by Quinn Loftis
“He said that he wanted his people to look into buying the land that you have had your eye on. He mentioned that he would simply use the excuse of looking for oil in that land if human investors began to ask questions.”
“So you believe he knows of Rapture?” Lorsan asked referring to the drink that he had developed.
Trik nodded. “I can think of no other reason that he would have to buy the land where you are planning on putting the store houses.”
Lorsan stood and began to pace. “We need to move things forward. If Tamsin is dealing with your human,”
“—Chosen,” Trik growled. “My Chosen.”
Lorsan waved him off. “Yes, yes, your Chosen , then. If he is dealing with that little issue, then he won’t have had to time to move forward with the land purchase, which means that we should have time to contact Leon and tell him to get it done.”
Leon was the human realtor that the dark elves had hired to help them find the land. Trik didn’t care for the sleazy little man, but it wasn’t up to him who Lorsan employed.
“I’ll go see him.” Trik stood to go.
“What are you going to do about your Chosen?” Lorsan asked.
“You aren’t going to tell me what to do?” Trik raised his eyebrows at his King.
“Would you obey me?”
Trik’s face spread into a callous smile. “Not when it comes to her.”
Lorsan rolled his eyes. “Not when it comes to anything is what you really mean. Do what you must, but at some point you will have to tell her who and what you are. Will she be able to handle it, I wonder?”
Trik shook his head with a low chuckle, “I’m the assassin and spy for the Dark Elf King. I kill without remorse. I live for myself and my own pleasure. I come from a dark people with dark hearts. What do you think?”
~
Cassie spent the next twenty-four hours going through the motions of her day, but her mind was only on Trik. She went from class to class, nodded at the appropriate times , and attempted to look interested when Elora spoke to her.
“You’re thinking about him again aren’t you?” Elora asked as she nibbled on the carrot she had pulled out of her lunch bag. They sat in their usual spot in the far corner of the cafeteria , giving them a full view of the room. She and Elora were experienced people watchers. They amused themselves by imagining things that people were saying or thinking while they went about their lunch period, unaware of the two girls humoring themselves.
“I can’t get him out of my mind. It’s like he put a spell on me or something.”
“I don’t know what sort of magic elves hold,” Elora replied.
“Are you still going on about that?” Cassie interrupted exasperatedly.
“What other explanation is there, Cassie?” Elora asked indignantly. “You said that the dude’s appearance changed right before your eyes.”
“A synapse in my brain must have misfired.”
Elora raised an eyebrow at her. “A misfired brain synapse? That’s really what you want to go with?”
“As opposed to, Elves with Magic Abilities for $200, Alex? Then yes I’m going to go with misfired brain synapse,” Cassie smarted off .
“We’re going to Lisa’s store after school,” Elora told her as she took a drink of her soda all the while ignoring Cassie’s scowling face. “We can talk to her and see what she thinks.”
~
“Lisa!” Elora hollered as the little bell over the door of Enigma, her mother’s store, jingled. Cassie followed her into the new age shop, her eyes never ceasing to widen at the many interesting things that decorated Lisa’s store. They walked to the back of the store where the cash register sat and waited for Elora’s mom to come up from the backroom.
“What are you girls doing here?” Lisa asked as she drug a large box from the storeroom. Cassie walked around the counter to help her and Lisa smiled. Cassie once again noted to herself that Lisa had one of those disarming smiles that made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
“Cassie saw some elves and then met one who has pretty much put a claim on her,” Elora said nonchalantly.
Cassie’s mouth dropped open as she listened to her best friend explain the situation to her mom as if she were talking about the weather and not about some mythical species.
Lisa froze and looked from Elora to Cassie, her eyes wide, with disbelief or surprise, Cassie couldn’t tell.
Elora shrugged. “I didn’t tell her anything, I just gave her an explanation for what she saw.”
Lisa took a step towards Cassie. “What exactly did you see?”
Cassie was surprised that Lisa wasn’t laughing or telling them that they were absolutely crazy for even considering such an idea.
“Well…” Cassie started. She explained everything she had told Elora and waited for Lisa to finally tell her that she needed some sort of medication for her hallucinations.
Lisa stepped back and leaned against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her chest and a thoughtful look on her face. A face that was nearly identical to her daughter ’s. Her hair, a dark brown, could have been the same color as Elora’s. But Elora had kept hers dyed since before Cassie could remember, so there was no way to be totally certain.
“So what do you think about Elora’s ideas about this?” Lisa asked Cassie carefully.
Cassie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean, what do I think ? Are you telling me that you believe her?”
Lisa nodded slowly. “I believe her because I know that it’s true, as does Elora.”
“How?” Cassie practically shrieked.
“We know elves,” Elora said in her usual matter of fact tone.
Cassie coughed on her own saliva as she attempted to swallow. “Y-y-you know elves?” She stuttered out her question.
“Have you seen the products I carry in this store? Where do you think I get most of this stuff?” Lisa asked.
Cassie shook her head. “I need to sit down.”
