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

by Bolryder, Terry

  At least my body has no qualms about what it wants.

  I’m alive all over, all those nerves I didn’t know existed until I met Tanner lighting up with little flashes of energy underneath my skin.

  Tanner’s expression goes from warm to smolderingly hot in an instant, as if he can read my every want or need as plainly as a book.

  He steps off the bed and pulls his pants off, leaving him in black boxer briefs. Thankfully, he doesn’t make me wait, tearing those off with one hand and standing before me like some perfect, naked demigod in all his sculpted glory.

  I appreciate that he takes a moment to open and slide on a condom, since I’m too caught up in lust to discuss logistics about having sex with a fairy right now.

  By the time he’s over me on the bed, I’m already teasing my clit with my finger, and just the sight of him makes my body groan for release. But as he moves between my legs, I put my hand aside, knowing I won’t need it in a moment.

  “Once we go beyond this point, Eva, you won’t be able to go back.”

  “Back to what?”

  “To the life you had before. A life where you didn’t know about magic or fae,” he says seriously.

  “I know,” I say, ready to have so much more of him. Ready for anything, no matter how complicated it may be.

  Tanner is my first… well, everything.

  And every taste I get of a life with him only makes me desperately hungry for more.

  I spread my arms, motioning for him to join me, and Tanner props himself up with a hand on either side of me, making the muscles up the back of his arms and shoulders flex delightfully.

  When I wrap my hands around his neck, the softness in his gaze only further confirms what I know about him.

  Maybe we really are perfect together.

  “I’m ready. I promise,” I say, unable to stop the warmth and happiness inside me from leaking out.

  I never thought I would be in love after I saw what happened to my parents.

  But now I realize that when you meet the right person, you can’t really hold back, even when it’s dangerous.

  Perhaps that’s what it really means to be in love.

  Tanner leans down to kiss me gently. But even the softest touch heightens my arousal, making me let out a little moan against his mouth.

  I’m so desperate to see and feel this man, who always seems to be in control, losing it in my arms.

  Tanner kisses me harder, then pulls away as I feel his thick tip tease my entrance. God, he’s huge.

  I spread my legs a little wider as he slowly, carefully goes inside me. The sensation of his thickness is so intense my body goes tight for a second, and he stops immediately, waiting patiently for me.

  If he hadn’t worked me over so generously, stretched and teased and stroked me, I don’t know if I could take him.

  But as it is, my body is ready, and the tight fit gets better as I take deep breaths and relax around him. Then I pull him in deeper, my legs around the small of his back, until he’s finally all the way in.

  It’s like being pleasured from the inside out, and every nerve up and down my spine is going haywire. It’s so strong my fingers and toes tingle.

  But it’s nothing compared to when he starts to move inside me.

  Tanner makes small motions first, gently testing a small movement, pulling out slightly before pushing slowly back in.

  Even the short distance he moves, I can feel his tip teasing an ultrasensitive spot inside me I never knew was there until his fingers went wild on it a few minutes ago.

  But this? This is something else.

  “I know you may tire of hearing this…” Tanner’s expression is starting to tighten too. The muscles in his core are tensing, and I feel like I can see eternity in his eyes right now. “But I’ll keep saying it so long as I still have breath. You’re so beautiful, Eva.”

  I want to tell him the same thing too. But the way he’s filling me and pleasuring me all at once makes words a no-go on my end for the time being.

  I’ll definitely tell him later.

  He smirks, as if amused that I’m so utterly helpless to his pleasure I can’t talk, and instead focuses on drawing out each thrust a little longer, a little farther.

  Tantalizing, agonizing need coils inside me like a spring. And before I know it, I’m thrusting my hips up to meet him as well, doubling our speed.

  We’re finally at the peak of what I can possibly stand, and I can’t tell if my body is begging for release or pleading to draw it out so we can feel like this forever.

  I pick somewhere in the middle.

  My hands are gripping Tanner’s shoulders, and I pull him down to me so we’re chest to chest. His pecs brushing over my breasts as he moves inside me only stimulates me further, and my throat is tight with what I know will be an earth-shattering release.

  “Come for me, princess,” Tanner whispers into my ear just as he thrusts into me one more time, so deep it’s like he’s reaching my soul.

  And because it’s Tanner, I come.

  I scream his name over and over, my mind reduced to such a base level that all I can do is verbalize a single, two-syllable word that is going off with fireworks in my head.

  Meanwhile, my body explodes in desire, and I can feel Tanner come with me too, his cock jerking inside me and only pushing me deeper into my own release.

  For several moments, it feels like my world seems to be shifting to revolve around this man in inexplicable ways, and inside me, I can see a dark thread that I somehow know is Tanner, entwining with a thread that’s inside me. And even though my thread is colorless, it gets brighter as they continue to wrap circles around each other, over and over, until I can’t tell where one starts and the other finishes.

  My thoughts are wracked by another wave of orgasm until gradually the forceful motions in my body ebb into a heady, hazy afterglow.

  And above me, Tanner’s skin is flushed, only further accentuating the hard line of his jaw and his high cheekbones.

