Bound To The Enemy Eternal Flames Maddox 3

by Cree Storm

  Day slowly rose, never taking his eyes off the threat, and staying between himself and his mates and babies. Movement behind the three caught his attention, but Day kept his face emotionless, hoping everyone else would too.

  “Who are you and what do you want?” Day asked, puffing himself up as much as he could, putting as much power into his voice and stance as possible.

  “Well, we were coming for the pixies, but now that we know the white phoenix has come to be, we’ll be taking him, too. Along with the new pixie brats,” one of the green men replied.

  “Then we seem to have an issue, because there is no way, as long as I am alive, that you will be taking anyone in this room.” Day kept his voice hard and cold.

  The fairy smiled. “Your death can be arranged, and probably celebrated.”

  Day watched as Nick, Dain, and Kerrick slowly, quietly, made their way up to stand behind the three threats. He wanted to keep them talking so their attention was on him. “Probably from your perspective, but that’s not going to happen, either. But I will say that very soon, all three of you are going to be wishing you never stepped foot inside here.”

  The fairy sneered. “You don’t scare me dragon. You may be able to shift into a beast, but my powers are faster. And with how weak your little pixies are right now, they won’t be able to stop me. So, if you don’t just hand them over, you will be destro―”

  The fairy was cut off when Nick reached out and grabbed his head in both hands, and faster than the eye could see, whipped the fairy’s head to the side. A loud snap echoed through the quiet club, then Nick released the now still form, letting it drop like a dead weight to the floor. Which from the look of the asshole, he was a dead weight.

  At the same time Nick had taken out the one fairy, Kerrick had pulled out a sword, that Day had no idea where it had come from, but guessed it had something to do with the elf’s magic, then swung it high in the air and sliced across the other fairy’s neck, taking off his head, at the exact same moment Nick had snapped the other’s neck.

  All that remained was the smaller man with the long white hair, that Day originally thought was a human when he saw him on the roof, but now knew was a pixie. As Nick and Kerrick struck, Dain grabbed hold of the pixie. The man struggled, but he was no match for Dain. The smaller pixie started to whisper, but Dain called out some strange words and suddenly the smaller pixie couldn’t talk. His lips moved, but no words came out, and the man looked positively panicked with that thought.

  Dain restrained the pixie and brought him forward. Kerrick turned to the fairy laying on the floor, the one that Nick had killed. He held his sword in front of him, blade down, then struck, thrusting the blade down and impaling the fairy’s throat. “Now Fallon will not be able to reanimate him,” Kerrick shrugged as he explained when Nick gave him a look.

  “Dwarden, you fucking traitor. How could you work for Fallon?” Dain hissed as he tossed the man with all his strength, sending Dwarden stumbling forward. The pixie lost his balance and fell, sprawled out on the floor. Still unable to speak, Dwarden turned and only glared at Dain defiantly.

  “You little fuck. How could you turn on your own people?” Dain insisted as he stepped forward, hovering over Dwarden, Dain’s face twisted with rage.

  Dwarden got to his feet and brushed himself off, then met Dain’s gaze. Dain waved his hand and Dwarden cleared his throat. His face turning stone cold as he stared at Dain, then said, “Garlin was mine and you took him from me. You killed the only man I have ever loved. Fallon promised me once I destroyed you and your kin, that he would bring my Garlin back to me.”

  Day watched as Dain’s eyes widened with confusion, then anger. “You knew he was not my true mate, didn’t you?”

  Dwarden gave him a satisfactory smirk. “Who do you think made the bewilderment potion for him? I loved him more than my own life and would do anything for him. I proved that by standing by and watching the two of you together. It made me sick, but I knew it was for a better cause.”

  “And what cause was that, that you went along with a traitor against your own people?” Destrain asked as he stepped into the room from the alcove. Illan, Justice, and Ezra behind him.

  “My Garlin was a prophet. Didn’t know that, did you, almighty Dain? He foresaw the coming of the white phoenix and knew he belonged to the fairy. The white phoenix is all powerful and would be able to destroy any foe. The days of the pixie would be over once the white phoenix was born.”

