Tempted By Fae

by Midnight Coven

  He was thrown into slavery by the dark fae, kept in dungeons, along with other slaves being raised by his captors.

  As he got older, he grew at a rapid rate. He was much taller and more developed than other kids his age.

  The dark fae forced him to train as a fighter.

  By fourteen, he had become familiar with a sword.

  At sixteen, he entered the rings where slaves were forced to fight for their lives as a sport. The Gladiator Games.

  His first fight, he’d killed a man.

  There was one thing he was taught and learned quickly—kill or be killed.

  “The decision to put the capital city on lockdown was a sound one.” The king’s words broke into Voron’s memories.

  “Thank you, Father,” Arnarra replied.

  Voron straightened to his full height, not sure if he had missed anything while he had daydreamed. He bit back a curse. He didn’t have time to visit la-la land. He had a city to protect and defensive tactics to design.

  It was Arnarra’s fault.

  She knew of his upbringing. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of surviving slavery. He didn’t want her pity. He had accomplished so much in his life and he was proud of his esteemed position under the royal crown.

  Who is now the general of the armies of Faery. Arnarra’s words echoed in his head.

  Her fierceness rivaled something inside him. For the first time in his life, Voron was confused. He didn’t quite understand his feelings for Arnarra.

  “General. I want you to ensure the people of Ohlian will be able to sleep safely in their beds at night.” King Gormer’s gaze, so similar to his daughter’s, landed on him.

  “Of course, sir. Ohlian will not lose any sleep,” Voron promised. He and his men would not rest while the dark fae tried their games. The dark fae would fail at their attempt to invade Ohlian. “We kept a few captives alive. I will personally interrogate them to see what else they may tell us.”

  “We will interrogate them,” Arnarra chimed in.

  Voron jerked his head toward her. A sly grin spread across her face. He narrowed his eyes, but she ignored his glare. She knew exactly what she was doing, volunteering in front of her parents. Even though he had agreed out on the battlefield, he hadn’t really planned to include her.

  “Your Grace, there are some things I don’t think you should witness.” The interrogation methods he and his men would probably have to use were not fit for the presence of a lady.

  “It would be a good idea to let her tag along, General,” the queen interjected.

  Voron slowly turned back to focus on the queen. She sat forward, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d think she and her daughter were in cahoots together.

  “Ma’am?” He cleared his throat.

  “One day, my daughter will sit in this very chair. It would do her some good to learn every aspect of ruling a realm. If she is going to be fit to be queen, she’s going to have to get her hands dirty.” The queen glanced at her husband before turning back to Voron.

  Something had passed between the royal couple.

  Voron had a hard time imagining the current queen getting her ‘hands dirty.’ She was a beautiful woman who was regal in her looks. She had a gentle nature that drew the people of Faery to her.

  What had she done to sit in that very chair?

  He was never one to question his king or queen, but that comment piqued his curiosity.

  “There’s more to what you see sitting before you, General.” The queen stood. She appeared to float down the few stairs and came to stand in front of Voron and Arnarra.

  “I meant no disrespect, Your Grace. I am just trying to protect the princess,” he admitted.

  Arnarra released an unladylike snort beside him. “I don’t need protection of that sort, General.”

  Voron glared at Arnarra. There were plenty of other things she could be doing to assist rather than forcing someone to talk. He had ways to guarantee men spill information that would make the most hardened squirm. His knowledge of torture could be attributed to his time as a slave. The dark fae loved to experiment on the slaves.

  Voron was considered valuable because of his size and fighting skills. He had been one of the top gladiator slaves and carried a hefty price. To the dark fae, he was their champion, and many coin had been won because of him.

  His torture methods were almost inhuman. He didn’t want to reveal that side of himself to Arnarra. He liked seeing the heat in her eyes. He didn’t want to ever see that extinguished.

  “Do you think you can make the captives talk?” The queen’s eyebrows rose high.

  Voron glanced over her shoulder at the king, who nodded.

  The king was aware of Voron’s methods. In the past when they had to defend the realm, it had come in handy plenty of times. There was nothing about Voron that the king didn’t know. It was Gormer who had rescued Voron all those years ago.

  For that, King Gormer would always have Voron’s unwavering loyalty.

  “I am almost certain they will sing once I’m done with them,” Voron replied.

  “I knew you had a dark side, General,” the queen murmured. She tapped her chin with her perfectly manicured nail. Her gaze flickered to her daughter before returning to him. “I’m just glad you are on our side.”

  “Of course he’s on our side.” King Gormer barked a hefty laugh. He stood and joined his wife in front of Voron and Arnarra. “Voron has proved himself to us time and time again. That is why he is the general.”

  “That is why he should teach our daughter how to get her hands dirty.” Kylantha turned to her husband, who gently laid an arm around her shoulders.

  “Voron would be the best person. I trust he will do as his queen requests.” Gormer’s eyes hardened slightly.

  Voron couldn’t refuse the request. He knew that look.

  “But of course. I just wanted to inform the princess of what would be expected just in case—”

  “In case what? I couldn’t handle myself?” Now it was Arnarra who cocked an eyebrow at him. She and her mother had the same look on their faces.