“Yeah, you are definitely going to need to sit down before I tell you the really scary part.” Lisa walked around the counter and pulled out a chair for Cassie to sit in.
“The really scary part?” Cassie’s brow rose. “You’re telling me that elves being real isn’t scary enough?”
“Are you sure that the elf you met said that his name was Trik?” Lisa asked.
Cassie nodded.
“That’s not good.” Lisa tapped her lips with her forefinger, her eyes unfocused in thought.
“Why exactly is it not good?” Cassie was trying to grasp what Elora and her mother were saying, but it felt like they were making her drag the information out of them.
“Well, if it is the Trik, then you met the Dark Elf King’s most deadly assassin,” Lisa said.
Cassie’s head fell forward and landed on the counter with a thud. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Elora snorted. “Only you would meet the most dangerous elf out there and have him basically tell you that he wanted you to be his woman.”
“Thanks Elora, that is really helping,” Cassie thudded her head against the counter repeatedly hoping that if she knocked herself out she would wake up and all of this would have been a dream.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Lisa grabbed Cassie’s ponytail to keep her from hitting her head on the counter again. “We have a more serious concern. You said you saw the gentlemen in the conference room in all their Elfin glory. That’s not good, Cassie.”
Cassie raised a single brow at Lisa. “Really, because the death looks they gave me before chasing after me wasn’t a clue at all.”
“Well, don’t you want to know why they were chasing you,” asked Lisa.
“I guess that would be useful information to know.”
“It’s against Elfin law for a human to ever see an elf in its true form. My family has known of them for generations. I’ve known of the Elfin my whole life, and even have a close Elfin friend named Syndra. None of us—not one—has ever se
en them in their natural form.
“What does that mean, exactly, that I’m not allowed to see them?” Cassie asked nervously.
“Unfortunately, Elfin law states that if a human has seen one in their true form, then the human is marked to die. Even the light elves, who are supposed to be the good guys by the way, stick to that rule. So essentially…”
“Your ass is grass,” Elora said absently as she nonchalantly flipped through a magazine as if they weren’t discussing her best friend’s imminent demise.
“Again, thank you, Elora, for the overflowing empathy,” Cassie said matching her friend’s dry tone. “Okay so let’s say that I believe you, what do I do?”
“I will speak with Syndra and see if there is some loophole that I don’t know about. Maybe there is a way to petition the Light Elf King.”
“So we are going to basically beg for them to let me live even though I know their little secret?”
“Pretty much,” Lisa said nodding her head.
“You two are just little rainbows of positivity, you know it?” Cassie said sarcastically.
Lisa laughed. “Meanwhile, you need to see what Trik wants with you. He is a dark elf, Cassie. No, no, he is the dark elf. He isn’t one to be trifled with.”
“Yes because I make it a habit to trifle with dark elves,” Cassie snorted. “Sorry, Lisa. I’m not trying to be a butthead; I’m just a little overwhelmed.”
“Understandable,” Lisa said as she patted Cassie’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, alright?”
“Did you know my dad’s company was owned by the elves?” Cassie asked Lisa.
“Yes, but we aren’t allowed to reveal that we know about the Elfin, which is why Elora has never told you that she knew about them.”
“Are you going to be in trouble?” Cassie asked her.
Lisa shook her head. “I don’t think so. After all, we didn’t reveal them to you; it was Tamsin’s fault.”
“Who is Tamsin?” Cassie asked apprehensively, not sure if she really wanted to know.
“He’s the Light Elf King. I imagine he was probably one of the one’s you saw in the conference room.”
Cassie stood as she blew out a deep breath. “I think I need to head home and stick my head in the ground. Hopefully when I finally emerge maybe the elves will have forgotten about me.”
“If you are on Trik or Tamsin’s radars, I imagine they aren’t likely to forget about you,” Elora told her friend.
“Okay, you are not allowed to speak anymore,” Cassie pointed a finger at Elora. “Take me home please and keep your happy thoughts to yourself.”
Chapter 4
“I’m scared, I won’t lie about that. But I can’t deny that a part of me—a part way, way, way, waaaayyyy deep down inside is slightly excited about the elves. Okay, and about Trik. Excited about some elves that want to wipe my existence from the face of the earth? Apparently, I’m a glutton for tragic endings. Who knew?” ~ Diary of Cassie Tate
“Should I come back later?”
Cassie jumped when she heard the deep voice behind her, letting out a completely undignified squeal. At the same time, she jerked the shirt back down that she had begun to lift up to pull over her head. Her hand went to the place over her heart as if to hold it in while it tried to beat out of her chest.
“How, what, where…” her words quickly tumbled out as she shook her head and tried to process how the handsome man had suddenly appeared in her room.
“Your mirror,” Trik said in explanation to her unasked question as he pointed to the mirror above her dresser.
“What about it?” Cassie asked, finally finding her words.
“It’s how I got into your room. That’s what you were asking right? How did I get into your room?” Trik crossed his arms as he leaned back against the wall behind him.
Cassie stared at him. She noted to herself that she must be seeing him in his human form at the moment.
