Defended By Darkness: Wings, Wands and Soul Bonds Book 2

by Bolryder, Terry

  T: Don’t worry, we can still have a little fun while keeping up appearances.

  What does that possibly mean?

  E: I have no clue what you’re saying.

  T: You’ll see. ;)

  The thought of big, dangerous Tanner using a winking emoji instantly puts a smile on my face.

  My phone dings again.

  T: And don’t think a company party is going to come between me and my plan to pleasure you senseless tonight, princess.

  My heart thuds in my chest, and I shoot one more text off before putting my phone away.

  E: Can’t possibly wait.

  Now to get through the afternoon and survive the party without really losing control around Tanner.

  15

  Tanner

  “Humans have the absolute worst taste in armor,” I mutter, looking at myself in the mirror in the black tailored suit I’ve picked out for the party.

  I’m not sure why humans insist on clothing like this for big, important occasions.

  It wouldn’t last two seconds in a fight with chaos.

  “I think you look… respectable,” Brett says, standing in the kitchen with his arms folded. Next to him, Avery is rummaging for something in the fridge.

  “It’s functionally useless. It offers no protection whatsoever, yet it’s not comfortable or beautiful like fae ceremonial clothing is either,” I exclaim, turning in a circle, hoping it will somehow become more appealing the more I look at it. “I will not be upset when I don’t have to wear any more suits.”

  “Suits aren’t supposed to offer protection,” Flynn chimes in, plopping onto the couch next to Ian. “They’re supposed to be sexy.”

  “Is it working?” I ask the fire fae honestly. His thumbs-up at least gives me hope that Eva will like how I look in it.

  “You’ll knock ‘em dead,” he says with a grin.

  “Of course a fire fae would have knowledge of such things,” Ian says casually, leaning against the arm of the couch, a book in his lap.

  Flynn looks over, a frown on his face, when Ian grins slightly.

  “As humans would say, that was a solid freeze,” Ian says, amused by himself.

  “You mean burn. That was a burn on Flynn,” I reply.

  Ian’s initial forays into some human customs have had scattered results at best. But I’m really glad he’s trying new things, and he’s still making connections.

  Every fae needs connection, whether it’s romantic or just friendship. Without them, the draw of chaos becomes more and more enticing.

  “He’s a fire fae. How could I possibly burn Flynn?” Ian exclaims.

  “You can’t and you didn’t,” Flynn exclaims smugly. “But A for effort.” He gives Ian a friendly smile.

  I adjust my suppressors under the sleeves of my jacket, making sure they’re on snug.

  I don’t want one to fall off and have it cause a scene like every time we have walked into a human club.

  “I think it looks great,” Avery says, munching something in the kitchen with Brett. “She’ll love it.”

  I give her a grateful smile while Brett bristles with jealousy.

  “I did not know you liked suits so much,” he says grumpily. “If I had, I would have—”

  Avery interrupts him with her hand on his chest, and the touch makes him soften immediately.

  “Hey, I didn’t want to bond with you just because you looked good in a suit, did I?”

  Brett shakes his head.

  “Then don’t assume just because I’m complimenting someone else that it means I have eyes for anyone else, you sexy guy.”

  I turn away because I know in about ten seconds, they’ll be making out. And making out will lead to more, and someone in our apartment will have to tell them to go back to their place.

  But as much as I’ve begrudged their public bonding, I’m actually glad to see Brett’s growth as a result of it. Glad to see the two of them happy, really.

  It also means this whole fae relocation program is actually working in spite of all of our reservations at the beginning.

  Now to make sure I don’t mess things up with Eva…

  “I think it’s truly fitting that the commander of darkness looks so dashing in a dark suit,” Brett says. He and Avery are just snuggling right now, but I know that won’t be where it ends.

  Flynn laughs wholeheartedly, and I can’t help relaxing slightly in spite of my utter nervousness.

  No one prepared me to do such things as mingle and flirt and pretend to be in charge of a human company like this.

  I’ve commanded elite forces against overwhelming odds. I’ve stared into the maw of chaos and overcome all who dared to defy me.

  But dammit if this woman doesn’t have me entirely at her mercy right now.

  I do one last check and grab my wool coat off a desk next to me.

  “Anything else?” I ask, my thoughts on Eva. Her sparkling eyes full of determination. Her lips parting slightly every time she looks up at me. Her soul so full of kindness and justice that it calls me across space and time to be with her.

  “Good luck, Tanner,” Ian says, sitting up and giving me a thumbs-up similar to Flynn’s earlier.

  “Oh, one more thing,” Flynn exclaims, getting off the couch and disappearing into his room. A second later, he produces a small silk scarf, and he folds it and puts it in my jacket pocket so it sticks out at an angle. “Can’t have you going in there looking like a newb, can I?”

  “A newb?”

  “A novice. But that’s not important. Go get her!” He finishes with a firm slap on my shoulder.

  “Show her the fearless commander we all know you are.” Brett chimes in.

  “Just be yourself. That should be plenty,” Ian says lastly.

  “Thank you. Everyone,” I say to my friends and allies as I put my coat on, heading back out on the most important mission I’ve ever had in my life as a fae prince.

