I know. I’m real sorry about that,” he said, truly sorry. “I guess I didn’t know how to handle losing you and keeping the kingdom together at the same time. Looks like I did a great job of messing everything up.”
“You’re doing the best you can. But you really should learn to control your anger,” she said.
As she said the words, Axel felt a familiar defensive reaction boil up. “You do not understand what I’ve been through, what I went through. You haven’t seen how angry I am.”
“I’m sorry King Siloh hurt you. But you have your family, your village, your army supporting you.”
“And you? I made the portal so I could get back to you. I sacrificed innocent human lives to save you. I live with that guilt. What they put me through was the least of it. My choices—those are the ones that I have to live with. And I know it’s not fair to blame you, Jane, because you didn’t ask it of me, but I chose you.” Every sentence enraged him further. He knew she would never understand the responsibility that weighed solely on him. It felt like the weight of the world, and now as complications arose, it was the weight of several worlds.
He flinched when she put her hand on his shoulder, but when she kept it there, he let the warmth of her touch seep deep into his skin, his bones. He felt it in his soul. Axel reached over with his other arm and placed his hand over hers. Still she didn’t move.
He sat back, her face now inches from his. He breathed in the scent of her. It was divine, something he hadn't known he missed. He drank it in until it was like a drug he needed more of. Axel bent his head toward her cheek and leaned further to smell her hair. He felt her breath along his neck and closed his eyes.
Desire was such an underwhelming word to express what was going on inside of him. It was passion, lust, and so much more. He brought his upper body closer to her and felt her breast slide against his chest. It wasn't long before Axel was sliding his fingers in rhythmic caresses up and down her back.
"What about everything you said?" She spoke into his ear.
"What about it?" He said as he slipped his hand under the back of her shirt. The feel of her skin was silky, and he wanted to run his hand over it forever.
"All of that stuff about how I am, but also I'm not, to blame for your choices. Well, I blame you for my choices. I broke off an engagement, I've been dragged into otherworldly situations, and now I'm sitting here next to. Touching you. Not wanting to stop."
Axel pulled away to look into her eyes and got lost in the blue fathoms. Willpower was a forgotten concept. Sanity did not exist. It took half a second for Axel to lean over and push her body with his to the couch.
The first kiss was a test. This was what drug users experienced their first time, he imagined. It was heady, heaven-like, and got him so hard he could barely keep himself from thrusting with his clothes on.
“This feels good,” she said when he nibbled on her neck. In all honesty, there was a feral need in him, and it was painful not to let it out. He groaned, and she bucked up toward him, inciting the kind of reaction from him she must have bene hoping for. He had to be careful not to bite hard.
“It’s fucking amazing,” he said as he lifted her shirt up and over her head. She was biting her lower lip, and his first instinct was to kiss and bite her lip as well. Which he did. Axel then lowered his head and kissed the top of her firm breasts. Without hesitation he reached under her, unhooked her bra, and threw it against the wall on the opposite side of the room.
Axel’s tongue circled each nipple. She continued to lift her body against his, and he knew he'd be undone soon. He traced the curve of each breast with kisses and left a trail with his mouth towards the elastic of her yoga pants. He savored the feeling of her fingers in his hair, scratching at his scalp, and pulling gently as he went further down.
In an effort to get down to business, Axel stood up and pulled off his shirt. She leaned up on her elbows and smiled before biting her lower lip again. In one swift motion, he pulled her on top of him so that she was straddling him as he sat on the couch. They kissed wildly as if they had been starved the month they were apart. Skin to skin, they held onto each other for dear life. Hands roamed, groped, and grasped.
Desperate to hear her call out his name, Axel plunged his hand down the front of her yoga pants. While she didn't say his name, the whimpers and shallow breaths were almost enough to bring him over the edge — especially with the way she was riding his hand on his lap.
Her eyes were closed, and he said, "We should take off our pants."
She nodded.
23
Jane
This was happening. After weeks and weeks of feeling lost, going to fairyland only to be kicked out, and then being dragged across the country and locked up by witches, Jane felt she deserved a break. Aside from her feelings and her worries, this is what she wanted—Axel on top of her.
His kisses were fire. His touch was electric. If she closed her eyes, she saw the meadow in fairyland, the lavender willows, the waterfall.
First, he tossed her back on the sofa and slid off her yoga pants, a naughty grin on his face as he examined her legs. He drifted his fingers up and down each one and spent some time between them at which point her breathing grew ragged. Then his shorts came off as well, and she knew he was absolutely ready.
The moment they connected was unlike any magic she'd experienced or seen. It was the culmination of everything she desired, and he gave it to her—slowly at first, and then increasingly rougher. There was a satisfaction to her own hunger as he lost control and let his primitive urge take over.
The intensity was too high, the passion too great. It wasn't long before they were both crying out. He cursed, and she called out his name as they reached the point of no return. There were stars in her eyes, clouding her sight from the bare gray walls, the iron door, and even Axel above her.