  His gaze flickered to the king, who smirked.

  “If the princess wants to observe the interrogation, then so be it.” The king nodded.

  Voron was a master strategist and knew when he was facing losing odds. Better to agree than to find himself thrown into the dungeons for insubordination.

  Voron stalked down the hallway a few steps ahead of her. Arnarra had to practically run to keep up with his longer strides.

  She knew she had pissed him off.

  She had backed him into a corner in front of her parents. He wouldn’t disobey direct orders from the king or queen.

  She had forced his hand.

  Her mother wanted to ensure she was ready to be queen when the day came. Kylantha was a strong woman, and she had fought to get to where she was. She wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth like her husband.

  Arnarra was familiar with her parents’ initial meeting. The dashing king, at war fighting to save a village of fae. His gaze fell on a beautiful woman wielding a sword, defending children from the enemy.

  Their eyes met, and the rest was history.

  “If you are tired, Your Grace. I wouldn’t be upset if you decided to retire for the night.” Voron glanced over his shoulder.

  “You would like that, wouldn’t you, General?”

  Voron spun on his heel to face her. He’d moved so fast she didn’t have time to stop her stride and crashed into him.

  A gasp escaped at the feeling of his hard muscles pressed against her. Neither of them stepped away. Her gaze traveled up to meet his. He stared at her with a ferocious scowl.

  “There is plenty that I would like from you, Princess, but I’m not at liberty to say what.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. She tilted her head back to meet his gaze. Power radiated from the general. Arnarra sensed it, almost tasted it.

  None of the suitors who had shown in
terest in her had caught her eye. She needed someone who was on the same level as she was.

  A man with strength and courage with an aggressive nature who commanded respect was someone she needed at her side.

  She was headstrong and could break the weakest of men.

  That wasn’t what she needed. She’d grow bored with a man such as that. She blinked, and her gaze focused once again on Voron.

  He wielded a power inside him she was sure he didn’t understand.

  He wasn’t raised like she had been. She had been taught from a young age how to utilize what the gods had given her. She was a master of her magic and a powerful fae.

  Voron was never given a chance. He, a slave, had grown up in battle, fighting to stay alive. That in itself was proof of his strength.

  “What if I gave you permission to speak freely, General?” She was playing with fire. That she was sure of, but she didn’t care. For once, she wanted Voron to see her as a woman, not the princess. She didn’t want to fight or argue with him. The tension between them was palpable. It was electric, and if they didn’t act on it soon, she was sure the flames of their desire would overtake them.

  She pressed closer, ensuring there was no space between them.

  “Princess.” He swallowed hard.

  “Arnarra,” she whispered. She just wanted to hear him say her name. Her heart raced with the closeness of him. She did not care that they were in the hallway of the palace. They were finally alone, and she decided to make her intentions known.

  His eyes darkened as a growl rumbled from deep within him. Voron’s large hands clamped down on her shoulders. He gently moved away from her with a deep sigh.

  “This is not the time, Princess,” he murmured.

  She was a little disappointed he didn’t call her by her given name. Her eyes searched his, unsure of why now wasn’t the best time for her to lay her true feelings out for him. Didn’t the stubborn general sense the attraction between the two of them? This wasn’t something they could just ignore.

  “When?” she snapped.

  “There can’t ever be a when,” he bit back through his teeth. His eyes narrowed on Arnarra while his grip tightened. “You are who you are, and I am who I am. There can never be anything between us.”

  She was tired of the games.

  Arnarra heard what he had said, but he was lying. And what little control she had left—snapped.

  She reached up, took his hands in hers, and closed her eyes.

  The wind whipped around them, and the hallway disappeared.

  Chapter Four

  Voron blinked rapidly, trying to regain his focus. He released Arnarra and looked around them.

  “What did you do?” he asked. He took a step back from Arnarra. No longer were they in the hallway of the palace. Now they were in a cozy little cabin. A roaring fire burned in the hearth. It was a modern residence that Voron didn’t recognize. There was a large king-sized bed in one corner and a living space located across from the dining area. “Where are we?”

  He faced Arnarra.

  “You and I have business to attend to, General,” Arnarra stated matter-of-factly. Her stare appeared to go right through Voron.

  It would seem the princess wanted to have her conversation with him now.

  Privately.

  Voron swallowed hard.

  There was no telling where the princess had whisked them. Her powers were unlimited, and if she wanted them on Faery’s moon, then that was where she would take them.

  “I demand you transport me back to the palace, Princess,” he snapped. He dragged in a breath and tried to remain calm. His heart was racing, and he had to push down the nervous butterflies in his stomach. He was unfamiliar with this sensation. He was a warrior, a general. He’d had to fight for his life and always kept a cool head. Now, facing the one person who could break him with a look or kiss, he was powerless. “I have a job to do that is of the utmost importance. You can’t just whisk me away because you feel we need to talk.”

  “I can do as I please.” Arnarra walked over to the hearth and stood before the fire. She glanced over at her shoulder at him before focusing her attention on the flames. “Do you trust Shelmir?”

