Summer of Frost

by L. P. Dover

  By L.P. Dover

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  Smashwords Edition

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  Summer of Frost

  Copyright © 2013 by L. P. Dover

  Editor: Melissa Ringsted

  Cover Artist: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design

  Formatting by JT Formatting

  ISBN:

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Calista & Merrick’s Dream

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring

  two Courts to Four is what it will bring.

  Without the Four the evil will spread,

  the Land of the Fae will fall into dread.

  The next generation will provide the Four,

  the maiden souls and nothing more.

  The Power of Four will start with the first,

  if he gets the power, only then will you be cursed.

  The Power of Four will be drawn to the others,

  their power is strong, the power of lovers.

  The moment they become one,

  only then will the change have begun.

  Two Courts to Four is what needs to be,

  to save the Land, so shall we see.

  Tonight was the Winter Solstice Ball, and of course, I was running late … like always. When I walked through the huge double doors of the ballroom, the force of the exuded power almost knocked me off my feet. I froze in my tracks, darting my gaze around to find the reason for such power. Something wasn’t right. Everything around me was normal; the Summer Fae were here, and everyone was dancing around and drinking. Yet, why was my heart pounding out of my chest? Why was the intoxicating energy trying to pull me in another direction?

  My date and lover for the time being, Alston, had my arm tightly wrapped around his while we walked through the crowd, acknowledging everyone as we passed. If he felt what I was feeling he wasn’t showing it, but how could he not, it was so strong. Alston had short, black hair and striking, blue eyes that reminded me of our Lake of Ice. He walked with a regal gait, so sure and confident, and always had the Winter Fae women fawning over him. He came from a prominent family of the Winter Court, and was also one of our warriors, even though he could’ve easily taken a place on the council. He lost the battle when it came time for my Guardian Ceremony, and ever since then, I think he’d secretly held a grudge against Oren, my guardian of two years.

  Peering over my shoulder, I glanced quickly at my guardian—who was following close behind—to see if maybe he was feeling what I was. “Do you feel anything strange, Oren?” I silently asked him through our connection.

  Oren narrowed his eyes and examined our surroundings with great fervor. He replied back, “I don’t sense anything other than your frantic heart. I don’t think there’s a danger in here. Do you feel threatened?”

  “No, it’s not like that,” I said, looking around the room. “I don’t know how to explain it, except it’s strong.”

  “I’ll keep a look out,” Oren assured me, and gave me a wink.

  Giving him a quick nod, I turned my gaze back to the crowd. Alston squeezed my arm, and whispered gruffly in my ear, “I can’t wait to get out of here. How about we take a break and head to your room?”

  “Is that all you think about?” I hissed impatiently, rolling my eyes. “We just got here.”

  Alston shrugged, his leer emanating a mischievous gleam. “I can’t help it. You look fucking hot in that dress. Blue is your color, it brings out your …” he said, staring at my breasts, but finished his sentence saying, “… your eyes.”

  “Somehow, I don’t believe that.” I laughed, smacking him in the arm.

  Normally, I would be all for us leaving the Ball, but the sensation I’d had since coming into the room had given me pause. I was about to tell Alston what I was feeling when my best friend’s voice spoke out from behind me, stopping me.

  “What are you two whispering about?” Sarette asked, coming to stand before us.

  Looking at her was like seeing me in the mirror. From a distance, we looked almost the same with long, straight black hair, same height, and same features. We’d often been mistaken as each other, but if you examined her closely, her eyes were a majestic blue while mine are emerald green, a rarity among my people. No one in the Winter Court had green eyes like me, and mostly everyone thought it had to be because of the prophecy.

  I scowled playfully at Sarette, and hooked a finger in Alston’s direction. “Your cousin wants to blow off the Ball and have his way with me in my room, or better yet, I have my way with him.”

  Sarette shook her head, exasperated. “Isn’t that the reason you two were late getting here in the first place?”

  I nodded. “Yes, and apparently, that isn’t enough to satisfy him these days. Maybe I should find someone with fewer needs.” I said it as a joke, but in a way I wanted it to strike him where it hurt. Alston got pissed and stalked away, which was my intention with the jab. He was fun to be around, and amazing in bed, but he had started wanting more than I was ready to give.

  Sarette followed her cousin’s retreating form, but glanced back at me with concern etched on her elegant face. “What’s up with you two?”

  “I don’t know,” I remarked, shrugging my shoulders. “He’s been really clingy lately, and showing more signs of jealousy and hostility toward Oren. They fight all the time and it drives me insane. I guess he’s still angry he lost the battle to be my guardian, but even so, he’s gotten really possessive … I don’t like it.”