  “So Garlin and his followers turned their backs on their own kind and went to the enemy,” Destrain whispered absently.

  “Yes! He knew once the white phoenix came to pass, that Fallon would have him destroy us all, then he would go after the elves, leaving the fairies the only magic with all the power. What Fallon didn’t understand was how or when the white phoenix would come to be. Obviously one of his people would have to be with a phoenix, and who was closer to the phoenix than the pixie?”

  “That doesn’t make sense. We had already disappeared into the pixie realm and the phoenix thought we were all dead,” Dain sneered.

  Dwarden gave Dain an evil smirk. “Not entirely true. There was still one phoenix with the pixie,” he said and his gaze turned to Aracas.

  Destrain and Dain looked to Aracas, then back to Dwarden. “Aracas,” Destrain said.

  “Yes. He was still with the pixie, but he was always in your palace. We needed to get him away from there so that he could meet the fairy he would bed. Fallon appointed Garlin the one to get close to the royal family at all costs. This way he could keep an eye on them and hopefully get another prophecy telling him when the white phoenix would come and which fairy would birth him. So Garlin came to me, your assistant, and had me create the bewilderment potion that Fallon had told him about. Garlin was sickened when he realized he would have to bed you. Then when he learned that you were pregnant with that, he had another prophecy. The dragon and phoenix were still alive, but on the human plane. He saw them reuniting in one cause to bring all the paranormals together again. He saw his unborn son as the one who joined them. He saw his son mate the dragon prince and the phoenix prince.”

  “Oh, my gods. That’s why he tried to kill my son,” Dain whispered.

  “Yes. We needed to keep the phoenix and the dragon apart. But now we needed to know which phoenix would lay with a fairy to create the white phoenix. And then you took him from me! You killed my Garlin!” Dwarden screamed and threw up his hands toward Dain. A large energy blast flew from his hands, but before it could hit its mark, Kerrick and Rune ran toward Dain. Rune knocked him out of the way as Kerrick threw himself in the line of fire, the energy blast hitting him square in the chest. Kerrick flew backwards, crashing into a few tables, and everything shattered from the blow. Kerrick hit the floor hard and lay unconscious.

  Dain caught himself from falling and spun around to look at Kerrick. Dain’s eyes turned hard and cold as he turned to face Dwarden. He straightened and squared his shoulders as he stepped closer to the pixie. Dwarden held up his hands to strike again, and Dain slashed a hand out in front of him, causing Dwarden to go flying. As Dwarden moved, Dain walked slowly toward him, his face hard and cold.

  He raised his hand again, and Dwarden went flying to the right, as Dain just kept walking slowly toward him, menacingly. Dain kept slashing his hand in the air, and each time he did, Dwarden flew in another direction, crashing into tables, chairs, and walls. Dwarden finally hit one wall with a loud, solid thunk, and slid to the floor. His body lay motionless, but his eyes remained open and focused on Dain.

  Dain slowly approached and stood over the pixie staring at him. Dwarden raised a hand, trying to block whatever Dain had next, but it was no use. Even Day could see that Dwarden was powerless against his father-in-law. “No one harms what is mine,” Dain said calmly, but his voice came out so hard and cold he could have frozen everything in the room. “You will never touch my son, my mates, or my stepson, the white phoenix,” Dain announced.

  Dwa
rden’s eyes went wide and his gaze flicked to Manny, then to Rune. “You? You’re the one who created the white phoenix?” he whispered in shock.

  “You’ll never have to worry about that now, will you? Seeing as your time has come to an end,” Dain replied, then threw up both hands and a wave of power flew from his palms, crashing into Dwarden, and the pixie exploded. Blood and guts flew into the air, as well as a purple dust, coating the wall and floor where Dwarden once was.

  CHAPTER 15

  It had been a week since the battle and births of the pixie/Phoenix babies. Once Dwarden was gone, they all worked to get everyone out of there. Dain had picked an unconscious Kerrick up, not an easy task, and had brought his mate back to his home, laying him on Dain’s big bed. With the power inside him, he knew Kerrick would be alright. Taking a direct hit from an energy blast like that could be painful and knock you on your ass for a few hours, but Kerrick would be fine.