  Just. Wow.

  But before we can do anything else, I feel something poking the sides of the bed behind my head. Something attached to me.

  Tanner slowly pulls out of me, and he helps me stand on wobbly legs as we go to the bathroom.

  And when I look in the mirror, there’s no doubt about it.

  I have long ears too.

  They’re like Tanner’s, only not quite as long, a little more delicate. I run a finger along one, but it’s so ticklish it makes me shiver.

  “You’re manifesting,” Tanner says, wrapping his arms around me.

  “You mean becoming a fairy?” I ask.

  “More like the fae part of you is finally coming to the surface. Your magic can no longer completely be held back. Awakening is the awareness of what you are. Manifesting is when you show it.”

  My mind races with questions, so many questions, and Tanner helps me clean up before we go back to the bed. By the time we’re there, my ears have already gone back to normal, but my heart is buzzing with thoughts.

  Tanner kisses me again and pulls me into him, arm wrapped protectively around me.

  “So I assuming you’re staying the night?” I ask playfully, glad to have him by my side. “Because I need a lot of answers.”

  “Of course. You’re my soul match.”

  I turn around so we’re facing each other, lying on our sides on the bed. As pleasured and tired as my body is, I’m too curious to not know more about all the things I haven’t asked about yet.

  “About that. What is a soul match?”

  “It’s when two people—two fairies—are perfectly suited to each other in magic and in other ways. A soul match is that certain someone who is your perfect other half. They become your soul bond when you connect with each other,” he explains.

  “Through sex?”

  “Yes. But also through acts of love. Caring. Effort to be there for each other. Protecting one another.”

  It sounds wonderful, so magical
and full of mysteries. I thought I would be afraid when I learned about this new world, but as long as we don’t go too quickly, I find myself excited by it.

  “So are all fae like you? Dark hair? Cool black wings? I’d love to see them again sometime if I can.”

  He chuckles. “Of course you can. As for other fae, no. There are many kinds. I’m a dark fae, and—”

  “Kingdom of darkness?” I say with a laugh.

  “I’ll start at the beginning,” he says, grinning at me.

  So he tells me about his world, about wands and soul bonds and types of fae. And we lie there for hours, just talking and enjoying the new closeness between us.

  As I take in everything he tells me, the night slowly drifts onward until I’m fast asleep in the arms of the man that I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I love.

  Everything is just perfect.

  19

  Eva

  I feel like I’m living in a fairy tale, and I suppose I literally am. Though, right now I’m just sitting in my office, trying to focus.

  A little bit hard to do after my long conversation last night with Tanner.

  He told me about why he’s here in this world, protecting others like me from chaos fae.

  It all makes sense in a way I never could have imagined. Him following me and being overprotective. The way he never seemed to quite understand or care about social norms.

  One thing that keeps distracting me is the thought that I’m also a fae, apparently a princess, though I don’t know what powers I have.

  I reach a hand out toward my coffee mug, focusing, as if I can use the force or something to bring it toward me, but nothing happens and I sigh, sitting back and feeling a little bit silly.

  I guess I don’t have that power.

  I reach up to touch my ears, almost surprised they are still small and rounded.

  It was odd to feel myself change like that. See a whole different side of me.

  I wonder what I’ll look like when I’m in true form, like Tanner was with his wings out and armor on.

  I have to resist fanning my face just at the thought of him that way. If I thought CEO Tanner was overwhelming, I now know he can be even more so in his fae form, tall and lethal, with that long, warrior-like hair—

  “Knock, knock. Can I come in?” I glance up, surprised to see Bill knocking on my office door as he pushes it open.

  I frown because it’s a little odd for him to come see me now. He’s usually the first to lunch, and almost everyone else has already left.

  Tanner will probably drop by to pick me up soon, but I see no sign of him yet.

  He’s probably still working, and I smile fondly, thinking that it’s impressive that he’s trying to actually help my company when he only came here as part of his mission.

  “I can see you’re a little out of it,” Bill says, walking in and shutting the door. “You okay there?”

  I narrow my eyes slightly at the closed door because it’s an unspoken but understood rule that you just don’t do that.

  I stand, but he motions for me to sit. For a moment, I’m taken aback by the fact that he’s the COO, second-in-command other than the CEO.

  And since Tanner is only an interim CEO, technically, that makes Bill head of the company right now.

  “I was about to head to lunch. Did you need something?” I ask, sitting back down warily.

  Bill scoots his chair in, bringing it as close to the desk as possible so he can lean in to look at me. He’s old enough to be my father. Balding. Overweight. His white shirt has sweat stains, and there’s sweat beading on his forehead.

  “I was thinking about your benefits proposal,” he says.

  “Oh,” I say in relief because I’ve been trying to get him to look at it forever. He could approve it with only one signature if he gave it to his father. “That’s great, because…”

  I trail off as he stands, pushing himself out of the chair to walk around the desk toward where I’m sitting.

  He perches a hip on my desk, making it groan and creak in response. He doesn’t seem to notice, as his eyes are currently wandering over me, lingering at the cleavage that shows at top of my blouse where I undid a button while I was working.