  A smile took over Sarette’s face.

  Laughing, she took my hands. “He acts that way because he’s in love with you, Sorcha. I know you don’t want to be tied down with someone, but he’s really taken with you. You should let him in your heart instead of pushing him away. I honestly think you’re trying t
o find reasons to push him away. Wouldn’t it be great if we became sisters instead of just best friends? I’ve never seen him act this crazy over someone … ever.”

  She was ecstatic when I took her cousin as a lover. She wanted us to be a family, but if this was how his love was, I didn’t want any part of it. I wasn’t an expert on affection, but surely it couldn’t be smothering like that. Sarette’s gaze grew sad, the realization dawning on her that what was about to come out of my mouth wasn’t going to be anything reassuring. I couldn’t care less about hurting anyone else’s feelings, but Sarette was like a sister to me, and if I broke things off with Alston it would definitely disappoint her.

  Squeezing her hands, I gave her a small smile. “He may love me, Sarette, but I just don’t think I can take anymore,” I whispered to her. “If he wants to back off a bit and just have fun with me that’s fine, but I just don’t see him doing that.” Immediately, and out of nowhere, I could sense a strong presence behind my back. Sarette’s eyes went wide at the same moment I tensed and stood frozen. I cringed, thinking it was probably Alston and he had heard every word I’d said.

  My heart began its erratic beating again, and when I slowly turned around to face Alston, I was astounded to see that it wasn’t him standing there, but someone else. The man before me was not only lethal and sexy, but he happened to be the Summer Court prince, Drake. His bright, red hair reminded me of the sun on a hot summer day, or better yet, the fire of the dragon inside of him. However, I didn’t let his charm sway me. His smoky, gray eyes bore into mine, and when he noticed I didn’t melt under his gaze, he tilted his lip up in an arrogant smirk, clearly amused. Cocky bastard.

  “Good evening, Princess Sorcha. I don’t think we’ve actually been formally introduced,” he expressed regally, bowing slightly. “I’m Drake.”

  “I know who you are,” I replied blandly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  He beamed. “Good things, I hope.”

  “Not really,” I teased dryly.

  Indeed, I’d heard many things about him. He was an arrogant ass that liked to show off his skills anytime he could, not to mention he probably had a million Summer Fae women lined up to enjoy him in his bed. I didn’t know that for certain, but I could only imagine. His life was very secret when it came to women, so needless to say, it drew many speculations. He was ridiculously good looking, and the longer he was in front of me the more I felt a pull to fall into his arms. What the hell was wrong with me?

  Laughing, he tilted his head and held out his hand. “How about we dance, and you can tell me all about what you heard. I guarantee most of it isn’t true.”

  I glared at his hand, and then back up to his face, contemplating if I should accept. Before I could take his hand, Alston pushed his way between us, anger emanating off of him in strong waves. “How about you find someone else? Sorcha is with me. I’m sure you’ll find another Winter Fae that would be happy to cool your bed.”

  For a second, I stood there frozen and speechless. In a way, I wanted to see what Drake would do, but I also didn’t want to see them fight. It would cause unwanted problems that we didn’t need. Slow, and with determination, Drake took a step closer to Alston, standing almost nose to nose with him. “So … she’s with you, huh?”

  “That’s right,” Alston growled.

  A wolfish grin spread across Drake’s face. He raked his heated gaze down my body quickly, before laying his deadly gray eyes back on Alston. “Keep telling yourself that,” he retorted.

  Alston clenched his fists, ready to strike, when Drake gracefully backed up and bowed his head slightly at me, never swaying his eyes from mine. “Maybe next time, Princess Sorcha,” he murmured, his voice low and seductive.

  Out of all my years of always having a smart ass comeback or something witty to throw out, that moment was one of the times I couldn’t form words. Alston snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me close, and for that second in time I didn’t care. Nothing existed except me and Drake as he backed up slowly, both of our gazes never wavering from each other’s. He winked at me before leaving the ballroom, and once he was out of sight, everything immediately returned to normal. My heart beat regularly while everyone came back into focus, and that meant Alston and Sarette’s angry glares.

  I knew then that everything was going to change after that night. Drake had captured my attention, and I was determined to find out more.

  “Enough!” I yelled, my voice carrying out over the expanse of the field.

  The warriors were on the training grounds battling it out, but they stopped at my command. They bowed before gathering their weapons and clearing the field with haste. They’d been training since sunrise, and I knew they needed their rest. I had to make sure they were ready for when the time came for Ariella’s Guardian Ceremony, where they would combat each other for the right to be her guardian.