  He and Rune sat be Kerrick’s bedside once again as they watched over their mate, but this time, instead of sitting on opposite sides, they sat side-by-side. They had spent the whole night talking and Dain was surprised to find that not only did he and Rune have so much in common, but Rune could be pretty funny. Dain had a great time just talking with the fairy.

  By morning light, Kerrick had awakened, and the relief that shone in his eyes when he spotted Dain, took his breath away. Dain could see, without a doubt, that Kerrick really was happy that he was okay. After making a nice breakfast for him and his mates, Dain, Kerrick, and Rune spent the rest of the day together, talking and getting to know each other. By sun down on that first day, Dain was very shocked to find that deep down, he really liked both men and wanted to spend time with them. He was even more shocked when he lay in bed that night alone, thinking of his mates in his guest rooms, also alone, and his heart hurt. For the second night in a row, he couldn’t get any sleep, but this time it wasn’t for worry over one of his mates’ health, but for the thoughts and feelings that engulfed him.

  The next day was a blur with how tired he was, but a call from Ethan to come quickly had Dain wide awake in a flash. He, Kerrick, and Rune rushed to Rhys’s house and got there just in time to witness the shell of the dragon egg breaking apart. The babe that sat inside, looking at them all in wonder, was one of the most beautiful creatures that Dain had ever seen, even though it was coated in the remnants of a slimy membrane.

  Then the babe sneezed and a puff of smoke came from its nostrils, making them all laugh. It truly was an adorable sight. A perfect new baby covered in gook, with a large piece of shell on the top of its head and big, bright, lavender eyes blinking and shaking its head.

  Once Day lifted the babe from the bottom portion of shell, they all rejoiced that the next prince of the dragons and pixie had been born. Twin to his sister, princess of the phoenix and pixie. The birth of Princess Amelia Nina Shadowfox Abruzzo Sutherlan and Prince Kalen Drake Shadowfox Abruzzo Sutherlan would ensure that their three great peoples would always stand together.

  Once Kalen was cleaned, his eyes roamed and landed on his sister and Twix’s baby son who were both lying in a gorgeous pixie bassinet. Kalen began to fuss and wouldn’t quiet down until they placed him in the playpen between his sister and his cousin, Prince Fiere Usan Shadowfox Delaney O’Brian. They found out that his name, Fiere, was after Marco’s father, and Usan, was Finn and Jett’s fathers name.

  It was a good day full of celebration, and everyone stayed late into the night. By the time they headed back to his house, Dain had been dead on his feet and couldn’t remember getting home or into his bed. When he awoke the next morning, he almost freaked out to feel a hard body pressed against his back. Dain’s eyes flew open and his gaze landed on a very handsome, green man. Rune lay sleeping beside him, facing Dain. A soft snore came from behind him and Dain looked over his shoulder to find Kerrick, with his arm draped over Dain’s hip, his fingers entwined with Rune’s. This was nice. Dain loved the feeling of waking up sandwiched between two men and took a moment to appreciate it. He closed his eyes, as he just soaked in the feel of both of their well-toned bodies against his, and how perfect they all fit together.

  His heart clenched and Dain thought he felt the first tinge of love, but it couldn’t be. It was too soon. But was it? These men were his enemies, and for such a long time. But as soon as that thought entered his mind, it felt wrong.

  Dain looked back at Kerrick once again, noticing how relaxed his face looked, how peaceful. He then turned to face Rune again and he took that moment to really study his mate.

  Rune was a very handsome man, with sinfully pouty lips that Dain just wanted to nibble on. Dain’s cock thickened and grew and suddenly he had the overwhelming need to fuck and be fucked. He wanted to claim and be claimed. How could he be thinking that way about these men? Men who for all intents and purposes were his enem…mates. They were his mates. Not some spell or potion to make him believe they were, but his real mates, gifted to him by fate.

  Another twist to his heart and Dain realized it was the wall he had built around it many years ago because of Garlin. It was now crumbling, and that thought surprisingly brought Dain comfort and happiness.