  Winning my soul match.

  * * *

  Eva

  It’s odd to be wearing something that even resembles a dress, I think, as I catch a glimpse of my reflection in one of the mirrors at the back of the conference room where we’re holding the party.

  I rub my arms, not used to having them bared.

  Usually, I’d be wearing some stiff suit with a pencil skirt, but tonight, I’m wearing a flowing, formal jumpsuit in black that sits off the shoulders, hugs my curves, and ends in billowing, soft pant legs that come together to look like the bottom of a dress.

  I just love that it has pockets.

  And okay, maybe I’m hoping that, along with the heels and a bit of makeup, I can make Tanner look even half as affected as I am whenever I see him.

  I walk along the side of the ballroom, glancing around for him. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so wary about coming together.

  But all of this is so new to me. Wanting someone so much I would even think about jeopardizing my work.

  I walk around a nearby group of men to stand near a column and watch everyone socialize.

  “Well, doesn’t someone look devastating tonight?” a deep voice says from behind me, making a shock move through me.

  I whirl around to see Tanner, and he’s just standing there, looking so incredibly handsome, hands in the pockets of his perfectly tailored, three-piece suit.

  It’s pure power cut to emphasize his broad shoulders and trim waist. His beautiful, shiny dark hair is slightly wavy, and his sharp features make him look like a model who accidentally wandered into the wrong room.

  I can feel a hush as quite a few people stop to look over at him.

  He waves a hand. “HR business. Don’t worry about us.”

  Slowly, the room returns to normal, and Tanner merely looks annoyed at the attention that being a CEO commands.

  “I’m only here temporarily,” he says in that adorably confused way I’m starting to get used to. “I’m not sure why they defer to me.”

  “You could fire them,” I say.
<
br />   “No, I couldn’t,” he says.

  “You could,” I insist.

  “Anyway, enough about me. I’d rather talk about you and how amazing you look tonight.” His voice is husky. “Your legs go on for miles.”

  I flush, pleased with the compliment. “Thank you.” I give him a sultry look as I slowly lift my lashes, enjoying the way his eyes widen slightly, looking like starry skies, and his jaw tightens minutely.

  He shifts his weight, taking one hand out of his pocket to rub his jaw. “You sure you don’t want to just head out now? Get some of that misconduct going?”

  I laugh, giving him a little shove. “Behave.” Not that I want to every time I look at him.

  That suit is going to haunt my every dream for the rest of my life.

  And what’s beneath it…

  I bite my lower lip and look up to see him looking even tenser.

  Whatever this thing is between us, no matter how I’ve tried to resist it, it’s getting stronger. Pulling us together. To the point that it almost feels wrong to be apart.

  He turns to look at the crowd, letting me breathe easy for a moment, and I can’t stop staring at his sharp profile.

  I can’t explain the feeling around him. Something otherworldly.

  As I continue to stare, an image flashes quickly in my mind, so fast I’m not sure what inspired it.

  Wings. Dark. Huge. Flaming black wings shooting out of Tanner’s shoulders.

  Perhaps I’ve had a bit too much wine, but I feel sober.

  Perhaps my sex-starved brain is just starting to make things up.

  It’s a beautiful image but has nothing to do with the man beside me now.

  A man I’ve become good friends with.

  A man who makes me aware that there’s something inside me that I’ve been trying to hold back.

  Perhaps this is what it feels like, being in love.

  I blink.

  I am not in love with Tanner. We’ve barely been on a date, if you could call lunch that.

  Sure, he gave me an orgasm on a printer. And shows up to every meeting. And gets involved more than any other CEO I know.

  And tells me, when I want him badly, desperately, that he wants so much more from me.

  That he wants me… to bond with him.

  Just that word causes something to echo deep in my soul.

  “I’ll stay mobile,” he says, leaning down to whisper in my ear and naughtily teasing my skin with his breath as he does so. “No one will suspect a thing.” His hand grazes my waist as he leaves, and the gentle touch is so searing I have to bite back a moan.

  Then he’s gone, easily working his way among the groups of people, shaking hands, throwing back his head in easy laughter.

  I love this company, but right now, I hate it for taking his attention away.

  Even though it’s my fault this is happening. My stupid insistence on us staying professional.

  I go back to my table, pouring a glass of wine and sipping it as I listen halfheartedly to a conversation between some of my co-workers about changes to the health plan.

  I turn to talk to them about it, and time passes quickly until dinner is ready to be served.

  I’m about to look for Tanner, but out of nowhere, he appears, pulling out the chair beside me. He deftly removes the name card for whoever was supposed to sit there and moves it to the empty spot next to him.

  I glare at him for a second, and he just shrugs, shameless.

  “I have to take some CEO privileges,” he says, leaning in conspiratorially. He lowers his voice to a whisper. “Like sitting next to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”

  How can he just talk like that?

  Please don’t let me melt all over this table.

  The person he moved just looks happy to be next to the CEO, and as our meals are served and conversations starts up on either side of me, I feel Tanner’s hand move onto my thigh, giving it a soft squeeze.

  I bite my lower lip, keeping back a moan, because he’s being such a damn tease right now.