Jane's heart continued to pound for a long time after. She lay, spent, and watched him as he did the same next to her. Soon she was drifting into a lazy sense of calm, and her eyes closed of their own accord.
That's when the lock from the iron door opened. The sound startled them, and Jane scrambled for her clothes. She threw them on hastily as the blonde witch tapped her foot by the door.
She said, "Well I wasn't expecting this. What a shame. I guess I'll have to wait for my turn another day." The woman winked at Axel, and Jane lifted an eyebrow at him.
“Ignore her,” he said. “Jane, we have to talk.”
“Talk later. If you can…” the witch said, as she grabbed Jane’s arm and pulled her to the stairs.
Jane didn’t have a chance to say goodbye or find out what Axel wanted to talk about. She left with a heavy heart and pulled her arm out of the woman's grasp once they were out of the street.
"He’s yummy," the witch said this as she continued her march forward. Jane didn't break her stride or deign to respond.
They walked through a neighborhood that looked very much like an extension of Arizona, and Jane wondered again if this somehow still part of the human realm. They turned a corner, and Jane looked on in awe. In front of them was a monstrosity of a house that looked very much like southern antebellum style. Oak trees lined a long path that led to the front door.
Once inside, Jane realized that these witches certainly had a lot of communication with the modern world. The interior was decorated straight out of a Better Homes and Garden magazine. There were so many contradictions, but she couldn't very well sit down with these people and ask them about their way of life. She was shown into a small, empty office and made to wait.
A few minutes later, another blonde woman came in.
"Oh good. I see my sister has done as I asked, for once. You know sisters. They always try to test each other."
Jane watched her warily, noting her pink silk blouse and matching skirt. It was obvious this woman had some authority, but she a
lso stood out from the rest with her normal clothing. In fact, it was something Jane would have picked out to wear for a Sunday brunch.
"I'm here as an alibi for Axel. I think I take a potion, I tell you the truth, and you accept that as proof since I'm human." Jane wanted this over with as soon as possible.
A slow smile crept onto the woman's face. It looked rather fake, and Jane was anxious over what would happen next. "That is the gist of it. Come. Follow me."
They walked through the house towards the kitchen, a large open space with an enormous fireplace that housed a great big cauldron. A short woman wearing green pants, a yellow shirt, and a purple cap was stirring something on the stove.
"It’s ready," said the mismatched woman reaching for a glass and pouring the hot liquid into it. She handed it to the taller witch and left the room.
"The time for the trial is almost here. Go ahead. Take this." She handed Jane the glass. If the intention was to drug her with something else, Jane fell for it. She threw out a quick prayer and sipped on the hot liquid. Seeing the woman's impatience, Jane threw her head back and chugged the rest.
The woman's fake smile returned, and she motioned Jane to follow her. They walked through doorway after doorway until they reached an expansive dining room. There was no food in sight, but many witches sat around the table in black robes, including the blonde sister.
A witch ushered Jane to a chair as Genevieve, Tamus, and Axel were brought in. The witch with the pink blouse also donned a black robe and sat at the head of the table. Then she began to speak and everyone turned their heads to give her their full attention.
"For those not acquainted with me, my name is Hannia, and I am in charge here. It's simple really—what I say goes. You fairies have queens and kings. The vampires have masters. Us witches have tried to integrate with the human world as much as possible and left all of that behind. I am the Guardian. My role is to make decisions to protect us all, and I was elected as such for the past five elections. I say this so there are no questions, no doubts.”
Jane found this all odd. Why should she have to explain her authority to them? And a Guardian sounded every bit as much as a queen, except for the elections.
Hannia continued to speak. "As all of you know, we've had a very important item stolen from us. As Guardian, I have to deeply apologize since it was in my possession. But now we are here so I can make it right. Our friend, Tamus, has been cleared from wrongdoing, but we have two new fairies in the midst. This human has been given the Gyralli elixir to tell us if they are at fault. Human, come here."
Jane resented being called human as if it were some sort of lower species. But she did as she was told and walked over to stand next to the Guardian. She passed the three fairies on the way, but tried to keep from looking directly at them. The potion was starting to take effect. She knew it from the way her first impulse was to ignore Hannia and jump into Axel's arms. She fought against the urge and remained standing to her left.
"Tell us your name, where you are from, and how you came to meet these fairies."
Explaining everything took time, especially since the potion made her more talkative than usual. It’s funny how she felt no embarrassment at laying out her life's story in front of a room of strangers.
"Very well, Jane. I think it's time we get to the point. On the Night of Eternal Light where were Axel and Genevieve?"
A flood of words came out in response. "Axel was in the fairy realm, a prisoner at the Citadel. I saw him in captivity after I took a potion that allowed my spirit to roam without my body." This statement brought on a wave of whispers from the witches.
"What do you mean a potion? How would you have such a thing in the land of the fairies?" Hannia demanded.
“They have a half-witch, half-fairy, and she practices your magic." This admission caused a ruckus. The conversations became a roar, and Hannia lifted a finger from which a string of smoke was emitted and ended with a small fireworks-like explosion in the center of the table above their heads. Silence was restored.