  These men were not his enemies, they were his mates. Sure, they had spent many, many years on opposite sides, but Kerrick had been fooled by Fallon and thought he was avenging the death of his brother, his leader. Surely, any of them would have done the same with the trickery and false information Kerrick had been given. And then there was Rune. If he was to be believed, and hell if Dain didn’t believe the fairy, Rune had tried back when they were slaves of the fairy. He had tried to help them, and he managed to help them escape. He also released the vampires, not wanting them to fall into Fallon’s hands and be used against anyone. Rune didn’t realize they would struggle at first before finding their way. He had only hoped to spare them. Then Rune had spent all this time trying to fight against Fallon. Trying to change the course they were all on, and to save him and Kerrick.

  In Dain’s book, that was an honorable man, not one to be hunted down and killed like a dog, or to be treated unkindly. Dain closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. He had been such a fool. He had mistrusted these men and treated them like they were pure evil. But what had they done since arriving? They had been kind, understanding, patient, and honest with him, and everyone else. They had stood up for him, stood by him, fought beside him, and tried to protect him. Rune had thrown Dain out of the way of Dwarden’s energy blast, at the same time Kerrick had jumped in front of him to take the hit himself. They both had proved that they could be trusted and should be held high, as heroes.

  “You’re thinking too much, mate,” Kerrick’s sleep husky voice said from behind him and a shiver raced up Dain’s spine as Kerrick’s warm breath washed over his skin. His neck was all tingly from the sensation.

  Dain smiled to himself, thinking how wonderful it would be to wake up just like this for the rest of his life. An arm tightened around his waist at the same time brilliant aquamarine eyes opened and stared at him. A small smile tugged at the corner of Rune’s lips and Dain just wanted to taste them. So, he did.

  Dain leaned forward, closing the few inches before them and claimed Rune’s lips. Hesitantly at first, but when Rune opened those soft lips and his tongue licked across the seam of Dain’s lips, he couldn’t deny the need, the desire, another moment. Sliding a hand behind Rune’s head, Dain pulled them together and kissed Rune with passion, sliding his tongue into Rune’s depth and loving the taste of his fairy mate. Rune tasted like coconut and vanilla, with a hint of man, and Dain loved it.

  That had been five days ago, and since then the three had been inseparable. They had shared kisses and a few gropes, with the promise of more, but Dain could tell his mates were giving him time, and he found himself falling in love with them both.

  There was one time when Kerrick had to leave them for a few hours so that he could go back to the elven realm and meet with his people. When Kerrick returned he
had told them how he called in all elves and told them of exactly what had happened and what was still going on. He said that his people were beyond angry that they had been tricked and used as pawns in Fallon’s evil plans. Plans that included killing them too, once they helped Fallon kill the pixie. He said that his people, who were normally a peaceful people, until Fallon came along, were devastated to realize that they had killed under false pretenses. He said it would take his people some time to get over that knowledge, but he would help them along the way. He also informed he and Rune how his people were now adamant about helping him and the pixie, dragon, and phoenix, to destroy Fallon and bring about peace for all paranormals.

  Dain had called his brother and explained everything, and Destrain insisted they meet with the council to let them all know what was going on. He didn’t tell his brother about the pledge that Kerrick wanted to give the council for the elves to join in their fight. Dain figured he would save that as a surprise for the whole council. Maybe Dain would approach his brother in private about having Kerrick and Rune placed on the council as well, as representatives for their people, and magic as a whole? He would give it a little more thought and wait to see how receptive the council was with Kerrick and Rune now.

  He also needed to inform the council that Kerrick recognized the creature he had seen in Fallon’s chambers all those years ago. Ollie, Pascal, and Baldwin had come in to see them earlier in the day and while they were here, Kerrick kept looking at the Santorini Fox brothers with confusion. When Dain questioned him, Kerrick had said they looked like someone he had seen in Fallon’s bedchamber once. A small man with yellow and pink hair, and emerald green eyes. Ollie and Pas had both been upset by Kerrick’s description and told them that their brother had gone missing many years ago and the description that Kerrick had given described their brother to a T.