  “What about my benefits proposal?” I ask, hoping to hurry this up.

  His eyes snap up to mine. “You’ve been with the company a long time, Eva.”

  I nod. “Since I graduated.”

  “Yes, yes. Talented. Young.” His eyes move over me again, making me slightly nauseous. “Smart.”

  “What are you getting at?”

  “Your benefits proposal is smart but expensive,” he says. “It might be hard to get enough VPs to sign off.”

  I glance up at him. “Or you could just sign off.”

  “Eva, Eva, Eva,” he says, shaking his head. “You’ve been in the corporate world for what, ten years? And you still don’t know how this works?”

  I shake my head, staring at him. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been pouring your heart into that proposal, but it’s never going to get passed without the right support.” He slides his hand toward me on the desk. “My support. You could do this in a much easier way.”

  I freeze, staring up at him and wondering if this can really be happening. “What do you mean?”

  “I didn’t think you would be up for this kind of thing until I heard you had taken up with Tanner. To be honest, all of us thought you were off-limits.”

  “My sexual availability has nothing to do with you,” I say, furious. “Now if you’ll just leave—”

  His hand slides forward, covering mine and catching it before I can withdraw.

  I want to put up a fight, but I’m too shocked and my head is racing with all the implications of what could happen if I act how I want to act.

  His father owns the company. I don’t want to be fired.

  I never thought he would do this. Has he been trying it on anyone else?

  “What are you doing?” I rasp, trying to pull my hand back again, end this quickly, and make it easier on both of us. “You can’t just proposition employees.”

  “I don’t usually,” he says, releasing my hand to lean back a moment, studying me. “But you know I was recently divorced, and…” His eyes trail over me. “I realized there was someone who could meet my needs right here at work.” He runs his tongue over his lip lasciviously. “Surely, you can make a better alliance with me than with Tanner. He can’t even get your proposal passed.”

  I stand, furious, hands in fists, ready to throw him out of my office for even suggesting anything about Tanner. “You don’t know anything about what I want, and I would never sleep with someone for business.”

  I shove a hand into his chest, moving him back so I can get around him to the door. “If you dare lay a hand on any employees—”

  “You’ll what?” He looks at me, irked. I can see a predatorial gleam in his eyes now that he’s seen something he wants that he can’t have. “You don’t have any power. It’s all illusory. My father owns this place. If I want you fired, it’ll be instant.”

  “I’ll sue you,” I say quickly.

  He walks closer, backing me against the wall before I can reach the door. “Let’s not make it ugly,” he says. “Besides, you know my lawyers would tear you apart. My father can sway anyone powerful in this whole damn town. Just… let’s do what’s good for both of us.”

  I look up at him, meeting his eyes only because I hope it’ll keep his hands off me. “And what’s that?”

  He puts a hand up, hovering it over my arm like he’s about to stroke down it. I cringe inwardly. “You get your benefits proposal and whatever else you want to happen in this company.” His finger grazes my arm and I jerk back, but I can’t go around him. “And I get you whenever I need a release.”

  I shove him back, hard, because I’m stronger than him and because I can’t let him touch me.

  And I also can’t hear this gross offer anymore.
>
  Or face that my life’s work has come down to this. Threats from a sexually harassing narcissist who doesn’t care about anything but his own dick.

  “You’ll regret that,” he says, taking a step toward me again. “You know you don’t have a choice, Eva. Not unless you want to start over. With no recommendations.”

  I gape at him openly, unable to understand why he would try to make my entire life hell just over a proposition.

  But then I realize that in saying no to him when he never expected it, I’ve only made him want me more.

  “Get out of here,” I say angrily. “Before I throw you out.”

  He narrows his eyes on me. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Eva?” Tanner’s voice calls out from behind the closed door to my office. “Are you in there?”

  Bill goes tense, then forcibly relaxes himself, smoothing a hand over his combover as he steps back and away from me. “Think about my proposition, Eva. It’s more than fair.”

  As he turns on his heel and opens the door, I’m so relieved to see Tanner’s handsome, honest face that I almost sink to the floor.

  Seeing my expression, he turns a glare on Bill, but Bill merely pushes past him as if he wasn’t there.

  I sink into one of the chairs by the door, hating that being a woman can even lead to this kind of situation.

  I just want to be here, doing my work. I just want to get better benefits for the people who work hard for this place.

  I just want to make a difference in the world. Now everything seems ruined.

  “What happened? Was it Bill?” Tanner says, kneeling in front of my chair and pulling my hands away from my face. “Do I need to go kill him?”

  I shake my head. “No. No, he didn’t do anything. Well…”

  Tanner stands, expression black and furious. “I do need to kill him. I’ll be back momentarily.”

  I jump out of the chair, catching him by the back of his shirt before he can get through the doorway.

  “No! Tanner, wait!”

  He turns back impatiently. “Why? Tell me what he did to you.”

  I rub my arm. “He just threatened me. Well, propositioned me, I suppose.”

  Tanner’s eyes go wide with rage, and I have to jerk him back again to stop him from leaving.