  I look over to see him talking innocently with the man next to him as if nothing untoward was happening under the table.

  His hand moves slowly in a bit, then closer to where I desperately want him, and this time, I do let out a slight moan, drawing some attention over to me.

  Tanner removes his hand but grins as he digs into his salad.

  “Uh, it’s good, right?” I ask, holding up my wine glass. “Maybe I had a bit much.”

  That’s enough to make the others at the table laugh and shrug it off, but when I send a furious glare at Tanner, his mischievous grin only deepens.

  All I really regret is that he’s not touching me anymore. I shake my head, telling myself to wait just a little bit longer.

  Soon enough, dinner is over, and someone pulls Tanner away to talk to him, much to my disappointment.

  But just as the COO, Bill, comes up to talk to me, I hear my phone buzz with a text.

  I smile with relief at the excuse to ditch Bill, since I really don’t find the experience pleasant. He’s always bragging about his dad or saying something sexist about how well I do my job “for a woman.”

  “Sorry, Bill,” I say, leaving him with a frown as I move to a private corner to check my phone.

  T: Tell Bill to stay away or I’m going to introduce him to eternal darkness.

  I let out a snort at Tanner’s exaggeration, then type out a reply. I’m not sure he deserves death.

  The phone buzzes quickly with Tanner’s response. I didn’t say I would kill him. Just that he would never see light again.

  I frown at the text because it’s a little unusual, but I’m still pleased by Tanner’s protectiveness.

  “Anything interesting happening?”

  I jerk my head up and shove my phone in my pocket just as Dawn, the CTO’s wife, comes over to me.

  I sigh in relief. “Ah, no. Just texting.”

  “These things are so boring. You looked like you were having fun over here.” Her eyes twinkle. “And at dinner.”

  I think a tomato would blend in with my face about now. “Ah. You noticed.”

  She grins, putting her arms around her small purse and holding it to her chest as she looks over at her husband with a look of pure admiration. “You know, workplace romances aren’t all bad. Did you know I met Ray through work?”

  “No,” I say softly, my eyes wandering over to Tanner, locking on him like homing missiles. “But I’d love to hear about it.”

  Someone please tell me that what I’m doing isn’t wrong, because once I get home with Tanner and those homing missiles are allowed to hit, I know I’m going to explode.

  And nothing is ever going to be the same.

  “I see how you look at him, and don’t worry. I won’t tell on you,” she says. “Though, I just have to say, even though it was awkward at times, it was worth it. Ray and I met because we were both hired onto the same team. Sometimes you don’t choose how you meet someone, you know?”

  “Yeah,” I say, locking eyes with Tanner as he looks over at me, feeling sparks ignite in the air around me.

  Dawn catches my expression and just smiles warmly again, putting a hand on my shoulder supportively. “Anyway, good luck. And don’t worry. Ray and I won’t tell anyone.”

  “There’s nothing to tell,” I insist. Yet.

  She just gives me a little wink before sidling off, and as I watch her walk over to Ray, who gives her a smile and puts out an arm to pull her in against him, my heart can’t help but want the same.

  “You ready to go yet?” A voice interrupts from behind me.

  I whirl around and sigh in relief when I see Tanner there. “How do you always sneak around like that?”

  “I move in the shadows,” he says in a teasing tone. “When no one is looking.”

  I glare at him. “You’re so weird sometimes.”

  He smirks. “You love it.”

  He’s right. I do. His weird works with my wei
rd.

  I look up at him, unable to resist noting the perfect shape of his lips, his straight nose, those gorgeous eyes. “Yes, I think I’m ready to go now, if you think we can sneak out without being noticed.”

  His grin is all confidence. “I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  16

  Tanner

  We took a cab back to her apartment because it was the most subtle way to escape the party without people assuming we were leaving together.

  After all, no one notices a cab.

  A limo, as I would have liked to call for her, is a different story.

  Still, as much as I hated the business party, pretending to care about feeling better than others who make less money, it was worth it to see Eva like this.

  Letting her guard down, looking so beautiful, her bond intertwining with mine, making my heart ache.

  And her body in that curve-hugging black outfit with heels to make her just a little bit taller.

  Her dark hair loose around her shoulders. Those sparkling blue eyes locked on mine, hungry as hell.

  Soon, I intend to satisfy that hunger.

  I try to look surprised as she leads me up to her apartment, even though I came back to cast a veil of obscurement here once before.

  But it’s different being brought here because she wants me here. It’s different knowing your soul bond wants to bring you into her home.

  I shift my weight awkwardly, trying to keep my thoughts straight as she gets out her keys to unlock the door.

  The second she gets it open, she pulls me inside, jerking on my lapels as she nudges the door shut with her foot.

  In the same second, she’s pulling me down, swiping her lips over mine voraciously, making me smile against her mouth at her pure eagerness.

  As my hands slide around her waist to steady her, my mind goes almost blank with panic.

  Chaos. Right here in the apartment. Why didn’t I sense it when we were outside? How could it break in with my veil? How did it find her?

  And what am I supposed to do at this moment when I can feel it slinking around corners and Eva is in my arms, warm and relaxed and finally ready to be mine?