  Light footsteps approached from behind, and I wasn’t surprised to see that it was my sister, Ariella, who had taken place by my side. While she searched over the retreating warriors, I could see the mischievous glint in her eyes, and the wheels turning in her head.

  “Whatever you have planned, little sister, I can already tell you it won’t be wise,” I informed her in my most serious tone, even though I knew I was wasting my breath.

  She laughed, but I could hear the deceptive tone underneath. “Oh, Drake, when will you get it through that thick dragon skin of yours that I always follow through with my sneaky plans? It’s what gives me purpose in life.”

  I groaned, running my hands through my hair. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  Ariella had this way of always making everything difficult for me, and she loved it. Even when I trained her she’d still be stubborn and up to no good, always trying to take me down with her underhanded tactics. She was a good fighter, but never disciplined enough to take it seriously. She always had a dirty trick up her sleeve, and in battle that could be a good thing. Out of all my sisters, she was the most fun to be around. You never knew what you were going to get with her.

  Much to my dismay, and never would I say this to them, but I actually missed my sisters, Calista and Meliantha. The palace was a lot quieter with them gone, but it was full of energy when they were here. Meliantha was due any day to have her twins, and once we got the announcement I was sure everyone would be flocking to the Spring Court, maybe even … Sorcha.

  Ariella snapped her fingers, trying to get my attention, so I cocked my head in her direction. “Drake, are you okay? You’ve been acting weird for a while now. You’re usually an arrogant ball buster, but I’ve noticed that you haven’t been as hard or mean to the warriors here as of late. What’s going on with you?”

  Quickly, I averted my eyes from her, and tried to think of an excuse, but none came. Ariella was the last person I wanted to talk to about what was on my mind. Jumping up and down excitedly, she clapped her hands and asked, “Are you seeing someone? That’s the only reason I can think of. Who is she?”

  Turning my head away from Ariella, I contemplated my next words. What was I to say … that I was in love with a dream? For the past few months, the Winter Court princess had occupied my fantasies every single night. Ever since I met her, she’d taken over every thought in my mind like a plague. I’d even turned down countless nights of bedding the women of our court because all I could see was the Winter beauty inside my head. I couldn’t seem to dream of anything else other than her, and what pissed me off about it were the feelings I was having. It was pathetic to be falling in love with a dream, and especially with someone from Winter. Except, if I was honest with myself, I’d say that I was already in too deep, but no one needed to know that.

  Smiling, I glanced over at my sister who still had a goofy grin on her face waiting for my lover’s name. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there’s no one. You should know better, Ariella. Love is for idiots who have nothing better to do.”

  She stared at me in disbelief, but then burst out laughing. “I
don’t believe you for a second! Say that shit to someone who’ll believe you. Drake, I’m sure one of these days you’ll find the Summer girl of your dreams. You don’t have to hide behind your arrogance, you know. Unfortunately, I’m sure you’d still be the same arrogant ass as always when you do decide to find someone. In a way, I kind of pity the girl that you fall for,” she joked. When I growled at her, she smiled and linked her arm with mine. “Oh, calm down, I’m just kidding. Now come and take me for a ride,” Ariella demanded. “It’s been ages since I’ve flown with you.”

  Ariella and I had always had a certain bond. I think it was because she was the youngest of my siblings, and also the one I had to spend a great deal of time with to keep her out of trouble. She happened to be the only one of my sisters who’s ridden with me in dragon form. I don’t do it often, but when I do I enjoy the times I can be free and fly. Out of the people in my court, I’m the only one who’d been gifted with the ability to turn into a dragon. It made me different, and also lethal. When the final battle with the dark sorcerer comes, I was pretty sure I could handle my own.

  However, there were disadvantages of transforming, such as the pain before and the fatigue after. It took a lot of power and strength to be, ‘The Dragon,’ but it was a sacrifice I’d happily give to see my sister smile.

  “Where would you like to go?” I asked while we made our way to the edge of the field. “We flew over the Spring Court last time, so where will it be this time?”

  Ariella smirked in her usual mischievous way, and acknowledged the one place I was hoping she would pick. “I say we fly over Winter this time. Let’s give them something to talk about, shall we?”

  I smiled, and rubbed my hands together. “Let’s go.”

  I could feel the excitement in my chest as my body prepared for the change. After removing my warrior gear, I knelt down in the soft grass below me. Ariella moved back to give me plenty of space, and folded my clothes into a neat pile. Before I let the dragon forth, I took a few deep breaths to concentrate, in and out. The calmer I was, the less pain my body endured during the change. On the days I was angry, I could shift almost immediately; the pain was explosive, but it was over just as quickly.