“I was trying to be gentlemanly by announcing myself,” he said. “Though now that I consider the situation, it would have been much more to my enjoyment to let you finish what you were doing.” He continued with a smirk.
“That would have been rude,” Cassie told him as she took an unconscious step towards him. She was drawn to him. Something in her longed to be close to him and she could no more turn away from him than she could separate her soul from her body.
“Why are you here?” She asked him.
Trik pushed off the wall and prowled towards her. Her breath quickened as she saw his eyes begin to turn from grey to silver. She watched in awe as his shoulder length hair extended before her very eyes, becoming so dark as to appear tinted purple. His skin became more bronzed and the beauty that was already painful to look at became even more pronounced. She lost her breath as she took him in.
“Wh-wh-what are you?” She stuttered breathlessly.
“I think you know,” he told her softly as he came to stand mere inches from her.
He reached up and brushed away a few wispy strands of blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail. Cassie tried to remember to breathe as she looked up into his handsome face.
“How can you be an elf? How is that even possible?”
“How can you be mine? How is that possible?” He leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers.
Cassie’s breath caught as she felt something pass between them. It was like her spirit was joining with his. She could feel something deep inside her flowing from her body to his.
“What’s happening?” She whispered as her eyes closed giving herself over to the sensation.
“You are my Chosen.” Trik answered.
“What does that mean? Chosen what?” She asked breathlessly.
“My mate, the one being in the universe created to be a part of me as I’m a part of you.”
“We aren’t even of the same species, how can I be a part of you?” Cassie shifted, bringing her body in line with her head so that they were practically brushing against one another.
Trik’s hands came up and rested themselves on her hips. She felt his warm breath caress her face. She inhaled deeply, drawing in his smell and finding peace in his presence ; peace and comfort that she had no idea that she had even needed.
“I don’t understand it, Cassie.” Her name on his lips was the most intimate sound that she had ever heard and she found that she longed to hear it again.
“Cassie,” Trik said softly.
“Are you reading my mind?” She asked him, still not moving away from him.
“I can see your thoughts when I touch you, remember?”
“That’s sort of disturbing,” she told him as she opened her eyes and pulled her forehead back from his so that she could look into his eyes.
“I won’t invade your most private thoughts; I could never do that to my Chosen.”
“How do you know? Have you had a Chosen before?” Cassie asked. Even as the words left her mouth she felt an illogical pang of jealousy and hurt at the idea of him being with someone, anyone else.
Trik’s hands tightened on her hips and his eyes narrowed. “We only have one Chosen.”
“Ever?” She asked.
“Ever,” he confirmed.
“What now?”
She watched in fascination as he licked his lips. She felt her face heat up in a blush when she saw a crooked smile lift his lips . He had noticed what she was staring at.
“Want a taste?” He asked her suggestively.
Cassie’s eyes widened. “Are you always this forward?”
“You were the one staring at my lips like they were a succulent feast. Not that I’m complaining.”
Cassie tried to pull away but he refused to let go of her. Their eyes met and Cassie felt like she was falling helplessly into those silver orbs. She held perfectly still as his head dropped closer to hers. She knew what was coming and though a part of her thought she should stop him, she made a conscious choice to ignore that part.
“Cassie,” hi
s lips were less than an inch from hers.
“Yes?”
“How old are you?”
Cassie started to back away, confused by his question. Again, he refused to let her go.
“Eighteen,” she answered.
He grinned, a wicked, wicked grin that sent a shiver through her body.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he whispered.
Before she could protest, if she had wanted to, his lips where pressed to hers.
Cassie’s body melted into his and she felt the strong muscles of his arms wrap around her in a firm hold. His chest flexed as he pulled her closer. Cassie let out a breathy moan as she felt his tongue brush against her lips and she opened her mouth without hesitation. She felt one of his hands slide up her back and then to her hair.
Trik grabbed her ponytail holder and slid it out of her hair. He felt the soft strands of her blonde hair flow like water over his hand. He raised both hands and ran them through her now loose hair as he deepened the kiss. In his long life nothing had ever felt so right as kissing the woman before him. If he had doubted before that she was his, he had no doubts now. She was definitely his Chosen and he knew, right then and there , as she ran her hands up his back under his long hair and gripped his shirt in her small hands that he would die for her, and, if necessary, he would kill for her.
He pushed her back until she was pressed against the wall and felt her body tremble against his. The desire that ignited in him was all -consuming and he knew that he would need to be careful and not push her too fast. He pulled back from the kiss and looked into her beautifully flushed face. Her lips glistened with moisture from their kiss and he didn’t try to hide the satisfaction in seeing the proof of her desire for him on her lips and in her eyes.
“Whoa,” she whispered softly.
Trik didn’t back away, but continued to press in closely. He smiled and stroked his fingers through her hair until one hand rested on the curve of her neck, his thumb brushing gently against her throat. He watched as she slowly began to bring her breathing under control and the intense need began to fade from her eyes.
“I think that would be an understatement, Arwenamin .” The endearment he used was an elfin term and he saw the question in her eyes.