"And Genevieve," she prodded Jane.
"Genevieve was back in the human realm thousands of miles from the portal. I saw her that same night when I returned. She was snuggled up to my ex-fiancé on the couch." Jane looked over at Genevieve, who was not looking like she was enjoying herself.
"Ouch," Hannia said.
In fact, Jane wanted to say a few more things.
24
Axel
Axel was reminded of the last time Jane drank the Gyralli flower potion. She'd been completely uninhibited, throwing herself at him and declaring that she wanted him. He certainly wouldn't deny her know, but they were in a public setting. He was dreading what she was about to say.
Jane was standing next to Hannia, her eyes bright and wild. It was clear that she was absolutely under the influence of the potion. Her hair, tousled from their earlier lovemaking, matched the manic tone of her voice.
"I've told you what I saw, but I don't think you fully understand what these fairies have put me through. I lived a normal life. I was happy. Or was I? Maybe I wasn't happy. But I didn't know I wasn't happy. Do you know what I mean?" Jane rested her elbow on Hannia's shoulder. The Guardian, who had been sporting a neutral expression, now looked at Jane in horror.
Jane continued, "It feels so good to get this off my chest. And I've been waiting so long to say… Not even sure why I haven't said it… Honestly, I don't think I've even admitted it to myself… I love that man… That fairy… Whatever he is. My soul feels empty without him. The only time I’ve felt centered was when we were having sex in that basement just a few minutes ago."
The snickers were uncontrollable now. Everyone around him was trying to conceal their laughter, except Genevieve. She was outwardly laughing. Axel covered his eyes, wishing the potion would just run out of Jane's system already. There was something he couldn't deny, however. She had taken the potion, and so this was the truth. She loved him. He felt a happy swelling in his chest every time he replayed the words in his mind.
Whether she admitted it later or not, Jane loved him. It was unexpected. He forgot everything that was going on. His only focus right now was on Jane. She was stunning—blathering on like a loony right then—but gorgeous. By the time she went off on the witches for keeping Axel imprisoned, she had to be dragged out.
"Come on." Axel stood up and said, "She's harmless. It's that potion that has her like that. Now you know none of us stole your precious item, so you can let us go."
Hannia sat back in her chair and intertwined her fingers in front of her. "Dear you're free to go. But that human. She stays here."
"I don't understand. What would you need her for?" Axel felt his rage building. This wasn't happening. He would not let her be captured a second time without him able to do anything.
“Ooooh, I do like a man who stands up for his woman. But it won't work this time. I need her as collateral."
"What are you talking about?" Axel was shouting now. Genevieve reached for his hand, but he shrugged her off.
Hannia stood up, and though she raised her voice, it was still in the same calm manner that she said, "A fairy was here and took something from me. You will find out who it was and bring them to me for justice. That item is of the utmost importance as I imagine the human is to you. I think it would be a fair trade."
Axel was going to threaten her—maybe even fight her—when she disappeared before his eyes. One by one all the other witches did the same. Only he, Genevieve, and Tamus remained. Axel ran off to the house where they'd been kept in the basement.
Genevieve shouted things at him. Something about slowing down and waiting for them. But he couldn't wait. Faster than he'd ever run, Axel saw the house at the end of the block and continued toward it. The closer he got to it, though, the blurrier it became.
He blinked his eyes several times, even slowing down a bit. But every time he took a step forward the house started vanishing from his vision. By the time he was steps from th
e front porch, it looked like there was nothing there except for dirt. He walked onto the dirt, touching it to make sure it was real. This witch magic was strong, and he had to find a way to fight back.
Genevieve and Tamus caught up to him. His sister gave him a sympathetic smile and said, "Axel, let's just do as the bitch said." He took another look around, nodded his head, and walked away. He faced the house again, and once more it was visible.
She was in there—his Jane. And there was nothing he could do about it.
Tamus spoke up then. "Let me speak to Hannia. We came here on a mission, and we haven't even started it."
"No," Axel said. "First, we get Jane out. They won't be helping us with anything until they get what they want."
Once outside the portal, Axel waited as Genevieve retrieved her phone. She walked in circles as she listened to a voicemail. Then she stopped and put her hand over her mouth.
“Those fucking bastards!” Genevieve shouted. In two steps Axel was by her side. She raised her eyes to him and said, "The citadel has attacked. Darick called from our house and left a message that everything was alright, though they were forced to fight back."
Axel was about to lose his mind. If there had been a wall nearby, he would have put his fist through it. Jane was trapped. His family, friends… They were all in trouble, and here he was hours away from helping them. He was seeing red, but somehow he had enough wherewithal to remember something.
"Tamus, where is that old portal?" He asked the other prince.
"About an hour away by car," Tamus said, seemingly excited to help.
They were tired. Axel could see it in their faces, but they kept up with his pace as he tore down the hill towards the car. He drove like a fiend, even Genevieve telling him to slow down. He threw her a nasty look and continued down the highway.
A Touch of Summer: Spellbound Series Book 2 (The Spellbound Series) Page 9