  He frowned, unsure why she would ask such a question. Shelmir Zinrel was his right-hand man and a strong warrior.

  “Of course I do. I would trust Shelmir with my life,” he admitted.

  She held up her hand. “Shelmir.”

  Voron’s breath caught in his throat as the sight the small hologram image of his friend appeared hovering in her hand. Arnarra being able to render an image of his friend she could speak with was practically unheard of.

  “Yes, Your Grace?” By the sound of Shelmir’s voice, he was shocked as well. “How are you doing this?”

  “Your princess is a very powerful fae, Shelmir. There is much I can do that most of Faery cannot.” Arnarra chuckled. Her laugh slowly faded. “Shelmir, your general has been called away for the moment on an important task. I want you to lead the interrogation. Find out what you can and report back to me.”

  “Yes, my lady.” Shelmir bowed deeply.

  Arnarra closed her hand, and Shelmir’s image disappeared.

  “Princess, I must return right away.” Voron spun on his heel and headed for the door. Who did the princess think she was delegating tasks to his men? He was the general. He decided what was best, and in this time of impending war, he was needed. There was no time for shenanigans.

  Voron reached the door and gripped the handle. He snatched the door open and froze.

  “What the—?” His gaze met an icy, snow-covered mountainous landscape. Rolling white hills greeted him. The wind howled as it whipped the snow around in the air. It was a beautiful winter wonderland. This was not Ohlian where it was warm and sunny.

  “Close the door, Voron. You are letting the heat out.”

  He clenched his teeth at the sound of Arnarra’s smug voice.

  Voron tightened his grip on the handle. He had no clue where they were and doubted they were even still in Faery. Closing the door, he turned around to face Arnarra. Even from across the room, he could see those silvery irises pooling with heated desire.

  “I’m all ears, Your Grace.” It would seem that she had won this round. He had no other choice but to listen to her. He wouldn’t dare venture out in the blizzard. He wasn’t dressed for the cold and would freeze to death out there. His bare chest, leather pants, and boots were no match for the icy conditions outside. His cape, denoting his status of general, would do little to keep him warm.

  He was officially stuck with the princess.

  “My parents want me to find my mate, but that hasn’t been an easy task,” she began.

  Voron bit back the growl that threatened to escape. He didn’t want to speak about the males who had been sniffing around her.

  “I’m sure choosing a mate who would be fit to be the future king would be arduous.” Voron kept his distance from the princess. He moved away from the door and leaned against the wall, trying to appear nonchalant.

  Her beauty took his breath away. The sight of her standing before the oversized fireplace built his desire. The pull to stalk across the room to get to her was growing.

  He had to fight it.

  She was not meant for him.

  “I haven’t met a man who was my equal,” she admitted.

  Her voice was low, but Voron heard every word she’d said. She stared at him, and his cock twitched.

  He prayed he could control his erection. Here Arnarra was, talking about finding a mate to take, and he was too busy admiring her sensual curves.

  His cock disobeyed his every internal command and prayer.

  “I’m sure you just need to keep looking,” he fumed.

  “See, that’s just the thing. I found him.”

  Voron folded his arms across his chest. He didn’t like the sound of this conversation. As the general of the armies, he would be present at either of the princesses’ wedding
s. He would be in charge of security to ensure the ceremonies went off without a hitch.

  He’d always known that whenever Arnarra matched with a male, he would have to behave. For years, he’d understood that she would eventually marry and have children with a male other than himself. This was why he always pushed her away from him. He didn’t want to become attached to her since she could never be his.

  “That’s wonderful.” He cleared his throat. If she’d found her mate, then why the sly comments of her liking his hands on her?

  Was she hinting that he was her mate?

  Or had it all been a game?

  “Your parents hadn’t briefed me that there was an upcoming announcement of an engagement.”

  “The man I have my eye on is unaware that I’ve chosen him.” She slowly made her way over to him.

  His heart slammed against his chest once she stopped near him. She was within arms’ reach, and he had to fight the urge of running his fingers through her dark strands. Her hair brushed her shoulders as she tilted her head back to meet his gaze.

  “I need a man who is strong, powerful, a protector—my equal.” She laid her palm against his pectoral muscle.

  His breath caught in his throat at the feel of her soft skin on his. Her gaze roamed his chest, following her hand while it slid along his skin.

  “Princess—

  “Arnarra,” she snapped. Her gaze rose to his. Fire flamed in her eyes. “Say it, Voron. Say my name.” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

  Calling her ‘Princess’ or ‘my lady’ or ‘Your Grace’ kept a wall between them. It had been something he had done for as long as they’d known each other. Using her first name was personal…too intimate.

  His mouth moved, but no words escaped.

  The air grew electric around them.

  “Say it,” she whispered again. Her hand paused on his abdomen. She moved closer to him, closing the gap between them.

  He reached up and touched the silky strands that teased him. He no longer had the power to resist Arnarra.

  She stood on the tips of her toes; her small hand gripped his neck and brought his face down to hers.